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
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about An American Tragedy
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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24/7 Ideology Battle Continues as It Is Serious Asked: Do We Really Need A National Weather Service?
First we had Republican Ron Paul questioning whether FEMA is necessary and now via the Fox News website here's this piece asking whether we need a National Weather Service. I strongly feel that these kinds of stories and removing the "givens" that most mainstream Americans assumed where there to help is going to hurt the Republican Party with independent voters over the long … [Read more...] about 24/7 Ideology Battle Continues as It Is Serious Asked: Do We Really Need A National Weather Service?
Wingnut Watch
Iane Murray of the Competitive Enterprise Institute has demonstrated that he is certainly competitive when it comes to sociopathic idiocy. Do We Really Need a National Weather Service? While Americans ought to prepare for the coming storm (Irene), federal dollars need not subsidize their preparations. Although it might sound outrageous, the truth is that the National … [Read more...] about Wingnut Watch
Some New York Streets Flooding as Irene Now a Tropical Storm
You can almost hear the sign of relief on the East Coast: serious threats remain but predictions that Hurricane Irene would be a hurricane for the history books have not materialized as Hurricane Irene has become a topical storm: The streets of Manhattan began flooding Sunday morning as Irene lashed New York City with wind gusts and torrential rains. Even as Irene … [Read more...] about Some New York Streets Flooding as Irene Now a Tropical Storm
Cheney’s ‘In My Time,’ One More Time (UPDATE)
UPDATE: While only touched upon in the article below, Dick Cheney is not very charitable when it comes to some of his former colleagues in the Bush administration, such as George Tenet, Condoleezza Rice and Gen. Colin Powell. When asked about that, and about Cheney’s statement that heads would be exploding in Washington, DC, in CBS’ Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer … [Read more...] about Cheney’s ‘In My Time,’ One More Time (UPDATE)
Developing a Moderate Party Platform – Part 1
The Wall Street Journal this week suggests that we should “Expect a Third-Party Candidate in 2012.” The authors claim the US is “in the midst of what we would both call a prerevolutionary moment, and there is widespread support for fundamental change in the system. An increasing number of Americans are now searching beyond the two parties for bold and effective … [Read more...] about Developing a Moderate Party Platform – Part 1