“They said, ‘We think it’s very inappropriate for you to say. I said, ‘Why? I’m president.’ I want to protect the women of our country.... Well, I’m gonna do it whether the women like it or not. I’m gonna protect them." Donald Trump
Sundays
Sunday, June 28, 2020
Eurovision the Movie is less a Will Farrell movie and more an Eurovision Homage
Look, you either love the crazy ass, over the top, battle of the bands on LSD that is Eurovision - or you have no taste. Will Farrell's new Netflix movie, Eurovision; The Movie wallows in Eurovision. There is a party at the home of the Russian Lion (Dan Stephens in fine form) where every famous Eurovision star of the past 3 years is there. If you can't spot Netta or Alexandre Rybak, you haven't lived.
Above is the preview. And if you think it is over the top, then you haven't seen the real Eurovision and 3 performances are below to help you figure it all out.
This last one is a Polish Women's song that would be misogynistic if it was sung by men. Kind of a Polish "my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard".
The White Puffin
Suzanne pointed this white puffin out to me. It is gorgeous!
Then I read the sad story. His coloring made the other birds pick on him (which apparently puffins do sometimes), so he settled in with a partner. They aren't sure if it is breeding partner (opposite sex) or just living partner. Apparently sometimes single puffins will roost with same sex partners in order ot make the colony happy without too many free range males mucking up the couples.
In any case, I'm glad he found a friend and they are happy in the colony now.
Saturday, June 27, 2020
Pay Attention to the Line: "President Trump was briefed on it."
I guess did nothing wasn't quite right. He did invite Russia to the G7 meeting again - they have been disinvited after occupying Crimea. He did invite them over the objections of our allies - who apparently care more about our soldiers than he does.
Friday, June 26, 2020
From Our Guest Blogger - Lynn Today: Equality
Examples according to Stewart:
Homestead Act - White homesteaders were given millions of acres of land... 20 percent of the wealth in that area can be traced to the Homestead Act, which explicitly did not include Black people.Fact check: The 1862 Homestead Act gave away millions of acres of what had been Indian Territory west of the Mississippi. Ultimately, 270 million acres, or 10% of the total land area of the United States, was converted to private hands, overwhelmingly white, under Homestead Act provisions. link The only personal requirement was that the homesteader be either the head of a family or 21 years of age; thus, U.S. citizens, freed slaves, new immigrants intending to become naturalized, single women, and people of all races were eligible. link
According to the National Archives, a limited number of farmers and laborers could afford to build a farm, which included access to tools, crops, livestock and more. Most of the land went to speculators, cattlemen, miners, lumbermen, and railroads.” link
The New Deal – Explicitly said you cannot loan these low cost loans that were intended so that white people could gain equity. You cannot give them to Black people. This is the most progressive piece of legislation to happen on the soil of America, explicitly excluded Black people.
Fact check: The GI Bill, which was part of the New Deal, did not specifically excluded African-American veterans from its benefits. However, it was structured in a way that ultimately shut doors for the 1.2 million Black veterans who served their country during World War II, in segregated ranks. Banks generally wouldn't make loans for mortgages in Black neighborhoods and Blacks were excluded from many/most suburbs by a combination of deed covenants and informal racism. link
Other examples I found at PBS.
The 1790 Naturalization Act permitted only "free white persons" to become naturalized citizens, thus opening the doors to European immigrants but not others. Only citizens could vote, serve on juries, hold office, and in some cases, even hold property.
In the South, the federal government never followed through on General Sherman's Civil War plan to divide up plantations and give each freed slave "40 acres and a mule"; as reparations.
Only once was monetary compensation made for slavery, in Washington, D.C. There, government officials paid up to $300 per slave upon emancipation - not to the slaves, but to local slaveholders as compensation for loss of property.
The 1935 Wagner Act helped establish an important new right for white people by granting unions the power of collective bargaining, which helped millions of white workers gain entry into the middle class over the next 30 years. However, the Wagner Act permitted unions to exclude non-whites and deny them access to better paid jobs and union protections and benefits such as health care, job security, and pensions. Many craft unions remained nearly all-white well into the 1970s.
