Why Don't We Teach Social Skills?

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Sunday January 23, 2011 · 4:30 PM PST

2011/01/23 · 16:30

I think there’s a glaring hole in our nation’s public school curriculum. I’m talking about an imaginary missing course called “Social Dynamics 101″. Since it’s my imaginary course, I get to come up with an imaginary syllabus…

Thunder Road

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Sunday January 09, 2011 · 11:19 AM PST

2011/01/09 · 11:19

Last night, Rebecca Mansour, one of Sarah Palin's top aides, had this to say about her boss' role in yesterday's tragic shooting in Tuscon:

I don't understand how anyone can be held responsible for someone who is completely mentally unstable like this," Ms. Mansour said. "Where I come from the person who is actually shooting is culpable. We had nothing whatsoever to do with this. (source)

Thunder Road

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Wednesday November 03, 2010 · 4:33 PM PDT

2010/11/03 · 16:33

Are you walking around in a daze today, like me, wondering what just happened? It seems like just yesterday we were basking in the joy that our fellow citizens had finally taken hold of their senses. The very same country that voted this guy:

into office (twice!) had, at long last, chosen hope over fear and substance over sound bytes.

Thunder Road

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Tuesday October 26, 2010 · 10:20 PM PDT

2010/10/26 · 22:20

Remember how happy we were on November 4th, 2008...

Thunder Road

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Saturday March 20, 2010 · 2:39 PM PDT

2010/03/20 · 14:39

March 21, 2010. Remember that date because it's going to be an important one. If everything goes according to plan, tomorrow the US House of Representatives will approve H.R. 4872 ("The Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010").

Thunder Road

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Wednesday December 09, 2009 · 6:35 PM PST

2009/12/09 · 18:35

I'm seeing a rash of diaries trying to spread blame for the prematurely declared failure of health care reform. People like to point their finger at a particular person or group because it gives them an outlet for their rage. But our failure to pass comprehensive health care reform is not the fault of any one individual or group; it's due to this simple fact: We live in a sharply divided country (much more closely divided than one might think given the current composition of Congress), and the depth of that division is manifested in the incredibly close fight we are seeing over the health care debate.

Below the fold, I will present what I consider to be five myths about the fight for health care reform.
[cross-posted at Marc's Space]

Thunder Road

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Thursday December 03, 2009 · 5:02 PM PST

2009/12/03 · 17:02

As Shakespeare once wrote "Facebook maketh for strange bedfellows". OK, he probably didn't say that, but I'm sure he thought it. Anyway, I have a friend who posted a facebook update bemoaning a new "war tax" proposal. My reaction to the latter caught the attention (and the ire) of my friend's ultra-wingnut buddy. Below the fold is my annotated transcript of the ensuing bizarre conversation, which would be funny if it weren't so scary.

Thunder Road

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Sunday November 29, 2009 · 4:06 PM PST

2009/11/29 · 16:06

It's a stereotype but one that happens to be true - Jews in America disproportionately support the Democratic party. In 2008, despite concerns about whether the huge bloc of elderly Jewish voters in Florida would vote for an African American candidate (see Sarah Silverman's hilarious Great Schlep video), Barack Obama won 75% of the Jewish vote.

Thunder Road

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Sunday November 08, 2009 · 2:36 AM PST

2009/11/08 · 02:36

I don't mean "right" as in correct. I mean "right" as in wingnut. By voting against this bill, Dennis Kucinich has traversed a kind of political worm-hole and popped out the other end siding with Republicans on what may be the most important vote of his career.

Thunder Road

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Tuesday October 27, 2009 · 8:31 PM PDT

2009/10/27 · 20:31

[cross-posted at Marc's Space]
Remember when everyone was clamoring for Joe Lieberman's head? After doing everything in his power to defeat Obama, including firing up the crowd at the Republican (!) National Convention, many Democrats wanted Senator Joe stripped of his prized Homeland Security Chairmanship, or worse. As you can see here, I was part of the "Kick Joe to the Curb" mob myself.

You may also recall that one big reason why Lieberman was shown compassion, rather than the door, was because then President-Elect Obama publicly stated his recommendation to cut Joe some slack. At the time, I was disappointed in this response but here we are nearly a year later and we could really use Joe's vote to pass health care reform. I know what you're thinking: What good did leniency do us? He's up to the same old tricks again, threatening to support a filibuster with his fellow Republicans. But here's why things are different this time around...

Thunder Road

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Saturday October 24, 2009 · 12:34 PM PDT

2009/10/24 · 12:34

[Cross-posted at mkcohen.com]

This morning I read Spud1's diary about how the Mormon Church is up to their usual tricks (this time in Maine) of backing anti-gay rights groups while publicly distancing themselves from such contributions.
I got curious about something: given their obvious aversion to publicity in this area, I wondered how the Mormon Church itself portrays its views on gay rights. So instead of consulting an anti-Mormon web site, I went straight to the source, the official LDS web site to see what they have to say about their position gay rights. Here's what I found...

Thunder Road

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Saturday October 17, 2009 · 3:26 PM PDT

2009/10/17 · 15:26

I was recently discussing the quest for marriage equality in the US with a buddy of mine, who happens to come from Pennsylvania (the significance of which will become apparent below). My friend asked "why do gay people need to be married? With many states recognizing civil unions and many companies providing domestic partnership benefits, don't they already have the equivalent of marriage?".

Join me over the fold to see how I answered...

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Why Don't We Teach Social Skills?

They Have Blood On Their Hands

What Just Happened?

Don't Stop Believing

Remember This Date

Five Myths of Health Care Reform

My facebook Encounter With a Bona-Fide Wingnut

Why Are Jews Democrats?

Kucinich: So Far Left He's Right

Traitor Joe: Obama's Chess Move With Lieberman

Mormon Church - Epic Hypocrisy In Their Own Words

Reflections on Marriage Equality (w/ video)