I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity. Edgar Allen Poe
The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. - H. L. Mencken Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so -Bertrand Russell What I have been telling you, from alpha to omega, what is the one great thing the sigil taught me — that everything in life is miraculous. For the sigil taught me that it rests within the power of each of us to awaken at will from a dragging nightmare of life made up of unimportant tasks and tedious useless little habits, to see life as it really is, and to rejoice in its exquisite wonderfulness. If the sigil were proved to be the top of a tomato-can, it would not alter that big fact, nor my fixed faith. No Harrowby, the common names we call things by do not matter — except to show how very dull we are ... -James Branch Cabell
December 02, 2017 - 11:20 a.m. I'm going to have to get into serious music listening mode; I created a large playlist on Amazon Music of the potential best albums of the year. This is expanded from what I did the other day as I don't own all the ones on Amazon; that was the point of putting the playlist there, I can still listen. This is going to take me forever to get through, I have a month. What makes it difficult is that I have to seriously listen, not listen while doing something else, like right this. I turned of Eilen Jewell to write this. Now I'm listening to the Classical Christmas playlist. Yesterday I had both therapy and a psychiatrist appointment. That's a total of 1:15 professional time. I was out six and a half hours. I had trouble with all the buses, the trains were fine. The Beeline 45 bus was 25 minutes late, that meant I waited 40 minutes for it. Then I waited 40 minutes for the BX29, the bus is supposed to run every 20 minutes. That was the worst as I transfer from the 45 in Pelham Bay Park. It was dark, and it was cold. I was very happy to get home. Good thing I had therapy, it helps me deal with those things. I love going to therapy and to my psychiatrist. I'm improving too. We even took practical steps I need for getting food stamps and perhaps other social work help. Last time I went to Texas Grill or whatever it is called, I brought home a packet of honey mustard. I put it on my ham steak and dipped my roasted potatoes in it last night. I love how a little thing like that kicks the enjoyment of a meal way up. While I was waiting for the potatoes to roast I finished the chocolate peanut butter ice cream I had in the freezer. Does any of my Gentle Readers eat dessert while waiting for their dinner is in the oven? It's an efficient use of time and I was hungry. I was paid for my market research with a debit card. A check is much better, why? If I want to use it to get cash I have to pay a $2.95 fee. I have $70 on it. There is no way I can get it all out in cash, even minus the fee. After a month they start charging maintenance fees; I have to spend everything this month to avoid them. The Market Researchers never sent me the PIN for the card. I had to call the help number to get it. Maybe there's a way I can PayPal myself the money. There would still be a fee, but I could empty the card. Now to the politics; it was the best of times it was the worst of times. Flynn main a plea arrangement with Mueller, leniency in return for cooperation. They just made one formal charge that he pled guilty to but now he has to pay up and give evidence against others. I'm surprised how many of my intelligent well-informed friends were unaware that's how prosecutors worked. Didn't they watch Law & Order?. this is not a wrist slap for Flynn, it's a step in the larger case against a criminal enterprise, the Trump campaign and administration. The bad news is that the Senate passed the tax bill. It's not law, they still have to reconcile with the house but it's a major step, the Yang to the Flynn pleas Yin. I don't have to tell you how terrible the bill is. We are still suffering the effects of the much better and well thought out Reagan Tax cuts from over thirty years ago. Instead of my usual reasoned analysis I'm going to give my gut reaction to McCain and Collins voting for it. I always thought the praise they got for being mavericks and in Collins case a moderate went too far. McCain made that stirring speech when he voted against ending the ACA. He will do that now and then. That's where the maverick reputation comes from. Those moments are the exceptions. He far more often goes along with the GOP agenda. All the horrible abandonment of Senate Process he railed against when voting against the ACA were worse in the tax bill and he voted for it without a peep. As for Collins, she lets them take a hacksaw to the ACA in the tax bill. It appears that what she's concerned with is appearances; this was not a direct vote against the ACA. Repealing the mandate does huge damage and might totally undo it but that's complex and most voters are unaware of why the mandate is necessary, so she won't be punished by them. If she were a true moderate she'd have voted for the ACA back when it was proposed but she would not break ranks with her party. McCain and Collins do deserve praise for voting against repealing the ACA but don't go overboard. For the most part I'm trying to not think about it. There is nothing I can do. My representative and Senators are voting and speaking out strongly against the tax bill. If your senator(s) or representative is Republican call them every day and let them know how important this is. There will still be at least one more vote, on the reconciliation, it can still be stopped. Calling is the best. I know someone that wrote Collins this week. She did not get that before Friday's vote. It takes weeks for mail to get through congressional security. That is an unfortunate consequence of the anthrax letters. Call and do not call just once. Go to their offices in person. Organize, protest. It's the final two minutes of a basketball game and we're behind. We need to apply a full court press, deny every passing lane, create a turnover. That's as much thinking about it as I can take. I'm going to make breakfast and listen to Eilen Jewell. Tonight, I'm off to see Heather Aubrey Lloyd and the Lords of Liechtenstein at Church Korner House Concerts in Brooklyn. There are still seats available, Click here to get more information and make your reservation. If you have my phone number feel free and call me if you have any questions you need answered immediately. I signed the Pro-Truth Pledge: please hold me accountable.
Memories: Not that Horrid Song - May 29, 2018
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