tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121730342024-03-13T20:05:23.646-07:00Culture of TruthBecause the Truth MattersUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger987125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-65726274317678153452015-08-03T15:58:00.003-07:002015-08-03T15:58:48.331-07:00It Feel Likes 164 Degrees in Iran<a href="http://www.weather.com/news/news/iraq-iran-heat-middle-east-125-degrees">Thanks, Obama!</a><br />
<br />
Water temperatures in the Persian Gulf routinely warm into the 90s
each summer, releasing massive amounts of water vapor into the air
above. For those unlucky enough to catch a breeze from the Gulf, the
humidity can be stifling.<br />
<br />
On Thursday, those breezes blew toward
the Iranian side of the Gulf. At 3:30 p.m. local time Thursday, the manned observation site at the Mahshahr Airport in
southwest Iran reported a temperature of 109 F (43 C) and a dewpoint of
90 F (32 C). Using the American heat index formula, those figures
yielded a mind-boggling feels-like temperature of 159 F (70 C).<br />
<br />
It
was even hotter on Friday at the Mahshahr Airport when temperatures
reached 114.8 F at 4:30 pm local time with a dew point of 89.6 F,
<b>leading to a heat index value of an incredible 164 F</b> (73 C).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-66207033480243857352015-08-03T15:40:00.002-07:002015-08-03T15:40:31.963-07:00For $1,000 He'll Testify for Police Shooting Civilians<h1 class="headline">
<span style="font-size: small;">Training Officers to Shoot First, and <a href="http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/us/training-officers-to-shoot-first-and-he-will-answer-questions-later.html?referrer=&_r=0">He Will Answer Questions Later</a></span></h1>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The prosecutor, Stephen McIntosh, however, told
The Columbus Dispatch that Dr. Lewinski’s “radical” views could be used
to justify nearly any police shooting.“If that’s the sort of direction we, as a society, are going,” the prosecutor said, “I have a lot of disappointment.” </blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-63145159976061058732015-08-03T15:30:00.005-07:002015-08-03T15:30:56.619-07:00Iran Deal Opponents Living in Fantasy World<br />
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-real-gamblers-on-iran/2015/07/23/f21d2ce0-316b-11e5-8f36-18d1d501920d_story.html">Fareed Zakaria</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The deal’s opponents have conjured up a fantasy scenario in which the
world will sign up for more sanctions, Tehran will meekly return to the
table with further concessions, or perhaps the Islamic republic will
itself implode — and its successors will then denounce and dismantle the
nuclear program. To bet on this scenario is the real gamble, a high
stakes one with little evidence to support it.</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-51686881787093725012014-11-25T09:31:00.001-08:002014-11-25T09:31:04.834-08:00Officer Wilson: Michael Brown Was Powerful like Hulk Hogan, Intensively Aggresive, Gunting, Looked Like a DemonWilson: "I felt like a 5 year-old holding onto Hulk Hogan."<br />
<br />
"Hulk Hogan. That's just how big he felt and how small I felt just from grasping his arm." <br />
<br />
"I drew my gun... He immediately grabs my gun and says 'you are too much of a pussy to shoot me',"<br />
<br />
"He...grabs my gun...and then he twists it and digs it down into my hip."<br />
<br />
"Those punches in my face could knock me out or worse...the third one could be fatal."<br />
<br />
"He looked at me...and had the most intense aggressive face. The only way I can describe it, it looks like a demon."<br />
<br />
"It looks like a demon, that's how angry he looked."<br />
<br />
"I tell him get on the ground, get on the ground."<br />
<br />
"He turns, and when he looked at me, he made like a grunting, like aggravated sound..."<br />
<br />
"He turns and he's coming back toward me...he kind of does a stutter step to start running."<br />
<br />
"The first step, his first stride coming back towards me."<br />
<br />
"As he is coming towards me, I tell, keep telling him get on the ground. He doesn't. I shoot a series of shots."<br />
<br />
"I know I hit him at least once because I saw his body kind of jerk." <br />
<br />
"He's still coming at me, he hadn't slowed down...I start backpedaling again, I tell him get on the ground.. he doesn't" <br />
<br />
"I shoot another round of shots. I don't recall if it hit him every time..at least once because he flinched again."<br />
<br />
