A Bilderburger And A Side Of Fries, Please...

     Breaking News! All this week is the most fabulous conference of the most famous organization you've probably never heard of---The Bilderberg Group. Yes, this gaggle of Midas-rich, uber-powerful and extremely camera-shy elite from around the world meet secretly (or at least they used to, until investigative journalists like the late Jim Tucker exposed it) every year to help make our world a better place---for them, at any rate. Now please don't call me an extremist "truther" or anything like that; Alex Jones at Infowars.Com has a well-earned reputation for never stretching the truth (well, he did say that the Royals eat babies for breakfast, but I only heard that once), and sometimes he's right (even if his informants are often lunatics). Nevertheless, let us not impugn the name of these patriotic whistle-blowers who, if nothing else, give us a good laugh.
     Seriously, though, what do the "Bilderbergers" discuss among themselves? And why all the secrecy and armed guards all over the place? One would think that such a glittering gathering of brilliant minds would want their discussions trumpeted over the front pages of the most prestigious newspapers, but there's nary a peep. Since Alex Jones, however, there's been plenty of noise and drama, which appears to make our "Betters" somewhat nervous, for some reason. Are they the nucleus of the shadowy New World Order that conspiracy theorists can't shut up about? Don't forget, conspiracy theorists aren't all a bunch of drooling idiots; how far would Nixon have gone without the revelations of Deep Throat? (I'm referring to the informant, not the movie.) And Jesse Ventura certainly scored big when he exposed the draining of our Great Lakes for sale to China.
     I'm betting this gab-fest isn't just your usual meeting, especially since they don't want to be seen. Alex Jones, alas, may have to rant all by himself off in a field designated as a "free speech zone", but he'll have lots of juicy gossip to relate from the hotel staff, at least. There's always some new worry, never fear. Thank God for YouTube. And thank God for Alex Jones. Remember, there's a war on for your mind---if you still have one after all this insanity. As for me, I'm gonna have fun watching Alex make a fool of himself as always. Who knows? This might be the conference where they finally announce they really are reptilians, who do eat babies for breakfast.

There's Always Tomorrow---Maybe

     Moving right along in our "best of all possible worlds", we can be happy to know that the world situation is hopeless but not serious. Of course, who we're really supporting in this Syria thing might make a difference. Then again, the United States has never lost a war, right? Uhhh, well, maybe. Our government's still out on that one. We'll take the patriotic view, however, and give them the benefit of the doubt. After all, good Americans are supposed to be patriotic and never question Big Si---pardon me, I meant the facts. You know, the ones we get from Pox News, and God's Own Party? Mustn't be naughty and give "comfort to the enemy" (whoever that is, at this point). Don't worry, though, we'll always find an enemy somewhere. After all, we now have all these lovely "home-grown" terrorists popping up all over the place. Maybe you're one and don't know it yet.
     We're just sooo lucky to have militarized cops patrolling our streets in tanks. Kinda makes you feel all nice and cozy, doesn't it, knowing they'll only get rough if they really need to. And those Fema Camps sitting there waiting for the next emergency, don't they give you a warm feeling of security? Yes, we'll be taken care of, folks. Internment camps aren't all that bad---just ask the Nisei! All the comforts of home, plus barbed-wire fencing around it to keep you safe from wild animals and things. And don't worry about Syria. Just because our allies call themselves Bin-Laden Brigades doesn't mean they're Al Qaeda. Oh, John McCain said they are? Well, I'm sure we can trust them.

     Kinda looks like Bozo The Clown, doesn't it? Have a happy war!
 

The Daily Insanity

     Yes, friends, we now have achieved stability---everyday is the same old crisis. Or variations of the same, at any rate. A new or nearly new scandal, new dangers from hitherto harmless products ---CO2 Can Kill You!---(Really? So how come we still give it off when breathing?), and other weird facts ---the Royals are secretly reptilians who eat babies when nobody's looking, but those nasty mainstream news media (mediums?) won't tell the REAL news!---you get the picture. So who's telling the truth? Does anyone care anymore?

     Don't despond, friends. With all the independent news and web sites out there (Remember the X-Files motto---The Truth Is Out There), we now have the luxury to not only choose our opinions but our FACTS as well! Undecided? Flip a coin, watch YouTube. There will surely be something there you can believe, right?

If Alex Jones can't convince you that this is 1984, NO one will. Amazingly, he sometimes gets it right. Unfortunately, his GUESTS often don't. Take Pastor Chuck Baldwin, for example. Did you know that Jesus doesn't say you should give up your guns? Gee, I thought Jesus said something about "turning the other cheek" and loving your enemies, but I guess the bible's been brought up to modern times. Of course, considering they didn't HAVE guns back then, Jesus WOULDN'T have said that, so Chuck's off the hook, I guess. And Adam Kokesh (if that's his real name) calling for an armed march (peaceful, HE says) on Washington D.C. in July. 

