"Too many of us look upon Americans as dollar chasers. This is a cruel libel, even if it is reiterated thoughtlessly by the Americans themselves." Albert Einstein As both the preceding quote and illustration would indicate, our thought experiment for the weekend shall involve the nature of money and man's relationship to it. You are, as always, invited to explore this … [Read more...] about Barter or Buy
Just For a Moment, Rest: A Little Bedtime Story
This is a picture of Kinderdijk canal in the Nederlands with thousands of joyous ice skaters who descended on the frozen canal ...which last froze over more than twelve years ago. Long ago, in the time of the story of Hans Brinker and The Silver Skates, that is in Holland circa 1865, the canals in the Netherlands froze over every year. But gradually, with more and more … [Read more...] about Just For a Moment, Rest: A Little Bedtime Story
Obama Frees Science
Mike Keefe, The Denver Post … [Read more...] about Obama Frees Science
Poll: Bush Final Legacy Appearances Fail To Sway Thumbs Down Public
Despite a farewell address, a slew of interviews and a reported private meeting with conservative talk show hosts at the White House, President George Bush's approval ratings have not budged from what they were a few weeks ago: the public is continuing to give Bush a decisive thumbs down. Although one conservative talk show host today talked of being genuinely moved to tears … [Read more...] about Poll: Bush Final Legacy Appearances Fail To Sway Thumbs Down Public
The Best Conservative Movies In The Past 25 Years
The list is here. What -- no Michael Moore flicks? … [Read more...] about The Best Conservative Movies In The Past 25 Years
Fox News’ Latest
Bush "inherited" 911, he "inherited" the recession, and he "inherited" Wall Street's ills. Oh. … [Read more...] about Fox News’ Latest
Sarah Palin’s Media Pushback? A Lesson For Bloggers?
Shaun Mullen makes it clear he thinks it is... … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin’s Media Pushback? A Lesson For Bloggers?
Middle Eastern Nuts
Tab, The Calgary Sun … [Read more...] about Middle Eastern Nuts
Man Who Coined the Term ‘Hyperpower’ Opines on the Future: Le Monde of France
As the world prepares to wave good bye to George W. Bush and welcome Barack Obama, a key member of the French government that opposed America's invasion of Iraq is in the United States to witness the swearing in of the President-elect on Tuesday. And not surprisingly, he is expressing his views on the old president, the new president and the condition the West finds itself in … [Read more...] about Man Who Coined the Term ‘Hyperpower’ Opines on the Future: Le Monde of France
The Weather Is Strange Everywhere, But This Is Ridiculous
There are record high/low temperatures all across the US but Nenana, AK wins the award for wildest weather. On Monday they had a high of -46 degrees, while yesterday they saw a record positive 54 degrees. That's a 106 degree swing in a little over 48 hours! … [Read more...] about The Weather Is Strange Everywhere, But This Is Ridiculous
Proposed House Stimulus Package Also “Supports The Troops”
In my "In Farewell Address, Bush Touts Homeland Security and Rightly Praises Our Military, But…", I gave a long list of examples of disturbing statistics and phenomena affecting our troops and veterans that developed during eight years of an administration that had as one of its clamorous slogans, "Support the Troops." My list included the rising rates and numbers of cases … [Read more...] about Proposed House Stimulus Package Also “Supports The Troops”
Terror at 37,000 Feet: A Crash That didn’t Turn Out So Well
Pilot William Langewiesche writing in the January Vanity Fair: There were so many opportunities for the accident not to happen—the collision between a Legacy 600 private jet and a Boeing 737 carrying 154 people. But on September 29, 2006, high above the Amazon, a long, thin thread of acts and omissions brought the two airplanes together. From the vantage point of the pilots, … [Read more...] about Terror at 37,000 Feet: A Crash That didn’t Turn Out So Well
Bursting Obama’s Bubble
You heard about his dinner with conservatives and his meeting with "liberals"*, but, just as much, one of the more intriguing meetings Obama has had recently was with Lee Hamilton and a group of foreign policy experts, mostly on the Middle East and South Asia, who work outside "the presidential bubble that is rapidly closing around him," as Laura Rozen put it. It is, … [Read more...] about Bursting Obama’s Bubble
David Pogue on Twitter for Beginners
NYTimes Tech Guru, David Pogue, has a Twittering Tips for Beginners piece in the Circuits Section: Basically, you sign up for a free account at Twitter.com [link]. Then you're supposed to return to that site periodically and type short messages that announce what you're doing. (Very short -- 140 characters max.) Then, you're supposed to persuade your friends and admirers to … [Read more...] about David Pogue on Twitter for Beginners
10 Lessons From The Bush Presidency
When Barack Obama puts his hand on a bible on January 20th and is sworn in as the new President, it marks the beginning of a new era. But as anyone who has studied history -- or worked for or run a big business -- knows starting a "new era" can mean little if the new person in charge of an organization doesn't study the errors of the previous one. So now the question for … [Read more...] about 10 Lessons From The Bush Presidency
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Here We Are Back in Culture War Hell
So Obama, it is being reported, intends to do away with the military's (and Clinton's) ridiculous "don't ask, don't tell" policy, one that allows gays to serve in the military only if they remain in the closet and everyone else remains in the dark. When asked about it directly, soon-to-be Press Secretary Robert Gibbs gave a direct answer: "Yes," meaning, it will be be gotten … [Read more...] about Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Here We Are Back in Culture War Hell
Worth a Try
We, the fiscally concerned, will be waiting and watching. … [Read more...] about Worth a Try
Bush and Sullenberger
Whatever else he is, George W. Bush has not been a lucky president. Here he is, after eight disastrous years in office, in the TV spotlight to make his case for history in a sentimental setting, and millions of viewers can't wait to see the last of him and get back to watching a miracle in Manhattan--a crippled airliner with 155 people landing without loss of life on a strip of … [Read more...] about Bush and Sullenberger
Famous Presidential Inaugural Speeches: John F. Kennedy 1961
Considered by many to be the gold-standard of inaugural speeches due to content and delivery: The first of a series of videos of Presidential inaugural speeches heading up to Barack Obama's speech on January 20th. … [Read more...] about Famous Presidential Inaugural Speeches: John F. Kennedy 1961
Exit Bush
RJ Matson, The New York Observer … [Read more...] about Exit Bush