A post-election newsletter from a member of Congress proclaimed “Blue Wave.” Other commentators had similar expressions of euphoria. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Yes, the world felt a lot better on Wednesday. Robust turnouts in a variety of races across the country and double-digit margins for Democrats of different ideological stripes were the …
Category: Media
A novel look at Moral Responsibility in the world of A.I.
Culpability by Bruce Holsinger reminds me of nothing so much as Harvard Law Professor Michael Sandel’s course on justice and making ethical decisions, especially when choosing between two, equally problematic alternatives. Holsinger’s novel is set in the era of artificial intelligence. Attorney Noah Cassidy and his wife, Lorelei Shaw, a prominent leader in the field …
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Myth building around slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk
Help me out here. I’m struggling with conflicting messages about Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and inspirational leader especially to young, college-age conservatives. In our ever-escalating culture of violence, his horrific assassination has become the latest prominent expression of solving political disagreements with the trigger or the blade. What perplexes me is the …
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An accomplished journalist’s candid memoir
Lost and Found: Coming of Age in the Washington Press Corps by Ellen Hume captures the idealism of a young reporter, from her early days as a cub in California, moving to the L.A. Times and its Washington Bureau, and her intuitive skills in ferreting out the truth behind the headlines and press releases. As …
Markey fights Trump assault on Massachusetts – and beyond
"All politics is loco," Senator Ed Markey told a gathering of the New England Council on Monday, paraphrasing a favorite saying of House Speaker Tip O'Neill of Cambridge. Just part of the craziness this week is the President's unilateral decision to activate the California national guard and use active duty Marines to control crowd protests …
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Diving deep into the cover-up of Biden’s diminished capacity
Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, was much anticipated, heavily promoted and widely reviewed. It ended up as a three-day story. More than one person has said, “Why bother? We know what it’s about, and Democrats should be looking ahead, not …
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Trump II: two weeks down; 206 to go
Trump world is giving us the "madman theory of foreign policy" and a reign of terror domestically. Around the world, he is fashioning himself as unpredictable and irrational, which comes naturally to him and doesn't have to be "fashioned." Just ask Greenlanders and Panamanians, fearful that he said he'd use force if necessary to take …
Preparing for the New Dystopian Reality?
January 20, 2025. The sun is shining, but it gives no warmth. The air is frigid, and we’re told that it’s going to be getting much colder. Irrespective of changing seasons, things might be consistently unpleasant for the next 1461 days. Donald Trump today took the oath of office to become the 47th president of …
Good news is no news at all
Polls show that two thirds of Americans are mentally exhausted and taking a break from a steady diet of news consumption. Count me among them, at least aspirationally. Since the election, mainstream newspapers, cable and network news have bled readers and viewers, most significantly at CNN and MSNBC. I, too, have simply overdosed on national …
Yes, we can still give thanks!
My stuffing is made. If the weather permits, we'll be together with family for the Thanksgiving holiday. Friends and acquaintances keep reaching out, asking "what are we going to do?" They're not referring to how best to carve the turkey, which football games to watch, or whether to tune in to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day …
Marjorie Arons-Barron 