Tag: America

America Is Going on 20 Years of Dissatisfaction

A Politico/Morning Consult poll came out Wednesday morning that — as most polls do — had whatever takeaway you’d like to draw from it, depending on your rooting interest. Democrats are up five points on a generic Congressional ballot; Joe Biden’s approval ratin...

The Slogan Should Be “Make America Great”

The first time I heard Donald Trump talking about making America great again, I laughed. Who is THIS morally bankrupt piece of filth to tell America how we should and shouldn’t behave? Emphasis on the shouldn’t part. Donald Trump was a draft dodger. He also discriminated against ...

America Has Moderate and Radical Conservatives, but No Liberals

I keep receiving comments and seeing news stories that follow some variation of, “First, you’re wrong to criticize conservatives, second extreme liberals are equally out of control.” You could restate this contradictory argument as, “The behavior you’re tal...

7 Creepiest Mysteries In America

America, a land known for its innovation and progress, also has some of the most perplexing mysteries that continue to fascinate investigators and captivate the public. These mysteries span a wide range of locations, each with a unique suspense style. The Black Dahlia Murder: The Black Dahlia ...

What Happens When Economies Go Into a Winner-Take-All Death Spiral? America 2023 Does

Leave it to Bernie Sanders to sum it up best. “Last year, 8 Hollywood CEOs made nearly $800 million, yet pay for TV writers has fallen by 23 percent over the last 10 years.” Ouch. That’s a concise description of the reason more than 11,000 writers are now on strike. And in Ame...

Why You Can Get Shot in America for…Knocking on the Wrong Door

First, the 16 year old boy who was shot for…knocking on the wrong door. He was shot by an elderly man twice, including once in the head. Then, the young woman. Shot for…driving into the wrong driveway with her friends. A man took out a gun and opened fire, killing h...

Why Biden’s Vision Matters — For America, And for the World

By now, the same old stale debate’s broken out. Politics as a sport. Biden’s a doddering old man! Don’t run, old man! He can’t win! He shouldn’t! What a disgrace. Hello, does anyone remember substance? Forget these jokers. I’m going to put...

The Lady Vanishes as She Ages in America, Including Me

  As women become older, they entertain a wider set of choices about when and how they are seen ~ Akiko Busch Don’t hate me, but there is something to be said for being invisible at 72. Unobtrusively lurking on the outskirts of life, observing without being observed. Seemin...

Why “America First” Will Make America Last

In the early 2000s, as I was about to graduate from college, I got together with my best friend from high school to kick back and catch up. Our friendship had been forged over countless hours of debate on matters of politics, philosophy, science, culture, and history. We often disagreed, but that di...

America is Very Rich. What Do We Spend Our Money On?

I don’t know if you realize just how much richer Americans are than other rich people around the world. We talk a lot about the ways in which the American economy is broken — and it is broken in a bunch of ways. People on both sides of the political spectrum seem to fervently believe ...

The Slogan Should Be “Make America Great”

SALUTE TO AMERICA 250

In a world filled with gadgets and gizmos, there’s one product that stands out as a true testament to American values and heritage — the Salute to America 250. This remarkable affiliate product is not just a product; it’s a symbol of patriotism, freedom, and the enduring spirit of ...

Magic America: William Eggleston at C/O Berlin

Some weeks ago at a good-not-great Italian restaurant just off Rosenthaler Platz, a friend of mine made an offhand comment about her inability to listen to Beethoven’s Fifth on its own terms. As a professional opera singer who has dedicated her life to the study (and singing) of the Western mu...

Holland America Cruise Exploring the Northeast

Holland America cruise takes passengers on a 7-day exploration of the Northeast, from Boston to Quebec. Cruising has long been a favored way to explore the world, offering a unique blend of relaxation, adventure, and exploration. This cruise provides an unforgettable journey through the picturesque ...

GBH News and PRX Debut New Podcast, “The Big Dig,” the Fascinating Story of the Most Expensive Highway Project in America

Can America still build big things? It’s the central question of The Big Dig, a new podcast announced today from GBH News and PRX, examining American infrastructure through the lens of the most expensive highway project in the nation’s history. The nine-part limite...

Living Black in 3 Different Parts of America

Boston, Massachusetts. A place known for its winning sports teams, elite schools, and movies with harsh local accents. The city I was born and raised in and is an integral part of who I am today. However, throughout my life, I’ve heard the same narrative over and over again: Boston is the most...

The Paris of South America

The last hour of the day, sitting at a café table on Calle Chile, the street that separates the barrios of San Telmo and Monserrat. San Telmo is the quirky, fancy, used-to-be-bohemian neighborhood where I’m staying; Monserrat the city center, which gradually shades from residential to u...

