A Seinfeld Post

It was music and a daily suggestion greeting me on my computer the other day that broke the Facebook silence I have been enjoying most of this month. A Bobby McFerrin pop hit from way back in someone's day and now lost in the current lexicon of music that sold out to the Man; well, it popped up somehow from somewhere, maybe on the TV,  the radio or just came to mind. 

Hmm.......

If truth be told or not, I am feeling a stream of consciousness day coming into view. Go with the flow, no matter where it came from or where it is set to go. Just latch on with a firm grip and enjoy the fucking ride; Or not; or maybe, do whatever blows my dress up. For you see, I have nothing better to do than ignore that bothersome and nagging list of honey do, honey don't duties that exist on some honey's list I never read, met nor wanted to. 

It all depends on the type of day I want, a productive one or an introspective deep dive into the swamp of mindless goo that swirls in and out with the tide in my mind....... Whew! 

Not making sense is harder than it looks. The hard earned lessons of the many grammar nazis in my past, make it difficult for me to write wild like I used to. I have to think about it, not just feel it; all because I now anguish over composition dos and don'ts more than seems sane.; or fun for that matter. ....... 

Fun. ..... What is fun? A cover all word that covers participating in anything we enjoy doing; whether it be toil ending productivily or just ending with grins. Fun is what we make of it, do to it, do with it. If it brings Joy, do it as much as possible, even if that Joy in the end, makes us sad.

Sadness can rock too. Sadness can purge the stockpile of petty concerns that haunt us everyday. Or it can make them worse. It seems we need both, sadness and joy. Well, it does appear we can't have one without a regular dose of the other. The trick I guess is to look for one and accept the other. They both helped make us what we have become. ..........

What we have become? A matter of perception I imagine. I have only my own view of what I have become, by mindless reflection of what I have done, not done, thought about getting done, thought about not getting done, and what I vowed I would never get done and to date still have yet to get done. What the "collective we" have become is what we always become; a loose consortium of good actors, bad actors; actors who help others and actors who exploit others. Something tells me no matter what system of disorganization we conjour up, those realities will always hold true. They are embedded in our cultural DNA, cast in stone by eras and ages of treating each other like shit.

Which makes me wonder, just how the Hell did we make it this far? The future seems sketchy at best given how comfortabe humanity seems living on all these precipices and lines we should never cross. And because we can't help ourselves, we always settle where the flow leaves us. Somehow we come out of the self inflicted madness smelling like roses. .............

After protracted and tortuous times being our own worst enemies, I expect we will again come out into the daylight and there will be no roses to smell. Odds seem to get shorter, the longer they are in play.

It might be a good idea to start paying attention to what we are doing to ourselves.

< ~ >

I wrote this post in one big breath; no paragraphing, no spell checking ( mine is broken anyway), no thought given to any theme of any kind. Yeah, it was a big rambling chunk of words, that once I took that breath and re-read my jibberish, I couldn't stand it. I could feel the long dead grammar nazis from my past hanging over my shoulder, breathing hot and sweaty condemnations in both ears about the Hell I would endure in Grammier Hell, as I would be tasked to diagram every sentence in the US Constitution. ...... Over n over. ( It was the History nuts who threw in the clause about the Constitution. )

I decided I had to clean it up some; tossed in some paragraphs; tossed in some minimal spell checking, and shifted around some commas and periods; came up with the catchy title, "A Seinfeld Post" and voila! I was finally done.

Keep it 'tween the ditches ....................................

_______________________

Hang in............. I have abruptly been blocked from the stream that flowed so furiously only minutes ago. ............  Finally, I picked a tune, came up with a title collage that took almost as much time as the damn post. ....... 

"Child in Time" - Deep Purple - First released 1970 - AI enhanced music video - Recently released or close to it.

Alan Turing

Today is Alan Turing's birthday. If he had not been shamed to death in 1954, he would be 113 years old today. Even though he only lived to be 41 years old, the man did remarkable things during his brief tortured life. Some might even say that without his contribution to the war effort during WWll, the war would most assuredly have lasted longer and some might contend, the outcome might have been different. He was a hero of epic proportions who no one knew existed until recent years.

