Donald Trump, A Good Christian

DONALD TRUMP IS A GOOD CHRISTIAN. We know this because he said so several months ago before a live audience of thousands, while his good Christian disciples shouted "lock her up!", to a television audience of millions, most of whom were probably screaming the same words at their flat screens. He is also, so he says, able to sexually molest any woman of his choosing without impunity, because he is famous. This is quite in keeping with Christian doctrine, according to which women are the property of men. A famous and good Christian sexual predator. All this is related. Christians, by definition, do not pay for their own sins. Instead, they unabashedly rejoice in their vicarious atonement by virtue of a man being slowly tortured to death. Donald Trump is a prime example of an exemplary American conservative Christian. Trump and his followers want to imprison a person without any proof of wrong doing, as was done to Jesus. Jesus, at least, was given a trial, and although his trail was a sham, a miscarriage, of justice, it is more than the law and order conservatives want to give Hillary Clinton. One can imagine Trump supporters chanting "lock up Christ!", and "crucify our savior!", as they relish the thought of their own escape from justice. Trump and his saved supporters advocate carrying weapons, perhaps to ensure the imprisonment of Hillary Clinton and the execution of Jesus, both of which they regard as necessary to their personal salvation. They resist paying taxes, just like the followers of Jesus, who himself told them to "render unto Caesar". He collects as much personal wealth as possible, and we await the day when he goes thy way, sells whatsoever he hast, and gives unto the poor. We await his charitable foundation's very first contribution to charity, holding our collective breaths as the hungry get hungrier. Although he renders nothing unto Caesar, and praises himself for his ability to avoid doing so, he surely will at some future time, in keeping with the teachings of his lord and savior. Trump and the Taxed Enough Already party, finally paying up, just like their savior said. That will have to wait a bit, until he is able to free himself from a relentless succession of bankruptcies. Trump's admiration of the ruthless and brutal dictator Vladimir Putin is a metaphor for the worship of a blood thirsty god who repeatedly demands blood sacrifices and upon occasion instructs people to dash out the brains of infants upon rocks. Hillary Clinton's praise of Trump's children is justified on the basis that all of them, at least those of whom we are aware, are still living, proving that they have never misbehaved. If they had, Trump would have put them to death, in accordance with Biblical law. Trump falls short of the glory of God in one important respect; he often works on the Sabbath, and for that, he should be put to death, in accordance with the law of God, as written in the holy scripture. Trump won't mind; he is, after all, a good Christian.

Rethinking Trump

IN THE BEGINNING, way back when, a year and half ago, when the interminable presidential campaign began, I supported Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. Outsiders with fresh ideas, offering a fresh start, free from political party dogma. Like everyone else, I didn't think Trump would last, but I hoped he would, partly because I thought he would become a problem for the republican party, which he indeed did. Then I, like everyone else, spent the next few months listening to what the various candidates had to say. My suspicions about Trump began when he repeatedly referred to Ted Cruz as "lying Ted". I don't like Ted Cruz, but the fact is that Senator Cruz is an upright Christian man of the highest integrity. Certainly no more a liar, and probably less, than most of the rest of us. Trump's rhetoric kept getting worse. The list of evil expressions grew. Calling women "pigs", the outrageous lies, and all the rest. His ridiculous claims about immigrants, and stated intent to build a needless wall further revealed his fatuous ideology. Conservative republicans with more integrity than party loyalty courageously turned against him. I came to realize that Trump is a severely immoral man who cares only for his own advancement, and has no real desire to serve anyone's interests other than his own. At this point, I question not only the judgment, but also the intelligence and moral integrity of anyone who would support or vote for him. Trump's boast that he sexually molests women with impunity was not the last straw, that happened long before, but it is merely more proof that he is a reprehensible reprobate, against whom criminal charges should be filed. Shame on this country for even considering him as an option to be its president. Make America great again? The slogan of a person who does not believe that America is great, does not believe in the greatness of his own country. When, pray tell, was america most recently great? When public water fountains said "white only"? When America was sending its young men to fight and die in support of a south Vietnamese dictator? Perhaps it was great when Ronald Reagan was selling drugs to raise money to purchase weapons for a right wing revolution in Latin America trying to overthrow a duly elected socialist government. Or possibly it lost its greatness on July 25, 1990, the day President Bush told Saddam Hussein that whether Iraq invaded Kuwait was of no concern to the United States. If America is not great now, it has never been great. But it is, and always has been, despite its huge shortcomings. America is great because it is good, and it deserves a leader who believes in her own country's greatness.

Locking Up Crooked Donald and His Cohorts

IN JULY, THE FBI announced that after conducting an exhaustive investigation of Hillary Clinton concerning her use of a private email account while serving as Secretary of State, it would recommend that the Department of Justice refrain from issuing an indictment, and that no reasonable prosecutor would offer any other recommendation, due to lack of evidence. The conservative community went ballistic. Obviously, the entire justice system was rigged, bought and paid for by the Clintons or operatives working on their behalf. Since Hillary was obviously a common criminal, and the FBI had abrogated its responsibility to conduct a proper investigation, and to reach a proper conclusion. The system is rigged, because crooked Hillary is not charged with wrong doing, lock her up. Now, in the middle of the election, as millions of Americans vote every day, the Feds have reversed course, and have reopened the investigation into Hillary's email activity, based on what they say is new information, and Donald Trump and his legion of angry judge and jury followers are giddy with joy. Justice at last.... maybe. In the event that this investigation yields nothing more than the first one, and for that matter all the other examinations of Hillary Clinton's behavior over the past twenty five years, prepare for an outcry such as never been heard across freedom's land. Donald Trump is now considering the possibility, so he says, that the system isn't quite a rigged as he may have previously thought. Of course not. Another possibility is that perhaps the system is indeed rigged, and the FBI has indeed been bought and paid for, only not by the Clinton faction, but rather, by the Trump people. Why not? What's good for the goose is good for the gander, as the saying goes. The system is rigged, rigged by a gang of conservative operatives working diligently behind the scene to corrupt the justice system, and destroy Hillary Clinton. Crooked Donald. Lock him up. Hell,lock 'em all up.

Angry Militia types, Beating the Rap

THESE RIGHT WING militia type ranchers took over a federal wildlife reserve last January, occupied it for six weeks, preventing its normal operation. They were arrested, charged, tried,....and exonerated. They never denied having done the deed. It would have been difficult to do so, since they spent the entire time of their occupation calling attention to their activity, providing proof of it. So, what's up with that? Justifiable gang related activities? Excused by virtue of their deep Christian faith, and their noble attempt to strike a blow for liberty against an oppressive government? Or, maybe they just had good lawyers, who knew how to make their way through jury selection, knew how to stock their jury with right wing anti-government fellow travelers. It is now speculated that this strange outcome of justice will inspire a rejuvenation of the militia movement, which, for those who might not be conversant, consists of ultra conservative second amendment bible toting and automatic rifle toting Christians who oppose all progressive trends and anything having to do with the government. Also, of course, they are lily white, just like the republican party, just like America's conservative movement in general. Actually, the militia movement might have been even more rejuvenated by a guilty verdict; the mere existence of the trial, no matter the outcome, is probably a source of inspiration for our right wing brethren and sistern. In any event, the right wing militia movement is fixing to get a huge motivational jolt soon enough, like a week from Tuesday, when, in all likelihood, Hillary Rodham Clinton will ascend to the status of president elect. Those of a certain age might recall the sudden springing into existence of the militias upon the election of Wm. J. Clinton nearly a quarter century before, the movement having been dampened considerably by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, the folks who took down the federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995. Obama's election and presidency failed to provide any substantial boost to militia activities; one must not be seen as a racist, after all, whether one is or is not actually a racist. But if and when Hillary comes out on top, Katy bar the door; the fun is only beginning.

Petitioning For Popular Power

IN EVERY STATE IN THE COUNTRY (USA), it is possible to arrange for a proposal to be placed on the ballot to amend the state constitution by collecting a sufficient number of signatures on a petition, and the process has gained popularity in recent years, as state after state has been petitioned to legalize marijuana, prohibit fracking, among other proposals. As a result, ballots become long, with issue after issue submitted to the voters, and not only voting, but preparing to vote by becoming informed on the issues begins to require more time and effort, as the people are called upon to make more decisions and choices. To some people, mostly conservatives, this is not a good thing. There is now talk of raising the bar, to make it more difficult to amend the law by popular petitioning, due to the fact that state constitutions and laws are being changed increasingly often through the popular will of the petition process. Advocates of making the process more difficult point to the lengthening ballots, the instability and frequent amending of constitutions, and the alleged uncertainty and instability this causes. To make it more difficult to petition the state to place proposals before the voters would simply be a matter of increasing the number of signatures required, or limiting the amount of time allowed for gathering signatures. But don't believe a word of it. Instead, go out, start a petition, a petition which asserts the right of the citizenry to petition the government. fight back against the attack on democracy which the movement to make the process more difficult constitutes. Petitioning the government, any level of government, local, state, or federal, is the most fundamental act of democracy, the very process by which we the people can directly make our wishes known, rather than waiting passively in the background while only elected politicians decide what does and does not go on the ballot to be submitted to the voters. Why make democracy more difficult to practice, other than an elitist desire to keep power out of the hands of the people? I would much rather spend all day in the voting booth, voting on scores of proposals and issues, than turn my sacred democratic right over to elected officials exclusively.

