political commentary – Wanderlust and Wonderment

Posted on June 28, 2020 by amoralegria · 3 Comments

WWTW: Whistleblowers – Barr is a Crook

Two career Justice Department whistleblowers testified in before the House Judiciary Committee last week about Attorney General William Barr’s attempts to corrupt the department in favor of his boss, Donald Trump. Barr has made no secret of his belief that a president should not be indicted or implicated in crimes while occupying the office of president.

Aaron Zelinsky served as a prosecutor on the special counsel team led by Robert Mueller and later worked on the case against Trump’s friend and associate Roger Stone. He told the committee led by Jerry Nadler that there was clear interference on the part of A.G. Barr in Stone’s sentencing process.

Donald Ayer, who preceded Barr as deputy attorney general in the administration of George H.W. Bush, called Barr “the greatest threat in my lifetime to our rule of law” as he testified before the committee that Barr had misused his powers as attorney general to advance the president’s personal and political interests. He further told the committee members that Barr has given every reason to “mistrust everything he says” and called for Barr to resign.

A third whistleblower, John Elias, a prosecutor in the antitrust division of the Justice Department, testified that Barr had directed baseless investigations into the cannabis industry because of Barr’s personal distaste for the rising legal marijuana market.

Nadler told the witnesses that they were brave to come forward to give testimony implicating Barr, especially since the Trump administration has a history of witness intimidation. “I have no doubt that they will try to exact a price for your testimony,” Nadler said.

Typically career Justice Department employees do not testify before Congress and it is unclear how the House Democrats can hold Barr and the Trump administration accountable for these corrupt influences. Barr has reportedly agreed to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on July 28, but he has bailed out at the last minute in the past. The Justice Department is already pushing back on the whistleblowers’ testimony.

Even so, the press surrounding the testimony of these witnesses against Barr have added to recent allegations that he has given cover for Trump’s corrupt impulses. These three men have put their careers at the Justice Department on the line to come forward. Therefore, Zelinsky, Ayer and Elias get my vote for Fandango’s Who Won the Week.

Information obtained from the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC and DOJ Whistleblowers Testify That William Barr Has Politicized Justice by Ryan J. Reilly in Huffpost.

Posted on November 24, 2019November 24, 2019 by amoralegria · 1 Comment

FWWTW: Thanks, Adam!

This is in response to Fandango’s weekly “Who Won the Week” challenge.

My vote goes to Adam Schiff, who spent the whole week exercising extreme self-control while sitting next to Devin Nunes with his ridiculous invective (and Schiff probably wanting to strangle Nunes!). Finally, in his concluding remarks, after we had heard the riveting and credible testimony of Fiona Hill and David Holmes, Adam Schiff was eloquent and spot on. He talked about the “indignation” of his Republican colleagues and the White House, but he finally allowed his own, justifiable indignation to be publicly aired! The Republicans, Schiff made clear, have no defense and have not been able to question the veracity of the witnesses’ testimony. His criticism of Trump and his lackeys was excellent as he laid bare the sham of their attempt to blame and exploit Ukraine to cover their own corrupt intent. When he finished his speech, I stood up and applauded!

If I were to choose a concept that won the week, it would be commitment to one’s patriotic duty. Schiff mentions Vindman and also praises Hill and Holmes for being unbiased and nonpartisan in their own commitment to a sense of duty.

Here’s the video link: https://youtu.be/t4ssrr2OsQ0

Posted on October 31, 2019October 31, 2019 by amoralegria · 2 Comments

SYW: On Disagreements, Politicians, Idyllic Gardens and Trick-or-Treating

Melanie B. Cee hosts the weekly Share Your World challenge; this week with a nod to Halloween!

Questions:
Where’s the line between respectful disagreement and being downright mean (bullying) to someone?
I think it is when insults and name-calling begin. This is not only mean but also indicates that the person disagreeing no longer has an argument defending his/her opinion. This has been happening more and more often lately. People who are simply angry lash out at others. There is a lot of political polarization these days and although many of us would like to have a dialogue with “the other side”, it is almost impossible when people have different sets of “facts.” Generally these respectful disagreements eventually break down and end up in name-calling.

