The Wicked Witch is Dead!

The Wicked Witch is Dead! I knew I had to say that line at some point. Trump is melting. Maybe Martin Luther King, Jr., was right: "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

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Depression and Thoughts

It seems almost a settled fact in psychology that when you are depressed, your thoughts will generally be negative. And when you are not depressed your thoughts will generally be more upbeat and positive. This is a good thing for people who struggle with depression to remember.

I say that because when we are depressed and find almost all of our thoughts are negative we tend to think our thoughts are always like this. They aren't.

It's hard to remember this when depressed. Yet, whatever headway we can make with remembering this will only garner good.

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The Execution of Lisa Montgomery

 I was reading recently about the upcoming execution of Lisa Montgomery. She would be the first scheduled federal execution of a woman in nearly 70 years. The Trump administration wants the execution to go forward. 

Why I argue--and many others--against it is because of the traumatic early background of Ms. Montgomery. She was sexually abused by her father, physically abused by her mother, and was pushed into child prostitution by both parents.

She has since struggled with PTSD, dissociation, and possible psychosis.

There's more to the story that I'll write about in another post.

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People Listening

I've noticed--and most people would probably agree--that most people don't listen well. I wonder it things were different in American one or two generations back. I think so. I sense people took their time a bit more and were more reflective. But not much more than now.

In other words, it is rare to come across someone who really listens. When you do, since it is so rare, it is almost eerie.

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About Depression

I have been reading much more material as of late on depression. It's a topic that I find fascinating, in part, because I have experienced it and because it's so common and mental health professionals say it is highly treatable. I do believe there is more evidence-based techniques than ever, yet there is so much information out there that is not evidence-based, people who are depressed see a smorgasbord of options and tend to see them all as equal.

But it's not so. One belief is that psychotropic medication is one of the best ways to alleviate depression, yet, it isn't. It does help mitigate depression but its success rate is not that great. 

I'll ramble on this topic more in the future.

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Reading More Psychology

 I have been reading more on psychology since the presidential election is over. I do feel more at peace. And therefore it feels good to be reading more in my field rather than skittishly reviewing the national news to see what bizarre--and harmful--things have been done by President Trump.

I have been reading specifically on clinical depression and plan to try to get some articles published. Better days appear to be here, at least for a while.

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Still Happy as We Dodged an Errant Bullet

I know Trump supporters are angry, probably more angry than most Biden supporters realize. And I know there are various reasons people supported Trump--some because he will put conservative justices on the Supreme Court, some because of his racial and ethnic views, some because of his stance on immigration.

One thing, though, those people don't realize, or play down in their own minds, is that Trump had the makings of a dictator. Democracy was in peril.

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New President

Donald J. Trump is no longer president of the United States. Joe Biden is.

What more is there to say?

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Election Day Draweth Nigh

 Tomorrow is Election Day. I guess it's said every presidential election that this is "the big one." In other words, that whatever presidential election it is, many people see it as the most important. Yet, it is hard to argue that tomorrow's election is not at least one of significant.

I do think Joe Biden will be our next president. But, last election I was positive--as were a number of political writers--that Donald Trump would not be the president. 

What almost all can agree on is that tomorrow is a fraught election. Though, hopefully, it is one where the leader is reasonably honest and competent. We do need that.

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Separated at the Border

 In the news recently I read that almost 550 children had still not been reunited with their parents when the families were separated at the border a few years ago. And even more shocking to me is that the Trump administration, years after the separation, wanted to wash their hands Pilate-style and not worry about identifying and reaching out to families it separated before June 2018.

I sense, to some degree, this will play a part in bringing down Trump. I think even some of his supporters will read about this and see it for what it was--an attempt on the part of Trump to make some of his base happy and to do it at any cost. Even the cost of damaging the lives of innocent children.

Sad.

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More Dark Money

 I have been reading the book I mentioned in the last post, Dark Money. The book is exceedingly well-researched and is written in a conversational style. What amazes me from reading the book is how much goes on behind the scenes, and by "behind the scenes" I mean how much news doesn't get in the spotlight.

