July 26, 2022

Earth Blues

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/06/colorado-river-drought-california-arizona-00044121


I've been watching various news reports on the environment recently. Reports on the water levels at Lake Mead and Lake and Lake Powell are extremely low levels. Mead is the largest reservoir in the country, and measured to be at only 27% of capacity this month. One guy noted that if people viewed the lake as a bank, people make an increasing number of withdrawals, but there aren't many deposits.

It's the lowest it has been, since 1937, before it was originally filled. If this continues, it will reach "dead pool" level, and no longer pass through the Hoover Dam, supplying important parts of Arizona, California, and Mexico. Thus, it will not matter if one recognizes the reality of climate change: people in those regions will need to adjust their behaviors in their daily lives. It might actually reach the point where government beseech corporate entities to consider changing some of their practices.

I also have been watching reports on the rapidly expanding Oak Fire in California. I've also seen recent reports on fires in England. Many of us remember 2020 reports on the Amazon rainforest burning. Last year, under president Jair Bolsonaro, Brazilian deforestation rates soared to a 15-year high. That continues at a brisk pace this year -- so far, 1,500 square miles have been deforested. There are curious ways of deforesting:

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/the-territory-new-documentary-follows-uru-eu-wau-wau-community-fighting-to-protect-their-indigenous-land-in-the-amazon/

If a person pays attention to these things, one might suspect that there are connections between all of these things. Or one can turn away and refuse to think about this. It should be upsetting to think about. I understand that individuals might think, " I'm just one person. The most severe damage is being done by corporations. There is nothing I can do." You have been lied to, to discourage you from realizing you are one among millions. Or, as Gandhi said, a drop in the ocean that takes part in the greatness of its parent.

Corporations do indeed do much more harm than individuals. Individuals working for corporations may, on a personal level, recognize that they are part of a system destroying the natural world. But, if they rely on a paycheck from that industry, they know if they speak up they will be replaced. A number of corporate executives told that to my friend Oren Lyons when he was giving a speech on environmental issues a few years back.

Oren noted that many of them are grandparents, and recognize they are handing down an earth that is severely damaged to the younger generations. People who are adraid of change find many excuses to remain part of a system that devastates the environment. Oren said that the group would likely ask him back in a year or two, so that they could again say, "Nothing has changed since the last time you were. But I care."

In my opinion, it is not just people who get a paycheck from those corporations. It includes those who take -- and depend upon -- corporate donations to run their election and re-election campaigns. In a very real sense, they work for those corporations. If they speak up, they fear being replaced. They, too, say that they care.

That's why I favor those politicians that do not accept corporate money. By coincidence -- perhaps -- they seem to be the environmentally-conscious representatives of human beings, rather than corporations. Thus, the Democratic candidate I am volunteering for in NYS's 19th Congressional district. He doesn't accepte corporate money, while his primary opponent does.

Below please find a message from Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper, Turtle Clan, Onondaga Nation:

July 25, 2022

Mother Goose

“History doesn't repeat itself, but It often rhymes” – Mark Twain.


Generally speaking, this indicates the "Walker" rhymes with "Flynn," although the two remind me of repeating cycles of one another. Members of my generation remember, and younger history buffs may understand. But it might be of interest to explain this dynamic, for both General Edwin Walker and General Michael Flynn have posed similar threats to democracy.

Both were in the army. Walker was a general, and Flynn a lieutenant general. Both were involved in wars: Walker in World War 1 and the Korean War, while Flynn was involved in Afghanistan and Iraq. Both were white supremacists. And both had unhappy ends to their military careers.

Important for our consideration is that both were highly paranoid men, at least at the end of their military careers. A degree of paranoia was essential in the process of evolution, in order for humans to survive. It's beneficial to recognize that a slightly higher than average degree of paranoia can, and often does, play a meaninful role in the careers of military members and police investigators. But this pair of generals had a much higher amount of paranoid thinking.

