I'm starting to pack for my upcoming cruise

 

I miss being able to cruise as Marian.  The Orange Snowflake is out to erase transgenders from the earth, claiming "it is all in our heads."  One problem - it is easier to change the body than to rewire the brain.  And even if it could be done, should it be done?  When the person who holds the presidency has no morality, no sense of justice, and no respect for others, then how can anyone cis or trans feel safe?

Safety for us trans people is important.  For those like me, we can go stealth and not worry much - but we still have our worries.  When presenting as a male, my whiteness helps keep me safe from the ICE raids going on in neighboring towns.  So, if I have to make contact with anyone from the Federal Government, I've decided to do so as a white male and assert my "privilege". This is not real safety.  I've been hassled by a TSA Officer before flying to London, simply because he had a bug up his ass.  Could you imagine what he'd have been like if I were presenting as a female for an international flight?

I remind people that Cisgender people are not safe.  The husband of one of my friends is an immigrant from the Philippines. He is not white, but he is a male US Citizen who has communications issues.  He lives in a town which has suffered ICE raids, and my friend (his wife) fears what could happen if he goes out during one of these raids. He could not advocate effectively for himself.  Given that we have deported US citizens caught in one of these ICE roundups, do you think he'd be safe.

RQS is a fair skinned black, somewhere in the mocha shade of skin tone.  She'd likely be tolerably safe, as she has an "American" accent. And that relative safety would likely extend to many "American Blacks" who speak with an "American" accent familiar to many ICE agents.  But that doesn't extend to their initial treatment by these "authorities", as there has been a different standard of justice for whites and blacks in America. I must note that Asian Americans may have similar treatment to American Blacks, but would be subject to similar risk factors.  Yet, even if I were a second or third generation Chinese American, would I feel safe if ICE was raiding a Chinatown neighborhood as they recently did in New York City?

The promise of the Orange Snowflake was to round up the criminals who were in the US illegally and deport them first.  Instead, he is aiming for quantity over quality, scooping up law abiding people (here legally or illegally) to make artificial quotas.  So, a wise gender nonconforming person can not feel safe in a society where every touch point with the Federal Government puts her/him at risk.

So, I've started my packing, and I'm disappointed that I won't be able to wear my summer dresses again. But, I still wouldn't do so on this cruise, as many of the islands in the Caribbean have similar backwards attitudes as our president.  I'll still be relatively comfortable and safe, but I won't be as happy as if I could present as my true self. 

 

 

 

 

 

Soon, I'll be going on a cruise ...again.

 

 

This year, I'll have spent over a month of my time at sea.  My last cruise for the year is coming up soon, and I'll be on a "new" ship (for us) with RQS.   Unlike all of the other ships we've been on, the Queen Mary 2 sails for a cruise line known for its formality.  It'll be a new cruise experience for us, and I hope we'll enjoy it.

- - - - - -

As I write this, it is close to freezing outside.  I'm not sure if I want to bother getting dressed and taking care of errands.  The temperature will be lower than normal for the rest of the week, and I have things booked towards the weekend.  This means that I'll be looking for all my cold weather clothing, and hoping that I have enough of it available when I need it.

It'll be relatively easy for me to pack for my upcoming cruise, as I will be presenting as Mario while on the cruise.  It's simpler for me to dress as Mario, as the only thing that changes will be the number of layers I need to wear.  But I wish I could have gone on this cruise as Marian.  Even if we had sane politics in the US right now, I'd be in the Caribbean where cultural norms aren't as progressive as they are in the US.

I'm thinking of giving RQS a winter cruise for Xmas.  Although we'd sail several weeks later, I'd want it to be a surprise.  One catch: As much as I don't like the itinerary, it'd be the last chance I'd get to sail on an MSC ship before they abandon the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal for a new home port in Florida.  Hopefully, we'll see MSC return some day, as well as seeing the terminal expand to handle two ships at the same time.

- - - - - -

If all goes right, the year 2026 will have us taking 3 cruises.  But, as soon as we're done with our last cruise, I'll start the process of both renewing my passport and my global entry registration (Trusted Traveler ID), so that I can take my 2027 cruises without worrying if there is enough time on my passport to schedule a cruise.

Ideally, I'd be able to travel as Marian, with a passport that identifies me as Marian.  But that is not likely to happen soon.  RQS still wants Mario as a partner (even though she's comfortable with me presenting as Marian.)  And in today's political climate, it makes sense for me to stay in stealth mode when I have to deal with any employee of the Federal Government.  

Since I rant about the Orange Snowflake and his fascist regime too often, I'll stay away from politics today, save for the "in passing" references in this entry. I'm more concerned about how I'll dress when I get home from my next cruise, as we will want to take the ferry from Red Hook to either the Atlantic Avenue or Williamsburg ferry stops before summoning an Uber.  I maintain my sanity by maintaining my freedom to travel - by any means necessary.  Hopefully, I'll be able to complete the process of getting an EU passport (I won't say which country yet) before this time next year, as this will be my "Get Out of Jail Free" card if I need one.

 

Socialism, Si! Fascism, No!

