Morning Update: 06/07/24

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Morning Update: 06/07/24

June 7, 2024

Fridays are supposed to be fun, aren’t they? At least, that’s the general premise. We take our time at work, complete what absolutely has to be completed, and then go out with “the gang” for drinks and frivolity. At least, that’s the myth that gets spread around. Honestly, I think that scenario probably ended sometime in the 1980s, but it’s still fun to think that it might happen. Of course, the reality is that we have to work like hell to get everything done by the end of the week that we’ve been putting off the other four days. By the time we finally do get around to leaving, we’re too tired to go out. We go home, drink alone, and then pass out.

None of that, either the myth or the reality, will be happening here today. There’s still no check in my account. That likely means that there won’t be anything deposited until Monday at the earliest. This puts Tuesday’s doctor’s appointment in jeopardy because I won’t be able to afford a fucking ride. Once Medicare kicks back in on July 1, they’ll pay for the transportation, but until then, I’m on my own. We’re out of milk and butter (margarine) but there’s no point in walking to the store because we already know that they won’t have any more milk until Wednesday of next week.

I think we’re okay on other food as long as no one wants to sit around and snack. Giving credit where it’s due, I have to congratulate G on doing a wonderful job with dinner last night. He made chicken with fresh asparagus and it was absolutely delicious. It really helps a lot that he can cook as well as he does. There are so many times when 5:00 rolls around and I’m struggling just to sit upright. Yesterday was definitely one of those days so his volunteering to cook is greatly appreciated.

My knees have been screaming at me since before Jack Jack forced me out of bed this morning and my hips aren’t feeling much better. Is this a chemo effect or arthritis? I have no idea how to tell. All I know is that it hurts like hell and I really don’t want to leave my chair.

Other things killing my mood this morning are these headlines:

St. Louis lawyers who waved guns at protesters get records expunged, want guns back. These idiots should have been disbarred in the beginning. They threatened to kill people. They don’t have the right to get their guns back or be a part of normal society.

Methodist church regrets Ivory Coast’s split from the union as lifting of LGBTQ ban roils Africa. It’s a poorly written headline, for starters. There’s a lot going on but at the core of it all, Africa is stupid conservative and acts like it’s afraid that LGBTQIA+ people are going to eat them or something.

Georgia to move ahead soon with bill curbing LGBT rights. They’re talking about the country, not the state, although something tells me the state would probably try something similar if they thought they could get away with it.

Tennessee governor OKs penalizing adults who help minors receive abortions, gender-affirming care. Tennessee likes to project this image of “Southern hospitality,” but the last thing they are is welcoming to anyone on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. In fact, they may be the most dangerous state in the union for anyone who is not cis. Don’t buy the fucking lie. Tennessee is not friendly, not safe, and should be avoided like the plague it is.

I think I may just shut my door and avoid directly interacting with people for the rest of the day. I’m toxic at the moment and the only thing that’s likely to improve my mood is that check hitting my account. I’m going to have to completely delete my current shopping cart and start over because all the sales are going to end before I have any money. I fucking hate being dependent like this. The government is not reliable. It never has been. I can remember Grandpa Slover having to wait on his check at times as well and that was 40+ years ago.

What’s worse is I don’t see anything changing. Happy fucking Friday.

Current Issues / Long Read / News & Comment / science

DON’T EAT THAT!

June 6, 2024

Finding things that are safe to eat can be difficult, especially when you’re diabetic. I’ve written about that challenge before. Not everyone was pleased with what I had to say. Over the ensuing years, I’ve gotten better and figuring out which products are safe for me to consume and which ones I absolutely, positively have to leave alone, at least most of the time. Now that my pancreas has decided to act up and not cooperate, it is even more critical that I watch what I consume. For example, I had four biscuits last night. All those carbs sent my sugar skyrocketing. I know better, but damnit, I was hungry. Staying on a low-carb, low-fat, zero-sugar diet is damn near impossible.

Amidst all those challenges, perhaps you can imagine my frustration when I came across an article from CNN with the headline: Common low-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds. Wonderful. Diabetics are dependent on those sweeteners if we’re going to eat anything other than veggies for the rest of our lives. Fortunately, there are a lot of different ones out there. If one doesn’t sit well with your body, chances are another will. For example, I can’t do Stevia as it’s used in Russel Stover’s Sugar-Free candies. I don’t know exactly what’s up, but it gives me horrible nausea if I have more than one piece. Not every product uses the sweeteners in the same way and just because one may cause issues some of the time doesn’t mean they affect everyone the same way.

But then, along comes a study that can’t be ignored and it just blows everything out of the water. The product in question? Xylitol. Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol found in plants such as cauliflower, eggplant, lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, plums, raspberries, and strawberries. It would take tonnage of veggies to ever extract enough xylitol for industrial use. Instead, corn cobs and birch trees along with certain genetically engineered bacteria are used.

It’s natural, so that should mean it’s good for you, right? Nope. According to this most recent study, frequent users of the sweetener are likely to have twice the risk of blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes leading to death. Worse yet, it can temporarily increase your glucose level by 1,000%! At that rate, you’d be better off drinking a normal soda!

The FDA warned us back in 2021 that xylitol could be deadly for dogs. Birch sugar, specifically, is a problem for our canine friends. Since the end product is all that’s listed on product ingredient lists, we don’t have any idea whether the xylitol comes from birch or corn cobs or 50,000 pounds of cauliflower. We have to assume the worst and just stay away. Now, there are sufficient indications that humans are ill-affected as well.

The problem we’re facing is that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still recognizes all alcohol sugars (and there are dozens) as GRAS: Generally Recognized As Safe. While they’ll admit that this new study warrants a closer look, the way science works is that when one person/group discovers something, it has to be verified by a totally unrelated person/group to be considered valid. That validation has yet to happen.

In the meantime, you and I have a choice to make: whether to consume xylitol or not. And how do we know which products have xylitol? For starters, there’s a pretty exhaustive list at Preventative Vet. For our convenience, though, here are a few of the products you’re more likely to encounter:

Airheads
CBD mint gum
CVS Sugar Free Breath Strips Blue Mint
Dentyne gum (even regular flavors)
Almost anything from the Dr. John’s catalog
Extra® Ice – Spearmint and Peppermint
Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Fruity Chews
Mentos (not all products, check labeling)
Nicorette®
Orbit® – all sugar-free varieties
Rite Aid Pharmacy Stop Smoking Aid – Sugar-Free, Coated Gum: Cinnamon, Mint
Starbucks® gum and mints
Tic Tac® gum – Freshmint, Spearmint, Cool Watermelon
Almost any flavor of Trident
Act Advanced Care™ Plaque Guard™ Mouthwash
Act Braces Care™ Mouthwash
Act Dry Mouth Lozenges
Act Dry Mouth Mouthwash
Act Dry Mouth Toothpaste
Act Total Care™ Sensitive Formula Mouthwash
Aquafresh® – GSK Training Flouride-Free Toothpaste
Oral-B® (July 23, 2021)
Dry Mouth Oral Rinse – Mint
Moisturizing Lozenges – Mint, Watermelon
Philips Sonicare Breathrx Anti-Bacterial Mouth Rinse
Tom’s of Maine® (July 28, 2015 last verified April 2024)
Activated Charcoal Anticavity Toothpaste
Antiplaque & Whitening Toothpaste – Fluoride-Free – Fennel, Peppermint, Spearmint
Antiplaque & Whitening Toothpaste Gel – Fluoride-Free – Spearmint
Baking Soda, Spearmint
Botanically Bright Whitening Toothpaste (July 23, 2021)
Cavity Protection Toothpaste – Peppermint Baking Soda, Spearmint
Children’s Anticavity Fluoride Rinse – Juicy Mint
Clean & Gentle Toothpaste – Peppermint
Enamel Strength® Toothpaste – Peppermint
Fluoride-Free Botanically Bright™ Toothpaste – Peppermint, Spearmint
Fluoride-Free Propolis Myrrh Toothpaste – Cinnamint, Fennel, Gingermint Baking Soda, Peppermint
Fluoride-Free Sensitive Toothpaste – Wintermint
Fluoride-Free Travel Natural Toothpaste – Fresh Mint
Luminous White Anticavity Toothpaste
Maximum Strength Sensitive Toothpaste – Soothing Mint
Simply White Toothpaste – Clean Mint
Simply White Toothpaste Gel – Sweet Mint
Toddler Training Toothpaste – Mild Fruit
Travel Natural Toothpaste – Fresh Mint
Whole Care Toothpaste – Cinnamon Clove, Peppermint, Spearmint, Wintermint
Whole Care Toothpaste Gel – Peppermint
Wicked Fresh™ Mouthwash – Cool Mountain Mint, Peppermint Wave
Wicked Fresh™ Toothpaste – Spearmint Ice, Cool Peppermint
Jell-O – Boston Cream Pie Sugar Free / Reduced Calorie Pudding Snacks
Jell-O – Dulce de leche Sugar Free / Reduced Calorie Pudding Snacks
Jell-O – Chocolate Sugar Free / Reduced Calorie Pudding Snacks
Jell-O – Chocolate Vanilla Swirls Sugar Free / Reduced Calorie Pudding Snacks
Jell-O – Dark Chocolate Sugar Free / Reduced Calorie Pudding Snacks
Jell-O – Double Chocolate Sugar Free / Reduced Calorie Pudding Snacks
Jell-O – Chocolate Indulgence Mousse Sugar Free
Jell-O – Dark Chocolate Decadence Mousse Sugar Free
Jell-O – Creme Brûlée Rice Pudding Sugar Free / Reduced Calorie Pudding Snacks
Jell-O – Rice Pudding Sugar Free / Reduced Calorie Pudding Snacks
Jell-O – Vanilla Sugar Free / Reduced Calorie Pudding Snacks
Nick’s (last verified April 14, 2022)
Birthdäg Cake Ice Cream
Butter Pekan Ice Cream
Cherry Choka-Flaka Ice Cream
Coffee Karamell Ice Cream
Cookies and Kram Ice Cream
Mint Chokladchip Ice Cream
Peanot Butter Karamell Ice Cream
Salta Karamell Ice Cream
Strawbar Swirl Ice Cream
Swedish Choklad Ice Cream
Swedish Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Swedish Lemon Bar Ice Cream
Swedish Pistasch Ice Cream
Swedish Vanilj Ice Cream
Triple Choklad Ice Cream
Nature’s Hollow (July 28, 2015)
Apricot Sugar-Free Jam Preserves
Blueberry Sugar-Free Jam Preserves
Mountain Berry Sugar-Free Jam Preserves
Peach Sugar-Free Jam Preserves
Raspberry Sugar-FreeJell Jam Preserves
Strawberry Sugar-Free Jam Preserves
Wild Blueberry Sugar-Free Jam Preserves
Maple Sugar-Free Syrup
Raspberry Sugar-Free Syrup
Astroglide® (July 28, 2015)
Natural Liquid Personal Lubricant
Sensitive Skin Gel Personal Lubricant

As I said, this is just a partial list. A number of regional brands are on the list as well and I didn’t include those because the list was already so damn long. Pharmacy-specific brands are also a problem, so be sure to check your labels.

Of everything on the list, the Jell-o sugar-free products are a huge disappointment. I was just debating with myself last night whether to put some pudding on my shopping list. I guess that’s going to be a hard no.

Here’s the thing: the brands aren’t going to tell us themselves if there’s a chance that their product might kill you. For that matter, given how new this research is, the brands themselves may not know that they’re a danger to their own customers. Let’s get real: I doubt many dogs are using Astroglide, so they probably don’t have a clue. Even if they knew, we all know corporations aren’t quick to admit that there’s a problem with their product. They’ll just let us die and claim it was a one-off situation.

We have to watch out for ourselves and each other. Now, you know that xylitol can be a problem. Be safe.

