Results tagged “whitehouse”

Science! Chemistry plus mummies means new thinking about building materials and the pyramids, mice may cure MD, baldies may soon have more options than just Rogaine, and fish smoothies may help the environment. All in a day’s work for city researchers.

Many neo-conservatives both in the Bush White House and Congress have argued that in a post-9/11 world torture is a necessary and viable method of obtaining information from detained enemy combatants. Others have argued that torture discredits the U.S. abroad, breeds anti-American sentiment, places our soldiers at risk, and contradicts most of mankind’s reasonable standards as to what is and is not moral. Here’s an overview of the United States’ recent relationship with torture:

Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama exchanged blows in Ohio Tuesday leading up to next week’s primary in that state. 161 delegates are at stake. The exchange of criticism focused largely on Clinton’s position on the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. On free trade, there appears to be little difference in the candidates’ rhetoric and voting records. Clinton, however, faces a challenge on the issue that Obama does not.

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend.

This week's quote comes from Clayton Hamilton, and goes: "Applause begets applause in the theatre, as laughter begets laughter and tears beget tears." Now, on with the listings!

As it gets closer to Halloween for LAist, a contributer recollects her tale of staring down the serial killer, Richard Ramirez, otherwise known as the Night Stalker. Must think happy thoughts -- okay, free organic chocolate chip cookies for Los Angeles -- now that's a happy thought. Other happy Los Angeles thoughts include an interview with Jack Kehler of The Big Lebowski (he was the Dude's landlord), a beautiful and magical photographic moment in Venice and the press making the speaker of the California State Assembly, Fabian Nunez, run away when being asked hard questions about sketchy luxurious and worldly expenses.

Happy first weekend of September - and happy Labor Day weekend, too, for our American cities! Let's take a look at what's been happening around the Ist-a-verse.

DVR is supposed to make TV viewing quicker. So when it takes nearly two hours to watch a one hour show, we're thinking something is wrong. Comcast says they'll replace our cable box, but we lose everything saved on our DVR. And that sucks. But hey, at least Comcast doesn't do our internet. And their commercials are at least moderately amusing.

What's interesting on TV this week.

Blankbaby provides a flashback about an OCD monarch...

There's a whole wide world out there, and here's the proof:

People are already gathering at the Park Hyatt at Broad and Walnut to see President George W. Bush pimp his Strategy for Victory for Iraq. The sold out presentation to the World Affairs CouncilPresident's speech is due to start shortly before noon, will last approximately 40 minutes, and - at the insistence of the White House - will not have a 'question and answer' session following the speech.

In our times of the Vice President's (now former) Chief of Staff, Scooter Libby, being indicted for obstruction of justice and perjury, (now former) House Majority Leader Tom DeLay being indicted for conspiracy and money laundering, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist being investigated by the FEC, and Philadelphia City Councilman Rick Mariano being indicted for several counts of corruption, it hardly seems possible that there are any decent and ethical politicians left in this country. But take heart! Philadelphia's ethical standards are now amongst the highest in the country.

Junior Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum is looking at quite a fight in next year's mid-term election. He's currently trailing likely Democratic opponent Bob Casey, Jr. (son of much-beloved, longtime PA governor, Bob Casey) by nearly 14 points in a Quinnipiac University poll. Possibly defrauding the Penn Hills school district, Santorum's incredibly unpopular opinions about the right to privacy and the right of government to make our medical decisions for us, his public declaration of support for full Amtrak funding which he promptly voted against, and that time Santorum blamed the liberals for causing Catholic priests to diddle little kids...well, none of that helps him. However, pollsters indicate that Santorum's flagging support is "because Santorum is too aligned with some of the White House's flailing policies." Enter the new, softer side of Rick Santorum. It began in March with a poll that showed Catholics were increasingly becoming anti-death penalty. Santorum immediately backtracked on his own hardcore support of the death penalty. And now Santorum has begun a campaign in earnest to prove to Pennsylvanians -- indeed, the whole country -- that he really isn't a hypocritical liar bent on allowing government to butt into every aspect of our lives. Instead, he's a lover of animals and children and veterans, concerned about the fiscal well-being of all Pennsylvanians, even at the risk of alienating his bosom buddy, President George W. Bush.
• Despite voting against every single attempt to add money to the Veterans Administration fund to pay for healthcare (Democrats had been fighting for more funding since Spring), Santorum all of a sudden became the chief backer of additional funding for the VA. See, he really does support the troops! Now maybe he can get them some body armor.
• On Tuesday Santorum introduced a bill to eliminate the telephone excise tax, that 3% tax added onto your phone bill. 3%! Why, that's a whole $1 or $2 per month! That savings would have been severely offset, however, if Santorum's minimum wage bill had been approved.
• Santorum has now decided to appeal to our love of animals by taking on the puppy mills. We guess this goes hand in hand with his new found respect for life for those in prison.