Story Time: Interview with a Demon

Here's a short story that popped up on my way back files that was popular with readers a couple of years ago.

Just because...

Somewhere between heaven and hell, demons live among us. You can’t tell they’re demons. They don’t wear signs proclaiming, “I’m a demon,” or have horns on their heads for all to see.

You could be sitting next to one right now. In a theatre. On the subway. On a plane. You’d never guess by their appearance. You might even have a friend who's a demon. They play their cards close to the chest and do their best not to stand out in any setting. They may be in positions of power. Or Hollywood celebrities. They can be found in gangs, and in prisons.

Teddy Stackhouse Jr. was only 24-years old when he went to prison. He ran over a mother and daughter in a crosswalk while going 100 mph in a street race. It wasn’t his first speeding ticket. He had been driving on a suspended license when he snuffed out the lives of Lily and Julie Satarson. He also had numerous run-ins with the law (dating back to when he was 13 years-old), but always got bailed out by his wealthy parents. But the two deaths finally became the straw that broke the camel’s back. He was sentenced to 30 years in a state prison.

I think Teddy’s parents knew he was a demon. I also think they were relieved when he was sent to prison. When I came by to interview them for the local newspaper, they both seemed unperturbed by the fact their only child was going to spend most of his adult life behind bars. They almost seemed jovial as they answered my questions. Before I left, they gave me a recent photo of Teddy to add to the article. It was all a bit odd, and my instincts told me there was a lot more to the story than a spoiled rich kid who really screwed up so badly even his permissive parents couldn’t save him. As I got into my car, I wondered why Teddy’s story was clinging to my brain. I studied his photo. He was a handsome guy. Dark curly hair and big blue doe-like eyes with thick lashes that must have driven more than one female to lust for him. He had an aristocratic nose that narrowed into tiny nostrils. He was tall and slender with the hands of a pianist. No doubt about it. He was a handsome devil I conceded and was probably going to end up a plaything among the brutes he was going to live with for the next 30 years.

Candace Willis sat in the rear of the courtroom. She had come to see Teddy Stackhouse Jr. after seeing his photo in the newspaper. She fell instantly in love with his eyes and hair. She watched his every move and when she didn’t think anyone was looking at her, she took photos with her cell phone. After the hearing was over, she went to the park across the street from the courthouse and sat down on a bench. Soon she was posting Teddy on her TikTok account, her Twitter account, and her Facebook page. She had to share how handsome he was and made comments like, “He’s just too cute to lock up, and “They should give him another chance.” It didn’t take long until all three of her social media platforms were buzzing about Teddy. The buzz went on all day. And the next. It never stopped. Candance was amazed as she gained millions of new followers as the days turned to weeks. The fascination over Teddy’s good looks and story seemed endless.

It wasn’t long before hashtags like #FreeTeddy sprung up in the Twitterverse. People even starting fundraising so that Teddy could get another trial. Right-wing podcasters and cable stations called for Teddy to be set free. That he’d been unfairly treated by libtards in the court system.

I picked up Teddy’s story again about a year after he was sent up to the big house. My cousin Dennis was a guard at the prison where he lived. The first thing he told me was a shock. None of the prisoners messed with Teddy. I was sure he’d be fresh meat for the animals that awaited him. Not so. Even Dennis couldn’t explain why. Even more odd, the other prisoners feared him. The guards were stunned by all the letters Teddy got every day. All from women. From California to Florida. The stacks built up in his cell until there was no longer room for them and they were transferred to a secure locker in the complex.

Dennis arranged the interview. I was, after all, the hometown reporter who wrote about Teddy’s capture and court hearing. It didn’t take long. I only had three days to study my notes before we’d meet. In my research I came across Candace Willis’s Twitter account purely by accident. At least I thought that at the time. Discovering Teddy Stackhouse Jr. was a social media star was a revelation – a window – into the mysterious power he wielded over women. Looks are one thing, but after reading what women posted on Teddy’s accounts (to no one’s surprise his parents had arranged for him to use a computer one hour a day under the watchful eye of a guard) it was obvious he’d become a cult leader.

Women worshiped him. Pledged their lives to him. Yearned for his guidance. Offered their bodies if he should ever be set free. He was an online celebrity when I interviewed him.

We sat on plastic benches separated by a clear plastic table. He wasn’t handcuffed and looked relaxed. It was a tiny room surrounded by windows.

“I looked forward to hearing from you Jake the moment Dennis brought it up,” Teddy told me with a broad smile.

It slightly unnerved me the way his pale blue eyes studied me like a specimen to be dissected. I tried not to let it show.

“I’m doing a one-year follow up story on your case and was hoping you’d share how your life’s been and if you still have no regrets about killing Lily and Julie Satarson with your reckless driving. “

It was a leading question designed to throw him off balance with rudeness instead of fawning respect. I saw a brief twinkle in his eyes (Amusement? Anger?) as he yawned loudly, exaggerating the sound.

