Snippets

Man, oh man, could I write stuff . . . politics, religion, fake news . . . so much happens every day that one hardly has the time to formulate an opinion before one is slammed with the latest surreal event. 

As much as I could write, none of it would be fiction, and that’s a problem . . . I’ve not written any fiction now going on two months. I mean, what’s the point? Half the stuff I hear is way stranger, more engaging, more entertaining, scarier, and more out there than anything I could come up with. 

So, I play with photographs.

By the way, all of the photos (and their original versions) are in THIS SmugMug Gallery for them who want to see the originals. You can also click on the photos to have a larger version open up in a new window or tab. 

Anyway, since I got not fiction to share, I’ll share opinion snippets on various topics. I won’t go into long dissertations on each one because — frankly — I don’t think it matters what I say. In that regard, this is me venting for my own benefit, so that I might eventually move on with my life. 

First, something that fires up my annoyance to no end whenever I see it, hear it, or read about it. What am I referring to? 

I’m referring to finding the dumbest and strangest and most “out there” person and prop them up as representatives of the larger group one wants to denigrate. Unfortunately, neither the Left nor the Right is free of dumbasses willing to open their mouths and spew forth literal nonsense.  It’s usually a celebrity — they live on a different world plane — but it can be anyone. As long as the person says or does something stupid and you can loosely tie them to a Left or Right, man, do people eat that crap up.   

Imagine if we were judged by what our crazy Uncle Larry or weird Aunt Edna said . . . we would rightly and with great indignation point out that them two kooks don’t speak for us. 

We should expect more from our “news” organizations, but from observation, they are providing exactly what people want . . . which does not speak well of what people want or of people in general. 

Call it what you will — the mainstream media, the free press, or just press — the sad part is that we — this Republic — depend on a strong free press to help keep politicians in line.

Unfortunately, across the land and the world, newsrooms are being gutted of their investigative staff and replaced with entertainment writers. Even more disturbing, is what I call vanity press. For instance, much of Fox News and its bands of Foxtards played — throughout the election — the role of cheerleaders for Trump. Now, their chief job seems to be to assuage the worries of rational people whenever Trump does or says something that would worry any sane person. How can that be called “news”? Why is it called news?

While I admit the news can often be entertaining, what I’m looking for are facts and they are difficult to come by. On the other hand, Alternative Facts are a dime a dozen and because of it, facts have a difficult time rising above the fray and get noticed. 

The funny thing about alternative facts is that they used to be called “lies”. Apparently, we don’t do that anymore; we don’t call lies, lies and call liars, liars. 

Why, the Press Secretary at the White House stands at his little podium and thrice lies in just one session . . . and no one calls him on it. A roomful of reporters and not one stands up and says “You are either ignorant or a liar, but in either case, you are a disgrace to your post.” 

But he’s not, is he? Countless prior Press Secretaries had stood at that podium and lied. But, none so blatantly and with as much faux indignation as this guy; he’s almost as good a liar as the President. 

Any President.

Oh, I know, some people revere this or that President. I don’t understand it. 

At any given instance during any given administration, I can rattle off a number of things ranging from questionable to downright criminal that our CICs are either directly involved with or are “letting” happen. Sure, some are more egregious than others but that should not be an excuse for any of it. 

Honest, I had an idea for a short fiction piece, a fun one — at least for me — and what happens? Trump signs an ill-conceived travel ban. Well, all of a sudden I’m deep into the nuances of the arguments. 

I am not listening to cable news. They are offering opinions and interpretations colored through their own particular filters. No, I go and research what I know about these bans. Their history, their effectiveness, their legalities. 

I won’t debate the issue here, but one thing I know . . . the lens of history does not look upon these bans with fondness and favor. Going back literally to the beginning of our country, invariably we now look at all those bans as “not who we are, not what we are” . . . except, that’s not true. 

That is exactly who and what we are. Irrational and impulsive and cruel and selfish and ultimately destined to look like petty fools. Why we imagine this administration — and current citizens who voted them in power — to be any different than any that came before, I don’t know. Yes, I include the last administration as having paved the way for the actions of this administration. 

Actually, there is one more thing I know and it’s a bit confusing . . . while citing wanting to avoid another 9-11 attack as the reason for the order, the ban did not include the one country we know for sure was where the attackers came from. In fact, none of the countries listed can be directly tied to any of the attacks here, in the US.

And look! I too lied, for there is yet another thing.

I don’t know it for sure but I suspect at some point in the near future, we will be engaged in something Christians have fantasized about . . . full-on religious war. I do know for sure Christians are big on considering themselves martyrs and playing victims (it’s part of their core belief, to the point that they invent stuff even when their lives are pretty sweet) and there’s nothing better to bolster their self-worth than killing infidels in an apparent defense — and upholding of — their faith. Fundamentally, in the full sense of the word, there is little difference between Christians and Muslims. 

