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Archive for April, 2009

North Korea Launches Missile Capable Of Reaching Western U.S.

by Doug Mataconis @ Sunday, April 5th, 2009. Filed under Foreign Affairs, North Korea

The last time the North Koreans tried to test launch a Taedong-2 missile, it failed miserably.
It appears that they’ve learned a few things:
TOKYO, April 5 — North Korea launched a long-range missile Sunday morning, defying repeated international warnings, worrying its neighbors and setting up the prospect of increased sanctions.
The launch, from a base on the [...]

Jeff Frederick Is Out As RPV Chairman

by Doug Mataconis @ Saturday, April 4th, 2009. Filed under Virginia, Virginia Politics

In the end, it wasn’t even close:
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Virginia Republican Party Chairman Jeff Frederick was ousted Saturday after a troubled 10-month tenure capped by devastating losses in last year’s elections.
The state party’s governing central committee voted 57-18 to remove Frederick after key Virginia Republican elected officials and top party leaders called for him [...]

Here’s An Idea I Can Endorse

by Doug Mataconis @ Saturday, April 4th, 2009. Filed under Politics

Via Vodkapundit comes this idea from Jonah Goldberg:
For starters, no more purchasing the Leviathan State on layaway. And that means: Get rid of withholding, a World War II measure intended as a temporary policy to pay for the war instead of putting it on a credit card. Even a system of mandatory quarterly payments for [...]

Obama To Lift Cuba Travel Restrictions

by Doug Mataconis @ Saturday, April 4th, 2009. Filed under General

Frankly, this strikes me as a good idea:
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama plans to lift longstanding U.S. restrictions on Cuba, a senior administration official said, allowing Cuban-Americans to visit families there as often as they like and to send them unlimited funds.
The gesture, which could herald more openness with the Castro regime, will fulfill a [...]

Live-Blogging The Trial Of Jeff Frederick

by Doug Mataconis @ Saturday, April 4th, 2009. Filed under Virginia, Virginia Politics

The guys over at Bearing Drift are liveblogging the RPV State Central Committee proceedings down in Richmond today.
Also, Shaun Kenney offers his final thoughts on the case against Jeff Frederick.
H/T: Riley

Yankees Beat Cubbies For First Win At New Stadium

by Doug Mataconis @ Saturday, April 4th, 2009. Filed under Baseball, New York Yankees, Sports

Hopefully, this is a harbinger of things to come:NEW YORK (AP) -Unlike the Babe and the House he Built, these New York Yankees and their palatial new stadium were given a practice run.
The Hard Rock Cafe in right field was packed at game time Friday night, a birthday party was going on in NYY Steak [...]

NATO Turns Down Obama’s Plea For Troops In Afghanistan

by Doug Mataconis @ Saturday, April 4th, 2009. Filed under Afghanistan, Europe, Foreign Affairs

President Obama failed to win anything but token support for his Afghanistan plan from fellow NATO members:
Barack Obama made an impassioned plea to America’s allies to send more troops to Afghanistan, warning that failure to do so would leave Europe vulnerable to more terrorist atrocities.
But though he continued to dazzle Europeans on his debut international [...]

Dead Tree Media Death Watch: Grey Lady Edition

by Doug Mataconis @ Saturday, April 4th, 2009. Filed under Media

The New York Times Company is threatening to shut down the Boston Globe:
The New York Times Company has threatened to close The Boston Globe unless labor unions agree to concessions like pay cuts and the cessation of pension contributions, according to a person briefed on the talks.
The company is looking for $20 million in savings [...]

Another “Creepy Obama Supporters” Video

by Doug Mataconis @ Saturday, April 4th, 2009. Filed under Barack Obama, Politics

This time, it’s from a training video for the pro-budget canvassing that went on last month:

Here’s the reason why it creeps me out:
Some of the most disturbing things about this video are its vagueness, its focus on Obama himself in what I can only call his cult of personality, and its use of the word [...]

Obama’s First Tax Hike Hurts The Poor

by Doug Mataconis @ Saturday, April 4th, 2009. Filed under Economics, Politics

On April 1st, President Obama’s first tax hike went into effect yesterday. It’s a 62 cent increase on tobacco products that hurts the poor the most. Moreover, it’s based on two entirely contradictory ideas; the idea that increasing tobacco taxes will reduce smoking, and the idea that tobacco taxes should be used to fund children’s [...]

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