“Listen to me Jake. Why would I have any regrets killing them? They were my awakening. To be clear, the clown who use to live inside this body was cast out when I took over the car that night. You can call me a demon if you must. My name is Xerse and I came straight from hell to land this gig. I haven’t had this much fun in 2,000 years. There’s nothing quite like messing with human’s minds and their bodies.”

His response momentarily left me speechless with a sliver of drool on one side of my mouth. The guy was crazy. Why wasn’t he in a mental institution for the criminally insane? My brain was spinning as I sought a reply to his claim.

“Don’t get too excited Jake boy. You’ll burst an artery and have a brain bleed. The answer to your question is there’s been no reason to put me away in a nut house. I haven’t caused a stir here. As a matter of fact, things have been pretty peaceful. And yes, I can read your mind.”

So, if you’re a demon why stay in prison?” I blurted out

“It’s all part of the masterplan. Don’t worry your bald little head about it. Today is your lucky day Jake. I think you have a sense of adventure that may be useful to me. My prison time is ending in six months after all my followers successfully sue to free me. Take my word. It’s a given. Are you okay? Your drooling from both sides of your mouth.“

I managed an idiotic smile and nodded that I was just fine.

“You, Jake my friend, are going to be my road manager. We’re going to tour the country together. Lots of curses and spells. Wild men and women. And lots of souls to harvest.”

THE END

A QAnon Movie: The Crazies Go Hollywood

          They never really went away.

The QAnon community has been mostly staying in their caves and only coming out for Trump rallies.

Many of the QAnon nuts have been arrested for their participation in the Jan. 6 coup attempt on the Capitol causing them to back out of the media limelight the last two years.

That's changed.

As much as QAnon supporters hate Hollywood they have no problem supporting it through ticket sales from their newly released movie which is a thinly veiled QAnon inspired production.

The film is titled, Sound of Freedom, and it's about the fight against child sex trafficking, primarily in the Western Hemisphere. Anyone familiar with QAnon knows this has been one of their core conspiracies since Day One.

The actor who stars in it, Jim Caviezel, has been defending the film since critics linked it to the baseless accusations brought by QAnon since the hate group's early days. He's been telling people it has nothing to do with QAnon but there's a big hole in that argument... 

QAnon expert Mike Rothschild told Newsweek that Caviezel's statements during an interview on a Charlie Kirk podcast are 100% of what followers of the conspiracy would say.

During the podcast Caviezel said adrenochrome - a chemical compound produced by the oxidation of adrenaline - was actually produced by torturing children.

The baseless adrenochrome theory shared among conspiracists, including QAnon followers, states the substance is used by elites to extend their lives.

To further expose Caviezel attempted coverup of the connections between the movie and QAnon, reporters saw him attend a 2021 convention hosted by QAnon followers of the online movement in Las Vegas. He gave a 20-minute speech that mentioned child sex trafficking.

You want to know something scary?

The film opened to positive numbers, beating Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny at the box office when it was released on the Fourth of July.

To be exact more than 250,000 people in America watched the movie on opening weekend. I have no idea how ticket sales are going now, but just the thought worries me. A conspiracy theory-based movie slipping into the mainstream under the guise.

As it stands, according to Rolling Stone the Sound of Freedom is a "superhero movie for dads with brainworms: The QAnon-tinged thriller."

New Americana: How to Handle Daily Chaos Almanac

The Old Farmer's Almanac is quietly being kicked under the bus in the 21st century and has been replaced with a new almanac "How to Handle Daily Chaos," a monthly guide to surviving in America. Author Unknown.

Highlights include:

- What month has the most murders, assaults, and gang activity?

- What month do Americans go crazy and run up their credit cards?

- What month are wildfires mostly likely to happen?

- What month is notorious for Americans breaking their pledges and promises?

Some advice

- Filter news about Trump. If you want to reduce chaos in your life don't listen to the lies and misinformation that spews daily from his flabby lips. Stay away from rightwing media because their broadcasting from an alternate universe.

- Filter your exposure to news/talking heads in the mainstream media. Stick to local news or ABC, NBC, or CBS nightly news.

- Filter second-hand stories by vetting them by going to websites like SNOPES or some other trusted source.

Listings

- Where's the safest place for families to visit while on vacation?

- What states have the most guns?

- What states have had the most mass shootings?

- What states allow abortions?

- What states have banned books in libraries and schools?

- What states are safest for LGBTQ communities?

General advice

- Don't waste your time hating people unless you want to walk around with a dark cloud above your head all day.

- Tell someone you love them. Better yet, tell multiple people that you love them every day.

- There comes a time when we all need help. When that occurs take good advice and avoid quacks who suggest putting a light up your bum!

So, there you have it, a sampling of 21st century Americana. 