But, back to “the news”. I ‘m not optimistic. Even if we were to replenish the investigative ranks of news agencies, it’s likely no one will listen to them. 

You can see it at play, both on the Left and the Right. Namely, each side will only listen to news they “agree” with. Screw the facts, screw data . . . as Newt Gingrich said, what counts are emotions. 

Let me restate the frustrating part . . . you can show someone hard data, you can invite them to gather their own data, and they will still question and find suspect anything that does not agree with how they see the world. 

How do you argue against an imaginary “reality” when the persons adhering to it won’t accept facts? When the authorities in question take a page right out of 1984 and are willing to use Kim Jong-un’s playbook in dealing with criticism? 

By the way, if one listens to FoxNews, one might be surprised to hear them criticize Jong-un’s banning of sarcasm. I certainly was. I mean, FNtards are constantly berating people who use sarcasm in discussing religion, Republicans, Trump, and — of course — FoxNews themselves. 

There is so much I want to talk about . . .

Believe it or not, I actually keep a list. 

I come across something — usually while looking for something else — and my brain runs it through my processing unit. I then immediately have four or five things I would like to explore relating to what I heard. The problem is that ten minutes later, that’s all gone, replaced with something else. If I’m at home, I now write it down. 

One of the things I wrote down, is the following:

How long? How long before we have something resembling the McCarty era? Or, are we already in it?

Wait . . . I also have a public service announcement. 

Some of the newsletters I read — and even news outlets — point to an increased interest in gun ownership by “non-traditional” gun buyers. 

Yup. That would be Liberals, some of them Far Left.

While I welcome this apparent shift to rational thought with regard to gun ownership (something I’ve always advocated for everyone), I fear that inexperienced gun owners will result in an uptick in accidents, suicides, and shootings in general. 

Mind you, I’m not saying gun ownership is bad. I’m saying that guns in the hands of inexperienced individuals increase the likelihood of undesirable consequences. Much like giving a teenager — or an old man — a car that can go from zero-to-sixty in four seconds. 

Remember, gun ownership is not only a responsibility, but it’s also nearly useless and potentially dangerous if one is not willing to train and gain proficiency with said gun. That includes dispelling the Liberal ideas of what it means to own a gun. 

A gun will not make you a better person, will not keep you safer, will not gain you respect. It is — and should always be — a line of last resort. Along with buying that gun, try and get some proficiency in self-defense. Yes, that means some sort of fighting proficiency. Nothing John Statham-like; just enough to give you the chance to run away as opposed to getting beat up.

Carry alternatives means of defense (pepper spray, for instance). Be smart and situationally aware. Do not get yourself in situations where you need to pull a gun. If you have to pull a gun, make damn sure shooting it is the only option you have. 

This is where training and education come into play big time. Know what to expect once you discharge a weapon, especially if someone gets shot. No matter the circumstances, you will likely be arrested. Have lawyers you can call or better yet, join one of the organizations who provide legal advice if you happen to use a gun in a self-defense situation (murder someone and you are on your own). 

Most of all, make sure that if it comes to you firing a gun, that you are good at it. That you have trained. Poorly trained individuals can hurt others and likely get themselves killed, sometimes with their own gun. This happens to cops, and they are “professionals”. From the FBI statistics, of the cops that are shot, roughly 5% of cops, one in twenty, get shot with their own gun. 

While I welcome my new fellow gun owners . . . er . . . actually, I’m gunless at the moment, but I’m right there with you, in spirit. Anyway, while I welcome you, I urge you to take the step seriously. Be a smart and safe and proficient gun owner. 

One thing you should find (I can’t speak for everyone, but I can speak for everyone I know) is that other gun owners will care more about the fact that you want to learn about guns and not so much about your particular political or social or religious views. Try and reciprocate that. 

That’s it. This post has ended . . . except for the stuff below.

<><><><><><><><o><><><><><><><><><o><><><><><><><>

Note: if you are not reading this blog post at DisperserTracks.com, know that it has been copied without permission, and likely is being used by someone with nefarious intention, like attracting you to a malware-infested website.  Could be they also torture small mammals.

<><><><><><><><o><><><><><><><><><o><><><><><><><>

Please, if you are considering bestowing me recognition beyond commenting below, refrain from doing so.  I will decline blogger-to-blogger awards.   I appreciate the intent behind it, but I prefer a comment thanking me for turning you away from a life of crime, religion, or making you a better person in some other way.  That would mean something to me.

If you wish to know more, please read below.

About awards: Blogger Awards
About “likes”:   Of “Likes”, Subscriptions, and Stuff

Note: to those who may click on “like”, or rate the post; if you do not hear from me, know that I am sincerely appreciative, and I thank you for noticing what I do.

. . .  my FP ward  . . . chieken shit.

Finally, if you interpret anything on this blog as me asking or wanting pity, encouragement, or advice to better my life, know my subtle mix of irony, sarcasm, and humor is blowing right by you.