With America mired in a recession, and the latest job numbers worse than expected, it's a natural "hook" for a story about fireworks throughout the country. Is the recession causing fireworks displays to fizzle? There are some contradictory reports. For instance, NBC News reports that financial crisis has caused many communities to either eliminate fireworks, cut back or … [Read more...] about Recession Fizzles Fireworks Displays (Or Not?)
Michael Jackson – Now it starts
The headline says it all: LAPD Under Scrutiny After Jackson's Death Let the speculation and creation of conspiracy theories begin... --- Cross-posted between Random Fate and The Moderate Voice. --- Technorati : LAPD, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson death Del.icio.us : LAPD, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson death Zooomr : LAPD, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson death … [Read more...] about Michael Jackson – Now it starts
For Those Lost To Us In These Last Many Days
THE LITTLEST LAZARUS How can you have died? No, no. 'Tooo young, tooo young,' hoot the owls in the night pines... How can you have died with your wings spread out so beautifully, two little silver-gray fans with vanes perfectly aligned, literally zipped shut so as to make your feathers air-tight, impervious to being split by wind... All so you could fly. So you could … [Read more...] about For Those Lost To Us In These Last Many Days
Honduras: Set the bar high for democracy in the Americas
With US support, the Organization of American States has threatened to expel Honduras. The Pentagon has cut off military ties. Our Secretary of State wants the actions of the Honduran government to be "condemned by all". Kathy describes this situation as one of regional democracy at work. Personally, I am more inclined to James Kirchick's view that it is extremely strange … [Read more...] about Honduras: Set the bar high for democracy in the Americas
Bombs-Away Bolton Urges Israel to Strike Iran
Here he is, heaving and gasping, ecstasy contorting his face as he fantasizes: … [Read more...] about Bombs-Away Bolton Urges Israel to Strike Iran
Gays In The Military Now!
This week, both the editorial columns in both the New Republic and the New Yorker are demanding that Barack Obama demonstrate his commitment to gay rights by revoking "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" so that gay men and women can serve openly in the US military. The editors at both publications seem to have forgotten the conventional wisdom of just a few months ago: Don't make the … [Read more...] about Gays In The Military Now!
“We Were All Ahmadinejads Then”
Hooman Majd in TNR: One Mousavi campaign manager was asked about the brutality of [the regime], way back, when [Mousavi] was prime minister in the 1980s. The staffer answered, "We were all Ahmadinejads then." After 6/12, we Iranians are all Mousavis now, even those who voted for Ahmadinejad, whether they know it yet or not.Cross-posted at Conventional Folly … [Read more...] about “We Were All Ahmadinejads Then”
Government Refinancing Available For Up To 125% Of Home Value
I don't have much to add to the news that Fannie/Freddie are allowing homeowners to refinance for amounts up to 125% of their home value that Yves doesn't cover. The intention of the program is very clear: it's meant to allow people to stay in their homes/have more money for consumption (or other debt payments) in circumstances when they should most likely just throw in the … [Read more...] about Government Refinancing Available For Up To 125% Of Home Value
Obama Can Kiss Iranian Help in Afghanistan Goodbye: Kayhan, Islamic Republic of Iran
With the White House launching the U.S. military into its first big offensive in Afghanistan since President Obama took office, this angry and sarcastic article from Iran's state-controlled Kayhan newspaper cannot be good news. Writing for Kayhan, Kian Mokhtari writes in part: "On Saturday, Obama rather swiftly brushed off a call by President Ahmadinejad for an apology … [Read more...] about Obama Can Kiss Iranian Help in Afghanistan Goodbye: Kayhan, Islamic Republic of Iran
Washington Post Newspaper Sh— In Its Own Mess Kit
Please excuse me, I'm a military USAF wife for twenty-one years, and I've heard all cuss words, even those not yet invented. I rarely swear... except when something is so outrageous that only the Saxon mean can tell it like it is. In military talk, we say about stump stupid acts; Never, ever sh-- where you eat, and especially, Do not sh-- in your mess kit. But today the … [Read more...] about Washington Post Newspaper Sh— In Its Own Mess Kit
