Category: More Topics

75 Things To Smile About

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75 Things To Smile About

D. S. Mitchell

It is Sunday afternoon and it is a perfect day on the North Oregon coast. The clouds are while cotton balls hanging over a blue ocean with cresting waves breaking gently against the sand.  Sundays are when I discard politics and look for reasons to smile.

So today this is what I came up with:

1.) Puppy love  2.) Wearing a man’s T-shirt  3.) Painted bead-board  4.) Skinny, crispy french fries 5.) Pale yellow and baby blue bedrooms  6.) Beach bonfires  7.) Misty mornings  8.) Good balance 9.) Day dreaming  10.) Sitting in the sun  11.) Having a canary in the house  12.) Remembering a locker combination  13.) Paper clips  14.) The cat sleeping in the fern plant  15.) Copper kettles 16.) Moonlight on water  17.) The crunchiness of French bread  18.) Mushroom hunting 19.) Picnic baskets loaded and ready  20.) Old Godzilla movies at midnight 21.) Finding the tool I need  22.) Turning off the faucet just as the water reaches the sink brim  23.) Achievement and set-back  24.) Tiny houses 25.) Wicker and lace  26.) Powdered doughnut holes with fresh perked coffee 27.) A secret journal  28.) A check at the mail box 29.) An old cabin in the woods  30.) Hide-an-Seek 31.) An approaching storm 32.) Sundance catalogue  33.) Childhood games  34.) Giving the peace sign, not the finger  35.) A new toothbrush 36.) Finishing a chore 37.) Filling a baked potato with butter, chives and sour cream 38.) Marx brother’s movies 39.) Chocolate fudge cake with chocolate and cherry cordial ice cream 40.) eBay 41.)Snowmobile rides 42.) Sweet dreams  43.) Stalagmites and stalagitates 44.) Ice fishing 45.) The smell of wood burning 46.) Back rubs and foot rubs 47.) A little self-love  48.) Fixing dinner with your partner 49.) New carpeting 50.) Old Sea Hunt episodes 51.) Arabian horses 52.) Finding a bird feather 53.) School plays 54.) The click of a spinning fan 55.) Remembering Mama 56.) A bike filled college campus 57.) Following a stone wall to its end 58.) Babies wearing boots and jeans 59.) Concerts in the park 60.) Machu Picchu 61.) Self confidence 62.) Wire baskets filled with vegetables 63.) The feel of corduroy 64.) Trains 65.) Cats 66.) Cartwheels, somersaults, and hand stands on the front lawn 67.) Historic places 68.) Tortoises 69.) Koi filled ponds 70.) Hot apple Empanadas 71.) Carte blanche 72.) Good posture 73.) A Denny’s breakfast of grease and goo 74.) Japanese lanterns floating on a breeze 75.) Touch football

No matter what is happening in Washington today, I will smile.

Join me mostly daily, as I autopsy the headline political news with an extra side of sarcasm and a double order of cynicism, but for dessert I dig into a big dish of hope, as I attempt to analyze and comment on the upside down world of U.S. politics.

Join the Resistance

Dar

66 Things To Smile About

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66 Things To Smile About

D. S. Mitchell

Calamity Politics presents progressive political opinions, predictions and speculations regarding the current U.S. political news scene. The Fourth of July, Independence Day, one of my favorite holidays. Its been a good day. I worked half a day, hung out with a couple friends while they did demolition on their new “used” home. It looks like a lot of work and a huge money outgo, but the place is in a great neighborhood and the house has great bones. After the fireworks I was too tired to finish my Independence Day post. So, here are ’66 Things To Smile About’:

