Putin To Protesters: You'll Be Beaten If You Continue To Rally

What is Putin worrying about? That his (and Medvedev's) rock-solid government would be toppled by these minor protests?
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Carla Bruni and the Human Rights Soap Opera

It's always a bit ironic when political figures from ex-colonial powers voice concerns about and adovcate for human rights in other countries. They can only do this and not appear to be hypocrites because not nearly enough people has been educated with regards to the history of colonialism, primarily in the 18th and 19th centuries. The British, French, Spanish, etc, did not show the slightest bit of concern about human rights when they colonized (more like invaded) most of the world. They have ended the lives of millions and exploited the resources of foreign lands all around the globe.

Nevertheless, should the brutal, barbaric pasts of these countries prohibit their people from discussing human rights issues? I don't think so. Things have changed for the better. Not as much as one might think, but they have.

The idea of human rights itself, as put into writing and international law, was a Western idea. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights was founded by the UN after World War II, with its primary focus on human rights. These were ideas and political structures developed by the West to fix problems created by the West, and they have worked, to some extent.

In addition to the irony of the West criticizing countries such as Iran about human rights, the notion of cultural relativism also comes into play. Most in the West, Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy included, believe that death by stoning is wrong, even for adultery. But religious / ethnic groups in the Middle East have been doing this for over a thousand years, and they see nothing wrong with it. Who are we to say that they're wrong?

The answer has to do with the primitive notion of humanity as a whole, and our awareness of such a humanity. It is the idea that we who live in the modern world value the human life above all else, and that this humanism should lead us to put in our utmost efforts to preserve every one of them, not finding reasons to end them.

The case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani comes from a long line of human rights cases that have sprung from the Middle East and has aroused international attention. Last year, despite international outcry, Afghanistan, under the corrupt leadership of Harmid Karzai, enacted the notorious law that formalizes discrimination against Shia Afghan women.

"
The law gives a husband the right to withdraw basic maintenance from his wife, including food, if she refuses to obey his sexual demands. It grants guardianship of children exclusively to their fathers and grandfathers. It requires women to get permission from their husbands to work. It also effectively allows a rapist to avoid prosecution by paying "blood money" to a girl who was injured when he raped her
"
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/08/13/afghanistan-law-curbing-women-s-rights-takes-effect

Such cases show how little progress has been made in the developing countries, and how the West has been incompetent in trying to change the values that these countries hold.

Who knows? Maybe Carla Bruni could make a difference in this case, even progress the human rights cause in the process. And the Ayatollah should listen to some Rolling Stones and shut up.
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Beck's Restoring Honor Rally: Thousands Expected To Attend, Civil Rights Leaders Protest Event

Like it or not, Beck is just riding his tidal wave of popularity, to the max. Maybe the guy is the master of using fear-mongering to attract and mobilize and audience, and maybe he is on the rise to become the most popular news commentator on television. Who's fault is that? Not his, he's just seizing his opportunity. It's those who are actually buying into Beck's rhetoric who are keeping him going.
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'The Daily Show' Takes On The Tennessee Mosque Controversy (VIDEO)

The analogy of the ex-girlfriend / wife / drape thing is absoutely brilliant.
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'CBS Evening News' Ratings Hit Record LOW During Katie Couric's Afghanistan Trip 'CBS Evening News' Ratings Hit Record LOW During Katie Couric's Afgha

This speaks a lot to how weary Americans are of the war in Afghanistan. They are tired of it. They don't want to hear about it. I'd guess that more Americans would be interested in international affairs / politics, if they didn't need to worry about losing their jobs / pensions / etc.

Let us put this into perspective, though. In a country where more than 1 in 5 Americans can't point out the United States in a map, and where 1 in 5 Americans believe the Sun revolves around the Earth, we can't really expect them to know where Afghanistan is, let alone what goes on there.

Afghanistan is a political issue. In a country where political apathy is rampant and economy struggling, Afghanistan becomes the last thing the average American wants to talk about.

The fact that CBS is a big mainstream network does not help, either. Last month, Rachel Maddow went to Afghanistan and covered it her show, "The Rachel Maddow Show", and saw little change in ratings. The difference between Couric's and Maddow's coverage of Afghanistan is that when people tune in to MSNBC to watch Rachel, they know she will be discussing political issues.

I give credit to Couric though, for taking the chance to cover an important political issue, albeit one that is not in the minds of the average American.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab Sneak Peek VIDEO: Watch The Official Teaser

This is the reason why the second generation ipad, presumably due to debut in Spring of next year, needs to improve substantially from the current model.

If Apple is in anyway aware of what the public wants, a camera will almost certainly appear in the ipad 2, along with the gyroscope, which is currently in the iphone 4. Apple will also need to widen the collection for ibooks in order to compete with apps by Amazon, etc.

