Saturday Open Thread: Brrrr Edition
It is cold everywhere. [Insert global warming joke here.] Might as well try to enjoy it.
It is cold everywhere. [Insert global warming joke here.] Might as well try to enjoy it.
Today, in 1947, British musician David Bowie was born. Enough said.
Today, in 1980, President Jimmy Carter authorized the first federal bailout of Chrysler. Sometimes you have to wait a couple decades to say “I told you so…”
Brian Lamb is the founder, Chairman and CEO of C-SPAN, the non-profit cable channel that broadcasts Congressional proceedings. Few people have done more to empower the general public’s engagement with those in power. Thank you, Brian Lamb.
Corrected: The federal enforcement agency involved in the incident with Mr. Yon at Sea-Tac was previously misidentified as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The article has been updated to reflect that it was Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents who
Esquire has an interview with ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis: I called ACORN to get a response from Bertha Lewis, the group’s CEO. “I don’t think the conservative right will ever be satisfied,” she told me. “They’re not going to stop
Just before New Year’s, C-SPAN Chairman and CEO Brian Lamb sent a letter to Congressional leadership, requesting permission to televise negotiations around the final health care reform legislation. The letter was addressed to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, GOP Leader Rep. John
Today, in 1968, Alexander Dubceck takes over as head of the Communist Party in Czechoslovakia, ushering in the “Prague Spring” of political and economic reforms. The movement was eventually crushed by the Soviet Union and the reforms dismantled.
Jaw-dropping story in today’s Washington Post: President Obama’s chief counterterrorism adviser on Sunday defended the administration’s decision to try in federal court the man charged with attempting to bomb an airliner on Christmas Day and indicated that he would be
Today, in 2007, Nancy Pelosi was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. This will be her last year in that position.
From Politico: Democrats are turning their fire on Scott Rasmussen, the prolific independent pollster whose surveys on elections, President Obama’s popularity and a host of other issues are surfacing in the media with increasing frequency. The pointed attacks reflect a
There are, within our midst, religious believers who are, it seems, so insecure in their faith that they must threaten–and try–to kill cartoonists. (Really?? Cartoonists?) Unfortunately, most of the Western Media have cowered to these threats. We now reprint the
From Politico: From the time he launched his campaign for president three years ago, Barack Obama had to consider how he would react to the first serious act of terrorism during the campaign, or if he won, on his watch.
Today, in 1492, Granada, the last Moorish stronghold in Spain, fell to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. The Alhambra, the citadel of power in Granada, became a palace of the Spanish Monarch.
From Bloomberg: The Mayo organization had 3,700 staff physicians and scientists and treated 526,000 patients in 2008. It lost $840 million last year on Medicare, the government’s health program for the disabled and those 65 and older, Mayo spokeswoman Lynn
Happy New Year! It is 306 days until the Mid-Term elections.
From Fox News’ Nine Big Stories the Mainstream Media Missed in 2009: ACORN Tapes Filmmakers James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles, posing as a pimp and a prostitute, went undercover to the offices of the community organizing group ACORN in the
Today, in 1904, Times Square threw its first New Year’s Eve Party. Enjoy. 2010 should be a hoot.
Updated January 4, 2010 This afternoon, on arguably one of the slower news day of the year, the Obama White House released another document dump of “visitor records.” According to the White House, today’s batch total more than 25,000 records,
In April 2009, the Department of Homeland Security published an “Assessment” of the threat of Right-Wing extremism. One section identified returning military veterans as a particular danger: DHS/I and A assesses that rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize
Today, in 1937, the Irish Free State adopted a new constitution and evolved into a new nation, Ireland.
President Obama in on vacation in Hawaii all week…and most of next week.
Michigan Live is reporting a shocking claim by a passenger aboard Flight 253: A Michigan man who was aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 says he witnessed Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab trying to board the plane in Amsterdam without a passport.
Martin Wolf, columnist for the great Financial Times, has a must-read column this weekend: The only truly global power was in rapid relative decline. Not long before, it had won a pyrrhic victory in a costly colonial war. New great
From UK’s Telegraph: Tough questions need to be asked of not just the US security agencies – such as the CIA and the FBI – but also of Britain’s MI6, MI5 and the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorist unit. How can a
Today, in 1945, the World Bank was created.
From the American Revolution Website: Here is an eyewitness account of the Battle of Trenton written by an officer on Washington’s Staff (account and more back ground info here): New Town PA, December 22, 1776 Things have been going against
This morning, in 1776, General Washington led a rag-tag Continental Army across the Delaware and surprised the Hessians in the Battle of Trenton. Though final victory was still 5 years away, the victory at Trenton provided an important morale boost
To the People of the State of New York: THE Constitution proposed by the convention may be considered under two general points of view. The FIRST relates to the sum or quantity of power which it vests in the government,
From the Associated Press: U.S. officials say a Northwest Airlines passenger from Nigeria said he was acting on behalf of al-Qaida when he tried to blow up a flight Friday as it landed in Detroit. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., identified
A very Merry Christmas from Big Government! Although we’ve met only recently, this seems like the beginning of a beautiful relationship. We’re looking forward to a Happy New Year!
Over at the L.A. Times today, art critic Christopher Knight went after Big Government for reporting on the White House Christmas tree ornaments and the man, Simon Doonan, tapped to oversee the decorations for the White House. Knight’s objection to
Today, on Christmas Eve, the United States Senate will pass the most corrupt piece of legislation in its history. And no one voting on it will understand what it does. And it will change the life of every American. Christmas
Yesterday, we brought you the disturbing story of Build-a-Bear’s on-line video series warning kids that the North Pole may completely disappear in just a few days, threatening Christmas. (Average December temperature in the North Pole is around minus 40 degrees
From Mediaite: 14. Andrew Breitbart, Breitbart.com Though he’s not exactly a household name, Andrew Breitbart has long been a power player in the sphere of Internet influence and opinion. The former editor of The Drudge Report, and lead researcher and
Today, in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act, creating the Federal Reserve. Less than 100 years later, the head of this institution would become Time’s Man of the Year.
From FoxNews: Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, who has faced a heap of criticism for appearing to trade his vote on health care for millions in federal Medicaid money, said he’s considering asking that the Nebraska deal be stripped from the
Today, in 1944, German Commander von Luttwitz asked the Americans, surrounded in Bastogne, to surrender. American Commander, General Anthony McAuliffe, acting commander of the 101st Airborne Division replied, “Nuts!”
Weekly Standard reports: Senator Roland Burris is claiming credit for a provision in Harry Reid’s “manager’s amendment,” unveiled Saturday morning, that could funnel money to ACORN through the health care bill… The provision he cites, found on pages 240 through
On Saturday, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Grifter) announced that he would provide the deciding vote in favor of ObamaCare. In exchange–and yes, that is how it was framed–taxpayers in the other 49 states will forever pay the costs of Medicaid expansion