Confusion and Obfuscation? Republican Strengths

 

The American public is confused about the Affordable Care Act (ACA). They are not confused about “Obamacare”. Interesting no? Several polls clearly show good solid support for the major elements of the ACA, and overall support of the ACA. But not Obamacare. Of course these two entities are the same thing. So what the hell is going on?
Easy question to answer. Ever since the ACA was passed into law, the Tea Party and its news outlets have relentlessly called it the “Obamacare Bill” (it is not a bill boys, it is a LAW and it has been upheld by the Supreme Court), denigrated it, misrepresented the various parts of it (remember the “death panels” that didn’t exist?) and insisted that the “American People” hated it. John Boehner has said that so many times he may just believe it, mores the pity. Perfect example of the “Big Lie” strategy articulated below by Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Propaganda superstar.

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”(1)

The public has been barraged with negative publicity on Obamacare to the point where they think the ACA and Obamacare are two different things. Job well done by the Tea Party Machine. And well-funded by the notorious Koch brothers.

So having lost the battle to repeal the ACA, a small group of Representatives are holding the entire government hostage. The American Position is we DON’T NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS. These Tea Party guys are political terrorists, taking the entire country hostage and trying to shove their narrow-minded and wrong position down the throat of the entire country. The President is right not to negotiate with them. There is nothing to negotiate. This is like scientists negotiating with the Flat Earth Society to come to a compromise on the shape of the Earth. There is nothing to negotiate. And, the longer the ACA goes on, the more the public will come to depend on it for affordable (duh) health care.

The American Public has been systematically dumbed down and lied to for 30 years or more by a Republican Party increasingly focused on a minority of wealthy people and corporations. This is only the most recent example. Another example? Why the “Obama will take your guns away” lie. Anybody out there have their guns taken away since 2008? I didn’t think so. Who benefitted from this lie? The NRA and the Gun Industry have made Billions of Dollars since 2008 selling guns to people ahead of the non-existant deadline. Another example? The lies about the President being a Muslim and not being an American. Both lies told many times.

It is very sad that the public sucks up this crap like mosquitos sucking up blood. The real problem is that the public is getting sucked in and sucked dry by these “neo-cons”. My guess is that it is too late to put on the bug spray.

1. Goebbels Quote: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/goebbelslie.html
Image: http://futurevoicesofamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Upheld.jpg

Isaiah 1:17 from Woody?

Well, since the conservative Republican Christian Right seem hell-bent on Bible quotes, here are two that should make them turn in SHAME. Slightly different spins on the idea, but both nail it: the antithesis of the Conservative mantra.
WWJD? I know. He would say this:

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.

Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

Hard to see the bible thumpers getting excited about these, isn't it?

Thanks to my old friend Jeannette for the initial bible quote.
Image: http://peterpilt.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/sj-picture-11.jpg

Beer in the Blood, or, Leo Godfrey in Paradise

Leo in Paradise

When I think of beer, I think of Hops. And then I think of East Kent Goldings. A wonderful flower that belongs to the "aroma" class of hops. I had the very good fortune of marrying into an English family with a tradition of farming of all kinds of things. By a very clever marriage of a second cousin, a farmer was brought into the family who grows East Kent Goldings. My feet walked the rows of this wonderful plant, and my nose inhaled the aroma of crushed fresh flowers. My tongue tasted the bitterness and the brews produced from those same flowers. I am in love with East Kent Goldings.
Pictured above is my nephew, Leo
standing in a jungle of hops, ready to be harvested. Is he happy or what? Yes, this is hard work but the payoff is incalculable. The finest brews imaginable. Finished off with the finest hops available: hops from the family farm. I swear the whole family has beer for blood. I know I do.

Image: Leo Godfrey in Paradise: A Jungle of East Kent Goldings.

Percy Dovetonsils LIVES!!!

Percy D.

