NEW YORK -- Bill de Blasio, the insurgent and defiantly progressive New York City mayoral candidate, did not hold his Tuesday night victory party in one of those faux-ornate midtown Manhattan hotel ballrooms, the usual power venue for such festivities. Instead, he gathered his overjoyed supporters -- fellow members of a "movement," de Blasio insisted -- in the hip but … [Read more...] about Political thunder out of New York
5 Stories in 24 Hours and a Theme
I thought it was very interesting to find 5 articles within 24 hours that all have something to say about the economy and jobs in the United States. First, Sixty Minutes reports on the effect of technology on the workplace, which generally isn't good for workers. Next I found BusinessWeek's piece on a third of Americans believing that we are actually still in a … [Read more...] about 5 Stories in 24 Hours and a Theme
Vladimir Putin in NY Times Article: World Sees America Not as Model of Democracy But “Solely Relying on Brute Force”
Russian President Vladimir Putin is continuing on his so-called 'victory lap' after seemingly getting the better of President Obama in the Syrian chemical weapons impasse. Putin wrote a very controversial op-ed in the New York Times calling for Washington to pursue diplomacy rather than use force. By the way, PR giant Ketchum placed the article with the NY Times. Putin … [Read more...] about Vladimir Putin in NY Times Article: World Sees America Not as Model of Democracy But “Solely Relying on Brute Force”
Twelve Years After 9/11: Let’s End the Politics of Fear
Since 9/11, it seems that the American Left and the American Right have agreed on something of profound importance: We're scared. The politics of the last 12 years have been the politics of fear. Because of fear that one of us is a terrorist, we've allowed our intelligence services to listen into our private conversations; because of fear of terrorists from abroad, we … [Read more...] about Twelve Years After 9/11: Let’s End the Politics of Fear
Conservative House Republicans win again: GOP leaders move to keep government funded postponed
With each passing day we get more and more evidence that today's Party (as David Frum and others have noted) is increasingly under the control of the Tea Party movement and their representatives in the House of Representatives and of talk show hosts whose attitudes and comments can be relied on to forshadow arguments or actions GOPers will use or do. And now we have the latest: … [Read more...] about Conservative House Republicans win again: GOP leaders move to keep government funded postponed
Our Biggest and Most Lasting Loss from 9/11
Until 12 years ago today, we lived in another country. They did things differently there. For one, they did not keep bringing death to people halfway around the world who posed no imminent threat to us. For another, they didn’t casually keep sending our own young men and women to be killed and maimed in such places. One Korea, one Vietnam and one Kuwait in half a century … [Read more...] about Our Biggest and Most Lasting Loss from 9/11
Obama’s Syria speech: OK I’ll read the transcript
Okay. I'll read the transcript. Can't watch or even listen to a president Address The Country. Beginning with Reagan. George W. Bush was the clincher. For people who are sensitive to body language and oily prevarication, presidential speeches are torture. Bush's face was one big lie even when he stumbled over the truth by mistake. He looked as though he felt guilty. I … [Read more...] about Obama’s Syria speech: OK I’ll read the transcript
Tina Brown quits Daily Beast, launches new venture
Tina Brown quits Daily Beast, launches new venture (via AFP) Media star Tina Brown announced Wednesday she was leaving the Daily Beast, the online news website she founded five years ago. Brown, who previously served as editor at the New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Tatler, said she was creating a new venture based… … [Read more...] about Tina Brown quits Daily Beast, launches new venture
Is the Republican Party Now the Party of Peace?
Does "GOP" now stand for the "Grand Old Peace" party? You'd think so if you listen to many Republican conservative talkers, pundits, and nervous politicians holding their fingers up to the wind, then holding up a certain finger to the White House. There has been a shift in the way the Republican Party traditionally conducts its foreign policy business. The question is … [Read more...] about Is the Republican Party Now the Party of Peace?
Space cadets line up for one-way Mars trip
Space cadets line up for one-way Mars trip (via AFP) More than 200,000 people from 140 countries have applied to go to Mars and never return, the group behind an ambitious venture to colonize the inhospitable red planet has said. Bas Lansdorp, a Dutch engineer and entrepreneur, plans to establish a permanent… … [Read more...] about Space cadets line up for one-way Mars trip
Support President Obama’s Moon War !
Pretty funny … [Read more...] about Support President Obama’s Moon War !
No Cheers for the President’s Pinprick Speech
Defensive, disappointing and demagogic are words that come to mind after Barack Obama’s appeal to a reluctant nation on Syria. Defensive, because the President lists all the reasons against his position and ineffectually tries to destroy them. Disappointing, because he seems unable to grasp how deep the opposition goes and that rejection of his arguments is not based on … [Read more...] about No Cheers for the President’s Pinprick Speech
The Crisis In Syria & The Bush Legacy: A Toxic Gift That Keeps On Poisoning
Many reasons have been offered for the near-paralysis among the U.S. and its allies in fashioning a response to the thuggery of the Assad regime in Syria. Does anyone really believe that relieving the strongman of a few canisters of nerve gas will make a difference? But the perhaps least discussed reason is by far the biggest: The Bush Legacy, a toxic gift that keeps on … [Read more...] about The Crisis In Syria & The Bush Legacy: A Toxic Gift That Keeps On Poisoning
President Rousseff: Snowden Documents Show U.S. Economic Espionage (Epoca, Brazil)
Brazil President Dilma Rouseff, after revelations emerged last week that the NSA had been spying on her and her senior aides, has now learned that in all likelihood, the agency has also been spying on Petrobras, the largest company in the Southern Hemisphere by market capitalization and powerhouse of the Brazilian corporate world. According to Brazil's Epoca, the charges, made … [Read more...] about President Rousseff: Snowden Documents Show U.S. Economic Espionage (Epoca, Brazil)
I Miss 9/12
(Originally posted at The Kudzu Files 9/11/2009) I miss 9/12/2001. Obviously, not the pain and suffering of that next day. But I miss the feeling that, in the midst of such fear and loss, we were united as Americans. All across this country, people instinctively reached out to help not just the people of New York City and Washington, but each other. We awoke … [Read more...] about I Miss 9/12
‘Memory’s Requiem: 12 Years after 9/11’ (UPDATED)
UPDATE: American Forces Press Service is marking the 12th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States in a special report available here. Visit the site for stories and photos about how the nation and the world are observing the anniversary. == Original Post: Memory can be a curious thing. It can break a man down to the point where … [Read more...] about ‘Memory’s Requiem: 12 Years after 9/11’ (UPDATED)
Headline of the Day (New York Daily News)
Remember
Remember... … [Read more...] about Remember
India: From breakout to breakdown nation. What went wrong? (Guest Voice)
India: From breakout to breakdown nation. What went wrong? (via GlobalPost) Enlarge NEW DELHI, India — As recently as 2010, India's economic rise was thought to be inevitable. Poverty? Call it a “low base.” Unemployed millions? Call that the “demographic dividend.” A runaway deficit? That's “inclusive growth.”… … [Read more...] about India: From breakout to breakdown nation. What went wrong? (Guest Voice)
Jimmy Kimmel reveals viral twerking video fake
US comic reveals viral twerking video fake (via AFP) US late-night comedy host Jimmy Kimmel triggered a wave of online debate Tuesday after revealing that a "Twerk Fail" video which went massively viral was actually a fake stunt for his show. The Hollywood Reporter posted a tongue-in-cheek opinion piece… … [Read more...] about Jimmy Kimmel reveals viral twerking video fake