“When our party is united, whether you run in a Northern state or a Southern state, our party can win,” said the House Republican whip, Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia. “But when you are divided, you can lose a seat that has been in the Republican column for quite a long time.” The Virginia GOP, at least, seems to have gotten the message. … [Read more...] about Stating the Obvious, Acting on It
Google Dashboard: Transparency, Choice and Control
Google announced today: In an effort to provide you with greater transparency and control over their own data, we've built the Google Dashboard. Designed to be simple and useful, the Dashboard summarizes data for each product that you use (when signed in to your account) and provides you direct links to control your personal settings. Today, the Dashboard covers more than 20 … [Read more...] about Google Dashboard: Transparency, Choice and Control
NY 23 From the Horse’s Mouth
For those around the country who somehow thought that they understood the politics of New York's 23 district (or, "The North Country" as we call it) and feel they had a grasp on how "awful" a choice Dede Scozzafava was, they should read this editorial from the local paper. Here's one of the key portions, explaining just how she wound up as the nominee from what I fully admit is … [Read more...] about NY 23 From the Horse’s Mouth
DID SOMETHING HAPPEN?
I didn’t vote on Tuesday in Phoenix, Arizona, my residence for almost the past 4 years though I voted in the National Elections last year. I was pleased to see that the local school funding and bond issues all passed with comfortable margins across the metro area. Had I voted, my other choice would have been for a city council position wherein I did not know either candidate. … [Read more...] about DID SOMETHING HAPPEN?
Teens Cited for “Disorderly Conduct” For “Rapping” Their Order At McDonald’s Drive Thru
Some teens got in cited for "disorderly conduct" for "rapping" their order at a McDonald's. Details: So you can get in trouble rapping your order at McDonalds (because the person to whom you're rapping may feel their life is at risk -- but if it's rap, isn't it that their EARS are at risk?)..and you can order a wrap at Subway. It sounds like the teens got a bum...rap. … [Read more...] about Teens Cited for “Disorderly Conduct” For “Rapping” Their Order At McDonald’s Drive Thru
Election Thoughts
I had planned to publish a more detailed review of the elections but I ended up spending two hours in the dental chair today getting a filling replaced. I've got one more filling to go plus a deep cleaning so I was pretty distracted today getting ahead on work. As a result I'll post my more technical analysis this weekend, for those who are geeky enough to enjoy. However in … [Read more...] about Election Thoughts
Will Global Television Foster World Peace?
You wouldn't think so based on what the world is watching. The biggest television series ever, worldwide, was Baywatch. Broadcast in 142 countries its peak audience surpassed a billion people. House is tops today, with 82 million people watching last year in 66 countries. CSI and Desperate Housewives come in close behind. That from an interesting Foreign Policy piece by … [Read more...] about Will Global Television Foster World Peace?