Also I'm amazed by how much those with lots of money can do besides doing their day-to-day job. For instance, Charles Koch is written about extensively in the book and he seems to always be opening some non-profit, giving away large sums of money, or traveling the world lecturing while being a CEO of one of the most profitable businesses in the world. Yet, I think it's closer to the truth to say the former things are his job. His primary job, it seems, is making money. Being a CEO comes second to these more profitable endeavors. 

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Dark Money

 I have been reading the excellent book by Jane Mayer of The New Yorker. It's called Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right. This is an area I've read about before, but the depth on the topic in this book is truly amazing, and what I find more amazing is just how beautifully the book flows. It's probably not always easy to make certain parts of this story interesting, but she sure does.

What I have learned is the phenomenal part the Koch brothers have played in making politics more about big money than anything else. So many people say that there is too much money in politics, yet few realize what--and who--is at the root of the problem.

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Trump and COVID

 Recently it was announced that the president has the coronavirus. This is truly a case of pride coming before a fall, or the equivalent notion, of hubris bringing on a downfall, as is talked about at length in Greek mythology.

It will be interesting to see how Trump's most committed followers react to the news. Right now there is just silence, and some crickets. 

I have a feeling it will be like what is talked about in the book When Prophecy Fails. That is, his most fervent followers will become even more fervent, because they will, somehow, see the president's coronavirus as just part of Trump's part in bringing about God's kingdom.

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The Cult of Trump--Part II

 I wrote a post in April about a book I was dipping into, called The Cult of Trump by Steven Hassan. I didn't finish it then but I plan to in the near future.

I think it is one of the best books out there explaining the Trump phenomenon. Another book that might be a rival would be How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt.

Both books give great insight into Trump. What Winston Churchill once said about Russia (a paraphrase) can be said of the mystery of Trump: it is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.

Thankfully there are some people who like riddles, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.

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Lewis Powell Jr.

 I just read the well-known memo written by Lewis Powell in 1971, where he excoriated the business community for not fighting back harder against leftists and liberals who he saw as tearing at the fabric of business, free enterprise, and the entire American system.

I must say, though, Powell comes off as more open-minded than most conservatives nowadays. He is at least willing to have a liberal viewpoint in the public square, yet, he does appear dogmatic when it comes to certain bromides of big business.

I'm glad I read the letter. But I must say, I do find it hard to imagine the letter was the source of the groundswell of conservative energy in the 70s or early 80s. Nonetheless, the business community surely began to fight back and is now one of the most powerful lobbying groups in America.

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Fires in the West

 I just read an excellent op-ed in the Los Angeles Times. It was titled, "With global warming, expect inferno seasons in the American West," and it was dated September 12th, 2020.

It does a great job of presenting clearly and simply what is involved in climate change. Some lines that stands out:

--"More than 3.1 million acres have burned in California this year--some 3% of the state--with many wildfires still at zero containment and months of fire season left to go. This far exceeds the previous record set in 2018, when 1.7 million acres burned, including the town of Paradise."

--"The planet is currently 1.0 C to 1.2 C (about 2 F) hotter than it ought to be. This excess heat is entirely due to humans, mainly from burning fossil fuels and destroying forests. These activities release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which blocks some of the infrared heat photons that otherwise would radiate away into space."

I recommend the article.

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Robert Reich's The System

 I have been reading Dr. Robert Reich's latest book, The System: Who Rigged It, How to Fix It. It is an excellent book that looks at how the American middle class got to be shafted by the 1%. The logic and cogentness of the book is impeccable. 

I hope to write some articles based on material I've gotten from the book. 

Also, I have found out a lot of information that I did not know. For instance, Dr. Reich goes into detail talking about the individual, Sandy Weill, who played a major part in the ending of the Glass-Steagall Act, which put a partition between what banks traditionally have done (i.e., lending), and what they have come to do (i.e., be involved in risky investments).

Indeed, many parts of the book, to me, have been a revelation. 

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On Depression

 I just read an interesting blog post on Carl Jung responding to a woman asking how to get over being depressed. In the post Jung tells the woman that getting over depression takes a few key tasks--being useful, living in the moment, and dealing with one's shadow.

I've been ruthless in condensing Jung's poetic letter to this lady, but it did make think about what I would say are the primary things to do--or not do--to "beat" depression. In the next few posts I'll ponder this question. It's a rich, worthwhile question that seems to be given little thought in our society.

