tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14533476682341645412024-03-06T04:25:01.455-05:00INDY BOOMERThis effort is aimed at a broad scope of interests and issues including politics, aging, living in Indianapolis, traveling in Germany and elsewhere, TV, movies and whatever else comes to mind.Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-46993107941581651302017-12-24T21:36:00.001-05:002017-12-24T21:36:43.985-05:00<div class="_5pbx userContent _22jv _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_2b3">
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">I've been mulling over attempting to write some kind of definitive piece regarding the Trump era, and how I fear it represents a serious danger to our way of life as it slings daggers at the very heart of our society. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"> I must admit, I find it absolutely overwhelming. I honestly don't know where to start, or what direction to take it. I'm not even sure how to define how I feel, or what I think of all of it. I feel I am a fairly adept writer, but I don't believe I have command of the thoughts or the words to communicate anything even reasonably intelligible. It's just too deep, too vast. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"> I guess I should take things a piece or two at a time, and perhaps later find a means to bind them all together to form a comprehensive overview of where I believe we find ourselves.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"> I truly fear we are in new and dangerous territory. We didn't get to this perilous juncture overnight. It's been brewing for several decades, at least since the 1950s with the advent of the civil rights movement. We are living in what has become a deep ideological rift - a yin and yang that has not yet found a way to integrate, one with the other. It's difficult to even communicate with each other because we start from so vastly different paradigms. We barely speak the same language, and have certainly developed vastly different philosophies. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"> The fact that change comes so rapidly and from all directions makes our plight even harder to define. Throughout much of human history radical change in the way people lived often took centuries. There do remain people living today who do so much as their ancestors did hundreds, perhaps thousands of years ago.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"> But most of us have been living through changes starting, I suppose, with the western renaissance, and then subsequently accelerating with the advent of the industrial revolution. But even those changes came slowly compared to what has been happening to most of us just over the past 50 years or so, what with the coming of the computer age which has enabled the acquisition of and access to heretofore unimaginable amounts of information, and the ability to communicate much of that information instantly with people all round the world and beyond. We simply don't know what to do with all of it, or what it means to us in the present, how it will affect our future, and how it has enabled us to see into the past. So much of what we long believed to be true about human history has been at least called into question, and much of it has been debunked.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"> Many of us are effectively dazzled by what we see, hear and feel in this electronic age, finding it confusing and frightening. So, some find comfort in "clinging to their guns and their bibles," harkening back to some time before, some vague "good old days" when men were men or some shit. Others, of a more opportunistic ilk exploit our confusion and fear as a means to kindle falsehoods into conspiracies for their own aggrandizement, ascending to power and often great financial gain. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"> Fortunately, others of us manage to calm ourselves, dampen our fears and attempt to look through or around, all the clamor, all the sturm und drang, all the misinformation, all the hysteria and ignorance in an effort to grab onto a trailing thread that will hopefully take us to a place of reason and understanding. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"> The race is on.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;"></span></strong> </div>
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Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-33127545585148776572017-05-04T00:04:00.000-04:002017-05-04T00:04:00.661-04:00<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_590aa75ed33a82098997823">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Donald Trump is insane! His administration is an embarrassment to the Keystone Cops. Everyday, I physically cringe and get not a little nauseous when it comes back to me that he is our president. I have spared nothing in my derision, outrage, sarcasm and disgust. I have been about as merciless with those who chose to vote for him.</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> However, a sobering thought keeps hitting me in the head. Bill Maher touched on this in his "New Rules" monologue last Friday night. In it he stat<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">ed that we should give up trying to change his true believers' minds by cynically bringing up facts. All we're accomplishing is cementing them even deeper in the hardening concrete of their delusion.</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> As hard as it will be, we have to find a way to understand where it is they are coming from. We need to be sincere in our efforts to communicate, mainly to listen and then discuss the issues and attempt to find common ground. </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> This will not be easy, but consider, we generally consider ourselves as being generally smarter and more aware of what's happening than most Trumpsters. I know this sounds not just a little smarmy and condescending. I guess it is. But if we want to break through the barrier between our respective camps, it will likely be up to us to take the first step. It will require that we swallow hard, that we gird our loins (however that is accomplished) and dive in.</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> Frankly, I don't have any idea how to begin, other than for us to go to friends and family and give it a go. I think it's probably best to listen a lot more than we talk.</b></span></span></div>
