Some years ago, there was a cartoon showing a skeleton sitting in a doctor's waiting room with an outdated magazine in its hand. Now life has imitated cartoon art: after waiting 24 hours in a New York City psychiatric hospital's waiting room, a video shows a black woman falling to the floor and people streaming in and out seemingly oblivious to her until she is finally … [Read more...] about Ignored Psychiatric Patient Dies On Floor Of Hospital Waiting Room
New Terrorist Tool – The Bulldozer
An East Jerusalem Palestinian hijacked a bulldozer today and began attacking buses, cars and the people in them. A few people were killed and around 60 were wounded. Fortunately, the terrorist was quickly killed. Jerusalem Post: Bulldozer driver shot dead after going on rampage in capital Jerusalem Post: 'Israel must demolish terrorist's house' Jerusalem Post: We acted … [Read more...] about New Terrorist Tool – The Bulldozer
Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics: More on Schaller’s Supreme Confidence That Dems Can’t Win the South
From the perspective of citizenship, one indisputable good that came of the Democratic primary season was how wonderfully it engaged the electorate. To any pundit or pollster who dares tell me that the ultimate outcome was exactly as they predicted, my reply is that the first right and responsibility of citizenship is the vote. Had the Founding Fathers intended a democracy … [Read more...] about Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics: More on Schaller’s Supreme Confidence That Dems Can’t Win the South
Wesley Clark On McCain
Nate Beeler, The Washington Examiner … [Read more...] about Wesley Clark On McCain
‘What I Tell You Is Three Times True’ & Other Dispatches From The Bush Terror Regime
THE SNARK AND THE MASTERMIND The more we learn about the Bush torture regime, the more apparent it becomes that there is an interconnectivity between what once seemed random acts and events: False confessions are coerced from tortured detainees using Chinese Communist techniques perfected on U.S. fliers during the Korean War. Ethnic Muslims considered by the Chinese to be … [Read more...] about ‘What I Tell You Is Three Times True’ & Other Dispatches From The Bush Terror Regime
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw (1914-2008)
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, a former Chief of Staff of the Indian Army, led India to victory against Pakistan in the 1971 war that resulted in the partition of Pakistan, and the formation of Bangladesh (earlier known as East Pakistan). The Guardian obituary here... Manekshaw (April 3, 1914 - June 27, 2008) died aged 94. Silloo, his wife, passed away in 2001. He is … [Read more...] about Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw (1914-2008)
Election 2008: Colorado
Colorado is likely to be one of the major battlegrounds in November from the top of the ballot to the bottom. The state has been seen as Republican but has been moving towards the Democrats as the Hispanic population grows. President: Bush won this state twice but Bill Clinton took it in 1992. Obama is expected to make this a major target in the fall. Recent polls show him … [Read more...] about Election 2008: Colorado
Atlanta airport concealed weapons ban disputed in Federal court
NYTimes: A decision by Georgia legislators to relax the state’s gun laws has led to a dispute over whether people can legally carry concealed firearms in the nation’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International. A Georgia gun rights group filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in Atlanta on Tuesday after airport officials said they would continue to enforce … [Read more...] about Atlanta airport concealed weapons ban disputed in Federal court
Election 2008: California
We now come to my own home state and the biggest prize of electoral votes in the race for President. While it is not likely to be in play this fall the candidate are still going to spend some time in the state, if only for purposes of showing the flag. President: California has not voted for a Republican since Ronald Reagan was President and there is no chance that this will … [Read more...] about Election 2008: California
Enviromental Extremism Partly To Blame For Fires
For the past couple of weeks I have been spending more and more time inside as the air outside has gotten worse and worse. Looking into gray skies caused by literally hundreds of fires all over Northern California caused me to take a look at the causes of these fires. Of course the primary cause of the fires was a freak thunderstorm that produced hundreds of lightning … [Read more...] about Enviromental Extremism Partly To Blame For Fires
Georgia Supreme Court weighing mandatory sentence imposed on sex offender
