Ken Zimmerman

20190609 Sunday June 9: Vacate the Chair
Last Sunday’s brunch edition featured a main course of roasted Pelosi, peppered with constitutional issues, and drenched in a sweet impeachment sauce. On the side were lots of climate links, and a palette-cleansing treat of hope for dessert, backed by strong climate legislation from Oregon sprinkled with a little Jay Inslee on the top. Enjoy the meal.

20190610 Monday: Falter, Flail, Fall, and Fail
A busy week started on Monday. Lots of links on a variety of topics, with a few end of semester grades handed out. Climate change outfits for the Primary Fashion Show,(B+) but DNC doesn’t want a climate debate. (F) Climate Conservatives (A-). Preview of John Dean and House Judiciary Hearing. And an A+ for Bill Nye. A few flailing dinosaurs stumbling toward extinction. And lots of climate science links.

20190611 Tuesday: For the Love of a Gavel
This one is chock full of cool facts. Like Nancy Pelosi has a little pin she likes to wear in the shape of a gavel. Spy v. Spy stuff like the fact that one of the Russian contacts with Trump during the 2016 campaign was a US asset. And a schooling of white Democrats from a black writer. Gotta love that one! Bang goes the gavel.

20190612 Wednesday: In a Funhouse Mirror
Democrats and Republicans sometimes reflect each other. “Lock _ Up!” Fill in the blank based on your party preference. More reflections on dinosaur thinking, some peering into the demographics of the Geriocracy. And lots of political links.

20190613 Thursday: Even a Broken Clock
In this column, Donald Trump trumpets about being a crook. At least he doesn’t deny it like Nixon. Also a Re-View of the House Intelligence Hearing on Mueller and Russia. And what happens when a Republican is half-right about climate change? He gets an almost apology from the Side.

20190614 Friday: Peace Out, Damn It!
Sick of endless war, the Friday for Future entry became a diatribe against war, and the fake build up to war against Iran. Ends with an invite to a coming Climate Party. That should be a lot of fun! I hope you’ll join me.

20190615 Saturday: Three Body Problem
The Side gets theoretical in this one. You will likely learn something you didn’t know, and very possibly something you didn’t want to know. But I’m sure you will be better off for it. More links on the fake war brewing with Iran. A sit down with the Cult of the Doomsday Scientists. And a pre-View of the new reality TV series, exclusive to View from the Side— First Crime Family ™

20190616 Sunday June 16: Sunday View in the Rear View
Last Sunday included a sermon and prayer for the dolphins, a bunch of links to poetry, and the first edition of this new feature, View in the Rear View, a quick look back at the week’s columns.

20190617 Monday: Three Body Problem Body 2
The second in a still-to-be-completed meta-trilogy. Holy theoretical metaphors, Batman! Nancy Pelosi wields a mean gavel, with some names named. Some climate links and another glimpse into the Blue Clown Fashion show (which begins for real this week with the first DNC sponsored debates.)

20190618 Tuesday: Go, Team Go!
This one is pretty harsh, not for kids today. War-Whore Cheerleaders get a blast from the Side. And some serious thoughts about irony and the function of language in shaping our beliefs. Plus some climate links and cool videos and comedy and Sweet Honey and the Rock.

20190619 Wednesday: Hope at Last or Last Hope?
Upcoming testimony from Hope Hicks pre-Viewed. A Pope-ian couplet about Democracy and Secrecy. Wild guesses about future Supreme Court decisions that may never come. (I call those ‘predictions’ here on the Side.) And some glimpses and analysis of the far-far fringes in the coming vengeance campaign against all thing American. This has a scary ending.

20190620 Thursday : Dang It, I’m Sorry!
This column carried what I hope will be a rare apology from the Side for excessive belittlement of a broken clock Clown who is trying to figure things out. And a pro-active apology to the people of Iran, who we seem determined to find a reason to kill. Lots of anti-war links. Includes a fun walking tour of Iranian cities.

