Month: February 2024

We will remain eternally grateful to those readers, who at various times, have expressed their praise and appreciation of our recurrent use of metaphor. The latter linguistic is the lifeblood of the need for expression and expressive exactitude.  Such a creative category of literary analogous expression is essential to the intended impact and basic aesthetics of communication, particularly referable to the arts of poetry and literature. It is also, by the dynamics of its function as a comparative adjectival reference, beneficially utilitarian to prosaic communication by serving as a contemplative and emphatic portrayal of the nuanced intention of the author or poet.

In poetry, where the definitional standard prescribes economy of speech and use of word imagery, one might choose to express an aesthetic description of a beautiful woman, metaphorically, as a “rosebud in a clump of newly fallen snow.” In prose, a similar emphatic portrayal of the beauty of the subject may, for example, be classically, expressed as “the face that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Illium.” (Christopher Marlow, “Dr. Faustus”). The universal goal of such a literary toolbox is precision in the degree of intended expression by replicative and referential abstraction of the precise degree of intended expression.

To express our recognition of the existence of the contemporary existential threat to our democracy, we have found useful the utilitarian, ubiquitous phenomenon of the thematic use of metaphor. Thus, our unlimited cornucopia of negative, adjectival metaphors have been signified  by our employment of  contextual, metaphorical references as: “harvest moon,” to signify the predictable future disputes concerning territory and the proprietary enrichment of Luna resources, “Cosmic Danger,” to adequately communicate the annihilative potential to democracy by the hapless election of Donald Trump to a second term, “Mad Hatter” reasoning when referring to dysfunctional or dystopic thought, “Lemmings,” referencing witless MAGA adherents who, unthinkingly, would, in common with their political adversaries, suffer the loss of their present rights if democracy were supplanted by an autocracy, “Miasma” or “Polluting Mist,” to meteorologically refer to the etiology of the unhealthy reversal of traditional American thought, “Chamberlain-style appeasement” to express frustration with policies of inaction or toleration of unconstitutional or unjust policies, such as the egregious violations of the constitutions’  Establishment Clause, “Puppeteer,” to signify Donald Trump’s control over the “hordes” of his  cultish MAGA acolytes, “Orange Hazmat,” to describe the lethal pollution despoiling the American way of life and ethical predilections, due to the influence of Donald Trump, and “Determinative Etiology,” to identify the advent  and continuing sources of toxic and false ideation.

We have as well, used the literary device of metaphor to meaningfully and adequately express our approval and favorable recognition of matters perceived as positive or ultimately salubrious to the traditional nature and endurance of our unique and precious Democratic Republic. For example, we have employed such positive, metaphoric language as, “Mainstream,” to describe the traditional, freedom, and justice-loving American citizen, “Rock-Ribbed,” or “Foundational,” to describe the citizenry who are ardently supportive of the traditional and patriotic, American way of life, “Oasis,” to pictorially describe situational relief or convenient instances of constitutional compliance and moments of unified accord, “ American Ship of State,” and “Body Politic,” to respectively describe the nature and quality of the temporal voyage of the Democratic Republic and its contemporary state of health, “Funhouse Mirror,” to depict the bizarre exerciser of distorted reason, “Electrical Switch,” to denote reflexive (“Pavlovian”) response, Societal Evolution,” to signify humanistic advancement and “Vestigial Interpretation,” to reflect our views regarding the outmoded and currently defective exercise of reason.

Functionally, the ubiquitous employment of metaphor compensates for the absence of the virtues of in-person communication, naturally exemplified by nuanced facial expression, tone, and expressive gestures. [N.B. The latter invaluable communicative elements are absent in facile, and inadequate, “smart-phone” communication].

Both instances of communication, viz., mundane and aesthetic, benefit from the select use of metaphor, which may wisely and appropriately enable the author to express his exact intention, supplementing the situational ex-parte expression of the written word. The expressive facility, as well, vitally serves as a needed avenue of communication and a much-desired release valve, in times such as the extant moment, empirically, rife with unsettling political and moral insecurity.

*Thanks to (the “incomparable”) Aaron Coplin for the (amended) use of his symphonic name, “Fanfare for the Common Man.”

-p.

.

Man is in the remarkable process of effecting accessible voyages to and from the Moon. It is our information that in addition to the United States, Russia, China, India, and Japan, have been engaged in programs of development of such capability. We fully expect that other industrially developed nations will join in the effort. The motivation presumably, would include considerations of national prestige, economic benefit, and, perhaps negatively, tactical military capability.

In our view, the modern context and dynamics of lunar travel are temporally comparable to the voyages of discovery centuries ago when, nations like England, France, Spain, and Portugal (“conquistadors”) sent large and armed ships, scouring the “New World” for exploitation and conquest. It may be noted that, apart from the shameful treatment of indigenous inhabitants of such discovered territories, (a subject not relevant to the theme of this writing) the tragedy of wars, down through the ages, have been fought, regarding adverse national claims to new territories, (a subject, notably relevant to the context of this writing).

We find the popular aphorism, “Those who do not study history are bound to repeat the same mistakes,” empirically flawed and useless. Man’s proclivities and inherent persona, proximately responsible for consistently analogous mistakes, have not changed. Indeed, literature and the fine arts are deemed “classic” for the reason that they aesthetically portray the universal and non-changing persona of humankind, flawed or otherwise. If, for some inexplicable reason, one sought the euphemistic assistance of an aphoristic statement, we would suggest the somewhat more empirically, accurate, reference: “The past is prologue.”

