Assyria, the Greeks, the Romans, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Medes, the Nazis, the Egyptians - all names of various huge ancient Empires, some of whose descendants still exist, some even in their own countries, but certainly not what they used to be. One of their victims, one which they oppressed with specific intent - the Jews or the Judeans or the Israelites, choose your name - we still exist and after thousands of years, and after these millennia we finally had our land back, a country and a place for us once more. Nor are we intending to simply hand it over to the Arab/Moslem world because they have decided they want it, all of it.
So where did it begin? It began with a man deciding that he could not buy into the whole idol theory of gods and a blossoming belief in one G-d, a monotheistic belief, unusual for the time. And he believed he was told by this G-d that he and the generations that followed would be as countless as the grains of sand or the stars in the sky and would have a land of their own, the land of Canaan.
This man raised his family in this belief, so strong in that belief that when called upon to sacrifice his son, Isaac, after waiting so long for him, he prepared to do so. And where was that altar? On top of Har Moriah - now known as Temple Mount, yes, the very same place where the Wall remains, where now, according to the UN, should any Israeli approach this place or even simply claim a tie to it throughout our history - why that person is a criminal, an outlaw, a doer of illegal deeds!! Yup. Such is the wonderful essence of Resolution 2334.
Sacrifice cancelled, the family, the tribe flourished along with some incidents not so good or pretty, but always there seemed to be a purpose behind these events. Joseph sold into slavery then pulled Egypt out of a destructive famine to be and in so doing enriched it as well as saved the area's residents as they were able to find food in Egypt. Yup, the same Egypt that wanted to introduce that same resolution replete with lies and anti Semitic feelings and justification for all the anti Semitic and anti Israel sentiments and actions of the UN, even admitted to by the Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon! Such is objectivity, huh?!
Anyway, these same saviors of Egypt received their gratitude from that nation and regime by being enslaved. You know, all those pyramids, all those movies, Charlton Heston. That one. After hundreds of years, by various actions, they were freed and left, on their way to receive the Torah, a set of laws, of history of these people, that which would bind them together as a nation, not a group of runaway, or chased away, slaves. And then, off they were to go to their Promised Land. But oops!! Old beliefs in golden idols raised an ugly head and Canaan was delayed for forty years, traded off for the desert. But when it finally came to happen, what was amazing was the finding and coming across places with the names found in that same Torah. Ha!! History coming alive.
And so they conquered their promised Land, all working together for the most part, doing what all nations of the time did, and they settled in for a happy ever after life. But! Not so quickly. You know, when people have a good life, they always seem to want more and since they have spare time on their hands, they begin to look for things to spice up the day and so groups began to fight with each other and thus we have the Jewish people of today who on a deserted island, with population of one, will have three synagogues - one as the synagogue he usually attends, one for when he is angry at the place so he needs another one and the third for the one he vehemently would not step a toe into!! Not on your life!
So history intervened and this stubborn group, this nation, decided to keep its land and fought mighty empires for it and when after valiant battle they were conquered and exiled, they fought thru the years to return. Their First Temple having been destroyed, they wished to return and build a Second Temple, even more beautiful than the original which had stood as a miracle in the ancient world. And all the while, for the most part, they kept true to their beliefs, their religion and did not succumb to despair for they knew in the very depths of their souls what would be.
And return they did and rebuild they did and flourish they did and Temple they rebuilt - until there it happened again. But always, always, there were Jews, Israelites, who remained in the land and always and forever there was a deep tie to the land, no matter where fortune or disaster took them, scattered them. Always they prayed for a return to Zion, for a return to Jerusalem, their eternal city, always a return hoped for, always with the statement that next year they would be there and for thousands of years they never lost this prayer of this hope, engraved in their hearts and minds.
I know I have simplified a long and complex history, but the point is to help explain the tie of the People to the Land and the errors of a world, the willful errors, that are meant to destroy this history and the historic truths. It is meant to illustrate the trying history of a People who persisted, nevertheless, to continue to be, to exist and to sing thru all dangerous times - Am Yisrael Chai!! - the People of Israel Live! Later today or Sunday, a continuation.
Friday, December 30, 2016
Thursday, December 29, 2016
WHAT HATE DOES AND HOW TRUTH IS IGNORED
Today I had thought to begin on writing an encapsulated tale of history, to help understand, to help others understand, why there is this mess with the Middle East, the truth about it, not the PC version. It was all in my head, ready to go, but after reading some articles this morning I just felt that it could wait to begin tomorrow and instead I am posting this outtake from an article re the offers of the State of Israel to the Palestinians, so many, so large that the very structure of the land was in doubt and yet - peace is what the Israelis dream of, sing about, and want so desperately as they look at yet another generation of their young being forced by circumstances to enter the army, to fight in wars, to be killed by murderers and terrorists and all the while the world has a skewed view on the matter.
So here is the excerpt. Please read and see the truth, see past the lies where Israel is castigated as truculent, as obstinate, as refusing to face facts and refusing to surrender it all. As you will read in the summarized version of history to begin either later today or tomorrow - unless some other demand takes precedence - this is not why or what we want. We wish to have a land of our own, a land where to be a Jew is an item of pride, where one can wear symbols of Judaism with pride and with no worry, where one day we will not be killed as we sit in restaurants or in synagogues or in our homes or on a bus and not face death in our own homeland. And make no mistake about it. Do not fall for the statement that the settlements are in the way. There was a time when there were no "settlements" other than the ones that the people of Israel set up, paid for, bled over, died for and all within the smaller boundaries of this land. And yet, there were the raids and the killings and the pogroms in Hebron and other towns and villages, the ambushes and why? Because the truth is that the Arabs with so many other countries where no one seemingly has any trouble accepting the designation of so many as the Moslem or Islamic Republic or Kingdom of..... want NO Israel, a Jewish state, no where, no how, with no borders they approve of for they want no presence of it at all and they wish to take the land from the river to the sea, their slogan. So again, read this excerpt and see the truth and see why there is so much anger and grief and bewilderment at the attacks on a country and a people that have contributed much to the world and yet what do they get in return? You answer that.
So here is the excerpt. Please read and see the truth, see past the lies where Israel is castigated as truculent, as obstinate, as refusing to face facts and refusing to surrender it all. As you will read in the summarized version of history to begin either later today or tomorrow - unless some other demand takes precedence - this is not why or what we want. We wish to have a land of our own, a land where to be a Jew is an item of pride, where one can wear symbols of Judaism with pride and with no worry, where one day we will not be killed as we sit in restaurants or in synagogues or in our homes or on a bus and not face death in our own homeland. And make no mistake about it. Do not fall for the statement that the settlements are in the way. There was a time when there were no "settlements" other than the ones that the people of Israel set up, paid for, bled over, died for and all within the smaller boundaries of this land. And yet, there were the raids and the killings and the pogroms in Hebron and other towns and villages, the ambushes and why? Because the truth is that the Arabs with so many other countries where no one seemingly has any trouble accepting the designation of so many as the Moslem or Islamic Republic or Kingdom of..... want NO Israel, a Jewish state, no where, no how, with no borders they approve of for they want no presence of it at all and they wish to take the land from the river to the sea, their slogan. So again, read this excerpt and see the truth and see why there is so much anger and grief and bewilderment at the attacks on a country and a people that have contributed much to the world and yet what do they get in return? You answer that.
In a speech at the State Department on Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry cast the majority of the blame on the lack of Israeli-Palestinian peace on the Israelis, ignoring Israel’s history of repeatedly making risky overtures for peace with the Palestinians, only to receive terrorism in response. Israelis voted in Labor’s Ehud Barak to the premiership in 1999 specifically because he promised to make peace with the Palestinians; in 2000, he met with then-PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat at Camp David and offered the Palestinians 92% of the West Bank, all of the Gaza Strip, and eastern Jerusalem as its capital. Israel even proposed that a maximum of 100,000 refugees would be allowed to return to Israel on the basis of humanitarian considerations or family reunification, and an international fund would be created to compensate the Palestinians. Arafat rejected the offer. Sweetening the deal, the Clinton administration suggested that the Palestinians control 97% of the West Bank and the entirety of the Gaza Strip, with a land-link between the two, as well as a capital in East Jerusalem. Barak endorsed the Clinton Parameters; again, Arafat rejected them. After having rejected Israeli peace offers at Camp David with no counter-offers of his own, Arafat chose to launch the murderous Second Intifada, killing more than 1,500 Israelis between 2000 and 2005.
In 2005, Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip, only for that territory to be taken over by Hamas in a Palestinian civil war in 2007. Ever since, Hamas has used the Strip as a base from which to launch attacks on Israelis, using rockets and underground tunnels, and Gazans live under the grip of Hamas’ authoritarian rule.
In 2008, then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas 93.7% of the West Bank; the remaining 6.3% would be made up with land swaps. He also offered to take in 5,000 refugees over five years; an international committee to oversee Jerusalem’s holy sites; and an international fund consisting of billions of dollars, administered by Norwegians, to compensate Palestinian refugees. In a May 2009 interview with The Washington Post, Abbas admitted that he had turned down the offer and said, “The gaps were wide.”
The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to an unprecedented 10-month freeze in settlement construction in November 2009 only for the Palestinians to say it was insufficient and then call for an extension when it expired. Netanyahu said he would do so if the Palestinian Authority recognized Israel as the Jewish state; the PA refused.
When the Obama administration proposed a framework for a peace agreement in 2013, the Netanyahu government accepted it, while the Palestinians turned it down. Even still, Israel was willing to talk with the Palestinian Authority, until Fatah and Hamas announced a unity government in April 2014. Hamas refuses to reject violence and terror against Israel and Israel refuses to negotiate with it. The Palestinians adopted a policy of trying to skirt direct negotiations and internationalizing the conflict via the United Nations and other international forums.
In 2005, Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip, only for that territory to be taken over by Hamas in a Palestinian civil war in 2007. Ever since, Hamas has used the Strip as a base from which to launch attacks on Israelis, using rockets and underground tunnels, and Gazans live under the grip of Hamas’ authoritarian rule.
In 2008, then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas 93.7% of the West Bank; the remaining 6.3% would be made up with land swaps. He also offered to take in 5,000 refugees over five years; an international committee to oversee Jerusalem’s holy sites; and an international fund consisting of billions of dollars, administered by Norwegians, to compensate Palestinian refugees. In a May 2009 interview with The Washington Post, Abbas admitted that he had turned down the offer and said, “The gaps were wide.”
The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to an unprecedented 10-month freeze in settlement construction in November 2009 only for the Palestinians to say it was insufficient and then call for an extension when it expired. Netanyahu said he would do so if the Palestinian Authority recognized Israel as the Jewish state; the PA refused.
When the Obama administration proposed a framework for a peace agreement in 2013, the Netanyahu government accepted it, while the Palestinians turned it down. Even still, Israel was willing to talk with the Palestinian Authority, until Fatah and Hamas announced a unity government in April 2014. Hamas refuses to reject violence and terror against Israel and Israel refuses to negotiate with it. The Palestinians adopted a policy of trying to skirt direct negotiations and internationalizing the conflict via the United Nations and other international forums.
More to follow later.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
THE HATE, THE HATE - WHAT GIVES?????
It began with the campaign. The "anti" feeling was rampant, a wish to deny the other side their viewpoints, a wish to silence all opposition. That was mainly from the Trump side, but there were strong and worried feelings and concerns from Clinton's side. There was concern amongst all about what would be? What could be done with this negative energy within the country? How do we get our citizens to talk with each other rather than at each other and how do we get people to hear and listen?
The end of the process did not ease matters any as there was much resentment and concern. How far was Russia involved and was the election result even valid if there was interference? What does one do anyway with a president to be who thinks that tweeting is the new intellectual high point? What does one do with a proposed administration that is nothing more than a gathering of the old military industrial complex from the time of Eisenhower in its new form of Wall Street partnering? How does this happen that a segment, a large segment of the country was fooled into believing that such a conglomeration would actually care about them and not screw them? Beats me for these people are in for a rude awakening and when the 20 million people who have signed up for Obamacare find out that it will be slashed, the subsidies that allow them to have medical coverage - finally - will no longer be there and when they go for emergency help, the hospital will turn them away and so they will exacerbate the chronic or the new issues they have, their elderly will die and suffer before that happens and as for their children? Forget it, for CHIPS, the insurance program for kids, set up by Hillary, a major accomplishment, will also vanish into the ether. And when the jobs do not return and the social programs for the safety net are slashed into nothingness, then we will have an ever growing epidemic of homelessness of families, of hunger, great hunger here in this country, more than ever before. But the Fat Cats will be enjoying their tax cuts and great big bonuses as they get rewarded for slashing and cutting and using money to automate even more and fund mergers and acquisitions so they can consolidate and cut workers and make even more profit!!
And this anger that still exists will deepen even more and we can see that if we paid attention to the stores and malls the day after Christmas, you know the holiday that stresses good will to all? Well, there were riots and fighting and what all going on and why? Because the anger is there, deep within our souls now and it does not go away so easily. It translates into hate, a hate that seeks an outlet and there are apparently not too many brakes working in too many people.
Concern over the anger grows as the inauguration of the most unpopular president elect draws near. The fear of the clashing of supporters and opponents frightens the security people. I wonder will they be able to protect the Women of the March or will the despicable attitude of the new guy carry over? Not a good prospect.
