I am a grizzled veteran of the weight-loss wars and have yet to win a battle. So, it was with much fear and angst I read today that the famous Atkins diet is making a comeback. Its reincarnation is "The New Atkins For A New You: The Ultimate Diet For Shedding Weight and Feeling Great," a best seller in that genre. Folks, it's a ripoff as are so many diet books. All it does … [Read more...] about Fat Man Speaks Against New Atkins Diet
Misreporting, Spin, and Ambiguity
Here is The New Republic's Jonathan Cohn on some of the reports that have been flying around the Internet concerning health care reform: … [Read more...] about Misreporting, Spin, and Ambiguity
Under-reported Reasons Catholic Bishops Meet with Stupak and Other Politicians on Healthcare
Hello there, and thanks CStanley for holding the fort by yourself and with good will regarding a debate elsewhere about Catholic Bishops meeting with Stupak. (see one of CStanley's comments about this matter below in CODA) I teach on occasion at a Catholic hospital and am an oblate/ associate with the Sisters of Charity, Leavenworth, who run many hospitals nationwide. The more … [Read more...] about Under-reported Reasons Catholic Bishops Meet with Stupak and Other Politicians on Healthcare
An Example Of Why Not To Trust Headlines/Ledes In Economic Reporting
On Yahoo there is the headline "Feb. retail-sales report provides hope for economic recovery." From the article: Retail sales posted a surprising increase in February as consumers did not let major snowstorms stop them from racking up purchases. The advance, the biggest since November, provided hope that the recovery from the Great Recession is gaining momentum... For … [Read more...] about An Example Of Why Not To Trust Headlines/Ledes In Economic Reporting
Iraq: The Undeniable Victory of George W. Bush – Le Figaro, France
Now that Iraq has held what is widely percieved to be successful nationwide elections, is it time for the critics of George W. Bush to admit that Iraq has turned out to be a success? This article by columnist Ivan Rioufol of France's Le Figaro argues that without the much-derided former president and his neoconservative allies, there would be no democracy in Iraq. For Le … [Read more...] about Iraq: The Undeniable Victory of George W. Bush – Le Figaro, France
UPDATED Breaking News: Judge Sumner Okays Reform Language for California Proposition 14 Open Primaries Ballot Referendum
UPDATE: Attorney Harry Kresky just issued this statement about Judge Sumner's ruling this afternoon on Prop 14. (Harry Kresky is general counsel of IndependentVoting.org – a national association of independents with organization in 40 states) “The Court's ruling on the ballot summary for Proposition 14 ensures a fair and objective statement of what the initiative, if passed, … [Read more...] about UPDATED Breaking News: Judge Sumner Okays Reform Language for California Proposition 14 Open Primaries Ballot Referendum
Karl Rove “Proud” U.S. Tortured Detainees
Karl Rove says he is "proud we used techniques that broke the will of these terrorists... Yes, I'm proud that we kept the world safer than it was, by the use of these techniques. They're appropriate, they're in conformity with our international requirements and with US law." Of course, the U.S. did a lot of nasty things to its detainees, at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere, and a … [Read more...] about Karl Rove “Proud” U.S. Tortured Detainees
Meddling In The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks
If there is one thing that Americans detest, it is a foreign country meddling in our internal affairs. On the flip side, that is exactly what U.S. officials are doing in efforts to broker a peace treaty and create a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The most contentious issue currently is the Israeli government announcing plans to increase Jewish … [Read more...] about Meddling In The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks
If Democrats Played Monopoly (Guest Cartoon)
This guest cartoon is by Sarjex, who describes herself as “a lonely little wingnut in the crazy liberal mecca of San Francisco.” … [Read more...] about If Democrats Played Monopoly (Guest Cartoon)
Tickle Fight
Nate Beeler, The Washington Examiner This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Tickle Fight
Judge Expected to Rule Today on California Proposition 14 Ballot Wording
Sacramento Superior Court Judge Allen Sumner is expected to rule today on the ballot language for Prop 14. Leading independent Attorney Harry Kresky speaks out on the legal fight over the "top two" open primaries referendum: “When the California legislature voted to put Proposition 14 on the ballot this June, it crafted a summary of the initiative which will also appear … [Read more...] about Judge Expected to Rule Today on California Proposition 14 Ballot Wording
Are Democrats behind the Drudge Report Computer ‘Virus’ Allegation?
Does a political motive versus an authentic threat lurk behind a warning to Congressional staffers that the Drudge Report should be avoided due to it allegedly giving a computer virus? Here's a great roundup on the issue. Actually, I've surfed Drudge over the years and there has been no computer virus problem. Ever. The REAL virus threat is a credibility virus if you're a … [Read more...] about Are Democrats behind the Drudge Report Computer ‘Virus’ Allegation?
Getting Jumpy Over Jihad Jane
The media hall of mirrors is manufacturing a "terrorism-case trend" out of an iffy indictment of a clearly disturbed Pennsylvania woman's e-mails, YouTube postings and MySpace page. Interviewing a Washington Post reporter on the PBS News Hour, Gwen Ifill wonders if "she could have easily just been someone noodling around on the Internet" but is assured that Colleen LaRose, … [Read more...] about Getting Jumpy Over Jihad Jane
Quote of the Day: ‘Information Cocoons’
"We live in a country in which many people live in information cocoons in which they only talk to members of their own party and read blogs of their own sect." -- David Brooks A friendly challenge: Every left-leaning reader and writer of this site should today read with open mind a right-leaning post or blog. Every right-leaning reader and writer should do the same, … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: ‘Information Cocoons’
Germans Rise Up Against Google Street View: Die Tageszeitung, Germany
There seems to be no end to the controversy over Google's activities. This article from Germany outlines how people across that country are struggling to come up with novel legal challenges to the company's ambitious "Street View' service. As the article shows, its a very complicated problem. For Germany's Die Tageszeitung, columnist by Ingo Arzt writes of how citizens … [Read more...] about Germans Rise Up Against Google Street View: Die Tageszeitung, Germany
One For Kathy
She's always giving us good music … [Read more...] about One For Kathy
God Bless The Reid Family
Sometimes politics just goes out the window. Hoping nothing but the best and a quick recovery for all. … [Read more...] about God Bless The Reid Family
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
In lieu of politics, I bring you talking roaches. … [Read more...] about Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Kansas City To Shut Down Almost Half Of Its Public Schools
Let me just say this straight out: This could not happen, and it would not happen, in a country that actually was the greatest country on earth. … [Read more...] about Kansas City To Shut Down Almost Half Of Its Public Schools
‘NY Fed Under Geithner Implicated in Lehman Accounting Fraud’
Yves Smith calls for his resignation. I have little to add other than that Bill Black, a leading regulator in resolving the S&L crisis has long claimed that the financial crisis was not merely a result of bad decisions, but in large part due to overt fraud that was perpetuated by the largest financial institutions and blessed (or at least given a blind eye) by the government. … [Read more...] about ‘NY Fed Under Geithner Implicated in Lehman Accounting Fraud’