Georgia Residents Resist Massive Monkey Farm in their Backyard

Bainbridge is a rural outpost in Georgia that is destined to have more monkeys than humans in the near future.

Some sneaky local officials got together with Safer Human Medicine, a newly organized company that intends to build one of the largest monkey breeding facilities in the nation... behind the townspeople's back.

County and city officials involved in the project had to sign nondisclosure agreements, so the public wasn't notified until the day the deal with Safer Human Medicine was signed.

Angry residents held meetings expressing their concerns about the large 200-acre Monkey Farm in their backyard. Finally, during a public meeting at the county commission chamber there was a ray of hope towards stopping the project.

The agreement granting Safe Human Medicine tax breaks would be voided because the commission didn't properly notify the public before approving it.

Unfortunately, it didn't halt the project or nullify the land lease deal because the city of Bainbridge owns the land, not the county.

What the Local Citizens Fear

People fear that monkeys might spread diseases and - in the case of a major hurricane or tornado - escape.

They're concerned the massive facility's waste may damage the environment. Especially the nearby Flint River, which flows into Lake Seminole and whose waters are a prized jewel where residents swim and it's a nationally recognized place for fishing competitions.

There are 15,000 residents living in Bainbridge. The Monkey House's goal is maintaining a residence for 30,000 monkeys that will be experimented on. In other words, tortured for the sake of science.

The project's organizers say it'll bring in 250 jobs, but residents are more concerned about preserving their way of life.

Using Animals as Research Subjects is Immoral

The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine claim they have no alternatives that can fully replace using nonhuman primates and dogs.

I call bullshit on that excuse!

In this day of artificial intelligence advancements, I can't believe there's no viable alternatives. They probably cost too much and its cheaper to slaughter primates and dogs in the name of science.

As it stands, the citizens in Bainbridge have banded together and are getting help from organizations like PETA to fight for their town. As one lifelong resident was quoted as saying, "We can't give up now. We got to keep telling them we don't want this in Bainbridge."

 

It's a 'Catch-22' Situation on America's Southern Border

If you describe a situation as a Catch-22, you mean it is an impossible situation because you cannot do one thing until you do the other, but you cannot do the second thing until you do the first thing.

This is exactly what's happened on our southern border.

Everyone in both parties agrees that something has to be done about the un-checked flood of migrants crossing our southern border.

But taking action is an entirely different story. There's a bipartisan bill in the Senate that will address the immigration problem. It's stalled now because Trump told Mitch McConnell and Mike Johnson NOT to pass any legislation that will solve the problem so Trump can campaign on the hot button issue.

Even if the Senate does pass it, MAGA Mike said he won't even bring the bill to the floor, effectively paralyzing the House. 

To be clear, the Republican party is prepared to make the border situation even more perilous in order to get Trump re-elected president. So now until November there would be no hope for a solution.

Meanwhile Texas Gov. Abbott is preparing to go to war with the federal government. Abbott ignored the Supreme Court's ruling to take away the concertina barbwire in the river and to let federal agents resume their monitoring duties on the border.

In an act of total defiance, Abbott has refused to obey the Supreme Court ruling and has declared Texas has the right to defend itself against an invasion. Twenty-five GOP governors are supporting Abbott, and some are sending (or already have) their national guard units to join the rebellious state.

Trump is smiling right now. His operatives in Congress are obeying his every demand and MAGA governors are defying the Supreme Court in order to keep the chaos level high. In his tiny lizard brain Trump sees himself solving the border problem with draconian legislation.

On Monday a convoy of MAGA big rigs are going to travel along the border, starting in California, then Arizona and finally Texas. Tune in to your news and count the Trump flags. 

Blocking the Biden administration from being able to solve the dire situation is one of Trump's many corrupt schemes to become America's first dictator. He could care less about the continued chaos.

Hopefully sane Americans who love their country will somehow prevail against this deadly Catch-22. I believe average Americans can see what's happening right now. Trump is no longer hiding his authoritarian vision for our country.

As it stands, the bottom line is to vote blue in November. It's that simple if you want to save democracy and your own freedoms. 

Brief Blog Break: Back Sunday

Time for a 4-day break... just because.

Seeing as how you stopped by why not check out my archives (right side of page)? There's years of stories and opinion pieces to peruse.

Interested in reading some poetry or flash fiction go to The Creative Chronicles of Dave Stancliff.

Here's a sample: The Language of Color

More to see.

Here's a link to the daily newspaper - The Times Standard in Eureka, California. I wrote a Sunday Opinion column for the publication for five years after I retired as a newspaper editor.

Here's a sample: When Love Calls: a brief look at a four-letter word

Something to ponder...

This year's presidential election is going to be historical in many ways. Americans may lose their hard-fought freedoms under an authoritarian rule by Trump if he wins.

