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Subject: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 24 Mar 08 - 11:46 AM
With the end of this terrible Administration looming, I thought a catch-all thread for issues relating to cleaning up after the Rpeublilcans might be in order. There will be a lot of broken pieces, mea culpas, tua culpas, and possibly prosecutions among the aftermaths of Bushism.
For a start, here is an interesting analsyis by one time conservative Andrew Sullivan, a man who decided to support the invasion of Iraq, examing why he erred and the cardinal sins he committed -- including misestimating Bush's amoral nature.
What are the damages that need to be put right? How could they be repaired? Two that come to mind are the care of those broken in mind and body by the Iraq war, and the restoration of posse comitatus and the right to privacy. There are many others.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Ebbie
Date: 24 Mar 08 - 09:07 PM
Thanks for that link, Amos. It seems that Sullivan's changed views have cost him some sleepless nights.
And it is far from over. He and other previous Bush disciples will sooner rather than later, I have no doubt of it, come to the awful realization their leader has betrayed them, betrayed their country and betrayed everyone who ever thought that America stood for something a good deal above what we now have to face.
I said in another thread that sometimes I think it would be only fair if a Republican administration got into office this fall, in order to clean up the unprecedented mess their party created. Someoe - was it you? - responded something to the effect that "Would you send in a three-year old to clean up a mess?" And I realized with finality that I was wrong.
I don't envy anyone who will next inhabit the Oval Office. As bad as we know it to be, I suspect that we don't know the half of it.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 10:36 AM
"...Conyers told the crowd there is one scenario that could trigger immediate impeachment proceedings against the president: "If Bush goes into Iran he should be impeached," Conyers said, noting that "many members of Congress" have signed their names to a letter warning Bush not to invade Iran.
The fifth annual Take Back America Conference includes forums that allow liberals to discuss important issues, including how to recover from the "ashes of this conservative era," as the Web site put it.
Conyers is one of the Bush administration's chief antagonists in Congress, opposing the president on almost every issue, including the Iraq war, health care, terrorist surveillance, and other issues.
Just last week, his Judiciary Committee took the rare step of filing a civil lawsuit against former White House aides Joshua Bolten and Harriet Miers for failing to obey a committee subpoena. Conyers wants to force the two to testify about the firings of nine federal prosecutors in 2006.
The House cited Bolten and Miers for contempt of Congress last month."
No, you're right, Eb, it ain't over yet. But just like George Marshall we need to think about the plan for repairing the destruction of the Neocon's war on America, as well as defusing the radical Muslim's war on AMerica and the radical Christian right's war on America. All these arrogant and fanatic "believers" have wrought harm that needs undoing.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 01:09 PM
Did anyone besides myself last night watch two-part series on the Iraq war? Tonight they will air the second half.
I watched it up until Colin Powell was addressing the United Nations and then I had to take the dog out; it had already been running for two hours and I don't know hom much longer it went.
But it is a hard-hitting, thorough, step by step expose of what and who led up to the war. If Americans watch it and internalize it, it is hard to believe that they/we would not rise up in outcry...
I'll watch the second part tonight.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 02:20 PM
Notice the "success of the surge" is beginning to crumble the minute the Mehdi army begins to activate its protest again. Sigh...
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 02:55 PM
Somehow my italicized word fell out of the above paragraph. That series is on Frontline, on PBS.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 03:02 PM
Ebbie, and everyone else, you can watch it here.
Bush's War
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 03:02 PM
Cleaning up after Bush will make Katrina look like a day in the park...
If there is one reason one earth for McCain to get elected it would be because a Repub would have to clean up behind another Repub... That's kinda justice...
One thing is for sure, whomevet gets this nasty little job is gonna have no other choice but to rescend the Bush tax cuts... This is a given...
(But, Bobert, the rich have used that money to creat jobs...)
That, for starters, is the biggest lie that we've heard since the mushroom cloud days...
As for Iraq... What a piss poor policy "The Surge" has been... The only reason that vilence went down is because the cornerstone of "The Surge" is paying people not to kill US... What a joke...
But, geeze... What a mess...
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 03:09 PM
ABC reports:
"The Iraqi defector known as "Curveball," whose fabricated stories about mobile biological weapons labs helped lead the U.S. to war in Iraq five years ago, says he is not to blame for the war and that he never said Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, according to a new report released this weekend in the German magazine Der Spiegel. "
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 03:23 PM
Curveball is -- in any case-- a well-documented liar. So it is unlikely he would own up to what he told the Germans, who passed it to the Americans, who acted dumber than a box of BBs about it.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 03:44 PM
Ebbie, I watched the first hour, then had to turn it off. I was feeling under the weather a bit, anyway, and it just made it worse! I thought it was very well done and I will try to watch more of it, but it was heavy going...the word inexorable comes to mind. I have a great sense of disbelief that the American people are not in the streets demanding the shrub's head, etc. It almost feels as though we are living in a Kafka story, it is so unreal.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Barry Finn
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 04:08 PM
Bobert, McCain will not clean up if he's elected. He's gonna keep at the war, no change here. A clean up has to be based on an end to the was, phsyiologically & economically, this can't begin to happen until the war's ended. The "Clean Up" will also won't happen unless our Vets are properly cared for & I don't see any of this happening aanytime soon. The youth will never trust this government again just as the youth of the 60's, we still don't trust or have faith. They still haven't taken care of the Vets from Viet Nam. My singing partner only recently (past few yrs) was diagnosed PTS disorder, finally he may start to recieve some diability. My brother will never be what he once was & they won't help him either. So as far as the vets are concerned we'll be taking bad care of them for their lifetime & paying the costs that will follow. This government can't clean itself up after a natural disaster where every one can agree to, never mind on the havoc that's rained down on us these past 8 yrs. A start would be a repeal of all of the Patriot Act & to restore all of our rights & liberties. A dismemberment of media monolopies, make poliicans divest in anything that puts them within the confins of conflicts of interests. Rehab the electorial system & do away with the college & speaking of colleges, we need a national education & a national health system, SS also needs a revamp as well as medicare & medicade. But I believe the first move should be a clean up of those that put US in our present day position. Those that knowingly sent US into war should be held accountable & tried in a world court (as soon as we join it). The companies that are found to have profitted illegally or stole/cheated need to reimburse the nation & their officers need to also stand trail in crimminal courts. We need a nation that apologizes to the world for it's conduct & we need the world back on our side, no matter what it takes. We need them to live with us, they no longer need US we need them. It seems to me that every department in our government is broken, from defense to energy, from the state dept to agri. They're top heavy & should be run more like a business. The enviorment needs a tremdous amount of TLC & money & "Homeland Security" needs to be buried along with all other 'Cold War' agencies. The pent-a-gone needs so much rehab it should be torn down & rebuilt from scratch. The qualifications to run for any public office should start with an IQ of over 100 (that would've left out both Bushes) & a lie detector test, have you ever commited a felony? Have you ever cheated on your taxes? Have you ever deserted? Rehash campain financing. Restore checks & balances.
This could've all been accomplished slowly over the last 8yrs by the decider but because he wasn't up for the job & hit a few bumps on the road home it'll take the next at least 4 adminstrations more & the time & effort to come close to getting us back to sq 1 never mind trying to put US in front of where we where 8 yrs ago. Good luck to US all.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 09:30 AM
Quote of the day:
"If we didn't have this war going in Iraq, this thing would be a piece of cake. They could drop that much money through the cracks every lunch hour at the Pentagon."
Former U.S. presidential contender and special envoy for the U.N. food aid agency, George McGovern, who is pressing U.S. lawmakers to guarantee funds for overseas child nutrition programmes. He says mandatory funding for the McGovern-Dole programme - which sends U.S. crops to poor schoolchildren overseas - would sail through Congress were it not for the hundreds of billions of dollars being poured into Iraq. "
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 03:43 PM
In an interesting article the WaPo presents the case that the Department of Defense, throughout the Bush years, has encroached feeply into civilian affairs and compromised the Consittution.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Ebbie
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 04:20 PM
From the link: "Many of Cheney's and Rumsfeld's cronies still work at the Pentagon and elsewhere. Rumsfeld's successor, Robert M. Gates, has spoken of increasing America's "soft power," its ability to attract others by our example, culture and values, but thus far, this push to reestablish civilian leadership has been largely talk and little action. Gates is clearly sincere about chipping away at the military's expanding role, but many of his subordinates are not."
Question: Will Obama have the strength, the willpower, the insight to back the issues that must be addressed?
I think he has the best chance to do it of anyone I can think of but unless he has some excellent field marshals the likelihood of reform and a sustained new direction isn't great.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 07:39 PM
On Christmas Eve 1992, defeated President George H.W. Bush pardoned Caspar Weinberger, Elliott Abrams, Duane Clarridge, Alan Fiers, Clair George, and Robert McFarlane for their Iran-Contra crimes. Not one served a single day in jail; Weinberger was about to go on trial and would have tied Bush himself to the scandal.
Will George W. Bush follow his father's precedent and pardon Dick Cheney and his other criminal co-conspirators this Wednesday on Christmas Eve?
Last week, Cheney was all over TV setting the stage for pardons. He admitted he personally approved torture, but insisted it destroyed Al Qaeda and saved American lives.
According to a powerful article by David Rose in Vanity Fair, the Bush-Cheney torture regime accomplished exactly the opposite. The torture photos from Abu Ghraib helped Al Qaeda's recruitment soar. U.S. officers in Iraq say torture-inspired attacks on U.S. soldiers were the #1 and #2 cause of soldiers' deaths. CIA analysts say the "intelligence" produced by torture was worthless.
On November 20, Rep. Jerrold Nadler introduced H.Res. 1531 to urge Bush not to pardon his criminal co-conspirators. Nadler's bill has 9 co-sponsors but we need every Representative (and Senator) to speak out against corrupt self-pardons.
If you haven't signed our petition to Congress, please join over 48,000 who have:
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 07:49 PM
Amos, how can he pardon them if they haven't been charged, tried, and convicted first? Not arguing, just wondering how that would be?
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Bobert
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 08:11 PM
Well, seemed as if I had seen this thread before and, well...
...I had...
(Halfheimerzes ain't half bad...)
But really, yeah, there is this very incidious thing that has gone on where the military has crept so close to runnin' the show and, it and the economy, will be Obama's largest challenge...
Obama has been smart in bringing in some high ranking military folks because he will need them if he is going to take on the Pentagon...
Whether or ot these folks will be loyal to Obama or their ol' buddies remains to be seen but there would be no civilians who would have stood a chance...
So, I guess, we'll just have to wait and see if Obama can cajole these military people to take on their ol' buds...
Might work... Might not...
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 08:16 PM
I suppose he could do a pardon for "all crimes real or imaginary, disclosed or not, discovered or not, prosecuted or not, committed or not....". That's th ekind of doublespeak he's so good at.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 08:29 PM
In a recent interview with ABC News, Vice President Dick Cheney confirmed that, in the period after the 9/11 attacks, the Bush administration embraced a policy of torturing suspected al Qaeda detainees. Cheney did not refer to the Bush administration's practices as "torture." In fact, he insisted that "we don't do torture. We never have." He did admit, however, that he had supported the waterboarding of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Muhammad. Waterboarding -- a technique in which water is poured over a prisoner's face to simulate drowning -- is considered torture under international law and has been prosecuted as a war crime by the United States. According to Malcolm Nance, a counterterrorism expert and former instructor and chief of training at the U.S. Navy's Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape school, waterboarding "is torture, without doubt."
TORTURE DOESN'T WORK: In a recent story in Vanity Fair, journalist David Rose reports that the conclusion of numerous counterterrorist officials he spoke to is "unanimous: not only have coercive methods failed to generate significant and actionable intelligence, they have also caused the squandering of resources on a massive scale through false leads, chimerical plots, and unnecessary safety alerts." The use of torture has made Americans less safe. Former Air Force interrogator and author of How to Break a Terrorist Matthew Alexander (a pseudonym) recently wrote that "the No. 1 reason foreign fighters flocked [to Iraq] to fight were the abuses carried out at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo." Alexander, who used non-violent methods of interrogation to obtain information on the whereabouts of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, argued, "Our policy of torture was directly and swiftly recruiting fighters for al-Qaeda. ... Torture and abuse cost American lives."
