A record high number of states are now governed solely by a one-party majority – which can then pass whatever legislation it likes. People don’t typically pay attention to state legislative races, and gerrymandered districts enable less-informed voters to pull the straight ticket and vote in all members of one party. The results can be hilarious… and terrifying. This series will focus on the bipartisan foibles of state government, especially around corruption, womens’ health and reproductive rights, and LGBT issues.
It was the week after the Boston Marathon. The country was coming together. People were traumatized at the scale of the attack and the dramatic invasion, and happy that the perpetrators were caught.
Well, most people.
A conservative talk show host – and Friend of Ron Paul – named Alex Jones has a website called InfoWars where he propagates some rather insane conspiracy theories. Among them: Benghazi was an inside job, Obama wants to take our guns from us for the coming race wars, and this lovely piece from today: Read more…
Those crazy Italians.
Remember a few months ago when Italy decided to have an election? They were done with Silvio Berlusconi, that was for sure, and all ready to elect a new Prime Minister. How did that work out, again?
Michael Bloomberg’s three-term ride as Mayor has brought a lot of changes to New York City – not the least of which is that the ranks of New York City’s poor and near-poor have risen to their highest levels ever since 2005. The data for 2011 was released Sunday, and 
A record high number of states are now governed solely by a one-party majority – which can then generally pass whatever legislation it likes. People don’t typically pay attention to state legislative races, and gerrymandered districts enable less-informed voters to pull the straight ticket and vote in all members of one party. The results can be hilarious… and terrifying. 
When you grow up in Boston, or live there, the Boston Marathon takes on the near-mythic significance that only shared ritual on a massive scale can bring. The day takes on a certain weight, a certain rhythm. It’s almost always crystal-blue, just under 70 degrees. It’s always held on Patriots Day, a Massachusetts holiday celebrating the first battles of the American Revolution, so kids have school off and lots of businesses give their workers the day off as well. But it’s also known as Marathon Monday. If you live near the course, you come to know in your bones what time the wheelchairs will come by, and then the elite men and women. What time to get things together and walk down to the course and set up camp – who knows, you might stay all day. The trees are just budding. Wave-like cheers precede each group.
