Die Already

On my primary iPhone app screen, I have both NYT and CNN there. It used to be I clicked on both multiple times daily. I do use the NYT one for the Games section, but that's it. CNN hasn't been opened since May 2024. 

I should probably delete the CNN app at the very least. I can't see me ever going back and reading stuff. Not even his obituary.......and you know of whom I speak.  I suppose I could move it the app to my last screen which houses stuff I almost never view. 

I set this all up to say, I'm still avoiding news, but as you know it's hard to avoid people posting social media shit. 

Yesterday - and I have no way to verify any of this without looking at news - I read that BLOTUS has not been out in public or spoken publicly for a week. Rumours of him being at Walter Reed Hospital seemingly persist. 

I rolled my eyes at one person who said, "I saw an ambulance in his motorcade!!!!!".   Oh honey, since Kennedy there has always been at least one ambulance in every presidential and vice presidential motorcade. Don't spread rumours or hopes that he has died. It's uninformed and taunting at the same time. 

Another post shows a large black bruise on the back of his hand. Both my parents had those from multiple IVs.....so no doubt he's being treated for something. But the caption was: "If my hand gets any darker, it have to take away it's voting rights". 

While we were away, I also saw some chatter about Vance stating he was ready to take on the presidency. 

Lord. There's a scary thought. And maybe a telltale one at that. 

That said: he needs to die. 

Soon. Very soon. 

I'd prefer it were a bullet to the head or shoulder to air missile launch, but at this point, if he goes from whatever disease he has, or goes out the Ivana way, I'm good. 

At that point I would get a flag and keep it at full mast. 

Song by: Prodigy

Late Show

You know, I had a post ready to go - well, almost ready to go. But social media has just exploded over the last few days. 

Today I'll touch on Stephen Colbert. 

When I heard CBS had cancelled his show, it was without knowledge he had criticized his own network for pandering to, and caving to, some business deal that would please BLOTUS. 

However, I did assume that since he makes fun of BLOTUS five times per week, that CBS pulled the plug due to the daily mockery of the asshole president. 

Think Norm MacDonald being fired from SNL for making fun of OJ Simpson, who was a close friend of the head of the show at the time. 

Better yet, think of the executive producer of 60 Minutes who got canned* earlier this year by, tah-dah, CBS corporate leaders were no longer allowing him to make independent decisions. This resignation came after a period of increased pressure on the show, including a lawsuit from BLOTUS. 

Yes, CBS kowtowed to BLOTUS in hopes of avoiding a lawsuit about unflattering stories about him on 60 Minutes. And they most likely did it again with Colbert. 

It goes back to my oft stated view that no network will truly press BLOTUS or this administration on just about any and every thing in hopes of still being considered to head what will become State Media. 

CBS aren't just cowards, they are blatant about it. 

The cancellation news came three days after Colbert called CBS out on their dealings while on the air. Yes, CBS said they're cancelling it, but in another year, due to cost. 

I have zero idea how much this production takes. But Colbert brings in almost as many viewers and Kimmel and Fallon combined.  So..........I'm not sure $$$ holds water. 

And IF it is monetary, why wait a year to incur costs? Even if you have to payout Colbert's contract, if you cut the production costs and sell the Ed Sullivan Theater, I'm guessing your money woes are no more, no? 

The on-line support for Colbert is massive. Even Kimmel came out with a big "fuck you" to CBS. Fallon, ever the pussy, has said nothing. 

Maybe it's all a tactic to get more viewers. But I'm thinking - and I could be wrong - this show isn't going on another year. Not if people keep bashing CBS this way. There is too much ill will with and for the network. 

Colbert can probably go and do whatever he wants, after what I'm sure is a healthy and iron clad non-compete clause in his contract. Cable is probably safer for him than network. Conan thrived that way. 

I'd say he'd be a shoe-in for full time host of the Daily Show. But Comedy Central is owned by Paramount who owns CBS. 

Actually, Paramount's main properties include the namesake Paramount Pictures Corporation, the CBS Entertainment Group (consisting of the CBS and partially owned The CW television networks and television stations, BET Media Group (which oversees BET and its sister channels), and other CBS-branded assets), Paramount Media Networks (consisting of American-based cable television networks including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CMT, Paramount Network, and Showtime) and Paramount Streaming (including Paramount+ and Pluto TV). 

