Like unreformed drunks, American banks want to settle their rehab bills and go back to the old ways--no government curfews or sobriety pledges for the likes of JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs et al as they rush to repay TARP billions and forget they were ever one step from being trampled by pink elephants. “These repayments," says Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner in the … [Read more...] about Sobering Up the Banks
Health Care Reform: Can we crowdsource the solution?
Making Medicine Smarter is a new website that invites visitors to review numbers and research and then propose solutions to the problems they see. The effort is funded by Medco and describes the site as follows: Medco has built this site to advance the dialog on healthcare reform. Because we feel that fixing healthcare is not about spending more, but spending smarter. Because … [Read more...] about Health Care Reform: Can we crowdsource the solution?
Making Melbourne Safe: Heavy Police Patroling
Following a public/media outcry over the growing attacks on Indian students, and a personal intervention by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the Victoria state premier John Brumby announced a "high-visibility police operation". (Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, was in a recent poll declared as the "third best liveable city in the world". And, surely, it has a … [Read more...] about Making Melbourne Safe: Heavy Police Patroling
Mikhail Gorbachev: Dialogue Only Way to Resolve Korea Crisis: Rossijskaya Gazeta, Russia
Mikhail Gorbachev, the last general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the USSR's last head of state, knows a thing or two about nuclear talks. This past weekend, Gorbachev contributed this article to Russia's Rossijskaya Gazeta about how the world should deal with the nuclear challenge of Kim Jong-il's North Korea. Here's some of what Gorbachev had to … [Read more...] about Mikhail Gorbachev: Dialogue Only Way to Resolve Korea Crisis: Rossijskaya Gazeta, Russia
WHAT DO NORTH KOREA AND CHINA WANT?
This is a follow-up to my prior post of 6/9/09 which resulted in many interesting reader comments. At this point in time, North Korea has developed enough nuclear technology to produce a few bombs, but it is still working on a reliable delivery system and a steady stream of nuclear material. It is not a member of the advanced nuclear club as are the U.S., Russia, China, … [Read more...] about WHAT DO NORTH KOREA AND CHINA WANT?
Letterman Jokes About 14 Year Old Girl Being ‘Knocked Up’
In his monologue last night, David Letterman made a joke about Willow Palin, the 14 year old daughter of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, being 'knocked up' during the game. Of course politics is about making jokes and politicians need to have thick skins. But what happened to families being off limits? Can you imagine if someone made a similar joke about the daughter of a … [Read more...] about Letterman Jokes About 14 Year Old Girl Being ‘Knocked Up’
Deeds Wins Virginia Primary
State Sen. R. Creigh Deeds has won the Democratic primary for Governor in Virginia which means he will face Republican nominee Bob McDonnell in the fall election. Deeds had been considered an underdog but connected with voters through his common touch style. Jody Wagner will be the candidate for Lt. Governor. Traditionally the party out of control in the White House has … [Read more...] about Deeds Wins Virginia Primary
Obama ‘Must Extradite’ Terrorist Behind a Plot to Kill President Chavez: ABN, Venezuela
Our Man?: Mr. Luis Posada Carriles Is the United States shielding a terrorist that is not only responsible for a number of terrorist attacks, including the bombing of a civilian airliner in 1973 and most recently an attempt on the life of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela? According to Venezuela's state press agency Agencia Bolvariana de Noticias, a man named Luis Posada … [Read more...] about Obama ‘Must Extradite’ Terrorist Behind a Plot to Kill President Chavez: ABN, Venezuela
Surrender Your Body Rights or We’ll Kill Your Doctors
Ross Douthat believes that if abortion was mostly illegal throughout pregnancy, there would be no controversy over late-term abortions, and Dr. George Tiller would not have been murdered: … [Read more...] about Surrender Your Body Rights or We’ll Kill Your Doctors
Jon Voight: Crazy As a Loon
Here he is, ranting at the Republican fundraising dinner last night: … [Read more...] about Jon Voight: Crazy As a Loon
Not-Boring Republicans
