...and if you're like millions of other Americans, chances are you're going to church. And when you walk into your church, you focus on the spiritual. True, once in a while a pastor, priest or rabbi will deal with a political issue, but even then there are certain boundaries. Most of the time. Look at this to see how silly and extreme partisanship has gotten in this … [Read more...] about Sunday Is Church Day….

There is a new Letter from Europe posted at my weblog, Random Fate: The forgetting will be their second death … [Read more...] about Some thoughts on the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe

Pennywit has some thoughts on the conflict between some bloggers and some members of the mainstream media. If you are interested in blogging at all I highly recommend reading what he has to say. … [Read more...] about Blogging versus the Mainstream Media

Interesting news from the Tri-Cities area of Washington state (the heart of a region that produces some mighty fine wines, by the way): Dead rattler may have legs This story was published Friday, May 6th, 2005 By John Trumbo, Herald staff writer Nancy McLeod of West Richland knew she had snakes in her back yard, but she had no idea one of them was a biped. The 2-foot-long … [Read more...] about A shaggy snake story…

Following a firestorm of negative national reaction, a 17-year-old Georgia high school student will be allowed to return to class after being banned from the school for three days for refusing to hang up his cell phone on his military Mom who was calling him from Iraq. A major media and Internet furor was ignited when the story came to light about how Kevin Francois was … [Read more...] about Suspension Penalty Sliced For Student Penalized For Talking To Military Mom

The U.S. congratulated Israel yesterday for the peaceful Palestinian elections — but the real story behind the vote is the strong strength displayed by the Islamic militant faction Hamas. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement won most municipal councils across the West Bank and Gaza Strip this week. But initial results indicated Hamas netted the three … [Read more...] about Hamas Shows Itself A Force In Palestinian Elections

Via Cox & Forkum … [Read more...] about It’s A Matter Of Attitude

You truly wonder sometimes: when will these politicians of both parties and public figures ever learn that they must use their mind before they open their mouths? Read this: In the course of a discussion on filibusters and Senate rules, Washington's top Democrat gave the 60 juniors a lesson in partisan politics, particularly about the commander in chief. "The man's father is a … [Read more...] about Harry Reid’s BIIIIIIIIIIIG Mouth

Here's a story that pits common sense against unfeeling educational bureaucratic thinking: a high school student has been suspended for 10 days for refusing to end a mobile phone call with his mother who is serving in Iraq. Even when you read the bare-bones facts of this story from the AP it makes your blood boil: COLUMBUS, Ga. May 6, 2005 — A high school student was … [Read more...] about Student Suspended For Talking To Military Mother In Iraq

The move is on by opponents of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to peel away many of the Democrats and independent voters who gave the politically slumping movie-star-turned-politician his victory in the recall. Part of the reason it's happening is that the novelty of Schwarzenegger's celebrity seems to have worn off with the Democrats at the same time as … [Read more...] about Challenger Likens Arnold Schwarzenegger To George Bush

Here's yet another high profile resignation from the staff of a newspaper: USA Today's respected Pentagon correspondent, Tom Squitieri reportedly resigned under pressure after it was learned he had lifted quotes from other publications without identifying them as such. According to the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz, one of the questioned pieces had a quote from a parent who's … [Read more...] about USA Today Reporter Resigns For Lifting Other Papers’ Quotes

The remaking of beset House Majority leader Tom DeLay's image has begun...as he edges towards a mea culpa...an act that usually has some success in American politics: House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) delivered an emotional homily yesterday on the need for greater humility in public servants, declaring himself a sinner before a largely Christian audience and warning … [Read more...] about Tom DeLay Tip Toes Towards Rehabilitation

There are allegations that some doctors from the New York suburbs were helping mob figures with stick ups: Three doctors from the Westchester suburbs of New York City allegedly provided mob figures with erectile dysfunction drugs in exchange for various favors, the FBI said Thursday. The FBI arrested the doctors — Arlen Fleisher, Stephen Klass and George Shapiro — … [Read more...] about NY Doctors Working With The Mob?

NOTE TO READERS: To be inducted into TMV's prestigious Get A Life Club a person or organization must display silliness, pomposity or PC behavior that goes beyond the realm of normal rational beings. The story below marks the entrance of some new members into this exclusive club. See UPDATE at bottom of this post. Decency is indeed a valid and "appropriate" (favorite school … [Read more...] about New Members Of TMV’s Get A Life Club: Officials And Parents Obsessing Over Louie Louie

We may start a little later than usual Friday morning on most of our posts. So do check back often. We do have some things on tap for today. NOTE: We also made a mistake on today's edition of Around The 'Sphere, our occasional linkfest, and put it on last night's dated blog. We don't know (yet) how to change that without messing up all the trackbacks to various blogs. So … [Read more...] about Late Start This Morning

Our occasional linkfest. Links are NOT restriced to one viewpoint — and viewpoints don't necessarily reflect our views. The Bush Administration Is Fighting A War Against Pornography: Here's Jazz Shaw's take on it. (My view? Pornography? I don't even have a pornograph!) Is Hamas A Terrorist Group Or A Political Group? GeoPolitical Review explores the issue. Walter … [Read more...] about Around The ‘Sphere

Projections give Great Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair his third majority — but some are already predicting he'll eventually be dumped by his party. The reason: even with what the BBC says is a "historic third term for Labour" the numbers otherwise show significant erosion: labor will have 66 seats — and in 2001 they won 167. Thus ends an election in which: … [Read more...] about Blair Is Projected Winner But Could Be Dumped

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is reportedly doing the equivilent of the political limbo in his efforts to avoid media-types and keep a low (for him) profile. The Washington Post's Dana Milbank in a "Washington Sketch" column reports:Tom DeLay sneaks around the Capitol like a fugitive these days, using back doors and basement passages to avoid television cameras. He skips … [Read more...] about DeLay Is DeDuck In Game Of Political/Media Limbo

Today is the day of the annual March of the Living when a ceremony is held at the site of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz in Poland — a meticulously preserved symbol of genocidal murder, racial demonization and utter dehumanization. Look at the photos to your left. Just look what they did to those children. And there are worse ones. We won't show them here. Talk … [Read more...] about Holocaust Victims of Auschwitz And Elsewhere Mourned Today

Here's a scenario: conservative writer, TV personality and pundit Ann Coulter (who recently was irked by the picture Time used of her on its cover) is speaking at a university in Texas. At the end of the session, a student taking the mike during the obligatory Q&A for the high-paid speech asks a blunt and highly vulgar question, and even makes hand motions. He is then … [Read more...] about Arrested For Using Vulgar Language And Gestures While Questioning Ann Coulter