"At this point it looked like he was almost bulking up to run through the shots... like it was making him mad that I'm shooting at him. And the face that he had was looking straight through me... like I wasn't even there, I wasn't even anything in his way."<br />
<br />
"Well, he keeps coming after me... gets about 8 to 10 feet away."<br />
<br />
"I know if he reaches me, he'll kill me."<br />
<br />
"I remember looking at my sites and firing, all I see is his head and that's what I shot" <br />
<br />
"the demeanor on his face went blank, the aggression was gone... the threat was stopped."<br />
<br />
"His whole reaction to the whole thing was something I've never seen"<br />
<br />
"Whenever [my gun] was visible to him, he then took complete control of it.<br />
<br />
"Whenever it was displayed to him, he did take complete control." <br />
<br />
"He had complete control of that weapon at that time."<br />
<br />
Q: How many minutes from when you saw them walking in the street until Michael Brown was dead?<br />
<br />
Wilson: "less than one minute" <br />
<br />
Wilson on the community: "It is just not a very well-liked community."<br />
<br />
Q: "Were you pretty much on high alert being in that community by yourself?"<br />
<br />
A: "Yes"<br />
<br />
Wilson: "That's not an area where you can take anything really lightly. Like I said, it is a hostile environment." Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-17318567317703944352014-05-26T05:04:00.000-07:002014-05-26T05:04:11.361-07:00Rare Photos from Allied Invasion of Southern France in WWII<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://life.time.com/history/rare-photos-from-the-allied-invasion-of-southern-france-1944/#1">Life Magazine publishes</a> little-seen photographs from the Allied invasion of southern France in 1944. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.dalerooks.org/">Dale Rooks</a> took the pictures of U.S. troops in Marseilles, Toulon and other places in the region.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-71656123995403136692014-02-12T12:15:00.000-08:002014-02-12T12:15:10.615-08:00Bill Keller to Head Up Website on Criminal Justice<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bill
Keller is leaving the New York Times to head up a well-funded online news source devoted to
issues such as</span></span><span style="font-family: FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="http://www.newsweek.com/how-journalism-project-no-one-had-heard-stole-times-columnist-bill-keller-228713#.UvonKMzwvao.twitter">juvenile justice, drug sentencing, the death penalty, privatization of prisons, solitary confinement and mental illness.</a> </span></span>
</div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-52908246223810991772013-06-30T14:32:00.001-07:002013-06-30T14:32:11.802-07:00David Gregory, Glenn Greewald, and the Question of Journalism<a href="http://pressthink.org/2013/06/david-gregory-tries-to-read-glenn-greenwald-and-the-guardian-out-of-the-journalism-club/">Jay Rosen looks at the exchange</a> between David Gregory, Glenn Greenwald, and the issue of 'who is a journalist?'<br />
<br />
While the question may seem irrelevant, the press like to point out that their profession is specifically mentioned as deserving of special protection in the First Amendment to the Constitution. Journalists argue that protections for reporters against, for example requiring them to reveal their sources, benefit society in the same way such confidentiality protections do for lawyers, doctors, and ministers. The President himself recently endorsed a press shield law. Nevertheless, defining 'who is a journalist' is more difficult than many in the official press like to think it is, particularly in an age of online publishing.<br />
<br />
If David Gregory thinks Glenn Greenwald should be charged with a crime, he should say so. On the other hand, the term "criminalizing journalism," is a term largely without meaning. Journalism is properly protected by the Constitution, but neither does an action become immune to prosecution merely because it is designated "journalism." Like any other person, a journalist may, or may not commit a crime ni the course of doing their job,' but to prosecute reporters merely for receiving classified information is properly and widely regarded an as dangerous in a functioning representative democracy.<br />
<br />
Jay Rosen's analysis is excellent; but I would like to highlight a habit of David Gregory's that his method of interviewing : his use of the passive voice to inject certain opinions into his show. I have little doubt Gregory himself thinks of this method as both hard-hitting and incisive; he probably cannot see what he is doing, parroting and giving credence to Beltway chatter. He usually does this by vaguely announcing “There’s a question" and repeating what he insists "people are saying," important people, naturally.<br />
