FRIDAY FISTFIGHT / NATIONAL MAGAZINE CALLS tRUMP "...A DUMB ASSHOLE."

ChatGRT4o

NEW LOW FOR MEDIA COUTH OR DAMNING TRUTH? 

GUEST BLOG / By Jason Linkins, Deputy Editor, The New Republic magazine--Here we go another week of accounting the rogues and scoundrels of America: donald trump’s first 100 days in office may have been the longest, figuratively speaking, of any U.S. president in history. But we can also say definitively that they were the most disastrous, ever. 

His draconian deportations, destruction of the federal government, and insane tariff Tilt-a-Whirls have driven his approval numbers so low as to be a modern marvel; the last time a president was this disliked after 100 days, we were fighting a world war and the Slinky was the country’s most popular toy. trump has ended up here for no other reason than that he pursued the very policies he promised to pursue on the campaign trail. 

That’s the story of his first 100 days: Americans elected a dumb asshole, and natural consequences followed. 

Now let’s consider the next 100 days, which look to be even worse for all of us—including the president. As TNR’s Alex Shephard wrote this week, there are a lot of good reasons to believe trump’s standing with the American people hasn’t hit bottom yet, the main one being that the worst is yet to come. 

The president, Shephard writes, "is still stubbornly clinging to tariffs, which inevitably will cause product shortages and rising costs in the near future—not to mention a potential recession, the odds of which are worryingly high." 

 Last weekend, Apollo Global economist Torsten Slok published a preview of coming attractions in the form of a report documenting what he’s calling the imminent "Voluntary Trade Reset Recession." 

As Slok documents, trump’s economy—though quite sluggish—has been boosted by the fact that inventories rose rapidly as firms acted in anticipation of tariffs being imposed. 

Now that tariffs have arrived, the sugar high is over and collapse is on the way. The most straightforward way of looking at the future is on page 4 of Slok’s report. 

 What we have in the chart above is the prelude to the summer of scarcity, coming soon to a retailer near you. We are already well and fully in the stage where activity at our ports falls off a cliff. 

 As TNR’s Tim Noah wrote this week: "...This is how it begins. The recession has arrived in Seattle, with cargo shipments down 60 percent. Los Angeles will be next. As recently as November, the Los Angeles Times reported that cargo traffic at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach reached record highs. But last week it quoted the port’s executive director, Gene Seroka, predicting that "in two weeks’ time, arrivals will drop by 35 percent." The reason, Seroka said, was that "essentially all shipments out of China for major retailers and manufacturers have ceased, and cargo coming out of Southeast Asia locations is much softer than normal." 

From here, Tim says, there will be less cargo to ship across the country, and inevitably, fewer people employed to do that work. Already, UPS has laid off 20,000 workers because of "current macro-economic uncertainty" that I really think wasn’t all that uncertain when trump was reelected. 

This only highlights another grim reality: Even if trump called off his tariffs tomorrow, much of the coming mayhem is baked into our future, as it would take a substantial amount of time to restart the global shipping machine. 

"Expect ships to sit offshore, orders to be canceled, and well-run generational retailers to file for bankruptcy," says Slok. 

 The latter half of that prediction may well be the more devastating part. As Marketwatch’s Steve Goldstein highlighted, Slok said that "small businesses that account for more than 80 percent of employment and capital expenditure don’t have the working capital to pay tariffs." 

In other words, trumpnomics will soon be best known for that which is absent: products on the shelves of retailers, and businesses on the streets where you live, now shuttered. 

 Here is where the Wall Street versus Main Street divide is going to be keenly illuminated as trump’s tariffs start the economic bloodletting. 

The White House has rather persistently explained away the turmoil its tariffs have wrought as a harm done only to high-flying financiers, and claimed that the benefits to ordinary people would soon emerge. 

A day after he got hit with a hundred dreadful evaluations of his first 100 days, trump was spinning out on Truth Social, promising that the boom was on the wing. 

 But even as the stock markets have pitched and yawed as investors cling to their naïve beliefs that trump has a plan (he doesn’t), those plying their trade on Main Street are planning for a different sort of boom. 

To hear Casey Ames—the founder of Harkla, a small, 10-person firm in Idaho that sells products for special needs children—tell it, trump’s tariffs have already forced him to make some grim considerations. 

 Ames told the Idaho Statesman that his company was set to have a banner year. "We had just hired more people, and we were forecasting a really good year, even with the initial trump tariffs," he said. Now, however, Ames says he’s facing a massive hike in the amount of import taxes he’ll have to pay, from $26,000 to $346,000. With no domestic manufacturer capable of supplying the same goods, and knowing that even modest price hikes could crater sales, Ames is suddenly facing a situation where he may have to lay off employees. Ames has garnered a lot of attention for sharing his experiences on social media, taking his audience behind the curtain to reveal what small-business owners have to expect as the summer of scarcity begins. 

 Over at The New York Times, where they’ve been doing a long-running bit where Frank Luntz interviews the 14 dumbest voters in America, this fissure recently emerged: Meagan, the focus group’s lone small-business owner, told Luntz that the tariffs were a "very, very scary thing" and that she was, as a result, in "crisis mode." 

If reality has started to penetrate Luntz’s Delulu Conclave, we’re all in for a world of hurt. And that’s probably the most dreadful reckoning, as we mark the 100th day of trump’s second term. 

trump’s collapse in public opinion polling—along with the fact that he’s not likely to reverse many of his worst decisions or repair the things he’s broken—has probably set his presidency on the road to ruin. 

 But if trump has truly sown the seeds of his own undoing, it will be ordinary Americans who reap the proceeds of that dire harvest first, in the form of lost livelihoods and scuppered wealth. 

It’s going to be a rough summer—and many seasons thereafter, until one day we finally hit the nadir of trumpian despair. 

 

RETRO FILES / WHY DO TRANSPORT PROS SHOUT "MAYDAY" IN A CRISIS?

For an answer let's go back to 1923 

When we hear the word Mayday, most of us picture a desperate cry for help—a pilot losing altitude, a ship taking on water, a voice crackling over a radio: “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday!” 

But where did this strange, almost cheerful-sounding word come from? 

The answer is rooted in the early days of aviation—and in a bit of clever cross-linguistic thinking. 

Back in 1923, at Croydon Airport in London, a senior radio officer named Frederick Stanley Mockford was tasked with creating a distress call that would be easily understood by both English and French pilots. 