To our knowledge, there exists no international agreement or set of officially binding regulations, regarding the proprietary rights of the few nations that have already “planted their flag” on the surface of the Moon, as well as those developed nations who, conceivably, will do so in the future.  Without such a mutually accepted and enforceable protocol, the latter aphoristic “prologue,” predictable from an examination of Man’s sad, historical experience, is bloody conflict and human tragedy.

In our considered view, a recognized and authoritative body, such as the United Nations, or perhaps, the International Court in Geneva, might, presciently and appropriately construe a referable and legally binding treaty universally prescribing nations’ rights as to Luna territorial proprietorship, including location, and natural resources. Such a treaty or mandatorily binding covenant would authoritatively and impartially, define and particularize relevant nations’ rights to lunar territory and natural resources and as a salubrious consequence, avoid the occurrence of foreseeable conflict between nations.

-p.

To adequately emphasize the existence and potential impact of a presenting existential danger to our Democratic Republic, we have elected to analogically employ the image and impact of a cataclysmic collision of a rogue comet with Planet Earth. Our contextual reference is derived from the prevailing theory that approximately 12,900 years ago, Planet Earth was, struck by a huge colliding comet, the impact of which resulted in major alteration of the Planet’s geology, fauna, and flora, such as the species termination and extinction of the well-known, “Woolly Mammoth.”
From its advent, the “Founders” described their newly conceived Nation as a “radical experiment.” Eschewing the European tyrannical history of absolute rule by Monarch or Church and the injustice of the implacable tradition of privileged classes, they set about to create a unique polity, one destined to be, ‘by and for the people,” as well as mandatorily, secular. When asked about the nature of the newly created nation, Benjamin Franklin famously replied, “a Republic if you can keep it.”  Thomas Jefferson, another Founder, wisely and, it now seems, presciently, declared that for a democracy to succeed, it is required to have an informed and educated citizenry.

The Nation presently finds itself in a singularly precarious state, relative to its endurance as a Democratic Republic. Such danger is contextually referable to the referenced admonitions of Founders, Franklin and Jefferson. A nationwide, pandemic-size, populist, inclination, favoring ignorant and non-rational delusion, was exacerbated by the rise and elevation to the Oval Office of an ignorant, narcissistic demagogue, completely lacking in moral compass or humanistic perspective. It would appear that his unorthodox, societally disrespectful acts and pronouncements have continued to have populist and cultish appeal to the nation’s previously amorphous (and now conglomerated), legion of poorly informed American citizens, stereotypically characterized by a less than adequate education but an abundance of perceived grievances and a vocal sense of generalized discontent.

Such a substantially large horde of ignorant populist citizens, in (political) principle and empirical experience, empirically poses an existential danger to the basic essence and dynamics of democratic government, viz., one “by and for the people.” Regrettably, our Nation’s such problem has developed into a state of clinical malignancy, further metastasized by an unaccountably bizarre, cultish adherence to an ignorant, deity-like autocrat, lacking in empathy, societal or moral compass or a scintilla of capability. Such a precarious state of facts confronts our democracy with an imminent threat of extinction, not unlike that of the dynamic impact of a planet-altering collision by a rogue comet.

Trump’s loyal following appears completely unfazed by his 71 reported felonies, his four criminal indictments, his neurotic and autocratic election denial, his incitement and management of a violent insurrection against the government, the judicial finding that he is a rapist, his consistent and ubiquitous bigotry including blatant misogyny, the judicial determinations that he is a defamer and a substantial tax cheat, his proven and admitted acts of purloining of top secret government documents, his acts of voter interference,  his treasonous relations and “bromance” with Russia’s mafia-style dictator, our arch enemy, who in Russia’s interest, assisted his former election to his former four-year term of Presidency, [during which he richly earned two congressional impeachments] and,  most startlingly, his publically unabashed declaration of intention to be a dictator. The media has reported that Russia has currently been engaged in again assisting the 2024 election of Trump, by the use of dirty tricks, facilitated by A I technology and otherwise.

Frighteningly, Trump’s autocratic agenda is not singular but, compliantly assisted by a virtual plethora of anti-democratic governors, officials, and legislators. Because of his large populist following, it would seem to be a worrisome certainty that this treasonous miscreant will be nominated to run for another term as President of the United States. His possible success would predictably, and autocratically, centralize unlimited authority in his Office, bring about the extinction of civil rights, and promote the use of violence and the military to quash opposition to his absolute rule.

Added to that extant cosmic threat, is the present prevalence of intrusive and constitutionally forbidden, introduction of Christian religious dogma into government; facilitated by the wrongful manipulation of a tactically appointed “right-wing” of the judicial composition of SCOTUS. The devastating and tragic result was the recent draconian and anti-humanistic denial of the long-standing legal (and natural) right to seek an abortion when needed. Such evangelistic and un-American denial and criminalization of such right has caused unlimited and ubiquitous instances of preventable and non-empathic tragedy (i.e., in the areas of rape, incest, maternal health, diagnosed non-viability or mortality of the fetus, and other nuanced situations). Donald Trump has publically boasted that he is creditably responsible for the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

In an errant extension of said  draconian, anti-precedential, decision of the Supreme Court, the historically atavistic, Bible-belting, and traditionally biased State of Alabama has rendered a head-scratching, dystopic, as well as unconstitutional religious-based declaration, that frozen embryos are “children, made in the image of God.” Such reasoning would exceed the dystopic proclamations of Lewis Carroll’s “Mad Hatter,” and would, shamelessly, betray the inarguable, historically based, secular dedication of our wise and pragmatic Founders.

