A brilliant, original, immensely creative, much admired actor and filmmaker. Physically, a very attractive man, even at the very end. And as a human being, not the easiest to get along with. … [Read more...] about Dennis Hopper: A Brilliant, Beautiful Disaster
Just Fix It!!! – The Politics of Impotent Rage
In the dying days of the Bush Administration Saturday Night Live ran a skit featuring Kenan Thompson, the "financial expert", yelling "Just Fix It" into the screen.. It was a hilarious riff on media analysis of the unfolding financial crisis and the complete impotence of financial tycoons, government regulators and global banking structures to stem a coming economic … [Read more...] about Just Fix It!!! – The Politics of Impotent Rage
Separated from Blumenthal at Birth? Illinois Republican Senate Candidate Admits Claim of Military Award Was Inaccurate
What is in the water politicians are drinking these days -- or what is in whatever it is they're smoking -- that compels them to falsify...OOPS! mistakently misspeak -- about their military records? First, we had Connecticut's up-until-recently-hugely popular Attorney General Richard Blumenthal do his very best Pinocchio imitation about having served in Vietnam. This … [Read more...] about Separated from Blumenthal at Birth? Illinois Republican Senate Candidate Admits Claim of Military Award Was Inaccurate
George Tiller’s Motto
On the one-year anniversary of the day that Dr. George Tiller was murdered by Scott Roeder, in an act of domestic terrorism motivated by a fundamentalist religious ideology, Ali Frick of Think Progress asks us to remember the core value at the heart of Dr. Tiller's work -- that women are trustworthy adult human beings who are capable of making their own moral choices. Why is it … [Read more...] about George Tiller’s Motto
Old Soldiers Never Die, They Just Fade Away — A Toast To Steve Sircom
Death plays no favorites. As our nation this Memorial Day weekend honors those who gave their lives and served their country, most of the memory will be focused on ... Two actors who did not serve a day in our military. Dennis Hopper and Gary Coleman. In life as well as in death, timing is everything. In no way do I begrudge the legacy of stardom in all its warts on the … [Read more...] about Old Soldiers Never Die, They Just Fade Away — A Toast To Steve Sircom
Drone Strikes, Civilian Deaths, and Terrorism
Spencer Ackerman has a piece up at The Washington Independent flagging an upcoming study that purports to show that U.S. drone strikes in northern Pakistan kill significantly fewer civilians than has been previously thought or reported: … [Read more...] about Drone Strikes, Civilian Deaths, and Terrorism
Conservative Publishers Consider Bidding for Newsweek
Two bigwigs associated with the conservative website Newsmax.com are considering bidding for Newsweek. (Will their first story be a scoop about news for a military coup against Barack Obama?) … [Read more...] about Conservative Publishers Consider Bidding for Newsweek
Has Effort to Plug Gulf Oil Spill via Top Kill Failed?
Has the effort to plug the Gulf oil spill via the "top kill" method failed? Some news stories coming out suggest that, at best, the effort hasn't succeeded yet -- or that at this stage it may have actually flopped. What does it mean? A drip-drip-drip -- or, rather, a gush-gush-gush -- of bad news as the oil continues to spew, ruining the ocean, killing off fish and wildlife, … [Read more...] about Has Effort to Plug Gulf Oil Spill via Top Kill Failed?
Video: Obama’s Weekly Radio You Tube Address: Take Time to Honor America’s Fallen
President Barack Obama used his weekly address to remember all those who gave their lives to serving, fighting and defending the country: … [Read more...] about Video: Obama’s Weekly Radio You Tube Address: Take Time to Honor America’s Fallen
Big Oil Memorial Day
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Big Oil Memorial Day
Happy Birthday Tina Carr (Guest Voice)
Happy Birthday Tina Carr by Martha Randolph Carr June 1st marks the birthday of two great ladies who were both born on this day in 1926. One was Marilyn Monroe who is permanently fixed in our collective consciousness as a thirty-something but would now be a senior citizen talking on a cell phone and going to see Shrek IV in 3D, maybe with a few grandchildren. It’s a nice … [Read more...] about Happy Birthday Tina Carr (Guest Voice)
Gary Coleman 1968 – 2010
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Gary Coleman 1968 – 2010
Memorial Day 2010: Time to Recognize Valor
As retired military, I naturally like to write about military and national security subjects. Two subjects, or issues, that I have written about--probably ad nauseam—are the dearth of Medals of Honor that have been awarded to our heroes of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the continuing refusal by the Pentagon to reconsider its decision not to award the Medal of Honor to … [Read more...] about Memorial Day 2010: Time to Recognize Valor
Watson, There’s a Game Afoot: Perception is Reality
I'm a big fan of the original Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle and just finished re-reading the first Holmes novella, A Study in Scarlet, published in 1887. In it, Holmes, with his super-human powers of deduction, determines "whodunit," yet two bumbling Scotland Yard inspectors, Gregson and Lestrade get the credit. This outrages Holmes' friend, Dr. Watson, even … [Read more...] about Watson, There’s a Game Afoot: Perception is Reality
The Pennsylvania deal-making…
that made Abraham Lincoln president. (Crossposted here.) … [Read more...] about The Pennsylvania deal-making…
Goodbye Mercury
Now I may not miss Mercury the car but I will miss Jill Wagner, the Mercury Girl. My father's first new car was a Mercury but that was in the early 50s. Mercury has been little but a Ford with a different grill for years and other than the lovely Jill there is probably no reason for Mercury to exist. Just another sign that our automobile centered society is … [Read more...] about Goodbye Mercury
Painter on Sestak: ‘There’s No There There’
Painter is Richard Painter, the Bush administration's chief White House ethics officer. Yes, that's right. The chief White House ethics officer under George W. Bush says it's "time to move on." … [Read more...] about Painter on Sestak: ‘There’s No There There’
Repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
The Presidential Press Conference, An Endangered Species?
So much for the promise of "the most open and transparent White House in history," at least when it comes to press conferences. Thursday President Obama held his first press conference 1 in almost a year: from 22 July 2009 to 27 May 2010. That's 309 days, if you're counting. According to the June issue of Harpers magazine, the longest period between similar press … [Read more...] about The Presidential Press Conference, An Endangered Species?
Gulf Oil Spill Reflections On T. Boone Pickens, Politics, Obama, Bureaucrats, Rule Of Law And Anarchy
T. Boone Pickens, the oil, gas and wind baron, knows something about oil well leaks. On the Larry King Live show Thursday, Pickens said he doubts BP's efforts to "top kill" the oil gushing from the floor of the Gulf of Mexico will be successful. He said the only sure fire way of capping the leak is by drilling two parallel lines and hoping one intersects below the ruptured … [Read more...] about Gulf Oil Spill Reflections On T. Boone Pickens, Politics, Obama, Bureaucrats, Rule Of Law And Anarchy