At the time, most air traffic crossed the English Channel, and communication needed to work across borders. Mockford proposed the word “Mayday”, a phonetic adaptation of the French phrase “m’aidez,” meaning help me. 

The idea stuck. 

Simple, clear, and unlikely to be confused with other words over crackling radio transmissions, Mayday was soon adopted internationally. 

By 1927, it had become the official distress call for voice communication, replacing Morse code’s famed SOS—though SOS remained in use for telegraphic signaling. 

To make it unmistakable, the call is always repeated three times: “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.” 

Despite sharing a name, the distress call has nothing to do with the old European May Day festivals or the labor movement’s International Workers' Day—it’s pure coincidence. 

Instead, Mayday remains a quiet tribute to the practical minds who helped early aviators (and mariners) stay safe in the skies and at sea. So next time you hear it, remember: it’s not a celebration. 

It’s a plea—and it just might save a life. 

ART DECO CENTURY / STANISLAUS WALERY

 [Above]: A girl from the Follies Bergere, 1920 by Stanislaus Walery (1863-1935) from "NUS Cent Photographies Originales de Laryew: a complete portfolio" published by Librarie des Arts Decoratifs Paris, 1923. 

 Art Deco Century: The Nude as Fine Art in the 1920s–1930s 

In the 1920s and ’30s, nude female photography rose in popularity as a fine art genre, mirroring Art Deco’s aesthetic ideals of modernity, sensuality, and geometric form. 

The Art Deco movement had a well-documented “fascination with sensuality and luxury” [vam.ac.uk], and photographers embraced the unclothed female figure as a subject that blended classical beauty with modern artistic expression. 

Photographic nudes of this era were celebrated for their sleek elegance and idealized form, aligning with contemporary trends in sculpture and design. Artists presented the nude not as mere titillation but as an embodiment of modern art—where form itself became the focus, often abstracted or stylized. 

Stanislaus Walery (1863–1935) was a central figure in Art Deco-era nude photography. Working under the name Lucien Waléry (and the anagrammatic pseudonym “Laryew”), he produced an important folio of 100 photogravures titled Nus [above]: featuring Folies Bergère dancers in artful poses [invaluable.com en.wikipedia.org]. 

Walery’s style employed soft, flattering lighting and classical, statuesque poses that echoed antique sculpture. His models were arranged “like so many Art Deco caryatids,” and his elegant nudes are now recognized as masterpieces of Art Deco photography [invaluable.com]. These images epitomized idealized form and refined sensuality, presenting the female body as both modern and timeless. 

(The model in Walery’s “Gravure 40” photogravure (above) – sometimes speculated to be either actress Louise Brooks or Clara Bow – is more likely an anonymous Folies Bergère performer; neither Brooks nor Bow is known to have sat for Walery.) 

Walery even marketed his nude studies for “anatomy and art students” [en.wikipedia.org], underscoring their artistic and educational value in addition to public appeal. 

Art Deco Era Explorations by Weston and Man Ray Other photographers of the Modernist period also explored the undraped female figure as fine art. In the United States, Edward Weston created nude studies that emphasized pure form and organic design. Weston’s photographs of the 1920s—such as his studies of dancer Bertha Wardell and later Charis Wilson—were sharply focused and modern, reducing the body to fundamental shapes. His nude compositions often verged on abstraction; in fact, some of Weston’s nudes “began to resemble” the contorted shells and vegetables he famously photographed [en.wikipedia.org], highlighting the era’s pursuit of formal beauty. 

Man Ray's Le Violon d'Ingres (circa 1924) seen prior to the image becoming the highest paid photograph atauction [Christie's $12.4 million in 2022].

Meanwhile in Paris, Man Ray took a more avant-garde approach to the nude. His images of his muse Kiki de Montparnasse were imbued with Surrealist creativity – notably Le Violon d’Ingres (1924), in which he painted violin f-holes on Kiki’s back to transform her body into a living instrument [britannica.com]. Man Ray’s inventive lighting (e.g. solarization effects) and playful mixing of modern art with sensual subject matter exemplified the Art Deco zeitgeist of innovation fused with erotic elegance. 

Cultural Impact and Legacy: These Art Deco-era nude photographs enjoyed considerable public appeal in their time. They were circulated as limited-edition portfolios, postcards, and gallery prints, catering to both connoisseurs of art and a broader audience intrigued by the liberated imagery of the Jazz Age. 

The genre blurred the line between high art and popular culture: film stars like Louise Brooks even admitted to posing nude for art photography [en.wikipedia.org], reflecting a climate of relative openness and glamour. 

Ultimately, nude photography in the Art Deco period captured the spirit of a changing society – celebrating the modern woman’s body as a work of art, and marrying luxury, modernity, and sensual form in a way that resonated with the values of its era. The enduring appreciation of Walery’s folios and the works of Weston, Man Ray, and their contemporaries attests to the lasting cultural and artistic value of this genre. 

Edward Weston photograph, Oceano, 1936. 

LOCAL / NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS HATE SAN DIEGO'S BONUS ADU PROGRAM

LOOK AT THIS! A 10-unit accessory dwelling unit (ADU) bonus program project, consisting of five separate buildings, is being built on Shoshoni Ave., a single family resident cul-de-sac with limited parking in Clairemont, shown here on April 27, 2025. San Diego does not require parking if the projects are built transit priority area. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Neighborhood groups hate San Diego’s bonus ADU program. Here’s how they want to fix it. Their proposal comes as Mayor Todd Gloria prepares to detail his more modest proposed rollback of the backyard apartment incentive. 

GUEST BLOG / REPOST / By David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune--Neighborhood leaders across San Diego are lobbying city officials to make a sweeping rollback of a controversial incentive for backyard apartments that many have argued damages community character. 

 The Community Planners Committee, a coalition of neighborhood groups from across the city, voted 21-2 last week to limit the number of backyard apartments per lot, tighten height limits and make other changes. 

 The long list of proposed changes got support from elected leaders in neighborhoods from Ocean Beach to Scripps Ranch and Encanto, underscoring how unpopular the backyard apartment incentive is citywide. 

 The proposal comes in advance of Thursday’s San Diego Planning Commission meeting, where Mayor Todd Gloria is scheduled to propose a more modest rollback of the city’s backyard apartment incentive. Gloria agreed to make changes after the City Council threatened to wipe out the incentive entirely in February, and then voted 6-3 in March to eliminate the program in some single-family neighborhoods — depending on zoning. 

