As we all know by now, George W. Bush is not a popular figure - and that is particularly true in central Europe. In this tongue-in-cheek, month-by-month look 'back' at 2009, Patrik Etschmayer of the Swiss newspaper Nachrichten takes some parting shots at, among other things, President Bush and Vice President Cheney, the Swiss government, Microsoft and a number of Formula One … [Read more...] about 2009: A Look Back at the Year that ‘Was’ …: Nachrichten of Switzerland
Franken Wins, Maybe … Most Voters Less Than Thrilled
In the continuing drama of the Minnesota US Senate race, it looks like Al Franken (DFL) is going to prevail, at least until the courts get involved. A final count has basically reversed the 250ish vote lead that Norm Coleman had into a 250ish vote lead for Franken. Coleman and possibly some voter groups plan to sue on the grounds that the recount was flawed, that votes … [Read more...] about Franken Wins, Maybe … Most Voters Less Than Thrilled
Daughter’s Tribute to Mom Benazir Bhutto
It can be a traumatic experience for any teenager to live without a mother snatched away in a brutal manner. A year after Pakistan's charismatic leader Benazir Bhutto's assassination, her 18-year-old daughter Bakhtawar has expressed her anguish through a moving song that is being broadcast on the State-run television. "Like any child who has lost a parent, it was only … [Read more...] about Daughter’s Tribute to Mom Benazir Bhutto
Some Interesting Drama In Panetta Pick
It has been reported that President-Elect (or can we just get to calling him President) Obama will name former California Congressman Leon Panetta to head the CIA. For the time being I will refrain from any specific speculation as to whether or not he is the right pick, though I do admit I wonder why a 70 year old ex-legislator would be chosen over a more-experienced … [Read more...] about Some Interesting Drama In Panetta Pick
Why Barack Obama Chose Leon Panetta To Head The CIA
The pundits are still buzzing over President Elect Barack Obama's surprise pick of former Clinton White House chief of staff Leon Panetta as his CIA director. And, in the nature of modern vetting, some think it's a good choice, others think it's a poor one. But it was a surprise. So now the question becomes: just why did Obama pick a man who is a quintessential Democratic … [Read more...] about Why Barack Obama Chose Leon Panetta To Head The CIA
Al Franken’s Battle Is Hardly Over
Not by a longshot... … [Read more...] about Al Franken’s Battle Is Hardly Over
Blago the Clown
Israeli Onslaught May Work in Obama’s Favor: Financial Times Deutschland
Could it be that Israel's offensive in Gaza will make it possible for a President Obama to 'start off fresh' in regard to that particular Middle East crisis? That is the forecast of the Financial Times Deutschland editorial board. This editorial from the business daily says in part: "As long as he's not in office, he can't be assigned responsibility for the escalation. … [Read more...] about Israeli Onslaught May Work in Obama’s Favor: Financial Times Deutschland
Scoop: A City Without A Murder
The year 2008 would just as soon be forgotten in many parts of the country, but not for National City. This municipality of 60,000 mostly Mexican-American population sandwiched between urban San Diego and the more affluent Chula Vista recorded no homicides the entire year. It was the first time since 1963 that National City went a calendar year without a homicide. Four … [Read more...] about Scoop: A City Without A Murder
Obama Picks Ever-Solid Centrist Panetta To Head CIA
President Elect Barack Obama has picked what some consider a surprise choice to head the Central Intelligence Agency: Leon Panetta, a former White House chief of staff, former Congressman, critic of torture as a policy -- and about as centrist and solid a public official on the scene today: President-elect Barack Obama has selected Leon E. Panetta, the former congressman … [Read more...] about Obama Picks Ever-Solid Centrist Panetta To Head CIA
Obama’s OLC Pick
Both Glenn Greenwald and Hilzoy are very happy about Obama choosing Dawn Johnsen as his Office of Legal Counsel head. They go into sufficient detail so I won't add much. That said, it is very heartening that he chose someone that spoke in depth about the need for the Executive to voluntarily give up power by monitoring itself and making sure that it followed both the letter … [Read more...] about Obama’s OLC Pick
Same Sex Conservatism?
Via Alex Massie I see that David Cameron's Tories now have a second -- second -- openly gay, prominent member of his shadow cabinet who has publicly entered into a civil partnership [Nick Herbert]. The Telegraph reports, [T]he civil partnership ceremony was held at Lambeth town hall in south London last week and was attended only by close relatives. The reception, a small … [Read more...] about Same Sex Conservatism?
A Faith-Based Market Rally
Have you seen or heard anything in recent months that points to a near-term improvement in the economy? I haven't. The economic news in this period has been uniformly awful. Bankrupcies and foreclosures continue to soar. Job losses mount at a frightening rate. Consumer and business confidence keeps plunging. So why has the stock market gone up 16 percent since the end of … [Read more...] about A Faith-Based Market Rally
Minn. Supreme Court Denies Coleman Petition
Minneapolis Star Tribune: The Minnesota Supreme Court today rejected a bid by Republican Norm Coleman to have hundreds of rejected absentee ballots considered in the U.S. Senate recount, apparently clearing the way for a state board to certify election results showing Democrat Al Franken on top — and also opening the door to a post-recount lawsuit that the Coleman campaign … [Read more...] about Minn. Supreme Court Denies Coleman Petition
Fear of Failing
Underlying all the finger-pointing about what went wrong and the nervous apprehension over how to fix the economy is a feeling that generations of us have never had--being unable to control our own future. The hopeless faces in those Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans photographs of the Great Depression are alien to 21st century Americans, but some of their dread is seeping … [Read more...] about Fear of Failing
Blago Blog
David Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Star … [Read more...] about Blago Blog
Recipes Online: Crowdsourced or From Top Chefs
Continuing in my food vein, I wish I'd done this before the holidays. Even though they've passed, we'll still be cooking... Foodista aims to be the Wikipedia for food: Each recipe can be collaboratively edited and improved. Scrumptious photos for each dish are pulled in from Flickr, and descriptions are pulled in from Wikipedia itself. You can add or remove ingredients, see … [Read more...] about Recipes Online: Crowdsourced or From Top Chefs
Pay for Play Fever Sweeps the Nation
The International Herald Tribune might be trying a bit too hard in the old watchdog department today as they "uncover" a connection between Hillary Clinton and one of the donors to Bill Clinton's foundation. This one takes place nearly in my back yard, so I've gotten to watch some of the history here. A developer in New York state donated $100,000 to former President Bill … [Read more...] about Pay for Play Fever Sweeps the Nation
Mark Bittman: Food Matters
Laura Miller on the anti-foodies' foodie: The essence of the Bittman approach is simplicity, ease and quality, but that means he has to walk a fine and constantly shifting line. Americans' attitudes toward what we eat are laden with class and cultural baggage. It's no coincidence that when the conservative Club for Growth PAC produced its famous 2004 television commercial … [Read more...] about Mark Bittman: Food Matters
Obama Inaugural: Of Prosaic Times & Poetry
In these prosaic times, Barack Obama seems to have decided to add a bit of flight of fancy. "This is only the fourth time in our history that a President has featured a poet at his inaugural. I hope that this portends well for the future of the arts in our everyday and civic life,” says Elizabeth Alexander, the Yale professor who has ben invited to deliver her poem after … [Read more...] about Obama Inaugural: Of Prosaic Times & Poetry