Sgt. Joseph Mosner, veteran of Bush's Forever War As we slouch toward to the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, the real story of that awful day and its aftermath is now well known. While the attacks were the darkest day for the world's remaining superpower since Pearl Harbor, astoundingly they were leveraged by President George W. Bush into the greatest … [Read more...] about The Tail of the Chimera: A Reflection on the 9/11 Attacks & George W. Bush
Daily Kos Exonerated by FEC: So Far, “Political Blogs” Exempt from Campaign Finance Rules
Today, September 4, 2007, the Federal Election Commission, ‘the FEC†reaffirmed " Media Exemption" is to be granted to political blogs. This means the political blogs may operate under all usual laws, but are NOT under the regulatory thumb of the FEC and are exempt from campaign finance laws... and therefore, from any additional prying government interference. At least … [Read more...] about Daily Kos Exonerated by FEC: So Far, “Political Blogs” Exempt from Campaign Finance Rules
A Proposed Committee To Re-Elect Senator Larry Craig Campaign Song
The big breaking political news yesterday was that Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho) is reconsidering his decision not to seek re-election due to the toiletgate scandal. He's fighting the charges and might not resign. Republicans may cringe but, never fear, You Tube already has a proposed campaign song ready for him to use: … [Read more...] about A Proposed Committee To Re-Elect Senator Larry Craig Campaign Song
Our Hometown: The News Couldn’t Be Weirder or Sweeter/ Harvest
It isn't what it may look like. It's blueberries. Blueberries! The little 600 person rural village I grew up in continues to be a Brigadoonish reminder for any of us who grew up in or near small towns. Not only are the garbage truck, the one police car and the John Deeres in every Labor Day parade... Hunters hunt for food this time of year, just as they always have; right … [Read more...] about Our Hometown: The News Couldn’t Be Weirder or Sweeter/ Harvest
Jerry Lewis Quickly Apologizes For Anti-Gay Slur
Comedian Jerry Lewis, who set a record for raising millions during this weekend's Muscular Dystrophy telethon has apologized for an anti-gay slur dropped as a kind of throw-away line during one of the TV fundraiser's unscripted moments. See our earlier post HERE that explains the controversy, looks at Lewis' career and contains an excellent video tribute to him and his … [Read more...] about Jerry Lewis Quickly Apologizes For Anti-Gay Slur
Larry Craig Seems Not Sure About Resigning Now
I wrote an article a couple days ago entitled, Senator Larry Craig’s “Intent to Resign:†When An Apology Isn’t An Apology. I saw the 'fudging' phrase "intent to resign" and copied it out in the post, because it seemed to follow his previous yes/no-yes/no patterns in conduct. Now it appears I should have also given the post a sub-sub title: "When a … [Read more...] about Larry Craig Seems Not Sure About Resigning Now
Jim McGreevey’s Open Letter to Larry Craig
Jim McGreevey has published an Open Letter to Larry Craig in the Washington Post that begins as follows: My gut wrenched when I read of Sen. Larry Craig's bathroom arrest. I remembered my own late-night encounter with the law at a Garden State Parkway rest stop following a political dinner in north Jersey. I pulled into the rest stop, parked my car, flashed my headlights, … [Read more...] about Jim McGreevey’s Open Letter to Larry Craig
Sen. Craig Has Changed His Mind About Resigning
MSNBC: BOISE, Idaho - Sen. Larry Craig is reconsidering his decision to resign after his arrest in a Minnesota airport sex sting and may still fight for his Senate seat, his spokesman said Tuesday evening. AP via Washington Post A telephone call Craig received last week from Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., urging him to consider fighting for his seat is affecting Craig's … [Read more...] about Sen. Craig Has Changed His Mind About Resigning
Overdrawn
The faux-reform of electoral college vote allocations in California isn't just another Republican dirty trick. In all serious and in no hyperbole, its passage would threaten the very foundation of our democracy. … [Read more...] about Overdrawn
Bremer Disputes Bush Account On Dismantling Iraq Army
President George Bush's credibility gap problem seems even bigger because he's now being directly disputed for an assertion made in a new book -- disputed by a key figure in the U.S. occupation of Iraq: A previously undisclosed exchange of letters shows that President Bush was told in advance by his top Iraq envoy in May 2003 of a plan to “dissolve Saddam’s military … [Read more...] about Bremer Disputes Bush Account On Dismantling Iraq Army
Jerry Lewis Under Fire By Gay Group For Slur
Comedian Jerry Lewis broke his own fund raising record this weekend on the Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy -- but he's now under fire for an offhand remark. CNN reports: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Tuesday denounced comedian Jerry Lewis' use of the word "fag" on Lewis' annual Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy and called on him to … [Read more...] about Jerry Lewis Under Fire By Gay Group For Slur
An Assessment Of Iraq
Political scientist Dr. Steven Taylor's great blog Poliblog is in our Right Voices column. TMV has quoted Taylor for years since he is supremely independent in his thoughts and analysis. And on the Iraq war he once again offered readers his own take on events free of "blogspeak." Now, in light of the upcoming Petraeus report he gives this take on Iraq. Here is a small part … [Read more...] about An Assessment Of Iraq
Vitter and Craig
Daryl Cagle, MSNBC.com … [Read more...] about Vitter and Craig
Understanding a Gul Presidency: The End of Turkey As We Know It?
It is no surprise that the recent election of Abdullah Gul as the president of Turkey has sparked an intense and heated debate. The presidency is a powerful position, and whoever controls it has the ability to appoint key members of the government as well as the right to veto legislation. Critics of Gul allege that he has an overtly Islamist agenda, and that he will use his … [Read more...] about Understanding a Gul Presidency: The End of Turkey As We Know It?
Umh. Sure Bill.
Bill Richardson has made quite some verbal mistakes the last couple of weeks. He has given some - among them yours truly - that he might be just as talented as George W. Bush in expressing himself. Today it seems that Bill Richardson made another idiotic comment; according to the (former) Governor of New Mexico God wants Iowa to be the first state in the primaries. That's … [Read more...] about Umh. Sure Bill.
The Truth?
The more I read about what some call the Armenian genocide, the more I understand how difficult and confusing the subject actually is. There is a lot of material available for free on the web and in just about every library. Some of the sources - many of them - indicate that their was a genocide, others deny it, again others speak about mass killings but not genocide as such. … [Read more...] about The Truth?
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. -------------------------- Kevin Sullivan offers a thoughtful look at what we can and can't do about Iran. Amba … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
Irony
Journalist Piers Morgan made fun of Bush a while ago for falling off a Segway. To be precise, he asked Bush whether he would agree that only "an idiot" could fall of such a machine. Well there is a time moronic questions and a time for justice: it seems that the distinguished gentleman is an idiot himself. Watch the video if laughing at others is your cup of tea. … [Read more...] about Irony
Turkey’s Opposition Slams Government Plans
Turkish Daily News reports that the Turkish opposition "leveled criticism at the government's program read out by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan last week," yesterday. The most aggressive opposition came from Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Erdogan ignores, according to Bahçeli, the most important issues facing Turkey such as the … [Read more...] about Turkey’s Opposition Slams Government Plans
ByeBye Ice, Hello Oil
Nicole Belle links to this video and article at Discovery about the melting of ice near the north pole as a result of global warming. It seems that, according to researchers, all the ice there will be gone by 2050. The bad news? Say goodbye to quite some life. The good news? Say hello to oil. The melting ice is a blessing for oil companies which see a potential treasure … [Read more...] about ByeBye Ice, Hello Oil