A Survival Guide to Living in an Age of Rage

"It looked as if a night of dark intent was coming, and not only a night, an age. Someone had better be prepared for rage..." - Robert Frost

It's safe to say we live in an age of rage.

Just look around you. Our anger is reflected in everything we do. Even the most common things, like driving a car, is scary because of road rage that kills hundreds of Americans every week, month, and year.

More than 1 in 4 Americans frequently witness road rage, showing that this dangerous behavior is fairly common according to a recent AAA report (2025). Another study found that 96% of people have reported witnessing road rage.

The rage keeps growing.

Rage in the air has been around for some time but lately incidents on commercial airlines have become routine for travelers in America and worldwide. The once friendly skies are not so friendly anymore. 

I just read about an unruly passenger on an American Airlines airplane. He was so violent other passengers had to restrain him while the stewardess got out duct tape and zip ties to constrain him.

Why are we seeing so many outbursts ranging from an impolite gesture (flipping the bird) at another motorist to road rage that can literally lead to death?

One explanation is given in this informative article:

Psychiatrists: Rage Comes From Accumulation.

Another explanation for uncontrolled anger comes from the pits of politics so extreme there's a battle every day to cling to our freedoms. 

Trump's raging rhetoric keeps fanning the flames of anger into something so ugly any sense of humanity has been squeezed out of most Americans by now.

It's up to us to not let rage rob our senses and make us do something we'll later regret. We can't do anything about the next person, but we do have the option of keeping our own cool.

With that in mind here's an Age of Rage Survival Guide link:

Controlling Anger before it Controls You

As it Stands, I hope the above article helps you understand why there's so much anger in our world.

Fear and Loathing Over Republican's Upcoming 'Trumpapalooza'

It's not enough to just say you're a Trump supporter; you have to put your money on the line to belong in the cult these days.

Republican lawmakers are being asked to contribute hefty sums - reportedly between $25,000 and $100,000 to Trump's slush fund aka House Republican campaign committee for a brand new Trumpian event dubbed a Midterm Convention.

Many Republicans and other critics are calling the event a Trumpapalooza because they know it's just going to be another Trump circus grift designed to build up his already $400 million dollar war chest that he's using sparingly to support select MAGA leaders.

An increasing number of Republicans - particularly those facing tight reelections in competitive swing districts - are loath to attend or are actually skipping the event with a host of interesting excuses.

Who can blame them? The minority that still have some brain cells don't want to be seen anywhere with Trump and his tanking approval ratings. They realize that Democrats are going to use the Trumpapalooza as easy ammunition for attack ads. 

With Trump's historically low polls it'll be like shooting fish in a barrel. One of their biggest fears is being broadcast next to a demented president who doesn't recognize reality.

State party leaders are furious about pulling candidates off the campaign trail for two days right after Labor Day (Sept. 9th -10th). 

There is also widespread bewilderment that Trump's inner circle scheduled the convention's primetime slots directly against the opening nights of the NFL season. It certainly increases the chance of getting their asses kicked on television.

It's no surprise then that many GOP officials and major donors are declining to show up. Organizers have been forced to open up seating to everyday local supporters to ensure the American Airlines Center doesn't look empty on television. I wonder what those Republicans that had to pay think about that?

The biggest fear that moderate and battleground Republicans have is the event will ultimately function as a massive, self-serving Trump rally that does more to fire up the base than win over the moderate independents needed to secure victory in November.

As it Stands, the event should be amusing as Trump touts all of his imagined policy wins in the face of facts that show the economy is struggling and that we're stuck in a forever war with Iran.

Data Centers Are Coming to Your Neighborhood - Whether You Like it or Not

Like other typical Americans I hardly ever thought about data centers until recently.

They didn't even crack my Top 10 Most Thought About Subjects.

Now I'm looking out my back door wondering if a data center is suddenly going to spring up like a maleficent new neighbor that sucks up tons of water and electricity in my city.

Don't get me wrong. I know that the modern internet simply can't exist without data centers. They are often called the "physical infrastructure of the internet."  But I don't want one nearby.

I live in Oregon which just happens to be one of the ten states with the highest number of active and planned data centers (142) according to a Pew analysis of information compiled by Data Center Map.

My concerns are two-fold; data centers use up a ton of electricity and need a lot of water (which is an issue in our current drought status state) to keep all of those servers from overheating. 