And what do we do with a country that has no respect nor confidence in this guy, Even the people who voted for him acknowledged all his faults, his boorishness but voted for him anyway out of frustration, but this will not be answered, not by this guy and his henchmen. They care as little for the little guy as anyone I can ever remember. The very fabric of what made America great - and which they claim they are going to return - fat chance as they destroy us instead - this very fabric of unions which gained us the eight hour workday, sick leave, no child labor, care and benefits - are being destroyed. The liberal and progressive reforms are being cancelled, negated and attacked. A hatred for others appears to be a tenet of this administration and just yesterday we were warned by the alt right nutjobs that if Trump does not fulfill his promises to them - you know, the wall, the throwing out of all immigrants, the registry, the admiration of hate - why then they will rebel!! Yes, you heard that right. Interesting prospect that, don't ya think!!
At a recent show I attended not in the Village, a joke was made simply by adding the name of Trump into a verse and the audience roared. How do we allow a farce to be the leader? How do we explain to the world what we have done?
And if one thinks that this hate is controlled, limited to one country - forget it. Quickly. The reek of hatred and prejudice wafts over the world. People are inhaling it with every breath they take. Allies turn on each other and it is fairly impossible to distinguish friend from foe. Are we back on friendly terms with Russia or not? Are we fighting Iran and its plans or are we allies in another country's wars? Are we to concentrate on that old canard of anti Semitism ever so gently calling it anti Zionism and go after one small country, a place of refuge for so many, a state that has returned to its home and beginnings? Perfect state? No, but then again, show me one that is!
So we have a high school group in Taiwan that paraded with Nazi banners and uniforms. We have conspiracy theories galore and once again the Jews control the banking and money and finance and industry and oh, right, the media in all it forms though if they did, then why would they allow this hatred to flourish in it, but then again, all this comes from weak and twisted minds who have no logic nor humanity.
So destroy Israel and see what the world gains. Isolate it and see what the world loses. Try to at least cover over the hate, the glee that these countries feel when Israel gets kicked in the ass again. Never mind all the help and advancement it has given to the world - nope, let the world once again impose rules on Jews - where they can live and more importantly - where they cannot!! They are told to stand by the side and watch as their history is called false, as their holiest place on earth is ripped from within their very soul and fabric as a people and watch others stand by and even cheer the haters and the fools on.
The hate, the hate. What gives with this world? When will it ever learn. Apparently never and most of us, we just stand by the side, shushing each other out of fear or acquiescence, forgetting that terror and hatred just keep on, rolling over everything and everyone in its path and there they are!
The hate. The hate. What gives? And must we give way before it or must we give it a run for the money, be strong and withstand the ugliness. Will we walk together, talk together or will we fight in the malls and in the streets. Your choice, folks. Our choice, folks. Are we up to it? You decide.
The end of the process did not ease matters any as there was much resentment and concern. How far was Russia involved and was the election result even valid if there was interference? What does one do anyway with a president to be who thinks that tweeting is the new intellectual high point? What does one do with a proposed administration that is nothing more than a gathering of the old military industrial complex from the time of Eisenhower in its new form of Wall Street partnering? How does this happen that a segment, a large segment of the country was fooled into believing that such a conglomeration would actually care about them and not screw them? Beats me for these people are in for a rude awakening and when the 20 million people who have signed up for Obamacare find out that it will be slashed, the subsidies that allow them to have medical coverage - finally - will no longer be there and when they go for emergency help, the hospital will turn them away and so they will exacerbate the chronic or the new issues they have, their elderly will die and suffer before that happens and as for their children? Forget it, for CHIPS, the insurance program for kids, set up by Hillary, a major accomplishment, will also vanish into the ether. And when the jobs do not return and the social programs for the safety net are slashed into nothingness, then we will have an ever growing epidemic of homelessness of families, of hunger, great hunger here in this country, more than ever before. But the Fat Cats will be enjoying their tax cuts and great big bonuses as they get rewarded for slashing and cutting and using money to automate even more and fund mergers and acquisitions so they can consolidate and cut workers and make even more profit!!
And this anger that still exists will deepen even more and we can see that if we paid attention to the stores and malls the day after Christmas, you know the holiday that stresses good will to all? Well, there were riots and fighting and what all going on and why? Because the anger is there, deep within our souls now and it does not go away so easily. It translates into hate, a hate that seeks an outlet and there are apparently not too many brakes working in too many people.
Concern over the anger grows as the inauguration of the most unpopular president elect draws near. The fear of the clashing of supporters and opponents frightens the security people. I wonder will they be able to protect the Women of the March or will the despicable attitude of the new guy carry over? Not a good prospect.
And what do we do with a country that has no respect nor confidence in this guy, Even the people who voted for him acknowledged all his faults, his boorishness but voted for him anyway out of frustration, but this will not be answered, not by this guy and his henchmen. They care as little for the little guy as anyone I can ever remember. The very fabric of what made America great - and which they claim they are going to return - fat chance as they destroy us instead - this very fabric of unions which gained us the eight hour workday, sick leave, no child labor, care and benefits - are being destroyed. The liberal and progressive reforms are being cancelled, negated and attacked. A hatred for others appears to be a tenet of this administration and just yesterday we were warned by the alt right nutjobs that if Trump does not fulfill his promises to them - you know, the wall, the throwing out of all immigrants, the registry, the admiration of hate - why then they will rebel!! Yes, you heard that right. Interesting prospect that, don't ya think!!
At a recent show I attended not in the Village, a joke was made simply by adding the name of Trump into a verse and the audience roared. How do we allow a farce to be the leader? How do we explain to the world what we have done?
And if one thinks that this hate is controlled, limited to one country - forget it. Quickly. The reek of hatred and prejudice wafts over the world. People are inhaling it with every breath they take. Allies turn on each other and it is fairly impossible to distinguish friend from foe. Are we back on friendly terms with Russia or not? Are we fighting Iran and its plans or are we allies in another country's wars? Are we to concentrate on that old canard of anti Semitism ever so gently calling it anti Zionism and go after one small country, a place of refuge for so many, a state that has returned to its home and beginnings? Perfect state? No, but then again, show me one that is!
So we have a high school group in Taiwan that paraded with Nazi banners and uniforms. We have conspiracy theories galore and once again the Jews control the banking and money and finance and industry and oh, right, the media in all it forms though if they did, then why would they allow this hatred to flourish in it, but then again, all this comes from weak and twisted minds who have no logic nor humanity.
So destroy Israel and see what the world gains. Isolate it and see what the world loses. Try to at least cover over the hate, the glee that these countries feel when Israel gets kicked in the ass again. Never mind all the help and advancement it has given to the world - nope, let the world once again impose rules on Jews - where they can live and more importantly - where they cannot!! They are told to stand by the side and watch as their history is called false, as their holiest place on earth is ripped from within their very soul and fabric as a people and watch others stand by and even cheer the haters and the fools on.
The hate, the hate. What gives with this world? When will it ever learn. Apparently never and most of us, we just stand by the side, shushing each other out of fear or acquiescence, forgetting that terror and hatred just keep on, rolling over everything and everyone in its path and there they are!
The hate. The hate. What gives? And must we give way before it or must we give it a run for the money, be strong and withstand the ugliness. Will we walk together, talk together or will we fight in the malls and in the streets. Your choice, folks. Our choice, folks. Are we up to it? You decide.
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
YAHRTZEIT
Yahrtzeit is the Yiddish word for the year anniversary of a death, based on the Hebrew calendar. My Pop, always trying to make things easy for his family, died on the fourth candle of Chanukah, so as we light the candlec tonite, we will also light the candle in his memory and it will burn all thru the day tomorrow.
I, nor any of my family, do not need a candle to remind us of my dad. He is in our memories and hearts forever and in the hearts and minds of his grandchildren and older great grandchildren. Tonite one of them, my #2 grandson, in Israel, will be making a special learning discussion and meal in his name and I could not be any prouder and for sure, there will be two granddaughters who will be both crying and laughing as they remember favorite stories with him. We sponsored a special Sabbath meal in his name and Gerry spoke of him with warmth and love at this meal.
As for me, this will be a hard day, today and tomorrow. I will always have in front of me and etched in my memory, the last active moment I see. We were lighting the first candle of Chanukah and all of us there, my daughter, my mom, whose heart was broken and shattered already, me and the caregiver, helped my dad into a chair by the menorah and sang the blessings almost as much in the name of the holiday as in his name. And then it happened. For days he had not opened his eyes, not communicated yet that nite, with eyes closed, as we sang, he weakly waved his hand in tune with the music and there was not a dry eye in the room. I believe it was at that point that G-d decided that this man had suffered enough and it was time to take him home.
On the third day of Chanukah, with no hope left, I quickly ran home to get things and meds I would need for a longer stay, through the period of shiva (7 days of mourning) and beyond as I would stay some extra weeks with my mom. Gerry would come back with me. While waiting in the airport, I wrote what I would say at the funeral, not a mourning speech as it was not allowed during a time of joy as Chanukah was, but a celebration of his life, of my memories of him, and called Gerry when it was done. And there in the airport at a JetBlue gate it hit me that this was my farewell to him, for him and for me. My heart broke and I sat there and sobbed and kindly people helped me into the plane with my carryon.
That nite we received a phone call from my sister and as soon as the phone rang we knew. Gerry was as heartbroken as I was for to my parents, to my father, Gerry was a son, so much so that at times I had to remind them, "Hey, I was here first! You know me longer!" And so we sadly returned to NY and said goodbye to my Pop and wished G-d good luck when he received my dad into his new home, for my dad was a fierce fighter for justice and a foe of injustice and trust me, he is giving G-d a daily what for, for what is happening on this earth!
And we cried along with packed rooms and hallways and into the street as the funeral crowd was beyond words with all types of people there all in honor of Pop. And to this day, when someone who knew him says to another, "That's Natie's daughter" I glow with pride.
I still miss you far more than words can ever say. I miss your advice, your love, your humor, your simple presence in my life. I can still see you at your desk, often with a person or two sitting there as you tried to help them in whatever crisis they faced.
Sorry, Pop, gotta go. Cannot type anymore. Too many tears. I love you. I love you, Pop. Take care of Mommy for us. And always watch over us.
I, nor any of my family, do not need a candle to remind us of my dad. He is in our memories and hearts forever and in the hearts and minds of his grandchildren and older great grandchildren. Tonite one of them, my #2 grandson, in Israel, will be making a special learning discussion and meal in his name and I could not be any prouder and for sure, there will be two granddaughters who will be both crying and laughing as they remember favorite stories with him. We sponsored a special Sabbath meal in his name and Gerry spoke of him with warmth and love at this meal.
As for me, this will be a hard day, today and tomorrow. I will always have in front of me and etched in my memory, the last active moment I see. We were lighting the first candle of Chanukah and all of us there, my daughter, my mom, whose heart was broken and shattered already, me and the caregiver, helped my dad into a chair by the menorah and sang the blessings almost as much in the name of the holiday as in his name. And then it happened. For days he had not opened his eyes, not communicated yet that nite, with eyes closed, as we sang, he weakly waved his hand in tune with the music and there was not a dry eye in the room. I believe it was at that point that G-d decided that this man had suffered enough and it was time to take him home.
On the third day of Chanukah, with no hope left, I quickly ran home to get things and meds I would need for a longer stay, through the period of shiva (7 days of mourning) and beyond as I would stay some extra weeks with my mom. Gerry would come back with me. While waiting in the airport, I wrote what I would say at the funeral, not a mourning speech as it was not allowed during a time of joy as Chanukah was, but a celebration of his life, of my memories of him, and called Gerry when it was done. And there in the airport at a JetBlue gate it hit me that this was my farewell to him, for him and for me. My heart broke and I sat there and sobbed and kindly people helped me into the plane with my carryon.
That nite we received a phone call from my sister and as soon as the phone rang we knew. Gerry was as heartbroken as I was for to my parents, to my father, Gerry was a son, so much so that at times I had to remind them, "Hey, I was here first! You know me longer!" And so we sadly returned to NY and said goodbye to my Pop and wished G-d good luck when he received my dad into his new home, for my dad was a fierce fighter for justice and a foe of injustice and trust me, he is giving G-d a daily what for, for what is happening on this earth!
And we cried along with packed rooms and hallways and into the street as the funeral crowd was beyond words with all types of people there all in honor of Pop. And to this day, when someone who knew him says to another, "That's Natie's daughter" I glow with pride.
I still miss you far more than words can ever say. I miss your advice, your love, your humor, your simple presence in my life. I can still see you at your desk, often with a person or two sitting there as you tried to help them in whatever crisis they faced.
Sorry, Pop, gotta go. Cannot type anymore. Too many tears. I love you. I love you, Pop. Take care of Mommy for us. And always watch over us.
Monday, December 26, 2016
TOLD YA SO!!!
Sorry. Tried to withstand the temptation to avoid saying one of the most annoying statements ever, but could not resist it - nor am I happy that I could say such a statement. So what is the topic? Easy.
For months I have been talking about our new royal family, with poppa being the king and the children being the royal offspring. As for Queen - she seems to have become a nonentity with the princess picking up all those duties and privileges. I have railed against this new version of American royalty and connected aristocracy, yet some have told me that I was off the rail here and yet, here we are - told ya so!!
