When last seen on the field of play my school's football team, the Oklahoma Sooners, ran up and down the turf at the Rose Bowl, scoring 48 points against the Georgia Bulldogs. It was a truly impressive showing against a defense which in the minds of many, especially those located in Georgia, was one of the best in the land. Unfortunately the rules of the game dictate every now and then Oklahoma must also play defense and no one, but no one, ever claimed OU's defenders were skilled, or strong. In fact there were credible observers who often wondered if they were even there.
Indeed, the season long game plan in Norman last year appeared to be, Let the other team score quickly so we can get the ball back as often as possible. We'll simply out point the sons of bitches.
It was a strategy which worked out most of the year, but led to game tallies which looked like they were more in keeping with 1950's high school basketball scores. That was the case in Pasadena last January. The contest ended during the second overtime after Georgia scored their final touchdown and claimed a 54-48 victory.
All of which leads us to tomorrow, September 1st, 2018. At 11:00am, Oklahoma will open a new football season when it plays Florida Atlantic University. There will be nearly 85,000 people in attendance. Every single one of them will be, to quote Wild Bill Shakespeare, ready to charge, "Once more into the breech." This despite not a few of their number suffering hangovers from Friday night in 90 plus degree heat, while many others are present after downing staggering amounts of 3.2% beer and, or a few Bloody Mary's rather than plates of bacon and eggs.
That's right, for the hard core it matters not the weather, or the time of day, it is the spirit of the occasion which counts.
Of course such debauchery won't be confined to the areas immediately surrounding the University of Oklahoma campus. As the college football season opens in earnest tomorrow hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Americans will flock to stadiums coast to coast while participating in rites and revelries that would stun the ancient Romans.
Okay--maybe not stun since we no longer have our gladiators kill each other and the wild animals serve only as school mascots, as opposed to combatants--but they'd certainly be impressed by the spectacles and numbers.
I have no problems with any of this. How can I? My father took me to my first OU football game when I was five years old. At the time they hadn't lost since I was three and wouldn't until I was seven. I've been going, with only a few exceptions ever since. When I walk into the stadium tomorrow it will be for the 63rd year running.
I'm not naive about the nature of a sport based primarily on speed and violence. Conversely, I'll never make excuses for it, or apologize for my love of it. I understand perfectly American football, more than any other team endeavor, is a metaphor for war. There is no other way to describe it. You can hear tomorrow's broadcasters even now, Merv the Sooners have driven deep into Florida Atlantic territory, taking advantage of the FAU weak defensive line. That's right, Toby, so far the OU air and ground attack has been perfectly coordinated.
No, I'm as fine as I have ever been with football itself. What has become bothersome is how the games are increasingly becoming mere sidebars to massive pre kickoff and half time displays celebrating faux patriotism and overt nationalism. In fact at times, it seems like I've stepped straight into a Donald Trump campaign rally carefully planned and coordinated by the ghost of Albert Speer.
It has become so surreal we're just lucky no one is issuing MAGA hats in the aisles. Although if this drift keeps up it is easy to imagine some day soon there will be ICE agents at every gate demanding to see proof of U.S. birth. Why not? They seem to be every place else these days.
Of course, thanks in large part to the price and availability of tickets, the vast majority of the crowd in Norman is probably in favor of just such a move. The truth is the demographics of an OU home crowd are so skewed to the right, God only knows what would happen to some poor soul who decides to take a knee during the National Anthem. I personally avoid that particular problem by leaving my seat just prior to its playing, joining the mob beneath the stands where even the most ardent right wing trolls pay absolutely no attention to it.
Yes, there are no patriots in line at the concession stand. Just those who want their fucking hot dog before the coin toss.
Well, all of us have to put up with the bad to get to the good don't we. As Hal Linden's TV character, Barney Miller used to say, "You have to keep things in perspective."
Hey, some have to deal with long lines for nachos and the like--others have to put up with the people in them and their politics. It is, in the end, the burden each of us must bear for a seat and the season.
Next stop, Section 108 in the west upper deck.
8-31-18
Friday, August 31, 2018
Monday, August 27, 2018
American Politics: Most Decent and Honest People Don't Want Any Where Near It.
Where do we find these ogres, sociopaths, and congenital liars? And exactly how do they keep achieving success in American politics?
Perhaps the answers to those questions are best left to the science of psychology, or in some instances the forensic profilers of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. All voters can do, if they aren't disenfranchised because their grandfathers were born in someplace like Honduras, is reject them whenever possible.
Out in Arizona last week, John McCain's family announced he had decided to stop taking medication for the the aggressive form of cancer he'd been battling for some time.
An aide to an AZ republican candidate for Jeff Flake's soon to be vacant senate seat immediately went on Twitter to propose a conspiracy of sorts. Jonathan Williams wondered if it was, "just a coincidence," the solemn news release came the day his boss, Kelli Ward was launching her final big bus tour of the primary campaign. Ward, who had been crushed by McCain in a senate race a couple of years ago, responded with a tweet which read, "I think they wanted to have a particular narrative that is negative to me."
Yes, Ms. Ward we're all sure damaging your candidacy was the only thing John McCain's family was thinking about when they made the announcement. Especially since the man was so terribly ill he died the next day.
Proving she has learned from the best, Ward quickly deleted the tweet then, according to FOX News, replaced it with one stating the media had made up the whole cruel and unusual story. Unfortunately for her others had already taken screen shots of the original post and they quickly began showing up on places like Facebook. The ex co-chair of the Maricopa County GOP committee, Aaron Borders was one of those with keen eyes and quick fingers. Borders went on to tell the Washington Post, Ward, "...shouldn't be saying any of this. Leave it alone. McCain is not even an opponent. That's about as narcissistic as it gets."
Which of course, begs the question, would her statement have been okay if a dying McCain had been her opponent?
So what choices do Arizona republicans have beyond Kelli Ward? Well, there is former Maricopa County Sheriff and convicted felon Joe Arpaio. He was pardoned for his crimes by Don Trump because he went above and beyond the call of duty when it came to claiming Barack Obama was really born in Kenya and having his deputies pull over Hispanics because they look like they might be here illegally.
