If a Russian jet flies in provocative way over a U.S. Navy destroyer that might be an accident. But if two Russian jets fly over a U.S. Navy destroyer several times, that is a pattern -- and a seemingly provocative event. That's what just occurred in the Western Black Sea and it raises the question: are we back to the old brinkmanship days? Two Russian fighter jets made … [Read more...] about Were Russian jets trying to provoke U.S. Navy destroyer?
Rise of the right: Cross-Atlantic extremism (Guest Voice)
Rise of the right: Cross-Atlantic extremism (via The Economist) I HAVE long had a sneaking suspicion that Tea Party voters and eurosceptics are more or less the same sorts of people, born on different sides of the Atlantic. Both are traditionalist movements driven by economic anxiety and mistrust of centralised… … [Read more...] about Rise of the right: Cross-Atlantic extremism (Guest Voice)
Dmitry Kiselyov: Russia Has Taken West’s Place as Beacon of Free Expression (Izvestia, Russsia)
Have the United States and Europe shown that they have a diminishing commitment to free expression, whereas Russia has an increasingly greater such commitment? In this interview with Izvestia, Dmitry Kiselyov, one of the titans of Russia's state media and man with Vladimir Putin's ear, reacts to critics that call him anti-gay, attacks sanctions against him as an attack on all … [Read more...] about Dmitry Kiselyov: Russia Has Taken West’s Place as Beacon of Free Expression (Izvestia, Russsia)
L Is For Laughter
From time to time we all need to have a good laugh, especially in times like these. One of my favorites programs (or perhaps I should say programmes) is the absolutely brilliant BBC series Yes Minister and it's successor, Yes Prime Minister. For those not familiar with the programs, they follow the trials of a UK government minister named James Hacker as he works hard to … [Read more...] about L Is For Laughter
Ex-KKK Grand Dragon Frazier Glenn Miller ID’d as Kansas Jewish Center Shooter
The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City and Village Shalom shooting suspect as former Ku Klux Klan grand dragon Frazier Glenn Miller (Frazier Glenn Cross), 73, of Aurora, Mo. He was arrested for the murders of Dr. William Lewis Corporon and his grandson Reat Griffin Underwood, as well as an unidentified female. A … [Read more...] about Ex-KKK Grand Dragon Frazier Glenn Miller ID’d as Kansas Jewish Center Shooter
The State Department’s ‘Russian Fiction, the Sequel’
As major news sources publish alarming updates on the Ukraine crisis, Moscow denies the trouble is being “orchestrated” from the Kremlin; Ukraine is threatening to launch a full-scale military operation in Eastern Ukraine; an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council has been called -- by Moscow -- for tonight in New York and the US ambassador to the UN says the attacks this … [Read more...] about The State Department’s ‘Russian Fiction, the Sequel’
Man yells ‘Heil Hitler’ after fatally shooting 3 at Jewish centers
In what is increasingly shaping up as a hate crime, a heavyset man in his 70s has been taken into custody after shootings at two Jewish community sites in the Kansas City area. He killed three people -- one of them a 14-year old boy. Among the three dead were a grandfather and his grandson, the 14-year-old. (UPDATE: "Law enforcement officials identified the alleged shooter as … [Read more...] about Man yells ‘Heil Hitler’ after fatally shooting 3 at Jewish centers
Army Ranger Cory Remsburg: ‘The Rest of the Story’
During the recent State of the Union (SOTU) address, the entire House Chamber -- the entire nation -- was mesmerized by the young uniformed soldier sitting, and then standing, in the front row of the House gallery, next to First Lady Michele Obama. Then, when President Barack Obama finished telling his moving story about Army Sgt. 1st Class Cory Remsburg, the entire House … [Read more...] about Army Ranger Cory Remsburg: ‘The Rest of the Story’
SciFi Weekend: Hannibal; Captain America and Agents of SHIELD; The Americans; Orphan Black; Continuum; Captain Janeway and Geocentrism; The Expanse
Yakimono provided an excellent start for the second half of this season of Hannibal. The episode answered the question of how they continue for several more episodes between the release of Will Graham from prison and the ultimate revelation that Hannibal Lecter is the Chesapeake Ripper. Chilton had an agenda, but his plans did not work out: "Yes, I have an agenda. Living." We … [Read more...] about SciFi Weekend: Hannibal; Captain America and Agents of SHIELD; The Americans; Orphan Black; Continuum; Captain Janeway and Geocentrism; The Expanse
CBS Colbert: Blow to Wingnuttery (Cartoon)
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction without licensing from Cagle Cartoons is strictly prohibited. … [Read more...] about CBS Colbert: Blow to Wingnuttery (Cartoon)