20190621 Friday: Step Back!
Friday was a special day for the VftS, because it marked the first time I have used the phrase ‘President Trump’. I did so in praise of his decision not to, yet, bomb the people of Iran. Lots of political links, lots of environment and climate links. An actual song of my own. And a little Lorax for you, too.

20190622 Saturday: Time for a Climate Party?
This one is chock full of environment news, from the river on fire to the world on fire, with a little Extinction Rebellion and Strike for Climate around the sides. And an invitation to a party, a Climate Party! It should be a wild time. I hope you all will join me.

See you then, when the morning comes.

20190623 Sunday— The Paradox Of Aerosols
Along with issue two of the weekly View in the Rear View, last Sunday’s edition introduced a new weekly— though perhaps irregular— feature: the Sunday Puzzle from the Side. The puzzle had to do with the Paradox of Aerosols.

20190624 Monday—Three Body Problem Third: The Solution
The concluding piece of a three part excursion into an unsolvable physics problem and its metaphorical implications for the Side. This chapter of View from the Side solves the unsolvable, and saves the earth in the process. Just the start of another work week, you know.

20190625 Tuesday— Changing Habit
Addresses the difficulty of change, and rages about the Oregon State Senators who fled the state rather than pass a bill on climate change.

20190626 Wednesday— Blue Clown Fashion Show Intro
What do you think? This one is about the debates coming up. Also includes Side’s first mention of the ‘Curious Case of the Census Question.’ A new mystery never to be solved by the endless investigations of the Blue Clowns.

20190627 Thursday— In Search of Ethical Elephants
In the wild, elephants are known for many traits associated with humans: memory, empathy, ethics, and even love. In the jungles of WashDC, the elephants seldom display these traits. But a sub-species that does hold a real ethics has been rumored to exist. And the Side is determined to find them. This is a first foray in the Expedition in Search of Ethical Elephants.

20190628 Friday— Primary Power Rankings Two
In which I create imaginary ESPNish rankings for the candidates, because I can, and because they deserve it. Pitch in yourselves to rate the Democratic Models as they strut the Dino-Demo Debate Runway.

20190629 Saturday— Sore Loser
In which I bemoan the unfair loss by the the Earth Team in the rigged Dinosaur Debates, but hold out hope for the remainder of the season.

20190630 Sunday: Sunday Puzzler “How Much Truth”

20190701 Monday: Climate Emergency In NYC!

20190702 Tuesday: A War of Metaphors

20190703 Wednesday: Tough Times for a Tough Ol’ Bird

20190704 Thursday: A Declaration of Co-Dependence

20190705 Friday: Independents’ Day

20190706 Saturday: Impeachment Re-View

20190707 Climate Has No Redux

20190708 Monday July 8 Drain the Swamp By Washing Washington Away
D.C. flash floods interpreted as a sign. The psychological impact of learning about climate change. And Mueller’s coming.

20190709 Tuesday July 9 We Don’t Want Panic
I reflect a bit my own past, philosophize some against government secrecy and the fear of climate panic. A lot of links about Democratic candidates. And some predictions about Investigate-gate ™

20190710 Wednesday July 10 Confusion as Usual
They keep us confused, you know, so they can pick our pocket clean. Spy-gate on the one hand. Jeffrey Epstein on the other. And climate change in the presidential campaign.

20190711 Thursday July 11 So Long, Stationarity!
Trump as Don Quixote, the Windmill as Deep State. Some impeachment, a little climate change, and a sad farewell to the idea of climate stability or even predictability.

20190712 Friday July 12 Double-Trouble
ICE raids and DHS spell double-trouble for the USA. And a hurricane meets the rising river in double trouble for New Orleans. Impeachment and more.

July, 13, 14, 15 The Side on Vacation. No columns for these days.

