Eight years ago Nawaz Sharif, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, was thrown into prison and tried by the military regime led by General Pervez Musharraf. Sharif was jailed before being forced into exile in Saudi Arabia. On Friday the Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief arrived in Pakistan at a time when impeachment stares Musharraf in the face.The question being asked is … [Read more...] about Saudi Spy Chief in Pakistan: Déjà Vu…
Zogby: People Want to Hear from Bob Barr too
Even in the midst of the media feeding frenzy over Obamamania and the Republicans' efforts to force some shoulder room on the stage for John McCain, it seems that Americans would still prefer to have more options. According to a recent poll from Zogby, the majority of voters would prefer to see Bob Barr at the lectern when presidential candidates debate this fall. More than … [Read more...] about Zogby: People Want to Hear from Bob Barr too
The Edwards-Hunter Scandal: Where Some People Go, Trouble Seems To Follow
Rielle Hunter, the one-time apple of John Edwards' eye, is emerging as quite a piece of work -- and whose turbulent past intersects with a gruesome series of crimes. Hunter's bona fides as a party girl are well established. She had a voracious appetite for sex and cocaine that so impressed onetime paramour and Generation X novelist Jay McInerney that he did a roman à clef on … [Read more...] about The Edwards-Hunter Scandal: Where Some People Go, Trouble Seems To Follow
They’re Back — And The Clintons Are Here To Stay?
A growing theory now making the round on the right, center and in some parts of the left is that Senator Hillary Clinton and her husband former President Bill Clinton have now effectively-hijacked a good part of the Democratic attention away from Democratic party presumptive nominee Senator Barack Obama. Those who believe this pooh-pooh reports of a compromise to let Clinton … [Read more...] about They’re Back — And The Clintons Are Here To Stay?
Georgian Conflict: Leaders Show Increasing Anger, Russia Digs in, Civilians Suffer (A News Round-Up)
"[T]he alienation between the United States and Russia has rarely, if ever, been deeper," says Steven Lee Myers. (NYT) He further states: “The cold war is over,” President Bush declared Friday, but a new era of enmity between the United States and Russia has emerged nevertheless. It may not be as tense as the nuclear standoff with the Soviet Union, for now, but it could … [Read more...] about Georgian Conflict: Leaders Show Increasing Anger, Russia Digs in, Civilians Suffer (A News Round-Up)
Insults, Irony and Energy – Populism American Style: From El Tiempo of Colombia
Americans aren't the only ones exasperated with the quality of the electoral debate in the United States. For El Tiempo of Colombia, Sergio Munoz Bata writes in part: "Between insulting statements and condemnations that border on slander, recent electoral activity by the U.S. presidential candidates has focused on their proposals for energy policy. And while the … [Read more...] about Insults, Irony and Energy – Populism American Style: From El Tiempo of Colombia
McCain: Georgia conflict is the ‘first serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War.’ (With Blogger Round Up)
I am becoming quite worried about McCain. RockRichard at VetVoice says bluntly: … [Read more...] about McCain: Georgia conflict is the ‘first serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War.’ (With Blogger Round Up)
Madonna & Michael Jackson: Megastars At 50
This month Madonna and Michael Jackson complete 50 years of age. Both Madonna and Jackson have attracted huge controversy, but with very different outcomes, says The Times. "In sheer numbers, both Jackson and Madonna are phenomenal success stories. His credits include the bestselling album of all time, Thriller (1982), with global sales somewhere close to 100 million. "His … [Read more...] about Madonna & Michael Jackson: Megastars At 50
The Daily Show on the Georgia Conflict and Responses to It
Jon says what needed to be said about the short term memory problems affecting Bush, Rice, and McCain and about the complete non-presumptuousness of McCain's dispatching a team of envoys to Georgia. … [Read more...] about The Daily Show on the Georgia Conflict and Responses to It
Good for the Soul–and the Heel
Public confession makes a half-century leap from John Edwards' mea-not-so-culpa to a sudden exercise in self-revelation by Charles Van Doren, who was caught in the quiz show scandals of the 1950s. But perhaps the most telling truth about public soul-searching comes, not from Edwards on Nightline or Van Doren in the New Yorker, but in a New York Times blog by the scholar … [Read more...] about Good for the Soul–and the Heel
‘Banish All Magical Thinking Regarding the Russian Bear’: From Poland’s Rceczpospolita
As we have pointed out before, given Poland's history of being governed by imperial Russia and then the Soviet Union, the events in Georgia have had a tremendous impact in that country. So what should be done, according to Warsaw? To put it simply: Stand Tough. For the Polish newspaper Rceczpospolita, Bronislaw Wildstein warns of the looming danger for Poland and East … [Read more...] about ‘Banish All Magical Thinking Regarding the Russian Bear’: From Poland’s Rceczpospolita
Holding All Else Equal….
