NYTimes: Compared with previous years, the number of Internet users who watched videos on YouTube and other Web sites has risen only slightly. The overall number crept to about 135 million in April from 132 million in May 2007, according to comScore, an online measurement firm. But each of those users is watching far more video than before. ComScore reported that the … [Read more...] about Online video: We’re watching far more than before
Class Action Lawsuits: A U.S. Import Europe Should Do Without
It isn't the world's sexist subject, but the issue of whether to institute U.S.-style class-action lawsuits is raising controversy in Europe. With regulators poised to institute such a system, the same kind of debate that has repeatedly erupted in the United States is raised in this editorial from France's Le Figaro Newspaper. The editorial points out: "One notes … [Read more...] about Class Action Lawsuits: A U.S. Import Europe Should Do Without
How You Wanna Feel on 5th November ’08?
The first general election in which I was able to vote was the British election of 1997 - held after four consecutive terms of Conservative government. Following 13 years of Margaret Thatcher, who was thrown out in a very English coup, the Conservative party was in that year led by John Major, under whom it became rotten with hypocrisy – or “sleaze”, as it was called in … [Read more...] about How You Wanna Feel on 5th November ’08?
World’s Most Expensive House
John Kenneth Galbraith, a distinguished economist and the popular American ambassador to India in the 1960s, once described the country as a "functioning anarchy". Please judge for yourself if Galbraith was right or wrong... The drawing (on the left) shows the 27-storey house of Mukesh Ambani, world's fifth-richest man, being built in Mumbai, home to Asia's biggest slum. … [Read more...] about World’s Most Expensive House
No evidence of “pregnancy pact” in Gloucester
Boston Herald: In the strongest rebuff yet of the national “pregnancy pact” story that has scandalized Gloucester, top city and school officials say there’s no evidence that nearly half of the 17 pregnant teens at Gloucester High conspired to have babies together. “We have not been able to confirm the existence of a pact,” said Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk, trying to … [Read more...] about No evidence of “pregnancy pact” in Gloucester
Bush Breaking New Ground in Lawbreaking
In the annals of presidential crime, George W. Bush is setting records again, this time violating a law he signed into existence less than a year ago. By failing to appoint a White House coordinator for preventing nuclear terrorism, as required by Congress in a bill passed by a wide bipartisan margin last August, the Decider is going beyond using signing statements, as he … [Read more...] about Bush Breaking New Ground in Lawbreaking
Frightened Little Men
One of the biggest meetings ever of the world's top economic heavies took place this past weekend in Saudi Arabia. Finance ministers, oil sheiks, bankers, corporate CEOs, ever a few government heads, assembled to reassure the world that sky-high prices for energy could be kept under control. So why were so few people reassured? Frightened Little Men They met … [Read more...] about Frightened Little Men
FROM THE TIMES OF LONDON: Cult U.S. Comedian George Carlin dies at 71
In another shocking loss to the American media firmament, George Carlin's death, in its own way, is just as disconcerting as the recent death of Tim Russert. Carlin was another champion of the common man who spoke without fear or favor to those who hold political power. … [Read more...] about FROM THE TIMES OF LONDON: Cult U.S. Comedian George Carlin dies at 71
The Republican Campaign to Make You Afraid
This was Obama on Friday, speaking in Jacksonville (via Reuters): It is going to be very difficult for Republicans to run on their stewardship of the economy or their outstanding foreign policy. We know what kind of campaign they're going to run. They're going to try to make you afraid. They're going to try to make you afraid of me. He's young and inexperienced and he's … [Read more...] about The Republican Campaign to Make You Afraid
Carlin remembrances…
From around the blogosphere. All have video... Xeni Jardin at Boing Boing has the verbatim transcript of "Filthy Words" and the FCC v Pacifica Foundation Supreme Court Case. PZ Myers, "This was a man to whom nothing was sacred, and that was how he inspired us." Andrew Sullivan, Don't Vote. "Some dyspepsia from newly dead George Carlin." Ezra Klein, "the best you can … [Read more...] about Carlin remembrances…
MoveOn’s Alex and John McCain’s One Hundred Years in Iraq
