Touring the Valley

Minneapolis

Renee Nicole Good, as recorded by her killer moments before he fired his gun.

“Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them.” ― Margaret Atwood

It may seem weird that the regime thinks the ICE goon's own phone video somehow proves him innocent, when, in fact, it supports his guilt. But remember that their defense of him includes the assertion that the murder was actually self defense because he "felt threatened". He probably did feel something.

All throughout the most recent election campaign, It was Republicans who repeatedly told us, "Fuck your feelings" and reiterated, "Facts don't care about your feelings." Apparently their feelings are now considered facts.

A pleasant lady smiled and said she wasn't mad at him, and that drove him into a red-hot rage. How dare a woman - a woman! - not fear him and not take him as seriously as he took himself and his violent, authoritarian role-playing? Oh, yes, she was a threat - not to his physical safety, but to his fragile sense of self, his belief in his own importance, and to his and this regime's requirement that women must be subservient to male authority.

His snarled curse, after he wiped out her life, says it all -- "Fucking bitch." This is what the domestic abuser says about the woman who disobeys, who tries to escape. This is what the disgruntled male employee says about a female supervisor. This is what the sex-pest says about a woman who doesn't want him to buy her a drink, who rebuffs his demand for her time and attention.

The regime's presentation of this video as exoneration tells you what their position is. The woman who doesn't appear submissive, who doesn't instantly comply with screamed demands, the woman who cannot be controlled, whoexpects to go about her own business (as she has every right to do) -- that woman is a threat, and if she gets away with it, his very existence will implode. So of course, he had to kill her.

They want us to agree that any woman who isn't adequately humble and subservient deserves an instant death penalty.

Random Thoughts

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Some kids feared the school bully. A few thought he was a joke. Most ignored or avoided him. Nobody respected him.

ICE agents have been permitted to act like criminals, so it's no surprise that criminals impersonate ICE.

Your front doorbell chimes. And just then, the phone rings. At that moment, someone starts pounding on the back door. You see someone peering in your window and tapping on the glass. Your laptop starts dinging because a bunch of emails just came to your inbox. Your neighbor is on the sidewalk, shouting your name. A notification beeps to let you know there are social media messages for you. In the next room, the smoke detector starts beeping due to a low battery. You hear an unidentified crash in the bathroom. You notice water leaking from under the kitchen sink. Just then, the dog barfs on the living room rug.

That is "flooding the zone" and it works because it overwhelms your ability to respond, leaving you confused and unable to prioritize.

Nearly every day - sometimes multiple times per day - donald does or says something that would have been considered scandalous for a real president prior to 2016. Often, his actions would likely have led to impeachment and conviction for pre-2016 presidents. Yet most of these things go by with little public attention, unreported by "major" news organizations. Those who should know better, who should take responsibility for holding public officials accountable, who should - at the very least - inform the public, have blandly accepted a criminal madman as the country's leader.

I visited donald's blog, to fact-check whether some of the posts recently attributed to him are real. It's a mess. Aside from being a stinking swamp of lies and hatred, it is poorly designed, difficult to navigate, unsearchable, and really ugly. In other words, appropriate.

People in government used to believe they were required to act within legal boundaries. The lawbreakers hid what they were doing, because they believed they'd be held accountable if caught. But then they found out that the people who could and should say no to donald (and by extension to his minions) weren't saying no, and that no one was willing/interested to hold them accountable. So they began doing the bad stuff openly, because that was easier than hiding it, and they became more and more confident that no one would stop them, no one would punish them. They have crossed so many lines that they are in new, weird territory, a Bizarro World where NOT being corrupt is seen as a bad thing. Where "making America Great" means destroying everything that is actually great. Where decency is a joke, and cruelty and perversion are role models.

Whatever happened to the "Age of Aquarius"?

Terrorist Tactics

In 2015, if an unmarked van blocked your car, and a group of masked men emerged, smashed your window, threw you to the ground, zip tied your wrists, tossed you into the back of the van, you and any witnesses would naturally assume you were being kidnapped by a ruthless criminal gang. Now, everyone just assumes it's the government.

It's Weird Out There

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It's not about arresting "the worst" criminals, or even about criminals at all. They can just grab you if they don't like your looks, or if they need a couple more victims to meet their quota.

Imagine that your cousin is hoarding spoons. Her kitchen drawers are full of spoons. She has crates of spoons stacked in the garage. When you comment that she has more spoons than she can possibly use, she says, "I might need them someday." Then you find out that her neighbor also hoards spoons, in some kind of competition to see who can own the most spoons in the county. Between the two of them, they have actually created a local spoon shortage, making it difficult for folks to obtain spoons for their families. They know this, but they keep obsessively hoarding more and more spoons, setting world records for spoon accumulation, while other people are reduced to using sticks to eat their pudding.

Why do we think it's crazy when it's spoons, but not when it's dollars?

Once upon a time, crooked politicians had the dignity to do their corruption and bribe-taking in secret.

