The United States vs. Billie Holiday

USA, Lower your Head and your Flag in Shame

Last night I watched "The United States vs. Billie Holiday" on CNN. I thought it was good and that the performance of Andra Day was fantastic. Some of the others were not so great and it was classic Hollywood throughout. You can read the reviews yourselves. Overall they said it focused on only the negative in her life. I thought that was the point.

For me the take away was her song, "Strange Fruit" which I already knew was about lynching, and there was one horrific lynching scene. To drive it home during the credits there were several disgusting facts about the history of antilynching legislation in America.

In brief there have been some 4500 - 5000 people lynched in the USA and over 200 attempts to pass bills against the practice. Most recently both the Senate and the House have approved a bill on antilynching. It took over 100 years but now Senator Rand Paul is delaying it.

Of all the negatives associated with America including its gun mentality, this has to be one of the worst. How can anybody of any political stripe not want to pass laws to outlaw such a barbaric practice? It seems that some still anticipate a day when the practice might be used again. Are they attempting to protect themselves from future or even past acts?

How can such a country all but eliminate capital punishment, which at least is designed to be quick and humane, fail to totally remove now and forever these vile acts? People were hung, mutilated, tortured, and burned at the stake.

So never mind the bitterness between both parties today and issues like voting rights. Both sides were guilty of lynching and both should unite to erase the stain.

Maybe Mr. Paul should be forced to watch documented cases of some of the worst cases just like a kid having to watch horrible road accident videos when they drink and drive. He mouths words of disgust but his actions belie his words.

Politics itself bears strange fruit sometimes. Paul is living proof. 

#thebrewsterblock

Katharine Lee Bates asks: "America - Are You Still Beautiful?"

No Bob Dylan but just as Uplifting 

Sometimes when you are really down the words of a great song can lift you up. In fact there is a great example - "Up Where We Belong" (Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Will Jennings) as performed by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes.

There are many of them if you spend time looking. Just today I reviewed all the words to American Pie (Don McLean) which is deliberately open to interpretation but really makes you think.

So here is another inspiring classic written by Katherine Lee Bates - "America The Beautiful" (music by Samuel A. Ward .) I had never seen all of the verses and include them below. Perhaps the warring parties - yes plural as in the two of them - in America today should all read them. They are a bit lengthy for Donald J. Trump and some of his minions, but the sincere leaders should think long and hard about what they are currently doing.

Are they preserving the beautiful country or destroying it? It seems more the latter to most of us. What a shame.

(Bold Italics are MINE)

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!

America! America!
God mend thine every flaw

Confirm thy soul in self-control

Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!

America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies
For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
Wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice
For man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

I suspect Ms. Bates is not resting in peace.

#thebrewsterblock

Life by the Decade

Life's Times Table

I don't know if kids learn their times tables anymore the way we did. They rely on their phones and smart devices. Our smart device was a brain. We count using a base of ten. Most computers prefer two. Regardless of the base, life happens at warp speed and is accelerating.

Can anyone else relate to the following? I'll use 10 for the older generation.

When I was ten my Mom and Dad
Seemed pretty old to me.
If I could be their age again
What would my future be?

At twenty I still shared their home
When I was not at school.
I charmed the girls or had they all
Just played me for a fool?

When thirty came I settled down
We worked hard for our money.
And life itself soon let us know
It ain't no bowl of honey.

Was forty our life's half time show?
Where was the raucous crowd?
Now I avoid most anything
That's boisterous and loud!

By fifty we had lost our Dad
I'm like his clone folks say.
Alzheimer's took him from us all
Will I go the same way?

At sixty I still thought I was
Still thirty in my heart.
But soon I had a specialist
For every body part.

Now seventy has come and gone
We miss our Mom each day.
If I could find life's reset key
I'd press it right away.

What would you do different? I can think of many things. As long as I can do that, maybe things could be worse.

#thebrewsterblock

 

Pardon Me Mr. President

Time to Reconsider Presidential Pardons

Isn't it time for the whole idea of Presidential pardons to be re-examined? The alleged request from Matt Gaetz for a blanket pardon from Donald Trump is just the most recent example of the potential abuse of such a tradition. Thankfully it was not granted. Look at Trump's other pardons for more examples. 

His approach to pardons resembled his tossing MAGA hats out to a crowd. He pardoned friends and allies. Thankfully he did not attempt one for himself. He is not the first President to abuse this power - far from it.

There is certainly a place for such a last chance option in the system. The problem is giving this absolute power to one person. It was intended to right what were generally accepted as injustices, especially when a party had served a substantial percentage of their sentence. The idea is to give an otherwise deserving or remorseful person a second chance at some form of normal life again, when many years have already been lost.

So what constitutes an abuse of this power by a President? Here are some examples in my opinion. Pardons for:

1. Himself/herself
2. Members of his/her own family (to be defined) 
3. Cases in which he/she or any party, group, company, or association stands to benefit financially or in any other material way from the pardon
4. Cases where it can be proven that the President already received a benefit as outlined in 2, above.
5. Cases which have not yet been tried in a court of law. 

