February 7: Featuring Mitch Landrieu in celebration of New Orleans, Meghan Houser questioning the ceremony, Marissa Rothkopf's brittle recipe, and The Contrarian pet of the week from Joyce Vance
Collectively ignoring the Super Bowl and its advertising this year would be a wonderful way to show corporations what we think of their bootlicking, especially since the Cheeto-in-Chief is supposedly planning to attend.
i do not care at all about the football game.I’m an “ older” male, and not a commercial/corporate sports fan. This extravaganza is more of the circus produced to distract and undermine our genuine human culture. I’m disappointed The Contrarian feels it has to pay attention to it rather than adopting a more contrarian “Who cares? We’re suffering an existential crisis in the US., affecting our immediate neighbors and everyone else on the planet.
Yeah, I agree with you, Howard Mandel, as you'll see if you read my other comment, which as I write this comment is directly above yours.
Jennifer Rubin, if you happen to read this comment, know that I am also a fellow graduate of UC Berkeley, and my recollection is that one could not get into Berkeley if one was a football fan--which I never have been. And, in other matters, know that I signed up for the Contrarian because you'd been my favorite WaPo columnist for around 8 years.
Jen Rubin was one of my favorite, "go-too" columnists as well, until recently. The Contrarian was late to publicizing anti-fascism protests, and now they are/she is normalizing this moment by publishing Super Bowl recipes? I am beyond disappointed.
Interview Mike Turner. Elon Musk’s Enemy, USAID, Was Investigating Starlink’s Contracts in Ukraine.
"The Lever reported Tuesday that USAID’s inspector general was in the process of investigating its own public-private partnership between Musk’s Starlink and the Ukrainian government at the time that the billionaire’s DOGE crippled the agency. Publicly available information about that probe is still online. An announcement from last May reads: “The USAID Office of Inspector General, Inspections and Evaluations Division, is initiating an inspection of USAID’s oversight of Starlink satellite terminals provided to the Government of Ukraine. Our objectives are to determine how (1) the Government of Ukraine used the USAID-provided Starlink terminals, and (2) USAID monitored the Government of Ukraine’s use of USAID-provided Starlink terminals.”
"Musk has called the agency “evil” and a “criminal organization,” though the fact that USAID was investigating the Starlink activities may suggest ulterior motivations for the billionaire’s vitriol. It’s unclear what the Starlink probe’s status is right now."
Republican Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio was removed from his position atop the powerful House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, telling CBS News that House Speaker Mike Johnson fired him, citing "concerns from Mar-a-Lago."
Also interview other House Repunlicans like Brianb Fitzpatrick, and members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, like my rep, Elvira Salazar. ,
I haven't watched a Super Bowl game for 10 or 15 years. Not because of the players but the whole commercialization of the game. Every aspect of our lives is tainted with Billionaire owners exploiting the the things ordinary people create, Music, MSM, Car Racing, Politics, Food etc. I'm not against people with wealth but being exploited or cheated shouldn't be normalized and we need stronger checks against their greed.
I couldn't care less about the superbowl. Please, Ms. Rubin, don't dumb it down here. If you are exhausted and need a break, just tell us you're taking a day (or two) off for your mental health. I think your readers would totally understand.
While folks in the US will be watching the Super Bowl, I am going to 2 Demonstrations in Germany with my sign that I got readied yesterday, but today have decided to add something to.
While there have been some illiberal moves and Musk certainly has elevated AfD, at least to some people, I am also reading that 90% of Germans feel that foreigners are influencing the elections here, and that Russia is first and the US second in doing that. Probably true too. Russia has a very well oiled influence machine that it has been at it for decades. However, Musk is probably throwing funds at AfD illegally and some are throwing big monies at it legally.
Germans are now realizing that a lot of loopholes need to be fixed if they want to keep foreign influence out. In any case, bad actors and bad actions mean that there is a schedule of demonstrations every day all around Germany for the entire month leading up to the elections and beyond. In my city they tend to be on the weekend, but I could go to nearby cities and attend ones during the week as well. So, I will be holding my sign, and gathering with a group of Americans living abroad to stand for democracy in both the countries we belong to.
I would be interested in the crowd reaction if Trump was featured on the scoreboard screen at the stadium. I would expect a chorus of boo's. They probably won't take the chance, I can only boo at home.
