As I watch both the local and international reaction to the Iranian election I can't help but wonder what idiots decided that they needed an old Soviet style outcome with such a huge margin of victory. While he never admitted to rigging elections, old Mayor Daley knew how to do it right. According to one story he said the key was to give your man a margin of victory big … [Read more...] about The Keystone Cops Rig An Election
Communication
Graduate students spend a lot of time talking. One topic that we used to discuss, as music students, was various styles of music. Academic music of course, nothing more popular than Laurie Anderson. In retrospect, we came off as a bit pretentious. A quick look at the various periods of music history reveals that style periods got shorter as time marched on. While we … [Read more...] about Communication
Why Joan Walsh Went on The O’Reilly Factor
For the sake of full disclosure: Am I a Democrat? Guilty! Do I like Joan Walsh? Guilty, Guilty! Do I dislike Bill O'Reilly? Guilty, Guilty, Guilty! Since I stopped watching "The O'Reilly Factor" a long time ago, I did not watch last night's Bill O'Reilly's so-called interview with Joan Walsh. The subject was Dr. George Tiller and late-term abortion. In … [Read more...] about Why Joan Walsh Went on The O’Reilly Factor
Chicago Woman Fakes Pregnancy of Child With Fatal Illness
As someone who actually did give birth to a child with a terminal illness (not knowing while I was pregnant that my then-husband and I were carriers for the disease), and then aborted two subsequent pregnancies in which the fetuses had the same condition (Tay-Sachs), I am particularly incensed by what this woman did: … [Read more...] about Chicago Woman Fakes Pregnancy of Child With Fatal Illness
Wheels within wheels in Iran?
Iran had an election yesterday, and the results are not exactly what were expected (if you want updates on the situation, Andrew Sullivan is posting frequently, if rather breathlessly, on this news). Current Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected by apparently unrealistic margins, especially when the reported election results over time are examined. From Kevin … [Read more...] about Wheels within wheels in Iran?
Right-Wing Extremism Is Left-Wing Extremism?
In the comments to another post of mine, a reader pointed out a claim made by a right-wing blogger that James von Brunn is a registered Democrat. This was news to me (the blogger's claim, that is), but looking at some of the articles in blogtopia today, it appears that this claim may be part of a new direction being taken by some on the right -- away from denying any connection … [Read more...] about Right-Wing Extremism Is Left-Wing Extremism?
Where Has All The Money Gone?
Maybe you've been wondering. Where has all the money gone? With governments around the world, led by our own, pumping literally trillions and trillions of dollars into addressing the economic crisis, why hasn't this money dribbled down to you and me and most everyone else we know? One reason, of course, is that the banks have scooped it up. Money given to these institutions in … [Read more...] about Where Has All The Money Gone?
Obama’s Firing Of IG A Can Of Worms
President Barack Obama's abrupt firing of the inspector general of AmeriCorps caught my attention only because by comparison his predecessor never seemed to have the gumption to axe anyone. But, then, digging into the details, the canning of IG Gerald Walpin is murky to say the least. It is a story of political intrigue, favoritism to a campaign supporter and two wings of the … [Read more...] about Obama’s Firing Of IG A Can Of Worms
Broadcast Digital TV – The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
With the transition to broadcast digital TV and the ending of brodcast analog signals, there has been much discussion and heartburn. Given that the vast majority of people who live in urban and suburban areas get their TV signals via cable, those most affected live in rural areas and don't get good reception in the first place. Since the video card in my computer has a digital … [Read more...] about Broadcast Digital TV – The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Australia’s Top Diplomat In India: Take It Easy Mate!
Charles de Gaulle (French general, writer and statesman, 1890-1970) once said “Diplomats are useful only in fair weather. As soon as it rains they drown in every drop.” Australia's High Commissioner to India John McCarthy has been a doyen among New Delhi's diplomats for a record five years...that is until the dam burst a few weeks ago when the news of attacks on Indian … [Read more...] about Australia’s Top Diplomat In India: Take It Easy Mate!