Percy as Vlad

 Those of us who loved Ernie Kovacs have always wondered what happened to Percy Dovetonsils. Now we know. He has been reborn in the person of Vlad Putin. You doubt the concept of “second time around”? Kovacs died January 13^th, 1962. Putin was born January 13^th, 1962, according to Moscow legend.  His birth certificate has never been seen in public and that in and of itself is enough to convince the “Percyers” that he is the incarnation of the famous Poet. You want iron clad evidence? Compare the two images. No doubt about it. Same person, different bodies. Case closed.
Image: http://files.myopera.com/CarloFon/blog/percy-dovetonsils.jpg
Image: http://l1.yimg.com/nn/fp/rsz/090613/images/smush/putin_obama_635x250_1378475635.jpg

Showering With a Friend or “The Giant in the Storm”

After a hot and tiring day on the water, and after a cold brew I decided to clean up and take a shower. Our place at the coast only has a 12x20 shed for storage, and that is where the shower is. The shed doubles for storage and necessities like a fridge, porta-potty, shelves, mower storage, fishing and boat stuff and anything else I can cram into it. The boat and camper live in a 20x30 boat “pole” barn. Anyway, the light wasn’t working when I went in, but so what? It was daylight and I could see pretty well. No snakes in sight. Nothing moving. I pulled back the shower curtain, adjusted the hot water whilst disrobing, and stepped in. Ahhhhhh. Warm water. Then adjust to cool. Wash. OUCH!! Something stung my foot. I looked down and there, perched on the top of my foot was a small, 1.5 – 2 inch scorpion. In the shower water. Just sitting there. And the little bastard critter had hit me twice. Naturally I flipped it off, I mean gave it the finger then convinced it to get off my foot all the while saying loudly “tish and piffle” (you believe that?). I shut off the water and said “what the hell are you doing in the shower, and why did you sting my foot, which you were sitting on”? The scorpion said something like “Well, I was hiding in the curtain and suddenly it moved and got wet. I was trying to get to someplace dry. I only tapped your foot to let you know I was there. Not a real sting you know. Come here if you want to see the difference.” (Both pincers waving me over)

Well, I guess that put me in my place. So I got a piece of cardboard, got the little bitch critter to crawl on it and put it outside. The stings were barely noticeable in a few minutes and I couldn’t even get much sympathy from Sally. Still, it was a nice chance meeting and it ended well. For the rest of the weekend we both, Sally and I, shook the shower curtain thoroughly before entering. My scorpion friend is probably now happily eating termites or ants or something. Telling the tale of  “The Giant in the Storm” to all who will listen. I wonder if it blogs?

Image: http://www.ub.ntnu.no/scorpion-files/c_hentzi2.jpg

Psocid Pizza: BOOM!!!

Psocids on wheat grains. Small, no?

 

Last night I made a kickass pizza. Lots of fresh garlic, red onion, Italian sausage, some mozzarella and parmesian cheese, red pepper flakes, Mexican oregano, marinara and a little salt and black pepper. Ok so I cheated a little on the crust. I bought a fresh dough crust from Publix. I got out the flour, coated the counter, my hands and the raised dough and began to form it. I noticed some very small crawley things on the counter and thought “Crap!! Psocids in the flour!!” Closer look: yup, Psocids. (http://searchesworld.blogspot.com/2009_07_26_archive.html). I opened the flour bag and asked Sal to take a look: Yup, she said, Psocids.  I asked her if she minded a few in the pizza and she said not really, after all they are tiny and are everywhere anyway. (Every day I ask myself how could I have been so very lucky.)
Baked at 475, the pizza didn’t take long. What a great mixture of flavors and textures. I wonder which one was “Psocid”?

Image: http://old.padil.gov.au/pbt/files/uall/psocid10.jpg

An Alien Feeling of Disquiet. Is it Fear?

This morning I heard an interview with writer Willian Vollmann. He explained that his writings and associations had gotten him on the FBI watch list. He filed a Freedom of Information Act (FIA) request for his FBI file and discovered that he was suspected of being the Unabomber, before the actual bomber was arrested and convicted. He was then secretly investigated for the Anthrax mailings. He has been detained at immigration checks while entering the country several times, for no apparent reason. To this day he continues to be watched closely.

NOTA BENE: he has never been found to be involved with any terrorist activity other than reporting on them, has never been charged with any crime and never been convicted of anything. He is being watched because of his writings and associations.
He said, and I agree, that this is Un-American.
 
So, I thought, I wonder if the FBI has a file on me. In the late 50’s I studied Russian in college, was a member of the University of Miami Russian Club, sang and played in the Russian Chorus at UofM, and often performed at Russian and Ukrainian churches and fellowship halls. I also, as part of a Russian language course, subscribed to a publication written in Russian called “America”. This was put out by the State Department as part of a cultural exchange. In class we also got to see the Russian counterpart, also a propaganda magazine. Remember, in those days Russia (USSR) was our bitter enemy. These were the days of Joseph McCarthy.

