tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39655937825261913282024-03-21T20:11:57.555-07:00Blogito Ergo SumThis blog began as a writing and literature blog with the occasional Op-Ed piece on current events & issues. The political writing has, slowly but surely, taken this blog over. Readers will still be treated to some of my thoughts on pop culture and sports, but, for the most part, Blogito Ergo Sum will feature my opinions on the state of our union and world.James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.comBlogger266125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-50634100472313878782022-09-11T15:59:00.002-07:002022-09-11T17:12:55.870-07:00Was the Theft of Classified Files an Act of Espionage or Something Else? <p>-</p><p>According to an article at <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/18/doj-battles-to-keep-warrant-details-secret-00052669">Politico.com</a>, "The Justice Department’s top counterintelligence official, Jay Bratt, repeatedly emphasized that the investigation into the former president’s handling of classified White House records 'is in its early stages.'"</p><div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Publicly traded MEME</b>
</span></div></div>Many people are wondering what there is left to investigate. We know, according to reporting appearing in the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/09/06/trump-nuclear-documents/" target="_blank">September 6th edition of <i>The Washington Post</i></a>, "...more than 300 classified documents from Mar-a-Lago this year: 184 in a set of 15 boxes sent to the National Archives and Records Administration in January, 38 more handed over by a Trump lawyer to investigators in June, and more than 100 additional documents unearthed in a court-approved search on Aug. 8."</div><div><br /></div><div>We also know, according to multiple reports at time, that in May of 2017, then-President Trump divulged highly classified secrets, which had been entrusted to the United States of America by a middle eastern ally, to Sergey V. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, and Sergey I. Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States during a meeting in the Oval Office. </div><div><br /></div><div>Admittedly, it's more than a little tempting to make a cognitive connection between the two events and say, "Ah-ha! He stole the files for the Russians! Lock him up!" Now, I'm not going suggest he doesn't belong in prison. Of course, he belongs in prison for multiple crimes Trump committed while he was in office. But what if the purloined papers in question are the product of something other than espionage or criminal intent? </div><div><br /></div><div>Until now, I've believed that Donald Trump knows he lost the 2020 election and has been claiming otherwise in order to keep his base fired up. After all, it's all about the base. </div><div><br /></div><div>What if I've been wrong though? What if Donald Trump is, in fact, delusional enough believe he actually won 2020's election for president? If that's the case, then keeping the papers becomes less of an act of espionage and more of a sign of mental illness. Taking the papers may have been a way for him to hold on to his delusion of victory. </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Only the president can see these files.</li><li>I have these files.</li><li>Therefore, I must be the president. </li></ul>If that's the case, then it's still a crime maybe an understandable one. Keep in mind though, understanding what motivates a criminal act isn't the same as excusing the criminal act in question, nor does it excuse any other criminal act he may have committed. I'm merely suggesting a <i>possible</i> context for, rather than a justification of, his action. In fact, if Trump <i>is</i> prone to such delusions, it becomes even more imperative he be kept out of the Oval Office in 2024, assuming, of course, he's not in prison by then. </div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-72658764468997563492022-05-04T16:48:00.001-07:002022-05-04T16:58:14.756-07:00The Supreme Court Has Set Womens' Rights Back Decades<p> -</p>
<p>According to an <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/02/read-justice-alito-initial-abortion-opinion-overturn-roe-v-wade-pdf-00029504" target="_blank">initial draft majority opinion</a>, written by Justice Samuel Alito, "<i>The Supreme Court has voted to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.</i>"</p>
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<p>Justice Samuel Alito, and the other conservative Justices; Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Neil Gorsuch, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Amy Coney Barrett; are of the opinion that the issue of abortion is about states' rights, rather than women's rights.</p><p>In other words, it's more important to preserve the right of state governments police doctor/patient relationships than it is to safeguard the right of women to decide what happens to their own bodies.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/perspectives50/abortion-and-after-legalization" target="_blank">The Guttmacher Institute</a>, "<i>The number of illegal procedures in the country plummeted from around 130,000 to 17,000 between 1972 and 1974. The number of deaths associated with illegal abortion decreased from 39 to 5 in that same time period; women who died as a result of illegal abortions typically were black...</i>"</p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The GOP's stance on abortion isn't about states' rights, and it certainly isn't about protecting life. Criminalizing abortion only drives desperate procedure seekers into proverbial back allies</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. GOP law <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CbW_taZFptkIKbhK5pKfin1FmeVWIybsTJbnHxL9DtJf-xa5y6p-Sn1-dWa0VVSMozKVmYsFCvZSb5g1DHBbixBc_kmN8PnDyU9AjUtduW9TeMWTzwHKRuTQASDjzl03KqyxT5B9BhAW7BNIcuPLe_vGd9hcroEhZxpkArMzowbvlgMltQQ6_GMj/s1123/Ban.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="835" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CbW_taZFptkIKbhK5pKfin1FmeVWIybsTJbnHxL9DtJf-xa5y6p-Sn1-dWa0VVSMozKVmYsFCvZSb5g1DHBbixBc_kmN8PnDyU9AjUtduW9TeMWTzwHKRuTQASDjzl03KqyxT5B9BhAW7BNIcuPLe_vGd9hcroEhZxpkArMzowbvlgMltQQ6_GMj/s320/Ban.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>makers are chomping at the bit to ban abortions, making no allowances for cases of incest and/or rape. </span></h4><div><span style="font-weight: 400;">A recent piece in <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/abortion-11-year-old-pregnant_n_6266e555e4b07c34e9e4cb27?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-huffpost&utm_content=later-26564348&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkin.bio&fbclid=IwAR37MQhca68Nbuh2CwifmHt-dNO2y39dNXJn1pOGOf96dnnjnB3_nQ20Oaw" target="_blank">The Huffington Post</a> tells the story of 11-year-old "Sophia" (her real name withheld to protect her privacy) who was impregnated by a relative. There was no question whether, or not, Sophia should carry to term. The pregnancy was, of course, terminated. However, if conservative law makers have their way, and it looks like they just might, victims, such as 11-year-old Sophia will be forced to see their unwanted pregnancy to its conclusion, despite the physical and mental health of the mother. </span></div><div><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: 400;">If ultra-conservatives were truly concerned with safeguarding the sanctity of life, they would allow, and even champion, exceptions for rape, incest, and protecting think health of the health/life of the mother. Protecting life isn't their true motivation though. Keeping abortion illegal is a way to keep uppity women in their place by turning them into little more than baby factories. They're literally saying, "<i>No matter how a female (woman or girl) is impregnated, and no matter how said impregnation affects her health, she needs to shut up and pop that baby out.</i>" When policy reflects such an attitude, women are reduced to second class citizens.</span></div><div><br /></div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-75714679219097442302022-03-23T01:34:00.001-07:002022-04-12T13:32:03.361-07:00Putin Investigated for Possible War Crimes in Ukraine - Possible? <p> -</p><div>As I write this, war has raged across Ukraine for 27 days. The violent onslaught, according to <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1293492/ukraine-war-casualties/">Statista.com</a>, <b><i>has killed a</i></b><i><b> total of 953 civilians. Of them, 78 were children. Furthermore, 1,557 people were reported to have been injured </b></i><b><i>105 of which have been children</i></b><b style="font-style: italic;">. However, OHCHR specified that the real numbers could be higher. On top of that, 2.14 million Ukrainian people, mostly women and children, have fled for their lives as everything they've known was, literally, reduced to rubble. </b></div><br /><div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><center>| Subject: War Crazed Vladimir Putin | Permissions: This picture was found at
<a href="https://favpng.com/png_view/vladimir-putin-vladimir-putin-united-states-ukraine-russkaya-pravda-ulan-ude-png/bpKUACSw">FavPNG.com/png_view/vladimir-putin........</a> via my premium account for my personal use. |</center> </span></div>
