Tom Watson offers his take on the election, Republicans, Democrats and the meaning of Ned Lamont's challenge to re-elected Senator Joe Lieberman. Part of it:There's a myth out there a-growin' that this historic election of 2006 pushed the Democratic Party "back to the center," that the big winners were Democratic "conservatives," that Americans will only elect right-leaning … [Read more...] about The Myth About The 2006 Election

Links from weblogs of varying viewpoints 4 U. CAUTION: This is only for those who believe reading differing ideas won't give you brain cancer. Bad Environmental News: Carbon emissions are rising faster than expected. The Booman Tribune has some thoughts. So What's Press Bigwig Rupert Murdoch's Game? Is he planning to move left in 2008? Can Democratic Promises To Take A … [Read more...] about Around The ‘Sphere Nov. 13, 2006

He's now the longest living American President. … [Read more...] about Former President Gerald Ford Hits A Milestone

Surprised? Didn't think so. Still, a recent editorial from Chafee reveals that when Bush was President elect in December 2000, his administration was planning to turn the government into a partisan battleground. I take a closer look here. … [Read more...] about Chafee Confirms Bush Never Wanted To Unite

NOS Journaal reports that Carl Levin said in This Week that the Democrats want US troops to gradually withdraw from Iraq... starting within 4 - 6 months time (from now). As NOS Journaal notes, Levin is likely to become chairman of the Armed Services Committee in US Senate in January 07. I wonder whether I missed this in American media, because I cannot remember reading … [Read more...] about Cut’n and Run’n

Prominent members of the political party the PvdA say that the party's leader Wouter Bos is making a terrible mistake by focusing too much on the CDA. Margreeth de Boer and Joop van den Berg say that Wouter Bos assumed early on already that the elections will result in a PvdA - CDA coalition and that as such, the CDA being led by Prime-Ministed Jan Peter Balkenende, would adopt … [Read more...] about The War of the Roses

I am almost done reading Benjamin Franklin Unmasked: On the Unity of His Moral, Religious, and Political Thought by Jerry Weinberger. Weinberger carefully examined one of the most interesting 'founding fathers' of the United States and delivered a more than fascinating result with Benjamin Franklin Unmasked. Franklin is - perhaps - the most mysterious founding father: when … [Read more...] about Benjamin Franklin Unmasked

Incredibly scary. Be sure to watch this (all three trailers) to the end...if you dare: … [Read more...] about Some Truly Terrifying Horror Movies

The question that was first being whispered isn't being whispered anymore. Now it's being asked. How could the man called "Bush's [political] Brain" go overnight from being the man Bush called "The Architect" due his design and construction of political victories to someone who turn out to be The Dismantler of the Reagan coalition? For months Bush & Co went on the … [Read more...] about How Karl Rove Went From Being ‘The Architect” To The Dismantler

The Shia leaders of Iraq have found a great way to alienate the Sunni population: It did not take long for Col. Brian D. Jones to begin to have doubts about the new Iraqi commander. The commander, Brig. Gen. Shakir Hulail Hussein al-Kaabi, was chosen this summer by the Shiite-led government in Baghdad to lead the Iraqi Army’s Fifth Division in Diyala Province. Within weeks, … [Read more...] about Sunnis Persecuted

The New York Times reports that the new class - new Democrats in Washington - are not inspired by ideologies, but by populism: Many in the class of 2006, especially those who delivered the new Democratic majorities by winning Republican seats, show little appetite for that kind of ideological crusade. But in interviews with nearly half of them this week, the freshmen — 41 in … [Read more...] about Welcome Class of 2006

Entrepreneurs continue (trying) to improve the Internet: From the billions of documents that form the World Wide Web and the links that weave them together, computer scientists and a growing collection of start-up companies are finding new ways to mine human intelligence. Their goal is to add a layer of meaning on top of the existing Web that would make it less of a catalog … [Read more...] about The New Internet Revolution

There is a myth surrounding famous Dutch painter Rembrandt: that he secretly converted to Judaism. Was the Dutch 17th century master Rembrandt, a Jew? In the last of a series of exhibitions marking the artist's 400th birthday, the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam sets out to examine the myth of the painter's Jewish links.The answer: no. The exhibition mercilessly … [Read more...] about Rembrandt Jewish?

From the wonderful song parody group The Capitol Steps: Springtime For Liberals Old Man Rumsfeld (sung before the firing resignation) If you haven't heard the Capitol Steps they take potshots at both sides. So if you don't like a phrase in a song, remember they go after everyone. Note that the first song is sung from the perspective of conservatives; the second one from … [Read more...] about The Songs They’re Singing In Washington

It's time to read about the really important news. … [Read more...] about But Enough About The Elections

TMV drove through three states yesterday and flew from Denver to San Diego. Most of his posts will resume later this morning. (He has to get to bed). … [Read more...] about Quick Note To Readers

If you thought President George Bush's poll ratings couldn't go down much further, you were wrong. A new Newsweek poll shows him drawing numbers at a new low in post-election America. Perhaps it's a sign that some in the party base are irked over the recent comments he made indicating he'll work with Democrats, plus lingering ire over the timing of the resignation of Defense … [Read more...] about Newsweek Poll Gives Bush New Low 31 Percent Rating

Yet another reason why Carleton College is better than Georgetown: Our campus-created religions are far more legit. … [Read more...] about College Created Religion

It's official. Almost. John McCain is running for president. According to ABC News, "[a] presidential exploratory committee is expected to be set up this month -- perhaps as early as next week," though a "final decision will likely not come until after the Christmas holidays". Given his alleged "maverick" credentials, an outsider on the inside, the Republicans' dismal … [Read more...] about McCain set to begin White House run

First to fight for the right, And to build the Nation’s might, And The Army Goes Rolling Along Proud of all we have done, Fighting till the battle’s won, And the Army Goes Rolling Along. Then it’s Hi! Hi! Hey! The Army’s on its way. Count off the cadence loud and strong (TWO! THREE!) For where e’er we go, You will always know That The Army Goes Rolling Along. From the … [Read more...] about In Remembrance and Heartfelt Thanks