Shock. Disgust. Those are just two of the adjectives that describe the reported reaction of American and United Nations officials to a new UN report that details torture by the Syrian regime. And the report is graphic. With photos. The US and UN have reacted with "horror" to allegations in a new report that Syria has systematically tortured and executed about 11,000 … [Read more...] about Report on Syrian torture horrifies U.S. and UN
Chris Christie’s Deepening Crisis (Guest Cartoonist Cartoon)
Chris Christie's Deepening Crisis by Mike Peters OF RELATED INTEREST: --Prominent Republican calls for Christie to give up job as chairman of the Republican Governor's Association. More HERE. --Here's The First Truly Brutal Poll For Chris Christie In The Wake Of Bridgegate --Olympian Carl Lewis Says Chris Christie Tried to Intimidate Him --Bashing the liberal media … [Read more...] about Chris Christie’s Deepening Crisis (Guest Cartoonist Cartoon)
Possible U.S. – Russian Military Cooperation at Sochi
“Two tankers who as young men could have squared off against each other on the East German border sat in the Russian Embassy [in Brussels] today and talked about ways their two nations could cooperate.” We are talking about U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his Russian counterpart, Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov. They met in … [Read more...] about Possible U.S. – Russian Military Cooperation at Sochi
Purdue University Shooter Cody Cousins Surrenders for Allegedly Killing Andrew Boldt
COLLEGE SHOOTING: Cody Cousins has been identified as the gunman in the Purdue University shooting that claimed the life of Andrew Boldt, 21, in the university's college of engineering who now is "booked on a preliminary charge of murder." Purdue's police chief said Cousins, a student in the college of engineering, targeted Andrew Boldt. He left the building right after the … [Read more...] about Purdue University Shooter Cody Cousins Surrenders for Allegedly Killing Andrew Boldt
Ezra Klein is out at the Washington Post
Ezra Klein, the longtime power-blogger who became The Washington Post highly visible -- and respected -- blogger and columnist, is now out at The Washington Post. He basically made The Washington Post an offer they could refuse and so he's parting company with them to start his own media venture with money from another source. It's a big loss to The Post, a loss of a "safe" … [Read more...] about Ezra Klein is out at the Washington Post
Models of Dignity (Part 2)
This is the sixth 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 3: MODELS OF DIGNITY (Part 2) Models Are Commonplace The notion of model building can sound technical at first, perhaps even esoteric. To make it … [Read more...] about Models of Dignity (Part 2)
One quarter of sharks and rays could vanish within decades
First we heard that elephants could be gone within 12 years. Then we learned the Western Black Rhino has been declared extinct. And now here's some more disheartening news: within decades a quarter of the world's sharks and rays could be gone. The saga of a world that will be far different future generations continues: A quarter of the world’s sharks and rays are … [Read more...] about One quarter of sharks and rays could vanish within decades
China’s Pollution: Just this one planet for now, no escape
It seems a bit weird and even creepy when this part of Texas gets hit with air full of sand stirred up by weather in the Sahara, but there it is. Trouble travels. Pollution from China travels in large quantities across the Pacific Ocean to the United States, a new study has found, making environmental and health problems unexpected side effects of US demand for cheap … [Read more...] about China’s Pollution: Just this one planet for now, no escape
(Updated) More Obamacare Converts – in West Virginia
Update: Greg Sargent, referring to Sabrina Tavernise’s piece “Law’s Expanded Medicaid Coverage Brings a Surge in Sign-Ups” in West Virginia” (see below), asks “how would the GOP Senate candidate in West Virginia, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, respond if asked directly if she would take insurance away from all these people?” Capito, a gung-ho supporter of Obamacare repeal, … [Read more...] about (Updated) More Obamacare Converts – in West Virginia
Those Pesky Forwarded E-mails
I recently received a forwarded political e-mail from my aunt. The fact-check websites weigh in: hit delete without reading. Politifact.com: So PolitiFact has put together this handy guide to chain e-mails and other viral messages. Hide it under the green bean casserole and you can pull it out if your uncle brings up the chain e-mails...PolitiFact has checked 131 claims … [Read more...] about Those Pesky Forwarded E-mails
Christie Apes Nixon: Enemies Lists, Dirty Tricks
In New Jersey Chris Christie is on the career path of the only US president to be driven from office for criminal behavior in the last two centuries. With each new revelation, Christie evokes Richard Nixon who divided the world into friends and enemies and, with ruthless helpers, punished those on the wrong list and played dirty tricks on them. In his first run for … [Read more...] about Christie Apes Nixon: Enemies Lists, Dirty Tricks
Who’s Running America’s Foreign Policy?
