When You Shoot the Messenger

 Recently, Canadian-born rocker Neil Young made a point of removing his music from Spotify, a large media platform. His stated reason is that Spotify is allowing itself to be used as a platform for "spreading misinformation about Covid." He specifically cites the Joe Rogan podcast as the source. Joe Rogan isn't a liberal like Young and it's a fair guess Neil didn't care for any of what Rogen had to say, but he needed a specific reason so he chose Covid. Ironically, some of Young's past music moans about GMO food and the businesses engaged in it.

Neil Young isn't ... young anymore. He's a washed-up old man living off his past glory. He faded into the backdrop of music a long time ago, sold off some of his music for a reported $150 mil or so and for the most part people forgot about him. Once in a while his music is played on classic rock radio stations and that's about it. Publicizing his stand, he told Spotify they could have Rogen or Young, but not both. Spotify, to their credit didn't bow to this form of blackmail and said goodbye to Neil in very nice words. They even welcomed him back should he change his mind.

A few other has-been nobodies of past music joined him (Joni Mitchell, Nils Lofgren and a few other pebbles of the music industry) in protest. I'd guess it's a publicity stunt to put their names iin the public eye again, but who knows? Anyway, the funny thing is that with absolutely no credentials whatsoever, they pontificate about what is misinformation about covid. The 2 doctors who appeared on the Rogen podcast have the education, degrees and experience to at least give them some credibility about the subject. One of them is a specialist in mRNA vaccines.

So why should anybody believe a washed-up old dope-smoking musician's opinion about covid over credentialed medical doctors? Now it's not science, it's the politics of science and what you choose to believe, much like the debate over climate change with experts on both sides telling each other why they are wrong.

Do we advance science when one side tries to shut the other side up? No, we need debate, We need to hear both sides, we need to know the pros and cons. If anything, there is a plethora of information bombarding us about why everybody should get vaccinated and they've even set up a website promoting vaccines. Is there a website warning us about adverse reactions? I highly doubt it.

I'm not pro-vaccine and I'm not anti-vaccine. I'm pro-choice; every adult in this country should be able to make their own decision about what medical treatments they want and which ones they don't want. There should be no mandates, period. After the horrors of Nazi  medical experimentation, the post-WW2 Nuremburg compact specifically addresses this by saying nobody should be forced to submit to medical procedures or medicine they don't agree to. How is it any medical regimen can be mandated after this?

I still enjoy a small smattering of Neil Young music. Most of his music sounds rather nasal and droning to me and I avoid it like the plague. What is most curious to me is the concept and implementation of streaming music nowadays. I come from the old school of buying music on media (records, tapes, CDs etc) if you want it, not paying to stream for something that goes in one ear and out the other. And with the technology of today. you can change the format of your music easily (mp3s, etc) and put it on ipods or similar. I'm not against streaming music, I just don't understand it.

The meme I enjoy the most making the rounds of social media right now is the picture of Neil with the words "When you're so woke, you cancel yourself ..."

Anyway, I guess I can toss out my Joni Mitchell and Nils Lofgren CDs now, since they're sycophants of Neil in this publicity charade. 

Oh yeah. I don't have any Joni Mitchell or Nils Lofgren CDs. Too bad.

The Mask Nazi

I hesitated about writing about this. I didn't want to come off as favoring one side or the other in the debate about the efficacy of masks in preventing covid. There is plenty to read about this topic and it is easily found online. FWIW, I think the Governor of Colorado has the right idea about covid, vaccines and masks. His stated view is that the emergency is over and he won't extend or implement any mask mandates or force anybody to get a shot because ... because personal responsibility is personal, and if, after all this time, you get sick from covid without being vaccinated, it's your own darn fault. (He was silent about the large number of vaccinated people that get sick, which is par for the course.)

But I'm not in Colorado. I'm in New York, a blue-state that thinks nothing of suspending your freedoms, rights and liberties. I wish Ron DeSantis was my Governor, not some starchy lady that is drunk on power and hell-bent on somehow getting elected in November after becoming Governor by default following Andrew Cuomo's implosion. Keeping covid alive and well is part and parcel of the Democrat strategy to keep ballot-harvesting healthy via mail-in ballots. I suspect she'll do about as well at the ballot box as her predecessor did (7 out of 62 counties in 2018) but it will be enough to again elect whatever Democrat is on the ballot because the downstate urban region that includes New York City will be enough to prevail again. Frankly, I wish Governors were elected using an electoral college system to restore balance (and allow 55 out of 62 counties to have some sort of say in who will sit in the executive mansion for the next 4 years).

