Published by St. Louis Post-DispatchA new study has reached an obvious conclusion: People who rely primarily on Fox News for their information are more likely to believe dangerous falsehoods about the pandemic. The corporate sponsors who continue to enable this toxic network have it in their power to demand that it stop spreading this viral misinformation — and consumers have … [Read more...] about Editorial: Fox viewers are misinformed about the pandemic. Advertisers should take note
HIT STEVE BANNON ONE MORE TIME (Cartoon and Column)
Maybe America is correcting itself. Britney is free and Bannon is probably going to prison. Britney Spears is finally free from the conservatorship managed by her father that controlled her life and career. During this time, the conservatorship paid out millions to the people keeping it alive, including her father, mother, entertainment firms, assistants, and lawyers. … [Read more...] about HIT STEVE BANNON ONE MORE TIME (Cartoon and Column)
Disinformation is spreading beyond the realm of spycraft to become a shady industry – lessons from South Kore
Efforts to reduce tensions between the Koreas, like the 2018 inter-Korean summit, are frequently the target of disinformation campaigns in South Korea. AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon K. Hazel Kwon, Arizona State University Disinformation, the practice of blending real and fake information with the goal of duping a government or influencing public opinion, … [Read more...] about Disinformation is spreading beyond the realm of spycraft to become a shady industry – lessons from South Kore
Will Bunch: Rittenhouse and Arbery cases, Jan. 6 probe reveal stench of America’s broken justice system
Published by The Philadelphia InquirerYou've probably heard the old political maxim, most popular in the crime-ridden 1970s, that a conservative is a liberal who's been mugged. In the 2020s, it turns out that a criminal justice reformer is now a white dude who suddenly finds himself in jail after taking part in an insurrection to keep Donald Trump in the White House. … [Read more...] about Will Bunch: Rittenhouse and Arbery cases, Jan. 6 probe reveal stench of America’s broken justice system
Biden to tell Xi that China must play by the rules – senior U.S. official
Published by ReutersBy Michael Martina, David Brunnstrom and Alexandra Alper WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will tell Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a virtual meeting on Monday meant to reduce the chances of a superpower conflict that China must "play by the rules of the road" like a responsible nation, a senior U.S. administration official said. The video … [Read more...] about Biden to tell Xi that China must play by the rules – senior U.S. official
Former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke announces run for Texas governor
Published by Reuters(Reuters) - Former three-term U.S congressman and 2020 presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke, a Democrat, announced on Monday that he is running for governor in Texas. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien; Editing by Doina Chiacu) … [Read more...] about Former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke announces run for Texas governor
The Weaponization of Migrants (UPDATE)
Update: Anne Applebaum at The Atlantic starts her fascinating reportage on the crisis at the Belarus border as follows: A small Kurdish boy is sitting on the ground in a damp Polish forest, a few miles from the eastern border with Belarus. The air is heavy with cold and fog. The boy is crying. Around the boy, sitting in a circle, are his parents, uncles, and … [Read more...] about The Weaponization of Migrants (UPDATE)
Inflation goes shopping (Cartoon)
Steve Bannon indicted over Jan. 6 panel snub, pushing key question over presidential power to the courts
Bannon faces potential jail time for contempt of Congress. Bryan Smith/AFP via Getty Images Jennifer Selin, University of Missouri-Columbia Former Trump ally Steve Bannon faces possible fines and time behind bars after being indicted on two counts of contempt of Congress. The criminal charges, announced on Nov. 12, 2021, by the Department of … [Read more...] about Steve Bannon indicted over Jan. 6 panel snub, pushing key question over presidential power to the courts
Why Nicaragua’s slide toward dictatorship is a concern for the region and the US, too
Nicaragua’s power couple, Vice President Rosario Murillo and husband President Daniel Ortega. INTI OCON/AFP via Getty Images Kai M. Thaler, University of California Santa Barbara Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega “won” a fourth straight term on Nov. 7, 2021 – the second in a row with his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, as running mate. The … [Read more...] about Why Nicaragua’s slide toward dictatorship is a concern for the region and the US, too