It appears that whatever amount Walker had before the Korean War, that experience brought it into full bloom. It may be similar in Flynn's case. Either way, both came to exhibit almost all of the symptoms that are associated with Cluster A's paranoid personality disorder (PPD). They see conspiracies, especially aimed against them. They question the motivations of others, including presidents. As a John Birch Society member, Walker was convinced that Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower were communists; Flynn, who is in the Trump cult, identified people from President Obama to Secretary of State Clinton as enemies of the state.

After leaving the military, both became active in extreme right-wing political activities. Walker had begun while still serving, and violated the Hatch Act by attempting to indocrinate troops with Birch Society materials, and instructing them how to vote. He quit the military when being disaplined for this, claiming it was an international conspiracy against him. In early 1962, he hoped to become the governor of Texas, but lost in the Democratic primary. He was arrested in October for promoting the riots at the University of Mississippi, because James Meredith had enrolled. Sound familiar? Kind of rhymes with "Flynn," I think.

Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy then took action to have Walker put in a psychiatric ward for 90 days, to be avaluated. The ACLU and and Syracuse University's psychiatrist Thomas Szasz were able to get Walker released after five days. Dr. Szasz argued that psychiatric information should never be used in political rivalries. Yet, RFK and others knew that there was something cery wrong with Walker, and that he posed a threat to society. His paranoid nature led him to identify many, many "enemies," and he posed a real threat to them.

There was little public understanding of those suffering from PPD when RFK hoped to find out was horribly wrong with Walker. Although the grand jury dailed to indict him after the October arrest, his star had fallen. People with PPD lack insight on the role they play in creating most if not all of their problems. Add qualities like racism, and they tend not to benefit from the preferred treatment, which is psychotherapy. Thus, it is unlikely that General Flynn is capable of changing from his anti-social behaviors.

Flynn does not belong in a psychiatric hospital. The only successful treatment option with him is life in prison. I think it is a matter of months until the Department of Justice indicts him. That is an essential step towards beginning to heal our country.

July 22, 2022

A Pastry Recipe

After watching the J6 Committee hearing last night, I spent some time on DU and FB reading some responses to what I thought was an outstanding presentation. The vast majority of what I read was positive. But a few people -- and I include some that I consider friends -- expressed disappointment.

It is important to keep in mind the context of these hearings. The Committee is making a historic record of the insurrection, not limited to the riot at the Capital on January 6. But they are also targeting two specific audiences, one large, and one rather small. Let's take a look at each of these.

Politics 101 teaches that there are three groups: those that support you, those that oppose you, and those who are undecided. The J6 Committee hearings are aimed primarily at that third group, rather than those who already know the truth, or those incapable of accepting it. Hence, we see witnesses like Pottinger, a military intelligence officer serving in the White House. His testimony is only intended to convince the undecided of the danger the Trump cult posed, not to make him a hero of the Democrats.

Likewise, Sarah Matthews was not there to win the hearts and minds of the Trump cult. There was a soon-deleted message from Rep. Elise Stefanik's office calling Matthews a tool of Democrats, and a liar. While I respect what Sarah Matthews testimony, and truly hope that she becomes fully human in the future, her message wasn't intended to speak to those who already knew, or refuse to accept.

Now to that little group. These are the individuals who I view as the pus around the infection. Let's consider the context in which they viewed last night's hearing. These people are already experiencing discomfort, not only from the J6 Committee, but also from the Department of Justice and a grand hury in Georgia.

These are the rough, tough creampuffs that surrounded Trump after Joe Biden kicked his ass in the 2020 election. Are not creampfuffs made of a rather pasty white dough? And these not filled with maga pus? Earlier in the afternoon, they had heard that the loudest-mouthed among them, who had threatened hell-fire for days while outside the federal court, had opted not to take the stand in his criminal trial. They knew that Bannon had pupped out after all of his sputtering about "going on the offense."