As it stands, if you'd like to see certain categories let me know and I'll share it with the author... if I can find him or her.

Meteorologist Warns 'Earth is Screaming at Us Right Now and People Need to Listen'

I get it. 

The weather is becoming more severe every year.

It's not normal. 

The climate crisis is real.

Unfortunately, politicians and wealthy business owners don't care. It's about profit. Addressing the biggest threat facing the world's population is not on their agendas.

I'm thinking about my eldest son who lives in Vermont with his girlfriend right now. The state is facing a once in a thousand-year downpour flooding roads, homes, and businesses along with other states like New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, and Virginia.

I called and talked with him this morning and he said he's doing okay as his house is on high ground. Fingers crossed.

Anyone following the extreme heat blanketing the Southwest knows that record breaking temperatures have stretched into a full week with little respite predicted for the days ahead.

Phoenix, Arizonia is supposed to be hot in the summer. But the city has never seen the soaring temperatures that are threatening lives like now.

It's been a continuous hell for residents. A new continuous heat record saw 110 degrees for 10 consecutive days and is on the verge of setting a new record high in the state.

To no avail scientists have been trying to combat the crisis which is in unchartered waters and putting us in a whole new climate zone. Obviously, that plays out in a lot of different ways that dramatically affects human health.

Air pollution smothers cities across the globe. Climate records are shattered by the rapid advance of the earth's demise. 

The sad fact is we're not going to be able to turn the clock back even if we wanted. Yes, there's some things that can be addressed to stave off our eventual doom and take some pressure off.

As it stands, the earth is screaming at us but getting help is unlikely despite the consequences. 

Talk About a Dog and Pony Show: Animals Releasing Other Animals

They weren't exactly great escapes, but they were certainly unusual.

This post is about a dog who opened a gate and let a rare white wallaby loose,

and...

a pony who freed a rare white peacock.

The first case

There's a drone looking for an escaped marsupial named Roo in Blanchard, Oklahoma. 

Police say Roo managed to get a dog (whose name has not been released pending charges) to assist in his release from a petting zoo near a church.

According to police reports the dog lifted the latch on the chain link fence. Roo quicky disappeared in some nearby thick woods stymying pursuit.

Meanwhile the drone hovers overhead as Roo becomes more accustomed to his new digs.

The second case

This story is being referred to as the "curious horse" escapade in a small Quebec town in Canada.

"Sparkles" the pony apparently used the same method the dog did in the first story... unlocking a stall door with her nose and releasing two peacocks.

The farm owner was able to catch one of the birds but the other one was a rare white peacock who "flew the coop" as it were. The farmer's hopeful his errant white peacock will return some day. 

Meanwhile all charges have been dropped against Sparkles because she's a minor. 

As it stands, hopefully you enjoyed these animal tales as much as I do sharing them.

Maybe Having Political 'Cage Fights' is the Answer

There's MMA cage fights.

There's WWE cage fights.

Both are entertaining.

Seeing two billionaires fight in a cage match could be entertaining - ala Elon Musk vs Mark Zuckerberg. 

The two social media CEOs are really just trying to drum up business for their sites with a pathetic attempt at being tough guys.

Musk is known for his shit-talking on Twitter. He does however have some jiu jitsu training (probably kicking a dummy or one of his employees around) and Zukerberg has no problem talking smack.

It's just too bad they didn't follow through and really clobber one another. Everyone (but their avid supporters) knew it was a lot of hot air from two loons looking for attention.

Better yet.

Let's have political cage wrestling events between politicians.

I was kind of excited when Sen. Markwayne Mullin challenged Sean O'Brian, the general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, to a cage fight recently. Loved the concept, but of course neither went near a cage.

Here's the cage matches I want to see:

Heavyweight category

Trump vs Chris Christie. While Trump has some world wrestling experience (fake of course) Christie is showing spunk and talking some trash to the former president and most corrupt man in US history. 

Light Heavyweight category

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The two adversaries represent the opposite ends of our culture wars. It should be entertaining for a few minutes or until Newsom gives DeSantis a bloody nose upon which time DeSantis will stop fighting and start crying.

Middleweight category

Hakeem Jeffries, the democratic minority leader in the House vs Kevin (The Rabbit) McCarthy, the House Speaker. Jeffries is expected to run down his fleeing opponent and pin him to the ground.

And.

House GOP member Lauren Boebert, vs House member Marjorie Taylor Greene. This cage match will be a barn burner for sure! It's the only female fight on the card, and the rivals are from the same party. It'll be billed as "Two Bad-Assed Bitches."

Lightweight category

House GOP member Andy Biggs vs Democrat Ted Lieu. Odds makers are betting Biggs runs out of gas after flapping his gums constantly and Lieu gets plenty of straight shots at his mug.

As it stands, as you can see the possibilities are endless. Maybe we could get something done since MAGA cult minions won't compromise. 

