Remember how we now all laugh at "duck & cover"? As in, when you see the flash, duck and cover"? How futile! How crazy! How pointless! is the general assessment these days.
But. Most of the flying glass injuries, which resulted in hospitalizations and even deaths, came when people saw the flash - and ran to the windows for a closer look.
Might it not be easier and cost-effective to simply divert them into safer orbits? If you "blow up" a big rock, a fair quantity of its fragments can be expected to continue on the same general trajectory into the earth.
Frankly, we're lucky this didn't happen during the nuke-happy 1950s or 1960s. It might have triggered an all-out nuclear exchange between US and USSR. As it was, I suspect there was substantial communication on the "red telephone" yesterday morning between Mr. Putin & Mr. Obama.
This is an excellent dissection of the "murder all the suspects" doctrine, Dr. Cole!
At this point, perhaps the best hope is the near-certainty that our reactionary-right Supreme Court will be happy to slap down a Democratic president. Good thing the issue didn't come up while Bush the Lesser was still in power.
Whether you're burning coal, natural gas, or a petroleum derivative, you are bringing up ancient carbon that has been isolated from the biosphere for millions of years and injecting it into the atmosphere.
Methane may lack the mercury of coal, may produce less ash, etc - but it still puts new carbon into the air, burned or in its natural form. It IS - and its combustion GENERATES - greenhouse gases.
We can generated methane from renewables, and in this way have a convenient transportable "fuel." This would just recycle carbon that's already part of our biosphere. But "producing" methane from underground adds new carbon, and needs to be stopped. Period.
Guns permit and enhance action that's faster than the speed of thought.
Like that kid JHARP mentions - big argument, hot tempers, a shotgun is within reach - BOOM. (Whaddaya think of THAT, Mom?) There are fewer suicides using methods that require more time and planning, and take longer to act, than just grabbing the convenient, EZ-to-reach, not to mention LOADED, firearm.
Ditto for other conditions of impaired judgement: drunkenness, anger, fear, jealousy - the Quick&E-Z gun solution beats out considered thought, maturity, and working through the consequences of taking this particular lethal action. Just draw and squeeze. Repeat until problem is solved, just like in the movies. (That's why those big magazines and semi-automatic fire are so desired...)
While the big killings get the most news, there are plenty of onesie and twosie shootings going on CONSTANTLY. Most appear to be the result of impaired judgement plus guns. These people aren't wackos. They're not alkies or druggies. Just regular folks having a bad day - and with the aid of Mr. Berretta or Mr. Smith&Wesson or whatever, making it indescribably worse.
The NRA should be really lamenting the loss of Charlton Heston. With his imperial bearing, resonant voice, good looks and (perhaps hammy over-)acting skills, he could render drivel like LaPierre's speech into something that sounded patriotic, sensible, even heroic.
LaPierre just comes off as an out-of-touch ferret, a self-serving weasel. It took the NRA a full week to prepare THIS?! Wow.
"There is no higher honor or greater responsibility than leading young Americans in combat."
Oh, really? Leading people to kill other people is absolutely the best thing any human being can ever possibly aspire to do? Seriously? Killing is superior to educating? A better thing than saving lives as a medical professional? Battle is morally superior to discussion, negotiation, mutual understanding in order to avoid battle?
I'm with JR786 - this little screed is silly histrionics, and I'm glad so many other commenters are rejecting it. The frightening part, however, is that this attitude is pretty much American orthodoxy. The "young Americans" whose occupation is killing are "the best of us", the self-styled "warriors" - even if all they do is sit in cushy chairs, manning a joystick, while raining down high tech death on less technologically-gifted folks in far, far distant lands.
Admittedly, combat has its dangers. But it's not unique. There are police officers and fire fighters whose jobs are similarly dangerous, but have less legal ability to strike back. Other workers - like miners and meat packers - endure unnecessarily hazardous jobs, and get no respect, much less adulation. The US needs to back away from its cult of "the Warrior" and belief that every problem should be solved with greater firepower.
The US media loves this far-ranging expansion of the Petraeus sex scandal because, frankly, that's about all they're competent to cover anymore. Even the once "simple" horse-race coverage of the Presidential election was beyond political reporters this cycle, because it involved - gasp!!! - STATISTICS.
In contrast, the old familiar "who emailed who", which can be told in "he said/she said" format (the only way allowed in these fair&balanced times) is perfect for Prime Time and has the added advantage of boosting sales.
And meanwhile, as Dr Cole observes, Afghanistan burns.
According to an article in this morning's Abq Journal (and undoubtedly elsewhere), a woman complained about getting harassing emails from Paula Broadwell, co-author of the Petraeus hagiography. In investigating Broadwell's emails, the FBI found the incriminating emails to Petraeus, which triggered further investigation.
We may consider ourselves lucky, if this takes The General off his planned presidential/political career track...
How much would Petraeus have paid to keep his wife from finding out about his sexual affair with the woman who was "researching" a hagiography of him? What information might he have passed to blackmailers, if that was the only way to keep them quiet? How many blackmailers could there be?
If, like Europe, folks in the United States accepted the idea that all men will have mistresses and assorted short-term lovers, and American women were good with that, there would be no security risk. Back in the day when I had a clearance, homosexuality was a big no-no. Not because there was anything wrong with that, they always hastened to add, but because of the risk of blackmail upon threat of disclosure. Now, nobody cares if you're gay, lesbian, or any of the modern innovations, and that's probably a good thing.
But the US has not yet embraced "infidelity" as Europe has. Maybe it has something to do with our lack of a social safety net. At the moment, it is what it is: a dirty secret that many men would go to great lengths to keep hidden from certain people. So it's a security risk.
You left out "Normalize relations with Israel; recognize the 1967 Palestinian territories as a separate nation." PM Netanyahoo tried to break into the election news cycle at least twice in the week prior to 11/6. For the safety of everyone in the Middle East, he needs to be discredited.
I agree with your #11, Mr. Utter. However, we've had #11 under President Obama, at least according to the Republicans, and we'll continue to get it when Mr. Obama wins re-election.
There is something seriously wrong when one political persuasion refuses, on principal, to recognize democratically-elected officials when they are from the other party. I've been saying this since the Reagan years: there is something inherently anti-democratic (and anti-republic) about any candidate who runs on the premise that "government is the problem."
This weekend, there was an article in the Albuquerque Journal "U.S. Eases rules on medicine sales to Iran" by Paul Richter of the "Tribune Washington Bureau":
"The Obama administration has quietly eased restrictions on the sale of medicine to Iran amid signs that concern over the suffering of ordinary citizens could complicate an international campaign to punish Iran for its disputed nuclear program."
No link, since the ABQ journal is behind a paywall, and the article appears sourced elsewhere anyway. My take is that Obama is serious about not getting involved in an Iraq war. This may just be wishful thinking on my part, but I see no reason to cast my vote for Mitt Romney out of some kind of "I didn't get the pony!" disappointment with the President...
You know, even if climate change were NOT caused by human activity, or there wasn't sufficient "proof", if we were able to do something to mitigate or halt it, we would do it.
When a hurricane approaches, people don't just continue about their daily business, saying Well, if Gawd wills the hurricane to kill me, it will or There's no PROOF that hurricanes are caused by human activity, so I guess there's just nothing we can or should do about it.
NO! Folks batten down their homes, board up the windows, sock in food and bottled water, or flee if they can. And in between hurricanes, they have their local governments build seawalls, dikes, plan and designate evacuation routes, change the building codes, zone to restrict construction in hurricane zones, etc.
Folks in the reality-based community need to start the message going that IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT'S CAUSING IT - IF WE CAN DEAL WITH IT, WE NEED TO - NOW. And make the "natural disaster" analogy. Whether it's hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, flooding, snowstorms - whatever. We don't ignore these events because hey, it's not OUR fault.
And politicians making that claim need to be corrected, mocked, and driven from office.
It was great to hear that old classic again. I remember it well. Today, it has even more meaning than it did in 1964 - 48 years ago, and Republicans want to take the country back, full speed ahead, and just keep going into the past. Restore the patriarchy, get back to empire building, and institute a theocracy. Make everyone a peasant but the top .0001%.
President Obama hit it out of the ballpark when he observed that Gov Romney has the foreign policy of the 1980s, the social policies of the 1950s and the economic policies of the 1920s. Tragically, it appears that half of the American electorate likes this just fine.
