Author Archive

Reich’s Big Bad »

By LisaB on Dec 24, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

Robert Reich a Democrat who is nonetheless terrifically interested in the health of the Republican party, voices concern about the potential “crack-up” of that party. Some describe the underlying conflict as Tea Partiers versus the Republican establishment. But this just begs the question of who the Tea Partiers really are and where they came from. [...]

Justin Timberlake Attends USMC Birthday Ball * Open Thread* »

By LisaB on Nov 13, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

Did you hear the story of the US Marine who asked Justin Timberlake to this year’s Marine Corps Birthday Ball?

OWS Sparks YouTube Fun (+ Open Thread) »

By LisaB on Oct 29, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

It had to happen. You just KNEW this song would appear – right????

Why Blaming Wall Street, Government, the Tea Party and OWS Still Isn’t Enough »

By LisaB on Oct 8, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

I realized that I had heard this story before, or a private-sector version of it. The people who had power in the society, and were charged with saving it from itself, had instead bled the society to death. From California & Bust: The Nightmare Scenario by Michael Lewis in the current issue of Vanity Fair [...]

Seeing the Lost – Remembering 9/11 »

By LisaB on Sep 8, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

The approaching 9/11 10-year anniversary probably makes all of us remember our actions and thoughts on that day. If you are like me, you will probably revisit the news reports, remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when you “got the word,” and perhaps even feel a little bit of the staggering [...]

TOTUS Overworked and OPEN THREAD »

By LisaB on Aug 31, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

The Washington Examiner noted that Obama used two teleprompters to make a short (3 minute) speech nominating Alan Krueger to the Council of Economic Advisers. WHY does Obama need TOTUS (Teleprompter of the United States) for a three-minute introduction to his nominee? Did Obama never learn to speak extemporaneously at university or law school? Does [...]

4 Stories That Make You Say “Huh?” »

By LisaB on Aug 26, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

“Are YOU being charged with soliciting illegal lemonade from a minor? Did you INHERIT an antique Mandolin from Granny? Count on US – the attorneys at ‘WTF Legal Offices’ to represent YOU in front of the feds. Call now – offices around the country are standing by. . . “ 1) Please remember, during the [...]

Another Captain Obvious »

By LisaB on Aug 12, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

“Hillary had been tested. Eight years in the meat grinder. She’d have been a better president.” Yet another columnist says he “should have voted for Hillary.” Meh. You think? I used to find this sort of public re-thinking a little satisfying, but quite frankly now it just makes me mad. (In 2009, I wrote about [...]

It’s a Kind of War »

By LisaB on Aug 9, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

Slogging through summer camps, back-to-school sales, and child-care fiascos, I haven’t had a lot of time to look around. I’ve not written much lately either, mainly because I’m not exactly sure what to think about anything anymore. Every day brings another answer to Dorothy Parker’s classic question: “What fresh hell is this?” But two stories [...]

Children of the Corn – Islamist Style (& Open Thread) »

By LisaB on Mar 5, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

The NYT published a piece today about a disturbing video. This video shows little boys play-acting suicide bombing. Video below the fold. According to the Times: A Taliban spokesman said the insurgents did not make the video. And though he expressed regrets that such things had become reality even for children, he made it clear [...]

Creating Bankruptcy for States? + Open Thread »

By LisaB on Jan 21, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

NYT reports that policy makers are looking to help states loaded down with debt. Policy makers are working behind the scenes to come up with a way to let states declare bankruptcy and get out from under crushing debts, including the pensions they have promised to retired public workers. ———– Bankruptcy could permit a state [...]

Obama Summons “Journos” and OPEN THREAD »

By LisaB on Jan 18, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

The word “journalist” still suggests some level of accountability, truth-seeking or objectivity, though that is eroding quickly. Right now, I see people like Matthews, Olbermann and their ilk as “information stylists.” They style information according to what they think looks good and then try to sell it to you! Want your opinion pre-formed? See Hardball! [...]

Tea Party Hate – Why It’s NOT Going Away »

By LisaB on Jan 14, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

Suddenly an authentic reform movement, linked to the Republican Party, whose goal simply is to stop the public spending curve, had come to life. This poses a mortal threat to the financial oxygen in the economic ecosystem that the public wing of the Democratic Party has inhabited all these years. – Daniel Henninger, WSJ The [...]

Nearly Bankrupt Illinois Raises Taxes »

By LisaB on Jan 13, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

While most of us (me included) are still talking about the shootings in Arizona and the foaming-mouth ranting of idiots who see one small woman as the font of all evil (now that I think of it, I’ve heard THAT one before), Illinois, as you may know, is more or less bankrupt. Here’s the transcript [...]

Homicidal Maniacs and their Immature Apologists »

By LisaB on Jan 11, 2011 in Current Affairs | View Comments

Sheriff Clarence Dupnik’s words about the “climate” in AZ set off a “national discussion” about what causes nutjobs to act on their nutjobbery. Well, that was a little glib, but we have all been dealing with the “discussion” ever since – exactly whom is to blame depends on one’s political outlook unless you take the [...]

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