UPDATE: HeartGift Austin is thanking all who made a donation via Amplify Austin to HeartGift last week. Thanks to such generosity, HeartGift Austin raised $25,900! But, more important, little Saranzaya had her open heart surgery yesterday at Dell Children's Medical Center in Austin and HeartGift tells us that “this morning she is recovering beautifully.” HeartGift … [Read more...] about (Updated) If She Steals Your Heart, Help Heal Her Heart
(Update) Afghanistan: With Friends Like These…
Update: In her Fox News interview with Donald Rumsfeld, Greta van Susteren gives the former secretary of defense a chance to redeem himself after his comments that he “understands” and “sympathizes with” Hamid Karzai's siding with the likes of Syria and Venezuela in support of Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Van Susteren does so by saying that Karzai’s siding with Moscow … [Read more...] about (Update) Afghanistan: With Friends Like These…
The horror of violence: Hunger Games
I've recently done a piece on my own blog about the fantastic film, Hunger Games: Catching Fire. To summarise, what I loved most about it, and the books for that matter, is its unflinching use of violence and how it depicts the consequences of such acts. To be clear, this is a film that is aimed at young people and some of the images and themes of the book series and both … [Read more...] about The horror of violence: Hunger Games
Facebook takes $2 billion dive into virtual reality
Facebook takes $2 billion dive into virtual reality (via AFP) Facebook announced a $2-billion deal to buy a startup behind virtual reality headgear that promises to let people truly dive into their friends' lives. Facebook co-founder and chief Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday said that the acquisition of Oculus was… … [Read more...] about Facebook takes $2 billion dive into virtual reality
The Weiner Century
Yes, there are indeed second and third acts in American public life -- even for voter-terminated farces. In the latest sign of how notoriety pays off in 21st century America, former Democratic Congressman and unsuccessful New York Mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner has won a new gig as a monthly political columnist for the online site Business Insider. In case you've been on … [Read more...] about The Weiner Century
Slippery slopes before the court (Guest Voice)
Slippery slopes before the court By Ruth Marcus Washington Post Writers Group WASHINGTON -- In the context of talking about limits on free speech, it's common to say that your freedom to swing your fist ends where my nose begins. That seems like a sensible way to think about the freedom of religion case just argued before the Supreme Court: whether employers … [Read more...] about Slippery slopes before the court (Guest Voice)
From Hitler to Putin: Crimea is ‘Not the First Time’ (Vedomosti, Russia)
Until March 1, Dr. Andrei Zubov was professor of Russian philosophy at the prestigious Moscow State Institute of International Relations, where he had been a teacher since 2001. He was forced to resign for publishing this column in the Russian newspaper Vedomosti. Dr. Zubov, in an impassioned plea, begs President Putin and the Russian people to pull back from the brink in … [Read more...] about From Hitler to Putin: Crimea is ‘Not the First Time’ (Vedomosti, Russia)
Donald Rumsfeld: A “Trained Ape” Has Better Foreign Policy Skills Than President Obama
I am always amazed at the hubris of former vice president Dick Cheney and former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld. They will stop at nothing to criticize President Obama for just about any issue, even if it's a throwback to the George W. Bush administration. On the subject of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Crimea and the estrangement with Afghanistan president … [Read more...] about Donald Rumsfeld: A “Trained Ape” Has Better Foreign Policy Skills Than President Obama
Crimea and Texas: Russia’s Version of Manifest Destiny (Reforma, Mexico)
Has Washington forgotten how it acquired much of its own territory? For Mexico's Reforma, columnist Sergio Sarmiento writes that the way Crimea was annexed by Russia bears a striking resemblance to the way the U.S. annexed Texas, and that there is a large number of more recent examples that show when it comes to the self determination of peoples, Washington is talking out of … [Read more...] about Crimea and Texas: Russia’s Version of Manifest Destiny (Reforma, Mexico)
America and Germany: The ‘Axis of Pragmatism’ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany)
Has Vladimir Putin managed to re-glue the American-German alliance? Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung columnist Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger writes that the 're-Sovietization' of Russia has shown that the West depends on U.S.-German cooperation, which makes qualms over surveillance and the Iraq War seem far less significant than they did a few weeks ago. For the Frankfurter … [Read more...] about America and Germany: The ‘Axis of Pragmatism’ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany)