Ditching the Right Wing Trolling Maniacs, Progressively

I DON'T DO FACEBOOK OR TWITTER, because I am repulsed by the quagmire of mainstream American culture, the crass baseness, the hatred, the insults, the trolling. David French, a good conservative writer for the very definitely conservative publication "National Review", is involved with social media, like everyone seeking attention, except this website. French, who unlike many conservatives expresses himself intelligently, was long ago encouraged by Bill Crystal, another articulate conservative spokesperson, to run for president against Donald Trump in the republican primary, and he thought about it. We'd all be better off if he had decided to run. French has been critical of conservative maniacs Ann Coulter, alt right (google it), and Donald Trump, and has therefore been attacked viciously on Twitter and Facebook by his fellow conservatives, attacked by ultra right angry wing nut cases who would be better off locked up. Ironically, Trump, Coulter, and the alt right gang of thugs are all notorious twitter trolls, who spew nothing but hatred and lunacy across social media, and, tragically, attract attention doing it. The David french brand of conservatism will trump, pun intended, the Ann Coulter Donald Trump alt right wing of the republican party, thank heavens. Sensible, moderate conservatives will lose patience with the ultra right wing maniacs who have hijacked their movement lately, to everyone's detriment. This hateful smear campaign on social media by conservatives against a conservative is merely more evidence that the republican party, and the American conservative movement, is in complete disarray, full blown self destructive civil war, because no matter which faction you're talking about, its outdated, crazy,and irrelevant to regular Americans. That's why Hillary is going to win big, and democrats are going to make gains in congress. Conservatism is delusional with anger, and social media is a mediocre morass of cultural stagnation. The American conservative movement is bankrupt and outdated, and Donald Trump is a complete disaster for the republican party, and now we can look forward to being entertained for the next four or eight years by Tea Party Klan militia Christian types who congregate in the backwoods and profanely condemn all progress and president Hillary Clinton, bibles and machine guns in hand. The best way to deal with them is to chuckle, then ignore them, and move on to better projects, like supporting President Clinton's progressive agenda.

Winning The Election Early

IF EARLY VOTING DIDN'T EXIST, the media would be telling us that Hillary Clinton seems to be ahead by several points nationally, and is ahead in most states, including most swing states, or battleground states, as we like to say. Over the next few days, the mainstream media and pollsters might start telling us that the lead for Hillary has narrowed a bit, and that Trump might be up by a point or two in Ohio and Florida, and that he needs to continue to shore up his support in order to have a chance. On the final day or two before election day November 8, if we didn't have early voting, and the score was still tied at zero, we the American people might be told that the race has narrowed to a virtual dead heat, with both candidates polling close in most states. Without early voting, the excitement would be growing. But, the fact is, for a while now we have had early voting, and we now have it in thirty seven states plus Washington D.C and in the military and for American overseas and absentee voters, all of whom can vote early, in what is an increasingly popular trend. As of now something like ten million people have already voted, and several million will vote everyday through November 8. By the time election day November 8 arrives, half the people will have already voted, and if we are told on the morning of November 8 that the election has narrowed to a dead heat, or even if it really has, it won't make any difference, it will already be over anyway, because of early voting. During all of the early voting period Hillary has been indisputably ahead in the polls, still is, and according to the laws of statistics, the early votes will match the polls, which tend to be accurate, much to Hillary's good fortune. The excitement of waiting until election day is a bit watered down when every day is an election day, and the actual election day is only the final of many election days. It somehow is strange to realize the truth; that whoever is ahead now has already won.

Watching The Millennials Moving Up

MILLENNIALS ARE HUMAN BEINGS BORN between the years 1982 and 2000. The oldest millennials are now thirty four, middle aged, incredibly. The youngest are now in high school, and will start voting and living their adult lives in a couple of years, as the millennial generation, which numbers over seventy five million in America, begins to take over the country, like house cats. We baby boomers, who run the country now, are on our way out, and will be all gone by the time the millennials assume the comm, so we'll never live to see the amazing achievements of the millennials as they save the planet. Even more horrible is the realization that the greatest generation, the people who were young adults and went off to fight world War two, my parents generation, are almost all gone now, with only a few very old remaining members. So flows the river of time. The millennials are very liberal, so far. Liberal, idealistic, and also cynical. They're having a hard time getting started financially, through no fault of their own, and they are getting married and having children later and less often, but they do not like the world the way it is, and want to change it. They don't exactly go rushing headlong to support traditional institutions or ways of doing business, including the two party system and our plutocratic oligarchy of corporate capitalism here in the land of wealthy ruling elite. To millennials, the very idea of being against gay rights, or racist, or sexist, is utterly unthinkable; they have no concept of it, which one hopes means that those dreadful modes of human thought will die out along our evolutionary way. If current millennials attitudes are any indication of America's future, which they are, we are looking at a kinder, gentler future America, with more community, support systems for the disabled, more sharing, and environmentally healthy lifestyles. I can't wait! The only problem is, I won't be around to see it.

Having A Voice

I VOTED TODAY, for what its worth. I voted straight democratic, including Hillary, in my small southern conservative state, and I voted in favor of legalized marijuana and gambling casinos, both of which, along with the democrats, will probably fail, here in my small ultra conservative southern state. But, I feel better for trying. Let's raise minimum wage, fight climate change, regulate wall street, fix Obamacare, forget the wall, stop attacking everybody, and keep religion out of government. I feel patriotic. America works. America is great because America is good, and so forth. The very small town where I voted was very busy at the polling place, which tells me that the early voting idea is really catching on, and that most likely a surprisingly high percentage of the American people will already have voted come election day. That bodes will for Hillary Clinton. Now is the time to be ahead, in politics, in the polls, with voting already underway. Its weird, knowing that your vote is meaningless; my state is going for Trump, and for republicans, and that's that. I cast my vote trying to elect five electors, and lost, while in other states voters are voting to elect dozens of elector college members. Eventually, we'll do away with the electoral college. But I still feel better, knowing that I have a voice, and that my voice has been heard, even if I'm the only one who hears it. One can expect nothing more than the opportunity to express oneself; nobody is required to listen or pay attention. No matter what happens in this election, there is going to be a great deal of anger and acrimony and arguing across freedom's land over the outcome of it, which should be sufficient to fill any good American with a certain sense of dread. Alas, the insults and anger and incivility have but barely begun. We'll be lucky if the next president, whichever one it is, doesn't get assassinated, just like we're lucky the current one hasn't been. America's right wingers are truly angry about now, and their anger is only going to get worse, say, about two weeks from now. Even if the Hillary people reach out to the trump people after the election, which Bill Clinton recommends, the anger will not vanish. The anger of America's right wing at Obama has for eight years been absolutely ridiculous, inappropriate, and indicative of low moral standards of personal behavior, and we must expect more of the same with President Hillary. In the unlikely event that Trump is elected, hide in your basement, to avoid the rioting in the streets. Either way, we're in for a rough and rocky ride.

Continuing the Story of Stray Cats

IN A RECENT ARTICLE "TAKING BETTER CARE OF CATS", posted below, a stray cat had appeared at my house, a gorgeous, sweet female, and I, poor I, was at a loss for what to do, since I already have four stray cats living in my house, and can scarcely continue collecting strays..But she was adorable, and she showed up, then, she vanished, as the article concluded, and I was wondering whether she would come back, and what I would name her. (see article below). well....she came back. She came back, and she was again ravenously hungry, and I cannot let a cat go hungry. So I kept feeding her, while my outdoor female stray pet, Cassandra, hissed at her and seemed afraid of her. Having another female around was definitely upsetting Cassandra. Not good. One fine day, just the other day, my neighbor knocked on my door, and told me that the stray might belong to her sister, who lives down the street. I was overjoyed. It turns out that indeed this was the case, so, the cute sweet stray female has a home after all, and I am off the hook, and much relieved. I hope she has a great life, half a block or so down the street and around the corner, and I rather hope I don't see her again, that she stays close to home, lives long, prospers, is loved. And yes, i would have taken her in, as you doubtless already realized. There are an estimated nearly a billion cats in the world, they live all over the world, and in america cats households outnumber dog households four to one. House cats, as a species, are brilliant geniuses. They have worked out a bargain with the human race. They get protection and care for noting in return, and they control humans, humans do not control them. Brilliant, wouldn't you say? In some places like China some people probably still eat cats, but people like that are changing, and the practice won't go on much longer, if it still does now. A great new book, "the Lion In the Living Room" discusses all this id detail, the relationship of humans to cats, and the fact that this relationship has been of great benefit to cats, overall. Honestly, though, I think I benefit as much from them as they benefit from me.

Shortening Our Long National Electoral Purgatory

BETWEEN SIX AND TEN MILLION PEOPLE have already voted, and between now and election day, several million people will vote every day. By election day, between one third and one half of all voters will have voted early, and the election will be over, and Hillary will be the winner, because she's ahead in the polls, and the early voting will reflect that. Even if Donald slowly catches up between now and election day, and turns it into a dead heat on election day itself, it will be too late; he won't be able to overcome Hillary's lead from early voting. Thus, the dirty little secret is, the election is actually over, for all intents and purposes, the ballots are in the box, waiting to be counted, and, unless they are tampered with by Donald and his Russian allies, will reveal a fifty three forty seven win for Hillary, if not more. The polls vary, since there are so many of them, but they do not lie, and even as we speak, they all say Hillary, by an average of six percent, which frankly seems a bit low. Her lead still seems to be expanding, with no late rally in sight for Trump, due possibly to too much "nasty woman" type straw breaking the camel's back. Polling keeps improving, with computers and information and organization, and competition among poll takers to produce the most accurate results. Every election cycle, polling improves, and it no longer makes many mistakes. Everybody can't wait for this election to be over. It seems like its been going on forever, and its been toxic, if entertaining. Also, not enough attention has been paid to other offices, elections, and issues, thanks to the Donald having sucked up all the air in the room. But at least it has generated interest, thanks to Trump, the republicans, and their circus. Everybody in America, without exception, wants to shorten the election campaign season from a year and a half to about six weeks. But how to do it without destroying the first amendment? Not only do we need to get money out of politics, we need to get time out of politics, because we now have way too much time for political campaigns.

