TikTok went dark in the United States. It's Chinese owner ByteDance had suspended service for TikTok and the editing tool CapCut. Trump vehemently opposed TikTok but is now embracing it. And in its message to users on going dark, TikTok included a paragraph that said it was "fortunate" that Trump was looking for a way to save it. Trump said he'll sign an executive order that … [Read more...] about TRUMP WHO PUSHED TIKTOK BAN IS NOW POISED TO SAVE IT: IT’S COMING BACK ONLINE
President Biden’s Farewell Address to the Nation: One Person’s View
Millions of Americans listened to President Biden’s farewell speech to the nation last night. Each of those Americans will have a unique opinion, a different reaction, depending on a myriad of factors and shaped by his or her background and social and political views. These are some of my views: I loved the President’s allegorical references to the Statue of Liberty. … [Read more...] about President Biden’s Farewell Address to the Nation: One Person’s View
BIDEN ANNOUNCES ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE: TRUMP IMMEDIATELY CLAIMS CREDIT FOR DEAL
President Joe Biden announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal which includes a hostage release. President-elect Donald Trump immediately claimed credit. On social media MAGA partisans began echoing Trump, calling the cease-fire a "humiliation" for Biden, who had outlined this kind of settlement months ago. The argument from Trump world was that it was … [Read more...] about BIDEN ANNOUNCES ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE: TRUMP IMMEDIATELY CLAIMS CREDIT FOR DEAL
U.S. Military Fighting the Fires in California
“More than just a fighting force, the Defense Department delivers health care, disaster relief and other support to people around the world in humanitarian missions every day.” The U.S. military has a storied background in participating in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, whether the disaster is caused by floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, … [Read more...] about U.S. Military Fighting the Fires in California
Tarnishing the Presidency and the Nation
So we have a felon as president. In addition to the New York charges, part of the special counsel Jack Smith’s report was just released, showing that Trump was definitely responsible for the riots and attacks on the capitol on January 6. Trump did everything he could to overturn the valid results of the 2020 election and remain in the White House. He did not want to be labeled … [Read more...] about Tarnishing the Presidency and the Nation
Columnist Jennifer Rubin latest evacuee as Washington Post’s numbers rapidly sink
The only thing missing is hearing Washington Post Jeff Bezos owner declare: "I'm the King of the World!" The Washington Post's circulation is rapidly sinking and some of it's highest profile top talent have been abandoning ship. The latest evacuee is columnist Jennifer Rubin, who took some potshots at her longtime newspaper amid an announcement she and Norm Eisen were … [Read more...] about Columnist Jennifer Rubin latest evacuee as Washington Post’s numbers rapidly sink
Firefighting planes are dumping ocean water on the Los Angeles fires – why using saltwater is typically a last resort
A firefighting plane dumps water on one of the fires in the Los Angeles area in January 2025. Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Patrick Megonigal, Smithsonian Institution Firefighters battling the deadly wildfires that raced through the Los Angeles area in January 2025 have been hampered by a limited supply of … [Read more...] about Firefighting planes are dumping ocean water on the Los Angeles fires – why using saltwater is typically a last resort
President Biden Awards Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction to His Holiness Pope Francis
Today, President Joe Biden, who cancelled his trip to the Vatican in order to oversee the U.S. government's response to the California wildfires spoke to His Holiness Pope Francis and named him a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, "the nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the … [Read more...] about President Biden Awards Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction to His Holiness Pope Francis
Past time to regulate Big Pharma; Novo Nordisk profits in 2024 are obscene
When one year's sales matches a full three decade research budget, price gouging is clearly afoot. And that's the case for Novo Nordisk A/S, maker of sister GLP-1 drugs Ozempic (type 2 diabetes, T2D) and Wegovy (obesity). In September, Bloomberg estimated that the two drugs would bring in $65 billion in sales by the end of 2024. The entire research budget for the past … [Read more...] about Past time to regulate Big Pharma; Novo Nordisk profits in 2024 are obscene
Does Character Still Matter? A Presidential Eulogy Says ‘Yes,’ Eleven Times
On the eve of the 2024 presidential election, I pondered, “Does character still matter?” and suggested, “We will know very soon.” When the results of the elections became clear to me the early morning of January 6, I commiserated: Words fail me to express my sadness and disappointment at the results of yesterday’s presidential election, except to say that now we know … [Read more...] about Does Character Still Matter? A Presidential Eulogy Says ‘Yes,’ Eleven Times
North Carolina Supreme Court Blocked Certification of a Justice’s Win. Activists Fear It’s “Dangerous for Democracy.”
