The Hero Worship Factory

Kobe Bryant is dead, and for his family and friends Bryant's parting under particularly tragic circumstances makes his demise all the worse.

Those of you who read these pages regularly (or stop by to access links in the margin and soon advance to ignore me entirely) may know that nothing non-impresses me more than professional sports and the quest to put a ball in a hole or transport a ball from here to there, generally for giant sums of money.  It's just nuts to me.

This week, thanks in no small way to the mainstream factory media which always goes into overdrive when celebrity deaths occur, one would think that Bryant was master of the universe.  Call me cold and heartless, but all I saw was a man who died in a helicopter accident, a name well known for doing good things but nevertheless acquired his fame and fortune primarily by driving, directing or pounding balls into holes.  And the crowds went wild.

Soldiers who die in plane crashes are my heroes and should receive national recognition.  Celebrities who die in crashes are rarely heroes in any respect. but they are, well, celebrities.  The mainstream media in particular is rarely able to distinguish between heroes and celebrities.

In our misguided society, I'm pretty sure that if a man or woman found a cure for all cancers and then died in an explosive self-driving car wreck, their name would disappear from the nightly news after about two days, if that.  Few seem to care as much about scientific breakthroughs, great mathematicians, astronomical achievements or poisoned dog treats from China as much as they do about whose genitals are bigger on the athletic field (I guess I could follow this up with that ball-in-the-hole thing, but I'll forfeit the opportunity).

I'm not big on organized religion, but even I would caution that making gods out of living or deceased celebrities tends to push God, however one perceives God, out of the way and maybe over the cliff.

China and the new coronavirus:  So. . .if they come up with a new vaccine in a few weeks, will the hero scientists responsible receive all the kudos awarded to dead celebs?  I doubt it.  Nice that they finally (today) got around to declaring a global emergency, and for a refreshing change it wasn't proclaimed by a 16-year-old screaming about the climate.
 
Andrew Cuomo and the irony of it all:  I couldn't resist descending into actual thought when I saw a news photo this week of New York's governor visiting and honoring the dead at Auschwitz.  I wonder if Cuomo, long intent upon screwing with NY's Second Amendment rights through succeeding bits of legislation, can understand that many Jews and others who perished in concentration camps were victims because their firearms had been confiscated by Nazis and  GOVERNMENT sympathizers.  Cuomo's views on gun "control" -- and may I add, hello-o-o-o-o to Virginia and its black face freak governor -- are exactly the recipe for condemning the words, "Never again" to the land of null and void.  Interesting, too, that Cuomo is all for the legalization of toxin-filled "recreational" marijuana use among adults in NY, while wagging his no-no finger at the vape industry.

The impeachment Follies of 2020:  The reticence of congressional reps on both sides of the aisle to explore the Biden/Ukraine story simply demonstrates that Congress houses many dirty hands aware of closeted financial skeletons -- denizens of the same swamp Trump attempts to clean up as those devouring the political feedbag  try to oust him, election ballots be damned.  Which reminds me. . .

UFO Disclosure:  I'm old enough not to care, so let me remind friends and acquaintances in the UFO research arena that I will never applaud the Clintons, Podesta, Harry Reid or any hopefuls of the left who some believe are absolutely the champions and last word in gaining UFO "disclosure."  Why?  Baggage.  Robert-o no trust-o.

Bits and Pieces for January 2020

The "Tic Tac" UFO video(s):  Interesting to know early on not only that more than one military-accomplished video of this particular incident exists, but that the U.S. government has no intention of releasing a second publicly.  As usual, explanations are absent, but we can wonder whether (1) additional military observation equipment itself is classified and likely to be enemy-compromised by going public with another video or (2) additional video and/or technological evidence the unidentified aerial object provided during the incident provides exceptional clarity or clues regarding its source or structure or (3) this particular object relates to a highly classified domestic or foreign military project {ha, as if. . .} or (4) in a society already crazy enough, government does not want to inflame the situation further by letting on how little control we really have over "things" which freely come and go to pique or assault our senses and confound our so-called high tech inventions.  As planetary citizens of the universe, maybe in relation to other space or inter-dimensional entities we just suck and government officials prefer not to dwell on this proclivity.