The 2020 Disaster Movies Keeps On Coming
- - Worst wildfires in Australia's History
- - Worst Pandemic in 101 years
- - Worst Economy since ... ever
- - Greater Deforestation ever
- - Second Hottest Year on Record
- - Group of Indian Death Monkeys stealing and distributing Covid 19
- - American Service Members giving data to Neo-Nazi Satanic Cult
- - 125,000 American deaths in 2 Months
- + Worst African Sandstorm to reach America in 50 years
Image from New Orleans
If Trump Could Just Do THIS ONE Thing
If he took his rally face trick out and endorsed, heartily endorsed - not his hostage reading of a teleprompter, mask wearing now. If he said he was wrong before and it was imperative to his re-election AND to an economic recovery to wear a mask, then I think enough 'independent" voters would say - "well he has learned" and he would win.
It wouldn't be big and he might not win the popular vote, but he would sway enough to win.
And yet, his ego cannot allow him to admit he was wrong. In fact, his ego cannot even allow him to think he is losing now.
I DO NOT want him to win. I think it would be the worst thing in the current cycle - I am just saying it is totally possible. And it is strange to me that a man who seems so savy about optics cannot see it.
Thursday, June 25, 2020
The Lincoln Project has captured my feelings...
Biden is the clear choice when it comes to compassionate and decent leadership. In a battle of heart, mind, and character @JoeBiden wins by a landslide. We need to ensure that’s reflected in the vote this November. pic.twitter.com/338AECInep
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) June 25, 2020
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Zoom Meeting Ediquette
And for those of you lucky enough to to know what "erotic fan fiction" is; these are stories written by regular people, staring some favorite characters in erotic or overtly sexual situations. Common "fan fiction" favorites:
Harry Potter and Ron Weasly hook up
Sherlock and Dr. Watson hook up
Kirk and Spock hook up
The Various Versions of Dr. Who (male and female) hook up - or if you are hooking up with another version of yourself from a different timeline is it masturabation?
Lex Luthor and Lois Lane hook up
Oddly, fan fiction is often heavily weighted towards gay male erotica, written by women.
In any case, do not share your erotic fan fiction work screen with co-workers.
120,000 Americans Dead - At least Trump is taking this seriously - right?
Nope.
No mention of 120,000 dead.
That is like 9/11 repeated 40 - FOURTY - times!
That is like all the students, undergrad and graduate, at University of Wisconsin. TWICE.
That is more than if every single person in the picture below of Alabama's Football Stadium died in the last 3 months!
This many people have died in the past 2 months! |
Monday, June 22, 2020
Satanic Neo-Nazi's. Year 2020 just keeps getting better and better.
Wildfires in Australia
Coronavirus throughout the world
Virus stealing Monkeys in India
A glut of police killing black people
Worldwide protests against Black Lives Matter
US Army personnel giving secretes to a Satanic Neo-Nazi Cult
What
The
Hell
US Army soldier charged with giving classified information to a white supremacist group based in Europe, according to law enforcement and military officials. https://t.co/d7IwX1t4qJ
— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 22, 2020
Our new puppy: Wisley
Wisley is the name of Ed and mine favorite Garden in England. It is also the village in England where the gardens are, like Hastings and Ashford. And it follows our dog names like Trevor, in that it means a lot to us.
So without further ado...
Wisley |
Teddy Rosevelt's Statue to come down
First, I love the museum and the statue. The statue is impressive and problematic. They aren't taking Teddy Rosevelt's Statue down because Teddy was a bad guy. But the statue is very "of his time", even though it was erected in 1940. Teddy was a progressive in 1901 - 1909 when he was President. That progressiveness then plays badly today.
The Statue (image below) show Teddy Rosevelt leading the way into the future on horseback. On one side of him is a Black man (apparently the NYTimes book of style now says we capitalize that and use it instead of African-American) and on the other side is a Native American (was called an Indian). It is a visual call back to the President lifting the "lower races" towards a future of enlightenment. President T. Rosevelt felt that all races could be educated and live together.
