Has Washington concocted a tale of Iranian terror in order to, a) divert the anger of the American people over the behavior of government leaders and financial officials, b) ruin Iran's reputation among neighboring states, particularly with Saudi Arabia, c) divert the Arab Spring from following the example of the Iranian Revolution and, d) help Israel out of its current … [Read more...] about World Sees Through America’s ‘Evil Plot’ Against Iranian Republic (Kayhan, Islamic Republic of Iran)
Britney Spears Has 10 Million Twitter Followers
That Huffington Post headline was the lead for one of its many celebrity stories that I noticed this morning. I admit to perusing HuffPo a few times a week to give balance to my daily readings of various Internet news blogs. One savvy woman creatively used the free content from many talented writers to make herself a multi-millionaire – beyond what she had achieved through her … [Read more...] about Britney Spears Has 10 Million Twitter Followers
The difference between Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party
After seeing that Occupy Wall Street protestors are organizing a hackathon, I googled to find out if the Tea Party had ever done such a thing and came up with predictable results. The fact that coders are getting involved to build tools around the protests suggests a level of sophistication and maturation around the movement that many are still failing to recognize. Simon … [Read more...] about The difference between Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party
Ho Chi Minh: An Appreciation
Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom. ~ HO CHI MINH Over the four decades since the death of Ho Chi Minh, debate continues to rage over whether he was a nationalist or a Communist, as well as whether he was as simple and gentle as his public persona made him appear to be or the instigator of brutal excesses carried out in his name. The questions are … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh: An Appreciation
How Would You Caption This Photograph?
While not exactly a wardrobe malfunction, Ron Paul's right eyebrow appeared to droop during the Republican presidential debate on Tuesday night. What caption would you write for this photograph? … [Read more...] about How Would You Caption This Photograph?
It Is Long Past Time To Clean Up Thoroughbred Racing
EIGHT BELLES GOES DOWN AT THE 2008 KENTUCKY DERBY One of my fondest childhood memories is being taken to Delaware Park, at that time one of the premier thoroughbred tracks in America, by my mother to watch morning workouts. She instilled in me an appreciation for the beauty, athleticism and intelligence of thoroughbreds and the sights, sounds and smells of those misty … [Read more...] about It Is Long Past Time To Clean Up Thoroughbred Racing
Why Occupy Wall Street Protests Continue To Grow
Occupy Wall Street protests have been growing exponentially since the first demonstrators began filling Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan on September 17. The reasons are pretty obvious: * The overreaction of the NYPD to demonstrations marching onto the Brooklyn Bridge on October 1 got the attention of the mainstream news media, which had largely ignored the protests. … [Read more...] about Why Occupy Wall Street Protests Continue To Grow
GOP Truthiness
The next debate may have to carry fact-check subtitles but, to get the flavor of this one, the Caucus blog parses some of the more flagrant examples of Truthiness. My favorite is Newt Gingrich’s inversion of an advisory on prostate tests for men from a policy that could save lives and needless suffering into an example of Sarah Palin’s death panels, which was named “The Lie … [Read more...] about GOP Truthiness
Around The Blogosphere In Eighty Posts . . . Okay, Eight
Herewith a sampling of posts from some of my favorite blogs and bloggers: Although much of his material is Philadelphia-centric, Will Bunch is among the top political bloggers anywhere. (And a good friend.) He writes at Attytood (which is how many native Philadelphians say "attitude") that: The Occupy Wall Street movement might have died on the vine were it not for … [Read more...] about Around The Blogosphere In Eighty Posts . . . Okay, Eight
Shabby Chic, Literally
I'm disgusted: On the Bowery, on the second floor of an ancient flophouse, nine men pay less than $10 a night to sleep in cramped cubicles topped with chicken wire. Half the stalls in their shared bathroom are missing doors, and their halls are lined with spooky rows of empty cubicles whose last occupants either took off or died off. Directly above them, on the third and … [Read more...] about Shabby Chic, Literally
Further On Down The Road: Oh Those Delusional Republicans
Among other things, Republicans today are the party of the delusional. It's courtship with Christianists and then the Tea Party in the quest for short-term gains took it ever further to the right -- and sometimes completely out of right field -- while ignoring the larger reality that mainstream voters wouldn't by these brands of extremism. But a funny thing is happening on … [Read more...] about Further On Down The Road: Oh Those Delusional Republicans
Did Alternative Medicine Cost Steve Jobs His Life?
