THE END OF TIME

 From time immemorial, time, its meaning, has been discussed, chewed over, digested, spit out and rechewed again. Was it a limited concept? Did time continue after death? Does time have parallel universes where time is understood, lived, experienced other ways than on Earth? Is time a river, flowing back and forth on itself? Can time be changed, attacked, manipulated? What does it mean to "stop wasting time"? Do we always have a limit on time? Can we use up our allotted portion? Can we make time last forever? How does time pass and can that passage be affected? Is time relative, rather than immutable?

The list of questions can run on and on, but we must deal with reality, such as it is, and understand that there is no time to waste on these supra-existential questions for they have no import in our reality, in the understood and lived definition of time. Wow, don't I feel as if I am back in Philosophy 1, sitting on the floor of the professor as we so earnestly discussed some of these same questions. I wonder if that class was good or bad, a waste of time or a good use of time. Can I get that time back? Does it matter anyway? 

Take a deep look at time today and how we have used and abused it. A federal judge tells a Trump associated lawyer to "stop wasting time" in his eternal plans and efforts to stretch time out, to run out the clock - man-made limitations on time. In any case, why do we set time limits on the prosecutions of crimes, for the injury, the consequences of these crimes send out echoes to the future and back to the past or at least our understanding of that past and its relevancy to us.

Trump has been wasting time for years, though unfortunately that wasted time was ours, rather than his, for while we lost during that time, he was winning, succeeding to hide his crimes, civil and criminal, even as he conditioned too many, so many mis-thinkers, that he has done no wrong and even if he had, it was all for them. Hogwash!!!

He and his cohort are, in fact, wasting time that would be better spent on other matters, such as the 'minor' issues of climate change, the end and ending of time and its relationship to the time mankind has left, if indeed it is a limited time. Over time we once again have witnessed a growth of hatred and violence throughout the world. Is time wasted, perverted, as it is manipulated to service the enemies of society rather than serve the more meritorious? If time can indeed be wasted, then how do we prevent it and get that time back? Or is that time indeed forever lost to us, and the path of humanity forever affected?

More important, can we reverse the consequences of wasted, misused time? Can we undo the hatred, the violence? Can we fix our judicial system where Supreme Court Justices are forced by their own actions and renderings to deny and defend their deterioration and sharp turn away from the proper path and delineations of their responsibilities? Or has time negated that possibility?

Is it possible to turn back the clock and change history, avoid Jan. 6, shatter the rhetoric of poison, where a rebel shouts, " I"m gonna go on a killing spree!" or the filth that spews forth in an ugly, polluted stream of hate from the mouth of Greene who has never yet met an antisemite she did not love, nor any antisemitic, Jew hating statement she would avoid nor condemn. Can we reverse the immigration of her ancestors to this much abused, challenged country of ours? Would these challenges and reversals of time clean time, remove the taint and stains of hate and bigotry and violence?

We must question our use of time. Are we making the best use of it or are we squandering it, hopelessly, more harmful than good, then standing around, dismayed, distraught by what we have wrought, have caused? Are we convinced of our own invincibility as we gaze with imperfect vision at what we have done with our time, completely ignoring the pyrrhic victories we have 'achieved', even as we, in the most poignant definition of war (in Ukraine), "are liberating land, but without people on it"? Win a battle but lose the war is a bitter waste of time indeed.

Throughout the world, right here in America, we are winning some battles here and there, but the victories are often diluted, quickly, as they do not address nor affect the underlying causes that necessitate all the battles. That, most definitely, is a waste of time. Dangerous. Useless. A limited commodity at best.

Personally, I imagine time to be a kind of river, flowing back and forth as decisions and understandings change over time. The river of Time is without will and flows where we direct it. We often direct it into putrid pools of waste, and then struggle hard to reverse that flow. However, the taint, the stink, the stains, of that putrid pool remain on the body, in the river of Time, then absorbed by us. We are wasting Time, polluting, diverting, deviating what should be a mostly clear, unobstructed flow.

In fact, Time is running out.

HORSES AND BARNS AND CHICKENS ET AL.

  Remember the adage of closing and locking the barn doors -unfortunately too late to stop the wholesale stampede of all horses within? Well, remember it again, only this time think of the horses as the woes of another flight - that of the woes and ills which fled Pandora's box of Greek mythology. When the lid was closed, hastily, trapped within was the little bird of hope. It needed to be freed, to enable that tiny bit of hope, of redemption from our own foolish, thoughtless dangerous misdeeds.

So, our horses have fled. What have we left within that now locked barn? Is there any possibility of redemption? I wish, I hope, I pray, there is, but every day, ready to begin anew, I read of another barn door misadventure, more woes being unleashed upon us, more inadequate too late lockings and closings and a hopeless state of despair reigns again. Will we ever learn the proper sequences? That thin sliver of hope, that slight dot of rosy hue on the horizon seems to fade daily, almost hourly on some days.

But hark! Do you hear that strange, muted thundering of hooves? Cannot be. Ah! It is the pitter pattering of huge flocks of chickens and roosters come home to roost, breaking down the doors of that locked barn, filling it again, good and bad, but uh oh! Behind the chickens come the packs of predators, unable to deny themselves the feasts awaiting their predatory behavior. It seems our chickens have indeed come home to roost, allowing us to feed ourselves, to sustain ourselves as we rebuild our missing herds. However, along with the good, comes the bad, the sins coming home to roost, our mistakes, grievous errors, biting us back from whence they come. Always a consequence.

Do we learn a lesson for life, of life from these periodic stampedes? I guess not, for simply take a look around. Our cities have flooded, island nations are swamped, our forests burn, and drought and starvation await billions. Doom awaits on a permanent basis. So... we rebuild. Repeating the errors of yesterday, imposing them on the todays, and threatening the possibilities of tomorrows. 

Repetition of the same errors, not paying attention to the causes, simply treating the results is an exercise in futility and yet here we go, all over again. A deadly deja vu as we ignore the reasons, the causes underlying these horrific Nature events, the havoc they wreak upon us. Rebuilding so the building of blocks can be battered, brought down yet again. Somehow, we never seem to see clearly through the resultant dust and debris and revert to the futile, deadly exercise of rebuilding upon the results of past errors, in fact, compounding those errors, with the definite doomed same results. A deadly Press Repeat button.

Our judgment is faulty. We have lost control of our moral steering wheel. Proof of the pudding? Simple as poof! Appearing before us is a piece of human trash known as Herschel Walker, the spouter of 'god' inspired venom, calling those who need and/or support choice, murderers, calling out the wrath of his manifestly false god down upon those who do not support him, threatening those who would defeat him at the polls, cursing their possible redemption -ever and for always. What trash! What garbage! What ominous signal of a future awaitng us if we do not wake up and smell not the coffee, but the rank odor of rot, of repression, of religious oppression, of death, stark, horrid, and cruel. We have been there before and are almost there again. Ask the experts who have now stated that "we are moving into dangerous territory", are facing a threat to the foundations of our democracy. As the midterms near, be nervous, my friends, be very nervous indeed.