Ah, I thought. While in high school I got into a few brushes with the law. Then I remembered that as a young professor in Virginia I sponsored a student group called ‘Young Americans for Freedom” or YAF. This is a conservative/libertarian organization that has had a powerful effect on America. In the early 70’s it was considered radical. My association only lasted a few years, but I wonder if I was “surveilled” during that time, and watched afterwards.

And here is where the fear tingles began. I wondered if I filed a FIA request, and there was a file, would that trigger some series of new observations. Would my emails, phone records and blog postings be observed? Would I be retained at immigration checks or airports? Not because I was in any way guilty of anything, but because I looked for my file.
And being even a little afraid of something like this is Un-American, and that thought makes me sad. That makes me wonder. I even wonder if writing this essay is a mistake. Well screw it if it is.

Image: http://allthingsd.com/files/2013/06/uncle-sam-watching-you-feature.png

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Americans_for_Freedom

5 PM and Still Green and Lush.

Now the day is winding down, and my world is still lush and damp. Quiet too. I had a busy day doing the things that keep everything going, and some others that are for pure pleasure, like a bit of reading. But a scan of the news tells the same story from this morning: Rage, fire and death.
I have no ability to save the world or even myself under some people's rules.
But I can continue to present the world as I see it, and to argue the facts as I understand them and try to persuade the rule makers of the errors they believe.
I see , not through a veil of ignorance and belief, but clearly through a crystal lens of education and logic and science. People these days in this country, and especially this part of the country, are falling on Biblical advice for answers to the horrors they see developing. The answers there are palliative at best and dangerous at worst. Palliative because the "good words" give some peace of mind but have no real effect. Dangerous because the words can lead to inaction or wrong action, thus making the demons attacking the world even worse. Demons? Overpopulation; pollution; climate change; starvation; disease; war; famine to name a few.
So wrapped in my world of lush green and damp, I will soon enjoy the company of my lover, and we will enjoy the moment. For we know with certainty that the demons of the world will win this battle, and the world will suffer in unspeakable ways. We also are quite sure it will happen after we are gone to oblivion. Hope so, anyway. WWWD? Drink the best wine first, that's what.

Image: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7VhybpBTyP42X_ztFuErCgll73UH6540PofbnCO-ns8Oc8drGrvtCUqPMA2_T9tQkTrc-ywQqtaVUx9cI8oVi8AES389Bk4wuoP-vQEEe-gUqHIhX2EC2CfUeo7XZuqKArQ6Ng3Ue-zR/s200/Waterfall-in-forest-background-1280x1024-1003075+picture+6.jpg

7 AM. Green and Lush

Lush garden, not mine but like mine

Today starts with blue sky and coffee. SWMBO off to the wars. The world here is so green it is almost like a CGI world outside of my window. Wet and lush. Quiet.

Aftermath of fire

Egypt

In the American West fires rage and burn and kill. In Egypt people rage and burn and kill. In Palestine peace talks try to work while missiles fly. In China the air is so bad you can see it in front of you. In Oceana overfishing depletes stocks and pollution poisons. In West Africa fires burn and people rage and kill.
Am I completely crazy to be enjoying the quiet, green, lush and damp morning?
 
Image: http://carolsgarden.blogspot.com/2011/07/lush-july-garden.html
Image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Forest_fire_aftermath.jpg
Image; http://muslimvillage.com/2013/07/28/42179/death-toll-in-egypt-massacre-reaches-200/

Tiara, Cape and Wand.

I posted a short list of friends who I think could and are saving the world, one way or another. Many were left off, not because I thought they couldn’t save the world but just because of space. But now I must devote a bit more space. Yesterday, in the Publix bakery, I was waiting my turn when the woman ahead of me got her birthday cake. It had a Silver Sparkly Tiara and Magic Wand on it, and it said “Happy Birthday Princess” and something else I couldn’t read in the few seconds I could see it. I said something like ‘There is going to be a very happy princess in your house’ and the mom just said ‘Yes she will’, put the cake in the wagon and left.

The thing is, she was a black woman, and I got to thinking about all the crap her daughter may will face growing up in a world so divided by race and hatred. It bothers me greatly that this thought came, unbidden, to my consciousness. And has stayed. I wish I could make that Wand a real magic one, and the Tiara golden with precious gems. And I wish I could wave the wand and make one little girl safe forever. But no, not going to happen. And then a moment of joy came, and I realized that one little girl would have a real wand and tiara for a while. She would believe. I hope her optimism for her future is rewarded with hope and success. If I were the praying kind, I would pray. I am not, so I will just hope.

Image: Facebook