If you wonder how easy it is for BLOTUS to gain and retain propaganda, it's really not that hard. 

Now do the same search for Warner Brothers, Universal, Disney and Fox and that is just about every news, entertainment, movie, sports, and a lot of radio and streaming services too. 

I don't stay up for any late talk show, but Colbert was (is) one of the best and most natural. I think, and hope, CBS has bit off more than it can chew with this transition. 

*he actually resigned citing loss of journalistic independence. 

Song by: Book of Love

It's a Mistake

I'm in one of my moods. Depressive, that is. 

While I still try to avoid news, it is just impossible. The little that comes my way is never good. And I mean, ever. 

You probably all see it too, probably more than I. Honestly, I don't know how you all cope, but none of this ever seems to roll off my back. It just saturates my insides - and it's ugly. 

I don't know if this is a throwaway post or not. It was intended to be, just so I could say I "wrote" today and kept the 17 year streak of posting daily. 

But I saw this quote from Pedro Almodóvar and clearly it's not 'up', but it oddly made me feel a little better. 

Should it even be acknowledged by the administration or MAGA, it will be tossed into the gay / foreigner / liberal bucket - decride and derided.

It still made me feel "better". Or seen. Or something. 

Song by: Men at Work

He's Got a Secret

Did JD Vance murder the Pope?

I mean, we can't say for sure, but I assume there was some sitcom routine of "accidentally"  tripping over the plug that was attached to whatever was keeping Francis alive. 

I don't think it was the plan, per se, to off the guy, but then Pete Hegseth made headlines (again!) a few hours prior, and the BLOTUS administration needed something to knock it off the top of the fold. 

....and it did.  

Yes, for the second time in a few weeks, Drunky Pete texted sensitive military data to unauthorized personnel...........which included his family. I guess he was on an Easter bender. Or just a Sunday one.

I only know any of this because 710 read me part of the original headline Sunday evening. I mean, you know I'm not reading that shit. 

The horror is: I just shrugged. 

I mean, why not? 

There was zero repercussion for Drunky Pete doing it the first time. Judging by the header in the above pic (of which I had to hit 'page down' three times on the NYT site to even see a mention of this) there will be no repercussion this time. 

Of course, his boss had stolen intelligence files in his bathroom, so I'm not sure he's the benchmark for what is sensitive data or not. Or better yet - if he even fucking cares (he doesn't). 

Remember when BLOTUS, in his first term, pointed out a number of countries and called the 'shit holes'?

Yeah - we are now that country. 

Song by: the Bangles

Bones

I finished another book yesterday. That's three books over the last month. Only one of note. I kind of dinged one of them for you in my last 12 of 12. 

This last book, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, had potential. It has strong elements. It was a Nobel prize winner for fiction. It is from a Polish author, and it's translated, so maybe (?) something got lost in translation?  The title is taken from a piece from William Blake. 

Clearly, I don't know what Nobel level writing is supposed to be, but I expected more. Chunks about astrology, at some point I started skimming those when they kept going, as they never actually tied back into anything. Sorry - spoiler alert..........kind of. 

Still, closer to the end, apropos of nothing, one paragraph make me prick up. 

I felt seen. 

A friend, knowing I (used to) read the obituaries daily, asked me to keep an eye out for a certain someone who passed the other day. I had to break it to her that it had been months since I've clicked on a link for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. 

I have no idea who has died or not. I cannot roll my eyes at the advice Carolyn Hax (though she's pretty on the mark) or Dear Abby (she is not) doles out. But my decades long habit of reading each obit is gone. Unless 710 tells me something about local news or local / state politics, I have almost zero idea what is going on. 

Granted, deep down I know this is not the way to live. But not so deep down, I know that at least for now this is how I have to be to cope. I was going to say I literally wring my hands in my anxiety, but as I was about to draft that very line, I found myself actually wringing my hands. I'm anxious about possibly being anxious. That's not a great sign.