Current Issues / Mythology / News & Comment / Politics

Life Without The Influence of Religion Would Be Happier

June 5, 2024

One of the many things that have raised my ire this week, separate from computer issues, has to do with the manner in which religion is obstinately and intentionally interfering with people’s lives and, ultimately, in government. For example, the head of the Ethics Committee for the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) said on Monday (June 3) that IVF is immoral and that Baptists should oppose it. First of all, the idea that Southern Baptists, those stalwarts of sexual abuse and denial, have a committee addressing ethics is laughable. Secondly, the statement mirrors that of the Catholic church, which the SBC has historically positioned itself opposingly on almost every issue.

But more ridiculous and harmful than the insidious idiocy of the SBC statement is the fact that this bullshit ends up having an influence on legislation. The chairman (of course, it’s a man) of the ethics committee wrote in a letter to the U.S. Senate: “We urge legislators to develop and implement a system of federal oversight that protects and informs women and ensures embryos are treated with care, even as we oppose the general practice of IVF.”

What the living fuck is going on with that? Why would a political body even give a shit about the SBC’s stance on anything?

Because, while the First Amendment limits Congress from the “establishment” of religion, it does not limit Congress nor any other political body from inserting religious inference into their governance of any and every issue to which someone thinks it might apply, and 99.99% of the time, it is a Christian influence that policymakers assert. Over time, that influence has grown, especially through the 20th century. The phrase “one nation under God” was not added until 1954 in an effort to distinguish the US from communist states. And while God is never mentioned explicitly in the US Constitution, which is the way it should be, it is mentioned in the constitutions of all 50 states. By invoking the name of any deity at all, those states, and the nation, are implicitly establishing a religion, which makes the whole mess unconstitutional.

Now, we find ourselves in this mess over reproductive rights, which no religious document explicitly mentions in any way, shape, or form, and in the name of some make-believe deity women’s rights are being taken away. First, it was the right to abortion, which the Supreme Court stripped under the influence of the Orange Felon, and now, invoking the same mythology and absence of reasoning, they’re going after IVF!

Consider what Vice President Kamala Harris had to say to Jimmy Kimmel last night (June 4):

There are better ways to run a country than to do so under the misguided influence of a mythology. In fact, if we extrapolate existing research, the argument can be made that we would be happier if we were not governed under the influence of any religion. Consider that persistent annual research has shown that the following countries are among the happiest:

Norway 7th
Sweden – 4th
Denmark – 2nd
Finland -1st for the seventh year in a row
Iceland – 3rd

Meanwhile, the United States isn’t even in the top 20, coming in at a dismal 23rd place. While the research does not directly target religion, it is worth pointing out that the countries I’ve listed are all explicitly secular in their governance. Religion is forbidden from playing any part. That does not mean the people who live there are not religious, but they do not allow their religious beliefs to interfere with how the country operates, how its laws are formed, or how its people are treated.

I can’t imagine what it must be like, how different it must be, to live full-time, to grow up, be educated, and pursue one’s life’s work, in a country that is not constantly trying to hammer everyone into some form of religious compliance. It would be so very different from the country we now live in. Do you know what country demands religious adherence? Afghanistan. Want to know where they land as far as their people being happy? At the very bottom of the scale. Dead last.

Stop and ask yourself: do we want to become the next Afghanistan? Because the way we’re headed now, that’s exactly where we’re going to end up.

Cancer Update / Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 06/03/24

June 3, 2024

Fiercely Gay [2011 original with AI background]

I have a new alarm clock. His name is Jack Jack, our huge mane coon mix. For the past three mornings, he has decided that no, I do not get to sleep as late as the kids. I must be up at 7:00 to feed him and the band of four-legged miscreants he leads. He’s big enough that he can be standing on my headboard and still headbutt me until I’m awake. It’s a gentle, fluffy headbutt, but it’s effective. I’ll sit up and every damn cat in the house will be in the recovery room waiting for me. The dogs both roll over as if to say, “Can’t you do something about them?” And with that, we start our morning.

Nothing of significance was achieved yesterday. Sure, we went to the nearby store to get milk. G even went with us this time, running ahead, showing us the meandering path he takes when he gets off bus 37 on Lafayette. But our task was incomplete. They were out of milk. All of it. Turns out, this little store only gets milk deliveries once every two weeks. When the milk arrives, people buy multiple gallons at a time. So, they quickly run out. They won’t have more milk until a week from Wednesday. I’m thinking about trying the Mexican grocery about the same distance in the opposite direction, but none of us speak enough Spanish to communicate so I’m not sure how well that would work.

We came back home, at lunch, and I slept for the next six hours. That was the day. I fixed dinner, Kat came home, and I was back in bed by 9:30. Oh, the exciting life I lead! Fucking chemo. I feel like yesterday was 98% wasted. At least I’m getting my steps in.

It’s too early to check my glucose this morning, but I was surprised last night when it was down to 100 an hour after dinner. I’m not sure exactly what I did right considering it was at 238 yesterday morning. There’s an article on the AP website this morning teasing, “Eat Whatever You Want, Just Not Whenever You Want. That’s How Intermittent Fasting Works.”

“The theory behind time-restricted eating is that it supports the circadian rhythm, or the body’s internal clock. Spending more time in a fasting state may boost the body’s processes that govern blood sugar and fat metabolism, for instance, scientists say.”

There are multiple ways of doing intermittent fasting, one of which is to do all your eating for the day within a 10-hour window, delaying breakfast until 10 or so, finishing dinner by 8, and fasting the rest of the time. That’s pretty much how my schedule naturally works as long as I eat enough to not want a snack. Snacks are what kill me. If I’m hungry, I start browsing and there’s never anything sugar-safe available for a snack. Sugar-safe (not just sugar-free but also low carb, low fat) foods are not only hard to find but they tend to be expensive when they are available. I don’t know if this is the answer to getting my glucose back under control or not, but paying more attention to when I eat might not be a bad idea.

And now I’m hungry.

Mexico has its first female president, in case you weren’t paying attention. Claudia Sheinbaum is a scientist, a “leftist” (that doesn’t mean what you think it means), and is promising greater “continuity,” which is an interesting concept that apparently doesn’t feel threatening to the cartels. Of course, for the US, the immediate question is what does this mean for immigration and the drug trade? The greater question probably should be whether a Mexican president, regardless of who it is, effectively controls either. Mexico is a complicated situation and thinking that any president can overrule the cartels is foolish.

If you’re not paying attention to international news, please do. The Reuters homepage is full of important information and it doesn’t make any sense for me to try and regurgitate it for you. You can read. From a UN group advocating global recognition of a Palestinian state to Ukraine to the eroding relationship between China and Taiwan, what is going on outside our borders affects what happens inside our borders. We are not an autonomous body whose actions are independent of the rest of the world. We never have been (see France’s participation in the Revolutionary War for an early example). Just as Mexico is leaning to the left, France is leaning to the right and all of the EU knows that is not a good development for anyone. Stay aware.

Drink more coffee. Pet more dogs. Kill fewer people. Accept less bullshit. Think we can do that?

Cancer Update / Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 06/02/24

June 2, 2024

All The Things That Are

Fabulous Fashion [2012 with AI enhancement]

Yesterday was pretty much exactly what we expected: rain. The weather did hold off long enough for Tipper and me to make a trip to the store for eggs and cereal. We should have grabbed another gallon of milk, but there was still over half a gallon in the fridge. This morning, there’s no milk. That tends to happen a lot around here. We’ll go a couple of days with hardly anyone touching the milk, then boom, it’s gone. So, we’ll be making another trip today.

One of the cute things about Tipper, though, is how careful she is when she’s walking with me. She watches for every uneven spot in the sidewalk, every hole I might step in, anything that could possibly trip me up. She grabs my elbow to help me step off the curb. She insists on holding doors open for me. She takes grocery bags from my hands and carries them herself. I’ve had to explain to her why it’s important for me to be the one walking on the outside of the sidewalk because she’d take that dangerous position, too, if I’d let her.

So, you can imagine her concern when I announced around 7:30 last night that I was “going walking” by myself. I had a specific destination that was not child-appropriate, so her going with me was not an option. She was napping when I left and when she woke she wanted to know, “Are they going to drive you home or? I’m a little confused. 😭” Kat and I both assured her that I was okay. By that time, I was on my way home and she was back asleep before I finished taking the dogs out. It is so incredibly precious how much she cares, though I do worry that perhaps she’s taking on an adult-sized load of concern.

I have to push myself through days like yesterday. In addition to everything hurting, I cough more, my balance is off more, and as I move between periods of sleep and awake, my cognition isn’t always as sharp as it should be. I either nap, surrounded by as many animals as possible or I’m doing something fairly rote and mundane so as to not make my head hurt anymore than it already does.

Going back through posts from 2021 and earlier, I’m noticing that not only are some videos missing (I know why) but the photo carousel isn’t working either. When I check on the photos that are missing, I also find that I don’t necessarily like how I initially processed a lot of them. Therefore, I’ve decided that I need to reprocess them and repost them as videos as that makes them more difficult to steal. I’m not sure how that’s going to look necessarily, but it’s something I can do to fill time without making my head hurt.

Last week, we enjoyed the food from Fat Cat BBQ during the race, but there’s also a nearby bar called Fat Cat as well and this past week we discovered that a dear friend is now working behind the bar there. So, as I grew restless and a bit hungry, I decided that when the weather cleared I would walk down there (hence the reason for Tipper’s concern). The bar is almost exactly a mile from the house and the biggest danger is crossing Lafayette Rd.

Kat nor I are, by nature, not the kind of people who sit in bars on a regular basis just to hang out and drink. First, neither one drinks that much (I’m not supposed to drink at all), we’re both cheapskates when it comes to how much we pay for alcohol, and finally, we don’t necessarily like people all that much. Fat Cat has been on the same corner the entire time we’ve lived here and last night was the first time I’ve walked through its doors. In fact, at one point, someone (I don’t remember who) told me to be careful, that it wasn’t necessarily my “kind of crowd.” But Jenni is a dear friend and it’s been well over a year since I last saw her. I knew that as long as she was there I’d be reasonably safe.

Turns out, any concern about it being too rough an establishment was ill-placed. I walked in and almost immediately one dear inebriated soul was happy to welcome me to the bar, introduced himself, and suggested I order a drink. There was no one there who wasn’t friendly. Bonus points: Jenni’s daughter was working the kitchen and DJ Redbone was in the house just floating about and being social. I’ve known Redbone since the days of UNZip the Runway (14, maybe 15 years ago?) so it was good to catch up a bit. I didn’t stay too long. There’s a time limit on when I need to take my evening medicine and check my glucose. I was back home and headed to bed before 10:00. I’ve not been out at night in so long, though, I really enjoyed my time there.

One side note: on the walk there, just a few houses north of us, I came across a young raptor in a neighbor’s yard. I’m not sure exactly what kind of bird it was. He had a smooth, gold head and black body with gold feathers in his tail. He had caught a mole and flew off toward the North 40 when he left. This is one of those moments when I hate how lousy the digital zoom is on my phone camera. I couldn’t get close enough to get an identifying picture. He looked really young, but he definitely knew he was king of the air at that moment.

As we celebrate Pride Month, it’s well worth noting that yesterday, a drag queen story time in Philadelphia set the Guinness World Record for attendance. This is the first such record for that category and as LGBTQ+ issues are such a hot point during an election year, I’m extremely happy that it happened and I think Philadelphia was the perfect place!

Solaris has planted himself on my desk in from of my monitor fresh from having puked up his entire breakfast. So help me, I’m pretty sure that the majority of the paper towels we use in this house go toward cleaning up cat puke.

The air outside is still damp this morning. It seems strange that it’s June and I’ll need to wear a light jacket to go to the store. What’s more strange is that it’s going to be a couple of weeks before we truly break this cool pattern.

