He's Tweeting Gibberish Now!

Ha! The Little Baby Man is now tweeting gibberish. You wonder if he zonked out mid-tweet? He is becoming/has become a source of great amusement. Yes, it's scary, and sad, (tragic really), that he has the job he has, but at the same time he is becoming a fount of ridiculousness.

I see him as "dead man walking." He is a political train-wreck. His Presidency is in full-on zombie-mode. The Feds are coming and Little Baby Man and his team are heading to the mattresses. Just like good mobsters always do.

But you know this particular mobster brings a whole kit-bag of absurdities with him. I expect more hilarity, more crazed tweets, more rage at "fake news." But the Feds are coming. No doubt. Our Little Baby Man is in the hot seat, and it's just going to get hotter and hotter.

Wonder if he makes it thru the Summer?!

Cool But Sullied!

Well, yes, of course, the Little Baby Man is a complete disaster, and when he met with European Leaders he was a total embarrassment. His first foreign trip was ridiculous. And it's obvious, that he is Putin's Boy for sure.

Little Baby Man does not represent America. No way. We are better than that by miles. So yes, we now look to Germany & France & England to lead the Free World. America is stumbling with a Complete Stumblebum at the helm.

Of course, we still have our technology, creativity, productivity & seething, wanting, grasping, all-consuming, Pop Culture. America is still cool. Cool but sullied.

But something tells me this is all only temporary... one can only hope, and count the days, the hours, the minutes until Little Baby Man gets what he so richly deserves...

Money + Arrogance + Ignorance + Unlimited Corruption = Downfall.

Let's get back to basics. What's going on? So many weird, kooky, contradictory stories floating around. Let's keep it simple. It's about the Do Re Mi. Money. Right?! Of course.

A really not very smart guy lucked into a big job in the USA, with help from a pretty smart, brutal, murderous, corrupt guy from another country. 

The really not very smart guy, really, really thinks he's really, really smart. He decided he would use the USA as his own personal piggy bank, and create a nice little feedback loop with the brutal, corrupt guy.

The really not very smart guy actually thought he could pull this off.  Looks like that was a major, fucking miscalculation. The really not very smart guy figured we were all clueless idiots. We aren't.  The really not very smart guy really stepped into it this time.

Like I've said before, it will not end well for this really not very smart guy. And his fall, his total disgrace, his years in prison, will be very much earned. Karma, baby!

The above illustration from Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo kind of encapsulates the little, fucked-up scheme. Money + Arrogance + Ignorance + Unlimited Corruption = Downfall.

Who is Basically a Shithead!

Looks like Jared Kushner, the President's son in law, is in a heap of trouble. I mean I think it's safe to characterize his activity in the White House as baffling, confusing and probably criminal. I don't think it's a good idea to set up a secret channel of communication with a hostile foreign power. And to lie about it, and to hide the fact, makes it all look pretty sinister.

Can't wait until the Special Counsel delves into the facts of the case.

And just what kind of man is Jared Kushner? Let's check in with someone who worked for him. Is that fair? Is life fair? This is just one person's impression of the guy, and not sure how accurate, but I do love the plain speaking...

Just before the election, Kahlon described her former boss on Facebook thusly: 

“We’re talking about a guy who isn’t particularly bright or hard-working, doesn’t actually know anything, has bought his way into everything ever (with money he got from his criminal father), who is deeply insecure and obsessed with fame (you don’t buy the NYO, marry Ivanka Trump, or constantly talk about the phone calls you get from celebrities if it’s in your nature to ‘shun the spotlight’), and who is basically a shithead.”

Does the son in law remind you of anyone?

Useful Definitions for Current Events!

Considering recent events. I mean the continuous stream of amazing stories coming from The Washington Post, The New York Times, Reuters, CNN, NBC and a few others. I think it's time we go back to basics. Definitions.  It might be a good idea to brush up a bit, knowing this shit might come in handy as things continue to unfold in Washington D.C.

Definitions:

Neopotism:  favoritism (as in appointment to a job) based on kinship

Corruption: dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people (such as government officials or police officers)

Collusion: agreement, esp. in secret for an illegal or dishonest reason

Hostile Foreign Power: a foreign government or any component thereof, whether or not recognized by the United States

Espionage: the practice of spying or using spies to obtain information about the plans and activities especially of a foreign government or a competing company

Treason: the betrayal of a trust, the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance

Obstruction of Justice: the crime or act of willfully interfering with the process of justice and law especially by influencing, threatening, harming, or impeding a witness, potential witness, juror, or judicial or legal officer or by furnishing false information in or otherwise impeding an investigation or legal process

Money Laundering: the process of transforming the profits of crime and corruption into ostensibly 'legitimate' assets

High Crimes & Misdemeanors: allegations of misconduct peculiar to officials, such as perjury of oath, abuse of authority, bribery, intimidation, misuse of assets, failure to supervise, dereliction of duty, unbecoming conduct, and refusal to obey a lawful order. Offenses by officials also include ordinary crimes, but perhaps with different standards of proof and punishment than for nonofficials, on the grounds that more is expected of officials by their oaths of office.