1.) Hours at the library 2.) Remembering my reusable bags when I go shopping 3.) The Budweiser horses 4.) Summer Solstice Parties 5.) Wall art 6.) A room filled with music 7.) Houseboating at Lake Shasta, California 8.) A seaplane landing 9.) A lazy game of golf with the girls 10.) A bag of tennis balls for the dog 11.) A twisted toothpaste tube 12.) Animal cookies 13.) Elevator door opening just as you reach it 14.) Playing darts at the pub 14.) A new litter of puppies 15.) Roses growing up a picket fence 16.) Getting the local paper at the doorstep 17.) Breakfast with Tracey 18.) Antique car shows 19.) Having a plan 20.) Astoria, Oregon 21.) Air shows 22.) Girl’s softball 23.) Dancing with a great dancer 24.) Kids in the sprinkler 25.) Thrift store shopping 26.) Hot air balloons 27.) Upscale resale shops 28.) Loading the fishing gear 29.) River walks and Ocean Promenades 30.) Saturday Night Live 31.) Remembering a loved one with graveside flowers 32.) Inspiring a child 33.) The tingle of stage fright just before a performance 34.) Chasing rainbows 35.) Chintz curtains blowing through an open window 36.) Country stores 37.) Fresh baked bread soaked with butter 38.) Castles sitting high above rivers 39.) “Getting away” for the weekend 40.) Coconut milk fresh from the coconut 41.) Kah-Nee-Ta Resort 42.) Shiny firetrucks 43.) Plate size cinnamon rolls shared with friends 44.) Antique quilts on display 45.) Pressing Restart after a bad episode 46.) Hitting a home run 47.) Marching for a cause 48.) Seeing football teams wear pink for breast cancer awareness 49.) The Ferries of Puget Sound 50.) Vancouver Island 51.) Sidewalk dining 52.) Finding a childhood toy when unpacking boxes long stored 53.) Street rods 54.) Consciously stirring a conversation to avoid an argument with a co-worker 55.) One trusted and forever best friend 56.) A “Make Over Day” 57.) Wind chimes quietly tapping in the wind 58.) Catfish caught in the early morning and fried for breakfast 59.) Fortune tellers and Ouija boards 60.) Mexican tooled cowboy boots 61.) Beer in iced glasses 62.) Making, and then eating cannabis cookies 63.) Hanging an oil painting you did when you were 25 over the fireplace for a new showing 64.} The ‘mission’ you create with a ‘To Do List” 65.) Self help books, purchased, but never read 66.) A joke well told

Thank you for joining me for my weekly smile session. Remember to do your part; call Capitol Hill, fax and email your reps, write letters to congress, letters to the editors, tweets, blog, protest, run for office.

Join the Resistance.
Dar

35 Reasons To Smile

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35 Reasons To Smile

D. S. Mitchell

Calamity Politics was temporarily disabled on Sunday, and because of that issue  I did not post my regular Sunday Reasons to Smile. So, it’s Monday and let’s find some things that make me smile, and hopefully you too.

Forget politics for a few minutes and join me for 35 Reasons To Smile:

1.) Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade cook book series  2.) “Doing” breakfast  3.) Blowing bubbles  4.) Saturday night Roller Derby  5.) Popeye cartoons  6.) Aquariums  7.) Tug boats  8.) Winning 9.) Tootsie Roll Pops  10.) Costco food samples  11.) Fitted sheets  12.) Window seats  13.) Spa Day  14.) KoolAid  15.) A freshly sharpened pencil  16.) Chasing rainbows  17.) Day hikes  18.) NASA 19.) Birdhouses 20.) Caves  21.)  Beach bonfires  22.) Song birds  23.) Hot fudge sundaes  24.) Balcony  25.) Gymnastics  26.) Playing Frisbee with the dog  27.) Windsurfing the Columbia Gorge 28.) Clam Chowder in a bread bowl  29.) The shape of water 30.) Indian summer  31.) Hot tea  32.) Wishing on a star  33.) Baskets of Geraniums  34.) Toddler’s in snowsuits  35.) Secret family recipes.

I’m happy now. Hope you found something to smile about.

Join the Resistance

Dar

99 Things To Make You Smile

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99 Things To Make You Smile

D. S. Mitchell

Welcome to Calamity Politics. Calamity Politics is based on the North Oregon coast. We attempt to present relevant and engaging political commentary, opinion, argument, speculations and predictions regarding the US political news scene.

