The Big Red Tinkle

Paul LePage, an ex-governor of Maine and now just another ex-candidate for governor of Maine, had his ass soundly kicked  on Tuesday, Nov. 8th by Janet Mills, a woman much tougher and smarter than he is. It tickled me no end knowing that Asshole Lepage seemed about to cry and later flew off the handle when he realized he was not going to squat in Blaine House again. The wonderful insult to injury Janet inflicted on him is she won  by over 12 points. 

A parting comment of his at his non concession / concession speech pointed up a classic mistake of Republicans assuming that for every American, money is everything. It went something like this: 

"... We missed the message. It's about Abortion not Heating Oil."

Well Paul, I wonder if you even understand the irony of that statement. Asked and answered there big fella. Good job. But something tells me that you, like so many Republicans, cannot or will not understand that material comforts are not always the only thing folks consider when standing in the voting booth. You Wingers have inextricably tied your patriotism to the tail of Capitalism as it slithers,sneaks and sniffs around for any profitable tidbit to add to the already deep pockets that are never satisfied.

There are more of us more interested in the long term health of our country than how much we pay for gas tomorrow. Many of us look to  long term solutions for the bedrock problems everything else is tied to.  Focusing on the piss-ant most recent annoyances and on lies is what the Right focuses on. Selling fear rather than offering solutions is the GOP's stock in trade. It's no wonder your Red Tsunami turned into some Winger octonageranian's weak red tinkle at a gas station in Florida. 

Inflation will go away, but will rear its ugly head again . Crime will go away and probably go up again.  But turning the USA into a one party country like the Right seems bound and determined to do may mean the type of democratic government we have become used to may be gone forever. Admit it, the Right is only patriotic to itself.

Hopefully Paul, you will quickly weasel your way back to Florida.

And Paul, don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out. 

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Of maybe more interest to others following politics in America is:

None of the candidates running for Congress in District 2 received over 50% of the vote. Ranked Choice Voting will be used for the second election in a row to determine a victor in CD2.  Neither Jarad Golden at 48.2 %. (D) ,Bruce Poliquin at 44.9%, nor Tiffany Bond (I) managed to surpass  50%  of the votes. Ranked Choice Voting will now toss the lowest tally of this three way race and distribute their second choice votes to one or the other of the 2 front runners still standing.

Ranked Choice Voting explained by me, so I'd check the facts if I were you. But this is how it works here in Maine from what I know after two elections of experiencing it. 

• In the general election, on the ballot is a list of the candidates vying for the same spot. The number does not matter. 
• Next to the list of candidates are columns and circles to mark later. They are tagged with "1st Choice", "2nd Choice", "3rd Choice", and so on until the total number of candidates have a corresponding total number of choices listed.
• Mark your first choice. 
• Look over the rest of the field and rank them from 2nd through to the last choice. You have the option of not marking any if you want.
• The general election takes place- votes counted and await the next step.
• If a candidate has over 50% of the vote, the election is over. (Kinda like Overtime in the NFL - if you get a touchdown on 1st possession - game is over.)

Post Election

• If no candidate has over 50% in the general election, Ranked Choice Voting  kicks in.
• The first thing is removing the last place candidate from the field.
• The ranked votes for the dropped candidate are then distributed to that Ballots rankings still in play.
• If no one hits that magic 50%+ mark, the candidate with the next lowest tally is yanked.
• Ranking begins again and continues until someone lands over 50%.

Final snaps of my synapses on this issue - I just made pot brownies and  just had to lick the bowl ........ It is a rule you know.

Anyway ...................................

• The idea of Ranked Choice Voting is the candidate with widest appeal overall wins. 
• RCV is the best recent attempt to thwart the 2 party stranglehold this country has suffered under for hundreds of years
• Puts some electoral power in minority cause blocs of voters.
• It's a no brainer - RCV Rocks!

Yes, I have to close it down now. I guess I left more brownie mix in the bowl than I thought.

Later Gator ...........................................................

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Even though this song has nothing to do with politics, that has nothing to do with why I picked this tune.

Here's David Bromberg's cover of  "Send me to the 'Lectric Chair".......... Enjoy

 

What Red Wave ?

I guess it was after Gore lost to Bush, the Lesser in 2000 that I stopped staying up all night for an election. If I was going to have to deal with bad news, why torment myself with the slow, excruciating pain of watching the upcoming disaster unfold in real time and in front of me? Staying up late and punishing myself was not going to change any outcome. 

I had played my minor part earlier in the day. ..... Calm down asshole and move on. It will be what it will be. 

Instead of the masochistic pleasure or pain of watching potentially tragic events unfold, I watched episodes of "Utopia", the original British version on Amazon Prime. As has been my habit since becoming an old fart some years ago, I knew after an hour or two on the couch with the TV droning, I'd be out by 10:00 PM and comatose a half hour later; but only as long as I stayed away from live TV. I have no stake in entertainment TV but feel I have plenty at stake on Election Night.

Much to my surprise and pleasure, I woke up to the news that the Right Wingers, who had predicted in loud boastful voices, a terrible Red tide would sweep over our grand land and no Democrat would ever be elected again .......... Well it appears the Right is busy trying to avoid eating the crow America has set out for them. 

Since all the results are not in yet and may not be for awhile, it is apparent that the over the top goals the Right set for this election fell far short of a good time. This was not an election for control of the government so much as it was an election about Democracy, the Two Party system and it's irritating habit of hugging the Middle. The insanity that has taken over the Republicans these past couple of decades will have to wait for the next election to try to again defeat Democracy and the Democrats. 

As for the Democrats, well, they dodged the worst of a bullet. We will know soon how deep the wound is, but overall Democrats should be grateful. They were saved by Independents and I am assuming some crossover Republicans to keep the nation from sliding off the edge and into the abyss on the Right.

All in all, a better result than I had envisioned. 

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When I voted around 4:00 PM yesterday, I was the 1000th citizen of Acton to vote. They made a small to-do of it and I felt my face go red as I scrambled for the exit. In our small sliver of America, a midterm election of that turnout is a very high count. As yet, I have no clue what four more hours of voting added to the total.

