WASHINGTON ?? The Senate's Republican leadership rhetorically took Sen. Ted Cruz to the woodshed Sunday for calling Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell a liar last week on the chamber's floor. The admonishment of Cruz, R-Texas, and the Republican presidential candidate's unapologetic defense, was a prelude to a series of votes that advanced language to revive the… … [Read more...] about Senate GOP leaders blast Cruz for calling McConnell a liar
Racist tweet mars U.S. – Israel relations (Guest Voice)
Racist tweet mars U.S. – Israel relations by Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — The Washington Post and other sources have reported on a regrettable tweet dispatched—and then withdrawn—by Judy Shalom Nir-Mozes, who is married to Israel’s deputy prime minster, Silvan Shalom. She is also is a prominent media personality in her own right. The despicable tweet was as … [Read more...] about Racist tweet mars U.S. – Israel relations (Guest Voice)
Americans polarized but ambivalent
WASHINGTON -- So accustomed are we to highlighting the polarized nature of our politics that we often forget how many Americans decline to be painted in bright reds or bright blues. Among us, there are pinks and turquoises and even purples. And these voters will matter a great deal to the elections in 2016 and beyond. To understand a rather strange moment during which … [Read more...] about Americans polarized but ambivalent
The questionable integrity of Jeb Bush
Having been around in the early 1970s I do recall the very effective propaganda use made by President Nixon of the return of Vietnam prisoners of war. As Rick Perlstein so brilliantly describes it in his book, The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan, the war was lost but Americans were willing to be convinced that getting our POWs home was enough of a … [Read more...] about The questionable integrity of Jeb Bush
SciFi Weekend: Hannibal; Mr. Robot; Humans; Jonathan Strange; Sense8
The third season of Hannibal was initially to be about Hannibal Lecter as a fugitive in Europe, mirroring the Hannibal novel. With Bryan Fuller realizing that this would probably be the final season of Hannibal on NBC, with its future after that still unknown, he reduced this to about half the season so he could move on to Red Dragon. That has probably worked out for the better … [Read more...] about SciFi Weekend: Hannibal; Mr. Robot; Humans; Jonathan Strange; Sense8
Military Weekend 3
The islands of Hawai’i are one of America’s favorite vacation destinations. They are also some of our most strategic national security assets and home to the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM), a command whose area of responsibility covers about half the earth’s surface, from the shores of California and Alaska to India, from Antarctica to the North Pole. A command … [Read more...] about Military Weekend 3
The Past Through Pictures XVI
A couple of simple still lifes on this Sunday. And a strawberry. The list of links to past posts is getting a bit long so I will put up a link to the last post in the European series and you can find other links at the bottom of that post. The Path Through Pictures VIII The Past Through Pictures IX The Past Through Pictures X The Past Through Pictures … [Read more...] about The Past Through Pictures XVI
Huckabee’s political obscenity: says Obama is marching Israel “to the door of the oven”
NOTE: Due to an error the original version of this story referred to Mike Huckabee as former Arizona Gov. It is former Arkansas Gov. We regret the error. Our politics has now gotten so over-the-top with its rhetoric that it goes beyond recklessness. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has now come up with what has to be the most outrageous political line of the year. But … [Read more...] about Huckabee’s political obscenity: says Obama is marching Israel “to the door of the oven”
How ‘The New York Times’ Bungled the Hillary Clinton Emails Story (Guest Voice)
by Kurt Eichenwald What the hell is happening at The New York Times? In March, the newspaper published a highly touted article about Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email account that, as I wrote in an earlier column, was wrong in its major points. The Times’s public editor defended that piece, linking to a lengthy series of regulations… … [Read more...] about How ‘The New York Times’ Bungled the Hillary Clinton Emails Story (Guest Voice)
Urine trouble peeing in San Francisco: San Francisco combats stench of urine with pee-repellent paint