As for the GOP, that wreck of a once noble party, well, it says, "Republicans stand with him" referring to Walker, a man whose own family is not voting for him. Yet there are the diminished members of MAGA GOP, the Trump infected, who will stand behind a human maggot, many of them, in order to gain power and control of the country, not better it, simply control it. People, wakeup. Smell the danger. Smell the fire and smoke, watch the ashes of a once proud America float through the air, piling upon the ashes of Jan.6.

People, lock those doors now! 

BEYOND THE PALE

 Of late I have been hearing people toss this term around and I wondered if they even knew the origin of the term and the morphing it did to evolve into what it is today. In its overuse, however, its sting has been numbed, has become almost meaningless, a   phrase without punch, a convenient go to term to express opposition to behavior or words. It is sad, as its true connotation has been lost - at a time when it is most needed indeed. 

A pale, no capital yet, is a kind of wooden fencing, a term used in the 14th century by the British and the Irish. It was used to fence off the 'bad' from others, thus beginning its journey to the 18th century into the 20th century, usage and meaning. A usage, an implication, an 'inspiration' to evil minds as they acted with it, from it. Therein lies the seed of its most destructive phrase. That phrase is weakened in impact through its overuse, unexplained and unknown of origin, a yawn instead of a scream.

In the late 18th century, the Pale now capitalized, grew in interpretation and usage. It became a notorious term delineating the life, the eternal damned desire to make use of the Jewish people even as they became more constricted and restricted in places to live and survive, mostly to a hand to mouth life with death always there, in the air, in the blood spilled, in the permanent terror that lived in the hearts and minds. Eventually the horror grew, leading to mass emigration to the United States and other western countries. Unfortunately, the vicious viral hatred went right along as well. Peaking most terribly in the years 1933-1945. a Holocaust now denied by a growing mass of antisemitic easily led people who can now freely indulge, wallow in, their hatred, in the venom spewed forth from ugly mouths.

Today, almost every politician has that phrase, uncapitalized pale, as a go to term used to express strong disapproval and distancing. However, the constant war between 'walk and talk' is present and center, most often showcasing sheer hypocrisy, egregious to the nth degree, diluting, polluting, weakening its important historical meaning and implications for the future of humanity.

When caught out in the open, these hate proliferating worst specimens of humankind try to wimp out, labeling name calling by 'outsiders' as beyond the pale even as they are the main purveyors of this virulent talk and even the walk, by others who act out their hatred with the implicit, even explicit, approval and urging of these most awful 'leaders' who then call that action beyond the pale. Its current meaning and usage weaken its historical imperative, most unfortunately. 

A lawyer of Trump caught with her hand in the cookie jar, mouthing off with some bad statements, now maintains that "people were a bit confused". Ya' think! However, she allowed thoughts of greed, of power, of fame, whatever floated her boat, along with others in the same mass of 'confused' people, to take her along the path better avoided, perhaps a 'pale' area.

All this and more has led to a time of evil, when evil is either not recognized as such, or worse, is known and meant to be evil, is so visibly "Beyond the Pale" in every sense and degree of the phrase. Simply put, it is evil personified, welcomed making a return from evil, a denying of the temptations of evil most difficult to expunge from one's heart, soul, and arms.

A famous Jewish Italian writer, Natalia Ginzburg, wrote in an essay, that "Once the experience of evil has been endured, it is never forgotten." 

How so awfully sad and true.

Please note that there will be no posting tomorrow as it is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonements". It isa time when soul examining by all, particularly during these turbulent times, is a truly good idea.

I wish all a Sweet New Year, filled with health, happiness, prosperity and most of all- Peace.

OOPS! THERE IS!

  There is? What is? Well, you know the saying:  "There oughtta' be a law". Unfortunately, there probably is a law pertinent to the matter at hand. The only problem is that these laws are flouted, many times right there in the open. And what happens? A great big nothing. Nada! Zip! Zero! 

Actually, erase that last statement, for indeed, much does happen. Society, civil and civic behavior, respect for the law in and of a fair and equitable society are all trashed within the boundaries of the influence of this behavior, this flaunting of one's ability to do what one wishes without fear of consequences. Sadly, there is often a boasting of this Teflon ability to escape negative results of such misbehavior, and, sad to say, general admiration, even envy, for the ability of this person to do so.

What happens to a society when its leaders, the ones who are supposed to be role models, are the very ones flouting the law, boasting about it or try to pass it off onto others. Conveniently for these people, there is always a bus nearby under whose wheels many former friends and associates do reside. Very temporarily, as they go off to a lovely 8x10 room, all 'mods cons', 3 meals a day, clothing free. The dude at the head of it all? He walks away in his bespoke suit, a smirk on his face and a finger to society.

We are, I believe, at such a point in our society where this is the general rule of this terrible game. Hypocrisy, the ability to be a hypocrite, lie through one's teeth while smiling, even as one hand is stabbing someone in the back, even if that someone is a group, i.e. us - well, look how well they do this. Take a gander at the recent behavior of such 'stellar' models for this behavior.

 Unfortunately, these particular gems reside in my beleaguered state of Florida, a state which would be so much better off if these dudes lost their races for office. Gaetz, DeSantis, Rubio all cried out to the heavens at the awful thought of FEMA being allocated funds to aid people in emergencies. Oh, when the disasters occurred elsewhere the hue and cry was quite a scene. Oh, the horror! The government allocating funds for aid to victims of disasters! Theft of public funds, misuse of funds. Now that we have had a most unwanted visit from Ian, well, the shoe is on the other foot. Loudly, hypocritically. Uh huh! Now these very same idiots cry out for FEMA funds. Yup!

Moreover, don't you just love that hate mongering facsimile of a human being, Greene, who claims that Democrats are after Republicans. Oh, yes, indeedy. They are killing them already she cries out. What? You mean the incitement, the approval of violence actually comes from Republicans and their awful, insurrectionist, and/or extreme antidemocratic allies, well, don't worry your little head with logic and truth. Not very important in this New World of ours.

But wait! There's more. Like the ginsu knives! But these knives cut away, hack at the fiber of justice, of unity, of truth, of a civilized, progressive society. Trump, that magical, oh so clever, gifted man, who can simply 'think' things into being, (not that I ever have seen him think) made sure that he put in a 'warning' get out of jail free card when he submitted his records to others, including disclaimers along this line: "Gotta' check my math! You know how dumb I am with math'. And when his scum rose to the surface, well, it became even better. See, once a president, always a president, and all privileges remain, even if those 'privileges'' are now off limits to him. So what, is his statement. His way or the highway. Anyway, he claims he won the election of 2020, thus all things remain status quo for him. Complete immunity against all and any charges. Indeedy! Don't believe me? Just ask him!

However, when all is weighed and evaluated, the greatest harm to this society, to democracy, is the very system set up to insure its remaining true and steady. That is the Supreme Court, along with the Federal system of courts which is supposed to be the epitome of nonpartisanship, of equity, immune from political bias and personal preference. To apply the law. To uphold the law. To change where change is needed, justified, legal. Not to shelter morons, incompetents, partisan judges such a Cannon, now being called out by all sane thinking legal scholars-yet there she remains, blatantly, running tight end defense for Trump.

Even as the very open, awful partisanship grows apace on the Supreme Court itself. Even as one Justice who never should have been there in the first place, now is becoming even more controversial with growing disclosure of shoddy dealings along the line of his wife and her extreme anti-democratic behavior and involvement in the Jan. 6 rebellion. Ugly, folks, ugly and dangerous.

