Ryan Walters' Test and the PragerU Factor

 Meanwhile, back in Oklahoma the Superintendent of Public Schools, Ryan Walters says his, "America First," test for prospective teachers arriving from California and New York will be released to the public, "soon." The test has been prepared presumably by Walters and his staff in partnership with an outfit called PragerU. The test is 50 questions long and has been described by some as a MAGA loyalty test. Walters doesn't go that far, at least not publicly, but does say it is designed to make sure Oklahoma schools aren't infiltrated by a bunch of radical left subversives hell bent on destroying America by teaching kids to hate the nation and, if they're white, themselves.  According to Walters if teachers from either state want to work here they have to get all 50 answers correct. He is a little fuzzy on who will do the grading, but one can probably assume there won't be any democrats involved in the process. Maybe the PragerU people will handle it. After all, Walters is quite proud of the collaboration, he brags about it every time he mentions the test. 

Which, of course, begs the question those of us unfamiliar with all this anti woke rigamarole should ask. What the fuck is PragerU?

Well, among other things, despite its somewhat misleading name, it isn't a university at all. It doesn't offer any online classes per se, it doesn't award any degrees, and it certainly doesn't have a campus. It was founded in 2009 by former right wing radio host Dennis Prager and radio producer and script writer, Allen Estin. Neither of them have any background in education, but both are well versed in over the edge right wing politics. 

PragerU is listed as a non-profit and is financed almost exclusively through private donations.  Wikipedia reports the biggest donor is the Linde and Harry Bradley Foundation, and prior to his death, Sheldon Adelson, who used to privately grill GOP presidential candidates to see if they were worthy of his huge contributions. Billionaire brothers Dan and Ferris Wilks--who made their cash manufacturing hydraulic fracturing equipment--are also major contributors and both of them sit on the board of directors. 

 TheU's chief products are child friendly cartoon videos showcasing the far right's version of history, politics, culture, and the climate. Wikipedia explains the videos contain, "misleading and factually inaccurate information," while promoting creationism and climate change denial. The videos are also accused of glossing over the history of the European colonization of the Americas, slavery and racism both current and during the past in the United States. As you can probably guess some of the videos are virulently anti LGBTQ in nature. (Which explains the questions regarding gender identification on Falterers' test.) As of 2023 Prager's You Tube channel contained 2,200 videos which cost anywhere from $25,000 to $30,000 each to make. 

Obviously, there is a lot of money being shoveled into PragerU by some really, really rich people. People who think the United States is a great place, but only so long as they're running it. 

Many of the toons are narrated by various right-wing luminaries such as, Tucker Carlson, Nigel Farage--even though he is a Brit--Michelle Malkin, Ben Shapiro, and Candace Owens among others. One of the videos featuring Owens was so incendiary and false--at one point she claimed trans people are schizophrenics--Face Book labeled it, "hate speech," and removed it from the site. You Tube found the climate denial videos so misleading and outright wrong they started adding fact checking messages to them. In all You Tube restricted the viewing of 21 PragerU productions. The U sued the site claiming censorship, but two courts threw the litigation out. 

No wonder Ryan Walters likes them so much. They're his kind of people.

For those wondering, the top 10 public education systems in the United States are, 1. Massachusetts, 2. New York, 3. New Jersey, 4. Washington, 5. Pennsylvania, 6. Vermont, 7. Minnesota, 8. Connecticut, 9. Virginia, 10. Wisconsin.  

Notice anything there. How about every one of those states are either blue, or purple. There isn't one ruby red republican stronghold listed among the bunch. The same ranking shows California at 37th, which is still 13 spots ahead of Oklahoma. 

That's right, under Ryan Walters' stewardship the Oklahoma public education system has sunk to 50th in the survey. Maybe that's because, unlike those other states, Walters and PragerU are far more concerned with the politics of teachers rather than their actual qualifications. 

Hey, it has to be something, right?

8-21-25

Shopping for King Crab in Anchorage and Not Much Else

 Is it piling on to remind everyone that last fall Donald Trump promised us all he would end the war in Ukraine in a single day and now, just shy of seven months into his term, there is still no end in sight? After all, to be fair, Trump said he could end it in a day, but he never said which day. It is a detail so stunningly simple it is surprising the man hasn't brought it up himself. I mean it does sound like the sort of cheap-jack excuse either he, or one of his staff of toadies would come up with. 

A couple of days ago the American President met with Russian strongman, Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, AK to hash out the details of a Ukrainian peace plan. Just to make sure there weren't any impediments to a potential, "peace in our time," deal the Ukrainians weren't invited. (Hey, ever since the Russians invaded, they've been an unreasonably hysterical bunch, especially their President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.)  

The meeting was originally scheduled to be a one on one between the two leaders. At the last minute, literally, it was announced Secretary of State Marco Rubio, real estate dealer, turned special enjoy, Steve Witkoff, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent would sit in. Some of Putin's people would also be present. The change went unexplained, although in the week leading up to the summit there had been a great deal of trepidation on the American side that Mr. Trump would emerge from a one on one with Putin wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. 

Thankfully a public depantsing didn't occur. In fact, on the surface at least, nothing happened. No agreements were reached, no ceasefire was declared (To prove it, the Russians launched a few missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian civilian targets while both men were enroute to Anchorage.) and no land swaps were proposed. In truth, the whole thing was a waste of time and money. Apparently, nothing was said that couldn't have been said over the phone. Who knows though? Maybe some good came out of the trip. During the negotiations perhaps a few low-level aides from both sides made runs to a local market to score some Alaskan king Crab for the rides home. 

Obviously, last Friday wasn't The Day Donald Trump decided to end the war. It became just the latest in an ever growing number of days he hasn't.

Others, however, have pointed out one man did accomplish something. His name was Vladimir Putin. Despite the not surprising lack of progress, the Russian imperialist kleptocrat landed at an American military base. Then he was greeted on a red carpet by the supposed, "leader of the free world," with a hearty handshake, and was able to tool around in Trump's armored limo, smiling and waving to onlookers. In many other countries he would have been immediately arrested and dumped in the local clink to await trial for crimes against humanity. One can only imagine how that tape will play on Russian TV, not to mention in NATO capitals from Ottawa to Warsaw. 

In addition, he was able to return home, knowing both his public and military understand he faced down the American President without making a single concession. He, Vladimir Putin, exuded strength while Donald Trump, the President of the United States was left mumbling, "There isn't a deal until there is a deal." On Saturday, during The Daily Beast podcast Trump biographer, Michael Wolff put it this way, "This is, you know, really, really a loss for Trump and potentially a loss for Ukraine." He summed up the meeting this way, "Trump got fucked."

Both Putin and Trump made brief statements after the summit, neither saying much. The President did give an interview later in the day to FOX News guy, Sean Hannity--probably the only, "journalist," he could trust not to ask him something along the lines of, What the hell were you thinking, you stupid son of a bitch? During the chat, Trump said, in part, "Now it is really up to President Zelenskyy to get it done." 

In other words, That's right, Mr. Roosevelt, the Japanese just sunk the American Pacific Fleet at Pear Harbor and invaded the Philippines, but don't dwell on your losses. Get over it. Call the Emperor and make peace. If you do they promise not to occupy Venice Beach.

Now that's the Donald Trump we know and loathe so much. It's also the Donald Trump, Vlad Putin has counted on time and time again. 

8-17-25

The Great Escape From Texas

 A few weeks ago, on July 21st, KWTX a television outlet in Waco, TX reported the special legislative session called by Gov. Greg Abott was beginning over in Austin. The online report noted the session's agenda included items not taken care off during the regular session. They included things like cannabis regulations and a student testing program. The most important item however concerned the flooding recently experienced in central Texas which killed over a hundred people, many of them children. Included were improvements to flood warning systems and emergency communications. Funding for relief aid to the victims of the July flooding was also on the table. The outlet said that state legislators wore green that first day in remembrance of those lost during the disaster.

Notice anything missing from the menu of that soon to be contentious get together? How about redrawing the entire state's congressional district map in a way that will deal the republican party a sure-fire hand to win an additional five seats in the 2026 elections.

Yes, it seems at some point either immediately before, or just after the special session began, Donald Trump made a phone call to Governor Abott and others. He had come up with a bright idea to help preserve republican control of the House next year. (Actually, it was probably someone else who came up with the idea, Trump himself is incapable of bright ideas.)

 In other words, fuck all that disaster preparedness and humanitarian shit. The Mango Mussolini had told them to jump on his behalf and the only question asked by Texas republicans was, "How high, boss?"

Currently republicans hold a seven seat majority in the house. It could be down to five by the year's end. .There are two vacant seats which were held by democrats who are now deceased. The vacancies will be filled by special elections later this year. Given what normally happens in mid-term congressional elections--the political party holding the White House usually loses seats even when things are going well--Trump can't count on the electorate. He has to pull the puppet strings in order to gerrymander the living daylights out of a place like Texas, which has 13 democratic members of congress out of a total of 38.

Now, instead of flood relief, Greg Abott and the rest of Trump's merry pranksters in Texas are screeching about the 50, or so democratic legislators who have fled the state in order to stop Trump's power grab by denying the legislature a quorum. In fact, to put it as mildly as possible, Abott and his pals have gone ape shit crazy over the walk out.

Democratic legislators are being fined $500 for every day they are gone. (Most took it on the lam to Illinois, while others are hunkered down in New York and Massachusetts.) Abott has threatened them with arrest, going so far as claim he has State Troopers out hunting them down. He is also threatening to remove them from the legislature, although to do so he needs the State Supreme Court's help. In addition, Texas, U.S. Senator John Cornyn called up the Director of the FBI, Kash Patel and asked him to use his agents to track the missing democrats down. One report says Patel agreed even though there is no evidence of any federal crime being committed. Of course, in this administration things like the law are considered nothing more than mere inconveniences. Patel probably just asked himself, "What would Donald do?" Or, more likely, "What does Donald want me to do?" 

In the end this is a battle Trump will win. Texas law says special legislative sessions can last only 30 days. Democrats promised to return to the state when the 30 days are up. However, Texas law doesn't limit the number of special sessions the Governor can call. Abott has already promised to simply call another one as soon as everybody is back in town. And he'll keep doing it until the Big Man gets his way. 