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Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-70603290353522392852017-05-01T20:05:00.003-04:002017-05-01T20:07:38.389-04:00<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;">Our world wise president once again proves he knows absolutely nothing about
history, in particular, American History. He hasn't so much as picked up
a book anytime in his adult life.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;"> He now claims that that
bastion of racial tolerance, Andrew Jackson would have had just the
right touch to mediate between the north and south, and therefore, would
have avoided the Civil War. What a guy! Never mind that it was Jackson
who oversaw the slaughter of thousands of Native Americans and disp<span class="text_exposed_show">lacing
thousands more. No doubt he would have mustered the sensitivity to deal
fairly with all factions including Black slaves, southern plantation
owners, northern merchants and abolitionists to come to an amicable
agreement that would have been lauded by all.</span></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;">
Trump has also said that he would be honored to have that "pretty smart
cookie" Korea's Kim Jong Un come for a White House visit so they could
"work things out." He has also made an open invitation to Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte to come have a nice WH dinner. This after
calling and congratulating Turkey's dictator Erdogan for his electoral
victory, eliminating all democratic elements of their government.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;">
Notice a pattern here? Coupled with his long time swooning over
Vladimir Putin, Trump has repeatedly and consistently shown an
admiration and probably not a little envy for the world's current crop
of authoritarian leaders. Delusions of grandeur.</span></b></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-64104745770389287712017-04-30T13:29:00.001-04:002017-05-01T20:06:02.822-04:00<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="color: black;"><b>Trump</b></span></i> granted an exclusive interview to what I believe
were 3 Reuters reporters a few days ago. As they were sitting in the Oval Office
discussing - whatever - tax issues, immigration, climate change -
whatever - out of nowhere and totally off topic, Trump produced printed
US maps showing where he had won his electoral votes, laying the on the desk in front of each reporter. Total non
sequitur. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <b><i><span style="color: black;">Taken aback</span></i></b>, the reporters paused, and in some way
acknowledged the maps, and then proceeded to continue the conversation
as it had<span class="text_exposed_show"> been.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000;">
<b><i><span style="color: black;">Trump</span></i></b> is a child. An egomaniacal, narcissistic child. He continues to
have these rallies as he did just a couple days ago in Philly. For what
purpose? Can you think of any other president who continued to have such
rallies just after being elected and sworn in to office? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000;"> <i><b><span style="color: black;">Obama</span></b> </i>
and most other presidents would, from time to time go out on a rallying
tour of sorts to promote some particular piece of legislation, or to
support someone running for political office. But these rallies Trump
has and continues to have are for no other reason than to allow him to
wallow in the unabashed "love" of his rabid base. They are as useless as
his numerous week-ends spent at Mara Lago playing golf.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"> And we're
paying for all of it!</span></span></span><span style="background-color: #0c343d;"></span></span></b></span></span></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-71090854304357644802017-04-23T13:35:00.006-04:002017-04-23T13:35:35.176-04:00<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">If Trump and Pence blunder us into a war with North Korea - or
anyone, for that matter - through their ignorance and careless
belligerent posturing, I think both should be jailed and the death
penalty should be heavily considered.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> The threats they and others
in the administration are making against North Korea are dangerous and
totally unneccessary. Kim Jong Un may actually be more volatile and
unpredictable than Trump. He and his father and grandfather before him
have spent <span class="text_exposed_show">virtually every available won
(NK's currency,) on its military. Millions of North Koreans are
apparently starving, but no matter so long as the military gets bigger
and better. </span></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> We know Un has
nuclear weapons as his disposal, and, at least publicly he appears more
than eager to use them. Even without the nukes, he has a huge # of long
range artillery pieces aimed directly at Seoul which is only like 30
miles south of the DMZ. </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> I also heard on the tube that he has
something like 70 submarines. Now what quality and effectiveness they
are is anyone's guess, but it still seems a real possibility that at
least a few of them could wreak havoc somewhere in the world. </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">
The point being that any statements or movements by the US and/or our
allies could be interpreted by Un as provocation. Keep in mind, it's not
a matter of who could or would ultimately win such a conflict. North
Korea could be rendered nothing more than radioactive ash in a matter of
hours. Again, even without using nukes, Un's million man army could
probably be defeated quickly.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> The issue is how many people
including South Koreans, Japanese and others in the region would be
killed? How much damage could North Korea lay on its neighbors? And,
remember, we have several military bases and thousands of our military
members in the area that would almost certainly be targeted. And it's
unclear as to whether North Korea has any assets here in or near the US.
It's also unclear how China and/or Russia would respond. Would they
back us or North Korea? </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> Given any thoughtful analysis, would military action against North Korea be worth those kind of losses?</span></b></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-32511891388645058282017-04-21T09:56:00.000-04:002017-04-21T09:56:14.938-04:00<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Every
president, every politician, hell anyone who has been in the public eye
for any length of time has misspoken. It just goes with the territory.
