Endless fascination with the Malaysian airliner goes on, rippling out to TV commercials unseen now for decades: courses for those afraid to fly. The condition has a scientific name, pteromerhanophobia, afflicting the famous from football commentator John Madden to comic Whoopi Goldberg, and bringing back memories of my own struggles with the condition. Briefly in World … [Read more...] about Missing Airliner Brings Back Fear of Flying
Can Rand Paul Really Get the 2016 GOP Nomination?
He's the GOP's emerging conservative "rock star" who sets the base on fire. But can he go the distance? Is it realistic to think that Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul can really get the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination and usher in a new GOP era in more ways than one? Or does he have too much political hubris -- some of it from his father? If you believe a series of polls of … [Read more...] about Can Rand Paul Really Get the 2016 GOP Nomination?
Citizens United Expanded (McCutcheon v. FEC)
For those who thought the U. S. Supreme Court might be chastened by the reaction to its Citizens United decision and be reluctant to expand that thinking further, I regret to inform you that your hopes have been officially dashed. In today’s decision, McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, the Court has ruled, very much relying on Citizens United, that aggregate limits on … [Read more...] about Citizens United Expanded (McCutcheon v. FEC)
GOP candidates kiss up to billionaire
GOP candidates kiss up to billionaire by Dana Milbank Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- Who wants to marry a billionaire? John Kasich does. So do Scott Walker, Chris Christie and Jeb Bush. When Sheldon Adelson, the world's eighth-richest person, according to Forbes, let it be known that he was looking for a Republican candidate to … [Read more...] about GOP candidates kiss up to billionaire
The undervaluing of George H. W. Bush
Democrat Ned Lamont, the darling of liberals when he defeated Connecticut Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman in the 2006 Democratic primary, has it right: George H. W. has been undervalued as President -- and I'm predicting he will get his historical due. Here's part of what he writes in RealClearPolitics: Presidential surveys put him in the middle of the pack, but he should be … [Read more...] about The undervaluing of George H. W. Bush
Oradour-sur-Glane, France, 70 Years Ago – Matay, Egypt, Today.
A few years ago we visited the charred ruins of what had once been a quiet, pleasant town in the French Limousine. As we walked through what is left of the village of Oradour-sur-Glane we tried to fathom the hell some 642 innocent French men, women and children experienced at the hands of the Nazis on a nice summer day seventy years ago. We tried to imagine how on June … [Read more...] about Oradour-sur-Glane, France, 70 Years Ago – Matay, Egypt, Today.
How the zebra earned its stripes
How the zebra earned its stripes (via AFP) Zebras have stripes to deter the tsetse and other blood-sucking flies, according to a fresh bid to settle a debate that has raged among biologists for over 140 years. Since the 1870s, in a dispute sparked by the founders of evolutionary theory Charles… … [Read more...] about How the zebra earned its stripes
Part GM wouldn’t replace that helped kill 13 cost $1
[two_third_last] Reuters has a truly shocking report that'll have General Motor's public relations department scrambling: it turns out that the faulty ignition switch that GM reportedly decided to quietly not replace would have cost the company $1 on each car. The switch is blamed for taking 13 lives: General Motors Co in 2005 decided not to change an ignition switch … [Read more...] about Part GM wouldn’t replace that helped kill 13 cost $1
Obamacare Haters Can’t Handle the Truth
Obamacare Haters Can't Handle the Truth By Dick Polman If there's one thing Republicans hate even more than health insurance for a growing number of Americans, it's empirical evidence that Obamacare is insuring a growing number of Americans. As we hit the first enrollment deadline, the raw stats demonstrated that the health reform law is very much alive and threading … [Read more...] about Obamacare Haters Can’t Handle the Truth
Conservatives Discover Benefits of ACA
Sahil Gapur reports on conservative pundits getting the political cost of GOP push to repeal Obamacare on Talking Points Memo. Central to their dilemma is the emerging discovery that many people will end up benefiting from Obamacare. Despite the health care law's problems, unanswered questions and unknown costs, it can hardly be denied that millions of American are slated to … [Read more...] about Conservatives Discover Benefits of ACA
