Author Archives: jsl915@aol.com

“We Need a Donald Trump to Show Some Authoritarian Power,” Governor Le Page snorts. Esme Cribb at TalkingPointsMemo  reports on Le Page’s radio interview.

“Yes, I’ll be in jail if you’re President, because you’ll suspend our judicial system.”

That would be Consortium News’ Robert Parry, who cautions us that: “Not since the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq has Official Washington’s political/punditry class clamored more single-mindedly – and openly – for the U.S. government to commit a … Continue reading →

It started with Ronnie: Paul Campos at Salon describes the way that Reagan ushered in the valorization of stupidity and ignorance as supreme political credentials–thus making the least qualified, most ignorant and dangerous candidates the coolest and most electable.

Long before our “mainstream” broadcast media gave Trump billions of dollars of free advertising, it had made Trump inevitable by choosing to chronicle elections as cute popularity contests, and assiduously avoiding discussions of issues.  The reality show scam has made … Continue reading →

A friend talking about something on youtube: “she dances a Spanish thing with some bloke and a bunch of other folks in costumes.” Paring things down to the artichoke!

Will it take the descendants of slaves to save liberty in this country? I went to a Baptist funeral over the weekend, saying goodbye to the mother of childhood friends. It was incredible seeing people I hadn’t seen in 40 … Continue reading →

because you want to be in a thoughtful, receptive mood when you flock to the Museum of Modern Art October 5-16 for its retrospective of the films of Marlen Khutsiev. I’ve only seen his July Rain, which is quintessential Soviet thaw … Continue reading →

Isn’t it time, now that Trump has pledged to accelerate humanity’s race to extinction, that Hillary started making the environment a campaign issue?

Speaking of S.N. Behrman, I was thinking of his Portrait of Max as I wrote my biography of Alla Osipenko. Behrman foregrounds his friendship with Max Beerbohm, drama critic and humorist and just highly interesting individual. I don’t quite foreground … Continue reading →