Thanks, Dr. Cole! Unfortunately, the debate's outcome will be judged by the talking heads of the media, who only see the "stage presence" part. Who spoke with the most certainty, whose body language conveyed the most aggressiveness, whose makeup girl did the best job - and what about that hair, those ties? Who had the self assurance to interrupt the most? Who was the rudest to the moderator? Which one was most successful in hijacking the conversation?
This is what will be conveyed, nonstop, day after day on all the stations. Even folks who actually watched or listened to the debate will be influenced. After all, these are the experts! Maybe I shouldn't trust my lyin' eyes and ears!
And ultimately, only the "wonks" care about facts and history. Not real Amurkinz. It's unmanly and effeminate to actually know anything in today's U.S.A.
Thanks for this insight into the Republican mind, Mr. Goulka!
Also, your solution: this would be where Republicans would roll their eyes and declaim But WE'RE BROKE! Sure, it would be nice to staff DMV offices, etc - but WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY! And they will do everything within their power to make sure money is not available, by pushing the nation and various states into deficits by mismatching revenue to expenditures. It's a perfect strategy!
Political opportunism and exploiting even the most personal tragedies has been a GOP staple in recent decades. However, it's also been rare for commentators to point this out, let alone emphasize the hypocrisy, inconsistencies, and overall distastefulness of this kind of attack.
We are all able to get the word out to our friends, relatives, f*book friends, etc. If the "lamestream media" (thanks, Gov Palin!) won't do it, whispering campaigns have always been extraordinarily effective. The GOP is big on those, too...
Netanyahu warms that the Moslems believe "a medieval holy man will appear" in the wake of "a devastating holy war"? Funny, I thought he was talking about his fundamentalist Christianist backers in the US. Sounds like something out of the book of Revelations.
There are apparently more people rooting for Armageddon than not...
Accepting the possibility of a married Jesus would undercut the misogyny that Christian fundamentalists appear to embrace.
Incomparable damage has been done through the apparently logical progression from "celibacy is best" to "women encourage sinfulness" to "women represent evil and temptation" and ultimately "the evil sexuality of women must be controlled and contained". It has led to cutting off half of humanity from full participation in society, and discounting its insights and point of view.
These days, nothing says "third world" like discrimination against women. Unfortunately, many in the US still long for that dystopic past.
AK43, will you try to help your surrounding neighbors move more quickly to democracy by working to change your own right wing, war mongering, provocative government and obtain justice for the folks living in Palestine? Eliminating that big ulcer of injustice in the Middle East would do a lot to help control anger and unrest.
Personally, I had not thought there even was a "left wing" in Israel anymore. I urge y'all to SPEAK UP.
Scarlet, not meaning to be overly harsh, but you'll think "cheap, easy, incredibly fun" when you are caught at defacing public property or someone tracks the vandalism back to you. And don't even imagine that everyone will agree that it's "just like putting up an American flag"!
On the other hand, civil disobedience rests on the willingness of the "perpetrators" to go to jail, and their strength in numbers getting the attention and sympathy of the public at large. So you'll have that going for you.
Personally, if any popularity poll-based democracy is to be phased in, I'd really like to see the education system beefed up and the whole news/journalism mess reformed.
Uninformed idiots will not make good decisions - just look at what the Republican Party has done to itself.
It's all part of the Big Lie, of course. But what really worried me, as I listened to Democrat after Democrat (and the occasional Republican) speak on demconvention.com (no ads! no talking heads!) was People are going to wonder, why is this the first time we've heard any of this?
No kidding - the Obama administration and its surrogates and fellow Dems have been disturbingly modest and reticent for the last 4 years. Sometimes they had good reason to be - but they even ended up underplaying the "big [frackin'] deal!" of the ACA.
So, the few Americans watching the convention, or snippets of it, will wonder where all these claims are coming from. It's like nothing they've ever heard in the media prior to this point. Who are the Democrats trying to kid?
Whereas, all the death panels - hate Obama - birth certificate - failure failure failure DEFICIT!!! that came out of the Republican Convention merely reprises four years of the daily news. So who ya gonna believe?
"Assassinating suspects with drones" is NOT a Klingon act. Even less so when the drones are operated by people many thousands of miles away. A Klingon prefers to kill up close and personal.
Maybe "Romulan" would be a better description for President Obama. Romulans are closely related genetically to Vulcans, but passionate and militaristic, and sharing the Vulcan analytical abilities and competence.
Okay, now I'm ready to see Martians swoop down to save the people of Deraa...
Some have wondered why Clint Eastwood gave up his mythical, mysterious image to pander to the tea-baggers.
I theorize that he was hoping for a Chick-fil-a bounce. After all, he's got a new movie that's just hitting the theaters. If every Repub in the country goes at least once, that's a nice piece of change - a real fist full of dollars.
But apparently, he bewildered and turned off even his fellow wingnutters. Oh well - that's the Creative Destruction part of capitalism.
According to the Daily Kos, at least 25 journalists have commented on Ryan's falsehoods - including the Washington Post and Fox News. (!!)
A pertinent question that reporters might pose to Romney and Ryan: If 'extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice,' as Barry Goldwater famously observed, what about lying? Deliberate misrepresentation of facts, dishonest slants, calculated omissions, outright fabrications? What is your opinion on lying, and will your campaign continue to engage in it? If so, how do you square this with Christian teachings and ethics?
"Self determination works best and Founders understood that."
Yes, and that's why "The Founders" rejected all the financial and military assistance from France, Poland, etc. during the US revolutionary war against England. Lafayette? Never heard of him!
It's interesting how many of the whistle-blowers appear to be women. Same thing happened with the events leading up to the big financial/real estate collapse of 2008.
The boys in power might want to re-think their practice of keeping women out of the inner circles, treating them as outsiders. If these women had not been excluded, they might act to protect the group, rather than expose it.
"government spending ... that one issue is all they know."
I would argue that the tea baggers don't even know that issue. Those I have spoken with believe that the Ryan budget is a great idea, and reject the fact that it just doesn't add up, and will produce a $4T increase in the national debt. They talk as if "government spending" is the worst kind of eee-vil and something to abolish. They want a return to the gold standard, fer Gawd's sake!
At one point, it might have made sense to say that this one issue is all they CARE about - but now, they're into banning contraception (abortion, natch), repealing the Affordable Care Act ("Obama-Care"), restricting voting rights, and having US Senators appointed by the state legislatures.
So some of the old Party fossils in Florida are flabbergasted by the direction "their" party is taking under the 'baggers? Looking across from the librul side, it's been heading in that direction for a L O N G time.
We can enjoy the irony, but a key "plank" in the Republican Party's platform is that global warming is a hoax. So their official response to Hurricane Isaac, etc will be that (1) this is hurricane season (duh!), and (2) the hurricane was clearly Gawd's will.
Then meteorologists and climate scientists will further rush to the Party's defense, emphasizing that no one weather event can be directly tied to climate change. So another potential teaching moment is lost.
Go ahead and try it. The answer will be along the lines of "My wife would NEVER be raped. It just cannot happen. It's impossible."
Maybe it's lack of empathy, maybe it's simply a lack of imagination. Maybe it's an arrogant assumption that things like that can NEVER happen to people like them. At any rate, I've heard this question/response many times...
hadenough2010, you find it sad that the 99% let the 1% rule them it was always thus only 1 out of 100 will make the effort 2 do much beyond mere survival & a little entertainment (teevie/netflickers, the true opiate of the masses!) & worse the remaining 99 wont stand up 4 themselves as if they/we dont know we outnumber them.
Add to the cost of water the cost of contaminating groundwater and aquifers, which can make their water unavailable to the population and to agriculture.
Add to carbon emissions the amount of gas that just leaks out of the ground and is lost, as a result of fracking. Methane is a major greenhouse gas. Even before you burn the stuff, you don't want it getting into the atmosphere.
Why have environmentalists (such as ourselves) been so bad at combatting misinformation from BigCarbon?!
The Philadelphia MOVE bombing needs to be brought up - by readers, if not the reporters themselves - every time a story about successful drone strikes is published/aired. People need to be reminded of what happens on the ground to the many innocents who were too near the target, the damage to homes and infrastructure, and reminded of the hatred and resentment that result.
"Hearts & minds", eh? All that our automated, remote, hi-tech drone weaponry is getting the United States is another generation or two of sworn enemies. Is the "savings" worth it? How about the rare "hit"?