TORTURE IS A VIOLATION OF OUR LAWS AND VALUES: Arguments about the practical utility of torture distract from the more important point that torture is a violation of U.S. law, and its use represents a significant abdication of the U.S. commitment to human rights. The U.S. federal anti-torture statute, formally known as Title 18, Part I, Chapter 113C of the U.S. Code, "defines the crime of torture and prescribes harsh punishments for anyone who commits an act of torture outside of the United States." Alexander wrote "there's no doubt in my mind" that the tactics allowed by the Bush administration "are illegal." The U.N. Committee Against Torture has been very clear in demanding that the U.S. "should rescind any interrogation technique...that constitutes torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, in all places of detention under its de facto effective control, in order to comply with its obligations" under the U.N. Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
HOLDING PERPETRATORS ACCOUNTABLE: The Bush administration's embrace of torture marks a significant reversal of decades of U.S. policy. Back in 2006, then-senator Barack Obama said that torture "is not how a serious Administration would approach the problem of terrorism," and declared the use of torture to be "a betrayal of American values." While Vice President-elect Biden didn't rule out future prosecution of Bush administration officials involved in torture, he made clear yesterday that "President-elect Obama and I are not sitting thinking about the past. We're focusing on the future." Whatever legal course is chosen by the new administration to deal with recent abuses, the damage done to America's reputation by the use of torture -- making a mockery of U.S. claims to uphold human rights -- has been incalculable.
ADMINISTRATION -- CHENEY ECHOES NIXON: IF THE PRESIDENT DOES IT DURING WARTIME, IT IS LEGAL: On Fox News Sunday yesterday, host Chris Wallace asked Vice President Cheney, "If the President, during war, decides to do something to protect the country, is it legal?" "General proposition, I'd say yes," adding, "I think what we've done has been totally consistent with what the Constitution provides for." Cheney's answer is eerily reminiscent of former President Richard Nixon's claim that "when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal." Nixon made the comment in his famous interview with David Frost, responding to a question about whether "there are certain situations" in which "the president can decide that it's in the best interests of the nation or something, and do something illegal." In fact, numerous courts have ruled that the Bush administration has overstepped the bounds of the Constitution. In August 2006, U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor ruled that "the National Security Agency's warrantless surveillance program is unconstitutional, delivering the first decision that the Bush administration's effort to monitor communications without court oversight runs afoul of the Bill of Rights and federal law." The fact that Cheney's Nixon-esque comment came during an interview with Wallace is ironic, considering that Cheney recently thanked Wallace for defending the Bush administration against comparisons to Nixon.
ECONOMY -- BANKS CANNOT ACCOUNT FOR THEIR BAILOUT BILLIONS: The AP recently contacted 21 banks that had received at least $1 billion in taxpayer-financed bailout funds and found that the banks were unable or unwilling to disclose how they have used the money. The AP asked the banks four questions: How much has been spent? What was it spent on? How much is being held in savings, and what's the plan for the rest? However, "[n]one of the banks provided specific answers." In fact, "[s]ome banks said they simply didn't know where the money was going," and "no bank provided even the most basic accounting for the federal money." Earlier this month, a congressionally-appointed bailout oversight board found that the Treasury Department has not sufficiently monitored how banks are using Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds. "If the funds committed under TARP...are not merely no-strings-attached subsidies to financial institutions, then it seems essential for Treasury to monitor whether those funds are used for those intended purposes," the report stated. "Treasury cannot simply trust that the financial institutions will act in the desired ways; it must verify." The panel's chairman, Elizabeth Warren, "said her oversight panel will try to force the banks to say where they've spent the money. 'It would take a lot of nerve not to give answers,' she said."
ETHICS -- BAILED-OUT WALL STREET EXECUTIVES STILL USING EXPENSIVE PRIVATE JETS: Last month, Big Three automaker CEOs were ridiculed by members of Congress for taking private jets to Washington to plea for a federal bailout. Subsequently, GM put two of its five corporate jets out of service, and the executives drove to Washington for a second round of bailout hearings. But Wall Street's similar excesses have largely avoided scrutiny. The AP reports today that "[s]ix financial firms that received billions in bailout dollars still own and operate fleets of jets to carry executives to company events and sometimes personal trips." Insurance company AIG, which received $150 billion in bailout funds, has seven planes, making it "one of the largest fleets among bailout recipients." Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JP Morgan, and Morgan Stanley all still own aircraft for executive travel -- after receiving a combined $120 billion in bailouts. A separate AP analysis today found that "the 116 banks that so far have received taxpayer dollars to boost them through the economic crisis gave their top tier of executives nearly $1.6 billion in salaries, bonuses and other benefits in 2007."
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Ebbie
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 08:31 PM
It reminds me of a notorious slum lord/lady with a number of properties in Juneau. When I took over the rental properties from the panicked absentee owner, I found a clause in the Rental Agreement form that I immediately removed:
"I agree to hold harmless the owner of (this building) and agent thereof in the event of damage or injury to myself or my belongings or of anyone else or their belongings residing in this unit from any hazard(s) whether known or unknown..."
As I told the owner, there was no way such a caveat would have held up in court- better to remove it and not appear such a fool...
Bush may try something similar.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: meself
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 08:59 PM
Did nobody else see the interview with Bush a few weeks ago? I found it so astonishing that I've almost come to believe I dreamed it, since it seems to have received no attention ... I don't know who it was with, or on what show; I just stumbled onto the tail end of it while channel-surfing. Anyway, Bush sounded almost apologetic as he said that he should not have relied so much on the intelligence he had received in the build-up to the Iraq invasion, and that his cocky, belligerent rhetoric had been unfortunate and unwise (not his exact words, but that was the gist of what he said). He actually seemed regretful. I, for one, was in shock ...
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 11:55 PM
I missed that, meself, but I haven't had the stomach to watch him in years.
Just for a humour break: 2008 Year in Review.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: DougR
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 12:33 AM
Ho Hum. Mudcatters writing history in advance. Typical.
Amos, this thread might be more appropriate after January 20, 2009. George W. Bush is STILL president until then.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 09:34 AM
Not in any real sense.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Amos
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 10:02 AM
The Deep Denial of Dick (NYT)
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: jeffp
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 10:03 AM
Bush could pardon Cheney, et al, in the same way that Ford pardoned Nixon.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: Ebbie
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 11:33 AM
There would be some justice in that! If Bush pardoned everybody else that was involved in this government and then no one pardoned him, Bush would be the only one to go to prison. Rich.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: DougR
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 05:13 PM
Ebbie; I wouldn't cook up any care packages for Bush to enjoy in a federal prison just yet. Wishin' ain't gettin.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 09:26 AM
Mudcatters writing history in advance. Typical.
At least preferable to your perennial re-writing of history, Douggie-Boy.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: GUEST,beardedbruce
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 09:51 AM
Bush's Legacy May End Up Better Than You Think: Kevin Hassett
Commentary by Kevin Hassett
Dec. 22 (Bloomberg) -- The George W. Bush farewell tour took off in earnest last week, with the president granting interviews left and right. The image that emerged was surprisingly upbeat. His party is in tatters, the economy is the bleakest in a generation, and yet Bush played the part of a man confident that history will side with him.
He recognizes that times are tough. "It turns out this isn't one of the presidencies where you ride off into the sunset, you know, kind of waving goodbye," Bush told a Washington audience. That's the understatement of the century.
Bush's popularity is about the lowest on record for postwar presidents. A recent Gallup Poll ranked his 29.4 percent approval rating as the 10th-worst quarterly ranking since 1945. Only Harry Truman and Richard M. Nixon saw lower ratings.
With those numbers, one might forgive Bush if he snuck out of town and entered the witness-protection program. Instead, we get a concerted effort at legacy management. Is this campaign hopeless, or might history judge him favorably?
The argument for his eventual vindication is stronger than many might expect.
On foreign policy, Bush emphasizes that he pursued a "freedom agenda" and spread freedom to Iraq. While the Iraqi future is far from clear, it is possible that the country becomes a democracy and a reliable ally of the U.S. If that transformation is completed, then it could well be viewed as a turning point in the war on terror.
On the home front, to virtually everyone's surprise, we've avoided a terrorist attack since Sept. 11.
Hard to Argue
So it is hard to argue that Bush's policies were a failure. The unpopular war may have trashed his party, but it didn't have the same effect on the country.
Turning to the economy, the pro-Bush argument becomes more of a stretch. First, his accomplishments were few. He passed a relatively small tax cut and was unable to hold the line on government spending. As a result, the deficit skyrocketed and set the stage for his tax cuts to be reversed. The prescription- drug benefit wasn't paid for, and the jury is out on his No Child Left Behind education policy.
The insignificance of Bush's economic policy, though, might work to his advantage. We are in the midst of the worst recession of our generation, yet it is hard to attribute this crisis to anything that Bush actively did. If his large deficits produced skyrocketing interest rates that crushed the economy, then the argument that Bush caused the mess we're in might hold water. If he was the one who deregulated the financial sector, then we could justifiably blame him for our predicament.
Before Bush
Instead, the forces that allowed the financial sector to blow up -- deregulation, for example -- were in place when he took office. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who failed to stem the crisis, was inherited from the previous president. Bush even tried to avert the crisis early and often in his presidency, as he sought strict limits on the actions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage-finance companies that were at ground zero of the crisis.
Bush was unable to stop the housing crisis and its fallout, but he tried. In that failure, he is hardly alone. The crisis has touched just about everyone, wiping out wealth in countries run by both liberals and conservatives.
All told, it seems unlikely that history will blame Bush for the financial crisis. He may even receive credit for helping to minimize its impact.
Diminishing Importance
Capital markets, after all, have been anticipating a recession for most of this year. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke have defended their extraordinary actions as necessary insurance against a depression. If a disaster is avoided, if the recession begins to ease in the coming months and the bailout frenzy ends, then the terrible economy we see before us will diminish in historical importance.
This is the 11th recession of the postwar period, and 33rd in the National Bureau of Economic Research's business cycle chronology, starting in 1854. Most presidents have a recession or two during their term, but it is hard to think of one that historians blame on a president. Bush's tenure would have been unusual if it hadn't had a recession. It is hard to see why he would bear more blame than has been the historical norm.
It may well be that Paulson and Bernanke have made things worse, and we are going to enter a depression. If we do, then historians will view Bush as someone who at the very least failed to act as needed. Regardless of how foreign policy turns out, Bush would take his place next to Hoover in the rogues' gallery of history.
But if we look back and see only a worse-than-normal recession, then the Bush legacy will depend on the future of Iraq, and its role in smoothing out the Middle East. In the best-case scenario, Bush will have been a good -- maybe even a great -- president.
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: SINSULL
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 10:21 AM
I'll bite:
"Turning to the economy, the pro-Bush argument becomes more of a stretch. First, his accomplishments were few. He passed a relatively small tax cut and was unable to hold the line on government spending."
Is this a joke? How many billions has bush's government poured into Iraq and Afghanistan?
Subject: RE: BS: Bush Administration: Aftermaths
From: GUEST,beardedbruce
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 10:25 AM
The insignificance of Bush's economic policy, though, might work to his advantage. We are in the midst of the worst recession of our generation, yet it is hard to attribute this crisis to anything that Bush actively did. If his large deficits produced skyrocketing interest rates that crushed the economy, then the argument that Bush caused the mess we're in might hold water. If he was the one who deregulated the financial sector, then we could justifiably blame him for our predicament.
Before Bush
Instead, the forces that allowed the financial sector to blow up -- deregulation, for example -- were in place when he took office. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who failed to stem the crisis, was inherited from the previous president. Bush even tried to avert the crisis early and often in his presidency, as he sought strict limits on the actions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage-finance companies that were at ground zero of the crisis.
Bush was unable to stop the housing crisis and its fallout, but he tried. In that failure, he is hardly alone. The crisis has touched just about everyone, wiping out wealth in countries run by both liberals and conservatives.
All told, it seems unlikely that history will blame Bush for the financial crisis. He may even receive credit for helping to minimize its impact