</div><div>According to a recent article in the New York Times, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/world/europe/war-crimes-russia-ukraine-icc.html?campaign_id=249&emc=edit_ruwb_20220303&instance_id=54796&nl=russia-ukraine-war-briefing&regi_id=92890147&segment_id=84558&te=1&user_id=b79e5a24d4374797ef101e43d68d41f1" target="_blank">I.C.C. Prosecutor Fast-Tracks War Crimes Investigation in Ukraine</a>, <i><b>"The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has launched an immediate criminal investigation of possible war crimes in Ukraine."</b></i></div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div>I'm all for due process and giving a guy the benefit of the doubt, but how many bodies have to pile up on a guy's proverbial doorstep before people can agree he's committed, and is still committing, a crime? <div><br /></div><div>Legal procedures are important, they are. Legal procedures, ensure the rights are protected, at least in theory (the parents of Ferguson's Michael Brown Jr. might disagree). While such laws have allowed humankind to form civilized societies, they have their limits. </div><div><br /></div><div>If a person is going around town shooting people, you don't stop to apply for a warrant. You TAKE THE S.O.B. DOWN! Seriously, he doesn't deny having ordered the invasion. He's spouted some QAnon caliber nonsense, about Ukrainian NAZIs, to justify his actions, but his guilt is evident and undeniable. </div><div><br /></div><div>OK, Ukraine isn't part of NATO. Granted. Yet, you don't sit and watch your neighbor be burgled because he didn't pay his property tax. You send the police in anyway because you know he's not going to victimize just one house. Does anyone think Putin will stop with Ukraine if he's left in power? Do nukes have to fly before we can agree to put this mad dog down? </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYohhpm3Rs-VUcTFj-993CamU9OciYp4ldgt48Yz9sSqoBpLDGat7MVhBBOV1JF1BrmeR6d9-tE_RH54bNeAXg7Z-TzrHBkvVDD_3XQg646jxqaTSMSIbUjxqE8TwdG0UZetv50A3w_9djHJMCDEo_Na6xZkz7wj8VWxLMg4RdBpkItL4MDkIpwdPs/s920/NOC.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="920" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYohhpm3Rs-VUcTFj-993CamU9OciYp4ldgt48Yz9sSqoBpLDGat7MVhBBOV1JF1BrmeR6d9-tE_RH54bNeAXg7Z-TzrHBkvVDD_3XQg646jxqaTSMSIbUjxqE8TwdG0UZetv50A3w_9djHJMCDEo_Na6xZkz7wj8VWxLMg4RdBpkItL4MDkIpwdPs/w400-h238/NOC.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><div>This graph form <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1293492/ukraine-war-casualties/">Statista.com</a> was best information when it was posted to this blog at 03/23/2022-00:57:22.</div></div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-68198808637667414742022-01-19T19:19:00.000-08:002022-01-19T19:19:06.352-08:00Compromise Does Not Mean Defeat<p><i>-</i></p><p><i>"You gd old senile bxxxh. You’re as old and ugly as Biden. You ought to get the fuck off the planet. You fucking foul bitch…. They ought to fxxxing try you for treason, bitch... ...You and every one of your scumbag fxxxing friends… I hope your family dies in front of you. I pray to God, if you’ve got any children, they die in your face."</i> ~ This was a message left on Representative Debbie Dingell's (MI-D) voice mail system.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEI_D773Nu6D1jnQntWYstOD_oGAQPBOXz8xTRfYKe8Lxsu2b6kvbMpYM7-DdANiJJxYilFdKrDNTdd9Cy1jjknyTON-YLePiKH7sOsppidOs7YVfooWOweBwUkh--MdRNACBDnA0hc57Rb6I5kKsA2UULegklZVx8aBfru5FcwveT7vWW7DlX_kmd=s900" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEI_D773Nu6D1jnQntWYstOD_oGAQPBOXz8xTRfYKe8Lxsu2b6kvbMpYM7-DdANiJJxYilFdKrDNTdd9Cy1jjknyTON-YLePiKH7sOsppidOs7YVfooWOweBwUkh--MdRNACBDnA0hc57Rb6I5kKsA2UULegklZVx8aBfru5FcwveT7vWW7DlX_kmd=s320" width="320" /></a></div>In 1887, our independence had been won and it was time to design a functional government. Our founding fathers shuttered the windows, so no one could see the proverbial sausage being made, and they debated. They debated and debated until it came down to two plans, James Madison's Virginia Plan and William Paterson's New Jersey Plan. <p></p><p>In simplest terms, Madison's plan based legislative representation on the population of a state, whereas Paterson's plan called for equal legislative representation regardless of a state's population size. After weeks of ferocious <u>debate and compromise</u>, we were given a House of Representatives based on the population of each state and a Senate consisting of two Senators from each state regardless of a state's population size. </p><p>They debated the issues until they found a compromise everyone could live with. We seem to have lost the ability to come together as Americans and iron out solutions to common problems. Senate Minority Leader <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitch-mcconnell-vows-to-be-the-grim-reaper-to-thwart-all-democratic-proposals/">Mitch McConnell has labeled himself "The Grim Reaper," vowing to thwart all Democratic proposals, according to CBS News</a>. The content of a particular bill, or how that content would help the American people, doesn't matter. Senator McConnell will lead a full court press against ANY bill proposed by Democrats. </p><p>I'm not sure when it happened, we've gone from being fellow Americans working together for a better future to being us versus them. "We" are the good guys. Anyone who doesn't with "us" are the bad guys. Both camps have adopted this mind set to the point where compromise has become equated with defeat, rather than progress. </p><p></p>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-39871391733183770532021-10-27T17:46:00.001-07:002021-11-03T16:55:52.810-07:00Us Vs. Them<p>-</p><p>If one has a yearning for mythology, they needn't look to ancient Greece & Rome; the United States of America is full of it. From young George Washington ratting himself out over a vandalized cherry tree to Betsy Ross single handedly designing our flag, our history is liberally peppered with extra-factual stories and ideas. One such idea holds that our country was built upon the spirit of cooperation & compromise. </p>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">|Subject: Them Vs. Us | Rights to PNG secured from <a href="https://favpng.com/">FAVPNG Premium</a> |</span></div>When I was in grade school, I was taught Americans would debate back & forth, then come together to do what was best for the greatest number of people. I don't know, maybe it used to be like that, to some extent. It's not like that today though. <div><br /></div><div>Today, a party will declare a filibuster to kill a Senate bill, simply because it was proposed by the opposing party. They don't even have to execute the filibuster to kill a bill, they only have to declare their intention to do so, and the bill is dead. There's no high-minded debate or negotiation involved. American politics has solely become about <i><b>us</b></i> denying <i style="font-weight: bold;">them</i> a victory. That’s it. <i style="font-weight: bold;">We</i> HAVE to beat <i style="font-weight: bold;">them</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Even more tragic is the fact that the <i style="font-weight: bold;">us vs. them</i> mentality has oozed beyond the borders of Washington, flooding everyday life. <i style="font-weight: bold;">We</i> are always on the side of the angels (or enlightenment if the <i style="font-weight: bold;">we</i> are atheist), and <i style="font-weight: bold;">they </i>are marching in Hell's army. <i style="font-weight: bold;">They </i>must but given no quarter, for <i style="font-weight: bold;">we </i>are the righteous. </div><div><br /></div><div>OK, we've always suffered under the yokes of racial & sexual bigotry and religious intolerance. They just seem to more visible today, and people seem less willing to tolerate people with differing points of view. Whether, or not, people get a shot to avoid disease has become a political question. </div><div><br /></div><div>Don't get me wrong, I'm scared of COVID-19. I took the vaccination. However, I see anti-vaxxers losing jobs, and being denied entrance into; restaurants, sporting events, schools, etc...; I wonder if we're not creating another underclass, another them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sure, they could take the shot to, instantly, safeguard their job and other rights. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Of course, all the Jewish people had to do, in the fifteenth century, was to deny their beliefs to have the hot coals removed from their balls. </div><div><br /></div><div>Personally, I believe that part of being a good American is doing what's good for the country. If we all got our shots we could shed the yoke of COVID-19, and our masks, and return to business as usual. However, if someone due to; religious belief, personal belief, medical condition, or simply fear; can’t find themselves to take the shot, I can’t ostracize them for it. </div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-84252804211220892082021-09-28T17:13:00.000-07:002021-09-28T17:13:53.321-07:00Shiny Glitzy Things <p>-
<br /><i></i><b></b><b><i>“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”</i> - J. R. R. Tolkien</b> </p><p>I've been having trouble writing lately. I typically write about issues I care about passionately, but I'm just not feeling it boys and girls. Caring about the important things seems to be going out of style. Think about it.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Mitch McConnell admits, verbally, Washington needs to raise the debt ceiling to avoid economic upheaval. Yet, he's threatening to filibuster, knowing the chaos which a federal default and shutdown will cause. </li><li>Even with a Democrat in the White House, we're still exporting asylum seekers by the thousands. Yet, since it's no longer Trump's administration in charge, there's not the same outrage over the atrocities being perpetrated. </li><li>According to <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/">worldometers.info</a>, as of 09/28/2021-4:39:15pm pst, 757,710 Americans have died of Covid-19. Yet, 40% of us can't be bothered to get a shot in the arm in order to stem the tide of the pandemic. </li></ul>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">|Subject: Britney Spears | Rights to PNG secured from <a href="https://favpng.com/">FAVPNG Premium</a> |</span></td> </tr></table> </div>
Yes folks, apathy has become the in thing. No... Wait... This just in; it appears to be over for "Real Housewife" Vicki Gunvalson and her long time beau, Steve Lodge. We care about that. Oh and, Senator Ted Cruz has dedicated his time to leading the charge to get Britney Spears out of prison. That's important. <p></p><p>Maybe we're not so much apathetic as we are immature. Things without glitz and sparkly pieces don't hold our attention. Hundreds of thousands of people are dying of a disease we could squelch if 70% of us became vaccinated, but let's make sure the pop star doesn't have to serve her full stint. </p>