Following up on yesterday's post about the Georgia Supreme Court considering proportionality in a sex offender case, there were some hopeful signs in the courtroom yesterday. Significantly, the court was asked to consider its ruling that freed Genarlow Wilson last year: The request was unusual in that it was made by both the prosecutor who wants the life sentence upheld as … [Read more...] about Georgia Supreme Court weighing mandatory sentence imposed on sex offender
From Der Tagesspiegel: Barack Obama Must ‘Take a Stand’
Is Barack Obama's honeymoon with Europe over already? After months of the most effusive and unrestrained praise for America's first serious Black presidential candidate, some of Obama's most energetic European backers - the Germans - are growing skeptical. Malte Lehming writes for Germany's Der Tagesspiegel: "In the end, a disappointment is a deceit. So it's for the … [Read more...] about From Der Tagesspiegel: Barack Obama Must ‘Take a Stand’
Obama and McCain: the necessity of rebuilding the nation
As Barack Obama and John McCain haggle over immigration and reasons for the energy mess, they are sticking their heads in the sand about the real problem. That problem is the growing loss of faith among Americans in their ability to face the future as they struggle with consumer debt that has risen to $14 trillion from $8 trillion during George Bush’s sojourn in the White … [Read more...] about Obama and McCain: the necessity of rebuilding the nation
Ex-Swift Boaters’ Donations and the ‘Swiftboating’ Connotation
In a USA Today story, “Price of Power: McCain accepts ex-Swift Boaters' donations,” we learn that Senator John McCain, who four years ago condemned the “Swift Boat’s” attacks on Vietnam veteran John Kerry as “dishonest and dishonorable,” has now accepted nearly $70,000 from the top donors of this group. According to USA Today, That's nearly four times the amount … [Read more...] about Ex-Swift Boaters’ Donations and the ‘Swiftboating’ Connotation
Khost, COIN, and America’s Forgotten War
Analyst Barnett Rubin has an eye-opening assessment of developments in Afghanistan. Well worth the read. He notes that despite optimistic accounts from the likes of Ann Marlowe and David Ignatius, the Department of Defense recently revealed that attacks have risen 40% in eastern Afghanistan over the last year. Even Khost province, what some have called the "crown jewel in the … [Read more...] about Khost, COIN, and America’s Forgotten War
Manufacturing a flip-flop
For the past week or so, Barack Obama has been accused nearly non-stop of "shifting positions", "moving to the center" (or to the right, depending on the source), and/or "flip-flopping". While there have indeed been a couple of shifts, there's also a massive amount of disinformation coming out about Obama. He was not, for example, sweepingly against the death penalty. … [Read more...] about Manufacturing a flip-flop
Huffington Wants Obama To Veer Left
In her article posted on Real Clear Politics, Arianna Huffington suggests that Obama should not tack to the center this fall but should instead move to the left. She claims that the her opinion is not based on her own progressive views but instead on real political considerations. However with all due respect I must dispute this claim. If you read between the lines there is … [Read more...] about Huffington Wants Obama To Veer Left
Progressive Voices of Reason
BooMan wants the blogosphere (espcially the progressive blogosphere) to "grow up." From his conclusion: Barack Obama doesn't want to discuss John McCain's military service. It is not a narrative that benefits him. He doesn't want his allies gratuitously attacking the military and its generals. That is not an association that helps him. It's nothing personal. It's strictly … [Read more...] about Progressive Voices of Reason
Merge the DLC and RLC
Steven Thomma wonders about the future of Centrists in the article Does Obama's rise mean less clout for Democratic centrists? They noted that while the Centrist Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) was meeting in Chicago Obama did not attend, even though he was home this weekend. While I favor a Democratic take over of Government in order to correct GOP negligence and … [Read more...] about Merge the DLC and RLC
Oh What A Reversal of Fortune: We’ve Met The Enemy & It’s Our Very Own Leaders
Remember when conservatives warned that dope-smoking hippies were going to destroy America? How ironic since it is our conservative leaders who are doing most of the damage. While those oh-so-liberal Democrats will no doubt have their own chance to screw things up and as it is have been feckless helpmates of the Republicans, the fallout from the 1994 Contract on America … [Read more...] about Oh What A Reversal of Fortune: We’ve Met The Enemy & It’s Our Very Own Leaders