UPDATE II: The New York Times reports that relief and rescue efforts continue in Sichuan Province, the epicenter of the earthquake that struck Sunday morning with a magnitude of 7 -- according to the Times. Other sources have reported magnitudes between 6.6 and 7. The piece otherwise focuses on how “a flood of donations from across the country” are coming in, but, “in … [Read more...] about (UPDATES) International: Strong Earthquake Strikes China; ‘Non-Lethal’ Aid to Syrian Opposition to Double
Boston Marathon bombing: the blame game begins
Boston Marathon bombing: the blame game begins (via The Christian Science Monitor) Copyright ImageClick to View Wearing his Boston Marathon runner's jacket, David Delmar, a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Boston, attends a service at Temple Israel, which allowed the Trinity congregation to hold their service, Sunday in Boston. Trinity is within the blocked-off area near … [Read more...] about Boston Marathon bombing: the blame game begins
The Environmental Economist
All the different forms of environmental degradation (deforestation, global warming, soil erosion, extinction, air and water pollution) caused by the emerging anthropocene all arise from three core causes: misplaced incentives, rational ignorance, and shortsightedness. “Evil corporations” and “incompetent bureaucrats” aren’t the problem, rather they both simply function under … [Read more...] about The Environmental Economist
Permanently Unemployed
Paul Krugman writes in The New York Times that America is creating a new social class -- the permanently unemployed: Now, some unemployment is inevitable in an ever-changing economy. Modern America tends to have an unemployment rate of 5 percent or more even in good times. In these good times, however, spells of unemployment are typically brief. Back in 2007 there … [Read more...] about Permanently Unemployed
Reverse extinction: should we redo the dodo?
Reverse extinction: should we redo the dodo? (via AFP) Woolly mammoths stomp through the Siberian tundra as the giant moa strides the forest floor of New Zealand and Tasmania's dog-like "tigers" stalk their prey under the cover of night. This is not a snapshot of times past, nor next year's sequel to Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park." Instead, it is a… … [Read more...] about Reverse extinction: should we redo the dodo?
Police await answers from Boston suspect
Police await answers from Boston suspect (via AFP) Police were seeking answers from the seriously wounded surviving Boston bombing suspect, amid reports he was responding in writing to questions due to throat injuries. Investigators who had been waiting to interrogate Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, since his capture on Friday are trying to determine whether… … [Read more...] about Police await answers from Boston suspect
Something America and China Could Do Together
It may be an exaggeration to say that as Chinese-American relations go, so goes the world, but it’s probably not far from the mark. I’m not only thinking of China’s and America’s common interest in avoiding war on the Korean peninsula, but looking ahead to a time when, if the two twenty-first-century superpowers trust each other well enough to act together, the world could take … [Read more...] about Something America and China Could Do Together
Four Things You Should Know About The Week’s Other Disaster In West, Texas
Investigators continue to piece together the story of the mid-week explosion in West, Texas (population 2,800) that killed 14 as residents return home. President Obama offered disaster relief on Friday. .@wfaachannel8 has a clear aerial look at the explosion zone in #WestTX. More photos: abcn.ws/15oATvm twitter.com/ABC/status/324…— ABC News (@ABC) April 18, … [Read more...] about Four Things You Should Know About The Week’s Other Disaster In West, Texas
Tail-gunner Ted (Guest Voice)
Tail-Gunner Ted by Dana Milbank Washington Post Writers Group WASHINGTON -- Is there nobody who can tell Ted Cruz to shut up? The young senator from Texas has been on the job for about 100 days, but he has already turned upside down the Senate's ancient seniority system and is dominating his senior Republican colleagues. He's speaking for them on immigration, … [Read more...] about Tail-gunner Ted (Guest Voice)
Is George W. Bush the Victim of a Bum’s Rush to Judgment?
Is George W. Bush the victim of a bum’s rush to judgment? Stephen F. Knott, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College and the author of the book “Rush to Judgment: George W. Bush, the War on Terror, and His Critics” certainly believes so. In order to buttress his claim, Knott -- in an opinion piece at the Washington Post -- admits that “many Americans consider Bush’s … [Read more...] about Is George W. Bush the Victim of a Bum’s Rush to Judgment?
