The ticking bomb of climate change is America's biggest threat

Imagine that US leaders were told that hundreds of nuclear weapons were set on a timer to detonate across the planet, progressively and in increasing numbers, over the coming years and decades. The lives of millions would be upended, if not made nearly impossible to survive, by transformed weather patterns and resource scarcity. Tens of millions would become migrants as regions became uninhabitable. Millions would die, more and more as time went on. If this science fiction were reality, US leaders would lead an international effort to immediately disarm and dismantle the weapons.

But this isn’t science fiction. Climate change is a ticking time bomb, literally threatening to end human life on earth over the coming centuries. 

Read the story. 

The Man Who Shot Elvis

The Man Who Shot Elvis

Prism International (Fall, 1977)

Charles Deemer

SO HERE HE WAS, in the casino with hundreds of other tourists, waiting in line two hours before showtime, bored, drink in hand, watching his wife shoot craps. Mary was losing and angry but all the more striking for it, her blue eyes intense as she shook the dice in a fist near one ear. She brushed aside a strand of blonde hair that had fallen across her face, still shaking the dice, softly demanding of them five, five — she reminded him of a mad Scandinavian queen who had one roll to win or lose a kingdom. For a moment, he looked away, attracted by the ringing payoff of a slot machine, and when he turned back the blonde queen was coming toward him, dethroned and pouting.

Read the story.

Check it out

Death Is A Paper Tiger

DEATH IS A PAPER TIGER

By Charles Deemer

From Mississippi Review, 1974

            The paper predicts war with China. It is so difficult to predict war? Who has seen peace? If not China, Africa. Or Japan again. A friend, an enemy; an enemy. a friend. China, then, and I give odds she wins. Any odds I would give. China is thousands of years. China is hundreds of millions. China is immortal. Look at history, read the books of her old men. 

            "A cynic with your books," says Camilla. "Your books don't deserve you. Gregory read to enrich the soul!'' 

            Gregory is her late husband. Where is his soul today? His ashes, at least, she keeps in an urn. Any stranger who would ask to inspect a room must first see Gregory's ashes. 

Read the story.

Trump's America: Activists, Politicians React With Horror At Border Scenes Of Tear-Gassed Children

“It is a despicable act on the part of the Trump administration and CBP officials to attack defenseless women and children firing tear gas, a chemical agent, at them,” Salas said in a statement. “These are human beings who are reaching a point of desperation because their asylum claims are being processed at a snail’s pace or not at all.”

Read the article. 

Border control

U.S. TEAR GASSES AT BORDER— KIDS SCREAM

Read the article.

Leisure

Still in my bathrobe.

'This Is a Climate Emergency': Extinction Rebellion Takes to Streets to Stand for the Planet Over Polluter Profits

In London:

"Last Saturday we celebrated all the life we wanted to save. This Saturday we mourn all the life we've lost, are losing, and are still to lose," Extinction Rebellion said in a statement. "We rebel because we love this world, it breaks our hearts to see it ravaged, to watch so many people and animals all over this world already dying, to know that this will soon happen to our children if nothing changes. There is no way forward without giving credence to our grief."

Read the article. 

Trump's failure to fight climate change is a crime against humanity

The American people are paying a heavy cost for the cynicism and cruelty of politicians in the pocket of the fossil-fuel industry. It is time to hold these reckless politicians to account.

Read the article. 

Mellow

Under the weather but mellow. Not a bad holiday at all. Beats going out for sure. And made a very good turkey and cranberry sandwich from Boston Market leftovers. Man, their turkey breast is first class. What a find for lazy times.

Parades

I grew up in Pasadena, two blocks from the Rose Parade route, so parades were a big deal in my childhood. Parades have been disappointing after seeing the Granddaddy of them all. Moreover, parades have changed, getting filled with song and dance numbers, like today's Macy's Parade, which I am sorry has become the trend. Parades should be, well, parades. At any rate, another benefit of my childhood.

Under the weather, staying home today.

55th anniversary

USA coup d'etat.

Young blood

Bottom line

"Youth are taking action in their districts to pressure federal policymakers to back the only rational response to the climate crisis—a massive economic mobilization over the next decade to get our country off fossil fuels." 
—350.org

'Make America Rake Again' begins to trend in Finland, because the world is laughing at us

Everytime I think Bone Spur has spat out his most inane, stupid remark, he proves me wrong.

Read it.

What an embarrassing sick man. He needs a shrink badly.

Occupying Office of Another Key Democrat, Climate Activists Say "Best Chance at Survival" for Humanity Is Green New Deal

Read the story.

