Last week The Huffington Post published a series of articles focusing on issues affecting the families of those who serve, as part of Military Families Week. One story that I was touched by was one written by a fellow retired Air Force colonel, Richard Klass. It wasn’t because it is such a well-written story---it is---nor because it is about our troops and our … [Read more...] about Second Chance to Answer a Child’s Question, ‘Why Do We Need Veterans?’
Who Won Alaska’s Political Battle in the End?
How has it turned out in the great long-term battle between former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her nemesis Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)? A new new Dittman Research poll in Alaska finds Palin with a favorable rating of 36% and an unfavorable rating of 61% - and Murkowski at 71% to 27%. In other words: if Palin runs its questionable whether she could carry her own state. And … [Read more...] about Who Won Alaska’s Political Battle in the End?
Birther Donald
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Birther Donald
Paul Ryan’s Defense of Tax Breaks For Wealthy Brings Him Boos
Rep. Paul Ryan got booed at a town meeting in Milton, WI when he defended tax cuts for the wealthy. Is this what other GOPers may face? First the video...then the answer. So here is the video: And is it possible likely that other GOPers will face the same fate if they come out in favor of brutally slicing programs including entitlements while proclaiming that the rich … [Read more...] about Paul Ryan’s Defense of Tax Breaks For Wealthy Brings Him Boos
The Next Big Con Job From Washington — Lowering Corporate Tax Rates
There seems to be bipartisan agreement about one budgetary matter these days. Republicans and Democrats agree that we have to lower corporate tax rates to be more competitive, and that to offset any revenue losses to the Treasury from doing so, we have to close business tax loopholes. The bipartisanship on this issue got me wondering. Are legislators in both parties just … [Read more...] about The Next Big Con Job From Washington — Lowering Corporate Tax Rates
WHEW! Thank you Governor Brewer! But it’s just not enough anymore.
What a relief that Arizona's Republican Governor Jan Brewer vetoed two meritless Bills from the Legislature ostensibly controlled by an insane cabal of Republicans, Tea-Partiers and worshippers of perpetual tax-cutting guru Grover Norquist. The two proposed measures were the new strict requirements for Presidential candidates to get on the Arizona Ballot (The “Birther” Bill) … [Read more...] about WHEW! Thank you Governor Brewer! But it’s just not enough anymore.
Canada’s Election: It’s All About Legitimacy
Dan Leger, in the Chronicle Herald, writes that the real issue behind Canada's election has been obscured: What’s the great issue of the 2011 election? Certainly leadership, platforms and competing visions of Canada are in play. But something else is going on. This campaign has become a battle for legitimacy. It has gone deep and turned dark, into a place where the … [Read more...] about Canada’s Election: It’s All About Legitimacy
McDonald’s Hiring 50,000 More Workers: A Sign of Economy Shift or Limited to One Company?
At a time when many economic indicators and Standard & Poors seem to be flipping off the U.S. economy, McDonald's is poised to hire 50,000 new workers to flip burgers and manage those who flip them. Is this a sign that the economy is getting better and more bankable? Or just limited to one company? The Christian Science Monitor, noting on the hiring -- bigtime -- for what … [Read more...] about McDonald’s Hiring 50,000 More Workers: A Sign of Economy Shift or Limited to One Company?