<br />
Gregory:<br />
<br />
"The question of who’s a journalist may be up to a debate with regard to what you’re doing"<br />
<br />
“There’s a question about his role in this, The Guardian’s role in all of this. It is actually part of the debate,"<br />
<br />
"Some people think that security is more important, or that secrecy
should be decided by democratically-elected officials and not by
individual whistleblowers" <br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-4295973190947823782013-06-29T09:52:00.000-07:002013-06-29T09:52:46.314-07:00Colonial Historians Solve a Crime From 1624Colonial historians may have not only <a href="http://www.newser.com/story/170163/americas-oldest-unsolved-murder-may-be-solved.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=slate&utm_campaign=greatfinds_rss">have identified a man found killed from a gunshot wound in 1624</a>, but the person who shot him. Apparently the circumstances of the shooting, a duel, were recorded in documents in Jamestown colony archives.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-72579275254196403642013-05-22T17:39:00.000-07:002013-05-22T18:17:34.285-07:00U.S. Government Targeted and Killed American Citizen Anwar al-Aulaqi In a letter to Congress, Attorney General Eric Holder states that U.S. government specifically targeted and killed American citizen Anwar al-Aulaqi after a
"thorough and careful review" and determining that he posed an imminent threat to Americans on U.S. soil.<br />
<br />
He states that the U.S. government found al-Aulaqi posed an imminent threat of a violent attack and that his capture was not feasible. <br />
<br />
<br />
For example, Holder writes, al-Aulaqi instructed the so-called "underwear bomber" to blow up a plane when it was over American soil.<br />
Describing the legal basis for these actions, a subject of much recent discussion, he writes that the Constitution does not prohibit government from killing American
terrorists who hide in faraway countries and plot against homeland.<br />
<br />
The letter states that Lethal force may be used when a person poses a continuing, imminent
threat, capture is not feasible, no other reasonable means of addressing the threat exist. <br />
<br />
Holder also tells us that the government also killed three other U.S. citizens, who were not specifically targeted.<br />
<br />
He also said that Obama will speak soon on legal and policy justifications for targeted killing.<br />
<br />
Here is a link to the <a href="http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/703181-ag-letter-5-22-13.html">letter from Holder </a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-46268004198623533362013-04-21T05:14:00.003-07:002013-04-21T05:14:29.180-07:00Last Two Speakers of Dying Language Refuse to Talk to Each Other<h1 class="entry-title">
</h1>
<h1 class="entry-title">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Daniel Suslak, a linguistic anthropologist, sums up their relationship succinctly: “<a href="http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/04/18/last-two-speakers-of-dying-language-refuse-to-talk-to-each-other/#ixzz2R6DfV2S4">They don’t have a lot in common</a>.”</span></h1>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-19821325848679162622013-03-20T07:22:00.003-07:002013-03-20T07:22:56.994-07:00Michelle Bachmann and the Truth <em>“Here's the truth that the president won't tell you. Of every dollar
that you hold in your hands, 70 cents of that dollar that's supposed to
go to the poor doesn't. It actually goes to benefit the bureaucrats in
Washington, D.C. <span>—</span> 70 cents on the dollar. </em><br />
<br />
- Rep. Michelle Bachmann, (R-MN) March 16, 2013.<em> </em><br />
<br />
The Washington Post's fact-checker, Glenn Kessler, examines <a href="http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/bachmanns-claim-that-70-percent-of-food-stamps-go-to-bureaucrats/2013/03/18/3f85d042-8ff5-11e2-bdea-e32ad90da239_blog.html">Rep. Michelle Bachmann's accuracy here</a>.<br />
<br />
Bachmann's source is a speech from 1990, citing a government report from 1986 (when Ronald Reagan was President.) She also misleadingly relies on a report from a Cato Institute scholar.<br />
<br />
According to Kessler, "staff salaries amount to <em>one-third of 1 percent</em> of USDA’s budget for food and nutrition programs."<br />
<br />
He concludes:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Bachmann yet again earns Four Pinocchios. But there really aren’t enough
Pinocchios for such misleading use of statistics in a major speech."</blockquote>
<br />
