by Elwood Watson The massacre this past weekend at Club Q, an LGBTQ club in Colorado Springs, was hardly shocking given our current politically acrimonious and poisoned climate. Police are still investigating the motive behind the shooting, in which five people were killed and at least 18 others wounded. The suspected gunman, 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich, was charged … [Read more...] about CLUB Q MASSACRE IS SADLY NOT SHOCKING
Rappers are victims of an epidemic of gun violence – just like all of America
Takeoff performs onstage in Atlanta on Oct. 8, 2022. He was killed less than a month later. Paras Griffin/Getty Images A.D. Carson, University of Virginia Add the name of Takeoff, a member of the popular rap trio Migos, to the ever-growing list of rappers, recent and past, tragically and violently killed. The initial reaction to the Nov. 1, 2022, … [Read more...] about Rappers are victims of an epidemic of gun violence – just like all of America
Antisemitism isn’t just ‘Jew-hatred’ – it’s anti-Jewish racism
It’s one thing to agree to combat antisemitism. It’s another thing to agree on what it means. goglik83/iStock via Getty Images Plus Dov Waxman, University of California, Los Angeles Antisemitism has been in the news a lot lately. Hip-hop megastar Ye – formerly known as Kanye West – tweeted Oct. 8, 2022 that he would “go death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE,” … [Read more...] about Antisemitism isn’t just ‘Jew-hatred’ – it’s anti-Jewish racism
Dear GOP: Prove that you love the USA.
Dear GOP: You claim that you love the USA. Well, now you have the chance to prove it. Whether or not you will prove it remains to be seen. In order for you to prove your love, at least one of your state or national leaders will have to commit an act of courage. By "courage" I do not mean that you should act like a certain dog who lives in the middle of nowhere. I … [Read more...] about Dear GOP: Prove that you love the USA.
DON’T LEAVE US, NANCY (CARTOON, COLUMN AND VIDEO)
If Donald Trump somehow manages to retake the White House, that’s when we’ll miss Nancy Pelosi the most because she had his number. Nancy Pelosi stepped down from Democratic leadership, though she’s going to remain a member of Congress. Republican representative Ronny Jackson, a man who has literally been inside Donald Trump, tweeted how she’s now unemployed and no longer … [Read more...] about DON’T LEAVE US, NANCY (CARTOON, COLUMN AND VIDEO)
Nancy Pelosi was the key Democratic messenger of her generation – passing the torch will empower younger leadership
Nancy Pelosi’s stepping aside will leave the door open for others. Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Gerald Warburg, University of Virginia The announcement by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that she will not run for another senior post opens the door for a new generation of national leaders in the Democratic Party. Pelosi confirmed … [Read more...] about Nancy Pelosi was the key Democratic messenger of her generation – passing the torch will empower younger leadership
REPUBLICAN FOCUS
What the world would lose with the demise of Twitter: Valuable eyewitness accounts and raw data on human behavior, as well as a habitat for trolls
Twitter itself produces a lot of data that’s available nowhere else. STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images Anjana Susarla, Michigan State University What do a cybersecurity researcher building a system to generate alerts for detecting security threats and vulnerabilities, a wildfire watcher who tracks the spread of forest fires, and public health … [Read more...] about What the world would lose with the demise of Twitter: Valuable eyewitness accounts and raw data on human behavior, as well as a habitat for trolls
TURKEY TIME
Why the re-release of iconic porn film ‘Deep Throat’ fizzled
Linda Lovelace starred in 1972’s ‘Deep Throat,’ which kicked off porn’s golden age. LMPC/Getty Images Peter Lehman, Arizona State University In 1972, “Deep Throat,” a feature-length porn film directed by Gerard Damiano, was hailed for moving pornography into the mainstream and beginning a golden age of theatrical porn. To mark the 50th anniversary … [Read more...] about Why the re-release of iconic porn film ‘Deep Throat’ fizzled
What does the speaker of the House do? Here’s what Nancy Pelosi’s successor will have for a job