The parking lot up to the Town Hall was packed. I actually had to wait outside in line a minute or so. It was almost too much. Took me five minutes to vote. Well, I never ...............

_______________________

Could not find the one tune that reflected my mood today. Was lookin for an upbeat, but not overly enthusiastic........ Well, I obviously did not find one ....... Wait a minute.

I was scrolling through the titles of songs in my play list in the hard drive and low and behold, the perfect tune popped up. It is not my habit to highlight two songs from a the same band so close together but I called for an exception and since I make the rules, I offer up "You Can't Always Get What You Want", by the Rolling Stones.

I think this song points up perfect;y the results of yesterdays's election.

My Red Face Comeuppance

Take a moment to look over the image to the left. ...... I'll wait.

I posted this without the current edit four years ago on Facebook. I even signed it. I was obviously not happy with Nancy Pelosi. But if memory serves, she was the tip of the spear of my unhappiness with the leadership of the Democratic Party over all. At that point it seemed the GOP  and Trump were running roughshod over the Democrats. I considered Nancy too nice, too civil, too grandma wonderful.

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

I am setting the record straight now and admitting I was wrong, so wrong about Ms. Pelosi. 

It is four years later now and Facebook offered to repeat this ill conceived meme with one of their regular "you posted this x number of years ago, would you like to share again" suggestions.

My first thought was too let it die whatever death old meme's suffer when no one posts them again. But I thought maybe I owed Nancy more than just feeling a tinge of guilt for questioning the size of her juevos. 

What she has managed to do these past four years in the face of outrageous anger, lies, and threats from the Right has made me a convert. Nancy is one tough old broad and I love her. She has fought the good fight, fought the smart fight, and been a burr under that saddle I thought the Right was riding as they mounted their next Crusade to turn this nation into sad imitation of what it started out as.

I won't rattle on, there are dragons to slay today and I hope to help in that effort. I just wanted to admit in public that I once questioned the hard nosed intensity of this woman who always spoke civilly even when she threatened to punch a Winger in the nose.

Here's hoping she will still be Speaker of the House tomorrow and not a lame duck one.

Keep it 'tween the ditches , and VOTE ferchrisakes. It's the only ammo we have to foment change.

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On a day as auspicious as this one is likely to turn into, I can think of only one song that might be appropriate. And yeah, being true to my Libtard ways, here is Woody Guthrie's, "This Land is Your Land"

Going Manic

Before the year 2000, I never thought about Depression.  I knew folks suffered from it.  I watched both of my parents deal with it as they approached the end of their run on the planet. Before 2000, I had not yet felt the crush of the dark pit as it wrapped itself around me.

It was in 2001 or 2002, I was talked into being part of the first run of Interferon based therapy for Hepatitis. The regimen called for a year of many painful self injections and pills that made me feel about as shitty as a human can feel. It was pure unadulterated misery for me. I lasted a couple of months.

Seems of all the nasty side affects, down at the bottom of the list in print so small, I had to read it with a magnifying glass; there it was.  11% of the trial patients experienced suicidal ideation.  Of course, I did not find this out until I had already attempted suicide.  Of course, being a rookie, a NooB, an inexperienced suicide hobbyist, I failed.  Half ass attempt for sure, but it certainly scared the shit out of me.  I dropped out of the program.

Ever since my run in with those bad pharmaceuticals prescribed for my hepatitis,  I have had to deal with on again, off again bouts of depression. Thinking back, I was probably depressive to a degree before the medicine, it was only after taking the meds,  the depression magnified and now dealing with it is a constant concern. I wake up many mornings and wonder if today is the start of another depression bender.

The up side........ yeah, there is actually an upside I think .............. The upside is that now, as if to balance out my life's biorhythms, the low notes are offset by wonderful high notes.  I get to experience the joy of mania.  Up is often really up; I'm flying, thoughts move so quickly I have trouble getting a handle on them.  But when I am able to grab one, my focus is impressive.  I guess even bad medicine can have a silver lining.

A friend asked me a few years back what did Depression feel like.  I am sure everyone has their own notion of what it is or isn't.  But I told him that for me it was like existing as nothing, or maybe a kind of non-existence with my eyes open.  Nothing matters.  Nobody cares, least of all me.  The out there world is a fantasy land that is maybe or maybe not just a figment of my imagination.

Hmm .........

And that brings up an entirely new subject. Is Reality nothing but a group figment of our imaginations?

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

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A song I have always felt was about what I called "being low" when I was younger was "Paint it Black" by the Rolling Stones. When I looked it up with google, they agreed. So enjoy this tune from the mid 1960's.

Times of Degeneration

Back in the early 1970s, college campuses were a melting pot of the possibilities of the Future mixed in with the traditions of the Past.  

The Hippies represented what was the Present and what was coming. The Pat Boone kids, with their clean cut hair-doos and their Ah shucks, the Lord is my Shepard attitudes were doing their best to resist the tidal wave of the rampant hedonism of the  Anti-American Pinko Commies who many perceived to be overrunning college campuses coast to coast. Free Love had been invented, but getting laid was still a crap shoot on any given night down to the Rathskeller.

New ideas and concepts clashed with the old tried and true Leave it to Beaver ideals Americans had been convinced were what had made America the greatest country on the planet.  Blacks were flexing their muscles. Future draftees were burning their draft cards while women began burning their bras and gays were slowly leaving their closets.  The stodgy what used to be was being replaced by the hip new what is coming.

The only common thread tying all the college kids together was they were all horny and looking to occasionally step away from reality or hedge their bets for an overnight lay by ingesting copious amounts of the Demon Rum or Satan's Weed; oftentimes both.

Flash forward to today. 

I cannot say the populations of college campuses break down now in similar demographics as they did back in the early 1970's. I can certainly attest to the notion that similar mindsets have bridged the five decades since I wasted time in college getting wasted. The issues of then are still not settled business among many citizens now and continue to be thorns in the side of the American experience.

The dates have changed. The mentalities have not. The Left still pushes us to tomorrow, the Right wants to hold us back. The Left likes Capitalism to a point. Most see it as a necessary evil. The Right seems to love Capitalism and its captains more than they love the country. These truths are a constant that have been with us since our beginnings over 200 years ago. 