During WWll, British Intelligence was desperate to find a way to break the Nazi code used in their "Enigma" code machine. They were at wits end when along came Alan with his remarkable mind. He had been brought in as part of the team tasked with finding the answer. Turing proved his worth as a scientist and at the same time, pissed off almost everyone he had contact with. When he was called on his inability to play well with others, he proclaimed the whole program was doomed to fail; they would never find the answer, and it was a tremendous waste of his time.

He contended that if the project was handed over to him, he would find the answer. He, and the small group he headed, "Hut 8", finally created a code breaking machine that could decipher the supposedly impossible to break Nazi codes the Germans used to pass marching orders out to their military.

From many accounts of those who knew or worked with him, he was a difficult man to get along with. He suffered no fools. He had no filters. Whatever he was focused on was all there was. He had no time for the civil interactions of the English culture he found himself in. He had no tolerance of the mere mortals who surrounded him. He was not just an asshole, he was a very very gifted asshole, who most likely was the smartest man in any room he entered..

Not given any recognition in his lifetime, Turing is now considered by many as the the father of Computer Science as we know it. He was integral in creating the first working algorithms while also creating the machine that used those algorithms to break the German code. 

His efforts remained largely unknown until 2009 when the British government finally admitted to his efforts. Their claim was he remained anonymous for years because of the government's "war secrets act". But many, including myself, think the government was embarrassed by him. He was after all, a homosexual; not just any run of the mill homosexual, but an arrested, tried and convicted homosexual. In June of 1954 Alan Turing either killed himself, accidentally killed himself, or.......... ?

How much more could have Alan Turing helped mankind if he had not had to live in a culture that punished people for things they had no control over. The accomplishments he contributed to Computer Science would have just been a drop in the bucket of Human knowledge if he had not been ostracized and thrown under the bus of the social hypocrisy of that time. 

Alan Turing ....... You Rock dude. Sorry for the way you were treated.

Keep it 'Tween the Ditches ............................

______________________________

Found a nice tune that sings the praises of Alan Turing. It's a catchy, kinda techno tune. Enjoy.

It's Pluto Day

For you folks who have more than a passing interest in our solar system, it was 95 years ago today that Pluto was discovered and became a card carrying member in good standing in the planetary circle we call our solar system.

I am not sure what Pluto did to fall out of favor, but it must have done something that pissed off the IAU (International Astronomical Union). After 74 years of faithful and loyal service, in 2006, Pluto was unceremoniously demoted and kicked out of the cool planet club. 

A probable scenario might have been about a mealy mouthed astronomer from the ghettoes of Berkeley, Stanford or maybe Harvard who wanted attention. He or she took it out on poor Pluto at some hi falutin hoe down the IAU threw every year. The claim was "... it didn't meet the definition of a planet".  

...... Right..... Yesterday it was a planet. Today it isn't?

 So technically I guess, there was a ceremony of sorts, one meant to drive home the shame and embarrassment of being told you are not cool enough anymore to still hang with the Big Kids. But hey, you still get to sit close by . 

There was another birth in 1930. 1930 was the year Walt Disney introduced the world to Pluto, his ever lovable and loyal fuck up of a dog. I thought at first, one was named for the other. Apparently it was a coincidence. The IAU claimed they wanted to continue the time honored tradition of using Ancient Roman Gods and named the new planet Pluto, god of the Underworld.

Walt explained his choice of Pluto goes back to when he was young spending time on a farm. There were farm dogs everywhere. His favorite dog was named Pluto.

Hmm.  ............... Yeah, ..Hmm.............. Just a coincidence they say? Nah, don't buy it.

I cannot recollect who said it, but I am almost sure it has been said at the least a few times at the least.  

"There are no consequences, it's all of the plan."  

Somewhere, somewhen, some future, this will or is already part of a very dark conspiracy made up so someone can feel worse than they did before they read it the first time. 

I call it feeding their Goth.

Later .................................................

__________________________

I figured a Goth tune might be on target here. I checked some out and decided on a hybrid Goth song. Originally written and recorded by Nine Inch Nails, here is "Hurt" with Johnny Cash covering it better than the original. This song became his Eulogy. It was recorded months before he passed.

