With Donald Trump’s announcement that he is running for president, DNC National Press Secretary Holly Shulman released the following statement:
“Today, Donald Trump became the second major Republican candidate to announce for president in two days. He adds some much-needed seriousness that has previously been lacking from the GOP field, and we look forward [to] hearing more about his ideas for the nation.”
—Democratic National Committee
DNC: Donald Trump “Adds Some Much-Needed Seriousness … Lacking From the GOP Field”
I think people are often confused as to exactly what I am talking about with regard to intellectual property (IP) laws and how they are out of control. They also often think that it is strange that someone who actually makes (very little) money from royalties would feel this way. On a personal level, it is just because the IP laws are not set up for creative workers; they are set up to ensure corporate profits. And there are far better ways to encourage creative work besides copyrights and patents. One is Dean Baker’s idea for 
On this day in 1858, Minnesota became the 32nd state in the Union — squeezed right between two of my favorite states: California and Oregon. The Dakotas would not become states until much later — largely owing to the fact that no one wanted them. Even today, the official motto of North Dakota is, “Keep the hydrocarbons, leave the land.” But we don’t feel this way about Minnesota. Minnesota is an official Good State™ right up there with the good parts of California (northern) and Oregon (Portland). So rather than provide a history of the state and explain why it is surrounded by the wackos in the Dakotas on the west and Scott Walker on the east and yet doesn’t stink, I will just provide a random list of good things about Minnesota.
ST. MARYS, OH—Apparently content to hang around dead people rather than celebrate like a normal person, area weirdo John Mills spent most of Mother’s Day at a local cemetery, creeped-out sources confirmed. “This is your mom’s special day, and you’re supposed to be taking her to brunch or a spa, not staring at some tombstone,” reported the sources, adding that lurking in a graveyard like some sort of ghoul may in fact be the very worst way to honor the woman who gave you life. “Is it too hard to do something nice for your mother just once a year? Then again, with that miserable look on his face, I bet his mom’s happy he forgot all about her.” At press time, sources reported that the freak had tossed some flowers on the ground that would’ve looked so much nicer in a vase in his mother’s home.
On this day in 1937, the first appearance of Daffy Duck was made in the Looney Tunes short, “Porky’s Duck Hunt.” In those early shorts, Daffy is a much more likable character. He’s kind of like Bugs Bunny, but absolutely insane. He’s also a lot more like a real duck. I find him quite charming. And this sets up a long collaboration with Porky Pig. Although in subsequent shorts they are more friends or, as was more true later on, Daffy was often trying to con the trusting Porky. My favorite is “Fool Coverage” where Daffy sells Porky accident insurance that will pay a million dollars, “Provided the accident occurs as the result of a stampede of wild elephants in your own living room, on the Fourth of July — of any year — between the hours of 3:55 and 4:00 pm, during a hailstorm.” Which of course is exactly what happens.
This is funny. Moisés Naím over at The Atlantic wrote, 
This morning, The New York Times sent me a news update,