Cooler Heads Prevail!

Yes, I'm with Kevin Drum. The real dangerousness of Trump's campaign has been his overt racism. Throw in blatant misogyny too. It has been an incredibly harmful display. And the GOP has been defenseless in the face of it. And it has brought out the worst amongst us to verbalize all their rage, and hate and stupidity in public.  It's hard to argue with such over the top hatred. There's no way to rationalize, or understand it. So we all must call it out. Not fun and not easy to label a good segment of our population as hate-filled racists, but there it is. All we can hope for is that cooler heads prevail!

My Wounded Country!

Just an unfiltered, in the moment thought-stream this morning...

We are wounded. The People of the United States. We live in tumultuous times. We are a nation of winners and losers. And some of the winners used to be losers, some of the losers used to be winners. And The People are turning on each other. What happens when The People turn on each other? What happens to Democracy?

There is Humiliation in the land. Emasculation. That John Wayne, "Red River," America is a long ago myth. I mean, for sure, it was a myth when it first surfaced, but it had a resonance with much of America back in the 40's, 50's & 60's, but it is for sure and completely dead and buried now. There are no fish in that Red River. There are no John Waynes anymore. 

We are all suffering from PSTD. Think of the stream of events: 9/11. Katrina. Iraq War. Afghan War. Financial Meltdown. The Walmart-ization of the Land. Nothing is made in America anymore. Everything is made of plastic. Everything is "throw-away."

And White ones turn on the Black Ones. And the Brown and Red ones turn on the White and Black Ones. Everyone turning on everyone else. And there are differing ideas of what all those big ideas that we supposedly all believe in really mean.

For some "multiculturalism" & "diversity" are dirty words. There are differing ideas of Justice. Life. Liberty. Freedom. We are a wounded nation. A nation pulling apart. What happens? What happens to Democracy? What happens to The People?

Mini-Stalin, Baby-Mussolini!

Email-Gate. Kevin Drum tells us "There. Is. Literally. Nothing. Here."  The Political world goes crazy anyway.

I should probably post this Pussy Riot video every day until the election, (although, I promise, I won't). It is essential viewing.

And the choice is clear. A Woman who sent and received emails when she was Secretary of State, or Mini-Stalin, Baby-Mussolini, Putin's Puppet?!

Come on folks, it isn't a hard choice? WTF...

Pussy Riot Takes on Trump & Vaginas!

Pussy Riot. Brilliant. Essential. 

First they take on Trump's "Pretty Hate Machine." They imagine the unimaginable.  "No more Fat Pigs..."

And then they remind us that we all come "Straight Outta Vagina."  Mind-blowingly good.

"A Lying, Screaming Prophet of American Decline!"

Love this one... "There Will Be No Trumpism After Trump."  Trump is sui generis - "unique," "literally of it's own kind."

After November 8 we can forget that the man ever existed. Let him slink away into a dark corner, and let's all be thankful that he will never besmirch our national consciousness ever again.

"Trump’s major contribution was to offer himself as the GOP’s perfect vessel: a lying, screaming prophet of American decline."

We Lose Some Essential Liveliness Too!

To be positive, hopeful, optimistic. It's kind of a "counter-cultural" stance. So much of our public conversation is negative, fearful, pessimistic. It's considered "smarter" to curb your enthusiasm. So much easier to be cynical, sarcastic, ironic; there's a lot less at stake, it's less risky, there's less of a chance of being hurt. Of course you lose some essential liveliness too. Yes, we must open our eyes to reality, we must see clearly, but we also need to dream, to believe, to work towards a better day.

Enthusiastically Voting For & Against!

My friend and I voted yesterday. The first day of early voting in our locality. It was busy at the polling place. Lots of chatty folks in line waiting to vote. I think those who say there is no enthusiasm for the choices this year, are dead wrong. Folks very much are voting for and against. Enthusiastically!

So you get a real "two-for" this year.  I must say voting for the 1st Woman President ever in the history of our country after the 43 men who have served, was  quite surprisingly exhilarating.  It felt good. Really, really good. Satisfying!

And voting against the Short-Fingered Vulgarian was cleansing, life-affirming, exciting, and oh so necessary. Gratifying!

I am convinced that Hillary Clinton will win on November 8, and I do have high hopes that she will be not only a historically significant President, but also a very effective politician and policy wonk. She is an amazingly gifted person, which has pretty much been lost in all the hubbub and hurly burly. And after 40 years of being the target of the Right-Wing Noise Machine.