Shouldn't we expect more truth from our elected officials? Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-92207688074523195382013-02-26T10:06:00.001-08:002013-02-26T10:06:24.348-08:00Truth and the Doctrine of False Equivalence<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/02/false-equivalence-the-master-class/273505/">James Fallows in The Atlantic </a><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><i>The Washington Post</i>'s analysts, plus anyone who has looked at a budget, <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/02/false-equivalence-the-ur-text/273428/">point out</a> that the Obama Administration's budget proposals involve <i>less</i> in tax increases, and <i>more</i>
in spending cuts, than what previously seemed perfectly "centrist"
proposals. That is, what the administration is now proposing is what
most centrist-minded people would have endorsed as a "reasonable
compromise" two or three years ago; </li>
<li><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/spending-cuts-represent-moment-of-truth-for-tea-party/2013/02/25/69adcc32-7c89-11e2-9a75-dab0201670da_story.html">Reporters from the <i>Post</i></a>, and from everywhere else, make clear that much of the GOP leadership and rank-and-file <i>want</i> the sequester to occur and are simply not interested in a last-minute compromise;</li>
</ul>
That's the landscape. And what is the <i>Post</i>'s editorial conclusion? You guessed it! The president is to blame, for not "leading" the way to a compromise.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-83161357165689713882013-02-21T19:53:00.003-08:002013-02-21T19:53:52.676-08:00The Sun Big. Really Big.<script src="http://cdn-akm.vmixcore.com/vmixcore/js?auto_play=0&cc_default_off=1&player_name=uvp&width=512&height=332&player_id=1aa0b90d7d31305a75d7fa03bc403f5a&t=V0qTWIYS1LSur8HKodiKbBPLR0L4qWIWzK" type="text/javascript"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-57432718897809602162013-02-02T15:25:00.004-08:002013-02-02T15:25:54.963-08:00On Skeetgate<strong class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Via Twitter:</strong><br />
<strong class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id"><br /></strong>
<a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="14834340" href="https://twitter.com/jayrosen_nyu"><strong class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Jay Rosen:</strong><span></span><span class="username js-action-profile-name"></span>
</a>
<br />
<div class="js-tweet-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="js-tweet-text">
The news site I want would say: This is too stupid to pay attention to. You may safely ignore it. If
anything changes, we will let you know.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-45630337361793653072013-01-29T16:50:00.000-08:002013-01-29T16:50:08.313-08:00Should the President Be Elected by Congressional District?<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">William Jacobsen, Associate Clinical Professor at Cornell Law School, defends changing the way American elects its President by awarding electoral college votes by Congressional district rather than by state:</span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As things stand now, the Electoral College favors Democrats because
they are all but guaranteed to win a small number of large winner take
all states, such as California, New York, Illinois, Michigan,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, plus a coalition of hopelessly blue states.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Democrats start off close to victory because of winner-take-all
voting in those states, even if they win those states by a small margin
in each state.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He notes these proposals come from Republicans (presumably in response to losing 6 out of 8 elections) and claims the "the system currently is 'rigged' to favor Democrats," but also states the change "may favor Republicans, or it may not, depending on the state and the presidential candidate."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">More importantly, he writes: "Awarding electoral votes by district may have a positive impact of
forcing candidates to campaign outside the large cities and bring a more
geographically diverse electorate into the voting booth for them."</span></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To equate such efforts with cheating, he says, is "constitutionally ignorant." It's not entirely clear if he is endorsing the change, or defending the idea from the charge of cheating, and rigging the system. He also writes, </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> "If [Balloon Juice and Maddow Blog ] are against it, it’s almost certainly good for the nation."</span></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In any case, the power to alter they way votes are counted to benefit your party in the next election is part of democracy.</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The push and pull of redistricting as a result of state-level