 While many neighborhood leaders are pleased Gloria is willing to roll back the incentive, they’ve also expressed frustration the process hasn’t included their community planning groups. 

So the CPC, an umbrella organization for those groups, formed a special subcommittee that met for eight hours over three meetings and came up with a comprehensive reform proposal. 

 The centerpiece of the proposal is setting a maximum number per lot for backyard apartments, which city officials call accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. 

END UNLIMITED ADUs. The city’s ADU incentive — the state’s most aggressive — goes beyond what state law allows by letting property owners build a potentially unlimited number of such units. 

 For every ADU a property owner is willing to build that is deed-restricted for low-income or moderate-income tenants, they can build one bonus ADU and charge market-rate rent for it. 

 The only significant limitation is that property owners can’t exceed the maximum square footage allowed per acre — called the floor-area ratio — for the particular zone. And in general, the incentive applies only to properties within 1 mile of an existing or future transit route. 

 The CPC proposal would limit every lot to a maximum of one bonus ADU, based on the idea each lot could have no more than four dwelling units: the main house, a rent-restricted ADU, an attached ADU and a bonus ADU. 

 “The CPC has come up with a ‘4 means 4’ proposal,” said panel chair Andrea Schlageter in a letter to the City Council. She argued the proposed maximum is the simplest way for the city to adhere to state law while also clarifying for residents and developers the density limits in single-family residential zones. 

 The CPC chose four as the maximum for several reasons. Among those reasons: Federal housing law uses four units as the dividing line between single-family or multi-family housing, and the city uses four units to determine whether a property is eligible for free trash pickup as a single-family lot. 

 The committee’s proposal would also limit the height of unattached ADUs to either 16 feet or 18 feet — far less than the city’s existing rules, which allow them to be 30 feet tall. David Moty, who leads the community planning group for Kensington and Talmadge, said the heights of some ADUs have played a key role in damaging community character. “ADUs have always been sold as the cute little granny flat, or the bungalow in the backyard — all these beautiful pictures of things we know we can live with because they are low in height,” Moty told the CPC on Tuesday before its vote. 

 Based on the same concerns, the CPC proposal would also limit all ADUs to two stories. 

LOOK AT THIS! An ADU project being built on 54th Street on Friday, April 25, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Ana Ramirez / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 

The CPC also wants to make rules for bonus ADUs the same across the entire city, eliminating the current situation where properties near transit or in high-income areas are eligible for more aggressive incentives. “We’re all in this together,” said Moty, who led the subcommittee that crafted the package of proposed changes. 

 Supporters of the city’s bonus ADU program say it’s helping solve the city’s housing crisis by creating lower-priced units in established neighborhoods much more quickly than it would take a developer to find land for an apartment complex. 

 They also say restricting bonus ADUs to properties near bus or trolley lines makes sense because of parking concerns, and because those are neighborhoods where people who don’t own cars can commute by transit. “The ADU bonus program is all about how (we) can add more affordable homes in urban areas where we already have infrastructure,” said Saad Asad of the YIMBY Democrats of San Diego County. 

 Neighbors for a Better San Diego, a vocal group that generally supports single-family homeowners and opposes high-density housing development within neighborhoods, has endorsed the CPC changes, including the idea that the rules should be uniform citywide. “It makes sense to have one set of rules everywhere in the city,” said group leader Geoff Hueter. 

 The CPC proposal would also make fundamental changes to policies for the rent-restricted ADUs that property owners must build in order to be eligible for bonus ADUs. City rules now require the low rents to remain in place for 15 years, but the CPC wants to raise that to 55 years — the standard for most other rent-restricted housing in the city. “It is concerning that the deed restrictions on bonus ADUs are not the same as other deed-restricted housing,” Schlageter said. 

 In addition, the CPC wants to vary the income eligibility requirements. Under its proposal, property owners in high-resource areas would have to rent to people with particularly low incomes, while property owners in low-resource areas would be allowed to rent to people who make more. 

 The goal, Moty said, is to give lower-income people more opportunities to live in high-resource areas, which the city defines as areas with good jobs and educational opportunities. 

 Schlageter said this change would fit with the City Council’s No. 1 priority: making San Diego more affordable by encouraging more subsidized, rent-restricted housing for low-income residents. “Considering every council member agrees the city is in a housing crisis, particularly a low-income and missing-middle housing crisis, more needs to be done to fill this gap,” she said in her letter. 

 The CPC also wants stronger prohibitions against lots with ADUs being used as short-term vacation rentals. City rules already prohibit ADUs from being used as vacation rentals, but property owners can build an ADU, move into it and then make the main house a vacation rental. 

 “If we’re trying to solve the housing crisis, bonus ADUs should be for housing,” Moty said. The CPC also endorses some of Gloria’s proposals, including plans to start requiring parking spots for new bonus ADUs that aren’t within a mile of existing or future transit routes. 

But the CPC would like the city to reduce the distance to half a mile. 

 A multi-story, multiunit accessory dwelling unit (ADU) bonus program project is being completed built behind a single family residence on Adams Ave. in El Cerrito on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. San Diego does not require parking if the projects are built in transit priority areas. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 

Schlageter plans to present the CPC’s proposal to the Planning Commission on Thursday after city planning director Heidi Vonblum presents the less aggressive updates proposed by Gloria. “The members of the CPC are looking forward to the robust debate that will come with public discussions,” Schlageter said in her letter. 

 Gloria said last month, when announcing his proposed changes, that he welcomes public input on changes to the ADU incentive. “Feedback from members of the public is a key part of this process,” the mayor said. 

 But Gloria’s description downplays the unpopularity of the program. “The program that will continue its success in expanding affordable home options while ensuring projects are consistent with the scale and character of San Diego’s neighborhoods,” he said. 

 While he said “the reforms address community concerns related to unintended impacts of the ADU program,” the mayor described the changes as a typical bureaucratic step instead of a response to public outcry. “The city regularly monitors its housing programs to ensure they are achieving the desired results and often makes adjustments based on feedback from the community and home builders,” he said. 

 While the CPC wants Gloria to go much further, the group generally agrees with many of his proposed changes. They include starting to require property owners that build bonus ADUs to pay fees for needed infrastructure and community amenities. 

 Gloria also proposes to enhance restrictions on how close to property lines bonus ADUs can be built, and to hike the fines for property owners who violate deed restrictions that limit how much rent they can charge. 

 The mayor also wants to require adequate evacuation routes for bonus ADUs, some of which are built on canyons, and to prohibit ADUs in very high fire-severity zones. 