 

The above is an image of New York City's next mayor.  An avowed Democratic Socialist, Zohran Mamdani has defeated a GOP candidate without elected experience and two disgraced Democrats in an election closely monitored by the White House.  In California, Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City, the Orange Snowflake was very disappointed by the seemingly leftward shift in public opinion.  Collectively, the public is waking up and telling the snowflake to go F--k himself and the horse he came in on.

Years ago, a great American offered these quotes, illustrating his political philosophy:

1. On liberty and extremism: "I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!"

2. On government and freedom: "I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them."

3. On government power: "The government that is big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take it away."

4. On choice: "I will offer a choice, not an echo."

5. On political strategy: "The only summit meeting that can succeed is the one that does not take place."

6. On the role of religion: "Religious factions will go on imposing their will on others unless the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in public policy."

7. On monopolies: "Let us henceforth make war on all monopolies—whether corporate or union. The enemy of freedom is unrestrained power..." 

Although Barry Goldwater was considered a right wing radical in his time, he would be considered a moderate by today's standards. I feel this man had a more nuanced and balanced view of things than for which people would give him credit.  He understood the balance and tension between individual and societal rights. He understood that the power of government, business, and labor must be balanced. And he understood that no religious faction should be allowed enough power to dictate its will on the majority of American citizens.

I'd bet that Goldwater would have a smile on his face, seeing American democracy work to check and balance the power of the lunatics now in charge of the GOP.  Yet, he'd also worry about socialist political promises that get fulfilled, as well as those that can't be fulfilled.  Historians may see Goldwater as the man who triggered the GOP's shift to the far right.  I see him more in line with people like Rand Paul, someone who believes in limiting over consolidation power in some areas that affect the public.  

Do I agree with the late Barry Goldwater and his ideas?  That's not the best way to put the question.  Instead, I'd ask: Did Barry Goldwater see problems with America which could not be solved, even with an imperial presidency?  I'd say yes to that question, and that he recognized the dangers in over consolidating power in any one area.  We could do much worse than looking back a generation or two and see what they thought about problems similar to those we have now, and learn from their mistakes and their trade-offs.  

As they say: "Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it." 

I've been trying to avoid dwelling too much on politics

 

"Hail! Hail! Freedonia, Land of the free and the brave."

Around 90 years ago, the 4 Marx Brothers made a movie called "Duck Soup" which lampooned the lead up to war and the absurdity of fighting that war.  I wonder what witticisms Groucho would say if he were still around to see the Orange Snowflake make a mess of America and the world.

- - - - - -

Only a fool would take the GOP speaker of the house seriously when he blamed the House of Representatives' shutdown on Zohran Mamdani's run for Mayor of NYC.  How could a man from an opposition party, not involved in the Federal Government be the cause of the shutdown?  Sadly, this is the level of lunacy that passes for GOP logic these days.

As I see it, we will have some interesting pain points for DC politicians coming up as I write the entry:

• 11/01/25 - SNAP Benefits (Food Stamps) & ACA Healthcare Subsidies End.
  
  This is going to hurt poor people, especially in the GOP run states.  Families will not have the funds to buy enough food for their families, nor will they be able to pay the healthcare insurance premiums coming due in 2026.
   
• 11/04/25 - Election Day.
  
  Although there will be no nationwide election, several local elections may indicate how disenchanted people are with what's going on in Washington, DC and tell us who they blame for the impasse.
  
  
• 11/05/25 - The Shutdown becomes the longest in American History.
  
  It will be over a month since the last full paycheck for virtually all Federal workers (save for the Post office).  Given that most people in America live paycheck to paycheck, and that they are 3 paychecks away from financial disaster, the pain becomes very real for most government workers.
  
  
• 11/21/25 - The day the GOP's Continuing Resolution Bill expires.
  
  This is an interesting date.  The speaker of the house has kept the house out of session, so that the newly elected representative from Arizona can't be sworn in.  Why is this?  He doesn't want the 218th vote to be cast, so that a house resolution makes it to the floor, calling for the Epstein Files to be released.
  
  If the house stays out of session, there is no Continuing Resolution bill for the senate to approve, so the House GOP line that the Senate Democrats must pass the bill to reopen the government.  At this point the speaker has a hard decision to make: Does he keep the house shut down and be THE cause of the shutdown?  Or, does he bring the house members back in session, and see the Epstein File resolution pass?  
  
  

Sadly, the Democrats in the Senate caved before this entry was to go live.  In one sense, this is a good thing, as the GOP didn't decide to "Go Nuclear" and eliminate the filibuster. (I did not support this option, as I was "all in" on the shutdown.)  At least, we'll get some movement towards releasing the Epstein files, now that the congresswoman from Arizona has been sworn in.

 

A magnificent and glorious shutdown - may it last for a few more months.

 

As I write this, we are a little over two weeks into the federal government shutdown, and people are hurting. A food pantry has been set up just outside of West Point (the Army's service academy) to serve the needs of military families who are doing without pay.  Other "Essential Workers" such as Air Traffic Controllers are taking sick leave to work jobs in the "Gig Economy" to pay for necessities.  In short, the Democrats in the Senate are successfully using their only tool left in the political tool chest to protect Obamacare subsidies for the poor and middle class in America.

