Nearly every single bank in Europe is at risk of being full nationalized. Japan and other Asian countries are reporting Depression sized dropoffs in exports. China is close to having an official recession. There is growing worry in the UK that they are about to go the way of Iceland, with a complete currency collapse. People are starting to wonder if the UK as a country is … [Read more...] about The Economic Tipping Point And Start Of The Third Wave
The Sickness of Partisanship
I mean, really...People will devote three hours of their life a day listening to someone demonize people who disagree with them. Just read and re-read the quotes in that link. Racism is the province of the left, just as stupidity and a penchant for trying to divide people and whip them up by arousing hatreds that this linked interview illlustrates is the absolute province … [Read more...] about The Sickness of Partisanship
Obama Finds White House In Fred Flintstone Technology Era
The Obama staff took position in their new digs on Pennsylvania Avenue and when they took a look around them thought they heard the pitter patter of feet. The pitter patter of Fred Flintstone, riding in a car so ancient that it was powered by his feet. The Washington Post reports: If the Obama campaign represented a sleek, new iPhone kind of future, the first day of the … [Read more...] about Obama Finds White House In Fred Flintstone Technology Era
The Doctor’s Choice?
One of the last spasms from an outgoing Bush Administration was a ruling that allows doctors and other medical professions to opt out of certain medical treatments if they violate a personal sense of right and wrong. It was aimed, of course, at medicos who oppose a woman's right to choose an abortion. But it got me wondering if this ruling might have larger implications. … [Read more...] about The Doctor’s Choice?
Hoocoodanode?
That's become the catch phrase amongst economics blogs when something that they have anticipated for years happens and everyone is shocked...simply shocked! Well here's a hoocoodanode? about the warantless wiretapping under Bush. At the time Congress was reworking FISA, many legal and security experts didn't trust that it was being used in the way that the Administration … [Read more...] about Hoocoodanode?
Caroline Kennedy: The Accidental Senator Who Wasn’t
It would seem that Caroline Kennedy has spared New York Governor a lot of political problems by removing herself from the equation. Who will replace Hillary Clinton now is still up in the air, but there may be some lessons to be taken from the Kenny heiress' efforts to take the position. I examine some of these in my new column today at Pajamas Media. Caroline Kennedy: The … [Read more...] about Caroline Kennedy: The Accidental Senator Who Wasn’t
The American Mutts – And Proud of It!
We are all proud, and we should be, that Barack Obama is the first African American president. As a tall white Anglo male, I represent the group most favored of this great country and I am extremely proud of this national accomplishment. I think it is time for a great celebration. Of course our President, like you and me, has a very diverse lineage. Kenyan and Irish among … [Read more...] about The American Mutts – And Proud of It!
The Latest in Battle for Turkey’s Future
Is Islamic fundamentalism Turkey's future, with secularism, what we in the West would call democratic pluralism, its past? Apparently secularists who plotted a coup against Turkey's democratically-elected Islamic fundamentalist government fear that seemingly topsy-turvy scenario. Many have been arrested for plotting against the government there. Many in the West have … [Read more...] about The Latest in Battle for Turkey’s Future
Kennedy, Burris and Identity Politics
The withdrawal of JFK's daughter as a replacement for Hillary Clinton leads to questions about gender and race in national politics in what we all celebrated as the Age of Obama this week. In Illinois, the future felon Rod Blagojevich appoints Roland Burris amid calls to retain the President's seat for an African-American and now, with Caroline Kennedy gone, New York's … [Read more...] about Kennedy, Burris and Identity Politics
Are You a First Amendment Guru?
If you think you are, try this quiz. I scored 25 out of 30 or 83%. Acceptable, I guess, although I thought I would have done better. At least I beat Marc Moore -- by an entire two questions. If you do try your hand at this 30-question test, feel free to share your results in the comments section of this post. Hopefully, you'll fare better than Marc and I did. … [Read more...] about Are You a First Amendment Guru?
Is Israel Losing the PR War in Gaza?
It appears so. By disallowing much in the way of journalist-imbedding with their fighting units, Israeli government officials clearly tried to avoid being played as the heavies as they were in Lebanon several years ago. Their efforts seem to not be working now in Gaza. … [Read more...] about Is Israel Losing the PR War in Gaza?
Closure of Gitmo Problematic
The Obama Administration yesterday began circulating a draft executive order that would close down the Guantanamo Bay detention center. But doing that could prove difficult as explained here by Columbia University law prof Matthew Waxman. [This has been crossposted at my personal blog.] … [Read more...] about Closure of Gitmo Problematic
More of Obama’s “Team of Rivals”
Barack Obama is a President of firsts, to be sure. Obama is the first African-American President, he is the first gen-xer to be elected President, and he's arguably the first President to enter office with such a large raft of problems to attempt to address. The first thing that caught my eye, though, is that in his ever expanding and impressive display of commitment towards … [Read more...] about More of Obama’s “Team of Rivals”
Microsoft Cuts 5,000 jobs; Intel 6,000
Ouch: Software maker Microsoft announced Thursday it will cut up to 5,000 jobs in the next year and a half, or 5.5% of its global workforce, citing further deterioration of global economic conditions. The company also posted lower fiscal second-quarter earnings that missed analysts' forecasts. Microsoft will slash 1,400 positions immediately, with the rest of the cuts … [Read more...] about Microsoft Cuts 5,000 jobs; Intel 6,000
Real Stories that Reinforce Stereotypes
Get ready for the insulting joke parade. This is apparently not a hoax. … [Read more...] about Real Stories that Reinforce Stereotypes
(Gasp) Bible Not Used In Obama Swear In
A big website (we will decline in promoting it further) now has a headline declaring that no bible was used at the Obama re-swearing in -- ushering that site into special honored status in TMV's world-famous Get A Life Club. Actually, we've awarded it memberships before, but the site's headlines and track record for journalistic accuracy on some of its inside reports really … [Read more...] about (Gasp) Bible Not Used In Obama Swear In
Today is 36th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade: What are you doing about it?
And I mean that in terms of whether you support or oppose the results of Roe. You can read the decision itself here or read a nice breakdown at About.com. For the record, I support the constitutional rights recognized in the U.S. Supreme Court decision which made a woman's medical decision regarding her reproductive rights legal and I am against the erosion of those … [Read more...] about Today is 36th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade: What are you doing about it?
Obama’s First Dance after the Inaugural Ball
Qaddafi, Isratine and the one state solution in NYT op-ed
Read it here. An excerpt: Assimilation is already a fact of life in Israel. There are more than one million Muslim Arabs in Israel; they possess Israeli nationality and take part in political life with the Jews, forming political parties. On the other side, there are Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Israeli factories depend on Palestinian labor, and goods and services … [Read more...] about Qaddafi, Isratine and the one state solution in NYT op-ed
Elizabeth Alexander: The Inaugural Poem at Obama’s Swearing In
Elizabeth Alexander read her poem at Barack Obama's inaugural. I've tracked down a written version and put it at the end of this article for you... so you can see her line breaks... Remember, for those who are poetry-phobic from creepy experiences with non-understandable poetry forced onto them in highschool... though you can measure most poetic metre with an electronic … [Read more...] about Elizabeth Alexander: The Inaugural Poem at Obama’s Swearing In