Kamala Harris followed a script Tuesday. It was a solid, made-for-TV script. It wasn’t a knock-out. Trump lost from own goals, which his flagellant faithful always forgive him. If you’re a Harris fan you probably shouldn’t raise your hopes even with that Swift endorsement. It’s not just the electoral college. It’s an electorate inebriated on phony nostalgia, desperate for a nonexistent fantasy that Trump can nevertheless sell like bibles and steaks.
Commentary
Rural Voters Don’t Necessarily Love Walz
The selection of Tim Walz as Kamala Harris’ running mate has sparked a wave of commentary suggesting that simply by elevating a former small-town football coach to the candidacy for vice president, Democrats will naturally secure the allegiance of rural voters nationwide. Not so.
The US Military’s Shift from Terrorism to China and Russia
President Joe Biden’s recent approval of a major shift in U.S. nuclear weapons strategy highlights the attention the country’s national security officials are paying to Chinese ambitions for influence in the world. Over the past decade, the Pentagon’s efforts have shifted back to preparing for what officials call “great power competition” among the U.S., Russia and China.
Gift Card Scams and Failing Regulations
An estimated US$8 billion is stolen annually from seniors age 60 and older through stranger-perpetrated frauds, according to AARP. Increasingly, gift cards are a leading fraud payment method reported by older adults, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Ron DeSantis Is Getting Angrier, and He’s Taking It Out on Florida
DeSantis was always a rage-hampered homunculus, but now that he’s been humiliated on the national stage and his presidential aspirations squashed like a palmetto bug, he’s only gotten angrier. And he’s taking it out on Florida.
Low Wage Work Hurts Employees–And Customers
A business that’s focused on exploiting employees to make those at the top even richer isn’t just bad for workers, but for customers as well. And anyone who’s worked for one of these low-wage companies can tell you those businesses are hardly unique. If we want a strong economy, we need to do more to make sure all workers can make a decent living and feel safe and respected in their workplace.
Why Still a Gap Between Public Opinion and Scientific Consensus on Climate Change?
At least 97% of scientists agree that humanity contributes to climate change, but the same cannot be said for society at large. In the United States, where only 12% of citizens are aware of the scientific community’s near-total unanimity. This is a result of, among other things, disinformation, media portrayals, and cognitive bias.
The Longest Journey: When the Jews of Rhodes Were Deported to Auschwitz
In the Old Town of Rhodesa marble obelisk commemorates the deportation of the island’s small but vibrant Sephardic Jewish community to Auschwitz-Birkenau on July 23, 1944. The 1,700 Jews of Rhodes had the misfortune not only of experiencing deportation late in the war, when Allied victory was almost in sight, but also of enduring the longest journey of any Jewish community sent to Auschwitz — a treacherous voyage that lasted 24 days.
Charisma Drives Trump’s Die-Hard Support
Of all the questions confronting voters in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, few are as puzzling as the seemingly unwavering support for Donald Trump even though he is deeply mired in embarrassing sex scandals and criminal business practices. Part of the reason may be explained by Max Weber, an early 20th century German sociologist and social theorist. At the center of Weber’s thinking about political authority was the word “charisma.”
Reviewing 28 Years of Research Debunks Link Between Cell Phones and Brain Cancer
A systematic review into the potential health effects from radio wave exposure has shown mobile phones are not linked to brain cancer. The review was commissioned by the World Health Organization and is published today in the journal Environment International.
France Debates Le Wokisme
From the Republican party to the far-right National Rally, politicians throughout the conservative spectrum in France and elsewhere have described the opening ceremony’s scenes as “insults to the nation” and largely approached the event as a Trojan horse for the “woke ideology”.
This Supreme Court Has Redefined the Meaning of Corruption
The U.S. Supreme Court is deregulating corruption, with arguably grim consequences for American democracy. Since John Roberts became its chief justice in 2006, the court has made prosecuting corruption, especially at the state and local level, nearly impossible for federal prosecutors.
‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ Is Finally Streaming
“Homicide: Life on the Street” featured cops, but you couldn’t always tell whether they were the good guys or the bad guys; its writers played with traditional episode formats; and its scenes were shot on location with handheld cameras in order to give the show a realistic feel. The show has finally been made available for streaming on Peacock. Its groundbreaking visuals and courageous scripting set the template for the television shows of the 21st century, a golden era of programming sometimes called Platinum TV or Peak TV.