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Big Kahuna is not one of those poster games that online casinos promote on their front pages, but it is nevertheless a game that deserves your full attention for its elegance and simplicity. It really is all about taking things easy and enjoying the relaxing tropical atmosphere without any meaningless distractions – there is even an autoplay feature available for those who would like to just sit back and watch the symbols and coins flying around! Couple that experience with a classic slot game full of eye-catching graphics and you just know that you are in for a great time.

subset: commoncrawl


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MidCentral District Health Board is marking World Oral Health Day on 20 March. It is an international day to celebrate the benefits of a healthy mouth, to promote worldwide awareness of the issues around oral health, and the importance of oral hygiene for everyone, old and young.
MDHB News
Please use this form to tell us what you think of our services.
Send a message to a patient at a MidCentral Health facility.
General information about Palmerston North Hospital.
2015-20 © MDHB All rights reserved
What do you think? »


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this, that and the other ~ misha
One tree. Every day. For one year. This is an homage. This is a celebration. This is a hope
for raising awareness, and reverence. Symbiotic: to our very roots, and our branches ~
Monday, July 4, 2011
day 175 ~ connections
this, that and the other ~ misha
8 comments:
- AnonymousJuly 4, 2011 at 11:57 AM
A wonderful post, with the all-seeing eye in great detail. I remember fondly your fireworks post and it was nice to revisit that. A very happy Independence Day to you and yours, Misha! Independence deserves its just dues and appreciation, every day.ReplyDelete
P.S. You'll love this... the captcha is OUTRE (pretty close to Oui Tree, no?)
Happy Canada Day, Rick. Thanks for the good wishes.
I enjoyed your fireworks photos very much, but that eye with the tree eyelashes!! Wonderful!ReplyDelete
Thanks, Leslie. It's a sure indicator that I have trees on the brain when, while putting on mascara, I look in the mirror and see that!ReplyDelete
Happy day to you and yours.
Very creative! Oh and...love the song!ReplyDelete
Ha :) Yes, it's a great song. Thanks for introducing me to them.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 17, 2011 at 1:05 PM
Nice tree-lashes!ReplyDelete
Thanks, Angie! Wish I could figure out how to really wear 'em like that.ReplyDelete


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Eskom has seeked legal advice in response to news that it will be faced by a class action lawsuit by law firm, De Beers attorneys. They invite businesses and other commercial interests who has suffered financial loss, to join them in strengthening their case against the state-owned entity. According to Constitutional Law Expert Advocate Michael Osborne, in the main, it is not possible to sue the state for failure to provide essential services. However, there are exceptions.
He goes further to explain that we do have a constitutional right to basic services, and if it can be established that this basic right was denied or hindered due to gross negligence, corruption or malfeasance, a class action might well hold water in the court of law.
Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe, has recently came out and offered the position of Eskom with regards to the class action suit. The legal advice received was that, in terms of the National Code of Practice for Emergency Load Reduction and System Restoration Practices of 2010, law firms initiating a class action against it has very little ground to stand on.
He goes further to quote the legal advice as follows -"In terms of the electricity supply agreement, Eskom reserves the right to interrupt supply of electricity either through load shedding, unplanned outages and planned outages. Load shedding is done countrywide as a controlled measure when the national grid is constrained to protect the power system from a total collapse."


