Several years ago, a relative in Ecuador gave me a beautiful, white, straw hat (below). The hat is so finely and delicately hand woven that it can be rolled up tightly enough that it can almost pass through a wedding ring. Some say it can even hold water, although I have never put mine through that test. Already in 1869, an article in Scientific American Magazine … [Read more...] about About Your “Panama Hat”
THE DAMAGE MITCH MCCONNELL HAS DONE TO DEMOCRACY IS INDELIBLE
To best assess the execrable essence of Mitch McConnell, you just need to connect the dots. After the MAGA insurrection on Jan. 6, after the dead and the injured and the feces smeared on walls, McConnell tore into Donald Trump. He said, “The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president” who was guilty of “a disgraceful dereliction of duty.” But when the time came … [Read more...] about THE DAMAGE MITCH MCCONNELL HAS DONE TO DEMOCRACY IS INDELIBLE
BECOMING A SWIFTIE DAD, AND OTHER SKILLS I’VE LEARNED
by Jase Graves Having raised three daughters, I’ve gained, in the words of Liam Neeson, “a very particular set of skills.” Unfortunately, none of these skills would be useful in the event of an international kidnapping. Because two of our daughters (and some of our credit cards) are now in college and one is deep in the bowels of high school, I feel like an abandoned … [Read more...] about BECOMING A SWIFTIE DAD, AND OTHER SKILLS I’VE LEARNED
Donald Trump Is A Racist (Cartoon and Column)
I did not take this cartoon lightly. In fact, I wasn’t even considering it when I thought of it or when I roughed it out. But I decided to draw a rough of it and bounce it off a few people I respect. The first friend said go for it. She saw that I wasn’t the one being racist but instead, was calling Donald Trump out for his racism. She’s smart but also crazy, like me, so I … [Read more...] about Donald Trump Is A Racist (Cartoon and Column)
MCCONNELL STEPS DOWN (CARTOON)
Can Trump be prosecuted? Supreme Court will take up precedent-setting case to define the limits of presidential immunity
Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media following his appearance at the District Court in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 9, 2024. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images Claire Wofford, College of Charleston The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Feb. 28, 2024, that it will consider the momentous issue of whether Donald Trump is immune … [Read more...] about Can Trump be prosecuted? Supreme Court will take up precedent-setting case to define the limits of presidential immunity
Nigeria’s security problems deepen as Anglophone insurgency in Cameroon spills across border
Grieving for the 140 victims of a January 2024 attack in north-central Nigeria. AP Photo/Sunday Alamba Augustine Aboh, University of Massachusetts Over the past two decades, Nigeria has grappled with multiple and complex national security threats, each posing a significant challenge to its stability. The nation finds itself fighting a violent … [Read more...] about Nigeria’s security problems deepen as Anglophone insurgency in Cameroon spills across border
DUBIOUS LOYALTY (CARTOON)
Sen. Mitch McConnell’s legacy is the current Supreme Court and a judiciary reshaped by his ‘calculated audacity
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell departs the Senate chamber on February 28, 2024 in Washington, DC. Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images Al Cross, University of Kentucky Mitch McConnell, who announced on Feb. 28, 2024, that he would step down as the Senate GOP leader later in the year, used his tenure as the longest-serving Senate leader of any … [Read more...] about Sen. Mitch McConnell’s legacy is the current Supreme Court and a judiciary reshaped by his ‘calculated audacity
Get my Jew
by Don Hermann Columnist "Get my Jew." The words of a bigot. If the expression is unfamiliar to you, it’s commonly used by someone who is in need of an attorney. It’s a putdown and at the same time, a cry for help. Is the user of the expression really an antisemite but putting the thinking aside for a little reality? In this era of increased antisemitism it’s … [Read more...] about Get my Jew
Biden and Trump handily win Michigan primary with warning signs
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump both won their parties' Michigan primary, but neither had nights that were totally triumphant. The question now becomes: who has the bigger warning sign and how will he deal with it? Politico: President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump scored decisive wins in their respective Michigan primaries on Tuesday, … [Read more...] about Biden and Trump handily win Michigan primary with warning signs
California Conservatives need to Dump Trump, Religious Right
by Eddie McCoven Having grown up in a rural farming community, I know the value of hard work, respect for the law and respecting and supporting your neighbor. In California’s back country, faith and freedom go hand-in-hand. Self-determination and self-reliance were always the goal for many people whom I’d come to know as conservatives. California has enjoyed a legacy of … [Read more...] about California Conservatives need to Dump Trump, Religious Right
VAMPIRE PUTIN (CARTOON)
This. Was. Perfect!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcf6sGPx5wY One thing that seems to be missing in the "Donald Trump rolls over competition" spin from political pundits is this: a lot of Republicans don't want Trump to be their candidate. Will they hold their noses in November? Or just stay home? (After all, most MAGA supporters live in states that make it hard to vote on any day but … [Read more...] about This. Was. Perfect!
