Update no.993

 Update from the Sunland

No.993

18.1.21 – 24.1.21

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

            To all,

 

In the category of ‘Life Goes on Despite What Happens in Washington, DC,’ we had our own major event just after midnight in the early morning hours of Wednesday, 20.January.2012—Inauguration Day.  The dogs were restless, and I thought they were signaling their need for the relief of the exterior.  When I got up to put my Crocs on, I stepped in a puddle, not just a wet spot, a puddle.  Damn, one of the dogs had an accident, I thought.  I let them out, watched them wander around doing nothing, and then we went back inside.  I went to the utility room for paper towels to clean up the accident, only to discover the floor was not just wet, but it was verging upon a shallow lake.  It took me a few splashy seconds to ascertain the source of the flood—a rupture cold-water line on the washing machine in the utility room.  I promptly shutoff the water, stopped the flow, and then built a damn to keep more water out of our bedroom.  I sent Jeanne and the dogs back to bed, while I jumped on the telephone to USAA (our exemplary insurance company) to get the recovery process started. I surveyed the lake.  Water had reached every room with only a slight penetration of our bedroom and the 1^st guest room.  The worst of it was (naturally) in my study where I do most of my writing—apparently the lowest spot on our ‘level’ foundation.  By 03:00, Damage Control LLC (USAA’s recommended recovery service company) contacted me, and 40 minutes later, a three-man crew arrived to extract the standing water, begin disassembly of the things that fill a home, and deploy a small army of blowers and de-humidifiers to extract the remainder of the moisture; the din of extraction verged upon unbearable but necessary.  The damage assessment turned out to be better than I expected, but still not trivial or minor.  Fortunately, we have large-tile floors throughout the house with a limited application of rugs to soften the sound.  The initial response crew finished their work at 06:10 that morning.  The follow-on recovery portion began the next morning.  They removed most of the baseboards and the bottom foot of drywall in the study. The blowers continued through the weekend.  They expect to close the extraction aspect of the recovery on Monday morning.  A repair estimator is due Monday afternoon to prepare a proposal for the insurance company.  We do not yet know how long it will take to return to normal, but it is out there somewhere.

An FYI for those who may be curious or concerned: the hose failure occurred at the base of the threads on the male fitting of the supply hose in a brass ‘Y’ fitting splitting the cold water line to the washer and dryer (a steaming function).  The process is called galvanic corrosion that happen with water flowing over dissimilar metals. When the fitting ruptured, it was nearly circumferential; only a thread of metal remained and that thread failed as I removed the hose and ‘Y’ fitting.  I’ve got to solve that problem, or preemptively replace the supply hose every five years or so.  We do not have zinc sacrificial plates like most steel hulled ships do.

This Update comes to you this week from my laptop in my makeshift study that used to be and one day will return to be one of our two guest bedrooms.

 

The house eunuch has a mind and a heart.

The Black Dog cometh, and the Black Dog taketh away.

 

            The follow-up news items:

-- When presented with the facts that the [person who shall no longer be named] failed dozens of times in courts of law in his attempts to overthrow the 2020 election results, the willing consumers of the popular, magic, snake-oil elixir deny the bevy of court challenges.  I have read and reviewed a few of those court cases, namely three versions that reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

* Scarnati v. Boockvar [592 U.S. 20A53] {19.10.2020} [980]

* DNC v. Wisconsin Legislature [592 U.S. 20A66 (2020)] {26.10.2020} [981]

* Texas v. Pennsylvania [Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin] [592 U.S. 22O155 (2020)] {7.12.2020} [987] – this is the case where 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives signed an amicusbriefing in support.

For those who might need a more comprehensive list of the court cases contesting the 2020 Election result, you may wish to visit the following URL:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-election_lawsuits_related_to_the_2020_United_States_presidential_election

-- The [person who shall no longer be named] departed Washington, District of Columbia, on Wednesday morning, hours prior to the inauguration of our next president. His childish, tempestuous conduct lacks any semblance of grace, dignity, integrity, or honor, but that is not a news flash either, is it? [705-993].  He is no longer relevant!  Good riddance.  His toddler conduct and selfish behavior will leave a deep stain on the history of this once grand republic that will take a long time and considerable effort to remove.  I anticipate that he will be convicted by the Senate and prohibited from holding any public office ever again.  I expect he will be indicted, charged, tried, convicted, and imprisoned for his multitudinous crimes—some known, others as yet unknown.

-- How appropriate! After a year of the laissez-faireapproach to pandemic response by the [person who shall no longer be named] and on his last full day in office, the United States of America passed 400,000 COVID19 fatalities [946 & sub].  Of all is unforgiveable conduct, this reality shall be his legacy.

 

Vice President Pence chose to attend President Biden’s inauguration rather than the bogus send-off for the [person who shall no longer be named] at JB Andrews; wise choice Mister Vice President.

 

A friend and regular contributor to this humble forum sent along the following topic:

“I'm sending you this as an example of the importance of marketing.  I don't 100% agree with the advice given at the end, but it's better than what we're hearing today.”

