America’s Little Shooter Boy is aiming (pun intended) for a great Christmas…for himself. Kyle Rittenhouse is being wined (probably with Coors) and dined by what used to be the Republican establishment. Today, it’s a cult. The Trump cult is grabbing onto our nation’s gun culture. And one way to celebrate your gun fetish is to give platforms to gun celebrities. No, not Tom … [Read more...] about Little Shooter Boy (Cartoon and Column)
Trimming a Tree for Christmas, the Texas Way
The Great State of Texas that has been our home for the past 35 years, has many unique traditions. Some are steeped in its history and diverse cultures, many dating back to its fight for independence from Mexico -- “Remember the Alamo!” Some are more recent. As an Aggie, my favorite one in the more recent category is the traditional Thanksgiving football game played … [Read more...] about Trimming a Tree for Christmas, the Texas Way
Top 10 Movies of the Year: ‘The French Dispatch,’ ‘Licorice Pizza,’ ‘Passing,’ ‘C’mon C’mon’ and more
Published by NJArts.netFrom left, Elisabeth Moss, Owen Wilson, Tilda Swinton and Fisher Stevens co-star in “The French Dispatch.” This year in cinema was a lot like this year, period. Certainly, movies were as deeply divided as the nation. Chain theaters gorged themselves on popcorn movies; deep-pocketed streaming services bankrolled serious films. Meanwhile, the great middle — … [Read more...] about Top 10 Movies of the Year: ‘The French Dispatch,’ ‘Licorice Pizza,’ ‘Passing,’ ‘C’mon C’mon’ and more
Manchin killed Build Back Better over inflation concerns – an economist explains why the $2 trillion bill would be unlikely to drive up prices
Manchin withdrew his support for Build Back Better. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite Michael Klein, Tufts University One of Sen. Joe Manchin’s main concerns in deciding to pull his support for President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan is that it would drive up inflation, which is currently rising at the fastest pace in four decades. On Dec. 19, … [Read more...] about Manchin killed Build Back Better over inflation concerns – an economist explains why the $2 trillion bill would be unlikely to drive up prices
Trump news conference to mark Capitol riot anniversary
Published by AFPWashington (AFP) - Donald Trump announced on Tuesday he will hold a news conference in Florida on January 6, the anniversary of the violent storming of Congress by his supporters. The 75-year-old former president said he would discuss the November 2020 election and repeated his false claims that he defeated Joe Biden. Trump, in a statement released by a … [Read more...] about Trump news conference to mark Capitol riot anniversary
The West Virginia Hypocrite
Americans have always known not to trust politicians because they often go back on the words and most of them can be bought. But Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia is in a different class. With the Senate split 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats, every Democrat vote is needed to pass legislation. When the infrastructure bill was passed by the Democrats with both moderate … [Read more...] about The West Virginia Hypocrite
A COAT
I made my song a coat Covered with embroideries Out of old mythologies From heel to throat; But the fools caught it, Wore it in the world’s eyes As though they’d wrought it. Song, let them take it For there’s more enterprise In walking naked. - William Butler Yeats, 1916 It seems incomprehensible to me that half of America would vote for the political party that has … [Read more...] about A COAT
Chris Noth Loses $12 Million Tequila Brand Deal Amid Onslaught Of Sexual Assault Allegations
Published by Radar OnlineChris Noth is continuing to suffer the consequences of his alleged actions. The Sex and the City-turned-And Just Like That star has now lost what would have been a $12 million business deal to sell his Noth's Ambhar tequila brand to Entertainment Arts Research, Inc. (EARI), a Nevada-based beverage company that often buys into celebrity drink brands. "At … [Read more...] about Chris Noth Loses $12 Million Tequila Brand Deal Amid Onslaught Of Sexual Assault Allegations
Schumer vows vote on Biden’s $1.75 trillion bill despite Manchin’s rejection
Published by ReutersBy Susan Heavey and Moira Warburton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate will vote early next year on President Joe Biden's sweeping $1.75 trillion policy bill as well as on voting rights, the chamber's top Democrat said on Monday, despite conservative Democratic Senator Joe Manchin's opposition. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer unveiled plans for both … [Read more...] about Schumer vows vote on Biden’s $1.75 trillion bill despite Manchin’s rejection
How Will 5G Upgrade Your Smart Home?
Smart home technology is on the verge of a renaissance from the incredible benefits of 5G connectivity. Device upgrades and technology from 5G will range from lightning-fast interaction to next-generation AI assistants. The 5G smart home will have all the benefits of last-generation 4G tech, but with impressive advances in security, performance and capabilities. Goodbye … [Read more...] about How Will 5G Upgrade Your Smart Home?
