I will not be posting for a few days (hold down the applause and cheers, please) as I will be hopefully enjoying some of the sights viewed by the P-3C Orion pilot above, albeit at lower altitudes and not in uniform. Before "going dark," I was planning a lighthearted (i.e. satirical) post on my Texan friends’ morbid fear that the federal government is planning to occupy … [Read more...] about Military Weekend 2
Misunderstanding Pope Francis
The act of presenting a message can be tricky, because an audience might totally misinterpret the message. Martin (2007) writes, "Stuart Hall's "Encoding-Decoding" model of communication essentially states that meaning is encoded by the sender and decoded by the receiver and that these encoded meanings may be decoded to mean something else. That is to mean, the senders … [Read more...] about Misunderstanding Pope Francis
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton: The Two Front Runners And Their Vulnerabilities
Going by the polls, there are two apparent front-runners for their party's nomination, but one has a far more meaningful lead than the other. While I will not totally dismiss the possibility of Donald Trump winning the Republican nomination as I discussed yesterday, it remains more likley that we will see multiple candidates take leads for a period of time in the Republican … [Read more...] about Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton: The Two Front Runners And Their Vulnerabilities
Trump Belongs in the ‘Entertainment’ Pages
In “A Note About Our Coverage Of Donald Trump's 'Campaign',” the Huffington Post has just announced: After watching and listening to Donald Trump since he announced his candidacy for president, we have decided we won't report on Trump's campaign as part of The Huffington Post's political coverage. . Instead, we will cover his campaign as part of our Entertainment … [Read more...] about Trump Belongs in the ‘Entertainment’ Pages
The Euro
The Euro was never an economic instrument but a political one. It never made any sense economically, a point made by economists on both side of the aisle at the time. The British wisely made the decision to not join it. The IMF basically said the Euro as it is configured is not working. Matt O'Brien says that The euro is a disaster even for the countries that do everything … [Read more...] about The Euro
The Past Through Pictures XI
Today we will return to some black and white photos from Balch Creek Canyon. It is a magical place in spite of the fact it was named after a man who murdered his wife and was hung. And another: 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 … [Read more...] about The Past Through Pictures XI
Repercussions of Europe v. Greece
Two views of the "unconditional surrender" of Greece signal a murky (at best) future -- not just for Greece but for all of us. From James Galbraith, writing at Harper's: The full brutality of the European position on Greece emerged last weekend, when Europe’s leaders rejected the Greek surrender document of June 9, and insisted instead on unconditional surrender plus … [Read more...] about Repercussions of Europe v. Greece
No matter what GOP says, Iran N-accord is a done deal (Guest Voice)
No matter what GOP says, Iran N-accord is a done deal By J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida — The agreement reached by Iran and six world powers, most of whom have stockpiles of nuclear bombs, which will prevent Iran from joining the nuclear club for at least ten years, is a done deal. The Republican dominated Congress will fulminate in end-of-the-world language for 60 … [Read more...] about No matter what GOP says, Iran N-accord is a done deal (Guest Voice)
Donald Trump, Fake Conservative (Guest Voice)
Donald Trump, Fake Conservative by Michael Reagan Donald Trump has jumped to the top of the national polls for the Republican Party's presidential nomination. It's an embarrassing moment for the GOP, the country and the planet. But everyone knows America's richest celebrity businessman will never become the Republican candidate, much less president of the … [Read more...] about Donald Trump, Fake Conservative (Guest Voice)
Obama: Reaganite on Iran
WASHINGTON -- When President Ronald Reagan met Mikhail Gorbachev in Geneva in November 1985, he whispered to the Soviet leader: "I bet the hard-liners in both our countries are bleeding when we shake hands." Reagan had a point. His inclination to negotiate with the Evil Empire left many of his conservative friends aghast. In an otherwise touchingly affectionate … [Read more...] about Obama: Reaganite on Iran
James Holmes Convicted Of 1st Degree Murder
News just breaking. James Holmes, the Colorado movie theater shooter has been found guilty on twelve counts of 1st degree murder. The jury thus has rejected any claims of insanity. There are 165 counts to be read so all the verdicts will take some time but he has been convicted on the main charges and is likely to be convicted on most or all of the remaining … [Read more...] about James Holmes Convicted Of 1st Degree Murder
Is Jeb Bush politically naive about Trump and his own party?
Isn't it time to ask the question: is Jeb Bush political naive about the political threat posed to him by Donald Trump -- who is the perfect incarnation of the in-your-face-name-call-your-opponents, stereotyping political figure whose persona is the incarnation of America's talk show political culture? You can't just call Trump a demagogue: he is the culmination of a political … [Read more...] about Is Jeb Bush politically naive about Trump and his own party?
Mike Peters Cartoon: Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton
Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton by Mike Peters OF RELATED INTEREST: --Poll: Hillary Clinton's lead shrinks among Democrats --Why Bernie Sanders Got Twice as Much Applause as Hillary Clinton When He Spoke to La Raza --Hillary Clinton tries to hold off Bernie Sanders threat --The Bernie Sanders Surge Is About Bernie, Not Hillary Mike Peters is recognized as one … [Read more...] about Mike Peters Cartoon: Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton
Could Donald Trump be the Herman Cain of the 2016 Presidential Campaign?
Donald Trump is surging in the national polls, but we should all know by now, what goes up, must come down. Can you say Herman Cain? That's right. Mr. 9-9-9 himself was surging in the polls leading up to the 2012 Republican presidential primary. Rudy Giuliani was also surging in the early polls during his presidential run but that was a bust after he lost a bunch of … [Read more...] about Could Donald Trump be the Herman Cain of the 2016 Presidential Campaign?
Politix Update: The Bernie Sanders Effect & Return Of Opus The Penguin
Is little old Bernie Sanders the best thing to happen to Hillary Clinton and the worst thing to happen to the overcrowded Republican presidential field? At this point in the long and winding road to the big dance, the answer is an emphatic yes because economic issues such as wage stagnation, job growth and workplace gender imparity are grabbing an outsized -- and deserving -- … [Read more...] about Politix Update: The Bernie Sanders Effect & Return Of Opus The Penguin
Former President George H W Bush Hospitalized After Fall
Just breaking tonight. Best hopes for a quick recovery. … [Read more...] about Former President George H W Bush Hospitalized After Fall
What is Bernie Sanders’ end game?
On Tuesday Hillary Clinton was on Capitol Hill to talk to Congressional Democrats about "pressing issues of the day," as was reported in The Hill. More newsworthy was Bernie Sanders' ability to position himself in front of a bank of microphones to hold forth on a variety of issues such as the Iraq War, financial regulation, climate change, and trade policy, while, in a vague … [Read more...] about What is Bernie Sanders’ end game?
Cartoon: Iran deal or no deal
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: Iran deal or no deal
Smithsonian Art Museum To Post Sign About Bill Cosby
Amid numerous allegations of sexual misconduct by Bill Cosby, the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art has said it will post a sign Wednesday at an exhibition featuring works from the comedian's collection, reported the Associated Press. The sign will clarify that the exhibition is concerned with the art and isn't a tribute to Cosby. The… … [Read more...] about Smithsonian Art Museum To Post Sign About Bill Cosby
The National Anthem
Thursday June 4, 2015, my co-worker was listening to the first game of the NBA Championship. When I heard the announcement that the National Anthem was about to be sung, I walked closer to the radio. As the first notes were played, I placed my hand over my heart. My co-worker saw me and he, too, placed his hand over his heart. We stood silently, hands on our hearts, … [Read more...] about The National Anthem