A noticeable difference between the conversations of then and now are the levels of intractability our opposing views have attained. We used to have heated discussions and when people tired of arguing, they often found consensus or they walked away. Today, we don't have conversations, we shout at each other and seldom find common ground. Instead, we dig our heels in even when the facts tell us we are wrong.

Yes, the biggest difference I notice today is the lack of respect we give facts. We have begun favoring our own interpretations of facts or ignoring them completely. It seems our political realities are being framed by our political faith that all too often leaves little room for the facts we should be using to frame our plans or views in the first place. This leaves us with fewer workable bipartisan actions and more built up partisan acrimony.  The one reality almost all of us used to live in has now had to make room for other realities that only exist in the minds of the beholders. 

The words my high school English teacher wrote in my junior year yearbook seem so, so more prophetic now than they did when he wrote them in 1969:

" These are critical times. Degeneration is around the corner.  ....... WATCH! "

I think it is safe to say we have entered the times of Degeneration, yet many of us fail or refuse to see it.

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

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I had narrowed my musical choice down to four songs, three by Buffalo Springfield and one by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. One group provided members for the later group, so the musicality is very similar. It was a tough choice. I listened to all four several times each. 

What I did was, post all four. "Ohio" and "For what it's Worth" may be be the most famous of the four.  All four are great and always take me back to those days of upheaval in the 1960s and 70s that sadly seem to have reared their ugly little heads once again.

• "Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young  
• "Four Days Gone" - Buffalo Springfield  
• "Special Care" - Buffalo Springfield
• "For What it's Worth" - Buffalo Springfield

Post created from a very rough draft from February, 2009

The Firebrand

Cult members with adoring eyes and clinched fists surround their new messiah. They want to touch him, but he pulls away. That is okay. Just to be near him is enough. 

Their eyes glaze over as he tells them he gets them and understands the tragedies that make up their lives. He promises the impossible and they believe him. They are sure this Heaven sent messenger will set them free and smite down all those who they have been programmed to blame for all their troubles.

The Orange One smiles. He knows now these minions here in East Bumfuck, Alabama are his to do with as he pleases. He has stirred the mob up into a single mouth frothing frenetic maniac. Just a few more words of imagined dangers to really set the hate and discontent accompanied by appropriate hand and arm flourishes and these brain dead stooges will be ready to mount the new crusade that will make him king.

He smiles his best insincere smile, steps back from the podium, raises his arms and does a victory lap in his mind. As he turns to step off the stage, his handler gently grabs his arm to guide this new pretender looking for a throne to the back stage exit and into the limo.

The Firebrand settles his imposing figure into the plush leather seat in the rear of the limousine and leans back. Looking up at the crushed velour fabric ceiling, he mutters to the limo driver, 

"Did you smell the crowd behind me? Sure hope the next crew bothers to take a shower. ........Damn I love the Stupid, just wish they washed occasionally." ........... Where we off to now?"

"Uh, no sir, I noticed no bad smells. I was with the limousine.....  The itinerary says Mobile sir, but it has been canceled. I have been told to head back to the plane."

The Orange One continues to stare at the ceiling. He wonders why Mobile has been canceled. As if he is a mind reader, the limo driver anticipates his next question.

"Your man in Mobile said there was not enough people there and he knows how much you hate small crowds."

"Well okay then. .........  I'm feeling like McDonalds. A Big Mac and fries would be just the thing right now. Oh, order a vanilla shake while you're at it."

"Sir, I am not allowed stop anywhere but the hotel or the airport, you know that."

"Don't tell me what I know."

The Orange One leaned forward and through the sliding window separating him from his driver, he hissed,

"By the way driver, when we get back to the plane, you are fired."

"Yes sir." 

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** Thanks to Duff Moses for the best political cartoon I have seen in years.

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I had chosen the music for this post before I wrote it. I offer up "Megalomaniac" by Incucbus. Perfect for this post, especially if turned up to wow. Enjoy.

92.1

Sanford, Maine is a small city close to me here in Acton. It has had a radio station transmitting at 92.1 on the dial for quite a few years. It has gone through more than a few changes; call letters, formats and owners over the 47 years I have been listening. But it is still there because of the impressive height of the tower that sits on a hill called Mt. Hope, overlooking the old mill town.

The big ass tower up on Mt. Hope, uh,Mount Rialto used to rock our socks off.  The disc jockeys spun every tune by hand.  Hard Rock, Jazz, Blues, Alternative and once in awhile even some cutting edge Country.  I remember a Merle Haggard set once.  Along with the opening line, "We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee", while in the background the disc jockey sucked in hard on the mic, and in almost a whisper, "Sissssssss, ah that's some good stuff man."  

Immediately came the sound of lungs coughing as they expanded past their red line and drowned out the first few lines of the song. They might not be smoking marijuana in Muskogee, but apparently they did smoke marijuana up on Mt. Rialto.

Every night was a theme night.  Blues on Mondays I think.  Jazz owned Sunday mornings.  Alternative, mixed with Pop which mixed with AC/DC and Black Sabbath most daylight hours.  Tie a Yellow Ribbon around Ozzie while Steely Dan waits his turn.  Never knew what to expect. It was great.

The last DJ, Ken Ridley - R.I.P.

The radio at the bike shop was locked on the Mount; we didn't move it. I think it was around 1994 when a Massachusetts concern bought the station and began feeding music to Mount Rialto from somewhere deep in the Commonwealth. 92.1 is still pumping out music as an "oldies" station that has someone knowledgeable programming it. But 92.1 is just another spot on the radio dial broadcasting pre-programmed music without the fun that happens between songs when manic jocks lose their shit and go verbally postal. That was always half the fun of listening to live programming, the chance to hear someone say something outrageous that would twist the panties of any older generation who happened to be within earshot.

This gradual transformation and eventual extinction of the solo radio station pumping out tunes one song at a time at 10,000 watts is almost complete now. I thought we had hit rock bottom when the radio stations were bought up by tone deaf venture capitalists. Almost over night spinning platters were replaced by pre-programmed tapes punched up at corporate headquarters 200 miles away and 50 stations began playing the same songs at the same time.