The irrefutable and predictable impact of a Trump success in the coming election, like the cataclysmic impact of a huge rogue comet, would wreak colossal alteration to the Founders’ unique American experiment and sadly, render extinct, like the “Wooly Mammoth,” the salubrious existence of our democratic way of life.

-p.

In our view, popular reference to the phrase, “OIL AND WATER” connotes a reductive but adequately articulated metaphysical message relevant to the ubiquitous concept of prohibitive duality. From an empirical point of view, each such referenced ingredient possesses singular utilitarian value, but taken in combination, invariably results in a harmful morass.

The cited phrase is dynamically and effectively analogous to the growing governmental, unconstitutional trend of erroneously and harmfully infusing religious principles into the (appropriate) secular operation of our Democratic Republic. It is no short of blatantly ironic, to note the traditionally adamant, right-wing insistence on “original intent,” when it is perceived to support their self-interest yet tactically feigning the pretense of ignorance of said disputable and convenient standard of interpretation when it fails to do so.

History attests to the intent of the framers of the American Constitution (“The Founders”), who, ever cognizant of the authoritarian history of religion in Europe, wisely undertook to create a secular Republic, principally stating: “If we put God in the Constitution, we leave Man out.”  The “Founders,” in their radical experiment in a democratic polity, were wary of the empirical inclination of an existing Ruling, or dominant class, to oppressively impose on others its religious dogma. Any  cursory review of the language of the Constitution will reveal the complete absence of the word, “God,” or, for that matter, any reference to a Deity; and, pointedly, by meaningful contrast, various references to “natural” rights. The Founders, purposefully, construed the “Establishment Clause,” which mandatorily prohibits the Government from playing any part in the area of religion or religious belief. Government (“Water”) was not to be polluted by entering the arena of Religion (“Oil”).

However, notwithstanding the constitution’s elemental and contextual intention of citizen liberty, by prohibiting the participation of government in the arena of religious belief, history, sadly and painfully, points to an eternally perverse inclination of religionists in government, to evangelically impose their nuanced religious beliefs upon the hapless and diverse American population.

[N.B.] America’s substantial inventory of Right-wing bigots, militantly and ignorantly maintaining that America was created to be a White, Christian Nation (particularly the Nazi-style militias, aggressively espousing such gibberish), might be induced, one day to note that the Biblical Jesus, born in the Middle East, was, as a necessary consequence, not “white” and, further, was, irrefutably, ethnically, Jewish, having been born to identifiably Jewish parents, Mary and Joseph.

America’s long, erroneous, and impactful history of governmental evangelical intrusion into citizen liberty by its violation of the foundational, Establishment Clause is striking and shockingly manifold.

The criminally enforced, “Blue Laws,” by contrary example, were plainly in contradiction to the “Establishment Clause.” The law, in its inappropriate recognition of the Christian Sabbath, prohibited (with but few exceptions, such as the dairy business) the conduct of commerce on the seventh day of the week, the Biblical “Sabbath.” The Bible specifically recites that the Earth and its flora and fauna were created by the Deity in six days, and “rested” on the Seventh (conveniently, on a Sunday), the day of the legislated prohibition of all business and commerce; mercifully, these perverse laws have been abolished Far less material to our thematic concern regarding the frequently occurring, governmental violation of the fundamental mandate concerning “Separation of Church and State,” is the universally accepted, scientific determination that our Planet is no less than 4,500,000,000 years old and, further, that the Bible portrays God as omnipotent (yet, in this instance, fatigued after six days of labor).

The evangelical “fifth columnists” (with the collaboration of today’s right-wing, politically appointed Supreme Court) have reached the proverbial high watermark with their tsunami of intrusive violations of the Constitution and the fundamental philosophy of secular government. The age-old legal (and natural) right of a woman to seek a personally needed abortion has been autocratically abolished. Such unconstitutional judicial travesty has evinced ubiquitous hardship and tragedy in cases such as rape, incest, impaired or deceased fetuses, and mortal danger to the mother.  Such an unspeakable, and shocking unconstitutional travesty was “doubled down,” by the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision, bizarrely decreeing that frozen embryos are “children,” “made in the image of God,” and vested with the rights and privileges of the  constitutional “Bill of Rights.”

As we stated in an earlier blog, the latter, discreditable “Mad Hatter” determination by the atavistically oriented State of Alabama would analogously make the delivery of sunflower seeds to one’s sweetheart on Valentine’s Day, factually equivalent to a gift of a bouquet of long-stemmed, yellow flowers.

We find ourselves, of late, ruminating on the conceivable possibility of remedial institution of constitutionally based inquisitional proceedings against those in government, shamelessly chargeable with the democratically heinous crime of “secular heresy.”