Watching Donald's Demise

DONALD TRUMP'S crash and burn appears imminent, and we quite naturally hope, since we are, after all, good Americans, that it is sensational and full of entertainment value. Doubtless it will be. How could Donald, after all this time, possibly disappoint us now? When Trump first announced his candidacy a year and a half ago, I briefly got on board, because I thought he might mess up the conservative republican party and hand the election and the presidency to the democrats, and because he seemed less ideologically right wing, more flexible than mainstream republicans. I was right on both questions, and then, like now, I thought Trump would be as likely to act in a liberal as a conservative manner if elected, since he seems to lack core political values, but I started getting weary of him very early, about the seventy fifth time he called Ted Cruz "lyin' Ted". Too many insults, not enough substance. I still like Trump, politically, more than I like a normal hard core conservative, which isn't saying much. Like most people, I wrongly believed that his campaign would flame out early on. Better late than never. Trump very clearly, on camera, bragged about his ability to sexually molest women with impunity because of his fame, then, soon thereafter, the women came out of the closet, confirming Trump's claims, sealing his fate. He, not Hillary, should be locked up, it would seem. Trump's speeches and rallies have become hate fests, angry sexist insults against Hillary flying freely, sexism in full vent. Well, whatever. America's nasty women head for the ballot box. The last agonized death moan of a political movement and shrinking constituency soon to be extinct. Trump's campaign speeches lately all begin with statements of patriotism and victory, then proceed to a few minutes of vague and garbled policy statements, than devolve surrealistically into threats at lawsuits against all the many women who are now accusing him of sexual harassment and molestation, to be undertaken soon after the election. Well, he'll certainly have enough time on his hands for a few lawsuits. Trump seems oblivious to the obvious fact that each time he threatens publicly to file charges against the women who are coming forth with accusation against him, he he only serving to keep his own criminal behavior in front of the whole nation, in plain view. Not exactly the best campaign strategy. That's why the nation, which is casting votes by the million in early voting, is rapidly moving on from Trump, preparing to send him into ignominious but harmless irrelevance, at long last.

Wiinning the Culture War Progressively

LIBERALISM IS WINNING the culture war, like we knew it would. Gay marriage is legal, transgenders are out of the closet, we will soon have a woman president, political correctness is in, church attendance is down. Hence the anger of white male America, no longer a majority. Nearly half of all millennials are non white, and forty percent are non religious. Most importantly, the millennials are overwhelmingly liberal, and there are seventy five million of them, more than any other age group. As they age, they will make America more liberal, not more conservative. Liberalism wins, because progress and change grudgingly win out over tradition. Tradition by definition is backward looking, resistant to change. But change is always necessary. Not all traditions are good. Slavery, racism, racial segregation, violence, war, all are traditional, all are harmful evil. Progress requires eliminating harmful traditions. Traditionally, the Christian church condemns homosexuality. Homosexuals are gaining strength, the christian church is shrinking, in Europe and America. This is a manifestation of liberalism winning the culture war, by gradually eliminating an evil tradition such as the condemnation of homosexuality. The American right wing Jesus guns and money ultra conservative crowd is very angry about all this change, all this liberal progress in America, and art striking back viciously in one final death rattle of anger and agony. Hence, Trump. Meanwhile, the inexorable tide of liberal progress washes away evil, outdated conservative values, traditions, and institutions. No, we the American people are most certainly not going to elect as our president someone who wants to make America the way it used to be and who believes that climate change is a hoax. Instead, we are going to elect a forward looking progressive who vows to fight and defeat climate change, and to make America better. someone who believes that America is great, because America is good....I'm Hillary Clinton and I approve this commercial lol, just kidding

Living In An Era Of Big Lies

DONALD TRUMP, with a perfectly straight face, told the country that the persistent rumor that president Obama was born in Africa was in fact a fabrication which originated within the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, but that now, at long last, he, Donald J. Trump, was officially announcing that Barack Obama was indeed born in Hawaii, and that because of this proclamation, he, Donald J. Trump, was now finishing the controversy, once and for all, by handing down to the masses the final word on the subject. And that was that. Case closed. What Hillary R. Clinton had started years ago, Donald J. Trump was now ending. The most likely reason the entire country didn't dissolve into paroxysms of laughter at the conclusion of Donald's grand announcement was that most of it was scratching their heads in utter confusion. Or maybe dropping jaws in utter amazement. Wasn't it Donald J. Trump who spent no less than five years proclaiming to the world and anyone who would listen that Obama had indeed been born in Africa, and was therefore not qualified constitutionally to serve as president? Indeed it was he, and he did not attempt to render service by investigating and objectively finding the answer to the question of Obama's birth place, he stated as a matter of fact that the birth place was Africa, case closed. The Donald has told so many whoppers during this election that he has talked himself right out of the White House, which is quite a feat, considering that we live in a culture which seems to embrace myths, the wilder the better. Amazingly, most people really don't seem to care anymore about actual truth, actual facts, as if we have all resigned ourselves to living in a "post truth" era, in which the big lie is as good as fact based information, and the true scientific experts who try to give us facts are dismissed and marginalized as elitists and frauds. Thirty percent of the American people claim to believe that Obama is a Muslim, another thirty percent claim to believe that he was born in Africa. We all, or at least many of us, seem to believe that illegal Mexicans are pouring across the border, when in fact they are not. Vaccinations cause autism. Climate change is a Chinese hoax, or a liberal hoax, one or the other, not that it matters. The list is long, and getting longer, as we depart ever farther from reality.

Reluctantly Giving Blood

I'VE BEEN A REGULAR blood donater for over forty years. I have antigen rich viral free blood, so they call me in emergencies, when they need blood for an infant or a seriously ill person. My blood works, flat out. People who get my blood don't die. You get some of my blood, you're damned lucky, and you're going to perk right up and get off your ass, by damn, or deal with me. That, you don't want. So the other day I'm just getting up, sleepily feeding the cats, changing the litter boxes, fantasizing about that first lovely cup of coffee, and the phone rings. The lady says "can you donate"? My heart sinks. I"m thinking haven't I proven that by now, after 262 donations? But I say weakly: "when do you need me"? . She says "right now, its an emergency." My heart sinks again, and I decide to try to argue my way out of it. "I donated two weeks ago!", I truthfully but lamely remind her, which she already knows. "Not sure I'm eligible", I lie. I'm eligible, always...Over the phone, she shrugs. Silence. Did I really expect her to look it up? She was probably looking at her screen as we spoke, giving me a chance to walk back my lies and save face. I decline the opportunity, and instead I plow ahead, with sinking heart." Is anyone else available" I feebly ask?" No sir".... Nobody at all?..."No sir, but we had to try. Thanks anyway"....WAIT!!!! I scream. "Emergency? Nobody else"? I whimper. "Correct sir". Recently I had made another emergency donation, then been rejected for skipped beats on a follow up donation to boost the patient. I asked what happens if that happens again? "All we can do is try", she says. So I spend two minutes racing madly around the house with the cats, putting stuff on and turning stuff off, then jump in the car and start the thirty forty mile forty five minute drive, pulse racing. I know damned good and well if I walk in there like this, I'm ineligible, for sure. Oh my god, I've got to get my pulse, palpitations, and blood pressure down...down....or there's no point in my going, and somebody dies. But other than that, no problem. So,.....ohh god...So, I start going to a love peace and harmony place in my mind... a pleasant breeze, sun splashed day, meditation. Om......going sixty five on the interstate. I walk in and start to tell the lady that if my vitals don't pass, falsify documents and bleed me anyway, if I'm the only option, I mean, damn... she says no way, can't do that, and I start to go off like a rocket, but catch myself , just in time. If I do that, I'm domed, and so is the infant in ICU somewhere. So I place my fingertips in the yoga position, and tell the lady that I must now go to a place of warmth, calm, love, peace, harmony, and relaxation. She agrees, and smiles.....

What Donald Ought and Ought Not Do

WHAT Donald TRUMP SHOULD DO, conversely, 'long about now, is to keep fighting, to keep up the appearance and save face, while preparing for defeat, acceptance, and life beyond this campaign. Donald Trump is never one to miss an opportunity to make a splash, and he has a great opportunity to make a big one on his way out of Hillary Clinton's way. Trump has lost his presidential bid all by his lonesome, just by the way he's acted, the things he's said. Its now too late for him to recover from over a year of deplorable remarks by the basket. Even now, with all his talk about the election being rigged, he seems clueless as to how this makes him look, how it attracts no new supporters, how it turns people off, rather like all the sexual harassment stuff does. Donald seems to have some narcissistic kind of personality disorder in which he doesn't calculate the impact his actions have on other people, and how other people react to his actions, and, most of all, he doesn't seem to have any sense of his own limitations in controlling events, including the attitudes and reactions of others to him. Everything that he cannot control, and that does not behave the way he wants and expects, is "rigged", existing only because of some egregious flaw in the system or somebody else's perfidious plotting against him. Borderline paranoia, without doubt. Not what you would want in the Oval Office, believe me, as Trump would say. So, on election night, he should call Hillary and offer the most noble, affectionate, generous, sweetest concession and congratulation statement ever heard across the fruited plain, and thereby win the entire country over, except his followers. Trump's followers are likely to start a four year verbal and media terrorists campaign against President Hillary Clinton; Trump could become a true American hero by discouraging the viciousness, while advocating for his own policies, and those of his followers. The Donald could even call for national reconciliation, and for his followers to reach out to the rest of America, including those who voted for Hillary. At this point, The Trumpster could use a little improvement in his image. What would he do otherwise? Spend the next four years screaming that Hillary is not native born,and therefore not qualified to be president? Or maybe hire a whole battalion of private eyes to investigate her thoroughly, while he vacations with Putin on the Black Sea? Trump and his ilk do not have to vanish. Bernie Sanders and his people are not going anywhere. they'll be right there, trying to have a positive impact on the neo-Clinton administration. But will he be smart enough to do it?

Why All the Hiding, Hillary?

