From the Back Yard

 

Space X launched last Thursday.  This is what I saw from my yard.

This Is All We Can Do For You Now

 

Meme Day

99% of all species have become extinct. 

 

 

Fuck You Friday

I heard about a certain Galesburg area plumbing and heating company defectively installing a septic system.  They were able to get it approved by city of G-Burg and they nor the company will help this family.  The kids started to get staph infections by playing outside.  Apparently the yard is soaked with sewer water and were told it would take $25,000 to get it fixed.  Someone made me promise me not to use this company when my cabin in the woods needs service.  I don't know if all this story is true or parts of it, but lets remember that companies in small towns need repeat business.  Our first Fuck You is to the firm that may or may not end in "o", and the second Fuck You today is to G-Burg, both of which are leaving this family out to dry.

  

As long as we are in the G-Burg area, maybe not a full-throated Fuck You, but maybe more of a Screw You to the Central Congregational Church on the square for seeking money from two G-Burg entities and even a GoFundMe page to help with window repairs.  A spokesman for the church said they are not "heavily endowed" but endowed they are.  With the American middle class dwindling it kind of galls me that a church, a tax free entity, has to take from city coffers to help with building maintenance.  Do what everyone else has to do, pay for it yourself.

Fuck You right-wing media.  Yeah, you Tucker, my boy, and all the others who have been creating just enough fear for the vaccines that may reduce the possibility of creating the herd immunity.  No herd immunity, no back to normal.  OK, Johnson & Johnson may have helped this along with the blood clot thing, but some media have fanned the fires for vaccine hesitancy.  States are dropping the mask mandates and guess what will happen now?  These anti-vaxxers are Republicans.  I wonder why?  Stubborn fellows I guess.  

Fuck You Jim Jordan.  This guy attacks Dr. Fauci, attacks Demings, attacks anything that moves.  Fast talking dipshit who teams up with Matt Gaetz to form the Congressional Beavis and Butthead.  I hate Maxine Waters but when she tells him to "shut your mouth" I'm all "you go girl".  This is also the guy who had wrestlers approach him about another coaches sexual abuse but sided with the perv, back in the day.  He doesn't wear a suit coat because he's one cool cat.  No, he's a Trump-loving,  perv-hiding,  gimmick-embracing,  science-hating, national embarrassment.  If you like this guy, then Fuck You, too.

Fuck You, electric vehicles.  Yeah, I know fossil-fuel energy sources is bad for the environment and has a limited future.  But news this week that 2 people died in a Tesla when it crashed and they were cremated by those damaged lithium batteries, has me worried we are going EV too fast.  Most car manufacturers have already announced the year they will go all electric.  And its just around the corner.  What if I go get another new Ranger?  Will I have gas to run it in 25 years?  I have an old car.  Can I still go to car shows in 10 years?  You may be counting on your fingers the math as to my age then and rolling your eyes in mock sympathy.  Yeah, well.  

Fuck the New York Mets.  Gazzillionaire Steve Cohen buys the team over the winter from the coupon-saving Wilpons, then passes on all the big free-agents.  (Never mind we paid 340 million for Lindor, but he's a shortstop and doesn't count in this unreasonable blur.)  Cub lover up North asks me if I wanna bet a beer a game and series winner this week between the Cubs-Mets, and I say yes.  Then we lose the first game and then pull a Bad News Bears on the second with a loss of something like 114-4 or something like that.  Fuck me from making wagers on a fucking team that will always break my heart.

Fuck anyone who doesn't like immigration.  Ronald Reagan said they are the backbone of our country in his farewell address.  They bring workers, tax payers, brains, culture and in all but the rarest case, honor and integrity.

Fuck You Facebook.  In all ways possible.  Do some due diligence on this platform and you, too, will realize it is far more harmful to the American consciousness than good.  But, like Brokeback, we just can't quit 'ya.

