Entries for March 2009

By John Aloysius Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

When ER ends a 15-year run on NBC this week, to all the well-deserved bells and whistles for having survived, for so long, as a part of American culture, I won't be part of the celebration.

By John Aloysius Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Here is a little product placement for my friends at the great American motorcycle company: Harley-Davidson.

Yesterday, Harley bought a two-page ad in the Sunday New York Times with a message that all Americans, in these difficult economic times, should read.

By John Aloysius Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

So. It turns out I'm not the only American who agrees with the expert opinion that the federal war on marijuana is a waste of resources.

If you can believe President Obama, of the 3.5 million people who tried to participate in his virtual town hall meeting today, many had marijuana on their mind.

By John Aloysius Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Legalize pot.

Regulate it. Tax the hell out of it. But legalize marijuana.

Do we need any more proof that our drug policy is bankrupt and counterproductive than what is going on along the Mexican border these days?

By John Aloysius Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

The White House press corps needs to work on its follow-up questions. The reporters sounded, way too often, like Tommy Smothers last night.

Tommy was the dumb brother on the left who would come up with some outlandish statement, and then be corrected by the smarter brother, Dick.

The brothers would get their laugh as Tommy manfully struggled to cope with his embarrassment and concoct a clever comeback, which usually was..."Oh yeah?"

Followed by (sullen, with resentment), "Mom always liked you best."

A follow-up question needs to be on target, to correct a misstatement or point out that the president dodged the initial query.

By John Aloysius Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Early in the morning of December, 26, 1776—arguably the most important day in the history of the United States—Gen. George Washington's battered little army, having made its famous crossing of the ice-strewn Delaware River, was creeping toward Trenton, N.J., through snow, sleet, and freezing rain.

By John Aloysius Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

The fight between Warner Music and Google may at first seem like a battle between the merely rich and the ridiculously wealthy.