Ronald Barta

“The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion and politics, but it is not the path to knowledge.” ― Carl Sagan

“If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we reject any evidence of the bamboozle. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” — Carl Sagan

US national debt just hit $40 trillion. Why? HINT: It's NOT because the government is trying to provide its citizens healthcare or childcare.

Just a reminder that patriotism isn't holding a bible and wrapping yourself in the flag while you violate the Constitution and plunder the country. Happy 4th of July, stay cool and safe!!

And you think it can't happen here.

Pope Leo turned the question around like the boss he is.

“Hush now, be still. Soon you shall be one of us.”

When a Border Collie has no sheep to herd …and the Cat being so Catlike 😸

A viral dog rescue from 2016 is now immortalized with a statue in Kazakhstan. When a dog fell into the Sayran reservoir, bystanders formed a human chain to pull him to safety. The statue is a reminder of the value of unity, solidarity and collective action. 14/10 for all

100% this!👇

Whatever you do, don’t do this.

Thank you Eugene Goodman for saving Democracy during the Capitol insurrection #January6th

A Clara Bow New Years

What the KENNEDY Center used to be… Remember that time Aretha Franklin performed at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors, paying tribute to Carole King, who co-wrote “You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman,” and it brought a tear to Obama’s eye and everyone to their feet? And Carole King’s reaction. Wow.

163 years ago today, 38 Santee Dakota ancestors were hanged in the largest mass execution in American history for their alleged actions during the 1862 Dakota-US War. Two more ancestors were later captured and hanged, thus becoming the Dakota 38+2. thewalkingtourists.com/history-less...

One of the most popular holiday specials during the 1970s was based on the childhood of a Valley, Nebraska, writer. I had the honor of sharing the story for Flatwater Free Press of how Gail Rock came to author "The House without a Christmas Tree." flatwaterfreepress.org/nebraska-aut...

Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Omaha may be on the cutting edge of antibiotics' impact on people. Another unique part of the story is that the two heading the research are undergrads. My latest for Omaha Magazine. www.omahamagazine.com/magazine/uno...

If by “Thanksgiving Dinner” you mean “Walmart’s prepackaged boxed Thanksgiving Dinner which contains fewer items than 2024, and is largely the Great Value house brand instead of 2024’s name brands” he’s not wrong. It’s less an economic achievement than a Walmart ad.

When you’re having trouble with your DUI field test…

It has taken medical science 200 years to advance humans to the point where people are so healthy and living so long that they can deny that science and medicine is what got us here.

open.substack.com/pub/robertre...

#nokings in Anchorage, Alaska.

For decades the NRA and other gun nuts told us that their guns were to protect us all from a tyrannical government. So a tyrannical government is here, they are all sitting on their asses, and the people who want gun control have taken to the streets to defy the tyrannical government instead.

This is the way to stand up to these bullies! Respect ✊

This is the meeting that will be seen as the change in history. How America chose to align with Russia and turn its back on allies. It will be studied as the most vulgar, disrespectful and downright disgusting moment. There’s no turning back from this.

Having Elon Musk and the DOGE bros analyze raw data (Did we say “billions”? Oops, we meant “millions”) is like having my Plex server confuse Robert Shaw from “Jaws” with the usually much less violent Robert Shaw Chorale.

Look east, Anchorage! There’s a little bit of aurora action on the east side of town, over the Chugach Mountains. This was taken about 4:30 AM Saturday.

Much like the Chiefs, Pike slept through the Super Bowl

Look up, Anchorage! 4:40 a.m., Saturday

Ida Wells was born enslaved but refused to live in fear. She wielded the power of the press to expose America’s greatest terror—lynching. When the truth made her a target, she didn’t back down. She co-founded the NAACP, fought for Black women’s voting rights, and left a legacy of resistance!

Trump’s move to rename Denali back to McKinley disrespects Native Americans. Unlike him, I respect others—so I’ll honor his roots by using his family’s original name: Donald Drumpf.

Plum Village needs our help. Last night the Purple Cloud building in Lower Hamlet burned down. Purple Cloud was the hearth and home of Lower Hamlet since PV’s founding in 1982. Please donate to help the community rebuild! Thay’s room was there—... (1/3) plumvillage.org?form=PVLHFir...

"A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims . . . but accomplices." (George Orwell)(Photo Credit: Malik Çelik/Pexels) #NeverForgetJan6th

The northern lights put on quite a show this morning in Anchorage. Pretty awesome way to start the new year!

I remember watching "The House without a Christmas Tree" on television as a kid. I recall it being based in Nebraska. The author hailed from Valley and based the story on her childhood. I was honored to write a feature on Gail Rock for Flatwater Free Press. flatwaterfreepress.org/nebraska-aut...