North Korea says it conducted its third nuclear bomb test.
Three people, including the gunman, died in a shooting in Delaware.
Syrian rebels seized a dam in a strategic victory.
Ex-cop charged with murder; still on the run.
Medal of Honor soldier honored at a White House ceremony.
Former Florida GOP chair Jim Greer plead guilty to theft and money-laundering.
Gas station bombing in Syria.
Two cops were shot in a New York subway gun battle.
Students in Newtown return to a new school.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to leave post by the end of the month.
Hugo Chavez is fighting a severe lung infection.
August 27 will become Raoul Wallenberg Day in Sweden to honor the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews during World War II.
I think I’ve run this clip before, but it’s been going viral again, so why not?
It’s Irish President Michael D. Higgins going off on the Tea Party in a May 2010 interview with American talk-show host Michael Graham.
HT to JMG.
I think I’ve run this clip before, but it’s been going viral again, so why not?
It’s Irish President Michael D. Higgins going off on the Tea Party in a May 2010 interview with American talk-show host Michael Graham.
HT to JMG.
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) accused Huma Abedin, a member of Hillary Clinton’s staff, of being a Muslim Brotherhood spy or something; who knows what slushes through that swamp of her alleged mind. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) stood up in the Senate and went all Joseph Welch on Ms. Bachmann:
To say that the accusations made in both documents are not substantiated by the evidence they offer is to be overly polite and diplomatic about it. It is far better, and more accurate, to talk straight: These allegations about Huma Abedin, and the report from which they are drawn, are nothing less than an unwarranted and unfounded attack on an honorable citizen, a dedicated American, and a loyal public servant.
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) accused Huma Abedin, a member of Hillary Clinton’s staff, of being a Muslim Brotherhood spy or something; who knows what slushes through that swamp of her alleged mind. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) stood up in the Senate and went all Joseph Welch on Ms. Bachmann:
To say that the accusations made in both documents are not substantiated by the evidence they offer is to be overly polite and diplomatic about it. It is far better, and more accurate, to talk straight: These allegations about Huma Abedin, and the report from which they are drawn, are nothing less than an unwarranted and unfounded attack on an honorable citizen, a dedicated American, and a loyal public servant.
I never thought I’d see this happen:
Last summer, gays in the military dared not admit their sexual orientation. This summer, the Pentagon will salute them, marking June as gay pride month just as it has marked other celebrations honoring racial or ethnic groups.In the latest remarkable sign of change since the military repealed the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, the Defense Department will soon hold its first event to recognize gay and lesbian troops. It comes nine months after repeal of the policy that had banned gay troops from serving openly and forced more than 13,500 service members out of the armed forces.
Details are still being worked out, but officials say Defense Secretary Leon Panetta wants to honor the contributions of gay service members.
Yea!
I never thought I’d see this happen:
Last summer, gays in the military dared not admit their sexual orientation. This summer, the Pentagon will salute them, marking June as gay pride month just as it has marked other celebrations honoring racial or ethnic groups.In the latest remarkable sign of change since the military repealed the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, the Defense Department will soon hold its first event to recognize gay and lesbian troops. It comes nine months after repeal of the policy that had banned gay troops from serving openly and forced more than 13,500 service members out of the armed forces.
Details are still being worked out, but officials say Defense Secretary Leon Panetta wants to honor the contributions of gay service members.
Yea!
When I first started this blog nearly nine years ago, one of the first persons I connected with in Florida political blogging was Kenneth Quinnell. At the time he had a blog called T. Rex’s Guide to Life, and he had a sharp wit and tons of political savvy. Not long after, we met up in person when he ventured down to Miami, and we went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant. It was there that he proposed setting up a community of progressive bloggers to write about Florida politics. His enthusiasm was strong for it, and within a few weeks he had pulled together a good mix of writers from across the state that we eventually dubbed the Florida Progressive Coalition. It was right after the 2004 election campaign, and there was a lot to write about; national and local politics and the inevitable scandals and outrages that are a part of any endeavor where humans, money, and power are involved. Kenneth was in the thick of it, and he also managed to herd us together to sponsor the Florida Netroots Awards to recognize good works among us. (I was nominated several times in several categories but never won… but never expected to.)
