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Whoa! What’s Going On Here?

Remember the notorious Access Hollywood video that surfaced in 2016, in which the former President and current Republican party cult leader joked about grabbing women inappropriately? Many of us naively thought that would automatically disqualify him. Alas! We’ve learned of any number of alleged sexual improprieties by the former guy. As of 2020, 26 women … Continue reading Whoa! What’s Going On Here? →

On the Economy, Biden Wins!

https://twitter.com/BidensWins/status/1490702636810649601?s=20&t=FJs1GAIbrOFpsyaYZdTGlQ Yes, there is actually good news. Some enterprising person is finally getting the idea that the President’s low poll numbers are in part due to a lack of proper messaging. I just began to follow @BidensWins on Twitter, which I suspect began in February. It consists of pithy little things--some for fun, some serious--that … Continue reading On the Economy, Biden Wins! →

What a “Weird Moment” We’re In…

Photo by Duanu00e9 Viljoen on Pexels.com (Excerpts below from historian Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American newsletter, May 2, 2022) “Tonight, news broke of a leaked draft of what appears to be Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s majority decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision establishing access to abortion as a … Continue reading What a “Weird Moment” We’re In… →

A Great American’s Final Warning to Us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtDgkjdJpuI Madeleine Korbel Albright, our nation’s first woman Secretary of State, knew authoritarianism up close and so very personal. Born in Czechoslovakia, she arrived in the US—on the ship SS America—with her diplomat father and family when she was eleven years old. At that young age, she’d already survived the Nazis' blitz of London and … Continue reading A Great American’s Final Warning to Us →

Team Magpie Wins Round One

Photo by Daniil Komov on Pexels.com Not long ago, I posted some fascinating insights I’d learned about Lessons from Plants. Our flora friends depend on one another for the important things in life. They don’t hold back in asking for help. I wasn’t surprised, then, to learn about similar behaviors in birds. And I’d long … Continue reading Team Magpie Wins Round One →

Should the US Provide Frozen Russian Assets to Ukraine?

https://twitter.com/tribelaw/status/1515134737421119493 Experts' views of the Russians' horrific war against Ukraine have changed over the weeks of battle--and the once-impossible scenario depicting the Ukrainians actually stopping the Russians has gained favor. Now, with the Russians claiming they plan to push on to overtake Moldova, the threat of a widening war that the US has tried to … Continue reading Should the US Provide Frozen Russian Assets to Ukraine? →

A Slice of Wonder in a Trembling World

Sunlight sweeps across our yard in a glistening arc. Adolescent trees sway rhythmically in a Wind so tamed from the wrath I feared in March that I smile with relief at the trees’ gentle dance. But wait; there’s more: The goldfinches visit en masse, Their feathers startlingly brighter, richer— Another paean to the lengthening stretch … Continue reading A Slice of Wonder in a Trembling World →

A Few Truly Special Jackie Robinson Stories

Whenever I see an essay bearing Doug Glanville's byline, I know I should set aside the time to read and savor it. I've written about Glanville several times and carried one of his pieces here and a video here. A friend of my older daughter's since childhood, he is an extraordinarily gifted person: former baseball … Continue reading A Few Truly Special Jackie Robinson Stories →

Fame and Adversity, Love and Grace

I'm not one to look to entertainers for personal heroism. And I'm certainly aware that the made-for-public-consumption exteriors often hide some fairly unpleasant human beings. But I've long found musician Jon Batiste--a jazz pianist best known as the "Stay Human" band leader for Stephen Colbert's program--to be an extremely appealing guy: upbeat and open, seemingly … Continue reading Fame and Adversity, Love and Grace →

“Free Speech Under Attack”: The House Spotlights Book Banning and Academic Censorship

Tomorrow (April 7), my favorite legislator will swing into action to breathe new life into the First Amendment. Former Constitutional Law Professor and Constitution devotee Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who chairs the House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, will begin hearings to expose and investigate the nationwide attempts to throttle free speech in schools and public libraries.

A Teaching Justice: Why America Needs Judge Jackson Now!

Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.com In the midst of the loud, dreadful—and grossly distorted—attacks on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson during her Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, one of her many admirable qualities impressed me the most. Judge Jackson, the daughter of educators, is a superb educator as well. I found myself fascinated by her explanations … Continue reading A Teaching Justice: Why America Needs Judge Jackson Now! →

The Transfer of Power: Abe Lincoln and January 6th

Photo by Ramaz Bluashvili on Pexels.com I am listening to Rep. Jamie Raskin reading the audio version of his wrenching and beautiful memoir, Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and American Democracy. Raskin (D.-MD) is a former Constitutional law professor who headed the House team that sought to persuade the Senate to convict Donald Trump after his second … Continue reading The Transfer of Power: Abe Lincoln and January 6th →

The Senate Astonishes: Votes Unanimously…and Gets Things Exquisitely Wrong…

You’ve no doubt heard about the Senate’s vote last week on the “Sunshine Protection Act.” This extraordinary bit of bipartisanship would make daylight savings time (DST) permanent beginning in 2023. After that, we’d no longer “fall back.” One more “spring forward”—and there we’ll stay. Forever sprung. And that’s a good thing? Maybe not.

Bill-Barr One Mo’ Time…I Seek Refuge in Rhyme

Bill Barr Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org We’ve all had a lovely reprieveFrom Bill-Barr’s penchant to deceiveBut he’s back with a hook:It’s his new “tell-all” bookWith li(n)es he assumes we’ll believe. Let me state that I will not payOne cent for this Bill-Barr display;I can learn what I needFrom reviews that I readOf the Truth he’ll … Continue reading Bill-Barr One Mo’ Time…I Seek Refuge in Rhyme →

The Heroic Zelensky in Happier Times

https://twitter.com/VeraMBergen/status/1498814410911006723?s=20&t=Dk0uqy0THzs3KICGmMekuw The Ukraine President when he was just playing one on TV. This is a clip from "Servant of the People," the TV show starring Volodymyr Zelensky in which he portrayed a teacher who was elected President of Ukraine after a video of him as a corruption fighter in the show went viral. His performance … Continue reading The Heroic Zelensky in Happier Times →

Bearing Witness, Asking for More…

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com I am sitting in my comfortable warm home, a sliver of sunlight illuminating the papers on my desk, the sounds outside confined to the occasional passing car and disparate birdsongs. I am writing one day before the US Congress will hear an impassioned speech delivered by the individual who has … Continue reading Bearing Witness, Asking for More… →

AG Garland and That Pesky Matter…

Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.com This post was originally a rather formal "Open Letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland." I began by praising him for the extraordinary courage and skill he showed in prosecuting the horrific 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and said I'd heard a number of his former colleagues attest to his intellect, … Continue reading AG Garland and That Pesky Matter… →

Our Cyborgian Future

Photo by Rodrigo on Pexels.com To my cautious, risk-averse self, the concept of rock climbing is beyond the beyond. I am fascinated, however, by those who’ll go where I would never tread. I’m also fascinated by the amazing world of biotech, which continually presses against the limits of human health and capabilities—and often extends them … Continue reading Our Cyborgian Future →

The Historian and the President–Please Read and Watch…

I am a fan of historian Heather Cox Richardson, whose Letters From an American newsletter invariably helps put the events we're living through in historical context. Richardson wrote to her subscribers on March 4 that she encourages people who feel helpless to change the direction of our future that we can do so by "changing … Continue reading The Historian and the President–Please Read and Watch… →

The Wind and March, 2022 (With Apologies to the Literary Giants)

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com To Shelley, the West Wind brought to mind:Seasons change; Spring can’t be far behind. Zephyrus, Chaucer’s Wind-gazing god,Sweetly exhaled with a Springlike nod To me, the Wind assaults the senses—So fiercely loud, coldly relentless. Its fury caused the Oaks’ surrender,Upending blocks of florae splendor In other acts of carefree … Continue reading The Wind and March, 2022 (With Apologies to the Literary Giants) →