AT THIS POINT the best strategy for Hillary is to hit all the swing states where the polling is close, if there are any left, and deliver a positive, forward looking policy message, totally ignoring Donald Trump like yesterday's garbage. In other words, run out the clock, while remaining active on the campaign trail. Also, she should directly disprove her opponents false accusations, all of them, which would be very easy for her. Hillary makes a mistake by being less than forthcoming while under investigation or attack, and by not silencing her critics by disproving their accusations. She has always been reluctant and slow to release information which others demand, apparently only because someone is demanding it, and her stubbornness and pride require her resistance. This she does even when there is nothing damaging about the information demanded of her, when in fact releasing it would help her cause. For example, what's wrong with simply telling the world that you considered it a great job opportunity to get paid a quarter million dollars for giving a twenty minute speech, and so you accepted the offer? In her secret speeches to Wall Street billionaires, the highly paid speeches we were all so worried about, the ones Bernie Sanders tried so hard to get her to make public, Hillary said, basically, the Wall Street was not entirely to blame for the great recession, that there is more than one point of view to every situation, including financial matters, and that ultimately, Wall Street must regulate itself, just like the rest of us. Those were evidently the most controversial things she said, after all this fuss about it. So, what's wrong with any of those remarks? Nothing! So, why on Earth didn't she just release the transcripts of her secret Wall Street speeches months ago, right at the beginning of the campaign, instead of stonewalling over nothing, and waiting until the darned Russians and wikileaks hacked in and stole the speeches and released them for her? All that does is make her look guilty, like she is hiding something. Now her enemies are scratching their heads, still, as always, looking for something damaging when there isn't anything, and complaining that the media isn't talking about Hillary's alleged crimes, which are non existent, according to all available evidence. Hillary is a woman with nothing to hide, who seems determined to hide everything. Its got to be pride, or paranoia.

Taking Better Care Of Cats, and Us

I KEEP WONDERING if all the other towns and cities in America have as many stray cats as mine does. In my small town, we seem to have quite a few, and it is estimated, I believe, that there are tens of millions across the country. Oh, that we could muster the national will to round them all up, spay or neuter them, vaccinate them, and either adopt them all out to good homes, or return them to their previous lifestyle. Cats can do decently on their own, in towns. Not well enough, but pretty well. America is great because it is good. With all our numerous horrible national characteristics and deeds, we Americans are, at heart, noble and good. This I would stake my life on, no matter how much I, as a bitchy, disgruntled liberal, moan and groan about our faults. One does not advance without citing the need to do so, and the method needed, correct? I had no intention of acquiring pets, but in the last four years I have taken in four stray cats, and it was the best decision of my life. Wonderful companions, magnificent creatures, these felines. Now another one, number five, has shown up in my yard, a beautiful young female with a sweet loving personality, and I intend to find her a good home, or, if I can't, to give her one myself, knowing that I have already reached my limit, and can scarcely afford to take in more. For the better part of a day now she has not shown up, even though I have fed her a time or two, which makes me wonder if something happened to her. Maybe she found a good home somewhere else. Maybe she got killed in the street, though I haven't any evidence for either. I may end up spending the rest of my life wondering in the back of my mind whatever happened to her, just like we all do with people we used to know. If I never see her again, it will be a sort of blessing for me, I suppose; I'll save all that money on cat food and veterinary care, including vaccinations. Taking care of a cat properly is very expensive, and it would help improve the quality of life for millions of cats if the costs could be reduced. Still, I hope she comes back. I need to know that she is healthy and happy. The love I gain if she comes back will far outweigh all the inconvenience and personal expense of car care, just as it will, if in this beautiful we finally start to take better care of not only our stray cats, but ourselves as well......PS I'll name her "Samantha"..........PLEASE SHARE IN THE SPIRIT OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION.THANKS!

Racists, Getting Rid of Racism

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, there is no more racism in America, because there are no longer any racists in America. If you don't believe this, and want to find out for yourself, just go out and ask people: "are you a racist"? The more people you ask, the better, the more reliable the results. Five'll get you ten that no matter how many Americans you interview, the answer will always be an emphatic and resounding "No!" Most people will not even have to think about it, and most people will answer emphatically. Many will be insulted at being asked, as if their complete lack of racism should be taken for granted, assumed a priori, by all. How dare you ask me that, as if you even remotely think I might be a racist! How dare anyone ever imply that any American is racist. We are all better than that. Just ask us. So, fair enough. NO American citizen is a racist. Yet, strangely, somehow, repeated and incontrovertible studies have demonstrated, over and over again, that racism not only exists in America, it is, alas, deeply rooted widespread, pervasive, institutionalized. Nobody in the country is a racist, but somehow, mysteriously, like an invisible cloud hanging over the country, the ideal of racism exists, but is not attached to any of us personally. There are two fundamental sectors of American society in which racism rears its ugly head, and which prove the fact of its existence; the criminal justice and legal system, and and employment working world of American free enterprise. Probably every sociology department of every reputable university in the country has done a study on this, and they ave all proven the same point. Two equal job applicants, the white person gets hired far and away more often. Two equal criminal cases, from arrest stage through indictment, trial, verdict, and penalty, white person gets far more lenient treatment, again, and again...and again. There's no arguing or denying the facts. Anybody can do the same study using public records. And yet, magically, nobody in America is a racist, which is comforting only if we wish to keep our heads in the sand. It may be that racism is as deeply embedded in the human mind as greed, fear, or dishonestly, and that we simply prefer not to see or acknowledge it, and that humanity will no more eliminate racism from its arsenal of weapons that it will eliminate all dishonesty, greed, or violence. But, let's face it, human beings have great imaginations, are are amazingly accomplished at inventing fiction, and convincing themselves that their inventions are real. Our imagination is our greatest gift. So, maybe if we all keep telling each other that we are most definitely and assuredly not racists, there will come a time when we truly are not, for real........PLEASE LOG ON AGAIN, THANKS!

Dealing With Reality

THERE IS NO SHORTAGE of intelligence in America, but despite all our effort and improvements, there remains a shortage of education. Otherwise, how can we explain that a large percentage of the American population believes that climate change and evolution are fictional, but that the Bible is literally the "Word of God"? There is quite obviously a shortage of knowledge about science, as well as about what books are, what they are intended to do, and what they can and cannot do. It is no coincidence that those who most fervently believe in the divinity, in the non human origins of the bible tend to read the fewest books. Evolution and climate change were both discovered and confirmed slowly, painstakingly, through decades of hard work, even though they have both always been all around us, right in front of our faces. Thanks to hard work and good thinking, today any high school chemistry or biology student understands scientific truth. If we cannot all agree on and accept basic facts about the universe based on verifiable, repeatable research and proof, we cannot accumulate knowledge and use it to better our lives. No one questions the law of gravity, or the speed of sound and light, or suggests that Newton's three laws of motion are a hoax. Einstein's theory of relativity, which was seriously challenged when it first appeared, is now accepted as basic, mainstay science. It has been proven true, like evolution and climate change. The sciences of electronics and information theory, among others, have given us fast computers and smart phones. Science works, and the proof is all around us, constantly. Its the results that count. The laws of nature do not seem to conform to human biases and desires. We might not want evolution by natural selection to be the operative natural process that it is, but, it is. Isn't it far better to accept it, and praise God's wondrous creation as manifested in nature and revealed by science, not ancient manuscripts? Better than to deny reality in order to defend our erroneous beliefs? With better education about science, and better training in reasoning and thinking, we can approach and solve the problems presented to us by nature more intelligently and effectively, as we learn more about reality, and how to live more prosperously and happily in the real world by dealing with reality honestly and intelligently. If we don't even accept the fact that human made climate change exists, how can we save ourselves from it? But that requires a willingness to change, to admit our errors and misconceptions, and to correct them. Human beings are not always good at that, but they can be, if they try....................PLEASE SHARE THIS WEBSITE WITH OTHERS. THANKS!

Electing the Best President

DONALD TRUMP, in his own very special way, has made a remarkable run for the U.S. presidency, and though it will soon come to an end, will long be remembered, for its craziness, if nothing else. Donald Trump has reaffirmed our deeply held belief that in our great nation, damned near anyone can become president, with enough money. Money, it seems, is the only absolute requirement. Not intelligence, honestly, integrity, nor even decent treatment of women is required to have a shot at the nation's top office, but money is indispensable. The only thing necessary to even out the financial playing field is to eliminate all money from politics, by prohibiting spending money on political advertising. Then, politics can become a poor person's game, and all citizens will have a chance to gain political power and to serve the country in public office. The best way to give everyone a chance to participate and serve their country would be to pass a law requiring every citizen of the United States to run for the presidency every four years. Uh huh,That's right. Every citizen in the country would, under this new system, automatically be a candidate for president, every four years. You say you're only eighteen, have two kids, and their father is a deadbeat? And just because of that you don't have time, and you're not qualified anyway? Bullshit! No excuses! You are hereby a candidate, at least initially, for president of these United States, just like everyone else. No matter who you are, if you're an American citizen, you're running. The first round of voting, the prime primary, could eliminate about half or more of the candidates, half or more of the population. From there, through a series of primaries and a final election, in theory, the best person for the job, out of the entire American population, gets the job, and must take it. The winner could be an obscure but brilliant political science professor, or a particularly astute and street smart grandmother. Because at each stage along the way, the obvious riff raff are eliminated, the obviously unqualified lose out first, then the less than idea candidates are gone, until we reach the top of the mountain, with the best available person in the country to take the oath of office. With computers, anything's possible. No more of this constant complaining about the candidates, can't we do any better than this? how can I vote for either candidate? Out of all the people in this country, you'd think we could do better, all the whining you've heard before, over and over, blah blah blah. No more whining, because everybody starts out as a presidential candidate, and we eliminate the unqualified, one step at t time, until finally, we have the perfect person, the only candidate left. At least that way we'll know we did the best we could, and that everybody had a fair chance. If you think this is a crazy idea, OK, fine. Do you have any better ideas?......PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA. THANKS!

