Category: Opinion

Women And Professional Sports

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Women And Professional Sports

OPINION: The Long Game

LPGA

Women And Professional Sports

OPINION: The Long Game

By Trevor K. McNeil and D. S. Mitchell

Professional Women Athletes

The idea of women’s professional sports is not new. For people of my generation and younger, the 1996 founding of the Women’s National Basketball Association was a long time ago. The WNBA is just one of a number of attempts at starting women’s professional sports leagues.

Big Disgrace

The world-wide lack of sustainable women’s pro baseball, hockey and soccer is an on-going and unaccountable disgrace. Particularly considering how well amateur teams have been shown to do, especially in hockey at the Olympics. An injustice underscored when former Canadian Women’s Hockey Team captain Hayley Wickenheiser went to play pro hockey in Finland, where the hockey federation voted unanimously to allow women to play for the existing men’s teams. This of course then raises questions of equal opportunity on an unequal playing field.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

One of the major obstacles to the success of women’s teams are issues around publicity and sponsorship, at least partly based on the idea that there is a lack of interest in women’s athletics. There is without a doubt a shortage of attention given to women’s pro athletes. Star’s attract viewers. The media doesn’t make stars but it draws attention to them. Perhaps a priority should be to demand the media give the gals equal coverage.

A League of Their Own

One of the first professional women’s athletics leagues was the All-American Girl’s Professional Baseball League. Founded in 1943, when a baseball hungry nation cried out for satisfaction during the final years of WWII, the AAGPBL did surprisingly well. There were the usual cries of foul from arch conservatives, particularly at the beginning, but the league ended up lasting for 11 years from 1943 to 1954, drawing in up to 500,000 fans per season during its final years. Even after ‘the boys’ came home from the war.

Do It Yourself

A women’s professional association that not only survived but thrives to this  day is the LPGA. Founded in 1950, it is the oldest continuing American women’s professional sports association. Boasting champions such as Kathy Whitworth. The Texas native who won 88 titles over an over 40 year a career, from 1960 to her retirement in 2005. A tradition carried on by the likes of Lexi Thompson who at the age of 25 has already won 14 American and International golf championships.

In Her Court

Similarly, there have been strong women competitors in tennis for decades. The 1924 Olympics in Paris a prime example. A fact which finally calumniated in the formation of the Women’s Tennis Association in 1973. It gave a visible platform for the likes of  Martina Navratilova to compete on a professional level, destroying all competition put in her way, as well as being one of the first to play mixed-doubles against men. There have been controversies of course. One notable fact is that male winners got more prize money than female winners at the same event. Something that immediately changed once the governing body was challenged.

Going Backwards

In some ways it seems like we are going backwards. The current resistance and outright patronizing attitude shown toward women’s athletics is indicative of a distinctly retrograde attitude. There have always been idiots, just like there have always been politicians and lawyers, yet things seem to be getting worse. The objections, counter-arguments, and crude jokes, about women’s sports now, sadly reminiscent of those at the beginning of the AAGPBL in 1943. I truly hope we are better than this.

Third Wave

There is the erroneous idea that increased attention on women’s athletics and the push for more recognition is the result of feminist activism. While feminist ideals have certainly helped to push the idea along many other factors are at play. For one there is a major social and cultural reticence in terms of women’s sports. In the good old USA, being a Tomboy is okay until you are fourteen, but after that it is a time to drop the games of childhood and get ready to raise the next generation.  There is none of that pressure on the guys. It is okay for men to play for money until they die.  It’s time that the girls should be allowed to play for big money too.

 

David Shadrick “Ooops!”

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David Shadrick “Ooops!”

Here we are again,  Dave Shadrick is shaking the shit and throwing it out at the world. Lawsuits against Rudy, Fox News and an assortment of other Trump water carriers have been filed. Defamation can be costly. Enjoy here on www.calamitypolitics.com and on YouTube.

 

Benefits Of Working From Home

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There are numerous financial benefits from working from home

Benefits Of Remote Work

D. S. Mitchell

Pandemic Adjustments

The vision of going to work has changed for many of us during the COVID-19 pandemic. Working from home may continue for many workers as we move out of the pandemic and back to normalcy. A Harvard Business School study reported that more than one third of the companies surveyed believed that post-pandemic work environment will include an increase in remote work.

