The stock market plunges, a monstrous oil spill threatens coastlines, terrorism comes to Times Square, even the Grand Ole Opry is underwater, but the man in the White House is not pushing any panic buttons. "Obama," David Brooks opines, "is handling his role, which ranges from the marginal to the significant, in these events with calm professionalism. He’s active yet not … [Read more...] about Crazy Days, Calm President
Capitalism Works
Whatever politicians from either side of the aisle try to tell us, the improvement now beginning to evidence itself in national employment numbers are not their doing. Those hopeful signs are the direct result of capitalism at work. For a year we as a nation have watched and wondered about lagging employment as we listened to experts talk about improving core factors in the … [Read more...] about Capitalism Works
Football Great Lawrence Taylor Arrested On Rape Charges: Loses Nutrisystem Deal
A big sports related story: Football Pro Football Hall Of Famer Lawrence Taylor was arrested Thursday on charges of rape and patronizing a prostitute -- and he has now reportedly been fired by Nutrisystem. It's a harrowing story. Watch the details in this CNN report below. Now he has lost his Nutrisystem deal, the New York Daily News reports. Nutrisystem, the … [Read more...] about Football Great Lawrence Taylor Arrested On Rape Charges: Loses Nutrisystem Deal
Do Democracies Deserve Nuclear Weapons?
Do democracies deserve nuclear weapons? Or is Nuclear entitlement is short-sighted, and potentially dangerous? Thoughts from Kevin Sullivan. … [Read more...] about Do Democracies Deserve Nuclear Weapons?
Jobs and Unemployment Are Up
Good News Bad News on the economic front: U.S. employers added 290,000 jobs in April, blowing past analysts' expectations and giving a potential indication that the labor market is strengthening. That figure was boosted by temporary hiring for the 2010 Census, but there were also jobs added in the private sector, according to Labor Department data released … [Read more...] about Jobs and Unemployment Are Up
Look at This Shocking Ongoing Tally of Oil Leaking into the Gulf
Look at this ongoing, constantly updated-before-your-eyes tally of Oil Leaking into the Gulf courtesy of PBS. This post will be redated and kept on the front page for a few days: PBS's The Rundown Blog explains: [We] built the meter atop this post to give a ballpark figure of how much oil may have leaked into the Gulf based on each scenario (by multiplying the rate of … [Read more...] about Look at This Shocking Ongoing Tally of Oil Leaking into the Gulf
Quote of the Day: Sarah Palin Says U.S. Law Should Be Bible Based
Our political Quote of the Day comes from former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin who now says U.S. law should be Bible based. Sarah Palin was on the O’Reilly Factor last night talking about the National Day of Prayer, but she went a bit further than her usual party line of calling America a Christian nation. “I think we should keep this clean, keep it simple, go back to what … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Sarah Palin Says U.S. Law Should Be Bible Based
Coming Soon: District TMV
Hello TMV readers. By Saturday, May 6th, there will be a new page at the top of the site called District TMV. District TMV is our new forum functionality that will allow comments of posts written by authors as well as other features. We have decided to abandon the traditional comment system in favor of a forum due to its easier management and more robust features. One of … [Read more...] about Coming Soon: District TMV
UK Election Returns
Does not look like there is any chance of a Conservative majority so not much point in going on for now. We will have to see where the deals end up but almost certainly we will have a short term Conservative government, the real question will be if they keep in power or we have another vote in the near term. But for now, check out final election reports above. 9pm: … [Read more...] about UK Election Returns
America is Fully Responsible for Terrorism on its Streets: The Frontier Post, Pakistan
Who is responsible for the appearance of Pakistani-Americans who train in Pakistan to attack America? Continuing our coverage of the Pakistani reaction to the arrest of Faisal Shahzad, these two editorials reflect Pakistan's internal debate on the subject. The first editorial from Pakistan's Frontier Post argues that the fault is squarely that of the United States, for … [Read more...] about America is Fully Responsible for Terrorism on its Streets: The Frontier Post, Pakistan
A Critical Look at Perspective
Two weeks ago -- on Tuesday, April 20 -- an oil drilling rig off the coast of Louisiana exploded, releasing thousands of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Since then, there has been a ton of media attention to this man-made disaster -- quite appropriately, given the fact that (a) almost a dozen oil workers were killed (or are presumed to have died); and (b) the oil that … [Read more...] about A Critical Look at Perspective
My Life in Seven Days
Exactly one week ago, I was born in a small town in Ecuador. From what I remember of the first day of my life, it was joyful, carefree, full of love, full of fun. I especially remember my Grandfather, the kindest person I ever knew. I was very close to him. His name was Justo Rodríguez. I called him “Papá Justito.” I still see his kind, smiling face. That first day went … [Read more...] about My Life in Seven Days
Arizona – Silent Boycott Is The Real Fear
In the wake of Arizona’s new anti-immigrant law, official boycotts have sprouted both nationally and internationally. Websites are in place, petitions are being signed, pledges not to do business in or with the state are circulating, and Arizona is feeling the first pinch. To date, 21 conventions and meetings have been cancelled, a number that has more than tripled in less … [Read more...] about Arizona – Silent Boycott Is The Real Fear
Stock Market Undoubtedly Broken By Trading Algorithms
In the past year or so major Wall Street players have turned more and more to High Frequency Trading (HFT) algorithms, computer code which automatically buys and sells stocks based on price movements. These algorithms can trade stocks thousands of times a second and are highly profitable because they are designed to rip off all the other market players. The strategies of … [Read more...] about Stock Market Undoubtedly Broken By Trading Algorithms
The Wake of Newsweek
As his magazine goes on the block, editor Jon Meacham calls Newsweek one of the few Catchers in the Rye between democracy and ignorance at the edge of a media cliff, a last bastion of reporting in what Jon Stewart describes a field of "aggregating, commenting, analyzing." As at a wake, when the deceased's glory days get more attention than those of terminal illness, … [Read more...] about The Wake of Newsweek
Markets In Free Fall.. Why The UK Election Really Matters
Different day same chaos. The nation of Greece is in trouble again as they try to work out the austerity programs needed to balance the budget (one which makes even California look semi rational). The result has been violent riots that have paralyzed the daily lives of many in Greece. People dependent on the government programs are not pleased at the idea of having to get a … [Read more...] about Markets In Free Fall.. Why The UK Election Really Matters
Insider Trading By Congressional Representatives?
Congress and the SEC have put Goldman Sachs on the rack as the scapegoat for the financial crisis from which the U.S. is only beginning to recover. But it turns out that at least some of the posturing may be even more hypocritical than usual for Congress. Not only has Congress carefully shaped the rules so as to exempt themselves from the same restrictions they seek to … [Read more...] about Insider Trading By Congressional Representatives?
Toxic Atheism
Under threat of court order, today's "National Day of Prayer" may be the last. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has sued to abolish the practice and won its initial court victory. Today's celebration of the tradition takes place under the President's order to appeal that decision. The struggle shows a classic case of a social-political movement that is arguably legally … [Read more...] about Toxic Atheism
Marijuana And Taxes
I read a fascinating article in a recent issue of Smithsonian magazine about Prohibition, about who and what made this social experiment that lasted from 1920 to 1933 possible. It turns out that this country's changing tax needs were the critical factor. Before 1913 an impressive 40 percent of all national tax revenues came from an excise tax on liquor. Whatever the joys of … [Read more...] about Marijuana And Taxes
Why, This Isn’t Racism!
Of course not! (Not!) h/T Hinessight, The Anti-Drudge … [Read more...] about Why, This Isn’t Racism!