pundito

Because of the convergence of a number of factors – God, global economics and good luck – South Carolina is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the emerging global wind industry, unless our politicians blow it. And they may. Let’s start with God. The good Lord created a natural environment that makes our state ideal for the development of the wind energy industry.  Just off our coast, up around our border with North Carolina, the ocean winds blow at consistent speeds that may be ideal... Read Full Story

Last week, the Obama administration and the Republican-dominated House Natural Resources Committee took diametrically opposed steps regarding development of oil shale across the West. Not surprisingly, House Republicans are attaching the by-now-meaningless labels “job creator” to its bill, and “job killing,” to the Department of Interior’s action. Also not surprisingly, House Republicans’ views are not tethered to reality. Below the fold: a post mostly about the false promise of an arcane... Read Full Story

On February 8 I posted about an online dialogue on evangelical Christians and nuclear disarmament. In March of last year, at A Deeper Story: Tales of Christ and Culture , site administrator Nish shared emails with Reverend Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, founder of the  Two Futures Project , a groundbreaking evangelical disarmament group, as well as with commenters. One of the commenters addressed what constitutes a sticking point about disarmament for evangelicals, as well as fundamentalists. To wit... Read Full Story

Both Eric Schneiderman, the Attorney General of New York, and Eric Holder, the Attorney General of the U.S. have made the point, in discussing the $25 billion settlement agreed to by four of the major banks involved in the mortgage fraud scam, that this is a beginning and that no criminal or civil suits would be canceled out by this action. So, as if to prove the point, the Department of Justice announced on Friday a separate fund, over and above the $25 billion, to compensate members of... Read Full Story

The Simpsons ’ landmark 500th episode is coming up Sunday, February 19, and I’ve been trying to justify writing about the animated comedy on a website devoted to Southern politics and culture. I would like to believe I have found two rationales. For starters, I would suggest that Homer Simpson, with his abiding fondness for beer, deep-fried everything and lassitude, is only a coon dog and a 12-gauge away from being prototypical of a certain sort of Southern man (and maybe not even a coon... Read Full Story

A look back at Occupy Oakland before it was razed. In a world devastated by poverty, austerity cuts, and bank foreclosures, community action like Occupy Oakland’s recent attempt to turn a derelict building into a vibrant social center for the needs of the 99% should be applauded. Instead, the agents of the 1%, in this case the Oakland police – already under investigation for excessive force – once again attacked. Using flash bang grenades, projectiles, batons, tear-gas, and other weapons... Read Full Story

According to findings published in health policy journal Health Affairs , few small businesses are likely to take advantage of two options allowing them to avoid new regulations under President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. Researchers believe that most small employers will likely eschew the two rules because opting to self-insure or maintain grandfathered insurance plans would leave them open to substantial financial risk should the medical expenses of their employees surge unexpectedly... Read Full Story

Naomi Klein’s 1999 book, No Logo (full title, No Space, No Choice, No Jobs, No Logo ), like her later important book, Shock Doctrine, considers the impact of the corporation on society. This one studies the phenomenon that transformed the corporation from an entity that sells merchandise to a brand – and that brand has a manufactured “meaning” for the consumer beyond the utility of the object. Klein examines the implications for we who live now in a branded world. Ironically, Klein herself... Read Full Story

There has been much discussion by the pundits about the significance of the “Half Time” ad for President Obama’s reelection. Democrats have a hard time understanding the Republican Clint Eastwood’s motivation in associating himself with a project that highlights one of the President’s singular accomplishments. The rescue of the American automobile industry is the President’s to claim. No doubt about it. But, that’s from the perspective of the people who design, manufacture and sell the cars... Read Full Story

For the record, Don Cornelius danced down the precocious gauntlet of the famed Soul Train line exactly once, in 1973. Mary Wilson, then of the Supremes, was his partner. You’d think that the man who invented the idea would’ve more frequently joined the festivities. But that  was not Don’s way. *** Don Cornelius at the 40th anniversary celebration of Soul Train in 2010. Don Cornelius, 75, took his own life in the wee hours of last Wednesday morning. The grapevine suggests that the... Read Full Story