First Looks category archive

Akismet has caught well over 200 spam comments in the last 24 hours. The bottom-dwellers have been restless.

Not one of the spam comments has made it to the front page.

Ravel’s Bolero a la jazz trio. It is delightful.

Via Classic Arts Showcase.

Facebook can be a lonely place

Connie Schultz had one recently. Read her report.

Let the young discover politeness.

A 3-year-old boy was rushed to the hospital Friday evening after an accidental shooting in the West Garfield Park neighborhood, police said.

(snip)

Police say the boy discovered a gun, which went off while he or a playmate was handling it. The 3-year-old sustained a head wound.

Under siege last night in Ferguson, Mo.: It’s a painful listen, but you need to listen all the way through.

You can see a snippet of video here.

Via C&L.

Dan Simpson wonders who influenced President Obama to authorize increased involvement in Iraq.

Which of his genius advisers is he listening to? Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, both Vietnam War veterans, should know better. Or is it his non-combat-experienced counselors — ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, National Security Adviser Susan Rice or Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes — who are now calling the shots for the bored president?

It is hard to imagine that he pays any attention to people like Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., or Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., the Bobbsey Twin advocates of any war they can find. Or, perhaps, more credibly, Mr. Obama is listening to the representatives of the U.S. military-industrial complex who he hopes will help finance the Democratic 2014 and 2016 campaigns rather than having them try to kick out the Democrats in favor of a Republican Congress and then a Republican White House, both of which would love whatever wars they can tee up to improve their profits.

Read the rest.

The truth that Americans don’t want to admit is that we can’t “fix” other countries by force. Choosing war is admitting failure.

This is a hoot.

Full story here.

Things to do.

Image via Sampler, an image site (some images NSFW).

Off to drink liberally.

Shaun Mullen has written a new book.

I’ve already ordered my copy and you can too.

Drinking Liberally is a gathering place for liberals. Socialize and laugh in a friendly atmosphere.

When: 6 p., Tuesday, August 12.

Where:
Uno Chicago Grill
5900 Virginia Beach Blvd
(Janaf Shopping Center) (map)

Tuesdays for Norfolk, Thursdays for Virginia Beach to make it easier for persons with commitments on either day to catch at least one per month.

Via Job’s Anger.

Via Kos.

Warning: Even more tasteless than usual.

Think about what Will Bunch says. A nugget:

I could go on. How much time do you have? The bottom line is this. Don’t be shocked by people’s lack of respect for authority, when people in authority are doing so little to earn our respect right now.