Yes, it sounds like the plot of second-rate comedy flick. Namely, this one. But Polish President Lech Kaczynski, tragically killed in plane crash, actually does have an identical twin brother Jaroslaw, who may run to replace him. Almost from the day of the crash, one question dominated political discussions and columns: Will Jaroslaw run? If he does, opinion polls and … [Read more...] about What if Obama had an identical twin?
Goldman Sachs: What Hath Fraud Wrought? (Guest Voice)
Goldman Sachs: What Hath Fraud Wrought? by Michael Winship Goldman Sachs is the Blackwater of finance, the latest in a long line of companies you love to hate, like AIG and the Dallas Cowboys. Or, as Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi infamously characterized it last year, the financial behemoth is “a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, … [Read more...] about Goldman Sachs: What Hath Fraud Wrought? (Guest Voice)
Jules and Julia
A new memoir by an old friend, Jules Feiffer, and a belated look at a movie about another, Julia Child, recall a time when we were all young and the world was opening up for us like a Cinemascope screen. Julia and Jules grew up on separate planets before ascending into the celebrity firmament. A sunny ultra-WASP California childhood led her to volunteer for service in … [Read more...] about Jules and Julia
Will Arizona’s New Immigration Law Hold Up In Court?
Will Arizona's new strict immigration law hold up in court? Here's one, stand-back analysis of the legal prospects from CNN with Andreson Cooper interviewing CNN's Jeffrey Toobin. Toobin believes it'll have trouble in the lower courts but could survive a Supreme Court ruling, given the current make-up of the court: You can already see HERE that there are a lot of … [Read more...] about Will Arizona’s New Immigration Law Hold Up In Court?
100,000 Rally Against U.S. Marine Base On Okinawa
Tensions between the United States, Japan and the people of Japan's Okinawa island are so strained over a U.S. Marine air base that the long-brewing controversy could topple the Tokyo government, Reuters news agency reports. About 100,000 people rallied Sunday near the Futenma air base demanding the facility moved off the island in defiance of a pending 2006 agreement that … [Read more...] about 100,000 Rally Against U.S. Marine Base On Okinawa
Canada Sex Education
Cam Cardow, The Ottawa Citizen This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Canada Sex Education
Sloppy Pool of Tizzy in the Gobi Desert (Guest Voice)
Sloppy Pool of Tizzy in the Gobi Desert Raging Moderate, by Will Durst At first, the party-line strategy was to affirm a unified opposition to the bill because it helped Wall Street. By regulating it. Yeah. Okay. Well, nobody said it was going to be an easy sell. All 41 GOP senators signed a letter proclaiming steadfast opposition to any overhaul and if they had to shut … [Read more...] about Sloppy Pool of Tizzy in the Gobi Desert (Guest Voice)
Coffee, Tea Or Me?
Under the category every little bit of news helps, the National Coffee Party Sunday was featured by Newsweek. Its soft-spoken Korean-American founder stressed she hoped the group can overcome the temptation to shout, scream, spit, rant, curse and grab attention as does those nasty people in the Tea Party movement. Lots of luck, Annabel Park. For those who muddle through … [Read more...] about Coffee, Tea Or Me?
Senate Grownups Play Childish Games Over Climate Change Legislation
If the grownups in Congress can't stand up to political heat, no wonder all incumbents are subject to the wrath of voters. The latest example of profiles in timidity is Sen. John Kerry who said Saturday he is withdrawing the long-awaited climate change legislation scheduled to be introduced Monday. The reason is petty politics. The public be damned. What's at stake is … [Read more...] about Senate Grownups Play Childish Games Over Climate Change Legislation
The Impact of Arizona’s New Immigration Law On Arizona and the GOP?
The speculation is now pouring in on the impact of Arizona's new immigration law -- which has been called "draconian" by some analysts. (One immigration attorney who calls it draconian quips "Wake up and smell the teabags..) One of the most interesting predictions comes from an analyst whose audience and bosses may not be too pleased since he didn't say what they wanted to … [Read more...] about The Impact of Arizona’s New Immigration Law On Arizona and the GOP?