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Fear in Religion

 I've been giving some thought to the question, How much of what people say is praise and love for God is really fear? That is, could it be when some people are saying how great God is and how much we should worship God, they are really saying these things out of fear, fear that God, when they are dying, will reject them and send them to eternal punishment?

I had thought about it briefly in the past, but it seemed almost impossible to get to the truth of the matter, because people use self-defense mechanisms (e.g., projection, displacement, reaction formation). But I thing there is one relatively good method of telling: how demanding is the person in making sure you will agree with their view of God.

***

Depression and Social Connection

 I just read about a recent study that again marked the importance of social connection as the strongest protective factor for depression. The study was in The American Journal of Psychiatry. It does seem that more and more studies affirm this.

Though, going by my own experience and my take on the average person, many people read about and "hear" these studies, but few respond in a visceral manner. By "visceral manner," I mean, few of us realize that the information can be put to good use in our own lives. Using myself as an example, I have heard numerous times how social connection mitigates depression. And it seems like it has been a slow realization for me that "it may be true."

Maybe when we see information we're not ready to take in, we put it in a category called, "Interesting, I'll Have to Keep That in Mind." Which is another way of saying, "Not yet."

Wealth Inequality

 It seems as of late I've become fascinated/obsessed with learning more about wealth inequality in the United States. It's a topic that I always see somewhere in the news (though rarely at "the top" of the news), yet, it seems, the average person on the street rarely talks about it. 

I remember speaking years ago to a neighbor about this topic. Somehow we were talking about people who have much wealth and he said something like, "Well, you know, we just have to give the rich people their money so society can work smoothly." I think I half-heartedly agreed because I didn't know how to respond.

As I thought about his statement one question kept coming up--Why? I think it is tied to the notion of "trickle-down economics." The idea of trickle-down economics may sound good in theory but there is no evidence that "it works."

I will talk more about this topic in future posts. I really have to, so as to make sense of it.

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Corporate Shenanigans

I just recently read about how large companies are pushing Republican leaders to let them not be responsible for any untoward happenings at their businesses. That is, to get a free ride while the coronavirus pandemic has been active.

It's as if these executives are saying to these Republicans, "Hey look, there's going to be a lot of lawsuits and a lot of money involved in the aftermath of the coronavirus. We are trying to make up for lost time because of the pandemic, so what we really don't need is to be involved with all these workers and families who want to get compensated for all our misdeeds. We don't have the time or money for that. You understand where we're coming from. And when re-election time comes around, well, don't worry, because we got your back."

***

Some Quotes

Just some quotes that may inspire:

--A baby is God's opinion that life should go on.     Carl Sandburg

--Education is the best provision for the journey to old age.     Aristotle

--Judge a man [and a woman] by their questions rather than their answers.   Voltaire

--Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.   John Updike

--Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.  Scott Adams

--The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.   John Kenneth Galbraith

--Don't talk unless you can improve the silence.  Jorge Luis Borges

--Never mistake motion for action.    Ernest Hemingway

--The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.   Ralph Waldo Emerson

--Life is brief, art is long.  Hippocrates

***

Inequalities in the World

Recently the U.N. chief said the world is "at the breaking point" due to inequalities. Antonio Guterres said this at the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture. I believe in the past Mr. Guterres has said similar things.

I have a theory on why most of the developed world doesn't see this as an issue. It has to with the belief--not always expressed--that people in this world generally get what they deserve. This thinking allows helping others when catastrophes strike, but, in general, if someone is poor, or with few job possibilities, or seems to have few options to better their situation, then they no doubt brought that upon themselves.

I can understand this reasoning, but one of the problems I have with it is that this type of thinking says the world is essentially "as it should be." People get what they deserve, so if a billion people, let's say, are starving tonight, that's how it "should" be.

It reminds me of Leibniz's "this is the best of all possible worlds." Voltaire thought this ridiculous. I guess I am with Voltaire.

***

Upcoming Book on President Trump

The president's cousin will be coming out with a book on the president. Mary Trump is a clinical psychologist and seems like just the right person to give America a deeper view of their Commander in Chief.

I do think most people who have been closely following Trump's actions for the past four years have a pretty good idea of his psyche. But sometimes more information can help with confirmation or negation of certain strands of a person's personality.