Meanwhile, in India, people are dying from the heat as they stand in line to vote, and South Africa’s mostly-white Democratic Alliance has won the majority there for the first time in over 20 years. Oh, and get this, North Korea is sending balloons carrying trash over to South Korea. South Korea is promising an “unendurable” response. China landed a rocket on the far side of the moon while Boeing choked on its effort to launch a manned space flight. I don’t see how anyone can be surprised by either of those news items. It has to be some very brave people sitting in that Boeing rocket.

Solaris says it’s time to stop typing. He’s batting at my fingers. I guess I’ll have to find something more entertaining to do.

Current Issues / News & Comment / Personal / Politics / science / Social Commentary

Who Is Really Spreading Misinformation?

June 1, 2024

Blowing Away Sadness [2010 original with AI background adjustment]

There is a particular stereotype about the people who spread misinformation on the Internet. Generally speaking, we imagine that they’re middle-aged single/divorced men who have nothing better to do than gripe about everything and have the technological skills to spread their hate of all things by using bots they’ve created. This has been the mental picture we’ve been encouraged to hold for years now and we’ve happily played along, assuming that these lonely souls are just creepy guys who are fat, lazy, and jobless.

Turns out, we were wrong. New research published this past week (May 30) in Science affirms a 2019 study showing that the people most responsible for 90% of all misinformation spread on social media are women! Specifically, older women with an average age of 58, and largely Republican (64%). They make up 60% of the 2000 so-called superspreaders that dominate social media. One in 20 internet users follows at least one of these superspreaders and shares the misinformation they post. No bots. Just a bunch of old ladies with an agenda sitting around hitting the retweet button on X over and over and over until their casserole is done.

The researcher stated, “It does not seem like supersharing is a one-off attempt to influence elections by tech-savvy individuals, but rather a longer-term corrosive socio-technical process that contaminates the information ecosystem for some part of society.”

Two key words in that sentence: corrosive and contaminates. This is critical because such labels potentially limit this kind of communication from the shield of free speech. By now, we should all understand that the First Amendment guarantee of speech does not cover language that is potentially harmful to others. If we can prove that the deliberate and intentional sharing of misinformation is harmful, then it becomes illegal and the persons involved would be subject to prosecution.

Sure, no one likes the image of seeing grandma in handcuffs, but then, we didn’t imagine that instead of pestering her daughter-in-law about the grandkids grandma was making a deliberate attempt to destroy Democracy, either. Because of this misinformation, our elections are in danger. People who vote are making choices based on this misinformation and the result is that we get more people like Marjorie Taylor Greene making fools of themselves and the people they represent.

The authors of both studies, as well as other experts in the field, think that platforms should limit the number of times someone can “share” something. The suggested number is 50 retweets a day. I’m just going to go out on a limb here and say there’s no way in hell that Elon Musk is going to limit a damn thing on X. He doesn’t give a shit. He simply wants users and he doesn’t care what kind of bullshit they share.

Instead, I think people like you and I have to be a lot more aggressive about blocking people the first time we see something stupid show up in our newsfeeds. While Breitbart, InfoWars, and Gatewaypundit are the original source of most fake news, I would add Newsmax and Fox News to the list as well. Block them. Block everyone who shares their stories. Remember, you don’t have to follow them for their shit to show up in your newsfeed. Block them and, depending on which social media site you’re on, make sure you tell them that the material is offensive and false so that their misinformation is shared with fewer people.

Our Democracy is far too valuable to let a bunch of bigoted, homophobic, addle-brained, cookie-burning old ladies destroy it. Block the living hell out of them and let your DA (who is also an elected official) know that you consider misinformation damaging to the public. Let’s make it illegal. Shall we?

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Morning Update: 05/31/24

May 31, 2024

The System Worked As Designed

There can now be no question that we are living in historic times. I wish we weren’t, because too many of the “historic” things we’ve experienced have been bad. In a sane world, the Iran hostage crisis of 1979 wouldn’t have happened. The terror of 9/11 wouldn’t have happened. And a former president wouldn’t have broken the law (before he was president). In a sane world, people behave. In a sane world, people don’t lie. In a sane world, adults don’t respond like three-year-olds.

We obviously have never lived in a sane world. Ever.

When the news came across my phone that a verdict was ready in the former president’s hush money case, I turned on a live stream of ABC News and called the kids into the room. They needed to witness this because it will most likely affect them a lot longer than it will affect me. ABC displayed a simple graphic numbered 1-34, representing the number of counts against the former president. We watched together as the space in front of each one filled with the word “guilty.” There were no non-decisions, nor did they find him not guilty on any count. That was it.

The Orange Felon called the trial rigged, but let’s consider how we got here. First, there were charges. Each charge had to be vetted by the New York Attorney General’s Office to see if there was any chance of the charge being true. They concluded that there was. Next, a grand jury was assembled. It was the grand jury’s job to consider all the evidence and decide whether there was sufficient cause to go ahead with a full trial. Had there not been enough evidence, the case would have ended there. The case was scheduled for trial. Both sides participated equally in the selection of jurors. Both sides called their witnesses and pleaded their case, presumably to the best of their ability.

The jury deliberated for a mere ten hours over the course of two days. They had the judge’s instructions read back to them to ensure they followed the law. There was ample opportunity for any one of the jurors to muddy the waters. A single juror is all it would take to declare a mistrial. Had there been any question, the jurors could have debated for days, even weeks, about the efficacy of each count. That was their right and totally within their power. But that didn’t happen. This fairly and reasonably selected jury was unanimous and came back with one verdict on which they all agreed: guilty.

This is the way the system was designed to work.

I want my children to grow up believing in the rule of law. I want my children to know that no one, including a former president (or a sitting president, for that matter), is above the law. These matters are critical because without them we lose our Democracy.

I know that Reuters is reporting that Trump supporters call for riots and violent retribution after verdict. The media is going to hype that angle, perhaps to the point of making it come to fruition. Without all the media hype, I don’t think it would actually happen, but this is the way we apparently work now. And, honestly, when have the Orange Felon’s cult members not responded like three-year-olds who didn’t get their way? Ever? No, never. Every damn time. Why? Because three-year-olds don’t understand that they’re not that special. Three-year-olds don’t understand that there are consequences for disobeying rules. The difference here is that actual three-year-olds learn. The members of the Felon’s cult, don’t.

After the verdict, G made us all a delicious celebratory soup because the system worked. We ate the soup, took our meds, and went to bed. We slept well. Today, we’ll mow the lawn because it’s almost certain to rain tomorrow.

Our lives go on. I still have cancer and diabetes and high blood pressure and arthritis and I’m insane. The kids are still enjoying the few weeks of summer break they have. Kat will still do the most awesome work on people’s hair. The dogs will still bark at anyone who walks past the house. The cats will still leave hair on everything. Nothing changes for us.

But we go forward knowing that the system works, whether anyone likes the outcome or not. Fuss all you want, the law is the law. If you want to change the law, you have to vote. But then, who is going to change the law to allow for deceptive financial practices? There are enough loopholes already that corporations are exploiting.

By the way, can we end this talk of jail time for the Orange Felon? There’s almost zero chance of that happening. These are E-level felonies, the lowest possible in the New York system. While there is an allowance for jail time, that rarely happens. Probation, public service, and house arrest are the most common sentences handed down in this type of case. Because the Orange Felon is a former president and thereby entitled to Secret Service protection for the rest of his life, any jail time would present a considerable burden on both the Secret Service and the prison system. As salacious as jail time would be, I don’t see the judge making that decision.

Now, I need to get my day started. Ya’ll sit around here and fuss all you want.

Cancer Update / Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 05/30/24

May 30, 2024

No worries, I’m fine. No severe sugar drop. The doctor has revised the prescription a little bit so that hopefully those wild ups and downs won’t occur. Even last night’s after-dinner measurement was a reasonable 135, which is still high but only by about 15 points. We’ll get there and get things back to normal soon enough, I’m sure.

I’m still pissed about all the censorship going on around town. You’ll find my latest opinion in last night’s post. I seriously fail to understand why anyone would think that it’s their job, their responsibility, or even any of their fucking business to police what consenting adults do, anywhere, any time, for any reason. They don’t seem to mind ruining people’s lives, jeopardizing their jobs, threatening relationships, and denying basic human dignity. Then, they want to run and hide behind some form of religious mythology that, by any reasonable account, is a piece of trash.

Oh, that reminds me, those bastions of ministerial abuse, the Southern Baptist Convention, has their annual convention in Indy again, June 9-12. This is at least the third time in the past 20 years that they’ve brought their special brand of bigotry, hate-filled love, self-righteousness, pretentiousness, and really bad tipping to the Circle City. There is no upside to them being here. Businesses don’t profit because these tightwads don’t buy much and complain about it when they do. And you want to know what’s high on their agenda? Whether or not they want to acknowledge all the fucking abuse committed by Southern Baptist ministers. Just yesterday, Nashville’s paper of record, The Tennessean, published a second article on their attempt to deny what’s happening, “Second SBC pastor implicated in ‘conspiracy’ to destroy evidence in federal abuse inquiry.” That’s how hard these fools are trying to cover their tracks. Dear Indianapolis Convention & Tourism: Please do not invite these religious terrorists back to our city ever again. We don’t need to be assaulted by people who apparently believe that spreading their seed is sharing love. Gag. We have enough trouble downtown without inviting a bunch of serial rapists.

We’re still getting unseasonably cool weather and, for the moment, it appears that there’s no rain coming at us until Saturday. I’m watching a slow-moving system coming across the plains, but there doesn’t seem to be enough activity in the jet stream for it to show up here with a lot of power. Maybe we can get the lawn mowed tomorrow.

I slept like crap last night, though. There’s a lot of pain in my wrists and arms, presumably from the fall earlier this week. So, there is definitely a need for naps today.

And, uhm, Google? No, I don’t need any help writing, thank you. It’s one of the few things I do well. STOP ASKING.

Current Issues / News & Comment / pop culture / Social Commentary / video

Censorship Violates Human Dignity

May 29, 2024

You already know this is going to be NSFW.

Candace Ownes, the token GOP black female, wants pornography to be banned. Never mind that the Supreme Court has said it can’t be banned, only limited. Ms. Owens isn’t that bright and probably can’t even name the late Hustler publisher who damn near died fighting against censorship (Larry Flynt, for those of you under 50). Don’t worry, Cardi B. is calling her out.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed a bill potentially making it illegal for legitimate news outlets to cover instances of police brutality. The American Civil Liberties Union is already planning to file suit by the end of the week.

And in Texas, a judge finally dismissed charges against a so-called “journalist” who was allegedly “arrested, strip-searched, and jailed for filming police.” Why was he held? Because there’s no real publication behind him. He’s only a journalist on his own YouTube channel.

These are all examples of censorship. And no, they’re not even close to being at the top of the list. Consider these headlines:

The list of censorship in the media is neverending. Why? Because it’s titillating. Everyone clocks to see what’s going on, who wore what, who did what, who went where, and just how much can be seen. These so-called “news” outlets have us pretending to care about the lives of people just because their names show up in the media on occasion. Is it any of our business what they wear? No. Do we have any right to judge them for what they do? Only if it’s illegal and even then, we may want to take a step back first.

Religious fanatics have convinced us that we have to judge our fellow human in order to avoid being “sinfully influenced” by them. After all, if we see that someone else enjoys having a butt plug shoved up their ass, then you might want to give it a try as well.

And where are all these better-than-you media outlets coming from? Losers that can’t get jobs as real journalists at real news outlets. It’s rather easy, actually. I can toss up a web page or a YouTube profile, call myself a reporter, print my own press pass (because I know how), and walk around getting myself into trouble pretending to be something I’m not. If my website has the word “news” in it, then a lot of people think that I can hide behind the First Amendment and say anything about anyone that I damn well please.

Censorship has become such a large part of our lives, that many people have started referring to it simply as “editing.”

This time is past due for censorship of our lives to stop. And to make my point, please enjoy this totally 18+ NSFW 20-second video that definitely includes nudity and you shouldn’t watch if it’s illegal in your state. That’s on you.