Anyway, the story that prompted all these words... and I'll skip mentioning the fast-food establishment where this occurred so as to not cause them harm.

We had ordered, chose a table and were sitting there waiting for our order to be completed. We had already filled our drinks from the self-serve dispenser and were making idle chatter when the show began. A lady that I will call Frau Goebbels appeared suddenly and started shouting at one of the employees. Apparently, she was upset about an employees mask. Oh, he was wearing one, to be sure. It just wasn't up to her standards of mask-wearing.

You need to pull your mask up. We couldn't hear his response clearly, but the next words out her mouth were No, you need to pull  it up to the top of your nose. I can still see some of your nose. I don't want to catch covid from you.

My wife and I were stunned. We had the best seat in the house to this show, and by now we were watching more attentively. At about this time, our name was called to come pick up the food we ordered, so I walked up and picked it up. I got a peek at who she was yelling at, grabbed the food bag and walked back to the table.

I want to see the manager. And magically, somebody appeared, talked to her and it was over. Frau Goebbels disappeared out the door. Shortly after, the employee walked out, took his apron off and muttered Thanks for ruining my day as he left. We're guessing it was either the end of his shift or the manager told him to go... but we're not sure.

If this cost this young man his job, I'll be disappointed. Mask, no mask, or an incompletely-worn mask are not the end of the world. And being loud, rude and obnoxious in front of other customers wasn't warranted. It was more about power and control than anything else. In modern lingo, she was a Karen, but I prefer the moniker Frau Goebbels better. She would have made a good Nazi. Too bad she was 90 years late.

There are ways to express your opinions about this, and the way this lady chose was a poor choice. We didn't learn anything about covid that night, but we did learn something about how many assholes walk among us. This lady clearly was one, and I fervently hope we never see her again. I suspect she is a professional complainer about many things in life.

After we were finished, as we walked towards the door, we thanked the workers for how good the food was and ... oh yeah, thanks for the bonus show. We enjoyed it. ... They laughed along with us as we went out the door.

They Had No Choice

CNN isn't doing very well lately. Compared to other networks, their audience share is rather low. Their best years of the recent past were definitely the Trump Presidential years; they constantly beat him up at every chance. There was no fair and balanced to CNN then, and it is doubtful they will ever be able to move to a centrist news position now. Since Trump left office, their ratings tanked so badly they had to keep talking about him to try to improve their ratings.

This week, they suspended Chris Cuomo after emails proved he lied about the extent of his participation in helping his brother Andrew Cuomo when he was pushed onto the poliitcal gallows trap door this past summer. Cuomo hosted the top rated show on CNN, which in comparison to other network news commentaries usually rated dead last.

CNN doesn't bother to hide the fact that it is a mouthpiece for left-leaning liberal politicians, We all watched Rachael Madcow make a fool out of herself with her Trump Russian tirades, we've seen Don Lemon be nothing more than a lackey for boastful Democrats who lie (like Adam Schiff, who claimed he had the goods on Trump with Russian collusion in an interview with them and then when asked on the Congressional record, admitted he didn't)  ... and Brian Stelter, who would look more intelligent if he were a mute. Considering the foolishness that has come out of her mouth. Joy Reid is, of course, another example of a closet bigot who takes completely non-racial stories and interjects racial bias into them (as in the Gabby/Laundrie murder mystery this past summer).  Still, CNN stands behind these fools as long as they don't commit mortal sins, and even Toobinators manage to keep their jobs after completely embarrassing the network with (almost) off-camera jollies. Frankly, with the current list of on-camera personalities at CNN, I'm baffled as to why anybody would bother watching them.

Ah, but Chris Cuomo's sins rose above and beyond; even CNN couldn't ignore them anymore. When NY Attorney-General Letitia James decided to run for Governor next year (when she earlier said she wouldn't because it would look like she went after Andrew Cuomo to take his job), she had a few Aces up her sleeve - the "report" that summarized both Cuomo's activities following Andrew's trip to the woodshed. Andrew didn't want to resign, but it became pretty clear if he didn't, he would be impeached by his former friends in both Houses of the NY Legislature.

So now, today (12-4) we see CNN decided to fire Chris Cuomo for good, citing a review by a "respected law firm.' I'm no fan of either Cuomo (I've written about them before), but I do find irony in the fact that CNN can't even fire Cuomo without the excuse of a law-firm review. No review was needed; we've seen enough of Chris Cuomo threatening to throw somebody down a stairwell, we've seen enough of his lies in his Covid-quarantine video clips and we've seen enough of his big ego when he's shooting videos of himself lifting weights. CNN should have axed him long ago and the fact that it took them this long to finally do it speaks volumes about the morals and ethics of those running the show in the CNN boardrooms.