We're all human, and we all screw up.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> But Trump and a # of his
lap dogs have taken verbal bullshitting to another level. Many of them
can barely utter a sound that is not a lie or wrong in some substantive
way.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> One just wonders when or if Trump's adorants (I think that's
a word I just made up, but it seems appropriate) will ever come to
realize that lying and generally being utterly clueless is not a good
quality in anyone, let alone a president.</span></b></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-45377636078115797052017-04-17T21:56:00.002-04:002017-04-21T09:57:57.734-04:00<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_58f571882cdcf1c29606054">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Trumpsters are loving his having ordered the launching of 59 Tomahawk missiles into Syria and allowing his military to deploy that monster bomb in Afghanistan. They apparently equate it with Trump having a big cock (which we pretty much know is not the case.) They also seem to have gotten all hot and heavy in love with his threats against North Korea. "Oh man! He's so presidential! Not like that wussy darkie before him." </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> People. Think about this. In less than 3 months Donnie<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show"> has taken us to the brink of war with a country which has nukes and is run by someone who actually may be crazier and less predictable than Trump. All this to pump up his poll <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/s?source=feed_text&story_id=10213363769993084"><span class="_5afx"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz">#</span><span class="_58cm">s</span></span></a>? Wagging the dog to distract us from Russia? </span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b></span></span><br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> His threats literally put millions of people at serious risk in South Korea and Japan including many thousands of Americans - military and civilians - in both countries. And, to believe that such a conflict would not touch us here at home, is at best naive. Americans in this country will die. Perhaps thousands or more.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> Does this give you Trumpees a boner? Is this the swamp draining you were hoping for? Happy days.</b></span><br />
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Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-16028594587587006652017-03-30T13:45:00.001-04:002017-03-30T13:58:00.977-04:00<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Many
of us <span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">wish we could simply remove Trump & Pen<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">ce and install Clinton (or Sanders) as president</span></span>, but I believe if the presidency was simply handed
over to Clinton, we would likely have a violent revolution on our hands.
In any event, the constitution would not allow for that.<br /><br />If
both Trump AND Pence were found to have knowingly colluded with the
Russians, and <span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">both </span>resigned or were impeached and found guilty, the
best result would be, IMO, another election. During any interim period
presumably Ryan would become president unless he too were found to have
been involved with Russia. That would leave us with a President <span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tillerson</span>. Oh goody!<br /><br />Again, I don't know if the
constitution would allow for another election. Congress would, I
suppose, have to enact new legislation approved by both houses, signed
by whoever sits in the Oval Office and probably it would have to survive
Supreme Court <span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">challenges</span>. <br /><br />All that could take a great
deal of time, and considering that the majority of the players in this
scenario would still be Republicans, its success would be very much in
doubt. It could actually take years to resolve, maybe involving a
constitutional amendment. In the mean time the country could go down
the tubes. It all sucks.</span></span></span></b></span></span></span>Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-26442637574220638132017-03-28T11:29:00.000-04:002017-03-28T11:29:08.579-04:00<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Has
anyone noticed that Trump has spent almost every week-end of his
presidency at a "Trump" property which just happened to have a golf
course handy? It is believed that he has actually played something like
15 rounds of golf since his inauguration. That comes to something around
8 to 10 hours on the links every week.</b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b> Remember, during his
campaign he criticized his predecessor for playing way too much golf,
and protested that he would be far too busy to even leave the White <span class="text_exposed_show">House working his ass off for all of us, let alone go out and fritter hours away slicing and dicing a golf ball.</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Well, seems he still sports a rather prodigious ass.</b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>I believe the Trumpster is having buyer's remorse. I believe he finds
himself trapped in a job for which he is totally unfit, which requires
him to suffer fools (as he would have it,) and in which he does not
always get his way. He is not used to being questioned, or having people
tell him no. </b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b> So, he escapes every chance he gets to Mara-Lago
or other places he owns that only incidentally have golf courses. He has
spokesman Sean Spicer and others in his sphere, and even FOXNews lie
for him, denying that he plays golf when he takes off every week-end, or
rather claiming that his golf outings are a way different affair in
that he plays with "important" people, whereas apparently we are to
believe Obama just scrounged around the links with his liberal terrorist
bomb throwing pals.</b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Hypocrite much?</b></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-84192206278517565692017-03-27T12:47:00.002-04:002017-03-27T12:47:33.155-04:00<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_2fa">
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>If
Republicans gave a rat's ass about their constituents, they would stop
their "repeal Obamacare" bullshit, and work to make changes in the ACA
that will make it better. Even Obama was aware and stated from the get
go that the bill as passed was not perfect, that there would likely be a
need to change things as time went on. This was the first such bill
EVER passed by congress and signed into law. </b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Reps complain now
that no Democrats supported their bill, but they conveniently forget
that they were just as opposed to the ACA and none of them voted for it
either. Had there been a greater level of cooperation by Republicans
during the process of setting up the ACA, it might have been better.</b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> The problem is that the two factions are so ideologically divided that apparently little or no cooperation is possible.</b></span></span></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-86844711716223479512017-03-12T15:15:00.001-04:002017-03-12T15:15:43.302-04:00Republican Health Care Bill - Bleah!<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_c">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">Paul
Ryan adamantly claims that the Republican health care bill is historic.
