Waiting for Godot Shimkus
Our representative in Congress, John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15), doesn’t believe in facing his constituents in town-hall meetings.
“If Trump were more rational and more competent”
George Packer: “If Trump were more rational and more competent, he might have a chance of destroying our democracy.”
Lucy, seeress
Lucy fears that the new Head Beagle will ruin everything.
“Past events”
From Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Extending a metaphor
The shit will continue to hit the fan with tiny fecal hands, knocking the fan off the tabletop (it’s a table fan) and making a mess everywhere.
“No challenge is to great”
I agree: it’s a “glaring typo,” or a glaring example of a common confusion of words.
Dictionaries rising
From the Fashion and Style pages of The New York Times, a report on increased interest in dictionaries.
Ties, misspellings, typos
Is the seeming ineptness real?
“Not even the President”
Bob Ferguson, Washington Attorney General, commenting on the decision of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals not to reinstate the president’s travel ban: “No one is above the law, not even the President.”
Gaslighting, moonlighting
It looks like our president is writing for Lifehacker.
Dream pants
Three-dimensional pants, designed by a descendant of Linus van Pelt, marketed under the Trump label.
Daniel Schorr on journalism, politics, and truth
A useful reminder that before Trump there was Bush the Second. And before him, Richard Nixon.
#grabyourwallet
A new website for the discriminating shopper.
Inept, or radical, or both?
Jonathan Stevenson, former staff member at the National Security Council, asks and answers a question.
Frederick who?
Does Dunning K. Trump think Frederick Douglass is a living human being? Does he have any idea what Frederick Douglass is known for?
Jon Stewart plays president
“Super-long tie, dead animal on head.”
“He will fail” (let’s hope)
Writing in The Atlantic , Eliot A. Cohen says that life under Trump will get worse, not better, “as power intoxicates Trump and those around him.” But, Cohen says, Trump will finally fail.
Life imitates Gilmore Girls (and doesn’t)
“You mean people would rather vote for a moronic twink who they liked over someone who could actually do the job?”
Things to do
Contact your representative. Contact your senators. And for academics only: Sign a petition.
Things to do
Join the American Civil Liberties Union.
Then and now
“Nonetheless, through a combination of intentional propaganda and general paranoia, the perception gained traction that America was being swamped with exiles to the point where millions of jobs and democracy itself were at risk.”
Rewriting the past
From Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Don’t know much about an economics book
Wouldn’t such a tariff harm both the Mexican and U.S. economies?
“That bastard Donald Trump”
“Oh my God — it’s the title search for the Rachel property. And guess who owns it!”
10 Actions/100 Days
From the folks who gave us the Women’s March on Washington.
“Alternate” and “alternative” “facts”
Mary Norris on “alternate” and “alternative.”
Dan Rather on these times
“Facts and the truth are not partisan. They are the bedrock of our democracy.”
A Little Golden Book
This Little Golden Book of Alternative Facts.
On the march in Champaign, Illinois
“Youre not doing even a very good gob.”
E. B. White on America Firsters
Fascism, nationalism, and America Firsters.