elections is part of the process, and if it impacts the Electoral
College, so be it. Elections have consequences. Including at the state level.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It does seem troubling at first that a party, having trouble winning elections, would res<span style="font-size: small;">ort to changing the elections rules. But this is certainly less so if the current method - and the electo<span style="font-size: small;">ral college is certainly pecu<span style="font-size: small;">liar - is in some unfai<span style="font-size: small;">rly til<span style="font-size: small;">ted toward one party or disen<span style="font-size: small;">franchises, de fa<span style="font-size: small;">c<span style="font-size: small;">to, large numbers of people. <span style="font-size: small;">The current system currently guarantees that <span style="font-size: small;">Presidential candidates will <span style="font-size: small;">barely </span>cam<span style="font-size: small;">paign in certain states, w<span style="font-size: small;">hile giving <span style="font-size: small;">outsize attention to <span style="font-size: small;">others - the 'swing states' in a winner-take-all<span style="font-size: small;"> election. Likewise, Prof. Jacobsen sugges<span style="font-size: small;">ts<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>certain areas with states ("large cities") re<span style="font-size: small;">ceive more attention that others. This is presumably b<span style="font-size: small;">ecause there more people in a s<span style="font-size: small;">maller geographic area in the cities. If o<span style="font-size: small;">ne looks are winners of statewi<span style="font-size: small;">de elections (<span style="font-size: small;">Governor, Attorney General, U.S<span style="font-size: small;">. Senator) i<span style="font-size: small;">s</span> this true? Do those candidates disproportionately spend<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>more time campaigning in the cities? If so, <span style="font-size: small;">is this an unfair sit<span style="font-size: small;">uation which needs to be rectified<span style="font-size: small;">? I<span style="font-size: small;">n addition, even if th<span style="font-size: small;">ese rules changes are implemented, it's not clea<span style="font-size: small;">r that candidates will spend much more time in rural areas. After<span style="font-size: small;"> all, <span style="font-size: small;">it will still be 'easier' to reach more people in shorter period of time<span style="font-size: small;">, with less travel, in an urban area<span style="font-size: small;">. Ho<span style="font-size: small;">wev<span style="font-size: small;">er, <span style="font-size: small;">if electoral college votes were <span style="font-size: small;">dis<span style="font-size: small;">tributed<span style="font-size: small;"> by Congressional district, it might change the policy positions emphasi<span style="font-size: small;">zed by candidates - as <span style="font-size: small;">wit<span style="font-size: small;">h</span></span> ethan<span style="font-size: small;">ol and the key primary state of Iowa<span style="font-size: small;"> (or it might not).</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another option, of c<span style="font-size: small;">ourse, would be <span style="font-size: small;">to elect the President by<span style="font-size: small;"> counting<span style="font-size: small;"> national votes, just as members of Congress<span style="font-size: small;">, Governors<span style="font-size: small;">, Mayors, and others are elected by <span style="font-size: small;">gathering the most votes in their respective districts or states </span>. This would likely have the effect of further "nationalizing" elections, rendering them more about larger ideological issues and larg<span style="font-size: small;">e national constituenci<span style="font-size: small;">es<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">and less ab<span style="font-size: small;">out <span style="font-size: small;">local concerns.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-24929730468394657432012-12-05T18:47:00.005-08:002012-12-05T18:47:47.560-08:00Bank Allegedly Hid $12 Billion in Losses<div class="yiv1600486478MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Dec.
