Author's Note: As we have for the past ten years, my wife and I once again attended the beautiful “Tree of Angels” ceremony in our church recently. Except for one sad aspect, a sign of the times, there is not much that has changed about the ceremony or about the feelings it evokes. Therefore, I would like to share my thoughts and emotions as I wrote them down last year --- … [Read more...] about A Very Sacred Christmas Tree
Rick Warren and the Gay Community: ToMAYto, ToMAHto
Last week, I thought Andrew Sullivan's post, "Taking Yes for an Answer" -- re: the Rick Warren/Obama inauguration debate -- would prove to be the definitive post on that subject, after all the dust had settled. I now think Sullivan has been trumped by the self-dubbed "Hollywood Farm Girl," in a post titled "the big rick's yamaka." … [Read more...] about Rick Warren and the Gay Community: ToMAYto, ToMAHto
Another first for Twitter: Tweeting the Plane Crash
No one was killed. 38 were hurt. Just 1 tweet. (Warning, adult language!) Silicon Valley Insider: In another first for Twitter, passenger Mike Wilson tweeted his miraculous escape. Read from the bottom up. And then buy this man (and everyone else on the plane) a vodka tonic! This was crash #2 for Mike, "Maybe I should start taking the bus." Maybe? He's making the news … [Read more...] about Another first for Twitter: Tweeting the Plane Crash
Mark Felt as a Washington Henry Hill
Following his recent death, pundits were lining up to sing the praises of Mark "Deep Throat" Felt and his role in the downfall of Richard M. Nixon and the Watergate Plumbers Local 107. This weekend I found myself reading a decidedly-different perspective on Felt's life and times in Clarice Feldman's column, "Deep Throat: Too Late the Hero." Feldman brushes straight past the … [Read more...] about Mark Felt as a Washington Henry Hill
A Must-Read for the Holidays
If you read nothing else this holiday season, read this contribution to the NYT -- a short, true story about the "real meaning" of the season. … [Read more...] about A Must-Read for the Holidays
The Richter Scales: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
More from The Richter Scales. … [Read more...] about The Richter Scales: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Bailout Industries Still Don’t Get It
In what is an increasingly common story it looks like various bailed out-industries still don't get it. Despite being near-disaster financially and after obtaining billions of dollars in taxpayer money, they are still behaving like they own the world and we just live in it. Reports first indicated bailed-out banks paid up to $ 1.6 billion dollars (that's $ 1,600,000,000.00 … [Read more...] about Bailout Industries Still Don’t Get It
Taking Choice And Individuality For Granted
I was getting caught up on my favorite economic blogs and ran across a couple of posts that really got me questioning my assumptions about my worldview. It was triggered by reading this absolute nightmare of a post (which is amazing since it's so curt and passive) that gave credence to some ideas that had been floating in my head. Briefly, everyone is worried about another … [Read more...] about Taking Choice And Individuality For Granted
Dissin’ Detroit and Its Consequences for Conservatism
Now that President Bush has decided to go over Congress' head and provide General Motors and Chrysler bridge loans through March, I think now is the time to see how the GOP and conservatives in general handled the issue. This is only my view and it's the view of a crank living in Minnesota. However, in the glorious age that we live in, with handy little computers connected to … [Read more...] about Dissin’ Detroit and Its Consequences for Conservatism
Towards a Progressive Conservatism, Revisited
About four years ago, I wrote something in an old blog based on a David Brooks essay from 2004. I called the post, "Towards a Progressive Conservatism" and it went something like this: I've been reading the new book by Jim Wallis called , God's Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It. In it, he talks about a essay written by New York Times … [Read more...] about Towards a Progressive Conservatism, Revisited
Shoe Attack a Throwback to the Era of Saddam Hussein: From Sotal Iraq
Caption Says: 'A Baathist journalist exchanges his tools.' On Microphone is Written: 'Al Baghdadiyah,' which is the satellite network of reporter Muntadar Al Zeidi. [Sotal Iraq, Iraq] 'The Shoe Affair' continues to create tremendous controversy in the Arab world - and there is a bit of a backlash against the young reporter at the heart of it. This article from Iraq's … [Read more...] about Shoe Attack a Throwback to the Era of Saddam Hussein: From Sotal Iraq
Coleman-Franken: Saturday, December 20, 1:34 PM
There have been so many headlines and post titles calling the Coleman-Franken Senatorial race almost over, too close to call, to be decided "in the next couple of days," having one or the other candidate leading by "only 5 votes," or 33 votes, or 2 votes, or updating the never-ending story, that it is becoming more and more difficult to find a headline or post title that has … [Read more...] about Coleman-Franken: Saturday, December 20, 1:34 PM
Facebookgate: Companies “Colonize” Facebook for Marketing Exploits
Brad J. Ward, coordinator for electronic communication in Butler University’s admissions office, discovered late last week that dozens hundreds of 2013 Facebook groups had been created or administered by the same handful of people. He posted to his blog, SquaredPeg, There’s something going down on Facebook. Pay attention. Through Thursday night and into Friday he updated … [Read more...] about Facebookgate: Companies “Colonize” Facebook for Marketing Exploits
I’ll Never Complain About My Commute Again
Atheists Post Hateful Christmas Sign (Guest Voice)
Tis the season to be jolly...Peace on earth...Goodwill towards all men. Really? In this Guest Voice post authors and speakers Floyd and Mary Beth Brown look at the case of an atheist sign that not only doesn't have religion, but doesn't have a healing spirit. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Atheists Post Hateful Christmas … [Read more...] about Atheists Post Hateful Christmas Sign (Guest Voice)
One Leg Raised on the Bush–Cheney Legacy: Deconstructing the Spin and Propaganda (Guest Voice)
A top Republican party sent out an email warning about the Democrats' radical agenda -- but in this guest voice post, journalism professor and author Walter Brasch asks: just who are the REAL radicals? Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. One Leg Raised on the Bush–Cheney Legacy: Deconstructing the Spin and Propaganda by Walter … [Read more...] about One Leg Raised on the Bush–Cheney Legacy: Deconstructing the Spin and Propaganda (Guest Voice)
Will Carolyn Kennedy Sink New York’s Governor?
This week I provide some background to Governor David Paterson's political history and how a Caroline Kennedy Senate appointment could affect his future in my latest column at Pajamas Media. The Sheriff of Wall Street was a solid contender for the governor’s mansion, but he hailed from the affluent side of the tracks and was several shades too white for his party’s … [Read more...] about Will Carolyn Kennedy Sink New York’s Governor?
Dollar Slide
Eric Allie, Caglecartoons.com … [Read more...] about Dollar Slide
Birth Of The Professional Obama Haters
Every President has had his contingent of seemingly-professional haters, sometimes stemming from policy but sometimes stemming from the need to market an opposition persona, increase readership or an audience, or rally partisan followers to do battle to halt specific polices. The degree of hatred varies in both its intensity and justification. Democrat Bill Clinton had his … [Read more...] about Birth Of The Professional Obama Haters
Terrorism: USA, Pakistan & the Doubletalk
The US administration's doublespeak on India and Pakistan is legendary and has made it virtually impossible to end the so-called "war-on-terror". The Mumbai barbarism last month again exposed this. Following the UN sanctions against certain militant-terrorist organizations in Pakistan, the US state department officials paid ritual visits to the two countries and mouthed the … [Read more...] about Terrorism: USA, Pakistan & the Doubletalk