Sunday, March 8, 2020

A Little Help From You, Please

So, an unusual departure here at Call-Outs And Shout-Outs.  I need your help.  You see, I work with a group of young folks.  A pair of them make music, not my style, but by God, you can tell that they are talented, professional, and passionate about their art.  They put in a lot of hours with Your Crusading Blogger, known at her workplace as That Bitch Who Makes You Clean.  They do pretty damn good work most days, especially when they work with me ;)

When I went into work yesterday, they were very concerned about a friend of theirs who is missing.  With no more ado from me, here is what the young man's mom posted on social media:


Emmanuel Davis
Height: 6'-6'2"
 Weight - 145-160 lbs.


Please folks, especially those in the Brooklyn, New York area where Emmanuel was last seen, keep an eye out, let's get this young man back with his loved ones.  I hope all those who read this will send out some prayers and positivity toward this end.  God is with you, Emmanuel.


Note, 3/10, Emmanuel has been found and is home with his family.  Thank you all for your love and prayers for him; they were indeed answered.


Thursday, February 6, 2020

Never In A Hundred, Never In A Thousand, Never In A Million Years

Ah, such a predictable couple of days!

The inevitable Senate vote to acquit Donald J. Trump of two impeachment counts; Trump's narcissistic victory lap; Nancy Pelosi's defense of her tearing up the "manifesto of untruths" that was Trump's State Of The Union Address; even the protest of Trump's acquittal at the Capitol...not a surprise.

What, after 54 years on this spinning ball of mud, still has the power to flabbergast Your Crusading Blogger?

That she would have anything at all in common with, or any kind words for, Utah Senator Mitt Romney, he of The Brass Balls.  Take a look:




Just wow.  I know Senator Romney voted to allow witnesses to testify in the impeachment hearings, yet never did I dream that Romney would have the fortitude to vote for impeachment, but indeed be did, as the above video testifies in detail.  I can think of no other reason but that he was driven by honor and principle, because the Senator will suffer serious repercussions down the line, on that you may make book.  Senator Romney, this blogger salutes your courage, sir, one big Shout-Out to you!

I also want to salute Adam Schiff, and Congressional Democrats for doing their best in an uphill battle and against a flawed American system of guaranteeing Presidential accountability.  Sadly, it is probably true that Trump has only been emboldened by recent events, no matter what the Collins/Murkowski faction may choose to tell themselves. This is because people like Trump do not think like you and I -- he thinks that the rule of law does not apply to him:




And increasingly, many people feel the same, both about Trump, and about themselves.  But take heart, my fellow Americans, because I believe that a majority of us still believe in rules, laws, fairness and due process.  And as long as you do, God willing, I will be here to document, opine and testify!

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

SOTU, STFU!

Not really much we can say about our Prevaricator-In-Chief's rambling monologue last night, is there?  A typical re-election bid, full of half-truths, lies, damned lies and statistics.  Woe betide us!

Your Crusading Blogger attempted to fact-check Trump's mess of a speech: here is the incredibly exhaustive version; while you will find here a version that will boggle the brain a bit less.  Ye gods!  I've never had a hangover, but somehow I know exactly what one feels like after seeing the speech and then playing Count The Canards today.

Also disheartening is the way Trump refused to shake Nancy Pelosi's hand when she offered it to him; even more disappointing is Nancy Pelosi tearing up her copy of the State Of The Union Address.  (Here is the story of both of those incidents).  I understand you are fed up, Nance, but reacting that way was not classy and will not advance Progressive values.  You are the example-setter, Nancy, and in that, last night, you failed.  If only you could have lived up to your later tweet:


Lastly, a graphic to challenge a few more of Trump's fabrications:



Monday, February 3, 2020

It's What's For Dinner

Well, folks, our Provocateur-In-Chief is at it again.  The objects of his wrath this time?  Why, AOC and the Radical Left, of course.  Well, I'll let His Orangeness tell you all about it:

"During this campaign season, the good people of Iowa have had a front-row seat to the lunacy and the madness of the totally sick left,"  Trump told a crowd in Des Moines.

"The Green New Deal, which would crush our farms, destroy our wonderful cows. They want to kill our cows. You know why, right? You know why?"

"Don't say it. They want to kill our cows. That means you're next," he said.