I view the president as having many traits like numerous dictators of the past. He is not technically a dictator, but that is only because his desires have been thwarted. He no doubt would have fit quite well with a number of familiar, and some not-so-familiar, names that live in infamy.

***

About a Book Review

I was just reading a book review on James Carroll's Constantine's Sword: The Church and the Jews. The book review itself was well written and the book reviewed appears to be an excellent book.

What made me think of the book was what I heard in church today. The priest said, if I understood him correctly, that Islam is called a religion of "peace," but in reality they are all about war. And that the reason there are so many adherents of Islam is because the children are brought up in the religion, so naturally they will gravitate to that faith.

The ironic thing, I thought, is the exact thing could be said of Christianity, if not more so. Didn't Christianity essentially say "convert to our faith or die," during the entire Crusades, and at other various places in its history?

I think Dr. Carroll's book is a good remedy for tendentious history.

***

Thoughts About Writing

I am reading a book about humor writing and the book seems to have some wise advice about writing. The book is by Patrick McManus and it's called, The Deer on a Bicycle: Excursions into the Writing of Humor.

One line that struck me was this one: "I've known some wonderfully talented writers over the years who could not overcome their fear [the fear of writing], and therefore never submitted their work to publishers. Their work was never quite 'ready,' they'd say. They suffered from the fear of failure."

I've heard material like that before. But as I get older, it seems more and more true.

***

Possible Change

I was reading in The New York Times about the president's recent shock at seeing the numerous empty seats at his Tulsa rally. It brought a smile to my face.

I guess I'll just say what's on my mind here.

His presidency has been a joke from the start. And by "joke," I'm not denying all recent presidents have probably put ratings data ahead of what they thought was right. But Trump took it to a new level. He did everything in his power to make sure he would look good, no matter if he or his team of henchmen were proactively lying. No masquerade or cover-up was too outlandish if it kept his supporters happy.

Maybe the Fates have had enough. No doubt most of America has.

***

The Gig Economy

I have been reading about the "Gig Economy." I've become interested in it because I'm part of it, and because I believe it's eating away at people's idea of the American Dream. We've no doubt as a society been moving in this direction for a number of years--one could say the gateway drug for owners has been temp services, thereby cutting their costs substantially. And I think it's going to spread much more widely in our economy.

I know I'll write more about the gig economy in future posts, but here's one fact that I found shocking. It was found in one recent analysis that the average DoorDash worker makes just $1.45 an hour after mileage and taxes.

Amazing. Utterly amazing.

***

Justice and Life

Sometimes I do wonder about theodicy, which is the explanation of why a good God would permit evil. Well, really more about the practical aspect of it. In the US we have a leader that is causing much harm to many.

One might ask, where is a good, all-knowing God in the midst of Trump's actions? Yet, of course, it's always been this way, just to different degrees.

Being brutally honest, all I can make of it is like the philospher John Hick talked about. That this world/life is a soul-making entity. Somehow, possibly, most pain is transmuted.

I just don't know.

***

Police Brutality

The news lately has been dealing with the police killing of the African American man, George Floyd. It's amazing, the video. The police officer had his knee on the man's neck for about eight minutes. The independent autopsy has listed the cause of death as asphyxiation.

No doubt that without the video, the officer would not have been fired, and he surely would not have been charged with third degree murder. Yet, the story is not over. As people found out in the Rodney King incident, even with a video that seems to seal the deal on a guilty verdict, there is a lot more to come once the defense lawyers dig into the case.

But I think the defense attorneys will have a tougher time than in the King case because the prosecutors now are more savvy to what is needed. The verdict will hopefully change some long-standing patterns of police departments.

***

The Coronavirus

I must say--again--that I am shocked by what has been happening in society because of the coronavirus. If someone would have told me a year ago this would happen, I would have thought it was something out of a Ray Bradbury novel. Yet, I think, the experience can be mind-expanding.

That is, sometimes reality has deeper layers that are shut away until something happens that wasn't foreseen, or that is not foreseen by much of the populace.

Yet, the more I read about the coronavirus and pandemics, the more I see that some had sent out warning flares. And it also brought to mind how politicians are usually the last ones to know, or to be more precise, they are the last ones to want to sound an alarm, especially if the status quo works in their favor.

