Oh the Days Dwindle Down

Published October 30, 2024 by Nan Mykel

Trump is using much more profanity now than he did in 2016. What minimal self-restraint he once showed in his public discourse seems to have fizzled out.

The word “fascist” has been thrown around recently re Trump, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. Please, America, don’t elect someone who is so blatantly fascist. Fascism (/ˈfæʃɪzəm/ FASH-iz-əm) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist and movement, characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests …

I can understand a number of folks with unresolved authority issues biting on Trump’s fascist hook but guys, this is real life, and the time is in the present, and in our country.

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A Thought from the nytimes:

A candidate who tried to overturn the last election is not usually in striking distance of winning the next one, with the future of a criminal prosecution hanging in the balance. An opposing candidate’s closing argument speech is not usually held at the birthplace of an insurrection. And American voters do not usually find themselves needing to form an opinion on whether the next president should use executive power to imprison enemies or even to deploy the military against them.

There’s a lotta great news coverage out there today and yesterday. Do read as many as you can, especially one today by Diane Ravitch. Goodnight, sweet dreams.

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A LITTLE VERSE ATTEMPT

Once as innocent as snow,

Certain friends grew up to know

Nefariousness and more

in their search to not be poor.

Cops and robbers, fun to play,

perfect for a childhood day.

Doesn’t fit when we are grown,

taking on a querulous tone.

Families split, old friends too

Truth never lies, how ’bout you?

WORDS FAIL ME

Published October 28, 2024 by Nan Mykel

No, Not a Lemming

Published October 26, 2024 by Nan Mykel

https://www.nwfrenchies.com/past-puppies

We’ll get to the picture of a lemming in just a few, but this French bulldog has been described as looking like a baby, if you ignore the ears. During times of stress (most of the time these days), we tend to humanize our pets. Dog ice cream is even available. And have you seen the lush dog beds, coats, rain boots, chew toys and car seats? Fun’s over now.

The photo of a lemming I promised earlier may be less adorable, but lemmings have it tougher. They live in the arctic, do not make good pets, and are short-lived. Storied for their self destructive tendency to drown themselves in the sea under the malevolent influence of another, they have become a metaphor for self-destruction. The expression “like lemmings to the sea” originated in the 1950s and remained popular for decades afterward. The phrase was used as a way of symbolizing people who unthinkingly follow what the crowd is doing, often with dangerous, if not downright fatal, consequences. They live under the snow and their coat color changes with the weather.

_____https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tunturisopuli_Lemmus_Lemmus.jpg_______________

YAY, FRANCE https://time.com/6277524/france-influencer-marketing-regulation-social/

I really hate to be manipulated, so I was glad to read that France is influencing the influencers via laws. As early as 2023 the influencer marketing industry—a largely new economic sector that pays everyday individuals to promote products to their followers—is worth an estimated hundreds of millions of euros. But the industry has never been formally recognized by the law and is instead governed by laws designed for traditional marketing. France’s Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire, launched a public consultation in January 2023 to set up a framework for regulation. “This is the first time in Europe that a comprehensive influencer regulation framework will be put in place.” Le Maire said about the bill. The Internet “is not the Wild West” he told local media.”

French influencers are already required to specify in their post’s description if they are paid to promote a brand or product, but the practice is not always followed. In a study earlier this year, the country’s economy ministry’s consumer protection bureau found that six of 10 influencers did not follow regulations. Under the new law, content creators would be required to include a disclaimer indicating that a post is sponsored as a banner across photos and videos, rather than just in the description or as a hashtag. Fernandez says there is a lack of understanding of the laws governing the sector. The new legislation will create a foundation for how influencers’ content will be regulated when it comes to advertising.The bill considers influencers’ activities as advertising to be governable under French Consumer Law, closing a loophole that has long allowed influencers to turn a blind eye to regulations by recognizing the sector and explicitly defining the laws governing it. The plan would not regulate influencer’s free speech on social media, only on those used as an advertising channel, an official explained. Those who do not comply could face six months’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 300,000 euros. A law passed in Norway in 2021 made it mandatory for influencers to disclose if they were posting retouched photos as part of paid promotion! That’s a good idea, too.