And if you want to judge me for making a video like this, fuck you. I refuse to be censored by anyone other than myself (and I even have arguments with myself about that).

Cancer Update / Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Status / Tips

Morning Update: 05/26/24

May 26, 2024

IT’S RACE DAY IN INDY!

The long-awaited (seemingly) 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 is here. I’ve been up since a little before 4:00 AM and even at that early hour cars were already streaming into the North 40. If you were looking for curbside parking in the neighborhood, forget it. People decided to camp out in their cars this year. In fact, we have more camping in the neighborhood this year than anyone can remember. That means there was plenty of partying well into the night. Sadly, there was also plenty of gunfire, which is always a bit disturbing.

I’ve not gotten a weather update since 4:00 yesterday afternoon. Looking at the radar, though, that first set of storms is just West of St. Louis currently (ya’ll hang tight over there). That should put the system here most likely around noon. The race is scheduled to begin at 12:45 PM, but at the moment that seems unlikely. Honestly, at this point, everything is kind of a wait-and-see situation. It’s still early and the system is still likely gathering moisture from the gulf. There could still be changes, which is why I don’t expect to hear any adjustments to the forecast from NWS until after 6:00. This system is going to carry severe winds, possibly in excess of 70 mph, rambunctious lightning, and the possibility of hail.

Anticipating rain, IMS brought in extra heaters from NASCAR to help dry the track as quickly as possible. The first system is moving quickly, so the race could, potentially, still be on as early as 2:00. We’re anticipating a clear break of 3.5 hours which should be plenty of time to get an “official” race completed. That doesn’t mean they’ll run a full 200 laps, mind you, and that’s also assuming that they run a clean race with no severe wrecks and few yellow flags. If drivers get sloppy, that could impact whether they finish the race before the second round of storms show up.

When the second round does arrive, anywhere between 5-8 depending on a number of factors, it is going to be a doozy. Chances for tornados on the outskirts of the city, such as around Kokomo and Lafayette to the North, and Spencer and Bloomington to the South, are severe enough that our friends in those areas really need to stay alert. This system is going to pack a wallop and deliver a lot of water. If it arrives before the race is over, we’re encouraging people who do not live locally to hang tight and stay sheltered until the worst of the storm passes.

Is all this over-hype? Possibly. There’s always the chance that we warn of the worst and nothing severe happens. But, I’d rather my friends be prepared than caught by surprise. If you don’t have emergency alerts turned on, grab your phone and do so right now. They’re under Settings>Notifications, or something similar.

As for me, the chemo is kicking my ass this morning, the arthritis is flaring like a mofo, and my glucose level after dinner last night was 165, only a four-point difference from the morning. There’s no hiding in bed this morning. We have to be out taking care of parking and such or it doesn’t get done. Tipper has volunteered to be outside with me a bit. She’s wanting to wear her furry head, so we’ll see how that goes. G is going to take care of things inside, keeping the dogs from going nuts. We have a plan. That doesn’t mean everything will go smoothly, but we’ll do our best.

I wish Kat was here.

No, we’re not talking about last night’s Pacers game. Ugh.

Cancer Update / Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Status / Tips

Morning Update with race info: 05/25/24

May 25, 2024

Ready For The Party [2015 original with AI background]

Strap in, there is a lot of information to share here. I might have been more prudent to put all this into two separate posts, but I’ve too much to do this morning before I wear out. Let’s start with the most critical issue: tomorrow’s weather. The question is not whether it will rain, the question is whether you’ll get struck by lightning if you’re muddy in the Snake Pit. As of 0600 EDT this morning, the National Weather Service in Indianapolis is saying to expect multiple rounds of severe weather on Sunday. They’re not even bothering to talk about timing because that’s too imprecise a factor. The front generating these storms is unstable and the timing and severity is going to depend on how quickly the surface temperature changes. This is not likely to be a quiet day.

Here’s the map that was issued this morning:

Wind and lightning are the biggest risks with any of these storm cells moving through. IMS has different safety plans depending on a number of weather factors. IF YOU HAVE TICKETS FOR THE GRANDSTANDS, know that you may not get to sit in them a lot. The grandstands will be evacuated in the event of lightning and/or severe winds. If your tickets are for the infield, there’s really not a lot you can do. The Snake Pit stage will be shut down and everyone will be advised to “seek the nearest covered shelter.” However, there simply is not enough “covered shelter” to protect 350,000+ fans.

Race officials are bound and determined to get as much of the race in tomorrow as possible, but that could mean large breaks with severe delays. It is almost certain that this will not be a contiguous 500-mile race. In fact, I don’t recall a race forecast for weather this severe anytime in recent memory. Should the weather get really funky, we may see IMS management making decisions on the fly. Be ready for anything.

What does all this mean for spectators? Bring an umbrella. And sunscreen. Also, make sure you have transportation! I was a little disturbed yesterday afternoon by the number of people who came out of the concert (which was called on account of lightning) and didn’t have a ride home. These were almost exclusively younger adults who didn’t think far enough ahead. PLEASE do not rely on rideshare options! The nearest rideshare pickup is over a mile away from the track, over on Lafayette Rd. Rideshare drivers cannot get into our neighborhood or anywhere else on 30th, 25th, or 16th streets. Having your own transportation is going to be the safest and most reliable option, even if parking costs a little more. You’ll also want to limit the alcohol so that you can respond quickly and safely if the weather gets particularly nasty.

I realize that for some people, this is really harshing your buzz. I’m sorry. Maybe we’ll get lucky and all we’ll get is a little rain. Don’t bet on that, though. NWS rarely raises our storm forecast to level 3. We have to take this seriously.

Okay, on to more personal things. I started my new diabetes meds yesterday and the impact was almost immediate. I’m now taking Glipizide. I took the first dose at about 2:00 yesterday afternoon. The result? My sugar went from 224 to 137! Sounds good, right? But then, my fasting measurement at 7:15 this morning was back up to 161. So, I’m not sure exactly what to think. I’m going to try taking the pill after breakfast this morning and see what difference that makes in the numbers.

I’m still feeling quite anxious about the whole sugar thing and will be extremely careful about what I eat/drink during the day. We’ve got plenty to do around the house today to keep my mind somewhat occupied, and I’m not opposed to taking multiple naps. There’s a Gang of Six napping on the bed now, but I can make room for myself whenever I wish. There’s also a lot of laundry to be done. Today needs to be chill so that we’re rested and ready for whatever gets thrown at us tomorrow.

If you’re planning on parking in the neighborhoods surrounding the track tomorrow, please take a moment to read this and perhaps share it with anyone else who is likely to be looking for parking. I estimate that, depending on the size of the vehicles, I have about seven spots available for $20 a piece. Some of the yards near me are already full with reservations. I’m not interested in being out a long time, so the sooner we can fill up and I can go back inside, the better.

It was good to see some friends we’d not seen in a long time yesterday. The people watching is one of the few things that makes the race tolerable. Traffic, of course, drives me up a wall every year. We had a number of speed demons blow past the stop sign yesterday. Our neighbors and I have already concluded that the first time we see it happen on Sunday, we’re taking license numbers and calling the police. There are too many people out here for idiots to drive like they’re going to challenge one of the drivers for their seat. We want everyone to be safe and have a good time. That can’t happen if some knucklehead is showing off in their truck.

This year feels different than previous years. I won’t be taking pictures. I will be more concerned about keeping everyone safe. I’ll be outside, ready to go, at 6:00 AM. We hope to see you!

Current Issues / News & Comment / Politics / video

Inglorious Unified Reich

May 22, 2024

Inglorious Reich [2011 with AI background]

Tuesday, May 21, the bastard formerly known as the 45th President* of the US, posted a video to the financially struggling social media app he owns containing blatant and intentional Nazi references, most specifically using the phrase “unified Reich” in reference to what the US will become should he win re-election.

Personally, I am of the opinion that he uses tactics like this, posting inflammatory statements and then taking them down, to get people riled up. What it does is reveal how many Americans are actually down for supporting the level of authoritarianism that your grandfathers and great-grandfathers squashed during World War II. Those now-dead American heroes were screaming “never again,” but yet, for America, this is very much Germany, 1938 all over again, and re-electing the indicted one would be the same as electing Hitler. Straight up. No apologies.

But rather than going on a rant of my own, I think it’s more entertaining, and definitely a better use of your time, to let someone else rant for me. Enjoy.

And then, there’s this opinion:

So, you’ve heard the dog whistle. Whatcha gonna do about it? Who has more political balls, you or a neutered dog?

Current Issues / Long Read / News & Comment / Politics

United War Machine

May 22, 2024

Let’s just go ahead and change the name of the country from the United States of America to the United War Machine. Let’s be real. The one thing that really unites this increasingly third-rate country is that we like war. We like war a lot. It doesn’t even have to be our war. Let someone else go to war and we’ll happily supply them the bombs, guns, planes, tanks, bullets, and in some cases even personnel necessary to fight their war. We just can’t imagine the planet without a couple of wars going on. Imagine how much it would tank our economy if we didn’t have any reason to build the implements of war!

One of the many hundreds of problems with war is that the people engaged in it seem to think that there are no rules. Take Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for example. His response to some of the horrible things Israeli troops have done since October 7 has been, “That’s just part of war.” The problem is, he’s wrong. There are humanitarian rules to war and everyone’s being very good at breaking them.

Who attempts to take the rule breakers to task? The International Criminal Court. The court was originally created after WWII to try Nazi officials for the unspeakable crimes they had committed during that war. Located in The Hague, Netherlands, the court is responsible for holding everyone accountable for war violations. The goal is to prevent the kind of atrocities experienced in WWII from ever happening again. Sounds like a good thing, right?

Sure, we think it is up until our best friend has a warrant out on their head. Earlier this week, the court applied for arrest warrants for a number of people related to the Hamas/Israel war in Gaza. The way the ICC works is that, unlike warrants here that only need the signature of a friendly judge, prosecutors must first gather a substantial amount of evidence that violations have occurred, a whole freaking panel of judges has to approve the application, or else the warrants are rejected. There is little chance for error. The rules are unfathomably tight. Here are a couple of critical accusations made in the application:

On the basis of evidence collected and examined by my Office, I have reasonable grounds to believe that Yahya SINWAR (Head of the Islamic Resistance Movement (“Hamas”) in the Gaza Strip), Mohammed Diab Ibrahim AL-MASRI, more commonly known as DEIF (Commander-in-Chief of the military wing of Hamas, known as the Al-Qassam Brigades), and Ismail HANIYEH (Head of Hamas Political Bureau) bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of Israel and the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 7 October 2023:

Extermination as a crime against humanity, contrary to article 7(1)(b) of the Rome Statute;
Murder as a crime against humanity, contrary to article 7(1)(a), and as a war crime, contrary to article 8(2)(c)(i);
Taking hostages as a war crime, contrary to article 8(2)(c)(iii);
Rape and other acts of sexual violence as crimes against humanity, contrary to article 7(1)(g), and also as war crimes pursuant to article 8(2)(e)(vi) in the context of captivity;
Torture as a crime against humanity, contrary to article 7(1)(f), and also as a war crime, contrary to article 8(2)(c)(i), in the context of captivity;
Other inhumane acts as a crime against humanity, contrary to article 7(l)(k), in the context of captivity;
Cruel treatment as a war crime contrary to article 8(2)(c)(i), in the context of captivity; and
Outrages upon personal dignity as a war crime, contrary to article 8(2)(c)(ii), in the context of captivity.

My Office submits that the war crimes alleged in these applications were committed in the context of an international armed conflict between Israel and Palestine, and a non-international armed conflict between Israel and Hamas running in parallel. We submit that the crimes against humanity charged were part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Israel by Hamas and other armed groups pursuant to organisational policies. Some of these crimes, in our assessment, continue to this day.

