By Lawrence HurleyWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court are set to wade into contentious social matters in their new term beginning on Monday including affirmative action, union powers and voting rights, and could add major cases involving abortion and birth control.The court's work on those hot-button issues in its term that ends next June will … [Read more...] about Supreme Court Tackles Hot Issues as 2016 Election Looms
Syria – Part 1: Russia’s motives are more alarming than Obama’s deductions
The Obama administration seems to be misreading Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions in his new bombing campaign in Syria. President Barack Obama seems to think that Putin wants to reconquer Syria for Bashar al Assad and then install his protégé securely to weaken US influence in the Middle East. He also deduces that Putin is trying to obtain a Mideast bargaining … [Read more...] about Syria – Part 1: Russia’s motives are more alarming than Obama’s deductions
Syria – Part 2: Russia’s lot is tied to the Alawites
It is time now for Washington to look at Moscow’s intervention in Syria from a wider strategic perspective than the usual rhetoric about Vladimir Putin’s fecklessness. Putin believes that the US will push to create an independent Kurdistan in Iraq and protect it as a new militarized satellite in the Middle East. Washington would see a new Kurdistan as a regrettable but … [Read more...] about Syria – Part 2: Russia’s lot is tied to the Alawites
Catalan, the Language of Catalonia
Catalan is the language of Northern Spain and parts of Southern France and Italy. It is a Romance language like Spanish, Portuguese and French but it's source is probably from colloquial Latin. It was outlawed by Franco during his dictatorship but has seen a resurgence which may be in part responsible for the desire of Catalonia to succeed from Spain. Language is culture. We … [Read more...] about Catalan, the Language of Catalonia
Protecting School Kids (Guest Voice)
Protecting School Kids By Peter Funt Face it. Every school in America should have a uniformed police officer on duty whenever school is in session. If smaller communities can't afford it, a federal program should be established to help. And, yes, these cops should have guns. I favor more gun laws — far stricter than most liberal politicians would dare advocate in public. … [Read more...] about Protecting School Kids (Guest Voice)
Support For Clinton Continues To Erode As Donors And Unions Watch Biden and Sanders
Following other recent bad news for Hillary Clinton and good news for Bernie Sanders, support for Hillary Clinton continues to erode. Democrats are facing the same anti-establishment phenomenon seen in the Republican primary where Donald Trump leads the polls. Bernie Sanders is the obvious beneficiary of this trend, but Joe Biden is also hoping to capitalize on it should he … [Read more...] about Support For Clinton Continues To Erode As Donors And Unions Watch Biden and Sanders
Senseless Shootings
https://politicalgraffiti.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/senseless/ Copyright 2015 David Donar. All rights reserved.Copyright Donar, Political Graffiti … [Read more...] about Senseless Shootings
Hillary Clinton Appears on SNL as a Bartender to Give ‘Herself’ a Pep Talk, Imitate Donald Trump (VIDEO) Updated
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a surprise/non-surprise (it was reported) appearance on Saturday Night Live last night, doing a brief Donald Trump imitation in a skit where she played a bartender -- and even sang a little: She later gave this interview about her SNL appearance: I need to add this note that I put on my Facebook page: Am I … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton Appears on SNL as a Bartender to Give ‘Herself’ a Pep Talk, Imitate Donald Trump (VIDEO) Updated
Mt Hood II
A couple of more pictures of Mt Hood. … [Read more...] about Mt Hood II
Lawrence Lessig Protests Acts By DNC To Keep Him Out Of Democratic Debate & New Criteria For The Republican Debate
As I noted earlier in the week, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley, Jim Webb, and Lincoln Chafee have all met the criteria to make the Democratic debate (an average of 1% in three polls, recognized by CNN, released between Aug. 1 and Oct. 10). Joe Biden will be allowed into the debate if he declares his candidacy by the day of the debate–but he reportedly is now … [Read more...] about Lawrence Lessig Protests Acts By DNC To Keep Him Out Of Democratic Debate & New Criteria For The Republican Debate