The third candidate in the primary is U.S. congresswoman, Martha McSally who establishment GOP pols desperately want to see win. She is ahead in the polls despite Ward and Arpaio charging her with what amounts to treason in some quarters, for not being all in with The Big Orange Guy.
Here in Oklahoma the run off election is tomorrow. In the GOP race for the state's Attorney General's office--once held by Scott Pruitt, who went on to infamy as Trump's head of the EPA--incumbent Mike Hunter was accused of abetting the murder of Mollie Tibbetts. Ms. Tibbetts was a student at the University of Iowa who was allegedly killed by Christhian Rivera. Rivera has also been accused of being in the country illegally.
Hunter's opponent, Gentner Drummond began running a TV spot Friday which shows photos of Tibbetts and Rivera side by side while the voice over intones, Hunter had supported Obama's economic stimulus bill, "...which included up to 300,000 jobs for illegal immigrants."
The narrator goes on to say, "Hunter betrayed us, backing Obama's open border policy that was a magnet for illegals. Now we're suffering the consequences. Illegal aliens in our country. Some committing the most heinous crimes."
Mollie Tibbetts was brutally murdered in Brooklyn, Iowa. Her family has repeatedly requested her death not be politicized, because, in their words, "Evil comes in all colors."
Obviously, Drummond either didn't get the memo, or just doesn't give a rat's ass what the Tibbetts' family wants. It doesn't take much to believe the latter is the case. That's the conclusion one of Oklahoma's U.S. Senators, James Lankford, U.S. House member Tom Cole, and OKC mayor David Holt came to. They all roundly condemned him. Hunter himself declared the ad proved Drummond is, "...unfit to serve in any kind of public office."
Of course, being unfit for public office certainly hasn't stopped anyone from getting elected lately. Indeed the list is not only long, it seems to be growing at an alarming rate.
Let's face it, now days most decent and honest people don't want any where near politics in this country. It's not that they don't believe in the system, or feel public office is beneath them. In the end, they just don't want to put up with the sort of malignant shit that is routinely doled out by the Kelli Wards and Gentner Drummonds of the world.
Hey, who can blame them?
8-27-18
Perhaps the answers to those questions are best left to the science of psychology, or in some instances the forensic profilers of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. All voters can do, if they aren't disenfranchised because their grandfathers were born in someplace like Honduras, is reject them whenever possible.
Out in Arizona last week, John McCain's family announced he had decided to stop taking medication for the the aggressive form of cancer he'd been battling for some time.
An aide to an AZ republican candidate for Jeff Flake's soon to be vacant senate seat immediately went on Twitter to propose a conspiracy of sorts. Jonathan Williams wondered if it was, "just a coincidence," the solemn news release came the day his boss, Kelli Ward was launching her final big bus tour of the primary campaign. Ward, who had been crushed by McCain in a senate race a couple of years ago, responded with a tweet which read, "I think they wanted to have a particular narrative that is negative to me."
Yes, Ms. Ward we're all sure damaging your candidacy was the only thing John McCain's family was thinking about when they made the announcement. Especially since the man was so terribly ill he died the next day.
Proving she has learned from the best, Ward quickly deleted the tweet then, according to FOX News, replaced it with one stating the media had made up the whole cruel and unusual story. Unfortunately for her others had already taken screen shots of the original post and they quickly began showing up on places like Facebook. The ex co-chair of the Maricopa County GOP committee, Aaron Borders was one of those with keen eyes and quick fingers. Borders went on to tell the Washington Post, Ward, "...shouldn't be saying any of this. Leave it alone. McCain is not even an opponent. That's about as narcissistic as it gets."
Which of course, begs the question, would her statement have been okay if a dying McCain had been her opponent?
So what choices do Arizona republicans have beyond Kelli Ward? Well, there is former Maricopa County Sheriff and convicted felon Joe Arpaio. He was pardoned for his crimes by Don Trump because he went above and beyond the call of duty when it came to claiming Barack Obama was really born in Kenya and having his deputies pull over Hispanics because they look like they might be here illegally.
The third candidate in the primary is U.S. congresswoman, Martha McSally who establishment GOP pols desperately want to see win. She is ahead in the polls despite Ward and Arpaio charging her with what amounts to treason in some quarters, for not being all in with The Big Orange Guy.
Here in Oklahoma the run off election is tomorrow. In the GOP race for the state's Attorney General's office--once held by Scott Pruitt, who went on to infamy as Trump's head of the EPA--incumbent Mike Hunter was accused of abetting the murder of Mollie Tibbetts. Ms. Tibbetts was a student at the University of Iowa who was allegedly killed by Christhian Rivera. Rivera has also been accused of being in the country illegally.
Hunter's opponent, Gentner Drummond began running a TV spot Friday which shows photos of Tibbetts and Rivera side by side while the voice over intones, Hunter had supported Obama's economic stimulus bill, "...which included up to 300,000 jobs for illegal immigrants."
The narrator goes on to say, "Hunter betrayed us, backing Obama's open border policy that was a magnet for illegals. Now we're suffering the consequences. Illegal aliens in our country. Some committing the most heinous crimes."
Mollie Tibbetts was brutally murdered in Brooklyn, Iowa. Her family has repeatedly requested her death not be politicized, because, in their words, "Evil comes in all colors."
Obviously, Drummond either didn't get the memo, or just doesn't give a rat's ass what the Tibbetts' family wants. It doesn't take much to believe the latter is the case. That's the conclusion one of Oklahoma's U.S. Senators, James Lankford, U.S. House member Tom Cole, and OKC mayor David Holt came to. They all roundly condemned him. Hunter himself declared the ad proved Drummond is, "...unfit to serve in any kind of public office."
Of course, being unfit for public office certainly hasn't stopped anyone from getting elected lately. Indeed the list is not only long, it seems to be growing at an alarming rate.
Let's face it, now days most decent and honest people don't want any where near politics in this country. It's not that they don't believe in the system, or feel public office is beneath them. In the end, they just don't want to put up with the sort of malignant shit that is routinely doled out by the Kelli Wards and Gentner Drummonds of the world.
Hey, who can blame them?