Libya Epitomizes the Fate of Weak Nations (Huanqiu, People’s Republic of China)
As a country with its own history of opposing Western imperialism, is there a kind of kinship between China and Qaddafi's Libya? Reporting from Libya, correspondent Gu Di of China's state-controlled Huanqiu advises the country about how to deal with the West going forward, and describes Qaddafi's situation as a cautionary tale for other leaders: Don't assume that making amends … [Read more...] about Libya Epitomizes the Fate of Weak Nations (Huanqiu, People’s Republic of China)
Economies of Small
Seth Godin says perhaps we have to rethink economies of scale: If your goal is to make a profit, it's entirely possible that less overhead and a more focused product line will increase it. If your goal is to make more art, it's entirely possible the ridding yourself of obligations and scale will help you do that. If your goal is to have more fun, it's certainly likely … [Read more...] about Economies of Small
Texas Kindergartner’s Loaded Pistol Injures Several Students
Several kindergarten students were injured by a handgun that accidentally discharged when it fell out of the pocket of the six-year-old who brought it to school. … [Read more...] about Texas Kindergartner’s Loaded Pistol Injures Several Students
The Constitution Takes Yet Another Beating
With apologies to Forrest Gump's mamma, presidential wannabes are like a box of chocolate. You never know what you're gonna get. And to take the analogy out a bit further, it is likely that Hollywood's most famous dummy knew more about the Constitution than some of the current Republican wannabes. Front and center is Donald Trump, about whom the only serious thing is … [Read more...] about The Constitution Takes Yet Another Beating
Responsive Effective Government
Two news items today continue to reinforce my belief that what we are getting from the Obama administration is responsive, effective government. The ridiculous color-coded terror alert system will be scrapped today and replaced by just two warning levels: elevated and imminent. The new system will be in place in two weeks. And a new set of passenger protections will be … [Read more...] about Responsive Effective Government
Flying Mind-Reading Drones
Wired's Danger Room: Buried within a seemingly innocuous list of recent Air Force contract awards to small businesses are details of plans for robot planes that not only think, but anticipate the moves of human pilots. And you thought it was just the Navy that was bringing us to the brink of the drone apocalypse. [...] Enter Soar Technologies, a Michigan company that … [Read more...] about Flying Mind-Reading Drones
S&P: Degraded Downgrader
The Standard&Poor's warning on U. S. debt is being treated as Holy Writ, driving markets down and inspiring Chicken Little clucking in the financial world, but few are questioning the source. We are not talking about the Vatican here but a for-profit company, owned by McGraw-Hill publishers, that has taken a public beating for over-rating the mortgage derivatives that led to … [Read more...] about S&P: Degraded Downgrader
We are what we eat
One of the reasons our health care expenses are so high is that we Americans are not very healthy. Yes, smoking, drinking and lack of exercise contribute to this but in addition the food industry is supplying us with unhealthy foods. A case in point is rice and it's international and dates back 150 years. After farmers harvest their rice, it typically goes to a mill. There, … [Read more...] about We are what we eat
For A Computer Forensics Innocence Project
Have you ever wondered how it is that if your hard drive or mine fails, there's no hope of ever recovering a thing from it. But if the police get the same hard drive they explain that there's no way to completely delete anything on it? Remember the sad case of Julie Amero. Hers is not the only one of its kind. In a related vein, Bruce Schneier today on software as … [Read more...] about For A Computer Forensics Innocence Project
Congress, the President, and the Power to Make War
The United States Constitution requires that before the Commander-in-Chief, the President, can go to war, Congress must declare war. Congress has done so five times in US history. In the latest issue of The Week, there's a discussion of whether, by precedent, especially since World War II, Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution has been effectively abrogated. You can find … [Read more...] about Congress, the President, and the Power to Make War
Another Letter from Donald Trump?
After New York Times columnist Gail Collins wrote a blistering yet candid column in the Times mocking Donald Trump's presidential aspirations and debunking the tenets of his sudden "birther" epiphany, Trump immediately fired back a letter to The Times lashing out at Collins---insulting the lady. Trump's rambling letter broke just about every one of the Times' rules on … [Read more...] about Another Letter from Donald Trump?
Karl Rove answers Trump: Trump has “Losing Strategy” that’s “Beneath Him”
Karl Rove underscores what a lot of analysts have noted: Trump's campaign is "beneath him" given his accomplishes. And he still calls it a "losing strategy...I don't think he's a serious candidate...How many times have we heard Donald Trump pretend throw his hat in the ring?" Rove also correctly notes Trump's past positions -- which make Mitt Romney look totally … [Read more...] about Karl Rove answers Trump: Trump has “Losing Strategy” that’s “Beneath Him”