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Joan Ruggles (Young)

Helen, thanks for the Fintan O'Toole piece. Excellent sentiments very well expressed.  

Cherry picking stats is always fun isn't it? Indeed Rachel Maddows ratings did drop 36%. It dropped that percentage from the high it reached after her hyped tax show the night before. That's like saying ABC lost 36% of it's viewers the day after the Oscar broadcast. Gimme a break!

Jerry Morgan

Whitey Bolger is a homegrown Irish terrorist that murdered and drugged the Boston area for years and yet Trump has not added Ireland to his religious ban.  Catholic Italians continue to murder our citizens. DT hasn't added Italy to the list. 

Was Preet fired because of the ongoing investigation of the Secretary of Health for insider trading? 

Is the proposed budget  going to eliminate social nets for our most vulnerable?  Is the Healthcare plan going to reduce the number of clients and make healthcare more difficult for women and low income families?  Whatever happened to insurance for every American.  It must have been Fox news that I heard that on and Potus can't possibly trust them after they led him astray.

Americans are willing to pay for defense but not the worthless meals on wheels program.  How Fing cavalier is that?  Aren't people finding the Trump administration disgusting enough yet?  Some Republican leaders have even remarked that the economy is building and we have a sufficient investment in defense to make it unnecessary to cut and eliminate programs that help people and the environment.  Programs like the EPA and NIH.  If you have cancer you will just have to wait for research to be done in some foreign country.  Remember how far back we fell when Bush cancelled stem cell research?  We had a program out here called Patients Without Time.  It attempted to ease the suffering of cancer patients.  They are no longer they are toast.  During my two bouts with cancer they were a great resource for options including medical cannabis as well as trending and alternative treatments.  These kinds of facilities will become a target for the Trump WH.  Medical marijuana will be legislated out of existence.  States that have approved the use will be punished and persecuted by the Trump Secret Police.

Money for the wall but none for meals on wheels.  Just ignore our aging population.  Oh wait a minute that's us. And to answer my questions I believe they will.

Stephen Hatchett

Donna Brazille, Barack Obama, Dan Rather, Bill & Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid, Dick Nixon, Chris Christie..??

Wake Up, Nora!  To the very best of my knowledge, none of those people, even Nixon, falsely stated that another specific person had committed a felony.  None of those people ever sounded like a nine-year-old in trying to divert attention from their mis-deeds -- even Nixon.  

And for cryin' out loud, saying that somebody else did it is not a defense, not an excuse, not anything -- just little kid crap!

We need a President. We've got a little kid. 

Jack Mallory

I come out of the gym to discover that, once again, I AM A WINNER!

Sometimes when I post a reference to Trumpublicanan lies, I make myself a bet that one response will be a regurgitation of prior political prevarications--I expect the stock mantra of "emails, Benghazi, Monica, blah, blah, blah." If I win, I get to buy a bottle of Single Malt; if I lose, I have to invest the same amount in a donation to Trump 2020.

Today, I won not only the bottle of Single Malt, but awarded myself a pint of Jameson's as well: not just reference to Billary, but Brazille (sic), Obama, Rather, Reid, NIxon, and Christie! If Nora had managed to fit LBJ and Dubya in, mined the extensive fields of FDR's prevaricating without apologizing, I'd buy myself a case of Bohemia as well.

Were we to "Wake up!" what would we realize that, in our slumbers, we are unaware of? Is Nora telling us that the apology-free lies of politicians in the past invalidate mention of the lies of the current president? Or do those lies justify the lies of So-called? Because (won't repeat the list) others have lied in the past, it's OK that he lies to us in the present? Or is it just that their failures to apologize for lies excuse his failures? 

This philosophy, to use the term loosely (actually, "little kid crap" seems more accurate), would certainly benefit politicians; I'm not sure it would be good for the nation and its citizens. Could you expand on your argument, clarify these things for us, Nora? Because you can list, or allege, the lies of others is it OK for the Trumpublicans to lie without apologizing, or should we just not mention it? 

Some of you are perhaps wondering what I do with my Single Malt and Jameson's, as a non-drinker. Well, these are imaginary stakes in the bet. I allow myself to imagine sipping something very expensive, and very smoky. Just like I imagine sending the donation to Trump if I lose the bet. Actually, I'm not sure I've ever lost. 

