One of the most curious and reprehensible facts of weblog life is the problem of sites being under attack. TMV has had its share of wounds, including one that caused us to totally dump our old design that we imported from Powerblogs to Wordpress. And, now, our fellow centrist site Donklephant has come under a massive attack. All that remains now is one post from a few years … [Read more...] about Centrist Blog Suffers Massive Attack
Al Gore’s Nobel Prize and the Discovery of the New World …
Is there any correlation between the 'discovery' of America by Christopher Columbus and the environmental movement boosted by and championed by Al Gore? According to this editorial from Brazil's O Povo newspaper, the fact that Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize on the 515th anniversary of Colombus' discovery of America shows that, 'the message preached by people like Gore in favor … [Read more...] about Al Gore’s Nobel Prize and the Discovery of the New World …
Center of Attention
A round up of recent posts by various bloggers 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. -------------------------- Steve Benen thinks Republicans have perfected "the art of the hissy fit." Over the course … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
Why Baghdad Can’t Please Turks or Kurds
With Turkey poised to mount its own mini-invasion of Iraq to prevent Kurdish terrorist attacks on its territory, Iraq's central government is begging Ankara for time to address its concerns. But according to this op-ed article from Iraq's Azzaman newspaper, the political process in Baghdad is so dysfunctional that cobbling together a common policy that will stop the attacks is … [Read more...] about Why Baghdad Can’t Please Turks or Kurds
Blogging: Diss-course and Dat-course
I was interviewed by the U.S. correspondent for a big European newspaper the other night for an article on blogging and political discourse in America. Not surprisingly, the trigger for the article and what drew him to me was the S-CHIP debate and saga of Master Graeme Frost. As I typically do in such interviews, I made a number of overarching statements, generalized like … [Read more...] about Blogging: Diss-course and Dat-course
The True Face of the Muslim Brotherhood?
The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood has recently released a draft of its first party platform. Citing several controversial clauses, some analysts are arguing that the draft proposal hints at the Brotherhood's true authoritarian nature. Is this an accurate analysis? If not, what exactly does the document say about the organization and its goals? … [Read more...] about The True Face of the Muslim Brotherhood?
Talk Show Host Randi Rhodes Explains Her Injury On Her Show
Yours truly is on a monster drive from San Diego in Southern California to the Sacramento area in Northern California -- and yesterday got to hear the opening of the Randi Rhodes show. Unless you were on Venus, the news cycle and the blogosphere were peppered earlier this week with a report stemming from comments made by one of Randi Rhodes' colleagues (Air America talk … [Read more...] about Talk Show Host Randi Rhodes Explains Her Injury On Her Show
Lucky Dube Victim of SA Crime Wave
South African reggae legend Lucky Dube was shot dead last night in an apparent botched carjacking in a Johannesburg suburb. Dube, 43, was murdered as he dropped his son off at a friend's home as South Africa's out-of-control crime wave threatened to overshadow tomorrow's Rugby World Cup final against England. More here. … [Read more...] about Lucky Dube Victim of SA Crime Wave
That Border Fence Represents America
So what if it's being built with Chinese steel? … [Read more...] about That Border Fence Represents America
Bush S-CHIP Veto
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune … [Read more...] about Bush S-CHIP Veto
Benazir Bhutto Welcomed Back With Bombs
UPDATE: Now I hear "At least 110 dead, over 200 injured." UPDATE: 45 people have reportedly been killed in this unsuccessful attempt on Bhutto's life. MSNBC BBC: Several blasts have occurred near the motorcade carrying Pakistani ex-PM Benazir Bhutto, during her triumphant homecoming after eight years in exile. Mrs Bhutto was on her way from Karachi airport to a … [Read more...] about Benazir Bhutto Welcomed Back With Bombs
S-CHIP’s Other Little Victims
