So you know how CNN's medical guru, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is a Big Pharma flack? Well, it looks like, at least when it comes to health-care reform, the whole network is in the pocket of Big Insurance as well. As Greg Sargent reports at The Plum Line, CNN has refused to air an ad from Americans United for Change criticizing "insurance companies and Republicans." The official … [Read more...] about Is CNN in Bed with Big Insurance?
Twitter Recovering From Denial of Service Attack. Facebook, FriendFeed and LiveJournal Also Report Problems.
NYTimes Bits Blog: Twitter, the popular microblogging service, was crippled Thursday morning by a denial-of-service attack. The extended silence in a normally noisy Twitterworld began around 9 a.m. Twitter later posted a note to its status update page saying the site had been slowed to a standstill by an attack. [...] Other sites reported that they were targets of … [Read more...] about Twitter Recovering From Denial of Service Attack. Facebook, FriendFeed and LiveJournal Also Report Problems.
The Heartless and Wrong Critics of Bill Clinton’s Trip to North Korea
I tweeted a bit on this last night, but I must stress again: The response from certain right-wingers to Bill Clinton's trip to North Korea to free the two American prisoners is simply appalling. Apparently, Krauthammer, Bolton, Morris, and their cruel and wrong ilk would rather Laura Ling and Euna Lee have rotted away in a totalitarian labour camp. They claim, without … [Read more...] about The Heartless and Wrong Critics of Bill Clinton’s Trip to North Korea
One Of Two New Polls Shows Obama Falling Support At 50%
Two new polls are out and neither have good news for President Barack Obama as his Presidency nears the 200 day mark: A CNN poll has him dropping 7 points in a month, to a 56% approval rating while a new Quinnipiac Poll puts him at 50 percent. The big drop? According to CNN the biggest drop and the one that is doing the most damage is amont white male voters -- a sign of … [Read more...] about One Of Two New Polls Shows Obama Falling Support At 50%
“The Wedding Gown That Made History”
Lilly and Ludwig Friedman on their wedding day, Jan. 27, 1946. Introduction: I received this touching article via e-mail a couple of months ago. A note at the end of the e-mail says: In MEMORIAM - 63 YEARS LATER It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the six … [Read more...] about “The Wedding Gown That Made History”
Home is not recess anymore
Every year members of Congress have a late summer reprieve from the stress of being on the Hill - it's called the district work period. This is the time of the year where members can go home, attend a few barbecues, have a couple of fundraisers and have most of their yearly photo ops in the district. This year's district work period has turned into the battle for health care … [Read more...] about Home is not recess anymore
Polite Questions Deserve Polite Answers
The last few weeks there has been a lot of debate and discussion over the town hall meetings and the disruptions of those meetings by those upset over the health care proposals. I certainly agree with Joe that both sides need to lighten up a little bit. I'm a big fan of free speech but I do think that some of the protesters have gone a little bit overboard in their efforts to … [Read more...] about Polite Questions Deserve Polite Answers
August 6, 1945 Hiroshima: For Those Who Came, But Could Not Stay
FOR THOSE WHO CAME, BUT COULD NOT STAY While you and I were being born, growing “in the little bread oven”... as it was often said back then... there were other little babies across the world, suddenly thrust into real ovens, and they were not allowed to grow any more. Don’t tell me that that is the past and none of our concern. This is in cellular … [Read more...] about August 6, 1945 Hiroshima: For Those Who Came, But Could Not Stay
India: Have Car…Will Travel…To Chaos?
The arrival of the "People's Car" (equivalent US$2,421) -- Nano -- on Indian roads "is a symbol of the coming-of-age of mass consumerism in the developing world," says Andrew Buncombe of The Independent. "India's roads are broken and inadequate, the country is overcrowded and there is a middle class of anywhere up to 300 million people who might be tempted to buy a Nano. The … [Read more...] about India: Have Car…Will Travel…To Chaos?
