To be a leader in the Republican party is a think-less and thankless task. As Paul Krugman has pointed out many the times, Republicans have to reject simple math and logic in justifying their catastrophic fiscal policies. This is GOP party leadership that must carefully evade exposure of its near treasonous “Starve the Beast” economic […]
Republican Leadership: Thinkless, Thankless Read More »
Ye Editor has always wondered who does a good chart of the global weather patterns? Okay, not all the wind patterns, barometer readings, humidity – it is the temperature that is of interest. Yes, on a crude scale – tell me if the weather has been trending hotter over the world in the last few
Best Map of Global Warming Read More »
The NYTimes has done it again- produced the best online graphic of the US Budget available anywhere. And the Times did it one day after the release of the budget proposal by the White House. This graphic tells the story of the budget in 6 ways [click on screenshot to go directly to chart] : 1)The
Best Chart of US Federal Budget Read More »
Here are two views of President Ronald Reagan that were offered on the Sunday News Morning Shows. One, Meet the Press on NBC consciously lionizes Reagan. There are no analytical or moderating opinions here: Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy The other, on Need to Know on PBS presents
Ronald Reagan: Two Views Read More »
Given the huge impact that the Web and Social Media like Facebook and Twitter have had in the Arab revolutions of the last month, a debate has started on whether the Web can be effective as a counter balance to repressive regimes. Or is it, like all other media , subject to corruption and being
The Corruptible Web Read More »
When Time magazine was rumored to make the Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg its Person of the Year, Ye 5th’s Editor thought that another Media “Academy Award” was a little too much. But with the revolt in Tunisia and the outbreak of dissent and protests in Egypt, both largely organized and propelled by social media including Facebook
Revolutions through the Web Read More »
The engine of inquiry often rolls along slowly – this appears to be especially true in the case of the financial meltdown. The commission of ten appointed by President Obama with the usual accommodation for polical leanings has finally produced its report and the verdict is: Financial Crisis Was Avoidable. Despite the 6:4 Democrat versus Republican split on the conclusions
Financial Crisis Was Avoidable Read More »
NYTimes Conseravative columnist, David Brooks forecast President Obama’s critical theme message in the the State of the Union Address. Brooks said the crucial idea is that “In the 21st century, the U.S. will no longer be the Big Dog”. And at the top of his address, President echoed the idea in muted form. The US
No More USA As Automatic Top Dog Read More »
Russia has done it again – moved to becoming a dysfunctional, failed state. In the 1900’s under the Czar Nicholas II, Russia made a belated charge towards modernization including dramatic political and economic development. But the there were so many disaffected groups within Russia and corruption was so rife that radicals and communists were able
One could see it in the economic policy – so disjointed and just plainly off target – so much help for the banks and financial sector; too little for creating jobs and a business climate of recovery. Now, the NYTimes has done a major story on the people behind it – and one can see
How the Obama Economic Policy Team Came to Shambles Read More »
A colleague asked “why do you think the TV air waves are filled with so many crime and justice show from CSI to Law and Order:The Latest Variation on a Theme?” A bit no plussed ye Editor replied “Look at the venerable history of thrillers and whodunnits over the past 200 years starting with Mary
Too Big To Jail II Read More »
There are two trends in the Middle East that are very disturbing. First and always, the pot continues to boil under the Israel-Palestine standoff. And as the Economist points out the balance of power has shifted to Hezbollah in Lebanon with some estimates of rockets on the Lebanon border reaching 50,000 and their range and
2 Disturbing Trends in the Mideast Read More »
Ye 5th’s Editor admits plagiarism. I have stolen the above headline from a report by Reuter’s Felix Salmon who has some of the best commentary on whats going on Wall Street. And the plagiarism is blatant. Except for the “II” , the above headline is an exact copy of the title Felix uses in his
JPMorgan Threatens Small Depositors II Read More »
Nicholas Kristoff asks the above question from a telling point of view, public health and safety. And the measures are small, targeted, and not massively intrusive as the NRA will insist. As Kristoff, a boyhood gun enthusiast notes Jared Loughner was considered too mentally unstable to attend community college. He was rejected by the Army. Yet
Why Not Regulate Guns Like Toys and Cars Read More »
Moodys, one of the big three American Bond rating agencies is cautioning about the US Debt. Here are some of the salient remarks. Moody’s Investors Service Inc. said in a report Thursday that the U.S. will need to reverse an upward trajectory in its debt ratios to support its Aaa rating.“We have become increasingly clear
Moody’s Caution about US Debt Read More »
Here is an idea that is being adopted around the World, but would never take root currently in America because of divisive partisanship – Pay to Get Rid of Poverty. The city of Rio de Janeiro is infamous for the fact that one can look out from a precarious shack on a hill in a
Pay to Get Rid of Poverty: An American Tragedy Read More »
According to Pugh Research, the belief that your kids will not be able to do as well or prosper as one`s own success, has reached new highs. And there is distinct writing on the wall as to why this is true. First and foremost, 1% of the US population now controls 25% of the wealth
My Kids Will Not Be Able to Do As Well As I Have Read More »
Mayor Bloomberg has done the Dance of Denial at least twice on David Letterman – so no way you say. Besides the Mayor’s embracing of many issues such gay rights, immigration reform and stricter gun control would appear to be the kiss of death for any ascendancy in the G.O.P. But hold on a second.
