Congressman Anthony Weiner has finally admitted that he sent an inappropriate sexual photo to a supporter via Twitter after having lied to the media about having his Twitter account hacked. His situation is similar to former Republican Congressman Chris Lee (also from New York) who resigned after sending a shirtless photo to a prospective date on Craigslist.

This is not a quid pro quo. Weiner should resign regardless of Lee's problems. Although he has now admitted his indiscretions, he must be held to a very high standard and should resign.

After the horrible Tucson shooting, John McCain and even Roger Ailes, the Fox News president, joined President Obama's call for a more civil discourse. Ailes told his anchors and reporters to “tone it down.” McCain agreed with the President’s call for “… every American who participates in our political debates… to aspire to a more generous appreciation of one another and a more modest one of ourselves.”

But if the recent history of ACORN is a guide to the future, Obama’s attempt to jolt the nation into civility, something we desperately need, will fail. And unless Obama fights to protect his base from the upcoming attacks by the Right, he will undermine our chance for a resurgent movement based on respect, equality and democracy.

Imagine how Rush Limbaugh and the Fox News commentators from Sarah Palin to Glen Beck would have responded to the Tucson violence if we discovered the gunman had some connection to ACORN, the group demonized by conservatives as a dangerous, even criminal organization.

Would they have pushed their current talking points about the assassin being a lone wolf, a paranoid schizophrenic completely unaffected by the political rhetoric of the left?

Death of the ocean bottom and thereby death of the life and lifestyle - of rig workers, of fisher folk, and of homes: for fish, shrimp, birds, and coastal dwellers. All because of what? Cain and Abel? Could it really be?

Seems it was due in large part to those following the example of Cain and Abel. You know, those Biblical boys, the firstborns of Adam and Eve, the ones who broke their parents hearts and ruined both their lives over jealousy, resentment, and "personal differences."

Apparently, the BP representative on that fateful rig KNEW from gauge readings that there had to be natural gas in that pipe, but failed to ask for advice before going ahead. WHY? Because of "personal differences" with his superior in Texas.

Banning Silly Bandz is an example of how teachers and parents opt for an easy solution instead of using teachable moments. As a sexuality educator in faith communities and Christian ethicist who thinks a great deal about childrens' developing sense of moral agency and integrity, I'm always looking for opportunities to teach my children, out of my tradition of Christianity, how to treat others fairly, to recognize diversity as part of God's intention for creation, and how to communicate with others to build positive relationships.

It might seem laughable, but Silly Bandz provide us with that opportunity. Unfortunately, most schools have banned the bracelets (including my son's pre-school which prides itself on teaching social skills and how to be part of a community). Teachers and parents should take a step back and use this as a teachable moment.

The Justice Department concluded in a report released Friday, Feb. 19, that the lawyers who gave legal justification to the Bush administration’s brutal interrogation tactics for terrorism suspects used flawed legal reasoning but were not guilty of professional misconduct. In other words, the end justifies the means. If it is legal, you have no moral or ethical reason not to proceed. If it is illegal, you still have no moral or ethical reason not to proceed, if you are willing to risk getting caught or consider the law based on your group’s opinion. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, be damned the moral and ethical consequences to society. That leaves nobody, from the local county jails, to the Federal maximum security prisons, and even to the battle field prison compounds, accountable for abuse and misconduct.

I last talked with Terri Hodge the day after my post, reacting to her assertion that eminent domain was a greater issue in District 100 than education. She objected to the inference insisted that she understood the importance of and the need for a college education. Her comments came during an interview with the editorial board of the Dallas Morning News. She admitted that she should have phrased her thoughts better and went on to defend her legislative record on education. You can read about all of that here.

Throughout our conversation Terri sounded defeated and defensive.

"The deal that will likely pass [is one] the insurance companies like, because it will save their industry from the scrap heap, even as it satisfies the 'popular clamor for government supervision.' ...The private insurance industry, as currently constituted, would collapse if the government allowed real competition." - Luke Mitchell, Harper's Magazine. Dec. 2009

I once watched a "mentalist" invite a woman on stage, and instruct her to flip several times through a book he provided. She stopped at his command and "mentally" projected what she saw. From 20 feet away the mentalist dramatically recited to her the page number and word for word the first paragraph on the left. The common understanding of "book" became a misdirection. How so?

Here's more about Chad McGowan, running against Jim DeMint for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina. This time, it's about earmark reform.

Today's announcement that Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd plans to retire is welcome news to this former Connecticut resident. Of course I have mixed feelings about the decision as Sen. Dodd was one of the first political campaigns I volunteered with at the tender age of 17.

I don't recall if I ever got the chance to meet the candidate back then as I was just an envelope stuffer in my hometown of Bloomfield (a suburb of Hartford) party's office. As is typical of poorly funded Democrats, the "office" was a leased space in a decaying strip mall that was only rented for about 2 months every 4 years but it was exciting to be amongst the hustle of various state and local campaigns (I still love the unique, plasticky smell of bumper stickers).

That the hearing occurred at all was a surprise to the elected executive board of the union. No one had heard from the member since the day notice of the charges had been mailed to him; no one expected him to show up in person to face the executive board, which was acting as a trial committee hearing the charges that had been brought.

But he did show up – a big man, calm but unsure of what was in store for him. The union’s representatives were, to tell the truth, equally unsure.

The union’s vice-president invited the accused to sit down at one of only two vacant seats at the conference table, which he did. The VP then formally opened the hearing. “Brother M., will you please present the charges?”