Note: This was written Saturday 10th April It has been interesting experiencing the national/International narrative surrounding Tiger Woods’ return to golf this week. Supposed experts of golf have been shocked that Tiger hasn’t missed a beat, that the pressure of the last 5 months hasn’t affected Tiger’s game. Well, duh. I have never lost sight of the fact … [Read more...] about Tiger Woods, a Flawed Legend
Polish Tragedy
Martin Sutovec, Slovakia This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Polish Tragedy
Palin and Nukes
John Cole, The Scranton Times-Tribune This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reseved. … [Read more...] about Palin and Nukes
President Romney?
The Empty Suit is back, winning a 2012 straw poll at the Southern Republican revival meeting, in absentia over Dr. No, Ron Paul; the Man of a Thousand Ideas, Newt Gingrich; and the Madonna of a Million Punch Lines, Sarah Palin. Mitt Romney, who went down in the 2008 primaries by contradicting himself daily, is going for the White House this time as a stealth candidate, … [Read more...] about President Romney?
Did the Famous (and Politically Potent) ACORN Videos Tell The Whole Story?
Did the famous ACORN videos which are now widely acknowledged to have contributed mightly to the organization's disrepute among many and its financial fall tell the whole story? Were they the triumph of citizen journalism -- showing how a cowardly or political biased mainstream media ignored or failed to report something that was staring them in the face? Investigative … [Read more...] about Did the Famous (and Politically Potent) ACORN Videos Tell The Whole Story?
Copyright Law Impoverishes Future Generations
This weekend marks the 300th anniversary of the Statute of Anne, the first modern copyright law. Understanding that the original intent of copyright law in the U.S. was to foster creativity, how do we think today's copyright terms -- life of the author +70 years -- will help a dead person produce new creative works? We're always talking about how this or that program … [Read more...] about Copyright Law Impoverishes Future Generations
Body of Lech Kaczynski returns home (Videos)
Sad events continue to unfold in Russia and Poland. The body of Lech Kaczynski -- who died in a politically mind-boggling airplane crash that killed Poland's president, its leading opposition politicians, and the entire command of the armed forces -- has been returned home. Here's a news feed that shows the depature from Russia: And here's the scene as the body arrived … [Read more...] about Body of Lech Kaczynski returns home (Videos)
Holocaust Remembrance: Let’s Also Remember Those Who Can’t Forget
On April 12, 1951, Israel’s Knesset proclaimed “Holocaust and Ghetto Revolt Remembrance Day” (Yom Hashoah U'Mered HaGetao) to be the 27th of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar. The name was later simplified to Yom Hashoah. The date marks the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising, and is in remembrance of the six million Jews who were murdered, of all those who suffered, of … [Read more...] about Holocaust Remembrance: Let’s Also Remember Those Who Can’t Forget
Hangin’ Out At The Buffalo Chip – A Slice Of Conservative America
Fiesta Days have arrived in Cave Creek, Arizona. The morning parade stretched for three miles. Cave Creek Road was lined the entire length of the parade route as locals and visitors listened to the local High School Band, watched the horses, saluted and took off their hats for the American flag each time it passed, and waited for the live country band on a wagon pulled by a … [Read more...] about Hangin’ Out At The Buffalo Chip – A Slice Of Conservative America
(VIDEO) Tina Fey Does Palin Impression in Saturday Night Live “The Palin Network”
Tina Fey was back in great form on Saturday Night Live doing her Sarah Palin impression. But this time the satire was not only about Palin, but Palin's role as a media star - and the politicization of entertainment content. In these days of the politicization of news networks (MSNBC is the favorite of the left; Fox News is the favorite of the right; and CNN struggles to … [Read more...] about (VIDEO) Tina Fey Does Palin Impression in Saturday Night Live “The Palin Network”
Quietly and Successfully, the White House Tightens Noose Around Iran: Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland
While his opponents criticize President Obama for policies that have come up empty in regard to Iran, columnist Mariusz Zawadzki of Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza writes that his administration has been pursuing a policy that is bringing excellent results. In short, the Obama administration has made the world's multinational corporations an offer they can't refuse, cutting the … [Read more...] about Quietly and Successfully, the White House Tightens Noose Around Iran: Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland
Elizabeth Warren for Supreme Court
Of all the speculation over who might be named to fill Justice John Paul Stevens’ Supreme Court seat, my preferred pick was voiced just now by Arianna Huffington on ABC News This Week: Elizabeth Warren. Ezra Klein names her, too: Harvard Law professor and financial regulation expert Elizabeth Warren, whose appointment would be an admission that many of the Court's most … [Read more...] about Elizabeth Warren for Supreme Court
Europeans Are "a Pack of Pagan Losers"
"A spectre is haunting Europe—the spectre of Communism." Those were the words of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848 and their predictions turned out to be highly accurate, as we all know. Now the spectre of communism is haunting America and the end of the world is near. The conservative media is mega-scared by this spectre and accuses Obama of turning the land of the … [Read more...] about Europeans Are "a Pack of Pagan Losers"
“We Were Fighting To Make It Home Alive”
Okay, I wasn't going to blog on the WikiLeaks video again, but Glenn Greenwald's conversation with a former soldier, Spc. Josh Steiber, who served in the same company (Bravo 2-16) at the same time as the ground troops who were involved in the July, 2007, engagement shown in the video -- is too important to pass over. … [Read more...] about “We Were Fighting To Make It Home Alive”
Mitt Romney Wins Southern Republican Leadership Conference Straw Poll
Never underestimate the ability of political junkies to trumpet polls no matter how significant they may -- or may not -- be but the poll at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference will likely be perceived as significant since it likely reflects GOP undercurrents, the impact of appearances by some candidates, a candidate who won even though he didn't appear - -and it … [Read more...] about Mitt Romney Wins Southern Republican Leadership Conference Straw Poll
GOP Opportunity and Peril in the SCOTUS Nomination
The announcement of the retirement of Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has brought us once again to the edge of change, though probably not as much as you might think or the kind of change some of you were hoping for. Frankly, I long ago gave up hope that presidents of either party would start appointing truly independent, non-partisan judges - the kind that will … [Read more...] about GOP Opportunity and Peril in the SCOTUS Nomination
Black Friday
Some days turn out brutal in the news business and yesterday, April 9, 2010, was one of them. My lazy mind chalks it up as Black Friday. Having spent half of my adult life in the newspaper business, I was never absolutely certain why negative news attracted the most readership. A conflict between two opposing ideas is one thing. That's drama. As a police reporter, I was … [Read more...] about Black Friday
START Treaty Will Do Nothing to Prevent the Inevitable Blast: Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland
What chance is there really of a world free of nuclear weapons, as President Obama has described it? As much as we might like the idea, Bartosz Weglarczyk of Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza warns that the world has yet to prepare itself for the more likely scenario: sooner or later, someone is going to detonate one. For Gazeta Wyborcza, Bartosz Weglarczyk writes in part: It's … [Read more...] about START Treaty Will Do Nothing to Prevent the Inevitable Blast: Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland
Who Are the Most Influential Figures in the Republican Party
The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza offers THIS LIST. FYI, I totally agree with him on number one -- Haley Barbour. The Mississippi governor and head of the potent Republican Governors Association has long been one of the smartest politicians in the country, including during the years when he wasn't governor and worked for the party. He's a tough attack dog, knows how to … [Read more...] about Who Are the Most Influential Figures in the Republican Party
Supreme Degradation
The President's choice to succeed John Paul Stevens on the Court may be less significant for the country than the ugly confirmation process that is sure to follow. A legal saint, if there were one, would only be the excuse for a Senate auto de fe to embarrass the Obama Administration and curry favor for Tea Party votes in November. "Justice Stevens," the New York Times … [Read more...] about Supreme Degradation