Fucking Moron: an insult that is used when someone is being really stupid and moronic.

Indictment: a formal written statement framed by a prosecuting authority and found by a jury (such as a grand jury) charging a person with an offense

Subpoena: a writ commanding a person designated in it to appear in court under a penalty for failure 

Cop a Plea: to plead guilty for a lesser crime.

Rat out: to reveal incriminating or embarrassing information about (someone), especially to a person inauthority

Impeach: to charge with a crime or misdemeanor; specifically : to charge (a public official) before a competent tribunal with misconduct in office  c : to remove from office especially for misconduct

Rot in Prison: to stay in prison for a very long time

Better. We are Better Than This.

Dreaming of a better world...

A better day
A better human
A better vision

Some days we look seriously off-track. 
Collectively. 
As a species.

I dream
I see more...
compassion
empathy
intelligence

Right around the corner.

I know,
maybe
that's 
just me
looking thru
rose-colored
glasses.

2 Stepford-Like Dark Angels of Doom, 1 Noxious, Toxic Circus Clown, 1 Pope

When I first heard about this meeting of significant figures, I thought: "Ok. I'm sure it's very un-Pope-like, and super-unlikely, but can't Pope Francis just turn and throttle that stupid, little, baby-man? Give him a total Pope-like ass-whipping? That would be so cool."

This is a good Pope. He is always talking about how we should take care of those less fortunate, he is concerned about "climate change," and argues it's imperative that we take care of our planet. He took his name from Saint Francis, famous for being nice to kids and animals, and living humbly, and simply.

So yes, as Popes go, he's a pretty good one, and pretty much the "anti" to everything the Noxious Clown represents. A little throttling would have been in order. And don't you just imagine if the Pope did start beating down that Noxious Clown, those two dark-angel, Stepford-Wife, Valkeries would have joined in too? You know they actually, secretly hate the man.

I see flying hair, sharpened fingernails digging into soft, doughy flesh, stiletto heels kicking at that deeply dim, hard-headed Buffoon.

Who would reprimand the Pope? I mean, half the planet, (at least), would cheer him on. Wouldn't it just be so sweet to see that Petulant, Little Baby-Man get his fat ass kicked to Kingdom Come? And you know one well-placed punch and that Noxious Bully would start wailing like a new-born.

And doesn't it look like the Pope has just been informed, (right before the photo was snapped), that his beloved dog has just been executed on the steps of the Vatican? Talk about existential angst. Being Pope is not a dinner party.

You Know it's All a Delicate Balance.

Chris Cornell - 1964 - 2017

You read about someone ending their life early. Intentionally. And it sends you into a mini-existential crisis. You always admired the man. Loved his voice, his charisma, his talent, energy. Your highest compliment: He was a cool guy. A super-cool guy. 

Of course, you never knew him. Didn't know what was really in his head and heart. You based all of your feelings about him on things you saw on TV, in documentaries, in articles, and his music. You were always impressed with the image he projected. 

You realize, of course, that that wasn't the whole story. Not really. You knew he was just another human being with faults, flaws, guilt, problems, addictions, worries, doubts, failures and baggage, but you figured he was one of those who transcended. He did the work. The creative work. And he was wildly successful. He was an inspiration. This can be done!

So yes, it's strange. Someone younger, more successful, more talented, more lauded & rewarded, than you, decides to off himself. It is kind of unimaginable. Or maybe it's not unimaginable, maybe it's very much imaginable, but so, so contrary to everything you think and believe.

And maybe it's the mundane, day to day words, his last words, that are especially haunting: "I'm just so tired." You've said those same words yourself. Many, many times. The tiredness is sometimes physical, sometimes mental, sometimes spiritual. Sometimes it's a soul thing.

But somehow you have always figured that tomorrow will be better. A better day. You will get some rest. You will bounce. Maybe it will be sunny tomorrow? Maybe something amazing will happen? Maybe everything will work out for the best? Maybe. Just maybe. Something. Will. Turn. Up.

There's always that hope. For something. For the next moment. And that hope, that belief in the next moment possibly being better than the last one, gets you to the next breath and the next one after that. 

So yes. You know it's all a delicate balance. A dance. Of thoughts, feelings, beliefs, chemicals. We are a boiling caldron of elements. You hang in. You live. Decide. To live. You love life. You love consciousness. Clear consciousness. And you want everyone else to get the message too. Life is precious. And full of possibilities. And Love. Yes. It's worth it to get to the next moment. For sure.

45 Channels Something...

The Church of Satan tries to distance itself from our 45th President. But, really, although it is difficult to know what is in a man's heart and head, we must make our judgements by examining his actions. In that light, I'd say the jury is still out. Then again militantly rank stupidity might even be worse than Satanic mischief. 