(Reuters) - Don't get into a pissing match with walls in San Francisco.The city's Public Works agency is testing a pee-repellant paint on walls in areas that have been saturated with urine. Anyone urinating on the specially treated walls will get the spray splashed back onto them.San Francisco's director of public works, Mohammed Nuru - whose Twitter handle is @MrCleanSF - got … [Read more...] about Urine trouble peeing in San Francisco: San Francisco combats stench of urine with pee-repellent paint
Cartoon: Trump Party Pooper
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: Trump Party Pooper
Obama Outlines New Ivory Restrictions
The U.S. will begin taking what the White House termed “urgently needed steps” to tighten restrictions on the sale of ivory from African elephants, President Barack Obama announced Saturday. The announcement came during the president’s trip to Kenya, where he spoke at a joint press conference in Nairobi with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. Obama said the… … [Read more...] about Obama Outlines New Ivory Restrictions
‘NCIS’ Again Skunked—Except by the People
Once again, as expected, the people who give out Emmy nominations skunked NCIS. No nominations for acting. None for writing. Not one for directing or producing. Not even a nomination in what the industry calls the minor awards—sound editing, stunt coordination, and dozens of others. The one-hour drama, with light overtones, is the most-watched drama in television, but the … [Read more...] about ‘NCIS’ Again Skunked—Except by the People
Words of wisdom
"I would like to speak briefly and simply about a serious national condition. It is a national feeling of fear and frustration that could result in national suicide and the end of everything that we Americans hold dear.... I speak as briefly as possible because too much harm has already been done with irresponsible words of bitterness and selfish political opportunism. I … [Read more...] about Words of wisdom
Gawker To Staff: Be Nice Or Leave
Gawker Media is offering severance pay to any employees unwilling to submit to a more gentle editorial tone, according to a leaked memo from company President Heather Dietrick obtained by International Business Times. "[W]e'll be offering severance to those who do not wish to continue at the company under a modified version of the editorial vision,"… … [Read more...] about Gawker To Staff: Be Nice Or Leave
Book Review: “Review: Vampire Over London: Bela Lugosi in Britain
Review: Vampire Over London: Bela Lugosi in Britain Review by Doug Gibson Fifteen years ago, Frank J. Dello Stritto and Andi Brooks published "Vampire Over London: Bela Lugosi in Britain." The book was unique in that it broke new ground in the history of an iconic actor, Bela Lugosi, who even then had a career that had been well analyzed. "Vampire Over London" erased a myth … [Read more...] about Book Review: “Review: Vampire Over London: Bela Lugosi in Britain
Fracking, gas money and the message in media headlines
by MARK LICHTY On June 5, the Pocono Record carried a story with the headline, “Fracking Can be Done Safely, EPA says.” That headline is at best misleading. It gives the impression that it is being done safely, which in many cases is not true. The study did conclude that wells were being contaminated by fracking, which until this point the EPA had been denying. The … [Read more...] about Fracking, gas money and the message in media headlines
Lafayette shooting renews debate on movie theater security
Moviegoer Melissa Holt took in a screening of the animated film "Minions" at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood on Friday with little worry about her safety. But the day after the deadly shooting at a movie theater in Lafayette, La., Holt said she'd be OK with additional security measures at multiplexes. "If that's something they need… … [Read more...] about Lafayette shooting renews debate on movie theater security
Trump: Rising From the GOP’s Ashes (Guest Voice)
Trump: Rising From the GOP's Ashes By Tina Dupuy There's no shortage of publicity maestro, name-emblazer Donald Trump think pieces on the Internet these days. Most will attribute his straight talk to his more-than-likely-fleeting frontrunner status. Others point to some anger or racism the Trump Brand Name has tapped into. The rest? Apologists or denouncers. But all seem to … [Read more...] about Trump: Rising From the GOP’s Ashes (Guest Voice)
Turkey joins battle against Islamic State in Syria
BEIRUT — Turkey has long been a reluctant partner in the U.S.-led campaign against Islamic State militants. Since the U.S. first launched airstrikes in Iraq nearly a year ago, leaders in Ankara had refused to join in, and until this week, had barred coalition warplanes from even using Turkish air bases to mount attacks in neighboring… … [Read more...] about Turkey joins battle against Islamic State in Syria