A year after the massacre at Virginia Tech by the troubled Cho Seung-Hui, what has been done to address the root causes of that event - the worst at any American educational institution? Dietmar Ostermann writes for Germany's Frankfurter Rundschau, "The debate over gun control erupts loudly and often, yet it's a discussion without consequences. The way people with psychological … [Read more...] about Virginia Tech One Year On: America’s ‘Silent Scandal’
Following The Bush Administration Torture Trail: Were War Crimes Committed?
(Above, from left) Douglas Feith, David Addington, Alberto Gonzales, George Bush, Dick Cheney; (below) The infamous Haynes Memo It had been widely assumed that the decision to torture enemy combatants and other detainees in the so-called War on Terror began with military commanders and interrogators at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The Bush administration has taken refuge … [Read more...] about Following The Bush Administration Torture Trail: Were War Crimes Committed?
Blog Controversy (What Else?): Did Obama Give Hillary Clinton The Finger?
Iraq. The economy. Terrorism. Foreclosures. Taxes. Education. These among the issues facing the U.S. but a new firestorm has started sweeping the blogosphere via a You Tube embed: Did Democratic Senator Barack Obama give Democratic Presidential nomination rival Hillary Clinton the finger? Did he try to signal it to the crowd? Wasn't that a knowing look? And, it stands to … [Read more...] about Blog Controversy (What Else?): Did Obama Give Hillary Clinton The Finger?
Study of what attracts readers to political blogs wins Broadcast Educ. Assn. top prize
Here's something the Clinton, Obama and McCain campaign consultants, advisers, strategists, directors or whatever they call themselves should read, from Idaho State University: Noting the growing popularity of blogs as an information medium, [assistant professor in the James E. Rogers Department of Mass Communication at Idaho State University, Daekyung] Kim focused on … [Read more...] about Study of what attracts readers to political blogs wins Broadcast Educ. Assn. top prize
To Make Memorial Day Memorable
In 1969, over Memorial Day, Life Magazine devoted an issue to pictures of 242 American soldiers who had died in Vietnam in a recent week. While the nation, the editors said, was being "numbed" by a "statistic which is translated to direct anguish in hundreds of homes all over the country, we must pause to look into the faces. More than we must know how many, we must know … [Read more...] about To Make Memorial Day Memorable
Tempers Are Not Just Frayed Among Politicians And Partisans In Campaign 2008
Fuses are exceedingly short among cable talking heads as well. Did MSNBC's Joe Scarborough walk off the set -- or did he merely choose not to participate any more in an on-the-air discussion with progressive talk's rising radio and cable star Rachel Maddow? Details and the video are HERE. Even if Scarborough did walk off, it's unlikely to hurt his standing with his … [Read more...] about Tempers Are Not Just Frayed Among Politicians And Partisans In Campaign 2008
Zogby Post-Debate Poll: Clinton Opens Up Small Lead In Pennsylvania
The latest Newsmax/Zogby poll taken after Wednesday night's debate that contained one of the weakest performances by Democratic Senator Barack Obama shows rival Hillary Clinton now opening up a small lead only days away from the Democratic Presidential primary. In recent weeks, as this chart shows, have shown Clinton keeping her lead in Pennsylvania but by narrow margins. … [Read more...] about Zogby Post-Debate Poll: Clinton Opens Up Small Lead In Pennsylvania
What Is A Destructive Cult? Who Joins? Warren Jeffs and Brother Hide Behind Women’s Skirts
Programming others to do one's will, or else... When I first trained in my field, veterans from Korea and those coming back from Nam who'd been POWs, had often suffered extensive efforts by the enemy... to rearrange their impulses, instincts and attitudes. At that time too, deprogramming had become a watchword, and thus we studied deeply the psychological effects of vulnerable … [Read more...] about What Is A Destructive Cult? Who Joins? Warren Jeffs and Brother Hide Behind Women’s Skirts
You Sure Don’t Need a Weatherman To Tell Which Way Hillary Clinton Blows
I'll get this turdball rolling by noting that I knew several members of the Weather Underground back in the day and am a longtime friend of one whom I invited into my home when he was a fugitive. But even in the context of those crazy times, the Weathermen were a bunch of zonked-out wannabe revolutionaries who ultimately diverted attention from their occasionally worthy causes … [Read more...] about You Sure Don’t Need a Weatherman To Tell Which Way Hillary Clinton Blows
