Listening to PBS this Saturday morning. The moderator, show host, whatever, was discussing President Obama's and the opposing candidate Mitt Romney's recent visits to a Latino voter forum. So what does he do, this fair and balanced journalist? He gets a spin-miester from each campaign. I turned the radio off in disgust. I knew there would be no actual information - just … [Read more...] about Spin wash
Jerry Sandusky Found Guilty, and Too, Philly Jury re Pedophile Sexual Assault on Children, Finds Monsignor William J. Lynn Guilty of Child Endangerment
It's the first prelate in the Catholic Church to be tried and to be found guilty of not protecting children from sexual predators. The case was complicated by the prosecutors trying several priests at once. But, given the Vatican and Diocese's huge money outlay for many many lawyers eager to have the jury find all the priest-defendents innocent, that money outlay in defense … [Read more...] about Jerry Sandusky Found Guilty, and Too, Philly Jury re Pedophile Sexual Assault on Children, Finds Monsignor William J. Lynn Guilty of Child Endangerment
Breaking: Jerry Sandusky Convicted of 45 Counts in Sex Abuse Trial
About an hour ago, Centre County Court officials in Bellefonte, Pa. announced that a verdict had been reached in the child sexual abuse trial of former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. That verdict has now been announced. According to the Washington Post, Jerry Sandusky has been convicted of 45 counts at his child sex abuse trial. Jurors … [Read more...] about Breaking: Jerry Sandusky Convicted of 45 Counts in Sex Abuse Trial
Sandusky Convicted
In one of the least difficult verdicts in judicial history the jury has found former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky guilty on 45 of 48 charges. The verdict was met with loud cheers from the crowd outside the courthouse. The conviction means that Sandusky will almost certainly spend the rest of his life in prison, most likely in solitary confinement (or if not his … [Read more...] about Sandusky Convicted
America is Neither Friend Nor Foe (Gazeta, Russia)
Are the United States and Russia in the midst of a new Cold War over Syria, Iran, U.S. charges of Russian corruption and a host of other issues? Not at all! For Russia's Gazeta, columnist Fyodor Lukyanov writes that what is playing out now is, 'just the normal game of diplomacy played by great unallied powers exerting themselves to achieve a desired result.' For Gazeta, … [Read more...] about America is Neither Friend Nor Foe (Gazeta, Russia)
Oil and Gasoline Prices
Instead of the predicted $5.00 a gallon gasoline this summer it looks like we may have $3.00 a gallon instead. The sinking economy is of course responsible for the sinking oil and gas prices but there is a floor - companies won't produce is they can't make money. I think we are at the floor for crude oil prices. The last couple of days the price for WTI has dropped below … [Read more...] about Oil and Gasoline Prices
Dancing Matt Makes Another Video
It's been two years since Matt Harding (WhereTheHellIsMatt) made a dancing video. He released his fourth this week, and it's wonderful. Instead of Matt dancing his silly dance, we see Matt learning about the dances of other cultures. And he teaches others his silly dance. All against a brilliant composition, Trip The Light. Ethan Zuckerman provides a compelling … [Read more...] about Dancing Matt Makes Another Video
Don’t Count On Health Care Ruling On Monday
While there is a lot of speculation that the Supreme Court will rule on the Affordable Care Act on Monday I wouldn't count on it. The Court currently has six rulings to issue and based on past procedure they are *very* unlikely to announce all six on one day. They are much more likely to announce a couple of rulings a day over two or three days. Since the Affordable Care … [Read more...] about Don’t Count On Health Care Ruling On Monday
Obama to Latino Group: Don’t Trust Romney
President Barack Obama addressed the same Latino group that Mitt Romney did yesterday and in his comments today had a basic message: don't trust Mitt Romney, especially if Romney does keep his promises like the former Massachusetts Governor vowed he would in his speech: A day after Mitt Romney pitched a softer, gentler message on immigration reform, President Barack Obama … [Read more...] about Obama to Latino Group: Don’t Trust Romney
Eric Holder and the Republican House
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Eric Holder and the Republican House
Quote Of The Day
Daniel Larison on Romney: No one has run for presidential office for so long while conveying so little about the reason for doing so as Romney has. The purpose of Romney’s candidacy is simply to win the election, which is as dull and ordinary as one can imagine, and there is not really any pretense that Romney’s candidacy serves a “larger purpose.” People cannot put faith in … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day
