UPDATE II Hopefully this link will take readers to a live-streaming of the MOH award ceremony: JOIN THE LIVE CHATVISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV ===== Sometimes the most difficult part of writing and publishing an article or essay is picking the title. When, about one month ago, I first heard that Marine Sergeant Dakota L. Meyer, a former Austin resident, would be … [Read more...] about Tomorrow Is Dakota Meyer’s Day (UPDATES)
Dr. Ron Paul Has A Heart Of Stone. And Plenty Of Company In Today’s Republican Party.
KENT SNYDER AND RON PAUL There was a special moment during the CNN/Tea Party presidential debate on Monday evening when moderator Wolf Blitzer threw out a red-meat hypothetical: What do the candidates think about the case of a young man who could afford health insurance but chose not to buy it and became gravely ill? Should the state pay his bills? "That's what … [Read more...] about Dr. Ron Paul Has A Heart Of Stone. And Plenty Of Company In Today’s Republican Party.
Quick Take: NY Election
NY-9 sure looks bad for Democrats. Retired cable TV executive Bob Turner (R) (he launched the failed Rush Limbaugh TV show after huge success with Jerry Springer) defeated state Assemblyman David Weprin (D) in the special election for the House seat held by former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner (D). The last time a Republican won there was in the 1920's. But... consider … [Read more...] about Quick Take: NY Election
Random Thoughts On The Writerly Life
This month marks the 45th anniversary of my debut as a writer -- that is someone who got paid for writing -- and I recall that my first byline was a story on a local Marine drowning while on combat maneuvers on Okinawa. I was paid 15 bucks for that article; that is 15 bucks for each Saturday that I toiled in the newsroom of my local rag writing mostly obituaries. As … [Read more...] about Random Thoughts On The Writerly Life
Nate Silver Reviews Special Elections
When it comes to Nate Silver's political analysis I think he tends to be pretty balanced since he runs it all on numbers. But to the degree that he does have a bias it would be for, not against the Democrats. With that in mind his review of the NY-9 and NV-2 elections do not bode well for the Democrats in 2012. Personally I still expect the most likely outcome for … [Read more...] about Nate Silver Reviews Special Elections
Cameron WIllingham case and Perry: The Texas Forensic Panel is not allowed to issue an opinion without interference
about whether Perry signed the writ to execute Cameron justly... even though it is thought now that Cameron may have been innocent. 234 people executed during Perry's governorship. That's equal to more than a third of the small town population where I grew up. I sit here imagining every third house in the northwoods having the hearse pull up. It seem odd that some … [Read more...] about Cameron WIllingham case and Perry: The Texas Forensic Panel is not allowed to issue an opinion without interference
Microsoft Touts Windows 8, “Reimagines” Computing
"There you go again." It's a phrase made famous by Ronald Reagan, first in his campaign against Jimmy Carter and then throughout his Presidency. And it was my first thought upon reading the glowing accolades (mind-blowing!) surrounding Microsoft's announcement of Windows 8, accolades so bright that it should not be dark here a few miles from Redmond. Get a grip boys. … [Read more...] about Microsoft Touts Windows 8, “Reimagines” Computing
NY-9 and NV-2 Voting (UPDATED)
Polls are closed in both New York and Nevada. Last update: The Republicans win both races, though Weprin still has not conceded, the race is over. At this point in NY-9 we have 448/512 precincts counted and Turner leads by about 5,000 votes out of 60,000 cast. He is winning Brooklyn 2-1 while Weprin has a 51-49 lead in Queens. Of course his tenure in the House is … [Read more...] about NY-9 and NV-2 Voting (UPDATED)
NBC Airs ABC’s Kennedy Exclusive
Did you notice that ABC called its coverage of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy, which includes those candid audio recordings from early 1964, an ABC News exclusive? But NBC aired portions of the tapes starting on Friday: A spokesperson for Hyperion said the company reached out to NBC News: “We made NBC aware of the copyright and … [Read more...] about NBC Airs ABC’s Kennedy Exclusive
German dithering endangers American jobs and the global economy
The European debt crisis has moved several stops closer to hitting the balance sheets of already fragile US banks. The contagion is spreading quickly and may soon make inevitable the double dip recession in America predicted by many. The only way to slow down the pace is for President Obama to sharpen the warnings he gave today to force Europeans to show more mettle. For … [Read more...] about German dithering endangers American jobs and the global economy
Palin Recalls ‘Crony Capitalism,’ Bachmann Runs With It
After Michele Bachmann pounced on Rick Perry last night for his executive order mandating young girls to receive the HPV vaccine, former Alaska governor and now conservative darling-celebrity Sarah Palin has also piled on the Texas governor over the same issue, calling it a possible product of “crony capitalism.” Palin has used this term before. According to the New York … [Read more...] about Palin Recalls ‘Crony Capitalism,’ Bachmann Runs With It
New Al Qaeda Leader Issues Message
The new leader of Al Qaeda has issued a statement to mark 9/11. Needless to say it includes the usual 'death to america/israel/etc' rhetoric. But it also included praise for the Arab Spring democracy movement on the theory that all the fallen governments were western puppets. For those who questioned who might take the place of the old dictators, this kind of praise isn't … [Read more...] about New Al Qaeda Leader Issues Message
Save The Rich! Screw The Poor!
