Update: A stunning picture in the NY Times That is the National Palace, in essence the equivalent of the US White House Reports are getting worse. They now fear thousands of fatalities but nothing will be clear until morning. A long dark night for the people of Haiti. … [Read more...] about Haiti Update: Thousands May Be Dead
The “Dutch Word” on the Davids Report on Early Dutch Iraq Policy (UPDATES)
This is the third post on today’s big news in the Netherlands, the release of the Davids Commission report on its investigation into the Dutch government’s decision-making process and policies during the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. My previous posts were based on my own translations of Dutch reports in the Dutch newspaper the NRC Handeslblad. In translating … [Read more...] about The “Dutch Word” on the Davids Report on Early Dutch Iraq Policy (UPDATES)
Coakley Can’t Spel ?
In the category of minor but bemusing. A new attack ad from Senate candidate Martha Coakley misspelled the word... Massachusetts. Or as they tried it Massachusettes. Oooooooooooooooooooops. Story here … [Read more...] about Coakley Can’t Spel ?
Major Quake Rocks Haiti
A 7.0 earthquake has struck and reportedly 'shattered' the capital city of Haiti and the surrounding region. Reports indicate that parts of the Presidential residence have collapsed along with many other buildings. With millions living on the impoverished island the death toll could be horrible. Details here You can also check out reports on USGS quake site which … [Read more...] about Major Quake Rocks Haiti
Google Threatens Pullout of China Over Breach
NYTimes Bits Blog: In a calm and understated blog post, Google said Tuesday that it had recently come under an unusual cyberattack from China. The Web giant said the attack was very different from previous ones because it was aimed at Chinese dissidents’ Gmail accounts, dozens of which were compromised. From that Google blog post: We have taken the unusual step of sharing … [Read more...] about Google Threatens Pullout of China Over Breach
Teaching Conformity
In Mesquite (Texas) Independent School District, independence is not allowed. How do we know this? We know because a 4-year-old boy has been indefinitely suspended from school in said school district for refusing to conform his hair length to the school district's definition of "standard for boys." … [Read more...] about Teaching Conformity
Simple Solutions
Don’t expect the Federal and State governments to create many new jobs in the public or private sectors this year or this decade. Don’t expect the Private sector to care about hiring the tens of millions of Americans when new technologies have made many U.S. jobs obsolete, the remaining employees can be coerced to work even harder out of fear, and the other good jobs have been … [Read more...] about Simple Solutions
Obama Sinking
Patrick Corrigan, The Toronto Star This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Obama Sinking
More Fallout on Dutch Commission’s Report on Iraq
Under the heading, “Blankenende [the Dutch Prime Minister] had no grasp on Iraq policy,” the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad publishes additional comments and reactions to today’s unveiling of the Davids Commission report on the Dutch government’s policies leading up to the Iraq invasion. The following are some translated excerpts. The entire translation will be available … [Read more...] about More Fallout on Dutch Commission’s Report on Iraq
Immigration: U.S. vs. France
This is a tale of two countries groping with the complexities of immigration reform. In France, conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy has launched a national dialogue on what constitutes a French person's identity. Liberals in the French Parliament oppose his every move. In the United States, President Barack Obama is quietly securing support from Latinos, in particular, … [Read more...] about Immigration: U.S. vs. France
Brown, Coakley, and a Confession
Author's Note: Though not planned when it was published, this post ended up the first in a series. Here are links to parts two and three. In the second part, I defend the suggestion at the end of this first installment; in the third, I acknowledge that the suggestion is flawed. ------------------- So Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown and Democrat Martha Coakley … [Read more...] about Brown, Coakley, and a Confession
Why Conservatism is Disconnected From Reality
Another in my series of puny attempts to dissect what's wrong with modern conservatism. Part II will appear tomorrow. I debated whether or not to make this a piece about "some conservatives" eschewing reality for an alternate universe or if I should make it about much of modern conservatism's disconnect from the reality of 21st century America. In the end, I think it is … [Read more...] about Why Conservatism is Disconnected From Reality
Wall Street Bonus Babies’ Toothless Threats
The Lord Mayor of London yesterday said that if the British government went ahead with its plan for a one-time 50 percent tax on the huge bonuses of financial heavies in "The City" (London's Wall Street), 9,000 of these worthies would pick up stakes and move their operations to another country. There's a natural tendency upon hearing this for many people to demand that these … [Read more...] about Wall Street Bonus Babies’ Toothless Threats
CBS News Poll: Obama’s Approval Drops to 46%
For President Barack Obama and the beset -- and worried -- Democratic party, the latest CBS News poll now has Obama in the danger zone. It has his approval rating at 46 percent -- below the "magical" 50 percent mark. Political scientists and experts often note that if a President's approval rating is less than 50 percent going into mid-terms, then the party is in for a major … [Read more...] about CBS News Poll: Obama’s Approval Drops to 46%
Dutch Davids Commission Releases Report on Dutch Government Support for Iraq Invasion
The “Davids Commission,” an independent Dutch commission chaired by Willibrord Davis, former head of the Dutch Supreme Court, released its 551-page report today on the Dutch government's decisions surrounding the invasion of Iraq. The report, months in the making, provides the results of an investigation into the political support given by the Netherlands to the Bush … [Read more...] about Dutch Davids Commission Releases Report on Dutch Government Support for Iraq Invasion
2010 Predictions (Guest Voice)
2010 Predictions Raging Moderate, by Will Durst All right, it was a hecka-long holiday season. I’m tired and you’re tired. And neither of us has the energy to go through the whole post-modern deconstructionist explanation as to why you’re reading a predictions column here. Yes, I’m doing a predictions column. What’s the matter with you people? It’s the beginning of a … [Read more...] about 2010 Predictions (Guest Voice)
Where Art Thou, Keith Olbermann
Unless his contract specifies a three to four-day work week, absenteeism from his "Countdown With Keith Olbermann" show is of serial proportions. Olbermann was a no-show on his program again Monday night. In the past year, Olbermann has missed more shows than his hero Edward R. Murrow missed in a lifetime at CBS. I'm guessing, of course. I'm giving the guy plenty of slack … [Read more...] about Where Art Thou, Keith Olbermann
Presidential Testosterone
"Like every Democratic president since John F. Kennedy," the New York Times declares, "President Obama is battling the perception that he’s a wimp on national security," That "perception" has haunted Democrats in the White House even before JFK, when Harry Truman ordered government employees to sign loathsome loyalty oaths in order to counter McCarthy era charges that he … [Read more...] about Presidential Testosterone
Colts (St)over Ravens – 20 to 17.
Happy New Year and welcome to 2010. The NFL playoffs are at full steam and I live in Charm City (Baltimore). Our Ravens shocked the sports world on Sunday by dismantling the New England Patriots at Foxboro. However, I think the Ravens bandwagon comes to a screeching halt when they play the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night. It comes down to one sentence: Karma in the … [Read more...] about Colts (St)over Ravens – 20 to 17.
Tehran Nuclear Physicist Killed by Bomb Blast: Iran Blames U.S. and Israel
An Iranian professor of nuclear physics was killed by a bomb blast from a remote controlled bomb attached to a motorcycle -- causing an Iranian spokesman to immediately blame the United States and the "Zionist regime" in Israel. But the true source remains somewhat murky once it became known that responsibility for the murder was claimed by the Royal Association of Iran, a … [Read more...] about Tehran Nuclear Physicist Killed by Bomb Blast: Iran Blames U.S. and Israel