What will Israel's recent 'shock and awe' campaign in Gaza do to President-Elect Obama's potential to live up to the world's expectations? According to Swiss newspaper Le Temps, the prognosis is not good. The Le Temps editorial says in part: "We dreamed of a Barack Obama who would achieve in the coming months what his predecessor had failed to accomplish in two terms. … [Read more...] about ‘The ‘Shipwreck’: Gaza Tamps Down Hopes for Obama: Le Temps of Switzerland
Senate Posturing vs. State Sovereignty
First of all, let me apologize in advance for any misapplication of constitutional law that I may make over the next few paragraphs. I am not a constitutional scholar and cannot pretend to be one, however, I am somewhat familiar with the document... at least familiar enough to write a blog entry. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) stated that Blagojevich's pick of … [Read more...] about Senate Posturing vs. State Sovereignty
Change and Change: 2008 and 1968
Those years are like bookends to our times, when one period of American life ended and another began. After Democrats held the White House for 28 out of 36 years, the ground shifted in 1968 and, for 28 of the following 40, Republicans took control. In 1968, Richard Nixon promised to "Bring Us Together" just as, four decades later, Barack Obama offers "Change." Back … [Read more...] about Change and Change: 2008 and 1968
Detroit’s Big 3: A Modest Proposal
Over the weekend, Becker and Posner took their respective shots at the UAW ... and unions, in general. I believe great value can be offered by unions of freelancers -- e.g., common artisans whose pay is primarily derived from diverse but finite projects rather than from single-entity employers -- but I tend to share Posner's and Becker's doubts about the role and value of … [Read more...] about Detroit’s Big 3: A Modest Proposal
‘Dear Chip …’
An Open Letter to Mr. Chip Saltsman: Hello, my name is Dennis Sanders. I'm not anyone special, just some guy in Minnesota who blogs from time to time. I wanted to write to you about your little storm that has been brewing since you sent a holiday CD with a little ditty called "Barack the Magic Negro." I think the whole idea of sending out this CD was a major bad idea … [Read more...] about ‘Dear Chip …’
Bangladesh Elections: Secular Party Wins
South Asia, especially India, has reasons to celebrate the return of secular and democratic government in Bangladesh. Former Prime Minister Ms Sheikh Hasina's (photo above) Awami League has won a landslide victory in Bangladesh's election, reports the BBC. It is heartening that democracy has also returned to India's immediate neighbourhood, including Nepal, Bhutan and … [Read more...] about Bangladesh Elections: Secular Party Wins
The Top-Ten Comedic News Stories of 2008 (Guest Voice)
So 2008 was a sad, tragic, scary and catastrophic year? Think again: political humorist Will Durst offers this list of some of the funniest developments in the news: The Top-Ten Comedic News Stories of 2008 Raging Moderate, by Will Durst Okay. Just so you know: The Top-Ten Comedic News Stories of the Year are as different from the Top-Ten Legitimate News Stories of … [Read more...] about The Top-Ten Comedic News Stories of 2008 (Guest Voice)
McConnell’s Line in the Sand
And so we learn that Sen. Mitch McConnell, leader of a declining Republican caucus, wants "a weeklong cooling off period between when the [expected economic stimulus] bill is drafted and when it is voted on, allowing time to dissect it for signs of 'fraud and waste.'" Good for McConnell. Despite at least one, unkind protest over the Senator's sudden, rediscovered love for … [Read more...] about McConnell’s Line in the Sand
Farewell to All That — Bob Herbert Joins In
An awful lot has been said and written lately about the failed Bush Presidency and about his upcoming good riddance and good comeuppance. I have tried my hand at it. But today, New York Times columnist Bob Herbert truly says it all and says it best in his "Add Up the Damage." Of course, Bush defenders, if there are any left out there, will bristle because Herbert … [Read more...] about Farewell to All That — Bob Herbert Joins In
Repeating History in Afghanistan
I'm sometimes at a loss for words when writing about Afghanistan because I have family there, because I know many ordinary Afghans see the United States as an unwelcome occupying force at this point, because I believe that we've seriously dropped the ball and have an obligation to ensure the Taliban never regains power, and because I don't have a clue what the right strategy … [Read more...] about Repeating History in Afghanistan
Perspectives on Israel, Gaza