Once a week I do a post entitled “Things That Make Me Smile”. The number of reasons to smile usually change with each post. No reason. Just because I can, I guess.

So, take your mind off of politics; including your grandmother losing her Medicaid, the “de-construction of the administrative state”, the possible Russian collusion with the Trump campaign, the Qatar blockade, and try if possible to focus on the good things in your life.

Today I offer 99 Things That Make Me Smile:

1.) Being on time
2.) Watering the flower boxes
3.) Lots of helping hands to make a big job, go fast
4.) Stumbling on to a “new” favorite restaurant
5.) Early to bed, early to rise.
6.) A winter tan that makes co-workers weep
7.) Blackened hot dogs. Yum.
8.) Dad’s work bench
9.) Weathered barns
10.) Orderliness
11.) Orange juice with my morning coffee
12.) Napping in the afternoon
13.) Singing in the shower
14.) Living in a vacation town, during the off season
15.) Import/Export stores

16.) B & B escapes
17.) Slow dancing with him
18.) Being in balance
19.) Pizza with crispy paper thin crusts
20.) Wild strawberries peeking up in the flowerbeds
21.) Ivory soap, it floats
22.) Ski week-ends at Mt. Bachelor, Bend, Oregon
23.) Calling anyone wearing a name tag by their name
24.) Cobblestone streets and meandering alleys
25.) Handmade

26.) Rain drops hitting a pond
27.) Having to ask the only guy in the room to open a tight jar lid
28.) Front row seats
29.) Spring cleaning
30.) Amazon (I may have said this one before)
31.) Rational thinking
31.) Mother May-I?
32.) Half price sales
32.) Peas dangling from a trellis
33.) Freedom of Speech
34.) Hipfish
35.) Cookbooks with food stains on most every page
36.) Author signings

37.) Watching a smile break into a laugh
38.) Watching an old couple walk hand in hand
39.) Telling a joke and getting it just right
40.) Songbirds
41.) Tossing coins into a fountain with a wish
42.) Stepping out of my comfort zone
43.) Realizing my moral compass was tested, and I remained true to my core beliefs
44.) Rethinking time worn assumptions
45.) Watching a talent blossom
46.) Tracey’s homemade ice cream
47.) Childhood remembrances, with a childhood friend
48.) The pace of 1960’s life
49.) Following Estate Sale signs
50.) Offering someone hope
51.) Riding in small town parades
52.) Knowing when to turn back
53.) Loving the one ‘you’re with’

54.) Putting pennies in a jar
55.) Deciding to change a bad behavior
56.) Being able to never have to go to the bank
57.) Bicycle days
58.) Fresh cut grass
59.) Starry nights
60.) Comics and cartoons
61.) Vampire movies
62.) Puzzles
63.) Sandcastles
64.) Essential oils
65.) The excitement of Las Vegas
66.) Zen koans (Collection of Stones and Sand)
67.) Realizing it is time to stop talking
68.) The roar of the ocean
69.) An encouraging word
70.) Pyramids of tea sandwiches
71.) My birthstone, the amethyst
72.) Tickets to the opening Blazer game
73.) The lawn mower starting with first pull

74.) Ferry boats
75.) Pull over sweaters
76.) Being a Pisces
77.) Biographies of accomplished people
78.) Using actual hand signals for turns
79.) Knowing when its time to work and when its time to play
80.) Buying a CD of old time radio shows, turn down the lights, find a comfortable chair, and let the magic happen
81.) Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
82.) Magicians
83.) A kiss with meaning
84.) Frank Sinatra with dinner
85.) Paying my Visa card bill with my MasterCard
86.) Grand kids for the week end
87.) Refrigerators full of beer and soda pop

88.) Gothic beauty
89.) The aroma of fresh baked cookies
90.) Having a real home office
91.) Having a plan
92.) The Benson Hotel, Portland, Oregon
93.) Rag & Bone
94.) Being ready for a surprise question
95.) Having someone in my life that I can be totally honest with
96.) Pushing aside old food prejudices
97.) Being smart
98.) Acting stupid
99.) Planting something

Take your time. The scandal and corruption in the Trump Administration is going to be around for a longer time than I would ever want, so think of your own 99 Things that make you smile.
I’ll be back Monday, or later tonight. Weekends at the beach always brings friends.

