Blogpost # M. 172 COFFEE, BUTTERED TOAST AND METAPHYSICS

It often appears that when one is peacefully and mindlessly engaged in an intimately private activity, such as enjoying a simple breakfast of buttered toast and hot coffee, the ultimate, metaphysical questions seem to launch their surprise, guerilla-style, appearance, and attack. This morning, it was the conundrum regarding the nature and etiology of bigotry practiced against others who merely differ in skin color, credo, or sexual persuasion. The suddenly presented issue represents the unfortunate subject of a totally irrational but, nevertheless, all-pervasive, historical blemish on the physiognomy of humankind.

Any rational or objective homo sapiens would, empirically and objectively, be able to comprehend the metaphysical reality that Man, universally, is born into family groups of nuanced cultural beliefs and inherited skin color. The nature and variation of the latter, as is tautologically accurate, are subject to the biological vagaries attendant on the determinative features of the parents of the born child. Is it rationally or empirically necessary to observe that empirical nature, not the choices of the newly arrived individual, that is decisional regarding his nuanced, biologically appropriate features and later ethnically acquired cultural ethnos.

Yet, regrettably, Man’s history reveals a shameful and consistent saga of war, suffering, and tragic injustice, founded on the eternally pernicious and entirely irrational determination that variation from the personal or ethnic traits of the temporal societally dominant group, as stated, the irrefutably biological result of inherited physical traits and, later societally appropriate spiritual traits are an intolerable abomination. What, in fact, the egregious abomination is the existence and practice of such pathological mindset, viz,,” bigotry,”

As we finished spooning a generous portion of apricot preserves on the buttered toast and venturing an enjoyable bite, we mused, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful, if…”

-p.

Blogpost # M. 171 RUMINATIONS OVER LEFT-OVER TURKEY

The ethnic American rite of assembling with family and close friends for the annual “Thanksgiving” dinner is unquestionably salubrious, irrespective of its false sand pollyannaish, Hallmark Card Company portrayal of early American history; the proverbial First Americans having, in truth, been forcibly (and shamefully) dispossessed from their traditional homelands. Despite such sophomoric litany, the event remains, empirically and ubiquitously, an undeniably happy, social event

.

On the morning following this year’s traditional event, certain cogent thoughts arose which we deem worthy of observation. We do maintain an empirically based doubt that the express holiday theme was “top of mind” of the celebrants; who appeared to be rather more interested in subjects akin to sports team standings, travel to the venue of the holiday dinner, and sundry notable family events..

Nevertheless, we would note certain unspoken, subjects for which participants in the ritualized event, should be implicitly and expressly thankful. Metaphysically basic is one’s physical presence at the holiday meal, attesting to the fortunate continuance of his life. Being alive constitutes the singular and paramount cause of celebration; however, the vital subject is thoughtlessly and, presumptuously ignored, unless the danger of mortality is temporally relevant.

Lost in the morass of mundane social interaction, such as the standing of sports teams, the cost of gasoline and air travel, the expense of household repairs, romantic engagements, movie and entertainment preferences, cooking and baking techniques, weather and global warming, (never politics), vacations, even cats and dogs, is the appropriate consideration of existentially vital matters; such as health, aging, personal dedication, morality, peace and war, global warming and the living environment, as well as societal issues such as race relations, criminal justice, charitable assistance to the needy, educational standards, authoritarian censorship, public health, international affairs, great literature and one’s stimulating participation in the arts, beneficial charitable enterprise, issues of infrastructural need, the military, and immigration. Our uniquely good fortune regarding these existentially important matters is fortuitously dependent upon our American citizenship, for which we should appropriately give thanks.

It may be observed that the implicit and appropriate expressions of gratitude, although usually not included in the mundane discussion at the Thanksgiving table, are matters deserving of eternal recognition and not inadequately confined to a designated day in November.

-p.

Blogpost # M. 170 THE WEAPONIZATION OF LIBERTY

The First Ten Amendments of the Nation’s Constitution are notable admonitions against governmental interference with the enumerated rights of citizens and embody the foundational principles of our Republican Democracy. In our view, the protection of “Free Speech ” constitutes the most emblematic and signature expression of citizen liberty. This revered and definitional right, like all of the enunciated rights has its ultimate, and societally necessary limitations. One cannot, irresponsibly and falsely “cry fire in a crowded theater.” The limit on the Constitution’s broad grant of liberty, legally and empirically likewise ceases when one’s fist reaches the tip of the other’s nose.

One can confidently observe that the gravamen of most cases involving constitutional issues directly or indirectly concerns the application or the limitation of the relevant application of citizen rights. While judicial history may demonstrate temporal differences in temp[oral rulings, it is safe to say that the protection of the citizen’s right to free speech occupies an existentially significant place in the definitional and dynamic existence of democracy.

