The September 2007 massacre in Nisoor Square was one of many shameful chapters in a long history of discreditable/tragic incidents. Private contractors ---or, as some call them, "mercenaries" --- spooked by an unfortunate incident, opened fire into a crowd of civilians who were milling around the street trying to go about their lives. We're relieved that some of those … [Read more...] about Blackwater Contractors Indicted for Sept. 2007 Nisoor Square Massacre: A Round-Up & Retrospective
Caroline Kennedy’s Genetic Conflict
News that she is interested in being appointed to Hillary Clinton's Senate seat is coming as a surprise to those who have always seen Caroline Kennedy as an essentially private person, temperamentally more like her mother than her father. “I believe that she is considering it,” her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tells the New York Times. “A lot of people the last couple of … [Read more...] about Caroline Kennedy’s Genetic Conflict
Von Bulow Dies
After nearly 30 years in a coma, Sunny Von Bulow has died at the age of 76. Her husband was acquitted of attempted murder charges during the 1980s but there are many who still consider him to be guilty. … [Read more...] about Von Bulow Dies
Stuck In The System
An article appearing in a local paper today struck me as an excellent illustration of both the current problems in our health care system and a possible warning of problems with a nationalized health care system in the future. The basic story is that a woman was admitted to the hospital with severe pneumonia. She spent more that three weeks in the hospital intensive care … [Read more...] about Stuck In The System
Feeling Pain For The Big Three
Burned by the absence of accountability with half of the $700 billion spent to bailout the financial sector, Congress is poised to loan U.S. automakers $15 billion with a million strings attached. The reason is simple. Congress and the American people don't understand the intangibles of financial markets. You can't wrap your arms around a tranche like, say, a … [Read more...] about Feeling Pain For The Big Three
Surging Support for Gay Rights & Proposition 8: The Musical
Newsweek: [T]he latest NEWSWEEK Poll finds growing public support for gay marriage and civil unions -- and strong backing for the granting of certain rights associated with marriage, to same-sex couples. Americans continue to find civil unions for gays and lesbians more palatable than full-fledged marriage. Fifty-five percent of respondents favored legally sanctioned unions … [Read more...] about Surging Support for Gay Rights & Proposition 8: The Musical
The Anti-Settler Turn
After radical Israeli settlers launched what can only be described as a pogrom against innocent Palestinians outside of Hebron, are we finally seeing the formation of a broad-based anti-settler backlash amongst mainstream (and even conservative) Israeli and American Jewish elements? Because if so, it will be well past time. … [Read more...] about The Anti-Settler Turn
WWD: Sketching Michelle Obama
Women's Wear Daily commissioned a bunch of fashion designers to imagine outfits Michelle Obama might wear to the inauguration. A good bit of the chatter the slideshow triggered was around how incapable the world's top fashion designers are of sketching Michelle. Slate's Julia Turner: The fashion world is notoriously inhospitable to black women—if Michelle Obama lands the … [Read more...] about WWD: Sketching Michelle Obama
Frank Suggests Obama Can’t Count
"At a time of great crisis with mortgage foreclosures and autos, [Obama] says we only have one president at a time. I'm afraid that overstates the number of presidents we have." -- Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) … [Read more...] about Frank Suggests Obama Can’t Count
Roll Over Roosevelt, Tell Eisenhower the News
Per a breaking news report at Politico on Obama's Saturday message to the nation: President-elect Barack Obama added sweep and meat to his economic agenda on Saturday, pledging the largest new investment in roads and bridges since President Dwight D. Eisenhower built the Interstate system in the late 1950s, and tying his key initiatives – education, energy, health care –back … [Read more...] about Roll Over Roosevelt, Tell Eisenhower the News
Caroline Kennedy for US Senate? Royalty Continues in the Colonies
Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg has spoken with New York's governor regarding the Senate seat which may be open soon, should Hillary Clinton's nomination for Secretary of State go through.* Her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has confirmed that she is interested in the post. Kennedy may be qualified for the US Senate. For one thing, unlike Clinton, she's actually lived in New … [Read more...] about Caroline Kennedy for US Senate? Royalty Continues in the Colonies
OJ Simpson’s Sentence: For Many Justice Delayed Finally Delivered
The cocky, self-assured former football star suddenly seemed gone -- seemingly taken away by aliens, or victim of a body snatcher. There seemed to be an older man in his place -- a man with worn lines on his face, deep bags under his eyes seemingly carved into his flesh by stress. It's terrible but completely accurate to say it: today was the day many Americans have been … [Read more...] about OJ Simpson’s Sentence: For Many Justice Delayed Finally Delivered
Early Christmas for the Constitution
The Supreme Court granted certiorari review in the case of Ali al-Marri, after Padilla, the second most important case of our lives. Why? Mr. al-Marri, you will recall from our interview with his attorney Jonathan Hafetz, was a legal resident studying at Bradley University in Peoria, IL, when, just like Padilla, was already in the criminal justice system when he was … [Read more...] about Early Christmas for the Constitution
Bill Richardson
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant … [Read more...] about Bill Richardson
Nothing To Cheer About
CNN has a video story up about high school cheerleaders who were kicked off the team, after it was revealed they had texted nude pictures of themselves to their boyfriends. Everyone CNN talked to was in 100% righteous fury mode, absolutely convinced the school did the right thing, lamenting how today's girls are sluts, and slamming the parents for trying to get their daughters … [Read more...] about Nothing To Cheer About
The New Broom May Need a Few Spikes
A mystifying story from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (Hat tip to Think Progress) When a new administration comes in, the old appointees tend to begin gathering up their personal effects and as many office supplies as they can stuff in their bags and head for the parking lot. Not so with Mary Beth Buchanan. Though she was, to put it kindly, a rather avid Bush supporter, she sees … [Read more...] about The New Broom May Need a Few Spikes
Canada Lost Lots Of Jobs, Too
Lest you think that the United States is the only country now breaking its own records for joblessness, just look north across the border where there's also a new bit of lousy economic news for Canada: Canadian employment fell by the most since 1982 in November, led by manufacturing, a sign the world’s eighth-largest economy is falling victim to a global … [Read more...] about Canada Lost Lots Of Jobs, Too
Dumb Rule: Feds Ease Gun Ban In Parks
The Interior Department revised a Reagan-era regulation Friday that now allows persons to carry concealed firearms in some national parks and wildlife refuges. It is a dumb rule observed from personal experience which will be described later. According to the Associated, the rule allows an individual to carry a loaded weapon in a park or wildlife refuge — but only if the … [Read more...] about Dumb Rule: Feds Ease Gun Ban In Parks
Can We Say The Words?
"Get a life." … [Read more...] about Can We Say The Words?
The Destructiveness and Historical Dishonesty of Newt Gingrich
Michelle Goldberg, author of the fantastic Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, had a must-read guest post at TNR's The Plank a couple of days ago on Newt Gingrich's latest contribution to the far right's seemingly endless culture war in support of "religious fundamentalism and sacralized nationalism." It involves "Gingrich hawking a full-length documentary … [Read more...] about The Destructiveness and Historical Dishonesty of Newt Gingrich