Would you prefer to live in a world where alcohol was free or where politicians were honest?
That’s easy – I’ll take the honest politicians. There are some now, but unfortunately they are not the ones who have much power to change anything. I’m hopeful, though – I think the House of Representatives, including a few Republicans, will vote to impeach Trump. I do not have much hope for the Senate, however. Even with the clear evidence of his guilt, they will not think his crimes are “serious” enough for impeachment. Treason? Enriching oneself while in office? Obstruction of justice? Blackmailing of foreign officials? Lying under oath? (Trump did this by promising to abide by the Constitution when he was sworn in.) Nah – these are children’s games!! The Republicans in the Senate have very few members who are honest.
There is also dissemination of lies. It’s one thing for Trump to lie every day – we are all used to it by now. It’s quite another for politicians beholden to lobbyists and corporations to say (when they know it isn’t true) that human-caused climate change is a hoax. This is irresponsible and dangerous. By denying science, they think they don’t have to do anything about it. And we MUST take action NOW – for future generations!

What’s one habit you have that your family or friends think is rather childish?
I have a habit of making weird noises with my hands, feet and my mouth. This freaks out our cat and I think it is funny. It’s like a kid imitating farting for fun. My noises don’t sound like farts, but they don’t sound normal either. I just like to see the reaction of people’s pets.

Would you rather go to a big party and rub shoulders with the rich and famous or go to an amazing quiet Garden that hardly anyone has ever visited?
Definitely the latter. I have no particular desire to meet people who are rich and famous. Either I would be indifferent, disgusted, or tongue-tied (if it were someone I admired).

On the other hand, I love nature and relish visiting places that are relatively unknown. I once went hiking in the Grand Canyon with a small group of people. The descent and ascent were on well-travelled trails. The day we went off the beaten track, hiking farther into the canyon on lesser known trails, and took a break along a pristine stream was the most wonderful part of the hike.

20190915_155731 — This is not in the Grand Canyon! It is at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, WA.

Halloween Question: What do you think of the idea of “trick or treat or money for a charity” as a way of making Halloween more useful?
It’s not necessary for Halloween to be “useful.” It’s a fun holiday for all ages, if you are into it. However, there’s nothing wrong with collecting money for a charity at the same time. When I was a kid, we used to go around with little Unicef boxes in addition to our trick-or-treat bags. Some people gladly gave us pennies for Unicef, while others didn’t. Whatever we collected helped children somewhere else in the world. Meanwhile, we helped the dentists by getting cavities from eating so much candy!

Note: The first three images were downloaded from Google Images. The last two are my own.

Oh, and before I end this…

…to everyone out there in WordPress land!

Posted on October 25, 2019 by amoralegria

The Daily Four: On drinking coffee, being honest, buying records, and noise

A Guy Called Bloke has questions for readers called The Daily Four. Today is Game 16.

Here are the questions and my answers.
At which point of the day do you achieve the ‘Ah yes that hits the spot!’ with your hot drinks?
Usually it’s with coffee first thing in the morning, usually freshly brewed. I only allow myself one cup of coffee per day, and really shouldn’t drink it at all because it messes with my sinuses & digestive system. But I really like it. As for “first thing in the morning” – being retired, that could be any time between 7 am and 9:30 am! I always have a bit of a snack with the coffee: a banana and a piece of cheese. For some reason, this trio goes together!!
On the other hand, in the winter, that time of day might be evening, when I’m inside after being out in the cold, drinking a cup of hot tea or apple cider. On those occasions, a hot drink really hits the spot!

How honest are you really?
My life is basically an “open book” – I reveal things about myself that I really shouldn’t. Also, I am not a good liar. If I really want to keep something a secret, I just don’t talk about it at all. I am honest for the most part and expect honesty in others.

Unfortunately, dishonesty has become more prevalent lately, which I attribute, at least partially, to the man at the top – i.e. the president – who has told thousands of lies since he took office (and before). I think lying is his ‘default’ setting. And he isn’t even a very convincing liar, although some people seem to believe him, even when he is caught in a direct contradiction. To paraphrase the words of Abe Lincoln: You can fool some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time!

