Blog

My running commentary on events: local, national, and international. Areas of special interest include Israel, Iraq, and dissidents in the Muslim world.

Santorum knows his stuff on Israel

November 26, 2011

107363.jpg

Nice overview in this week’s Algemeiner Journal about the various Republican presidential candidates’ histories and stances on Israel.

As usual, Dovid Efune’s take is balanced and sharp. I agree with his assessments...

Read More

Happy Thanksgiving

November 24, 2011

turkey_joe-blake.jpg

Today and every day I am so grateful to be an American. Happy Thanksgiving.

...
Read More

UC Davis police pepper spray incident an embarrassment and sad day for freedom of assembly in America

November 22, 2011

Last Friday was a sad day for freedom of assembly and freedom of speech in America.

The pepper-spraying of a group of nonviolent student demonstrators at UC Davis on Friday appears to have been an example of excessive and unimaginative police...

Read More

Most do nothing – but judge

November 18, 2011

This intelligent column in the New York Times by David Brooks on the Sandusky/ Paterno controversy makes the point that people love to judge others, but few stand up to evil.

To that I would add, people also love to demonize those...

Read More

Herman Cain can’t prove a negative

November 8, 2011

 herman-cain.jpg

We know for certain only a couple things regarding the Herman Cain controversy: the National Restaurant Association reached agreements during the 1990’s to give payouts to at least two women who were accusing Cain of sexual harassment,...

Read More

Joan Rivers comes to the Pantages, disses, then dishes with this reporter

November 7, 2011

From Weekly Volcano

by HEATHER ROBINSON

“Where are we?” Joan Rivers rasped from offstage last Friday. “The Pantages Theater in Tacoma? It’s come to this?”

So the icon kicked off a performance so politically incorrect it would make the diversity-minded...

Read More

King Tut resurrected: A comic legend comes west

November 2, 2011

From JTNews

by HEATHER ROBINSON

20111028joan_rivers.jpg

In advance of her November 4 performance at Tacoma’s Pantages Theater, the indefatigable Joan Rivers made time to speak with JTNews about her two TV shows, memories of her Jewish grandmothers, and how to stay forever young at...

Read More

Come west, funny woman: Joan Rivers talks tattoos, military men and staying sexy in her 70s

November 2, 2011

From Weekly Volcano

by HEATHER ROBINSON

16226-banner-joan-rivers-625.jpg

Since her days on The Tonight Show in the 1970s, Joan Rivers has been a comedic icon. Now 78, Rivers, as captured in Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (last year’s film documentary about her life) seems to fear just one thing: a blank...

Read More

Let accusors come forward; otherwise, forget it

October 31, 2011

A few brief thoughts about accusations against Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain.

When they face no public scrutiny and there is no potential downside for them, plenty of people make false accusations. Learning this fact was, for...

Read More

Cain can!

October 11, 2011

herman-cain-3.jpg

A force to be reckoned with, Herman Cain, who has been surging in the polls, is a self-made man. From what I’ve read, he shone once again in Tuesday night’s Republican presidential debate.

Cain, who has frequently been attacked...

Read More