In Texas anyway.

In other states the lunacy might go a little differently. California Governor, Gavin Newsom says if Trump is successful pulling off this cold-blooded manipulation he and his state will respond, by making sure they add the same number of democratic seats republicans stole in Texas. There have been rumblings in Illinois and New York of doing the same thing. In short, the nation is on the brink of a gerrymandering war. 

Well why not? After all, it's just the voters everyone is taking about. It isn't like they're screwing with the victims of natural disasters. 

You know, like the ones in Texas.

8-10-25

God Emailed Gene Bicknell and Told Him to Pay a Lot for His Sins

 Gene Bicknell is by all accounts a deeply religious man--a genuine born again, fundamentalist Christian. He is, or at least was, a really rich guy. Unlike many these days he actually did start on the economic ground floor and then worked his way up. Gene Bicknell was born in Picher, Oklahoma, but his family moved to southeast Kansas--a short trip from Picher--when he was young. According to his bio he worked his way through what is now, Pittsburg State University in his adopted hometown.  Depending on the source he either sold insurance locally or was a s sales rep for a couple of national concerns. What everyone can agree on is in 1962 Bicknell opened his first Pizza Hut franchise in Pittsburg. 

It was the first of many. By 2006 he was the largest franchisee in the chain owning close to 800 stores spread across 26 states. In the same year he sold them all to Merrill Lynch and Associates for what has been reported to be $615 million. 

Brother Bicknell had other interests besides tossing pizza dough. He wrote TV screen plays, did some part time local radio and TV sportscasting, and even scored a few acting gigs. (In 1979 he played a rival gang member in Walter Hill's, "The Warriors.") He also became involved in politics. He ran for Governor of Kansas twice, although both times he lost in republican primaries. In addition, he owned a plastic container manufacturing firm and an entertainment venue in Branson, MO known as the Mansion Theater. The company that was created to run the theater was called, Mansion Entertainment Group. Mr. Bicknell hired Larry K. Wilhite, a flockless pastor, to lead the group.

Then things began to go sideways.

Sometime during, or before 2022 Wilhite hooked up with Richard, call me Rick, Silanskas and Stephen Hedrick.  Silanskas had been involved in three failed amusement/entertainment proposals in the past. Two were in the Ft. Worth, TX area and one in Muscle Shoals, AL. Hedrick, was a former design executive for Disney who one supposes was slated to be the head, "Imagineer." When things got rolling, however, he ended up being the group's front man.    

In 2022 the three of them began to hit up Gene Bicknell for money--lots and lots of money--to finance a sure fire success. It would be called American Heartland Theme Park and Resort, a $2 plus billion adventure in capitalism at its most daring. They told the aging Bicknell, who at the time was 90 or so, and anyone else who would listen the planned venue would be a world class destination rivaling anything the Disney people had built. They also insisted, at least to Gene Bicknell, the project was not just divinely inspired but had been enthusiastically endorsed by the Lord God Almighty. Bicknell, who despite his riches didn't have anywhere near $2 billion, took the bait.

By 2023 Hedrick, accompanied by Vinita's Mayor and other dignitaries announced to the world the construction of American Heartland would begin soon, and the park would be open for business in 2026. As proof they pointed to a chunk of land which had been purchased that was now fenced in and accessed by a recently built gravel road, presumably for construction vehicles. 

Over the next year Hedrick, Wilhite, and Silankas kept running to Bicknell for money. When he seemed reluctant, they went to places not even Nigerian internet grifters would dare go. Bicknell began receiving emails and texts from someone who claimed to be, "Sister Catherine." She told him in no uncertain terms God in heaven had decreed the park should be finished. Bicknell also got messages from a, "medium," saying in her visions the Lord had advised her the same thing. 

You know where this is going, don't you. Finally, God, the Creator of Heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen, began directly messaging Gene Bicknell via electronic devices. One such message is reported to have said, "This mission will not tolerate anything but ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE and ABSOLUTE CLIFF-DIVING FAITH FROM THE HIGHEST MOUNT ABOVE THE SEA. NOW LISTEN. I AM INSTRUCTING YOU TO EMPTY THE WAREHOUSES AND ACCELERATE THIS MISSION WITHOUT DELAY. TRUST THEM COMPLETELY AND AVOID INSERTING DISTRACTIONS OR DOUBTFUL QUESTIONS."

That's some pretty heavy Old Testament shit for a 90 year old guy who is trying to repent for his sins. Sins like acting in an 80's slasher flick which featured a college aged girl getting her head cut off while she is--yes--giving head.  (Hey, we all have a past.) 

Needless to say, the whole scam is falling apart now. As of this year the park remains an empty plot of land. The only construction that has ever taken place is that fence and the gravel road. Bicknell, probably thanks to his family, recently filed suit in federal court seeking $60 million from his three, "partners." (At one point God had instructed him to give Hedrick, Wilhite, and Silankas complete control of the park if it ever did get built.) The suit includes allegations that while Wilhite and Silankas were forging the name of the Lord on divine messages, at the same time they were forging Bicknell's signature on checks and other paperwork.  

It's doubtful Gene Bicknell will ever see a dime of that money. If those tens of millions he kicked in haven't been spent already--large portions of it paid the salaries of the three guys who supposedly were running the project--it is probably sitting in some offshore bank. Besides,a lawsuit like this can take years and it has been reported that last year, Gene Bicknell suffered a, "crippling," stroke. Combine his age with his health and it's a safe bet he doesn't have a long time left.

The Tulsa World reports Hedrick and Wilhite have left the project--possibly for an extended trip to the Cayman Islands. Meanwhile there was no word on the whereabouts of Rick Silankas. The World recently received an email purportedly from Hedrick saying that currently millions are owed to design consultants and architects who have worked on the park's plans. 

If true, that revelation proves really only one thing. When you're running a con this big you have to go all the way.  

Well, that and there are a lot more suckers than just one born every minute.

Sic Vita Est

8-5-25

Ryan Walters Redux: Vintage Porn, Conspiracies, and a Possible Opportunity

 Late last week all hell broke loose after the State Board of Education met in an executive session. The meeting was held in Superintendent Ryan Walters' office. During the private session, which included among other things, discussing the revocation of teaching certificates for inappropriate conduct, board members, Becky Carson and Ryan Deatherage claim they witnessed nude women cavorting on a television located there. Carson demanded that the Superintendent, "Turn it off!" Deatherage noted that the people on the screen who were clothed appeared to be wearing fashions out the 1960's. (One of them had a hat on, "similar to the one worn on the old sitcom, "Gilligan's Island.") Walters, after fumbling around with the remote control for a painful moment, finally cut the TV off. Other members, who claimed they couldn't see the images, said in the immediate aftermath Walters appeared, "Shook up" and "flustered." '

This past Tuesday Walters held a press conference in front of the Governor's office in the capitol building. (No doubt because in conspiratorial demagoguery, like real estate, location is everything.) He told the media, in part, "These board members have a lot to answer for--and so does the Governor of the state of Oklahoma. Did he direct these board members to lie about me? Did he direct them to go in and disrupt everything in these board meetings? What exactly were they told to do?"   

Indeed, what were they told to do by the Governor? According to Ryan Deatherage he hasn't spoken to Governor Kevin Stitt in about two years. In other words, Stitt hadn't told him anything. Carson has also denied receiving instructions from the Governor. Undeterred by facts, Walters took a trip further into the deep end when he claimed the Oklahoma County Sheriff's office, who is investigating the incident, had already exonerated him. The next day, during an interview on the local CBS affiliate Sheriff Tommie Johnson was asked if Walters had actually been exonerated. His answer was a simple, "No." He went on to say his department had just begun its investigation and anyone suggesting the inquiry could be wrapped it up in a single day was insulting both the process and the team looking into it. 

Oops.

Back in front of the Governor's office Walters finished with, "We will continue to make sure these board members are held accountable. They should resign immediately in disgrace for the lies they told. We should get back to work for the people of Oklahoma." 

Well, God knows we need it. Walters has been in office for two plus years and the state now ranks 50th in public education. Only New Mexico is below Oklahoma. (The District of Columbia was included in the survey.) That means the state even ranks behind Mississippi, which until the Walters' Wild West and Magic Act showed up, didn't seem possible.

Blaming board members, the Governor, and the press--yes, he claimed the media was also in on the plot to, "subvert the will of Oklahoma voters," is so Trumpian in nature we should have expected it. However, the accusation that these people--republicans all--just made this shit up to get rid of him might serve another purpose.

Earlier in the week Walters announced the state would, "partner," with American Virtual Academy, an Arizona based online school. According to Walters the, "Academy is focused on bringing, patriotism and American values into education." What Walters failed to say is American Virtual Academy is also focused on making its founder and CEO, Damien Creamer a boat load of money. According to one report in the Oklahoman, since 2015 Creamer has raked in $24 million in personal salary paid in full by the taxpayers of Arizona.   

When someone sitting in on the announcement asked about the school's stunning lack of academic success, Walters claimed the media had it confused with another online Arizona school which had run so afoul of educational authorities in Arizona they lost their charter. He was talking about what was called Primavera Online School. Before losing their charter only 9% of their students tested proficient in math, as compared to 32% of the students in the rest of the state. 

For those who haven't figured it out yet, a Phoenix media outlet reports Primavera Online School and American Virtual Academy are the same thing, run by the same guy, Damien Creamer. Apparently, those American values don't include figuring out the answer to 2 plus 2. But hey, Ryan Walters assured everyone there the state of Oklahoma would advise parents how to qualify for financial assistance if they want to enroll their kids into this latest adventure in private education. As the Superintendent said, "Oklahoma is the friendliest school choice state in the nation."

Yeah, and look where that got us, Ryan.

When asked the Superintendent was proud to inform the audience that he alone had worked out this deal. He didn't need help from the board--you know, the people who are supposed to have a say in such things. For the record, no one has said it yet and I'm not saying it now, but it is certainly a possibility Mr. Walters didn't want the board involved for reasons that are, shall we say, a tad shady. Let's face it, no one, except perhaps for Ryan Walters himself, can deny it appears that opportunity is there. Especially when you consider the shaky record of American Virtual Academy and its founder. 