Here’s How You Fix Your Florida Parks Problem, Gov. DeSantis
Gov. DeSantis’s super-sneaky plan to build a trio of golf courses, two 350-room hotels, and several sport facilities in nine state parks turned out about as well as his school board endorsements. Here’s a way to fix the mess.
What Do Storm Chasers Really Do?
Storm-chasing for science can be exciting and stressful. It has been essential for developing today’s understanding of how tornadoes form and how they behave. Here are some answers about what scientists who do this kind of fieldwork are up to when they race off after storms.
The GOP’s Romance with Misogyny
That was Donald Trump watching the Democratic National Convention, wheezing in impotent rage at those uppity, nasty women, and all those people determined to elect Kamala Harris. The Party of Misogyny (you know them as Republicans) simply cannot process the possibility a woman, a chick, a human with a vajayjay! might become the most powerful person on the planet.
Americans Love Their Own Free Speech, But Not Yours
The vast majority of Americans – both then and now – agree that democracy requires freedom of speech. That’s in the abstract. When the questions get more concrete, though, their support wanes. Only about half of the respondents in both the 1939 and 2024 polls agreed that anybody in America should be allowed to speak on any subject at any time. The rest believed some speech – or certain subjects or speakers – should be prohibited.
The Lebanese Make Survival an Art Form
Theodore Ell’s new book, “Lebanon Days,” spans the tumultuous period from 2018 to 2021, which include the country’s economic collapse, Covid, and the horrific explosion in Beirut’s port in August 2020. Ell’s book exudes reality to anyone who has lived in Lebanon. He describes vividly the Lebanese sense of fun, the nightclubs in East Beirut where patrons could drink and dance till dawn – and had done even in the depths of the civil war.
How Dementia Rates Could Be Reduced by Up to 45%
Nearly half of all dementia cases could be delayed or prevented altogether by addressing 14 possible risk factors, including vision loss and high cholesterol. That is the key finding of a new study published in the journal The Lancet.
If You Want Americans to Pay Attention to Climate Change, Just Call It Climate Change
You probably have been hearing phrases like “climate crisis,” “climate emergency” or “climate justice” more often lately as people try to get across the urgent risks and consequences of climate change. The danger is real, but is using this language actually persuasive? It turns out that Americans are more familiar with – and more concerned about – climate change and global warming than they are about all those other ways to describe the problem.
Philosophy Is Crucial in the Age of AI
If AI alignment is the serious issue that OpenAI believes it to be, it is not just a technical problem to be solved by engineers or tech companies, but also a social one. That will require input from philosophers, but also social scientists, lawyers, policymakers, citizen users and others.
Arms Embargo Demands Won’t Stop Military Aid to Israel
Activists are calling for a U.S. arms embargo on Israel, which the Democratic Party’s new national platform does not include. Dov Waxman, a scholar of Israel studies, explains what is behind the U.S.’s relationship with Israel and the strategic reasons why an arms embargo is, at best, a remote possibility.
DeSantis Wants to Build Golf Courses and Hotels in Florida’s State Parks
The DeSantis administration has plans to transform Florida’s award winning state parks. One of the worst plans talks of building not one, not two, but three golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound. There are plans at the other parks for big motels and pickleball courts and disc golf courses, all of which run completely counter to what our state parks are all about.
Members of Congress Undermine the Country with Antidemocratic Rhetoric
Differences over politics and policy have a long history of being divisive, of course. But it’s one thing to disagree over substantive matters such as tax rates or foreign aid and something very different to undermine the legitimacy of your opponents. It’s the difference between framing those who disagree with you as fair and equal competitors or as enemies who must be defeated.
No, 5G Does Not Affect Your Health
Since 5G’s rollout, which coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic, it was accompanied by all manner of conspiracies and falsehoods, notably that it was causing or spreading the pandemic, and that vaccines contained computer chips that would allow us to be controlled from a distance via 5G technology. Don’t believe the fabrications.
Au Revoir, Alain Delon
Alain Delon’s death at the age of 88 brings down the curtain of one of postwar European cinema’s most important film stars. Known for his striking “movie star” look – chiselled features, piercing blue eyes – and magnetic screen presence, Delon portrayed characters who seemed on the surface to be effortless and suave.