***

Obamagate

I've been reading about Obamagate. And I must say, I am surprised that the president would go to such lengths to distract from the current crisis (the coronavirus), just so he could get out ahead in his 2020 campaign. That is, most politicians in the current climate would try to better the crisis and only secondarily deal with their campaign, but the president seems hell-bent on winning at any cost, even if it costs the country many more lives.

It seems surreal. But I guess Nixon and Clinton would have done similar things if they were in Trump's shoes. Just not anywhere near to the frenzied extent of President Trump.

***

Just Thinking Aloud

Things have changed since the coronavirus came to town. It is like something out of a sci-fi thriller, with happenings that are hard to peg and responses even harder to peg. It definitely shows how individuals who hold certain views can dig their heels in even further when things don't go their way--very much like what is talked about in the book, When Prophecy Fails, writter by Leon Festinger and others.

It can no doubt happen to most anyone, no matter their political, religious, or societal affiliations. When I was younger I probably fit in that category.

It's hard at the time to see it in yourself. And pointing it out to the person, usually, is to no avail. You just produce a better martyr.

***

On Writing

I have been looking over a book that has a lot of good information on writing (though, I think, I forget to use a lot of it). The book is about the writing teacher Don Murray. It's called, The Essential Don Murray: Lessons from America's Greatest Writing Teacher, edited by Thomas Newkirk and Lisa C. Miller.

Here is some of Murray's advice:

--Be patient, listen quietly, the writing will come.

--You have to write to discover what you have to say.

--Write with information. The reader doesn't turn the page because of a hunger to applaud.

--All writing is experimental, failure is normal, success abnormal.

--Don't look back. Yes, the draft needs fixing. But first it needs writing.

***

A Whole New World

I guess one could say the coronavirus pandemic has made our world "A Whole New World," but generally not in a better sense. Yet, I do think a number of unexpected things will come from this crisis, such as--and this may the biggest benefit--bringing us a new president. And possibly, an unexpected health crisis may have been one of the few ways this outcome could have come to pass.

One other thing I think that will come from this crisis is that many people will see the greed that resides within American capitalism. This may have already seeped into public consciousness. In fact, I just read a number of stories that talks about cruise lines, Dollar General, and other industries and businesses that have put profit over people.

But hasn't that always been the case with most American for-profit businesses. The maximization of profit, by definition, takes precedence over people.

***

Just An Observation

I have noticed that our president is using the coronavirus outbreak as an attempt to use some of his conniving tricks, tricks that were used in the last presidential election. Now he wants to pit himself against a number of governors, preaching to his base that these governors want to "limit your freedom." An interesting move. This plus his new spin that China is to blame for the coronavirus, and by blame, he appears to mean they "did this on purpose."

Indeed, we have a master salesman.

And P.T. Barnum's famous quote is certainly apropos.

***

Coronavirus, Yes, Again

Society is enmeshed with the coronavirus, and rightly so. What appeared to be a health issue for China and maybe a minor difficulty for the U.S. has been a slowly-building tsunami.

And to stop American society, American business society that is, is unheard of. I could never have imagined it. And I'm surely not the only one.

It has the president meeting his biggest foe yet. And the surprising thing is the president can only use his wiles against it to a minor extent. Whereas with humans he can call them names--Crazy Joe Biden, Low Energy Jeb, Wild Bill [Clinton], Lyin' Hillary, Lyin' Ted, Highly Conflicted Bob Mueller, Fat Jerry [Nadler], Cheatin' Obama, Crazy Nancy, Little Marco [Rubio], Basically Braindead Bernie [Sanders], Shifty [Adam] Schiff, Head Clown Chuck Shumer, Pocohontas [Elizabeth Warrent], Crazy Maxine Waters--but with the coronavirus, the virus doesn't care.

***

The Cult of Trump

I am reading a delightful book called The Cult of Trump by Steven Hassan. It resonates with me. I know something about cults and cultlike behavior from my own experience and seeing how Trump interacts with his "fan base"I think of religious cult figures and how they interact with their congregations.

I've read only about 20 pages but I can see the man knows what he is writing about. He said he was involved with the Moonies when he was in college and was quite high up in the organization for his age. Being in the group taught him a lot about cults and cultlike figures.