Any cursory examination of recent history would predictably and disturbingly, evidence the cynical and tactical misuse of constitutionally democratic rights in sundry attempts to destroy democracy and tactically institute an autocratic regime. The empirical vulnerability of democratic humanism is eternally challenged by the enemies of liberty, who exhibit, in their aspirational goals, draconian limitations on freedom of expression.

In our view, one of the most disturbing examples of the jejune and hapless vulnerability of our Nation to tactically pernicious efforts to destroy its humanistic democracy is evidenced by the nazi -inspired, violent Charlestonville demonstration, publically advertised, “Unite the Right.” The event was a violent, pro-nazi demonstration by self-identified acolytes of Adolph Hitler, carrying swastika-bearing flags, shouting anti-Semitic, tropes like “blood and soil,” and “we will not be replaced.” Ku Klux Klan vigilantes, and other sundry scoundrels, emitting prejudicial and atavistic slogans.

Another outstanding example of the Jejune and idealistic application of democratic permissiveness was seen in a similarly hateful demonstration of nazi-style hatred that occurred in Skokie Illinois, in 1977. The psychopathically hateful Nazi demonstration was tactically located in that specific venue, the residential venue of a large population of Holocaust survivors. It is thematically notable that the group’s March application was appropriately denied by the local authorities, but re-instated due to the naively ingenuous legal efforts of the local ACLU on the( thematic) grounds of freedom of speech. The principled but naive intention to extend basic American rights to the arch-enemies of democracy has proven naive and empirically destructive to those very principles.

The legal and moral unacceptability of the Trump Presidency, despite his relentless program of immoral, undemocratic, and authoritarian inclinations was empirically made possible, by the MAGA tactical and thematically inappropriate exploitation of the societal standards of constitutional permissiveness. in perverse support of the exercise of autocratic ambitions.

To be clear, we are dedicated and ardent supporters of free speech and the host of other democratically recognized rights and grants of human franchises. As observed above, however, the inalienable grants of citizen rights do have appropriate, and rational limitations..This is the foundational doctrine. similar to proscribing falsely shouting “fire” in a crowded theater..

We, affirmatively, oppose any limitations on the right of free speech; what we do recommend, is the proscription of hateful, anti-democratic, and discriminatory speech and activities (like “crying fire in a crowded theater”) in the pragmatic interest of protecting that right, and the other rights appropriate to a democracy. In its implementation, a wisely pragmatic standard of proof would be democratically salutary.

-p.

Blogpost # M. 169 GLARING INEPTITUDE

In our efforts to adequately describe Donald Trump’s encyclopedic, characterological, anti-societal, and amoral persona, we may not have adequately commented on his rank incompetency to serve as the Nation’s chief executive or indeed, to be pragmatically entrusted with any judgmental responsibility. Trump resides in his own impenetrable bubble, or dimension, in which discretion is not based upon the personal exercise of logic, experiential wisdom, or the advice of judicial aides. His reasoning seems to be based upon a nuanced and arbitrary perception of what is advantageous for him. Regarding that restricted arena, given his universally glaring ineptitude, he is similarly inept.

The consensus of the post-election media seems to be that the overriding consideration of the voters who elected Trump consisted in their singular (and entirely irrelevant) discontent with “kitchen table” consumer prices, viz., groceries, gasoline, and rent. We will reserve the discussion as to such misguided, sophomoric motivation to a future writing, but mention it as integral to our declaration of the complete and unalloyed ineptitude of the Nation’s orange peripatetic hazmat.

Trump had confidently promised a better consumer economy and the solution to the immigration morass and drug importation morass (notably, Fentanyl)by the imposition of high tariffs on our trading partners. The irrational attribution of the empirically causative relevance of “tariffs” to our slowly improving, post-pandemic inflationary economy, our unavoidable immigration problem, and the importation of illegal substances,” is the predicate for this declaration of the systemic maladroit character and delusional understanding, empirically attributable of Trump, and hence his glaring ineptitude to be the National chief executive

This glaring conceptual inability is empirically compounded by Trump’s ego-centric ignorance concerning the situational irrelevance and real-world detrimental and self-defeating implications of raising tariffs, as the purported route to lowering consumer prices, normalizing immigration, and preventing the importation of controlled substances.

Raising the official rates of prices on imported goods, viz., raising tariffs is not only irrelevant to the issues concerning the Trump voters but, exacerbates their asserted contextual problems. Raising the price of imported goods ineluctably leads to the economic necessity for those importers to raise their prices to businesses and individual consumers. As an irrationally proposed solution to the ubiquitous complaint of higher prices, it has the analogous effect of rubbing kosher salt into a newly acquired flesh wound. The wound’s discomfort is needlessly and painfully exacerbated. Trump, in the exercise of his sophomoric mentality, perceives raising tariffs as a mode of exerting influential pressure on the exporting nation; and is glaringly incapable of contemplating the obvious empirically necessary result viz., the proximate increase of prices of the subject goods to the domestic consumer.