“When courts become extensions of the political process, when people see them as extensions of the political process, when people see them as trying just to impose personal preferences on a society irrespective of the law, that’s when there’s a problem — and that’s when there ought to be a problem,”

And there is. And there oughta' be a law!

Sigh........

SLIVERS OR SHIVERS

 The best and the worst of times once again, rivaling Dicken's presentation of the state of the world at the time of the French Revolution. Humanity was taxed then, as now, with making decisions re their very lives, physical and mental. Were they to choose the higher road, the more difficult, but eminently best choice, or were they to go down that lower road, the one with immediate huge shivers and greed, satisfaction of baser desires and traits? I believe the answer is obvious, much to the negative, a bloody choice whose echoes continue to resound.

We are at the same crossroads, the time to choose, to reflect, growing short, very tight. What we decide in the next few days, months, is the decision as to the future of mankind. Will it support the most difficult efforts of maintaining and instituting democratic governments, or will it cede power to a most base, base in a foolish, self-destructive attempt to shirk responsibilities of the ages?

Slivers or shivers? 

The complete statement is actually that one could see, in most despairing of times, "slivers of light and hope". Yes, we can, but those optimum moments of seeking, finding, and making permanent, those slivers of light are diminishing.  We seek excuses, make excuses, and refuse to admit that we went oh so wrong and must, absolutely, without exception, return to a time when those slivers of light and hope were growing, rather than minimizing to the point of no return.

Many will cry out, protest, that we are returning, rather than moving forward, that we must look to the future for succor rather than from the past. However, the past and its lessons are prologue, (Shakespeare), vital to us if we are to move forward, to engender a positive future rather than the resultant awful future if we only choose the evil of the past and not its lessons for the good.  

"Coming back to go where you started is not the same as never leaving," (Terry Pratchett)

A lesson, an understanding, we must internalize if we are, ever, to return to a better time, a better country, and progress further, taking on the lessons and warnings of the past, rather than imbibing deeply of those errors and indeed, never actually leaving it behind. A most terrible, frightening choice, a time of shivers as the slivers darken and disappear.

Today, in our day, we are facing that crux of a decision, one that will determine our chances of surging forward, or sinking into a so obviously wrong past, that of repression, of harm, of dictatorship, of loss of all personal and general rights as they are canceled, one by one. This is the past upon us to reject. This is the past which our enemies, and yes, they are our enemies, though Americans they are, wish us to reinter ourselves and our future within. Rejection must be the choice! The only, existentially correct, mandatory choice. All else is suicide. Simple as that.

Today, we have brilliant legal minds, philosophical minds, drowning in a sea of rejection of impotence, as a forceful, deluded, violent and dangerous minority take over the public and sources of information. Lies are the coinage of the day. Destruction of federal and state institutions are encouraged, and they have succeeded unfortunately. There is no more trust in a judiciary so obviously partisan. Judges are blatantly flouting the impartiality necessary to ensure justice and ignoramuses are being appointed as the stooges of the crooked, harmful wishing politicians.

In the words of an opinion written in the NYTimes, the Supreme Court has "squandered its legitimacy". That very Court which moved us forward with decisions of morality, of justice, is now a venue, a purveyor, for and of the opposite, eager to destroy its gallant past, its efforts to improve itself and the American society it represented, the justice it was tasked to dispense. 

America, we, have lost so much already. We have allowed the enemies of democracy to gain a momentum difficult to stop, even impede. We have allowed the narrowing of those slivers, those windows reflecting our last hope and dreams, the light which we sought, even as the enemy darkened those critical, endangered, fragile slivers. 

The time is upon us.

 The choice is upon us.

The responsibility is ours. 

No one else.

LAUGH, CRY, REND THE CLOTHES - WHAT DO WE DO?

  Nothing hangs together anymore. Nothing seems to make sense. The obviousness of situations, life threatening, quality of life challenging, to say the least, and nothing works. No more. Past experience seems not relevant at all, and new solutions are s  l  o  w  to come down the pike. When they do, they are useless, or the situation has worsened and past suggestions and plans are rendered moot, useless, a case, too often of too little, too late.

A person needs anchors in life. A person needs something to trust, to be worthy of loyalty, and we all presume we will find that someone or something; however, particularly these days, the item deemed worthy of loyalty is monumentally unworthy. In fact, it is most dangerous to life and limb, literally and figuratively. Out of desperation and frustration, swimming in a stinking sea of uncertainty, rampant doubt, awash with lies, one clings to whatever is on hand.

What exactly is awaiting these swimmers on shore? Nothing good. Nothing they will accept, unless it is coated with a slime of hatred, a scaffolding of lies, and worse, the apparently unstoppable corruption of government officials and institutions. Beyond all hope of rescue. The neglect, the blindness, the desperation, the need of all human beings for some hope, wrong as it might be, even directly destructive of hope in reality, all led and continue to lead, to this most egregiously existentially challenging, disheartening situation.

A catastrophic for all intents a Category 5 hurricane bore down on Florida and is continuing on its destructive track. Climate problem, anyone?

An obvious track of people, from bad to worse, to worst is now unable to be denied, yet it is. Denied.

"Lance Wallnau, a self-styled “prophet” and one of America’s most strident Christian Nationalists, and Doug Mastriano, the GOP candidate who casts his bid for governor of Pennsylvania as a mission from God, are birds of a feather.

They each fired up the faithful at the Jericho March / ”Let the Church ROAR!” event in Washington, D.C., in December 2020, a Christian protest seeking divine intervention to keep Donald Trump in office. And both men were on the ground in Washington a few weeks later on Jan. 6 — each billed as speakers at Stop the Steal’s “Wild Protest” event in the shadow of the Capitol."

And there it is, one tiny example of so many to be found along the trail leading to insurrection. Here. In America.

My heart and soul, my aching head continue to marvel and despair at what we have done to ourselves. It is so easy now to stand and point fingers. Not me! No, it was Trump. No, it was the people misleading Trump. And now, along comes DeSantis, worse than his former idol, now political enemy, Trump. No, it is us, we, who voted them in and continue to do so, or claim we have done so. Even those who did not vote for these people and their ilk, like me, well we have not done enough. Certainly not as these misshapen excuses for people continue to manipulate the heart and soul, the body of rules and laws protecting our democracy, our very bodies, if you will.

Former good people, even heroes, fall by the wayside. Giuliani, Generals of our armed forces, heretofore sane politicians capable of talk, compromise and recognition of their responsibilities to the people of the nation, not their parties, not to cults of personality and yes, insanity. All the while, true heroes, like John McCain, are tossed to the wayside, trashed, demeaned. Those officials recognizing the need to defend this nation, to deny those who would rend it to pieces, are denigrated, abased, and threatened.

A Supreme Court, serving as the last bastion of protection of this nation, its true history, is now corrupted beyond all fixing unless drastic changes are made. Desperate changes, but we are left with nothing else, nowhere to turn, no room to maneuver. Manifestly ignorant, biased, extremely partisan judges have been infiltrated into the federal system and justice is now buried somewhere in some hidey-hole meant to be undisclosed forever. 

