The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore.

The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore.

Posted on by Jack

It seems an unlikely combination. Nazis and World War 2 could be interesting but it could be very similar to something you already read. Throw in a bit about economics and the Treasury department and it certainly seems unique but probably less interesting. But you would be wrong.

The book is “The Wealth of Shadows: A Novel” by Graham Moore. I thank NetGalley and Penguin Random House for letting me read this before publication. The book is definitely historical fiction but also a very good mystery.
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College Campus Protests

College Campus Protests

Posted on by Jack

There has been much in the news lately about college campus protests. Some colleges seem to find a solution and end things peacefully. For example, Rutgers and Brown reached agreements and ended the protests peacefully. Many other colleges have done this and found a solution. Some have not and called in the police.

Why?

I missed a shocker

I missed a shocker

Posted on by Jack

I was on vacation last week so I missed a shocker in the news.

There was an article Trump Respects Women, Most Men Say based on a recent poll. I found it shocking and a bit unbelievable that over half the men and almost a third on women believed former president Donald Trump respects women.

I guess they must think of respect in a different way that I thought normal people do.

Did he respect women by saying he could grab them by the pussy because he was famous?

Did he respect women by sexually assaulting them.

Did he respect his wife by having a sexual relationship with a porn star. This was shortly after his wife gave birth to his son. Of course, he denies the affair. But as Mitt Romney said:

I think everybody has made their own assessment of President Trump’s character. And so far as I know, you don’t pay someone $130,000 not to have sex with you.

This list of disrespectful things Donald Trump has done or said could go on much further but I think these examples should be enough to make those who find Donald Trump respectful of women to think a bit about their position.

Speaker Mike Johnson does the right thing

Speaker Mike Johnson does the right thing

Posted on by Jack

I had earlier included Speaker Mike Johnson when posting about Putin’s pals. But now it seems he has grown into his job as a leader in a divided country by moving the Ukraine fund bill and others through the House I probably disagree with him on most issues but here he has done the right thing and I thank him for it.

The Great Abolitionist

The Great Abolitionist

Posted on by Jack

A exceptional biography of someone I had thought I never heard of.  I had read of an event in which he was a unwilling participant in.  I had read something of the U.S. Senator who was badly beaten on the floor of the Senate but I did not remember his name, if I ever knew it.
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1864, it was a very good year

1864, it was a very good year

Posted on by Jack

1864 was good for some people in Arizona. If you did not have family or friends who were killed or wounded in the Civil War or have some other tragedy, life was good. In 1844 it seems that only white men could vote. So maybe it was good for them but not quite as good for others. The state of medicine was not very good for anybody. There have certainly been a good number of advances since then in medicine, equality of the sexes and races, and many areas.

Why talk about his now? The Arizona Supreme Court reinstated a law dating to 1864. The law reads:
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Trump gets it wrong AGAIN

Trump gets it wrong AGAIN

Posted on by Jack

Donald Trump is known for his lies. Now that he has finally made up his mind about his stance on abortion, he has chosen to suport it with another lie.

See the FACT CHECK on his wildly inaccurate claim:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/08/politics/fact-check-trump-abortion-roe-overturned-legal-scholars/index.html

Climate Anxiety

Climate Anxiety

Posted on by Jack

Kate Schapira opened the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth in Providence, RI. Inspired by Lucy of Peanuts comics fame, her sign read “Climate Anxiety Counseling 5 cents: The Doctor Is In.” This led to many conversations with people about climate change and related fears and anxieties as well as anxiety generated by other issues.
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Putin’s pals – useful idiots or willing co-conspirators

Putin’s pals – useful idiots or willing co-conspirators

Posted on by Jack

I’ve been writing about some Republican actions I find disturbing:
Putin’s Pals screw Ukraine and the border with a single move
The Appeasement Caucus

I thought I should update this blog on the status of some of Putin’s Pals. Since Mike Johnson has refused to let the House of Representatives vote on aid to Ukraine, we don’t know the views of all House members. But Speaker Johnson seems to be one of Putin’s Pals.
Continue reading “Putin’s pals – useful idiots or willing co-conspirators”

immigrants? illegal invaders? athletes?

immigrants? illegal invaders? athletes?

Posted on by Jack

Speaking of Republicans worried about immigrants or even people who may not look like them, we have this:

Fact check: Michigan GOP legislator posted about ‘illegal invaders’ at Detroit airport. It was Gonzaga’s March Madness team

Republican lies about immigration

Republican lies about immigration

Posted on by Jack

There are problems with our immigration system but Republicans do not want to fix them. Republicans seem to want this as a campaign issue. They will continue to tell lies and attack immigrants whether is seems reasonable or not,

The latest example is blaming the Baltimore bridge disaster on immigration and diversity

Climate change and business regulation

Climate change and business regulation

Posted on by Jack

I have written a bit about climate change and its many threats to our future (https://www.jackreidy.com/blog/tag/climate-change/) but have not written on it in a few years. Since last year was the hottest on record (https://www.climate.gov/news-features/featured-images/2023-was-warmest-year-modern-temperature-record) it seems to be a good time to write more about the climate crisis.

There has been recent news on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voting to require companies to disclose their climate harming emissions (https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/03/06/sec-climate-disclosure-rule/ ) which contribute greatly to climate change (aka global warming).

Since overwhelming evidence indicates that climate change is a great threat to the financial prospects of companies, the economy as a whole, and human health, I hope this effort succeeds.

White Rural Rage:  The Threat to American Democracy  by Tom Schaller and  Paul Waldman

White Rural Rage:  The Threat to American Democracy  by Tom Schaller and  Paul Waldman

Posted on by Jack

The book “White Rural Rage:  The Threat to American Democracy”  by Tom Schaller and  Paul Waldman brings together a huge amount of information to discuss rural areas, their problems, and potential solutions as well as the current political situation which contributes to these problems and presents a threat to American democracy.   I think that may be the longest and most complicated sentence I’ve written lately, so let me explain.

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Disqualifying the District Attorney (DA) in Georgia from the RICO case

Disqualifying the District Attorney (DA) in Georgia from the RICO case

Posted on by Jack

Last week I was watching the circus where lawyers for Donald Trump and various co-defendants are trying to disqualify the District Attorney (DA) in Georgia from the RICO case related to the conspiracy to steal the 2020 election for President.  By watching I mean that I watched some of the hearing on TV but mostly have been following it on the news.

My main interest is in the potential trial but a bit enhanced because I lived in Georgia for 30 years.
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I Never Did Like Politics

I Never Did Like Politics

Posted on by Jack

Both my parents grew up in New York City while Fiorello La Guardia was mayor. I can remember them talking about Mayor La Guardia when I was growing up.  He seemed interesting but I never got around to learning much more about him.  This book fixed that problem.

The book is  “I Never Did Like Politics: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America’s Mayor, and Why He Still Matters” by Terry Golway.
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