Jesus in America Pt. 27

Rolling, rolling, rolling...

It's been awhile, and when there is a lull, you think, "Maybe I'll never see Jesus in America again." But then, there he was yesterday afternoon, skateboarding down the center of a tree-shaded street. What are the chances I'd find myself walking down that particular street at that particular time of the day? My brain isn't good at calculating that kind of probability, but I think the odds are actually quite long.

I usually don't go that way. I was on my way to meet a friend who I rarely see any more. It was a rare jaunt to a part of town I rarely go.  And there he was, a flash, a vision of pure motion.

Jesus in America is a damn fine skateboarder. And I'd say he's quite bold too. He hogged the whole damn street, smack dab in the middle, traffic be damned. He propelled himself with abandon. Top velocity. Pretty impressive.

Made me think of that Bob Dylan song: "If dogs run free, why not we, across the swooping plain..."

We are just like dogs, running and rolling dogs. Don't know where we're going, don't know where we been. Looking for trouble. Jesus in America!

Maybe We Have a Chance?!

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” — Leo Tolstoy

Yes, the "dark side of our human nature."  We should be vigilant. Examine ourselves. Every day. Always working on the fear, pain, loneliness, anger, hate, desperation that resides inside of us.

It's not easy. Right?!

Change yourself, change the world. Not easy. Not simple. A challenge. We need to be clear-eyed, open, awake. Think! Thinking is good, thinking is critical. Critical thinking is critical.

We can face the things we don't want to face, and by facing maybe we have a chance. At least, that's the idea. A noble idea. Worth pursuing.

That's the Best Part!

Death by a million leaks. Cuts. Big and small. Let's think about this... a word of advice.

Don't run for office, the highest office in the land, if you have "things" to hide. If for instance, you run a corrupt business empire and do lots of shady deals with lots of shady characters. There is a good possibility that will turn out to be a major liability in your new job.

Don't take a job you are totally unsuited, unqualified and unprepared for... it's a losing proposition.

Don't secretly, and not so secretly, play patty cakes with a "hostile foreign power." In the long run, it will not play well for you.

Don't label the National Press Corps the "enemy of the people." Not exactly smart. 

Don't piss off the International Intelligence Community, the Spooks who know all the secrets and can record just about any conversation anywhere in the world. 

Don't humiliate a respected FBI Director. Might give the 30,000 members of the FBI a reason to check into your background. Might come back to haunt you.

Don't build up a long track record of lying in public, in speeches, and on Twitter. You are leaving a massive record of your incessant inability to tell the truth which may come in handy for later political discussions, and in legal proceedings.

Don't trample on the good people of good old USA. Not a good idea to belittle and outrage Women, Minorities, Immigrants, etc.

Don't hire a team of incompetent folks who have  no clue how to do their jobs. Don't surround yourself with assholes, lackeys, boot-lickers. And at the same time don't scream at them, harangue them, undercut and humiliate them every time (which is often), something inevitably goes wrong. Not a good way to build a loyal team.

Don't hire your family members. Check out the history books, it's a typical Authoritarian/Dictator thing, and it's not a winning hand.

Don't conduct a massive coverup right before everyone's eyes. If you are so inept, and a great example of the Dunning-Kruger Effect (see previous post), in action, your attempts at the coverup will be so lame and transparent, every sentiment being on the planet will know what you are trying to pull off. It won't work. 

If you decide to plow ahead anyway, well... you will have opened the Gates of Hell and  Certain Retribution. It will be a marvelous, awesome, and horrifying spectacle.  And of course, you will only have yourself to blame!

That's the best part.

It's All Pretty Much a Stupid-Fest!

The Dunning-Kruger Effect. Right?! I should have known about this one. We all should probably study up:

"The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias wherein persons of low ability suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly assessing their ability as greater than it is. The cognitive bias of illusory superiority derives from the metacognitive inability of low-ability people to recognize their ineptitude, without which they cannot accurately evaluate their actual competence.[1]"

Or in other words, very, very stupid people don't realize how stupid they really are, and in fact, they believe they are superior to the next guy. The stupid people are so stupid, they are incapable of figuring out their own deep, abiding stupidity.

Stupefying!

Remind you of anyone? Or anyone's followers? It's one thing to know of a theory, it's another to see it in practice, daily, on the big and little screens everywhere.

Also: "As described by David Dunning and Justin Kruger, the cognitive bias of illusory superiority results from an internal illusion in people of low ability and from external misperception in people of high ability: "The miscalibration of the incompetent stems from an error about the self, whereas the miscalibration of the highly competent stems from an error about others."[1] Hence the analogous corollary to the Dunning–Kruger effect indicates that persons of high-ability underestimate their relative competence, erroneously presuming that tasks that are easy for them to perform are easy for other people too.[1]"

So it's not just about stupid people either. The really stupid "incompetent" people misunderstand their own stupidity. And the not so stupid, sort of competent people misunderstand the stupidity of others. So people who are competent tend to overestimate the competence of the stupid ones.