The Moral Decline Of America's Elderly

AT THE SENIOR CENTER, small southern town, there's always something. I don't think I belong; I'm only sixty one, and should maybe come back in about ten years, when the current crop is mostly dead. Either that or move to Princeton, New Jersey. So anyway, in I walk and sit down close to an eighty five year old male blue collar country christian conservative. Too close, which means at the same table, in the same room, in the same country. I begin listening to the usual hillbilly gospel music, a cultural norm. I dream of better days, and string quartets. A friend walks past, and shows me the ketchup stain on his shirt. I suggest bleach. Moments later, I hear the eighty five year old country Christian mutter "bleach won't touch that stain." But he isn't talking to me. He's looking in another direction, speaking to the thin air, or perhaps an invisible companion. So I keep listening to the banjo and jug duo, and dreaming. Then I hear him again. "College educated people, think they're so smart, don't know nothing practical." Again, he isn't talking to me. But this time of year I have a short fuse, and I have already had enough. So I look off into the distance, away from the old man, and audibly mutter to nobody: "uneducated people are always jealous and resentful of educated people." A moment later, I glance at him, and sure enough, he's glaring straight at me, his eyes dimmed by age and early senility, but intense with hatred. I stare right back. Then, looking straight at him, I say: "I have a PhD." Without missing a beat, he shoots right back: "that don't mean nothing to me." Still not finished, looking for more, ready to fight, I respond: "I understand. None of your achievements, whatever they might be, mean anything to me either." I wanted to go outside and finish it, but it ended there. Today's senior citizens were teenagers during the prosperous teen aged decade of the nineteen fifties. These are not the strong, straight-forward elderly of my youth, the eighteen nineties born World War One generation. Nor are they the World War Two generation of my parents. No, these are are the nation's spoiled elderly, who came of age in America's most prosperous, self assured, arrogant, and self absorbed epoch, post World War Two, the sneering Elvis Presley nineteen fifties. The "greatest generation", that of my parents, is now almost all dead, and I mourn their passing. They just don't make old people the way they used to..................CREATIVE WRITING, CULTURAL ANALYSIS. THANKS!

Purchasing Our Public Offices

THE CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR in the state of Missouri has inspired the spending of fifty million dollars by both candidates so far, and it is expected that as much as another fifty million will be spent on advertising before election day. These two guys want it bad. It always seems amazing how badly politicians want to get elected, beyond simply applying for a job. It becomes matter of personal pride, or a personal crusade, or something. If I don't get elected, the republic will perish. A democracy requires a majority of citizens able to make informed decisions. Political advertising serves the purpose of informing the public, sort of. All the advertising is propaganda, with little or no objective informative facts. Advertising works. Hence the sheer size of the advertising industry, and the amount of money spent on political advertising. Obama purchased the presidency, twice, for about one billion per term. The price of office, like everything else, keeps going up. For pbjectivity, its National Public Radio or bust. In America, public political offices are purchased. Usually, the more money spent, the greater the chances of getting elected by an electorate conditioned by propaganda. She who out spends her opponent wins the election, and has effectively purchased the office. Hillary Clinton, when all has mercifully been said and done, will have greatly out spent Donald Trump, and appears even now to be on her way to victory. Surprising, considering Trump's billions and the lurking shadow of the Koch Brothers. But Trump is frugal with his money, and the republicans are divided, with no help from the Koch Brothers, and that might be exactly what makes the difference. A huge national ad campaign explaining that Donald really is more intelligent and less abrasive than he seems might have been just what the doctor ordered for Trump's "out of left field" campaign, but it never happened. As the campaign ends, Hillary is spending all her left over money in states where she had earlier appeared to have no chance to win, but does now. That means that she is convinced that she has already won the election, and is just picking up the pieces, dotting "I's" and crossing "T's". It doesn't have to be like this, our thoroughly corrupted political system, but this appears to be the way we like it..........THANKS FOR VISITING!

All Over But the Shouting and Reaching Out

THREE WEEKS UNTIL ELECTION DAY, millions of American have already voted early, and every week day between now and November 8 at least one million more Americans will vote early. By the dawn's early light of election day, Tuesday November 8, almost half the votes will be in the ballot box, and the election will in fact be over. Whoever is ahead between now and election day will already have won the election by the time the polls open on November 8, and in fact has already won the election, by building a lead which will not change. Even if between now and November 8 the polls tighten into a dead heat, which they most likely will, the lead which has already been translated into votes will simply be verified, and will not, cannot change. Hillary Clinton is fully aware of this, and, as Rush Limbaugh said, is "hibernating", running out the clock. Trump, meanwhile, is having two of his frenetic, screeching rallies per day in field houses filled with screeching, maniacal followers, belching out their final, desperate anger and hatred before defeat finally comes, as it in fact already has. This late in the campaign almost everyone has decided, many have already voted, and Trump's rallies rally only the long since faithful devotees, and gain no new support. Rallies no longer work or help candidates at this point. But Donald likes playing the part of the great charismatic leader with all the solutions and an adoring following, knowing he won't have many more opportunities or much more time to hog the limelight. A decade from now most of Trump's supporters will look back in amazement and wonder how they could have lost their minds so completely, so badly. If only his crowds would chant "equal justice, under law, for all!", instead of "lock her up!", they could perhaps salvage a shred of dignity and respect, these supposed law and order advocates, but that isn't what they're after. They're just venting hatred, and the bitterness of defeat. Bill Clinton, knowing that his wife has already won the election unless its been rigged by some black magic, is urging his wife's supporters to reach out after the election. But when they do, will anybody be there to whom to reach?....................THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT. PLEASE TELL OTHERS ABOUT THIS SITE!

Saving Snails

EVERY MORNING when I walk sleepily out onto my front porch with my first cup of coffee, there are several snails making their way across the driveway pavement, leaving their trails behind them, allowing their direction to be extrapolated with a certain degree of accuracy. Long, slimy things, with antlers. We've all seen them. Are they looking for water, or something else? What could compel or impel them to leave the rough, verdant, moist terrain where they are at home, and strike out across a perfectly flat, barren, hard, dry and endless landscape? I suspect that the answer to this is known, or at least speculated upon by scientists, philosophers, owners of front porches. Perhaps massive tomes have been written on the subject, hidden deep in the darkest recesses of research libraries. The one thing I know for sure, however, is that they are doomed, that their decision to leave their comfort zone and venture across a vast wasteland can have only one consequence; death by dehydration. We have all seen their dried, dead husks of bodies flattened against pavement, their trail at an end. Less than a week ago, for the first time in my life, I decided that I for some reason care, and to do something about it, at least on my home turf. I find a couple of dried dead leaves on the ground, and, gently as I can, scoop up snails, and return them to god's green earth, far from the sanitized destruction of nature that human habitat has become. When the leaves start to slide under their bodies as I scoop them up, they always recoil and curl into a ball, and become very small and compressed. I always wonder if I am injuring them. Then I try to place them on the ground several feet from the driveway pavement, to mitigate their chances of ending right back in the same predicament. I lower them down as gently as I can, hoping they can recover from the shock, get their bearings, heal themselves, and go about the business of living their lives...........ENCOURAGE CREATIVE WRITING!

Raising Hell After Hillary's Election, The Right Wing Way

ONE CAN SCARCELY IMAGINE the conservative wailing and gnashing of teeth that will ensue beginning around midnight, November 9, if, at that hour, Hillary Clinton is projected by the mainstream liberal corporate American media as the winner of the presidency. First, right wing America will deny the media's claim, accuse the entire media in America of pro Hillary bias, declare that the election has been fixed, and prepare to take to the streets. When, an hour or two later, the United States election commission formerly declares Hillary Clinton the president elect, conservative America will have a cow, to put it mildly, and Trump will come forth screaming madly, and declare the election to have been fixed, rigged, and stolen, and enraged Trump supporters will take to the streets by the tens of thousands all across the fruited plain, carrying Bibles in one hand and assault weapons in the other. It will all make for great reality TV, and of course Donald J. Trump, who was made for reality TV, will make the most of it, encouraging his followers to refuse to accept the election results, claiming vociferously that not only the election but America itself has been stolen from the righteous, and inciting mayhem. If we're extra lucky, the Tea Party will come out, and dust off all their old "to hell with render unto Caesar" signs and banners, Sarah Palin will dye the grey out of her hair, and show up, and maybe even a few of the nineteen nineties militia groups will organize and march, if they are still physically able. Amid all this, President Elect Hillary Clinton will appear at the white House to accept a hearty congratulations and a few words of advice from President Obama, the event will be covered by most mainstream corporate news outlets, who will then once again be accused by conservative America of treason and fixing the American political system in favor of radical Islamicists, liberals, Marxists, baby killers and radicals like Obama and Hillary. It should all be great fun, and your best advice is to pay close attention, pop some extra popcorn, and enjoy the show!............THIS ARTICLE MAKES A VALID POINT. THANKS FOR SHARING IT WITH OTHERS!

Fantasizing With Rush and The Limbaugh Listeners

I STARTED LISTENING TO RUSH Limbaugh over twenty years ago, and still do. listening to Limbaugh is beneficial in getting to know the hearts and minds of millions of American conservatives, his loyal listeners. Its always worthwhile to get to know somebody, or many somebodies better. One of Rush's main themes is that conservatism is the correct political ideology, conservatism is the truth, and that liberalism is not only dead wrong, but it is a fraud, a lie, an evil destructive force, a false ideology. Anyone who has ever listened to Rush has heard him say that. What if, just for the sake of argument, the opposite is true? What if, in some hypothetical science fiction short story, Rush Limbaugh is dead-assed, diametrically wrong, about everything, and his brain dead sycophantic followers are being misled and duped? For instance, Rush in the real world says often that there is no naturally occurring climate change, or human made climate change. Climate change, says Rush, is a liberal hoax, a liberal lie, and that there is absolutely no way in hell that the human race, weak and small that it is, could, now or ever, cause global warming and climate change. Again, any of the millions of Rush Limbaugh listeners have heard this. Rush pronounces that climate change is a liberal hoax, and his listeners believe and accept that fact, apparently without further thought. But what, in some fictional, science fiction world, Rush also says that climate change is a liberal hoax, but there really is human made climate change, with humanity pouring millions of tons of carbon into the atmosphere, and the atmosphere is getting hotter, the sea levels are rising, and violent storms becoming more frequent, and the world deteriorates, and nature dies all around them as "the listeners" do nothing to fight climate change, and listen to Limbaugh deny it all? Wouldn't that be a great science fiction story? In this scenario, the liberals would be the ones telling the truth, and Rush Limbaugh would be an evil pied piper, leading the gullible and the stupid, and the rest of the world, to doom, as the liberal voices of truth and sanity are snuffed out by a vast right wing Rush Limbaugh conspiracy. In paperback, "The Limbaugh Listeners" could sell millions. Back here in the real world Rush Limbaugh lives in Florida, where the streets and sewers of Miami flood every day at high tide, so some of Rush's neighbors might mention this to Mr. Limbaugh, and suggest that maybe there is something to this sea level business, but Rush can dismiss it as more liberal nonsense..........THANKS FOR READING!

