A daily miasma of frivolity by two wanna-be cultural critics. Or: just, like, some good links, dude.

Tag Archives: politics

Jul 25 2012
Mark Twain, probably

For first time in 60-plus years, neither presidential rival has any military record

For first time in 60-plus years, neither presidential rival has any military record

Interesting tidbit about the upcoming U.S. Presidential election from Tom Raum of the AP:

The race between President Barack Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney marks the first time since World War II that neither major-party candidate has had any military experience.

I suspect this will become much more common in the future. The draft ended in the U.S. in 1973, thirty-eight years ago, so we’re very near the point where future candidates will not have been of age before the draft ended or will not have been born at all.

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Jun 01 2012
Mark Twain, probably

Confirmed: US and Israel behind Stuxnet

Confirmed: US and Israel behind Stuxnet

Thrilling and terrifying report by David E. Sanger in the New York Times. I’m not even gonna quote anything. Just read it all.

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May 17 2012
Mark Twain, probably

Politics

Politics

Laurie Kellman writing for the Associated Press on some silly shit happening in Congress right now:

The House voted 222-205 to reauthorize the 1994 Violence Against Women Act for five years, as the Senate already had done. But big differences remain: Obama, other Democrats and a long list of advocacy groups say the House bill doesn’t go far enough to protect abused immigrants, Native Americans or gays. Republicans say their bill does more to protect taxpayers from fraud and maintains the constitutionality of law enforcement procedures on Indian land.

Democrats: “This bill does not do enough of these largely unrelated things.”

Republicans: “Yes, but it does do enough of these completely unrelated things.”

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May 14 2012
Mark Twain, probably

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXCZVmQ74OA

Tom McCarthy for The Guardian:

After building a political campaign that was long on passion and grassroots support, if ultimately short of votes, Texas congressman Paul announced today that he is suspending his hunt for the presidency.

The candidate urged supporters to continue their efforts to amass delegates at state conventions, however, as part of a strategy to gain a voice at the Republican National Convention – and influence over the direction of the party.

“We will no longer spend resources campaigning in primaries in states that have not yet voted,” the Paul campaign said in a statement sent to reporters. “Doing so with any hope of success would take many tens of millions of dollars we simply do not have.”

Ron Paul’s “BIG DOG” ad is pretty easily my favorite ad from this election season, and I’ve been waiting for something like this to post it. My tribute to Ron Paul now devoting all his time to his shadow campaign.

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
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May 07 2012
Mark Twain, probably

Biden (mostly) endorses same-sex marriage

Biden (mostly) endorses same-sex marriage

Nice to see the Obama camp coming out swinging like this. My hope is that this is to draw a strong contrast between Obama and Romney — basically campaign on social issues and not let Romney make the election a referendum on the economy.

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May 04 2012
Mark Twain, probably

Bin Laden letter: Kill Obama, leave ‘totally unprepared’ Biden alone

Bin Laden letter: Kill Obama, leave ‘totally unprepared’ Biden alone

Olivier Knox for Yahoo! News’s The Ticket blog:

Osama bin Laden aimed to assassinate President Barack Obama but directed fellow al-Qaida fighters to leave Vice President Joe Biden alone, describing him as “totally unprepared” to take over and predicting a “crisis” in America if that happened, according to a newly declassified letter from the terrorist mastermind.

…

“They are not to target visits by US Vice President Biden, Secretary of Defense Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff (Chairman) Mullen, or the Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Holbrook (sic). The groups will remain on the lookout for Obama or Petraeus,” the Saudi-born extremist wrote.

“The reason for concentrating on them is that Obama is the head of infidelity and killing him automatically will make Biden take over the presidency for the remainder of the term, as it is the norm over there. Biden is totally unprepared for that post, which will lead the US into a crisis. …” bin Laden continued.

dissed

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May 03 2012
Mark Twain, probably

This photo by Jeff Kowalsky for the European Pressphoto Agency shows some modern pieces at the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University in Michigan. MSNBC’s PhotoBlog has several more photos and a short article on the museum and its founder and curator, David Pilgrim.

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May 02 2012
Mark Twain, probably

Wife Of NC Amendment One Supporter: Husband Wrote Bill To Preserve “Caucasian Race”

Wife Of NC Amendment One Supporter: Husband Wrote Bill To Preserve “Caucasian Race”

Tom Kludt writing for TPM:

According to the alternative Yes! Weekly, which picked up the remarks from freelance journalist and activist Chad Nance, Jodie Brunstetter told a poll worker in Winston-Salem, N.C. Monday that the reason her husband “wrote Amendment 1 was because the Caucasian race is diminishing and we need to uh, reproduce.”

You’re uh, crazy.

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Apr 18 2012
Mark Twain, probably

The Definition of Privilege

The Definition of Privilege

Hey check this out, Ron Leech, a politician in Alberta, Canada, has neatly defined the concept of privilege for us:

I think, as a Caucasian, I have an advantage. When different community leaders such as a Sikh leader or a Muslim leader speak, they really speak to their own people in many ways,” Leech is reported to have said by CTV.

As a Caucasian, I believe that I can speak to all the community.

Galling, really.

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Apr 12 2012
Mark Twain, probably

Egypt’s presidential race: An unexpected lineup

Egypt’s presidential race: An unexpected lineup

Hamza Hendawi and Sarah El Deeb, AP:

A year ago, anyone from the old regime seemed too tainted to ever hope for power. Though rising to political prominence, the Muslim Brotherhood promised it wouldn’t run for the presidency, wary of seeming too dominant.

Now, the two main contenders to rule Egypt are the Brotherhood’s top strongman and the most feared and powerful figure of Hosni Mubarak’s inner circle – marking how far the nation has changed from the heady days of revolution in the name of liberal democracy.

Good rundown of the current state surrounding the election happening next month.

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