California 'Hyperloop' fast transport design unveiled (via AFP) A design for a super-fast transport system dubbed "Hyperloop" -- carrying passengers in pressurized tubes at near-supersonic speeds -- has been unveiled by inventor and entrepreneur Elon Musk. Musk, who heads electric carmaker Tesla Motors and private… … [Read more...] about California ‘Hyperloop’ fast transport design unveiled
Yet Another Shining Example of Scientific Illiteracy in the House
So Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) has shown himself to be one of the far too many Republicans who are not content to simply make foolish and inaccurate statements about climate change, but to make the claim that the entire idea is a fraud pushed by his political opponents for political reasons. He cries fraud when presented with the idea that human activity can affect climate. … [Read more...] about Yet Another Shining Example of Scientific Illiteracy in the House
NOT Fair: Missouri Rodeo Clown Dons Obama Mask While Others Wobble Its Lips
A little bit of background here. In my non-writing incarnation I do lots of events including fairs. And it is a DEFINITE FACT that fairs are places where people of all ages, races, colors and political persuasions go for fun. Fairs don't take editorial positions on politics or have entertainers act out what they've seen on their favorite political TV show or heard on their … [Read more...] about NOT Fair: Missouri Rodeo Clown Dons Obama Mask While Others Wobble Its Lips
Snowden: Kremlin Tool for Reducing U.S. Web Dominance (Yezhednevniy Zhurnal, Russia)
In light of the scale of NSA surveillance against other countries, both friend and foe, is it time to take control of the Worldwide Web away from the United States? For Russia's Yezhednevniy Zhurnal, columnists Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan write that after squeezing the affair for every drop of propaganda value while Edward Snowden was trapped in Sheremetyevo Airport, the … [Read more...] about Snowden: Kremlin Tool for Reducing U.S. Web Dominance (Yezhednevniy Zhurnal, Russia)
Japanese Must Continue to Lead ‘Battle’ to Abolish War (Nara Shimbun, Japan)
Should the world fear that Japan, after championing nuclear non-proliferation and asserting the inhumanity of war for almost 70 years, is returning to its imperial ways? On the 68th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima - and days before the anniversary of Japan's surrender to allied forces, this editorial from Japan's Nara Shimbun is a warning to readers … [Read more...] about Japanese Must Continue to Lead ‘Battle’ to Abolish War (Nara Shimbun, Japan)
A senior’s take on E-Books
At 67 I am officially a senior. A tech savvy senior, I have been writing code for 40 years and have been an IS administrator. I resisted the Kindle and e-books until recently however. About a year ago there was a book I wanted to read that was only available as an e-book so I put the Kindle app on my PC. Reading it on my PC was not easy but it was better than not reading it … [Read more...] about A senior’s take on E-Books
What ‘Breaking Bad’ Teaches Us About World Politics
The first of the final episodes of AMC's Breaking Bad aired last night -- and series creator/executive producer Vince Gilligan in interviews such as this has suggested that the chemistry teacher who he once indicated would go from Mr. Chips to Scarface is not going to escape without consquences. And don't look for an ambiguous The Sopranos style ending, either. “We often … [Read more...] about What ‘Breaking Bad’ Teaches Us About World Politics
Attorney General Eric Holder Outlines Changes to Drug Sentencing Guidelines for Low-Level Offenses
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is set to unveil a major overhaul of the criminal justice system to ease overcrowding in federal prisons by ordering prosecutors to omit listing quantities of illegal drugs in indictments of low-level drug cases. This will change the way sentences are handed down for such offenses. Attorney General Eric H. Holder … [Read more...] about Attorney General Eric Holder Outlines Changes to Drug Sentencing Guidelines for Low-Level Offenses
GOP Infighting (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 GOP Infighting (Cartoon)
Obama takes a vacation, critics jerk their knees (Guest Voice)
Obama takes a vacation, critics jerk their knees (via NewsWorks) National Interest Dick [email protected] August 12, 2013 By Dick Polman It happens every August. Tomatoes peak in flavor, gardenias peak in fragrance, and presidents get stupidly abused for going on vacation. As soon as Barack Obama… … [Read more...] about Obama takes a vacation, critics jerk their knees (Guest Voice)