The glaring incompetency of the peripatetic orange hazmat’s deluded panacea of raising tariffs to control the importation of drugs and the normalization of immigration, similarly, has the rational and misconceived relevance of carrying an umbrella to a family picnic to ward off the possibility of disturbing army ants.

A serviceable and empirically accurate algebraic formula dynamically and functionally to calculate the extent of Trump’s suitability to occupy the August and historic position of the American Presidency, may be mathematically derived by the use of the following algebraic formula:[ Despicable persona + glaring incompetence = National disaster]

-p.

Blogpost # M. 168 THE LEAKY ROWBOAT [pliny editorial]

Having previously consulted relevant history, we may confidently declare that, with analogous predictability to the sinking of a leaky rowboat, any enterprise, including that of governance, undertaken in the context of ignorance and/or egotistical presumption will inevitably founder.

Our thematic offer of consolation is directed to the mainstream American citizen who, no doubt, finds himself disconsolate and frustrated with the surprising and lamentable Presidential victory of the democratically unsuitable Donald J. Trump. Such disappointed citizens, as reported, constituting slightly shy of 50% of the nation’s voting population, are understandably mystified and aghast at the realization that millions of other Americans, voted against their own personal interests, most relevantly, their constitutionally assured rights and the societal benefits of the Nation’s rule of law.

Donald J.Trump was successfully elected, notwithstanding the presence of normally disqualifying elements, such as his promise of dictatorship, threats of retribution against political opponents (in a Nation assuring the freedom of opinion), misogyny, anti-social behavior, criminal record, and demonstrated incapability. It appears bizarre to the contemplative citizen that Trump’s consistently unacceptable and societally abhorrent behavior seems not to have empirically marred his eerie cultish appeal to the Nation’s large population of populist grievance-laden voters

However, it is our expectation, (and the underlying theme of this writing) that the exotic adulation of the MAGA Congress and civilian acolytes, previously infected with the demagogic hubris of the Orange Deity will decline with the current demonstration of his infantile judgment regarding appointments to his Cabinet and as chief advisors. Trump’s announced selections for his Cabinet, appear uniformly bizarre and evince the unseaworthy nature of his aspirations to again attempt to Captain the Nation. In our view, Trump’s revealed ignorance and distorting egocentric myopia, evidenced by such self-serving and abominate choices, is ubiquitously revelatory of his innate insecurity and will, if not already visible, erode his unwarranted level of (deluded) supporters,

Trump’s unmitigated hubris, revealed by his self-serving and far-fetched choices of National Cabinet and personal advisors, portend, in our view, a resultant sense of insecurity and discomfiture in the Nation’s citizenry most relevantly, those elected to the U.S, Senate the latter, constitutionally assigned the responsibility of “Advice and Consent” regarding Cabinet nominees. We perceive the genesis of an awakened public perception of the hazardous monstrosity of a Trump second term in office and its empirical potential to bore a metaphoric, consequential cavity in the hull of the Ship of State, the latter, reliably and admirably shipworthy for approximately two centuries.

The revealed unfit and inappropriately chosen selections for Cabinet positions, qualitatively equatable to the storied appointment of “lunatics to run the asylum,” as we perceive it, instinctively will result in a reflexive and epiphanic alarm, awakening many systemically responsible citizens, notably, those elected to the U.S. Senate, that the Ship of State ( our symbolic “rowboat”) has incurred the imminent danger of taking on water. It undoubtedly has also had the effect of doubt as to Trump’s demagogic, “snake oil” averred, capability to “Make America Great Again.”

In keeping with the traditionally brief format of the mini-essay (“blog”) we will observably restrict ourselves to highlighting, but an illustrative sample, of the Trump-announced, sophomoric Cabinet nominations and declared Presidential policies

Trump’s outrage at his (appropriate) prosecution for his numerous crimes, underlies his dire, autocratic threat to seek “revenge and retribution” against those who opposed him. To effectuate his desire for retribution he has picked for the position of the all-powerful Attorney General of the Department of Justice the popularly obnoxious Congressional Representative, Matt Gaetz,. In such selection, as appears to be uniformly the case in all Trump’s Cabinet selections, the nominee is inappropriate but has pledged to him his eternal loyalty. In addition to universally being despised by his fellow legislators, Gaetz has been in the process of being investigated by the House Ethics Committee for sexual child trafficking, having intercourse with minors, and various drug offenses.