A sex pervert from decades ago. His most dangerous wife who allegedly has received backing and support from that previously mentioned molester. Yet another molester, whom the government finally confessed never actually investigating, proving the truth of the accusations, of course, under Trump et al, well there he is, for life. Samuel Alito is so rigid, so oh dear, disappointed when people point out the truth of the partisanship of the conservative members of Court, calls down pity for himself as he took into account the woes the new ruling on the right to choose would cause people; nevertheless, he went ahead and denied that right. Gorsuch is no great bargain, usually immutable from his strict conservative views so unhelpful to the plain people out there in real life. Roberts is ineffective, lost control of his Court, does not know where he stands and how to run the show. Finally, we have the newest Judge, an incompetent, former cult member, extreme Christian fundamentalist - for life. And the feeder courts - just look at Cannon, Trump's patsy, incompetent, ignorant, called out by legal experts, yet there she is, protecting Trump, a good little girl. And there she is, for life. 

No, something has to change. It must. Or we are lost. Forever.

It is against a foe who refuses to recognize truth, know the truth and support it. It is a foe which fits the description made about one of them. One size fits all here.

" ... has also told reporters that she still believes the election was stolen, Jake. So after everything we know, ... still an election denier."

"Even though 60 court cases, all the election boards, all the Trump-supporting governors and attorneys general and secretaries of state, et cetera, et cetera — no evidence of widespread fraud that would have swung the election in any state," "That's just wild. I mean, that's just untethered from all of the facts and evidence."

"That's correct," 

So sadly, dangerously so. The truth.

WANTED, SO VERY MUCH WANTED

 BOLO: Be on the lookout (for): little blond Dutch boys with agile fingers or for Hans Brinker types willing to do what is necessary. Further requirements are not for the brave, the bold, the fearless. Rather we need those who are deliberate in action, act, when necessary, are very much afraid, yet will do what must be done, be they shaking or quaking.

We apparently are backwards, below optimum level for true leaders. The need is blatant, as glaring as the absence of anyone to fill the role. True leadership is forward looking even as they pack along the positive attributes and traditions of the past, the lessons learned, the knowledge so vital for survival. Extraneous burdens are left behind, along with those who seek to enshrine these burdens, the negative attributes which have contributed so greatly to the troubles of mankind.

Take a look around and take note of our glaring, now so obvious, previously either ignored or unknown, unrecognized, lacks in approach to problems and solutions. We did things backwards, always trying to catch up, but falling further and further behind with each presumably restorative step taken. Even as we knew, as we know, we continue to walk the wrong path, tread instead the path of the absurd, the senseless, useless, the non-contributory steps. The results? Actually, nothing positive, encouraging, only more angst and anxiety and further breakdown of civilized responsive and responsible society.

"It's a sign of the times..." - so sang Petula Clark all those years ago, imbued with a positive outlook, a hope for the future. Today, there are different signs of the times. It is to be found in the words of a 92-year-old couple who say, "I'd rather have the house blow away without me than with me." It is to be found in the words of a Venezuelan seeker of refuge who states, "Here I can help my family more than from anywhere else." 

Read those two statements and then contrast them with other words, the words of despair well-seasoned with anger, wonder, horror that such a thing as open rebellion and embracing of an open campaign of lies, conspiracies, of open bloody hatred, the deliberate poisoning of American society, the shredding of our unity, our identity as Americans, one and all. See the resemblance to the dreams and actions of our ancestors who came here with the same goals and dreams, first Papa, or older child, then the rest of the family. No difference actually, is there, other than the fact that we were blessed with brave ancestors who took the risk then, and thus us! Appreciate, share, acknowledge the contributions of immigrants to this country, to the high standards and ideal we once, once, were.

No, the signs of the times, our times, are not good. Instead of thinking out of the box, truly tackling the problem of climate change, inimical to our continued existence, we insist on ignoring truth, on remaining behind, playing an eternal, ultimately useless game of catch up; thus, ergo, here we are. A 92-year-old couple fleeing their home to save their lives, escape from a humongous, monstrous hurricane brought about by and thru our actions, our veering off the proper pathways. 

And in NY, there is a multi-million-dollar project to build moveable seawalls to prevent the disastrous flooding of a Hurricane Sandy. Uh, okay, but in pushing water away from NYC, we only displace it. Water, always seeking a path, will go elsewhere, like Jersey, or Connecticut, or Long Island and so what have we gained? Time? Not really, for time is certainly not in our favor here. Why not lead a worldwide working solution, take the hard step, bite the bullet, and do what must if we are to save the earth and ourselves. Truly. Actually.

Where are the true seekers and thinkers who will tell us that trolling the social media, counting the topic searches is not an answer nor a clue for the answer. The true answers are in our education, in succeeding to teach our future generations the meaning of struggle, the history of our country, good and bad, the attempt to improve, our standing as a leader for the positive, our recognition of flaws and attempts to improve; to wean them away from those who would inculcate the negative traits of hate, bias, greed, disparagement of 'others', of censorship, etc., etc.

Do we have hope of new heroes, of new leaders who will quietly, but effectively, stop the leaking dike, save the nation, or ones who will skate on thin ice despite their bone shaking fear, fulfill their destiny, their duty to themselves, their nation, the world? Will we grow new leaders who will understand when Thomas Friedman truly nails it when he writes that Putin is not waging war against Ukraine; he is waging war on the world. Or the words of a conservative who states that salvation will come from the women, as it is now the women who are protesting in Russia even as the men flee, and the women in Iran who had enough of their downtrodden place in society. All these women face imprisonment, torture and death. Death! As a cost, a purchase price for future women and men, and children, to live in freedom, responsible freedom.

Each and every one of us can be a hero. We all have brains, hearts, minds and souls. We all share in the destiny of earth; no one is exempt from the consequences of past generations misdeeds and oh so wrong thinking, their seeming determination to ignore the reality, the obviousness of it all.

Yes, we have heroes aplenty, if only we would recognize that hero within ourselves.

 

OH, THE WEALTH OF IT ALL

  A beautifully written article caught my eye the other day and then my mind. It spoke of the need to take each day as it comes and enjoy them all, be it a '10' day or a '4' day. There is always something there to appreciate, even if others neither see nor understand. So, I took her up on it and decided to look for the '4's of life - or the '2's or zeros or whatever showed up. If the reality is such, if we are to keep our sanity, or most of it, then well, I vote for it.

Hence ... "moronicity" - noun. A new term coined in the stress filled world of the 20's decade of the 22nd century. It refers to the state of complete immersion in a world of stupidity, where hallucinations and lies are equated with truth. The conflation of such induces a complete state of anomie and denial of reality. Secondary definition: the practice of being a complete and utter moron. Example: Trump, DeSantis, GOP

Ok, Ok, I 'fess up - my word, but ya' gotta' luv it! Certainly, worthy of at least a 5.

 The understatements of the year swim into view, bringing along with them some other days to enjoy, or at least laugh, for if we do not laugh, well, the tears are always nearby as we contemplate the pathetic state of humanity today.

Here are a few you might enjoy.

"singles out Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and Louis Gohmert (R-TX) as two colleagues both of whom he has doubts about when it comes to their mental faculties.  I came to believe Gosar and Gohmert may have had serious cognitive issues.” (Ya' think!!!)