Prosecutors look for the weakest links among groups such as this. In this case, they know that even the lawyers involved have hired lawyers. And that in private, these lawyers have outlined the potential options and outcomes for their clients. That the first person to accept a deal gets the best results. They have also told their clients that Trump will gladly throw them under the bus to distract attention from himself.

This raises the question of who will be first to exclaim, " I was just a pastry!" I think the answer is found under a hat we saw on January 6, 2021. It was a hat worn by one of those who took to the platform along with Trump to stir the crowd into a frenzy. A hat that I think Bannon gave him on January 3, when Rudy and he were the guests on Steve's "The War Room." The hat that could not disguise the fact that John Eastman was a pasty pastry, imagining himself to be the Pillsury Doughboy's evil twin, Skippy, of a mutant dooms-bury cartoon. A legend in his own luchtime.

I openly admit that I do not have access to seismographs that measure the quivering of the sphincters within the small group. But I think that Benjamin Wittes summed up what is going on within the DOJ earlier this week. None of these ass-clowns thought they would get caught as the conspired with Trump in the days and weeks before January 6. But caught they are. And they were fully aware of this as they watched last night's hearing.

Thus, I think it was an outstanding presentation by the J6 Committee.

July 21, 2022

Grumpy Old Man

“You mean the low-life, ass-wipe, egg-sucker John Gustafson?” — Max Goldman


Two things, before I get started: one, I didn't sleep well last night, and two, there is a thunderstorm coming. Thus, I am tired and sore, with the synergy resulting in me being a grumpy old man. Hence, the above quote from the 1993 classic, which I say is a documentary.

I am also happy and encouraged. I joined others in phone-banking last night. The Democratic primary is August 23, and I think we will win. I had a number of very positive conversations with voters, and they all said that other people they know are voting for the candidate that I'm volunteering for. They all know the importance of winning the November elections.

One gentleman even thanked me for my call, then said, "I'll bet you are taking a lot of shit!" I said not really, since I'm only calling registered Democrats in the district, only wrong numbers provide rude responses. This led directly to a conversation about the impact of the Trump cult on society.

The campaign staff is all young, energetic, talented, and high-tech. We do something called "Zoom" meetings, and I was glad that last night, there were others of my ancient generations -- fossils of politics circa-1960s - '70s -- who find this technology as confusing as the brown acid at Woodstock. Fucking whippersnappers smiling at us when we ask the same stupid question for the tenth time. No safe spaces for elders these days.

Because I complained about the phone bill that I, on a small fixed income, have to pay, these staff people fixed it so I could call through the computer. I had asked my son to be here then, so he could navigate this frightening process. When he said, "Sure thing, Old Man. No problem," I wondered if he was purposely trying to insult me? There sure as hell was a problem! I was confronted by the prospect of technology!

Any how, that didn't work, because the guy I called could only hear half of what I was saying. While it's possible that was because, as he sounded my age, his hearing was as damaged as mine, that seems unlikely. Fucking technology. So I told the staff I'd gladly use my phone, but I wonder why we were starting at the dinner hour yet again? I noted that, from decades of experience, I can say that the lunch and dinner hour are the worst time to call. Others my age agreed. We know how angry we get when the phone rings while we are consuming food. And did I mention the price of fucking groceries?

No, I didn't get to. Before I could remember what I was saying -- I remembered who I was talking to, though, as I could see them -- one cut me off after a prolonged pause. She said, "The primary will be low turn-out, so even if we reach a few people, it's important." Sensing she was trying to quell the energized elders before there was a rebellion, I responded, "For the heck of it, let's compare the results from 5:30 to 6:45, to those of 6:45 to 7." Another old man said that made sense. Hoping this would happen, I searched for my abacus, but couldn't remember where I put it.

By this point, If anyone is still reading this, you most certainly agree that if any human being was justified in pissing and moaning, and even saying divisive things actually meant in a serious way, it would be me. I think I have more right to do so than those who, for reasons sincere or insincere, I've seen complaining about the Democratic Party, the Department of Justice and the Attorney General, and who might run for office in 2024. Please stop it, or I swear I'll write and post more essays like this.