Offering Assange Asylum May Have Negative Consequences for Ecuador (Hoy, Ecuador)
What are the dangers for Ecuador of offering political asylum to a man wanted for crimes in some of the Western world's leading nations? This editorial from Ecuador's Hoy warns the government in Quito not to be too hasty about letting its ideological leanings get the best of it. The Hoy editorial says in part: A few months ago, the government decided to use cables … [Read more...] about Offering Assange Asylum May Have Negative Consequences for Ecuador (Hoy, Ecuador)
Ahmed Shafik Reportedly To Be Egyptian President
Reports out of Cairo this morning that former Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik is to be named the winner of the recent Presidential election. The reports state he won 50.7% of the vote to 49.3% for Mohamed Morsy of the Muslim Brotherhood. If true this is likely to spark protests from Morsy supporters who say that he won the election. It may also be a sign that the … [Read more...] about Ahmed Shafik Reportedly To Be Egyptian President
Hapless Hollow Men Whimpering While Trying To Solve The World’s Economic Problems
I look at the world's economic problems these days and my mind turns to poetry. I think of W.H. Auden's tragically appropriate poem, September 1, 1939, which speaks of "...hapless governors wake/to renew their compulsory games/who can release them now..." And of the last lines of T.S. Eliot's Hollow Men: "This is the way the world ends/This is the way the world ends/Not with a … [Read more...] about Hapless Hollow Men Whimpering While Trying To Solve The World’s Economic Problems
Politico Suspends White House Reporter for Comments About Romney Only Being Comfortable With “White Folks”: Drawing the Journalistic Line
One of the fascinating -- and depressing --trends to watch is how in America's political and media culture the more glib, cutting and mocking you can be, the more attention it gets. And just as politicians talk in sound bites, some analysts when some reporters get on ideological cable shows they seemingly will talk in sound bites It's often a good career move. But not … [Read more...] about Politico Suspends White House Reporter for Comments About Romney Only Being Comfortable With “White Folks”: Drawing the Journalistic Line
Burkas For All
I came across this story a few days ago in the Times: "Facebook Acquires Israeli Facial Recognition Company." Then last night I saw a story on TV about how drones are getting smaller more and more sophisticated. The report went on to say that with the winding down of our Iraq and Afghan wars, defense contractors are looking for a new market for their very expensive drones and … [Read more...] about Burkas For All
Romney Inches Towards Moderating His Immigration Stance: Democrats Release New Ad (VIDEO)
All-but-declared-Republican-nominee Mitt Romney has started to try and moderate his immigration stance proving a)there are some issues where candidates must move to the center b)the importance of the Latino vote and c)how when the choice comes down to letting the other candidate of a party win even the most supposedly uncompromisable demands of ideological factions of parties … [Read more...] about Romney Inches Towards Moderating His Immigration Stance: Democrats Release New Ad (VIDEO)
Stanford iTunesU class adds interaction
Digital communications technologies disrupt information industries. That's Craigslist siphoning off newspaper classified ads. It's Hulu helping 20 somethings cut the cord. It's Pandora (or Spotify, if you wish) facilitating micro-radio stations. One of the largest information industries in the country, higher ed, has had its hands full with state budget cuts; digital tech … [Read more...] about Stanford iTunesU class adds interaction
Sandusky Jury in Deliberations; Adopted Son Accuses Father
As the jury "deliberated into the evening," Jerry Sandusky's adopted son Matt, 33, said he had been abused by his father and had been prepared to testify, according to AP. Matt is one of six adopted children. "At Matt's request, we immediately arranged a meeting between him and the prosecutors and investigators," attorneys Andrew Shubin and Justine Andronici said in a … [Read more...] about Sandusky Jury in Deliberations; Adopted Son Accuses Father
Religion and Science: A Beautiful Friendship, Part 2 (Guest Voice) Two Notions of Truth: My Sunday School vs. My Public School
Religion and Science: A Beautiful Friendship, Part 2 Two Notions of Truth: My Sunday School vs. My Public School by Robert Fuller My parents were not church-goers, but they thought their children should be exposed to the religious perspective. So, until we graduated from eighth grade, they made my brothers and me attend a Presbyterian Sunday School. When I asked my … [Read more...] about Religion and Science: A Beautiful Friendship, Part 2 (Guest Voice) Two Notions of Truth: My Sunday School vs. My Public School