MSNBC, whose bigwigs have made no secret of how much they love "Hardball" host Chris Matthews -- who was a great newspaper columnist before he moved over totally to cable -- is in it for the longhaul with Matthews. They just signed a new deal, but part of that will involve axing "The Chris Matthews Show," a syndicated show, so Matthews can concentrate on "Hardball," long form … [Read more...] about MNSBC and Chris Matthews Ink Long Term Deal: “The Chris Matthews Show” Ending
Brokeback Collins
Hey TMV. I thought I'd do a more topical post. After you're done, check out my other stuff over at my blog. ... Jason Collins (some NBA player I’d never heard of until recently) declared, to much fanfare, that he was gay. In his coming out piece to Sports Illustrated he began by saying: “I'm a 34-year-old NBAcenter. I'm black. And I'm gay.” I’m feeling a … [Read more...] about Brokeback Collins
‘Magical Surrealism’ and the Arrest of Timothy Hallet Tracy (La Nacion, Argentina – Apporea, Venezuela)
A U.S. filmmaker has been arrested in Venezuela on charges that he was there to incite a civil war after national elections to elect the successor of Hugo Chavez on April 14. Here are two articles on the arrest of Timothy Hallet Tracy - both which refer to how the movie Argo may be hurting Tracy's cause. One from Argentina's La Nacion, sees the arrest as a sign that Chavez' … [Read more...] about ‘Magical Surrealism’ and the Arrest of Timothy Hallet Tracy (La Nacion, Argentina – Apporea, Venezuela)
Obama defends FBI handling of Boston suspect
Obama defends FBI handling of Boston suspect (via AFP) President Barack Obama on Tuesday defended the FBI from suggestions it might have prevented the Boston marathon bombing by acting on warnings about one of the suspects. Russia had advised US authorities about ethnic Chechen Tamerlan Tsarnaev in 2011 and the possibility he was slipping into the grips… … [Read more...] about Obama defends FBI handling of Boston suspect
Obama is stuck in the middle
The subheadline of my latest on The Week reads: "The president may not have clowns to his left and jokers to his right — but he is in the middle. And what that means for his legacy has yet to be determined." Here's part of the column: If you hear a dragging noise, it's the sound of President Barack Obama moving the White House to the country's middle. The other sounds you … [Read more...] about Obama is stuck in the middle
Democracy and Corporate Transparency
The Securities and Exchange Commission has recently received a petition with close to 500,000 signatures asking it to pass new regulations that would require corporate donors to disclose all contributions made to political organizations. Though it seems obvious that the democratic process should require all major donations to politicians and political organizations to be done … [Read more...] about Democracy and Corporate Transparency
Opening statements begin in Michael Jackson death trial
Opening statements begin in Michael Jackson death trial (via The Enterprise) Concert giant AEG Live failed in its duty to properly investigate the doctor who treated Michael Jackson because it was concerned about its own fortunes, an attorney for the singer?s mother told a jury Monday morning. ?His stirring voice, his musical genius, his creativity and his generosity and … [Read more...] about Opening statements begin in Michael Jackson death trial
You KNEW It Would Happen
You just KNEW this would happen: Glenn Beck says Boston during the manhunt was like Nazi Germany. … [Read more...] about You KNEW It Would Happen
Obama Raises Concerns About Syrian Chemical Weapon Use in Call to Russia
Obama Raises Concerns About Syrian Chemical Weapon Use in Call to Russia (via PBS News Hour) JUDY WOODRUFF: President Obama voiced new concerns about the Syrian war and the alleged use of chemical weapons to Russian President Putin today. They spoke in a phone call on a day when the Syrian prime minister narrowly missed being killed by a bomb in Damascus. The bomb blast ripped … [Read more...] about Obama Raises Concerns About Syrian Chemical Weapon Use in Call to Russia
Inhofe Says Obama Buying Up Ammunition to Limit Bullet Supply
I'm sick of having to rewrite the same sentence over and over about the flop of Republican "rebranding." With comments like this I now have to wonder: are some Republicans watching too many old X-Files shows? "President Obama has been adamant about curbing law-abiding Americans’ access and opportunities to exercise their Second Amendment rights," said[Republican Oklahoma … [Read more...] about Inhofe Says Obama Buying Up Ammunition to Limit Bullet Supply
Bryan Fischer: NBA Players Should Resist Being on Same Team with Jason Collins Because He’ll “Eyeball Them in Shower”
