Current Events Archive

July 13, 2008

You Know, Ummm, Ahhh

Finally, a coherent explanation of the differences between President Bush and John McCain's economic policies: Here is John Amato's rough transcription, with a little editing by me, of Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina explaining that difference to Wolf Blitzer,...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 6:59 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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July 5, 2008

Selective Quotation

Yesterday I noted a common misquotation of Mark Twain that Barach Obama perpetuated. Ed Brayton at Dispatches From the Culture Wars points out a rather glairing omission from a Thomas Jefferson quotation. This time President Bush "forgot" to say "under...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 1:50 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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June 12, 2008

Habeas Corpus, What a Concept

By a five to four margin, the Supreme Court of these United States upheld the constitutional privilege of habeas corpus for you and the detainees at Guantanamo. I just can't imagine why the ruling wasn't unanimous. It does show how...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 7:18 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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June 9, 2008

Bill Moyers at the National Conference for Media Reform

If you haven't heard this, please listen to it. If you have heard it, why not listen to it again?...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 8:57 AM | Read more on Current Events |
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May 28, 2008

Campaigning and Propagandizing

Juan Cole at Informed Comment begins his post on Scott McClellen's forthcoming book, What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception, with these words, Former White House press spokesman Scott McClellan has come to the realization...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 10:31 AM | Read more on Current Events |
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May 14, 2008

Faith, Hope, Change and Pandering

John Hobbins may like being pandered to but I sure don't (like him being pandered to). I understand why Barack Obama is running ads that say things like, "My faith teaches me that I can sit in church and pray...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 3:29 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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April 9, 2008

Global Warming for the Drinking Classes

If this The Sun article doesn't raise consciousness, I don't know what will. CLIMATE change could send the price of beer rocketing because it might hamper the production of a key grain needed for the brew, a scientist has warned....

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Posted by Duane Smith at 12:30 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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March 28, 2008

The Mahdi Army in Basra

If you are interested in current happenings in Basra, and the whole of Iraq for that matter, check out today's post on Juan Cole's Informed Comment, Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion. Cole provides news from Arabic language...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 8:37 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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March 23, 2008

US Airways Not Gun-shy

According to the Carolinas' News Connection, A US Airways pilot’s gun accidentally discharged during a flight from Denver to Charlotte Saturday, according to a statement released by the airline. The statement said the discharge happened on Flight 1536, which left...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 8:52 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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No One To Read The Ancient Writing

Among the things that struck me in the recent report of the discovery of a hitherto unknown Babylonian town in Iraq was this, He [head archaeologist Mohammed Yahya] added that his team has come across several cuneiform tablets but “there...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 3:45 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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March 21, 2008

The New Attorney General As The President's Consigliere

Attorney General Michael Mukasey is concerned about "the scope and variety of potential terrorism threats.[CNN]" And somehow that is suppose to encourage Congress to turn their back on the Constitution and as a special bonus give retroactive immunity to the...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 8:01 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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February 21, 2008

Vandalizing Blogs Is Not A Sport

Because of the continuing saga I partially described the other day, I did not even look at the internet from about Monday evening until an hour or so ago. So I missed the vandalism against Jim West's blog as it...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 7:35 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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February 11, 2008

Obama and Clinton on 60 Minutes

Kevin Drum of Washington Monthly got this one right And speaking of the Democratic race, did you catch 60 Minutes tonight? Talk about a contrast. Barack Obama got quizzed by Steve Kroft, who conducted a fairly ordinary softball interview, while...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 9:38 AM | Read more on Current Events |
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January 28, 2008

What He Didn't Mention

I just finished listening to this President's last State of the Union Speech. There is a lot I might say about what he said, but for now, I am more interested in what he didn't say. He listed a number...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 7:49 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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January 6, 2008

John Edwards and the Old Two Boy Strategy

Hillary Clinton is not my first choice for President. She is currently about second or third on my "why not the best?" list. But John Edwards is lower on my list and moving down. It this kind of cra stuff...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 12:33 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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December 27, 2007

Benazir Bhutto's Assassination and Presidential Politics

Paul Krugman sure got this one right, To all the presidential campaigns trying to claim that the atrocity in Pakistan somehow proves that they have the right candidate — please stop. This isn’t about you; in fact, as far as...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 3:40 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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November 29, 2007

Does Karl Rove Have Twain Syndrome?