Here are some recommendations, even if changes to the Constitution are required:

1. The pardon is invalid and can be reversed when it is proven that a President only agreed to the pardon because of physical threat or duress
2. At present a list is compiled for the President's consideration which would remain. The President may add to or remove from the list. 
3. This list must then be reviewed by a small, special committee of current congressional representatives or senators from any official party. There must be at least one member from each party and its representatives are appointed by Congress. There would be an even number of people on this committee and a simple majority would be needed. The President could only vote to break a tie. 
4. The granting of such pardons would occur every two years. There would be a maximum number on each list (10? 20?). This allows those who might have been waiting a long time more opportunities for consideration
5. A list of the most egregious crimes (updateable) would not ever qualify for pardons. This list would have to pass in both Congress and the Senate.
6. If for any reason a President has to be replaced then any existing list must remain in place before the new President acts on any other new pardon list.
7. If the pardon involves an entire class of people such as draft dodgers then it would only count as one pardon
8. A guilty verdict must have been found before any pardon can be granted. Accusations do not qualify

These changes will not be easy. At present the process can make a mockery out of an otherwise decent system of government and justice.

Pardon me for bringing up the issue. I'm sure many others brought up after DJT's long list. Some of his predecessors' lists were shorter but just as wrong.

#thebrewsterblock

I Love You - is it Overused?

I Love You, a Much Diluted Phrase

Many people will disagree with me on this but that is what writing opinions is all about. Take "I love you". Love in its true sense is not yet taxable or forbidden (but who knows what the future holds?) and that is to be celebrated for sure. But what does LOVE really mean? THAT is the question.

Is it really just me and my generation - baby boomers - or has the phrase "I love you" or the more common "Love you" become just an automatic and almost compulsory utterance? In my family none of us felt unloved (2 brothers and a sister) while at home. The hard work and sacrifice on the part of my parents to give us a decent life - the best they could - went hand in hand with family love. I don't recall any frequent "I love yous"  but also didn't feel deprived since my friends' families were similar.

Today I hear the phrase everywhere and every day from almost everyone. People can't leave home or hang up the phone without saying it. Preponderance of phones is probably a factor here adding to the frequency but it seems now like nothing more than "See you"; "Bye". Just like "How's it going?" and "How are you?" - you don't really want to hear someone tell you how they are for ten minutes. It is simply a traditional greeting. In the same way "I love you" has become both traditional and expected.

I am not criticizing here - if those who follow the practice feel that their family is better off for it so be it. Good for them.

To me however, it begs the question what is left for expressing special feelings for that very special person - often your physical partner - if you say the same thing to everybody else? Do they merit "I really love you?" "Double love you?" As well the word is used in everyday language way too often. My wife watches many designer / renovation shows. Every day I overhear "I just love that colour!"; "I love that lampshade!"; "I just love that toilet!"

In the heat of passion with the speaker if I were to hear "I love you" or "I love it when you do that" I would have to wonder "Yeah but more than the toilet" I heard you admiring this morning?

I think we need new expressions for those moments. Keep the "I love you" for departures and hang-ups but let's have something better for the warm glow of cuddling after lovemaking. Any suggestions?

Maybe you should just say "Oh by the way, I bought you that lamp!" and hand it over while you are both still in the mood! Save the toilet for something REALLY special!

#thebrewsterblock

Has Human Evolution Reversed?

Human Beings - Still Acting Like Animals

When I learned about the Theory of Evolution, I was sold. It was simply a more logical explanation than any religious one. I probably just lost half of my audience but there it is.

So what distinguishes us from our evolutionary forefathers? I came up with the following and your list would likely be similar:

- Humans have complex spoken languages. Ditto for written communication
- Humans can theorize, postulate, test theories and solve complex problems
- Humans can reason - I think some of that happens in animals also
- Humans can self-criticize, albeit reluctantly
- Humans laugh and cry. Perhaps animals do but we fail to recognize it
- Humans only possess 2 legs but our other 2 appendages are more dexterous

If we are so advanced over animals then why do we often revert to acting like them - some of the dumbest and the most vicious? Given the opportunity I suspect many animals would love to trade places - or would they? Permit me to point out some of the more admirable traits of animals. I will leave you to use your advanced brain to infer whatever you wish from them.

Animals do not:

- Eat more than they need to survive
- Kill for pleasure or fashion
- Stab each other in the back - only in The Lion King (a human creation)
- Plan and conduct wars on their peers as a power grab
- Create any waste that is not organic
- Breed humans to slaughter and eat
- Practice polygamy for sheer pleasure based on "religious" justification
- Keep humans as pets or for deadly sport
- Lie
- Expand their habitat beyond their needs at the expense of their peers

- Create weapons and poisonous substances to eradicate their peers 

Animals do:

- Kill for survival alone
- Practice polygamy but without knowing they do so
- Grow to be the largest living creatures on earth as complete vegetarians
- Remain totally loyal to their human friends and keepers
- Die horrible deaths from products created by humans
- Manage to live and coexist without religious or political leaders
- Rely on the female to maintain the home and do the child rearing
- Keep fit enough to exist through their daily routines

Here is one more I could have included in both. Animals are not knowingly condemning the earth to an early destruction. Animals would - if they could - do something about that immediately.

