Yours truly will be traveling extensively today and offline until this afternoon PST. My own posts will resume later today. Some other TMV writers are also going to be offline but keep checking back since new posts will appear including another post from Guest Voice Columnist Owen Grey later in the day. … [Read more...] about Note to Readers
Hurricane
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Donald Rumsfeld: Callous Then, Callous Now
When TIME reported in January 2005 that a reporter had helped Army specialist Thomas Wilson “craft" the question he asked Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld about U.S. troops having inadequately armored vehicles, I wrote in a letter published by TIME: That should in no way detract from the seriousness of the shortages and the problems that our troops are facing in combat … [Read more...] about Donald Rumsfeld: Callous Then, Callous Now
Ron Paul Can Win (a history lesson)
It's hard to tell if the idea that Ron Paul cannot win in 2012 is more ignorant, in its complete lack of historical sophistication, or more arrogant, in its claim to certainty amid all the complexity of 300 million lives and the myriad issues that affect them. Sometimes, perhaps once in a few generations, a nation can undergo what a mathematician or physicist would call a … [Read more...] about Ron Paul Can Win (a history lesson)
Did You Know the Media Pushed the Hurricane Irene Story to Press a Leftist Agenda — and that Barack Obama Wanted the Storm?
Did you know that the "leftist media" pushed the Hurricane Irene story to promote its (suppposedly) leftist agenda and that President Barack Obama wanted the storm? Most rational, thoughtful, non-ideological hack people don't know that at all. But there is someone who does and I'm sure his many followers will now pick up the narrative. Can you guess who he … [Read more...] about Did You Know the Media Pushed the Hurricane Irene Story to Press a Leftist Agenda — and that Barack Obama Wanted the Storm?
BREAKING: Qaddafi Family Members Have Fled to Algeria
The New York Times reports that Qaddafi's wife and three of his children have fled to Algeria. This according to the Algerian Foreign Ministry. It was the first official news on the whereabouts of any members of the Qaddafi family since he was routed from his Tripoli fortress by rebel forces a week ago, a decisive turn in the Libyan conflict. In a brief announcement … [Read more...] about BREAKING: Qaddafi Family Members Have Fled to Algeria
America and Iran Join Forces to Preserve Syrian Regime (Al-Iraq News, Iraq)
Could it be that the United States, Iran and Israel have been conniving to keep Syrian Dictator Bashar al-Assad in office? Columnist Iraq Al-Mutari of Iraq's Al-Iraq News Agency asserts that Iran is not only working with Washington to thwart Syrian protesters, it is running rings around America in Iraq. For the Al-Iraq News Agency, Iraq Al-Mutari writes in part: It's … [Read more...] about America and Iran Join Forces to Preserve Syrian Regime (Al-Iraq News, Iraq)
Michele Bachmann: God Took Sides In Spending Debate By Sending Hurricane Irene (Guess Which Side?)
Republican Presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann raised eyebrows and sparked mini new and old media firestorms by asserting that God has taken sides in the Democratic/Republican spending debate by sending in Hurricane Irene and last week's East Coast earthquake. Can you guess which side she says God took? H-e-r-s and H-E-R party's -- funny how that usually works when … [Read more...] about Michele Bachmann: God Took Sides In Spending Debate By Sending Hurricane Irene (Guess Which Side?)
Behold The Indefatigable American Woodchuck
The American woodchuck is more properly known as the groundhog (or even more properly as Marmota monax), but by any name is a big bellied pest with an insatiable appetite for everything and anything in the backyard garden. Except perhaps for hot peppers. Don't try telling me that they're cute. I've seen 'chucks who probably weighed as much as 30 pounds, although half … [Read more...] about Behold The Indefatigable American Woodchuck
On Hearing the Real Dr. King
WASHINGTON -- We tend to honor the Martin Luther King Jr. we want to honor, not the Martin Luther King Jr. who actually existed. We forget the King who at the time of his ministry was labeled an "extremist," who explicitly called out "moderates" for urging African-Americans to slow down their march to justice, who quite brilliantly used the American creed as a seedbed … [Read more...] about On Hearing the Real Dr. King
An American Tragedy
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Good Night Irene. And Good Riddance.