Dar

Join the Resistance

Twitter And Me

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Twitter And Me

D. S. Mitchell

I love Twitter. I hate Twitter. I love Twitter. I hate Twi….I know.  I sound a bit confused in my base emotions surrounding this global social sparring arena, and I am. My relationship with the Twitter platform,  reminds me of a couple bad relationships I’ve had in my life. I hate you, I love you, I apparently, “love to hate you”. There is something to be said about high adrenaline, at times, however it is usually like placing a pile of papers on a table and turning on a fan.  I forgot who said that, but I think it is applicable.

To all of the clear thinking, intelligent, brilliant folks that hope for a more tolerant and inclusive world, I love tossing tweets back and forth, and I love you all. So many caring and committed individuals wanting to do everything they can do, to advance the Progressive agenda.

The ‘I hate’ side of me, comes out when somebody in the audience decides to suddenly join in, by launching a vile attack.  Why would someone chose to do that?  Hmmm. Good question.  Not all vicious attacks come from  paid Russian trolls, I have decided. Is it because the offender didn’t get any nookie last night, or did Mom yell at him,  did he get a bad grade, was he passed over for a promotion, did he have a fender bender?

Who, the Hell knows?  The angry emotions propelling those rapid little finger hits on the phone keys  subvert the medium itself, “I can’t see you. You can’t see me.  So, I will say something disgusting and revolting because there are no consequences for my actions”.  That excuse makes no sense if you are a person with a moral compass.  Each of us are the words we speak, our words are our legacy.

It’s easier to be thoughtless and insulting, when an individual doesn’t have to look an opponent in the eye. I can tell by the tone of the tweets that many of the folks in the cyber world are red faced, white knuckled, jaw grinding angry.

So, all I’m saying is that,  if someone is mad, they should be able to find enough self control, to re-channel that anger, turn it to energy and go run a couple miles, go for a swim, clean out the garage, wax the floors, do the laundry, walk the dog, VOLUNTEER. Get that unhealthy anger out, through exercise and accomplishment, rather than attacking someone 5,000 miles away that you will never see.

Being a bully, whether at work, on the playground, or on the web, is just ugly.  It’s inexcusable. It is disgusting and it needs to stop.

If you are angry and you want to increase the value of your argument, be intelligent, and thoughtful in your comments.  People will listen.  People are ready for fresh and inspirational ideas and solutions.

Anyone can put a string of four letter words together, even me. But, I’m asking that we aim to be better than that.  We are all, in the end, just human beings trying to do the best we can in an uncertain world.

As such, we don’t always attain the level of goodness that we aspire to, but if there is no aspiration then there is no gain.  There  is no improvement or advancement.  If we are going to resort to base instincts, then I suggest we are still cavemen, but now we have technology as our club.

I listen to conservatives, all the time.   I don’t need to agree with them, but I try to listen until they begin attacking, or trying to spin their arguments BACK TWO DECADES to the actions of Bill Clinton’s scandal plagued presidency.

I find it truly offensive that someone who doesn’t even know me, resorts to calling me such vile names as, bi—, sl–, cu–, wh—, as—–.  I feel, that only people who really know me and have evidence to support those epithets, should be allowed to use them.  You know, what I mean.  Save those really nasty words for someone you know that can live up to them.

Twitter should be respected as a great social platform, where people can safely exchange ideas in a civilized manner. A good fight is one thing, but using an outhouse of vile, foul language to shut down the exchange of ideas is really inappropriate. I understand passion.  Passion comes from understanding your goals and developing a sensible plan to reach those goals.  As such, it is not achieved through angry vile rants to someone that has volunteered an opinion on a topic you oppose.

Some people are blaming the impulsive, out of control behavior displayed by the Trump White House, as the cause.  The theory is that “if Trump can do it, so can I” has taken over social media thinking, and on-street hostile behaviors.  I’m not sure I’m ready to jump on the back of that hypothesis.