Zealots

The image to the right started it all. Set me on another adventure down another useless rabbit hole. But then, lately Life has become a rabbit hole. How can anyone expect me to tell the difference between the rabbit holes of worth and the ones that end up, uh well, as just another rabbit hole to nowhere.

The caption that accompanied this cryptic Facebook image read:

"CANT WAIT TO HEAR YALLS BULLCRAP EXCUSE ON THIS ONE....."

"The Lake Pontchartrain bridge in Louisiana was constructed perfectly level across the 24 mile expanse. That should be 384 ft of downward curvature, but there is zero downward curvature."

Whenever I visit this local Texas Facebook page, I am often looking to reinforce my own normalcy by reading the lunacy of a bunch of real Texans exchanging political views. One thing is for sure, Texas is not just full of Right Wingin, Gun Totin, Bible Thumpin zealots. The state is big enough, populated enough, and loud enough to be home to a wide variety of views. Listening to them mix it up among themselves actually makes me feel warm and fuzzy; kinda. 

Texans don't shy away from political discourse. Texans are not polite, though many would like to try and hide behind that "southern charm" Bullshit. Real Texans let you know how they feel, and if you don't like it, they'd be more than happy to shove a Lone Star long neck up your ass. 

Their clarity of position suits me. And while I have yet to find a Lone Star shoved up my ass, I am guessing there would a line waiting for me if I ever re-visited this state from my younger days.

Sorry, off again on another tangent. I apologize.

I was curious about the image of a bridge I had crossed more than a few times while pounding the super slabs hauling goods of one kind or another. I had no idea what the Hell this was about. So I googled myself right into a 3 or 4 hour rabbit hole I feel compelled to share today.

This meme is the mastermind creation of one "JR", champion superstar Flat Earther and unapologetic Bible thumpin gun totin Righteous Wingin advocate.

His premise is that since the builders of the bridge claimed it was level throughout its 24 mile run, without the necessary 384 ft worth of curvature to compensate for the curvature of the planet, well that right there proved the earth was flat. After all, 384 ft or 0.003 % of downward curvature over 126,720 feet should be visible to the naked eye.

I mumbled, "Hmm."

JR's use of "downward curvature" to describe the kind of adjustment the bridge needed seemed bass-ackwards to me. If as many of us claim, the World is round, wouldn't the curvature correction be upwards, not down? Anyway, his argument made no sense to me so then ................

I made my biggest mistake. I commented on the meme.

As a rule I try not to argue with idiots. But yesterday, I stupidly mixed it up with them anyway. It turns out JR has 23,000 followers. ...... That's right, 23,000.

As he is also a Winger Gun and Bible Nut, the whole Flat Earth thing might just be an effort on his part to round out his Lunatic quiver and boost his credibility among his peers. 

JLC, of  California had JR's back. She was right there with back up and "proof" the Earth was flat. She even admonished me by pointing out "it is easy to Google" the proof if I chose to. I supposed that was a backhanded insult, so okay, I was crushed, beaten and humiliated. At least I figure in her mind I was.

So anyway, her proof came in a couple of images she must have found on the "Lunatic Fringe Christian Network". The one to the left I chose to illustrate her dedication to truth, the Bible, and God Almighty.

I knew immediately I was in a fight I could not win. I stayed a few rounds just for shits and giggles. Then I blessed her heart and came back here to lick my wounds.

Not sure why I engage folks like her and JR. Maybe it is my lifelong fascination with the fringes of our culture. I have to say living in their fantasy world is often more interesting than the one I currently live in.

Later ..................................

_________________________

Looking up "Flat earth music", I came across this debut tune from Fixation, a new Metal band from Norway. The boys are talented. Here is "Flat Earth".

Leap Day

I cannot remember if I have ever posted on a date that only shows up every so often. Because I am too lazy to check, I am going to assume I have not. Today is my chance to rectify that.

I was born in a leap year. A new president was also elected that year. If anyone has trouble keeping track of when a leap year happens, just pay attention to the year of a Presidential Election. Most likely, but sometimes not, you would be correct assuming it was a Leap Year. It all depends.

Hard and fast rules do exist when it comes to our so very capricious Gregorian calendar; which is better than the old Julian calendar, but when it is all said done, neither one is much to shout home about.

