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Sure, blame the victim, and accuse Obama for the rise of a racist, xenophobic right-wing populace. Hard to see how he actually created this problem. It is like saying gays and lesbians caused hate crimes. Trump's followers are 'loser-fascists' in ideology, and although the extremism of Trump's followers is a reaction to Obama's race and calm, Obama did not cause their extremism. In fact, the Republicans themselves do that. The Republican are to blame for the ongoing economic crisis impacting much of our country, and that, along with their own racist, hostile rhetoric, drives Trump's followers.

I responded to the NY Times article on fitness , about new competitive classes, since I have been working out for over 25 years, and was previously certified as a fitness trainer: #1: To answer the question "Can't we just work out because it feels good?"  No, we can't. Some people can, many, if not most people, can't.   I am self-driven, been devising my own workouts and targets for decades, was certified as a trainer, and have taken almost no classes, except for ballet one semester, but I acknowledge that many people require some social aspect to their routines, either a friend, a trainer, or a class. Even more so, we all have different sets of goals. For some, getting healthy is fine, but some are competitive, some are athletic, some like novelty, while others like routine.  People are different. #2: It seems many commenters are hostile to these people, berating class-takers' ambition, describing them with a variety negative terms. Some might ...

The NY Times ran a piece on daily fantasy sports , of which I felt the need to say something: #1: The skilled and privileged taking advantage of the stupid and the ill. #2: I remember being disgusted after reading how a startup founder for Box targeted the biggest losers on a poker site to raise 100K for his venture. Well, you could think him smart, or you could think him corrupt, taking advantage of the stupid and addicted, but regardless, do you want to buy anything from him, knowing that his path to success is based on taking advantage of others? Eventually, that means taking advantage of you...

A response to the NY Times article,  Is the Era of Big-Program Liberalism Over? Being concerned about the welfare of people, I see big government programs as the only viable alternative. Ceding control to the wealthy and corporations, essentially what the anti-government focus of Republicans has wrought, has only led to decreases in the quality of life for most Americans. For some of us, the favored few, the educated, those with technical skills, the wealthy, life has improved under corporatization and increasing plutocracy, as we've accumulated much of the prosperity of the last few decades. Universal programs are the only real, time-proven, option.

Molly Rookwood asked: I find it shocking that more people haven't commented on the title. I have searched through articles, and while they mention the obvious connection to Hitler, none of them ask about it in detail. WHY would he call it that, and what point is he trying to make? I can't bring myself to read the book, brilliant though it may be, because the title is too horrifying for me to move past. I think it is like satire, it that can have a double meaning, a differentiation from the original. While in one, Hitler "outlines his political ideology and future plans for Germany", the other has Knausgard describing the "banalities and humiliations of his life." It is in fact a mock of Hitler. As for his point, that is the question that you need to answer, since literature is rarely so cut-and-dried as to plainly state its meaning, but provides one via interpretation. This is the quote regarding Hitler's Mein Kampf from the article that Dramatika l...

In response to a Krugman article: Why do conservatives react so extremely, so ignorantly? Studies have pointed to several traits more common in conservatives. Maybe it is the fear of change, or maybe disgust at the foreign and unknown, or the greater fear of death. Regardless, about major issues, they are almost always wrong, hysterically shrieking while they drag us into their puritan, militaristic, know-nothing existence.

Saga, Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan My rating: 5 of 5 stars This series is relevant to the concerns of our day, and really seems to resonate with women. Focused on two (2) beings from different worlds that have a child together and ultimately told from the child's eyes, the series is funny, irreverent and a bit crazy. I love the series, and simply devour the books when they arrive. View all my reviews