For millions of Americans watching Sing Along With Mitch was part of the weekly routine. He helped to launch the careers of a number of major artists, including Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Johnny Mathis and Patti Page. It has been announced that Mr. Miller died July 31st at the age of 99. He was before my time but here are a couple videos of his talent. (and yup … [Read more...] about Mitch Miller Dies at 99
Notes on a Private Public Wedding
The long-running Clinton soap opera had its finest hour this weekend with a picture-book wedding that, for one octogenarian, evoked admiration for its restrained elegance and stirred half a century of memories. Chelsea and Marc Mezvinsky were married a few miles down the road from a 1728 stone house in Dutchess County where I spent the first two decades of retirement. … [Read more...] about Notes on a Private Public Wedding
Bad Ideas Just Get Worse
No sane country designing a constitution today would establish an institution like the United States Senate. The fact that we are suffer under it is the best illustration of what political scientists call "path dependance," the ability of bad decisions in the past (recall that James Madison hated the "Great Compromise" that brought us the Senate, which should give reverential … [Read more...] about Bad Ideas Just Get Worse
The Challenge of Scientific Illiteracy
Galileo must be rolling over in his grave. So many of the problems* facing modern civilization require a basic of scientific understanding in order to assess alternative policy (read that as "taxes") options. Far too many Americans lack the foundation to make an informed choice, were they to be inclined to actually research a technical or scientific issue. Here's why … [Read more...] about The Challenge of Scientific Illiteracy
Quote of the Day: The Toxic MSM/New Media Atmosphere
Our political Quote of the Day comes from Howard Kurtz's must-read-in-full Washington Post piece about the toxic media atmosphere where the goal increasingly seems less about laying out facts and analyzing ideas than advancing a political agenda or gaining readership/hits/audience share by hitting hot buttons and throwing out red meat: It's journalism as blood sport, … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: The Toxic MSM/New Media Atmosphere
EPA Finds BP Chemical Dispersant No Problem
I’m not a chemist so forgive me for not swallowing hook, line and sinker the Environmental Protection Agency’s findings Monday that the dispersant used by BP in the Gulf of Mexico oil blowout is no more toxic when mixed with oil than the oil alone. The EPA tests were twofold. One was challenging BP’s assertion that the chemical Corexit was less toxic than other dispersants. … [Read more...] about EPA Finds BP Chemical Dispersant No Problem
Extending Bush Tax Cuts?
The Week has an interesting rundown of varied opinions on the merits of extending the Bush tax cuts, in part, in whole, or not at all. … [Read more...] about Extending Bush Tax Cuts?
Race No Issue To Be A Crooked Congressman
Politico reporters John Bresnahan and Jonathon Allen raise the question of when the race card is drawn when it comes to investigation of House ethics violations. At one point this session of the 111th Congress, eight of the 42 members of the House Black Caucus were under investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics which was created by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in … [Read more...] about Race No Issue To Be A Crooked Congressman
Does the ‘Consent of the Governed’ Matter Anymore?
This is the first in a series of posts that will examine issues and themes that will not be discussed in the upcoming election. At a time when America is questioning itself more than at any point that I can recall in my life, it occurs to me that the real issues that should be debated are not even being raised by candidates. Immigration, the deficit, Obama's "socialism," … [Read more...] about Does the ‘Consent of the Governed’ Matter Anymore?
The Silver Lining Behind the Downfall of Russian Spycraft: Vedemosti, Russia
After the spy fiasco that ended last month with a Cold-War era exchange of agents, Russians are licking their wounds over the outright incompetence of their secret services. But according to this article from Russia's Vedemosti, since Russia can no longer compete with the likes of the CIA and other Western spy services, the event may herald a welcome change in priority - and … [Read more...] about The Silver Lining Behind the Downfall of Russian Spycraft: Vedemosti, Russia
RNC Cancels Fundraiser that was to Feature Andrew Breitbart
Let's all now do a massive "AWWW!": the Republican National Committee has cancelled a Beverly Hill fundariser that was going to feature blogger/conservative activist Andrew Breitbart in light of the continuing controversy over his role in the sliming of Shirley Sherrod. The announcement that Breitbart was going to be featured at the fundraiser had raised eyebrows and in some … [Read more...] about RNC Cancels Fundraiser that was to Feature Andrew Breitbart
Bell Pay Scandal Rings Worser and Worser
You need not be a numbers cruncher to chew on this. Robert Rizzo was forced to resign as city manager of Bell, Calif., (pop. 36,900) when his salary was discovered the highest in the nation for that job position at $787,637. His pension is estimated $637,985 for the rest of his life. Rizzo is 55. The public employee worked for three cities for 30 years, the last for one year … [Read more...] about Bell Pay Scandal Rings Worser and Worser
Moderates and the Wimp Factor (Guest Voice)
Moderates and the Wimp Factor by Lou Zickar Perception is often reality in politics. Just ask George H.W. Bush. Twenty-three years ago this October, when he was beginning his campaign to succeed Ronald Reagan as President, Newsweek ran a cover story on him bearing this headline: “Fighting the Wimp Factor.” The gist of the story was that Bush didn’t have the … [Read more...] about Moderates and the Wimp Factor (Guest Voice)
A World Without Covers
Mark Oppenheimer uses the moment of Amazon reporting that e-books sales have surpassed hardcovers to muse on some things, once public, that our digital culture now hides about us: Remember when you could tell a lot about a guy by what cassette tapes—Journey or the Smiths?—littered the floor of his used station wagon? No more, because now the music of our lives is stored on MP3 … [Read more...] about A World Without Covers
Back to the Future?
Two competing narratives appear to be making the rounds these days. The first is the saga of The Failed Salesman, in which Barack Obama -- a kind of 21st century Willy Loman -- crashes and burns in the wreckage his dreams inspired. The second is a fourth installment of Back to the Future, in which the Republican Party dusts off its political flux capacitor, rides into … [Read more...] about Back to the Future?
China’s financial clout is a paper tiger
China’s rapid emergence as a financial super power may challenge the US less than some opponents of President Barack Obama and a few independent analysts would have us believe. In fact, Beijing’s financial ascendancy is a paper tiger and its wider economy could become a responsible friend. It is true that the financial power driving China is spectacular. With foreign … [Read more...] about China’s financial clout is a paper tiger
How Big Government Saved the Malibu
WASHINGTON -- Who could have imagined that the bailout of the auto industry, one of the single most unpopular moves by the Obama administration, would become one of its best talking points? But don’t for an instant imagine that the comeback of the nation’s rescued car companies, particularly General Motors, will change the way we debate government’s role in the … [Read more...] about How Big Government Saved the Malibu
Fox News Extra
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Fox News Extra
Tackling The #1 Reason Women Don’t Run For Office
In 2004 and again in 2008, Jennifer Lawless (Director, Women & Politics Institute, American University) and Robert Fox published reports that examine why women don't run for elected position. The first was called Why Don't Women Run For Office?, and Why Are Women Still Not Running For Office? was the follow up. Both reports eventually were published as books. While … [Read more...] about Tackling The #1 Reason Women Don’t Run For Office
The Dancing Prisoners of Cebu
Youth activist and Fillipino Congressman Mong Palatino on those Dancing Prisoners of Cebu: The dance routine was originally conceptualized by prison officers as a form of behavior conditioning. Then it became a money making event. Dancing prisoners are happy since they claim to enjoy more benefits than other non-dancing prisoners. The incentive to dance is not really to … [Read more...] about The Dancing Prisoners of Cebu