The 5th Avenue Theatre’s presentation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame may have songs and movie title lettering from its Disney film predecessor, but this Seattle production has abandoned any pretense of Disney’s “Happiest Place on Earth” motif to thoroughly ground the musical in the tormented source material of Victor Hugo’s original novel. The themes are deep, dark, bleak and … [Read more...] about A Review of The 5th Avenue Theatre’s Production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Europeans watch helplessly as Trump knee-caps their G7
The tense forced smiles at the G-7 Summit today confirmed that the Humpty Dumpty of Western unity in peacetime has broken into too many fragments to recover its preeminent influence in shaping the rules-based and treaty-based world order set up after World War II. President Donald Trump’s knee-capping of America’s chief allies at La Malbaie, Quebec, is causing apprehension … [Read more...] about Europeans watch helplessly as Trump knee-caps their G7
Attack in Somalia Kills U.S. Service Member, Wounds Four (UPDATED)
UPDATE: CBS News has identified the U.S. soldier killed Friday in an attack by extremists in Somalia as Staff Sgt. Alexander W. Conrad, 26, of Chandler, Arizona. Conrad was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. According to Reuters, he had received numerous awards and was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Meritorious … [Read more...] about Attack in Somalia Kills U.S. Service Member, Wounds Four (UPDATED)
HAZ MOR CORUPSHUN (Cartoon, Column and Video)
EPA Director Scott Pruitt’s defense that he used his position to unethically seek a Chick-fil-A franchise for his wife was that he really likes fried chicken. That’s like defending yourself of taking kickbacks by saying you really like money. On Thursday at an event at FEMA HQ, Donald Trump said to Pruitt, “EPA is doing really, really well. Somebody has to say that about you … [Read more...] about HAZ MOR CORUPSHUN (Cartoon, Column and Video)
Looking for One Honest Mandamus
Last Wednesday, a federal judge hinted that he might have to toss out a case against future ex-President over the Constitution’s emolument clause. The clause prevents him from accepting money or property from a foreign government. Two Democratic politic action groups, which brought the case, would be out of court. Yet, there may be hope. First, the judge mentioned that … [Read more...] about Looking for One Honest Mandamus
Social Security’s future is safe
Despite alarming news, retirees can still rely on their retirement nest eggs. Dan Kosmayer/Shutterstock.com Christian Weller, University of Massachusetts Boston Social Security is the bedrock of Americans’ retirement income security. So you may have been concerned by the news that the federal government needed to dip into the Social Security’s trust … [Read more...] about Social Security’s future is safe
The Trump-Kim summit may not work, but it’s worth the try
WASHINGTON -- The bombastic, belligerent, inexperienced and unpredictable leader of a nuclear-armed nation, a man who flouts international norms and agreements, is scheduled to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in Singapore on Tuesday. What could go wrong? How much time do you have? President Trump's on-again, off-again summit with Kim has been hastily slapped … [Read more...] about The Trump-Kim summit may not work, but it’s worth the try
3D Prints of Your Brain Will Soon Be Available
We all know how important our brains are — they're the central processing unit of our biological computer, and they control everything from our heartbeat to our memories. Have you ever wondered what your brain actually looks like though? Even an MRI doesn't show what your brain looks like. Before now, the only way to get a good look at that gray matter in your skull was to … [Read more...] about 3D Prints of Your Brain Will Soon Be Available
California’s jungle primary sets up polarized governor’s race for November: Isn’t helping moderates
Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at his campaign’s night watch party in San Francisco. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu Thad Kousser, University of California San Diego Voters who took part in California’s innovative and anti-party “jungle” primary delivered a typical and predictably partisan result in the governor’s race. They sent Democratic Lt. … [Read more...] about California’s jungle primary sets up polarized governor’s race for November: Isn’t helping moderates
Riding out Trump’s storm
WASHINGTON -- The struggle over what the dominant storyline in the news should be has always been political. Good reporters and editors labor mightily to be fair-minded in their reporting of episodes and events, and I'll defend them to my last breath. But the larger battle, captured by the phrase "winning the news cycle," involves a fierce competition to push reports that … [Read more...] about Riding out Trump’s storm
