The NYTimes published an editorial on Sunday April 3 2011, urging the rejection of a pipeline from Canada and the Northern US States to the US Midwest and Gulf Coast. Of all things, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will have the final say on this pipeline approval because the pipeline crosses the border between the […]
NYTimes Editorial: Journalistically Compromised? Read More »
The Washington Post is reporting today that the movement to recall Wisconsin Republican Senators and Representatives appears to have legs. Popular support has not flagged since the enactment into law of GOP Governor Scott Walker’s draconian budgetary cutbacks plus removal of government union’s negotiation rights. This is important because the focus of press attention has
Wisconsin Recall Has Legs Read More »
One of the most dysfunctional aspects of the current GOP is its rigid PartyThink. Some credit Ronald Reagan for the 11th commandment – thou shalt not speak ill of a GOP candidate or policy. There is a mighty uniform GOP messaging operation on all policy matters . And it is remarkable how uniformly that PartyThink=PartySpeak
David Brooks: On Defection Read More »
Bob Herbert is leaving the NYTimes today – his last editorial post is quite good, Losing Our Way. Here is a sampling of what Bob has to say: So here we are pouring shiploads of cash into yet another war, this time in Libya, while simultaneously demolishing school budgets, closing libraries, laying off teachers and
Bob Herbert Leaves NYTimes Read More »
Who did the following series of stories? Huffington Post or LATimes? Or maybe the BBC or CBC? Could it be the Guardian or maybe the TheTelegraph? No – these are the headline stories from Aljazeera websiteon Saturday May 26, 2011. . Yes there is a preponderance of news stories from the MidEast but that is
Craig Stephens has been writing some rather salty stories for the Marketwatch in the past few months. Craig does more than watch the Chinese markets and economic machine but in fact keeps the whole SouthEast Asian world in view. The latest story about the salt frenzy in China is like a tiny Confucian parable. There
Salty Chinese Investment Stories Read More »
In an article in today’s NYTimes, Paul Krugman raises the problem of how Washington policy manipulators … uhh makers have downgraded the issue of Jobs from number 1 to an also ran against “cutting the deficit”. Yet just 4 months before Paul Krugman was a guest commentator on ABC TV Sunday news program, This Week,
Jobs, Health Care Costs, then maybe Deficits Read More »
This blog cited the NYTimes as being the outstanding source of information on all aspects of the Japanese Earthquake, Tsunami and now Nuclear Disaster. But there was some concern that this was just a weekend affair and the NYTimes would be hard pressed to continue the excellence of its coverage. Let the following excerpts be
NYTimes Continues To Lead Read More »
US voters are clamoring for bipartisanship and for the Democrats and Republicans to work together to deliver much better governance. There are too many polls that tell Washington so. But leaders from both parties cite the stridence and shrill lack of civility that undoes all efforts at good bipartisan governance. Even the one arena, foreign affairs.
Bipartisanship: No Rule of Law for Wall Street Read More »
If there was any doubt before, Japan’s earthquake and tsunami removed any lingering ones and revealed the NYTimes as the world leading masters of Web interactive graphics and coverage.Our sister blog, Bookraft, has already pointed out some of the leading technologies used by the NYTimes for last year’s Winter Olympios. But covering the Japnese Earthquake
NYTimes Japan Quake Coverage: A Web Triumph Read More »
Hillary Clinton is right – for real news about the Middle East, Al Jazeera is the goto website. After trying BBC, CNN, Fox News, NYTimes, and Time ye Editor finally tried Al Jazeera and found page after page of news of what is happening in the Mideast from Morocco to Pakistan. And based on some
Al Jazeera for News Read More »
Of late the Republican Party is fond of wrapping itself up in true constitutionality and the spirit of the Founding Fathers. And thus one must ask in the spirit of Patrick Henry, if this be treason.. then fear not to say it is so. The “it” is the Republican “Starve the Beast” policy starting with Ronald Reagan
If This Be Treason Read More »
In a week the US media devoted to every nuance of the commercial and human tragedy that is Charlie Sheen, the following was said: “Viewership of Al Jazeera is going up in the United States because it’s real news,” … “You may not agree with it, but you feel like you’re getting real news around
Ye Editor has taken it on the chin in the Reddit community commentary for advancing about IBM’s Watson two arguments: a)IBM secured an important dispensation when its Watson supercomputer was allowed direct text inputs rather than having to parse , decipher and understand directly the spoken questions by Jeopardy host Alex Trebek and/or scan and
Vindication: Problems with IBM’s Watson Read More »
Health Insurance rates are rising by double digits. The Insurers and the Obama administration both say its not due to the Healthcare Reform laws – most of the provisions do not start until 2012 or later. So what is the reason for the price increases – non-shared sacrifice? Well a Google query may have the
Health Insurance Study Exercise Read More »
The Legatum Institute has a website devoted to measuring the World’s Prosperity and showing the comparison among all the World’s countries. Being a strong believer in unbiased measures as a way to steer a group or country to enlightened betterment, ye Editor was immediately attracted to the Prosperity.com website. To move out of the OECD
Prosperity Measured? Read More »