Savings Coming

The shift to at-home work can have long term positive financial advantages. Such possible benefits could include such things as:

  1. Reduced transportation costs. Over even a short time you can spend a lot of money commuting back and forth to the work place. The average commuter typically spends $2,000 to $5,000 annually. This includes gas, car maintenance, public transportation costs and other related costs according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
  2. Lower insurance premiums. Auto insurance premiums are partially based on miles driven. If you no longer travel from home to work and back again you should potentially save money.
  3. Lower lunch costs. Eating at restaurants, or visiting coffee shops while at work can add up fast. It is easy to imagine saving $50 to $100 per week by working from home.
  4. Lower clothing costs. I’m not suggesting you work in your skivvies but there are definitely ways to relax your wardrobe when working from home. Not to mention reducing laundry and dry cleaning expenses.
  5. Lower child care costs. Child care costs can be high. Working from home should reduce those expenses dramatically.
  6. Increased time. Working from home can save hours of time spent on the bus, train, subway or in your car. Spend it recklessly or wisely it’s your choice, but working from home should give you more of it.

It is not hard to imagine saving as much as $5,000 each year by working from home. If this new phenomenon becomes the norm you should think about saving or investing this potential windfall.  Edward Jones suggests two possibilities to make the most of this extra money. One, build an emergency fund containing at least one year of emergency cash. Two, an IRA or a similar employer-sponsored plan could provide an approximate $97,000 ($2,500) to $200,000 ($5,000) after 20 years at 6% interest.

https://www.calamitypolitics.com/2019/10/16/energy-saving-tips-that-cost-nothing/

 

Comfortable In Their Indecency

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Comfortable In Their Indecency

The work of social justice must continue.

OPINION:

Comfortable In Their Indecency

D. S. Mitchell

Daily Blessings

I have been enormously blessed. I wake with a grateful heart each day.

Unvarnished Anger

I am however, angry with so many well-meaning people that assume that it is because they worked hard, or because they are especially smart is why they have done well financially in this society. The presumption then being that those who aren’t doing well must be lazy, stupid, unworthy or some other white elitist measurement of failure. There are millions of people every day that have their dreams smashed for reasons that have nothing to do with how hard they are working. Born in poverty, birth  defects, disease, accidents, divorce, abuse, homelessness, hunger. The list of adversity is long.

Knees Down

We live in a cruel capitalist society, with thousands of devices designed to keep the already advantaged always on top. In every city in this country huge numbers of people are living in tents, surrounded by garbage, no mental health services for people in crisis, police officers  so comfortable in their indecency that they feel no shame in holding their knee on the neck of another human being for nearly 9 minutes. The injustice in this country should have us on our fucking knees.  DSM/Calamity

OPINION: Propaganda and Intentions

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OPINION: Propaganda and Intentions

propaganda is misused by governments to effect people's opinion and actions

OPINION: Propaganda and Intentions

By Trevor K. McNeil

As bad as they seem?

Meanings can be tricky. Some words taking on cultural coloring, in no way reflecting the actual meaning. One of the main examples is the notion of stereotypes. Generally, a neutral term for observable trends it has come to be used interchangeably with prejudice or racism, only one of which is actually bad. It might seem strange because of how it is now used, but prejudice isn’t inherently negative. All it really means, going to the Latin root, is to pre-judge. Pre-judging something negatively is what people now mean when they used the term. Completely ignoring the fact that it is just as possible to pre-judge someone or something positively.

And Now To Politics

The way this all relates to politics, aside from the fact that language is generally how people understand the world, and very much informs our world-view, is that there is a word in the political arena that has been both misused and misunderstood almost from its inception. Propaganda, like post-modernism, is probably not what you think. Used by the political set, in one way or another, going back to Ancient Greece, propaganda is the use of information mediums to advance a particular political agenda or world-view. This can be done in a particularly bias or intentionally misinforming way, as seen in China and  Russia, but such is not an inherent element. A bug rather than a feature, one might say.

Misuse and Lies

It is just such misuses and lies, particularly perpetrated by the Russians in the form of agitprop, that has led to the sullied reputation propaganda now has. In reality, everything from pamphlets for political candidates, to campaign ads, as well as certain types of billboards, books and even songs, plays and movies, count as propaganda.

Burn It Down

The main thing that determines whether something is propaganda comes down to the intention of the creator. Whether said propaganda is considered good or bad, is almost entirely left to one’s own distinction. A notorious case of conflict in meaning came with the film V For Vendetta. Based in the graphic novel of the same name by British author Alan Moore, the film set off a minor fire-storm both the left and the right saying it was hate-filled propaganda against their own side. Which is ironic, because the ethos of the original book, somewhat lost in the film, is apolitical. The work is still propaganda but of a much different sort. Rather than advancing a particular political ideal, it largely transcends politics, instead going into the realms of moral philosophy. The basic message of both the book and the film is one of autonomy.