Here is an excerpt from the RNC Christmas message to the world. "Over two millennia ago, a new hope was born into the world, a Savior who would offer the promise of salvation to all mankind. Just as the three wise men did on that night, this Christmas heralds a time to celebrate the good news of a new King,"
Uh, what was that? What new king one might ask. What good news in fact? Well, those who cannot figure this out had better open eyes and ears and minds and feel the truth.
Now while I am Jewish and consequently do not believe that there was any first king in the whole issue, and remember that Jesus was born a Jew, lived as a Jew and died a Jew and spoke much of his preaching directly from the Torah and the codified laws of the Jewish people and religion. Would that people would remember that fact. But, a great big but, there are those who do believe that he was or is the king, and I respect their beliefs, but the second one would be..... well, certainly NOT Trump!! And yet here we are. We are being told that we should celebrate the good news - the second king is here and aren't we lucky!! Spare me! Thank you.
So while I did recognize that Trump seemed to be on the right side of the issue with Resolution 2334, it remains to be seen if the royal heir to the throne remains there after ascending the throne, if he does not turn on the royal dime as he is wont to do. Consistency here is not the hobgoblin of legend and yet, I guess royalty has the royal right to change one's mind. Just consider the fickleness of the mind of Henry VIII when it came to women and marriage and children and friends and policies. One cannot always trust royalty to remain steady, nor to keep a steady hand on the helm.
All tongue in cheek aside, really - new king? Are we not going a bit overboard or according to the newer statement - are we jumping the shark here? Is that how people who are on his team really feel about him, that he IS a king and thus we have the explanation as to why his troops keep running around like a chicken without a head as they try to explain away his ridiculous tweets that are not so ridiculous if one looks at them as the tweets of a would be king to his loyal? subjects!
And are we not to "enjoy" the accoutrements of royalty such as beheading the traitor or the more modern additions of reeducation? I mean where does this delusion end? Where do our rights begin and end? And in any case, what kind of king would this be?
The king and his followers boast of a good business head and yet, look around, dig around. How many bankruptcies need to take place before one is not such a "good" businessman? How many people have to be royally screwed on their pay, their wages, their rights before one realizes that the king is not such a nice guy, is he? How many last minute deals have to be settled or pulled out of as the king and company realize that "there lies danger". Well, the monsters at the end of the world are not there - but here - in our very midst, monsters and their scared loyalists who refuse to see the truth.
So almost immediately the apologists came out of the woodwork, or to keep in theme, swam up from the depths and began their explanations, their excuses, all the while trying to avoid the truth, but there it is and there it was and there it will remain. What is said is said and cannot be retracted so easily. And what is frightening is that the royal princes, or at least one of them, is following in the footsteps already having to be bailed out to the tune of $3 million dollars and a bit of a shady deal as well. I forget which prince at the moment but does it really matter?
Are we to fall for the latest rage of "false news" with the royal family calling all negative or hostile reports or even the truth - "fake news" so that we grow to accept only what they say as gospel truth? I think not, folks, I think not. Fox news not CNN are not presenting fair and balanced news no matter what they say!! And just as an aside, we do not have a king here either, here in CV nor does the UCO Reporter aka the Rag, present a fair and balanced news picture either! Just sayin"
Fellow Americans, to be a bit grandiose, but not really if one thinks about it - we must resist this royalification, to coin a word, of a future president - G-d help us - and his family and his courtiers. We must be ever vigilant, for the sake of all and not only our present but also our future and not only that of America but also that of the world.
Told ya so - but am very unhappy to be able to say that.
For months I have been talking about our new royal family, with poppa being the king and the children being the royal offspring. As for Queen - she seems to have become a nonentity with the princess picking up all those duties and privileges. I have railed against this new version of American royalty and connected aristocracy, yet some have told me that I was off the rail here and yet, here we are - told ya so!!
Here is an excerpt from the RNC Christmas message to the world. "Over two millennia ago, a new hope was born into the world, a Savior who would offer the promise of salvation to all mankind. Just as the three wise men did on that night, this Christmas heralds a time to celebrate the good news of a new King,"
Uh, what was that? What new king one might ask. What good news in fact? Well, those who cannot figure this out had better open eyes and ears and minds and feel the truth.
Now while I am Jewish and consequently do not believe that there was any first king in the whole issue, and remember that Jesus was born a Jew, lived as a Jew and died a Jew and spoke much of his preaching directly from the Torah and the codified laws of the Jewish people and religion. Would that people would remember that fact. But, a great big but, there are those who do believe that he was or is the king, and I respect their beliefs, but the second one would be..... well, certainly NOT Trump!! And yet here we are. We are being told that we should celebrate the good news - the second king is here and aren't we lucky!! Spare me! Thank you.
So while I did recognize that Trump seemed to be on the right side of the issue with Resolution 2334, it remains to be seen if the royal heir to the throne remains there after ascending the throne, if he does not turn on the royal dime as he is wont to do. Consistency here is not the hobgoblin of legend and yet, I guess royalty has the royal right to change one's mind. Just consider the fickleness of the mind of Henry VIII when it came to women and marriage and children and friends and policies. One cannot always trust royalty to remain steady, nor to keep a steady hand on the helm.
All tongue in cheek aside, really - new king? Are we not going a bit overboard or according to the newer statement - are we jumping the shark here? Is that how people who are on his team really feel about him, that he IS a king and thus we have the explanation as to why his troops keep running around like a chicken without a head as they try to explain away his ridiculous tweets that are not so ridiculous if one looks at them as the tweets of a would be king to his loyal? subjects!
And are we not to "enjoy" the accoutrements of royalty such as beheading the traitor or the more modern additions of reeducation? I mean where does this delusion end? Where do our rights begin and end? And in any case, what kind of king would this be?
The king and his followers boast of a good business head and yet, look around, dig around. How many bankruptcies need to take place before one is not such a "good" businessman? How many people have to be royally screwed on their pay, their wages, their rights before one realizes that the king is not such a nice guy, is he? How many last minute deals have to be settled or pulled out of as the king and company realize that "there lies danger". Well, the monsters at the end of the world are not there - but here - in our very midst, monsters and their scared loyalists who refuse to see the truth.
So almost immediately the apologists came out of the woodwork, or to keep in theme, swam up from the depths and began their explanations, their excuses, all the while trying to avoid the truth, but there it is and there it was and there it will remain. What is said is said and cannot be retracted so easily. And what is frightening is that the royal princes, or at least one of them, is following in the footsteps already having to be bailed out to the tune of $3 million dollars and a bit of a shady deal as well. I forget which prince at the moment but does it really matter?
Are we to fall for the latest rage of "false news" with the royal family calling all negative or hostile reports or even the truth - "fake news" so that we grow to accept only what they say as gospel truth? I think not, folks, I think not. Fox news not CNN are not presenting fair and balanced news no matter what they say!! And just as an aside, we do not have a king here either, here in CV nor does the UCO Reporter aka the Rag, present a fair and balanced news picture either! Just sayin"
Fellow Americans, to be a bit grandiose, but not really if one thinks about it - we must resist this royalification, to coin a word, of a future president - G-d help us - and his family and his courtiers. We must be ever vigilant, for the sake of all and not only our present but also our future and not only that of America but also that of the world.
Told ya so - but am very unhappy to be able to say that.
Sunday, December 25, 2016
WHEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.........
Can't sleep. Can't read - eyes too tired. Too much going thru my head. So when in the middle of the night one sits alone wondering what to do, what should one do? What could one do? One can ruminate. One can brood. One can be wishful, wistful. One can be hopeful, though reality seems to interfere with those thoughts!
So what are those thoughts. Well, Friday was a downer what with the abstention of the US on the Security Council resolution re settlements in Israel. I wonder why we here in this country do not return all the settlements we made on Indian land, on French land, on Spanish land, on Mexican land and of course on British land. You see, we went in there and homesteaded and trapped and set up trading posts followed by more people followed by troops and forts followed by annexation followed by statehood and many times we fought wars, stated or not, and many times we cheated, admitted or not, but onwards we forged with a magnificent title to this movement - Manifest Destiny - which seemed to justify it all.
Move forward to a tiny state reinstated in a modern formation in 1948 - the State of Israel. Now this was not a new state for there have been many states prior to this, the Kingdom of Israelites, of Judea and there had never ceased to be a Jewish presence there throughout the millennium nor had there ever been a ceasing of prayers to return there, to Tzion, Zion. Even in the midst of horrors perpetrated upon Jews in Exile, in Galut, in the midst of concentration camps of the Holocaust, there was mention of the Return. On a secret synagogue's wall in Terezin, it was painted, with pride and longing.
So in 1948 a nation was established, partly out of historical movement and partly out of guilt of the nations of the world who had stood by and done nothing, nothing, to halt the slaughter of the Jews, their burning, their drowning, their torture, their mass graves, their brutal fates. Excuses were used as to why they did not bomb the tracks, or pleas of "not knowing" were made even as we know that the papers had it in their columns and people had risked their lives to gather proof as they used stealth to enter and leave the camps, taking their lives in their hands.
And so where did they go after the war was over? Well, back to their "homes" where they were unwelcome and killed again. So to where? The countries of the world still held quotas on them so in the DP camps they stayed, the same places where they had been slaughtered. And they went to British Palestine where the Balfour Declaration had long ago stated the fact that there was to be a Jewish state in that territory - and where the British conveniently suffered a long spell of amnesia. And there they came, taken in by a country and people who fought every day to defend themselves and who accepted the tiny portion of land allotted to them under the UN mandate - but even that was too much for the Arabs of the area, the Arabs of seven countries which invaded this little state trying to stay alive even as it welcomed in thousands upon thousands of refugees who had nowhere else to go. And on top of that were the thousands upon thousands of refugees from these Arab lands, the Jews of those lands who had lived there for hundreds and thousands of years - for they had to flee from persecution and murder and left all behind other than their lives and the clothes on their backs.
And there were no settlements, only settling the land which they had using indefensible borders established as the Arab invaders were defeated, pushed back. Yet still there was no peace and the attacks, the suicide attacks, the killing of women and children, invasions of homes and schools and busses, the very fabric of life - all went on for decades and yet Israel prospered and took in more refugees, even Vietnamese when no one wanted them, even Jews of different ethnicities and colors for all were Jews and if no one wanted them then they had a home in Israel.
And all this time of no peace Israel became a modern state, an innovative state, inventing much that benefitted the world. And yet, all the Moslem states, all the Arab states and all the cowardly nations of the world who needed their oil and who thus indulged their ancient anti Semitism under cover of a new respectable title - all these people needed to see the state gone and the slogan of the Arabs was "from the river to the sea" - and into the sea with all the Jews and yet all the trouble was blamed on the state of Israel. When the Straits of Tiran were blockaded by the Egyptians what did the UN do? Why simple! It left and abandoned their jobs, their stated mandate and Israel was all alone. As usual.
When Israel won this fight they immediately offered to make peace, to sign treaties and to return land captured during the fighting, during the attacks. Takers anyone? Nope! Not a one. Only more threats and more lies, so Israel waited, as it had done for years already. And eventually people began to think and wonder why not go back to where we had come from, where our parents had died. So they returned to Hebron, a holy city where our forefathers and mothers were buried and where there had been a slaughter of Jews in 1929. And why not return to Etzion where the Jews who had lived there were also attacked and slaughtered and now the sons and grandsons wanted to return to where there had been Jews already. And not to forget the Old City where there had also been Jews, where there had also been a slaughter and a rescue of besieged Jews living there. You see, Jews also had old keys to homes.
So suddenly there came a new chant - no settlements for they prevent peace. Really? What was the excuse then for the decades of attacks and wars when there were no settlements, only a nation trying to live in their homeland the same as all the nations of the world. Why was it wrong for there to be one tiny little Jewish state, a state which faced continuous hatred and opposition from all the nations of the world, nations which had never ever lost their anti Semitic feelings, only tamped them down for a while. Why? And no answer, one that made sense. None that appeared to face facts and realities. None that worked and all denied facts and truths. When the vote to establish Israel was taken there was also to be a state for the Arabs - actually two - one of Jordan which had never existed before and which consisted of mostly so called Palestinians, most of whom had come from Greater Syria and had not been there for the generations they said, and then another state but guess what? The Arabs refused this - and now they cry out for a state! And still they cry out in their papers and media for the land of the river to the sea and into the sea with the Jews.
And the world - oh it rides its horse again and Obama has left a terrific legacy, did he not. He made the final turn of his back on the State of Israel, the only democracy in the region, an ally of us for lo these many years, an ally which shared intelligence and arms it captured and had ties of families and friends, But he did not care and so he has left a legacy which in turn will cancel out any other thing he might have left as a legacy and which has forced me to acknowledge here that Trump was correct in this case and I only hope that he does not do a turn around on a dime as he has done many times before and that he stands by Israel.