 Vonblum, the planning director, said fixing the incentive is a high priority. “Ensuring that the ADU Density Bonus Program continues to provide more housing options for people with moderate and lower incomes is critical,” she said. 

“However, this must be achieved in a manner that fits with our existing communities. We look forward to working with the public to achieve this.” Thursday’s Planning Commission meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. The proposed changes would then go to the council’s Land Use and Housing Committee and then to the full council for approval this summer. 

MONDAY SURPRISE / CALIFORNIA'S ANNUAL ECONOMY IS LARGER THAN RUSSIA'S

Significant notes:

Russia is now estimated outside the top 10, sitting just below Brazil and Canada due to sanctions and slowing energy revenues. California, if independent, would slot in around #6 or #7, with ~$3.3T in GDP. 

California's economy is larger than Russia's.  Putin is the Emperor with no clothes.

AND

SPEAKING OF THE EMPEROR WITH NO CLOTHES:

T is for Tariff

AND

Based on data from Bloomberg and Forbes Billionaire Watch stats.

Big Orange comes in at about $6 billion, which places him about 700 on list of world billionaires.

SUNDAY REVIEW / 50 YEARS OF INSPIRED MADNESS / PLUS TOP INSULTS

THANK YOU, MONTY PYTHON 

GUEST BLOG / By F. Stop Fitzgerald, Film, photography and book reviewer exclusive to PillartoPost.org daily online magazine. 

It’s hard to believe it’s been fifty years since Monty Python and the Holy Grail galloped into theaters — on the backs of imaginary horses, no less — and permanently changed the face of comedy. 

Released in 1975, the film took the legend of King Arthur, tossed it into a blender of absurdity, and served it up with coconuts, killer rabbits, and knights who say "Ni!" 

What makes Holy Grail endure is its fearless commitment to the ridiculous. Every scene is packed with wit, anarchy, and a deep affection for both history and its complete destruction. It’s a comedy boot camp that taught generations how to appreciate the art of being utterly silly while remaining razor-sharp. 

Half a century later, the low-budget charm, quotable lines, and sheer audacity of Holy Grail feel as fresh — and necessary — as ever. 

Long live the Python spirit. And remember always your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of Elderberries. 

Staring up at the ramparts of the French castle

Top 10 Monty Python Insults from Holy Grail 

"Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries!" 

    — The classic French taunt hurled from the battlements. It’s surreal, ridiculous, and unforgettable. One of the most quoted zingers in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, hurled by a gleefully obnoxious French soldier. For those unaware: hamsters have a ton of kids, so the first part of the insult suggests that your mother was promiscuous. Elderberries are often used to flavor gin, so the second half implies your father was a drunk. Together, it’s a masterclass in silly medieval trash talk.

"I fart in your general direction." 

    — Another gem from the taunting French guard, delivered with gleeful contempt.

"Go and boil your bottoms, you sons of a silly person." 

    — It’s the kind of mockery that sounds almost regal until you realize it’s pure absurdity.

***

"You empty-headed animal food trough wiper!" 

    — A masterpiece of medieval creative insult construction. 

***

"You tiny-brained wipers of other people’s bottoms!" 

— Somehow manages to be both childish and linguistically devastating. 

***

"You are the silly English knnnnnnnnnniggits." 

    — The French guard’s mispronunciation of "knights" into "kniggits" is weaponized sarcasm. 

***

"You sniveling lot of second-hand electric donkey-bottom biters!" 

    — An inspired piece of nonsense hurled at King Arthur’s court. 

***

"She turned me into a newt! ... I got better." 

— Not technically an insult, but the accusation itself (and its limp backpedal) is a dagger of medieval courtroom slander. 

***

"Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time." 

    — It’s the follow-up that somehow sounds even more menacing in its absurdity. 

***

"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government." 

    — Sir Dennis’s withering political takedown of Arthur’s claim to the throne. A highbrow insult hidden in a peasant revolt. 

The Three-Headed Giant

The Cast

Here’s the original cast of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) along with the main roles each actor played — remembering that most of the Python troupe played multiple characters: 

 Graham Chapman-- King Arthur (above); The Voice of God and the Middle Head of the Three-headed giant. 

 John Cleese--Sir Lancelot the Brave;  The Black Knight (above);  French Taunter (at the castle walls); and Tim the Enchanter.   

Terry Gilliam--Patsy (Arthur's servant);  Green Knight Bridgekeeper (keeper of the Bridge of Death) and Animator (he also directed the animated sequences).

 Eric Idle--Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir-Lancelot; Dead Collector ("Bring out yer dead!");  The Guard who doesn’t understand orders;  Concorde (Lancelot's servant) and Roger the Shrubber.

 Terry Jones--Sir Bedevere the Wise; far right head of Three-headed giant; Prince Herbert (the singing son trapped in the castle);  Dennis’s mother (the shrill peasant woman arguing about government).

 Michael Palin--Sir Galahad the Pure Leader of the Knights who say "Ni!" and Brother Maynard (monk with the Holy Hand Grenade).  Plus Dennis (the peasant) King of Swamp Castle and far left head of the Three-headed giant.

LOCAL / SAN DIEGO'S BIBLIOFILE WEEKEND

COFFEE HOUSE & BOOK SHOP ADVENTURE 

San Diego’s most literary weekend has arrived today. Complete with PillartoPost.org's annual North Perk Coffee House Baedeker.

From April 26–28, bibliophiles and bookstore lovers alike can immerse themselves in the San Diego Book Crawl, a three-day celebration of indie bookstores, caffeine, and community. 

The event spans store hours at participating locations, each with its own vibe and schedule. There’s no cost to join the crawl—just show up, show your love for local booksellers, and start exploring. 

Shoppers who spend at least $10 per store are eligible for exclusive prizes, making it the perfect excuse to discover new titles, authors, or even your next favorite coffee nook. 

Participating bookstores include: Bay Books Coronado, Bluestocking Books, The Book Catapult, Camino Books, Hey Books!, Joyride Bookshop, La Playa Books, Libélula Books & Co., Library Shop SD, Meet Cute Romance Bookshop, Mysterious Galaxy, UC San Diego Bookstore, North Park's Verbatim Books, and Warwick’s. 

Whether you’re hunting for a rare edition, a quirky zine, or just a good conversation and a cortado, this event invites you to wander San Diego’s finest bookshops and celebrate local lit culture. 