In an op-ed piece for the Oklahoman, Christy Taylor wrote, "Instead of focusing on educational outcomes, Walters prioritizes culture war theatrics, mandating bible instruction, adding 2020 election denial language into curriculum, and threatening teachers from other states--all while using state money for national news appearances to boost his political profile. " She summed it up succinctly, "It's clear Ryan Walters is unfit to lead our schools."

Amen to that, Sister.

8-1-25

Ryan Walters Forgets to Change the Channel

After a while all the talk, rumors, and speculation about Donald Trump's involvement with Jeffrey Epstein becomes exhausting. It is rather like that dream during which you are trying to get somewhere, but your feet keep sinking into the carpet, or sidewalk and each step is a monumental struggle. Indeed--let's take a break from the alleged salacious behavior of the rich, famous, and powerful to focus on something else for a moment. 

That's right. Let's look into the alleged salacious behavior of that wannabe rich, famous, and powerful apostle of Donald Trump, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Schools, Ryan Walters. There is now evidence the same man who has mandated that every classroom in Oklahoma have at least one bible in it--the man who ordered every state student and faculty member to either pray with him, or watch him pray on video, has a taste for watching what he, himself would classify as pornography. And not in the privacy of his own home, but rather in his state funded office while serving the people of Oklahoma, Donald J. Trump, and Jesus Christ, although, not necessarily in that order.

This past week members of the State Board of Education, chaired by Walters, met in what is known as an, "Executive Session." (It is a meeting where they decide things in private--no press, or public allowed--before they go out and pretend to decide the same things in public.) The meeting was held in Walters' office which apparently is spacious enough to seat everyone involved. One of the furnishings in the office is a television. As the meeting began the TV was on, but muted. Board members, Ryan Deatherage and Becky Carson had perfect views of the screen, which was to Walters' back, while others in the room didn't.

As the meeting progressed, both Deatherage and Carson told the media they saw naked women on the television. Although neither of them described in detail what the naked women were doing, Carson was quoted as saying in part, "I'm sorry I even have to use this language, but I'm like, those are nipples. And then I'm like, that's pubic hair." Deatherage, apparently, an amateur historian of such things, was quoted as saying, "It looked like it was made in the '60s maybe. Carson said she used her sternest mother/teacher voice to demand Walters, "Turn it off now!"

At that point Walters got up and in what seemed to be a flash of panic fumbled around for a moment or two (It always happens at the worst of times doesn't it?) before finding the off button. Board member Chris Van Denhende told The Oklahoman that while he couldn't see the screen when Walters sat back down he was, "shook up." Another member Mike Tinney also claimed he didn't see the screen, but said that after Walters turned off the TV he was, "Obviously a little flustered, or embarrassed."

According to everyone involved, after what we can presume was an awkward pause, the meeting then proceeded as if nothing had happened. In other words, it was another case of, "Nothing to see here, move on." On the agenda that day was Walters' planned test for licensing teachers coming in from other states which ensures they are, let's say, unwoke and loyal to the Donald Trump dogma of, "America first." 

So far Ryan Walters hasn't issued a statement. However, his mouthpiece, Quinton Hitchcock called the story, "..a junk tabloid lie." He added, "Any number of people have access to these offices, you have a hostile board who will say anything except the truth, and now NonsenseDoc is reporting on an alleged random TV cable image." 

In short, the whole thing is a conspiracy. How wonderfully Trumpian. 

State legislators are currently lining up to demand an investigation which includes the seizure of any and all electronic devices in Walters' office. Many on both sides of the aisle have waited for years to bring down what they consider a self-righteous, extravagantly arrogant, pompous asshole. Because, in the end, Ryan Walters is the local incarnation of Matt Gaetz--a man so personally reprehensible, everyone, no matter what their politics, hates his guts.

The chances of Ryan Walters resigning from his office over this incident are zero. His ego won't allow it. In fact, right now he is probably convincing himself the whole thing is a conspiracy. And no matter how much legislators despise him, it's doubtful they'll impeach the guy. What will more likely happen is Walters' days of running roughshod over the board are finished. From now on they and not the Superintendent determine policy take the decisions. In addition, that run for Governor Walters was planning on next year could well be in jeopardy. Even Oklahoma republicans have limits to their hypocrisy. At least we hope they do.

Otherwise, this sordid little moment did accomplish one thing. It validated my firm belief that deep within every one of these high profile hyper-fundamentalist Christian political Kahunas dwells the soul of a dirty old man. And sometimes all you have to do to find it is wait for the silly sons of bitches to forget to change the channel. 

7-27-25

Banquo Takes a Seat at Donald Trump's Table

 Six days ago it was predicted here that by this weekend we would all be talking about something other than Jeffrery Epstein. Obviously, that was a bad call. Not only is everyone still talking about this increasingly sordid episode, but Donald J. Trump is promising to sue the Wall Street Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch for billions of dollars because of it. (Which is, as someone might have pointed out to El Don, is not the best way to get everyone to stop talking about the Jeff Epstein files.)

According to the Journal in 2003 Epstein's girlfriend and fresh talent recruiter, Ghislaine Maxwell asked a bunch of his pals to send him greetings and congratulations on his 50th birthday. She collected all the responses and put them into a leather bound scrapbook. Donald Trump's alleged contribution to the collection opened with, "There must be more to life than having everything." Then it wandered off into a fictional conversation between Trump and Epstein with Trump saying, "Yes there is, but I won't tell you what it is." Epstein responds, "Nor will I, since I know what it is." Trump's next line is, "We have certain things in common, Jeffrey." Epstein answers, "Yes, we do, come to think of it." Then Trump adds, "Enigmas never age, have you noticed that? Epstein's answer is, "As a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you." The note ended with Trump writing, "A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday--and may every day be another wonderful secret." The WSJ reports this text was framed by a hand drawn outline of an anatomically correct female torso. It was signed, "Donald," where the pubic hair should be. 

Almost at the same instant the Journal piece hit the internet a quote by Trump given during a 2002 interview with New York magazine became public. At that time Citizen Trump said of his friend, " I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said he likes beautiful women as much as I do and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it--Jeffrey enjoys his social life."

Adding insult to injury a couple of days before the WSJ story appeared Trump caught wind of it and called his old pal, Rupert Murdoch, asking him to kill it. The President now claims Murdoch agreed to, but the publication ran it anyway--which leads us to one of two conclusions. Either the most powerful media mogul in the world can't control his own staff, or Rupe Murdoch flat out lied to Donald Trump. Personally, I prefer the latter, it appeals to my appreciation of irony.  

Suffice it to say, our man in the Oval Office went ape shit crazy. So much so it appeared he tripped off into full blown dementia. In Pittsburgh Trump claimed his late uncle, John Trump, who was a long time professor at MIT, told him a story about having Ted Kaczynski as a student. The problem being, Kaczynski, who is better known as, "the Unabomber," was never enrolled at MIT. In addition, dear old Uncle John died before Kaczynski was even identified and caught. Mr. Trump also claimed Joe Biden appointed his arch enemy du jour, Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell. Scads of media outlets showed that clip, then gleefully followed it with one of Donald Trump, "...proudly introducing my nominee for Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell." 

Donald Trump vehemently denies he wrote the birthday note to that, "terrific guy," Jeffrey Epstein. In an interview he said, "This is not me. This is a fake thing." A moment later he added, "I never wrote a picture in my life. I don't draw pictures of women. It is not my language. It's not my words."

While we have stone cold proof Donald Trump is a crudely obscene man and a sexual predator, when it comes to the Epstein birthday note, I actually believe him. That whole fantasy conversation between Trump and Epstein requires an imagination, not to mention literary knowledge and talent far beyond anything demonstrated by Donald Trump in the past, or present. (For God's sake, the guy said, "I never wrote a picture...") That, however, doesn't mean he didn't see it, approve it, and personally sign it. 

What probably happened is Trump got a call, or email from Maxwell, then handed off the job of composing it to someone else--maybe even Maxwell herself--then read and signed the final product. Whether the artwork was his or not really doesn't matter. Why not? While Donald Trump has denied writing the note, he has never said he didn't see it or sign it. 

Whatever the case, the issue, which Trump is desperate to get rid of now has new legs. We have the  hard core conspiracy wing of MAGA, the Wall Street Journal, and Trump's pending lawsuit to thank for it. Indeed, this story is becoming oddly Shakespearian in a way. In it, Jeffrey Epstein has become to Trump what Banquo was to Macbeth. The former friend turned terrifying ghost who is now seated at the banquet table. 

7-20-25

The Week the Monster Turned on Its Creators

 As Victor Frankenstein learned in Mary Shelley's novel, sometimes you lose control of the monster you have created. Such appears to be the case with the Donald Trump administration--at least for the moment. For years Trump and his sycophants have preached the gospel of conspiracy theories and nefarious plots concocted by that amorphous cabal known as, "The Deep State." Even if they didn't explicitly endorse the wilder ones, they never disowned them, never condemned them. They simply let them fly, no matter how outlandish they became.

This past week, or so--much to the entertainment of many and seemingly to their stunned surprise--Trump and his merry band of pranksters learned they can't just turn off all the craziness when they want to. In fact, you can almost hear Brother Don thinking to himself something along the lines of, "I can't believe these idiots actually believed that shit."

This past weekend the reaction to the DOJ's statement that Jeffrey Epstein didn't really have a client list and that he really did commit suicide in 2019 became so negative and loud Trump felt he had to take to social media to calm the troops down, "What's going on with my boys and, in some cases, gals? They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB. we're all on one team, MAGA, and I don't like what is happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD and selfish people are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein."

Perhaps the President was referring in particular to his former pal, Tucker Carlson who appeared the night before the post at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit down in Tampa, FL. During his time at the podium Carlson claimed the late, unlamented, Mr. Epstein as a Israeli asset working with the Mossad to blackmail American power brokers. His job was to lure them in so they'd participate in his private island orgies involving underaged girls, then take names and videos. According to Carlson, "Everyone in Washington D.C. is talking about it."  Carlson also questioned how Epstein made all his millions to pay for the parties, the island, and his and private jets. The very ham-handed hint was this ill-gotten evidence was the real reason, "the client list," disappeared. 