No it isn't, not in any substantive way. The ACA WAS historic. It was
the first comprehensive health care bill to ever pass out of congress
and be signed into law.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000;"> What the Reps have done so far is put
millions of people who currently have health insurance at risk, making
it more difficult and far more expensive - especially for the elderly -
to obtain and maintain health insurance, and providing more tax cuts for
the rich. It there is anything historic in this, it's simply a
reiteration of how self serving, miserly and out of touch house reps
are.</span></b></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-86341524065804355062017-02-06T13:41:00.002-05:002017-02-07T00:00:37.744-05:00TRUMP IS A LYING LIAR WHO LIES ABOUT HIS LIES AND THAT'S NO LIE<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_r">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Donald
Trump is a liar. Everyday he has done something
that in effect sells out the people who voted for him. His so called
"swamp draining" has resulted in the nomination of no less than six
former or current Goldman Sachs executives, and most of his nominees are
billionaires. Several of them are totally unqualified to run the
agencies they will be expected to administer. Some have vowed to abolish
the very agency they will be running. His nominee to head up the EPA
has sued the agency at least a dozen times, and some of the suits are
still unresolved. In effect, he will be suing himself. </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> Now Trump
accuses the judge, and the judiciary in general, of putting the country
in danger with the ruling to stay his immigration ban. </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="color: blue;">PEOPLE!!! </span></span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">
First: Trump would have us believe that immigrants, including refugees,
are flooding into the country unchecked. That is total bullshit.
Refugees in particular are vetted thoroughly often taking anywhere from
18 months to over 2 years to get approved. Even with that, only about
15% to 20% of those applying actually gain entry.</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> Second: Trump
claims that this stay is giving bad "hombres" an opportunity to take
advantage of it and slip in unnoticed. That is stupid bullshit! Anyone who was apt to be stopped under Trump's order would be stopped and
interrogated in any case. Anyone who would not have been stopped before
Trump's order would not likely be stopped under it.</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> Trump can
require all the "extreme vetting" he wants, and it almost certainly will
have no greater effect against terrorists bent on killing Americans on
our soil than the system that currently exists. </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> Trump is a con
man. Everything he involves himself with is a con. He is conning all of
us. He is the ultimate narcissist, and frankly, I believe him to be a
megalomaniac. </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> He envies V<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">l</span>adimir Putin and Kim Jong Un because
they wield great and unquestioned power. Consider how Trump responds any
time he is criticized or denied anything. He goes ballistic; becomes
unhinged, and goes on <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">one of his</span> Tweeting binges.</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> Pretty much his entire adult life he has been the
unquestioned boss. Anything and everything he wanted, he got. But now,
he has more than half the population hat<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ing</span> his guts. Pretty much all
congressional democrats despise him, and most republicans, who have
aligned with him, have done so for solely political reasons, not because they like him. Even his
staff has started leaking shit out of the White House, because there is so little
organization, and it's quite likely that their boss has proven to be the
total asshole to them as he has pretty much been to everyone else. </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> He
defames the press with the intent to silence it. Hitler did the same.
I'm not overstating that. Note that the press is the only business
mentioned in our Constitution. The founders understood the vital role
the press plays in holding our government accountable. It serves as a
check on all of the branches of our government. Again, Trump wants to
silence it. Why? </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> He wants to be our first dictator. He hotly
desires the same unquestioned power enjoyed by Putin and Kim Jong Un.The things he has said and done that point in that direction
are legion. </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> Sadly, Trumpsters are still in their adoring mode.
They believe him to be sent to them by god; that he is destined to be
our savior<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">;</span> that he will deliver our country from evil. They believe he
can say and do no wrong, even though much of what he says and does is
either <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a complete lie or insane</span>... or both.</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> Going on two years now,
pretty much everyone has underestimated and/or misunderstood Trump. Some
of his success has been luck, but much of it has been calculated. As
repugnant as he is, he is not stupid. He knows how to manipulate people.