The GOP is wrongfully claiming that the Democrats are demanding healthcare (and other benefits) for people illegally in this country.  They are lying, as they do not want to anger the Orange Snowflake by making things right for the American public.  They only serve to benefit the "Billionaire Bandit class" (not to be confused with "Vanilla Billionaires") who see the average person as only a disposable tool to be used in increasing their wealth among their class.  The "Vanilla Billionaire" (and there are many of them) doesn't see the average person as a tool.  They see these people worthy of government services and want to make sure that these people have no reason to rebel against our capitalist system which allows the wealthy to enjoy their wealth. 

Are people hurting?  Yes!  Yet, many of us participated in the "No Kings" protests being held around the USA.  What is the GOP message about these protests?  It is that these protests are "Anti American."  Hmmm....  If we didn't protest against unjust laws 250 years ago, we'd still be flying the Union Jack over our land.  And the GOP is saying that all protest against their authoritarian ways is wrong.  As George Takei said about William Shatner in a celebrity roast (and as I'd say to the snowflake), "He can go F*** himself and the horse he came in on. (And in that roast, Shatner did ride in on a horse.)  Although I was unable to attend a "No Kings" march in October, I hope to do so the next time one is called.  Constant pressure from all sides is needed to make the GOP crack.

At this time, the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, is keeping the house out of session, so that he doesn't have to swear in a new Congresswoman from Arizona.  Why, you might ask?  Well, when she is officially in congress, she'll be the 218th vote to release the Epstein Files.  We know that the Snowflake's name is mentioned many times in those files, and we know that this is the one area that MAGA demands answers from the GOP - which are not being given.  Maybe the Democratic party should alter its message slightly and "officially" focus on the other names in these files, saying that they want to expose the names of the pedophiles in the "Donor Class".  Of course, the Snowflake would figure predominantly in what is revealed, but this would make it easier for GOP congressmen to abandon support for the snowflake.

Without the House being session, there is no hope for any compromise between Senate Democrats and the GOP.  So, I expect that this will be a very long (maybe record breaking) shutdown, as saying no to the GOP is the only leverage they have left, and would be foolish to give up before they had an iron clad commitment from the GOP that Democrats' needs will be met. And when the GOP cracks, watch the snowflake have a temper tantrum the likes you've never seen him have before.  I can't wait for this to happen!

And now back to my regularly scheduled ranting and raging

 

As much as I am an out and about transgender person, I can go back to stealth mode if I need to do so.  Yet, I am upset because the Orange Snowflake won't be happy until the last one of us is gone from "HIS" America.

I try to keep my calm, as to give into anger, as it will distract me from staying calm in the face of danger. For example, I could rage at the world and accomplish nothing.  Or, I can do things such as participating in protest marches, notifying people when I see ICE come into my neighborhood, and do other non-violent things to foul up the snowflake's evil plans.  I choose resistance in the same way as followers of Martin Luther King Jr. did.  His henchmen are most afraid of being seen for what they are: Malignant Bullies who want to turn America into Nazi Germany.  (When was the last time you saw the snowflake cast a good light on anyone not an Aryan male?  Never.)

Tonight, I had a conversation with TCL.  When I said that I'm going for second citizenship (and associated passport) as a way to have an exit route if things go sour in the USA.  I said that if I am forced to leave the USA, I'll marry RQS and take her with me.  I'd be poor, but I'd be free.  TCL thinks that I'd be able to take my money with me.  I reminded her of the early days of the Nazi regime: They allowed Jews to leave, but they didn't allow the Jews to take their money with them as they left.  It's amazing that a woman with a history degree didn't know about that.  I guess that our collective memory about the Nazi era has faded too much for most Americans to recognize the scope and severity of today's dangers.

It's amazing that the mainstream news media isn't covering the violence being used by the snowflake's henchmen to terrorize people.  But then, these are people who thrive on "access" and are afraid to cooperate with each other to take down a threat to their industry.  The Fourth Estate was neutered by the Nazis, why doesn't it see that the same tactics are being used against it in America 90 years later?  Luckily, we still have independent news reporting on the internet, something which they don't yet know how to control.  (Russia and China have developed effective controls on their independent reporters, yet there are still some leaks - all wrapped in metaphors and coded language.  For example, don't talk about "Winnie the Pooh" in China, as that will get you in trouble for its connection to Chairman Xi.)  

Why am I still in America?  I still have hope that the authoritarian tide can be held back.  Yet, it feels more and more like a losing task every day, as people are giving up hope.  When/if I do, I'll be gone.

Dinner with Vicki

 

No, this is not what Vicki and I had for dinner.  Yet, this is a place I want to go to again with RQS when we're next in the city together.  Tonight's dinner couldn't be further from Jewish Deli fare, as we went to an Indian restaurant for dinner.

But first....

This was the second Sunday in 2 months that I had free.  Did I go to church as planned?  No.  I had no energy.  Instead, I lazed around all day until I had to get ready for dinner.  So, around 3:30, I started to prepare to go out.