But that isn't the visual the image calls to mind now. Now we see the White President on horseback being followed by, and adored, by a Black and Native American. At best, a white savior metaphor, at worst a racist view that white men deserved a place of honor.
When I say I knew this was coming, the writing was on the wall about 5 or 7 years ago. They completely redid the statue and the murals at the museum.
I posted on the murals at the museum. They were all redone and are beautiful. But there is (or at least wasn't 5 years ago) any context or commentary on the murals. That is because any context would show Teddy as the beneficent savior of the Black and Native American races. There are multiple murals or different phases of his life. But in almost every mural, TR is shown fighting fro the rights of others. But the "others" are always poor, backward and uneducated. In 1940 it was a call for equality. Now it reads as derogatory.
The murals are less problematic because they are super busy and you can't really tell what is going on. (Beautiful, but busy). With the statue, it's painfully clear.
Murals (with some notes from me)
Teddy on a Hunting Trip in Africa (many of the animals in the halls were from Teddy's trips). |
Mural of Teddy's Trips between Governor of New York and President - He traveled after his wife died |
Detail of the 1903 War between Japan and Imperial Russia. Teddy negotiated the Peace Deal and won the Nobel Peace Prize |
An Alamy photo detail of the Native Americas of Panama before America built the Canal |
Part of the mural tying Americans to Ancient Greeks and Romans |
Friday, June 19, 2020
Here's the thing: You cannot rebuild trust easily
Way back in the dark ages, the 1970s, people often worked for the same company their entire life. Whether you were in auto manufacturing for Ford, technology for IBM or airplane engines for GE, you worked your life at a company, and - in return - the company took care of you. Health insurance, pensions, a livable wage.
But we went through a bizarre time in the 70s. Interest rates were in the high teens (like 17%), inflation ran above 20% a year and we had a financial contraction. Then we hired Ronald Reagan as President. Reagan said the problem was the government and a too tight control on companies. So he broke them. First, he attacked the unions - at least many of them. Then, the government removed the company loyalty from the contract that Americans had with their employers by giving them a free hand in management.
Now a company not could let you go, but would let you go in a heartbeat. I worked at Xerox during this transition and it was tough on people. There were "livers" who would sacrifice time and effort for the company. Now the company did not reward that behavior. If you wanted a tiny raise, stay at Xerox. If you wanted a real bump. leave the company and come back in 3 - 5 years.
Without a relationship with employees based on long term success, salaries for the top level management grew crazily. But there is almost no growth from worker to C Suite. Companies, like employees are no in it for themselves only.
Reagan used this new reality to further break the unions where he could, and to stoke resentment where he couldn't break them. (see image above. Areas where job hopping is "common" don't have unions and union security. But Reagan and others who created the insecurity of those positions now use that insecurity to foster resentment that makes workers critical of. unions because they are "unfair").
Now, you say, how does this relate to today, Scott? Like this.
President Trump and his administration of grifters, con-men and (like John Bolton) corrupt government officials who care more about making money that preserving the union is breaking the contract between the country and its citizens. It has made this the new normal. The country has no interest in your long term well-being. It has shredded the EPA, DOE, State Department. This administration has turned every governmental agency into "management" out to take what they can and not feel guilty.
And very soon, citizens will respond. Perhaps the MAGA group already has. Ask not what you can do for your country, but ask what you can wring out of the country before someone stops you.
People begin to think of leaving, just like job hoppers before them, the smart and successful people may soon realize it is better to leave than try to help a country that doesn't give a shit about us. Look at companies that set states against each other for tax-breaks. Soon there will be countries that offer better options for individuals.
Already Malta, Portugal, Canada and others (including the United States) sell citizenship for cash. And many countries (again, including the United States) "sell" citizen-status to employees with the right skills. In the US this is often super low wage work (farm labor, childcare and senior-care) that comes with a wink and a nod. In other areas: high-net worth, scientists, high technology employees - that person will get citizenship or quasi-citizenship (green-cards).