He manipulated the press. He was the shiny object. The media fawned
over him, on the one hand considering him to be rather a joke, but on
the other, Hey! <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">h</span>e drew the big numbers. His republican opposition never
had a clue. He played them all like a fiddle. In his campaign <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">h</span>e appealed to the lowest
common denominator sucking voters in in droves. </span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> So, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">as long as </span>we stay
in our disbelief mode, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">as long as</span> we still expect him to "pivot" into <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">s</span>ome <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">semblance</span> of a normal president, we will eventually rue the day. It ain't gonna
happen folks.</span></b></span></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-63652550120110680442017-01-24T16:47:00.001-05:002017-01-24T16:47:15.681-05:00TRUMP AND CONGRESS RUSHING TO DESTROY THEIR OPPOSITION<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_10pw">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Trump
and congressional republicans are falling all over themselves to enact
as much carnage as possible as quickly as possible. Possibly, in the
recesses of their limited little minds they fear that retribution may be
coming fast and furiously from somewhere. </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"> Anyone who believes
that what is happening is in any way in our interest is kidding
themselves. Virtually all of it is targeted against their opposition for
the betterment of the rich who pull their strings.</span></b></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-80325029690351751272017-01-22T14:54:00.001-05:002017-01-22T14:56:12.595-05:00WHY WE CONTINUE TO RESIST<span style="background-color: blue;"></span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Trumpsters claim that those of us voicing our negative <span style="background-color: #3d85c6;"></span>response to the election are just whiners.</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>
We are NOT whiners. Yes, we are dismayed, but more importantly, we are
angry at how what is supposed to be such a great country could have
elected such a low life, repugnant, thin skinned, asshole to what is
arguably the most visible and most powerful political office in the
world.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> I've been around long enough to have seen all manner of politicians - good and bad. As much as I disliked Ni<span class="text_exposed_show">xon, Reagan and George W, they are all head and shoulders above Trump as regards honesty, dignity and competence. </span></b></span></span><br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>We are now doomed to at least 4 years of Trump's vengeance and
self-aggrandizement. He is a man having no ideology beyond the promotion
of Donald Trump. He is without any sense of honor, having no
appreciation for the worth of others beyond how well they serve him.</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>I've written a few similar posts over the past few weeks, and they will continue unless and until Trump proves me wrong.</b></span></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-28591422017529500662017-01-21T18:19:00.003-05:002017-01-21T18:22:14.678-05:00THE FIGHT BEGINS<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Just
as most of us - like it or not - assumed that Hillary would carry the
day back in November, we must, as you say, do battle with "cunning,
intelligence [and] study." Republicans and the Trumpsters are nothing if
not cunning which they apply with intelligence and study. They must NOT
be underestimated. <br /><br />Republicans have been working
us for several years going back at least to W's first campaign, and
which was sharply accelerated after Obama's first election. They smartly
worked at state and local levels, taking advantage of redistricting by
gerrymandering congressional districts in their favor. <br /><br />Now,
they have achieved their ultimate goal have wrested control of the WH
and both houses of congress along with a large % of state houses and
state legislatures. They now have carte blanche to put forward their
agendas at all levels. <br /><br />Democrats fucked up royally.
A lot of it had to do with complacency, or perhaps more accurately,
laziness. With Obama in the WH and a democratic congress, we all came to
believe that we were off on a progressive joy ride. Little did we
realize just how effectively the Reps were eroding Obama's support which
resulted in the disaster of the 2010 midterm elections which saw a Rep
takeover of the House and winning many races at the state and local
level which effectively shoved a knife into the heart of progressives.
The rest is history as we are all too sadly aware.</span></span></span></b></span><br />
<div class="fsm fwn fcg UFICommentActions">
<a class="UFILikeLink" data-ft="{"tn":">"}" data-testid="ufi_comment_like_link" href="https://www.facebook.com/#" role="button" title="Like this comment"><i class="_4qba" data-intl-translation="Like" data-intl-trid="">Like</i></a><span role="presentation"> · </span><a class="UFIReplyLink" href="https://www.facebook.com/#" role="button"><i class="_4qba" data-intl-translation="Reply" data-intl-trid="">Reply</i></a><span role="presentation"> · </span><a class="uiLinkSubtle" data-ft="{"tn":"N"}" data-testid="ufi_comment_timestamp" href="https://www.facebook.com/paulfreedcurry/posts/10211828902307555?comment_id=10211829135633388&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D"><abbr class="livetimestamp" data-shorten="true" data-utime="1485040663" title="Saturday, January 21, 2017 at 6:17pm">Just now</abbr></a></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-68036329312359906152017-01-21T13:48:00.000-05:002017-01-21T13:48:00.038-05:00HILLARY CLINTON<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;">I find it disingenuous and wrong that the lambasting of Hillary Clinton continues. People claim that she was a weak candidate. </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;"> Really? </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;">
Does a weak candidate manage to have 65+ million people vote for her -
nearly 3 million more than her opponent and the most votes cast for any
individual - EVER? Does a weak candidate manage that while having to
deal with FBI and Russian meddling in the campaign?</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;">
People claim out of hand that Bernie Sanders would have beaten Trump.
