The New York Times reports: The Port Authority official who personally oversaw the lane closings on the George Washington Bridge in the scandal now swirling around Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said on Friday that the governor knew about the lane closings when they were happening, and that he had the evidence to prove it. In a letter released by his lawyer, the … [Read more...] about Breaking News: Christie Knew About Bridge Lane Closings, Says Letter
(Video Update) Super Bowl XLVIII: Enjoy, Stay Warm, Stay Alert and Be Safe – Especially in Afghanistan.
UPDATE II: Super Bowl 48 athletes and coaches from the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks professional football teams took the time to thank and pay tribute to service members, particularly those deployed overseas and in combat, before the big game. Watch their shout outs interspersed with some great football action: Watch more DOD Super Bowl coverage … [Read more...] about (Video Update) Super Bowl XLVIII: Enjoy, Stay Warm, Stay Alert and Be Safe – Especially in Afghanistan.
Hubris sinkhole swallows Chris Christie
Have we ever seen a politician flame out as quickly -- and as utterly brutal -- as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's? Not since Texas Gov. Rick Perry's famous "Oops.." brain freeze moment erased Perry's national chances and gave him the image of a not-up-to-prime-time-but-a-punchline has the political scene seen such an abrupt reversal in fortunes. Christie's national political … [Read more...] about Hubris sinkhole swallows Chris Christie
Sullivan on 2016 Race
Andrew Sullivan on the 2016 Presidential race after Hillary Clinton lapped the field in an early poll on The Daily Dish. What fascinates me is not just the dynamics of the race that is shaping up, but what could happen after. Imagine the GOP losing to Obama twice, and then losing to their bugaboo of the 1990s in 2016. Wouldn’t that be a shattering blow to morale? Could the GOP … [Read more...] about Sullivan on 2016 Race
Ann Romney: “the country lost” by re-electing Obama and not electing Mitt Romney
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's wife Ann is now raising some eyebrows by declaring the "country lost" by re-electing Mitt Romney. Ann Romney has a message for the country that rejected her husband: Your loss, America! The Romney family postmortem/movie promotion continued Friday with Ann reflecting on Mitt's defeat in the 2012 presidential election. "I really … [Read more...] about Ann Romney: “the country lost” by re-electing Obama and not electing Mitt Romney
Turning point? Republicans outline a path to legalize immigrants
Republicans outline a path to legalize immigrants (via AFP) Republican lawmakers endorsed in principle the legalization of millions of undocumented immigrants on Thursday, but stopped short of backing a pathway to citizenship. The majority party in the House of Representatives did, however, specify that it backs… … [Read more...] about Turning point? Republicans outline a path to legalize immigrants
Let’s talk about black women’s hair
So, I've just posted a review on my blog about the little known Chris Rock documentary called, Good Hair. Good Hair is about black people's hair... to be more specific - black women's hair. Now believe it or not, it is just as uncomfortable for a black man to speak on this subject as it is for white folks. There is a scene in a barber shop which pretty much confirms this … [Read more...] about Let’s talk about black women’s hair
Seeking Purity Without Power
It seems every week we have seen stories about the ongoing debate in the Republican party over which direction it should take in the future. Hard liners in the party have stated that they need to swing hard to the right to become as ideologically pure as possible. Web sites like Redstate.com and Polipundit.com regularly rail against so called RINO’s for being insufficiently … [Read more...] about Seeking Purity Without Power
Larison on “Chameleonic” Iran Hawks
Daniel Larison critiques "chameleonic" Iran war hawks in The American Conservative. The two constants in all of this have been the determination of many Iran hawks to reject any diplomatic solution that might be obtainable and to persist in their opposition at each stage of negotiations despite being proven wrong again and again. Opponents of current negotiations with Iran … [Read more...] about Larison on “Chameleonic” Iran Hawks
Obamacare: Beware the Invisible “Glitches”
I recently wrote an impassioned article about the philosophy that underlies the Obamacare and the way in which it was sold to the nation. Its argument stands, but I have just learned that that article included an error - an error made because of problems with the WA Health Exchange site through which I purchased my plan. My conscience requires me to write this follow-up … [Read more...] about Obamacare: Beware the Invisible “Glitches”
GOP’s Obamacare Alternative
