A particularly questionable tweet from the Washington Post raises the question: what makes a tweet go bad? The problem is that media organizations are looking for numbers - clicks - because they are easily measured. So social media teams are rewarded for behavior that leads to shares and click-throughs. But to do that, the tweet or status has to tease. If it actually … [Read more...] about Tweets, media and rape
Ronald Reagan’s Message To The GOP
Chris Matthews has recently published a new book about Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill in which he discusses how the two worked together. I hope to get and read (and review the book) in the future but for now thought I'd offer a few thoughts on how the GOP might look to one their icons for guidance. Of all the things people can say about him the one truth is he was a firm … [Read more...] about Ronald Reagan’s Message To The GOP
The benefits of a deal
WASHINGTON -- The U.S.-led deal to freeze Iran's nuclear program is a great accomplishment on many levels. Begin with the most basic: What if the talks in Geneva had failed? If Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had gone home empty-handed, we would likely be drifting toward war. Iran's uranium-enrichment centrifuges would … [Read more...] about The benefits of a deal
Suggested theme song for the Republican Party (Video)
On so many issues, whatever Barack Obama advocates or supports, conservative Republicans (like on the administration's proposed Iran deal) automatically oppose it. So here's a proposed theme song for today's GOP: This clip is of Groucho Marx singing the song from the 1932 film "Horse Feathers." … [Read more...] about Suggested theme song for the Republican Party (Video)
No motive found in Newtown Sandy Hook school massacre, investigators find
No motive found in Newtown shooting: US investigators (via AFP) US investigators said Monday they failed to find a motive for last year's Newtown school massacre, but said the killer had "significant" mental troubles and was obsessed with mass murders. The official report into the December 14 killings at Sandy Hook… … [Read more...] about No motive found in Newtown Sandy Hook school massacre, investigators find
Republicans (what else?) angrily oppose Obama Iran plan
The American Conservative's thoughtful Noah Millman was right: Republican conservatives, instead of responding cooly about the Obama administration's Iran deal, are responding in a knee-jerk, talk show sound byte kind of way. The problem with knee-jerk is those that react that way often appear to be the second part of that phrase. And The Washington Post's Dana Milbank has … [Read more...] about Republicans (what else?) angrily oppose Obama Iran plan
The Fall of the Heritage Foundation
The New Republic has an interesting article on the metamorphosis of the Heritage Foundation into Heritage Action with a vestigial organ called the Heritage Foundation, focusing in large part on the part of Mike Needham. I refer to it as the fall of Heritage because when Thomas A. Saunders III, Mike Needham and Jim DeMint got through whatever claim Heritage had to the name think … [Read more...] about The Fall of the Heritage Foundation
Mitch McConnell’s Worst Nightmare
Republicans including Senator Mitch McConnell have spent the last three years trying to undermine, bad mouthing and trying to repeal the PPACA (AKA Obamacare). Mitch is running for reelection this year against a very popular Democrat. His real problem may prove to be that Obamacare is turning out to be very successful and popular in his state of Kentucky. Despite the … [Read more...] about Mitch McConnell’s Worst Nightmare
Millman on Obama’s Legacy
Noah Millman suggests a Republican critique of both Obamacare and the deal with Iran in The American Conservative. To me, there’s an obvious way for the GOP to respond to both developments: run against healthcare.gov as proof that Democrats can’t even build a website, and argue that the Iran deal vindicates a tough negotiating posture with adversaries, and now requires … [Read more...] about Millman on Obama’s Legacy
New Poll: Majority Think Obama Is Not Honest Or Trustworthy
The polling for President Barack Obama is continuing its southward course -- this time going into truly dangerous political territory: a majority feel he's not honest or trustworthy: A growing number of Americans doubt President Barack Obama's ability to manage the nation, according to a CNN/ORC poll released on Monday that reflects the possible larger impact of his … [Read more...] about New Poll: Majority Think Obama Is Not Honest Or Trustworthy
Discovery suggests Buddha lived in 6th century BC
