Not looking good

[Sue U]

Thought provoking post Sue--thanks.

I will follow this guy's stuff, thanks for sharing!

Will Bunch is really quite good, and usually brings the hard facts to support his sometimes bracing (for "legacy media") opinions -- although this particular column is more feelings and vibes, but still a thoughtful argument. His continued tenure at The Inquirer is a major reason I keep reading it.

[Burning Petard]

I live in the home delivery area for the Philly Inky and it was my favorite daily paper. One knew what the neighbors were reading. The local Wilmington News was in a clear plastic bag, the Inky in a yellow bag, the NY Times in a blue bag. The bags were ideal for picking up dog poop.
Eventually the NY Times delivery became very undependable. The Inky had a glorious tradition and more fun than the NY Times, but it began shrinking the writing staff and my favorite columnist moved back to the West coast. The owners changed often. The paper seemed to me to be skidding into the journalism of Gannett and USA Today. I dropped it. and began depending on the online version of newspapers. Never got the Inky after a phone marketer explained to me the only reason for getting the paper was for the sale coupons. So Sue, you nudged me into getting the 13 week digital trial subscription to at least give it another look. Thanks.

Snailgate

[BoSoxGal]

[Joe Guy]

A scorpion, not knowing how to swim, asked a frog to carry it across the river. “Do I look like a fool?” said the frog. “You’d sting me if I let you on my back!”

“Be logical,” said the scorpion. “If I stung you I’d certainly drown myself.”

“That’s true,” the frog acknowledged. “Climb aboard, then!” But no sooner than they were halfway across the river, the scorpion stung the frog, and they both began to thrash and drown. “Why on earth did you do that?” the frog said morosely. “Now we’re both going to die.”

“I can’t help it,” said the scorpion. “It’s my nature.

[BoSoxGal]

Did anyone else see the news about the text messages that went out to black people across America, telling them to prepare to be picked up for transport to the nearest plantation for cotton picking?

I know, that sounds absolutely ludicrous. But I am not making it up. The FBI is investigating as we speak.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/racist-tex ... s/62851189

[Bicycle Bill]

If there's anything this election teaches us, it's that we still haven't learned a damned thing.

-"BB"-

[MajGenl.Meade]

Did anyone else see the news about the text messages that went out to black people across America, telling them to prepare to be picked up for transport to the nearest plantation for cotton picking?

I know, that sounds absolutely ludicrous. But I am not making it up. The FBI is investigating as we speak.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/racist-tex ... s/62851189

Yep - NPR, or whatever they are these days, was all over it yesterday. Now that I'm a realtor (no,really) and my wife works four or 5 days a week too (requiring me to drive her 20+ miles to work, go home, pick her up 20+ miles and then drive home), I have a lot more time to be depressed in the car

[BoSoxGal]

I have quit watching the political news entirely. I just can't. Because of my current caregiving assignment I do see local news and a bit of national news at noon and again in the late afternoon - when the political stuff comes on I mute the TV and avert my gaze. I will not say his name or listen to a word he speaks. So I guess I'm going into a bubble for the next 4 years, or at least I will try to. I just can't watch it happening again.

You folks here can alert me if the call to arms for resistance fighters goes out, I'll happily join. Oh and I am re-activing my law license so I can do election integrity volunteer work and volunteering with immigrant advocacy groups here as well. That's what I can do.

[Sue U]

I have quit watching the political news entirely. I just can't. Because of my current caregiving assignment I do see local news and a bit of national news at noon and again in the late afternoon - when the political stuff comes on I mute the TV and avert my gaze. I will not say his name or listen to a word he speaks. So I guess I'm going into a bubble for the next 4 years, or at least I will try to. I just can't watch it happening again.

You folks here can alert me if the call to arms for resistance fighters goes out, I'll happily join. Oh and I am re-activing my law license so I can do election integrity volunteer work and volunteering with immigrant advocacy groups here as well. That's what I can do.

Don't worry about what you have no control over; all we can do is focus on the work that's in front of us and do what we can to advance the cause of justice. As my faith teaches, "You are not obligated to complete the work; however, neither are you free to desist from it."