One of the minor problems I've been having lately in the bathroom is that I have a small shelf in my shower which is meant to be attached by vacuum cups.  Unfortunately, one of those cups no longer wants to stay fastened to the wall.  As a result, I have to put my shaving gel, my razors, and soap on another shelf near the shower head.  This makes it very inconvenient when I shave my torso, arms and legs prior to going out as Marian.  Sooner or later, I'll find out a way to get this shelf to stay adhered to the wall tiles without glue.  Unfortunately, I did spend much more time than I wanted in the bathroom due to my GI Tract issues.  I think I'm going to talk to the doctor again when I see him this week.  Maybe, he has some ideas that will help me in this area....

- - - - - -

Finally, I was ready to shower, shave, dress, and get ready to go out as Marian.  What surprised me was the fact that I made it to Vicki's place earlier than expected.  And even more surprising was that I ended up driving to Brewster for dinner.  At dinner, we ended up talking about politics.  She sees the GOP having the upper hand at messaging, while I feel that if things get really bad, that even "Red State" GOP loyalists may abandon their leaders and put new people in charge.  Vicki doesn't understand the hold that the Snowflake has on people, where I do - it's the same problem Germany had 90 years ago, albeit with modern technology.  Unlike 90 years ago, we know what has to be done to preserve societal knowledge during a reign of terror.

Once done with dinner, I dropped Vicki off and went to the supermarket to pick up some stuff.  Lately, I've been using baby powder to keep from chafing and to absorb sweat in areas where it is not polite to scratch in public.  So, baby powder, chocolate milk, eggs and some crackers jumped into my shopping cart and made their way home with me.

With the exception of changing into Mario mode to do laundry (and to be ready for lunch with TCL tomorrow), I called it a night.

Dim Sum in Parsippany, NJ

 

It's been months since RO and I have been able to get together, in part due to sinkholes on I-80.  For both of us, it's a 90 minute drive to a midpoint destination.  If one of our key highways to Parsippany, NJ is out, it can add at least 30 minutes to the trip. For both of us, spending 2 hours to meet an acquaintance would be a non-starter.  So, we waited until I-80 was repaired fully before we scheduled lunch again.

I wasn't in the greatest of moods when I woke up.  Current affairs is very depressing, as one can't escape mention of the Orange Snowflake in the news.  I limit my interactions with the news, while RO tunes it out.  That doesn't mean that she doesn't care about what's going on.  Instead, it means that turning off the news is her only way of escaping the monster and his childlike voice.

While driving to the restaurant, MAR called me.  She doesn't have a stable job, and we have been trying to find a time and date when we could meet.  Even though this upcoming weekend is a rare open one for me, she was booked up already.  So, after a long conversation over the phone, we rescheduled our get together for 3 weeks from now.

Eventually, I reached the restaurant, and RO arrived a few minutes later.  It was as if little time had passed since our last get together, and conversation flowed like water.  We each had a bowl of hot and sour soup, and then split 4 dishes of dim sum - including some soup dumplings.  Yum!  All too soon, we had to leave, and we will try to schedule something within 4-6 weeks.

On my way home, I decided to explore the items in Lane Bryant.  Only one catch - I was trying to avoid the tolls on the Garden State Parkway.  This was a mistake, as I drove through the bowels of Patterson, NJ -from one side of the "hood" to the other. Eventually, I made it to the road I was looking for, and then made it to Lane Bryant (with a pit stop at Panera Bread.)  Luckily, I escaped the store without spending anything, and went home for the evening without further delay.

It's amazing how things change in a week....

 

Today's post will be a short one with a link to a very important message.  A week ago (as I write this), Jimmy Kimmel was taken off the air due to pressure from the Trump administration.  During the past week, Hollywood took action against the Disney corporation. Additionally, American subscribers to Disney media products cancelled their subscriptions, and Disney's stock price dropped 2% while the market in general rose 1%.  Disney capitulated to public pressure, and Kimmel's show wea broadcast tonight for the first time in a week.

Why do I mention this?  Kimmel's monologue said so much, that I consider it a must view for all who haven't had the chance to see it.  Please click on the link below to hear what he had to say.

Jimmy Kimmel Monologue for September 23, 2025

My shoulder still bothers me, and I have another gripe for the doctor

 

The more I hear about the Snowflake, the more I feel that the man is completely evil. If I were religious, I might think he's the Antichrist himself.  Today (as I write this, you'll see this post a bit later), the Snowflake is blaming Autism on Tylenol.  Remember, this is the same man, a non medical professional, who said that Hydroxychloroquine, a drug to treat Malaria, would cure Covid-19.  One thing I learned about him is that if he asks you for the time, just make sure your watch is still on your wrist and your cell phone is in your pocket (or purse) before he leaves.  

- - - - - -

When I went off on my recent cruise, my left shoulder was bothering me.  I could barely stand the pain, but did my best to not let it bother me.  (I felt it was one hell of a pinched nerve.)  The pain has subsided, but has not completely gone away.  So I'll talk about this with my doctor when I see him next.  But this isn't my only problem that I have to see my doctor about.  Again, it seems as if the wrong insurance information was fed to the lab test company, and I will again need to fix things with them.  So, I will need to bitch a little with the doctor's office, as they were supposed to fix this several weeks ago.