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The international Federation of Gay Games announced the close of the first phase of questions for organizations bidding to host Gay Games X. Five cities – Amsterdam, Limerick, London, Orlando, and Paris – are bidding to host the 2018 event, the world's largest sport and culture festival open to all.
Dennis Sneyers (Chicago), cochair of the FGG site selection committee, explained that the process used was a first for the FGG: "While we have always made the bid books public, for the first time we have chosen to open our question submissions to all interested parties. The process has been totally transparent and very successful. Over 380 questions were submitted via an online form. After editing, consolidation, and removal of duplicate questions, more than 300 questions remained, all of which have been posted on our blog at 2018.gaygames.org, where they can be consulted by bidder and by theme."
Sneyers' cochair, Dave Killian (Philadelphia) spoke of the next steps: "Bidding organizations have until the end of April to respond to these questions. Their answers will be added to the questions posted online so that FGG voters and the public in general can judge the responsiveness of the organizations involved. But this isn't the end of our exchanges with bidding organizations, which will continue along the same lines through the FGG Assembly's vote on a shortlist at the end of May, and then on to October's in-person site selection meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, the host of Gay Games 9 in August 2014."
Ken Hundrieser (Chicago), an FGG volunteer processing the Q&A, discussed the breakdown in questions asked: "There was not a significant difference in the number of questions asked of the various bidding organizations, despite their very different backgrounds and orientations. Sport is of course an important topic, representing a third of all questions. Among the sports, cycling and triathlon received the most questions, in large part because these are particularly complicated events, with road closing issues, multiple sub events, and so on. Other sports receiving many questions were DanceSport, Softball and Tennis. Culture was not neglected, with a particular concern for how participants in Band, Chorus and Cheer would be not only featured in ceremonies, but in their own stand-alone events."
Marc Naimark (Paris), who is managing the current Q&A process, added: "Another important area was budget and finance: the FGG is very concerned about the financial viability of the event, and it's important to understand the way bidding organizations begin their financial planning. A new area of questioning for us concerned bidding organizations' plans for various conferences and seminars. While there has been a conference at every Gay Games since 1994, they had not previously been described in the bid books. The questions that were asked on this topic concerned mainly the partners who would be entrusted with the design and execution of these plans."
Killian spoke of the next steps: "It's still possible to submit questions to bidding organizations. Their answers to those submitted so far are due by the end of April. By that time we will have chosen the site inspectors who will visit the finalist cities in early August, finalist to be chosen by FGG Assembly members at the end of May via electronic voting."
Sneyers concluded: "So far the question process has been a big success. Bidders have already begun to respond, and we are pleased with the scope of the questions submitted by the FGG and others, and by the ability to understand and respond to these questions shown by the bidding organizations. Beyond the choice of the best host for Gay Games X, these questions allow us to improve our site selection process by highlighting areas that need greater clarity and themes that are the most important to our stakeholders."
For all information about bidding for Gay Games X, visit 2018.gaygames.org.


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Mystical Deep Vol. 2 - Including CD ALBUM
Various Artists
- Record label
- Absys Records
- Catalog Number
- Release Date
- December 19th 2011
|Ellipse / LM1 remix
|Future Engineers remix LM1
|Fading Memory's
|Synth Sense & MC Fava
|New Rise
Autumn is inevitable, so is another 12' from Absys Records. This time it's an album sampler for the forthcoming second compilation by the name of 'Mystical Deep vol 2'. In a similar vein to the previous wax release, we've got three exceptional tracks to present to you. The 12' opens with the absolute grandmasters of atmospheric dnb - the legendary Scottish duo under the moniker of Future Engineers. Here, their track 'Ellipse' is remixed by another top atmospheric dnb producer - the owner and founder of Offworld Recordings, LM1. His rendition of the track gave it a new, fresh dimension, but still retaining the mighty bassline and spacious pads that make you virtually surrender and submerge in the sound. A deep, though powerful track that will surely move many a dancefloors all over the world. Next in Line is 'Fading Memory's' by Synth Sense - a duo from Kent in Great Britain, focusing in their production on deep and futuristic sounds and this track is no exception. Their work is an astounding deep and pulsating killer where the cosmic sounds take us into a completely different dimension. The whole is complemented by vocal part by MC Fava who makes the track even deeper and more tranquil. Our feast ends with a true blow of freshness - 'New Rise' by Nuage, that is. This young artist from Russia has been present and active in Absys camp for quite some time, though he's been making music only for just under two years, but still, he's considered by many as one of the most exciting producer in the business. His newest work is full of subtle details and keeps an uplifting, melodious note to it, filled with sublime vocals echoing the words 'Just as Long as I Believe'. But wait - there's more! To make this autumn the most beautiful season, we've also got a brilliant artwork by our valued Feebee to complement this 12'. May the Absys be with you! More info soon!


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The Teams for WODsomniac Molten Lava Edition are as follows: (If you have any requests to be with certain people then please let me know. This is a preliminary list but I can change it if you had your heart set on a certain partnership/team)
Team 1: Dave/Ryan/Tara/Amy
Team 2: Dan/Dannon/Michelle/Amber P.
Team 3: Jake/Colton/Lisa/Megan
Team 4: Taryn/Dallas/Liz/Kylee P.
Team 5: Nate I./Navarro/Jaimee/Amanda
Team 6: Hayden/Thayne/Shelley/ Steph
Team 7: Tom M./Reagan/Hillary/Alex T.
For those of you who did WODsomniac last time… You remember this one well.
Last Edition of WODsomniac's 10-3-10
20 Front Squats (95/65)
15 Box Overs (24/20)
(one participant moving at a time, second teammate waits in holding area and must be tagged in. You may tag in your teammate at anytime)
3:00 Max Effort
Rope Climbs
500 m Row
20 Snatches (95/65)
50 Doubles
(each athlete must complete the entire series in order. When athlete 1 finishes the row, athlete 2 may begin his row. No passing allowed, 1 athlete per station only i.e. Athlete 1 and athlete 2 may not snatch at the same time)
10 minute time cap


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The only thing that never dies is love, love, love.
It's NYE, so I'm acutely aware that all you care about today is outfit choices, increased Uber fares and New Year's resolutions (spoiler alert: they won't last) but there's new Marina and the Diamonds music, so stop trying to get on the guest-list for whatever club you're planning on sobbing outside at 3am tomorrow morning, sit down and listen. Marina is releasing one song a month as part of the campaign for forthcoming album 'Froot' and January's is here a day early. Check it out below:
4.57. The baby's face. I can't.
Let's be real, y'all, it's been a weird year for pop music. Between the absence of new material from pretty much all your faves, Madonna-gate 2014 and the inexplicable dominance of Iggy Azalea, it feels like 2015 couldn't come quickly enough. One beacon of hope in a dismal, stormy year however has been Marina and the Diamond's spectacularly understated comeback. The David Kosten produced, disco-inspired, funked-up synth pop first single "Froot", where Maz begs us to fill her cup up and brags about her, well, froot was a strong start. Then follow-up piano ballad "Happy" was a wonderful mixture of typical Marina lyricism and a very untypical burst of optimism. All things considered, it should come as no surprise that whilst "Immortal" doesn't match up to the first two pieces of froot so far, it does nothing to break Marina's winning streak of objectively fantastic music so far this era.
The track clocks in at a reasonably long 5:24 and employs subtle guitar instrumentation paired with a solid-yet-meandering beat, which works well paired against Marina's characteristically wandering melodies. As always with the "Obsessions"-star though, it's the lyrics that really stand out – they're clever, direct and at times quite unnerving: "I'm forever chasing after time / But everybody dies". It's nice to see as well that the more positive Marina we saw on "Happy" doesn't seem to have gone anywhere; although the subject matter is obviously dark (the song's about death, yo) there's a more optimistic conclusion here – everybody dies, but love lives forever.
And how does the visual hold up in comparison? Frankly, very well. Okay first, let's just be honest with each other – the clip looks much like most Marina and the Diamonds videos, that is to say, it would appear to have cost about £70 to make (that pantsuit tho…), the lighting is a little shoddy and I could have got better angles with my iPhone, but production issues aside, the overall aesthetic is flawless. Marina poses in an abandoned warehouse whilst a projector plays what appears to be home-footage (she hasn't changed much, has she?) which adds a slightly different dimension to the love Marina says she's searching for in the track. It's a gorgeous visual which matches the classic feel of the song itself.
All in all, the first three cuts from "Froot" feel like a return to form for Marina, who's 2012 effort Electra Heart was met with an decidedly mixed reaction – some loving it and some loathing it. It feels harder to have mixed feelings about the new tone of Marina's work, it's quite clearly just fantastic pop music. My only complaint is that we have to wait until April (!!) to hear the album in its entirety. Y'all know I hate ******* waiting, and yeah okay, good things might come to those who wait, but I ain't in a patient phase.
I'll be blasting "Immortal" on my way home tonight – will you?


