This was waiting to happen in any part of the world...The British Government is now reeling under a major data security crisis. Two discs containing the details of all child benefit recipients, records for 25 million individuals and 7.25 million families have been lost. "The records included the recipient's name and those of their children, their addresses and dates of … [Read more...] about Britain’s Major Data Security Crisis
Scott McClellan: Awakening From A Mickey Finn?
Former Press Secretary Scott McClellan has penned a book called What Happened (due April 08). The book’s highly-regarded publisher, Public Affairs, released a brief excerpt today, one that may pour substantial salt into old wounds... Scott McClellan writes, "The most powerful leader in the world had called upon me to speak on his behalf and help restore credibility … [Read more...] about Scott McClellan: Awakening From A Mickey Finn?
Defense Budget Pardon
RJ Matson, Roll Call … [Read more...] about Defense Budget Pardon
Thanksgiving: More Americans Travel to Europe Despite the Weak Dollar
Reuters: Western Europe, which is the fourth most popular travel destination for Americans, has increased its share of Thanksgiving bookings this year by 9.5 percent, according to Travelocity data. Eastern Europe, where the dollar goes a bit farther than in cities like Paris and London, saw a 24.6 percent surge in its share of bookings, Travelocity said. U.S. airlines are … [Read more...] about Thanksgiving: More Americans Travel to Europe Despite the Weak Dollar
Idiotic Politics
The extent of polarization is apparent. Does POTUS Hear the Banging? The Senate's eerily empty pro forma sessions this week and next have raised an age old question, with a twist: If a gavel bangs in the Senate and no one is around to hear it, does it still bang? Yes, if you look at it from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's perspective. That gavel -- banged once to … [Read more...] about Idiotic Politics
Airport Thanksgiving
Mike Lester, The Rome News-Tribune … [Read more...] about Airport Thanksgiving
Reading Media
It is time for Americans to learn how to read media. “Reading Media” certainly means reading newspapers, magazines and books – and now Websites – and watching television and movies, and listening to radio. But “Reading Media” also means understanding a second level of whatever you are looking at or listening to that is always there. At that level are the reasons that … [Read more...] about Reading Media
Wanted: A Better Caption For This Foto
President Bush pardons the National Thanksgiving Turkey in the White House Rose Garden. You can surely do better than that. What caption would you write for this photo? … [Read more...] about Wanted: A Better Caption For This Foto
An Opportunity In Bangladesh
I've commented before (here and here) about what I see as the ineffectiveness of traditional public diplomacy. Real public diplomacy is accomplished through actions, not words. Sending Cal Ripken Jr. off to China to teach baseball skills to youngsters is not going to transform our image in the world; nor, for that matter, are lame assurances by Karen Hughes (the head of public … [Read more...] about An Opportunity In Bangladesh
Sophomoric Humor
Sometimes -- no matter how long you've lived on this planet, no matter how mature and serious and all that you try to be -- you still have to laugh at sophomoric humor. (Hint: If it's not already obvious after you follow the link above, "left-wing geeks" can substitute George W. Bush for HRC, and it's still funny. Maybe more so.) … [Read more...] about Sophomoric Humor
New Kind of Presidential Debate
Would you rather see the candidates grilled by Tim Russert and Wolf Blitzer or a snowman and a gun nut cradling his "baby," a semi-automatic weapon? Close call, but isn't there an alternative? The question is prompted by Paul Krugman's column after last week's Democratic debate, claiming Barack Obama was "a sucker" for signing on to fears that Social Security is a "Ponzi … [Read more...] about New Kind of Presidential Debate
The Mystery Surrounding TSA Systems Radiation Detectors
From Middle Earth Journal's Jazz Shaw: We've been doing a bit of background research here at MEJ, and a story that started out looking like yet another case of taxpayer dollars being shuffled into the hands of questionable private contractors has taken a few turns which have made the plot thicken. The first issue was this story stuck back on page 4 in the wapo about a … [Read more...] about The Mystery Surrounding TSA Systems Radiation Detectors
Civility is Okay…So is the Constitution
[This is a rerun of a post I wrote for my personal blog a few weeks ago.] Not long ago, I listened to some of Talk of the Nation's interview with Chris Matthews. Matthews told two interesting and evocative stories from his days as an aide to Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill. Both involved O'Neill and Republican President Ronald Reagan, two men with markedly … [Read more...] about Civility is Okay…So is the Constitution
Duane ‘Skydog’ Allman: An Appreciation
The classic 1971 live version of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed," the Allman Brothers' wonderful mini symphony within a ballad, opens with a gently swinging Dickey Betts guitar solo evocative of a smoke-filled jazz club late at night. As Betts slowly tricks out the song's primary theme, he is joined by the creamy signature slide sound of Duane Allman's guitar. Allman at first … [Read more...] about Duane ‘Skydog’ Allman: An Appreciation
DVD Review: Robot Monster
Here's another Guest film Review by Dan Schneider, who has this heavily-visited website and whose reviews for TMV have been highly popular. DVD Review of Robot Monster Copyright ©2007 by Dan Schneider Ok, a DVD review is not exactly what this is. Yes, I watched the 1953 legendary schlock B sci fi film Robot Monster on a DVD, but since it was on one of those cheapo … [Read more...] about DVD Review: Robot Monster
Barry Bonds
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant BONUS: And what if you could get inside of Barry Bond's head and look at the thought process flow chart? Would it look LIKE THIS? … [Read more...] about Barry Bonds
Poll: Iowa Fluid For Democrats With Obama Gaining
Is the conventional talking head wisdom and ongoing press narrative about to be turned upside down in Iowa? The conventional wisdom and press assumptions now are that (a) New York Senator Hillary Clinton is the front-runner, (b) Illinois Senator Barack Obama is someone with great potential who somehow isn't really cutting it and probably won't wind up with the nomination … [Read more...] about Poll: Iowa Fluid For Democrats With Obama Gaining
So, What Exactly is a Moderate?
Several years ago, Slate magazine linked to a post from my blog and described me as "liberal Mark Daniels." At about the same time, a blogger linked to something I'd written and called me "very conservative." It's an experience that I've had many times through the years. If that isn't confusing enough, add this simple fact: I rarely express a political opinion. I talk … [Read more...] about So, What Exactly is a Moderate?
U.S. Has Been Traditional “Angel” In Helping Bangladesh Cyclone Relief
As the death toll in the Bangladesh cyclone soars to 15,000, an email to us from the informative Bangladesh blog The 3rd World View reminds us that the United States has played a key rescue role over the years. Its post reminds readers of Operation Sea Angel -- when the United States came to the country's rescue. It points to this April 2007 post on this blog which contains … [Read more...] about U.S. Has Been Traditional “Angel” In Helping Bangladesh Cyclone Relief
Hollywood Writers Strike: Send Pencils To Execs To Support Writers Striking On Big Issues
If the pen is mightier than the sword, some supporters of the ongoing Hollywood writers' strike feel that the mailed pencil is mightier than the email. And the pencil underlines the picket line. skippy the bush kangaroo (who writes in lowercase) is a progressive blogger who has a site chock full of links and often witty posts (Jon Stewart once mentioned him in passing). … [Read more...] about Hollywood Writers Strike: Send Pencils To Execs To Support Writers Striking On Big Issues