He may not realise it, but... When asked his favorite novel in an interview shown yesterday on the Fox News Channel, Mitt Romney pointed to “Battlefield Earth,” a novel by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. That book was turned into a film by John Travolta, a Scientologist. There's a little family history behind …
Today's Iraq, From a 2005 Post
What I thought was going to happen in Iraq now that we are leaving and other things, from a July 2005 post: A hallmark of Ba'athist regimes is minority rule. In Syria, the Alawi al-Assads have ruled a predominantly Sunni country for many years. In Iraq, the Sunni Saddam Hussein had ruled a predominately Shi'ite …
It's Not Equality After All
It's hard to believe that the Old Grey Lady has finally broken down and admitted the truth: IT’S a puzzle: one dispossessed group after another — blacks, women, Hispanics and gays — has been gradually accepted in the United States, granted equal rights and brought into the mainstream. At the same time, in economic terms, …
Gaddafi's Death and the End of the Nuremberg Idea
The Russians are right about this one: As politicians in Western capitals were taking quiet pleasure in the capture and killing of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi yesterday, opinions elsewhere were divided. In Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the Geneva Conventions had been breached with the killing of Colonel Gaddafi. "We have to lean on …
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The China Currency Bill is Not the Answer
John Boehner is correct about the nature of this, which is about to clear the Senate: Defying Chinese anger and White House warnings, the US Senate was set Tuesday to approve legislation to punish China for alleged currency manipulation widely blamed here for costing American jobs... The Democratic-held Senate was due to approve the measure …
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Oh, Just Buy a Cup of Joe If You Want to Stimulate the Economy
The coffee place is at it again: Starbucks hopes customers will be willing to pay at least $5 more when they stop in for their morning cup of Joe. Starting Nov. 1, Starbucks will begin collecting donations of $5 or more from customers to stimulate U.S. job growth through its “Jobs for USA” program. The …
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Proroguing Congress: From Unconstitutional to Funny
Well, that's the way it is in North Carolina, at least: "I think we ought to suspend, perhaps, elections for Congress for two years and just tell them we won't hold it against them, whatever decisions they make, to just let them help this country recover. I really hope that someone can agree with me …
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Joe Biden Reaches Out to the Rabbis
Yes, he does: Biden told the group of rabbis that he’s had disagreements with President Barack Obama over some of the language that he uses regarding Israel, said Klein, a Democrat who represented Congressional District 22, which includes Palm Beach. “I will defend, down to my last breath that this administration has one of the …
Obama and the Jobs Bill: It's More Than Just Feeding Lambs
NPR picked up on the origin of Barack Obama's appeal "if you love me, you got to help me pass this bill.:" But that doesn't mean there still isn't the occasional moment reminiscent of a Bible story...Here's John 21:15, the New International Version, describing a scene between Jesus and his disciples: When they had finished …
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Why I Struggle Writing About 9/11
This coming Sunday, of course, is the tenth anniversary of al-Qaeda's attack on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. Most of the blogosphere (to say nothing of the press, mainstream and otherwise) will fill up a great deal of space dealing with the subject. When approaching the date, I figured I'd join in the …
Positive Infinity 