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27 Apr 2011 22:32

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Politics: I know nothing of which I speak, yet I speak nonetheless

  • Pro-tip: Don’t preface your argument by proclaiming that you don’t know what you’re talking about. The premise in this RedState piece is that we can “common sense” our way out of any political impasse that comes our way, complexity be damned. This is a dangerous way to go about public policy. “Without a strong position among those on my side of the aisle, and with my limited economic understanding that I mentioned earlier, I must revert to what rarely fails me: My gut.” If you lack enough information to form an opinion, either educate yourself more or recuse yourself from the debate. Comprehending the ramifications of raising the debt ceiling require a basic, if not advanced, level of economic knowledge, and to advocate for a one view or another without this knowledge is both intellectually and journalistically disgraceful. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Feb 2011 10:46

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Politics: It gets worse: Scott Walker, GOP in position to turn Wisconsin red

  • This is a multi-front assault aimed at putting Republicans in a commanding position, and it will come as close as you can come to turning Wisconsin into a Republican state. And this is not a red state or a blue state; it’s a purple state.
  • Wisconsin Democracy Campaign executive director Mike McCabe • Suggesting that Wisconsin’s GOP is attempting to use its position to reorganize the state’s political structure to make it a red state. (In case you’re wondering, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign is a nonpartisan group not affiliated with another party.) And beyond the collective bargaining thing, Walker’s law is designed to cut union funding from the source – blocking unions from grabbing the money directly from paychecks, and then forcing people to vote on the union’s very existence each year. (People would also not be required to join a union, which is probably a good part of the bill.) Oh, and it gets worse – the GOP is in a position to redraw Congressional district lines as they see fit, and to force people to show IDs at the voting booth – both techniques used to hurt Democrats. Look, the union mess is one thing, but do you guys see what voters dragged into Wisconsin? That tinge you feel? Regret. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

10 Feb 2011 08:51

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Culture: Kevin Smith: I just lost tons of weight. Take that Southwest Airlines!

  • 65+ number of pounds Kevin Smith has lost since his unfortunate encounter with a Southwest Airlines flight
  • no Smith isn’t choosing to show off his new figure – he’s dressing exactly the same as he was before source
  • » Not a changed man: In explaining his reasoning, the “Red State” director had this to say about the Southwest incident: “At that moment, I was like, you know what? I’ll lose the weight, but I’m not putting on thinner clothes. Because why? What’s the difference? I’m still the same person I was 65 pounds heavier.” Yep, still a fat dude at heart.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Jan 2011 13:05

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Culture: Fred Phelps will give funerals a break, protest a movie

  • the man Kevin Smith, director and tireless New Jersey promoter, who’s taking his latest work to the Sundance Film Festival.
  • the film “Red State,” about three high-schoolers in middle America who run afoul of a fundamentalist priest with murderous intent.
  • the resultFred Phelps, real-life fundamentalist and head of the hateful Westboro Baptist Church, will picket Sundance. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 May 2010 22:12

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U.S.: Texas’ Board of Ed about to pass controversial textbook changes

Fans of politicized textbooks, you’re in luck. Despite protests, Texas’ outsize influence is likely about to set the agenda for classrooms nationwide. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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