We could have used this for your site for the last 24 or so hours. After reading the bold and apparently not permissible thoughts you posted on possible Israeli nuclear blackmail, when I checked back for updates, all your posted articles had been rolled back to June 18. It was that way through most of today, until the last few hours.
I'm glad you're back, WITH the "451 error" posts restored and everything else.
Ariel Sharon was prime minister until his stroke in 2006. Deputy PM Ehud Olmert took over in the interim; Netanyahu was selected as prime minister in 2009.
When the old Irish Republican Army began using the tactic of setting up unattended bombs which would explode, and be followed minutes later by a bigger bomb to get the first responders who rushed to the aid of the victims, the world was appalled.
This is worse: interactively-guided and human-targeted bombing of individuals who come to the aid of the first set of victims. Sending in the robot vehicles to shoot up the mourners at the funerals is honestly beyond belief.
The people who are doing this now are Democrats, therefore they are subject to the laws (unlike the previous administration). Don't worry - they will be punished.
Joe, I agree - Code Pink is PETA for a different cause.
On the other hand, I haven't heard of other US organizations (or even disorganized mobs) that are taking on the Drone Issue. I'm not denying there are such groups - I just don't hear about them on the morning news.
Lib/progs need to find the sweet spot between "feckless tantrum" and "reasoned argument": something the media will cover, but in a serious and productive way. Personally, I like the "Billionaires for Bush" model.
But does the highly expensive fracking process really produce "cheap" natural gas? Moreover, wait until the lawsuits come flooding in from communities whose groundwater has been poisoned, people blown up in their showers and kitchens, etc. The fracking process contains the seeds of its own demise.
If a plant can run on natural gas, it shouldn't be difficult to phase it over to methane produced by renewable means. Chemically, they're pretty much the same and their combustion produces the same greenhouse gas pollution, BUT! One introduces "new" carbon into the biosphere that has been sequestered deep beneath the surface for millions of years; the other just recycles carbon that's already in the biosphere.
So, switching electrical plants over to natural gas can become a positive change - particularly if it gets coal-fired plants offline at last.
So, you're suggesting it was the hair that prompted Romney to constantly call out "Attagirl!" whenever the victim spoke up in class?
I remember the over-the-top reaction to long hair on non-females back then. These days, the reaction seems totally bizarre and inexplicable. For what it's worth, at the time, I thought that adults' take on hair was weird, and that "crew cuts" were unattractive.
I agree with the other writers that Romney should have apologized, condemned his teenage self as having been a teenager - and moved on.
"One's own religion" - well, why not? The "payload" of any religion is the code of ethics. All the rest - the trappings of dogma, ritual, holidays, 'holy' writings, the sense of being 'special' which religions use to artificially distinguish one from the other - are really just the sugar coat around the pill of the code of conduct. Prayer, at best, consists of you talking to your Better Self.
So, why restrict yourself to the "brands" already out there, even cafeteria style, when you can knit your own? Then you will never outgrow it, or suffer a loss of faith.
I have not found one Democrat who has expressed anything other than disapproval for the administration's policies of continuing the occupation, using the assassin drones, eavesdropping, and the whole nine yards. "Overjoyed"? Nobody is overjoyed, as far as I'm able to see - not even the Republicans, who are just angry that it's not them who are doing these things.
Frankly, I'd prefer bringing Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield et al to justice. Of course, it's always easier to attack and savage a Democrat - the Republicans are by definition on board and you can even get most Democrats to join in.
That isn't where you're coming from, is it, Mr. Somebody?
60 Minutes has done programs in the past on Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. Of course, the pushback from The Lobby is quick, intense, and vicious, judging by some of the letters they read afterwards.
But 60 Minutes has continued to cover the issue over the years, at least every now and then.
I read in yesterday's Albuquerque Journal that Israel was 4 months behind on its natural gas payments to Egypt, and that, too, was a major factor in cutting them off.
Given the high incidence of rape and other sexual abuse of women in the US military, the fantasy of male comrades risking the mission to protect the women looks pretty ridiculous.
I'm having a hard time squaring the British ruling class's knowledge and appreciation of Persian culture with their politics and business practices in Iran throughout the early 20th century.
It's not just "freedom" that today's Republican Party is promoting - it's also freeloading. Don't buy insurance if you feel it crimps your "freedom" - if you need medical help, check yourself into the ER on someone else's dime.
Clothing has been used as an excuse for committing crimes for centuries, particularly as regards violence against women. This said, it doesn't make it right.
Thanks for the great pictures of nuns, monks, and wise men! It being the Easter Season, this would be a good time to remind certain people that the dress they're condemning is the same as they or their icons are wearing in church.
Actually, maybe Romney really doesn't want to become President. I've been wondering about his faithful gaffe machine, which seems to kick in just about every time he scores a victory or moves up in the polls. The Etch-a-Sketch revelation is only among the most recent; remember "I like firing people" and "Corporations are people, my friend" and his NASCAR-owner buddies, and his wife's couple of Caddys, and "some nice home-cooked Chicken Marsala", and the "cheesy grits" - etc. I've lost track of them all.
Maybe Romney subconsciously realizes he isn't fit to be President?
Well, remember how earlier in the campaign, when caught dishonestly putting the words of a McCain campaign advisor from back in 2008 into President Obama's mouth apparently coming from 2011, Romney's spokesperson insisted that this was a perfectly legitimate tactic, as the goal was to win?
The sad part is, he's right about the Etch-a-Sketch. People's inattention and forgetfulness is enhanced by the lamestream media's refusal to include meaningful back story or history when it really is called for.
But is the "Occupied West Bank" really part of Israel? And, if it IS part of Israel and the Israeli government can enforce zoning regulations, then the folks living there must be Israelis (albeit of Arab descent and Christian or Moslem faith). And thus, being Israelis, they ought to have rights and be able to vote.
Otherwise, Israel has no right to decide when permits are required.
The Palestinians' time will come. Eventually, after the Palestinian people achieve some sort of justice, their suffering at the hands of Israelis can be catapulted into a moral force and lobby. Then they, too could find themselves exempt from the rules that other nations are governed by, like the NPT.
I apologize if I've inadvertently triggered "Godwin's Law."
I can't blame him. A few years ago, I was in Toronto and it was shortly after George Bush (the Lesser) and Bill Clinton had come to speak at the convention center down town. There was a big pile of shoes that people had thrown at Bush...
"war as a standing industry with lobbies and paid-for TV spokesmen, purveyed by all the US news networks"
Maybe it's time to bring back the old "Merchants of Death" appellation? The "new media" would have to lead the charge, because the current broadcast/cable media is an integral part of the new "MoD Squad".
I'm concerned by the timing of this latest news, that the alleged murderer had "brain damage" and "PTSD". Maybe - but it could also be viewed as a cynical way to buy him sympathy - and immunity from prosecution.
Also, it really sounds as if this entire Lewis-McChord base needs to be shut down and investigated, and its alumni immediately withdrawn from Afghanistan. The rest of the US forces can follow, in my opinion.
I think that ambiguity is one of the key principles of diplomacy. By leaving interpretations open, you reduce the likelihood of "being backed into a corner." For this reason, I suspect that your pessimistic assertion about Iran is very unlikely.
Yes, the President did not say “No, the USA will not go to war to support an Israeli assault on Iran.” He also refused to be drawn into the trap of clearly defining the exact conditions - if any - which would cause the US to take military action on behalf of Israel.
This leaves the Israelis on the hook, not having what amounts to a clear cut "contract" from the US, and it leaves the Iranians to contemplate the possibility of the United States getting involved. Brakes on Israel, the stick to Iran. I don't understand your complaints.
DARPA, eh? So we'll soon be seeing galloping legged kill vehicles, controlled by folks back in the US, chasing down and blasting suspects with little machine guns?
You just have to laugh. For the last couple of weeks, the reactionary right has seized upon the "no-copay" contraceptive requirement for medical insurance policies to spin it as an assault upon the "religious freedom" of employers. Anyone trying to bring up the health of women, or reasons why contraception is critical was shouted down as irreligious. But we all knew that the whole thing was just a coverup for depriving women of an essential medical preventive product, and restricting THEIR freedom.
So old gasbag Limbaugh gets on his show to weigh in - and gives away the whole show. Not one word about "religion" - no, it's sluts and pay for sex and let's see the videos, girlie (smirk, snort). Not to mention inferring that any woman who goes to college is by definition a slut. (This one-ups even Santorum, who only asserts that college graduates are "snobs.")
