Rootman's picture

    Why Politicians Suck

    This summer I had the unique experience of managing a congressional primary campaign in a solidly Democratic district. My candidate was a sincere progressive, challenging a 12-term representative in a furiously anti-incumbent season. It was a long shot, but with projected low turnouts and the possibility that our opponent could be indicted at any time, it seemed worth trying.

    Donal's picture

    Blowing Gun Smoke



    We are often advised not to resist armed criminals because our lives are less replaceable than money. Statistically, that is sound advice, but nothing is 100% certain.

    tmccarthy0's picture

    I AM RAHM EMANUEL'S REPLACEMENT

    I didn't want to make the announcement too early. I didn't want everyone at DAG, and across the Universe to start celebrating to long before the weekend. But it is Thursday, so here I am, spilling the news.

    oleeb's picture

    Godspeed Tyler Clementi

    I attended graduate school at Rutgers.  Just a few minutes ago, to my great shock and horror, I ran across this news article running at philly.com.  It is difficult for me to grasp the kind of cruelty it would take to do this to someone.  I am just so horrified by this news it is difficult to express fully the range of emotions I feel for this young man and his family.

    May God forbid that such a monsterous, sick act of sadistic humiliation ever happen again to anyone.

    Godspeed to Tyler Clementi, to his family and to his friends.

    Michael Maiello's picture

    Oh No, Tom Friedman Again!

    Damn you, Red Planet!  I almost forgot to read Friedman this morning.  I was having such a happy day but now I've read this.  Actually, the all-knowing mustache makes a pretty good point that we should seek to compete with China and other economies by encouraging America's well-educated, creative and driven individuals to follow their bliss in new and hopefully lucrative directions.

    Donal's picture

    Take a picture, it'll last longer




    Admittedly goth Jennifer Fastwolf, above, was chilling on her transit ride, when someone snapped a picture of her.

    Clandestine photo upsets CTA rider
    Request to remove image from Web site met with resistance

    Red Planet's picture

    Obama/Biden Whine About Progressive "Whiners"

    What else can I say? Except this:

    Tom Friedman got something right today. Wait! Wait! Stifle that nausea response. He didn't get much else right in today's NYT Op-Ed, but he said that the country is looking for a leader "...with the ability to lead in the face of uncertainty and not simply whine about how tough things are..."

    Mr. Obama. That's why we elected you. We thought.

    Donal's picture

    Boudreau does not mean Boudoir



    I can't believe James O'Keefe actually thought he had a shot at Abbie Boudreau, a CNN reporter, err Investigative Correspondent.

    Our Documentary Takes A Strange Detour

    Richard Day's picture

    CONFESSIONS

     

     

    This entire narrative is taken from my own vague memories. I cannot access archives of the Minneapolis Tribune partly because it costs money and partly because the archives available only go back to 1986.

    The Day The Music Came Alive

    When I first moved up here to Pelham, NY I discovered a radio station called “CD 101.9”. Their moniker was “Smooth Jazz”. They played some really great modern jazz songs, a lot of it instrumental, some of it mellow, some of it funky. I played it in the car all the time because it just seems that jazz is really good for driving.

    New to dagblog

    I live in the Houston area and I'm a lifelong Democrat,very progressive on most social issue and moderate on economic and foreign policy issues. I recognize that most social issues are economic issues too. I was a Hillary supporter in the 2008 primary campaign but enthusiastically supported and donated to Barack Obama after the dust settled.

    oleeb's picture

    George Carlin: A Nation Turns It's Lonely Eyes To You!

    I think I first saw George Carlin when I was about 10 on the Ed Sullivan show.  It was before he grew the long hair and showed the audience who he was and what he believed in.  I can't think of many people in our celebrity culture who had the staying power he had.  Nor can I think of many who had such a loyal and grateful following. 

    Michael Maiello's picture

    Left vs. Right Is Over?