8-27-18
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Manafort and Cohen Join a Growing List of the Guilty While The Trailer Park Fascists Still Follow Their Man Down The Deep, Dark, Rabbit Hole
If we've learned anything lately it is the people connected to Donald J. Trump are the most corrupt band of grifters in the United States. Last night, after the convictions of Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen, more than one talking head, Carl Bernstein among them, likened the Trump crowd to Richard M. Nixon's.
That, of course, is prima facie bullshit. It has become obvious to anyone with a knowledge of history, Trump is heading up a criminal enterprise which has all the subtlety of Whitey Bulger's old Winter Hill gang in Boston. It is an operation so steeped in felonious behavior that these guys make, Dick Nixon look like he ran an unorganized hodgepodge of two bit shoplifters and graffiti vandals.
Manafort and Cohen join a growing list of Trump confidants who are in deep legal trouble. Among them, Rick Gates, who turned state's evidence on his former business partner, Paul Manafort. He is so crooked he admitted to not only helping his former pal defraud the government, but that he also embezzled cash from him during the process. In other words, Gates scammed the scammer during the scam.
Then there is George Papadopoulos who pleaded guilty to lying about his Russian contacts to the FBI. It's exactly what former National Security Advisor, Mike Flynn did after he had a few surreptitious chats with Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak prior to Trump's nomination and again before the President-elect took the oath of office.
Throw in a gaggle of indicted Russians and you have quite a list. It's one which doesn't even include the initial two members of the U.S. House of Representatives who voiced support for Trump in 2016. Chris Collins, R-NY was the first. He is currently charged with insider stock trading. Duncan Hunter, R-CA, was the second. He, along with his wife, are accused of blowing $250,000 in campaign funds on a trip to Italy and other personal luxuries.
Yes, that whole birds of a feather thing is beginning to look painfully true.
As for The Big Orange Guy, he continues to say Manafort is a good and brave man and his situation is, "unfortunate." And oh, none of his convictions have anything to do with Donald J. Trump. Those statements give us a good idea of how Trump defines good and brave men. They're run amok tax evaders who are convicted of bilking the U.S. Treasury out of millions of dollars, but "unfortunately," got caught.
Conversely, El Don called Cohen, his former personal fixer a, "rat," and "coward," because he copped a plea. Such terms are normally reserved for characters in a Mario Puzo novel. But what else should we expect when the last two counts Mike Cohen pleaded guilty to directly implicate the current President of the United States as a co-conspirator in a plot to violate federal campaign finance laws?
It was a wild ride on cable news last night after Manafort's conviction and Cohen's day in the dock. The panels on CNN did their best to appear deadly serious about what could be an approaching constitutional crisis. On MSNBC the different shifts basically ran around their desks waving their arms over their heads while screaming, "Woohoo, they're guilty, guilty, guilty!" Meanwhile on FOX the main focus was the murder of a white University of Iowa student by a Mexican who, they darkly repeated over and over, has been in the country illegally for years!
Well, everyone has divergent agendas and different priorities. However, despite FOX's xenophobic take on a heinous crime, for the first time since November 2016 the Trump steamroller seems to have taken a major hit. That doesn't mean his mobs are folding their tents. On Twitter, one MAGA troll's assessment of the situation was that even though Cohen admitted under oath he is guilty of paying off two women at the direction of his client/boss, the prosecutors never actually proved he did.
Yeah, I know. It didn't make any sense to me either, but desperate times call for desperate words. Just ask Rudy Giuliani and Chuck Todd. When NBC's Todd told the former mayor of New York and current Trump front man, "Truth is truth." Giuliani instantly responded, "No, truth isn't truth."
The late Hunter S. Thompson once said about Las Vegas, "No, this is not a good town for psychedelic drugs. Reality itself is too twisted."
He might as well have been speaking about Don Trump, his vile crew of felons and toadies, not to mention the trailer park fascists who unwaveringly follow him down the deep, dark, rabbit hole.
Indeed--their reality actually is too twisted, with or without psychedelics.
8-22-18
That, of course, is prima facie bullshit. It has become obvious to anyone with a knowledge of history, Trump is heading up a criminal enterprise which has all the subtlety of Whitey Bulger's old Winter Hill gang in Boston. It is an operation so steeped in felonious behavior that these guys make, Dick Nixon look like he ran an unorganized hodgepodge of two bit shoplifters and graffiti vandals.
Manafort and Cohen join a growing list of Trump confidants who are in deep legal trouble. Among them, Rick Gates, who turned state's evidence on his former business partner, Paul Manafort. He is so crooked he admitted to not only helping his former pal defraud the government, but that he also embezzled cash from him during the process. In other words, Gates scammed the scammer during the scam.
Then there is George Papadopoulos who pleaded guilty to lying about his Russian contacts to the FBI. It's exactly what former National Security Advisor, Mike Flynn did after he had a few surreptitious chats with Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak prior to Trump's nomination and again before the President-elect took the oath of office.
Throw in a gaggle of indicted Russians and you have quite a list. It's one which doesn't even include the initial two members of the U.S. House of Representatives who voiced support for Trump in 2016. Chris Collins, R-NY was the first. He is currently charged with insider stock trading. Duncan Hunter, R-CA, was the second. He, along with his wife, are accused of blowing $250,000 in campaign funds on a trip to Italy and other personal luxuries.
Yes, that whole birds of a feather thing is beginning to look painfully true.
As for The Big Orange Guy, he continues to say Manafort is a good and brave man and his situation is, "unfortunate." And oh, none of his convictions have anything to do with Donald J. Trump. Those statements give us a good idea of how Trump defines good and brave men. They're run amok tax evaders who are convicted of bilking the U.S. Treasury out of millions of dollars, but "unfortunately," got caught.
Conversely, El Don called Cohen, his former personal fixer a, "rat," and "coward," because he copped a plea. Such terms are normally reserved for characters in a Mario Puzo novel. But what else should we expect when the last two counts Mike Cohen pleaded guilty to directly implicate the current President of the United States as a co-conspirator in a plot to violate federal campaign finance laws?
