While one form or another of “Holy Inquisition" ravaged Europe and the Iberian Peninsula for at least two centuries before and after the discovery of the New World, the year 1492 is often considered significant in the Spanish Inquisition as in that year – and in 1502 for Muslims – Catholic King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella of Spain issued an ultimatum, El Decreto de la … [Read more...] about ‘Una Promesa Hecha Es una Promesa Cumplida’
Will Bunch: Merrick Garland’s elitist caution shows how Democrats could become a minority party
Published by The Philadelphia InquirerAttorney General Merrick Garland might be the ultimate example of the American Dream-era baby boomer at the core of today's Democratic Party — especially its elite leadership cadre. The grandchild of immigrants who came to America to flee antisemitism in Russia, Garland grew up in the booming 1960s middle-class suburbs of Chicago, won a … [Read more...] about Will Bunch: Merrick Garland’s elitist caution shows how Democrats could become a minority party
School cafeterias are in need of a hero.
Summary: School cafeterias may face a food shortage as students return to in-person learning. School cafeterias are in need of a hero. That may be the case if a story reported by The Daily Beast is correct. Only one person can come to the rescue of school cafeterias. Only one person can make enough food for all of the students returning to in-person … [Read more...] about School cafeterias are in need of a hero.
U.S. House Speaker Pelosi names Republican Kinzinger to Jan. 6 panel (includes Twitter reaction)
Published by ReutersBy Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday formally named Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger to serve on a select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump. Kinzinger, Pelosi said in a statement, "brings great patriotism to the … [Read more...] about U.S. House Speaker Pelosi names Republican Kinzinger to Jan. 6 panel (includes Twitter reaction)
FLINGING WITH KEVIN (Cartoon, Column and Video)
Kevin McCarthy says he wants to find all the facts of the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol but he can’t trust a partisan committee of Democrats, so he’s going to create a partisan committee of Republicans. The first time the Democrats tried to create a committee to investigate what happened on January 6, they consulted with Republicans before they held a vote. … [Read more...] about FLINGING WITH KEVIN (Cartoon, Column and Video)
What would the ancient Greeks think of an Olympics with no fans?
In ancient Greece, the heart and soul of the festival was the experience shared by all who attended. AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama Vincent Farenga, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Because of a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases, the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2021 Olympics will unfold in a stadium absent the eyes, ears and voices … [Read more...] about What would the ancient Greeks think of an Olympics with no fans?
Trudy Rubin: Ben & Jerry’s boycott is not antisemitic, nor a rejection of Israel
Published by The Philadelphia InquirerThe most stunning thing about the Great Ice Cream War between Ben & Jerry’s and Israel is the explosive Israeli reaction. The ice cream maker, famous for social consciousness and iconic flavors like Chubby Hubby, announced Monday it was ending sales in “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” meaning Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East … [Read more...] about Trudy Rubin: Ben & Jerry’s boycott is not antisemitic, nor a rejection of Israel
As Americans navigate conflicting COVID-19 mask advice, ‘everyone is confused’
Published by ReutersBy Joseph Ax and Tim Reid PRINCETON, N.J./SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Reuters) - A COVID-19 surge ignited in parts of the United States by the highly contagious Delta variant and vaccine hesitancy has led to new mask mandates and deep confusion among some people about which guidance to follow. In Los Angeles County, leaders have reinstated an indoor mask mandate, … [Read more...] about As Americans navigate conflicting COVID-19 mask advice, ‘everyone is confused’
Olympics-Athletes parade in empty stadium as Tokyo Games open in shadow of pandemic
Published by ReutersBy Antoni Slodkowski, Elaine Lies and Kiyoshi Takenaka TOKYO (Reuters) - In an Olympic opening ceremony like none before, one tradition held firm on Friday as athletes from across the world paraded into an eerie, almost empty national stadium to represent their nations, for the first time their smiles hidden behind masks. Most countries were represented by … [Read more...] about Olympics-Athletes parade in empty stadium as Tokyo Games open in shadow of pandemic
Some Weekend Photography
It has been a while since we have seen some “weekend photography.” (Ron Beasley, we miss you!) There is a great on-line magazine -- Airman, "the official magazine of the U.S. Air Force" – with good readings, videos and photography. Right now, on its FaceBook page, Airman is featuring a contest asking readers to help them select the "Airman Top Shot" of the … [Read more...] about Some Weekend Photography
