During my recent longish stay in Australia, I have come to enjoy the wines there. Earlier, I preferred only French and Austrian wines. Now here comes a rather heartening/healthy news that would tempt me to make another visit to Australia asap!!! "Although the benefits of wine have been known for centuries, new bottles from (Australia's) 'Wine Doctor vineyard' are loaded with … [Read more...] about Cheers To Australia’s ‘Healthy’ Wine
Time For The California Budget Reality Check
In what has become an almost daily (I used to say annual) tradition the state of California is in another budget crisis which threatens to destroy our economy. Those of us who thought a $ 10 or $ 15 billion dollar deficit was bad are now pondering a debt of as much as $ 40 billion or more(out of total spending of $ 145 billion or around 20%). The result of such a crisis … [Read more...] about Time For The California Budget Reality Check
The Hero Who Made Bush’s Head a ‘Playground for His Shoes’: Iraqi News Agency
There is no disputing the fact that Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi, in hurling his shoes at President Bush, has struck a nerve in Iraqi society and in the Arab world in general. The headline on this article from the Al-Iraq News, which describes the editorial position of the Iraq News Network, apparently a TV broadcaster, says it all. The subhead of the article … [Read more...] about The Hero Who Made Bush’s Head a ‘Playground for His Shoes’: Iraqi News Agency
Baghdad Bids Bush Farewell … With its Shoes: Al-Iraq News
The Iraq shoe-throwing incident, in which an Iraqi reporter threw his footwear at President Bush during his last visit to Iraq as leader of our nation - is destined to go down in history as a symbol of George W. Bush's time in office. And the journalist who did the throwing - Muntadar al-Zeidi - is today being hailed as an Iraqi national hero. This editorial from Iraq's … [Read more...] about Baghdad Bids Bush Farewell … With its Shoes: Al-Iraq News
Bush Shoe-Dodging Video Watched Over 5 Million Times On YouTube
The Visible Measures Blog: At 9:00 PM Sunday night, just 7 hours after the first videos popped up, there were more than 120 placements, 24,000 views, and 600 comments. 12 hours later, at 7:00 AM Monday morning, the video [link] had spread far and wide, skyrocketing to more than 450 placements, 3.2 million views, and 35,000 comments. Since then, placements, views, and … [Read more...] about Bush Shoe-Dodging Video Watched Over 5 Million Times On YouTube
Caroline Kennedy Privately Campaigning For Hillary Clinton’s Senate Seat
For political junkies it was one of Campaign 2008's biggest moments: when Caroline Kennedy, daughter of assassinated President John F. Kennedy, became part of the Kennedy family group glaringly "passing the torch" of dynastic political change and Democratic party charisma to the party's eventual victorious nominee, Democratic Senator Barack Obama in a major p.r. blow to Obama … [Read more...] about Caroline Kennedy Privately Campaigning For Hillary Clinton’s Senate Seat
The Future of the Internet III
The Pew Internet & American Life Project surveyed internet leaders, activists and analysts to assess predictions about technology and its roles in the year 2020. The headline is that the phone becomes the primary device for online access. Ars Technica summarizes: More than three-quarters of experts and 81 percent of overall respondents agreed that the mobile phone would be … [Read more...] about The Future of the Internet III
No Recession Here…
Intrigued by a Memeorandum headline, PRESIDENT | VICE PRESIDENT | FIRST LADY | MRS. CHENEY | NEWS — Thank you for joining us for “A Red, White and Blue Christmas” at the White House! — This year's theme celebrates the patriotic spirit that unites us as Americans. During this hopeful season we are reminded …" I visited the White House site and somehow landed on the page … [Read more...] about No Recession Here…
March of the Gay Penguins
Remember a few years ago when social conservatives flocked to see March of the Penguins because, in part, penguins are one of only six monogamous animals on the planet and their story was supposed to reinforce the innate beauty of monogamy... or something? Well, it looks like penguins can once again serve as a metaphor for culture war social issues. A couple of gay penguins … [Read more...] about March of the Gay Penguins
Obama Taps Salazar, Duncan, Others For Cabinet
President-Elect Obama has chosen Colorado Senator Ken Salazar (D) to be Interior Secretary and he has reportedly accepted the nomination. He has also tapped Chicago School Superintendent Arne Duncan to be Secretary of Education. Salazar's departure means that yet another Senate appointment will be coming. It is possible Governor Ritter (D) would name Salazar's brother, … [Read more...] about Obama Taps Salazar, Duncan, Others For Cabinet
Obama Says Review Shows Nothing Inappropriate In Scandal As GOP Presses Issue
As the Illinois house OK's an impeachment inquiry into charges that Gov. Rod Blagojevich tried to sell the remainder of President-Elect Barack Obama's Senate seat term, Obama's team said a review shows there was nothing improper in contacts its staffers may have had with the four-letter-word-loving Illinois Governor. But the AP notes that there is a hitch on the details. … [Read more...] about Obama Says Review Shows Nothing Inappropriate In Scandal As GOP Presses Issue
Shoe Target
Aislin, The Montreal Gazette … [Read more...] about Shoe Target
The Next Senate’s Power Brokers
When not over-analyzing the Blagojevich scandal, the MSM has focused much attention on Obama's cabinet picks. But any active student of government knows that the chairs of the various Congressional committees are every bit as influential, if not more so. Nothing much happens on the Hill without their input. Today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced his … [Read more...] about The Next Senate’s Power Brokers
First It Was “So?” — Now It’s “So What?”
