Record corporate profits far exceed their rising costs

Yes, the pandemic has created supply chain issues and rising costs, which is a small part of rising prices. But according to economics professor Isabella Weber:

"As a matter of fact, what we have seen is that profits are skyrocketing, which means that companies have increased prices by more than cost. In the earnings reports, companies have bragged about how they have managed to be ahead of the inflation curve, how they have managed to jack up prices more than their costs and as a result have delivered these record profits."

Robert Reich explains below that part of the problem is corporate concentration, i.e. oligarchy. They eliminate the competition that keeps prices down so they can demand whatever prices they want, regardless of demand.

Bottom line for both cases: Greed is ruining our economy at everyone else's expense. And that is some seriously sick shit that's going to require government intervention on behalf of we the people. Recall that one form of fascism is corporate control of government. And that's exactly what's driving this runaway inflation. 

 

Twitler the Traitor

An obvious fact to anyone other than brainwashed Twitiots.

 

 

 

NEJM: Ivermectin won't protect you from COVID

According to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine, "double-blind, randomized trial found it did not reduce hospitalizations even if taken early. [...] In fact, those who took ivermectin in the first three days after a positive coronavirus test had worse outcomes than those who took a placebo."

Dr. Andrew Hill, who initially thought ivermectin  lowered the risk of COVID death, changed his tune based on this new study and the following. "When he removed retracted trials and others alleged to be flawed or fraudulent for a second review, published in January, he found no benefit."

I know, the rabid anti-vaxxers are so invested in their confirmation bias that this will just be seen as yet another brick in their wall of conspiracy theory. I just thought some of you might be interested in how medical science works and get proven, effective treatment if you get infected. And maybe get the vax if you haven't yet, which does have a proven track record.

US annual inflation rate 7.9%

For the year ending February 2022. That's the highest it's been since 1982. My social security for 2022 had a 5.9% cost of living adjustment. US companies will increase worker pay an average of 3.4% in 2022. Simple math notes the pay increases don't cover the price increases. And the next yearly inflation report will be out next month including March, where food and gas prices have skyrocketed even more. This is criminal.

Congress' letter to Roberts and Thomas

You can read it here with the signatories demanding that Thomas recuse himself from any Jan. 6 cases, given his wife clearly supported the insurrection. 

Yep, 28 USC 455 is quite clear about this. If Roberts won't do anything about it and Thomas won't recuse, then the House should impeach him ASAP. Granted the Senate won't convict, just like they did not twice with Twitler. But this close to an election it just might influence its outcome against the corrupt Repugnacons.

Betty Bowers on a Bible based marriage

As usual exposing fundamentalist Christian hypocrisy. Seems the last two words have become so redundant as to be synonymous.  

Lincoln Project: Partner

Once again these Republicans show the connection between Twitler, the Repugnacon Party and Russia.

Sirota: Media on Will Smith's slap proves his movie's point

He wrote about his Oscar experience and the gratitude that the Academy brought the climate crisis into focus by nominating Don't Look Up. And yet he also said that the 'incident' proves the movie's overall point:

"The film’s message about distraction was reflected in how Oscar controversies generated so much more media attention and commentary than the collapse of a New York City-sized piece of the Antarctic ice shelf."

I guess the Oscars are just more distraction to keep us occupied from acknowledging the crisis, let alone doing something about it. The nomination was just as usual mere lip service: A one off fellatio without even a happy ending.

Russian State TV wants Twitler back in office

Takes one to know one. According to these Tweets: 

Meanwhile on Russian state TV: Host Evgeny Popov says it's time for the Russian people to call on Americans to change "the regime in the U.S." before its term expires "and to again help our partner Trump to become President."https://t.co/orPMoKoxwG pic.twitter.com/sPVDhVWm6Q

— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) March 29, 2022

Note that Popov is not just some random Kremlin mouthpiece. This is a Russian government official, member of the Russian State Duma, calling for the "regime change" in the United States and identifying former President Donald Trump as Russia's "partner." https://t.co/38O0x1WrRX

— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) March 30, 2022

 

At-home COVID tests lead to under- reporting

A key problem with COVID statistics is that since at-home quick tests have been implemented, about 30% of people who test positive using them did not report the results to a public health organization or follow up with a PCR test. CDC does not require reporting of at-home test results,* nor do States like NM.** Another issue is that the at-home tests have a false negative result at least 15% of the time, and up to 49% depending on the test and the phase of infection. Which means that not only the tester but anyone with whom they come in contact likely gets infected.

Hence the statistics we get from public health are under-reported and unreliable in forming COVID policy. The CDC surely knows this so it's possible they no longer wants accurate data because it would require them to continue to advise precautions that interfere with business and people returning to a normal life. So even when we inevitably get a spike from the Omicron sub-variant due to the premature removal of restrictions, it will of course be under-reported and not require further restrictions thus leading to further variants and the continuation of the pandemic. The almighty dollar trumps public health, since it is after all our God.

