One may well believe that Israel's response to these appalling crimes by Hamas and Hezbollah is disproportionate to the offense. But while it may not be wise to respond in this manner, it is impossible to say that it is unjust. … [Read more...] about And War Begins

Mid-Summer Midterm Madness: A fresh look at 2006's House 'bubble battles' July 13, 2006 - Yes, we know college basketball is a distant memory by now from the perspective of these hot summer months, but looking at the list of potentially competitive races beyond those listed in our Dirty Thirty, we can't help but be reminded of the perennial spectacle of bracket selection. Much … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball – a Twofer!

That's what Amba says, as does Winds of Change contributor AMac. Putting facts above partisanship. Gotta love it. Read more here. … [Read more...] about SWIFT Secrets Are Safe

(click on image to enlarge) A glimpse into the Mumbai's dramatic fight back to normalcy. On Wednesday, a journalist from the BBC's London office called up Western Railway's Chief Public Relation Officer Pranay Prabhakar and asked, "How did you restore your railway in four hours (after seven blasts on seven trains). Last year, when there were two blasts in London, it took us … [Read more...] about It Is Back To Business In Bombay (or Mumbai)

Imagine the Police taking such an action in the USA or India??? This can happen only in Britain (maybe at times in Japan!) Lord Levy, the Labour Party's chief fundraiser, was arrested yesterday by police investigating the "cash for peerages" scandal - a humiliating blow for Tony Blair, reports The Independent. "Scotland Yard's Specialist Crime Directorate, led by Deputy … [Read more...] about Tony Blair In Fresh Trouble?

(click on photo to enlarge - courtesy The Project Gutenberg EBook) Like Joe, I am also travelling...but in Western India on a Press Institute of India and World Bank assignment for journalists. However, I have some spare time so could not resist the temptation of responding to Rep. John Murtha's statement, considered by some as "provocative". The Pennsylvania Democrat said … [Read more...] about Fight Against Terror : Of Soldiers, Terrorists & Ordinary Folks

(click on photo to enlarge - courtesy The Project Gutenberg EBook) Like Joe, I am also travelling...but in Western India on a Press Institute of India and World Bank assignment for journalists. However, I have some spare time so could not resist the temptation of responding to Rep. John Murtha's statement, considered by some as "provocative". The Pennsylvania Democrat said … [Read more...] about Fight Against Terror : Of Soldiers, Terrorists & Ordinary Folks

Here are two moving and heart-warming write-ups I came across during the past two days following Mumbai (India) killer explosions. These 'letters' deserve our attention for the simple reason that they are so different from the cries emerging thousands of miles away wanting 'vendetta', 'eye for an eye', etc, from people (including bloggers) who claim they are the most 'sane … [Read more...] about Open Letter to Terrorists in Mumbai … From A Bombay Girl

No this isn't dating myself. I barely remember this show (I was in kindergarten and remember my parents watching it). But if you LOVE and STUDY comedy as I do here is a comedy gem. A lot of people think irony, satire and musical take-offs began with Saturday Live or Weird Al. Not quite. Here's a 1955 clip showing Sid Caesar and a couple of well-known colleagues (guess?) doing … [Read more...] about Comedy Gems: Musical Irony/Satire

If you emailed yours truly with a link or email you have either gotten a very short reply or none...so apologies. The reason is that TMV was gone all day and drove 220 miles in one day. Now, having just returned, it's time to pack to leave the house at 5 a.m. this morning to catch a plane to the mid-west. TMV himself won't be blogging much at all today (if at all). He may be … [Read more...] about Note To Readers, Bloggers, Etc.

I've posted a review of Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals here at PhiloBiblos. … [Read more...] about Book Review: “Team of Rivals”

Kos is excited over possibly defeating Ohio Representative "Mean Jean" Schmidt. For those of you who don't remember, Schmidt got her seat after winning a closer than expected race against Paul Hackett ("closer-than-expected" because the Ohio 2nd is one of the reddest in the state). Certainly, I'd shed no tears if Representative Schmidt was to be removed from office. But given … [Read more...] about Ohio-02 Redux

What the politics of hair can teach us about racism. … [Read more...] about Dreading the ‘Locks

I'm a pretty firm supporter of immigrant rights. But I've been forced to concede at least one major harm that it appears to be causing, afflicting untold numbers of otherwise normal, "rational" Americans: Pure, unabashed insanity. Two examples of anti-immigrant activists who, to put it gently, appear to have lost their minds. … [Read more...] about The Perils of Illegal Immigration

Yesterday, Reaction co-blogger Creature asked if things are really changing with respect to the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody, that is, to the Bush's Administration's position on the Geneva Conventions. I agree that it's a flip-flop, one that could possibly "help repair [America's] standing in the world community," but it's actually more a rhetorical flip-flop than … [Read more...] about Spinning Geneva

The Denver Post is reporting that "President Bush will likely cast the first veto of his presidency if the Senate, as expected, passes legislation to expand federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research". The source: Karl Rove himself. This is bipartisan legislation. It even has the support of flip-flopper Bill Frist in the Senate. As I put it last year: "It is imperative … [Read more...] about Stem-cell legislation — Bush’s first veto?

The rich get richer. … [Read more...] about White House Salaries

Yesterday was a day of mourning for Pink Floyd fans around the world. Roger "Syd" Barrett, the band's co-founder, has died at the age of 60. For more on the life and death of Syd, as well as on all things Pink Floyd, please visit Brain Damage. (As well, see my old friend Orrie's Pink Floyd site, AllFloyd.) Syd was the soul of Pink Floyd. The early hits, "Arnold Layne" and "See … [Read more...] about Syd Barrett (1946-2006)

India vows to get those responsible for the worst bombing in Mumbai in 13 years. Foreign governments express outrage and shock and vow (again) to combat terrorism. And then there are the human terms: at least 186 people killed: Eight explosions occurred in 30 minutes starting at 6 p.m., ripping through rush-hour crowds in the city of 16 million. Much of the rail network was … [Read more...] about Email From Bombay Explains Railway Terror Setting And Hope

As we reported on Friday, it looked as though right-wing candidate Felipe Calderon had just barely won the presidency over left-wing candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. After counting and re-counting, Calderon led Lopez Obrador by just 0.57 percentage points. But, rightly or wrongly, Lopez Obrador isn't about to concede, let alone give up without a fight. According to the … [Read more...] about Allegations of fraud taint Mexico’s presidential election