Tag Archives: Markalain Dery

I get thrown out of a Trump rally

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When I learned that Trump was planning a rally in Clive this week, I felt I had to attend and make a statement. Kathy was unable to join me, as she’s recovering from foot surgery. But she designed a shirt for me that was bold, concise, and called out what might prove to be Trump’s most damaging liability: his near constant stream of lies.

My friend Helen agreed to join me and take photos. We arrived at the venue early and nabbed excellent seats.

The event dragged on and on (Trump was 90 minutes late), with the music so loud I had to put in earplugs — and a hat pulled down over my ears for added protection.

The hat doubled as my half-hearted, humorous effort to fit in as Helen and I entered the venue. And while I hope the Patriots win the Super Bowl, it should go without saying that I’m absolutely not serious about a Trump-Brady ticket in 2028. Continue Reading →

Learn to love and protect plankton

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Given the prominence this week of news stories about heat and wildfire, you might have missed another critical story: last week’s stunning discovery about the decline of plankton in the Atlantic Ocean. (I missed it until John Davis alerted me. Thanks, John.)

How big a decline? At the current rate of loss, 90% of plankton will be gone by 2045! That’s huge, imminent, and frightening.

Why frightening? Because plankton is the foundation of the oceans’ food chain. If 90% of it dies off, the majority of salt-water aquatic life won’t be far behind. And even those of us living in the middle of a continent can’t survive without viable oceans. Continue Reading →

The biggest climate criminal is not who you might think

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More than any force in the world, the US mainstream media could provide the spark that gets us to turn the corner on climate. If the media covered climate like they’ve covered COVID, the public would be on board for deep personal and political action in short order. …

In 2016, partly in response to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump ignoring climate change during the presidential campaign, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes devoted a solid week to the climate emergency. Great start. Then Hays and MSNBC dropped their focus as quick as you’d drop a smoldering family portrait charred in a western wildfire. Why? According to Hayes, the problem was that “every single time we’ve covered [climate change] it’s been a palpable ratings killer.” Continue Reading →

Here come the migrants

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How soon will the exodus from the West begin? Next year. Yup, 2022. That’s my prediction. The situation is that bad.

Is the Midwest ready to receive a vast wave of parched climate refugees? Not even close. All of us should be talking with local, state, and federal officials about how we’ll manage an influx of millions of displaced fellow Americans. Food, water, energy, housing, health care, transportation, employment. All these and more need to be considered as the population of Midwestern communities braces for an increase like never before. Continue Reading →

Kim Houlding: Veterinarian, Trump voter

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In the early 2000s, Kim talked about running for office — as a Democrat. “I grew up in a Democratic family. My grandfather ran a union print shop in Minneapolis and my dad was in the printers union.” Kim voted for Obama in 2008. With waning enthusiasm, she voted for him again in 2012. She went with Trump in 2016 and 2020 — casting a vote not so much FOR Trump but against Biden and the Democratic Party. Continue Reading →

How bad is the COVID surge going to get?

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I received this disturbing and heart-wrenching message from a worker at an Iowa healthcare facility: “We are fighting a battle that we just can’t win here. No matter what we do, no matter how careful we are, I know without a shadow of a doubt that all our people WILL GET this thing. It has taken on a life of its own. A third of our people have COVID and half of our staff has it. We are drowning!!!!!!!” Continue Reading →

You really don’t want to live in Star Wars

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“Energy is the thread that ties all our problems together into one knot. We need to cut the knot. We’re devolving further and further into techno-barbarism. I don’t want to live in Star Wars.” Continue Reading →

Support our small businesses

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While Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity were calling the coronavirus a hoax, a fraud, and a Democratic conspiracy, our audience heard from a leading infectious disease physician in New Orleans Dr. Markalain Dery, Dr. Charles Goldman, and Dr. Stephen Goldman. Continue Reading →