PS: I give up on providing current NM COVID stats because of the above.

* "Mandated COVID-19 reporting requirements omit at-home tests, and there are no standard processes for test takers or manufacturers to share results with appropriate health officials."

**  The New Mexico Department of Health is not encouraging the public to report their at-home test results back to the state.

Liberal Redneck on Twitler's burner phones

As usual he highlights the relevant issues in his inimitable style. A most important one being AG Garland dragging his feet on prosecuting that treasonous Twit. Or worse, stalling with no intention of doing so at all.

Blight House Jan. 6 phone log has 7-hour gap

Which includes the time of the Jan. 6 insurrection on the Capitol. Weird, huh? 

"The gap spans seven hours and 37 minutes, from 11:17 a.m. to 6:54 p.m., which includes the period of time during which the Capitol was ambushed. Because there is no official White House notation of calls placed by or to Trump during that time, the committee has no record of the former president's calls during the attack. [...] The committee is reportedly investigating whether Trump communicated through backchannels throughout the day, using burner phones or phones of aides, given extensive reporting on conversations he had with key individuals during the undocumented time period." 

Federal Judge: Twitler more likely than not committed felony

So said US District Judge David Carter, ruling in the case that Eastman must provide emails he's been so far holding back. Carter said:

"The Court finds it more likely than not that President Trump corruptly attempted to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2021. The illegality of the plan was obvious. [...] Dr. Eastman and President Trump launched a campaign to overturn a democratic election, an action unprecedented in American history. Their campaign was not confined to the ivory tower - it was a coup in search of a legal theory."

Will the Jan. 6 Committee refer this to the Attorney General for prosecution? Will the AG prosecute if they do? Why am I still having doubts in both cases? Perhaps it has something to do with the Manhattan DA backing out on charges.

Republican Accountability Project: WTF happened to the GOP?

In a word: Fascism. 

The Holderness Family - Introverting

I appreciate them treating this personality trait as normal and acceptable. Unlike some extroverts, who thinks it's some form of dysfunction.

Snowflake pretend Christians

Atheists are more Christian (ie humanitarian) than they are.

 

Zalensky: The West are cowards

He's right. Give him the fighter jets and tanks he needs to win this war. He said:

"I’ve talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. I’m in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism, and firmness are astonishing. If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1% of their courage." 

Thank you COVID

The most important positive of this pandemic is that it has clearly differentiated those who care about others from those who do not. This has been amply expressed by those who get vaccinated and take precautions and those who do not. It has helped me to get rid of numerous people from my life that I might never have known otherwise about their lack of humanity. I am grateful for that wake up call.

Doggie 911

 

Lincoln Project: Biden's speech in Poland

It's encouraging that these Republicans support Biden, because the bottom line issue is democracy fighting and defeating fascism.  "There will be costs but it's a price we have to pay." They agree that it includes the fascists in our midst in the Repugnacon Party.

Maher on Zalensky and men in general

Some women are swooning over Zalensky because he is strong and fighting back to defend his country. Maher extends this into a commentary on how the movement against toxic masculinity, a real problem, has gone too far into emasculating men. Yes, he's as usual crude  but he does make a valid point that sometimes a man must be strong and fight for what is right. Otherwise if he's too peaceful he will not just get emasculated in a privileged society but outright killed by atrocious forces hell bent on domination and destruction.

Ask the right question

If you want the right answer.

 

Abramson on fighting back

Continuing the last post, his post on dealing with alt-right trolls highlights this necessity. While he specifically addresses younger alt-right trolls, for me it also applies to the much more experienced fascists who intentionally and effectively employ weaponized narrative.

Abramson is among other things a metamodernist. Unfortunately too many in that movement naively think civilized debate is how you deal with everything, including fascism. A relevant excerpt:

"We need to be able to troll as well as the alt-right does when necessary. [...] I'm not above shit-posting alt-right trolls or referencing their stupid ass tweener memes if doing so shows the resilience of progressivism. [...] We should all understand alt-right trolls well enough to be able to clean their damn clocks online whenever we feel like it."

The necessity of weaponized narrative

 Continuing this post:

Narrative framing can be used by anyone, whatever the worldview. Those techniques are on how to 'weaponize' narrative in a war of worldviews. Right now in the US we have a strong fascist contingent (aka the Repugnacon Party) using them effectively.

 

Progressives however seem to think they can just rationally provide the facts and that's all that is necessary, which might work for the intelligentsia and educated but not for the rest of us. Instead they need to recognize that we are in that war and learn how to fight it using the same techniques outlined. The difference is that progressives can use truth instead of lies to promote their worldview.