It was a wild ride on cable news last night after Manafort's conviction and Cohen's day in the dock. The panels on CNN did their best to appear deadly serious about what could be an approaching constitutional crisis. On MSNBC the different shifts basically ran around their desks waving their arms over their heads while screaming, "Woohoo, they're guilty, guilty, guilty!" Meanwhile on FOX the main focus was the murder of a white University of Iowa student by a Mexican who, they darkly repeated over and over, has been in the country illegally for years!
Well, everyone has divergent agendas and different priorities. However, despite FOX's xenophobic take on a heinous crime, for the first time since November 2016 the Trump steamroller seems to have taken a major hit. That doesn't mean his mobs are folding their tents. On Twitter, one MAGA troll's assessment of the situation was that even though Cohen admitted under oath he is guilty of paying off two women at the direction of his client/boss, the prosecutors never actually proved he did.
Yeah, I know. It didn't make any sense to me either, but desperate times call for desperate words. Just ask Rudy Giuliani and Chuck Todd. When NBC's Todd told the former mayor of New York and current Trump front man, "Truth is truth." Giuliani instantly responded, "No, truth isn't truth."
The late Hunter S. Thompson once said about Las Vegas, "No, this is not a good town for psychedelic drugs. Reality itself is too twisted."
He might as well have been speaking about Don Trump, his vile crew of felons and toadies, not to mention the trailer park fascists who unwaveringly follow him down the deep, dark, rabbit hole.
Indeed--their reality actually is too twisted, with or without psychedelics.
8-22-18
Saturday, August 18, 2018
The Week That Was: A Knife in Luther, Guns in Chicago, The Almost Naked Dare Thong in Columbus, Alex Jones Hits the Delete Key, and Kaitlin Bennett Goes After LeBron in Akron
First off we know school has started in Oklahoma. That's because an opening day assembly at Luther High School, east of Oklahoma City, was interrupted when a 14 year old was stabbed multiple times by another student. The names of both the victim and perpetrator haven't been released. In addition the motive remains a mystery, although rumors in the semi rural suburb are that it had to do with a case of bullying which carried over from the local middle school. Of course, given the way things have been going, the real reason for the stabbing could simply be the kid who did it couldn't get his, or her, hands on a gun in order go all Columbine on the vic and anyone else who got in the way.
Tragically getting a gun isn't a problem in Chicago. News reports say in a 14 hour span beginning Friday afternoon and ending early this morning 26 people were shot in the Windy City. The number amounts to 26 more casualties than U.S. troops serving in combat zones around the globe suffered during the same time frame. Those wounded include a three year old boy who was one of seven shot in a single incident. If the NRA chooses to respond to this latest round of mayhem history tells us they will beat their chest and insist the citizens of Chicago must be allowed to carry firearms for their personal protection. Such logic ignores one painfully obvious fact--they already have more fucking guns than the army of Montenegro and they are using them with horrifying consequences.
Meanwhile in Columbus, OH, former Ohio State University assistant football coach Zach Smith took another hit. Not only did he get fired after it came to light he had allegedly abused his now ex-wife on more than one occasion, but this week a series of self taken photos have emerged. There are a couple he took of his penis while he was in a White House bathroom during a visit there in 2015 to honor the OSU national championship team. There is also one of him getting a blow job by an Ohio State staffer in his coach's office while a second shows them copulating. His attorney has threatened to report anyone in possession of the photos to a DA, because they, "are a felony." Additionally there is evidence he received shipments amounting to $2,000 worth of what is being described as erotic merchandise, again at his office. Those items include one named the, "Almost Naked Dare Thong."
Then we have Alex Jones. In April several family members of the children and adults who were gunned down in Newtown, CT sued the master of all conspiracy bullshit in a Texas court. They contend Jones has continually defamed them since 2012 because he has and still insists to his followers the murdered kids either didn't exist at all, or were killed by agents of the Obama administration to further its gun control agenda--and, oh yeah--the parents and relatives are nothing more than government paid crisis actors. Early this week, perhaps realizing reality could well win out over malignant fiction, Jones and his staff began busily deleting all his social media posts regarding the Sandy Hook Elementary School nightmare. The plaintiffs are now accusing him of destroying evidence. Their argument is well founded, but we all know, somewhere out there on the net, someone has screen shots of all his crazed lies. It is just a matter of tracking them down. Jones' maliciousness is so vile he was recently banned by Facebook, YouTube, Apple, LinkedIn, Spotify, Pinterest, and other social media sites.
Finally we come to Kaitlin Bennett who is a recent graduate of Kent State University. She is also a rising star among right wing internet dwellers. This week, in an attempt to disparage LeBron James' altruism, she breathlessly told us 80% of James' education project the, I Promise School in Akron, would be funded by the public, thereby portraying him as nothing more than an attention grabbing fake. She is only sort of correct. What she didn't say is in order to keep its status as a public school--something James wants--Ohio law says he can only finance 20% of the place's operating costs. If he kicks in any more the school will be classified as a private institution and will be required to charge for things like tuition, books, and lunches, none of which parents of students attending there can afford. She also didn't mention grants LBJ is establishing for college scholarships the school's pupils will eligible for if their grades are good enough. But, hey, ignoring inconvenient details is what ultra right wing troglodytes do. Apparently it is in their DNA.
So there we have it sports fans, music lovers, and burned out optimists--just another week in the land of the free and the home of the extraordinarily well armed.
May God have mercy on us all.
8-18-18
Tragically getting a gun isn't a problem in Chicago. News reports say in a 14 hour span beginning Friday afternoon and ending early this morning 26 people were shot in the Windy City. The number amounts to 26 more casualties than U.S. troops serving in combat zones around the globe suffered during the same time frame. Those wounded include a three year old boy who was one of seven shot in a single incident. If the NRA chooses to respond to this latest round of mayhem history tells us they will beat their chest and insist the citizens of Chicago must be allowed to carry firearms for their personal protection. Such logic ignores one painfully obvious fact--they already have more fucking guns than the army of Montenegro and they are using them with horrifying consequences.
Meanwhile in Columbus, OH, former Ohio State University assistant football coach Zach Smith took another hit. Not only did he get fired after it came to light he had allegedly abused his now ex-wife on more than one occasion, but this week a series of self taken photos have emerged. There are a couple he took of his penis while he was in a White House bathroom during a visit there in 2015 to honor the OSU national championship team. There is also one of him getting a blow job by an Ohio State staffer in his coach's office while a second shows them copulating. His attorney has threatened to report anyone in possession of the photos to a DA, because they, "are a felony." Additionally there is evidence he received shipments amounting to $2,000 worth of what is being described as erotic merchandise, again at his office. Those items include one named the, "Almost Naked Dare Thong."
