What The Gaza Blockade Means  —  As I've noted before, in the eyes of its defenders the blockade of the Gaza Strip is a security measure aimed at denying rockets to Hamas, while in fact it's a comprehensive effort to collectively punish Gaza residents—a majority of whom are children …

Ari Fleischer: Fire Helen Thomas  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  Longtime White House scribe Helen Thomas caused more than a few eyebrows to perk up when video surfaced on Friday of her declaring that Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine” and go back to Germany and Poland.

Report: Obama knew from the beginning that oil leak would likely last months  —  This makes all those golf outings, sports-team photo ops, and celebrity jams with Paul McCartney over the past six weeks feel extra special, doesn't it? … That's from frequent Olbermann guest Richard Wolffe.

Ostracizing The Losers —  Unemployed need not apply  —  Ostracizing The Losers  —  The other day Brad Delong asked if we are seeing the creation of an underclass of long term unemployed.  Here is some more evidence that we are: … There's more evidence that this is fairly widespread at the link.

Steve Blair Fired By KYCA  —  Besides being a City Councilman, Steve Blair is also a well-known afternoon talk show host for radio station KYCA.  Well, make that “was” because he has been removed from his radio talk show as of today, due to a controversy over the mural painted on Miller Valley School.

Queen's birthday gaffe leaves Hillary Clinton red faced  —  Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, has been left red faced after mistakenly sending a birthday message to the Queen a week early.  —  An official statement from the US foreign policy chief paid tribute to the …

Al & Tipper  —  I don't really want to write about Al Gore's marriage to Tipper, but this paragraph from Howard Fineman raises an issue that I think we don't discuss enough: … This kind of thing seems way too negative and judgmental to me.  Life in a modern-day developed economy is quite long.

For Mickey Kaus, Winning Isn't the Point  —  “THIS is the throbbing heart of the Kaus for Senate campaign,” says Mickey Kaus, throwing open the door to his two-bedroom apartment in the Venice neighborhood here.  Inside, there are no campaign posters to be seen, no army of clean-scrubbed interns …

For the Pauls, Libertarianism Began at Home  —  WASHINGTON — In keeping with their position as the First Family of Libertarianism, the Pauls of Lake Jackson, Tex., did not have many rules around their home.  —  “Behave yourself and be polite” is how Representative Ron Paul describes …

Get the Waaaaaaahmbulance, stat!  Paul McCartney disses W, and Republicans have a hissy  —  Sure, Paul may still have to live down “Silly Love Songs.”  But little moments like these remind us of the puckish rebel of his youth: … Republicans seem to have forgotten that The Beatles always …