'Carrie' retells cult horror tale in post-Newtown era (via AFP) Nearly 40 years after Brian De Palma's cult horror movie "Carrie" shocked audiences, a new adaptation of Stephen King's masterpiece tells the story in an America haunted by the Columbine and Newtown massacres. The modern version, released in the United… … [Read more...] about ‘Carrie’ retells cult horror tale in post-Newtown era
It Takes One to Know One
Conservative columnist Ross Douthat diagnoses his party on the shutdown in The New York Times. However you slice and dice the history, the strategery, and the underlying issues, the decision to live with a government shutdown for an extended period of time — inflicting modest-but-real harm on the economy, needlessly disrupting the lives and paychecks of many thousands of … [Read more...] about It Takes One to Know One
Will Republicans and tea partyers stick together?
Or are they in the process of splitting? “Everybody understands standing your ground, hoisting your flag, and making your stand, but at some point, you have to decide if your stand is sustainable,” said Ari Fleischer, the former George W. Bush press secretary. “A lot of people who got elected in 2010 came to Washington as conservatives, not as Republicans. They came to … [Read more...] about Will Republicans and tea partyers stick together?
‘Asteroid 2032:’ Will 2013 TV135 crash into Earth in 2032? Probably not.
'Asteroid 2032:' Will 2013 TV135 crash into Earth in 2032? Probably not. (via The Christian Science Monitor) An artist's illustration of a large asteroid headed for Earth.(ESA) Last week, Ukranian scientists observed an asteroid on a collision course with Earth – in 19 years. The astronomers sent word out to their colleagues around the globe, several of… … [Read more...] about ‘Asteroid 2032:’ Will 2013 TV135 crash into Earth in 2032? Probably not.
Titanic violin up for auction
Titanic violin up for auction (via AFP) The violin played by the bandmaster of the Titanic as the liner sank beneath the waves goes up for auction on Saturday. The instrument was found strapped to Wallace Hartley's body after he drowned along with some 1,500 others on board the supposedly… … [Read more...] about Titanic violin up for auction
Stellar election predictor Nate Silver rises again with new website
Precocious US political predictor looks to next venture (via AFP) Rock star statistician Nate Silver, who made numbers cool by giving near-perfect predictions of US votes in 2008 and 2012, will soon relaunch his website in a new home, just in time for the next election cycle. Speaking to a packed house at the Online… … [Read more...] about Stellar election predictor Nate Silver rises again with new website
The USA Defaults – on Its Integrity and Constitution
Throughout these last few weeks, everyone involved in the negotiations on funding the government and the debt ceiling should have been repeating over and over again - to the point that the American people should be sick of hearing it. It is Section 4 of the 14th Amendment to our Constitution of our great nation. (I choose still to use the word "great" because I don't … [Read more...] about The USA Defaults – on Its Integrity and Constitution
Politics as Religion
Rod Dreher clarifies why Congressional Republicans would cause a government shut-down for which they are taking a very predictable political beating in The American Conservative. Can the Tea Partiers’ beliefs be falsified? I don’t think they can be. I mean, is there any evidence that could convince them that the fault here lies with themselves, in the way they conceive … [Read more...] about Politics as Religion
Georgia shows off skull thought to rewrite human evolution
Skull discovery suggests early man was single species (via AFP) A stunningly well-preserved skull from 1.8 million years ago offers new evidence that early man was a single species with a vast array of different looks, researchers said. With a tiny brain about a third the size of a modern human's, protruding brows… … [Read more...] about Georgia shows off skull thought to rewrite human evolution
The Right’s Closed Information Loop May Set Up the Next Shut Down (Guest Voice)
The Right’s Closed Information Loop May Set Up the Next Shut Down (via Moyers & Company) It’s impossible to say whether we’ll face another crisis of governance in three months, when the stopgap budget resolution passed on Wednesday expires, but it’s clear that the 40 or 50 hardcore, tea party-backed members of Congress who precipitated… … [Read more...] about The Right’s Closed Information Loop May Set Up the Next Shut Down (Guest Voice)