Per my upbringing, I'm instinctively pro-Israel. I'm also terribly un-educated on the names, faces, arguments, and counter-arguments surrounding the current conflict and the history leading up to it. I thus took a few minutes this morning to read several related items: one from New York, one from London, and one from Jerusalem. If you're similarly seeking perspective, I … [Read more...] about Perspectives on Israel, Gaza
Use Those Gift Cards Soon
It's always a warning we hear at holiday time, but given the economy, it is even more worth considering: Use those holiday gift cards soon. An estimated $24.9 billion was spent on gift cards this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation. You were probably part of that statistic. While many people like to hold on to gift cards for something special to … [Read more...] about Use Those Gift Cards Soon
Our New Year’s Resolutions
While I can't promise my fellow bloggers will follow through with this, here's your chance to suggest the kinds of changes you'd like to see us make during 2009. For example: What kind of stories would you like to see us cover ? Do you want more or less coverage of international stories ? What would you like to see us cut back on (and no, you can't say "Get rid of … [Read more...] about Our New Year’s Resolutions
Your New Year’s Resolutions
OK people, we all know this is the time of year when we all pledge to ourselves to make changes in our lives, even though we know that in a matter of days or weeks we will fail to keep them. So here is a chance for you to make your promises to yourself public, which might help you keep those promises. Or maybe we can start discussing how we failed on our resolutions, why … [Read more...] about Your New Year’s Resolutions
The Evil and the Foolish
Though my own posts haven't been bad, I think the folks over at Lawyers, Guns, and Money have probably the best package of coverage regarding Israel's latest operation in Gaza. One of the things I think they've done effectively is avoid some of the easy traps that obscure efforts to actually evaluate what Israel's doing. Trap #1, emanating from the left, is the … [Read more...] about The Evil and the Foolish
Of Mahatma Gandhi & Popeye the Sailor
What is common between the legendary Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi and the creator of the iconic cartoon character Popeye the Sailor? All the copyright material related to them would end on January 1, 2009 when these fall into the public domain. The statutory law restricts the rights of authors to 60/70 years after their death. The copyright expiry means that, from Thursday, … [Read more...] about Of Mahatma Gandhi & Popeye the Sailor
Astronomy Notes
As we head into 2009 (the International Astronomical Year) I am going to try and keep my fellow skywatchers updated on some of the more interesting astronomical events of the year. While weather many not always cooperate there are some fun things in the skies for the coming year. Our first event actually takes us through the end of 2008 as we get to experience a rare … [Read more...] about Astronomy Notes
“Barack The Magic Negro”: Can The Republican Party Move Beyond Limbaughization?
The mini-firestorm that continues to rage over a candidate for the RNC chairmanship mailing Republican leaders a CD with a song satire parody titled "Barack The Magic Negro" that was originally played and defended by conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh raises a fundamental question: As it recovers from its Election 2008 drubbing and the Republican Party moves … [Read more...] about “Barack The Magic Negro”: Can The Republican Party Move Beyond Limbaughization?
The Hopelessness in the Gaza-Israel Relationship
This is it: As for the Palestinians, they plan to declare victory regardless of what happens. If the IDF withdraws rapidly, without a ground operation and without having seriously reduced the rocket fire, Hamas will boast that it survived and Israel blinked first. But Hamas officials and analysts said Monday that the organization would actually like Israel to launch a … [Read more...] about The Hopelessness in the Gaza-Israel Relationship
New Year’s Resolutions: Not Leading, Following, or Getting Out of the Way
It’s that time of year again: Time to promise that we’ll do better in the next 12 months than we did in the prior 12. I won’t bother you with my personal or familial resolutions for ’09, but I do want to share a few blogging-related resolutions. In the past year, I’ve increasingly found it necessary to withdraw elements of, or entirely delete, certain posts -- usually … [Read more...] about New Year’s Resolutions: Not Leading, Following, or Getting Out of the Way