It's MAGA versus America.

If you haven't registered to vote this year, do it now. More important Vote Blue if you want to preserve the republic.

As it stands, I highly recommend taking a few days away from the chaos in your life every now and to just have fun. Life is too short.

Are Tests for Cognitive Decline Something to Brag About?

Listening to Trump speak at recent campaign rallies raises the question of the orange clown's sanity.

Between thinking he's running against Barrack Obama and confusing Nikkie Halley with Nanci Pelosi; he's been talking crazier in each new public appearance.

While campaigning in New Hampshire he went on a rant about how smart he is and how he "aced" another cognitive test for dementia recently. 

For the record, there are three scientifically accepted cognitive tests. None of them have whales despite Trump's claim that his test featured one. 

Let's think about that for a moment.

The purpose of a cognitive test is to see if the brain is functioning correctly. There's generally a reason to take one. It's not like an annual eye exam. You don't take a cognitive test unless there's a reason.

Cognitive skills and knowledge involve the ability to acquire factual information, often the kind of knowledge that can easily be tested. Cognitive science is a growing field of study that deals with human perception, thinking, and learning.

Let's put it this way; if you were having troubles like hearing voices in your head, or were speaking coherently was a challenge, would you broadcast that to the world? Or would you quietly see a doctor to get help?

How many friends or family do you know that would go to a party and brag about taking cognitive tests like they were badges of honor?

However, if you go to a Trump rally, he makes a big deal of the test as a measure of what a stable genius offers. Worse yet, his cult followers need to take cognitive tests themselves due to their lack of critical thinking or belief in reality.

Trump's father had dementia in his late 70s and the odds that Donald does goes up with every public speech he makes showing his condition is getting worse.

As it stands, the idea that the Republican party is promoting an arguably crazy man shows just what trouble democracy is in today.

Why Americans Aren't Happy

 A recent Forbes survey of the top 20 happiest countries in the world lists the United States at #15. Finland was #1. 

With that empirically established what's the problem? 

Why are we so miserable in the Land of the Free? We have the biggest economy in the world. So, what's the problem?

Overall, the fear of losing freedoms is like a blanket over our national consciousness. It seems like everyone is afraid they're going to lose something important in their lives.

These fears are magnified by the political polarization in the nation that are tearing apart norms and precedented laws at an alarming rate since Trump turned the Republican party into a cult of one.

With a presidential election looming in November, this is a particularly divisive time because democracy is on the ticket. 

If Trump wins, it will become an authoritarian hell in America. He openly advocates for shredding the Constitution and making himself a dictator at his rallies.

Americans are afraid, confused, and angry at the constant chaos across the country. As a nation we can't do anything about mass shootings that plague our schools and public places. Other counties have travel warnings about the risks of visiting the United States.

Many older Americans long for a mythical past where everything was just peachy. 

Many younger Americans see no future for themselves because of the devasting effects of climate change brought on by greedy corporations. It's a bleak outlook, but not an unrealistic one.

We have several generations that have always known war (or undeclared wars like Vietnam). It's no wonder people's mental states have been weakened by the constant global combat that has been their norm.

The battle for equality for all races has become more intense now than it was prior to the Civil War. Racism is ripping our social fabric apart. Extremism is everywhere.

We have millions of homeless and disenfranchised people living in the streets of cities from coast to coast. Note: there's no homelessness in Finland.

Since the pandemic we have large swaths of people who've become addicted to social media where there is little, if any, content control. Lies and misinformation are on a thousand platforms spreading hate. Tech companies rely on the massive traffic they produce online.

As it stands, the brief summary above is just some of the main reasons Americans aren't as happy as many other countries.

"We have seen the enemy, and it is us." - Pogo 

My Wife is an Empath - The Benefits and the Challenges She Faces

My wife Shirley is an empath and after being married 49 years I've watched how that affects her life.

Empaths, for the record are people who have a higher than usual level of empathy, called hyper empathy. 

Because Shirley has so many friends - many dating back to junior high school - she's always encouraging and sympathizing with someone. This means there's a lot of highs and lows as she finds out one friend had a baby or that another suffered a tragic loss, or even died.

My impression is it's not easy being an empath. But the world needs empaths more than ever in our polarized society. They're known for listening and being unjudgmental. You can feel their silent power of love no matter who you are.

Just think, if we had more empaths in our lives what a different world, we'd live in. The lack of empathy is wearing away at the gears of society, grinding us down to the nubs.

Ironically, the very technology that is supposed to keep us connected is actually driving us apart. Face-to-face interactions are declining, and news is filtered through an echo chamber that shelters us from other points of view. 

The thing about empaths is they have big hearts and can be emotionally crushed by a friend's drama. 