I guess Barack Obama and other key Democrats (“Liberals,“ Bill would say) didn’t do or say anything that Bill Kristol could use as fodder in his much awaited, once-a-week, Monday morning New York Times column. I say that because Bill Kristol decided to go after MoveOn.org by dredging up last September’s General Petraeus ad, and by mischaracterizing a new 30-second TV spot that … [Read more...] about MoveOn’s Alex and John McCain’s One Hundred Years in Iraq
Florida: It’s the Petrol, Not the Politics
The Wall Street Journal is reporting on the next in a series of Rasmussen Reports polls in the Sunshine State which seem to indicate that residents are far less opposed to offshore drilling to increase fuel supplies than they used to be. A Florida poll taken by Rasmussen Reports Wednesday, after Republican presidential candidate John McCain first called for lifting a … [Read more...] about Florida: It’s the Petrol, Not the Politics
Krazy Kristol and Batty Bolton Talk Up Iran Attack
These two headlines from Think Progress sum it all up: -- Kristol: Bush Might Bomb Iran If He 'Thinks Senator Obama's Going To Win' -- Bolton: Israel Will Attack Iran After U.S. Election But Before Inauguration, Arab States Will Be 'Delighted' So they both said on Fox News yesterday morning. (Of course.) They and the warmongering neocons of their ilk have said much … [Read more...] about Krazy Kristol and Batty Bolton Talk Up Iran Attack
Reasons Why Clinton Voters Still Won’t Support Obama
Presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama still faces a big problem: many Senator Hillary Clinton supporters still aren't supporting him and their feelings seemingly override any partisan concerns over what a John McCain administration might bring in terms of specifics. But why? Salon's Rebecca Traister did some interviews and came up with some reasons -- reasons that … [Read more...] about Reasons Why Clinton Voters Still Won’t Support Obama
Those Good Old ‘9/10 Mindsets’: John McCain & The White House Call The Kettle Black
Condi studies briefing paper on Al Qaeda threat; Twin towers burn Inconveniently for the Bush administration and presidential wannabe John McCain, the historic record showing that the White House slept while Osama bin Laden and his merry band of terrorists planned the 9/11 attacks continues to grow, which effectively undercuts allegations that Barack Obama (and John Kerry … [Read more...] about Those Good Old ‘9/10 Mindsets’: John McCain & The White House Call The Kettle Black
George Carlin, Satirist, Has Died
George Carlin, the undeniably clever comedian who, a decade into a career that was comprised of typical Borscht Belt schtick, took his comedy in a self-consciously countercultural direction, has died. It was probably inevitable that the decade that triggered Carlin's comedic transformation would inspire some satirizing court jesters to express the antiestablishment feelings … [Read more...] about George Carlin, Satirist, Has Died
The Realities of Advertising
I had to sigh when I read William Kristol's litany of complaints regarding the new "Alex" advertisement opposing John McCain's candidacy. It's not that Kristol doesn't comprehend the realities of military enlistment, family choices or the tides of war. He grasps and explains those things perfectly. What Mr. Kristol doesn't understand, however, is advertising. For a bit of … [Read more...] about The Realities of Advertising
McCain and the women
Amidst all the speculation surrounding Mitt Romney, Bobby Jindal and Tim Pawlenty, could John McCain be secretly considering taking a woman as his Vice Presidential pick? While top tier black candidates are as common as unicorns in the GOP, there are a number of successful, high profile women who could fill the bill. The Politico's David Kuhn ruminates on some of the female … [Read more...] about McCain and the women
When TV Puppets Were Considered Risque
Most young cartoon buffs just learning about animated cartoon history know the name Bob Clampett as belonging to the late cartoon genius who worked on and created many of the beloved Warner Brothers cartoons and some of their key characters. Cartoon fans consider the Warner Brothers school of cartoons the "anti-Disney": with the focus on laughs versus being cute. Clampett had … [Read more...] about When TV Puppets Were Considered Risque
Arabs Must Let Go of Conspiracy Theories …
Are Arabs finally coming to accept that the United States is not really part of a Zionist conspiracy in pursuit of a Jewish takeover of the world? In this hopeful op-ed from Yemen's Alsahwa newspaper, Sabah Al Kheshni makes quick work of the global Zionist conspiracy and argues against the common habit in many Arab countries of blaming everything that's wrong on a … [Read more...] about Arabs Must Let Go of Conspiracy Theories …