That said, I'll take partial headlines that show up any other place on Al Gore's Intertubes™, so I'm not exactly blissfully unaware. I'd like to think I've avoided higher anxiety. Who actually knows, but I feel like it has been for the better.

Song by: Radiohead

Lies

I made the mistake of clicking on CNN yesterday.  It is the first time in 11 days (?) or so, since I've done that - or any news site, including the Cleveland paper. 

It lasted about 3.5 minutes - as I perused headlines and then started having a panic attack. 

The one story, to the right, is what stopped me from going any further. 

I can assure you, I did not click on the story let alone the 22 second video that is embedded (I'm assuming) into the headline. 

Truthfully, since I'm not reading news, I don't know who negotiated what. But if it's coming out of this Shillbilly's* mouth, chances it is not true.....or accurate. 

Considering his new boss - Depends spokesman - dropping untruths is like breathing for these two. 

That all said, I can certainly see VonShitzhisPantz getting pissed on in a Russian shower by Putin to make a deal so he can claim it as his.  ....but it's doubtful. 

It looked like the prisoner swap took multiple countries to get things to happen and let's face it, VSP doesn't have good enough relationships with that many people to make anything happen.  .....and it would take far far far too much time out of his racial (racist) baiting. 

Blobby does see memes out there. And I've been collecting a few. I might have to have a few "nothing but memes" posts that is against these two fucktards. 

You've been warned. 

Or, email me your faves. I'm happy to include, credit and link you. 

Song by: Alphaville

Stones in the Road

You know, no matter how bad you got it, or think you have it, just remember: at least your not this lady. 

As a general rule, I never click on any video links from any news sites - this one being from CNN. 

In theory (and actual reality), I don't know a thing about this story other than the headline. 

I'd say, 'what else is there to know?' but......it seems it would be plenty. 

Let's start with that kidney stones, while incredibly painful, usually don't take you to the operating room, or anywhere near it. If you can't or don't pass them on your own, they'll do lithotripsy - which is basically a bath that is blasted with sound waves to break up the kidney stone. I'm not even sure you get any kind of anesthetic. 

Secondly: operating rooms. 

If you've been in one for the last decade or so - and I have.....often - unless it's a trauma surgery where the patient is out, the team stands around the patient and goes over the procedure. The first thing they do is ask the patient what they are there for.  It's best practice. It's required. 

Then they tell the patient who everyone is and what they'll be doing. 

I'm assuming 'amputating both legs' would have had the patient yelling "NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

And thirdly:  mom. 

WTF does 'mom' have to do with the story at all?  'Woman', sure. And while motherhood is important, it's not WHO the person is, it's an aspect of the person. I can guarantee you that if it was a male patient, the word 'dad' would not show up until paragraph six of the story, if at all. 

All I can say is, whomever carries malpractice for the provider and the organization where this was done, can't possibly have enough money to cover whatever payout is coming this 'mom's' way. 

Song by: Mary Chapin Carpenter

Free Fallin'

As sometimes happens -  usually once per month - I just blank on this blog. 

Nothing going on in my life you want to know about - or that I care to write about, at least today. There ain't much going in this world worth of interest either. 

Well, maybe one thing. 

An - and I quote - "expert skydiver" fell to his death over the weekend, when he grabbed camera gear to film a jumper, and leapt out of the plane himself. 

.......but without a chute. 

I don't mean to be crass or anything, and I know news organizations are on skeletal staffs, but maybe an editor could have (and should have) ix-nayed the 'expert' part? 

Oh and yes, someone captured footage of his fall - though I don't know they knew what was going on at the time. And yes, that is a still from the video. 

Mind you, I did not click on play. I'm never going to see the movies "Faces of Death" that catch real people in the process of dying or about to. 

The dude was 10,000 feet up, so you've seen the free falls from there on shows and such. You fall for a while before deploying the chute. Morbid as it is, I can't help wonder at what point did he realize, "oh fuck......."?   And then just have to wait for the inevitable to happen. 

Maybe you go out doing what you love and you kind of accept it.. Like the surfer who drowns, or the professional baseball player who eerily gets at neuromuscular disease that oddly has the same name as yours. Maybe it's already drilled into you that these are the risks of the job - though I have to believe the risk is the faulty chute, not forgetting to put it on. 