I've seen the devastation Shirley experiences when a friend is sick, dying, or depressed over personal losses. It leaves her exhausted. She can be easily affected by the plight of others. Complete strangers.

It's not easy being so highly attuned to the energies and emotions around her. On the other hand, the benefits are lifetime relationships with people she loves. Being a social person, Shirley thrives when we get together with family and friends.

Are you an empath? There's a fun test at the Personality Lab online if you'd like to get to know yourself with the Enneagram test. While objective empathy level testing is difficult this is one test that has gained acceptance among the scientific community.

As it stands, needless to say, I'm blessed to live with an empath who always has my back.

Flip the Script: If Biden Loses Dems Should Do a 'Trump' and Not Recognize The Results

Why should Americans accept Trump as the new president despite his criminal history if he's re-elected?

If by some terrible twist Trump did get re-elected, it'll be because his Republican cronies in Congress and red state politicians gamed the electoral system.

The GOP has spent the last three years on a campaign to disenfranchise Democratic voters through gerrymandering and other ruthless means to game the vote.

The MAGA cult has grown and is spreading like poison mushrooms in federal and state governments. It remains to be seen how much damage these trolls for Trump will inflict on our electoral system.

Remember this isn't Trump's first rodeo. He failed in 2020 but learned how to manipulate the government during his regime. This added knowledge and insider contacts will help him in his efforts to steal this election.

That's what Trump is planning on for good reason. His followers will do anything to see him restored to his - what will be a throne - in the White House. Cheating and intimidating at state polling places is a given if you look at the types of election laws the GOP has passed since they lost in 2020.

There would be legitimate challenges for the Democrats to question the validity of vote totals. These challenges would spring up in every court in the land.

Then you have to ask yourself how deeply MAGA has infiltered our entire judicial system - from top to bottom? Will there be enough neutral judges to preserve the sanctity of the court? 

Were we just lucky the last time when every court challenge MAGA threw out - 61 of them - were rejected? 

Trump lost in 2020 by over 8 million votes and I'd hazard to say he's pissed off more Americans since then.

As it stands, one thing is for sure, whoever wins there's going to be chaos in the country. Peaceful transitions of power are a part of our past that we may never see again. 

Disinformation is Destroying Americans Trust in Truth

How does disinformation hurt our republic? 

Let me count the ways:

1. Widing partisan divides are crippling Congress from passing any legislation.

2. Public trust in government is at an all-time high.

3. It's getting harder for average citizens to find neutral news sources.

4. Risks to national security, safety and voting rights have increased under the MAGA movement that relies on lies and partisan propaganda.

5. Watchers are challenged by the lack of transparency from social media companies.

6. So-called black boxes surround the algorithms that serve up content, and the inability to see what is happening on the platforms in real time has only gotten worse.

7. MAGA politicians and activists target researchers, universities, tech companies and journalists who point out their lies.

8. Social media space has become fragmented with the ascendancy of alternatives including Substack, Telegram, Threads, and Rumble as viable spaces for far-right political actors and extreme content.

9. A potential threat lies in AI tools' ability to personalize misinformation, making it harder for social media to platforms to moderate because it appears authentic.

10. Election deniers have infected Congress and are running interference for former president Trump's current re-election efforts.

I could go on, but the above pretty much captures the highlights why disinformation is such a threat to this nation.

As it stands, we must be prepared for the most contentious presidential election in history by being aware of the challenges I've mentioned above. And for an election even worse than the 2020 attempts to overthrow the government.

Secretive Group Getting on State Ballots Wins Right to Block Candidates from Running for Office

They call themselves No Labels.

The secretive political group funded by anonymous donors can prohibit members from using its ballot line to run for office in Arizona according to a federal judge's ruling Tuesday.

That decision enabled the group to maintain control and secrecy around its operations and finances as Trump critics warn No Labels could help re-elect Trump by taking away voters who might otherwise for President Joe Biden.

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes was blocked by a judge from recognizing candidates wanting to run for office under the No Labels banner.

Fontes warned that the ruling could keep 19,000 No Labels party members from voting in a primary, and the precedent could allow party bosses to decide who can run for office from any party!

The judge's ruling is going to disenfranchise 19,000 Arizona voters if it stands. Worse yet it has the potential to derail the entire candidate process in the state. 

After spending tens of millions of dark dollars to secure ballot access in all 50 states the group has been drawing increased scrutiny lately.

The group's critics have pushed for transparency around its donors, who have refused to disclose them, hoping that state campaign finance laws could help get that information.

If the ruling remains it could support the No Labels argument that it doesn't have to file campaign finance disclosures under the Arizona law because it is not supporting any candidates for state office.

Yet.

