MSNBC says that both Reuters and AP are reporting that a major earthquake has rocked Mexico City's skyscrapers. USGS Earthquake Details Magnitude 6.0 Date-Time Monday, April 27, 2009 at 16:46:31 UTC Monday, April 27, 2009 at 11:46:31 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones Location 17.322°N, 99.326°W Depth 41.2 km (25.6 miles) Region GUERRERO, … [Read more...] about Mexico City Did Not Need A Major Earthquake Today
When Can We Say The Swine Flu Isn’t As Bad Here As There
When I first started writing for TMV, I meant to have a few posts pointing out how a basic ignorance or misunderstanding of statistics clouds our political discussions and news stories. I got distracted with all the happenings in the world, but this outbreak sounds like a good place to start. So far there have been 103 deaths in Mexico out of 1614 suspected sickened. This is … [Read more...] about When Can We Say The Swine Flu Isn’t As Bad Here As There
The CDC is Tweeting Swine Flu Updates. And Why Twitter Works.
The Centers for Disease Control is tweeting updates on the swine flu outbreak. Meanwhile, over the weekend Evgeny Morozov at Foreign Policy's Net Effect looked at Twitter's power to misinform: [D]espite all the recent Twitter-enthusiasm about this platform's unique power to alert millions of people in decentralized and previously unavailable ways, there are quite a few reasons … [Read more...] about The CDC is Tweeting Swine Flu Updates. And Why Twitter Works.
The Perils of Lila Rose
For an interesting look at one of the front-line warriors in the abortion wars, be sure to stop by the L.A. Times for their profile of culture warrior, Lila Rose. (For disclosure's sake, I've had the chance to sit in on a number of interviews between the subject in question and Ed Morrissey during his daily talk show.) While you can find out much more from the linked article … [Read more...] about The Perils of Lila Rose
Around The Sphere
Is Obama A Leftist? Socialist? Moderate? Or What? E.J. Dionne, Jr. has an analysis that seems to hit it on the head: How many ironies can a single presidency engender? Barack Obama is a detached man who has inspired fierce loyalties, and a cool man who has aroused both warm feelings of affection and a fiery opposition. He loves to engage conservatives, yet few of them … [Read more...] about Around The Sphere
Miss California: Champion of Federalism on Gay Marriage?
A week after Miss USA runner-up Carrie Prejean started a national conversation about whether it's wrong to say something plainly, with no shades of nuance - "I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman," the verbal version of the Prop 8 vote tally and our president's personal belief - Prejean's preamble is still drawing harangues over its accuracy. She … [Read more...] about Miss California: Champion of Federalism on Gay Marriage?
Mexican Swine Flu
Rainer Hachfeld, Neues Deutschland, Germany This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. UPDATE: And the question now becomes: what are we up against? … [Read more...] about Mexican Swine Flu
Drug Decriminalization Working in Portugal
Time has a report on a new study by Glenn Greenwald -- yes, that Glenn Greenwald -- finding that decriminalizing drugs in Portugal has worked: The paper, published by Cato in April, found that in the five years after personal possession was decriminalized, illegal drug use among teens in Portugal declined and rates of new HIV infections caused by sharing of dirty needles … [Read more...] about Drug Decriminalization Working in Portugal
Torture: Why It’s Best To Go Slow On ‘The Past That Is Haunting The Future’
By SHAUN MULLEN GUEST VOICE As someone who has banged the drum relentlessly about the Bush administration's torture regime, there is a certain satisfaction to be felt in the events of the past week. This includes the knowledge that so long as America is a functioning democracy with a semblance of an independent news media and a vibrant blogosphere, a fuller account of … [Read more...] about Torture: Why It’s Best To Go Slow On ‘The Past That Is Haunting The Future’
Heroism Should Not Be For Sale
The internet has brought a number of wonderful advances to society and one of the more interesting (and frequently useful) are web sites like E-Bay. The site provides a wonderful ability to sell items you no longer need and to buy products at cheaper prices. However there are certain things that simply should not be sold, whether on E-Bay or anywhere else for that matter. … [Read more...] about Heroism Should Not Be For Sale
Why Tom Selleck Is A Class Act