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Surveillance and key holding
According to the modification of the Private Security Law published in the BOE on the 18th of February 2011, to avoid calling out law enforcement services unnecessarily due to false alarms, it is established that an alarm can only be considered as legitimately verified if 2 signals from 2 different sensors are activated one after the other (in Catalonia IRP/198/2020). Consequently, after a sensor has triggered an alarm, the Control Headquarters will notify the Client but not the Police.
To address this problem, SIPGRUP has put into place the Surveillance and Key Holding Service, in order to offer maximum security and peace of mind to clients who have to leave their house/business for whatever reason or who may desire more convenience to avoid unnecessary travelling.
Key holding in the rapid-reaction vehicle
We look after the keys to your home or business in our response vehicles. The keys are encrypted for maximum security.
Response for verification
In the event of an alarm being triggered, our security guards immediately set out (rapid response) to go to your home or business, to perform a visual inspection and to rule out false alarms. In the event of any irregularity, law enforcement services will be notified.
Double intervention Security Guard + Police
Once our operators have confirmed that a robbery attempt is underway, we immediately inform the police and we send out a security guard.
The Security Guard will help the Police to enter if it is necessary, and in the event of robbery or damages, will remain in your home/business until a family member or supervisor can come and take charge. We reset the security system and draw up a report for the insurance company.
On-site surveillance services
We also offer Surveillance services aimed at interior, perimeter, and exterior surveillance of facilities, access control for vehicles, buildings, work sites, businesses, and all types of events, among other things.


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Call it an occupational hazard.
When make-up artists take public transport or walk down the street, they often feel the urge to go up to unsuspecting women and tell them off for having done their make-up wrongly.
Make-up artist Clarence Lee recalls: "The other day, I was on a train when I spotted a woman with foundation that was too dark for her skin and it was very pink. She had no other make-up on and she looked very strange. I was staring so hard at her that she gave me a look. I really felt like telling her, 'You're wearing the wrong foundation shade.'"
Top make-up artists share their pet peeves, along with tips on how to correct these common make-up and grooming mistakes that women often make.
Unflattering brows
Mr Yuan Sng: "If the shape of your brows is unsuitable, it can make your face look longer or broader.
"Brows that are super-thin and over-plucked can make the face look naked, or worse, like a toad's. "Don't rely on your facialist to groom your brows. They tend to over-pluck because they are focused on keeping your face clean and often don't consider if the brow shape suits you.
"Thicker brows make you look more youthful, awake and brighten the face, so you need less eye make-up.
"But many women like to go for the super thick, bushy and straight K-beauty brows without considering if they suit their face. When done wrongly, these brow shapes can make one look manly.
"Get your brows groomed by a professional - Shu Uemura and Benefit counters are good places to start."
Mr Goh Tee Guan: "Some women are so inspired by the super- straight brows of Korean stars, they have them embroidered on semi-permanently. But they don't realise that for those brows to look good, they need to have a beautiful V-shaped face, as well as a slight brow arch to sharpen their features.
"Such straight embroidered brows look worse when they are done in a light brown shade that contrasts with one's naturally dark hair. The whole look just doesn't gel.
"Draw your brows instead of embroidering them, so you can change the shape and colour any time."
Wrong shade of concealer
Mr Clarence Lee: "When under-eye concealer is too light, it makes dark circles look grey. The effect is the same when those withdarker skin use a foundation that is too light.The right concealer matches your skin colour seamlessly.
"To hide dark circles, I use a concealer that is a tad darker than my client's skin tone and I touch itup with a slightly lighter shade to brighten the eye area."
Ms Dollei Seah: "If under-eye concealer is too light and not blended well with the foundation, you could end up highlighting the area and looking like a drag queen from the 1990s.
"Use your finger to blend the concealer as the warmth helps to melt the make-up onto your skin. If you see creases on the under-eye area, it means you have put on too much, or the texture of the concealer is too thick."
Wrong foundation colour
Mr Benedict Choo: "Many women wear the wrong shade of foundation because they want to look fairer. The foundation colour should match the rest of your body, or at least your chest. I've seen women with a fair face and tanned limbs, so they look like they're wearing a mask.
"When buying foundation, try it on your jawline or, if possible, your entire face. Check the colour in natural sunlight before buying.
The lighting in the store may be too harsh or too warm and will not give you an accurate analysis of the foundation colour. The right shade looks like your skin tone."
Mr Goh Tee Guan: "When foundation oxidises because your skin is too greasy, your face could end up looking orange-y or darker. If your skin is dull, the foundation can make the skin look ashy. So use a sebum-controlling primer with colour-correcting properties.
"And don't pile on foundation, especially two-way compact ones, as the make-up ends up cakey on skin. Use a fluffy face brush instead of a sponge for a lighter touch.
"To give skin a glow and the face more dimension, use a skin-brightening primer, such as Shu Uemura's Stage Performer Glow Creator or M.A.C's Strobe Cream. Apply the glow primer on the bridge of the nose, under the eyes and cheekbones."
Red lips gone wrong
Ms Dollei Seah: "Many women think that when they wear bright red lips, they have to emphasise every other feature - the brows, cheeks and lips - on their face. The result is over-the-top and unflattering.
"When you have bold red lips, the attention should remain on the lips. You can play up one other feature subtly. For example, skip the blusher and you can have bolder brows and mascara to go with the lips. Or natural-looking brows and cheeks, and simple eyeliner to go with the red lips."
Badly drawn eyes
Mr Benedict Choo: "Women with single lids are often guilty of this. They apply a thick block of jet-black liquid eyeliner on and above their upper lashline to create the illusion of wider eyes. So when they blink or close their eyes, the lids look scary, ugly and strange.
"To make the lines less stark, use black powder shadow to create a gradation from the lashline instead."
Ms Dollei Seah: "When you apply eyeliner on your lower lashline, ensure that you fill the waterline (the wet strip of flesh between the eyeball and lashes) too. It is passe to leave the waterline bare. And always finish with mascara on the upper and lower lashes to make your eyes pop.
"But that said, thick eyeliner, especially on the bottom lashes, can make eyes look smaller."
Iris-enlarging contacts
Mr Clarence Lee: "I've turned down jobs from brands that sell iris-enlarging contact lenses because I hate this trend.
"Such lenses make the eyes look so artificial. If you wear these lenses and go all out with wide-eyed dolly make-up, fine, because at least you're going for a look.
"But if you wear these lenses without a stitch of make-up on, you look like an alien with enlarged irises. The proportion is all wrong and you look cross-eyed."
Over-the-top nail art
Mr Goh Tee Guan: "What you wear on your nails should match your profession.
"I've seen professionally dressed women who work in Shenton Way wear nail art in too many different tones, colours and bling. It's as though they had gone for a party and forgot to remove their make-up.
"If you work in a corporate environment, your nails should be in a single colour."
Bare faces or incomplete make-up
Mr Yuan Sng: "In the mornings during rush hour, I see many ungroomed women. They are well-dressed, but they don't have a stitch of make-up on their faces and they step out with their hair dripping wet. I feel like telling them, 'You're going to the office, not the gym.'
"They should at least wear a tinted sunscreen to even out their skin tone and a tinted lip balm to add a bit of colour to their faces. They can skip the foundation and concealer if they really have no time. When you have well- groomed brows, you don't have to wear eye make-up.
"And please, dry your hair before leaving home."
Mr Clarence Lee: "I don't understand why some women would go out with full eye make-up without mascara or even curling their lashes. The look is incomplete. Mascara makes a big difference to the look.
"If you don't like to wear mascara, then dab some Vaseline on your lashes and curl them to open up the eyes.
"Also, never leave the house with only pale-coloured foundation on, without defined brows, no eyeliner, no lipstick and no blusher - you will look like a ghost."
Mr Benedict Choo: "It's awful when I see women with nice eye make-up and foundation, but who leave their lips looking flaky and dry. At least put on some lip balm or gloss to make your lips look moist."
Overdone lash extensions
Mr Goh Tee Guan: "If you want to get lash extensions, you have to take care of them. Clean them gently with a damp cotton bud and maintain them regularly.
"If not, don't do it. Because when they start to look sparse and droop, I think they impair your vision rather than make your eyes look wider."
Mr Yuan Sng: "It's nice to have false lashes and extensions, but choose those that look natural. Not those which are very thick and jet-black with no space between the individual strands - unless you are going to be performing on stage."
This article was first published on August 27, 2015. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.


