#jobs available for maga morons

[jadeseadragon]

[a-wandering-fool]

Where are the adults? Spreading lies, making common cause with lunatics, attacking kids.    

Let me be direct about this: You people are a bunch of hysterical ninnies, and it is time for you to grow the hell up.

You know who you are.

The Covington fiasco has proved to be a clarifying moment. And here is what has been made clear: Much of the American media is no longer engaged in journalism. It is engaged in opposition research and in what is sometimes known among political operatives as “black p.r.”—the sinister twin of ordinary public relations. As Joy Behar, as profoundly dim and tedious a person as American public life has to offer, forthrightly confessed: The hysteria and outright dishonesty surrounding the Covington students had nothing to do with them. It has to do with narrowly partisan, selfish, deeply stupid, entirely unpatriotic, childish, foot-stamping, fingers-in-the-ears, weeping, cooties-loathing, teary-eyed, tremulous, quavering, pansified, gormless, deceitful, dishonorable, and cynical politics of the lowest kind — the politics of Us and Them.

We’ve all seen how this goes, 10,000 times. Some character does — or at least is said to have done — something in the range between unseemly and horrifying, and he has some political attachment, however vague. Cynical political operatives and the low-minded partisans who enjoy being treated like idiots engage in what in normal times would forthrightly be regarded as a smear: “That mad bomber had pro-Trump posts on his Facebook page, ergo President Trump bears some kind of responsibility for this.”

Here are some of the idiots and idiotic institutions who engaged in that recently in the matter of Cesar Sayoc. Chris Truax in USA Today: “Trump bears moral responsibility for pipe bombs. Denying it just makes things worse.” Jonathan Chait, New York: “Bomber Cesar Sayoc is a By-product of Trump’s Party.” Even Rick Wilson debased himself, writing in The Daily Beast: “Of Course Donald Trump Inspired Cesar Sayoc’s Alleged Terrorism.” That’s a particularly asinine headline: For Trump’s culpability, it’s “of course,” while Sayoc’s crimes are “alleged.” That isn’t the kind of stupidity that happens by accident. These claims are pure intellectual dishonesty. They are smears, and there is no good-faith case to be made for them. All of these writers should be ashamed.

It is always easier to appreciate when the roles are reversed. Democrats know that there is a big difference between would-be mass assassin James T. Hodgkinson embracing Bernie Sanders, and Bernie Sanders embracing would-be mass assassin James T. Hodgkinson. The fact that Hodgkinson is a progressive doesn’t tell us anything about progressives.

And the fact that a couple of children in MAGA hats engaged in boorish behavior — which isn’t even a fact, as it turns out, but a lie constructed and wholesaled with malice aforethought — wouldn’t have told us one damn thing about Donald J. Trump, his administration, or his political supporters at large. The fact that we had a momentary national moral crisis over the (as is turns out, fictitious) actions of a couple of nobody teenagers is all the evidence anybody needs of the fundamentally hysterical and unserious times in which we live. In a sane world, nobody cares about whether a 16-year-old boy somewhere . . . smirked.

Everybody who has pretended like that smirk tells us something serious about the state of the world is a liar and a fraud. I don’t mean the people who were legitimately taken in by the deceit — especially those who have had the honor and self-respect to admit their errors and correct them — but those who willfully persist in the lie. I’m talking about you, Ruth Graham of Slate, still trying to justify by whatever pathetic means are available what everybody with any sense knows to have been an exercise in pure horses***. I’m talking about you, editors of the New York Times. You sorry specimens are poor excuses for journalists, which, of course, we already knew. What’s more relevant here is that you are bad citizens. Trafficking in lies and distortions because you think the guy in the White House is kind of gross is unworthy of adults with responsible positions in a free society that depends on honest and functional institutions.

As some of you may recall, I wrote a little book called The Case against Trump. I didn’t think much of him in 2016. I don’t think much of him now. But we aren’t three tweets away from the Holocaust. Nobody seriously believes that we are, unless they are insane. Sane people who insist that the United States in 2019 is something like Germany in the 1930s are liars. They don’t really believe it. They have an investment in hysteria.

