Thursday June 25 and Friday June 26, 2015 were good days, actually great days, for equal rights. On Thursday, The Supreme Court upheld, for the second time, that the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, is constitutional. The decision means that everyone must have equal access to healthcare, not just the well-off and well-paid. While not a perfect system, the ACA has … [Read more...] about Ah, equal rights, we are moving closer…
GOP begins to panic
The steady, boring, always-get-it-right political analysts are now predicting Republican failure in 2016 -- a year that should belong to the GOP. As Greg Sargent reports in the Washington Post, 2016 is shaping up as "brutal" for the right. It's all about the major change in demographics: America is no longer majority "white." In 1980, when nonwhite voters were … [Read more...] about GOP begins to panic
Politix Update: Please Don’t Throw Us In The Briar Patch, Mister Trump!
Every political news story has a narrative arc: Initial reports followed by subsequent reports followed by what-it-all-means analyses followed, sooner or later, by diminished interest and then inevitable flame out, often only a few days after the story broke. That was the likely course following Donald Trump's announcement on June 16 that he was running for president. … [Read more...] about Politix Update: Please Don’t Throw Us In The Briar Patch, Mister Trump!
Cuddling With Your Pet Chicken Will Make You Sick
Of the nearly 200 Salmonella poisoning cases that have been reported throughout the U.S. by June 29, an alarming 86 percent have been linked to direct contact with live chickens and other poultry. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that the public avoid contact with chickens to prevent this outbreak from spreading, for… … [Read more...] about Cuddling With Your Pet Chicken Will Make You Sick
There will never be a President Trump (Guest Voice)
Before one more straight-faced political story is written about the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump, the obvious begs to be stated: The man has absolutely no chance of winning. Zero. Nada. Write it down. Take it to the bank. Bet the farm. This preening self-parody of an egomaniac will never, ever be elected president of the… … [Read more...] about There will never be a President Trump (Guest Voice)
Hillary Clinton’s economic bet
Will the 2016 presidential campaign continue to be held hostage to Trump-mania and stories about a rope separating Hillary Clinton and journalists at a New Hampshire parade? You can be certain that Donald Trump will not allow himself to be ignored. But the coming week could mark the beginning of a genuinely substantive debate between Republicans and Democrats over how … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton’s economic bet
Cruz’s ‘A Time For Truth’ Belies Its Title. Surprised?
How do you promote a slick piece of GOPaganda, bash your arch-enemy, the New York Times, and manipulate an incompetent and credulous media that you DON'T own (yet) into carrying your (sewer) water for you? Easy: Call up Dylan Byers at Politico. Amazon: ‘No evidence’ of bulk sales for Ted Cruz book Dylan Byers / Politico The New York Times' refusal to put Ted Cruz's … [Read more...] about Cruz’s ‘A Time For Truth’ Belies Its Title. Surprised?
Greece pays dearly while Germany rises as hegemon
Germany has emerged as the economic hegemon of Europe as 19 Eurozone partners that use the euro currency acquiesced to its demands and imposed an unconditional surrender upon Greece, the zone’s weakest and nearly bankrupt member. Very active diplomacy personally by President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew failed to prevent Germany’s Angela Merkel from imposing … [Read more...] about Greece pays dearly while Germany rises as hegemon
SciFi Weekend: Daredevil; Hannibal; X-Files; Twin Peaks; Mr. Robot; Doctor Who
Season two of Daredevil has started filming and will be available in April, 2016. Elodie Yung, who preciously appeared in GI Joe: Retaliation and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, has been cast to play Elektra (played by Jennifer Garner in the movies). Her appearance was foreshadowed by Foggy during the first season with a reference to a “smokin” Greek girl from Matt’s … [Read more...] about SciFi Weekend: Daredevil; Hannibal; X-Files; Twin Peaks; Mr. Robot; Doctor Who
Update to Recent Post about Pope Francis (with an apology)
What Pope Francis did with his gift from Bolivia's president has been revealed. The Catholic Herald reports the fate of the aforementioned gift. Then the Holy Father did the best thing possible with the present; before he left Bolivia he laid it at the feet of Our Lady of Copacabana, the patron saint of Bolivia, addressing her as: “You, Queen of Bolivia who ... attends to … [Read more...] about Update to Recent Post about Pope Francis (with an apology)
Are Death Panels Coming Back?
