The New York Times has just reported that a federal judge sentenced Bernard L. Madoff to 150 years in prison for operating a huge Ponzi scheme that devastated thousands of people, calling his crimes "extraordinarily evil." Apparently, Mr. Madoff finally expressed some regret before a courtroom packed with victims: I’m responsible for a great deal of suffering and pain, … [Read more...] about Madoff Receives 150 Years
Congress’ Insider Trading
Members of the House Financial Services Committee were wheeling and dealing in the stocks of banks they were about to bail out last fall, a revelation that may test Congress' rock-bottom approval ratings. Both Democrats and Republicans were scurrying to profit from cashing in or out, according to enterprising reporters from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, who mined disclosure … [Read more...] about Congress’ Insider Trading
Madoff Gets 150 Year Sentence
NYTimes: A federal judge sentenced Bernard L. Madoff to 150 years in prison on Monday for operating a huge Ponzi scheme that devastated thousands of people, calling his crimes “extraordinarily evil.” In pronouncing the sentence — the maximum he could have handed down — Judge Denny Chin turned aside Mr. Madoff’s own assertions of remorse and rejected the suggestion from … [Read more...] about Madoff Gets 150 Year Sentence
New Haven Firefighters: The Divide Remains
As already noted by Joe Windish, the Supreme Court has overturned the decision of the 2nd Court of Appeals in the case where results of a promotion exam failed to produce advancement for a sufficient number of minority candidates. While the ruling itself will likely come as no surprise to many observers, the close, 5-4 margin tells me that we still have a looming divide in our … [Read more...] about New Haven Firefighters: The Divide Remains
Justices Rule for White Firefighters
As expected: The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of white Connecticut firefighters in a 5-4 ruling that reverses an appeals court finding by Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, the Associated Press report. The high court found that the firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that Sotomayor endorsed … [Read more...] about Justices Rule for White Firefighters
Note to Cass Sunstein: Animals Don’t Have “Rights”
President Obama's selection to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Cass Sunstein, is running into a stiff headwind regarding some previous writings on the subject of animals' rights. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) has blocked President Obama’s candidate for regulation czar, Harvard law professor Cass Sunstein, because Sunstein has argued that animals should … [Read more...] about Note to Cass Sunstein: Animals Don’t Have “Rights”
King David, Governor Sanford, and Republican Party Platforms—Not Necessarily in that Order
According to Wikipedia, a political party platform is “a list of the actions which a political party supports in order to appeal to the general public for the purpose of having said party's candidates voted into office…Individual topics are often called planks of the platform." During the past five national elections, Republican Party leaders, candidates and politicians have … [Read more...] about King David, Governor Sanford, and Republican Party Platforms—Not Necessarily in that Order
Press Sensations
Olle Johansson, Sweden This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Press Sensations
Michael Jackson Link Collection, Part 2
Here is a roundup of media and blogger reaction to the death of Michael Jackson on Thursday. … [Read more...] about Michael Jackson Link Collection, Part 2
Google: A Relatively Small Company Vulnerable to Competition
Slide 11 from Wagner's presentation. In the face of three government antitrust investigations, Google's “senior competition counsel,” Dana Wagner, is trying to persuade the world that its competition is just a click away: [T]he boyish, 33-year-old Mr. Wagner [is] a former antitrust lawyer at the Justice Department who drops words like “goofy” and “whacky” with an aw-shucks … [Read more...] about Google: A Relatively Small Company Vulnerable to Competition
Another Day, Another Legend Dies
Today (or, rather, she died on Saturday, but I just saw the notice today), it's Gale Storm, sitcom pioneer and, arguably most famously, the star of the long-running 1950s show, My Little Margie (which I remember watching, so there you go). … [Read more...] about Another Day, Another Legend Dies
Boston’s Shame: Disbanding Its Mounted Police
Tomorrow (that is Tuesday, June 30) would be a shameful day for Boston.... It is disbanding United States of America's first mounted police unit. The AP report states: "(The Boston Mounted Unit's) 12 horses would be given new homes — at least until the city can come up with funds to restore the unit." What a shame that the budget cuts would hurt this 136-year-old historic … [Read more...] about Boston’s Shame: Disbanding Its Mounted Police
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Off-Off Year Elections
Larry J. Sabato on OFF-OFF YEAR ELECTIONS: They Seem Important at the Time. People who live for politics appreciate what real votes in real elections mean. It's pure heroin for junkies. There is no cold turkey like the one between the end of a presidential election and the midterm election that occurs two full years later. The presidential high--the flood of votes in all … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Off-Off Year Elections
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: That Wild and Wacky Senate
Larry J. Sabato on THAT WILD AND WACKY SENATE: Some Updates on the Upcoming 2010 Senate Showdown. So much has happened recently in many of the 2010 Senate contests that you would think we were in the middle of the election year. We're still seventeen months out from Election Day, yet the battles are turning white hot in many states. Let's take a look at what has occurred … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: That Wild and Wacky Senate
Gay Political Rights Lag Behind Culture
When I read Political Shifts on Gay Rights Lag Behind Culture in the NYTimes yesterday, I didn't notice it was by out gay reporter Adam Nagourney. That changes nothing, really. Except maybe that his experience makes him more attuned to the topic: The conflicting signals from the White House about its commitment to gay issues reflect a broader paradox: even as cultural … [Read more...] about Gay Political Rights Lag Behind Culture
It’s Not a Coup If the Guy Is a Leftist
I know next to nothing about Honduran politics, and even less about Manuel Zelaya specifically, but when I saw the headlines about the coup, and then my eyes fell on this headline, from Fausta's Blog -- "Coup in Honduras - Correction: This is NOT a coup" -- my first thought was, "Okay, whoever the coup was against must have been a leftist." … [Read more...] about It’s Not a Coup If the Guy Is a Leftist
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Virginia Gubernatorial Rematch
Dale Eisman on Virginia Gubernatorial Rematch: Will 2009 reflect past trends or overturn them? Barack Obama owes his presidency in part to his campaign's mastery of the internet. A corps of online Obama enthusiasts helped him identify and mobilize previously-hidden groups of voters--particularly those under 30--and build an historic fundraising apparatus. In much of the … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Virginia Gubernatorial Rematch
Michael Jackson Link Collection, Part 1
Michael Jackson died on Thursday, June 25. The online entertainment tabloid, TMZ.com, was the first to report the news, although the reports of his death had not been officially confirmed at the time. You will notice in the brief story TMZ filed, the word "confirm" or "confirmed" did not appear: … [Read more...] about Michael Jackson Link Collection, Part 1
Michael Jackson’s Ultimate Career Move
His passing is yet another reminder of how pop culture consumes its icons. At 50, Michael Jackson outlived Elvis by almost a decade, but neither was destined for the old age that Sinatra and Bing Crosby reached in an earlier era. When Presley died in 1974, he was a grotesque caricature of himself, obese and drug-damaged, planning a comeback tour, but a cynic called his … [Read more...] about Michael Jackson’s Ultimate Career Move
EU Demands Iran Release Arrested British Embassy Employees
Iran's increasingly draconian regime is continuing to throw down the gauntlet to not just Iranians who think recent elections were rigged, but to the world, almost daring critics within and outside to do something. Its latest seemingly provocative act: arresting 8 local employees of the British Embassy. This has brought an immediate response from the European Union: The … [Read more...] about EU Demands Iran Release Arrested British Embassy Employees