Since I will likely have to visit the doctor's office with my insurance card, I will likely dress as Mario in the morning.  I'll be able to kill two birds with one stone, as I have a package supposedly waiting for me at the post office, and I don't remember buying anything that needed shipping while I was on the cruise.  RQS has an idea from whom this package could come from, but I doubt it.  We'll find out when I visit the post office next.

- - - - - -

Today was a low energy day.  Although I continued some work on my de-cluttering project, I didn't do that much.  Instead, I took a drive to Poughkeepsie to try on new dresses at Lane Bryant and then have dinner. Well, the dresses looked nice, but they were not worth $100/ea.  Dinner was better - a bowl of clam chowder, followed by a pastrami Reuben.  Yum!  (The waitress had one of the most pleasant voices and demeanors I've come across in wait staff lately.  If I were only a 30 y/o male....)   

And then, it was the drive home for the night. Tomorrow, it will be warmer and wetter.  So, I might as well get some Mario Mode things done in the morning, so I can enjoy transforming into Marian for a Mani-Pedi in the afternoon.

I started writing this entry and didn't know what to say at first

 

After I got home from my most recent cruise, I had to say something about the current state of domestic politics. When I saw what was going on with the Orange Snowflake, I was again reminded of a Don Imus album title: "This Honky's nuts!"  Today, I could easily say it about our president.  At the recent Charlie Kirk memorial service, his widow said to forgive her husband's killer.  However, the Snowflake has a grudge against anyone who opposed him in any way, no matter how slight an opposition.  He can't handle the concept of people not loving him.

When I think of the Snowflake and his personal flaws, I think of an old cartoon from the WW2 era: "Der Fuhrer's Face." The song, originally performed by Spike Jones and his City Slickers, is a satirical take on the Hitler's personality cult and his henchmen.  Considering that the Snowflake is following the Nazi guidebook from the 1930's, I feel that this tune could easily be reworked to make fun of the Snowflake and the people who once supported him

- - - - - -

But enough about the Snowflake.  Today, I started the process of cleaning out the mess from behind my loveseat (I've been using the area for storage), so that I can take care of the following:

1. Selling/Giving away a pachinko machine and an awkwardly shaped storage chest.
2. Storing summer clothing in storage containers, placing them behind the loveseat.
3. Moving a steel filing cabinet away from my computer desk to shift 2 bedroom chests/dressers.
4. Calling A/C repair to remove/fix/reinstall an air conditioner with a bad master control unit.

This is not a one day project.  I have to move some storage containers from the bedroom into the newly vacated space behind my loveseat. (Winter stuff comes out from the bedroom, and summer stuff will be placed first in the living room.)  My desktop computer then moves off the filing cabinet, so that I can move it to a new location.  Following that, I can shift the two chests/dressers, making room near the A/C so that the A/C repair men can do their thing.

- - -

I was still feeling slightly under the weather when I got up, so I didn't go to church as I originally planned.  Taking my time to get moving, I started taking inventory of what I needed to do to start organizing things.  And the first thing that came to mind was packing up my summer stuff.  I have way too many summer dresses, so I started culling a few to be put in donation bags. 

Next was the "fun" part - exploring the boxes/containers behind the loveseat, and tossing out unwanted stuff.  In my case, I decided to throw away a 14 y/o computer that ran Windows 7.  It wasn't worth much anymore, so I decided to trash it.  (I still have another old laptop that I have to trash.  But until then, it takes up space in my bedroom.)

The process of moving things around has only begin.  Keep your fingers crossed that I keep up the momentum....

Now that I'm back....

 

Now that I'm back, I'm concerned about many things.  First, will the assassination of Charlie Kirk trigger a gestapo like crackdown on those who oppose Trump?  I hope not.  Although I will not condone violence, I will not mourn the loss of an evil man.  As Clarence Darrow once said: “I’ve never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure,”  Kirk's was an obituary I enjoyed reading.  Why is this important?  The Orange Snowflake is awarding the presidential medal of freedom to Kirk posthumously.  The snowflake has no sense of ethics or morality.  In short, he is a clear and present danger to our nation.  His incendiary rhetoric has become normalized, and no one calls him to account.  The longer this man goes unchecked, the greater the damage he will do to our country.

When Kirk was killed, the snowflake accused transgenders of killing Kirk.  We now know this to be a falsehood.  A trans person is now safer outside the US than inside the US.  We are under attack, and we must find ways to lay low until the storm passes. But what about the rest of the nation?  It appears that the snowflake is turning ICE into the modern day version of the Nazi SS.  How can Americans defend themselves without triggering the aftereffects of a Kristallnacht?    Hopefully, we will find leaders who can show us the way.

The other day, I saw a presentation on how the business elites put Hitler in power, and helped silence the middle and lower classes in German society.  The arms makers supported Hitler, as they stood to gain a lot by the renunciation of Versailles Treaty limits on German power and German rearmament,  Union power was crushed, and targeted "Non Aryan" victims were used as slave labor by these firms.  Could this happen here?  The way things are going, Yes! 

Not everything is gloom and doom yet.  We still have the freedom to leave the country.  I, for one, have applied to be on a nation's foreign birth registry, so that I have a place to go to if the worst happens.  People inside and outside this country are making fun of the Orange Snowflake and his actions.  They see the man for what he is, a weak person inside his shell of toxic masculinity. 

