Category: The Usual Weirdness

Democracy Dies in Oligarchy

Or: We are all volunteers of Amerika

There was a phrase that appeared frequently — in some circles — in the late 60’s and 70’s among those who understood a modicum of Spanish” “Sal si puedes.”

“Get out if you can.” The phrase actually has a history going back further (of which I was unaware of, but imparts an ever greater weight, being conflated into a single word, the name that has come to commemorate an indigenous massacre in Uruguay on 11 April 1831. So the revolutionary roots actually run deep.

On this, the eve of another State of the (Dis)Union, there is so much blatant corruption evident in The Current Regime. Echoing the words challenging a man whose name has become synonymous for the exercise blatant corrupt power, “Have you no shame?” To which the answer appears to be, “No.”

The open grift, the failure to bring justice for the victims of EpsteinEtCie, the all-but-treasonous behavior of those entrusted with the defense of the country… where does it end? Why is the US so slow to respond?

“On December 3, 2024, accusing the opposition party of engaging in “anti-state activities,” Yoon declared martial law. He suspended political activities, including convenings of the national and local legislatures, and he placed restrictions on the press. Fortunately for South Korea, it was all over within days: Yoon was impeached on December 14, arrested the next January 15, and on Thursday he was sentenced to life in prison.“

One can only hope that resolution is at hand…

“Sky of Blue, Sea of Green…”

Or: From sea to shining sea…

From high above,
An all-seeing eye
Beckons us to
Sit in quiet contemplation,
A procession from West to East,
Of images, shapes, patterns
Organic, man-made,
Of scales gargantuan and lilliputian,
They emerge and recede…

Take a break. Settle in with an adult beverage, set the view to full screen, start your favorite playlist or let the soundtrack there play on, and savor the sheer magic of Nature unfolding before you, from 450 kilometres above you, rendered four times more slowly than the actual traversal too in real time.

A few words from Jason Kottke about the genesis of the work:
During her time aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara took a series of photos of the Earth from directly overhead. Seán Doran has stitched those images together into a gorgeous 4K video of a journey across North America, from San Diego to cloud-covered Quebec.

The footage is a simulation, converting an image sequence into video footage using image processing and animation. In reality this journey from California to Quebec took 11 minutes to traverse. In order to better appreciate the view this film slows that speed by a factor of 4.

Let it flow by, as shapes and patterns that result of millions of years and a few months ago, reveal themselves. If it doesn’t move you somehow, ask yourself if you are dead inside.

[random screen capture from the video]


“If She Asks… “

Or: “Se Ela Perguntar”

Just learned of this lovely little piece; many thanks to Annemarie for sharing it!

“Se Ela Prguntar“, here performed by guitarist George Sakellariou.

… and the answer is “Yes. Always, yes.”

(And YouTube, in its algorithmic glory, brought up one of my favorite performances of an old favorite: Alexandre Tansman’s “Suite in modo polonico“)

The Seven Deadly Words of The Internet

Or: Molly Ivins Can Say Whatever the Hell She Wants!

Sooo, something we’ve long suspected, with a twist. I’d heard of “Delvish” (Bruce Sterling wrote an amusing essay on using THAT language — ) but I’d not heard of “algospeak” but I know what it is.

So without further ado —

The words you can’t say on the internet


Hack The AI…

Or: “It’s easy if you try…”

I had some fun a while back, messing with some AI agents, getting them to admit that they were, in fact, AI creations. It wasn’t that hard, so reading this was a bit of an affirmation!

“I hacked ChatGPT and Google’s AI – and it only took 20 minutes“

Avro Arrow vs F-35

Or: Elbows UP!

Because META really hates sharing content in a meaningful way, here’s story from The Walrus:


“The F-35 Debate Is Really about How We Killed the Avro Arrow”

“Canada doesn’t talk about the Avro Arrow because it’s nostalgic. It talks about the Arrow because it’s unfinished business. Every time Ottawa finds itself boxed in on defence procurement, every time the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tries to remind Canada who it thinks really owns North American air power, the Arrow reappears. It doesn’t show up as an engineering debate or a budget line. It shows up as a question of sovereignty.

Making The List

Or: “Are you a turtle?”

So it’s official at last: the Department of Injustice has put together a list of what they are calling “domestic terrorists” that includes — and I quote none other than Ms. Bondi herself — “antifa is part of that…”

So the question is, “Are you on the list?” Or will they be asking “Are you now or have you ever been…” etc., etc., it’s come to this.