Those of you who play along with that — who enjoy being lied to and manipulated — are pathetic in the literal sense of that word. What the hell is wrong with you?

Of course Alyssa Milano is an idiot for insisting that those stupid red hats are “the new white hood.” You know who is even more idiotic than Alyssa Milano? Anybody who gives the furry crack of a rat’s patootie what Alyssa Milano thinks about anything. She’s a moron at 500 yards and a lunatic at a thousand. You know it. If she happens to be a moron and a lunatic who is on your side, that doesn’t make her any less of a moron and a lunatic. And making common cause with morons and lunatics can backfire: Ask a conservative about Ted Nugent.

We all have our jobs to do in a republic. Newspaper reporters are supposed to cover what’s going on in the world. I don’t know what you call people who cover what’s going on on Twitter. I have a few ideas, but I don’t think I can print them here.

My own suspicion is that this moment of mass hysteria, like other hysterias before it, eventually must collapse under the weight of its own tediousness. But I cannot say with any confidence that I expect that to happen soon. And it will not happen at all until Americans start deciding to take on the difficult responsibilities of citizenship, which starts with acting like a goddamned grownup. Nicholas Sandmann is a 16-year-old kid — but the people who made this empty episode into a national crisis are not. They are grown adults, and answerable for their actions.

It’s time for them to start acting like it.

Abraham Lincoln, who endured harder times than any of you idiots are likely to see, insisted: “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies.” And you’re out there trying to get some obscure nobody fired from her job at a bank because her son was standing 20 feet from a guy who had a look on his face you don’t like? Grow up.

For God’s sake, do us all a favor and knock it off.

======================

[keywestlou]

NEW YEAR OLD NEWS HITTING KEY WEST IN THE FACE

Key West’s traffic problem has steadily grown over the years. As our island increased in popularity, so did traffic congestion. Cars, bicycles, and pedestrians the primary culprits.

I have been writing and talking about the problem with increased frequency this past year. Especially the past couple of weeks as Christmas and New Year have brought hordes of tourists to Key West.

We welcome them. We welcome their business. However Key West forgot along the way to expeditiously work on the traffic problem. Lip service and a study recently received that took 2 years to complete. Not enough.

Death and injury hang like a black cloud over Key West.

A recent study revealed that Key West was ranked #1 among Florida cities with populations of 15,000 to 75,000 for bicycle fatalities and injuries.

Friday and Saturday found 2 accidents occurring that support the congestion premise. Yesterday’s Miami Herald said re Key West that “…..traffic has been congested on the tiny island.”

A truer statement never expressed.

Friday a tourist drove excessively and recklessly through Boca Chica down U.S. 1 to the triangle entrance to Key West. Seven cars were struck. Two of them police vehicles. Fortunately, injuries minimal.

Yesterday morning at 10, injuries more significant. A dead driver and a passenger in critical condition.

The accident occurred on North Roosevelt Boulevard. Involved tourists. The driver was traveling at a high rate of speed. Lost control of his vehicle. Traveled through the parking lot of Kim Kuban’s. Came to a stop when it hit a boat parked in front of the pawn shop nearby.

Note we are only at the beginning of the New Year weekend!

I stayed in yesterday and watched 2 great football games. The top 4 teams in the U.S. playing for the right to go against each other in the championship game.

Clemson destroyed Notre Dame 30-3. Both teams undefeated going into the game.

Alabama beat Oklahoma 45-34. The game not as close as it might appear. Only 2 minutes into the second quarter and Alabama was ahead 28-0. Both quarterbacks superior.

Alabama especially impressed me. A well oiled machine. Do everything right. Know how to grab that extra 4-5 yards on a run. Passing spectacular.

I pick Alabama over Clemson.

Syracuse basketball yesterday also. Syracuse destroyed St. Bonaventure 81-47. Not a big deal.

Syracuse has now concluded its pre league schedule. 9-4. Not impressive. The ever dangerous ACC season is around the corner. Big time hard fought college basketball! The quality of Syracuse play will be determined in those games.

I am concerned.

