North Korea Calls Obama a 'Monkey,' Denies Hacking Sony SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea called U.S. President Barack Obama a "monkey" as it blamed Washington Saturday for Internet outages that it has experienced amid a confrontation with the United States over the hacking of the film studio Sony Pictures. The National Defence Commission, the North's ruling body, chaired by state … [Read more...] about North Korea Calls Obama a ‘Monkey,’ Denies Hacking Sony
Critics loathe “The Interview”
[icopyright one button toolbar] There are two things you can now say about the withdrawn and now not (totally) withdrawn movie "The Interview," which was pitchforked into the headlines by North Korea's hacking of Sony Pictures' website and threats to give a taste of 9/11 terrorismat movie theaters that dare to show it: 1. Seeing it is now a political and freedom … [Read more...] about Critics loathe “The Interview”
YouTube is the future of television
Brett Smith for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online YouTube may have started off as a way to watch "fail" videos or enjoy illicitly-uploaded movies and television shows, but the online video platform could become a content behemoth on the same level as Disney or Viacom. That's according to a recent TechCrunch article from Pete Borum –… … [Read more...] about YouTube is the future of television
Cartoon: Dick Cheney
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: Dick Cheney
Anti-De Blasio Banner Flies Over Hudson River: “Our Backs Have Turned to You”
An anti-Bill de Blasio banner, "Our backs have turned to you," was flown over New York City amid tensions with NYPD. This comes after cops Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were gunned down by Ismaaiyl Brinsley while they sat in their patrol car in Bedford-Stuyvesant. ....But former cop John Cardillo blogged that a "large and unified group of current and retired NYC Police … [Read more...] about Anti-De Blasio Banner Flies Over Hudson River: “Our Backs Have Turned to You”
The Fracking Boom is a Fracking Bubble
Gas prices have plunged to the low $2 range—except in Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, the prices at the pump are in the mid-$2 range. That’s because Gov. Tom Corbett and the legislature imposed a 28-cent per gallon surcharge tax. Until 2019, Pennsylvanians will be paying an additional $2.3 billion a year in taxes and fees—$11.5 billion total—to improve the state’s … [Read more...] about The Fracking Boom is a Fracking Bubble
Good Year for Government
George Packer reviews a good year for government in The New Yorker. Here’s a consolation to carry into next year, and the next election: in 2014, the maligned, left-for-dead U.S. government worked pretty well. Not perfectly—far from it. Our politics remain rancid. The midterms were a disgrace regardless of your partisan allegiance—flooded with special-interest money and … [Read more...] about Good Year for Government
Gordon Pape’s letter to Santa
It’s been many years since I have written a letter to Santa, but with everything that’s going on in the world I decided it was worth a try. After all, if he can fly around the globe delivering presents to billions of kids in one night, maybe he can do some things, too. So here goes.… … [Read more...] about Gordon Pape’s letter to Santa
Cartoon: Peace on Earth – Quit – Install
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: Peace on Earth – Quit – Install
FAA Issues Safety Warning As Drones Become Popular Gifts
The FAA is concerned that the thousands of Americans who find unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, under their Christmas trees this year might end up on Santa's naughty list, and have issued a warning for budding pilots. Drones are among the most-wanted gifts this Christmas, and manufacturers have sold 200,000 units a month in 2014, a… … [Read more...] about FAA Issues Safety Warning As Drones Become Popular Gifts
Cartoon: Christmas
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: Christmas
Christmas joy without piety
WASHINGTON -- I once told a favorite pastor of mine that I liked him because he wasn't too pious. As soon as the words were out there, I wondered if I should have just kept my mouth shut -- I'm not good at that -- since he might have found my compliment offensive. After all, many priests aspire to being pious, which can be defined as "devoutly religious" or "prayerful." … [Read more...] about Christmas joy without piety
The Christmas Spirit Knows No Borders
[icopyright one button toolbar] Santa Claus and service members bow their heads in prayer during the Joint Forces Command United Assistance holiday tree lighting event on Barclay Training Center in Monrovia, Liberia. (Photo DOD) Merry Christmas, All. … [Read more...] about The Christmas Spirit Knows No Borders
La Posada: Happy Holidays to One and All From All of Us at TMV
A little storycito about La Posada, a 'go away/ come closer' ritual in dead winter where madwomen and madmen go out in the night in order to be rejected on purpose Posada is done by many a Latino, in many different ways depending on where you live. It is the ritual we play out going door to door amongst our neighbors and friends, asking for shelter for the Holy Family who … [Read more...] about La Posada: Happy Holidays to One and All From All of Us at TMV
Two Robins Wish You a Very Happy Christmas
I arrived in England yesterday from my home in the States and the jet-lag had the better of me this morning by 4.45 am. Dad, whom I have traveled across the Atlantic to spend Christmas with, is still in bed as I write this, and I am sitting alone on his couch in a silent house. Nevertheless, I have already received my biggest Christmas greeting of the day. A little … [Read more...] about Two Robins Wish You a Very Happy Christmas
My Tenth Annual Christmas Podcast
NOTE: THIS WILL ONLY REMAIN UP UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2015. This is the last podcast. Welcome to his vorpal sword's TENTH annual podcast of our original old time radio drama, performed live (in front of an invisible audience of, potentially, trillions.) I used to be a radio pundit on the old Air America affiliate here in Eugene, Oregon. But, for a change, I wrote, produced … [Read more...] about My Tenth Annual Christmas Podcast
IRS Scandal Joins Other Republican-Created Scandals In Being Debunked When Investigated
As I noted at the start of the year, the Obama administration has been remarkably free of scandals–or at least real scandals as opposed to scandals manufactured by Republicans. Investigations of faux scandals ranging from Benghazi to Grubergate all failed to show any truth to right wing accusations and conspiracy theories. Now we find that not even Darrell Issa, despite often … [Read more...] about IRS Scandal Joins Other Republican-Created Scandals In Being Debunked When Investigated
The Economic Argument For Peace On Earth
"Peace On Earth." We repeat the phrase often at this time of year. It's standard boilerplate -- a postive suggestion, but not very likely. However, Paul Krugman wrote this week that there are realistic reasons to support the suggestion. Those reasons have been around for awhile: More than a century has passed since Norman Angell, a British journalist and politician, … [Read more...] about The Economic Argument For Peace On Earth
Putin Ruled 2014, But 2015 Will Be Different
He may not have made the cut with Time magazine, but in terms of international relations -- and according to Russian polls -- President Vladimir Putin was certainly the man of the year. His surprise annexation of Crimea and involvement in the protracted eastern Ukraine conflict threatened to realign the world order in 2014, at once… … [Read more...] about Putin Ruled 2014, But 2015 Will Be Different
Few People Truly Understand Hanukkah
Few People Truly Understand Hanukkah By Joseph Cotto The time for America's other winter holiday has arrived. Most people have heard of Hanukkah, which in America is often seen as another gift-giving, end-of-year celebration to go with Christmas and Kwanzaa. Relatively few truly understand it. Hanukkah isn't important to Jews as a religious holiday. Despite not being … [Read more...] about Few People Truly Understand Hanukkah