How to Misuse State Funding When There Is None

Huffington Post has published an article by Tyler Kingkade with the headline: “Tennessee Lawmakers Consider Bill That Could Chill Free Speech.” It is not an especially shocking headline because we have now become very used to the reality that the Far Right sees no hypocrisy in defining unlimited corporate political contributions as the exercise of…

The Furniture That We Love (Or Is It Whom?)

BY MARTIN KICH As a professor, I have led a fairly sedentary life. I would say that I have a reader’s physique, but I suspect that there are many thin readers—people who can read for hours without having bags or bowls of snacks within arm’s reach. Indeed, it might be a fair question to ask…

Remembering the First Secretary of Education

BY MARTIN KICH On March 30, Shirley Hufstedler, the nation’s first Secretary of Education, died at age 90. Before and after her public service as a member of President Carter’s cabinet, Hufstedler had a very distinguished career as an attorney and as a judge. Her many accomplishments are highlighted in the New York Times obituary,…

Favorite Headlines from the Campaign Trail

  “John Kasich Came in Fourth In A Three-Man Race Last Night” [RedState] “Kasich Lost to Rubio’s Ghost in Arizona” [CNN] Explanation: Many votes in the Arizona primary were cast early, before the Florida primary concluded and before Rubio suspended his campaign.   “At Least Two of Five Women Deny National Enquirer Claims” [Ted Cruz…

Lesbian Culture Artifacts That Changed Lives

As women’s history month draws to a close, it seems important to highlight this sort of list. To accompany Frank Rich’s essay on Carol, the Todd Haynes adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s classic lesbian novel, New York invited 28 people to share a specific piece of lesbian cultural history that moved them most. Here are their answers. Spring Fire by Vin…

Friedrichs Deadlock Announced

Today the Supreme Court announced the expected impasse on Friedrichs vs California Teachers Association: “The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it was unable to resolve a major challenge to organized labor, and the result was a defeat for a group of California teachers who claim their free speech rights are violated when they are forced…

The Art of Avoiding Prosecution

BY MARTIN KICH Donald Trump keeps floating the fantasy that Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign will be derailed by her prosecution and possibly her imprisonment for using a private e-mail server while serving as Secretary of State. This fantasy is the current obsession on the Far Right, succeeding the one that dominated the first eight months…

Walker’s Wisconsin

Writing for WiscNews, Nicco Savidge attempts to provide an overview and a gauge of “the Extent of Scott Walker’s Impact on UW.” Here is the opening section of Savidge’s article: “Gov. Scott Walker has had a bigger impact on Wisconsin’s public universities than any governor in decades, and he is among the most aggressive governors…

The Easter Bunny Has a “Glandular Problem”

For Easter, the New Yorker published an article by Jason Wilson titled “Eating the Easter Bunny.” The caption of the photo in the header functions as a sub-title: “A coveted ingredient in many global cuisines, rabbit meat has always been a hard sell among American diners.” Here are the first several paragraphs of the article:…