Fact Checking Valuable, But Not Always Right
The Moderate Voice has a post on the increase in fact-checking in journalism. Fact-checking is preferable to the standard media practice of quoting both sides as if they are equally valid, generally with an implied assumption that the truth is somewhere in the middle. This leads to erroneous reporting when one side is intentionally using misinformation and lying far more than … [Read more...] about Fact Checking Valuable, But Not Always Right
Obama Warns Of Threats To Right To Vote
If one followed politics superficially from the mainstream media, they might come to the incorrect view that we have a two party system in which the two parties differ on some issues but are essentially mirror images of each other. Looking more closely, it becomes apparent that instead we have a centrist party which has been struggling to continue our system of self-government … [Read more...] about Obama Warns Of Threats To Right To Vote
Invoking Joe McCarthy (Guest Voice)
Invoking Joe McCarthy by Dana Milbank Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- I have here in my hand a list of six people who think Darrell Issa is a fellow traveler of Joseph McCarthy. I compiled these names while watching Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, lead his panel's proceedings Thursday to hold … [Read more...] about Invoking Joe McCarthy (Guest Voice)
Putin Takeover the Sequel? Pro-Russian gunmen take over police station in East Ukraine (Video)
Is it Vladimir Putin: The Sequel" or perhaps more accurately Putin's re-run season? What's occurring now in the eastern Ukraine looks like what played out in Crimea. But this time will Putin be able to effectively seize an area without an invasion? Suddenly, pro-Russian gunmnen are showing up to take over a police station, an incident that suggests the groundwork is being laid … [Read more...] about Putin Takeover the Sequel? Pro-Russian gunmen take over police station in East Ukraine (Video)
Mozilla’s CEO and the Right to be Wrong
Mozilla's CEO and the Right to be Wrong By Dick Polman Gay marriage is inevitable — and rightly so, because it's in sync with a core American value, equality under the law. But another core American value is freedom of expression, and gay marriage supporters need to revere that as well. I say this because last week's purging of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich — whose head wound up … [Read more...] about Mozilla’s CEO and the Right to be Wrong
Fact-checking journalism gains momentum
Fact-checking journalism gains momentum (via AFP) Journalists have always faced up to facts, but a new wave of fact-checking journalism has gained prominence in the past decade to counter misleading or outrageous claims of political figures. Notable among these are FactCheck.org, and PolitiFact, which… … [Read more...] about Fact-checking journalism gains momentum
Conservatives Boo Jeb Bush’s Name
It's clear former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is going to have a lot of fence-mending and faction-wooing work to do it he wants to get the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination. None other than the GOP's rhetorical bomb-thrower Donald Trump mentioned Bush's name in front of conservatives -- and it brought boos from the crowd: Speaking at the New Hampshire Freedom Summit, a … [Read more...] about Conservatives Boo Jeb Bush’s Name
Months of Our Lives
Our government -- sometimes along with other nations -- the states, various groups and organizations, etc. designate months of the year as commemorative months to raise awareness about health, social and other important issues or to commemorate or celebrate significant events. To raise awareness about health issues, for example, we have: American Heart Month (February), … [Read more...] about Months of Our Lives
Mike Huckabee Thinks There’s More Freedom in North Korea Than America
The inflammatory rhetoric from the Republican Party continues..... Fox News personality and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who appeared at a New Hampshire event(#NHFreedomSummit), is quoted as saying: "I am beginning to think there's more freedom in North Korea sometimes than there is in the United States," citing TSA patdowns. Um, really? Since he knows so much … [Read more...] about Mike Huckabee Thinks There’s More Freedom in North Korea Than America
It was torture and way worse than admitted
But we knew that. We're back to square one: many Americans knew their government was lying and we were right. The question is: will confirmation that we acted brutally and lawlessly affect the system in any way? Probably not. We torture; we will continue to torture. We are beyond the law and that's where we want to stay. The classified study, prepared by the Senate … [Read more...] about It was torture and way worse than admitted