I suppose it will not come as a surprise to many here that I am often sort of "backward".

You may have heard the "conventional wisdom" that young people are usually more liberal and this is due to their inexperience and, well---ignorance. As they grow older and wiser, so the old chestnut goes, folks just naturally become conservatives and understand how things "ought" to be. Well, I am doing things "bassackwards".

With a dad who was a union member and Democratic precinct committeeman and a mother who was a federal civil service employee who cried when Adlai Stevenson lost, I was never a "conservative". But, for a few years in my early twenties, I was what would now be termed a "moderate". I had an entry level management position with a large corporation, had just married and was trying very hard to be a grownup. Grownups were serious, didn't smoke pot or have long hair. "Successful" grownups "fit in"; they didn't make waves. I wanted to be successful.

But, I had been stamped a Democrat at birth and it turned out that the seeds of "liberalness" were sown into my soul. It took a few years, but I eventually decided I did not want to be "successful" if it was going to cost me my soul. I decided to be who--and what---I really was: a liberal Democrat who cared about people and saw nothing at all wrong or naive about the Golden Rule.

As the years have passed, I have become more liberal, not more conservative. I may look like a somewhat bedraggled senior citizen, but INSIDE I am a 19 year old in a tie-dyed tee, elephant bells and a roach clip hanging next to the pewter "Peace" symbol on a chain around my neck.

I am much more dangerous as a gray-maned liberal than I ever was in my youth. You see, I have already managed to make it through my "three score and ten" and no one can take that away from me. I just don't care what "powerful people" think of me and that means they cannot intimidate me. I am free to say what I think and do as I please without regard to who that pisses off.

"It matters not how strait the gate
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate
I am the captain of my soul!"

What is wrong with factual "finger pointing" after you've accepted your rightful share of

responsibility?

If you fail to save a burning home, is it somehow improper to point out the arsonist who set the fire?

If you fail to find and recover all of the escaped livestock, are you wrong to name the fence cutter?

If several of your freshman high school students are not promoted, is it irrelevant to mention that they were promoted through eight years of elementary school without learning to read?

Pointing at you, Donny boy.

I just read that "rank and file Republicans" are now pressuring McCarthy to promise he'll

impeach President Biden. This should hammer home a fact that we somehow keep managing to avoid: "rank and file Republicans" are now---in a nutshell---terrible Americans.

They no longer support true democracy and are willing to blindly and violently support any loudmouth bully who will promise to persecute and punish the "different" folks and anyone who dares to truthfully name them cowardly racist bigots and misogynists.

We should never pass up an opportunity to piss on a Republican---unless they're on fire.

Just curious---has Trump decided yet whether the 13 US soldiers killed in Kabul

are "suckers" or "losers" or both?

Global climate change and the assault on our democracy have this in common: each is an

imminent threat to life as we know it and we know damn well what needs to be done to resolve each impending disaster.

We just don't have the political will and courage to act.

It seems to me that what the Tea Party and the militias and Q-anon and the anti-vaxxers and

the Trump cult in general are demanding is that we tolerate their intolerance of all that, pro-Trump, was considered common sense and common decency. To hell with that.

These modern Morlocks do not deserve tolerance or respect or even civility. On a good day, I will do my best to avoid and ignore them. If they choose to make that impossible, I will not even pretend to accept their presence or consider their bullshit.

Rude, you say? To quote one of their illiterate goddesses, "YOU BETCHA!"

A possible announcement for the purpose of freeing up some ICU beds---

"Attention---Attention---this is a special announcement to the families of all unvaccinated covid patients currently being treated in this hospiital facility and receiving either intensive or non-intensive care.

A special ward has been set aside for unvaccinated patients who wish to discontinue ventilation or other current treatment protocols and, instead, be provided with ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine or both in such doses and in such manner as they or their next of kin believe appropriate. Ingestion, injection or suppository methods will be made available.

This new ward is located across the south parking lot in the tent behind the orange dumpsters with "Ringling Bros." still faintly visible on the long sides of it. Aides who have read a lot of internet posts about covid patient care will visit the special wards once an hour (usually) with fresh supplies.

If you have a family member here who you believe qualifies for this special treatment, please go at once to the personnel stationed near the main entrance and INSIST that your loved one be moved to that ward. We expect many requests so do not delay. Space is limited!"

Trumpies hate us. I hate 'em back. Works for me. nt

In a recent address, President Biden quoted Isaiah: "Here I am, Lord. Send me."

This isn't scripture, but I'd like to say something similar to the yahoos threatening to "manhandle" those who mandate masks: "Here I stand, dudes. Try me."

Where I live:

Had go out to mail something at USPS drop box, so decided to cruise past a couple "Big Box" stores and a farmer's market to gauge how many wearing masks going in and coming out. I saw approximately 200-250 people.

Saw maybe 10-12 masks.

And, we get ridiculed for self-isolating. Sigh---------