In Robert Reich’s Facebook post of November 4, 2013, he writes, “The biggest irony of the last three decades is that the football field of American politics has moved to the right just as most Americans have slid downward. Ever since Ronald Reagan first peddled the snake oil of trickle-down economics, the rich have received…
Of Mushroom Clouds and Old Bastards by Randall Auxier These are famous images from the infamous “Daisy” TV ad created for the Lyndon Johnson campaign of 1964. The little girl picks petals from a daisy, counting upward to ten. Being so very young, she makes mistakes. As she reaches ten a booming, disembodied voice counts…
It is hard to believe that in this day and age there are still people who deny the fact of climate change brought on by global warming, despite virtual unanimity among scientists regarding not only the fact of global warming but also the fact that humans are at least partly responsible. But a recent study…
One of the more disturbing consequences of the growth of capitalism and the attendant world view that insists on measuring success in terms of income and possessions is the dissolution of the family. This may seem a strange claim to make, but when one considers the factors involved it will hold up to scrutiny. In…
In the Wikipedia discussion of nuclear weapons, we are told that “A thermonuclear weapon weighing little more than 2,400 pounds (1,100 kg) can produce an explosive force comparable to the detonation of more than 1.2 million tons (1.1 million tonnes) of TNT. Thus, even a small nuclear device no larger than traditional bombs can devastate an…
Easy as 3-6-9 by Randall Auxier At the moment, a dollar will buy you 6 Swedish Crowns, roughly. The Swedes decided not to convert to the euro, a decision that is looking better every day. It comes as no surprise to the Swedes. It is not that Swedes can’t be surprised, but perhaps…
The Curse (of the Curse) of Babe Ruth by Randall Auxier Cubs fans, take a knee. This concerns your souls and you need to listen. I have a message for you from the Baseball Gods. I don’t know why they chose me, a Cardinals devotee, (with some Braves leanings on the side), as the…
There is no mention of corporations in either the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States. But as early as 1819 in Dartmouth College vs. Woodward the Supreme Court suggested that corporations were entitled to make and enforce contracts, thus implying early on that they should be treated as persons with rights…
“Dangerous Crosswinds May Exist” by Randall Auxier I mentioned in my last P&P post that I had been driving along “Future I-26 West” in North Carolina. As we always do these days, my spouse looked it up to see what was going on. The wireless modem has replaced family sing-alongs, but I’m not sorry…
The student protests in this country during the turbulent 1960s led by well-intentioned, idealistic young people, seem to have marked the death-throes of the American spirit. Directed as it was, unsuccessfully, against the “establishment” of materialistic, commercial and militaristic power that increasingly controlled this country, the effort sought in its blind way to breathe life…