     Yes, we have so much MORE to look forward to nowadays.

Some Things Never Change...

Well, I'm back. Frankly, except for the date you'd never really know it! Dubya's gone but Congress is still playing the same silly games. My hair is going greyer somewhat, I'm still trying to shed pounds (I'm not going to say how many), and this photo probably doesn't look that much like me anymore---although I'm still recognizable ( I hope!).

We still seem to be heading toward Fascism (either party, take your pick), still seem to be on the brink of a world-wide financial crash, and still waiting for World War III (or is it here already? Who knows?). I'm SO reminded of  A Tale Of Two Cities.  Remember the opening lines?  "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." I don't know about YOU, but I'm beginning to think this fence we're all sitting on is getting mighty uncomfortable! Is it or isn't it coming? And WHEN, for cryinoutloud?

Be back soon---don't hold your breath.

The End Of Democracy?

Yes, if our Congress can't cooperate---and I blame the GOP most of all for their obstructionist tactics---we will see the end of democracy in the United States. Nixon perhaps unwittingly brought in all the worst of today's Hard Right Republicans, and when Reagan was elected (due mainly to their dirty tricks, I'm sure) these fanatics transformed the GOP into nothing more than a big bully. With the help of the Noise Machine---Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, etc.---these bullies redefined the honorable term "Compromise" from seeking to find a workable solution to a bizarre 19th century meaning of "being compromised" and having betrayed ones principles in doing so. Thus, in refusing to compromise they became "virtuous", and the others became mere "party hacks". Brilliant, yes, but what parties compromise over is not virtue versus sin, which is what their meaning of "compromise" meant.
They demonized the Democrats partly because, without Communism, they had no "enemy" with which to keep America frightened. Whatever the Democrats/Liberals thought, said, or did became "Un-American". They kept hammering away at that point until now it looks as if most Americans actually agree with that. And I'm afraid.
You see, back in 1967 I was a senior in high school taking a course in American Government, and one of our books was, to me, the bible of American Democracy. This was a book of readings from famous political scientists, philosophers, Founding Fathers, about the problems of democracy. In it was a section on why democracies failed, and one of the most chilling statements was that when political parties no longer worked together one could infer that such a government would altogether fail and fall into either fascism or chaos. Well, are we not seeing it now? The GOP is so hot to win that it will send this country into complete meltdown. No lies are too small, no dirty tricks too nasty that the GOP won't use them to stonewall, bully, and win by any means necessary. Machiavelli would be proud.

Brainwashing And American Males

I've discovered that males seem uniquely prone to brainwashing by the Conservative Media. I don't know why it's so, but maybe it has to do with the male penchant for "being right" (pun intended). Also, I suspect it has a lot to do with their mania for being "well-informed" and spouting their opinions as proof of it. As we all know, women are neither well-informed or right (in every meaning of that word). We are simply opinionated and wrong! Unless, of course, we subscribe to the Right. But what I find truly maddening is that males who hold Conservative opinions have nothing but contempt for anyone who doesn't. They, and they alone, are correct, and the rest of us are Commie-Pinko morons. That includes family members and, most importantly, their wives.
If I so much as suggest that a Conservative commentator is wrong, my son and husband berate me in a rather mean fashion. If I happen to be right in what I've said, they explode! It's gotten so I can't even open my mouth without being taunted "Oh, you just hate Republicans". Well, I don't, but even though I've voted for several (I'm still terribly old-fashioned about voting for the best candidate) they simply forget. Worse, their taunts are getting to the point of cruelty. What's happening to us? Why can't we talk to one another anymore? Frankly, I'm scared. What's next---physical assault on one's Liberal wife? Make no mistake, Fox and the rest of what David Brill so brilliantly termed The Republican Noise Machine are spreading hatred. On purpose. Without Commies to bash and fear, we who are Democrats have become THE ENEMY. Males do seem to be more susceptible to the Right's brainwashing, but will women catch up? God help us if they do. As for me, I will never feel safe voting for another Republican, and that's really scary!

If I Only Knew Now What I Thought I Knew Then

Ah, the absolute certainty of Youth! When I was just out of college I knew everything. So what happened? As I get older I get wiser, maybe, but I find I know so little compared to my younger years. How sad. At this rate I'll know nothing pretty soon.
Bad enough I've forgotten most of what I learned in school---even if most of it is now outdated. In no time I'll be a tabula rasa, God forbid. Is this what happens when you get old? It's almost like Alzheimer's, in a way; I'm always meeting new facts, and the old facts don't look familiar either.
There's so much I'll never know, so much I'll never have time to get to, so much I'll never be sure of again. Sigh.
Youth is indeed wasted on the young. Why wasn't I twice as snotty when I had the chance? Now that I'm 61 it's expected I'll be grouchy. It's assumed I'll be a know-it-all. Worse, it's considered cute at this age. Oh well...