Sandra Bland: It’s nothing short of Jim Crow police work By Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — We don’t know everything about the inflamed pull-over, arrest, and detention of 28 year-old Sandra Bland in Hempstead, TX. But thanks to modern media, including police dashboard video and postmodern forensic technology, we already more know about her untimely demise than we … [Read more...] about Sandra Bland: It’s nothing short of Jim Crow police work (Guest Voice)
Cartoon: Trump wingnut
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Trump wingnut
What Jeb could learn from Trump, Perry and Crist (Guest Voice)
What Jeb could learn from Trump, Perry and Christ by Jordan Cooper One is a one-air professional help coach for everyday people through "The Apprentice" and multi-billionaire owner of the Miss Universe pageant. One is a four-term former governor of the Lone Star State and as a result the former leader of one of the largest economies in the world (13th). One is a MiLB … [Read more...] about What Jeb could learn from Trump, Perry and Crist (Guest Voice)
Cartoon: Trump and McCain
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Trump and McCain
Frank Rich on Donald Trump
Frank Rich blames the GOP for "weaponizing Donald Trump" in New York Magazine. Whatever else is to be said about Trump, he is a master salesman. And in the GOP presidential marketplace, he has a near-monopoly on the product he is selling now: hard-line, unapologetic, xenophobic opposition to both immigration reform and Mexican immigrants. Immigration is the fault line of the … [Read more...] about Frank Rich on Donald Trump
Rick Perry emerges as a responsible voice (Guest Voice)
Perry emerges as a responsible voice by Michael Gerson Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- In the early days of the 2016 Republican campaign -- an unusually important period, in which the viability of the GOP is being defended against a toxic form of populism -- some of the clearest leadership has emerged from an unexpected source: former … [Read more...] about Rick Perry emerges as a responsible voice (Guest Voice)
Donald Trump is a lying liar and a big fat poopy pants
Thanks to Donald Trump the new normal in politics is fast approaching the level of civility one would expect of four-year olds, and badly behaved ones at that. He has so shifted the tone of political discourse by calling his opponents / enemies things like "dummies" and "losers" and "idiots," that we almost don't notice anymore, and some of his targets have been goaded into … [Read more...] about Donald Trump is a lying liar and a big fat poopy pants
NSA Whistle-blower, William Binney, Says Agency’s Methods Make Us Less Safe
In a very powerful exclusive interview, I recently had the privilege of speaking to an American hero, William Binney, NSA whistleblower. We discussed how NSA mass data collection makes us LESS safe; how the intentions behind it are not misguided but positively nefarious; how the lies that have been told about it are snowballing, and how Rand Paul presidential candidacy may … [Read more...] about NSA Whistle-blower, William Binney, Says Agency’s Methods Make Us Less Safe
One hundred fifty years ago
On April 14, 1865 Abraham Lincoln was shot as he sat in Ford's Theater watching a play. He died in the early morning on April 15. The young country, which had just endured four years of war and was looking forward to peace, now had to deal with death of the President. The man who called on his fellow citizens to dedicate themselves to ensuring "that government of the people, … [Read more...] about One hundred fifty years ago
The Past Through Pictures XIV
Baltch Creek Canyon is narrow and deep. As a result it gets very little direct sunlight so it is a great place for mushrooms. The list of links to past posts is getting a bit long so I will put up a link to the last post in the European series and you can find other links at the bottom of that post. The Path Through Pictures VIII The Past Through Pictures … [Read more...] about The Past Through Pictures XIV
Desperate Conservatives Calling Bernie Sanders A Nazi
Bernie Sanders must be scaring the right wing as calling Sanders a socialist isn't enough for them. An article from National Review practically calls him a Nazi, along with including some references to Stalin. The article outright claims he is a national socialist, which is just a more polite way to say Nazi: In the Bernieverse, there’s a whole lot of nationalism mixed up in … [Read more...] about Desperate Conservatives Calling Bernie Sanders A Nazi
Give Nathan Bedford Forrest A Break
Private property is private property, even if it is a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest. Sure, the guy made a living selling slaves and fought to preserve the enslavement of black Americans. None of that matters when it comes to a piece of private property located on private property, such as the statue now at the center of a story coming out of Nashville. The Tennessean … [Read more...] about Give Nathan Bedford Forrest A Break
More retirees flock to U.S. states for pot
By Chris TaylorNEW YORK (Reuters) - When choosing retirement locales, a few factors pop to mind: climate, amenities, proximity to grandchildren, access to quality healthcare.Chris Cooper had something else to consider - marijuana laws.The investment adviser from Toledo had long struggled with back pain due to a fractured vertebra and crushed disc from a fall. He hated powerful … [Read more...] about More retirees flock to U.S. states for pot
Obama’s Late Surge
Ezra Klein on vox.com and Josh Marshall on Talking Points Memo make similar comments on the strengthening close to the Presidency of Barack Obama. Klein: Presidents often turn more moderate to make gains in their final years. Think of Bill Clinton's 1997 budget deal, or George W. Bush's 2007 (failed) immigration reform effort, or Ronald Reagan's 1986 tax reforms. Second … [Read more...] about Obama’s Late Surge
Scott Walker Versus Science
Scott Walker Versus Science By Dick Polman Scott Walker, the alleged Wisconsin wunderkind and newly declared presidential candidate, was buried in the news last week by Donald Trump and the Iran nuclear deal. No biggie. He rebooted this week by pandering to the Republican voters who abhor actual science. Mindful of his need to win the Iowa caucuses - the … [Read more...] about Scott Walker Versus Science
From Russia, With Love
Two days in St. Petersburg and speaking with a small sample of Russian citizens (who know English) has led me to a few conclusions. Russians love Putin (as the polls suggest) and are pleased that he has made the nation a powerful presence again in world affairs. They agree with his grabbing of the Crimea as they believe it is really Russian territory and should have never been … [Read more...] about From Russia, With Love
Woman Beheaded For ‘Witchcraft’
It is sad when a culture still engages in such savagery. From Sky News: "Villagers in the northeastern Indian state of Assam have attacked, killed and beheaded a woman accused of practising witchcraft. Mother-of-five Moni Orang was grabbed from her home by machete-carrying locals after priests accused her of casting spells. The 63-year-old was then hacked to death." It is … [Read more...] about Woman Beheaded For ‘Witchcraft’
Politix Update: The Republicans Flail While Trump Sails & Jeb! Gets Caught Out
DONALD TRUMP IS THE PERFECT REPUBLICAN. NO WONDER HE EMBARRASSES THEM. ~ Jim Wright We won't know until early next week whether Donald Trump's slander of John McCain will slow if not derail his seemingly improbable rise to the top of the Republican presidential polls, but early indications are that the bloviating gadzillionaire's criticism of the war hero for having … [Read more...] about Politix Update: The Republicans Flail While Trump Sails & Jeb! Gets Caught Out
Cartoon: Trump Picks Nose
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Trump Picks Nose
EPIC! Earth like you’ve never seen it before
STEAM Register Staff In this new Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) image, you can see what the sunlit Earth looks like from one million miles away. The satellite's Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) CCD camera and telescope captured this color image of Earth on July 6, 2015, showing North and Central America. According to NASA, the… … [Read more...] about EPIC! Earth like you’ve never seen it before