politics where science meets government
Tibetan monks at a Kalachakra ritual in Andhra Pradesh, India. From Flickr, by Sirensongs
May 17, 2008
Dispatches from the Culture Wars
Reagan the Appeaser John McCain seems to be rewriting history just a bit with this comment: "Yes, there have been appeasers in the past, and the president is exactly right, and one of them is Neville Chamberlain,'' Mr. McCain told reporters on his...
Dispatches from the Culture Wars
Virginia School Adopts NCBCPS Curriculum Craig County High School in rural Virginia has decided to use the NCBCPS curriculum for an elective Bible course. And predictably, those who advocated it ducked right into the Lemon test punch: Several county residents spoke about the need to...
Dispatches from the Culture Wars
Fossella Story Gets Worse I'm sure by now you've all heard about Rep. Vito Fossella, yet another "family values" Republican legislator living a double life. He was arrested a couple weeks ago for driving with a blood alcohol level of more than twice the...
May 16, 2008
Greg Laden's Blog
I'm So Sorry Bill O'Reilly I only gave half the story in my recent post about how you are a big fat baby. Here's the rest of the story......
Greg Laden's Blog
Say no more ... Kevin James. Career. Over....
Stranger Fruit
Once again, a Republican raises the political discourse And this guy is the current front-runner for McCain's running mate? Republican Mike Huckabee responded to an offstage noise during his speech to the National Rifle Association by suggesting it was Barack Obama diving to the floor because someone had...
Greg Laden's Blog
Alisa Miller: Why we know less than ever about the world Alisa Miller, head of Public Radio International, talks about why -- though we want to know more about the world than ever -- the US media is actually showing less. Eye-opening stats and graphs....
Greg Laden's Blog
It's over! (Again. Maybe) Have you noticed? Did you hear the other shoe drop? (very very quietly, yes, but I'm sure I heard it...)...
Respectful Insolence
Those who use the Neville Chamberlain gambit don't even know what Neville Chamberlain actually did Chris Matthews demonstrates that it's a good idea to know a little bit about history before using a historical analogy.
Greg Laden's Blog
Bill O'Reilly is a Big Cry Baby Do not play this if innocent ears (like children and such) are near. ......
EvolutionBlog
If Only Chris Matthews Were Always Like This Every once in a while Chris Matthews does a good deed. On last night's edition of Hardball he had conservative radio talk show host Kevin James on his show. James was keen to pontificate on the nature of appeasement. Matthews'...
Dr. Joan Bushwell's Chimpanzee Refuge
A drug-free Olympics? That's a good one! So says someone who should know. Victor Conte, the head of the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO) in Burlingame, Calif. who spend four months in the federal pen for his massive role in supplying professional athletes with illegal performance-enhancing drugs,...
Mike the Mad Biologist
Why Don't News Organizations Release Their Polling Data? Why don't news organizations release their polling data?
Uncertain Principles
Heads in the Sand by Matthew Yglesias I bought this thinking it was probably worth a few bucks to see how Matt reads without a distracting typo every four lines, and that I could always give it to my father when I was done.
Dispatches from the Culture Wars
Caldwell Rides Again The Pacific Justice Institute (not to be confused with the Pacific Legal Foundation, where Sandefur works) has put out a press release about the 9th circuit court of appeals hearing their appeal of Caldwell v Caldwell. No, this is not...
Dispatches from the Culture Wars
9th Circuit Upholds School Dress Code And here's yet another case where the ACLU defended the rights of Christians to express their faith in school - and yet another case where the courts got it wrong on student speech (see full ruling here). A federal appeals...
Dispatches from the Culture Wars
California Supreme Court Overturns Ban on Gay Marriage And in the process reveals the utter hypocrisy of the religious right when it comes to the role of the courts, the nature of democracy and "judicial activism." The Family Research Council immediately put out a press release condemning the...
Deltoid
Pielke train wreck If you haven't been watching the Roger Pielke Jr train come of the rails and the carriages smashing into each other and exploding, I suggest you look at this post from James Annan: Roger Pielke has been saying some truly...
May 15, 2008
Thoughts from Kansas
Kansas politics in brief Bush's Brain, aka Turd Blossom, comes to Wichita to help "Memory Pills" Roberts remember how to run a campaign. Apparently Bob Dole is back in Kansas, too, bringing his special brand of medicine to boost a different part of the Roberts campaign. Looks like he's scared of Jim Slattery. Meanwhile, State Senator Donald Betts, challenging mother-hating Todd Tiahrt in the Kansas 4th, is featured on this MTV website. And who else but George W. Bush, Mr. 27%, is heading out to stump for Dennis Moore's opponent. I hope he does as much good for Moore as his last-minute visit did...
Thoughts from Kansas
Marriage equality in California California is set to join Massachusetts as a hotbed for equality: Same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The court’s 4-to-3 decision striking down state laws that had limited marriages to unions between a man and a woman makes California only the second state, after Massachusetts, to allow same-sex marriages. The decision, which becomes effective in 30 days, is certain to play a role in the presidential campaign. “In view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship,” Chief Justice Ronald M. George wrote of marriage...
Greg Laden's Blog
Mark Bittman: What's wrong with what we eat In this fiery and funny talk, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman weighs in on what's wrong with the way we eat now (too much meat, too few plants; too much fast food, too little home cooking), and why it's putting the entire planet...
Stranger Fruit
Appeasement No sooner had I read this today: There is by now an entire book to be written about the way that "Munich," "appeasement," and "Churchill" have been ritually invoked, from Suez to Vietnam to Iraq, so often in false analogy,...
Respectful Insolence
I hate Michigan Nazis Jake and Elwood hated Illinois Nazis. I hate Michigan Nazis. Actually, I hate all Nazis, but I especially detest Nazis from states I've lived in, such as Ohio, New Jersey, and Illinois. But worst of all are Michigan Nazis,...
Greg Laden's Blog
Latest Over the Top Olberman Rant (Must See) I love this guy. But wait, there's more... it gets better. Much better....
Thoughts from Kansas
Safety first Rolling Stone chronicles The Fear Factory, the self-justifyingly excessive response of the FBI and local law enforcement to the war on terror: The two officers tell me about a close call at the Taste of Chicago food festival last year. Millions attend the annual street feast, with Chicago-style sausage and pizza and tamales on sale in booths along the lakefront. As with all major public events, the JTTF [Joint Terrorism Task Force] helped plan the security profile. A JHAT —a Joint Hazardous Assessment Team —set up at the festival, dotting the area with devices that detect signs of a chemical...
“At least [President Bush] is consistent in his patriotism... he gave up golf during Vietnam as well.” Tony on Bush on Sacrifice