The grand plan is to announce a third party presidential, and vice-president pick, after getting on all 50 state ballots. Meanwhile the group continues to obscure their donors. 

No Labels is a dark money "centrist" group that was launched in 2010 when Republicans in Congress were united in an effort to block all of President Obama's legislative initiatives.

Since 2018, the group vowed to support lawmakers who were willing to meet in the middle, regardless of which party they belong to. Sounds good, doesn't it?

Well consider this, this third-party gambit to not reveal the names of the donors is because of a 2010 U.S. Court of Appeals ruling and a 2014 decision by the Federal Election Commission which held that until a nonprofit nominates a candidate, it is not subject to campaign finance rules. Sneaky, eh?

Throughout this process the group has been funneling money to campaigns through a web of Super PACs. One of the known donors is Harlan Crow, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's billionaire buddy.

No Labels has no purpose but to take away votes from Joe Biden in swing states like Arizona. All the talk about unity and transparency is a stalking horse for extremists involved in an effort to upset the 2024 election.

As it stands, don't pay attention to what No Labels is spoon feeding the public. Pay attention to what they're actually doing.

GOP Iowa Caucus Winner in Court Today - Facing Defamation Penalties

Only in America today.

A presidential candidate and former president wins the Republican caucus in Iowa and has to appear in court the next day in a rape and defamation trial.

Trump's takeaway was over 50% of the votes making him the majority favorite. Surprisingly Ron DeSantis came in second (by a country mile).

Interesting tidbits...

Eighty-two percent of Nikkie Halley supporters said that if she isn't the Republican candidate for president they will vote for Joe Biden.

Among the rank-and-file MAGA supporters 32% reported they would NOT vote for Trump if he's convicted. That's significant. Democrats need to be ready to bring them into the fold.

There was a much smaller turnout than the last caucus because of the bad weather.

So today Trump is in court finding how much money he's going to have to pay E. Jean Carroll for defaming her for a 2nd time after losing a prior rape and defamation trial.

And believe it or not, he's trying to portray himself as a victim of the cruel court for not postponing the trial so he could go to his mothers-in-law funeral on Thursday.

There's one big problem with that, however. Trump doesn't have to appear in court in the trial. He decided to go today so he could lie to his cult followers and tell them he was being treated inhumanly by the Biden-loving court who wouldn't let him go to his beloved mother-in-law's funeral.

Today's appearance in court is just another form of a campaign rally staged against the backdrop of the judicial system. It's been working thus far as he raises funds after every appearance in court in the four jurisdictions where he's charged with 91 felony indictments. 

This election is going to make history for a lot of reasons. The very fact that Ultra MAGA followers will vote for him even if he's convicted in these trials is amazing. He would be the first felon-in-chief if elected.

I expect the trials ahead will be more dramatic because they are going to be jury trials. So, buckle up, grab some popcorn, and be prepared for entertainment unlike anything you ever saw or heard before.

As it stands, we face the biggest threat to democracy this republic has ever known. Vote blue to preserve you freedoms.

Fear and Loathing in Iowa: Welcome to the GOP Caucus

Amid below-zero temperatures the Iowa Caucus went on with the show today.

Supporters of Ron Desantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Donald Trump are braving the extreme weather to pick their extreme candidate for president.

Trump's cult followers are the most likely to turn out even if they have to hitch rides on snow ploughs. I suspect that data will prove that out in the aftermath of the event.

According to the latest polls Nikki Haley supporters loath Trump and if she's NOT the party's candidate they will vote for Joe Biden.

The driving message among the four candidates is FEAR. 

Fear that whites are being marginalized in America because of immigrants and people of color.

Fear of gender equity.

Fear of the LGBTQ community.

Fear of Trump. The other candidates fear him so much they make assholes of themselves defending his indefensible actions while meekly running against him. 

The whole event has the feeling of being predetermined. If the polls are right 69% of Republicans want Trump to return to the scene of the crime - The White House.

You get the feeling that the sideshow candidates - everyone but Trump - don't stand a snowball's chance in hell to win in frozen Iowa. 

I've watched reporters follow around the candidates for the last week, attending their mini-rallies and asking them questions they never really answered. 

It was chilling to hear candidates spread conspiracies and lies through their chattering teeth. If any of the candidates had an actual platform for governing, they hid it well.

Two things that seem the most unreal...

1) Elderly Trump supporters braving sub-zero temperatures to elect a twice-impeached former president with 91 felony charges in four jurisdictions, including a coup attempt, making that kind of effort to restore the most corrupt man in American history.

2) Despite the serious court cases coming against Trump he continues to drag the Republican party around like a dirty dish rag.

As it stands, the only candidate that really stands a chance of beating Trump is Nikki Haley, but she's going against cult followers who'll walk on coals, or ice, to support their master.