Update no.1188

 Update from the Sunland

No.1188

14.10.24 – 20.10.24

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

 

To all,

 

Yet another space launch accomplishment for SpaceX occurred on Monday. Liftoff occurred at 12:06 [R] EDT (1606 GMT) {09:06 [T] MST}, from Pad 39A of the Kennedy Space Center. A Falcon Heavy launch vehicle propelled the 3.6-ton, NASA, Europa Clipper spacecraft into a gravitational slingshot trajectory on its six-year transit to Jupiter. The spacecraft will explore Europa to gather far more detailed data on Jupiter’s ice moon. In a bit of a rarity, SpaceX had to expend all the propellent in the three, stage 1 booster cores to achieve the necessary escape velocity for the spacecraft, which means they had no fuel to recover the two outboard boosters. It was another picture-perfect launch sans booster recovery. I look forward to big things from the Europa Clipper spacecraft.

 

The enablers, protectors, and sycophants of [the person who shall no longer be named] persist in telling us, “Don’t listen to what he says. Look at what he does.” They also use phrases like: “That is not what he meant”; “He was only kidding”; “You took his words out of context”; “What he meant to say was . . . .” He is hereditarily prone to exaggeration, inflation, conflation, and outright falsehood. There are far too many such statements of rationalization to be recounted in this humble forum, but I do believe the above is sufficient to convey the applicable message. I must ask, “What do such rationalizations say about a man who was and wants to be president of the United States of America?” This reality has been consistent with his behavior through his entire adult life; this peculiar trait is not new or an artifact of his late-in-life participation in politics. In stark contrast, Vice President Harris is a degreed and licensed attorney who has made her livelihood on the precision of her language, choice of words, and diction. She knows better than to exaggerate her words, and a false statement could render her to jail and revocation of her law license. The differences are dramatically stark. If we cannot believe and trust what our president says, why should be trust anything he says or does?

At the end of the day, he has disqualified himself.

 

Normally, I have left folks to their freedom of choice. They are entitled to vote for whomever they wish, for whatever reasons (or lack of same) they wish. Recently, I participated in a thread that I could not resist with two intelligent, educated, mature women who are staunch supports of [the person who shall no longer be named]. I cannot reproduce the exchange for the full effect, so my expressed opinion shall have to suffice.

I have been an outspoken advocate for Equal Rights for women . . . and all other citizens regardless of the social factors. Equal Rights for women have yet to be solidified in the provisions of the U.S. Constitution. I have witnessed misogynist men ply their vile ways all my adult life. I have had little tolerance for men who do not respect women. Then, along comes [the person who shall no longer be named]. His rampant malignant narcissism has led him to be an unapologetic misogynist all his adult life. Simply look at the way he refers to and treats women. E. Jean Carroll was simply the snowflake on the tip of the iceberg—Carroll v. Trump [USDC NY SD case no. 20-cv-7311 (LAK)] [1150]. Need I remind any one of the vulgarities of the Access Hollywood tape? [979]

What is markedly different from the context of his behavior is the position he seeks. It is one thing for your neighbor to treat women badly, or even CEO of a corporation or a senior officer in a military squadron. It is monumentally different for any potential president of the United States to behave that way. We can rationalize his conduct by the simple observation that he has been that way all his adult life. What is so bloody baffling to me is how any respectable woman of any station would condone such behavior, and worse, vote for the man. He and his abhorrent conduct must be emphatically condemned and rejected.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1187:

“My word there’s a lot of reading in your update but I managed it! Still reading your books and could be for some-time! Still on the third one-I’m having a busy pre-remembrance period at the moment.”

My reply:

Yeah, well, sometimes the urge strikes me.

Enjoy the books as you are able. On the 3rd, you have a way to go following the adventures of Brian and Jonathan.

It is that time of year. I trust your Remembrance Day preparations will proceed satisfactorily. Lest we ever forget!

 . . . follow-up comment:

Thanks Cap. Do you have a remembrance period in the US? I’ve never heard it mentioned.

 . . . my follow-up reply:

Certainly not like the British and French do. In this country, it is called Veterans Day, which is a federal holiday on the 11th of November, to remember and honor the service of our veterans.

 

Comment to the Blog:

“The SpaceX booster retrieval is a major feat of engineering.

“MAGAts attack as their sole strategy. That comes down from Roy Cohn, the Orange Menace’s mentor, who was a prosecutor in the McCarthy hearings and committed many other wrongs. Trump didn’t notice that Cohn was eventually disbarred.

“I have my ballot here. I won’t vote for evil, whether greater or lesser. We have a ballot initiative to end gerrymandering. I’m voting for the initiative.

“I can’t imagine Orange Menace actually completing another term. Ultimately, I’m more afraid of Just Don’t Vance. Vance resembles a militia man with a Yale Law School degree. That is, he can say insane things and make them sound almost rational.