Another Threat to Democracy: Unregulated Online Political Ads
While television and radio political ads have been subject to strict disclosure requirements for decades, their online counterparts exist in a regulatory vacuum. Social media giants like Facebook, X – formerly Twitter – and Instagram have become central battlegrounds for political campaigns. Yet they operate without the transparency mandated for traditional broadcast media. This allows advertisers to use sophisticated microtargeting to tailor messages to voters, often exploiting detailed personal data.
Trump’s Sexism Against Harris Is GOP’s Electoral Strategy
Some Republicans appear to think they can win by making gender an issue in the campaign. This is apparent in the sexist rhetoric that Trump and other Republicans are using when talking about Harris. Trump, who has a history of making sexist statements, asserted that foreign leaders would regard Harris as a “play toy,” referred to her as unintelligent, and is now commenting on her appearance.
Assassinations Are Murder, and Always Unlawful. Period.
The term “assassination” is not defined under international law. Legal scholars rely on standard dictionary definitions where assassination is defined as “murder by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons.” But treaties and other international law do make clear that killing for political reasons by sudden or secret attack is unlawful.
What Is Catholic Integralism?
J.D. Vance is a convert to Catholicism and seems to have the same policy positions that many American Catholic conservatives hold: opposition to abortion, support for the traditional family, skepticism regarding liberal immigration policies and efforts to combat climate change, and advocacy of economic tariffs.
Trump and Elon’s Musky Bromance
Elon Musk gives aid and comfort to right wing rioters in England, stokes hatred, accusing an Olympic boxer (a woman) of being a man, does his damnedest to destroy once-valuable companies, and spreads 19th Century racist pseudo-science. He’s also — no surprise here — supporting Donald Trump. The bromance is mutual.
Trump Could Be Barred From Canada as a Convicted Felon
At first blush, Canadian immigration law provides an easy answer: anyone convicted of a criminal offence is inadmissible. But there are several reasons why this simple rule may not prevail for Donald Trump. In the case of convictions outside of Canada, the first step to consider is whether the offence in question is also an offence in Canada.
J.D. Vance, Poornographer
The reality – one that J.D. Vance only subtly acknowledges in his memoir – is that he is not poor. Nor is he a hillbilly. He grew up firmly in Ohio’s middle class. His “Hillbilly Elegy” memoir is part of a genre called “poornography.” Created mainly by middle- and upper-class people for like-minded readers, this long line of novels, films and plays can end up spreading harmful stereotypes about poor people.
The “School Choice” Swindle Is Demolishing Public Schools
“School choice” is an orchestrated demolition of public schools and the social contract. The focus-group euphemism masks the thieving of tax dollars to subsidize private schools, transforming what was once an aspiration of fringe Christian and anti-government militants into state doctrine. Flagler County schools are losing close to $11 million this year to “choice.”
When Public Access TV Was an LGBTQ Safe Space
While many people might think LGBTQ+ representation on TV began in the 1990s on shows like “Ellen” and “Will & Grace,” LGBTQ+ people had already been producing their own television programming on local stations in the U.S. and Canada for decades. Hundreds of LGBTQ+ public access series were produced across the country. In a media environment historically hostile to LGBTQ+ people and issues, LGBTQ+ people created their own local programming to shine a spotlight on their lives, communities and concerns.
Harris’s Joy, GOP Mockery: Nothing New to Black Women
Black women in the U.S. have a history of struggle against violence and oppression. And too often when they experience joy, and show it, ridicule follows. They are said to be too loud, too emotional – well, too “Black women.” History shows that this is a familiar dog whistle.
‘Misogynist Radicalization’ and What Parents of Boys Should Know
Many parents are worried about their children using social media. But these concerns tend to focus on privacy, exposure to explicit material or contact with strangers. But looking at sexism and misogyny in schools and the influence of social media, it is also important for parents to understand how algorithms work. These can drive misogynistic content towards boys and young men and make extreme views seem normal.
These can drive misogynistic content towards boys and young men and make extreme views seem normal.
Five Growing Threats to Academic Freedom
Professors across the country have sounded the alarm about infringements on academic freedom following crackdowns on pro-Palestine protesters on campus. The current conflict, however, is only the latest iteration of an intensifying decline in academic freedom.