Tonight the TV Land network aired their annual TV Land awards program. Among the honorees this year was Magnum PI which won the 'Hero award'. When he accepted the award, Tom Selleck showed what a class act he is. Rather than using his speech to talk about the show or himself, he chose to talk about those he considers to be the true heroes, our military veterans. He delivered … [Read more...] about Why Tom Selleck Is A Class Act
What the Tea Parties Can Teach Moderate Republicans
Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. -Martin Luther King Jr. In reading some of the blogs as of late, it might seem that moderate or progressive Republicans are finally getting some love. The recent speeches by Meghan McCain and former McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt, have given people the impression that maybe, … [Read more...] about What the Tea Parties Can Teach Moderate Republicans
‘Fussy’ Rights Groups ‘Wrong’ to Be Impatient with Obama: Le Monde of France
How is President Obama doing as he nears the 100-days-in-office milestone. According to this editorial from Le Monde, in the area of international justice he has done well and is getting a bad rap from well-meaning but wrong-headed human rights groups. The Le Monde editorial says in part: "On April 30, the Obama Administration will have been in place for 100 days. It's … [Read more...] about ‘Fussy’ Rights Groups ‘Wrong’ to Be Impatient with Obama: Le Monde of France
Source of Swine Flu May Be U.S. Hog Production Facility in Mexico
A publication called Grist is reporting that the swine flu outbreak may have been triggered by poor hygienic practices at the Perote, Vera Cruz, Mexico hog farming facilities of Smithfield Farms. Smithfield Farms is the "world's largest hog producer and pork packager": … [Read more...] about Source of Swine Flu May Be U.S. Hog Production Facility in Mexico
Everything You’ve Been Told Is a Lie
Greg Miller reports in today's Los Angeles Times that, for all the time and effort the CIA spent asking the OLC for legal cover to carry out new and/or escalated forms of torture, almost no effort was made to inquire into whether the techniques being used were actually effective (emphasis mine): … [Read more...] about Everything You’ve Been Told Is a Lie
Susan Boyle’s Famous Moment On Britain’s Got Talent (Reposted)
We tried to embed this earlier but the embeds were removed. We have now found a version that allows it but the earlier posting didn't go up correctly. FINALLY....HERE is the show-biz history-making moment when Susan Boyle wowed the judges, the audience and the world with her song on Britain's Got Talent. REAL drama: … [Read more...] about Susan Boyle’s Famous Moment On Britain’s Got Talent (Reposted)
Swine Flu: U.S. Declares Public Health Emergency
PANIC vs WISDOM No panic. Get facts. Here are some of the most salient: STAYING UP TO DATE ABOUT SWINE FLU and HEALTH ISSUES Rather than placing here materials about Swine Flu that are being updated by the moment, Google is your friend for most up-to-date info... go to the general news-sites you trust, and especially, go to the pages of the Center for Disease Control and … [Read more...] about Swine Flu: U.S. Declares Public Health Emergency
Wall Street Rubs Our Noses In It—Again
The stock market in the first quarter of this year has gone up a whopping 23 percent. In this same period, however, the actual economy hasn't improved at all. In fact it's getting worse by almost any meaningful, real life measure, though the worsening may have slowed a bit. An economy that's not improving. An economy just getting worse a bit slower. Yet we nonetheless have … [Read more...] about Wall Street Rubs Our Noses In It—Again
Washington Post-ABC News Poll: Obama Approval At 69 Percent But Partisan Divide Sharp Over Interrogation Memos
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that President Barack Obama's approval rating a healthy 69 percent as he maintains solid support from his winning coalition -- but the partisan divide is intensely sharp over the controversial release of Bush era interrogation memos that raise the issue of torture. Barack Obama's performance in the first 100 days of his … [Read more...] about Washington Post-ABC News Poll: Obama Approval At 69 Percent But Partisan Divide Sharp Over Interrogation Memos
The Swine Flu Discovery Shows How Amazing The Modern Health System Is
Now that it appears that the swine flu has officially reached "crisis" proportions that requires a White House response, I started looking for background information on the virus. This Washington Post article has a good timeline. In short, the first known victim died April 12th, Mexico identified something unusual was going on by April 16th and it was sent to Canada on … [Read more...] about The Swine Flu Discovery Shows How Amazing The Modern Health System Is