Richie Jerimovich Of “The Bear” Is America Right Now

I had been trying to figure out a way to write about The Bear for a while, and I just located it. If you’re unfamiliar, The Bear is a show on Hulu/FX that just released its second season. It’s set in Chicago, and in many ways feels like a love letter to Chicago. The b...

How Bank of America gave away my money

Two weeks ago, I suddenly received emails informing me that my Bank of America account was overdrawn. Confused, I logged onto my online banking account to discover that all my money (more than $3,400) had disappeared from both my saving and checking accounts. Not only were the balances stripped clea...

How Miami Became the Most Important City in America

A Gateway to the Americas Miami’s strategic location has played a significant role in its ascent as an influential city. Situated at the crossroads of North and South America, Miami serves as a gateway between the two continents. The city’s strategic position has attracted multination...

America Runs on Dunkin’ and Wi-Fi

As New York City reckons with the enduring value of urban life post-pandemic, it is undeniable that much of the tenets that once composed our conceptualizations of the city must now be radically confronted and disrupted. For example, in the emergence of remote and hybrid working policies, the future...

A French in America: Could We Laugh at the Same Jokes?

One of the biggest differences between the Americans and the French regarding love, is undoubtedly the way we approach this emotion that we all aspire to conquer. I met Markelle at a friend’s house in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He is 34, African American. He arrived in New York in 2017, after ...

A French in America

One could not talk about French clichés about Americans without mentioning what I call The Five Graces, to borrow from the Italian sculptor Antonio Canova and his famous sculpture The Three Graces. The sculpture depicts the three daughters of Zeus, according to Greek mythology, the goddesses ...

A French in America

For a long time, I have refused to make comparisons between the United States and France, having lived in both countries. I often find these comparisons annoying and unproductive. Several months ago, when my friend Yuwei asked me if I had watched ‘Emily in Paris,’ I remember telling h...

The Most Secretive Club in America

There’s a great little kitschy dive bar in Lower Nob Hill in San Francisco called the Owl Tree. From the window seat, you can sip a dirty martini and look across the intersection of Post and Taylor at a looming ivy-clad, red-brick fortress. This is the city clubhouse of the highly exclusive me...

Making America Climate Resilient

Atthe end of September, President Biden hosted the first-ever White House Summit on Building Resilient Communities and launched a new National Framework for Climate Resilience. The new Framework identifies six critical objectives: 1. Embed climate resilience into planning and manag...

America: (Roth) 401k and IRAs

The Traditional 401k is a powerful investment tool that allows you to deduct contributions made from your tax return and pay tax on withdrawals in retirement. That is, contributions made are tax-deferred until retirement. This is usually suited towards investors that will have a lower tax ...

The State of Generosity in America

The holiday season brings many ways to give and receive generosity. To me, generosity is a virtue defined as willingly giving away your time, money and attention — without expectation of anything in return. This feeling is a hallmark of the season. People are nicer, give grace a bit easier and...

Surviving the Aftermath of a Bad Mortgage: A Cautionary Tale of Buying Black in America.

We are sold the notion homeownership is the pinnacle of the American Dream. But what happens if that dream is nothing more than a nightmare disguised as a mortgage? As we near what seems to be another housing collapse, many people are uncertain about what 2023 and beyond will hold as it relates t...

Atheist in Christian America

I was finishing the morning dishes when I saw the strobe of police lights out my kitchen window as several cop cars pulled up to a house across the street from ours. I picked up my 19-month-old son out of the highchair, held him against my ballooning belly, and hauled my 7-month pregnant self out th...

America Needs Jesus — But Not in the Way You Think

Yes, what American culture needs is a lot more Jesus. But before you start cheering (or clicking away because you think I’ve become a religious bigot), let me explain what I mean. Although we’re allegedly an extremely Christian country (even though that was never what the Fo...

A French in America: My Son Was Called “Monkey” at the School of Madonna’s and Jolie/Pitt’s Kids

In June 2020, as anti-racist protests multiplied around the world after the murder of George Floyd, I received an email from the Lycée Français of New York (LFNY), which my son had attended from September 2014 to June 2019, from fifth to ninth grade. It was a group email sent to the al...

A French in America: The Black Trauma

Jackson was a mountain of muscle. He reminded me of an expression of my mother: “Big Arms.” This expression is common in Cameroon to describe young people embarking on the profession of security agents, after having completely transformed their bodies. They arouse both admiration and moc...

Bank of America Slapped with $12 Million Fine for HMDA Violations | Jot Beat | NewsBreak Original

Photo by Image Credit: Bank of America In a recent development on November 28, 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has taken a stern stance against one of the nation’s largest financial institutions — Bank of America, N.A. Headquartered in the vibrant city of Charlotte, Nor...

America Needs Jesus — But Not in the Way You Think

Jesus is not celebrating migrant people drowning at the border, including an infant. I can’t say what his view on immigration would be, but I know it wouldn’t be that. I also highly doubt Jesus would support Greg Abbott’s practice of setting up buoys in the Rio Grande to ...

Celebrating MLK Day in a Divided America

This year, news coverage of the MLK Jr. Day holiday proved even more widely varied and incendiary than in previous years. From musings on “Why So Few MLK Day Sales?” (Thomas Buckley, Substack: “Does the Holiday’s Somber Tone Limit the Message?”) to Vice President Kam...

Celebrating MLK Day in a Divided America

From America to Iran, Don’t Underestimate the Righteous Fury of Women

Misogyny is a unifying phenomenon around the world that features loud, angry — often bearded — men who share regressive opinions on women’s fashion choices, sexual habits, and reproductive rights. It doesn’t matter that these opinions are unsolicited or broadly contested &mda...

What Degrowth Means in America

Degrowth is slowly (one might say, at a snail’s pace) catching on. Last year’s IPCC report made reference to the term some 27 times. Scholars around the world are exploring and debating the topic. Academics are churning out titles like The Future Is Degrowth and ...

Will High-Speed Rail Make Money in America?

Answering this question is tough because Amtrak, a federally owned corporation, operates most of America’s intercity passenger trains. Similarly, Via Rail, a Crown Corporation (government-owned company), operates most of Canada’s intercity passenger trains. Meanwhile, regional agencies o...

Measured as ever, Waymo now ventures onto the freeways of America

Following the company’s slow but stead policy, the autonomous driving service on the freeway will be available only to employees for the time being, but will be extended to all users as soon as deemed appropriate. Logically, driving on freeways poses new challenges, mainly due to higher speeds...

Over-the-Road Truckers: The Unsung Mosaic of America

As dawn breaks and a new day unfolds, thousands of over-the-road (OTR) truckers are already on the move, transporting goods that make America thrive. Far from being a homogenous group, these truckers come in all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. They are a diverse tapestry representing the vibrant cul...

The Midterms Broke America in Half

I’ve seen many laud the lack of a “Red wall” as a victory, but perhaps what’s happened is just as bad, if not worse, in the long run. You see, this election was supposed to be telling. And it was. Six years on from the onset of Trumpism, in a digital age where information tra...

All the Ways To Lose Your Right to Vote in America

The right to vote is mentioned five times in the U.S. Constitution. The right to own guns and to free speech, just once each. And yet it is one of the easiest of our rights to lose, so much easier than those other inalienable rights — to post hate speech, say, or to buy a semi-automatic weapon...

The Mentality of the Gun in America

With every Nashville, Uvalde, or Parkland, I think of the families of the 20 six-and-seven-year-old children and 6 staff killed in Sandy Hook. The 19 children killed in Uvalde were aged nine to eleven. I know what it’s like to unexpectedly lose someone you cherish. My wife Briggs died of medic...

Everything I’ve Learned About Gun Control

Like most people I know, I’ve been angry about guns in America for a while. I’ve long wanted to distill my thinking and summarize several years of what I’ve read about this issue. The latest mass murder in Parkland, Florida finally compelled me to action. And the reason I’...

Guns & America In 1791 Were Worlds Away From The Guns & America Of Today

Other than members of law enforcement, today almost no one uses firearms on a daily or weekly basis. Most guns owned by Americans sit in a drawer or a closet and aren’t fired even once a year. Some people hunt for fun, but most of those hunters don’t fire their guns more often than a ten...

Mass Shootings and Toxic Masculinity in America

A horrible tragedy unfolded in Texas where at least 19 children and two adults were killed when a teenage gunman shot them at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, a small, predominantly Latino town in South Texas on May 24, 2022, in which the 18-year-old went classroom to classroom ...

The Drummer Who Was Kicked Out of America

His name is Eyasu. In his native tongue of Amharic this translates to “God rescues.” I heard his voice before I ever saw his face. I was parking my car behind my apartment when I heard a resonant lullaby echoing from inside a garage. The melody was soft and soothing with words that sound...

Captured in Time: Syrian Immigrant Sultana Numeir upon Arrival in America in 1890

The fact that this image exists is remarkable enough, but the story that spilled out of it is even more so. Included in a scrapbook of immigrant photos taken between 1890 and 1892 by E.W. Austin who worked at the Barge Office while Ellis Island was being constructed (well before the widely...