Imagine a department manager in the company where you work, who often admits he doesn't remember orders that he issued, has never heard of company policies, doesn't know what people in his department are doing, admits to making important decisions based on the vague opinions of "many people", can't explain the reason for directions he gave to employees, often seems unable to remember events he was involved in just a few days or a few hours ago. That guy would be fired.

People who are unimaginative and without skills, unable to create anything interesting or valuable, make themselves powerful the only way they can, through destruction.

Look At Me!

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Imagine a lovely day at the beach. Children have gathered at the moist sand near the high-tide line to build sandcastles. Some are simple, made by using a little bucket as a mold. Others are elaborate and very creative, with moats, turrets, inner courtyards, and seashell decorations.

There is one little boy who doesn't join the fun. He's an angry, jealous little brat who expects everyone to pay attention to him at all times, just like his indulgent parents do. But now, passersby are drawn to the sandcastles, marveling at their craftsmanship and praising the young builders. The brat knows he can't compete with the other kids, because he has no creativity and lacks the patience to work with wet sand. Besides, the other kids never invite him to play, because he's mean.

Now, his face turns red as he is flooded with frustration. With a roar, he rushes toward the play area and starts knocking the castles down. The kids shout at him to stop, but he ignores them, running from castle to castle, kicking and flailing, until nothing is left but piles of sand. Some of the youngest children are crying. Other kids call the brat names and threaten to tell his parents. Some just walk away. The brat laughs with spiteful delight. He feels powerful, and everyone is looking at him.

Discovery and Conquest

By Joos van Winghe / Johann Theodor de Bry / Bartolomé de Las Casas - Bibliothèque nationale de France - https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b20000085/f2.item, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1831551

The word "discover" is used in a few different ways in English. I can say I "discovered" a great little restaurant in a nearby neighborhood, or that while cleaning out the garage, I "discovered" a bundle of my grandparents' love letters. In both cases, I have become aware of something previously unknown to ME. I could also use the same word to say a researcher "discovered" a cure for cancer, or a traveler "discovered" a new route through the mountains. In these cases, someone has created or found something previously unknown to everyone.

In the case of Columbus and his alleged discovery of North America, he certainly didn't find something that was unknown to everyone. The people living there knew about it, and a few other Europeans did, too. We can say Columbus discovered the place only in that first sense, of having come across something that was new to him (and, to be fair, new to most Europeans), although it seems he never fully understood where he was. And while he may have been adventurous and brave, he was no hero, as evidenced by his horrible treatment of the indigenous people.

If you're happy to be an American of European ancestry living on this continent, and that makes you want to celebrate this day as a holiday, have fun. But let's not pretend that the simplified child's version of the story that we were taught in school is actual history.

Don't Go There

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Imagine you're planning a special vacation. There is a country you'd like to visit, but the news makes you wonder if that's a good choice.

In that country, there is a strange, militarized police force that seems to have no restrictions on its power. Its agents are anonymous and wear masks in public. Groups of them march along city streets in a show of force. They operate without warrants and without any apparent legal justification. They brutally attack people who question them or even look at them. They kidnap people from the street and take them to undisclosed locations. Some of the kidnapped people are held in overcrowded prisons where conditions are so bad they violate both international law for prisoners of war, and the country's own laws for prison operation. The prisoners are denied legal counsel or family visits. Some of them are sent to even worse prisons in other countries. Some of them simply "disappear". This police force has arrested tourists and business travelers, sometimes for minor visa issues, sometimes for what appear to be political motives.

You probably wouldn't take a vacation in the country where this is happening. Would you choose to live there?

Recent Thoughts

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If you have a life insurance policy, make sure people know about it. Insurance companies don't just automatically pay when you die - someone has to file a claim. Otherwise, the company keeps your money. Give a copy of the policy to your executor or the beneficiary or someone. Keep another copy in a place your family will look when you're gone (kitchen drawer, file cabinet, jewelry box). If you have a lawyer or accountant, give them a copy to keep in your file.

So-called Non-lethal" weapons are NOT non-lethal. They are considered "less lethal". They can cause serious injuries and permanent disability as well as death.

For example, "rubber" bullets aren't what the name sounds like. They are not just bullets made from rubber. They are METAL with a thin rubber coating.

Tear gas can cause life-threatening conditions such as respiratory failure, chemical burns to the throat and lungs, asphyxia, and even death, especially when deployed in a confined space. Exposure can lead to permanent eye damage, including corneal scarring, cataracts, glaucoma, and traumatic optic neuropathy, with some individuals experiencing complete and permanent blindness. Injury and death have been caused by blunt force when victims were struck by a tear gas cannister.

Imagine a country whose leader posts fake videos to discredit people he dislikes, and isn't impeached for it.

It's a sci-fi horror movie scenario. A sadistic madman seizes control of a once-great nation. He is aided by stooges who have been promised great power and wealth. To lead the military, he chooses a bloodthirsty drunk with the critical thinking skills of a 3rd grade bully, who is eager to kill people and break things. They plan to "train" the army by attacking cities in their own country. How would a great screenwriter defeat the villains and restore hope and freedom to the people?