James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-90822826692562727812021-08-13T18:06:00.001-07:002021-08-13T19:57:14.645-07:00The Needs Of The Many Vs The Rights Of The One- <br /><b><i>"I don't believe in quotas. America was founded on a philosophy of individual rights, not group rights." </i>~ Justice Clarence Thomas</b><div><b><br /></b>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">| Rights to PNG secured from <a href="https://favpng.com/">FAVPNG Premium</a> |</span></div>According to the CDC and the scientific community, the pandemic won't be over until 70+% of the population is vaccinated against Covid-19. Unfortunately, the United States of America has <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/coronavirus-data-explorer?zoomToSelection=true&facet=none&pickerSort=asc&pickerMetric=location&Metric=People+vaccinated+%28by+dose%29&Interval=7-day+rolling+average&Relative+to+Population=true&Align+outbreaks=false&country=~USA" target="_blank">stagnated at 59%</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>A few months ago businesses and states incentivized vaccinations by offering discounts and entrances into million dollar lotteries to people who had been vaccinated. On June 20th, <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/entertainment/madison-square-garden-announces-1st-major-concert-only-vaccinated-fans-allowed/3095536/" target="_blank">Madison Square Garden reopened with a Foo Fighters concert</a> strictly for vaccinated fans. It didn't work. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, there's talk of requiring people to get vaccinated. Some are advocating for tax penalties for not being vaccinated. Employers, public and private, are requiring employees to get the shots. </div><div><br /></div><div>I believe in science, and I understand we need to hit the 70% threshold before we can putting this nightmare behind us. I got my shots; I get it. That being said, I have real trouble with forcing citizens to put a substance into their bodies. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've been torn on this issue for quite some time. Part of me is for doing what we need to do, by hook or by crook, in order to benefit the greater good; "needs of the many," and all that. However, the other part of me is screaming in my head about the rights of the individual. Damn if the screaming part of me doesn't have a point, inconvenient though it is.</div><div><br /></div><div>As Americans, we've been taught to take pride in the fact that we live in a country which founded with the rights of the individual in mind. We celebrate the concept with fireworks and barbecued chickens every July 4th. It's what we say we're about. As dire as the situation is, I'm not sure we can compel compliance without abandoning what the value which defines us as Americans. </div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-91117555427191769132021-07-22T20:09:00.000-07:002021-07-22T20:09:11.980-07:00Touching Base With My Readers <p>-</p>
<b><u>To My Readers:</u></b><div><b><u><br /></u></b>
<div>This is a different kind of blog specifically written for my regular readers. Many of you are aware of new posts via my newsletter. Nothing is changing for those readers. They'll still receive my newsletter in their inbox whenever I post an update on any of my three blogs (<a href="http://jameskiester.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blogito Ergo Sum</a>, <a href="https://onjamesplate.blogspot.com" target="_blank">On My Plate</a>, and <a href="https://musingsfromthechristianleft.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Musings From The Christian Left</a>).</div><div><br /></div><div>However, some of you subscribe through through the feedburner in the navigation column. At the end of the month, the feedburner will no longer support such subscriptions. In order to receive future updates, simply subscribe to my newsletter. </div><div><br /></div>
To receive my newsletter when new blogs are posted <a href="mailto:james@jameskiester.com?subject=Subscribe Me To James Kiester's Blogogram">email me here</a>. <div><hr />
</div><b><u>Question:</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; padding: 5px; width: 35%;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvWXcPosaMiItW4T3_KVYyIECf0vboI03hrlyxkIhfdKUzDlwKiiL_PFqBykMWDRq0uRX8VWf-T_anYMR0TeSgx7-XM5WV7xWrmewoZPRNSO0qhbVJxA1DBU4HMVOU3CaJtGcQvuGP1c/s1600/favpng_2019-20-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-testing-coronavirus-coronavirus-disease-2019-west-virginia.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvWXcPosaMiItW4T3_KVYyIECf0vboI03hrlyxkIhfdKUzDlwKiiL_PFqBykMWDRq0uRX8VWf-T_anYMR0TeSgx7-XM5WV7xWrmewoZPRNSO0qhbVJxA1DBU4HMVOU3CaJtGcQvuGP1c/s200/favpng_2019-20-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-testing-coronavirus-coronavirus-disease-2019-west-virginia.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">|Subject: Covid-19 | Rights to PNG secured from <a href="https://favpng.com/">FAVPNG Premium</a> |</span></div>Now, this is a current events blog, so let me ask a question. <br /><br /> Science tells us we won't be out from under the menace of COVID-19 until %70 of the global population has been vaccinated, yet many people claim they have the right as an individual to refuse the vaccine. At what point do the needs of society eclipse the rights of the individual? Can we force people to be vaccinated? </div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-36090219338424133342021-06-28T18:04:00.001-07:002021-07-01T19:36:38.598-07:00Disagreement Doesn’t Necessarily Equal Stupidity<p>-</p><p>I seem to be writing about humanity's deficits of character lately. While I don't claim to be a moral authority, in any way, I've noticed some trends, lately, which really bother me. Over on <a href="https://musingsfromthechristianleft.blogspot.com/2021/06/no-time-for-hate.html" target="_blank">my Liberal Christian blog</a> I just wrote about our <a href="https://musingsfromthechristianleft.blogspot.com/2021/06/no-time-for-hate.html" target="_blank">willingness to hate,</a> and this piece feels like a companion to it. We have a bad habit, me included, which leads to division within society. When we take a position, we tend to write off people who take the opposing viewpoint as being "stupid."</p>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> <b>Publicly traded MEME</b>
</span></div></div>Perhaps the most relevant expression of this judgmental phenomenon involves COVID-19 vaccinations.<div><br /></div><div><div><i>To vax, or not to vax, that is the question:</i></div><div><i>Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer</i></div><div><i>The slings and arrows of COVID-19, </i></div><div><i>Or to take arms against possible contraction </i></div><div><i>And by vaxing remove my mask... </i></div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Personally, I'm tired of wearing a mask and having things closed, so I was eager to get the shot. Some believe I'm gullible and stupid for obeying the government and medical community. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the flip side, my best friend, of twelve years, WILL NOT be vaccinated. She doesn’t want to put something into her body, which she's not sure of. Some people think that makes her stupid. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't think either of us stupid. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I have trouble with my computer, I consult the experts at Geek Squad. When I have a question about a recipe, I consult a cookbook written by experts. And, when I have a question about my health I listen to medical experts, aka doctors. It's what experts are for. Thus, I believe a 70% vaccination rate is our best and only road back to normality, because that's what the experts are telling me.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't agree with my friend, but she has a point. For obvious reasons, these vaccines were rushed to the public. We don't know what the long term effects of these shots are. For all we know, the "anti-vaxxers" will be laughing, in five years, when those of us who took the shots start growing third eyes and craving salt. I don't think it'll happen, but I can’t say people are stupid for being skittish.</div><div><br /></div><div>Writing "the other side" off as stupid, and dismissing their point of view as being stupid, it makes it easy to devalue the people with that point of view. It's much easier to hate a person once we've devalued them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Acknowledging the validity of another point of view isn't the same as agreeing with it. A person can understand another point of view while holding onto their own. </div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-23290569948153072932021-05-21T16:21:00.001-07:002021-05-21T16:21:49.834-07:00Black Businesses Matter-<br />I pride myself on being fairly well informed. I feel good that I can intelligently discuss current events, and often fantasize about having tête-à-têtes with the likes of Chris Hayes, Rachel Maddow, or Ron Wyden. Thus, I was taken aback when I received an email message from a reader, identifying themselves only as "Virgy." The reader wanted to know why I hadn’t done more to shine a light on the plight of black-owned businesses during the era of the pandemic. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYh0R7UhrAsvChiAzRoN2EcTczQH7wypHAaMPl-xLuLf0GJmWunGazW7xZVpbw29IMl-8ZYeKBeVrzKt40ZyjImNHkC60R-P2aYBCgQ7GBVLa5_3e49sYzZhIyMEXBROlHWiQcqbsV_k/s640/gf.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYh0R7UhrAsvChiAzRoN2EcTczQH7wypHAaMPl-xLuLf0GJmWunGazW7xZVpbw29IMl-8ZYeKBeVrzKt40ZyjImNHkC60R-P2aYBCgQ7GBVLa5_3e49sYzZhIyMEXBROlHWiQcqbsV_k/s320/gf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">|Subject: Oakland business destroyed during George Floyd riots |<br />| Date: 05/29/2020 | Photographer: Daniel Arauz |<br />| This image is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 |</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Being a middle-aged suburban white man, I'd assumed Covid-19 had brought disaster to small businesses across the board. However, I wasn't taking a few factors into account. </div><div><br /></div><div>Descended from slaves unpaid for their work, black families haven't been able to inherit wealth and property from generation to generation, creating an income disparity between white & black households. From 1992 to 2006 the income disparity between white & black households grew <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/the-economic-impact-of-closing-the-racial-wealth-gap" target="_blank">from $100,000 to $154,000</a>. On average, this statistic leaves black owners of small businesses less of a post pandemic safety net.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, the pandemic didn't happen inside of a vacuum. 2020 saw multiple Black Lives Matter protests erupt into destructive riots, many of which occurred in justifiably enraged black neighborhoods. Said uprisings resulted in heavily damaging, if not outright destroying, multiple already struggling black-owned businesses.</div><div><br /></div><div>Covid-19 and the riots have hurt most of us to one degree or another. Thus, it's easy for some of us to forget that some people have been hit worse than we were. If you're like me, you can only donate to so many good causes and still buy groceries. Fortunately, Virgy sent me a link to a blog entry with links to <a href="https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/support-black-owned-businesses/">181 Black-Owned Businesses</a>. Rather than donating to charity, utilizing some of these businesses may allow you to make a difference by spending money you were going to spend anyway. </div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-143388621549088862021-04-19T15:17:00.000-07:002021-04-19T15:17:09.229-07:00Questions Of Rights-<br />
Major League Baseball has chosen to relocate its 2021 All-Star Game and amateur player draft out of Atlanta in protest over Georgia’s new voting law. Conservative lawmakers, such as Senator Ted Kruz (R-TX), are crying foul, claiming the MLB is infringing on the State of Georgia’s First Amendment rights.
