News Analysis – Iran War Update: The world faces deadlines only weeks away
The Iran war cannot continue as it is for much longer, and this is a result of simple math.
Mural Wars: New public art puts backs up against a wall
PVD-based artist Ian Gaudreau got a tip from a friend about a grant-sponsored mural project. Ten thousand dollars (the advertised amount) is a pretty good commission in the working artist world, so he looked into it. He discussed it with the sponsoring organization, who conveyed the tragic life-cut-short story of Iryna Zarutska. Gaudreau declined to […]
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island: RHORI-ble
The second episode of the Real Housewives of Rhode Island will premiere tonight. (Well, Wednesday, depending on when you read this. Thursday on Peacock.) The show has produced a social media furor almost as big as the botoxed lips of its stars – not really a surprise for one-degree-of-separation Rhody and our “know a guy” culture. […]
News Analysis — Iran War Update: Where are we going, and do we know?
[See prior update: motifri.com/iran-war2026] Donald Trump built his entire life and career on denial of reality, convinced he could counter every adversary with some combination of cajolery and charm or, if that failed, threatening and bullying. In his first presidential term, Trump hit the wall because a pandemic virus is not susceptible to such […]
News Analysis — What, Me Warry?: Iran is a long-lasting asymmetric fight with those who desire death
We fought a military war; our opponents fought a political one. We sought physical attrition; our opponents aimed for our psychological exhaustion. In the process we lost sight of one of the cardinal maxims of guerrilla war: the guerrilla wins if he does not lose. The conventional army loses if it does not win. The […]
American Horror Story
When the US Congress allowed the Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire on Dec. 31, 2025, they created a health insurance crisis that could have inspired a plot line for “American Horror Story.” Overnight, millions of Americans saw their premiums expand and rise like mushroom clouds from a nuclear explosion. In an article posted January […]
Melt ICE: Ways to Join the Fight Against ICE
On January 30, 2026, an estimated 5,000 Rhode Islanders – including students and numerous local businesses – participated in a historic, nationwide strike in an effort to get the tyranny of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) off our streets and out of our neighborhoods. The strike was in direct response to the unjust murders of […]
Mayor Smiley’s Neighborhood: Stagnation with Providence Bike Lanes
Drivers and cyclists often seem to carry an almost antagonist relationship with one another. People all too often forget courtesy for the fellow citizen when driving on the roads and that, combined with a lack of safe bike access, can and often does lead to accidents. On average the city sees 262 reported crashes per […]
Down with the Boyfriends: Celibacy as a Form of Modern Feminism
Valentine’s Day is on its way, and so is the heteronormativity that accompanies it. From the popular rom-coms we guiltily indulge in to the traditionalist ideals that have a grip on many, it seems society strives to make women feel their only purpose in life is to find and marry a man. However, recently, there […]