5 (Financial Times) - Deutsche Bank failed to recognise up to $12
billion of paper losses during the financial crisis, helping the bank
avoid a government bail-out, three former bank employees have alleged in
complaints to US regulators.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span>
</blockquote>
</div>
<div class="yiv1600486478MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Robert
Khuzami, head of enforcement at the SEC, has recused himself from all
Deutsche Bank investigations because he was Deutsche's general counsel
for the Americas from 2004 to 2009. Dick Walker, Deutsche's general
counsel, is a former head of enforcement at the SEC.<span> </span></span></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="yiv1600486478MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span><span style="font-size: small;">Job swap. Sweet.</span> </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-57119822916343912642012-11-29T17:37:00.001-08:002012-11-29T17:37:00.112-08:00Hostess With the MostestHostess Brands Inc. won final court approval to sell its assets and
eliminate about 18,000 jobs. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain also
approved Hostess’s requests to pay as much as $1.83 million in
incentives to 19 senior managers, while overruling objections to the
bonuses.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-87733315640588817192012-10-26T20:16:00.000-07:002012-10-26T20:16:04.430-07:00CNN: Math. How Does It Work?POLL: OBAMA, ROMNEY TIED IN OHIO<br />
<br />
Pres' 4-point lead within sampling errorUnknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-10843591477631039032012-09-29T17:05:00.001-07:002012-09-29T17:05:02.336-07:00$64,000 in Bow Ties, Paid by the TaxpayerIncredibly, <a href="http://deadspin.com/5947538/gordon-gee-ohio-states-best-recruiter-of-uncompensated-student+athletes-expensed-64000-over-five-years-on-bow-ties">taxpayers of Ohio bought $64,000 in bow ties</a> for its university President, as well as a $500 shower curtain.<br />
<br />
The story serves as a helpful reminder that the NCAA is one of, if the worst, institution in America.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-70403429125787435612012-09-03T14:57:00.000-07:002012-09-03T14:57:10.374-07:00Be Fair, or Look Fair?<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/08/30/a-not-very-truthful-speech-in-a-not-very-truthful-campaign/">Ezra Klein</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We’ve been conditioned to want to give both sides relatively equal
praise and blame, and the fact of the matter is, I would like to give
both sides relatively equal praise and blame. I’d personally feel better
if our coverage didn’t look so lopsided. But first the campaigns have
to be relatively equal. So far in this campaign, you can look fair, or
you can be fair, but you can’t be both.</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-1311043437556728472012-09-03T09:21:00.002-07:002012-09-03T09:46:06.722-07:00Navigating Post-Truth PoliticsBy David Roberts<br /><blockquote>Campaign reporters have deeply internalized the need to <em>appear</em> fair, to be above mere partisanship, to criticize or praise both sides in equal measure. The GOP is acutely aware of this dynamic and for years has used it to their advantage. But real fairness is geared to the facts, not to appearances, and today’s right simply lies more, misleads more, and denies established facts more. That is the conclusion a fair-minded appraisal yields. Empirics have a liberal bias, to paraphrase Colbert.</blockquote><br /><br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-17383350798065154832012-09-02T17:49:00.001-07:002012-09-02T17:49:16.075-07:00Revolt of the Savvy <h6>
“Professional journalists, whose self-image starts with: ‘We’re a
check on…’ had to decide what to do about the truck that just ran their
checkpoint, carrying the brain trust of the Romney campaign, laughing
at how easy it all was.”</h6>
<h6>
Link: http://pressthink.org/2012/08/presspushback/#p43 </h6>
<h6>
</h6>
<h6>
A turn to a culture of truth? </h6>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-56258287663039305832012-07-15T10:05:00.001-07:002012-07-15T10:05:12.446-07:00We know that we’re not posting an honest LIBOR<div>
"So, we know that we’re not posting um, an honest LIBOR."</div>
<div>
</div>
<a href="http://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/news/markets/2012/libor/April_11_2008_transcript.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/news/markets/2012/libor/April_11_2008_transcript.pdf</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-664642627154703502012-07-14T05:55:00.001-07:002012-07-14T05:58:18.464-07:00Peachy Paterno<span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8164484/penn-state-nittany-lions-renovate-areas-where-boys-were-abused-jerry-sandusky"></a><blockquote><a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8164484/penn-state-nittany-lions-renovate-areas-where-boys-were-abused-jerry-sandusky">A huge downtown mural shows many figures in Penn State history.</a> The artist, Michael Pilato, said he had no immediate plans to remove Paterno or Spanier. He already painted over Sandusky, replacing him with a Penn State grad who is an advocate for abuse victims and issues.<br /><br /><span><span style="font-size:85%;">The Paterno family is well known in the State College community for philanthropic efforts, including millions of dollars to the university to help build a library and fund endowments and scholarships. Even Penn State's creamery has a famous flavor named after the coach, Peachy Paterno.</span></span></blockquote><br /><blockquote><br /></blockquote></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12173034.post-56590882702669197502012-07-14T04:51:00.000-07:002012-07-14T04:52:12.740-07:00Obama Leads Romney on Handling the Economy<blockquote>July 13 -- President Barack Obama has gained an advantage over Republican Mitt Romney in a Pew Research Center poll of public confidence in handling of the economy. Obama leads Romney by 50 percent to 43 percent among registered voters surveyed, Pew reports, with Romney losing 3 percentage points since its previous poll in early June.</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0