' And I wonder where all the nations of the world will be should Israel not be first on the ground at disasters, not have the first hospitals up to help, not send in agricultural experts and water experts and all sorts of experts and advisers to help the nations of Africa and Asia. Where will they be then? Personally - I could care less for I am tired of this behavior. When the Arabs will learn that war is not the way. When they will learn to value their children and not send them off to die and then ululate in victory as they die taking others with them. When there is a sincere desire for peace - then there will be peace and in the meantime, despite the lies of the world, Arab citizens are in the army, in the universities, in the shopping malls, in the cities, in their own villages and they live nicely as well. Their economy flourishes though the PLA and Hamas do their best to ruin it all with their corruption and their inadequacies. Go to Israel and walk the streets, their cities, their countryside and see the truth for yourself.
The eternal truth? Am Yisrael Chai!! The nation of Israel, its people, lives on. Nothing will stop that. Not lies, Not BDS. Not hatred. Not war. Not threats. Not excuses. When there were no settlements then what was the impediment to peace? The presence of a Jewish state which they still refuse to acknowledge. We sing of peace and they sing of war and death.
Such are the sad thoughts when one cannot sleep and is awake in the middle of the night. Once again, ironically during the festival of Chanukah which celebrates a victory for freedom, we are besieged once more. May we all work that much harder to bring about a just peace in this world and really believe and act upon what we preach about peace in the world.
So what are those thoughts. Well, Friday was a downer what with the abstention of the US on the Security Council resolution re settlements in Israel. I wonder why we here in this country do not return all the settlements we made on Indian land, on French land, on Spanish land, on Mexican land and of course on British land. You see, we went in there and homesteaded and trapped and set up trading posts followed by more people followed by troops and forts followed by annexation followed by statehood and many times we fought wars, stated or not, and many times we cheated, admitted or not, but onwards we forged with a magnificent title to this movement - Manifest Destiny - which seemed to justify it all.
Move forward to a tiny state reinstated in a modern formation in 1948 - the State of Israel. Now this was not a new state for there have been many states prior to this, the Kingdom of Israelites, of Judea and there had never ceased to be a Jewish presence there throughout the millennium nor had there ever been a ceasing of prayers to return there, to Tzion, Zion. Even in the midst of horrors perpetrated upon Jews in Exile, in Galut, in the midst of concentration camps of the Holocaust, there was mention of the Return. On a secret synagogue's wall in Terezin, it was painted, with pride and longing.
So in 1948 a nation was established, partly out of historical movement and partly out of guilt of the nations of the world who had stood by and done nothing, nothing, to halt the slaughter of the Jews, their burning, their drowning, their torture, their mass graves, their brutal fates. Excuses were used as to why they did not bomb the tracks, or pleas of "not knowing" were made even as we know that the papers had it in their columns and people had risked their lives to gather proof as they used stealth to enter and leave the camps, taking their lives in their hands.
And so where did they go after the war was over? Well, back to their "homes" where they were unwelcome and killed again. So to where? The countries of the world still held quotas on them so in the DP camps they stayed, the same places where they had been slaughtered. And they went to British Palestine where the Balfour Declaration had long ago stated the fact that there was to be a Jewish state in that territory - and where the British conveniently suffered a long spell of amnesia. And there they came, taken in by a country and people who fought every day to defend themselves and who accepted the tiny portion of land allotted to them under the UN mandate - but even that was too much for the Arabs of the area, the Arabs of seven countries which invaded this little state trying to stay alive even as it welcomed in thousands upon thousands of refugees who had nowhere else to go. And on top of that were the thousands upon thousands of refugees from these Arab lands, the Jews of those lands who had lived there for hundreds and thousands of years - for they had to flee from persecution and murder and left all behind other than their lives and the clothes on their backs.
And there were no settlements, only settling the land which they had using indefensible borders established as the Arab invaders were defeated, pushed back. Yet still there was no peace and the attacks, the suicide attacks, the killing of women and children, invasions of homes and schools and busses, the very fabric of life - all went on for decades and yet Israel prospered and took in more refugees, even Vietnamese when no one wanted them, even Jews of different ethnicities and colors for all were Jews and if no one wanted them then they had a home in Israel.
And all this time of no peace Israel became a modern state, an innovative state, inventing much that benefitted the world. And yet, all the Moslem states, all the Arab states and all the cowardly nations of the world who needed their oil and who thus indulged their ancient anti Semitism under cover of a new respectable title - all these people needed to see the state gone and the slogan of the Arabs was "from the river to the sea" - and into the sea with all the Jews and yet all the trouble was blamed on the state of Israel. When the Straits of Tiran were blockaded by the Egyptians what did the UN do? Why simple! It left and abandoned their jobs, their stated mandate and Israel was all alone. As usual.
When Israel won this fight they immediately offered to make peace, to sign treaties and to return land captured during the fighting, during the attacks. Takers anyone? Nope! Not a one. Only more threats and more lies, so Israel waited, as it had done for years already. And eventually people began to think and wonder why not go back to where we had come from, where our parents had died. So they returned to Hebron, a holy city where our forefathers and mothers were buried and where there had been a slaughter of Jews in 1929. And why not return to Etzion where the Jews who had lived there were also attacked and slaughtered and now the sons and grandsons wanted to return to where there had been Jews already. And not to forget the Old City where there had also been Jews, where there had also been a slaughter and a rescue of besieged Jews living there. You see, Jews also had old keys to homes.
So suddenly there came a new chant - no settlements for they prevent peace. Really? What was the excuse then for the decades of attacks and wars when there were no settlements, only a nation trying to live in their homeland the same as all the nations of the world. Why was it wrong for there to be one tiny little Jewish state, a state which faced continuous hatred and opposition from all the nations of the world, nations which had never ever lost their anti Semitic feelings, only tamped them down for a while. Why? And no answer, one that made sense. None that appeared to face facts and realities. None that worked and all denied facts and truths. When the vote to establish Israel was taken there was also to be a state for the Arabs - actually two - one of Jordan which had never existed before and which consisted of mostly so called Palestinians, most of whom had come from Greater Syria and had not been there for the generations they said, and then another state but guess what? The Arabs refused this - and now they cry out for a state! And still they cry out in their papers and media for the land of the river to the sea and into the sea with the Jews.
And the world - oh it rides its horse again and Obama has left a terrific legacy, did he not. He made the final turn of his back on the State of Israel, the only democracy in the region, an ally of us for lo these many years, an ally which shared intelligence and arms it captured and had ties of families and friends, But he did not care and so he has left a legacy which in turn will cancel out any other thing he might have left as a legacy and which has forced me to acknowledge here that Trump was correct in this case and I only hope that he does not do a turn around on a dime as he has done many times before and that he stands by Israel.
' And I wonder where all the nations of the world will be should Israel not be first on the ground at disasters, not have the first hospitals up to help, not send in agricultural experts and water experts and all sorts of experts and advisers to help the nations of Africa and Asia. Where will they be then? Personally - I could care less for I am tired of this behavior. When the Arabs will learn that war is not the way. When they will learn to value their children and not send them off to die and then ululate in victory as they die taking others with them. When there is a sincere desire for peace - then there will be peace and in the meantime, despite the lies of the world, Arab citizens are in the army, in the universities, in the shopping malls, in the cities, in their own villages and they live nicely as well. Their economy flourishes though the PLA and Hamas do their best to ruin it all with their corruption and their inadequacies. Go to Israel and walk the streets, their cities, their countryside and see the truth for yourself.
The eternal truth? Am Yisrael Chai!! The nation of Israel, its people, lives on. Nothing will stop that. Not lies, Not BDS. Not hatred. Not war. Not threats. Not excuses. When there were no settlements then what was the impediment to peace? The presence of a Jewish state which they still refuse to acknowledge. We sing of peace and they sing of war and death.
Such are the sad thoughts when one cannot sleep and is awake in the middle of the night. Once again, ironically during the festival of Chanukah which celebrates a victory for freedom, we are besieged once more. May we all work that much harder to bring about a just peace in this world and really believe and act upon what we preach about peace in the world.
Friday, December 23, 2016
HOLIDAY WISHES
Tomorrow nite as we all light candles, be they the candles of Chanukah or the candles of the Noel, may we all pray that this light finds its way into the hearts of mankind. May all the wishes for peace and freedom, for justice and equality be heard and realized. Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and may G-d hold us all in His hands and in His heart.
WILL BE BACK SUNDAY WITH ANOTHER POSTING.
GOVERNMENT BY TWEET
And so it begins, G-d help us all. We now have a man who blustered his way through an election, who had the help of a foreign government in winning this campaign, perhaps even soliciting them to do this and that is another ball of wax should it prove to be true after an investigation, a man who would be a failure in life were it not for the fact that he had his family's money and name behind him so people paid him for the use of that name and his bankruptcies, his labor problems, his fraud accusations re his Trump University, his pathetic and ugly behavior with and about women, his filthy mouth - all were excused for his name and for his reality show role.
So this man who could not communicate in any other way but 140 characters, best done in the early hours of the morning , under cover of darkness, this man who had to be run after by his crew, so that 24 hours after an initial tweet they were explaining it off or out, this man who seems to be on a level of a pre teen, who cannot separate himself and his ego from his world viewpoint - this man now has the finger on the nukes and Lord help us. I, and many others, were worried about this during the campaign, wrote about it and yet look where we are now.
And where is that? Here. "The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes," and as usual details were not forthcoming for after all - 140 characters is the limit. And the reaction of his buddy Putin, his secret weapon? "We need to strengthen the military potential of strategic nuclear forces, especially with missile complexes that can reliably penetrate any existing and prospective missile defense systems," he said in a speech in Moscow. so should we all start digging out those shelters of the 50's, stock up on canned food and dry goods? Nah!! Would not help, trust me. There is no respite or escape from nuclear oblivion in such a case. But I wonder? While all this is going on and Trump scores a sore finger from his vengeful pressing of the go button, will he also be simultaneously tweeting re the fact that no one wants to show up at his inauguration? Or will he be boasting how he has brought back jobs to the country as we tool up for war?
You see, no one wants in on this event other than Jackie Evancho, the Rockettes and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. As for the rest - uh uh. His reaction? "The so-called 'A' list celebrities are all wanting tixs to the inauguration, but look what they did for Hillary, NOTHING. I want the PEOPLE!" And a response back - "Hi - we are people," she tweeted. "You are our president too. I don't want you to be, but u are. Also we ALL know you are dying without the approval, dear."
And the tweet rule continues as he now tweets that he has never changed his mind re Moslems entering this country or even being tracked here through a Moslem registry. His staff scrambles, like the people with the shovels at the end of a circus parade, trying to get rid of his garbage, to be polite, and explain his insanity away. And insanity it is. This man is erratic, cannot seem to be trusted and seems to work his policies out in bursts of 140 letters. This is whom we now have, G-d help us all, and what are we to do? Impeach or investigate and find out that the election in its entirety was taken over by our renewed Cold War enemy and declare it null and void and start over! How to do this? Not a clue, but if this is all true, or this man's incompetence brings us to the brink of war and he cannot figure out how to stop it, at least not in 140 characters, then what? Are we to sign our lives away? Are we to allow the Rule of the Fat Cats to take our country to destruction? Or shall we go out looking for brave and intrepid souls who will take on this conglomeration and help get us back on the true path.
Unfortunately we have now had eight years of a president who seemed to live in an ethereal world where high thinking people would converse on values and be convinced to do the right thing. Wrong. People are not so noble and so we left ourselves open for this, for what we now have. We have a threat of a registry for a start. We have questionnaires going out in the Energy Department that sing loudly of an ugly witch hunt. We have a quest for information from the State Department as to whom it is that works on gender related projects and exactly what those projects are - like wells for the women in villages, or micro loans, or health aid - truly "bad" stuff huh? So where will it end? I dread to think that far ahead but the question is really how far ahead is it really? I think not too far at all. Pretty much the only female of any consequence in Trump's administration to be is Conway and here is her perceived role - "Trump Whisperer" for her ability to reign in and guide an unpredictable and often uncontrollable candidate prone to damaging outbursts." Such confidence boosting statements! NOT!! And what and who will govern while all his appointees are vetted by Congress? Trump alone? Oy!! Where is that gas mask? Where is the hazmat suit? Where is the nearest shelter?
It is truly not funny, is it. All you Trumpers out there, the ones who are now ashamed at voting for him, the ones who now regularly post on sites stating these regrets and even those of you who are still stubbornly insisting that he will bring "change" - oh yes he will - but think if this is really the change we need or want - or can even survive.
May G-d have His eyes and heart on all of us.
So this man who could not communicate in any other way but 140 characters, best done in the early hours of the morning , under cover of darkness, this man who had to be run after by his crew, so that 24 hours after an initial tweet they were explaining it off or out, this man who seems to be on a level of a pre teen, who cannot separate himself and his ego from his world viewpoint - this man now has the finger on the nukes and Lord help us. I, and many others, were worried about this during the campaign, wrote about it and yet look where we are now.
And where is that? Here. "The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes," and as usual details were not forthcoming for after all - 140 characters is the limit. And the reaction of his buddy Putin, his secret weapon? "We need to strengthen the military potential of strategic nuclear forces, especially with missile complexes that can reliably penetrate any existing and prospective missile defense systems," he said in a speech in Moscow. so should we all start digging out those shelters of the 50's, stock up on canned food and dry goods? Nah!! Would not help, trust me. There is no respite or escape from nuclear oblivion in such a case. But I wonder? While all this is going on and Trump scores a sore finger from his vengeful pressing of the go button, will he also be simultaneously tweeting re the fact that no one wants to show up at his inauguration? Or will he be boasting how he has brought back jobs to the country as we tool up for war?
