WaPo reports Senate Republicans blocked a vote on Chuck Hagel’s nomination as secretary of defense today, Thursday, launching an unprecedented filibuster... It also appears to be a noodle slap at the White House and other colleagues Dem and not so Dem. The vote needed was 60 to move forward on the nomination. Received 58 votes. The filibuster which had little to do with … [Read more...] about Fillibuster Hisssy Fit: Repubs Block Hagel Nom
Georgia State Legislator Wants To Ban Lewd Photoshopping
It seems a member of the Georgia legislator needs a lesson in the First Amendment. From Fox News A Georgia state lawmaker with an unconventional grasp of the First Amendment is backing a bill that would make lewd photoshopping a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine. Rep. Earnest Smith pointed, as proof of the problem, to a picture of his head that was recently edited onto a … [Read more...] about Georgia State Legislator Wants To Ban Lewd Photoshopping
Warmest Decade on Record Brings Record Temperatures and Weather Extremes
Warmest Decade on Record Brings Record Temperatures and Weather Extremes (via sustainablog) By Janet Larsen In recent years weather events have whiplashed between the extremes of heat and cold, flooding and drought. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases—largely from the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas—have loaded up in the atmosphere, heating the planet … [Read more...] about Warmest Decade on Record Brings Record Temperatures and Weather Extremes
Leon Panetta Honors and Thanks His ‘Dear Friend,’ Hillary Clinton
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton accepts the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award during a ceremony at the Pentagon, Feb. 14, 2013. (Photo DOD) During his last days in office, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has made a flurry of policy decisions, announcements and presentations -- a couple of the policy decisions considered … [Read more...] about Leon Panetta Honors and Thanks His ‘Dear Friend,’ Hillary Clinton
Celebrating Valentine’s Day Thousands of Miles Apart
"Could not Resist" Addition: Rosalyn Cisneros gives her father, Army Spc. Jose Cisneros, a hug inside Freedom Hall on Fort Benning, Ga., Feb. 14, 2013. Cisneros and fellow service members assigned to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division returned from a nine-month deployment in time to celebrate Valentine's Day with their families and loved ones. … [Read more...] about Celebrating Valentine’s Day Thousands of Miles Apart
Beware! Facebook Can Kill Romance
WASHINGTON - It's Valentine's Day. A day filled with fun and sexpectations, but also opportunities, which in the instant gratification social media era also includes doing things you'll regret the day after. It's also a day for the 1 Billion Rising campaign, where people stand up, speak out, dance and come out against violence against women and girls. As we learn of Oscar … [Read more...] about Beware! Facebook Can Kill Romance
Pistorius Charged with Girlfriend’s Murder
Pistorius charged with girlfriend's murder (via AFP) South African police on Thursday charged Olympic amputee sprint star Oscar Pistorius with the Valentine's Day murder of his glamorous model girlfriend, but played down reports she was mistaken for a burglar. "I can confirm that a suspect has been charged, he has been charged with murder," lieutenant… … [Read more...] about Pistorius Charged with Girlfriend’s Murder
TV Shootouts: Obama, Rubio and Dorner
As cops close in on the fiery last stand of a mass murderer, a continent away Barack Obama tries to smoke out those who have been holding America hostage with lethal ideology. The Christopher Dorner story may be over, but the President’s State of the Union assault on Tea Party barricades is just the start of a long siege. For over an hour last night he fired off a … [Read more...] about TV Shootouts: Obama, Rubio and Dorner
Bangladesh War-Crimes Trials Reopen old Wounds
Bangladesh war-crimes trials reopen old wounds (via AFP) When Ranajit Rinku heard the "Butcher of Mirpur" had been jailed for life for mass murder during Bangladesh's liberation war, he couldn't believe a man with so much blood on his hands could escape the gallows. Like most Bangladeshis, Rinku had been taught that the nine-month conflict was one of the… … [Read more...] about Bangladesh War-Crimes Trials Reopen old Wounds
I Wanted to Write About Django, But I Ended Up Writing About a Pimp
So, once upon a time I used to write for this fantastic site. Then I went away, did a Masters degree and had a kid - but I missed writing. I recently started my own blog, which you can find here, about films - yes, it's that general. I'm going to share some of my content with TMV from time to time, so below is a piece I did about Django Unchained. Ok, I lied, it's about the … [Read more...] about I Wanted to Write About Django, But I Ended Up Writing About a Pimp
