Gaza City's zoo lost its only two zebras to hunger during the Gaza war. The animals were extremely popular with area children, but were too expensive to replace. So the zookeepers got novel: they hired a painter to paint black and white stripes on two donkeys, making them approximate the real thing. The article reports that many Gaza children, having never seen a real zebra, … [Read more...] about Sending Zebras to Gaza
Tide Turning On Health Care Reform, Democrats and Republicans?
After months of a new and old media narrative about President Barack Obama's proposed health care reform being on the ropes -- a political hot potato Obama tossed Congress to resolve -- is the tide finally turning? Within the past 24 hours a new report came out suggesting one of the proposed plans would help reduce the deficit -- removing a key political talk radio culture … [Read more...] about Tide Turning On Health Care Reform, Democrats and Republicans?
Beautiful microscopic photos become art
From one of the weblogs at The New York Times: Showcase: In Microscopic Realm, Science Reveals Art One of the photos is from my area of work, a pattern formed by shrinkage of photoresist, used in making integrated circuits. There were many beautiful patterns I saw in microscopes during my time doing research and development. There are times I miss those hours of looking through … [Read more...] about Beautiful microscopic photos become art
GOP Ghosts Rise Up for Health Care
In time for Halloween, Republican specters are rising up to scare some sense into their Congressional heirs as they move zombielike toward a possible pyrrhic victory in the hope that poll numbers "may get worse for Democrats if they pass a health-care bill." That prediction is the wisdom according to Karl Rove, who engineered the party's 2006 loss, but older and wiser … [Read more...] about GOP Ghosts Rise Up for Health Care
David Letterman Blackmailer
RJ Matson, The New York Observer This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about David Letterman Blackmailer
Intellectual Conservatism Isn’t Dead: Channel Your Inner Elder (Guest Voice)
Intellectual Conservatism Isn't Dead: Channel Your Inner Elder by Rick Moran This is the third in a series of 5 articles on the state of intellectual conservatism. Part I can be found here. Part II is here. Few speechwriters of the modern era can match the record of Peggy Noonan when it comes to memorable presidential addresses. Teddy Sorenson was of a different … [Read more...] about Intellectual Conservatism Isn’t Dead: Channel Your Inner Elder (Guest Voice)
Stimulation Without The S-Word (Guest Voice)
WASHINGTON -- So now we know: The economic stimulus plan passed by Congress at the beginning of the year was not big enough. We also know this: Once it secures a health care bill -- yes, it will get one -- the Obama administration from that moment to the 2010 midterm elections will be all about jobs, jobs, jobs. In the face of persistently high unemployment, … [Read more...] about Stimulation Without The S-Word (Guest Voice)
Sometimes Indecision Is a Good Thing
Like when you might possibly be deciding whether to drop one or more 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities: … [Read more...] about Sometimes Indecision Is a Good Thing
Thugs Pick On The Wrong Drag Queens
This story out of Wales. A couple of presumably drunk street thugs saw some drag queens on the street in the town of Swansea and decided that it was their job to go over and take care of the guys they saw as wimps. Well it turns out those guys were a couple of cage fighters. They proceeded to beat the crud out of their attackers. Just goes to show that homophobes … [Read more...] about Thugs Pick On The Wrong Drag Queens
“Obama is Intellectual but Incompetent,” Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal, 83, described as America's greatest essayist and one of its best-selling novelists, says he has in his life “crashed many barriers.” Vidal's brutal manner of criticism hasn't waned. The United States of America, he says, is a "madhouse" and its President is "overwhelmed" and "incompetent". Last year he famously switched allegiance from Hillary Clinton to Barack … [Read more...] about “Obama is Intellectual but Incompetent,” Gore Vidal
Roman Polanski
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Roman Polanski
Bob Dole Breaks With Mitch McConnell On Health Care Reform?
