After assuming command of NATO in 1950, then General Eisenhower said “If in 10 years, all American troops stationed in Europe for national defense purposes have not been returned to the United States, then this whole project will have failed.” The Cold War is over. NATO has long… Read full post »

Reporters Without Boarders released its 10^th annual Press Freedom Index, which found that while 2011 may have been Time Magazine’s “Year of the Protester,” it was also the year of government crackdowns on journalists. The opening of the report reads: “Never have journalist… Read full post »

“It was a burning feeling in my throat for me…There was a lot of people who got it in their eyes. They were burning, they were screaming, crying.”

“…Moments later, my throat stung. I was coughing really bad and watering up.”

“This one guy was… Read full post »

For more than five weeks, you’ve been out in the streets, raising your voices in unison to make a change. Not just a little change – there’s no law to tweek here or there that’s going to fix “the system.” Even the most right wing arch conservative republican… Read full post »

Occupy Chicago decided during a Friday General Assembly meeting to attempt to formally make a permanent home in Congress Park on Michigan Avenue. After weeks of a “mobile occupation,” activists decided to enter into what they called "Phase 3," another a show of solidarity with those i… Read full post »

Walking south down LaSalle Street from the Chicago River, there were few signs anything was happening outside the normal mechanics of an average Wednesday. Commuters carried their usual baggage towards their transit points home and the city lights slowly began to glow as the night crept into… Read full post »

Yesterday President Obama finally released his “long form” birth certificate, supposedly proving that he in fact, is a United States citizen and therefore eligible to hold the highest office in the land. While we can certainly thank heroes of the Birther movement like Donald… Read full post »

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Wednesday that the United States would replace color coded terror alert system developed during the Bush administration. The new system, dubbed the NTAS (National Terror Advisory System), will take effect on April 26^th and issue only two types… Read full post »

Peter King’s brand new version of the HUAC hearings and the glory days of the McCarthy era is set to begin Thursday, when King will hold hearings deciding whether or not American Muslims have been “radicalized.” King told CNN’s State of the Union “We’re talking… Read full post »

The folks at DARPA, the Defense Department Advanced Research Project, put a call out for those interested to attend a workshop held at the end of February to understand what role “theories of narrative play in security domains.” In other words, the Pentagon wants to learn more about… Read full post »

According to Mother Jones, birthers have a new plan to try to prevent Obama from running for re-election in 2012. Arizona state Representative Judy Burges (R) introduced a bill to bar presidential candidates from appearing on ballots if they do not produce a long form birth certificate… Read full post »

Thanks to the President’s appearance on Mythbuster’s, Slate’s Daniel Sarewitz looked into a year and a half old survey from the Pew Research Center on the public’s perceptions of science and scientists and social perceptions of the science community. The survey spends a few pa… Read full post »

Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern published a brilliant and damning piece regarding former President Bush’s upcoming memoir, Decision Points. In his essay, McGovern points out W’s little talked about “damn right” remarks he made when authorizing the waterboarding of terrorist… Read full post »

Now that Republicans took the House from the Democrats, expect to hear about freedom’s march to Washington from now until 2012, when our Kenyan Commandant in Chief is outsted by an electorate wrapped in flags wearing tri corner hats. If Republicans are right, that the mid-term elections… Read full post »

Now that the polls have closed and American voters are either flaunting their victories or crying in their post electoral concession beers, voters can rest easy that they helped facilitate some change or did their civic duty. Major corporations, “super” PAC’s and the candidates… Read full post »

John Kerry pointed out a few weeks back something anyone with a minute understanding of media studies should already know: “We have an electorate that doesn’t always pay that much attention to what’s going on so people are influenced by a simple slogan rather than the facts or… Read full post »

Yesterday, Tea Party darling and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul told Kentucky voters that Medicaid is “intergenerational welfare.” In an interview with local chamber of commerce leaders, Paul implied the program reaches out far beyond the truly needy and has loose eligibili… Read full post »

It shouldn’t be a big deal I peddle two wheels to get to work when the Chicago weather feels generous. Some people still raise an eyebrow though when I walk through the door in the morning, helmet in hand. I spent a few years driving nearly a hundred miles a day… Read full post »

I've had myself one heck of a busy week and I've barely had time to keep up in this place or at my own website. But I feel like I've "returned" here somewhat and we all love music, right?

Just like most other people, music is always a source… Read full post »

The problems for good hard working tax-paying Americans never cease. In the 80’s and 90’s, welfare kings and queens and other neerdowells were taking their hard earned money and buying nice shoes and fancy cars. Nowadays, Barack Obama wants to spend it all forcing everyone to have… Read full post »

It would be difficult to throw a stone in any direction and not find someone who vehemently opposes labor unions. Support for organized labor in America remains near an all time low – with only 52% of Americans saying they have a favorable view of unions. With the economy in the… Read full post »

Here in Chicago, I host a reading series every month called "The Liquid Burning of Apocalyptic Bard Letters." The series began in February and is held on the second Thursday of every month at Matilda's Baby Atlas Bar on the north side. The reading always centers around the theme of the… Read full post »

Around 2003 or so, an old boss and I took a side-trip on the way to a meeting to the church he attended. He was a bit younger than me, a devout evangelical Christian, a youth pastor and a pretty decent guy. He knew I didn’t share his particular brand of… Read full post »