Pre-form packaging.  I got something from Lowe's last week.  I had a hell of a time getting it open.  It took scissors, ripping, getting a cut with blood, until I reached success.  And how about that foil seal on the rare Southern Butter Pecan coffee creamer?  If I didn't have teeth I'd have to use pliers.    

  

 

   

 

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.

He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them..

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.

When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.

When he was close enough, he called out, ‘Excuse me, where are we?’

'This is Heaven, sir,’ the man answered.

Would you happen to have some water?’ the man asked.

Of course, sir. Come right in, and I’ll have some ice water brought right up’.The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

'Can my friend,’ gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?’ the traveller asked.

'I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t accept pets.’

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

'Excuse me!’ he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?’

'Yeah, sure, there’s a pump over there, come on in..’

'How about my friend here?’ the traveller gestured to the dog.

There should be a bowl by the pump.’

They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveller filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.

When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

'What do you call this place?’ the traveller asked.

This is Heaven,’ he answered.

'Well, that’s confusing,’ the traveller said. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.’

'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That’s hell.’

'Doesn’t it make you mad for them to use your name like that?’

'No, we’re just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.’

~Anonymous Author and Artwork

Our Constitution Part One

The above is the opening words of the Constitution. I'm not a constitutional scholar but I play one in this post. When I was growing up we didn't study the constitution in school. One year we spent a whole half year learning the history of Mercer County. But it was cool because we got to go out on field trips, the Essley-Noble museum and to the court house. But, looking back it might have been worthwhile checking in on the document that frames our government. I see you rolling your eyes. Yeah, might be a bit dry.



Someone said once, "There is no soil more adaptive to reform than American soil." Indeed, did you know that there are 27 amendments to the original draft. That means there have been 27 "Aha!" moments when someone said, hey, wait, this might need changing. Some amendments are in-your-face headline grabbing like the first one regarding freedom of speech and the right for groups to hit the street to protest. Funny they didn't think to include this in the first draft. The fourth one seems kind of important, too. It talks about unreasonable search and seizures. But, yeah, if you go through most of them you might begin to doze off. Things about voting, citizenship, term of office and some that are so far over my ability to understand without a jurisprudence degree.

The 21st Amendment would have been pretty damn important to me if I'd been an adult in 1933. Imagine prohibiting beer. Dumbasses. The 26th one allowed me to vote before turning 21. Did you know there are even pending amendments? One is the Equal Righst Amendment that needs only one more state for ratification?Whenever we get a new Supreme Court justice we find out if they interpret the document or consider it changeable.

Slaves were freed by the 13th Amendment but how do we square that with the Constitution's assertion that a black person is only worth 3/5th of a white person. We seem to have grown as a society since that proclamation. Except for Duante Wright, Freddy Gray, Eric Garner, Walter Scott, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Harris, Phillip White, Tony Robinson, Jerame Reid, Rumain Brisbon, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, Tanisha Anderson, Dante Parker, Ezell Ford, Michael Brown Jr., John Crawford III, Dontre Hamilton, Matthew Williams, Botham Shem Jean, E.J. Bradford, Jamee Johnson, Antwon Rose, Stephan Clark, Marvin Scott III, Kurt Reinhold, McHale Rose, Xzavier Hill, Frederick Cox, Patrick Warren, Carl Dorsey III, Dolal Idd, Andre Hill, Joshua Feast, Maurice Gordon, Casey Goodson Jr., Rodney Applewhite, A.J. Crooms, Sincere Pierce, Walter Wallace Jr., Marcellus Stinnette. Jonathan Price, Deon Kay, Daniel Prude, Damien Daniels, Dijon Kizzee, Trayford Pellion, David McAtee, Tony McDade, Yassin Mohamed, Fernin Bahe, Sean Reed, Steven Demarco Taylor, Ariane McCree, Terrance Franklin, Miles Hall, Darius Tarver, William Green, Samuel David Mallard, Kwame Jones, De'von Bailey, Christopher Whitfield, Anthony Hill, Eric Logan, Jamarion Robinson, gregory Hill, Jr., JaQuavion Slaton, Ryan Twyman, Brandon Webber, Jimmy Atchison, Willie McCoy, Emantic Bradford, Jr., D'ettrick Griffin, Jemel Roberson, Deandre Ballard, Robert White, Anthony Lamar Smith, Ramarley Graham, manuel Loggins Jr., Trayvon Martin, Wendell Allen, Kendrick McCade, Larry Jackson, Jr., Jonathan Ferrell, Jordan Baker, Laquon McDonald, Charly Keunang, Brendon Glenn, Samuel DeBose, mario Woods, Quintonio LeGuin, Gregory Gunn, Akiel Denkins, Alton Sterling, Philandro Castile, terrance Crutcher, Keith Lamont Scott, Alfred Olango, Danny Ray Thomas, DeJuan Guillory, Patrick Harmon, Julius Johnson, who were all shot dead by police or security officers.