The split between Republicans may be getting more public as the reality sinks in that a vote is near on health care reform. And former Senator Bob Dole is now coming out in favor of it -- and seemingly taking a swipe at Senate Minority leader Mitch (Dr. No) McConnell, the Kansas City Star reports: "This is one of the most important measures members of Congress will vote on … [Read more...] about Bob Dole Breaks With Mitch McConnell On Health Care Reform?
Pharmaceutical Industry Golfers Are The Biggest Cheats
Behavioral economist Dan Ariely got a golf company to send out e-mails surveys to their users. 17,000 people to responded. On Marketplace yesterday he discussed his findings: First of all, it turns out that people in the pharmaceutical industry cheated a lot, but they also said their industry is the most honest that there is. There are some other interesting comparisons. For … [Read more...] about Pharmaceutical Industry Golfers Are The Biggest Cheats
No Dry Humor, Please; We’re Conservatives
Anne Leary, a blogger unknown to me before today, has hit her 15 minutes of fame with her post today about spotting Bill Ayers at D.C.'s Reagan International Airport and -- after bravely approaching him despite the possibility that the "unrepentant domestic terrorist" might have a bomb hidden in his pocket -- obtaining from him the startling, unsolicited admission that he did, … [Read more...] about No Dry Humor, Please; We’re Conservatives
Purposeful Deceit? The One-Breasted Marines from Camp Le Jeune
Many men in service and their sons were exposed to poisoned water at Camp LeJeune between 1960s and 1980s, and more than 20 of the men now have male breast cancer. Many of those sick, are denied VA benefits. Completed their mission, but what is owed to them in honor... is withheld. "Among the chemicals later identified in the drinking water were trichloroethylene, a … [Read more...] about Purposeful Deceit? The One-Breasted Marines from Camp Le Jeune
Intellectual Conservatism Isn’t Dead: Would You Buy a Used Car from a Liberal? (Part II)
[Editor's Note: This post is revised and republished from earlier today to correct a series of typos in the original, caused not by the author's hand but by the transfer of digital copy from one medium to the next. No material changes were made to the content. -- PMA] ----------------------- By Rick Moran Should conservatives pay any attention to liberals who … [Read more...] about Intellectual Conservatism Isn’t Dead: Would You Buy a Used Car from a Liberal? (Part II)
The People’s Republic of China Isn’t What the West Thinks: Gazeta, Russia
Is it possible that the People's Republic of China is in fact not aggressive at all, and wants to create 'harmonious international relations?' According to Fyodor Lukyanov of Russia's Gazeta newspaper, Western countries - including Russia, may be superimposing their own ways of thinking on the Chinese, and hence, drawing the wrong conclusions. For Gazeta, Fyodor Lukyanov … [Read more...] about The People’s Republic of China Isn’t What the West Thinks: Gazeta, Russia
Why We’re Going To Bail Out the Banks Again
Here we go again. Yves Smith links to a WSJ article that highlights how banks are not saving nearly as much as they should be for expected losses in the commercial real estate sector, assets that could lose $1-$2 trillion. Calculatedrisk has a series of posts that hammer the point home: up to 20% of all hotels defaulting (with a larger percentage of the debt defaulting), … [Read more...] about Why We’re Going To Bail Out the Banks Again
Jonathan Ayers . . . One Month Later
About a month ago, I wrote an article about Jonathan Ayers, a Georgia Baptist Pastor who was killed by a plain-clothes undercover narcotics officer during a botched raid. As I mentioned in that article, Ayers was not the target of the investigation, but was shot by one of the narcotics officers as he attempted to drive away. According to the county sheriff, Ayers was shot … [Read more...] about Jonathan Ayers . . . One Month Later
RX: The Congressional Republican Health Care Remedy
Here is my advice to the Republican Congressional Leadership... let the Democratic Leadership pass their health care bill as soon as possible. I can hear the cries of the disbelieving right already. Campbell - are you insane? No, I am very sound of mind, take a minute to think through the scenario. Today, the Gallup company put out a poll that says that 21% of the … [Read more...] about RX: The Congressional Republican Health Care Remedy