In Renaissance Europe, and in the ancient and medieval Hindu and Mughal societies, the young courtesans were much in news and played a vital role. Even in this computer age the tradition continues as exemplified by a Romanian teenager who auctioned off her virginity for $20,000. Alina Percea, 18, has spoken for the first time about her night with the highest bidder, reports … [Read more...] about Romanian Teenager’s Virgin Offering
The ‘Good Fable’ of Lance Armstrong: Liberation, France
Could it be that Lance Armstrong, the American that continues, year after year, to win France's most renowned sporting event, has been using banned substances all along? Is this a legitimate gripe or just sour grapes? This article by Fabrice Rousselot of France's Liberation would lead one to believe that after all these years, Armstrong has lost none of his capacity to raise … [Read more...] about The ‘Good Fable’ of Lance Armstrong: Liberation, France
China’s “Bloodiest Clashes” In 20 Years
Tibet and Xianjiang provinces in China have remained turbulent spots often plagued with ethnic violence. Last weekend 156 persons were killed and hundreds injured in Urumqi, the capital city of the Xianjiang province, in what is being described as" bloodiest clashes in the country since the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989." The details remain murky, but the real figure … [Read more...] about China’s “Bloodiest Clashes” In 20 Years
Pop Killed the King of Pop
Watching the coverage of the death of Michael Jackson has disgusted me. It wasn’t the horrific OK! Magazine front page, or the so called ‘Friends of Michael’ speaking to anyone who wants to listen or a US congressman’s comments that engulfed me with the deepest sense of green vomitry but its the way the coverage has been conducted– with the disrespectful tone in which they have … [Read more...] about Pop Killed the King of Pop
Death of the Best and Brightest
Robert S. McNamara, who died today at 93, was the exemplar of American know-how gone awry in a world too complicated for the practical mindset that built the most powerful nation on earth in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. As one of JFK's "whiz kids" who went on to become LBJ's architect of the disastrous war in Vietnam, McNamara exemplified the limits of … [Read more...] about Death of the Best and Brightest
Pete King Attacks the King of Pop
David Neiwert has a really, really good response at Crooks and Liars to Rep. Peter King's unhinged rant against Michael Jackson. … [Read more...] about Pete King Attacks the King of Pop
On the Heroism of Cassie Wallender
Republicans historically have been known as the Party of Lincoln, the party that freed the slaves. Of course, in recent history that legacy has been tarnished by a long string of politicians and GOP leaders that have said things that can only be seen as bigoted. The recent story of Young Republican candidate Audra Shay responding to a racist comment on Facebook is but the … [Read more...] about On the Heroism of Cassie Wallender
Environmentalism Trumps Jobs
Being a resident of California almost requires you to be some form of environmentalist and I certainly am one who is concerned about the environment and making sure we do what we can to protect it. But I also believe we need a level of realism in balancing the environment with the economy. Unless we plan to move into caves again we need to recognize that work and environment … [Read more...] about Environmentalism Trumps Jobs
Religion and Politics in Iran
This is kind of a wow. … [Read more...] about Religion and Politics in Iran
Cartoonists React To Sarah Palin Resignation
As expected, cartoonists are having a field day with the news that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is resigning. Here are a few of the most recent cartoons. Sarah Palin Quits Nate Beeler, The Washington Examiner Sarah Palin's Mainstream Media Player RJ Matson, Roll Call Bailin' Palin Mike Lane, Cagle Cartoons These cartoons are copyrighted and licensed to run on … [Read more...] about Cartoonists React To Sarah Palin Resignation
Big Banks Will Turn Down California IOUs
"No!" That's the message some big banks will reportedly start giving on Friday when they are presented with California IOUs, the Wall Street Journal reports -- in yet another sign of how far California's financial clout and status have fallen: A group of the biggest U.S. banks said they would stop accepting California's IOUs on Friday, adding pressure on the state to … [Read more...] about Big Banks Will Turn Down California IOUs
Regulation Spurs Innovation: The Energy-Efficient Incandescent Light Bulb
The big three lighting companies — General Electric, Sylvania and Philips — are all working on energy efficient incandescent bulbs, as is Auer Lighting of Germany and Toshiba of Japan. The NYTimes: Indeed, the incandescent bulb is turning into a case study of the way government mandates can spur innovation. “There’s a massive misperception that incandescents are going … [Read more...] about Regulation Spurs Innovation: The Energy-Efficient Incandescent Light Bulb
Crazy Old Party
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Crazy Old Party
Robert McNamara, Architect of Vietnam War, Has Died
Tim Weiner, New York Times reporter and author of Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA (I've read the book; it's first rate), has a long, absorbing article about the former Defense Secretary's career, which is also a mini-history of U.S. foreign policy at the height of the Cold War. McNamara is a complex, contradictory character, fascinating to read about. He was widely … [Read more...] about Robert McNamara, Architect of Vietnam War, Has Died
Conservative Columnist Douthat on Sarah Palin
A reader commented on a recent post discussing Pulitzer Prize winner Leonard Pitts' column on Governor Sanford's "I made a mistake, so all is cool now" excuse as follows: Pitts is a lightweight, predictable Dem columnist, simply less tiresome than worse hack Paul Krugman and more substantial than worse-than-worthless Maureen Dowd. Feeling real bad about my poor columnist … [Read more...] about Conservative Columnist Douthat on Sarah Palin
The Flag of Equal Marriage
From Studio360's Gay Flag Design Challenge comes The Flag of Equal Marriage, an evolving protest flag for equal marriage rights in the United States: The stars on the Jan 1, 2010 flag represent the states that actively perform same-sex marriages. Stars are arranged on the blue field in order of each state's admission into the union. The stars are: Massachusetts - #6 … [Read more...] about The Flag of Equal Marriage
How the Subtext Reads in Governor Sarah Palin’s Resignation Speech
Pundits and Press are likely making a mistake in calling Governor Sarah Palin down for the count, or TKO'd. I listened to her complete speech, and like many others thought it rambled on. But, as a shrink who from time to time analyzes documents and speeches for criminal lawyers, I know that rambling is often only a sign of impassioned assertion and ....not reading from notes … [Read more...] about How the Subtext Reads in Governor Sarah Palin’s Resignation Speech
Rep. Peter King (R-NY): Michael Jackson A ‘Pervert,’ ‘Pedophile’
NPR: Rep. Peter King may be speaking for a lot of people with his tirade against the media for devoting so much time to Michael Jackson's death. Even some of us media people are wearying of the some of the excessive cable TV coverage. King, a Republican congressman who represents a conservative Long Island, NY district, is especially ticked because all this attention is … [Read more...] about Rep. Peter King (R-NY): Michael Jackson A ‘Pervert,’ ‘Pedophile’
OMG! A Palin-Sanford Ticket For 2012
If I were South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, I would stroll down to the store, select a Hallmark card and mail it to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, saying "Thank you, thank you, thank you for getting me off Page One and the cable news networks." Or, as Maureen Dowd in her Sunday column in The New York Times wrote: "As Alaskans settled in to enjoy holiday salmon bakes and the … [Read more...] about OMG! A Palin-Sanford Ticket For 2012
After Palin’s “Higher Calling,” It’s Back to Sanford’s “I Made a Mistake.”
The limelight and media attention during the long Fourth of July weekend has been hogged by a certain lady from Alaska with her "higher calling." While we are waiting for the next shoe to drop in Wasilla, it's time to revisit the many shoes that have already dropped in South Carolina. And who better to take us there than Pulitzer Prize winner Leonard Pitts Jr. While … [Read more...] about After Palin’s “Higher Calling,” It’s Back to Sanford’s “I Made a Mistake.”