Some things are so far out, it's hard to believe they're true. Like when a broadcaster in one of the most open, liberal countries in the world bans episodes of a TV show like The Simpsons as a public safety measure. But according to an incredulous Patrick Etschmayer, Swiss Radio and Television [SRF] has done precisely that. For Switzerland's News, Patrick Etschmayer writes … [Read more...] about Swiss Approach to Radiation Safety: Cancel The Simpsons (News, Switzerland)
Ryan: My Little Phony (Cartoon)
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Reversal, Capitulation, Weakness: Obama, Congress, and the Trial of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed
There was much ado yesterday over the Obama Administration's apparent "reversal" with respect to where and how to try 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four others involved in the attacks. They will be tried not in a civilian court but before a military commission at Gitmo. The NYT's Charlie Savage called it "a major policy reversal," suggesting that the White House … [Read more...] about Reversal, Capitulation, Weakness: Obama, Congress, and the Trial of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed
Supreme Court Gets Around “Establishment of Religion” Prohibition by Allowing Tax Credits for Religious Tuition
And so the right-wing Supreme Court continues to erode the First Amendment: The Supreme Court on Monday let stand an Arizona program that aids religious schools, saying in a 5-to-4 decision that the plaintiffs had no standing to challenge it. The program itself is novel and complicated, and allowing it to go forward may be of no particular moment. But by closing the … [Read more...] about Supreme Court Gets Around “Establishment of Religion” Prohibition by Allowing Tax Credits for Religious Tuition
Maine Republicans Slam Republican Gov. Paul LePage
(This is the latest entry in the Elephant Dung Series over at my blog. For an explanation of this ongoing series, tracking the GOP civil war, see here. For previous entries, see here.) I wrote last year about "Mainesanity," the takeover of Maine's state GOP by Tea Party wackos. And by that I don't mean your run-of-the-mill small-government Teabaggers, the sort who are … [Read more...] about Maine Republicans Slam Republican Gov. Paul LePage
It Won’t Matter If Obama Wins or Loses in 2012
I originally predicted that President Obama would be a one-term Chief Executive in a TMV post dated 11/8/10 that was picked up by a number of prominent blog sites. I even started questioning his chances of re-election in other earlier 2010 TMV posts. Today respected long-time independent blogger Charles Hugh Smith made the same prediction on his excellent … [Read more...] about It Won’t Matter If Obama Wins or Loses in 2012
The Ideological Roadmap of Paul Ryan’s Budget Scheme
WASHINGTON -- There's a reason Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have been pushing the Heritage Foundation mercilessly on their show for months and it was to pave the way for Paul Ryan and his Heritage Foundation hallucinations. But some of the savings in Ryan’s budget will be difficult to realize and others are ambiguous; further, it is not clear if his economic or revenue … [Read more...] about The Ideological Roadmap of Paul Ryan’s Budget Scheme
Government Shutdown Increasingly Looks Likely
Get ready for a government shut down. That sentence is for this site's readers. But it's also the gist of what Republican bigwigs are telling their rank and file in Congress and what President Barack Obama is telling his colleagues. With each passing hour, a shutdown seems more likely. Or is it? Will there be yet another resolution to keep the government operating … [Read more...] about Government Shutdown Increasingly Looks Likely
Since the Giffords Shooting (Cartoon)
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In Which Barack Obama Gets His George Bush On
Those heady days when hope and change were in the air seem like light years and not two years ago. And while President Obama has made good on sizeable chunks of his agenda, there has been little change and what hope there was has been further undermined by the decision this week to reverse field and order a military trial at Guantánamo Bay for 9/11 plotter Khalid Sheikh … [Read more...] about In Which Barack Obama Gets His George Bush On
UPDATE: Shakeup at AOL Huffington Post? Freelancers are NOT Being Fired
[This is being reposted due to this update] Earlier we ran the item below from Business Insider that reported a big firing of AOL freelancers at the new AOL Huffington Post, which is quickly turning itself in the a full fledged Internet newspaper that seems to have some jumpy at the New York Times. It turns out that news item was false. And this new report -- unlike the … [Read more...] about UPDATE: Shakeup at AOL Huffington Post? Freelancers are NOT Being Fired
On StoryCorps
You may have noticed that I have been posting less lately; and saying less when I do post. That's because I am deep in the production of a short video profile of the openly lesbian Baptist preacher who officiated at the Renewing Our Commitment ceremony held when my partner and I celebrated our 10th anniversary in 2009. The pastor, Genie Hargrove, is a beautiful person with a … [Read more...] about On StoryCorps
Running Through Sand for Reelection
Barack Obama brings to mind a world-class athlete I once saw, slogging through deep sand to strengthen his legs for competition. In Libya and Washington, the President is doing just that, certainly not by choice, but it could help get him into condition for the 2012 marathon. With only days left to avoid a government shutdown, he is pushing through Republican resistance … [Read more...] about Running Through Sand for Reelection
A Glass of Koch
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Musical Interlude: Walk This Way : Steven Tyler & Carrie Underwood : 2011 ACM Country Music Awards Live
And now a musical interlude: Walk This Way : Steven Tyler & Carrie Underwood : 2011 ACM Country Music Awards Live. Tyler shows that he is still one of rock's greats: … [Read more...] about Musical Interlude: Walk This Way : Steven Tyler & Carrie Underwood : 2011 ACM Country Music Awards Live
Cutting the Conscience Deficit
If we don't eliminate it soon, it's going to destroy us. There are so many places in our human budget where we can cut some of this wasteful callous indifference and begin to close that hole in our hearts: … [Read more...] about Cutting the Conscience Deficit
(UPDATED) Gunman Alert on Texas Campus
UPDATE: April 9 Legislation that would legalize concealed handguns on Texas college campuses for students 21 years and older has suffered a temporary setback, falling short of votes in its first attempt at passage by the Texas Senate. However, the bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Jeff Wentworth, intends to bring it up for consideration again Monday. According to the Austin … [Read more...] about (UPDATED) Gunman Alert on Texas Campus
Hopes of defections from Gadaffi look misplaced
It increasingly looks like the rug is being pulled tug by tug from under European and American hopes that Muammar Gadaffi’s main supporters might abandon him to avoid further punishment from US and NATO warplanes and naval missiles. The risk has increased that Libya may turn into a new quagmire for the US because it is the pivotal power in that alliance. Of course, … [Read more...] about Hopes of defections from Gadaffi look misplaced
Planned Parenthood Cuts (Cartoon)
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The Black Hole Economy
Richard Heinberg has a great analogy for the world economy - it used to be a star but it has collapsed and is now a black hole. Maybe it is more accurate to think of the economy itself as the black hole. At its heart is a great sucking void created in 2008 by the destruction of trillions of dollars’ worth of capital. The economy used to be a star, spewing out light and … [Read more...] about The Black Hole Economy