cogitationator

Fitness to Govern

Just in case this hasn’t already gone three times around the world and settled on everyone’s computer screen, Governor Andrew Cuomo of the State of New York is under attack for “sexual harassment.” The last time I looked, five women had come forward to make such claims, and I have no doubt that, as such things usually go, that number will continue to grow. Also, just in case another posting from me doesn’t cause you Charioteers to skip over this, I’ll throw in a couple of comments:

The veracity of all such claims is questionable. Ideas can be implanted, either by others or by oneself. I once had occasion to witness this at first hand in a case involving a young female and had some rather harsh words with the “analyst” involved, with the result that, knowing he was “rumbled,” he immediately discontinued this approach. Some women have been known to fabricate such stories deliberately, perhaps in hope of gaining fame and/or fortune from their publication.

Apologies

I’m not altogether sure why I’m doing this but somehow feel that, on behalf of my nation, I ought to offer apologies to the rest of the world for yesterday’s disgraceful behavior in our nation’s capitol. I fear that such antics do after all reflect who we are – what we have become – rather than who we used to be. They’ve made us, the land of my birth, the laughingstock of many if not most other nations.

Some of those involved may vainly grope for excuses and may cite infringement upon personal liberty by things like Coronavirus lockdowns, mandatory wearing of masks, etc.. Such things do not wash with me.

At least the FBI are doing their job and are hoovering up all film, video and airline passenger lists that may lead to more arrests. As of this moment, they’ve already nabbed 52 people, more than I’ve seen arrested in any civil unrest before now. It’s also worth noting that, in two weeks, we’ll have a new President and a whole new Government who, hopefully, will bend their efforts to putting this sort of nonsense to bed once and for all.

Again, I apologize to all for any irritation, anger or whatever caused by this humiliating lapse within the United States of America by my fellow citizens.

It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over

For ages now, I’ve felt it best to avoid discussing, except with people with whom one is really really close, two subjects: politics and religion. At this moment, therefore, I’ll confine my comments to saying that I’m incredibly glad that the USA election process has finally come to an apparent end.

Oh, sure, there will no doubt be recounts and even some lawsuits to follow but, the latter being baseless so far as I’ve seen, I’m prepared to accept them as a form of entertainment rather than being annoyed by any intrusion into my alleged mind. Any recounts should go quickly because, with the time-consuming work of signature verification and postmark checking already done, the ballots will need only a trip through a high-speed scanning/sorting machine. What’s most upset me has been the endless yammering of media types, the odd preemption of favorite TV programs, often conflicting and largely incorrect poll results, etc., etc.. In particular, I swear that the CNN people must be paid by the word. I got to the point of almost not caring who would win the Presidential election, just so long as there was no more talking about it.

Let quiet reign, that I may finally sleep soundly. At least until the riots start. Yes, that’s right, the authorities expect that “civil unrest” may break out in Seattle, Portland and a number of other cities. Why all those people want to go out and cause trouble is beyond me, but then that’s a subject for another posting.

Where Did Everyone Go?

It’s been some time now since I’ve seen any new posts, any new comments or even any new gratuitous insults. What happened?

Could it all be a symptom of “lockdown?” How do people spend their locked-down time anyway? The first things occurring to my alleged mind would be eating, drinking and sexing. With none but my own experience to offer, I can say that: (1) I’m not eating very much at the moment, and that mainly soup or extremely soft food, due largely to some extensive (and expensive) oral surgery I’ve recently had, (2) I’ve never been that much of a drinker anyway, even though at the moment I’d rather like a very small glass of my treasured Islay malt, despite it being still somewhat early in the day, and (3) What was that other thing?

Or has everyone on this site been carried off by the dread Coronavirus? Hopefully not! I myself am having nothing to do with COVID-19 and am holding out for COVID-27.

Continue reading “Where Did Everyone Go?”

Destroying History and Civilization

Before I begin, let me say that my own hands are clean. My family background is mostly Swedish and none of my known ancestors was ever involved with slavery of mistreatment of darker-skinned people. I have nothing against black people per se and judge individuals more by the content of their heads than by the skin covering them. Indeed, I have known a number of blacks whom I considered friends.

Continue reading “Destroying History and Civilization”

I can’t breathe!

More to the point, I simply cannot believe what gets into people. It’s certainly more than understandable that many are distressed, outraged, angry, etc. over the death of George Floyd in police custody. I am all of that myself and applaud the immediate firing of the police officers involved and the subsequent bringing of charges against the principal offender. Continue reading “I can’t breathe!”

Another New Year

I woke up this morning, which is always a good start. Brought to a state resembling full functionality by liberal caffeine intake, I turned on the TV and watched part of the Tournament of Roses Parade from Pasadena, California. Quite a spectacle it always is (they’ve been doing it for the past 131 years), with floats decorated exclusively with vegetable matter and many horses. This year there was a flotilla of miniature horses, which are increasingly used as service animals. The Budweiser (beer) Clydesdales were there, of course, a team of eight (8) posing even more of a challenge to manage than those drawing the Chariot.

Let’s see, now, what shall I do for the rest of the day? Eat and drink. Maybe even declare war on whichever group or country displeases me most at the moment.

But first, before I get too immersed in such things, I want to wish the Charioteers (and any others who haven’t offended me recently) a pleasant and prosperous 2020.

Gun Control

It is almost inconceivable to have had so many mass shooting tragedies in the USA within such a short time span. But so we have and here we are, with a large part of the populace reflexively calling for “gun control,” whatever that is. I darkly suspect that those people have no better idea about it than they do about “global warming.” If they were all so clever as they like to think they are, surely by now we’d have had some possibly useful ideas about how to solve the problem. Continue reading “Gun Control”

Departure

Elvis has left the building

It’s not my country, these are not my own political concerns, not my people, etc., etc., so please excuse my ignorance in not understanding why this “Brexit” business requires any sort of “deal” to be made. After all, what could be easier than leaving? In Paul Simon’s words:

“You just slip out the back, Jack.
Make a new plan, Stan.
You don’t need to be coy, Roy.
Just get yourself free.
Hop on the bus, Gus.
You don’t need to discuss much.
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free.”

Or, to recall Douglas Adams on the dolphins leaving Earth, just say: “So long and thanks for all the fish.”

Continue reading “Departure”