I know when 710 was skydiving for a while there were 72 different checks and balances of equipment et al. I suppose no one does that for the staff. 

.....but I bet they are now. 

Can you imagine being the client who was jumping and it was supposed to be filmed, but then, you know, the guy died for your vanity video?  And you realize it was a non-refundable purchase and now you don't even have the video? 

I have read no detail on any of this.  Now and then I can be morbid, but this isn't one of those times. 

I mean, even the blog title and the image are questionable.............at best. 

Song by: Tom Petty

Against the Law

You know something CNN - suck. my. dick. 

Your "source" is BLOTUS. You say it in your own article - just not your headline. Why? Because you know, deep down it's wrong. 

Get some journalistic integrity, he is the center of the probable indictment and has everything to gain by controlling the story - and your newsfeed - like you're the vonTrapp marionettes.  And he's correct in doing it, since you're so easily manipulated. 

But he is not "sources".  Your article lists only him, and even by journalistic standards, I'm assuming you know the difference between singular and plural. But then again, you did have him on your channel for an unadulterated hour of lies, boasts and, well.......lies.  All in the name of ratings, not journalism, so what the fuck do I know - because you certainly don't. 

Yes, BLOTUS broke the story on his social media, like he did about his having to testify. He controls the story. He makes it out to be all lies, because the DOJ has handed the probable indictment to his lawyers and they / he gets to cherry pick shit to start to plant seeds of reasonable doubt long before any court appearance. And you rarely question it. You just report it, and people assume it's fact. 

Of course, it's not just CNN that are this thirsty for "breaking news", but my fucking lord. 

I'd normally say, 'yay' to the indictment - and I do - but I'm trying how (of if) this plays out with the GOP pack running for 2024.  Honestly, we might been BLOTUS to split that party so none of them win.  I mean........c'mon 107 yo Pappy Joe.  

Song by: Edgar Winter

I'm Down

I'm still in my funk - and that's ok. I recognize it. I internalize it, and don't knowingly - or willingly - take it out on others. 

It is Mental Health Awareness Health Awareness Month - so it's a good time to talk about when you're not feeling up to snuff. 

We, as a country, find it 'weak' to do so. g-d fucking forbid we feel anything. 

Mind you, I feel my malaise is just passing - in the slow lane, for sure - but not so deep down, I feel I know the root cause, and it was mentioned yesterday in the comment section:  it's politics. 

Let me restate: it's the utter HATE that is no longer just seeping out of pores. It gushes from firehoses. No one even tries to hide it. Well unless you're the governor of Ohio. He's doing everything DeSantis is doing, just quieter. 

Ohio politics is bad. B-A-D. The GOP run state congress has railroaded gerrymandering, voting rights limitations, dismantling the education department, increased weapons and access to, Oh, and concurrently, they are making harder, if not impossible, to be able to change laws and state amendments.  So......yay.

Until yesterday, I assumed I knew how bad things are in this country......and I consider myself a fatalist. Clearly, I don't think I'm even that close to that mark. 

Released, formerly redacted tests from Fucker Carlson were released. It honestly shook me to my core. 

.....and the group that watched him were worried about trans kids and drag queens reading at libraries. 

Fuck - the amount of hate spewed here. If you need to know why Fox thought Fucker was a liability, now you know. 

But can we finally all get together to agree on that Fucker & his cohort don't either understand Antifa is, or what fascism is. Or both.  Racism, he has down. Pat 

Fucker has said he 'passionately hates' BLOTUS. But you know something, I think they just didn't take the rationale for that far enough. If he hates him at all, it's because Fucker doesn't think BLOTUS is bad enough for his liking. 

But the above excerpt is frightening on so many levels. Most of which is viewers who watch shit like this, and eat from the shit trough, are basically watching State TV.  They eat it up and spit / shit it out. The hate just keeps getting notched up. 

Ya see why I'm down. 

On the possible plus side? With this being released, you have to figure Fucker's chances of getting hired by any quasi-legitimate new organization just got a lot smaller. 

As for my mood - don't fret too much. I'll bounce back. Promise. 

Song by: the Beatles

Liar Liar

You know, Jon Stewart had it right back in 2004, when on the air on CNN, he called Tucker Carlson a "dick". 

