Very thought provoking op-ed in today's Washington Post from Robert Kagan, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The premise of his argument is this. The major... [More]
August 1, 2004
He Did The Math
Michael Kinsley has a fascinating op-ed in today's Post that runs the numbers on the economic results of Republican vs. Democratic administrations over the past 40+ years. And the results,... [More]
And Yet Another Reason...
Here's yet another example of why I believe Barack Obama has such an incredibly bright future ahead of him. As Gates points out in the NY Times op-ed, Obama speaks... [More]
Will Your Vote Be Counted?
Blogs are quickly becoming my best source of news. Or at least my best news feed. Daily Kos directed me to an amazing piece in The Nation about computerized voting... [More]
Another Poll Release
CNN/USA Today/Gallup have just released results of their latest poll, and it shows little if any change following the convention. Almost none of the shifts in numbers were larger than... [More]
A German Apology
Here's a story that I guarantee won't get sufficient play here in the US. German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, formally apologized yesterday for the "shameful" atrocities committed against Poles by Nazi... [More]
A True Random Thought
Did you know that West Virginia was formed as a direct result of a split with Virginia (of which it once was a part) over the issue of slavery? Apparently... [More]
August 3, 2004
It's YEARS Old???
Thanks to Legal Fiction for drawing my attention to this one. Apparently the info that's sent NYC and DC, and the nation for that matter, into a high alert from... [More]
Democrats at the Crossroads
Another link today to Legal Fiction, this one to a post fits nicely with my recent set of posts here, here, and here that suggest this may be a transformative... [More]
Washington Post / ABC News Poll Data
Washington Post / ABC News have just released the results of poll taken from July 30 to August 1. You can read their analysis for yourselves. Here are a few... [More]
Democrats on the Warpath
EJ Dionne has an interesting addition to the ongoing discussion about the changing rhetoric of the Democratic party. Key quote: And beneath the obvious message was a more subtle theme.... [More]
Staying on That Depressing Subject
Further along in the Times article there's this gem: Though the case reports do appear to have been completed before the Sept. 11 attacks, as Bush administration officials first acknowledged... [More]
Would They Please Make Up Their Minds?
OK, now they're saying there was new information that promoted the heightened state of alert. Which is it? Is it that hard to get the story straight? Either its based... [More]
August 4, 2004
Another Reason I Don't Feel Safer
How many depressing stories can I find in one night? For months Afghan and American officials have complained that even while Pakistan cooperates in the fight against Al Qaeda, militant... [More]
August 5, 2004
The "Liberal" Media
Can anyone out there explain to me why the recent Haliburton story is getting almost no traction in the national news media? One day and it's gone. Sure, I understand... [More]
Props To John McCain
The man once again shows why he has respect from those on both sides of the politial aisle. Why is it that more politicians, both on the left and the... [More]
On Vacation
Just a quick update - I've got gests coming in for the weekend, so I most likely won't be doing much posting this weekend. Of course, news events have a... [More]
August 18, 2004
I'm back!
So... It seems my vacation lasted much longer than expected. Love it when that happens! Only one problem... I seem to have brought a head cold back with me. Ugh.... [More]
Random Thoughts
OK... So it's only been a bit over a week since my last post, but it feels like so much is happened in the world that I hardly know where... [More]
A Korean War Veteran Speaks
Today's Washington Post has an excellent piece from William McSweeny on the role of service in Vietnam in today's campaign. Key quote: Why did we go? Why did we allow... [More]
Mix Tapes Suck
Damn... I was in the process of making a digital copy of my old Yoshitoshi Shop Mix Sessions tape when... the damn tape deck ate my master! ACK! Now I... [More]
August 19, 2004
NOW Will They Please Shut Up?
Looks like the "Swift Boats Veterans for Truth" have been caught red handed. According to an article in this morning's Washington Post, the military records of one of Kerry's loudest... [More]
Stupid Human Tricks
What is it that makes people think that something like this would work? If your job is customer service and you're rude to customers, you shouldn't get "courtesy training". You... [More]
August 20, 2004
More Swift Boat Madness
For those of you who missed the NY Times piece today, here's a link. What the Post started yesterday, the Times finished today. Only they do it in much, MUCH... [More]
News Flash! U.S. Struggles to
News Flash! U.S. Struggles to Win Hearts, Minds in the Muslim World. And you gotta love this part: Rice, in a speech yesterday at the U.S. Institute of Peace, conceded... [More]
More Insanity
"We will not sit to wait for what others will do to us," he said. "Some military commanders in Iran are convinced that preventive operations which the Americans talk... [More]
Chicken and Egg
Huh? When I was in High School, everyone seemed to blame premarital sex on drinking and drugs. Now they're trying to turn it the other way around? Am i the... [More]
Will It NEVER End?