It's about time: "As New Green Deal Democrats cement their hold, climate change emerges as a top priority"

Read the story.

Pelosi must become a Green New Deal activist, save potential bickering, and get something done to lessen consequences a tad. I also say, form a huge work force of voluntary immigrants and others to get the major dirty work into action. So much to do, so little time. Vision! Action! Some of the new women are providing it. Follow their lead. Old white men appear to be useless, or worse, a detriment. "Get out of the way if you can't lend a hand ..."

54 years later:

Thanksgiving I

Since time is short, and blessings abundant, we are having the first of two Turkey Meals today, the second at a restaurant on Thanksgiving Day. This one was delivered by Boston Market, and the packaging and clear instructions are first rate. Hope the food owns up to the presentation and have a feeling it will.

That's the game plan today.

Tick tock

We need a Green New Deal

“I don’t want to see Miami underwater, I don’t want to see my own district underwater, and I know that Leader Pelosi doesn’t, either,” Ocasio-Cortez told reporters Tuesday as she joined protesters at the leader's office. “What we need to show her is that we’re here to back her up in pushing for 100 percent renewable energy and we’re here to support that kind of bold, progressive leadership.”

(Politico)

Flying colors

Trip to doc to have pacemaker checked. all is well, great blood pressure, still losing weight, 5 yrs left on battery. Onward.

William Goldman, Oscar-winning screenwriter of ‘Butch Cassidy’ and ‘All the President’s Men,’ dies at 87

Read the article.

Very highly recommended

Bikel sings Russian

Starts at 1:10 for some reason.

Sidesaddle

Gone but not forgotten

A clean apartment!

Tired of our mutual failure to keep a tidy household, we hired a cleaning lady and 3 Russians showed up, did a great job at a reasonable price. We'll hire them again. I got to speak the little Russian I remember, sang a bit of a Russian song, and they were either duly impressed or convincingly polite.

Cleanliness! For a few days.

Letter to Editor, Kansas City Star

Two representations of the U.S.

White men v. diversity

Democrats

Will Rogers said it best: I belong to no organized political party. I'm a Democrat.

The blue wave barely done, and the in-fighting begins, first over whether to stick with Pelosi as leader in the House. By the time Presidential candidates get in gear, it might get ugly. It might put Bone Spur back in the White House.

Presidential politics has become about celebrity. How about Caroline Kennedy?

Celebration

In these dark times, I remind myself that in a zero sum universe there is considerable positive energy available to balance the negative, and for me much of this energy is found in literature, music and history. I am about half way through the single volume U.S. history by Jill Lepore, a Harvard professor, a remarkable book. I am listening to favorite pieces of music. I am revisiting favorite works of writing. All this is inspiring against the dark poison of American politics, which will be getting worse. I predicted a long time ago that Trump will end up declaring martial law and that possibility becomes more likely every day. But I'm not sure the military will follow his orders by that time.

Nostalgia

Blue wave

The Flip Chart

ELECTION	DEMOCRATIC FLIPS	REPUBLICAN FLIPS
House	35	2
Senate	1	3
Governors	7	0
State Legislature Control	6	1
Attorney General	4	0
Secretaries of State	2	0
State House/Senate	300+

The Weavers (we need them today)

The short answer

“Because, underneath all of this is the real truth we have been avoiding: climate change isn’t an “issue” to add to the list of things to worry about, next to health care and taxes. It is a civilizational wake-up call. A powerful message—spoken in the language of fires, floods, droughts, and extinctions—telling us that we need an entirely new economic model and a new way of sharing this planet. Telling us that we need to evolve.” 
― Naomi Klein, This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate

Living the end

I will pass before Nature strikes its killing blow on humans. By then, I expect, some will be escaping the planet, to Mars, to the moon, to avoid extinction. Earth won't be human-friendly. Our fault. It's called suicide.

But in the meantime, like someone with a terminal disease, I plan to live my life as fully as possible. I reflect a lot on my life, on the history of my times, on the blessings and joys of my past. Today I am still in my bathrobe, sipping coffee, watching news, feeling good despite everything. I am very aware that I am one of the lucky ones.

So much irony in the world now. I feel for the young people rising to get their voices and wishes heard, none of which matters to Nature. Maybe science will find some way to keep us on the planet. A recent TV series was called The Dome.  A possibility?

How sad. Most of us, surely, feel like we had nothing to do with this but, in fact, we drove the cars, we welcomed the high consumerism and life style at the root of fossil driven energy. Voices have been warning us for decades. But the outcome seems to be built into the theology of capitalism, and our politicians have made alternatives "dirty words" and enemies.

