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)
Why dialogue matters — even in the Trump Era
WASHINGTON -- If President Trump's survival tactics depend upon dividing the country into warring camps, does this mean his opponents have an interest in bringing the country together around shared purposes? If the answer is "yes," then those seeking to replace Trumpism with something better have to discover ways of engaging with voters whose choices in the last election … [Read more...] about Why dialogue matters — even in the Trump Era
The slippery slope of dehumanizing language
The slippery slope of dehumanizing language Roseanne Barr had her sitcom canceled on May 29, after calling former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett the child of an ape. Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File Allison Skinner, Northwestern University Comparing people to animals seems to increasingly be a part of our political … [Read more...] about The slippery slope of dehumanizing language
Finding Your Feet (2018)
When your whole world has been turned upside down, who will you turn to for help? Finding Your Feet is the story of Sandra and Bif, sisters who are reconnecting and picking up their relationship from years before. Sandra has just discovered she's been cheated on by her husband and has left the comfortable trappings of her home and life, moving in with her sister. Bif is … [Read more...] about Finding Your Feet (2018)
Cartoon: World School Shooting
Why A Convincing Case Can Be Made That Trump Is A Playboy Model’s Baby Daddy
What do a fat-cat Republican donor, a Playboy model and the 45th president of the United States have in common? Maybe not much if you choose to ignore the fascinating ties that bind them. But when you make those connections, refuse to succumb to what may seem to be mere coincidences and stir in a healthy dose of speculation, you're looking at what may be the Mother of All Sex … [Read more...] about Why A Convincing Case Can Be Made That Trump Is A Playboy Model’s Baby Daddy
“Rise,” Ends On A Bittersweet Note
With the season finale of Rise , we have also been given the series finale due to NBC's cancellation of the show. As a series that started off with uncertainty and filled to the brim with plot and several character storylines, it turned into something that showed promise and excitement, enough to keep you watching week after week. Rise ends on a bittersweet note just as it was … [Read more...] about “Rise,” Ends On A Bittersweet Note
A Vision of ‘A World Where Children Do Not Drown…’
The Austin, Texas, temperatures broke every record this May with several days already in the triple digits. This summer appears to be on its way to be one of the hottest in Austin’s history. That is, after this weekend’s “cold front” passes, a front that will drop the temperatures in the Texas capital down to a cool 97 degrees for a couple of days. It is thus no wonder that … [Read more...] about A Vision of ‘A World Where Children Do Not Drown…’
Trump-Russia: A Grand Unified Theory
The Trump-Russia scandal is difficult to follow because of its complexity. It is hard to understand how the many characters and elements fit together. Two journalists have stood out in their tracking and insightful understanding of this story: Josh Marshall of Talkingpointsmemo.com and Adam Davidson of The New Yorker. Their conversation in the most recent edition of … [Read more...] about Trump-Russia: A Grand Unified Theory
