ON MATTERS OF DUBIOUS INTEREST
I’ve been reading the New York Times daily since I lived in New York in the late 1960s. It was a very different paper (a “paper,” that is) then. Now, despite a few very pertinent newsworthy stories, they are giving us a bunch of lightweight flaky stuff on their web’s front page. You must go below the fold (the double line) to get the real news and opinions. Why is this happening? Continue reading “The No-News NYT”
Here’s all you need to know about Trump’s Correspondents’ Dinner:
President Donald Trump attacked a slew of journalists and some of his favorite political foils at a slimmed-down redo of the White House correspondents’ dinner on Friday, comparing one female reporter to a transgender social media star, mocking politicians’ physical appearances, and bringing his audience to mostly stunned silence for more than an hour before pulling out a red Trump 2028 cap and declaring he was running for another term. Continue reading “Another Day, Another Dinner”
It could have been yesterday that Thomas Brackett Reed (1839–1902), one-time speaker of the House, said this.
What Trump does to your mind—and the sum of human knowledge—was never on better display than in Thursday night’s speech. Continue reading ““They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge.””
Captain: Them sonsabitches. Here we are stuck for over a month now, and nobody will pay the bill to get us out.
First Mate: The Greeks who own this tub got plenty of money. And we can’t even get decent food. Continue reading “On Board an Oil Tanker off Hormuz”
The present heat waves here and in Europe are not just a warning but a forecast. I started writing this blog about climate change in 2019 and after a time gave up on it. Few were listening, and the topic was just too complex and intimidating. Now many everywhere are dying from intense heat and exposure—and the situation is bound to get worse. Continue reading “Death by Heat”
Much ink has been spilled over the Reflecting Pool disaster, so excuse me for adding to the torrent. My partner discovered this picture on Facebook, and it does have its appeal (even if it never gets built) principally because it gives the finger to Trump. Continue reading “Maybe This?”
Vance: They put us up at this crummy hotel while the boss signs his ass away at Versailles. I don’t think he even knows how many disastrous treaties were signed there. And now the peace talks here are going to start again but will probably end up in the toilet. Continue reading “At the Hotel Ceasefire, Geneva”
“We” includes everyone but his investors, that is. For many of us the man typifies arrogance, smugness and swagger. One would think the world’s richest person (at $826 billion and counting) could afford some humility. But with all that money and power, Elon manages to generally behave like a yahoo. He is a very mixed bag of characteristics and has done some good works. I’ll give him credit for that. He’s still a yahoo. Continue reading “Why We Hate Elon Musk”
You know about his obsession with gold. You’ve been appalled with his record of corruption, self-dealing, and the slush fund. Grift and graft. Now he honors himself with a new piece of illegal tender decorated with his grotesque face (Who did his hair for this?) and signature. The bill is also supposed to reflect the country’s 250th anniversary. An old law states that “no living president can appear on currency.” House Republicans are working on bills to void this. Continue reading “It’s Always about Money”
Trump: Bibi, it’s simple. Your thing is just to destroy Iran. Everyone else knows I want peace. Why else would I keep negotiating with these assholes? Your way will keep Hormuz closed forever.
Netanyahu: My friend, you have deliberately kept us out of the negotiations, out of the loop. We went into this as partners, compadres to blow these terrorists to smithereens. Our goal, we agreed, was to knock out the regime, destroy their nuclear program, and annihilate their missile capability. Once you dropped us as a partner you blew any chance for our joint security. Continue reading “Dialogue 2”
Trump: It’s my great pleasure to see you again, Mr. President. No, no groveling, please!
Xi: Did you sleep on the plane?
Trump: Very little. Too busy posting memies on Truth Social. I get so many stupid questions directed at me. Continue reading “Dialogue”