“In my opinion, any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the Middle East or Africa should ‘have his head examined,’ as General MacArthur so delicately put it,” Mr. Gates told an assembly of Army cadets here.via nytimes.com That's a wow. But it's a far cry from the resulting talking points sweeping the … [Read more...] about Gates Warns Against More Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan
Climate Change: Why We (Dont’t) Believe
From a fascinating email exchange between Independent science editor Steve Connor and Princeton scholar and climate change skeptic Professor Freeman Dyson: From: Steve Connor To: Freeman Dyson ...You have written eloquently about the need for heretics in science who question the accepted dogma. There are a number of notable instances in science where heretics have indeed … [Read more...] about Climate Change: Why We (Dont’t) Believe
America The Beautiful
From 1986 celebrations for the Statue of Liberty... Wow... I hope we can all enjoy this celebration of liberty :) … [Read more...] about America The Beautiful
Lieberman and McCain Want To Arm Libyan Rebels
From TheHill.com: … [Read more...] about Lieberman and McCain Want To Arm Libyan Rebels
Oh, the Joy of Tweeting Longer!
Sometimes the outrage boileth over and cannot be contained in 140 characters. … [Read more...] about Oh, the Joy of Tweeting Longer!
Is Fox News’ Roger Ailes About to be Indicted?
If this is true (and it involves a taped conversation) it would appear as if it is about to happen. And if it happens get ready for the talk show hosts etc to talk about liberal prosecutors, and liberal judges and this all being a political plot..and for partisans to pick up the theme. … [Read more...] about Is Fox News’ Roger Ailes About to be Indicted?
Libya: Interests Versus Values With Some Nukes Thrown Into the Mix
If by Gadhaffi is such a widely acknowledged creep why did the U.S. and other countries deal with him? There is often a tug between national interest and a culture's political values. And no where has this tug been more evident in the hard choices U.S. policymakers have had to do over the years when it comes to Libya. … [Read more...] about Libya: Interests Versus Values With Some Nukes Thrown Into the Mix
Obama’s ‘Secret’ Lobbyist Meetings
Obama's "secret" lobbyist meetings across the street. Are they violating his transparency pledge? Is this one more example of a politician who speaks lofty language and then tries to find a loophole so it can be argued the words were not violated? A good roundup is HERE. … [Read more...] about Obama’s ‘Secret’ Lobbyist Meetings
Suit You
Suit You Raging Moderate, by Will Durst Doesn’t matter which side of the budget battleground you stick your rhetorical bayonet in, one thing we can all agree on is… our government is broke. Broke. Broke. Broke. Broke. Broke. Broke. Broke. Stone broke. Like a ceramic pocket watch in a gravel blender broke. Destitute. Down and out. Indigent. Flat busted. Hard up. Cleaned out. … [Read more...] about Suit You
Santorum and the Crusades
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reseserved. … [Read more...] about Santorum and the Crusades
Real World Behind the Oscars: King’s Speech, Queen’s Wave, Facebook Fury
This year's Oscars are about something. One marvelous movie recalls a day in June, 1939 at the New York World's Fair, a 15-year-old boy watching an open car with the King and Queen of England slowly driving by, less than fifty feet from his excited eyes. Until then, the outside world had been grainy newspaper pictures and black-and-white newsreels, but here was a … [Read more...] about Real World Behind the Oscars: King’s Speech, Queen’s Wave, Facebook Fury
Attacks on Unions Barking Up the Wrong Money Tree (REPOSTED)
[EDITOR'S NOTE: This post went up on TMV yesterday morning but the system ate it. So we are reposting it again. JG] Attacks on Unions Barking Up the Wrong Money Tree by Michael Winship "More cheese, less sleaze!" That was the funniest group chant at Tuesday’s rally of several hundred union and other progressive activists outside the Manhattan headquarters of Fox … [Read more...] about Attacks on Unions Barking Up the Wrong Money Tree (REPOSTED)
WikiLeaks Triggers New Wave of Disruption Across Latin America: Infolatam, Spain
Get ready for a new period of controversy over U.S. diplomatic cables being unleashed by WikiLeaks. According to this continental roundup by Rogelio Núnez of Spain's Infolatam, in Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Columbia and Guatemala, newly disclosed cables are impacting presidential elections, angering heads of state, and sparking local political squabbles that are likely to … [Read more...] about WikiLeaks Triggers New Wave of Disruption Across Latin America: Infolatam, Spain
The Definition of Hurting Your Cause
Tell me, who comes off as "disrespectful" in this almost nine-minute-long confrontation? Personally, I find it absolutely astounding that Ann Althouse can post this video as evidence that the Wisconsin protesters at this war memorial are hurting their cause. … [Read more...] about The Definition of Hurting Your Cause
The Progressive Flame Has Been Relit – Finally!
Obama is an historic figure. The first African-American president. He's not a very good president, however. Whether historians judge him our third second-rate leader in a row, or our second third-rater in a row, now seems to depend on how charitable they wish to be. One of the few really positive contributions he's making to our governance these days is his role - an … [Read more...] about The Progressive Flame Has Been Relit – Finally!
“Why Tech Writers Should Stay Away From Politics”
Jamelle Bouie pushes back on the "Government should be run like a business" meme -- this time advanced by Sarah Lacy, a writer at TechCrunch. "Can America Function More Like a Fiscally Responsible Company? It’s up to Us, the Shareholders," she declaims. Which, Bouie observes, "reminds us of why tech writers should stay away from politics." … [Read more...] about “Why Tech Writers Should Stay Away From Politics”
What’s REALLY Going on in Wisconsin?
What's really going on in Wisconsin? It's this. … [Read more...] about What’s REALLY Going on in Wisconsin?
Hugh Hefner, the Ultimate Not-Me
The opposite of hero worship is negative self-definition that tells you who you are not and could never be. Such anti-role models can influence a life as much as those you admire and want to emulate. Hugh Hefner has always been at the top of the not-me list and, now that the geriatric Playboy founder is exposing himself to ridicule by marrying a 24-year-old Playmate ("It … [Read more...] about Hugh Hefner, the Ultimate Not-Me
If Only Candidate Obama Would Show Up
The groups, including MoveOn.org, Democracy for America, USAction, the Service Employees International Union and People for the American Way, plan to hold “Save the American Dream” rallies in 50 state capitals on Saturday. “Instead of creating jobs, Republicans are giving tax breaks to corporations and the very rich and then cutting funding for education, police, emergency … [Read more...] about If Only Candidate Obama Would Show Up
Quote of the Day: “Wisconsin’s Anti-Union Hysteria” and The Real Issue Lurking Behind the Emotionse
The current mainstream media narrative, and the assumption on many websites of the left and center, is that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is coming off worse in his ongoing battle in Wisconsin to remove collective bargaining from the public employees union. But is that the case? The Daily Beast and CNN independent commentator John Avlon gives the political quote of the day as … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: “Wisconsin’s Anti-Union Hysteria” and The Real Issue Lurking Behind the Emotionse