Everybody Needs Some Elbow Room!

A memory of pop culture and its linkage to broader myths about America.

Thanksgiving Traditions

As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.

The Colorado Club Shooter [UPDATED]

New details are emerging about possible motivations.

Craziness, Disconnectedness, and a Toxic Political Climate Equals Violence

The attack at the Pelosi house should surprise no one.

Jerry Lee Lewis, 1935-2022

A member of the inaugural Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class and the most recent Country Music Hall of Fame class is gone at 87.

A Spotify for News

Publishers and consumers want very different business models.

newspaper newspaper

The Declining Market for News

Reading habits continue to evolve, not necessarily for the better.

Saturday Afternoon Funnies

A song and some passing thoughts on supermarket tabloids.

Elon Musk Buys Twitter

It’s happened. What does it mean?

A Key Aspect of the Ginni Thomas Story

Beyond who her spouse is, the texts to Meadows reveal a deeply concerning situation.

Christian Nationalism and American Democracy

A Manichean struggle between good and evil.

Ginni Thomas the Insurrectionist

A Supreme Court Justice’s wife urged the White House and Congressional Republicans to steal the 2020 election.

John Clayton, 1954-2022

The longtime NFL reporter is gone at 67.

Jussie Smollett Case Gets Even Weirder

The convicted criminal has been released pending appeal.

West Shamed Into Action

Actions deemed unthinkable days earlier are suddenly mandatory.

Ukraine Invasion Sending History in a New Direction?

The ferocity of the global reaction to Putin’s invasion is stunning.

West Accelerates Pressure on Russia

NATO has stepped up in a pleasantly surprising way to resist the Ukraine invasion.

[Pamela Moses at sentencing] [Pamela Moses at sentencing]

An example of the “trial tax”

With choices like these it’s easy to understand why people take plea deals

Nostalgic for Nostalgia

Is the past still the past?

The Economics of Streaming

The industry is changing rapidly.

Mixing Music and Politics

You pay for this but they give you that.

Stevie Wonder feeling the White House Bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr during a visit to the Oval Office in 2016 by White House Photographer Peter Souza. Stevie Wonder feeling the White House Bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr during a visit to the Oval Office in 2016 by White House Photographer Peter Souza.

In honor of MLK, some dubious tweets & a lesser-known speech

Once again, today marks a day where folks who would never have supported Dr. King decide they should praise him

Bryce Young 1st Alabama Quarterback to Win Heisman Trophy

A historic achievement for the first-year starter.

Beatles ‘Get Back’ Documentary

A long peek at history in the making.

Happy Thanksgiving from OTB

Family, football, feasting, and flashbacks.

Where Do the Republicans Go From Here?

This man is the face of the post-Trump party.

Max Cleland, 1942-2021

The Vietnam War hero and one-term Georgia Senator has died at 79.

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose

A 1960s pop culture reference and our current moment.

The Psychology of Internet Fame

Our brains are wired to seek approval but may not be equipped to handle our modern existence.

More Tabs to Clear

Hunter Pepper, 19, speaks at a Decatur, Ala., city council meeting. (City of Decatur/YouTube) Hunter Pepper, 19, speaks at a Decatur, Ala., city council meeting. (City of Decatur/YouTube)

More Covidiot Schadenfreude

Stop me if you’ve heard this one . . .

Norm Macdonald, 1959-2021

The SNL comic has died of cancer at 61.

Tom T. Hall, 1936-2021

The legendary country music singer-songwriter known as “The Storyteller” is gone at 85.

“Why do Liberals Hate Orban?” is not the Right Question

The right questions are: 1) why do some some on the right like him, and 2) should this concern us all?

Ron Popeil, 1935-2021

The longtime TV pitchman is gone.

Religion and the Capitol Attack

What we know about those arrested for the 6 January insurrection.

Allen West Announces Gubernatorial Bid

He will challenge Greg Abbott for the GOP nomination.

Tab Clearing Friday

Quick takes from the week.

Here’s a Cult

Brought to you by the son of Moon.

Eric Carle, 1929-2021

The author of beloved children’s books is gone at 91.

Socialize Music?

A really weird proposal to solve a problem that probably doesn’t exist.

David Bowie Predicts the Internet

An interesting blast from the past.

When You Base Your Position on a Lie, Yes, You are a Liar

And no, there aren’t always “two sides to every story.”

Dignity And Efficiency On Inauguration Day

Yesterday showed that Biden understands the “dignified” part of politics.

Radicalism and Internet Culture

Does online performance logically devolve into rage and violence?

Trump Banned from Twitter

Hashtag: You’re Fired.

Streaming Wars Taking No Casualties

Thus far, Disney+ and HBO Max are additive rather than cannibalizing competing services.

Cleveland Indians Changing Name

The inevitable only took 105 years.

Charley Pride Dead at 87

A country music legend is yet another victim of COVID.