Other speakers at the get together demanded the heads of Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. The crowd, for the most part, roared their approval. It didn't help that there were reports of Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino throwing a screaming fit in Bondi's office, or in his office, or somewhere. Then not showing up for work on Friday to protest the lack of a list release. Well, who can blame the guy? The only reason he got the job is because his conspiracy driven, pro Trump podcasts made him a darling among the MAGA faithful. Now he has been made to look like either a liar, or a fool, or both.

So, what do you do when it looks like many of your own people are beginning to think your administration is starting to look deep statish? Obviously, you do what Donald Trump does best. Go fucking nuts. In the same social media post he also wrote, "For years it's Epstein over and over again. Why are we giving publicity to files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration, who conned the World with the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoa, 51 'intelligence' Agents, THE LAPTOP FROM HELL, and more? The created the EPSTEIN FILES, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called friends are playing right into their hands." (Hey, the punctuation, use of caps, and syntax are all his. I can't make up shit like that.)

That's the ticket Don. Hit the bastards with more conspiracies and delusions of past grievances all wrapped up in one semi-coherent paragraph. Distract the mob and get their focus back on, The Others.

In the end this will all blow over. As one TV analyst said on Sunday, "We're all talking about Jeffrey Epstein this weekend. Next weekend we'll be talking about something else." She is right. If we've learned anything about Donald Trump it is that he never gives us time to dwell too much on any one thing, no matter how insane it is.  

It is, after all, what has made him the man he is today--the mad King.

7-14-25

List? We Don't Have No Stinking List

 It began a long, long time ago. In fact, in this day and age of constant hysteria, xenophobia, blatant presidential corruption, and what looks to be the inexorable slide into authoritarianism the year 2016 feels almost as distant as 1916, Like many past ages it is hard to remember the minutia of what happened then. For instance, while many do remember 2016 was the year Donald Trump won the Presidential election, most of us have probably forgotten how the news cycles were fascinated and consumed by a loose band of conspiracy, let's say, enthusiasts, collectively known as QAnon. 

Indeed, they seemed to be everywhere that year, especially at Donald Trump's campaign rallies. Dozens, if not hundreds of them would show up wearing tee-shirts that said, "I am Q." Some carried large placards in the shape of the letter Q. At the heart of their fears and rage was the firm conviction a vast cabal of political, Hollywood, and British royal elites were running a worldwide child trafficking ring. It involved molestation, slavery, and in some instances child sacrifices and cannibalism. The believers were sure everyone from Tom Hanks to Prince Andrew, and most importantly, democratic Presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton were in on it.

The QAnon aficionados even claimed the headquarters of this diabolical conspiracy was located in the basement of a Washing D.C. pizza joint--apparently because some hidden away estate was beyond the means of this gang of fabulously well to do perverts. The first time the whole thing came to a head was when a guy from North Carolina named, Edgar Welch entered a restaurant in D.C. called, Comet Ping Pong. He was armed with an AR-15, fired a shot into a closet door in the restaurant's storage room, but failed to find the rumored headquarters. Actually he couldn't even find a basement, because there wasn't one. He quickly surrendered to police admitting he might have been wrong to believe the Q party line. (Later Welch would end up doing time in North Carolina and in January of this year he was killed by the cops when they tried to pick him up on a parole violation.)

After Trump's victory and the whole Comet Ping Pong thing QAnon began to fade and the remnants drifted off into increasingly bizarre notions--that's right, bizarre even for them.

However, many on the far right still had their suspicions about wildly famous people involved in child trafficking. Then, a guy named Jeffrey Epstein hit the news. Tales of wild parties, private island retreats, and most shockingly decadent, unhinged orgies involving underaged girls emerged into the light. There was even video tapes of some of the guests enjoying the music and views. The most famous one included a guy named, Donald John Trump. 

Trump denied knowing anything about teenaged girls and he insisted he certainly didn't have sex with any of them . He wasn't alone. So did former President, Bill Clinton, celebrity defense attorney, Alan Dershowitz, and others. The ultraright bought Trump's excuse, but they weren't having any of it from the rest of those elitist sickos. It was Q all over again and now there was proof. Epstein's girlfriend and his chief procurer, Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested and so was Epstein. Pretty quickly rumors began to circulate Jeffrey Epstein had a, "client list" of the people he provided underaged girls to. Trump's supporters and many who aren't began to demand the list be made public. It didn't seem to matter to the MAGA crowd the only real big shot caught on video, swapping jokes, with Epstein was Donald fucking Trump. By God, we want those names!

In February of this year newly minted U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi was asked about the list. Her response to Fox News was not only did the list exist, but, "It's sitting on my desk right now to review." Then she added, "That's been a directive by President Trump. I'm reviewing that." 

Now, a couple of things here. The American public will forgive a lot, especially when it comes to Donald Trump. His fans don't care if he sells everything from Teslas, to bibles, to bit coins while on the job. A lot of them even think it is a good thing when he ignores the rulings of federal judges. Some go so far as believing a life time Trump Presidency is a great idea, no matter how old he is. Let's face it though--and trust me El Don knows this as well--if that list proves Jeff Epstein was supplying him with 15, 16, and 17 year old girls to tap it all that forgive and forget shit will go right out the window. Too much of their political motivation is invested in, "protecting the children" (Gays are indoctrinating young kids into the homosexual lifestyle. Transgender athletes are subverting young girls sports. Latin American gangs are heavily involved in child trafficking.) 

There is a reason Elon Musk claimed the President's name was on the list when they had their messy divorce. There is also a reason that the other day the Department of Justice said, despite Bondi's previous claim, there is no such, "client list." There never was one and yes, Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide in a federal facility while on suicide watch. In other words, "Nothing to see here. Keep moving. Nothing to see."

Bondi was immediately forced into an awkward song and dance number. She issued a statement saying that back in February she actually meant she was looking at Epstein's file, not the list per se. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt referred any media questions to the Attorney General then announced an ongoing investigation of former CIA chief John Brennan and former FBI head, James Comey. It didn't take long to figure out she was talking about their role in the 2016 Russian election interference claims. It was an issue settled by investigators and grand juries close to eight years ago. Trump himself went all--well--Trump, on a reporter when asked about the list. He told her in no uncertain terms there were more important things to talk about than, "...that creep Jeffrey Epstein."

The hard core right is outraged the list won't be delivered as promised. Laura Loomer posted, "Bondi lied. She was always lying." Ultra conservative hot shot, Robby Starbuck wrote, "Was she lying then, or is she lying now? We deserve answers." Turning Point USA mouthpiece Savannah Hernandez said, "Pam Bondi should step down as Attorney General for lying to the American public." 

None of these clowns will admit, or probably even allow themselves to think, the reason the list suddenly disappeared is because someone at the DOJ decided there was no way to release it without implicating Donald Trump. Even the idea of simply erasing his name from it is probably out of reach now. Too many people have seen it and, in a pinch, someone will spill the beans. Let's face it, in this administration the concept of honor among thieves ranks right up there with the tooth fairy. 

Alas, Jeffrey Epstein's list, if it ever did exist--who knows, maybe it really never did--is gone forever now. Our salacious dreams will go unfulfilled. However, as many of us watch all this go down, amused to no end by all the uncomfortable squirming and caterwauling on the right wing we must keep one thing in mind. It's the not so enjoyable truth that the most despicably corrupt human being on the planet, Donald John Trump, has slipped the hook again.

sic vita est

7-10-25  

Kandiss Taylor and the Fake Weather

 According to its website Camp Mystic for Girls was established in 1926 along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, TX. It's located a little over 60 miles northwest of San Antonio. This fourth of July weekend a torrential rainstorm of what appears to be biblical proportions hit the area. The deluge was so horrific the Guadalupe rose and became a raging torrent of water so quickly there was little time for warning and what looks to be like none for evacuation. Depending on who you are listening to this morning anywhere from 43 to 51 people are confirmed dead. In addition, it is being reported 27 young girls staying at the camp are currently missing. It is a nightmare of unfathomable dimensions--a tragedy almost too great to express in words.

Well, unless you are a Georgia GOP politician named Kandiss Taylor. Ms. Taylor posted this on social media: "FAKE WEATHER. REAL DAMAGE. Hurricane Helene left me powerless for 16 days & caused $57k in damage. "This isn't just "climate change." It's cloud seeding, geoengineering, & manipulation. If fake weather causes real tragedy, that's murder. Pray, Prepare, Question the narrative. FAKE WEATHER REAL DAMAGE. Don't accept the narrative. Question the cause."

Later she posted, "Fake weather. Fake hurricanes. Fake floods. Fake. Fake. Fake." A few days ago Ms. Taylor went on Steve Bannon's podcast, "War Room," to announce she is running for Georgia's first district congressional seat in 2026. She was quoted as saying, "I'm ready to go to D.C. and blow things up." It's unclear how closely Ms. Taylor has been following the news lately because things in Washington are already pretty fucking blown up. However, she went ahead and added, "Republicans and democrats will support me because I represent Jesus."

It won't be Taylor's first rodeo. In 2022 she ran against incumbent republican Governer, Brian Kemp. During that campaign she toured the state in a bus adorned with the words, "Jesus Guns Babies." She came in a distant third in the GOP primary, results she has never accepted. because of what she claims was--does this sound familiar?--"wide spread cheating."

All of this brings to mind a few questions. First, where in God's name does Georgia find these demented freaks? Are they all the descendants of some twisted antebellum plantation owner? Did they all drink from the same tainted well? What the fuck are they even doing on this planet?

While those answers may always remain a mystery there is another, more important question. Are people like Kandiss Taylor the new norm? She may have lost that 2022 primary (apparently the same cloud seeding geoengineers managed to steal 97% of the vote from her) but is her brand of lunacy becoming acceptable? 

After all, Congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene is sitting in the House right now after claiming space lasers controlled by a cabal of Jews caused wildfires in California. Later she told the media she believed an unknown government agency was spying on her through her television set. Even the big man himself, Donald Trump, made early noise by saying Obama's birth certificate was a forgery. Perhaps the tipping point was when hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Americans came to believe the wholesale murder of children at Sandy Hook Elementary school was a "false flag operation," and the victims never really existed.

