Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Our off-center political season
Every once in a while something happens in the fabric of time which defies Logic. It's bizarre even. If someone had made this prediction even ten years ago you would have been told that's an irrational phobia. A shrink would have counseled you to have the thought but don't work it up. I'm referring to what most conventional political wisdom is now telling us, that Donald Trump after his SC win is well on his way to wrapping up the GOP nomination. I think two things are driving this - first off pc has gotten so out of hand in this country folks are tired of it and Trump is going against this and secondly I think it's the political id of the American public finally coming out (e.g. construction workers with t-shirts saying I'm ready to start building that wall). Jeb Bush just blew through about 130 mil with nothing to show for it because his main political strategy seemed to be not about building a vision but bashing Trump. Now they're talking about a Trump/Rubio ticket. Again it's one of those things a Stephen Hawking would have trouble explaining but there it is:)
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Fair enough. IMO, it may be the PC thing started with Rush L. and perhaps rather than political correctness, the phenomena should have been called politeness and courtesy.
ReplyDeleteHowever that may be, Rush and then some of the FoxNews people pushed back very hard and name calling, mud-slinging
became sort of a productive policy. It finally blew back
on FoxNews with Trump; and has IMO profoundly affected GOP
party structure..eg candidates like Bush, Kasich, Huntsman
et. al. essentially branded as RINO, impure and part of a
system. It's like Karl Rove looking around saying "Wha happened?" and the Koch Brothers tyring to figure out where to put their case and locating a pliable candidate. The irrational part of the the Trump phenoma is that he really has no experience, has layed out no policy and was not that
great a businessman. But his brashness, loudness and somewhat juvenile behavior is a magnet for that part of the GOP known from Nixon's 'southern strategy..eg. how do we get
white working people to vote for us? Answer, racisim, anti
unionism, pro-evangelical moral thinking and placing the blame for wage/employment problems on government (rather that the root cause, big bizz) The blowback is out there waiting: Trump's record high negatives, especially among
college educated, minorities, women and the rest of the progressive crowd. Admittedly, a most interesting circus.
If by pc we mean you really shouldn't use the N-word then that's progress but it's gone way beyond that imo. For example if you still refer to Caitlyn as Bruce Jenner then you're in trouble. You really can't say much of anything these days and Trump is tapping into that. However should this anti-pc backlash propel him to the WH? Of course not.
DeleteConsidering Mr-Ms Jenner was Bruce for 64 years and
DeleteCaitlyn for 2, we should accept some slack. Out this away it is politically incorrect (and dangerous) to walk into a cowboy bar and say, "Ain't nuttin in here but cowboys & queers".
There are so many minority types anymore it's confusing. Mentioned to an engineer friend one time
that my HS daughter was in 'Sound of Music' at the local civic theater. He asked if she was interested in the stage, I replied she was a real
thespian and he looked surprised and asked, "How long has she preferred girls?" Which got into spellings and definitions, eg thespian v lesbian, etc. I gotta tell ya Z-Man, I was in for my annual
physical today, passed everything, but am being set up for another colonoscopy. Which was OK with me, because she announced that the proctology finger exam had been discontinued in favor of the PSA test
results. Win some-lose some.
What is it about colonoscopies? It's almost like some unwritten law. I'm not against the value of this procedure in certain circumstances but something about its routineness rubs me the wrong way. Older guy at work once said he had four of them which seems like alot. It's like you're not even allowed to disagree about the subject.
DeleteBTW the PSA has been somewhat controversial and questionable of late. Recent big writeup in the NY Times.
DeleteI'm on a six year rotation because of polyps. My
DeleteNP has gone through some patients with colon cancer
and has dislike and respect for it. So like Mayo Clinic says-
"Most colon polyps are harmless. But over time, some colon polyps can develop into colon cancer, which is often fatal when found in its later stages.
Anyone can develop colon polyps. You're at higher risk if you're 50 or older, are overweight or a smoker, or have a personal or family history of colon polyps or colon cancer.
Colon polyps often don't cause symptoms. It's important to have regular screening tests, such as colonoscopy, because colon polyps found in the early stages can usually be removed safely and completely. The best prevention for colon cancer is regular screening for polyps."
