Showing posts with label Great Depression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Great Depression. Show all posts

Thursday, June 26, 2025

Food for thought

 

The above picture of me was taken at Washington, DC's Kennedy Center.  It seems such a long while ago that I felt safe in visiting DC as Marian, and I don't plan on visiting there until the present regime is gone. But I'm wondering whether it is still safe t stay in "Civilized" areas of this country anymore, now that the Orange Snowflake is calling out the National Guard to suppress anti ICE ("La Migra") protests in Los Angeles, CA.

Our "Chief Executive"  believes that universal cruelty in oppressing his enemies, and that a disregard for law and order to feather the nests of him and his friends is OK.  He has no respect for women, people of color, as well as the LGBTIQ community.  He is a narcissist who has decided to imitate his authoritarian friends by holding a military parade in our nation's capital on his birthday.  

In a previous entry, I mentioned that the Catholic Church may be sending a message that it is time to send a message that people like the Snowflake are evil and must be resisted. But how?  As much as my heart wants to see violence used against the violent, this might not be the right approach when dealing with the Snowflake, as he will likely use even more violence against us.  So, what can be used against him?  Malicious compliance may be the best answer.  Bureaucracies exist for good reason. In addition to administrating public services provided by the government, they serve to subconsciously remember "lessons learned" from prior systemic failures, and help prevent them from happening again.  As the church provides for spiritual welfare, government bureaucracies provide for economic and social welfare.  Without some of the protections provided by today's governments' social programs, we would have likely seen our republic fall during the great depression of the 1930's.  Sadly, we are in a position where our nation will soon need to choose one of two paths to preserve a social order: (1) Authoritarianism, where a dominant group oppresses all others to maintain its power, or (2) Democratic Socialism, where the social leadership uses its economic power to deal with the needs of the less powerful, reducing the chance for a revolution like France had in the 1700's.

In short, our society has a simple choice: (1) Use violence to maintain an increasingly corrupt social and economic order, or (2) Use economic power to deal with the needs of the underprivileged to maintain the stability of society.  Citizens can help make it easier for our leaders to make the right choice by making our voices heard, and getting in the way of people who would choose wrongly. Demand accountability whenever possible.  Attend public forums.  Scream and shout, as squeaky wheels get the most grease. 

Years ago, Gandhi used non-violent methods to make it untenable for the United Kingdom to remain in India.  It is unlikely that America will ever develop something like the "Great Internet Firewall of China" to prevent Americans (and the world) from having access to the truth, and not just what the Snowflake wants us to hear.  We must use this tool as a weapon against authoritarianism while we can....






Wednesday, November 8, 2023

The other day, I saw a vision from the past.

 

Sometimes, one sees the remnants of businesses that no longer exist, that were around in one's youth.  Bohack supermarkets is one of those long shuttered businesses.

- - - - - -

I can still remember seeing Bohack stores in the New York area.  Yet, I always wondered what happened to them.  When I did some research, I found that this business was larger than I remembered, as it had expanded into auto products and restaurants before the great depression.  (These businesses were dropped because of the depression.)  Later on, it was taken over by Gulf and Western industries, and over expanded into bankruptcy, finally shutting down in the 1970's.

Why is this important?

It's  a given - all things have a definite lifespan. I worry about my lifespan, given health issues such as my weight, blood pressure, etc., that are risk factors that could shorten it.  Right now, I am dealing with one issue that scares me a bit.  I feel well, but there is an unmistakable sign of a serious problem that must be taken care of - and soon! By the time this post is public, I will be in the process of seeing a doctor about it.  (I should say, at first, only a front line practitioner is doing triage regarding medical symptoms, and that I expect that I will need to see the specialist shortly afterwards.)

Hopefully, I will be OK after I am examined in depth, and that nothing is found that can't be fixed.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.

A true "Bucket List" cruise.

  This is a cruise I'd like to take someday in the future.  It's 28 days long, and it goes to ports I'll never have the chance t...