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Our ability to access markets, undertake portfolio reviews enables our client to make successful decisions
Professional Indemnity
Owner Builder
Personal Insurance
Public Liability
FD Beck Insurance Brokers
Many business owners fall into the dangerous trap of only comparing Professional Indemnity Insurance purely on a 'price' basis. Typically, people will look for a 'compare the Professional Indemnity market' type website. After all, often businesses are only purchasing PI Insurance because they're entering into a contract that requires them to do so. However, there are at least three things to look for when comparing Professional Indemnity Insurance.
That said, let us start by giving you some advice: Whether or not you are contractually required to have insurance, it has no bearing on the professional duty of care you owe a client.
Therefore, even if you are only purchasing PI Insurance for contractual reasons, you want to be getting value for money. With over 20 years' experience in insurance, I can tell you the cost becomes secondary when making a claim. The focus very quickly changes to coverage provided in the policy and what excess needs to be paid. The old saying, you get what you pay for, can also be applied to Professional Indemnity Insurance.
To help make the right choice when comparing PI Insurance, consider these three things:
First off, a qualified insurance broker will have access to policies from more than 150 national and international insurance companies. What is often not understood is that with a broker, you also have a claims advocate working for you. This means you have someone with you to help guide you through the claim. Better still, an insurance broker provides a dedicated point of contact. Ultimately, you have a single point of contact and don't get bounced around between people in a call centre environment.
Whether or not you are contractually required to have insurance has no bearing on the professional duty of care you owe a client.Simon Pascoe, FD Beck
Whether or not you are contractually required to have insurance has no bearing on the professional duty of care you owe a client.
Can your insurer offer a broader, enhanced Professional Indemnity policy that stands apart from the standard policy? Check to see if your PI Insurance policy provides extensions which have not historically been included. For example, does your PI policy extend to include Fidelity Cover, i.e. cover you as an employee against losses incurred through dishonest employees? Does your PI policy extend to include Statutory Liability? Remember, the devil is in the details. Be vigilant, check the formal quote to see what sub-limits, automatic extensions and optional extension apply.
It is often misunderstood who is covered under a Professional Indemnity policy. Particularly when it comes to insuring various parties, such as the principal consultant, contractors and subcontractors.
Normally, a PI Insurance policy will provide cover in respect of a claim against you for vicarious liability arising from the conduct of any contractors, consultants or agents. However, the insurer typically will not cover the contractor, consultant or agent. This means if you are liable for the actions of your consultants the policy will provide cover.
Be very careful of PI policies that exclude cover for you when the claim arises out of the acts of others. Check to see that your policy provides various liability cover. If not, avoid the policy, regardless of the cost.
Prudent business practice stipulates that professionals ensure that their contractors, consultants or agents maintain their own PI insurance. However, if this is not possible you may want to consider the option of extending cover to include them beyond your vicarious liability.
To get your Professional Indemnity quote online go to FD Beck's online quote portal where almost 150 professional occupations are covered. Don't just think your covered, know you are.
For over 100 years, FD Beck has protected Australians. Rest assured, we have the knowledge and expertise to handle every aspect of your insurance needs.


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A new self-driving bus crashed on its first day of service in Las Vegas, as self-driving cars increasingly consume the world of transportation.
The driverless shuttle bus was traveling on half-mile loops around the Nevada tourist retreat when a delivery truck came from an alley and snapped its front bumper, city spokesman Jace Radke was quoted by Independent as saying.
The driverless shuttle is part of a joint project of insurance giant AAA (American Automobile Association), transportation company Kelois and French tech firm Nayva.
Although no one was injured it is still not the best result for a public launch of autonomous vehicles. However, it sheds light on the various issues that may arise when such cars navigate.
According to Jace Radke, "the shuttle did its job in that the sensors hit on the truck, knew the truck was coming and stopped as it was supposed to do. The problem was the truck didn't stop."
He added that the whole point of testing autonomous vehicles in traffic is to "see what happens when it's introduced with moving cars and all those variables out there," Radke was quoted by the publication as saying.
The technology of autonomous cars is still being perfected; advocates suggest self-driving cars are safe and reliable, as they remove human error.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, recently announced that it would be launching the first truly driverless taxi service. Alphabet's subsidiary Waymo will operate with full autonomy and without anyone on standby in the driver's seat.
The service is being launched on public roads in Phoenix, Arizona, using Chrysler minivans converted with Waymo software and sensors.
The taxi service will initially be used by Alphabet employees, with a Waymo engineer riding with the passenger to observe the car's behavior.
Similarly, Uber revealed that it was partnering with NASA to develop traffic signals for flying cars, which Uber hopes to launch commercially before 2028.
Source: sputniknews.com


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The full Senate today approved on second reading a bill to create a massive private school voucher "scholarship" program in Texas. The vote on Senate Bill (SB) 4 by Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) was 18 to 12, though originally announced as being 17 to 13. (Click here to read more about the vote breakdown.) Sometimes referred to as a "backdoor voucher," SB 4 sets up a mechanism for businesses to receive a state franchise tax credit in exchange for contributions to private school scholarships.
Today's floor vote came after less than an hour of debate and four unsuccessful attempts by Democratic senators to amend the bill. Sens. Jose Menendez (D), Rodney Ellis (D), Jose Rodriguez (D), and Sylvia Garcia (D) attempted to add floor amendments that would prohibit private schools that accept voucher dollars from discriminating against students in their admission policies; prevent the voucher schools from using the Common Core State Standards (already prohibited in Texas public schools) as part of their curriculum; require voucher schools to administer tests and be subject to accountability ratings in the same manner as public schools, and require voucher schools to maintain certain services to students with special needs in the same manner as public schools. All four amendments failed to pass.
Taylor, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, successfully moved to table each amendment after complaining that the amendments would create entitlements and impose unnecessary regulations on private schools. He seldom strayed from his underlying argument in defense of SB 4, claiming that the bill does not create a voucher program because it calls for private dollars to be paid by private entities in the form of scholarships to private schools (disregarding the fact that the private scholarships would be funded in direct exchange for a state-subsidized tax credit and would result in a loss of funds to public schools).
Following the vote, one of the bill's outspoken supporters, Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) tweeted, "The only shortcoming of SB 4 is it doesn't go far enough to expand choice & raise performance at all schools via consumer accountability." By contrast, a tweet from the Austin American-Statesman, which published a scathing editorial against the voucher plan just yesterday, reiterated its editorial staff's opinion that SB 4 is "not likely to help special education students."
Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) was absent from today's proceedings after having been injured in a motorcyle accident yesterday. He underwent surgery today for injuries that are not considered life-threatening, and he is not expected to return to the Senate until next week. It is unclear whether Seliger's absence made a difference in today's votes. Seliger has vocally opposed private school vouchers in the past, but he voted for SB 4 when it was approved by the Senate Education Committee earlier this month.
SB 4 remains on the Senate Intent Calendar for a likely third reading vote tomorrow, April 21. ATPE members are urged to keep contacting their senators and sharing with them reasons why they should oppose this harmful bill.