That explains all those frustrating conversations you've been having with our President's supporters. It's all pretty much a Stupid-Fest!

"My brain hurts!"

Maybe this Karma Thing is Real?

Maybe this Karma thing is real? 

Maybe that's what we are witnessing? The chickens do come home to roost. We really do reap what we sow. What we do, does come back to haunt us. Sort of like a "Spiritual Boomerang."

So if you hate, and stir-up hatred, hatred will come to you. If you disrespect people, they will disrespect you. If you lie, cheat and steal, you will be lied to, cheated, and stolen from.

If you strut around like an over-fed, spoiled child, you will be treated like an over-fed, spoiled child. If you bully everyone, you will be bullied. If you treat people like shit, you will be treated like shit.

If you act like an asshole, you actually are an asshole. And maybe that is your worst fate - you have to be the person you are, your acts, your thoughts will define who you are, and you will carry that with you to the grave. 

Karma. It's a hard thing. Not a dinner party.

A tale of an Idiot, told by a mad posse of Methed-Up Monkeys!

We are watching an American President in free-fall. It has happened before, but the juicy details of this episode are truly, unique & awe-inspiring. Stunning, really. A masterful story. Improbable. Impossible too. You wonder if are there a Million Methed-Up monkeys wildly typing out the story into MacBooks somewhere out there in the vast hinterlands.

A tale of an Idiot, a tale of sound and fury, told by a mad posse of Methed-Up Monkeys. You have to hand it to them, they know how to spin a yarn. Every day, just about every hour of every day, another juicy bit. Some of us are feeding off of this like the Crazed Political Junkies that we have always been. It's been a long drought since the Nixon glory years.

The Crazy Ones have been chattering. And all their crazy chatter seems to be coming to fruition. Freaky. Cool. Just hope the Little Baby Man doesn't do something really, extra-horrifying. Most of the damage and mayhem has been self-generated and self-directed. We are watching an American President in free-fall. And as he falls, hurtling to the grand pit of doom, he douses himself with gasoline, and sets himself on fire. Aflame!

What a shit-show! You could not make this up yourself. Hat tip to the mad posse of Methed-Up Monkeys! 

How Not to Be President of the USA

Maybe it's helpful to know, to have it shown to you, the entire nation, How Not to be President of the USA. It's good to find out the outer limits of acceptability. So, for instance, you have a Guy, who is clearly incapable of doing the job, and put him in the job, and then you watch him totally Fuck It Up, in ways that you didn't think were really possible.

The list of ways is endless, uncountable, unrepeatable, mind-bogglingly, impossible to sum up. Think: Total Clusterfuck!

So, for instance, see what happens when you put in a Guy whose brain no longer does what a healthy brain does. Hilarity ensues. Maybe tragedy too. I mean, really, really anything is possible.

So maybe the Guy has a meeting with his handlers from a hostile, foreign power, a hostile foreign power that this Guy sort of likes, has a long track record of doing business with, shady folks from this hostile foreign power, and for instance, when no good U.S. bank would lend the Guy $, he found that lots of rich Oligarchs and Gangsters from the hostile foreign power were willing to float him, keep his brand empire running.

Such a nice, friendly, hostile foreign power. 

And then, why not, this Guy decides to invite representatives of the hostile foreign power to the Oval Office. He bars the U.S. press, of course, but the Foreign Ministry of the hostile foreign power is welcome, and they bring a photographer along.

Everything is peachy keen. And as a bonus the Guy spills state secrets, classified information that the US hasn't even shared with our closest allies to the hostile foreign power. The Guy is that kind of Guy.

Russia's Puppet, acting like Russia's Puppet?

The Washington Post: "In his meeting with Lavrov, Trump seemed to be boasting about his inside knowledge of the looming threat. “I get great intel. I have people brief me on great intel every day,” the president said, according to an official with knowledge of the exchange."

For a serious, in-depth analysis of what this Guy has done, be sure to read LawFare - stunning!

What can you say? It's good to know How Not to Be President of the USA, right?

Jesus in America Pt. 26

What would Jesus in America Do?

Lawyer Up!

I don't want to spread any rumors, but I think it would be wise for certain folks, working for a particular person, (any guesses?),  should be huddling with their lawyers.

We aren't at the end of the Washington D.C. saga, only at the beginning...

BTW - My last Jesus in America sighting was a false positive. That was not Jesus in America (# 1 or 2, with, or without cat),  it was just a sort of gentrified, prettified version of the man, one that likes to sketch in a book at the coffeehouse. Certainly not Jesus in America #1 or 2, and thankfully, there isn't a Jesus in America #3.

