I’ll put up some of my favorite shots each day. At some point I’ll put up some descriptive info about the trip and the locales.
15APR2018 – Photo – Zion National Park
Category: OCF
14APR2018 – Photograph – Utah – Zion National Park Area
I like this shot.
Help Me Out Here
Over the course of the last year, the whole Mueller thing has been such a mystery to me that I confess (much to my shame as a pundit) that I have no clue how this whole thing ends. I would appreciate anyone’s honest opinion on this crucial topic. Pick as many as seem appropriate and if I’ve left out your favorite feel free to write it in. The voice of the people is the voice of God. Have your say.
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Link to My Posts on American Greatness
A few months ago I got a couple of articles posted on American Greatness. They’re not on this site due to exclusivity. Here’s the link.
https://amgreatness.com/author/photog/
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11APR2018 – OCF Update
Welcome to the new readers from Captain Capitalism and other pages.
I put up a pretty random mix of stuff. I link and comment on some of the opinion sites when I see something interesting or well written. I review mostly science fiction books and movies but often add in other stuff I like. Lately I’ve been putting up quotes and short sections of fiction that I think are interesting. I have a bunch of photos from Zion and the Grand Canyon that I’ll post over the next few weeks in the photo section. And I like to do satirical Trump fiction (very goofy stuff). I like to think of the President as a cartoon character. And it’s actually a friendly gesture. I honestly think he is the last hope this country has.
I let folks have their say on the comments and the forums. But try to keep it reasonable. I’m right of center but I don’t need an echo chamber so feel free to speak your mind. I am beginning a list of right-wing friendly businesses and organizations. If you know of one and want to add it and give it a good word, go ahead and add it to the forum page.
photog
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Interacting in the Brave New World – Part 2
At the end of the first installment of this series I said “Next time we’ll talk about how you talk to a prospective wife.” Well, I think I’ll leave that one for a later date, mostly because my dating advice is more than forty years out of date. Instead I think I’ll talk about how to interact with the “right-wing.” I put that in scare quotes because even mapping that territory is so fraught with contention that I’m liable to set off a turf war just trying to alphabetize the list. So, I will speak in generalities and I will err on the side of caution.
My handy-dandy guidelines for interacting within the right-wing:
- Don’t get involved in intra-mural wars. If two right-wing factions are at odds let them settle it themselves. The last thing anyone needs is you playing marriage counselor to the Alt-Right.
- Don’t ever discuss family squabbles with the enemy. That includes “neutral” parties who claim to be “conservatives.” Look at the helpful NeverTrumpers at the National Review and the Weekly Standard. They’re just full of good advice for us poor rubes in Trump Land.
- You don’t have to agree with anything that you consider morally wrong just to “fit in.” Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to declare jihad against those who disagree with you. Just walk away. Find a camp where you are comfortable. It’s a very big world.
- Going along with the last point don’t attack to your right. Even if you disagree with someone you consider too extreme, don’t take it upon yourself to police the right. Let the lefties fight their own battles. Don’t do it for them.
- Whenever it is at all possible, support right wing groups financially, politically, socially and with morale boosting. And especially do it at the expense of the left-wing. And do it even if it has a penalty in terms of quality, cost or status. Think of it as part of the war effort. Eventually it should pay dividends.
- Be slow to take offense. There are many folks out there who let zeal get the better of their manners. I try to add an extra dollop of courtesy when corresponding on-line with someone I don’t know well. Many people have a very excitable writing style when discussing highly inflammatory subject matter, which includes just about everything likely to come up in one of these political discussions. Tread lightly. Sometimes it’s best to agree to disagree and even let the other guy get the last word and just walk away. Winning the internet is a lonely assignment.
- And finally, have fun. There are a lot of good people out there who are looking for the chance to share their thoughts and experiences in the trenches. Even some of the lefties can be decent folks. Just don’t let them borrow any money. They won’t pay you back. They’re communists you know.
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Trump vs the Diamond and Silk Embargo
Dramatis Personae: President Trump – (PT); Jeff Sessions (JS); Mark Zuckerberg (MZ); Larry Page – (LP); Lynnette “Diamond” Hardaway – (LDH); Rochelle “Silk” Richardson – (RSR);
Scene 1 – White House West Wing, Monday 8 am. Inside the Oval Office President Trump is at his desk and his receptionist is speaking over the intercom
PT – What is it Patty, you know I don’t like to be disturbed while reading Orion’s Cold Fire at breakfast. I find his blend of good natured Trump ribbing and incisive political analysis is just the thing to start my day off great.
