How Trump's "Alternative Facts" Fuel His Racist Policies for Urban America

by Nomad

Recent remarks from Trump have reopened accusations of his racism. Yet, looking back to his campaign, Trump's racism has always been on full display, particularly when it came to his views on the urban life.

Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump preferred to paint an ugly portrait of urban life where things were on the verge of collapse and crime was out of control.

In his narrative, things were falling apart in the black community.

“Our African-American communities are absolutely in the worst shape that they’ve ever been in before, ever, ever, ever. You take a look at the inner cities, you get no education, you get no jobs, you get shot walking down the street.”

Sanity Sunday- The Folk Music of Jim Ghedi

by Nomad

Six and twelve string guitarist Jim Ghedi lives in Moss Valley, just south of Sheffield, England. The 27-year-old Ghedi clearly feels a connection between his music and the land.

"I discovered a sense of place from exploring the natural environments and rich wildlife around the area. It was through gentle movement and close observation which brought an understanding, a connection, a stillness and a rooted sense of belonging.”

Another Look at FBI Director Comey's Decision to Re-open the Clinton Email Investigation

by Nomad

One of the many as-yet unclear events of last year's election concerns former FBI director James Comey's decision to reopen a probe into Hillary Clinton days before the vote. 

After finding State Department emails on a computer belonging to former Rep. Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of Clinton's aide, Huma Abedin, on 28 October, Comey sent a letter to eight Congressional committees, informing them that the Clinton email probe was- at least, partially re-opened. 

Only 11 days before the election, the timing for the Clinton campaign could hardly have been worse. 

Comey's decision has been called "a mistake of world-historic proportions."
Given the consequences, it's not quite as inflated an exaggeration as it initially sounds. Together with probable Russia interference, this event helped put a man who was clearly unfit to be president in the White House. 

One Young Man's Emotional Story about Gay Conversion Therapy and Self-Acceptance

by Nomad

Under the influence of the evangelicals, the Republican party has for years now endorsed the practice of attempting to alter or reverse an individual's sexual orientation using psychological or spiritual interventions. Otherwise known as gay conversion therapy.
Some have compared it to Victorian efforts to impose conformity by converting left-handers into "normal" right-handed socially-approved human beings. However, as the linked video below suggests, the implications for this kind of forced suppression/inhibition of sexual orientation can be psychologically-devastating to the individuals.

More fundamentally, perhaps, the majority of medical professionals strongly doubt that the "corrective" techniques are ever successful.

Sanity Sunday - Luna Lee and the Gayageum

by Nomad

The word "gayageum" might sound like a senior LGBT organization but in fact, it is a traditional 12- string Korean musical instrument. The Gayageum was probably manufactured around the 6th century, in the time of King Kasil in the Kaya Kingdom.

One musician who plays contemporary music on the gayageum is Luna Lee. She has performed covers songs by such groups as
Rolling Stones, Queen, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. 

"The gayageum has a beautiful sound and amazing potential so I wanted to share my music with many people."

Allan Law, the Sandwich Man of Minneapolis

by Nomad

You've probably never heard of Allan Law. There's no reason you should have. This former teacher's not a man in search of fame. However, I think he does deserve a bit of recognition for the selfless work he has done for the last 12 years.
Every night, while most of us are sleeping.
And when you ask Law, why he does all this good work, he just says,"Because somebody has to care."

Sanity Sunday- Mathieu Terrade on the Harpejji

by Nomad

It must be one of life's greatest rewards to be acclaimed as a master at something. When it comes to playing the harpejji, French musician Mathieu Terrade is probably the most celebrated.
A few "notes" about this unique instrument:

• Developed in 2007 by Tim Meeks, founder of Marcodi Musical Products.
• The instrument aims to bridge the gap in sound and technique between the guitar, bass guitar, and piano.
• Stevie Wonder features the instrument in his stage performance
• There are no formal rules on how to play the instrument and new techniques are emerging all the time. 

Ungovernable: How Partisanship Wrecked US Politics Just as George Washington Predicted

by Nomad

Trump the Partisan President

Commentator John Dickerson on a recent episode of the podcast Slate's Political Gabfest, was talking to the show's host, David Plotz, about why President Donald Trump represents something new and foreboding in American politics.

He pointed out:

"One thing we are witnessing is our first purely partisan president. The rise of partisan politics in the presidency has been increasing since 1980 for a variety of reasons. But the idea of the president who could build a coalition from members of both parties- kind of fly above the party fights and pass legislation- has been declining.

According to Dickerson, there has been a sea change in the rhetoric under Trump. There was a time when a president would, at the least, give a nod to the idea of  Americans' putting aside their differences and working together. True, most of it was less than sincere when push came to shove. 

Donald Trump and the Swamp Thing

by Nomad

You might have missed it but the final chapter in the "Drain the Swamp" saga was, at long last, posted. And it was just as ridiculous and sickening as you expected it would be.

Three Little Words

Back in October 2016, Candidate Trump issued a press release which declared his intention to "drain the swamp in Washington, D.C."

In specifics, Trump was planning to introduce "sweeping ethics reforms" and pledged to "make our government honest once again."
From the outset, the very idea of Trump bringing honesty to anything at any time seemed fairly outlandish. That was true even before he embarked on a political career.

The 2018 Women's March and Beyond: How to Make the Next 300 days Count

by Leadfoot

On November 6 of this new year, we could take back the Senate and the House – which means we could take back the country! November 6 is about 300 days from now. Will you pledge to make at least 10 of those 300 days count?

California and Jeff Sessions' Big Marijuana Legalization Hang-up

by Nomad

I produced this short film about a surprising moment in California history and the man who would like to see that history reverse itself.

Last week, recreational use for cannabis became legal - at least, in some areas- for the first time since the state officially declared marijuana illegal in 1913.

It was a high point in the state's history, you might say.

Study Shows a World Divided on the Benefits of 50 years of Progress

by Nomad

According to a Pew Research study, most of the world's population has mixed feelings when it comes to the advancement made in the last 50 years. Polling nearly 43,000 people in 38 countries around the globe, respondents were asked a simple question: Do you think life is better now than a half-century ago?