Then we have Alex Jones. In April several family members of the children and adults who were gunned down in Newtown, CT sued the master of all conspiracy bullshit in a Texas court. They contend Jones has continually defamed them since 2012 because he has and still insists to his followers the murdered kids either didn't exist at all, or were killed by agents of the Obama administration to further its gun control agenda--and, oh yeah--the parents and relatives are nothing more than government paid crisis actors. Early this week, perhaps realizing reality could well win out over malignant fiction, Jones and his staff began busily deleting all his social media posts regarding the Sandy Hook Elementary School nightmare. The plaintiffs are now accusing him of destroying evidence. Their argument is well founded, but we all know, somewhere out there on the net, someone has screen shots of all his crazed lies. It is just a matter of tracking them down. Jones' maliciousness is so vile he was recently banned by Facebook, YouTube, Apple, LinkedIn, Spotify, Pinterest, and other social media sites.
Finally we come to Kaitlin Bennett who is a recent graduate of Kent State University. She is also a rising star among right wing internet dwellers. This week, in an attempt to disparage LeBron James' altruism, she breathlessly told us 80% of James' education project the, I Promise School in Akron, would be funded by the public, thereby portraying him as nothing more than an attention grabbing fake. She is only sort of correct. What she didn't say is in order to keep its status as a public school--something James wants--Ohio law says he can only finance 20% of the place's operating costs. If he kicks in any more the school will be classified as a private institution and will be required to charge for things like tuition, books, and lunches, none of which parents of students attending there can afford. She also didn't mention grants LBJ is establishing for college scholarships the school's pupils will eligible for if their grades are good enough. But, hey, ignoring inconvenient details is what ultra right wing troglodytes do. Apparently it is in their DNA.
So there we have it sports fans, music lovers, and burned out optimists--just another week in the land of the free and the home of the extraordinarily well armed.
May God have mercy on us all.
8-18-18
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
You Reap What You Sow: Omarosa and Trump Deserve Each Other
Omarosa, what hath thou wrought?
Suspicions are, in the end, it really won't be much. In fact by the time she and her book blows over she will have accomplished about as much as the late and unlamented Rudolf Hess did in 1941.
Hess was a dedicated Nazi, a close confidant of Adolf Hitler, who had been a member of the party since 1920. During that time he rose to the rank of Deputy Fuhrer. Unfortunately, for him, by 1941 much of his influence and many of his responsibilities had been usurped by Martin Bormann. In short he found himself increasingly on the fringes of Adolf's inner circle without a whole lot to do.
So, concerned about the future of Germany--he knew about the impending invasion of the Soviet Union--pissed off at his waning powers, and quite possibly a little off in the noodle, he jumped into a plane and headed for the UK. He landed in Scotland, according to him, to initiate peace talks with the British. How he was going to accomplish such a feat is a little foggy since Herr Hitler knew nothing of his flight beforehand and had absolutely no intention of suing for peace with anyone at the time.
In fact when Hitler found out about Hess' solo journey to the British Isles he went into a rage. Der Fuhrer immediately called up the Italians and the Japanese to reassure them he wasn't seeking a separate peace with Britain, then had Joseph Goebbels go on the air in order to tell the people his former deputy was bat shit crazy. Goebbels initially disagreed with describing Hess as insane, because, you know, it might raise questions about how someone so nuts spent 21 plus years at Hitler's side, but he did it any way.
Which brings us back to Omarosa Manigault Newman. After hitting the TV talk show circuit promoting her new tell all book the President of the United States went a little, pardon the plug, Unhinged. One of his tweets said, "When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess that didn't work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog."
In another, he wrote, "Wacky Omarosa, who got fired three times on the Apprentice, now got fired for the last time. She never made it, never will." There was other stuff he said. Like, she was, "vicious, but not smart," and, She was, "nasty to people & would constantly miss meetings & work."
Goebbels was right. The initial question which comes to mind at the moment is, if she's such a, "crazed, crying lowlife," who had been "fired three times on the Apprentice," why the fuck did, The Big Orange Guy give her a job at the White House in the first place?
Trump claims he did it solely because she, A) came to him begging for one with tears in her eyes and, B) she'd always said nice things about him. Now there is a real job qualification--she always says nice things about me. Who knew El Don was such a softy?
The twitter verse and some of the more sensitive types on MSNBC were appalled the president would call a woman, even one who is accusing him of using the "N" word during an Apprentice off air taping, a dog. Outgoing Arizona Senator Jeff Flake immediately told the world using such a term was, "unbecoming a President of the United States."
Well, guys, what in God's name did you expect? The man's very presence in the Oval Office is unbecoming a President of the United States. He likes it that way and so do his rabid fans.
Indeed, they eat this shit up. In the last few weeks he has questioned LeBron James intelligence, said Maxine Waters is a low IQ individual, called Don Lemon the stupidest man on TV, and now tweeted Omarosa Manigault Newman is a dog. It isn't a mistake all four of them are African Americans. Just as it isn't a mistake Trump's base is the largest bastion of racists in America.
That doesn't make her a martyr though. In the end, Omarosa Manigault Newman is no more of a hero than Rudolf Hess and her book will have about as much impact on Trump's political future as Hess' flight had on the outcome of WWII.
Let's face it, she was a shameless shill for her former boss over a long span of years. Now there is some evidence that even while she was praising the candidate, then President, she was plotting to write a scandal filled book. Indeed, it appears the endeavor was her primary back up plan for her post Trump career, no matter when and under what circumstances it would begin.
Yes, the truth is she is an utterly self absorbed, vindictive, opportunist who holds a sociopathic view of America and its citizens--just like the guy she used to work for.
If he didn't know it before, Don Trump has just learned how true the old adage, you reap what you sow, is. It's doubtful, however, he'll ever admit the obvious--that he and Omarosa Manigault Newman possess the same malignant personality traits and, of course, they both truly deserve each other.
