WATER COOLER
The Water Cooler is written by Washington Times staffers.
Latest Blog Entries
Grey lady's 'cyberconspiracy' accusation falls short
The New York Times, is credited with breaking the recent story regarding the Obama administration's new policy in Medicare regulation that would "pay doctors who advise patients on options for end-of-life care, which may include advance directives to forgo aggressive life-sustaining treatment."
Report: New TSA body scanner easily outsmarted
The introduction of the Transportation Security Administration's new full body scanners caused much of a stir in the United States for the invasive nature of the technology. Many criticized that a suicide/homicide- bound terrorist needed only to insert an explosive inside himself to get past the new security machine, but a new piece published from the Journal of Transportation Security reports a hell-bent terrorist would not even need to go that far to slip an explosive device past TSA officials at the airport.
Teacher in Spain charged for saying 'ham' to Muslim pupil
The tolerance/anti-tolerance brigade is at it again and a teacher in a Spanish secondary school is finding himself the victim of it. The family of a Muslim pupil filed a complaint with the National Police against the teacher for mentioning the word "ham" around the student during class time.
Rep. Ellison hopes 'border will become an irrelevancy' (video)
Congressman Keith Ellison, Minnesota Democrat, addressed an audience (h/t The Blaze- Full version below) at the Network of Spiritual Progressives Conference in June of this year, where the lawmaker gave his views on how he views the nation's national security policy among other issues.
Report: Richardson likely to succeed Hillary Clinton
According to various sources in news reports, The Obama administration may be "pointing toward New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson as possibly replacing Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State in 2011.”
AZ lawmaker physically assaulted
UPI is reporting that AZ State Representative Frank Pratt was beaten and tied up in his place of business on Christmas day by an attacker who fled in a truck.
Saddam etched Qur'an in own blood
If there was any doubt Saddam Hussein had a twisted mind, here is a bizarre Saddam-era relic Iraqi leaders are poring over to prove otherwise. According to the Guardian--a 605 page Qur'an inked in the in the blood of the executed dictator was found.
Unions continue to intimidate citizens at private homes
The unions are continuing their assault on private homeowners' property. Union members of Roquette America in Keokuk, Illinois (h/t Dana Loesch at Big Journalism) stood outside of Roquette executives' homes on Wednesday night and sang "carols" while shouting profanities to the residents inside. WGEM reported Roquette workers "have been off the job for almost three months now.
2010 HUD grants include training for La Raza and Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp.
As the American people shop for and wrap final Christmas gifts for their family and friends, the Obama administration announced on Thursday their own present from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Lawmakers go home for Christmas - A lame duck session wrap up
Democrats saw a clock ticking rapidly down following giant Republican gains in the House and a number of GOP pick-ups in the Senate. In spite of less than a two month deadline after election day on November 2, Democrats and the White House managed to achieve pieces of legislation, but unlike times past during the days of a filibuster proof majority, it was not without many hours, days, and weeks of negotiation.
Walter Reed Hospital: We send e-mail messages out for all the holidays
Colonel Van Coots of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center found his office phone ringing furiously off the hook on Wednesday. Activists read from blog sites that he sent an e-mail to his staff and patients recognizing the Islamic new year, but the Colonel argues he sendse-mail messages out for all the holidays.
ROTC comeback on campuses post DADT repeal?
Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) have long been banned from a number of college campuses since the Vietnam War days, but in more recent times, many schools used the excuse that the now former military policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) was the primary reason for banning ROTC from their schools. However, times are changing and without a military draft or a DADT policy to complain about, universities are now being pressured to bring ROTC back to their campuses, and frankly, they should. Already, University leaders are weighing in.
Gov. Christie commutes sentence of legal gun owner
New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie commuted the sentence of a 27-year old gun owner who was sentenced to seven years in prison for possession of firearms.
TWT Water Cooler Blog 2010 in review
Here are a number of stories The Washington Times Water Cooler blog covered and sometimes broke throughout 2010. Writers and contributors to this blog are looking forward to another year in 2011 of great news stories, opinion journalism, and political thought.
DADT repealed; What next for those who attack military recruiters?
The U.S. Senate voted to pass the repeal of the Military policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) by a vote of 65 to 31 on Saturday afternoon. Republican senators who voted “yes” with the Democrats were: Scott Brown of Massachusetts, George Voinovich of Ohio, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mark Kirk of Illinois, John Ensign of Nevada, Richard Burr of North Carolina, and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine.The final passage of the bill was far from a surprise and the legislation will land on President Barack Obama's desk as fast as the most previous legislation did.