“Legitimate Political Discourse”?? –A Befuddled Acrostic

Listen: The RNC’s shockingEvaluation of the 1/6 Insurrection as aGarden-variety political discussionIs—in two words—nutty scary. IThink we need a collective gut checkIn which we figure out why soMany Americans would again willinglyAssign the Ship of State to actors who’llTitanically steer toward (melting) icebergsEven as its keel has just been stabilized. Please explain the “enthusiasm gap”Observed … Continue reading “Legitimate Political Discourse”?? –A Befuddled Acrostic →

There’s a Guy Climbing Over My Neighbors’ Fence…

He's been there for a veryveryvery long time. I think he's stuck. What shall I do? Call the police? Bring him a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal? Annie ________ NOTE: With egomaniacal Vladimir Putin already moving toward what could be the largest war in Europe since World War II, I felt some silliness was in order. … Continue reading There’s a Guy Climbing Over My Neighbors’ Fence… →

Worried About Inflation? Here’s How the Republicans Are Fighting It…

https://twitter.com/noliewithbtc/status/1493716224198553602?s=21 Inflation is a legitimate concern of all Americans, and the Biden administration has been doing everything it can to bring it down. The inflation stems from the pandemic, which has messed up supply chains and unleashed strong consumer spending that had been pent up during the previous few years. It's also been fueled by … Continue reading Worried About Inflation? Here’s How the Republicans Are Fighting It… →

News About Climate Change–Some Good, Some Bad–Courtesy of Lizards…

Tiny lizards inspired biologist Thor Hanson to write a book: "Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squids." I heard him speak in yet another fascinating Alan Alda Clear&Vivid podcast. Hanson’s book, Alda says, is about “the ways plants and animals are responding as we humans are messing with their lives.”

“We the Students” Want to Read Banned Books!

Photo by Janko Ferlic on Pexels.com In one of my previous lives as a freelance writer, I was active in the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA). One of ASJA’s yearly efforts was a celebration of the freedom to read through commemorating Banned Books Week, which you can read about here. One year, I … Continue reading “We the Students” Want to Read Banned Books! →

Buzz Saw Ambivalence

The pounding in my head has been almost unbearable. Sporadic, fortunately, but I shudder from its power, reaching for a way to steady myself. Immediately following, moments of relative quiet, then the incessant buzzing—for seconds…then minutes…to an hour at a time. Our neighborhood is in the throes of a necessary but painful clearing of old trees. My mind doesn’t doubt the validity of the decision. My gut and heart feel otherwise.

I Choose Hope for America

President Obama presents Congressman John Lewis with Presidential Medal of Freedom. Image commons.wikimedia.org It feels as though the Doomsday Clock for American democracy and stability took a swing in the wrong direction these past few days. Two greed-driven Democrats whose campaign coffers have been swelling with special interest money even though they’re not up for … Continue reading I Choose Hope for America →

A Millipede Has How Many Legs? (Caution: Trick Question)

And why should we care? If curiosity and learning for learning’s sake aren’t enough, I found this story suggestive of the sweep of history and millipedes’—and our—places within it. Please accompany me on this creepy-crawly journey that, despite the overly ambitious topic, I’ve tried to keep mercifully brief.

Presenting the First Thanksgiving as Seen by Native Americans

With the belief that our nation becomes stronger as we examine the times that we've failed, sometimes grievously, to live up to our ideals, I'm providing this story assembled by The Washington Post. he Myth of Thanksgiving" explores the storied first Thanksgiving dinner between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe in Massachusetts on the anniversary of its 400-year occurrence. The article places the events in context and brings us up to date on the fate of the tribe--and of Indigenous people in the US generally.

An Acrostic for Love and Luck, Plus World Children’s Day

Photo by Steve Johnson on Pexels.com B ought at a Dollar Store’s adieu sale A leafy stalked duo graced our table for M ore than two years; then decay crept in. B argaining for lengthened time with us, to O utwit apoptosis, I severed leaves from stalks. O ver time, new roots promise love and … Continue reading An Acrostic for Love and Luck, Plus World Children’s Day →

WE WUZ HACKED!

--Or at least our bank was, and that's pretty creepy, don't you think?

The letter from the bank about this turn of events seemed ominous. First, it was dated November 3 and arrived on November 9. That meant, we suspected, that the evil-doers had had nearly a week to do their evil without our knowledge. Why was our bank so lackadaisical?