Still Chasing Hillary, Still Coming Up Short

THE AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE COMMUNITY, both in and out of congress, gets crazier...and crazier. It seems we shall soon have yet another investigation of Hillary Clinton, this time by a republican led House sub committee, investigating alleged improper communication between, believe it or not, the FBI, and the State Dept when Hillary was Secretary of State. The FBI has already responded by describing the investigation and allegations as "baseless", pointing out that the alleged time line does not match up to reality. Can you believe this? The FBI? So, it finally happened. American conservative-nation has been grumbling for some time about the FBI being politicized, corrupted by Hillary Clinton influence and money. So far, the grumblings have sounded so fatuous and insane that they have warranted only ridicule and laughter, but congress has taken the bait, and is once again poised to make itself look foolish, just it has all the other times it has investigated Hillary, and come up way short. Congress people listen to their constituents, or don't at their own risk. This nonsense is the same impulse by which Obama was, and still is, accused of having been born in Africa, and Michelle Obama was accused of being transgender. Hillary Clinton, after a quarter century of right wing witch hunting, has a perfectly clean legal and criminal record. You could look it up, as Casey Stengel used to say. She will go to her grave with the same clean record, and a long list of conservative McCarthy style witch hunts trailing along behind her, making her witch hunters look stupid, just like Senator Joseph P. McCarthy looks evil and stupid today, because in his own day, he was. You could look that up too. That poor right wing religious sap running with Trump, Governor Pence, is going to look back on all this twenty years from now, and shake his head in disbelief, wondering just how in the hell he got caught up in all this craziness. He'll wonder how on earth he ever got tangled up with a complete nut case and sex pervert like Trump, and how in hell his sacred mission to bring Christian virtue to America ever got so very sidetracked by his own political party of criminals and hate mongers.....he'll probably get a good book out of it, and a bit part playing himself in the movie "Trump". But until then, might as well sit back, refill the popcorn popper, and enjoy the sight of the american conservative republican community going off the deep end and self destroying along with its leader, Donald J. "octopus" Trump..........PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH FRIENDS.THANKS!

Taking Credit For Trump

WERE I HILLARY CLINTON, and trust me, I'm glad I'm not, I'd have Obama, my husband, Bernie Sanders and Michelle O out on the campaign trail the final three weeks, representin', and deliv'rin'...All four of these people are better speakers than Hillary, and can make her case for her much better than she. Surely her managers, advisers, and caretakers understand this. B.H.O. is making the perfectly true and very important point that the republicans, and especially the ultra conservatives, are responsible for Donald Trump. Trump, and the disaster for conservative republicanism that he is proving to be, are the direct responsibility of the republican party, what with their little temper tantrum thrown at Obama and republicans members of congress for not stopping Obama. Donald J. Trump is an albatross around the neck of conservative America, and anyone who votes Trump is signing on to everything Donald J. has said and done, in essence, giving approval to an admitted sex offender, among other forms of reprehensible behavior. Because the American people can only take so much, are only so thoughtless and gullible, will put up with only a certain amount of tantalizing, entertaining evil, Trump will go down to ignominious flaming defeat, and his supporters will spend the rest of their lives with their support of Trump on their personal records. If by some bizarre cosmic joke Trump gets elected and turns the United States into a reincarnation of the Third Reich, many of his followers will flee the country as the enemy army of liberation advances, while the most fervent will find out what caliber their leader used to off himself, and follow suit. It seems remarkable that the republicans began the campaign with so many good candidates, and chose the most disastrous one. Every week day between now and election day, hundreds of thousand of Americans will vote, as conservative America grudgingly but inevitably pays for its political stupidity and egregious sins........PLEASE VISIT AGAIN SOON, AND TELL OTHERS ABOUT THIS WEBSITE.THANKS!

Voting For Progress

SCIENCE IN ON THE BALLOT in this election. Specifically, medical research and climate science. Republican conservatives in large numbers, as you may know, do not not like legalized abortion, the Planned parenthood organization, and especially fetal tissue research. Fetal tissue research is crucial to making progress in disease elimination and prevention, because it allows researchers to get to the root cause of improper cellular reproduction in early life, and bio chemical, metabolic malfunctions. All across America's fruited plain, young eager scientists are examining fetal tissue, conducting experiments, learning about human biological origins and how to intervene to detect the presence of disease and reverse the disease process, creating better health for all. And yet, most republican conservatives in Congress are opposed to all this beneficial science, and are conducting a systematic campaign to stop it, using various and sundry methods to accomplish this diabolical and foolish goal. The same holds true with climate science and the study of man made climate change, which science universally accepts as reality, but conservative republicans do not. Congressional harassment of scientists engaged in these research areas is shocking and reprehensible, ranging from forced interrogations of scientists and massive amounts of regulation limiting the scope of scientific activities. This must stop. This is not a matter of democrat or republican, liberal or conservative, Christian, Muslim, or atheist. This is a matter of lunacy versus reason, and our desperate necessity to choose reason over insanity, to choose life over self destruction and death. Aborted fetuses, like climate change, exist, whether or now we might want them to. Refusing to learn about them and save ourselves in so doing because we disapprove of or deny their existence is sheer, unadulterated lunacy. Resistance to progress by regressive, primitive, out dated ultra conservative politicians is destructive to the success and prosperity of a forward looking nature, like the United States. We the people must vote enough of these backward looking, stupid people out of office. Whether we vote for liberals, conservative, republicans, democrats, Christians, or non Christians, we must vote for people who accept the necessity ofr all kinds of medical research and the reality of human made climate change, that science and human progress may continue unhindered..........KEEP THE FAITH! SHARE THIS WEBSITE! THANKS!

My Hillary Button, Pissing Off the Elderly

MY HILLARY CLINTON campaign button isn't going over very well at the senior center. The first day I wore it, I got a couple of cold glances. The second day, they had turned to icy stares, and dismissive greetings. Obviously, I can't empirically, definitively prove that the Hillary button has any influence on anybody's behavior at all. But I swear it does. From the first time I wore it, the right wingers among the ancient ones started treating me a bit differently, even colder and ruder than usual. My plan right now is to keep going back every day for lunch, wearing the Hillary sign of course, and to say nothing, to start no conversations,just eat. that way, I can keep out of trouble, unless somebody else starts some, in which case, I'll be glad to finish it. I'll ask if they plan to voter for their republican party sex offender. These right wing Christians are the worst. Rude, sanctimonious, unfriendly. Being conservative, they hate Hillary,naturally, and are probably going to vote for Trump because Trump is such a good Christian conservative man with great family values, if perhaps a bit of a penchant to chase tail. But that's another story. most of these people are eighty five years old, and can barely get out of their chairs, much less run, so I should be safe. I must keep in mind, however, that these redneck dumb ass country bumpkins tend to carry weapons, and to conceal them. A "red neck country bumpkin" is defined as anyone who denies evolution by natural selection, and climate change, because they aren't in the Bible. These country bumpkins are good people; hard working, honest, and all that .You can be a perfectly wonderful person, and be a fool, refusing to accept reality. All these people would need to do to gain my approval is to be a wee bit more friendly, and to make an intelligent comment now and then, and to accept reality, including climate change, for instance, but, oh no, that would require too much effort, or pride loss, or something. The Hillary button, stays, no matter what. If any of these ancient fools smarts off to me, bring it. We're talking about who don't believe in evolution or climate change, but believe that the Bible is the Word of God, instead of an ancient manuscript written and rewritten countless times by hundreds of primitive people, proving that the are fools. They seem angry right now, as if they can sense that Hillary is going to win, and as much at they hate Obama, and I do mean hate, the thought of President Hillary, to them, is pure poison. As far as I'm concerned, they are free to drink it...................PLEASE SHARE THIS AMUSING STORY WITH OTHERS. THANKS!

Conservative Christians, Reconsidering

UNTIL QUITE RECENTLY, African-Americans were not allowed to try on shoes in a store. That arrangement was quite all right with the conservatives of the day. More enlightened now, we have changed, and although yesterday's conservatism has vanished like the illusion that it was, conservative resistance to progress has taken on new and ever more bizarre forms. Danger lurks. A man who brags on camera about being a sex offender is running for president of the U.S., and getting a frightening amount of support among conservatives. In the throes of his self destruction and defeat, he is lashing out wildly and insanely, attacking everything in sight, and leading his followers to do likewise. If we're not careful, American culture is going to produce a rash of manically angry gun slinging conservatives, prowling the streets, looking for liberals. The anger and aggression of America's conservatives community is palpable, and dangerous. All good Americans should try to persuade their ultra right wing family members to join a yoga meditation group, fast. In america's devout Christian churches, where right wingers often gather, ministers across the land would be of great service to America by preaching the love and peace of Jesus, and our need to emulate it. For those right wingers who carry, love the NRA, hate liberals, Obama, and Hillary, but love Jesus, think about Jesus, and forget about Hillary and the rest. It somehow simply does not seem likely that Jesus would consider it a good idea for millions of Americans to carry deadly weapons on their person, but, hey, who knows? For conservative Christians, with family values, to support Trump at this point seems, well, insane. Would Jesus build a wall against Mexico? Or a bridge? Perhaps our conservative colleagues in America could be prevailed upon to read the words of Jesus about rendering unto Caesar and giving unto the poor, and reconsider supporting a person who brags about being a sex criminal........................PLEASE TELL OTHERS ABOUT THIS PROGRESSIVE WEBSITE, AND WORK FOR CHANGE. THANKS!