With all of this being said, what do I recommend we do? 

Nonviolent protest as would be advocated by Dr. M.L.King and M Gandhi.  Gum up the works of ICE and other government agencies by getting in their way and broadcasting all human rights transgressions to the world.  One day, the snowflake's henchmen and supporters may called before the International Criminal Court in the Hague, and get the judgement they rightfully deserve.  Let's make that day come sooner than later.

 

Gone are the days I'd visit DC. (a short post)

 

Normally, I'd consider a short run to DC if I had nothing better to do at this time of year.  Ever since the Orange Snowflake took power, he has had nothing but hatred for the LGBT community, even trying to erase transgender history from the record.  A year ago, DC welcomed us all.  Now, I can't trust that I'd be safe, given the militarization of the nation's capital.

The above photo was taken in the Kennedy Center for the Arts.  It was a place that artists would be proud to stand on its stage.  Now, the snowflake has debased its stage and the honors it hands out.  In the name of cultural cleansing, he has taken over the Kennedy Center and is now eliminating any "Degenerate" entertainment. As a result, many artists are boycotting the center and its awards.  People like me are staying away from the Kennedy Center and DC.

The use of the National Guard to "clean up the city" by moving the homeless out of town is offensive.  What is going to be done for these people?  People who can't afford housing need shelter, something not available to them.  People who have mental health problems are not receiving treatment.  While the guard has been in DC, what has it done?  Picking up the trash, "Police Call" in military usage.  Did we need to call out the guard for that?

But what about the cases where the guard has been used to terrorize a city, as it did in LA a few weeks ago?  Can we say that the snowflake won't use the guard like Hitler used the SA, only to replace them by the SS?  DC is an unsafe place right now, and I choose to go elsewhere, where people like me are tolerably safe for now.

It's not just an attack on transgenders. It's an attack on everyone. (a short post)

 

As I write this, federal advice for the Covid-19 vaccines has made them virtually unavailable for most Americans without a prescription.  One problem. The Snowflake's administration has an Anti-Vax'er in charge of the health department.  He's firing people who know what they are doing to protect the health of Americans, and installing crackpots who will end up killing more people by bogus ideas than we lose in car accidents.

It seems like this administration is trying to destroy everything that is good about America.  And even in "Blood Red" states, GOP loyalists are starting to get pissed off at the Snowflake's mismanagement of this country.  He is trying to follow the 1930's Nazi handbook which normalizes abnormal behavior, divides people into the "us" and "other", scapegoats people who do not pledge allegiance to him, destroys the careers of competent people so they can be replaced by loyal and incompetent political hacks, all leading us into a country that looks more like the Germany of the 1930's than America of the 1930's.

Is he making America Great?  No.  He can't even answer why he thinks America is no longer great.  Sadly, we may not be able to wait out the end of his term.  For all transgender people who can go stealth or leave this country, now is the time to do so.  For those that can't, try to blend in.  But for all of us, it's time to read "In the Garden of Beasts" by Erik Larson.  It tells the story of the American ambassador to Germany during the early years of Hitler's reign.  In short, after reading this, one know the chapters of the Nazi playbook the snowflake will try next. 

You can't make this S**T up!

 

By the time you read this, two weeks will have passed since I wrote this entry.  Normally, this wouldn't be much of a concern, but one of these news items will likely add even more fuel to a scandal hitting the press.  The other of these items affects something more precious to me: the separation of church and state.

- - - - - -

I'll start out by talking about the most important of these issues: the proposed IRS settlement regarding the Johnson amendment and churches' political speech rights.  For the past 70 years, churches have been allowed to exercise their free speech rights to advocate for certain causes, but NOT endorse political candidates or parties.  This has helped maintain the separation of church and state.  Now, with the Orange Snowflake in charge, I expect to see preachers and their churches abuse their churches' tax free status and directly meddle in politics. The effects of this change may take months, if not years to have an effect on the American body politic. But it has the potential to cause great harm to minority religious groups to practice their own faiths.   

We've seen what happened in a country when religious leaders got unchecked control of Iran.  Forty years ago, Iran was a prosperous, modern, and moderately free (if one didn't offend the Shah) nation.  Now, religious police patrol the streets, and the people have to do their best to live within a religious authoritarian state.  Do we want that here?

- - - - - -

Yet, the thing that may be the most consequential in the short term is the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.  The Daily Beast reported that the FBI has the Epstein prison tape with no missing minute.  There was another report (I can't find the source) that someone in an orange jumpsuit was near Epstein's cell on the night he allegedly committed suicide.  Hmmm.  Could this be a rub out?  The Orange Snowflake acknowledged that Virginia Giuffre was stolen from his employ at Mar-a-Largo by Epstein. My first question is: Why did the snowflake hire an under aged female to be employed at Mar-a-Lago's spa? Then, I ask: What was going on at Mar-a-Lago.  According to an article in Vanity Fair, the snowflake and Epstein had a "Calendar Girl" party  where they were the only 2 males present.  Even MAGA loyalists want answers now!

