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Pam Bondi Has Same Stench As John Mitchell
Being a decades-long Richard Nixon history buff allows me, at times, to put current political events in the context of what our nation endured in the 1970s. As news gleefully spread that Pam Bondi was removed as the attorney general today, it was a natural connection for me to think about John Mitchell, the attorney general during… Continue reading
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Donald Trump At Supreme Court vs. America
It was perhaps the ugliest scene yet from the second term of the Donald Trump administration. As the Supreme Court prepared to hear oral arguments in one of the most unconstitutional cases in many terms, the originator of the undermining of the 14th Amendment left the White House and sat in a front row seat,… Continue reading
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Wisconsin Journalist Shelly Kittleson: Truth Tellers Must Not Be Silenced
The news of Wisconsin journalist Shelly Kittleson being kidnapped in Iraq is unacceptable. News reports place her hometown as Monticello, Wisconsin. Her work as a journalist specialising in the Middle East and Afghanistan is published in international, US, and Italian outlets. Iraq’s Ministry of Interior said that security forces have launched an operation to track… Continue reading
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Sordid Money Dealings, Unchecked Narcissism, Outright Lies, Abusing Military Assets, Just Another Day In Donald Trump’s Absurdity
Just another Tuesday afternoon in Donald Trump’s world of absurdities. I jotted down a few notes as I meandered my way through the news today. It feels like norms, adherence to rules, and common sense have departed from a huge swath of the Trump White House and this administration. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s broker at… Continue reading
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Letter From Home: “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah And A White Pine, Too” 3/30/26
There are those days in life when you must stop and slow down, recognizing that what is playing out is truly wonderful. Not because you are on vacation or won the lottery. As the day is put into perspective, all the events are rather ordinary. Yet putting them together, and taking nothing for granted, they… Continue reading
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Republicans Are In A Pickle, A Very Sour One
One fact struck me this weekend as the No Kings rallies garnered huge turnouts nationwide. Not only were the rallies aimed at underscoring the need to strengthen democratic institutions, rejecting authoritarianism, and denouncing the Iran War, but they happened everywhere. They were held in all 50 states. They were held in every congressional district, including… Continue reading
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Book Journey Through History
Every summer, since the mid-1990s, I have selected a topic to read and explore. One year, it was Catherine the Great, then Russian history, and another year, Mao Zedong consumed my attention. This year, I am not sure which direction to head. So, over the past couple of weeks, I have spent time on the… Continue reading
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Dean Richards: A Chicago Voice We Counted On
On this blustery Saturday, when a heavy coat is needed when walking outside, I sit at my desk to write what I hope will be a warm column about Dean Richards. This is one of those pieces that are from a list of topics needing a comment or two, but get left behind, given the… Continue reading
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New Doty Land Podcast: Historical Nuggets With Thomas Jefferson, Harry Truman, And Teddy Roosevelt
Quick and memorable historical stories with high production values. Bipartisanship comes alive with Harry Truman and Arthur Vandenberg; Thomas Jefferson wants Italian musicians in our military band; and Teddy Roosevelt skinny-dips in the Potomac River. Gregory Humphrey makes the past witty and interesting. Continue reading
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Would We Begrudge Melania Trump Outsourcing Her “Eiffel Duties”?
I need not write that she is the most unrelatable First Lady this nation has ever had. Having said that, however, she could make a move that would allow us to consider her at least remotely human if she explored the possibility of hiring a robot to handle her “Eiffel duties”. I can see Melania… Continue reading
