Ostomy Memories of 2021

AS MUCH AS I’D LIKE TO end the year on a high note, I can’t. So, if you prefer light stuff and good news, CLICK OFF NOW. We’d all like to believe –our political naiveté causes us to believe – that the good guys in government will prevail, that the democratic republic conceived by the Founders will hold, and that uniquely American magic will work to overcome and defeat those who don’t live by the rule of law because, as Clive James wrote in ‘Cultural Amnesia,’ “nothing can be held together without the rule of law.” It just seems to me that we are coasting obliviously along, approaching a cliff, with insufficient effort being expended to prevent us from going over the edge into chaos. Way back in 1906, in a speech at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, W.E.B. DuBois told us: “Either the United States will destroy ignorance or ignorance will destroy the United States.” Between now and November, 2024, we will discover which it is.

[Signing off until 2022 --  Happy New Year]

Hello HenryM.
Thanks for your end of year message, which come across loud and clear. I can understand and empathise with this point of view, although it is obviously an Americanised version of the state of affairs.
From a personal perspective, I tend to treat politics and the human condition as a long-term historical event, so these end-o f-year résumés and reminiscences don’t really fit well.
From a long-term perspective, the human race has only been around for a relatively short time. They have thus far shown that they can achieve a great deal of technical advancement. However, they have also shown that many of them lack integrity, moral fibre, honesty, kindness and care for anyone or anything, other than themselves.
This does not bode well for their future as a species, and if they don’t sort themselves out soon, we may be looking forward to a self-imposed extinction.
The interim shenanigans of particular politicians pale into insignificance, compared to the long-term trajectory.
I find it interesting that the tensions and warlike footings of humans around the world do not seem to have changed much since the dawn of human kind, which might be a logical way of looking at how much actual progress has been made in efforts to live together as a species.
Humans appear to be on the brink of destroying the planet on which they live, and yet many are still in denial and believe that individual advancement is more important than collective survival.
It is not that I don’t ‘care’ what they are doing, it is more that the momentum is such that the outcome seems almost inevitable. The end of one particular year will not change that and as you point out for the USA - there will be yet another election where the same people will be vying for power , that have got us into this mess in the first place. I think I preferred your previous post where you postulated a complete change of power mongers.
I sometimes wonder if, after the apocalypse, there will be any species that will be able to look back on the history of humans to make similar comments as we now make towards the dinosaurs.
Best wishes
Bill

THE HUMAN SCOURGE.

Human’s are without a doubt
what this world could do without.
Examining their pennyworth
human’s are a scourge on earth.

Everywhere human’s reside
they have destroyed the countryside.
What do other creatures feel
as humans build in bricks and steel?

They simply do not seem to care
and take far more than their fair share.
That’s more than they will ever need
which shows their tendency to greed.

I have no time for human kind
who, by nature are inclined,
to selfish greed and so much more
they fight, and kill and go to war.

They have a well-developed skill
to be selfish and to kill.
The way they damage and destroy
it must be something they enjoy.

Human’s seem to maim and slay
everything that’s in their way.
With their excesses and their haste
all things around are laid to waste.

We’ve watched their nasty ways unfurled
as they’ve destroyed the natural world.
Polluted on a massive scale
so that their species can prevail.

They do not seem to comprehend
but I predict their time will end.
For as they take but do not give
they will destroy the means to live.

                                            B. Withers 2012

                      (In: A rhyming Cookbook 2013)

Henry and Bill,  You guys paint such a bleak picture.  It saddens me, but it rings true.  Is it any wonder that fewer people bother reading or watching the news?  I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment.

On that note, Happy New Year!

Terry

You're not a glutton for punishment.  You want to be realistic.  To just stop paying attention to what's happening (and I've tried it) is the ostrich solution.  When you pull your head up out of the sand, the boogie man is still there, spewing lies and taking in millions of dollars to fund his nefarious ambition.  So, on that bleak note, Happy New Year!!!

Hi Guys ....let's just hope that at the end of 2022  we will be able to give thanks for the fact that the US  has finally come to it's senses and learned that we can survive Only  as one unit . The US cannot survive  as a concoction  of competing Sub-goups who are constantly  tearing each other down with no concern for unity  or the non-violent creative criticism  that  allows the country grow .  The progression towards       " every man / woman for yourself "  mentality  is a path to destruction of true Democracy . So many people have no belief in a Collective Federal System , collective when appropriate and individualistic when it makes sense .  Giving legal approval to a 17/ 18 year old   to be a vigilante and to bring a weapon of war into the streets , dressed for combat  is a huge mistake  by the courts . They appeared to say that arming yoursel  as if in combat and going into the streets to enforce your kind of justice  is perfectly fine . Are we heading back to the Wild West  before an organized legal system existed ??  , kill or be killed ?? 

