Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

Yesterday evening, Katherine and I watched Them (1954), which predates me by three years. I watched this movie when I was a child, and it scared me. The sound of the ants alone was frightening. The movie was filmed in black and white. The DVD, which was produced in 2002, is of high quality. I love the Western setting (New Mexico and, later, an innocent Los Angeles), the old cars, and the formality of days gone by. I was struck by the similarities between Them and two later movies, Aliens (1986) and Jurassic Park (1993). Both Them and Aliens have a shell-shocked girl and egg-laying monsters; both Them and Jurassic Park have an old scientist who seems more eager to study the monsters than to eradicate them. Speaking of Aliens, Katherine and I have tickets for Thursday's opening of Alien: Covenant (2017). Can't wait.

I love cartoonist Scott Adams’ satire of corporate culture, especially that of self-centered, paranoid management. Sunday’s “Dilbert” comic strip [May 14, Comics], however, delves into advocating, or in this case opposing, public policy.

Adams mocks climate scientists and presents a wholly inaccurate portrayal of established climate evidence. He implies the minuscule possibility that humans cause what will become catastrophic climate change is sufficient reason to completely discount it. This would be like refusing to buy fire insurance for your house or medical insurance for your car since the chance disaster will befall you is remote.

Responsible people don’t behave that way. The greatest irony may be that this unsupportable, skeptical view is presented in the context of Dilbert himself, a level-headed engineer who personifies the epitome of data-driven thinking.

John Sandvig, Seattle

Note from KBJ: A better analogy is paying so much for your fire insurance that you can't afford to live in the house.

I have been asking Director Comey & others, from the beginning of my administration, to find the LEAKERS in the intelligence community…..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 16, 2017

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Here's my theory. President Trump is keeping the mainstream media occupied with Russia so that he can demolish what Barack Obama built for eight years. Day after day, night after night, CNN talks about Russia. This gives Trump room to maneuver. Remember: He's five steps ahead of his critics.

Here.

Here.

Here is Kurt Schlichter's latest column.

To the editor:

The photographs of President Trump taken by a Russian state photographer (American media were not allowed into the meeting) with the Russian foreign minister and ambassador, the day after sacking FBI Director James Comey, are more pieces of circumstantial evidence that show Trump should be investigated by a special prosecutor. (“Russia's foreign minister has cordial talk at White House against a tumultuous backdrop,” May 10)

We know that many of the president’s men met with Russian representatives when their government was attempting to throw the election in his favor. Trump encouraged the illegal hacking by the Russians and celebrated WikiLeaks’ release of illegally obtained information. Trump officials took out of the Republican Party platform any mention of punishment of Russia for annexing Crimea. Trump praised Putin and Russia throughout the election campaign. After the election, on the very day President Obama announced sanctions against Russia, the now-disgraced former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was on the phone with the Russian ambassador discussing the sanctions, against which Moscow did not retaliate. Jared Kushner, Trump’s top advisor, also met with the Russians.

Now, after Comey asks for more resources for his agency’s investigation, Trump fires him. The Republicans sit idly by while the U.S. government is burning, and Trump is photographed meeting in the White House with his potential co-conspirators. No wonder the photos show them laughing—the joke is on us.

We need a special prosecutor to get to the bottom of this now. If we do not, we will be living in Trump’s alternative universe, being told what to do by a dictator.

Dave McLane, Pasadena

Note from KBJ: How does someone as batshit crazy as Dave McLane get through the day?