As an avid sports fan who follows teams on a college and professional level, I find the skewed priorities favoring sports over education for allocation of resources by state and local governments disturbing. Support for sports teams at high schools and colleges has continued or expanded even as school funding has dwindled, with coaches and athletic programs as the tails wagging … [Read more...] about The Big Game- Can America Compete?
April: The Month Of History
While probably every day marks several historic occassions I am always struck by how certain times of year seem to mark a confluence of events. Consider the middle part of April April 12th marks the start of the Civil war, the death of FDR and the first man in space April 14th-15th marks both the Titanic and the Lincoln assassination April 18th marks the 1906 San … [Read more...] about April: The Month Of History
Barack Obama’s Secret Weapon: Report From 20 Paws Ranch
LILLY LEDBETTER & YOU KNOW WHO The 2012 presidential campaign, now underway with the withdrawal of Rick Santorum, promises to be a study in contrasts. All presidential campaigns are, of course, but the contrasts between presumptive Republican challenger Mitt Romney and President Obama are striking and nowhere more so than when it comes to populism, an ideology that I … [Read more...] about Barack Obama’s Secret Weapon: Report From 20 Paws Ranch
The Beginning of the Taliban Spring Offensive?
In what may very well be the beginning of the much anticipated Taliban “spring offensive” in Afghanistan, the Taliban -- some believe it is the Haqqani network, an offshoot of the Taliban -- launched a coordinated series of attacks on the diplomatic quarter of Kabul, the Afghan Parliament and at least three eastern provinces on Sunday. Both the New York Times and the … [Read more...] about The Beginning of the Taliban Spring Offensive?
Evidence of Romney Etch a Sketch on Mothers at Home Controversy?
Unlike a lot of others I do NOT agree that this week's mini-firestorm over respecting mothers who stay at home was "manufactured" at all (and yes, I am in disagreement with MSNBC, some less partisan Republicans and almost all Democrats). I've known too many mothers (including my own) who raised children as not just a fulltime job but a fulltime job where they put in overtime … [Read more...] about Evidence of Romney Etch a Sketch on Mothers at Home Controversy?
Calls for Drug Decriminalization in Latin America
It appears that the President is facing some awkward pressure from Latin America leaders who advocate decriminalizing and regulating marijuana and possibly cocaine. Likely they're tired of having US military and law enforcement crawling all over their countries as well as the corrupt and violent influence of the Drug Cartel black market caused by interdiction. This is an … [Read more...] about Calls for Drug Decriminalization in Latin America
What War on Women? (Guest Voice)
What War on Women? by Kathleen McKinley Ann Romney had a very good two days. It all started with Hilary Rosen, Democrat strategist, saying Ann Romney couldn’t comment on economic issues because “she has never worked a day in her life.” Oh boy, for a PR girl, that was incredibly stupid. You don’t diss Moms. Any mother, working or not, will tell you how difficult it is to … [Read more...] about What War on Women? (Guest Voice)
Trayvon Martin Case Goes Beyond Race (Guest Voice)
Trayvon Martin Case Goes Beyond Race by Peter Funt We've all taken a crack at deciphering the Trayvon Martin case, so ponder this: George Zimmerman probably isn't a racist and, if that's true, then Zimmerman runs a greater risk of being convicted in Martin's death. That such a theory is viable underscores the complexity of the case -- thanks, in part, to Florida's … [Read more...] about Trayvon Martin Case Goes Beyond Race (Guest Voice)
Romney on Top
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Romney on Top
Former Bush AG Gonzales: Marco Rubio Would Be Poor Romney Veep Pick
Former Bush Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had some surprisingly harsh words to say when asked about whether Florida Sen. Marco Rubio might be a name Republican presumptive Presidential nominee former Gov. Mitt Romney might seriously consider. In a nutshell: it's be a poor choice and Rubio wouldn't help the GOP much with Latino voters: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio would not … [Read more...] about Former Bush AG Gonzales: Marco Rubio Would Be Poor Romney Veep Pick
Torture: No Change of Heart for Dick Cheney (UPDATE)