Alleged US airstrike on Afghan hospital may be war crime, UN says
Unusually, the UN human rights agency has condemned as a likely criminal act an airstrike on a hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan. Critics allege that the airstrike was conducted by US warplanes assisting Afghan government forces to resist Taliban attackers trying to conquer the northern city of Kunduz, which has a population of about 300,000. “This event is utterly tragic, … [Read more...] about Alleged US airstrike on Afghan hospital may be war crime, UN says
Mt Hood
One of the great things about living in the Portland area is we can see Mt Hood. Below is a picture as a storm approaches. … [Read more...] about Mt Hood
More ‘Sexual Orientation’ Fallout from the Vatican
Catholics and especially those supportive of gay and lesbian rights have gone through a rollercoaster of emotions because of confusing and even conflicting reports, rumors and innuendo on Pope Francis’ so-called “private meeting” with anti-gay Kim Davis and on the audience granted by the Pope to a same-sex couple. Now comes a report from Reuters that the Vatican has … [Read more...] about More ‘Sexual Orientation’ Fallout from the Vatican
Breaking News: U.S. C-130 Aircraft Crashes in Afghanistan (Updates)
Maj. Met Berisha, 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron commander, shares his condolences for six fallen Airmen during a fallen comrade memorial ceremony Oct. 3, 2015, at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The Airmen lost their lives when their C-130J Super Hercules crashed shortly after takeoff from Jalalabad Airfield in Afghanistan, Oct. 2, 2015. Capts. Jordan Pierson and … [Read more...] about Breaking News: U.S. C-130 Aircraft Crashes in Afghanistan (Updates)
The GOP isn’t racist or sexist. It is tone deaf instead.
As the current political season gets underway, the same old accusations against one political party are being made by members of other parties. In the case of the Republican Party, the accusations are that the Party is racist and sexist. Those particular accusations are false, but it is understandable as to why the accusations are being made. Despite its merits, the … [Read more...] about The GOP isn’t racist or sexist. It is tone deaf instead.
Cartoon: America Brain Dysfunction
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 Cartoon: America Brain Dysfunction
For mass shooters, achieving fame, or infamy, is a frequent driver
At the epicenter of the nation's latest mass shooting in Oregon, Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin says the motives of the man who fatally shot 9 people on a college campus Thursday are not known. But Hanlin, who says he will not "glorify" the perpetrator's name by uttering it on national television, has suggested one factor… … [Read more...] about For mass shooters, achieving fame, or infamy, is a frequent driver
Famous Movie and Other Misquotes
Some of the most famous and oft-quoted lines are in fact misquotes. "Beam me up Scotty" is a line I'll bet everyone has used at least once. In fact, "Beam me up Scotty" is probably the most overused one-liner on this green earth. Even so, it has never been uttered on any other planet, at least… … [Read more...] about Famous Movie and Other Misquotes
Jeb Bush on Gun Violence “Stuff Happens” (UPDATED)
Department of WOW. 2016 Republican Presidential nomination wannabe Jeb Bush when asked about the violence in Oregon and about gun violence said "stuff happens." A day after a massacre on a U.S. college campus, Jeb Bush said "stuff happens" but that does not mean gun restrictions should be tightened. "We're in a difficult time in our country and I don't think more … [Read more...] about Jeb Bush on Gun Violence “Stuff Happens” (UPDATED)
(Update – Video) Pope Held Real Audience with Same-Sex Couple Day Before Encounter with Kim Davis
Those who interpreted the Pope’s so-called “private meeting” with anti-gay Rowan County, KY., Clerk Kim Davis as an endorsement of her position on same-sex marriage -- now refuted by the Vatican -- may have something new to ponder on. As mentioned here, Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi had stated “The only real audience granted by the pope at the Nunciature was with … [Read more...] about (Update – Video) Pope Held Real Audience with Same-Sex Couple Day Before Encounter with Kim Davis