Whitey Bulger Guilty
A jury has found mobster Whitey Bulger guilty of... well being a mobster. One hopes they have good life insurance. … [Read more...] about Whitey Bulger Guilty
Texas Republican Says House Has Votes to Impeach Barack Obama
File this in your "here we go again" file: Texas Republican Rep. Blake Farenthold said that Republicans could secure the votes to impeach Barack Obama in the House of Representatives. Farenthold was speaking at an open house held at a Civic Center in Luling, Texas, Saturday according to a YouTube video description and the Congressman’s online schedule. His answer came from … [Read more...] about Texas Republican Says House Has Votes to Impeach Barack Obama
Anthony Weiner sets polling record (highest unfavorable)
Anothony Weiner is finally ahead of the pack in a poll which finds him one of New York's most embarrassing candidates. Weiner may be proving impotent in other polls, but in this he rises to the top in his unfavorability rating. More than two-thirds of New Yorkers find Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer’s campaigns “embarrassing” and Weiner’s unfavorable rating has set a … [Read more...] about Anthony Weiner sets polling record (highest unfavorable)
Judge Rules New York’s Stop-and-Frisk Policy Violates Constitutional Rights of Minorities
Judge Shira A. Scheindlin ruled that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's policy of 'stop and frisk' violates the rights of minorities. In a decision issued on Monday, the judge, Shira A. Scheindlin, ruled that police officers have for years been systematically stopping innocent people in the street without any objective reason to suspect them of wrongdoing. Officers often … [Read more...] about Judge Rules New York’s Stop-and-Frisk Policy Violates Constitutional Rights of Minorities
Why Won’t Obama Stop Being So Cool?
Can’t the President get mad at anybody? At his press conference, Barack Obama observes that Vladimir Putin has “that kind of slouch, looking like the bored kid at the back of the classroom” and Republicans are in the grip of an “ideological fixation...The idea that you would shut down the government unless you prevent 30 million people from getting health care is a bad … [Read more...] about Why Won’t Obama Stop Being So Cool?
America’s bubble of complacency (Guest Voice)
America's bubble of complacency by Michael Gerson Washington Post Writers Group WASHINGTON -- The impending replacement of the chairman of the Federal Reserve has taken on elements of a political campaign, with members of Congress endorsing candidates and financial bloggers strafing rival monetary camps. One half expects to see ads go up in Iowa: "Janet … [Read more...] about America’s bubble of complacency (Guest Voice)
Environmental Activist Nancy Shukaitis Goes Back To The Barricades. Again.
Nancy Michael Shukaitis is a hero in her own time. Beginning in the 1950s, she opposed a plan to dam the scenic middle Delaware River -- the largest free-flowing river east of the Mississippi -- that would create an immense reservoir at Tocks Island and submerge hundreds of homes and farms. At first she was a lonely voice facing down the powerful Army Corps of … [Read more...] about Environmental Activist Nancy Shukaitis Goes Back To The Barricades. Again.
Venom gone viral (Guest Voice)
Venom gone viral by Ruth Marcus Washington Post Writers Group WASHINGTON -- It is a truth universally acknowledged that we live in an age of incivility, with coarseness enabled by the Internet's immediacy and anonymity. Still, one needn't have the delicate sensibility or decorous manners of a Jane Austen character to be shocked by the violent … [Read more...] about Venom gone viral (Guest Voice)
How do you grow an artificial burger?
How do you grow an artificial burger? (via The Economist) WHEN the world's press descended on a small film studio in London on August 5th, it was clear that something momentous was afoot. And indeed, the hundred-odd reporters got a glimpse of what might be nothing less than the future of food: the cooking… … [Read more...] about How do you grow an artificial burger?
GOP Strategist Confronts Congressman For Bigoted Comments On Immigrants: You ‘Should Get Some Therapy’
Rep. Steven King (R-IA) apparently is of the GOP school that believes in never backing down and never refusing to double down on things that most people agree are hurting his party. Saying that for every valedictorian among young illegal immigrants there are a hundred drug smugglers and then going on national television and yet again saying that comprehensive immigration … [Read more...] about GOP Strategist Confronts Congressman For Bigoted Comments On Immigrants: You ‘Should Get Some Therapy’