Even before the bombing, Israel was abusing Palestians though apartheid. In 2022, Amnesty International’s investigation showed that Israel has imposed a system of oppression and domination against Palestinians across all areas under its control: in Israel and the OPT, and against Palestinian refugees, in order to benefit Jewish Israelis. This amounts to apartheid and is prohibited by international law. (Politics)

There are people with integrity who will vote with their feet against corruption. Bill Owens, the Executive Producer of TV's 60 Minutes, resigned citing a loss of independent decision-making freedom. He stated that it had become clear he would no longer be allowed to run the show as he had always done, or make independent decisions based on what he believed was right for the program. (TV / Politics)

Pope Francis (17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) frequently spoke about peace. He emphasized that it is a precious gift. He said that a constant effort is required to work toward justice, forgiveness, and love. He encouraged dialogue and mutual respect. He highlighted that true peace is not just the absence of war, but a state of harmony with oneself, nature, and others. (Religion / History)

California Senator Adam Schiff speaks to how Trump has adopted the big lie propaganda technique originally coined by Adolf Hitler in Mein Kampf, who said, “The great masses of the people… will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one.” The big lie is repeated again and again. It is treated as if it is self-evidently true, in hopes of swaying the course of an argument in a direction that takes the big lie for granted rather than critically questioning it or ignoring it." (Politics)

What happened to Rubio's hard line against Putin? Before becoming Trump's Secretary of State, Rubio spoke out about Russia attacking Ukraine saying, "Vladimir Putin is the real aggressor in this war, and he is attempting an unjustified takeover of a sovereign, democratic country. The United States cannot recognize Putin's claims or we risk establishing a dangerous precedent for other authoritarian regimes, like the Chinese Communist Party, to imitate." (CONGDP, 09.22.22) (Politics)

The gutsy New York Times published Larry David's gutsy satire of Bill Maher and his recent dinner with Trump. Following the dinner, Maher had praised Trump for, among other things, having a sense of humor (on his show, "Real Time with Bill Maher") (Funny / Politics)

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/opinion/larry-david-dinner.htmlImagine my surprise when in the spring of 1939 a letter arrived at my house inviting me to dinner at the Old Chancellery with the world’s most reviled man, Adolf Hitler. I had been a vocal critic of his on the radio from the beginning, pretty much predicting everything he was going to do on the road to dictatorship. No one I knew encouraged me to go. “He’s Hitler. He’s a monster.” But eventually I concluded that hate gets us nowhere. I knew I couldn’t change his views, but we need to talk to the other side — even if it has invaded and annexed other countries and committed unspeakable crimes against humanity. Two weeks later, I found myself on the front steps of the Old Chancellery and was led into an opulent living room, where a few of the Führer’s most vocal supporters had gathered: Himmler, Göring, Leni Riefenstahl and the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII. We talked about some of the beautiful art on the walls that had been taken from the homes of Jews. But our conversation ended abruptly when we heard loud footsteps coming down the hallway. Everyone stiffened as Hitler entered the room. He was wearing a tan suit with a swastika armband and gave me an enthusiastic greeting that caught me off guard. Frankly, it was a warmer greeting than I normally get from my parents, and it was accompanied by a slap on my back. I found the whole thing quite disarming. I joked that I was surprised to see him in a tan suit because if he wore that out, it would be perceived as un-Führer-like. That amused him to no end, and I realized I’d never seen him laugh before. Suddenly he seemed so human. Here I was, prepared to meet Hitler, the one I’d seen and heard — the public Hitler. But this private Hitler was a completely different animal. And oddly enough, this one seemed more authentic, like this was the real Hitler. The whole thing had my head spinning. He said he was starving and led us into the dining room, where he gestured for me to sit next to him. Göring immediately grabbed a slice of pumpernickel, whereupon Hitler turned to me, gave me an eye roll, then whispered, “Watch. He’ll be done with his entire meal before you’ve taken two bites.” That one really got me. Göring, with his mouth full, asked what was so funny, and Hitler said, “I was just telling him about the time my dog had diarrhea in the Reichstag.” Göring remembered. How could he forget? He loved that story, especially the part where Hitler shot the dog before it got back into the car. Then a beaming Hitler said, “Hey, if I can kill Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals, I can certainly kill a dog!” That perhaps got the biggest laugh of the night — and believe me, there were plenty.

News & Commentary: The Majority Report (with Sam Seder) spoke on the Bill Maher vs. Larry David feud pointing out the fact that even if Trump is "a nice guy" when you get him alone, it's irrelevant considering all the damage he has done and continues to do to people's lives (36 min). (Politics)

News: Harvard President will not give in to Trump's extortion efforts saying Harvard refuses to compromise its basic principles when it comes to First Amendment rights. Do you hear that Harvard alumnus and Trump supporter Mark Zuckerberg? Oh, that's right, you didn't graduate from Harvard. You dropped out during your sophomore year to pursue development of Facebook. Facebook, which has faced numerous lawsuits, including a $725 million settlement for a class action lawsuit related to data privacy violations, and a $90 million settlement for internet tracking using the "Like" button. There are also ongoing lawsuits from the Federal Trade Commission, states, and individual investors, alleging monopolization, mental health impacts, and misleading statements about risks. Zuckerberg and Trump are birds of a feather or should I say snakes of a scale (Politics)

Al Gore draws parallels between Trump and Nazi Germany. Like the Nazis, Trump seeks power by controlling the narrative. By turning the truth around. By blaming Ukraine when it is Russia that is attacking. (Politics)

Pope Francis (17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) Spoke out in Support of Gaza (Religion / History)

Why do Trump voters have no regrets? Because the people they hate are getting hurt more (Arwa Mahdawi) (Politics)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/18/donald-trump-voters-people-hate-politics-prices

Proud to be a Californian: Gavin Newsom sues Trump over ‘unlawful’ tariffs (Politics)

As Trump continues to defy court orders, yes, we are in a constitutional crisis - Brooks and Capehart - PBS News Hour (TV / Politics)

News: In a late-night decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has halted the Trump administration’s plan to deport Venezuelan migrants under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 — a wartime law not used since WWII. The emergency ruling comes after civil rights groups (including the ACLU) warned of overreach and ethnic targeting. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented. (Politics)

News: U.S. District Judge Boasberg said in an order that he has found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in contempt over their deportation flights to El Salvador. (MSNBC / TV / Politics)