Honestly, truer words have never been spoken. 

Compared to that statement, even "the sky is blue" would be called into question as fact. 

I mean, even in my blog image, Carlson is showing his audience his length of this dick.......if it were twice the actual size. 

But Carlson is a dick. Was one. Always will be. 

Two-faced and only out for himself. I think his show, his books, his tweets and his group SMS texts show that. He's loyal to no one but Tucker. This is what you call a charlatan. .....and that's the nicest thing I'd call him. 

And he's out of a job. You know for all of a week. Some other righter winged outlet will snag him. It'll be a coup for them. Fuck if BLOTUS is back on the campaign trail, it would not surprise him who his communications director might be. 

The reality was: Carlson cost Fox almost a billion dollars. More than, if you add in legal fees. Sure, others had their hand in it, but others were not the first person on Dominion's witness list to testify. Only Fucker. Of course, they had that SMS thread where he clearly called out the lies they were telling. There was no way around it - hence the settlement.........hence the firing. 

They can say, "parted ways", but if he had quit, he would have signed off his last show. That did not happen. They canned his ass. 

Of course there are theories to why. I mean, I just shared mine.  (I'm totally right, btw....).  But someone else's made me laugh and laugh and laugh.  It would be the second one. 

It's Fox, so I'm not sure there's a thing as "too racist".  I mean ask any of their Black anchors. 

I'll wait, while you find one. 

Are you back yet?   No?  How about now?  Still need more time?  Take all that you need. But I can't wait forever. 

Allegedly Carlson was the highest rated show on cable. More than anything on ESPN....and possibly anything on Starz!

But having that audience with that kind of lunatic is fucking scary, as we saw.  You don't just fire someone who is the highest rated, which means, where you get all your advertising dollars. You fire them because they're a bigger liability than those dollars could bring in. 

I mean, what the fuck is Kevin McCarthy & Co. going to do now?  He was giving Fucker the tapes to January 6th to spin things a different way. 

I'd say good riddance (to you too Don Lemon!), but these shells of men are nothing more than a personification of what is going on in the country. They just bring hate out in the open and make it acceptable.  They pander. They scream. They raise the advertising rates. 

Hopefully he has a strong non-compete and we will have a year or so break from the d-bag. 

Hey - a boy can dream. 

And I see a wedding band on his hand. Can you imagine how horrible of a person she must be to be married - and stay married - to that guy? Honestly, if you hitch your wagon to him, you might probably be more vile than the man himself. 

Song by: Debbie Harry

Settle for Nothing

I am tres disappointed in Dominion and them settling against Fox. 

I don't know for a fact that they needed any of the money for which they were suing the "news" outlet. I really wanted and needed the network to admit to their lies.

Yes, the depositions - to a degree - have been released and Hannity, Murdock and Carlson all admitted not just to fabricating what they knew wasn't true - the latter two talked about their dislike of BLOTUS. 

And it didn't make a difference. 

BLOTUS still got interviewed by Carlson after it was told how much the latter loathes the former. 

Both are sheisters who will do anything to get ahead. I'd say "the lesser of two evils" but neither is less in this category. 

I'm not so naive that I think a full trial with each of those personalities taking the stand - or even telling the truth - would change the minds of their viewers one iota, but now we'll never know. 

To me - pleading the Fifth or "settling" for almost a billion dollars so one doesn't have to admit wrongdoing, is actually admitting wrongdoing. The almost all white population - especially with red caps - somehow won't see it that way. 

But this population are racist fuckheads who already believe enough lies to be ok with a coup of the government. And their ok'ness of it all has actually let the GOP be more ruthless and cruel - or at least just much more out in the open about it. 

Dominion still has cases against Sydney whatshername and the mayor of 9/11. Sorry - but neither of them have any money with which to settle, so some of this shit could still come out in the wash. You can still call Carlson & Co to the stand for their trials as witnesses. 

So maybe this can still be good. 

Song by: Rage Against the Machine

Lies

 As you probs know by now, every "talent" (they're not journalists) at Fox has testified in the Dominion $1.2 billion dollar lawsuit against Fox and their reporting broadcasting of widespread voter fraud due to Dominion's voting machines. 

