Julius Caesar's second wife, Pompeia, was rumored to be involved with another man. There was no proof, but Caesar divorced her anyway because, as the saying went then and now, Caesar's wife must be beyond suspicion. Which brings us to the matter of the health care law that will soon land in the Supreme Court for a final decision about its constitutionality. One justice on … [Read more...] about Caesar’s Wife, Justice Thomas, And Health Care
More Walter Reeds?
When it comes to our troops and veterans, I am an equal opportunity zealot. I railed against the Bush administration when the shameful facts of the “Walter Reed scandal” unfolded. Today, under a new administration, we read about another scandal in the making---one that is affecting thousands of our troops at our Warrior Transition units. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review … [Read more...] about More Walter Reeds?
Arianna, AOL and Eyeballs: A Cautionary Tale
A merger couples the Huffington Post and what remains of the dial-up service that tried to eat the media world. For Arianna H., a giant financial step for Womankind but hardly a "Merger of Visions"--more a cautionary tale about 21st century competition for eyeballs. In a 1997 New York Times OpEd, at the height of a subscriber and stock boom, I compared AOL to mass magazines … [Read more...] about Arianna, AOL and Eyeballs: A Cautionary Tale
Rachel Maddow On David Kato’s Murder in Uganda
David Kato, considered a founding father of Uganda’s nascent gay rights movement, was beaten to death with a hammer a couple weeks ago. Kato's name and face appeared on the front page of the tabloid Rolling Stone's infamous "hang them" issue. President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton issued statements condemning the killing. A melee broke out at the funeral when the … [Read more...] about Rachel Maddow On David Kato’s Murder in Uganda
Stand Up (and Be Strong)
One of my favorite Keb' Mo' songs: Stand Up (and Be Strong): … [Read more...] about Stand Up (and Be Strong)
Arab Democracy Movement Faces Kingmaker Militaries (L’Orient Le Jour, Lebanon)
What chance is there that Arab militaries will give up the power to choose who rules to those now protesting in the streets? Columnist Issa Goraieb of Lebanon's L'Orient Le Jour warns of the unlikelihood such a thing, particularly in Egypt, and also cites his native Lebanon in cautioning Arab protesters to consider what will happen when some form of democracy is finally … [Read more...] about Arab Democracy Movement Faces Kingmaker Militaries (L’Orient Le Jour, Lebanon)
Olbermann Headed to Current TV?
Keith Olbermann, recently departed from his MSNBC "Countdown" perch, will announce his next TV gig tomorrow. Rumor has it to be Current TV: Neither Mr. Olbermann, his representatives, or executives from Current TV would comment on the move, but they did not deny that the channel, which counts former Vice President Al Gore as one of its founders, will become at least one … [Read more...] about Olbermann Headed to Current TV?
The Patriot’s Dream
"Oh, there was an old man sitting in his mansion on the hill. He thought of his good fortune, and the time he'd yet to kill. He called to his wife one day, 'Come sit with me a while.' And turning toward the sunset, he smiled a wicked smile. 'Well, I'd like to say I'm sorry for the sinful deeds I've done. But let me first remind you, I'm a patriotic son.' " … [Read more...] about The Patriot’s Dream
Super Bowl XLV Most-Watched TV Program Ever
Half of America was watching. Bill Carter: And it wasn’t a squeaker. The game surpassed last year’s Super Bowl by 4.5 million viewers. That game, on CBS, reached the pinnacle of American television viewing by hitting 106.5 million total viewers, just half a million more than what had been television’s perennial audience champ, the finale of the series “M*A*S*H,” in 1983, which … [Read more...] about Super Bowl XLV Most-Watched TV Program Ever
Now, Corporate Profits Are NOT Supposed to Benefit Workers?
I really wish that right-wingers would make up their minds about whether the free market is supposed to put wealth in more hands or fewer -- they're making me dizzy trying to figure out whether wealth creation is noble or evil: … [Read more...] about Now, Corporate Profits Are NOT Supposed to Benefit Workers?