 

Further, given this is rhetorical war and the consequences are a fascist takeover, progressives need to get over that these tactics are 'dirty' or not conducive to reasoned and respectful debate. True as that may be, fascists do not respond to Robert's Rules of orderly debate. Nor do most working class folks of whatever political persuasion. We do what we must to win this war of words to preserve democracy so that reasoned and respectful debate can still operate for those willing to participate in it.

Meadows coordinated with Jan. 6 organizers

According to this Rolling Stone story, Scott Johnston testified to the Jan. 6 Committee that he was driving Kylie Kremer, executive director for Women for America First, when he overheard a phone conversation on speaker phone between her and then White House Chief of Staff Meadows. They were discussing the Jan. 6 Ellipse rally and planned the subsequent march on the Capitol. Let's indict Meadows and leverage him against Twitler.

American Bar Association fact checks Repugnacon lies on KBJ

According to this report debunking the slime accusations.

"Evaluators at the American Bar Association refuted Republican senators’ allegations that Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson had been lenient toward child pornography offenders, saying Thursday during her Senate confirmation hearing there’s 'no evidence' to support the claims, as they emphasized how well qualified she is to serve on the court."

Furthermore:

"Representatives from the ABA’s standing committee testified to senators about the 'well qualified' rating Jackson unanimously received from the ABA, which was based on a thorough review of her background, including interviews with 250 legal professionals who have worked with her."

 

 

Slime E. Coyote meets KBJ

Our version of the Roadrunner. Beep Beep.

We are worth more

And demand more. If you don't think so then YOU are not worth my time.

 

The entire Repugnacon Party these days

With rare exceptions like Cheney and Kinzinger.

 

The Thomases

And Injustice Thomas isn't at least influenced by this, let alone likely complicit with it?

"Virginia Thomas, a conservative activist married to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, repeatedly pressed White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to pursue unrelenting efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in urgent text exchanges in the critical weeks following the vote, according to copies of the messages obtained by CBS News chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa and Bob Woodward of The Washington Post."

 

Repugnacon projection

They lie about her to hide their own complicity and crimes.

 

Nuthin' to be proud of pop

Same BS propaganda corporations still use to program a slave work ethic. Fortunately our youth are now too smart for it.

 

Spiritual and martial Tai Chi Chuan

Continuing this post. Some excerpts from the 'Forty Chapter' Tai Chi classic text. 14. An Explanation of the Spiritual and Martial in Tai Chi:

"The spiritual is the essence, the martial is the application. [...] When the martial is matched with the spiritual and it is experienced in the body and mind, this then is the practise of martial arts.[...] The spiritual without martial training is essence without application; the martial without spiritual accompaniment is application without essence. [...] To understand the internal principles without the external skill is simply an armchair art. Without knowing the applications, one will be lost in an actual confrontation. When it comes to applying this art, one cannot afford to ignore the significance of the two words: spiritual and martial."

Sun Tzu's 9 links of weaponized narratives

I've often defended my rhetorical framing as legitimate in a war against fascism. I now turn to Sun Tzu's Art of War in support from this article. I'll just highlight a few phrases from each of the 9 links. See the article for more details.

You'll see that fascists use quite a few of these tactics effectively. Progressives need to first recognize that we are indeed in a rhetoric war and we need to fight back accordingly if we are to preserve democracy while preventing a military war.

"Sun Tzu suggests the faction perceiving its social system to be more just has an advantage in warfare. [...] Weaponized narratives can leverage partisanship and perceived miscarriages of justice to create divisions. [...] Weaponized narratives of injustice may claim that leaders don’t protect one group."

"Chaos drains energy, but drains less from the side already prepared for the chaotic environment.[...] Using a fast-paced, weaponized narrative can undercut proactive, strategic thinking in favor of reactive, tactical thinking. [...] Weaponized narratives can showcase urgent crises to distract the public and leaders from more important events."

"Weaponized narratives attack an enemy’s strategy. [...] In informational conflict one story means "a thousandfold increase in power if it goes viral and gains global attention." 

"By targeting strategy and creating chaos, the weaponized narrative favors revisionist powers. [...] The weaponized narrative can distract, allowing a slow series of gains, such as claiming small, contested regions while keeping potential adversaries focused on new crises."

"Narrative is a low-cost weapon. [...] Weaponized narratives exploit short-term stories to support long-term themes. [...] The narrative is the campaign plan that coordinates repeated, rotating themes."

"Narrative can win a conflict by preventing it.[...] Key themes might assert that a conflict is unimportant."

"Weaponized narratives leverage combined energy. Varied sources amplify assorted crowd-sourced stories, bolstering one narrative. [...] Bots will prove increasingly powerful as chatbots convincingly replicate humans."