"off-camera insult-flinging between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump is intensifying ...  Desantis called Trump “a moron who has no business running for president,” (Gotta' luv it!)

"NATO's conventional weapons are capable of doing significant damage before any consideration is given to a nuclear option." (So reassuring to think all methods were explored before we blew ourselves to Kingdom come!)

If wishes were horse- We would have herds roaming the land as Trump can imagine anything into being merely by using the power of his mind -uh, that would-be what mind exactly?

“Some prominent figures in the Republican Party … are cagily predicting or even outright calling for violence in the streets if one of the multiple investigations doesn’t go his way,”

Ok. not really funny at all, not even a zero as we fall out of democracy and into autocracy.

 "The assault on me by Mr. Young cost me my career, it cost me my faith in law enforcement and many of the institutions I dedicated two decades of my life to serving." (Said by Officer Fanone at a hearing. Yet another not so funny day.)

 "risk of catastrophic flooding in the uniquely ill-prepared city,"

" “We are looking at really, really major storm surge " (Ah, the wisdom of the ages, as De Santis points out the obvious! Can't do it without ya', pal!}

And the cherry on top, said by a marine scientist -“I’m stressed.”

OH YEAH! Nothing like stating the obvious, but at least it is succinct, to the point and certainly is true for most of us, at least for those who have a working brain.

See what I mean? Either laugh or cry, but something must move one's soul, heart, digestive system or whatever floats your boat. Certainly, it prods us to think, or should, as somehow, we can, is imperative, to fix this absurd world of ours.

Before it blows up in our faces.

Or before we blow it up ourselves. 

Before we die of thirst.

 Or drown in maximum rain and flood events.

Oh yes indeed. Stressed we all are. 

A three day? Two? 

Let us all hang in there together and lend, no, give, a hand to your neighbors in need. Might surprise you how many hands you get in return. And that would be a ten day at last.

DAYS OF AWE, DAYS OF ATONEMENT

  

Tonight begins the celebration of the New Year according to the Jewish calendar. Yes, we celebrate, but we also do a heck of a lot of thinking, mulling, perusal and decision making. Who have we been over the past year? What vows to G-d have we made and not kept? Will we possibly be the same next year, as we were this year - and uh oh, what does that mean with regard to the useless, vain, or empty vows made, or even the earnest, well meant, honest vows that never came to fruition? Where do I stand in this and where does the community in general, for be it a Jewish community or to the mixed bag community of the nations of the world, where do we stand? Where have we walked and where do we plan to walk in the coming year?

Hours of praying. Hours of eating. Hours of mixing with friends and family. Hours of remembering and mourning those lost over the past year. Hours of concern as to our personal future and of those we love. All together in an intermingled state of mind and being. Celebration and contemplation. Joy, fear and awe. Honesty and responsibility. Strict accounting of one's character and deeds. And all the while a chance to reform, repent, apologize, not only via words, but through actual deeds, a change in thoughts and actions. 

But mind you - these vows, these plaintive pleas to the Lord to forgive, to understand that we are weak mortals, that we make errors, that we can go astray, that we can vow to be better, mean to be better, and then fail, fall into some pit, cannot make it over an impediment in the path, no matter the good intentions we began with- well, it is not a get out of jail free card. Not at all. 

The request to forgive vows unkept are only between the Lord and the person, not the trespasses in the world of man to man. No, for the only one with the power to forgive, not necessarily forget, are the ones who have been offended, hurt, even killed via the other person's egregious behavior. There is a wonderful fact-based novel raising that precise issue, The Sunflower, written by Simon Wiesenthal. A concentration camp inmate, enslaved in a hospital, is asked by a wounded, dying German soldier, to forgive him for his sins, from the small to the large to the infinite. 

The decision made is that no, the forgiveness must come from those offended. As the victims were dead, well, certainly, the prisoner cannot speak for them. Read the opinions of others re this decision and what they would have done - though it is indeed most difficult to put oneself in such a nightmare, unreal, yet horrifyingly so, and make that decision.

Over the past year, even for quite a number of years, the community of humanity has trespassed against others in myriad, grievous ways and deeds. From the minor to the major, from the temporary to the permanent, we have transgressed. Moreover, we have not done that perusal of soul in any meaningful way. Simply put, we have not put our money where our mouths are. The result? A world emmeshed in bloody turmoil. A world where feelings of hate are far more widespread and powerfully prevalent than feelings of brotherhood, knowledge of a need for fair, true justice, and a simple understanding that we must do better, be better and can be - if we remember that vows of doing just that are meant to be kept. That not keeping them has consequences, and the only one who can change the situation for the better, even in a small, minuscule manner, is YOU. ME. ALL OF US. No one else has the right to ask for nor expect to receive forgiveness. No one.

"A sham built on lies" is an apt description and evaluation of too many lives today. We lie and lie to support that lie, become caught in a Gordian knot of falsehoods unable to be unraveled without violence. We have indulged ourselves in beliefs and loyalties totally misplaced. The inevitable result is not pleasant. How could it be. The reality of it will not change unless and until we do. Wishing something into or out of existence does not work. Only truth, honor and honesty will - and hard work at reversing one's oh so wrong path. Not easy. The longer the sham continues, the more difficult it will be - to the point of inability, impossibility.

There is guilt by association. Lay down with that mangy dog and you will, perforce, get up with those awful fleas. Forcing others to get the fleas will do naught to alleviate the situation. Just the opposite.

Zelensky has offered newly drafted and veteran soldiers of Russia a stark choice. Refuse to fight or die in the fight. Surrender, refuse to do wrong. Understand that acquiescence in evil is wrong. Obeying the immoral is wrong. A difficult choice, rending the soul, but somewhere, sometime, one must accept responsibility for one's actions, good or bad. The excuse of following orders, or 'they' made me do it - will not fly. We, of this world, are faced with that same stark choice and time is running out. The hourglass empties quickly, double timing.

Between Man and G-d. Between Man and Man. Those are the categories. Those are the differentiations we must make, acknowledge, and reform. We must apply for forgiveness to the proper department lest our application go unheeded. But always, the behavior, the repenting, has to be real. Yet, the Jewish religion acknowledges the frailties of mankind, allowed for intent and straying, acknowledges that we all make errors in life, repeating them even as we know how wrong they are. 

Forgive and forget? No, but forgive in the hope of bettering humankind, this earth, this precious planet given to us, that we have mistreated to the point of almost, I hope, no return. The hope for 'almost' is present forever, the eternal hope which springs eternal in the hearts and souls of people.

During this time for atonement, for evaluation, let us be honest with ourselves, admit errors and misjudgments, ask forgiveness where the asking belongs and know the difference between them. 

At this time, I apologize to those I might have accidentally or even on purpose, offended. I will try to be better, hope I will, even as I hold out that hope for and of you.

For all, a Happy, Healthy, Sweet, Prosperous New Year, filled with Peace - in your home, in your neighborhood, in your country, and in the world.

Shana Tova  Oometuka.

Please note that due to the holidays I will not be posting tomorrow or Tuesday but will, G-d willing, return on Wednesday. In the meanwhile, with the uncertain path of a dangerous storm, be safe, be prepared and take care.

