As India gets increasingly trumpted overseas as an "almost" superpower, the sensitivity of some people from this big Asian country who have now settled abroad has risen in a seemingly direct proportion. So when Joel Stein wrote a recent humor column “My Own Private India”, the Time magazine had to print an apology to assuage the "hurt" among some readers, and explained that "it … [Read more...] about When Time Magazine Apologized To Indians in New Jersey…
Russia’s ‘Silicon Valley’ Will Go the Way of China’s Treasure Fleets: Gazata, Russia
Has Dmitry Medvedev learned all the wrong lessons from 20 years of Russian capitalism? According to Gazeta columnist Yulia Latynina, the Russian president's recent visit to California will be for naught if he follows in the footsteps of his communist forbears and creates a state-guided version Silicon Valley near Moscow. For Gazeta, Yulia Latynina writes in part: Like … [Read more...] about Russia’s ‘Silicon Valley’ Will Go the Way of China’s Treasure Fleets: Gazata, Russia
Heating and Cooling
I like to think I try to be "green". But I'm guilty of being a hypocrite when the thermometer rises in the summer. Here in the Pacific Northwest summer suddenly hit us after a cool if not cold spring. It was 67 on Monday, 87 on Tuesday and 97 today. I've lived in the Portland area for most of my 64 years but moved into my first house with central air … [Read more...] about Heating and Cooling
Huffington Post Acquires Pollster.com
The world of the new media entered a new phase today: The Huffington Post, one of the increasingly popular new media megasites, has now acquired Pollster.com -- one of the most respected websites specializing in political polls. Here is the full text of the press release: New York, NY (July 7, 2010) – The Huffington Post (“HuffPost”), a leading social news and opinion … [Read more...] about Huffington Post Acquires Pollster.com
In the Past Decade – Extreme Weather Deaths Outnumbered War Casualties (Guest Voice)
In the Past Decade - Extreme Weather Deaths Outnumbered War Casualties by Tina Dupuy Safe to say, nothing is so bad that a hurricane can’t make worse. Take an existing problem, toss it around in the wind and smack it with flying debris - it’s certainly not going to improve. Shoddy construction is made worse, communication concerns - made worse, a struggling economy - made … [Read more...] about In the Past Decade – Extreme Weather Deaths Outnumbered War Casualties (Guest Voice)
Let’s Call It the “John Boehner” Tax
See, this is why I have trouble taking conservatives seriously when they talk about cutting the deficit or finding ways to pay for essential spending programs. Tanning salons are shrieking over what the Washington Post calls an "overlooked" provision in the health care reform bill that charges those salons a 10% surtax on the use of ultraviolet indoor tanning beds: … [Read more...] about Let’s Call It the “John Boehner” Tax
Earthquake Felt Here in San Diego (UPDATED 2)
I just felt an earthquake in San Diego. I was sitting in my little office in my condo here in North Park San Diego, actually looking at weblogs after being off my feet all day due to being sick. And then I felt it. At first I thought someone pushed my chair since it started to shake and then in a split second I could see it was the whole room. It lasted a few seconds. Now … [Read more...] about Earthquake Felt Here in San Diego (UPDATED 2)
This Column Sums Up What’s Wrong With America
There are enough outrages to write about to keep a writer busy for life, no matter his or her age. This is the outrage that Terry Savage, who apparently writes a column for the Chicago Sun-Times, chose to fill her valuable newspaper real estate: … [Read more...] about This Column Sums Up What’s Wrong With America
Oil Industry, MMS Hears No Evil, Sees No Evil
If you think the Deepwater Horizons oil blowout disaster, the worst in the nation's history, is horrific, add this to the on-going horror story: An exhaustive investigative report by the Associated Press released Wednesday said there are more than 27,000 abandoned wells in the Gulf and 17% or 4,590 could be leaking. Abandoned off-shore Gulf wells are not inspected but the … [Read more...] about Oil Industry, MMS Hears No Evil, Sees No Evil
BREAKING UPDATE: Spain Beats Germany 1-0
