"You gave your girlfriend a tracking device." "That wasn't the intent." Those are two lines of dialogue in the movie Star Trek Beyond. The first line is spoken by McCoy, who is commenting on a gift that Spock had given to Uhura - a gift that was functioning as a tracking device during a critical time. Spock's reply "That wasn't the intent" was a defensive reply on his part. … [Read more...] about Political Intentions: Do They Matter?
Malawi turns to British troops in poaching war
Under a scorching sun, a team of British soldiers and Malawian rangers sheltered under a tree ready to pounce on their prey: poachers. The combined force, armed with rifles and handcuffs, did not encounter any poachers as it patrolled the 530 square kilometre (240 square mile) Liwonde national park in Malawi's south. But the presence of… … [Read more...] about Malawi turns to British troops in poaching war
Vallone, and other Names you Can Trust
by Thomas Hoffman One of New York's most independently-minded politicians is facing re-election this year. City Councilmember Paul Vallone is gearing up for the general election. A passion for politics runs in the Vallone family. Vallone is the son of Peter Vallone Sr, who served as Speaker of the New York City Council. His brother, Peter Vallone Jr served as a City … [Read more...] about Vallone, and other Names you Can Trust
Dear Posterity
Dear Posterity, You, of course, knew that I was right all along about Guccifer 2.0. Inside story: How Russians hacked the Democrats' emails — WASHINGTON (AP) ... [Guccifer 2.0] appeared particularly excited to hear on June 24 that his leaks had sparked a lawsuit against the DNC by disgruntled supporters of Clinton rival Bernie Sanders. “Can it influence the election in … [Read more...] about Dear Posterity
General Kelly Fails History and Arithmetic
John Kelly, retired Marine General and current White House Chief of Staff, wandered into No Man’s Land the other day without his helmet. Holding court on the roots of the Civil War, he chalked up the conflagration to a failure of the parties to compromise. ç Please, put down your pencil and close your blue book. Before 1861 the civilized world had rejected slavery … [Read more...] about General Kelly Fails History and Arithmetic
Keep Your Eye On The Ball: The Russia Scandal Was An Assault On Democracy
As the White House Spin Machine works overtime in concert with the Right Wing Noise Machine to try to divert attention from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's shock-and-awe indictments, it is time to remember yet again that the Russia scandal is not about partisan politics. It is about an assault on American democracy. Even the most benign spin -- that the indictments are … [Read more...] about Keep Your Eye On The Ball: The Russia Scandal Was An Assault On Democracy
Media Ignorance About Climate History
Once again, climate change is in the national news, with CBS News publishing a story titled Report sees "momentum" against climate change and its impact on health. While media members talk about current climate change, they tend not to talk about previous eras of climate change. It is as if they don't know about the previous eras. Regarding those previous eras, climate … [Read more...] about Media Ignorance About Climate History
‘International Day to End Impunity Against Journalists’ Missed Trump
I wonder how many people know that yesterday, November 2, was “International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.” The State Department did, but forgot to tell Trump about it. In 2013, The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming 2 November as the "International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists" … [Read more...] about ‘International Day to End Impunity Against Journalists’ Missed Trump
Our Housing Crisis Is a Serious Infrastructure Problem
Our nation is facing a serious housing crisis, which is part of our infrastructure problem as a whole. We have recently learned of the infrastructure issues in Puerto Rico that are coming to light in the wake of the recent disasters. It ties back to our housing shortcomings and how our government fails to come through for its citizens so frequently in this regard. In the … [Read more...] about Our Housing Crisis Is a Serious Infrastructure Problem
Cartoon: Mueller’s greatest hits
Mike Slosberg is a cartoonist and novelist. He lives with his wife and hundreds of drawing pens on the Upper Westside of Manhattan, New York. You can see more of his cartoons and learn about his books by going to: mikeslosbergbooks.com … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Mueller’s greatest hits
The other huge scandal Mueller brought to light this week
WASHINGTON -- Robert Mueller brought to light a huge scandal this week, and it has nothing to do with Russia. He has introduced the world to Sam Clovis. Clovis, we now know, was the Trump campaign official who oversaw George Papadopoulos and encouraged his efforts to meet with Russian officials. But what's more interesting than what Clovis is is what Clovis isn't. For … [Read more...] about The other huge scandal Mueller brought to light this week
What draws ‘lone wolves’ to the Islamic State?
By James L. Gelvin, Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History, University of California, Los Angeles. Police work near a damaged Home Depot truck on Nov. 1, 2017, after a motorist drove onto a bike path near the World Trade Center memorial. AP Photo/Andres Kudacki The recent attack on a bike path in lower Manhattan once again… … [Read more...] about What draws ‘lone wolves’ to the Islamic State?
Cartoon and Column: PREZ FOR THE CALIPHATE
Every president from FDR to Obama, (and yes, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, even Kennedy AND JFK) responded to attacks on our country by uniting the nation. Roosevelt didn’t blame Republicans when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. George W. Bush didn’t throw petty insults and lies at Nancy Pelosi when al Qaida hit the World Trade Center. When a terrorist killed 49 people at the Pulse … [Read more...] about Cartoon and Column: PREZ FOR THE CALIPHATE
Cartoon: First charges in the Russia investigation
Trump, the GOP, and the autocrat’s playbook
WASHINGTON -- Democracies sometimes collapse suddenly. More typically, they waste away. One major cause of institutional decline involves politicians putting their own immediate interests ahead of their obligations to democratic norms. We wake up one day and discover that a long series of individual choices has rotted out the constraints on authoritarian rule. President … [Read more...] about Trump, the GOP, and the autocrat’s playbook
Political Deplorables
In September of 2016, Hillary Clinton put a nail in her political coffin when she said, "You can put half of Trump supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables, right? Racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic, you name it." Sure, she apologized for her remark the next day, but by then, the self-inflicted political damage couldn't be reversed. The irony … [Read more...] about Political Deplorables
Trump’s Real Fear
Paul Waldman breaks down Donald Trump's biggest fear from the Mueller investigation in The Week. Trump is plainly sensitive about anything that might cast doubt on the legitimacy of his election victory. But that's not what he's really afraid of. The real threat Mueller poses, the thing that's probably keeping Trump up at night, is what he might find out about the president's … [Read more...] about Trump’s Real Fear
Science confirms: Spending time in nature really does help your mind
New research confirms what we pretty much knew deep down: spending time in nature makes us feel better. All nature helps, but rural and coastal areas more so than urban parks. Image credits: Elke Karin Luger. If you talk to people, there are countless stories of how being in a forest or just by the seaside… … [Read more...] about Science confirms: Spending time in nature really does help your mind
Cartoon and Column: NYC Terror attack
If you want to attack a city, instill it with fear and terror to the point the citizens there change their way of life, you might want to pick a place that’s not New York City. You always hear how we won’t let fear change us, but that’s not always true. We use fear to enact bans on refugees, suspend Constitutional rights, and even how we look at each other. But, when you … [Read more...] about Cartoon and Column: NYC Terror attack
Trump Blames Immigration Lottery, Calls US Justice ‘A Joke’ After NYC Attack
The terror attack in New York on Tuesday afternoon quickly became a political issue after President Donald Trump blamed a visa program that he said allowed the suspect, Sayfullo Saipov, into the country and called the U.S. justice system "a joke" for moving too slowly. Trump said he wants to work with Congress to abolish the… … [Read more...] about Trump Blames Immigration Lottery, Calls US Justice ‘A Joke’ After NYC Attack