"CUSTODY, DEAD, OR EXILE"

  The three choices of the title have become the fearsome Hobbesian choice for many in Russia. Either one toes the line, or one knows, accepts, that he will have one of the title choices made for him. And please, do not forget that the generic "him" includes many hers as well. One only has to look at the picture of a woman being hauled off by two policemen for the crime of protesting. Her face, the wide open, frozen look of fear on her face says it all, much better than words.

That is today's Russia. That is the country which has been described as "one huge prison". "Prisoned or fined, poisoned or killed" - the alternatives which are now facing the Russians, not particularly appetizing or encouraging. Meanwhile, the opportunity is there to take on Putin, to overthrow his fascist oppressive government, and set up a democracy, hopefully one with strength and the rather new determination of Russians to keep that democracy, work hard for it and not throw it under the bus as they have done with every other one. Saying, pleading, whining perhaps, "Of course, we feel this responsibility. We should have used the opportunity to change our country," former opposition MP Dmitry Gudkov accepts.

"Putin is a war criminal, he is killing people. But how can Russians inside Russia stop Putin? It's not possible."

 But it is possible. Manifestly so. "When in the course of human events" - so goes our Declaration and so should theirs. 

Now compare with our situation. If one engages in legitimate protest, even distasteful, no one is arrested or fined, imprisoned or poisoned or killed without justice. Even the outright rebels of Jan.6 and the aftermath have received justice, via the system or through trials. No one has been killed, other than those using force, resisting orders, or defending the nation against the insurrectionists.

Look further into what is happening here. We have deluded individuals who have issues with our government. However, to spew forth a constant current of lies, to demonize and advocate violence is not the way to go. They will get their way unfortunately if we do not screw our courage to the sticking point (Shakespeare) and fight against the proposed destruction of our nation. If not, we would get an American version of Russia, of any fascistic, authoritarian government, yet another proud democracy falling under the wheels of the buses driven by our own citizens, traitors one and all. Then they too will be subject to the new 'laws' and face the same choice - prison, exile, fine or death. The puppet masters will have won.

We here in America must take stock of what we have and what we stand to lose. We cannot afford to place ourselves in a state of ennui, of self-directed and established ignorance of a reality of a situation facing us, of the choice, the fork in the road. The right choice will demand much hard work - to right the ills of this world. We must all realize that nationalism, nativism, is simply compounding the disasters awaiting us. The earth is one. We cannot save a partial earth for all is interconnected, be it economy, climate, oceans rising and land sinking, insufficient food supplies, waste beyond all reason, lack of clean water, or any water at all and the sheer bloodletting that goes on all around the world.

Modi, of India has stated particularly to Putin (may he be deposed!) that this is not an era of war. Yet it is. All around the world. And the rest of the world has fallen prey once again to the threats and blackmail of a weak, thus, dangerous man, appeasing, even as they know, they KNOW! IT DOES NOT WORK.

If we do not make the right choices now, choose the correct, strenuous difficult actions now, all this will be made for us, with nothing good in sight. Is that what we all want? I do not. And you?

Yes, you, and you, and you. No one is exempt. No one is immune. Perhaps we can co-opt Donald, the Orange Man, who can simply think of it in his mind - and voila! it is real. Dementia in full bloom!

SNAKES AND GUTTERS AND .......RANK ODORS OF SULFUR....AND NEXT?

  There are animals which will chew themselves to bits when trapped, desperate to escape. Interesting that we have joined that class of animals as some of us chew ourselves up in a crazed chase to secure power, to implode and explode this nation. Frightening simply to contemplate, horrifying when one realizes that these same critters will eat you up too in their maddened chase for power, to establish a fascist state here, not merely in the backyard, but taking over the entire house. Ugly scenario, awful possibility. Here are a few tidbits of our present situation.

" ...accusing the National Republican Senatorial Committee of illegally misappropriating funds meant for legal expenditures to purchase political ads." (Gotta love that Rick Scott)

"...scorching him (Oz) for engaging in "gutter politics."   "What a waste".  So true!

The massive re-validating work necessary to ensure the right of thousands to vote.

“We’ve all known that Trump is crazy,” he reportedly told aides following the insurrection. “I’m done with him. I will never speak to him again.” And then McConnell voted to acquit.

 "...they are going to be cutting the head off the snake and defeating Mitch McConnell," Can always rely on that brain dead Greene to show up!

 And now the scarier realities.

 "...greatly exaggerated, grossly inflated, objectively false -- therefore, fraudulent and illegal. ... If he decided to move to Florida, the reality is, he still has to deal with the great state of New York and respond to the complaint."  Re his civil law infractions - crimes and thank you Letitia James. As opposed to the cowardly behavior of Bragg, AG NYC, who dropped the case.

"...Bragg “has abdicated his duty and/or lacks the courage to do his job.”

“It’s dangerous and scary,”  Re his election result deniers who maintain election power in key states. The danger awaits, always there.

"He wanted us to identify the murderers, the rapists, and the criminals, and, in particular, make sure we did not incarcerate them, and we put them in those cities."  Trump's oh so great - and illegal = trafficking plan to deal with immigration issues.

And the cherry on top - exactly who has Deranged Trumpian Syndrome?

• Trump claimed that he could instantly declassify documents during his time in office.
• Trump said that, as president, he could get documents classified just by thinking about it. --Thinking! I think not.

Those above are merely a sampling of the ugliness of the current GOP and its deranged self -appointed leaders and cowed followers. The existential peril he represents for this nation. So much more available, but then again, got to save some goodies for another day. The manifest irony of the entire situation is their coinage and usage of a term "deranged Trumpian syndrome". Created to describe the fervor of the determination of those opposed to Trump and his attempt to overlook laws, break laws, create new laws which never exist, as deranged, so focused it is. However, in reality, not a la-la land which exists only in the deranged mind of Trump and his dastardly enablers, the deranged Trumpian syndrome belongs squarely on the shoulders of those continuing to boost Trump and his sickening statements and belief that he is above the law. Well, all you creeps - go suck an egg. 

The time has come...no, it has long time been here - to face reality, to call that rat, that odor in the air by its true name - the role model for all demented presidential characters. Either we face up to this situation where we are teetering and tottering on a most unbalanced surface or we reap consequences of fear, laziness, cowardice, ignorance, willful and not, and compliance, aiding and abetting, complicitly and/or implicitly, the deranged criminal to remain in power, to subvert a nation, to inflict torment upon the citizens of a once proud democratic nation. 

The choice is ours, though I have grave doubts as to the duration of time left for our last chance.

Now think about that.

Seriously?! Just by thinking about it?! Seriously! Does the man even have one thinking cell working in that damaged brain of his?

I think not. Deep down, so do you.

WHO AND WHAT AND WHY

 Coming out of a classroom, I know the importance of the five 'w's and the one 'h' - who, what, when, where, why and how. No expository piece of writing or reporting can be valid unless those demands are met. Somewhere along the line we have dropped some of these necessities of explanation and created new narratives which inserted false 'w's and 'h' thus confusing the heck out of many and inducing rage in others. Neither pretty nor beneficial, and indeed, quite the other way around. Manifest danger.