ENOUGH! I GET THE BIG PICTURE….According to NPR, during the current campaign, Mr. Trump has made more than 100 specific threats “to investigate, prosecute, jail or otherwise punish” people he regards as enemies, including Mr. Biden, Kamala Harris, members of Congress, judges and prosecutors. Do I look like a lemming? I think I’ll try praying, just in case…

Happy Halloween from Athens, Ohio

SERIOUSLY

Published October 24, 2024 by Nan Mykel

Does anyone really trust Donald with the nuclear button?

If his wives couldn’t trust him,

why should we? STOP NOW.

Back Up.

Lay off drugs until after you vote,

if necessary.

This didn’t rhyme…

I haven’t the time.

Survival is more important.

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HO HUM, THE WORLD GOES ON

I understand that the U.S. sends cluster bombs to Ukraine, despite 100 countries banning them for ethical reasons. A headline from 2023 says Ukraine won’t use these against Russia !!??….Climate change would get us sooner if the Republicans win: In a telephone interview with Donald Trump in the current AARP Bulletin, Trump is quoted as saying that if elected he will start his new term by drilling and getting oil. “We call it Drill, baby, drill.”….I recall reading that one woman announced that she’s being paid 50 thousand dollars a month to influence others to favor Ukraine….North Korea is joining Russia against Ukraine?!….Lovely: Recommended: “Seven Ways to retire comfortably with one million.” (I’d hate for them to be uncomfortable)….Bacteria and other living things are as programmable as computer code. Life itself could be turned into a modifiable tool of production. Whopee! Just what Trunp and AI were hoping for.

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DID YOU EVER WONDER WHAT A LEMMING LOOKS LIKE?

That will have to wait until another day, but…

What made me think of lemmings? I guess it’s because I looked them up on Google and saw what they are famous for: the lemming has become a metaphor for someone who blindly follows the crowd, even into the face of a catastrophy.

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Worried Whispers

Published October 21, 2024 by Nan Mykel

I’ve been hesitant to voice my concerns from a superstitious fear that voicing them might cause them, but time is running out. Will there be more violence if Trump wins or loses? Not a pretty picture.

Are there two different populations in Trump’s camp: both the wealthy and the frustrated foot soldiers who follow his lead to “stand down” or “up?” It appears to me that the wealthy may be weaponizing the white men on the bottom. I viewed many of the FBI’s WANTED photos, and feel some compassion for those who seemed to be feeling good about their actions. I think of the two populations as the “Hoodwinks” and the Wealthiest.

And I can imagine some men voting against Kamala as a result of concern about being usurped by women and their (our) movement, which leads me to my very unpopular stance that women should de-sexualize themselves if they (we) want to be viewed as equal humans. When I say “de-sexualize” I’m referring to the widespread effort to manipulate men by excessive “sexiness.” Some rapists believe females are trying to control them by making starving men hungrier (to coin a phrase). As a result of my perspective, I would like both men and women to feel better about themselves as adequate humans and strive to be more civilized.

And yes, the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling in 2010 may be at the root of it all.

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I STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY

US President George Bush said he has signed into law a bill requiring the US Department of State to monitor global anti-Semitism and annually rate countries on their treatment of Jews.

The state’s Jewish population is the third largest in the world after Israel and New York.

The state department had opposed the legislation, saying it was unnecessary as the department already compiles such information in its annual reports on human rights and religious freedom.

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JOSH PAUL’S RESIGNATION…failed to get enough coverage in my opinion.

“My name is Josh Paul. I resigned from my position as a director in the US State Department’s Bureau of Political Military Affairs last October in opposition to
America’s policy of providing lethal arms to Israel in the context of its current war on Gaza….I believe to the core of my soul that the response Israel is taking , and with it the American support both for that response and for the status quo of the occupation, will only lead to more and deeper suffering for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people-and is not in the long term American interest. This Administration’s response-and much of Congress’ as well-is an impulsive reaction built on confirmation bias, political convenience, intellectual bankruptcy, and bureaucratic inertia.” [Note: He is not the lead guitarist of the same name] –Aljazeera

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AN EERIE FACT

Published October 18, 2024 by Nan Mykel

The hummingbird has a heart rate of 1,000 beats per minute. The largest mammal, the blue whale, has a heart the size of a sofa, and their heart beats have been recorded as low as two per minute. That’s the slowest heartbeat of any warm blooded mammal. All animals have roughly the same number of heartbeats during their lifetime. If they’re small, the heart beats faster to get them all in. If large, see above. How is that possible?