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Such an infringement isn’t even possible. The First Amendment makes it unlawful for the government to curtail the speech of an individual or privately owned body. It says nothing, noooooothing, about not allowing a privately owned body’s reaction to a government action. One could even argue the MLB is doing exactly what we want responsible businesses to do.
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For a completely unrelated reason closer to home, I’ve been doing considerable thinking about the right to speak lately.
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Publicly traded MEME</b>
</span></div></div>Let me take a moment to assure you that I'm a nice man. Enlightened Christian morality is VERY IMPORTANT to me, and I go out of my way to be kind. That being said, I have a dark sense of humor which many people don't appreciate. In order to sate my appetite for dark (not racist) humor, I joined a Facebook group for dark humor. Interestingly, the group in question was created, and is moderated, by nurses as a way to blow off steam after work.
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Said nurses fashioned their own rules against racist humor, sexist humor, and humor depicting child abuse. Yet, the group’s founder, and its moderators, are frequently afraid of being temporally, or permanently, being banned from Facebook as the result of a group member complaining about the humor.
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As annoying as the situation is, I'm forced to admit this isn’t a First Amendment issue ether. Facebook, while used by most of the public, is a privately owned website. They charge nothing for use of the site. Thus, they can ban anyone for any reason. Facebook could ban people who wear yellow hats in their profile picture if they wanted to.
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Of course, you have to wonder about someone who joins a group for dark humor then reports posts to Facebook because they are offended by the DARK HUMOR! I can't help but think of such people as either @$$holes who like to start trouble then sit back and watch the ensuing drama unfold, or bipolar nut cases.
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As Americans, not only do we have the right to speak freely, but we have the right to not listen to anyone we want. Personally, I’m a die-hard liberal, so I don't belong to a group for fans of FOX NEWS. I let them have their own misinformed corner of cyber space, and I belong to groups of people who share my interests and/or views. It's what mature adults do.
James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-44946980347542375842021-01-19T14:42:00.002-08:002021-04-19T15:19:15.404-07:00What May Come<p>-</p>
<p>I haven't posted in some time for the simple reason that I've been in the hospital. No, it wasn’t COVID-19 related, but the problem with my innards was nasty enough to knock me down for the count, requiring emergency surgery.</p>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">|Subject: Crowd of Trump supporters marching on the US Capitol on 6 January 2021, ultimately leading the building being breached and several deaths. | Date: 01/06/2021 | Photographer: TapTheForwardAssist | This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International |</span></div>
<p>I remember Logan, my nurse for that shift, asking if I'd been watching America's stupidity on the news. Since the hospital didn't have MSNBC, I turned on CNN and watched a horde of morons lay siege to The Capital Building in the name of patriotism. </p>
<p>Keep in mind, these zip tie baring bastions of righteousness attacked their own government in order to nullify the results of a legally executed election. There was nothing heroic or patriotic about what they did. These beer-fueled face-painted morons staged a failed coup d'etat killing five people.</p>
<p>As I write this, D.C. police and the American military have our capitol city in lock down as they prepare for trouble. As Washington D.C. mimics a middle eastern warzone, armed self-proclaimed militia members are taking up arms, and positioning themselves outside state capitals across the country. We wait with bated breath to see whether a typically simple ceremony will serve as a catalyst for our country to erupt into idiotic chaos. </p>
<p>Coupled with this uncertainty is the anxiety we share over COVID-19. More than 400,000 Americans have already lost their lives to the disease, which was unheard of two years ago. We hope, but are not assured, that new leadership will be able to facilitate distribution of life saving vaccine. We hope, but are not assured, that the death tolls begin to drop. We hope, but are not assured, that our country returns to some version of normal. </p>
<p>None of us know what the future holds, but let us pray it is not paved in pain and loss. </p><p><b><u>Addendum Added 01/20/2021</u></b></p><p>Well, the inauguration is over and nothing extraordinary happened. Trump gave a farewell speech, which nobody cared about. His followers didn't attack anyone. Nothing significant occurred. Of course, we'll never if nothing happened because nothing was planned, or if planners were deterred, at the last minute, by the multiple kilometers of razor wire topped fences and the 25,000 troops adorned Washington D.C.. </p><p>Some will point to the deployment as an overreaction. Others will point to it as a deterrent that worked, I neither know, nor care why the proceedings were peaceful. What's important is that <b>a new day has dawned for our country</b>.</p>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-89829550728507004432020-11-21T14:11:00.000-08:002020-11-21T14:11:16.015-08:00Trump Is Flipping Democracy The Bird<p>- </p><p>This year Joe Biden was elected President of the United States of America earning 306 electoral votes (79,699,918 individual votes) to Donald Trump's 232 electoral votes (73,668,456 individual votes)*. We did it! Americans banded together and ousted an ego-maniac from The White House...,</p>
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<tr><td><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Publicly traded MEME</b>
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...or so we thought. <div><br /></div><div><div>Since the day of the election, Donald Trump and his army of lawyers have been trying to change the outcome of the vote.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lets put aside the fact that his claims of voter fraud have been laughed out of court after court. Put aside the fact that U.S. District Judge Steven Grimberg, a judge appointed by President Trump, found the suit brought before him to, "...have no basis in fact and law,” after a 2.5 hour hearing. </div><div><br /></div><div>Forget all that. The takeaway is that a, still sitting, POTUS is actively trying to steal an election from the American people. He's not even being quiet about it. Donald Trump wants four more years as president, so Donald Trump is going to try to take four more years as president. In his mind it's just that simple. </div><div><br /></div><div>To be fair, he does need to stay in office. Being president has been great for his bottom line. Even the conservative news outlet <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trumps-businesses-charged-taxpayers-1-1m-for-secret-service-stays-some-when-the-club-was-closed" target="_blank">FOX NEWS reports</a>, "President Trump's luxury properties have charged the U.S. government more than $1.1 million since he took office – billing taxpayers for room rentals at his Bedminster, N.J., golf club this spring while it was closed due to coronavirus."</div><div><br /></div><div>If the loss of such a cash cow wasn’t a sufficient motive for him to steal the election, there's every reason to believe that once he becomes a private citizen he'll be tried for obstruction of justice regarding The Mueller Report. That's right, the moment Donald Trump is no longer POTUS, he's vulnerable to doing prison time. I don't think he can get Big Macs and, "<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/04/12/politics/donald-trump-xi-jingping-syria-chocolate-cake/index.html" target="_blank">the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen</a>," in prison. </div><div><br /></div><div>One would be more than a little tempted to laugh his maneuverings off as the rantings of a spoiled child. However, as of (11/20/2020-17:39:52pst), there have been 1,962 American deaths from Covid-19 over just the last 24 hours. Instead of; mandating the use of life-saving face masks, putting his name behind a badly needed stimulus package, and working with the incoming administration; he's putting his energy toward holding on to power and flipping democracy the bird 🖕.</div><div><b><u><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></u></b></div><div><b><u><span style="font-size: xx-small;">*=Individual vote totals still increasing slightly at <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=2020+election+results&oq=2&aqs=chrome.4.69i64j69i60j0i273i457j0i433l4.22361j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">Google.com</a>, but electoral vote totals have been decided..</span></u></b></div><div><b><u><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></u></b></div><div><b><u><span style="font-size: xx-small;">POTUS= President of The United States.</span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></u></b></div></div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-18529474481330586412020-10-12T16:53:00.001-07:002020-10-12T18:26:40.708-07:00Civics Vs, PoliticsI wasn’t going to blog here this week. I'd fully intended to do some work on my, sorely neglected, food blog. I had the art ready and the layout mapped. I simply had to buckle down and write the piece. Yet, between the COVID-19 pandemic and a FUBAR election, I <i>just haven't </i>been able to care about the latest burger to hit the fast food market.<div><br /></div><div>Still, I was going to crank a piece out, today, on burger commercials which turned me off. Then I awoke this morning to the sound of Sen. Ben Sasse giving his opening statement in the confirmation hearing for Judge Any Coney Barret.<br /><div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Subject: United States Senator Ben Sasse | Date: 01/02/2015 | Source: Official photo of United States Senate |</b>This United States Senate image is in the public domain.<br />