That addresses the crimes committed by Hamas. You’d think everyone would be happy about that. But wait, the prosecutor had more to say, and this is the part that has US politicians miffed.

On the basis of evidence collected and examined by my Office, I have reasonable grounds to believe that Benjamin NETANYAHU, the Prime Minister of Israel, and Yoav GALLANT, the Minister of Defence of Israel, bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 8 October 2023:

Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare as a war crime contrary to article 8(2)(b)(xxv) of the Statute;
Wilfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health contrary to article 8(2)(a)(iii), or cruel treatment as a war crime contrary to article 8(2)(c)(i);
Wilful killing contrary to article 8(2)(a)(i), or Murder as a war crime contrary to article 8(2)(c)(i);
Intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population as a war crime contrary to articles 8(2)(b)(i), or 8(2)(e)(i);
Extermination and/or murder contrary to articles 7(1)(b) and 7(1)(a), including in the context of deaths caused by starvation, as a crime against humanity;
Persecution as a crime against humanity contrary to article 7(1)(h);
Other inhumane acts as crimes against humanity contrary to article 7(1)(k).

My Office submits that the war crimes alleged in these applications were committed in the context of an international armed conflict between Israel and Palestine, and a non-international armed conflict between Israel and Hamas (together with other Palestinian Armed Groups) running in parallel. We submit that the crimes against humanity charged were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the Palestinian civilian population pursuant to State policy. These crimes, in our assessment, continue to this day.

These allegations are backed by substantial evidence and interviews with people involved, deep with corroborating witnesses on both sides. This isn’t a witch hunt. This is how a fair investigation transpires. After months of work with prosecutors looking at both Hamas and Israel, taking everything into consideration, came to the conclusion that these crimes were and continue to be committed. How is this not a no-brainer?

Yet, the US, regardless of political affiliation, has one hell of a blind spot when it comes to Israel. I fail to understand it at all. Yes, what happened to Jews during WWII was unprecedented, but it does not equate to a blank check for the future. And, if we’re being fair, Netanyahu was never the dominant choice for Prime Minister in the first place. Israel had to hold five elections within a four-year period before the old fart could cobble together enough of a coalition to form a government. This is not the same young “Bibi” Netanyahu that won the election for the first time in 1996. This is an old, authoritarian prick who wants to dominate simply because he thinks he has a right to dominate. He needs to go away and let someone more reasonable guide the people of Israel.

But no, he’s not going away and the US, being the country ever obsessed with war, is doing their best to prop him up. President Biden called the allegations “outrageous,” and then followed with, “Whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas.”

US Secretary of State Blinken added, “Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization that carried out the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and is still holding dozens of innocent people hostage, including Americans.”

Okay, Mr. Blinken, as of May13, only 1,478 Israeli citizens have been killed compared to 35,562 Palestinian civilians, according to UNWRA. Uhm who, precisely, is carrying out a massacre? Are you fucking listening to the nonsense coming out of your mouth?

Oh, but it gets worse. GOP Senator and relentless asshole, Tom Cotton, wrote that “My colleagues and I look forward to make sure neither Khan, his associates nor their families will ever set foot again in the United States.”

Hey, jackass, guess who assisted in the ICC’s investigation: none other than Amal Clooney. You know George’s wife and one hell of a fucking attorney. Here’s what she had to say:

“More than four months ago, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court asked me to assist him with evaluating evidence of suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israel and Gaza. I agreed and joined a panel of international legal experts to undertake this task. Together we have engaged in an extensive process of evidence review and legal analysis including at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The Panel and its academic advisers are experts in international law, including international humanitarian law and international criminal law. Two Panel members are appointed as expert ‘Special Advisers’ by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. Two Panel members are former judges at criminal tribunals in The Hague.

Despite our diverse personal backgrounds, our legal findings are unanimous. We have unanimously determined that the Court has jurisdiction over crimes committed in Palestine and by Palestinian nationals. We unanimously conclude that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, including hostage-taking, murder and crimes of sexual violence. We unanimously conclude that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity including starvation as a method of warfare, murder, persecution and extermination.

I served on this Panel because I believe in the rule of law and the need to protect civilian lives. The law that protects civilians in war was developed more than 100 years ago and it applies in every country in the world regardless of the reasons for a conflict. As a human rights lawyer, I will never accept that one child’s life has less value than another’s. I do not accept that any conflict should be beyond the reach of the law, nor that any perpetrator should be above the law. So I support the historic step that the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has taken to bring justice to victims of atrocities in Israel and Palestine.

Today, my colleagues and I have published an op-ed and a detailed legal report of the Panel’s findings. My approach is not to provide a running commentary of my work but to let the work speak for itself. I hope that witnesses will cooperate with the ongoing investigation. And I hope that justice will prevail in a region that has already suffered too much.”

Amal Clooney
Barrister and Co-Founder of the Clooney Foundation for Justice

Shut the fuck up, Tom.

Here’s the thing, neither the US nor Israel signed onto the Rome Statute under which the ICC was established. Why? Because both countries (and several others) are fucking scared of the concept of non-biased justice. No US politician wants to be held accountable for their actions (hence, the chaos over someone’s multiple indictments). All we want is the freedom to support war, no matter how horrible it is, wherever we want, whenever we want. We don’t want anyone telling us that the wars we’re supporting are unjust.

However, as bloated as our national ego is, we’re not the only ones on the planet. Earlier today, Norway, Ireland, and Spain recognized the State of Palestine. Other countries are considering the move, such as France, though they’re not quite ready to commit. This is a big deal. The rules of engagement change if Palestine is recognized internationally as its own country. As that begins to happen, UN rules start to apply making the continued aggression by Israel all the more illegal and could potentially open the door for UN troops to fight on behalf of Palestine against Israel.

Understand, there are a truckload of steps that have to take place before anything like that can happen and we can all hope that a permanent cease-fire can be negotiated before there’s any reason to insert UN troops in the region. However, the possibility is there and will grow closer with each country that decides to recognize Palestine.

And for every day that there is no cease-fire, who do we blame? Look in a fucking mirror. The US, the United War Machine, is the country standing right next to Israel encouraging them to keep up their illegal and inhumane tactics.

I haven’t recited the Pledge of Allegiance in several years. This is why. I cannot, in good conscience, pledge a damn thing to a country that actively courts and provides for the global extermination of our own species. That I was born here and live here does not obligate me to support such idiocy. Rather, my citizenship requires that I yell, scream, and do everything within my power to stop it. Legally.

The problem with this situation is that when the bullshit is spread so thick in every direction, who the hell am I supposed to vote for? None of the major candidates will stand up to Israel. None of them have a spine.

Maybe you have an idea.

Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 05/14/24

May 14, 2024

Saddle up and ride [2011 original with AI background]

There really is nothing to share about yesterday. The kids went to school. Kat went to work. I went back to bed and stayed there. The most exciting part of the day was the delivery of more cat litter. Most Mondays seem to be this way anymore, especially if we’ve done anything outside the house on Sunday. My body doesn’t seem interested in being active two days in a row. The dogs don’t seem interested in being active on Mondays, either.

It was another violent weekend in Indy and I’m concerned that violence will only increase as it gets warmer. Consider, here are just a few of the local headlines I’m looking at this morning:

There are times I feel as though we’re living in a bad episode of some police procedural television show. Gunning down victims in the street, calling SWAT to a dispute between neighbors, and someone shot to death while sitting in their pickup? Who the fuck does that in real life? Are these cases of, “Oh, I just happen to have this gun handy so I think I’ll use it?” Or is it more “I don’t have any idea how to resolve this conflict so I’m just gonna shoot somebody?” Maybe it’s a case of “I don’t feel that I have any control over the circumstances in my life, so I’m going to make sure someone pays attention to me.”

Overall, nationwide, violent crime has decreased since 2020. Cities significantly larger than Indy have seen violent crime plunge significantly. In cities such as Indy where violence continues to increase, the causes seem to come down to three significant issues:

Economics
Insufficient policing (largely due to low recruiting numbers)
Education

We can look at these issues because we have data showing the relationship of cause/effect. What we don’t look at, though, is who is behind those causes. Numbers don’t solve problems, people do. If economics is a primary issue in increasing violence, the question needs to be WHO is responsible for that? I can tell you now it’s not a politician. Instead, look at the head of major corporations and retailers in a city. Where are they located? Who are they hiring? How much are they paying? Who is being left out? Start addressing these problems and the economics issue goes away.

The same can be said for education. Why are teachers quitting in frustration? Why are some schools limited in how they can teach while others get to explore new and innovative methods? Why the hell are people with absolutely zero experience in a classroom telling masters-level educators how to teach? Why are students in certain economic zones not getting all the opportunities as students from other areas of town? All these things (and a lot more) factor into failing schools, high drop-out rates, and a large sense of desperation among those who don’t manage to thrive within the system.

Why are some cities unable to recruit new officers? I don’t have information to argue that one. Theoretically, out-of-date policing procedures, low pay, lack of basic safety programs, and insufficient training are what gets called out first. That doesn’t mean those are the only problems. I’m sure there are some who will never consider police work because of its traditional stance against people of color. Complaints of abuse within the ranks are part of what’s keeping more women from both police forces and the military. At the baseline, though, the problems are internal and we have to hold the leaders of those departments responsible for making the necessary changes to both methods and culture.

Brandon’s taking Kat to the rifle range today for her birthday. Kat’s taking her AR15 out for the first time. Her dad gave her the gun when she graduated boot camp and it’s never been fired. She never felt that there was any need or reason to do so. We haven’t even had any ammo for it. But now? I’m glad they’re going. I’m glad she’ll have a response in case things go awry in the neighborhood, and there’s no good reason to think they won’t.

We, you and I, created these problems because we’d rather rally around shallow slogans with no real meaning or understanding the issues, because we try holding politicians responsible for problems that are caused elsewhere, and because, more than anything, all we do is complain rather than become involved in a solution. We are responsible for the society we’ve created. This didn’t happen out of the blue. Aliens are not responsible for this mess. You are. I am. And we’re the only ones who can fix it.

Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Politics / pop culture / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 05/10/24

May 10, 2024

If All The World Were A Beach [2011 original with AI background]

Today is the first official day of practice and qualifying open to the public at IMS. I’d tell you to not bother going and instead spend your money somewhere more deserving, and it bothers me when you don’t listen. Qualifying this afternoon is for tomorrow’s Sonsio Grand Prix. Who the hell is Sonsio? They’re the people who’ve been trying to reach you about your car/home’s extended warranty. It’s an insurance company and they damn sure don’t need your money. You’d be better off putting your premiums in a passbook savings account. I’m sure around 15,000 people will still be there because they have money to burn and no conscience for the rest of the world. It’s sad, really, how little these people give a shit.

It was 50 degrees when I took the dogs out this morning. Temps are on the low side all weekend and there’s a chance of showers every day, mostly in the evening/overnight. I’m looking at the calendar trying to figure out the best time to mow. Looking at the forecast, Sunday would be the best day, but that’s Mother’s Day and I’d rather the kids not be all sweaty when Kat gets home.

Interested in “eating the rich?” Be aware that there’s a showdown coming as the 2017 tax cuts for the super-wealthy are due to expire. I would tell you to contact your legislators but we all know they don’t pay a damn bit of attention because they know you won’t vote them the fuck out as they deserve. The American public is spineless. These tax cuts shouldn’t have happened in the first place and I don’t see any of you shouting out against them.

Oh, and get this: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he doesn’t give a shit if the US doesn’t send bombs for them to drop on Rafah. They’re going to invade and wipe out the border city anyway. This is how much of a bitch Netanyahu is. He doesn’t care how Israelis feel. He doesn’t care how the world sees the conflict. He’s a power-mad authoritarian who is turning history on its ear by engaging in the same form of atrocities against Palestine as the Germans did against Jews a century ago. Anyone who is not supporting a two-state resolution to Gaza is wrong and you’ll never convince me otherwise.

