An American Expat in Egypt, Jordan, So Different From A Decade Ago

What's it like to be an American expat in the Middle East now, with regional tensions high and many locals blaming the U.S. for sticking with Israel? Samantha Childress on Substack shares her experiences in Egypt and Jordan. Goodbye to All That: On Loving and Leaving Cairo. Vignettes from Life in Amman. Despite a loud …

Israel-Hamas War At 8 Months: Disastrous

On May 7, 2024 the war between Israel and Hamas begins its eighth month. Some 1,200 Israelis were murdered by 1,000 Hamas operatives on October 7, 2023. In the seven months since then, more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. Among them, according to the Israeli Defense Force, were 11,000 Hamas soldiers, along …

Retiring Members of Congress Explain What’s Wrong and Right With the Institution

What's actually most surprising is how many say they liked their jobs and felt they accomplished a lot. The New York Times: "Even the insiders are fed up with Washington. To understand why, we put the same eight questions to House and Senate members in both parties who are on the way out, looking for …

Pay Less Attention to Polls. Instead, Follow Political Scientist Allan Lichtman’s 13 Keys to the White House

American University History Professor Allan Lichtman has accurately predicted every presidential election since 1984 with a 13-factor formula that has nothing to do with public opinion polls or his personal preferences about who would make the best president. He calls it the “Keys to the White House,” a historically based prediction system with true-false questions after reviewing …

Lies, Hyper-Partisanship, Double Standards, and Hypocrisy: Trump’s Hush-Money Trial

My Substack e-newsletter is on Donald Trump's hush-money trial, placed in historical context. Some of the same players were involved in the impeachment of Bill Clinton in the 1990s and the hush-money trial of Sen. John Edwards (D-NC), who ran for president in 2007 and early 2008. Except this time, they seem to be advocating …

Abortion Rights in the US: Where They Stand

Politico has a map, with a status report on each state as of April, 2024 in the two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade in 2022. The 16 states where abortion is illegal could experience realignments and a resurgence of the Democratic Party. This is already happening in Kansas, which now has …

Trump Becomes First Former President On Trial, In Possibly Only Case Against Him To Conclude Before Election

Donald Trump today becomes the first former U.S. president to stand trial for fraudulently and feloniously falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. Politifact offers a guide. This may be the only one of his trials to conclude and reach a verdict before the November election. …

Sweden Joins NATO, Prepares for War With Russia

Formerly neutral Finland joined NATO in 2023, and formerly neutral Sweden joined in March 2024. “Anything can happen. New NATO member Sweden prepares for war with Russia.” — France 24 English. By preparing for war, once passivist Sweden preserves the peace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JUGnCWVVaA I offer more context to this in my Substack e-newsletter. Click.

Americans Are Taking Over Europe

Into Europe: Americans are moving to Europe, and turning the US into a country of emigration. 0:00 Introduction 1:25 1-Americans Are Emigrating 2:17 Sponsored Segment 3:26 2-How Many Americans Are Emigrating? 5:32 3-European Countries Want Americans 8:02 4-A Silver Bullet for Ageing Europe? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKGmveMKEWE&t=52s

Think of Ukraine’s Long-Term Future Like South Korea

BostWiki: "Why Alternative Media is WRONG about Ukraine & USA. The US spends 5% — I'll repeat 5% — of its defense budget funding Ukraine. Probably the best ROI since the USAF employed Oppenheimer." A video by New York journalist Alastair Bostwick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eieAON86TEQ Yale Professor Timothy Snyder Says the Ukraine War needs to be considered …