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<div><br /></div><a href="https://nypost.com/2020/10/12/sen-sasse-gives-civics-lesson-at-barrett-confirmation-hearing/">Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE)</a> said, <b><i>“I’d like to just remind us of the distinction between civics and politics. Civics is the stuff we’re all supposed to agree on regardless of our policy view differences. Civics is another way we talk about the rules of the road. Civics 101 is the stuff like, ‘Congress writes laws, the executive branch enforces laws, courts apply them.’ Politics is the stuff that happens underneath civics. Civics is the overarching stuff we as Americans agree in common.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div>I agree with him. OK, he was referring to Presidents and Senators stacking ideologically compatible Justices onto The Supreme Court. Yet, his words can, and should, apply to the ire bubbling just below the surface of our country. </div><div><br /></div><div>Passionate proponents from both ends of the political spectrum have increasingly protested, rioted, and clashed over the past four years. If riots weren't destructive enough, there have been whispers of election results not being accepted and possible civil war breaking out.</div><div><br /></div><div>Even with emotions running high, such a conflict <i>can</i> be avoided. To do so, <i style="font-weight: bold;">We the people </i> have to be civic minded enough to be Americans first and party members second. <i style="font-weight: bold;">We the people </i> have to relearn the art of the compromise in order to conduct business and make our country work.</div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-89263468600562923862020-09-10T14:30:00.000-07:002020-09-10T14:30:53.555-07:00Hope For A Burning World<p> -</p><p>I haven't posted here for a while. I've been working on a political piece about the systematic erosion of our constitution, but I find myself not caring about the subject at the moment. </p> <div style="border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: right; padding: 5px; width: 75%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeo0ui_jJUNl3qxeddsBh0IKsCmvzUzvsokVSiJoGQFXj5ZZTZOuBF4Satp4fyM2dZyrwUrLTe6inG-EbtGmaaR3hVZsiMLbz8wEFL-fyIwQDf8mX5PVaUcG-cBoNLuldUpUSMUVGC8m8/s960/0.-Batman-2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: none;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeo0ui_jJUNl3qxeddsBh0IKsCmvzUzvsokVSiJoGQFXj5ZZTZOuBF4Satp4fyM2dZyrwUrLTe6inG-EbtGmaaR3hVZsiMLbz8wEFL-fyIwQDf8mX5PVaUcG-cBoNLuldUpUSMUVGC8m8/w375-h500/0.-Batman-2.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
<p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">|Subject: Conditions outside Newburg, Oregon home during wild fires | Date: 09/09/2020 | Photographer: Kyle Jordan |</span></p></div>
<p>Crimson clouds of smoke have filled Oregon skies, carrying with them blankets of thick ash. Flames have devoured Cherry Grove & Detroit, Oregon as several other populations listen for evacuation orders they pray will never be issued. </p><p>As series of wildfires (some caused by accident, some not) has gripped the entire west coast in fear. </p><p>With two months to go until the general election, I expected to be writing a myriad of political pieces designed to help oust Trump from the White House. Yet, right now all I can think about is how little that stuff matters. </p><p>While partisan power brokers are busily tossing campaign slogans back & forth, everyday people are doing everything the can to help their neighbors during a genuine time of crisis. I only have to glance at my Facebook feed to see notice after notice from people offering to open their homes to people with nowhere else to go. They're offering food, shelter, and basic first aid to people in need. </p><p>No one cares who's a democrat and who's a republican, or which God somebody worships. None of that matters right now, if it ever really did. People are simply helping people. That simple fact and glorious truth gives me hope for the future of our country. </p><p>In about eight weeks our leaders will be vying for power and challenging results. Meanwhile, everyday people will be showing kindness, mercy, and generosity to one another. When I look at the flag from now on, I won't see it as a symbol of politics or political leaders spouting promises and skewed truths. From now on, my eyes will see a representation of a compassionate populace I can take pride in belonging to.</p>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-13513795592916926362020-07-30T14:18:00.000-07:002020-07-30T14:18:59.233-07:00Good Cop Bad Cop-<div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">On May 25, 2020, Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, knelt on George Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds; 2 minutes and 53 seconds of which occurred after Floyd became unresponsive with no pulse.</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">On June 12, 2020, Rayshard Brooks was fatally shot by police after stealing a taser from an officer while resisting arrest.</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Last August</span><font color="#333333" face=""><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">, Elijah McClain was fatally shot by police on his way home from a convenience store while wearing a ski mask. </span></font></li></ul><font color="#333333" face="">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwbrTVhyphenhyphenBYMgrJ_2BSPKHgpMmfAxpKNZuFqFgSSe3F6dQM0sXLsTdMU4pehjNKelaeofCoqN7Fx3nYHv6GrEaocp6G6YESGFhyphenhyphennLndjTGL_PQBhFKIyFlxIYBPebGK-hb6jeZESjrDsc/s960/cop+flag.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="960" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwbrTVhyphenhyphenBYMgrJ_2BSPKHgpMmfAxpKNZuFqFgSSe3F6dQM0sXLsTdMU4pehjNKelaeofCoqN7Fx3nYHv6GrEaocp6G6YESGFhyphenhyphennLndjTGL_PQBhFKIyFlxIYBPebGK-hb6jeZESjrDsc/w320-h193/cop+flag.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">| Subject - "Thin blue line," pro-police flag representing the police standing between order & chaos | </span></div> These, and other avoidably tragic events lead to a series of protests calling for the police to be "defunded," as if such a thing could be accomplished with the stroke of a pen, without compromising public safety. That was eight weeks ago. Portlanders are still protesting. </font></div><div><font color="#333333" face=""><br /></font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">In response to these extended protests, President Trump has mobilized a federal paramilitary task force to subdue protesters. Utilizing tear gas, pepper spray, abduction, and other Gestapo-esc tactics the agents have only succeeded in increasing the level of violence during the protests. </font></div><div><font color="#333333" face=""><br /></font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">Uuugh..., where do I begin? </font></div><div><font color="#333333" face=""><br /></font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">OK, first of all, POLICE ARE NOT THE BAD GUYS! Yes, the actions of, apparently, racist officers have resulted in the wrongful deaths of American citizens. Yet, defunding law enforcement, reducing their ability to respond to legitimate emergencies, will do nothing to discourage the presence of racism within law enforcement. Sadly, there will always be racist law enforcement officers just a there will always be racist soldiers, lawyers, grocers, doctors, fire fighters, etc...</font></div><div><font color="#333333" face=""><br /></font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">Racism isn't a law enforcement problem, it's a societal problem. I believe a minority of Americans are racists, but said minority permeates all walks of life. </font></div><div><font color="#333333" face=""><br /></font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">At this point I must confess to a bit of bias on my part. During the late 90s and early 2000s I did volunteer work for the Sheriff's Department of Washington County in Oregon. I was, admittedly pro-police when I started, and my time only made me more pro-police. </font></div><div><font color="#333333" face=""><br /></font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">Every officer I got to know struck me as someone who wanted to help people and make their community a better place. </font></div><div><font color="#333333" face=""><br /></font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">Are there outliers who want to wear a badge so they can bash ni##&%$? Of course there are. And when these idiots let their machismo call the shots, and they hurt, or worse yet kill, a citizen of color, are their crimes too often swept under the rug? No question. </font></div><div><font color="#333333" face=""><br /></font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">Yet, the answer isn't to vilify the police as a whole. The answer lies in giving personality tests to cadets to weed out possible racists before they're given a badge. It also makes sense to create an independent civilian agency which can investigate crimes committed by police and hold bad actors accountable. </font></div><div><font color="#333333" face=""><br /></font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">As for the Portland protests themselves, at this point they have nothing to do with George Floyd. Protesters are determined not to back down from federal soldiers, and the paramilitary agents aren't going to capitulate to ultra liberal trouble makers. The situation has devolved into a game of, "Who's Man Part Is Bigger."