The fact is that it is more dangerous to be a black person in this country.  I am as pro-cop as anyone.  But it is undeniable that police-black confrontations result in more deaths than same situation white-on-white. 

One could make an argument, and a good one, that the Constitution needs to be reformed to say that a black man or boy is a full human in the eyes of American law, police, and in our hearts.

This And That

 I had some time to watch something so I found this Liam Neeson flick called Honest Thief.  It was typical of his late-career flicks as a man who has "certain skills" and is defying age by being an action guy.  The movie was pretty bad but I stayed with it.  Isn't  it funny how a guy can shoot a driver in a moving car a quarter of a mile away, but two guys can't shoot each other in a small room?  Liam fell out of a 2 story building and not only gets up but moves so quickly he eludes the bad guy who is 40 years younger.  Then, he has to steal a vehicle out of a parking lot so he picks a 1978-ish completely restored Ford pick up.  un-fucking-believable.  Who thinks this crap up?  Like I said, it was a bad flick but I kinda enjoyed it.

Officially changed my Florida political status to "NPA". No political affiliation.  Sumbitches.

I read that 40% of Marines don't want to take the vaccine.  How do we make sense of that?  Have they bought into Trumpist conspiracy/insurrectionist thought?  I'd like to know.

Watched Tom Hanks in "News of the World".  Kind of an average Western but Hanks once again shows us why he is the best actor we have right now. 

I have started my 20th year of playing fantasy baseball.  In one of my leagues there are two other owners who started when I did at the Mary Davis Home.  In most years it has been more fun that the real thing.

I see where some introverts are dreading the reopening after Covid.  Yeah, I can see it.

On a walk this past week I helped one of the good guys out.

Our buddy here was crossing the street but couldn't get up the curb.

I was only too happy to help.

In about 2 weeks I'll be heading up north.  Painting walls, painting canvasses, riding, mowing, flying drones, driving an old beast.  

Finally, the current Mrs. Blythe now has 2 cats (long story) and the New Cat went to sleep with a face plant.  Silly cat.  

 

 

  

Meme Day

 

Cancel Culture

 Every so often a new term is invented by people who sits all day in front of a laptop with nothing else to do except type away and make waves.  One day the world had never heard of the term "cancel culture" and now it is all you hear from one side or the other on any issue of the day.  It is as best as I can figure out it is a derogatory term which describes when mass support is withdrawn from a person, event or organization for saying or doing something objectionable.

On the Fuck You Friday post, appropriately on last Friday, I mentioned poor old Kate Smith.  The Yankees for years had played her God Bless America record during the 7th inning stretch.  It was as traditional as Yankee Stadium itself.  Then an anonymous sports writer mentioned in an article that poor old Kate had recorded racist songs.  She didn't write them, just sang them in her 20's when trying to start her career, in an age when such music and even black face performance were accepted.  Didn't matter that out of 3000 songs she performed there were only two objectionable ones, she had to go.  Her statue in Philadelphia was removed, as was her 7th inning gig at Yankee stadium.  Oh, did I mention she received the Medal of Freedom for her artistic contributions to America?  Didn't matter, Kate was a gonner.