Horsing Around with Europe’s Beef Supply
Beef contaminated with horsemeat has sparked a multi-nation controversy in Europe. It's no secret that the French have long been galloping gourmets. Gobbling horsemeat there dates back to the country's 18th century revolution, when rich folks' horses began to fill food supply gaps. Today horsemeat is still found in many stores there. The French's appetite for it has … [Read more...] about Horsing Around with Europe’s Beef Supply
Obama: The Audacity of Freedom
WASHINGTON -- President Obama is a freer man than he has been at any point in his presidency. He is free from the need to save an economy close to collapse, from illusions that Republicans in Congress would work with him readily, from the threat of a rising tea party movement, and from the need to win re-election. This sense of freedom gave his State of the Union … [Read more...] about Obama: The Audacity of Freedom
The Wisdom of Warren Buffett
With the Buffett Rule back it's worth revisiting this profile of the third richest man in the world. In it Buffett acknowledges the enormous value of things beyond our control: WARREN BUFFET: The womb from which you emerge determines your fate to an enormous degree for most of the seven billion people in the world. Just in my own case I was born in 1930. I had two sisters that … [Read more...] about The Wisdom of Warren Buffett
Time Warner Eyes Sale of Some magazines: Report
Time Warner eyes sale of some magazines: report (via AFP) Media giant Time Warner is in talks on the sale of some of its magazines to a large US publisher, the conglomerate's Fortune magazine reported Wednesday. The report said some of the titles such as People, InStyle and Real Simple, would be carved out and rolled into a company to be sold to Meredith,… … [Read more...] about Time Warner Eyes Sale of Some magazines: Report
A Valentine For the World: The Lost Story
Una valentina para el mundo; la historia perdida A Valentine For the World: The Lost Story Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés Valentine’s Day Alert, Anywhere USA: A woman punches another woman to seize the last red-flocked candy box at the drug store. Children fear going to school for they might not get as many valentine cards as some other kids. What used to be honorable … [Read more...] about A Valentine For the World: The Lost Story
Another Fast Food/Junk Food Spawn for Taco Bell
Taco Bell just announced they are adding a Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco to accompany their wildly popular Nacho-Cheese Doritos Locos Taco. In 2012, Taco Bell sold over 250 million of their Nacho-Cheese flavored junk food/fast food Doritos amalgamations. This unprecedented success has led other fast food restaurants to enter the fray. The following are possible future … [Read more...] about Another Fast Food/Junk Food Spawn for Taco Bell
Orthodoxy: Liberty’s Other Enemy
I am typing this in Miami, where I have had the privilege of sharing ideas of liberty with some new Americans who know more of its antithesis than almost anyone on this Continent -- Cuban exiles of Castro's regime. One of them, Normando, has spent seven years in prison for the crime of criticizing the quality of government-manufactured Cuban bread. A conversation with … [Read more...] about Orthodoxy: Liberty’s Other Enemy
Harlem Shake @ Georgia College
What some students won't do for a good time... For those of us unfamiliar with the meme: The Harlem Shake is an Internet phenomenon based on viral videos that began to gain popularity in February 2013,[1] following the release of the video titled 'DO THE HARLEM SHAKE (ORIGINAL)' by the YouTube comedy vlogger Filthy Frank. The phenomenon spread due to people's efforts to … [Read more...] about Harlem Shake @ Georgia College
North Korea’s blast: China Holds the Cards
In an effort to devise more severe penalties for North Korea’s nuclear test, the US, Japan and South Korea were scrambling today to detect details of the explosion, particularly whether plutonium or uranium was used. But the keys to slapping down Pyongyang’s belligerence lie in Beijing, where a new and more nationalist leader, Xi Jinping, assumes power next month. His … [Read more...] about North Korea’s blast: China Holds the Cards
Mitch McConnell’s Net Worth Tripled From 2007 to 2010
How many people do you know whose net worth was greater in 2009 than in 2007 -- you know, after the financial sector nosedive created a new economic impact crater. If you're like most of us, none or very few. That's because the average household net worth in the U.S. dropped 23% between 2007 and 2009. Thus this rise in net worth from $7.8 million in 2007 to $19.9M in … [Read more...] about Mitch McConnell’s Net Worth Tripled From 2007 to 2010