Much attention has been focused on Donald Trump's use of words — that is, his peculiar style of oratory. But more attention should be paid to another feature of his discourse: his use of numbers.

Trump doesn't use numbers the way most of us do, as "things that can be added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided," as Columbia University ...Read more

As travelers wedge themselves into planes, trains and automobiles for holiday trips, there’s a good chance they’ll be joined by an unwanted passenger: a new flu strain that seems intent on derailing the season.

With flu cases in the U.S. starting to take off, there are still some steps people can take to avoid — or at least lower the risk...Read more

Folks, who was supposed to be watching grandpa last night? Because he got out, got on TV and ... It. Was. Not. Good.

For 18 long minutes Wednesday evening, we were subjected to a rant by President Donald Trump that predictably careened from immigrants (bad) to jobs (good), rarely slowing down for reality. But jumbled between the vitriol and ...Read more

It’s time to ask the question plainly: Has President Donald Trump finally, fully lost it?

The latest indication that Trump is no longer just instinctively belligerent and cruel, but perhaps is experiencing something even more psychologically alarming, came Monday, in the form of (what else?) a social media post.

“Rob Reiner, a tortured and...Read more

There is a Santa Claus. There is light amid the darkness. Vanity Fair's two-part chronicle of interviews with Susie Wiles, President Donald Trump's heretofore tight-lipped and uber-credible White House chief of staff, is a Christmas and Hanukkah gift to the nation in this holiday season.

By her monthly on-the-record observations to author Chris...Read more

Blue state governors have demonstrated a reflexive opposition to President Donald Trump. That’s led to some absurd outcomes.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working to obtain records from every state about those receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. SNAP is the renamed food-stamps program. It helps those with ...Read more

To fix what he sees wrong in Europe, President Donald Trump has prescribed the continent’s ancient and most lethal poison — nationalism.

Nationalism is a patriotism, a love of one’s own country, that has curdled into a hatred both of other countries and of minority groups at home. In the 20 th century, nationalism was the driving force ...Read more

My wife and I are once again rewatching “Mad Men,” a show that has, for better or worse, lodged itself deep within my personality. I can’t remember the password to my bank account, or which of my kid’s “Spirit Days” is next Tuesday, but I can endlessly quote “Mad Men.”

We just finished season one, which ends with “The Wheel.�...Read more

For a while last year, scientists offered a glimmer of hope that artificial intelligence would make a positive contribution to democracy. They showed that chatbots could address conspiracy theories racing across social media, challenging misinformation around beliefs in issues such as chemtrails and the flat Earth with a stream of reasonable ...Read more

President Donald Trump traveled to Pennsylvania last week to double down on his economic messages: The affordability concerns of Americans are a Democratic “hoax” and if anyone is unhappy, it's a Blame Biden Economy.

A more fitting description would be the Trump Self-Inflicted Wound Economy.

It's not unusual for presidents starting their ...Read more

Twenty-five years ago this month, the words of one good man uneasily brought us all together.

Al Gore did not have to concede Florida and with it, the 2000 presidential election and America’s future. With just 537 Florida votes separating him and George W. Bush, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered an end to the recount of thousands of Florida ...Read more

Soon, you may no longer be able to afford health care since Republicans have once again blocked efforts to subsidize the Affordable Care Act.

The most recent government shutdown became the longest in history because Democrats insisted on continuing to fund health care while the GOP balked. The Republicans won. America lost.

But don’t despair...Read more

Even for an administration that makes no secret of its antipathy toward immigrants, recent rhetoric from the White House has been alarming and inflammatory — and at odds with reality.

The facts are: Immigrants are more likely to be in the workforce, and start businesses, than native-born Americans. They are less likely to commit crimes. Even ...Read more

Some folks are "Home Alone" lovers, while others are "Die Hard" fans. For me, it wouldn’t be the holiday season without singing along to "The Muppet Christmas Carol."

This year, I found myself thinking about Scrooge’s need to hoard and consume without a flicker of concern for those he hurt. It made me wonder what might happen if the ...Read more

Last week, Australia became the first country in the world to enact a social media ban for kids under 16. As the children of Oz wept and gnashed their teeth (I presume), Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged them to "start a new sport, learn a new instrument, or read that book that has been sitting there on your shelf for some time."

The ban is...Read more

Let the annals of this country show it was the murder of a Jewish couple on the first night of Hanukkah that showed how profoundly un-Christian Donald J. Trump is once and for all.

The prosecution rests, and there can no rebuttal: We are a nation led by President Meathead.

Except unlike the character of the same name famously played by Rob ...Read more

I had dinner with my son recently, and as tends to happen with us, we started talking about Quentin Tarantino's two-part masterpiece, "Kill Bill." We fell in love with the movies when they were released more than 20 years ago, when my son was in elementary school, and we have seen them countless times. My son had bought tickets to see the ...Read more

It doesn’t matter where you live, what you do for a living or what your politics are. When someone asks you to list your favorite movies, there’s a good chance that a Rob Reiner film makes the list. When someone asks you for a random movie quote, it’s even more likely that a Reiner movie will power the next words you say, from “I’ll ...Read more

The fact that Dick Van Dyke turned 100 on Dec. 13 is remarkable enough. But the entertainment icon hasn’t simply made it to the century mark; he’s remained purposefully engaged in life and with those around him: acting, dancing, mentoring younger performers, and spreading joy to millions.

Van Dyke is a reminder that aging does not diminish ...Read more

The Democratic Party sent a strong message to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party in the 2025 elections, but ironically one part of their overall strategy forward should be to support Independents in House and Senate races where the chances of victory for a Democratic candidate are low.

Double irony: Republicans should employ the ...Read more