I am however, ready to ask folks on social media to respect a couple of the basic original Twitter platform objectives of idea sharing and participation in live events, in a safe, albeit, abbreviated manner.  In my mind, it is almost like the old telegraph communications translated to cyber space.

I think sometimes 140 characters is too limiting, and maybe that fact leads to misunderstandings. I don’t know,  I just know that today I felt, I needed more than those 140 characters to express my feelings on this issue.

So, follow me on Twitter, and talk nice.

Calamity Politics prides itself in addressing relevant topics and hopefully opening a dialog for political discussion. The commentary usually consists of a daily, mildly caustic post.  The viewpoint is definitely progressive in nature.  Calamity Politics focuses primarily on the United States political scene.

Remember, if you are against the Republican agenda, or just against the Trump regime; step up and take action.  The action does not need to be earthshaking, but it needs to be done consistently. Write a letter, join a protest march, put a “resist” bumper sticker on your car, call the White House, run for office. Take some action.  It is the collection of many actions that brings success to a movement.

Dar

Join the Resistance

Trump Silliness

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Trump Silliness

D. S. Mitchell

I know that yesterday, Calamity Politics veered off course when I did my ‘Sunday thing’. Today I should be settling down and writing my usual intuitive and imaginative political blog comment, but I am still reeling from mounting disclosures leaking from every government orifice, as the terrified bureaucracy, and White House staffers, spill their guts ‘off record’ in an effort to save our democracy and our cherished institutions.

Blogger Id

We need every leaker and whistle blower we can find to stop Trump and Pence. Usually I don’t mention Pence, however if we are going to push for impeachment of Trump we must also ensnare Pence. Pence has been ‘protected’ so far, but I’m sure that he is seriously involved in the collusion aspect of the campaign. We must never forget, he was brought on board by Manafort. He was there, in the inner circle, surrounded by Trump, Flynn, Sessions and all those Russians. The last thing we want in the White House is that smooth talking, MC looking troll of the right.

Because the media, the bureaucracy and the Democrats are running point for me I am going to, once again, in two days straight, try to use my political voice to lighten the mood for a moment. So, here’s a few comments overheard at the Fort George Brewery, Astoria, OR.

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55 Things To Make You Smile On A Rainy Day

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55 Things To Make You Smile On A Rainy Day

D.S. Mitchell

I know I’ve mentioned it, but this has been an incredibly cold and rainy spring. At Calamity Politics I usually do the ‘smile’ thing on Sundays. Due to factors beyond my control I got caught up writing another story, which you can read on this blog.

I am confident enough to believe that my little political blog will help shape a few ideas and sway a few opinions. As a political activist I hope my topics are interesting and helpful in developing voter awareness, citizen participation and policy implementation, but today I think we need to take a break from this holocaust erupting in front of our eyes.

So, please join me as I do my Sunday thing, on Tuesday. Here are 55 Things to smile about.
1.) The roll of thunder and the flash of lightening

2.) The sound of crows calling
3.) Mom’s 1940 aluminum cake carrier
4.) Having a flower budget
5.) Toddlers in sandboxes
6.) Homemade tamales
7.) Fresh baked apple pie
8.) Big Sur
9.) Fire trucks
10.) Liquor in decanters

11.) Walking the dunes
12.) Tillamook cheddar cheese
13.) Sails in the wind
14.) Saving my change in a piggy bank
15.) Making church steeples with my hands
16.) Finding a parking space at the front door
17.) Making Cannabis truffles
18.) Eating Cannabis truffles
19.) A garden cottage
20.) Waltzing in the Pittock Mansion ballroom
21.) Scrabble on a rainy Sunday

22.) My Alma Mater, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon
23.) Daddy’s cherished gray ‘Bogie’ Fedora
24.) Snowmobile races
25.) 501’s and a leather jacket
26.) The art section at Goodwill
27.) Knowing God is never early, and he’s never late, he’s always on time
28.) World class Ping Pong championships