And so Irene passes into history having been an unusual hurricane that fortunately did not live up to its potential. Meteorologists were predicting a storm of the century, but by the time Irene hit the metropolitan New York area it more resembled, in the words of one wag, an overweight jogger. There were a number of explanations for this, but the most significant is that … [Read more...] about Good Night Irene. And Good Riddance.
After Qaddafi: Arabs Must Change from Within or be Forced from Without (Le Quotidien d’Oran, Algeria)
What lessons should Arabs draw from the fall of Muammar Qaddafi? According to columnist K. Selim of Algeria's Le Quotidien d’Oran, Arab leaders had better absorb the fact that times and the world are changing fast, and that they must embrace reform before reform is imposed on them from the outside - namely by the West. For the Le Quotidien d’Oran, K. Selim writes in … [Read more...] about After Qaddafi: Arabs Must Change from Within or be Forced from Without (Le Quotidien d’Oran, Algeria)
Cable Tabloid News
We can all be relieved that Irene was not as bad as it could have been but it was still bad. Now there are attacks on the coverage of Irene. Howard Kurtz chimed in: A Hurricane Of Hype. But was it really? I think not. It was very close to Armageddon for NYC. Did the governor of NJ over react or the mayor of NYC? No - plan for the worst and hope the best. But Kutrtz is … [Read more...] about Cable Tabloid News
Perry Distances Himself From George W. Bush and Compassionate Conservatism
I've noted here on TMV and in my Cagle columns that the idea of "compassionate conservatism" as espoused by George W. Bush and the "kinder, gentler nation" espoused by his father are quickly being laid to rest -- and are largely dead. As further proof, I point you to this Washington Post piece on Texas. Gov. Rick Perry who at this point is indeed the Republican frontrunner for … [Read more...] about Perry Distances Himself From George W. Bush and Compassionate Conservatism
Military Service Is Not a Nine-to-Five Job—When Slashing the Defense Budget, Remember That.
In a previous article reflecting on plans, suggestions, rumors and just plain nutty ideas for cutting the defense budget, I pointed to the complexities, murkiness, inter-relationships and inter-dependencies of and among the various so-called defense budgets and cautioned: Whether we are talking about the controversial F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program or about our … [Read more...] about Military Service Is Not a Nine-to-Five Job—When Slashing the Defense Budget, Remember That.
Mr. Muzzle and Nuzzle (Guest Voice)
Mister Muzzle and Nuzzle Raging Moderate, by Will Durst The Republican strategy for 2012 seems simple enough. It's a numbers game. They plan to flood the market. Set up an all-you can-eat candidate buffet. If you don't like the potential nominee in front of you, try the next steam table. An appetizing aspirant is bound to bubble up. Or not. But at least you're moving around … [Read more...] about Mr. Muzzle and Nuzzle (Guest Voice)
Applying Today’s Nutty Republican Logic To Taxes
There's talk in Republican circles these days about the need to save money by cutting funding for food stamps. One in seven Americans, and by some estimates am even greater percentage of children, now depend on these stamps to supplement their diets. But (and here we come to present day Republican logic) some people who don't really need this help may be getting it. So, this … [Read more...] about Applying Today’s Nutty Republican Logic To Taxes
Twinings Pulls “New Coke” With Similar Results: Changes Legendary Earl Grey Tea
You have to ask yourself: Don't corporations ever learn? Or are they as dense as politicians who keep making the same mistake? In 1985 Coca Cola made the corporate belly flop heard round the world when it introduced "New Coke," assuming that its customers would buy it like the classic Coke because it had the name "Coke" on it. Now legendary tea maker Twinings is making the same … [Read more...] about Twinings Pulls “New Coke” With Similar Results: Changes Legendary Earl Grey Tea
Hurricane Newsman
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