8-14-18
Suspicions are, in the end, it really won't be much. In fact by the time she and her book blows over she will have accomplished about as much as the late and unlamented Rudolf Hess did in 1941.
Hess was a dedicated Nazi, a close confidant of Adolf Hitler, who had been a member of the party since 1920. During that time he rose to the rank of Deputy Fuhrer. Unfortunately, for him, by 1941 much of his influence and many of his responsibilities had been usurped by Martin Bormann. In short he found himself increasingly on the fringes of Adolf's inner circle without a whole lot to do.
So, concerned about the future of Germany--he knew about the impending invasion of the Soviet Union--pissed off at his waning powers, and quite possibly a little off in the noodle, he jumped into a plane and headed for the UK. He landed in Scotland, according to him, to initiate peace talks with the British. How he was going to accomplish such a feat is a little foggy since Herr Hitler knew nothing of his flight beforehand and had absolutely no intention of suing for peace with anyone at the time.
In fact when Hitler found out about Hess' solo journey to the British Isles he went into a rage. Der Fuhrer immediately called up the Italians and the Japanese to reassure them he wasn't seeking a separate peace with Britain, then had Joseph Goebbels go on the air in order to tell the people his former deputy was bat shit crazy. Goebbels initially disagreed with describing Hess as insane, because, you know, it might raise questions about how someone so nuts spent 21 plus years at Hitler's side, but he did it any way.
Which brings us back to Omarosa Manigault Newman. After hitting the TV talk show circuit promoting her new tell all book the President of the United States went a little, pardon the plug, Unhinged. One of his tweets said, "When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess that didn't work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog."
In another, he wrote, "Wacky Omarosa, who got fired three times on the Apprentice, now got fired for the last time. She never made it, never will." There was other stuff he said. Like, she was, "vicious, but not smart," and, She was, "nasty to people & would constantly miss meetings & work."
Goebbels was right. The initial question which comes to mind at the moment is, if she's such a, "crazed, crying lowlife," who had been "fired three times on the Apprentice," why the fuck did, The Big Orange Guy give her a job at the White House in the first place?
Trump claims he did it solely because she, A) came to him begging for one with tears in her eyes and, B) she'd always said nice things about him. Now there is a real job qualification--she always says nice things about me. Who knew El Don was such a softy?
The twitter verse and some of the more sensitive types on MSNBC were appalled the president would call a woman, even one who is accusing him of using the "N" word during an Apprentice off air taping, a dog. Outgoing Arizona Senator Jeff Flake immediately told the world using such a term was, "unbecoming a President of the United States."
Well, guys, what in God's name did you expect? The man's very presence in the Oval Office is unbecoming a President of the United States. He likes it that way and so do his rabid fans.
Indeed, they eat this shit up. In the last few weeks he has questioned LeBron James intelligence, said Maxine Waters is a low IQ individual, called Don Lemon the stupidest man on TV, and now tweeted Omarosa Manigault Newman is a dog. It isn't a mistake all four of them are African Americans. Just as it isn't a mistake Trump's base is the largest bastion of racists in America.
That doesn't make her a martyr though. In the end, Omarosa Manigault Newman is no more of a hero than Rudolf Hess and her book will have about as much impact on Trump's political future as Hess' flight had on the outcome of WWII.
Let's face it, she was a shameless shill for her former boss over a long span of years. Now there is some evidence that even while she was praising the candidate, then President, she was plotting to write a scandal filled book. Indeed, it appears the endeavor was her primary back up plan for her post Trump career, no matter when and under what circumstances it would begin.
Yes, the truth is she is an utterly self absorbed, vindictive, opportunist who holds a sociopathic view of America and its citizens--just like the guy she used to work for.
If he didn't know it before, Don Trump has just learned how true the old adage, you reap what you sow, is. It's doubtful, however, he'll ever admit the obvious--that he and Omarosa Manigault Newman possess the same malignant personality traits and, of course, they both truly deserve each other.
8-14-18
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
So This is How Liberty Dies
If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.
Adolf Hitler
The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!
Donald John Trump
Now we know Mr. Trump has told that whopper frequently enough, although we can be sure he'll keep hammering it home. After all, when it comes to The Big Orange Guy, too much is never enough.
John Stein, writing for the Daily Beast, yesterday noted that a recent IPSOS poll found 48% of self proclaimed republican voters literally believe the statement, "The news media is the enemy of the American people." In addition the poll shows 12% of democrats believe it and 26% of independents do too.
It doesn't stop there. The poll also shows, 43% of republicans support the notion, "The president should have the authority to close news outlets engaged in 'bad' behavior." 12% of democrats and 21% of independents agree with them. A mere 36% of republicans disagreed with the statement.
And, it gets worse. 23% of republicans polled say Donald Trump, should, shut down CNN, the Washington Post, and New York Times while less than half, 49%, were against the idea.
So much for the first amendment. Indeed, if it wasn't before, it is now painfully obvious some parts of The Bill of Rights are much more sacrosanct than others in the eyes of the Trump cult. Just imagine how they'd react if asked something along the lines of, "Do you think the president should have the authority to shut down gun manufacturers engaged in, 'bad' behavior?"
No, we've reached the point in this nation where you can fuck with a free press, but never the people who make and sell faux penises that kill.
Of course not everyone has decided to bail out on a basic tenet of America's republic. 74% of democrats and 50% of indies don't believe the press is the enemy of the people. That's along with 74% and 55% respectively who don't think a president should have the authority to shut down a media outlet which he, and presumably, he alone decides is behaving badly.
Meanwhile the poll showed 72% of everyone says it should be easier to sue a reporter who, "knowingly," publishes false information and 85% of everyone thinks, "Freedom of the press is essential for American democracy."
Obviously the problem here is one man's free press is another's media acting badly. Which explains why 79% of the GOP believe the main stream news treats El Don, "unfairly," and again, less than half of them think Trump shouldn't order CNN, the Post, and the Times closed.
Yes, the slide toward totalitarianism in America appears to be gaining steam thanks in large part to Donald J. Trump's savage attacks on any media outlet, reporter, or commentator who calls him on his bullshit. There is no doubt he believes running this country, just like his corporation, is a one man job--and one of the benefits of that job is it comes without any questions asked, or criticism offered.