(voice over intercom) – I’m sorry Mr. President but I’ve got Diamond and Silk on the line and they’re very upset.
PT – Put them through Patty, I’ll set this straight right now.
LDH – Are you there President Donald Trump?
PT – I am Diamond.
RSR – Hello President Donald Trump.
PT – Hello Silk. It is so good to hear from both of you.
LDH – Well we wish it was a happier occasion Mr. President but we are calling to ask for your help.
PT – What has gotten you two upset?
RSR – Mr. President, it’s that Facebook nerd, that Zuckerberg. He’s rippin us off.
LDH – Yeah, he shut down our site. And that other weasel Larry Page from Google shut down our YouTubes on “The Viewers View.” We are losing substantial coin.
PT – Diamond and Silk, this is an outrage. Why would they do this?
RSR – They said that we are “Unsafe to Community” and that the shutdown is irrevocable.
LDH – Mr. President we know they are doing this to get at you. Please help us.
PT – Diamond and Silk, do not worry. This outrage will not stand.
RSR – Thank you Mr. President, you truly are the greatest President.
PT – Yes, Silk I truly am. Now, I’ll be in touch with news very soon. And don’t worry. The full power of the United States government and all its employees will be working on nothing else but this problem until it is solved.
LDH & RSR – Thanks you President Trump. (hang up).
PT – (President Trump hits a button on his phone and starts to talk) – Sessions get up here right now. And don’t give me any of that crap about cleaning out the FBI. A snail would cover more ground than you have.
Scene 2 – Later that same day. White House audio-visual studio. President Trump is standing in front of two teleconferencing screens with images of Mark Zuckerberg and Larry Page visible. Jeff Sessions standing to the side.
PT – Zuckerberg, Page, I want to know why you two idiots are harassing those two women. Surely you internet geniuses have better things to do than persecute a couple of African American sisters from North Carolina.
MZ – Donald, the suspension is irrevocable. An algorithm made the decision and as you know computers are never wrong. (disappears from the screen)
LP – Donald, the kind of hate speech that they employ is too hurtful to ever appear on YouTube. We cannot be swayed. Have a googley good day. (also breaks the connection).
PT – (mumbling under his breath) Donald, huh.
JS – How would you like to proceed Mr. President.
PT – Get the warrants and set up the live stream for 8pm tonight.
Scene 3 – 8pm that night. White House audio-visual studio. President Trump is sitting behind a desk. Television equipment is set up.
PT – Hello everyone on the World Wide Web I interrupt your porn viewing for a very important message. Earlier this evening agents of the Justice Department, the honest ones that is, under a court order shut down Facebook, Twitter and Google. An investigation concluded that they were in violation of anti-discrimination against women and African Americans. Of course, they were also discriminating against millions of straight white men too but, of course, that’s legal.
After signing off on a consent decree these companies will be re-opened. And to make sure things don’t get off on the wrong foot I’ve had the Justice Department make some changes to their Boards of Directors. I’ve reduced their other members and added Diamond, Silk and James Damore to each of the boards. We anticipate no more problems going forward. Okay, that’s all. You can go back to your porn you losers.
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What Will the Right Wing Look Like in a Year?
Who survives the great purge on Twitter and Facebook and YouTube and who does not? It’s an interesting question. If being banished from YouTube is the end of your career then I guess the ranks will be significantly thinned next year. Apparently, the powers that be want to go this way. It will be interesting to see if anyone steps into the breech with a platform that functions enough like YouTube to provide a revenue stream to those dispossessed from the mainstream sites. As demonstrated by the YouTube shooter, some people can make a living (of some sort) from YouTube popularity alone. I myself, not having a presence on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube, am currently outside the influence of the conventional social media networks. But there are quite a few people who earn a living off of the advertising that a YouTube site generates. Will these people simply disappear or will they attempt to self-monetize via paid subscriptions or some other mechanism? This is a pretty important question. People talk a lot about building new platforms for the right but actually getting one up and running is much easier said than done. Being forced to do it will be a painful and difficult ordeal. But if anyone does make the transition it will be an important beachhead that will provide that person a significant advantage. If he can make the service available to others it will be a virtual monopoly since I doubt a second conservative social media entrepreneur will spring up to challenge it.