When Donald Trump crashes, his many followers will make a great outcry and it will have some apocalyptic overtones. It sounds crazy to say that, but the whole Trump phenomenon has been beyond crazy.

***

Coronavirus

I must say that I find it fascinating that an economist I read about one week ago predicted we will, at times in the future, have big cities with hardly anybody traversing them. And that is now what is happening. It's almost like something you would see on the TV show, The Twilight Zone.

Until the coronavirus came on the scene I could not readily envision something radically slowing down the U.S. economy. If it's one thing our country shines at it's keeping busy. And come hell or high water, as is said, nothing would be able to slow down the workings of that vast enterprise, which is the high and holy U.S. free market economy.

Yet, the unstoppable entity met up with something that will not budge. So far, the latter is winning.

***

A Break From the Coronavirus--Some Words

For a while I'll just post some words I like:

--Trumped-up adj. (trumpt-up) Faked or fradulent.

--Palladium n. (puh-LAY-dee-uhm) Something that gives protection; a safeguard.

--Argy-bargy n. A lively or combative discussion.

--Kleptocracy n. (klep-TOK-ruh-see) A government of the corrupt who use their positions for personal gain.

--Stormy petrel n. (STOR-mee PE-truhl) One who brings trouble or whose appearance is a sign of trouble.

--Dionysian adj. (dy-uh-NIS-ee-uhn) Uninhibited; spontaneous; wild.

***

Coronavirus, Part II

Just in the last week the hysteria around the coronavirus has mounted. The changes that have been made appear necessary, but it has happened quicker than nearly anyone could have imagined.

Schools have closed, parades have been cancelled, and the speed with which society usually moves has been dialed down three notches. To say I'm stunned would be an understatement.

As it relates to President Trump, the coronavirus has been bad news. It seems to be a foe that his anger and his tweets are no match.

***

Coronavirus

Nowadays, the Coronavirus is dramatically in the news. Seemingly out of nowhere it's now taken center stage; and to continue the figure of speech, is pouring off the stage into the panicked audience. I have a feeling climate change will be seen to play a big part of the virus's maintenance.

Nevertheless, the issue that has been barely touched upon in the media (mainly because it is so early in the process of understanding the virus) is how will our society fare with a president who seems to be allergic to the truth? We will see. But it doesn't bode well.

***

Working in New Orleans

I have been working on some opinion pieces dealing with the poverty I see on a daily basis in New Orleans. The more I see the more surprised I am. I'm surprised there are not more programs to stand in the gap and at least help some of these people get started on the road to a better life. The thing that always comes to mind is that there are little to no services for middle-aged people who have a physical and/or mental disorder. I could imagine going to an average small town of 50,000 people and looking for resources to help this group and finding more than New Orleans offers.

No doubt I don't know of some places that are available, but if these places are available they seem to be flying under the radar. I keep thinking that the city brings in a lot of money from our hotel and motel tax--a lot of money--and, to my knowledge, little of it goes to the city's social programs. I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.

***

Neoliberalism

I have been reading a lot lately about neoliberalism. It's a term I thought I understood, but didn't. The more I read about it the more I think it plays a big part in the mess society is in, and how it seems to always to be out of sight, yet we can always feel its power.

Neoliberalism as I understand it has many features of liberalism but also has a strong undercurrent of the belief that economic markets should be free of any interference so as to let the "invisible hand" of the market do its wonders.

I see markets that are not tightly regulated to be a scourge of society. I've seen firsthand what can happen when capitalism is unfettered. It's not pretty. Well, let me take that back--it is pretty for those who own the businesses and for those high up in management. For everyone else, well, not many glad tidings to proclaim. To put it succinctly, it the gig economy on steroids.

I'm always surprised there is not more pushback from society. But I am beginning to see that the forces that mitigate the pushback are enormous and not always visible.

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Moldy Whopper Anyone?

I just was reading an interesting article at cnn.com titled, "Burger King thinks moldy Whoppers will get you to buy more burgers." The part that got me was what Fernando Machado said; he's the Global Chief Marketing Officer for the parent company, Restaurant Brands International.

"We believe," he said, "that real food tastes better. That's why we are working hard to remove preservatives, colors and flavors from artificial sources from the food we serve in all countries around the world."