-p.

The recent, head-scratching, determination by the Supreme Court of Alabama, to the bizarre effect that the Founders intended to extend to frozen embryos the benefits of the “Bill Of Rights,” is facially absurd and insanely phantasmagorical.  Yet, such mystical and improperly religious finding incited the dogmatic delight of the wide plethora of the right “wing-nuts,” notably and remarkably, the eternal exponents of Constitutional “original intent.” This “Mad Hatter,” Kafkaesque conceit, now “black letter law” in that singularly atavistic jurisdiction, dynamically served us as a timely epiphany, confirming our gradually developing theory that the etiology of MAGA irrational thought, was conceivably symptomatic of the sporadic, invasion of a recurrent toxic haze, or “miasma,” a psychedelic fog, beclouding human reason. Personal infection by virulent exposure to the polluting mist evinces an entirely sham, but stridently confident, exercise of a skewed and outlandish reason not predictably contradicted by the demonstration of irrefutably contrary facts.    

We had consistently, been of the view, that the saliently meaningful critique relative to proponents of the tactical meme, “Right to Life,” was grounded in their empirical duplicity; having observed that purported adherents to that humanistic designation, shamelessly remain intransigent opponents of empathic assistance to needy children post-fetus, are adamant opponents of reasonable policies of gun control and governmental health regulation but, remarkably staunch proponents of capital punishment. Such skewed perception of their inconsistent and intrusive, religious campaign concerning abortion, in literal contravention of the provisions of the “Establishment Clause,” has now metastasized, by their grotesquely delusional stand that frozen embryos are live children. It is our information that the “Mad-Hatter” reasoning of the Alabama Court decision was expressed with the bizarre assertion that “frozen embryos are “made in the image of God.”

We had in the past, attributed the purportedly moral subscription to such a cause by right-wing reprobates, to the improper desire for power by the imposition of tyrannical strictures, despite their inarguable inconsistency in principle and practice with the strictures of our constitutionally protected population. We now attribute the perverse and bizarre, conspiracy ideations to the right-wing vulnerability to a contextual miasma. Factually analogous (miasmic) logic would deem equally romantic, a gift of a bag of sunflower seeds to one’s sweetheart on Valentine’s Day, as a bouquet of large and long-stemmed yellow flowers.

History has demonstrated the inevitably tragic sequelae of such sporadically appearing, mind-altering miasma. In the Twentieth Century, the entire World immeasurably suffered from the Black, White and Red, “Hitler Miasma,” resulting in the morphing of a literate and sophisticated German population into an anti-Semitic, cult, lusting for World domination. In that same century, we witnessed the Green, Red, and White, Italian “Mousseline Miasma,” anachronistically and dystopically, raising the martial banners of ancient Rome. In the present century, we suffer from the sequelae of a fouling “Orange Miasma” accompanying the rise of a dynamically effective and toxic, miasmic version of a veritable, “typhoid Mary,” in the person of Donald J. Trump.

The hapless infusion of the virulent mist of Orange miasma has clinically and tragically resulted in nonsensical right-wing beliefs about vaccines, election fraud, Insurrection, climate change, gun violence, assistance to Ukraine, the White Christian Nationalist “Replacement Theory,” the equal acceptability of “alternative facts,” the wide plethora of outrageous paranoid conspiracy ideations, tribal and divisive politics, chronically afflicted media, the exacerbation of racial, ethnic and gender prejudice inclusive of the immoral and unconstitutional destruction of the personal agency of women, the unaudited violations of the “Emoluments Clause,” the interruption of friendly relations with National allies, and, demonstrably, substantial deprecation of the societally existential, moral compass.

Mainstream, democracy-loving citizens are existentially mandated to do more than commendably, inhaling only salubrious and democratically fresh air, but, additionally, to dedicatedly and tirelessly be a tireless, overt, and forthright advocate for empirical truth, the quintessential foundation of fresh air and the salubrious American way of life.

-p.

We feel obliged to express our principled disagreement, with an essay, currently appearing in “THE ATLANTIC.” The writing at issue was authored by Richard W. Painter, an ethicist, and professor at Minnesota Law School.

The article relates to the contrived and entirely specious, application, by Trump’s attorneys, to disqualify Georgia D.A. Fani Willis, from the continued prosecution of the voter interference case, based on a romantic affair with a member of her legal staff. Professor Painter, concerned about public propriety as well as the effect on the jury’s objective perception [N.B., the crime was broadcast on public television] observes that Georgia District Attorney, Fani Willis should, indeed, recuse herself “even if the judge rules in her favor and denies the issue raised by the defense.”

With appropriate respect for the eminent author, we could not disagree more. The normally appropriate concern for moral sensitivity and aesthetic discretion is not merely unwarranted in the case of the sui generis persona of Donald J. Trump, but is an act of compliant appeasement and a hapless surrender to the cynical manipulation of that psychopathic actor; not analogously dissimilar to Neville Chamberlain’s feckless appeasement in the 1930s of Adolph Hitler.

