Independent, centrist writer John Avlon, who wrote the must-read book The Independent Nation, did his first weekly "Wingnut of the Week" segment on CNN's American Morning..picking two deserving candidates from the right and the left: … [Read more...] about John Avlon’s First “Wingnut of the Week” On CNN
Dear Federal Reserve
Dear Federal Reserve: I would like to borrow a billion dollars on the same terms you're giving commercial banks. My recent financial performance is better than these other borrowers, and I also have a business plan that guarantees this loan will be properly serviced. I understand you are making these special commercial bank loans at a no interest rate for some borrowers … [Read more...] about Dear Federal Reserve
The “Road to Heaven” at Sobibor
This post is dedicated to Jan Roeland van Wisse de Wind, my Dutch Uncle who spent the last few years of his life researching and documenting the de Wind genealogy. I don't claim to be Jewish, although most of my paternal ancestors were Jewish. As a matter of fact, the earliest de Wind documented in my family tree is not even a de Wind, but rather a Levy---my … [Read more...] about The “Road to Heaven” at Sobibor
Morning-Aftering the Meltdown
Congress is pushing through a 9/11-like bipartisan commission to root through the ruins of the economy, discover what happened and figure out how to avoid another meltdown, and the White House has signaled its approval. With Democrats and Republicans already arguing over how many members each will pick, it promises to be an exercise in finger-pointing unless the lead … [Read more...] about Morning-Aftering the Meltdown
Pakistanis ‘Don’t Give a Damn’ What Americans Think: The Frontier Post, Pakistan
What do Pakistanis at the heart of the civil-regional war now taking place in that country think of the Obama Administration's new "Af-Pak" strategy and yesterday's White House mini-summit with the presidents of the two countries? To find out, we've been focusing a good deal of attention of Pakistan's Frontier Post - aptly named as it is published in Quetta - the capital of … [Read more...] about Pakistanis ‘Don’t Give a Damn’ What Americans Think: The Frontier Post, Pakistan
New Centrist CNN Segment Names McKinney And Bachmann “Wingnuts of The Week”
Centrist writer John Avlon -- who has written one of the best books on centrist and independent voters and politics and who has worked for both Rudy Giuliani and Bill Clinton -- will now be featured in a new CNN weekly "American Morning” segment called “Wingnuts of the Week. He writes: We’re trying out a new segment on “American Morning” called “Wingnuts of the Week.” It … [Read more...] about New Centrist CNN Segment Names McKinney And Bachmann “Wingnuts of The Week”
Unmasking ‘Anonymous’
Online nastiness has been there since its inception, but once upon a time, one could make the argument that there was a line between cyberspace and the "real" world. "Don't like it? Don't read it" was the short-sighted thinking. But the lines aren't just blurred today; they're nonexistent. The internet has become an indispensable part of the modern world, and real lives … [Read more...] about Unmasking ‘Anonymous’
Stress Test Position
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Stress Test Position
Sen. Coburn on Obama’s $17B
Thanks to Sen. Coburn for making essentially the same point I was trying to make yesterday. Granted, some of Coburn's remarks -- e.g., "regardless of how imperfect or incomplete the president’s list may be" -- seem a bit snippier than mine, but the fundamental argument is the same. As I wrote yesterday, "Budget paring is a process, not a light switch." In that vein, I … [Read more...] about Sen. Coburn on Obama’s $17B
Big Layoffs At Recently Sold San Diego Union-Tribune: The Immediate Future Of American Newspapers?
Today is a sad day here in San Diego, California. Earlier this week, the local daily newspaper (where I worked for 8 years), The San Diego Union-Tribune, formally changed hands from being owned for decades by the now defunct Copley family newspaper chain, which sold the paper in March. The newspaper carried a photo of the Copley company's huge "Ring of Truth" Copley logo bell … [Read more...] about Big Layoffs At Recently Sold San Diego Union-Tribune: The Immediate Future Of American Newspapers?