For those visiting North Park here are a few excellent coffee shops within a half-mile radius of 30th Street and University Avenue in North Park, San Diego: ☕ 

NORTH PERK COFFEE HOUSE BAEDEKER

This historic stretch of San Diego is rich in espresso, phin brews, and artisan pastries. Whether you’re café-hopping or settling in for a slow morning, here’s your definitive walking list: 

 1. Subterranean Coffee Boutique 📍 3764 30th St A North Park original. Strong coffee, eclectic decor, and a creative, no-rush atmosphere. 

 2. Pâtisserie Mélanie 📍 3750 30th St Elegant and exacting. A French patisserie that rivals anything in Paris. Think croissants, kouign-amann, and espresso served in pristine style by Le Cordon Bleu–trained chef Melanie Dunn. 

 3. Lovesong Coffee + Market 📍 3022 North Park Way A coffee haven for aesthetes. Boutique market meets slow-sipped espresso with baked goods and handpicked magazines. 

 4. Holsem Coffee 📍 2911 University Ave A stylish café with inventive coffee drinks like Nutella Cold Brew and Sparkling Espresso Tonic. Clean lines, big windows, and plenty of plugs. 

 5. Haven by Communal 📍 3381 30th St Brunch-forward, beautifully lit café with great food and familiar Communal-style drinks. Ideal for long catch-ups or quiet mornings. 

 6. Saigon Coffee 📍 3994 30th St Vietnamese coffee with soul. Strong phin brews, coconut cold brew, and Hanoi-style egg coffee in a tight, polished space. 

 7. Santos Coffee House 📍 3191 Thorn St An old soul favorite with house-roasted beans and a laid-back, friendly feel. Cozy outdoor seating and community art on rotation. 

 8. Lazy Eye Coffee 📍 4096 30th St Intimate and unassuming, this hidden gem delivers rich espresso and quirky seasonal syrups. 

 9. Caffè Calabria 📍 3933 30th St Classic Italian roastery with strong espresso and Neapolitan pizza at night. A beloved institution with indoor-outdoor energy. 

 10. James Coffee Co. – North Park 📍 2870 University Ave Sleek and serious about their beans. Known for cold brew, pour-overs, and a slightly industrial vibe. 

 11. Figaro Dessert Café 📍 3011 University Ave A quiet corner for desserts and espresso. Pistachio mousse, tarts, and sweet repose. 

 12. Dark Horse Coffee Roasters 📍 3794 30th St Small, dark, and boldly brewed. One of San Diego’s most consistent roasters with a loyal neighborhood following. 

 13. Genteel Coffee Co. 📍 2603 University Ave Stripped-down and serene. A modern coffee bar that values minimalism and high-quality pulls. 

 14. Moniker General Outpost 📍 3140 University Ave The newest addition to the North Park scene. Spacious, airy, and perfect for working remotely. Try the vanilla mint cold brew and enjoy the boutique feel. 

PENDEJO WATCH / ANOTHER GOP BLOWHARD HEADED TO THE SLAMMER

Federal prisoners reportedly lining up to be a George Santos cellmate.  No truth to that rumor has been uncovered today.  Stay tuned.

SOBBING EX-CONGRESSMAN SENTENCED TO SEVEN YEARS FOR FRAUD AND ID THEFT. 

BREAKING NEWS / By Philip Marcelo, Reporter, The Associated Press--Disgraced former U.S. Rep. George Santos was sentenced Friday to more than seven years in prison, sobbing as he learned his punishment for the crimes that led to his expulsion from Congress. 

 Santos, who pleaded guilty last summer to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, appealed for mercy. In a federal court a short drive from his old congressional district, he said through tears that he was “humbled” and “chastised” and realized he had betrayed his constituents’ trust. 

 “I offer my deepest apologies,” he said, adding: “I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead.” 

 U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert evidently wasn’t convinced. “Where is your remorse? Where do I see it?” she asked as she sentenced him to 87 months behind bars. “It’s always someone else’s fault.” 

 The New York Republican served in Congress barely a year before becoming just the sixth member of the House to be ousted by colleagues. He admitted to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of nearly a dozen people, including his family members, to fund his winning campaign. 

His plea deal included agreeing to pay roughly $580,000 in penalties. 

Recent Headlines: 

--George Santos is 'unrepentant' as he faces years in prison for fraud, prosecutors say 

 --Prosecutors seek 7 years in prison for disgraced ex-US Rep. George Santos 

 --George Santos defends tirade to federal judge set to sentence him for fraud 

 “From the moment he declared his candidacy for Congress, Santos leveraged his campaign for his own enrichment and financial benefit,” U.S. Attorney John Durham, whose office prosecuted the case, said outside court. 

 Santos, 36, is due to report to prison July 25. He didn’t respond to reporters’ shouted questions outside the courthouse, but he had told The Associated Press by text Thursday that he was “ready to face the music.”

 Santos’ victims included a woman with brain damage and two octogenarian men, prosecutor Ryan Harris told the judge. Speaking in court, New York Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon argued that the victims of Santos’ crimes even included jobless and struggling New Yorkers. 

 Before winning office, Santos collected unemployment benefits while actually working for a Florida company. 

Once in Congress, he cosponsored legislation intended to root out unemployment fraud. 

 For Santos, Reardon said, it was “do as he says, not as he does.” 

 Defense lawyer Andrew Mancilla, arguing for a two-year prison stint, said “everyone hates George Santos” even though “deep down, he is warm, kind, caring, and thoughtful.” He said Santos created an “alternate ego” for himself after growing up in a “broken house” and dealing with bullying. “He built the man he wanted to be,” Mancilla said. “He did that because he believed that the world would not accept him for who he was.” Santos’ reputation, he added, has been destroyed, leaving him “no chance” of securing a job, though he conceded Santos has a documentary in development. 

 “No one is coming near him,” Mancilla said. “He’s forever stained.” 

 Seybert at points rejected defense lawyers’ arguments that Santos was not the ringleader of the fraud. She also rejected their arguments that sentences handed down in previous campaign fraud cases, including that of former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., were fair comparisons. 

 “I’m not here to decide political issues,” Seybert said. “I’m here to decide a just sentence.”

Santos was elected in 2022, flipping a wealthy district representing parts of Queens and Long Island for the GOP. 

 Soon after, it was revealed that the political unknown had fabricated much of his life story, painting himself as a successful business owner who worked at prestigious Wall Street firms and held a valuable real estate portfolio. 

 In reality, Santos was struggling financially and even faced eviction. The revelations led to congressional and criminal inquiries into how he had funded his campaign. 

