Friday, December 10, 2021

I have nothing to say and will prove it at length.

One of my long time Facebook friends posted this a couple days ago: Tell me about your most interesting scar. The comments range from funny to scary to sad. Several emergency life-saving surgeries, one wild seagull peck on the cheek instead of intended eyeball. All stuff like that. I'm covered in scars big and small all with a backstory. Most a result of my own stupidity. 

One over my right eye was a result of looking down a pipe plugged with ice at 100 PSI when the ice let go. My Hardex lens deflected the ice or it might have killed me, certainly blinded me in that eye. Yes, I am dumb enough to look down the barrel of a cocked shotgun to see if it is loaded. Dad got me to emergency in under 20 minutes (not his first trip with me). The nurse asked, "How did you do that?" "I bit myself." "how can you bite yourself in the forehead?". "I stood on a chair." She was going to let me bleed to death after that. 

Have you noticed that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 (pronounced o·muh·kron) has spawned an entire cottage industry of media types with articles, podcasts, blogs, and videos? I was getting 10 or 12 a day in my in-box or on my FB news feed. They didn't know anything about it and still don't know much but they had to write something as everyone else was doing it. The politicians were quick to punish Botswana and South Africa for identifying it by banning everyone from sub-Sahara Africa. This in spite of the fact it may not have originated there and had already spread to several countries. 

Pfizer says those with booster shots show better resistance and that a fourth shot may be necessary. The Anti-vaxxers are all over that as a conspiracy to sell more vaccines, of course. Omicron supposedly picked up some genes from a common cold virus, a Corona virus, and could account for its ease of spreading and (possibly) milder manifestations. Imagine if Omicron picks up some genes from the neonatal calf diarrhea virus which is also a Corona virus. If you cough you can thread the eye of a needle at 10 paces. 

The Russian military buildup on the Ukrainian border is also getting a huge amount of media coverage. The numbers are hard to verify as everyone has a different set. One set says about 125,000 troops with hospitals, kitchens, etc. to last a month, and 100,000 reservists to hold the over run territory. Pundits are falling all over themselves to guess, "Will he or won't he?" Personally I am scared but that is just me. I can paint a scenario that will give you nightmares, if Putin says, F**k it" and goes for broke. If he crosses the border, he has nothing to lose by going all the way, including the Baltics and Poland. NATO cannot stop a blitzkrieg type attack until after the fact. Throw in a couple of nucs on Warsaw and Talinn to discourage escalation unless it is full out nuclear war. We pessimists are never disappointed. If we are wrong we are happy and if we are right, we told you so.

The Republicans are solidly on Putin's side. He has bought and paid for most of the politicians and people like Tucker Carlson. And as one commenter on a WaPO article said, "Oh, heck. If one is any kind of Republican, what's not to respect, even love & admire, about Big Bad Daddy Vladdy Putin? He's White, a racist, is cruel to gays, is an authoritarian's authoritarian who couldn't care less about the welfare of his citizenry, and he despises democracy. Vlad the Poisoner is a law unto himself, and he actively supports his nation's Christian church establishment while suppressing the others, is supremely greedy, is the boss of bosses in his crime syndicate, and often and shamelessly knocks off his opponents. Some think he may even be the richest man in the world. Most admirable, no? Just the Republicans' kinda guy."



From Euromaidan Press


22 comments:

  1. I'm old enough to remember when the Russians were the enemy, not the benefactors of the GOP!

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    1. Not the Russians but what they stood/stand for. Ostensibly, Communism set out to destroy the capitalists in favour of the common citizen. That is antithetical to everything that the Republican party believe in and why they fight so hard to prevent any government in Latin America that puts its citizens first. They fear if Americans see it working, they will demand the same.
      Now Russia is fascist and fits the Republican ideology completely. The fact that Putin bribes his way in just makes it easier.

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    2. The GOP didn't hate the Soviets, they were jealous of their power and control!

      I'm Finn so the Russians are the enemy.

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    3. They love Putin for the same reason

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  2. The Republican/Putin thing seems scarily on the money. I really hope he doesn't invade the Ukraine - but fear.

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    1. If Russia invades Ukraine openly, watch for activity from China at the same time. They may take the opening to invade Taiwan.

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  3. "He's White, a racist, is cruel to gays, is an authoritarian's authoritarian who couldn't care less about the welfare of his citizenry, and he despises democracy."

    From your pen to the new platform of the GOP in 2022.

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  4. I keep thinking in my area they need bumper sticker during the 2024 President election "Putin/Trump"
    Side note...trump is quite popular in my area.
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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    1. I'm sure Trump is popular in Idaho. Part of Oregon wants to join Idaho, too, I hear. You stay safe, Dora

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  5. Let's hope Putin comes to his senses. I have a sinking deja vu feeling we're watching another Hitler and Axis of Evil prepare to gobble up small, vulnerable countries again, but this time, the U.S. won't be on the right side of history. I need a drink!

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    1. Apt comparison. Hitler and Stalin both grabbed small defenseless nations and Putin intends to do likewise, not necessarily by open war if he can get away with it.
      USA, NATO, EU, and G7 are doing the best they can without escalating the situation by letting Putin know that the Russian economy will be dead in the water if he goes ahead.

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  6. Scared from head to toe - most all define some mistake -but builds character.
    the Ol'Buzzard

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  7. We live in a very scary world and it just gets worse and worse. I hope somebody THINKS before they act (I know, novel idea).

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    1. Unheard of in most cases. Foreign policy being the main one these days

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  8. That was a lot of Nothing my Friend, all alarmingly True and spot on, as America is unraveling the Enemies have been watching and the Allies have been aghast. Most Americans however, seem fucking oblivious, even if they aren't in The Cult and part of the Lunatic Fringe.

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    1. I worry more about America than Ukraine these days. At least we know who the enemy is and are prepared to fight back if attacked.

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  9. I was just reading a news article about your situation over there - I'd be terrified. Is Tanya SURE she doesn't want to live in Canada?

    I have my share of oddball scars, but only a couple are due to my own clumsiness and neither of the stories are interesting. The rest were caused by other people's clumsiness/incompetence. This is why I prefer to do things myself... ;-)

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    1. We'll stay. We have been waiting for the other shoe to drop for almost 8 years. A direct invasion will be costly and bloody and unwinnable without extremely cruel counter insurgency. It is the indirect stuff that wears the country down. I just posted to Facebook a good essay from the Economist that is accurate in almost all but does not have Ukrainian founding history as a political entity correct.
      Scars caused by other people are no fun. Other than the scars from surgeries 2017-2019 mine are all self inflicted. No one to be angry at but me. Damn.

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  10. I'm terrified for you and the rest of the world if putin just decides to fuck it and go for it..sending love.

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