The puzzling thing I find is why did it just coincidentally happen when their sales have been plummeting and younger people are more oriented toward healthier food options that it dawn on them they have been down the wrong road for a number of decades? Was Mr Machado taking a shower and all of sudden think, "My God, no wonder our sales have been horrific! Real food definitely tastes better! All these years we have been wrong. All these preservatives and additives to to get our cattle much fatter, to keep the beef preserved longer, to get the food to look better, to give the meat a better mouth-feel, to make the food have a better aroma, well, I'm glad we now see the light!"

I think it has less to do with seeing the light and more to do with seeing the cash flow.

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Sugar, Salt, & Fat

I am almost finished reading the excellent book, Scientific Advances Regarding: Sugar, Salt, & Fat, 2nd edition, by Gina Willett, Ph.D., R.D. It's an easy-to-read book that affirms what many intuitively know--that the obesity epidemic is not so much Americans' lack of willpower as the big food companies doing whatever they can to maximize profits, including making foods at least quasi-addictive.

There are good, practical suggestions in the book on ways to mitigate the onslaught of highly-palatable foods and many references to back up her statements. It's an excellent start for people who want to try to have a slimmer waistline and live a longer life.

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Acquittal

President Trump has been acquitted related the impeachment trial. It was expected to go that way because of the scary obedience of the Senate Republicans (aside from Sen. Mitt Romney) to Trump's every wish and desire.

Though I feel sad and angry, it does open up much latitude for Democrats when there is a Democratic president. Simply put, Republicans (those in government and those in the populace) are now verboten to say anything negative about the said Democratic president. For instance, the following is off the table:

--President __________ is wrong for treating that country in that manner.
--The president should not have the power to do that!
--Someone needs to stop the president for all the awful things he is doing!

Republicans will get their comeuppance. Though, our democracy might be collateral damage.

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Trump's Commodore Hotel

I just read an interesting article on the ProPublica website. It's titled, "Trump Pushed for a Sweetheart Tax Deal on His First Hotel. It's Cost New York City $410,068,399 and Counting." It is about Pres. Trump in the 70s buying a hotel in NYC and getting a phenomenal 40-year tax break. He got it through who he knew coupled with selective bullying.

The article is part of a podcast on ProPublica called "Trump, Inc." It's ironic that the president who talks about cleaning the swamp was--and is--among its biggest swamp monsters.

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Impeachment of the President

With the impeachment moving to the Senate it appears little will happen to Pres. Trump in the way of censure or punishment. True. But you never know; Alexander Pope said that major events can come from insignificant matters (it's on the side of Trivial Pursuit boxes). Possibly from this seemingly no-result event (the Senate impeachment trial), things may come out that otherwise would not have.

It's said God moves in mysterious ways. Maybe the same could be said of quasi-bureaucratic government. We can only hope.

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The Minimum Wage

I've been reading a lot lately about the pros and cons of raising the minimum wage. For me, I have always been a big proponent of raising it. I believe a bulk of the business people who say "raising the minimum wage would destroy many jobs and have us paying $15 for a hamburger," are being disingenuous.

Many business managers and owners know that raising the min. wage a few dollars an hour would do no damage to the business but it would take away a bit of the owners' profits.

So it was heartening to see The New York Times have a recent editorial backing the doubling of the federal minimum wage. I think more and more people are seeing through the hackneyed platitudes of uber-capitalists because polls seem to indicate that most of the public are for raising the min. wage.

This is all to the good.

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How Democracies Die, Cont'd

As I mentioned last time, I am reading the excellent book, How Democracies Die, by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt.

One key point the authors make is that the reason we have Donald Trump as our president is that the leaders of the Republican Party did not utilize the "gatekeeping" functions that all democracies must use to keep autocrats out of office. The authors talk at length about other countries that did poor gatekeeping and those that did stellar gatekeeping, even though they had to reach across the aisle to make it happen.

It's a wonderful book for a less-than-wonderful time.

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How Democracies Die

I've been enjoying reading the well-written book, How Democracies Die, by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. I realize that almost every book published says "if you read only one book this year, read _________." But I would say this book truly fits the bill. The book says, clearly and authoritatively, what many need to hear in this never-before-seen political times.

The part I am reading talks about the traits of an autocratic leader. When you read the list, you will no doubt have an image of a certain politician in your mind.

If you don't, then you must read the book.

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