Voter Hypocrite

There are 2 news items today that shows just what a hypocrite the president really is.

• Obama: Maybe it's time for mandatory voting

Dictatorial regimes require mandatory voting... this from the president that uses the IRS to suppress the opposition.

• White House scolds Netanahu for divisive election tactics

The president knows all about divisive politics., he who peddles hate to keep up his support base.

What an asshole of a "man"

U.S. Snub at Paris March against Terrorism

Nobody from the United States took part in the huge march in Paris that had so many world leaders. Maybe that was the key, you had to be a leader, and there are none in the White House. Kerry tried it make it sound like no big deal, and then err'd in saying an assistant deputy junior was there.. AG Holder was even in Paris at the time, but guess he couldn't bring himself to be near that many white people. It is possible, however, that world leaders purposely did not invite Obama, they don't like him much either.

Putin Challenges the president

So the Wall Street Journal reports that Russians Dial Up Military Threats:

Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow will extend its long-distance aerial missions as far as the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, after raising hackles last month with a sharp increase in bomber and reconnaissance flights around European airspace.

Mr. Putin does this in our back yard

Ka Boom!

It would seem that the United States can't even launch a rocket into space.

Lack of Leadership

Let's see if I understand this correctly.  The Federal government, supported fully as the policy of the president, is to allow anyone from Ebola hotspots to enter the U.S., regardless.  The big cities being worried are instituting mandatory lock up (err.. quarantine) if you come here from there.  Where are the freedoms here?

It's a case of not offering any alternatives, refuses to lead.

This is another classic lack of leadership and even better illustration of bull headed arrogance.  They will not stop flights here, so others work around him and get even worse solutions.  Because he won't change his mind.

We see this stubbornness repeatedly.

For instance take the Keystone XL Pipeline.  Regardless of what you think about the pipeline itself, the president says No so everybody works around that.  In this case they start shipping more with rail..  More shipping, more accidents.  Explosions in downtowns.  So he say No again, until you make all brand new safer heavier rail cars.  That'll bust the rails.  When the fallout from that hits, we'll get worse solutions.  All the the while he'll be blaming republicans.  Asshole.

This is lack of leadership: :"No don't do that, and I say so" reactionary.

Pope Declares its World War III

The pope declared that the world today is in World War III.

Obama denies it, says "And anyway, it's all republicans fault"

USAToday newspaper: Pope Francis: Global conflicts have become WWIII

An Election Season

There are race riots going on in the country. the town of Ferguson, Missouri, is practically under martial law after the National Guard is called to arms.

Gov. Jay Nixon (D, Mo) went on 4 Sunday morning talking head shows, I didn't even know there were 4 shows.  But the guv pointedly refused Fox network.

Makes one think that maybe these riots are just campaigning get out the vote efforts within the Democratic party.

Awash

Is the world in a state of war and unrest and disease?  Or is all that imaginary?

I just watched the director of the CDC interviewed. He could not say why Ebola subject is brought into the country. He keeps saying stop Ebola at the source, but brings it here because....?  This from the agency that loses highly contagious disease through the post office.  What the fuck is going on in the CDC and the government.  Are they trying to prove something about themselves about their fully demonstrated incompetence?  Maybe we are in a biological warfare but its classified.

What kind of a legacy is that?

You go, Barry!

"(Reuters) - President Barack Obama rejected demands from Texas Governor Rick Perry and others that he visit the border where a child migrant crisis is unfolding and said his critics should get behind his request for $3.7 billion if they want to solve the problem."

President Obama declared after previously declaring he would go it alone if congress wouldn't act. Go for it, Barry!

Intolerant Mozilla

I have to say, I'm spitting mad about what the left liberal gays did to the CEO of Mozilla.  And now it's time to give up on Firefox.  I have followed them through Netscape and into Mozilla and even stuck with them, short term, when AOL owned it.  But if that company is so intolerant of anyone that does not tow the liberal line that they fire them, then I want nothing to do with them.

You people are bigoted intolerant bastards.

RSVP Caribbbean Vacation

Was fun!  A gay cruise with 3,000 gay men, 200 lesbians, and a huge ship.  What could be better?

Lots of shows to see and things to do.  My absolute favorite show was the Kinsey Sicks drag shop quartet.  Their voices were clear, pure and in perfect harmony.  I was enthralled!  Did not get to see much of Cashetta due to conflicts but did get to play a game of bingo with her.  A new pianist, Khris made his debut and I predict he will become a regular, or at least I hope so.