“He told lie after lie until it caught up with him — until we caught up with him and exposed him for what he truly was: an opportunist and a fraud,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, a Republican, said outside court Friday. 

Her office also investigated Santos. As his sentencing approached, Santos was reflective in social media posts, thanking his supporters and detractors alike. “I learned that no matter left, right or, center we are all humans and for the most part Americans (LOL) and we have one super power that I cherish and that is compassion,” he wrote Thursday on the social platform X. 

Addressing “the trolls,” he added: “y’all made me much stronger and made my skin thicker!” 

 

FOOL US ON FRIDAY / HEY, ORANGE HOW GOES YOUR PROMISE TO END THE UKRAINE INVASION WAR IN 24 HOURS AFTER YOU WERE ELECTED? NOT SO HOT, EH?

The Economist

Note: Since Inauguration Day until noon today more than 2,162 hours have passed since Trump's campaign promise to end the Russo/Ukraine war in 24 hours.  

TEXT OF ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT: Above headline from PillartoPost.org; political cartoon by The Economist.

During his campaign, Donald Trump said repeatedly that he would be able to end the war between Russia and Ukraine “in 24 hours” upon taking office. 

He has changed his tone since becoming president again. As various U.S. emissaries have held talks looking for an end to the war, both Trump and his top officials have become more reserved about the prospects of a peace deal. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday suggested the U.S. might soon back away from negotiations altogether without more progress, adding a comment that sounded like a repudiation of the president’s old comments. “No one’s saying this can be done in 12 hours,” he told reporters. 

The promises made by presidential candidates are often felled by the realities of governing. But Trump’s shift is noteworthy given his prior term as president and his long histories with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

 The White House on Friday did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Trump’s evolving deadline comments. 

Here’s a look at Trump’s evolution on the way he talks about the Russia-Ukraine war: ‘A very easy negotiation’ 

MARCH 2023: “There’s a very easy negotiation to take place. But I don’t want to tell you what it is because then I can’t use that negotiation; it’ll never work,” Trump told Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity, claiming that he could “solve” the war “in 24 hours” if he were back in the White House. “But it’s a very easy negotiation to take place. I will have it solved within one day, a peace between them,” Trump said of the war, which at that point had been ongoing for more than a year since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 

MAY 2023: “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done — I’ll have that done in 24 hours,” Trump said during a town hall on CNN. JULY 2024: When asked to respond to Trump’s one-day claim, Russia’s United Nations Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters that “the Ukrainian crisis cannot be solved in one day.” 

Afterward, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said that “a top priority in his second term will be to quickly negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.” 

AUGUST 2024: “Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after I win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled,” Trump told a National Guard Conference. “I’ll get it settled very fast. I don’t want you guys going over there. I don’t want you going over there.” 

After Trump wins in November: 

DEC. 16, 2024: “I’m going to try,” Trump said during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago club, asked if he thought he could still make a deal with Putin and Zelenskyy to end the war. 

JAN. 8, 2025: In a Fox News Channel interview, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg — now serving as Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia — proposed a 100-day deadline to end the war. Friday marked 100 days since that interview. The 100th day of Trump’s presidency is April 30. Trump becomes president and starts negotiations 

JAN. 31: Trump says his new administration has already had “very serious” discussions with Russia and says he and Putin could soon take “significant” action toward ending the grinding conflict. “We will be speaking, and I think will perhaps do something that’ll be significant,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office. “We want to end that war. That war would have not started if I was president.” 

FEB. 12: Trump and Putin speak for more than an hour and Trump speaks afterward with Zelenskyy. Trump says afterward, “I think we’re on the way to getting peace.” 

FEB. 19: Trump posts on his Truth Social site that Zelenskyy is serving as a “dictator without elections.” He adds that “we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only ‘TRUMP,’ and the Trump Administration, can do.” 

FEB. 28: Trump and Zelenskyy have a contentious Oval Office meeting. Trump berates Zelenskyy for being “disrespectful,” then abruptly calls off the signing of a minerals deal that Trump said would have moved Ukraine closer to ending the war. Declaring himself “in the middle” and not on the side of either Ukraine or Russia in the conflict, Trump went on to deride Zelenskyy’s “hatred” for Putin as a roadblock to peace. “You see the hatred he’s got for Putin,” Trump said. “That’s very tough for me to make a deal with that kind of hate.” 

The Ukrainian leader was asked to leave the White House by top Trump advisers shortly after Trump shouted at him. Trump later told reporters that he wanted an “immediate ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine but expressed doubt that Zelenskyy was ready to make peace. 

MARCH 3: Trump temporarily pauses military aid to Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy to seek peace. Trump claims his 24-hour promise was ‘sarcastic’ 

MARCH 14: Trump says he was “being a little bit sarcastic” when he repeatedly claimed as a candidate that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours. “Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that,” Trump says in a clip released from an interview for the “Full Measure” television program. “What I really mean is I’d like to get it settled and, I’ll, I think, I think I’ll be successful.” 

MARCH 18-19: Trump speaks with both Zelenskyy and Putin on successive days. In a March 18 call, Putin told Trump that he would agree not to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure but refused to back a full 30-day ceasefire that Trump had proposed. Afterward, Trump on social media heralded that move, which he said came “with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine.” In their own call a day later, Trump suggested that Zelenskyy should consider giving the U.S. ownership of Ukraine’s power plants to ensure their long-term security. Trump told Zelenskyy that the U.S could be “very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,” according to a White House statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz. 

APRIL 14: Trump says “everybody” is to blame: Zelenskyy, Putin and Biden. “That’s a war that should have never been allowed to start and Biden could have stopped it and Zelenskyy could have stopped it and Putin should have never started it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Talk of moving on 

APRIL 18: Rubio says that the U.S. may “move on” from trying to secure a Russia-Ukraine peace deal if there is no progress in the coming days. He spoke in Paris after landmark talks among U.S., Ukrainian and European officials produced outlines for steps toward peace and appeared to make some long-awaited progress. A new meeting is expected next week in London, and Rubio suggested it could be decisive in determining whether the Trump administration continues its involvement. “We are now reaching a point where we need to decide whether this is even possible or not,” Rubio told reporters. “Because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on. It’s not our war. We have other priorities to focus on.” 