President Biden as Dynamo (!)

He’s the guy with falling poll numbers. Pundits have laid Virginia’s gubernatorial loss at his feet and have depicted his Presidency as a growing disaster. The right wing claims he’s senile and bumbling (unlike their purported hero, who sounds increasingly unhinged with every public appearance). But the person I saw on the news this morning was an ebullient leader who faced the press in a winning lap after the bipartisan passage of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. He was cogent, calm, and humorous as he described the contents of this bill that will become law as soon as he signs it.

WHAT Did They Say About Judicial Activism?

Remember when we used to hear about the “judicial activism” by a left-leaning court? Sounds kinda quaint now that the 6-3 Republican majority on the Supreme Court (with no less than three Trump appointees, thanks to Mitch McConnell) has gone even further toward nullification of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and protecting the dark money that undermines the legislative process...

Is One Michigan County an Important Electoral Bellwether?

I just read a 62-page article (big type, lots of pictures!) in POLITICO Magazine that provides an interesting perspective—especially after the Republican Senators’ predictable but still distressing refusal to even allow discussion of S.1, the voting rights bill. The article, written by Zack Stanton, is titled: “As Long as the Party Embraces Trump, It’s Going to Have Trouble.”

This President Goes Where None Has Gone Before…

Save draft Preview(opens in a new tab) Publish Add title This President Goes Where None Has Gone Before... Biden Delivers Remarks To Commemorate 100th Anniversary ... The above video is almost 43 minutes long, but it gives an extraordinary view of President Biden expanding his leadership by assuming the roles of teacher/historian—even as he accelerates his role as Healer-in-Chief. When President Biden traveled to Tulsa to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the decimation of Greenwood, a section of the city that was called “the Black Wall Street,” he described in often graphic detail the horrors that happened there... He also tied such events—and the pervasive institutional racism still existing—to the need for the programs he’s proposed to help affected communities achieve the economic stability of home ownership and entrepreneurship, which the people of Greenwood and elsewhere had created of their own volition before the 1921 massacre.

Can Fannie Lou Hamer Save Our Democracy?

Marc Elias of Democracy Docket, whom I’ve written about before, is one of the most deeply committed individuals at the forefront of our battle to combat voter suppression. He was constantly in the courtroom during the post-2020 election challenges, beating back all the phony claims, and he’s fighting the good fight once again. In the May 25th issue of Democracy Docket, he describes a precedent set by civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer in the 1960s that could be employed today against anyone who is elected to office where voting discrimination has occurred.

Our Dickensian Moment…

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” I was struck by how appropriate Dickens’ famous opening words are to our current American crisis. Dickens, however, was speaking of A Tale of Two Cities. Our situation can, sadly, be described as “A Tale of Two Countries.”

OOPS–The Dark Money Folks Learn Conservatives Hate Dark Money Too!

“Unfortunately, we’ve found that [inhibiting billionaires from buying elections] is a winning message, for both the general public and also conservatives. It was most persuasive, convincing, riled them up the most.” New Yorker writer Jane Mayer acquired a leaked tape about a meeting of right-wing groups intent on killing HR.1.

This Time, Some Better News About Guns: A Reblog in Appreciation of the Biden-Harris Plans to Treat Our Public Health Epidemic

As the outlook for sensible gun safety legislation isn't positive right now, we are fortunate that the Biden-Harris administration has created a significant six-part program to reduce gun violence. Parts of it mesh well with information I came across in 2019 about evidence-based programs that were working, but lost their funding. Both the relevant aspects of the new administration plan and my earlier blog appear here.

YET ANOTHER COVID-RELATED WORRY…

I’m sorry to do this to you—I really am. Haven’t we had enough stories about being careful during this damn pandemic? But I think you’ll want to consider the implications of this one... Apparently, the Covid throwaway detritus—the single-use gloves (often latex) and face masks (usually with rubber strings and made of polypropylene, a thermoplastic fabric)—has been identified as an “emerging threat” to animals.