If you thought that Republicans had finally seen the folly of their demagoguery demonizing recommendations to include end-of-life counseling in Medicare or the Affordable Care Act, well think again. Remember Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley suggesting that government health care reforms would lead to the government deciding when to “pull the plug on grandma.” Or former … [Read more...] about Are Death Panels Coming Back?
Pope Francis needs a PR person and a speech writer. [Post Updated]
If Pope Francis wants people to believe that he isn’t a Communist, then he is going to need the help of a public-relations person and a speech writer. During the Pontiff’s visit to Bolivia, the president of that nation presented Francis with a crucifix carved into a wooden hammer and sickle, as seen in a photo published by The Telegraph. Granted, the Pontiff didn’t ask … [Read more...] about Pope Francis needs a PR person and a speech writer. [Post Updated]
OXI dokey: A report from a Greek solidarity rally
A must read report as the saga/tragedy of Greece continues is at Americablog. Here's a chunk: “We dedicate this song to the people of Greece. We hope everything works out well for them?” That was how a young guitar player apprehensively kicked off last week’s Greece solidarity rally, held in Astoria’s own Athens Square. It would soon become a microcosm of the chaos that … [Read more...] about OXI dokey: A report from a Greek solidarity rally
The Other Shoe Drops In CIA-Psychological Association Torture Conspiracy
That sound you hear -- or in all likelihood didn't hear at all -- is the other shoe dropping in the scandal involving the secret collaboration between the American Psychological Association and the Bush administration to justify the CIA's use of Nazi-like torture techniques. The first shoe dropped in April when a group of dissident health-care professionals and human … [Read more...] about The Other Shoe Drops In CIA-Psychological Association Torture Conspiracy
The Past Through Pictures IX
In November of 1971 I left my job with the Defense Intelligence Agency in Munich and returned to my home in Oregon. I bought a new large format camera and built a darkroom in my basement. I grew up about a block from the entrance of Balch Creek canyon, a city park, (oddly named for a man who murdered his wife and was hanged). It was and still is a magical place and and when … [Read more...] about The Past Through Pictures IX
Trump’s Laughing at Us (Guest Voice)
Trump's Laughing at Us By Peter Funt Give Donald Trump this much: he knows how to play the media like a violin. If I had half his business brain I'd send him a bill for this column, because every time a serious journalist treats his campaign seriously it feeds his coffers. Call Trump a bona fide political threat, and he's laughing all the way to the next campaign … [Read more...] about Trump’s Laughing at Us (Guest Voice)
Notorious Mexican Drug Lord ‘El Chapo’ Guzman Flees Top Security Prison (AGAIN) Through 1.5Km Tunnel
Top Mexican drug lord Joaquin `El Chapo' Guzman has managed to escape from a high security prison outside Mexico City for the second time. The drug lord was last seen near the showers before he disappeared, authorities say. Guzman, who headed the infamous Sinaloa Cartel, was last seen near the Altiplano prison's showers at about 20:00… … [Read more...] about Notorious Mexican Drug Lord ‘El Chapo’ Guzman Flees Top Security Prison (AGAIN) Through 1.5Km Tunnel
The Past Through Pictures VIII
This is probably the last post from Europe in our photo adventure but I can't leave without some pictures from Munich's famous Oktoberfest. The Bavarian people knew how to have a good time. Here in the United States we have mini Oktoberfests but nothing like the real thing. There were usually 7 beer tents put up by the 7 Munich breweries that held over 2,000 people … [Read more...] about The Past Through Pictures VIII
GOP Dreamworld
Howell Raines describes the Dreamworld of Southern Repubicans in The New York Times. For now, Republican officeholders live in a dream world where they think rhetoric and repetition will somehow cause minority voters and center-left whites to turn into Republican voters. Alarmed Republican political professionals warn that unless their candidates stop obstructing on health … [Read more...] about GOP Dreamworld
North Carolina: This Time Not About a ‘Symbol’
Some have called the recent debate about and the eventual taking down of the Confederate battle flag at the South Carolina State House “the ungodliness of trepidation” and claim that the flag is not a symbol of hate and institutional racism. Others have called that flag and other Confederacy relics just “symbols” and call the fury -- "hate" -- over them a distraction that … [Read more...] about North Carolina: This Time Not About a ‘Symbol’