Say what you will about the post-Bush decline of the GOP, its current shenanigans make Democrats look like the Partridge family. Compared to Obama's solemnity, last night's Washington fundraiser was a hoot. After rounds of will-she, won't-she speculation, Sarah Palin turned up, not as the keynote speaker but to stroll the stage of the ballroom as the body-language answer to … [Read more...] about Not-Boring Republicans
Tiananmen + 20: Tribute To Unknown Rebel
Photographs, it is said, speak more eloquently than words. The Associated Press photo of Vietnamese girl Phan Thi Kim Phúc running for life is still the lasting image of the Vietnam War. And the photo of the Unknown rebel versus the mighty Red Army is the vivid image of the Tiananmen protest of the Chinese youth (photo above). Nalaka Gunawardene, the Sri Lankan journalist, … [Read more...] about Tiananmen + 20: Tribute To Unknown Rebel
Puncturing Twitter
The BBC Headline, Twitter hype punctured by study: Just 10% of Twitter users generate more than 90% of the content, a Harvard study of 300,000 users found. Estimates suggest it now has more than 10 million users and is growing faster than any other social network. However, the Harvard team found that more than half of all people using Twitter updated their page less … [Read more...] about Puncturing Twitter
Why Do Republicans Hate Government?
Living as I do in Minneapolis, a very, very Democratic city, you tend appreciate the times when you can get together with fellow Republicans and chat. We complain about specific Democratic policies and of course, believe that we have better answers. But every so often, I am left with a sense of unease. What bothers me is that some of those gathered (not all, mind you) … [Read more...] about Why Do Republicans Hate Government?
The Case Of The Wise Old Latina (Cartoon)
RJ Matson, Roll Call This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. . All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. TMV runs a variety of cartoons, columns and posts throughout the day. Refresh TMV often to see the latest. … [Read more...] about The Case Of The Wise Old Latina (Cartoon)
India Asks Students In Australia: “Calm Down”
Alarmed at the retaliatory steps being taken by Indian students under attack in Australia, India's foreign minister SM Krishna has appealed to them to "exercise restraint and be patient". And the Universities Australia called for a "national response" and close cooperation between all education providers and the Commonwealth and state governments. Krishna (photo above) said … [Read more...] about India Asks Students In Australia: “Calm Down”
Conservative Blogger Ed Whelan Apologizes To “Outed” Longtime Anonymous Blogger Publius
National Review conservative blogger Ed Whelan has apologized to "outing" the identity of an anonymous blogger who had criticized him and his posts -- bringing an end to a mini-firestorm that swept across the "blogosphere" and perhaps setting down some future guidelines on what is acceptable and not. On Sunday we ran THIS POST that dealt with some of these issues and … [Read more...] about Conservative Blogger Ed Whelan Apologizes To “Outed” Longtime Anonymous Blogger Publius
The Consistently Reasonable Mr. Brooks
He's at it again -- all calm and logical and fair; this time on the subject of Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court nomination. If only more Republicans behaved that way. And yes -- Rush, et. al. -- we're looking at you. Not that you care. … [Read more...] about The Consistently Reasonable Mr. Brooks
NY Senate: The Flip Was Predicted Long Ago
The media is lighting up like a pin ball machine on tilt (hat tip: Memeorandum) over the "coup" in the New York State Senate yesterday, but residents of the Empire State who follow the news are probably not very surprised. The chief characters involved in this passion play are well known, and some beat reporters from the Big Apple declared this to be a likely scenario before … [Read more...] about NY Senate: The Flip Was Predicted Long Ago
Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando – Obama Orders A Haircut
Brilliant! A win for Colbert. A win for the troops. A win for Obama. Sincerely Stephen: Mr. Colbert’s entire career is based on being gleefully insincere, a man who literally wraps himself in the flag to the screaming of majestic computer-generated eagles. On the other hand he is unquestionably a real supporter of the troops, raising money through donorschoose.org for school … [Read more...] about Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando – Obama Orders A Haircut