Flagler Humane Society Director Defends Shelter’s Euthanasia Record and Rejects Criticism as Inaccurate
Amy Carotenuto, director of Flagler Humane Society, describes the society’s procedures, including euthanasia when necessary, and defends the society’s record in the face of recent criticism by current and former volunteers who spoke to the Flagler County Commission and the Palm Coast City Council.
What 3.2 Million-Year-Old Lucy Reveals
According to the coevolutionary tale of humans and their lice, our immediate ancestors lost most of their body fur 3 to 4 million years ago and did not don clothing until 83,000 to 170,000 years ago. That means that for over 2.5 million years, early humans and their ancestors were simply naked.
Time for TrumpOlympics™
As a fellow from a state the French have never heard of put it, these “woke Olympics” are “not going to fly in Oklahoma.” We need a new Olympics, a wholesome, American Olympics without the degenerates and the foreigners. Ladies and Gentlemen, here are the TrumpOlympics™!
Supreme Court Ruling May Put Presidents Above the Law. But Even Kings Never Were.
Many observers say a controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision from July 1, 2024, turns presidents into kings – but they underestimate how truly radical the ruling actually may be. In fact, though the court’s majority said it was honoring constitutional tradition, it appears to have created something entirely new: a legal tyrant, someone above the law, a privilege even kings never enjoyed.
The Druze Community Devastated by the Attack on the Occupied Golan Heights
The village of Majdal Shams has been in mourning since July 27, 2024: the day a rocket hit a soccer field, killing 12 children and wounding tens more. Majdal Shams is home to a community whose relationship with Israel is doubly complicated: Druze residents of the Golan Heights, which Israel captured in 1967 and annexed in 1981.
Misinformation, Abuse and Injustice: The Imane Khelif Boxing Controversy at the Paris Olympics
In the contemporary context, many sportswomen who appear too powerful, too successful, or look “too masculine” according to a particular set of values are at risk of being targeted. Importantly, it is most often non-white athletes who face the most scrutiny of their gendered sporting bodies.
Latest Flagler School Board Follies: Hunt Celebrates Mediocrity, Furry Abuses His Seat to Push ‘Endorsements’
“Board member comments” at the Flagler school board have devolved almost always into a disaster, an embarrassment, a circus of ignorance, hypocrisy, stupidity or bigotry, compliments of the board’s trilobites: Sally Hunt, Will Furry and Christy Chong. No wonder they prefer illegal secret meetings. No wonder Colleen Conklin and Cheryl Massaro can’t wait to escape the asylum. The sane ones weren’t there Tuesday to witness the latest drivel from Furry and Hunt, the first illegal, the second just creepy.
Tim Walz Pick: Harris Is Running Her Race By Her Rules
Harris’ choice of Walz confirms and leans into an extraordinary vibe shift in American politics. In only a fortnight, the campaign has been flipped on its head. The fact that Harris did not pick Shapiro tells us a great deal about both how this campaign will be run, and the future of the Democratic Party more broadly. Walz’ elevation is indicative of a major shift in the party – one that Harris is leading.
Stop Panicking Over Markets. This Is What a Soft Landing Looks Like.
A professor of business economics begs everyone, from investors to consumers to policymakers: Please calm down, take 10 deep breaths and relax. The economic data, taken together, paint a brighter if more complex picture.
Hiroshima’s Last Survivors Tell Their Stories
The bomb, dropped by the US on August 6 1945, made orphans of around 2,000 children, mostly from central Hiroshima, who survived because they had been evacuated to the countryside. When they returned after Japan surrendered on August 15, they found their parents gone and their city razed to the ground.
Mother of Tristin Murphy, Who Killed Himself with Chainsaw in Prison, Pleads with Judge on Brendan Depa’s Behalf
Cynthia Murphy, the mother of Tristin Murphy, a schizophrenic who used a chain saw to kill himself in prison, where he was serving a sentence for littering, pleads with the judge about to sentence Brendan Depa–the autistic student who beat his paraprofessional at Matanzas High School last year–not to believe Florida state prison officials’ claim that mental health treatment is adequate there for people like Depa.
Court Rules Against Catholic Charter School. Ruling May Not Stand Long.
Three recent U.S. Supreme Court cases expanded the boundaries of state aid to faith-based schools and their students, ruling that they cannot be denied generally available aid solely due to their religious status. Drummond v. Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board has the potential to further expand the boundaries of aid to faith-based schools and their students – a dramatic change worth watching.