Two stories jumped out at me as I read The New York Times. One was the obituary of Robert Mueller and the other was a short piece about people in Odessa, Ukraine. The death of Robert Mueller was a prominent headline. He is especially remembered as the special counsel overseeing the investigations of alleged Russian…

Increasingly, I find myself thinking about the nameless people who are the victims of violence brought about by shameless politicians and authoritarian leaders. The Ukraine War, the Israeli destruction of Gaza and the Iran War have killed or maimed thousands of people, civilians and others whose fate has put them in the middle of geopolitical…

I have long worried about Russian aggression as a threat that never seems to be fully addressed. This has been highlighted by the ongoing war with Iran. The threat of Iran as a sponsor of terrorism and potential nuclear power has taken on an urgency which somehow needs to be addressed immediately, while Putin’s Russia…

If you turn on the television or pick up a newspaper, all the news is about the war with Iran. So far the bombing’s only success has been the “obliterating” of all other headlines. It is as if the world has taken a time out so that Americans can rush headlong into the abyss of…

Where are you right now? Trying to digest the latest news brought to you by the Trump administration or just too busy to be concerned? Or, perhaps, you are one of those who eschew the news and politics out of contempt for all things political. Worst yet, are you a silent MAGA type filled with…

Recently, a friend* turned me on to a book that I thought I should share with you. It’s a most informative book and a great read. The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King by Rich Cohen (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012, 242 pp.) received rave reviews when first…

Everyone knewWhat to expectThe President speakingLike the Indians sayWith a “forked tongue”Spewing lies and hateSewing seeds of discordSame ploy alwaysSeeking power and winsAnything goes The nation limps alongRife with woundsSolving naughtThe wars continueUnrest at homeThe losers Americans all What hurts the mostIs our fraudulent selvesOur failure to seeComplicity and contemptCombined to excuseThe sin of fear The…

I frequently ask myself why voters don’t elect better people to represent them. A quick poll of elected office holders around the country tells us that there are plenty of questionable representatives holding office who repeatedly get reelected. The framers of our Constitution gave us a splendid, if imperfect, government; they seemed to think of…

Birds fly Our airlines try Without the grace With great effort Smoke and noise For what, you ask For speed and ego Cause we can But why, I wonder Given the labor The hurried time Rush to the seats Stacked like sardines Uncomfortable Bored The fat man near Taking up your space A promise of…

I’ve been out of town for several days and just got back after a wonderful time visiting friends and family in Texas. The trip back was a bit dicey as high winds bounced us about and we landed during a tornado watch. Safely home, I was happy to take up my morning ritual with the…