The headline caught my attention: "Iranian forces take over Iraq oil well." Yikes. Then I read the story...and the real situation is described by U.S. Colonel Peter Newell:"What happens is, periodically, about every three or four months, the oil ministry..." [...]
According to the new Brown U. poll: Gov. Carcieri has proposed a high-powered commission to study the feasibility of consolidating or regionalizing public services, like education, public safety, and other municipal services. The argument is that there is too much... [...]
It seems to me that those city leaders whining about the Governor's proposed cuts (PDF) would be better served attempting genuine contract reform instead of nibbling at the edges, as they have up to this point. In short, isn't it...' [...]
As first heard (by me, at least) on Dan Yorke's show, GOP naif Rory Smith has decided against running for Governor of Rhode Island and has suspended his campaign. Learning curve was too steep (hey, I understand!). Though Rep. Joe... [...]
Having some kind of head cold nastiness for the better part of a week has left me more befuddled than usual and less able to focus thanks to various apothecary concoctions. Here's what I've been muttering about.... Apparently, Gen. Treasurer...' [...]
First:On November 19, 2009, climate science was severely shaken by the release of a collection of email messages, together with a collection of data and data processing programs, that were hacked or revealed by a whistle blower from the University... [...]
To commemorate Thanksgiving this year, I thought it appropriate to post George Washington's original Thanksgiving Proclamation setting aside Thursday, November 26th (exactly 220 years ago!) as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer. General Thanksgiving By the PRESIDENT of the... [...]
The Kennedy/Tobin flap has revealed the rank opportunism of those who, like the Kennedy's and so many other politicians, fall back on their Catholic heritage when it comes to getting votes from one segment (older Democrats who remember Jack) or... [...]
Six days after I noted the new congressional districts in RI, the ProJo has taken notice and did some digging:We weren't sure who to call to clarify the confusion. "We do not know who represents the 86th and 5th Congressional...'" [...]
Saturday Night Live's most recent parody of President Obama (he's finally fair-game, apparently) calls attention to his "Wimpy Economics"--pay now, and we promise you'll receive later. Right. “I am noticing that each of your plans to save money involves spending...' [...]
I believe it has gone unmentioned so far, so I'll do it: November 7th marked Anchor Rising's 5 Year anniversary. I'm not sure what the average blog shelf-life is out there, but I suspect (and based on my own experience!)... [...]
According to Rasmussen (h/t):Data from Rasmussen Reports national telephone surveys shows that 15.0% of Democrats in the workforce are currently unemployed and looking for a job. Among adults not affiliated with either major party, that number is 15.6% while just... [...]
According to i09, citing National Geographic, there is oxygen-rich water on Jupiter's ice-covered moon, Europa:That amount of oxygen would be enough to support more than just microscopic life-forms: At least three million tons of fishlike creatures could theoretically live and... [...]
Maggie Mahar of the Century Foundation warns:If you’re a progressive like me, and you’re upset by the Stupak amendment, which bars federally subsidized insurance from covering abortions, consider this: What if we had a single-payer health-care system and someone like... [...]
As an engineer, I'm quite familiar with the concept of the feedback loop, root cause analysis, etc. when it comes to preventive maintenance. For example, lets say you're supposed to change your oil every 3,000 miles. But over time, it's...' [...]
I've traveled all around the world, but one of the places I'd never been was Las Vegas. Until last week, that is. With the current recession, Las Vegas is offering several deals to get bodies into the casinos. With my... [...]
Thanks to President Obama's stimulus package, RI's 86th Congressional District has netted $10.2 million in aid and has had 58 jobs created (or saved)! The district, which encompasses the Williams and Franklin households in Ashaway, was given funds based on... [...]
This morning, the NEA's Pat Crowley's lamely attempted to use Alinsky's Rules #5 (Ridicule) and #11 (" Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, polarize it") on Education Commissioner Deborah Gist and put up a post that displayed the sort... [...]
I guess we now know why the Moderate Party's coffers are about as full as the RI GOPs. Ken Block has managed to bait the sharks thanks to his own situational ethics. The Warwick Beacon editorializes:Moderate Party founder Ken Block... [...]
Governor Carcieri vetoed the bill imposing a $7 license fee for salt-water fishing. As the ProJo reports, "This is the Ocean State," Carcieri stated. "It is a place where people have been free, up to now, to cast a line..." [...]
Woonsocket City Council President Leo Fontaine, a Republican, was elected over Todd Brien to replace Susan Menard as Mayor yesterday. But, as explained by the ProJo's John Hill, there is something unique about the structure of Woonsocket politics that probably... [...]
Just a minor observation based on the story in ProJo about Tamiflu, which states:A recent check of prescribing data from pharmacies around the state found that 15 percent of Tamiflu prescriptions were filled five days after they were written. That... [...]
Maine became the 31st state to reaffirm via popular vote (and agree with President Obama) that marriage is between a man and a woman. The contrast was really between the coast and the inland/north. A look at the vote breakdown... [...]
The "political arena" isn't the only place where the grassroots are ticked off and ready to show it. Fans of both the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins are planning on making a public statement about the sorry state of their...' [...]
As the ProJo reports, the Chariho teachers have approved a new contract (PDF) that includes nearly the complete eradication of the traditional increases (go "here" to see what I mean by "traditional") in the hard-coded contract step increases. This is... [...]