In the most liberal and unrestrained exercise of imagination, any conception that the private life of Fani Willis is, in some bizarre fashion, relevant to the prosecution against Trump for his egregious acts of voter fraud, (let alone constitute a basis for a rationally acceptable claim of conflict of interest) is beguiling and is characteristic of the singular mindset and conventional, tactically based, actions of Donald J. Trump. He has eternally been a manipulative puppeteer, notably, not only of the thoughts and actions of his hapless, MAGA supporters but, incomprehensibly, at times, the intellectually gifted and well-informed. The latter run the occasional potential to unwittingly project their high standards of ethical sentiment upon non-deserving toxic personalities like Trump. It is our view that Trump instinctively relies upon this well-intentioned phenomenon of naïve and undeserved ratification and tactically uses it as a self-assured weapon that dynamically functions as a ubiquitously utilitarian, manipulative wire in his egocentric, imperious, and autocratic puppetry.

The ethical considerations ideologically expressed by Professor Painter are undoubtedly emblematic of a commendable sensitivity and moral compass. However, as generously utilized in this singularly contextual case, amounts to an undeserved accommodation to the ongoing tactical puppet show, produced by the neurotic and professedly autocratic, snake-oil salesman, Donald J. Trump.

-p.

*[N.B. In this editorial writing, for thematic impact, we have taken the liberty of creating an entirely fictional, but otherwise factually accurate, letter from the late Alexsey Navalny directed to the (MAGA) supporters of the American Presidency of Donald J. Trump]:

From: Mr. Aleksey Navalny
Russian Punitary Penal Colony
Solitary Confinement Chamber
Siberian Artic Circle

To: Supporters of Donald Trump
a/k/a “MAGA”
USA

Dear American friends,

This letter has been written to you, as fellow citizens of the universal humankind, with the intention, as seems to be needed, of raising an errant and vitally important awareness. I would sincerely urge you to take a moment to consider the predictably hazardous outcome of your expressed worldview and self-immolating (as well as societally, destructive) support of Donald Trump; the latter, a publically declared autocratic dictator. We, in Putin’s Russia, in sync with the unfortunate citizens of contemporary Nations, such as North Korea, China, and Hungary, have been deprived of our natural rights to freedom, self-determination, and personal fulfillment by the profoundly corrupt and inhumane rule of autocracy.

Whatever may be the perceived cause of your expressed support for an authoritarian and undemocratic leader, it would be beneficial, even mandatory, in your interest and that of your Nation, to carefully consider the inevitable impact on your life, as shown by history, should your Democratic Republic be replaced by an autocratic or dictator-run polity.

As citizens of a democratic country, you enjoy the inalienable right to live where you choose, speak your mind, regardless of point of view, vote for your preference of leader, read your personal choice of newspaper, purchase, and own property, to believe whatever seems personally credible, aspire to any desired profession or engage in your privately owned and managed business, petition or sue the government for a professed redress of grievances, travel when and where you desire, freely assemble with others of common interest or peaceful protest, enjoy the virtually unrestricted privilege of self-determination (provided your action does not injure another or restrict his rights), participate as desired in society, run for office, pursue any desired course of study, own property, travel freely, reside where preferred, and, generally, pursue any desired action, in a non-harmful manner.

None of the above freedoms can be assured or permitted to be exercised under totalitarian, or autocratic rule. The autocratic leader is omnipotent and his will, arbitrary or otherwise, is unquestionably and mandatorily to be obeyed. By definitional and dynamic contrast, the arbitrary and corrupt dispensation of “justice,” is solely dependent upon demonstrated loyalty to the authoritarian, or dictatorial State.

Whatever may be your sense of grievance or perceived critique of the Democratic candidate, you can be assured of greater and more fundamentally profound grievances under the restrictive rule of an autocrat or dictator. [It is essential to take notice that your presently desired candidate for the American Presidency, Donald Trump, has ominously stated that he intends to be a Dictator.]

As a private (Russian) citizen and a family man I have demonstrated the sincerity of my stated principles by my submission to the hardships endured in my earnest attempts to remove the corrupt and autocratic rule of our mafia-like autocrat, Vladimir Putin. I have not been alone in this endeavor, which, nevertheless, has proven to be unsuccessful to date due to the unlimited and unrestrained dictatorial power and resources of Putin. I had, long ago, made the principled and sacrificial choice to value democracy above my life and ultimately, the well-being of my family. I have not been the first to do so, and expect that I will not be the last. A recent, well-publicized, relevant episode, consisted of Putin’s downing of an airplane by Biden, pathologically, resulting in the homicide of all passengers, notably among whom, was the target, a perceived threat to Putin’s power, General Prigozhin.

 My hard-fought but modest successes in publically opposing Putin’s corrupt autocratic rule have resulted in long and heartrending separation from my family, painful hunger strikes, serial imprisonments, and undergoing (failed) attempts at poisoning (the standard Putin rejoinder to criticism), including a publically known and intended-fatal administration of Russian military nerve gas, from which I miraculously survived, being treated in a German hospital by life-saving, but frighteningly prolonged periods of coma.

After recovery, I determined the cause of democracy to remain paramount and, with full awareness of the predictable danger, I undertook to return to Russia, where, upon landing, as expected, I was immediately arrested and after that sentenced to a five-year term of solitary confinement at a famously known and nightmarishly, dreaded Siberian penal colony located in the frigid Arctic Circle.