This thing is done. Let's get to work!

I Do the Work!

Time is leaking. Time is ebbing away. Tick, tick, tick...

So I have no time for some things. No time for back-biters, no time for those who fret, no time for the nay-sayers, no time for those who take it all away.

My method, I know, it sort of sounds like an advertising tagline -  I just do it, right? And I like to hang with those who just do it too.

I look at my life and the things I do in my life as the good work. And I do the work. Humbly, intently, seriously, with dedication and a sense of fun.

That's it. Keep me occupied while that clock just ticks away...

It Should Be Easier for Folks To Vote!

If we believe in Democracy, we should not make it hard for folks to vote in America. People should not have to wait in long lines to vote. These lines are the result of a conscious strategy. These lines happen in States that have a long history of trying to suppress the votes of minorities. 

I agree with Josh Marshall... it's "The Shame and the Glory!" Those folks waiting patiently, intently, willing to spend their precious time, in a line to vote, yes, it's kind of inspiring. And at the same time you realize it doesn't have to be that way.

Sink & Swim!

Hearing things. Sometimes you find yourself hearing things. Source or no source. Thought I heard this on the radio this morning, not sure: "Not one of us makes up the world from scratch."

Aye. There's the rub. If we did have to make it up from scratch we'd be busy just trying to get back to base. But since we don't make it from scratch, we are burdened with a grand inheritance. We get the good, the bad, the ugly.

And sink or swim. Or maybe more like sink and swim...

"Sin & Redemption!"

"Sin and Redemption." Those words floated to the surface last night. I saw and heard the words. They woke me up from a very deep sleep. Woke me up in the dead of night. Unbidden. 

I am not much of a religious person. But have spent lots of my life studying religion, thinking about it, reacting against it. I am pretty familiar with the Catholic tradition, the Zen tradition. I meditate, sometimes float up a prayer or two. You know, sort of ironically.

I believe in believing. In something. I think it helps. And we can use all the help we can get. Right? So yeah, "sin and redemption." I know what the words mean. They are not empty. They hold meaning. 

What do I do with them? Thinking about that this morning. I don't know. Not sure. I have sinned. Whether I believe in sin or not. I know what a sin is. Can I be redeemed? "Atone, make amends, save?"

An open question. The words came to me as a statement. Not a question. But I am left with a question. That's just the way it goes.

I'm with the Nasty Woman!

Yes, Politics again... what happened last night? Debate #3. Who won? The "Nasty Woman!" Of course, I'm totally with the nasty woman, I think she is just fine, she's nasty in all the right places, in the right proportion, she should be given a medal just for standing on stage with that Authoritarian Creep. And of course, she most likely will make a fabulous President.

Who called her "the nasty woman?" You know, that "ignorant, mendacious, mean, misogynistic, and unable to control his temper" guy. (Hat-Tip: Kevin Drum). What a piece of jet-trash!

"The Unable to Control His Temper Guy" is toast. He is the Walking Dead. A Zombie. No one has told him that he is living in a delusional bubble in his brain. Sam Wang reminds us "It's All Over Now Baby Blue!" 

Who is gonna explain to "Ignorant, mendacious, mean, misogynistic, and unable to control his temper Guy" that this thing is done?!

Demographics Baby!

Of course, when that Raging Buffoon tells us the election will be rigged, what he really means is that Women, and African Americans, and Hispanics, and other Minorities, legal citizens of America, have the right to vote, and they will vote, in great numbers. Someone please tell that clueless Raging Buffoon that angry, whiny, white folks aren't the only ones who can vote! And yes, well, the Raging Buffoon is going to lose, big time, no rigging necessary! Swamped by the Demographics, baby!

The Dead Will Save Our Asses!

I know the guy is just being a Smart-Ass Jerk. He has made it his own personal art-form. But when he tells us that "1.8 Million Deceased individuals will vote for somebody else,"  my first thought is: "Well, isn't that just wonderful?"

The Dead will come back to make sure that the Total Idiot will not be President. How nice and thoughtful of them. Supernatural! The Dead have "been there, done that," you figure they totally know their shit. And if they choose to vote for the Woman, well, God Bless Them!

This Tendency is Deadly!

Dr. Sam Wang discusses "motivated reasoning."  As he says, which explains a lot of the madness of the moment...

"Our brains are really good at letting in information that agrees with our prior views and we look for reasons to reject information that is disagreeable. In a complex media environment, this tendency is deadly."