Neverland Was Never Forever: Folha, Brazil
The planetary Rorschach test that is Michael Jackson's death continues with this article from Brazil's Folha newspaper. For Folha, Joao Pereira Coutinho delves into the inevitable conspiracy theories surrounding Jackson's death - and how the singer failed to grasp the myths he himself adopted and altered for his own purposes. Joao Pereira Coutinho writes in part: "Poor … [Read more...] about Neverland Was Never Forever: Folha, Brazil
The Tragedy and Narcissism of Mark Sanford
Simply, the tide is rising against him. His Argentine mistress was his "soul mate," he claims, but he wants to reconcile with his wife? Okay, but what does his wife think of that? "This was a whole lot more than a simple affair, this was a love story. A forbidden one, a tragic one, but a love story at the end of the day." Sure, I get that. And, in a way, I feel for him -- … [Read more...] about The Tragedy and Narcissism of Mark Sanford
New YouTube Enhancements
Some recent changes at YouTube... They've doubled the allowable size of uploads: We're happy to announce that the size of standard uploads has doubled from 1GB to 2GB. The increase means you can upload longer videos at a higher resolution as well as large HD files directly from your camera. In addition, the team's implemented some new features to make it easier for you … [Read more...] about New YouTube Enhancements
Those Down Under Scoundrels
We all get sucker punched by clever advertisements.This one is from Air New Zealand which headlines its latest ad of nude pilots and stewards in body paint in order to get passengers' attention on safety precautions. Bummer. I demand a refund. … [Read more...] about Those Down Under Scoundrels
A Glimpse into the Conservative Mind: Michael Scheuer and the Desire for Another Terrorist Attack on America
Maybe you read about it at Crooks and Liars (which has the video), maybe you heard about last night on The Daily Show. Here's what Michael Scheuer told Glenn Beck, crazy meets crazy, on Tuesday: The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States. Because it's going to take a grass-roots, bottom-up … [Read more...] about A Glimpse into the Conservative Mind: Michael Scheuer and the Desire for Another Terrorist Attack on America
Gays’ Historic Victory In Indian Court
The Delhi High Court today declared Section 377 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), a relic of the British Raj, "violative of articles 14, 21 and 15 of the (Indian) Constitution in so far as it criminalizes consensual sexual acts of adults in private." That means, from now on, police will no longer be able to arrest adult homosexuals having consensual sex. Gays have so far been … [Read more...] about Gays’ Historic Victory In Indian Court
Free Fire
Michael Masnick provides a link-filled road map to the star-studded fire touched off by Malcolm Gladwell's critical review of Chris Anderson's Free: The Future of a Radical Price. Masnick rolls in his own critique of the book and concludes: Gladwell's review...does Anderson's book a disservice. It criticizes it because it doesn't answer questions the book didn't set out to … [Read more...] about Free Fire
Mark Sanford Sings “I Crossed The Line”
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Mark Sanford Sings “I Crossed The Line”
Health Care Reform: Why So Damn Difficult?
Confession time: I'm still all over the board on the health care reform debate. I share the cost concerns of the cost concerned. I share the coverage concerns of the coverage concerned. I like the "cooperatives" idea; but I'm not opposed to the "public plan" idea, especially if it can be honestly structured to "compete on a level playing field with private insurers," as … [Read more...] about Health Care Reform: Why So Damn Difficult?
Karl Malden (1912-2009)
His death, at the age of 97, won't get nearly the attention that Michael Jackson's got, or perhaps even that Farrah Fawcett's got, but Karl Malden was truly one of the great American artists of the last century, an exceptional film actor who starred in over 50 movies, including A Streetcar Named Desire (1951 -- for which he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), On the … [Read more...] about Karl Malden (1912-2009)