If there is any question that popular music has gotten worse over the past 50 years, here’s the proof. New research suggests that music since the 80s, including all of Taylor Swift’s eras, has become more negative, angrier, and more simple. Perhaps that’s why older music is still preferred by almost everyone with a brain. Or, it could be due to the fact that the world you’ve created is more negative and angrier and the music is reflective of that. Either way, ’70s music still rocks.

Oh, and just in case you’re buying into the claptrap that Elon Musk and other GOP mouthpieces are spewing, no noncitizens cannot vote in federal elections.

I’m in a mood this morning and coffee alone isn’t going to fix it.

Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Politics / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 05/07/24

May 7, 2024

Ouch, my calves hurt. Walking is such a fun challenge. After Sunday’s activities, my body didn’t especially appreciate having to move yesterday. I kept my activity to a minimum, edited some pictures that I may take down later, took the dogs outside as necessary, and did frozen pizza for dinner. The kids were happy and I didn’t risk straining anything. Today may be similar. the forecast shows a 100% chance of rain and if we end up getting some of the system that spawned tornadoes in Oklahoma last night (it will likely go south of us) then getting out of bed may be a struggle.

G has been given a chance to spend a week at Purdue this summer, earning both college and high school credit. Being a PPHS student allows him to attend for free. I’m excited for him to go not only because of the program but for the opportunity to experience a taste of dorm life and eating on a meal plan. Think back to your own college experience: how many kids bailed out quickly because they couldn’t adjust to campus life, being away from home, having to make basic decisions for themselves, and being responsible about meals? We’ve not been able to give him long overnight camp experiences. This is a chance for him to test his mettle without us being there looking over his shoulder.

Tipper, on the other hand, is bailing on her class’s trip to Chicago this weekend. The annual 8th-grade trip is supposed to be a reward for all their hard work, but Tipper only sees it as a long bus ride with a lot of people she doesn’t like. Of course, we’re not forcing her to go, but her lack of positive social interaction bothers me.

A pop-up notification from the National Weather Service just informed me that this afternoon’s storms could be severe, with high winds and possibly hail. Afternoon. When the kids are on buses. How do I not worry about that?

In reading an article this morning about re-drawing political district lines in Louisiana, I see that white voters are claiming that having districts favoring African Americans offends their (the white people’s) “personal dignity.” Okay, if you really want to start that fight, let’s go for it.

According to Deleware Law School, which seems to have the most concise and least confusing definition, personal dignity is defined as “the equal, inherent, and inalienable value of every person. It touches every important aspect of the human experience, from sexual and gender identity, to citizenship, equality and privacy, education and employment, healthcare, and more.” Okay, pretty straightforward. Sort of.

The International Journal of Constitutional Law, [Volume 10, Issue 2, 30 March 2012] makes the argument that “in spite of widespread international agreement on the importance of the principle, there is a significant degree of confusion regarding what it demands of lawmakers and adjudicators, and considerable inconsistency in its formulation and application in domestic constitutional law.” The author argues that “there is little or no consensus as to what the concept of human dignity demands of lawmakers and adjudicators. Indeed, for all the importance and emphasis placed on human dignity in the text of international conventions, domestic constitutions, and court decisions, the elusive nature of the concept has led many commentators to argue that it is, at best, meaningless or unhelpful, and at worst, potentially damaging to the protection of fundamental human rights.”

Most of the argument comes down to how loosely courts and legislators have played with the term, resulting in it having no practical meaning at all. Is “dignity” a right or is it a characteristic of something else?

Here’s my take: if “personal dignity” is a right that is defensible under the Constitution, then:

The uninvited presence of the descendants of European invaders on native lands offends my personal dignity and I demand they be removed.
The absence of a national healthcare program that resolves the medical needs of all citizens in an efficient and medically superior fashion offends my personal dignity and I demand one be put in place.
The presence of gerrymandered voting districts offends my personal dignity and I demand that non-gerrymandered maps be put in place across all 50 states.
The willfully malicious destruction of life by any government offends my personal dignity and I demand that they be tried and held accountable for their actions.
The failure to sufficiently guard the personal, mental, emotional, and financial safety of all persons regardless of sex, gender, nationality, or ideology offends my personal dignity and I demand that such be considered in the actions of all governments in any decision.

I could go on with that list for a long time but you’d stop reading before getting into the more detailed elements. The issue is “the relative looseness with which the term has been used by drafters, judges, and academics, as a consequence of which domestic constitutional law frequently defines “dignity” in a manner that cannot be reconciled with international human rights law.” [ibid.] We need a tighter definition that prevents courts and legislators from watering it down to the point it doesn’t exist. Until that happens, until we stand up for all human rights (which the US has yet to do), then none of us can claim any right to personal dignity. Attempting to do so only puts us at odds, possibly in violation of everyone else’s personal dignity.

If you disagree, feel free to present a reasonable and intelligent argument in the comments below.

The sad fact is that we only want rights and freedoms for people who look, act, and think like we do. We don’t understand universal freedom because we’re afraid of it, afraid that it might change the way we live, who controls the power, and how we might dominate those around us. To claim that allowing people of color to vote in a district designed to represent them violates your rights is racist and empty. You have zero right to deny someone else adequate representation in Congress or anywhere else.

I’m loudly in favor of breaking up the “good old boys club.” I’m unapologetically in favor of removing the influence of any religion from government. We need to re-think the whole mess in terms of global human rights because the movement of people across national borders, the ability to access and influence information without nationalistic or religious barriers, warrants that we protect the rights not only of those who live within our borders, but everyone who may, whether physically or digitally, visit our lands, our thoughts, our art, our education, or any other readily accessible portion of our existence. You can take your offense and shove it up your ass.

Meanwhile, I’m going to have leftover pizza for breakfast.

Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 04/03/2024

May 3, 2024

An Empty Forest [original photo 2011 with AI background]

The pups weren’t of a mind to hang out in yesterday’s mid-80s temps. We’d go outside, I’d settle down in a chair, and they’d be ready to go back inside. They were out long enough to scare Lilly, the baby Jack Russel Terrier next door, out for her first walk on a leash. All it took was one big “woof” and she was telling her mom, “Nope, outside is too dangerous. Let’s go back in.” Hamilton was especially disappointed.

Thanks to Kat, we did get to have pizza for dinner. It’s been long enough since pizza was an option that the kids downed it gleefully for a change. They’ll be okay going another couple of months without it. I’m the one with the problem. Visions of a truly deep dish Chicago-style pizza wander through my brain, longing in my … stomach I guess, because my heart certainly doesn’t need that much cholesterol.

Otherwise, yesterday was rather boring. Oh, I did re-apply for Medicaid after finding out Kat and the kids were approved. The challenge is likely to be that we share an address and resources. We don’t go through the fridge labeling who gets to eat which food. We don’t have separate meters for utilities. We’ll have to see what happens. Having Medicaid back would open more housing choices.

Still, I don’t have any exciting news to share. I’m sorry. There weren’t even any interesting dreams last night. Headlines? Same stuff we’ve been reading about for over a month. No one’s changing their mind, Congress won’t get off their ass, rich people are getting richer and caring less about the rest of us, and stock values are up enough that Apple announced a huge buy-back for this quarter. Crude oil prices are taking a dump, but they’ll be back up when Israel inevitably turns Rafah into dust, just because they can and Netanyahu is a war criminal. An Oregon couple just let their two-day-old infant die because of their insane religious beliefs. An NYPD officer fired into the ceiling as he was breaking up a protest at Columbia University. No one was hurt so he’ll get a reprimand and be back doing the same thing this morning.

If you’re a fan of Rue21, liquidation sales are happening as the brand clears all remaining stock as part of its bankruptcy deal. The IRS announced yesterday that it plans to triple the audit rates on large corporations with assets of more than $250 million, large partnerships with assets of more than $10 million, and wealthy individuals with a total positive income of more than $10 million. It’s not as effective as eating the rich, but it could give a few a place on the menu.

This is that time of year when we waste time speculating on what’s going to happen next when we have no real clue as to what’s going to actually happen next. Isn’t life fun?

Hit me up and let’s get coffee. That’s probably the best way we can spend our time.

Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Status

Morning Update: 04/30/24

April 30, 2024

Where We Want To Be [2012 original photo with AI background]

The good news is that we heard back from three of the property managers we contacted yesterday. The bad news is that, of those three, one has a 4-6 month waitlist for people over 62, and another doesn’t have anything close to my price and suggested I “call 211 for emergency housing assistance.” The third was a scam that insisted I call an unknown and unlisted third party and pay $30 for a credit pull. The wait list I can appreciate; it’s a nice property with reasonable amenities. The other two are why I hate property managers.

So, I’ll put my name on the waitlist and cross my fingers while looking for other options. Kat’s willing to be flexible where she can. I know college is almost out so all those properties from graduating seniors should soon be available. The question is always how much damage must be repaired and how much greedy landlords will raise the rent.

Then, it rained. Oh, that was loads of fun. I took some pain meds and was in bed by 7:30.

Oh, and the bird flu is infecting beef cattle. You can hear the prices going up already. We don’t consume that much beef in the first place as we prefer ground turkey for most things. Still, there are times when a nice roast would be delicious. With prices where they are, you can be sure you’re not getting quality cuts when you go through your favorite drive-thru. The number of people dealing with hunger and malnutrition continues to grow.

Normally, we might look to the government to help shield us from market fluctuations like this. However, our current Congress is incapable of doing a damn thing. Several GOP congresspeople have said they’re not willing to take up any new bills until after the election, at which time we hope said people have been appropriately replaced. But in the meantime, people are starving, low-income homes that have relied on a government program for internet access are about to lose it, and some CEOs think salaried employees should work 12-hour days. Again, this is not a sustainable situation for anyone.

But hey, I’m looking forward to warmer temps today with no rain until tomorrow evening. I have a pork roast thawing in the fridge that will taste good with some mashed potatoes. Maybe we’ll get to sit outside with the dogs a bit. They always like that.

Feel free to join us.

Current Issues / Image Only / News & Comment / Politics

We Are Drowning In The Ever-Breaking Waves Of Insane Words By Politicians

April 26, 2024

Drowning in breaking waves of insane words [2021 original with AI enhancements]

There is no such thing as presidential immunity and anyone arguing so is a traitor.

I dare you to prove me wrong. We were all taught that no one was above the law. The entire purpose of the Constitution was to make dead sure that the United States does not fall under the absolute power of a king or dictator. Loathing should be directed toward anyone who advocates otherwise. To support presidential immunity is to advocate for the overthrow of the government through such acts.

Current Issues / Long Read / News & Comment / Politics / Social Commentary

The Protests Must Continue Until The Lessons Have Been Learned

April 26, 2024

Lessons We Haven’t Learned [2021 original with AI enhancement]

Next Saturday, May 4, marks the 54th anniversary of the Kent State massacre, where National Guard troops were sent to break up a Vietnam War protest. Four innocent students died. Ten others were injured. Among the lessons we should have learned is that a) The military doesn’t belong on college campuses; b) college students have every right to protest; and c) Just because an idea isn’t popular doesn’t make it wrong. Obviously, we haven’t learned those lessons.

In its regular round-up of photos from the week, Reuters published a large number of photos from protests on university campuses. They included everything from violent encounters with police (the violence often started by the police making potentially illegal demands for ending the protests) to accounts of the Palestinian genocide such as this one:

And this one:

Texas state troopers arrested a man at a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Austin, Texas, April 24. Jay Janner/Austin Statesman/USA Today Network via REUTERS

For those of us who were alive and paying attention to that fateful day in 1970, these images should bring back some frightening memories of an age some might have that was relegated to the past. The idea that students would be skipping class to protest war is one we want to put on the shelf with the history books of what we want to think of as a “more troubling” time. Was the Vietnam situation really any more troubling than what we’re facing today? I don’t think so. In fact, what we’re seeing today seems to be a clear indication that we’ve not grown, we’ve not become more intelligent, and we’re definitely not more humane than we were in 1970. We’ve not learned the lesson of that fateful day, which means the Kent State Four died in vain.