When You're Not Crazy Enough: MTG's Ouster is Alarming

When the House Freedom Caucus kicked Marjorie Taylor Greene out of their group I was surprised.

Then concerned.

What did that mean? She wasn't crazy enough to swim in their swamp. 

Apparently, her Jewish Space Lasers story has been trumped by even crazier stories and stances by her fellow crazy caucus members.

Plus, they don't like her. She's actually embarrassed the loonies one too many times. That isn't an easy thing to do with their shameless membership. 

I'm sure it didn't endear her to the members she was verbally attacking (I'm thinking about Lauren Boebert recently).

Despite being one of Trump's biggest supporters she was unceremoniously booted from the most extreme group in Congress.

Now what is she going to do in order to get attention? As a lone wolf Greene is going to have to come up with more spectacular and dramatic conspiracies if she wants back in the fold someday.

Meanwhile she has to depend on her feral instincts and repugnant personality to woo extremists while building her creds as a stupid woman with a cause.

I expect to see some fireworks in the House between her and the crazy caucus in the weeks ahead.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall... who will be the craziest of them all?"

As it stands, I guess we'll find out soon enough.

It's Called the Summertime Blues

"Yeah, sometimes I wonder what I'm going do

'Cause there ain't no cure for the summertime blues

No, there ain't no cure for the summertime blues"

- Alan Jackson

Summer is not everyone's favorite time of the year. This may come as a shock to some, because summer is so closely associated with vacations and holidays.

My feelings about summer have morphed from absolute delight (getting out of school being the main reason), to now where I don't have too much fun in the sun. 

My shriveled skin at 73 years-old burns like parchment paper if I'm outside for more than a few minutes. 

During my middle age it was all about taking our three sons to outside excursions during the summer. We even went to Death Valley one year. Talk about hot. My wife and I were always well-tanned from the sun's rays back in those days.

Summers are hotter than ever thanks to climate change. July 3rd was the hottest day ever recorded for the whole planet according to weather gurus.

That alone gives me the summertime blues.

Shirley and I make sure to go in our pool (for a few minutes) every day. It's one way of chasing the blues away.

As a deadly heat wave continues to ravage the country, new evidence suggests the human body may stop functioning optimally when outside temperatures climb to 104 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. 

States like Texas have had temps over 119 degrees recently. A man died from hiking in the heat in Death Valley, California when it reached 122 degrees.

That's enough to give anybody the summertime blues.

As it stands, stay as cool as possible in this extreme heat, especially if you're an old coot like me!

Fire Starters Rhetoric Heats Up During This Summer of Our Discontent

When the summer reaches its zenith bad tempers are quickly ignited. 

I've watched this phenomenon over the decades with growing concern.

I clearly recall the Watts riots back in 1965 when protestors tore apart the Watts neighborhood and its surrounding areas of Los Angeles in civil unrest.  When the fires were put out and the rioting ceased after six days 34 people were dead.

That was a big deal back then. So many died in six days that Americans were shocked.

In today's world of daily mass murders, 34 deaths in six days barely registers against a weekend in major cities that routinely have a slaughter count above that.

So, what does all this have to do with heated rhetoric?

In one word, MAGA.

The lies and baseless accusations that are now dividing and angering people are so prevalent that fire starters in the MAGA GOP have become a direct threat to the country's national security.

It's a fact these hot summer days are often accompanied by bad tempers and outbursts of violence. We all get that.

But the violent rhetoric this summer is increasing daily as MAGA minions go all out defending Trump from the numerous felonies he's already been charged with and the ones that are coming soon.

Talk of another civil war is a common threat among MAGA minions hugging their AR-15s. They're actively defaming President Biden and his son Hunter with outright lies, hoping that someone will get mad enough to take a shot at one or both of them. Sound extreme? It is, but that's where these cult members are going.

As it stands, as Dale Carnegie once said, "Pay less attention to what men say. Just watch what they do."

Longing for the Day That No One Talks About Trump

I know it's just a dream.

But how nice it would be not to hear about traitor Trump for a day.

Imagine the airways free of his mind-numbing corruption and calls to violence. No public threats to the government and people who just want peace.

Some civility would return without Trump's toxic input in social media for a day. Conspiracies would take a major blow without Don the Grifter pushing a constant flood of lies.

The communities that Trump is busy attacking will get a rest from his fascist rhetoric. The LGBTQ citizens would have a day of relief from the hate that Trump spawns among his cult.

Hate would go on holiday that magic day.

But my dream doesn't stop there. I look forward to Trump being incarcerated for the rest of his life for the crimes he committed against American democracy.

I look forward to justice and a return of some sanity in politics.

I look forward to Trump just being a shameful bookmark in our history, where his name is properly reviled.

As it stands, more than anything I hope our democracy withstands the curse of Trump.