No matter how much the snowflake tries to deflect things, I think this scandal has legs.  It's one thing when the snowflake abuses the power of his office and accepts a $400,000,000 bribe from the Qatari government.  But when it comes to the combination of possible adolescent child abuse coupled with lies from the snowflake saying that he'd release all the files on Epstein, it's something else.  MAGA is upset, as this is one betrayal they can not deal with.

The snowflake can't have it both ways.  If he is innocent, why not release all of the files.  The worst that can be said about him in that case would be that he once associated with the wrong person and cut off contact when he felt Epstein had crossed the line.  But if he is guilty, then MAGA rightfully is upset, as the snowflake is as much a part of the swamp that he claimed he wanted to drain.  This will likely stay in the news for weeks to come.  I certainly hope that this is the case! 

The Late Show Must Go - Oh No!

 

Steven Colbert and the Late Show.  It's a sad thing when the "Tiffany Network" cancels a great show because of the Orange Snowflake.  Yet, the economics behind this makes sense: Paramount/CBS needs to merge with Skydance to deal with financial losses from its movie and streaming businesses, and they can't do this unless they curry favor with the snowflake.  It's cheaper to kill a profit making show and keep the business alive, than to stand on principle and tell the snowflake to F-off!  I'm not worried about Colbert.  He'll likely use the remaining months he has left on his contract to hammer away at our president, and make him rue the day that he took on a comedian. 

What I am worried about is big business's capitulation to fascist power.  In the past, we had a lot of small businesses who could (and would) stand up for principle, as they had no fiduciary duties to others.  They could run their businesses to the ground on principle, and as such, had great power.  Now, with the consolidation of corporate identities, CEOs must look out for the health of their businesses, and not worry about the principles that they as individuals may hold.  This is a shame.  But we did it to ourselves by accepting corporate consolidation as a norm.

No one has to say much about the snowflake's flaws:  He is vindictive to a San Andreas Fault.  He could teach Satan cruelty lessons.  And an Amoeba has more brain cells than he has.  I could go on and on about this, but I'd bore the readers of this blog. The other day, he posted a series of insults involving all of the late night TV show hosts, showing how much he hates what they saying about him.  Instead of taking their zingers from these court jesters with grace, he wants to shut them down - as if he's afraid they are right and he is wrong. 

There is a saying that whatever this man touches, dies.  For God's sake, I hope he stops touching America soon.  There is a joke about a man who went to the newsstand every day and looked at every newspaper's front page.  

Eventually, the newsstand owner asks:

"Why do you look at every newspaper's front page and put it back on the rack?" 

The customer replies:

"I am looking for an obituary."

The owner responds:

"Obituaries are usually inside the back of the newspapers."

The customer replies:

"This one will be on the front page."

No one needs to ask whose obituary we are talking about here.

Sadly, even a broken clock can be right twice each day, and there are some points on which I will agree with the snowflake, but not his methods for correcting things, such as we have let too much manufacturing move to China.  In case of a conflict between the US and China, we might only be able to win a short war.  But they will win a long war, as we no longer manufacture the goods we need to keep an economy running. One can't shift manufacturing back to the US overnight.  It will take decades to do so.  Supply chains must be rebuilt, and American labor must be willing to get its hands dirty again.  We no longer have the project management skills in the USA needed to manage the supply chains, the way China does.  So, why start a trade war that we can not win?

 
Recently, one Democratic congressperson was asked why GOP congresspeople hate what the snowflake is calling for them to do, and still doing it?  She answered: Fear!  Given what happened to Nancy Pelosi's husband in her own house, why should they risk their families to the actions of unruly members of his mob?

We saw this 90 years ago, and I'd hate the same thing happen to America.  If we don't stand up now, we will see history repeat itself - with the same ending.

 

A chat with my niece

 

It's been a while since I've been able to chat with my niece.  So it was a refreshing opportunity to talk with her again.  

- - - - - -

One of the things we always seem to be talking about is how the Orange Snowflake is F'ing up America.  Now that she's living overseas, she's relatively immune from the insanity that's hit this country.  This chat was no different.  One of the things I mentioned was how a former Fundamentalist Christian, Benjamin Covey, could argue that the Orange Snowflake is the Antichrist. Her dad still accepts the rhetoric that the snowflake has successfully closed off the borders to illegal immigration, when statistics showed that things were slowing down before he took power.  We talked about the random sweeps of immigrant communities, where any person of color is rounded up - not just those who are here illegally.  Foreign citizen legal residents are being rounded up, detained, and illegally sent to foreign prisons without justification.  In short, America has become a police state.

We talked about family issues as well.   Luckily, my brother was away from home, as this was a video call and I was already dressed as Marian, as we were going out for the day and I wanted to wear a nice, comfortable dress in the warm weather.  All too soon, the call had to end, and we scheduled something for next month.

 

Donner und Blitzen (That's "Thunder and Lightning" to us Yanks.)

 

The "Highlight" of the day was the thunderstorm.  Although I had lots of things I could have done today, I decided to do only a small number of them.  And I'm glad that I did what I did....

- - - - - -

I started off the day with the "Blahs".  Nothing seemed to interest me that much, and all I wanted to do was watch videos on YouTube.  The most interesting of these was a cruise blogger talking about her Northern European cruise to the land where the sun never sets in the summer.  Both RQS and I wish we were cruising there this summer.  Yet, we are grateful to have been able to sail to the most interesting of the Norwegian ports before they were shut down to conventionally powered ships. 

