Did you know that Newt Gingrich was voted Most Intellectual in high school? This just goes to show how profoundly stupid teenagers are.
Politics
846 posts
Shamed former vice presidential nominee and John Kerry running mate John Edwards will likely be indicted within two weeks by federal prosecutors investigating allegations that during his run for the 2008 presidency Edwards solicited campaign donations for the express purpose of trying to pay-off a woman he was having an affair with. Well we all know how that ended.
I am a disillusioned newsperson. I am crumbled against the dumpster in the alley even as we speak, wearing my tattered fedora, pulling a flask of cheap gin from the pocket of my filthy trenchcoat. And yet: I give you the morning headlines. Because a newsgirl never gives up.
From Wikipedia: An entitlement is a guarantee of access to benefits based on established rights or legislation. A “right” is itself an entitlement associated with a moral or social principal such that an “entitlement” is a provision made in accordance with legal framework of a society.
George Takei is a superhero. Is there anyone else that approaches in-your-face homophobia and generalized ignorance with such good humor and aplomb? No, there is not. Takei is launching the “It’s Okay to be Takei” campaign wherein he suggests replacing the word “gay” with “Takei.” In the video below (which ends hilariously), he offers examples of how well this works. Break out your feather boas and hot pants for the Takei Pride Parade! That book isn’t gay, it’s Takei! Continue reading
Like a great many folks who found themselves caught up in the wave of Obama fever that permeated the Internet in 2008, I’m still a part of the mailing lists that were used to drive the President’s (amazingly well-financed) 2008 grassroots campaign. In the intervening three years, I’ve dutifully remained on that list, a fact borne as much out of laziness as my hope for some niblet of insider-y information that presidents are well-known to share with a mailing list of a few million strangers ahead of the rest of the world. Continue reading
Dominique Strauss-Kahn was indicted by a New York court today on 7 counts including unlawful imprisonment and attempted rape – he was also granted bail despite prosecutors’ assertion that he could become “another Roman Polanski.” However, despite the severity of the charges no one seems to be showing any concern for the victim and everyone is trying to rationalize away the crime itself. Continue reading
Parvaz was born in Iran to an Iranian father and American mother. Her family moved to British Columbia where she obtained a degree in English literature at the University of British Columbia. She had only quite recently accepted a job reporting for Al Jazeera, being based out of its headquarters in Doha, Qatar. She disappeared on April 29, 2011 and it was later revealed that she was detained by Syrian authorities on her way to report on anti-government demonstrations in that country. She was eventually deported to Iran where she was held for a further 19 days.
That Parvaz has multiple citizenships and passports seems to have been the pretext for her detainment. On Tuesday, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman claimed Parvaz had committed several passport violations on her trip to Syria, stating that the journalist had “traveled to Syria with expired Iranian passport, planned to work without a press permit and had several passports on her.” While Parvaz likely used her Canadian or American passport to enter Syria, Iran doesn’t officially recognized multiple citizenships for Iranians.
Parvaz’s family have been jubilant today after receiving a phone-call from her last night around 9:30 pm PST to let them know she had been released and was planning on returning to Vancouver by Wednesday or Thursday. “It was one of the best moments of my life,” said her father. “I’m 68 years old and I’ve never had a moment like it.”
CBC, Al Jazeera, Seattle Times.
Dr. Cornel West is an American racial theorist, civil rights activist and philosopher of political and moral ethics – perhaps you’ve heard of him? Like with most thinkers or philosphers whose ideas are actually worth half a damn, West is a somewhat controversial figure. He’s what some might call “radical” in his politics and more importantly, his ideas. Recently, West has made some rather petty and provocative statements about Barack Obama’s presidency. However, despite West’s self-important pontification on the issue his critiques are unfortunately right on the money. Continue reading