Late Night Video — John Oliver Fixes the Flaw in Climate Change Journalism

3 Comments
Climate change is always reported as two opposing views -- one side who *believes* and the other side that *does not believe*. Treating a science topic (it isn't a *belief* topic) as though it was a political topic is one of the worst journalistic offences we are subject to, and we are subject to quite a few of them throughout the day. John Oliver takes note that this topic is always addressed as one for and one against, as though there was an equal amount of scientific evidence that climate change does not happen. He brilliantly works at a fairer debate -- one that weights the conversation towards the evidence -- hilarious:
Thursday Open Thread [7.3.14]

Thursday Open Thread [7.3.14]

8 Comments
The U.S. economy added 288,000 jobs in June, surprising some economists who only expected 215k. The economy has now added more than 200,000 jobs a month for five straight months, the best stretch since January 2000. The unemployment rate also dropped to 6.1%, the lowest it's been since September 2008.
Also encouraging: Job gains for April and May were revised up by a total 29,000. April's increase was revised to 304,000 from 282,000 and May's to 224,000 from 217,000. April's total marks the first time monthly job gains topped 300,000 since January 2012. Payroll additions have averaged 272,000 the past three months and 231,000 for the year, vs. 194,000 in 2013. Bob Baur, chief global economist of Principal Global Investors, says accelerating job growth is feeding into a virtuous cycle, in which stronger payroll gains lead to higher consumer spending and further employment advances.
Wednesday Open Thread [7.2.14]

Wednesday Open Thread [7.2.14]

4 Comments
Sorry for being absent the last two days. Came down with what I think is walking pneumonia. Boy does that knock you on your ass. So today here is some poll numbers: LOUISIANA--SENATOR--Public Policy Polling: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) 47, Bill Cassidy (R) 47. That is the polling on a stand alone runoff race between Landrieu and Cassidy. Remember, Louisiana law is, shall we say, strange. They hold an open all party primary on the general election date in November, and if no candidate gets over 50%, then the top two finishers compete in a December runoff. The polling on the November open primary is as follows: Landrieu leads with 44%, followed by Cassidy at 27%, Rob Maness (R) at 8%, and Paul Hollis (R) at 5%. MICHIGAN--GOVERNOR--Public Policy Polling: Gov. Rick Snyder (R) 40, Mark Schauer (D) 40. This is a big improvement for Schauer, since he was down 10 points in April and by four points in December.
Sy/Raq: Creepy Mission Or Mission Creep?

Sy/Raq: Creepy Mission Or Mission Creep?

6 Comments
300 more to Iraq, for a total of 800. But we're told, no boots on the ground. Just security forces for the 500 already there, mostly in the Taj Majal U.S. Embassy, just a few in foward positions as "advisors". Sound familiar? It does for those of us who survived the 60's and 70's.