As it turned out, rock bottom was still years away.

Now all our music is stored, cataloged, and broadcast out of the memory banks of millions of computers sprinkled around the planet through internet cables hanging on poles or buried in the ground. Radio waves now days are mostly reserved for talk radio that often spend their time spewing hate and discontent. There are some older all music stations hanging in there, but the heart of music radio has been torn out and now exists on the Internet. I-tunes, Sirius, Spotify and other music purveyors charge a per song fee or monthly fees to hear the music we used to listen to for free.

It may sound as if I am complaining. It may seem I am not happy about how the Past let me down with the Present it left me. There is no reason to complain, but plenty of reason for at least a moment or two to be nostalgically sad. I grew up on music pumped out of honking big radios filled with rectifier tubes that grew hot and glowed as music worked past the static to make us smile until we were out of range and had to fiddle with a dial to find a new station. I don't miss those days now so much as I appreciate they were there setting the stage for what would come into my life 60 years later. 

Later Gator ............................................

__________________________

Naturally or not, I am picking Merle Haggard's "Okie From Muskogee" 

( Orig - 2/7/2012 )

Will Sanity Prevail?

Now that I have participated in many election cycles over the years, I would think I would be immune to the campaign rhetoric that does its best to scare me into voting a certain way. Both the Democrats and the Republicans do it. Only the Republicans will probably definitely utilize baseless fears supported by bald face lies and then  will predictably not live up to any promises they make to the 90% of the country that really needs their help the most. 

With the Democrats there is at least a snowball chance more of us will benefit, as has been the case in the two years since Biden was elected. The Democrats are the most likely of the two parties to work in bipartisan ways. The GOP only wants bipartisanship if they can dictate all the rules. They have become the party of no program, no sense of direction, the party that only knows how to say no. Their goal is to disrupt and control. Nothing else, contrary to their claims otherwise.

I know, I know, the Right would have us believe the world started falling apart once Biden and his evil cabal of socialist pinko commie pedophile liberals stole control of this country from the only God fearing patriots in the country, the GOP. 

They know for certain if God is on your side, the other side must be wrong. It matters not that many on the Left go to church also. God is a selfish god, a Caucasian god and an American god who only likes white people because they are most likely the people to have deep pockets.

The Wingers blame Inflation and high gas prices on Biden. They still insist that he stole the election. Yet, many of them contend the Jan. 6 traitors were but overzealous tourists. It matters little that they are all either, knowingly lying through their teeth or are so stupid they actually believe their leaders' lies.

The Right's consistent and conscious movement away from using truth in their messaging has done what it came there to do; convince a sizable number of citizens that their lies beat any facts that may be used in rebuttal. Alternate Facts and Unfacts rule, Honest Facts drool. 

In the meantime, the Left still seems to be in a daze. They are not focusing well. The Roe decision is an important motivator, but not as high on the list as bread and butter issues like inflation, immigration, gas prices. Yes, these issues are not any one person or organization's fault. But the Right has succeeded in convincing their minions and now some others, that Joe Biden and his democrats are the sole reason it costs $120 bucks to fill up that pickup with the duallies and the bull balls hanging from the hitch. No, the Left seems to have no answer for this campaign of hateful lies gushing out of the dankest, lowest sewers of the Right. It is hard to debate the truth of something when one side only pushes lies. 

Whatever.

The media is no help either. They help feed the fires by allowing blatant lies to fester and go mainstream through local advertising and by just regurgitating the falsehoods on the evening news like they have some weight. They don't care. They toss us polls that hint that one party or the other is overtaking or being overtaken by the other party. The fact that polls have become wildly unreliable in forecasting the finishes in recent years, again, they just don't care. Stirring the pot  of Anxiety is what it is all about. They want to create the accidents we all have to look at no matter that we shouldn't. Controversy based on hate and discontent sells and who cares if that controversy is based on lies? Lining the pockets of the oligarchs who own the medium is the first priority.

With just over a week to election day, there are not going to be many minds changed at this point. I gave up trying to change minds six years ago. I rant and rave against the stupidity of the sanctioned falsehoods fostered by the Right and then vote against them wherever there is a box to check off.

No matter how it turns out, on November 8th I guarantee when a Right Winger loses, claims of cheating will follow. They have allowed their pitiful excuses of leaders to poison their reality and twist it into some bizarre notion that suddenly Democrats are incapable of winning without cheating; even though most cases of recent voter fraud have come from the Right. 

The only light at the end of the tunnel I think is the prospect for a huge early mid term turnout. If this is what happens, historically this favors the Left. Keep your fingers crossed.

Fuck the Right. Hope that sanity prevails ..............................

___________________________

Tom Petty provided the tune for today's post pick. "I won't back down" pretty much sums up my attitude about any cooperation I may be inclined to offer the Right. A reminder of sorts that they have given this country nothing but lip service for over 40 years.

Skate Park Punks

 I woke up this morning hard. No gentle transition, but a rude awakening as if I was finally giving up a fight and would rather face the day than try to recapture the night. It had been a fitful sleep. But then fitful sleep has become more the rule than the exception in recent years.

I don't often remember dreams after a night of tossing, turning, getting up, laying down, repeat. Last night was an exception.

I was some kind of BMX coach of a group of punks in their mid teens. Not sure why BMX, but it was cycling related and at least that made some sense. 

When I found them at the skate park in Somewhere, USA, they were all hanging out behind the big ramp passing a joint and smoking cigarettes. I recognized one from my bike shop. I had caught him stealing awhile back and kicked his sorry ass out of my store.

When these teen age losers saw me they did not even blink. They kept sucking on the joint and smoking their cigarettes and as if on cue, they all grinned at me. I grinned back. They flipped me off. I flipped back.

Scene shifted to this group of losers and myself at a BMX race. There was also a Freestyle competition going on inside the BMX track. My boys were kicking serious ass in both competitions. A coach or authority figure appeared and accused us of cheating. I flipped him off.

When the events were over and my team and I were tail gating at the van, another authority figure shows up and tells us we are all banned from that event in the foreseeable future. All of us flipped him off.