UPDATE: As mentioned below, Dick Cheney spoke for one hour and 15 minutes at the Wyoming Republican Party state convention in Cheyenne. Guess what “fair and balanced” Fox found memorable enough to become the centerpiece of and the title to their piece on Cheney's appearance? You guessed it: "He has been an unmitigated disaster to the country," Cheney said of … [Read more...] about Torture: No Change of Heart for Dick Cheney (UPDATE)
Liberals in Love With Ike, 50 Years Later
Do two make a trend? Richard Cohen of the Washington Post now writes a warm-hearted memoir of a post-White House encounter with President Eisenhower, ending with “He knew precisely who he was. That’s more than can be said for the people who now want to depict him as the eternal innocent.” It echoes my own experience back then and makes me wonder how many others like us later … [Read more...] about Liberals in Love With Ike, 50 Years Later
Children Of The Titanic
I'll have a more detailed post on Sunday but I thought I'd toss out a tidbit for those watching various Titanic programs tonight. There were 112 children aboard the Titanic on the fatal night. Of those children, 56 survived. If you were a child in 1st or 2nd class, you had a 100% chance of survival. If you were a child in 3rd class, you had a 33% chance. Imagine … [Read more...] about Children Of The Titanic
The New Three Stooges Movie: NOW PLAYING The Video Trailers (Plus Some Original Stooges Classic Moment Videos)
UPDATE: I'm a lifelong Stooges fan so I MUST trumpet the news: the new Three Stooges movie is out. Not only am I a stooges fan, but when I was a reporter on the San Diego Union I covered the Three Stooges getting a belated star on Hollywood Boulevard. I met the late Joe Besser, who was the only Stooge able to show up (the others passed away and Joe DeRita was too ill). I also … [Read more...] about The New Three Stooges Movie: NOW PLAYING The Video Trailers (Plus Some Original Stooges Classic Moment Videos)
So How Come the Tax Code is so “Unfair”?
[Originally posted on January 11, 2011.] It's that time of year. Now, as the airwaves are filled with the same silly stories that the same silly people trot out every silly year, it's timely, and I present it for your consideration, slightly altered and emended: NOTE: Spent all day Tuesday [January 11, 2011] at an update on changes to Federal and Oregon tax law for … [Read more...] about So How Come the Tax Code is so “Unfair”?
The Bullies Again
This isn't about high school or college students. It isn't about rednecks, reeling with beer, roughing up a gay guy late at night in some bar in the southwest. This is about the Secret Service and it appears to happen with some frequency. We've even seen an instance of it in this part of rural Texas when off-duty presidential guardians got involved in a local dispute and … [Read more...] about The Bullies Again
Santorums Exit Like “The Sopranos”
Five years ago, a family that had captured the American imagination suddenly disappeared from TV screens with no real explanation, just as the current national soap opera, “The Santorums” abruptly ended this week. They sit around a table, nothing untoward happens...and then fade to black. We had been mesmerized on the weekend by their daughter’s hospital stay, we were … [Read more...] about Santorums Exit Like “The Sopranos”
Book Review: “The Gandelman Name in History” [Paperback] (The “Our Name In History” Series)
Sorry to have to be so blunt and I have never used the words in a review before, but may I say "Rip off?" Yes, I know that the publishers of the Our Name In History disclose that these are short books, have some statistics and deal with immigration and old immgration records. But I -- like I'm sure others have and will -- bought this because the titled suggested it was a … [Read more...] about Book Review: “The Gandelman Name in History” [Paperback] (The “Our Name In History” Series)
The Good Inflation/Bad Inflation Story
Is inflation in this country well under control? You might think so if you listen to what's coming from the Fed on the subject, or even from Paul Krugman, whose analysis of economic matters I usually find quite perceptive. Unfortunately, however, inflation here is not well under control when you look at it more closely and distinguish between "bad inflation" and "good … [Read more...] about The Good Inflation/Bad Inflation Story
North Korea’s Loss of Face. What Now?
Even before the humiliating failure of North Korea’s Taepo Dong-2 missile launch, the regime there was already considering the possibility of failure and whom to blame it on. Well, not exactly. The paranoid leadership apparently entertained the possibility of the “U.S., Japan and the ‘group traitors’ running South Korea” intercepting the rocket, and promised an … [Read more...] about North Korea’s Loss of Face. What Now?