"Narrative is typically fast, difficult to predict (which benefits those with little to lose over those with much to lose), and concentrates actions. [...] A new idea can take root before it can be debunked. [...] Groups such as Anonymous can similarly mass thousands of hackers, each perhaps with dozens of autonomous attack programs/bots for a cyberattack. [...] The appearance of many sources and supporters make the movement persuasive."

"Weaponized narrative targets our minds- and we rarely defend our minds well. We tend to accept stories uncritically (the illusory truth effect). Even if we know a story is false, a desire for the story to be true, or a story framed to support preexisting beliefs (confirmation bias) might make us believe the story in part."

 

 

Carlson received a top honor

Congratulations comrade.

 

Pomerantz: Twitler "guilty of numerous felony violations"

Continuing this post. Pomerantz was leading the Manhattan DA's investigation into Twitler, which until he resigned his team "harbors no doubt about whether he committed crimes—he did." And yet when new DA Bragg took over he decided not to indict, which Pomerantz called a "grave failure of injustice" that "will pose much greater risks in terms of public confidence in the fair administration of justice." It will also "doom any future prospects that Mr. Trump will be prosecuted for the criminal conduct we have been investigating." 

So WTF is going on with this new DA? He claims there isn't enough evidence to present to the grand jury yet his former lead prosecutor, his team and the former DA certainly thought there was and were going to proceed. Something is drastically wrong here and it seems on the part of the new DA.

Hawley's hypocrisy

Remember when he cheered on the Jan. 6 insurrection?

 

Brown Jackson wins again

This time on declining to impose enhanced sentencing based on a Supreme Court decision allowing such discretion. She's making a fool of the opposition. Not that it is all that hard, but nevertheless she does it with style, grace and impeccable legal argument.

Kentaji Brown Jackson confimation hearing

She intelligently and articulately answers on the issue of judging child porn cases, totally dispelling despicable Repugnacon framing.

NMDOH COVID report 2/21/22 - 3/21/22

The good news is that there were only 117 new cases yesterday. In the last 28 days there were 7,039 new cases averaging 251 per day. Of those 21.5% were of the vaccinated, 27.6% vaccinated with booster. In those categories 13.1 % and 15.4% were hospitalized and 16.2% and 9.1% died. 

The bad news is that the Omicron sub-variant is now about 75% of new cases and it is 30% more infectious than the original Omicron. Fauci expects we'll see an 'uptick' in cases but not likely a 'surge.' Yeah, right. With the relaxation of CDC recommendations and most all States eliminating vax and mask mandates I think we can expect a surge like China and they've been super careful. And Deltacron is coming. Then what? Wheeeee! Let's still pretend it's over.

 

Liberal Redneck on Ketanji Brown Jackson

And Repugnacons' absurd disapproval based on nothing substantive whatsoever. 

Lincoln Project: The Union

Their website is here. The blurb:

"The Union is a pro-democracy coalition of grassroots supporters and organizations dedicated to defending our democracy from the Trumpist authoritarian movement. We’re tired of waiting for someone else to act: it’s on us to save our democracy. We’re comprised of people from all walks of life and all political views — it’s time to put past differences aside and work together for our common goal: saving our democracy."  

Duh yeah: Treason

 

Firewalk

"You're always so negative," she said.
 
"No I'm not," he replied.
 
"See. There you go again."
 
"What, just because I don't agree with you I'm negative?"

Polly pushed away from the kitchen table and huffed into the living room. She picked up a ping pong paddle and slapped her hand. "You just don't get it, do you?"
 
Cal followed her and sat in front of the coffee table. He picked up a deck of cards next to a stack of board games and shuffled them a few times. He dealt them into two piles.  "Yes I do. If I say anything you don't believe, that's negative."
 
She paced the room, not looking at him. "You always look at the down side of things. No matter what it is, something is wrong with it."
 
"No, I just lay it out like it happened. You're the one who tries to fit everything into some kind of perfect pattern."

She plopped down on the couch opposite him. "Like your job.You're always bitching that you don't get enough work, that the women get all the work."
 
 He picked up the cards he had dealt himself and arranged them."A perfect example. It's a simple fact. Most people at the spa request women for their massages. It's not being negative to state the truth, is it?"
 
Polly picked up the cards in front of her and looked them over. "It's not the truth. We create our own reality. If you would just think positively you'd get more clients."
 
 "Oh please. The facts are the facts, and no amount of positive thinking can change that."
 
"You're so wrong. What about those firewalkers? They don't get burned walking across those coals."
 
Cal picked up a card from the stack and discarded one face up next to it. "Matt says there's a scientific explanation for that.They wait until the coals have an ash coating, wet their feet, then they run across them, barely touching them at all. It's the same thing as wetting your finger and touching an iron for an instant."
 
She picked up his discard and put down a different card. "Aurora is right about you. You're hopeless."
 