I truly dislike using the term virus when discussing the behavior of humans so we will call their deeds, or misdeeds, the virus and they are simply the transporters of said virus, thinking not required and indeed, not desired. People who once upon a time might have had a functioning brain, or the lack of one did not make much difference, are now spouting policy and theories' as if they were the anointed mouthpieces for the nation. P'toi!

"The Founding Fathers said the only way to keep an honest government, which is revolution.”

Well, I do not think that was the intent of the Founding Fathers. In fact, it has always been understood that an armed gathering morphing into action, accompanied by shouted existential threats directed at specific people, is now a group of rebels attempting to disrupt, even destroy that nation's government as is supposed to be, legally elected, legitimate. Such is the way of the law. "Aye, and here's the rub, as they say. We have apparently abandoned the way of the law, the guidance and structure of the law. These rebels, outed or in hiding, plan otherwise using the law for repressive measures and dissolving the rights of the people.

Maybe, just maybe, we can see a dim, flickering, uncertain light at the end of the tunnel, though there remains a long distance to cover to that point. We are now getting reassurances to hang in there, with Lawrence Tribe maintaining there "is not a chance that Trump will not be indicted. In fact, the torrent of criminal indictments and civil trials possibilities, even probabilities, are front and center. Judge Dearie seems to have been a big oops! for Trump as the man has begun on the right foot. Proof. Not talk. 

There is a growing appreciation by the people that Trump and his allies are either cowards or dangerous in the extreme. Or both. To me, and many others, to watch the open adoption of the extremist' mantra, while speechifying in Ohio, accepting a one fingered salute, testimony to their twisted philosophy, to see Trump accept the adulation - and send forth a raised out thrust hand clenched in fist, well, folks, there has to be an end.  We must stand firm and defeat, reject, for once and for all, these rebels, these treasonous, hate filled figures of extreme danger. 

Task Force Butler, a veterans' group dedicated to righting the nation once again, states we must

"hold Patriot Front legally accountable for their politically and racially-motivated harassment of vulnerable minority communities, their terrorizing of local residents in cities and towns throughout the United States, their acts of violence, and their use of American cities as backdrops to showcase for the media and the nation the ethno-nationalist agenda." "After years of looking at this, I have been more than convinced that the FBI, states attorneys general and these local jurisdictions all have more than enough evidence to make moves on this neo-Nazi terrorist gang,". "We as veterans are tired of watching fascists run around, hurt people, and not be brought to justice. So if someone needs to do the homework to make sure that justice is found, we're willing to do the homework." 

Why are there some who continue to follow this most manifest danger to the nation, to themselves, be it out of ignorance or malice, to be part and parcel of the imminent danger he and his pose for and to this nation. 

We need to get on with the necessary, perhaps highly distasteful, certainly tragic task of making this nation safe once again, returning to our manifest destiny in the proper way, on the correct, righteous path. 

Perhaps the Jan. 6 final report and presentation will be the cherry on top and we will see that poisonous man and his virus carrying crew, finally march off in designer orange jumpsuits and we will be safe to find our way back to where we are supposed to be. We are warned that there might be, probably will be, blood spilled and violence. Yes, and that is a most frightening scenario indeed, but needs be what must, and it is our last chance to fix us, to heal ourselves. Hard, distasteful but there it is.

WWG1WGA

  Actually, written as the dangerous ignoramuses do, it is wwg1wga.The meaning is the same - where we go 1 we go all - whether capitalized or not, signifying the dangerous route we have wandered onto, a road which leads nowhere but to rot and danger. The reek of sulphur along that road is paramount conquering all else. It signifies danger that unfortunately most of us have warded off with a wave, a pshaw, and blindly walk along that road even further. In this case, ignorance is not bliss. Neither is ignorance an excuse before the law.

That brings us to an extension of these musings. The extension refers to the growing, by leaps and bounds, question whether or not we are bound by the law anymore.  That is, the sane law, that which strives for justice, a law administered by a nonpartisan judiciary, the members of which are appointed for knowledge of the law and proper application of said law. While it has not been perfect over the decades, it does work well for the most part, though as of 2016 it all went down the toilet.

Trump forgot to flush. He was proud of the mess he laid on us, the stink of which has reached every corner of earth as country after country is emulating Trump's actions, goading nation after nation into a most existential danger of a slide into autocracy. We remain a role model, a paradigm, but the most manifestly, most glaringly wrong one. Where have we gone wrong and why?

We have gone wrong as we proved the truth of the adage that he who does not study history, learn from history, is condemned to repeat it. And here we are, learning the worst lesson of our lives, possibly a lesson which will be the last one we receive, as truth, education, and liberty, will all have waved goodbye, shackled and weighed down so they never again rise to the surface. We will simply drown in the fetid pools of waste we have ourselves created and widened. Some by ignorance and some by vicious, purposeful pollution of the collective mind of America. More accurate - Amerika.

If you have not yet watched the first segment of the most frightening documentary ever, The US and the Holocaust, then do so. ASAP. STAT. A question of life-or-death. Purportedly a report of the awful shameful history of antisemitism in this country, from the highest ranks to the lowest ranks, it is apparent that we are living through, or more accurately dying through the same era, albeit it several decades between them. The same growth of hatred and bias out in the open. The same use of uniforms, vandalism, lies and more lies, reaching ever deeper depths of garbage and danger, and the inevitable result. Poised to slip over the last safety barricade separating democracy from autocracy, from the rule of the sane, to the rule of the insane, the twisted, the selfish, and yes, the homicidal.

In both cases, actually in all cases, we get a person who has definite mental ills contained within a lizard brain. I borrowed that concept from another writer, finding it most apt. We have all seen lizards, geckos, slip away from peril. Always able to sense danger and move swiftly, cunningly, to avert the consequences of prior actions. Always able to convince people of the ability to right wrongs, albeit it through detestable methods. Always the same excuses made for these madmen, always saying that position would change the person, drive him to improvement. Well, it does not; it only gives him more hubris, and we are the ones brought down by that hubris, by that most obvious, egregious disregard for all else, for the rest of humanity, as the be all and end all. The entire truth is that only the man at the top of the ladder counts. The rest? Count for naught. 

Back at the old ranch, otherwise known as Florida, it is proving to be fertile ground for the growth and wellbeing of wannabe autocrats. The pathetic excuse for a man who sits at Mar a Lago hopefully, will meet his well-deserved fate. Sentenced to consecutive terms of long duration for all his sins, for the evil and harm he has inflicted on this nation. He has inspired truly crazed people, crazed in the worst sense of the word, to aspire to leadership.  More terrifying is their success, actually reaching that status, that rung on the ladder. That translates to trouble, a most dangerous trouble. Greene, Graham, Cruz, Gaetz, McCarthy, Johnson, Abbott - the list goes on ad infinitum ad nauseum.

The growing most recent scum rising to the surface of that fetid pool of waste is DeSantis. That man is a fascist from the get-go, from his most inner thoughts to his most awful, frightening statements and actions. That he is proud of what he has done and proposes for the present and future is even more dire, for he is openly treating humans as garbage, tossing them hither and thither, hauling them around the country for political purpose.  As for their welfare, as for justice, as for the right thing, well, those words and ideas are glaringly missing from his repertoire of understood and/or meaningful concepts.