But if this is just a monetary relationship, something is lost. The American Dream is now what? Be as rich as Trump, Geffen and Koch? Ignore the law (like Trump, Geffen and Koch)? It is definitely not "ask what you can do fr your country". Candidate Trump summed it up when he was accused of not paying taxes - the ante for citizenship. He said, "That means I'm smart." And that is who we elected. not someone who cares about the country, but someone who is out for themselves. And if you're not. You are an idiot.
We are still in New York because Ed has a great job. But when we were looking seriously, I had offers to do my work in New Zealand, where they needed Senior Project Managers who could train others. We might have investigated more if we knew what a Trump clusterfuck was coming for us.
Thursday, June 18, 2020
A Page from the Dictators Playbook - Trump Takes over media
Voice of America was the first glimpse people in Eastern Europe, Cuba and Africa had of the American Value System. Where the truth was more important than looking good.
That independent voice has been replaced by a Steve Bannon cohort and free press hating sycophant.
You see, we can't have nice things AND Trump. So our Very Special Genius follows the Soviet Union and Pravda, Hungary's Orban and their media, Turkey's Erdogan and their media, Russia Putin and their media and Castro's Cuba and their media in being not the press but a mouthpiece for the Administration that we tax-payers fund.
America slides further off the cliff.
News (not Covid or Trump or Protests)
But things are happening we should be aware of. And that our president, busy now preparing for an indoor, packed arena hoe-down - where attendees have to sign a form they won't sue the campaign for giving them Coronavirus - seems to be unaware of.
1. Koreas
This is probably the loudest of the news. North Korea is loudly complaining about South Korea. To make the world listen they have blown up the one liaison office between the 2 countries.
They have also moved troops into the demilitarized zone between the countries and occupied a shared space / factory financed and run by South Korea to create jobs in the North. While the military is sure everything is "safe", our ties with South Korea are frayed from the lack of joint military exercises (stopped by Trump) and an on-going issue with payments from South Korea to the US Military.
Just as a reminder to the Very Special Genius(es) in the audience. The United States has military in South Korea and Japan at our request. They serve as a trip wire to bring us into any conflict. We insisted on this as deterrent AND to prevent South Korea or Japan from the need to have their own nuclear weapons. It isn't a favor.
Scooter's odds of something happening - pretty low. There isn't an escalation path before Nuclear War, so lots of smoke and noise, but probably nothing horrible.
2. India and China
India and China share the worlds highest border (don't tell me about Nepal - you know I mean between adversaries). Over the years, they have fought one war and still have an undefined border with India / China / Pakistan over Kashmir. To reduce tension, both countries have banned guns and military attacks across the vague border lines.
Well, there have been some chest thumping between India and China this month, which last week descended into fighting. And, by fighting, I mean more street gang fighting. Given the limitations with guns and bombs, they fought each other with clubs and spiked rods (see picture). Somewhere between 5 and 15 Indians were killed.
Scooter's odds of something happening - This probably won't come to much of anything. China vastly out powers India in conventional weapons. But India Prime Minister Modi is hard to predict. He has order jet bomber attacks on Pakistan and may do something similar to China. Both countries have nuclear weapons. In India's case, the weapons make up for a lack of conventional fire-power. A mistake might be easy to happen
3. China and Taiwan (and Hong Kong)
China is showcasing its power against Taiwan right now. There is a twofold reason. First, Taiwan has been solidly electing a government that is Taiwanese, not Chinese. The original government of Taiwan (since the 1940s) was made up of the Koumintang who were the opposite side in the Chinese Civil War. The thing both China and Taiwan agreed to was that China and Taiwan were one country, and they each believed they were the rightful rulers.
But Taiwan has advanced on the world stage, they are the biggest investors in Chinese development and the farce has grown too much for the Taiwanese. The government is now run by people that, very gently, want to declare independence from China and be their own country. Which would make the political match the facts on the ground. China does not like this.
