WASHINGTON -- Presidents don't win fights with the FBI. Donald Trump apparently wants to learn this lesson the hard way. Most presidents have had the sense not to bully the FBI by defaming its leaders and -- ridiculously -- painting its agents as leftist political hacks. Most members of Congress have also understood how unwise it would be to pull such stunts. But Trump and … [Read more...] about Trump and his minions can’t out-leak the FBI
Kids Need Attention, Not Tide Pods
Forget baby-proofing your home -- now you need to keep it safe from your teenager. Who would have thought that teens would be eating laundry soap? Truthfully, at this point in my career, nothing surprises me. So what is a parent to do? This must be a pithy reminder that teenagers -- yes, even your stellar… … [Read more...] about Kids Need Attention, Not Tide Pods
Future Model Prisoner (Column and Cartoon)
Yeah, I’m a jerk. To be a Trump sycophant one must shred their dignity, soul, respectability, credibility, decency, and perhaps all traces of what’s left of their humanity. Reason and logic are pretty much out of the question too. In return, you may acquire a nice orange jumpsuit. When the first drips would come out about Trump’s attempts to obstruct justice, his … [Read more...] about Future Model Prisoner (Column and Cartoon)
Cartoon: FBI Memo
Our President Is Insane, and I’m Scared
“An exceptional natural capacity of intellect, especially as shown in creative and original work in science, art, music, etc.” That is the definition of the word “genius,” per Dictionary.com. Our president, Donald Trump, has decreed that he fits the description perfectly, but those who have observed Trump’s behavior during his time in office have selected other words. … [Read more...] about Our President Is Insane, and I’m Scared
How mass incarceration harms U.S. health, in 5 charts
By J. Wesley Boyd, Faculty, Center for Bioethics and Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University and Emily Nagisa Keehn, Associate Director, Human Rights Program, Harvard Law School, Harvard University. The U.S. incarcerates a higher percentage of its citizens than any other country in the world. There’s little doubt among researchers that mass … [Read more...] about How mass incarceration harms U.S. health, in 5 charts
Democrats’ behavior at the State of the Union was embarrassing
Embed from Getty Images WASHINGTON -- It gives me no pleasure to say this, but the Democrats' behavior at the State of the Union was embarrassing. I take a back seat to nobody in decrying President Trump's cynical and divisive performance. He repeatedly exploited Americans' divisions on race, guns, God, immigration -- anything to distract from the broken promises, … [Read more...] about Democrats’ behavior at the State of the Union was embarrassing
Presumed Guilty
Americans are making a judicial assumption paradigm shift. We are moving from ‘presumed innocent and proven guilty’ to ‘presumed guilty and proven innocent’. Or, to say it differently, now the accusation is automatically both the evidence and the conviction. This shift goes against our longtime judicial system, based on English common law. Our judicial inheritance included … [Read more...] about Presumed Guilty
Violence in Kabul is so extreme, citizens are carrying around ‘in case I die’ notes
January has been a particularly deadly month in Kabul. Terrorist attacks have taken the lives of hundreds of people in the Afghan capital. One of the deadliest was when the Taliban laid siege to the InterContinental Hotel for about 15 hours and killed 22 people. Related: Afghan officials search for answers to deadly hotel attack Then,… … [Read more...] about Violence in Kabul is so extreme, citizens are carrying around ‘in case I die’ notes
Trump and his teleprompter assure America that the State of the Union is strong. No, really (Guest Column)
The State of the Union is strong. I mean, President Trump didn't trip and tumble off the platform in a real life homage to Chevy Chase, or press a red Staples button on the podium and announced that he'd just launched a fleet of cruise missiles toward North Korea, or order special counsel Robert Mueller led… … [Read more...] about Trump and his teleprompter assure America that the State of the Union is strong. No, really (Guest Column)
Cartoon: Back Scratching Buddies
Schiff accuses Nunes of making secret changes to classified memo before White House review