Mark Twain' Autobiography has this little ditty on Twain's memory, When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not; but my faculties are decaying now and soon I shall be so I cannot remember any...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 9:04 AM | Read more on Current Events |
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November 6, 2007

In Which I Worry About the Election

No, not that election; the one held today. Locally we voted for members of the Community College School Board and the board of the Unified School District. I didn't think the community college board is much of a problem. I...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 7:34 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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October 12, 2007

Congratulations Al Gore

Al Gore shares the Nobel Peace Prize with the IPCC and makes a nearly perfect statement. I am deeply honored to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This award is even more meaningful because I have the honor of sharing it...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 9:49 AM | Read more on Current Events |
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October 7, 2007

Collateral Damage and a 2000 Year Old Culture

Nathaniel Deutsch, professor of religion at Swarthmore College, told the story in yesterday's New York Times. The United States didn’t set out to eradicate the Mandeans, one of the oldest, smallest and least understood of the many minorities in Iraq....

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Posted by Duane Smith at 3:29 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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August 13, 2007

"I Think We Got It Right"

If you are only going to watch one film clip in the next few days, watch this one from April, 1994. I have just one small question, "Why didn't the media show this over and over in early 2003? Via,...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 8:28 PM | TrackBack (0) | Abnormal Archive Link |

August 5, 2007

The Land of the Watched and the Home of the Cowards

It was inevitable. The President got most of his way with the revised Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Political cowards joined those whose political agenda is to roll back the clock on everything, including liberty. If there is any good news...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 10:36 AM | Read more on Current Events |
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July 15, 2007

Foreign Fighters in Iraq

Based in data provided by "a senior US military officer" and "Iraqi lawmakers" the Los Angeles Times reported the follow breakdown of foreign fighters in Iraq: 45% from Saudi Arabia 15% from Syria and Lebanon 10% from North Africa. Juan...

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July 7, 2007

The 23rd Psalm, a Stolen Credit Card and an Appearance Bond

If you don't get the relationship between these three things, you'll understand it when you read The Angry Astronomer or this AP article. Appalling! There's no other word for what you will read there. Every criminal needs to know his...

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July 4, 2007

Let Freedom Real Estate Ring!

A real estate broker working for a national real estate firm placed small flags in front of every house in an adjoining neighborhood. Why didn't he place them in our neighborhood? I'll tell you. I do not know but I'm...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 1:08 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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My 4th of July Wish List

What would it take to make me feel patriotic again? Ending the current aristocracy Returning to a government of laws and not men Telling the truth with regard to public matters Having people in government who believe in government Returning...

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June 23, 2007

What Department is President Bush In?

Well, the Vice President claimed that he was exempt from certain provisions of the amended executive order on Security Oversight because he is not technically a member of the executive branch of government! Cheney's office drew criticism Thursday for claiming...

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June 19, 2007

More Special Pleading Against "Insults to Religion"

Two cases to consider: The film version of the Da Vinci Code film is to be investigated for allegedly breaking Italian obscenity laws more than a year after its release. The state prosecutor's office in Civitavecchia, 40 miles north of...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 8:10 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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June 13, 2007

Outrage to Action

Following posts at Afarensis and Northstate Science, I wrote a few words on the plight of the Hadza of northern Tanzania. Many others have also jumped in. I think Northstate Science has the best set of links. Well, the blogosphere...

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June 11, 2007

A Place of Their Own

The obscenely wealthy desire even more at the expense of those who only desire what they have - a place to hunt and gather and life the only life they know or want. Christopher O'Brien at Northstate Science has a...

