By Melissa Fares and Timothy Gardner PALM BEACH, Fla./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump called for an expansion of the United States' nuclear capabilities on Thursday, in a tweet that alarmed nonproliferation experts who said that a boost to the U.S. arsenal could fuel global tensions. In his Twitter post, Trump said, "The United States must greatly … [Read more...] about Trump tweets about nuclear weapons, raising questions and fears
Seeing Christmas from Jewish eyes
Even if we don’t theologically celebrate Christmas, we in the Jewish community honor and venerate the true meaning and implication of this national holiday season. This year, there is a complete calendar intertwining; the first light of Hanukkah will be lit on Christmas Eve. As a Jew, I favor the resiliency and real meaning of Christmas. Though the December holiday … [Read more...] about Seeing Christmas from Jewish eyes
Swamp Thing
December 22, 2016 Note to readers: This is the latest entry in Baby DonDon’s diary. The series imagines that President-elect Donald Trump has the emotional make-up of a five-year-old and confides his deepest thoughts—such as they are—to Andrew Feinberg, and to readers, every day. In his private moments, he always thinks of himself as Baby DonDon. Remember how Super Baby … [Read more...] about Swamp Thing
Yes, Russian hacking is a problem.
I want to clarify a point that I made in one of my previous posts, a point that some people may have overlooked. Yes, Russian hacking is a problem, and Congress should investigate it - not because Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 presidential election, but because any kind of hacking is criminal behavior. Keep in mind that the Russians are bipartisan hackers, having tried to … [Read more...] about Yes, Russian hacking is a problem.
Brenda Lee and another GREAT Version of “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” (Videos)
Here's a bit of Christmas music to get you on your way. In 1958 a young country-western singer named Brenda Lee did a song called "Rocking Around The Christmas Tree." Two years later it became a huge hit -- and a Christmas standard. Here are two wonderful You Tube renditions of the song. First, watch this young You Tuber deliver a superb performance of the Christmas … [Read more...] about Brenda Lee and another GREAT Version of “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” (Videos)
Happy Holidays, Donald Trump
WASHINGTON -- Some things Donald Trump says enrage me while others get under my skin. The pronouncement that does both is his regular claim that until he prevailed, Americans were not free to say "merry Christmas" to each other. He was at it again last week in West Allis, Wisconsin, during his Watch-Me-Divide-The-Country-Further "Victory Tour." Trump declared: "So when … [Read more...] about Happy Holidays, Donald Trump
Off Limits: Of Mice and Men and the Death Penalty Today
Seventy years after its publication John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men continues to stimulate debate, pro and con, about the death penalty. But justifying capital punishment was the last thing on the mind of the author, a liberal thinker who created the character of Lennie to increase our understanding of the mentally challenged and the American underclass. As a defense attorney … [Read more...] about Off Limits: Of Mice and Men and the Death Penalty Today
Republicans are the Masters of Not Getting Over Things
And now a few choice words for all Republicans advising Democrats to "stop whining about the election and get over it." Oh, really. Get over losing a presidential election to a high-strung petulant flake soon to be in possession of the nuclear codes? Get over a man destined to be leader of the Free World tweeting frivolous 3 am insults at Alec Baldwin? Exactly how does one … [Read more...] about Republicans are the Masters of Not Getting Over Things
Cartoons: Inauguration Day
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Cartoons: Inauguration Day
Drum: Clinton E-mail Scandal was BS
Kevin Drum goes through a detailed timeline of the Clinton e-mail scandal and concludes it was overblown bullsh*t on Mother Jones. As near as I can tell, Hillary Clinton did nothing wrong. Period. No shilly shallying, no caveats. It's true that the optics were sometimes bad, and the whole affair showed off Clinton's political instincts at their worst. But that's it. Both … [Read more...] about Drum: Clinton E-mail Scandal was BS
News Blues in a New World