Kandiss Taylor didn't say those missing children in Texas weren't real, of course. After all, everyone saw what happened to Alex Jones and next year she is going to need that bus that says, "Jesus. Guns. Babies." What she is saying is that a secret, nefarious, organization is manipulating the weather for their own evil reasons, causing destruction and now death. You know, perfectly reasonable stuff.

One supposes we can blame the internet and social media for giving these gruesome clowns a voice equal to that of Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, George Will, and others. However, we can also blame ourselves for listening to them--for eating up their nonsense like peanut butter M&Ms. Let's face it, there are far too many people out there whose sole source of news is social media. As one 30 something type told me, "I don't trust any TV news. I look at Instagram, they tell you what is really happening."

Think about it. Even as we scoff and ridicule Kandiss Taylor's cruel stupidity she is, in the end, the soul of Donald Trump's MAGA movement. She and those like her are his base. And while she really doesn't represent Jesus--the suspicion here is He would prefer her work the cash register at a 7-11--she does embody America's current political reality. Show us an elected official who is nuts and we'll find someone even crazier.

7-6-25

Bryan Kohberger Cops a Plea and the Idaho Horror Story Fades to Black

 It was the type of scene which is usually associated with luridly gruesome pulp fiction, or low budget horror films. The setting is a small college town and an off-campus tri-level rental home occupied by five attractive college female students in their early 20's. After a night of parties and a stop for some street food, they return home after midnight--one with her boyfriend--then go to bed. Out of the darkness emerges a lunatic armed with a knife. Then the terror begins. 

Tragically, this wasn't the script for some grindhouse movie with a title like, "Sorority Slumber Party Massacre," it was Moscow, Idaho--home of the University of Idaho--early in the morning of November 13, 2022. The brutal crimes and the victims were real and so was the murderer, who, in the immediate aftermath, was unidentified and still on the loose.  

Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin were found late that morning dead in their rooms. All had been stabbed, "multiple times." Two other housemates, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen were inexplicitly left alive, completely ignored by the intruder for reasons known only to him. 

Initial reports were Funke and Mortensen had both slept through the attack--that their survival was based on the locations of their rooms on the ground floor. Later, police would say Dylan Mortensen woke up around 4AM that morning because she heard noises upstairs. One source said she thought Ms. Goncalves was playing with her dog. Another said she heard Kaylee say loudly, "There's someone here." The report also said Ms. Mortensen heard Xana Kernodle crying, then an unidentified male saying, "It's okay, I'm going to help you." 

Later, police reported when Mortensen opened her room door, she saw a man dressed in black, wearing a black mask covering his nose and mouth coming down the hall straight at her. She claims she froze in shock and panic, then the man walked right past her as if she wasn't there. The 20 year old told police she went back into her room, locked the door, then, one supposes at some point she either fell asleep, or passed out.

Whichever the case Moscow emergency services didn't receive a call for help until nearly noon that day, nearly eight hours after the encounter in the hallway. The delay has never been fully explained, at least not to the ever-growing army of internet detectives, conspiracy goofs, and social media, "journalists." Over the next few weeks places like TikTok ran completely amok with theories, speculation, and wild accusations. One user repeatedly accused University of Idaho professor, Rebecca Scofield of orchestrating the murders because she was having a lesbian affair with one of the victims and didn't want it to get out. Ashley Guillard's posts were read by tens of millions of TikTok readers. Her proof, she said, came from Tarot card and other, "psychic," readings. Scofield is currently suing her ass.

In December, just days before Christmas, Bryan Kohberger was arrested and charged with the crimes. He was a grad student at nearby Washington State University. He has been described as being everything from affable and outgoing to a withdrawn loner who was bullied in high school. What we know for sure is he was seeking a doctorate in criminology and had what can be described as a weird fixation on serial killers. After his arrests there were even rumors he had been in contact with Dennis Rader, the notorious, BTK monster who terrorized Wichita, KS for years.

As the weeks passed the press got their hands on some of the evidence against Kohberger. If the reports were true it began to appear the cops had their man, no matter what Ashley Guillard was continuing to post on her social media account. It must have sounded that way to Kohberger's lawyers too, because they asked for delay after delay and hit the court with a blizzard of legal motions. A few weeks ago the defense team was handed a huge setback when the judge ruled they could not use an argument involving up to four alternative suspects to explain the crimes. The judge issued a statement saying there was no evidence supporting the alternative suspect theories, just baseless speculation. In other words, those Tarot card readings just wouldn't cut it in a court of law.

This week, with their backs to the wall and the trial set to begin on August 11, the defense copped a plea. Bryan Kohberger agreed to plead guilty to four counts of murder one, waive his right to appeal, and serve life in prison with no chance for parole. In exchange the DA took the hot shot off the table. Reaction to the decision was mixed.

Kaylee Goncalves' father, who had been the most vocal of the parents (At one point he claimed his daughter's injuries were, "more significant," than the other victims--a detail the police have never confirmed) was outraged. Xana Kernodle's father on the other hand said he was happy his family wouldn't have to go through the trauma of a trial. 

The reason the deal was offered remains a mystery at this time. News analysts have speculated it probably involved the cost of the trial and the endless series of appeals a death sentence would trigger. And, as one legal eagle on Fox put it, "You never know for sure what a jury will do." 

All that's left is for the judge to accept the deal. The feeling here is he will, despite the elder Gonçalves' anger. The only way it might happen is if all four families expressed their disapproval and obviously that hasn't and won't happen. No, this horror story is set to fade to black. 

No one knows what caused Bryan Kohberger to go off his nut like he did. Even now it's unclear how much planning went into the attack, or why he picked the victims he did. We still don't have a clue why he spared Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen. All we do know is that for a doctoral candidate in criminology Kohberger either didn't know shit about modern forensics, or he didn't care. (While Mortensen's account was terrifying, she couldn't identify the man in the hall.) Indeed. The guy was as savagely brutal as any fictional psychopath and certainly just as coldly bat shit crazy, but he was no genius. That's a bit of fiction which will always remain just that, fiction.

7-1-25

The Latest Episode of, Leave it to Donald

 President Trump directed the most complex and secretive military operation in history, and it was a resounding success resulting in a ceasefire agreement and the end of the 12-day war in Iran.

U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, speaking about the American attack on three Iranian nuclear facilities.

Really, Pete? The most complex and secretive military operation in all of history? You would think the guy who runs the Department of Defense knows the history of military operations a little bit better than that. The first instance of something a little more complex and secretive which comes to mind is what was known as Operation Overlord during WWII. It was the code name given the allied invasion of France in 1944. It involved troops from the United States, the UK, Canada, along with Free French units and the French resistance behind enemy lines. There was two years of planning and multiple veils of misdirection in order to keep the locations and date of the landings secret. By all accounts it was also a resounding success. 

More recently the Seal Team 6 hit on Osama bin Laden took a lot of planning and secrecy. Then if you want to go back into history once again and consider military operations not conducted by the United States there was that December Sunday on Oahu when the Japanese navy showed up unannounced. 

Well, what do you expect from an administration which has its very foundations in overblown hyperbole. (How many people attended Trump's first inauguration? According to his press secretary at the time, all of them. How many days would it take President Trump to end the war in Ukraine? Just how many cats and dogs were eaten by Haitians in Springfield, OH?)  

The moment Donald Trump walked in front of the cameras in the White House to tell the world all of Iran's nuclear capabilities had been forever, "obliterated," everyone with a brain knew it was absolute bull shit. In fact, the only surprising thing so far is he hasn't shown up on an infomercial saying, "That's right my fellow Americans, obliterated. Coming soon a limited number of miniature gold-plated B-2 stealth bombers with my portrait on the wings. They will be available for true patriots to purchase for a mere $999.99, plus shipping and tax. Make all checks payable to the Trump Organization."

One analyst pointed out the most dangerous thing about Donald Trump. He said, in effect, Donald Trump just doesn't lie. He makes stuff up that he wants to be true, then expects his people to go out and make it true. He considers his administration a TV show and every week the latest episode of, "Leave it to Donald," has to end all neat and tidy. He doesn't get that the real world isn't a television series.

He also gets really pissed off when someone points out that what he wants to be true might not be. The other day he was telling anyone who would listen he not only ended the war by obliterating Iranian nuclear sites, but America didn't even need to sign any sort of deal which would restrict Iran's future development of atomic weapons. Why? Thanks to our strikes they are incapable of it. Then CNN's Natasha Bertrand reported a preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment indicated Iran's nuclear development hadn't been, "obliterated," but had been delayed for only a few months at best. Her story was later verified by the New York Times and--you gotta love it--Fox News. 

When Bertrand's report hit the President of the United States immediately went what is commonly referred to as, ape shit. In his words, Natasha Bertrand should be, "Thrown out like a dog." One presumes he meant her job, because he didn't really specify where she should be thrown out of. His press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt spent two minutes of a press briefing condemning Bertrand. According to Leavitt, "This reporter who has been unfortunately used by people who dislike Donald Trump in this government to push fake and false narratives." She also told the White House press corps that, "She should be ashamed of herself and that's not what reporting is." 

Actually, it turned out exactly what reporting is. Pete Hegseth admitted the assessment did exist, but claimed it was just one of several preliminary estimates of the attack's success. He told the press the damage was severe, which no one seemed to notice is a long way from obliteration. He seemed exasperated when he finally explained to the media the preliminary report of damage was incomplete and added that no one could know the full extent of the destruction unless they dug 300 feet down into the mountain which housed the facility in question. 

Good point, Mr. Secretary. So exactly how did Donald Trump know if the place was fucking obliterated while the bombers were still on their way home? Did he dig 300 feet down? Or, did he, "just make stuff up," and call it the truth?

It doesn't take much to figure that out.

No, the real world isn't a television show. Ending his war isn't up to the script writer in Trump's head. All those trucks moving in and out of that mountain facility in Iran during the days before the air strike proved that. Not to mention Iran's blood lust to destroy Israel and Benjiman Netanyahu's determination to preserve his homeland and job. Israel and Iran may have stopped heaving bombs and missiles at each other for the moment, but one air raid with what we now understand are questionable results, didn't end it. The two nations are, simply, as Donald Trump once urged the Proud Boyts, standing down and standing by.  