Since the early days of the Republic, foreign policy has been considered to be the domain of the executive branch of our government. The Constitution named the president as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, provided him with the power to make treaties with other nations (with the concurrence of two thirds of the Senate), to nominate Ambassadors to foreign countries (with … [Read more...] about Who’s Running America’s Foreign Policy?
Pumping Iron:The Genesis of the Terminator
This post will eventually appear on my film blog. I just thought I would give the good people of TMV a first look. Let me know what you think in the comment section. ******>/center> It seems common sense to label Arnold Schwarzenegger as a terrible actor and there are plenty of examples to back up that point of view. But there are simply far too many quality films with … [Read more...] about Pumping Iron:The Genesis of the Terminator
Silence over a spill
WASHINGTON -- The drinking water in nine West Virginia counties has finally been declared safe, or mostly safe. But many people say they can still smell the licorice-like odor of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol -- in the sink, in the shower, in the air, especially in neighborhoods close to the Elk River. I say "mostly" because so little is known about the toxicity of the … [Read more...] about Silence over a spill
Pew/USA Today: Christie’s Image Going Sharply South and Voters Don’t Believe Him
Clearly, he is paying a price. A new Pew Research Center/USA Today survey has three bits of bad news for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie: (1) his numbers are going south faster than senior Canadians heading to Arizona during the winter, (2) most don't believe his version of events and lack of culpability in the "Bridgegate" scandal, and (3) his big drop is in the number … [Read more...] about Pew/USA Today: Christie’s Image Going Sharply South and Voters Don’t Believe Him
Help Wayne Daniels, the children’s pied piper
NOTE: This post will remain in this spot through the end of February. Yes, this is about someone who needs some help but who's too modest to ask for it. We all know people who've battled serious health problems, but once in a while you hear about someone who has spent his life spreading good, kindness and joy. It's even more wonderful if it's someone who has spent his life … [Read more...] about Help Wayne Daniels, the children’s pied piper
Sochi Olympics under terrorist threat
Are we seeing a terrorist group telegraph its bloody punches? First there was a video showing some Islamic terrorists warning of a possible attack on the winter Olympics in Sochi. Next came reports that a "white widow" suicide bomber had been spotted in the area. Combine it: winter Olympics that'll be particularly tense with security out in force and terrorists seeking to make … [Read more...] about Sochi Olympics under terrorist threat
President Obama and the birth certificate… The Movie
Back in 2011 (!!!) I wrote a pretty angry piece for TMV about the Donald Trump led birth certificate scandal. It hit me while I was speaking to a friend about Obama's presidency that I'm still angry about it. I realised that I was just as angry at the fact that I had to jog his memory of the birtherism crap than the scandal itself. It then hit me that a lot of people might … [Read more...] about President Obama and the birth certificate… The Movie
Christie “readier” to be President then in 2012
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told an interviewer he's "readier" to be President in 2012: A sighing Christie reflected, first to Yahoo and then later on Twitter: 'I'm trying to get my arms around an awful situation, and understand it, and then address it, and then resolve it.' But the governor told Yahoo that he's better prepared to be president than he was a few … [Read more...] about Christie “readier” to be President then in 2012
Year six of hope and change
WASHINGTON -- It was a bittersweet briefing that told us exactly where the Obama administration finds itself at the dawn of its sixth year. When a group of senior officials gathered last week to tout President Obama's efforts to make college a realistic possibility for low-income students, they were genuinely enthusiastic about the agreements they had brokered with … [Read more...] about Year six of hope and change