Hannity, Ingram, Carlson and the lot have all said, under oath, they knew the election was on the up and up. They knew BLOTUS was wrong, they knew there was no fraud..........yet they choose to ignore the facts and report otherwise 

Even their head troll, Rupert Murdoch, has testified - and I quote - “Some of our commentators were endorsing it, I would have liked us to be stronger in denouncing it, in hindsight,” 

Dude. You are the boss. Your word would have told them to do otherwise, but it didn't come. 

Actually, the talent, in texts, mocked BLOTUS and his (and this team's) claims.  Yet when the camera light turned red, they hit all their queues. 

Spineless turds all. 

Questioned by Dominion lawyers on why the My Pillow guy got to go on Carlson's show and spew known untruths, Murdoch testified it was “wrong for Tucker to host Mike Lindell to repeat those allegations against Dominion on January 26th, 2021. "

When asked why Fox News didn’t sever ties with Lindell, Murdoch indicated that it was a financial decision. “It is not red or blue, it is green?”, a Dominion lawyer asked, and Murdoch agreed. “The man is on every night. Pays us a lot of money…” Murdoch said. “

Murdoch also said he could have stopped Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, former lawyers for President Trump and his campaign who alleged election fraud, from appearing on the network’s programs, the filing said. “I could have. But I didn’t.”

I don't think the Dems know this yet........and if they do what I say, and if they actually execute it, but for the fucking life of me, every single one who ever gets invited on any Fox "news" show, should accept.  Gladly.

At this point the plan should be, every time a host badgers or tries to contest something a guest - a democratic one - says, they should reply with, "Is this something you actually believe?  Because in the past, you have espoused statements that have no validity, and you've admitted under oath that you did not believe it, but still continue with the narrative."

Yes, they'll end the segment immediately. But the DNC, if they had half a brain, would have recorded each show to play it over and over on other outlets. 

Call them out for their lies. Call them out on the "journalistic integrity".  Call them out for not being news, but propaganda.  Let it play out. 

Yeah yeah, someone will get wise and never invite a dem on again, and that's fine. But they can stop calling themselves 'fair and unbiased'. 

Unfortunately, the dems are spineless turds too.  But mine is a nice idea .

Song by: Thompson Twins

Right or Wrong

I'm 91% sure I've used this before - but it still holds true. 

I'm 100% sure I'll use it again. 

Of course, I feel bad for Highland Park folks and their dead. But the guy is white and Republican. Kyle Rittenhouse killed folks - he's white and a BLOTUS supporter and he's walking free. 

I mean, they took him alive, so you know he was white. 

Allegedly, I hear (since I don't really read the news anymore - in detail), the TERRORIST was dressed as a woman to avoid detection. So you just know there is going to be a bunch of transphobia and drag queen comments coming. 

Fuck them all.  Fuck every single Republican fuck face who votes party line for fear of being Liz Cheney. 

Right and Wrong no longer apply. Those words mean nothing anymore. Absolutely nothing. Of course, that is all they were: words. The depths of depravity that politicians and lobbyists (and voters) will go to is just inhumane. 

I don't think there is a better word for it. 

Song by: Rosanne Cash

Count on Me

Inadvertently, I caught snippets of news yesterday. Luckily, it was bad news with a slight bow. 

Well, some of it. 

This insurance guy / agency in Maine who wasn't even passive-aggressive when it comes to his / their racism. 

I get he probably isn't technically employed by Progressive, but they should be cutting ties with him, and would expect that any day now.  I hope. 

On the better news pieces - both revolve around the insurrection of January 2021. 

g-d love the election guy from Georgia (attorney general?) who would not budge and countered each of BLOTUS & Co's lies about election fraud. Of course, BLOTUS lovers broke into his house and threatened his family. But he stuck to his guns - and then testified in Congress about it. 

And then, the British documentary crew who was with BLOTUS & Co on the Ellipse - hearing, seeing and FILMING everything. And that this investigative committee got unaired, unedited footage of these file, law-breaking people.  And I LOVE how the BLOTUS & Co are collectively shitting their pants over this, as his legal team seems to be blindsided.  

