Remember that quote? In my Substack newsletter, I tell the story of how I stumbled on the story of what Jimmy Carter had to say about Ted Kennedy. howtrue.substack.com/p/a-simple-q...

Bill Mitchell reports that Bill McKibben is modestly optimistic about humankind's ability to innovate its way out of the climate crisis. howtrue.substack.com/p/bill-mckib...

Have you ever fallen for a scam? I did. My true confession and what I learned about the "dysregulation of emotions" that did me in -- and that Trump is using to bamboozle so much of the nation. howtrue.substack.com/p/how-i-fell....

I spent some time with some extremists the other day. It was time well spent. howtrue.substack.com/p/to-find-th...

Today's topic on HOW TRUE: Humility. Tom Fiedler reflects on the role that humility played in ending the presidential campaign of Gary Hart. And how advice from the late, great Gene Miller shaped the way that Tom has asked questions ever since. howtrue.substack.com/p/how-humili...

We know Trump's truth decay needs constant fact-checking. But beyond that, what should we be doing about his lies? Five suggestions: howtrue.substack.com/p/what-to-do...

Started a Substack and hoping Bluesky users will take a look. The idea: Tracking what it takes to nail stuff down, sorting fact from fiction. On the advice of Substack friends, I kicked it off with something personal: getting fired from my first newspaper job: howtrue.substack.com/p/fired-at-2...

I got the sample of Red Clay to see what former Detroit Free Press colleague @cbfancher.bsky.social had written. I soon clicked "buy this book." This historical novel is a great read and eye-opening about Reconstruction & Jim Crow. Quite timely as Jim Crow re-appears. www.amazon.com/Red-Clay-Cha...

Speaking truth to power: The Episcopal Bishop of Washington, Right Rev. Mariann Budde, addresses Trump directly and asks him to show mercy toward the innocent people his policies are targeting. Watch the minute and a half video here: apnews.com/article/trum...

Thanks to former student Zolan Kanno-Youngs for this summary of some of Trump's executive orders. Among the most troubling: the cancelation of flights for Afghan refugees who have spent years being vetted & approved for entry to the U.S. www.nytimes.com/video/us/pol...

A couple of Catholics with an opportunity to save some lives. The pope did his part. Will the president? www.ncronline.org/vatican/vati...

Insightful and personal audio essay by Carlos Lozada: www.nytimes.com/2024/10/21/o...

Speaking of pardons & commutations: As a candidate in 2020, President Biden promised to end the federal death penalty. With 40 men on federal death row across the U.S. (another 2,200 are awaiting execution in state prisons), Biden can make good on his word. Will he? www.ncronline.org/news/catholi...

Another good reason to get to Paris next year. Tip of the hat to Tom Heneghan for this glimpse of the restored Notre Dame. www.thetablet.co.uk/news/transfo...

One of Boston’s most famous picture frames. Des and Mateo on the case. Mateo: “I have some suspects.”

Good situationer on Bluesky, explaining why so many of us are enjoying it.

Jennifer Rubin on the achievements of ProPublica and the potential of non-profit news (I'm thinking ncronline.org, of course.) www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

The news is grim -- Trump nominating one bozo after another, the Senate failing to restrain Israel, etc. -- but hope remains. Thanks to @dangillmor.bsky.social and his Cornerstone of Democracy newsletter for recommending this from Elizabeth Warren, which I'd missed. www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2MS....

Biden is ending his term with a whimper, caving to Netanyahu yet again. Biden had warned that, if Israel failed to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza significantly within 30 days, there would be consequences. Deadline was a week ago. There have been no consequences. www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/w...

Pope Francis is calling for an investigation into whether genocide is taking place in Gaza. Francis has also offered one the strongest defenses of Israel by a sitting pope www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/1...

Here's a good Terry Gross interview w/ David Remnick and Marty Baron. Baron's list of ways Trump will go after the press is staggering, but simply reflects Trump's own words. Baron's take on where journalism has fallen short sounds right to me. What do you think? www.npr.org/2024/11/20/n...

Here's an anecdotal but interesting (and sobering) take on how a few leaders of the resistance to Trump's first term are feeling this time around. About a half hour of audio from the NYT The Daily: www.nytimes.com/2024/11/19/p...

Hope Musk sees this headline.

If only my church could get its head screwed on right when it comes to sex, what a wonderful world it would be. www.ncronline.org/news/transge...

I'd throw in a couple of issues, especially Gaza, but I think Bernie Sanders gets it mostly right in explaining Trump's victory: www.nytimes.com/2024/11/15/p...

Every so often I think of this deeply reported story from January about Black religious leaders warning Biden about Gaza. www.nytimes.com/2024/01/28/u...

Donald Trump is planning his first tax hike on American drivers—$7500 out of your pocket just to do the bidding of his Big Oil buddies. Polluters profit and we get poorer in Trump’s economy. www.reuters.com/business/aut...

NCR spoke with "Conclave" director Edward Berger and actors Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini about accuracy in liturgical portrayals, the role of faith in the creative process, and thoughts about spiritual leadership.