Today's Liberal News

Let’s Talk About Brines. No, Not That Kind.

Ed Rivera-Valentín has spent quite a bit of time thinking about brines recently. The particular ratio of salt to water in the marinade. The special ingredients that can give things an extra kick.I am referring, of course, to the salty solutions that are found across our solar system, on planets and moons and even asteroids. These would be no good on a Thanksgiving turkey, but they might be one of the most intriguing substances in the search for alien life.

Why Biden picked Powell

In the end, President Joe Biden did what many close to him expected: He took a longer-than-anticipated amount of time to arrive at a reasonable, moderate decision that thrilled few but carried limited risk.

Anthony Huber Was a Hero: Victim of Kyle Rittenhouse Remembered for Trying to Save Lives At Protest

The parents of Anthony Huber, one of two men killed by Kyle Rittenhouse, say they are heartbroken and angry over the jury’s Friday verdict, and argue it failed to deliver justice for any of Rittenhouse’s victims. In a statement Friday, they said: “Make no mistake: our fight to hold those responsible for Anthony’s death accountable continues in full force.

“In Our DNA”: Jacob Blake’s Father & Uncle on the Family’s Long History of Racial Justice Activism

Jacob Blake Sr., whose son was shot by Kenosha police in 2020 and left partially paralyzed, says the family is part of a larger movement fighting for victims of police violence and racial injustice. “We were always pro-Black activists and then after this happened to my son, we’ve become activists for everyone who’s been affected,” he says. The Blake family has a long history of activism going back to the civil rights movement and beyond.

News Roundup: Charlottesville racists must pay damages; new subpoenas for Proud Boys, Oath Keepers

In the news today: A jury slammed organizers of a violent 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville over $25 million in damages. The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection has released a new set of subpoenas, this time against far-right leaders of the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and other groups that participated in the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Trump-backed PA Senate candidate Parnell drops out after losing custody suit amid abuse allegations

Donald Trump may think otherwise, but if a man can’t be trusted with his own children, one has to wonder why Pennsylvania voters would trust him with their vote. As reported by Kate Riga for TalkingPointsMemo:

A judge granted sole legal custody to Laurie Snell, the estranged wife of Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania Sean Parnell, after a bitter custody battle in which Snell accused him of assaulting both her and their children.

Just days after two men were exonerated in her father’s murder, Malcolm X’s daughter is found dead

The daughter of famed Black civil rights activist Malcolm X, Malikah Shabazz, was found dead at her Brooklyn home Monday. One of six children, and a twin, Shabazz was born seven months after the assassination of her father. 

Shabazz, 56, was found unconscious by her daughter Bettih Shabazz. According to the New York Police Department, the death appears to be due to natural causes at this time.

A Republican celebrated after a library canceled its inclusive event for kids, but hate didn’t win

As Daily Kos has covered many times, there are few things mobilizing conservatives during the pandemic like children’s events at libraries. Yes, it’s true—we’re still surviving a global pandemic, and all the while, folks are more than happy to make sure that queer folks aren’t able to do children’s programming—much less have queer books available—at local libraries. Drag Queen story hour? Nope. Trans magician? Not a chance, apparently.

Climate Change Might Be Driving Albatrosses to Divorce

Albatrosses do not fall in love the way humans do.When the birds couple up, it’s almost always for keeps. Their lives start lonely—albatross parents lay only one egg at a time, and may leave their offspring unattended for days—and at just a few months old, each juvenile embarks on an epic solo voyage at sea. They fly for months and months and months, learning what it is to be a bird.

The Football Game That Transcends Tradition

Photographs by Julien JamesThis past Saturday, after a one-year hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 50,000 spectators filled the Camping World football stadium in Orlando to watch the Florida Classic—the 76th face-off between Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman University.

The Least Exciting Avenger

This may sound harsh, but Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, was never the most exciting Avenger in the Marvel films. Next to near-invincible heroes such as Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk, he just looked ill-equipped, wielding a bow and arrow against monstrous aliens and killer robots. One of the original six protagonists in 2012’s Avengers, the master archer (played by Jeremy Renner) gradually became an afterthought, not even appearing in 2018’s Infinity War.

How to Identify What You Enjoy

Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google | Pocket CastsIn adulthood, many of us are forced to recalibrate our relationship with joy. As responsibilities multiply exponentially, time grows limited, and challenges mount, it becomes harder to make time for fun, let alone remember what it feels like.

The Tempting, Poisonous Wealth of House of Gucci

In House of Gucci, opulence is not always alluring. But Ridley Scott’s new movie takes its time before delving into the insidious, gilded world of the Italian luxury label. The film, which charts the turbulent marriage of the fashion heir Maurizio Gucci (played by Adam Driver) to the ambitious Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), instead opens with the pair’s gentle romance.

Is China Really a Threat? Noam Chomsky Slams Biden For Increasingly Provocative Actions in Region

We feature an excerpt from our recent interview with world-renowned scholar and political dissident Noam Chomsky about how the Biden administration is continuing a reckless foreign policy, despite taking a softer tone than the Trump administration. “The trajectory is not optimistic,” Chomsky says. “The worst case is the increasing provocative actions towards China. That’s very dangerous.