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30+ Beautiful Shabby Chic Bedroom Decor Ideas
1. DIY antique birdcage lamp for cute shabby decorating
2. Peonies and polka dots bedroom linens decor
3. Burlap and lace shabby chic bedroom decorations
4. Rustic upcycled armoire linen cupboard and shabby chic Christmas decor
5. DIY pink rosette shabby chic bedroom accessories
6. Shabby Chic rose curtain tie backs for home decor
7. Vintage night table and desk with decoupage
8. DIY fabric rosette lamp shade craft
9. DIY antique door headboard project
10. Upcycled window with "Curtains" wall art
11. Antique look photo frame decoration
12. Room decor with amazing pillows
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Priceless places,
priceless memories.
Greetings from Yellowstone National Park
I was fortunate to participate in the Parks and Tech event hosted by CivicMakers and the Pew Charitable Trust in Feb 2018. Since then, I've been revitalized in helping share the story of why are parks matter and what we need to do to ensure their bounty and beauty is…
Greetings from Yosemite National Park
Winter Onset by Mary Moir Nature's seasons pass without restraint, and so Autumn, brief yet beautiful, has eluded us, remaining but a memory. Colorful leaves, the last remnants of autumn in Yosemite, fall lazily to the nearly-frozen ground making nature's first winter blanket. Early morning dew is no longer…
Greetings from Coronado National Memorial
In Gilbert, AZ it gets really hot and to escape this heat the best way is to drive up to Payson, AZ to enjoy the pine trees, lakes, animals, fishing, hiking, camping and breathe in cool fresh air from the hot city below. The National Forests can give a stress…
Greetings from Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
I owe my love of nature, national parks, and public lands to my parents. One of the many unforgettable trips we've taken to national parks over the years was to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in late October 2011. In two days, we saw salamanders and bats in Gap Cave,…
Greetings from Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Our national parks always reveal something wondrously unexpected. On a warm August morning in 2015, my wife and I were hiking across the prairie on Theodore Roosevelt National Park's Upper Talkington Trail. It was the last day of a five-day trip to the park. It was our first visit, and…
Greetings from Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
For my birthday my son gave me a trip to Horse Shoe Bend National Military Park in Alabama. Horsehoe Bend is a pastoral park that shrouds the horrors that occurred there in its quiet beauty. 800 plus native Americans died here in defense of their way of life and heritage.…
Greetings from Great Basin National Park
As a Nevadan, I have always held a special place for our state's one and only national park. Coming from Las Vegas, Great Basin National Park is like arriving to another planet. Unlike home, it's rugged mountains, green pastures and tall pines are a delight, especially in summer. So when…
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Greetings from Yosemite National Park
As parents, we always know the same answer to give to the Father's Day question of, "What do you want for Father's Day? Just as our parents answered us when we asked as kids... "Just make me a card, that's all I need!" Well, on a recent Father's Day I…
Greetings from Grand Canyon National Park
On my way home from Navy duty, I stayed overnight at Grand Canyon. During the night it snowed. The glistening icing of snow on the mesa tops was so stunning, I thought "the sight is so beautiful I need to share this". So I went home and proposed to my…
Greetings from Crater Lake National Park
Arriving on Memorial Day, snow still covered most of the high area and the weather was overcast. We stayed at the historic lodge and woke the next morning to a bright sunny day. The blue of the lake was intense and the crowds were gone.
Preserve Our Parks
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Vision Shift
I am often amazed when I look back and see what has caught my eye and imagination each day. They (the images), much like my paintings feel like communion. An interchange or sharing of thoughts and emotions and a process in which messages, whispers and stories reveal themselves through a process of co-creation.
A Sense of Place (2007)
In 2007 I began a project that I called A Sense of Place. A project in which I made a commitment and a promise that I would actively and consciously engage in a practice of strengthening my relationship with the land that I lived on and the community that I was part of. The commitment was simple; everyday I would carry a camera and I would walk through the community in which I lived. My definition of community included my neighborhood/town and the natural world that was embedded, inseparable and interwoven with the constructed world of of our human interactions, inhabitance and the society had been built up around, through and upon it. I carried the camera to document my adventures, what was revealed through the process, and what my eyes had been opened to that had previously gone unseen.
I experienced and learned much in that year. I learned about the watershed that supplied flowing life to my everyday world. I learned about the cycle of life, birth, growth and death. I learned of the plants and animals that I shared the geography of my existence and the world that we all knew as our home. I learned about the impact that we curious humans have on the world around us. I also learned that the more I became aware of the movements of the world around me, the more I knew of my own rhythm, impact and my purpose within it.
The "framing" of this mysterious and gorgeous world through the lens of the camera allowed me to shift my vision. It afforded me the opportunity to slow down and see from a different perspective what on other occasions I had been moving to quickly to acknowledge, notice and see. There was something exquisitely beautiful in returning to and/or passing the same giant pine tree everyday and watching as its gorgeous, aromatic, sticky life force flowed in the spring, gummed in the summer and froze into magnificent blue, purple, white and pink crystalline structures in the arms of winter.
Interestingly enough, I do not enjoy carrying a camera when I travel to a place that is new to me or when I am a "visitor". I have a natural resistance to doing so. The further away from where my life is centered and lived on a daily basis - when I am a "tourist" so to speak, the carrying of the camera can somehow feel rude or strangely wrong. My eyes, being and senses are already so engaged and swimming in the multitude of new sounds and sights that the camera can feel like an unnecessary intrusion. In these times it can feel like I begin to rely on the camera to shift my vision and only succeed in creating a distance between myself and the newness of the environment and experience. It can also feel like I am using the cameras ability to "remember" instead of my own. I travelled to New Mexico twice a year for 5 years and completely moved my life there before I ever took a photo of that land.
However...in the place that I inhabit, in the place that I rely upon as a daily source of my existence; the camera becomes a pause and a shift in the way that I can see. It is an opening and an invitation to the world around me. I am called to notice, to see differently, to not take for granted what surrounds me as a result of the regularity with which I pass by and/or my familiarity with it.
Vision Shift (2017)
I have now been living in my current home and location for little under 6 months. I have once again found myself carrying a camera for the same reasons I did in 2007. The reason or intention that I am engaging in the process is the same as it was ten years ago. It is the process itself that is now slightly different. Technology sure has come a long way in the last 10 years.
After taking an initial photograph I do a very similar process as the one involved in the creation of my paintings. I "shift" aspects of the image; altering qualities of light, hue, distortion, inversion, contrast, etc. I think of the process and its actions as a series of doors. One door opens to reveal the next - each door revealing what had been previously unnoticeable or unseen to my eyes.
Writing on Communion (2007)
Sometimes the way a painting begins and takes form is a disorienting experience for me. Although I always feel at peace and at home within myself when I am holding the brush in my hand and watching the colors swirl into formation, sometimes I feel as if I am being deconstructed. Through the experience of creating, I am being taken apart and then recreated in ways that I do not always understand.
When a painting comes into being in this way, it usually happens with a simple and yet overwhelming feeling that some intangible form, feeling, force, thought or aspect of change is lying just beneath my surface. It feels as if it is lying in wait underneath my very skin until I am ready to accept where it will lead me, until I am ready to allow it to rise to the surface and transform my existence from the world and messages of my inner being. It is reminiscent of an alchemical process in that my senses, body, and spirit have taken in ingredients that are being mixed and transformed within, in order to be transmuted and thus transform the outer.
I have learned much from the paintings that have come through me in this way. One of the most important things I have come to understand is that I do not always need to understand. The messages of the paintings that come in this way are not meant to be instantaneously integrated, understood or easy to dissect. They are the very reflections of change themselves. Some aspect of myself, my spirit, my body, or my being is in a state of transformation and change. I have learned to accept that I do not always have neat explanations, eloquent prose, or a nice, neat, pretty bow to wrap a painting up with.
The images that take shape in this way, often continue to transmit their lessons to me for years to come. I have had the experience of looking at these paintings years after they have been brought to the canvas and understanding things that I did not, or could not have understood when the painting came into existence. I often find myself chuckling at such moments, for what I have come to understand or see has been literally right in front of my eyes for quite sometime. I will chuckle again after additional time has passed, and I come to the realization that what I thought I had finally understood had an entire additional layer and depth that I had not yet been privy to. They are my teachers and I am their student, and I experience and accept them as gifts from places and realms that are Mystery to me.
As I look at "Communion" now, I have more questions than I do answers. Is the sun setting as a result of society's disregard and inability to be aware of the gifts and beauty of our Mother Earth, or is the sun setting because of the simple and glorious beauty that is a sunset? Is the figure on the top layer of the Earth male, or is it female? If the top figure is male, does it represent the suppression of feminine energy and the dominance of a patriarchal society or does it simply speak to the beauty of true intimacy and communion between all living forms? These are just a few of the questions that I am left with as I walk away from laying the paint on the canvas.
In Gratitude, Love and Art,
I invite you tp click on the word COMMENTS below to leave a thought, comment or question.
Solitude's Palette
There is a space and time that exists only before the first rays of the rising sun can be felt and seen. This is when I wake. It is the pause before the world starts to stir. It is the pause in which what has come in the blanket of the night begins to turn and retreat into the richness of the shadows. It is the space before the stillness has been broken. This is when I most fully know myself. This is when I am most able to hear, see and touch my soul. This is when I consciously engage in communion with the source of my existence.
Prior to August of this year, I had experienced a period of time with a multitude of major life transitions. Throughout this period much of who I had known myself to be was called into question. The voice of my Mother as she prepared to leave this earthly plane formed swirling eddies out of what had been flowing rivers in my identity and psyche. Her words and thoughts of who I was or was not swirled with all of the other changes that had so recently occurred. I found myself struggling to hold on to who I had conceived and believed myself to be. Time and life continued to move in an erratic and previously unknown way over the next six months. There was no "normal". There was no getting back to "normal". Normal would never again be what normal once was.
I found myself and my identity being furthered called into question by the relationship that I had begun ten months prior to my Mother's passing. The truth is that I was not who I had been before. The truth is I was exhausted; physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I needed time. I needed space to sit with the parts of me that remained. I needed time to grieve the loss of the parts of me that no longer knew their own name. I needed to enter the silence and sort through the rubble. When asked to prove that I was still who I once had proclaimed myself to be; I could not, for I was not. The relationship ended and I began.
In those early morning hours, before the light reveals the day, I began the long walk home. Who was I when I was stripped bare? Who was I when I turned off the cacophony of sound, stimulus and opinions of the world and those who believed that they knew me? Who was I when I stood naked in the mirror and saw myself through my own eyes and the eyes of my Creator? Could I dissolve my own entrapment? Could I set myself free and welcome the form that I would take? In solitude, could I reach into myself and find my truth, my beauty and my soul?
In the solitude I found myself to be spiritually pregnant. Once again I began to hear that music, the hidden song that my soul was revealing. A deep and lavish richness is gathering within me and within my hands. It is from this palette that I shall paint.
In Gratitude, Love & Art,
If you would like to leave a response or thought I invite you to click on the word COMMENTS below.
ReMembered Pieces
I am not who I once was. I am who I have always been.
Those of you who know me on a personal level have probably on occasion heard me say, "both of these things are true simultaneously".
A few days ago a strong storm came through where I live. I woke up feeling like the storm that had passed through during the night had somehow become part of my internal landscape; a disturbance of the normal condition of the atmosphere, manifesting itself by winds of unusual force or direction. Throughout my life there have been periods of time when I have been deeply aware that I am in the middle of a significant transformational shift. I believe that for the most part we are all in a constant change/state of transformation (if we so choose, welcome and allow). What feels poignant about certain periods of transformation is my level of awareness regarding the shift that is occurring.
I could feel the storm inside me. I could feel it changing, rearranging, cleansing, and breaking previously constructed parts of my identity. I cannot say it is a comfortable feeling. It can be rather unsettling, especially when the feeling is particularly strong. It feels like an electrical storm deep in my core. I have had similar experiences before but this felt different. I believe the difference lied within the sharp level of my awareness regarding the significance and impact of my choices on where this transformation would lead.
What did I wish to leave behind? What was no longer mine to carry? What had I forgotten and sat aside that I needed to be willing to pick back up and walk with? What parts of me had formed around others beliefs about who I am or who I should be? Could the storm that I am feeling assist me in shaking loose what was not solid and core? Could it move away debris and reveal what is strong, rooted and growing inside of me? There has been one other time in my life when this feeling came on with such intensity. I started pouring through my journals to try and connect the pieces. Eureka! I found it. It was 10 years ago and it was one of the most prolific years of my life and artistic practice. It was also when I was working on a piece that I called Remembered Pieces.
Interestingly enough, I never considered this piece completed. It had always been my intention and desire to construct a room out of the panels of canvases. A room that when constructed would create a universe and beyond.
When I reread my original writing for this piece I knew that my feet were once again being placed on a path that I believe to be in alignment with my purpose.
A Prayer of Re-membered Pieces
Beyond the Veil of my human existence
deep in the Ancient Womb
where the creative Soil is rich with the dust of a galaxy of Stars
I Cry out to the Divine
on tears formed from the Waters that rise and fall in my body
rhythm takes form and my Soul begins to Sing
I am a song of Re-membered Pieces
my Humanity
to know
to touch
to contact
to remember
my Divinity
the Call is returned, whispered on the Winds
moving the delicate strands of the Web
with the echo and reverberation of the Voices of the Holies
I Cry out to the Divine
on Winds formed from the direction and intention of my Breath
Life takes form and is carried from one Being to the next
I am a Story of Re-Membered Pieces
my Divinity
to know
to touch
to contact
to Re-member
my Humanity
buried deep within this Temple of Skin, Bone and Flesh
a powerful medicine is known
cooked by the Fire that in its hunger devours all illusion
I Cry out to the Divine
Mountains and Valleys sculpted by the heat and movement of my Blood
a landscape of great Beauty and forgotten history
I am a body of Re-Membered Pieces
my Humanity
to know
to touch
to contact
to remember
my Divinity
on the other side of the mirrored Looking glass
the Eyes of the Snake are clouded
preparations are being made to Shed its Skin and cross between the realms
I Cry out to the Divine
milk of transmutation moving, warmed by swelling breast and beating Heart
nourishment crossing the physical Boundary of skin
I am only part of the Re-membered pieces
my Divinity
to know
to touch
to contact
to remember
my Humanity
Worlds touch
contact occurs
the interface is Created
the Veil shimmers and the illusion falters
Re-Membered Pieces merging in a Symphony of sound and color
I Cry out to the Divine
All Life Answers
In gratitude, beauty, love and art,
If you would like to leave a response or thought, I invite you to click on the word COMMENTS below.
9 Years Later...
Following "The Dream of the Painted Face" it would take another 9 years before I began engaging in a sustained practice of painting. On that particular day in July of 2004, when I sat in front of the canvas and held the brush I considered the act of painting to be medicine.
The canvas seemed so large. Where do I start? How do I start? How do I begin to put what I am feeling, what I cannot explain in words onto the big open white space? My world was imploding, exploding, opening, closing, ending, beginning. I remember feeling as if my heart was physically detaching from my body and was leaving a bloody and oozing wound and no matter how hard I tried, I could no longer hold it in the place that it once lived. At the same time, I felt as if I wanted to rip my heart out, to set it free and yet it refused to let go and surrender to the freedom that it had so long been waiting for. It clamped down even harder and pumped the hurt through my body.
I forgot about trying to figure out where I should begin and I surrendered to the sensations of my heart. As I sat and allowed myself to feel the contortions of my distressed organ, I realized that the middle of the canvas had begun to beat. Rhythmically in and out, thump, thump, thump.
If my life as a whole no longer made sense, if there were only bits and pieces, only fragments that I could grasp and understand, I needed a way to express them. As I painted I felt a release or a transformation of the confusion, the sorrow, the hope, the promise, the memories, the fear. I felt as if I did not have to label or define these things. What was before me was the truth of my personal experience. This did not need to make sense. It was not wrong. It was not right. It simply was. It simply still is. There is no need to explain. There is no need to defend. There is no need to understand. It is simply a visual representation for that which I did not have words eloquent enough to articulate.
The way the paint felt moving beneath the bristles of my brush…the way the red looked and felt as it spread across the canvas...the way the handle of the brush felt while I held it carefully in my fingers…the way the rhythm of my heart began to smooth and become one with my breathing. I was no longer holding my breath, it was flowing. I was beginning to move through the fragmented pieces of my life and my heart.
It began with the heart in the center and ended with the unfinished coiled snake in the bottom left corner. Part of the gift of this painting was the knowledge that the healing, growth or transformation was not complete as a result of expressing it on the canvas, but that the start had occurred there. The painting is a witness to my experience. The snake is a reminder that the transformation caused by the experience is never done and that one experience always leads to another.
The ending is always and also a beginning.
In Gratitude, Love & Art,
If you would like to leave a comment, question or thought, I invite you to click on the word comments below.
My Hands, Your Hands
Each time that I enter the studio and prepare to paint, I pause and look at my hands and say in prayer, "My hands, Your hands". This is also true when I prepare to write, and cook. That remembrance is honestly something that I am striving to hold at each and every moment.
on the Origin of Matter, Mater and Mother
Within the origins of Eve's name are the whispers of multitudes of names and stories.
A dictionary and thesaurus can paint words of understanding regarding the relation between matter, mater and mother.
I could paint for you.
If I could, I would
whirl pigments into eddies and create you visible in energetic glow
the matter and mother which embraces you
If I could, I would
layer incandescent hues to mirror the beauty of your muscle, skin and bone
revealing the light my eyes holds you in
If I could, I would
gracefully trace the curve of your hips in the movement of fine sable brushes
whispering of the worlds cradled within your form
If I could, I would
merge the shades of your soul with the rhythm of my hands
giving voice to the map of stories on your skin
If I could, I would
bathe you in warmth and ardor, creating a sensation of bodily heat
you would light the garden in your brilliance
If I could, I would
In dedication, gratitude, remembrance and love to the Divine Feminine and
the Garden of Eden that lives within each one of us.
Shine ladies Shine.
My hands, Your hands.
In gratitude, love and art,
Glow / 20" x 16" / acrylic paint on canvas / 10.14.2017
Heather J Geoffrey
I am...
November 2017


