WASHINGTON -- In Syria, the Obama administration seems to be stumbling back to the future: An old-fashioned proxy war, complete with the usual shadowy CIA arms-running operation, the traditional plan to prop up ostensible "moderates" whose prospects are doubtful and, of course, the customary shaky grasp of what the fighting is really about. This will not end well. … [Read more...] about This will not end well
Impact of Supreme Court DNA Decision (Guest Cartoonist)
Impact of Supreme Court DNA Decision by Mike Peters OF RELATED INTEREST: --Human DNA not patentable: US Supreme Court --FORUM: Supreme Court’s DNA decision a good result despite its flawed reasoning -- Supreme Court's DNA ruling raises doubts --Law prof explains impact of Supreme Court DNA decision --Maryland v. King: An Unfortunate Supreme Court Decision on the … [Read more...] about Impact of Supreme Court DNA Decision (Guest Cartoonist)
Death of One of Today’s Top Journalists: Michael Hastings, 33, Dies in Car Crash
One of today's top journalists -- described repeatedly as totally professional, embracing the highest of old-school journalism standards, fearless, and a role model for aspiring journalists -- is now dead. Buzzfeed's Michael Hastings, 33, died in a car crash in Los Angeles. Buzzfeed's full bulletin: BuzzFeed is saddened to report that Michael Hastings died in a car … [Read more...] about Death of One of Today’s Top Journalists: Michael Hastings, 33, Dies in Car Crash
Chelsea Clinton’s Father-in-Law An Ex Iowa Congressman Who Went To Jail
Historic Tidbit: The day before Richard Nixon resigned, one of his staunchest defenders in Congress, Indiana Republican Earl Landgrebe, made his views known. "Don't confuse me with the facts,' he said. "I've got a closed mind. I will not vote for impeachment. I'm going to stick with my President even if he and I have to be taken out of this building and shot." Voters … [Read more...] about Chelsea Clinton’s Father-in-Law An Ex Iowa Congressman Who Went To Jail
Owned (Cartoon)
This Cagle Cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unlicensed reproduction of this cartoon is strictly prohibited. … [Read more...] about Owned (Cartoon)
Head of NSA: Surveillance Stopped More Than 50 Terror Plots
Gen. Keith B. Alexander, the head of the National Security Agency, told the House Intelligence Committee today that more than 50 terrorist plots worldwide have been prevented since the 9/11 attacks -- “including at least 10 homeland- based threats” -- through the classified surveillance programs the government uses to gather phone and Internet data, programs he said are legal … [Read more...] about Head of NSA: Surveillance Stopped More Than 50 Terror Plots
Democrats Release Full House Committee IRS Transcripts
This should be interesting. The Democrats are now releasing the full transcripts of the House hearings on the alleged IRS abuses. This means the emerging stories will compare assertions by Rep. Darrell Issa and the transcripts. If Issa was being candid, he has nothing to worry about. If he was not correctly characterizing the testimony, then his credibility will take a bit … [Read more...] about Democrats Release Full House Committee IRS Transcripts
(Update) This Bicycle Race Is No Aggie Joke
UPDATE: After cycling 1,550 miles -- halfway into the grueling Race Across America -- since he left the starting gate at Oceanside, Ca., on June 11, after heading off acute kidney failure, after topping mountain passes at nearly 10,000 feet, after fighting a case of 'Shermer's Neck,' after encountering a tornado in the Great Plains, Texas A&M Dean José Luis Bermúdez … [Read more...] about (Update) This Bicycle Race Is No Aggie Joke
Mt St Helens
On this 33rd anniversary of the catastrophic eruption of Mt. St. Helens I'm going to share some of my memories and some of the photographs that I took at the time. You may have seen better pictures but these are pictures you have not seen before. One of the memories I have is of my friend Bob Kaseweter who had a cabin at Spirit Lake. He went up to the lake on May 18, 1980 to … [Read more...] about Mt St Helens
Germany Needs Tough Love from Obama
Berlin is excited about President Obama's upcoming visit and his speech at the Brandenburg Gate. Can he coin a memorable phrase like Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" fifty years ago? Or Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall"? Will he offer Germany a different version of Bush senior's "partnership in leadership", but this time with more impact? I doubt it. I have high … [Read more...] about Germany Needs Tough Love from Obama