Isn't Evolution great?

#thebrewsterblock

 

Rotator Cuff Problems? Read on ...

 Listen to the experts then listen to your body

Change of topic today - no CNN, Trump, Biden. This is personal - hopefully for many of you also. I suffer from sore shoulders that keep me awake at night. I have also overindulged in analysis of the problem - analysis paralysis - worse than the injury.

Many people who are north of the equator in years suffer from this - many from activity and many from lack of same - others from age. With the net, social media, Google etc. there is a ton of information out there - just look. Amateurs immediately say "Rotator Cuff" - not always the case. The people I have researched acknowledge that this is a very general term and the pain I feel could be one of many things, all part of the shoulder.

I printed out PDF's from Chiropractors, medical groups and associations and other places. I now have more exercises and therapy to try than there are hours in the day. There is a set of 18 I did religiously for about two weeks which took a good 1 1/2 hours to complete - made things worse. I even went to my GP who has worked with pro sports teams.

Here is one thing I am passing on today. I heard from several people who were where I am now but have recovered - I am overdoing things. The first reaction if you normally work out at a gym is that using no weight or working up to 3-5 pounds seems ridiculous when you might normally lift 25-35 lbs. with your arms. It is not.

Many of the legitimate websites say the same thing - for a long time light weights only , if you use any at all. We tend to forget that over-lifting probably hurt us in the first place. So here is an unprofessional list of 10 conclusions:

1. At all times if it hurts - STOP. Use less weight or no weight. If it still hurts ignore this exercise until you start to feel stronger and there is no pain...

2. From the many exercises you will collect choose only a dozen or so that did feel good. Maybe they relaxed things or let you know there are muscles you have NOT been including before.

3. No more than 30-40 minutes per session.

4. Include any stretches first.

5. Vary them up a bit each session.

6. Do not lift any heavy weights even if you think your shoulder is not involved. For almost anything above the waist or involving lifting with the hands, your shoulders are involved.

7. Many gym rats develop the large shoulder muscles for appearance but are not even aware of the others or how to strengthen them. This ADDS to the problem and might be what hurt you. It is like driving a car with one tire way over-inflated. It will lead to trouble.

8. It will take weeks to get better, if you ever do.

9. Go to a professional to see if you are trying to fix the wrong problem. It could just be arthritis for example.

10. Posture is important. Many years ago I focused on walking tall - shoulders back and not slouching. Since I have retired and am at a PC many hours daily, I am not as focused on this.

Lastly none of this will work without the willpower to do them regularly.

Here are a few of the sites I visited:

Best Rotator Cuff Strength Routine At Home - YouTube  (Dr. Kristie Ennis)

10 Best Rotator Cuff Exercises for Strengthening - Ask Doctor Jo - YouTube

Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Conditioning Program - OrthoInfo - AAOS

#thebrewsterblock

My best from 2020: #COVID-19, the Beaten by Something With No Brain

 Sometimes a writer just gets in the groove. This was such a morning

I was looking over some past posts and came across this one. I consider it one of my best. If you recall reading it that is good. Otherwise I hope you enjoy it.

The World Within; Our World; The Great Beyond 

Let's take a moment since we now have lots of them, to put #COVID-19 into perspective. Those of you who tune out from anything that is purely academic can go back to your muffins and morning TV shows. I have no idea where this is going and no, there is no stimulant in my coffee! It is early; I just got up; and a virus is still out there ravaging humans. That is my starting point or launch pad. Amateur philosophy 101 perhaps.

There have always been attempts to categorize "things" or "existence" generally driven by our human limited powers of perception. In high school we heard the term "matter" in physics. Reaction? What is "matter"? Apparently this is anything that has "mass" and a volume that takes up space. Now ask "what is mass" and you will see a reference to "matter" at which point many tune out from physics. The definition references something that "accelerates" under the influence of "gravity". Gravity itself is something we experience here on Earth. On and on it goes. I enjoy it, especially when the moon landing verified theories of gravitational pull being less on the moon.

One can also divide things into animal, vegetable, or mineral; perhaps also animate and inanimate. 

Here is another I am making up as I write! I am not a scientist:

1) The inner makeup of all that our eyes alone can not see in species and other items
2) Those things we can and do see every day including fellow humans
3) The cosmos or universe and everything in it. Some we can see and some not.

1) Some time ago at a book sale I purchased a publication called "The Human Body Close-up" by John Clancy, Firefly Books. The pictures alone are worth the purchase price. They are all taken with an electron microscope, thus being in category 1) above. What we can now see was not possible with human eyes or conventional microscopes. Herein lies COVID-19.

2) In this category I mainly include ourselves and all animate and inanimate things we can sense using sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. We have made huge strides here with the help of technology, but we are still guessing when it comes to really understanding ourselves and our fellow beings. This is where psychology was born.