Georgia’s Voter Suppression Law Is Only the Beginning

When President Biden stressed in his first formal press conference that our times are being marked by the battle between autocracy and democracy, he wasn't just speaking about other countries. He was stressing what's happening right here, in the US. Right now! I am reblogging this post from TokyoSand at politicalcharge.org because it contains both the sense of urgency and some valuable resources for anyone who wants to learn more and/or donate to the pro-democracy Georgia organizations who are at the forefront of the battle.

WOULD YOU–WILL YOU–SUPPORT “THE DEMOCRACY PLEDGE”?

“Voters’ voices are loud, but for corporate America, consumers’ voices are louder. So, folks, let’s let them hear our voice.” The speaker is Glenn Kirschner, a former federal prosecutor and cofounder of a new effort called “The Democracy Pledge.” He's describing this campaign on a podcast.

SAVING OUR DEMOCRACY, PART 4 (and the last on this subject for now)

In truth, I hadn’t planned a fourth segment. But when I turned to Friday’s New York Times editorial page, this headline called to me: “Save Democracy: Kill the Filibuster.” So even though the filibuster has been discussed in the first three parts of this series, how could I ignore this piece? It sorta felt this was the right place to rest the series—at least for now. (And a four-part series has a kind of nice symmetry to me.)

SAVING OUR DEMOCRACY, PART 2

A friend who’s not all that interested in politics asked me the other day why, if President Biden ran on bipartisanship, everything he’s proposing is now being rejected by the Republicans. I responded that the American Rescue Plan, which will soon pass the Senate and be signed into law, has nationwide bipartisan support: 75% of the public support it, including 60% of Republicans. But the Republicans in both chambers have not been willing to legislate for some time. Thomas L. Friedman, a New York Times opinion columnist who I find generally hews toward the middle politically, minced no words in a recent essay titled: ”What Trump, San Francisco and the Deer in My Backyard Have in Common.” The subtitle was “Democracy depends on understanding the connection.” (emphases mine throughout)

SAVING OUR DEMOCRACY, PART 1

NOTE: While we are becoming accustomed to the idea of a "normal" president doing presidential work, we must not be complacent. The battle to return the Trumpian Republican Party to power is in full swing--in both the national and state legislatures. As historian Heather Cox Richardson points out below, this is not--must not be--a partisan issue. I am printing Richardson's recent column below. I began to emphasize the passages I felt were most important by using the bold font--but found I was bolding just about every paragraph.

“Gumbo Diplomacy”

As we near the end of this year’s commemoration of Black History Month, it seems appropriate to pay tribute to a woman whose life story is that of a Black American girl who rose from humble beginnings in the segregated South to a place of honor and influence in our country. I hope you’ll spend 10 minutes watching this TedTalk video of Linda Thomas-Greenfield, our newly appointed ambassador to the United Nations, as she describes overcoming adversity and being strengthened by it--with compassion, kindness, and a smile.

Backstage in My Blog World: An Explanation and an Apology–Revisited

NOTE: I have had a more-than-usual amount of crappy tech snafus in my blogging and personal life the past few days. Rather than bore you with all the bytes that bit me, I decided to reblog one of my earliest posts--written shortly after I began this blog two years ago. I'd like to think I've become slightly more technically adept since then, but... Some of the explanatory material about WP was necessary because at the time I had more email subscribers than fellow bloggers. I had fun writing this piece, and I hope you'll have fun reading it.

Winning Over White Supremacists–One Hater at a Time

I am writing this piece with images of the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol still very fresh in my mind. It is a huge stretch to think of those brutal, sadistic, remorseless thugs and imagine summoning an iota of compassion for them. But others of their ilk--and many psychologists and researchers--say that’s precisely what’s needed. They call themselves the “formers”: former Klansman, neo-Nazis, or generic white supremacists or other racial extremists who are now devoted to guiding those who’d followed similar paths to come to a better life.