Jesus in America is still wanted, dangerous, untamed, a bit mangy and feral. Any info to the contrary, even from me, is erroneous.

I am reading Bernard Sumner's (founding member of Joy Division & New Order) book, "Chapter and Verse." Maybe more on the book later, but I came across this passage last night, and I think the plain language hit me square between the eyes. This, of course, seems like a simple & plain truth...

"No matter what you say or who you are, it's what you do that matters. Your actions will ultimately betray your true nature." - B. Sumner

King Lear without the Gravitas!

Can you imagine working for the guy? As someone, somewhere said: "You'd have to be a Liar or a Fool." I suppose most of us would first ask, "How much does it pay?"

Aye there's the rub. So yes, it would sort of be liking working for King Lear, except without the gravitas. And you'd have to really learn how to grovel, praise, boot-lick, ass-kiss.

And everyone this guy comes in contact with seems to get dirtied, or slimed beyond recognition. It's sort of like wrestling a really dirty, noxious pig. You are not going to emerge from it smelling like a rose.

The guy is a toxic windbag. He turns us all into liars and fools just by demanding our attention. But it doesn't seem right to just totally tune him out.  A no-win situation for sure.

Destruction of a Man!

To be honest, I never thought the guy who is President now, could be President. Didn't seem possible. Couldn't imagine it. It was so obvious the man was not up to the job. When he accidentally won, (accidentally voted in by all those accidentally mindless Republican voters), I was flabbergasted. 

And I imagined all kinds of dire things with him in office. Funny. It's actually so much worse than I could imagine. The man is a menace, to our country, our dignity, to our global image around the world.

And he is setting himself on fire right before our very eyes. Full meltdown. There is not a shred of sense or intelligence, or self-respect in the man. He is pure malevolent Id. A big, hopeless, slobbering Baby Man. 

The forces of the law are coming down on this poor sad-sack of a human being. I suppose that it will be interesting spectacle to witness. He will be taken apart piece by piece by the rule of law, and those loyal to truth, justice and the American Way.

You wonder if he will have any clue about what is to happen to him? He seems like a drowning man, flailing, flapping, raging, sinking in the deepest flaming waters of a new hell of his own making. He is so unaware of anything  beyond his own thick skull, his own raging emotions.

It would be sort of a sad thing to see. If you could have a shred of sympathy for such a clueless individual.  But of course, he's also malevolent, mendacious, despicable. A loud, obnoxious, bully. He will have earned every last indignity that will most assuredly fall upon is sorry head.

I couldn't have imagined all of this unrolling so quickly, it is all beyond imagining. An awesome, terrifying thing to witness. A destruction of a man.

The President of the USA is in Full Meltdown Mode!

The President is in full meltdown mode. First he admitted to Obstruction of Justice on national TV. And then he theatens the newly Ex-FBI Director on Twitter. As someone pointed out, that could be construed as witness intimidation. Funny. Hilarious. Ridiculous!

This is like an "All the President's Men" & "Dumb & Dumber" movie mashup.  Trump is too stupid, and casually corrupt to be devious. His faux-mafia tendencies are always front and center.

I don't know if Trump realizes he is in deep, deep shit. And I don't think anyone on his team is capable of stopping him from destroying himself. This is utterly, completely amazing.

Here is our Tin-Pot Mafia Boss trying to get the FBI Director to "swear his loyalty" to him... this is remarkable... the FBI Director is supposed be "loyal" to the law... maybe Martin Scorsese can make the movie... this is sort of like "Goodfellas" except really stupid...


As they ate, the president and Mr. Comey made small talk about the election and the crowd sizes at Mr. Trump’s rallies. The president then turned the conversation to whether Mr. Comey would pledge his loyalty to him.

Mr. Comey declined to make that pledge. Instead, Mr. Comey has recounted to others, he told Mr. Trump that he would always be honest with him, but that he was not “reliable” in the conventional political sense.

....By Mr. Comey’s account, his answer to Mr. Trump’s initial question apparently did not satisfy the president, the associates said. Later in the dinner, Mr. Trump again said to Mr. Comey that he needed his loyalty.

Mr. Comey again replied that he would give him “honesty” and did not pledge his loyalty, according to the account of the conversation.

But Mr. Trump pressed him on whether it would be “honest loyalty.”
“You will have that,” Mr. Comey told his associates he responded.

A fat, old, white guy, yelling at his TV set

Something is very wrong...

A fat, old, white guy, yelling at his TV set any time he sees a story about Russia's hack of USA and the unfolding investigation. It's a significant story, blasting on cable news all hours of the day. So lots of yelling. Isolated. Alone. 

We knew we were getting this guy. We saw him every day in public. Same fat, old, white, guy, same yelling & ranting. He ranted at young people, African Americans, Immigrants, Women. Lots of yelling. Lots of ranting.

