She was late for a plane. She started yelling. She was taken into police custody. She was handcuffed. She was put in a cell. And then she was dead. Yes, there is an explanation for what happened, but it's a shocker given the fact that she was the mother of three young children, from a prominent New York City family, and she's said to have died in a way that will … [Read more...] about Woman Late For Plane Dies In Police Custody At Phoenix Airport
Blackwater & The Bush Moral Vacuum
Car Damaged in Blackwater Shootout It has become grimly obvious as details emerge about an incident in which Blackwater USA bodyguards shot and killed at least eight Iraqis in Baghdad's Nisour Square that trigger-happy private contractors have no business doing jobs that should be filled by the military. War, of course, can be a terribly messy thing. But once … [Read more...] about Blackwater & The Bush Moral Vacuum
Around The Sphere October 1, 2007
Our linkfest offering readers links to blogposts from websites of many different viewpoints. Linked posts do NOT necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. IT'S DISGRACEFUL ATTACKING GENERALS FOX NEWS SUGGESTS but seems like they're doing it (it depends on the political position of the general -- if you agree with him, he can't be attacked, if you don't … [Read more...] about Around The Sphere October 1, 2007
GM In The 21st Century
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch … [Read more...] about GM In The 21st Century
Cuomo Calls Out the Democrats
The man who should have run for President in 1988 and spared us both Bushes is now telling Democrats to keep the son from illegally getting us into a war with Iran as he did in Iraq. Mario Cuomo broke his political silence Friday night after the Lieberman/Kyl vote with an impassioned reminder that the Constitution gave war-making power to Congress to avoid having it … [Read more...] about Cuomo Calls Out the Democrats
No Newt
Alas, some sad news. Newt Gingrich will not -- repeat, not -- be running for president. I know, I know. You had your hopes up. You were all looking forward to it. Hey, so was I. I can admit that. I'm not ashamed. I really, really, really wanted Newt to run. Bummer. Why was I so excited? Me -- a liberal, a Democrat, temperamentally moderate, the embodiment of all that is … [Read more...] about No Newt
Religious Right Considers Third Party To Run Against Giuliani
New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani remains the favorite in polls in the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination sweepstakes -- but there are rumblings that his luck could run out. Unlike Arizona Senator John McCain, who has been walking a political tightrope hoping to keep his old supporters and win over old foes -- and falling off of the tightrope with politically un-astute … [Read more...] about Religious Right Considers Third Party To Run Against Giuliani
Video Of Japanese Journalist Shot Dead In Myanmar Shoots Across The World
The video and YouTube age makes if more difficult for cover stories. One of the images literally flashing around the world is of Cameraman Nagai Kenji being shot dead from the back. It's there for everyone to see - a graphic document of repression: Once upon a time if outrages occurred, they could be contained. Governments, organizations, celebrities or security forces … [Read more...] about Video Of Japanese Journalist Shot Dead In Myanmar Shoots Across The World
McCain’s Muslim Comment Further Derails “Straight Talk Express”
Arizona Senator John McCain has made a new comment which suggests his "Straight Talk Express" is quickly derailing -- and despite the "No Surrender" slogan he's likely on borrowed time as a serious U.S. Republican Presidential candidate. There are differences between carefully adjusting your comments to please particular constituencies, but McCain is a unique politico who … [Read more...] about McCain’s Muslim Comment Further Derails “Straight Talk Express”
Judge the Daughter Not For the Father
Jenna, Barbara and Dad The children of presidents should not be blamed for their fathers’ failures, or for that matter praised for their achievements. Which brings us to Jenna Bush, twin daughter of President George and First Lady Barbara Bush, who at age 25 is shedding her (probably unfair) tabloid image as a party girl and dingbat and is promoting her new book for … [Read more...] about Judge the Daughter Not For the Father
Myanmar Peace Police
Gary McCoy, Cagle Cartoons … [Read more...] about Myanmar Peace Police
Month 54 of the War By the Numbers
Another woman soldier is laid to rest When we look back on September 2007, it will be remembered as a month during which a modest downtrend in casualties continued and George Bush lowered his thick head and plowed once again into the brick wall that is the Iraq war. But that's not where we're going to focus this roundup. Instead, we will note that the U.S. is closing in … [Read more...] about Month 54 of the War By the Numbers
War Over War Movies
Before Vietnam, war movies were either gung-ho patriotic starring John Wayne or philosophically anti-war, starting with “All Quiet on the Western Front.†This week the Los Angeles Times has been OpEding an argument prompted by a conservative’s contention that today’s Hollywood “stakes out an anti-victory position on the current war in Iraq, continuing its … [Read more...] about War Over War Movies
The Triumph of the Loonie
(Cross-posted from The Reaction.) The Canadian dollar briefly reached parity with the American dollar last week, before pulling back slightly. But yesterday -- well, it felt awfully good: The Canadian dollar has closed above parity with U.S. dollar for first time since November, 1976, closing up two-thirds of a cent at $1.0052 (U.S.). The Canadian dollar vaulted back … [Read more...] about The Triumph of the Loonie
Newt’s Not
Once again, Newt Gingrich has decided NOT to run for President in 2008. AP CNN NY Times' The Caucus The Politico … [Read more...] about Newt’s Not
This Revolution Will Be Televised
I've never been to Burma and the nearest I got was Thailand. So I can't tell stories about how my driver snuck me into clandestine late night anti-government meetings in Yangoon because I'd be lying. This, I suppose, is a rather half-arsed way of saying that I've felt a combination of pessimism and impotence over the violent crackdown against peaceful pro-democracy protests … [Read more...] about This Revolution Will Be Televised
Dear John
Dennis Sanders has a few questions for Candidate McCain. … [Read more...] about Dear John
Our Most Serious Loss
The figures are by now familiar, a downward spiral of public faith in the President, Congress, the entire Federal government. But the latest Gallup figures show something more ominous--Americans losing trust in themselves. Politicians come and go, but voters have always been sure they could correct mistakes at the ballot box. But now only 70 percent of Americans trust the … [Read more...] about Our Most Serious Loss
And Now A Word (About Hillary And John Kerry) From Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich is getting blunter and blunter...and reportedly seriously considering jumping into the Republican race for the 2008: … [Read more...] about And Now A Word (About Hillary And John Kerry) From Newt Gingrich
Take Me Out to the Bawl Game
You can probably put all of the people who actually make a living being poets these days in a broom closet with room left over for the brooms, and improbably one of those poets is Frank Messina. I've known Frank for years and have watched the upward arc of his career with a combination of awe and bemusement and, I suppose, a little envy. Frank is the progenitor of "Spoken … [Read more...] about Take Me Out to the Bawl Game