3) The universe is so vast we need telescopes and spacecraft to enhance our limited perception. There are lots of theories about what is out there including ET and his relatives and how it all came to be . We have not scratched the surface. None of us know for sure.

So let's return to 1). A single human cell and all its content uncover a whole new world. The components of a cell are amazing and the technical terms beyond my limited intelligence. You have to remember that for most the "cell" - trillions of them in our body - is defined as the smallest unit capable of performing the body's basic needs (from the above book, page 18).

Within it there are a lot more things than the "nucleus", and even more within that. The cell picture (page 19) looks more complex than a jet engine. Many items are defined and they each have a role to play in our bodies. Somehow they are programmed to fulfill it. How? They have no "brain" as we know it. They are just tiny molecules of protein and other substances but they can either sustain our life or, if they go rogue, can snuff it out. In this book as well are references to genes and chromosomes and the infamous DNA. It is  fascinating.

This virus and so many others are the types of "rogues" I mentioned. They are themselves "programmed" to destroy some of our intricate makeup, starting with our cells. 

How do you develop a vaccine against such an enemy? We can't really "see" it, touch it, or get inside it. How can that microscopic little thing we picture as a sponge ball with red golf tee like structures attached, get into our cells - our own building blocks - and what drives it?

We are at war. A little inconvenience in your daily routines is not much to ask. The enemy is invisible. Scientists are facing an immense task. It took centuries to be able to identify and define a "virus". It might take as many to overpower them.

Cut our leaders some slack folks and try helping however you can. Ignoring stay at home advice falls into category 2) above - solving our own human problems. Stop being so selfish. Don't hoard and don't go out when you don't have to.

Just hope that when we get the huge surprise from category 3) - and we will - we can survive it as well. Will it be living; energy; collision with another heavenly body? The list goes on. Focus on 2) and leave 1) and 3) to the best brains on the planet.

Thanks if you got this far. 

#thebrewsterblock

Official 2020 Trump Portrait

 Where have I seen that look?

I asked this before. How many hours has Donald practiced that grumpy, downturned mouth stare? Could he be trying to copy these guys? 

Winston was a true leader loved by his citizens. A real war time PM. He got what he deserved - glory.

                                                                                  Image of Winston Churchill

Benito was initially "loved" and then assassinated and hung upside down by his citizens. He got what he deserved also.

                                                                                   Image of Benito Mussolini

         

Who was Donald's idol? I hope it was Churchill.

#thebrewsterblock

The Christmas Song - new version

 Chestnuts Roasting now that He is Fired

You can sing this to the classic tune by Bob Wells and Mel Tormé, made famous by Nat King Cole.

People toasting now that he is fired  (Chestnuts roasting by an open fire...)
John K. smiling in his grave
Bon Voyage being sung by a choir
The bear has gone back to his cave

Everybody knows that Joe and Ka-me-la will come  (Everybody knows a turkey...)
Turning darkness into light
Downturned faces now starting to smile
The people's House returns to White.

    They know that Santa's on his way
    He's loaded dignity and honour
    In his sleigh
    And honest people will rejoice
    To hear a Pres-i-den-tial voice

And so let's put our shame behind us now  (And so I'm offering this...)
One voice whether red or blue
Regardless of faith, gender, colour we say
Merry Christmas, to you

#thebrewsterblock

What if Santa gets COVID-19?

The Most Imminent Threat on Earth 

#Breaking News! I hate to be the bearer of it but here goes!

Reliable sources are telling me that very soon an event of colossal import will occur. One single individual will fly to and physically enter every household on the entire globe spending several minutes during the night inside these closed spaces. This event is irreversible and will occur on December 25. The subject is male, was last seen wearing a bright red outfit and hides behind a full beard, moustache and bushy hair, all completely snow white.

Imagine the dire possibilities here:

1. Any powerful nation could have already infected this individual with the deadly Covid-19 virus. He will unknowingly expose every living person on earth to it. Notice the timing - about two weeks from now when symptoms will probably peak.

2. If this person is not currently carrying the virus, he will most certainly be exposed to it and be infected by it in those households. Although asymptomatic at that point, he is known to have a chronic, severe, coughing habit involving involuntary and loud 'HO-HO-HOs' thus expelling the virus into every person's abode after inhaling it himself.

3. Although he might not have yet been exposed himself, he is reputed to rule over an army of small people who work all year manufacturing toys including 2020. The chance of one of these beings also being a carrier is high because they are known to be migrant workers. The subject distributes this merchandise to all of the aforementioned households. Touching one of them could cause infection.

4. Once again with evil intent, any terrorist could infect the individual with the virus because he is also said to digest milk and cookies in each household. What could be simpler? It could not be traced.

This is like knowing that we are about to be hit by a giant asteroid - a certain apocalypse.

What can be done? I put this to the American government.

The Trump administration is denying it as fake news. Unofficially they hinted that they know his identity (although they insist that Obama did not) and as the most powerful nation on earth, if it is true they would simply blow the man out of the sky before he reaches America.