You see, no one wants in on this event other than Jackie Evancho, the Rockettes and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. As for the rest - uh uh. His reaction? "The so-called 'A' list celebrities are all wanting tixs to the inauguration, but look what they did for Hillary, NOTHING. I want the PEOPLE!" And a response back - "Hi - we are people," she tweeted. "You are our president too. I don't want you to be, but u are. Also we ALL know you are dying without the approval, dear."
And the tweet rule continues as he now tweets that he has never changed his mind re Moslems entering this country or even being tracked here through a Moslem registry. His staff scrambles, like the people with the shovels at the end of a circus parade, trying to get rid of his garbage, to be polite, and explain his insanity away. And insanity it is. This man is erratic, cannot seem to be trusted and seems to work his policies out in bursts of 140 letters. This is whom we now have, G-d help us all, and what are we to do? Impeach or investigate and find out that the election in its entirety was taken over by our renewed Cold War enemy and declare it null and void and start over! How to do this? Not a clue, but if this is all true, or this man's incompetence brings us to the brink of war and he cannot figure out how to stop it, at least not in 140 characters, then what? Are we to sign our lives away? Are we to allow the Rule of the Fat Cats to take our country to destruction? Or shall we go out looking for brave and intrepid souls who will take on this conglomeration and help get us back on the true path.
Unfortunately we have now had eight years of a president who seemed to live in an ethereal world where high thinking people would converse on values and be convinced to do the right thing. Wrong. People are not so noble and so we left ourselves open for this, for what we now have. We have a threat of a registry for a start. We have questionnaires going out in the Energy Department that sing loudly of an ugly witch hunt. We have a quest for information from the State Department as to whom it is that works on gender related projects and exactly what those projects are - like wells for the women in villages, or micro loans, or health aid - truly "bad" stuff huh? So where will it end? I dread to think that far ahead but the question is really how far ahead is it really? I think not too far at all. Pretty much the only female of any consequence in Trump's administration to be is Conway and here is her perceived role - "Trump Whisperer" for her ability to reign in and guide an unpredictable and often uncontrollable candidate prone to damaging outbursts." Such confidence boosting statements! NOT!! And what and who will govern while all his appointees are vetted by Congress? Trump alone? Oy!! Where is that gas mask? Where is the hazmat suit? Where is the nearest shelter?
It is truly not funny, is it. All you Trumpers out there, the ones who are now ashamed at voting for him, the ones who now regularly post on sites stating these regrets and even those of you who are still stubbornly insisting that he will bring "change" - oh yes he will - but think if this is really the change we need or want - or can even survive.
May G-d have His eyes and heart on all of us.
Thursday, December 22, 2016
THE ANATOMY OF RAGE - AND SADNESS
Just finished watching a brief vignette of an awful situation in a J.C.Penny store wherein a woman went on a rant, a racial rant, directed at two Hispanic women. Their crime - one was on line, paying, and the other woman came up with a few more shirts. Frustrating? Yes, but you and I know that many people have done this with one person on line with items and the other somewhere who might or might not show up with more items. So what? So it takes another five minutes but certainly in this season supposedly full of love and smiles, well, think again. The rant was awful - I cringed at it but what was worse was that it went on and no one stopped it until supposedly after the video of it ended. Not there, but certainly the woman should have been told to shut up already. And if people do not stop this then what about worse, like roundups and registries such as Trump was insisting yesterday that he will institute. NO!!!! Cannot be and remember folks, goose and gander. Never stops with one "hate" but instead always grows to include more as the suspicious attitudes and the paranoia grow.
How did we get here? How did we in America forget our roots, our values and go insane? Things changed. The world is different and it changed quickly, so much so that people were often caught unawares, left jobless, even homeless or found themselves struggling where they never had to before. There was hunger in homes that had never faced that before nor ever expected it to be so. The wealth of society began to concentrate with Fat Cats of enormous wealth and power and the very fabric of our society was straining and tested, with failures at times.
So people got angry and had no sure idea of where to focus that anger and how to improve the situation. The world situation did not make things any better what with terrorist attacks and stories every day of more wars all over the globe and Russia invading other countries and it just felt hopeless. So people were sad, yes, but they were also angry and unfortunately there are always those in society who pick up on that anger, who wait for it, hiding in ambush and they went to town.
Viciousness became the order of the day. Anti everything that one could think of from anti Semitism and the old but "trusted" canards, xenophobia, and anger at women who did not "keep their place", anger at the overly wealthy and yet once again they escaped responsibility as they went into disguise, especially under Donald Trump who promised the world, who promised much with no details and look where we are now - all the billionaires and all the negative and selfish people all in power and the little guy, the people who voted for him in their blind anger - well, they are screwed and the anger will rise and the sadness will flow. We have now even been told that there is no more "drain the swamp" philosophy or actions. Well, duh, kinda figured that out already even if I never believed it in the first place. We are now being told that Russia is our friend and never mind all the ethics and conflicts of interest here.
So the anger is there and there has never been such a president before so hated as he prepares to enter office, with such a low percentage. There has never been such fear of what he portends, of his plans and what will be of our democracy. There is a deep sadness and anguish that we are lost, we have wandered off the paths of justice and honor, of care and compassion, of right and freedom and it seems as if we will never get back, certainly not in the next four years. What kind of world will we have when a congressman thinks it okay to delay taking his child to the emergency room for a broken arm and waiting till the next day to save a couple of bucks - on his kid's back! On his kid's broken bone pain and having been there before, know how godawful painful it is! What have we come to? That is child abuse!!!
People are saying that he will never last that long, that his incompetence will manifest itself and lead to resignation or impeachment. Would that it were so! But what if not? What then? Will we ever be able to return to where we should have been all along? Cannot answer that and therein the anger and the sadness that is not only in me but in thousands and even millions of others. The majority of Americans voted for Clinton and we are stuck with the devil's disciple due to an antiquated system.
It is okay to be angry for that is how we progressed thru the centuries and where we hope to continue and it is also okay to be sad for there has been a turnover of society and values here in America such as we have never seen before, at least not for those living. All the old ugly things have comeback. The fear in immigrant families, the fear of children brought here, who do not know another life - and what, now throw them out? Are we forgetting the enrichment of our society by immigrants? Are we to see the rending of families? G-d help us for did we not see enough of that in the Holocaust, in the lands of Africa where kids are kidnapped, where families and societies have disintegrated? The fear in the LGBTQ communities and the fear in those who have stood up for the people? Just what is to be expected? No one knows and hence the uncertainty, the fear, the anger and the depression.
So what to do? Speak up. Stand up. Reach out. Be proud Americans and represent our values. That is the only way.
How did we get here? How did we in America forget our roots, our values and go insane? Things changed. The world is different and it changed quickly, so much so that people were often caught unawares, left jobless, even homeless or found themselves struggling where they never had to before. There was hunger in homes that had never faced that before nor ever expected it to be so. The wealth of society began to concentrate with Fat Cats of enormous wealth and power and the very fabric of our society was straining and tested, with failures at times.
So people got angry and had no sure idea of where to focus that anger and how to improve the situation. The world situation did not make things any better what with terrorist attacks and stories every day of more wars all over the globe and Russia invading other countries and it just felt hopeless. So people were sad, yes, but they were also angry and unfortunately there are always those in society who pick up on that anger, who wait for it, hiding in ambush and they went to town.
Viciousness became the order of the day. Anti everything that one could think of from anti Semitism and the old but "trusted" canards, xenophobia, and anger at women who did not "keep their place", anger at the overly wealthy and yet once again they escaped responsibility as they went into disguise, especially under Donald Trump who promised the world, who promised much with no details and look where we are now - all the billionaires and all the negative and selfish people all in power and the little guy, the people who voted for him in their blind anger - well, they are screwed and the anger will rise and the sadness will flow. We have now even been told that there is no more "drain the swamp" philosophy or actions. Well, duh, kinda figured that out already even if I never believed it in the first place. We are now being told that Russia is our friend and never mind all the ethics and conflicts of interest here.
So the anger is there and there has never been such a president before so hated as he prepares to enter office, with such a low percentage. There has never been such fear of what he portends, of his plans and what will be of our democracy. There is a deep sadness and anguish that we are lost, we have wandered off the paths of justice and honor, of care and compassion, of right and freedom and it seems as if we will never get back, certainly not in the next four years. What kind of world will we have when a congressman thinks it okay to delay taking his child to the emergency room for a broken arm and waiting till the next day to save a couple of bucks - on his kid's back! On his kid's broken bone pain and having been there before, know how godawful painful it is! What have we come to? That is child abuse!!!
People are saying that he will never last that long, that his incompetence will manifest itself and lead to resignation or impeachment. Would that it were so! But what if not? What then? Will we ever be able to return to where we should have been all along? Cannot answer that and therein the anger and the sadness that is not only in me but in thousands and even millions of others. The majority of Americans voted for Clinton and we are stuck with the devil's disciple due to an antiquated system.
It is okay to be angry for that is how we progressed thru the centuries and where we hope to continue and it is also okay to be sad for there has been a turnover of society and values here in America such as we have never seen before, at least not for those living. All the old ugly things have comeback. The fear in immigrant families, the fear of children brought here, who do not know another life - and what, now throw them out? Are we forgetting the enrichment of our society by immigrants? Are we to see the rending of families? G-d help us for did we not see enough of that in the Holocaust, in the lands of Africa where kids are kidnapped, where families and societies have disintegrated? The fear in the LGBTQ communities and the fear in those who have stood up for the people? Just what is to be expected? No one knows and hence the uncertainty, the fear, the anger and the depression.
So what to do? Speak up. Stand up. Reach out. Be proud Americans and represent our values. That is the only way.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
GOOD TO KNOW - COMPANY HELPS
One can fight on alone. It is possible. However, it always is a better feeling when one stands with others, knows that there are others who have not given up the fight, who remain vigilant. It does not matter if that vigilance manifests itself as a participant in a march or a demonstration, engages in communication campaigns or simply talks about the issue(s) that cause concern. What does matter is that one remain alert to the day - and the night - and speak up. Silence gains nothing; it only allows for the strengthening of the other side.
In a world which seems to survive on anger, there are definitely consequences. There is a plethora of nastiness and yet there are people who stand by their principles, speak the truth or point it out to others, as unpleasant as it might be. Here are a few things that might interest you.
An Air Force general takes Trump to task at his ignorance and lack of understanding and knowledge on the F-35 program.
The path of Rex Tillerson to culmination as a friend to "Putie" and his dealings with him and Russia - and the ethical conflict it poses with him as Secretary of State - not good, folks not good.
A president elect who cannot stay off Twitter - or is that all he is capable of - and who engages in target practice against those who displease him. And this is the person who is supposed to unite us, a severely divided nation that MUST be fixed and not with hate and not with nastiness and not with ignorance but with patience and talking and hearing and listening and hope and help.
A conflict of interest and ethical violations to a degree never before seen. The entire Trump family is up to its neck in Trump business and governmental business. It cannot be. The most recent oops on their part was the selling of time with Trump the day after inauguration for the mere price of $500,000 - $1,000,000. And he whined about the Clinton Foundation! The hypocrisy is stunning and deep and widespread. This cannot remain. This cannot be and they seem never to understand this and try and try again to mix the two - business and the country. And their chosen administration picks are mired up to their necks as well, Fat Cats all. Bad!
We have an important person from Oracle resigning and just read why with these excerpts from his resignation letter.
"...he will seek to dismantle Social Security and Medicare –important retirement security for our aging and disabled population.
Trump stokes fear, hatred and violence toward people of color, Muslims and immigrants. It is well-known that hate crimes are surging as he has provided license for this ignorance-based expression of malice.
He disrespects Gold Star military families, women and the disabled.
He seeks to eviscerate environmental protections, the public education system, LGBTQ rights and women’s rights.
His tax and economic policies will greatly increase the national debt while concentrating wealth –exacerbating an alarming growth of wealth inequality in America.
I am not with President-elect Trump and I am not here to help him in any way. In fact –when his policies border on the unconstitutional, the criminal and the morally unjust –I am here to oppose him in every possible and legal way.
Therefore I must resign from this once great company."
And finally, here is a small smattering of the incidents of hatred and violence that have occurred since the election and yes, there are many of anti Semitic origin. These facts are gathered by the Southern Poverty Law Center and published by the NY Times. My back feels a chill in this and so should the backs of others.
In a world which seems to survive on anger, there are definitely consequences. There is a plethora of nastiness and yet there are people who stand by their principles, speak the truth or point it out to others, as unpleasant as it might be. Here are a few things that might interest you.
An Air Force general takes Trump to task at his ignorance and lack of understanding and knowledge on the F-35 program.
The path of Rex Tillerson to culmination as a friend to "Putie" and his dealings with him and Russia - and the ethical conflict it poses with him as Secretary of State - not good, folks not good.
A president elect who cannot stay off Twitter - or is that all he is capable of - and who engages in target practice against those who displease him. And this is the person who is supposed to unite us, a severely divided nation that MUST be fixed and not with hate and not with nastiness and not with ignorance but with patience and talking and hearing and listening and hope and help.
