Farewell. The Flying Pig Has Left The Building.

Steve Hynd, August 16, 2012

After four years on the Typepad site, eight years total blogging, Newshoggers is closing it's doors today. We've been coasting the last year or so, with many of us moving on to bigger projects (Hey, Eric!) or simply running out of blogging enthusiasm, and it's time to give the old flying pig a rest.

We've done okay over those eight years, although never being quite PC enough to gain wider acceptance from the partisan "party right or wrong" crowds. We like to think we moved political conversations a little, on the ever-present wish to rush to war with Iran, on the need for a real Left that isn't licking corporatist Dem boots every cycle, on America's foreign misadventures in Afghanistan and Iraq. We like to think we made a small difference while writing under that flying pig banner. We did pretty good for a bunch with no ties to big-party apparatuses or think tanks.

Those eight years of blogging will still exist. Because we're ending this typepad account, we've been archiving the typepad blog here. And the original blogger archive is still here. There will still be new content from the old 'hoggers crew too. Ron writes for The Moderate Voice, I post at The Agonist and Eric Martin's lucid foreign policy thoughts can be read at Democracy Arsenal.

I'd like to thank all our regular commenters, readers and the other bloggers who regularly linked to our posts over the years to agree or disagree. You all made writing for 'hoggers an amazingly fun and stimulating experience.

Thank you very much.

Note: This is an archive copy of Newshoggers. Most of the pictures are gone but the words are all here. There may be some occasional new content, John may do some posts and Ron will cross post some of his contributions to The Moderate Voice so check back.


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Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Three Quickies

By John Ballard



Gotta leave for the day but here are three links from this morning's reading, too small for posting but big to tweet.



? Robert Reich sez Why Obama Should Put BP Under Temporary Receivership

It�s time for the federal government to put BP under temporary receivership, which gives the government authority to take over BP�s operations in the Gulf of Mexico until the gusher is stopped. This is the only way the public know what�s going on, be confident enough resources are being put to stopping the gusher, ensure BP�s strategy is correct, know the government has enough clout to force BP to use a different one if necessary, and be sure the President is ultimately in charge.


He lists five reasons. Go read.



? Robert Edward Peck is my new favorite person in the news. Retired from the Diplomatic Corps, here are two links: FP Magzzine and a very impressive interview on Morning Edition a little while ago. He says all the right stuff, including that the Free Gaza effort was augmented by a Free Palestine group from California and included people from thirty countries. 



Here we are two days after the altercation and Israel and her friends are still in control of the narrative.
This is shameful.
I have memories of being blamed for the anger and violence of bigoted opponents when all I did was join a peaceful protest of a segregated restaurant. Non-violent direct action does nothing to lift stress and little to stay anger. And it takes a helluva lot of grit.



?Baby Otters being taught to swim. Two minute video at the Political Carnival which will brighten anyone's morning.



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4 comments:

  1. BillORightsManJune 2, 2010 at 4:08 AM

    I think you mean Edward Peck.
    Here is a recap of a talk with Scott Ritter and Ed Peck in CLE OH.
    http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/14496
    And Ed Peck at HuffPo
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/edward-peck/ending-the-occupation-of-_b_80300.html
    Both are from 2008. He is one smart guy and a great speaker.

    ReplyDelete
  2. John BallardJune 2, 2010 at 6:53 AM

    Thanks, BillORightsMan...Edward Peck. Correction made.
    And thanks for the links.
    Making changes through non-violent means is achingly s-l-o-w. But it's like watching a tree grow. At the deepest level you know that the changes are more durable and in the meantime there's a lot less loss of life.
    I really like how this guy handles himself.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bill HJune 2, 2010 at 6:08 PM

    Three reasons why Robert Reich is full of it, here.

    ReplyDelete
  4. John BallardJune 2, 2010 at 9:56 PM

    Bill H, you're three points are all valid. I can't recall a time when so many seemingly feasible ideas have been shot down as rapidly.
    Something like my own first reaction that there might be a "military option" finally bubbled up to the ABC evening news last night and was immediately dismissed. I'm glad I didn't organize a whole post around Reich's idea.

    ReplyDelete

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