As with all ambitious things spread among a lot of people over a vast distance, FPC was a loose collection — often I wanted to get Kenneth a “Head Cat Herder” t-shirt — and as time went on, peoples’ priorities changed. Life moved on, people get married, divorced, changed jobs, lost jobs, added kids, and so forth, and after a couple of election cycles, FPC became a one-person operation with Kenneth as that person for the most part. But he too had other things going on — he’s become an important contributor to Crooks and Liars, writing about labor issues — and it was clear that he had choices to make.
He’s made them. He’s pulling the plug on the FPC blog (which will stay up but inactive) after the 2012 Florida Netroots. He leaves behind a lot of good writing, great wit and insight, and a good feeling that we — but mainly he — did a great job with a tough crowd. My contribution was minimal, but I thank him for highlighting my occasional flashes of brilliance, and I’m sure that whatever we’ve done for good, has been mostly to his credit.
Thank you, KQ.
When I first started this blog nearly nine years ago, one of the first persons I connected with in Florida political blogging was Kenneth Quinnell. At the time he had a blog called T. Rex’s Guide to Life, and he had a sharp wit and tons of political savvy. Not long after, we met up in person when he ventured down to Miami, and we went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant. It was there that he proposed setting up a community of progressive bloggers to write about Florida politics. His enthusiasm was strong for it, and within a few weeks he had pulled together a good mix of writers from across the state that we eventually dubbed the Florida Progressive Coalition. It was right after the 2004 election campaign, and there was a lot to write about; national and local politics and the inevitable scandals and outrages that are a part of any endeavor where humans, money, and power are involved. Kenneth was in the thick of it, and he also managed to herd us together to sponsor the Florida Netroots Awards to recognize good works among us. (I was nominated several times in several categories but never won… but never expected to.)
As with all ambitious things spread among a lot of people over a vast distance, FPC was a loose collection — often I wanted to get Kenneth a “Head Cat Herder” t-shirt — and as time went on, peoples’ priorities changed. Life moved on, people get married, divorced, changed jobs, lost jobs, added kids, and so forth, and after a couple of election cycles, FPC became a one-person operation with Kenneth as that person for the most part. But he too had other things going on — he’s become an important contributor to Crooks and Liars, writing about labor issues — and it was clear that he had choices to make.
He’s made them. He’s pulling the plug on the FPC blog (which will stay up but inactive) after the 2012 Florida Netroots. He leaves behind a lot of good writing, great wit and insight, and a good feeling that we — but mainly he — did a great job with a tough crowd. My contribution was minimal, but I thank him for highlighting my occasional flashes of brilliance, and I’m sure that whatever we’ve done for good, has been mostly to his credit.
Thank you, KQ.
I actually like going to my dentist. He has a small practice in Coral Gables, he is gentle and friendly, and I’m in and out of the chair in twenty minutes. No fancy equipment, no hygenist, and he’s so inexpensive that the dental insurance premiums cost more than my annual bill from him.
It also helps that I have very good genes and my teeth have never given me any trouble. Aside from the usual cavities as a kid and having my wisdom teeth extracted when I was 48, I’ve made it this far with no dental issues at all. But even if I did, I’m glad to have a dentist like Dr. Savedoff taking care of me.
I know I’m a gay man and she’s a lesbian, but I am so totally crushed on Rachel Maddow.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Rachel, you rock.
Congratulations to Steve Benen of the Washington Monthly‘s Political Animal; he’s leaving there for a job as a producer for the Rachel Maddow Show.
