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
Cartoon: Memorial 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 Day
Hillary Clinton vs. The Press: Why Press Coverage Is Important
With Clinton only taking rare questions from reporters, and generally only providing evasive answers, an increasing amount of the campaign coverage has turned to Hillary Clinton avoiding the press. McClatchy, one of the country's better news services, has joined in: Here’s how Hillary Clinton campaigned for president this week: She took a private 15-minute tour of a bike shop … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton vs. The Press: Why Press Coverage Is Important
Who Wins In A Supersized G.O.P. Presidential Nomination Race?
Why Chris Christie Will Be The Next POTUS A Super Tuesday Away From Double Digits The View From The U.S. Virgin Islands By JOHN McCARTHY TMV Columnist The eighteen Republicans running for president in 2016 are wise to try to make foreign policy the lead issue in the next POTUS election. Not because Hillary Clinton is especially vulnerable on Benghazi, but because … [Read more...] about Who Wins In A Supersized G.O.P. Presidential Nomination Race?
Nebraska To End The Death Penalty?
This story has not gotten enough play. In the very conservative very red state of Nebraska the unicameral legislature has voted 32-17 to end the death penalty in that state. The measure, which passed Wednesday on a 32-15 vote, faces a promised veto from Gov. Pete Ricketts. "No one has traveled the state more than I have in the past 18 months, and everywhere I go there is … [Read more...] about Nebraska To End The Death Penalty?
Fruitvale Station: Heartbreakingly Brilliant
Here is a snippet of my blog about one of the most heartbreaking and powerful films I have ever seen. Fruitvale Station probably packs more of a punch today than it did during the time it was released. Anyway, check it out. ... I remember hearing about the Oscar Grant case in 2009 and shrugging my shoulders. Unfortunately, there was nothing shocking about what happened to … [Read more...] about Fruitvale Station: Heartbreakingly Brilliant
Sipping On Chamomile Tea Helps Women Live Better, Longer
In the search for the fountain of youth, our culture has become obsessed with anti-aging supplements and fad diets touted for boosting longevity. However, the secret to a long and healthy life has been around for thousands of years in an herbal brew. According a recent study published in the journal The Gerontologist, drinking chamomile tea… … [Read more...] about Sipping On Chamomile Tea Helps Women Live Better, Longer
Debate Dilemma: How to Cull the Republican Herd (Guest Voice)
Debate Dilemma: How to Cull the Republican Herd By Dick Polman This is more daunting than a Rubik's cube: How in the world do you fit as many as 18 Republican candidates on one debate stage? The GOP has no clue how to do it. At a party confab last weekend, a top official said, "I think there's a consensus to cap it between nine and 12," but another official quickly … [Read more...] about Debate Dilemma: How to Cull the Republican Herd (Guest Voice)