Today is Armed Forces Day, though surely it's ‘Unarmed Forces' Day... soldiers back from war, who ought be celebrated also... treated with decency to mend up psychic wounds they carry... ones who display injuries just as much in need of healing as a shattered arm, loss of hearing, a leg no longer all there. Same symptomatology in many Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder … [Read more...] about The Weld in Soldiers is Strong, It’s Our Government That’s Weak-minded: The PTSD Scandal
Classic Comedy: “Niagara Falls! Slowwly I Turn”
A classic vaudeville/burlesque routine featuring the tragic and ill-fated Lou Costello (who died of heart disease at age 52): … [Read more...] about Classic Comedy: “Niagara Falls! Slowwly I Turn”
Bush At the Knesset: Pure ‘Hate and Fabrication’
If President Bush's goal on his last trip to the Middle East was to enrage the entire Arab world - not to mention U.S. Democrats - he could not have done better than the speech he delivered to the Israeli Knesset on Thursday. One of the many examples of Arab discontent posted on WORLDMEETS.US is this from K. Selim, who writes for Algeria's Le Quotidian d'Oran: "In front … [Read more...] about Bush At the Knesset: Pure ‘Hate and Fabrication’
On racial stereotypes & spending
Bill Cosby has famously accused blacks of spend money unwisely, buying expensive sneakers rather than investing in their kids’ education and thereby reinforcing harmful stereotypes. Research by Wharton's Nikolai Roussanov, and Erik Hurst and Kerwin Charles of the University of Chicago has shown that what they're doing is we all do -- black, white, and hispanic -- it's called … [Read more...] about On racial stereotypes & spending
A helping hand for parolees in Kansas
Have I mentioned that in my rural Georgia town we have six state prisons? We call it economic development. I'm on the advisory board of one of them. NYTimes: Today, Kansas is a leader in a spreading national effort to make parole more effective and useful — to reduce violations and reincarcerations as it protects the public and seeks to help more offenders go straight. … [Read more...] about A helping hand for parolees in Kansas
Ted Kennedy In Hospital With Stroke Like Symptoms
Democratic party warhorse Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy has been rushed to the hospital with stoke-like symptoms, CNN reports: Sen. Edward Kennedy was rushed to Cape Cod Hospital in Massachusetts Saturday morning, a well-informed, prominent Democratic source in that state told CNN. The source said the 76-year-old senator had "symptoms of a stroke." Kennedy was … [Read more...] about Ted Kennedy In Hospital With Stroke Like Symptoms
Bush Says Don’t Blame Saudis For U.S. Oil Problems
President George Bush has made another comment from foreign soil (Egypt) that doesn't specify who he's criticizing but it's again clear who he means: he says don't blame Saudi Arabia for America's oil problems, blame Congress (which just happens to be controlled by the opposition party): US President George W. Bush said on Saturday that a hike in oil output by Saudi Arabia … [Read more...] about Bush Says Don’t Blame Saudis For U.S. Oil Problems
John McCain Looks Back From 2013 So…
This week GOP Presumptive Presidential nominee Senator John McCain gave a highly touted and highly intriguing speech in which he detailed what it would look like in 2013 when he completed his first term (if he's elected). Here's the text to that speech in which he listed his specific hopes for the future. Taking a page from McCain's book, progressive blogger Oliver Willis … [Read more...] about John McCain Looks Back From 2013 So…
A Real Life Bart Simpson Is A Hero
Yes there ARE real heroes. They're not manufactured by political spinners or military spokesmen. They just are. Here's one. (And we salute him) … [Read more...] about A Real Life Bart Simpson Is A Hero
The Truth About Russia
Pajamas Media has a must-read on the situation in Russia. A few excerpts: Perhaps best known for throwing a glass of juice in the face of ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky during a debate on a TV talk show in 1995 (and getting away with it, at a time when Zhironvsky was at his most menacing), Boris Nemtsov has long been the golden boy of post-Soviet Russia, the … [Read more...] about The Truth About Russia
News Media Political Death Watch On Clinton Campaign Begins (UPDATED)
Campaigns like people go through life phases, and nothing can be more distressing to a candidate and his/her supporters as when journalists start reporting a political death rattle. That now seems to be the stage of the campaign of Senator Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Presidential nomination. You can hear the characterizations in the reports of TV news journalists and … [Read more...] about News Media Political Death Watch On Clinton Campaign Begins (UPDATED)