First off, cancelling is not new.  Seems to me John Wilkes Booth did a bit of cancelling.  Fatty Arbuckle's career, down the drain after that Hollywood party.  Ted Kennedy discovered cancel culture after his little bridge incident. Prince Harry has cancelled the Royals.  Hey, its what we do, right?  We judge.  The electors just cancelled Trumpism last November.  Movies bomb, celebrities put their feet in their mouths and we say, "O no you di-uhnt."  That's not a typo, its kind of a ethnic thing that is supposed to be humorous but may offend someone and now they boycott this website.  

The right cancels, the left cancels, and we shriek "Foul".  

Secondly, our pleas that it is a free country doesn't necessarily matter when you say something a segment of society objects.  Sure, you have free speech until I'm pissed, then we, as a group, will cancel your ass.  So which is it?  Free speech or snowflake?

Mike Lindell, the Pillow guy whose head was firmly placed inside Donald Trumps rump, was cancelled because of his support of Trumpism and furthering the myth that the election was rigged.  He claimed 20% loss of sales, but his accountant claimed a 40% increase from right-minded folks.  Right - left, tomato - tomato.

In recent years we cancelled men who abused women in the Me Too movement.  We have cancelled racism with the BLM movement and cancelled a whole hell of a lot of stuff because of Covid.    

  

Mackenzie sent a page of one of her childhood Dr. Seuss books that will no longer be published for racist intonations.  I may be too old to see the racism.  Do Chinese not use chopsticks?  Do Chinese not dress like this at some point in their history?  Hey, cancel me.  Anyway, at least it wasn't Woke that did in Seuss, it was Seuss themselves.  Frankly, I hate censorship in books.  

The Turner Classic Movie channel has decided to review 22 problematic movies like Gone with The Wind, Stagecoach, and Psycho over portrayals of racism, sexism, and LGBTQ issues.  Like the Seuss guys, TCM is putting these films on examination, not as art, but as a reflection of the times in which they were made.  

This is a much larger issue than I want to delve into at this time, but I think we like or don't like cancel culture according to how we view the thing that is cancelled.  Cancel Trump? Hoorah!  Cancel Kate? Boo!  I may cringe at some scenes in GWTW but it was a fair depiction of Civil War America.  I may wince at some of the gay scenes in Rope, but it seems reasonable for mid-50's America.  

Just remember, next time you run into a cancel situation that there are nuances, degrees and grades of harm.  Abusing women is bad no matter what.  Singing a cringeworthy song in a racially intolerant 20's maybe not as bad as that guy sitting in front of his laptop wants you to think.  

     

     

 

Fuck You Friday

 

A new Friday feature on the blog will be "Fuck You" for those deserving individuals or organizations that cross the line so egregiously that they deserve a nice round of "FUCK YOU".

Any state passing legislation to restrict voting based on the Big Lie, Fuck You.  For now, Fuck You, Georgia.  Texas, you're next.

_____________________________

While we are at it, Fox News, Fuck You.  They just keep washing the brains of nice people.

_________________________________

Covid-19. which has caused 570,000 American deaths also cancelled the Mets Opening Day, Fuck You.

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And something that has pissed me off for a couple years:  The NY Yankees cancelling Kate Smith's God Bless America during the 7th inning because she performed racially tinged songs in the 30's.  She was part of her culture and what is forgotten, or ignored, were her pleas for racial quality when she was alive.  Fuck You Yankees.

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Matt Gaetz for not voting for a sex trafficking law last term in the House.  Fuck You.  Gaetz, the face of  New Trumpism, is a real sleaze.  By the way, Matt, you can't call it a 'conquest" when you pay for it.

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While we are at it, Fuck You Trump campaign organization by milking people out of funds on a recurring basis.  Apparently some people gave funds for one time donation but the Trump folks made it a recurring donation,  and in some cases wiped out the bank accounts of some people. 