"Aurora! That air head? She thinks she was Shirley McLaine in a previous life!" He picked from the stack again and discarded.
 
"Go ahead, be negative. That's all you know how to do." She drew her knees up to her chest and hugged her legs while surveying her cards. Her short cutoffs revealed the back of her legs and the edges of her buttocks.
 
Cal put his cards down and crawled over to her. "You know what that does to me when you sit like that. Polly want a penis?"
 
Polly sighed. "I hate you, you know that." She put her feet on his chest and lightly pushed in a mock kick.

He grabbed her ankles and wrapped them around his waist. Her cards fell around them. "Look who is being negative now."

*

"This is divine," Aurora said, pulling up the sleeves of her pearl, one-piece cotton jumpsuit. Her one carat diamond earrings glistened in the afternoon sun.
 
Polly and Aurora were standing together in the back yard near the pool, each with a plastic bottle of Evian. Several people were milling about, swimming, or involved in playing darts, water polo, ping pong or volleyball. Cal was laboring over his homemade brick barbecue wearing his Suns cap, the brim turned backwards. He flipped burgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers on the three separate sections for grilling. In a compartment underneath the coals, potatoes, corn on the cob and zucchini were baking.
 
 Polly pulled the bikini strap back up onto her shoulder. "I don't know what to do, Aurora. I love him, but he's so negative about everything."
 
 "He can't be completely negative or you wouldn't love him in the first place."
 
Polly looked askance at her. "Heh, whose side are you on, anyway?"
 
"I'm not on anyone's side, dear. The Universe is merely love, and we must find the ways we each block that love from manifesting through ourselves."
 
 "I know, but..."
 
 "No buts, dear. Open to love and see how you are interpreting the situation. You have the power to respond to things in the way of your own choosing. By doing so you can change the external reality."  
 
"But he said that firewalking was a hoax!"
 
Aurora was taking a swig of her Evian. She coughed and spit it out. "He said what?""
 
"Yeah, something about some kind of scientific explanation."
 
 Aurora turned her nose up and narrowed her eyes, looking over at Cal. "Perhaps he needs a demonstration, then."

*

"Who is that middle-aged babe talking to Polly?" Matt asked Cal at the grill.
 
"Believe me, you don't want to know. Get me another beer out of the cooler, would you?"
 
Matt handed him a Miller Genuine Draft and said: "She sure looks good for a woman her age. What's her name?"
 
Cal pronged out a potato, stuck a fork in it to see if it was done, then pushed it back into the grill's oven. "That's Polly's New Age guru, Aurora. You remember the one I was telling you about? The one who sells those firewalking seminars for $350."
 
 "Oh, the woo woo voodoo woman. Someone must be either incredibly naive or incredibly stupid to believe that obvious sleight of hand stuff." Matt guzzled the last of his can of Schlitz and shot it like a basketball into the large plastic garbage container next to the dart board. "Shazam! Long range Ainge for three!"

"Heh, watch it!" Cal bumped him with his shoulder. "Polly believes her and she's neither."
 
 "Sorry buddy. But you have to admit the stuff that Polly says is pretty off the wall."
 
 "Food's ready," Cal called out in a loud voice. People approached with paper plates and he forked out the hot victuals to the procession. "Yeah, I know. Sometimes I think it's just a fad with her. It'll pass. She's bright, she'll figure out it's bogus after a while."
 
 Matt elbowed Cal. "Here they come."
 
 Polly and Aurora were at the end of the food line. As they got to Cal, he said: "Hello Aurora. What'll ya have today?"
 
 "You know I don't eat the dead flesh of animals, Cal. May I have a veggie burger and some vegetables please?"
 
 Polly stuck her plate out, looking away from Cal. "Yeah, and the same for me too."
 
 "Excuse me for asking," Matt cut in, "but is there something wrong with eating 'the flesh of dead animals,' as you so eloquently put it?" A dry pine needle fell onto the coals. It made a loud crackle.
 
 Aurora picked up a piece of zucchini with her fingers and slurped it into her mouth. She licked her fingers sensuously. "And you simply must be Matt."
 
Matt whistled a few notes from Twilight Zone. "They didn't tell me you were psychic too."
 
"Matt's an electrical engineer out at Motorola," Polly interjected, trying to ward off an argument.
 
Cal filled his own plate. "Come on, let's all go sit at the table and eat." He ushered them away from the grill.  

The table was full. There were two seats left at each end.The men sat together at one end, the women at the other.
 
"I want her," Matt said.
 
Cal finished chewing a bite of beef. "Are you nuts? She obviously hates your guts."
 
"All women play that game, Cal. She wants me just as bad. I can tell."
 
"If you say so." Cal took another big bite and washed it down with a long swallow of beer.
 
