Is the United States about to confront a wave a civil protest worse than London did days ago at the G20? Writing for Folha of Brazil, columnist Fernando Canzian writes of the United States: "There is no small chance that new protests will erupt there, particularly because the general situation in the U.S. is much worse than in the rest of the developed world. ... Unlike … [Read more...] about London G20 ‘Street Attacks’ May Presage Worse for U.S.: Folha, Brazil
Repugnant Warmongering
Let's start with Thomas Donnelly and Gary Schmitt's vile op-ed at War Is Good for Business -- aka the Wall Street Journal (emphasis mine): … [Read more...] about Repugnant Warmongering
Wait, Obama Is Worse On Civil Liberty Legalisms Than Bush?
So sayeth Keith Olbermann via Glenn Greenwald. While of course it's impossible to know how Obama personally feels, I am tempted to think that the Fineman commentary is most accurate: it's protection of internal bureaucracy rather than personal policy preference. Long before he was a serious candidate, I thought that Obama had a great personal grip on policy and direction, … [Read more...] about Wait, Obama Is Worse On Civil Liberty Legalisms Than Bush?
Obama’s Europe Tour: A Dutch View
We have read, heard and seen plenty of reactions---from the left, from the right, from the middle, and from the independents---on President Obama's seven-day European tour, including his unexpected stop in Iraq. If interested, here is some reaction from an European source, the Netherlands' NRC Handelsblad. In an editorial, "Obama's seven days in Europe," we read: The … [Read more...] about Obama’s Europe Tour: A Dutch View
Remembering Fair-Minded Republicans
In recent weeks, we have seen several states make strides towards equality for gay and lesbian Americans. Jeff Cook, a former staff person at the national office of Log Cabin and currently working with the New York state chapter of Log Cabin Republicans, has done a good job of letting people know of the brave Republicans that stood up for civil rights. You can read his posts … [Read more...] about Remembering Fair-Minded Republicans
The Joys Of Piracy
Even in these tough times, wonderful money-making opportunities appear for guys with guts and a flair for the dramatic. A perfect example of this fact is seen in the growth of the Somali pirating industry. These entrepreneurs have hijacked scores of ships in recent months, and just today pirated a huge Danish vessel with a crew of 20 Americans. A good piece of ransom business … [Read more...] about The Joys Of Piracy
Newspapers Can’t Get to the Future by Clinging to the Past
Peter Kafka at All Things Digital got some of what AP is thinking from Jim Kennedy VP/director of strategic planning. It boils down to: ...AP’s ire is indeed aimed at Google, and that the drum-beating has a purpose. The search engine has a deal with the AP that expires at the end of this year, and the AP is setting the table for upcoming negotiations. ... The AP’s “stick” … [Read more...] about Newspapers Can’t Get to the Future by Clinging to the Past
Quote Of The Day: Michael J. Fox On Rush Limbaugh
Wasn't it just a scream when talk show host Rush Limbaugh made fun of the way Michael J. Fox talked and the actor's involuntary body movements -- and claimed it was all just a show to get support for stem cell research? Many of Limbaugh's fans thought it was. Limbaugh was doing what he usually does: trying to discredit or stereotype someone with whom he disagrees. (Some media … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: Michael J. Fox On Rush Limbaugh
Ali al-Marri and the Entropy of the War on Terror
Guest post by Peter S. Henne Peter S. Henne is a Security Fellow with the Truman National Security Project and a doctoral candidate at Georgetown University. This post was originally published at The Huffington Post. Entropy, I was taught in high school chemistry, is one of the several laws ruling the universe. Disorder increases, and energy dissipates; clarity disappears … [Read more...] about Ali al-Marri and the Entropy of the War on Terror
Kal Penn, Art, Life, Etc.
Entertainment Weekly broke the story more than 24 hours ago. Ben Smith picked up on it around 11 a.m. yesterday. I first saw it at OTB later in the day. In short, actor Kal Penn -- of the "Harold and Kumar" movies and the hit FOX series "House" (an Abel family favorite) -- has left the latter for a much different house: He'll be an associate director in the White House … [Read more...] about Kal Penn, Art, Life, Etc.