From America to Austria

There are a lot of Americans in Austria, from the Brazilians I’ve met in craft bars to the Californians teaching ESL in classrooms. There’s a network of international teachers, spouses, fintech bros. You just have to find it. When I made the big move from the U.S.A. to Austria, on my ...

Why Civil War Is Too Good For America

The one thing Americans will fight a civil war about is how to oppress their underclass. Whether they’re legal property (slaves) or illegal immigrants, America requires an underclass, that goes without question. The only dispute is how crass they are about it. “Conser...

Dividing America

How Political Parties Contribute to the Growing Discord: Political parties play a central role in shaping the political landscape of the United States. However, their actions often contribute to the deepening divisions and polarization witnessed in American society. This article explores the vari...

A Five Party America

As a product manager who routinely does market segmentation, this was absolutely fascinating. First off — doesn’t this make sense?! The Republican Party is probably going through the stronger identity crisis, which this survey cleanly describes. The “Nationalist Party&rdqu...

The Mysterious Case of Duong and America Nguyen

Bealeton, VA, USA is a small and quaint town in the north of the state near Manassas. It’s made of some subdivisions and dairy and beef farms. Its downtown area consists of two strip malls, and just one grocery store. One would normally think of such a town as a safe place where not much happe...

Why 60 Years After March on Washington America is Just as Racist

OnAugust 28, 1963, over a quarter-million people attended The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, gathering near the Lincoln Memorial. This event showcased the strength and solidarity of the civil rights movement, a cruscade that openly challenged Black Americans' second-class citizen...

Unearthing the Roots of Racial Inequity in America

As chance and ancestry would have it, my life as a White American began on White Street, at the end of the first week of May 1955, in the small town of Clinton, in DeWitt County, smack dab in the middle of the state of Illinois. Clinton was, on the day of my birth, a town of six thousand souls &mdas...

Who is this Karen and why does everyone hate her?

Sorry but there is no Karen. Or rather, there are millions. All across America. Airing their complaints at the customer service counter, lamenting the high price of help and raising their voice to people who can’t speak English. And so staff and servers hate her. Especially people of color,...

From White-Passing to Media’s Mirror: Unraveling My Mixed-Race Experience in America

Navigating America’s multifaceted racial landscape, especially as a “white-passing” individual of mixed heritage, brings to light layers of complexity, privilege, and identity struggles. The broader societal narratives on race, intertwined with personal experiences and the omnipres...

Discovering Whiteness in America

Ifyou are one of the millions of Americans who has filled in a family tree you will be familiar with the problem genealogists call a “brick wall,” those exasperating dead ends where the document trail dries up and the link to previous generations is broken. In the early days of invest...

Alright: How My Black Parents Reclaimed The Promise Of America By Car

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. described the indignity that black travelers experienced in his searing Letter from Birmingham Jail. He described the cramped sleeping arrangements in cars that were intimately known by scores of weary black travelers. Black bodies would contort themselves in cr...

The physics of why the first clock in America failed

For nearly three full centuries, the most accurate way that humanity kept track of time was through the pendulum clock. From its initial development in the 17th century until the invention of quartz timepieces in the 1920s, pendulum clocks became staples of household life, enabling people to or...

How Opioid Addiction Became An America Problem

The opioid epidemic in the United States is a complex and multifaceted issue that has taken hold of the country over the past few decades. It has affected millions of individuals, families, and communities across the country, leading to countless deaths and devastating consequences. To understand th...

I Too, Sing America

Ifind it easy to become disenchanted and discouraged by our prospects for the future here in America. We seem to be getting more polarized, angrier, less tolerant, more aggressive, less compassionate. I cringe at how we are viewed by the rest of the world. I am more often ashamed than proud. I&rsquo...

San Francisco wants to attract more start-ups in Latin America

“Companies like Google, Airbnb and other technology have brought personnel from other countries that are not Latino and, in the end, Latinos have gone to other cities, such as Texas, Kentucky or New Jersey,” explains Vallejo. Since its creation in 2014, LatinSF has helped 14 Latin Ame...

A French in America

One of the biggest complaints from many Americans who have stayed in France is that they had a hard time making new friends. Some have often told me that they have made many efforts, but they have never managed to really make French friends. It is super difficult. The French keep to themselves. A...

A French in America: Could We Laugh at the Same Jokes?

Is Québec “Latin America”?

The very question, is Québec Latin America, is so absurd, how can I even ask it? I ask because it is an absurd question to those who insist Québec, obviously, is not, usually in English and Spanish, and to those who insist that obviously Québec is, usually in Fren...