So do his adoring, raucous, mobs. Think not? Just watch how they react to members of any press organization not named FOX and then during Trump's blusterous screeds condemning the media at his rallies.
All of which brings us to a final quote. This one by the fictional Padme' Amidala who could well have been speaking about one of those Trump rallies when she said in a movie, "So this is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause."
sic vita est
8-8-18
Adolf Hitler
The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!
Donald John Trump
Now we know Mr. Trump has told that whopper frequently enough, although we can be sure he'll keep hammering it home. After all, when it comes to The Big Orange Guy, too much is never enough.
John Stein, writing for the Daily Beast, yesterday noted that a recent IPSOS poll found 48% of self proclaimed republican voters literally believe the statement, "The news media is the enemy of the American people." In addition the poll shows 12% of democrats believe it and 26% of independents do too.
It doesn't stop there. The poll also shows, 43% of republicans support the notion, "The president should have the authority to close news outlets engaged in 'bad' behavior." 12% of democrats and 21% of independents agree with them. A mere 36% of republicans disagreed with the statement.
And, it gets worse. 23% of republicans polled say Donald Trump, should, shut down CNN, the Washington Post, and New York Times while less than half, 49%, were against the idea.
So much for the first amendment. Indeed, if it wasn't before, it is now painfully obvious some parts of The Bill of Rights are much more sacrosanct than others in the eyes of the Trump cult. Just imagine how they'd react if asked something along the lines of, "Do you think the president should have the authority to shut down gun manufacturers engaged in, 'bad' behavior?"
No, we've reached the point in this nation where you can fuck with a free press, but never the people who make and sell faux penises that kill.
Of course not everyone has decided to bail out on a basic tenet of America's republic. 74% of democrats and 50% of indies don't believe the press is the enemy of the people. That's along with 74% and 55% respectively who don't think a president should have the authority to shut down a media outlet which he, and presumably, he alone decides is behaving badly.
Meanwhile the poll showed 72% of everyone says it should be easier to sue a reporter who, "knowingly," publishes false information and 85% of everyone thinks, "Freedom of the press is essential for American democracy."
Obviously the problem here is one man's free press is another's media acting badly. Which explains why 79% of the GOP believe the main stream news treats El Don, "unfairly," and again, less than half of them think Trump shouldn't order CNN, the Post, and the Times closed.
Yes, the slide toward totalitarianism in America appears to be gaining steam thanks in large part to Donald J. Trump's savage attacks on any media outlet, reporter, or commentator who calls him on his bullshit. There is no doubt he believes running this country, just like his corporation, is a one man job--and one of the benefits of that job is it comes without any questions asked, or criticism offered.
So do his adoring, raucous, mobs. Think not? Just watch how they react to members of any press organization not named FOX and then during Trump's blusterous screeds condemning the media at his rallies.
All of which brings us to a final quote. This one by the fictional Padme' Amidala who could well have been speaking about one of those Trump rallies when she said in a movie, "So this is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause."
sic vita est
8-8-18
Monday, August 6, 2018
Trump's Supporters: The Truth is What Don Tells Us and What We Want to Hear
On Sunday, Donald Trump tweeted about a 2016 get together between his son, others involved in his presidential campaign, and a Russian national. It read, "...There was a meeting to get information on an opponent, totally legal and done all the time in politics--and it went no where. I did not know about it!"
Whether he knew about it in advance, or not is up in the air. The media is reporting his former attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen is not only telling them Trump knew about the meeting before hand, but is willing to swear to it under oath.
Whatever the case, the tweet utterly discredits, Don Trump Jr's initial written statement regarding the sit down in Trump Tower. It stated the meeting was strictly about the adoption of Russian babies by American couples. It also contradicts Junior's sworn testimony before congress during which he parroted the adoption tale. All of which, should be rather embarrassing, since it turns out the whole explanation was actually penned by his dear old Dad.
However, as all of us are painfully aware, we aren't dealing with normal people, or circumstances. Beyond exposing his son to the distinct possibility of perjury charges, the Sunday message to the masses also contains yet another blatant lie. It is, to use Trump's word, "totally," illegal to accept either money, or in-kind contributions from a foreigner, or foreign power during a federal election campaign. In other words you can meet with someone to get dirt on an opponent just so long as the person offering it is an American citizen. You can't do it if the person is a fucking Russian, or anyone else who isn't a sworn son, or daughter of these United States of America.
Of course this revelation doesn't mean diddly squat to the Trump faithful, both here and in Moscow. Those clowns are still willing to show up at his stops, chant, "Lock her up," and verbally assault members of the main stream media who are present--all with a gusto not seen since Herr Hitler and his boys staged the Nuremberg Rallies prior to the second World War.
Indeed, many of Trump's minions are now so far gone they inhabit a sort of demented netherworld. The weirdness is such that last week more than a smattering of them showed up at a campaign stop in Florida proudly proclaiming themselves to be followers of the mysterious Q, or QAnon.
For those not in the loop, Q is an anonymous online personality claiming to be a senior intelligence/security agent within the Trump administration who periodically shows up on an alt-right message board internet site. Q states there is not only a deep state conspiracy to overthrow The Big Orange Guy, but that many Hollywood stars--Tom Hanks among them--and prominent democrats have joined together in a vast and ultra secret society of run amok pedophiles.
This particular line of thought is a direct descendent of what was known as Pizzagate. It was an internet conspiracy school which accused John Podesta and Hillary Clinton of running a similar operation out of a Washington D.C. pizza joint named, Comet Ping Pong. It was quite popular in 2016. So much so one of it's vocal supporters was the son of Michael T. Flynn who ended up as DJT's initial National Security Advisor, although not for long.
Pizzagate was pretty much debunked when some wild eyed rube from North Carolina charged into Comet Ping Pong, pulled off a round from his rifle, then found the back room of the place contained empty pizza boxes and jars of red sauce rather than kids in cages.
Yes, as everyone knows, these days you have to go to Texas and other locales near the southern border in order to see such despicable sights sanctioned by government officials. But, I digress.