Maybe, maybe not. It would have been a very different campaign. Trump
would have used Bernie's socialism against him, and who knows what
skeletons may have emerged from Sander's closets? Damn few people manage
to be successful in politics for several years without some dirt
gathering at their feet. It is, in any case, a moot point.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;"> I
believe that Clinton's campaign made some mistakes. They wasted time
campaigning in red states like Arizona when they should have bolstered
their standing in Wisconsin and Michigan. Hillary should never have made
her "deplorables" comment nor should never have talked about putting
coal miners out of work. </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;">Of course, balanced against the literally
dozens of outlandish and offensive things Trump said during the campaign
and continues to do even now as president, Hillary was comparatively
very disciplined in her speeches and commentary.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: purple;">Hillary Clinton should be our president today. </span></b></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-34360174485652016442017-01-12T13:00:00.000-05:002017-01-12T13:01:15.726-05:00CLINTON MINUS BERNERS = TRUMP<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">It
is likely at least in part the fault of dyed in the wool Berners who
refused to support Hillary that landed Trump in the White House. Deny
all you want, but any of you who didn't vote, or who actually voted for
Trump simply to spite Hillary, are part of the reason for her defeat,
especially given how few votes in a few key states actually turned the
tide. <br /><br />What makes it sadder, if not tragic, is how
you all bought into the repeated scurrilous lies about how Democrats and
the Clinton campaign stole primary elections from Sanders. Virtually
all of those charges were untrue. Rather, they were spread by her haters
and, as we have now learned, perhaps even by Russia either directly or
indirectly. <br /><br />Claiming that Bernie would have won is
certainly not a sure thing, and Hillary's loss became in some respects a
self-realized prophecy by the lack of support from many of the people
making such claims. A Sanders v Trump race would have been a far
different campaign, and Trump would have employed anything and
everything he could lay his tiny little hands on to discredit Bernie. <br /><br />Now,
we must all face at least the next four years listening to Trump's
never ending self-aggrandizing, and live with a right wing congress that
can't stop ejaculating all over themselves in their hot lust to destroy
as much of Obama's legacy as possible.</span></span></span></b></span>Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-66794458512814455292017-01-11T15:13:00.004-05:002017-01-11T15:13:40.811-05:00PEEGATE<b><span style="color: #38761d;">The news about Trump's financial dealings and escapades in Russia is
kinda all over the place. I've heard nothing specific about the $$$.
However, the stories about his sexual encounters are all varied, except
they all apparently involve prostitutes peeing.</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;"> I've heard he had
them piss on a bed that the Obama's had slept in. I heard that it was a
bed only Michelle had slept in. I heard that he had them pee on HIS
bed, and lastly, I heard that he had them piss on him. Well gosh<span class="text_exposed_show">. What a delicious menu. I'll have one from column A and two from column B.</span></span></b><br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">
Is any of it true? Of course he, and apparently Putin, say not. I guess
these accusations have been floating around newsies for a few months,
but no one has been able to verify any of it. </span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">It has also been said that
FBI Director James Comey knew of this prior to the election. If so, he
decided to keep this quiet, but chose to send the letter to Congress
regarding Clinton's emails. Hmmm.</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;"> While on the one hand it seems
to some that the PeeGate accusations are so outrageous as to be
ridiculous. However, anyone who has spent even a few minutes perusing
internet porn should realize that such activity is not all that rare.
Trump would likely be able to have any damn thing he wanted given his
$$$ and influence. Also, given that he openly lusted for his daughter,
this pee thingy doesn't seem particularly out of character for him.</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">
I'm betting that this will go down an yet another scurrilous thing
attributed to Trump that will never be proven. He has a way of dodging
bullets from all angles.</span></b></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-24115562929630826532017-01-07T20:07:00.001-05:002017-01-07T20:07:21.249-05:00ONE MORE BRICK<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Now, all you folks who were all pumped up about Trump's wall and how
Mexico is going to pay for it, are now asked to accept the notion that,
well, we will pay for it initially, but then Mexico will pay us back.
I'm sure they will. I mean why not. It's just like a 25 billion dollar
boondoggle that will do absolutely nothing for them, but what the hell,
right?</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> Let's say that we go ahead and build the wall at taxpayer expense. Well now that's something like $71 a head (25 billio<span class="text_exposed_show">n
divided by 350 million American citizens.) Not so bad, I guess. Two to
three hundred per household, maybe a bit more for all you fertile folks
out there. </span></b></span></span><br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>But what I want
to know is just how are we all to get our $71 back when Mexico begins
paying for the wall? Will we be getting quarterly checks? Will we be
getting any interest on the money spent? Or will we just be getting a
tax credit? Maybe we could put it all in a fund to help pay for the
daily million bucks we will be paying for Trump's security at Trump
Tower and Mar-a-lago.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> Inquiring minds want to know.</b></span></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-66516477039430285372017-01-07T17:26:00.001-05:002017-01-07T20:07:41.400-05:00UNTITLED<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Water has no mind. The wind no memories. The trees no opinions.<br /> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Yet, their movements, their changes are constant and predictable. Even
the trajectory we humans take through life can be anticipated to some
degree.</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b> In nature all is economy. Yet, our self-consciousness
produces motives which move us away from nature and its predictability.