Marketing Splendid Pat Tillman Documentary Spurned By Conservatives And Neo-Cons
"God damn sportswriters" is a common expression often heard from the news desks of metropolitan newspapers. I thought of that today reading Los Angeles Times sports columnist Bill Dwyer's mea culpa account of Pat Tillman who was killed in Afghanistan six years and two days ago. Dwyer admitted he was among the hordes of sportswriters and hard journalists who portrayed … [Read more...] about Marketing Splendid Pat Tillman Documentary Spurned By Conservatives And Neo-Cons
About The BS And Cops vs Illegal Immigrants In Arizona
It is extremely difficult in the interest of honesty and fairness to write about the immigration controversy now going on in Arizona. My personal reason is that I don't live in Arizona and witness first hand the pros and cons of the issue. I'm geographically close, however. I have lived in Southern California for all but 13 years of my life now extending into its seventh … [Read more...] about About The BS And Cops vs Illegal Immigrants In Arizona
Arizona’s New Immigration Law: Has the Boycott Begun?
During and after the debate and passage of health care reform legislation last month, several Democratic lawmakers received death threats or were humiliated in some repulsive ways. In what seems be déjà vu all over again, at least one Democratic representative has received a death threat and his offices have been flooded with calls, some from people threatening violent … [Read more...] about Arizona’s New Immigration Law: Has the Boycott Begun?
Selig Cartwright And The Washroom Crew Step Up To Help A Beleagued Goldman Sachs
Mr. B. You're early today. And you look determined. You got that right, Selig. Determined not to be pushed around by the S.E.C. over that fraud business. Who do these people think they are anyway? You do have to wonder about regulators who start regulating. A bad precedent, Mr. B. Very bad. Who knows where this kind of thing might lead, Selig? Thank heavens we have … [Read more...] about Selig Cartwright And The Washroom Crew Step Up To Help A Beleagued Goldman Sachs
The Conservative Matrix vs. The Machine World
First in a series. This post by Julian Sanchez started an internet conversation/debate on what he calls "epistemic closure" on the right. Reality is defined by a multimedia array of interconnected and cross promoting conservative blogs, radio programs, magazines, and of course, Fox News. Whatever conflicts with that reality can be dismissed out of hand because it … [Read more...] about The Conservative Matrix vs. The Machine World
In Memoriam: An Early Animal Rights Poem
My dog died yesterday. With no assist; all natural. Kidney failure. Quick and peaceful. She was a good dog. In her memory I quote this poem. Written in 1773 by the poet wife of the scientist who would be credited with identifying oxygen, it is told from the point of view of a lab mouse contemplating his fate. In The Age Of Wonder, Historian Richard Holmes calls it … [Read more...] about In Memoriam: An Early Animal Rights Poem
System Maintenance Tonight
Hello TMV readers. There will be system maintenance tonight starting at 11:30pm EDT. This maintenance will last for approximately 2 hours. You may notice site slowdowns and site outages during that time. This maintenance will allow for more features to be added to the site in the very near future. Thank you for your time and patience. … [Read more...] about System Maintenance Tonight
Marc Ambinder Asks A Good Question
"Have conservatives gone mad?" … [Read more...] about Marc Ambinder Asks A Good Question
Arizona Makes It a Crime To Not Carry Passport or Immigration Papers
With a few strokes of her pen, Arizona's Gov. Jan Brewer has turned Arizona into the only state in the country where Americans can be arrested for not carrying documented proof of citizenship status: … [Read more...] about Arizona Makes It a Crime To Not Carry Passport or Immigration Papers
Young People, The Media, Political Independence, and “The Powers That Be”
Independent activist news this week was def centered on young people. See John Opdycke's piece "Going Indy" and consider the fact that "fully 50 percent of voters aged 18-29 now identify as independents..." (Opdycke is the Chief of Staff for IndependentVoting.org/CUIP.) Let that sink in for a moment. Then pivot back towards the triangulationists featured in John Avlon's CNN … [Read more...] about Young People, The Media, Political Independence, and “The Powers That Be”