Get ready for the moan of "OH NO!" from stand-up comedians everywhere when they read this news that British Petroleum's public relations challenged CEO Tony Haryward is about to leave the BP corporate building. According to reports, he will be stepping down -- free to get his life back and go to any yacht racing events he wants without recrimination. Some new reports … [Read more...] about BP’s PR Challenged CEO Tony Hayward to Leave Company Shortly
Prove That Both Sides Do It
The Sunday chat shows are offering up their dogmatic balance on the Sherrod case, albeit a balance infused with far more color on their panels than usual. But, Greg Sargent asks, "Do both sides really engage in Breitbart-style tactics? Is all 'ideological media' created equal?" His answer, an unequivocal no: Do some left wing commentators say crazy things? Sure. But … [Read more...] about Prove That Both Sides Do It
Congress Fall Classic: To Kill Or Not To Kill Bush Tax Cuts
The vilest four-letter swear word in Washington is so vulgar it forces an extra letter: Taxes. Fiscal policy wonks are salivating when Congress takes up legislation later this summer to replace the Bush tax cuts that dip into Middle Class earnings. The Obama administration frames the issue this way: Continuing tax breaks for the rich will not help lift the economy, but … [Read more...] about Congress Fall Classic: To Kill Or Not To Kill Bush Tax Cuts
Canada Netflix
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Lets Talk About Race, Baby
Many voices are silenced when a debate on race takes place, simply because they don’t want to be brandished as racist. This is what I feel has happened in both the US and the UK for a long time. I believe because of the history of both countries, the black population have many voices in which to speak on race and are able to debate the issue in a nuanced and complicated way. I … [Read more...] about Lets Talk About Race, Baby
Please Lighten Up on the Useless Stuff & Get Serious about the Important Stuff
My last post criticizing Constitutional Originalists seemed to have hit a delicate nerve with many TMV readers and other contributors. One commentator noted that my post had no point but was entertaining. Thanks for the left-handed compliment. There was an underlying point that most people missed and might not have appreciated, particularly if they have not read or fully … [Read more...] about Please Lighten Up on the Useless Stuff & Get Serious about the Important Stuff
Congress At Work
It's fun if frustrating reading to see what our Congress Critters spend each day using our tax dollars. Try 600,000 on water Or 400,000 on catering Or … [Read more...] about Congress At Work
Unconfirmed Internet Rumor Quashed By Picking Up the Phone
Okay, everyone: Here is Exhibit A on exactly the kind of hysterical, rumor-driven, unconfirmed story that gets grabbed by irresponsible bloggers who then use it to make wild accusations against the government and the media for not reacting quickly enough (read: for not reacting instantly with no effort to find out the truth) -- the very same bloggers and media pundits who then … [Read more...] about Unconfirmed Internet Rumor Quashed By Picking Up the Phone
Living In A World That Never Forgets
Jeffrey Rosen, author of 2000's The Unwanted Gaze: The Destruction of Privacy in America, has 7,000 words in the NYTimes Magazine on living in a world where "the worst thing you’ve done is often the first thing everyone knows about you." The story, The Web Means the End of Forgetting, has been up since Wednesday. It deserves wide discussion. A snippet: Companies like … [Read more...] about Living In A World That Never Forgets
Avoiding Family Vacation Bear Attacks
Our family and extended family is getting ready for a week long vacation in Glacier National Park. For those of you unfamiliar with Glacier National Park, it is supposedly a beautiful place to visit. I frankly have no idea. I’m going purely because the rest of my brothers and sisters said it was a great destination. They picked the park, reserved the campground, and … [Read more...] about Avoiding Family Vacation Bear Attacks
Big Ed Is Right: Big Government Favors Big Banks Over Small Community Banks
For more than a year, MSNBC television host Ed Schultz has hammered away at Washington for favoring large financial institutions over small community banks. The treatise of his rants is that the community banks cannot borrow at the same low rates as the Big Banks. One of the results is lack of equity the big guys receive the little guys don’t from the Federal Reserve. And … [Read more...] about Big Ed Is Right: Big Government Favors Big Banks Over Small Community Banks
Lessons Learned?
There are lessons to be learned for everyone involved in the events that led to Shirley Sherrod's forced resignation from her USDA position as director of rural development for Georgia. So far, though, only one party to those events has shown any sign of learning those lessons. While the man who fired Sherrod -- USDA director Tom Vilsack -- and Pres. Obama, and Robert Gibbs, … [Read more...] about Lessons Learned?
A Lazy Midsummer’s Weekend
Sitting outside in the early afternoon this brutally hot and humid Saturday in the heartland, you suddenly realize that something is amiss. Then it dawns on you that the noise that usually attends the weekend chores of homeowners and the sounds of summer that identify the slow, pleasant rhythm of life in the Midwest are missing. There are no lawn mowers mowing, weed whackers … [Read more...] about A Lazy Midsummer’s Weekend
Does the Journolist flap show a destructive ‘gotcha’ mentality?
Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker has this MUST READ column on how the Journolist flap "shows a destructive 'gotcha' mentality": she recounts the controversy and puts it into a different context than those who use it for their own partisan or ideological purposes. I haven't weighed in on this controversy yet, but to this column I say "Ditto." I have often noted here … [Read more...] about Does the Journolist flap show a destructive ‘gotcha’ mentality?
The Case of Omar Khadr
Omar Khadr is the last Westerner being held at Guantanamo Bay. His story is a bit convoluted. He was born in Toronto. But his father -- who was no model citizen -- decreed that his son should travel to Afghanistan and be indoctrinated by the Taliban. When the United States invaded that country after September 11th, Khadr was fighting alongside his tutors. During a firefight … [Read more...] about The Case of Omar Khadr
The Reliable Source of Information
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A terrible irony, and a sign of the state of journalism
I was looking for new stories covering the death of Dan Schorr, a well-respected journalist. On the MSNBC.com web site, the story on his career was listed under the "Entertainment" section. Dan Schorr was definitely NOT an entertainer, but apparently journalism now falls under that heading according to at least one editor. … [Read more...] about A terrible irony, and a sign of the state of journalism
Now also in Germany: "Support our Troops"
What is common in the United States, is rather rare in Germany: Expressing support of our soldiers in Afghanistan. While most US critics of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan make extra efforts to distinguish between criticism of the strategy/purpose of the wars and the service of the troops, such differentiation usually is not made in Germany. I have never seen a car with the … [Read more...] about Now also in Germany: "Support our Troops"
Why Unlike U.S. and France, Russia Lacks a Holiday to Freedom: Yezhednevniy Zhurnal, Russia
Why is it that France and the United States have unifying national holidays to freedom, but Russia does not? According to columnist Anatoliy Bershtein of the opposition newpaper Yezhednevniy Zhurnal, the reason is simple: Russia lacks a historic basis for such an event, and it's people have no taste for the sacrifices freedom demands. For the Yezhednevniy Zhurnal, Anatoliy … [Read more...] about Why Unlike U.S. and France, Russia Lacks a Holiday to Freedom: Yezhednevniy Zhurnal, Russia
India Unveils $35 Tablet Prototype
Remember the $10 laptop? Vaporware. The same people now promise a $35 touch-screen tablet: Aimed at students, the tablet supports web browsing, video conferencing and word processing, say developers. Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said a manufacturer was being sought for the gadget, which was developed by India's top IT colleges. An earlier cheap laptop … [Read more...] about India Unveils $35 Tablet Prototype