Unemployment and job creation numbers are, apparently, better than previously reported Job growth may be stronger than it appears. Another healthy drop in unemployment claims reported last week is the latest clue that job gains might be more robust than the Labor Department’s monthly reports show. Some economists say jobless claims and other recent data show that employers likely added […]

Americans have come to learn in recent years that factory farming, particularly of livestock and poultry, is a gruesome, animal-torturing enterprise. When the cubic footage of a chicken’s cage is scientifically calculated to maximize egg production, you can damn well be certain that the chicken’s level of agony is not going to factor into that particular equation. The farming industry […]

I am reposting this from Voice of Detroit without adding much to it. It pretty much speaks for itself. Essentially, Republicans in the Michigan Congress are trying to enact a lifetime ban on social services for anyone convicted of a felony. The implications for felons who have paid their debt to society and are trying to begin new lives is […]

Whattya say? Shall we call it Eclect O’Blog, just for today? My grandfather’s parents came to the USA from Ireland — the McCann Clan. Explains my dear love of ales, I guess. I’m just O’Sayin’…

This guy is a tea partier. I overheard him tell the guy next to him, “Well, I’m going to try to get some recognition for this sign and get it plastered all over the fucking place.” He stopped to pose for me no fewer than three times and he posed for anyone with a camera. Phony as a three dollar […]

The other day, I blogged about President Obama coming out in firm and vocal support for the Paycheck Fairness Act. I told the story of my mother wearing a button with “59¢” on it, representing the amount of money a woman earned over thirty years ago for every dollar a man made to do the same job. Today, as I […]

I’ll be talking with Susie Madrak on her online radio show Virtually Speaking tonight. Madrak blogs at Suburban Guerrilla and she’ll be talking with Jude Toche of the blog First Draft and Dave Johnson from Campaign for America’s Future about the recent political upheaval in Wisconsin. I’ll be on to talk about what’s been going on in Michigan and how […]

My wife and I recently started watching Mad Men on Netflix. It’s been interesting to watch how so much of what we see in advertising got its start in the groundwork laid by ad men in the 50s and 60s. United States Public Interest Group (USPIRG) has just released a clever video that makes you wonder how things would be […]

Here’s a little teaser clip from a video that will be released tomorrow by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (USPIRG). It’s called “Mad Fast Trains”. In the video, which will premiere on the Funny or Die website, two characters from the hit show Mad Men, Pete Campbell and Harry Crane, discuss the future of high-speed rail. Harry tells Pete: […]

Via Talking Points Memo: This Week host Christiane Amanpour described ABC’s efforts to empty a house of all products manufactured outside the U.S., after which McCain touted the Apple products’ American-made roots. “I would also point out that if you emptied that house there … if you left a computer there, or an iPad, or an iPhone, those are built […]

I don’t have time to put up a transcript of this clip from Hardball last night but have a look at it. Chris Matthews nails the odious, racist birther Mike Huckabee to the wall and leaves him there for the rest of us to ridicule and deride. And he deserves it. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news […]