George Orwell spoke bluntly about the nefarious nature of advertising, calling it “the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket.” Even Orwell, though, would’ve been astonished by the cacophony of swill bucket advertising currently...
Years ago, when I announced that I was leaving my job as editor of The Texas Observer to run for political office, I had to admit that into politics is the only downward career move...
While the production of my Lowdown commentaries is high-tech, I confess that I’m antiquated. I still write each piece in longhand, applying my ballpoint to paper. This has caused bewildered glances from some who see...
There are industries that occasionally do something rotten. And there are industries like Big Oil, Big Pharma, and Big Tobacco – that persistently do rotten things. Then there is the nursing home industry – where...
The US military has long been an easy mark – for our own avaricious corporate contractors, that is. During the Civil War, for example, J.P. Morgan sold rifles to the Union army, that cost him...
If you’re ever asked to define the word oxymoron, just say, “Congressional ethics.” People instinctively burst out guffawing at the absurdity of linking Congress to upright behavior. But, surprisingly, Republican congressional leaders say they’re now...
WARNING: News headlines can give you a headache. For example, take typical headlines on today’s environmental stories: •Earth’s climate getting catastrophically hotter, faster • Greenhouse pollution increasing again •President calls global warming a “hoax” •Fracking...
One of the most obnoxious sounds in nature is the whine of a Wall Street banker. It’s a cross between the tantrum of a peevish brat and the blathering of a sputtering old plutocrat. Consider...
Interesting fact: While all federal officials take an oath that they will support the US Constitution, Supreme Court justices must also take a second (and very profound) oath of office. As New York Times judicial...
In my childhood years, I got to experience something I’ve cherished ever since: Starry nights. I was lucky to spend time during the summers on my Aunt Eula’s and Uncle Ernest’s tenant farm in Northeast...