That state of the art Obamacare website (Guest Cartoon)
That state of the art Obamacare website by Mike Peters OF RELATED INTEREST: --Obamacare Website Failure Threatens Health Coverage For Millions Of Americans --Healthcare.gov (the website) --Congressional fight over Obamacare turns to website woes --Company Behind Troubled Obamacare Website Donated Heavily To Republicans In 2012 --Were the Obamacare site woes … [Read more...] about That state of the art Obamacare website (Guest Cartoon)
This Actually Scares Me
In the voting, on the static shot on CSPAN, a woman steps up to the microphone and begins yelling into the microphone that the Constition was written by Freemasons. And the Lord Your God Shall Not Be Mocked! (No sense of humor, it is claimed, but, really, could a God who has no sense of humor have produced a Senator who would filibuster himself? Or Congress?) Gawker has … [Read more...] about This Actually Scares Me
Apology and Challenge to Grandkids and Kids
The American Dream has become a comatose nightmare. Visiting it daily fills me with grief and guilt. How did my own and following generations let something of such beauty turn into an ugly political boneyard with so few shreds of decency and hope? Worst of all, how do I explain it all to teen-aged grandchildren who should be looking ahead to their lives only with hope and … [Read more...] about Apology and Challenge to Grandkids and Kids
Lessons Learned
Even as Senator Ted Cruz warns ominously (In my mind, he says these things as he twirls his moustache and leans carelessly against a host of barrels stacked neatly on a set of train tracks. There might even be rolling sage brush) that he's not above shutting the government down again in his quest to slay the mighty Obamacare beast, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, one of … [Read more...] about Lessons Learned
China: Revenge of the mistresses
China: Revenge of the mistresses (via GlobalPost) Enlarge HONG KONG — In a country where it seems that just about every corrupt male official keeps one or two mistresses — or 18 of them — average citizens take pleasure watching the philanderers occasionally get their comeuppance. Known in China… … [Read more...] about China: Revenge of the mistresses
Populists, presidents and parliaments (Guest Voice)
Populists, presidents and parliaments (via The Economist) LISTEN to this guy, talking about his decision to vote against the Senate-authored bill whose passage ended the shutdown and raised the debt ceiling last night: “I’ll vote against it,” said Representative John C. Fleming, Republican of Louisiana… … [Read more...] about Populists, presidents and parliaments (Guest Voice)
McConnell vows: no more shutdowns (UPDATE)
Amid a consensus Republicans failed badly in their attempt to shut down the government and use a debt limit default as a threat, talk show hosts talk about not "caving" (the word partisans now on both sides use for compromise), Rush Limbaugh dreams of 45 Ted Cruzes, and a Fox News pundit suggests someone "got" to the agencies saying the shutdown had a bad effect on the … [Read more...] about McConnell vows: no more shutdowns (UPDATE)
PARTISAN THOUGHTS FROM OUTSIDE THE MATRIX
I have often claimed to be outside the meaningless Republican/Democratic fixation that traps so many people in the U.S., but I have fallen into the trap of partisanship from time to time. The perpetual dysfunction, gridlock and paralysis of Washington DC are features (and the desired status quo) for many who control our corrupt political duopoly. While national political … [Read more...] about PARTISAN THOUGHTS FROM OUTSIDE THE MATRIX
Why I vote, (Video)
I produced this video back in 2010 before the important mid term elections and I think it is just as relevant now as it was three years ago. In reality, our system reflects those who vote, and until moderates can get elected, these type of politics and government will continue. I voted in 2010 but unfortunately a great deal of moderate voters sat home and now with the 2014 … [Read more...] about Why I vote, (Video)
SHOCKING Video from inside the Kenya Mall Terrorist Killings (VIDEO)
CNN has obtained and aired shocking footage from Kenya's Westgate mall terrorist massacre that took place last year -- the dirtywork of an Al Qaeda affiliated group. Here's the segment that aired with the adult-discretion video clips: … [Read more...] about SHOCKING Video from inside the Kenya Mall Terrorist Killings (VIDEO)