I’m not sure about other folks, but I absolutely despise being lied to. I don’t know anyone who is an actual fan. From projection to puffery; from concealing crimes to creating chaos, the constant lies are just excruciating. Today’s tRumpublican party is an unholy marriage of hypocrisy and mendacity, consecrated in a church of bigotry and hate. Their race to mediocrity has left the rest of us wondering how did they get this bad this fast.
We’ve seen a complete collapse of a political philosophy into a blind quest for power for just the sake of that power. There is no vision. There are no guiding principles. There are no morals, ethics or empathy. They are all about the perpetuation of raw unrestrained political power.
And they are gloriously stupid. They tell stupid lies about everything, expecting us to swallow them like a cool glass of water on a hot day. They make grandiose claims about draconian solutions to problems that didn’t exist until they created them so they could impose those draconian solutions. They continuously tell us about super-secret stuff that is about to be revealed, and then never gets revealed. They constantly lie about Obama, Clinton, Sanders, Christ, the flag, our troops, Iran, North Korea, our allies, Russia and everything else on the planet. They deny science. They don’t respect women, minorities, foreigners, children, religion or anything they don’t own. To put it in a nutshell, they suck. They suck so much Oreck and Dyson are suing them for monopoly infringements.
Sure, some people get duped by the barrels of lipstick they’ve slathered all over the carcass of their poor departed elephant. The rest of us know better. Their crimes are reprehensible. Their words are duplicitous. Their reckoning approaches.
We outnumber them. We will prevail.
Ok, now that I got that off my chest, let’s get things going with The Clash er, Don Caron and the Parody Project
And it’s on to the news
The Upcoming Farce of July
As you are probably aware, tRump is planning to turn the 4th of July into a campaign event. He’s planning to cordon off the area around the Lincoln Memorial and midway down along the reflecting pool. He’s only going to allow his invited ticket holding guests into that area to hear him speak. Baby tRump will be flying somewhere near the Washington Monument.
I think we should set up a bunch of punching bag booths with tRump’s face on the bag and charge visitors $5 each to take a swing, with all proceeds going to support children detained at the border. It will be both cathartic for the punchers, helpful to the kids and sure to knock tRump off his stride (waddle?) when he sees it reported on Faux.
What metro stops will be closed? Exactly when are they shutting down Reagan National to accommodate the 35-minute fireworks display and "flyovers by Air Force One, the Blue Angels and aircraft from all branches of the military"? Where are boats being shunted to, since Trump moved the fireworks display to accommodate his unwieldy ego? And why were workers setting up bleachers on Friday facing away from the Lincoln Memorial where Trump is presumably going to babble incoherently? Pipe down with your impertinent questions, peasants! The VIPs know where they'll be sitting, and that's the important part!
Yes, the Post reports that Trump will be building a wall -- or some kind of barrier -- to create "an area in front of the Lincoln Memorial reserved for dignitaries, family and friends" of the president. Because nothing says "Salute to America" like saving all the best seats for the king and his courtiers. The VIP section will stretch halfway across the reflecting pool, and no one seems to know how to get tickets, although the White House confirms they will be "free."
What counts as "free" in Trump's America is anyone's guess. Bloomberg reports that Bruce Zoldan, owner of Phantom Fireworks, had been negotiating the donation of a $750,000 pyrotechnics display to the festivities, which finally came together after meeting with Trump in May to discuss Chinese tariffs. Tariffs on Chinese imports would increase the price of fireworks, which are largely produced there. But Mr. Zoldan assured WTOP that he "did not specifically discuss fireworks or address the topic of fireworks and tariffs" with the president, although he knows "there will be some media that will play this out as political."
Dumber than a Box of Hammers
The most proudly ignorant buffoon to disgrace the world stage in the last 60 years never fails to disappoint. I think some of his base like him because for the first time in their lives they have a leader to look down to.
Huffington Post: Donald Trump Stumped By Terms ‘Busing’ And Western ‘Liberalism’ At Press Conference
Trump also talked around two questions about busing from reporters in Osaka as the G-20 Summit in Japan wrapped up. He seemed to think it referred to merely the “primary method of getting people to schools.” He failed to address the issue of busing children to other districts beginning in the 1970s to desegregate American classrooms.
NBC News’ Kristen Welker asked if he believed busing was a “viable way of integrating schools.”
“Well, it has been something that they’ve done for a long period of time,” Trump vaguely responded. “I mean, you know, there aren’t that many ways you’re going to get people to schools. So this is something that’s been done ... it is certainly a primary method of getting people to schools.”