Three Retired Army Generals Warn About a 2024 Coup
Three retired U.S. Army generals with a total of five stars on their (combined) shoulders and with a total of nearly one century of active military duty (98 years to be exact) have penned an op-ed in the Washington Post warning Americans about the “potential for lethal chaos inside our military, which would put all Americans at severe risk” in the aftermath of the 2024 … [Read more...] about Three Retired Army Generals Warn About a 2024 Coup
‘Spider-Man’ bursts into theaters with $253 million domestic opening
Published by Reuters(Adds word "said" in first paragraph) LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Spider-Man: No Way Home" racked up an estimated $253 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales over the weekend, setting a pandemic-era record and ranking as the third-biggest domestic movie opening of all time, distributor Sony Corp said on Sunday. Around the globe, "No Way Home" generated an … [Read more...] about ‘Spider-Man’ bursts into theaters with $253 million domestic opening
Chile presidential election pits right-winger against student leader
Published by DPAChileans were electing a new president on Sunday as two candidates from the fringes of the political spectrum faced off in a run-off vote for the country's highest office. Former student leader Gabriel Boric and right-wing politician José Antonio Kast are in the running for the post. Boric was narrowly ahead in the last round of voting. First results were … [Read more...] about Chile presidential election pits right-winger against student leader
Manchin gives thumbs down to Biden’s $1.75 trillion investment bill
Published by ReutersBy Jan Wolfe and Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat who is key to President Joe Biden's hopes of passing a $1.75 trillion domestic investment bill, said on Sunday he would not support the package. "I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation," Manchin said during an interview with the "Fox News … [Read more...] about Manchin gives thumbs down to Biden’s $1.75 trillion investment bill
Don’t Die with the Music Still Inside You (in Memory of my Dad)
Two months ago, I flew to my native England to deal with the passing of my father. For years, his now-widow had been by his side to help him in his decline through dementia, along with all kinds of physical issues from painful angina, through diabetes, bladder problems and multiple bouts of sepsis etc. Living the other side of the world, I was only able to contribute in … [Read more...] about Don’t Die with the Music Still Inside You (in Memory of my Dad)
‘Tidal wave’: Omicron could put U.S. COVID-19 surge into overdrive
Published by ReutersBy Joseph Ax and Barbara Goldberg (Reuters) -Two years into the coronavirus pandemic, the United States is confronting another dark winter, with the red-hot Omicron variant threatening to worsen an already dangerous surge of cases. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have jumped 45% over the last month, and confirmed cases have increased 40% to a weeklong average … [Read more...] about ‘Tidal wave’: Omicron could put U.S. COVID-19 surge into overdrive
Awaken Your Soul: A Review of the Tacoma Concert Band’s Holiday Show
Sometimes I don’t realize how weary worn my soul has become until I’m surprised by beauty. This age of Covid has produced a general malaise. We are trying to survive and thrive the best we know how, but the relentless drumbeat of uncertainty, sickness and sadness has dulled the vibrancy of many daily activities. And although we are somewhat aware of the detrimental impact of … [Read more...] about Awaken Your Soul: A Review of the Tacoma Concert Band’s Holiday Show
Kim Jong Un’s decade in power: Starvation, repression and brutal rule – just like his father and grandfather
Repression running in the genes? Jenni Lim/AFP via Getty Images Sung-Yoon Lee, Tufts University By the grim metric of fatalities in the first 10 years of a dictator’s rule, Kim Jong Un has yet to match the records set by his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, or father, Kim Jong Il – the two tyrants who reigned by terror in North Korea before him. For now, … [Read more...] about Kim Jong Un’s decade in power: Starvation, repression and brutal rule – just like his father and grandfather
DEMOCRACY ITSELF IS AT STAKE
by Elwood Watson “Democracy will be on trial in 2024.” That is one of the many startling revelations provided by Atlantic staff writer Barton Gellman in his new piece, “Trump’s Next Coup Has Already Begun.” Gellman provides an extremely detailed analysis of how Donald Trump and the right-wing apparatus used the insurrection of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as a form of … [Read more...] about DEMOCRACY ITSELF IS AT STAKE
Man forced off US flight for wearing thong as face mask
Published by AFPMiami (AFP) - A passenger was forced to disembark a flight in Florida because he insisted that wearing a red thong as a face mask complied with Covid regulations, local media said Thursday. Adam Jenne, 38, was asked to leave the aircraft before it took off from Fort Lauderdale airport. He told local news channel NBC2 that he wanted to show the "absurdity" of … [Read more...] about Man forced off US flight for wearing thong as face mask