29.) Making floral bouquets from flowers collected from the yard
30.) High school football games
31.) White cotton shorts
32.) Being nice when someone calls you vulgar names on Twitter
33.) Astoria Sunday Market, on a sunny day
34.) A drive up mailbox
35.) Hand thrown pottery

36.) Hand feeding horses
37.) Daily routines
38.) First day of school
39.) Last day of school
40.) Wainscotting
41.) Cheese fondue with little bread squares
42.) Having read every book on the shelf
43.) Shiny oak floors
44.) First ski week-end of the Fall
45.) A Blue Heron in the marsh

46.) Walking hand in hand with a child
47.) Wrapped peppermints in a glass dish
48.) Making pictures out of clouds
49.) Old photo albums
50.) Peanuts and popcorn at the ball game
51.) Oversize reckless, passionate modern art pieces
52.) Never feeling older than 17
53.) Powell’s Books, Pearl District, Portland, Oregon
54.) Spring wildflowers

55.) White curtains, blowing gently on a summer breeze

Thanks for joining me in a few minutes of nostalgic memories. Memories that always bring a smile to my face, I hope some of them made you smile.
Tomorrow Calamity Politics will be back covering the Washington, D.C. hotplate.

Join the Resistance

Dar

Trump Scandal Report and More

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Trump Scandal Report and More

D. S. Mitchell

As Calamity Politics’ chief spokesperson, I want readers to know that I am a progressive that attempts to be relevant, topical and hopefully engaging in my coverage of the U.S. political scene. The television screen has erupted, like I have never seen, at least not since the last days of Nixon. I went to bed with the kerfuffle screaming from every channel except FoxNews, (Hannity) which was still talking about Comey. I couldn’t watch that show very long, before I said to myself, bedtime.

This morning, I woke up early, so at 0400 I hit the remote and flipped through a couple of channels, before joining Joe and Mika. Everyone was talking over one another and there was an obvious level of excitement.

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Trump Derangement Syndrome

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Trump Derangement Syndrome

D. S. Mitchell

The first place I ever saw the term ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ was in a December 2016 LA Times Op Ed, written by Justin Raimondo, the editorial director of Antiwar.com. Justin Raimondo, a Republican, is a self described “conservative-paleo-libertarian” whatever that is supposed to mean. Wikipedia calls it a philosophy that is “in opposition to social progressivism”. I give you this little tidbit to allow you to appropriately weigh his comments.

In his Op Ed, Raimondo states the Trump Derangement Syndrome disorder developes in stages. I will briefly outline those stages of development as Raimondo describes them:

In the early stages of his described ‘disease,’ the victims “lose all sense of proportion.” In Trump’s case, “every tweet arouses a firestorm” of reaction.

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Trump Pushing U.S. Toward Authoritarianism

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Trump Pushing U.S. Toward Authoritarianism

D. S. Mitchell

I was having coffee with a friend the other day and I was chattering about Calamity Politics, my beloved progressive political blog, telling her about a new line of ‘Resistance’ apparel, and some great “Resist’ and ‘Persist’ jewelry created by an Astoria, Oregon artist. I was adding both the apparel and the jewelry to the Calamity Politics. com site.

Out of the blue, she reached out putting her hand on my arm, and said with a crinkled brow, “Aren’t you worried?”

“What? Worried about what?” I said sensing real concern in her voice.

“I don’t know, I’m worried that Trump or his crew might try to strong arm you, or sue you; anything to shut you up.”

“Well, I appreciate your concern,” I said with a barely concealed smirk.

“I can see that you think I’ve slipped the tracks,” she said looking into her espresso cup.

“I’m pretty sure I’m safe from lawsuit,” I said watching her face closely, “Or what? Assault? Blackmail? A Twitter attack?”

“I don’t know, I’ve read some scary stuff about Trump’s mob connections. New York construction means mob entanglements. Plus, he was in the those Atlantic City, New Jersey casinos. Mobsters and thugs love construction, trucking, drugs, prostitution and gambling.”

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