After this, I'm done for the day. I just can't take it any more. Let me get this straight. The same people who missed the collapse of the USSR, who... [More]
August 21, 2004
More Swift Boat Madness, Part Two
Once again, props to the Washington Post for doing a detailed investigation into the events behind the controversy. The entire thing is a must read for anyone following the story,... [More]
Swift Boat Madness, Part Three
One last Swift Boat item, for those of you who missed it. On the date in question, there were three officers leading three boats up the river. One was John... [More]
Republicans for Reparations
Seems Alan Keyes (Republican candidate for Senate vs. Barak Obama in Illinois) has flip flopped and come down in favor of slavery reparations: Tax exemption would give Blacks "a competitive... [More]
Huh?
Just got home from seeing the Bourne Supremacy, so maybe that's why this story seemed so interesting: An American on trial for allegedly torturing Afghan terror suspects in a private... [More]
New Kerry Ads
Before getting up from my computer for the night, I decided to check out the Kerry's site to see how they were handling the whole Swift Boat thing. What I... [More]
August 22, 2004
Criticizing the Criticizers
From an iarticle in today's NYT Mr. Bush's advisers said they were girding for the most extensive street demonstrations at any political convention since the Democrats nominated Hubert H. Humphrey... [More]
August 23, 2004
Hmmm...
I'm not sure thatthis story really has anything new, but it did prompt me to think: George Bush has no proof that he actually showed up for duty in the... [More]
I Hate Hypocrites
I'm a few days late on this, I admit, but I still thought it worth passing along. Apparently Bob Novak is all in a huff because the CBO produced a... [More]
Lessons of History
For those who think this election cycle is bad, there's much to learn from history. --------... [More]
Only in California
A bioresponsible cemetery. Then again... "It will be a nature preserve that happens to sell interment rights," Sehee said. "The concept is to sell interment rights on 5 percent of... [More]
Offense vs. Defense
Check out this post by Paul Glastris over at the Political Animal blog. He nails the argument for why, if Kerry plays this right, the whole Vietnam/SwiftBoat thing could boomerang... [More]
Shame on Bob Dole
As I'm sure you've seen, Bob Dole has come out today attacking the legitimacy of Kerry's Purple Heart. In his own words: I respect his record. But three Purple Hearts... [More]
August 24, 2004
Two Good Points
Two interesting points in David Brook's effort today in the NYT. In his words... I'm launching a major investigation into whether the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth organization is being... [More]
Rambo Politics
Excellent piece from Paul Krugman in today's NYT. But recent attacks on John Kerry have surpassed even my expectations. There's no mystery why. Mr. Kerry isn't just a Democrat who... [More]
Why I Hate ALL Cable News Networks
A perfect case study of everything that's wrong with what passes for ""journalism" on television today. 24 news networks are great for covereing "breaking" news. But if it's facts you... [More]
What Ever Happened to the Idea That...
...the captain will go down with the ship? The report, issued at a Pentagon news conference, was the first official finding in several reviews conducted so far that assigned any... [More]
I can't Believe I'm Saying This, But...
...props to Dick Cheney for coming out on gay marriage Resorting to unusually expansive language to address an emotional campaign issue that has proved divisive for Republicans, Cheney said he... [More]
Everything in Moderation
Turns out that yes, even sunshine is good for you. --------... [More]
1001 Reasons
There are 1001 reasons why Alan Keyes is a complete nutter, but this... Republican Alan Keyes said Friday that he would like to end the system under which the people... [More]
August 25, 2004
Bad Cow!
Yikes. That's one scary cow. Genetic tinkering gives me the willies. My concern is not so much the details of blocking myostatin, although Belgian Blue calves are so muscled that... [More]
John Kerry - In His Own Words
At the heart of the Swift Boat Veterans campaign for "truth" is their objection to Kerry's anti-war testimony before Congress in 1971. Since that testimony is likely to be at... [More]
You're Kidding, Right?