PRESIDENT BIDEN IS KEEPING HIS PROMISES

I don’t think it’s too early to give a shoutout to our new President for seizing the initiative on important issues that he stressed in his campaign. He started off with a dizzying flourish of Executive Orders, which are cited here. He’s working tirelessly and smartly to demonstrate to the Republicans in Congress how popular his $1.9 trillion Covid assistance package is by going directly to the people. He’s met with mayors and governors who are desperate for help from the federal government. Tuesday night, he went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for his first town hall as President, answering questions from the public in great detail. Some polls are now showing that 75% of the public support this bill.

Keeping Our Eyes Where We Don’t Want Them To Be…

When I saw my gastro Monday morning, I told him how much better I was feeling. And the light bulb had gone off. My GI system almost instantaneously expressed its enormous gratitude and relief when Joe Biden replaced Donald Trump in the Oval Office “You’re not the only one of my patients who’ve said that,” the good doctor informed me. All this prelude is to tell you how much I want to forget about Donald Trump. I embrace his absence with my head, heart, and gut. Good riddance and all that! But I strongly suspect that we must keep that weather eye open.

An Alternate View of Black History Month

There's no doubt that we Americans need to know more about Black history. There's also no doubt that even as we recognize the need to root out white supremacy and institutional racism in all its manifestations, more and more white Americans have become aware of the racial injustices that continue to mar our country as we seek to live up to our ideals. But is a "celebration of Black History Month" a meaningful contribution to that moral imperative? Ernest Owens, a journalist in Philadelphia, thinks not.

WHEN HUNTERS BECOME PROTECTORS…

This is a story of changed hearts leading to changed behavior—in the backdrop of climate change. Spanning more than 15 years, it has heroes and villains, triumphs and tragedies, and a mostly happy ending—perhaps. As I can’t do justice to the drama and complexity here, I encourage you to read it in its entirety in the Daily Beast.

“The Enemy Is Within” (An Acrostic for Nancy Pelosi)

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, reacting to elected members who are threatening their fellow Representatives, said that "The Enemy Is Within." This acrostic is an homage to Pelosi, her colleagues and staffers--some across the aisle--who are laboring under the terrible circumstances her comment laments.

Who Was Jon Swift?

No—I’m not referring familiarly to the Gulliver’s Travels guy here. This Jon Swift, I’ve learned recently, was a legendary figure in the blogosphere. There’s a connection between the two, of course. But I’m getting ahead of myself. In early December, I received an email from a man name Batocchio, with a lovely invitation. Would I be interested in submitting my favorite post from my blog to The 2020 Jon Swift Roundup: “The Best Posts of the Year, Chosen by the Bloggers Themselves”?

Pre-Inauguration Messages of Hope

Apart from grieving for our nation, I feel a personal sadness for our President-elect. He is by so many accounts one of the most decent, compassionate, honorable individuals in politics today. His experience makes him uniquely qualified to address the nearly overwhelming problems our nation faces. He has wisely chosen extraordinary individuals to help him in his formidable task. He has reached the pinnacle of an ambition he's held for his entire adult life. Similarly, our Vice President-elect. This should be an unvarnished time of personal pride for Kamala Harris. The first woman, African-American, individual of Indian descent to ascend to this high office, she has demonstrated her brilliance, strength, accomplishments, and yes--compassion. Yet when Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr is sworn in as our 46th President tomorrow outside our nation's Capitol, and Kamala Harris becomes that multiple glass ceiling-breaker Vice President, the area will look like a war zone because of insurrection by extremists goaded by Biden's predecessor.

Got Inner Critic(s)? Meet Annie’s and mine

I was delighted to receive an invitation from fellow blogger da-AL to be a guest writer on her blog, happinessbetweentails.com. You can read about her many talents there. The fun part was that da-AL took “My Attempts to Play Nice With My Inner Critic” and added her own thoughts to the post she titled: “Got Inner Critic(s)? Meet Annie’s and mine.” So this post is a two-fer! Click on “View original post” below–and you’ll see da-AL’s thoughts, followed by mine.

But nobody’s offered me a solution to my dilemma yet. Perhaps you will?