Leslie Jordan was there again, and his show was good.  Lots of good entertainment and laughs though it did skew a lot towards insider baseball.  It was fun but to be honest his first show was fabulous fun and couldn't be matched again.

Seemed to be a few Raleigh boys on this ship,which was cool.  Knew several of them beforehand and one in particular.  There will be lots to chat about when they tell people the things I was wearing. I did several of the parties in theme, like the Yo Ho! pirates party, and the Dark Side and the Heart On.  Got rave reviews for my surfer boy in the Baywatch t-dance.  There were a couple of things I took that didn't get worn, but that just leaves them for the next cruise!

The ship itself was very nice, even if it did have way too few and much randomly located bathrooms.  The crew and service improved and they learned how to keep a bunch of gay men entertained, no small feat that for sure!  The drinks package was pretty damn good, practically unlimited liquor, Damn!  My only complaint was fixing coffee and ending up with a handful of trash that then had to be separated into paper/plastic.  Seriously, fix a coffee, and end up holding drippy creamer containers plus a wet stir stick and the paper it was wrapped in, and then lift by hand the trash lid.  Cluster f*ck!

 We visited St Maarten, San Juan and a private Cay island in the Bahamas.  They were fun, got to hold and feed stingrays, plus see some big sea turtles.  The rain forest in Puerto Rico was cool too.  The next cruise however I'll be reserving my excursions the moment they become available!  The zipline, catamaran, and jet skis excursions were all filled before I could reserve a spot of my own.

The final evening sat on the back pool bar deck, only about 3 of us there chilling on our final eve. At one point the calm was interupted with a female coming on deck, but then she appologized for disturbing and joined her entourage as they chattered off the to side.  It turns out it was Ana Gasteyer relaxing too.  Meanwhile a pleasant guitarist played a few solo sets for us all. Nice ending.

Chromecast

I've finally started to use the new Chromecast as a new channel on my entertainment system.  It's been an easy and fun time, all from the laptop.  Just bring up a movie on Netflix, and tell it to stream to the TV.  It's programmed into the remote to change all the channels at the touch of a button on the HarmonyOne and then it's off to the movies!

It's cheap at $35, has travel potential (with caveats) and integrates into your digital life if you're google connected...

BBQ Sauce

I have some pulled pork that needs a bbq sauce, so I googled for it.  Started out by looking for the vinegar based kind from around here, but I think the pork needs to be cooked in it, and the pork I had is already done and shredded.

Thats when I discovered that a major alternative to the classic tomato based sauce is mustard based.  I looked at this recipe and did a little jig when I scanned the dozen ingredients that I had every single one, including the more rare white peppercorns. Woo hoo!

It turned into a fabulously thick sauce and tangy for days. This is exactly the kind of bbq I loved, and now I know how it's made!  Life is great sometimes.

BBQ Mustard based Sauce

-1 cup prepared yellow mustard -1/2 cup sugar -1/4 cup light brown sugar -3/4 cup cider vinegar -1/4 cup water -2 tablespoons chili powder

-1 teaspoon black pepper -1 teaspoon white pepper -1/4 teaspoon cayenne -1/2 teaspoon soy sauce -2 tablespoons butter -1 tablespoon liquid smoke (hickory flavoring)

Simmer all except soy, butter and smoke for 30 minutes, then add the rest and simmer for 10 minutes more.  I used a non-stick pan and would scrape the thickened dark on the sides down into the sauce, stirring frequently.

The Story of Gayelette and the Winged Monkeys

‘That is a long story’ answered the King, with a laugh; ‘but as we have a long journey before us I will pass the time by telling you about it, if you wish.’

‘I shall be glad to hear it,’ [Dorothy] replied.

‘Once,’ began the leader, ‘we were a free people, living happily in the great forest, flying from tree to tree, eating nuts and fruit, and doing just as we pleased without calling anybody master. Perhaps some of us were rather too full of mischief at times, flying down to pull the tails of the animals that had no wings, chasing birds and throwing nuts at the people who walked in the forest. But we were careless and happy and full of fun, and enjoyed every minute of the day. This was many years ago, long before Oz came out of the clouds to rule over this land.