Perfection. 

....which is more than you can say about the lying dirtbag of one of the Dakotas (does it really matter which one? I mean, IS there a difference.........really?) who was driving, hit, killed a guy, skipped and lied (because you want a lying legal head of your state government).  I mean, allegedly, the guy's glasses were in the accused's car, either because he picked them up or because the guy's face went through the windshield.  Oh - and he thought he hit a deer.  ......who wears glasses.  

Anyhoo - he was impeached and barred from holding office again.  At least in that state.  A GOP sentator thinks the guy didn't meet criteria for impeachment.  I'm not sure what that threshold would be with this party.  Look at January 6th - there is no criteria for impeachment, even if it's orchestrating a coup. 

Song by: Jefferson Starship

Fishing in the Dark

While I might have grown up in an affluent, super white village, but at least it was not Hudson. 

Hudson is not that far from where I grew up, and it was where a set of cousins resided as well. It was probably on par with where I was raised, though, if possible, was actually whiter. 

The other two things neither townships (not even full towns, not really) had:  ice fishing and prostitution. 

Just don't tell it to the mayor.  Sorry.  Former mayor. 

Yes, he draws a line - somehow - to how ice fishing will lead to prostitution. 

To be clear, he doesn't think if your'e the one doing the fishing, you'll become a whore.......just turn to them.  Or something.  I am unaware, but apparently, women of ill repute will hang around waiting for guys to.............wait for it...........take the bait. 

And he means what he says. And he says it with a straight face. And the guy next to him doesn't burst out laughing. 

What I love is: this story made national news. Not just an affluent white podunk town, 

By-the by.............I'm not 100% sure Hudson has any place to actually ice fish. And I don't think there are hotels, which means, you will have to use a 4 bed, 3.5 bath colonial in which to get down to bwass tacks, as Lili Von Shtupp might say. 

It did not take too long, but the mayor resigned.  ....also making national news. 

Hudson must be so proud. 

Song by: the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Messages

I hate the idea of hope.  It always - and I do mean always - leaves me deflated. 

Since 2015, I have yet to see anyone associated with BLOTUS get their comeuppance. 

One might argue Michael Cohen. The rest pretty much got off scot free, even after conviction - some to appeals court, most to "presidential" pardons.  

Before those last two things, I had hope, Hope that the Roget Stones, Michael Flynns et al would do their fucking time. But they had to be given pardons to shut them up. 

Should the texts that have allegedly come to light be legitimate, it would be hard(er) to deny that the previous administration had a hand - and a planning one, at that - in the January 6th insurrection. 

I have no love lost for Chris Como, but he lost his job at CNN for 'helping' his brother through his sexual harassment. Oh - and that potential sexual harassment thing of his own. But you know - as reprehensible as that might all be, he didn't seemingly have access to the president's chief-of-staff and exchange messages about a coup.    ...........and so far, they're keeping their jobs. 

Of course, the rub there is:  the Fox asshats begged for the insurrection to stop, yet - and no surprisingly - hypocritical in their broadcasts. This is the same network that speaks against Covid vaccinations, yet are all, or mostly, vaccinated. 

They're all weasels, but it is BLOTUS Jr, I "love" the most.  He is WITH his father and texting his father's chief-of-staff to stop daddy!   

He is SUCH a pussy, he can't (won't and didn't) say it to his father who is like two yards from him. Yet, don't assume that he's allowed to talk to his father directly in the first place. g-d, it must suck that dad like Eric better. 

Let's just pile on though:  if BLOTUS thought Jr was weak before - - now he knows it for sure and just provided a massive embarrassment to the family.  Xmas is RUINED.  Or at least awkward.  ....and that's without Melanoma's decorations. 

Yet, the House and DOJ are so. fucking. weak. nothing - and I repeat, NOTHING - is going to come of this. 

Where once was hope - is now just disappointment.............in advance. 

Song by: A Flock of Seagulls

Stand or Fall

Oh Pappy Joe. 

Sorry - he really stepped in it. 

If there were only some way to have known that our exit from Afghanistan would be so messy, cumbersome and fraught with destruction, uprisings and general chaos. 

Ohhhh. Wait. 