Oregon Senate: Jeff Merkley Rising
Over at the American Street, Kevin Hayden is endorsing Oregon state House Speaker Jeff Merkley in the Democrats' efforts to unseat Gordon Smith, the sole remaining Republican Senator on the west coast. Merkley is currently the Speaker of the House in the state lege, so he carries the tag as the insider. Yet when I lived in East Portland, from 2001-04, he was my state … [Read more...] about Oregon Senate: Jeff Merkley Rising
Now Here’s A Democratic Unity Ticket Fer Ya
I have snoozed through all of the vice president talk -- as in who should be the running mates for Barack Obama and John McCain -- because it's much too early to get serious about that stuff. But then I had an epiphany, at least as far as the presumptive Democratic nominee is concerned: Charles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel. Inviting the retiring Nebraska Republican onto the … [Read more...] about Now Here’s A Democratic Unity Ticket Fer Ya
Obama Response To Bush McCain “Appeasement” Charge Shows Big Changes (UPDATED)
When Senator Barack Obama responded to President George Bush and presumptive GOP Presidential nominee Senator John McCain's suggestion that he would indulge in the "appeasement" of terrorists, it underscored several lessons -- and several key changes -- in the political, national and media landscapes. For one thing, the incident revealed Obama's quick-response style where … [Read more...] about Obama Response To Bush McCain “Appeasement” Charge Shows Big Changes (UPDATED)
Access to 2008 Candidates for Prez: What It Might Mean for Bloggers
What might it mean for various campaigns, and the Mainstream Media since John McCain and other candidates are reaching out to bloggers?... inviting bloggers to ply the candidates with questions, in sort of what might be called numerous ‘executive phone-news conferences’? I think we’ll see it as a leap in growth and strength of 'the new media's many-armed presence, as well … [Read more...] about Access to 2008 Candidates for Prez: What It Might Mean for Bloggers
The Bloggers Invited to Question John McCain
It's worth putting up the last half of the Washington Times article referenced in my previous post. McCain's choice of bloggers is intense and interesting. Many of the bloggers are hard workers who have given over a significant part of their lives to feeding the maw. No small thing. For sure, it's never been for the pay. And, AHEM, Senator McCain, The Moderate Voice would … [Read more...] about The Bloggers Invited to Question John McCain
Guess “The War” Hasn’t Reached Here Yet” McCain Invites Non-Conservative Bloggers
this, from the Washington Times regarding John McCain inviting bloggers who normally would not be considered 'political' and also non-conservative bloggers (presumably from the far left? Can that be it?) to 'tell the real story' about him and his campaign. Also, I just caught on Fox News, that several female conservative bloggers were tapped by Senator McCain also. Not … [Read more...] about Guess “The War” Hasn’t Reached Here Yet” McCain Invites Non-Conservative Bloggers
The Mosh Pit of Candidates: Ron Paul Will Hold ‘Counter-Convention’ at Republican Convention
Ron Paul, one of the most interesting and unique of the men who ran for the Republican nomination, well... He's not giving up. He and his considerable group of supporters have already rented space for their assembly near the site of the Republican Convention in St Paul Minn. Paul doesnt support John McCain; thinks McCain's ideas are far different than his. Says he has … [Read more...] about The Mosh Pit of Candidates: Ron Paul Will Hold ‘Counter-Convention’ at Republican Convention
Clinton’s (New?) Motivation
I enjoy Andrew Sullivan’s writing and he’s been gracious enough on occasion to link to what I write. But this post may cause him to denounce and reject me. Andrew seems convinced that Hillary will do anything in the pursuit of power, and said pursuit is practically all that drives her. Maybe he’s right. But I think there’s something more powerful than power that drives … [Read more...] about Clinton’s (New?) Motivation
Joshua Packwood: Morehouse Valedictory Man
He's White: Joshua Packwood knows what it's like to be a minority. This weekend he'll be the first white valedictorian to graduate from the historically black, all male Morehouse College in the school's 141-year history. Morehouse, in Atlanta, Georgia, is one the nation's most prestigious universities of its kind. For more than a century, the school has prided itself on … [Read more...] about Joshua Packwood: Morehouse Valedictory Man