Tools of Conquest and Victory, Plus a Surprise Visit From Baby Hitler

Rod Serling, closing narration of the Twilight Zone episode, "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street", aired March 4, 1960:

"The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices - to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudices can kill and suspicion can destroy, and a thoughtless, frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all its own - for the children and the children yet unborn. And the pity of it is that these things cannot be confined to The Twilight Zone."

Prescient quote, for the eve of Trump leaving the White House!

January 19, 2021

Postscript- I have a feeling that I could become obsessed with watching Twilight zone and applying it metaphorically to modern day America.

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Zuzu really fixed herself up for school today. She was in rare form too. Mrs. Rancke asked for ideas for fish names. Zuzu offered, "Mrs Rank." Mrs. Rancke was flattered for a second until Zuzu clarified, "Mrs. Rank, like the stink."

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You know what would be funny, a surprise 25th Amendment vote removing Trump tonight before he has the chance to pardon all of his criminal buddies.

January 19, 2021

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There might not be a more emblematic detail of Trump's presidency, than if he pardons Bannon on his last day as expected... Bannon, a guy who ripped off Trump's own base, defrauding a Build the Wall charity out of a million dollars for personal expenses, arrested on a yacht.

January 19, 2021

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Wow, Gretel did a nice job! She asked if I could tell who it was.

January 19, 2020

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I don't say this too often, but Hank Williams Jr. is exactly right. Rock Around the Clock is not the first Rock and Roll song- it's a direct steal from his dad's Move It On Over.

January 19, 2020

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On my second trip out to my car I saw a banana in the middle of the road, it had fallen out of my pocket. That banana was not in my pocket, but sure was happy to see me.

January 19, 2018

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Trump will be sworn in on Lincoln's bible, but I'm forced to wonder if he could understand Lincoln's religion- "When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion."

January 19, 2017

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Some predictions about the next 4 years. 

#1. Trump will continue telling us how smart and rich he is, and continue displaying his pettiness, shallowness and vindictiveness.

#2. Staggering truths about Trump/Russia are revealed, dipping his approval into the 20's.

#3. Only one press conference every 6 months to a year, vs Obama having one every month or two.

#4. Our country is tested in a serious way within a week, Trump will fail the test in every imaginable way.

#5. Trump will do something drastic early on to signify a break from convention. 

#6. Trump violates the Constitution on day 1 by his company accepting payments from foreign goverments.

#7. Trump will be impeached by the Republican Congress when it becomes clear to them they have a better chance to win the next election with Pence instead of him.

#8. I will support his policies when they deserve to be supported, and resist them when they do not lead to human flourishing.

January 19, 2017

Postscript- Not too bad! The Trump/Russia thing reminded me of something. Trump and Manafort had one change to the Republican party convention of 2016... watered down support for Ukraine. Doesn't look so good in retrospect, and didn't look good at the time. Let me guess, not the good guys! Then we found out that Manafort was an agent of Ukraine several months into Trump's term, and he was working as the campaign manager free of charge. Then Trump got impeached for withholding congressionally mandated aid for Ukraine??? All of this after standing together with Putin on the world stage, and taking his side over our own intelligence agencies. Bombshell stuff, and it's an embarrassment that is support wasn't zero by that point.

https://www.npr.org/2017/12/04/568310790/2016-rnc-delegate-trump-directed-change-to-party-platform-on-ukraine-support

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New furnace tomorrow- and the icy cold shower I took tonight will ensure that it's appreciated forever and always, with love.

January 19, 2017

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Sam Bee on "Swamp King Steve Mnuchin," apparently the best guy Trump could find for treasury secretary.

https://fb.watch/i941_CWPSd/?mibextid=NnVzG8

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The good news- Amelia's has Costa Rican single-origin coffee for $6. 

The bad news- apparently there's no worse region.

January 19, 2016

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My New Years resolution is the same as last year- to read an average of an hour a day. My question to you- does watching a foreign movie count?

January 19, 2013

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I'm in the ER with a (probably) ruptured achilles tendon. Anybody feel like entertaining me?

January 19, 2011

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The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, began service at Roselle, New Jersey on this day in 1883.

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The ACLU was founded on this day in 1920.

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On this day in 1953, almost 72 percent of all television sets in the United States were tuned into I Love Lucy to watch Lucy give birth. Somehow she actually gave birth to Desi Arnaz, Jr. on the same day.

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In Cold Blood was published in book form on this day in 1966. The first paragraph is a total knockout.

