The Politics of Race -- Flames Fanned by a Former President by Michael Reagan The Democrats, led by certain members of Congress and former President Jimmy Carter, have developed a new tactic to dismiss growing displeasure with President Obama’s policies. As his approval ratings continue to drop, hesitancy over health care has snarled the plan’s progress, and tens of … [Read more...] about The Politics of Race — Flames Fanned by a Former President (Guest Voice)
Photo Cropping As Editorial Fakery
David Hume Kennerly sees fakery: The Sept. 14th Newsweek cover line — “Is Your Baby Racist?” — should have included a sub-head, “Is Dick Cheney a Butcher?” Featured inside the magazine was a full-page, stand-alone picture of former Vice President Dick Cheney, knife in hand, leaning over a bloody carving board. Newsweek used it to illustrate a quote that he made about C.I.A. … [Read more...] about Photo Cropping As Editorial Fakery
British Company’s Toxic Terrorism & Africans
After bitterly contesting the case, a British oil trading giant has agreed to a multimillion-pound payout to settle a huge damages claim from thousands of Africans who fell ill from tonnes of toxic waste dumped illegally in one of the worst pollution incidents in decades, reports The Independent. The Western world has shown remarkable tolerance towards … [Read more...] about British Company’s Toxic Terrorism & Africans
The Successful Beer Cooler Earth Orbit Science Mission
A beer cooler as part of a successful scientific mission in Outer Space -- returning photos no less? Not a joke, but for real. It's a story that shows how young, enterprising scientific thinking and MIT rock. Details here. … [Read more...] about The Successful Beer Cooler Earth Orbit Science Mission
Rush Limbaugh Does It Again
How many times can I write about Rush Limbaugh hitting a new low? So I'll let direct you to Megan McArdle, Andrew Sullivan, Dallas Morning News columnist Rod Dreher, and Conor Friedersdorf, let them do it. And you can find some others on this page. I'll just say: "Ditto." His fans will always insist, "You don't get Rush." Or "Rush was only joking." Or they will go on the … [Read more...] about Rush Limbaugh Does It Again
Pardon the Interruption
Nate Beeler, The Washington Examiner This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Pardon the Interruption
USA & Apocalypse Theorists
Ever since the collapse of the mighty Soviet Union, the doomsayers are having field day predicting the break-up of India and Pakistan. Last year, a leading Russian political analyst stated that the economic turmoil in the USA had confirmed his long-held view that the country would divide into separate parts. Cashing on this phobia, Slate offered last month a "week-long … [Read more...] about USA & Apocalypse Theorists
Orly Taitz Has About 17 Screws Loose
Justin Elliott at Talking Points Memo interviewed her earlier today. She compared herself to Nelson Mandela and accused Judge Clay Land of treason. No point in trying to quote from the TPM piece. I wouldn't know which part to choose. Just read it. It's jaw-dropping. … [Read more...] about Orly Taitz Has About 17 Screws Loose
Mary Travers is Dead
Mary Travers has died at age 72. Her group, Peter, Paul, and Mary, were often scorned by folk purists who disdained their popularization of the folk idiom in the early-60s. But there can be little doubt that the group's harmonies opened mainstream US society folk, with its long history of advocacy for civil rights, unions, and peace. Through their covers of Bob Dylan's … [Read more...] about Mary Travers is Dead
Did Secretary Gates Tame the Lion?
As I wrote yesterday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates planned to address the Air Force Association (AFA) today. U.S. News & World Report compared Gates’ appearance at the AFA, an association “made up in part of retired pilots and Air Force brass who were shocked when Gates last year fired the Air Force secretary and chief of staff over reports of a nuclear mishap,” and who … [Read more...] about Did Secretary Gates Tame the Lion?
The Little Poet of Laugh-In Has Died: Henry Gibson, Age 72
Henry Gibson, who was born James Bateman in Germantown, PA, served in the USAF and later took Henry Gibson as his stage name... a play on the name of the great playright Henrik Ibsen, who wrote amongst others, the play Hedda Gabler, which you may remember was about a willful soul who raced her father's horses while standing on the seat of the coach, yet married a dry academic … [Read more...] about The Little Poet of Laugh-In Has Died: Henry Gibson, Age 72
Testing The Obama Effect (Guest Voice)
McLEAN, Va. -- Will the bitter, smoldering feelings let loose by Washington's health care fight ricochet across the Potomac River and decide Virginia's race for governor? Will a Republican be able to escape his right-wing record and his incendiary past writings to rebrand himself as a pragmatist? The battle for the Virginia statehouse always gets outsized national … [Read more...] about Testing The Obama Effect (Guest Voice)
Bipartisanship – Compare and Contrast
I found this headline interesting, in the context of I do NOT recall ever seeing the like during the eight years of the administration of President George W. Bush: White House To Meet With Anti-Abortion Activists Next Week Did President George W. Bush ever meet with people who were in vocally public opposition to the policies and positions of his political base? I do not … [Read more...] about Bipartisanship – Compare and Contrast
How Many Seas Must A White Dove Sail… Mary Travers Takes Wing
It was a time, it was a time... hard rain's gonna fall,.. but don't think twice it's alright, it's all gonna be alright babe... Mary Travers, has passed the bar at age 72 from leukemia after a bone marrow transplant gave her three more years. The long blonde-haired original was the female contralto voice in the American folk group, Peter, Paul and Mary which rose to … [Read more...] about How Many Seas Must A White Dove Sail… Mary Travers Takes Wing
Science, the press, and politics – Can even experimentally verified facts be reported correctly with context? It appears not…
People who read "hard sci-fi" or who paid attention in their basic Physics class (assuming they were even required to take one, sigh...) are aware of the concept of magentic monopoles. If they exist, they would be similar in behavior to the proton and electron, the electric monopoles for positive and negative charge respectively. In other words, there would be a "north pole" … [Read more...] about Science, the press, and politics – Can even experimentally verified facts be reported correctly with context? It appears not…
Jimmy Carter & Racism Without Racists
Over at The Corner, Abigail Thernstrom has about had it with the white racist chorus: It’s a sad and dangerous moment in American politics. As Stanford law professor Richard Thompson Ford has written, “self-serving individuals, rabble-rousers, and political hacks use accusations of racism . . . to advance their own ends." Those accusations provoke "resentment rather than … [Read more...] about Jimmy Carter & Racism Without Racists
BREAKING: Mary Travers Has Died of Cancer
I just found out, via TPM, that Mary Travers, of the 1960s and '70s trio Peter, Paul, and Mary, has died of cancer at the age of 72. … [Read more...] about BREAKING: Mary Travers Has Died of Cancer
What’s In and Not In the Baucus Health Care Plan?
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus's plan has been released -- and has set off a flurry of news articles, analysis and blog posts on the left, center and right, many of which take positions on the proposed plan. In response to a reader's email about offering a compact roundup on the plan, here are some must reads/must views. The Christian Science Monitor offers … [Read more...] about What’s In and Not In the Baucus Health Care Plan?
Judge Throws Out Birther Case, Blasts Lawyer
This is utterly delicious: … [Read more...] about Judge Throws Out Birther Case, Blasts Lawyer
Poll: Obama as “Anti-Christ?”
From Public Policy Polling (sigh): We've been uncovering a remarkable level of anger toward Barack Obama in a lot of our recent polling so for New Jersey we decided to go a step further in determining how extreme some people's feelings are about the President and asked respondents if they think he is the Anti-Christ. 8% said yes. 13% aren't sure. Among Republicans 14% … [Read more...] about Poll: Obama as “Anti-Christ?”