But the whole "religious freedom" argument has been blown. It's over. The ugly, misogynistic face of the 21st century right wing is on public display. No sex for YOU, girlie! or for you, wifey. Moreover, none of the Republican office holders or other elite dare to come down on Limbaugh with both feet, as they should. They'll all go down with him.
"Cast Lead" was in late 2008, over 3 years ago. Was your poll taken at the beginning of the Cast Lead war, or at the end, or recently as a retrospective?
Liberals (like myself) typically find fault with those who oppose abortion while calling for killings of adults. We assume that logical consistency requires that a fetus (or embryo) is considered the same as a fully-born individual.
But that's obviously nonsense. Liberals make a distinction between the "pre-born" and those of us who are live and walking around; why shouldn't the anti-choicers?
The Christian rightwing orthodoxy is that the unborn is innocent of any sin. Thus, they require special protection, since they have done no wrong. Once born, "original sin" flies in, and for most Christian sects, baptism is done as soon as possible to clear the baby's "sin slate." After that, good behavior and salvation are up to the individual.
More specifically, once a baby is born, it's the moral and financial responsibility of its parents - that is, the mother. At birth, they basically wash their hands of any further concern.
And in this case, fully grown adults like Iranians who may have a different faith, may be in opposition to the US, or whatever, are thought of as having intelligently chosen their adversarial path and are thus fair game.
"Gingrich should apologize"? You're not understanding Republican tactics. Gingrich - among others - attacks the President for offering an apology for the insensitive, bone-headed actions of some of the American troops.
Said actions of troops (and not the President) have inflamed tensions, causing violence and calls for even more violence. Blame it on Obama! Insensitive, inflammatory Republican remarks against Obama's apology, and even against Islam and Muslims causes further violence. Blame it on Obama some more!
The corporate news media won't argue with your assessment, and probably won't even air dissenting views. Who among the American public has an attention span or short term memory long enough to connect the dots? It's enough that Obama apologized, and violence broke out. It's his fault!
And smoke detectors, old clocks and watches with radium dials that you can buy on EBay, gamma sources from construction and oil/gas drilling sites. No need for "fissile uranium" or plute.
Moreover, these days, thanks to the soft bigotry of Bush Junior rhetoric, a "weapon of mass destruction" could be a kleenex that somebody sneezed in.
Your idea has potential, Mr. Fincham, but would probably need to be scaled up for the American election system. Most Americans still don't believe they vote for the party, but for "the individual." Moreover, of the two viable parties in the US, only one maintains intraparty discipline and is thus a known brand.
Still, dramatically limiting broadcast time that's permitted to candidates/parties could reduce the money needed to run, reduce public burn-out with the process, and maybe even reduce the effectiveness of disinformation campaigns.
But what would you prescribe for the web: Facebook, twitter, blogs, Youtube, etc? For that matter, what about the non-broadcast teevie and radio stations? (Cable, satellite, etc.)
I think "ignorant" would be more accurate. But you're right - how are people to be more informed by hearing the uninformed opinions of their fellow citizens?
If I were in a position to be using "polls", they'd be the basis for follow-up educational messaging, and would be part of establishing a reputation as someone who tells the truth.
Frankly, I'd like to see that $3B going to CPB: public radio and teevie, rather than supporting Israeliarrogance and intransigence. Hey, it's only $9.60/head!
Well, Israel supposedly doesn't have the resources to do the job THE WAY THE US WOULD - with massive redundancy, overwhelming overkill, and zero risk of failure.
That doesn't mean they can't - or won't - do it "their way."
"...deserves a stern rebuke from the Obama administration if it is not going to make itself look like a complete set of wusses"
It's either be viewed as a complete wuss or as a raving anti-semite who wants to "kill all the Jews" (a trademark of the reactionary right). There's no in between in American political discourse.
I'm not talking about folks who are "sitting in a tank", I'm talking about folks living on the business end of its cannons. There's a world of difference between the solid metal, from which personnel are largely isolated by walls, paint, etc and the finely-divided metal fragments which result after a shell has been fired and hits something, typically breaking up and generating fragments and aerosols which remain in the local environment indefinitely. In this form, U is much more biologically active.
Like I said, it's a chemical toxin and carcinogen. Moreover, the "slight" radioactivity is not so trivial when you consider that it will be irradiating INSIDE you, over the course of years, after being inhaled, ingested, or whatever. That's when U is used in munitions. The situation when U serves as shielding is totally different.
False. It's both highly toxic in a chemical sense, and a carcinogen, making its use in "conventional" weapons highly problematic. You get enough of the stuff distributed throughout the environment, the way the US did in its attacks upon Iraq, and the health effects are horrific.
The military "likes" it because it's heavier than lead and harder, making it an ideal substance for artillery shells, etc. Plus, they don't have to live there afterwards.
Why should we assume that any attack - or apparent attack - on an Israeli facility would have to have been done by Iranians? Israel has made itself so many enemies throughout the Middle East and even the world that, like "Who shot J.R.?", almost everyone is a suspect.
It will be a sad thing if readers here leave nothing but these few ignorant, churlish comments on the life and death of Whitney Houston. Democracy Now spent most of their hour today (2/13) discussing her life and significance. Those who don't know much about this musical icon and want more information might consider looking there...
"She speaks very clear and gramatically correct Emglish with a Chinese accent."
Come on! "Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good." Is this what you consider good English? Maybe it's good "Emglish" and uses a different "gramer" than I'm accustomed to...
Exactly, DSmith. The US will make decisions based on Israeli spin and propaganda. Congress will be pressured by the AIPAC lobby and by spun-up angry citizens who don't realize how clueless and manipulated they are.
Although it's likely that the White House has good info and intelligence available, the PR onslaught may prevent them from taking actions that make sense in the reality-based community.
Israel is the bull in the mid-east china shop, but the US is the rogue bull elephant. We need now, at the very least, one of the President's thoughtful, evocative, and informative analyses delivered as a major speech.
Okay, so everything we know about Islamic society is wrong. Could you write - or point us to - a followup where we can pick up some actual good information? Thanks!
Mr James makes a good argument. At this point, it's difficult to think of Israel as an "ally".
The Arab Spring is shaking up the situation in the middle east and the US needs to realign its alliances and try to make new friends. In spite of verbal frictions over the years, Iran has arguably been less hostile to the United States than "its closest ally." Dr Cole has, I recall, argued that Iran would be a better partner to the US.
I hope the administration is going for it. If normalization with Iran comes through, the Congress will - eventually - come along. When President Obama enters his second term, with nothing left to lose, we could see some major changes in our relationship with The Zionist State.
"We have a safety net there. If it needs a repair , I’ll fix it."
Everyone is obsessing about "I don't care about the poor." It surprises me that there's no significant pushback from the rightwing on "if the safety net needs a repair, I'll fix it." The social safety net is, as several other commenters have noted, anathema to the current Republican philosophy. Let them starve or bleed to death in the streets! That'll teach them to work harder!
(Frankly, socialism is looking better and better...)
Scott Ritter.
All that a nuclear reactor does is boil water to turn a turbine that makes electricity. You can boil water with an array of mirrors.
More On the Trigger-Happy Cold War Days...
Remember how we now all laugh at "duck & cover"? As in, when you see the flash, duck and cover"? How futile! How crazy! How pointless! is the general assessment these days.
But. Most of the flying glass injuries, which resulted in hospitalizations and even deaths, came when people saw the flash - and ran to the windows for a closer look.
"detect and destroy"
Might it not be easier and cost-effective to simply divert them into safer orbits? If you "blow up" a big rock, a fair quantity of its fragments can be expected to continue on the same general trajectory into the earth.
Frankly, we're lucky this didn't happen during the nuke-happy 1950s or 1960s. It might have triggered an all-out nuclear exchange between US and USSR. As it was, I suspect there was substantial communication on the "red telephone" yesterday morning between Mr. Putin & Mr. Obama.
Man, it was like being there! Good job, SNL.
This is an excellent dissection of the "murder all the suspects" doctrine, Dr. Cole!
At this point, perhaps the best hope is the near-certainty that our reactionary-right Supreme Court will be happy to slap down a Democratic president. Good thing the issue didn't come up while Bush the Lesser was still in power.
