UPDATING FROM HOT KANSAS

• Having a great visit with my son in Kansas City where he brought 17 of his debate students from Taiwan for a big tournament.  There were about 3,000 kids at the tournament from the US and around the world.  Six of his kids made it to quarterfinals and it was fun to see them get their awards yesterday in the closing ceremony.  Last night we took seven of the boys to a Kansas City Royals baseball game.  This morning one of the Taiwanese moms thanked me for raising such a good son.  Just the kind of compliment a parent likes to hear about their kid.  Right now my very tired son is sleeping and I just love being next to him.  Had not seen him for about 18 months so this is pure joy for me.

• It was 90 degrees here in Kansas City yesterday.  Living in Maine for the past 11 years has reduced my capacity for extreme heat - not that I ever liked it much.  Kansas and Missouri are big climate change denier states and you've got to wonder how long people can keep ignoring the chickens as they come home to roost.

• An interesting and very informative piece on genocide in Ukraine has been written by British-Ukrainian-Russian actress and writer Vera Graziadei.  This highly documented article can be found here
• Everywhere you turn these days you find Hillary Clinton.  The corporate media is making sure that the skids are greased to ensure her safe slide into the White House.  Clinton's job would be to continue the work of Bush I, Bill Clinton, Bush II, and Obama on behalf of the corporate oil-i-garchy.  You could call it a coronation of sorts.  Hillary would also help keep the liberals in check as the rich continue to dismantle American society.  Rumors are flying that former Florida governor Jeb Bush (brother of George W.) will run as the Republican candidate.  Now say this with me - the US has become a corporate monarchy!