--I figure I can put up with drinking a half gallon of magnesium sulfate and the rest is about half an
hour of unconscious (while they no doubt make jokes
about passing gas and related scatological humor. Around here, the odds are you wake up, walk out and
probably get nailed in some redneck crossfire, ya know?
Been down this road many times. Let's say you researched the issue, gave it a fair hearing but you came to somewhat different conclusions it's like doctors can't accept this.
DeleteIt is the patient's choice. Old friend was losing
Deletefeeling in one foot and they found a growth on his
spine. In a very touchy place and they didn't want to biopsy or remove it without letting him know that there was a 50% chance one side would become paralyzed. He has opted to stagger around unoperated and see what happens. His doc is OK with
that.
My position is I'm not for or against colonoscopies (pro-choice). Don't do it because you're doctor is harassing you about it. If you as a patient feel it has value then fine.
DeleteOf course at around $1000 per procedure that's not an insignificant factor.
DeleteThe protocol seems to be polyps. If they find and snip some, they put you on a 6y year comeback; if you don't have any they don't check you for another
Delete10-11 years. You can get nasal polyps as well, but
they don't show during the colonoscopy. :)
I know all that, just saying the $1000 makes them err on the side of safety ya know?
DeleteI'm not getting why Apple is going all out to defend the privacy rights of a dead terrorist.
ReplyDeleteSo Mommy & Daddy can't find out which pedophile little
DeleteRalphie has been talking to?
If you had been born on leap year you couldn't retire until
ReplyDeleteage 260.
Which would probably be fine with the Republicans.
DeleteTrump endorsed by Christie? Lessee here, Christie insists
ReplyDelete"I adore a pompadour" while Donaldo acknowledges "Being fat is where it's at.
Trump/Christie?
DeleteMight be your chance to bid on a cabinet post.
DeleteHeard Rubio discussing the 2nd Amendment and Scalia. His
ReplyDeletetake is that Scalia being a strict constructionist interpreted that the amendment is a 'guarantee of the right to defend our lives, families and property". So, I checked.
Not one of those words is in the 2nd Amendment; and were I
a strict constructionist, I would note that "A well regulated militia" is the sole reason mentioned in the constitution for the right to bear arms. What the heck IS
a strict constructionist and how come everyone that never
studied US history is suddenly an expert?
I never understood how the US Constitution is interpreted so radically different by everybody. It's like arguing over the writing on a tube of toothpaste.
DeleteThe US Constitution is short as those things go,
Delete7,762 words. India's constitution has 146,385.
Bollywood trivia...
Apple/Microsoft/Facebook/Silicon Valley refuses to release
ReplyDeletephone conversation of terrorist mass murderer: but turns over thousands of Hillary e-mails-
Whisky Tango Foxtrot?
I heard there's a conspiracy theory going around that Obama had Scalia murdered. If that was the case, which it's nonsense, why would he have waited so long? People just want to blame anything they can on Obama. In the history books he's going to go down as one of the greatest. That's fact, not opinion.
ReplyDeleteI read a good article about how Trump is actually the creation of the GOP, the Frankenstein monster that was created out of all the anger and fear stoking, the hate mongering, the undercover racism and the outright Fox News spin that the GOP has been laying on the public for so long. They're the reason some lunatic like a Trump has been able to get the traction he has. Now they're all hysterical because they can't control him and they know he's the death of the GOP.
Colonoscopies, the perennial topic. I think they're a good diagnostic tool. On the other hand I bowed out when one was suggested to me. So like all nurses, I'm great at giving great advice but not following it.
My thing is doctors and health care folk don't understand human anxiety and stress. To them it's just a procedure. "OK so we're gonna insert a needle in the back of your wrist, infuse you with a powerful mind-altering solution albeit temporary THEN insert a 4' 6' or maybe even 8' tube up thru your anus...we don't understand why you don't want to get a colonoscopy. Do you want to die?"
DeleteRe conspiracy theories an even more recent one is Katy Perry is really JonBenet Ramsey. A close runnerup is Ted Cruz is really the Zodiac killer.