Biden and his people are suggesting negotiating with him BEFORE his flight. The problem is that Trump's people won't share any intelligence they have until next year. Joe has already delegated this to Kamala and suggested she work with Fauci immediately.

Trump's base maintains that if he wears that much red including a cap, they don't give a damn. They swear that Donald has it under control and that only he knows the man is actually an OK guy despite what his Generals are telling him.

The Russians and the Chinese deny any knowledge of this hinting that he is actually a CIA agent. 

The North Koreans want us to believe that he is actually one of their robot agents and is programmed to visit America first.

There is only one strategy that will certainly work. Wear a mask everywhere including your home until well into 2021. Oh yes, and sleep in December 26 to let the household air replenish itself. That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.

#thebrewsterblock

Thanksgiving and yet Another Vaccine

 A different kind of Thanksgiving and Vaccine

This year Thanksgiving, particularly in America, will be a lot different in several ways.

Firstly if any American is serious about getting life back to normal they can do so by wearing masks and distancing at all times until they are vaccinated. No other way. The Thanks here is that at least some of the superior thinking and less emotional ones are doing so and will continue their efforts.

Secondly those who are not yet part of a positive COVID statistic can give Thanks for escaping to date. These people will probably see the importance of following guidelines as well.

Thirdly I include the traditional Thanks for the three good things - food, shelter, and good health, that some but far fewer have this year. This occupies the third place because a large number of Americans - more than ever before - are without some or all of them.

In fourth I include the progress that has been made on vaccines and the increasing likelihood that they will be protecting the country and its inhabitants some time next year. After that on Thanksgiving 2021 people can give Thanks for all of the missing items in 2020.

In the fifth spot and it could have been first, a lot of Americans and world citizens can give Thanks that the depravity of the last four years, including the run-up to the election in 2016 will finally be over. Just like most natural disasters, there will be a lot of cleanup. Included in this Thanks is Joe Biden and a new team of professionals who should be able to meet the challenges.

Finally let's include the survival so far, of the unique American experiment in Democracy. It still appears to be in tact. Like all experiments, there have been failures and unanticipated outcomes.

I don't recall ever having to give Thanks with so many preconditions.

The new Vaccine in the title? Hopefully Joe and Co. will also see fit to make changes - even constitutionally - to prevent the abuse we have witnessed from happening again - just like a vaccine. As with the development of real vaccines, some tweaking of laws and institutions will be required to make the American system even more robust. One shot. One time.

Build Back Better.

#thebrewsterblock

Presidential Thinking

Thoughts of a Man who Graduated from his own University

When you have them listening, and eating from your hand,

When the networks have your face on screens across the land,

When you see a shadow of a doubt in every eye,

Pull a joker from the deck and simply tell a lie.

If the point you want to make has not quite hit the mark,

If you have two strikes but you must hit it from the park,

If the journalists are raising hands and asking why,

Make the most of your last pitch and simply tell a lie.

Because the world is watching you, and every move you make,

Because you think your critics and the things they say are fake,

Because some facts get in the way no matter how you try,

Do the thing that you do best and simply tell a lie.

You're a bunch of losers and your brains are getting smaller.

You're the problem so I made my tales a little taller,

You should know I'm chosen by the Big Man in the sky.

So I have divine consent each time I tell a lie.

There is just one problem with the lessons that I teach.

There's a place where I am now and some day you will reach.

There's a puzzle and it is a fact I can't deny,

I no longer know it when I tell myself a lie.

#thebrewsterblock

First Gentleman Does Not Sound Cool

What If Kamala Becomes President?

A bit premature but what if Kamala is President some day? It is entirely possible. Many Trump voters claimed they just wanted to shake up the establishment - clear the swamp. They got Donald J. Trump as a result. America also elected its first black President. Why not black AND female? That would surely shake the branches. I think America needs this.

That is not really today's topic. The question has been asked what her husband would be called since this situation would be unique. The usual response is "First Gentleman". Really? Does that even sound American? Would he want that? When it was possible for Bill Clinton to return to the White House in this capacity there were jokes about "First Dude!" I liked it.

Here are some other suggestions:

• The Man About The (White) House
  
• First House Spouse
  
• The First Daddy (as in who's my …)
  
• The First Partner (then any same sex couple could be in the White House)
  
• The Pants in the Family
  
• Adam (The First Man)
  
• The President's Squeeze
  
• SPOTUS (Spouse of The President of The United States)
  
• The First Lay Person (Insulted? Get a life. Chill out.)
  
• TPOH (The President's Other Half)
  
• The First ----y Whipped
  
• The First ... What's His Name
  
• Kamala's … you know … hubby
  
• The Duke of Washington!
  
• How about The First Guy. Simple
  

Now there is the another aspect. Every First Lady has a cause she supports. There is also a tradition of re-doing the White House - furnishings; portraits; drapery; china etc. What is this First Guy supposed to do?