</font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">-</font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">I was in the middle of writing this piece when Oregon's Governor, Kate Brown, negotiated a withdrawal of Federal troops from Portland in exchange for a promise to deploy state police to protect the Mark Hatfield Federal Courthouse. </font></div><div><font color="#333333" face=""><br /></font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">On a personal level, I was a tiny bit annoyed by the news of the agreed upon withdrawal since it meant I had to rewrite the end of this blog. My blogging schedule aside though, the agreement may be a sign that tensions are on the verge of easing. </font></div><div><font color="#333333" face=""><br /></font></div><div><font color="#333333" face="">I have no idea if the agreement will be honored, or for how long the protests will last. If the protesters are waiting for police to be defunded before calling an end to their activities, I fear the protests will drag on for a while. </font></div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-56261640877491475512020-06-23T14:50:00.000-07:002020-06-23T14:50:51.237-07:00Life's Too Short-<div>This week, a good friend of mine posted on Facebook that she is going to unfriend (yes, "unfriend" is a verb now) anyone who's going to vote for Trump. Now, I'm a political animal, and a liberal one at that. So, when I first saw the post my initial reaction was, "right on Babe!" I was going to do the same. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I began to make my hit list I realized I was listing people who are near and dear to my heart. I don't agree with these people about politics, religion, or even pandemic precautions, but I love 'em. I agree with these people about the important things, namely how to treat people. </div><div><br /></div><div>Before you say it, just stop yourself. Not everyone who supports Donald Trump is a racist. They're not all like that. People of good conscious and character can have differences of opinion which have been shaped by individual life experiences. Voting for a particular candidate doesn't make a person evil or racist any more than going to a particular church makes a person good.</div><div><br /></div><div>Do I think we have a selfish moron in the Oval Office right now. Absolutely. Is it worth ending friendships over? Not even a little bit. If I axe people from my life who don't agree with me, I'm out a friend and it's not going to change the outcome of the next election. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, we should blog and campaign for the people and causes we believe in. Yet at the end of the day, life's too short to lose EVEN ONE friend over outcomes we have no control over. Maybe, just maybe, if we all nurture our personal relationships we might wake up to a country which isn't arguing over which lives matter. WE ALL MATTER! </div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Black lives matter. </li><li>White lives matter. </li><li>Hispanic lives matter. </li><li>Asian lives matter. </li><li>Native American lives matter. </li><li>Liberal lives matter. </li><li>Conservative lives matter. </li><li>Homeless lives matter. </li><li>Veterans lives matter. </li><li><b>We all matter, </b></li></ul><b>so lets not put what we can't control over the value of the people around us.</b> It's not worth it.</div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-77917866760245325672020-06-03T16:24:00.001-07:002020-06-03T16:30:16.969-07:00America Is On Fire-<div>On May 25, 2020, Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, knelt on George Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds; 2 minutes and 53 seconds of which occurred after Floyd became unresponsive with no pulse. As seen on videos, taken from multiple angles, Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down on the road, while Chauvin had his knee on his neck. The three other arresting officers have been identified as Thomas K. Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng. Officer Kueng held Floyd’s back while Lane held his legs, and Thao stood nearby and looked on. The four officers were fired the next day, but charges were only brought against Chauvin on the 29th.</div><div style="border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: right; padding: 5px; width: 70%;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQWNqoqANv4WC_A2qsCpNLkmA2uFYgpuk0xzdfNDAsbSxoTxbvTo4Yi0QxViqMESWnwW5a9yrPeE4jErzk4Pj9nDa4SN_uHX5HWZzadhrnER3pdCx1OAIgf_WlHTzq1-0HULqOmZVuWs/"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQWNqoqANv4WC_A2qsCpNLkmA2uFYgpuk0xzdfNDAsbSxoTxbvTo4Yi0QxViqMESWnwW5a9yrPeE4jErzk4Pj9nDa4SN_uHX5HWZzadhrnER3pdCx1OAIgf_WlHTzq1-0HULqOmZVuWs/w400-h266/1280px-A_man_stands_on_a_burned_out_car_on_Thursday_morning_as_fires_burn_behind_him_in_the_Lake_St_area_of_Minneapolis%252C_Minnesota_%252849945886467%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div><div style="border: 0px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: right; padding: 5px; width: 70%;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">| A man stands on a burned out car on Thursday morning as fires burn behind him<br />in the Lake St area of Minneapolis, Minnesota. | Date: 05/28/2020 | Photographer: Lori Shaull <br />| This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. | </span></div><br />When charges weren't immediately brought against the officers, a series of protests morphed into a series of fiery riots. I kind of vagueness understood when rioters burned the 3rd police precinct, in Minneapolis, as a symbol of police brutality. I didn't like it, but I got it. <div><br /></div><div>The destruction didn't stop there though. The past few nights have seen property burned, looted, and destroyed in multiple cities across the United States of America.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's been horrific. Small businesses, already struggling because of the Corona crisis, have been mercilessly obliterated. Millions of people have been subjected to curfews and martial law. Countless lives have been thrown into chaos. And lets not forget, people aren't staying six feet apart with masks on during these demonstrations. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's the year 2020, and African Americans are still being killed by law enforcement personnel whom aren't being held accountable for the murderers they've committed. Eric Garner, Terry Price, and Tyree Crawford are among the <a href="https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/unarmed" target="_blank">multitude of unarmed African Americans who've been slain by law enforcement since 2015</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's hard to condemn people for fighting back against a system which has failed them so completely.<font face="Times New Roman, serif"> Yet, they're not attacking "the system," as much as they're destroying their own communities. Burning cars and businesses does nothing but create unwarranted hardship for people who depend upon those cars and businesses for their livelihood. </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><br /></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Before you say, "They're sticking it to the fat cats." The "fat cats" who own the Target store are going to be able to absorb the loss a hell of a lot easier than the employees of the Target store who depend on those jobs to feed their families.</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><br /></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Do you want to know the real bitch of it? Do you want to know the part that makes this story so monumentally stupid? This farce ends shortly after the other three officers are brought up on, appropriate, charges. The Minneapolis prosecutor says he needs more evidence to indict. Yet, he has the murder on video from multiple angles. <a href="https://www.pennlive.com/life/2020/05/freed-after-36-years-in-prison-wrongfully-convicted-man-is-now-an-americas-got-talent-favorite.html" target="_blank">African American singer Archie Williams </a>spent 36 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit based on less evidence. </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><br /></font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman, serif">This debacle isn't about evidence, it's about skin color. </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><br /></font></div><div><b>
<u>These are three organizations supporting meaningful change:
</u></b><br /><br /><a href="https://blacklivesmatter.com/" target="_blank">Black Lives Matter</a><br /><br />
<a href="https://www.aclu.org/" target="_blank">American Civil Liberties Union</a>
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.joincampaignzero.org/" target="_blank">Campaign Zero</a></div>James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-70923263204449943912020-05-13T15:19:00.000-07:002020-05-13T15:19:31.305-07:00The Blogging Blahs-<br />
I’ve hit a dry spell blogging-wise. It’s not that I don’t have any opinions regaining current events, food, and/or spirituality. Of course, I do. Everything is simply a jumble right now, and I’m finding it hard to focus my thoughts.
<br /><br />Being an election year, I thought I’d be doing lots of president critiquing right about now. Yet, it seems wrong to write divisive material during a time when we need to be coming together. <br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; float: left; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVx4dj_mNH6XYGEFCK7ZQuCK22Hmgx4VB_WzrBDKUOCmg2KXht56-HCNXzTYQWVHihaIc87gtew63qYAy48sek-Uh6MakPDOW8dvtDdcmNpApYWU0gQuaoav9Xx7V5EbFtd7un8S0SCZg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2257" data-original-width="1414" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVx4dj_mNH6XYGEFCK7ZQuCK22Hmgx4VB_WzrBDKUOCmg2KXht56-HCNXzTYQWVHihaIc87gtew63qYAy48sek-Uh6MakPDOW8dvtDdcmNpApYWU0gQuaoav9Xx7V5EbFtd7un8S0SCZg/w125-h200/FriendsandFamily2015.jpg" width="125" /></a><br /><u><font size="1"><b>
My Community Circa 2015</b></font></u></div>Right now, political parties and differences in God concepts seem trivial right now. I mean, they're not, but they need to be on the proverbial back burner right now. We can blame the government and/or God for the position we’re in, but doing either would be pointless and counterproductive. What's important right now is that we come together as people and support each other.