Most shocking of all, though actually not, when one understands him, is that he knows it is wrong, knows it is most probably equitable to human trafficking, admits it, and on he continues. And on his ambitions grow, to the point of challenging his grossly evil role model, venturing yet further along that path through the bogs of hatred and evil. Censorship, education perversion, defying the law, more and more, we see his contents, his building material, and we must find him lacking, deny him the opportunity to become dictator of the former USA, the once upon a time America.

Let us turn aside, away, from the events and thoughts of the Hitlerian era and all that led to it. Let us avoid another such age of humanity, more correctly inhumanity, for it might just prove to be our last era. We must, it behooves us, to better align ourselves with reality, ugliness and all, and spurn, deflect, scorn, reject, destroy the plans and ambitions of those who mean only harm. Evil and death, for these lizards prove to have no boundaries, particularly as they descend further and further into madness.

I fear we are at the breaking point, the point of no return. We are willfully ignoring the truths, deaf to the knelling of the bell and all this bodes only a fate worse than ever before. Think about it. Compare eras. Then think of the weapons available and the heights of insanity and hubris among the so-called leaders. China, Russia Belarus, America, countries of South America - where have we all gone wrong. 

Wherefore and why? Will we correct it all before it's too late. For that answer, address it to the big guy up there. Me, I am at a loss, anxious, and even frightened. Think about it - and you will, or should be, as well.   

SO SORRY

Our flight was 'readjusted' and we had to leave very early in the morning, so no time for computer and certainly no post. I will be back tomorrow morning. See you then.

HORSES AND STABLES AND ECHOES AND SUCH

  There is only one word necessary for the questions of our times. That is the word 'why'. Why are we facing this seemingly unique situation? Why have our governmental personnel, from President or former president to some of the lowest ranks, decided to commit treason? Why has our judicial system, the dispenser of justice, been compromised, openly, yet surprisingly to too many. Why is it that our entire justice system is confounded, dead in its tracks as that horse, after a wild ride, never to return to the stable for the safety of all. The damage done and why, dear G-d why, have we allowed this to be?

We have willfully, willingly, gone ahead with support of our most manifest and evil, yes, evil, personalities of our wicked times. We have allowed them to obscure the truths and warnings of history, the very special parts most apropos of our current horrific reality.

“Wherever law ends, tyranny begins, if the law be transgressed to another’s harm; and whosoever in authority exceeds the power given him by the law, and makes use of the force he has under his command to compass that upon the subject which the law allows not, ceases in that to be a magistrate, and acting without authority may be opposed, as any other man who by force invades the right of another.”  John Locke

Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it; and this I know, my Lords, that where law ends, there tyranny begins.” – William Pitt (Elder) Speech in the House of Lords 

 1680's. 1770. and 2022? Crux of the matter.  Locke, Pitt, just two of the many, including some in our own Senate, who have warned us, denounced those who would impose tyranny upon us, who would subvert our justice system from top to bottom all the while crying out, pitifully, how they are being persecuted. Bizarre. Dangerous. Hopefully, we can turn the clock back, though I doubt it. We must instead be able to walk forward in a new environment and rebuild, restore, reeducate, reinvent. All necessary if America, as such, is to survive in any meaningful manner.

Numbers often can give us a picture without many words. These statistics represent what has been termed a "landmine" left behind by Trump. A landmine that has already exploded, yet carries within much more potential to explode further, more aggressive in its damage to the very structure of our nation, our lives. Our future -and present. Even our past as history will take on the personality indeed of a 'story'. Follow these numbers:

 The six judges on the 11th Circuit are Trump judges,

," Every one of the 234 or so judges that Trump appointed is suspect."

2/3 of the Supreme Court Justices - Trumpians

Federal judgeships are appointments for life. FOR LIFE!

Yes, these numbers and words speak loudly, clearly, and terribly, negatively, to our future as a land where justice is sought, is constantly trying to improve, to be fair to all, to correct its inadequacies and negativities. No more. Not now. As for the future - well someone, somewhere, must come up with a viable manner in which to fix this dangerous blot on our future, on our nation. Soon. Very soon. Like NOW!

How else would anyone have dared to traffic humans boldly, illegally, immoral, so revealing of the evil to be found in the MAGA dominated GOP, the wreck of a once noble political party. No more. Putting bewildered, non-English speaking people come to this country in the name of safety and hope, on planes, away from their appointments in local courts, stranding them, leaving others to take emergency action to help them -and they do - well, this cries out for legal prosecution and consequences, the same as for a lowlife who trafficks girls and women. No difference. Same difference. Whatever you choose.

We are so clearly on a track of no good. We are following a classic downwards directed trail. Follow the path and see, predict, where we will end. Shouts to remove people -no Jews, no 'radical lefties', all opposed are 'antifa', socialists - need more? Have they not reminded you of the words of every dictator, certainly of modern times?! And the books. Oh, the books. Close to 1,700 books already being challenged, to be censored, removed from all public shelves. What next? Invasions of private homes to check their bookshelves? Then come the pyres of burning books, the wisdom of the ages dying before our eyes, even as there are those who gleefully pile it on.

Then, or already, we round up, transport, those we deem lesser, subhuman, unworthy of rights, of value only for the goods we steal from them, the labor we squeeze from them, before they die, the experiments we do on them in the name of medical advances. Then - just rid the earth of them. Burn books - burn people. An ancient mantra so horribly true.

We must, must, absolutely must, pick our leaders, or representatives much more carefully. We must check their behavior of the past and present. We must observe their deeds and follow their words. We must challenge them all, each and every one, for these are the people who make the laws, enact the laws, affirm the crooked, lacking judges appointed by yet another demented megalomaniac of history.

For how long will mankind allow these missing pieces people to dominate us all, to rend rather than repair, to raze rather than build, to produce evil rather than good. These are not the eluders we need. 

We must become wiser, keep those who would destroy us within the stables, unable to inflict harm upon society. If they escape, well, we, of necessity, must quickly regain control. Double down on the mighty tasks of educating an electorate re the values of democracy, re the scams of evil wannabe authoritarian personalities, re the values and the weaknesses of democracy, and the need to be ever alert to protect democracy.

Today, all over the world, we are descending, quickly, rapidly, into a world of darkness. A time when people are of no value other than for their use; if no usage available- just get them out of the way, any way possible. Democracy is on the wane as frightened people, as the toddler does, look to a parent, thinking they can solve all problems, keep them safe. A parent will try, though they have limits, and there are some that refuse, do the opposite. The same with leaders, even as they swear allegiance to legal rule, to respect for the people, to justice, to improvement - their noses grow by leaps and bounds, their tails and cloven hooves hidden beneath disguises.

It is upon us, the people, to demand a good, fair, positive, true to our manifest destiny not to seize land, but to be a good world leader. We must seek goodness in a clever, advancing manner, turning aside all extremes, for extremes trample on those of the middle ground. First and foremost, somehow the judicial system must be kept pure, out of range for partisanship and crooked appointments with evil the aim and the result.

A big job. Perhaps impossible at this point, but we must try, else all is lost and very, very soon.

I am not ready to write off my grandchildren's futures. Are you for yours?