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The only U.S. Marshal assigned to Antarctica, Carrie Stetko will soon leave the harsh environment behind for good – in three days, the sun will set and the Amundsen-Scott Research Station will shut down for the long winter. When a body is discovered out on the open ice, Carrie's investigation into the continent's first homicide plunges her deep into a mystery that may cost her her own life.
Views: 9
Genre: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Director: Dominic Sena, Lorette Leblanc, Nadia Guglieri, Petra Jorgensen, Susan Bambara
Actors: Alex O'Loughlin, Arthur Holden, Columbus Short, Erin Hickock, Gabriel Macht, Jesse Todd, Joel S. Keller, Kate Beckinsale, Shawn Doyle, Tom Skerritt
Country: USA, Canada, France, Turkey
Duration: 101
Quality: 4K
Release: 2009
IMDb: 5.5


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The Kids Are Taking Charge of Climate Change
Teenagers around the world are protesting in unprecedented numbers—and making governments nervous.
An Award for the Collapse of Nuclear Disarmament
ICAN isn't the Nobel Peace Prize winner that policymakers wanted, but it's the one they deserve.
At This Rate, Kid Rock Will Be President Soon. What Are His Foreign-Policy Views?
Kid Rock is a true "American Bad Ass" who will never back down from a fight. Maybe that's why some Republicans think he should run for Senate.
What Tocqueville Would Say About Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
Americans don't just enjoy stories about the rise and fall of celebrities — they need them.
The Vladimir Putin-Elton John Gay Rights Summit that Wasn't
The British pop star and Russian president will no longer meet to discuss gay rights.
How North Korea's Marchers for Peace Became Fellow Travelers
The Nobel Laureates and prominent activists who recently crossed into North Korea showed a shocking lack of sympathy for the North Korean people.
North Korea's Fellow Travelers
Gloria Steinem, two Nobel Laureates, and 26 other women will be making a big mistake if they march across the DMZ with Christine Ahn.