WASHINGTON — Rep. Devin Nunes "secretly altered" a classified and controversial memo about secret surveillance during the 2016 presidential campaign before he sent it to the White House for review, Rep. Adam Schiff said on Wednesday night. Nunes, R-Calif., chairs the House Intelligence Committee, and Schiff, also of California, is the ranking Democrat on the panel.… … [Read more...] about Schiff accuses Nunes of making secret changes to classified memo before White House review
Orcas are able to imitate human speech. Here’s how it sounds
New research found that orcas (Orcinus orca) astoundingly imitate human speech, conveying words such as "hello", "bye bye" or "one, two." They do so in their own way, in a distinct, high pitched call. Credit: Pixabay. Orcas are phenomenally intelligent marine mammals which interact with peers in a complex social environment. They travel in close-knit groups… … [Read more...] about Orcas are able to imitate human speech. Here’s how it sounds
CNN reports: Trump asked Rosenstein for a loyalty oath
CNN reports that President Donald Trump in December in effect asked Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for a loyalty oath. Trump's asking fired FBI Director James Comey for a loyalty oath has been a bone of contention -- and, in reality, Trump has often asked for loyalty oaths, even from those who attend his political rallies. CNN reports: Deputy Attorney General … [Read more...] about CNN reports: Trump asked Rosenstein for a loyalty oath
Breaking: FBI Director Reportedly Opposes Memo Release Because of Inaccuracies
The FBI Director is now all but a centimeter away from publically opposing the secretive Republican-authored memo that the White House is expected to release --a memo reports suggest might have been coordinated with the White House and that will come out as House GOPers have suppressed a Democratic response to it. Bloomberg News reports: FBI Director Christopher Wray … [Read more...] about Breaking: FBI Director Reportedly Opposes Memo Release Because of Inaccuracies
A uniquely depressing State of the Union
WASHINGTON -- He couldn't help himself. The White House took pains to say President Trump's State of the Union address would be "unifying" and contain a "bipartisan" tone. Excerpts released before the speech repeated the word "together" three times. But Trump was still in the first minute of his speech -- 72 words from the start -- when he belted out his campaign slogan, … [Read more...] about A uniquely depressing State of the Union
Instead of seeking ‘common ground,’ Trump gives a flabby, divisive speech
WASHINGTON -- President Trump leaned heavily on the stories of American heroes in his State of the Union address Tuesday night because he didn't have much else to say. From the Coast Guard, the fire departments, the shop floor and many other quarters they came, providing structural support for a flabby speech that was one of the least adventurous and forward-looking efforts of … [Read more...] about Instead of seeking ‘common ground,’ Trump gives a flabby, divisive speech
Toobin Comes Clean About Hillary: Thats One Apology Down & A Thousand To Go
Jeffrey Toobin, CNN's chief legal analyst, has apologized for promoting during the presidential campaign the notion that Donald Trump's thoroughly documented history as a racist, fraud, bully, sexual predator and pathological liar was somehow cancelled out by Hillary Clinton's used of a private email server while secretary of state. Okay, that's one apology down and a … [Read more...] about Toobin Comes Clean About Hillary: Thats One Apology Down & A Thousand To Go
Shut Up or Shut Down (Guest Column)
By Blair Bess Chaos theory has been called the study of predicting "inherently unpredictable" systems. It is also an apt description of the study of the Trump presidency. Those closest to the president say he thrives on chaos, relishes tumult, and takes perverse pleasure in stirring up conflict among advisers and associates.The president is energized by noise. While this … [Read more...] about Shut Up or Shut Down (Guest Column)
Artificial intelligence is the weapon of the next Cold War
By Jeremy Straub, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, North Dakota State University. With artificial intelligence weapons on both sides, are we in a new cold war? Dim Dimich/Shutterstock.com It is easy to confuse the current geopolitical situation with that of the 1980s. The United States and Russia each accuse the other of interfering in domestic affairs.… … [Read more...] about Artificial intelligence is the weapon of the next Cold War