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2020/01/31/trump-makes-odd-claims-while-slamming-proposal-touted-by-aoc-they-want-to-kill-our-cows/23914306/

O-kayyy!  Wow, all over the map here. I mention in passing that his rhapsody over the "wonderful cows" almost makes him sound a bit lefty to my ears, but I digress.

Let's take his statements apart one by one, it's almost too much fun!

As far as The Green New Deal's specifics, this Wikipedia article maps it out for the edification of the individual.  It is well worth mentioning that the GND pre-dates the advent of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the political scene by at least ten years, so it is rather disingenuous for anyone to really attach her name to it.  As one can glean from the Wikipedia article, the GND also enjoys wide support globally.  For what it is worth, though, Your Crusading Blogger doesn't even favor all aspects of the GND, although as as a general thing, I do advocate most of it, and I am a very, very far-left lefty.

For the hell of it, let's digress a bit and see how far-left a lefty Your Crusading Blogger is!  This is a picture of where I fall on the political spectrum, courtesy of PoliticalCompass.org:




Yep, that big red dot is me.  Pretty far-left lefty, yes?  And for the further hell of it, here is my result from the 8 Values Test:





(Your Crusading Blogger includes all this information to provide tools for those new to the political scene to help them identify their political values so they will learn to vote those values, and not fall for sound bites and personality politics, and thereby vote in their best interests, whatever those might be.  As well as to illustrate how far-left this blogger is, which, as you can see, is pretty far-left, which being classified a social libertarian should prove.)

So, skimming the aforementioned Wikipedia article, we learned the the GND was about moving away from using petroleum and carbon-based energy sources, moving toward clean, renewable energy sources, and cutting greenhouse gas output.  What does this have to do with cows?  Yes, cows do produce a fair amount of greenhouse gases, but the vast majority of greenhouse gas output is man-made, and is therefore fixable by man, in ways that have nothing to do with cows.

Furthermore, I hate to break it to ya, Mr. Trump, but cows are raised for food and milk.  They are raised to be killed.  Otherwise how would you be able to enjoy your hamberders and milkshapes?  What would you put in your covfefe?

As this article and this article amply demonstrate, factory farms, not the GND, are the largest and most immediate threat to the the average American farmer, and by contributing to antibiotic resistance, are a huge danger to the average American citizen.

It is certainly true that many lefties are vegetarians and vegans because they love animals, hate factory farming, and for many other reasons.  And when I grow up, I want be just like them.  But in the meantime, this far-left lefty enjoys her beef -- it's what's for dinner!  And this blogger would like to take this opportunity to share a picture of her dinner plate this evening:




Yes, a steak and baked potato with butter and sour cream, and a few vegetables lost their lives today so I could have that baked potato, some grilled onions and mushrooms, and a salad, too.  I did this in honor of a very confused man who sounds like he needs a long rest.  Let's give him one in November!










Saturday, February 1, 2020

Mr. Trump, Tear Down This Wall! (Before It Falls Down)

You might be surprised to know on the day after the Senate voted not to interview witnesses for the Trump Impeachment trial, that Your Crusading Blogger is smiling, but I am.  Nay, I am laughing!  Why?  Well, I'm glad you asked!

Trump's Border Wall Takes A Windy Tumble

The CBS News video shows a newly-rebuilt portion of the wall hitting the deck in 37 MPH winds.  Good thing Trump is not building this wall in Da Burgh, where high wind warnings are the least of your worries n'at, because, ya know, who'da thunk it that it'd be windy in the Mexican desert?!

This follows viral videos from the last few months of of folks climbing the wall, getting down the other side, and making it look easy; and and an 8-year-old girl easily climbed a replica of the wall.  In case we are tempted to believe the child was some kind of climbing prodigy, the preceding article goes on to enumerate how a man juggling with one hand, and a 75-year old mountain climber also scaled replicas of Mr. Trump's "impenetrable" wall.  Can the Geico caveman be far behind?!


Give it up, Mobster Prez!  You are not a builder!  Bully, sí, builder, no!




Thursday, January 30, 2020

Hidden In Plain Sight

Ladies and Gentlemen, the latest from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross:

"Well, first of all, every American's heart has to go out to the victims of the coronavirus. So I don't want to talk about a victory lap over a very unfortunate, very malignant disease.  But the fact is, it does give businesses yet another thing to consider when they go through their review of their supply chain."