Also, there's the noise factor. Residents near data centers describe being near one is like having a "freight train" constantly running past their homes. Researchers have found that large data centers can have a "heat island" effect that makes the surrounding area noticeably hotter.

The reason that the need for data centers is expanding rapidly is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Big tech companies are talking up the benefits of large data centers which can consume more energy than entire major cities.

In Virginia, for example, data centers consumed 40% of the state's electricity in 2024, according to a Bloomberg analysis.

Most data centers have been built in rural areas thus far, but the growing need for them with the advent of AI has companies buying up property in metropolitan areas. That's when you'll read about protests from residents who don't want data centers in their back yard. People like me. But do you blame us?

Polls show most Americans say they expect AI to have a negative impact on society when you take into account how it will affect the labor market, education, environment and our personal relationships. 

Some politicians argue AI will create new jobs. That's just bullshit. It's going to be just the opposite; people are losing their jobs to AI already today.

As it Stands, at a very basic level, we need data centers. The questions are how many we need, where they should go and who should bear the costs for them.

How Petty is Trump? Here's the Latest Example

Because a mean old federal judge won't let Trump put his name on the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, he's throwing one of his signature tantrums.

This new tantrum comes on the heels of renaming Lake Ontario, Lake America, because he's mad that Canada wouldn't go along with his unreasonable trade proposals. Canada and the rest of the world have been mocking Trump's petulant behavior recently.

Now Trump has added more fuel to the fire by displaying his pettiness in retaliation to the judge's orders to keep his name off of the Kennedy Center. 

He had an outdoor sculpture called "Blue" removed from the grounds of the Kennedy Center today just because he had to lash out at something.

It's what spoiled toddlers do. In this case a demented man-child with an ego so big it's a miracle he can get his head through doorways is expressing his anger.

The sculpture was created by acclaimed American sculpture Joel Shapiro and was installed in 2019 to inaugurate the Center's Reach annex. The artist passed away last year.

Because the removal coincided with Trump's larger battle over the Kennedy Center I don't think anyone was surprised at this petty act.

Our first felon considers the center HIS and made that clear after he got re-elected by firing the Center's Board of Directors and appointing a new MAGAfied board prepared to please him in any way he desired.

Trump has been warning that he may just tear the whole center down and build an outdoor auditorium if he doesn't get his way with the re-naming. Many of Trump's most famous displays of pettiness involve minor blows to his fragile ego or physical presentation.

Who can forget when Trump ordered his press secretary to falsely claim he had the largest inauguration crowd in history when he first came into office in 2017 when it was false? That was America's introduction to the malicious narcissist man-child who would go on to set new lows for the office of the presidency.

As it Stands, Trump's obsession with image, flattery, and numbers, is going to be how history will document his disastrous presidency.

How Are News Networks Handling Trump's Lies During Live Coverage?

While Trump will never get a Noble Peace Prize (unless someone gives him their prize which has already happened) I think he deserves some international recognition for being the biggest liar in the world.

I'm going to submit his name to the Guiness Book of World Records committee with tons of evidence to prove no one lies like our first felon.

Meanwhile let's take a look at how American media outlets are dealing with our demented dictator:

For the record MSNBC changed its name to MS NOW in mid-August. The network's strategy to minimize Trump's live on-air lies are commendable. 

When it comes to handling broadcasts of uninterrupted presidential speeches, they don't allow the feed to run unfiltered. They monitor Trump's addresses by adding real-time fact checking and editorial context before or after showing segments.

Despite pulling back on uninterrupted primetime broadcasts, MS NOW still actively sends correspondents to cover Oval Office press availabilities.

What do the other networks do to try and minimize Trump's live lies? I'm glad you asked.

ABC News and NBC News have opted to completely protect their main broadcast channels from unfiltered, live remarks. 

The strategy involves bypassing traditional TV entirely, refusing to interrupt regularly scheduled primetime entertainment. Instead, they redirect live coverage exclusively to their free digital streaming platforms.

CNN treats Trump's speeches as news material to be gathered and verified rather than a live event for public consumption. 

Their editorial board monitors the live feed internally. The delay gives journalists and legal experts time to actively review newly presented documents, check facts, and consult experts before airing clips with heavily curated context later in the broadcast.

CBS News has carved out a middle ground that involves taking the live feed but tightly controlling the presentation. 

The network will preempt regular television to run a live special report. However, the anchor introduces the feed by warning viewers about the potential for unverified claims.