‘730 Days of Pain. But at the Same Time, 730 Days of Hope…’
During a speech marking the two years since Russia’s unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky mourned those lost*, but also expressed hope: “Today, unfortunately, each of us has someone to whom we will honor with a minute of silence. We bow our heads together. 730 days of pain. But at the same time, 730 days of hope,” he said. And indeed, … [Read more...] about ‘730 Days of Pain. But at the Same Time, 730 Days of Hope…’
Key witnesses in Republican impeachment witch hunt had a bad week
It was very smart of Cassidy Hutchinson to take that photo of Mark Meadows and Tony Bobulinski meeting in secret. If you haven't been followinig the GOP witch hunt, Bobulinski is "a top witness in Republican's impeachment inquiry." What’s unfathomable is that U.S. media continue to pretend that Republican House leaders pushing an “impeachment” of President Joe Biden have a … [Read more...] about Key witnesses in Republican impeachment witch hunt had a bad week
Gen Digital gets slap on the wrist for Avast privacy violations
A $16.5 million fine for selling customer data “for years” when it had promised the opposite, to protect against tracking. Uncovered in January 2020 by Vice News and PCMag. THE NEXT YEAR … “Avast merged with Norton LifeLock in an $8.1 billion deal.” Makes that $16.5 million FTC penalty look piddly (0.2% company value), doesn’t it? The FTC said Avast collected … [Read more...] about Gen Digital gets slap on the wrist for Avast privacy violations
All hands on deck! Republicans scramble to distance themselves from Alabama Supreme Court I.V. F. decision.
It's all hands on deck! Republicans are scrambling to distance themselves from an Alabama State Supreme Court decision ruled that frozen embryos are children under state law. Democrats, from President Joe Biden on down, are now beginning to pounce. Democrats note that the door was open to this due to conservative Supreme Court judges, including three appointed by President … [Read more...] about All hands on deck! Republicans scramble to distance themselves from Alabama Supreme Court I.V. F. decision.
TRUMP WANTS TO BRING KREMLIN VALUES TO THE WHITE HOUSE
To the shock of absolutely nobody, and to the delight of MAGA wingnuts who worship Vladimir Putin, the Republicult’s presidential candidate broke his 72-hour silence about the murder of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny by puking this babble on social media: “The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country. It is a slow, … [Read more...] about TRUMP WANTS TO BRING KREMLIN VALUES TO THE WHITE HOUSE
With Beyoncé’s foray into country music, the genre is finally breaking free from the stereotypes that have long dogged it
Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z, at the 66th Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images William Nash, Middlebury On Super Bowl Sunday, Beyoncé released two country songs – “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em” – that elicited a mix of admiration and indignation. This is not her first foray into the genre, but it is her … [Read more...] about With Beyoncé’s foray into country music, the genre is finally breaking free from the stereotypes that have long dogged it