There is an almost obscene lure for all things Charlie Sheen as “he implodes on national TV” as a breathless TV commentator so thoughtfully intones. Ye Editor could not understand. Okay, 2 1/2 is not my cup of TV. But apparently Charlie Sheen and all his “I am the victim of all these TV magnate
The Lure of Charlie Sheen Read More »
Stock market gurus at The Street have a careful analysis of why the iPad 2 missed some key concerns of the IT and Business community and thus an opportunity for Apple to make big inroads into the office. Keep in mind The Street still sees the consumer side of iPad 2 as HUGE. Steve Jobs
Update: iPad 2 – Tablet Knockout Blow? Read More »
As the NYTimes prepares to take a third kick at charging for its web + online services, here is another example of why web beats paper from the editorial opportunity and customer satisfaction points of view. Here is a story about Justin Bieber that could be done in a magazine or newspaper but isn’t … or more
Why Web Beats Paper: Rolling Stone on Justin Bieber Read More »
The above words are the optimistic exhortation that NYTimes David Brooks provides to Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels on running for GOP Presidential candidate. This is also a fat chance exhortation much like fellow columnist Tom Friedman’s advice in If Not Now, When in which he urges the US to create a gas tax that would
Ye Editor has been patiently waiting for one of the larger news media like the NYTimes, Washington Post or the Milwaukee Sentinel to describe what issues Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker campaigned on – this might shed light on the current controversy in the state capital over Walker induced budget short fall and efforts to remove
Governor Scott Walker: What He Campaigned On Read More »
Being a Republican Intellectual has the furious sound and ironic meaning of an oxymoron. Looking at the Republican record for intellectual analysis let alone free speech is shuddering: 1)the GOP must answer to such idol-savants as Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Bill OReilly with an acrid chorus of Ann Coulter, Sarah Palin, and Michelle Bachmann among
On Being A Republican Intellectual Read More »
From time to time Taketh5th finds posts that coincide or underline arguments made here. Such is the case with The Republican Shakedown by Robert Reich which supports our American SuperWealthy Wage War on America!. The core idea is that SuperWealthy are using their expanding wealth to defend themselves from encroachment by government taxation and regulation. What is not
Guest Blog: The Republican Shakedown Read More »
Two views of Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin have appeared in the news lately – you decide which is more illuminating. The blog Buffalo Beast, did a beastly thing, impersonating Billionaire David Koch making a call to Governor Walker. David Koch is behind Americans for Prosperity lobby group that have been financing Walker’s cuts and
Governor Scott Walker: Koch Whore vs Shock Doctrine Read More »
Update: The article below predicted that following IBM’s Watson’s triump at Jeopardy there would more proposals for computers software playing a more active role in business and organizations. Here are 3 recent articles on that continuing trend: NYTimes – armies of expensive lawyers to be replaced by cheaper AI software. Business Week – Virtual AI
Update: Problems with IBMs Watson Read More »
Are you tired of having to wait up to all hours of the night for a little dab of political humor or satire from Bill Maher or Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert? Are Jay, David, and Jimmy too lame or inane? Do you like unbiased black humor? Let me recommend the Borowitz Report, available on
Political Satire Junkies: Need a Humor Fix? Read More »
Only in America could you see a headline like this – American SuperWealthy Wage War on Americans! Such an irony – the SuperWealthy who have risen to power and position by a combination of hard work, good fortune and stealth are finally throwing off the shackles of their dependence on the good will of the
American SuperWealthy Wage War on America! Read More »
America has fallen just like Egypt into the grips of ruthless despots. These despots have a rule of law unto themselves[see Frank Rich]. They have accrued huge wealth and unlimited risk insurance from taxpayers; yet the themselves barely pay taxes[see Bob Herbert]. They have accrued $trillions in no small part due to US Federal largesse
Bitter facts are very hard to swallow. A colleague committed to company and work gets laid-off by that company depite warnings. A close relative gets a medical death warrant of short duration. An artist friend sees 2 years of work eviscerated in an unexpectedly caustic review. But these are all personal events and judgments. Broader
Bitter Facts for USA Read More »
England’s Royal Opera House is featuring the life of Anna Nicole Smith – and its a smash hit. At first blush this is The English falling for Entertainment Weekly or TMZ titillation. Or sort of reverse update of the movie Shakespeare in Love. But as it turns out opera has always loved a fallen Woman
The Royal Opera Presents Anna Nicole Smith Read More »
Israel’s worst friend by far is the US. The US allows the Israelis to live the lie that the Palestinians are second class people; their 2000 year right to Palestinian land and territory is legitimate. And so once again, the US was the lone veto in the UN Security Council today against a resolution condemning
Israels Worst Friend Read More »
In a 1960 address to the nation, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 5 star general and Supreme Commander of the World War II invasion of Europe, warned against the military-industrial complex. This is the co-ordinated lobbying of defense contractors allied with military supporters in both political parties that would get their way on the size and
