Santa in the Healdsburg-Tribune-18-DEC-1937
1937 Santa Claus around the world – yikes!
Russia
NiemanLAB – Russian, Chinese, and Iranian media are turning on Trump
Meanwhile, over at NiemanLAB, an interesting analysis of these three “enemies” of the USA and their take on the election campaigns and the presidential prospects compared to 2016. Interesting times we live in? “Intransigence” and “ignorance” Sometimes, last-minute surprises upend the final month of the U.S. presidential race. This year was no exception, with Trump’s … [Read more…]
Kasparov and Gessen – Experiences in Autocracy
From November 16, 2016, Masha Gessen writes in NYRDaily: Autocracy, Rules for Survival: Rule #1: Believe the autocrat. Rule #2: Do not be taken in by small signs of normality. Rule #3: Institutions will not save you. “The national press is likely to be among the first institutional victims of Trumpism. There is no law … [Read more…]
Russian nuclear agency confirms role in rocket test explosion
From the Guardian, Andrew Roth in Moscow, Sat 10 Aug 2019: Rosatom says five staff died in accident that caused radiation levels to spike in Arkhangelsk. Russia’s nuclear energy agency has said an explosion that caused radiation levels to spike in the Arkhangelsk region was caused by an accident during a test of an “isotope … [Read more…]
Disruption games
An analysis from the Guardian (11/19/17) on “Why are libertarians lining up with autocrats to undermine democracy?” is found here. However, the long-term corrosive effect of Russia’s use of disinformation to break down trust in western institutions is hard to measure and may be unmeasurable. What is clear is that it is continuing with the … [Read more…]
The Trumps are a special problem
In the New York Review’s Daily blog, Marilynne Robinson’s essay “Year One: Rhetoric & Responsibility” reminds me that we had a President in Obama who could appreciate her gifts and actually carry on a conversation at this level. I specially like this paragraph: The Trumps are a special problem, unembarrassed money-grubbers in whom other motives … [Read more…]