Fox News takes Trump speeches directly into their highest-rated primetime blocks, such as Sean Hannity's hour, without live interruptions, mid-speech fact checks, or early cutaways. In other words, they invite their dear leader to lie his ass off whenever he feels like it to an eagerly awaiting MAGA mob.

As it Stands, every network - including Fox - is subject to Trump's wrath if he doesn't like what's being reported. The truth is fake news in Donny's one-page book on dealing with the press.

Trump's 'Likely Unlawful' Controversial Ballroom Construction Continues

                   What's going on?

Is this a bad dream?

The Supreme Court has become a criminal organization that allows Trump to trample on existing laws and the Constitution without recourse.

In a 5-4 decision the hard right wing of the court is allowing Trump's ballroom construction to continue. Chief Justice Roberts joined the liberal wing in dissenting while making this statement, "That construction is likely unlawful."

If that's the case, why is Trump getting away with his vanity project? By now it's apparent to most Americans - the hard right wing of the court has turned Trump loose to do whatever his black heart desires. As a malicious narcissist making over Washington DC into his personal vanity legacy Trump is living out his wet dreams.

If the construction continues unimpeded it's slated to be complete in August 2028, according to court documents. Come November - which just happens to be the midterms the framework of the building is expected to be finished. 

Supposedly the whole project is being privately funded according to Trump. We already know that's bullshit. Trump's minions have been plucking money out of various agencies (funded by taxpayers) to meet the rising costs.

The last laughable guess that it will take $400 million to complete the ballroom is already being challenged as insiders suggest it'll end up being $600 to $800 million. Possibly a billion dollars.

The lawsuit to stop construction will return to the lower courts, but documents say that key portions of the project could be complete within months - a quick timeline compared with a typical legal case.

The ballroom never had the mandatory congressional approval (hence Robert's remark) but the Trump regime has plowed forward ignoring court decisions to halt until fully adjudicated.

The irony is Trump won't be in office upon completion of his pet project. I suspect a Democrat will be elected president in 2028. I also think that Congress will be in Democratic hands. Based upon those assumptions the new president may declare the ballroom The Stephen Colbert Media Arts Center.

If Trump is even alive then, the first Master of Ceremonies, Jimmy Kimmell, would probably invite him along with Biden and Obama. The three could sit together in the front row.

As it Stands, even if Trump slaps his name on the front of the ballroom, I doubt it will stay there in a Democratic administration.

Robot Dogs Called Spot Coming Soon - Next Up: RoboCops in Every City?

In 1987 America was introduced to RoboCop.

ED-209 was a law enforcement robot designed to supplant human police. 

But the first ED-209 malfunctioned and brutally killed a volunteer. Meanwhile in an attempt to upgrade the newly minted ED-209 authorities converted a police officer who was killed in the line of duty into a cyborg with no memory of his former life in the year 2028, in this science fiction masterpiece.

It's now 2026 in the real world and robots are being introduced into the American police force. More specifically the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) which is planning on purchasing up to $2 million worth of dog-like robots for use in immigration enforcement and deportation operations.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claims that the RoboDogs are not being acquired to actively chase or make physical arrests. Real quick. When was the last time DHS told the truth about anything?

The RoboDogs are quadruple robots - specifically the ironically named Spot model manufactured by Boston Dynamics. 

See Spot run. Spot can run you down and watch you run with 360-degree cameras and sensors.

You aren't going to get away from Spot who can navigate complex terrains, open doors, and relay live data back to operators.

I'm particularly concerned that the corrupt Trump regime will ignore the manufacturer's restrictions. Boston Dynamics released an ethics statement reiterating that their terms of sale strictly prohibit the weaponization of their robots or use as autonomous targeting systems.

Does anyone really think Trump and his minions are going to play nice with this new technology and not weaponize it? 

There's substantial criticism from civil liberties groups and civil rights advocates who voice concerns about removing the human element of law enforcement and the potential normalization of robot policing. Imagine Spot crouching like Stephen King's Cujo in every neighborhood.

Let's not forget this $2 million proposal follows a heavily contested $20 million contract earlier this month for ICE to purchase shock gloves. 

It's just a matter of time now before ICE introduces humanoid robots to hunt down immigrants and anyone the regime doesn't approve of. 

China is leaps and bounds ahead of the world in humanoid development. Their robots can outrun the fastest man on the planet and are easily adapted into killing machines.

