What is common between Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, the Nizam (a former Prince) and a former Miss Turkey and pearls? Their association with the world's happening hi-tech city of Hyderabad, in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh (the fifth largest state in the country). After New Delhi, Hyderabad is the only city in India to attract two US Presidents. About their … [Read more...] about Of George Bush, Bill Clinton, Former Miss Turkey and the Nizam of Hyderabad

Is he brilliant, far-out, courageous, weird or an independent thinker (or a combination of any or all of these?). Here's a starting point for debate. … [Read more...] about Deconstructing Democratic Senator Russ Feingold

Will he be saying bye-bye? … [Read more...] about Is It Hype Or Not?

This just in from investigative reporter Andy Borowitz:U.S. THREATENS TO LAUNCH ANN COULTER TOWARDS NORTH KOREA Rabid Pundit Could Destroy Entire Korean Peninsula, U.N. Warns In an act of retaliation for North Korean president Kim Jong-Il’s plan to test a long-range missile that could reach California, the United States today threatened to launch conservative pundit Ann … [Read more...] about THIS JUST IN! U.S.A.’s New Weapon Against North Korea

TMV won't be totally out of pocket through Friday — but almost. For instance, this is written at 11 pm after JUST getting in from a day of traffic james in Orange County and two family show appearances. Tomorrow and Thursday will have the exact same schedule — and then TMV heads to the East Coast to spend some time with The Moderate Parents who are in their … [Read more...] about TMV’s Own Posts Will Be VERY Limited For A Few Days

The Indo-US nuclear deal got off to a roaring start in the US Congress on Tuesday. The House International Relations Committee, considered a tough cookie, endorsed the deal by an overwhelming 37-5 margin, says The Times of India. In a three-hour long debate preceding the vote, the committee consistently turned down killer amendments proposed by the opponents of the deal, many … [Read more...] about India-US Nuclear Deal: A Big Win

Without checking the article, decide for yourself whether the following book titles are real or satire: Thus far, the new imprint has only one writer in its stable: Katharine DeBrecht, the pen name of a mother of three whose authorial debut, Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed!, generated major buzz - and sold some 30,000 copies - after receiving an on-air plug from Rush … [Read more...] about Help Mom!

Is it unpatriotic to be too patriotic? … [Read more...] about Competing Loyalties

Last night on his show Joe Scarborough bluntly laid out the differences between traditional Republican conservatives and the establishment Republican conservatives: one is more rooted in Thomas Jefferson (and we remind people in Barry Goldwater). The other wing follows whatever the White House says on most issues. He was looking at the issue of the leaks and the New York … [Read more...] about Joe Scarborough Won’t Buy The Official Line

A new poll has bad news for President George Bush, bad news for GOPers (particularly those who are steadfastly standing by Bush) and improved news for Democrats:Americans are paying unusually close attention to the congressional elections in November, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, and they are more inclined to deliver big gains to Democrats than in any year since Republicans … [Read more...] about Poll: Bush Hurts GOP As Democrats’ Prospects Brighten

David Post describes why one watches even the games that are "already over": So it is absolutely true: if you're losing a soccer game 2-0 with 10 minutes to go, you have a mighty slim chance of winning, and you are almost certainly going to be walking out of the stadium depressed and disappointed. But . . . it does happen. Teams do come back. And if this is the game in which it … [Read more...] about Better Than…

She hires a prominent (both in status and talent) blogger to get her message out the the blogo-you-know-what. UPDATE by Michael vd G. From the link Joe provided: In a post announcing his new job, Dauo said that "as a true believer in the importance of [blogs], I'm thrilled about Senator Clinton's interest in building this bridge with the online community and I intend to do … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton’s Smart 21st Century Political Move

Yesterday's Supreme Court "decision" in Randall v. Sorrell, the Vermont campaign finance case is one of those collections of concurrences, dissents and opinions that come along every year at the end of the term, the kind that must drive reporters who cover the Court up the wall. There were six separate opinions in this case: Justice Breyer announced the Court's judgment with … [Read more...] about Supreme Court Muddies Campaign Finance Waters

I have read about exploding cell phones, but never about laptops. A website claims that a laptop exploded at a Japanese conference. Has anyone heard of a laptop exploding? No more in my lap if they do!!! … [Read more...] about An Explosive Laptop!

The Zarqawi killing bump is apparently wearing off. Details at Rasmussen Reports (a firm favored by GOPers and said to be the most accurate polling firm in 2004). REMINDER AGAIN: Polls are snapshots and in the long term like see saws. Will going after the evil New York Times rally the base and get the numbers back up? A USA Today/Gallup poll taken Friday through Sunday found … [Read more...] about Bush’s Poll Numbers Apparently Dropping Again

India's largest coffee growing company, Tata Coffee Ltd., has signed a deal to acquire U.S.-based 147-year-old Eight O'Clock Coffee Co. from Gryphon Investors for US$220 million (euro175 million). The deal is the latest in a string of overseas acquisitions by top Indian companies, which are trying to increase global visibility after thriving for decades on domestic sales and … [Read more...] about Indian Company Buys America’s Eight O’Clock Coffee

...from progressive talker Ed Schultz - so CLICK HERE. ALSO NOTABLE: Whipping up sentiments against the news media (and others) has led to increasingly violent sounding rhetoric SUCH AS THIS. Will this kind of rhetoric eventually lead to some kind of tragic incident? UPDATE: And has President Bush's angry reaction to the Times story been puzzling? Larry C. Johnson, CEO and … [Read more...] about Another Take On The Leaks And The New York Times (UPDATED)

Rush Limbaugh is in the news again about a possible drug-law violation — a story that perhaps tells us a little more than we WANT to know:Rush Limbaugh was detained for about 3 1/2 hours at Palm Beach International Airport after authorities said they found a bottle of Viagra in his possession without a prescription.Since he got into hot water and reached a deal with … [Read more...] about Rush Limbaugh Has Legal Drug Run-In Over Viagra

Republicans have turned gutter politics into an art form. That doesn't mean it will help Democrats if they try it. … [Read more...] about Getting Out of the Mud

I wrote the following letters to my Senators, Mark Dayton and Norm Coleman. Both are considered to be supporters of the flag desecration amendment (though Dayton may be on the fence). Dear Senator Coleman, We live in trying times. In world beset by instability, worried by economic insecurity, and threatened daily by the scourge of terrorism, it is easy to overlook some of the … [Read more...] about Upholding the Flag