Steve and I have exchanged e-mails over the years and shared stories about South Florida; he’s from here. I think he’s one of the best writers and observers of politics out there, and I wish him all the best.
I want to take this time as I do just about every year to say thank you to the people in my life who have made this a good year in a lot of respects, all things considered.
I made it through with my health and sanity relatively unscathed, and I have my immediate family all in good condition and spirits, and we all got through 2011 with few complaints. At our family reunion in Santa Fe in August, I realized how blessed I am to have both of my parents to guide and inspire me, my brothers and sister to remind me of the oneness of family, and extended family to share joy and sorrow with. At my 40th year high school class reunion in September, I renewed friendships with people who had been a part of my life for many years, and in some ways still are. This was a good year for renewal.
I still have a place to work and good people and friends to work with, doing good things for the hundreds of thousands of students and teachers in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The last couple of years have been tough for all of us with cutbacks in the budget and added responsibilities for all of us. But we made it through in good stead and I’m happy and humbled to be a part of the effort. We have had our own shares of testing times — taking on new duties with less money to do it — but we made it through, and so to all of my colleagues and friends, thanks for everything. See you Tuesday.
This past August marked the tenth anniversary of my return to Miami. It hardly seems possible, but this is the longest I’ve stayed in one place since I graduated from high school, surpassing the eight years I lived in Colorado. Of course, helping me feel back at home has been the friendship and companionship of Bob and the Old Professor, who are still enjoying their retirements and the joys of volunteer work. Our regular Friday nights out to dinner and the wonderful meals on occasion are a great part of my life, not to mention the joy that Bob and I get out of using the OP as our straight man, so to speak. Never was there a better role model since George Burns or Margaret Dumont. And without Bob, my enthusiasm for cars and great humor would be sorely diminished.
There also the big wide world of the blogosphere out there that provides endless insight as well as maddening inanity. But it’s all a part of the mix. Bark Bark Woof Woof marked eight years back in November. This year was the most prolific (if not insightful) with over 2,150 posts; some of them even worth reading. I owe so much to so many people who have linked and promoted this little bit of the blogosphere, especially Rick at SFDB, and those who have included me in their effort: Melissa McEwan at Shakesville, Michael at The Reaction, and Kenneth Quinnell at FPC. I have become a lot better at this largely because of them.
And then, of course, there’s you, dear Reader. Believe it or not, I don’t do this just because I love to write. Well, I do love to write, but it would seem to be a hollow effort if I didn’t think there was someone out there to read it and certainly keep me on my toes. You have made this blog a joy to write, and I am always thinking of you when I sit down here in the early morning to look at the world with dry bemusement and try not to bump into the furniture on my way to the coffee maker.
So here we go into 2012. What’s next?
PS: You can get a t-shirt with that cool picture of Mustang Bobby and Sam at the BBWW Shop. Get yours today.
This was a long time coming.
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — President Obama observed the end of the war in Iraq on Wednesday before an audience of those who fought in it, telling a crowd of returning war veterans that the nearly nine years of conflict in Iraq, a war now indelibly imprinted on the national psyche, had come to a close.“As your commander in chief, and on behalf of a grateful nation, I’m proud to finally say these two words,” Mr. Obama told a crowded hangar at this famed North Carolina army base that is home to the 82nd Airborne Division: “Welcome home.”
Calling it a “historic moment,” Mr. Obama, who has over the years of his presidency had his ups and down with his own military leaders, if not the enlisted men and women, infused his remarks with far more accolades for the military than the usual few that he dispenses to local politicians at the beginning of most of his standard speeches.
This time, he thanked the “legendary” 82nd Airborne Division. He thanked senior enlisted leaders. And the Sky Dragons of the 18th Airborne Corps. And the Special Operations Forces. And military families. In fact, the president wrapped himself in all of the storied patriotism and history of the country’s armed forces, congratulating the assembled troops for the job they did in Iraq — a war which he himself never approved.
