David Hirzel/My Turn It’s hard to say which of the election upheavals of last week will end up being most damaging to the reputation of the Republican party and the chances of success for those down-ballot candidates who might actually stand on some principle. But I’ll give it a try. The … [Read more...] about David Hirzel: The election has already begun
Columns
Trump campaigns on the politics of fear
David Hirzel/My Turn The coming presidential election has got to be the most rancorous in living memory, with the bulk of the rancor coming from only one side. Looking back to Trump’s inaugural speech in 2017, he referred to “American carnage”—meaning the failures of previous … [Read more...] about Trump campaigns on the politics of fear
Was it worth it?
(To start a free trial home delivery subscription to the Novato Advance, send you name and address to Publisher Sherm Frederick at shermfrederick@gmail.com.) Sherman R. Frederick Battle Born Media I’m reluctant to lower the boom on any public official who did what they thought right during … [Read more...] about Was it worth it?
Why can’t more white people die?
Sherman R. Frederick Battle Born Media I am bemused by the hand-wringing over the disparity between the number of white people in the Bay Area who have contracted COVID-19 and the number of brown people. Apparently, more Latinos contracted the disease because they represent a greater … [Read more...] about Why can’t more white people die?
We need scientific debate
Jim Steele/What’s Natural? The political genius of Abraham Lincoln’s efforts to unify the country during America’s most divisive time has been attributed to assembling a “team of rivals”. Likewise, scientific research is published so rivals and supporters of a hypothesis can independently and … [Read more...] about We need scientific debate
Buckle up for post-election violence
By Sherman R. Frederick Battle Born Media Gun sales from coast to coast and throughout the fruited plain have soared in the runup to the presidential election. And where are sales really up? In the seven presidential “toss up” states of Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New … [Read more...] about Buckle up for post-election violence
Harry Reid’s legacy
It’s history now, but let’s not forget Sen. Harry Reid’s role in the RBG Vortex of Hypocrisy. It had long been tradition that the Senate approved judicial appointments by a higher threshold than a simple majority. Reid persuaded Democrats to chuck that and invoke the “nuclear option.” … [Read more...] about Harry Reid’s legacy
Au contraire, Sen. Dianne, the ‘height of hypocrisy’ is never, ever, reached
By Sherman R. Frederick Battle Born Media If you’re in your 20s and you’ve never seen American hypocrisy in full bloom, you are in for a magnificent display. Every single member of the Senate and the House of Representatives -- including all of our own Marin political luminaries -- will … [Read more...] about Au contraire, Sen. Dianne, the ‘height of hypocrisy’ is never, ever, reached
The ‘Escalator to Extinction’ myth
Jim Steele/What’s Natural? In Life on the Mississippi Mark Twain wrote, “There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.” Unfortunately, conjecture based on limited facts has produced “research” trumpeting … [Read more...] about The ‘Escalator to Extinction’ myth
School + Pandemic = High Anxiety
By Asta Bowen Writers on the Range As a longtime teacher who has heard every complaint under the sun about how horrible school is, how boring, arbitrary, irrelevant and unfair, I find myself somewhat taken aback by the fierce pressure to return to regular classroom instruction. Of course, … [Read more...] about School + Pandemic = High Anxiety