Or maybe YouTube once put outside the reach of conservatives will be bypassed as a concept. After all, podcasts and website-based subscriptions are easy enough to do. No one has to use the YouTube model. Personally, I like the idea of a podcast type arrangement. I don’t currently do anything behind a paywall but I actually think it’s the arrangement that makes the most sense. If you have something of value people will be willing to pay something for it. The negotiations will of course be how much. I have in the past subscribed to a few of these. But I am very interested to see which way all this goes. In some ways, it seems the folks at YouTube and Twitter may be making a big mistake. If they do force the Right to become self-sufficient on their own platforms it might actually strengthen them and remove the leverage the Left currently has and uses against the Right to great effect.
I really feel the Right Wing has been very ineffective up until now exploiting the power of the internet commercially. It’s shocking how little has been done to challenge the media monopoly the old media enjoys even over the internet. Basically, a handful of sites make up the bulk of right wing opinion. Hopefully this will improve in the next few years and we can hope to see less reliance on Fox News and Drudge. Even Real Clear Politics seems to have way too much left wing editorial positioning and not enough interesting voices from the Right. American Greatness is good but voices from even farther to the Right should be included to capture the range of ideas that need to be considered.
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Trump vs the Bad Boy Image
Dramatis Personae: President Trump – (PT); Vice President Pence – (VPP); Robert Mueller – (RM); Chuck Schumer – (CS), Melania Trump – (MT)
Scene 1 – White House Oval Office 8am Monday, President Trump is standing at the doorway shouting in his typical way.
PT – Mike. Mike, Mike! Pence, where the hell are you?
VPP – Right here Mr. President! Now, how can I be of assistance?
PT – Mike, have you seen my popularity numbers? They’re through the roof.
VPP – Well, Rasmussen says you are up 5 points to 50%.
PT – Exactly. Don’t you see what this means? They loved the porn star thing. I’ve got to do something to capitalize on this.
VPP – Sir, didn’t that working over the First Lady gave your face and other areas suffice to deter you from any further extra-marital activities?
PT – Relax, Holy Roller, I’m not talking about the skirts. I mean real fun. Don’t you see? This 5% must be men all over America who never have a bit of fun. They’re living vicariously through me. Whenever I do something that they wish they could do but can’t, they get a kick out of it and like me even better. So all I have to do is have a little fun and my poll numbers will be stratospheric.
VPP – And you don’t see how this can go wrong?
PT – Exactly.
VPP – Very well, I’ll call the legal team in today and have them start working up the cover stories.
PT – That’s the spirit little guy. Well, I’m off to give Chuck Schumer a hot foot.
VPP – God speed Mr. President, God speed.
Scene 2 – Same week; Up flash a series of whirling headlines on fake newspaper front pages; “Trump puts whoopee cushion under Pope,” “Trump teepees Jerry Brown’s Earth Day Observance,” Trump gives Shia LeBeof an atomic wedgey,” “Trump suspected of giving Robert DeNiro double noogies and a severe Indian Burn.”
Scene 3 – Inside Chuck Schumer’s Senate Minority Leader’s Office – Schumer behind his desk and Robert Mueller standing above him looking tall, grave and thin.
CS – I tell you Mueller you’ve got to put a stop to this reign of terror that Trump is inflicting on us. Nancy Pelosi would be inconsolable if she weren’t already completely incoherent.
RM – Mr. Senate Minority Leader Schumer, what can I do? None of these offenses in and of itself rises to the level of treason. Only the House can bring impeachment charges up and the republicans, as gutless as they are, won’t do it because they’re more afraid of getting a swirlee from Trump than even of getting voted out.
CS – Well, I simply can’t take this anymore (beginning to tear up and sniffle), it’s too much.
RM – Please Mr. Senate Minority Leader Schumer, pull yourself together. I’ll do what I can.
CS – (sniff, sniff) Thanks Bob.
Scene 4 – White House Oval Office 8am Thursday, President Trump is leaning on his desk smiling and talking to the Vice President.
PT – Yeah Mike, my poll numbers are hovering in the low nineties. Even the Democrats are loving this stuff. Look (holding up some underwear) Maureen Dowd even sent me her laudary.
VPP – Oh, Mr. President, now really!
PT – Relax, Aunt Amelia, I had them steam cleaned and checked for polonium.
VPP – But where will this all end, sir?