Now he's supposed to be the President of the Country. Same guy. You almost, almost feel sorry for the man, maybe, just maybe a tiny drop of compassion for someone so inept, so politically tone deaf? No, even though Jesus or Buddha would counsel compassion, it's impossible. The guy is just too much of a hater. Don't want to hate the hater, but he is repulsive.

It's obvious he wanted to shut down the FBI Russian Investigation by firing the FBI Director. He probably thought it would be a little story, most people would applaud, and move on. In this case, not so likely.

The first question that popped into my head when I heard the news was, "Isn't that Obstruction of Justice?" I was drawing upon my history, a wee lad during Watergate, became a Political Junkie by mainlining Hunter S. Thompson's dispatches from the campaign trail.

And I knew that obstruction, coverup, that's how a man tumbles, crumbles, destroys himself. This old white guy is too inept, too politically tone deaf, too casually corrupt to pull off a coverup. And he has no loyal subjects. They are all Stooges, Boot-lickers, only in it for the $, the reflected glory. They will turn on him for a dime. Already they are leaking and talking, telling any reporter within D.C. what an ignorant, ranting fool they have as a boss.

This is gonna be a wild ride. We are watching the disintegration of a man, an office, a country. Hopefully we will be able to clean-up, pick up the pieces, and remake it all when it comes to it's conclusion. I'm sometimes a betting man. I bet this guy is toast. It will be a slow burn, but burn he will...

"There is grave wrongdoing at the center of the Russia scandal... it implicates the President." - Josh Marshall

Wow... and... Holy Shite...

I do believe Little Baby Man will rue the day he decided to run for President. It may have been a way for him to stick a finger in the eye of the Establishment that he always hated, but I do believe he is gonna feel the full weight of the Karma Train come down on his sorry, fat, white, ass. 

And now Little Baby Man is in a World of Shite. This Russian Dupe in the White House Story has Legs. And my guess it doesn't end well for Little Baby Man. 

If you haven't been reading Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo, you really are missing out on the definitive narrative. Here is his latest on the Comey firing: 

"There is only one reasonable conclusion that can be drawn from the decision to fire Comey: that there is grave wrongdoing at the center of the Russia scandal and that it implicates the President. As I write this, I have a difficult time believing that last sentence myself. But sometimes you have to step back from your assumptions and simply look at what the available evidence is telling you. It’s speaking clearly: the only reasonable explanation is that the President has something immense to hide and needs someone in charge of the FBI who he believes is loyal."

There is also some good stuff from Kevin Drum at Mother Jones:

"Trump's astronomical ignorance has finally caught up with him. He seems to have had no idea that firing Comey wouldn't stop the investigation—nor that a new FBI director wouldn't dare quash it. In fact, all the firing does is make the investigation untouchable. And Trump's astronomical narcissism has caught up with him too. He has so little insight into other humans that he simply couldn't conceive of anyone hating Comey but still defending his right to serve out his term. In Trump's world, you reward your friends and punish your enemies and that's that."

This little kicker is exquisite: "And one final thing: once again, we learn that many of Trump's advisors are perfectly willing to portray him as an idiot."

As for me, I am feeling a bit of Vertigo. It's all a little bit of a Deja Vu. Right? A President suspected of high crimes & misdemeanors starts firing the folks investigating him. This time there's a Russian Twist! This isn't the end of the story... it is just the beginning...

Jesus in America Pt. 25

We need new heroes...

What is a Hero? "A person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities."

There are a few of those wandering around in the Human Herd. Although in this day and age, we are all looking for the fatal flaw, the scandal, the times and places when the Hero doesn't act accordingly.

We want our Heroes to be Human. We put them up to knock them down. It's a "status game" that is familiar to us all. Maybe it's built into our genetic code?

Yesterday, I was stunned, Jesus in America (the one without a cat), revealed a whole new side to himself. He sat inside a little coffee shop, sketching in an artist's sketch book. He was alone. He is always alone. But there he was with a shop full of people, just like anyone else. Just another human being. Jesus in America seems so much more cultured, gentrified, and hipster-ish. Not the dangerous, feral street person I conjured up.

I tried to quickly peek over his shoulder to see what he was sketching, but couldn't get close enough. No way was I gonna hover over Jesus in America. Or start a conversation. Although I was dying to. I moved to the line to get my caffeine fix.

Let me imagine what he was sketching: Jesus in America was sketching out a new kind of Hero. Maybe a young girl with Superpowers. Native American? Asian-American? African American? How about a Syrian Refugee?

Her Superpowers? Compassion. Love. Empathy. Integrity. A sense of Social Justice. And a commitment to a better World. A Feminist, Environmentalist, Vegetarian. Also of course, she can punch through walls, leap tall buildings, and break out some kick-ass Kung Fu moves.

A well-rounded Heroine. Her fatal flaw? She likes the Eagles. Oh Jesus!

