Category: Arts & Entertainment

WTF Moments

  By , , , , , ,

I am still connected via media

Despite the government order to stay at home, I am still connected to the world via newspaper, wi-fi, streaming TV, Facebook, Twitter and cell phone.

WTF Moments

D. S. Mitchell

Staying Connected

Despite being on “stay home, stay safe” orders; I am still attached to the world via newspaper, cable television, Twitter, wi-fi and cell phone. Things are coming at me too fast and too furious for my liking. I am bobbing and weaving, when I should be writing, researching, petitioning and organizing.

Task Force

I watched the Trumpster conduct another overly long and contentious Coronavirus Task Force press briefing this afternoon. Trump, was arguing and fighting with the reporters. Insulting their race, their intent, and their talent. At one point, Trump pushed Dr. Fauci aside, telling a reporter to stop asking “the same question.”  “He’s answered that question, fifteen times.”

The Question

I read some place when you hire a clown, expect a circus..

A clever person once said, “elect a clown, expect a circus.”

The question reporters and the public keep asking is why is Trump touting the  unapproved anti-malarial medication, hydroxycloroquine for coronavirus treatment?  If these briefings were ever informative they have dissolved into what one reporter described as a “three-ring circus with Trump as the deranged ringmaster”. This is what happens when a narcissist takes over the government of a country.

Trump Circus

Watching the now daily Trump “circus” via television is like so many of those other WTF moments I’ve experienced during my life. I’ve thought how things, common things, deliver a “doesn’t that figure moment.” So, I decided that maybe, just for laughs, I should point out some of the those WTF moments. Here are a few that I came up with. I’m sure everyone has a list of their own.

Here’s Those WTF Moments:

  1. Having a bathroom so close to the living room that anybody sitting on my couch can hear my urine splashing in the toilet bowl.
  2. Knowing that I was doing 85 in a 70 mile per hour zone with no plausible or believable explanation.
  3. People whose only contribution to the political conversation is, “Lock her up.”
  4. Accidentally setting my alarm for 3 a.m. instead of 8 a.m.
  5. When the only thing in the fridge is a bottle of Perrier and two empty ice trays.
  6. Not finding toilet paper on three visits to the grocery store.
  7. Realizing that I am center brained.
  8. When some old lady yells at me from across the street, “Why don’t you get a job?”
  9. Finding out my significant other hid my birthday gift in the pocket of the old coat I packed up yesterday and sent to the Goodwill.
  10. A dog that only comes when it wants to.
  11. Having a strong physical attraction to John Heilemann and Steve Schmidt.
  12. Knowing that bullies are often financially successful, or sentenced to life plus 30 years.
  13. Trying to stop thinking about every word I said in that nasty argument.
  14. Realizing that I was in all black the last time I saw him, and all black again, today.
  15. When I start thinking about what I’ll have for lunch at 7 a.m.
  16. The last day of my vacation, getting grounded in Iceland and can’t return to the U.S. because the country has suspended flights from the UK.
  17. Knowing that “I don’t know,” is not an acceptable answer.
  18. Suddenly realizing who I am talking to on the phone, isn’t who I thought I was talking to.
  19. Saving 100’s of old decorating magazines, because I may decide to redecorate.
  20. Keeping a secret, only to find out that everybody else already knows the secret.
  21. Going to a movie made from a great book and after the showing wondering why someone wasted so much money to ruin something beautiful.
  22. Aware that serial murder guarantees instant fame.
  23. When Tonya Harding is the most famous person I’ve ever met.
  24. When my cell phone reception is so bad I have to hang out the dining room window to talk to my son fifteen miles away.
  25. Knowing that $20.00 won’t cover a 4 oz bottle of hand sanitizer.

Trump Crazy

My list of WTF moments are really just daily irritations and small injustices. Most are funny and a bit annoying, but not life threatening.  I wish I could say the same about what I am hearing come out of the mouth of Donald Trump. I am convinced more every day, that he is the most dangerous president we have ever had.

RESIST, it is more important today that ever before.

Taking A Trivia Break

  By , , ,

Taking A Trivia Break

This rusty bucket can be put to good use.

There are times that I want to put a bucket over Donald Trump’s head just to shut out the noise.

Taking A Trivia Break 

D. S. Mitchell

COVID-19 Briefings

I have watched Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force briefings for the last three weeks or four weeks. I think the first one I watched was on March 10th. For some reason they just keep getting longer and more ridiculous. Over the last week I have gotten in the habit of turning off the volume when I see that Trump is about to start talking. Truthfully, every time he opens his mouth I can’t shut off the volume fast enough.

