This really isn't all that surprising: A SUNDAY TIMES investigation has exposed Japan for bribing small nations with cash and prostitutes to gain their support for the mass slaughter of whales. The undercover investigation found officials from six countries were willing to consider selling their votes on the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The revelations come … [Read more...] about Japan’s Whaling Shame
Meet Rick Barber, Wing-nut Or True Blue Patriot Bearing Arms Against Us
Every political nook and cranny can be found a wing-nut so allow me to join MSNBC's First Read and YouTube in introducing Rick Barber, a Tea Party Republican in Alabama who wants to take arms against his country. In a TV campaign ad, Barber is seen railing about President Obama and the new health reform law which he deplores to the point of rebellion that the Internal … [Read more...] about Meet Rick Barber, Wing-nut Or True Blue Patriot Bearing Arms Against Us
Palin to Seek Thatcher Blessing
Britain's Daily Mail is reporting that Sarah Palin may be heading across the pond for a meeting with Margaret Thatcher: Controversial US politician Sarah Palin could soon be on her way to Britain to boost her hopes of challenging Barack Obama in the 2012 US presidential election. Her representatives approached Margaret Thatcher to ask for a meeting as part of a bid to … [Read more...] about Palin to Seek Thatcher Blessing
Obama’s True Leadership Moment?
There comes a time in some presidencies when the person in charge can step up and become the recognized champion of a cause, the uniter of the nation with a powerful vision in the wake of a crisis. George Bush had such a moment after 911 in a speech before Congress, and to the amazement of many (including this writer), he met the test. President Obama's own potential true … [Read more...] about Obama’s True Leadership Moment?
Another Bizarre Interview With Alvin Greene
Can the interviews get any stranger with South Carolina Democratic come-out-of-nowhere Alvin Greene? The answer is a resounding YES. As the lively news magazine The Week and Gawker have noted, Greene's latest interview with CNN's Don Lemon, a very fair and serious interviewer (I know from personal experience after having been on several independent voter talking head panels … [Read more...] about Another Bizarre Interview With Alvin Greene
Iran Tempers Blockade Threat
Cooler heads may be prevailing in Tehran as semi-official news reports say Iran's Society for the Defense of the Palestinian Nation announced one ship loaded with humanitarian aid for Gaza departed Sunday and another is scheduled to leave Friday. It is in stark contrast to the bellicose threats two weeks ago the Revolutionary Guard's navy was awaiting word from Supreme … [Read more...] about Iran Tempers Blockade Threat
Afghanistan Minerals Discovery: Will it Alter the Course of the War?
In a comment to an Afghanistan post at The Moderate Voice last night, I reported some breaking news published by the New York Times. It dealt with the discovery of nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in war-torn Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and "enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according … [Read more...] about Afghanistan Minerals Discovery: Will it Alter the Course of the War?
US Discovers Nearly $1 Trillion In Untapped Minerals In Afghanistan: Some Raised Eyebrows
A very big bucks new twist has been added to the context of Afghanistan: the U.S. has discovered some $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan -- a finding that is likely to urge some to keep the U.S. there, some to pull out, rosy predictions about Afghanistan's easier future, and gloomier predictions that with the country's stultifying corruption the find could … [Read more...] about US Discovers Nearly $1 Trillion In Untapped Minerals In Afghanistan: Some Raised Eyebrows
Does Feminism Have Room for Barbies, Men and Sarah Palin?
I was asked to do an interview for the web portal Care2.com with one of the two editors of a new book called, Click: When We Knew We Were Feminists (Seal Press). Given the prominence given lately to the topic of feminism, feminists, who "is" or "isn't" one, who can or can't be one and so on, I thought some TMV readers might find the resulting post for it (which you can read … [Read more...] about Does Feminism Have Room for Barbies, Men and Sarah Palin?
Ethnic Cleansing Seizes Kyrgyzstan, No One Cares
Hundreds may already be dead and thousands fleeing as ethnic Kyrgyz attack ethnic Uzbeks in scenes reminiscent of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Or perhaps the better analogy is Rwanda, where nearly a million died while the world dithered in collective apathy. A lack of pre-existing ideological scripts to put in play has led to a reaction that is muted at best. Even … [Read more...] about Ethnic Cleansing Seizes Kyrgyzstan, No One Cares
$1 Trillion Mineral Deposits Found In Afghanistan
The good news is Afghanistan has at least $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits that could transform that impoverished war-torn nation what oil accomplished for Saudi Arabia. The bad news is the minerals will test corrupt Afghan government and tribal leaders, stimulate the Taliban to retake the country and China and the rest of the drooling major powers to compete and … [Read more...] about $1 Trillion Mineral Deposits Found In Afghanistan
The “Never Again” Pathology
Sandy Tolan, writing in Salon, articulates a theory that has been coalescing in my brain for some time now, as I brood to myself about why, why, why, does Israel keep making the same self-destructive mistakes over and over and over again? This is one of those articles that makes you feel like the author was running around inside your own head (emphasis is mine): … [Read more...] about The “Never Again” Pathology
Congressman Assaults Student Activist
Big Government links to the video. And let's be clear -- this is assault and battery. The fact that Congressman Etheridge (D-NC) only struck at the camera is not relevant. Because the camera was being held by the student at the time, striking it is legally the same as striking the student. And certainly holding on to the student's arm and locking an arm around the kid's … [Read more...] about Congressman Assaults Student Activist
Angry Obama
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Angry Obama
Over-Reaction of the Week
And it's only Monday. The distinction this week goes to Jim Hoft, who considers it an insidious act to encourage students to aspire to a better life -- to encourage them to become scholars like the President of their country is a scholar. We assume Mr. Hoft and like-minded critics don't have a problem with encouraging students to become Rhodes Scholars because -- you know … [Read more...] about Over-Reaction of the Week
Book Review: Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America
Centrist writer and former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani aide John Avlon got a lot of people mad in recent months. One was conservative talk show host and GOP political Godfather Rush Limbaugh, who increasingly seems to be the Republican Party's chief tactician, strategist and decider of who is or is not a "real" Republican. The other was MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, a hero to many … [Read more...] about Book Review: Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America
ICRC Report Says Gaza Blockade Has “Devastating Impact” on Palestinians’ Lives
Despite the humanitarian aid that Israel allows into Gaza, the blockade is causing a crisis that is "only going to get even worse," according to a new report by the International Committee of the Red Cross: … [Read more...] about ICRC Report Says Gaza Blockade Has “Devastating Impact” on Palestinians’ Lives
In Defense of Two-Handed Economists
WASHINGTON -- Will politics slow our economic recovery? Will world leaders who pulled us back from the brink of a new Great Depression throw in the towel before the global economy gets the unemployed back to work? These are the moment's central questions, and I posed them last week to Larry Summers, President Obama's top economic adviser. Summers is often cast as an … [Read more...] about In Defense of Two-Handed Economists
The Price Of Carbon
The coverage of the BP disaster is pretty much non stop but what we have not heard is that it may not be possible to stop it. But there is another potential toxic invasion. This month has not been a quiet one for the booming Marcellus Shale natural gas well drilling industry, and the commotion has the attention of Debbie Borowiec of Upper Burrell, where two gas … [Read more...] about The Price Of Carbon
Naked Protest
My friend Sam sent pictures of the second annual New York City Naked Bike Ride. Protesters chanted, "Less gas, more a...!" The ride went The Gothamist has a "pretty SFW" gallery. So what's the big idea? A World Naked Bike Ride: It's time to put a stop to the indecent exposure of people and the planet to cars and the pollution they create. According to the United Nations, … [Read more...] about Naked Protest