The disgust and outrage generated by this selection, notably of his fellow legislators, effectively mandated the resignation of such a scandalous nominee. Trump responsively appointed, Pam Bondi, similarly, an avid Trump acolyte, to such to head the all-powerful office. Bondi is the Florida Attorney General and the revealed recipient of a substantial bribe to quash (as then as Florida’s Attorney General) an ongoing prosecution of Trump regarding his “Trump University,” another one of the many nefarious snake oil Trump enterprises, Relevantly, she is also a partner in a lobby group that contractually supports Trump. To add icing to the cake, Bondi is a close friend of Lara Trump.

Trump’s autocratic desire to control the Military, inclusive of its threatened despotic use against non-compliant American citizens, motivated his choice of Pete Hegseth, a Fox News contributor with shockingly insufficient knowledge or capability, to be the Nation’s all-powerful Secretary of Defense (armed forces, Pentagon). Hegseth has the shared honor of being another of the (sexual offending) President’s four nominees charged with rape. He is morally, intellectually, and democratically unfitness for this historic position is evidenced, among other of his misconceptions, by his declaration (contrasted with empirical reality) that women are totally unfit for military service. His inappropriate selection is irrefutably illustrated by his copious body tattoos articulating his ardent dedication to Christian White Nationalism.

Trump also illustrates his ignorance through his skewed approach to human health, as previously demonstrated by his astounding depth of malpractice during the pandemic, (causing rampant infection and, tragically, many hundred thousand unnecessary deaths) by selecting the ghoul-like, impassive, JFK Jr., as his Secretary of Health and Human Resources (CDC, FDA, etc.). Kennedy is a conspiracy propagator, most dangerously and inappropriately supporting the exotic delusional ideation that vaccines cause autism. Such policies would portent the return of polio, diphtheria, measles, smallpox, flu, and other maladies, presently (and mercifully), preventable by vaccination. His singular odd persona is exemplified by a publicized incident in which he deposited a dead bear in New York’s Central Park. Another relevant feature is the consideration of his public disclosure of a dead worm in his brain; the latter, we perceive, conceivably responsible for his MAGA mentality.

Our final selection in our declared abridged, but representative list, in this prolix blog post.is Tulsi Gabbard, selected by America’s Agent Orange Hazmat, to be head of Intelligence, (CIA et al). Ms, .Gabbard is best known by her expressed pro-Putinj sentiments and and her close friendship with Kaddafi, Syria’s premier and gas bombing and torturing murderer of dissenting citizens.

Trump’s desirability is additionally enhanced by such salubriously intended programs as, the replacement of federal civil service with MAGA followers, the elimination of the invaluable and humanistic, Department of Education, the employment of the military to enforce his dictatorial will, and the deletion of the governmental programs, such as Social Security, Disability, and Medicaid, to be obediently accomplished by his venerably- selected all-star team.

One would be wise not to board such a leaky rowboat, for fear of survival.

-p.

Blogpost # M. 167 ROMEO AND JULIET IN BAVARIA

Hans Viktor Fliggentzimis Jr., a 28-year-old, recently hired as a starting apprentice at the Constantinopatanisher- Doodle-Sachen und Fifenmaken Gesellschaft. knew in his Bavarian heart that his new romantic crush on Olga Fafuffnik, a bookkeeper at the company was ill-fated. It was in fact, less than a mere two weeks after having been hired for his entry-level job that he had noticed, Olga, a 19-year-old blond-braided and provocatively attractive clerk at the factory, and instantly fell in love with her. However, by covert inquiry, he learned to his profound dismay, that Olga was the daughter and only child of the widowed factory owner, Leopold Von Faffufnik, and that, his hope that she would be his inamorata was entirely hopeless.

It had been an otherwise ordinary Tuesday afternoon, when Hans Viktor was busily eating his regular lunch of Leidercrantz cheese, sausage, and pumpernickel, when he had noticed the provocative, blond-haired, Olga. On every Tuesday following the regular company lunch hour, Olga would return to her desk only to find a handful of white Eidelwise flower petals (the only possible love message), surreptitiously articulated by the agonized and frustrated Hans Viktor). Olga had also questionably noticed the frequent sight of Hans Victor, passing by her office door but never associated the same with the daily appearance of the mysterious flower petals.

At the company’s regular Octoberfest, Olga did not attribute any special significance to the nervous delivery of a mug of beer by Hans Viktor, deeming a mere holiday gesture by one of her father’s employees, to the dismay of the disappointed donor. Hans Viktor left the happy boisterous celebration, early and in a morose state of mind.

