While he may be pretty liberal, Chris Matthews is no dummy and his analysis of the nuts and bolts of electoral politics (especially in the Northeast) is often dead on accurate. Looking at the numbers he has for key bellweathers he pretty much calls it as hopeless for Coakley. Three areas had been identified as bellweathers, Gardner, Fitchburg and Peabody. They were chosen … [Read more...] about Chris Matthews: Brown Will Probably Win
Dark Visions Of A Jumper
In jolly old England, a radio disc jockey is being criticized for playing the Van Halen classic "Jump" as police stopped traffic and tried to prevent a woman from jumping off a bridge. Here's the account as reported by a London newspaper. I'm not the most politically correct person on the planet but this behavior by a smart-ass disc jockey is irresponsible. Fortunately, … [Read more...] about Dark Visions Of A Jumper
Not Too Old to Fail
As America's bankers take a day of rest to honor the precepts of Martin Luther King comes the suggestion of an anomaly in their policy of equal-opportunity bloodsucking. A New York Times editorial finally catches up with the reality that "Retirees Saved the Banks," a situation described here some time ago under the heading, "The Fed's Financial Death Panels." The Times … [Read more...] about Not Too Old to Fail
Breaking: SOTU Set for Jan. 27
According to "The Whiteboard" at Politico44, the President's State of the Union address will be January 27, a week from Wednesday, with his proposed budget offered the following Monday, February 1. … [Read more...] about Breaking: SOTU Set for Jan. 27
Please Don’t Judge Us On The Content Of Our Character
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I have a Dream” speech in August 1963. This 17-minute movingly religious address was given in front of the Lincoln Memorial to the hundreds of thousands of people gathered at the National Mall in Washington DC. He stated his hope that someday his children would not be judged by the color of their skin but on the “content of … [Read more...] about Please Don’t Judge Us On The Content Of Our Character
Massachusetts Poll Review: Brown Leads But Still Too Close To Call
Update: Nate Silver now calls Brown a 3-1 favorite to win. I respect his analytical skills but will remain cautious about any GOP prospects in Massachusetts. Like many armchair analysts I've been following every new poll in the Coakley/Brown race and I've found the results hard to believe. The idea that in the hard blue state of Massachusetts a virtually unknown Republican … [Read more...] about Massachusetts Poll Review: Brown Leads But Still Too Close To Call
Haiti: Ink and Tears
Much has been written in the past few days, both electronically and with ink, about the horror and the tears that is Haiti now. But Haiti has known horror and tears and tragedy for much too long. That horror and those tears have been amply recorded for at least the past 50 years “in a remarkably vivid and sophisticated Haitian literature [that] has been flowing out of … [Read more...] about Haiti: Ink and Tears
Countering the U.S. Demands More than Shouted Slogans: Global Times, China
To see an article in China's state-sanctioned media like this one is rare indeed - and it may signal a real sea-change in U.S.-China relations. Indeed, given the amount of U.S. debt Beijing holds, one might call it downright chilling. For China's state-controlled Geographic Times, columnist Long Tao, described as a 'senior strategic commentator,' writes in part: In 30 … [Read more...] about Countering the U.S. Demands More than Shouted Slogans: Global Times, China
Massachusetts Becomes National Partisan Activists’ Battleground
Activists from both sides call and pour into the state to win the Senate race for their party. Both sides agree: at stake is Barack Obama's agenda. … [Read more...] about Massachusetts Becomes National Partisan Activists’ Battleground
The Two-Handed Wedgie (Guest Voice)
The Two-Handed Wedgie by Will Durst Just when you think we got enough to worry about, along comes a big, old raging controversy over airports utilizing full-body scanning machines that can see through fliers’ clothing all the way down to our naughty bits. Let me tell you where I stand on this brouhaha: I don’t care. Haha. In the whole modesty versus safety argument, you can … [Read more...] about The Two-Handed Wedgie (Guest Voice)
Haiti: Some Still Enjoying Its Beaches in Luxury
The Guardian reports that cruise ships are still docking at private beaches some 60 miles from Haiti's devastated earthquake zone, where “passengers enjoy jetski rides, parasailing and rum cocktails delivered to their hammocks.” Apparently Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines struggled over “a difficult decision over whether to dock as per itinerary at Labadee Beach, Haiti after … [Read more...] about Haiti: Some Still Enjoying Its Beaches in Luxury
What’s In A Name?
I was watching football on TV yesterday. The Vikings trouncing the Cowboys. I really enjoyed the game because I'm a Philadelphia Eagles fan and the Eagles got trounced by the Cowboys the previous week. A petty revenge, sure, but you take what you can get. There was an unusual number of commercials during this event, It's like that on television these days. When they don't … [Read more...] about What’s In A Name?
The Red Votes Are Coming (Guest Cartoonist)
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 The Red Votes Are Coming (Guest Cartoonist)
Let’s All Keep Moving Toward the Promised Land
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968) In remembrance, from the full text of his last speech: You know, several years ago, I was in New York City autographing the first book that I had written. And while sitting there autographing books, a demented black woman came up. The only question I heard from her was, “Are you Martin Luther King?” And I was … [Read more...] about Let’s All Keep Moving Toward the Promised Land
A tongue-in-cheek debate about microenterprise
How can you oppose lending $50 to a Third World entrepreneur to get a small business off the ground? Well, let me tell you how. Microenterprise is one of the more serious subjects given shallow treatment on my new site, Cultural Imperialist, co-written with Los Angeles screenwriter Jeremiah Lewis. It's our guide to intelligent discourse on the can-miss topics of the day, … [Read more...] about A tongue-in-cheek debate about microenterprise
Scott Brown Shoving Democrats Toward a Cliff
Unlike the flurry of confetti tossing which has been flooding my twitter feed for days now, I remain unconvinced that the Senate race in Massachusetts is a done deal at this point. Yes, I've seen the flurry of polls, some from new upstarts and some from better known entities which show Scott Brown with a growing lead outside the margins. But I also keep an eye on Nate Silver, … [Read more...] about Scott Brown Shoving Democrats Toward a Cliff
The Texas-ization of American Public Education
Every 10 years, the Texas State Board of Education rewrites the textbook standards for all of the public school districts in Texas -- and, as a practical matter, for the entire nation, because Texas is the textbook publishing industry's biggest market. This year, the Board is effectively controlled by a group of fringe-right Christianists who are in the process of conforming … [Read more...] about The Texas-ization of American Public Education
The Worst Is Getting Worse
Jake Tapper, via Digby: … [Read more...] about The Worst Is Getting Worse
The Bay State Lesson (Guest Voice)
WASHINGTON -- In June 2008, before the financial implosions that would come a few months later, I asked two smart financiers who happened to be Republicans about the future of the seemingly shaky American economy. Defying the moment's conventional predictions that we would somehow muddle through, one of them offered a dire and uncannily accurate forecast. He explained … [Read more...] about The Bay State Lesson (Guest Voice)
Why Is Haiti So Poor?
Sometimes I really envy our elite class, because it's so easy for them to answer questions like this. All they have to do is pull out a slip of paper from their bag of self-serving bromides. … [Read more...] about Why Is Haiti So Poor?