<br /><br />I’m not quitting blogging. I may blog again tomorrow or two weeks from now, I simply won’t be doing it on a regular, pre-pandemic schedule. Stay healthy, safe, and sane, my friends.James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-3961533950854797772020-04-03T16:01:00.000-07:002020-04-03T16:19:31.593-07:00There's a Light-<br />
<iframe align="left" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="135" hspace="10" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i4G-hjfMR4U?autoplay=1" vspace="10" width="240"></iframe>- <i>In the velvet darkness,<br />
- Of the blackest night,<br />
- Burning bright,<br />
- There's a guiding star.<br />
- No matter what or who you are.<br />
- There's a light<br />
- Over at the Frankenstein place.<br />
- There's a light<br />
- Burning in the fireplace.<br />
- There's a light, light, in the darkness of everybody's life.</i><br />
<br />
I’ve had this song rolling around in my head since this viral sleigh ride began. OK, in Rocky Horror these lyrics were ironic, Brad & Janet thought the light in the house was their salvation when it was actually luring the to all kinds of trouble. Throw the context for everyone moment, and focus on the lyrics, especially the last line. <br />
<br />
<i>“There's a light, light, in the darkness of everybody's life.”</i> Granted, it’s hard for many of us to see the light in the proverbial rainstorm, but it’s there. The light emanates from those around us who are going out of their way to do kind things during this difficult time. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/4th-grader-sews-masks-for-health-care-workers-battling-coronavirus-pandemic-in-boston-community-81521733566">A 4th grader girl is sewing masks for health care workers battling coronavirus pandemic in the Boston community</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/san-diego/story/2020-03-31/random-acts-of-kindness-make-quarantine-easier-to-bear?fbclid=IwAR2Y2V5NdHyAI15YVD1CqSfoBHTU3RXrjEgI5O61-cR1FO71KJ0a0tcl-ro">From Chula Vista to Oceanside, local residents spreading gifts, food, art and good cheer</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/good-news/with-coronavirus-acts-of-kindness-abound-in-us/ar-BB11tueT?srcref=rss">In the small town of Coos Bay, also in Oregon, coffee shop owner John Beane is hosting virtual story times for kids after shutting down his cafe.</a><br />
<br />
These are just a few examples of good people making an effort to alleviate suffering. Even when certain parts of government seem to be befuddled and bewildered, everyday people are stepping up to do their part. Focusing on their example, or even pitching in, will help us hold onto ouch humanity and stay sane. <br />
<br />
With this in mind, I've created a new Facebook group, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/973796239683722">A Light In The Darkness</a>. I want it to be a place where people can share good news, so we can all focus on the humane as our guiding light.James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-91520481891986048552020-03-19T20:13:00.001-07:002020-03-19T20:13:45.978-07:00Clean Hands In Hard Times-<br />
It’s official, we’re living in a completely different world than the one we’re used to. For the time being public; gatherings, dining, worship, movies, concerts, classes, and sporting events; are things of <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">the past. Yet, as surely as we must remain physically </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhDAhw8ryKtssBIinm9ElmQ13VqGwQO6vn6N4XzWXN1TVBKmXY7gkmcFvfTabz211W2a4zCJpdpTcx8RlmyjCkr2X92v_ZbsK7JqjH543Wal4RuMP1mObz2rZ6SZGviQgosQKUrnJRVc/s1600/450px-Washing_hands_with_soap_%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhDAhw8ryKtssBIinm9ElmQ13VqGwQO6vn6N4XzWXN1TVBKmXY7gkmcFvfTabz211W2a4zCJpdpTcx8RlmyjCkr2X92v_ZbsK7JqjH543Wal4RuMP1mObz2rZ6SZGviQgosQKUrnJRVc/s320/450px-Washing_hands_with_soap_%25282%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Subject: Hands Washing | Date: 03/18/2020 |</div>
<div>
| Source: Beat Ruest |</div>
<div>
| This file is licensed under the Creative Commons </div>
<div>
Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International |</div>
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separated in order to avoid contamination, we must hang together as a society. <br />
<br />
Hoarding toilet paper so you get yours, before your neighbors get any, makes matters worse. Fist fighting over the last package of hamburger in the supermarket makes matters worse. <br />
<br />
Now is the time to make positive contributions, to help and support each other. To that end, I’ve researched recipes for homemade hand sanitizer.<br />
<br />
The most popular version requires people to buy, if they can find it, or make their own aloe gel before making the sanitizer. Not only do most people not have their own aloe plant, but the popular formula purportedly leaves hands sticky. <br />
<br />
From everything I’ve read, the glycerin-based formula seems preferable.<br />
<br />
In order to make it, mix 12 fluid ounces of <a href="https://shop.bestreviews.com/products/swan-isopropyl-alcohol-99-percent-pint-16-oz-pack-of-2?cid=1478216846&aid=56672288785&eid=&tid=pla-297267570956&ul=9032828&mt=&n=g&d=c&dm=&dt&sn&adid=282858957008&k=&p=&pc=&ap=&gclid=CjwKCAjwsMzzBRACEiwAx4lLG42Po6cQPeAbTCiKBOJnYK-baSLU7hGbZ1B3x6F05EQSRVZ0LygzaxoC5K8QAvD_BwE">rubbing alcohol</a> (which is 99% isopropyl alcohol) with 2 teaspoons of <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Propylene-Glycol-and-Vegetable-Glycerin-2-Pack-500-mL-USP-Kosher-Food-Grade/208202575?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101003234&adid=22222222227278240765&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=338218692628&wl4=pla-659139743490&wl5=9032828&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=131366529&wl11=online&wl12=208202575&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAjwsMzzBRACEiwAx4lLG6lJjktzBjUMRejdZ9r-1c5qddVoqWBkVnMN7eLfT2pc91X0GzVuHBoCUWQQAvD_BwE">vegetable glycerol</a>. Then add 1 tablespoon of <a href="https://www.google.com/shopping/product/378146686411564241?sxsrf=ALeKk03v0OhZnZogdz4l_2mAN5ClNEijIg:1584673010124&q=hydrogen+peroxide&biw=1231&bih=933&prds=epd:12104665212152931044,prmr:3&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwim4KbAh6joAhWGqZ4KHaS1AtgQ8wII_gE">hydrogen peroxide</a> & 3 fluid ounces of <a href="https://heymedsupply.com/distilled-water-misty-mountain-1-gal-case-of-3-plastic-jug-0-52241-78001-case-3/?gclid=CjwKCAjwsMzzBRACEiwAx4lLG8amTVByQusbWZ0qy3jVWDm8kLcKcxjPJjagryem9mRizoiK3pMRPBoCkiIQAvD_BwE">distilled water</a>. If you're working with a lower-concentration solution of rubbing alcohol, use far less water. Keep in mind, <b>at least 91% of your sanitizer needs to be alcohol.</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Glycerol is an important ingredient because it keeps the alcohol from drying out your hands. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">You can </span><a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Propylene-Glycol-and-Vegetable-Glycerin-2-Pack-500-mL-USP-Kosher-Food-Grade/208202575?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101003234&adid=22222222227278240765&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=338218692628&wl4=pla-659139743490&wl5=9032828&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=131366529&wl11=online&wl12=208202575&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAjwsMzzBRACEiwAx4lLG6lJjktzBjUMRejdZ9r-1c5qddVoqWBkVnMN7eLfT2pc91X0GzVuHBoCUWQQAvD_BwE" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">buy jugs of vegetable glycerol online</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> If you can't find glycerol, proceed with the rest of the recipe anyway and just remember to moisturize your hands after applying the sanitizer.</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
Load the solution into spray bottles—this isn't a gel, it's a spray. You can wet a paper towel with it as well and use that as a wipe.<br />
<br />
Above all, stay safe and stat sane.James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-74081395054249731812020-03-15T16:09:00.000-07:002020-03-15T16:09:54.187-07:00Revising My Thoughts Regarding Corona-<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfsJrSbRDDOJwVYLSj-byAgy9CNO0C9Aluz-vS4wwCb3yenhB6l3T86TLgt5UYCBRBkIIbjZlzNn4WQlIfpZk9_C00a_nKl76t0Xtg53W14YeyVu39fc5tHgwjZtIFh1Ltw7hREjXfIAg/s1600/virus-empty-shelves-1024x461.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="1024" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfsJrSbRDDOJwVYLSj-byAgy9CNO0C9Aluz-vS4wwCb3yenhB6l3T86TLgt5UYCBRBkIIbjZlzNn4WQlIfpZk9_C00a_nKl76t0Xtg53W14YeyVu39fc5tHgwjZtIFh1Ltw7hREjXfIAg/s320/virus-empty-shelves-1024x461.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Publicly traded MEME</td></tr>
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I confess, I don’t know what to think. I admit it. When I see mass panic I automatically take the position that people are being sheep and over reacting. Nine times out of ten, the emperor IS actually naked, and I wrote my last blog from that point of view. <br />
<br />
Boy, I don't know. Theme parks, schools, museums, sporting events, Hell whole countries are shutting down. Normally busy streets are empty. We don’t need Klaatu to make the Earth stand still, we’re scared. (Oh, see the movie if you don’t get the reference.) Seriously, I’ve never seen things shutdown like this. I know businesses don’t shut their doors, sacrificing income, without a good reason. <br />
<br />
I can't advise anyone, or tell anyone who’s advice to listen to. Doctors on TV say we need to self-quarantine, local doctors have told my friend and me that everything is being overblown. I don't know who’s right. James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-60413777177625249672020-03-12T20:19:00.000-07:002020-03-12T20:19:49.079-07:00It's Not The End Of The World-<br />
In 1996 Bruce Willis starred in The <i>12 Monkeys</i>. The movie revolved around a post-apocalyptic society after 5 billion people had been killed by a pandemic. As I watched the film last night, I realized that the public is frightened of a similar situation right now.<br />
<div><div style="border: 0px solid #000000; float: left; padding: 5px; width: 35%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/12-Monkeys-Joseph-Melito/dp/B009CGR32G/ref=as_li_ss_il?crid=1PMN9VMWPLD64&keywords=12+monkeys&qid=1583974240&sprefix=12+monk,aps,238&sr=8-1&linkCode=li3&tag=jamkieshompag-20&linkId=2642deba546c50c78cb07d09c43cd3be&language=en_US" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B009CGR32G&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=jamkieshompag-20&language=en_US" /><br />
</a><br />