Tomorrow is the 106th anniversary of the singing of the Treaty of Versailles which was supposed to be the official ending of WWI. Legend has it that after French General Ferdinand Foch read the document he commented, "This is not a peace. This an armistice for 20 years." It turned out he was right.

Unfortunately for us and Donald Trump's fantasies, we all know things happen at a much quicker pace than they did a century plus ago. We'll be lucky if this, "armistice," lasts 20 days, no matter how many reporters are thrown out like dogs. 

sic vita est

6-27-25

A Long Afternoon, Then a Big Night in Oklahoma City

 It was a long afternoon in Oklahoma City. Even though the tipoff for the NBA finals game seven was set for 7pm, but one local TV station begam its pregame coverage at 1PM. By 2PM, a full five hours before game time, the coverage showed Oklahoma City Thunder fans beginning to line up outside downtown bars and eateries. Obviously, the pros (And not the ones playing the game later) and many talented amateurs had arrived on the scene. 

Their presence in such numbers that early caused some of us to begin speculating. I was asked what I thought would happen if the Thunder won the game. "Burning cars?" I didn't think so. Arson is the result of an overload of pent up frustration. This town and the fans are new to this sort of situation. The team had arrived from Seattle in 2008. 17 years of not winning a championship is a drop in the bucket to places like New York and Detroit. Hell, even the storied Chicago Bulls haven't won a NBA championship for 27 years and at one point it was routine for them. 

I believed if anyone was going to engage in random acts of old-fashioned rioting it would be the Pacer fans. They are an edgy lot, prone to conspiracy theories and their team moved to the NBA from the old ABA in 1976 and they've never won a title.  I was asked if I thought dipsomaniacs would be climbing street light poles. I said it was a distinct possibility. Then finally, "How about people jumping in the Bricktown Canal?" There was no doubt in mind there would be. In my younger years I would have been the first one to take the plunge. 

The crowd began pouring into the Paycom Center as soon as the doors opened two hours before tipoff. Possibly to escape the heat and increasingly out of control drunks who were partying as if there was no tomorrow. Another reason may have been the team was offering half price concessions up to an hour before game time, an offer no one in this burg will turn down. 

The place went mad with noise as the two teams went back and forth. At the end of one quarter the Thunder held a three point lead, but in a NBA game a lead like that isn't safe with anything more than 0.01 seconds left in the game. In the second the Pacers roared back and with just a few precious seconds before half took a one point lead. They had won the battle of the second quarter, but in one excruciating moment might have lost the war.

Indiana's magnificent magician, Tyrese Haliburton went down with a leg injury and stayed down. Haliburton had been favoring the leg the entire series and in truth should have probably sat this one out entirely. As one analyst said though, "In a game seven if you can walk, you play." Tragically it was found he had torn his right Achilles tendon--an injury so devastating, he might be gone all of next year.

In the third quarter OKC hammered the Pacers and the defense, no longer having to worry about Haliburton began to clamp down. A little under half way through the fourth period the lead built to as many as 22. The entire city was building to a crescendo of lunacy. Champaign was being ordered by good ol' boys who wouldn't know Cristal from Ripple with seltzer. 

But.

Proving it's never easy, especially against a great team, no matter if they are short handed, or not the lead began to shrink. When it dwindled to seven with plenty of time left--the fucking time clock seemed frozen at five minutes left to play for hours--desperation, no, flat out panic began to set in. Faces became swollen, eyes bulged, cardiac arrest became a real concern for some. Everyone remembered the nightmare last minute of game one when the Pacers ate into what seemed an insurmountable lead and stole one in Oklahoma City. 

The kids in sky blue responded though. The defense, which had taken a three or four minute coffee break, once again closed the door. As the clock finally wound down and the lead moved back to 12, the noise in the building became a physical force. TV cameras seemed to tremble from it. The deal was done. Hardly anyone left until after the awards ceremony. As the trophy was presented the crowd morphed into an 18,000 plus ecstatic choir singing, "We Are the Champions."

Outside jubilation rolled through the streets. No cars were torched, but there was one shooting in the park next to the arena. (Moving one local TV wag to say, "There is always someone out there trying to ruin the fun for everybody.") A person was wounded and there was a brief stampede of panicked revelers. A suspect was nabbed immediately and things quickly returned to a peaceful, if raucous normal. Just east in the Bricktown entertainment district a number of people did launch themselves into the canal.--an artificial large ditch lined with concrete and filled with about three feet of dyed water which is a tad questionable when it comes to purity. 

You probably had to grow up in this town to understand the magnitude of a NBA title on the citizens. When my family moved us to Oklahoma City in 1959 it didn't have any sort of professional sports franchise. It was a wind blown dusty burg of a little over 325,000 souls. The biggest sports venue in Oklahoma City was a WPA project seating about 10,000 called Taft Stadium. It hosted local high school football games and the occasional mini stock car race on the dirt track surrounding the field. The closest thing to big time sports was down in Norman where the University of Oklahoma played football at a rarely sold out 62,000 seat stadium. It was a town which hung its hat solely on the fact it was and is the state capitol. The place was so obscure many outsiders thought the capitol of Oklahoma was the better known town of Tulsa.

Even after sports teams arrived Oklahoma City dwelled strictly in the minor leagues. A brief flirtation with the National Hockey League died quickly when it was discovered the NHL brass was just using Oklahoma City to extort more money and better facilities out of bigger prospective markets. The fact is for decades Oklahoma City remained nothing more than an overgrown outback village where there was nothing to do.  

Thanks to some movers and shakers, but primarily the Thunder it's not that way any more. In this, the year of our Lord, 2025 we have something places like New York, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles doesn't We have--the NBA championship. 

Or, as the crowd sung last night, for the moment anyway, "We are the champions of the world."

6-23-25

Conspiracies, Bus Stop Busts, Pole Erection Gibberish, and the kids in Sky Blue

 Where to begin? Even in an age of madness this week has been an exceptional one. For example, it is the current rage among MAGA circles to claim accused Minnesota assassin, Vance Boelter of being not a right wing savant, but rather another ultra violent Marxist son of a bitch. This all started when the New York Post published a story Boelter had been a political appointee of democratic Governor, Tim Walz, Not only that, but according to the Post report, police found fliers in Boelter's car promoting the, "No Kings Day," protests held nationwide over the weekend.

MAGA Utah Senator Mike Lee immediately picked up on the item, then went on social media to post a security photo of Boelter standing outside one of the victim's homes prepared to wreck carnage. Lee posted the caption, "This is what happens when Marxists don't get their way." He later posted a second message with the same photo side by side Walz which read, 'Nightmare on Walz Street." 

What Lee didn't mention was Boelter's, "appointment," was to an obscure, unpaid, advisory board that, as near as anyone can tell, never met as a complete body and rarely, if ever, made any policy recommendations to the Governor. In addition, it obviously never dawned on Lee that Boelter might have had those fliers so he would know when and where to show up and open fire. It doesn't make any difference that Lee finally deleted the posts (Only after given a version of the, "Sir, have you no decency," speech on the Senate floor.) The word is out. Among the MAGA faithful the evangelical, Trump supporting maniac who was carrying a hit list of progressive leaders and organizations, is a liberal mole. As Elon Musk later wrote, "The left is murderously violent."

Meanwhile, out in Pasadena, CA Ice agents--at least people think they were ICE agents, they were wearing police tactical gear, but no insignia and arrived in unmarked vehicles--descended on a street side bus stop, then hauled off six persons waiting to catch a ride. As far as witnesses could tell, no ID, or warrants were shown as the group was cuffed and whisked away. One bystander filming the, let's say, abduction watched in horror when an, "officer," jumped out of one of the cars and aimed his weapon at him, or her. In certain countries victims of such gruesome scenes are known as, "the disappeared." The local ICE office refused to comment on the incident.  

Back in Pennsylvania an enterprising individual decided to take advantage of ICE's dubious tactics. He walked into a place of business in tactical gear, claimed he was from the agency, then restrained the Dominican born clerk who is here legally. He didn't disappear her though, he simply robbed the place and quickly made a clean getaway.

Finally we have the Israeli-Iranian war which roars to life every night. The main topic of discussion, as it is in the the United States is the possible intervention of American armed forces in the conflict. The issue has divided the MAGA base. The divide was never more obvious than on a pod cast last night featuring Tucker Carlson and Texas republican Senator Ted Cruz. Carlson, representing the isolationist wing of the base and Cruz standing for the interventionist side of things ended up angrily shouting at each other about who was more ignorant about the country of Iran and the definitions of, "we," and "us." It quickly became an absurdist, full volume, version of, "My Dinner with Andre." 

The Mango Mussolini, the master of disaster, the agent of chaos Donald Trump himself didn't clear things up a bit. At a flagpole erection ceremony on the White House lawn (causing Jordan Klepper to     quip Trump had learned he was lacking in polls) he answered a question about his intent in the conflict by saying, "You don't know what I'm going to do. You don't know. I may do it. may not do it. Nobody knows what I'm going to do." Translation: Trump doesn't have a clue what he is going to do. He won't until someone he trusts tells him what will be best for him in the TV ratings and the FOX approval department. Hey, if we know anything about the guy, it is he doesn't give a shit about how many people die or suffer. He won't make a decision until he knows exactly what is in it for him.

Right now, however on the southern plains in Oklahoma City none of the recent lunacy makes a flying fuck. On this night in Oklahoma City and other parts of the state all anyone cares about is OKC's NBA happy band of young guns are 48 minutes away from winning the league championship. Tension has mounted all day. Drunks are already in the streets and the bars are packed. This burg is about to explode with joy and unrestrained celebration. 

Of course, those sharp shooting thugs from Indiana might have something to say about iit. Their backs are to the wall and they've proven there is no quit to them. The game is in Indianapolis and to win it all the Thunder will have to beat them for the third straight time. It is a tough nut to crack and the odds are the series will return to OKC for a game seven. At the moment though, hope abounds. 

So, despite crass political conspiracies, authoritarian police actions, and complete gibberish from the leader of the free world we remain optimistic. Not to mention anxiously, yea desperately, in need of a win tonight by the kids in sky blue. 