This Year's 4th of July is Dedicated to AR-15s

Patriotism infused with violence this 4th of July saw five men die after being shot with an AR-15 while Americans across the country gleefully let off massive amounts of fireworks.

In Republican circles the AR-15 is a symbol of patriotism and lawmakers wear them pinned on their clothing to show support for the deadliest gun on the streets today. The choice of mass murderers.

Today during a 4th of July celebration in Ft. Worth, Texas, during a neighbor gathering three people were killed and eight others wounded. Guess what the killer used? That's right. An AR-15. And the day is not over.

As we celebrate the country's 247th birthday there are questions about how many more the nation will celebrate in its current form?

I foresee the country continuing to drift apart into two irreconcilable blocs of red and blue states trying to occupy the same geographic space. 

The two are existing in two worlds. The blue one's support reality and the truth, while the red ones live in an alternate world where Trump is king and lies are badges of honor.

The split between the two grows wider daily as the basic rules of life between red and blue states on everything from the availability of abortion to guns is contested.

Trump's cult has culled out reason and compromise in Congress and state Houses and Senates. Threats of political violence is one of the hallmarks of Trump supporters.

To be sure, the ideal of a national unity while celebrating the 4th of July has always been overstated. Since the first 4th of July celebration the country has been riven by sectional, racial, class and gender conflicts.

As it stands, the 4th of July's I remember growing up in the 1950s seemed to be a unifying factor partly because we had so many WW II veterans and organizations throughout the land. 

It's an Odd, Odd World

Today I'm stepping away from the mundane.

The boring. 

The normal. 

The run-of-the-mill stuff.

Are you game?

Then let's take a dive into the diversity of the odd world around us.

The racing world of competitive runners has a stunning new record that most people will not want to break.

- A French firefighter set a Guinness World Record for running a distance of 893 feet after being set on fire. Jonathan Vero donned a protective suit and broke the record for the longest distance full body run without oxygen. No thanks.

- There's something odd going on in a Kansas neighborhood that stopped getting mail for two months.

Why? The U.S. Postal Service said there was a vicious dog patrolling the neighborhood and they weren't going to risk the mail carrier's lives until the matter was resolved.

Sounds reasonable I suppose but there's more to the story. 

The people in that neighborhood said their unaware of any such dog roaming their streets. So, naturally they raised a ruckus about the situation. 

This week their regular mail delivery is resuming, and the Postal Service said the situation has been resolved. That's great, right? One question still remains... was there really a vicious dog in the first place? No explanation followed.

- Police at a Pennsylvania university are warning students and nearby residents to beware of an "aggressive cow" that has made repeated visits to the campus.

I realize it sounds odd, but did anyone think about why the cow was going on campus? Could be the cow had a thirst for knowledge. Just saying.

- Something about running again but this time with style... a Spanish man set a new record for running a 100-meter sprint while wearing high heels. 

Christian Roberto Lopez Rodriguez put on 2.76-inch stiletto heels and ran the 100 meters in 12.82 seconds.

However fantastic, his odd footwear is still not going to make it to the Olympics. I can't imagine running three feet in those torture devices! Kudos to your determination Mr. Rodiguez!

- I just can't leave yet without one more tail tale of a cow acting odd. A Nebraska women's pet cow set a Guinness World Record by performing 10 tricks in one minute. Now that's a tricky bovine!

As it stands, I hope you enjoyed this little tour as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you.

I Think Actor Michael Imperioli is on to Something with His Message to the Supreme Court

Kudos to one of my favorite actors, Michael Imperioli, for his response to the Supreme Court's recent discriminatory ruling.

The right-wing Supremes (more like stooges) ruled in favor of a Christian web designer who refuses to create websites for same-sex weddings.

Imperioli's snarky reply to the homophobic decision wasn't only clever... he laid out a path for us all to ban MAGA minions from our businesses and entertainment.

He tweeted...

"I've decided to forbid bigots and homophobes from watching The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Goodfellas or any other movie or tv show I've been in.

And...

"Thank you, Supreme Court, for allowing me to discriminate and exclude those who I don't agree with and am opposed to. USA! USA!"

To the majority of Americans, the ruling was a devastating blow to LGBTQ protections, which have been bolstered by landmark decisions at the nation's highest court.

Expressing his anger with the ruling Imperioli said, "Hate and ignorance is not a legitimate point of view."

I totally agree.

Once again, I find myself in agreement with the majority of Americans who don't want to watch a segment of our society disenfranchised by a sick minority of extremists in positions of power. 

As it stands, I've said it numerous times, and I'll say it again; the only way to turn back this toxic Republican party is through the ballot box.

The Proof is Out There... Maybe

Have you noticed that there's been a lot of stories about UFOs and extraterrestrial encounters lately?

I started to pay attention a couple of weeks ago when residents in a Las Vegas neighborhood claimed that there were 10-foot-tall green aliens in their backyard. 