[I have just been ordered to go outdoors for a walk, and it is my candid and unpleasant expectation that I will be summarily executed, somewhere, out on the polar ice]

Those who suicidally, and in lemming-like* fashion, would have voted for the pronounced autocratic candidate for President, who would now elect to vote in favor of the human liberty inherent in the democratic system of government, have merely to rationally and prudently cast their vote in favor of democracy; inarguably, a far easier and less painful task than my undertaken experiences in support of that singular and humanistic form of government.

Farewell and God Bless,

Alexey    

*[see early plinyblog: “LEMMINGS”]

-p.

In an appraisal of the nature of the MAGA horde’s campaign for Donald Trump, a former host of a low-quality television game show, we would echo the dynamics of an only fractionally more enthralling waste of leisure time,  the “Antiques Roadshow” (PBS)*. The latter featured the appearance of appraisers and experts to discover the value and history of antiques and collectibles. Viewers were fascinated with the professed value of previously ignored or overlooked items. The same might be characterized by a discovered watercolor painting of a National bank by John Dillinger, a partially used container of flea powder owned by the celebrated canine saliva scientist, Dr. Ivan Pavlov, a set of, now tarnished, 14-carat silver tweezers employed by Dr. Percival P. Pooke, the first man to put cotton in aspirin bottles or perhaps a set of stained glass windows, portraying scenes from the life of George Liberace.

With meager available references to the accomplishments or virtues of their flawed candidate, the supporters of Donald Trump have been sadly relegated to the transmogrification of their campaign into an asinine replication of the (titled) eponymous game show. In keeping with the stereotypically sophomoric level of MAGA reasoning including the populist attraction for diverting and irrelevant demagoguery or simplistic “put-down,” MAGA has undertaken the specious, thoughtless, (and, in this case, irrelevant), campaign banner of “Ageism.” Aside from any possible lack of merit in such a desperate and prejudicial position regarding President Joseph Biden, its lack of any modicum of clear perspective, similar in acuity to the gross distortions of a funhouse mirror, is manifested by the ironic fact that their candidate is merely three years younger than his purportedly, age- disabled opponent.

That aside the salient and thematic point is that any rational and empirical determination of the issue of mental capability is, empirically found to be individually and singularly nuanced and circumstantial; thus, rendering abortive and fruitless, such a desperate attempt by the MAGA folk to maintain their tactically manufactured critique. Traditional experience in this sensitive and significantly important context, instructs that any rational and appropriate determination is necessarily based upon an objective evaluation of personal efficacy; the latter, objectively by the discernable demonstration of empirical performance. The record speaks of Biden’s capable leadership and profusion of successes. By bright contrast, Donald Trump’s one term of Presidency,  demonstrated incapability, lack of Presidential perspective, absence of moral compass, and mortally impactful irresponsibility; which evident, egregious propensities, as he has demonstrated and plainly stated, alarmingly persists to the present.

As a matter of objective (and evaluative) record, the now 80-year-old Joseph Biden, during his few years of Presidency has accomplished a plethora of spectacularly positive accomplishments demonstrative of his experiential acquisition of mature perspective and wise exercise of capable judgment. This is to be compared with Trump’s grossly negligent proclamations and atavistic policies, when President, regarding the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, assessed by experts as causing hundreds of thousands of preventable mortalities, Biden’s policies got the Pandemic under control and then, virtually eliminated as a National risk.

Biden’s Presidential term to date has, among other useful accomplishments, seen the passage of a huge and Nationally needed infrastructure bill, the amelioration of inflation, the unbiased and responsible appointment of capable and dedicated members of his cabinet ( as contrasted with Trump’s crony policy of appointment of incapable, but personally loyal, politicians), a historic decrease in unemployment and notably the significant increase in employment, the empathic lowering of prices for medication, a desired, substantial decrease in the crushing impact of lifelong debt for advanced education tuition, the existentially vital, repair of damage to America’s relationship with NATO and many foreign countries (caused by the ignorance and autocratic policies of Donald Trump), the return to the Paris Accords and other fruitful policies of environmental policies including  global warming, the delicate rebuilding of accord with America’s traditional allies, damaged by Trump, the wise and diplomatic handling of the Ukraine-Russian conflict and of the Hamas-Israel War, the outspoken and earnest opposition to unregulated guns,  sincere promotion of equal rights,  protection and support of America’s labor unions, earnest efforts to ameliorate the[jh1]  complex immigration issues,  his championing of the women’s’ natural right of abortion and women’s’ rights in general [ N.B., female Vice-President, appointment of scholarly and capable SCOTUS black Justice), support of established programs of compassionate capitalism including social security, disability, food and federal support to hungry and needy Americans of all ages, support of health and safety regulations, including the amelioration of environmental concerns, maintenance of the traditional  relationships with our historic international partners (contrasted with agitation of our allies and Trump’s exotic friendships with Putin, China, North Korea and Hungary).

We have in various past writings, described Trump’s copious ignorant incapacity, as well as his intentional treason and his criminal acts, (71 indicted felonies) serial mendacity, and demonstrated lack of moral compass, including his illegal pay-offs to silence prostitutes with whom he has, apparently, had brisk commerce, his neurotic eccentricity, initiation and encouragement of violent and deadly insurrection against the United States, founded upon Trump’s autocratic election denial (the “BIG LIE”), his gross violations of the Emolument Clause, support of dangerous Nazi-oriented White Christian militias, and above all, his ominous, publicized declaration of intent to be a dictator. We, if, it were conceivably necessary, might cite additionally reported, egregious acts of this deplorable persona, but are of the  view that it has been ample demonstration that the next Presidential election will be far more existentially, decisive, and fundamental to the endurance of our Democratic Republic, than the inane tactical and sophomoric diversion of the contemporaneous MaGA’s “ ANTIQUE ROADSHOW.”

