Recently I got a cryptic bill from the IRS for a small amount of money. The reason for the charges was ostensibly explained on the bill, but in a way that only dogs can hear and IRS agents or tax … Continue reading →
I’m not so very interested in an incident that seems to be absorbing people so heavily this days, in which an actor in the Broadway show “Hamilton” made a condescending speech from the stage around curtain call time suggesting that … Continue reading →
[NOTE: This is a post in which I continue to explore the more extremist wing of the alt-right, because I think it bears watching and comprehending. That doesn’t mean I think it’s an enormous group. Nor do I think Donald … Continue reading →
The comments section here offers food for thought, and lots of it. So here’s a post based on a few comments and my reaction to them. (1) “The Other Chuck” wrote of all the GOP presidential candidates in 2016: “It’s … Continue reading →
…the purge continues: Turkey on Friday detained dozens of academics suspected of backing Fethullah Gulen, the alleged mastermind of last month’s failed coup, while pressing ahead with raids on businesses linked to the US-based Muslim preacher. Turkish prosecutors have issued … Continue reading →
The purge in Turkey continues: Turkey’s authorities have issued detention warrants for 42 journalists, local media say, as part of an inquiry into the failed coup on 15 July. Prominent commentator Nazli Ilicak is said to be on the list. … Continue reading →
In one of my first posts on the coup attempt in Turkey, I mentioned that Daniel Pipes had written a 2015 article asserting that Erdogan’s 2014 electoral victory was bogus. Many people in the west who have championed Erdogan against … Continue reading →
Now they’ve come for the teachers. It’s purge time. Yes, that coup certainly was fortuitous for (or staged by) our Turkish democracy champ, Erdogan: Turkey’s post-coup crackdown took a more sinister turn on Tuesday after tens of thousands of teachers … Continue reading →
Here’s an Erdogan quote on democracy, made in the 1990s when Erdogan was the mayor of Istanbul: “Democracy is like a train: when you reach your destination, you get off.” Well, can’t say he didn’t warn us. And Turkey may … Continue reading →
What a sad sad day. As commenter “Yancey Ward” writes: I think it possible, even likely, that Erdogan staged the coup himself, or knew it was coming in advance and allowed the plotter so openly hang themselves. Literally, Erdogan couldn’t … Continue reading →
[NOTE: This is a slightly-edited version of a previous post.] The Fourth isn’t just about barbecue, although I defer to no one in my regard for barbecue. It’s about liberty. As the years go by, I appreciate that fact more … Continue reading →
Other European nations (can we still use that word?) clamor for their own referendums: Now eight more countries want to hold referendums to exit the EU ”“ France, Holland, Italy, Austria, Finland, Hungary, Portugal, and Slovakia all could leave. The … Continue reading →