Mississippi calls on Supreme Court to overturn US right to abortion
Published by AFPWashington (AFP) - The state of Mississippi on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to overturn the right to abortion in the United States in a legal brief added to a case set to be heard later in the year. The case, involving a Mississippi law that bans most abortions in the state after 15 weeks of pregnancy, will be heard during the court's next term which begins … [Read more...] about Mississippi calls on Supreme Court to overturn US right to abortion
FBI ignored tips on Brett Kavanaugh, Senate Democrats charge
Published by ReutersBy Jan Wolfe and Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Seven Democratic senators on Thursday said that newly released materials show the FBI failed to fully investigate sexual misconduct allegations against U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh when he was nominated to the court in 2018. The senators, including Sheldon Whitehouse and Chris Coons, said a … [Read more...] about FBI ignored tips on Brett Kavanaugh, Senate Democrats charge
An Open Letter to Former President Trump
Dear Mr. Trump As you certainly know, more than seventy-four million Americans voted for you in the 2020 presidential election. As you also know – and acknowledge -- more than eight months after the elections, an overwhelming majority of those voters still love you, no matter what. As you may also know, those voters believe every word you say, no matter … [Read more...] about An Open Letter to Former President Trump
SEAN HANNITY SUGGESTS FOX NEWS SHOULD STOP KILLING PEOPLE
Pro-life Americans, which I define as people who want to defeat the pandemic, should welcome support from all quarters – including the darkest precincts of the Fox propaganda machine. Hence it was nice this week to hear Sean Hannity utter these sentences: “Please take COVID seriously. I can’t say it enough. Enough people have died. We don’t need any more death…Research … [Read more...] about SEAN HANNITY SUGGESTS FOX NEWS SHOULD STOP KILLING PEOPLE
Republicans abandon Capitol riot probe after Pelosi rejects Jordan, Banks
Published by ReutersWASHINGTON (Reuters) -The top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday withdrew his five nominees to serve on the special committee probing the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol after Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected two of them. Pelosi had earlier rejected Representatives Jim Jordan and Jim Banks, staunch defenders of … [Read more...] about Republicans abandon Capitol riot probe after Pelosi rejects Jordan, Banks
‘Operation New Arrivals II’ (Video)
The official name of the Pentagon/State Department operation to extract Afghan interpreters, translators and other Afghans who supported our troops during America’s “longest war,” is “Operation Allies Refuge.” The operation will evacuate more than 18,000 Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants “and will include Afghans at all stages of the application process and even those … [Read more...] about ‘Operation New Arrivals II’ (Video)
Advertising and False News
From the moment our parents allow us to sit in front of a television screen or listen to a radio, we are inundated almost continuously with advertisements trying to sell us various products. And during campaigns for elective offices, campaign managers and their staffs try and sell us on the virtues of the candidates they support or the vices of their opponents. The information … [Read more...] about Advertising and False News
Election polls in 2020 produced ‘error of unusual magnitude,’ expert panel finds, without pinpointing cause
A voter exits a polling location on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020 in Fort Worth, Texas. Tom Pennington/Getty Images W. Joseph Campbell, American University School of Communication More than eight months after the acute polling embarrassment in the 2020 U.S. elections – that produced the sharpest discrepancy between the polls and popular vote outcome … [Read more...] about Election polls in 2020 produced ‘error of unusual magnitude,’ expert panel finds, without pinpointing cause
Why the US won’t be able to shirk moral responsibility in leaving Afghanistan
A handover ceremony as U.S. troops prepare to leave Afghanistan. Afghan Ministry of Defense Press Office via AP Michael Blake, University of Washington The majority of the remaining American troops in Afghanistan were withdrawn recently, with the rest due to leave by the end of August 2021. This withdrawal marks the end of nearly 20 years of American … [Read more...] about Why the US won’t be able to shirk moral responsibility in leaving Afghanistan
Delta variant behind more than 80% of U.S. cases; vaccines still highly effective -Fauci
Published by ReutersBy Carl O'Donnell and Mrinalika Roy (Reuters) -The Delta variant of the coronavirus is the cause of more than 80% of new U.S. COVID-19 cases, but the authorized vaccines remain more than 90% effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths, said top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci during U.S. Senate hearing on Tuesday. The hearing featured a … [Read more...] about Delta variant behind more than 80% of U.S. cases; vaccines still highly effective -Fauci