Sadly saying goodbye to Coyote, the best dog in the world by Kim Mooney We said goodbye to Coyote one sad night in November. She had about 3 hours of a bad life before we gently helped her leave. How much gratitude can dog parents have knowing that she only suffered what she needed to to get out of her very sick body. She was fine Thursday morning, had a long walk … [Read more...] about Sadly saying goodbye to Coyote, the best dog in the world
There Are More Demagogues In The Wings
Donald Trump said last week that, if there were more people carrying more guns, things would have turned out differently in San Bernardino. Many have been appalled by the rise of Trump. Chris Hedges believes that his rise is the inevitable consequence of the death of liberal institutions. He writes: These institutions, which once made possible piecemeal and … [Read more...] about There Are More Demagogues In The Wings
Josh Marshall on Effective Counter-terrorism
Josh Marshall outlines the conundrum we face in attempting to prevent terrorist attacks on Talking Points Memo. The kinds of surveillance and scrutiny which inevitably fall on suspect populations as part of a heightened counter-terrorism posture are exactly the kinds of strictures which over time are likely to create the kind of social isolation and alienation which seems, … [Read more...] about Josh Marshall on Effective Counter-terrorism
‘I Want To Sing You A Song,’ Sez Bob Dorough, ‘And Have You Not Walk Out On Me’
My first face-to-face meeting with jazz legend Bob Dorough was in a booth at a greasy spoon near his home in the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania, and while we did eventually get around to talking music, the reason for the sitdown was that he had been good friends with a guy about whom I was writing a book. The reason I was writing the book was that the guy, … [Read more...] about ‘I Want To Sing You A Song,’ Sez Bob Dorough, ‘And Have You Not Walk Out On Me’
Sarah Palin: Jesus would back open carry of guns
In a speech at The Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara, California, Friday sponsored by the Young America's Foundation, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a Second Amendment supporter, said she believed that Jesus would be a "proponent of open carry" policies. "Jesus was a warrior, he was a fighter for justice," Mrs. Palin said in her… … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin: Jesus would back open carry of guns
San Bernardino, Guns, Republicans and the NRA (Cartoon roundup)
San Bernardino, Guns, Republicans and the NRA by Daryl Cagle My cartoon today about the terror attack in San Bernardino, inspired by the interesting front page on the New York Daily News. Standing in a crowed of bloody, murder victims while saying something ironic or hypocritical is a cartoon cliche that every cartoonist has drawn many times. Here’s a similar … [Read more...] about San Bernardino, Guns, Republicans and the NRA (Cartoon roundup)
San Bernardino, Mass Murder and America’s Sunni-Shiite Wars
Even before police could put up crime-scene tape on Wednesday at the mass shooting site in San Bernardino, California, social media was clogged with one major question: Which political party could be blamed? If this was labeled as Islamic terrorism, conservatives were ready to pounce on the Obama administration and Democrats with the message that the… … [Read more...] about San Bernardino, Mass Murder and America’s Sunni-Shiite Wars
Donald Trump Is A Wimp And A Loser
Donald Trump once again leads the Republican polls (although I discussed the poor predictive value of polls in primary battles yesterday). Some pundits, such as David Brooks, say he will not win. Nobody seems sure exactly what to make of Donald Trump. For a change, I will evaluate him as he has been evaluating his opponents. Based upon his behavior this week, this means that … [Read more...] about Donald Trump Is A Wimp And A Loser
The New Look TMV
Welcome to the new look site. Well about 75% ready but good enough for production. The major changes: - A large slider bar with various categories and posts. The bar shows a number of featured posts per certain categories. This allows more content to get featured with a very slick graphic look (notice how the background changes with the categories). You can go to the … [Read more...] about The New Look TMV
Is mass killing now a ritual?
Earlier this fall, Malcolm Gladwell explored this question from a sociological perspective, in a piece called “Thresholds of Violence.” The growth in school shootings, he writes, has behaved like “a slow-motion, ever-evolving riot.” Think of how a riot develops: it begins when someone with a low “threshold of violence” decides to break a shop window; then, as it grows, people … [Read more...] about Is mass killing now a ritual?