Somewhere the dream shifted gears and I was attempting to talk one of my punks out of quitting the team. He was the fastest of anyone he had faced in every race he had been in. Trouble at home he said. I replied that all of you losers have troubles at home. Quitting the team won't fix that. I went on to try to convince him to stay, but at some point I was looking at his back as he walked away with one hand flipping me and the team off.

Another scene shift and I notice a blackhead pimple on my shoulder. On automatic like I was thirteen again, I squeezed that sucker to clean out the pore. Instead of the predicted blackhead popping up, a small worm oozed out of the now much larger hole. I didn't hesitate. I grabbed it and yanked with steady pressure like I had been here before and done that before. Slowly I was able to get that worm out in one piece. It looked to be six inches long or so.

That was the end of my fitful sleep of last night. Suddenly I was awake wondering just what the Hell was that?

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

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When I saw Roy Orbison's song, " In Dreams" on the list Google came up with, I remembered David Lynch's movie, "Blue Velvet" and punched it up. The song was highlighted in the movie as it was lip synced by one of the main lunatics righteously played by Dean Stockwell; making it one of the creepiest scenes in cinema. Lynch did have a way of creating creepy.

Unfacts

                

Unfacts are defined in the online dictionary of Merriam-Webster as;

: a deliberate falsehood made to pass as fact (as for partisan or propagandistic purpose)

Why the use of this word has not caught on, especially now, is beyond me. It is a more accurate description of the kind of lies masquerading as truth being pushed by, well, almost everyone it seems. It beats "Alternate Facts" hands down. There is no equivocation that might lend the term even the smallest amount of dishonest interpretation. The word "unfact" is clear, concise and accurate when trying to be polite while calling out a liar. It has been in existence since at least 1895.

Calling someone out as a liar often leads to heated verbal exchanges becoming exchanges of blows, bullets, and/or rocks. Liar is a trigger word that liars particularly take offense at. Much chest thumping and other buffoonish behavior can result when a liar actually is called a liar. To avoid the violent responses as much as possible, we have come up with many different words that mean liar. They all are less likely to create the fury that being called a liar does. I do not know why. A liar is a liar and they should be no more offended than when hearing themselves called fibbers, prevaricators, or perjurers. To call someone a liar to their face seems to be the worst only surpassed by adding my favorite adjective and calling them a Fucking Liar.  

All in all, there is really no nice way to call someone a liar. And as a rule it is always safer to call someone a liar from the safety of a computer screen based miles away from the targeted liar. It has been my personal experience that liars seem to be the most indignant when called out and the most likely to behave unpredictably.

A lie is the verbal equivalent of stealing. Both are dishonest and despicable actions that can cause much pain and anguish long after the initial offense. The effects can last for years, yet, our human culture does not seem able to live without lying, cheating and stealing. Dishonesty has a place in our culture whether we want to admit it or not. We will often get huffy when the lie affects us personally; yet often we will ignore the same effect in others over our lies. 

Nowhere is the use of the Unfact more prevalent or obvious than inside America's Politics. Both the Right and the Left are experienced and often overly enthusiastic users of the unfact. And sadly, the Right seems to have given up on facts altogether and are now relying on the unfact to fit their needs in filling the heads of their minions with exactly the kind of fear that will drive their agenda the best. They are the masters.

While it appears the Right has more bald faced lies floating around than the Left does, the Left is still more than capable and eager to push unfacts when they feel the urge. And I seriously think that many on the Left are jealous of just how good the Right has become at spreading false information and accusations. An example of the Left's effort to match the Right when it comes to lying is this image Meme that passed through my Facebook page a few days ago.

It pretends to be a bullet list of GOP goals for the future. It is a fake, but a much slicker lie than what the GOP usually comes up with. The usual lies from the Right are on the surface bald face lies. They don't even try to hide them anymore. Regardless it is wrong no matter who came up with the lie and was doubly wrong to be allowed any oxygen at all. 

I have no right to call out people who spread meme's containing false information, uh, lies on social media platforms. I have missed a few. I am more careful now about what I do share online in the way of facts. This meme to the right for instance; I caught before I posted. It offers up talking points that have been bounced around on the Right for years. But in this configuration pretending to be official GOP policy, it is a lie no matter that some would consider it only misleading. In my opinion, misleading is lying and sometimes even worse than a straight out lie. It should not have been allowed to be posted.

I think all of us who spend time on Facebook or any other social media site need to be more concerned and cautious about spreading fiction versus being used to spread lies that in the end do none of us any good.

A world based on lies seems like it already has one foot in the grave.

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

__________________________

Musical choice today is "Lies" by JJ Cale, an artist whose life was music. Much of his time was spent in the production booth, not in front of a mic. But he still managed to publish over 30 albums in his lifetime, all the while doing everything he could do to limit his exposure in the limelight.

Convincing vs Insisting

The meme to the right passed through my Facebook feed this morning. It seems a straight forward declaration of believing what I want as long as no one insists on me believing as they do. ......... Okay, Fine. Sounds wonderful. Tolerance with a clear line defined where the tolerance stops.

I punched up a like icon and moved on.

Obviously since I am writing about this morning encounter on Facebook, the meme bothered me in some way. And it did bother me.

Humans often allow themselves to believe other people condemning their personal beliefs is some kind of egregious assault on their right to believe as they want. In fact it is only showing disrespect and in the scheme of things carries no weight whatsoever. 

I notice it more in meme's that are obviously generated by the Wingers of the  Right. But that does not mean meme's coming from Libtards don't often leave the same impression. I don't notice the winger meme's more I guess because well,  I am a commie pinko LGTBQ lovin tree hugging loser Libtard from the woods up here in Maine.

Regardless, inferring that someone insisting a change in mindset somehow magically will force another someone to comply is bullshit. No one can tell us what to think unless we let them; even if they try to do so through physical intimidation or legislation.

Our thoughts and beliefs are the only tangible things we truly own. That they may be based on fables, lies, or just something we came up with on our own, they are ours and no one can take them away even if we agree to it. As long as the belief lives between the ears, no agreement and no outward public display carries any weight. We believe what we believe until we don't. 

Okay fine.