A conflict of interest and ethical violations to a degree never before seen. The entire Trump family is up to its neck in Trump business and governmental business. It cannot be. The most recent oops on their part was the selling of time with Trump the day after inauguration for the mere price of $500,000 - $1,000,000. And he whined about the Clinton Foundation! The hypocrisy is stunning and deep and widespread. This cannot remain. This cannot be and they seem never to understand this and try and try again to mix the two - business and the country. And their chosen administration picks are mired up to their necks as well, Fat Cats all. Bad!
We have an important person from Oracle resigning and just read why with these excerpts from his resignation letter.
"...he will seek to dismantle Social Security and Medicare –important retirement security for our aging and disabled population.
Trump stokes fear, hatred and violence toward people of color, Muslims and immigrants. It is well-known that hate crimes are surging as he has provided license for this ignorance-based expression of malice.
He disrespects Gold Star military families, women and the disabled.
He seeks to eviscerate environmental protections, the public education system, LGBTQ rights and women’s rights.
His tax and economic policies will greatly increase the national debt while concentrating wealth –exacerbating an alarming growth of wealth inequality in America.
I am not with President-elect Trump and I am not here to help him in any way. In fact –when his policies border on the unconstitutional, the criminal and the morally unjust –I am here to oppose him in every possible and legal way.
Therefore I must resign from this once great company."
And finally, here is a small smattering of the incidents of hatred and violence that have occurred since the election and yes, there are many of anti Semitic origin. These facts are gathered by the Southern Poverty Law Center and published by the NY Times. My back feels a chill in this and so should the backs of others.
"• A man is accused of attacking a Muslim woman at a Manhattan Dunkin’ Donuts on Sunday, throwing coffee in her face and putting her in a headlock. According to police, he told the woman he “hated Muslims” and was going to kill her. He has been charged with assault as a hate crime.
• On Friday, a post on the anti-Semitic website the Daily Stormer called for a “troll storm” against Jewish people in Whitefish, Mont., where Sherry Spencer, the mother of the white nationalist leader Richard Spencer, owns a building. The post’s author, apparently reacting to calls for Ms. Spencer to sell the building, published pictures of Whitefish residents, including a child, with Star of David symbols and the German word for “Jew.” The post advised readers not to use violence or threats, but several people targeted have received death threats.
• Last Wednesday, a passerby noticed a swastika drawn on the side of a health clinic on the upper west side of Manhattan.
• A Temple University student discovered swastikas, a racial slur and the message “Trump 2016” written in snow on a car near the Philadelphia campus on Wednesday night.
• The sign outside a mosque in Redmond, Wash., was vandalized early Saturday morning. The mosque was also vandalized in November.
• Last Thursday, a man reported to Niagara Falls police that his car had been vandalized, with a racial slur and the phrase “go back to Buffalo” scratched into the paint. The tires had been slashed, the gas cap was missing and an unknown substance, possibly bleach, had been splashed inside the car.
• Police in Nassau County, N.Y., are investigating three recent incidents of anti-Semitic graffiti. On Friday, a professor noticed swastikas in a men’s bathroom at Nassau Community College. It was the latest in a string of vandalism incidents at the college. Also on Friday, a customer found anti-Semitic graffiti on the outside wall of a 7-Eleven. On Saturday, five swastikas were drawn in snow outside a home in Mineola, N.Y.
• Last Wednesday, a student at Western High School in Russiaville, Ind. posted a Snapchat photo of an Indianapolis Colts cheerleader with a racial slur after the cheerleaders visited the school to celebrate a blood donation program. The principal and the student have apologized, and the principal said the student faced “significant and severe” disciplinary action."
The growth of hate, its open appearance and its increasing violence and occurrence - scary - and all since the election of Trump. The haters are out from the woodwork - and so must we. They must be answered and prevented and deterred and perhaps even taught to be better people and to see the truth of history and the results of such hatred. Perhaps. Maybe. If only. I hope. I despair.
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
DON QUIXOTE RIDES AGAIN
Well, as one person put it, barring resignation, impeachment or incompetence, for the next four years we are stuck with a man who runs on arrogance and low self esteem at the same time, who allows others to dictate his actions even as he concentrates on moves of revenge and on growing his Twitter feed. We have a president who will have sway over a Great Divide of a nation, the worst crisis of confidence we have ever had in this country.
This time it is not just the young out there protesting, but also the adults, the women, the seniors, the liberals and even conservatives who cannot tolerate his behavior. So we must keep on truckin' as they say and not give up the fight. But for today I am taking a small break, and want to focus on the other area that affects me - the Village and its president and "cabin" in the form of UCO officers. They are much of a disgrace, negligent, power hungry and cowardly. And yes, there are exceptions, but that is for another day.
Sounds harsh, does it not? Well, if the terms fit..... When was the last time that his officers or Executive Board turned down any request he has made? Where were the voices of these officers of UCO when a huge contract was signed for CSI, a company to search for a new supplier of not just cable, but also Internet, phone and any other item or category that David Israel, in his imperial wisdom, decided was relevant and allowed , never mind the Bilateral Agreement, never mind the rules of contract approval and never mind the fact that the people had voted NO, emphatically so, in previous votes, refused to put in money for it, and had voted, shall we say with their "feet" as they wired up themselves for incredibly cheap cost and are eminently happy and satisfied with their actions.
The reward for their initiative was both gratifying and annoying, but expected as others followed the pioneers of this track and as David Israel excoriated them as how dare they show him up, highlight his negligence and outright refusal to obey the rules and continue on with his selfish power grabs and false statements that the Village would be left behind, that new people would not buy in and on and on. So far I believe we have had new people buy in although it must be stated that the buildings owned by some of his henchmen are those that have allowed in the wrong people, be it an overwhelming number of renters, inappropriate renters and buyers, families with children! so many that there are now THREE buses hiding along Haverhill in the morning, waiting for their charges to show up. Who who is killing the Village? Again, who? And who allowed a supporter of his to turn one of the associations into a motel for travelers, for tourists, for shoppers? Look to UCO, my friends, look there.
And then we have this ridiculous campaign that will not end, that David Israel focuses on to the detriment of all else. Reserve funds for the collapsing roads and walkways? Oh, never mind that, for we have more important things to consider. Exorbitant rise in fees for next year and no statement if this rise is temporary or more likely will continue on from there, but never mind, why should we fight with WPRF and prove capital improvements vs. repair, for there is a more important fight, you see. Never mind the funding for the critically important irrigation and pumps for there is a more important fight you see.
So what is the more important fight? Well, it is not to keep up our infrastructure. It is not to attempt to find the best ways to use our monies and the best ways to watch out for our residents, particularly as we face a financial crisis of never before seen proportions. If one thinks that the increase of funding for health coverage is a lot in our checks this year, just you wait till the nasty dude's budget cutters and billionaires of the government get their edge or sword in and slash across the board with unbelievable cuts in social security and just wait till you see the size of the cuts there and as for health care - I shudder at what will be and so should the entire nation. But never you mind as the papers will be filled with attention getting stories to take our minds off the reality that will be so harsh and instead of eating bread or even cake, we will be fed circuses, a circus of information about a wife who seems to have vanished into the woodwork, a princess who seems to have insinuated herself into the government with extraordinary power, her husband, the adopted prince who thinks it is his right to join in because his father in law was elected- ugh! - and lots of questions about that! - and the two princelings who will make sure to keep our attention off the fact that we are now the economic engine that will keep the fortunes of Trump in place and in number one position. I mean, what else is the position of President of the United States good for if not to enhance one's own fortunes and those of family and friends?
Anyway, I venture off course for today is about this -
Desktop Computer, Laptop, Mobile phone/Smartphone, Games Console, Portable media player, Tablet, Connected or Smart TV, E-reader. IP Security Camera.....Etc.
This time it is not just the young out there protesting, but also the adults, the women, the seniors, the liberals and even conservatives who cannot tolerate his behavior. So we must keep on truckin' as they say and not give up the fight. But for today I am taking a small break, and want to focus on the other area that affects me - the Village and its president and "cabin" in the form of UCO officers. They are much of a disgrace, negligent, power hungry and cowardly. And yes, there are exceptions, but that is for another day.
Sounds harsh, does it not? Well, if the terms fit..... When was the last time that his officers or Executive Board turned down any request he has made? Where were the voices of these officers of UCO when a huge contract was signed for CSI, a company to search for a new supplier of not just cable, but also Internet, phone and any other item or category that David Israel, in his imperial wisdom, decided was relevant and allowed , never mind the Bilateral Agreement, never mind the rules of contract approval and never mind the fact that the people had voted NO, emphatically so, in previous votes, refused to put in money for it, and had voted, shall we say with their "feet" as they wired up themselves for incredibly cheap cost and are eminently happy and satisfied with their actions.
The reward for their initiative was both gratifying and annoying, but expected as others followed the pioneers of this track and as David Israel excoriated them as how dare they show him up, highlight his negligence and outright refusal to obey the rules and continue on with his selfish power grabs and false statements that the Village would be left behind, that new people would not buy in and on and on. So far I believe we have had new people buy in although it must be stated that the buildings owned by some of his henchmen are those that have allowed in the wrong people, be it an overwhelming number of renters, inappropriate renters and buyers, families with children! so many that there are now THREE buses hiding along Haverhill in the morning, waiting for their charges to show up. Who who is killing the Village? Again, who? And who allowed a supporter of his to turn one of the associations into a motel for travelers, for tourists, for shoppers? Look to UCO, my friends, look there.
And then we have this ridiculous campaign that will not end, that David Israel focuses on to the detriment of all else. Reserve funds for the collapsing roads and walkways? Oh, never mind that, for we have more important things to consider. Exorbitant rise in fees for next year and no statement if this rise is temporary or more likely will continue on from there, but never mind, why should we fight with WPRF and prove capital improvements vs. repair, for there is a more important fight, you see. Never mind the funding for the critically important irrigation and pumps for there is a more important fight you see.
So what is the more important fight? Well, it is not to keep up our infrastructure. It is not to attempt to find the best ways to use our monies and the best ways to watch out for our residents, particularly as we face a financial crisis of never before seen proportions. If one thinks that the increase of funding for health coverage is a lot in our checks this year, just you wait till the nasty dude's budget cutters and billionaires of the government get their edge or sword in and slash across the board with unbelievable cuts in social security and just wait till you see the size of the cuts there and as for health care - I shudder at what will be and so should the entire nation. But never you mind as the papers will be filled with attention getting stories to take our minds off the reality that will be so harsh and instead of eating bread or even cake, we will be fed circuses, a circus of information about a wife who seems to have vanished into the woodwork, a princess who seems to have insinuated herself into the government with extraordinary power, her husband, the adopted prince who thinks it is his right to join in because his father in law was elected- ugh! - and lots of questions about that! - and the two princelings who will make sure to keep our attention off the fact that we are now the economic engine that will keep the fortunes of Trump in place and in number one position. I mean, what else is the position of President of the United States good for if not to enhance one's own fortunes and those of family and friends?
Anyway, I venture off course for today is about this -
Desktop Computer, Laptop, Mobile phone/Smartphone, Games Console, Portable media player, Tablet, Connected or Smart TV, E-reader. IP Security Camera.....Etc.
How many of us, our Children, our Grandchildren have one or more of these devices. Let's move into the 21st. Century. The choice will be yours.
What is this you might ask? Well, it is the soul of David Israel, he who has told us of the streaming radio stations around the world and how he finds them with their green dots and how addictive it is. But we must really look into this. First, how would David Israel know what our children and grandchildren come here for? Is it to do what they do at home, to encourage the kids to still sit at the screen when the outdoors beckon, the waters, the golf courses, the parks and nature reserves, the sun, ahhhh, the warm sun, the outdoor malls and just taking a walk. This is coming from the man who spends all day and much of the night sitting in his hidey hole staring at screens, plotting and planning. He pictures a future where we will all grow only arms as who needs anything else as we sit bewitched by our electronic devices and go from one to the other, as all else is neglected, as we open one after the other and do not shut any off, so ,more power, more power, More!!!
We need more common sense, more attention paid to the true realities of life, to the dollars and cents and the true values, and less focused on the few who have nothing else in their lives but screens and more screens. I truly believe that with care and forethought we will have all we need for any electronic devices and am not frightened by the black picture he paints of a Village left behind in a device bereft state of being!! Gimme a break!! What is more important is that we need to pay more attention to new bylaws, fair ones written by the entire Village, not just by a few henchmen of his in order to maintain his power. We need to pay attention and get ready for a post Millennium agreement with the Levys and we have got to do better this time around!!! We need to come up with fair and sensible plans as to how to mesh our needs with our funds and plan for the future and for our residents whose funds are limited. So will we have to give up a ball court or even two. perhaps, but there is plenty to go around!!And if one has to wait for a tennis court to open up - well, talk to people while you wait -it is one of the joys in life. Instant gratification is both childish and wasteful and it is time we acted and thought as adults, sensible, financially careful, and aware of true needs and are able to separate the chaff from the wheat.
There is plenty in life that we have to think about, plenty to choose to battle. We are not dead yet, are we??? We have hopes of containing the damages caused by a Trump presidency and we have hopes of removing David Israel from office or at the very least, containing him and his wasteful programs and plans. To battle we go!!
