Shakespeare's Sister

Farewell….Well, Bush gave a speech tonight (Think Progress has the full transcript here). In case you don?t feel like reading the whole thing, here?s a summary: Good evening?landmark day in the history of liberty?democracy at the heart of the Middle East?I know many Americans have questions about the cost and direction of this war (but […]

Dr. Demento….This story is just outrageous. A gynecologist has been convicted of two counts of rape and two counts of indecent liberties, and faces up to 23 years in prison, after he (and possibly his twin) abused what may be hundreds of women. On Friday, eight women sued the Washington State Health Department, alleging that […]

Worrisome Pattern….The WaPo reminds us that the Times? revelation of the Bushies? secret spy program is only the latest in a troubling trend. Since October, news accounts have disclosed a burgeoning Pentagon campaign for “detecting, identifying and engaging” internal enemies that included a database with information on peace protesters. A debate has roiled over the […]

Discussion Question….With Kevin?s recent defense of the media against constant criticism (and little praise) in mind, I won?t abuse the platform he?s graciously granted me to tear the Gray Lady a new a-hole for sitting on the domestic spying program story for over a year. [The Times] said the White House had asked the paper […]

Bob Barr?s on Bush?s Case….Ouch. Former Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) was on CNN yesterday, debating Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) on the merits of the secret domestic spying program, and he is not pleased: ?Well, the fact of the matter is that the Constitution is the Constitution, and I took an oath to abide by it. […]

Saturday Musings….I?m continually fascinated by president?s (and his supporters?) insistence on rightness, and their predilection for equating it with goodness. So it was of interest that, as I mentioned earlier, the president used his weekly radio address to reassert not only the necessity, but the rightness, of his decision to authorize a secret domestic spying […]

Bush Defends Secret Program….The President used his weekly radio address to justify the secret program which allowed the NSA to spy on US citizens and foreign nationals without a warrant. He also added that revelation of the secret program has hurt US security. In the weeks following the terrorist attacks on our nation, I authorized […]

RIP John Spencer….The actor John Spencer, probably most well known for his roles on The West Wing and L.A. Law, died of a heart attack today. He was 58. The actor mirrored his character in several ways: both were recovering alcoholics and both, Spencer once said, were driven. “Like Leo, I’ve always been a workaholic, […]

Friday Cat Blogging….I mean, it?s tradition, right? Matilda Olivia Other random Friday Fun: Typepad Refugees. Happy Cheney-kah! Jackassery-a-go-go. The Awful Truth About the Radical Gay Agenda. Hipster trap! (Original here.) Cheap drunks need not order. The year?s best media corrections (via Evan Derkacz at AlterNet?s Peek). And a picture via Paul the Spud:

Filibustered!…The Senate fell seven votes short of ending a filibuster directed at blocking legislation renewing the Patriot Act. Think Progress has more, including video of Russ Feingold, infamously the lone no-vote against the original Patriot Act, who swore to filibuster its renewal this time.