President Vladimir Putin dissolved Russia’s parliament on Wednesday, and then shocked everyone by appointing the country’s (virtually unknown) financial regulator and anti-corruption czar, Viktor Zubkov, as its new prime minister. And, in a staged TV discussion with one of his Kremlin flunkies, Putin announced that he exercised this presidential prerogative: …to structure the government so… Read more.
Britney’s dazed, confused and out of sync performance at the VMAs
Given all of the media hype surrounding Britney’s “comeback performance”, I felt compelled to tune in to MTV’s Video Music Awards (VMA) on Sunday – if only for blogging purposes. However, as soon as it was announced that she would be opening the VMA’s, I began citing – to my one friend who cared –… Read more.
Another groundhog speech from President Bush on Iraq…
On 26 May 2005, I wrote an article entitled Groundhog days in Iraq…and in President Bush’ head. And in it, I dismissed, in fact decried, the delusional update on the Iraq war, which Bush presented to the American people earlier that week. Alas, what I wrote about that update back then can fairly suffice as… Read more.
Think America’s immigration plan is racist and unjust? Consider Switzerland’s…
Last week Europeans were alarmed by a report in a leading UK newspaper, The Independent, on Switzerland’s draconian immigration laws. In fact, the letter and spirit of these laws are so patently racist and unjust that reporter Paul Vallely was compelled to pose this rhetorical question: Has Switzerland become Europe’s heart of darkness. Vallely reports… Read more.
Skinny Model Fired. Hallelujah!
I mark the annual Spring and Fall fashion shows in New York City by ranting biannually against skinny models. I refer you in this regard to “Skinny Models (Still) Reign at New York’s Fashion Week” on February 6, 2007. I published my first rant (in a different forum) over a decade ago. Regrettably, there has been far too little… Read more.
9/11 commemoration: An afterthought…
After just having a conference call interrupted so that my business colleagues could “watch President Bush lead the nation in a moment of silence”, I think it’s time to get some perspective on the elaborate national day of mourning that 9/11 has become. After all, this wallowing in grief-stricken jingoism – complete with the affected… Read more.
9|11 remembered
The best way to honor those who died is for the government to not only do everything possible to prevent it from happening again, but also be as prepared as possible to react when it does. Unfortunately, the government is not doing nearly enough to prevent another 9/11. Moreover, it seems no more prepared to… Read more.
‘No Public Interest’ in Prosecuting TCI Premier Michael Misick for Assault, Theft, and Perverting Justice?
No man is above the law. People in democratic countries generally take comfort in that axiom. But Premier Michael Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is disabusing us of this comfort. No public interest in prosecuting TCI Premier Michael Misick Kurt de Freitas is the attorney general of the TCI. He has decided… Read more.
Iraqi incompetence and corruption are just draining US resources
Therefore, after orchestrating his third (stealth) visit to Iraq this week, the above is how the malapropistic Bush might express his now-porous support for Iraqi PM al Maliki… Read more.
The fat lady has sung for Luciano Pavarotti!
The great tenor Luciano Pavarotti died today at 5 a.m. [11 p.m. Wednesday EDT] at his home in Modena….The Maestro fought a long, tough battle against the pancreatic cancer which eventually took his life. [Manager Terri Robson] It would be presumptuous, if not disingenuous, for me to wax too sentimental about Pavarotti. Besides, there are… Read more.