It is possible to be both a pacifist and still support the troops. They did not ask for the war, but they stood up when sent, regardless of what they thought, and they did it without thinking about what’s in it for them other than serving their country. The soldiers and the staff that supported them deserve all the thanks and support we can give them, including all the healthcare and re-entry assistance available. They did their job as they promised to do and some suffered incalculable losses in both body and mind. We owe them anything they need.
If I don’t say it often enough, it’s not that I don’t think of it. Thank you to all who read this little blog and make your contributions in thought, word, and deed.
If you’re celebrating the holiday, be mindful of the things that you have and can appreciate as gifts from others and the spirit in which they are given. And also be mindful of the gifts you give to others, even if you don’t know it.
Peace.
After I had my take on David Brooks and his vapid dismissal of OWS, I turned to Charlie Pierce. I yield the floor.
He notices that poor people are having fewer babies, which makes him sad. But, things are looking up! People have stopped using their “bank-issued” credit cards as much. (These would be the cards they used so as to support the overstuffed suburban lifestyle that David Brooks so celebrated in his earlier, funnier work.) This means, to Brooks, “Quietly but decisively, Americans are trying to restore the moral norms that undergird our economic system.”Jesus H. Christ in a fking Volvo, no, it doesn’t. It means people are broke. People are broke because the end product of 30 years of economic theorizing and political action that you supported has resulted in a shattered middle-class. People are broke because the Wall Street casino that your politics created and celebrated and enabled finally broke the entire country and took the rest of us down with it. People are broke because you and the rest of your “conservative” pals latched onto a crackpot scheme called supply-side economics, married it to a deregulatory frenzy and free trade, and then pitched it to the Bobos as economic liberty. You got rich. You got important. Now people are not using their credit cards because they can’t afford to buy the overpriced, Chinese-made crap that you once proposed as the new staple of American society. That is not a conscious mass moral choice. You’ve got to be on mushrooms to believe that.
Yeah. What he said.
Last week George F. Will lit into Elizabeth Warren for having the radical idea that rich people didn’t get their money all by themselves. His bow tie practically spun itself into a tizzy as he accused her of being a “collectivist” and all sorts of other rented John Birch Society epithets… all the while conceding that yes, she’s got a point.
This would be a rich field to plow, and E.J. Dionne, one of Mr. Will’s colleagues at the Washington Post, does a magnificent job of it.
There is absolutely nothing in Warren’s statement that implied a “collectivist political agenda.” Will simply ascribes one to her by quoting a book published 53 years ago, “The Affluent Society,” in which the economist John Kenneth Galbraith spoke of how corporate advertising could manipulate consumer preferences.From this, Will concludes that liberals hold a series of terribly elitist beliefs and that by extension, Warren (who is, conveniently, a Harvard professor) does, too. Will’s straw liberal is supposedly committed to “the impossibility, for most people, of self-government”; “subordination of the bovine many to a regulatory government”; and a belief that government “owes minimal deference to people’s preferences.”
Well. On the one hand, this is a tour de force. My colleague has brought out his full rhetorical arsenal to beat back a statement that he grants upfront is so obviously true that it cannot be gainsaid. Will knows danger when he sees it.
Wait, it gets better.
Will, the philosopher, knows whereof Warren speaks because he has advanced arguments of his own that complement hers. In his thoughtful 1983 book “Statecraft as Soulcraft,” Will rightly lamented that America’s sense of community had become “thin gruel” and chided fellow conservatives “caught in the web of their careless anti-government rhetoric.” He is also the author of my favorite aphorism about how Americans admire effective government even when they pretend not to. “Americans talk like Jeffersonians,” Will wrote, “but expect to be governed by Hamiltonians.”
What I think irks Mr. Will the most — and Mr. Dionne enjoys — is that Ms. Warren has managed to make the case for liberalism using Mr. Will’s conservative philosophy. Harrumph!