Jesus in America Pt. 24

"Don't follow leaders, watch the parking meters." - B. Dylan

Yes. Don't want to follow Jesus in America. He's not very sociable  and he doesn't have a posse. And don't want to follow anyone else either. Thinking of the Usual Suspects: Krishna, Buddha, Mohammad, etc.  All those weighty entities with all their weighty thoughts and philosophies and instructive tales.

I'd rather be a "gleaner,"  - to gather, pick, choose & accumulate stuff from everything and everyone around me. Just the best stuff. And make up my own mind, come up with my own ideas, out of all those accumulated things. That seems smart. Don't try to invent a wheel, grab a wheel, and modify it to my own purposes.

Jesus in America Pt. 23

Everything will be revealed...

Revelation. You expect it. Wait for it. Pray for it. Search for it. 

That moment when it will all comes into focus. "The scales have fallen from from my eyes." The cloud of unknowing is blown to distant islands.

You see yourself as some kind of Mystic Private Eye always on the case.  Yes, you expect that "Aha" moment around every corner. Insight. Second Sight. Epiphany. That moment when all is transformed.

Everything perfect and in it's right place. 

You are a Searcher. A Wonderer. A Wanderer. And you Believe that there is Secret Knowledge. And you will figure it out! Maybe it's a state of Enlightenment. Maybe it's when you start talking in tongues and pull off your human suit and actually become the Holy Ghost. 

Or a Bodhisattva. Or a Holy One. A Sacred Being.

You betray your arrogance. Your hubris. You are just a Lonely Pilgrim on the Long Lonely Road. There is You. There is the Road. That's it. Once in a great while you are filled with joy, good feeling, and you feel connected to everything in the Universe. You feel Love. All Love.

But those moments are rare. And they never linger. Still, you have had a glimpse of what some call the Eternal. Yes. You. Have.

Jesus in America Pt. 22

WTF...

Jesus in America, what's a Poor Lonely Pilgrim to do? All this chatter about "pre-existing conditions," makes one's little head spin. Let's look at the bigger picture. You know, there's always a bigger picture. Isn't Life a pre-existing condition? Isn't Death a pre-existing condition? 

Every little bouncing baby born into this storm-tossed existence is doomed to die, get sick, be disfigured. To be scarred, poked, prodded, cut, broken, beaten up and beaten down. Every breath we take we are closer to oblivion. A certain death. We are made of bacterial germs that keep us alive and  conspire to destroy us.

There is danger around every corner. Any moment is an accident waiting to happen. Our bodies are swimming in cancer cells. Our bodies are a battleground. Expect mayhem. How many diseases can strike us down? An uncounted number. Their names are Legion.

So yes, we are all fallible and malleable and mortal. And weak and susceptible to all kinds of noxious shit. We are all in it together. Makes sense that we'd all want to take care of each other. Make sure we all had the best healthcare available to keep everyone of us happy and healthy for a reasonable lifetime. 

The rich help the poor, the healthy help the sick. We are the same. Human Beings. We all live, get sick, get well, spin out, succeed, fail, fall down, stand up. This is simple. We take care of each other. Anything else is just stupidity, madness, selfishness.

Jesus in America Pt. 21

There but for the grace of god go I...

I don't know what Jesus in America thinks. So let me implant some thoughts in his head. I don't think he goes in for that Holy-Roller, Self-Righteous, Lift Me Up, Make Me the Judge of Other People Claptrap. For sure he isn't a Evangelical Christian Conservative. Those people are completely twisted! I don't think Jesus in America is Religious at all. Hopefully, like me, he's gleaned a few good lessons from all that Bible-Learning, and early enforced Church-going. And he's not about hitting people over the head with all that shit, but instead prefers to lead by example.

Basically, try not to do bad shit - Don't Lie, Steal, Cheat, Murder or Covet Your Neighbors Wife. OK. I know. Sometimes coveting is inevitable, but keep it to a minimum!

And this is the big one: FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE:

One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself 

One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated 

What you wish upon others, you wish upon yourself 

Burn that into your thick little head. Tattoo that on your fat little ass. It's the essential code to know and to live by.

So anyway, yesterday we were playing music with a very sweet young female violinist. She is a wonder and a jewel, just a great person. She happens to be disabled, bound to a wheelchair. We were talking about the events of the day, including the vote on the repeal of Obamacare. Great comment from this wonderful young lady: "We are all one step from being disabled." Amen Sister!

So anyway, of course the GOP has voted to punish poor people, disabled people, women, anyone who  has a pre-existing condition, anyone who needs medical attention, basically anyone who ever needs a helping hand at any time. An ugly, ugly bill. Passed by very ugly people.  You just hope the Karma Train comes to these people swiftly and definitely. 

There was reaction from all quarters yesterday. I do think the People are "woke" and will not stand for this bullshit. We shall see. Loved this from Anna Marie Cox on Twitter. There is something elegant and beautiful in this little tweet: 

Jesus in America Pt. 20

Why have you forsaken me?

