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
Goode Family And Double Standards
ABC has recently started showing the new animated series The Goode Family, brought to you by the same people who brought you King Of The Hill. Personally I find it quite entertaining, it's basically the same thing as King Of The Hill but instead of poking fun at the right it takes jabs at the left. What I find interesting in surfing the net is the reaction on the left. … [Read more...] about Goode Family And Double Standards
The Facebook Land Rush Is On
I got mine! From the beginning of Facebook, people have used their real names to share and connect with the people they know. This authenticity helps to create a trusted environment because you know the identity of the people and things on Facebook. The one place, though, where your identity wasn't reflected was in the Web address for your profile or the Facebook Pages you … [Read more...] about The Facebook Land Rush Is On
A Little Lesson In Humility
Given all our debates of late, a little lesson in humility as we examine the beauty and vastness of the Universe (to the wonderful music of Vangelis) … [Read more...] about A Little Lesson In Humility
The Republican Case for Gay Marriage
Stephen H. Miller points to Maura Flynn who makes The Republican Case for Gay Marriage at Big Hollywood: The Republican Party has made a huge mistake in advocating a kind of Cafeteria Constitutionalism. (I’ll take some guns, no helmet laws, please, a free market, and…yuck, hold the gay marriage!). One can’t legitimately invoke the Constitution to oppose federally mandated sex … [Read more...] about The Republican Case for Gay Marriage
More Reihan Salam Than You Can Handle
Reihan has a new blog at NRO called The Agenda. If you want to feel more educated, read Reihan's book, just out in soft-cover. Personally, I'll always think fondly of Reihan because he introduced me to Yes, Minister, the greatest political satire in history (and a better explanation of how bureaucracy works than any political science treatise I've read). Cross-posted at … [Read more...] about More Reihan Salam Than You Can Handle
Both Sides Claim Victory In Iran
BOTH SIDES CLAIM VICTORY IN IRAN: Ahmadinejad and Mousavi both say they've won. What would a victory for either man mean for US-Iranian relations? Michael Singh has many good thoughts, including this one: It is vital to keep in mind that Iran’s presidential elections are not about the United States. As with elections everywhere, foreign policy will be only one element of … [Read more...] about Both Sides Claim Victory In Iran
Remember Iraq?
REMEMBER IRAQ? The excellent Kori Schake explains why we should be paying more attention to Iraq, even though a reduction in bloodshed has removed Iraq from the headlines. Cross-posted at Conventional Folly … [Read more...] about Remember Iraq?