More Proof of Republican Re-Branding Fail: Arkansas GOPer Suggests Shooting Foes (UPDATED)
In this age of super-quick Internet coverage, the adept use of social media by partisans and political junkies, cable ideological shows where politics is now to entertainment what professional wrestling was in the 1950s, talk radio, and political parties scrambling to find something -- anything! -- the other side does that will cast the other sidein a bad light you have to … [Read more...] about More Proof of Republican Re-Branding Fail: Arkansas GOPer Suggests Shooting Foes (UPDATED)
Yellow-Bellied Cowards (Guest Voice)
strong>Yellow-Bellied Cowards Raging Moderate, by Will Durst And now for a few choice words about the recent Senate vote that scuttled universal background checks on gun purchases. And the first three of those words are... Yellow-Bellied Cowards. Here's a couple more. Gutless, Craven, Chicken-Hearted Invertebrates. Dastardly, Lily-Livered, Spineless Jellyfish with the moral … [Read more...] about Yellow-Bellied Cowards (Guest Voice)
Congress’ New Answer to Newtown (Guest Cartoonist)
Congress' New Answer to Newtown by Mike Peters OF RELATED INTEREST: --What's Left For Gun-Control Advocates After Crash-And-Burn In U.S. Senate? --Time to go grassroots on gun control: Editorial --History, culture, distrust combined to defeat gun control effort --Chris Christie Unveils Sweeping Gun Control Plans --Can FDR point the way to gun control? Mike … [Read more...] about Congress’ New Answer to Newtown (Guest Cartoonist)
Have Dems lost their groove?
Sure have, according to The Hill. The Boston bombings did the trick. And the right is capitalizing on the drift, using the tenuous "Chechnya" connection to -- effectively -- bring back Dick Cheney. The Boston Marathon terrorist attack allegedly hatched by two brothers from Chechnya is threatening to disrupt President Obama’s second-term agenda. Opponents of … [Read more...] about Have Dems lost their groove?
Dramatic New Video: Final Moments Before Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsranaev Captured
Yet more details are coming out about the dramatic final moments before surviving Boston Bomber Dzhokhar Tsranaev was captured by police on Friday night. There are three new bits of information: one is a just-released video that shows how infrared technology spotted Tsranaev and what happened next. The three new bits developments: 1) A British paper quotes an unnamed … [Read more...] about Dramatic New Video: Final Moments Before Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsranaev Captured
The Fanatical Boston Bombers (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 The Fanatical Boston Bombers (Cartoon)
Quote of the Day: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Is Not An Enemy Combatant
Our Quote of the Day comes from attorney-blogger Doug Mataconis, commenting on the call by Republicans including Sen. Lindsey Graham to declare captured Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev an "enemy combatant" so he would not be tried in civilian courts and would lose some of the legal rights in how he is handled and tried that ordinary citizens have. He points out the … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Is Not An Enemy Combatant
Boston Marathon bombings: ‘Where’ becomes ‘Why’
Boston Marathon bombings: 'Where' becomes 'Why' (via The State Journal-Register) WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has a range of legal options in the Boston Marathon bombings, and they could include seeking the death penalty against the 19-year-old suspect in the case. The administration has indicated it intends to move quickly to build a criminal case against Dzhokhar … [Read more...] about Boston Marathon bombings: ‘Where’ becomes ‘Why’
The Future of News In An Increasingly Connected World
The events of Boston this week -- from the bombing to apprehending a suspect -- brought into stark relief the role of non-traditional news sources and highlighted weaknesses in traditional media systems. [View the story "Future of News In An Increasingly Connected World" on Storify] News media graphic via shutterstock.com … [Read more...] about The Future of News In An Increasingly Connected World
Astronomers find most Earth-like planets yet
Astronomers find most Earth-like planets yet (via AFP) Using a potent NASA space telescope to scan the skies for planets like ours where life might exist, astronomers said Thursday they have found the most Earth-like candidates yet. Two of the five planets orbiting a sun-like star called Kepler-62 are squarely in what astronomers call the habitable zone… … [Read more...] about Astronomers find most Earth-like planets yet