“The village of Holcomb stands on the high wheat plains of western Kansas, a lonesome area that other Kansans call ‘out there’. Some seventy miles east of the Colorado border, the countryside, with its hard blue skies and desert clear air, has an atmosphere that is rather more Far West than Middle West. The local accent is barbed with a prairie twang, ranch-hand nasalness, and the men, many of them, wear narrow frontier trousers, Stetsons, and high-heeled boots with pointed toes. The land is flat, and the views are awesomely extensive; horses, herds of cattle, a white cluster of grain elevators rising as gracefully as Greek temples are visible long before a traveller reaches them.”

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On this day in 1981, Iran released 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity. Something was up with Iran during Reagan's presidency!

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Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie was arrested in Bolivia on this day in 1983.

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Zen master and founder of Sōtō Zen, Dōgen Zenji, was born on this day in 1200.

"Life and death are of supreme importance. Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost. Each of us should strive to awaken. Awaken! Take heed, do not squander your life."

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Edgar Allan Poe joined us on this day in 1809.

“Men have called me mad; but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence– whether much that is glorious– whether all that is profound– does not spring from disease of thought– from moods of mind exalted at the expense of the general intellect.”

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Patricia Highsmith, the author of Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr Ripley was born on this day in 1921. From The Talented Mr. Ripley:

"Anticipation! It occurred to him that his anticipation was more pleasant to him than the experiencing."

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Bird enthusiast Tippi Hedren was born on this day in 1930.

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Dolly Parton was born on this day in 1946, in her family's one-room cabin- no electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing. 

The doctor who delivered her was paid with a sack of cornmeal. 

Apparently she started her songwriting career at age 5 with Little Tiny Tassletop, inspired by a doll her father made her out of a corncob. 

In order to get the Grand Ole Opry to come through their battery radio, they would pour some water on the ground wire outside and it would whistle in and out. 

Ladies and gentlemen, a better country music origin story simply isn't possible. 

I'll always remember what Roger Ebert wrote about her in his autobiography, Life Itself:

“In Dallas for the premier of '9 to 5', I had an uncanny experience, and on the plane home to Chicago I confessed it to Siskel: I had been granted a private half hour with Dolly Parton, and as we spoke I was filled with a strange ethereal grace. This was not spiritual, nor was it sexual. It was healing and comforting. Gene listened and said, "Roger, I felt the exact same thing during my interview with her." We looked at each other. What did this mean? Neither one of us ever felt that feeling again. From time to time we would refer to it in wonder.”

National treasure. If I could pick one person to rule the world, it just might be her.

In Ken Burns' Country Music documentary, someone referred to Dolly Parton's voice as "spine-tingling." Dumb Blonde is a perfect example.

https://youtu.be/lN_VQ8GWEos

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Somehow Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Full House actress Jodie Sweetin, we're each born on this day in 1982.

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Other notable birthdays- Robert E. Lee (1807), Paul Cezanne (1839), Phil Everly (1939), Janis Joplin (1943), Katey Sagal (1954)

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Screenwriter Frank Howard Clark let us on this day in 1962.

"I think the next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it."

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We lost Ham the Chimpanzee on this day in 1963! He was the first hominid in space.

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Hedy Lamarr left us on this day in 2000, but she'll live through ever through celluloid and wi-fi. 

From Steinbeck's Tortilla Flat:

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Other notable deathdays- Carl Perkins (1998), Stan Musial (2013), Earl Weaver (2013)

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Every year edge.org asks prominent intellectuals a single question and compiles their answers into a book. Previous questions were "What is your dangerous idea?," "What scientific idea would improve everybody's cognitive toolkit?," and "What do we believe but can't prove?" This year they ask "What scientific concept should we retire?" Sam Harris answers- our narrow definition of science.

http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/our-narrow-definition-of-science

January 19, 2014

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I hate to have to spread the word, but...

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/18/world/asia/japan-dolphin-hunt/index.html

January 19, 2014

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Washington Post Opinion- The shabbiest U.S. president ever is an inexpressibly sad specimen by George F. Will

There are so many intelligent people on the right that see through this president's facade. Remember that, if you're ever accused of being stuck in a left wing bubble. I don't know of any legit criticisms the president that haven't been echoed by those on the right.

If you read this this excellent column, keep your dictionary handy if you want to learn some new words- pluperfect, lese-majest, splenetic.