B Is For Buddhism
This is my 2nd post in the A-Z challenge. In deciding to do the challenge I also decided to post on topics that I would not ordinarily discuss. That brings us to the topic of Buddhism, although I personally am a Christian but I like to say that I speak it with a bit of a Buddhist accent. What do I mean by that ? Well I am not an actively practicing Buddhist as I … [Read more...] about B Is For Buddhism
Earthquake
Here in the Pacific Northwest they tell us we are overdue for a 9.0 subduction zone earthquake. They had one in Japan and we know how that worked out and there was another in Chile today. A major earthquake of magnitude 8.2 struck off the coast of Chile on Tuesday, triggering a tsunami that hit the northern part of the country, but the government reported no deaths or … [Read more...] about Earthquake
Obama cheers seven million health care sign upsObama cheers seven million health care sign ups
Obama cheers seven million health care sign ups (via AFP) President Barack Obama Tuesday cheered seven million people who bought into his health care law and lashed out at political foes who were "mad" that more Americans could get insured. Obama savored a rare moment of triumph in his second term after the… … [Read more...] about Obama cheers seven million health care sign upsObama cheers seven million health care sign ups
A Culture of Dignity (Part 2)
This is the fifteenth part of the serialization of All Rise: Somebodies, Nobodies, and the Politics of Dignity (Berrett-Koehler, 2006). The ideas in this book are further developed in my recent novel The Rowan Tree. CHAPTER 9: A CULTURE OF DIGNITY(Part 2) The Self: A Home for Identities Perhaps Shakespeare put it best: But man, proud man! Drest in a little brief … [Read more...] about A Culture of Dignity (Part 2)
Funding Creationism and Pseudoscience
April Fool’s Day. This is a good time to write bout the way American citizens have been hoodwinked into providing funding for the teaching of creationism and pseudoscience in religious and private schools. Nearly $1 billion in public funds in fourteen states will be handed to hundreds of private schools that teach creationism as science this year. These schools promulgate the … [Read more...] about Funding Creationism and Pseudoscience
Conservatives to women: Go get married (Guest Voice)
Conservatives to women: Go get married by Dana Milbank Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- The conservative minds of the Heritage Foundation have found a way for Republicans to shrink the gender gap: They need to persuade more women to get their MRS degrees. The advocacy group held a gathering of women of the right Monday afternoon to mark the … [Read more...] about Conservatives to women: Go get married (Guest Voice)
Right Wing Media: President Obama’s a Failed American Leader, ‘Dissed’ by World
From day one, President Obama has been taking unprecedented heat from his critics in a way I had not seen other presidents, except Bill Clinton. He has been called all manner of names -- Kenyan, Marxist, Socialist, a liar, grown up version of Trayvon Martin, junkie -- and there is no way he could be a natural born American because his birth certificate was fabricated, of course … [Read more...] about Right Wing Media: President Obama’s a Failed American Leader, ‘Dissed’ by World
UN court orders Japan to stop whaling program
UN court orders Japan to stop whaling program (via PBS News Hour) Australia, activists hail UN court verdict on Japan's annual whaling hunt http://t.co/ppddduisAh pic.twitter.com/8a2EpFZzFR — SBS News (@SBSNews) March 31, 2014 Japan has been ordered to immediately halt whaling off Antarctica, after the United Nations… … [Read more...] about UN court orders Japan to stop whaling program
Astronomy (Or Blogging From A to Z)
Today is April 1st and besides being April Fools it is also the start of the A-Z blogging challenge. Over the next 30 days (Sundays excepted) I will be offering a daily post based on a different letter of the alphabet from A to Z. Today is the letter "A" and I have chosen to start with one of my lifelong passions... Astronomy. Perhaps to some degree my choice is … [Read more...] about Astronomy (Or Blogging From A to Z)
Huffington Post Religion Section Angers Thousands!!
Huffington Post Religion section angers thousands of readers with post about normal Christian pastor doing normal Christian stuff by Doug Bursch Well, it’s the first day of April and the internet is already in an uproar concerning the Huffington Post Religion section’s most recent and extremely provocative story concerning a very ordinary Christian pastor doing extremely … [Read more...] about Huffington Post Religion Section Angers Thousands!!