Perhaps we need a refresher course as to why these protests are necessary in the first place. The issue at the core of the protests is the longstanding and complex debate around a two-state solution. When the modern state of Israel was created in 1947, the United Nations put forward a plan to partition Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states, with special international administration over Jerusalem. This plan was accepted by Jewish leaders, who were allocated about 56% of the land area, despite comprising only about one-third of the population and owning less than 7% of the land. On the other hand, the Arab League and Palestinian Arabs rejected the plan, leading to the Arab-Israeli War following the end of the British Mandate.

This initial division and the successive wars and conflicts have left deep scars and continued political and territorial disputes. Over the decades, the idea of a two-state solution has been supported by various international bodies as a potential way to resolve the conflict, ensuring a peaceful co-existence between an independent Palestinian state and Israel. However, numerous challenges and failures in negotiations, changes in leadership, and external influences have hampered consistent progress toward this solution. Understanding this historical context helps clarify why the issue remains so passionate and why many feel protests are a necessary form of expression and advocacy for their rights and visions for the future.

Partisan religiously-fueled politics have long been the bain of any lasting solution. Former President Jimmy Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize for seemingly brokering a solution between Yasar Arafat representing the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Factions external to the two political organizations resorted to violence in their opposition. Hamas, who currently controls Palestine, overthrew the PLO. Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by an ultra-nationalist who allegedly had ties with current Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. President Reagan tried solidifying relations with Israel, but that blew up in his face as it only made violent Palestinian factions more determined. Former President Bill Clinton tried his hand at a Camp David Peace Accord only to have that fail pretty much before either leader made it back home.

What’s the fuss all about? History. Both Palestinians and Israelis claim that they are the rightful owners of the land, going back thousands of years when both tribes were born through a wandering sheepherder named Abram. God, in one of those acts for which there were no third-party witnesses, told Abram that he and his family were chosen for all time and that the land was theirs.

Trouble started immediately. Abram didn’t have an heir. So, he fucked his side-girl, Rachel, and she had a son named Ishmael. Problem solved, right? Nope. Abram’s wife surprised everyone and even in her “old age” had her own son, Issac. Who would be the rightful heir? According to mythology, Abram told Ishmael to go in one direction and then took Issac in a different direction. Ishmael is seen as the founder of Islam, and Issac as the father of Israel and the two factions have been fighting over the same damn piece of land ever since. Both sides claim Abram gave the land to them. ALL of it.

Oh, but there’s more. Abram had more sons: Zimran, Ishbak, Jokshan, Midian, son of Abraham, Medan, son of Abraham. They each staked a claim to the land. THEN, Issac had twins, Jacob and Esau, and they weren’t able to get along and they each claimed the land. However, along came the Egyptians and everybody lost everything. They all went back to being nomadic tribes with no right to claim any piece of land as their home.

WHY THE FUCK CAN’T THEY JUST LET EACH OTHER LIVE IN PEACE? Because, quite honestly, the whole place is too factionalized. Even Netanyahu doesn’t have a majority of Israeli support within their own country! There’s no agreement anywhere and without any agreement there is never going to be a solution. Period.

What does exist are millions of innocent people who want nothing more than to live their lives, raise their children, sell their goods, and go home at the end of the day to a good meal and a nap. They want to play music, sing songs, play games, dance, and go to weddings without having to worry that some mother-fucking jackass with a theo-political agenda is going to detonate a bomb in the middle of everything.

Instead, one side bombs the other and the side bombs feel they have to retaliate. Who’s getting hurt when this happens? Innocent people. Always. Innocent people.

Innocent people are what fuels the protests. Specifically, the United States continues to fund the genocide of innocent people. Netanyahu likes saying that it’s just a price of war, that they can’t tell the difference between Hamas militants and a three-year-old child or a convoy delivering food aid. If they can’t tell who the fuck the enemy is then maybe they should put their fucking guns down and we (the US) should use our money on enemies we can define such as homelessness, hunger, and healthcare.

As with the Vietnam protests, what bothered college students was the number of innocent people in Vietnam and Cambodia who were being killed by US and UN Coalition troops. Remember this picture?

Those were our troops who burned their village, killed their parents, and sent them running from home, clothed or not. How could we not protest this type of action? How can we sit still in the face of such overwhelming inhumanity? The soldiers in this picture are guilty of genocide!

And here we are right back at it again, killing children, bombing hospitals, pretending that we can’t tell the difference between a Hamas militant and a starving child! We’re not really that stupid. We have facial recognition that can identify people in a crowd of thousands. WE KNOW DAMN WELL WHO THE BAD PEOPLE ARE, we just like killing in large numbers.

As reported on April 8, 2024, the conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in more than 34,000 fatalities. This figure includes 95 journalists and 224 humanitarian workers, with 179 of those being staff members of UNRWA. A substantial number of these deaths, totaling over 33,091, occurred in the Gaza Strip, where 70% of the deceased are women and children.

I was sitting on the bus yesterday morning, looking through the reams of nonsense, when I got a notification from the IMPD that said a protest had been broken up and 14 people were arrested for Obstructing Traffic. This is the image they shared:

IMPD made sure to mention that “not everyone that was arrested was from Indianapolis.” WTF? Four are from Fishers, which borders Indianapolis at 96th Street. Then one each from Lafayette, Columbus, and Union City. If that statement intended to make it sound as though the city were being invaded, then maybe IMPD needs to take a look at who the fuck is staying in our hotels this weekend. Not many of those folks are from Indy, either, and they live much further away than fucking Fishers.

Police/government attempts to stop the protests are their way of trying to control the narrative and keep everyone in line, something they’ve always been bad at doing because it’s not their fucking job. Protests both on college campuses and in the middle of the street are exercises of the freedom of expression as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution. And, as is the nature of protests, they’re not going to agree with those who are in power. If they agreed with what the administration is doing, then they wouldn’t need to protest, would they?

Sure, there are other means of communication, but which one is likely to actually get the immediate attention of those who are responsible for making a decision: a nicely worded email that Senator Young never sees, or the protest that blocks his way to the Capitol? Which is more effective? Which is more likely to result in something being done.

You don’t have to like what the protestors are saying, but if there’s one lesson that we should have learned from May 4, 1970, is that we probably need to start listening because history is almost certain to prove that they are right.

Politicians are stupid. Listen to the people who see the plight, the misery, and recognize the genocide their great-grandparents ignored. Until then, the protests will continue.

Current Issues / FX / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Politics / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 04/24/24

April 24, 2024

The Perfect Party Dress [2024 with AI Background]

Before you ask, no she’s not smoking, and those are giraffe spots she colored onto her arm. Her Grandpa asked what she wanted for her birthday and it arrived yesterday. She’s beyond excited and plans to wear it to some luncheon at school. This is the reality going on inside my daughter’s head. There’s not a damn thing anyone can do to control it. They would be fools to try. She is unique and chooses to express herself through what she wears. Anyone having a problem with that needs to talk to me.

The rain kept me in a very blase mood yesterday. I had enough to write another post, but I couldn’t make myself do it. I did look at some apartments and made arrangements to look at a couple of them tomorrow, but they both expect one to make 3X the rent, which is absolutely laughable. Everything else about them is workable, but Social Security controls what I make. I don’t get any say in the matter.

The Senate passed the ban on TikTok last night, so now it will be interesting to see if the President puts an imaginary danger in front of free speech. Let me repeat: there is ZERO evidence that the owners of TikTok have any method for transferring user details to the Chinese government. And who the fuck is posting such information on TikTok in the first place? Actually, I could ask who in their right mind is posting on TikTok at all. However, I know a number of brands are deeply invested in the platform as part of their marketing plan. This is going to be another matter that drags its way through the courts, taking up time over an issue that has no viable evidence behind it.

The Senate also passed the funding bill for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The wars will go on because the US just doesn’t know how to exist anymore without being in the middle of someone else’s war. We’ve been this way since the end of WWII. Our government saw how war is an economic boon and decided to make it part of our existence. We went from Germany to Korea to Vietnam to the Persian Gulf to Iraq to Afghanistan to Ukraine, and now Israel and Iran. None of it makes any sense. We now do incredible amounts of business with Germany, Korea, and Vietnam. The mission for the latter two was never achieved. Communists are still in power. In fact, one could argue that the Korean situation is worse now than it was in 1954. But hey, it makes money, so you can bet our government is going to make sure peace never actually arrives.

In another round of “Politicians Be Stupid,” Georgia’s governor signed a bill yesterday stating that parents must consent for minors to sign up for social media. They also copied the Texas law about showing proof of age for porn. Shall we note the number of Constitutional and realistic problems with this stupid law?

Teens have Freedom of Speech, too. Any bill requiring them to have “permission” from any other person impinges upon that freedom.
Teens can publish their own material on their own blogs, bypassing the functions of the laws.
By requiring Meta and other social media owners to require the permissions the law requires, Meta is also becoming liable for Free Speech issues.
Blocking something a teenager wants to do does not endear them to your way of thinking. They’re more likely to want to rebel in even stronger ways. Ask any psychologist. You’re not going to win this argument.
Interfering with interpersonal communications is one of the most undemocratic actions a government can take. What, you don’t think your kid has access to 240-bit encryption already? The law is morally wrong and to try and frame it as “protecting” children is socially bankrupt.

Politicians have never been the brightest bunch of low-watt bulbs in the box. Yet, we seem to have elected a group that would rather yell about their moral expectations of others and follow those morals for themselves. And would should all be extremely mindful that, as of this week, this Congress has passed fewer than 60 bills, whereas the average for this time in the process would normally have more than 350 bills to its name. They have no sense of why we elected them, why we sent them to Congress, and what the fuck they’re supposed to be doing up there. None of them deserve to be re-elected, but I don’t think we, as alleged adults, have the common sense to elect anyone any better. All any of them are going to do is stand there and babble like baboons.

Meanwhile, I need a new place to live. Do you think I can rent a small parcel of land and just dig myself a hole? I’m beginning to think that might be a better idea. Or, perhaps the world will just blow us up to get rid of this invasive species.

Fueling A New World [2024 original with AI background]

Current Issues / News & Comment / Politics / science / Social Commentary

Earth Day: The Warning We Keep Ignoring

April 22, 2024

Talking about global warming on a day in April when I woke up to 36-degree Fahrenheit temperatures may feel to some as if we’re perpetuating some kind of myth or conspiracy theory. We have this horrible tendency to consider global warming theory as meaning the same thing to all regions around the world. We’ve blocked it from being taught in many schools because we fail to understand how critical the matter is to the world as a whole and probably won’t recognize the danger until it’s too late.

Warning: for much of the world, it’s already too late.

Take a look at the picture above. I’ve been coming to the same spot in this park for 19 years. Normally, including last year, I could not stand on dry ground to take this picture from this position. The water would be at least ankle-deep. While we’ve set some rainfall records for the month, there still is a deficit in the amount of water flooding traditional wetlands. This may not yet affect how green the grass is in your overly manicured earth-warming yard, but it does affect the wildlife living off the wetlands, and that wildlife inevitably impacts the quality of the air you breathe and the temperatures in which you are forced to live and work. Changes that are occurring are not yet to the point that they are slapping you in the face on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean they’re not sneaking up behind you, ready to pounce.

We tend to think of the Middle East as a relatively dry place, don’t we? We hear the reference and think of camels and deserts and turbans. Last week, the Dubai Airport had to close and a record number of people were killed because of rain and flooding. Just this morning, The Washington Post published the story: “Flooding Wreaks Havoc Across East Africa. Burundi Is Especially Hard Hit.” Climate change is real and if it’s not already affecting you in disastrous ways, just wait: you could be next.