Whether you're burning coal, natural gas, or a petroleum derivative, you are bringing up ancient carbon that has been isolated from the biosphere for millions of years and injecting it into the atmosphere.
Methane may lack the mercury of coal, may produce less ash, etc - but it still puts new carbon into the air, burned or in its natural form. It IS - and its combustion GENERATES - greenhouse gases.
We can generated methane from renewables, and in this way have a convenient transportable "fuel." This would just recycle carbon that's already part of our biosphere. But "producing" methane from underground adds new carbon, and needs to be stopped. Period.
Guns permit and enhance action that's faster than the speed of thought.
Like that kid JHARP mentions - big argument, hot tempers, a shotgun is within reach - BOOM. (Whaddaya think of THAT, Mom?) There are fewer suicides using methods that require more time and planning, and take longer to act, than just grabbing the convenient, EZ-to-reach, not to mention LOADED, firearm.
Ditto for other conditions of impaired judgement: drunkenness, anger, fear, jealousy - the Quick&E-Z gun solution beats out considered thought, maturity, and working through the consequences of taking this particular lethal action. Just draw and squeeze. Repeat until problem is solved, just like in the movies. (That's why those big magazines and semi-automatic fire are so desired...)
While the big killings get the most news, there are plenty of onesie and twosie shootings going on CONSTANTLY. Most appear to be the result of impaired judgement plus guns. These people aren't wackos. They're not alkies or druggies. Just regular folks having a bad day - and with the aid of Mr. Berretta or Mr. Smith&Wesson or whatever, making it indescribably worse.
Supposedly, Lincoln corresponded with Karl Marx for many years.
The NRA should be really lamenting the loss of Charlton Heston. With his imperial bearing, resonant voice, good looks and (perhaps hammy over-)acting skills, he could render drivel like LaPierre's speech into something that sounded patriotic, sensible, even heroic.
LaPierre just comes off as an out-of-touch ferret, a self-serving weasel. It took the NRA a full week to prepare THIS?! Wow.
Once again, thank G-d for Petraeus's runaway dick! We are lucky to be shut of him.
The US doesn't have a "free" press - it's a "for-profit" press.
I heard the newsreader say this morning on NPR that Secty Clinton would not meet with Hamas, because the US Congress had made it "illegal" to do so.
"There is no higher honor or greater responsibility than leading young Americans in combat."
Oh, really? Leading people to kill other people is absolutely the best thing any human being can ever possibly aspire to do? Seriously? Killing is superior to educating? A better thing than saving lives as a medical professional? Battle is morally superior to discussion, negotiation, mutual understanding in order to avoid battle?
I'm with JR786 - this little screed is silly histrionics, and I'm glad so many other commenters are rejecting it. The frightening part, however, is that this attitude is pretty much American orthodoxy. The "young Americans" whose occupation is killing are "the best of us", the self-styled "warriors" - even if all they do is sit in cushy chairs, manning a joystick, while raining down high tech death on less technologically-gifted folks in far, far distant lands.
Admittedly, combat has its dangers. But it's not unique. There are police officers and fire fighters whose jobs are similarly dangerous, but have less legal ability to strike back. Other workers - like miners and meat packers - endure unnecessarily hazardous jobs, and get no respect, much less adulation. The US needs to back away from its cult of "the Warrior" and belief that every problem should be solved with greater firepower.
The US media loves this far-ranging expansion of the Petraeus sex scandal because, frankly, that's about all they're competent to cover anymore. Even the once "simple" horse-race coverage of the Presidential election was beyond political reporters this cycle, because it involved - gasp!!! - STATISTICS.
In contrast, the old familiar "who emailed who", which can be told in "he said/she said" format (the only way allowed in these fair&balanced times) is perfect for Prime Time and has the added advantage of boosting sales.
And meanwhile, as Dr Cole observes, Afghanistan burns.
According to an article in this morning's Abq Journal (and undoubtedly elsewhere), a woman complained about getting harassing emails from Paula Broadwell, co-author of the Petraeus hagiography. In investigating Broadwell's emails, the FBI found the incriminating emails to Petraeus, which triggered further investigation.
We may consider ourselves lucky, if this takes The General off his planned presidential/political career track...
How much would Petraeus have paid to keep his wife from finding out about his sexual affair with the woman who was "researching" a hagiography of him? What information might he have passed to blackmailers, if that was the only way to keep them quiet? How many blackmailers could there be?
If, like Europe, folks in the United States accepted the idea that all men will have mistresses and assorted short-term lovers, and American women were good with that, there would be no security risk. Back in the day when I had a clearance, homosexuality was a big no-no. Not because there was anything wrong with that, they always hastened to add, but because of the risk of blackmail upon threat of disclosure. Now, nobody cares if you're gay, lesbian, or any of the modern innovations, and that's probably a good thing.
But the US has not yet embraced "infidelity" as Europe has. Maybe it has something to do with our lack of a social safety net. At the moment, it is what it is: a dirty secret that many men would go to great lengths to keep hidden from certain people. So it's a security risk.
You left out "Normalize relations with Israel; recognize the 1967 Palestinian territories as a separate nation." PM Netanyahoo tried to break into the election news cycle at least twice in the week prior to 11/6. For the safety of everyone in the Middle East, he needs to be discredited.
I agree with your #11, Mr. Utter. However, we've had #11 under President Obama, at least according to the Republicans, and we'll continue to get it when Mr. Obama wins re-election.
There is something seriously wrong when one political persuasion refuses, on principal, to recognize democratically-elected officials when they are from the other party. I've been saying this since the Reagan years: there is something inherently anti-democratic (and anti-republic) about any candidate who runs on the premise that "government is the problem."
Re: Obama keeping his finger off the trigger
This weekend, there was an article in the Albuquerque Journal "U.S. Eases rules on medicine sales to Iran" by Paul Richter of the "Tribune Washington Bureau":
No link, since the ABQ journal is behind a paywall, and the article appears sourced elsewhere anyway. My take is that Obama is serious about not getting involved in an Iraq war. This may just be wishful thinking on my part, but I see no reason to cast my vote for Mitt Romney out of some kind of "I didn't get the pony!" disappointment with the President...
Whatever happened to "If you don't play the game, you don't get to write the rules"?
You know, even if climate change were NOT caused by human activity, or there wasn't sufficient "proof", if we were able to do something to mitigate or halt it, we would do it.
When a hurricane approaches, people don't just continue about their daily business, saying Well, if Gawd wills the hurricane to kill me, it will or There's no PROOF that hurricanes are caused by human activity, so I guess there's just nothing we can or should do about it.
NO! Folks batten down their homes, board up the windows, sock in food and bottled water, or flee if they can. And in between hurricanes, they have their local governments build seawalls, dikes, plan and designate evacuation routes, change the building codes, zone to restrict construction in hurricane zones, etc.
Folks in the reality-based community need to start the message going that IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT'S CAUSING IT - IF WE CAN DEAL WITH IT, WE NEED TO - NOW. And make the "natural disaster" analogy. Whether it's hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, flooding, snowstorms - whatever. We don't ignore these events because hey, it's not OUR fault.
And politicians making that claim need to be corrected, mocked, and driven from office.
It was great to hear that old classic again. I remember it well. Today, it has even more meaning than it did in 1964 - 48 years ago, and Republicans want to take the country back, full speed ahead, and just keep going into the past. Restore the patriarchy, get back to empire building, and institute a theocracy. Make everyone a peasant but the top .0001%.
President Obama hit it out of the ballpark when he observed that Gov Romney has the foreign policy of the 1980s, the social policies of the 1950s and the economic policies of the 1920s. Tragically, it appears that half of the American electorate likes this just fine.
Thanks, Dr. Cole! Unfortunately, the debate's outcome will be judged by the talking heads of the media, who only see the "stage presence" part. Who spoke with the most certainty, whose body language conveyed the most aggressiveness, whose makeup girl did the best job - and what about that hair, those ties? Who had the self assurance to interrupt the most? Who was the rudest to the moderator? Which one was most successful in hijacking the conversation?
This is what will be conveyed, nonstop, day after day on all the stations. Even folks who actually watched or listened to the debate will be influenced. After all, these are the experts! Maybe I shouldn't trust my lyin' eyes and ears!
And ultimately, only the "wonks" care about facts and history. Not real Amurkinz. It's unmanly and effeminate to actually know anything in today's U.S.A.
