In pondering what to do for my "D" post many ideas came to mind. Disney was an obvious choice for anyone who knows me but I decided that too obvious. I also considered Democracy, Daydreams and a myriad of other topics. But for various reasons I settled on dog. Although I do not currently have a dog in my life (I prefer that term to "own a dog") there have been canine … [Read more...] about D Is For Dog
Torture Doesn’t Work
I was an interrogator and analyst for the Defense Intelligence Agency in the late 60s and early 70s. When I was in training the first thing they taught us was that torture was both illegal and ineffective. When you torture people they tell you what they think you want to hear not the truth. As a former DIA operative I must admit I don't have a lot of use for the CIA. Many … [Read more...] about Torture Doesn’t Work
David Letterman saying good night to ‘Late Night’
David Letterman saying good night to 'Late Night' (via AFP) David Letterman, a pillar of American late-night TV talk shows, announced that he will be stepping down as host of "Late Night" on CBS next year after a 22-year run. "We don't have the timetable for this precisely down," said Letterman, 66, during a… … [Read more...] about David Letterman saying good night to ‘Late Night’
Russians Bid Farewell to the West (Gazeta, Russia)
This is another example of the newly-emerging Russian nationalism, which embraces a break from the West as a liberation for the Russian people. Does the crisis over Crimea mark the end of a Western-oriented period of history for Russia? For Russia's Gazeta, columnist Pyotr Vlasov writes that the new paradigm will marginalize Russia's pro-Western liberals, and will wean Russians … [Read more...] about Russians Bid Farewell to the West (Gazeta, Russia)
Freedom of Speech (Cartoon)
https://politicalgraffiti.wordpress.com/2014/04/03/freedom-of-speech/ Copyright 2014 David Donar. All rights reserved. Copyright Donar, Political Graffiti … [Read more...] about Freedom of Speech (Cartoon)
Hearing an echo on Benghazi
Hearing an echo on Benghazi by Dana Milbank Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- House Republicans on Wednesday held Benghazi hearing number 1,372,569, give or take, and this time they were determined to find the proof that had eluded them in the previous 1,372,568: that Obama administration officials had put politics before national … [Read more...] about Hearing an echo on Benghazi
‘Fissures’ in Europe: Putin, Propaganda, and Patriotism (Handelsblatt, Germany)
In the United States, the pitched battle in Europe over Putin's annexation of Crimea remains almost an untold story. Far from closing ranks against Russia's activities, a large segment of the continent is sympathetic to Moscow's position. For Germany's Handelsblatt, columnist Wolfram Weimer lays out the economic, historic and political reasons that this fissure on the continent … [Read more...] about ‘Fissures’ in Europe: Putin, Propaganda, and Patriotism (Handelsblatt, Germany)
More Rare Historical Photos in Color (Photo video and colorized comedies videos)
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I like colorization. It's a scientific advance that can enhance some black and white movies and when used on historic photos it makes the person -- and their time -- much more...like...now. Here's another collection of rare historic photos in color: Here's the first collection of photos and colorized film that ran on … [Read more...] about More Rare Historical Photos in Color (Photo video and colorized comedies videos)
Affordable Care Act Meets its Registration Goal
Last October, the Affordable Care Act's insurance-registration website was moved to live at healthcare.gov. At the time, the site's unveiling was nothing short of a disaster. Few people were even able to access the site at all, and those who could were not able to register for health insurance. Critics of the Affordable Care Act experienced a sort of schadenfreude and took the … [Read more...] about Affordable Care Act Meets its Registration Goal
Texas Gubernatorial Candidate Getting Education Policy From a White Supremacist?
Texas Gubernatorial Candidate Getting Education Policy From a White Supremacist? By Jason Stanford After unsuccessfully mansplaining equal pay for three weeks, Greg Abbott, the Republican frontrunner for Texas governor, finally changed the subject by citing the work of conservative libertarian scholar Charles Murray, a "white nationalist" who opposes universal pre-K. … [Read more...] about Texas Gubernatorial Candidate Getting Education Policy From a White Supremacist?
