Open Thread - Friday, August 19, 2016
Well, to the people who pray for me to not only have an agonising death, but then be reborn to have an agonising and horrible eternal life of torture, I say, 'Well, good on you. See you there.'
~Christopher Hitchens~
This week, I have no coherent plan, nor ideas for weaving an open thread. I think I will just funkin' wing it.
My caregiver responsibilities are running me ragged. Sweetie continues to decline. Her neck muscles are going, which makes operating the text to voice device difficult. Sitting is more like being propped up. She is starting to sleep more, which is a stage in the final degression. Her breathing is becoming too shallow to sustain her and she has chosen not to go onto forced ventilation. It is only a matter of time now.
I have basically given up on all the election noise. The news is astoundingly content free, personality based, pop culture crap, news about money and corporate propaganda. Plus all the Internet herding drama over picking up teams, who's a cheat/liar/scoundrel/criminal/psychotic, ... I just don't have the energy to give a crap.
A few days ago, I woke early and took the opportunity to have a cup of coffee before waking Sweetie and getting into the caregiver day. It was around 6:30 AM and I took my coffee out on the back porch. I live near the end of a dead end street, so I know the cars and people. I was sipping coffee while observing some cars moving around. It wasn't any of the neighbors, so I stuck my head around the side of the house to take a look. There were a dozen police cars in front of my house! Holy funk!
I went back inside and checked out what was going on from several different windows. There were indeed a dozen marked police cars. but no policemen, anywhere. I am a Caucasian male, but that many people with guns gives me the willies. And where the funk are they? What the funk are they up to?
It turns out that during the very early morning some nair do wells had stolen a car and were being chased by the police. The police had lost them, because they had left the roadway. The car was down an embankment in a creek that runs behind the neighborhood and a badly injured nair do well had crawled through the woods to the front porch of the house across the street. What a funkin' relief.
Ruined a perfectly pleasant wake and bake. Enjoy funk Friday and have a great weekend!
Comments
The election fraud resource list — how they stole it from Bernie
The Election Fraud Resource List
Plus:
The boy in the ambulance: U.S. State Dept.–funded groups behind latest ‘iconic image’ designed to demonize Russia and encourage further bloodshed in Syria
these days, if you see a "heart-breaking" visual
in an article, the first thought is, why was it posted by the author and who pays the author to write on which site and who pays the site's host and who owns the host's hardware ... etc. etc.
What irritates me is seeing left-liberal Germans fall for it
http://www.taz.de/Rolle-des-Westens-im-Syrien-Krieg/!5326202/
Even in German Green circles, the unconsidered reflex now is to follow the neocon line on Syria, Iran, Israel-Palestine, and Russia.
It’s sad when, to get an inkling of the truth on certain issues, you now have to turn either to Die Linke and further left or, G~d help us, the AfD and further right.
Yet that’s the way it’s going.
NCTim, courage to you both.
I think about your (collective your) situations often.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Hi NCTim,
ditto for lots of people, I assume. We need to rest our brains. Thanks for all you do for us and your loved ones.
Perusing my email inbox, I had a thrilling article about the
miracle fruit, breadfruit. All fruit is edible, somehow. High in the good stuff, etc. Here is the hilarious (to me) link for ordering your own orchard of semitropical breadfruit trees: http://globalbreadfruit.com/order/
I think I'll pass, especially given the minimum order. But a lol.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
In memory of Captain Bligh & Fletcher Christian.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Tim,
wishing you the energy you need to keep you strong and comforted ... and when the time comes, a peaceful passing for sweetie, with all your love and protection to support her.
[video:https://youtu.be/-KsjIdHRX-M]
You could feed a big city with 288 breadfruit trees!
I am from Puerto Rico, where breadfruit grows almost wild, and I remember as a little girl going with my mother to USDA sponsored classes for homemakers, where we were told how awful our diet of breadfruit and stewed codfish was. We were supposed to eat the bright yellow cheese, canned chicken and dry milk that the US provided.
What we did was feed the crappy food to the pigs and continue eating our regular diet of homegrown breadfruit, avocadoes and other tropical fruit.
Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.
When I was a
young hippie mom who was a health food not, we got USDA food for a few months. Our 'food' included huge blocks of crappy bright yellow cheese and big cans with the label meat on them. We tried feeding the meat to the dogs and cats but they would have nothing to do with it. What kind of meat was it? the bread we got was a step down from Wonderbread. Cod,breadfruit and avocado sounds really healthy compared to what a lot of Americans eat. We lived at the beach near the docks of a small fishing town and the fishermen would give me and my kids twice a week a big salmon or ling cod. Between the fruits of the ocean and my garden we ate pretty damn good. The county finally switched to food stamps and there was a real co-op which had real cheese and healthy grains like brown rice, oats.
i remember
that cheese. I never tried to eat any; just looking at it made me weak.
Back in the '70s some of us went down into the long-deserted community bomb shelters scattered around town, and came up with a bunch of these "survival crackers" still stashed down there. I ate my share—tasted kind of . . . dusty—and to my knowledge suffered no ill effects. Though I do wonder now whether, if I die, I will then not decompose, and will glow in the dark.
It looked like Spam. The pigs liked it.
And yes, our food was healthy, mostly vegetarian, everything except the rice, homegrown with tons and tons of fresh fruit and veggies year round. (my dad was really good at growing things.) When we ate dead animals it was in small portions and we had raised them. It wasn't until I was 30 and moved to the US that I learned that steak servings could be one pound or more or that people ate several pieces of chicken at one sitting. (We had tons of chicken, it wasn't for lack, it was just the way we ate. All this time in the school where I went there was only one obese child. Now with all the new-fangled American diet (no more yellow cheese or tinned meats, thank jeebus) Puerto Rico has an obesity rate of about 65-70 percent!
Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.
I hope you get another
Chance for a peaceful cup of early morning coffee that is peaceful and enjoyable.
For Sweetie and you, I send prayers for peace and comfort. Blessings on you both.
I had two painful incidents with my lawyers in Ontario.
I must relate a bit. My original fraud suit (bad contractor) was for $200K CAD, now it's gone to $400K. I filled in some questions on the form. Verifying or relating more evidence. At the end, I asked an lawyer question: If I walk away, can Ontario go after me as a US citizen, taxpaying in ON for over 15 years?
Does anyone see how painful this all is to me? Plus costing $$, even in the retainer (gone now) was $1500? I just paid school and property taxes there. And I can't live at my cottage. The $400K albatross that can't be sold now.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
I think one way to
view the election is that there's just not much reason to care about what is said on the news anymore. Trump and Clinton have both made it clear who they are. You can cast a vote for Stein or whoever you like and then just stop listening to this train wreck of an election from now on til its over.
Don't worry. The next election season begins in a month or two. I bet next term's Republican candidate is really gonna be special.
The next Democratic
candidate is also going to be 'special' another Clinton dynasty clone, like Obomber, Cory Booker or even Kaine. Me I hoping for what Cassidorious calls a realignment. I want the Democratic party machine as it stands to go down in flames.
Your avatar is perfect for this time. TY.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Here's a thoughtful article from the Guardian....
...about the situation in Sherman Park, Milwaukee - less than an hour north of my own NeoLiberal rustbelt hamlet.
I know, the Guardian can be hit and miss but this one looks at the 3+ decade economic decline.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/19/sylville-smith-sherman-p...
Tom Barrett, the Dem mayor of Milwaukee and two-time loser to Snott Walker for the gov-ship, last summer rammed through, along with other "Dems" and most of the Repugs, a shiny new arena to replace the shiny nearly-new arena for the Bucks basketball team and their new billionaire, large-Snott Walker-donor owners.
NeoLiberalism: when the Hoarders absolutely, positively have to get richer quicker...and are willing to bribe for it.
Promote Working People's interests!? We can not afford that!!
Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.
Thinking
beautiful thoughts of Peace for you and your sweetie Tim. Sharing what you both are going through with this awful disease has been a very generous gift from you. I think we all have learned never to take a single day for granted as a result. Thank you, Tim.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Hi NCTim. :-)
Your Sweetie is very aware of all you are doing for her. I know this personally as it took my mom over 16 long, agonizing years to deteriorate, and then perish from a form of Dementia. 48 hours before my mom's physical passing, she sat right up when she heard my voice come over a speakerphone. She was in So. CA. being cared for by my sis and her family. I was here in central Florida where I live. I could not get to her bedside in time, so we used the horn to communicate.
Mom was already in the final stages: totally stopped eating and drinking. Hospice (an ENORMOUS help) was there. Mom had managed to twist herself in a nasty pretzel. Having no physical brain left, she would/could not untwist herself. My poor sister was distraught. This was on top of our collective grief. I called constantly and then it hit me: put my voice on speaker so mom could hear (nothing was wrong w/her hearing). Sis did, and I took a deep breath, and bid my mom a loving goodbye. Her reaction was absolutely astounding. She sat straight up and still, listening. Then, she slowly proceeded to untwist herself w/no help. The Hospice nurse helped her lie down in a comfortable position. She did so with a look of pure peace on her face. My sister broke down in relief. It was very obvious: mom wanted to hear her firstborn's voice before she passed on. 48 hours later she did just that, quietly and at peace.
I wanted to share this story with you cos you have all of us here for support. You are among friends and family. You are NOT alone. I love your diaries and those music links. Stay strong for your Sweetie, okay?
REC'D!!
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Good Night And Good Luck - "The Nightly Show" cancelled
Last night was the last episode of the The Nightly Show. I liked the show but it was on too late for me. Actually liked it better than the Daily Show with Trevor. Oh well, another progressive show bites the dust.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/larry-wilmore-opens-up-about-the-can...
Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.
as for:
Well, good for you. None of that is important. What you are doing, that's important.
My heart goes out to
you and Sweetie. Take care of yourself as well as caring for Sweetie. I think of you both often. Your a good man and as you know good men are hard to find.
just to relax a bit ... Make America Russian Again
Make America Russian Again (Video) - Posted on Aug 18, 2016 - By Mark Fiore
Give him (Mike Fiore) some love?
That certainly did
not relax me one bit. It just made me mad at Mark Fiore for jumping on the Trump/Putin fear, sword rattling, Clinton, band wagon. The Cold War leftovers reheat is surreal and as unpalatable as the first time we had to eat this nasty dish.
ok, I just see a cartoonist ridiculing the US and Russia,
my bad. The fear of cold war left overs being reheated is overheated imo if it hits a cartoonist.
But WTH. Not my day today.
Tim, peace and all the best to both of you. Thanks for posting.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Best to you, Sweetie & your children, Tim. Ur in my thoughts. NT
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
(redacted - item not of interest reader)
New to this site, but not to loss
isn't it surreal how things go on as if everything was normal, when it's crushingly not normal? I remember watching cars stopping at stop lights, planes flying overhead, people talking on sidewalks, and thinking what's wrong with them? Don't they know everything has changed? All my thoughts and love for you and Sweetie.
Sweetie is lucky to have you
and you are lucky to be that miracle for her.
My heart goes out to you.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
evening tim...
i'm glad to hear that you're still going. i think of you and sweetie often and hope that you keep finding the wellspring of strength that clearly comes from a good heart.
May the Universe Heart Sun of Aloha shine upon you and Sweetie
A dear friend of mine from college days who lived in Raleigh succumbed to cancer just two weeks ago. His memorial will be tomorrow.