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Happy Presidents Day. Ann Telnaes comments:
We welcome John Oliver back, after three months away, with his main segment not just on ICE but the overall Homeland Security structure and scandal, including a mini-history that many have forgotten.
Paul Krugman with one “positive” note on Trump killing U.S. efforts to slow climate change:
If there’s any good news here, it is that from a global point of view this malignancy may not matter very much. America is not the world. In fact, at this point we’re responsible for only a small fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions.
So America’s hard turn against renewables and climate action won’t be decisive for the climate future as long as other countries continue to move ahead on green energy, which they are. For the most part, all MAGA will do is help make the United States backward, poorer, sicker and irrelevant.
Compare and contrast. First, the NY Times’ bland take on Marco Rubio’s speech this past weekend:
Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, stressed Christian and cultural ties between Europe and the U.S. in his speech in Munich, but that excludes large parts of Europe’s population.
And Heather Cox Richardson’s:
His description of that shared heritage reflected the Trump administration’s fantasy past….Rubio’s version of history echoes that of the Nazis during World War II and ignores the strength of the real multicultural history of the United States. European leaders wanted no part of it.
Last night “The Simpsons” aired its 800th episode. Matt Groening, now 72, claims there’s no end in sight for the series: “I’m not going to be the guy that says it’s over.” A look back at fears when Trump was about to take office in 2017:
For the holiday, Marvin Gaye’s relatively little-known version of “Abraham, Martin and John.”
And a more upbeat Smokey and the Miracles:
From Tunes to Toons
Bramhall:
Anderson:
Royaards:
Brodner on Bobby’s viral quote and parody of The New Yorker’s Eustace Tilly:
Photo Finish
From my camera to you, “Bird, Horse, God, Paris.”
The Marvin Gaye song brought tears to my eyes.
Everyone who travels to Paris wants to get a good photo of the Eiffel Tower. Most (including mine) are trite and similar to thousands of others. This one is a triumph!