The disheartened, and entirely frustrated Hans Victor could not refrain from often spending weekly evenings, usually lasting as much as one hour, regardless of the weather, staring up at Olga’s windowed, second-story balcony at her residential apartment, sighing and gazing at her moving silhouette through the slats of her shutters. On a few occasions, he painfully observed that she was cuddling her small fox terrier, and left the venue feeling jealous of the pet in tearful self-pity.

After several weeks of this frustrating activity, Hans Viuctor, having previously met and chatted with a co-employee, arrived somewhat later than usual at Olga’s residential building to surprisingly (and frankly speaking, frighteningly) observe that she was standing at the entrance of her apartment building, sadly wringing her hands, loudly weeping. Her emotional state, combined with the energy of his unrequited love, lent him the courage to approach her to inquire after the cause of her intense sorrow. Olga, recognizing Hans Victor from the factory, explained that her small dog, Rapunzel a valuable gift from her late mother and a beloved companion for upwards of five years, had gone missing. Hans Victor, feeling her sadness, later returned home to miraculously find Olga’s precious dog, sitting peacefully at the door of his apartment. He cried and kissed the dog on the head and excitedly rushed back, gently and lovingly cradling little, fluffy Rapunzel in his arms, and excitedly set out to return the precious darling to its mourning mistress. He soon arrived at the familiar residential building; to bring the dog upstairs to Olgas’s second-floor apartment. After knocking excitedly, the door was opened by Olga’s father who had been unsuccessfully attempting to console himself and his daughter, was surprised,overjoyed and immensely grateful to observe that little, fluffy Rapunzel was miraculously returned by Hans Victor.

Olga’s father then sent out for the delivery of a sumptuous banquet for the three to celebrate. After the joyful dinner, Olga’s immensely pleased father suggested to the joyful surprise of Hans Viktor, that the celebrants get to know each other better.

The next prominent banquet took place approximately, one year later on the occasion of the marriage of the recently appointed Vice-President of der Constantinopalitanisher Doodle-Sachen und Fifen Machen Geselshast Shaft, his new son-in-law, Hans Viktot Hans Viktor to his beautiful daughter, the newly married Mrs. Olga Fliggentzimis.
-p.

Blogpost # 166 RECONSTRUCTED REFLECTIONS

We cannot equate a preferable or more effective analogy applicable to the revelation of using misleading and ubiquitously accepted concepts to disguise or lend acceptability to pernicious policies or programs, than the thematic mirror. The offending memes, chosen below represent, to our perception, the most egregious examples of such a copious verbal agitprop, The deceit employed to mislead the mainstream citizen by being cynically disguised in traditionally acceptable lexicon is no less than deceitful and inarguably fraudulent. Our fictional magic mirror reliably reflects the reconstructed contextual revelation of the underlying pernicious motivation, adorned in deceptively camouflaged parlance to disguise their intrinsic unacceptability.

We have chosen to cite and briefly discuss our perception of the most egregious examples of such tactical misleading, sanitized expressions:

“MANIFEST DESTINY”

The historically propagandic theory of “Manifest Destiny,” recited America’s “Diety-inspired duty” (in the Biblical Year 1845 A.D.), to expand America’s borders across the entire width of the North American continent. This impactive religiously- nationalistic meme, as the reflected and reconstructed mirror clearly reveals, was a propagandist rationalization for the morally unjustifiable displacement of Indigenous and other non-European peaceful occupants from the present American territories, employing the tenacious pursuit of bloody and immoral aggression across the width of continental North America. The enunciated acceptability of such an ambition was, as repeatedly shown throughout history, ( and reflected in the mirror) rationalized and approved by religious zeal, combined with the atavistic taint of xenophobia.

“RIGHT TO LIFE”

Our faithful, truth-reconstructing mirror reveals that the wording of this programmatic title, albeit expressed in humanistic and acceptably moral parlance, is, in empirical reality, a deceitful political misstatement whose demonstrated motivation is control, religious, and secular, and revealingly, not “life.” The life” purportedly protected, by their dogmatic (and, on occasion, homicidal) opposition to the natural and private right of a woman to elect abortion is dogmatically and morally restricted (solely) to the unborn fetus. With the aid of Donald Trump’s appointment of “pro-life,” unprincipled Justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, abortion has been judicially determined to be criminal, albeit, after upwards of five decades of legal approval, with the empirically demonstrated consequences of tragic, life-threatening and mortal results. Their deceit is further illustrated (reflected) in their opposition to governmental assistance to the needy child after the fetus is born, their general support of the cruel and atavistic State practice of capital punishment, and concomitant ardent support of gun ownership.


“MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN’ (MAGA)

The announced propagandic message of the infamous Donald J. Trump, and its shameful acceptance by the huge undereducated, poorly informed, and grievance-laden American populists, caused our fictional hand-held appliance to flash and go briefly dark, with outrage. and mechanical apoplexy. Like its previous exposure to the concept known as “Manifest Destiny,” our fictitious mirror came precariously close to burnout. After some startling light-laden flashes, it was systematically enabled to return to its former reflective usefulness.

The manipulatively false phrase ends with the notable word “again.” It is not necessary to employ the truthful mirror to observe that the word, “again,” implies that the American Nation was, at some time in its past,. great; and, notably, without Donald J. Trump. With his limited understanding of history, indeed, of any subject outside of the self- constricted, bubble of his neurotic egocentrism, one may wonder as to which period in American history he was alluding to. In actuality, knowing Trump, he systemically possesses a snake oil can full of demagogic propaganda but no such reminiscent period,

The mirror, as well as the public media, reflects the grim reality that the orange- hair -publically declared tyrant, notably, before his inauguration, has telescopically reflected in his avowed delivery of renewed American greatness, the designation of his proposed cabinet, consisting of incompetent, Trump acolytes rather than capable and highly principled officials. He has indicated that he will appoint as his Attorney General, an incompetent, unprincipled scoundrel, publicly identified as a perpetrator of sex crimes, including sex trafficking and statutory rape, a Secretary of Defense, (Armed forces, Pentagon, etc.) a loyal Fox News acolyte with bodily tattoos representing views which are expressly Christian White Supreicist, an Intelligence Secretary (CIA, etc.) with no experience who has publically demonstrated her friendship with Russia’s Putin, an “Immigration Czar,” who has pledged the deportation of millions of American immigrants, and others, uniformly incompetent, dangerous to the Nation but solely qualified by their cultish loyalty to Trump,.

The faithful mirror reflects four years of Trump’s past efforts toward the displacement of the uniquely great, constitutionally limited, law-observing democratic Nation by a would-be Emporer, unrestricted by law or conceptual moral compass., It reveals that the deceptive phrase, Make America Great Again,” euphemistically translates to ” Transmogrify Trump to the role of Roman Emporer Nero.

Historical experience teaches thoughtful individuals to wisely scrutinize publically attractive slogans and represented causes.

-p.

Blogpost # M.165 TERMITES AND TYRANNY

Prospective house purchasers will procure a professional termite search to ensure the structural integrity of the relevant property. An infestation of termites is not easily discernible by the layman until their insidious presence has wreaked substantial and visible damage to a building’s wooden support structure. Our readings of modern history reveal tragic instances of democratic nations that have undergone destruction due to analogously insidious undermining..

As we perceive it, the opening salvo in the termite-style program to undermine democracy was delivered at the advent of Trump’s first campaign and term of Presidency by his programmatic denial of “factual truth,” disparagement of the nation’s media, and the tactical exacerbation of divisiveness between identifiable groups of eternally discontented citizens. Trump’s current strategy, is tactically mentored by a perverse team of malefactors, led by Steve Bannon, Rudy Guilliani, Roger Stone, and Paul Manaford, principally directed to the large populist infestation of termite-like despoilers of America’s Republican Democracy.

The termite damage for a time, encroached on our Nation’s secure democracy, due to the influence of Trump and his advisors but experienced a slowdown during the next four years of Biden’s Presidency. The defeated, neurotically disappointed, Donald Trump, in aid of his ideation of authoritarian takeover, failed in his atavistic attempt at revolution and so the program of destruction was limited to Trump’s perverse demagoguery, aimed at the nation’s significant pollution of grievance-laden,” populist citizens,”

Trump was unexpectedly elected for a second term (by his eternally aggrieved, huge MAGA horde) in the next (surprising) election and the termite advocates sought to make up for lost time in their planned infection of the structural supports of the Nation’s democracy. Employing tactics, historically successful in such enterprises, they promoted divisiveness, political polarity, and opposition to immigration; unfortunately and unhappily aided, by two experiential objective causes of the weakening of the structural foundations of democracy’s edifice, viz., consumer economic stress and controversial involvement in foreign matters.

Trump, mentored by his despicable group of insidious termite-like advisory mentors has recently announced a patently outrageous and democracy-weakening, “Mad Hatter” Presidential Cabinet as the nation’s Attorney General, [FBI, ATF, the Nations many federal district attorneys] the known criminal, (drugs, female trafficking) Matt Gaetz, presently under an ethics investigation, And JFK, Jr, adamant anti-vaccine, anti-medicine, conspiracy lunatic who deposited a dead bear in New York’s Central Park and famously boasts a worm in his brain, as Secretary of Health and Human Services (NIH, FDA, HRSA). In our view, these two, tactically selected, candidates will predictably, be rejected, despite the existence of a Republican Senate; but strategically, by such tactical publicized rejection, add corresponding acceptance to such ignominious, anti-democratic termites like Tulsi Gabbard, Putin admirer, and enemy of democracy, as Intelligence Czar, and Pete Heggeth, ardent White Christian Nationalist, sporting copious body tattoos in favor of such despicable dedication, as Secretary of Defense.