DeleteGoing back to your Lent post I was surprised to find recently Catholics that aren't Roman Catholics. The group in question are "Ruthenian" Catholics and don't go for the Pope although somehow they are in communion with Rome. I have always known about the Orthodox churches being nominally at least Catholic but something about other splinter Catholic groups kind of squees me out. Like Mel Gibson. The Catholic faith seems to me particularly capable of taking a dark turn in the wrong hands. Whatever happened to there is no salvation outside the Church? Yeah, I know, Vatican II. Maybe it wasn't such a great idea. Ecumenicalism is for wimps.
ReplyDeleteNo salvation outside the Church. That would automatically exclude a large chunk of the world's population. My take - everyone who is saved is saved by Christ even if they personally don't believe in Him or are unaware of it. But even so how did we get to no salvation outside the Church? I don't even recall that being in "The Mystical City of God" and honestly that's a pretty depressing series of books.
DeleteMost Catholics aren't Catholics but rather Protestants. Of course you can't entirely blame them. The Roman Catholic church took a hard turn in the 60's and they're having one dandy of a time trying to get back on track.
DeleteI see it in Communion. Practically the whole church goes up week after week whereas in the days of yore there were a few in the back pews who'd sit it out. I also don't think most modern Catholics seriously believe in hell. Someone could die in the state of mortal sin and they show no concern like everyone goes to Candyland in the end.
DeleteNot only do they go up for communion but they don't think twice about receiving it in their hand or kneeling to receive it or heaven forbid wearing a chapel veil. There is no reverence in those places of "worship". It is all for show with little if any substance.
DeleteNot to mention the typical Sunday attire of your average worshipper isn't what it was in the past.
Deletehttps://thelasthiker.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/adult-coloring-books-and-mandalas/
ReplyDeleteI need yalls opinions on this. Sometimes it goes too far, and with this, I'm calling it out, it's gone too far. People like this live in a very tiny world full of fear.
Considering that the Viking circular triskelion
Deletewas common art among the northern barbarians, it is
ironic that those monk-killing, monastery-robbing
barbarians gave rise to later 'Christian' art. We note (but have not researched) that circular and intertwining art forms likely occurred in early
religions of India and China as well. Small wonder
the Hebrews forbade graven images, and the later
medieval Byzantine politics led to the image destruction of the Iconoclasst movement. I like them, they are interesting. Thanks, Saty, interesting.
If Daylight Savings Time was confined to Leap Years it would be a 78% improvement.
ReplyDeleteI could live with that. You'd only get seasonally depressed every 4th year.
DeleteSomething you said Chris fairly recently which is a truth nobody admits to and that is in most cases work is a cancer. Think about it - you wake up this morning and you're already circumscribed, your day is restricted. Thoreau makes the point modern work the way it's evolved makes man unhappy and stunts his growth.
ReplyDeleteIt can. I have found that it requires establishing solid boundaries with your employer. Letting them know that you are committed to performing the duties that they hired you for but that you also have other duties, responsibilities, and obligations as well. The truth is that employers are not want to have to let people go and then have to go through the whole horing and training process with a new hire. It is good, proper, and just to challenge them when necessary. Never get too attached to your job. Otherwise it can become your prison sentence.
DeleteThe one day off a week is a common trend now at least in the food industry. This skews it even more in favor of the employer and yet many people don't have the leverage you talk about. I read fairly recently of a new business model. Some places have tried letting employees fill in the hours they want to work and this seems to have met with some success. Another experimental model - everything is decentralized and nobody's the boss but the staff itself gets to decide everything, a kind of team thing. Again some success.
DeleteAnother nomination for the Darwin Award .
ReplyDeleteWHY are we talking about Donald Trump's penis?
ReplyDeleteCuz it's presidential?
DeleteAs if one needed any more evidence as to the absolute joke that politics has become. But I digress...politics is largely about ego and ego stroking. I suppose it was only a matter of time what with all the saber rattling going on and such.
DeleteI guess my departure from it was timely.
I posted a great walleye recipe on the Lenten post if anyone missed it.
ReplyDeleteThat looked great, Chris. I copied it and snuck it
Deleteinto the Mrs. recipe file. Since the fishing is a bit sparse and over a couple hundred miles away, I am waiting for the local places to offer some
filets.
Any white fish should do.
ReplyDeleteI don't see walleye in the stores. All I see are the farmed fish. Walleye is supposed to be a great-eating fish.
ReplyDeleteWalleye is a great eating fish and even in the land of 10k lakes we still pay dearly for it.
ReplyDelete