Talk about a PR disaster waiting to happen, no matter what the father’s intentions really were. Pageant for nuns canceled – Faith- msnbc.com ROME – An Italian priest, who had planned an online “pageant” for nuns, has suspended the project, saying he was misinterpreted and had no intention of putting sisters on a beauty catwalk. “My superiors were not happy. The local bishop was not happy, but they did not understand me either,” Father Antonio Rungi told Reuters by telephone... Read more

A good piece by Richard Silverstein in Comment is free on the McCain campaign’s hypocrisy in attacking Obama for an advisor’s recent visit to Syria. Richard Silverstein: Obama adviser’s visit to Syria shouldn’t be cause for alarm | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk Read more

Don’t know how many of you regularly read Jewish blogs, but if like me you do–I’m especially partial to Orthodox blogs, with their fascinating mix of contemporary philosophy and strict scripturalism–then Psycho Toddler’s “Definition of Jewish Terms” is a very helpful cheat sheet. Feel like sending him a check for a few of them. As I mentioned in my grateful comment, something like this ought to be done for the Islamophere. I know there have been times I wished I... Read more

Gulp ye coffee while ye may, for Ramadan is but 2 weeks away. As is the case every year, Ramadan arrives just as I'm trying to get back into some semblance of an exercise routine. So much for that plan, at least for a month and a half or so. There's always the nocturnal walk, I suppose. Read more

It's the never~seen~a~taxcut~for~the~rich~they~didn't~like Republicans who get it. As Republicans demonize government and promise that the all knowing Market will solve all problems, it turns out most corporations aren't federal taxes. Not their "fair share"~~we're talking about any federal income taxes whatsoever. GOP leaders promise all these economic "trickle down" (once rightly dubbed Voodoo Economics) benefits for the masses from endless handouts to companies that are busy outsourcing jobs and, it turns out, in many cases don't even pay taxes.  Talk... Read more

Anyone with many Jewish friends or much exposure to the Jewish community will find this news utterly unsurprising. The real news here is that MSM is beginning to gingerly talk about the yawning ideological gulf between rank & file Jews and a number of the American Jewish community’s most high profile (and hardline) organizations. POLITICS-US: Doves Outnumber Hawks in Jewish Community A new poll suggests that U.S. Jews hold views about the Middle East that are considerably more dovish than... Read more