No one has ever accused San Francisco of not taking strong action that might spark controversy. First, in November, the Board of Supervisors voted, by a veto-proof margin, to ban most of McDonald's Happy Meals as traditionally served. And now it looks like another controversial measure will go on the ballot showing that San Fransciso is a ballsy city. Well, perhaps not totally … [Read more...] about San Francisco Circumcision Ban Could Be on November Ballot
Start Off the Day With Some “Classic” One Liners
From Henny Youngman (watch the musicians crack up in the background): … [Read more...] about Start Off the Day With Some “Classic” One Liners
Transitions – The History and Future of Humans
As politicians world wide argue about the debt crisis few are willing to even look at the real problem that faces not just the United States but every human on the planet. Tom Whipple takes a look at the third human transition which unlike the first two will not result in a better life or an ever increasing population - just the opposite. Man in his present form has been … [Read more...] about Transitions – The History and Future of Humans
The United States of ‘Real’ GOOD Beer
It’s Friday evening, the end of a long week and in some ambiences it’s happy hour time: half price beer, half-price something stronger. Since I am writing this, I’ll forsake my beer for now. Quite a sacrifice, since---as you may have noticed if you read my posts---I love beer. As I love Dutch beer, especially Heineken and Amstel Light, one might deduce that I … [Read more...] about The United States of ‘Real’ GOOD Beer
U.S. Intervention in Mexico Must Not Be Allowed to Happen (Excelsior, Mexico)
Is Washington considering direct intervention in Mexico, after the murder of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent? Writing for Mexico's Excelsior, Attorney Juan Carlos Sánchez Magallan warns his readers that under no circumstances must U.S. troops be permitted to enter Mexican territory - and that Mexican officials should come clean about the how they will end a … [Read more...] about U.S. Intervention in Mexico Must Not Be Allowed to Happen (Excelsior, Mexico)
Gallup Poll: Reagan Greatest American President In History
Ronald Reagan's historical stature continues to grow -- and now he's at the top of the list in a new Gallup Poll as the greatest American President, ever: Ahead of Presidents Day 2011, Americans are most likely to say Ronald Reagan was the nation's greatest president -- slightly ahead of Abraham Lincoln and Bill Clinton. Reagan, Lincoln, or John F. Kennedy has been at the … [Read more...] about Gallup Poll: Reagan Greatest American President In History
The ‘So Be It’ Club
WASHINGTON -- It's always interesting when a charter member of the media elite weighs in against unions. Joe Klein of TIME magazine: An election was held in Wisconsin last November. The Republicans won. In a democracy, there are consequences to elections and no one, not even the public employees unions, are exempt from that. Joe Klein has joined Boehner's "so be it" … [Read more...] about The ‘So Be It’ Club
House Defunds Planned Parenthood : Culture Wars 2011
Update 2. On a 240-185 vote, the House of Representatives approved an amendment put forward by Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) to defund Planned Parenthood. (Note: There are 241 Republicans and 193 Democrats in the House.) Pence, of Indiana, touched off a vicious back-and-forth Thursday night in which Republicans insisted the organization is too aggressive about performing … [Read more...] about House Defunds Planned Parenthood : Culture Wars 2011
REPUBLICAN WUSSIES AND TEA PARTY WIMPS
Are Republicans and new Tea Party members of the U.S. Congress just caving in to the status quo? Will they shut down the U.S. Government by not approving an increase in the debt limit this March over a paltry $100 billion in spending cuts to the current year and the next fiscal year? President Obama presented a lame 2011-2012 Budget proposal – in keeping with his lame … [Read more...] about REPUBLICAN WUSSIES AND TEA PARTY WIMPS
Palin and Bachmann Attack Michelle Obama for Encouraging Breast-Feeding
Yes, yes, Palin keeps hinting at a possible presidential run, but that's all there ever is, a hint here and hint there, as if she's just trying to keep the speculation going, and I remain convinced, or almost convinced, that she won't end up running, not with so much at stake, not with so much to lose, including her status as Tea Party shadchan and party kingmaker. But, … [Read more...] about Palin and Bachmann Attack Michelle Obama for Encouraging Breast-Feeding
