Thursday, August 29, 2013

News Nuggets 1292

DAYLEE PICTURE: A view of the city of Baiterek in Kazakhstan. From National Geographic.

Reinforce a Norm in Syria (Nicholas D. Kristof) from the New York Times

"Striking Syria now may seem inconsistent, but it’s better than consistently doing nothing in the face of atrocities."
I've long held a similar view of America foreign policy in general. It is commonplace in the Arab middle east to hear US foreign policy slammed for being "inconsistent" and/or biased. I've long responded that foreign policy informed by any kind of humanitarian values can only be thus. Most countries in the world have very consistent foreign policies: they don't give a rat's ass what atrocities other leaders inflict on their people. Period. China and Russia exemplify this tendency. It is far more remarkable that the US and others feel some compulsion to act than they they simply sit back on their laurels and "tsk tsk" from the sidelines.

How the Obama Administration Reversed Course on Syria Strikes (Eleanor Clift, Josh Rogin) from the Daily Beast
"In 48 hours, the Obama team went from controlled anger over a reported chemical-weapons attack to prepping for air strikes against Assad. Eleanor Clift and Josh Rogin go inside the shift—and assess the risks."

Kim Jong-un's Ex-lover 'Executed by Firing Squad' from the Daily Telegraph [of the UK]
"Kim Jong-un's ex-girlfriend was among a dozen well-known North Korean performers who were executed by firing squad nine days ago, according to South Korean reports."

Fast-Food Strikes Set for Cities Nationwide from ABC News
"It's expected be the largest nationwide strike by fast-food workers, according to organizers. The biggest effort so far was over the summer when about 2,200 of the nation's millions of fast-food workers staged a one-day strike in seven cities."

No Widespread Premium Increases Coming Under ObamaCare, Study Says from The Hill
"A major new study on the likely effects of ObamaCare is challenging claims that the law will result in widespread premium increases in the individual and small-group markets."

All Legal Same-Sex Marriages Will Be Recognized for Federal Tax Purposes from the US Department of the Treasury
"The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today ruled that same-sex couples, legally married in jurisdictions that recognize their marriages, will be treated as married for federal tax purposes. The ruling applies regardless of whether the couple lives in a jurisdiction that recognizes same-sex marriage or a jurisdiction that does not recognize same-sex marriage."
This is a BIG deal!!

Boehner, Cantor Turned Down Chance to Speak at March Anniversary (Updated) from Roll Call
"“They asked a long list of Republicans to come,” Bond continued, “and to a man and woman they said ‘no.’ And that they would turn their backs on this event was telling of them, and the fact that they seem to want to get black votes, they’re not gonna get ‘em this way.”"
The cold, hard reality is that the GOP has nothing to offer or to say to African Americans. Indeed, the only use they have for minorities in general is to use them as rhetorical punching bags for racist cheap shots and fear-mongering.

Republican Lawmakers Retaliate Against Heritage Foundation from the National Journal
"Conservatives kick the right-wing think tank's employees out of planning meetings after a blowup over the farm bill. ... For Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who had publicly endorsed the farm bill, the defeat was a black eye."
More evidence of DEEP GOP divisions -- not just among their voters but within the basic power structure that helps get Republicans elected. The Heritage Foundation is a very influential conservative think tank that gives intellectual and academic cover for much of the party's bad policy agenda.

Move Over, Obamacare: Impeachment Is The Right’s New Lost Cause (Gene Lyons) from the National Memo
"Yeah, you with the “Impeach Obama” bumpersticker on your car. The guy standing on a freeway overpass waving a “Honk for Impeachment” sign. You may as well go around in a little bird’s nest hat, like Donald Duck’s eccentric friend Gyro Gearloose."

First Term Troubles - Corbett's Numbers Continue to Drop from the Philadelphia Inquirer
"Ridge and Rendell recovered, posting popularity numbers above 50 percent by the time they ran successfully for re-election. A Daily News/Franklin & Marshall College Poll being released today tells a different story for Gov. Corbett, a Republican up for re-election next year. Corbett's poll numbers continue to drop precipitously."

MARCH ON WASHINGTON NUGGET!!
Martin Luther King’s Adorable 5-year-old Granddaughter Steals the Show at the 50th Anniversary Celebration of his 'I Have a Dream Speech' from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Yolanda Renee King, 5, kept her cool as Barack Obama hugged her mother and father and even gave her a tickle as she stood regally at forefront of the event honoring her grandfather’s march on Washington at the Let Freedom Ring Commemoration and Call to Action."

FRUIT TREE NUGGET!!
America's Oldest Settler? Fruit Tree Planted by Pilgrim is Still Going Strong aged 383 Years from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"English Puritan named John Endicott planted the sapling in Plymouth Rock Thought the pear sapling imported from across the Atlantic from England Pilgrim Fathers landed at Cape Cod in 1620 to start a new colony"

BIOLOGY NUGGET!!
Researcher Controls a Colleague’s Hand by Channelling his Brain Signals Through the INTERNET from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Scientist sent a brain signal via the internet to control hand of colleague. This is the first ever demonstration of human-to-human brain interface. The technology could be used to help those with illnesses communicate wish for food, but some have raised ethical concerns."

OBAMA CRITIC OUT-TO-LUNCH NUGGET [of a sort]!!
Sabattus man says ‘shoot’ posting wasn’t a threat against Obama, defends using racial slur from the Bangor Daily News [of Maine]
"“We’re about to lose our benefits because of this ass****.” Marsters said his wife, Mary, had been in and out of the hospital recently and if they lose spousal benefits, something he fears Obama will suspend, his wife will die. ... Marsters commented on Facebook that “(Obama) is not a legal president.” Marsters was adamant that Obama’s birth certificate was a fraud. “They’ve shown us how it’s done,” he said. “It’s all done in layers on computers. How come nobody from his school’s come forward to say, ‘Oh, I know him.’ How come people from his family never say, ‘I know him. I went to his wedding; I was his best man?”"
Usually I don't post partisan rants like this one -- but this one SO EXEMPLIFIES how badly the GOP and Rush Limbaugh et al., have polluted our national politics and made people like this gentleman so deeply (and unnecessarily) anxious and unhappy. All of this guy's "gotcha" questions about Obama's background -- ALL OF THEM -- are easily answered by a cursory look at the numerous Obama biographies that are out there. Nobody from Obama's school ... "LOTS of those folks have come forward. ""People from his family..." Jesus, there have been several books written about many people in his family! What about his best man? That specific guy has actually been interviewed several times! Even the up-front item -- Obamacare will suspend his wife's medical benefits -- bet the farm that this is false! What I am most left with for this guy and his wife are pity, sadness, and a real fear that someday someone as warped as he is will go much further than simply posting death threats to Obama on his Facebook page. Obama has been lucky so far that the vast majority of these deluded people combine the triple virtues of incompetence, ignorance, and sloth to create a perfect balance between all-talk and no-action. My prayers that this will always be the case.

DINOSAUR PRANK NUGGET!!