I am at a complete loss as to why Musk and Trump have been successful at dismantling our government. Are we so toothless and feckless that we have absolutely no voice as what is being done? Where are the American citizens protesting? Why haven’t we gone out in mass surrounding government agencies to regain access with stopping this coup? If America does not regain our country politically, where do we go. Do we start a civil war to displace Trump and Musk? This cannot end peacefully. (Mussolini)
There needs to be millions of Americans to go to Washington DC to fill the streets immediately. To surround Musk run amuck agencies are and retake these agencies for Americans. It's numbers baby on foot, not lip service that will help get this country back from Trump and Musk.
A recent thread suggest April 19th as a target date for massive street protests. This would commemorate the April 19th, 1775 "shot heard round the world." This is a great idea. We need millions in the street then. I'll be there. But we must be in the streets before then as well. As another thread mentioned, 9 weeks is a lifetime in TrumpWorldChaos. Hitler turned the German democracy into a dictatorship in 53 days! We need people in the streets weekly, if not daily. Any info on groups organizing such protests would be appreciated... especially, for me, here in deep-red, anti-"woke," anti-trans, anti-CRT, anti-climate change Oklahoma.
Across America, citizens are worried, even terrified about the Trump and Republican takeover. The Super Bowl is reflective of huge wealth in this country…. How disappointing that The Contrarian suggests cooking up some game treats, during our current crisis.
Perhaps instead of buying those very expensive Bowl tickets, contribute that money to one of legal groups working so hard to stop Trump, Musk, and the Heritage Foundation from dismantling the United States of America.
Collectively ignoring the Super Bowl and its advertising this year would be a wonderful way to show corporations what we think of their bootlicking, especially since the Cheeto-in-Chief is supposedly planning to attend.
I ignore the Super Bowl and its advertising just about every year. I could not care less.
BTW, you have my long ago, beloved 6th grade teacher's original surname, so I'm getting some nice memories.
i do not care at all about the football game.I’m an “ older” male, and not a commercial/corporate sports fan. This extravaganza is more of the circus produced to distract and undermine our genuine human culture. I’m disappointed The Contrarian feels it has to pay attention to it rather than adopting a more contrarian “Who cares? We’re suffering an existential crisis in the US., affecting our immediate neighbors and everyone else on the planet.
.
Bravo!!
We shouldn't be isolated ourselves from the Super Bowl. Yeah it's corporate and over the top. But I'd rather have football fans join us, wouldn't you?
Should also have UFC and WWE. Whatever it takes to make people feel welcome.
Yeah, I agree with you, Howard Mandel, as you'll see if you read my other comment, which as I write this comment is directly above yours.
Jennifer Rubin, if you happen to read this comment, know that I am also a fellow graduate of UC Berkeley, and my recollection is that one could not get into Berkeley if one was a football fan--which I never have been. And, in other matters, know that I signed up for the Contrarian because you'd been my favorite WaPo columnist for around 8 years.
Jen Rubin was one of my favorite, "go-too" columnists as well, until recently. The Contrarian was late to publicizing anti-fascism protests, and now they are/she is normalizing this moment by publishing Super Bowl recipes? I am beyond disappointed.
I suspect and hope this is an aberration.
I do hope you are right. I admire Jen Rubin, and have followed her columns for years. I won't give up on her.
Interview Mike Turner. Elon Musk’s Enemy, USAID, Was Investigating Starlink’s Contracts in Ukraine.
"The Lever reported Tuesday that USAID’s inspector general was in the process of investigating its own public-private partnership between Musk’s Starlink and the Ukrainian government at the time that the billionaire’s DOGE crippled the agency. Publicly available information about that probe is still online. An announcement from last May reads: “The USAID Office of Inspector General, Inspections and Evaluations Division, is initiating an inspection of USAID’s oversight of Starlink satellite terminals provided to the Government of Ukraine. Our objectives are to determine how (1) the Government of Ukraine used the USAID-provided Starlink terminals, and (2) USAID monitored the Government of Ukraine’s use of USAID-provided Starlink terminals.”
"Musk has called the agency “evil” and a “criminal organization,” though the fact that USAID was investigating the Starlink activities may suggest ulterior motivations for the billionaire’s vitriol. It’s unclear what the Starlink probe’s status is right now."
Republican Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio was removed from his position atop the powerful House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, telling CBS News that House Speaker Mike Johnson fired him, citing "concerns from Mar-a-Lago."
Also interview other House Repunlicans like Brianb Fitzpatrick, and members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, like my rep, Elvira Salazar. ,
This is why I signed up for a paid subscription to the Contrarian. Thank you for focusing on the importance of what is going on now.
