As voters sleepwalk toward November, apparitions from their troubled history rise up to remind them of past errors. Dick Cheney, the vice-president who picked himself, proclaims that naming Sarah Palin to succeed him was “a mistake,” while Bill Clinton emerges for a marquee role in the Democratic convention to nominate Barack Obama for a second term. Such Scrooge-like … [Read more...] about Clinton, Cheney Haunt Obama, Romney
Jonah Lehrer: “I panicked. And I’m deeply sorry for lying.”
Michael C. Moynihan in The Tablet: I’m something of the Dylan obsessive—piles of live bootlegs, outtakes, books—and I read the first chapter of Imagine with keen interest. But when I looked for sources to a handful of Dylan quotations offered by Lehrer—the chapter is sparsely and erratically footnoted—I came up empty, and in one case found two fragments of quotes, from … [Read more...] about Jonah Lehrer: “I panicked. And I’m deeply sorry for lying.”
The Brotherhood of Man and the Politics of Dignity
[This is the 19th in the series Religion and Science: A Beautiful Friendship.] As prophets in every religion have tried to tell us, humankind is one big extended family. The simultaneous advent of globalization and the emergence of dignitarian values is no coincidence. Greater exposure to "foreigners" is making their demonization untenable, and, as discussed in previous … [Read more...] about The Brotherhood of Man and the Politics of Dignity
Defense Olympics Update Nr. 5: Profiles of the Military Olympians
I hope some of our readers had the chance to watch the “Today” show this morning where military race walk Olympian John Nunn and his Olympian team mate Maria Michta showed the “Today” show hosts the “fundamentals” of race walking. It was fun to watch the hosts attempt to “walk the race walk” but it was somewhat disappointing that the military background of Army Staff Sgt. … [Read more...] about Defense Olympics Update Nr. 5: Profiles of the Military Olympians
With Olympic Ban on Belarus President, West Initiates New Era of Sport Politicization (Gazerta, Russia)
Has the Western world made a mistake imposing an Olympic ban on Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko? This editorial from Russia's Gazeta is a dual warning, first to the West, which for the first time is denying a head of state the right to attend the Olympics for political reasons, and to Russian leaders, who are quickly putting themselves in the same category as Lukashenko … [Read more...] about With Olympic Ban on Belarus President, West Initiates New Era of Sport Politicization (Gazerta, Russia)
My Coming To Grips With The Question: Is America Still A Democracy?
Sometimes you know things viscerally, but you don't want to know them at a higher level of consciousness. That's the way I've been with something my good friend Bob Walters has been saying for years, a rap that generally runs: "I have said since the 60s that the US is not a democracy, it is a plutocratic oligarchy. This is not news. So why are so many people finally waking up … [Read more...] about My Coming To Grips With The Question: Is America Still A Democracy?
Obama and the Economy
LEGAL NOTICE ON CARTOON: This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Reproduction elsewhere without licensing is strictly prohibited. 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 Obama and the Economy
Quote of the Day: Romney’s Uneven Israel Trip?
Was presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney's a big success that will burnish his foreign policy credentials in the general election? Or was it another gaffe fest? Our political Quote of the Day comes via First Read which argues there were no major disasters on it to feed the perception reflected in the Wolverton cartoon above. But it (again) wasn't something … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Romney’s Uneven Israel Trip?
CNN Plays “Stupid Girls” To Intro Palin Piece
Eight months ago Jimmy Fallon had Michele Bachmann on his show. As she walked out to join the show, the house band played “Lyin’Ass Bitch.” Edgy humor? Poor taste? Sexist crap? Depends on your perspective I suppose. But, at least Fallon fancies himself a comedian, not a serious news source. That excuse doesn’t work for CNN. The self-proclaimed nonpartisan 24 hour news … [Read more...] about CNN Plays “Stupid Girls” To Intro Palin Piece
Tea Party and Sarah Palin Poised for Another Upset: In Texas
The Tea Party and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin look poised to help bring off what is being perceived upset victory, this time in Texas: Ted Cruz is on the cusp of a win in the Texas Republican Senate runoff that would shatter conventional campaign wisdom and elevate him as one of the brightest stars of the tea party generation. Even some of his aides concede … [Read more...] about Tea Party and Sarah Palin Poised for Another Upset: In Texas
Moral Hazard and Health Care- Is There An Answer?