He said the U.S. administration wants to decide “in a matter of days.” Later that day, Trump told reporters at the White House that he agreed with Rubio that a Ukraine peace deal must be done “quickly.” “I have no specific number of days but quickly. We want to get it done,” he said. Saying “Marco is right” that the dynamic of the negotiations must change, Trump stopped short of saying he’s ready to walk away from peace negotiations. “Well, I don’t want to say that,” Trump said. “But we want to see it end.”

THE FOODIST / MADI'S IN MIDCITY

By Holden DeMayo, Epicure with PillartoPost.org      

Whoever said folks eat with their eyes got it right. The visual hit is the first sense to clock in when you pull up to Madi, a sunny, stylish café located at 3737 Adams Avenue in San Diego’s Normal Heights neighborhood. 

Situated between Interstates 805 and 15, Madi doesn’t scream for attention—but once inside, it quietly wins you over.      

This isn’t your bottomless mimosa and bland Benedict kind of brunch joint. Madi leans into bright, flavorful plates that balance West Coast freshness with just enough indulgence to keep it interesting. 

The Oklahoma Onion Smash Burger—stacked, seared, and dripping in all the right places—leaned more lunch than brunch, but I wasn’t complaining. Add a side of house-made pickles, and you’ve got yourself a noon-time mood-lifter.      

The Med at Madi's

Also impressive: the Mediterranean Breakfast, a beautiful plate of eggs, roasted vegetables, hummus, and warm pita that somehow walked the line between rustic and refined. Bonus points for plating—it’s Instagram bait without being overly precious.      

Madi’s vibe matches the menu: unfussy, local, and smartly done. There’s ample outdoor seating, making it ideal for families, stroller-pushers, and the occasional well-behaved canine companion. 

Vegan and gluten-free options? Check. 

The staff? Friendly without the forced familiarity that plagues trendier spots.      

Like San Diego itself, Madi’s is quietly confident, sunlit, and worth a detour—especially if your appetite leans fresh, local, and slightly off the brunch-beaten path. 

 More at: brunchlikemadi.com 

DESIGN / WHO DESIGNED PAPAL SWISS GUARD'S COLORFUL UNIFORM

While the look is centuries-old, the design itself is a 20th-century creation meant to honor the Guard’s historic legacy. Shown, here, with the late Pope Francis I. 

ANSWER: The colorful Renaissance-style uniforms of the Papal Swiss Guard were designed by Commandant Jules Repond in 1914, though they are often mistakenly attributed to Michelangelo or Raphael. Repond, who led the Guard from 1910 to 1921, was inspired by 16th-century frescoes—particularly those by Raphael in the Apostolic Palace—that depicted papal guards in vibrant, slashed doublets. 

Commandant Repond worked with tailors to craft the current uniform using traditional Renaissance military designs, aiming to evoke the era of Pope Julius II and Pope Leo X, when the Guard was first formed in 1506. The uniform includes: Blue, red, orange, and yellow stripes (the Medici family colors), White ruff collar (for formal occasions), Black beret (for everyday wear) or plumed helmet (for ceremonies), and traditional weapons like the halberd.

During this pre-World War I era, Europe was entering a time of upheaval. Repond believed the Swiss Guard needed a more dignified, unified, and historically rooted identity. His vision aligned the guard’s visual presence with Vatican traditions, reinforcing the Guard’s symbolic and ceremonial role, especially in a rapidly modernizing and unstable world.

VATICAN / GRACIAS! ADIOS!

With heavy hearts, we mourn the passing of Pope Francis, a humble servant who led the Church with compassion and truth. As St. Augustine reminds us, 'Let us not grieve as those without hope, for our hearts rest in Him who is eternal.' May our Holy Father now behold the face of God, and may his soul rest in the peace of Christ, who he loved and served so well. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 17, 1936; Died of a stroke on April 21, 2025. He was the 266th Pope of the 1.3 billion members of the Roman Catholic Church and the first Pope from the America.  

The body of Pope Francis is placed in an open casket during the rite of the declaration of death in Santa Marta residence at the Vatican, April 21, 2025. Photo by Vatican Media/¬Handout via Reuters

MEDIA MONDAY / MACHIAVELLI'S DIRE WARNING

Julius Caesar was the first tyrant of Rome, after which Rome was never again free. Actors recreate the assassination of Julius Caesar, which came too late to save the Roman republic from collapse into authoritarian rule. Photo: Andreas Solano via Getty Images 

PART TWO.

500 years ago, Machiavelli warned the public not to get complacent in the face of self-interested charismatic figures.   

GUEST BLOG / By Vickie B. Sullivan Professor of Political Science, Tufts University Via TheConversation.com/us 

 A United States president sought to remain in office after his term ended, maintains a worshipful following and has declared he will operate as a dictator only on “day one” if reelected. His cunning and manipulation of American politics and its legal system have, so far, blocked efforts to hold him accountable. 

That sort of activity has been called “Machiavellian,” after Renaissance writer Niccolò Machiavelli, who lived from 1469 to 1527. He wrote a notorious little treatise called “The Prince,” in which he advises sole rulers – his phrase for authoritarians or dictators – as well as those who aspire to sole rule to use force and fraud to gain and maintain power. 

But scholars of Machiavelli like me* know there is much more to his analysis. His 16th-century writings discuss not only princely rule but also republican governments, in which citizens select leaders directly or indirectly for specified terms. He instructs republican citizens and leaders, including those of the United States, to recognize how vulnerable the governments they cherish are and to be vigilant against the threats of tyranny. Machiavelli’s advice is as relevant now as it was then. 

Machiavelli’s republican experience 

Cosimo de’ Medici (left) was an autocratic ruler in Renaissance Florence, in what is now Italy. Getty Images 

 Machiavelli knew from experience and his extensive reading that there was a long history of nations with republican governments falling victim to ambitious individuals who sought to subvert their nations’ practices and institutions so they could rule alone and unchecked, with all others serving at their behest and on their authority. 

For example, he was from the city-state of Florence in what is now Italy. Florence had had a republican tradition for centuries, but about 30 years before Machiavelli’s birth, banker and politician Cosimo de’ Medici had subverted that system. Cosimo had used his family’s wealth to propel himself to political power by exerting influence over officeholders so that he was the ultimate decision-maker. 

Cosimo’s descendants inherited his political power. They briefly lost their grip on power just long enough for Machiavelli to participate for about a decade as an official and diplomat in a restored republic. Machiavelli was in office when the republic collapsed with the return of the Medici family to power. 

Removed from office, Machiavelli wrote “The Prince.” He prefaced it with a dedicatory letter to the young member of the Medici whom the family had designated as the new ruler of Florence. Commentators have long disagreed about what Machiavelli sought by so obviously pandering to an autocratic ruler. 