I really like and respect the young adults on the campaign team. I'm doing the best I can, which leaves no time to crab about others. I know things they don't know, because of experience. They know things I don't know, because they are younger and smarter than me. We learn from one another, in preparation for not just the primary, but for November. Maybe our candidate will win next month, or maybe his opponent Jamie Cheney will.

Either way, we will all campaign for the winner of the primary to win in November. Jamie Cheney is a very good candidate, I'll be glad to work for her. I will probably feel a bit guilty about how, when people on the phone ask about her positions, I say that I just don't think the Cheney family understands average Americans, even though I like what Liz is doing.

Speaking of which -- take the time to enjoy the hearing tonight. And tomorrow, get working to make sure we kick the shit out of the republican party in November.

July 19, 2022

Matthew & Matthews

As the news that Matthew Pottinger and Sarah Matthews will testify during Thursday's January 6 Committee hearing is being reported, we must keep in mind that we are not alone in keeping our eyes on the prize. Indeed, many others are aware of how this hearing can impact things ranging from the Department of Justice experiencing public pressure to prosecute Trump, to the 2022 elections. More, we know that Trump will be watching, and feeling increased anxiety.

Both Matthew and Matthews resigned from their positions in the Trump White House on the day of the insurrection. Pottiner had been the Deputy National Security Advisor, and Sarah Matthews the deputy press secretary. Both were in the White House during the 187 minutes that Thursday's hearing will focus on.

It is also being reported that Trump thinks announcing he is running in 2024 might provide him with some type of legal protection, including if he were to win. Many in his party do not want him to announce before the November elections, as it would be a ball & chain on candidates in November. But we know two things: Donald does not listen to those republicans who say "no" on anything, and that sociopaths under pressure act out in desperate ways. Will this hearing result in his announcing soon? Let us hope.

As I have in the past, I recommend that people contact the Department of Justice after the next hearing, to express their hopes that the DOJ will prosecute all of those involved in the insurrection, including Trump. Below is contact information:

https://www.justice.gov/contact-us

July 19, 2022

Water

“In a way, science might be described as paranoid thinking applied to Nature: we are looking for natural conspiracies, for connections among apparently disparate data. Our objective is to abstract patterns from Nature (right-hemisphere thinking), but many proposed patterns do not in fact correspond to the data. Thus all proposed patterns must be subjected to the sieve of critical analysis (left-hemisphere thinking).”
― Carl Sagan, Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence


Since I was a kid, growing up on a small family farm, I learned from old people ways to be pretty accurate about the seasonal weather forecast. Now that I'm an old man, the number of broken bones I've had help me know when a storm is coming. It's been a fairly dry summer here in the northeast, and the water table is low.
Although my numerous water were mighty low, yesterday I used the last in them to water my garden. I depend upon the food I grow, and am having good results thus far. I also knew that we'd be getting rain last night and today, and hopefully off and on over the next few days. It was a bit more of a chore yesterday, though, as I've had some reaction to the latest covid booster shot, distinct from the previous ones. But I trust science, and consider it a small price. Plus I know that water is essential for life.

I remember talking about water with Onondaga Chief Paul Waterman over the years I served as his top assistant. Paul thought that science was documenting a lot of things that were part of his people's traditional knowledge, which was rooted in their experiences living here, on this land, for thousands of years. As such, he was very concerned about the damage being done to the air, land, and water.

All life on Earth came from water. When scientists look for evidence of life in distant worlds, the first thing they look for is if water has existed on them. Living beings are found in water, and those living outside of water tend to have contact with water to maintain life. The only waters that doesn't have life in it are those that human beings have polluted with toxins. And water with toxins poisons those living beings on land that come in contact with. Toxic waters causes sickness and death. The toxic poisons that human beings dump into the water float downstream. This includes going downstream in distance and time, to the next communities and generations.