Find A Bucket

Yesterday, I watched the briefing without turning off the volume. I have no idea what I was thinking. While the CDC is now recommending that citizens wear face coverings, to protect others, Trump says he will not be wearing one. As usual, Trump has totally missed the point of the face covering. He went on a rant about the ‘resolute desk’ and then said he “couldn’t see himself wearing a mask”, while he was meeting, “kings, queens, and dictators”. I don’t know how those world leaders feel, but I know I would like to see him shut up and put a bucket over his head.

YouTube Training

Trump obviously thinks more of a photo-op than the safety and well-being of those he is coming in contact with. He however continued, that those who want to wear a face mask are free to do so. Leadership at its worst, and most dangerous. I will be wearing a facial covering, because I want to protect people I may come in contact with. Many of those people are relatives and friends that I love and want to safeguard.

A Chinese Suggestion

This  week I have been on YouTube learning how to make masks out of men’s handkerchiefs. I have practiced how to make those face coverings, and although I’m a bit clumsy, I think I’ve got it. Some suggest placing  a section of paper towel in between the layers of your homemade masks. I will do that also. It is such an easy extra step. Whatever the experts tell me to do, I will do. I was an RN for nearly 40 years. I take the advice of  medical professionals seriously. RT’s (respiratory therapists), doctors and other nurses’ advice is usually pretty damn good.

A Blogger’s Life

The focus of my blog is the American political system. The blogger’s life is a good life, most of the time. There are times however, when U.S. politics and political rhetoric saps a person’s patience and energy. Currently, I am outraged that Donald Trump is using the Coronavirus Task Force briefings to promote his own political interest. Political spin is not appropriate at this moment. I hope that television outlets begin to give Democratic front-runner Joe Biden more TV time.

Even Today

Today, I am taking a break from politics to think about something else for a few minutes. I know that Trump will soon hijack the airwaves, with another   briefing.  I’m just going to take a deep breath, and try to keep a positive frame of mind. As a distraction for myself this morning, I began compiling a few interesting trivia facts about America. Enjoy. Continue reading

Spring Has Sprung

  By , , ,

Spring Has Sprung

Spring Has Sprung

By Anna Hessel

Spring’s The Thing

Spring is officially here. We have all heard April showers bring May flowers – with the budding of those flowers comes the promise of summer abundance.  Spring means many things to many people. Some spring rituals include spring cleaning, spring planting and ‘spring break’. Spring is truly the season of renewal and regrowth.  Religious holidays such as Easter and Passover can revitalize our spirits. ‘Spring break’ for college students, can be a carefree and joyous time.

Cleaning Up Our Acts

Spring cleaning readies our homes in much the same way the spirituality of spring renews our souls.  Many of us find major house cleaning to be therapeutic. Washing down walls, scouring the oven, shampooing carpeting and furniture, beating the rugs, flipping the mattresses, vacuuming draperies, polishing the silver, making light fixtures sparkle, and washing windows to let the sun shine in. By the way, vinegar works wonders cleaning glass. The physical labor of a good house cleaning can be invigorating and uplifting.

A Rebirth

Spring is the sign of longer days and plenty of sunshine on the way. When we hose down the porch furniture we know family picnics, fun at the water park, or the beach are as predictable as ants at a picnic. In the same way we open our homes, welcoming daylight and fresh air, after a long winter’s cold confinement, we open our hearts and souls to the hope of new life once again.  As we escape winter’s doldrums, our spirits soar with the promise of spring and sunshine.  Such exhilarating rebirth does our hearts good.

Continue reading

Some Days, You Just Gotta Smile

  By

Sometimes You Just Have To Smile

Some Days, You Just Gotta Smile

D. S. Mitchell

Shelter In Place

It is Tuesday morning and it looks like a perfect day. The clouds are white cotton balls hanging over a green ocean with cresting waves breaking gently against the sand. It does not seem to matter that I am currently “sheltered in place” because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was thinking before I started writing this blog post that I should discard politics for a few minutes and look for as many reasons as I can to smile. Here is what I came up with:

Smile List

1.) Puppies and kittens  2.) A man in white T-shirt and faded jeans, that fit just right  3.) Hot, crispy french fries  4.) Beach bonfires w/friends  5.) Misty mornings  6.) My over-sized cat sleeping in the hanging fern  7.) Moonlight on water  8.) Old Godzilla movies at midnight  9.) Taking first place  10.) Tiny houses 11.) Wicker and lace  12.) Powdered doughnut holes with fresh perked coffee  13.) My  secret journal  14.) An old cabin in the woods  15.) A check at the mail box  16.) Giving the peace sign, not the middle finger  17.) A new toothbrush 18.) An old Marx Brothers comedy  19.) Triple layer chocolate fudge cake topped with chocolate and cherry cordial ice cream  20.) Snowmobile rides under a full moon  21.) Sweet dreams  22.) Back rubs 23.) The rhythmic click of a spinning fan  24.) Remembering Mama  25) Following a stone wall to its end 26.) Babies dressed in boots and jeans  27.) Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef  28.) Machu Picchu  29.) Self-confidence  30.) The swooshing sound of corduroy on corduroy  31.) Toy Trains  32.) Cartwheels, somersaults, and hand stands on the front lawn  33.) Giant Tortoises  34.) Koi filled ponds  35.) Hot apple Empanadas  36.) Carte blanche  37.) Good posture  38.) A Denny’s breakfast of grease and goo  39.) Japanese lanterns floating on a breeze  40.) Twitter friends

Visit Me

No matter what is happening in Washington D. C. today, I will smile. Join me daily on www.Calamitypolitics.com and Twitter @calamitypolitics, as I autopsy the headline political news, promised to be served with a generous side of sarcasm and a double order of cynicism. For dessert, I promise a big dish of hope. as I attempt to analyze and comment on the upside down world of U.S. politics.

Join the Resistance

An Athlete’s View of the World

  By , , ,

An Athlete’s View of the World

By D.S. Mitchell

Another Bad Week

There is a looming recession.

When I woke up the stock market was in free fall. A one session drop of 2,997 is jaw dropping

I watched the Democratic debate Sunday night. Somewhere during the post-debate analysis I fell asleep. My eyes opened at 6:35 a.m. PST Monday morning, to the sound of MSNBC’s anchor Stephanie Ruhle’s voice. The stock market was in free fall. Down 1,200 points on the open. I shook my head, clearing the cobwebs. I reached for the volume button. After a minute my vision cleared and I saw the collapse in full color, in a few small numbers in the corner of the screen. I checked my cell phone, for messages. There were none. I turned back to the television, hypnotized. I didn’t want to miss a moment of the coming Armageddon.

A Perfect “10”

By afternoon the Trump administration was holding another press conference. During the briefing, Trump was still self-congratulating himself, patting himself on the back, time after time to the television audience. He in fact, announced he was giving himself a “10” for his presidential performance. “A perfect 10”.  OMG. I am having visions of the Jefferson Airplane classic, “White Rabbit.”

What a Bloodbath Looks Like

As Trump and his panel of experts closed the press briefing the stock market also closed. Today’s Dow drop of 2,997 was jaw dropping. A bloodbath. No other description necessary. To refresh your memory, when Trump was inaugurated on January 19, 2017 the DOW was at  19,804. On 2/16/2020 the Dow hit a record high of 29,551.  Today the Dow closed at 20,188. Trump has taken investor’s on a wild ride. Hang on because its likely to get rocky from here on out.

Monday Mourning

I am officially declaring, today as “Coronary Monday”.  It’s great sometimes, being the boss, even if it’s only me, and Hamlet, today. Thinking about political theory, political science, political reality, political bullshit, political incompetence can be a real downer. But, not TODAY! I refuse to let the real world penetrate my home isolation. So, brace your self. There will be no further political discussion. There will be no further analysis, there will be no relevant comment, other than what some crazy ass athletes once said:

Just for laughs.

Mike Tyson:  Responding to a question regarding his retirement plans to:  “Fade into Bolivian, I guess.”   Joe Theismann: “The term genius is inapplicable to anyone in this game.  A genius is Norman Einstein.”  Pedro Guerrero:  About his relationship with the press, “Sometimes they write what I say, not what I mean.”   Chuck Nevitt:  On why he appeared nervous:  “My sister is having a baby, and I don’t know if I’m going to be an aunt or an uncle.”    Yogi Berra:  “It gets late early out here.”    George Foreman:  “There’s more to boxing than hitting.  There’s not getting hit, for instance.”   George Roberts:  “I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first.”   Tug McGraw:  “Always root for the winner.  That way you won’t be disappointed.”    Don King:  He (Chavez) speaks English, Spanish, and he’s bilingual.”    Dizzy Dean:  The doctor X-rayed my head and found nothing.    Bill Cowher:  On whether the Steelers bent NFL regulations: “We’re not attempting to circumcise the rules.”

Thank you, Dr. Rod L. Evans, Ph.D. quotes taken from his book, Tyrannosaurus Lex. 