20190716 Tuesday July 16
Cassandra Rising
Gotta get busy again. Cassandra is wailing away about all sorts of stuff gonna happen. Nancy Pelosi is in the way, she says. And so do a lot of other people. And forests, elephants, and lots of smoke blowing through this one. And a solution to Climate Denial Syndrome: talk to your friends about it.

20190717 Wednesday July 17
The Best Party Is No Party
I don’t go easy on the Democrats in this one. Read at your own risk if you’re Blue and easily triggered. Nancy Pelosi makes deals with criminals, and the Side finds an ally away from the party. And I name the Heat Tsunami.

20190718 Thursday July 18
The List of Shame vol. 1
137 Democrats voted against impeachment. Here are their names, in the list of shame. Racism, money, and cowardice on display in these links. And lots of Heat Wave News.

20190719 Friday July 19 Impeachment Heating Up
Despite Al Green’s motion being tabled, the fervor toward impeachment is building again. A little praise for Nancy Pelosi… from Republicans. And D.C. baking in the next heat wave

20190720 Saturday July 20 Heat-Tsunami Hits Heartland
Lots of heatwave links. Praise for the brave 95 who stood for impeachment. And an argument against middle-of-the-road politics.

20190721 High Crimes

20190722 Monday July 22 Better Hide Your Hearts
Mueller testimony approaching. Previews and some disparagement of Nancy Pelosi for blocking impeachment. And being a geriocrat and a conservative.

20190723 Tuesday July 23 Lowering Expectations
More Mueller preview, with the goal of lowering the bar for his testimony. Some Primary Fashion Show links and some climate change news.

20190724 Wednesday July 24 Impeach
A replay of the arguments for impeachment. In the style of the Declaration of Independence. Fire up, people!

20190725 Monday July 29 Sweet Paradise
After a personal encounter with the climate crisis, I mourn the changes coming to a personal paradise. Also includes a scathing review of Mueller’s performance in Congress, and Congress’ performance with Mueller. I name Nancy Pelosi’s new conservative party the “Rust Party”, aka the “Appeasement Party”.

20190730 Tuesday July 30 Parody of a Parody
I link to the Onion and get myself all confused about what is real. I then weave a little tale of Pelosio the Puppet for your amusement. Lots of links including a speech by Harrison Ford to round out the Tuesday’s View from the Side.

20190731 Wednesday July 31 Rust Party Rises
Nancy’s conservative wing of the Democrats shows up full force at the first night of the second debates. We’ve got Democrats running on their Republican values challenging, and getting taken down, by Bernie and Liz. Plus lots of climate and environment links.

20190801 Thursday August 1 Power Rankings 3 to Inslee
The third edition of the Side’s Primary Power Rankings raises Jay Inslee to the top. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren remain in contention. But the Side won’t be able to vote for most of those other jokers. I’m a climate voter, after all. Anybody who thinks we can all move to higher ground doesn’t make it for me.

20190802 Friday August 2 Feedback Loopy
In which I investigate the dangers of climate feedback loops, with a little autobiography and lots of videos to explore and learn from. Links to Jay Inslee’s campaign and to impeachment arguments, if you aren’t convinced on that score yet.

20190803 Saturday August 3 For Polly Higgins
Praise for Polly Higgins, who spent her life trying to get Ecocide listed as an international crime equivalent to Genocide. She died this spring at 50. The Side wants to keep her memory and her issue alive. Because Exxon Knew in 1982. More links to arguments for impeachment. Ends with a prediction about … drumroll… the future! Always dangerous, making predictions, especially about the future.

20190804 Life in Wartime

20190805 Stunned

20190807 We Scorched the Sky

20190808 Squawkzilla in the House

20190809 Fatal Encounters

20190810 ‘nuff Said

20190815 Simply a Hero

20190816 Z-anon-Sensei

20190818 Making Crazy

20190820 Going Green

20190822 No Worries

20190828 Greetings to Greta