Daily Beast: Trump Confuses Western Liberalism With Los Angeles and San Francisco
President Donald Trump appeared to confuse Western liberalism with U.S. West Coast cities that are liberal-leaning at the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan on Saturday. A reporter asked Trump to comment on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s assertion during the summit that Western liberalism is “becoming obsolete.” Trump answered that Los Angeles and San Francisco are “sad to look at” because they are “run by a group of liberal people.” What Putin was referring to was the political ideology in Western countries that emphasizes democracy, market economies, and individual liberty.
Think Progress: Trump just publicly proved he couldn’t pass a middle-school civics test
President Donald Trump embarrassed the country yet again on the international stage this past week during the G20 summit. Speaking to reporters in Osaka, Japan where the summit was held, Trump displayed a complete lack of understanding when it comes to basic history and political terminology.
When asked by The New York Times about Russian president Vladimir Putin’s comments about Western liberalism being “obsolete,” Trump took that to mean literally liberals living on the west coast of the United States.
Just about everyone jumped on the grandiose idiocy demonstrated by the Orange Ignoramus on his embarrass us on the world stage tour. Here’s just a bit more of the coverage:
Wonkette: Donald Trump Throws Himself Under Joe Biden's Bus
Mother Jones: Trump’s G20 Trip Was More Bizarre and Embarrassing Than You Thought
The Atlantic: What Trump Did in Osaka Was Worse Than Lying
It Runs in the Family
Before we get to a recap of the doings of the vapid, vacant daughter of our demented derpmeister, here’s just some of the delicious pushback.
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Ivanka Trump came out strongly against busing on Monday, telling reporters, “I have never taken a bus in my life—they’re gross.”
Trump said she was reluctant to wade into the busing controversy, but asserted, “The idea of getting on a bus, where there are a lot of other people and you have no idea who they are or what they might be eating, is against everything I stand for.”
In addition to pretend princess Ivanka’s epic missteps in Japan, we had Jr, once again proving that the road apple doesn’t fall too far from the horse’s ass. He’s trying to get a birtherism merit badge from the Racist Boy Scouts (I think they used to call them the Hitler-Jugend, Bund deutscher Arbeiterjugend back when his daddy joined).
CNN: Ivanka Trump and Don Jr. put on a ludicrous show
Amid all the other craziness surrounding Donald Trump's foray onto the world stage this weekend, nothing exceeded the farcical roles assumed by his daughter Ivanka Trump — who is now, like her husband Jared Kushner, a self-styled diplomat with a heavy footprint — and her brother Donald Jr., who reprised his father's racist birtherism, this time with a retweet aimed at Sen. Kamala Harris. (Then, lacking a full measure of the old man's nerve, Jr. suddenly retreated).
Although Donald Trump Jr.'s maliciousness was shocking, it was Ivanka Trump's arrogance that was truly breathtaking. Moment by moment — from the G20 at Osaka, to a jaunt into the DMZ — she inserted herself into the middle of high-level conversations, assuming the role of equal among people with vastly greater qualifications. In a sea of serious black and grays, she stood out in colorful high fashion that seemed designed to steal the limelight.Her father's commentary about her presence —"She's going to steal the show"— betrays much truth. This is a showbiz family, treating world affairs like a performance, and in the process making the United States look ridiculous
Attorneys for Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), who has been indicted for campaign finance violations, asked the court to exclude allegations that he misused campaign funds during extramarital affairs, saying that his alleged relationships "often served an overtly political purpose."
Hunter's attorneys said in court Friday that the government was attempting to "publicly embarrass Mr. Hunter with evidence that reflects poorly on his character," and that the value of the evidence is outweighed by the risk it would unfairly prejudice the jury against him, according to a document published in full by USA Today.
I don’t know how I missed this. It’s just so perfect. Last October, on the 30th anniversary of her creation, a statue of Matilda confronting injustice was unveiled near Roald Dahl’s home. The Roald Dahl Story Company asked what people think Matilda would be doing if she was alive today and in her thirties. The overwhelming choice for a nemesis to confront was -— wait for it -— Donald tRump with 42% of the vote (doubling the count for second place finisher, Teresa May, with 21%).
I’d like to see Winnie the Pooh, Lassie, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Bilbo Baggins and the rest of the heroes from children’s literature grabbing hold of that ridiculously long red tie and giving forth with some hard truths.
The Telegraph: Statue of Matilda facing down Donald Trump unveiled near Roald Dahl's home
Athlete v tRump
The US women will be playing (or have already played if you are reading this late in the day) Great Britain today for a spot in the World Cup finals. I suspect most of the world is rooting for Rapinoe to lead the team to a Cup win and more of a platform for making tRump look like the juvenile carrion eater he is. I think Rapinoe is a hero for standing up for Colin Kapernick and against tRump’s attempt to stifle protest.