Thanks for this insight into the Republican mind, Mr. Goulka!
Also, your solution: this would be where Republicans would roll their eyes and declaim But WE'RE BROKE! Sure, it would be nice to staff DMV offices, etc - but WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY! And they will do everything within their power to make sure money is not available, by pushing the nation and various states into deficits by mismatching revenue to expenditures. It's a perfect strategy!
Who will expose the scam?!?
Political opportunism and exploiting even the most personal tragedies has been a GOP staple in recent decades. However, it's also been rare for commentators to point this out, let alone emphasize the hypocrisy, inconsistencies, and overall distastefulness of this kind of attack.
We are all able to get the word out to our friends, relatives, f*book friends, etc. If the "lamestream media" (thanks, Gov Palin!) won't do it, whispering campaigns have always been extraordinarily effective. The GOP is big on those, too...
Netanyahu warms that the Moslems believe "a medieval holy man will appear" in the wake of "a devastating holy war"? Funny, I thought he was talking about his fundamentalist Christianist backers in the US. Sounds like something out of the book of Revelations.
There are apparently more people rooting for Armageddon than not...
Accepting the possibility of a married Jesus would undercut the misogyny that Christian fundamentalists appear to embrace.
Incomparable damage has been done through the apparently logical progression from "celibacy is best" to "women encourage sinfulness" to "women represent evil and temptation" and ultimately "the evil sexuality of women must be controlled and contained". It has led to cutting off half of humanity from full participation in society, and discounting its insights and point of view.
These days, nothing says "third world" like discrimination against women. Unfortunately, many in the US still long for that dystopic past.
AK43, will you try to help your surrounding neighbors move more quickly to democracy by working to change your own right wing, war mongering, provocative government and obtain justice for the folks living in Palestine? Eliminating that big ulcer of injustice in the Middle East would do a lot to help control anger and unrest.
Personally, I had not thought there even was a "left wing" in Israel anymore. I urge y'all to SPEAK UP.
"It’s cheap, easy, incredibly fun to do"
Scarlet, not meaning to be overly harsh, but you'll think "cheap, easy, incredibly fun" when you are caught at defacing public property or someone tracks the vandalism back to you. And don't even imagine that everyone will agree that it's "just like putting up an American flag"!
On the other hand, civil disobedience rests on the willingness of the "perpetrators" to go to jail, and their strength in numbers getting the attention and sympathy of the public at large. So you'll have that going for you.
Personally, if any popularity poll-based democracy is to be phased in, I'd really like to see the education system beefed up and the whole news/journalism mess reformed.
Uninformed idiots will not make good decisions - just look at what the Republican Party has done to itself.
It's all part of the Big Lie, of course. But what really worried me, as I listened to Democrat after Democrat (and the occasional Republican) speak on demconvention.com (no ads! no talking heads!) was People are going to wonder, why is this the first time we've heard any of this?
No kidding - the Obama administration and its surrogates and fellow Dems have been disturbingly modest and reticent for the last 4 years. Sometimes they had good reason to be - but they even ended up underplaying the "big [frackin'] deal!" of the ACA.
So, the few Americans watching the convention, or snippets of it, will wonder where all these claims are coming from. It's like nothing they've ever heard in the media prior to this point. Who are the Democrats trying to kid?
Whereas, all the death panels - hate Obama - birth certificate - failure failure failure DEFICIT!!! that came out of the Republican Convention merely reprises four years of the daily news. So who ya gonna believe?
"Assassinating suspects with drones" is NOT a Klingon act. Even less so when the drones are operated by people many thousands of miles away. A Klingon prefers to kill up close and personal.
Maybe "Romulan" would be a better description for President Obama. Romulans are closely related genetically to Vulcans, but passionate and militaristic, and sharing the Vulcan analytical abilities and competence.
Okay, now I'm ready to see Martians swoop down to save the people of Deraa...
Some have wondered why Clint Eastwood gave up his mythical, mysterious image to pander to the tea-baggers.
I theorize that he was hoping for a Chick-fil-a bounce. After all, he's got a new movie that's just hitting the theaters. If every Repub in the country goes at least once, that's a nice piece of change - a real fist full of dollars.
But apparently, he bewildered and turned off even his fellow wingnutters. Oh well - that's the Creative Destruction part of capitalism.
According to the Daily Kos, at least 25 journalists have commented on Ryan's falsehoods - including the Washington Post and Fox News. (!!)
A pertinent question that reporters might pose to Romney and Ryan: If 'extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice,' as Barry Goldwater famously observed, what about lying? Deliberate misrepresentation of facts, dishonest slants, calculated omissions, outright fabrications? What is your opinion on lying, and will your campaign continue to engage in it? If so, how do you square this with Christian teachings and ethics?
Thanks for the updated list, Dr Cole! Could you throw in a link to your earlier list?
"Self determination works best and Founders understood that."
Yes, and that's why "The Founders" rejected all the financial and military assistance from France, Poland, etc. during the US revolutionary war against England. Lafayette? Never heard of him!
It's interesting how many of the whistle-blowers appear to be women. Same thing happened with the events leading up to the big financial/real estate collapse of 2008.
The boys in power might want to re-think their practice of keeping women out of the inner circles, treating them as outsiders. If these women had not been excluded, they might act to protect the group, rather than expose it.
"government spending ... that one issue is all they know."
I would argue that the tea baggers don't even know that issue. Those I have spoken with believe that the Ryan budget is a great idea, and reject the fact that it just doesn't add up, and will produce a $4T increase in the national debt. They talk as if "government spending" is the worst kind of eee-vil and something to abolish. They want a return to the gold standard, fer Gawd's sake!
At one point, it might have made sense to say that this one issue is all they CARE about - but now, they're into banning contraception (abortion, natch), repealing the Affordable Care Act ("Obama-Care"), restricting voting rights, and having US Senators appointed by the state legislatures.
So some of the old Party fossils in Florida are flabbergasted by the direction "their" party is taking under the 'baggers? Looking across from the librul side, it's been heading in that direction for a L O N G time.
We can enjoy the irony, but a key "plank" in the Republican Party's platform is that global warming is a hoax. So their official response to Hurricane Isaac, etc will be that (1) this is hurricane season (duh!), and (2) the hurricane was clearly Gawd's will.
Then meteorologists and climate scientists will further rush to the Party's defense, emphasizing that no one weather event can be directly tied to climate change. So another potential teaching moment is lost.
"having to raise the child of his wife’s rapist"
Go ahead and try it. The answer will be along the lines of "My wife would NEVER be raped. It just cannot happen. It's impossible."
Maybe it's lack of empathy, maybe it's simply a lack of imagination. Maybe it's an arrogant assumption that things like that can NEVER happen to people like them. At any rate, I've heard this question/response many times...
Fifty years later and Ms Steinem is STILL a visionary!
hadenough2010, you find it sad that the 99% let the 1% rule them it was always thus only 1 out of 100 will make the effort 2 do much beyond mere survival & a little entertainment (teevie/netflickers, the true opiate of the masses!) & worse the remaining 99 wont stand up 4 themselves as if they/we dont know we outnumber them.
what if they the 1% held a war & nobody showed up
Excellent points, Mary!
Add to the cost of water the cost of contaminating groundwater and aquifers, which can make their water unavailable to the population and to agriculture.
Add to carbon emissions the amount of gas that just leaks out of the ground and is lost, as a result of fracking. Methane is a major greenhouse gas. Even before you burn the stuff, you don't want it getting into the atmosphere.
Why have environmentalists (such as ourselves) been so bad at combatting misinformation from BigCarbon?!
John O'D, you are the clear winner!
Thanks for reminding us of this event, Mark!
The Philadelphia MOVE bombing needs to be brought up - by readers, if not the reporters themselves - every time a story about successful drone strikes is published/aired. People need to be reminded of what happens on the ground to the many innocents who were too near the target, the damage to homes and infrastructure, and reminded of the hatred and resentment that result.
"Hearts & minds", eh? All that our automated, remote, hi-tech drone weaponry is getting the United States is another generation or two of sworn enemies. Is the "savings" worth it? How about the rare "hit"?
We could have used this for your site for the last 24 or so hours. After reading the bold and apparently not permissible thoughts you posted on possible Israeli nuclear blackmail, when I checked back for updates, all your posted articles had been rolled back to June 18. It was that way through most of today, until the last few hours.
I'm glad you're back, WITH the "451 error" posts restored and everything else.