Now, in the Good Book, it makes clear that the Earth does not belong to humans, that we are but sojourners. (Leviticus 25:23; Psalm 24) But I do not limit myself to religious or spiritual concepts. For example, I talk about the environment with my brother who lives in the northwest. He works at a university, and likes having lunch with the professors of environmental studies. My brother is an atheist who loves science.

His co-workers tell him that humanity is up against it. Things are already in motion that will destroy the ability to grow necessary amounts of food in parts of the world. They will not get enough rain, as things warm up. That isn't just in third world countries, mind you. They think the sothwest will continue to get hotter and drier, and the eastern coast and Gulf Coast will continue to have more frequent and serious floods. Thu, migrations will not be limited to those from Central America already being displaced by environmental changes.

I also think about one of Malcolm X's teachings: if you put aa glass of sparkling clean water next to a filthy glass of sludge, thirsty people will make the correct choice. I think that is true, but question if there are not people who lack the conscience required to stop destroying the environment so long as they can make a dime selling slufge to the public. That would include even a senator, for example, if he/she and/or his/her family made money off, say, coal. That might result in that senator knee-capping a good president's programs to address the environment. It might even make it very difficult to identify when that senator voted with the Democrats on a single issue that energy corporations and republicans oppose.

We are in strange times. But I enjoyed talking on the telephone this afternoon, with a young lady who is a volunteer with the congressional campaign I'm working on. The Democratic primary comes in late August. There are two Democrats: the one I volunteer with has good experience working with our elected representatives in DC, and who accepts zero corporate funding, the other is a now-former Wall Street executive, running on corporate funding. My candidate advocates for things like child health care coverage and other issues that will result in his republican opponent calling him a "socialist" in the general election season.

But he is not. I consider him to be a liberal, who is fairly moderate overall, and who understands science. We need change. Now, I wish he was a socialist, and am pretty darned sure those young adults volunteering with his campaign would agree. And I know for a fact they all have concerns that not enough is being done on environmental issues. Not their only concern, but one that helps get them active in Democratic Party politics. That will matter in November.

July 15, 2022

Sarah Matthews

“Anyone downplaying Cassidy Hutchinson’s role or her access in the West Wing either doesn’t understand how the Trump WH worked or is attempting to discredit her because they’re scared of how damning this testimony is."
-- Sarah Matthews; former White House deputy press secretary

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/07/sarah-matthews-jan-6-hearings.html


Until I heard a news report that the person that Trump attempted to call recently was still working in the White House, I had thought it was likely Sarah Matthews. But she now works as the communications director for the House’s Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. If the person Trump called does indeed still work in the White House, it must be someone else.

Still, I am sure that Trump was unhappy to see Sarah in the news in the days after Cassidy Hutchinson testified. It's curious to me that Trump would know who else had agreed to testify to the J6 Committee if they had not been publicly identified. At the same time, I appreciate that in the current climate of threats, one might be hesitant to be identified in the media.

The old boy must be becoming even further unhinged as he learns of more people willing to testify -- and I don't mean Steve Bannon. Who do you think it was that Trump called?

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3540045-former-trump-aide-defends-hutchinson-theyre-scared-of-how-damning-this-testimony-is/

July 14, 2022

Creatures from Under a Rock

“I fear that if he loses the presidential election in 2020, there will never be a peaceful transition of power.” Michael Cohen; closing statement to Congress.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/27/politics/michael-cohen-donald-trump-oversight-committee-russia/index.html


What type of lawyer would chose to be associated with Donald Trump? This discussion with friends yesterday was prompted by one noting that Rudy Giuliani's looking remarkably like Simon Bar Sinister. I noted that his sidekick Sidney Powell looks and acts like Simon's sidekick, Cad. (This is not related to my having been the underdog in a couple of my boxing matches.)

What rock did Powell come out from under, my friend asked. She has had a curious career, I said. She was appointed to serve as an assistant federal attorney fresh out of law school. Some in the legal field assumed she got this position by being a talented lawyer, though others came to suspect it was a result of assuming other positions. Bitter that she wasn't appointed to the federal bench, Powell went on to take the position of a defense attorney for some of the Enron scum.