Why did I watch YouTube videos instead of my "normal" news channels?  Well, I get sick when I see the Orange Snowflake make an ass of himself and show how America has fallen. As I've said in other posts, I try to limit my exposure to the evil this man sows, so that I retain my sanity.  These days, he keeps trying to distract people from  his association with the Pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and even his base is calling him out on it.  Are there any files or not?  Either way, he will be caught in a lie.  And when it involves underage females, even his base has a line that it will not cross.

- - - - - -

Originally, I was supposed to go to TCL's place and have lunch.  With today's rain, it was smart of me not to drive to her place.  It was raining "Cats and Dogs", and I hate driving in this kind of weather.  The last thing I would need is a flat and have to call for help in this weather.  Instead, I stayed home and waited for an Amazon delivery to come.  Now, I have a new wig stand, more breast form cleaner, and a new shaver for my female "to go" kit.  (Next, I need to find a cheap carry-on to finish my female "to go" setup.)

While at home, I started taking care of paperwork needed to formally rent out the family homestead again.  Although it's not complete, I'm hoping that we'll have the house rented by September, and that I can again focus on issues in which I have no emotional interest.

In short, it was a "Blah" day kept "Blah" by rain, thunder and lightning. 

How things have changed

 

Last year, I wouldn't think twice about going on a cruise dressed like this.  Today, given what we're seeing on TV (mostly YouTube video blogs), I'm not so sure about how I'd be treated by federal authorities.  The DOJ is going after medical records of Transgender Youth, and we've seen erasures from the Federal record of all things that celebrate or recognize the contributions of people in American society other than Straight, Cisgender, White Christian males.  The rest of us don't count for anything these days.

Why is this important?

We are seeing the malicious destruction of the American way of life by a malignant few.  Even the people who once supported the Orange Snowflake are turning away from him, as he is keeping what would normally only be campaign promises - things that are said to make people happy before an election, and not to be delivered on when in power. 

Instead of stable trading relationships with our allies, we are using tariffs to kill these relationships.  Instead of looking the other way when illegal immigrants do the work that Americans don't want to do, we are seeing tens of thousands of jobs go unfilled affecting both rural and urban economies.  Instead of having a federal government who'd step in and help when natural disasters occur, we now have a central government that tells us that disaster recovery is only a state responsibility.  Instead of having a government which protects individual rights, we now have a central government overseeing the stripping away of these rights.  In short, instead of having relative peace, order, and a well-functioning government, we have a belligerent, capricious, poorly-functioning kleptocracy.

For the first time in my life, I wish I were born in a stable European country.  Yes, each major country in Europe has big problems.  But they remember what happens when a bombastic, hate-mongering, kleptocratic leader took control of Central Europe. And they fear what is happening with America, as they have long depended on a stable , democratic American superpower for their own prosperity and freedom.

Next week, I will file the paperwork to get my second passport.  I'm hoping that I won't need it for an escape from America.  But if that time comes, I want to be ready. 

I don't know where to start first....

 

If it weren't for the Orange Snowflake, I'd be going on one of my upcoming cruises as Marian.  However, his ill will towards transgenders, especially transgender youth made me choose to travel in stealth mode until this monster passes away from the scene.  In today's news reporting, his DOJ is sending out subpoenas to doctors treating transgender patients (especially youths) to get medical information which normally be privileged information under HIPAA.  The monster and his sycophants have no respect for the rule of law; they only want power.

Tomorrow, I'll be driving to RQS's place, and I'm not sure if I'll be traveling as Marian or as Mario.  I realize that I have to build a Marian "to-go" kit, including toiletries, makeup, shaving supplies, etc. if I'm going to do this often.  So, I went to Walmart and spent $90 to start building such a kit, and have more money to go.  And this is where the next disturbing issue of the day confronted me. 

Lately, many stores have been locking down much of their inventory behind glass to prevent losses from shrinkage. Today, I encountered this happening at the local Walmart, where deodorant, makeup and other goods were locked up and unavailable without the help of a store associate.  The problem - it took over 10 minutes for the 4 of us to get assistance.  AARGH!  I was almost ready to dump the stuff I was about to buy and go elsewhere.

Now, if this wasn't the worst, it would be close enough to it.  The master control unit (MCU) on my air conditioner has gone bad.  The display panel and controls aren't working, as the display is frozen on a setting made last night. The push buttons which control the fan speed, temperature, etc. didn't work as expected.  Instead, the only things that would affect the workings of the AC were the remote controls.  I know that getting this fixed is going to cost me several hundred bucks.  However, I'm lucky in one regard, as I have 2 "extra" MCUs ready for installation, as my 2 air conditioners (same product, different cooling powers) were delivered before the master control units were debugged and ready to ship.  I never installed the MCUs, as I knew that I'd screw things up.  So now, I can pay to have this done right.  Maybe I can have the unit pulled before I go on my next cruise, and have it reinstalled the day after I get back?  I'll have to call to find out.

At least, one good thing happened today - the printer I sent out for servicing was replaced by a brand new printer.  It took a while to get things set up, but it works like a charm.... 

 

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