Duh. Cans and bottles of sugar-sweetened colas, lemonade and fruit drinks, which many people think can be drunk with impunity, are today implicated as a major cause of obesity and... [More]
As The Tide Turns
I'm telling you... this entire Swift Boat thing is going to come back to haunt Bush. In the last 24 hours, we've learned that Pres. Bush's chief outside legal advisor... [More]
August 26, 2004
Vote By Mail
The Washington Post has a fairly lengthly article today about the growth of the whole "Vote by mail phenomenon. One state - Oregon - now requires it. I dunno. Something... [More]
Another Case of Important Facts Getting Burried
This comes 4/5 of the way throughout thePost's article discussing the recent findings on the Iraq prison scandal. Yesterday's findings by Lt. Gen. Anthony R. Jones and Maj. Gen. George... [More]
Stargazing
George Will can be unbelievably annoying at times. But when he is on, he is just so damn on The public's diminishing capacity for astonishment is astonishing. Perhaps second only... [More]
Just a question...
When was the last time you heard Republicans charging that Dems were trying to keep people fromcoming to the polls? Can anyone out there find me an article about that?... [More]
Tables Turned
Funny... It used to be us high school geeks used computers to hide behind. Guess that doesn't work anymore. I have kids coming into school upset daily because of what... [More]
Wedgey
Wasn't gay rights supposed to be a wedge issue that divided the Democrats? Nothing like looking like the party of compassionate intolerance.... Leading social conservatives made their unhappiness clear on... [More]
Congress Shall Make No Law...
So... Why is it that Bush's answer to the Swift Boat mess is to suggest further trampling the 1st Amendment with unconstitutional campaign finance laws? And wasn't he firmly opposed... [More]
August 27, 2004
Is It Just Me?
or does this seem like a really, really bad idea to you too? Moving to bring a special intimacy to the carefully scripted atmosphere of a political convention, President Bush... [More]
Worth a Second Look
I'm sorry, but the Will Ferrell/ACT Bush parody ad is one of the best political parodies I've ever seen. So I'm posting it again. And you've gotta watch it to... [More]
Cartoons Rock
Thanks George for sending along this one. No matter which side of the fence you're on, this one rocks. --------... [More]
A Simple Question
How is it that in a nation with a 11+ TRILLION Dollar GDP, 17.6% of all children live in poverty? Is this really the best we can do? The number... [More]
Ummmm.
Three gems in today's NYT interview with our fearless leader: "I don't think you give timelines to dictators,'' Mr. Bush said, speaking of North Korea's president, Kim Jong Il, and... [More]
Who Said It?
"It confirms, as was made so clear to me during the time of President Reagan's funeral and laying in state, that President Bush has no broad vision--and certainly no conservative... [More]
Jimmy Is Back!
As a part of their 10 Weeks = Don't Get Mad, Get Even campaign, MoveOn has brought back Jimmy the Cab Driver! Nice! --------... [More]
An Interesting View From Across The Pond
The Guardian has an interesting article on the Obama/Keyes Senate race in Illinois. Always interesting to see how things look from a perspective other than our own. Given that only... [More]
Will They Please Stop? Please?
Yet another warning from our fearless leaders at the Department of Homeland Security. This time its VA Hospitals. "I want you to know that's cautionary only," Principi told the group.... [More]
Health Care
Those of you for whom health care is a critical issue this election should find Paul Krugman's piece in today's NYT of some value. It's a quick read, so you... [More]
Yo... We're Just Chillin...
Gotta love this. New York decides to make Central Park off limits for two huge protests this weekend. So what do the protesters do? Move the march, then agree to... [More]
I'm Gonna Keep Saying It Until ALL of You Believe It
Short term the Swifties hurt Kerry. Long term, they're gonna damage Bush. Today, more proof. A new poll taken by The National Annenberg Election Survey shows that nearly half of... [More]
Better Things To Do
I feel bad for Paul Hamm, I really do. But c'mon. Congressional hearings? That's just ridiculous. Doesn't the House Judiciary Committee having something better to do with their time? --------... [More]
With Friends Like These
With friends like these... The FBI (news - web sites) is investigating whether an analyst for the Pentagon's No. 3 official acted as a spy for Israel, giving the Jewish... [More]
Weekend Manouevers
Got a weekend of madness planned, so.... see everyone Tuesday afternoon! ;) --------... [More]
August 28, 2004
Our Second Civil War
I know I had said it was gonna be a weekend free of posts, but this one is just too good to wait. For those of you wondering how my... [More]
Deconstructing Ralph
Wow. The New Republic has a devestating analysis of Ralph Nader posted to their site today. Or rather, reposted. Seems the artice was originally written in 2000 BEFORE he titled... [More]
For Shame
I'm not sure this is as much of a big deal as Slate seems to think it is, but nonetheless... Bob Dole is a good, decent man. I understand that... [More]
August 31, 2004
What Can I Say???
We're nearly two days into the Republican convention, and frankly I'm at a loss for words. Sure, the rhetoric has been great. No argument there. My problem is this... What... [More]
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