Ariel Sharon was prime minister until his stroke in 2006. Deputy PM Ehud Olmert took over in the interim; Netanyahu was selected as prime minister in 2009.
No, they aren't interchangeable...
When the old Irish Republican Army began using the tactic of setting up unattended bombs which would explode, and be followed minutes later by a bigger bomb to get the first responders who rushed to the aid of the victims, the world was appalled.
This is worse: interactively-guided and human-targeted bombing of individuals who come to the aid of the first set of victims. Sending in the robot vehicles to shoot up the mourners at the funerals is honestly beyond belief.
The people who are doing this now are Democrats, therefore they are subject to the laws (unlike the previous administration). Don't worry - they will be punished.
I've had four eye surgeries. There was NEVER any blood.
Joe, I agree - Code Pink is PETA for a different cause.
On the other hand, I haven't heard of other US organizations (or even disorganized mobs) that are taking on the Drone Issue. I'm not denying there are such groups - I just don't hear about them on the morning news.
Lib/progs need to find the sweet spot between "feckless tantrum" and "reasoned argument": something the media will cover, but in a serious and productive way. Personally, I like the "Billionaires for Bush" model.
But does the highly expensive fracking process really produce "cheap" natural gas? Moreover, wait until the lawsuits come flooding in from communities whose groundwater has been poisoned, people blown up in their showers and kitchens, etc. The fracking process contains the seeds of its own demise.
Unnatural Gas
If a plant can run on natural gas, it shouldn't be difficult to phase it over to methane produced by renewable means. Chemically, they're pretty much the same and their combustion produces the same greenhouse gas pollution, BUT! One introduces "new" carbon into the biosphere that has been sequestered deep beneath the surface for millions of years; the other just recycles carbon that's already in the biosphere.
So, switching electrical plants over to natural gas can become a positive change - particularly if it gets coal-fired plants offline at last.
So, you're suggesting it was the hair that prompted Romney to constantly call out "Attagirl!" whenever the victim spoke up in class?
I remember the over-the-top reaction to long hair on non-females back then. These days, the reaction seems totally bizarre and inexplicable. For what it's worth, at the time, I thought that adults' take on hair was weird, and that "crew cuts" were unattractive.
I agree with the other writers that Romney should have apologized, condemned his teenage self as having been a teenager - and moved on.
If it isn't publicized, it never happened.
Suppose many of us participate in the fast? How would the media be alerted that this is a Big Story?
"One's own religion" - well, why not? The "payload" of any religion is the code of ethics. All the rest - the trappings of dogma, ritual, holidays, 'holy' writings, the sense of being 'special' which religions use to artificially distinguish one from the other - are really just the sugar coat around the pill of the code of conduct. Prayer, at best, consists of you talking to your Better Self.
So, why restrict yourself to the "brands" already out there, even cafeteria style, when you can knit your own? Then you will never outgrow it, or suffer a loss of faith.
"The President's party are overjoyed"?!?
I have not found one Democrat who has expressed anything other than disapproval for the administration's policies of continuing the occupation, using the assassin drones, eavesdropping, and the whole nine yards. "Overjoyed"? Nobody is overjoyed, as far as I'm able to see - not even the Republicans, who are just angry that it's not them who are doing these things.
Impeach President Obama? Seriously?
Frankly, I'd prefer bringing Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield et al to justice. Of course, it's always easier to attack and savage a Democrat - the Republicans are by definition on board and you can even get most Democrats to join in.
That isn't where you're coming from, is it, Mr. Somebody?
Thanks, Dr. Cole - I really enjoyed this.
60 Minutes has done programs in the past on Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. Of course, the pushback from The Lobby is quick, intense, and vicious, judging by some of the letters they read afterwards.
But 60 Minutes has continued to cover the issue over the years, at least every now and then.
Re: Cheap Natural Gas
I read in yesterday's Albuquerque Journal that Israel was 4 months behind on its natural gas payments to Egypt, and that, too, was a major factor in cutting them off.
Given the high incidence of rape and other sexual abuse of women in the US military, the fantasy of male comrades risking the mission to protect the women looks pretty ridiculous.
I'm having a hard time squaring the British ruling class's knowledge and appreciation of Persian culture with their politics and business practices in Iran throughout the early 20th century.
It's not just "freedom" that today's Republican Party is promoting - it's also freeloading. Don't buy insurance if you feel it crimps your "freedom" - if you need medical help, check yourself into the ER on someone else's dime.
Good observation, Mr Attwood!
Clothing has been used as an excuse for committing crimes for centuries, particularly as regards violence against women. This said, it doesn't make it right.
Thanks for the great pictures of nuns, monks, and wise men! It being the Easter Season, this would be a good time to remind certain people that the dress they're condemning is the same as they or their icons are wearing in church.
Actually, maybe Romney really doesn't want to become President. I've been wondering about his faithful gaffe machine, which seems to kick in just about every time he scores a victory or moves up in the polls. The Etch-a-Sketch revelation is only among the most recent; remember "I like firing people" and "Corporations are people, my friend" and his NASCAR-owner buddies, and his wife's couple of Caddys, and "some nice home-cooked Chicken Marsala", and the "cheesy grits" - etc. I've lost track of them all.
Maybe Romney subconsciously realizes he isn't fit to be President?
Well, remember how earlier in the campaign, when caught dishonestly putting the words of a McCain campaign advisor from back in 2008 into President Obama's mouth apparently coming from 2011, Romney's spokesperson insisted that this was a perfectly legitimate tactic, as the goal was to win?
The sad part is, he's right about the Etch-a-Sketch. People's inattention and forgetfulness is enhanced by the lamestream media's refusal to include meaningful back story or history when it really is called for.
But is the "Occupied West Bank" really part of Israel? And, if it IS part of Israel and the Israeli government can enforce zoning regulations, then the folks living there must be Israelis (albeit of Arab descent and Christian or Moslem faith). And thus, being Israelis, they ought to have rights and be able to vote.
Otherwise, Israel has no right to decide when permits are required.
The Palestinians' time will come. Eventually, after the Palestinian people achieve some sort of justice, their suffering at the hands of Israelis can be catapulted into a moral force and lobby. Then they, too could find themselves exempt from the rules that other nations are governed by, like the NPT.
I apologize if I've inadvertently triggered "Godwin's Law."
I can't blame him. A few years ago, I was in Toronto and it was shortly after George Bush (the Lesser) and Bill Clinton had come to speak at the convention center down town. There was a big pile of shoes that people had thrown at Bush...
"war as a standing industry with lobbies and paid-for TV spokesmen, purveyed by all the US news networks"
Maybe it's time to bring back the old "Merchants of Death" appellation? The "new media" would have to lead the charge, because the current broadcast/cable media is an integral part of the new "MoD Squad".
I'm concerned by the timing of this latest news, that the alleged murderer had "brain damage" and "PTSD". Maybe - but it could also be viewed as a cynical way to buy him sympathy - and immunity from prosecution.
Also, it really sounds as if this entire Lewis-McChord base needs to be shut down and investigated, and its alumni immediately withdrawn from Afghanistan. The rest of the US forces can follow, in my opinion.
"Collateral damage"? That is SO 1970s. These days, they call it "bugsplat." Seriously.
Is it standard US military procedure now to hold small children at gunpoint?
Some more current stats, Melissa: the 2010 Census gives NM's breakdown as
Anglo 40.5
Hispanic 46.3
Native American 8.5
African American 1.7
Asian 1.3
Other 1.8
In New Mexico, Hispanics make up a significant part of the government - and are, in fact, the primary ethnic group!
I think that ambiguity is one of the key principles of diplomacy. By leaving interpretations open, you reduce the likelihood of "being backed into a corner." For this reason, I suspect that your pessimistic assertion about Iran is very unlikely.
Yes, the President did not say “No, the USA will not go to war to support an Israeli assault on Iran.” He also refused to be drawn into the trap of clearly defining the exact conditions - if any - which would cause the US to take military action on behalf of Israel.
This leaves the Israelis on the hook, not having what amounts to a clear cut "contract" from the US, and it leaves the Iranians to contemplate the possibility of the United States getting involved. Brakes on Israel, the stick to Iran. I don't understand your complaints.
I'm beginning to think that these poems prescribe alcohol as the cure for all ills...
DARPA, eh? So we'll soon be seeing galloping legged kill vehicles, controlled by folks back in the US, chasing down and blasting suspects with little machine guns?