Should the Government Pay for Information It Collects About Its Citizens? (Guest Voice)
Should the Government Pay for Information It Collects About Its Citizens? (via PBS News Hour) EmbedVideo('6720', '514', '320'); GWEN IFILL: Finally tonight: the collection of information online and its economic consequences. The recent revelations about surveillance have raised numerous questions about the use of data by the government and service providers. We close with a … [Read more...] about Should the Government Pay for Information It Collects About Its Citizens? (Guest Voice)
Republican Congressman: Abortion Needed Because Fetuses Masturbate
I REALLY need to cut and paste this sentence. Republican rebranding isn't working. Here's the latest over-the-top comment from a GOPer on an issue related to women. And, no, it won't help Republicans with women voters who for more than a year have read a series of Twilight Zone type comments from far-right Republicans who seriously damage the party's image. I never KNEW this … [Read more...] about Republican Congressman: Abortion Needed Because Fetuses Masturbate
ALEC-Laffer Ranks Are About Ideology, Not Economic Policy
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) released its 2013 Rich State, Poor State rankings in May. The report ranks states by “economic outlook,” but by the report's standards a positive economic outlook is narrowly defined by the extremity of regional anti-worker laws and regulations. ALEC’s metrics are more concerned with ideology than economic growth, prioritizing … [Read more...] about ALEC-Laffer Ranks Are About Ideology, Not Economic Policy
Department of Dumb
They never learn, do they? In their quest to be over-the-top -- the idea that being shocking and using it in a joke is somehow hilarious -- some more radio talk show hosts will be looking for work due to their truly sick attempt at humor. … [Read more...] about Department of Dumb
7 graphs that prove America is overrated
7 graphs that prove America is overrated (via GlobalPost) Welcome to the Land of the Not-So-Free. Kyle Kim As if the recent string of high-profile scandals over Benghazi, AP phone records and the IRS weren't enough to land the Obama administration in political hot water, the controversial news of the National Security Agency's top secret PRISM program has… … [Read more...] about 7 graphs that prove America is overrated
When a hill turns out to be a pile…
Seems to me that we're going to have to get used to giving up on "clear-cut solutions" or "clear-cut" anything. For a start (this'll come as a surprise to very few) we Americans are neither liberal nor conservative. These days Americans like to think of themselves as conservative while, in fact, even conservatives embrace much of liberalism. Many, in fact, like being easy … [Read more...] about When a hill turns out to be a pile…
Time to Rethink Middle East Wars
What are we doing in Syria and why? And why are we still chained to a discredited foreign policy concocted by Dick Cheney and his armchair warriors before George W. Bush took office almost two decades ago? After 9/11/01 their fringe call in 1997 for a new century of “American global leadership” with “military strength and moral clarity” drove US foreign policy into, among … [Read more...] about Time to Rethink Middle East Wars
Government Listens to Its Citizens (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 Government Listens to Its Citizens (Cartoon)
Oklahoma’s ‘Infidels’ and Our So-Called ‘Muslims’ (Sotal Iraq, Iraq)
While U.S. victims of disaster receive nearly immediate assistance from their fellow Americans, columnist Hassan Al-Khafaji of the Sotal Iraq newspaper is appalled at the treatment being meted out to victims of the Syrian civil war, who have fled for safety to the Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan. According to Khafaji, 'animals' who call themselves Muslim and are 'pimping' and … [Read more...] about Oklahoma’s ‘Infidels’ and Our So-Called ‘Muslims’ (Sotal Iraq, Iraq)
Turkey’s ‘Standing Man’: a new form of protest
Turkey's 'Standing Man': a new form of protest (via AFP) A man stood still in Istanbul's Taksim Square: silent, staring straight ahead, he had not moved for hours. His peaceful action, on the square that police cleared of protesters on Saturday and where the Turkish authorities have banned gatherings, was a new form of protest. He arrived Monday evening… … [Read more...] about Turkey’s ‘Standing Man’: a new form of protest