A story from AP's Hope Yen headlines, Census finds record gap between rich and poor. Well, actually, Timothy Noah explains, it doesn't, "if you follow the standard measure of income inequality, Yen is incorrect. Income inequality in 2009 did not differ in any statistically significant way from income inequality in 2008." Noah continues: What's interesting about the … [Read more...] about Income Inequaity, Ctd
Conservative Activist O’Keefe Allegedly Tries to “Punk” CNN Reporter
Precisely how far has American politics now sunk so that someone would allegedly try to basically set up a reporter from a cable network in an indescribably sleazy way -- a way that should earn this person repudiation from right, left and center, and mean commercial and readership poison for any website that runs his "work?" It has fallen far, indeed. So far down that … [Read more...] about Conservative Activist O’Keefe Allegedly Tries to “Punk” CNN Reporter
Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner
Still one of the best scenes in all of movies, and I do agree that nobody here is acting. … [Read more...] about Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner
German Reparations and the End of the Great War
Yes, believe it or not, World War I is finally about to come to an end -- even though there's already been a II and neocons are angling for a III. From Britain's Telegraph: The First World War will officially end on Sunday, 92 years after the guns fell silent, when Germany pays off the last chunk of reparations imposed on it by the Allies. The final payment of £59.5 … [Read more...] about German Reparations and the End of the Great War
Austerity: European-style, American-style
Both the United States and Western Europe have entered a period of austerity that looks to be quite protracted. The two economic powers are approaching this reality in very different ways, however. One of the most obvious differences involves language. Official pronouncements and media in Europe are full of comments about "austerity budgets" and "austerity angst." In this … [Read more...] about Austerity: European-style, American-style
About Those Bush Tax Cuts…
Yes, they'd be bad, really bad, for the economy if extended. Ezra Klein: CBO Director Doug Elmendorf testified before the Senate Budget Committee [yesterday] and dropped something of a bombshell. Extending the Bush tax cuts, he said, will "probably reduce income relative to what would otherwise occur in 2020." The reason is simple: Debt. Elmendorf doesn't deny that tax … [Read more...] about About Those Bush Tax Cuts…
“A Global Movement of the Moderates”
Najib Tun Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, addressed the United Nations General Assembly yesterday about, among other things, growing Islamophobia and the Cordoba House controversy: The real issue is not between Muslims and non-Muslims but between the moderates and extremists of all religions, be it Islam, Christianity or Judaism. Across all religions we have … [Read more...] about “A Global Movement of the Moderates”
Michigan Assistant AG Targets Gay Student
But only, says he, during his personal time... Washinton DC's Metro Weekly quotes Michigan's Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell from the AC360 video interview above: "Long before I started the blog, a couple of weeks before that, the Alliance Defense Fund, a well-known legal Christian foundation put out an alert about Chris.... Chris Armstrong is a … [Read more...] about Michigan Assistant AG Targets Gay Student
Christine O’Donnell’s Resume Has Two Schools She Didn’t Attend
A lot of us wish we had better resumes. Tea Party movement idol and GOP Senate candidate in Delaware Christine O'Donnell has been proactive about it: her resume lists two schools she didn't attend. Gary Scott: Greg Sargent at the Washington Post's Plum Line has a story today that says Christine O'Donnell, Republican Senate candidate in Delaware, embellished her online … [Read more...] about Christine O’Donnell’s Resume Has Two Schools She Didn’t Attend
More on The Decline in K-12 Education, Superman, Unions & Inequality
Keeping up with the spate of education coverage fostered by the release of Waiting for Superman is an impossible task. But the story is not a new one.... This from Timothy Noah's 10 part series on The United States of Inequality: Throughout the first three-quarters of the 20th century a growing supply of better-educated workers met the demand created by new technologies. … [Read more...] about More on The Decline in K-12 Education, Superman, Unions & Inequality
The Rub Off Effect (Guest Voice)
The Rub Off Effect by Peter Funt Theories abound about why, with so many tech tools at their disposal and so much time spent connected and tuned in, Americans seem to be losing touch with significant news and current events. We’re losing the Rub Off Effect. Just as ink used to rub off on the hands of newspaper readers – before the advent of soy-based printing … [Read more...] about The Rub Off Effect (Guest Voice)
The Recession is Over
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about The Recession is Over
The Moderates’ Lament (Guest Voice)
The Moderates’ Lament by Tina Dupuy The beginning of the end for the Tea Party faux revolution occurred this Sunday on ABC’s This Week. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell effectively tipped his hand when asked whether the Tea Party will help or hurt Republicans. “One thing we know about everybody who's been active in this movement, we know none of them are going to … [Read more...] about The Moderates’ Lament (Guest Voice)
Will You *PLEASE* Shut Up About Obama Being A Muslim
As readers of my posts will know I have plenty of reasons to be critical of President Obama. I disagree with him on a number of issues and would probably not vote for his re-election. Having said that I am begging, pleading and praying that people will finally shut up about him being a Muslim. He's been quite plain about the fact that he is a Christian. Indeed during the … [Read more...] about Will You *PLEASE* Shut Up About Obama Being A Muslim
The Bizarre Truth About Obama
Some people believe the strangest things about our President. … [Read more...] about The Bizarre Truth About Obama
Dialogue With Deaf Democrats
Barack Obama and Joe Biden are out replaying favorite scenes from 2008, but for crowds of Democrats and independent voters, it is as if the sound has been turned off. Their base has gone deaf. "When I talk to Democrats around the country," the President says in a Rolling Stone interview, "I tell them, 'Guys, wake up here. We have accomplished an incredible amount in the most … [Read more...] about Dialogue With Deaf Democrats
Live Streaming Video of the Jerry Brown Meg Whitman Debate for California Governor
The LA Times' lively webs has a great live streaming of the debate between state Attorney General Jerry Brown and his Republican opponent in the Governor's race Meg Whitman. GO HERE to watch it. It's on the LAT's first page, on top. … [Read more...] about Live Streaming Video of the Jerry Brown Meg Whitman Debate for California Governor
Industrial Controls – Why Windows?
There has been a lot of conversation the last few days about Stuxnet trojan. The question that always comes up is why is MS Windows the operating system of PLCs ( programmable logic controllers or industrial controllers). As someone who has been a manufacturing engineer for the last 40+ years I may be able to answer that question. I was an engineer in a large manufacturing … [Read more...] about Industrial Controls – Why Windows?
Just How Sick Is Kim Jong Il And How Much Should We Worry ?
No, this isn't a reference to his mental stability, or serious lack thereof, but rather the growing speculation that he is probably quite ill. Analysts say that his decision to make the moves to designate Kim Jong Un as his successor may be a sign that he is quite near death. Under normal circumstances the death of a crazy monster like Kim Jong Il would be only of mild … [Read more...] about Just How Sick Is Kim Jong Il And How Much Should We Worry ?
Rejecting Obama’s ‘Disfigured’ Palestine: Samidoon, Palestinian Territories
Is President Obama serious about helping to create a Palestinian state? According to this editorial from Samidoon, a newspaper in the Palestinian Territories, Barack Obama is completely biased toward Israel when he speaks of a Jewish homeland on occupied Palestinian land. Reflecting frustration with the president and showing how wide the chasm remains between Israelis and … [Read more...] about Rejecting Obama’s ‘Disfigured’ Palestine: Samidoon, Palestinian Territories