The structural integrity of our Democratic Republic is once more imperiled; this time, by insidious termite-like efforts at its structural weakening and ultimate destruction, However, as reliably demonstrated by history, it will, by its systemic dedication to rectitude, rid its structural integrity of its presenting befouling and existential challenge. Despair and sad resignation have never been our Nation’s identifiable characteristics.

-p-

Blogpost #  M.164   PANDORA’S BOX

The Greek myth concerning Pandora’s Box, warns that its opening will result in ubiquitous misfortune and tragedy. In contemporary times, the admonition is expressed as “Opening a Can of Worms.” This writing is focused on analogically disclosing the terrifying contents of the abominable box and implication of its abhorrent consequences.

[NARRATIVE]

DISCOVERY AND LATER DEVOLUTION :

We have been reliably informed that the internationally esteemed archeologist, Sr. Selwin Puddle, of the University of Devonshire, Balderdash South Devon, England, on October 1, 1936, accidentally uncovered the archaic box, which was incorrectly thought to be merely “mythical.” On one of his regular archeological digs, outside the legal City limits of the Greek province of North Mousaaka, he felt his spade make contact with a large, earthy bronze container. After unearthing the strange box, he carefully brushed off the dry clumps of soil, he discerned a warning, in the ancient Greek language,” which translates to “Hazmat Warning,” below which in block letters, ” Pandora’s Box” Not to be Opened,.”

Dr. Puddle, breathlessly returned with his find to his field office, After fearfully staring at it for approximately one-half hour his didactic curiosity impulsively overcame his pragmatic caution and compelled him to courageously open and examine the contents of the ancient legendary box.

The dimension of the box, itself, was twenty-four square inches, with an ornate top lid, containing the above cautionary message. Opening (with much difficulty) the lid he was astounded to observe that the box was entirely empty, except for a decorative hand mirror, the latter, approximately 14 inches in length and 6 inches in width. A breathless initial examination revealed a decorative, gold-colored frame, which at its top, contained a carved image of a corpulent, orange-haired golfer wearing a red cap with white letters too small to discern. To his surprise, the venerable professor made the bizarre discovery, that the ornate mirror was a fun-house-style mirror which, upon examination revealed an entirely distorted and eerily skewed image with a center showing a barely visible replication of a laughing face reflected at its center.

VOYAGE OF PANDORA’S BOX

To radically condense the events of upwards of eight decades since its discovery, the infamous box found its way from England’s Balderdash University to London’s British Museum and later, as part of a cultural exchange, to Washington’s famous Smithsonian Museum. At the said institution, it was eventually relegated to storage due to public lack of interest and by a museum volunteer’s error, included among the numerous inventory of a public auction sale to raise needed capital.

The mysterious box eventually made its way to the posh Florida resort of Mar-a-Lago, as a gift, from one of the past wives of Donald Trump and was ultimately placed in the same large restroom where hr had famously arranged for the storage of stolen government top-secret documents. Only recently Melania, amused at its weird carnival mirror reflective distortion and noting a figure resembling Donald on the carved frame, removed it to the Master bedroom for decorative purposes.

It was barely two weeks ago when Donald, footsore and sweaty from a full morning of golf, and his regular international telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin, flopped down on the silk cover of his expensively decorated bed in the master bedroom, still chewing and holding on to a half-eaten, greasy McDonald’s hamburger and inwardly celebrating his election victory. He noticed the wooden (Pandora’s) box and after another large, ketchup-dripping bite of the hamburger, wearily bemoaned his obligation to now select a Presidential Cabinet. Trump looked into the shiny, but, distorted mirror and happily found requisite inspiration for his choices of Cabinet for his new Presidential term, An incomplete but representative list is as follows:

* United States Attorney General (Head of FBI, ATF, Fed, Dist, Attys, Matt Gaetz [ under investigation for sexual crimes, Statutory Rape, Sex Trafficking and drug offenses]

*Secretary of Defense (Armed Forces, Pentagon) Pete Hogeth,[Pro-Trump Fox News Host and celebrated White Supremacist]

*Health and Human Services JFK Jr, [Anti-vaccine proponent, dumper of a dead bear in New York’s Central Park bear; anti-modern medicine, conspiracy hawk, diagnosed with a worm in his brain]

*Deputy Chief of Staff: Stephen Miller, the [arrogant, cruel, psychopathic proponent of the inhuman separation of immigrant families and inveterate lunatic xenophobic]

