THINK PROGRESS: Koch Industries CEO Charles Koch fired back at his critics, who have grown more vocal as it has become clear that Koch groups are providing the political muscle for Gov. Scott Walker’s (R-WI) union-busting power grab. In his piece, Charles portrays himself as simply an ideological advocate, and says his money to political groups is only meant to “enhance true economic freedom.” He chides special interests that have “successfully lobbied for special favors,” claiming “crony capitalism is much easier than competing in an open market.” But in reality, the focus of the Koch political machine is geared towards […]
REVIEW: Jonathan Richman At First Unitarian
[Illustration via EDGEART] BY JONATHAN VALANIA If Jonathan Richman didn’t already exist, we would have never thought to invent him, which is a testament to both his originality and the shortcomings of our collective imagination. For more than 35 years, Richman has been a tireless advocate of hopeful romanticism, rugged individualism and unyielding optimism, travelling the world like some post-modern Jimmy Stewart with a guitar telling anyone that would listen that, despite all the hard-bitten cynicism that surrounds him, it’s still a wonderful life. He is, in short, the immaculate heart on the dirty sleeve of rock n’ roll. Performing […]
SIDEWALKING: Remain In The Light
Cira Center Parking Garage 7:15 AM by JEFF FUSCO
D.A. Will Seek Death Penalty For Rogue Abortionist
PHILLY CONFIDENTIAL: “We are seeking the death penalty” against Gosnell because of two “aggravating factors” — he’s accused of multiple murders and his alleged victims are younger than age 12, Pescatore said. Attorney Jack McMahon, who represents Gosnell, said seeking execution for Gosnell “makes no sense.” “He’s a 70-year-old man with no previous record. And Pennsylvania hasn’t carried out an execution in years (since 1999). The reality is there will be no death penalty for Mr. Gosnell, so why clog up the court system with a death penalty case that is death penalty in name only?” McMahon said. MORE
Wisconsin Dems Go On Offense, Plan To Recall GOP State Senators And Take Back Control Of The Senate
TALKING POINTS MEMO: Wisconsin Democrats are now going on the offense in the fight over Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposal and its anti-public employee union provisions. An e-mail to the party’s supporter list, sent out Wednesday, seeks fundraising to mobilize recalls against Republican state senators — with the goal of taking a majority in the chamber. […] Wisconsin state senators serve four-year terms, with half of them up every two years. Wisconsin does have a recall law, though, with the condition that a recall cannot begin until at least one year into a term. Under that stipulation, eight out of […]
FRIENDLY FIRE: NATO Gunships Mistake Nine Afghan Boys Collecting Firewood For Insurgents
NEW YORK TIMES: The boys, who were 9 to 15 years old, were attacked on Tuesday in what amounted to one of the war’s worst cases of mistaken killings by foreign-led forces. The victims included two sets of brothers. A 10th boy survived. The NATO statement, which included an unusual personal apology by the commander of the NATO forces in Afghanistan, Gen. David H. Petraeus, said the boys had been misidentified as the attackers of a NATO base earlier in the day. News of the attack enraged Afghans and led to an anti-American demonstration on Wednesday in the village of […]
SIDEWALKING: Horse Latitudes
Fairmount Park 3:36 PM Tuesday by JEFF FUSCO
BOOKS: The Art Of Being An A**hole
BY REBECCA GOODACRE You know there’s that guy that always, always seems to get his way? And no one even minds. Or the guy that gets to sleep with women yet manages to avoid all the whiney crap that usually goes along with it? Or the colleague who never really seems to do all that much work but always scores promotions? Or the relative that somehow manages to avoid all those irritating family duties? How do they do it?Well, it’s because those people are assholes. But don’t worry, you can be one too with a little help from Chris Illuminati […]
HBGary CEO Resigns After Anonymous Smackdown
FORBES: “I need to focus on taking care of my family and rebuilding my reputation,” Barr told Threatpost. “It’s been a challenge to do that and run a company. And, given that I’ve been the focus of much of bad press, I hope that, by leaving, HBGary and HBGary Federal can get away from some of that. I’m confident they’ll be able to weather this storm.” Barr had found himself at the center of a scandal that began when he told the Financial Times he planned to reveal the names of some “leaders” of the hacker group Anonymous. Anonymous responded […]
SIDEWALKING: Flip Your Wig
West 27th St. NYC 11:41 AM by JEFF FUSCO
MUST SEE: Charlie Sheen Megalomania Animated
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CBS/NY TIMES POLL: Majority Of Americans Oppose Stripping Collective Bargaining For Public Employees
[Photo by DAKGIRL1] NEW YORK TIMES: the nationwide poll found that embattled public employee unions have the support of most Americans — and most independents — as they fight the efforts of newly elected Republican governors in Wisconsin and Ohio to weaken their bargaining powers, and the attempts of governors from both parties to cut their pay or benefits. Americans oppose weakening the bargaining rights of public employee unions by a margin of nearly two to one: 60 percent to 33 percent. While a slim majority of Republicans favored taking away some bargaining rights, they were outnumbered by large majorities […]
DEATH OF A BOMBSHELL: Jane Russell Dead At 89
LOS ANGELES TIMES: Jane Russell, the dark-haired siren whose sensational debut in the 1943 film “The Outlaw” inspired producer Howard Hughes to challenge the power and strict morality of Hollywood’s production code, died Monday at her home in Santa Maria, Calif. She was 89. Russell, who would later turn her sexy image to comic effect in films with Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe and other major stars, had respiratory problems and died after a short illness, her family said. Russell’s provocative performance in “The Outlaw” — and the studio publicity shots posing her in a low-cut blouse while reclined on a […]