Anyone who has seen the film The Miracle Worker will remember the scene in the dining room where young Helen Keller (played by Patty Duke) eats her meal by going around the table grabbing food from everyone's plates. Her parents, who pity her "affliction" as they call it, and at the same time feel intimidated by it, allow her to do this because they don't know how to treat her … [Read more...] about Time to Learn Some Table Manners
The Kindle’s Orwellian Moment: Lessons & Warnings
The day after and the hubbub is dying down. Still, a quick follow-up to yesterday's news that Amazon E-Deleted Bought And Paid For Orwell Titles From Kindles is in order. Here then, some thoughts from the legal eagles... Yale Law School's Jack Balkin: This story is a perfect example of Jonathan Zittrain's analysis of "tethered appliances," that is, appliances like the … [Read more...] about The Kindle’s Orwellian Moment: Lessons & Warnings
Pat and Sonia
As a black man let me say that there is not much that I and Patrick J Buchanan agree on. Although I admire his forthright unvarnished demeanor, I think that his world view is based on the baseless premises that white male Americans are gods real chosen people. With that said I do consider Uncle Pat to be an evil genius. I think his oratorical skills are up there with … [Read more...] about Pat and Sonia
Our Troops In Iraq Becoming Sitting Ducks
The withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from within Iraqi cities is not going too well. Whether it's a language translation of the U.S.-Iraqi security agreement or grandstanding by the Shiite-dominated government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, is unclear. U.S. commanders are complaining their hands are tied defending themselves from attacks by Shiite militias or Sunni … [Read more...] about Our Troops In Iraq Becoming Sitting Ducks
It’s Not Just the Deep South
Let's say you have a baby in a stroller but you find a deal on a used appliance that you just can't pass up. What to do? Fresh from the camera, another of those scenes that makes you ask, What the Heck? When you see images like this, they are often accompanied by stories about rednecks, trailers, and something south of the Mason-Dixon line. Except this one is an original, taken … [Read more...] about It’s Not Just the Deep South
All Eyes On Rafsanjani In Iran
Big developments In Iran. Meir Javedanfar, writing on RealClearWorld: The most important takeaway message from Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani's Friday sermon in Iran today is that the regime now faces one of the most important crisis since the inception of the Islamic Republic. This is in direct contrast to President Ahmadinejad, who has dismissed the events as marginal … [Read more...] about All Eyes On Rafsanjani In Iran
If You Read Anything This Year …
Read this: A democracy is essentially about determining the course of our nation together. To do that, it helps a lot to have a good citizenry. A good citizenry is informed, serious about things that are worth taking seriously, and not liable to be led off course by demagogues. (Everyone doesn't have to be like this, but you need a critical mass of people who are.) But I've … [Read more...] about If You Read Anything This Year …
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Tweets of the Week
Larry J. Sabato: Tweets of the Week The Crystal Ball's new feature, Tweets of the Week, showcases some highlights from the past week in politics. Read more analysis from University of Virginia Center for Politics Director, and Crystal Ball founder, Larry Sabato on Twitter here. 9:54 PM Jul 10th: As the author of "A More Perfect Constitution," I'm delighted that both CA … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Tweets of the Week
Cronkite
For the oldest of us, the Evening News died yesterday, the "most trusted man in America" who came into our living rooms every weekday night and told us about what was happening beyond our own senses, "And that's the way it is." For two tumultuous decades, before 24/7 cable and the Internet, Walter Cronkite was the face of the news, mediating between millions of Americans and … [Read more...] about Cronkite
Walter Cronkite: What Journalists Can Learn From This Legend
America's legendary broadcaster Walter Cronkite, who passed away at age 92, would be long remembered among the journalist fraternity in the world for the basic things he upheld/promoted as a professional all his life: Excellence, Integrity, Accuracy, Fairness, Objectivity. Really, the world would be a better place if journalists left aside the frills and returned to these … [Read more...] about Walter Cronkite: What Journalists Can Learn From This Legend
Exchange of the Day