The climate on this little blue ball of nonsense has never been all that stable. That’s why our most ancient ancestors created deities whom they could blame when weather-related disasters such as floods, storms, famine, and drought. They didn’t have any understanding of science or weather patterns and how they work, so they invented something to help them understand. They were wrong, but it gave them comfort to pray to those deities and offer them sacrifices.

Now, as our understanding of climate and weather continues to increase, we can see more reliably how actions in one part of the world affect weather in other parts of the world. What we do in North America has a disastrous effect on people on the African continent. As things change in the Middle East, Europe can suffer changes that upend the entire food supply and their ability to work outdoors.

Yet, right here on the ground level people in the United States, continue to remain willfully ignorant of climate matters and think that this whole warming thing is “just a phase that will straighten itself out.” Yes, it’s going to straighten itself out, but it may not do so in a manner conducive to the continuation of human life on this planet. We are latecomers to the scene anyway. The planet has no obligation to keep us alive.

The Monster Under My Bed Inspects The Water For Ducks [2024]

One of the reports released earlier this morning states “World’s Workers Increasingly At Risk As Climate Changes.” This report from the International Labor Organisation (ILO) should make everyone shudder more than a bit. Among its findings are fun things like air pollution killing 860,00 workers each year. Now, compared to a global population of just under eight billion, 860,000 may not sound like much unless you or your children happen to be among that 860,000.

“We do have some (countries) that already limit exposure to high temperatures and also limit exposure to air pollution, but we rarely have occupational exposure limits set for the other hazards,” said Manal Azzi, ILO Senior Specialist on occupational safety and health.

Hmmm. Could he possibly be talking about the states of Florida and Texas that block local governments from passing laws that protect outdoor laborers? Seriously, the states of Florida and Texas won’t allow city governments to require that workers be provided with shade and water during the hottest months. This isn’t only a denial of climate change, but genocide toward those who work in extreme heat, people who are often among the lowest paid and least likely to be politically involved.

When you consider the full cocktail of environmental changes that affect those who work outdoors, that 860,000 number jumps to over 3.4 billion. Is that a large enough number for you? That’s more than 90% of the entire US population. Anyone who spends any significant time outdoors is in trouble and should be considered at high risk for lethal health issues.

Another article released from Brussels this morning warns that ” Europe is increasingly facing bouts of heat so intense that the human body cannot cope, as climate change continues to raise temperatures.” This wonderful bit of news comes from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization. What they’re specifically looking at is a 7% increase in the parts of Europe where daytime temps have exceeded 46 degrees Celsius, the point at which the body needs immediate healthcare to prevent heat stroke and other issues. In one particularly disastrous case, a 44-year-old man painting road markings in the Italian town of Lodi collapsed from the heat and died before an ambulance had time to respond.

Europe is the fastest-warming continent on the planet. Heat-related deaths there have increased by more than 30% in the past twenty years, making it one of the most dangerous places to work or play outside. With the Summer Olympics coming to France this year, how the heat will impact athletes is a major concern, especially when outdoor track events are frequently held in relatively quick succession, not giving athletes a lot of time to recover from the previous event.

None of this is terribly new, of course. Scientists have been warning that deaths and illnesses are going to increase if countries don’t take demonstrable measures to offset the warming. The Paris Accords were passed but the United States and several other countries have failed to live up to their part of the agreement. This is a dangerous situation where we are allowing petty politics to interfere with the potential extinction of our species.

I know that, as a group, humans can be extremely stupid and self-defeating. Are we so stupid, though, as to endanger human survival beyond the next 100 years?

Yeah, we’re that stupid. I’d worry for your grandchildren if I were you.

Current Issues / News & Comment / Politics / pop culture / Social Commentary

How Much Do You Value Free Speech?

April 20, 2024

Feeling Spicy [2011 original with AI background]

The House of Representatives has been busy today. First, they passed the massive funding package for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. You might hear some people talk about the “bipartisan” effort in passing the bill. What they mean is that the Republican “majority” was so divided that the bill wouldn’t have passed without Democrats supporting it. The final vote was 311 to 112. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said, “Traditional House Republicans led by Speaker Mike Johnson have risen to the occasion. We have a responsibility to push back against authoritarianism.”

That authoritarianism would be ultra-conservatives who wanted to attach US border legislation that would have rendered the bill DOA when it arrives in the Senate next week. Three of those ultraconservatives, Greene of GA, Massie of KY, and Gosar of AZ, are ready to attempt to oust the Speaker for working with Democrats to pass the bill without the addendum.

Those ultra-conservatives may see such a move backfire. Democrats could vote to keep the Speaker in power, OR they could make Jeffries a contender who would only need four Republican votes to become Speaker himself. Either one would be seen as a strong rebuttal and shaming of Greene and other pro-Putin traitors.

The Key Garden [2011 original with AI background]

In the same session, the House passed a bill by a vote of 360-58 that could lead to a ban on TikTok in the US. The bill is primarily a sanctions bill against Russia and Iran. The sanctions aren’t likely to stop wars that either country is running, but it looks good on the campaign trail. Tucked deep inside the small print, however, is a part that requires TikTok’s Chinese parent, ByteDance, to sell its stake in the video platform to a US-based entity within nine months or face a ban.

Don’t go crying about the loss of the app just yet, though. IF the bill passes the Senate without the ban being yanked out, there’s an inevitable First Amendment battle ripe for arguing for years and could possibly win in a Supreme Court that’s likely to change a couple of members before the issue would get to them. It’s also possible that the Senate could modify the bill to allow any NATO member country to purchase ByteDance’s shares, and that could also be challenged in multiple international courts which could delay any result even longer. This issue is far from over. In the meantime, feel free to go ahead and learn that dance in the confidence that we are all going to laugh at you when you post it.

Now, here’s the question: Which is more important, free speech or national security? The whole reason this issue was squeezed into a totally unrelated bill is the fear that the Chinese-owned company could use the app to spy on Americans. ByteDance says there are precautions in the software against that, that the Chinese government has never requested such data, and that the company has strong rules against data sharing with any government entity. Forcing the removal of the app would have a huge First Amendment effect on the millions of US-based users and US-based advertisers who rely on TikTok influencers to help spread the word about their products.

Without strong evidence of China being up to something, supporters of the measure could find themselves not only barking up the wrong tree, but alienating younger voters who frequently use the app.

Personally, I’m too old to be on TikTok so I’m not directly impacted either way. It seems like a real stretch to try and make it a Homeland Security issue.

Art / Current Issues / News & Comment / Politics

A Different Summary of the News

April 19, 2024

My phone keeps waking me from my naps as news updates keep coming in at the end of the week. To be honest, not everything I’m being sent strikes me as news. And some of the news I’m getting has me rolling my eyes at the levels of stupidity being displayed.

For example, take the self-immolation of a man outside the courtroom where the former president is being tried for a hush-money scheme. The initial reaction was that it had to be a response to the trial. Nope, the poor man is critically ill and consumed with conspiracy theories he’d gotten off the Internet because, ya’ know, it’s all a conspiracy. The man is currently in stable but critical condition. Is there any real hope for his mind, though? Probably not.

Israel apparently sent ONE missile to Iran. Just one. And now, on the backside, neither Israel nor the US are admitting that anything was sent in Iran’s direction and Iran isn’t admitting that they were attacked. The rest of the world is waiting to see who flinches next. Crude prices have stabilized for the moment, but no one is thinking that the conflict between the two countries is over. If this seems like a strange way to run a war, you are correct.

Democrats saved the funding bill for the Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan after three Republicans on the committee attempted to sabotage the bill by voting against it. Normally, a bill with the Speaker’s blessing would move forward on a party-line vote, but Reps. Massie (KY), Norman (SC), and Roy (TX) voted against advancing the bill. This signals that the pro-Putin minority in the house, traitors everyone, is likely to find that Democrats don’t give them the victory of unseating a second Speaker, either. More Republicans are voicing their concern that the pro-Putin clan is possibly violating the law, which may not go well in an election year like this one.

Oh, and there’s a new issue of the Wonder Woman comic, #8, where the villain uses a “Rope of Lies,” the opposite of her Lasso of Truth, to trick the superhero’s mind into thinking that she’s a beleaguered housewife under the rule of a cruel husband who keeps throwing malicious Bible verses at her to keep her under control. At the end, her mother helps her escape and she yells to her captor: “Your Christian god means nothing to me!” Of course, there’s a lot of right-wing clap back and one DC artist has refused to work on the issue. That doesn’t surprise anyone as it’s been their response to any challenge for the past 20 years. They don’t have any facts on their side and everyone knows it.

So, after having my nap interrupted so many times, I’m going to go take another one, short as it may be.

Cancer Update / Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Original Style / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 04/19/24

April 19, 2024

Safety First [2010 original with AI background]

Everything I’d hoped to do, needed to do yesterday was done. The results, however, were not necessarily what we had hoped. After calling Social Security multiple times, I finally got an answering machine instructing me to leave my contact information. Sigh. Will they call back today? I’ll give them a chance. They’re on central time, which drives me a bit nuts, but I need to know what to expect and/or how to plan before relocating myself. I also contacted some apartments that are supposed to be for people who are over 55. What frustrates me there is that their ads on Facebook, which I’m getting in droves, hide the financial information until you give them your contact info. THEN, you find out their prices are well outside your budget. This isn’t going to be easy but we simply must find a solution somewhere.

A thunderstorm hit early this morning. The result was that I went from having two large dogs and five cats scattered around my bed to two large dogs and five cats all trying to snuggle as close to me as they possibly could. What the hell are they going to do for comfort when I’m gone? I think Hamilton would lie in my lap while I’m typing if he wasn’t so freaking big.

Tipper went to the pediatrician yesterday. She saw a new doctor because her usual pede is out for the month. I was a little concerned about how that would go, but it was fine. Tipper reported that the doctor told her to either get more sunshine or she’d have to take more pills. Tipper said she’d rather take the pills. Is anyone surprised by that surprise? No, not at all.

G got his PSAT scores back. I was impressed that his score puts him in the top 2%. He was disappointed that he didn’t make the top 1%. He said he was tired and hungry while taking the test, problems he’ll be sure to eliminate the next time he takes it. Let’s hope the child doesn’t choose the dark side at any point. Something tells me he’d have the Death Star up and operational in a matter of months.

Perhaps he can devise a way to keep stupid people from doing catastrophically stupid things. When we woke yesterday, we discovered that parts of six states had lost their 911 service just hours after Homeland Security warned that our 911 network is at risk of cyber attacks. Naturally, everyone immediately assumed that the report had been a self-fulfilling prophecy, possibly in an effort to increase funding. Nope. Turns out it was just stupid people doing stupid things. Late yesterday, we were told that workers installing a light pole in Missouri cut into a fiber line, causing the outage. You know all those signs you see everywhere about calling 811 before you did? One might think that doing so would be a natural part of the process for a utility contractor, something completed days before they started installing the new pole. Nope. Stupid people do stupid things that have dangerous consequences. If anything what we’ve learned from this experience is that yes, the nation’s 911 system needs to be protected. From ourselves.

Kat sent me a screenshot last night showing me the insane number of steps she had yesterday. She’d obviously had a full day and she’s feeling the results of that exertion this morning. It was only two years ago that I was putting in a similar number of steps on a daily basis. Now, I’m afraid to walk around the block alone. I almost fell over unfastening the gate this morning. Still, I want to try and stretch my stamina somehow. So, I think I’m going to see how many posts and images I can put in front of your eyes today. I have to try and stay awake to hear from Social Security anyway, so I might as well try to achieve some form of productivity even if it doesn’t really matter to anyone at all.

I find it interesting that since I started posting again, the highest amount of traffic still goes to a three-year-old post that is perhaps the most explicit I’ve ever published. I also find it interesting that a high number of those hits come from outside the country, often from Islamic countries where I’m pretty sure such content is illegal. I’m questioning whether I should try and top that one with something new. I’m pretty sure I still have some images I’ve never processed.

Breakfast time. Ya’ll try to stay out of trouble, okay? 🤣

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