Moral hazard is a term used in economics in relation to an individual who is willing to take risks because he or she will not have to bear the cost of his or her action. It is the reason purchasing health insurance was mandated under the Affordable Care Act, but it comes into play in other areas of health care as well. It is clear that in the past and currently, many healthy … [Read more...] about Moral Hazard and Health Care- Is There An Answer?
Make No Mistake About It, The American Dream Is Deader Than Ever: Report From 20 Paws Ranch
I wrote 16 months ago that America was broken and the intervening months should silence anyone who believed that perspective was histrionic. The death of the American Dream has been ongoing for decades as the gap between the rich and poor has grown, but it was during the dark days of the Bush-Cheney interregnum that it shifted into high gear. And has kept accelerating … [Read more...] about Make No Mistake About It, The American Dream Is Deader Than Ever: Report From 20 Paws Ranch
Romney and the Go-for-Broke Election
WASHINGTON -- Here are the two great campaign mysteries at midsummer: Why does Mitt Romney appear to be getting so much traction from ripping a few of President Obama's words out of context? And why aren't Romney and other Republicans moving to the political center as the election approaches? Both mysteries point to an important fact about the 2012 campaign: For … [Read more...] about Romney and the Go-for-Broke Election
Entertainers In Their Prime and at the End: Frank Sinatra
I've always been fascinated at watching the evolution of enteratainers: how the looked in their prime and how they looked and performed at the ends or later parts of their lives. This is the first in an occasional series. Some evolve and adapt. Others simply lose their gift. Here's Frank Sinatra at the top of his game in 1966 doing Witchcraft -- with a notably unPC … [Read more...] about Entertainers In Their Prime and at the End: Frank Sinatra
Defense (Olympics) Update Nr. 3 (Updated with Today’s Results)
Sandra Uptagrafft. A former National Guardsman, the 41-year-old Singapore-native became a member of the National All-Guard International Pistol Team in 1992 and then was recruited to active service as a shooter/small arms instructor at the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit from 1992-95. Her husband, Eric, who is also a competitive shooter is also participating in this year’s … [Read more...] about Defense (Olympics) Update Nr. 3 (Updated with Today’s Results)
Defense (Olympic) Update Nr. 4: Race Walking
About.com Track and Field describes race walking as follows: Race walkers are the penguins of the Olympic Games - to the untrained eye, their movements just don't look right. But race walkers - with their arms pumping, hips swiveling and legs barely restraining themselves from breaking into a trot - know what they're doing. These long-distance striders are constantly … [Read more...] about Defense (Olympic) Update Nr. 4: Race Walking
Dick Cheney Says ‘Mistake’ Sarah Palin Picked as John McCain’s Running Mate
Former vice president Dick Cheney told ABC News it was a mistake for Sen. John McCain to have picked Sarah Palin as a running mate four years ago. Um, it was also a mistake for George W. Bush to have picked him as a running mate as well. He said he has given Mitt Romney advice, though he won't say what that advice is. “That one,” Cheney said, “I don’t think was well … [Read more...] about Dick Cheney Says ‘Mistake’ Sarah Palin Picked as John McCain’s Running Mate
Mitt Romney Insults Former Israeli Opposition Leader Shelly Yacimovich, Abruptly Cancels Previously Planned Meeting
#RomneyShambles: Well, it turns out Mitt Romney's Israeli trip wasn't without controversy, since he abruptly cancelled a previously scheduled meeting with former opposition leader Shelly Yacimovich. Some in the Israeli press are saying this came about under pressure from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Not to be offensive to any one, I didn't realize Mitt Romney was taking … [Read more...] about Mitt Romney Insults Former Israeli Opposition Leader Shelly Yacimovich, Abruptly Cancels Previously Planned Meeting
Scoring Mitt’s Olympic Trials
The spirit of Olympic competitiveness raises unexpected patriotic fervor to protect Mitt Romney from Brits who have been bashing him so joyfully. He is, after all, our boob and they have no leftover colonial right to exercise their snobbery so freely at his “blunders and clangers.” What if he did say on arrival that the state of preparedness was “disconcerting?” Does that … [Read more...] about Scoring Mitt’s Olympic Trials
Corporate Shareholders Are Slave Owners!
You can own property, but you can't own other people. Those who do own other people are slave owners. Those who are owned are slaves. Corporations are people, 'persons' or 'natural persons' as they are usually referred to in court. They are owned by corporate share owners. Corporations are therefore slaves and must be liberated. And doing so is the great civil rights issue … [Read more...] about Corporate Shareholders Are Slave Owners!