Many Republicans use lies and threats and fake AI to try to win. How is that possible? I hope it’s not. Amen.

ALARMING AND DISGUSTING

Published October 15, 2024 by Nan Mykel

KEITH WILSON WRITES:

In a beyond the outrageous story, people who believe the hurricane conspiracy BS of the Republican presidential team and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, are acting out against helpers. Per an article in The Guardian by Edward Helmore called “North Carolina hurricane recovery team relocated amid threat of ‘armed militia’” the ridiculous has become reality. The subheadline reads “Hurricane Helene federal emergency workers told to evacuate Rutherford county, Washington Post reports.”

Here are a few paragraphs, “Government emergency workers in the US responding to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina were relocated over the weekend amid concerns that ‘armed militia’ could pose a threat to their safety.

According to an email obtained by the Washington Post, a US Forest Service official sent out a message warning that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) ‘has advised all federal responders Rutherford County, NC, to stand down and evacuate the county immediately.’

The message said that soldiers with the national guard ‘had come across x2 trucks of armed militia saying there were out hunting FEMA.’

The Appalachian county of Rutherford incorporates the mountain towns of Rutherfordton, Forest City and Chimney Rock, which were badly hit by Helene floodwaters that tore away homes, washed out roads and killed dozens.“

Trump’s lies can and do endanger people. To be frank, this behavior is sociopathic, plain and simple. He is the same person who endangered his biggest fans during the pandemic. He is also the guy who said “So, what?” when told of the danger his Vice President was in during the insurrection.

Please pay attention to what is happening because of Trump. This is not leadership behavior. This is not even adult behavior.

Keith Wilson

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I HAVE TO WONDER…

Since Trump appears to be wobbling per observations, I wonder if his staff has plans to guide his actions quietly, should the Republicans win. Surely they have a big investment in having this unpredictable man win. I find this current action (see above) as well as the use of AI to mislead the public (as discussed in yesterday’s blog) alarming. I fear the public’s response to widespread voter decertification may result in some unpleasantness November 5.

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SANITY SAVER

This section will be a permanent feature in order to attempt to preserve my joie de vivre during hard times:

PISSANT

His growl has short hairs on it.

His belch has a slaughterhouse stink

But oh my ladies and gents,

His pockets are lined with mink.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

CONFESSION

I’m so glad I’m not bald because

I’ve got bumps on my head:

ridges and valleys if truth be told.

“You’re Fired!”

Published October 14, 2024 by Nan Mykel

With horror and a sick stomach, I read that some minorities are supporting Trump because he’s entertainment. One photo was of a man wearing a BLACK MAGA cap. After all, Trump was a showman on YOU’RE FIRED! But this is a real fire-in-the-gut life, not a comedy…more like a tragedy.

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Trump supporters target black voters with faked AI images –BBChttps://www.bbc.com › world-us-canada-68440150

Faked images of black voters with Trump are a growing disinformation trend in the US election, the BBC finds. BBC Panorama discovered dozens of deepfakes portraying black people as supporting the former president.

The fake images of black Trump supporters, generated by artificial intelligence (AI), are one of the emerging disinformation trends ahead of the US presidential election in November.

Unlike in 2016, when there was evidence of foreign influence campaigns, the AI-generated images found by the BBC appear to have been made and shared by US voters themselves.

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DEI stands for “diversity, equity and inclusion” initiatives aimed at increasing representation of women and people of color in the workforce to address longstanding inequities and discrimination. The term “DEI hire” is used to suggest a person is not qualified and was chosen on the basis of race or gender. Reuters. Race or gender? Finally it’s acknowledged that women are being discriminated against? I read elsewhere that many countries are pushing to increase births–some rewarding mothers, others punishing and limiting them as “enslaved” citizens–(my reference to the illegal abortion entrapment).

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A Little Verse

I’ll shake my feathers,

Rattle and roll.