What was the first ‘album/record’ you ever bought?
It had to have been the first Beatles album released in the United States, Meet the Beatles. I was a huge Beatles fan from the beginning, that is, just prior to their first trip to the U.S.

I bought it at Dorothy’s Record Store in downtown Janesville, Wisconsin, where I grew up, and paid 97¢ + tax at that time! It was mono – stereo was less available and more expensive then. Not that I cared or even noticed at the time. To bug me, my brother took a hole puncher and punched out Ringo’s eyes on the album cover!

How well do you cope with noise?
Interesting question! I used to be relatively tolerant of noisy environments, but I have found that has changed as I’ve aged. I am quite sensitive – and always have been – to sudden loud noises. I used to hate the “booms” of some firecrackers on the 4th of July. When I took my son to fireworks the first time, he didn’t mind them at all, so I realized I had just been overly sensitive. I also don’t like very loud crashes of thunder, although I enjoy thunderstorms in general. When I was in my teens and 20s, like most others of my generation, I attended some loud rock concerts, but tended not to sit too close to the speakers.

Now I find that noisy environments are uncomfortable to me. For one thing, it’s hard to hear other people I may be engaged in conversation with. Also, though, it gets confusing and disorienting and really affects my ADHD. I don’t see the point of loud, noisy environments. Noise pollution is like light pollution – we get used to it, but in the absence of it, the stillness (or lack of light) is noticeably pleasant. Nature isn’t extremely noisy most of the time – the kind of noisiness I am referring to is human-made. (Repetitive cooing by ring-necked doves, however, can be quite annoying!) Silence or gentle sound can calm us, give us peace to enjoy our surroundings or engage in quiet activity.

Posted on July 30, 2019July 30, 2019 by amoralegria · 2 Comments

SYW: Re bake sales, cops, fungus and, like, other stuff too

Here are my answers to Melanie’s Share Your World this week.

QUESTIONS.

(the last two are courtesy of Teresa of The Haunted Wordsmith)
1. Is it wrong to sell store-bought pastries at a bake sale?
No, not if you acknowledge that.
2. Have you ever interacted with the police?
Yes, I have gotten a few tickets – in the days before cameras were installed to catch people speeding, etc. when the cop actually stopped me in person to tell my I was over the speed limit. I also have had “conversations” with police officers who called about my son or came to my house to bring him home, mostly regarding acting erratically or possession of marijuana. I dreaded those interactions!

3. What will you remember most about this past year (this question will show up again, in late December, just FYI)
The wonderful trips my husband and I took – to Egypt & Israel in Dec. 2018/Jan. 2019 and to Europe in June-July 2019.

Also the embarrassing and shameful behavior of our so-called president, Trump. It never gets better and his lies just keep mounting. I think lying is default with him – it’s so natural to him that it’s the first thing that comes out of his mouth. The Mueller Report – which everyone seemed to think was anti-climactic because he refused to indict Trump but in his hearings last week he made it clear that he considered Trump guilty. Every day Trump says something outrageous – either racist or defending some of the sleaziest characters in America.

4. Is it better to have fungus on your toes, your tongue, or your pizza?
None. Mushrooms are a fungus, and often found on a pizza, but I am not fond of them. But at least on a pizza, I can pick them off.

5. What is one slang word that makes your skin crawl?
I have two:
I have never approved of the word “suck” to mean awful or terrible, yet I occasionally say it myself now because I am so used to hearing it in everyday speech.
The word “like” used several times in a sentence or to denote someone’s speech or reaction to something – it’s so lazy. Can’t people come up with a more descriptive word for a reaction to something – “I was like…”? Or what’s wrong with the word ‘said’? “I said I couldn’t believe he did that” is proper English; “I was like, I can’t believe he did that” is lazy and so – teenager-ish, yet people keep saying it well into adulthood. But once again, it has become so pervasive that I hear myself using ‘like’ that way myself. UGH!!