Turning Off Television, Turning Off Corporate Corruption and Crime

I HAVEN'T HAD A TELEVISION for five years, a bit out of TV touch. Did they ever find out who killed J.R.? Did Captain Kirk ever find the right woman? I don't have a smart phone either, for all the right reasons. I read, write, and listen to radio. I sometimes consider rabbit ears, but never pull the trigger. Ho hum. News and sports twenty four seven is not necessary for me, sitting on the couch, endlessly clicking. A little NPR (National Public Radio) for news, and ESPN radio for sports is good enough. Its easier to read and think while listening to the radio. I'll take anything for free, but why pay for something you don't want or need? And why support billionaire corporations and their corruption? Everything going on in the realm of television, telephones, computers, and politics is fine, just fine, according to God's plan. A storm, exhausting itself. The option of opting out of this or that wonderful new social media trend is viable, under the proper conditions. If several million of us would cut off our television and telephone services simultaneously, we might possibly experience, soon thereafter, a reduction of price and improvement of quality of these consumer products. Now we have the great Comcast scandal, another giant monopolistic corporation misbehaving, providing services and charging for them without customer consent. Yet another reason to disconnect one's cable, and listen to NPR. The Comcast scandal is similar to the great Wells Fargo rip off; take advantage of lack of consumer and government vigilance to make money deceitfully, for the good of the corporation, the greed, and the American way. How much corporate crime must be exposed before conservatives endorse reasonable government regulation of the economy? No, not every government regulation is bad for business, or stifles growth. Most government regulation enhances growth by preventing capitalism from destroying itself, all growth, and along with it, the country.........PLEASE VOTE SOON. THANKS!

People Solving Problems Like Putin

OBAMA FINALLY, FORMALLY ACCUSED THE RUSSIANS of computer hacking into America, because there is a great deal of evidence to support the accusation. The fact that every country in the world and every corporation with a computer hacks into everybody else's computer constantly does not justify Russian cyber aggression, and America might consider responding by challenging the people of Russia to an Olympic mass video game contest, winner writes the new internet rules. Millions of Russian gamers, hunched over their devices, fighting desperately against some unknown pimply faced teen aged American who knows which cyber weapon to use. Their best ten million versus ten million of America's best video gamers, namely, its children. The Russians seem to be paying particular hacking attention to the Democratic party, probably working directly with Donald J. Trump to ruin Hillary and the democrats, most likely because Vladimir Putin the Great wants Trump to win, confident that Trump would be far easier to manipulate and control and outsmart than Hillary. Trump is constantly praising Putin, kissing Vladimir's butt, admiring his strength, control, and brutality. Putin is doubtless humorously flattered by this, and is thinking how easy it will be to deceive and control the fool, and plans to stand next to Trump like a pair of glorious conquering heroes, then take Trump for all he's worth. Maybe the FBI will find proof that Trump and Putin are conspiring to steal the election, indict Trump, convict him, and put him in prison, on death row. If that happens, America's conservatives will doubtless scream bloody murder that Hillary Clinton owns and is pulling all the strings at the FBI, and throughout the federal court system, including the U.S. Supreme Court, owned by Hillary. Stealing is prevented by having nothing to steal, ancient saying goes. The less America relies on secrets and stealth, the better. Same for everybody. A world bursting at the seams with cyber secrets we must avoid, alt delete escape, and reboot. Meanwhile, how to deal with the Russian government. This government once used cyber hacking to shut down the power grid in the Ukraine. Shame shame. Perhaps Putin should be shamed by standing him up in front of the United Nations, for questioning and explaining. Then, a global referendum on Russia under Putin, and what to do about it, would be nice, after a lively discussion at the U.N. and on the internet. The Russian people, like the American people, deserve a better government than they now have. May the world soon rid itself of the Russian dictatorial corporate oligarchy, and the American plutocratic corporate oligarchy.......NEW ARTICLES ARE PUBLISHED EVERY FEW HOURS.THANKS!

Jesus People, Strangely Sticking With Trump

ANYBODY WHO STILL PLANS TO VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP has got to be out of his or her mind., or lacking intelligence and moral values. Either that, or a rock solid conservative republican Christian who will do anything to stop liberalism, and liberalism's annoying habit of helping the poor by taxing the wealthy and redistributing wealth. Dumping Trump, a self admitted sexual predator whose victims are now coming forth and confirming Trump's boastful predatory claims, dumping Trump with all due haste, like many republican politicians are currently doing, and spending your remaining time working for other, better projects, like fighting climate change, hunger, poverty, racism, and war, to name a few, would be the best course of action. For an evangelical conservative Christian, writing in the name "Ted Cruz" on election day would be a far better solution than sticking with the reprobate and pervert Donald J. Trump. Evangelical Christians, who for some strange reason tend to be conservative republicans, are having difficulty supporting Trump, but some of the less discerning ones are managing to pull it off. They are falling all over themselves, like the reverend Jerry Falwell Jr. and Liberty University, to forgive Donald J. for his lust and craziness, a generous, noble, magnanimous act which makes them feel far superior and leaves room, crazily, to vote for Trump, instead of some damned liberal who might redistribute wealth. To date, Donald J. has offered no admissions of sexual misconduct, or to make amends for his sins, which is paramount in the process of atonement. Meanwhile, one woman after another is coming forth, confirming Trump's own words. Forgive him, yes, just like Jesus would, but don't vote for him, because Jesus wouldn't. The extreme right wing Christian evangelical crowd is evidently willing to vote for a reprobate by "forgiving a sinner", to avoid electing a liberal. Pathetic. Devout right wing evangelical Christians of America, I admonish you to vote for Hillary, Ted Cruz, or darned near anybody other than Donald J. Why? Because your lord said "render unto Caesar", that's why. Jesus never said he was a genius for using the tax code to avoid paying taxes, nor did your lord and savior ever say that he screws any woman he wants, by force if necessary, because he's famous. Did he? Hello? But he did say render unto Caesar, and give unto the poor. When it comes to redistribution of wealth, Jesus, your lord and savior, was hard core, oh devout Christian republican conservatives. That's socialism, not capitalism. Between the two major candidates, its Hillary, taxing the wealthy and redistributing unto the poor, whose stated policy more closely resembles the teaching of Jesus, rather than Trump, who seems proud to be able to elude taxation while groping women along the way.......PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THIS SITE.THANKS!

Seeing A Hillary Rodham Clinton Sex Video

IN THE 2012 ELECTION, by the time election day arrived, over one third of the voters had already voted early. The number will be higher this time, as the early voting idea is quite popular, most states have enacted this option, and the beginning of early voting has been moved up in most states. The trend is for more and more people to vote early each election cycle, and that trend is likely to intensifies in future elections, along with online voting, absentee voting, etc. Earlier today, for instance, the early voting period began in Ohio, and lines formed in many cities long before the polls opened. Folks are fired up, eager to make their voice heard. By now approximately a couple dozen states are voting everyday, with more states opening early voting every day, and voting will continue until election day. Today, roughly one million Americans will vote, another million tomorrow, and so on every week day, until by the time November eight arrives, at least thirty million votes will already have been cast, and a large part of the election already determined. One month before election day, all this is very good news for whoever happens to be ahead, which, at the moment, is Hillary Clinton, by over ten percent. This very moment, one million votes are being cast every day with a forty five to thirty five margin, a lead of over ten percentage points, favoring Hillary. Obviously, that can change, but the closer we get to election day (Nov. 8) the less change will take place. If Trump is going to have a chance, which he almost certainly doesn't, he must start making up ground fast and furiously and make the election a toss up very soon, like, within the next few days. If Trump remains far behind all throughout the early voting period, then Hillary will be way ahead at the start of election day, and even an equal vote count on election day will have no impact. All Hillary has to do is run the football, and run out the clock. You somehow suspect that leading up to election day, the conservative media will tell us Trump is gaining ground, gradually. We will be told this every day for a while, until on election day itself, surprise surprise, the election will be a dead heat. If so, Trump is toast, because of the thirty million votes already in the bag, with Hillary getting most of those. Unless a video shows up showing Hillary having passionate, violent sex, which seems unlikely because Hillary doesn't seem to be interested in sex, it seems unlikely that Trump will win. I must admit, however, that I would love to see a Hillary Rpdham Clinton sex video........SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH OTHERS.THANKS!

Keeping America Great By Helping Immigrants instead of Keeping Them Out

EVEN AS WE SPEAK, there are thousands of Haitian refugees hanging out just across the border from San Diego, evidently hoping to get into the United States, but let's not be presumptuous. Haiti is the world's poorest nation, or close enough, and the hurricane didn't help. These refugees apparently first went to South America, mostly Brazil, and many of them worked temp jobs at the Olympics, before getting laid off and heading north. They've come a long way, to say the least, and it would, one might think, behoove the United States to do something about them. Surely, Mr. Obama soon shall, and most likely he won't give a rat's ass about conservative-republican reaction to whatever action he takes, because he already knows one thing for damned sure: whatever the conservative-republican reaction to his actions turns out to be,, it will be utterly insane, no matter what. Try naming the last time an American conservative attitude about anything made any sense at all, or even hinted of sanity, and you're stumped, utterly. For example, immigration. The American conservative viewpoint is that we need to stop all illegal immigration, and keep out Muslims. The dirty little secret is we already have virtually stopped all illegal immigration, and that there is no way in hell to keep out Muslims, or any other religion. Argue the point with Doug Mathews at Princeton, the world's leading authority on immigration. We all need to realize that the United Stats of America needs immigrants, its just a question of how many. Probably many, because the birth rate among Americans is so low, and soon enough so many Americans will be dropping dead for obesity, diabetes, and heart failure that, without immigrants, who tend to be young and eager to work at jobs most Americans will not do - without immigrants, America's population, productivity, and prosperity will start to decrease, doubtless resulting in great wailing, gnashing, and violent pandemonium.........KEEP AMERICA GREAT. TELL OTHERS ABOUT THIS WEBSITE! THANKS!