Later this afternoon, it will be the Gardens and then Hot Dog Church for me.

The year 2018 has been bad for manatees. So far, 804 killed. Boat strikes and the red tide responsible. Generally, 400-500 a year are killed. Primarily by boat strikes.

Major hurricanes the past few years. The most recent Michael which destroyed the Panhandle, parts of Georgia and the Carolinas.

Irma and Maria last year.

Recovery slow. Federal assistance insufficient.

Every time a natural disaster occurs, Trump goes on TV and says we have the money to deal with the problem. The truth is we do not. Ergo, recovery takes years. People suffering longer than they should.

Some examples.

Georgia significant when it comes to timber farming. Michael damaged 2.5 million acres of trees. The timber business contributes $25 billion annually to the economy. Involved are 124,000 jobs.

Georgia needs help big time re its timber business.

Florida’s Panhandle feels increasingly forgotten. Michael hit 2 miles less than a category 5.

The federal government is slow coming up with financial assistance. Two reasons. The federal bureaucracy and a lack of funds. The feds tell the states and municipalities to go to the bank and borrow necessary monies. The feds promise to reimburse the borrowings.

Good luck! Takes forever to get reimbursement. Irma was 15 months ago. Monroe County, Islamorada, Marathon, and Key West are still waiting for reimbursement dollars.

Panama City recently borrowed $50 million to help with Michael recovery. It will need more. Debris removal alone is estimated at $60-80 million.

Mexico Beach City was the worse hit by Michael. Close to total destruction. The hurricane hit at 155 mph. Power and water restored. Much little of anything else. Of its 2,700 dwellings, only 500 are habitable today.

The point being made is the federal government is failing in its responsibility to help.

If the federal government were functioning properly, Trump would be on TV telling the Nation what a good job he is doing. You do not see him or hear it.

While people are suffering because of the failure to help, federal dollars are being pissed away. An example is New Year’s Eve at Mar-a-Lago. Trump will probably be in Washington. His family at Mar-a-Lago.

Secret Service is required to provide certain safeguards for the President and his family. Secret Service has rented $54,020 worth of tents to be used for security checks and safe spots for VIPs. Secret Service also recently paid $41,000 for generators and site towers. I am not sure if these items are directly related to New Year’s Eve.

Golf cart rentals by Secret Service pushing $400,000 this year. For use by the Secret Service in guarding the President and his family when playing golf.

Note that the Secret Service agents are not being paid. The Secret Service cap was reached December 21. Keep in mind also that 800,000 federal employees are laid off or working without pay till the shutdown is over. On top of which Trump recently announced that he is placing a freeze on federal employee salaries. They will not receive their small annual raises scheduled for 2019.

I have never met Roger C. Kostmayer. A senior Key West resident who writes Letters to the Editor. To all the publications. He vents. He expresses wrongdoing/impropriety as he sees it.

In a recent letter of KONK Life E-Blast, Roger wrote re MAGA. MAGA from Trump’s perspective means Make America Great again. From Roger’s, Morons Are Governing America.

China fighting toilet paper waste.

Tourism on the rise in China. Public toilets, also. Toilet paper in public toilets is either being wasted (left on the floor in large unused amounts) or being stolen to be used at a place where toilet paper is not available.

What I shall now describe is being used in Jinan. Planned for use throughout China.

Toilet paper users are under scrutiny. Watched. A form of facial recognition technology. It is part of the toilet paper dispenser.

China says 27 inches enough toilet paper per usage. If someone attempts to use or take more, the facial recognition gimmick will recognize him/her and refuse the person toilet paper. A 9 minute wait involved to get additional paper.

The technology sophisticated. It can tell if the person is new or a returning user.

I looked for a New Year’s quote. Tons of them. Searched for something different, yet pointed.

Wally Lamb is the author of the quote. Never heard of him. He has a nice touch with words, however. Read them slowly, think for a moment, flavor his words: “Accept what people offer. Drink their milkshakes. Take their love.”

Enjoy your Sunday!

NEW YEAR OLD NEWS HITTING KEY WEST IN THE FACE was originally published on Key West Lou