“Threat to civil rights”

Or: “A republic, if you can keep it.”

Today’s The Guardian writing about the impending erosion of civil rights due the exodus of the watchdogs in the Department of Homeland Security (Der Heimatsicherheitsapparat, for lack of a better name!) and the push to “deputize hundreds of local police departments to enforce federal immigration law – while gutting independent oversight.”

The likely result will be the alienation of communities from their local police. Local police departments in the United States are very much in need of a more positive image. The actions of the current regime will only ensure that the situation worsens, rather than improves.

The idea of community policing actually reflects indigenous institutions, predating the development of the reservation systems:


“The Chippewa, Creek, and Menominee had rather amorphous police organizations composed of all warriors who had attained a certain minimum distinction in battle.”

https://www.tribal-institute.org/download/Indian%20Law%20Enforcement%20History.pdf

This indigenous police forces point to a solution of maintaining social order at a level far removed removed from the national police force that ICE seems to be evolving into of late.

Minneapolis should be a cautionary tale for anyone reviewing the actions of ICE and the DHS…

Because “All Cats Are Bastards” 🙂

Permanent Resource List

I’ve added a page for alternative resources. This includes ICE-monitoring sites in Europe and elsewhere, alternatives to US-based digital products, and whatever else is need to bring about an end to the oligarchy…

Ice, ICE, baby… I’m melting

Bookmark or whatever you need to do to find it again.

A Thousand Orchids Blooming…

Or: Won’t you please come to Chicago for a show?

Image of white orchid called "Angraecum sesquipedale"(Image of an Angraecum sesquipedale, here called the “Darwin Orchid” because Charles Darwin predicted that there was a moth that had evolved to pollinate this specific orchid)

So it’s February and time for the 12th Annual Chicago Botanical Garden Show, this year with a nostalgic theme.

I’ve been lucky to attend several of the Chicagoland orchid shows and it was always a great treat, both seeing the exhibits and plants that I might otherwise never encounter and getting to visit a number of of the local grower’s greenhouses (and buy some new plants!).

However, more vividly I remember one particular show in Lansing, Michigan, which we were bringing home the bigger displays and entries — I had a van at the time —from the Ann Arbor Orchid Society.

That year, someone had entered a VERY large (close to two meters tall) Oncidium “Sharry Baby”, a plant noted for the fact that is a fragrant-blooming and smells like chocolate:

… now imagine said plant is in full bloom, with hundreds of flowers pumping out the aroma of fresh hot chocolate! And go a step further and imagine driving for several hours, in a colder-than-usual late Winter Sunday evening, with the windows rolled up against the cold and snow.

We got about halfway back before the smell become overpowering, we had to stop and open the van to air things out a little but not so long as to affect the rest of the plants. Back in the van and the Orchid Express was under way!

The Piper at Dawn

Or: “Onward through the fog… of tear gas!

An excerpt from the L. A. Taco — creative opposition!

“This 21-Year-Old Bagpiper Plays Through Tear Gas to ‘Fire Up’ Anti-ICE Protesters

Jack Duffy attaches a respirator to his bagpipes to play through tear gas. “I always play it whenever the police retreat because it’s like, ‘You fucking ran while we stayed,’” he says.”

https://lataco.com/protest-bagpiper
This 21-Year-Old Bagpiper Plays Through Tear Gas to ‘Fire Up’ Anti-ICE Protesters Jack Duffy attaches a respirator to his bagpipes to play through tear gas. “I always play it whenever the police retreat because it's like, ‘You fucking ran while we stayed,’” he says.

Poulsbo: Rise of the Trash Pandas!


Or: “How No Good Deed Goes Unpunished!”

So the story is actually from 7 Oct0ber 2024, but…

Excerpting from the KOMO News story:

“KITSAP COUNTY, Wash. — A woman living near Poulsbo’s home was recently invaded by over 100 raccoons last week.

The woman said she’s been feeding raccoons in the area for almost four decades, but on Oct. 3, she was surrounded by the animals and contacted authorities for help.

Kitsap County deputies eventually came to her rescue after she was forced to run away in her car to escape the raccoons, according to Kitsap County.”

Apparently she had been feeding the feral raccoons for some 35 years and now they have become very accustomed to being fed on a regular basis… screenshot and link below —

Poulsbo woman’s home overrun by over 100 raccoons after 3 decades of feeding themPoulsbo woman's home overrun by over 100 raccoons after 3 decades of feeding them

Feral means feral…