Bringing It Down To Earth

Seeing governments as little more as methods to organize. It is individuals who are truly important. A sentiment most clearly shown in the line: “people shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.” The government in both the book and the film is presented as fascist, but the general idea is that any government, of any description that gets above its station needs to be brought back down to earth.

In The Mirror Darkly

A case in which intention was presumed, came with the hit series Black Mirror. Premiering on British television in 2011 many, critics and viewers alike, presumed creator Charlie Brooker, known for his style of ‘satirical pessimism’ was an ardent Luddite. Assuming the show’s damning take on information technology to be a Boomer raging against the technology they don’t understand. Never mind that Brooker was 40 during the first season. There was an idea behind the darkness to be sure but one far from what was assumed. Brooker has gone on record saying he has no problem with technology.

Black Mirror

The horror elements in Black Mirror derive entirely from human causes. Basically people using what could be elevating technology to ruin their lives. The title is indicative of this. Brooker noticed that if you turn off a smartphone or tablet the screen becomes reflective, creating a black mirror. A darkened reflection of one’s true self. So, while there are certainly ideas and world-views at play in Black Mirror, they are so subtly present that most people missed it. Making it at most failed propaganda, rather than the anti-technology screed most assumed. Putting a different spin on the show and the incorrect use of the idea of propaganda itself.

https://www.calamitypolitics.com/2018/10/29/on-line-bullying/

OPINION: Jonathan Pie Says Goodbye

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OPINION: Jonathan Pie Says Goodbye 

HUMOR:  Jonathan Pie Says Goodbye To Donald Trump

T.K. McNeil suggested this great Goodbye rant from YouTube by Jonathan Pie. Jonathan says everything I have ever thought about Donald Trump, plus some I never thought of. One hell of a rant. It is the best goodbye, good riddance speech you will ever hear. Check out Jonathan’s YouTube channel and subscribe. Enjoy. DSM

 

45 Reasons “45” Didn’t MAGA

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A look at Trump's failures

OPINION:

45 Reasons “45” Didn’t MAGA

By Anna Hessel

  1. America was already great before Trump was elected.
  2. He removed us from the Paris Climate Accord. Despite all the facts – he refers to global warming as a “hoax.”
  3. President Trump insulted our military service members. Insulting the very men and women who put their lives on the line for our nation. He shamefully attacked dead heroes like John McCain and Gold Star families. To top it off, Donnie Bone Spur decided to veto the bipartisan supported National Defense Authorization Act, stopping a 3% military personnel pay raise.
  4. Trump lifted the ban on trophy hunting, because Donnie Jr. wanted him to.  This has allowed the import of lion and elephant carcasses, innocent and majestic animals whose lives were taken away for “sport.”
  5. The Trump administration caged thousands of migrant children. A record number still remain in detention. He has forcibly separated kids from their parents. Over 600 of these children were ripped cruelly from their families, and now those mothers and fathers cannot be located.
  6. Nearly 400,000 people are dead due to Trump’s mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis. He knew the risk of this deadly virus but he lied to the public. The US is the epi-center of the coronavirus. The refusal of Trump and his “MAGA” followers to wear masks, avoid crowds, social distance, practice proper hand washing, and maintain increased sanitation measures has contributed to the spread of the disease. Other nations are returning to normalcy while U.S. cases continue to rise, and our mortality rate is the highest in the world. His vaccine distribution plan has also failed miserably, yet  his supporters, who originally called the inoculation unsafe, now praise him for allegedly getting us the vaccine.
  7. Trump is the only “president” to be impeached TWICE for criminal acts.
  8. The only “president” in history to be banned by social media outlets.
  9. His orange “comb over” and scowling face has been hard to tolerate and getting harder by the moment.
  10. Empty store shelves, devoid of groceries, cleaning products, and the ever popular toilet paper are directly related to Trump’s failure.
  11. The rampant racism, bigotry, and anti-Semitism he has promoted will leave a stain on our country. His bigotry has encouraged attacks on places of worship, the Muslim community, blacks, Mexicans and Asians.  White supremacy and white privilege pushed to the forefront by his brainwashed supporters.  This deeply failed man, this narcissistic, misogynistic, white supremacist, and self-proclaimed “nationalist” is a hero to his supporters. Trump’s blatant racist mentality has given license and fringe popularity to those with hate in their hearts who wish to commit atrocious and senseless acts of violence in the name of “patriotism.” Trump cannot even decide if those followers are “patriots” or an embarrassment to him.  His frightening attitude has taken our country back to times well before the fight for our civil rights.
  12. Donald J. Trump and his “fan-actics,” including figures like Franklin Graham, have committed acts of blasphemy, claiming this serial adulterer, who knows nothing about the Christian religion, boasts of grabbing women by their private parts, has multiple rape accusations against him, who holds a Bible he doesn’t read in front of a church he doesn’t attend, is “God’s chosen one,” equating Trump to the Lord Jesus Himself. His supporters falsely claim he has done more for Christianity than any other President, when actually what he has done is made a mockery of faith. His actions in no way reflect a “godly man” – they are much closer to an Antichrist.
  13. He is the only “president” or presidential candidate who has refused to release his tax returns.
  14. Donnie-Do-Nothing brought us the first “FLOTUS” seen with a staple in the area of her navel. Unfortunately that was all the coverage she had.
  15. He took credit for the economic stimulus checks, insisting his signature be on the check, as if the money was coming out of his own pocket. While he is largely responsible for the economic decline we are facing due to the coronavirus. A virus which he claimed would just disappear. He disbanded the task force formed by the Obama administration to prevent, address, and combat pandemics.
  16. Wildly unsubstantiated beliefs such as power generation windmills causing cancer.
  17. He misappropriated the words of a popular, strong female motion picture character (Elle Woods, “Legally Blonde”) as his own.
  18. Moments of total idiocy were a daily head shaker. Whether it was his inexplicable spelling mistakes or crazy statements such as saying the Revolutionary soldiers protected the “airports” at the time of the Revolutionary War.
  19. He called our beautiful, accomplished, and intelligent Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris a “nasty” woman. A term he often uses for women of strength and power.
  20. He has poked fun at pet owners – he made a comment to the effect of, “Can you see me walking a dog on the White House lawn? I don’t think so.” Dogs across America are howling a sigh of relief at this revelation, while kitty cats fear being grabbed.   The only seemingly decent thing I can ever recall Trump doing is signing the bill making animal cruelty a felony.
  21. At a rally he viciously and publicly made fun of a disabled journalist.
  22. He consistently denounces the media and journalism in general as reporting “fake news” when they do not agree with his convoluted, conflicted viewpoints.
  23. Donald Trump played golf while our nation has faced the most challenging threat to our safety in over 100 years.
  24. “Bunker boy” is a big bully and spoiled brat.
  25. Trump has attempted to cut or destroy Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, nutrition assistance, and other social programs with no regard to the millions of senior citizens, disabled, working poor, single parents, and military families that rely on them, claiming “socialism” is Communism, when in fact he aligns himself with dictators.
  26. He shares an overwhelming proportion of “hawk”-type personality traits with Adolf Hitler.
  27. Trump and his attorneys have filed numerous frivolous and baseless lawsuits, claiming President-elect Joe Biden and his supporters “stole” the election. The lie so big that AG Bill Barr and federal judges appointed by Trump saw no merit in his accusations.  Joe Biden received  81,283,985 a record number of votes, more than any other presidential candidate in history. Trump and at least one of his attorney’s Sidney Powell is being sued for defamation by Dominion voting machines and a software firm who provided electronic voting programs.  Of course, then there was the interference by Russia in the 2016 presidential election.
  28. His racist border wall…
  29. A ban on Muslims entering the country, prevented needed health care workers from reentering the country. The ban kept an innocent woman from visiting an ill family member residing legally in the United States. The stories are many and they are heartbreaking.
  30. Donald Trump said he would date his own daughter. How sick is that?
  31. He wanted to spend large amounts of American government money on a dictator-like military parade.
  32. Churches, schools, theaters, cinemas, graduations, weddings, and sporting events closed or canceled en masse until further notice.
  33. He told the nation to inject or drink bleach as a cure for COVID-19.
  34. Trump laughingly called himself “a very stable genius”.
  35. His unnerving Twitter rants.
  36. Supporters claim that Trump is the only “president” who has ever run the country like a business. I would like to point out that Trump was a failed businessman,  who filed for bankruptcy  four to six times, depending on the source cited.
  37. Trump pardoned Blackwater contractor war criminals responsible for the massacre of innocent unarmed civilian Iraqis.
  38. He wanted to draw down all United States forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, despite the security risk. Eventually he left only 2500 troops each in both countries. These numbers still have no strategic sensibility with terrorists threats ongoing. Iraq and Afghanistan now have less American service personnel than Spain.
  39. His threat to veto COVID-19 relief forced the American people to spend the holiday season in stressed concern. Many feel they have been left to fend for themselves as we faced the very worst of this pandemic.
  40. He discussed the preposterous and frightening idea of a martial law declaration so he could get a new election in certain swing states.
  41. His ludicrous claim that, “our country is full and we cannot accept any more immigrants.”
  42. Trump said he wanted to fistfight his presidential opponent, the peaceful and physically fit Joe Biden.
  43. While stupidly and improperly walking in front of Queen Elizabeth during his visit to the United Kingdom he stopped forcing the 92-year-old monarch to step around “The Dumb Donald”.
  44. His present-tense comment about a gentleman who passed away in 1895, which still baffles our brains. “Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who’s done an amazing job and is getting recognized more and more, I notice.”
  45. Trump is a sore loser, threatening to skip the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris, and to leave the country. It looks like he is finally going to make America great…