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, center, as she heads back to her office after speaking on the House floor at the Capitol in Washington on Nov. 17, 2022. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik Rachel Paine Caufield, Drake University Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat and the first woman to hold the post of speaker of the House, announced on Nov. 17, 2022, that … [Read more...] about What does the speaker of the House do? Here’s what Nancy Pelosi’s successor will have for a job
Political Clowns On Display
If you want to see a never-ending circus, then look at American politics. In November of 2022, the clowns put on a spectacular display. Act #1 started in October when Elon Musk became the owner of Twitter. By November 8th, Musk's politics had prompted numerous Twitter users to ditch Twitter in droves. I joined the exodus from Twitter by joining Tribel, which is quite … [Read more...] about Political Clowns On Display
REPUBLICANS FACE A MOMENT OF TRUTH
by Carl Golden One of the most enduring justifications for a combat operation was uttered by an Army major in the war in Vietnam in 1968: “It became necessary to destroy the town to save it.” In his increasingly bitter conflict with the Republican Party, former president Donald Trump has embraced it. If left alone, he will surely destroy the party and, if left alone, … [Read more...] about REPUBLICANS FACE A MOMENT OF TRUTH
How the news media – long in thrall to Trump – can cover his new run for president responsibly
Members of the media prepare for Donald Trump’s announcement that he is running for president in 2024. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell Thomas E. Patterson, Harvard Kennedy School Now that he’s in the 2024 presidential race, the media circus that is Donald Trump is returning for a new season. Trump is still newsworthy. He’s been weakened by his defeat in … [Read more...] about How the news media – long in thrall to Trump – can cover his new run for president responsibly
Trump’s 2024 Presidential Run Announcement: The Bad, the Ugly and the Hilarious (UPDATED)
UPDATE: Aaron Kliegman has a piece at Just the News somewhat defensively lamenting how the “mainstream” press mocked and attacked Trump for announcing his 2024 run. In it, Kliegman cites what has to be the most hilarious, the most humiliating takedown of Trump’s folly. It comes from none other than the Rupert Murdoch-owned, right-wing tabloid, the New York Post. The … [Read more...] about Trump’s 2024 Presidential Run Announcement: The Bad, the Ugly and the Hilarious (UPDATED)
TRUMP’S 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT (CARTOON AND COLUMN) UPDATED
Welcome to the first day of the 2024 campaign season. If Donald Trump really believes the last election was stolen and the election didn’t work, then why is he going through the trouble of going through another election? If I take my car through a carwash and it comes out with pigeon crap all over it, I’m not gonna go through that carwash again. The only reason for Trump to … [Read more...] about TRUMP’S 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT (CARTOON AND COLUMN) UPDATED
Midterm Angst
With the final results yet to be tallied, the Democrats appear to be happy about the way the midterm elections turned out. They held onto the Senate with Georgia yet to be determined, probably lost the House by a hair though there is still a remote chance for them, picked up a number of governorships, secretaries of state, and state legislative seats. However, the Democrats … [Read more...] about Midterm Angst
8 billion people: Four ways climate change and population growth combine to threaten public health, with global consequences
Infectious diseases like COVID-19 top the list of health concerns. Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images Maureen Lichtveld, University of Pittsburgh Leer in español There are questions that worry me profoundly as a population- and environmental-health scientist. Will we have enough food for a growing global population? How will we take care of … [Read more...] about 8 billion people: Four ways climate change and population growth combine to threaten public health, with global consequences
KNOWING
When someone needs help, most people want to reach out and offer assistance. This might be through actions, such as making a casserole or sending flowers. Others, like my mother, believe prayer makes a difference. When I was a child, every time an ambulance went by, my mother would say, “Janie, send a prayer for the person in the ambulance.” Prayer involves doing something … [Read more...] about KNOWING