I wondered about the association of a leap year/election cycle and was it part of the grand plan back in the day when out forefathers were farting in silk undies, swilling ale, and coming up with this great experiment that seems to be on a downward spiral now that the GOP and the Right have finally gone over the edge.

But I digress. This post is not about my extreme disappointment in my country. This post is supposed to be an effort to ignore that disappointment and instead divert yours and my attention to issues that may be of interest to someone somewhere., but probably will fall flat wherever they land.

When was Leap Year created? Why was it created? And was our election  cycle purposefully entwined with it?  

We have to go back to the days of Julius Caesar and before to find its beginnings. 

At some point humans did not want to live Life without some kind of clock or ability to record the passing of time. Following the lead of the four seasons just would not cut it anymore. Beginning many years B.C., many attempts were made. All of them fell short. Then in 46 BC, the Julian calendar was invented. It went through more than a few adjustments ( months added, months deleted, days added and then subtracted. Leap days were included, not included; it was a mess.

The effort was an obvious failure and maybe a good hint that allowing politicians to decide scientific issues was not a good idea. We still have not learned that lesson.

The whole issue revolves around our inability to coincide our lives cleanly with the rotation of Mother Earth around the Sun. We still do not have it perfect, but we got close when we came up with the Gregorian Calendar. The final installment of the Gregorian system has served us well enough for the past 442 years. 

The Gregorian calendar hit a sweet spot when it settled on 365 days it takes the planet to circle the Sun. Problem is, the round trip takes an additional 5 hours, 48 minutes and 56 seconds of each year that is not accounted for. What do you do with this. Blow it off or incorporate some kind a regular adjustment to keep our schedule in sync with Mother Nature's. Deciding an extra day every four years would account for the discrepancy and keep the planet on a somewhat predictable timetable.

BUT.......................

Adding that extra day every four years was slightly too much, so every century that is not cleanly divisible by 400,  we skip a scheduled leap year, so that we and our planet can remain in sync. 

Hmm ....................................

Regarding any serious thought the Flounders of our great country had regarding combining the Leap Year cycles with an election cycle seems non-existent. At least I have not been able to find any planned connection. Luck of the draw I guess.

Leap Year and all its rules is but another example of just how messed up the concept of time and how it passes is. 

Is there is a simpler, more logical calendar than the Gregorian one that most of the world follows? 

Depends on who you talk to.

Hang in There ........................................

_____________________

I had a Chambers Brothers tune in mind at first. Then I remembered Chicago Transit Authority's, "Does Anyone Really Know What Time it is?" 

What a great tune. And better yet, it fits almost perfectly with the post. Anyway, please enjoy this great tune from back in the day.

When Will It End?

I had hopes I would never see a mass shooting here in Maine. My hopes were dashed the other day when a maniac shot up a bar and a bowling alley in a town up country from me in what we call  L.A. (Lewiston - Auburn).  As of today, 18 are dead and 7 or 8 are in various states of medical Hell at the local hospital.

Yeah, my hopes were dashed, but I wasn't surprised. We have become a country filled with a fear and loathing of our own making. We have allowed merchants of death and chaos to create an atmosphere where all of us have lost trust in each other, condemned each other for the differences we carry, and now live in fear of each other.

My good FB friend, Jackie Sue, posted a meme that asked, "When will it end?"

I thought about it. I am of a mind that I see no end in sight. We will just have to wear ourselves out purging all this pent up fear and rage we have allowed to poison our souls.

Sadly, I do not think the stupidity has peaked yet.

Later ..........................

_____________________

"Here Without You", by 3 Doors Down seems an appropriate tune at this time.

A Figment of Our Imaginations

It was probably a mistake, but I again read an article from "Big Think". Didn't I tell myself many times that I am retired, hoping to sit back, smoke dope and let others worry about the things that matter and for that matter, also worry about the things that don't matter. Sadly, it is one thing to tell others I am retired from the pain of dealing with reality, it is entirely another thing to successfully follow through.

If anything, all of the things I have no control over have set up center stage now. Before, I was too damn busy with my reality of owning a business to consider just how disconnected from what is important myself and the swarming hordes of our planet seem to be. Regardless, I don't own a business anymore which leaves me nothing but the random musings that wander around in what I charitably call my mind.