Palin-Letterman Privacy Pox
The Great Cultural Divide has split wider open with the Queen of Low-Rent Resentment and the Sultan of Snark in open warfare, leaving those who still hope for rational public discourse waiting for it all to go away so we can talk about boring subjects like health care reform and saving the economy. Yet somewhere between Sarah Palin's aggressive anti-elitism and David … [Read more...] about Palin-Letterman Privacy Pox
Why Have We Stopped Talking about Guns? (Guest Voice)
Why Have We Stopped Talking about Guns? by Bill Moyers and Michael Winship You know by now that in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, an elderly white supremacist and anti-Semite named James W. von Brunn allegedly walked into the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum with a .22-caliber rifle and killed a security guard before being brought down himself. He's 88 years old, … [Read more...] about Why Have We Stopped Talking about Guns? (Guest Voice)
Grim Portents from Iran’s Election Results
The outcome of yesterday's election in Iran is, to say the least, disturbing. From CNN: TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has won a landslide election victory despite protests by his main challenger of "blatant violations." Ahmadinejad won 62.63 percent of the vote while chief rival Mir Hossein Moussavi received 33.75 percent, the Iranian … [Read more...] about Grim Portents from Iran’s Election Results
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act
The NYTimes' story makes it sound like the legislation is some draconian new regualtion of the tobacco companies: More than four decades after the surgeon general declared smoking a health hazard, the Senate on Thursday cleared the final hurdle to empowering federal officials to regulate cigarettes and other forms of tobacco for the first time. The legislation, which the … [Read more...] about The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act
Efficient Nationalized Health Care? Not So Fast (Guest Voice)
Efficient Nationalized Health Care? Not So Fast… by Michael Reagan President Barack Obama has undertaken the expansion of health care to the roughly 45 million Americans who do not currently have health insurance. Having about one American in seven with no health insurance is undeniably an undesirable situation which deserves our attention and concern. This is not … [Read more...] about Efficient Nationalized Health Care? Not So Fast (Guest Voice)
George HW Bush And Dan Quayle
Taylor Jones, Politicalcartoons.com This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about George HW Bush And Dan Quayle
No Way To Save The TV Business
I could not agree more: The traditional TV industry--cable companies, networks, and broadcasters--is where the newspaper industry was about five years ago: In denial. [...] Specifically, the TV industry's attitude is the same as the newspaper industry's attitude was circa 2002-2003: Stop calling us dinosaurs: We get digital; We're growing our digital businesses; We're … [Read more...] about No Way To Save The TV Business
Healthcare Reform With Rabbits and Hats
A scene from somewhere in my imaginary world: "Good news!" said Madge, my hypothetical business unit manager. "You're getting a raise!" "Really? That's great!" I hypothetically responded in the precise fashion that I always react when somebody tells me I'm getting some money. "Yep," she answered. "An extra two thousand per year. Just sign these forms and we'll get it … [Read more...] about Healthcare Reform With Rabbits and Hats
Senior Bush’s Wonderful Five Year Itch
What a way to celebrate one's 85th birthday!!! A jump from the plane...Up in the sky...And enjoying a wonderful bird's eye view. That's what former US President H.W. Bush did, and got an affectionate kiss from wife Barbara on safe landing. Also present on the scene was his son, former US president George W. Bush, who generally sought thrills of different kind!!! Bush … [Read more...] about Senior Bush’s Wonderful Five Year Itch
Russia Can Help Obama With Muslims: Izvestia, Russia
OBAMA: 'WHY DO THEY LOVE US?' BUSH: 'WHY DO THEY HATE US?' Could Russia turn out to be a source of great advice about how to deal with Muslims? Whether or not one agrees with Izvestia's Malor Stuorua, there are some good arguments to assume Moscow could, if properly motivated - help President Obama 'reach out' to the Muslim world with the experience the Kremlin has … [Read more...] about Russia Can Help Obama With Muslims: Izvestia, Russia