North Carolina Supreme Court Blocked Certification of a Justice’s Win. Activists Fear It’s “Dangerous for Democracy.”by Doug Bock ClarkProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.The Republican-controlled Supreme Court of North Carolina threw the election of one of its members … [Read more...] about North Carolina Supreme Court Blocked Certification of a Justice’s Win. Activists Fear It’s “Dangerous for Democracy.”
Trudeau taps out: How Trump’s taunts and tariff threats added to domestic woes confronting Canada’s long-standing PM
Walking away. Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on Jan. 6, 2025. Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images Patrick James, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences After weeks of speculation over his future, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his intention to resign on Jan. 6, 2025. His departure will bring an end to a … [Read more...] about Trudeau taps out: How Trump’s taunts and tariff threats added to domestic woes confronting Canada’s long-standing PM
Musk surrenders to Trump: ends fact-checking and calls fact checkers politically biased
META boss Mark Zuckerberg announced that he is giving incoming President Donald Trump what Trump has long wanted: an end to fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram. In the process Zuckerberg suggested those who were doing fact checking were politically biased. That's the reality --and here is how it was spun: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a series of major changes … [Read more...] about Musk surrenders to Trump: ends fact-checking and calls fact checkers politically biased
Here We Go Again. And I’m Not Talking About Trump
Here we go again. By “here we go again” I am not referring to the impending second Trump presidency. I am talking about re-embarking on the pattern of back and forth between extremes. President Biden was supposed to be a bridge. He was a bridge all right. A bridge that took us to the exact same path that led us to where the bridge started. A bridge to nowhere. Jon Stewart … [Read more...] about Here We Go Again. And I’m Not Talking About Trump
DEMOCRACY DIES IN DAYLIGHT, TOO? AWARD WINNING WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST QUITS AFTER CARTOON SHOWING BEZOS AND OTHERS PAYING TRIBUTE TO TRUMP IS KILLED
The Washington Post has a motto "Democracy Dies in Darkness." It can also die in bright light such as when a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist's cartoon showing Post owner Jeff Bezos and other billionaires literally and figuratively paying tribute to incoming President Donald Trump. The cartoon is Ann Telnaes who wrote on her Substack page: I’ve worked for the Washington … [Read more...] about DEMOCRACY DIES IN DAYLIGHT, TOO? AWARD WINNING WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST QUITS AFTER CARTOON SHOWING BEZOS AND OTHERS PAYING TRIBUTE TO TRUMP IS KILLED
(Re-)Starting 2025 on the Right Foot (Updated)
UPDATE: Following the White House ceremony, the seven Medal of Honor recipients were inducted into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va., on Jan. 5. (Below) During the ceremony, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III noted, "The soldiers whom we honor today came from different walks of life, from different communities … [Read more...] about (Re-)Starting 2025 on the Right Foot (Updated)
Quote of the Day: An unprecedented moment begins in American politics
Our quote of the Day comes from The Bulwark Newsletter: Donald Trump has dominated American politics for almost a decade. Thrice the Republican nominee for president, twice the victor in general elections, currently the undisputed master of a political party which will now control both the Senate and the House—Trump is the most consequential American politician of the … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: An unprecedented moment begins in American politics
Constantly-present Musk reportedly annoys Trump as “President Musk” AI memes multiply
Is the world's most talked, written, and social-mediaed bromance on the rocks? There are increasing rumblings in reports and in social media that President-Elect Donald Trump is becoming a bit annoyed by the ever-president billionaire who largely bankrolled his campaign -- Elon Musk. Musk is appearing everywhere with Trump and reportedly has rented a $2,000 a day condo … [Read more...] about Constantly-present Musk reportedly annoys Trump as “President Musk” AI memes multiply
The Next Massive Volcanic Eruption: A Looming Global Threat
By Steeve Lapierre Sustainability Times In 1815, Mount Tambora erupted with a force so immense that it altered the course of history. The explosion hurled vast amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, reflecting sunlight and causing global temperatures to plummet. The aftermath was catastrophic—a “year without a summer” that led to widespread crop failures, famine, … [Read more...] about The Next Massive Volcanic Eruption: A Looming Global Threat
New Orleans attacker’s apparent loyalty to Islamic State group highlights persistent threat of lone wolf terrorism
Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a white Ford F-150 pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Matthew Hinton/AFP via Getty Images Sara Harmouch, American University The deadly Jan. 1, 2025, attack in New Orleans serves as a reminder of the persistent threat to the U.S. from individuals inspired by … [Read more...] about New Orleans attacker’s apparent loyalty to Islamic State group highlights persistent threat of lone wolf terrorism