Washington Post Pulls Plug On Dana Milbank Chris Cillizza “Comedy” Videos
Let's just call it an idea whose time hasn't come, partially because the comedy timing never came: the Washington Post has (mercifully, thankfully, graciously) pulled plug on Dana Milbank and Chris Cillizza's video "Mouthpiece Theater." Howard Kurtz's piece in The Post reports: Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli killed the satirical video series Wednesday after harsh … [Read more...] about Washington Post Pulls Plug On Dana Milbank Chris Cillizza “Comedy” Videos
Funding the President’s Healthcare Program: Plans to Increase Middle-Class Taxes? (Guest Voice)
Funding the President’s Healthcare Program: Plans to Increase Middle-Class Taxes? by Michael Reagan In last week’s column, we discussed President Obama and his administration’s dangerous habit of making important policy statements and decisions before having all of the facts available. Well, this week some of President Obama’s top lieutenants, including Treasury Secretary … [Read more...] about Funding the President’s Healthcare Program: Plans to Increase Middle-Class Taxes? (Guest Voice)
Democrats and Republicans: Why Not Lighten Up On Healthcare Townhalls?
A suggestion to Democrats and Republicans: why not lighten up on the upcoming healthcare reform townhalls? News reports have already explained what will happen: Democrats will be trying to explain their view of healthcare reform and -- in the best tradition of democracy -- GOPers will try to pack the meetings and in some cases drown out a detailed discussion so there are some … [Read more...] about Democrats and Republicans: Why Not Lighten Up On Healthcare Townhalls?
APA Reports: Sexual Orientation Cannot Be Changed
A two-year study conducted by the American Psychological Association on the effectiveness of "conversion" therapies in turning gay people straight has concluded what most rational people already knew: It cannot be done (emphasis mine). … [Read more...] about APA Reports: Sexual Orientation Cannot Be Changed
Can’t Get Enough of This Joyful Reunion
You know, as we all know, there is this terrible aspect of human nature that people seem to be drawn to disaster and tragedy. Hence, we get the unexplainable: Americans watching scenes of people falling from the Twin Towers over and over and over. That's just the most horrific example, of course: anyone who's ever been in a car on a highway with a car crash up ahead knows how … [Read more...] about Can’t Get Enough of This Joyful Reunion
Massachusetts Health Insurance Plan Doing Just Fine
Negative narratives about the crippling expense of publicly funded health care coverage are as plentiful as mushrooms after a rain. Most of them have little, if any, merit -- and, according to an editorial in today's Boston Globe, the one about Massachusetts' plan being a fiscal nightmare is flat-out wrong: … [Read more...] about Massachusetts Health Insurance Plan Doing Just Fine
If Farrakhan Can Pull It Off, Why Can’t The Tea Party Protesters?
Back on October 16, 1995, I attended the Million Man March (MMM) organized by Nation Of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan. While I wasn't a supporter of the Nation Of Islam, I was very curious about the entire event. Hmm... A million black men pledging to be better husbands, fathers, leaders, etc? What's not to like about that? Sure Minister Farrakhan was/is … [Read more...] about If Farrakhan Can Pull It Off, Why Can’t The Tea Party Protesters?
Laura Ling and Euna Lee: Welcome Home!
I'm sure many of you have already seen the video of Laura Ling and Euna Lee after their safe return to the United States, but I don't think it's been posted here yet, so here it is. … [Read more...] about Laura Ling and Euna Lee: Welcome Home!
Jefferson Guilty
Former Congressman William Jefferson has been found guilty on 11 of the 16 charges against him, likely sending him to prison. Jefferson lost his heavily Democratic district in an upset last year. … [Read more...] about Jefferson Guilty
Slick Willie Clinton To The Rescue
The propaganda wheels are spinning in overdrive as former President Bill Clinton returns from his North Korea journey with released hostages, journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling. The New York Times in its NEWS report SPECULATED in its FIRST paragraph that Clinton's successful mission opens the door for fruitful negotiations between the two countries over the nuclear weapons … [Read more...] about Slick Willie Clinton To The Rescue
Shall We Say to Hell With Joe Biden?: Izvestia, Russia
Although it didn't make much of an impact in the United States, Vice President Joe Biden's recent interview with the Wall Street Journal has gotten tongues wagging in Russia's media as well as the Kremlin. It's fair to say that the vice president has hit a Russian nerve. In this article from Russia's Izvestia newspaper, political scientist Georgiy Bovt exhorts his countrymen … [Read more...] about Shall We Say to Hell With Joe Biden?: Izvestia, Russia