It is also okay to insist that others believe as we do. If we do go down the insistence road however, we should not get our panties in a bunch when there is serious resistance to our insistence afterwards. Insisting someone change doesn't work as well as convincing them to change. And it is probably a good idea to start with convincing before insisting. But I will say some good ole foot stompin righteous insistence can result in some satisfaction no matter how poorly deserved it may be.

And that's what crossed my mind this AM while I sipped my first coffee.

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

BTW - I did check this over I thought before I originally posted. Apparently I was lost in a moment of deluded grandeur. I have harshly edited now and hopefully it actually makes the point I came here to make. .......... OOPS.

____________________________

Damn, I pick some stupid shit to write about and then cannot think of a tune to go with it. ..........

Well, I ran across a Bob Dylan song that immediately brought back a memory of a disappointment in love from my past. It was probably the only time so far in my life, my heart was truly broken. Took me some time to get over it, maybe a month or so. ........ No, I lie.

During that month of wasted anguish, I bet I listened to this song 100 times. It was our song; the song after we turned that final corner and she went away...... "Don't think twice, its alright".

What does it have to do with the post? Well, I can see a connection. Maybe you will too.

Universe of Black Holes

The Internet is a universe of Black Holes, each of which is comprised of an infinite number of Rabbit Holes. No matter where I turn, there is another door waiting for me. Posted on the doors of these Rabbit Holes are come hither messages meant to seduce me by promising idyllic experiences up to and including sexual climaxes. I could live to be 300 years old and I bet I would have only tasted a small fraction of the choices floating out there in the Internet Ether. I have wasted much time and money falling down one Rabbit Hole or another. 

It has been a wonderful, illuminating and educational ride. Often though, it turns ugly and becomes filled with mindless moments akin to what we used to call Day Dreaming back in the day; only now we let the Internet create the Day Dreams for us. The epitome of laziness and sloth.

Nothing represents the good, the bad, the useless and the useful on the Internet better than the countless social media sites. There are sites which cover everything under this Sun. There are other sites that cover the doings and interests of Puckerville, Maine with its 3000 full time residents right up to covering the cities of millions like New York City. There are sites dedicated to chainsaws. weird maps, how to make the best clam chowder, and what makes the best whiskey sour.  Political sites, Conspiracy sites, Bible Thumping sites, and liposuction review sites all help pollute the inter web with enough meaningless blather to support the sites worth visiting, though no one ever does. But if you need them,, they are there waiting.

Upon reflection and honest review, I have to admit that at least 90% of my time on the Internet is wasted, being mostly idle interactions with others around the globe of the same mind set. We really don't have any sensible reason to be online, yet here we are trading "Yo Momma" insults and other salutations. The conversations are nothing but jibber jabber, but occasionally, once in awhile, and sometimes, I exchange niceties with someone who is on or close to the same page as I. 

My latest Rabbit Hole is one I fell down the first time back around 2006. Since then I have tripped back into YouTube countless times. In the last couple of years though I have incrementally ventured deeper into the YouTube jungle. Watching the occasional music video has turned into punching up five hour playlists and letting them sooth my mind and allow me some time away from the often self inflicted pain of catching up on the current madness swirling around me outside the woods of Acton, Maine. At this moment I am listening to one playlist of the YouTube series, "Whiskey Blues". It claims to be almost 12 hours of the Blues. I am just shy of two hours in and I guess I will have to believe them. In addition to this list , there are many more "Whiskey Blues" lists to pick from. 

Yeah, I am deeply embedded, lost, and floundering around in a musical version of Heaven. 

Blues music for me is wonderful music to write by. And its odd, or maybe not. My words often are put down to that basic 4 / 4 beat the blues relies on most days. 

    Yeah its weird

    Yeah its odd.

    But that's what the Blues does for me.

    What will be the next, 

    the next Rabbit Hole to find me? 

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

___________________________

I won't punish you with the list. I already linked the list of the lists above. But I will leave you with this fine rendition of "Chocolate Jesus" by Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa. And it is a rule. You must turn it up to wow. If not, then go back to your polka music or Guy Lombardo.

Gay Romance

I found a blog written by a writer who appears to carry some weight in the E-publishing world.  Her sidebar highlights her previous accomplishments, and her blog was just awarded some prestigious award as one of the best five resources for wannabe writers like me.

Her blog is full of suggestions, hints and generally upbeat rah rah rah propaganda about how anyone can write and write well.

She re-printed an article by an author who teaches creative writing at the college level. He is known for his romance novels and Hallmark Channel type mysteries.  His favorite style is the novella.

I was more interested in the information than checking out what he wrote.  It was not until I was ready to leave the blog that I noticed he wrote Gay romance novels.

"Hmmm", I thought ..... No really, that is what I thought,  "Hmmm."

Since I look at Life through the eyes of an avowed knuckle draggin male chauvinist pig, I rarely concern myself with the inner workings of the Gay culture.  I root for them and whenever possible vote for them to have the same rights as I do.  Other than that, I go my way, they go theirs.

The idea that there is actually a market for Gay romance novels never crossed my mind.  The notion did not disgust me.  It did not even cause me to titter, guffaw, or scowl.  What I realized is, there is so much under the Sun I am not aware of, I could live to be 200 years old and not be cognizant of everything worthy of knowing,  Or not knowing ....... whatever.

The various social groups, gender groups, racial groups, church groups, and political groups all have a public face that is all most of us outside that group ever see, or care to see. What goes on inside the group goes unnoticed for the most part. A glimpse inside often confuses or causes discomfort to someone peeking in. Most folks just blow it off. Some don't and become obsessed to the point of unhealthy fanaticism.

The fervent dedication many Evangelicals use to try to destroy the hard won normalcy of the LGTBQ communities boggles my mind. I guess they cannot or will not ever enjoy a moment when their panties are not in a bunch over something that is not their business. They cannot help themselves. Their futile silliness at trying to control the uncontrollable used to make me laugh. .................

Now it doesn't make me laugh. It makes me angry and reinforces why I hate organized religions.

 

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

___________________________

I sought Google's help in finding some music that might fit with this post. I typed in  "Anti Gay Music". What came up I could not, will not use.  