Hunker down and Thunder up.

6-19-25

Vance Boelter Becomes Another American Accomplishment

 He wasn't a hateful person. But he needed help.

David Carlson, longtime friend of Vance L. Boelter accused Minnesota political assassin. 

You think, Dave? Yes, it appears America has produced yet another deadly lunatic who for years was able to hide in plain sight before exploding into unrestrained and unexplainable violence. We've become quite accomplished at it.

According to reports Vance Luther Boelter was ardent evangelical Christian who had traveled to Africa on occasion, primarily the Democratic Republic of Congo to preach The Word of Christ to the locals. During these, "sermons," he talked about the evils of homosexuality and the agenda of the LBGTQ community. CNN quoted him once as telling the congregation, "There is people, especially in America, they don't know what sex they are, they don't know their sexual orientation, they are confused. The enemy has gotten so far into their mind and soul." 

While definitely not pro gay, those words aren't exactly over the top anti gay either. Neither were any of his social media posts. While he was firmly a Trump man, his social media presence hardly was that of a fire breathing, MAGA type. His only apparent foray into politics was being named to a Governor's advisory board offering policy recommendations on small business legislation. Another member of the board was state representative, Melissa Hortman. Early Saturday morning Boelter murdered her and her husband at their home. It's unclear whether they even knew each other while serving on the panel.

Actually when it came to Boelter's small business things took a murky turn. He owned a "security," outfit called, Praetorian Guard Security Services. No one seems sure how many employees Praetorian Guard employed besides Vance Boelter and a woman listed as CEO who is presumed to be his wife. In photos, however he certainly looks the part, geared up in law enforcement blue with protective vest and dark visored riot helmet.

Boelter's pal, David Carlson told CNN, the "Director of Patrols,: for Praetorian Guard Security Services was drifting from one job to the other, at one point even taking a spot at a funeral home. It seemed all those evangelical missions to Africa were taking their financial toll. Not only was Boelter paying for them, but he was quitting jobs one after the other to make them. After the last one he found his prospects dim at the very best. CNN quoted Carlson as saying, "He was looking around, but maybe things just didn't work out and he just gave up and decided to go out in a blaze of glory."

Glory in this instance being defined as showing up at Representative Hortman's door in the middle of the night then shooting her and her husband multiple times, killing them both. Boelter then drove over to state Senator, John Hoffman's home. Hoffman and his wife were shot a total of 17 times, but somehow both survived. Local police were either called to the scene, or stumbled across it while on patrol and Boelter fled the scene on foot. Cops found a small arsenal of weapons in his vehicle (Hey, it's America and no matter how broke you are you can always get your hands on guns.) They also found a list of what is reported to be over 70 politicians, pro-choice activists, organizations, and medical clinics. It would seem Vance Boelter's hit list was a long one. How glorious it was remains up for debate. 

Minnesota state police caught up to Vance Boelter last night. He was hiding in a field of tall grass in Green Isle, MN about 50 miles west, southwest of Minneapolis. He was armed but gave up without a fight. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance this afternoon. 

The left is screaming about political violence incited by right wing rhetoric. MAGA Utah Senator, Mike Lee has been on social media with a snide post about Marxists, a favorite MAGA term used to denigrate democrats. 

Obviously it's hard to ignore the political connection. All the names, organizations, and places on the list were and are progressive in nature, spread out over several states. People like Mike Lee, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and other fetid souls who occupy the MAGAverse didn't make the roster. 

The truth though is when that unknown microchip out in the brain of Vance Boelter shorted out, politics didn't cause it, politics simply provided him with the names of potential victims. 

In the end, it was perhaps Boelter's buddy, David Carlson who said it in the best and maybe only way possible. As the interview with CNN drew to a close, Carlson said, "I have no idea what he was thinking."

6-16-25

Chaos in LA, Conspiracies on FOX, and Boners in Washington

 It is unknown at this time if the President, Donald J. Trump is walking around with a grin and an erection. However, despite his age, the odds are he is. If he isn't for some reason--perhaps a defective batch of Viagra--we can be assured his aide, the Director of the Department of Xenophobia, Stephen Miller is. 

Why shouldn't they? When they sent large numbers of ICE agents dressed in paramilitary gear into the Paramount and garment districts of Los Angeles they were hoping and praying for an angry and massive response from the Hispanic community. Then they got it. Indeed, crowds in the streets, objects hurled at members of law enforcement agencies, cars set on fire. It was exactly the media event they had planned. The perfect sort of photo op that would reinforce to white Americans everywhere that hordes of blood thirsty foreigners are out to get US.

FOX News was quick to pick up on that point last night when one of their street reporters ominously told the audience, "The crowd is carrying many foreign flags, but there aren't any American flags." There were many other hints at a broad conspiracy. Other reports on FOX were that unidentified, paid "organizers," were handing out baseball bats, gas masks, and frozen bottles of water to use as projectiles. Still others claimed the leaders were equipped with hand held radios and were in constant communications with roof top spotters who were advising them where and how many police they were facing and which streets to push the mob onto.  

Unfortunately, FOX didn't provide us with any photo evidence of the bats, or the roof top observers with radios, but it was assumed they were there, directing traffic and operations. There was one shot of a single guy waving a Mexican flag, but when to comes to the rest we will just have to take their word on it.

All this, "news," led the perpetually outraged, Sean Hannity and others to declare the protests a well organized and financed plot put together by some secret cabal of--well--someone. In other words, unknown persons paid off the crowd then armed them with the express intent of destroying America as we know it. Hannity and his pals demanded the DOJ track down the sources so they could be identified and prosecuted. That's right, all the anger out there couldn't have been provoked because of a raid on one clothing manufacturer which netted 44, or so arrests of mostly women working at sewing machines. Or when agents started arresting a bunch of guys looking for day labor jobs outside of a Home Depot.  

The whole pretense of going after foreign gang members was by then gone, although the rhetoric about murderers, rapists, and drug pushers remained. However, that line becomes a tougher sell when you haul off a bunch of seamstresses. As MSNBC's Lawernce O'Donnell pointed out last night, "Gang members don't sew." (The raid on the garment factory was so egregious one ICE official said his agents were actually there to shut the business down because of a history of tax evasion and the arrests themselves were simply a side effect. He chose not to explain how, or when Immigration and Customs Enforcement became involved with handling matters of tax law.) 

It doesn't matter. Trump and Miller got exactly what they wanted, chaos on the streets in a democratic controlled city. The howls of the mayor and governor just bolster their claim liberals are selling real Americans and the country as a whole down the river--that the, "lunatic left," wants us to be overrun by people who speak a different language and are a different color. 

One thing can be said of Trump and Miller, they know where to start a new age pogrom. The vast MAGA world ranging from Idaho to the deep south considers California a nightmare of liberalism, filled with Hispanics, Asians, and Hollywood elitists, not to mention scads of run amok drag queens. Most react to the name Gavin Newsom the same way they react to say, Hillary Clinton, or Joe Biden, or Nancy Pelosi. The President is dead on, the only way to reign these crazy fuckers in is to deploy the National Guard and Marines. 

Or, as Hannity said last night in a moment of faux compassion, "I pray for the good citizens of Los Angeles who are having to go through this violence." Left unsaid, but understood, was the violence that was tolerated and even encouraged by the city and state's elected leaders.   

This morning Donald Trump justified his order federalizing the California National Guard over Newsom's objections, saying, "If we weren't there that city would be in flames." In fact, Newsom has become such a pain in the ass to him, yesterday he suggested the head of ICE should arrest the Governor. Newsom told him in effect, come and get me. As of this writing the Governor remains at large.

In truth last night we probably learned more about the three major cable news networks than we did about what was happening in downtown LA last night. FOX, as we've seen went all dark conspiracies and civil war apocalypse while MSNBC shrugged things off to the point their Monday night hosts, Rachel Maddow and O'Donnell barely mentioned what was going on. Meanwhile CNN mixed street coverage of the events with a panel discussion between liberals and conservatives which more than a few times degenerated into all out screaming matches. Before it was over it became incomprehensible yet exquisite madness.

No wonder Trump and Stephen Miller are walking around today with boners. They've got the military in the streets and the rest of us right where they want us.

6-10-25

A Big Weekend for the People at CCLC

 For years the business, Corruption, Cruelty, Lies, and Conspiracy--also known as CCLC--was a local enterprise limited to the New York and New Jersey areas. It slowly expanded up and down the east coast and even expanded in a small way to the UK. It went nationwide sometime in 2015 and quickly became all the rage among Americans of all colors and stripes. (We are after all a nation of fads. (Remember the run on CB car radios in the 1970's?) 

Tragically, we are also a nation of hysterics who are driven into extended spasms of alarm, fear, and borderline panic. Think back to the rumors about the catastrophic melt down that New Years Day, 2000 was supposed to trigger tech disaster, or the whole , end of the Mayan calendar thing. Given these uniquely American, let's say, quirks it really isn't surprising the folks at CCLC have been able to run amok like they have been.

This weekend we saw a few prime examples. A few days ago, Iowa republican Senator, Joni Ernst held a town hall meeting in her state. During the get together she tried to explain to her mostly rural constituents--the people she is supposed to represent--why she is in favor of cutting hundreds of millions of dollars of medical assistance which a lot of them depend on. Ernst decided to lie. She claimed none of them would have their Medicaid and Medicare funding cut. The cuts, she said, were only being made to weed out the fraud committed by millions of illegal immigrants who were unlawfully collecting taxpayer funded medical benefits.

Few in the audience were buying it. She was met with boos and angry voices. In anguished frustration a 33 year old Iowa woman, India May shouted, "People will die." Ernst's instant response was, "People will not." Instantly realizing that bit prima facie bull shit wasn't going to fly either, she quickly added, "Well, we are all going to die. For heaven's sake folks." While it is not clear what the Senator expected after making the statement it obviously wasn't the one she got. 

After it was all over with, Ernst took to social media to tell the voters of Iowa, at least the ones in the Town Hall what that she really thought of them. In part it read, "And I made the incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood we are all going to perish from this earth. So, I apologize and I'm really, really glad that I didn't have to bring up the subject of the Tooth Fairy as well..." She ended the sentence by saying eternal life can only be achieved by embracing her, "Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." 