*Kristie Noem: “Homeland Security:” [ Avid Trumpist and infamous murderer of slow learning dog]

*Doug Bergam; [ Proponent of the Earth Warming meme, “Drill, baby Drill!” despite the present context of universal public fear concerning the augmentation of global warming by -polluting fuels]

  • Mike Huckabee:, as Ambassador to Isreal, [ A Christian Evangelic extremist, believing in the tactical preservation of the State of Isreal for the sole purpose of apocryphal, “Second Coming.”
  • Tom Horman: Immigration Czar: [ Principled opponent of immigration, who has promised ” the biggest mass deportation ever seen.”]
  • Tulsi Gabbard: “Director of Intelligence” [a fan of Russia and an extremely dubious choice for an inveterate isolationist].

CONCLUSION:
It is our observation that the underlying proximate cause of the peril we now suffer, symbolized by “Pandora’s box” relates to the atavistic mindset of the extensive voting public credited with the imposition of a notable mortal hazard to the existence of our Democratic Republic by their election of Donald Trump. The existential danger to our Democratic Republic is effectively and alarmingly more ubiquitously inclusive and existentially damaging than the sample of the ill-conceived, “Mad Hatter” style of Trump’s newly proposed National Cabinet, as illustrated.

The pathetically sophomoric fantasy of the MAGA voters, disappointed with the nature of the (self-imposed) quality of their lives, elected an especially an unhinged and irrational rebel against the established societal mores of the Nation would portend an amelioration of their respective grievances, can only be the empirical result of a distortion of mindset and perception, derived from staring into the reality distorting, funhouse mirror, secreted in our analogical Pandora’s box.

-p.

Blogpostb # M.163   THE  GOLDEN BEELZEBUB AWARDS

The unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, Officers, and the entire Staff of Plinyblog have unanimously decided to appropriately inform our much-deserving readers with a copy of the “Beelzebub Awards,” (formerly known as the “Mephistopheles List”), in advance of the coming inauguration as an appreciative gift. The plentiful roster of deserving candidates is too numerous to publish, accordingly, we have pragmatically enunciated a limited list. Readers, however, are invited to freely add other elective celebrities as desired.

[ Dramatic trumpet fanfare and roll of the drums}

DONALD J. TRUMP: For his valuable support of Democracy, in recognition of his empirical demonstration that even a neurotic-narcissistic-authoritarian criminal can be successful in the American Presidential election process.

J.D, VANCE: For his public demonstration of Homo Sapiens’ evolutionary ability to metamorphose from his public declarations that Donald Trump is “another Hitler,” to Trump’s candidate for Vice-President. Additional Kudos are due to J, D, for his revelation that legal Haitian Immigrants, living in Springfield Ohio, are hungrily eating the neighborhood children’s “pet cats and dogs.” We are sure that the members of ASPCA are appropriately grateful.

STEPHEN MILLER: For his personal demonstration, that America is opportunistic and enterprising enough to give birth to a modern replication of the 19th Century’s pathological Adolph Eichmann, with the added spicy relish of being Jewish.

STEVEN BANNON: For his enlightening lesson that a craven politician can be successful in the practice of the dark arts of tactical destruction of the Nation’s traditional liberty and democracy, despite an unkempt, homeless-looking appearance and wildly unkempt hairstyle.

ELON MUSK: For the empirical demonstration that a perverted clown can be a billionaire puppet with maneuverable strings attached to an orange-haired evil puppeteer.

SARA HUCKABEE: For advancing anthropological science through her empirical demonstration, that systemic evangelical prejudice and atavistic bigotry are biologically inheritable; at least in the paternal-male chromosome.

LINDSEY GRAHAM: For his ultimate talent in tactically and unashamedly changing colors at a speed exceeding that of a jungle-threatened chameleon,

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE: For her loud, raucous, waterfront style, toughness, and public demonstration that (excessive) male testosterone is not existentially required to be an ignorant and boisterous bigot.

CHRISTY NOEM”: For her brave repudiation of the evangelical message of the ASPA by her impatient shooting and killing of her pet dog in a ditch, as punishment for being a slow learner.

MIKE JORDAN: For his aggressive and bellicose defense of the MAGA line, a former wrestling coach with an immediate readiness to fight, as aggressively challenged by his jacketless, shirt-wearing invitation to rumble.

MIKE JOHNSON; For his nerdy, “what me worry?” persona and colossally deranged and atavistic declaration, “All answers are in the Bible.”

All winners will be gratefully awarded the traditional Beelzebub award, viz., a sculpture in Fool’s Gold, depicting a certain four Justices of the U,S, Supreme Court, and Donald Trump having a beer in a public dumpster marked with an orange “MAGA.”

\-p.