Instead, I typed in "Music About Acceptance".  The tune, "The Power of Two", by The Indigo Girls came up. I have always enjoyed their music. Their sexual identity was never an issue for me.This tune celebrates the power of a loving relationship without any gender baggage. If the Gay hating Christians didn't know beforehand, they would like this song. It is chock full of the good messages in Christianity with none of the hate. 

( First draft - 2/9/15 )

America the Beautiful

I just finished watching the most recent session of the January 6 Committee from two days ago. Damn compelling television that beautifully and succinctly created a strong, almost unbreakable case for placing the blame for that day of Treason totally on Trump's shoulders.

I am guessing few minions of the Winger kind watched the two hours of evidence being piled sky high against their champion. And That's okay. I long ago gave up caring what they think. What I saw this evening was a wonderful illustration of how our country can work for everyone if it puts its mind to it. ....... Damned if watching this didn't restore some of my lost faith in my country. Maybe we can survive the idiots who would tear us down.

At the end of the wrap party, they put forth a resolution that indicates their work is not done, just done for now. They resolved to subpoena Trump. 

Watching the committee members offer up evidence of Trump's culpability in such damning ways, well, it was just awesome is all. ............. Just awesome.

It ain't even close to over yet. Stay Tuned.

_______________________

On another note kinda, sorta related to what I saw on MSNBC this evening is regarding an odd book I found earlier today among the shelves that hold the many history, geography, economic and math books my father and I had collected over the years. It is an odd little red book published in 1925 that contains without comment or instruction:

~ The Declaration of Independence

~ The United States Constitution (with all amendments up to that year) 

~ The Constitution of New Jersey

Inside is a certificate that points to this being a textbook for a specific course in civics or social studies issued at a junior high in New Jersey. I have no clue how it ended up in our book collection, but I thought it was a wonderful snap shot of what education in the 1920's expected of its junior high students. 

The certificate is signed off by local mucky mucks of the South Orange and Maplewood school district in New Jersey; with a seal punched conspicuously into the page noting officially that Katherine R??? was successful in her efforts to learn about these important documents.

I have have re-read the Declaration of Independence. I will get into the Constitution tomorrow. With just the Declaration read, I am reminded that these great documents form the foundation our system of government is based on. To not at least have a general knowledge of their content is probably one of the reasons we are in such dire straits today. Too many people call themselves patriots, yet many have no clue how to really be one.

It has been years since I just sat down and read them. I am surprised at my reaction given my somewhat jaundiced view of late regarding America and its citizenry.  Watching the January 6 committee actually utilize parts of these documents to address the egregious and treasonous actions of one man trying to destroy our system of government was the best recap of the civics I learned in school as a kid. 

I sit here humbled and sad about my recent lapse in belief in my country.

Okay, Okay, got kind of sappy there, but that's what today's experiences did to me.

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

______________________

There are apparently more rock songs about America than there are stars in the sky. I had no idea there were so many patriotic Rockers and Pop idols out there. Cool. It just made zeroing in on a song for the post a bit harder to accomplish. I settled on what I consider the song that should replace our current anthem. And no one does this tune justice like Ray Charles does. Here is "America the Beautiful", as only Ray could sing it.

Bernie Marcus

If there are still any questions out there as to which side of the aisle I hail from, let me be clear. I am Liberally leaning but in my opinion not over the top liberally leaning. I used to nest closer to the Middle, and was more likely to cross party lines to vote if I liked the Republican running. As I pointed out yesterday, that all changed when Susan Collins failed to keep the one promise she made when first elected. 

Even though I am not a supporter of term limits, Collins ran in 1997 as a term limit champion and promised to serve only two terms. That was not why I voted for her and today, I ask myself regularly, "What the Hell was I thinking?"

I expected Sen. Collins to live up to her promise. She got two votes out of me and that was the last time I crossed party lines. I seriously regret voting for her. She is nothing but another GOP shit stain that has been polluting the US Senate for far too long. She has no back bone, but then that seems to be a requirement if one wants to get elected as a Republican.

Stop. I need to take a breath here. Senator Collins is not the reason I sat down today to write. ............

Bernie Marcus, the 90 year old co-founder of Home Depot is once again in the cross hairs of the whiny Left leaning social media. Some Liberals on the Left are attempting to resurrect the 2019  boycott of Home Depot (#BoycottHomeDepot ); originally because Bernie backed Trump in 2020 with sizable donations some claim, exceeded $7 million dollars.

The new claim: Home Depot donated money to Herschel Walker. According to Home Depot, they do not financially back or publicly support any candidate. It is a company policy established when Bernie Marcus was running the company. The image to the left is a statement in response to the 2016 boycott of Home Depot.

I have been known to boycott businesses but it is not something I jump on every chance I get. Boycotting Home Depot because a man who stopped working there 20 years ago is a Trump supporter does not serve any Liberal cause; it is just being mean spirited and cruel like the Right Winging GOP. Instead, I want to see the hand wringers of the Left stand up, call out the Wingers when they lie and passionately defend their Liberal positions. Boycotting Home Depot is just being stupid and giving the Right exactly the kind of response they want.

I did some poking around in the backwaters of Google and found out some things about Bernie.

He grew up poor in Newark, NJ as a first generation American whose Jewish parents immigrated from Russia in the early 1900s. He co-founded Home Depot with Arthur Blank in 1979. He is filthy rich. He is also quite the philanthropist, having given away over $2 Billion to a variety of charities over the years. He may be a staunch Republican who gave Trump $7 million bucks, but nowhere have I been able to find a photograph of him with Trump. All of the images I have seen are pasted together collages.His estimated worth now is over $6 billion dollars and he claims he will be giving most of it away before he passes.

He stepped down as CEO of  Home Depot in 2002. I assume he still owns a large chunk of Home Depot stock. Boycotting Home Depot does not punish Bernie. He has more money than God and will continue to live sucking down soup out of silver spoons. The only people who might suffer if the boycott grows again are the folks working there and the peripheral businesses that depend on Home Depot for much or maybe even all of their livelihood. 

What is also interesting is the nation's #1 provider of mutual funds, Vanguard Mutual Funds, owns the largest chunk of Home Depot Stock (9%). How many Liberals do you think have some kind of economic tie to Vanguard through either direct investment in Vanguard or through pensions funds. 

