It has been fascinating -- in the grotesque sort of way that a slow-motion train wreck is fascinating -- to watch the Russia scandal unfold. From the first intimations in late 2016 that the dark hand of Vladimir Putin was at work to elect Donald Trump to our dawning realization that the Trump campaign colluded in that effort to our astonishment at how enormous and successful … [Read more...] about Did The Kremlin Send In Paul Manafort To Insure The Trump Campaign Played Its Game?
DINOSAUR OF THE MONTH
From the Dino club: Spinosaurus was the biggest of _all_ carnivorous dinosaurs; larger than T-Rex and Giganotosaurus. It lived in the Cretaceous period, about one hundred million years ago. It hung out in the swamps of North Africa (no known political affiliation). Most of it's time was spent cruising the water rather than terrifying dry land. This quirky doode had a small … [Read more...] about DINOSAUR OF THE MONTH
America You Beauty
Father was in his eighties and more recently looking his age, and something else was not right. He was more short of breath, his ankles were getting swollen, and he was anemic. Being his only son and an ocean and a continent away, this was a nightmare in the works. What if something happens to him while he was away, how would he manage, what would I do, were the ever lingering … [Read more...] about America You Beauty
The Sara Memorial Cup
I just finished my initial order for trophies and other awards to present at our June Awards Recital and the first trophy in my shopping cart was the Sara Memorial Cup. We present this trophy to the year’s most dedicated piano student along with our check for $1,000 with the award presented to the deserving student by Sara’s parents in her honor. Thus I am going to digress … [Read more...] about The Sara Memorial Cup
Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: Donald Trump’s Cabinet
OF RELATED INTEREST: --White House Chief of Staff Urges Trump to Remove EPA Chief Pruitt --The kiss of death in Trump's Cabinet is disagreeing with the boss --Week In Politics: Turnover In Trump's Cabinet Continues As Tensions With Russia Escalate Mike Peters is recognized as one of our nation’s most prominent cartoon artists for his outstanding work as both a political … [Read more...] about Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: Donald Trump’s Cabinet
Military Weekend Images
This weekend’s military images include two sad ones. The first one, below, is the photo of Air Force Major Stephen Del Bagno who was killed on Wednesday when his F-16 Fighting Falcon, part of the famed Thunderbirds (above), crashed over the Nevada Test and Training Range during a routine aerial demonstration training flight. (Photo of Maj. Del Bagno is by U.S. Air Force … [Read more...] about Military Weekend Images
Cartoon: Ensnared by Sinclair
I might be biting the hand that feeds me a bit with this cartoon. Sinclair Broadcast Group made news a few months ago over the way it requires their stations to run opinion pieces in support of Donald Trump. Now, they’re under criticism for forcing their anchors to read scripted material. Deadspin published a video which has gone viral that shows a collection of anchors … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Ensnared by Sinclair
Andrew McCabe’s Pension Isn’t Gone, but It’s Probably Shrinking
Andrew McCabe isn’t part of president’ Trump’s cabinet, but he managed to get caught up in the latest firing flurry anyway. McCabe first became a household name when he stepped into the role of acting Director of the FBI following the dismissal of James Comey, which brought about its own maelstrom of questions, notably those about whether president Trump has obstructed … [Read more...] about Andrew McCabe’s Pension Isn’t Gone, but It’s Probably Shrinking
Cartoon: David Hogg versus Laura Ingraham
Vote Democratic if you want to know results of Mueller investigation
WASHINGTON -- If you want to make sure you learn whether President Trump's campaign colluded with the Russians and whether Trump himself committed obstruction of justice, there's one thing you must do: Vote in November to take control of Congress away from the Republican Party. Spoiler alert: We already have evidence that Trump at least tried his best to obstruct justice; … [Read more...] about Vote Democratic if you want to know results of Mueller investigation
Cartoon: Voter Suppression
Sinclair-style employment contracts that require payment for quitting are very uncommon. Here’s why
By Elizabeth C. Tippett, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Oregon. Sinclair's employment contracts are kind of like a toll road. You have to pay to leave. oriontrail/Shutterstock.com Sinclair Broadcast Group, a company that owns local news stations across the country, is itself in the news for requiring its newscasters to read a script about… … [Read more...] about Sinclair-style employment contracts that require payment for quitting are very uncommon. Here’s why
President Polymath
America is in luck but doesn’t know it. The nation has a president with unparalleled knowledge in every field, from science to math to engineering to literature to pre-Raphaelite poetry to post-Impressionistic art to military tactics and so forth. If you don’t believe it, just ask him. He will tell you that he’s an expert in everything and superior to any of the advisers he’s … [Read more...] about President Polymath
Russia Scandal Update: Where ‘Maximum Bob’ Mueller Has Been & Where He’s Headed
It was yet another Washington Post blockbuster: Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller has told Donald Trump's lawyers he is not currently a criminal target of his intensifying investigation into the Russia scandal. But behind that headline lurked something else altogether. The president is in greater legal peril than ever. Say what? How to reconcile the these seemingly … [Read more...] about Russia Scandal Update: Where ‘Maximum Bob’ Mueller Has Been & Where He’s Headed
American broadcasting has always been closely intertwined with American politics
By Michael J. Socolow, Associate Professor, Communication and Journalism, University of Maine. Louisiana's populist politician Huey Long, giving an address on CBS Radio in 1934 Louisiana State University, CC BY-SA Local television viewers around the United States were recently alerted to a “troubling trend” that’s “extremely dangerous to democracy.” Sinclair Broadcast Group, … [Read more...] about American broadcasting has always been closely intertwined with American politics
How Trump is transforming himself into the greatest president ever
WASHINGTON -- Outgoing national security adviser H.R. McMaster, in a parting shot at President Trump, said this week that "we have failed to impose sufficient costs" on Russia -- joining a consensus view that Trump has been inexplicably soft on Vladimir Putin's assaults on democracy and stability. But we can all stand down. "Nobody has been tougher on Russia than I have," … [Read more...] about How Trump is transforming himself into the greatest president ever
Governor Tells Trump She Won’t Send Troops To Border
Governor Kate Brown said she will refuse any order from President Donald Trump to send Oregon's guard troops down south to the US-Mexico border. Trump wants National Guard troops sent to the Mexican border as his effort to build an impenetrable wall stalls because his administration is struggling to secure enough funds from Congress or other… … [Read more...] about Governor Tells Trump She Won’t Send Troops To Border
Democrats on Track for Historic House Gains
Democrats are on track to not only win control of the House of Representatives in November, but to outpace the Republicans’ 54-seat win in 1994, and possibly even the GOP’s 63-seat win in the Tea Party year of 2010. It’s not just Democrats who are saying this. In an interview this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “This is going to be a challenging election … [Read more...] about Democrats on Track for Historic House Gains
Great Music – Chapter 13
These are the opening lines to what I consider the single most beautiful piece of music ever written. It is the second movement of Beethoven’s Sonata in C minor, opus 13 #8, better known as the Pathetique Sonata. It was written in 1798 when Beethoven was still a relatively young man, age 27. Like all of Beethoven’s Sonatas, this one in all three movements express a wide yet … [Read more...] about Great Music – Chapter 13
It’s Mueller time
WASHINGTON -- They spent 11 months digging into allegations of collusion with Russia, obstruction of justice, money laundering and assorted other misdeeds. And now comes Mueller time. The special counsel had already racked up guilty pleas from top advisers to President Trump and indictments of Russian trolls and the president's former campaign chairman. But events of this … [Read more...] about It’s Mueller time