The Daily Show with Jon StewartGet More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook “I am troubled by the possibility that leak investigations may chill the investigative journalism that holds government accountable.” – President Obama [Thursday] RYAN LIZZA adds to what Michael Isikoff reported earlier this week by revealing the lengths the [...]
Memorial Weekend Music: The Doors
“It dropped quite simply, quite innocently from his lips, but it changed our collective destinies.” – Ray Manzarek in “Light My Fire” on Jim Morrison Mr. Manzarek founded the Doors in 1965 with the singer and lyricist Jim Morrison, whom he would describe decades later as “the personification of the Dionysian impulse each of us [...]
Nearly a Quarter of People in U.S. Can’t Afford Food
At The Atlantic, reports from a new survey by the Pew Research Center reveal that a quarter of people in the U.S. can’t afford to buy food. From the Pew Survey: Overview Economic inequality is a common concern for publics around the world. Most people agree that the economic system favors the wealthy. Majorities in [...]
Queer Talk: “Politically Right” Reponses to Boy Scouts Gay Compromise
The Boy Scouts compromise decision to discontinue the ban on “openly gay” scouts, but maintain it on adult (18 and over) leaders and parents was described by the BSA’s chief executive as “compassionate, caring and kind,” but some critics are expressing what I think of as “politically right” indignation. Hey, if what I think can [...]
NBC: Holder Approved Fox News Search of Rosen
THE NEWS that Attorney General Eric Holder was involved in approving the search of Fox News reporter James Rosen came on the very day President Obama attempted to regain the confidence of the press. Obama saying he was “troubled by the possibility that leak investigations may chill the investigative journalism that holds government accountable,” means [...]
Mud, A Great Love Story
MUD MUD has been called the “best American movie at Cannes.” The trailer above doesn’t tell the deepest, most important part of Mud and neither do most of the reviews. It is, above all else, a love story. The script weaves a rope around Mud, played with extraordinary power and intensity by Matthew McConaughey, whose [...]
Amid Scandals, Obama Turns to Counterterrorism and Osama
“I am troubled by the possibility that leak investigations may chill the investigative journalism that holds government accountable.” – President Obama WITH THE IRS scandal dogging the White House, due to the fetish like prophylactic protection penchant of White House aides, President Obama turned to counterterrorism and invoking Osama bin Laden, in a speech that [...]
A Brit’s View: Panic on the Streets of London?
I’ve made jokes in the past about how dodgy a place Woolwich is. I have friends who lived there for a while, albeit in the very fake ‘Woolwich’ by the river. There was no denying where the poor, run down Woolwich finished and the new, rich, slightly fake section started. The dividing line was, and [...]
Queer Talk: Boy Scouts Vote to End Ban on Gay Scouts
A short time ago, the Boy Scouts of America voted to end the ban on gay scouts. From Think Progress The roughly 1,400 voting members of the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) National Council voted 61-38 percent Thursday to end the ban on gay youth participating in the program, but reaffirmed their policy of mandatory [...]
Shielding Obama from IRS Issue a White House Staff Focus
The Washington Post reports that the White House focused on shielding Obama from the IRS issues raised in a report. As soon as White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler heard about an upcoming inspector general’s report on the Internal Revenue Service, she knew she had a problem. The notice Ruemmler saw on April 24 gave her [...]
Obama to Announce Renewed Efforts to Close Gitmo
The American involvement in Mr. Awlaki’s death has been widely reported, but the administration until now had refused to confirm it. Likewise, Mr. Holder confirmed the government’s role in the deaths of Samir Khan, who was killed in the same strike, and Mr. Awlaki’s son, Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, who died in another strike. The letter disclosed [...]
House Republicans “Unified,” But For How Long?
Writing at Buzzfeed, Kate Nocera notes that House Republicans are currently “unified,” but asks how long that will last. How Long Can House Republicans Go Before Turning On Each Other? Speaker John Boehner has overseen one of the most bitter and divided conferences in recent memory. Conservatives have consistently, and openly, defied him, while moderates [...]
KXL, the Pipeline Paved With Money
Not that this is unusual, it’s the norm in corporate politics, that the KXL pipeline’s approved construction is paved with money. One of the most recent and entirely obvious examples of the kind of political maneuvering related to TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipe line is another U.S. House vote. At Think Progress: House Attempts To Force [...]
IRS Lois Lerner: “I Have Not Done Anything Wrong”
**UPDATED** THE IRS scandal keeps getting worse, with the IRS official Lois Lerner taking the fifth before Congress, but not before she changed the narrative, if only slightly. Reading a statement, Lois Lerner put into the congressional record “I have not done anything wrongd,” broke no laws and did not provide false testimony to Congress. [...]
Queer Talk: Don Rumsfeld, Marriage Equality Not a Civil Right [Video]
In an interview with Larry King, former Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld said he did not “equate” marriage equality as a civil right. From Zack Ford at Think Progress: As Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld supported the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ recognizing that the time for open service in the military ‘had arrived.’ [...]
“Strong Indication” London Attack Terrorism
A man has been killed in a machete attack and two suspects shot by police in Woolwich, south-east London. [BBC] THE attack in London, which Prime Minister David Cameron said the government had “strong indication” was a terrorist assault, was by all descriptions grisly. The UK Telegraph leading with this headline: ‘Soldier beheaded’ in ‘Islamist [...]
A Brit’s View: Riots in Sweden Paint a Different Picture
There’s rioting in Europe, and I know what you’re thinking. ‘Big deal’, ‘this isn’t news’, ’why don’t they let true democracy do its thing?’ I’ll stop you there as these riots are slightly different. They are happening in Sweden. That’s the Sweden which is in the top five of all categories imaginable for measuring a good life. Education, [...]
Anthony Weiner Seeks Redemption from New Yorkers
“I made some big mistakes and I know I let a lot of people down. But I’ve also learned some tough lessons. I’m running for mayor because I’ve been fighting for the middle class and those struggling to make it my entire life. I hope I get a second chance to work for you.” – [...]
Queer Talk: Leahy Pulls Gay Couples Amend. From Immigration Bill
At the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last night, Sen. Leahy withdrew his amendment that would have recognized gay couples and lesbian couples from the immigration bill which seeks comprehensive reform. At the link above, Buzzfeed reports that Patrick Leahy withdrew his amendment … after several Democratic members of the committee stated that they would not [...]
FBI Kill Man with Ties to Boston Bomber
NBC NEWS is reporting that the FBI has shot and killed a man, Ibragim Todashev, with ties to the Boston bomber suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Not much more is known, except that he was not being questioned for any role he might have had in the Boston terrorist attack. From NBC, the connection between Tamerlan Tsarnaev [...]
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