In that, we create much beauty, but also much ugliness and pain. So much
or our time and effort here in this life is wasted on mistrust, hate<span class="text_exposed_show"> and destruction, all too often based on little if any, real knowledge, but rather on barely considered opinion.</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b> We often claim to have at hand a lot of facts, but we all too often come up far short of wisdom.</b></span></span></div>
Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-9819625360222612642017-01-05T00:30:00.000-05:002017-01-05T00:30:48.624-05:00WAKE UP!!!<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">I'll make this short but not so sweet. </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Wake up folks. Republicans have begun the process of obliterating the Obama presidency, and completely blocking Democrats from having any voice in government. </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Earlier today, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced their intention to investigate Russian hacking - TO DETERMINE OBAMA'S ROLE IN IT!!! </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">They began working on their intent to repeal the ACA which may well remove millions of people from the health insurance rolls, and could cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Also, Trump and several Republicans have now decided that Julian Assange is a hero. As recently as a few weeks ago, they still vilified him as an enemy. Now that he has come forward claiming that the Russians had no role in the DNC and Podesta email leaks, Reps see him has a truth teller. They are also warming up to Vladimir Putin and the Russians, because they now see Putin as a great leader who's leadership aligns with their own fascist leanings.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">While the effort of Republicans to kill the House Ethics Office were blocked, it is obvious that they want to remove any outside scrutiny of their actions. It is only a matter of time until they give it another try.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">All of this hit the air waves today. We are still a couple weeks away from Trump taking the oath. The coming weeks and months are bound to hold any # of reversals and surprises - most of them really bad.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">TLS</span></b></span>Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-16655315770135290492017-01-03T19:34:00.002-05:002017-01-07T17:29:18.021-05:00TRUMP'S AGENDA<div data-contents="true">
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span data-offset-key="ip6g-0-0"><span data-text="true">Trump's supporters want a totalitarian leader who will silence the left and progressives. One who will suppress the LBGT community, ban abortion and move the country toward a Christian Theocracy. </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span data-offset-key="e4ngh-0-0"><span data-text="true">(Now, I don't believe Trump gives a rat's ass about Christianity. He will cater to those people so long as he perceives it to be to his advantage, to further his own power and aggrandizement. When and if that becomes problematic for him, he will cut them loose in a heartbeat.)</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span data-offset-key="530lq-0-0"><span data-text="true">Our traditional problem with Russia and, more specifically, the Soviet Union was communis<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">m</span>. They'd rather be dead than Red. But communism is gone in Russia. </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span data-offset-key="6c43s-0-0"><span data-text="true">Now Putin, in his efforts to "make Russia great again," is well on his way toward becoming the Russian dictator - a single absolute ruler. He has been touted as the single richest man in the world having assets of something like 125 billion dollars - well above the estimated 85 billion bucks supposedly controlled by Bill Gates of Microsoft. Trump's supporters see him and Putin as bookends, two sides of the same coin.</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span data-offset-key="26sbu-0-0"><span data-text="true">Trump is obviously enamored of all that. Putin is his hero. Note that he won't say a word against him. The Donald dreams of achieving similar heights. </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span data-offset-key="4mu93-0-0"><span data-text="true">Now, by comparison Trump is a mere pretender, a wanna be, a piker, having an estimated net worth of somewhere around 4 billion dollars, and he is around 6 years older than Putin. Time's awastin!</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span data-offset-key="6272n-0-0"><span data-text="true">What better way to make up ground quickly than to become the leader of the largest economy and the largest military in the world? Trump's personal vision, his delusions of grandeur place him at the absolute top of the heap. Putin is at this juncture just another pawn as Trump sees him. An admirable one, but still no more than an ally to make use of until he no longer suits that purpose. </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span data-offset-key="ema0-0-0"><span data-text="true">Now do I have any substantive proof of any of this. Of course not. Now that doesn't seem to bother many people operating here in cyberspace, on talk radio and even on political TV and other media. </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span data-offset-key="fh832-0-0"><span data-text="true">So, I make a disclaimer here that most of this is purely opinion and speculation. I believe that much of what I've written here could well come to pass. Trump fits this mold - in my opinion. </span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span data-offset-key="fihv4-0-0"><span data-text="true">Buckle up.</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-47924441581857626652016-05-10T01:38:00.000-04:002016-05-10T01:38:00.560-04:00CRACK - INSTALLMENT #... WHATEVER<b><span style="color: #660000;">May 10, 2016</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">Not a whole lot is happening. I've gotten busy with work which is a good thing. Jo is still having trouble with her foot. She will try to get into the doctor sometime tomorrow. Her toes are turning blue.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">The infant child of Jo's niece and her husband had to have open heart surgery, to repair a faulty valve earlier Monday. He's about the cutest little bugger you've ever seen, but has been plagued with health issues almost from birth. So, he beat me at having his chest cracked open before his first birthday. I guess I'm next.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">I have thought about what a shit I was for a number of years. I won't go into any detail now, but suffice to say it is the heaviest burden I carry around my neck everyday. Can't help but wish I could go back and mend all those wounds, big and small, I inflicted on Jo and my kids. I'm not looking for absolution, we all have to bear our various crosses until we breathe our last. Writing of those days may bring me some sense of relief or understanding. We'll see.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">TLS</span></b><br />