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Posted by Duane Smith at 9:12 AM | Read more on Current Events |
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Titles Only From Here On

May 31, 2007

O'Reilly Fears the Loss of White, Christian, Male Power

May 28, 2007

Memorial Day

May 22, 2007

Liberty College Student Prepares a Terrorist Attack

May 17, 2007

Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me)

April 29, 2007

Integrity in the Face of Uncertainty

April 20, 2007

That's What Obstruction is All About

April 16, 2007

The Virginia Tech Shootings

April 6, 2007

A Blog Against Theocracy (and Aristocracy)

March 28, 2007

The CBS Evening Medical News

March 18, 2007

It's About Time

March 17, 2007

A Pop Quiz

March 12, 2007

It's Time for an Attorney General Rather than a Consigliere

February 22, 2007

Kareem Amer Gets Four Years For Blogging Insulting Islam and Mubarak

February 13, 2007

A What Kind of Office?

January 17, 2007

In the Face of the Threat of Congressional Oversight . . .

January 13, 2007

Confusing Current Facts With Feared Future Results

January 6, 2007

When the Unthinkable Becomes a Possibility

December 29, 2006

New Speak - Failure Means Success When It's Pakistan's Fault

December 27, 2006

A President for Christians, Jews, Moslems, Buddhists, and Atheists

December 12, 2006

No Natural Constituency

December 10, 2006

Jeff Stein Has a Lot to Learn

December 6, 2006

Too Obvious; Perhaps Too Little and Too Late

December 2, 2006

Civil War? That is Not the Issue

December 1, 2006

The Bargain Between The Civilian Authorities And The Armed Services

November 8, 2006

The Election: It's a Start

November 6, 2006

Tomorrow's Election

November 5, 2006

"I Am a Deceiver and a Liar."

November 4, 2006

If You're Tortured, Don't Tell Anyone

October 22, 2006

If Lies Don't Work Try the Truth

October 17, 2006

The Problem in a Nutshell

October 15, 2006

Nuclear Proliferation and Policy

October 13, 2006

China Drafts New Labor Rule Proposal

October 4, 2006

There is No Horror that Someone Can't Make Worse

October 2, 2006

A "Church Going Man" Shoots Amish School Children.

September 29, 2006

The Anticipatable Was Anticipated

September 26, 2006

Karl Rove Owes Richard M. Smith an Overnight Stay at the Whitehouse

September 23, 2006

Playing Legal with Torture

September 18, 2006

Political Courage and Doing the Right Thing

September 11, 2006

It Is Surely Fiction But That Doesn't Seem to Matter.

Are We Safer?

September 8, 2006

Complain Bitterly but Please Don't Threaten

September 7, 2006

Why Would ABC Need to Put a Disclaimer on What They Once Called a Documentary?

September 5, 2006

Bin Laden Gets a Pass from Pakistan

August 23, 2006

Evidence, Who Needs Any Evidence

August 16, 2006

Planning for and Pontificating About War with Iran

August 14, 2006

A New Blogger on the Net

August 9, 2006

If You're Going to Do the Crime, You Must Be Willing to Do the Time

July 31, 2006

Oh The Horror of it All

July 16, 2006

World War III and the November Elections

July 15, 2006

How is the War in Iraq Going?

July 14, 2006

This Must Have Been Very Good News to the Israelis

On War Between Hamas, Hezbollah and Israel

July 11, 2006

Very Good News: A Small Step in the Return to the Fraternity of Moral Nations

July 9, 2006

Do You Like George Bush?

July 7, 2006

The Real Deal

July 2, 2006

Contrasting Views

June 29, 2006

Today's Supreme Court Ruling: Will the US Return to the Fraternity of Moral Nations?

June 26, 2006

Apparently Some Folks Don't Mind the "Screw-loose People"

June 23, 2006

Tilting the Playing Field

June 14, 2006

The Oriana Fallaci Trial