Mother Jones: Soccer Star Megan Rapinoe Is Making Trump Very Uncomfortable
On Tuesday, US women’s soccer star and team co-captain Megan Rapinoe was asked by a reporter whether she would celebrate a victory at the Oval Office should her team win the World Cup this year. Rapinoe responded: “I’m not going to the fucking White House.”
President Donald Trump unleashed a series of tweets on Wednesday chastising Rapinoe for disrespecting “our Country, the White House or our Flag” and inviting the team to the White House. “Megan should WIN first before she TALKS!” he tweeted.
Rapinoe, who is openly gay, has been vocal about her disdain for Trump in the past, according to Deadspin: In a Sports Illustrated profile last month, Rapinoe said she was “not going to fake it, hobnob with the president, who is clearly against so many of the things that I am [for] and so many of the things that I actually am.”
Some Local Good News with Global Reach
Like all of you, I get tired of reading (and writing) about the orange-tinted elephant(s) drumpfing around in our communal food trough. As a nice change-up from that, some folks just down the road a bit (and where I used to work half a lifetime ago) just made a leap in brain-computer interfaces that is going to make lives better for a lot of people in the not too far distant future.
Carnegie-Mellon University: First-ever noninvasive mind-controlled robotic arm
A team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University, in collaboration with the University of Minnesota, has made a breakthrough in the field of noninvasive robotic device control. Using a noninvasive brain-computer interface (BCI), researchers have developed the first-ever successful mind-controlled robotic arm exhibiting the ability to continuously track and follow a computer cursor.
Being able to noninvasively control robotic devices using only thoughts will have broad applications, in particular benefiting the lives of paralyzed patients and those with movement disorders.
BCIs have been shown to achieve good performance for controlling robotic devices using only the signals sensed from brain implants. When robotic devices can be controlled with high precision, they can be used to complete a variety of daily tasks. Until now, however, BCIs successful in continuously controlling robotic arms have used invasive brain implants. These implants require a substantial amount of medical and surgical expertise to correctly install and operate, not to mention cost and potential risks to subjects. As such, their use has been limited to just a few clinical cases.
Musical Interlude
As a counterpoint to the upcoming desecration of our nation’s birthday. From the inauguration festivities back in 2009, here’s Pete Seeger and a few of his friends.
And a bonus selection from Andra Day
Short Takes
Donald tRump has blown so much smoke up America’s ass that the whole country is shortly going to be consumed slathered in BBQ sauce with side dishes of beans and slaw.
tRump’s birth certificate has been leaked. It includes an apology letter from Trojan.
tRump’s biggest problem is anyone can explain things to him. No one can understand them for him.
Images in the Republican mirror (the one they practice looking sincere in front of) are dumber than they appear (and that’s really hard to accomplish).
Donnie has just been nominated for the Ignoble Piss Prize.
By one notable measure, tRump is lapping the rest of the field in the run up to the 2020 election — falsehoods per furlong.
There’s a new movie coming out about tRump. It’s title is The Saga of Little Lord Flauntyerflaws.
Required Pet Photo
We interrupt our regularly scheduled pet photo to bring you this liberating story from Kosovo.
This adorable little bear cub had never felt grass beneath his paws before he was recently rescued from a dark basement enclosure in Kosovo.
Someone had been keeping the cub as a pet, which is against the law – but after he was transported to his new home, he finally got the chance to roam free and experience the joys of nature.
The rescue was carried out by animal welfare group Four Paws International and the Kosovo authorities before he was brought to the Bear Sanctuary Prishtina. This specialized sanctuary is already home to many bears who were saved from neglectful conditions.
You’ll have to follow the link to get to the video
Quote(s) of the Day
Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men. . . . — John Adams
We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. . . . We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine and remember that we are not descended from fearful men – not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes that were, for the moment, unpopular. . . . We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home. — Edward R. Murrow
Closing Notes
Continuing good wishes to {{{{oldhippiedude}}}} and {{{{Msdude}}}}
Speedier recovery to {{{{niftywriter}}}} my every other Tuesday partner.
We’ll close today’s festivities with a selection from Jerry Garcia’s side gig with Melvin Seals (keyboards), John Kahn (bass), Jaclyn Labranch (vocals), Gloria Jones (vocals), David Kemper (drums) and special guest Bruce Hornsby (piano) covering Bob Dylan.
And because I couldn’t make up my mind and there’s no such thing as too much Jerry: Here’s another Dylan cover using the same lineup (minus Hornsby) from a couple of years later. This performance won’t be officially released until July 12th, so get ‘yer preview here.
Disclaimer: No goldfish were consulted about short term memory lapses. Also, no goldfish we consulted about short term memory lapses.