According to Census figures, one in six Americans now lives below the official poverty line. That number will doubtless be used by lefties to argue that taxes should be increased on the rich so that to meet budgetary limits more need not be taken from the poor. This must be checked. The rich must not be made to suffer a lessening of their incomes and wealth just so a bunch … [Read more...] about Save The Rich! Screw The Poor!
Pin-a-Tail-on-Perry Debate
A Tea Party remake of “The Rocky Horror Show” could become as much a cult classic as the original that ended with space aliens leaving behind "crawling on the planet's face, tiny insects called the human race, lost in time, and lost in space--and meaning." Last night’s performance was a howl with other actors taking turns whacking at the mad scientist’s creation, Rocky … [Read more...] about Pin-a-Tail-on-Perry Debate
Conservatism verus Moderation
Andrew Sullivan has this excellent must-read post on conservatism versus moderation. But I need to add this: there is often a tension as well between liberalism and moderation. It's just that today the right is veering further the right than the left is veering further to the left -- which suggests that if the GOP picks the wrong candidate (if the "right" is someone who can … [Read more...] about Conservatism verus Moderation
Bachmann Draws Blood on Perry, Romney Stays Steady
WASHINGTON - It was a brawl. A beautifully ugly Republican battle, with Michele Bachmann taking full advantage of the opening to pummel Rick Perry, though she was hardly the only one. The Tea Party audience loved Rick Perry. ...right up until he made the case for "illegal immigrant" children to get in-state tuition. "I didn't mind the vaccine, social security … [Read more...] about Bachmann Draws Blood on Perry, Romney Stays Steady
America’s Economic Crash Had Little to do with September 11 (Financial Times Deutschland, Germany)
Is it just a myth that the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks badly damaged the American economy? According to columnist Thomas Fricke of the Financial Times Deutschland, the wars of vengeance launched by George W. Bush and the nearly catastrophic economic crash at the end of his term caused far more damage than Osama bin Laden ever dreamed of.` For the Financial Times … [Read more...] about America’s Economic Crash Had Little to do with September 11 (Financial Times Deutschland, Germany)
Quote of the Day: How Perry’s Rivals Are Perfecting Their Attacks on the Frontrunner
Our political Quote of the Day comes from The New Republic's Walter Shapiro who notes that in last night's CNN-products GOP Presidential debate Texas Gov. Rick Perry's rivals for the nomination had begun to fine tune their attacks on him: CNN’s over-produced, odd-couple alliance with the Tea Party produced an unexpected result—the first “Not So Fast, Governor Perry” … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: How Perry’s Rivals Are Perfecting Their Attacks on the Frontrunner
Why the Rush To Pass the American Jobs Act (Guest Voice)
Why the Rush To Pass the American Jobs Act? by Susan Stamper Brown As the Democratic National Committee (DNC) launches an ad campaign in battleground states to promote rapid passage of President Barack Obama's "American Jobs Act," I cannot help but to ask, "Why the rush, Mr. President?" While proposed payroll tax cuts would be useful to hard-working coupon-clipping … [Read more...] about Why the Rush To Pass the American Jobs Act (Guest Voice)
Obama, GOP and Jobs
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Obama, GOP and Jobs