Something I am grateful for this week…
My son was in a serious car accident, which completely wrecked the front of his car, but thank God, he was not injured, nor was the other driver involved. I am grateful for the airbag that probably saved his life!

Posted on July 16, 2019July 16, 2019 by amoralegria · 1 Comment

NO ESCAPE AND NOWHERE TO RUN – Marilyn Armstrong

This very thoughtful and wise post is from Marilyn Armstrong in reponse to Fandango’s daily prompt “escape.” I know I could never have said it better than she did. I can confirm that Israel has turned to the right – I was there six months ago and although I never brought up politics, several Israelis (all men – it figures!) gave me their unsolicited opinion that they really like Trump and think “he is very good for Israel.” I really wanted to engage them in a dialogue but I just acknowledged their remarks with a nod of my head and a wry smile, and carried on with my tour.

Posted on May 31, 2019 by amoralegria

Question Fun: On the Weight of Polar Bears, Tattoos, Time Wasters, Republicans, and More

Today’s topic is ………….. Conversation Starters
How much did the polar bear weigh?
How much weight does a polar bear weigh
If a polar bear waits to be weighed?
As much weight as a polar bear weighs
If a polar bear waits to be weighed.
What was the last funniest film you saw on the big screen?
Crazy Rich Asians – hilarious!
What do you think of tattoos – do you have any?
I have none. Several of my family members do, however. I think it is distracting when the person has a lot of tattoos – like all up and down their arms and legs. For someone in my generation, it takes effort to get used to. But it seems to be something Generation X and beyond have really embraced. My stepdaughter & son-in-law both have a lot of tattoos, while my son has none and wouldn’t think of getting any. It is just a matter of personal preference.
If you are wasting time, what is your best way to achieve this with 100% success?
Doing unnecessary things on the computer (such as answering questions!) or playing games on my phone. I achieve success if I’m really good at a game – sometimes I have a streak of good luck on Words With Friends 2, for example. I’m on level 1693 on Wordscape and have over 1900 points! And blogging or reading blogs is just fun.
If every time you walked into a crowded room a piece of personal intro music played, what would yours be? [Provide a link please]
Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles, because I love sunshine and am happy when winter is over!! Also, because I think the Beatles were the best band of all time.

Who is your favourite celebrity? [Why?]
Right now, I’d have to say Stephen Colbert. His Trump imitations are so funny, and his comments about our current politics so clever. I need a good laugh at the end of the day, especially after watching a series of news shows telling us the latest sleaze happening in Washington D.C.!
Are you an organised person or live by the chaotic theory?
Definitely the latter. But I have given the appearance of being organized and fooled people. For example, when I was teaching, I would start each school year with a well-organized desk and classroom and I would have a nice new binder that I would carry around with tabbed sections such as “meeting notes” or “professional development”, etc.
What are 6 annoying habits other people have?
1. Being unable to smell themselves when they are in public, such as when they smell strongly of cigarette smoke or cat pee.
2. Hypocrisy
3. A propensity to react to any question by lying. For some people, lying is their default setting – it’s easier for them to lie than tell the truth.
4. Copying everything you do, such as asking, when they are sitting next to you in a restaurant, what you are ordering, and then they order the same thing. Perhaps this is a form of flattery but I find it really irritating.
5. Name dropping to impress people.
6. Using the f- word twice or more in every sentence, making derogatory or bigoted remarks about other people (even if there is no one present that fits their stereotype – they think others will tolerate it), or being overly judgmental.
7. Interpreting what you say, when you are giving a reason for why something happened or why someone acts a certain way, as an approval of that something. They think you should just disapprove of something and not even take the time to analyze the why of it. Or when you are trying to analyze your own behavior and they think you are justifying it. I like to know the reason for things, especially my mistakes, so I don’t repeat them.
What time do you normally retire for the night to sleep?
Around midnight. I get in bed earlier than that, but always spend time reading before turning out the light.
When was the last time you pulled an all nighter? Oh geez, I think I was in college. I don’t think I could do that now if I wanted to! Although it’s interesting that no matter how little sleep I get on an airplane or in a hotel room, I still have energy to keep going the next day.
When you go out, what is the one thing you simply cannot leave home without?
My keys, water bottle, and phone – in that order.
Physical books or Ebooks which is your personal favourite to read and own?
I will read either and find there are advantages to each. When traveling, for example, it’s better to have books loaded on your Kindle so you aren’t carrying too much weight. However, when I’m at home, I do prefer physical books.
During a number two trip to the toilet, how long are you in there for?
OK, this is gross. It depends on what I’ve eaten or if I’ve had enough water to drink. Also, if there’s something good to read next to the toilet.
What was the most interesting news story you have seen this week?
Rep. Justin Amash, an ultra-conservative Republican congressman, had a town hall meeting with his constituents this week, in which he declared support for beginning impeachment proceedings against Trump. Unlike most members of Congress, he actually read the entire Mueller report and found many instances of obstruction of justice by Trump. While his constituents gave him a standing ovation for his position, other Republican congressmen have treated him with contempt.
Why was it interesting?
This is a man who I would disagree with on virtually every issue, yet I respect him because he is a man of integrity. It strikes me as interesting because I didn’t think there were any Republicans with integrity left. Perhaps he will embolden others…but I doubt it.
Where was the worst place you have ever been stuck for longer than an hour?
In traffic, especially when it’s a really hot or really cold day.
If you were going to change your name, what would your new name be?
I think I would go back to my maiden name of “Lovejoy.” My first name is OK, but I wish I had been called “Kate” instead of “Katy.” It’s too late to change that now, though. My name is not my favorite – I might rather be a Julia, or Alexandra, or Natalia. But I’m not.
What is the silliest fear you have?
My husband says my silliest fear is: insects that I find crawling on or around me, even if they are harmless. I say: lighting matches. I will only light those really big, long matches.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate! And ice cream – I LOVE it, especially when I can put all sorts of fun things on top, like m&m’s, sprinkles, cookie pieces, etc.