Trump’s popularity is frightening. Republicans need to clean house (Guest Editorial)
Donald Trump has a lot in common with the fascists of the early 20 th century, though it's doubtful he has read enough history to realize that. He is hyper-aggressive in his approach to the world, promising an unrestrained bombing campaign intended to kill not just fighters of the Islamic State, but their families as well.… … [Read more...] about Trump’s popularity is frightening. Republicans need to clean house (Guest Editorial)
Daryl Cagle Cartoon: Shooting NRA and GOP
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Daryl Cagle Cartoon: Shooting NRA and GOP
Peak Oil II
I discussed Peak Oil here a few days ago. I talked to my sister last night and for the first time we agreed on most issues. She retired from a major oil company 2 years ago as a world famous up stream geologist. She agreed that the Alberta Tar Sands proved to be an economic disaster and will probably be entirely shut down within a year or two. She also agreed we have … [Read more...] about Peak Oil II
It’s Walt Disney’s Birthday, Here Are Some Quotes.
Walt Disney, the man who started an empire that has entertained millions of children around the world for decades, turns 114 years young on Friday. Happy Birthday, Walt! While there is plenty of folklore around Disney, who was born on Dec. 5, 1901, it’s without question that the company he founded has brought joy to many.… … [Read more...] about It’s Walt Disney’s Birthday, Here Are Some Quotes.
FBI Investigating San Bernardino Shooting As An ‘Act Of Terrorism’ (Video added)
The FBI officially confirmed Friday the San Bernardino, California, shootings were being investigated as an act of terrorism. During a press conference aired nationally David Bowdich, the assistant director in charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, asked that anyone with information related to the shootings call the agency. He said there were still questions to… … [Read more...] about FBI Investigating San Bernardino Shooting As An ‘Act Of Terrorism’ (Video added)
Polls Have Performed Poorly In Predicting Past Nomination Battles
Donald Trump might be back on top of the Republican polls, and Hillary Clinton has led the national Democratic polls, but based upon past history this does not mean they will win the caucus and primary voted. David Brooks, among others, think that Republican voters will look at matters differently when they actually go to vote, and he predicts Trump will not win. I’ve noted … [Read more...] about Polls Have Performed Poorly In Predicting Past Nomination Battles
San Bernardino shooting: Attacker pledged allegiance to ISIS, officials say
Breaking news via CNN. Yes, there does appear to be an ISIS connection with the mass murders in San Bernardino. Now the task is to confirm whether it was inspired by ISIS (two "lone wolfs") or ordered by it: Investigators think that as the San Bernardino, California, attack was happening, female shooter Tashfeen Malik posted a pledge of allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr … [Read more...] about San Bernardino shooting: Attacker pledged allegiance to ISIS, officials say
CNN/ORC Poll: Trump takes biggest lead yet, Jeb Bush nosedives
Billionaire Donald Trump is riding high in the latest CNN/ORC Poll. If polls were a stock market you could say Donald Trump is booming. He's breaking his previous polling record. And this poll was before the carnage in San Bernardino and before Trump said "there's something going on" with Syrian Muslim refugees and said … [Read more...] about CNN/ORC Poll: Trump takes biggest lead yet, Jeb Bush nosedives
Are Better Days Ahead for Our Veterans?
Homelessness, suicide and unemployment, along with physical and mental health problems and drug and alcohol abuse issues, have continued to plague our veterans from recent wars. But there are some encouraging trends. Accusations that Veterans Administration (V.A.) health care facilities veterans were “underserving” or delaying care to its patients resulting in “the death … [Read more...] about Are Better Days Ahead for Our Veterans?
Saving the GOP from Itself
Lauren Fox describes the effort of three Republican Senators to save the party (or at least themselves) from its extremist, fact-challenged, political self-destruction on Planned Parenthood on Talking Points Memo. Three Republican senators Mark Kirk (R-IL), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski(R-AK) weren't about to let their party gut Planned Parenthood without a fight. … [Read more...] about Saving the GOP from Itself