Happiness Between Tails by da-AL

Charles Schultz, the creator of “Peanuts,” did other stuff besides that comic strip. It’s said he battled his own gang of gremlins. Lucy, the psychiatrist from hell, for one… Charles Schultz, the creator of “Peanuts,” made other work besides that comic strip. It’s said he battled his own gang of gremlins. Lucy, the psychiatrist from hell, for one. (Peanuts image courtesy of pixy.org)

My inner jerks specialize in novel writing. Inner criticizing is just the beginning — they’re outer and everywhere.

A tongue-twisting ditty to be sung to whatever tune strikes your fancy:

“Here a critic… There a critic… Everywhere a crit, critty, critical critic…”

Moreover, mine barge in with droves of friends.

Have you got any? If not, how the heck do you pull that off?

I could list mine for days and days: Why you takin’ so long with them books you keep talkin’ ‘bout? Ya really gotta do that instead of this or those things or them stuff right now? Lookie here, there’s this to do that’s way more pressing and tons more fun! You’re wasting…

View original post 1,279 more words

President Obama Places the Capitol Police Actions in Context

Former President Barack Obama’s denunciation of the Capitol riot and Trump’s incitement, aided by Republican elected officials, gained a great deal of press. You can read it here. But there was less coverage of one of his tweets that I felt was extremely important.

AMERICA: WHAT DO WE DO NOW? (Part 2)

An incredibly brave Not-Soon-Enough-President Biden boldly denounced both Trump-the-inciter and the “domestic terrorists” (good for him for using the term) who ransacked the Capitol last Wednesday. It’s worth noting that Biden has stated that he’d decided he had to run for President after Charlottesville, when Trump referred to the white supremacists as some of the “good people on both sides.” Even before he selected Kamala Harris as his running mate, they had both framed this election against Trump as the “battle for the soul of the nation.” And though the election is over, that battle is not.

AMERICA: WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

I thought I was done with Trump. I hoped never to write about the man again. But what he and his supporters are threatening to do to our democracy today is beyond the beyond. How do we respond? And, my thoughtful readers from other countries whose lives are intertwined with ours, I welcome your perspectives too. We clearly need all the help we can get.

Those Prize-Winning “Genetic Scissors” May Revolutionize Disease Treatment

In October, 2020, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to two women for their discovery of a method in the field of genetics with far-ranging applications. The Nobel Committee, in its announcement, called their effort: “Genetic scissors: a tool for rewriting the code of life”

IS IT TIME TO VIEW SOCIAL MEDIA AS FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER?

If you heard that more than 89 million households worldwide had watched a particular film on Netflix during the first week after its release, you’d think something monumental was occurring, wouldn’t you? The Social Dilemma, a documentary-drama about the role of technology in our lives, garnered all those viewers. ...“Nothing vast enters the world of mortals without a curse.”

Why Does the Justice Department Say a Sitting President Can’t Be Indicted? The Original Rationale’s Kinda Mind-Blowing…

I missed this story the first time around in 2019, but I think it’s worth covering now as Donald Trump fades into the sunset (a little wishful thinking on my part) and we review how we got to where we are—and where we may need to change our procedures. This need for reexamination covers many areas, but the Justice Department’s a big one.... It appears that Trump might owe a debt of gratitude to Spiro Agnew. Spiro who? Spiro Agnew, Richard Nixon’s Vice President at the time of the Watergate scandal. But this policy is unrelated to Watergate—or even to the President directly. That’s what makes it so very odd.

RAGE…DISGUST…COMPASSION…SADNESS…HOPE?

Last night, I finished reading Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own. The author, Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., is a Distinguished Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University. ... Though Glaude speaks of Baldwin’s rage, and his own rage, the rage that came to mind when I started this piece is mine.

Wondering Why the Election Ran So Smoothly After All? Here’s One Big Reason…

Russian meddling…Chinese meddling…even Iranian meddling. Deliberate sabotage of the US Postal Service equipment and personnel practices. Announced plans that would suppress the vote in predominantly minority areas by diminishing the number of available voting locations.... “Congress really failed our election officials,” said Liz Howard of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.