This communication is not fake. But how would you know. My claiming it’s real means nothing. In fact, even the president claiming that what he says, or tweets, is real, means nothing. However, a large percentage of people in the United States believe the president’s declarations. Why not? In normal times, that would be reasonable. But these are not normal times, and this is … [Read more...] about News Blues in a New World
U.S. government loses to Russia’s disinformation campaign: advisors
By Joseph Menn (Reuters) - The U.S. government spent more than a decade preparing responses to malicious hacking by a foreign power but had no clear strategy when Russia launched a disinformation campaign over the internet during the U.S. election campaign, current and former White House cyber security advisers said. Far more effort has gone into plotting offensive … [Read more...] about U.S. government loses to Russia’s disinformation campaign: advisors
Cartoon: Ambassador Assassination
Ambassador Assassination by Clay Jones On Monday a Turkish police officer posing as a member of a security detail walked up behind the Russian ambassador to Turkey and shot him in the back at an art gallery in Ankara. As ambassador Andrei Karlov lay dying on the floor the gunman shouted “Don’t forget Aleppo! Don’t forget Syria!” The image was captured in photos and video … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Ambassador Assassination
Ethanol Program Fuels Unintended Consequences for Wildlife
Ethanol Program Fuels Unintended Consequences for Wildlife by Eric Galatas DENVER – U.S. farmers have plowed under more than seven million acres of wildlife habitat, mostly to grow corn needed to produce ethanol gasoline, according to a new report by the National Wildlife Federation. David DeGennaro, an Agriculture Policy Specialist and the report's author, said the … [Read more...] about Ethanol Program Fuels Unintended Consequences for Wildlife
SYRIAN CHILD WHO TWEETED AMID BOMBING SURVIVES
Syrian child who tweeted amid bombing survives by Miriam Raftery SAN DIEGO'S EAST COUNTY -- Seven-year-old Bana Alabed’s tweets during the fall of Aleppo, Syria, have drawn global attention to the plight of people trapped in the city in recent weeks, drawing comparisons to the diary of Anne Frank. An anguished plea during recent bombings, followed by days of silence, led … [Read more...] about SYRIAN CHILD WHO TWEETED AMID BOMBING SURVIVES
Trump on Dope: legal and psychological thoughts on the future of marijuana laws.
Trump on Dope: legal and psychological thoughts on the future of marijuana laws by David Anderson During the madness of last month, other things happened. One was a partial retreat in the War on Drugs, marijuana division. A quick review of recent changes from voter actions – Locally (where most laws effecting our lives are made) in North Dakota, Montana, Alabama, … [Read more...] about Trump on Dope: legal and psychological thoughts on the future of marijuana laws.
Trump’s Broken Promise Will Doom Thousands Of His Voters
Not long ago, Americans learned that the average life expectancy for white people in this country - those most likely to have voted for Donald Trump - actually declined for the first time in many years. The pathologies and frustrations believed to have driven that decline may have motivated the tiny handful of votes that gave… … [Read more...] about Trump’s Broken Promise Will Doom Thousands Of His Voters
Bill Clinton’s Bitter Blather
Ex-POTUS Bill Clinton is bitter about the fact that he won't be moving back into the White House. From Politico: "The editor of the Bedford-Pound Ridge Record Review recently ran into Bill Clinton at a local bookstore in Katonah, a town in Westchester. Of course, Clinton held court." From Fox News: "The Man from Hope apparently offered little optimism, telling the crowd … [Read more...] about Bill Clinton’s Bitter Blather
Worried About Fake News Online? Here’s How to Tell If It’s Legit
Worried About Fake News Online? Here’s How to Tell If It’s Legit By Mark Grabowski Did you hear that President Obama signed an executive order banning fake news sites? Or that Donald Trump claims the Earth is flat? Or that Russians discovered a vaccine to cure homosexuality? All of the above were recent popular fake news stories — a growing epidemic online, which … [Read more...] about Worried About Fake News Online? Here’s How to Tell If It’s Legit
Who in the Republican Party will stand up to Trump?
WASHINGTON -- President-elect Donald Trump's victory tour was more than just an opportunity to strut and preen around the country like a peacock with a comb-over. It was a warning to Republican leaders in Congress that Trump intends to be in charge -- and that there will be consequences if the party establishment does not fall in line. The post-election rallies also … [Read more...] about Who in the Republican Party will stand up to Trump?