**This just in:  The NY Times is reporting that the NRCC (National Republican Congressional Committee) has sent an email to donors that if they stop their monthly donation they will forward this info to Trump and they will be considered "defectors'.   Fuck You NRCC.  

Daddy's not gonna like you if you don't continue to feed his money machine.

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Fuck You Prevagen.  Those stupid commercials with stupid seniors saying they are less foggy because of Prevagen.

This from a study:  Prevagen cannot work as represented because apoaequorin, the purported active ingredient in Prevagen,  is completely destroyed by the digestive system and transformed into common amino acids no different than those derived from other common food products like chicken, cold cuts, hamburgers, etc.     

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Cut The Cord!

We cut the cord this year hoping to save some money.  But with the obligatory streaming services Netflix, Hulu and Disney (for the kids) we,re just about where we were.  Fuck You Streaming Services.  Oh wait, I love you.  Please don't karma me.  I love you Netflix, Prime and all the others, even HBO.  But, geez, what's it take to get ahead?   

  

  

 

Pictures from where I am

Next to the clubhouse is a cell tower.  Mom, Dad and Chicks sunning themselves last week.   

Next to the clubhouse and cell tower is a small lake.  This is our mascot gator.

Our mascot gator sunning himself/herself this week.

\

I keep telling you guys driving down here is tough.  We drove by just after this happened.  

"It should be a little bit easier."

In an episode of the West Wing a couple guys who work in the White House get stranded in middle America after their motorcade leaves with out them.  At their hotel bar they meet a guy who is looking at colleges with his daughter.  They had just toured Notre Dame and the guy says, "I make $55,000 a year and the wife brings in another 25.  My boy is in public school and its no good.  No art or music, and you can't get him away from a piano.  I think of what would happen if I slipped on the front steps.  It should be a little easier.  Just a little bit.  That little bit would make all the difference." 

  

Yesterday was moving day for Kenzie and the Kids.  At noon we went to McDonalds drive-thru and ordered 

2 quarter pounders, one with pickle and mustard only

2 Happy Meals with 6 piece nuggets, sweet and sour sauce.

Chicken sandwich, 2 unsweetened teas, 1 diet Coke and 2 juices.

We ended up with 1 quarter pounder, both teas were sweetened and no juices.  

It should be just a little bit easier.

We finally cut the cord.  The bill was, on average $210 without any premium stuff.  Yeah, we got internet with that but still, the bill was over 200 very month.  It should be just a little easier.

My preferred coffee creamer is International Southern Butter pecan.  It can make bitter into candy.  Coffee was served every morning when I started working for Uncle Ed on the farm at 17.  Black without sugar.  Today, I prefer the softer, less edgy stuff.  You think I can find that stuff around here.  I go on minor panic mode every time I run low.  For some reason stores carry other same-brand without fail, but for some reason my favorite is like finding 4 leaf clovers.  It should just be a little bit easier. 

This is tax season.  Somehow I have to add up my own bill.  Where does that ever happen.  The government demands so much from my income, then why don't they just give me a bill instead of me having to do it?  And, if I don't do it right, they let me know with a penalty, fine or jail.  It's like a pop quiz: we know you are unprepared, don't control the rules, and don't know how we are going to grade.  I don't want to go all Forbes on you, but what is wrong with a flat tax?  Remember when old Steve said we should just get a postcard with our rate, dependents and X percent?  It should just be a little easier.

CEO's listen up.  The most important part of your company is NOT product, pipeline, employee benefits, state taxation, presentation or advertising.  The most important part of your company is customer service.  It is also the cheapest part.  A bank of phones, or one, a friendly person who advocates for the customer is all you need.  And yet, it seems you CEO's don't understand, grasp or care about it.  Customers are more willing to not go to a business again than those who do when they have problems.  I have too many examples to list here, and think you might, too.  It should just be easier.