With the most significant NATO summit in decades about to begin, among other issues, the problem of what to do about Afghanistan is high on the list. Chief among European concerns in this regard is the apparent lack of a strategy beyond killing members of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. For France's Liberation, Bernard Guetta writes of British plans that France should take part … [Read more...] about The Taliban Have Learned the Lesson of 2001 … It’s Time to Talk
Judge Not the Presidential Daughters For Their Fathers, But No Free Passes, Okay?
Oops! It happened again – Chelsea Clinton was asked about the Monica Lewsinky scandal while stumping for her mother. There is some unanimity among mainstream media pundits and bloggers, including some who have been otherwise critical of Hillary and Bill Clinton, that such questions should be off limits. Their reasoning, such as it is, is that Chelsea was a teenager at the … [Read more...] about Judge Not the Presidential Daughters For Their Fathers, But No Free Passes, Okay?
China, Olympics & Repression: An Amnesty Report
"It is increasingly clear that much of the current wave of repression (in Tibet) is occurring not in spite of the (Beijing) Olympics but actually because of the Olympics," says a recent Amnesty International report. The group also called on world leaders to speak out on the situation in Tibet, calling a failure to address the issue tacit 'endorsement' of human rights … [Read more...] about China, Olympics & Repression: An Amnesty Report
The “McCain is a Racist” Meme
One of the things that I've started noticing is that some Democrats are starting a meme that states that John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, is a racist. John Henke, guest blogging over at Megan McArdle's blog notes that two Democratic bloggers are starting the line that McCain is playing from a racist playbook. Of course, then there is this last paragraph in … [Read more...] about The “McCain is a Racist” Meme
Is The Honeymoon Over For Hillary Clinton And Rupert Murdoch?
Sometimes marriages are made in heaven. And then there are the political marriages that are seemingly made further south, in hotter climes. Now there's a report that the honeymoon may be over between Democratic Presidential nomination aspirant Senator Hillary Clinton and conservative mega-media-giant News Corp maven Rupert Murdoch. For political and media junkies, its timing … [Read more...] about Is The Honeymoon Over For Hillary Clinton And Rupert Murdoch?
News From the Israeli and Palestinian Front: April 1st
A biweekly feature of news and opinion pieces from the Israeli and Palestinian press. 1.) Writing in Prospect magazine, Israeli journalist Gershom Gorenberg calls for the creation of a more mainstream pro-Israel lobby. Contrary to popular belief, he suggests, the actions of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) do not represent the views of most American … [Read more...] about News From the Israeli and Palestinian Front: April 1st
Sexism and Homophobia in Scarborough Country
Via Media Matters: During the March 31 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Willie Geist repeatedly mocked Sen. Barack Obama's bowling performance -- which Scarborough called "dainty" -- at a March 29 campaign stop at Pleasant Valley Lanes in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Deriding Obama's score, he said: "You know Willie, the thing is, Americans want their … [Read more...] about Sexism and Homophobia in Scarborough Country
Weren’t the Democrats the Pro-Union Party?
Some interesting news appears to be coming out of Minnesota this week. I found a very comprehensive and informative article over at Ladies Logic (an excellent Minnesota conservative - moderate blog, by the way) which details an ongoing investigation into the affairs of one Lori Swanson, the Democratic Attorney General of the state. There is still much more to be revealed, but … [Read more...] about Weren’t the Democrats the Pro-Union Party?
As I Was Saying . . .
A smarty pants commenter or two took umbrage a couple of weeks ago when I said that it would only be a matter of time before taxpayers were asked to pay for the meltdown of Bear Stearns and other greed-inflicted Wall Street bigs who got scorched in the subprime mortgage and related disasters. Well, the time is now. … [Read more...] about As I Was Saying . . .
