100 Years of Contrary-ness
A summary of the long life of a dedicated contrarian, William Blau.
What Taiwan Got Right – But We Got Wrong
Michael Murry A few cases of the corona virus here in Taiwan, but the government and society have handled things quickly and well. With our excellent single payer health care system, testing and necessary quarantining went into effect with little or no political grandstanding of the sort that typically characterizes the U.S. We all wear…
Requiem for David Nussberg
b. traven is TCP’s co-founder. He is a 93-year-old WW II veteran, who is now a wine grape farmer finding peace in tending to his vines. Traven received a graduate degree in Physiological Psychology from the University of Chicago after the War. He has been a union steel worker, a “soda jerk” when they still…
My Bernard B. Fall Moment
Dan White, the author of this article is a confirmed and vocal “contrarian,” a breed we need ever more of in our country of “go along, get along” citizens. This is why his article resonated with me. Several months ago I had an appointment at our local VA and found at the entrance was a…
Ken Burns Just Ripped Me Off!
Gregory Laxer On Wednesday, September 6, I drove round trip to Boston, MA to attend a Preview for the Ken Burns’ gargantuan TV series on the Vietnam War, debuting September 17 on PBS affiliates. The event was held in an 1100-seat auditorium and, frankly, I didn’t expect it would be a full house. To my…
We’re Coming Apart at the Seams
Don Rose I have never seen this country more dangerously divided and possibly at the brink of serious violence. Set the Civil War aside. I wasn’t around then, so I can only speak of the decades since World War II when I lived through the darkness of McCarthyism, blacklisting and the cold war–then the political…
Dubya Said “WMD,” Obama/Clinton Says “Blame it on Putin”
b. traven How ridiculous can this be? The Clinton/Obama effort to Blame it on Putin (BOP) is more of a ‘reach’ than the illusory WMD was. Will James Clapper get a national Medal of Honor for letting the CIA carry water for this, like Tenet got for helping Bush’s lying us into Iraq? Who knows…
Who’s in Charge Here, Anyway?
P. J. Sullivan President Obama seems such a nice man. A family man with a beautiful wife and beautiful children. And the requisite family dogs. As wholesome as Ozzie and Harriet. His rhetoric is beautiful, full of hope for progressive change. He even has a Nobel peace prize. What’s not to like? But wait a…
A Modest Proposal for the Next Presidential Visit to Vietnam
by Michael Gallagher There were all sorts of ironies attending President Obama’s visit to Vietnam. One struck me with special force when I saw a picture of some happy and healthy Vietnamese children clutching little American flags as they waited at the airport for the arrival of the president of the nation that devastated their…
Hillary’s Dien Bien Phu
by Michael Gallagher This morning it looks like super-hawk Hillary—kisser-up-supreme of four starrers—is well on her way to becoming President of the United States. If she succeeds, I am sure they will break out the best wine at the Pentagon. (Though to the discomfiture of those unhappy few generals and admirals with a sound liberal…
The Contrary Perspective 