 

https://www.calamitypolitics.com/2019/07/03/fatal-flaw-conservatism-10426/

David Shadrick “Protest Problem”

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David Shadrick “Protest Problem”

 

David Shadrick “Protest Problem”

Calamity News and Politics is happy to welcome Dave Shadrick back with some valuable information if you intend to join a protest demonstration. Stay tuned, stay informed.

 

OPINION: First Ladies of Style

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OPINION: First Ladies Of Style

The First Lady is a style inspiration in the United States and around the world.

 

*Anna Hessel loves fashion. Anna wanted to write about our incredible array of fashionable and not so fashionable First Ladies. Her first article for the new year focuses on this cavalcade of stylish women. The incoming Biden-Harris administration is going to make history. The first woman Vice President Kamala Harris is an empowering image of the most diverse presidential administration in history.  2021 is going to be in part about breaking the glass ceiling. Go Team Biden-Harris. Enjoy. DSM

 

First Ladies of Style

By Anna Hessel

First in Style

For centuries, American women have looked to our presidents’ wives for style inspiration.  Of course, now we also have a female VP, Kamala Harris, with a unique look all of her own.  Dolley Payne Todd Madison is considered to be the first of the First Ladies, even though Martha Washington and Abigail Adams preceded her – they were then just called, “the President’s wife”.  She served as a hostess for Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, along with his daughter Martha.  Jefferson’s wife Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson passed away before he took office.  She is said to have been physically weakened by the bodily strain of numerous pregnancies.  Mr. Jefferson, at his wife’s request, never remarried.  Dolley Madison was an enormous help to him during his presidency.

Dolley In

She easily stepped into the First Lady role when her husband James Madison was elected president, serving from 1809 to 1817.  Dolley, a former Quaker, was thrilled to finally be able to wear high fashion attire.  Her inaugural gown of buff velvet worn with pearl bracelets was loved by the press of the time, securing her place in fashion history.  Mrs. Madison had a penchant for turbans and French style.  She was known for always carrying a book and having a colorful tropical bird as a beloved pet.  Dolley defined so many of the roles of the First Lady and White House conventions, including the State Dinner and the Easter Egg hunt.  A blue-eyed beauty, she has also been credited with introducing ice cream to the ‘President’s Mansion.’

Lincoln Togs

Although most historical records refer to her as Mary Todd Lincoln, she did not use her maiden name “Todd” after she married Abraham.  Rumor has it the Lincoln’s wedding cake was still warm when they cut it.  At 5’ 2”, Mrs. Lincoln was a petite powerhouse of style, preferring to wear flowers on her clothing and in her hair.  She was said to have once forced a former beau to wear a circle of flowers that she was fashioning upon his head for a walk around the square.  Mary was a stunningly beautiful and genteel First Lady from 1861-1865. She however was frequently criticized for buying and wearing extravagantly expensive ball gowns during the Civil War.

Taft And Teddy

From March 4th, 1909, to March 4th, 1913, Hellen Herron Taft served as First Lady.  Educated at the University of Cincinnati, Mrs. Taft stylishly wore tall floral brimmed hats, elegant gowns with frothy and billowing wraps, and even carried a fan.  She was followed by the first Mrs. Roosevelt, Edith, the second wife of President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, for whom “Teddy bears” were named.  The adorable bears  were dubbed by a Brooklyn candy shop owner, with Roosevelt’s permission, in honor of an incident during a famous hunting trip the President took in 1902.  “Teddy” had refused to shoot a bear that hunting guides had corralled and tied to a tree.  While Teddy was running about the backwoods in hunting duds Edith delighted the fashion conscious women of the country with large hats and lots of lace.

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