The Hoi Polloi

Deepak Chopra on Michael Jackson's Abuse and Enabling Doctors

2009-06-27T10:32:37-04:00

Quite honestly, I have been avoiding writing about the passing of Michael Jackson. Despite not having any relation to him or even listening to his music actively in the last few years, I find his death painful. Thus, I had...

Update: Mark Sanford Affair

2009-06-25T09:41:11-04:00

Some sources are revealing the name of the third party involved in Republican Governor Mark Sanford's extramarital affair. According to those sources, the name of Sanford's Latina lover is Maria Belén Shapur. She is a 43-year-old mother of two teenaged...

WATCHING THE GOP GO RED GIANT

2009-06-25T07:16:20-04:00

Watching the red giant that is the Republican party is painful, even for Democrats and progessives who should be chuckling with glee at what looks like the imminent implosion of a political movement. If the GOP's ailments were notable solely...

Barack Obama Envy

2009-06-20T16:26:47-04:00

If you could marry any celebrity, who would you marry? I would totally and utterly marry Barack Obama, smelly morning breath, stinky socks and all. Michelle knows that many women who are much younger and more attractive than me have...

Autism Dilemma ... Update

2009-06-20T16:20:48-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted. I have so many excuses, but I think that my failure to maintain this blog property comes down to a critical character flaw that I'm trying to remedy ... laziness. After 37 years...

Vaccines, Autism and ... a Dilemma

2009-02-09T23:56:34-05:00

God seems to be beating me up with the irony stick. Today - of all days - The Times of London published an article reporting that Dr. Andrew Wakefield's study linking autism and the MMR vaccine was based on falsified...

Not So Proud to be an American

2009-01-02T05:37:24-05:00

These are the moments when, as an American, one feels shame. This is not the way to treat our fellow citizens or, for that matter, visitors to our country. According to a statement by one of the eight traveling family members, "[They] were (discussing whether it was safest to sit near) the wing, or the engine or the back or the front, ..." This is not such an unusual conversation among literate people, even while traveling aboard an airplane.

Racial Politicking at Its Best: Blago and the Burris Appointment

2009-01-01T06:26:53-05:00

Despite calls for his resignation or impeachment and resistance to any Blagoevich senate appointments, Governor Blagoevich showed himself to be a master of racial politics by selecting Roland Burris to fill the senate seat formerly held by the president-elect. Similar to calls for New York Governor David Paterson to appoint a woman to replace Senator Hillary Clinton in the event of her confirmation as Secretary of State, there had been calls - although in, perhaps, slightly more hushed tones - for the appointment of an African American to replace the President-elect.

Madoff Scandal: As with most scams, greed a prime factor

2008-12-30T05:46:46-05:00

Granted, no one who was defrauded by Bernard Madoff's ponzi scheme deserved to be victims of his criminal acts. However, the saying goes 'anything that's too good to be true, usually isn't'. This was an investment promising consistent returns -...

Memorable Political Moments of 2008: BUSTED IN ALASKA: Senator Ted Stevens Found Guilty

2008-12-30T05:27:50-05:00

Almost immediately prior to the November 4 elections, news on the CNN Political Ticker - Stevens verdict likely to inch Dems closer to 'magic 60' - brought to mind that great classic blues tune "What a Difference a Day Makes"....