(Updated) McCain Wants To Blackmail the Troops
UPDATE As this link shows and as a commenter indicated after this story was posted on Thursday, John McCain now seems to be vaccilating on whether to break with the White House and Pentagon on increasing educational benefits to veterans and is under pressure from some veterans groups to do so. Stay tuned. * * * * * John McCain was once a returning soldier – in fact … [Read more...] about (Updated) McCain Wants To Blackmail the Troops
The FLDS Church Based on Polygamy Now in Court
Over 400 children were recently transported by bus away from the isolated Texas commune built by Warren Jeffs (currently in prison for forcing a child to marry an older man) and his brother (currently in charge of all the wives and children back at the ranch)...the brotherly duo being self-acclaimed polygamists and self-anointed heads of their own renegade LDS (Church of the … [Read more...] about The FLDS Church Based on Polygamy Now in Court
Coming To A Town—But Only Until Tuesday—A Clinton (Guest Voice)
This Guest Voice post is by Walter Brasch, professor of journalism at Bloomsburg University and president of the Pennsylvania Press Club. He often writes on the blog The Democratic Daily. Coming to a Town—but only until Tuesday—a Clinton by Walter Brasch The Clintons are patrolling Pennsylvania as if they’re border collies herding all the stray sheep into … [Read more...] about Coming To A Town—But Only Until Tuesday—A Clinton (Guest Voice)
Around The Campaign Sphere April 18, 2008
The Big Debate is over and as the Pennsylvania primary approaches parts of the blogosphere are denouncing unfair and slanted assertions and questions, negative statements, and a piling on of negativity -- and that's just when they write about ABC's debate moderators. Polarization in the blogosphere reflects the polity. And here's our famous linkfest that takes you to blogs of … [Read more...] about Around The Campaign Sphere April 18, 2008
John McCain Helps The Middle Class
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant … [Read more...] about John McCain Helps The Middle Class
“Ostrich” Media, Blogs, Politicians… & World Food Crisis
Why is the media, and the blogs, overlooking the "real" issues? The recent Clinton/Obama debate once again brought under spotlight a serious lack of professionalism among journalists and their growing penchant to trivialize serious issues. To give another example, few seem interested at the looming food crisis that is likely to have worldwide political and economic … [Read more...] about “Ostrich” Media, Blogs, Politicians… & World Food Crisis
Senator Obama brushes it off (literally)
This is a record for me. Two YouTube videos the same day but sometimes you have to do what you gotta do (for lack of better words). Here is a video of Senator Obama in Raleigh, North Carolina today responding to Wednesday's debate in Philadelphia. One thing that jumped out at me was how different he looked and sounded in Raleigh as compared to Philadelphia. It's positively … [Read more...] about Senator Obama brushes it off (literally)
Cartoonists Look At Pope’s Visit To U.S.
Rainer Hachfeld, Neues Deutschland, Germany … [Read more...] about Cartoonists Look At Pope’s Visit To U.S.
Buck Up, Barack
Regular readers know I'm an Obama supporter. Granted, I'm still not ready to signal my voting intentions in November, but between the Senator from Illinois and the one from New York, I most certainly prefer the former. That said, unlike other Obama supporters, I'm taking the contrarian view on last night's debate, to wit: I thought the questions from ABC's commentators … [Read more...] about Buck Up, Barack
Baracky: The Movie (NOW SHOWING!)
After watching the below video from YouTube entitled "Baracky: The Movie", it's amazing to see how this campaign season has provided so much fodder for the creator(s) of this type of campaign "commentary". After watching this video, I'm looking forward to the endless entertainment that will be provided by the Supporter Video Wars on YouTube. Methinks there won't be one-sided … [Read more...] about Baracky: The Movie (NOW SHOWING!)
How the media are (not) paying attention to the Iraq War
American media attention was focused briefly, very briefly, on Iraq during and around the recent Petraeus-Crocker hearings on Capitol Hill, but, otherwise, the media are too busy sensationalizing every little development in the Obama-Clinton race to pay any sustained attention to the ongoing war and occupation, one that, according to the Republicans' choice for … [Read more...] about How the media are (not) paying attention to the Iraq War