"Big Think" offers up layman explanations for ideas that have geek speak beginnings. Complicated notions boiled down so hopefully a doofus like me can make hide or tails of it. This article starts with a question from science guy, Robert Lanza;

" Is the physical universe independent from us, or is it created by our minds?"

Without reading the article, I first tried to consider just the possibility of the premise. It only took maybe 30 seconds and I decided reading the article might help me past the initial idea.  I got 500 words into the article before my head started to ache. 

Quite awhile ago, I had read, heard or watched a show regarding the incompatibility of general relativity and the subsequent competitor on the block, Quantum theory. Einstein wasn't having any of it as an explanation of Reality. So the smart folk came up with String Theory to try to connect the other two in a logical way. 

That has not worked out yet. 

And now it seems another attempt is being made to explain it all. "Biocentric Design" seems at first a total delusion like Lanza ate too much LSD and was sure he had changed Realities, Universes, something was different. The more I thought about his idea, the more room I gave in my trove of impossibilities that cannot be tossed without more scrutiny.

e can and have made up whatever we wanted  as long as the intelligentsia at the time is in agreement with past interpretations. Which seems to open the door that if enough of us agree, we can/will/have changed what comprised the past, the future, and the present. I immediately extrapolated that Reality is always in a kind of flux depending on what Quantum Foam it finds itself in. Quantum Foam is defined as:

"Quantum foam (also known as spacetime foam or spacetime bubble) is a theoretical quantum fluctuation of spacetime on very small scales due to quantum mechanics"

Somewhat in agreement, kinda, maybe; Steven Hawkings said of the past and future:

"The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities."

Of course I am guessing it doesn't boil down to something so simple. But it sure seems like it. Since many of our great thinkers are now at least entertaining the notion we are to blame for this cluster fuck of a Reality we find ourselves in, I wonder if they are onto something "Real" or is it just another theory like String Theory which has not been wholly accepted since its creation 40 years ago.

Never mind the claimed subatomic underpinnings of Reality, what about the citizens of the planet and how they deal with Reality they /we/us have created for ourselves? Based on this new notion of Reality being born out of a group think cooperative made of generations of thinkers, it would appear to a large degree, humanity agrees on the physical reality within which we humans interact. Where our mutual perception of the nuts and bolts of Reality stop is how the various groups perceive and use that reality. I would call those our cultural, religious, and possibly linguistic differences. Reality in Vietnam is not the same reality in Calgary, Canada and so on and so on around a world that itself spins in a Reality made up of all of us, by all of us, for all of us. 

My original reason for writing this was to tie Religion in somehow. But I think that is a discussion for another day when I might even care. Instead, I find myself calming down and accepting one more impossible possibility in my Life. For if what and where we all exist is the result of an umpteen thousand years of generational group effort, then my hat is off to us. We sure created a beautiful planet upon which to exist. We just seem to be having problems agreeing how we should live here together. 

Keep it 'tween the ditches ...................................................

_____________________

I picked the group Lost Frequencies and their tune,  "Reality". Poppy, but the images are nice.

Snooze, You Lose, Now I Got Nothing

An hour ago I was pumped, primed, and ready to rip off 500 words on something or other I felt at the time was so important it was all I thought about until I sat down here in front of the blank screen. As if on cue, my mind took the blank screen's suggestion and followed suit. I sit here now wallowing in my usual state of mind; Lights are on and again Mike's not home.

What is really irritating, is what was a momentary moment of brilliance that was bound to astound, amaze and possibly create weak knees somewhere out there in the far reaches of the internet ether continued to tease me with nose thumbing as they moved along to the next clown who might be ready to take advantage of such awesome reflections, conjectures and observations. 

In seventy years of taking up space, I certainly have had enough twinges of regret after I did not do this or failed to do that when the moment came to fish or cut bait. However, for each opportunity that knocked and I was not home or hid behind the couch until Opportunity stopped knocking and found some other poor slob to bother, I am fairly certain I did jump on most of the snooze you lose moments that passed my way. I certainly peppered my life with interesting times, situations and strangers who most days made me thankful I had met them.