Will the White House look like a Hooters bar? Any other roadhouse or sports bar? Will there be a large screen TV in every room? How about beer coolers? Will the walls be panelled in wood with recliner chairs everywhere? What about BBQs for the mandatory steak grilling and a workshop and tools? The transformation could be dramatic. Expect a lot of leather! Better have an armour plated Porsche ready or maybe a pickup truck. Forget a cutsie lap dog - Rottweiler or bigger.

As far as causes go who knows? Helping older generation golfers improve their score sounds good - to me anyway. I don't see gardening or museums in the picture. Furthering the health and fitness of Americans would be a good one - from a soft couch. Reduce cushions everywhere? American men against bed making? Beer stamps OR food stamps - your choice. On a serious note reducing the number of men who renege on alimony or child support would get kudos. How about "Forever Standing" devoted to eradicate erectile dysfunction everywhere? 

The possibilities are endless.

One thing for sure. When The President enters the White House bedroom after a long day and gets touchy feely, there will be far fewer "Sorry dear - I have a headache" responses.

#thebrewsterblock

COVID Pandemic and Creeping Charlie!

I have a pandemic in my own yard.

It is time for something a little bit lighter and not involving Trump or Biden - almost.

For some time now I have been researching (aka Googling) a major scourge for most yards and gardens - Creeping Charlie. There are some chemicals which are known to be effective in killing it but here in Ontario there are many restrictions on their use. Some say Borax; vinegar; smothering it; picking it out; raking it out etc. Anyone who has a bad infestation will know how futile non-herbicidal approaches are. Leave one root and it will come back.

It occurred to me how much this is like Covid-19.

• Once your lawn is infested it is VERY hard to remove.
  
• It spreads like mad.
  
• You can kill it in your own yard but it will re-appear from a neighbour's yard just like city to city spread of Covid. Flatten the curve and it will spike again because neighbours ignored it just like some idiots refuse to wear masks.
• If you miss one little bit (still symptomatic) it will re-appear a couple of weeks later
  
• I could use bleach asTrump recommended (sorry) but it will kill my lawn also. Not sure about Lysol!
  
• It came from a foreign country.
  
• You can remove it by diligently pulling it up when first spotted - you can't do that with the virus.
  
• It invades unhealthy areas of your yard - i.e. with pre-existing conditions.
  
• You probably won't see it until it has taken hold.
  
• A healthy lawn will suppress it by crowding it out just like healthy anti-bodies will try to surround a new virus.
  
• It survives all four seasons.
  
• It can be eaten intentionally like mint. Covid is consumed unintentionally.
  

I'm not sure which method I will use but one thing is for sure. I will follow the advice of the experts. OK I can't resist a final word. I'm sure if I could contact the American President, he would inform me that he is the only person who can solve my problem and that even without any qualifications he knows more than any horticulturalist. Some things never change.

I wonder if Biden could help me? At least if I reach him he will return my call an probably discuss how he once had it and dealt with it.

#thebrewsterblock

Sure Could Use A Little Good News Today

Hats Off to Anne Murray

I was trying to think of a heading today. I had in mind all the bad news we have had, in particular since 2016, and during the Corona crisis. "Sure Could Use A Little Good News Today" came to mind. I knew it came from a song and Googled it - up came Anne Murray. I listened to it. You would almost think she wrote it in the last few months.

Listen to it and you will hear an expression of what I had in mind expressed to music - a great job well done. But I will express my thoughts anyway and won't burden you with an attempt at singing them. She is also a lot more pleasant to the eye than I am.

It has been a long time since some really good news: people rescued from in a mine or cave facing almost certain death; natural disasters wherein after days someone is found alive; a sports victory; a city or country liberated (but usually destroyed); a big lottery winner; a child prodigy; life changing surgery. Perhaps it is time for another touching chart topping musical group or artist - not mechanized, repetitive noise with a 4-5 note range masquerading as music.

Usually we hear about Trump; war; more war; floods; tornadoes & cyclones; climate change; animals moving to extinction mainly by the hand of man; pollution of the air, water, and land once again by the hand of man.

What prompted this was the media coverage of yet another black man - Ahmaud Arbery -shot to death in the good old USA by multiple white guys with guns. The black man was jogging and perish the thought, had stopped to observe a construction site. How many of us have stopped to do that, jogging or otherwise? It is a sad state of affairs when this horrific news is all there is to provide a diversion from COVID-19.

As I said in my introduction, a little good news would go a long way. A breakthrough in COVID-19 would be like Armistice Day re-lived! If we could hug and scream without masks it would be wonderful.

For a day or two.Then the bad news would return - it always does. Is there a network that features only what is clearly good news? Maybe there should be.

#thebrewsterblock

Are we being punished by COVID-19?

“Beam me up Scotty - Stat! ET wants to come home."

I wrote "Beam Me Up" in Feb. 2018. The idea was that ET like characters were sent to earth to report back on a grand experiment by alien forces called - Earth. This might be offensive to those who believe in the religious doctrines about the creation of human kind,  normally referenced as "The creation of MAN" which in itself shows a gender bias, common in religion. 

