Roosters have boarded airplanes. So have turkeys, ducks and monkeys — all in the name of service. These animals allegedly helped their owners stay calm. Never mind that they may have had the opposite effect on nearby passengers.The “emotional support” designation also helped owners save money — calming, indeed, when airlines charge $125 one way to convey a pet in a carrier … [Read more...] about New rule would limit emotional support animals on planes. Here’s how to provide your input
RIP GOP (Cartoon)
Sundance 2020: Promising Young Woman
If you want to see toxic masculinity put in its place, look no further than Promising Young Woman. Cassie (Carey Mulligan) is young, ambitious, and smart, and she has a bright future. That is until something happens to her best friend, Nina, and they both drop out of medical school. This mysterious event eventually results in the untimely death of Nina, and Cassie finds … [Read more...] about Sundance 2020: Promising Young Woman
Wow, what an NFL comeback!
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is walking confirmation of a saying attributed to Yogi Berra: "The game isn't over until it's over." Yes, that statement describes the Chiefs' 4th-quarter comeback in Super Bowl LIV, but it also describes how Mahomes kept coming back after having a rough 2019 NFL season. From ESPN: Mahomes’ season seemed lost one … [Read more...] about Wow, what an NFL comeback!
Sundance 2020: Miss Americana
Miss Americana is now playing on Netflix. Through the eyes of a superstar, fame looks a little different than what we might imagine. This is especially true for Taylor Swift, who came into her stardom during some of her most formative teen years and became a young adult in the public's view. Miss Americana pulls back the curtain and offers a candid look into the private … [Read more...] about Sundance 2020: Miss Americana
Anxiety from the news: A psychologist explains how to cope with it in 2020
Dr. Lynn Bufkais a clinical psychologistand senior director of practice research and policy at the American Psychological Association, and has expertise in the intersections between anxiety, stress, a... … [Read more...] about Anxiety from the news: A psychologist explains how to cope with it in 2020
The Three Monkeys of the GOP
There are disagreements about the origin of the proverb “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil,” famously and traditionally symbolized by the three “wise” monkeys, Mizaru, Kikazaru and Iwazaru. There are also somewhat different interpretations of this maxim, ranging from not dwelling on improper thoughts about others to refusing to acknowledge or confront impropriety or … [Read more...] about The Three Monkeys of the GOP
THIS BLOWS (Cartoon and Column)
If there’s one point where you give up, it’s after you learn that no matter how much you fight, you’re going to lose. That’s the danger of this time. The United States Senate is saying Trump is guilty. The House Managers proved their case. But none of it matters because they like Trump’s policies or the fact he gives them conservative judges. They’ve given us the same answer … [Read more...] about THIS BLOWS (Cartoon and Column)
Everybody Hurts, Sometimes
Many people do not understand my job as a piano teacher. They think how dull my job must be. Little do they realize that as a Trusted Adult in a kid’s life, sometimes for a decade or more, I hear EVERYTHING. When the mom and dad have a fight and the words divorce are thrown around, the kid is impacted tremendously and may need to talk about it. Or when Dad comes home drunk and … [Read more...] about Everybody Hurts, Sometimes
Zoning Regulations In Life
by Jane Knox Have you ever had to go to a town meeting to ask permission for something? It can be intimidating to face a room full of people who are going to vote on your request. What will happen? Will I get what I need? What if they say no? Recently, I attended one of those meetings. Well, this is the story of what happened, and how I felt about it afterward, when old … [Read more...] about Zoning Regulations In Life
RIP US CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY (Cartoon)
On no witnesses and the Republican impeachment acquittal of Donald Trump
The Senate GOP had a choice. Are they a legitimate political party or a criminal racket in service of a cult of personality? Ironically enough, had GOP Senators called the witnesses that have been illegally blocked by the White House and then concluded as Senator Lamar Alexander did - that Trump's conduct was bad but not impeachable - their decision would have been acceptable. … [Read more...] about On no witnesses and the Republican impeachment acquittal of Donald Trump
‘American Dirt,’ novel on migrants, ignites literary controversy
New York (AFP) - Hailed by luminaries such as Stephen King and Oprah Winfrey, "American Dirt" was touted as the next "great American novel," bought for a seven-figure advance, backed by aggressive mar... … [Read more...] about ‘American Dirt,’ novel on migrants, ignites literary controversy
The Trinity is Broken, Satan Presides
Republicans defeat Democratic bid to hear witnesses in Trump trial Politico — The Senate on Friday night narrowly rejected a motion to call new witnesses in Donald Trump's impeachment trial, paving the way for a final vote to acquit the president by next week. — In a 51-49 vote … The famed "three-part" government of checks and balances died today. Obstruction … [Read more...] about The Trinity is Broken, Satan Presides
The Best NFL Players Ever?
Who are the best NFL players of all time? USA TODAY Sports attempts to answer that question in its 01 October 2019 article Jerry Rice, Tom Brady and Lawrence Taylor top our list of the 100 greatest NFL players of all time. Here is how the article ranks NFL players. 1: Jerry Rice 2: Tom Brady 3: Lawrence Taylor 4: Jim Brown 5: Walter Payton 6: Joe Montana 7: … [Read more...] about The Best NFL Players Ever?
Trump’s Senate trial flops abroad
The US Senate trial to impeach President Donald Trump is a history-making event for Americans but most major foreign governments are showing little interest. Many governments would be pleased to see Trump go partly because of his bullying style in US foreign policy. But there seems to be little appetite for an ouster through impeachment rather than electoral defeat. The … [Read more...] about Trump’s Senate trial flops abroad
GOODBYE, DEMOCRACY. HELLO, KING DONALD THE FIRST.
Back in December of 2015, on the cusp of the 2016 presidential primaries, when candidate Trump was previewing his Putinesque behavior, I warned in a column that “we’re in danger of embracing a very American version of autocracy…Do we really want to flirt with autocracy?” A fatally thin margin of voters in pivotal states basically said “Yup.” And on Wednesday, sure enough, a … [Read more...] about GOODBYE, DEMOCRACY. HELLO, KING DONALD THE FIRST.
Limiting Senate inquiry ignores Founders’ intent for impeachment
Benjamin Franklin was a leading voice in the debates framing the Constitution. Howard Chandler Christy/Architect of the Capitol Clark D. Cunningham, Georgia State University Senators will soon decide whether to dismiss the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump without hearing any witnesses. In making this decision, I believe they … [Read more...] about Limiting Senate inquiry ignores Founders’ intent for impeachment
Two-Bit Shysters In Thousand Dollar Suits
Listen: ALAN DERSHOWITZ FOR THE DEFENSE: L'ÉTAT, C'EST TRUMP Susan B. Glasser / New Yorker — Donald Trump's lawyer says that the President can do just about anything he wants. — An hour into the Senate trial of Donald John Trump on Wednesday, the emeritus Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz came to the floor to answer … Do you remember the Joe Biden/Sarah Palin … [Read more...] about Two-Bit Shysters In Thousand Dollar Suits
‘Apologia for Authoritarianism’: Trump Lawyer Argues President Can Do Whatever He Wants to Boost Reelection Chances
"They are saying that abuses of power in order to get reelected could be considered in the national interest and therefore not impeachable. If that doesn't worry you I just don't know what to say." by Jake Johnson, Common Dreams Lawmakers and legal analysts observing President Donald Trump's ongoing Senate trial voiced alarm at a brazen and sweeping line of defense … [Read more...] about ‘Apologia for Authoritarianism’: Trump Lawyer Argues President Can Do Whatever He Wants to Boost Reelection Chances