There were some notable regrets though. Some regrets came instantly and other regrets had to mature over time in order for me to feel their full magnitude. The slow burning regrets were the ones that hurt the worst, had the biggest impact, left the deepest scars. Thankfully, the instant regrets only resulted in trips to the ER, apologizing profusely, or digging into a pocket to throw good money after bad.

But honestly as I consider regrets along with snoozing and losing; overall I would have to say that the only regret I have is I did not jump into the frying pan more often than I did. However, given my my checkered past I will most likely continue snoozing and losing on a semi regular basis.

Keep it 'tween the ditches ................................................

______________________

Struggled this time finding music I thought fit the post. Growing frustrated, I picked a tune that always makes me smile. It is a medley by IZ of "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World". And this tune sort of fits because no matter how deep a regret is, play this tune and perspective will return. It is indeed a Wonderful World we live in.

Image from "Ukulele Magazine" 

A New Level of Stupid

I never anticipated the level of Stupid some of my fellow citizens could attain.  It seems the 2 thousand people who make up a Facebook Group called "Loaded Guns Pointed at Benis" have reached new heights or maybe depths of moronic behavior never before in existence.

Using some obscure and at this point, unfathomable Right Winger Logic, taking a picture of  themselves pointing their handgun at their crotch somehow "owns the Libtards".  Regardless, it appears that finally someone ruined the fun and shot their sack.  Fear not though, these rugged individuals gave the hero a big "atta boy".  That'll show them dirty Liberals who is serious and who is not.

The madness gripping my country at the moment is really beginning to do more than just worry me.  Each new day with Trump in charge of the tensions between us makes sure we hate each other as much as possible.  The animosity is so thick it cannot be cut with a knife.  The only way I see our anger with each other dissipating is by wearing it out until both sides are just too exhausted to carry their cause's torch another inch.  And given the entrenchment tenacity in play at the moment, it will be years before we see any serious bipartisan cooperation like it used to be.

The new normal is beginning to take shape.  Fight it wherever you can.

The Originating Article from BroBible

Later ................................................

It is Humble Perfection

I was pretty sure my Metal days were over.  I used to bang my head with the best of them for awhile.  Metal, like Pop music, all started sounding the same.  It was the 80s, nobody but Metallica did it for me.  I moved on I guess.  Then a year ago, a good friend turned me onto "The Sound of Silence" cover by Disturbed, a Metal band I had never gotten to know.  Just like that, Metal was back in my life.

Cool.  There's always room to welcome back an old friend.

As I watched one of the video's, I perused the comments looking for the one comment that encapsulated this song as I perceive Simon and Garfunkel , and now Disturbed, meant it to .

Jessica from who knows where wrote, "This song gives me another heart beat.  It is humble perfection."

Word.

Don't Mow Til the Black Eyed Susans Come

I had written up an elaborate tale filled with near death escapes and being snatched and whisked away to another dimension.  All in an effort to get around the fact that what is really to blame is I had  become less than a slug, lower than a sponge clinging to a reef, but just above a comatose sloth.

It was just three or so days ago I took off the snowblower and attached the mower deck.

I know.  I know.  I have heard it all before.  I have rationalized it all before.  The fact is   I just hate mowing grass.

This year's excuse was,

"I don't want to mow until the Black Eyed Susans come."

My wife just rolled her eyes.  But you know what, I'm gonna go with it.  The picture tells me I'm right.  Besides, I want a new cover photo for FB.

Keep it 'Tween the Ditches ................................................

I have a Dream

Last night I had a dream of Matt Damon, his opinion on how to ride the new skateboard I had just purchased and then it got fuzzy for awhile.  Suddenly, with Matt safely seated in the back of my huge SUV, we experienced several violent moments of road rage foisted on us by some seriously angry women.  And they were scary big women.  They side swiped my honking huge SUV and tore the right font door off its hinges. A fight ensued.............   Flash forward to the sanity of wakefulness.

There was a period in my life when I was convinced I did not dream any more.  Those fantastic adventures I had as a child when I was asleep had suddenly just stopped.  Yeah, I read about how we still dream even when we do not think we do.  I was positive I was an exception. It was all over for me.

