Mike Allen and Jake Sherman write at Politico that Democrats are fighting to "save Harry Reid's political career" by contrasting his record on civil rights and racial issues with that of leading Republicans. … [Read more...] about Rallying to Save Common Sense
Big Mac Comes Clean On Steroids
The most talked about story in America today is an old one that has tainted our toy department the past decade: Baseball great Marc McGwire's admission he used steroids. My initial reaction was: Duh. ESPN, the nation's primary sports channel, reacted in typical fashion, as if it were the second coming of Christ. Everyone has an opinion which makes stories such as this … [Read more...] about Big Mac Comes Clean On Steroids
The ‘Absurd Record’ of Osama bin Laden: Liberation, France
Recruiment goes on at al-Qaeda ... Two weeks after al-Qaeda's Christmas day bombing attempt, the theme of terrorism continues to dominate global commentary about the United States. Today we posted two articles on the theme, one from France's Liberation about the abysmal failure of Osama bin Laden, and another from Brazil's Folha about the silarly devastating failure of … [Read more...] about The ‘Absurd Record’ of Osama bin Laden: Liberation, France
Health Care: Easier than it Looks (Guest Voice)
WASHINGTON -- Reaching agreement on a health care bill is harder in theory than it will be in practice. Between now and the day the measure goes to President Obama's desk, there will be many crisis points, much posturing and dire warnings of impending failure. There are real differences between the bills passed by the House and the Senate. The last few votes are always … [Read more...] about Health Care: Easier than it Looks (Guest Voice)
Palin signs “multi-year” deal with Fox
Covered at Hot Air. Begging the question, of course, does this preclude a 2012 presidential run? I guess so. I mean, we know she'd never walk out on a job with time left on the commitment. … [Read more...] about Palin signs “multi-year” deal with Fox
Kids & The Future, Now & Then
The NYTimes on mini-generation gaps: Researchers...theorize that the ever-accelerating pace of technological change may be minting a series of mini-generation gaps, with each group of children uniquely influenced by the tech tools available in their formative stages of development. “People two, three or four years apart are having completely different experiences with … [Read more...] about Kids & The Future, Now & Then
Killing Comedic Heritage? CBS Reportedly Seals Some Classic Jack Benny Show Comedy Masters
Preserving a departed comedian's comedy heritage, past work and comedic style can be as problematical as perpetuating it beyond the comedian's death because each passing generation increasing forgets the comedian and his/her work. And the work inevitably loses commercial value. But some comedy greats' fans, heirs and admirers pull out all stops to make sure that it's there for … [Read more...] about Killing Comedic Heritage? CBS Reportedly Seals Some Classic Jack Benny Show Comedy Masters
It’s Unseasonably Warm Out There …
...if you're not in the lower 48, the northern band of Europe, Siberia, and parts of India/China. Everywhere else it's quite warm, especially over the Arctic. See? As the National Snow and Ice Data Center notes: These regional contrasts in temperature anomalies resulted from a strongly negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation (AO). The AO is a natural pattern of … [Read more...] about It’s Unseasonably Warm Out There …
Global Warming Reporting Is Basically Libel
I just saw a piece in The Daily Mail that talked about how an expert "predicts" up to three decades of global cooling. At first I was surprised, but then I saw the name and it all made sense. I'd been debating about whether to write about it, I mean The Daily Mail is just a tabloid, but on the other hand George Will and others have had similar pieces based on the same … [Read more...] about Global Warming Reporting Is Basically Libel
Quote of the Day: Ted Olson on “The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage”
Our political Quote of the Day actually is an entire piece in Newsweek by Ted Olson, Solicitor General in George W. Bush's administration, called "The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage." Here's the beginning and the end of his column: Together with my good friend and occasional courtroom adversary David Boies, I am attempting to persuade a federal court to invalidate … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Ted Olson on “The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage”
Rise of the Independents
It continues. If you don't see the trendlines, click on the chart. H/t Andrew Sullivan. … [Read more...] about Rise of the Independents
China Leads The World In Rail Speed Record
At a time when the airlines are struggling for survival in the wake of rising fuel prices, the rail revolution in China, and the rail renewal in Europe, is drawing worldwide attention. Experts believe that these developments would immensely benefit the USA which lags far behind in the rail travel sector at present. An earlier CNN report said: "By 2010, the continent's … [Read more...] about China Leads The World In Rail Speed Record
Mexico, as It Used to be, and Sarah’s Place: A Travel Story
Although, in my opinion, we are running out of places to visit that are truly laid-back, charming and unspoiled, we were fortunate to find just such a place very close to the more “upscale" Cancún, a resort we visit each year and where, five years ago, we met a lady called "Wilma." An article in the travel section of the New York Times, just about one year ago, describing an … [Read more...] about Mexico, as It Used to be, and Sarah’s Place: A Travel Story
What Will Conan Do?
With the question of Leno definitively settled, the big question left on the table is will Conan go to Fox? A NYPost "exclusive" [cough] has sources saying The peacock ruffled Conan O'Brien's feathers -- and now he's ready to fly the coop: "This level of sh- - -iness was not expected," one source said. "He's done a great job for NBC. He moved his entire staff, he moved his … [Read more...] about What Will Conan Do?
Looking to the Mass. Special Election
Some thoughts: The Drama of the Mass. Special Election This Will Likely Just Mobilize the Democrats in Mass. Another Mass. Senate Poll: Democrat by 15 Points More on Massachusetts’ Special Election … [Read more...] about Looking to the Mass. Special Election
Bolton: Take Government out of Government
John Bolton has a piece in the WSJ entitled Let's Take Bureaucracy Out of Intelligence. My initial reaction is that taking the bureaucracy out of a governmental is impossible (one might as well say that we need to take the government out of government). Government is bureaucracy (and really, any large organization as readers in corporate America can attest—or anyone who … [Read more...] about Bolton: Take Government out of Government
All Hail the Newspaper
At least in the Baltimore area ... There are more places to go for local news but less news to find there, and the great majority of actual reporting still comes from newspapers, according to a study of the Baltimore area that is scheduled to be released on Monday. That's great news for newspaper fans, like me. This, however, is not good news for anyone ... Even the … [Read more...] about All Hail the Newspaper
Field Day for Global Warming Skeptics?
Per an article yesterday in the UK's Daily Mail ... The bitter winter afflicting much of the Northern Hemisphere is only the start of a global trend towards cooler weather that is likely to last for 20 or 30 years, say some of the world’s most eminent climate scientists. TMV Economics Editor Mikkel Fishman responds, here and here. … [Read more...] about Field Day for Global Warming Skeptics?
An Immigrant’s Nightmare?
The recent focus on terrorism concerns and national security casts a rather odd light on a little reported story playing out in Saugerties, New York, a little hamlet along the Hudson River in the state's 22nd congressional district. There we find Emilio Maya, an immigrant from Argentina, along with his sister, his wife and their small child embroiled in a battle with the ICE. … [Read more...] about An Immigrant’s Nightmare?
Dawn Johnsen Waits — And So Do Her Dean and Her Students
Peterr at Firedoglake details how difficult it is to be a popular professor of constitutional law at the start of a new semester, if your name happens to be Dawn Johnsen: … [Read more...] about Dawn Johnsen Waits — And So Do Her Dean and Her Students