By John L. Micek It's the Monday before Christmas, and my daughter, her hair tied up snugly in a bun, plops herself down in the front seat of my car. And as I aim my trusty German import in the direction of her ballet school, she turns to me, her face aglow in the gray afternoon light, a plea in her eyes. "Can you turn on your Christmas playlist, Daddy?" she asks. "Of … [Read more...] about Christmas Traditions are the Best, Eh
(Updated) Where Christmas Eve Finds a Medal of Honor Recipient
Update: Below: Medal of Honor recipient retired Army Capt. Florent “Flo” Groberg paying tribute to those who were killed in action at the Fenty Memorial while visiting Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan, with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s USO Holiday Tour, Dec. 24, 2017. Groberg is a Medal of Honor recipient for actions taken in nearby Asadabad on Aug. … [Read more...] about (Updated) Where Christmas Eve Finds a Medal of Honor Recipient
Cartoon: 2017 Year in Review
GOP tax bill treats Puerto Rico as a foreign country
WASHINGTON -- President Trump awarded himself a 10 out of 10 score two months ago for his response to Hurricane Maria, which leveled Puerto Rico. "If you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina, and you look at the tremendous hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that died," Trump said as he toured Puerto Rico in October. "What is your death count, as of this moment … [Read more...] about GOP tax bill treats Puerto Rico as a foreign country
Top 10 Comedic News Stories of 2017
\\ by Will Durst Put down the nog. Let in the dog. Delay your spouse's jog. Buy a mask for the smog. Alert the press in Prague. Because the eagerly awaited list of Top Ten Comedic News Stories of the Year has finally arrived. It truly is... the most wonderful time of the year. But first, a word of caution: these stories are not be confused with the Top Ten Legitimate … [Read more...] about Top 10 Comedic News Stories of 2017
Animatronics and Lickspittles (Cartoon and Column)
Do you know who respects ass kissers, suck ups, sycophants, brownnosers, teacher’s pets, and lickspittles? Nobody. Not even the person whose ass is getting kissed. Oh, sure. He may love it…but he doesn’t respect it. Vice President Mike Pence has been on an ass-kissing tear ever since he was selected to be Trump’s veep. Every vice president praises their boss, but Pence has … [Read more...] about Animatronics and Lickspittles (Cartoon and Column)
10,000 killed in China’s 1989 Tiananmen crackdown: British archive
At least 10,000 people were killed in the Chinese army's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square in June 1989, according to a newly released British secret diplomatic cable that gives gruesome details of the bloodshed in Beijing. "Minimum estimate of civilian dead 10,000," the then British ambassador Alan Donald said in a telegram to London.… … [Read more...] about 10,000 killed in China’s 1989 Tiananmen crackdown: British archive
Santa Is Putting Christmas On The Blockchain And Saving Billions (Guest Post)
By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com Maybe you string enough lights on your roof to give Clark Griswald a run for his money. Maybe you can identify mistletoe and holly in the wild, chop down your own Christmas tree, and know exactly how many Hallmark Keepsake ornaments they’ve issued since 1973. You can rattle off all of Santa’s reindeer—backwards, starting with Rudolph and … [Read more...] about Santa Is Putting Christmas On The Blockchain And Saving Billions (Guest Post)
Court ruling on ballot doesn’t jibe with Virginia guidance on voter intent
Update, Dec 27 The Washington Post reported that Shelly Simonds is challenging the court decision; the story fails to mention guidance on voter intent. After the official recount, a three-judge panel in Virginia ruled that an uncounted ballot should instead be considered a vote for the Republican candidate. All three judges were "elected by a Republican-controlled … [Read more...] about Court ruling on ballot doesn’t jibe with Virginia guidance on voter intent
Spoiler-Free: The Last Jedi
Length: 2h 33m Rating: PG-13, for action and violence Score: 4/5 Are you one of the ten people who still hasn't seen Star Wars: The Last Jedi? Looking for that spoiler-free review of the movie? Look no further. So, the most important question, should you see Star Wars: The Last Jedi? Without hesitation, yes! It's a fun, exciting and fresh episode and a great addition to … [Read more...] about Spoiler-Free: The Last Jedi
Your Russia Scandal Year In Review: Putin Wins, America Loses, Trump Survives