About a decade ago, dreams began to work their way back into my life.  At first I struggled to remember even the slightest moment of the dream.  Broken snippets of memory ended up just meaning nothing.  I was pleased to have even these disconnected glimpses that made no sense.  It gave me hope that with practice, I could once again turn those hazy moments into real story lines upon first opening my eyes to face the day.

Some of my dreams in recent years have been unpleasant.  The one last night was both fun and scary.  Those women kicked Matt's and my ass.  We got our shots in, but yeah we lost.  And through it all I laughed while Matt threw me those evil side glances he uses when playing the bad mofo on the silver screen.

I am glad the dreams are back.  No one should ever stop dreaming.  It ain't natural. 

Later .....................................................

Welcome to Summer Camp Kids

Chain link walls inside tin buildings are not cages the Presidential advocate says.  What they are is not really spelled out clearly.  But rest assured, the chain link rooms are not cages.

Another pipes in that what has been erected are more akin to Summer Camps, inferring a population of happy children and even happier parents who have successfully found someone to take their little ones off their hands for a brief while. The crying you might hear are cries of joy.

In the meantime, higher up the Right Wing food chain, presidential representatives claim the separation of the illegal kids from their illegal families is the Democrats' fault.  Besides, the separations are Biblically sanctioned actions, so calm down, God says its okay.

All in all, the half baked explanations and mealy mouthed excuses seem reasonable given the group they are coming from.  We should expect no less from such an upstanding group of leaders sporting such high moral principles.  Keep up the good work. I am sure the children will one day understand that the Wall was more important than their humanity.  They will then remember you fondly.

Later .....................................................

What is there to Say?

What is there to say?

When I have the urge to write lately, all I want to do is dislodge the lump of disgust I have caught in my craw regarding what my country is going through.  Venting my anger at least used to make me feel better, if only for a moment.  Now, I know that venting will only fire me up even more to the point that even a second doober won't bring back a smile.  Because of this, I have refrained from blogging.

It is not even about Trump anymore or the morally / ethically challenged Right and their spineless  ways.  I have grown used to the "fuck the country, we want what we want for us first bull shit" Right Wing policies and two faced rhetoric from so called conservative mouthpieces.

And to be fair, I am even more than a little disgusted with the Democrats.  Now is their chance to take away the message from the Right and they are sitting on their side of the aisle, wringing their hands  and mumbling among each other like a bevy of grandmas hard into a group quilting bee..  And in the meantime, the Right is still able to control the narrative. 

Yeah, seems gutless is the one recurring theme on both sides.

I had a conversation with a friend who is a registered Republican, but who is actually closer to a Bernie Democrat.  Hates Trump and most of the madness playing out on the Right.  He thinks the biggest problem is polarization.  Neither side willing to give an inch.  Yet, he feels the Democrats need to be more willing to compromise just to get the bipartisan train into gear.

I said, "Fuck that."

"Well, the Republicans do have the majority, ... uh maybe the Democrats should...."  His face told me he was reaching for any straw in sight.  " ...... aw, fuggit,  yeah fuggit."  My friend never said "fuck".  It was always "fug" and all the derivatives he could turn. 

Again I said, "Fuck that. ..... And fuck the Republicans. .........  Ever since Newt Gingrich and his "Contract with America" cronies in the 1990s, the party most likely to compromise has been the Democrats.  Maybe the Republicans need to step up and moderate or , here's an idea, drop their "my way or the highway" attitudes.  That the Right cannot get anything done is more about their inability to govern than anything the Democrats have done...............  The two of them have served this country poorly for years now."

As I filtered this conversation through my undependable memory banks, the answer for it all again stood out just as it always does.  Not just one answer but a multitude of answers that need to be recognized by the largest group in this shit fest. 

As long as the American Public prefers to walk around clueless to the manipulations carried out  to control them, we will always have sleazy leaders who have no morals or have no ethics other than their own self interest.  Our leaders are but reflections of ourselves.  ..........  We buy into the fear our favorite blowhards regurgitate instead of recognizing the real threat that is buying into over the top imagined worst case futures.  But it is easier to be afraid than show any composure at all.

Suck on that America, you bunch of chicken-shit apathetic hateful jerkwads.

Later ..........................................................