Widescale Military Attacks Against Peaceful Protesters Leading To Unfathomable Ledes; Anti-Government Pushback In Libya
Al Jazeera is reporting massacres against protesters in Bahrain through a combination of on the ground reporting, interviews with medical personnel and (unverified) Youtube videos. Read the Bahrain blog for more. These reports are backed up by journalists from other sources that are seeing them first hand (e.g. Nicholas Kristof) and international NGO and governmental … [Read more...] about Widescale Military Attacks Against Peaceful Protesters Leading To Unfathomable Ledes; Anti-Government Pushback In Libya
Planet Of The Congressional Jack-An-Apes
I know. I know. In these perilous economic times I should be perpetually outraged about the awful governance coming out of Washington. But sometimes the sheer nuttiness, the utter incompetence, the astonishing lack of understanding of basic economics that motivates the actions of those who our failing political system raise up to positions of power, just can't help but reduce … [Read more...] about Planet Of The Congressional Jack-An-Apes
Winning the Future (Guest Voice)
Winning the Future by David Goodloe During his State of the Union address last month, Barack Obama spoke of "winning the future." To most ears, it had a positive sound to it — even if Sarah Palin famously used the acronym WTF to describe her reaction to it (and it wasn't an abbreviation of "winning the future," either, the way that Gerald Ford's WIN in the 1970s was an … [Read more...] about Winning the Future (Guest Voice)
“Publicness” Needs Advocates Just Like Privacy
Mathew Ingram summarizes a speech by Jeff Jarvis at the Reboot Conference yesterday: [A]uthor and media blogger Jeff Jarvis told a room full of corporate and government privacy advocates something many of them probably didn’t want to hear: that society needs more protection for what he calls “publicness,” and less focus on locking down our personal information or prosecuting … [Read more...] about “Publicness” Needs Advocates Just Like Privacy
Newborn Democracy
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Newborn Democracy
Why Republicans Should Support Planned Parenthood (Guest Voice)
Why Republicans Should Support Planned Parenthood by Tina Dupuy The GOP wants to paint itself as fiscally conservative. In the face of all evidence to the contrary (i.e. George W. Bush skyrocketing the size of government and the unpaid tax cuts bearing his name being championed by his party), they want to pretend they’re the “grownups” on budgetary matters. Yes, … [Read more...] about Why Republicans Should Support Planned Parenthood (Guest Voice)
The Americanization of Obama
Karl Rove has a new mission--to prove the President is a natural-born citizen. Alarmed by a survey showing 51 percent of Republican primary voters do not believe Barack Obama was born in the U.S. and another 21 percent "not sure," Bush's former Brain warns, “Within our party, we’ve got to be very careful about allowing these people who are the Birthers and the 9/11-deniers … [Read more...] about The Americanization of Obama
Auroras And The Space Storm Threat
News of the biggest solar blast in years and the accompanying photos, are all over the news. Last year I posted this from New Scientist on what I thought was a credible space storm threat: IT IS midnight on 22 September 2012 and the skies above Manhattan are filled with a flickering curtain of colourful light. Few New Yorkers have seen the aurora this far south but their … [Read more...] about Auroras And The Space Storm Threat
Sarah Palin Doesn’t Know the Difference Between Milk and Infant Formula
Sarah Palin should always think twice before mocking anyone, because she only ends up displaying her own stupidity (my bolds): … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin Doesn’t Know the Difference Between Milk and Infant Formula
House Ties FCC Hands On Net Neutrality
It's legislation by budget fiat, and it's wrong. Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR, @repgregwalden), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, successfully introduced an amendment to H.R. 1 that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from using its budget to implement net neutrality rules passed in late 2010. A similar amendment lies in wait in … [Read more...] about House Ties FCC Hands On Net Neutrality