   The US is relatively young as a country  and is still having growing pains . Like an Adult who may regress to a childish  period of their life when confronted with  a conflicting and confusing  life challenges   some people think that tearing down the system is the required action .  As the wartime phrase goes,   we had to destroy the Village to save  it . "  This is bullshit , we can change on the fly and adjust law and politics as we go  by learning from the mistakes we make . We just have to acknowlege our failings and learn from them .

    The past few years have had many cautionary tales  that can guide us to a more fruitful  and kinder future   , this is still a great country , just keep the faith .

Magoo  ☘

Such refreshing optimism, Magoo.  Or have you had one too many pints of Guiness?  :)

I agree with Cive James! There must be basic rules which we all must agree to abide by in order to live together peacefully and respectfully.

Because our founders were mere men, with their own prejudices and desires, the rules that we try to live by were flawed in the beginning. I don't doubt they had great compassion when drafting the task at hand, but again they were human with no intentions of losing their assets, end of story.

The rules we hold so dear should be rewritten.

E& I

Thanks for your comment... I agree.  Times were so different then, a lot of rethinking is called for now, starting with the bonkers idea of two senators per state, irrespective of its population.  The House of Representatives no longer counter-balances that, with all the snarky gerrymandering that has skewed the numbers and the equity of representation.  Plus, since the art of killing by firearm has progressed from what they had then to what we have now, the 2nd Amendment as presently interpreted not only makes no sense by results in the slaughter of innocent citizens, too many of them children.  But none of these remedies to our current chaos will ever see the light of day.

Hi Guys ,  I think this concept used to be called  " The Social Contract "  .  Life is difficult enough as it is but if we cannot agree on certain rules to live by then society cannot function  as even a marginally cohesive unit .  The 2nd Amd is a prime example .  

     A tragic case was on the news last night . A young  16 I believe girl  coming in late was shot dead by her own father  .   This happened in what looked like a nice neighborhood , suburban subdivision . Not  that it makes any difference but the Grandad was  African American  so I assume the family is .  It just tells me that the paranoia  that seems to grow every day is what is killing people . People with no justification are terrified  of daily life , even in their own homes !!  Take the square mile around your neighborhood . How much crime is committed  that would warrant fatally shooting someone .  Your Amazon box was stolen , are you going to shoot someone over a stolen package ?  How many home invasions ,  car jackings etc   ?? 

   People are so quick to shoot and kill  when it is just not necessary 

A personal note .  My own Brother is the ultimate  Immigrant , loves American Football   , loves Budweiser (  within reason  🥳) ,  stands for the National Anthem ,  loves the idea that anyone can buy and own a gun ...vehemently backes ( backed )  unlimited gun ownership , drives an Expedition  huge truck   , bought a shotgun ...just the American thing to do .   Always had the shotgun nearby . He lives in an area near San Francisco where jaywalking would be front page news .  His fried of many years , Mark  was the loud talking , beer drinkin lumberjack type tough guy  who was " born with a gun in his hand "  type guy .  Mark was half loaded  one night and his gun was also loaded . He was cleaning his gun after maybe more than a six pack . He forgot about the round in the chamber  !!  The predictable happened  , he shot  the woman he loved in the head and killed her instantly . I knew them and often sat around the apt pool  swimming and sipping a beer  with them   ,I taught their Son to swim .  We all barbecued together regularly and yes  he was prone to over imbibing . 

     Mark would probably have committed suicide  if not for his Son .  Mark  has resided  in San Quentin Prison in San Francisco Bay  since his conviction for criminally negligent homicide .  His Son has neither Mom or Dad .  I drive by San Quentin  every other day  and I think how  Mark has to live with this every day .  He had no practical reason to own a handgun . He had zero risk of being mugged , robbed  etc .   He could pass a background check   no problem but you cannot regulate for Sheer Stupidity and Recklessness !!  

     This incident caused my Brother to reevaluate his need for a gun  but he may have kept the shothun .   A good friend of his Son joined the police in their town  on the SF Peninsula , very safe in general . After he got his gun and badge he came by to visit with all his new gear , showing off like a teenager .  He proceeded to take out his  shiny new gun and twirling , waving it around  , one in the chamber and a full clip  like it was his new toy .  My Brother grabbed him by  his stupid neck   walked him to the door and told him to Never come back .  After this I think my Brother finally had enough with guns and  finally believes that  he has no need for one  .  

      It becomes even worse when gun toting civilians  think they have the right to go out and enforce the law all by themselves . . 

As an old Punk Rocker New York Band  used to sing ...

Paranoia  will Destroy  Ya .

Magoo Out   ☘💚🦄....Wishing everyone a Safe and Happy New Year 

...keep that mask on .  Flying non stop to  My home in Ireland on the  12th   if it flies ??    Wearing a  Respirator all the way  for the 14  - 15 hours in an aluminum  tube full of   other peoples  exhalations .

Keep the faith ☘