Why Obama Derangement Syndrome Has Stopped Being Funny
By SHAUN MULLEN GUEST VOICE The murder of three Pittsburgh police officers last week by a young man who bought into right-wing lunatic fringe fears that the president is going to outlaw guns is an extreme manifestation of Obama Derangement Syndrome. But to suggest, as one right-of-center commentator has, that people like myself who make such connections are irrational is … [Read more...] about Why Obama Derangement Syndrome Has Stopped Being Funny
Pirates Hijack Ship With 20 Americans Off Somalia
Vessel-seizing pirates have struck again -- this time hijacking a ship carrying 20 Americans, an event that will refocus international attention on this growing martime problem. A U.S.-flagged cargo ship that routinely works under contract to the Department of Defense and its all-American crew were hijacked today by pirates operating off the Horn of Africa. The crew of … [Read more...] about Pirates Hijack Ship With 20 Americans Off Somalia
Obama to host Passover seder in White House
Last night, I read about President Obama's letter wishing those individuals who celebrate Passover a good holiday. Now comes word that there will be a seder in the White House: US President Barack Obama will celebrate Passover Thursday night with staff and friends in what is believed to be the first White House Seder attended by an American president. The event was slipped … [Read more...] about Obama to host Passover seder in White House
Our Great Depression
Barry Eichengreen and Kevin H. O’Rourke say we're in one: [T]he world is currently undergoing an economic shock every bit as big as the Great Depression shock of 1929-30. Looking just at the US leads one to overlook how alarming the current situation is even in comparison with 1929-30. The good news, of course, is that the policy response is very different. The question now … [Read more...] about Our Great Depression
Anti-Americanism for Russian Public Consumption Only: Gazeta of Russia
Once again the Russian newspaper Gazeta does what many of us thought couldn't happen in the land of Putin: it excoriates the Kremlin leadership - not only for its false anti-Americanism, but for letting the nation's military go to hell in a hand basket while feeding the population a steady diet of jingoistic bromides. Pointing out that it was the Soviets who first called … [Read more...] about Anti-Americanism for Russian Public Consumption Only: Gazeta of Russia
Cyberspies Target Power Grid
In another of those 'Oh great' stories we now learn (again) that cyberspies have been targeting the US electrical grid with a possible eye to staging a new 9/11 attack, this time by shutting us down at the power plug. While they have not yet launched a major attack, experts suggest that if they did attack they could sabatoge power systems in a way that could keep the power … [Read more...] about Cyberspies Target Power Grid
Biden: Cheney “Dead Wrong” On U.S. Being Unsafe Under Obama
Vice President Joe Biden has answered in no certain terms former Vice President Dick Cheney's latest verbal brickbat -- the former, highly unpopular Vice President's claim that the United States is less safe under President Barack Obama. Watch Biden's response here. In fact, he brings together several strands of criticism about the Bush years -- arguing that a safe America … [Read more...] about Biden: Cheney “Dead Wrong” On U.S. Being Unsafe Under Obama
Hubble Images
For those interested in the amazing universe out there, NASA has released a new series of images from the Hubble telescope. These kinds of images make me wish I had followed my childhood ambition to be an astronomer They also make me wonder who could doubt the existence of an amazing God. … [Read more...] about Hubble Images
Four Important Defense Budget Decisions
Yesterday, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates unveiled the much-awaited fiscal year 2010 defense budget proposal. In his announcement, Gates emphasized that he reached his final decisions after many hours of consultations with the military and civilian leadership of his department. That he also consulted closely with the president, but received no direction or guidance from … [Read more...] about Four Important Defense Budget Decisions
Misinformation and Overblown Rhetoric About Defense Budget
James Inhofe grandstands about the Gates defense budget without having any clue what he's talking about, and blames Obama instead of Gates (because, of course, how could he blame Gates when he and his fellow far right Republicans have spent the last eight years demonizing the Democrats for "not listening to our military leaders"?). Now, the man in charge of the entire defense … [Read more...] about Misinformation and Overblown Rhetoric About Defense Budget