If you think the Trump regime isn't working on similar humanoids to control the public, then you're kidding yourself. There's nothing Trump wouldn't do to stay in office as long as his deteriorating body holds out.

As it Stands, let's just hope Trump supporters don't manage to turn him into a cyborg RoboCop from hell when he kicks the bucket!

Things that the Trump Regime Doesn't Want You to Know

I'll start with the obvious.

The Trump regime doesn't want you to know that dear leader is as crazy as a Madhatter in a fairy tale. 

The lengths that MAGA goes to conceal his dementia just can't override reality, however. 

You probably haven't heard that the Trump regime has sparked a full-blown "financial crisis" within the U.S. Navy after pillaging coffers earmarked for service member payrolls. This news comes from the Guardian who interviewed U.S. Navy officials and reviewed new documents.

The legacy media sure hasn't gone out of its way to hold the regime accountable for the vastly unpopular Trump/Epstein war against Iran, a conflict that has drained the United States' supply of munitions stockpiles.

Pentagon Pete Hegseth has suppressed any news about the war that isn't positive. He's both a bully and a drunken liar who doesn't want you to know what's really going on with our military.

By now most Americans suspect that the war is a real shit show. A Pentagon memo reviewed by the Guardian warns of "shortfalls in payroll" accounts for U.S. service members due to Pentagon "raiding." Interesting. Not a peep from the American press about that.

Then there's unstable alliance fractures that are being shoved under the rug. Behind the regimes "America First" rhetoric lies unprecedented diplomatic fallout. Our allies no longer trust us despite Trump's lies about how popular he is worldwide. 

Unless you've been doing a lot of research you may not be aware of how the Trump regime is systematically rewriting American history by altering school curricula, censoring historical museum exhibits, and changing the names of national public lands to strip out nonwhite historical contributions.

The Trump regime is aggressively pushing book bans and dismantling our public education system to suppress an informed populace.

We must not forget about Trump's efforts to suppress the Epstein files that may incriminate him. He's used every trick in the book to hide his guilt, but the issue still pursues him like a bloodhound on the trail to truth.

It's a given that the regime is locked in a bad marriage but Trump sycophants continue to cover facts like he hates most Americans unless they're wealthy and friendly to him.

It's been difficult for Trump lackeys to maintain that he loves our military when in fact he believes service members are "chumps," to be used in illegal wars and possibly in restraining American citizens from protesting his regime.

In less than two years Trump has made the presidency into a money-making gig that surpasses any of his prior grifts history. 

His spineless cabinet has sought to minimize public awareness of the luxury new Air Force One aircraft-gifted by Qatar but heavily modified using taxpayer money. 

Then it turned out the aircraft didn't have a proper defense system and now Trump can't use it until more modifications are made, which is unlikely to happen with just two years left in his term.

Trump hates and disrespects women, but the regime denies that in spite of all the evidence. Trump is a racist, but the regime claims he's not despite his history of racial slurs.

As it Stands, until Trump is out of office Americans won't know the full extent of Trump's corruption and the extent of the damage he's inflicted on our Democracy.

Trump's 'Throne of Illusions' is in Jeopardy

I try to avoid making broad statements, but I feel compelled to make one today; everyone on the planet knows Trump is a liar and living like a king in his fantasy kingdom.

I recently read a book - The Autumn of the Patriarch - by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, that talks about an unnamed dictator, an illiterate who rises to power and brutally takes control of a country. The eerie resemblance to Trump is captivating.

The "autumn" in the title refers to the corrupt patriarch's physical and mental decay, his growing paranoia, his psychological isolation, and his inability to form genuine human connections.

In the book the dictator surrounds himself with sycophants, creating a false reality, complete with fake news and newspapers, including a single copy of the national newspaper with the news rewritten to please him. In this way he can maintain his throne of illusions.

Sound familiar?

Here we are with a sundowning president (who would be king) with emerging mental decline who requires a "diaper nurse" who follows him around everywhere and is available 24 hours a day. 

Was Marquez a prophet? When you look at Trump's cabinet and staff, they're all simpering sycophants. Fake news is one of Trump's foundational attacks against any media he doesn't like. His short daily briefings are akin to a toddler's show-and-tell time with photos and videos they know will please him.

The patriarch/dictator in the book and Trump have many things in common, including the need to maintain a throne of illusions to stay in power. When those collapse the consequences are disastrous for everyone involved.