Aurora and Polly walked over to the grill. Polly put on the oven mittens and removed the three grills. Aurora picked up the little grill shovel and started heaving the coals onto the lawn.Cal leaped up in one motion from the table and flew over to his prize barbecue.
 
"What the hell are you two doing?" He tried to grab the shovel from Aurora but Polly wrapped her arms around him from behind and pulled him away.
 
 "We're going to have a firewalk here in the yard," she said.
 
"You're what?" he said.
 
Aurora continued to shovel until the three grills were empty.She started to arrange the coals into a long rectangular shape, two feet by six. The table emptied and all the guests gathered around her in a circle, murmuring loudly. Matt pushed his way to the front. Cal reached out and grabbed him by the shoulders.
 
"They're going to do a firewalk in my yard! On my beautiful lawn!"  

Matt shook Cal's arms. "Easy buddy. This is the perfect opportunity to make a fool of this woman in front of Polly. We got her now."
 
Aurora nodded silently to Polly, who glided over to her as if in a trance. Aurora nodded again and Polly sat at the head of the coals in a lotus posture, her hands resting on her knees, the thumb and forefingers of each hand touching in a circle.
 
"Close your eyes and breathe deeply," Aurora intoned. "With each out breath feel all thoughts leave you. Each in breath imagine the pure, brilliant white light of God filling you. You are filled with God. You are God."

"Oh my God! Polly's going to fry on those coals," Cal whispered frantically to Matt. "How hot are they?"
 
"No way. Even though the coals at the interior are about 750 degrees, at the ash coating it is considerably cooler. Say, only about 250."
 
"Correct me if I'm wrong here, Matt, but that still seems hot enough to burn the shit out of skin."
 
"Relax. The way they just run across them the feet never make contact long enough to burn. Plus they always use some kind of wet pad to step on first to moisten the feet with a coating of water.The brief contact only actually touches the water, which insulates the skin from any harm. It's like..."
 
"I know, wetting your finger and touching an iron. You better be right."
 
As they talked, Aurora took a beach towel and dipped it in the pool. She then draped it on the ground at the head of the coals.
 
"See, what did I tell you," Matt smirked. "And to prove it, I'm going to walk across them too. Care to join me?"
 
"I don't know..."
 
"Come on. This is your chance to expose this crap to Polly. If we can do it without believing all that psycho babble, maybe she'll see it's all just hype."
 
 "Yeah, ok. Let's do it. You're sure now."

 "Absolutely."
 
 "The mind is a powerful tool," Aurora droned. "What we imagine changes the external world. The only thing that holds us back from immortality is our programmed thoughts. Change your mind, change your life. Arise!"

Polly stood, eyes still closed.
 
"Open your eyes to slits and look up and to the right," Aurora commanded. "Take one step forward."
 
Polly obeyed and stood with both feet on the towel.
 
"Say to yourself repeatedly, 'cool moss, cool moss.'" After a few moments Aurora continued. "Now, imagine you are stepping quickly across a stream, briefly touching the cool moss on the stones." Another short pause, then: "Now do it, run across that stream. Go!"
 
 Polly lurched forward quickly and ran across the coals. Sighs of amazement emitted from the crowd. Aurora looked over at Matt and Cal and smiled triumphantly. Her smile dropped to a frown and her eyes bugged out as Matt approached the coals.      
Matt stepped onto the towel and looked directly at the coals."Bullshit, bullshit," he chanted, and ran across the coals. Heavy murmurs from the audience. He immediately ran back around and did it again, continuing his irreverent refrain. After the third trip he called over to Cal. "See. Nothing to it. Your turn."
 
Polly was standing next to Aurora by the pool. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked at Cal. Cal looked first at her, then Matt, then the coals.
 
 "Do it!" Matt urged.
 
Cal ran over the coals without first wetting his feet on the towel. Half way over he cursed, picking up his feet in a mad dance.Before finishing, he jumped off the coals and ran toward the pool. He was in such a hurry to get relief for his burned feet that he ran between Aurora and Polly, knocking them off balance and toppling them into the pool with him. As the three surfaced, all of them were laughing.
 
 Matt stood over them at the edge. "You didn't wet your feet first, you boob."
 
Cal swam over to him and extended his hand. "Here, help me out." As Matt grabbed his hand, Cal pulled him in with a loud splash.
 
 Matt struggled to the surface gasping. He went under for a moment and thrashed back up. "I can't swim, help!"
 
Before the others could react, Aurora took two graceful, powerful strokes and circled Matt's head from behind. She pulled him to the shallow end where he lay on the steps coughing and sputtering. Polly swam to Cal and hugged him.
 
"I'm sorry, honey. I really thought there was something to this stuff."

Cal had his back to the edge of the pool, his arms hanging onto the side. He let go and the two submerged and kissed deeply.When they surfaced he said: "You know, I think there is something to all this stuff. I realized by changing our perspective we might not change the reality out there but.."

