Monthly Archives: January 2012

My natural experiment

Posted on January 31, 2012 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell For years — decades, in fact — I’d been telling the same story. I was trained as a historian and I ought to know. The famous dictum of the great medieval historian Marc Bloch that “history is … Continue reading →

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The Newt & The Con

Posted on January 28, 2012 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell Bottom line, what’s the difference, speaking ethically now, between Newt “The Newter” Gingrich and John “The Con” Conyers? First, I need to own up to having a bias. Rather, I have two biases. I think The Newter … Continue reading →

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Whistleblowin’ Nan

Posted on January 25, 2012 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell Why is House minority Leader Nancy Pelosi choosing this time to blow the ethics whistle on Newt Gingrich? That’s a no-brainer. It’s election year, and Newt looks like a potent candidate to challenge President Obama. So the … Continue reading →

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‘What Nancy Pelosi knows’

Posted on January 24, 2012 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell Mitt Romney wants to know ‘what Nancy Pelosi knows’ about ethics violations by Newt Gingrich when he was Speaker of the House. I’d settle for knowing what Nancy knows about her fellow Democrat, John “The Con” Conyers. … Continue reading →

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Doggone market share

Posted on January 21, 2012 by hro50ta1

By Peppermint Patti JOTR Columnist Spell it backward, Sophie and GOD is DOG. DOG is who or whom I’m talking to in these columns. Or trying to. What with Internet censorship, it’s hard to get through. Most of my readers … Continue reading →

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Journalism or not

Posted on January 20, 2012 by hro50ta1

jour·nal·ist noun 1  a : a person engaged in journalism; especially : a writer or editor for a news medium     b : a writer who aims at a mass audience —  Merriam-Webster By Joel Thurtell The kicker to Anne … Continue reading →

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Way to go, Zlati!

Posted on January 20, 2012 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell A friend gave me a ticket — free! — to the North American Auto Show. Until the moment when I received the ticket, I had no plans to attend. Parking, you know, is a pistol — and … Continue reading →

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Why Republicans suck

Posted on January 19, 2012 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell Aren’t there some nice Republicans? Are they all jerks? Have you ever seen a group of people more bent on helping themselves and screwing everyone else? This whole brou-ha-ha about Mitt Romney not releasing his tax returns … Continue reading →

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Oliver Hazard Bigot

Posted on January 16, 2012 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell We’re into the bicentennial of the War of 1812, an ugly, misguided conflict that taught important lessons. The Americans learned that it’s a lot easier to bluster about conquering another country than to actually invade and take … Continue reading →

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Tomatoes and eggs

Posted on January 16, 2012 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell Back when I was writing for the Detroit Free Press, I found some of my most interesting stories on Grosse Ile, the big island in the Detroit River that was purchased from Indians on July 6, 1776 … Continue reading →

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