When Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency on November 3, he said it was to deal with terrorists. But nearly two weeks later he not only has not dealt with the Taliban and Al Qaeda, he has allowed the Taliban to push closer to Islamabad as they take over one district after another in yet another tragic consequence of the Bush administration starving … [Read more...] about Pakistan & Another Iraq War Disaster
Our Hometown: Night of 100 Cats, and Belle Gunness
Maybe you grew up in a small town like I did; my village was population 600 souls. Maybe in your hometown, like mine, truth is sometimes definitely stranger than even NON-fiction. Story Number One This week in the hometown, everyone is talking about Hundred Cat Lady. This poor soul, an 'old before her time' 59 year old woman out in the Township, was found to have 85 cats, … [Read more...] about Our Hometown: Night of 100 Cats, and Belle Gunness
The Image Factor
There are many fine qualities to be spoken of all the major contenders for the Presidency. But only Barack Obama, sheerly via who he is, can single-handedly alter the global perception of America for the better. … [Read more...] about The Image Factor
Ms Brown ‘Massages’ Google: Hits a Jackpot…
There are many success stories relating to Google’s newly minted millionaires, who are generally software gurus and sales whizzes. Now all assortment of people are becoming millionaires. Ms Bonnie Brown's -- a masseuse's -- success story is worth a read... "Ms Brown was not in a position to haggle. She was recently divorced and living with her sister, so when a small … [Read more...] about Ms Brown ‘Massages’ Google: Hits a Jackpot…
In Iowa, 50 Days to Go for the Top Dems
Chris Cillizza's The Fix: Fifty days out from Iowa, Clinton must still be considered the frontrunner in the race, but she is increasingly vulnerable to attacks from her rivals. Clinton's vulnerability (real or imagined) comes just as Obama seems to have found his voice. Dismissing Edwards is a mistake, if only for his willingness to directly attack Clinton (a move that could … [Read more...] about In Iowa, 50 Days to Go for the Top Dems
O.J. Simpson’s Honeymoon in Vegas
Perhaps no one knows when O.J. Simpson hit bottom -- probably not even The Juice himself -- but it probably occurred sometime in the run-up to the 1994 murders of his former wife and her friend during a cocaine-fueled binge or a fit of jealousy. In any event, it is sadly obvious that the former football star, advertising pitchman and not-bad Hollywood actor, whose good looks … [Read more...] about O.J. Simpson’s Honeymoon in Vegas
Qualifiers
Why the "mis-match" argument against affirmative action doesn't hold together (and why, for the sake of my own law school applications, I'm very glad it doesn't!). … [Read more...] about Qualifiers
How to Make a War Disappear
Iraq is fading from the minds of the American public, and politicians, pollsters and pundits are trying to figure out how it happened. Although 2007 casualties have been the highest in five years of war, a combination of Congressional Democrats' ineffectual efforts to stop or slow it down along with Republican unwillingness to buck Bush in numbers large enough to override … [Read more...] about How to Make a War Disappear
Center of Attention
A weekly round up of recent commentary by assorted voices who either attempt to strike a balanced note on heated debates and controversial issues, or improve our ability to find our own sense of balance by exposing us to new information and different points-of-view. -------------------------- Writing at Balloon Juice, Michael D. offers an immigration proposal. While that … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
TARGET: THANKSGIVING!
You can see the headline at Fox News, can't you? Martial theme music, elaborate graphic, perhaps a mushroom cloud emerging from an about-to-be-carved turkey, an all-American family looking on in horror, white to the core, manifest destiny come undone, exposed at last, the pioneers of American imperialism obliterated by the revisionist blamers. Wait... what? Yes, there is … [Read more...] about TARGET: THANKSGIVING!
Germans in Iraq
Germany has admirably avoided involvement in the losing quagmire that is the Iraq War and Occupation, but there are German forces in Iraq nonetheless, mercenary forces, the German equivalents of Blackwater and its soldiers of fortune. Der Spiegel has the story of "an agency which sends Germans to crisis zones around the world, especially Iraq, where they work as highly-paid … [Read more...] about Germans in Iraq
Chris Dodd
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant … [Read more...] about Chris Dodd
Ban On Plastic Bags: London Joins National Campaign
All 33 authorities in the London Councils group voted for legislation to prevent shops in the capital handing out free plastic bags, reports The Independent. "In the next fortnight Westminster Council will present a private Bill to the House of Commons which would apply to every London shop from the humblest newsagent to Harrods." "Shoppers clutching large numbers of bags in … [Read more...] about Ban On Plastic Bags: London Joins National Campaign
The Latest Iran Buzz
Matt Dupuis describes the latest developments in the Iranian nuclear standoff. … [Read more...] about The Latest Iran Buzz
Warrantless Wiretaps Probe To Be Reopened By Justice Department
A major reversal is about to take place in the Bush administration. The seemingly sandbagged-from-within investigation into the controversial warrant-less wiretaps program is about to start up again: The Bush administration has apparently changed policy and cleared the way for the Justice Department to restart an investigation into the government's no-warrant electronic … [Read more...] about Warrantless Wiretaps Probe To Be Reopened By Justice Department
A Musing On The Next President: Be Very Careful What You Wish For
As I noted the other day, there is an epidemic of lazy thinking abroad in the land with too many politicians, pundits and bloggers pretty much giving the White House a free pass because of the dopey notion that everything will be better with a new president. This attitude is astonishingly short-sighted when one considers that if the 2008 election were held tomorrow, in all … [Read more...] about A Musing On The Next President: Be Very Careful What You Wish For
Aaron Copland: An Appreciation
Copland composes by candlelight (1946) The great American composer Aaron Copland probably did more than anyone to liberate classical music from its European roots. As a classically-trained composer, Copland’s embrace of popular music was not unprecedented, but the way that he integrated folk music and jazz into his compositions certainly was. No matter how often I hear … [Read more...] about Aaron Copland: An Appreciation
FBI: Blackwater Shootings Unjustified
Car damaged in Blackwater shooting incident In yet another black eye for Condoleezza Rice and her white-washers at the State Department, FBI agents investigating a September incident in which Blackwater USA security personnel shot and killed 17 Iraqi civilians have found that the personnel were not fired on, that at least 14 of the shootings were unjustified, and they … [Read more...] about FBI: Blackwater Shootings Unjustified
And For This We Say, “Thank You”
We really do... … [Read more...] about And For This We Say, “Thank You”
New York Governor Spitzer Dropping Illegal Immigrants Drivers License Plan
You could call it an idea whose time has not quite come -- and, given opinion polls, is unlikely to come. But what you can now call the controversial plan by New York Governor Elliot Spitzer to grant drivers licenses to illegal aliens is this: Dead: Gov. Eliot Spitzer is abandoning his plan to issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, saying that opposition is … [Read more...] about New York Governor Spitzer Dropping Illegal Immigrants Drivers License Plan