Bob Greenberger has begun a Kickstarter Program for a new short story collection, “Thrilling Adventure Yarns.” Anyone who is a fan of Doc Savage, the Shadow or any classic heroes of the 1930s and 40s is going to want to get on board to support it.
If we get enough money, it will include a brand new short story by me, “Professor Ironheart and the Fuhrer Bunker.” So by all means, read about it and, if you can, contribute.
You can find the Kickstarter page here.
PAD
Trump always likes to boast about being the biggest and best. In the past week, he has actually managed to achieve genuine bragging rights about something: the longest governmental shutdown in the history of the United States.
And this week we’ve seen more back and forth between two of the key players: Trump and Pelosi. Meanwhile Mitch McConnell, who has abrogated his responsibility to the three equal branches of the Constitution, has refused to send any bills to Trump that he know Trump won’t sign. Rather than, y’know, wait for the veto and then override it in the Senate, as he would have done without hesitation if Obama were still president. Screw the constitution: partisanship trumps all (no pun intended.)
I read an opinion piece in the Washington Post that described Trump’s reign as entering the “terrible twos,” and dissected all his behavior from the point of view of how Doctor Spock says to treat a recalcitrant two year old. It’s actually a great article that you can find here. . The point is that you know a normal two year old is going to grow out of it, but it’s becoming abundantly clear that Trump is never going to change. If anything, he’s going to get worse.
It has been suggested that this evening networks should run a Correction Stream across the bottom of the screen, correcting all the lies that Trump will inevitably spew.
Kathleen had a much better idea.
They should ring a bell.
Every time he lies, as he inevitably will repeatedly, we should hear a bell ding like a hotel desk bell. Networks can then run a real time update online, and every time they ring the bell, you can check and see what the latest lie is. I think the sound effect would add a demented gravitas to it; it’ll be like an episode of Stephen Colbert.
PAD
How about that. I remembered to say 2019 rather than 2018 in the headline. Maybe this whole new year thing is becoming that much easier to remember.
We spent New Year’s alone this year, as we did last year. We used to spend it with some neighbors of ours, watching the great ball go down in Times Square. But that doesn’t happen anymore because, I believe, they are Trump supporters. And because we are most definitely not, apparently that means we can’t be friends anymore. Honestly, I find that surprising. Once upon a time, whoever you supported in the political spectrum was simply one minor aspect of your personality. It was rarely if ever discussed (talking about politics was understood as a topic to avoid) and you could enjoy the company of others because there was so much you did have in common. That no longer seems to be the case, and that saddens me somewhat. It’s gotten progressively worse over the years, but Trump has brought it to the fore in a way none of his predecessors have. I’d be happy to remain friends with people who I’m politically opposed to, but have not been given that opportunity. Which is depressing as hëll.
Fortunately Trump is making it easier by working with the new Democratic House to ease the burdens of the hundreds of thousands of Federal workers who are sitting home staring at walls or working for no pay.
I’m curious about this. I keep hearing people complaining about “the cost” of immigrants. As recently as a few minutes ago, some guy on Facebook was talking about how liberals should “pay the cost” of illegal immigrants.
My ex-wife’s grandmother was an illegal immigrant. Walked in from Canada. Never left. My ex-wife and, consequently, my three oldest daughters, would never have existed without her illegal action.
So here’s my question: what are the costs, exactly?
Crime? Immigrants don’t commit crimes at any higher rate than do American citizens. Indeed, less so.
They pay their taxes. They work at jobs that many Americans wouldn’t touch.
I have yet to have anyone explain to me just what exactly would happen if we really did throw open our borders? At least not without declaring it a stupid liberal idea that would destroy the country through means unknown. Insults typically seem to be the preferred response, as is not atypical with Trump’s followers.
So what would happen if we at least eased up on all the anti-immigrant hostility and remembered we have a 305 foot statue in New York harbor welcoming them?
PAD
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