Days go by and no Jesus in America sighting. Makes me think he  has moved on to another game. Or makes me think maybe I just hallucinated the whole thing. No such luck.

Yesterday, late morning, there he was (the one without a cat), on his bike, texting on his smart phone, (that's dangerous Jesus!), wearing new eyeglasses!  Snazzy, large, clear, cool-looking frames. Totally new look for Jesus in America. He looks a bit more literate, intelligent, bookish, pulled together, less fierce, more quizzical, more approachable, a little more thoughtful. Amazing what the right accessory can do for your looks. 

Functional too, right? They are eyeglasses. Help him see. He was blind, but now he sees?! Right? So yes, Jesus in America now looks at the world with new eyes, he sees with a new clarity. And to me he looks a bit renewed and clearer and more in focus too.

Jesus in America Pt. 19

I turn my lonely eyes to you...

I have done my best to write of other things. To think of other things. To worry about other things. Still, I am very much aware of the Militantly Ignorant Captain of our Ship of State.  Maybe it's a Ship of Fools? 

I have wasted too many brain cells & pixels thinking about our Sick Little Baby Man. I have thought long and hard about him and his job. I have probably spent more time thinking and caring about him, his office, and our country, than the man has himself. Which is ridiculous right? I am just a Lonely Pilgrim tracking the movements of Jesus in America in the Heartland.

He is the President of the United States. It seems he is quickly disintegrating on the job. His brain is falling apart. He says crazy, stupid, twisted, nonsensical things every day. He lies constantly.

As one observer puts it: "You can be too ignorant to know you’re ignorant.” 

Read David Remnick on Trump's first 100 days. An American Horror Story. It feels like a 1000 days, or 10,000 days. There's an outrage every hour. Remnick is a writer of distinction. A master. Essential reading.

"Impulsive, egocentric, and mendacious, Trump has, in the same span, set fire to the integrity of his office." - D. Remnick

Someone should intervene. Calling Jesus in America! The Little Baby Man is flailing. Failing. He is capable of doing great damage to himself and to us too.  It's a fascinating Reality TV show, but really it's best to turn it off. There is a sickness in the land. We all must try to inoculate ourselves from the sickness of the Little Baby Man, the Plague of the Militantly Ignorant One!

Jesus in America Pt. 18

Be like water...

I'm thinking Jesus in America (and I), should be more like Bruce Lee. And Bruce Lee, what was his great insight? "Be like Water." The Tao Te Ching was there first...

Nothing is weaker than water,

But when it attacks something hard 

Or resistant, then nothing withstands it, 

And nothing will alter its way. 

So Jesus in America to Bruce Lee to Tao Te Ching to Water. A Western Man looking for Wisdom in the Man from the East. West meets East. East meets West.

"Water, Bruce Lee's famous metaphor for resilience:"

"After spending many hours meditating and practicing, I gave up and went sailing alone in a junk. On the sea I thought of all my past training and got mad at myself and punched the water! Right then — at that moment — a thought suddenly struck me; was not this water the very essence of gung fu? Hadn’t this water just now illustrated to me the principle of gung fu? I struck it but it did not suffer hurt. Again I struck it with all of my might — yet it was not wounded! I then tried to grasp a handful of it but this proved impossible. This water, the softest substance in the world, which could be contained in the smallest jar, only seemed weak. In reality, it could penetrate the hardest substance in the world. That was it! I wanted to be like the nature of water.

Suddenly a bird flew by and cast its reflection on the water. Right then I was absorbing myself with the lesson of the water, another mystic sense of hidden meaning revealed itself to me; should not the thoughts and emotions I had when in front of an opponent pass like the reflection of the birds flying over the water? This was exactly what Professor Yip meant by being detached — not being without emotion or feeling, but being one in whom feeling was not sticky or blocked. Therefore in order to control myself I must first accept myself by going with and not against my nature."

Jesus in America Pt. 17

I don't have to figure everything out...

Ok. That's an insight. A revelation. A relief. Somewhere along the line, during the day to day unrolling of my meager existence, I realized that I didn't need to figure everything out. I really don't need to know all the "whys" and "wherefores" of our existence here on this little spinning Blue Planet.

This is not a quiz. If I don't know all the answers, I don't necessarily fail. I mean, if the Gods are grading me, (I hope it's on a curve), I just have to hope I kind of squeeze by onto the next level. Whatever that is.

I mean, it would be nice to know ultimate meanings and purposes. It would be cool if I could explain all the inner workings of this grand experiment. I wish I had an all encompassing explanation for the Universe, Consciousness, the Duality of Man, etc.

But I'm ok with not quite knowing "shit from Shinola." I mean as Pete Townsend once sang: "I Don't Even Know Myself:"

"Come on all of you big boys

Come on all of you elves

Don't pretend that you know me

Cause I don't even know myself

I don't know myself"

What does this all have to do with Jesus in America? I don't know...