Celebrating, and Helping, Stray Cats

NATIONAL FERAL CAT DAY is just around the corner, and its never too early to plan parties, civic ceremonies, parades. Its time to shop for gifts, and send cards. On Friday, October 14, and then again Monday, October 17, any stray outdoor feral cat can be spayed , neutered, and vaccinated for free at participating locations. For further information, contact your local Humane Society. The four day holiday sandwiched around a week end is a brilliant idea, considering the importance of the holiday, and the cause for which it stands. We can party all weekend, while we do whatever we can to help the stray cat community. Cats seem to do a reasonably good job of surviving without suffering when they have no human caretaker, which is only somewhat comforting. A human care taker is almost good for cats, except for a small minority of human idiots, often conservative Americans, who abuse animals without care or concern. All stray cats should be neutered, spayed, vaccinated, fed, and examined for health issues and treated, then, if necessary, returned to the wilds of our towns and cities, to run harmlessly through our yards. Either that, or they should be adopted by loving caring humans. But in no instance should they be trapped and killed. That isn't what christian America is about. We are not killers, or at least, we must start trying not to be killers, for once, to put it more brutally but honestly. Verily, isn't Christianity all about love, and Christian America about strength through hard work, through helping each other, about caring for, and creating peace and prosperity for all? Correct me if I'm wrong. After all, its our responsibility. My veterinarian friend told me that somebody brought her a twelve year old cat with one leg missing, wanting to have it "put to sleep", or"murdered" would be more accurate. The vet told the would be murderer that she would not comply, but would take the cat in exchange for paying the euthanasia fee. The sweet cat seems happy now, living at the vet's office. Now, that's more like it. Chalk up a victory, one small victory, for Christian America......SPREAD THE WORD. HELP STRAY CATS NOW!

Conservatives Slowly Sinking Beneath the Climate Change Ocean

HILLARY WENT TO FLORIDA with Al Gore, and talked about climate change. Gore started the conversation, long ago, about the same time he invented the internet. Gore has a history with Florida, those of you over a certain age might recall. Trump has said, on camera, that climate change is a hoax perpetuated by the Chinese. You'd have to give Hillary the edge on that issue. Every day at high tide part of the city of Miami, Florida floods. It used to happen several times a year, then once a week, now, every day. The problem is getting worse fast, and will keep getting worse, while the current governor of Florida claims that man made climate change does not exist, period. Therefore, the state of Florida is doing absolutely nothing about saving themselves from certain doom, because of a conservative governor. Meanwhile, everybody who lives next to the ocean knows that sea level rise is real, and has seen it. Anybody who claims that human made climate change is not real is not qualified to hold office, such as most republicans and nearly all conservatives. If Hillary keeps hammering on climate change, the working class, racism, all three of which Donald denies, and all the important issues, and let's Trump run the smear campaign, she'll be good to go, right into the white House with a full head of steam. When Trump's vulgar comments were revealed, Trump immediately promised to "become a better man". Then he dismissed his vulgarity as spontaneous, harmless locker room banter. Nobody needs to "become a better man" for harmless, spontaneous locker banter. Being a predatory sexual criminal and bragging about it on camera is another matter entirely. For that, you needs to become better, for sure. Our best hope is that Trump will take all the climate change denying republicans with him on his sinking ship, and let the rest of us get about the business of fighting global warming, creating equality, and respecting, rather than insulting, everyone. Maybe that's too much to ask.....THANKS FOR VISITING!

Surviving By Planting Trees

WHEN I BUILT MY HOUSE (actually I bought it from a builder who hired people to build it, but in America, what we own, we claim we built) eleven years ago, the half acre, a new construction, looked like the surface of mars, with a nice ranch style house in the middle. Nothing but red dirt, rocks, and a few sprigs of crabgrass. On closing day, I nearly backed out of the deal, thinking the yard was beyond all hope. Then, II picked up a rock. than another. I planted grass, some shrubs, and twenty saplings, oak, red bud, and ornamental maple mostly. Eleven years later it is the apple of my eye, with forty foot trees around the property edge, lined with shrubs, burning bush, azalea, and thick, lush grass, all very beautiful. Now I'm glad I didn't give up. When human kind forest became neolithic, a short ten thousand years or so ago, there were an estimated seven trillion trees on the planet. Now, using computers and satellite photography we have learned that roughly half have been taken down by human, leaving about three and a half trillion still standing. With clear cutting and deforestation, we lose a net ten billion or so a year, which is unsustainable. What we need to do is plant a trillion trees within the next five years, a seeming impossibility, but not. There is a spreading awareness of the need to do this, as all across the globe groups of tree planters are forming, and tree planting projects are getting underway. In New York City, for instance, the number of trees lining the city streets has increased from maybe thirty five thousand ten years ago to well over one hundred thousand today, thanks largely by people like former mayor Bloomberg and other concerned citizens. New York's current mayor,a democrat, is totally on board with the tree project, and will doubtless add to it in New York. Even though my own yard is pretty much filled up with trees, I keep thinking about really pushing it, planting several more red bud and dogwood, and making my property a virtual forest. I love trees that much. Everywhere I go i see places, yards, business property, streets, where one or more trees could be planted with no problems, and a lot of gain for us all. And I don't think I'm the only one. all over the world, more and more, people are going to be talking about planting large numbers of trees, then organizing, then going out and planting. Once we have a trillion new trees up and growing, we can stop, look around, take a deep breath, and decide what to do from there. Each tree planted by each human is another step forward to our survival, into our grand children's future.......PLEASE TELL OTHERS ABOUT THIS WEB SITE, A FORCE FOR PROGRESS! THANKS!

Conservative America, Coming Unglued

THE AMERICAN RIGHT WING HAS gone off the deep end, as the saying goes. It has become insanely angry and delusional, because of its many failures and rejection by most of America. The american conservative community is having a nervous breakdown, before our very eyes. The despair of repeated defeat will do that to weak people. It was bad enough, from the conservative viewpoint, that one of those dark skinned "African-Americans" was elected to the presidency, and a non conservative, liberal socialist Islamic sympathizer at that. That was just the beginning, and it just keeps getting worse. Gay people are out of the closet, and getting married, legally. Strike a blow against traditional conservative values. Transgender people are being required by law to be treated like other human beings. Another blow to tradition, to conservatism. America is becoming unrecognizable, totally different than it traditionally has been, utter anathema to conservatives. Obamacare, providing health insurance to twenty million people for the first time. Horrible. People from Mexico, the middle east, and east Asia overrunning the country, turning white folk into a minority, replacing white men's rule with cultural diversity. A basket of imported deplorables, conservatives might say, borrowing and twisting a phrase from the probable next American president, their next president, who really is far smarter and moral than most of those who despise her so passionately. Twenty five years of relentless investigation and attacks on Hillary Clinton, all to no avail, all come to nothing, a pile of republican rubble. And now, worst of all, the ultimate nightmare, stuck with Trump, an obvious reprobate, sinking in his own morass of self destruction. And how does the American right wing respond? With a constant barrage of intellectual bile, insane accusations, insults, verbal attacks and conspiracy theories that break down into drivel upon examination. Obama was born in Africa. Hillary Clinton bribed the FBI. Muslims are terrorists. Racism in America was over, until Obama brought it back. We all must carry guns. So goes the right wing lunacy. It would all be humorous, were it not so tragic and pathetic. It must be horrible to be a conservative republican about now, watching your ship sink beneath the societal ocean, powerless to prevent it.........THANKS FOR SHARING THIS WEBSITE WITH OTHERS!

Celebrating Conveniently Strange Holidays

YESTERDAY AT THE SENIOR CENTER a an older gentleman asked me "what holiday is this"? Since all American holidays are on Monday, and all have the same low level of enthusiasm, it was a perfectly understandable question. "Columbus Day", I smiled. "He landed on this day in 1492 for the purpose of adding another three day weekend to our conveniently made over sanitized calendar." Naturally I couldn't stop there. I explained that the purpose of Columbus himself was to get rich and famous, and to that end was looking for gold, silver, and slaves, not freedom, democracy, or opportunity for the masses to secure the blessings of a better life with religious freedom, liberty, and economic prosperity through hard work and fair play. Far out in the Atlantic, Columbus promised a fortune to the first man who spotted land. When one of his sailors put in a claim, Columbus dismissed it with the announcement that he himself had seen the approaching shoreline at dusk the previous evening. One particular paragraph in his journal sums up his whole approach to the enterprise. Roughly, it says something to the effect that: "we dropped anchor , walked up on to the beach, and were immediately greeted by the natives. They were practically naked, wearing only jewelry, and were physically impressive and healthy in appearance. They were instantly friendly, offered us greetings, and anything else we might want. They carried no weapons, and expressed a willingness to give us whatever they had, whatever we might need or want. Their gentle, cheerful demeanor was striking. They are going to make excellent slaves." Christopher Columbus evidently didn't give a second thought to the bizarre and bitter irony of this, which existed on so many different levels. These natives were decidedly non European, and non christian, so whatever could be done to exploit them was merely a matter of course, normal behavior, with no further moral implications. A priest who sailed on the voyage and witnesses everything later wrote in his own journal of the shocking slaughter of the pleasant "Indians", of how they were deceived, captured, slaughtered, and turned into beasts of burden, and millions of them were butchered, one limb at a time. An entire civilization, wiped out. America, off to a morally shameful start, which was perpetuated unrelentingly for centuries, and which we celebrate today. But at least we get our three day weekend in October, even those of us who no longer know or care why........MAY THE PEOPLE IN POLAND KNOW AMERICA BETTER SOMEDAY! THANKS!