Now that I think about it, since my early high school days - the Taliban has been in or around Afghanistan, teaming up with the Russians in the Soviet-Afghan War. 

Shocking that the Taliban was still embedded in that country and ready to take over the second "we" made the announcement of pulling out. 

It's almost as if we didn't have the NSA, CIA or DoD.  ......or a lick of common sense. 

Even this dufus in Ohio had that figured out. 

So the criticism that Pappy Joe is getting from the Republicans, while unfortunate, is somewhat deserved. Mind you - we were in Afghanistan in the first place because of a Republican administration, so......their condemnation only goes so far. 

The U.S. cannot be the police to the world and Afghanistan wasn't ours to be in anyways. It would have been nice to, you know, evacuate our folks before pulling the plug on leaving, but...........the Republicans will play that into the fucking ground - even though they really don't care about brown-coloured refugees from other countries................but they'll pretend like they do through the mid-terms, which is why the Dems will lose those. 

Song by: the Fixx

Run Baby Run

A.  I didn't know the actively gay football player.........ummm......active football player who happens to be gay......is / was a republican.  Had I known, I would have at least included that fact with a disclaimer.  Hell, I might not even have posted it at all.

B. I am as guilty as anyone about not knowing the above story and facts. Had I known, I'd have posted about Sha'Carri Richardson instead of the football guy - who is probably no longer a tight end..................if you know what I mean. Perhaps now he is a wide receiver................if you know what I mean. 

Of course there are a number of reasons the A story got the attention and not the B. 

1.  Well............track isn't football.  Let's be honest, track & field doesn't really have the caché or dollars to control the media feed. 

2. Sha'Carri is a woman. 

3. Sha'Carri is black. 

4. Sha'Carri is gay. 

5. Sha'Carri is a black, gay woman. 

It could be any combination of 2-4, but let's be frank: it's #5. 

Unless you are number one in your sport (Simone Biles or Venus Williams.....no, not you Serena) or discuss mental health issues (Naomi Osaka) you basically do not get 'air time'. No doubt worse if you're gay. 

So even in the gay sports world - it still is the white male who rules the roost. And that is a fucking shame. 

Don't get me wrong - even I didn't know this or see it, so I am guilty of this too. It's time to be better. 

Song by: Garbage

the Rifle's Spiral

While I know it's Star Wars Day, and I know you know it's Star Wars Day, I'll take a year off from that post. 

It's also the 51st anniversary of the Kent State shootings. 

....and no, I refuse to call this post, "Ohio". I can tolerate the song, but it's never been high on a must-play list. 

KSU actually had big plans for the 50th, and finally really really recognizing the history of it all. 

For those in the dark, the site of the shootings had been made into a parking lot....literally covering up their history. Then awkwardly placed markers were put up in said lot of the four where they died. Allegedly, it's all been redone, but I haven't been down there for years. 

Of course, Kent State was also the site of another tragedy.  I took my first round of SATs there. Luckily, I did far far better on my ACTs. 

Yes, I grew up not far from Kent State. In very distant ways, I have some ties to some of those who were shot - not died. One who was paralyzed was a teacher in my high school. We crossed paths my freshmen year only and then he left. Another taught at my sister's school. 

That same sister ended up doing her last two years of college at Kent State, and it was the place to go to do underaged drinking....................I've heard. 

Mind you, then the drinking age was 18. So one might have been younger than that to get drunk there.   ......I've heard. 

Since moving back to NE Ohio a quarter of a century (!!!!) ago, I can count on four fingers how many times I've been back there. 

It's easy to think about how wrong the National Guard was back then........along with then governor, Jim Rhodes and Richard Nixon. 

But there was an interesting article in the Washington Post a few weeks back on the young girl in the posted pic - the iconic, Pulitzer Prize winning pic.  She was not a college student, but a 14 year old runaway who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. And the awful things she had to endure due to that picture from pro-military, pro-war, pro-Nixon folks. 

The student photographer didn't get treated as bad, but it was no day at the beach for him as well. 

I was just surprised at my reaction of disgust I had by reading about people who opposed war opposition. 

It is an interesting read - and truly an event to change most everyone's life who experienced it first hand. 

Song by: the Shins