In that position, Powell's vile attacks were directed towards Andrew Weissmann. Then she wrote her non-best seller, "License to Lie," a title that sounds a tad prophetic now. Like Rudy, she has faced consequences for her role in attempting to overthrow our government. Like Rudy and Michael Cohen, that includes the suspension of her license to practice law.

Cohen had represented Trump's business dealings with organized crime before Donald became president. This included coordinating efforts with Rudy, who had close ties in New York City with organized crime. But unlike Rudy or Sidney, Cohen would attempt to redeem himself, and warned about the potential for an insurrection when Biden crushed Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

John Eastman's history includes clerking for Clarence Thomas. He ran for Congress in California in 1990, getting less than 40% of the vote, then went on to lose the republican primary for the California Attorney General, getting less that 35% of the vote. Eastman has been a rabid opponent of same-sex marriage, in his position with the Federalist Society.

John's willingness to spread any lie came to the surface in his Newsweek op-ed of August 12, 2020, when he claimed that Kamala Harris was not an American citizen, and thus disqualified for being vice president. He is gutter slime.
https://www.newsweek.com/some-questions-kamala-harris-about-eligibility-opinion-1524483

Two lawyers that I think are institutionalists associated with Trump are Pat Cipollone and Ty Cobb. I view Pat as an egghead with an impressive yolk of knowledge, thus making Cobb the walrus. I do note that in the past two weeks, Cobb has said that he thinks Trump commited crimes associated with the insurrection, and should be prosecuted. Though I do not agree with their work to defend Trump during his presidency, I do respect both as capable lawyers. But they knew he was a criminal, and in "protecting the office of the presidency," failed the nation by not speaking out honestly.

That leaves the one I consider a bit of a wild card, Eric Herschmann. In much of his legal career, he represented the energy corporation Souther Union Company, and Citibank. When he became one of Trump's legal team during the first impeachment trial, I was reminded of James Baker, the energy corporation lawyer closely associated with the Bush family. Back in this form's early years, we used to discuss how individuals associated with politically powerful corporations at times stepped out from behind the curtain, sometimes to provide a degree of stability to a damaged administration, such as George W. Bush's. Energy corporations, including international ones, desire a stable US government, no matter how incompetent it is on a variety of domestic issues.

Might this in part explain what Sidney Powell, in her only true statement in decades, said that Herschmann held Trump in contempt? Certainly, the clips that the J6 Committee has aired show utter contempt for thr Rudy-Sidney-Eastman types -- including Jeffrey Clark, the anti-environmental attorney who had argued that the EPA could not set limits on enegy corporations' carbon emissions. While he played a role of slime in the attack on Hunter Biden, and deserves zero respect for remaining silent at the time, at least he refused to join the effort to overthrow our government.

July 13, 2022

From "Hurricane" Carter .....

I came across this from 49 years ago this morning, and thought some of the DU sports folks might find it interesting.


Rubin “Hurricane” Carter; letter to me; September 27, 1973.

“ I meant to tell you that whether or not you are a puncher or a boxer, you had better get into the habit of tucking your chin into your chest. Because from what I could see: it was hanging wide open, my boy, and that ain’t good. Squat. Get down low. Put your entire weight behind each punch. When you jab -- shift your weight to your left foot -- your right foot is only there to balance you. Whenever you begin your attack, your weight should always be on your front foot. But when you retreat -- always do so in a crouch, with your weight shifted to both of your feet for smoother movements. Never back straight up! Always side-to-side -- always looking for that opening to start your attack again. Remember: the best defense is a helluva offense, and catching your opponent coming into your strength, always results in that man being hurt. Be relaxed -- always think relaxed, and you’ll never get tired. Stick that jab -- stick that jab-- stick that jab -- stick that jab ….. Until it becomes part of your every move ….. Stick that jab -- stick that jab And you’ll find that you’re doing it and don’t even know it. That’s what instincts are all about. Can you dig it? Even as you read this letter, the rhythm should show you what I’m talking about -- stick that jab -- stick that jab -- stick that jab!”