**************

Glen--some dietary information from the WaPo (sorry, Nora, I tried to find the Breitbart version of the story but without any luck. The Tsimane maybe too liberal for Breitbart coverage.). If you read all the way to the end you might get some ideas about changing your lifestyle--how'd you like to come out of retirement, fish for piranhas, hunt monkeys?--but you'll also find out about the taste differences between Capuchin monkeys and Howlers. Neither seem to taste like chicken.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/03/17/these-people-eat-monkeys-and-piranhas-they-also-have-the-lowest-rates-of-heart-disease-ever-measured/?utm_term=.11a0060c839e

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And an article from The New Yorker, about 10 million dollars worth of punctuation. Miss Gould and Miss Casey would say, "We told you so!"

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/a-few-words-about-that-ten-million-dollar-serial-comma?mbid=nl_170318_Daily&CNDID=38880454&spMailingID=10645375&spUserID=MTMzMTg0NTI5MjY5S0&spJobID=1121406583&spReportId=MTEyMTQwNjU4MwS2

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Oh, dear, MUST I list the myriad of lies from politicians we've heard through the years or should we parce & categorize the lies according to menial sins & cardinal ones? It's ALL disgusting & WE keep giving it a pass by chalking it up to politics. My point about apologies is (yet again), that apologizing is not in the equation because it eliminates ALL doubt. 

Stephen, it doesn't irk you that the parents of those killed in Benghazi never received an apology? (That SHOULD be a felonious lie, if there ever was one!)  That Donna Brazile never apologized for cheating the American people? That HRC never apologized for lying & cheating? That Christie never apologized for keeping people waiting an eternity in traffic? That Bill Clinton lied under oath about using OUR Oval Office to take advantage of a young intern then declare her trailer trash? The system is wrong  when we accept ANY form of lying from crazed zealots who will do anything & say anything to get elected or get ratings. And the zealots line up on both sides of the aisle. The REAL question is: what the hell are we going to do about it? 

Oh, sorry about Maddow. I was wrong. She's down 60%. 

Jack Mallory

And now Benghazi AND Monica!  I'm getting that case of Bohemia, too!

"The system is wrong  when we accept ANY form of lying from crazed zealots . . . The REAL question is: what the hell are we going to do about it? " 

Vote the son-of-a-bitch out of office! Or, why wait--start putting pressure on Congress to impeach him! You're with us, Nora, I can tell! You're contacting the White House to tell them how disgusted you are, right? Called your Reps and Senators, demanding action towards impeachment, right? 'Cuz otherwise, it would just be a bunch of hot air . . .

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Impeachment apparently doesn't help. We tried that twice over the last few years. 🙄

Jack Mallory

And Dick Nixon flew off in disgrace because he was bored with the job? Doing something takes effort, patience, hope. Always plenty of excuses for doing nothing.

Why not start a tradition, NOW, of impeaching presidents who lie repeatedly to the American people? Keep 'em honest?

What ARE you doing about his lies, besides pointing your finger at the past? What organizations for change do you work for, donate money to? Do you call your Congressionals regularly? Attend their town halls? Write letters to the editor? March in the streets? Are you working to select and support an alternative presidential candidate in 2016? Plenty of options for action, other than whining. 

Wake up, do something. The REAL question is always, "What the hell am I going to do about it!" 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Ha! That's adorable BUT I share most of the policies behind today's President. Much of the Liberal agenda is one I cannot espouse. I accept his shenanigans as a necessary means to an end. In the next election (as in each election), I reassess. For now, MY jury is still out, since he is no different than any other replacement when it comes to lying. Afterall, who on the Left would not also lie? 

Jack Mallory

"I accept his shenanigans as a necessary means to an end."

Overheard in Moscow, 1917; Rome, 1922; Berlin, 1933; Beijing, 1947; Havana, 1959 . . .

Jack Mallory

Glen--if you think there's been no change for the better since the beginning of human political development, we've got to get you some better history books. Whether one concocts some kind of mean, median, or modal measure for human well-being, ranked in terms of health, longevity, freedom, or other "quality of life" issues, we are far better off today than our predecessors.

Not sure why you use 5,000 years--are you thinking of "civiized" life? Life since the beginnings of state-type socio-poltical organization? You wouldn't want to have been Joe Average in any of the early states--in China, India, the Middle East, Central/South America--or anybody else except, maybe, one of the few ruling elite. You really didn't want to be a lower class Mexica (Aztec). Or, probably, an upper class Mexica. Sure as hell didn't want to get captured in battle! Human sacrifice, disease, crop failure, war, autocratic rulers, lack of any form of the personal freedoms we take for granted--not what I would look back fondly upon!

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Saw Natalie Portman's wonderful performance as JACKIE tonight. She should have won the Oscar for best actress, IMHO. 

Would someone explain why MOONLIGHT won best movie? Was it the importance of having a "broke back mountain for Blacks" be the winner? How it could have beaten HIDDEN FIGURES is hard to understand. Talk to me, movie buffs! 