"It changes the way we interpret it," she finished for him.
 
He smiled. "Yeah. So instead of seeing us as being opposites, I choose to see us as complementary aspects of one unique whole, both necessary for the..."
 
 She cut him off with a kiss. They submerged again.

*
 
 By the time they got out of the pool everyone had left. Aurora had offered to give Matt a ride home, saying he shouldn't drive after such an ordeal. Cal leaned on Polly, limping to where the coals had been. There was a charred rectangular area where there had once been grass. It looked like a burial plot. They hugged side by side staring down into it.
 
"Now you'll have to plant new grass," she said.
 
"No, I think I'll leave it there as a reminder," he said.
 
She looked up at him with a sardonic grin. "You're getting positive on me, aren't you?"
 
"No I'm not."
 

Veterans Against Trump

Count me as one.

 

Russia recruited Twitler

Meme is confirmed by this story of a former KGB spy.

 

Yet more Star Trek wisdom

This time how to infiltrate the enemy.

 

I always wondered about this

How birds figured out their spot in the flight formation.

 

Integrative methods for functional archetypes

This clip is from Robert M Ellis' presentation on his new book Archetypes in Religion and Beyond. In it he explains how we differentiate between our projection on an archetype and integrating it for functional use. He lists 3 methods: Mindfulness practice, the arts and critical thinking. I associate that with activating and balancing being, feeling and thinking.

Real free speech and real cancel culture

Thanks for clarifying that AOC.

 

Lincoln Project: Two very different views of Poodin

Intentional new spelling, which translates into English as Loud Shit. 

Maher: Stand by your Brand

Good New Rule on sticking with the name and values you started with. Or if you change, change the name to reflect it. After giving several examples he then gets to the Republican Party, who have abandoned the values they used to purport. He suggests they change their brand to the Trump Party. I suggest the TrumPutincons. 

Same with my social security check

The only thing saving me from starvation is that I saved some money from when I was working. If you have to survive just on SS you need help. This price gouging on all goods and services is criminal. Prosecute the criminals and expand social security.

 

More accurate framing

 

AOC on oil price gouging

There is no valid reason for this rip off. Create laws to prevent it. Of course we'll need to elect representatives who aren't bribed by Big Oil first. From her email:

Explainer: Oil Profiteering

We’re all hearing a lot about rising gas prices. This week, the retail cost of a gallon of gas at one point hit a record high of $4.43.¹

But something strange is going on that too few in the media and in public office are talking about: oil profiteering.

Let us explain…

You would think that the price of a gallon of gas is closely linked to the price of the barrels of crude oil used to make that gas. When Russia invaded Ukraine, the price of oil shot through the roof. That, in turn, sent gas prices upward.

But this week we’ve seen a disconnect between the cost of oil and the retail cost of gas. Take a look at this chart produced by the White House, showing numbers from Bloomberg News:

Oil prices dropped 30% this past week², but gas prices largely stayed the same.

So, what gives?

As the U.S. and other countries respond to Russian aggression in Europe, Big Oil is raking in record profits. They’re profiteering off of the war, using it as an excuse to gouge working families at the gas pump.

And this isn’t a new phenomenon. Exxon, Chevron, Shell and BP alone raked in more than $75 billion in profit in 2021.³ Chevron called 2021 one of its “most successful years ever.” Shell’s CEO called 2021 a “momentous year.” And Big Oil producers are planning for an “even better” 2022 by their own accounts.⁴

We need consequences.

There’s something fundamentally wrong when so much suffering felt by working people is accompanied by windfall profits for Big Oil executives and investors.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is joining the growing chorus in Congress and the White House for accountability.⁵ Big Oil cannot continue to rake in massive profits while working families struggle to pay their bills.

---

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is fighting for a powerful set of policies that will reshape our economy, shrink inequality and reverse the effects of climate change. Through a Green New Deal, we will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and guarantee a high-wage job to everyone who wants one. And we’re not stopping there⁠—our platform calls for federal limits on rent increases, transformative criminal justice reform, Medicare for All and tuition-free public college. Our campaign is 100% people-powered. In fact, we are the #1 small-dollar funded campaign in Congress. If you can, please consider making a donation today to keep Alexandria fighting for our agenda in Congress. Contribute

[1] https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-record-high-russia-ukraine-ac7fcc350ad1f1c71db4185b99fef112
[2] https://twitter.com/RepRoKhanna/status/1504821384815460363
[3] https://www.accountable.us/news/big-oil-companies-net-75-billion-in-profit-while-americans-struggle-to-heat-homes-fill-gas-tanks/
[4] https://www.accountable.us/news/big-oil-companies-net-75-billion-in-profit-while-americans-struggle-to-heat-homes-fill-gas-tanks/
[5] https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1503453581051056129

Dire Straits - Money for Nothing

"Money for nothin' and your chicks for free."

