Alby's Latest Posts
The Question to Ask Yourself About Trump
Here’s the ugly little question at the heart of the Trump era: How much would you object to his behavior if he were pursuing a liberal agenda? Obviously that’s not a real-world scenario, because the racism is baked in. But what if you subtracted that but kept the sexual predation, the crudeness, the taste for […]
Open Thread Jan. 30: He’s Not a Real President, But He Plays One on TV
The State of the Union? Nobody cares, and nobody should, Jim Newell argues, because “it has lost its efficacy in the age of the one-minute news cycle.” Speaking of tired scripts, Republicans are continuing their pretense, apparently for the consumption of their cult alone, that the FBI is engaged in a coup against Trump (to […]
Open Thread Jan. 29: Eyesore Rankles Sorehead
Bob Weiner is easily New Castle County’s wackiest council member. Remember that time he tried to effect a citizen’s arrest on a guy putting unauthorized advertising on a telephone pole? He’s wacky that way. Now he’s at it again — not physically restraining anyone, thank goodness, but making a big issue over the fact that […]
Jan. 28: If We Start Honoring Women, Pretty Soon We’ll Have to Honor Everybody
That’s pretty much the stance of state Sen. Gary Simpson, who objected to a monument honoring women’s WWII service at Leg Hall. His logic is impeccable: “Obviously men had struggles and gave up a lot when they fought those other wars, Vietnam, (World Wars) I and II. I just, I hate to see one segment […]
Open Thread Jan. 27: What It Is Ain’t Exactly Clear
Friday afternoon was quieter than usual for the Age of Trump. Too quiet? Hard to say. But the chattering classes seem to be processing the revelations about the Mueller investigation that came out of the past week. We learned that Mueller had already talked to several high-profile figures and seemed to be zeroing in on […]
Friday News Dump: I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Strip
The award for biggest sexual harassment story of the day goes to casino mogul Steve Wynn, accused of demanding sex from numerous women who worked for him. All I can say is that when it comes to his manicurist, I can understand a man who gets manicures needing to affirm his masculinity, but it brings […]
Open Thread Jan. 26: In Dover, More Money Means More Fighting
Gov. Carney’s budget is only a starting point for the Generous Assembly, and Sneaky Pete Schwartzkopf already is making noises about wanting more money to give away as grants-in-aid. An old Leg Hall reporter once told me that there’s more fighting in Dover when there’s too much money than there is when there’s not enough, […]
Carney Budget: Raises All Around
Gov. John Carney unveiled his budget earlier today, and the decent DEFAC numbers have him feeling expansive. His blueprint calls for $4.25 billion in spending, an increase of 3.5% that he claims is sustainable but would be even more sustainable if the General Assembly had granted all his requests, which he won’t repeat in an […]
Art for Art’s Sake, Money for God’s Sake
That refrain from an old 10cc song leapt to mind when I saw this story about the White House asking the Guggenheim Museum to loan it a Van Gogh, “Landscape With Snow.” No dice, the Guggenheim responded, but we do have a lovely interactive sculpture titled “America,” no longer on display, that artist Maurizio Cattelan […]
Open Thread Jan. 25: Horndogs and Tide Pods
We have an apparent blockade on real news this morning. The interwebs are clogged with stories about celebrities being accused of rape and sexual assault, a veritable cornucopia of horndogitude. Russell Simmons, David Copperfield, Nelly, even ugly-as-a-mud-fence porn star Ron Jeremy — which brings up the question, “Jesus, Ron, don’t you get enough of that […]
If Eagles Win, Delaware Loses $625,766
What’s a Super Bowl victory by the Eagles worth to the team’s Delaware fans? It better be more than the sum in the headline, because that’s the difference to the state’s football wagering operation depending on the outcome. If the Eagles win, the state will pay out $354,465 to bettors who picked the Eagles to […]
Open Thread Jan. 24: KHN, Scorned as the One Who Ran and Won
Old-timers (and “Big Lebowski” fans) will remember “Branded,” the Chuck Connors Western series about a frontier soldier cashiered for cowardice. The opening credits showed his ritual humiliation — stripped of his army insignia, his sabre broken, sent into the barren landscape as the fort’s doors close behind him. I think that’s what New Castle County […]
Biden Confirms: McConnell Wouldn’t Condemn Russian Election Meddling
Joe Biden stopped by one of his favorite haunts Tuesday, the Council on Foreign Relations, where he spoke candidly about Russian interference in the 2016 elections, blaming Mitch McConnell for watering down a bipartisan warning to American voters. Biden was there to discuss his article in Foreign Affairs, “How to Stand Up to the Kremlin.” […]
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