Former U.S. Attorney for RI Robert Corrente told WPRO's Dan Yorke that he will not run for RI Governor in 2010. He confirmed that he did speak to the Moderate Party but ultimately determined that the timing wasn't right....' [...]
Anchor Rising's Justin Katz and Matt Jerzyk (former proprietor of RI Future) were asked by the Providence Monthly to handicap the presumed 2010 Rhode Island gubernatorial candidates. But there was a twist: Justin took a look at the Dems (and... [...]
The pro-Republican results of the Pew Research Poll, "What Does the Public Know?," (h/t) has led to some "rah rah" chatter on the right side of the blogosphere, partly inspired because the MSM isn't covering the results the same as...' [...]
The pro-Republican results of the Pew Research Poll, "What Does the Public Know?," (h/t) has led to some "rah rah" chatter on the right side of the blogosphere, partly inspired because the MSM isn't covering the results the same as...' [...]
The ProJo's follow-up to the story about the murder of accused woman-beater and "serial father" George Holland only adds to the frustration earlier expressed. On Wednesday afternoon, the five other mothers and Holland’s relatives gathered at an apartment on Hymer... [...]
The procrastinators in the RI House continue their torrid pace, today joined by the Senate. Governor Carcieri points out the obvious: “They need to deal with the budget,” Carcieri said at an unrelated event. “They’re not doing that, and I... [...]
The Congressional race in New York's 23rd District pits a Democrat against a Republican against a Conservative (New York has a Conservative Party), all of whom have polled around 30%. It has been an interesting object lesson in showing how... [...]
I referenced a 60 Minutes report on Medicare fraud earlier this week. Mark Hemingway adds some additional context:Medicare fraud amounts to $60 billion dollars a year. That is one heck of a lot of money. In fact, Medicare loses seven... [...]
...at stories like this, about the Providence woman who stabbed the father of her son to death. The short version is that 14 years ago a 15 year old boy was statutorily raped by a woman 10 years his senior.... [...]
As Justin warily explained, we're about to witness two fun-packed days of legislative confusion--at least to outsiders. For, as Lt. Holden said in Operation Petticoat, "In confusion, there is profit." Just so. The line was uttered at a point in...' [...]
As Justin warily explained, we're about to witness two fun-packed days of legislative confusion--at least to outsiders. For, as Lt. Holden said in Operation Petticoat, "In confusion, there is profit." Just so. The line was uttered at a point in...' [...]
Proponents of the "public option" like to point to MediCare. It ain't the panacea they say, as 60 Minutes reported:President Obama says rising costs are driving huge federal budget deficits that imperil our future, and that there is enough waste...' [...]
Rhode Island Education Commisioner Deborah Gist has quickly become a breath of fresh air, indeed (via 7to7):Dropping a bombshell on Rhode Island's teacher unions, state Education Commissioner Deborah Gist announced Friday that districts must abolish seniority as a method of... [...]
Riordan Smith has filed papers as the first official candidate for the Governor's race in 2010. The ProJo and Ian Donnis at WRNI have more info. Smith was also all over the radio yesterday and today explaining his personal background... [...]
A couple days ago I noticed that, with the arbitration bill coming up, Sen. John Tassoni had just been approved as a mediator. (The ProJo story reporting this also mentioned a few others). That led me to remark that it... [...]
Colleen Conley of the RI Tea Party was on WPRO AM 630's Dan Yorke Show talking about the movement, including the upcoming "Welcome Back Tea Party" for the Legislature on October 28th at the State House. Conley revealed that she... [...]
As Monique notes, the bill requiring binding arbitration in union/town disputes is slated to be heard this Wednesday. You can also hear NEA/AFT funded radio advertisements touting the bill. I wonder why labor unions--which traditionally take pride in being negotiating... [...]
In his Wednesday column, "The trouble with health care is paying for it", Michael Barone wrote:We know now that it costs a lot of money to pay for insurance policies with expanded coverage for an expanded number of people. And... [...]
I don't know if this will go anywhere, but the lawsuit by the ACLU against the Pawtucket Parks and Rec Department for supposedly giving parochial schools priority over public schools for athletic field use caught my attention. As summarized at...' [...]
USA Today:Democratic members of the House of Representatives now represent most of the nation's wealthiest people, a sharp turnaround from the long-standing dominance that Republicans have held over affluent districts. A USA TODAY analysis of new Census data found that... [...]
Two stories in last week's ProJo have been jangling around in my head. Then Justin noted Deborah Gist's "anger" over kids not wanting to go to college and, correctly, pointed out that college ain't for everyone. I agree, especially when...' [...]
For the price of a $5 footlong, Tollgate High students can park their car for a year in the school parking lot. Toll Gate Principal Stephen Chrabaszcz said he decided to institute the policy for two reasons. First, to make... [...]
One could argue that having Yassar Arafat awarded the Nobel Peace Prize was the true "Jump the Shark" moment for the Nobel Peace Prize...or even that Al Gore winning for a Power Point presentation on Global Warming Climate Change. But... [...]
Flashback to June, during budget hearings held by the Warwick City Council:School Committee member Paul Cannistra has made good on his promise to file an open meetings violation complaint with Attorney General Patrick Lynch, and the AG has agreed to... [...]
President Obama has nominated O. Rogeriee Thompson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. This is the same Judge Thompson, who, as Bob Kerr recently explained, "granted continuance after continuance as [Pocahontas] Cooley claimed various physical ailments..." [...]