In the losing fight to override Bush’s veto, Democrats may have put the spotlight on the wrong victims. Instead of pushing forward 12-year-old brain injured Graeme Frost and two-year-old Bethany Wilkerson with her heart problem, they might have converted more Republicans by emphasizing the other sufferers from unaffordable health care--America’s small business owners. … [Read more...] about S-CHIP’s Other Little Victims
S-CHIP: Battle Lost, But On To the War
An effort to override President Bush's veto of a $35 billion, five-year expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program fell short today in a 273-156 vote in the House of Representatives. While that outcome was expected, it is only one lost battle in what is shaping up to be a helluva war. The bill had passed the Democratic-controlled Senate and House with … [Read more...] about S-CHIP: Battle Lost, But On To the War
Geez Louise! Another Wimmin’s Blog
Slate has a new blog called The XX Factor. The blog is written exclusively by wimmin, and while I am sure it will include some first-class contributors, I have some issues with wimmin's blogs in general and so-called feminist blogs in particular. Some of that has to do with self-indulgent piffle like this (sorry, I couldn’t help myself), but the larger issue is that … [Read more...] about Geez Louise! Another Wimmin’s Blog
Muslim Women Step Up
The words 'feminism' and 'Middle East' are not often used in the same sentence. But, increasingly, women in the Arab world are beginning to demand greater authority for themselves in their societies. Interestingly, it's not secular or liberal groups that are effectively leading the way in pushing forward on women's rights issues; instead, it is Muslim women, involved in … [Read more...] about Muslim Women Step Up
Larry Sabato’s on Diane Rehm Show Today
I'm listening right now. If you can't listen now on NPR, you should be able to listen later online. The Diane Rehm Show 10/18/2007 11:00 AM Larry Sabato: "A More Perfect Constitution" (Walker) For more than 30 years, professor and political scientist Larry Sabato has been examining the workings of the U.S. Constitution - in the classroom, in the court room, on the … [Read more...] about Larry Sabato’s on Diane Rehm Show Today
Situational vs. Ideological Voting
Earlier this month, at Divided We Stand, MW again made his case for divided government. By-and-large, I agree with him; the evidence of the effectiveness of divided government is clear and compelling. But while I agree with the objective of divided government, I'm not yet convinced that systematic, universal efforts to vote for this objective, exclusive of other considerations, … [Read more...] about Situational vs. Ideological Voting
SCHIP: A Former Welfare Mother Asks Questions: Why Aren’t the Other Five Critical Parties’ Voices Louder on the Issue of Health Care for Children? Part 1 of 3
I’m a former welfare mother. I’d just quietly offer that I’ve known the struggles in that arena firsthand. Scared by them, scarred by them, and strengthened by them. All of the above. And, it’s for those reasons that I’ve been following the SCHIP debate. I’ve been looking and reading and wondering, How will SCHIP in any form make child health care be different for the poor … [Read more...] about SCHIP: A Former Welfare Mother Asks Questions: Why Aren’t the Other Five Critical Parties’ Voices Louder on the Issue of Health Care for Children? Part 1 of 3
An Appreciation: Laura Nyro
I have no idea of the color of Laura Nyro's eyes, but she was the first exemplar of blue-eyed soul that I heard and remains one of the finest despite a career largely spent in the shadows by her own choice and that ended prematurely with her death in 1997. Blue-eyed soul is a term used to describe R&B or soul music performed by white artists, which was an anomaly for this … [Read more...] about An Appreciation: Laura Nyro
SCHIP: A Former Welfare Mother Asks Questions: Is President Bush Holding Back in Order to Better Focus on the Least Amongst the Poor? Part 2 of 3
Can you imagine having to storm the ER running, carrying a severely-ill child in your arms, having not a shred of health insurance, hoping against hope some doctor, any doctor will break the rules and help... You pray, it’s a scream prayer, one only you can hear in your mind... God please please let a doctor have mercy on us, please God let me smoke past the desk … [Read more...] about SCHIP: A Former Welfare Mother Asks Questions: Is President Bush Holding Back in Order to Better Focus on the Least Amongst the Poor? Part 2 of 3