Discovery suggests Buddha lived in 6th century BC (via AFP) The discovery of an previously unknown wooden structure at the Buddha's birthplace suggests the sage might have lived in the 6th century BC, two centuries earlier than thought, archeologists said Monday. Traces of what appears to have been an ancient… … [Read more...] about Discovery suggests Buddha lived in 6th century BC
Twenty First Century Racism in Action
I'm going to apologize up front for the post that isn't here. Sunday, I commented on the brand new Iran nuclear agreement. Then, someone left a very ugly comment about Jews on that post. Which he then realized he needed to cover his tracks about, and wrote a blog post to "take it back" and went after Blacks instead. Here's a taste: I wasn’t going to even waste … [Read more...] about Twenty First Century Racism in Action
Democrats: Obama second term doomed without health care fix
Fix it or else. That's the message Democrats are communicating to the White House via publications such as The Hill. Without a health care fix, they argue, Barack Obama's second term is basically (sad) history: President Obama has to get healthcare working smoothly if he is to have any chance of breathing life into his second term, according to Democratic strategists and … [Read more...] about Democrats: Obama second term doomed without health care fix
The Future Of Chocolate
The Future Of Chocolate (via Honey Colony) By Maryam Henein, HoneyColony Original Back in the Mayan age, around 1100 BCE, around the Upper Amazon River Basin, cacao was recognized as a “super” food, traded as a precious currency with a value on par with gold and jewels. By the 17th century… … [Read more...] about The Future Of Chocolate
Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS spent far more on politics than it reported to the IRS
They say it's not nice -- or wise -- to fool with the IRS. New reports suggest that longtime GOP political maven Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS spent far more on politics than it reported to the IRS: You know what they say: a million here, a million there, pretty soon you're talking real dark money. ProPublica on Monday documented how the Karl Rove-linked dark money group … [Read more...] about Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS spent far more on politics than it reported to the IRS
Native American Thanks (Cartoon)
https://politicalgraffiti.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/native-american-thanks/ Copyright 2013 David Donar. All rights reserved. Copyright Donar, Political Graffiti … [Read more...] about Native American Thanks (Cartoon)
Obama Peace Scare Upsets Friend and Foe
Can Barack Obama do anything to satisfy anybody? Right and left, Washington pols denounce his “abject surrender” to Iran on a nuclear agreement while a “disappointed” Chuck Schumer distances himself from what could be a time bomb for Democrats. Even when he takes a sensible step with safeguards toward testing Iran’s willingness for a nuclear stand-down, this President is … [Read more...] about Obama Peace Scare Upsets Friend and Foe
Washington blows up: Has American politics hit an all-time low?
Washington blows up: Has American politics hit an all-time low? (via The Christian Science Monitor) Sen. John McCain (R) of Arizona speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington Thursday after the Democrat majority in the Senate pushed through a major rules change to curb the power of the Republican minority. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) One by one,… … [Read more...] about Washington blows up: Has American politics hit an all-time low?
Number of adolescents with HIV jumps by one-third: UN
Number of adolescents with HIV jumps by one-third: UN (via AFP) The number of adolescents infected by the HIV virus has jumped by one third over the past decade, the UN's health agency said Monday, blaming gaps in care programmes. "More than 2 million adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 years are living with… … [Read more...] about Number of adolescents with HIV jumps by one-third: UN
Short of Manpower, TEPCO Boosts Pay for Fukushima Workers (Minyu Shimbun, Japan)
While this editorial from Japan's Minyu Shimbun doesn't mention the United States, it highlights TEPCO's obstinate refusal to call in outside help from the U.S. and elsewhere in containing radiation at its Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. According to the editorial, the company has decided to raise bonus pay for workers operating in high-radiation areas by $100 a day, … [Read more...] about Short of Manpower, TEPCO Boosts Pay for Fukushima Workers (Minyu Shimbun, Japan)