"On top of all the other things, you had SARS, you had the African swine virus there, now you have this.  It's another risk factor that people need to take into account. So I think it will help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America. Some to U.S., probably some to Mexico as well."

Well, I don't know about you all, but this blogger is disgusted.

You're all heart there, aren't you, Secretary?  With friends like you, who needs enemies?  Because of statements like this, it is no wonder some people among us believe in a conspiracy theory known as Agenda 21.

So you don't want to talk about the victory lap you're taking?  Fair enough.  Let's by all means talk about other things instead, shall we?  How about the human cost of this virus?

First of all, the WHO has declared a global health emergency in the wake of the Wuhan Coronavirus.

According to Wikipedia, as of right now, January 31, 2020, 3:14 AM UTC, we have 9822 cases of the coronavirus worldwide, with 214 deaths.

At least 111 of those cases are outside of China.

We have 6 cases in the US.  The last confirmed case was, earlier today, declared the first definite human-to-human transmission in the US.

There are 3 cases in Canada so far, two in Toronto, and one in Vancouver.

57 million people are on lockdown in China.

To protect its citizens, today Russia closed its border with China.  It is one of many nations to do so, and/or suspend flights into China at this time.  More details about those, as well as the cost to American companies such as Starbucks, Apple and McDonald's are detailed here, and reading it carefully makes it obvious how much business China commands.

This article detailing the lockdown of 6000 passengers on a cruise near Rome due to the outbreak illustrates possible trouble for the travel industry worldwide if the virus is not halted soon.

"In an urban society, everything connects.  Each person's needs are fed by the skills of many others.  Our lives are woven together in a fabric.  But the connections that makes society strong also make it vulnerable." -- Introduction, Threads, BBC movie, 1984.

So, Secretary, if the preceding paragraphs didn't get the point across, consider this:

5 million people left Wuhan before the lock down.  Where did they all go?  Hopefully nowhere near you or your loved ones, eh?

Let us orient our moral compasses a little closer to true north, shall we?

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/30/wilbur-ross-coronavirus-could-bring-jobs-manufacturing-back-to-us.html



Sunday, January 26, 2020

Get Him Out Tomorrow. Take Him Out. OK? Do It!!!

And yet another one bites the dust for our Prevaricator-In-Chief.  One more canard in an endless stream of canards.  Which one will be the one to do him in?  Will it be
this one?  Proven false by this one:



A "technical crime" is not necessary to impeach a president who is "somebody who completely corrupts the office of president and who abuses trust and who poses great danger to our liberty.". -- Alan Dershowitz, 1999.

“What’s a high crime? How ’bout if an important person hurts somebody of low means? It’s not very scholarly but I think it’s the truth. I think that’s what they meant by high crimes. Doesn’t even have to be a crime. It’s just when you start using your office and you’re acting in a way that hurts people, you’ve committed a high crime.” -- Lindsey Graham, 1999.

Gentlemen, gentleman, this blogger couldn't agree more!  OK, Jane and John Q. Public, this thing is in your hands.  If the Senate will not do its job, which this blogger believes down to her bone marrow is to convict Donald J. Trump of the two articles of which he was impeached, which, to my way of thinking (and I believe, the way of thinking of most of you) were indeed high crimes of his office, then we must band together in November with our ballots, doing the thing that our representatives had not the courage to do: throw the bum out.  We must do this, as 1999 Alan Dershowitz indicated, for the sake of the dignity of the office of President of the United States, and for the sake of liberty, and the health and fitness of our republic.  I believe to do less is to disavow the intentions of our Founding Fathers, and spit on the blood and sacrifices of our Revolutionary War soldiers, who won a stunning victory over the great military power of the time, and say we now want a monarchy.  Which is certainly the right of the American people to decide.

"...it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it (their current form of government), and to institute new government, laying its foundations on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form as to them would seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness." -- Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence, (explanatory material in parentheses mine).

But if that is indeed the decision of the majority, this blogger will not participate, and will indeed say goodbye to this great land.

Addendum, January 27, 2020:  https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/01/bolton-parnas-ukraine-trump-weekend.html

This blogger sees no logical way the Senate can refuse to allow witnesses now, and even if it does not vote to convict, I also see no way The Court Of Public Opinion can exonerate Donald J. Trump in November.