The Las Vegas police looked into it but couldn't find any evidence. No surprise that a week later the family that claimed to have seen the tall strangers from outer space were exposed pulling a prank.

Then I found more stories about alien encounters and UFO sightings.

* An Algorithm Has Detected 8 Mysterious Signals That Possibly Came from Aliens

* Researchers find "Unusual" Interstellar Debris Thought to be from Aliens

* US Officials Tight-Lipped About Alleged UFO Program

* UFO Sightings Are Up, But No Proof of Aliens yet, Pentagon Official Says

* Is NYC The New Rosell? UFO Sightings This Year Include a Crash

* 'UFO' in Michigan's Bad Axe Involved in 'Dogfight' with Jets Claim isn't Proven

* The Pentagon Releases Shocking New Video of UFO

*UFO Reports by US Troops Skyrocket to Over 500

There are more stories out there every day. Maybe this is the Summer of Alien Encounters.

As it stands, I have this fantasy that aliens will abduct Donald Trump, take him home, and make him their pet. 

Extreme Supremes Endanger Democracy

In slightly more than one year this current Supreme Court has stripped more Americans of their rights than any past Supreme Courts.

Their conservative agenda gets more extreme every day. Thus far they have ended nationwide protections for abortion rights by overturning Roe vs Wade.

In the last week the conservative court decided that race-conscious admissions programs at the oldest private and public colleges in the country, Harvard and the University of North Carolina, were unlawful by overturning Affirmative Action.

They followed that up with striking down Biden's student loan relief plan stopping 43 million people from being able to participate in the loan forgiveness program.

The court also ruled in favor of a web designer who opposed same-sex marriage on religious grounds and refused to make web designs for the LGBTQ community. Another step towards disenfranchising millions of Americans. All toward the extremist goals of making a segment of Americans second class citizens.

And...

The rightwing so-called religious agenda got a boost when the court broadened accommodations that employers must make for workers' religious practices, siding with a postal worker who was disciplined for refusing to work on Sundays for religious reasons.

I won't be surprised to see a sudden rush of postal employees and workers across the spectrum get religion. They don't even have to attend a church to claim the new exemption. I'm curious to see how far this dodge goes. You can bet the new exemption will open more doors and demands.

Organized labor took a hit from the Supremes who just made it easier for employers to sue over strikes, in a ruling siding with a concrete business in Washington state that sued the union representing its truck drivers.

It'll take a year or more to fully realize what these damaging decisions have done in an already polarized society.

As it stands, President Biden is doing all he can with a divided congress to address the wrongs the Supremes have wrought. For the country's sake Biden needs to be re-elected or Trump will finish the job by taking away all of our rights and freedoms under his fascist regime.

Story Time: The Sea Cook's Cat

For a change of pace here's a short story I wrote a couple of years ago.

Baily, the ship’s carpenter, reluctantly sat up in his hammock, nearly missing his head on the wooden beam that stretched across the cramped quarters. 

As usual he was in a foul mood and didn’t want to work in the captain’s cabin building more shelves. As he got to his feet a big black cat shot between his legs like a blinding flash in pursuit of an enormous rat.

“You devil!” he squawked while pulling his shirt on. “Startles me every time” he grumbled to himself as he trudged up the stairs and onto the deck. The blinding sun made him swear an undecipherable oath as he pulled his tricorn hat down over his brow. Seagulls' screams told him they were getting near land. He didn’t have time to eat. The captain expected him at eight bells and he knew the penalty if he wasn’t there on time. The whip. Just the thought hurried his pace.

Jason the cook was sitting on a stool peeling potatoes (it was early in the voyage and the ship’s food supply was still well stocked) when a black cat sauntered in with a grin. Jason smiled because he knew Lucifer had recently dined on a rat. He stopped peeling long enough to pet the huge cat who was brushing up against his legs.

Lucifer was Jason’s cat. He paid good money for him at the last port because he was special. He was a polydactyl cat. His front paws both had eight toes each which he used to his advantage in catching prey. His prior owner said he was retiring from the sea and needed the money. A prized cat like Lucifer could make life a lot easier on the whole crew. Food containers were rarely breeched because the wily feline never stopped hunting. Day and night. But, for reasons Jason couldn’t understand most of the crew, and the captain, seemed to fear him. Some, like Bailey, just hated Lucifer and would have gladly killed him if he didn’t think the crazy cook would cut him up into shark chum. He’d seen Jason fight with a butcher knife when two pirate ships tried to capture their ship the USS Ohio near Port au Prince, Haiti. His eyes were glazed with blood lust as he lopped off pirate limbs with such savagery his own mates gave him wide berth in battles. No. It was best not to antagonize the cook.