<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/12-Monkeys-Joseph-Melito/dp/B009CGR32G/ref=as_li_ss_il?crid=1PMN9VMWPLD64&keywords=12+monkeys&qid=1583974240&sprefix=12+monk,aps,238&sr=8-1&linkCode=li3&tag=jamkieshompag-20&linkId=2642deba546c50c78cb07d09c43cd3be&language=en_US" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">1996 movie about Earth being destroyed by a pandemic.</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Courtesy of <a href="https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/">Amazon's Affiliate Program</a>.</span></center></div></div><br />
People are all over the world living in a heightened state of fear. The French have closed the Louvre. Italy has closed Italy. The NBA h has cancelled the remainder of the basketball season. College sports, talk shows, and game shows are doing their things without live audiences. Just now, the news has reported the closer of Disneyland & Disney World. There's even talk of canceling the Olympics. <br />
<br />
Not only are institutions pushing the panic button, one only has to see empty store shelves to know the public’s behavior and buying habits have massively changed. They're buying supplies as if we're on the eve of the apocalypse.<br />
<br />
Fears of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the U.S. are prompted shoppers to hoard <b>hand sanitizer, medical masks, pain relievers, antacids, </b>and <b>toilet paper</b> as if we're on the eve of an apocalypses of our own.<br />
<br />
According to <a href="https://www.eater.com/2020/3/3/21162936/grocery-store-shoppers-buy-granola-bars-dried-beans-prepare-potential-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak">Eater.com</a> the hysteria over corona has also changed our food buying habits. Data from late February shows, shelf-stable and longer-lasting foods are seeing a spike in sales, while fresh produce is taking a hit.<br />
<ul><li>Fruit snack sales rose 12.6% </li>
<li>Energy drinks sales <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">rose </span>10.1% </li>
<li>Dried beans <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">sales rose </span>10.1% </li>
<li>Pretzel <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">sales rose </span>9% </li>
<li>Frozen fruit <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">sales rose </span>6.6%</li>
<li>Bottled water <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">sales rose </span>5.1%.</li>
</ul>Meanwhile:<br />
<ul><li>Asparagus <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">sales dropped </span>3.2% </li>
<li>Mandarin orange<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">sales dropped</span> 4.2% </li>
<li>Chili pepper<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">sales dropped</span> 4.7% </li>
<li>Celery<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">sales dropped</span> 15.7%</li>
</ul>We're changing our eating habits out of the fear that society is on the verge of collapse.<br />
<br />
It’s been said, human beings fear the unknown. OK, let's shed some light on the subject. In a world of over 7 billion people, as of 03/12/2020-15:59:00, 134,511 people have contracted covid-19. Out of those, 4,970 people have died as opposed to the 68,925 people who have fully recovered. <br />
<br />
You can read all the applicable statistics at (<a href="https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/">https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/</a>), but in a nutshell, an overwhelming majority of people who have died, from covid-19, have been over 70 years old with some kind of respiratory ailment. NO CHILDREN 9-YEARS-OLD OR UNDER HAVE BEEN KILLED BY CORONA!<br />
<br />
Maybe I’m the guy at the beginning of the horror movie saying, “There’s no psycho with a chainsaw in the woods.” Yet, it seems we’re allowing fear to dictate what we do and who we are. Personally, I don’t behind we’re experiencing a “<i>12 Monkeys</i>” scenario. <br />
<br />
Yes, we should wash our hands and cover our noses & mouths when we sneeze & cough. Those of us who haven't learned that by the end of kindergarten probably shouldn't be out in public anyway. But, let’s not be the kind of people who pull their kids out of school, or hoard supplies from our neighbors. Let’s be better people than that. James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-89942541034513417302020-02-05T15:46:00.000-08:002020-02-05T15:46:07.063-08:00The Sale of GOP's Soul Costs Us All-<br />
Historically, the GOP has stood for a fundamentalist Christian view of morality. They put a high value on chastity, honesty, individual liberty, and rule of law. I’ve often disagreed with them on policy, but respected their Joe Friday-esc adherence to law & order. I can’t anymore. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkaOLPn_iUxYTnQuA3CDb09rEYt_1-TiKu8sENxsMfRU6QuEVj4zOHB9rWvVWD5-dLaeA38g3589DgiQq6J5x8v8yoJAs41N-grMmfpL686z3_jZyqYGhYvzODteH6DwLePaqHRvYMlk/s1600/Deviled-Sen_Mitch_McConnell_official.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkaOLPn_iUxYTnQuA3CDb09rEYt_1-TiKu8sENxsMfRU6QuEVj4zOHB9rWvVWD5-dLaeA38g3589DgiQq6J5x8v8yoJAs41N-grMmfpL686z3_jZyqYGhYvzODteH6DwLePaqHRvYMlk/s320/Deviled-Sen_Mitch_McConnell_official.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="background-color: black; color: firebrick; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.86px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
| Subject: Senator Mitch McConnell | Date: 01/23/2009 |<br />
| Photographer: United States Senate Employee |<br />
| This photograph was taken by an employee of the<br />
United States Senate and therefore is in the public domain. |<br />
| Altered by me with Devil horns and beard |</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since he was inaugurated in 2016, Republican lawmakers have bent over backwards to support and defend a president known for lying, showing flagrant disrespect to minorities, and grabbing women by the hoohaw. Under the leadership of Mitch McConnel, the Republican controlled Senate has voted to end President Trump's trial without the inclusion of any evidence from witnesses and/or documents. So, why have they abandoned, even the pretense, of valuing the law? <br />
<br />
Party loyalty doesn't explain their decision to crumple up the constitution like a used candy wrapper and chuck it into the wastepaper basket. While John McCain was still alive, Trump verbally beat the man like a rented mule, making fun of; his cancer, his war record as a POW in Vietnam, and his voting record in the United States Senate. Party loyalty didn't enter into it.<br />
<br />
Trump delivered a package of tax cuts. Households making more than $480,050 will pay 2.6% less in income tax, while corporations will enjoy a 14% dip in their tax rate (21% down from 35%). In exchange for these cuts, and naming conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the bench, Senator McConnell and company have pledged unconditional loyalty to Donald Trump. <br />
<br />
I wouldn't mind if the stain was only on the Republican Party, but it's not. For well over two centuries, the United States of America has been a shining example of a working democracy. The sale of the GOP’s soul has cost us all our reputation around the world.James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965593782526191328.post-79135986605278009572020-01-10T15:57:00.002-08:002020-01-10T16:00:52.555-08:00The Razzle Dazzle President-<br />
<i>"</i><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><i>Give 'em the old razzle dazzle, razzle Dazzle 'em.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it, and the reaction will be passionate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give 'em the old hocus pocus, bead and feather 'em.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can they see with sequins in their eyes?</i></span><br />
<i></i><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-right-color: currentColor; border-top-color: currentColor; box-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.25pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-indent: .5in; vertical-align: baseline; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><i>What if your hinges all are rusting?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if, in fact, you're just disgusting?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Razzle dazzle 'em, and they’ll never catch wise!"</i> ~ Razzle Dazzle lyrics from the movie Chicago</span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8z4Rf2vxDYLBzoczxwltDNh_dSBt95vBYgeL7w2m-y_58evIhmeiN458qjKynnyCsFn16_7pgplFRjdySaxEwLVDkkw6d9lwC0guVFGliYiDiC75YimrTF5kDZZ7dlj7LmY-5Ii2YWGc/s1600/Iran_map.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8z4Rf2vxDYLBzoczxwltDNh_dSBt95vBYgeL7w2m-y_58evIhmeiN458qjKynnyCsFn16_7pgplFRjdySaxEwLVDkkw6d9lwC0guVFGliYiDiC75YimrTF5kDZZ7dlj7LmY-5Ii2YWGc/s320/Iran_map.png" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>| Subject: Map of Iran | Date: 09/15/2004 |</div><div>| Source: United States Central Intelligence Agency Factbook |</div><div>| This map was produced by an employee of the United</div><div>States Government, and therefore is in the public domain. |</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Democrats and liberals, myself included, have a good time making jokes about President Trump being stupid. I’m not sure that's entirely fair. I think he’s; out of touch with the majority of the American people, dishonest, and selfishly immoral; but I don't think he's stupid. <br />
<br />
If you've ever been to a magic show, you know the success of the show rests with the magician’s ability to look over here while he does something over there. Look at the rabbit, don’t look at the hands. <br />
<br />
Trump's mastered the art of dazzling the masses. This is a guy who declared bankruptcy three times and still headed an NBC show based on the premise he was a great businessman one would want to do an apprenticeship under. This is a guy who was recorded bragging about grabbing women by their privates, and still got elected president thanks partly to evangelical Christian voters. <br />
<br />
Not long ago, I couldn't turn on MSNBC without hearing the word, “impeachment,” umpteen times per hour. Then, seemingly out of nowhere we attacked Iran, killing General Soleimani, and the news cycle changed. Think about it. <br />
<br />
While I can’t prove it, I think President Trump expected the assassination of Soleimani to give him as much positive press as the death of Bin Laden gave Obama. Instead, many Americans reacted negatively to being taken to the brink of another war, and our NATO allies are talking about pulling out of the area because we didn't clear the attack with them. <br />
<br />
While it didn't work out that way, I think, he wanted it to, the military action did reduce the on-air talk of impeachment by, at least, 50%. Whether, or not, the reduction will be enough to help him in the next election remains to be seen. <br />
James Kiesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02671840872934703808noreply@blogger.com0