-p.

Upon receiving the awaited prompt, we, with teary eyes, activated the e-mail link activating the pre-arranged, “Virtual Ceremony” of last rites conducted in loving memory of the long and beneficial life of the recently expired, well-known decedent, the “Printed Book” (of blessed memory). Notice of the observance of the sacred funeral had been, for weeks, widely disseminated through the public media. The general expectation is that it will be attended, notably, by mourners, aged forty years and older. It was intimately revealed that the cherished decedent passed away by slow, almost imperceptible degrees, and without discernable physical symptoms, situate on an accessible, but rather dusty shelf. The New York City Medical Examiner determined the official cause of death to be unsuspicious and attributable to the advanced stage-4 (metastasized) condition of non-use.

Selected relics were displayed, honoring the vast literary universe of revered decedents, which consisted of copies of, “Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain, “Absalom, Absalom,” by William Faulkner, and “Moby Dick,” by Herman Melville, were centrally displayed on a purple-colored velvet mantle reverentially set placed on an ornately carved mahogany table. Two symbolic wooden rocking chairs with cushions were placed on either side of a tall, softly lit reading lamp, a visible pair of horn-rimmed glasses and a glass of medium sherry were ceremoniously placed near the symbolic volumes, each of which contained at its flyleaf page a decorated bookmark. The intonation of an organ’s rich and uniquely dramatic rendition of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in G Minor engulfed the respectful silence in the dimly lit, sanctuary.

The appointed gray-bearded director of the memorial proceedings, dressed in a vested tweed suit, striped bowtie, and dark brown, horn-framed spectacles, spoke softly but emotionally to the virtual attendees, sadly extolling the immeasurable growth of human enlightenment, the historic advances of Humankind, stemming from the deceased, in time starting from writings on ancient papyrus, manuscripts, engraving, the development of the printing press, the Guttenberg Bible, the sociological and artistic advent of the novel, inclusive of its respective development in style and context, of the literary categories of the Victorian, Modern and Post-Modern. He then emotionally broke out into a course of involuntary and tearful sobbing. After partly recovering his composure, he invited the virtual attendees, to, if desired, offer any additional remarks on the occasion.

After a brief pause, Ms. Hortense T. Ipecac was the first responder. She passionately spoke on the populist eviction of humanism in society. She started with the crass re-occupation of the acceptable natural channels of human expression and aesthetic creativity by insensitive electronic “squatters,” thoughtlessly and irresponsibly, purporting to constitute a more facile and purportedly efficient substitute. As part of the growing social atmosphere of thoughtlessness and ignorant insensitivity, she stated, they mindlessly sacrificed the opportunity for internal growth by the allegedly “time-consuming,” satisfaction and ubiquitously fruitful indulgence in good literature.

The second virtual responder was Mrs. Anna Flaxes, age 87, from the West Bronx. Ms. Flaxes had been for 35 years a school librarian, before her retirement at the local High School and personally, an avid, lifelong devotee of Jane Austin. It was hard to discern her emotional words due to an unfortunate combination of an apparently, malfunctioning laptop speaker and because of her loose and ill-fitting dentures. Nevertheless, her emotion-packed message, in essence, was that the purported “advancements” of the “digital age had cruelly deprived her, a lonely and house-bound widow,  of whatever scant pleasures still available to her, such as the reading of traditional hand-held books,  telephonic conversation, letter writing, and general neighborly attendance at the local movie house. There appeared to be numerous other telephonic and e-mail responses from the maturely aged participants of the virtual ceremony, uniformly attesting, in one way or another, to the diminution of the quality of life, spiritual and aesthetic by the relevant decease of print books.

However, one response seems to be uniquely preponderant and memorable, notably expressive of the ubiquitous and nuanced reactions to the loss of intimate and fulfilling pleasure derived from the ownership and enjoyable use of the printed book, viz., the honored decedent.

A memorable call-in comment from Mr. Marquis Desadowitz, of Bellport, Long Island related to a certain nuanced experience with printed books; particularly, a personal ritual procedure undertaken before commencing to read a newly purchased book. In the interest of conveying the full impact of the caller’s singularly emotional expression of dismay regarding the extant decease and retirement of print literature on his menu of meaningful life experiences, we will, as best as we can recall, replicate the precise substance of the same.

[The recalled statement] “I would in a mood of anticipation, go to Barnes and Noble to enthusiastically purchase a new, hard-covered novel. I enjoyed the abundant feeling of success in locating a copy of my desired choice among the seemingly copious and abundant attractive titles offered for selection and purchase. After purchase, I was invariably impatient to bring the book home.”

[Continuing] “It may be strange to relate but before my indulgence in the immeasurable pleasure, personal benefit, and thoughtful diversion, derived from my reading a brilliant work of a talented and erudite author, I candidly confess, to a rather, admittedly exotic, but pleasant, tactual and sensual experience derived from a regular ritual, personally performed following the purchase of a new hardback novel; now, disappointingly, anachronistic, due to the tragic decease, being memorialized.”