Sailors in the 18th century were a superstitious lot. So, it was no surprise that the crew aboard the USS Ohio thought a black cat brought bad luck, unlike the British and the Irish who wanted black cats and considered them good luck. The fact that its name was Lucifer didn’t help. It was also common knowledge among the crew that if a ship’s cat fell or was thrown overboard it meant trouble. The act would summon a terrible storm to sink the ship and that if the ship were able to survive, it would be cursed for nine years. So, no one bothered Jason about his black cat. Only Bailey dreamed about killing Lucifer.

Daniel had the devil to pay. He was caught stealing another man’s gold chain and given the worst task aboard the ship. The devil was the ship’s longest seam in the hull. He was given pitch to caulk that seam while squatting in the filthy bilges. He’d already received a good flogging – ten lashes – and endured the stinging saltwater thrown on his bloody gashes. The task could take days, but he couldn’t come up until it was completed. His moans of pain echoed eerily in the semi-darkness as Lucifer watched him with his curious yellow cat eyes. The lone candle flickered, almost going out, before returning to a steady glow that caused shadows to frolic in the filth. Then Lucifer came up to him confidently and asked, “Do you believe in God? "

Harry and Spencer, we’re enjoying a rare moment of rest by the scuttlebutt – a water barrel with a hole cut in it so that sailors could reach in and dip out drinking water. Rumors about what happened to their mate Daniel were rife among the crew and even officers. After a day of paying the devil the bosun’s mate had come down to check on Daniel. He let out a gasp of horror and vomited when he saw him. Daniel’s eyes were gone. Plucked out and sitting on his lap. His hair had turned from brown to pure white. He was peacefully chewing on his right arm, exposing bone as he ripped off gobbets of flesh. Nearby, Lucifer was curled up and watching the bosun’s mate scream for help.

The incident left all hands-on board shaken. When Daniel’s condition was brought up to the captain, he crossed himself and walked away without commenting. When they got to port a day later, Daniel was dead. The ship’s surgeon had sawed off his infected right arm, but it was too little, too late. The ship’s log recorded seaman Daniel Phillips died from an infection from a self-inflicted wound. There was no mention of plucked-out eyeballs. Or his white hair. They stayed in port for two days unloading cargo and onloading new cargo. During that time one of the sailors deserted. A mate of his said he feared Lucifer more than getting strung up on the yardarm for desertion.

His work finished in the captain’s cabin, Bailey was below decks working on the wooden gun carriage that had been cracked in the last battle when he heard something, “You’re next,” a silky voice assured him. He gripped his hammer tighter and called out, “Show yourself, coward!” There was a rustling among the small oak barrels that held gun powder. Piles of rags and cannon swabs near them shifted with unseen movement. A sudden cold wind blew past him. The normally stifling hot gun deck seemed to cool down a few degrees as he listened for more movement.

“I’m not afraid of you Lucifer!” he screamed, sure now that the cat was indeed the devil.

A dark pall fell over the entire crew, with the exception of Jason who went about his normal day, content with the companionship of his cat.

A feeling of foreboding kept everyone nervous. As the days turned to weeks the crew’s fears were palpable. Strange little incidents were happening daily. Rope knots would inexplicably come loose causing close calls for sailors climbing the rigging. A bad case of “the trots” affected half the crew who squatted below decks over wooden pails for a week. Moral got lower every day. Rumors about Lucifer were passed around in hushed whispers. Meanwhile, Bailey had enough. His hate for Lucifer was white hot. It burned his brain and his patience, causing him to formulate a plan to kill the demon feline. He had to wait weeks, but the opportunity finally came.

He pulled out the wooden cage to capture Lucifer with from its hiding place. It was solidly built to hold the black devil captive long enough to throw him overboard. Everyone below deck was asleep so Bailey was careful not to make any noise. When he got to the base of the stairway leading to the main deck, he positioned the cage on its side with the door propped open with a piece of string leading to his hiding place by the scuttlebutt. Inside the cage was a live rat Baily had caught the day before. Using tough twine, he made a halter for the rodent that was tethered by a nail on the side of the box. The rat was on a short string stopping it from scurrying away. He waited for an hour before Lucifer struck! It was over in an instant. Bailey pulled the cord, and the trapdoor came down on the startled cat who had the rat in his mouth. Dropping the half dead rodent Lucifer screeched so loud it woke everyone up. The sounds coming from Bailey’s box were blood curdling.

Moving swiftly, he went topside and threw the box into the calm sea. Jason, who was asleep in his own little cubby was locked inside that night by Bailey. By the time he battered the door down Bailey had returned to his hammock. No one knew why the cook was rampaging around the room and what caused the screeches that woke them up.

A day passed before Jason decided something bad had made his cat howl like a lost soul, and the crew was complicit. The first thought that came to mind was he’d poison all the bastards. That way he’d be sure to get the perpetrator of Lucifer’s disappearance. It turned out that he didn’t have to do anything about it.

A terrible storm come up from the north causing massive waves that battered the ship like a toy for hours before it broke apart and sank with all hands-on board.