Despite the release of tablets by Samsung and other brands in the future, I'd still probably go for an ipad because Apple has established itself as the go-to brand when it comes to intuitive and simple to use products.
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Black Bears Found Guarding POT Farm In Canada

That's soooo awwwwsoome, maaan.

If you are trying to find mildly amusing news amidst of all the depressing crap, this is it. I like how not just bears, but raccoons and pigs also were chilling out at the cannabis farmhouse. I guess marijuana brings us all together, literally.
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Man Kept Dead Mother's Body In A 'BACKPACK For Nearly A Decade'

Doesn't get more "that's fucked up" than this.
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Olbermann: There Is No 'Ground Zero Mosque' (VIDEO)

I was blown away by this special comment. In light of all the fuss that has stirred up since word of the construction of a Muslim 'Mosque' was spread, the mainstream media was business as usual, i.e. not getting the accurate facts out to the public.

It's not that hard, really. Watch Keith do it here.

There isn't going to be a mosque near ground zero, because of two main facts which Keith brought to light. First, the group which purchased that property is going to build an Islamic community center, very different from a place of Muslim worship. Secondly, the property is nowhere near ground zero; it is a couple blocks over, and view of ground zero is blocked by buildings if one stands at that property.

It is hard for me - and I'd like to think for many - not to be jaded to see the media be so politically-driven and convoluted with their facts. In recent months we've seen the debacle with Shirley Sherrod and now this. My fingers are cross that at least some news commentators can get things right.
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Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, and the appeal of Fox News

I will admit right off the bat that I'm not a regular viewer of Glenn Beck's or Bill O'Reilly's programs on Fox News. I will also admit that I watch MSNBC much more often than The Fox News Channel. Nevertheless, I try to force myself to watch Fox News every now and then and listen to what these guys have to say.

After a few months of watching clips and videos of Beck's and O'Reilly's shows, I have to say I sort of understand their massive appeal (according to the dominating ratings they receive month after month). They are charming TV personalities who captivate a large audience with their 'common sense' approach. Their issues / discussion pieces do not rely on heavy research, but rather an over-simplified, A-B-C style, dizzying rhetoric that is designed to satisfy a general public that more often than not probably would not look further into the issues after watching their shows, and thus would would believe in the truthfulness and sincerity of these men.

For examples of these approaches, look no further than Beck's chalkboard or O'Reilly's "Talking Points" segment. Both of these methods are employed to simplify what would otherwise be very complex political issues that require pages (even books) of explanation in order to be understood.

While these have been my observations over the past few months, the video / article with which this piece is linked is very interesting in its own right. At the beginning of the discussion, O'Reilly asks Beck why the he seldom covers social issues such as same sex marriage and abortion, to which Beck responds "I think we have bigger fish to fry", referring to the country's more pressing political issues that require debate, and also noting that social issues are private / religious in nature and should not be interfered with by the government.

This is the highlight of the article, that Glenn Beck does not think that gay marriage is a threat to America. In my opinion, however, the interesting part came in the discussion that ensued, during which O'Reilly tried to point out Beck's rather extremist political views (namely his belief that "the country is burning" and that he will soon feature a piece on the 1920s President Calvin Coolidge on his show). It was fairly clear that O'Reilly's intention was to paint Beck as a radical, but Beck not only did not get serious and engage in real debate with O'Reilly, he essentially laughed it off.

No one can really deny that these two men are good entertainers, and that often times Keith Olbermann appears grumpy in comparison. But does charisma equal quality / sensible news and political commentary? How can the rhetoric approach of these men compare with that of Rachel Maddow's, who provides in-depth analysis to every story she covers?

Maybe these men are genuine in their beliefs. Maybe they just do what they do to make money. All I can hope for is for the audience to be able to tell the difference.
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Tea Party Crushing Chamber Of Commerce In GOP Primaries

While not definitive in anyway, this is indeed a sign that the Tea Party is not perfectly in line with the Republicans. The Tea Party's biggest motif, if they have any, is that they are anti-establishment. The Republican Party essentially is part of the establishment, even if some of the Republicans claim they want to shrink it. I guess it's nice to see some Tea Partiers actually voting on what they believe in. In the cynical political climate of today, that's all we can really ask for.
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Rachel Maddow Takes On Bill O'Reilly: 'Stupid,' 'Bullpucky' (VIDEO)

Good.
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Stimulus money helps homeless schoolchildren | McClatchy

Stimulus money helps homeless schoolchildren | McClatchy

An example of the Stimulus at work that's NOT at a car manufacturing plant or solar panel site.

Fareed Zakaria Returns Anti-Defamation League Award Over Ground Zero Mosque

Take it to 'em, Fareed!



The fact is, innocent Muslim Americans died in 9/11, alongside Americans of other ethnicity. Let us not forget that the 9/11 attacks were set in motion by a very small group of Muslims with extreme ideologies.
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Romer's Departure Raises Questions And Concerns About White House's Economic Team

So the person who at first believed in spending much more on the stimulus (which we should have) is leaving. I gather from this article that she's a true Washington 'outsider' on Obama's economic team, and she's the one leaving.