It has come to a head because China has cracked down on Hong Kong freedoms. When the UK and China agreed to the handover of Hong Kong, China promised something called "1 Country, 2 Systems". This was meant tp allow Hong Kong limited self-rule economically, but foreign matters would fall to Beijing. This system collapsed when Hong Kong protests were too much this spring (as the world was focused on Covid 19). Beijing suspended Hong Kong's independence, changed laws and brought in the military.
The effect on Taiwan was two-fold. First, since China has been proposing a variant of the "1 Country, 2 Systems" to Taiwan developments in Hong Kong laid that fallacy apart. Taiwanese government was pushed farther away from China, not closer. Then Taiwan annoyed China extra by allowing Hong Kong citizens to resettle in Taiwan, if they want.
Because our President is very busy preparing for his Covid-Rally, he hasn't spent anytime worrying about this. The United States let China militarize the South China Sea (after we said we wouldn't), we let China overthrow the Hong Kong system (which we said we wouldn't) and by starting an economic cold war with no plan, we have no leverage with China. It isn't necessarily our fight, but again, we have promised Taiwan safety in return that they do not develop nuclear weapons. So China is seeing how far they can push us. And, with Trump laser(ish) focused on his re-election, they can push us pretty damn far.
Scooter's odds of something happening - Actually, I do worry about this one. China has gotten used to pushing the United States around in Asia lately. They probably think our commitment to Taiwan is not rock solid. And China understands, more than most countries, that Trump is preoccupied. There has never been a better time to attack Taiwan, if they are going to do it.
4. The Rest
Those were the big ones. We still have the usual suspects:
- Russia is assassinating journalists in the West (yesterday in Berlin)
- The United States is the world pariah country with 345 Covid deaths per 100,000 people - so we can't travel anyway outside of the Western Hemisphere (like Thailand or Europe).
- Brazil has massive covid deaths that their President is denying. He is also mobilizing the military, which is worrisome in a country with a history of military coups.
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Some Very Cool Cheetah Pictures (link to more)
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Today in Very Good News
For Ed, this has been a long time coming. He has worked hard to make this a go. I am proud. For me, it is great news as we had a bet and I have now won it. Unless something crazy happens. As winner, winner, chicken dinner, I get to pick our next vacation. So either Eddie is looking at homes in Montenegro with me or we will spend a week+ driving up Australia's West Coast Highway. Either way - hazzah.
A Lovely Week-end in Warwick
I don't know what they are, but they look like wild hydrangias. |
We hiked up a bit to this waterfall / cascade. |
Spagetti at Cascade Lake. |
That is a rope swing out over the water! You climb up the tree, someone gives the swing and out you go. We did not. |
Warwick's Railroad Station park. |
A stream runs through the village. We ate right here, overlooking the stream. |
A Lookout over Warwick Valley from a farm ice creamery! Great Ice Cream. |
Cascade Lake. |
Look at this tree! Beavers started to gnaw, but didn't finish by morning. Wow! |
Monday, June 15, 2020
"Dear Diary" - from Ted Cruz
"Dear Diary,
Today I had it up to here with Ron Pearlman, yes the original Hellboy and Beast. UP TO HERE!
So I challenged him to a duel. It would be fought against Jim Jordan, the House of Representatives Member that wrestled at Ohio State University. I would wrestle him myself, by Jim loves wrestling (except that ugly fallout were dozens of Jim's students accuse him of covering up the doctor's sexual abuse - and who said those boys didn't really want to be groped anyway). Since Jim is 56 he is closer to Ron's age of 70. That sounds like a fair fight.
My honor will not be assuaged until Jim pins him down and gropes Ron where the sun don't shine.
That will be a good day!
Teddy"
Jim Jordan's entry
"Dear Diary,
I might get to wrestle again! I haven't had a chance since those little pansies on the OSU wrestling team called out the OSU doctor for a little light fingering. I mean, if you can't take the heat, get out of the singlet. But Ron can't complain about the doctor because no one wants to grope his tired ass.
I wonder if Ron has his own singlets? If he doesn't have one, then I can loan him one - I have plenty from college and - you know - later. But he might stretch it out. Everywhere, if you get my drift. Well, if that is what I have to do to defend Teds honor! I can use my patented flying ham to win.