Mayor Bloomberg for Republican Presidential Candidate Read More »
In nuclear arms strategy, one winning gambit is to convince your opponents that you are an irrational and unstable player. This puts your opponents on the defensive because they can’t count on you to compute and think rationally. And so therefore in all the MAD [Mutually Assured Destruction] posturings one can never be sure that
G.O.P. – Irrational Like Foxes Read More »
The political cartoon by Barry Blitt says it all – President Obama is a Republican in his economic heart . This view has been slowly accumulating, but with the Bush Tax Cut compromise a significant chunk of the NYTimes editorial writers have turned against President Obama`s critical economic policies. They are saying the President is,
Turning Against Obama Read More »
The Press is calling it the Tragedy in Tucson, but what really took place in Tuscon Arizona with the machine gunning to death of a Federal Court Judge John Roll, five other innocents, 20 victims in total including the near-mortal wounding of US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is that Civility got shot to death. The hurting
Civility Gets Shot To Death Read More »
“You can fool some of the people all of the time and those are the ones you want to concentrate on” just a joke from a Gridiron Dinner in 2001.
Distinguished Humor: George W. Bush Read More »
ABC TV has a hokey drama called V which posits an invasion of the World[read Manhattan USA] by some advanced spacecraft born aliens[technologic superiority triumphs again] lead by a svelte supermodel[done in by beauty yet again]. But watch Ms Alien’s life-sucking dentures which appear when Ms Cool-n-Calculating loses her Cool. Of course they are here
Recipe for Domestic Terrorism Read More »
The Yin: Hallelujah for Flash Mobs given this performance at a mall in Welland ON Canada: This scene has been viewed over 27 million times on YouTube. Most popular of 2010. Now Flash Mobs are organized events that take place most often in a public space usually involving a singing and/or dancing performance by dozens
The Yin and Yang of Flash Mobs Read More »
Shell Oil, in an advertisement at the NYTimes, is promoting the website Energy Galaxy where the public is invited to address the question of sustainable energy for transportation == sustainable mobility. Somehow, the NYTimes is involved because there are prominent links to articles on the NYTimes website: The problem is that just like back in
Sustainable Mobility Read More »
Our colleagues at Keep an Open Eye Eye Sir are declaring that the Apple Mac is dead … in the process of being replaced by the iPad and other iDevices with their iOS4 operating system. Here is the crux of the arguments: The past year has been a very, very good one for Apple –
“The Mac is Dead, Long Live iPad and iOS4!” :Yeah, Right Read More »
Richard Holbrooke was a liberal, a diplomat, and a tough negotiator. He died this past Monday. Foreign Policy a day later produced these remembrances of the Man. Even more telling is the gap. Who will takeover another of the thankless Holbrooke diplomatic tasks – US attache on the Afghan/Pakistan/Taliban War.
Richard Holbrooke Remembered Read More »
In fighting specifically for the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthy and then Estate Tax Cuts that also accrue to the wealthy , Republicans rebranded themselves yet again as the Banksters’ Boyz. With these moves the Republicans moved back and away from anti-gays [oops, GOP delivered here by ignoring military top brass and saying once
Republicans as the Banksters’ Boyz Read More »
The Daily Show has one of the most biting coverages of the increasingly petty and jaundiced policy of the Republicans. This time it is GOP rejecting the 9/11 First Responders Bill – which would pay for the health care expenses incurred by the New York’s 9/11 first responders. The total cost is estimated at $7Billion.
Republican Senators: 9/11 Deserters Read More »
The Senate Republicans by invoking filibuster struck down a bill that would extend the Bush Tax Cuts to the middle class but not the wealthy. All the Republicans needed was less than 60 votes for closing the filibuster and Taxcuts for the Middle Class were killed. This matches the Republicans earlier killing of extending unemployment
Extending Bush TaxCuts : No Help for the Middle Class Read More »
The NYTimes has an article today on getting China to act more responsibly in World diplomacy. The US has been the World’s traffic cop for the past 100 years starting with its reluctant role in World War I and continuing to this day with its primary role in the very asymmetrical War on Terror. The
China As Responsible Partner Read More »
In January of 2011, the NYTimes has announced that its online site will go on the dime. Users will have to pay again for reading pages on the website. This is not the first foray into charging – for a period in 2006-2008 NYTimes charged for reading its most popular editorial writers and some additional
Web UI Virtuosos: The NYTimes Read More »