Note to the commenters: You can't defend replacing (as opposed to supplementing) race-based affirmative action with class-based programs by compared rich Blacks to poor Whites. For that claim to be valid, the axis of comparison has to be the equal position of poor Blacks to poor Whites. Otherwise, you're risking just masking the effects of potential racial discrimination that … [Read more...] about Holding All Else Equal….
Comment system being upgraded
The Disqus comment system is currently being upgraded. Comments are temporarily down for this critical update. Thank you for your patience. UPDATE Comment system back up. Will wait until the slow times in order to enable and test additional features. … [Read more...] about Comment system being upgraded
Jerry Wexler (1917-2008)
MORE HERE. … [Read more...] about Jerry Wexler (1917-2008)
Bill Kristol on Victory in Iraq and Impotence In Georgia
I usually comment on Bill Kristol's much-awaited Monday morning columns in the New York Times. Because of travel, I did not get the opportunity to do so this week. But not to worry, the Times' letters-to-the-editor writers came through, and not only do an excellent job of critiquing Kristol's column, but also do a better job than I have in previous posts of describing the … [Read more...] about Bill Kristol on Victory in Iraq and Impotence In Georgia
McCain abortion comment alarms base
While I was focused on the gay part of the comment, the base was getting all riled up about the hint of pro-life tolerance. Politico: “It absolutely floored me,” said Phil Burress, head of the Ohio-based Citizens for Community Values. “It would doom him in Ohio.” Burress e-mailed about a dozen “pro-family leaders” he knows outside Ohio and forwarded it to three McCain … [Read more...] about McCain abortion comment alarms base
Oops! He Did It Again
Anyone who believed that John McCain's campaign wasn't (once again) lying through its teeth when it swore that Phil Gramm had been shown the door is hereby invited to change their medication. Gramm never really went away and will once again be at Honest John's side this weekend at a series of briefings for major supporters in economically ravaged . . . er, a playground for … [Read more...] about Oops! He Did It Again
Happy Birthday: The iMac turns 10
Ars Technica: Today marks 10 years since the release of the iconic iMac. Introduced to the public in May of 1998 and available on August 15, 1998, Apple's friendly all-in-one has undergone many changes over the last 10 years in order to stay current. Although the iMac wasn't Apple's first or only all-in-one machine, it was—and remains—the most popular by far, and remains a … [Read more...] about Happy Birthday: The iMac turns 10
Bits and Pieces and More Pieces
Did John McCain steal one of Jackson Browne's songs without permission for use in a political ad? If you read the headlines, it certainly looks that way, but there is a bit more to the story. While Mr. Brown's music apparently was used without consent, it may not have been done by Team McCain. The song, "Running on Empty," has been used by the Ohio Republican Party (not the … [Read more...] about Bits and Pieces and More Pieces
On Obama’s Compromise With Clinton On Having Her Name Placed In Nomination
Was it a bad omen for Obama, his prospects in the campaign and how he'll govern if he gets into the Oval Office? The New York Daily News' Michael Goodwin argues "yes." … [Read more...] about On Obama’s Compromise With Clinton On Having Her Name Placed In Nomination