The ‘Discourses,’ is a significant example of Machiavelli’s republican writing.    Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian philosopher and writer. Getty Images

That puzzle is all the more perplexing because elsewhere Machiavelli expresses his commitment to republican government. He wrote another book, less well known and much less pithy than “The Prince,” entitled “Discourses on Livy.” In the “Discourses,” Machiavelli uses the work of the ancient Roman historian Livy to examine how the Roman republic was overthrown by a single leader. 

At its founding, Rome was a kingship, but when subsequent kings became tyrannical, the Roman people overthrew the monarchy and established a republic, which had a remarkable history and lasted almost 500 years. 

The Roman republic collapsed in 44 BCE when Julius Caesar declared himself dictator for life. Machiavelli wrote that Julius Caesar was the first tyrant in Rome, with the result that Rome was never again free. 

Julius’ immediate successor Octavius, who assumed the name Caesar Augustus, ruled as the first of a long line of emperors. 

Lessons from the demise of the Roman republic 

The key lesson of Machiavelli’s examination of Roman history in the “Discourses” is this: A republic is fragile. It requires constant vigilance on the part of both the citizens and their leaders. That vigilance is difficult to maintain, however, because over generations, citizens and leaders alike become complacent to a key internal threat that haunts this form of government. 

Specifically, they fail to grasp early enough the anti-republican designs of exceptionally ambitious citizens among them who harbor the desire to rule alone. 

Machiavelli provides instructive examples of how Rome failed to protect its republican practices and laws against such a threat. 

When the republic was young, Rome allowed candidates to nominate themselves for high offices. This practice worked well because only worthy candidates put themselves forward. 

Later, however, the practice of self-nomination allowed into office those who wanted to promote their own popularity rather than respond to the needs of their country. 

Machiavelli said that leaders and citizens devoted to the republic should have closed off this easy route to power to such candidates. But Rome failed to act. 

Because of its complacency, Caesar was able to build on the popularity that his predecessors had amassed and to transform Rome into a tyranny. 

The point of no return 

If republican citizens and leaders fail to be vigilant, they will eventually be confronted with a leader who has accumulated an extremely powerful and threatening following. At that point, Machiavelli says, it will be too late to save the republic. 

Machiavelli uses the examples of Caesar’s assassination in Rome and Cosimo’s exile from Florence to underscore this lesson. In each case, the supporters of their respective republic, finally perceiving the danger of tyranny, initiated an attack on the people’s idol. 

In each case, that effort led not to a restoration of republican freedom but rather to its elimination. In Rome, Augustus used the public’s sympathy and devotion for the martyred Caesar to seal the republic’s demise. 

In Florence, Cosimo himself was welcomed back from exile to become Florence’s leading man. 

The fate of the American republic 

For Americans, the question is whether, as a result of public complacency, the republic will be lost. Will the American republic fall to the same perils that Machiavelli identified in ancient Rome and Renaissance Florence? 

Perhaps an opportunity exists to breathe new life into the nation’s republican practices and institutions. Perhaps there is still time to reject through elections those who seek office only to enhance their own power. 

Or perhaps it is so late that even that approach will not work. 

Then, Americans would be left to mourn the demise of their republic and to affirm Machiavelli’s counsel that republics fail through complacency. 

Such an outcome for one of history’s most exemplary republics would stand as a wretched testament to Machiavelli’s keen political insight. 

About the Author: Vickie Sullivan is the Cornelia M. Jackson Professor of Political Science at Tufts Universith and teaches and studies political thought and philosophy. She also maintains teaching and research interests in politics and literature. 

Her most recent book is "Montesquieu and the Despotic Ideas of Europe" published by the University of Chicago Press in 2017. She is also the author of "Machiavelli, Hobbes, and the Formation of a Liberal Republicanism in England" published by Cambridge University Press in 2004 and issued in paperback in 2006; and of "Machiavelli’s Three Romes: Religion, Human Liberty, and Politics Reformed" published by Northern Illinois University Press in 1996 and reissued by Cornell University Press in paperback in 2020. 

She has also edited two volumes: "The Comedy and Tragedy of Machiavelli: Essays on the Literary Works" published by Yale University Press in 2000; and "Shakespeare’s Political Pageant: Essays in Politics and Literature," with Joseph Alulis, published by Rowman & Littlefield Press in 1996. 

Her articles have appeared in The American Political Science Review, History of European Ideas, History of Political Thought, Political Theory, Polity, and Review of Politics. Her current project is tentatively entitled "Modern Empires, Political and Philosophical." 

About Tufts University Founded in 1852, Tufts University is a nationally ranked, student-centered research university with a global perspective, a thriving life sciences enterprise and deep scholarship in the arts and humanities. 

Tufts, with undergraduate, graduate and professional programs, is both a research university and a liberal arts college – a unique combination that attracts students, faculty and staff who thrive in our environment of curiosity, creativity and engagement. 

Tufts has campuses in Boston, Medford/Somerville and Grafton, Massachusetts, and a European Center in Talloires, France, and the School of Arts and Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, Fletcher School, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA), School of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life. 

AMERICANA / PEEP-A-RONI, PEEP SHOW, PEEP-A-THON

A look at the modern production line in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where over 5.5 million Peeps are made daily, thanks to Bob Born's mechanization in the 1950s.

Well, by now you’ve had your fill of traditional Easter Day sweets—especially those addicting Peeps. If so, and you’re curious, here’s an update: Peeps, the pastel-colored marshmallow chicks that define springtime sugar rushes, have been hopping around since 1953. 

They were originally made by the Rodda Candy Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where each chick was hand-squeezed from a pastry tube—an effort that took nearly 27 hours per batch. 

That all changed when Just Born, a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania–based candy company, acquired Rodda and streamlined the process, cutting production time to just six minutes. 

The original Peeps were yellow, but as the candy craze grew, so did the color palette: pink, lavender, blue, and green chicks and bunnies followed. 

In time, Peeps expanded beyond Easter into Halloween pumpkins, Christmas trees, Valentine’s hearts, and even Fourth of July stars. What started as a simple seasonal treat has become a pop culture icon, inspiring everything from dioramas and recipe hacks to heated debates: are Peeps best fresh, frozen—or slightly stale?

 Love them or leave them, Peeps have become as much a part of Easter as jellybeans, chocolate bunnies, and a sugar crash before noon (Pacific time)..