Paul the German Octopus Got it Right again Here is a repost of its prediction: Yesterday, we told you about Paul the German Octopus who has correctly predicted the winner of Germany’s five 2010 World Cup matches so far. Paul does so by selecting, and eating, a mussel out of two plastic containers in his aquarium. One of the containers has the German flag on it and … [Read more...] about BREAKING UPDATE: Spain Beats Germany 1-0
Let Steele Speak
WASHINGTON -- It's easy to understand why Democrats want Michael Steele to stay in the news. The Republican National Committee chairman is a wonderful distraction, a constant source of gaffes, laughs, clarifications and denials. But Steele recently scored a victory of sorts, even though you wouldn't know it from the coverage: His comments on Afghanistan got Democrats … [Read more...] about Let Steele Speak
Don Berwick and Patient-Centered Care
Ezra Klein has an extremely interesting piece on the health care philosophy of Dr. Don Berwick, whom Pres. Obama has just recess-appointed to lead the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services. You should read it, in its entirety. But if you want to get a more direct sense of how truly revolutionary (in my view, at least) Dr. Berwick's views are on who should make health care … [Read more...] about Don Berwick and Patient-Centered Care
Handicapping The Federal Lawsuit Against Arizona’s Immigrant Law
Yesterday the United States Justice Department filed its long awaited lawsuit against the State of Arizona and Governor Jan Brewer. The suit is aimed at overturning Arizona’s illegal immigrant law, known as SB1070. The law requires law enforcement in Arizona to question the citizenship of anyone reasonably suspected of being in the country illegally. It also makes being in … [Read more...] about Handicapping The Federal Lawsuit Against Arizona’s Immigrant Law
Honoring Our Troops, All of Them
Recently, I wrote about our latest casualties in the Afghanistan War. I listed the names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, along with some details on each hero and I also commented on how, in my opinion, the national media seem to be covering those casualties less and less prominently. Reaction to the post was mixed. Some accepted it with the … [Read more...] about Honoring Our Troops, All of Them
Israeli Soldiers Dancing ft. Kesha – TICK TOCK (Rock the Casba in Hebron)
The latest You Tube sensation: Israeli Soldiers Dancing ft. Kesha - TICK TOCK (Rock the Casba in Hebron): … [Read more...] about Israeli Soldiers Dancing ft. Kesha – TICK TOCK (Rock the Casba in Hebron)
Spies Like Us
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Spies Like Us
A Summer of Discontent (Guest Voice)
A Summer of Discontent by Michael Reagan President Obama has had a rather challenging start to the Summer of 2010: Gen. McChrystal’s remarks to Rolling Stone magazine and the resulting shift of NATO control in Afghanistan to Gen. Petraeus; the continuation of the high-profile and painful BP oil spill; the Elena Kagan Supreme Court nomination hearings; and the move by … [Read more...] about A Summer of Discontent (Guest Voice)
Poll: Obama Independent Voter Support Now Under 40 Percent
You can now say that President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party have official entered the grave political crisis zone: two new polls bring more bad news for the Democrats and one of them finds that Obama's crucial support from independent voters is now slid to under 40 percent. The LA Times' Andrew Malcolm offers this summary: Two new polls this morning augur ill … [Read more...] about Poll: Obama Independent Voter Support Now Under 40 Percent
Stop & Frisk: Where’s the Outrage?
Bob Herbert explains that NY governor David Paterson is being pressured by NYC officials including Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly to veto a law that would ban the NYC police from maintaining a database of the personal data of those stopped by police for questioning for any or no reason whatsoever. Herbert says it's an easy call -- don't do it Dave! -- but the … [Read more...] about Stop & Frisk: Where’s the Outrage?
World Cup: Paul the Psychic Octopus Eats Spanish Mussel (UPDATE!!)
Yesterday, we told you about Paul the German Octopus who has correctly predicted the winner of Germany’s five 2010 World Cup matches so far. Paul does so by selecting, and eating, a mussel out of two plastic containers in his aquarium. One of the containers has the German flag on it and the other the flag of the opposing team. The flag on the container from which the … [Read more...] about World Cup: Paul the Psychic Octopus Eats Spanish Mussel (UPDATE!!)