“‘We’re underselling the vaccine’ – Good morning. We explain why the vaccine news is better than you may think.”

by David Leonhardt – The Morning

New York Times

Published: January 18, 2021

 . . . to which I replied:

Thx for the NYT article . . . well done and spot on to my knowledge. I loved the line about “snake-oil sellers”; quite apropos.  I remember how I felt when the initial counsel was masks are not needed; terribly shortsighted, but perhaps necessary given the abysmal shortage of nationwide PPE available to the frontline medical establishment.

Out of curiosity, what element(s) of the last two paragraphs do you not agree with in this context?

I would have favored adding something along the lines of:
“Even once you are fully vaccinated, please view the pandemic precautions—wearing mask, social distancing, washing hands—as your patriotic duty and obligation, to do your part to protect all citizens.  Our collective health and well-being should be seen in the same light as our freedom.”

. . . with this follow-up comment:

“Other than my continuing doubts about the ‘science’ behind the whole response (and especially non-medical masks), appeals to the well-being of the general public and/or patriotic duty tend to fall flat.  They should continue the emphasis on loved ones and ask for patience on the unspoken message that vaccines are safe and effective.  Continually trying to reassure people does the opposite.  It reminds them of the doubts that have been raised.”

. . . along with my follow-up reply:

From my perspective, I would tend to agree with your observations. We, the People, have been lied to from the get-go, ostensibly in the name of “downplaying” the pandemic. To me, the [person who shall no longer be named] has lied to us consistently and regularly until he demonstrated his all too apparent GAF position.  It will be interesting to see how the new administration deals with the medical experts and executes a more effective pandemic response program.

 

On the closing of the [person who shall no longer be named] era, I offer this observation from history.

What made Nazism so bloody devastating was the parasitic commandeering of the full resources of a modern nation-state.  The enforcement arm of the Nazi state was the SchutzStaffel (SS) in all its sub-forms.  The SS was an instrument of the Party, and the Party was the state.

While I have seen and documented many similarities between the actions of the [person who shall no longer be named] and der Anführer des Dritten Reiches, the contemporary version failed to subvert the instruments of state to his will—thanks to the Good Lord above and those patriotic Americans who stood in the breech against his will.  But, we came so dreadfully close.  We must never forget the lessons of the last four years.

 

It is interesting and perhaps even a little entertaining that after four years of division and amplification of the white supremacy element within American society, we hear all these calls for unity, civility, caring for one another, and such, while we still hear echoes of civil war, insurrection, and rebellion.  I will be happy to talk about unity once the perpetrators of the insurrection and their enablers are charged, tried, and imprisoned for their crimes.  The calls for these kumbayamoments are thinly veiled attempts to divert or negate justice.  I did not agree with President Ford’s pardon [8.9.1974] for Nixon’s crimes. I do not want justice denied, again.  The requirement to drive a deep marker down as a statement that his conduct is not acceptable for any president—present or future—demands a clear constitutional action.

 

In the category of “really rich” (with deep sarcasm), the Arizona chapter of the Republican Party voted to officially censure Cindy McCain (widow of Senator John McCain), former Senator Jeff Flake, and Governor Doug Ducey for their failure to kowtow and genuflect to ihr Anführer.  Heaven forbid there should ever be dissent against their cowardly leader. As with so many political actions these days, this vengeful action speaks volumes of the once noble Republican Party.

 

            Comments and contributions from Update no.988:

“Cap, you describe the prospect of worrying times ahead. In years to come, after we’ve gone, how do you see history re-acting to this? Surely, well for many years in your democratic country, has there ever been such a situation your current leader is creating? And what actions need to be taken to prevent a repetition?

“What thoughts do dwell in our confused and overcrowded minds. And it’s Christmas!”

My reply:

I believe history will not remember the four (4) years of the [person who shall no longer be named] era in a favorable light.  Dissatisfaction with the federal government has been growing for years; I would say at least since the Vietnam War era.  He tapped into an element that has been present in American society for centuries—white supremacy; he amplified it, legitimized it, and enabled it out into the open.  He demonized anyone and anything that did not fit his mold. He used the skills and means of dictators to carry out his agenda.  I also believe history will record the [person who shall no longer be named] as the only president in history—past, present, or future—to incite insurrection against the federal government to further his dictatorial aims. That’s my opinion, and I’m stickin’ to it.

As to what to do to avoid a repetition, they only thing I can think of to do is never forget.  I can only hope we never again allow any person—male or female—with his personality flaws to reach a position of power again.  The House has impeached him a second time (the only one in history); now we must hope the Senate can muster up the courage to convict him (even though he is no longer in office) and prohibit him from ever holding a government job again.

. . . follow-up comment:

“I, for one, am looking forward to a peaceful and friendly re-generation of relationships between your country and those who he who cannot be mentioned destroyed.  I would think that would be the attitude of the vast majority of your countrymen.