Never thought

I’d get so old.

Going and coming to

the promised land

Out of the fire and

into the pan?

Or out of the pan

and into the fire?

If wishes were horses

What would you desire?

Vote!

TWO MORE VISITS AND I CAN VOTE!

Published October 13, 2024 by Nan Mykel

After several days of sleuthwork, I can vote, I think! A little too tired to early vote, but the good lord willing I’ll be there on Nov. 5 with my new identification card good until 2031! Warning: if you’re a nondriver, you may have collected TWO ID cards. Apparently I did and they must have looked alike (still me), but I didn’t realize I had two and brought in the wrong one. Fortunately on my last visit to the BMV I was assigned to a third worker, who wasn’t new and who understood that some internal record would free me from the disenfranchised category. IF I HADN’T tried EARLY….Would there be an unpleasant scene at the voting booth if others don’t check the new requirements early? As Miss Arveson, my teacher in the ninth grade, used to say, “A word to the wise…”

The helpful article that suggested we check our voting status at Vote.gov stopped a little short of choosing among several choices–the first three were sponsored, and I got confused. Also I was told that we had to register to vote by Oct, 7. I sure hope I get to vote…

The U.S. is sending an advanced missile defense system to Israel and will deploy American troops to operate it, the Pentagon announced. Oh no no no no!

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WHY does the richest man in the world support Trump? And why does he want more? Elon Musk is a $269 billionaire. What more can he want and why, and how would Trump winning help Musk?

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FICTION: A Woman I Met and Can’t Forget

At 60, Ida was an imposing old gal, having inherited her large frame from her mother’s father and her seeming aloofness from her father. Not a very nice person, surely, but she meant to be. She was an enigma to herself and others, often dismissed as being too complex and self-centered.

A woman of many talents, she had come to believe that in some aspects she was irrevocably stunted. As she saw it, her task was to live a life of integrity, while allowing for her very real and intransigent shortcomings.

At times she wondered if her view of her shortcomings was a cop-out. Was her perception of developmental hangups pathological or not? She grasped onto an analogy when reflecting on this, like a woman chiseling herself out of wood: was she a block of wood with delusions of grandeur or a creative spirit working to free herself from unconsciousness?

One day while we were sipping spiced tea together in a cozy shoppe, she said, “You know, when I get into labelling, I see myself as pitiful versus vain, deluded versus insightful.”

I blinked.

“I can feel my blinders,” she continued, “but I’m both afraid of and want to lose them..”

She was quiet as we both continued sipping. I still didn’t know what to say.

After several very quiet moments, she said, “You know, I’m not afraid of self-loathing as much as disenchantment…disillusionment…disgust…with life.” She made a face, took a deep breath and added, “I feel like I’m trapped inside a hall of a hundred mirrors, all warped but one, and I can’t identify the one.”

I blinked again. How to respond to such sharing? Reassure, question, invite more sharing? I was still speechless when we paid our tab and departed, she turning one way and myself another. I did manage “Bye.”

STILL TRYING TO VOTE

Published October 11, 2024 by Nan Mykel

I went to the DMV today in Athens, Ohio after learning that my “Non-Driver” ID card had expired. In order to renew it I had to find and bring in my birth certificate! I had thought an ID card with a photo they took themselves four years ago would (and should) suffice, Miraculously, I still had my 89-year old birth certificate from the state of Virginia. Since my address was on my expired ID and I had not moved in over 20 years, I thought my address would be covered. But no, a mailing from my State of Ohio retirement policy folks was not sufficient. I need to return to the DMV again tomorrow with something more substantial, like a bank statement with my “current” address on it. What if I received my bank statements via the internet, or at a local P.O. Box number? I have voted in every major election for well over 40 years, without a problem. Some poll workers know me by name. I’m writing this blog just in case some other non-drivers won’t wait until the last minute (like election day) to learn they have been disenfranchised, Yes, I vaguely remember about two months ago receiving a reminder from the DMV to update, but I assumed they didn’t know I wasn’t even driving any more. I still wonder why a valid ID with a valid photo should expire before I do. …And the homeless without an address! Oh, I just thought: Maybe all new drivers’ licenses require a birth certificate now…?