From yesterday, actually: Responding to a comment from David Walker, the former head of the Government Accountability Office, that “You can’t cut [costs] by expanding coverage” to the nearly 50 million uninsured, Mr. Summers said, “We’ve rejected that view.” … [Read more...] about Exchange of the Day
10 Reasons Why We Will Never See Another Walter Cronkite Again
To many of us baby boomers who had been or are in the news biz, Walter Cronkite, who died yesterday at the age of 92, was a journalistic role model who represented a kind of trustworthy reporting that had been nurtured during World War II and blossomed in the early to mid 60s -- one we assumed would thrive and blossom forever. Just as Cronkite didn't, it didn't. Here are 10 … [Read more...] about 10 Reasons Why We Will Never See Another Walter Cronkite Again
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: FIFTY YEARS LATER
Larry J. Sabato: FIFTY YEARS LATER: REVISITING THE LEGACY OF MASSIVE RESISTANCE The following article is the unedited version of a commentary piece as submitted to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Fifty years have now passed since the dark days of Massive Resistance, when public schools in some Virginia localities were shuttered rather than integrated. Virginia has had an … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: FIFTY YEARS LATER
The Brilliance and Sadness of Zoos: Animal Mothers Walk Away From Their Young
People wonder about mothers, human and animal, who walk away from their babies... who refuse and do not nurture their young, who literally walk away, stray out late, leave the child in the bush, in the car, at home alone unable to reach the doorknob and without food... the children cry themselves to sleep, furry or human child, matters not... each needs a mother, her … [Read more...] about The Brilliance and Sadness of Zoos: Animal Mothers Walk Away From Their Young
Walter Cronkite: A Voice That Defined an Era
Some people can never see the name "Walter Cronkite" in any context without thinking, "He and the rest of the liberal media made us lose in Vietnam." Yes, even now, 35 years and huge uncountable numbers of books, articles, films, declassified primary sources, original research, conferences, scholarly papers, eyewitness accounts, et al., later, there still exist media pundits, … [Read more...] about Walter Cronkite: A Voice That Defined an Era
America Deserves to Be ‘More Appreciated’: Cotidianul, Romania
When looking for articles about the United States in the foreign press, one often finds columnists quoting the founding fathers and preaching to their readers about the glories of America and its legacy. This article from Romania's Cotidianul newspaper gives us both a peak into Romania and a sense of the esteem many people abroad hold our nation. Citing the election of … [Read more...] about America Deserves to Be ‘More Appreciated’: Cotidianul, Romania
What Walter Cronkite Means to Me
Walter Cronkite: 1916-2009 Walter Cronkite, who died today at age 92, left a tremendous imprint on the lives of millions of Americans and generations of journalists, including myself. He stood for being the people's tribune, he stood for a dispassionate accounting of the facts, he stood for all of the ideals that today's journalists consider articles of faith, chief of … [Read more...] about What Walter Cronkite Means to Me
End of An Era: The Venerable Newsman, Walter Cronkite Passes from This World at Age 92
Walter Cronkite who covered the landing at the beaches of Normandy, who covered the Nazis' final crumbling at the Nuremburg Trials, who announced the assassination of President John Kennedy... Mr. Cronkite lived in the midst of the most compelling, horrible, and expansive times of the last hundred years. You've left the world with ever so many stories to tell-- for, as you … [Read more...] about End of An Era: The Venerable Newsman, Walter Cronkite Passes from This World at Age 92
Walter Cronkite Has Died
Breaking News Alert The New York Times Friday, July 17, 2009 -- 8:14 PM ET ----- Walter Cronkite, Iconic Anchorman, Dead at 92 Walter Cronkite, an iconic CBS News journalist who defined the role of anchorman for a generation of television viewers, died Friday at the age of 92, his family said. … [Read more...] about Walter Cronkite Has Died
On The Day Lt. Bradshaw Died For His Country…
I have, on several occasions, quoted or referred to Letters to the Editor. Letters written daily by thousands of regular Americans, containing unbelievably good common sense and wisdom---sometimes, sadness and frustration. Letters that, in my opinion, are an accurate barometer of how regular Americans feel about the problems and issues that face our nation. One such … [Read more...] about On The Day Lt. Bradshaw Died For His Country…