Author Archives: Jim deMaine

America, the unrecognizable

By David Horsey Seattle Times cartoonist An aggressive, destructive horde of Trump supporters invaded the United States Capitol on Wednesday and temporarily halted the counting of certified electoral votes by Congress. It was an appalling act of insurrection that followed a rally in … Continue reading

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This Is When the Fever Breaks

Ed Note: When I was a kid, I would visit my grandparents who lived across the street from the Smithsonian. I would play catch with a friend on the grounds there. We walked Pennsylvania Avenue, climbed the Washington Monument and … Continue reading

Posted in Government | 1 Comment

How bad we need each other

Ed note: You can listen to this great collection if you happen to have a free Spotify account. By Susan Brandzel, MPH, research project manager, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) When I was a kid, I used to make … Continue reading

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Tears for our nation

Thanks to Mary Jane F.

Posted in Government | 1 Comment

Memories from Georgia

Thanks to Mary Jane F. RE: Georgia Senate Election: Warnock delivering remarks virtually: “The other day, because this is America, the 82 year old hands that used to pick somebody else’s cotton went to the polls and picked her youngest … Continue reading

Posted in Government, Race | Comments Off on Memories from Georgia

What they might have said in reference to the elections

“Once you hear the details of victory, it is hard to distinguish it from a defeat.”– Jean-Paul Sartre “In politics, stupidity is not a handicap.” — Napoleon Bonaparte “What’s past is prologue” wrote William Shakespeare “Reader, suppose you were an … Continue reading

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A visit?

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Doggie Christmas

Thanks to Gordon G

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Near the end of life, my hospice patient had a ghostly visitor who altered his view of the world

By Scott Janssen in The Washington Post For months, as I’ve visited Evan as his hospice social worker, he has been praying to die. In his early 90s, he has been dealing with colorectal cancer for more than four years, and … Continue reading

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My, how things have changed

Thanks to Gordon G!

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The Freedom Rock

Thanks to Sybil-Ann for making us aware of this awesome tribute to our heroes  The Freedom Rock (established in 1999) is a large (approx. 60+ ton) boulder located in rural Iowa that is repainted every year with a different Thank You for … Continue reading

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Commentary from a historian

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The fortunate or unfortunate “accident of zip code”

Thanks to Donna D.

Posted in Essays | 2 Comments

It’s time for 2021 to really show up!

Thanks to Dorothy W!

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Happy New Year!

Thanks to Dorothy W. Here are 12 things to consider as we get closer to closing the door on one of the most horrible years of our lifetime: 1.  The dumbest thing I ever bought was a 2020 planner. 2.  I was … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Do you love me, you robot?

Thanks to Marilyn W. – an AP story in the Seattle Times Boston Dynamics released a video on Tuesday showing four of its robots dancing to the 1962 hit “Do You Love Me?” by The Contours, and it caught fire … Continue reading

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Creature at the Denver Airport

Thanks to Sybil-Ann

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Eight ways the world could suddenly end

Thanks to Gordon G. This TED talk was about seven years ago. One of the predictions was about a pandemic!

Posted in Climate, Education, History, Science and Technology | 1 Comment

Shouldn’t have done that!

Thanks to Diane S.

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Salmon spawn in the upper Columbia after an 80-year hiatus

From Crosscut by Courtney Flatt Scientists from Colville Tribes and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife say this is an important first step to restoring a healthy population. For the first time in more than 80 years, salmon have spawned … Continue reading

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2020 Was the Year Reaganism Died

by Paul Krugman in the NYT Maybe it was the visuals that did it. It’s hard to know what aspects of reality make it into Donald Trump’s ever-shrinking bubble — and I’m happy to say that after Jan. 20 we … Continue reading

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Philosophy for growing old

Thanks to Al MacR. Make sure to scroll down–wonderful pictures to go with the thoughts!

Posted in Aging Sites, Essays, Photography | 2 Comments

Try it out!

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Remember when

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Saving a life on ice

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