Most Americans remember with incredulity and disgust Dick Cheney's arrogant and condescending answer when he was asked what he thought about polls that indicated two-thirds of Americans believed the war in Iraq was not worth fighting, that the cost in lives was not worth the gains. Cheney responded with one single word! “So?” the vice president said. Eight months … [Read more...] about First It Was “So?” — Now It’s “So What?”
I Left My Brain in San Francisco
In the wake of the recent victory by Joseph Cao, the folks over at The Next Right envision what it might be to run a Cao-type candidate in San Francisco. They name this guy, who is Korean, Rob Wong (I thought Wong was a Chinese name). It's an interesting and even an appealing read until you get to the last few paragraphs: At the same time, this Gay Marriage stuff has gotten … [Read more...] about I Left My Brain in San Francisco
Obama’s Ideology and Pragmatism: More Common Law Than We Might Think (Guest Voice)
Is President Elect Barack Obama a quintessential pragmatist? There's some debate about that and whether pragmatism means being at conflict with ideology. In his second Guest Voice post Calgary-based writer Scott Payne argues that it may not be as clear-cut as many think. Obama's Ideology and Pragmatism: More Common Law Than We Might Think By Scott Payne There has been … [Read more...] about Obama’s Ideology and Pragmatism: More Common Law Than We Might Think (Guest Voice)
An “Obesity Tax?” Empire State Slides Further into Satire
Given the season, if you see me publishing another article on New York Governor David Paterson, you might suspect it would involve his upcoming task of appointing a new senator. You would be mistaken. Like many other states, New York is facing hard financial times and Paterson is looking for ways to cut costs and shore up our coffers. An admirable goal, but one of his plans has … [Read more...] about An “Obesity Tax?” Empire State Slides Further into Satire
The Coleman-Franken Race—One Side’s View
I have just received this "Current Status Report" from the "Franken Camp" (The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) on the Coleman-Franken Senatorial race. I don't know how objective it is, but at first blush it looks quite comprehensive and interesting. Since this is a "Moderate" site, I am sure that if someone has a "Status Report" from the "Coleman Camp," it … [Read more...] about The Coleman-Franken Race—One Side’s View
Time for a Robinson Rule?
I'm not well-versed enough in college football to know if this is fair analysis by the LGM crowd. But I do know that the lack of Black coaches in D-I football is a long-standing problem, and one the NCAA has bent over backwards to avoid correcting. LGM's story is about the coaching moves by Auburn University, which just fired Tommy Tuberville after a disappointing 5-7 2008 … [Read more...] about Time for a Robinson Rule?
Kristof and Kristol on the Auto “Bailout”
Nicholas Kristof and William Kristol. While only one letter separates the last names of these two men, their views could not be more separate. Both Kristof and Kristol have now published their opinions in the New York Times on the American automobile industry "bailout." With a couple of exceptions, Kristof and Kristol seem to have similar concerns and objectives on this … [Read more...] about Kristof and Kristol on the Auto “Bailout”