There are so many touching, poignant images published during a day of remembrance such as Memorial Day, that I find it very difficult not to share them. To those who have already seen and read enough about this solemn day, I ask for your forbearance. All the photos and captions are from various military Services. A soldier places a small American flag into the … [Read more...] about Memorial Day 2015: One Last Glance
A second weekend picture
Our bloglord, Joe, tells me he is happy that I am posting more content and opinions but he still wants pictures. It's that time of year so here is another Iris. … [Read more...] about A second weekend picture
Electorate Not As Conservative as Legislators Believe
Kevin Drum shares a study of state legislators' (mis)perceptions of their constituents' views on issues of the day on Mother Jones. Everyone—both liberal and conservative legislators—thought their districts were more conservative than they really were. For example, in districts where 60 percent of the constituents supported universal health care, liberal legislators estimated … [Read more...] about Electorate Not As Conservative as Legislators Believe
British comedian takes on jihadis
Humza Arshad, a practising Muslim, helps to prevent students from joining the Islamic State London - Humza Arshad pokes fun at Pakistani accents and emotional soccer fans. He jokes about his weight, his voice and his own mother. But mostly, he laughs at jihadis. "Have you noticed how in those terrorist videos they're always sitting on… … [Read more...] about British comedian takes on jihadis
SciFi Weekend: Mad Men Ends In Perfect Harmony; The Flash Season Finale; Orphan Black; David Letterman’s Final Show; Gilmore Girls Reunion; Community’s Homage To The Captain America Elevator Scene; John Nash
Mad Men really did end somewhat like I discussed last week--Don Draper on the California coast, analogous to the season finale of Arrow with Oliver and Felicity driving up the coast. Don even traveled with a woman from Arrow--Caity Lotz, the Black Canary. In this case she played Stephanie, Anna Draper's niece. The choice was probably because of Stephanie knowing Don as Dick … [Read more...] about SciFi Weekend: Mad Men Ends In Perfect Harmony; The Flash Season Finale; Orphan Black; David Letterman’s Final Show; Gilmore Girls Reunion; Community’s Homage To The Captain America Elevator Scene; John Nash
The Clinton Clown Car Is Back: Emails Show How Clinton Blurred Lines Between Foundation, Old Friends and Their Business Interests, & Work As Secretary of State
While it is easy to mock the Republican candidates with their extreme views which show them to be out of touch with reality as a clown car, Democrats have a clown car of their own. The email from Sydney Blumenthal released last week (some of which had actually leaked out in 2013), shows that the Clinton Clown Car will be returning should Hillary Clinton return to the White … [Read more...] about The Clinton Clown Car Is Back: Emails Show How Clinton Blurred Lines Between Foundation, Old Friends and Their Business Interests, & Work As Secretary of State
Memorial Day 2015: Honor to the Fallen – Godspeed to Our Newest Soldiers (Update)
Update: I have to add this image and caption that say it all this Memorial Day: Brittany, left, and her son, Christian, 4, visit the grave of her husband and his father, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Christopher Jacobs, on Memorial Day in Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., May 25, 2015. Christian is wearing his father's cover. (Photo: … [Read more...] about Memorial Day 2015: Honor to the Fallen – Godspeed to Our Newest Soldiers (Update)
Memorial Day – Special-Needs Students Honor Veterans
Memorial Day - Special-Needs Students Honor Veterans By Tom Purcell It was the most moving Memorial Day ceremony I've ever attended. The event took place at the ACLD Tillotson School in Pittsburgh, a special-needs school with a private academic license approved yearly by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The brain is a complicated thing, you see. Even the … [Read more...] about Memorial Day – Special-Needs Students Honor Veterans
Cartoon: Memorial Hole Day
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: Memorial Hole Day
The Shape of Your Beer Glass Is Making You Drunk
Your drinking glass can trick you into consuming alcohol much more quickly than you intended. That’s because, according to new work by researchers at the University of Bristol in England, people tend to make volume judgments based on the height or shape of a container—and they are often pretty far from the mark. When the glass… … [Read more...] about The Shape of Your Beer Glass Is Making You Drunk
Cartoon: Memorial Day Thanks
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: Memorial Day Thanks
Why Iraq is America’s new Vietnam (Guest Voice)
“If you break it, you own it,” warned U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to President George W. Bush just before the 2003 American invasion of Iraq. Powell knew that the president had no clue what unpredictable forces he was about to unleash. Bush now knows. We all do. As we witness the inexorable, slow-motion collapse… … [Read more...] about Why Iraq is America’s new Vietnam (Guest Voice)
A Very Special Dutch Memorial Day Observance
We’ll be visiting the Netherlands soon. One of the places on our must-visit list is the World War II Netherlands American Cemetery at Margraten, the Netherlands, just a few miles from the German border. It is one of the many cemeteries in Europe and one of 25 cemeteries abroad where tens of thousands of Americans killed in World Wars I and II have their final resting … [Read more...] about A Very Special Dutch Memorial Day Observance
The Warrior Class
On this Memorial Day the LA Times has an eyeopening article on the the relationship between members of the military and the civilian population. When my father served during WWII there were few who were not involved in the effort. Everyone knew someone who was serving. When I served in the military during the Vietnam war there was a draft and once again very few did not … [Read more...] about The Warrior Class
The right: flip flops, shape-shifting and political correctness
WASHINGTON -- Scott Walker insists that when he changes his positions, he is not engaged in "flips." "A flip would be someone who voted on something and did something different," the Wisconsin governor explained last week on Fox News. His altered views on immigration don't count because he is not a legislator. "These are not votes," he helpfully pointed out. … [Read more...] about The right: flip flops, shape-shifting and political correctness
Uptown Funk and The Time
It's been a while sine I last penned a column for TMV. I hope to blend politics with a few other items of interest a few times a week. Last year, a catchy song hit the airwaves from Marc Ronson and Bruno Mars entitled Uptown Funk. It's fun, contagious and very danceable with a nice hook to it. For music folks, who love to dance, the hook is the part of the song that makes … [Read more...] about Uptown Funk and The Time
Please think this Memorial Day about its real meaning (Guest Voice)
Please think this Memorial Day about its real meaning By Rabbi Ben Kamin BATH, Maine –Turns out we may have sacrificed hundreds of American lives just to have ISIS swallow up Baghdad. I’m not buying anything today but the fact that it’s about souls, not sales. Walking the streets of this definitive Maine village, with its decorous frame houses, classic churches, sweet … [Read more...] about Please think this Memorial Day about its real meaning (Guest Voice)
Hillary: friends vs. politics
The Washington Post's Karen Tumulty has interesting insights into Hillary Clinton's propensity to muddle friendship with politics -- loyalty with discretion. Her work as Secretary of State was "an archetype of crisp managerial efficiency." As distinct, the Post notes, from how her presidential campaign was managed. It was a mess. But her time at State does show ongoing … [Read more...] about Hillary: friends vs. politics
Cartoon: Republican Science
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: Republican Science
19 Movies Coming To Theaters This Summer
No flip-flops and sunscreen needed for these trips. Summer 2015 is gearing up to be the biggest yet with these theatrical release dates. You opt to take a "Vacation" to "Jurassic World." You can join the "Minions" for some evil fun or become a "Spy" for the good guys. Viewers can go big with "Magic Mike… … [Read more...] about 19 Movies Coming To Theaters This Summer