I smell victory.
James"
Why did all this go down? Matt Gaetz and Donald Trump stated they could not watch soccer if the players took a knee during the national anthem. And Ron commented.
Friday, June 12, 2020
So Trump Finally Comments on CoronaVirus
As the numbers of dead breached his first estimate of 60,000, and then 90,000 and then 100,000 and now 110,000, he has shown the warmth and heart of Rumpelstiltskin stamping on the floor when his name is revealed.
But he hasn't forgotten it. Not completely. He is set to resume his rallies, where screaming fan-boys spit venom and anger that those dirty minorities have everything and they can't even lynch them in peace anymore. They will be breeding grounds for the virus - but they don't believe it is real. So Trump is going forward. And you can register to go... if you promise not to sue the Candidate if you do happen to get the "hoax" virus.
link
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Washington Post is sometimes behind a pay wall ... so Reproduced here
Know The Signs: How to tell if your grandparent has become an ANTIFA agent
Some Good News
He has NOT as uncomfortable as he looked. |
I was a fool! The man is an icon. He won a Tony Award AND a Pulitzer Prize for The Shadow Box. He wrote a ton of plays and movies (including the Witches of Eastwick). He directed GIA where he was nominated for an Academy Award and did win the Director Guild of America's best director award. (link to his amazing bio).
So I went back, apologized for knowing so little and we chatted. Since his heydays were in the 70s and 80s he could not have been more gracious and we chatted a lot.
Well, now he is back with a new Netflix murder mystery that has great reviews. He wrote and directed it. I cannot wait to see it!
Juneteeth is an Obvious Fuck You to Black Americans
Let us take two items that happened in quick succession yesterday afternoon. Immediately before the White House Press Briefing, the Press Secretary came out and read, verbatim, Donald Trumps tweet on renaming some Army bases. You see, many bases were named after Confederate Generals (again in the early 1900s) and the Army was looking at renaming them. But Trump said...
Associating these losing, treason generals of the Confederate States of America with "winning" is a stretch, but okay.
Then, during the exact same Press Conference - remember that this tweet was read to reporters to open with, a FIRST - Trump announces he will start have rallies again. They will be in swing states, except the first one. The first rally is in Tulsa next Friday.
Tulsa is in Oklahoma. It is not the biggest city, not the capital, not the home of sports fans, so why Tulsa? Well, 99 years ago this month was the Tulsa Massacre (link).
Now I know what you are thinking, "Trump doesn't know history." Which is true, but he does watch a shitload of TV. Last year one of the biggest shows was HBO's Watchmen - which opened with the Tulsa Race Massacres. So he knows of it.
And nxet Friday is June 19th. For most Americans, this is not an important date. For Black Americans, a huge date. It is Juneteenth.
June 19th in the South is celebrated because it was the last day of slavery in the Confederate States of America. When the losing side had to tell the blacks they were free. Texas was the last state to do it and announced on June 19th 1965 - Juneteenth.
So to recap...
In the space of 1 hour, the Administration
- Refused to consider changing Army Base names from Confederate Generals to US Military.
- Identified the first Trump Rally since March and will be at the site of the largest Race Massacre in America on it's 99th anniversary.
- Identified the first Trump Rally and decided to hold it on a historic holiday of emancipation of slaves.
- Bragged he had 8 percent of the black vote in 2016.
- At a Press Conference called out Black Lives Matter as "thugs" and "looters"
If he was just a candidate, i might MIGHT be able to write this off as a bizarre coincidental mistake. But he is the President with the vast resources behind him. This is not a mistake.
As I said previously. He. Is. Evil.
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
It is Bizarre
Oh wait. Those are always white protesters.
Interesting Visual Graphic
This is interesting: Just some notes on countries: MYS - Malaysia COD - Congo ( had to look that one up)
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Roger Federer is a beautiful tennis player in so many ways. He was one that I was lucky to see play live quite often. Watching on television...
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If you haven't been following the wild dustup, an American in England said that you should add salt for the perfect cup of tea. You can...