The Downside of Democracy (3)
During the 20th and 21st centuries, democracy was imposed through the force of arms in Japan, Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan. The adoption of a democratic form of government also occurred in a number of nations in Eastern Europe and Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In South America, military dictatorships were transformed into democracies in Brazil, Argentina, and … [Read more...] about The Downside of Democracy (3)
Poll: Polarization gains ground as a good thing
Poll numbers for Congress and President Barack Obama may be heading south but a USA TODAY/Bipartisan Policy Center poll finds one thing is gaining lots of ground in popularity as a good thing: polarization. Yes, the polarization that in American politics was once seen as a negative because it made it harder to reach consensus that created policies having a larger base of … [Read more...] about Poll: Polarization gains ground as a good thing
MH 370: We May Not Know Why/Where, But We Know True Self
On The Wings of Cranes If this is what is, if this is what it comes to if any living soul can recover any identifiable piece of anything belonging to the silver bird or to the souls aboard, a seat cushion, an ear bud, a wallet, a cell phone, a pacifier, a hearing aide, a cane, a bra, a baseball cap-- that ---that kind of 'I know that item belonged to my loved … [Read more...] about MH 370: We May Not Know Why/Where, But We Know True Self
Keep Bossy, Ban Pink Ribboning (Guest Voice)
Keep Bossy, Ban Pink Ribboning By Tina Dupuy "Lean In" Author and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg's campaign to cheer young girls to participate launched last week. Sandberg claims little boys get called leaders and for the same behavior little girls are branded as bossy. "Together we can encourage girls to lead. Pledge to Ban Bossy," reads the site. It's only a word that's … [Read more...] about Keep Bossy, Ban Pink Ribboning (Guest Voice)
Global Financial Crisis a Ticking Time Bomb (Guest Voice)
A video by William Black on what caused the global financial crisis—and why it is a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off again. by Robert Coutinho Professor Black teaches at University of Missouri, Kansas City. He was one of the regulators who investigated the Savings and Loan crisis of 1984, and he also helped to eliminate similar fraud back in 1990-1991. He talks … [Read more...] about Global Financial Crisis a Ticking Time Bomb (Guest Voice)
Flight MH370: What Is Next?
Now that the consensus is that Flight 370 crashed in the Indian Ocean, west of Perth, Australia, the next steps -- after ascertaining that any retrieved debris does in fact belong to the ill-fated airliner -- will be to attempt to retrieve the flight recorder and to hopefully locate the fuselage. These tasks will not be easy, as the search will take place in waters that … [Read more...] about Flight MH370: What Is Next?
Democrats still waiting for positive Obamacare bounce
One of the biggest shocks and disappointments for Democrats is that the positive bounce from Obamacare that many Democrats had expected has never come. They're still waiting after four years: Democrats have been waiting for ObamaCare to become popular for four years. And counting. Congressional leaders and senior White House advisers have been saying since 2010 that … [Read more...] about Democrats still waiting for positive Obamacare bounce
G7 kicks Russia out of G8 over Ukraine crisis
G7 snubs Russia summit over Ukraine crisis (via AFP) The G7 group of top economic powers on Monday scrapped a planned meeting to be hosted by Russia as they sought to deepen Moscow's isolation over the Ukraine crisis. After emergency talks called by US President Barack Obama, the G7 said they would hold… … [Read more...] about G7 kicks Russia out of G8 over Ukraine crisis
Paul Ryan Is Our Generation’s Bob Dole
Paul Ryan is running for president in 2016 because he's running for president in 2024. That is a simple fact. Ryan knows he can't win the nomination in 2016 -- the last time a losing VP candidate was nominated in the succeeding presidential cycle was Walter Mondale in 1984, and Mondale had at least been vice president. Ryan knows that he won't even be on the ticket in 2016 … [Read more...] about Paul Ryan Is Our Generation’s Bob Dole
Notoriety Pays In America: Anthony Weiner Gets Business Insider Political Column
Notoriety pays off in 21st century America. Business Insider has proudly announced that former Representative and unsuccessful New York Mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner is their newest political columnist. Despite the official announcements, it's clear Weiner is getting the column because he's a controversial personality. He'll let it all hang out in a column titled … [Read more...] about Notoriety Pays In America: Anthony Weiner Gets Business Insider Political Column