July 12, 2022

Pumped for Today's Hearing!

"When mores are sufficient, laws are unnecessary. When mores are insufficient, laws are unenforceable." -- Emile Durkheim


I should be resting now, as I did not get enough sleep last night. The thought of today's J6 Committee meeting was dancing in my head. So I read some works by Durkheim, to relax. I found myself thinking about his belief that the society that has shared values tends to function, while those without shared values experience dysfunction. I think I wrote about this concept a year or more ago, noting the America of my youth watched Walter Cronkite. And believed him.

Today, of course, there is no one trusted news source. More, within the vast array of options for mews sources, there are many that are one-sided, including those that "bend" the truth, as well as those that outright lie. Others are silent on important social dynamics -- bringing Lennon's saying that "a conspiracy of silence speaks louder than words. I broke that late night silence by switching from reading Durkheim to watching the news on television.

As I was watching, and muttering, "Put them in prison" over my breathe, I knew I needed to get to sleep, for I had to get up early in the morning, to greet a man who was coming to do a half-hour's work. Yet I could not get to sleep as I paced back and forth, agreeing with myself that they need to be incarcerated. But then it hit me -- the job this poor fellow would be doing was, in a very real sense, what we need nation-wide, today!

For gentle readers inhabiting the suburbs and cities, one of the less pleasant tasks of rural life is taking care of your septic system. Even the best functioning of these requires being pumped every so often. When I had nine people living here, it was more frequent than now that I live pretty much alone. Now, when I moved into this very old house, I found the septic system was made of hickory, from long ago. I had a more modern system put in, of course.

The fellow came bright and early, noting he wanted to beat the thunder storm heading our way. I think that Gandhi was right when he said that there is dignity in all work, in response to those complaining about digging our the latrines in this community. Heck, as a young man, I found work in putting in septic systems. Plus I enjoy talking with everyone, so when the guy finished, I could see he wanted to engage in conversation.

He started talking about his dislike of the dreaded younger generation. His youngest daughter, a son, his brother, and his mother all like Bernie Sanders, though one might speculate that 50% of those listed are not among the younger generation. I said that I thought it would be best if we all understood and respected the Constitution. He agreed.

He said his son is pro-legalization of pot. He noted the law had never stopped anyone from smoking it. I said, "Right. Only those who got arrested and sent to jail." He said he is conservative, but doesn't agree witheverything republicans do. He said that he was pro-choice, and told of when, as a married man with two children, he got another woman pregnant. He accompanied her to Planned Parenthood, and spoke highly of them. Within two years, he and this other woman got married and had two planned children. You can't make this up, and I say that not in making any judgement, but rather as an example of real life.

I said that I thought January 6 was wrong, and that those involved need to be incarcerated. It was then that our conversation went off the rails. He said the media has film the J6 Committee is refusing to show, of democrats dropping off bus-loads of Antifa behind the Capital while Trump was speaking a mile away. "I haven't seen that," I said. "But every last one of them involved in the planning and the riot need to go to jail, don't you think?" He agreed.

Now, back to today's hearing. I think that these hearings have indicated that our social septic system needs to be pumped in November. There are far too many republican maga-types adding their shit to think we can afford to put this off. Then we need to put this Supreme Court in check, because we have too many "originalists" on there insisting that we require a hickory sewer. No, I live in the same house, and things like running water and electricity were not available when that old hickory system was put in. Heck, the old piping from the well to the barn was made of leather back in the day. Same concepts, just as those expressed in the Constitution. Just we live in a different world today.

Anyhow, I'm pumped for today's hearing, and hope that you are, too! I love the DU discussions that take place during and after them. We are witnessing history, and must participate in it between now and November.

Peace,
H2O Man