Join the Resistance

Comments On Courage

  By ,

Doing research

 

Comments On Courage

By D. S. Mitchell

Research And The Resistance

Part of my job at Calamity Politics is to do research. Research can be lots of fun and I look forward to it. Since the election of Donald J. Trump to the presidency, I, along with about 75,000,000 Americans have joined the Resistance.  The opportunity to replace Trump will be by election.  The 2020 election is only seven months away.  I believe that we are going to need strength and courage to see this political battle to a satisfactory Progressive conclusion.  To give some perspective, I decided to look up the word courage.

What People Have Said

Here’s what I found out. When I looked up courage, I found innumerable quotes on the idea of courage. Most were quite inspiring.  Here’s a brief collection of some pretty smart comments by some pretty smart people. Winston Churchill has two quotes noted, he was a really smart and courageous guy who led a nearly defeated nation to victory.

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen,” –Winston Churchill

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
― Winston S. Churchill

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.”
― Mark Twain

“Courage leads starward, fear toward death,”- Seneca

“Courage conquers all things,” – Ovid

“The strongest, most generous and proudest of all virtues is courage,” Michel De Montaigne

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
― Maya Angelou

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
― Anais Nin

Inspired

Well, I’m definitely inspired. How about you? If you are even a little inspired, do something to fight the Trump administration. Be brave. Be courageous. Step up our very democracy is at risk. There are many things you can do, write a letter to your congressional representative, make a phone call to your state senator, most important, vote.

26 Fascinating, But Useless Facts

  By , , ,

26 Fascinating, But Useless Facts

By D.S. Mitchell

 

1. Marilyn Monroe, the 1950-1960 sex goddess, had 6 toes on one of her feet. See. None of us are perfect.

2. Did you know a cockroach can live for up to nine days without a head, until it starves to death? Who knew?

3. An Ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.

4. Women blink twice as often as men.

5, No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.

6. Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors. Thank God! Man and woman lived on this planet for 200,000 years before someone invented scissors. They seem so basic, so necessary. How did people live before scissors? Amazing.on so many levels.

7. Our noses and ears never stop growing, while our eyes remain the same size for life.

8. A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.

9. Whether protesting or electioneering, petitions can serve as important democratic tools, such as when  California governor, Gray Davis was recalled in 2003.  Arnold Schwarzenegger famous body builder and movie action hero took his place in Sacramento.

10. Some species of piranhas are vegetarians, while all butterflies are carnivores.

11. The most shoplifted book in America is the Bible. I wonder what that says about us as a society?

12. Rats can tread water for three days without stopping.

13. All the clocks in the movie Pulp Fiction were stuck on 4:20.  I know what 4:20 means to me. I wonder if it means the same to Tarantino? Probably. Sit back, light up.

14. Mosquitoes are attracted to the color blue.

15. There are 13 witches in a coven.

16. Abraham Lincoln’s first choice to lead the Union Army was Robert E. Lee.

17. “E” is the most used letter in the English alphabet. “Q” is the least used letter.

18. Fingernails grow 4 times faster than toenails.

19. November 15th is National Clean Your Refrigerator Day.

20. Cleopatra was Greek (Ptolemy), not Egyptian.

21. The colder your bedroom the higher the chance of having a nightmare.

22.  Cornelius Vanderbilt was born a farmer’s son who left school at age 11 and despite his lack of                education went on to become the richest man of 19th century America.

23. Oprah Winfrey, a black woman raised by her grandmother, sent to juvenile detention at 13, an unwed mother at 14. Oprah went on to TV stardom and stratospheric wealth in the 20th century.

24. The most common spoken word around the world is “O.K., ok, okay, or, k”  It can be heard from New York City to the tiniest rain forest village.

25. “Jiffy” is an actual unit of time. So when Mom says she’ll be there in a “jiffy” she really means in 1/100th of a second.

26. It takes six months to build a Rolls Royce……and 13 hours to build a Toyota.

Okay, there you go. 26 Tidbits of Fascinating and Useless Information. Use it as you will.

Valentine’s Day Memories

  By , ,

Valentine’s Day Memories

By Anna Hessel

Valentine’s Day Memories

The cold days of February bring thoughts of one of my favorite holidays, Valentine’s Day.  Some of my fondest memories involve Valentine’s fun.  We all remember when we were growing up getting those tiny Valentines in their little white envelopes placed in a big wooden box on the teacher’s desk.  Each year my miniature Valentines had a different theme: puppies, kittens, Barbie, and of course, princess.

A Kindergarten Memory

My earliest Valentine’s memory is my kindergarten campaign to give trousers to that little guy with the bow and arrow, since it was cold outside.   Those timeless teddy bears with pink and red bows, and heart-shaped boxes of candy covered in ruffles, bring back many teenage memories.

Continue reading