Jack, make sure you keep up those Hitler metaphors! Most likely Liberal voices, with help from a biased media (MSNBC?), will get him thrown out. Then you'll have a REAL right-winger to whine about. Win/win for me. Lose/lose for you. 👍😜

Jack Mallory

Not a Hitler (nor Mussolini, Lenin, Mao, Castro) metaphor. Not a metaphor for dictators of any flavor. A metaphor for those citizens so eager for safety and stability that they're willing to accept whatever "shenanigans" manifest a tilt toward totalitarianism.

That's where totalitarianism comes from. The dictator doesn't come to your door, announce that he's running for tyrant. He or she comes to your door, warns you of the great dangers they can defend against, the great benefits they can bring. All they need is your support, or at the very least, acquiescence. 

They remind you of the glorious past, destroyed by weak leaders, they promise to make your country great again. Don't worry about the lies, attacks on the judiciary and free press, the detention of certain categories of trouble makers, loss of certain freedoms, and other shenanigans. 

But all that's based on what we might learn from history. Many historians, like many scientists, journalists, and other educated people, are liberals, and we must ignore what they say. As did Italians, Russians, Germans, Chinese, and Cubans . . .

**************

Stephen--here's where we're headed, today. Not a tough hike, but like Dr. Johnson's dog, the wonder is not that I do it well but that I do it at all:

Stephen Hatchett

Jack: Woke up with enough anxiety about  "where we're heading today" that I saw in your photo a huge predator's maw with the water as tongue and the icicles as fangs. Not sure if coffee will help that, but I'm gonna have that first cup anyway. We're headed to Yosemite today for a few days  x-country skiing and hiking -- lots more icicles on tap 

Nora, I honestly would consider Mike Pence as President, at this point,  to be a win-win for you and myself.  He and I would disagree about many things, but I'm pretty sure he has a moral compass, though it might point Northeast relative to mine.

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Oh, so now Mr. Trump is not Hitlerian? So, when politicians (other than Trump) make promises, we DO believe them? You're quite a head-scratching enigma to me, Jack. 🤔

Stephen, you may want to review Pence's stances. He's even Right of me! Enjoy the skiing, my friend! 

Jack Mallory

Not reading what I'm saying, Nora. Didn't say Trump isn't Hitlerian. Said his supporters are like the supporters of many totalitarians. 

Nora Skinker (Morton)

Still head scratching. But move on, kind sir. 

Glen Hirose

Jack,

I did not mean to imply that there was little improvement in the human political evolution; I actually feel it is worsening, and 5,000 Years is a good starting point because the blossoming Military Powers were demonstrating their political prowess at the tip of a Metal sword.  First copper, then Bronze, iron and finally steel.  I hardly believe that the first iron age political leader (King if you will) felt that once he had slaughtered just one foe with his high-tech iron swords it would all end there.

Maybe I fail to see all the wonderful things that politicians and their agendas have brought to us, maybe it’s those nagging persistent wars, or the development of fantastic new WMDs.  Could it be the never ending lying, cheating, stealing, and sell-outs?  It is certainly not the Politicians who are to blame; it’s the people who put them in charge. 

So I close by posing this scenario: Two other characters 5 thousand years hence will be debating the same issues around the same concerns as we have today, and like the Mesopotamians,  Egyptians, and  Minoans did some 5 millennium BU (before Us)… That is of course if Gaia doesn’t get fed up with our species.  

MLK Jr., Gandhi, and Hypatia; just a few do-gooders that were trying to undo political injustice, and paid with their lives to better the human condition.

Jack Mallory

Glen--you know I'm not enthusiastic about the current state of political affairs, but consider life in Mexico, or any one of the early states where the god-king could call on your services at any time. Except, it would be the your last time. 

I was going to post an image of a human sacrifice from a Mexica Codex, but it was too gross even for me! Instead, here is the stone "tzompantli," or skull rack, on top of which the actual heads of the sacrificed were displayed, as described by Bernal Diaz and others. Recently excavated in the Plaza Mayor in Mexico City. 

Even I have to say, compared to life in the early states, life under the Trumpublicans don't look half bad!

*****************

Stephen--Hope  you get weather at Yosemite as nice as ours in the White Mountains, today:

And the stream we hiked along:

******************

I had made up a term for the form of argument which attempts to justify malfeasance by one individual or group, not by defending their behavior but by attacking a different individual or group. I was going to call it a "Yabbut" defense, in the sense of, "Yeah, but so-and-so did it first!" This is a common rhetorical ploy of many politicians, their supporters--and children as well, of course. 