When to Jump

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In the 1930's, there were a lot of people who didn't get out of Germany in time. Some of them simply didn't believe it would get nearly as bad as it did. Some of them were reluctant to leave their familiar lives - their homes, jobs, friends, the city where they were comfortable. Some felt they were too old to start over. Or they felt overwhelmed by the prospect of leaving their property and going to a strange place where they would have nothing and would need to find a way to make a living while learning a new language. Some were ready to go, but only if they could go to a place they chose. Maybe they wanted to go to the U.S. or England, but were stopped by immigration quotas, so they waited. Some had the chance to go to places they found unappealing, so they waited for something better. Some got out, but weren't able to go far enough. They fled to other European countries that were eventually taken over by the Nazis.

It is easy now to look back and think that the old folks should have left despite the difficulty. To say that the people who didn't want to go to South America or Africa should have gone anyway. That those who didn't want to leave their homes should have realized their lives were worth more than a house and furniture. That the people who thought it couldn't get worse and that they could just ride it out were deluding themselves. And, thinking all this, we have to ask, how much of this applies to us, now?

Making it Easier

Some people seem to think that if buildings are made "accessible" for disabled or mobility-impaired people, that the result will be inconvenient for the able-bodied. Nothing could be more wrong. Principles of Universal Design (UD) promote the creation of environments that are easily usable by the greatest number of people, both abled and disabled.

In many cases, a UD approach increases the attractiveness of a space and makes it more convenient for everyone, regardless of physical ability.

Photo by Linus Belanger on Unsplash

For example, think about "rocker" light switches, which were developed to make it easier for disabled people to control the lights in a room. These switches are now considered a design "upgrade" over the old-style flip (or toggle) switches, and most people see them as part of the decor without knowing that they represent accessibility. This is only one example of how intentional accessibility benefits everyone.

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Turning a round doorknob can be difficult, painful, or even impossible for people with common conditions such as arthritis, people with neurological conditions that limit hand function, people recovering from injuries, and people who have their hands full of packages. A lever doorknob solves this problem. It can be opened simply by pressing - no need to grasp and twist. If your hand is occupied (or in pain), you can use your elbow. In addition to being convenient, Levers can add beautiful designs and artistic flourishes to home decor.

Some people are reluctant to build ramps to the entrances of buildings, even though ramps make buildings easier to enter. There is a common misconception that a ramp always looks unattractive and detracts from the appearance of the building. Why would a staircase be better looking than a ramp?

Stairways can be dangerous, awkward to use, a barrier for children or others with short legs, miserable for the elderly or anyone who is tired or ill, impossible for some disabled persons, a blockade for strollers, shopping carts, walkers, and wheelchairs, and often quite ugly.

Architects have spent hundreds of years inventing ways to make stairs look good, despite all the problems they present. Stairs have been accepted as the normal way to get from one level to another. We see them everywhere, and have become so accustomed to looking at them, that we don't even notice how inconvenient and unattractive they are.

Some designers even add unnecessary steps to a space to create different levels because of some fantasy that it looks good or that it is a method to organize the way a space will be used. In what world are deliberately-created trip hazards good organization?

Unlike stairs, ramps are accessible to nearly everyone. When intentionally designed as part of a building's architecture, they look natural and may even be beautiful.

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

Choosing My Religion

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I often see people who accuse others of being “fake Christians,” typically because the accused person appears to behave in a way inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus. My understanding is that the only requirement to be a “real” Christian is to believe in the divinity of Jesus. It is certainly possible that many of the people accused of being “fake” actually do believe that, even if they don’t believe they have to do anything about it.

In reality, there are very few people whose daily behavior is 100% compliant with the rules and recommendations of their chosen religion, and this applies to all religions, not just Christianity. If everyone who does not comply with all the tenets if their faith is “fake,” we have a world full of fakes.

Further, it can be very difficult to determine which specific faith someone follows, considering the hundreds or thousands of variations that are connected to every major religion.

Research suggests there are at least 46 prominent Christian denominations, with many more branches, sects, breakaway groups, independent churches, etc., adding up to an estimated 50,000 different flavors of Christian.

Although there are three major branches of Islam, there are many sects, groups, and movements. Some sources indicate that there are at least 73 distinct Islamic followings and traditions.

There are at least three widely recognized branches of Judaism, along with a broader array of different movements, sects, and affiliations. Research does not yield a specific number.

There seem to be three major divisions of Buddhism, along with many sects, sub-sects, communities, and traditions. Some sources indicate at least 1,000 different forms of Buddhism.

Hinduism is commonly understood to have four major denominations, with many different branches, practices, and traditions, often overlapping or including each other.

Those are the five largest religions worldwide, but there are many others. Estimates indicate between 4,000 and 10,000 distinctly identifiable religions worldwide. Most of these are relatively small, regional traditions.

There is a general trend for people to disconnect from religion altogether. No need to fake anything then.