With the exception of Jason who clung to a wooden box.

Miraculously, the seas were calm the next day when a ship came by, and Jason was spotted by a sharp-eyed sailor. He clutched the wooden box securely to his chest as they helped him get in the rowboat. Once on deck of the ship, the USS Vermont, Jason opened the box and pulled out Lucifer. To a man, the crew crossed themselves.

the end

It's Final - Famous 'Bigfoot' Film Clip Exposed as Fraud by AI

It was a sad day for conspiracy theorists who believed that the famous 1967 Bigfoot (or sasquatch) sighting on grainy film was true.

The controversial clip known as the Patterson-Gimlin film has been analyzed numerous times over the years with mixed results. Some thought it was true, and others thought it was a prank.

Then Bigfoot conspiracists biggest fear came true. 

The hoax was definitively exposed by social media user Rowan Cheung. He's the kind of guy who stays up on the latest developments in the world of artificial intelligence.

Cheung posted footage of the clip stabilized and de-grained and the results are clearer than ever before. Bigfoot was just some guy in a gorilla costume.

This isn't the only Bigfoot story to surface this year. People have claimed to have discovered a sighting of Bigfoot via Google Maps.

Full disclosure I use to live in Humboldt County where Bigfoot was heavily marketed for tourists. 

When I came up to Humboldt in the late 1970s the story wasn't that old, and I got to talk with locals who lived in the Six-River Forest area where the fake film made its debut.

Most of the people I met knew it was a made-up story by liked the publicity it brought to their area. It increased tourism/jobs in the area for years. Heck, it still does.

As it stands, I would have liked to meet those two adventuresome pranksters.

related video - 2005 Bigfoot Patterson film hoax solved.

For the Record: Patriotism is the Exact Opposition of Nationalism

With Trump perverting the meaning of nationalism and patriotism it's time to define both of the words that have been so abused by the extreme right.

According to Charles de Gaulle, who led Free France against Nazi Germany during World War II and later became president of France,

"Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first."

George Orwell, the author of "Animal Farm" and "Nineteen Eight-Four," described patriotism as "devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life."

He contrasted that with nationalism, which he described as "the habit of identifying oneself with a single nation or other unit, placing it beyond good and evil and recognizing no other duty than that of advancing its interests."

Sound familiar? Think MAGA.

To understand what nationalism is, it's useful to understand what a nation is - and isn't.

* A nation is a group of people who share a history, culture, language, religion or some combination thereof.

* A country, which is sometimes called a state in political science terminology, is an area of land that has its own government.

* A nation-state is a homogeneous political entity most comprising a single nation. One example of a nation-state would be North Korea, where almost all residents are ethnic Koreans.

The United States is neither a nation nor a nation-state. Rather, it is a country of many groups of people who have a variety of shared histories, cultures, languages and religions.

Some of those groups are formally recognized by the federal government, such as the Navajo Nation and the Cherokee Nation.

Two examples of white nationalist groups are the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys - ten of whom were convicted of seditious conspiracy for their role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Another example of a nationalistic group is The Nation of Islam. Black nationalists are as radical as the white nationalists. The Nation of Islam has been characterized as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Trump has loudly proclaimed to be a nationalist and that under his regime the U.S. had embraced the doctrine of patriotism.

After reading the above information what do you think about Trump's claims? His misuse of words is part of an overall strategy to redefine their meanings for his cult.

As it stands, I hope you find the information helpful in your daily interactions with others. Kofi Annan put it succinctly when he wrote, "Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family." 

'They're Coming to Take Me Away... Ho-ho, Hee-Hee, Ha-ha'

Back in 1966 there was a silly song that was playing on the radio. 

It had a catchy tune that came to mind today in this era of craziness.

A dude named Jerry Samuels (aka Napoleon XIV) - maybe an ancient "rap" precursor - made #3 on the Billboard chart with a song about the fate of a man who lost his dog.

You can read all the verses here. Or, just check out some of the following for a quick example:

"Remember when you ran away

And I got on my knees

And begged you not to leave because I'd go berserk?

Well, you left me anyhow

And then the days got worse and worse

And now, you see, I've gone completely out of my mind

(Chorus)

And they're coming to take me away, ha! ha!

They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-ha

To the funny farm

Where life is beautiful all the time

And I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats

And they're coming to take me away, ha ha

(Chorus)

They're coming to take me away, ha-ha

To the happy home

With trees and flowers and chirping birds

And basket weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes

And they're coming to take me away, ha ha"

As I mentioned earlier, we live in such crazy times that this could be an anthem for all the loose lunatics running around the country today.

I especially can see re-writing this tune to become an ode to Trump madness. A few changes here and there and by golly who knows? Maybe a number one hit on today's Billboard charts.

As it stands, it sure would be fun to hear a revised version done by one of today's popular rappers.