b. traven As a repentant psychologist with some experience in aberrant and self-delusional human behavior, I was recently struck by what passes for meaningful and heartfelt discourse in American conservative circles. The subject: Nelson Mandela. The conversants: the smarmy conservative Rick Santorum and the bullying Bill O’Reilly. Their conversation would be ludicrous if it wasn’t…
b. traven With its interim Iranian nuclear deal, the Obama Administration has finally shown a measure of Chutzpah. But can they stand the heat? Those who’ve read my previous posts and comments may have noticed that I am no fan of Obama or his two Secretaries of State. Nevertheless, I must admit that the decision…
W.J. Astore and b. traven The Contrary Perspective (TCP) has reached its six month birthday and welcomes its 88 followers. We’re happy to see that our readership in that short period is now over 10,000. (We should maybe discount that a bit due to our own eager “hits” to see how things are going.) Regular…
b. traven and Alex Dunn Rupert Murdoch, the Australian media mogul known for espousing conservative causes on Fox News, the New York Post, and other venues, built his empire on reporting the sleazy side of news. His editors specialized in looking down on those caught with their pants down, especially when they were liberal politicians…
b. traven What can I say after reading this article by Ann Jones on the horrific costs of war to our young troops? I do not belong in this century anymore. I do not recognize the time warp that has put me elsewhere. The country I grew up in [the USA of the 1920s and 1930s] was…
b. traven Breaking News. This one is hard to believe: A Brazilian traveler, David Miranda, transiting London’s Heathrow Airport from a European flight to catch his flight to Rio de Janeiro is accused of “terrorism” because he has encrypted data related to Edward Snowden on his computer. In my opinion this is the opening gun…
By Don Rose. Introduction by b. traven. Don Rose is part of the conscience of Chicago. He is a long time political strategist for some of the more liberal political representatives of the people in that city. Retired, Don now writes in the online “The Chicago Observer” about what is going on behind the scenes…
b. traven Mort Sahl, a stand-up comedian before the day that being a stand-up comedian meant telling sexist and toilet jokes, was an outspoken and very funny satirist of all that was holy to the powers that be during the Cold War. In those days it was an act of political bravery just to be…
Richard Sahn I frequently drive through Eastern PA and New Jersey, usually on my way to New York City or New England. Much to my dismay, rest areas along the Interstate highways are often closed, either for repair or for no apparent reason. Now, I’ve always planned long distance car trips based on the number…
Daniel N. White Henry G. Gole, a retired U.S. Army colonel, published a fine book, Soldiering (Potomac Press, 2006) that deserves a much wider readership than it has earned to this date. Gole, son of an immigrant father from a German-speaking part of Slovenia, joined the Army in 1952 and went off to Korea as…
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