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First woman Secretary-General brings new hope to UN disarmament
Tatiana Valovaya, the first woman to be named Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament (CD), brings new hope to one the UN’s most vexed bodies which has been struggling against paralysis for almost two decades. An economist and former Russian journalist and diplomat, she is also the first woman to head the UN’s European headquarters in Geneva, … [Read more...] about First woman Secretary-General brings new hope to UN disarmament
TUCKER’S MELLOW (Cartoon, Column and Video)
Conservatives are going nuts defending Donald Trump’s racism. They argue that comments such as “send them back” or “infestation” aren’t racist. They sell the idea that there’s no correlation between him and mass shooters who echo his code words. They use false equivalency to deflect from Trump’s racism, like trying to tie Democrats to a mass shooter who never wrote a manifesto … [Read more...] about TUCKER’S MELLOW (Cartoon, Column and Video)
Guatemala’s next president has few plans for fixing rampant corruption, crime and injustice
Guatemala's next president has few plans for fixing rampant corruption, crime and injustice Alejandro Giammattei is a former prison official whose tenure was tainted by the 2006 mass killing of seven prisoners. He was accused but never indicted on conspiracy charges in those deaths. AP Photo/ Santiago Billy Naomi … [Read more...] about Guatemala’s next president has few plans for fixing rampant corruption, crime and injustice
‘Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor…’ Not Really! (UPDATED)
UPDATE: In another interpretation of Emma Lazarus’ poem and in a fresh attempt to rewrite recent history, acting Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Ken Cuccinelli on Tuesday floated the following, when asked about the words “Wretched, poor, refuse…”: Well, of course, that poem was referring back to people coming from Europe, where they had class-based … [Read more...] about ‘Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor…’ Not Really! (UPDATED)
Trump’s message to the world: Keep your tired, your poor, your huddled masses
WASHINGTON -- The erratic Trump administration has had just one consistent policy principle, one guiding North Star: punitive and often sadistic treatment of nonwhite immigrants. President Trump's claim that he supports legal immigration, as opposed to the undocumented "invasion" he rails against, turns out to be -- big surprise -- a lie. On Monday, the administration proved … [Read more...] about Trump’s message to the world: Keep your tired, your poor, your huddled masses
HATE IS NOT A GAME (Cartoon)
Email Clay Jones at [email protected] … [Read more...] about HATE IS NOT A GAME (Cartoon)
National Purple Heart Day – Belatedly
"Courage isn’t a brilliant dash A daring deed in a moment’s flash; It isn’t an instantaneous thing Born of despair with a sudden spring. But it’s something deep in the soul of man That is working always to serve some plan." - Edgar A. Guest August 7 was National Purple Heart Day. Because our nation was still reeling from a horrific weekend that saw 82 men, women and … [Read more...] about National Purple Heart Day – Belatedly
YOU KNEW DAMN WELL I WAS A SNAKE
“The more outré and grotesque an incident is, the more carefully it deserves to be examined.” - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle In the beginning, there was oil. Long story short: and then we broke the world. Yes, to be sure, there has been much pith and moment in the intervening years. A German Jew discovered the relationship between mass and energy, changed the world forever, and … [Read more...] about YOU KNEW DAMN WELL I WAS A SNAKE
I’ll Bet on News Over Views
By Peter Funt Back when I was a rookie editor in ABC's Manhattan newsroom we used to place bets - actual cash wagers - on how the New York Times would design the next day's front page. Rather than wait until morning for results we gathered around a radio to savor the 9 p.m. broadcast on WQXR, which began: "Front Page! Tomorrow's New York Times! What will it look like?" A … [Read more...] about I’ll Bet on News Over Views
Republicans didn’t used to be this way
By Joseph Lentz Republicans didn't used to be this way. Back in the day, they believed for the most part that integrity, truth, honor, and improving ones self were desirable goals, or at least not liabilities. But those Republicans are mostly gone now, have died out, or been ousted from the party. The GOP is now about raw power by any means necessary, the operative word … [Read more...] about Republicans didn’t used to be this way
“National conservatism” is “Elizabeth Warren conservatism”
By George Will Washington Post Columnist WASHINGTON -- Regimes, however intellectually disreputable, rarely are unable to attract intellectuals eager to rationalize the regimes' behavior. America's current administration has "national conservatives." They advocate unprecedented expansion of government in order to purge America of excessive respect for market forces, and to … [Read more...] about “National conservatism” is “Elizabeth Warren conservatism”
Death of the department store: don’t just blame the internet, it’s to do with a dwindling middle class
Barneys, Madison Avenue, New York. Department stores that were once the pinnacle of middle-class aspiration are losing out to discount shops and luxury retailers. www.shutterstock.com Jason Pallant, Swinburne University of Technology and Sean Sands, Swinburne University of Technology Barneys, the iconic chain of upscale New York department stores … [Read more...] about Death of the department store: don’t just blame the internet, it’s to do with a dwindling middle class
Massshooting golden oldies (Cartoon)
The real tragedy: Wayne LaPierre fears for his own safety
WASHINGTON -- After two horrific mass shootings, we come together as a nation to confront an urgent question: How are we going to keep Wayne LaPierre safe? The longtime head of the National Rifle Association, it turns out, is worried sick about his personal safety in this gun culture. After the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, he and his wife bravely waited out the uproar on … [Read more...] about The real tragedy: Wayne LaPierre fears for his own safety
The forgotten history of segregated swimming pools and amusement parks
The forgotten history of segregated swimming pools and amusement parks When a group of white and African American integrationists entered a St. Augustine, Fla. segregated hotel pool in 1964, the hotel manager poured acid into it. AP Photo Victoria W. Wolcott, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York Summers … [Read more...] about The forgotten history of segregated swimming pools and amusement parks
Cartoon: Suicide Watch
A suicide watch is meant to prevent a prisoner from taking his own life, not just to observe it, right? Pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who was being held in the Metropolitical Correctional Center while facing federal sex trafficking charges killed himself by hanging himself Saturday morning. He was placed on suicide watch three weeks ago after he was found unresponsive in his … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Suicide Watch
Great Music – Chapter 46
A change of pace. While in last week’s chapter I promised more music from current composers, I have changed my mind for just this week considering the tragic events of this week. After being absorbed by television shows about the killings in El Paso and Dayton, I took to music as a way of dealing with grief. Even though I knew no one involved in these events, they still hit me … [Read more...] about Great Music – Chapter 46
Bombshell: Epstein found dead in jail cell in apparent suicide
And now a bombshell of a story. One that has occurred in a way and with timing that seems like something out of a movie or TV series: Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his jail cell which is leading some on twitter to suggest that rich and powerful people who may have been at risk of being exposed as having participated in his world of sexual abuse are now breathing a sigh of … [Read more...] about Bombshell: Epstein found dead in jail cell in apparent suicide
KASHMIR AND WHY IT IS RELEVANT FOR THE WORLD NOW
Kashmir a Muslim majority state, in the Himalayas is contested between India, Pakistan, and China for over 70 years now. Recently it has become a flashpoint as bordering on ethnic cleansing, India has revoked its constitutional rights and protection inherent to its Muslim identity and geography and against the UN resolutions and prior commitments. This piles on the already … [Read more...] about KASHMIR AND WHY IT IS RELEVANT FOR THE WORLD NOW