What the Supreme Court is up to
Jeffrey Toobin has been keeping track. "McCutcheon" is nothing compared to what's coming next. If you think that the Supreme Court’s decision today in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission was bad, just wait: worse may be on the way. The issue before the Court was fairly narrow, even a little obscure. Congress bars individuals from contributing more than … [Read more...] about What the Supreme Court is up to
Good News On Obamacare Enrollment Leading To More Favorable Coverage
Democrats have suffered damage from the Affordable Care Act far more from negative press than actual negative results. Of course they make the problem far worse by running away as opposed to standing up for the successes of the Affordable Care Act. Two stories last fall did the most harm–the failed roll out and news of people receiving cancellation letters. The computer … [Read more...] about Good News On Obamacare Enrollment Leading To More Favorable Coverage
C Is For Cookie
In pondering what theme to pick for today's post I considered a number of options ranging from charity to calypso but in the end I decided to settle on a childhood (and adult) favorite.. C is for Cookie. Of course we all know this from Sesame Street and I think we all still enjoy humming the tune to ourselves but I wanted to take things an extra step. When we look back at … [Read more...] about C Is For Cookie
One dead, 14 wounded in Fort Hood shooting
One dead, 14 wounded in Fort Hood shooting (via AFP) One person was killed and 14 wounded Wednesday in a shooting at the Fort Hood US military base, scene of a deadly 2009 rampage, officials said. The Texas base said a gunman was initially reported killed, but it could not confirm media reports that the… … [Read more...] about One dead, 14 wounded in Fort Hood shooting
A Blistering Dissent in ‘McCutcheon’: Conservatives Substituted Opinion for Fact
A Blistering Dissent in ‘McCutcheon’: Conservatives Substituted Opinion for Fact (via Moyers & Company) Central to the Supreme Court’s campaign finance decisions in the John Roberts era is that the government’s only legitimate interest in this area is preventing direct, quid pro quo corruption — a donor demanding that a specific law be passed, or… … [Read more...] about A Blistering Dissent in ‘McCutcheon’: Conservatives Substituted Opinion for Fact
Lessig: Supreme Court McCutcheon ruling turning U.S. into “Sheldon City”
Last year Harvard University Law Professor Lawrence Lessig wrote the eBook "Lesterland: The Corruption of Congress and How to End It," which detailed how big money corrupts both parties in Congress, and how lobbyists even market gridlock as a political strategy. In light of the Supreme Court ruling in the McCutcheon case, he has sent out email for Rootstrikers, which defines … [Read more...] about Lessig: Supreme Court McCutcheon ruling turning U.S. into “Sheldon City”
A War Of Words Doesn’t Have To Involve Fighting
A Global Crossing of Wildly Popular World Leaders. The Rock Star Pope Greets The Superman President. The View From The Virgin Islands By John McCarthy TMV Columnist President Obama met with Pope Francis last week in Rome. That’s when I learned that the phrase “conscientious objection” no longer means what we thought it means. The President … [Read more...] about A War Of Words Doesn’t Have To Involve Fighting
MH370 (Cartoon)
https://politicalgraffiti.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/mh370/ Copyright 2014 David Donar. All rights reserved. Copyright Donar, Political Graffiti … [Read more...] about MH370 (Cartoon)
The Donald Rumsfeld I Got to Know
Fellow contributor Shaun Mullen discusses the recent and lengthy four-part New York Times op-ed series by Errol Morris, an op-ed that focuses on former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s “lack of ability to discriminate between truth and fantasy,” on his “gobbledygook philosophy that — seemingly paying lip service to empiricism — devalued evidence and made a mockery of … [Read more...] about The Donald Rumsfeld I Got to Know
Obamacare Enrollment Surpasses Seven Million
The number of people purchasing insurance under the Affordable Care Act has exceeded seven million. This slightly surpasses initial predictions. This also surpasses the reduced prediction of six million made by the Congressional Budget Office as a result of the initial IT problems, (with more expected to sign up in future years) and shows that conservative opponents of … [Read more...] about Obamacare Enrollment Surpasses Seven Million