So yes, "Richie-Rich" burns himself and his brand (see previous post) at the stake, and the racially resentful hordes cheer him on, and they actually somehow convince themselves that his burned- to-the-crisp-corpse would make an excellent Strong-man President!

Funny!

HST - Madness, Fear & Loathing 2016!

I try to imagine what Hunter S. Thompson would be writing today about this Election. If Richard Nixon was the Sick Dark Prince of America, what could Trump possibly be? Think the Jerry Springer Show, Scripted by the Farrelly Brothers, Directed by some Mad Crack-Poisoned Cretin. A tale of Madness, Fear and Loathing. The immolation of a man and a brand! Richie-Rich burns himself at the stake!

"There's always that guy that things happen to."

I play guitar and sing in a band called whitewolfsonicprincess. Think: Neo-Psychedelic Folk-Rock. Luckily, I am one of the founders of the band. If I were a hired hand, I think I would have been canned long ago.

As one of the other band members has said, "There's always that guy that things happen to." Unfortunately, I am that guy. I have decided to do a little exorcism. I will list all my little mishaps on stage with this fledgling little band. And by listing the mishaps, hopefully, I clear the energy, and give myself a clean start. That's the idea. 

So here we go:

I have broken strings (often), I have forgotten songs (in the middle of the song), I have played in the wrong key, I have played out of tune, I have misplaced capos (2 of them, one of them was in my pocket, how did it vanish?), I have played the wrong song and the wrong time, I have kicked cables (over and over again, you'd I'd figure a way not to do it!) I have lost my place on the fretboard, I have played songs too fast, too slow, in a completely new way, totally surprising the rest of the band. I continue to find new ways to screw up. 

Hopefully, I will finally exhaust all the ways you can go wrong, and then in that way find the right path... hopefully...

A Strange, Spiky, Brittle, Funny, Amazing Human Being!

Yesterday, I was high as a kite. Walking on a cloud. Overly-happy. I realize it was all because I started the day hearing that Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 (see previous post). Funny. I really have nothing to do with it. It has nothing to do with me.

Except, if I think of my life, and of the people who have been an influence, or a model, or an inspiration, Bob Dylan would be right at the top of the list. Right behind my parents. For sure. He was the first singer/songwriter I fell for, even before the Beatles. He came into my life (via my Mom), in a super-critical, impressionable time. Formative! So everything, all other music, and all the other cultural, social and political hurly-burly was reflected thru Dylan.

Dylan's sound. His poetry. His voice. His mad word-stream. His surrealistic thought-trains. His humor. The essence of Folk, the essence of ramshackle, edgy, spiky, intelligent r&r. That high "mercury sound."

Yes, Dylan. Inevitable. Essential. Everything wrapped up in that strange, spiky, brittle, funny, amazing human being.

Noble Bob Wins the Nobel!

Sometimes you wake up to great news... Bob Dylan wins the Nobel Prize for Literature 2016!

Take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind

Down the foggy ruins of time

Far past the frozen leaves

The haunted frightened trees

Out to the windy bench

Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow

Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky

With one hand waving free

Silhouetted by the sea

Circled by the circus sands

With all memory and fate

Driven deep beneath the waves

Let me forget about today until tomorrow

Like Attracts Like!

Like attracts like. Is that a thing? If you are a shameless hustler, you attract shameless hustlers. If you are a film-flammer, film-flammers flock to you like flies.

Trump's campaign is a collection of hustlers, film-flammers, the dregs of the dregs of the political cesspool. It must be a real trip to be a reporter and to follow these folks on the campaign trail.

Ryan Lizza has an insider look at the Trump campaign brain trust. Trust me, the brains on display are a house of horrors. And the ship is sinking! The rats are turning on each other.

Who will ever want to employ these folks ever again? I suppose there is a certain fame that comes with running one of the worst Presidential campaigns ever. But not the good kind of fame.

There are some classic quotes in the article. Creepy Trump insiders dissing other Creepy Trump insiders. Hilarious!

There's this: 

“I view her as an enabler,” one Trump campaign official told me. “Right now, post-debate, I guarantee you there’s a fucking Kool-Aid cooler the size of a fucking wheat silo that they’re all drinking from. I guarantee you, because none of them can accept the blame for what they failed to do.”


And this: 

"The end for Lewandowski came when Manafort and Kushner allied against him. “When Manafort was brought on, Corey and Manafort basically went head to head,” the Trump campaign official said. “Jared, the son-in-law, who is a snaky little motherfucker, a horrible human being, hated Corey, so Jared sided with Paul to get rid of Corey.”