LEARN TO CRY (Cartoon and Column)
People Magazine has made Paul Rudd the “Sexiest Man Alive.” Now, I don’t know who the authority of sexiness is over there at the People Magazine, or why being the sexiest living person can only last a year, but Paul Rudd is a pretty cool dude. I can accept he’s sexy. Yes, I still like girls. Think about it. This dude is so sexy, he got to marry Phoebe Buffay in Friends, who … [Read more...] about LEARN TO CRY (Cartoon and Column)
Bannon indicted by federal grand jury for contempt of Congress
A lot of punditry in the mainstream press and on social media has expressed dismay over how some Donald Trump associates (and Trump himself) have shown disdain towards Congress with no conquences. Today former Trump advisor Steve Bannon ran smack dab into consquences: Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon was indicted by a federal grand jury Friday, charged with contempt of … [Read more...] about Bannon indicted by federal grand jury for contempt of Congress
Trump defends chants by rioters on Jan. 6 threatening to hang Pence
Published by ReutersWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former President Donald Trump defended his supporters' chants threatening to hang Vice President Mike Pence as they stormed the U.S. Capitol in a deadly riot on Jan. 6, according to a newly released interview on Friday. In excerpts of an interview with an ABC reporter, the former Republican president openly supported the threats to … [Read more...] about Trump defends chants by rioters on Jan. 6 threatening to hang Pence
Happy Veterans Day
Why are prices so high? Blame the supply chain – and that’s the reason inflation is here to stay
Shopping bags are getting heavier – on your wallet. AP Photo/Mark Lennihan Craig Austin, Florida International University Consumer prices soared in October 2021 and are now up 6.2% from a year earlier – higher than most economists’ estimates and the fastest increase in more than three decades. At this point, that may be no surprise to most Americans, … [Read more...] about Why are prices so high? Blame the supply chain – and that’s the reason inflation is here to stay
How Kyle Rittenhouse went from cleaning graffiti to shooting 3 people
Published by ReutersKENOSHA, Wis. (Reuters) - Kyle Rittenhouse, now 18, is on trial for killing two men and wounding a third with a military-style rifle during protests last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Before the killings, Kenosha had endured two nights of chaotic protests over the police shooting of a local Black man, Jacob Blake. Several businesses were burned to the ground … [Read more...] about How Kyle Rittenhouse went from cleaning graffiti to shooting 3 people
Maybe going extinct won’t be that bad | Sheneman
Published by NJ.comThe COP26 climate summit is currently humming along in Glasgow Scotland. It’s a landmark meeting where many of the world’s nations — except for China and Russia — send a rotating slate of delegates to discuss the existential threat of global climate change. Would you care to guess who has sent the largest contingent of delegates? Hint: It’s not a country. … [Read more...] about Maybe going extinct won’t be that bad | Sheneman
Kyle Rittenhouse lawyers say they will seek a mistrial
Published by Chicago TribuneKENOSHA, Wis. — Amid threats of a mistrial, the judge presiding over the Kyle Rittenhouse murder trial lashed out at a prosecutor Wednesday for ignoring a pretrial ruling and challenging the defendant’s right to remain silent. Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder sent the jury out of the courtroom before blasting the prosecutor, whose … [Read more...] about Kyle Rittenhouse lawyers say they will seek a mistrial
Veterans Day 2021: A Special Tribute to Our Women Veterans
On November 11, America will once again honor all veterans who have served in our Armed Forces. Along with Memorial Day, Veterans Day also honors and mourns those who have died serving our country. Fresh in our memory are the thirteen brave service members killed during the last days of the Afghanistan War when a suicide bomb ripped through the crowds at the gates of … [Read more...] about Veterans Day 2021: A Special Tribute to Our Women Veterans
‘He Should Be Expelled’: Republican Paul Gosar Shares Edited Video of Him Killing AOC
"This man should not serve in Congress," said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). "Fantasizing about violently attacking your colleagues has no place in our political discourse and society." by Jake Johnson Common Dreams Far-right Republican Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona is drawing widespread condemnation for sharing an edited animated video depicting him killing Democratic Rep. … [Read more...] about ‘He Should Be Expelled’: Republican Paul Gosar Shares Edited Video of Him Killing AOC