That's the style, Joni. Cut off their medical care while promising them eternal salvation if they believe exactly the way you do.

Speaking of illegal immigrants. The Milford, MA high school Scarlet Hawks boys' volleyball team is currently short a member. Marcelo Gomes da Silva and a few of his teammates were on their way to practice Saturday morning. Marcel is an 18 year old senior to be who, besides being on the volleyball team plays in the school band. His grades are reportedly good to excellent, and he doesn't have a criminal record of any kind. His family moved him to Milford when he was six years old. At the time his father was on a student visa which has since lapsed. 

We all know where this is going, right?

You got it. Marcelo Gomes da Silva was pulled over and arrested by ICE agents on his way to a school sponsored and supervised activity. He is currently being held at an ICE facility in Burlington, MA. When the news hit the school's volleyball coach, administrators, students, townspeople, the mayor, and the Governor of the Commonwealth were outraged. Acting ICE Field Directing Field Director, Patricia Hyde responded by saying, "When we go into the community and find others who are unlawfully here we are going to arrest them. We've been completely transparent with that. (Except for agents wearing ski masks of course.)  He is 18 years old and he's unlawfully in this country."

The agents claim they were actually after the kid's father, Joao Paulo Gomes-Pereira. It turned out Marcelo was driving his old man's car simply by chance, so instead of the agents looking elsewhere, he instantly became one of the, "others" Hyde was talking about. Hyde attempted to make a big deal about the father not turning himself in after the arrest, but who can blame him? There is no evidence that if he does ICE will release his son, they'll just have another head to count.

And lately that's what counts. Last week Stephen Miller along with Kristi Noem told ICE and other agencies in no uncertain terms that when the Boss said he was going after the gangs, the worst of the worst he really meant he wanted to deport every immigrant in the country, except possibly the white ones. Miller let those département head know, if they didn't meet the 3,000 arrests per day quota they would find themselves unemployed.

Finally, over the weekend the founder and CEO of CCLC, Donald Trump, reposted this on social media: There is no #Joe Biden--executed in 2020--#Biden clones, doubles & robotic engineered soulless mindless entities are what you see. >#Democrats don't know the difference. #Steel #ussteel #MAGA #MAHA...

It's unclear if the White House has officially commented on the post. Most of MAGA, but certainly not all consider it just another example of Trump's droll sense of humor, although MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell considers it another overt sign the guy is bat shit crazy. While that probably isn't the case here--other signs abound--it can be argued the President of the United States, no matter what time of day, should probably be thinking about things other than poking jokes at a dying old man who served as his predecessor. 

But hey, humor is in the eye of the beholder. 

Yes, CCLC had a hell of a few days. And just think, I didn't even touch on Elon Musk's drug addled last appearance in the Oval Office.

sic vita est

6-4-25

Miller, Noem, and the New Quota

 According to Wikipedia Wolf-Lieb Glotzer and his wife, Bessie arrived in the United States in 1906. They had fled what is now Belarus because during those early years of the 20th century things in the old Russian Empire and Eastern Europe in general were not going well for Jews. When they arrived neither of them could speak English. Back in those days, however, immigration rules were few and simple. Basically, the main one was, if you could get yourself here, you were in. The only restriction was, as it is today, even after you become a naturalized citizen, no matter how successful you were, you could never run for President of the country, although your kids who were born here could and presumably still can.

Wolf-Lieb and Bessie caught a break One of their direct descendants, Stephen Miller has made it his life's work to make sure that people who desperately want and need to get here can't--and to throw out the ones who have made it. Especially the ones who can't speak English, or do wear caps and hoodies, or--and this is really important--have tattoos.

Miller's official title Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Policy. Wikipedia says he became a conservative during his high school years after reading a book written by former National Rifle Association CEO, Wayne LaPierre. (LaPierre would later be thrown out of the NRA after it was found he had nearly emptied their treasury to buy himself things like a yacht.) Apparently, another big influence on the young Stephen Miller was the book, "The Way Things Ought to Be" written by the Godfather of all right wing media, Rush Limbaugh. 

Conservative guru, David Horowitz was also an influence. Especially after he published an essay written by a teenaged Miller on his web site. It was titled, "How I Changed My Left Wing School." Proving he didn't think much of rules and traditions the young Miller invited Horowitz to speak at his high school, then again at Duke University when he was a student there. In both cases he did so without telling the people who actually ran the schools, and sanctioned guest lecturers.   

Last week Miller and Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem showed up at the headquarters of the Immigration and Custom Enforcement agency to give them some news. Neither was happy with the number of people being pulled off the streets and out of homes by ICE agents. Miller and Noem told them they had a new quota to fill or there would be hell to pay. From now on, they, said, there should be a minimum of 3,000 arrests made per day. 

That's right. Per day, seven days a week. That's more than triple the previous rate. Apparently Noem and Miller don't care where they find them. Home, work, school, the street, hell, maybe even church. Just arrest them all and stick them, well, somewhere. Don't worry about due process. The boss is working on that right now. To paraphrase the movie line, "We don't need no stinking due process."  

Recently courthouses have been productive locations to make the grab. Migrants who are desperate not to run afoul of the immigration system--unlike those savage gangbangers who are terrorizing the locals--are suckered into courthouses under false pretenses then scooped up by ICE agents. If any judge, like the one in Wisconsin, tries to interfere arrest them too. After all, in America, democracy isn't for everybody. Hey, not even the guy who wrote the words, "All men are created equal," actually believed it.  

None of this should be surprising to any of us. Noem has posed for photos in front of prisoners at an El Salvadoran prison. In ICE body armor, and on horseback at the southern border. She has become so enamored with her own images one Congressman told her all she did was, "fly around the country playing dress up." Miller was the architect of the infamous family separation policy during the first Trump term. It is rumored he was the author of the original letter to Harvard University which demanded the administration have effective control over the school's hiring, and disciplinary policies, plus have a say in the curriculum. He went on record during the first term saying, "The President's will, will not be denied." 

Right now, according to Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem the President's will is to arrest over a million people a year and deport them to places unknown. (Obviously no one gives a shit if it is their country of origin, or not,) And no one with even half a brain believes all those people are here to commit murder and rape. What a lot of us do know, however, if Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller somehow achieve their goal there are a lot things we take for granted right now that won't be around anymore.

Indeed. America get ready to say hello to that $15 Egg McMuffin.

5-30-25

Memorial Day Weekend: Believing the Worst Rarely Disappoints

 Here in the United States of America the last Monday in May is designated as Memorial Day. The entire three day period, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday is referred to as Memorial Day weekend. For most in this country Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start to summer. Officially it is the weekend and the specific day we are to honor our war dead. It is an ever increasingly number of people to honor. In fact, according to Wikipedia it is over 1.3 million fellow Americans, although that is just an estimate because the record keeping back in the 18th and 19th centuries especially weren't very good, plus the Wiki stats cut off six years ago. 

Of course, that 1.3 million plus doesn't mean all those souls were lost in combat. In fact, up until World War II the leading cause of U.S. military deaths during wars was disease and accidents. How many service members who died after hostilities due to wounds, or disease after the cessation of hostilities is anyone's guess. In addition, the figure does not include the number of wounded or missing. If you add them in, the total jumps to well over 2.8 million American casualties directly caused by wars both large and small. It's just a shade more than the number of people currently living in the state of Kansas.

This Memorial Day weekend, just as they have over the last tree quarters of a century I've been around the vast majority of Americans will spend their time not thinking about our war dead at all. It is doubtful the President of the United States will be one of those who don't, however that might not mean he wants to. 

After all, he is the guy who early in his first run in for the presidency told an interviewer the only reason John McCain was called a war hero was because he was captured. "I like people who weren't captured," he sniffed. That statement is on tape for everyone to see. There is no denying it.

There are other things though, Donald Trump has denied saying. In 2020, during his second campaign for President, The Atlantic reported that two years before, during a visit to France, Mr. Trump refused to visit a Cemetery which held the graves of 1,800 Americans killed during World War I.  According to the magazine it was raining that day and he didn't want to get his hair wet. And reportedly told a senior advisor, "Why should I visit that cemetery? It's filled with losers." During a separate conversation later, Trump reportedly referred to the 1,800 dead marines as, "suckers for letting themselves get killed." 

The reports say the quotes were confirmed by a senior Defense Department official and a Marine Corps officer who were both unidentified. Trump and his people have repeatedly denied he ever made the remarks. They also pointed out it was highly suspicious that the alleged statements didn't come out until the President was running for re-election two years after he was supposed to have said them. At this point the only thing we know for sure is it was raining that day and a scheduled trip to the cemetery was cancelled. 

Another report stated the President once asked an officer why soldiers volunteered for military service. He explained his puzzlement by asking the man, "What's in it for them?" The exchange allegedly took place during a visit to the grave of General John Kelly's son who was killed during combat in Afghanistan. The report added that Kelly was present at the time but probably didn't hear the question. 

Then there is a report that Trump didn't want wounded, or disabled military men present at a public celebration of patriotism because, "No one (meaning him) wants to see that." A variation on the story has Trump not wanting them there because they would make him look bad. Trump and his people deny it all. And while there is no way to confirm either version with complete certainty, when the, "celebration," took place there wasn't a wheelchair in sight. 

Many have sneered at Donald Trump because he got out of serving in the military during the escalation of the war in Vietnam. It would seem many of those people either weren't around, or if they were they have faulty memories. There were a whole lot of people back in the 1960's and early 70's trying to get out of serving in the armed forces. Exotic and mysterious health issues such as bone spurs are just the tip of that particular iceberg. Many who did serve, returned home in uniform and were treated shamefully by those who hadn't. There was no excuse for it then and there isn't now, especially if one of those spewing insults is the fucking Commander in Chief. 

That being said, there are some, including a couple of members of my own family, who accuse me of thinking the worst of Donald Trump, no matter if news reports of his despicable behavior are verified, or not. My standard response to those accusations is that those of us who do think the worst of this guy are rarely disappointed.

Or, to paraphrase Hunter S. Thompson who dealt with the proto-Trump, Richard M. Nixon, "Dick Nixon never let me down."

5-25-25