Pay attention to the red text near the end regarding punishment. Is COVID-19 the punishment? I said it tongue in cheek - cheeks now covered by masks! I re-post it here:

Change your ways or we will be back!

I have often thought how absolutely nonsensical we earthlings would appear to an alien – any alien. If this were a scheduled follow up visit for them, they would surely be shaking their heads in dismay.

I could fill this space entirely with references to our southern neighbour's new administration and all that goes with it. However heads are already shaking around the globe over that. Enough said. To be fair, I could do that for a lot of countries and their governments.

Imagine some of the reports back to UFO H.Q. wherever that is. Consider the following a conversation … a report card from a team of ETs about Earth.

****************

We are reporting this in one of their many languages. Our hope that they would develop and use a unilanguage failed. Sadly this is one of many disappointments we have to report.

They have really messed up that religion thing we counted on for their guidance. We left them some latitude but My God – oops, sorry. They got the “Different Gods for Different People - Just Choose One” concept but have used it to torture and butcher each other for centuries. Centuries that’s a miniscule unit of earth time. My bad. Oops again - "My bad" is modern Earthling for acknowledging an error or mistake. It was not part of the language we left them.

It appears that we might have to utilize the Devil in Hell option soon - very soon. Sadly we don’t think many have earned enough merit points to be returning with us in the near future. Even many of their self-appointed religious leaders need to spend some time down under with The Horned One for their own good. What’s that? Yes we’ll get right on it.

Imagine this! None of them think that YOU could be a female. As expected, the men pretty well dominate this place and yes, the men have totally screwed it up - another earthly expression. They have an obsession with sex and sexual expressions.

As you will recall, we chose this planet because of its abundant resources for everyone. Soon they will run out. Their water and air will be totally poisoned and undrinkable by their own doing. Their land will be unfit to live on and the wildlife is already heading towards extinction. Go figure! Damn these colloquialisms! Just testing you. I don’t know where they got that one.

Remember when we used to argue among our sexes before we agreed there were eleven? We gave them only two which they are trying to expand to six or seven. They even kill each other over it. It’s a really big topic here. What’s that? No Way you say? Repeat please. OK, I get it – now you’re pulling my leg. "Way." I forgot you know their languages better than I do.

Here is a very strange habit. Again under the guise of religion, the males and females and now some of the expanded sexes undergo this formal union called marriage. They swear before one of their “Gods” and colleagues that they will forever be true to one another sexually and then they perform any sex act they desire with every other person they can. They just have not yet grasped truth, trust, commitment, and loyalty. Even their leaders are guilty. We think perhaps sexual pleasure was a mistake. We should undo it.

You know how we compete one-on-one or many-on-many in physical activities that require a fit body, strength, endurance, and skill? We do it for fun. Here it is a career, and often you don’t even have to go to school. The players are called "athletes" and they receive incentives which are often worth hundreds of times more than those who do educate themselves for years. Really! They have also totally abused the rudimentary chemistry we bestowed upon them and have developed performance enhancing substances to gain an unfair advantage while competing. They actually think such victories are valid.

They have made good progress on basic use of electronics and now communicate around their planet with it. Unfortunately rather than use it for spreading truth and good, here it is used to entertain and too often to spread lies, evil thoughts, and for personal control over less fortunate people and all they have worked to accomplish.

Now to the equal sharing of power, leadership and wealth between the sexes. Indeed they went through many of the phases we did but it appears that we learned and they did not. Remember when we last did a study on this here?

We found that there had been several examples of very competent leaders of countries here who were female. They were tough when they had to be and defended their charges against others - usually male counterparts - but only when necessary. Some of the names I recall were Thatcher; Meir; Bhutto; Gandhi; Gillard; Merkel and several Queens. In contrast many of the most horrific eras in their history were attributable to males.

I fear that a rude awakening is needed for this civilization. Fear of annihilation by fire and rain has been ineffective. They are just not getting it the way we thought they would. We have to come up with a way to save the good - there are many of these, but destroy the selfish and wicked - there are too many of those.

There are people here with shelters large and luxurious enough to house a small city and they keep it all for their own small family. The water in their pools could keep a city from dying of thirst. They have become certifiably insane over the rudimentary form of transportation we outlined several visits ago - their cars. They hold competitions to race them. The wasted fuel consumed at these events alone could once again heat a city or plough enough fields to feed thousands. Instead it is totally wasted. These vehicles are getting even bigger.

Thankfully they are learning that use of these fuels is killing them. Progress is being made on electricity and power from their local star. It might be time to give them a small hint as to how we travelled here - for their own sake.

Upon our return we suggest a full conference of our most wise to discuss their fate. Should it be a nudge in the right direction or total destruction of the worst among them? If the latter, there will be much carnage. They even have a term for that. They call it collateral damage.

Nanu Nanu

Your daughter,


ET.

Beyond the Reach of the Human Mind

The World Within; Our World; The Great Beyond 

Let's take a moment since we now have lots of them, to put #COVID-19 into perspective. Those of you who tune out from anything that is purely academic can go back to your muffins and morning TV shows. I have no idea where this is going and no, there is no stimulant in my coffee! It is early; I just got up; and a virus is still out there ravaging humans. That is my starting point or launch pad. Amateur philosophy 101 perhaps.

