Monthly Archives: January 2020

Senatorial KoolAid

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Senators who believe that “Trump did nothing wrong” likely also believe that lying, cheating on a spouse, stealing, and murder are also ok, as this is the logical extension of their position.

Are we a nation of laws, or of fifty powerful Senators without moral conscience, and a nation of peons who will buy any slippery dodge of an excuse ? ? ? ?   Many of our Senators are disrespecting us, folks.  They are fearful toadies who simple want to retain their powerful positions, putting our entire system at risk of being run by mafiosos who swear there are no rules, but merely raw power. Many of these same Senators spoke against Trump’s nomination, but now cower when he looks in their direction.

This is a danger zone for Americans of every sort.  (Less than 20% of current Senators have served in our military; but the majority seem to serve themselves quite well.)   Don’t drink this KoolAid !!!  :  If you want to live in a country were there are no rules, and no recourse to recall those who believe there are no rules, then keep these bums in office.

Photo credit : Chris Favero, Wikimedia Commons

The Case for Conviction

Kangaroo court of the U.S. Senate

photo credit : anonhq.com

SEE COMMENTS.

> > > GRADUALISM vs CATASTROPHE < < <

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ROW-ROW-ROW graphic from wikipedia

: : : WE INTERRUPT : : THIS IS NOT A DRILL : : :

CLICK  : “ Greta and George” :  “best short video of 2019”

Friends, I wouldn’t term myself “a survivalist” — and yet my genes, my DNA have flourished on this planet since near the beginning.  (I’m grateful to my ancestors for their wise choices!)  Yes, we’re all survivors – – – until we aren’t.  

The video urges us to PROTECT,  RESTORE, FUND . . . and

VOTE

for people who defend nature

https://www.mightyoaksprograms.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Blog_BoilingFrog.jpg

Thanks for sharing this link, sez Froggie !!!

 

MURDER and FORGIVENESS

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An entire German family is murdered in a gang robbery.  The head of the family, severely injured, survives by playing dead.  He seeks forgiveness for the robbers, and starts a new family, living in the same house where it happened, by dire necessity.   He petitions the state for the release of those who had not touched the two guns used.  ¶  He and the family are pestered by reporters, not wanting to revisit those events.  He writes a manuscript and eventually publishes the account as a little book in 1960.  A grandaughter reads it and shares this account of deep, radical forgiveness.   (Clear writing and reporting by the grandaughter.)
                                                    Lilli Heinemann’s grandfather with his first wife and three of their children, all of whom were murdered in 1945

My grandfather’s whole family were murdered – but he found a way to forgive the killers

After 12 of his relatives were killed in a single night, where was his anger and pain? And what does his refusal to permit himself these feelings mean for me?

by Lilli Heinemann,  in The Guardian

I don’t know when I first heard my grandfather’s story. But I do remember the little green book with the white cross on it. The book was kept in a black steel cabinet in our living room, one that was usually locked, its contents mysterious. There must be important things in there, I thought, that were not for me to see.

My paternal grandparents were part of my childhood; my sister and I called them Oma and Opa and paid them regular visits, but we knew very little about our mother’s parents.  [Continued here.] repaired link

 

Film Review : : The GREAT HACK

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Academic, David Carroll sued for return of his personal data (IMDB fair use)

 

Michelangelo’s David.  Photo by Yair Haklai, Wikimedia Commons

 

Sometimes life imitates art.  Such is arguably the case in The Great Hack, (youtube link to preview) — a documentary film featuring a modern-day hero – a mild-mannered academic named David Carroll – an American  digital rights philosopher who took on a billionaire’s empire.

In the Biblical epic, little David slew giant Goliath.  Today, our modern David brought down a powerful firm which was diverting the personal information of 87 million Facebook users, among others, for political targeting of “persuadables” in that group by suing for the return of his personal information.  And David Carroll did exactly that, at court in UK. 

In this socially-disruptive Netflix documentary, we learn about how thousands of our data points, which “THEY” know about each of us, are used to seduce us.  (No longer are we private citizens; we’re all naked, on the auction block.)  We’ve been identified, defined, profiled, and made ready for sale to buyers, for what they bet is our persuadability.  We have no say in what they will show us online, based on our deepest psychological secrets — which has been designed to appeal to our known vulnerabilities, histories, weaknesses, fears, and longings.

 According to the film, the firm Cambridge Analytica deployed  “weapons-grade communications tactics” in elections which had been developed by governments for psy-ops in digital warfare.   Persuading as few as 70,000 voters to change their minds was enough to sway elections in four US States, in 2016, according to the film.  

Netflix has done a superb job of following real participants around with video cameras while interviewing these whistleblowers, journalists for The Guardian, and former executives of the firm.  

NOTE:  Be sure to turn on subtitles, as there are challenging accents coming from some of the British participants. (However, much of the action follows several American individuals caught up in this frightening theft of elections.)  This real life drama makes “reality tv” into a yawn!

PBS : CRAFT IN AMERICA // and in MEXICO

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A Puerto Rican sculptor is one of many featured artists.

The word craft has many layers of cultural meaning.  If you want to enjoy the high end of the spectrum — if you long for inspiration and uplift — I invite you to consider this series, CRAFT in AMERICA.  It’s available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and from many Public Broadcasting Stations.  (The link is to a 2-minute preview at PBS.  Amazon previews are not found by me, and viewing PBS here in Mexico can be tricky, involving use of a VPN – a virtual private network.)  

NOTE: The season/episode numbers are a jumble, being dissimilar  between PBS and other streamers.  For example: at PBS, the item above is Season 11, Episode 2;  but at Amazon the same episode is Season 9, Episode 2.  Season 7, Episode 1 is titled Neighbors at Amazon, and features craft artists from Mexico; but PBS says that particular production is Season 9 Episode 2, so there appears to be no correlation between platforms and numbering.

To find the Identity episode at Amazon, go to Prime Video. Search for Craft in America: Identity.  Individual episodes are $1.99 usd.  Subscriptions are $2.99/month.  Start the new year inspired!