Lo and behold, this very week NPR had an article  on what they call "Whataboutism." The same phenomenon, exactly: "Party A accuses Party B of doing something bad. Party B responds by changing the subject and pointing out one of Party A's faults — "Yeah? Well what about that bad thing you did?" (Hence the name.)

http://www.npr.org/2017/03/17/520435073/trump-embraces-one-of-russias-favorite-propaganda-tactics-whataboutism?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20170319&utm_campaign=bestofnpr&utm_term=nprnews

It seems to have been the basis of much of Soviet propaganda--whenever there was criticism of the USSR from the United States, the response would frequently be, "But you lynch Negroes in the United States!" So common that it became a joke tag-line in Russia; there's even a Wikipedia page on the topic, "And you are lynching Negroes."

At any rate, Trumpublicans didn't make the technique up. But it's just as weak a defense when they use it as when it's used in the elementary school yard.

Nora Skinker (Morton)

I'd like to clarify my references to the lies originating from the Left (notice I included lies from Christie & Nixon) as examples of what we have been subjected to for too long. They were certainly not cited to somehow justify lies from the Right. There is no justification for Trump's or anybody else's lies. Along the same lines, there is no justification for failures to apologize in these cases either. Many posts ago, I mentioned how the baseball player, Andy Pettite, "righted his ship" by immediately admitting & aplogiziing profusely about his brief use of steroids. An adoring fan base forgave him & even admired his rather amazing forthrightedness. On the other hand, the great pitcher, Roger Clements lost my (& many others') respect by insulting intelligences & sticking to his ridiculous lie that he "misremembered" using steroids. Politicians should take notes. But, as a people, we would do well to not sluff off dishonesty by just chalking it up to "politics as usual." I, too, have been guilty of that. Candidly, I never dreamed dishonesty could rise to its present level! It's no wonder such a small percentage of the population votes or is politically interested or savvy. 

Jack, your gripping photo is reminiscent of my tour of the Catacombs in Budapest several years ago. Piles of skeletons, most a result of Bubonic Plague, many small children included, made for a day which has & will forever haunt me. 

On a more welcome note: another two thumbs up for the new, WONDERFUL production of BEAUTY & THE BEAST!! Take the fam! 

Jack Mallory

A frank and clear reassessment from Nora. If S-c could only bring himself to such an honest apology. Does this mean I will never win another bottle of Single Malt again?

The amazing thing about the skull rack sculpture, and all New World stone sculpture, is that it's done with stone tools. That piece, although pretty dramatic in its subject matter, isn't very artistically impressive. Here's a much more aesthetically appealing, and finely worked, example from my Maya, at Palenque (almost all early state art was government--tax payer--funded. They didn't have F-35s to waste their money on).

Glen Hirose

Jack,

What a beautiful example of Maya sculpture, and I can’t help but notice the delicate pose of the hand. How very similar to the hand of the Buddha… 

Is the glyph in the upper right hand corner of your photo the King’s name? Was he a King?

I have thought about the F-35 statement you made, and of course it would be absurd.  They hadn’t invented the wheel yet…landing it would be problematic.  The F-35B would be another issue entirely.

Jack Mallory

I can't read the glyphs, Glen, but just from their position, I suspect that's what they are. "Radiant Turtle Macaw Lake" seems to be his name, according to those who can. But folks called him Fred. Grandson of a big-time king, Pakaw the Great, Fred was around from 678-736 CE, ruled 721-736. 

Here's another sculpture of him:

Real sculptural portraiture--you can see that it's the same guy. 

And of course, tax payers had to support the sculptors! And the military, even without F35s. 

But tax payers didn't have much of a voice, in those early states! I think you give too little credit to the Enlightenment, in your view of history vs. the modern world!

And a little warning to the Trumpublicans from PBS: Don't Fuck With Big Bird!

Stephen Hatchett

Jack, quick questions about the first scupture of Fred you showed:  Are the "discs" making up the bracelet and shoulder covering (armor?) added/glued/cemented to the base stone sculpture? Some seem to be missing.  What pigments, particularly blue, were used?

Wheels? I thought the Maya actually had produced some apparent toys with wheels but had otherwise never used them (& neither had any other pre-Columbian Americans.) Is that right?  

If I remember my Anthro 101 course, early Spanish missionaries found and burned the Mayan libraries.  (Religious intolerance:  Shades of the Taliban, ISIL, or Hypatia and the University and Library at Alexandria).  

Glen Hirose

Stephen,

One of the first things a conquering power does is head for the libraries of the vanquished; then they set them ablaze and proceed to rewrite history.  Sadly precious little information is preserved, and only the bravest individuals will risk their lives to do so.  Thankfully, those brave few managed to save the formula for Beer making, and it has survived for some 5,000 years.