The right wing freak-out continues as the dust settles after Washington Wizards center Jason Collins comes out as a gay man. Well, I knew it was a matter of time before we heard from right wing evangelical Bryan Fischer. Watch out, Pat Robertson could be next. Bryan Fischer said that NBA players and their wives should loudly resist being on a team with Collins out of fear that … [Read more...] about Bryan Fischer: NBA Players Should Resist Being on Same Team with Jason Collins Because He’ll “Eyeball Them in Shower”
Quote of the Day: Barry Diller on Buying Newsweek
Our Quote of the Day comes from Barry Diller on Buying Newsweek. File this in your Buyer's Remorse file: Printing a single magazine is a fool’s errand if that magazine is a news weekly. There are some magazines that have no competition essentially in their field, luxury magazines. For a news magazine, which is a bit of an odd phrase today, it was not possible to print it … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Barry Diller on Buying Newsweek
The Spanish are coming! Bad economy sends Spaniards packing for Latin America
The Spanish are coming! Bad economy sends Spaniards packing for Latin America (via GlobalPost) Latin Americans used to flock to Spain for a better life. Now the tables are turning. Nathaniel Parish Flannery MEXICO CITY, Mexico — A Spaniard and a Mexican are drinking and chatting at a bar. The Mexican, economist Rodrigo Alcazar, has recently returned here from graduate studies … [Read more...] about The Spanish are coming! Bad economy sends Spaniards packing for Latin America
Boston bomb suspect ‘had links to slain Islamists’
Boston bomb suspect 'had links to slain Islamists' (via AFP) One of the brothers suspected of carrying out the Boston bombings had made links with two figures in the Islamist anti-Kremlin insurgency in the Northern Caucasus, both of whom were killed by Russian security forces, a security source said Monday. Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, who was himself killed during… … [Read more...] about Boston bomb suspect ‘had links to slain Islamists’
Rubicon Crossed
Cupid swings both ways Sooner or later the day would come, as we knew it would. The question, however, was when and who. Now we know: “I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay,” says Jason Collins. Sports Illustrated I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay. — I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American … [Read more...] about Rubicon Crossed
Propaganda and Censorship: The Hollywood Industrial Complex
The new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will fly its first mission on June 14, 2013, but it won’t be over Afghanistan, Syria or Yemen. It’ll be over the mythical town of Smallville, in the upcoming Man of Steel. In reality, the F-35 may never fly; the program is currently grounded due to flight difficulties after the government poured $400 billion into it. Reuters reports that the … [Read more...] about Propaganda and Censorship: The Hollywood Industrial Complex
“Found in Translation”
>Nataly Kelly and Jost Zetzsche, authors of the 2012 book Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World, discuss their love for language and how they’ve gotten lost (and found again) in the world of translation. by Mark Miller Online Editor of Collide Who they are Formerly a Fulbright scholar in Ecuador, Nataly Kelly is a certified … [Read more...] about “Found in Translation”
A Republican-Like Tax Reform Even Progressives Could Love
Republicans have a plan to reform business taxes. They want flatter business taxes that lower the tax rate on the highest taxpayers; that don't reduce the revenue generated because it spreads the tax net to reach formerly untaxed or under-taxed businesses, and which therefore don't increase overall taxes (Grover Norquist wouldn't like that). And this reform, it is claimed. … [Read more...] about A Republican-Like Tax Reform Even Progressives Could Love
Voter Backlash and Polls Spell Trouble for Opponents of Gun Control
Have we reached the turning point -- or a point of a turning point -- on the gun control issue? Or an issue called "gun safety," by those who want to soft-pedal that it is indeed gun control? It sounds that way. There are increasing signs that some politicos who voted to defeat the bipartisan gun control bill on background checks are starting to pay a price with their angry … [Read more...] about Voter Backlash and Polls Spell Trouble for Opponents of Gun Control
NBA Player Jason Collins Says He Is Gay
The first active pro athlete to come out (at least in the USA). Takes some guts given that pro sports isn't exactly known for being a bastion of tolerance for gay issues. … [Read more...] about NBA Player Jason Collins Says He Is Gay