View image | gettyimages.com For Republicans, a candidate with signs of good sense just doesn't make sense So you can forget about Rand Paul. Anyone who asserts that he recycles, composts and believes things like "the face of the Republican Party should not be about suppressing the vote but about enhancing the vote" (oh, horrors!) is simply unacceptable. On … [Read more...] about For Republicans, a candidate with signs of good sense just doesn’t make sense
Seven Top FIFA Officials Among 14 Arrested on Corruption Charges
#FIFA CORRUPTION CHARGES: Seven top FIFA officials, including vice president Jeffrey Webb, were arrested in Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich on bribery charges. Kudos to America for finally taking down Sepp Blatter who ran FIFA like a Don. Too bad he wasn't one of the officials arrested this morning. Julio Rocha, president of the Nicaraguan Football Federation; Jose Maria … [Read more...] about Seven Top FIFA Officials Among 14 Arrested on Corruption Charges
Egypt’s military government has started executing people on overtly political charges
CAIRO, Egypt — Next Tuesday, a lawyer will plead for a Cairo court to suspend the execution of six men, arguing that their death sentences were unconstitutional. The only trouble is, the defendants are already dead. Since the coup that swept Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi from power, hundreds of his supporters have been handed death… … [Read more...] about Egypt’s military government has started executing people on overtly political charges
Journalism’s Sorry State (Guest Voice)
Journalism's Sorry State By Tom Purcell I don't know why everyone is so up in arms that alleged newsman George Stephanopoulos donated $75,000 to a private foundation co-owned and operated by a woman who hopes to be president. Georgie has been a partisan pit-chihuahua his entire career. The little guy cut his teeth managing "bimbo eruptions" when Bill Clinton was … [Read more...] about Journalism’s Sorry State (Guest Voice)
Federal appeals court refuses to lift order halting Obama immigration program
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration suffered another immigration setback Tuesday, as a divided federal appeals court declined to lift a injunction imposed by a Texas-based trial judge. The 2-1 decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means President Barack Obama's executive action deferring deportation of certain immigrants will remain stalled in court for the… … [Read more...] about Federal appeals court refuses to lift order halting Obama immigration program
Noise pollution linked to love handles, study finds
John Hopton for redOrbit.com – @Johnfinitum Scientists studying residents in Stockholm, Sweden have found a link between noise pollution from transport and a larger waist line – an apparent example of the ways in which stress can quietly seep into our lives and affect our wellbeing. The "spare tire" around the midriff is one of the… … [Read more...] about Noise pollution linked to love handles, study finds
Urban American Post-Baltimore
As most readers of TMV know, four weeks ago in the aftermath of the Freddie Gray death, the city of Baltimore experienced a series of riots which included significant property damage, the arrest of several hundred protestors and the mobilization of the Maryland National Guard. This morning, a new round of peaceful protest was initiated by a local pastor which shut down parts … [Read more...] about Urban American Post-Baltimore
America Cares When Dogs Die – Humans, Not So Much
It used to be easy to recognize the bad guy in books and movies, because he was very, very bad. "That was the end of Grogan," declares romance writer Joan Wilder in the opening of the 1984 comedy-adventure, Romancing the Stone, "the man who killed my father, raped and murdered my sister, burned my ranch, shot… … [Read more...] about America Cares When Dogs Die – Humans, Not So Much
ISIS Presses Its War on Two Fronts: on the ground and online
ISIS is aggressively pressing its war on two fronts -- and many believe they continue to be well-situated and are steadily advancing. The fronts: on the ground and online. The Christian Science Monitor notes: For Islamic State fighters, the battle for dominance continues both on the ground and online: The extremists’ capture of the ancient Syrian site of Palmyra this week … [Read more...] about ISIS Presses Its War on Two Fronts: on the ground and online
Biography breathes life into the career of Three Stooges’ mentor Ted Healy (Guest Voice)
Biography breathes life into the career of Three Stooges' mentor Ted Healy by Doug Gibson I recently purchased "Nobody's Stooge: Ted Healy," by Bill Cassara (Bear Manor Media) here (and be advised it's much more inexpensive via Kindle), It's an entertaining fact-filled account of the life of a man who was a major star in 1920s vaudeville, the creator of The Three Stooges … [Read more...] about Biography breathes life into the career of Three Stooges’ mentor Ted Healy (Guest Voice)
Cartoon: Bombs Over ISIS
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: Bombs Over ISIS
Feckless and Timid? Or Shrewd and Skillful? Obama’s Foreign Policy Assessed (Guest Voice)
By the standards he has set out for himself, President Barack Obama's foreign policy has fallen considerably short of expectations and aspirations. By the standards of his critics, of course, the performance has been even worse—with the American commander-in-chief now accused of fecklessness and irresoluteness as global crises multiply on his watch. Even two of his… … [Read more...] about Feckless and Timid? Or Shrewd and Skillful? Obama’s Foreign Policy Assessed (Guest Voice)
Stop logging our phone calls
WASHINGTON -- Once in a great while, House Republicans get it right. So let me praise them for leading a bipartisan effort to curtail the National Security Agency's bulk collection of data on the phone calls of innocent Americans. The USA Freedom Act, which the House passed earlier this month by an overwhelming 338-88 vote, would end the NSA's vast effort to compile … [Read more...] about Stop logging our phone calls
Memorial Day 2015: One Last Glance
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)