Twitter reversed itself late Thursday night, in response to a (in my opinion extremely hyperbolic) hashtag campaign: #restoretheblock. The real news: "users will once again be able to tell that they’ve been blocked." However, media piled on, with predictably erroneous headlines (predictable, since headlines were erroneous before the rollback, too): AFP: Twitter … [Read more...] about Twitter quietly changes “block” policy. But what does it mean?
Do GOP Health-care Ideas Exist?
Jonathan Chait proposes "The Heritage Uncertainty Principle" in New York Magazine. One of the more amusing developments in the Obamacare debate has been watching conservatives turn from denouncing the health-care law for its lack of high-deductible insurance to denouncing the health-care law for its high-deductible insurance. I wrote a bit about it a week ago, and Ezra Klein … [Read more...] about Do GOP Health-care Ideas Exist?
‘Selfie.’ What’s in a Word, Besides Politics?
Long before -- well about three weeks before -- Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt snapped the now-(in)famous ‘selfie’ of herself, British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama during the memorial service of Nelson Mandela, unbeknownst to me, Oxford Dictionaries named ‘selfie’ International Word of the Year 2013 defining it as … [Read more...] about ‘Selfie.’ What’s in a Word, Besides Politics?
Sochi Boycott Call Reflects Lack of Western ‘Humility’ (Haunqiu, China)
Can Western critics of Russia's law against gay propaganda be called 'an arrogant mob' seeking to 'destroy global cultural diversity'? According to this editorial from China's state-run Huanqiu, not any concern for equality, but the West's dislike for 'Russian conservatism,' is behind calls to boycott the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. The once and future Beijing imperialists … [Read more...] about Sochi Boycott Call Reflects Lack of Western ‘Humility’ (Haunqiu, China)
Another sign that our partisanship is disgusting
It's clear that as we move into the 21st century our partisan politics is increasingly about hate, demonization and trying to find something -- anything, even if you can't confirm it -- to hurl at someone who sees things differently. TPM has this -- which is a new low. It's utterly disgusting but this is indeed the trend. But people make good money doing it, get attention, and … [Read more...] about Another sign that our partisanship is disgusting
Perhaps Not as Titillating as ‘The Handshake,’ or ‘The Selfy’ or…
It is very difficult to divert our attention away from such captivating images as the “handshake,” the “selfy” and -- OMG -- the “breastfeeding multitasking” events, so I don’t have much hope that the following images will be able to break the cycle. Nevertheless, military working dogs -- or dogs in general -- and young children seeing their military parents (sometimes for … [Read more...] about Perhaps Not as Titillating as ‘The Handshake,’ or ‘The Selfy’ or…
Santa Obama and the Slackers (Cartoon)
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Santa Obama and the Slackers (Cartoon)
The Truth About Ronald Reagan and South Africa (Guest Voice)
The Truth About Ronald Reagan and South Africa by Michael Reagan The whole world mourns Nelson Mandela. Rightly. But, as usual, some politically and historically challenged liberals have seen the passing of a great man of history as a chance to take more cheap potshots at Ronald Reagan. One human rights attorney, Gay McDougall, made a fool of herself on "Good … [Read more...] about The Truth About Ronald Reagan and South Africa (Guest Voice)
Say what? ‘Clown interpreter’ invents own sign language at Mandela memorial
Say what? 'Clown interpreter' invents own sign language at Mandela memorial (via GlobalPost) Enlarge In these combination pictures taken on Dec. 10, 2013, US President Barack Obama delivers a speech next to a sign language interpreter during the memorial service for late South African President Nelson Mandela. South Africa's deaf community… … [Read more...] about Say what? ‘Clown interpreter’ invents own sign language at Mandela memorial
Pope Frances and Rush Limbaugh (Cartoon)
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Pope Frances and Rush Limbaugh (Cartoon)
India government mulls legalising gay sex after controversial Supreme Court ban
India government mulls legalising gay sex after court ban (via AFP) India's government said Thursday it would look at ways to swiftly reverse a shock ruling which reinstated a ban on gay sex, accusing the Supreme Court of dragging the country back to the 19th century. Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, who doubles up… … [Read more...] about India government mulls legalising gay sex after controversial Supreme Court ban
Pope vs. President as Person of the Year
Year’s end finds Francis I enshrined as Person of the Year and Barack Obama consigned to opinion-poll Hell. How many reflections on life today crowd into that comparison? Words are easier than deeds. As admirable as the spirit and pronouncements of the new Pontiff are, he dwells in symbolism, aspiration and hope, a realm Obama occupied five years ago when he was chosen … [Read more...] about Pope vs. President as Person of the Year
Canadian airline delivers a Santa surprise
I almost skipped this story when it showed up in my Facebook feed. I'm glad I didn't, even though my head knows that my heartstrings are being plucked. By a master. I think we want companies to do good and for there to be more smiles than frowns in the world. Thus stories like this one -- where the scrappy budget airline plays Santa -- reinforce our inherent optimism. … [Read more...] about Canadian airline delivers a Santa surprise
The inadequate, necessary budget deal
WASHINGTON -- It's a sign of how far to the right House Republicans have dragged governance in our country that the very conservative budget deal reached by Rep. Paul Ryan and Sen. Patty Murray will need many liberal and Democratic votes to pass. The agreement leaves the jobless out in the cold, because it doesn't extend unemployment benefits, and provides little room … [Read more...] about The inadequate, necessary budget deal
The Story Behind That “Obama selfie”
The photographer who took the picture that has been represented as some horribly inappropriate behavior on the part of President Obama tells us what was really going on. … [Read more...] about The Story Behind That “Obama selfie”
Congress is scene for Republican’s establishment versus Tea Party Civil War battle
It's clear civil war has been declared. You can now see the war between the traditionally conservative Republican establishment and the 21st century Tea Party Republicans raging. Just look at Congress. In a nutshell: some Congressional Republicans including Rep. Paul Ryan want a modest deal with Democrats on the budget that would -- at the very least -- nudge Congress out … [Read more...] about Congress is scene for Republican’s establishment versus Tea Party Civil War battle
Rand Paul Is Right: Civil Rights Aren’t Simple Rights
Something recently happened in England that warrants revisiting Rachel Maddow's (in?)famous 2010 interview with Rand Paul concerning the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In April of this year, Rachel Maddow also revisited that interview, following Rand's visit to Howard University, during which he answers a question from a student with the sentence: "I do question some of the … [Read more...] about Rand Paul Is Right: Civil Rights Aren’t Simple Rights
Weather Channel teams with Discovery Education to “bring the science of weather” to classrooms
The Weather Channel hosted a live virtual field trip today for K-12 classrooms, in partnership with Discovery Education. The goal of the event: "to bring the science of weather and natural disaster preparedness to classrooms." Amen to that, especially the science part. In 2009, [the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)] found that … [Read more...] about Weather Channel teams with Discovery Education to “bring the science of weather” to classrooms
Jolly Old Elephant (Cartoon)
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Jolly Old Elephant (Cartoon)
It’s official: the coldest place on Earth
It's official: the coldest place on Earth (via AFP) Commuters in northeastern US might have felt they were battling the coldest weather in the world as they trudged through snow Tuesday, but they may be warmed to know it could be far worse. The coldest place on Earth is in fact a high ridge on the East… … [Read more...] about It’s official: the coldest place on Earth