[icopyright one button toolbar] A bill aimed at reducing military and veteran suicides and improving their access to quality mental health care and a bill that was doggedly opposed and blocked by a lone, “support-the-troops” Republican Senator was finally signed into law by President Obama today. The bill, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, or … [Read more...] about President Obama Signs the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act: ‘The Stigma Has to End…’
Ukraine Ceasefire Agreement Reached at Belarus
[icopyright one button toolbar] The Guardian and other news sources are reporting that the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany have reached a ceasefire deal on the Ukrainian conflict. The ceasefire agreement came after 17 hours of talks in Minsk, Belarus, and is to take effect “from midnight 15 February,” according to Russian president Vladimir Putin … [Read more...] about Ukraine Ceasefire Agreement Reached at Belarus
Bush Campaign Embarassed By Two Tech Problems
[icopyright one button toolbar] Since Jeb Bush began unofficially running for the Republican nomination he has had a couple problems with technology. These are primarily presented as examples of how politicians must be careful, not necessarily criticism of Jeb Bush personally. First there was the problem of old tweets from a campaign aide, such as calling women sluts. The … [Read more...] about Bush Campaign Embarassed By Two Tech Problems
Not too late to postpone Netanyahu speech (Guest Voice)
Not too late to postpone Netanyahu speech By now, it has become clear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to address Congress on March 4 has become a disaster – not just for him but more importantly for the US-Israel relationship. From the beginning, one of the chief objections to the visit — and the reason so many supporters of Israel including… … [Read more...] about Not too late to postpone Netanyahu speech (Guest Voice)
House of Cards: Our House is better than your House
[icopyright one button toolbar] I, like millions around the globe I suppose, love House of Cards. I think it is deliciously over the top and Kevin Spacey proves, once again, that he is the premier actor when it comes to playing villains. A work colleague put me up on the fact that House of Cards is based on a British series of the same name. That same colleague also … [Read more...] about House of Cards: Our House is better than your House
Brian Williams Misremembering
Brian Williams Misremembering Raging Moderate by Will Durst There's a big bad brouhaha over at NBC with anchor Brian Williams misremembering being shot down in a helicopter on a trip to Iraq, when the facts seem to indicate that although he did fly in a helicopter, and was over Iraq, he was not shot down. Well, come on; the guy was close. Got two out of three. They keep you … [Read more...] about Brian Williams Misremembering
Muslim Community Fears Consequences Of Rising Islamophobia
Muslim Community Fears Consequences Of Rising Islamophobia While authorities in North Carolina work to determine the motive behind the shooting deaths of three Muslim students in Chapel Hill, the attack has confirmed some Muslims’ greatest fears amid what they say is a rise in anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S. The current climate has contributed to the sense that Muslims in … [Read more...] about Muslim Community Fears Consequences Of Rising Islamophobia
Take a Peek: Centrist Forum
Once up on a time there were lots of centrist and independent weblogs. Changes in the blogosphere, the Internet, the popularity of Facebook, Google's changing some formulas on ranking posts, the rise of social media and cellphones and how that impacts how posts are shared, and political burnout as American has become more polarized have reduced the number of these blogs and … [Read more...] about Take a Peek: Centrist Forum
Cartoon: Your moment of zen
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: Your moment of zen
What fuels Law & Order: SVU, TV’s longest running prime-time drama?
In a slick opening sequence on a recent Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, an underage girl changes in a limousine and carefully puts on lipstick. Given the thumping, ominous music we know where this is going: she is later found sexually assaulted and left in a suitcase in a back alley. It’s another day on… … [Read more...] about What fuels Law & Order: SVU, TV’s longest running prime-time drama?
The Very Trees Cry Out: NO NO NO– Three Muslim Students Murdered
DATELINE: Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 3 Muslim students shot dead by middle-aged shooter. This should be at top of cable news and top of every newspaper in the USA. Two of the dead were married just 1.5 months ago in joyful celebration. The other dead young person is a sister."Each of the victims, Deah Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammad, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, … [Read more...] about The Very Trees Cry Out: NO NO NO– Three Muslim Students Murdered
Racing Extinction (Movie Review)
4.5/5 [icopyright one button toolbar] In the opening act of Racing Extinction, director Louis Psihoyos confesses that nothing is worse for the environment than making a movie about it, a heavy fact for someone as committed to awareness as he. If you’re going to succumb to a necessary evil, do it with the poignancy and desperate grandiosity of Psihoyos. With Racing … [Read more...] about Racing Extinction (Movie Review)
Patronizing at the prayer breakfast
WASHINGTON -- There is no doubt that President Obama's remarks about Christianity at the National Prayer Breakfast last week were historically accurate. But they were also -- let's face it -- glib, facile and patronizing. I must immediately dissociate myself from the bombastic critics, mostly Republicans, who have accused Obama of grievously insulting Christians by … [Read more...] about Patronizing at the prayer breakfast
Jon Stewart Leaving The Daily Show
Comedy Central has confirmed reports that Jon Stewart will be leaving The Daily Show by the end of the year when his contract expires. As with most major news these days, the mainstream media was bypassed, and this was released on Twitter: Thank you Jon. pic.twitter.com/yPdxjnkuLw — Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) February 10, 2015 There is no news as to what Stewart … [Read more...] about Jon Stewart Leaving The Daily Show
Cartoon: Professor Obama
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: Professor Obama
Book Review: “Letters From Brooklyn: A slightly irregular memoir of everyday life in New York City, with a tour guide thrown in” by Robert Laurence
[icopyright one button toolbar] Robert Laurence's "Letters from Brooklyn: A slightly irregular memoir of everyday life in New York City, with a tour guide thrown in" is required reading if you're going to the Brooklyn and New York area, required reading if you're there -- and even more required if you've ever wondered "why is there always all this fuss about New York?" … [Read more...] about Book Review: “Letters From Brooklyn: A slightly irregular memoir of everyday life in New York City, with a tour guide thrown in” by Robert Laurence
The Sadness of Brian Williams’ Fall
[icopyright one button toolbar] Brian Williams' fall from grace and his six-month suspension--likely to become permanent--as anchor for the NBC Nightly News, saddens me. While I haven't seen more than brief clips of his evening news broadcast for years, I always respected his reporting. It isn't his reporting that has gotten him into trouble though. It's his celebrity … [Read more...] about The Sadness of Brian Williams’ Fall
Reversing Plutocracy
[icopyright one button toolbar] Can it be done? Can American citizens roll back the actions of Congress and a conservative activist Supreme Court that are working to transform a flawed democracy into a plutocratic state? Currently, the situation looks grim with political changes already occurring on federal, state and local levels. Money has always played a role in … [Read more...] about Reversing Plutocracy
Prayer Breakfast Kerfuffle is about Fundamentalism
[icopyright one button toolbar] Ed Kilgore digs into the intra-Christian conflict behind the controversy over President Obama's prayer breakfast remarks on Talking Points Memo. But beyond the context of Christian-Islamic rivalry and comparative assessments of religious violence, Obama was also quietly but forcefully continuing an intra-Christian argument over clarity of … [Read more...] about Prayer Breakfast Kerfuffle is about Fundamentalism
BREAKING: NBC suspends Brian Williams for six months without pay
[icopyright one button toolbar] If Brian Williams was taken off his job for six months it would really be a de facto booting off the NBC News anchor slot. He'd be too much damaged goods to go back to that job. And suspended he is -- without pay: It’s anchors away — for six months. NBC brass slapped anchorman Brian Williams with a lengthy six-month suspension Tuesday … [Read more...] about BREAKING: NBC suspends Brian Williams for six months without pay