There have always been attempts to categorize "things" or "existence" generally driven by our human limited powers of perception. In high school we heard the term "matter" in physics. Reaction? What is "matter"? Apparently this is anything that has "mass" and a volume that takes up space. Now ask "what is mass" and you will see a reference to "matter" at which point many tune out from physics. The definition references something that "accelerates" under the influence of "gravity". Gravity itself is something we experience here on Earth. On and on it goes. I enjoy it, especially when the moon landing verified theories of gravitational pull being less on the moon.

One can also divide things into animal, vegetable, or mineral; perhaps also animate and inanimate.

Here is another I am making up as I write! I am not a scientist:

1) The inner makeup of all that our eyes alone can not see in species and other items
2) Those things we can and do see every day including fellow humans
3) The cosmos or universe and everything in it. Some we can see and some not.

1) Some time ago at a book sale I purchased a publication called "The Human Body Close-up" by John Clancy, Firefly Books. The pictures alone are worth the purchase price. They are all taken with an electron microscope, thus being in category 1) above. What we can now see was not possible with human eyes or conventional microscopes. Here lies COVID-19.

2) In this category I mainly include ourselves and all animate and inanimate things we can sense using sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. We have made huge strides here with the help of technology, but we are still guessing when it comes to really understanding ourselves and our fellow beings. This is where psychology was born.

3) The universe is so vast we need telescopes and spacecraft to enhance our limited perception. There are lots of theories about what is out there including ET and his relatives and how it all came to be . We have not scratched the surface. None of us know for sure.

So let's return to 1). A single human cell and all its content uncover a whole new world. The components of a cell are amazing and the technical terms beyond my limited intelligence. You have to remember that for most the "cell" - trillions of them in our body - is defined as the smallest unit capable of performing the body's basic needs (from the above book, page 18).

Within it there are a lot more things than the "nucleus", and even more within that. The cell picture (page 19) looks more complex than a jet engine. Many items are defined and they each have a role to play in our bodies. Somehow they are programmed to fulfill it. How? They have no "brain" as we know it. They are just tiny molecules of protein and other substances but they can either sustain our life or, if they go rogue, can snuff it out. In this book as well are references to genes and chromosomes and the infamous DNA. It is  fascinating.

This virus and so many others are the types of "rogues" I mentioned. They are themselves "programmed" to destroy some of our intricate makeup, starting with our cells.

How do you develop a vaccine against such an enemy? We can't really "see" it, touch it, or get inside it. How can that microscopic little thing we picture as a sponge ball with red golf tee like structures attached, get into our cells - our own building blocks - and what drives it?

So there you go. A little inconvenience in your daily routines is not much to ask. The enemy is invisible. Scientists are facing an immense task. It took centuries to be able to identify and define a "virus". It might take as many to overpower them.

Cut some slack folks and try helping however you can. Ignoring stay at home advice falls into category 2) above - solving our own human problems. Stop being so selfish. Don't hoard and don't go out when you don't have to do so.

Just hope that when we get the huge surprise from category 3) - and we will - we can survive it as well. Will it be living; energy; collision with another heavenly body? The list goes on. Focus on 2) and leave 1) and 3) to the best brains on the planet.

Thanks if you got this far. Now ET want to go home!

#thebrewsterblock

Slumlord Millionaire Starring Jared Kushner

Watch This Before You Vote For Trump

I just watched the Netflix "Dirty Money" series season 2 episode 3 ("Slumlord Millionaire") all about Kushner's company and its practices towards its tenants. It was totally disgusting.

I guess rich people all over the world do these kinds of things especially when they are landlords but that doesn't justify it. Nor do the millions he made from it.

If you are in doubt at all about Donald Trump just watch this. Kushner is one of his chief advisors. If you or I did some of the things shown in this documentary to our fellow human beings, we would be behind bars where we belonged.

If he is guilty he should be also. Crime does pay. Maybe he learned such horrid things at Trump University. Apparently he thinks he did nothing wrong. That is really the point.

#thebrewsterblock

Yesterday and COVID-19

Yet Another Cover of a Beatles Classic

Try singing this to the tune of "YESTERDAY":

Yesterday, all our viruses seemed far away,
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay,
Co-vid-19 please go away!

Suddenly, our disease centers can’t protect me,
And that’s not the way it’s meant to be
What happened to the CDC?


Why, it, was so slow I don’t know they just won’t say,
I sense something wrong since the last election day-ay-ay-ay.


Yesterday, our  immune system was very strong,
Now for all of us there’s something wrong,
Pray some vaccine will come along.

Please-be-kind, help another not your own behind,
That’s the way to win I think you’ll find,
We have the strength within our mind.


There, are, those who will need-a-hand to see this through,
And, the one in need well it might be me or you-ou-ou-ou.


Yesterday …. 

#the brewsterblock