The simple truth is, even without the Q loons, Trump's cult of personality is so strong nothing he says, or does will ever cost him his core following. To them, he is the messiah they've been waiting so long for.
Let's face it, no matter what the facts, these people--almost unanimously white--have come to believe they are being persecuted by a government which caters to minorities and foreigners. They feel they are being marginalized in their own home, despite all the evidence which says otherwise.
Am I saying the politics of huge numbers of Trump fans, in truth the majority of them, are steeped in racism? Why yes, I am. Hey, it's time someone finally did.
Meanwhile as the civilized world rolls its eyes and shudders as the brutish Donald beats his chest, his core becomes orgasmic because they actually want a president who is not only an inarticulate bully, but quite possibly insane enough to start another major war. When he accuses every ally we have of taking ruthless advantage of America, instead of cringing they stand up and yell, "Finally!" In their world fear is what counts while respect is for pussies.
Conversely, when it comes to his slavish behavior in the face of Vladimir Putin, they simply shake their collective head and say Trump has a master plan which none of us are privy to, but will play out later. It is one the fake news will never admit to, or report.
And when it comes to the media itself, as one supporter said in an interview at a Pennsylvania Trump rally, "Even if the main stream media does tell the truth, which it won't, nobody here will believe it."
That's right, baby, the free press is the enemy of the people. The truth? It's what Don tells us and what we want to hear. Nothing else is real.
Donald Trump has 31 million followers on Twitter. A recent audit of those followers show that up to 49% of them are fake accounts. According to comedian/satirist, Joe Mande it cost him, "like $400," to buy a million Twitter followers.
Well why not? The bigger the number the better, just like the crowd at my inauguration. Look, these suckers will believe anything I say. They always have. They always will.
Tragically, he is right.
8-6-18
Whether he knew about it in advance, or not is up in the air. The media is reporting his former attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen is not only telling them Trump knew about the meeting before hand, but is willing to swear to it under oath.
Whatever the case, the tweet utterly discredits, Don Trump Jr's initial written statement regarding the sit down in Trump Tower. It stated the meeting was strictly about the adoption of Russian babies by American couples. It also contradicts Junior's sworn testimony before congress during which he parroted the adoption tale. All of which, should be rather embarrassing, since it turns out the whole explanation was actually penned by his dear old Dad.
However, as all of us are painfully aware, we aren't dealing with normal people, or circumstances. Beyond exposing his son to the distinct possibility of perjury charges, the Sunday message to the masses also contains yet another blatant lie. It is, to use Trump's word, "totally," illegal to accept either money, or in-kind contributions from a foreigner, or foreign power during a federal election campaign. In other words you can meet with someone to get dirt on an opponent just so long as the person offering it is an American citizen. You can't do it if the person is a fucking Russian, or anyone else who isn't a sworn son, or daughter of these United States of America.
Of course this revelation doesn't mean diddly squat to the Trump faithful, both here and in Moscow. Those clowns are still willing to show up at his stops, chant, "Lock her up," and verbally assault members of the main stream media who are present--all with a gusto not seen since Herr Hitler and his boys staged the Nuremberg Rallies prior to the second World War.
Indeed, many of Trump's minions are now so far gone they inhabit a sort of demented netherworld. The weirdness is such that last week more than a smattering of them showed up at a campaign stop in Florida proudly proclaiming themselves to be followers of the mysterious Q, or QAnon.
For those not in the loop, Q is an anonymous online personality claiming to be a senior intelligence/security agent within the Trump administration who periodically shows up on an alt-right message board internet site. Q states there is not only a deep state conspiracy to overthrow The Big Orange Guy, but that many Hollywood stars--Tom Hanks among them--and prominent democrats have joined together in a vast and ultra secret society of run amok pedophiles.
This particular line of thought is a direct descendent of what was known as Pizzagate. It was an internet conspiracy school which accused John Podesta and Hillary Clinton of running a similar operation out of a Washington D.C. pizza joint named, Comet Ping Pong. It was quite popular in 2016. So much so one of it's vocal supporters was the son of Michael T. Flynn who ended up as DJT's initial National Security Advisor, although not for long.
Pizzagate was pretty much debunked when some wild eyed rube from North Carolina charged into Comet Ping Pong, pulled off a round from his rifle, then found the back room of the place contained empty pizza boxes and jars of red sauce rather than kids in cages.
Yes, as everyone knows, these days you have to go to Texas and other locales near the southern border in order to see such despicable sights sanctioned by government officials. But, I digress.
The simple truth is, even without the Q loons, Trump's cult of personality is so strong nothing he says, or does will ever cost him his core following. To them, he is the messiah they've been waiting so long for.
Let's face it, no matter what the facts, these people--almost unanimously white--have come to believe they are being persecuted by a government which caters to minorities and foreigners. They feel they are being marginalized in their own home, despite all the evidence which says otherwise.
Am I saying the politics of huge numbers of Trump fans, in truth the majority of them, are steeped in racism? Why yes, I am. Hey, it's time someone finally did.
Meanwhile as the civilized world rolls its eyes and shudders as the brutish Donald beats his chest, his core becomes orgasmic because they actually want a president who is not only an inarticulate bully, but quite possibly insane enough to start another major war. When he accuses every ally we have of taking ruthless advantage of America, instead of cringing they stand up and yell, "Finally!" In their world fear is what counts while respect is for pussies.
Conversely, when it comes to his slavish behavior in the face of Vladimir Putin, they simply shake their collective head and say Trump has a master plan which none of us are privy to, but will play out later. It is one the fake news will never admit to, or report.
And when it comes to the media itself, as one supporter said in an interview at a Pennsylvania Trump rally, "Even if the main stream media does tell the truth, which it won't, nobody here will believe it."
That's right, baby, the free press is the enemy of the people. The truth? It's what Don tells us and what we want to hear. Nothing else is real.
Donald Trump has 31 million followers on Twitter. A recent audit of those followers show that up to 49% of them are fake accounts. According to comedian/satirist, Joe Mande it cost him, "like $400," to buy a million Twitter followers.
Well why not? The bigger the number the better, just like the crowd at my inauguration. Look, these suckers will believe anything I say. They always have. They always will.
Tragically, he is right.
8-6-18
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