About Those First-Ever Covid-19 Vaccines Nearing Approval…

I think I’m like many Americans—probably many people worldwide—in my reactions to the news that two vaccines appear close to receiving FDA approval and the beginnings of distribution. A total of five are currently in phase 3 (safety trials). With the numbers of people infected and dying seemingly out of control, we are clearly in dire conditions and in desperate need of effective interventions. No question. My Concerns…

A Bunch of Reasons for Which I’m Thankful…

This is long, but if you really want to get a sense of where President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are in terms of their thinking about America's place in the world--and the interrelationship between foreign policy and our nation's families--it's well-worth watching. I'm thinking not only of American readers of my blog who may not have seen this presentation, but also our many friends around the world who have been fearful and flabbergasted as they've watched the current administration over the past four years.

Letter to a Dying Friend

My husband and I lost a decades-long, treasured friend in October, nearly two months after we first learned that he’d been hospitalized with a dire combination of heart, lung, and kidney failure. We’d spoken with him when he’d been moved to a care center, and he said then that he’d had enough—no more procedures, no more indignities....But he wasn’t as ready then as he’d thought. When he came home from the care center, he had some good time with his family. He told us he was spending most of the day out of bed, walking with a walker, and that his arms and legs were getting stronger.

Post-Election Good News…

IT'S OFFICIAL: JOSEPH ROBINETTE BIDEN, JR., IS NOW THE 46TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. There will be much discussion about the meaning, trends, and implications of this election, and the results were not without disappointments. But it's too soon for all those debates. At this point, I'm simply offering my top-of-mind list of what I perceive to be the positives for our country.

This Huge Issue Is Also On The Ballot…

There are tons of issues on the ballot when we cast our votes for either Donald Trump or Joe Biden. One of these issues has vast ramifications in our society. It’s complex, and I can’t do justice to it here. This isn't a new issue, but I think it’s just beginning to get the attention it deserves...It’s how we define masculinity in America. Specifically, it’s what’s called “toxic masculinity” or “hyper-masculinity.” (It has nothing to do with gender: it can be found among some gay men as well as heterosexual men.)

In Recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (With a Big Assist From a Dynamo Fellow Blogger)

My mother had bilateral mastectomies—five years apart. I vividly recall that shortly after she was first diagnosed, she called me into her room to show me the spot on her breast: no discernible lump—just a horizontal line masking the cancerous cells below. She wanted to alert me in case I ever saw something similar on my own body. She/we were lucky: after the distressing surgeries, she needed no follow-up treatment and died at age 83 of heart failure. Many women—and some men—are not so lucky.

“Something Is Not Right Around the Court…”

At the hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump's ultra-conservative nominee to replace the late liberal giant Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Dem, RI) gave a remarkably clear and extremely important tutorial on the forces that are really moving the Supreme Court's decision-making in ways large and small...I hope you will view this video, which succinctly captures so much about why our government is failing to meet the needs of the American people.

“BATTLE for the SOUL of the NATION”

I am including this video of the speech Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden delivered at Gettysburg in its entirety because I think it gives a good overview of the man and his values. I hope you’ll spend the full 22 minutes to watch it....I am as eager that it be seen and heard by folks outside the US as by American voters because I know the world needs reassurance that most of us in the US have not gone crazy.

Expanding the Definition of “Pro-Life”

I noticed it first when I watched Elizabeth Neumann speak about her reasons for resigning from her position as the Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary of Threat Prevention and Security Policy. She was tasked with following right-wing threats inside the United States, and she emphatically stated that President Trump had made her job harder. 

Ready for “One Person, One Vote”? We’re Not That Far Off…

“Be it resolved,” writes Annie, “that since this is my blog, I can talk about the Electoral College without giving the arguments in its favor.” Those who disagree are free to do so with your comments. There’s always a lot of talk about getting rid of the Electoral College, and then we get the litany of reasons why it’s needed. Such a situation brought me to this post.

THE TRUMPIAN AUDIT…WITH SOME POST-DEBATE COMMENTS

NOTE: I composed the acrostic below before last night’s debacle. I thought about not posting it because it seems almost quaint today. However, as I mull over Trump’s performance in the debate, I wonder whether the recent disclosures of his mounting financial problems—and the evidence many of us have long suspected that his alleged empire and fabulous wealth are in fact a house of cards—contributed to his unhinged performance.