Harvard Med Surgical Oncologist Ramzi Amri thinks so: I have done 1.5 years of research on the type of tumor that affected Steve Jobs and have some strong opinions on his case, not only as an admirer of his work, but also as a cancer researcher who has the impression that his disease course has been far from optimal. Let me cut to the chase: Mr. Jobs allegedly chose to … [Read more...] about Did Alternative Medicine Cost Steve Jobs His Life?
‘Where is China’s Steve Jobs?’ (Wen Wei Po, Hong Kong, China)
What is it about mainland China that prevents the emergence of innovators like Steve Jobs? While in the West it seems obvious that a lack of free speech, free expression and free association puts China at a disadvantage, this editorial from Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po shows that Beijing still has a way to go before it accepts that in order to unleash the creative power of its … [Read more...] about ‘Where is China’s Steve Jobs?’ (Wen Wei Po, Hong Kong, China)
Wall Street Protest: Back to the Future?
Mushrooming from lower Manhattan, the inchoate backlash brings expectable reactions in Washington from Democratic cheerleading to GOP hypocrisy. As Eric Cantor calls protesters “a mob...pitting Americans against Americans,” Nancy Pelosi reminds the Tea Party toad, “I didn’t hear him say anything when the Tea Party was out demonstrating, actually spitting on members of … [Read more...] about Wall Street Protest: Back to the Future?
BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT: THE HILLARY EFFECT – Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss
COMING IN NOVEMBER The e-book that tells the definitive story. WASHINGTON - Back in January 2010, I told readers I was working on a large project, so my presence would diminish from what it was during 2009. Well, this is it. Hillary's presidential run is the foundation for this political tale, as is what she experienced during the primaries, including the media's role in … [Read more...] about BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT: THE HILLARY EFFECT – Politics, Sexism and the Destiny of Loss
The Rise of the Reverse Houdinis
WASHINGTON -- So let’s see: The solution to large-scale abuses of the financial system, a breakdown of the private sector, extreme economic inequality and the failure of companies and individuals to invest and create jobs is -- well, to give even more money and power to very wealthy people, to disable government and to trust those who got us into the mess to get us out of … [Read more...] about The Rise of the Reverse Houdinis
The Answers Are All Behind Them
Ezra Klein, in his analysis of last night's Republican Candidates debate, writes: "The candidates vying for the GOP’s 2012 presidential nomination want to force history backward." If there is one thing all of them want to do, it is to repeal everything the Obama Administration has done -- and then go much further than that: Their proposals to roll back the growth and … [Read more...] about The Answers Are All Behind Them
Does Barack Obama Have a Looming Hispanic Voter Problem?
Amid almost daily bad political news from polling, President Barack Obama may have a new preoccupation: he's not doing well with Latino voters: President Obama’s numbers are cratering with nearly every demographic, but the latest Gallup weekly tracking poll shows his approval dropping most steeply among Latinos. It portends poorly not only for the president, but for a … [Read more...] about Does Barack Obama Have a Looming Hispanic Voter Problem?
Anwar Al-Awlaki’s Carnival Of Ironies
These are boom times if you are a collector of ironies, and none may larger than despite the fact that President Obama has been repeatedly accused of being weak on fighting terrorism by the Republican national security choir, he has been more successful in three short years than the bombastic and serially reckless Bush administration was in eight. The aggressive Obama … [Read more...] about Anwar Al-Awlaki’s Carnival Of Ironies
“Nothing off the table” in U.S. Response to Iranian Plot, Biden Says
Vice President Joe Biden says that "nothing is off the table" in the U.S. response to the Iranian plot: video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player Here's some of the ABC News website report on the interview: Vice President Joe Biden said today that "nothing has been taken off the table" when it comes to the U.S. response to an alleged plot by Iran to … [Read more...] about “Nothing off the table” in U.S. Response to Iranian Plot, Biden Says