    In my last career I was fortunate to be able to get to know Barry Ritholtz.  I reviewed his excellent "Bailout Nation" back in 2009 and did a nice Q&A with him soon after.  But enough about me and Barry.  I really want you all to read what he has to say here:

    Pentagon Won't Ask Iraq to Cough Up $1 Billion to Help Fund US Forces in Iraq, GAO Says Iraq Has $11.8 Billion 2010 Surplus

    Rep. Levin (D-Mich) suggested we ask the government of Iraq to pay $1 billion of what is calculated to be $2 billion of training and equipment planned by the Pentagon for Iraq in the next fiscal year. A recent study by the GAO found that Iraq had $11.8 billion in the bank and was running a surplus. So with both Republicans and Democrats worried about OUR deficit, its a slam dunk we will ask Iraq to help out, right?

    Michael Wolraich's picture

    Moderating First Time Bloggers

    Just a quick note. Due to evil spammers, we are now moderating all posts by first-time dagblog contributors. Those of you who have already posted here have privileges and will not be affected.

    Barth's picture

    Will Rogers, President Carter and Senator Reid

    When President Carter returned from his well earned obscurity to again ruin my weekend, a blog post to that effect resulted in some bewilderment about why an argument from 1980 should be so important today.  To me, and I think to others who remember those days, what this twerp, who I voted for twice (holding my nose the second time) said about one legislative battle over health care insurance said so much about today, and why things seem so bleak, that a fuller explanation seemed to be required for those who think that if only Senator Reid would allow the Senate to vote on the extension of

    Richard Day's picture

    AMERICAN PIE

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Apple_pie.jpg

                          THE NEW WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION

     

    I am having trouble concentrating today because my attention has been redrawn to the first year of the previous Presidential Administration.

    MrSmith1's picture

    F*ck Bill Maher and his indifferent response to right wing lies

    Tonight's Real Time with Bill Maher show was one of the most infuriating hours I have ever seen on TV.  I rarely scream at TV, but I was screaming tonight.   Maher's two Conservative panelists, that lying sack of shit Andrew Breitbart, and  Amy Holmes, ran roughshod over Bill, Seth McFarland and Carl Sagan's soft-spoken widow, Ann Druyan. 

    McFarlane and Maher both sat on their duffs, completely willing to let lie after lie go unchallenged, as if they were totally afraid to assert themselves for fear of offending Breitbart and Holmes.  

    oleeb's picture

    Shades Of The White House Correspondents Dinner Batman! Colbert Shames The Ruling Elite... Again!

    I watched Stephen Colbert's opening statement today on Capitol Hill and it was, as usual, very funny.  In my opinion the man is a genius at satire.  He skewered all the hypocrites in both parties and in the media without fear or favor (as usual) while standing beside and standing up for the lowly migrant farmworkers.  Farmworkers are people who are nearly powerless in our country because they have no legal rights.  They and those who came before them have been exploited mercilessly, brutally treated, grossly underpaid and ultimately physically broken by the extreme working conditions that a

    Donal's picture

    Failed States, Vigilantism, Open Carry

     
    El Diario de Juárez, having lost another journalist to a retaliatory slaying by the drug cartels, released an issue with a direct question to the cartels (Translation):

    Michael Maiello's picture

    The Power Of The President

    In this week's "New Yorker" former Vice President Walter Mondale, who has a book out, draws comparisons between Obama and Carter (ultimately concluding that Obama has many political strengths Carter lacked) and says something interesting (paraphrase): "When people lose their jobs or can't keep their house they become irrational.  They lash out. They expect the president to do something." The whole, short article is here.

    Richard Day's picture

    MILLER'S MALICIOUS MILITIAS & CLAUDE LEVI-STRAUSS

    File:Minute Man Statue Lexington Massachusetts cropped.jpg
                                   DOMESTIC TERRORIST

     

     

    And the cyberwarfare begins.

    Five months after the confirmation of army Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander to be the head of the Pentagon’s new Cyber Command, it would appear that the first evidence of active cyber warfare has appeared. Ars Techica summarizes emerging consensus.

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