I wonder if the President knew about her resignation, and whether if he had any say in the matter. His inner circle now consists of those who either worry only about this political image or siding with big businesses. If he wants to help main street, he can't surround himself with people from Wall Street / DC political hawks.
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Calderon: Mexico Drug Gangs Seeking To Replace Government

The cartels are practically running the country already, why not make it official? The 'war on drugs' has failed; it was never a practical approach.



Aside from the rehabilitation, treatment, and anti-drug policies governments (notably the United States) have implemented, it really comes down to business 101: kill the demand, and you kill the supply.



The question is not, and never was, how we can stop the production of drugs and its sales in the United States. The question, as simple and loaded as it is, is how we can get people to not want to take drugs.
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A few words on Prop 8

Alright, it was a great victory, for gay and lesbian Americans, for civil protest / activism, and for social progress. So much has been said about the ruling, about the courage and determination (as well as meticulousness) of Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, and about how the ruling, with its harsh yet honest language, will send a tidal wave across the nation with regards to gay rights.

I have little to add to the discussion to the ruling itself. Suffice it to say that I echo the sentiments of Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow on their respective shows last night. This is about love, and the natural rights of people who are born in the United States. The 14th Amendment of the Constitution exists so that it can confront discrimination, not embrace it. The Constitution is what defines the United States and its people, not vice versa.

With that in mind, I have a few words to say about what this ruling might mean on the wider scale of American politics. In recent times, we have witnessed the balance of power between the three branches of government (Legislative, Executive, Judiciary) tilt heavily in favor of the Executive, where the President and his cabinet works, and many have raised the notion that the judicial branch, notably the United States Supreme Court, has become irrelevant. In this regard, what Judge Walker did was essentially make the Courts relevant again, by carefully studying and interpreting the Constitution and the Law, and rule that Prop 8 is unconstitutional.

In a rare instance, the Courts have dictated the political discussions, not the other way around.

Yes, I am clearly aware of the saying (some call it 'fact') that judicial courts traditionally are not supposed to interfere with politics. But it has become obvious that it is impossible for a judge to issue a ruling without looking at the consequences. Also, it almost always happens that when there is an 'activist' ruling by a 'liberal activist' judge, conservatives decry it claiming judicial activism. But Conservative activist judges do this just as often (look no further than the records of Justice Thomas and Justice Scalia). I think they should all face the reality of today's rapidly-changing society and call themselves activist judges.
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Bomb-Sniffing Dog Gina Comes Home From Iraq Traumatized, Suffering From PTSD

This is the deal-breaker, right here. When the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are causing DOGS to have PTSD.

Is it not sad enough that human beings are suffering from war-related sickness, that animals are now victims as well?
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Lou Dobbs Opposes GOP Push To Repeal The 14th Amendment Over Immigration (VIDEO)

Lou Dobbs, LOU DOBBS, opposes repealing the 14th Amendment.

The man respects the Constitution more than the Republican party does, which, frankly, does not shock me. Granted he's one of the biggest voices in terms of anti-immigration, he is a Harvard grad who has a strong belief in protect his country's borders. He has my respect for that.

Senator Sessions is very unwise if he thinks that the United States Constitution tackles specific issues, especially those unique to today's society. Written in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson and company, the Constitution is designed to be vague, so that it lays the foundation of what the country should be, but allows for changes in the future. Laws could be changed, but the Constitution shouldn't (not easily, anyway), because the Constitution defines the country. Change the Constitution, and you change the country.
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Even Glenn Beck can't mess with the Jews

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20100803/cm_yblog_upshot/becks-holocaust-comments-prompt-fox-news-meeting

The host of the top-rated Fox News program had to send a hand-written letter to Mr. Simon Greer to ameliorate the situation.

The point to be taken from this is not that Glenn Beck despises socialism, communism, and fascism, and believes that 'caring for others' and 'achieving the greater good' leads to tyranny. These are old news. What is of note should be the power and reach of the Jewish community (and lobby) in America, even today. Glenn Beck hosts one of the highest rating 'news' programs on television, and here he was, writing a letter of (somewhat) reconciliation to Greer:

"Although Greer said he wouldn't categorize the letter as an apology, he said that Beck explained he'd been informed of the organization's concerns and took them very seriously."

This also shouldn't strike as a surprise. For all we know, Beck only wrote the letter because his bosses told him to. He wasn't about to apologize for what he'd said. He almost never does.

Lindsay Lohan Strips For Maxim, Talks Her Future (PHOTO)

She doesn't even look fit in this picture. She is slim only because she rarely eats, drinks to excess, and is high on drugs. Contrast her with some more healthy-looking young stars such as Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, even Amanda Bynes, who recently came out of retirement.

Maybe this time she'll actually get it together; it's just not very pleasant to see a celebrity crash and burn like she did.
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