“But you know Hollywood and TV will not-if they see a way of making dollars, leave this alone, the cameras will soon be turning you see.  If I’m wrong that’s another beer or a bottle of Chateaux Suffolk I owe you.”

. . . my follow-up reply:

I am eagerly anticipating a more collegial presidency than the “Ugly American” version we have suffered for the last four (4) years.  Yes, I believe the majority of American citizens are with me in that sentiment.  However, the minority is not going away.  I am afraid we must endure more conspiracy theories, doubts in our government, and vociferous dissent that will not have a pretty face.  The reality to come is going to be filled with conspiracies upon conspiracies.  With the distrust of the Press amplified by the [person who shall no longer be named], the process of sorting through information from divergent sources has become significantly harder, which will make the healing time longer.

LOL  There is no debt, my friend, which is the beauty of our freedom of speech and expression. Life goes on.

. . . a follow-up to the follow-up comment:

“Cap, we had a first class programme last night all based on your election process. There were many interviews with your clansmen, many wearing ‘cowboy’ outfits complete with hats.  None of these characters could or would accept that their man lost-none. They all had plans to return their man into the chair-one way or another. Well your new boss has a great deal of disquiet and non-contention to iron through. Good luck to him. May democracy win the day.”

 . . . along with my follow-up to the follow-up comment:

Those who refuse to accept the election results are probably consumers of the magic snake-oil elixir.  They have been fed lies for four plus years, and they believe.  There is a subset of that group that will still be whining about the grossly false claims of the [person who shall no longer be named] for the next four years.  Nature of the beast, I’m afraid.  I suspect the best we can hope for is the conviction of the [person who shall no longer be named] by the Senate next month and the prohibition of him ever taking public office again.

Yes, President Biden has a very tall mountain to climb ahead of him. My threshold of success is very very low as a consequence to the [person who shall no longer be named]—peace and stability that is all.  The rest is icing on the cake.

 

            Comments and contributions from Update no.989:

“On another subject-how long do you think the Chinese will continue to hide the truth about the virus which has now wiped out 1.7 million lives worldwide.  I’ll tell you one thing, I try not to purchase anything marked ‘Made in China’.  Shouldn’t we all be doing that?”

My response:

Short answer: as long as they are able.  The government of the PRC has never been a bastion of openness, transparency, and forthrightness.  I highly doubt that those traits are likely to change anytime soon. While it is entirely possible that the PRC created, developed and released the virus, after all, they are certainly capable of such deviousness and destructiveness, but I have seen no direct evidence of such nefarious malfeasance.  Their penchant makes it very easy to generate such speculation; conspiracy theorists thrive on such speculation.  As with most affairs of state, the problem is not the Chinese people but the government that seeks preservation of its power and control. Yes, we should, but that is a very tall order.  As I always quote the old Chinese proverb, long journeys begin with small steps.

 

            Comments and contributions from Update no.992:

Comment to the Blog:

“King Baby has indeed incited insurrection, which I believe amounts to sedition.  He and his foot soldiers are revolting in more than one sense.

“Our Governor here has taken the insurrection seriously and is providing military security.  The militia clowns had the advantages of surprise and friends in high places, but that’s over.  If they go through with further attacks, they will experience being fired upon.  That changes people’s outlook.

“I will forward you separately a New York Times newsletter that includes a piece about the public health establishment’s marketing.  I’m not sure of the copyright issues of this, but the subject is interesting.”

My response to the Blog:

Yeah!  Perhaps naïvely, I thought no decent patriot would actually commit insurrection.  I was dreadfully wrong.  Further, we now see precisely why the [person who shall no longer be named], AKA King Baby in your parlance, has been nurturing the right-wing, extremist militias, e.g., Proud Boys, Boogaloo Boys, KKK, Aryan Nation, Aryan Brotherhood, Atomwaffen Division, The Base, National Socialist Movement (sound familiar?), et al ad infinitum ad nauseum.  There are too many to list here.  The [person who shall no longer be named] is ihr Anführer.  He wanted to use the violence of those groups espouse for his purposes.  We witnessed the culmination on the 6th of January.  The [person who shall no longer be named] believed he would need their violence; he used it on the 6^th.

Governor DeWine has been and remains a refreshing and encouraging island in a sea of disappointment and disgust.  I hope and trust Governor DeWine will use the full weight of the state against those groups that contaminate your state and this once grand republic.  The time of tolerance is over.

 

A contribution from an Italian friend and former colleague of mine:

“Large part of we, European people, think new USA President is an honorable person and will try to re-compact/unify your great Country in this historical dramatic times.”

My reply:

Thank you for your very kind and generous words regarding our new president.  I agree with you 100%; he is an honorable and big-hearted man with considerable experience. After four (4) tragic years, President Biden is a renewing hope.  While we must remember history, I would prefer to forget the man who used to be our president.  As a proud American citizen, I apologize to the world for what that man did to our friends and allies.  Yes, I have high hopes for a better tomorrow.

 

            My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                        :-)