As for the advertisers that keep giving CNN money for ad slots, if I were them, I'd tie the price of that time on CNN to their Nielson audience share. Less viewers, lower ad rates ... or simply direct their advertising budget to the networks that do get consistently good audiences. Why spend money on networks with poor ratings?

So, arrivederci, Chris. Like Fredo in Godfather II, I guess you got whacked.

They only question is, in the casting of lots at the bottom of your cross, what CNN lackey is in line to take your seat?

The New Segregationists

Segregation: The policy or practice of separating people of different races, classes, or ethnic groups, as in schools, housing, and public or commercial facilities, especially as a form of discrimination.

We're supposedly better now; mainstream America recognizes segregation is not only wrong, but a blot on our history. Not only have we logically and morally moved away from segregation, we have outlawed the practice in Federal law. The 1964 Civil Rights act banned it in the workplace and all public places. There can be little disagreement that segregation was and is wrong.

Last time I looked, we're living in the 21st century. 57 years have elapsed since 1964; surely we must have learned by now not to practice it. Sadly, it is returning and it is a real shock when you discover just who is bringing it back: The very people and institutions that worked to abolish it!

Bill Maher will be the first person to tell you he's a Liberal, but lately he's made many statements that make Conservatives question his claim. He's no friend of 'woke' people and he recently pointed out how segregation is rearing its ugly head again in America. I'll leave a link to his words at the bottom of this essay, but the screenshot I put up here clearly displays where segregation is running rampant: On college campuses, one of the very birthplaces of the civil rights battle.

It seem the dorms in our esteemed American institutes of learning (over 100 were sampled) are 42% segregated by ethnicity; orientation programs are 47% segregated and college graduation cermonies are a whopping 72% segregated. Further, it almost seems blacks are fine with it that way. If they weren't, it wouldn't take much for them to stop the practice with a few well-placed protests.

I don't usually give liberals a compliment when they utter their usual poppycock, but in this case, Maher is right. There should only be one national anthem (although I disagree with him that it doesn't necessarily have to be the one we have now; I wrote about that foolishness in a previous blog). Citing Whoopi Goldberg as a buffoon on the topic is enjoyable to watch. Whoopi thinks a black national anthem is needed and whites need to be ... re-educated about it ... No thanks, Ms. Goldberg. We're still mourning the loss of Aunt Jemima, thanks to those who already reeducated us. Thankfully, when the real national anthem is skipped at athletic events (as it has been lately), there are people who sing it A cappella anyway.

This is the second of a three-part series I'm running on why racism has become a major divider of America. Part one was about race baiters, the next generation and for that I was called abysmally ignorant and a racist by my liberal brother (which means my points landed dead center). I forgive him; the brainwashing he endured (but refuses to acknowledge) in 10 or so years of higher education all but erased any common sense he had.

The last part of my thoughts are going to center on Critical Racist Theory, the true evil it is and how it has (along with the race baiters and new segregationists) reversed the progress made in the last 50 years.

The future looks dim as far as to how America is going to fix this. The racial and political divide are simmering as I speak, and I fear for the future of my native soil. Remember, when times are bad, the political winds are fertile for a despot to come along promising to fix it. About a hundred years ago, the seeds were sown and it did happen. And we all know how history has a habit of repeating itself, because people don't change. Technology and the environment change, but people are people and if there is any one thing history has taught us, it is that people will barter away freedom for security when the chips are down.

Hell, just look back a year and a half if you don't agree with me.

Here is the link to the Maher clip on YouTube: CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO

Race Baiters: The Next Generation

Sooner or later, you get tired of it and tune it out. We're all used to people like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson rushing in to whatever fire of racism they hope to amplify by adding their own brand of gasoline to the fire. We saw it with Michael Brown in Ferguson, we saw it in Floydopolis and now we're seeing the next generation of those that make an excellent living throwing gas on whatever fire they can dub racist. It is no secret that those that make a living writhing their hands over racism don't worry about where their next meal is coming from ... and we know that when a problem is truly solved, the money following the problem dries up. So it is in the interests of the race baiters to keep fanning the flames (and making damn good money off of it at the same time.) If you don't believe me, take a look at how Jackson's Rainbow Coalition extorts takes donations from businesses to facilitate racial harmony in the workplace. Or take a peek back when Fat Albert hyped the Tawana Brawley scam and discovered there is money to be made when screaming about racism, even it it is cooked up. Al wasted no time in cashing in on it and to his credit realized that morbid obesity doesn't bode well for longevity ... so he went on a diet. Everything but his fat head lost weight, but I have to admit he does look good in those Armani suits on TV, even if he can't pay taxes on the enormous wealth he has accumulated beating the drums of racism over the last few decades.