PT – Who cares? I’m thinking of having the CIA kidnap Kim Jong-un, shave his head and paint it blue and tie him up naked inside the girl’s locker room. And next week me and Putin are gonna steal Trudeau’s lunch money and tell him to stop hitting himself.
(just then the phone rings, President Trump puts it on speaker)
PT – Trump here, go!
MT – (her voice coming over the speaker) Schmoopey, what have you been up to this week?
PT – Nothing Schmoopey, I swear! That Dowd skank sent that laundry over to set me up, I swear!
MT – No Schmoopey, I don’t mean the Dowd panties. Those are not your fault. I mean why have you been mean to the other children? Crying Chuck’s Mom was over and she was very sad. She said you were mean to her little boy and she wants you to stop. And all the other moms called up and said the same thing.
PT – Schmoopey, you don’t understand. The world is a vicious horrible place where only the strong survive. It’s kill or be killed.
MT – Well if you’re not going to play nice with the other kids then you’re not getting a story tonight.
PT – Oh, sure they tell on me and I get in trouble. You don’t think Cryin’ Chuck does bad stuff? And what about Crooked Hillary and Dirty Bill? Why don’t they get in trouble?
MT – Because they’re not my Schmoopey and they don’t get the best stories in the world.
PT – Fine I’ll stop. But ya know, now I probably will fall into the fifties in the polls again. And the democrats will win the mid-terms.
MT – No they won’t. You are the best President Schmoopey. You know you will win anyway. Just play nice.
PT – Okay fine. Now that you’ve embarrassed me in front of Mike can I go?
MT – Oh, hi Michael Pence I did not know that you were there.
VPP – That’s okay Mrs. Trump, always a pleasure.
MT – Goodbye Mike, goodbye Schmoopey. (hangs up).
PT – Alright Mike. I guess back to the drawing board. How about we just abolish the IRS?
Scenes from a Holy Saturday Dinner
My extended family has recently taken to getting together on both Saturday and Sunday of Easter weekend. So last night I was over a sibling’s house for round one. Amazing food and drink was everywhere and everyone was talkative. Winter was evaporating and spring was in everyone’s blood. What a perfect time to talk politics.
We’re more than a year into the Trumpian Era and clear progress into a new world is evident all around. At the gathering yesterday of family and some friends a different perspective on what can be said and what was common knowledge was apparent. Those who had formerly been frightened or confused had gotten used to the new normal. Deference to the neo-con and NeverTrump “orthodoxy” had melted away. Contempt for the politically correct was loudly declared and anger at the left was sulfurous. Many were obviously overjoyed at the ability of Trump to confound his enemies and were openly scornful of the dangers of the Stormy Daniels scandal to damage the President’s agenda or presidency.
One amusing incident was a conversation in which a visiting son of the Cloud People tried to explain why White Privilege was a legitimate concept. The blowback was heated and quite entertaining. My own statement was that if someone asks me to check my white privilege my response is “Thanks, I just checked it before and it’s doing splendidly. How’s yours?” Discussions abounded on the best way for the Attorney General to arrest the Mayor of Oakland and whether treason was the correct crime to assign to a state official interfering with the duties of a federal immigration enforcement officer.
I was especially gratified that the usual suspects entirely abandoned the attempt to provide the “Narrative.” We seem to have completely shrugged off the Bush/Obama era of right-wing paralysis. We can say what we want and we don’t have to care who hears it or what they think about it.
Probably a good part of the change is actually internal to me. I’ve finally figured out which arguments and which pundits are a waste of time. I don’t even waste time talking or even thinking about them. I just deprive them of oxygen and spend my time on what I want to talk about and what I want to happen. Once in a while we’ll make fun of the neo-cons or the Bushes or Romney. But that’s strictly for laughs. We are a very irreverent group.
And I would say the most important change of all is we laughed a lot. We were happy to be living in a place where there are jobs for our grown kids and even more hope for the future. And we especially hoped to roll back some of the progressive assaults in the near future. We talked about the Supreme Court and the Draining of the Swamp. And we laughed at our insane ridiculous President who beds porn stars one week and tweaks the noses of psychopathic dictators the next. It’s as if the “Most Interesting Man in the World” were suddenly living in the White House. And the insanity that circles around him like the rings that surround Saturn are part of the gaudy, nonsensical adventure. And the roller coaster gee force is no longer frightening, just fun.