Fiery Tragedy in Guatemala (Photo Update)
Photos below of the injured children being placed on board the C-17 in Guatemala, receiving enroute medical treatment and finally transferred to the Shriners Hospital for Children, Galveston, to receive further care for burns and other injuries sustained during the recent Fuego Volcano eruption. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Edward Staton) The … [Read more...] about Fiery Tragedy in Guatemala (Photo Update)
With no Eagles around, Trump acts like a turkey
WASHINGTON -- Patriotism, Samuel Johnson told us long ago, is the last refuge of a scoundrel. President Trump just made it the last refuge of the jilted. Here, on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday afternoon, there was to have been a celebration honoring the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, but it turned out very few Eagles actually wanted to be celebrated … [Read more...] about With no Eagles around, Trump acts like a turkey
Our Huge Loss: We Lost Bobby Kennedy 50 Years Ago
Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, only 42, was shot several times in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles minutes before midnight on June 4, 1968. He had just won the California Democratic presidential primary and seemed destined for the nomination. He lingered through the next day, but the wounds proved fatal and he died early in the morning of June 6. He was buried … [Read more...] about Our Huge Loss: We Lost Bobby Kennedy 50 Years Ago
Doped up Demons (Cartoon, Column and Video)
Louisiana televangelist Jesse Duplantis said, “I really believe that if Jesus was physically on the Earth today, he wouldn’t be riding a donkey. Think about it for a minute. He’d be in an airplane preaching the gospel all over the world.” With that argument, this jackass wants his followers to buy him a $54 million luxury private plane. But he claims he doesn’t want you to … [Read more...] about Doped up Demons (Cartoon, Column and Video)
With federal funding for science on the decline, what’s the role of a profit motive in research?
Money doesn’t grow in flasks – scientists have to find funds outside the lab. chuttersnap/Unsplash, CC BY David R. Johnson, University of Nevada, Reno What is the place of a profit motive in the production of knowledge at public universities? The Trump administration’s initial budget request presented in 2017 offered one answer to that question. … [Read more...] about With federal funding for science on the decline, what’s the role of a profit motive in research?
Cartoon: Trump Shooting Comey
America First versus American Exceptionalism
My biggest fear when Donald Trump became president was that he was serious about America First, and therefore he would abandon American Exceptionalism. One of his first acts as president was to withdraw the United States from the Trans Pacific Trade Pact, confirming my fear. However, seventeen months into his presidency it is clear that he is not abandoning American … [Read more...] about America First versus American Exceptionalism
King Donald Is Not Above The Law. It’s Past Time For Mueller To Issue That Subpoena
The big takeaway from the "bombshell" confidential memorandum that President Trump's criminal lawyers sent to Special Counsel Robert Mueller is that it is a dud. Trump's lawyers all but conceded that he obstructed justice. But because he is above the law he can do anything he wants, according to their unitary executive pretzel logic, so it is impossible for the president to … [Read more...] about King Donald Is Not Above The Law. It’s Past Time For Mueller To Issue That Subpoena
Mueller Accuses Paul Manafort of Attempted Witness Tampering
A new major twist in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation: Mueller has accused Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, of attempted witness tampering. And many legal experts on cable and Twitter suggest Mueller would not have moved unless he had significant evidence on this charge: Federal prosecutors on Monday accused President Trump’s former … [Read more...] about Mueller Accuses Paul Manafort of Attempted Witness Tampering
D-Day and Juno Beach: The Canadians (UPDATED)
UPDATE: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted the following on the 74th anniversary of D-Day: On the 74th anniversary of #DDay, we remember the Canadian troops who fought with great courage and made the ultimate sacrifice to liberate Europe. #LestWeForget Along with the following photo. In the meantime, the Daily Times, not a Canadian newspaper … [Read more...] about D-Day and Juno Beach: The Canadians (UPDATED)