Before we break for the holidays, let's take a moment to congratulate Vladimir Putin. The year almost passed was a bargain-basement dream come true for the Russian leader, who for a mere $500,000 investment not only greased the skids for Donald Trump to become president, but gleefully watched the U.S. devolve into chaos as his boy toy undermined democratic norms and did so … [Read more...] about Your Russia Scandal Year In Review: Putin Wins, America Loses, Trump Survives
The Trump Family Swamp, Part 2
y EUGENE ROBINSON WASHINGTON -- One of the biggest beneficiaries of the massive, slapdash tax bill that President Trump and Republican lawmakers celebrated at the White House on Wednesday will be, wait for it, President Trump. What a coincidence! The rest of Trump's wealthy family will benefit lavishly as well, including his son-in-law and all-purpose adviser Jared … [Read more...] about The Trump Family Swamp, Part 2
Movie review: Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Post’ is a movie about the past that speaks to our times
"The Post" goes against the contemporary Hollywood grain. Propulsive major studio cinema made with a real-world purpose in mind, it's a risky venture that succeeds across the board. Prodded into existence by Steven Spielberg, one of the few filmmakers capable of making the studio system do his bidding and of persuading major players such as Meryl… … [Read more...] about Movie review: Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Post’ is a movie about the past that speaks to our times
67 Fascinating Facts About Online Vs Offline Commerce (Infographic)
A great info graphic from love.shopping.fm https://love.shopping.fm/online-vs-offline/ … [Read more...] about 67 Fascinating Facts About Online Vs Offline Commerce (Infographic)
Christmas Eve Will Find Me…
Once again – for the 17th consecutive year since 9/11-- thousands of American service members will be spending Christmas in harm’s way, on the battlefields of the Middle East. In addition, this Christmas will see tens of thousands of service members potentially facing harm in, over and around the Korean Peninsula. According to the Department of Defense (DoD), this … [Read more...] about Christmas Eve Will Find Me…
Control Of Virginia House Of Delegates To Be Determined By Random Drawing
This is an interesting development. Going into the elections in November the GOP had a 2-1 majority in the Virginia House Of Delegates so nobody expected a change. But the Democratic sweep made it 50 GOP to 49 Democrat with 1 race undecided. After an extensive recount process the race has come down to a tie, based largely on one ballot that was marked for both candidates. … [Read more...] about Control Of Virginia House Of Delegates To Be Determined By Random Drawing
Trump just told the truth. He may wish he hadn’t.
ASHINGTON -- On Wednesday, the 335th day of his presidency, Donald J. Trump did something most extraordinary and uncharacteristic. He told the truth. The president, celebrating his $1.5 trillion tax cut with fellow Republicans at the South Portico of the White House, was midway through his remarks when he veered sharply off message. "I shouldn't say this," Trump said, … [Read more...] about Trump just told the truth. He may wish he hadn’t.
Putin’s Man in the White House?
Last May, a top White House national security official met in Washington with senior Russian officials and handed over details of a secret operation Israel had shared with its U.S. counterparts. The meeting shocked veteran U.S. counterspies. The American official was not arrested, and he continues to work in the White House today, albeit under close… … [Read more...] about Putin’s Man in the White House?
After US Republicans’ tax elation, a hangover may loom
President Donald Trump and his Republican Party are in a party mood as they prepare to enact the most sweeping tax cuts in three decades -- but analysts warn the country may wake up to a hangover. The centerpiece of the $1.5 trillion legislation is a series of deep cuts for businesses that Republican leaders say… … [Read more...] about After US Republicans’ tax elation, a hangover may loom
Piloting aviation industry through a changing climate
There's something rather unsettling about eerie pictures of flooded airport runways, and it's not just the submerged jet bridges. Such photos capture the type of disruptive scenes that could become more common in the future, as the effects of climate change continue to ramp up. New attention to the issue shows that airports and airlines around… … [Read more...] about Piloting aviation industry through a changing climate