From the column:

"His childlike ignorance — preserved by a lifetime of single-minded self-promotion — concerning governance and economics guarantees that whenever he must interact with experienced and accomplished people, he is as bewildered as a kindergartener at a seminar on string theory. Which is why this fountain of self-refuting boasts (“I have a very good brain”) lies so much. He does so less to deceive anyone than to reassure himself. And as balm for his base, which remains oblivious to his likely contempt for them as sheep who can be effortlessly gulled by preposterous fictions. The tungsten strength of his supporters’ loyalty is as impressive as his indifference to expanding their numbers."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-a-misery-it-must-be-to-be-donald-trump/2019/01/18/d0e05eea-1a82-11e9-8813-cb9dec761e73_story.html

January 19, 2019

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Huffington Post- Native American Veteran Speaks Out After MAGA Hat-Wearing Teens Harass Him

As they say- shit rolls downhill.

http://huffp.st/2u8rQ4p

January 19, 2019

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Popular Science- Keep your brain in shape by reading more books

Good tips!

https://www.popsci.com/read-more-books

January 19, 2019

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The Atlantic- The Ethics of Killing Baby Hitler

I love it when Baby Hitler makes his way back into the news.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/10/killing-baby-hitler-ethics/412273/

January 19, 2019

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Yahoo News- Donald Trump ranked worst president in US history by nearly 200 political scientists

Huh, even conservative presidential scholars rank Trump 40th out of 45 presidents. If I supported him, I'd be forced to wonder what they see that I don't.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump-ranked-worst-president-215700182.html

January 19, 2020

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Buzzfeed- 82 Stupid Things From The Trump Era You Probably Forgot About

No, unfortunately I remembered about 80. Eager to forget.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/davidmack/dumb-trump-moments

January 19, 2021

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Washington Post Opinion- George Conway: What I really believe

I disagree strongly with the writer on policy, but so little criticism of the current president was ever about policy. That's why I always believed the best criticism of the president always came from conservatives. Criticism was nearly always about basic decency, competence, and support of foundational tenets, the most primary of which will always be the truth. I'm hoping he was an aberration.

"I believe that, even though we may disagree, strongly, about policy issues of the day, there is more that should unite us than divide us: belief in democracy, the rule of law, freedom of speech and religion, equality under the law and so many other things. I believe that if we always remember that, our democracy will survive."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/01/19/george-conway-what-i-really-believe/

January 19, 2021

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Since clams don't have brains, should vegetarians be able to eat them with a clear conscience?

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Muhammad Ali- "Often it isn't the mountains ahead that wear you out, it's the little pebble in your shoe.

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Chatwin, On The Black Hill- "Because they knew each other's thoughts, they even quarrelled without speaking."

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Albert Einstein- “When I am judging a theory, I ask myself whether, if I were God, I would have arranged the world in such a way.”

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Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince- "It is better to act and repent than not to act and regret."

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Bob Monkhouse- "I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my father, not screaming and terrified like his passengers."

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Hawking- "There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, and science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win because it works."

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Camus- "Find meaning. Distinguish melancholy from sadness. Go out for a walk. It doesn’t have to be a romantic walk in the park, spring at its most spectacular moment, flowers and smells and outstanding poetical imagery smoothly transferring you into another world. It doesn’t have to be a walk during which you’ll have multiple life epiphanies and discover meanings no other brain ever managed to encounter. Do not be afraid of spending quality time by yourself. Find meaning or don’t find meaning but 'steal' some time and give it freely and exclusively to your own self. Opt for privacy and solitude. That doesn’t make you antisocial or cause you to reject the rest of the world. But you need to breathe. And you need to be."

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Asimov- I prefer rationalism to atheism. The question of God and other objects-of-faith are outside reason and play no part in rationalism, thus you don't have to waste your time in either attacking or defending."

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Anonymous- "The coffee was good to the last drop. What happened to the last drop I'll never know."

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Franklin- "In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is Freedom, in water there is bacteria."

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Dave Attell- If I was to have sex with one animal it would be a horse. That is a beautiful animal. And when you have sex with a horse, you know you always have a ride home.

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Myspace Blogs

January 19, 2009

I have a dream...

...or rather, I had a dream... last night.

I was living in a big house with several floors and Emma and I had just killed someone. I think that I might have done the actual killing but Emma was somehow involved. Anyway Penske's executive salesman was coming over to see our house... so we had to chop up the body and put the pieces in the chest freezer that was on the third floor. A bunch of people started coming over and with each new person who arrived I new it was becoming more and more likely that someone was going to discover our dead person. I delegated the chopping to Emma and I went to visit some friends who showed up. Later I checked in on her but she had also visited some friends and left her job half-finished. She had done excellent work on the head though, slicing it nicely into 8 sections, each one quarter of a hemisphere. She had to do that so they would fit into my quart yogurt containers. The problem was that there were still lots of pieces of body parts strewn about and someone was about to find them. I put them in a cooler, took them out to the beach and let the waves take care of them.

I got away with the horrible deed but I knew I'd have to live the rest of my life with the knowledge of what I did.

So what does it mean?

It means it's time for me to get through the last three seasons of the Sopranos and put this ugly chapter of my life behind me.