[Still continuing] “The stated, coveted, procedure was described as follows: (1) I would bring the book home and, after unwrapping, lay it down on my reading table to admiringly view for no less than five minutes, then, (2) pick up the book, savoring the cool impression of the shiny decorated book jacket and hold it close to my chest, for a brief moment in the pleasant context of a successfully gained acquisition, then, (3) inhale the familiar subtle aroma of a newly printed hardcover. (4) Slowly open the book, listening for the almost inaudible “crack” of the new binding (5) carefully and surgically, slit the page or two, inevitably, still joined together, (6) sit back comfortably and commence the joyous and diverting act of reading the aesthetic word (often of a felt “familiar friend”).  Now, I have irretrievably, lost all this.”

N.B. We would, as a consoling and comforting assurance to all mourners, declare that despite the popular surrender to the artificial, facile availability of robotic and digital “advancements,” libraries and bookstores valiantly and beneficially, continue to welcome all readers of (actually surviving) printed hardcover works, eternally imparting, implicit wisdom, aesthetic art, and immense personal pleasure.

-p.

Caution, dear reader, brace yourself; in a few days, the perennial tsunami, appearing every February 14, will predictably reassert itself, in all its traditional force. The sole fans of such feared flooding are the usual suspects, the greeting card companies, the chocolate manufacturers, the florists, the retail jewelry businesses, the pajama industry, and the novelty sales folk. The expected high tide of the Valentine’s Day inundation, judging by previous experience, will submerge all land masses, human population and baffle all reason. Among other phenomena, the advertising industry will publish a stage 4 hurricane of notices, featuring photo-shopped, seemingly amorous couples, in intimate proximity, to their highlighted sales merchandise.

Since (mercifully) this holiday has only a short half-life, one day, the need for effective, sales propaganda becomes urgent. Unaccountably huge profits are earned by companies who, presumptuously, maintain that there is a realistic (and commercial) need to supplement the interaction of couples, who love one another, with their manufactured paraphernalia. Greeting card companies are especially guilty of this self-serving assumption and engage” distinguished poets” to create trite doggerel, consisting of inane expressions of love and fidelity, for the thousands of presumably, aphasic, anonymous consumers.

The most objectionable of the various Valentine’s Day symbols is the trite, red Valentine “heart,” an old-fashioned and retro-configuration, broadcast without relief on all holiday products, greeting cards, gift wrapping paper, stuffed toys, pillows, and candy boxes. This stale symbol is glaringly imprinted on all items for sale on Valentine’s Day, as well as by some Manchurian Candidate-type, propaganda, on the consumers’ minds.

Various research people [who presumably have no more pressing fields of inquiry for the employment of their Ph.D. acumen] have reported that the classic red symbol is derived from an early, incorrect understanding by [no less than] philosophers such as Galen and Aristotle, who believed that the heart contained only three chambers. [It may be noted, that Dr. Galen and Mr. Aristotle were, innovatively, accurate on many other subjects]

The Valentine depiction of the human heart, maintains the very same proportionate degree of accuracy, as a wood duck, in appearance, bears to a moose. Nevertheless, it has, over the ages, been foisted upon, and willingly accepted, by the consuming public.

In truth, the human heart is shaped like a pear and is the approximate size of a man’s fist. This life-or-death chest muscle is taxed with the existential job of circulating blood and oxygen throughout the body. It has no time, or noticeable inclination, for holiday Hallmark sales propaganda, as the purported source of love, courage, strength or kindness. The statement, “He has a good heart” should be reserved, for a positive determination by a cardiologist, and not a comment on such traits as a person’s, love, generosity, or empathy. We are only concerned with cardiologists and not “cardeologists.” How would you value a positive comment regarding personal generosity, such as, “He has good kidneys.”

It is certainly inarguable that all human thought and emotion are exclusively brain functions and not the traditionally romanticized heart muscle. Admittedly, however, it would be impractical to artistically create a brain-shaped cartoon figure to symbolize the holiday.

The senseless Valentine’s “heart” is best replaced by a preferable love symbol, the unique and marvelous tulip bulb. Certainly, the outline of the traditional bulb is simple to artistically replicate. More importantly, the bulb has eternally been a symbol of future growth and predictable beauty. Relative to the modern conception of true and healthy love, the tulip bulb is seen as independent and self-sustaining, having within its inner self a sufficient systemic source of future nourishment as well as the natural ability and inclination for growth and the achievement of its innate potential.

The tulip bulb, in the Middle Ages, was thought to be magical and priceless. There are historical records of its sale for the modern equivalent of several thousand dollars. If you should offer one to him/her and it is refused, we earnestly suggest that you look elsewhere.

ADDENDUM:

Why should it be necessary to dedicate a one-day holiday in recognition and expression of love; and, further, to do so by trite gifts of holiday nonsense? Love, where it is genuine, is experienced regularly and expressed in tender interaction and caring, personal acts. This one-day holiday is sadly comparable to gifts of free turkey dinners on Thanksgiving to the needy. Hunger exists year-round and the poor and unfortunate need more than a gratuitous symbol.

-p.

       * our perennial reprise