“I noticed a reference to a movie from last week. If a movie is a well-supported documentary, it could be relevant. Fiction is not.”

My response to the Blog:

Yes, indeed! I eagerly await greater accomplishments from the SpaceX team. I have watched the replay of that booster catch countless times since the event, as new perspectives become available. It remains an awesome demonstration of engineering and physics.

I agree with your observations and assessment of Roy Cohn and his acolyte. We must end this nonsense and work toward the brighter uplands.

I would love to know how Ohio plans to end gerrymandering. I am working on my ballot as well—judges and propositions are a lot of research work. Make sure you post your ballot in plenty of time ahead of the deadline. I will do the same.

I share your view of Vance. He has a Trojan Horse feel to him. We must ensure neither one of them get even remotely close to the instruments of state.

Fiction can and does stimulate critical thinking and offers a “what if” view of important issues. “Seven Days in May” was another one.

 . . . Round two:

“I’ll give the SpaceX engineering team credit. Their boss only wants to escape Earth before the climate is completely ruined.

“Ohio’s working on a plan that involves no elected officials or lobbyists in the process. That might at least help. Meanwhile, there’s a site to help one with choosing judges. I’ll look at it; if it’s legitimate, it will help quite a bit.

“Over time, I’ve gone away from consuming fiction. I studied fiction writing methods and concluded that it can’t be as valuable as non-fiction.”

 . . . my response to round two:

Yeah, we kinda have to separate the SpaceX team from their boss; he does not design and build things; his employees do.

Sure, it should be better until one side or the other tries to contaminate membership. On judges, I research each one, not as thoroughly as I should but to the best of my capacity.

Fiction can be and often is far more thought provoking, e.g., Nineteen Eighty-four and Fahrenheit 451. I could name many others. My main body of work is historical fiction. I have written a few purely fictional books that I certainly tried to make thought provoking. Others will judge whether I was successful.

 . . . Round three:

“That site was useful and neutral, although it didn't give any analysis of judicial records. Two judges are members of the Federalist Society; that's a ‘no.’ Others have multiple union and other endorsements that lead me to support them. I couldn't find a similar resource for Arizona.

I read Nineteen Eighty-Four and Fahrenheit 451 in a public high-school class. They added to my fears but gave me little concrete information. Historical fiction can be useful if it's researched well, but I still have to check actual historical sources before I incorporate them into my thinking. I read one of the ‘Anod’ series. It was an interesting thought experiment but I didn't find it relevant to current reality. I just bought that one on Kindle; I'll re-read it soon.”

 . . . my response to round three:

Thanks for thinking of me. So far, I have finished judges. I use a half dozen or so useful websites to gather information on whether to retain judges. This was a rare period where I have read the rulings of some of the judges, so I had a clear opinion regarding retention. I also look for adverse press reports and clear political affiliation. The latter was an immediate disqualifier. Judges must be neutral; if they are not, they do not deserve to remain a judge in my book. I am still working on propositions, which I should finish today. Hopefully, I’ll post our ballots tomorrow.

Those books should have induced a plethora of questions. The Anod series was never intended to be commentary on current events. The 3rd Book of Anod is due to be released next month; again, it is the future, not contemporary.

 . . . Round four:

“I have considered my prior comment about Fahrenheit 451 and Nineteen Eighty-Four further. To be more precise, I'd already encountered the issues in studying history. Those books amplified my fears without giving me any tools to meet the situation.

“I have read dozens of science fiction books. Most were intended to depict current situations or trends in a different context. I think of Isaac Asimov's science fiction detective stories. At least one of those predicted that technology would increase isolation. Likewise, my takeaway from the Anod book was that you discussed sexual manners and mores as a control issue. Fiction always comments on reality. There's nothing else to work with.”

 . . . my response to round four:

Well, that is one perspective I cannot argue with. That is the beauty of freedom of choice. We each see what we wish to see based on our unique life experiences. Let it suffice to say that I see those books differently.

My oh my, I did not see Anod no.1 in that light. I intended it to be a conflict of what it means to be human. There are two published Anod books with the 3rd book due to be released next month. Each brings a different examination of what it means to be human.

At the end of the day, it does not matter what I intended as the author. The only thing that matters is how you read my words in your mind’s eye. I learn from your perspective.

I intend to keep writing the best I can, full stop.

 

Another contribution:

“As a 25 yr ‘Flaming Conserviberal,’ having long ago given up on the GOP, I shall vote early in person absentee, now for a Democrat POTUS for first time.

“If I were King, I'd ask volunteer American mercenaries and corporations to defend Israel w/o the U.S. taxpayer this time, unless NATO labels this nightmare the ‘war’ it is.”

 . . . my reply:

I join you in the vote. To me an absolute disqualifier is an election denier or Jan6 supporter; they have demonstrated their anti-Constitution politics and thus are disqualified from elected office.

Interesting approach. We used mercenaries during the Revolutionary War with positive results.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)