 

What is the best for everyone?

The same as what is best for workers. Hence when other businesses don't follow Costco's example it's because their plan is warped to be best for owners and shareholders at the expense of workers. It's the difference between what's healthy and best for everyone versus greed and sickness in the few.

Republicans responsible for polarization

The following is from Robertand Zunliang Chu Warden's FB post, commenting on this article. 

"Here is an article which helps explain the trends in Congress over the past several decades.

The Pew Research Center, using data which ranks congress people on a scale from most liberal to most conservative, tracked the rankings for Democrats and Republicans from the early 1970s until now (50 years). During those 50 years, congress has become increasingly polarized, with Democrats becoming more liberal, and Republicans becoming more conservative. (I think this is largely due to self-sorting, as there used to be some overlap between the parties, but now, there is virtually none; all Democrats are more liberal than any Republican.) 

 

However, the changes in Democrats and Republicans have not been equal and opposite. In fact, Republicans have become more conservative at a rate that is approximately 4 times as quickly as Democrats have become more liberal. Thus, as Chris Cillizza states, the polarization of Congress is in fact the fault of Republicans.

 

More to the point from a liberal perspective, given that there have been approximately equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats in Congress over the past 50 years, Congress as a whole has turned somewhat more conservative, even as the public's attitudes and policy preferences have grown somewhat more liberal, leaving a disconnect between government policies and public sentiment. 

 

This article provides refutation of the "both side-ism" which has always irked me. It is not both sides that are growing more conservative. In fact, much to the contrary, Democrats have become more liberal, but not as fast as Republicans have slid into a state of deep conservatism. Nor is it both sides' fault that Congress is so polarized now. Republicans are clearly driving this trend. 

 

We need to support progressives during the upcoming primaries, and continue the trend of Democrats becoming more liberal. Just as crucially, we need to have Democratic majorities in Congress in order to get anything done -- majorities that are large enough to overcome the occasional Democrat who refuses to support important parts of the Democratic agenda. It will take the passage of a considerable package of Democratic legislation, in fact, in order to get government policy back in line with public opinions."

 

Stacey Abrams: President of United Earth

Star Trek has always been an accurate prognosticator. Let's hope they are right about this too.

 

Reductio ad absurdum

In modern parlance: Circle jerk.

 

Poll: The very liberal and COVID

See it discussed here, the divide in how COVID is perceived by those who identify as liberal. The very liberal take it much more seriously and continue to advise and take precautions. "The merely liberal are sometimes closer to moderates than to the very liberal." The very liberal category are about 10% of the population and are mostly younger than 50 with a 4-year college degree. 

The poll calls them "outliers" regarding COVID. That is how they are also framed by moderate liberals (aka the establishment status quo) and Republicans, as 'extreme left.' Such categories using the left/right spatial orientation indeed makes it seem like progressives are extreme, and that the correct balance should be somewhere more toward the middle, like a teeter totter. 

However the correct way to frame progressives is more akin to developmental psychology's hierarchical scale, Maslow's hierarchy of needs being one of the first but still an accurate measure. Later measures include Piaget's model which was further developed by the model of hierarchical complexity and other models. These measures find progressives as the some of the most developed overall and therefore likely to be more accurate in their views on issues, COVID being one of them.

Instead of labeling them outliers they are more correctly framed as our societal vanguard. They have been the ones in legislatures who have implemented policies that have been generally described as societal progress. Hence we should look to their current policies as also the most beneficial for that further progress. 

Granted this is a broad generalization that requires specificity depending on the issue and the context. But overall it holds. Specifically related to precautions and COVID it certainly makes sense in terms of public health, as eliminating precautions at this stage of the pandemic will only lead to further spikes in illness, hospitalizations and deaths. By any measure, other than economic, this is going backward instead of forward. Even in the economic domain the short-term benefits of removing precautions will be outweighed by the long-term effects when those spikes hit again and the pandemic is prolonged.

It's similar to our views and policies on the climate crisis and the economy. We still tend to sacrifice the former in the name of the latter when in fact the latter only exacerbates the former. The IPCC reports make clear we need urgent and transformative change and quickly to avert long-term environmental disaster that requires an expedited shift away from fossil fuels to renewables. And yet we slow walk that transition to continually feed the greed of the oil barons who pay off our representatives for short-term gain at our long-term economic losses due to that crisis, let alone the costs to humanity.

 

Honest Govt. Ad: The Floods

Get f___ing used to it. Same situation in the US. 

Loud and clear signal

Fascists stick together.

 

Sherrod Brown exposes the oil shills

Good job. Hold the vote, expose them for what they are. And force Manikin and Dimena to switch to the Repugnacon Party so that we can take back the Senate in '24 by a landslide.