The American Police State
Here in the US we have been quick to be critical of the police in Egypt and other nations. But do we have any authority to be critical? Conservative and former editor of the Wall Street Journal, Paul Craig Roberts says no. Police in the US now rival criminals, and exceed terrorists, as the greatest threat to the American public. Rogelio Serrato is the latest case to be in … [Read more...] about The American Police State
George W. Bush Cancels Switzerland Trip Over Fears of Torture Legal Action
WaPo: A planned trip to Switzerland this week by George W. Bush was canceled after human rights activists called for demonstrations and threatened legal action over allegations that the former president sanctioned the torture of terrorism suspects. The New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights and several European human rights groups said they were planning to file a … [Read more...] about George W. Bush Cancels Switzerland Trip Over Fears of Torture Legal Action
Belittling Egypt: Beck, Palin, Cheney
Over a century ago, Americans were wowed by belly dancers called Little Egypt who did the Hoochee-Coochee for the yokels' amazement. Now, with the real Egypt in upheaval, the Far Right has gone into its ritual dance to blame Barack Obama and show themselves as insular rubes to the point that even conservative guru William Kristol is disgusted: "When Glenn Beck rants about … [Read more...] about Belittling Egypt: Beck, Palin, Cheney
Jane Harman to Retire from Congress & Join Think-Tank
Chris Cilizza's The Fix: California Rep. Jane Harman (D) will resign from Congress, according to two senior Democratic leadership aides, a surprise announcement that will set off a special election in her 36th district. NBC's Andrea Mitchell, who broke the news of Harman's resignation, has reported that the California Congresswoman will take over as director of the … [Read more...] about Jane Harman to Retire from Congress & Join Think-Tank
Dictatorships 101, in 2011
Guest post by Ali Ezzatyar Ali Ezzatyar is a journalist and American attorney practising in Paris, France. As Egypt moves ever closer to life without Hosni Mubarak, governments and analysts everywhere ponder the important question of what will come next. The conventional and clichéd wisdom pronounced by pundits and politicians the world over focuses on the risk of a … [Read more...] about Dictatorships 101, in 2011
Is Book A Verb? The Social Future of the Book
I've been busy in recent weeks putting together a symposium on The Future of the Book. It's past. It was a success... I'm relieved. For it, I did a presentation titled, "Is Book A Verb? The Social Future of the Book." In it I posit that we are in the midst of moving from a Literal Tradition of sharing and passing on culture to a Social Tradition. I used Prezi, the … [Read more...] about Is Book A Verb? The Social Future of the Book
Why That “Imported from Detroit” Ad Was So Good
Click here for ad: Imported from Detroit I don't know if there's a market study out there on this, but I gather that a lot of people watch the Super Bowl each year not for the game itself, but for the bells and whistles that surround it: the halftime show, the national anthem, the pageantry, and especially the ads. Like most years, this year's Super Bowl ads were filled with … [Read more...] about Why That “Imported from Detroit” Ad Was So Good
For the US in Egypt, Blowback Is a Bitch (Guest Voice)
For the US in Egypt, Blowback Is a Bitch by Michael Winship Almost seven years have passed since I spent some time in the Middle East. The closest I get to the opinions of "the Arab street" these days is the fellow who runs the delicatessen a block away from me. Mohamed is Egyptian, with family living in Cairo and outside the city. All of them are safe -- as far as he … [Read more...] about For the US in Egypt, Blowback Is a Bitch (Guest Voice)
Denial on de Nile (Guest Voice)
Denial on de Nile by Will Durst The whole world holds its breath as we view through splayed fingers the unrest that is the Egyptian uprising. Or as Hosni Mubarak sees it: 10 or 20 rabble-rousing, unemployed, slacker agents of the West with too much time on their hands, up to no good. That's the problem with entrenched dictators: they interact with their people less … [Read more...] about Denial on de Nile (Guest Voice)
AOL Buys Huffington Post for $315 Million
And Arianna will run it: Arianna Huffington, the cable talk show pundit, author and doyenne of the political left, will take control of all of AOL’s editorial content as president and editor in chief of a newly created Huffington Post Media Group. The arrangement will give her oversight not only of AOL’s national, local and financial news operations, but also of the company’s … [Read more...] about AOL Buys Huffington Post for $315 Million