‘There lived here then, away at the North, a beautiful princess, who was also a powerful sorceress. All her magic was used to help the people, and she was never known to hurt anyone who was good. Her name was Gayelette, and she lived in a handsome palace built from great rocks of ruby. Everyone loved her, but her greatest sorrow was that she could find no one to love in return, since all the men were much too stupid and ugly to mate with one so beautiful and wise. At last, however, she found a boy who was handsome and manly and wise beyond his years. Gayelette made up her mind that when he grew to be a man she would make him her husband, so she took him to her ruby palace and used all her magic powers to make him as strong and good and lovely as any woman could wish. When he grew to manhood, Quelala, as he was called, was said to be the best and wisest man in all the land, while his manly beauty was so great that Gayelette loved him dearly, and hastened to make everything ready for the wedding.

‘My grandfather was at that time the King of the Winged Monkeys which lived in the forest near Gayelette’s palace, and the old fellow loved a joke better than a good dinner. One day, just before the wedding, my grandfather was flying out with his band when he saw Quelala walking beside the river. He was dressed in a rich costume of pink silk and purple velvet, and my grandfather thought he would see what he could do. At his word the band flew down and seized Quelala, carried him in their arms until they were over the middle of the river, and then dropped him into the water.

‘“Swim out, my fine fellow,” cried my grandfather, “and see if the water has spotted your clothes.” Quelala was much too wise not to swim, and he was not in the least spoiled by all his good fortune. He laughed, when he came to the top of the water, and swam in to shore. But when Gayelette came running out to him she found his silks and velvet all ruined by the river.

‘The princess was angry, and she knew, of course, who did it. She had all the Winged Monkeys brought before her, and she said at first that their wings should be tied and they should be treated as they had treated Quelala, and dropped in the river. But my grandfather pleaded hard, for he knew the Monkeys would drown in the river with their wings tied, and Quelala said a kind word for them also; so that Gayelette finally spared them, on condition that the Winged Monkeys should ever after do three times the bidding of the owner of the Golden Cap. This Cap had been made for a Wedding present to Quelala, and it is said to have cost the princess half her kingdom. Of course my grandfather and all the other Monkeys at once agreed to the condition, and that is how it happens that we are three times the slaves of the owner of the Golden Cap, whosoever he may be.’

‘And what became of them?’ asked Dorothy, who had been greatly interested in the story.

‘Quelala being the first owner of the Golden Cap,’ replied the Monkey, ‘he was the first to lay his wishes upon us. As his bride could not bear the sight of us, he called us all to him in the forest after he had married her and ordered us always to keep where she could never again set eyes on a Winged Monkey, which we were glad to do, for we were all afraid of her.

‘This was all we ever had to do until the Golden Cap fell into the hands of the Wicked Witch of the West, who made us enslave the Winkies, and afterwards drive Oz himself out of the land of the West. Now the Golden Cap is yours, and three times you have the right to lay your wishes upon us.’

As the Monkey King finished his story Dorothy looked down and saw the green, shining walls of the Emerald City before them. She wondered at the rapid flight of the Monkeys, but was glad the journey was over. The strange creatures set the travellers down carefully before the gate of the City, the King bowed low to Dorothy, and then flew swiftly away, followed by all his band.

Evolution

One of the primary purposes of science fiction literature is to afford the opportunity to speculate about various "what if" situations, or to propose an idea in a more-or-less real world situation.  In honor of that I give you this idea, and see if it works its way into a storyline.

The other day I was in a conversation and the subject came up about gmo foods.  What he said was something of labeling foods that are of gmo origin.  And I had to ask, please define what you mean by genetically modified.  For instance, common corn that we eat today and feed to our livestock is a genetic manipulation of grasses to produce bigger seeds.  Way back in Aztek times, they discovered one day that crossing this grass stalk with this other one produced a seed that was edible and life sustaining (code words for nutritious).  Over decades and centuries man produced bigger and better corn, some as recently as just last week.

In the early periods of this experimentation there were lots of bad crops, it was inevitable to the whole trial and error discovery method.  But as time went on the corn got better.  Today it has become a mainstay food source for much of the world population.  And we have become very adept at trial and error, just as we have gotten better at most everything else of human origin.

But more recently, or maybe all through time for all things new, there are people who worry about the new variety of corn.  These naysayers say that the new stuff is bad for you.  Studies are produced that show that some people react badly to some things.  Some react so badly that they die.

But what if the question isn't how we produce 100% safe corn, but instead how the human race evolved to survive on the corn that humans invented.  That would include the concept of those humans who did not survive on the corn dying out and those genes died out with them.  Those conditions would make for a more solid and durable human race.

The problem of course are the luddites, those that are fearful of change.  Sometimes they need to be neutralized, and even laughed at if need be.  And that is where a good writer of speculative fiction might lay the drama for the story. The conflict.  If I had the imagination I would try to tackle this idea.