<br />Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-50001347349522018752016-05-06T02:22:00.000-04:002016-05-06T02:22:45.354-04:00CRACK - Day 5<b><span style="color: #660000;">May 6, 2016</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;"> So, the excuses begin.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">I didn't post anything yesterday as we spent considerable time in a St Francis emergency "pod" dealing with Jo's badly sprained ankle. When we finally got home, we both crashed for quite a while, and then we had some very important TV to watch. So...</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">Actually, Jo was doing better today with her ankle, but may have walked around too much as it was hurting her more later tonight.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">I feel a little bit like a condemned prisoner who knows when he will be getting his deadly vaccinations. Now note, I wrote "a little bit." I don't equate my pending surgery with a nearing execution. It's just having the date looming before me feels like I'm in a kind of limbo. There are things I can't do and others I shouldn't do. While I know the aftermath will likely be painful, and the recovery probably maddeningly slow, I still can't quite imagine what it will be like. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">I've never spent a night in a hospital except, I assume, the few days after my birth. I've had a couple of scopes on my knees and a few other minor procedures, but never anything on the scale of having my chest cracked open, and being placed on a heart/lung machine during what I've been informed is a 4 to 6 hour operation. I was told that they will not stop my heart during the procedure, which they say is a fairly new thing. Traditionally, they do stop the heart so that they are not trying to graft an artery onto a moving target, but apparently they've figured out how to overcome that particular problem. The surgeon said that stopping the heart creates problems in not only restarting it, but getting it back up to speed, or up to rhythm, or whatever. The heart, and, consequently, the patient tends to be sluggish for some time after having it stopped.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">I'm still kind of ambivalent about the whole thing. That it's still more than 2 weeks away, renders it all kind of unreal. I suppose the closer I get to it, the more it will take over my thoughts, and influence my days.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">I know hundreds of thousands of people have had bypass surgery, so I'm certainly not unique. But, as I suggested above, the experience will be unique to me. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">I've had a few thoughts reflecting on my circumstances, on my life's successes and failures. I have to admit that success has not visited my life a great deal. My greatest "successes" are my marrying Joan Marie Mascari, and our having and raising our two sons. I love all three of them more than I can say. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">As I get nearer to the ceremonial chest cutting, I believe that at least some parts of my life will come swimming through my head. While there has been a lot of good, a lot of happy times, there have also been dark ones as well. All of it may be worth pondering. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #660000;">TLS</span></b><br />
<br />Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1453347668234164541.post-7047143820385315522016-05-03T23:54:00.001-04:002016-05-03T23:55:27.284-04:00CRACK: Day 3<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><b>May 3, 2016</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Most of this day was uneventful. I realized that I have yet to take a look at the rather voluminous amount of information the VA gave me regarding my upcoming surgery. Not sure I will until maybe a few days before. It's just not something I want to dwell on.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Nick, our son living in Germany, talked with Jo today on the phone. He had researched everything he could find on Coronary Artery Surgery. Supposedly, this is now a procedure that is 97% successful. That's hopeful. It also helps that I'm not diabetic. It occurred to me that Jo, Nick and Chris have learned far more about all this than I have. I suppose that's fairly normal. A part of me just doesn't want to know.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>I wrote above that "most" of the day was uneventful. However, late this afternoon Jo went out to get the mail, but on the way caught her foot on something, twisted and went down. I was unaware of this as I was out in the rear garage, and she was on the front side of the house. She said that she sat there for a while to collect herself, got herself up and somehow hobbled back into the house. She put some ice on it for a while, but didn't tell me about it. Finally, she came out and yelled for me to come up to the house.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>The top of her left foot is badly swollen and turning blue. I think she may have actually broken a bone either in her ankle or the foot. A trip to some kind of "Immediate Care" is in store for us tomorrow morning. I suggested we go yet tonight, but she didn't want to do that.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>This adds a little spice to our simmering stew.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>TLS</b></span>Terry Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09854019175361194687noreply@blogger.com0