The Republicans have finally proposed an alternative to the Affordable Care Act...that is very similar to the Affordable Care Act, according to Andrew Sullivan on The Daily Dish. Reading it through in some detail yesterday, I was a little floored. After all the hysteria about Obamacare ending America as we know it, about its terrifying impact on the very nature of our polity, … [Read more...] about GOP’s Obamacare Alternative
(Updates) Clapper to Congress: Snowden Caused ‘Massive, Historic’ Security Damage
Update II: The New York Times reports that the Obama Administration will announce tomorrow, Friday, that Vice Admiral Michael S. Rogers will become the new director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and the commander of the new Pentagon unit that directs the country’s offensive cyberoperations, succeeding General Keith Alexander, who has served as NSA director for … [Read more...] about (Updates) Clapper to Congress: Snowden Caused ‘Massive, Historic’ Security Damage
How to survive airplane food
“Please return all seat backs, tray tables and your sense of taste to their full, upright and locked positions…” If you’re like me, you’re a little ambivalent about airline food. Okay, maybe more than a little. The stuff that’s slid in front you usually has all the culinary appeal of “government cheese.” It speaks volumes when the foodie Web site Chowhound asks its … [Read more...] about How to survive airplane food
Question for the New Republic: Who Gives a ‘Fart’ about What Snowden Thinks? (News, Switzerland)
Should anyone care about the personality quirks of Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, or Glenn Greenwald? Last week, the New Republic published an article that attacks the three by examining old blog entries, their early careers, and other information that has nothing to do with NSA mass surveillance. For Switzerland's News, Patrik Etschmayer calls the the New Republic article a … [Read more...] about Question for the New Republic: Who Gives a ‘Fart’ about What Snowden Thinks? (News, Switzerland)
State of the Union: Super Bowl on Empty Field
The sharpest commentary was a repeated cutaway to John McCain smirking as the President went through a laundry list of ways to improve the State of the Union, mostly by executive action, inviting the GOP to join the game with him. But with John Boehner visibly reacting only to the reference to himself as the “son of a barkeep” who attained high office, the Republicans refused … [Read more...] about State of the Union: Super Bowl on Empty Field
The Southern Deep-Freeze: Predicted or Unexpected? And Does It Matter?
There's lots of finger-pointing going on down south. Georgia officials on one side. National meteorologists on the other. What is clear is that an unusual winter storm descended on most of Georgia and much of the southeast on Tuesday. Rather than play the blame game, what can we learn from this? Take-aways Most people don't read weather advisory discussions, for a very … [Read more...] about The Southern Deep-Freeze: Predicted or Unexpected? And Does It Matter?
Musings On Our Parlous State Of Affairs (And I’m Not Talkin’ About Justin Bieber)
I have not been able to get this photograph of Russian Orthodox priests standing between pro-democracy protesters and police in Kiev out of my mind for several days now. First of all, as a longtime photographer I know that it has "award winner" written all over it, a great example of a single image speaking volumes. Secondly, the image is a timely reminder, coming as it did … [Read more...] about Musings On Our Parlous State Of Affairs (And I’m Not Talkin’ About Justin Bieber)
The odor of bitterness
Everything about Obama’s messaging — the image of vigorous unilateral action, the laser focus on jobs, the small but popular policy initiatives attached to it — serve the goal of patching up the president’s standing and framing the Washington story in the most favorable terms possible. The State of the Union address is not an effort to fundamentally reorient the … [Read more...] about The odor of bitterness
Good media news (Washington Post) and bad media news (Patch)
In the continuing media shakedown and restructuring that's moving break-neck speed as America hurtles further in the 21st century, there's good news and bad news. And here's a daily double whammy: THE GOOD NEWS: The Washington Post plans to expand in a big way and a lot of it will be new hires, including bloggers. THE BAD NEWS: Patch, which had raised hopes that online … [Read more...] about Good media news (Washington Post) and bad media news (Patch)
Obama, confidence builder
WASHINGTON -- When President Obama spoke to the nation Tuesday evening, his way was that of a politically moderate, temperamentally optimistic Democratic governor. He offered a long list of relatively modest but helpful programs that many voters will warm to and Republicans ought to have a hard time opposing. Obama took a State of the Union address that began as a … [Read more...] about Obama, confidence builder