Kudos to Judge Emmet Sullivan who expressed his disgust and outrage over Michael Flynn’s treasonable actions following months of fawning over President Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. -more-

You have probably heard that the American population has experienced an unprecedented three year decline in life expectancy. It is not surprising when we take into account the health related shortcomings in our society, some of which are getting worse. Air pollution, contaminated drinking water, exposure to radiation, dangerous viruses, and accidents due to official neglect are among the many hazards that people confront. And the considerable poverty and racism in the U.S. certainly shortens the life span of many Americans. Also, the number of suicides and deaths due to drug overdoses have climbed appreciably. Moreover, among the 33 developed countries, the U.S. is the only nation that lacks national health insurance for all its citizens. -more-

If it isn't the longest article ever written for Berkeleyside, the article "As staffing crisis continues for Berkeley police, officers who left reveal why" by Emilie Raguso in Berkeleyside dated December 20th, 2018, has to be in the running. It's a breathtakingly lengthy description of what Berkeley police officers consider their "morale" problems, which they blame on Black Lives Matter, the rush to police accountability, and what they consider a bewildering inability for the public to trust them. -more-

Where to start when discussing James Roy MacBean’s Arts & Events, “Esa Pekka Salonen: A Questionable Choice to Lead SF Symphony”? Besides the fact that he omitted the hyphen in the conductor/composer’s name—it’s Esa-Pekka Salonen—MacBean declares the 60-year old Music Director and, by implication, anyone of his age or older, “a bit long in the tooth.” MacBean's alternative: “a much younger Finnish conductor, 49 year-old Susanna Målkki.” Not only is this assertion reprehensibly ageist, but it also evidences an appalling lack of math skills. Målkki had better hurry up and land a major position in the next few years - that is, unless she is happy to remain at the helm of the 136-year old Helsinki Philharmonic, which is anything but a backwater orchestra - or prepare to invest in major dental rehabilitation. -more-

Have you noticed that people are getting weird--in a bad way? To me, everyone is not quite the same. Trump's example of how to behave is giving bad people the green light that it is okay to overtly be a bastard, a racist, a sexist, and a money-hoarder.

It is not as though bad people didn't exist beforehand. They have merely decided that now is an acceptable time to come out of the closet with it. Then, there are the militant moral. These are the people who think they follow "the will of God," who believe that they are good because they go to church. Going to church and tithing to the church does not excuse obnoxiousness toward those who do not go to church and who can not afford to give away money. -more-

Let me say at the outset that I welcome any feedback from what I write, even negative feedback. Far too often it’s as if what we write simply goes down a black hole. Just the other day, however, after the wonderful New Year’s Eve concert at Herbst Theatre given by American Bach Soloists with countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen and soprano Mary Wilson, I received some heartwarming feedback from none other than Mary Wilson. When I introduced myself to her in the lobby as she prepared to begin signing CDs, she broke into a wide smile and said, “I read you all the time. In loved your review of Handel’s Messiah we did at Grace Cathedral. It made me think about the Messiah in interesting new ways.” Where feedback is concerned, it doesn’t get any better than this. -more-

In what seems a replay of recent German and Italian elections, an openly authoritarian and racist party made major electoral gains in Spain’s most populous province, Andalusia, helping to dethrone the Socialist Party that had dominated the southern region for 36 years. Vox (Voice)—a party that stands for “Spain First,” restrictions on women’s rights, ending abortion, stopping immigration and dismantling the country’s regional governments—won almost 11 percent of the vote. The Party is in negotiations to be part of a ruling rightwing coalition, while left parties are calling for an “anti-fascist front,”. It’s as if the old Spanish dictator Francisco Franco had arisen from his tomb in the “Valley of the Fallen” and was again marching on Madrid.

Actually, the results were not so much “stunning”—the British Independent’s headline on the election—as a case of chickens coming home to roost, and a sobering lesson for center-left and left forces in Europe. -more-

As we approach the solstice, San Francisco beaches are being hammered by 40-foot waves. It's an apt metaphor for the troubled times we are living in. Borrowing a phrase from Game of Thrones, "winter is coming;" with a vengeance. Here are some predictions for the next three months.

Trump Slithers Towards Impeachment: Dating from Watergate (1972-74), the average length of a special counsel investigation, involving a President, is 904 days. Robert Mueller's investigation has gone on 580+ days. My prediction: the Mueller inquiry will end in the Spring, around the two-year anniversary.

In the meantime, the mainstream media is going to be dominated by revelations of Trump's evil deeds -- my prediction: Trump will be implicated in dozens of felonies.

Eventually, evidence of Trump's treachery will be so overwhelming that the House of Representatives will have no choice but to initiate impeachment proceedings. Normal congressional work will halt. The U.S. will be transfixed. -more-

People born in the U.S. and those I've met from other countries almost universally tend to believe in the virtues of hard work. The value of work seems to be present across all demographic categories. On the other hand, people blessed with privilege seem to enjoy it when other people work hard under their dominance.

Hard work is considered a virtue among blue collar and middle-class Americans. Yet, this "work ethic" is sometimes carried to a point of it being damaging. Also, some elements of it seem to be irrational.

The common work ethic is sometimes used to "whip people into shape." I've met people who have applied the work ethic to me--I've been unable to tolerate too much of it. I do perform hard work, but I am not happy when pushed. At times, I've had no viable choice other than to tolerate it. I may soon be in that position again. -more-

Without consulting his military advisors, his White House staff, Congress, or our allies, the Twitter-in-Chief announced an immediate, full withdrawal of the 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, Tweeting “we have defeated ISIS in Syria.”

If he had consulted with his military advisors, Trump would have known that ISIS has not been defeated there. While the long fight against ISIS looks good on a map, it is yet to be decisive on the battlefield. At least 2,500 ISIS fighters remain and it retains the capacity to continue to do damage, especially if let off the hook now. And it cedes control of Syria to Russia and Iran, and it abandons our Syrian-Kurdish allies. -more-

Best Wishes for safe and happy holidays. We’ll be back after the New Year’s Holiday -more-