Monday, December 19, 2016
CINDERELLA REVISED VERSION
Remember the sweet version of Cinderella we all knew in childhood, sang along with and told to our kids? Yup, that one, where there really was no deeper meaning other than being good will eventually pay off and tormentors will be punished. Uh huh. Right.
Then we came to know that there was a balletic version of Cinderella, a tad more political one might say. In this one political threads of justice for the poor, rightful ownership of land, governments that heeded the voices of the disenfranchised and of course all the accoutrements of a true fairy tale - handsome King and beautiful maltreated queen to be, a fairy godmother and some characters that received their dues but not really in so bad a manner. The fairy godmother even taught us a lesson - if one wants something, truly so, one has to participate in its creation. Interesting thought that.
This is the version of Cinderella that is now on stage at Broward Center. It is great and it is always lovely to see the little princesses in the theater, the princes to be, and the adults who clapped just as loud or even more so when the fairy godmother came along, at Cinderella who made sure her shoe was left for the prince to find, or the magic of magic - the coach, the gowns, and the wonderful ending of marriage, of justice done and forgiveness and atonement. I think adults clapped even more this year than before because we were all wishing on a star that this come true.
I came across a Facebook version of the statement that one must help themselves and it goes something like this. There is no remote in life so get up and change it yourself. If only more people would have realized that sooner, though credit given where credit due - the Trump campaign knew that a long time ago so off they went to enlist their dear friends Putin and the Russian hackers, the scum of society in the form of haters and bigots, and the magic dust to spill in the eyes of the blue collar classes as they failed to recognize the truth of what would be - no health coverage, Fat Cats in the White House and government, no ethics at all and a presumed president to be with barely any functioning brain cell above the level of a ten year old schoolyard bully and I believe I owe an apology to ten year olds!
SNL had a great skit, as usual, that did what democracy does and allows. It poked fun at our leaders, particularly those who got in the way due to their own actions and statements. So if Trump does not like Alec Baldwin's wig, why then get his own cut so he won't look so stupid. If he does not like "Tillerson" greeting his good friend Putie, why then choose some other guy for Sec. of State rather than one who is actually partners with Russia in an oil deal!! Talk of lack of ethics. Talk of conflict of interest! And all the while, "Trump" is worrying over his phone, reading Twitter and tweets and mumbling for revenge on Vanity Fair. And then of course, in real life we had that same attitude and his most brilliant statement, real mature, where he tells China to just keep the drone!! Sure, that will show them! That was a true masterpiece - NOT - of diplomacy and calculated to keep things on an even keel with a world power that basically owns up!
Cinderella and company sings of "things that are happening every day" and would that it were so in a positive way in real life. But what is happening is that there is a growing despair at the thought of what four years with this what? simpleton? fool? mean guy? amoral? one track? person, concerned with his own selfish and at times, many times, childish needs, and with his royal family running the show - what does this all portend? Can the Electors do something? Anything?
I really am not sure what will be and if it will be enough and what would be if the Electors did revolt. Scary thought, but just as scary is the thought of a Trump presidency. Will we even be here in democratic form four years from now under that regime? I doubt it and so does an op-ed piece by two Harvard professors of government. They believe that the right wingers of this regime, the extremists that have become the regulars of this regime, have questioned and challenged the opposition, particularly of the liberal wing. They have now become traitors to the country according to the crazies. So the question is whether the institutions of ours that are supposed to maintain our equilibrium will do just that but here is a question for you. What if they too are compromised? And just look at the Houses of Congress and at the plans for the Supreme Court and then ask again if the checks and balances are still there?
Many moons ago I mentioned the Manchurian Candidate in connection to Trump and I now find that more and more people are mentioning it as well. Trump is that stupid enough and that arrogant enough in that stupidity to become the legendary patsy. He thinks of naught between those ears other than his business, his princelings and princess though he appears to neglect his queen and another princess along the way, he is that vulnerable to becoming a puppet, a puppet of dictators and demagogues, of killers and defamers of what is human and humane in people. Just ask the people of Crimea or the people in the Philippines or the millions in Syria.
So will all the activists taking to the streets prevail? Will all the marches on Saturday, Jan. 21 make a point? I hope so but we will all have to keep on the case, stay the activists and despite whatever will be thrown our way, keep it up. That is the only way to keep our country democratic and on the right path. Elsewhere and otherwise? It will be a plutocracy, a business rules, a no ethics government, a war torn globe upon which we dwell, a dictatorship of America and if you think that cannot happen - think again and why not pop in on the series the Man in the High Castle and checkout how it works, what fear does to people.
Time to be strong, people. Time to be brave. Time to be honest and time not to despair and give in. Nor should we look at sops to keep our attention. In any case, one mystery has been solved right here in the Village, For years people have asked just what David Israel does all day every day in UCO, Sundays included. Well, the secret is out. He listens to some global streaming radio, looking for green dots to click on and admits it is habit forming, addictive. What a waste of time, especially when the Village is in such desperate straits. And Gracie, my foolish friend, though perhaps you cannot help yourself, I know that we pay for everything here in the Village and that is the point. We should not!! There are other people responsible for some of these payments and there are other people responsible for setting up payments we do not need for projects we do not want and for wasting literally millions of our funds on criminally negligent other projects. But you just keep trundling along, Gracie and hope you do not trip over your own feet and words.
In the meanwhile we will use our words to try to right the wrongs, to be our own Don Quixotes, successful ones. Cinderella had a fairy godmother and a handsome and good king. We do not. We are our own pathways and tools of justice and fair play and proper government. Things do happen every day and we must make sure that they are the correct things to happen and if not, to make it so as we correct the wrongs. If not - I fear greatly for the future of us all. Vigilance, people, vigilance and action.
Then we came to know that there was a balletic version of Cinderella, a tad more political one might say. In this one political threads of justice for the poor, rightful ownership of land, governments that heeded the voices of the disenfranchised and of course all the accoutrements of a true fairy tale - handsome King and beautiful maltreated queen to be, a fairy godmother and some characters that received their dues but not really in so bad a manner. The fairy godmother even taught us a lesson - if one wants something, truly so, one has to participate in its creation. Interesting thought that.
This is the version of Cinderella that is now on stage at Broward Center. It is great and it is always lovely to see the little princesses in the theater, the princes to be, and the adults who clapped just as loud or even more so when the fairy godmother came along, at Cinderella who made sure her shoe was left for the prince to find, or the magic of magic - the coach, the gowns, and the wonderful ending of marriage, of justice done and forgiveness and atonement. I think adults clapped even more this year than before because we were all wishing on a star that this come true.
I came across a Facebook version of the statement that one must help themselves and it goes something like this. There is no remote in life so get up and change it yourself. If only more people would have realized that sooner, though credit given where credit due - the Trump campaign knew that a long time ago so off they went to enlist their dear friends Putin and the Russian hackers, the scum of society in the form of haters and bigots, and the magic dust to spill in the eyes of the blue collar classes as they failed to recognize the truth of what would be - no health coverage, Fat Cats in the White House and government, no ethics at all and a presumed president to be with barely any functioning brain cell above the level of a ten year old schoolyard bully and I believe I owe an apology to ten year olds!
SNL had a great skit, as usual, that did what democracy does and allows. It poked fun at our leaders, particularly those who got in the way due to their own actions and statements. So if Trump does not like Alec Baldwin's wig, why then get his own cut so he won't look so stupid. If he does not like "Tillerson" greeting his good friend Putie, why then choose some other guy for Sec. of State rather than one who is actually partners with Russia in an oil deal!! Talk of lack of ethics. Talk of conflict of interest! And all the while, "Trump" is worrying over his phone, reading Twitter and tweets and mumbling for revenge on Vanity Fair. And then of course, in real life we had that same attitude and his most brilliant statement, real mature, where he tells China to just keep the drone!! Sure, that will show them! That was a true masterpiece - NOT - of diplomacy and calculated to keep things on an even keel with a world power that basically owns up!
Cinderella and company sings of "things that are happening every day" and would that it were so in a positive way in real life. But what is happening is that there is a growing despair at the thought of what four years with this what? simpleton? fool? mean guy? amoral? one track? person, concerned with his own selfish and at times, many times, childish needs, and with his royal family running the show - what does this all portend? Can the Electors do something? Anything?
I really am not sure what will be and if it will be enough and what would be if the Electors did revolt. Scary thought, but just as scary is the thought of a Trump presidency. Will we even be here in democratic form four years from now under that regime? I doubt it and so does an op-ed piece by two Harvard professors of government. They believe that the right wingers of this regime, the extremists that have become the regulars of this regime, have questioned and challenged the opposition, particularly of the liberal wing. They have now become traitors to the country according to the crazies. So the question is whether the institutions of ours that are supposed to maintain our equilibrium will do just that but here is a question for you. What if they too are compromised? And just look at the Houses of Congress and at the plans for the Supreme Court and then ask again if the checks and balances are still there?
Many moons ago I mentioned the Manchurian Candidate in connection to Trump and I now find that more and more people are mentioning it as well. Trump is that stupid enough and that arrogant enough in that stupidity to become the legendary patsy. He thinks of naught between those ears other than his business, his princelings and princess though he appears to neglect his queen and another princess along the way, he is that vulnerable to becoming a puppet, a puppet of dictators and demagogues, of killers and defamers of what is human and humane in people. Just ask the people of Crimea or the people in the Philippines or the millions in Syria.
So will all the activists taking to the streets prevail? Will all the marches on Saturday, Jan. 21 make a point? I hope so but we will all have to keep on the case, stay the activists and despite whatever will be thrown our way, keep it up. That is the only way to keep our country democratic and on the right path. Elsewhere and otherwise? It will be a plutocracy, a business rules, a no ethics government, a war torn globe upon which we dwell, a dictatorship of America and if you think that cannot happen - think again and why not pop in on the series the Man in the High Castle and checkout how it works, what fear does to people.
Time to be strong, people. Time to be brave. Time to be honest and time not to despair and give in. Nor should we look at sops to keep our attention. In any case, one mystery has been solved right here in the Village, For years people have asked just what David Israel does all day every day in UCO, Sundays included. Well, the secret is out. He listens to some global streaming radio, looking for green dots to click on and admits it is habit forming, addictive. What a waste of time, especially when the Village is in such desperate straits. And Gracie, my foolish friend, though perhaps you cannot help yourself, I know that we pay for everything here in the Village and that is the point. We should not!! There are other people responsible for some of these payments and there are other people responsible for setting up payments we do not need for projects we do not want and for wasting literally millions of our funds on criminally negligent other projects. But you just keep trundling along, Gracie and hope you do not trip over your own feet and words.
In the meanwhile we will use our words to try to right the wrongs, to be our own Don Quixotes, successful ones. Cinderella had a fairy godmother and a handsome and good king. We do not. We are our own pathways and tools of justice and fair play and proper government. Things do happen every day and we must make sure that they are the correct things to happen and if not, to make it so as we correct the wrongs. If not - I fear greatly for the future of us all. Vigilance, people, vigilance and action.
Sunday, December 18, 2016
"UNPRESIDENTED"
Last nite after the show when talking of Trump's apparent inability to spell and no, I have never heard any reason for it such as dyslexia or any other learning disability other than the fact that our esteemed president to be is a dunce! We have seen that more often than we care to acknowledge and yet, there it is. Anyway, I was told that it is time to "let it go". Nope, I think not and evidently so do millions of others both here and around the world.
So an action which he wanted to state that it was unprecedented became the above. Words just flow out of his mouth - as long as they are fantastic or terrific or bigly and can be repeated time and time again for we all know how difficult he finds it to string together enough words for a complete and intelligent sentence and thus Twitter is the only way he has found to communicate.
But why not let it go? Why not accept the fate of us all and accept this man as the true nominee and winner, the next president? Because, probably, I am so hoping that some miracle will occur and he will not. And while I truly have come to believe more and more that in a righteous election, without the planned interference by Putin, by a fan of Putin from England who pumped out anti Hillary emails with that "fake news" and outright hoaxes, without Comey's doings, that in a true election, Hillary would have won - hands down, in every which way. Indeed, she has won the popular vote by almost three million voters. A mandate indeed!
Another term arises or comes to mind when discussing this whole incident and no, it is not mine but one I rather borrow from some intelligent writers. One such term is "useful idiot". Interesting, yes? It is one who allows himself/herself to be deluded, to be ignorant, either naturally or purposely, and to be used by others in a poor manner for a wrongful result. Hello out there!! Has that not been the case here and is it not the still ongoing case as people who realize what they have done are counselling to let it go, wait out the four years - if we even have that!
The Electors have a ballsy decision to make. I know what they should do, in fact, what the original wording states they should do - elect a qualified candidate for the office. Hello again! That certainly leaves someone out, does it not?
Unprecedented is what we have when the electee is incapable, intellectually deficient and it is going to be left to his daughter and son in law to run the government while he just shouts away and gives away the store - the American store. Our country.
Unprecedented is the fact that this is not, was not, a true election and for the first time in history it was hacked by an enemy country, aided and abetted by one of the candidates, knowingly or unknowingly and I know where I land on that choice, so that we are now for all intents and purposes a subsidiary of Russia, caught in the orbit around Putin, a true demagogue, admired greatly by Trump.
Unprecedented is the rate at which protest grows. Notes on subway walls that are now being collected as a historical moment, thousands upon thousands of emails, letters, calls, etc. to Electors to do something, anything, but get that man away from the helm.