[MajGenl.Meade]

[Burning Petard]

I love this quote from Will Bunch, discussing the Trump cabinet appointments, in the Sunday Philly Inky: "we ought to be paying less attention to the utter absurdities of these nominations and focus more on how he plans to impose them on an American public that mostly just wanted lower prices at Chipotle, not get a health and human services secretary telling them not to eat there. At the risk of making the world’s worst Dad joke (which is redundant), the president-elect might be spending every waking moment with the Tesla guy, but he is telling America he plans to rule by Fiat."

But reality requires more than cuteness. There needs be serious self-consideration of how we got it so wrong.

snailgate

[Big RR]

There needs be serious self-consideration of how we got it so wrong.

It will be painful, but we have 4 years to see how wrong we (meaning the US) were. Some people don't learn unless they're hit over the head with the consequences.

[BoSoxGal]

I still feel more than a little bit shell shocked.

Do you guys remember when they finally called it for Joe four years ago? People went into the streets and danced and celebrated - not just in Philly, but around the nation, and even in some other places around the globe. Here's a reminder: https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/11/0 ... rig-kj.cnn

I never saw that before in my 50 years of living and paying close attention to politics. We then got served four years of relative return to normalcy, a strong and ever improving economy, wages which did outpace inflation even if only ever so slightly, etc.

I have really lost my remaining faith in humanity over this last election. Where did 8 million voters go? What was on TV that Tuesday that was more important than voting? WHY did some people who voted against him 4 years ago decide that another round of him was just the thing???

[Big RR]

FWIW, I am glad I'm getting older; I only hope I die before I lose faith in democratically electing leaders because, if that doesn't work we are doomed as a people. And this last election has pushed me to question that faith even more than I ever had before. It reminds me of the high school election where people got together and voted for the jerk for class (or student council or whatever) president to piss off the others. Sure, there are some who supported Trump (I still don't understand why), but I am even more puzzled as to why some who saw him for this ass he is still voted for him or abstained from voting. It could be racism, but I have a feeling that its something else combining with it. Maybe we'll learn, but if Nixon didn't teach us abut the value of our vote, and W didn't reinforce that, I am not sure that Trump will.

[Burning Petard]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-transi ... 51121.html

This link is to a 'new' story that Trampers are preparing to court-martial upper officers for the way the military withdrew from Afghanistan. Me, I think this is all smoke and mirrors. No real officers will be court martialed, specially not the threatened Treason, the only crime defined in the Constitution

The withdrawal date was set up by the Trump administration. That alone is not something the Trumpers will want to get into.

snailgate.

[BoSoxGal]

JACK CADE: Valiant I am.

SMITH [aside]: A must needs; for beggary is valiant.

JACK CADE: I am able to endure much.

DICK [aside]: No question of that; for I have seen him whipp’d three market-days together.

JACK CADE: I fear neither sword nor fire.

SMITH [aside]: He need not fear the sword; for his coat is of proof.

DICK [aside]: But methinks he should stand in fear of fire, being burnt i’ th’ hand for stealing of sheep.

JACK CADE: Be brave, then; for your captain is brave, and vows reformation. There shall be in England seven half-penny loaves sold for a penny: the three-hoop’d pot shall have ten hoops; and I will make it felony to drink small beer: all the realm shall be in common; and in Cheapside shall my palfrey go to grass: and when I am king,– as king I will be,–

ALL. God save your majesty!

JACK CADE: I thank you, good people:– there shall be no money; all shall eat and drink on my score; and I will apparel them all in one livery, that they may agree like brothers, and worship me their lord.

DICK: The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.

I have never been so grateful for all the good lawyers - the ones who will hopefully stand in the breach and get us through intact.

And I guess it is true that there is little in heaven and earth that is not dreamt of in Shakespeare's philosophy.

[ex-khobar Andy]

We have two years, not four, until the mid-terms. We can at least vote out his Congressional enablers and seriously weaken Trump. And, FWIW, I have taken - after much sober and not-so-sober soul searching - decided to take out US citizenship so I can vote in November 2026. I don't seriously think that I will make much of a dent in Kentucky but all hands to the pump.

[BoSoxGal]

Huzzah! Welcome to the melting pot!

[Joe Guy]

I think the truth is that Andy is taking precautionary measures to prevent being swept up by Trump's & Tom Homan's upcoming Shock & Awe mass deportation movement.

[BoSoxGal]

Don’t be silly, they won’t be deporting any fair skinned immigrants, regardless of documentary status.