Political Correctness vs. The Need to Know
On the north side of Houston yesterday, an 11-year-old boy was almost snatched. After being approached, slapped, and thrown to the ground, he somehow managed to escape and run home. Scary stuff. Luckily, the boy was able to give a description of both his attacker and his vehicle, and Houston police are trying to find the very dangerous would-be abductor. Here's the online … [Read more...] about Political Correctness vs. The Need to Know
Clinton Surrogate Ed Rendell (hearts) Fox News
Here's the latest Clintonian trend: suck up to the right-wing media. As if it wasn't enough that Hillary herself cozied up to Dick Scaife (and was cozied back), top Clinton surrogate Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania -- he who thinks whites may not be ready for a black president -- thinks the world of Fox News, claiming it is truly the fairest and most balanced of them all: I … [Read more...] about Clinton Surrogate Ed Rendell (hearts) Fox News
Polls: Clinton’s Lead Shrinks In Pennsylvania As Obama Adjusts Primary Tactics (UPDATED)
Depending on how you look at it, political polls (particularly in Campaign 2008) are snapshots and/or see-saws -- but new polls out of Pennsylvania indicate Senator Hillary Clinton's lead over Senator Barack Obama in their epic battle for the White House is seemingly shrinking: If the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania were held Tuesday, April 1, Hillary Clinton would … [Read more...] about Polls: Clinton’s Lead Shrinks In Pennsylvania As Obama Adjusts Primary Tactics (UPDATED)
The McCain Makeover
The Righteous Republican cosmeticians have started to work their magic and, as in the women's magazines, a natural-looking person may end up resembling an aging tart. To borrow from Gloria Steinem, McCain would do better to brush them off and say, "This is what seventy and self-possessed looks like, get used to it." The first ad is a tipoff, harking back to those days at the … [Read more...] about The McCain Makeover
Doctors support universal health care
This is encouraging Doctors support universal health care: survey More than half of U.S. doctors now favor switching to a national health care plan and fewer than a third oppose the idea, according to a survey published on Monday. The survey suggests that opinions have changed substantially since the last survey in 2002 and as the country debates serious changes to the … [Read more...] about Doctors support universal health care
Major Clinton Donors Send A Message
RJ Matson, Roll Call … [Read more...] about Major Clinton Donors Send A Message
Doomsday Thinking in the United States…
Is the Bush Administration's response to the previous recession at the root of the present global financial meltdown? Such is the verdict of the editorial board of the NRC Handelsblad, the main business daily of The Netherlands. According to the editorial, "In good measure, the current crisis has its roots in the tricks that were applied to deal with the previous recession six … [Read more...] about Doomsday Thinking in the United States…
Obama’s Bowling-Gate Scandal Rocks America!
Clearly this is the beginning of the end for the presidential aspirations of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Illinois) and it all began in the tiny hamlet of Altoona, Pennsylvania. As reported at Media Matters, Mr. Obama showed up at the Pleasant Valley Lanes bowling emporium and proceeded to take part in America's favorite sport. The results were nothing less than Earth shattering. The … [Read more...] about Obama’s Bowling-Gate Scandal Rocks America!
The Greatest April Fool’s Day Hoax Ever
Sidd Finch was an incredible rookie baseball player who was training at the New York Mets camp in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1985. As described by legendary writer George Plimpton in Sports Illustrated, Finch (Sidd being short for Siddhartha, the Indian mystic in Hermann Hesse’s book of the same name) could pitch a baseball at 168 mph with pinpoint accuracy. The fastest … [Read more...] about The Greatest April Fool’s Day Hoax Ever
NATO Entry for Ukraine and Georgia Hinges on ‘Bush’s Determination’
With Russia angry about America's proposed missile shield and NATO in need of the Kremlin's help in Afghanistan, will the NATO Alliance agree to admit the Ukraine and Georgia at the annual NATO Summit this week? According to Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza, NATO membership for these former Russian satellites depends on how hard President Bush wants to push the reluctant nations of old … [Read more...] about NATO Entry for Ukraine and Georgia Hinges on ‘Bush’s Determination’
Can’t Get Sleep? Try This…
Not being able to sleep is very unpleasant but it's not going to kill you – no one ever died from not sleeping. But it is a great blessing to have a refreshing sleep when one hits the bed...or wherever... (photo above courtesy Getty Images) Much has been written about how to get good sleep. I found the following article interesting...please click here. You may also try … [Read more...] about Can’t Get Sleep? Try This…