Stop teaching Jim Crow in the passive voice. … [Read more...] about White History Month
The Context of the Thailand Bombings
At least 28 bombs went off in Muslim-predominant southern Thailand yesterday, near the Malaysian border. The AP reports: The bombings targeted hotels, karaoke bars, power grids and commercial sites in the country's southernmost provinces, the only parts of predominantly Buddhist Thailand with Muslim majorities. Two public schools were torched. Three people were killed, … [Read more...] about The Context of the Thailand Bombings
The John McCain Dumpster Diving Tour
In life and in war, turnabout is fair play, and that may be nowhere more true than in politics. And so we have the sorry sight of John Kerry flip-flopping on yet another issue and sucking up to yet another right-wing constituency . . . Wait a minute! Kerry has quit politics. It’s John McCain, that "maverick" Republican presidential candidate, who has become a … [Read more...] about The John McCain Dumpster Diving Tour
Hillary Clinton’s Lesser Babka
In a belated attempt to look like she's as serious about stopping the Iraq War as her fellow Democratic presidential candidates and as other leading Democrats like Senators John Kerry and Russ Feingold, Hillary Clinton "has called for a 90-day deadline to start pulling American troops from Iraq". Here's how she put it in a video on her website: "Now it's time to say the … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton’s Lesser Babka
India Hit by Terrorist Attack
Nos Journaal reports (Dutch), that bombs exploded in the New Delhi (India) - Lahore (Pakistan) train: 66 people have died. After the bombs exploded, the train caught fire. Passengers were trapped. They could go nowhere. Indian police found suitcases with homemade explosives in them in the train. The idea behind the explosives was not to kill many people immediately, but … [Read more...] about India Hit by Terrorist Attack
Center of Attention
Extra attention to a few Centrist blogs. Amba spends some more time and attention to Anna Nicole Smith's death and... baby. Several men have now said that they could be the father of ANS's baby. Amba: "Hey, doesn't DNA testing make short work of these things? This is like some sort of strange Darwinian lottery. These men are all implicitly bragging that they slept with … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
Attention Span
I am a Terrorist Loving Scoundrel
It is official. I am terrorist loving scum. I try to hide it behind a mask of hawkishness, but this test exposed me. Your 'Do You Want the Terrorists to Win' Score: 81% You are a terrorist-loving scoundrel who hates our dear leader and the values he defends. There are few redeeming qualities about you. You most likely celebrated when the evil-doers hit us on 9/11, then … [Read more...] about I am a Terrorist Loving Scoundrel
Humorless Comedy at Fox
Alessandra Stanley reviewed The 1/2 News Hour for the New York Times: Making fun of the president is not ideological. Not making fun of the president, on the other hand, is. And that’s what distinguishes “The ½ Hour News Hour,â€? a Fox News version of “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,â€? from most other satirical shows. Comedians like Mr. Stewart, Stephen Colbert, … [Read more...] about Humorless Comedy at Fox
Drum Roll, Please
Last week, inspired by a reader's comment, we suggested a three-step exercise to help us learn more about how the various presidential candidates, if elected, would actually govern. Step #1 was to compile a list of five questions to pose to each of those candidates. From a pool of nearly 50 suggested questions we received from TMV readers and contributors, we applied a … [Read more...] about Drum Roll, Please
The T.V. Was Blaring
Maybe this means he couldn't take his eyes of Tucker Carlson. The good news: his TV set really worked. What was the brand? … [Read more...] about The T.V. Was Blaring
Open Thread
Open thread. Play nice. … [Read more...] about Open Thread
The Swedish Welfare State
An interesting article at The New Libertarian: "The Swedish self image is special. That we are a moral superpower, a higher civilization, richest of them all, have the best welfare and are neutral since we are so good – it lives on" -- Johnny Munkhammar in the liberal magazine Liberal Debatt, number 4, 2003 Sweden is in a sense an ideal natural experiment in economic … [Read more...] about The Swedish Welfare State
A Breakthrough Drug, But Only For Women
They all have HPV, but the guys can't get vaccinated The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is a breakthrough drug because it dramatically reduces the odds of women getting deadly cervical cancer. Some 20 states are considering or have adopted mandatory programs for middle school-aged girls to be vaccinated against HPV, although most are allowing opt-out provisions for … [Read more...] about A Breakthrough Drug, But Only For Women
Al Qaeda Leaders Regaining Power
Mark Mazzetti and David Rohde wrote a depressing article for the New York Times. It seems that Al Qaeda leaders, who are hiding in Pakistan are regaining power of their terrorist network and that they have set up training camps for terrorists "in the tribal regions near the Afghan border". As the authors of the article point out, the Bush administration has said for a number … [Read more...] about Al Qaeda Leaders Regaining Power
U.S.’s Latest Weapon Is Truly A Pane
Just call this "enemies on the rocks":AMERICAN troops are to get a secret new weapon — artificial ice. Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will put sheets of the substance on roads, alleys and rooftops to stop their enemies using them. Their own boots and vehicle tyres will be coated with a chemical immune to the synthetic skid pans. The Sun has seen a copy of the … [Read more...] about U.S.’s Latest Weapon Is Truly A Pane
Fox News Lives Up To Its Slogan
This time it was fair and balanced. … [Read more...] about Fox News Lives Up To Its Slogan
John McCain Makes The Break
It sounds as if John McCain is making a calculated risk that he's willing to lose some voters who supported him because he was an unpredicatable independent-thinking Republican and replace them with GOP primary voters and social conservatives who want more predictable positions:Republican presidential candidate John McCain, looking to improve his standing with the party's … [Read more...] about John McCain Makes The Break
The Insurgents Defeat
Wounded in Iraq, Neglected at Walter Reed
Jeremy Duncan at Walter Reed: From one hell hole to another The Washington Post has a blockbuster of a story today about the travesty that the once proud Walter Reed Army Hospital has become because of the Iraq war. The former crown jewel of military medicine has been transformed into a holding ground for physically and psychologically damaged outpatients, says the Post, … [Read more...] about Wounded in Iraq, Neglected at Walter Reed