GOP Gitmo Fearmongering Continues
They're at it again, and apparently quite proud of it. In an email TMV received this morning from Ericka Andersen with the House Republican Conference, she describes this particular work, released last night, as "a great video" and encourages us to "Spread the word!" OK. I'll take the bait. And while I'm at it, I'll turn the video's concluding question -- "How does … [Read more...] about GOP Gitmo Fearmongering Continues
Charge Bush, Pelosi and the rest of Congress
Since the election of Barack Obama, the left portion of the blogosphere has been insistent on charging George Bush and Dick Cheney with criminal and civil lawsuits surrounding the use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" in places like Gitmo. The loud rumbling that was all over the airwaves have suddenly gone silent over the past few weeks. The outrage has simmered down … [Read more...] about Charge Bush, Pelosi and the rest of Congress
A Cow in Queens & A Call for Glass Walls
The story of the cow that escaped a slaughterhouse in Queens, was named Molly and taken to Farm Sanctuary, a vegan farm where she could roam free in upstate New York, sent me back to Michael Pollan's December 2002 New York Times Magazine cover story, An Animal’s Place: There’s a schizoid quality to our relationship with animals, in which sentiment and brutality exist side by … [Read more...] about A Cow in Queens & A Call for Glass Walls
Getting A Little Perspective On The Flu
Let me begin by saying that I do recognize that the current swine flu outbreak is serious and it is important for us to be cautious in dealing with it. It is also quite appropriate for the media to give significant coverage to the topic and for all of us to be prepared. The government should be working to stockpile proper supplies of serum to prevent it from getting out of … [Read more...] about Getting A Little Perspective On The Flu
A Musing On Womanly Sensitivities: Sonia, Ruth, Sandra, Elizabeth & Rielle
By SHAUN MULLEN GUEST VOICE Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who is said to have the inside track to replace Supreme Court Justice David Souter, is being flogged pretty hard on the intertubes for, among other things, saying that as a woman she brings certain sensitivities to the job. You know, like knowing what it's like to be discriminated against on the basis of gender. I can't … [Read more...] about A Musing On Womanly Sensitivities: Sonia, Ruth, Sandra, Elizabeth & Rielle
Newspaper Metamorphosis
Mike Lane, Cagle Cartoons This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Newspaper Metamorphosis
The Art of War and of Coaching Girls’ Basketball
Malcolm Gladwell has unearthed another gem. It is the story of Vivek Ranadive, an immigrant from Mumbai who founded a software company in Silicon Valley. Mr. Ranadive volunteered to coach his 12-year-old daughter's basketball team. The girls on her team were not tall, were not good shooters and were not good at handling the ball. Mr. Ranadive had never played basketball … [Read more...] about The Art of War and of Coaching Girls’ Basketball
Obama Confronts the Solitude of the White House: Izvestia, Russia
This characteristically cold-eyed article from Russia's Izvestia, once the official newspaper of the Soviet government, joins in the global summing up of President Obama's first 100 days in office, and makes a startling admission - considering the newspaper's origins. For Izvestia, Vasiliy Voropayev writes in part: "Summing things up is an absorbing preoccupation. Even … [Read more...] about Obama Confronts the Solitude of the White House: Izvestia, Russia
Cheney: The GOP Shouldn’t Be More Moderate
Take that Colin Powell! You can tell that former Vice President Dick Cheney isn't on the same wavelength with former Secretary of Defense Colin Powell by a bit of news that's breaking that in a sense is...not news. Earlier this week, Powell argued that the GOP needs to reach out and offer a more moderate face to voters which provoked an angry response from a man Cheney has … [Read more...] about Cheney: The GOP Shouldn’t Be More Moderate
The Great Performers: Aerosmith’s Janie’s Got A Gun
Do you like great showmanship, lyrics, vocals, rock melody and musicianship? Look no further than Aerosmith...in one of their best from the album "Pump": … [Read more...] about The Great Performers: Aerosmith’s Janie’s Got A Gun