The Storming of the U.S. Embassy: ‘A Day that Shook the World’ – Kayhan, Islamic Republic of Iran
Two of the 53 American Embassy workers being held hostage with the approval of the Iranian regime, after the facility was stormed on November 4, 1979. Thirty years ago today, the American Embassy in Tehran was stormed by followers of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. It is a day that the current regime commemorates every year as a celebration of victory over what the … [Read more...] about The Storming of the U.S. Embassy: ‘A Day that Shook the World’ – Kayhan, Islamic Republic of Iran
Putting The Elections In Perspective
While Americans tuned into the political gyrations of a handful of elections yesterday and political operatives pontificating what it all means today, it remains dwarfed by what happened in Afghanistan. Five British soldiers embedded with locals were shot and killed by an Afghan policeman with whom they were mentoring at a security outpost in Helmand Province. The embedded … [Read more...] about Putting The Elections In Perspective
New York Mag Profile of Nancy Pelosi: Follow-Up
Yesterday, I received a note (on my Facebook page) from Vanessa Grigoriadis, author of the Nancy Pelosi profile in New York Magazine that I critiqued here. The note says: … [Read more...] about New York Mag Profile of Nancy Pelosi: Follow-Up
Feeble French Justice Lets Scientology Off the Hook: Die Welt, Germany
Eric Roux, a 'legal representative' of the Church of Scientology in France, seems relieved after the Criminal Court of Paris returned a verdict of fraud against the church - without imposing dissolution. Days ago, a long-awaited verdict was handed down in the French criminal trial of the Church of Scientology. In the opinion of German columnist Dietrich Alexander of the … [Read more...] about Feeble French Justice Lets Scientology Off the Hook: Die Welt, Germany
Not Right-But Still Angry (Guest Voice)
EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. -- Tuesday's elections were a rebuke to the right wing and a warning to Democrats. They were also a timely reminder that President Obama needs to tune up his celebrated political organization and find a way to make Americans feel hopeful again. The night's biggest loser was the national conservative political machine -- the wealthy … [Read more...] about Not Right-But Still Angry (Guest Voice)
Hyundai’s Happy Ending is the Media Industry’s Ticket To Succes
You may have seen the viral video of the worst parking job ever. 1,684,803 views since the Thursday Oct. 22 incident. While we gawk and guffaw, the owner of the crushed 2004 Hyundai Elantra (the one in the foreground) had just finished paying off his car loan! The 62 year-old woman driving the BMW was arrested for leaving the scene. The crushed Hyundai owner was left … [Read more...] about Hyundai’s Happy Ending is the Media Industry’s Ticket To Succes
The man who predicted the financial crisis, Part III
I'm not an aggressive consumer of financial journalism, so it has to be something of a coincidence that I've come across three separate items that chronicle the dark predictions of three separate men who warned of an impending financial crisis. The first two are discussed below. The third is Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly … [Read more...] about The man who predicted the financial crisis, Part III
Congress Set to Delay Health-Care Bill
President Obama may think he's getting a bill to sign soon, or at least this year, but it looks like Congress will postpone legislation until the new year: Senior Congressional Democrats told ABC News [yesterday] it is highly unlikely that a health care reform bill will be completed this year, just a week after President Barack Obama declared he was "absolutely confident" … [Read more...] about Congress Set to Delay Health-Care Bill
Meeting Us in the Middle on Afghanistan
Guest post by Jared Stancombe Jared Stancombe is a 2009 graduate of Indiana University, where his studies focused on peace and conflict studies in Northern Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. His other academic interests include counterinsurgency and complex military operations. He is currently an analyst for a U.S. government agency responsible for national security … [Read more...] about Meeting Us in the Middle on Afghanistan
Lessons Learned? Well, Maybe
First, I'll send you over to a longer column of mine which was just published over at PJM with some reflections on what we can take, if anything, from yesterday's elections. In addition, though, I find myself pondering the alleged civil war in the GOP. The NY 23 special election was, after all is said and done, an aberration and a train wreck in the making pretty much from the … [Read more...] about Lessons Learned? Well, Maybe
R.I.P. GOP
Eric Allie, Caglecartoons.com This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about R.I.P. GOP
The man who predicted the financial crisis, Part II
In the mid-1990's, Yale economist Robert Shiller predicted the dot-com bubble would burst. In 2005, Shiller predicted the housing bubble would burst. Why? In the wake of the dot-com crash, which helped make Shiller a public figure, Americans turned their financial attention from stocks to real estate. House prices were rising rapidly, and people had begun to see real estate … [Read more...] about The man who predicted the financial crisis, Part II
Maine Marijuana Law Approved; Help Defeat Grassley’s Decriminalization Gag Rule
At the very same time Maine voted to repeal same sex marriage, they approved a bill that expands the state's existing medical marijuana law. With that Maine becomes the third State to License Medical Marijuana Providers: “This is a dramatic step forward, the first time that any state’s voters have authorized the state government to license medical marijuana dispensaries,” said … [Read more...] about Maine Marijuana Law Approved; Help Defeat Grassley’s Decriminalization Gag Rule