Maybe we'll get it together -- just in time for Nature to lower the boom. Ironic.

Well, I remain in my bathrobe. I remain thankful for my life. I remain guilty, like almost every American. R.I.P.

We're doomed

“We’re doomed,” says Mayer Hillman with such a beaming smile that it takes a moment for the words to sink in. “The outcome is death, and it’s the end of most life on the planet because we’re so dependent on the burning of fossil fuels. There are no means of reversing the process which is melting the polar ice caps. And very few appear to be prepared to say so.”

Read the article. 

Donald Trump cancels visit WWI cemetery ceremony because of rain

Let's all take a moment to remember those presidents who carried out their duties even when water fell from the sky.

 

Move over, white men!

Late breaking blue wave

Democrats appear poised to pick up between 35 and 40 seats in the House, once the last races are tallied, according to strategists in both parties. That would represent the biggest Democratic gain in the House since the post-Watergate election of 1974, when the party picked up 49 seats three months after Richard M. Nixon resigned the presidency.

Read the story. 

The more I observe Pres Bone Spur, the more I believe he is mentally sick. Now he has lost and is cornered and no doubt will be more dangerous than ever. The next two months, before Democrats take over the House, are especially dangerous.

May the gods help us all.

'You Ask a Lot of Stupid Questions': Latest Attack on Free Press as Trump Threatens to Strip Credentials of Journalists Who Don't Show Him 'Respect'

Read the article.

Watched "Wag the Dog" again last night, premonition of Trump?

Birds of a feather

"Well, when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal."
           ~~Richard M. Nixon, to David Frost in 1977 regarding the Huston Plan 

“I can go in, and I could do whatever — I could run it if I want.” 
         ~~Donald J. Trump, to reporters in August 2018 regarding the Russia investigation

Is there no bottom?

By DonkeyHotey

Historic firsts

So much history has been made! Let's start with the record number of women -- at least 96 -- projected to win seats in the House. The historic total caps off a campaign season in the wake of President Trump's election that was defined in large part by female activism. But that's not all:
--  Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar will be the first Muslim women in Congress.
-- Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland will become the first Native American women elected to Congress.
-- Marsha Blackburn will be the first female senator to represent Tennessee.
-- Jared Polis of Colorado will become the nation's first openly gay man elected governor.
-- Kristi Noem will become the first female governor in South Dakota.
-- Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garcia will be the first Hispanic women from Texas elected to Congress.
-- Arizona will have its first female senator, but as of this morning, we still don't know if it will be Republican Martha McSally or Democrat Kyrsten Sinema.

(CNN) 

A mellow day (surprise!)

Interview Don DeLillo on Trump's America: 'I'm not sure the country is recoverable'

Read it.

“Before anyone takes the stage, the play belongs to the playwright. In the rehearsal period, it’s the director’s play. But then, during the performance, it belongs to the actors.”

Prove it, America. Prove that President Trump is not who we are.

Read the article.

NYC Marathon

Watched a replay this morning. What an antidote to Bone Spur's visionary poison of humans in the gutter. Here is the human spirit at its best.

Back seat driver

My cousin Robin took this of Sketch.

The final finisher: The inspiring stories of last-place marathon runners

Read the story.

Dread II

Too many giddy liberals. They make me nervous.

Landmark Youth Climate Suit Moves Ahead as Supreme Court Rejects Trump Admin. Request to Halt It

Read the article.

American Jews always believed the U.S. was exceptional. We were wrong.

Read the article.

Our official histories often downplay slavery and Christian intolerance.

The bottom line

"Much is on the line as voters will render a nationwide judgment on whether Trumpism is a historic anomaly or a reflection of modern-day America." (WP) About sums it up.

A fighting chance

We need visionaries who embrace science, have great empathy, do not defend capitalism at all costs, and realize what a crisis is. They exist. But can they come to power to do something? (Odds are many, probably most, are not American.)

What makes us unique?

Perhaps being the only species to document its own extinction.

Stop biodiversity loss or we could face our own extinction, warns UN

Read it.

This was once a forest

Dread

I don't buy into the blue wave optimism that some politicos are singing about. When a third of the citizenry debunks science, there is no reason to be optimistic about clear thinking. The mob isn't on the left, it's on the right, following Bone Spur.

Yes!

Headline:

There is a migrant crisis, and it's the children 
who continue 
to remain separated from parents

read the article

WPA and immigrants

Ah, for a leader who has vision. Turn lemons to lemonade. Welcome immigrants by putting them to work, the WPA model, repair infrastructure, prepare for rising seas, so much needs doing! Thousands would work for path to citizenship. We could turn immigrants into a positive force.