Posted on November 21, 2018November 21, 2018 by amoralegria · 1 Comment

CFFC: Make Me Laugh!

The theme for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge this week is: Funny.

I looked through my photos to see which ones really made me laugh. Here’s what I came up with.

Fish mailbox (Dempster Ave., Des Plaines)
20181021_110413
Speaking of fish, here are fish and duck Toby jugs:
20181013_145204d (2)
Dog Toby jugs:

(If you are scratching your head, wondering what a Toby jug is, I will be posting about it soon in my Open House Chicago series.)

Banana dog on Halloween
20181031_164944
My cat, Hazel – she would rather quench her thirst on toilet water than from her water “fountain” with constantly running water.

SONY DSC

When she gets new catnip, she goes wild – we attached a “carrot” full of catnip to her scratching post – here she is enjoying it by licking it (and getting a little high!):
IMAG2510_1
Hazel loves to play “chase” – when we are upstairs, she’ll “hide” on the stairway and when we start coming down the stairs, she takes off!
phone photos 147 I laugh also at funny political cartoons and signs, like this one at Resist Café in Des Moines, Iowa.
20180927_122637
More (non-political) funny signs…
Good sign! (Fire and Ice, Marengo)
This one is a funny English translation on a sign at a beach in Buzios, Brazil.
Dale and I still laugh when we remember this sign we saw in Buzios in 2003!
This one is actually a bumper sticker.
20180611_105214
Children can be funny! Here is my three-year-old grand-niece, Frances, pretending to dry her hair…
20180630_172155 (2)
…and playing dolls with her four-year-old cousin, Sylvia.
20180630_172928
This last picture is hilarious – my grand-nephew (age 7, first grade) drew this portrait of his mom for Mother’s Day – and I just had to include it, even though I didn’t take the photo, because…
Ben's portrait of his mom-1st grade
it really MADE ME LAUGH!

Posted on August 22, 2018August 22, 2018 by amoralegria · 2 Comments

Today Is Brought to You by the Number 8

Yesterday’s news items:
Manafort found guilty on 8 counts.
Cohen pleads guilty to 8 charges, implicates president in two of them.

I decided to share some of the memes being shared on social media (because they’re clever and say it better than I can). These are my favorites so far.