Bernie did not back down or make apologies for donating to Trump's re-election campaign. But in one of his interviews at that time he did prove how much of True Blue Republican he was when he fell back on a classic Winger victim hood trope that he was not being allowed a freedom he should be able to enjoy anytime he wants:

"It saddens me that our country has come to this, where I, as a private citizen, cannot express my feelings."

Ferchrisakes, cry me a river why don't you? Why is it Right Wingers twist political discourse that does not favor them or their take as being a personal attack on their rights as private citizens? No one was stopping him nor any other Winger from "expressing" their freedoms. They were responding to his acts of freedom with their own acts of freedoms, misguided though they were. Damn, some Wingers have seriously thin skin.

No one hides their victim hood better than a Right Winger and nobody wears their victim hood on their sleeves better than righteously indignant Republicans, especially a Bible Thumpin Republican. The Left can and often falls into the same trap, but there is more of a willingness of other Liberals to call them out. The Republicans are so blinded by loyalty that hope of them finding the back bone to call out one of their own is very rare; Rep. Liz Cheney currently being one of those rare exceptions.

What a goofy country we live in.

Boycotts created to help win elections do not seem to work as well as boycotts started to affect change in the practices of business in the private sector. In the political world boycotts can and often do backfire. Democrats can make better use of their time by standing up and getting in the face of Republicans with pertinent complaints along with their solutions. In the end, the best way to beat the Republicans is to win the election. 

See ya .......................................

______________________________

I wasted more time choosing music for this post than I should have. I must have tasted 15 or more videos. 

I gave up. I made lunch and then ate it as Maggie looked on with envious eyes. As I handed a piece of my sandwich to her, I remembered my daughter had scored some tickets for an upcoming Ani Difranco show. I knew now who I should look to for an appropriate tune to go with elections and politics. I feel she is currently the most political of the singers currently out there.

I had to ease into her music back in the day when she hated men; or so I thought. I kept ripping copies of my kid's Difranco CD collection. The first thing I had to respect was her excellent musical craft. She was the whole package, but her messages were often more uncomfortable than my man brain wanted to face............... In the end it was all good. I became a hard core fan back in the 90s and this previously unheard by me tune, "Do or Die" from Ani combines all that I like about her. ....... It is excellent no matter what volume you play it at.

Reviewing Ani's music was a great time and I know I will be pleased to see her in a month or so. Besides, I will be with my kid and her man. It could be a terrible concert and I would still be happy.

 

Trains of Thought

I was mindlessly sitting on my two bucket bench this morning waiting for Maggie to stop dicking around and complete her morning constitutional. I had just finished the roach I sparked up earlier when a thought finally crossed my mind I considered following up on.

It is election season and maybe it is time to break my promise to not post any more overtly rabid political posts. After all, if there is a time and place for political commentary, it is on one side or the other of an election.

Next, I considered what to write about that could successfully make political points that were not super charged with overzealous vitriol. That has been a problem for me over the last twenty years when the last Republican I have ever voted for proved their promises did not mean shit, squat, or even bup-kis. 

My days of crossing party lines ended then and my anger has only gotten stronger with each year since. The GOP has proven in recent years they only care about power and have no intention in governing for anyone other than the rich and the financial interests that are continually trying to strangle the last vestiges of Democratic governance from our lives.. And yeah, I know the Democrats are often guilty of a party first, citizens second mentality also, but at least they will occasionally create legislation that has a snowball's chance of helping us unwashed masses and not just the self serving lobbyists and privileged few who hide behind gated walls of brick and expensive lawyers.

Next I considered how to find something I had never thought of that would paint a picture of the GOP as it has changed since the traitor Ronald Reagan polluted our body politic with his mealy mouthed kind veneer while he and his cronies gave away America to the folks with deep pockets.

......... Hmm.

I came across the image to the right. It had been posted on Facebook on a Right wing leaning page called, "Opposing Views". I knew of the harsh conservative politics of the poster and was surprised this list actually read like a new version of the GOP Platform going forward. But I also knew she often was clueless about her own party's flaws, often laying them on the Left, pinko commie Liberals. .... 

Whatever.

I did some poking around on the Internet and found an article, "From Lincoln to Trump: The long evolution of the Republican Party". The article is a concise and well written history of the GOP from an obvious liberal slant. I really did not find any fault with it other than its portrayal of Barry Goldwater. But that has nothing to do with my interest today.

The article relied heavily on the ideas and concepts of Heather Cox Richardson, a well respected liberal leaning expert on US history and politics. She points to a split in the Republican Party that occurred during the New Deal of the 1930's. That was the beginning of "Movement Conservatism". It's conservative supporters pushed for a more restrictive governing style that favored business and religion over the needs and will of the average citizens. She goes on to explain it took over forty years for "Movement Conservatism" to find the light when Ronald Reagan was elected. 

Now it has morphed into the even newer, meaner, and self serving organization run by the fringes of the party and not the old guard. It took about 90 years to completely shed the founding principles of the original Party of Lincoln and become what is essentially an autocratic movement to turn this country into a private for profit venture that aims to reward the financial and ideological interests of the few over the many. Ms. Richardson wrote:

"Its (GOP) only guiding principle right now is that of the Movement Conservatives, the idea that the government must do absolutely nothing except protect business, support a strong military, and protect Christianity."

She seems to have hit the nail on the head here. The "Movement Conservatives" have dropped any illusion they are in Washington to govern. Many of them admit to only being in DC to regain and hold onto power as they systematically attempt to turn the USA into a banana republic that subscribes to their twisted take on Reality.

The Republican Platform above, details what kind of minion they want on board. The main method they want members to use is sadly but an unspoken rule, but because of its wanton use has to be Party policy, it has been a hard and fast rule for at least the last four election cycles. It should read something like:

"Lying for the Good of the Republican Party is not only okay, the party feels that lying works better than telling the Truth."   

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

__________________________________

"American Idiot" by Green Day seems it might fit well with this post. Released in 2004, it pointed to that period's emerging realities and predicted our current political reality. It sucks that it has been so right for so long.

This song is best turned up to WOW!