Love the hard news, commentary.
Love-Not the recipes, cute stuff.
Thank you. I agree completely. I'm losing respect for the Contrarian.
Patriotism and pride are reasons to watch a violent sport? Disappointing judgement on your part.
I haven't watched a Super Bowl game for 10 or 15 years. Not because of the players but the whole commercialization of the game. Every aspect of our lives is tainted with Billionaire owners exploiting the the things ordinary people create, Music, MSM, Car Racing, Politics, Food etc. I'm not against people with wealth but being exploited or cheated shouldn't be normalized and we need stronger checks against their greed.
Trump taking over the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is soul crushing.
He could have left us at least that, as the arts are the way to get though difficult times.
What is going to be on the agenda? The village people? Also, who will even want to perform with him at the helm?
I couldn't care less about the superbowl. Please, Ms. Rubin, don't dumb it down here. If you are exhausted and need a break, just tell us you're taking a day (or two) off for your mental health. I think your readers would totally understand.
Yes. I agree completely. This recent post from the Contrarian was disappointing beyond measure.
At a moment I consider critical to maintaining our democracy, indeed our humanity, I'm saddened that the Contrarian chooses to celebrate CTE.
I'm sorry, but this inane contribution isn't why I've signed up for a paid subscription to the Contrarian. I'm reconsidering my subscription.
While folks in the US will be watching the Super Bowl, I am going to 2 Demonstrations in Germany with my sign that I got readied yesterday, but today have decided to add something to.
While there have been some illiberal moves and Musk certainly has elevated AfD, at least to some people, I am also reading that 90% of Germans feel that foreigners are influencing the elections here, and that Russia is first and the US second in doing that. Probably true too. Russia has a very well oiled influence machine that it has been at it for decades. However, Musk is probably throwing funds at AfD illegally and some are throwing big monies at it legally.
Germans are now realizing that a lot of loopholes need to be fixed if they want to keep foreign influence out. In any case, bad actors and bad actions mean that there is a schedule of demonstrations every day all around Germany for the entire month leading up to the elections and beyond. In my city they tend to be on the weekend, but I could go to nearby cities and attend ones during the week as well. So, I will be holding my sign, and gathering with a group of Americans living abroad to stand for democracy in both the countries we belong to.
I live near Frankfurt and am looking for like minded fellow Americans. Are you close by any chance?
I would be interested in the crowd reaction if Trump was featured on the scoreboard screen at the stadium. I would expect a chorus of boo's. They probably won't take the chance, I can only boo at home.
I am at a complete loss as to why Musk and Trump have been successful at dismantling our government. Are we so toothless and feckless that we have absolutely no voice as what is being done? Where are the American citizens protesting? Why haven’t we gone out in mass surrounding government agencies to regain access with stopping this coup? If America does not regain our country politically, where do we go. Do we start a civil war to displace Trump and Musk? This cannot end peacefully. (Mussolini)
There needs to be millions of Americans to go to Washington DC to fill the streets immediately. To surround Musk run amuck agencies are and retake these agencies for Americans. It's numbers baby on foot, not lip service that will help get this country back from Trump and Musk.
A recent thread suggest April 19th as a target date for massive street protests. This would commemorate the April 19th, 1775 "shot heard round the world." This is a great idea. We need millions in the street then. I'll be there. But we must be in the streets before then as well. As another thread mentioned, 9 weeks is a lifetime in TrumpWorldChaos. Hitler turned the German democracy into a dictatorship in 53 days! We need people in the streets weekly, if not daily. Any info on groups organizing such protests would be appreciated... especially, for me, here in deep-red, anti-"woke," anti-trans, anti-CRT, anti-climate change Oklahoma.
Agreed. We need millions of people in the streets. Soon.
Love all you do, Joyce.
Across America, citizens are worried, even terrified about the Trump and Republican takeover. The Super Bowl is reflective of huge wealth in this country…. How disappointing that The Contrarian suggests cooking up some game treats, during our current crisis.
Perhaps instead of buying those very expensive Bowl tickets, contribute that money to one of legal groups working so hard to stop Trump, Musk, and the Heritage Foundation from dismantling the United States of America.
Hate to join the Moaning Myrtles, but…as a contributor do I really need to sign in (via a code emailed to me) every time I want to read a new post?!
I know I could bypass this process by downloading an app…but I don’t want yet another app on my devices. Bah-humbug!