Dec 22, 2022World Cup 2022: Racial Comity, Teamwork, and Grit — on Winning DisplayOnce again, the World Cup — soccer’s quadrennial battle royal — gave a troubled and weary world more than enough dazzling athleticism to marvel at, demonstrating once again what feats of physical skill some who walk among us can deliver. No wonder audiences tuning in numbered in the billions: Soccer…Sports10 min readSports10 min read
Dec 18, 2022Barbarism Normalized: Civilians Bombed or Freezing, Journalists AssassinatedHope springs: Strong-man rule got punched in the nose in late 2022. The world-wide trend toward autocracy and away from democracy and human rights has been paused. How so? And for how long? In the U.S., proto-autocrat Donald Trump came up a loser, big-time, when candidates spouting his absurd rigged…Politics6 min readPolitics6 min read
Nov 17, 2022In a Plague-Time Extended: COVID Hits Home — FinallyTwenty-fourth in an ongoing series, Notes from a Plague-Time “Everybody will get it.” By now, deep into the third year of the COVID pandemic, we all know what is meant by “it”: “It” is the coronavirus that ignited a public health crisis worldwide. And the “everybody” who will get “it”…Covid 199 min readCovid 199 min read
Nov 10, 2022American Voters Saved American Democracy!Did America just break its MAGA fever? Did American voters in this historic midterm election just save American democracy from election-denying anti-democrats espousing violence? Did America just yank itself off the path to fascism? As the shock recedes and sense can be made, it seems, yes: American voters have indeed…Politics5 min readPolitics5 min read
Nov 3, 2022Dear Independent or Undecided Voter: Here’s Your Midterm Crib-SheetFourth in a special series, Midterm Alerts Dear Independent or Undecided Voter: So, the midterm elections are next Tuesday, November 8. Whether you planned to vote or not, I hope you will hear out this pitch from a Democrat — a moderate one — asking that you do vote…Politics6 min readPolitics6 min read
Nov 1, 2022Will There Be Blood?: How Biden — and Voters — Can Quell the MAGA ThreatThird in a special series, Midterm Alerts [The following contains violent content. Voter discretion is sincerely invited.] The deadly assault on the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — second in the line of succession to the presidency — raises the level of dread all around in these already-fraught midterm…Politics8 min readPolitics8 min read
Oct 26, 2022Sky-High Corporate Profits Constitute Half — HALF — of Sky-High Inflation: Message THAT, Dems!Second in a special series, Midterm Alerts If you always suspected that corporate greed, while rewarding those in corporate suites, is bad for all the rest of us, Congresswoman Katie Porter just provided proof. She also provided a wowser “closing argument” for Democrats — about the killer issue of inflation…Politics5 min readPolitics5 min read
Oct 20, 2022Deny the Election-Deniers Any Victory — and Stop Our Anti-Democratic Slide (Midterm Alert)First in a special series, Midterm Alerts Republicans would like us to believe that the coming midterm elections are strictly about inflation and crime. Well, they are, but not strictly. There is instead another overarching issue that Republicans would like us to ignore. But, yes, the latest inflation figures confirm…Politics7 min readPolitics7 min read
Oct 12, 2022Iran’s Astonishing Women and Girls, Sparking a People’s RevolutionLeave it to suffering humanity, suffering the unendurable, to articulate the bedrock essence for dignified human life. In this case — this revolutionary case — it is the women and girls of Iran who are throwing off their chains — their encumbering hijabs and chadors — in the aftermath of…Politics7 min readPolitics7 min read
Oct 1, 2022Ukraine, Reborn, Deserves a Just End to Putin’s Criminal WarThis jaded and cynical world is seeing something new: A tragic and traumatized nation — Ukraine — is creating its own New Day. Ukraine gives the lie to the Biblical pronouncement “There is nothing new under the sun.” There is something new: A people, heels on the abyss, their numbers…Politics10 min readPolitics10 min read