Unprecedented is the rate at which celebrities turn away from him, he who brags of his own celebrity status. It is unprecedented as we see how many protests are sent to a world class singer, begging him to not sing at the Trump inauguration events.
Unprecedented is the fact that we will have a president who thinks that the country is here for the singular purpose of furthering his business profits and since he could not do so well on his own and needed his dad to help him and now his children, well perhaps he could shine here, huh? Never mind ethics for the man has none. I have called him amoral and yesterday so did a columnist.
So Charles Blow tells us to "stiffen our spine" and Loretta Lynch tells us, tells students that "You all are the ones who have the courage to walk with us. Without people who are willing to stand up and say that they have an issue or problem or something ...we would not be able to move these issues forward." And so in unprecedented figures, we, the ancient activists, who thought we had achieved and reached our goals, that we had found a way to insure that rights were a given, we, who had looked forward to retirement and a job well done, we now have to come back and join with the young, with the disillusioned voters, with the "regreters", and see that right is done, that rights remain, and that we are watching! Oh yes we are.
No, we cannot just let it go. Not for the sake of the future and not for our own sakes. Now we have a new appointee for the manager of the budget, the same dude who voted to let the country come to a grinding halt, the same man who belonged to the so badly misnamed "Freedom Caucus", and he will join the government that now has a practically complete roster of appointees who will manage the destruction and takedown of their very departments and responsibilities and then why there we will be with no government other than the Trump royalty! Not for me!!! I will not let it go for if I do, if we do, we have resigned our rights, resigned our historical rights as Americans and helped destroy the American dream.
And if you think that it is any different here, in the Village, it is not. So many have stated in so many words that the only way to get David Israel out of office is to let nature takes its course. Well, I beg to differ. We cannot, must not, allow this situation to continue. We are approaching the financial collapse of our Village, the fees are becoming more than many can handle and we are out pricing ourselves in fees for what we represent ourselves to be. We are not a luxury development, not in any way and while we have some wonderful amenities, we also have a weak and corrupted UCO in many ways, a UCO that does not stand up for the rights of the residents and instead serves the needs of Levy. We eat millions of dollars in repairs, wrongfully so, and he just sits and grins his troll like grin. We are being pushed into another potential fiasco what with this broadband and Atlantic Broadcasting. Just who the hell are they and I could care less about the future, etc, that we are being drowned in unless and until things and rules are changed. Internet is NOT a utility and hey, this new administration to be has been stating that time and again! All UCO is entitled to do is bargain for cable . Period. Those who wish, already have what we need and want with some associations wired up individually, other people paying for what they want as their building does not want the other way and quite frankly I am happy with Comcast and by the way did you know that this new company wants to swap HBO for EPIX. Yup! EPIX which shows old movies, lots of golf and no Game of Thrones!!! and other shows you like. Hey, they would save money on that deal and screw us! But David Israel wants this. Ed Black wants this. Lanny Howe wants this so who are we to gainsay this? We are the residents and we have voted this down before, voted down the increase that would come along with this on top of the $15 to $25 increase that many associations are now facing, to the detriment and dismay of their owners, but hey, David wants what he wants and WPRF refuses to pay for what they should and here we are. Let it go? Oh no, that is for Elsa to sing as she announces her independence and we announce ours, here and in the country with the statement that we will not let it go!
Big job, but as a character in a book said, "You eat the elephant one bite at a time." Sun
Tzu, an ancient war strategist whose words are still valued today, said, " The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent." Yet here I differ with him for we must let them know, here and nationally, that we have our goals and we will go for them, not forsake them. We will not let go of our responsibility to ourselves, to others and to our historical integrity. We will remain what we are supposed to be, what people have shed blood for and here in the Village, we will remain what we are supposed to be, a well run middle class development with a heart and with a brain which knows how to value and how to choose.
Ezra Taft Benson said "Some of the greatest battles will be fought within the silent chambers of your own soul." Well said. Look into those chambers, look into your soul and think of those at risk for the future, your own kids and grandkids and the millions of people in this country and around the world. Here in the Village it is so small compared to the larger responsibility but it is all part and parcel of the same issue. Right is right, wherever and whenever. Hey, go see Rogue One and hear the words of truth from them - there must be hope, there must be aspirations, carefully chosen and fought for. May the force be with all of us!!!
Friday, December 16, 2016
LIES AND LIES AND LIES. QUALIFIED MANY TIMES TO BE UNQUALIFIED!
What are we doing and what are we allowing to be done. This president elect is certainly not qualified to become president of the United States, a leader of the free world, a representative of what we should stand for. But if this happens, we shall stand for lies, stupidity, nastiness and danger. Every time I think that he has reached the peak of his garbage, he amazes me as he tops himself, even as he sinks further into the filth that he has created, into the morass of his own doing. For instead of draining a swamp, he has inserted himself and his family into one, one that grown ever larger and gives off more poisonous fumes every day - no, every hour!
If the Electoral College - which should be eliminated anyway as an antiquated idea - truly did its job according to the words of its empowerment by our founders, it would not vote for Trump for it states that these votes must be given to a qualified candidate and G-d above knows that this man is for sure not that!! At times, in fact, most of the time, I wonder if this man even knows the meaning of truth and I suspect that his children have the same low morals or lack thereof as they seem not to understand the idea of separation of government and private business for the President and the reasoning behind it. They seem not to have learned that one must leave the at times crass dealings of the business world behind, not sell their soul for money, their access for money, their honor for money!
Weeks before inauguration this man is still in his high school years, tweeting away with lies and threats and implied revenge. One can just see him sitting deep into the night or early morning hours, writing mean stuff about his supposed enemies and they range from a college coed who dared to ask a question to a magazine editor who gave a restaurant of his a bad review - and this man is expected to separate from his business - to anyone who criticizes anything that he says or does or owns or whatever!!! Hey, I am up early so again, Mr. Trump, call me and we can have a nice chat - that is if you can string words enough to create a sentence and without using the words terrific or fantastic or using repetition as a constant in your typing or speaking. It is bigly annoying!!
So, latest lies? Here goes. That the information about the Russian hacking was not released until after the election. Wrong, wrong yet again. By October there had been information made clear to the public and what was not done was publically accuse or put the blame where it belonged - on the Trump campaign and G-d help us if it belonged to Trump too!! So twice this week Trump lied about this. Shocking, huh! Not really, for the truth barely ever leaves his lips.
And the poor editor of Vanity Fair for here is what Trump states about him - "...big trouble, dead! Graydon Carter, no talent, will be out!"
And the sleazy practices continue as the princes and the princess sell access to them to the highest bidder, ostensibly for charity but who knows where the charity dollars go and it is still sleazy and suspect, especially when these dudes are so engaged in the transition government and in proposed future dealings and these bids come from business people!! Separation anyone? Items to sell - yes but access - no. Emphatically so!!
And the news keeps a comin'. The Russians hacked the email server of the Pentagon. Whew!! The Russians hacked numerous servers and systems dealing with the election and voting and the people involved and here we have a man who praises Putin, who anticipates such a friendly relationship, whose proposed Secretary of State has even received an award from Putin, who has great dealings with them and has fought for them - over the interests of his own native country!!
And the care and concern for the private citizens of the country. Wow, I am so underwhelmed!! People are beginning to wake up that rescinding, destroying the ACA or Obamacare will leave millions without medical coverage and care, once more people will be left to rot with their syndromes and diseases. Diabetics will fall ill and die, needed medicines for many diseases will not be attainable and the list of problems and truths go on. So in a fit of uh oh, now Ryan and company are promising "access" for all, that coverage will be available to be bought. Really? Who will be able to afford it? Who says the insurance companies will go along with this as the system must be balanced with healthy people buying so as to cover the costs of the truly ill, emergencies and chronic. They are pulling out, threatening to pull out even more if the ACA is disemboweled and then go look for insurance! Ha! It will be the same thing of charity and emergency room visits, costly visits, wasteful visits and poor medical care and coverage for a huge swath of the population of the country. Thank you, Ryan. Thank you Trump, thank you all you crocodiles.
Again, I ask, what are we doing? What will we do should there be no out at the present? Will we have to wait till the lies of this man rise to the "have had it" level and he is impeached or shall we wait until he and his family sink under the weight of the suits against him and have the world gape at the spectacle of the president sitting in court in the defendant's seat! Awful!!
Unqualified is exactly that. Again, there has to be a way to disallow a minority winner whose morals and future are viewed as contemptible and poor by most of the nation and every day brings more and more doubt and worry Go sit in a doctor's office or at any gathering. Talk to someone in line with you and just hear the worry, the contempt, the fear, the frightened fear. This man's presidency is something to be worried about for sure and will demand great care and watchfulness. The ACLU says they will be watching and so will millions of others. There will be millions watching and acting to make sure that rights do not go backwards, that we do not retreat into the Middle Ages.
Join with those millions whatever party you belong to. Join the party of the Americans who respect rights, the rights of all. Get behind the one you are most worried about and make your thoughts known. March, speak up and speak out, call, write, and hey, twitter! 2 AM is a good time to do just that!
If the Electoral College - which should be eliminated anyway as an antiquated idea - truly did its job according to the words of its empowerment by our founders, it would not vote for Trump for it states that these votes must be given to a qualified candidate and G-d above knows that this man is for sure not that!! At times, in fact, most of the time, I wonder if this man even knows the meaning of truth and I suspect that his children have the same low morals or lack thereof as they seem not to understand the idea of separation of government and private business for the President and the reasoning behind it. They seem not to have learned that one must leave the at times crass dealings of the business world behind, not sell their soul for money, their access for money, their honor for money!
Weeks before inauguration this man is still in his high school years, tweeting away with lies and threats and implied revenge. One can just see him sitting deep into the night or early morning hours, writing mean stuff about his supposed enemies and they range from a college coed who dared to ask a question to a magazine editor who gave a restaurant of his a bad review - and this man is expected to separate from his business - to anyone who criticizes anything that he says or does or owns or whatever!!! Hey, I am up early so again, Mr. Trump, call me and we can have a nice chat - that is if you can string words enough to create a sentence and without using the words terrific or fantastic or using repetition as a constant in your typing or speaking. It is bigly annoying!!
So, latest lies? Here goes. That the information about the Russian hacking was not released until after the election. Wrong, wrong yet again. By October there had been information made clear to the public and what was not done was publically accuse or put the blame where it belonged - on the Trump campaign and G-d help us if it belonged to Trump too!! So twice this week Trump lied about this. Shocking, huh! Not really, for the truth barely ever leaves his lips.
And the poor editor of Vanity Fair for here is what Trump states about him - "...big trouble, dead! Graydon Carter, no talent, will be out!"
And the sleazy practices continue as the princes and the princess sell access to them to the highest bidder, ostensibly for charity but who knows where the charity dollars go and it is still sleazy and suspect, especially when these dudes are so engaged in the transition government and in proposed future dealings and these bids come from business people!! Separation anyone? Items to sell - yes but access - no. Emphatically so!!
And the news keeps a comin'. The Russians hacked the email server of the Pentagon. Whew!! The Russians hacked numerous servers and systems dealing with the election and voting and the people involved and here we have a man who praises Putin, who anticipates such a friendly relationship, whose proposed Secretary of State has even received an award from Putin, who has great dealings with them and has fought for them - over the interests of his own native country!!
And the care and concern for the private citizens of the country. Wow, I am so underwhelmed!! People are beginning to wake up that rescinding, destroying the ACA or Obamacare will leave millions without medical coverage and care, once more people will be left to rot with their syndromes and diseases. Diabetics will fall ill and die, needed medicines for many diseases will not be attainable and the list of problems and truths go on. So in a fit of uh oh, now Ryan and company are promising "access" for all, that coverage will be available to be bought. Really? Who will be able to afford it? Who says the insurance companies will go along with this as the system must be balanced with healthy people buying so as to cover the costs of the truly ill, emergencies and chronic. They are pulling out, threatening to pull out even more if the ACA is disemboweled and then go look for insurance! Ha! It will be the same thing of charity and emergency room visits, costly visits, wasteful visits and poor medical care and coverage for a huge swath of the population of the country. Thank you, Ryan. Thank you Trump, thank you all you crocodiles.
Again, I ask, what are we doing? What will we do should there be no out at the present? Will we have to wait till the lies of this man rise to the "have had it" level and he is impeached or shall we wait until he and his family sink under the weight of the suits against him and have the world gape at the spectacle of the president sitting in court in the defendant's seat! Awful!!
Unqualified is exactly that. Again, there has to be a way to disallow a minority winner whose morals and future are viewed as contemptible and poor by most of the nation and every day brings more and more doubt and worry Go sit in a doctor's office or at any gathering. Talk to someone in line with you and just hear the worry, the contempt, the fear, the frightened fear. This man's presidency is something to be worried about for sure and will demand great care and watchfulness. The ACLU says they will be watching and so will millions of others. There will be millions watching and acting to make sure that rights do not go backwards, that we do not retreat into the Middle Ages.
Join with those millions whatever party you belong to. Join the party of the Americans who respect rights, the rights of all. Get behind the one you are most worried about and make your thoughts known. March, speak up and speak out, call, write, and hey, twitter! 2 AM is a good time to do just that!
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