Limbaugh Lets the Cat Out of the Bag
You just have to laugh. For the last couple of weeks, the reactionary right has seized upon the "no-copay" contraceptive requirement for medical insurance policies to spin it as an assault upon the "religious freedom" of employers. Anyone trying to bring up the health of women, or reasons why contraception is critical was shouted down as irreligious. But we all knew that the whole thing was just a coverup for depriving women of an essential medical preventive product, and restricting THEIR freedom.
So old gasbag Limbaugh gets on his show to weigh in - and gives away the whole show. Not one word about "religion" - no, it's sluts and pay for sex and let's see the videos, girlie (smirk, snort). Not to mention inferring that any woman who goes to college is by definition a slut. (This one-ups even Santorum, who only asserts that college graduates are "snobs.")
But the whole "religious freedom" argument has been blown. It's over. The ugly, misogynistic face of the 21st century right wing is on public display. No sex for YOU, girlie! or for you, wifey. Moreover, none of the Republican office holders or other elite dare to come down on Limbaugh with both feet, as they should. They'll all go down with him.
It's bizarre to say it, but THANK YOU, RUSH!
"Cast Lead" was in late 2008, over 3 years ago. Was your poll taken at the beginning of the Cast Lead war, or at the end, or recently as a retrospective?
Bonus question: can opinions change over time?
Thanks for the Stockman/Reich link, DSmith! Looks like Stockman will be "going to the woodshed" again.
Liberals (like myself) typically find fault with those who oppose abortion while calling for killings of adults. We assume that logical consistency requires that a fetus (or embryo) is considered the same as a fully-born individual.
But that's obviously nonsense. Liberals make a distinction between the "pre-born" and those of us who are live and walking around; why shouldn't the anti-choicers?
The Christian rightwing orthodoxy is that the unborn is innocent of any sin. Thus, they require special protection, since they have done no wrong. Once born, "original sin" flies in, and for most Christian sects, baptism is done as soon as possible to clear the baby's "sin slate." After that, good behavior and salvation are up to the individual.
More specifically, once a baby is born, it's the moral and financial responsibility of its parents - that is, the mother. At birth, they basically wash their hands of any further concern.
And in this case, fully grown adults like Iranians who may have a different faith, may be in opposition to the US, or whatever, are thought of as having intelligently chosen their adversarial path and are thus fair game.
"Gingrich should apologize"? You're not understanding Republican tactics. Gingrich - among others - attacks the President for offering an apology for the insensitive, bone-headed actions of some of the American troops.
Said actions of troops (and not the President) have inflamed tensions, causing violence and calls for even more violence. Blame it on Obama! Insensitive, inflammatory Republican remarks against Obama's apology, and even against Islam and Muslims causes further violence. Blame it on Obama some more!
The corporate news media won't argue with your assessment, and probably won't even air dissenting views. Who among the American public has an attention span or short term memory long enough to connect the dots? It's enough that Obama apologized, and violence broke out. It's his fault!
This is why I listen to the BBC and NHK... 🙁
"... from hospitals and universities..."
And smoke detectors, old clocks and watches with radium dials that you can buy on EBay, gamma sources from construction and oil/gas drilling sites. No need for "fissile uranium" or plute.
Moreover, these days, thanks to the soft bigotry of Bush Junior rhetoric, a "weapon of mass destruction" could be a kleenex that somebody sneezed in.
"Defense industry at risk from slow demand"
Maybe they ought to start looking to convert to the lucrative "plowshare" market...
Your idea has potential, Mr. Fincham, but would probably need to be scaled up for the American election system. Most Americans still don't believe they vote for the party, but for "the individual." Moreover, of the two viable parties in the US, only one maintains intraparty discipline and is thus a known brand.
Still, dramatically limiting broadcast time that's permitted to candidates/parties could reduce the money needed to run, reduce public burn-out with the process, and maybe even reduce the effectiveness of disinformation campaigns.
But what would you prescribe for the web: Facebook, twitter, blogs, Youtube, etc? For that matter, what about the non-broadcast teevie and radio stations? (Cable, satellite, etc.)
"most people are dumb"
I think "ignorant" would be more accurate. But you're right - how are people to be more informed by hearing the uninformed opinions of their fellow citizens?
If I were in a position to be using "polls", they'd be the basis for follow-up educational messaging, and would be part of establishing a reputation as someone who tells the truth.
Frankly, I'd like to see that $3B going to CPB: public radio and teevie, rather than supporting Israeliarrogance and intransigence. Hey, it's only $9.60/head!
Well, Israel supposedly doesn't have the resources to do the job THE WAY THE US WOULD - with massive redundancy, overwhelming overkill, and zero risk of failure.
That doesn't mean they can't - or won't - do it "their way."
"...deserves a stern rebuke from the Obama administration if it is not going to make itself look like a complete set of wusses"
It's either be viewed as a complete wuss or as a raving anti-semite who wants to "kill all the Jews" (a trademark of the reactionary right). There's no in between in American political discourse.
More's the pity.
I'm not talking about folks who are "sitting in a tank", I'm talking about folks living on the business end of its cannons. There's a world of difference between the solid metal, from which personnel are largely isolated by walls, paint, etc and the finely-divided metal fragments which result after a shell has been fired and hits something, typically breaking up and generating fragments and aerosols which remain in the local environment indefinitely. In this form, U is much more biologically active.
Like I said, it's a chemical toxin and carcinogen. Moreover, the "slight" radioactivity is not so trivial when you consider that it will be irradiating INSIDE you, over the course of years, after being inhaled, ingested, or whatever. That's when U is used in munitions. The situation when U serves as shielding is totally different.
"Depleted uranium is completely harmless"
False. It's both highly toxic in a chemical sense, and a carcinogen, making its use in "conventional" weapons highly problematic. You get enough of the stuff distributed throughout the environment, the way the US did in its attacks upon Iraq, and the health effects are horrific.
The military "likes" it because it's heavier than lead and harder, making it an ideal substance for artillery shells, etc. Plus, they don't have to live there afterwards.
Why should we assume that any attack - or apparent attack - on an Israeli facility would have to have been done by Iranians? Israel has made itself so many enemies throughout the Middle East and even the world that, like "Who shot J.R.?", almost everyone is a suspect.
It will be a sad thing if readers here leave nothing but these few ignorant, churlish comments on the life and death of Whitney Houston. Democracy Now spent most of their hour today (2/13) discussing her life and significance. Those who don't know much about this musical icon and want more information might consider looking there...
"She speaks very clear and gramatically correct Emglish with a Chinese accent."
Come on! "Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good." Is this what you consider good English? Maybe it's good "Emglish" and uses a different "gramer" than I'm accustomed to...
Exactly, DSmith. The US will make decisions based on Israeli spin and propaganda. Congress will be pressured by the AIPAC lobby and by spun-up angry citizens who don't realize how clueless and manipulated they are.
Although it's likely that the White House has good info and intelligence available, the PR onslaught may prevent them from taking actions that make sense in the reality-based community.
Israel is the bull in the mid-east china shop, but the US is the rogue bull elephant. We need now, at the very least, one of the President's thoughtful, evocative, and informative analyses delivered as a major speech.
Okay, so everything we know about Islamic society is wrong. Could you write - or point us to - a followup where we can pick up some actual good information? Thanks!
I was just happy not to have North/South America shoved in my face again. Africa is magnificent - now, let's look at Asia next time!
Mr James makes a good argument. At this point, it's difficult to think of Israel as an "ally".
The Arab Spring is shaking up the situation in the middle east and the US needs to realign its alliances and try to make new friends. In spite of verbal frictions over the years, Iran has arguably been less hostile to the United States than "its closest ally." Dr Cole has, I recall, argued that Iran would be a better partner to the US.
I hope the administration is going for it. If normalization with Iran comes through, the Congress will - eventually - come along. When President Obama enters his second term, with nothing left to lose, we could see some major changes in our relationship with The Zionist State.
"We have a safety net there. If it needs a repair , I’ll fix it."
Everyone is obsessing about "I don't care about the poor." It surprises me that there's no significant pushback from the rightwing on "if the safety net needs a repair, I'll fix it." The social safety net is, as several other commenters have noted, anathema to the current Republican philosophy. Let them starve or bleed to death in the streets! That'll teach them to work harder!
(Frankly, socialism is looking better and better...)