Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Academics and freedom of speech

“Academics and freedom of speech,” The one-handed economist, David Zetland The First Amendment of the US constitution reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the […]

Number One of the top ten profiteers and dysfunctional in healthcare

Good commentary by Merrill Goozner. I subscribe to his site. He, I and others have gotten together and talked. Today? Merrill calls attention to the Lown Institute which publishes a list of the top ten baddies of profiteering and dysfunction in healthcare. Martin Shkreli made number one for 2023. I did ask if I can […]

The Great Resignation About Quitting, Burnout, or a Mass Exodus?

Some light reading. I subscribe to it (The Atlantic) and have done so since the Civil War for a decade. Thought I would post one from The Atlantic’s News Letter (I think). Just an interesting read about something they discovered happening or maybe not-happening. People locked into something they do not like, have to stay, […]

The 101st Chairborn: History is a Prankster

I don’t know if kids these days still use the slang, but back in the glory days of blogging, a way to mock chicken hawks was to call them keyboard warriors or the 101st chairborn. These were people convinced they were fighting terror by advocating aggressive foreign policy in the safety of their own house […]

Mr. Lincoln’s War, signing the Emancipation Proclamation

January 1, 2024, Letters from an American, Prof. Heather Cox-Richardson On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed his name to the Emancipation Proclamation. He said . . . “I never in my life felt more certain that I was doing right, than I do in signing this paper. If my name goes into history, […]

TPM: What If We’d Been Mean to Robert E Lee?

This casting was up December 29 at Talking Points Memo (TPM). It is about 50 minutes long and a very interesting conversation between John, Kate, and Prof. Heather. Covering the state of democracy in America is the topic and well worth the listen. Belaboring the Point: What If We’d Been Mean to Robert E Lee? […]

Two Working-Class Candidates Launch U.S. Senate Runs

Who you might know better as a proponent of better care for veterans, Steve Early is backing two candidates for the Senate. In Nebraska opposing Repub Deb Fischer, steamfitter Dan Osborn. Running in West Virgina is grandson of a coal miner and veteran Zach Shrewsbury against coal baron Jim Justice. Some down to earth populist […]

December 29, 1890 Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota

A bit of history for Angry Bear readers which should be remembered. December 28, 2023, Letters from an American, Prof. Heather Cox Richardson On the clear, cold morning of December 29, 1890, on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, three U.S. soldiers tried to wrench a valuable Winchester away from a young Lakota man. […]

Trying Hard Not to be an Ugly American while Working in Thailand

Either in the beginning of our trip or at the end of the trip, we would end up in Bangkok, Thailand. Our stay was at The Landmark Hotel which to my knowledge was a Thai hotel and our plant(s) put us up there and on the Executive floor. Centrally located, it was easy to get […]