All Posts in Politics

Though it may be not be official, news reports and conventional wisdom have it that Obama will nominate Eric Holder to be the next Attorney General. This would make him not only the first African-American Attorney General, but also (I believe) the first AG from Queens! (can someone confirm that he’s actually the first?...
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A recent New York Times article got me thinking about this topic. It begins by stating: “Michelle Rhee, the hard-charging chancellor of the Washington public schools, thinks teacher tenure may be great for adults, those who go into teaching to get summer vacations and great health insurance, for instance. But it hurts children, she...
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Oh my god. I fucking thought that this was a big joke with the Mormon sacred magical underwear. But Mike Wallace and Steve Young have breathed new credibility into it for me. Now, if only Charlie Rose will confirm this, I’ll be sure. And thank you Joseph Smith — without you, today’s post would...
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In John Updike’s “The Witches of Eastwick“, Joe Marino was an important character. He resurfaced in an ancillary way in Updike’s recent sequel “The Widows of Eastwick” (excellent book). Joe Marino in the books was a plumber. Once again art was ahead of life.
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Prop 8 has me really pissed me off. If you’ve just popped in from Mars, Prop 8 is amendment to California’s constitution restricting marriage to heterosexuals that passed on Nov 4 by a narrow margin. It strips LGBT people of their right to existing marriage in California. According to its proponants, it also invalidates...
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No matter what you think about gay rights, here at nonpretentious we love Arnold. Fine, maybe some of us think Arnold shines as a politician whereas others of us prefer to view his shininess on the big screen in badass action flicks.   Whether your preferences are more in line with column a or...
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With apologies to the post below, not all of us are thrilled at Barack Obama’s victory yesterday. I would go so far to say that I am the opposite of thrilled. Let’s break down the pros and cons of America’s choice: Pros: A person of color is elected President of the USA. Cons: Everything...
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We, as Americans, have not been witness to many joyous occasions in the last ten years. It’s been a decade racked with tragedy, scandal, depressions, and disasters. I can say that even in my own entire lifetime (a mere, but sometimes long, 29 years) my national and international memory is not exactly something to...
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1. Do not invite Joe Lieberman to stand behind you. No one likes him, Democrats or Republicans. 2. Tell your wife to make sure she doesn’t continuously lick her teeth. Her lips aren’t thick enough to accidentally transfer the ominous red lipstick to her teeth. 3. Do not pause during cheers and applause to...
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As I am reading _The Nine_, which I highly recommend… I was troubled by this post of mine a few days ago in light of this quote (on page 146 of my copy)… In the Court itself, as a new term began in October 2000, a near silence prevailed.  Controversial cases seemed to have...
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