Pages

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

News Nuggets 307

Pineberries? See the Fruit Nugget below. From the Globe and Mail [of the UK]


Lo, the Mideast Moves (Roger Cohen) from the New York Times

"All the global mutterings about the “Carterization” of Obama, and the talk (widespread in Israel) of kicking the can down the road and so getting through the “garbage time” of a one-term president — that is suddenly yesterday’s chatter. The reminder was timely: This man is no softie. He’s a politician tough enough to watch his rivals auto-destruct on his cool, and principled enough to set the right long-term objectives,"


Israel Fears Obama Heading for Imposed Mideast Settlement from Haaretz Daily News [of Israel in English]

"U.S. President Barack Obama's demands during his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Tuesday point to an intention to impose a permanent settlement on Israel and the Palestinians in less than two years, political sources in Jerusalem say. "

WOW! This could be big!


Obama Throws Out the Political Rules (Clive Cook) from the Financial Times [of London]

"The passage of US healthcare reform is enormously consequential, and not just for the things the new law aims to affect. The manner of its passage, as much as its substance, makes November’s mid-term elections pivotal. They may decide the political trajectory of the United States for the next several decades."


The Essence of Anarchy (Sean Wilentz) from the New Republic

"America's long, sordid affairs with nullification."


Unlike Republicans, Obama Chooses Butter Over Guns from Izvestia [of Russia in English]

"In the age-old dilemma faced by all governments - that between guns and butter - Obama chose the latter. Perhaps it's not for nothing that he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize."


Drilling and Nuclear Plants ... In Exchange for What? (Steve Benen) from Washington Monthly

"As I understand it, the plan the White House has supported for months includes a give and take on energy -- Republicans would get the drilling and nuclear advances, while Democrats would get cap-and-trade. There are plenty of related details, but in general, this would serve as the basis for a grand, comprehensive bargain on energy."


When I heard about this, this is just where my mind went. Benen asks a key question here though - why concede this now?


Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic has more interesting analysis HERE


Other views on what's going on:


Why is Obama Opening Up New Offshore Drilling? from the Atlantic

"The plan would open the Atlantic coast from Delaware to Florida, parts of the Gulf of Mexico, and a large area north of Alaska. Here are the challenges and payoffs of the offshore drilling plan and why Obama's doing It"


Top Five Hurdles Climate Bill Must Clear from The Hill

"KGL appears to have created new momentum for a carbon cap, but the following is a list of hurdles the bill will have to clear to pass."


Health Care Repeal Campaigns Could Backfire on Republicans in Fall Elections from the Associated Press

"Top Republicans are increasingly worried that GOP candidates this fall might be burned by a fire that's roaring through the conservative base: demand for the repeal of President Barack Obama's new health care law. It's fine to criticize the health law and the way Democrats pushed it through Congress without a single GOP vote, these party leaders say. But focusing on its outright repeal carries two big risks."


President Obama's Black Agenda from The Root

"From where I sit--with more than three decades of experience working to make public policies more fair and inclusive of all people--the past year has seen tremendous investment in the African-American community right along the lines we laid out four years ago."


Credibility Gap: Pope Needs to Answer Questions (Editorial) from the National Catholic Reporter

"We now face the largest institutional crisis in centuries, possibly in church history. The Holy Father needs to directly answer questions, in a credible forum, about his role -- as archbishop of Munich (1977-82), as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (1982-2005), and as pope (2005-present) -- in the mismanagement of the clergy sex abuse crisis.Nothing less than a full, personal and public accounting will begin to address the crisis that is engulfing the worldwide church."


Should There Be an Inquisition for the Pope? (Maureen Dowd) from the New York Times

"It doesn’t seem right that the Catholic Church is spending Holy Week practicing the unholy art of spin."


UK 'Climategate' Inqury Largely Clears Scientists from the Associated Press via Breitbart.com

GOD, I hate to link to this a--hole's site!

"The first of several British investigations into the e-mails leaked from one of the world's leading climate research centers has largely vindicated the scientists involved."


Michael Steel Called Tone Deaf by GOP Brass, Urged to Resign from Huffington Post

"On Monday morning, the Daily Caller reported that the RNC spent thousands of dollars on high-end travel arrangements, swanky hotels and, most remarkably, "meals" at a lesbian-and-bondage-themed nightclub in West Hollywood."


White House Swamped with Authors Looking for the Inside Story from the Washington Post

"The White House has practically been overrun by journalists pumping top officials for behind-the-scenes details for a growing roster of behind-the-scenes books."


In a very similar vein:


A Bounty of Obama Kid Lit from the Washington Post

"If Obama books have cornered a large chunk of the non-fiction shelves, then check out what's happening over in the children's section. It's overflowing with Obama kid lit. And, implicitly and explicitly, those books are grappling with the subject of race."


MOVIE NUGGET!!

Casting Call: Lee Daniels' 'Selma' from The Root

This sounds like it could be really good. How timely, too. The Root's casting suggestions are quite interesting.

"Buzz is swirling about the casting of Lee Daniels' next film, a biopic on the 1965 voting rights marches. Robert De Niro as Gov. George Wallace? Lenny Kravitz as Andrew Young? In case Daniels wants The Root's unsolicited help, here are our picks."


DINOSAUR NUGGET!!

Feces, Bite Marks Flesh Out Giant Dino-Eating Crocs from National Geographic Daily News

"As long as a stretch limo, Deinosuchus—"terrible crocodile"—likely prowled shallow waters and hunted dinosaurs its own size, the evidence suggests."


FRUIT NUGGET!!

Pineberries and Cream? from the Globe and Mail [of the UK]

"The new summer fruit which looks like a white strawberry... but tastes like a pineapple."


No comments: