Eleven countries today expelled Syrian ambassadors and diplomats following the massacre late last week in Houla of 108 people, including 49 children. The US, UK, France, and Germany all took part, but Syria’s patron Russia did not. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan complained again that his ceasefire is not holding and UN monitors are in danger. The US says that military intervention is not in the works.
** QUICK HITS. Despite being docked a million dollars in aid for every year (33) of its sentence against a doctor who helped the US find Osama bin Laden, Pakistan is not backing away from its perverse decision to punish Dr. Shakil Afridi. In fact, authorities have upped the ante in a campaign of character assassination, dubbing him a corrupt assaulter of women. … California’s high-speed rail board has picked a new executive director. He’s Jeff Morales, who served as head of the Department of Transportation during the Gray Davis Administration. … The California State Assembly today took another big step toward implementing the cap and trade portion of the state’s landmark climate change program, setting up standards for how revenue generated by the program can be spent. The program was promoted by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who signed it into law in 2006, and former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. Under the bill passed today on a 47-26 vote, funds can only be spent on green energy, low-carbon transportation, protection of resources, and related R&D. $1 billion is expected in the first year, with more after that. … Governor Jerry Brown has made a supportive statement, if not an endorsement per se, about Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, the Republican-turned-independent candidate for mayor of San Diego: “Nathan Fletcher stands out from the pack, especially when he voted to close a big tax loophole that rewards companies that ship jobs out of California. In the face of partisan pressures, he maintains his independence and calls it like he sees it.”
** NEW COLUMNS COMING UP … THE NEW SPACE ERA TAKES A BIG STEP FORWARD (TAKE 2), MAD MEN: JOAN LOWERS HERSELF AND RISES, PEGGY EXITS ANTICLIMACTICALLY (AND SCDP GETS ITS HALO CLIENT), and OBAMA AFTER THE IRAN NEGOTIATIONS AND THE NATO SUMMIT.
** NEW SURVEY: POST-GRADS HEAVILY “PRO-CHOICE,” NON-COLLEGE HEAVILY “PRO-LIFE.” A new Gallup Poll survey has some interesting results in how voters view the abortion issue, at least from a rhetorical standpoint.
While there is still significant support for a woman’s right to an abortion, those who call themselves “pro-life” on abortion now have a significant edge over those who call themselves “pro-choice.” Which to me suggests that more people now want to be seen as critical of abortion than actually are.
And it suggests that the pro-choice side is being overwhelmed rhetorically.
This is what happens when you have relentless anti-Enlightenment media megaphones at work, most notably, of course, Fox News.
But one group is not at all affected by the shift, and that is the constituency of those who have attained post-graduate levels of education.
There is also a big religious crosscut here, with those who say they are staunchly religious, and staunchly Christian, heavily pro-life, and those who are non-religious or agnostic, even atheistic, heavily pro-choice.
Most subgroups in the United States tend to describe their views on abortion as “pro-life” rather than “pro-choice,” reflecting the views of all U.S. adults. However, apart from the partisan distinctions in abortion ID that Gallup reviewed last week, there are two major exceptions to this — postgraduates and nonreligious Americans, both of whom lean heavily pro-choice. …
Americans with no religious attachment (self-identified atheists, agnostics, and those with simply no religious preference) identify as pro-choice by a 49-percentage-point margin over pro-life, 68% to 19%. This represents the strongest propensity toward the pro-choice position of any major U.S. demographic (as distinct from political) subgroup. This group is also more heavily pro-choice than Democrats, but its views are similar to those of political “liberals,” 74% of whom are pro-choice and 19% pro-life.
In contrast to Americans with no religious affiliation, majorities of those who identify with either of the two major U.S. Christian faiths call themselves pro-life: 54% of all Catholics and 57% of Protestants. The sample size of those who identify with a non-Christian religion is too small to allow meaningful interpretation.
The gap in abortion views by education is not as wide as that seen between Christians and non-Christians, but is still stark. Nearly six in 10 Americans with postgraduate education call themselves pro-choice and 37% are pro-life — a 21-point lead for the pro-choice position. The figures are nearly reversed among those with no college education, resulting in a 20-point “pro-life” lead. Americans whose highest level of education is either an undergraduate degree or some college education tilt pro-life by eight-point margins. …
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta delivered the commencement address this morning at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. The veteran California political figure and former CIA director says that building U.S. maritime strength across the Asia-Pacific region will be the main project of the new generation of America’s naval officers.
** NEW COLUMNS COMING UP … THE NEW SPACE ERA TAKES A BIG STEP FORWARD (TAKE 2), MAD MEN: JOAN LOWERS HERSELF AND RISES, PEGGY EXITS ANTICLIMACTICALLY (AND SCDP GETS ITS HALO CLIENT), and OBAMA AFTER THE IRAN NEGOTIATIONS AND THE NATO SUMMIT.
** OBAMA TODAY. President Barack Obama is in Washington.
He has received the daily intelligence and economic briefings in the Oval Office.
Obama then met with senior advisors in the Oval Office.
At 11:45 AM Pacific, Obama meets with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Oval Office.
At 12:25 PM Pacific, Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama honor recipients of the 2011 Medal of Freedom in a ceremony in the East Room.
The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. I’m pleased that a very old friend of mine, Dolores Huerta, is among the recipients.
Here is the full list of recipients:
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (Albright, an immigrant, was the first woman to serve as secretary of state)
Former U.S Senator John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth
Basketball coach Pat Summitt
Rock music and songwriting legend Bob Dylan
Toni Morrison, author of such novels as “Song of Solomon” and “Beloved.”
John Paul Stevens, former Supreme Court Justice
Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts.
Shimon Peres, president of Israel.
John Doar, who handled civil rights cases as assistant U.S. attorney general in the 1960s under Robert F. Kennedy
William Foege, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who helped lead the effort to eradicate smallpox.
Gordon Hirabayashi, who fought the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.
Jan Karski, a resistance fighter against the Nazi occupation of Poland during World War II.
Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America.
At 2 PM Pacific, Obama meets with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in the Oval Office.
Over the weekend and on Memorial Day, Obama participated in various events commemorating the sacrifices undertaken by service members, including events at Arlington National Cemetery.
These events included the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony at the Vietnam War Memorial, a speech at the Memorial Amphitheater, and a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington.
The Egyptian presidential run-off, set for June 16-17, will feature two candidates.
The Egyptian presidential candidate who took a narrow lead after the two-day round of voting last Wednesday and Thursday, Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi, has a doctorate in engineering from the the University of Southern California. He went on to teach for several years in the ’80s at Cal State Northridge, also in Los Angeles. The USC alum’s two kids were born in California and are US citizens. Morsi also did some work for NASA on his engineering specialty, surface materials.
Morsi will face retired Egyptian Air Force General, Ahmed Shafiq, who served as longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak’s last prime minister.
Shafiq’s campaign headquarters in Cairo was firebombed on Monday.
The course of democracy does not run smooth along the Nile.
Shafiq, of course, is running as the candidate of much of the old Mubarak crowd.
Authorities say a powerful computer virus has been sweeping the Middle East, zeroing in on Iran. This latest virus, whose purpose is not entirely clear, is even eluding experts, who say it could be the most powerful malware ever developed.
Obama is monitoring several geopolitical crises involving the Arab Awakening, Iran and Israel, Iraq, AfPak, and North Korea.
Military Crisis Zone Times: The Arabian Gulf is ten hours ahead of Pacific time, and Afghanistan is eleven and a half hours ahead of Pacific time.
** FROM THE JERRY FILES. Governor Jerry Brown is in Northern California.
He has no scheduled public events as of this morning.
** MAD MEN: A GREAT LEAPER FORWARD? JOAN, JAG, DON’S RETURN TO ADVERTISING (AND OTHER, ER, TREKS). … From my May 23rd review.
** A BUCKET OF WOE: JERRY BROWN’S UNSURPRISINGLY UNHAPPY BUDGET. … From my May 16th essay.
** MAD MEN: DANGER! SLIPPERY WHEN SOAPY (ESPECIALLY IN DARK SHADOWS). … From my May 15th review.
** NUCLEAR’S ONCE BRIGHT AND SHINY FUTURE BLINKS OUT. …From my May 12th essay.
** MAD MEN: REJECTING ADVERTISING, OR, DON DRAPER MEETS ACID ROCK, POP BUDDHISM, AND AN INDEPENDENT WIFE. … From my May 8th essay.
** THE CURIOUS CHEN CRISIS SPOTLIGHTS OUR BIG CHINA CONUNDRUM. … From my May 4th essay.
** FROM GOVERNATOR TO MOONBEAM. … From my January 3rd, 2011 feature.
** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was the featured column on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.) … From my January 19th, 2009 Huffington Post column.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM AL JAZEERA. With the US entangled in major military operations in the region, and the Arab awakening underway, it’s valuable to keep up with news and perspectives from the leading Middle Eastern-based TV news network. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer. The NWN live link to AJ does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer from the Russia Today channel. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the state-run channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND NATIONAL ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Having crashed over $147 for yet another record on July 11th, 2008, crude oil is trading around $91 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
This is up about $57 from the low of $34 per barrel prior to enactment of the Obama economic recovery program, reflecting a low point in global economic activity, and down about $23 per barrel from the price at the time of the Osama bin Laden raid.
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| Comments (33) |
Good commencement speech at Annapolis by good old Leon. He lays out a good mission after the Iraq nuttiness.
If the Flame virus can prevent the Iranian nuke and prevent war, I am all for it!!
Good for Dolores Huerta, she did such an awesome thing with the farmworkers and is such a great supporter of JB!!!
BB:The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. I’m pleased that a very old friend of mine, Dolores Huerta, is among the recipients.
Whoa…
BB: Shafiq’s campaign headquarters in Cairo was firebombed on Monday.
The course of democracy does not run smooth along the Nile.
Shafiq, of course, is running as the candidate of much of the old Mubarak crowd.
Good speech by Secretary Panetta on the Navy’s future.
Good good news Al Jazeera news video on the computer virus hitting Iran.
How was the Memorial Day Mr. B?
I smell Mossad…
Jonas says:
May 29, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Good good news Al Jazeera news video on the computer virus hitting Iran.
That’s a good vision for the US of A.
Capitol Boy says:
May 29, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Good commencement speech at Annapolis by good old Leon. He lays out a good mission after the Iraq nuttiness.
Heh.
Brad: Shafiq’s campaign headquarters in Cairo was firebombed on Monday.
The course of democracy does not run smooth along the Nile.
Indeed.
Not enough Californians get those thingies.
Capitol Boy says:
May 29, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Good for Dolores Huerta, she did such an awesome thing with the farmworkers and is such a great supporter of JB!!!
BB:The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. I’m pleased that a very old friend of mine, Dolores Huerta, is among the recipients.
Good bad news Al Jazeera news video on the Syira crisis.
Anti Enlightenment, that is for sure!!
BB:This is what happens when you have relentless anti-Enlightenment media megaphones at work, most notably, of course, Fox News.
JB is getting it done…
This is what happens when you have relentless anti-Enlightenment media megaphones at work, most notably, of course, Fox News.
The money can be used for High-Speed Rail!
… The California State Assembly today took another big step toward implementing the cap and trade portion of the state’s landmark climate change program, setting up standards for how revenue generated by the program can be spent. The program was promoted by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who signed it into law in 2006, and former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. Under the bill passed today on a 47-26 vote, funds can only be spent on green energy, low-carbon transportation, protection of resources, and related R&D. $1 billion is expected in the first year, with more after that. …
What chance does the Democrat have there??
… Governor Jerry Brown has made a supportive statement, if not an endorsement per se, about Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, the Republican-turned-independent candidate for mayor of San Diego: “Nathan Fletcher stands out from the pack, especially when he voted to close a big tax loophole that rewards companies that ship jobs out of California. In the face of partisan pressures, he maintains his independence and calls it like he sees it.”
I’m very pleased by Leon Panetta’s commencement speech at Annapolis. This administration plans to get out of the folly of messing around forever in the Muslim world. That is only to the good. We have interests else where that don’t mean Long War Forever against The Other.
Индивидуалки
What crisis video today?
I forget.
Quite.
>Лучшие проститутки СПб, индивидуалки питера says:
May 30, 2012 at 1:25 am (Edit)
Индивидуалки
It’s a good speech, a reassertion of America’s intrinsic interest, and a measure of how things became warped in the last decade.
>marcos leon says:
May 29, 2012 at 7:08 pm (Edit)
I’m very pleased by Leon Panetta’s commencement speech at Annapolis. This administration plans to get out of the folly of messing around forever in the Muslim world. That is only to the good. We have interests else where that don’t mean Long War Forever against The Other.
No real chance to win.
>Capitol Boy says:
May 29, 2012 at 5:38 pm (Edit)
What chance does the Democrat have there??
… Governor Jerry Brown has made a supportive statement, if not an endorsement per se, about Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, the Republican-turned-independent candidate for mayor of San Diego: “Nathan Fletcher stands out from the pack, especially when he voted to close a big tax loophole that rewards companies that ship jobs out of California. In the face of partisan pressures, he maintains his independence and calls it like he sees it.”
Si se puede.
>Capitol Boy says:
May 29, 2012 at 5:36 pm (Edit)
The money can be used for High-Speed Rail!
… The California State Assembly today took another big step toward implementing the cap and trade portion of the state’s landmark climate change program, setting up standards for how revenue generated by the program can be spent. The program was promoted by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who signed it into law in 2006, and former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. Under the bill passed today on a 47-26 vote, funds can only be spent on green energy, low-carbon transportation, protection of resources, and related R&D. $1 billion is expected in the first year, with more after that. …
Yep. I’ll have more in this vein.
>Capitol Boy says:
May 29, 2012 at 5:34 pm (Edit)
Anti Enlightenment, that is for sure!!
BB:This is what happens when you have relentless anti-Enlightenment media megaphones at work, most notably, of course, Fox News.
There’s a sort of usual suspects list.
>Cooper Hawks says:
May 29, 2012 at 4:46 pm (Edit)
Not enough Californians get those thingies.
Capitol Boy says:
May 29, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Good for Dolores Huerta, she did such an awesome thing with the farmworkers and is such a great supporter of JB!!!
BB:The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. I’m pleased that a very old friend of mine, Dolores Huerta, is among the recipients.
Glenn Reynolds.
>Jack Aubrey says:
May 29, 2012 at 3:51 pm (Edit)
Heh.
Brad: Shafiq’s campaign headquarters in Cairo was firebombed on Monday.
The course of democracy does not run smooth along the Nile.
Cooper Hawks says:
May 29, 2012 at 4:46 pm (Edit)
Indeed.
It’s called getting back on course.
>Jack Aubrey says:
May 29, 2012 at 3:50 pm (Edit)
That’s a good vision for the US of A.
Capitol Boy says:
May 29, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Good commencement speech at Annapolis by good old Leon. He lays out a good mission after the Iraq nuttiness.
Quite possibly.
>Jack Aubrey says:
May 29, 2012 at 3:45 pm (Edit)
I smell Mossad…
Jonas says:
May 29, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Good good news Al Jazeera news video on the computer virus hitting Iran.
Relaxed and contemplative, with the annual showing of They Were Expendable.
>Jack Aubrey says:
May 29, 2012 at 3:37 pm (Edit)
How was the Memorial Day Mr. B?
Indeed.
>Capitol Boy says:
May 29, 2012 at 2:35 pm (Edit)
Whoa…
BB: Shafiq’s campaign headquarters in Cairo was firebombed on Monday.
The course of democracy does not run smooth along the Nile.
Shafiq, of course, is running as the candidate of much of the old Mubarak crowd.
Dolores is a great heroine, as well as a pistol of person.
>Capitol Boy says:
May 29, 2012 at 2:33 pm (Edit)
Good for Dolores Huerta, she did such an awesome thing with the farmworkers and is such a great supporter of JB!!!
BB:The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. I’m pleased that a very old friend of mine, Dolores Huerta, is among the recipients.