Some of these martyrs used by the race baiters are not exemplary citizens. Michael Brown had just committed robbery when he made the mistake of thinking he could top off his day by assaulting a police officer. It didn't go well for him, but the circus of rioting and destruction that ensued ruined the lives of many in Ferguson who had nothing to do with it. Of course, the usual race baiters flew in and added their own fuel to the fire.

But there is a new generation of race baiters waiting in the wings, and sadly some of them are part of the CNN organization: Joy Reid and Don Lemon (seriously, Lemon? God does have a sense of humor). Let's talk about Joy first, because I'm still chivalrous and believe ladies should go before gentlemen.

This last week has seen America focus on the Gabby Petito story. We all know the story to date and of course, the story isn't finished yet. But at some point, it will be. America is following this story because it has all the elements: Mystery, crime, murder and human passion. Each day something new rivets us to the story.

So what does Ms. Reid do? She injects racism into a story that has absolutely nothing to do with racism. Her online comments are despicable as the family of Gabby grieves the loss of their daughter. What were her comments?

It goes without saying that no family should ever have to endure that kind of pain. And the Petito family certainly deserves answers and justice. But the way this story has captivated the nation has many wondering, why not the same media attention when people of color go missing?

Well, the answer actually has a name: Missing White woman syndrome. The term coined by the late and great Gwen Iffil to describe the media and public fascination with missing White women like Laci Peterson or Natalee Holloway, while ignoring cases involving missing people of color.

So there you have it. Somehow we're supposed to stop feeling sorry for Gabby and her family and replace the emotions we're feeling with anger about racism. Frick du, Frau Reid. And ironically, how do I describe a person of color in the media who blames the media for ignoring people of color without using the word hypocrite? ...  I'm not sure I can. And as usual, all the words before but in her quote are insignificant because she doesn't really care about the Petito family -- she's got her racism 101 paint kit out and is filling in the numbers with some really far-out colors.

And next we have Don Lemon. This waste of a perfectly good spinal cord also added his racial gasoline to the fire by trying to say the Laundrie familiy exercised white privilege by refusing to talk to the police. Here's how he spun it:

You ask any person of color, you ask a Black man who – if they have that sort of privilege.

Gee, can I ask OJ or Jusse Smollett if privilege didn't play a part in walking for their crimes?

Here's a heads up for you, Lemon. Everybody has that right. All they have to do is exercise the right. In the Laundrie case, it's obvious crimes were committed but not yet discovered ... and Gabby's fiance ran to a lawyer, who told him what any lawyer would tell a client no matter what color skin they were: Don't talk to the police, period.

Is America aghast? Yes, but that's the system and that's the constitution. If Whites, Blacks, Latinos, Asians or anybody chooses not to talk to the police - that is their right. There is plenty of other evidence and I'm assuming it will be brought out if Laundrie turns up alive ... which is speculative at this moment, because no matter what, his life is pretty much ruined going forward.

So there you have it: Race-Baiters, the Next Generation.

Isn't it comforting to know that the future of solving race-based issues is in the hands of idiots who think that pretty much everything is racist?

The Wheel of Justice Turns Slow, But it Grinds Exceedingly Fine

 Gee, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. (Guffaw) ... Just kidding. A few hours ago (It's Tuesday, August 3 2021) NY Attorney General Letitia James released a 165 page report concluding that Governor Andrew Cuomo did, in fact sexually harass many women. The report includes conversations with victims, an interview with Andrew Cuomo and also used emails as evidence to support its findings.

I've written about this guy before ... quite a few times. If you search my blog, you can see first-hand what I think of him. Spoiler alert: I don't think very highly of him. As a New York resident, I've suffered under his so-called "leadership" in many various ways. His taxes are the highest in the nation, his expanded abortion policy is unconscionably murderous, his mandate to put Covid patients in nursing homes resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and his maniacal ego have impacted every New Yorker.

So I say with no tears in my eyes as I utter the famous Italian phrase vaffanculo, Andrew Cuomo.

Take your book full of lies about how you wonderfully managed the Covid pandemic and stick it up your ass. You are almost done as I write this; the only thing left to question is how you are going to exit the Governor's mansion - either by resignation, legislative removal or if you somehow manage to delay things until next years election with the voters removing you ...