At this point in Trump's scandalous second term, it's apparent he's even crazier than ever before... and crueler. He doesn't give a damn about his own party which is struggling to maintain a majority in the upcoming midterms.

To be perfectly clear, Trump doesn't care about his supporters or the rest of the country. He's a dangerous lame duck trying to make a legacy for himself with vanity projects paid for by American taxpayers.

As it Stands, when (you'll notice I didn't say if) the Democrats take Congress back this November Trump's throne is in jeopardy.

During These Hard Times it's Nice to Know Trump Has Won 2 Golf Tournaments at His Properties

Kim Jong II was a North Korean dictator who supposedly shot an impossible 38 under par (a total score of 34) the first time he ever played golf. 

Kim Jong II was the father of the current dictator Kim Jong Un. 

While he hasn't bragged about his golf game, Kim Jong Un does get along well with Trump who adores him. They seem to have a mysterious bond. 

The old North Korean dictator reportedly did a lot of amazing things but today we're going to take a look at the president of the United States awesome golf record.

At 80 Trump recently won two golf tournaments at two of his many courses. He participated in the annual "caddies' day" tournament during the Aug. 21 weekend at Trump National Westchester in Briarcliff Manor, New York. He followed that victory up with another at his club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

In both games he received a trophy for winning the "super senior" and "senior" division" after supposedly shooting a 70 (par is 72 at the club's two courses.)

Now it's time to point out that Trump has a widespread and well-documented reputation for cheating at golf. Sportswriter Rick Reilly even chronicled Trump's cheating in his New York Times bestselling book, Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump.

Isn't it encouraging that Trump has the time to cheat at his favorite game while there's a never-ending war in Iran? While the economy is staggering from high costs caused by his terrible tariffs and his stupid war, you have to give our first felon a break. 

After all his body and brain are rapidly deteriorating and it's inspiring watching him waddle from his golf cart to the tiny ball awaiting him at each hole.

I'll bet that Republicans hoping to get re-elected, or elected, in the midterms are just thrilled by Trump's power at the links. I suspect they'd rather he played golf than accompany them on their campaign tours.

As it Stands, the phrase "playing the fiddle while Rome burns" is a metaphor created by later historians. I've just updated it to "playing golf while America burns." 

Is the Kennedy Center Facing a 'Death Spiral'?

Our petty president is once again proving he's a terrible toddler and is threatening to demolish the "Decrepit" Kennedy Center.

Why? Because a judge has ordered that he take his name off the front of the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts because he illegally put it up there in the first place. Trump defied the order and tried another sneaky tactic to keep his name on the marble wall. That also failed.

Just two years ago the Kennedy Center was thriving and then a freight train called Trump changed all of that when he slunk back into the White House. His push to renovate the facility with additions intended to glorify him personally has spurred a legal battle that goes back to February of 2025.

It was a hostile take-over in every sense of the word. Trump fired all of the board members appointed by former president Joe Biden, fired the center's president (Deborah Rutter) and board chair (David Rubenstein) and installed himself as the new board chairman.

Trump's new hand-picked board later voted to add his name to the building in December 2025, but a federal court ruled the move illegal on May 26, 2026, and ordered his name removed. That triggered the ongoing legal and administrative battle over the venue to this day.

Meanwhile the venue's decline began as the finances deteriorated after the name change. The public hated the change. Many considered it blasphemous that Trump would try to take over a memorial for a popular president who was assassinated. Attendance quickly and dramatically decreased and the artists who performed there left rather than be associated with Trump.

Now for the first time, a desperate Trump is threatening to demolish the iconic Kennedy Center if he isn't allowed to follow his plans for the site, including adding his name to the front of the building.

Trump's corrupt lawyers claim that without those efforts, the Center will deteriorate into an unsafe, decrepit structure. 

It's interesting to note that before Trump got his dirty little mitts on the Center it was doing fine. It was actually making money from donors and public attendance. Those donors (and attendance) dried up when Trump seized the building. 

Ironically the board members claim that without prominent recognition of Trump and his efforts, donors will not contribute, and the Center will continue to be in a financial and structural death spiral. 

What began as a living memorial to a slain president is now facing extinction because Trump is petty little bitch. There's a hearing planned in DC on Thursday (Aug.27) to address this latest assault on what Trump calls a "Woke" institution.

As it Stands, Americans are learning firsthand what a malicious narcissist means.