One thing is certain: Your days in power are very, very numbered. I hope you resign, but if that doesn't happen, I hope the legislature removes you. As you join the heap of disgraced and sleazy Democrats like John Edwards (2004 VP candidate who knocked up his Mistress while his wife was dying of cancer and then coerced a friend to say he was the father) and Elliot Spitzer (Client number 9), please think about honor and how it is so easily tarnished in public life ... and then please consider this:

Even Richard Nixon did the honorable thing and resigned.

You don't want to go out the door lower than Dick Nixon, do you?

PS: Take Fredo and that lying/dying networks of fools with you, please.

Mr. Rogers Neighborhood

If there is one thing you can count on, it is change. Nothing is forever, or so it seems. The world you knew growing up and the world as it is now are different; some of the change is good and unfortunately, some of the change is bad. We are supposed to learn from our mistakes so as to not repeat something that was bad, but I'm not sure America is headed in that direction. America is divided at the moment and we can debate when it started and who is responsible until the cows come home, but the first six words of this sentence leave little to debate. As a people, we are divided and part of that division is the differences in urban vs. suburban lifestyles, experiences and education. Inner city folks don't think like small-town folks do because they live very different lives. The experiences of growing up in either area, for the most part mold how people view life, government and culture. Cities are usually rich in culture, but inner city schools fall short of testing scores in suburban areas. Inner city schools have the same curricula standards because of state mandates but have a tough time hiring and paying their educators when they are in competition with their immediate neighbors. When it comes down to money spent per student, suburban schools easily outspend city schools and those are simply the facts of life.

It should come to you as little surprise that families living in the cities move out when they can afford to. I don't fault the city school districts, it's obvious they do as much as they can with whatever resources they have. And I don't fault anybody for trying to improve the lot of themselves and their family; this is part and parcel of the opportunity America offers to those willing to work for it.

So, our suburban neighborhoods with their picket fences, little pink houses and 2 cars in the driveway are the American dream. Attaining this lands you squarely in the middle class, which is not a bad place to be overall.

But that dream is being threatened. Regardless of your political affiliation, please click on this link and spend a few minutes seeing what might be coming to your neighborhood in the near future.

 CLICK HERE and afterwards, please continue reading below.

Ah. Not in my area, you think. Think again. In New Hartford, NY ( a small town of ~20,000 adjacent to Utica NY, a city of ~60,000 ) it might be here sooner than you realize. Read on:

As I grew up, New Hartford was a sleepy small town with a good mix of farms (over 50), a good school system and working middle-class post-war families. There is a business corridor which has grown exponentially along with the school budget. Surprisingly, the population hasn't grown much as there is a fair turn-over of properties. It should be noted that property values are higher than their city equivalents in most cases. Clearly, New Hartford is a desirable place to live and raise your children in and property values reflect this. Town government (I served 12 years on the Town Board here) knows this and protects homeowners by recognizing that people want their neighborhoods and property values maintained. Zoning laws recognize residential properties as the most valuable in spite of the large business base that has grown over the years. And why not? People matter more than brick and mortar buildings and always will. It is with that thought that some property in New Hartford is now endangered with the placement of multi-family units in agricultural and single-family-zoned areas. There are, by the way, 2 dairy farms (I'm fortunate to live next door to one of them), a tree farm and a cash-crop farm left in the town now. Change and technology put the vast majority of farmers out of business. Things certainly have changed.

You watched the video clip above, right? Is Tucker full of BS or does the point he's making have merit? In smalltown New Hartford, NY unused farm property was bought last year by the Municipal Housing Authority based in Utica in spite of the neighbors banding together and fighting it. What they are not fighting is the sale of the land, what they are fighting is what the MHA has in mind for it. The MHA wasn't ashamed to let people know that they would like to build multi-unit buildings on it; specifically tailored for low-income families. The neighborhood is livid about this possibility and after approaching the Town Board, is now awaiting to see what the MHA really wants to do with this land tract. In spite of the single-family zoning in place, the MHA closed on the property last November and now is the owner.

It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out what they have in mind. They didn't buy the property to grow beans or corn - they have plans, and that plan is to utilize the property using their business model, which is ... subsidized apartment rentals. To them, the zoning doesn't matter. They have plans, and if they can't get them past the local town government, look for them to seek judicial intervention or worse, lobby for new federal laws to override and mute the will of the town residents.

That this could happen in America is shameful. But then again, after 12 years on the Town Board, I've seen more than my share of shameful events occur and to tell you the truth, I didn't enjoy watching good and decent people get shafted.

Neither will I this time, either.