Black History Month:  Oh Je-e-e-e-e-e-zuz, here it comes, perennially ready to devour February and force-feed non-black folk portions of guilt walking hand-in-hand with hatred.  Even a fair share of (can barely tolerate this designation) African-Americans wish this fairly recent societal aberration would go away because it has served its originally well-intended purpose to the point of ad nauseam.  Here's an idea:  Maybe start teaching civics classes in high schools and colleges again and include all the good things about black history and white history and every other color and variety of history in America,  Could be some people will learn not to hate everything about the country, once deliberately excluded facts about the good parts are brought back into play.  But stop holding every precious day of February hostage, please.

Virginia's white black face freak governor and his legislative accomplices apparently celebrate in their own way, hoping to place further restrictions on the Second Amendment.  Will the peaceful appearance of thousands of Virginia's gun owners make a difference to progressives intent upon changing the country to their socialist whim?  Good luck.

Divisive.  Diversity.  Two words, so different.  Or are they?

All the gold that glitters:  How charming of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to hand out gold pens upon subdued yet frenzied signing of Trump's impeachment orders for the Senate.  Were these one-time-only pens produced in China, or instruments of quality equipped to accept refills so that Democrat House members can continue to feel the love for years to come?  I'm pretty sure they weren't stick pens bought at the dollar store, but one never knows when cheap affairs disguised as elegant ballroom activities occur in Washington.

Mutating a gecko into Godzilla is what the Democrats do best, per the House's impeachment infection now infecting the U.S. Senate.  When this current leftist foolishness hoping to set a bear trap for Trump melts into failure, Dems will be one month closer to trying to explain to constituents why they should be re-elected based upon little to nothing of substance.  We wish the Joe and Hunter Biden story would be explored in the Senate, as this evolving story appears to serve up the epitome of corruption.

New York, New York:  Somebody should apologize for the national excrescence of Schumer, Nadler, Jeffries and other clowns as they join with California demons Schiff and Pelosi to waste taxpayer money and time in this pathetic Trump hijack attempt.  Yet, as pathetically as this crew demonstrates its abilities every day, NY hosts an entity at least as annoying:  Megalomaniac governor Andrew Cuomo.

Having already publicly announced that the state has no room for some conservatives, this progressive (read as socialist) hack continues to tout nebulous accomplishments in the state -- as people persist in escaping in droves every year.  Already six billion dollars in debt with at least a couple billion more on the way in 2020, the best this fool can suggest as overly generous NY Medicaid benefits continue to destroy fiscal stability is to suggest taxing people's health insurance!  Additionally, Cuomo hopes to have legalized marijuana in the state so he can tax the daylights out of that as well.  Having already attempted to ban vaping components in NY and fretting publicly over health concerns, how incredible that Cuomo would push marijuana on New Yorkers, knowing what science knows about the toxins associated with its usage.

Oh, but just mention "ghost guns" which shoot real deadly bullets instead of marijuana toxins and Cuomo becomes inconsolable.  Yes, homemade guns with no serial numbers.  So whadaya think you're going to do about it?  They're here, and they will only become more popular among the killer class harboring no wish to be apprehended and imprisoned

Meanwhile, Cuomo travels to Puerto Rico and frets over what New York can do for PR, when doing something is clearly a federal issue.  We would never suppose, of course, that Andrew Cuomo has taken the best interests of the Puerto Rican people to heart particularly because so many of PR's residents -- e.g. voters --currently reside in NY following territorial disaster.

Environmentalist Cuomo, on the other hand -- or do we mean hat? -- embraces solar panels and wind turbines, with nary a word about what eventually obsolete or damaged equipment will do to landfills and enviro quality.  And not a word about the millions of birds executed by solar and wind instrumentation every day.  We wonder whether 16-year-old Swedish wunderkind Greta "Oona Goosepimple" Thunberg would approve?  How about Cuomo's aspirations for "high speed rail" in NY, cutting a swath through just about everything ecologically important?

There are megalomaniacs and there are hypocrites and there are leaders who deceive by insisting that the citizenry-affected actions they take behind closed doors without encouraging public discussion in advance are best.  New York is blessed with Cuomo, his complicit legislature and bags of NY corruption to encompass all of this, and none of it reflects the country in which we grew up once upon a time.

It Hasn't Been January for 12 Months

Writing a coherent entry of any length isn't working today, and winter may actually be planning a strike this week, so I'll just leave you with the important sign shown here while I can still post.  When Ricky Gervais says all the right things about Hollywood and we get the extra bonus of watching Iranian people in the streets calling for the death of the Ayatollah, what remains to be said?  If Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan end up minus proper Royal funding and resort to starring in California soap operas in between hobnobbing with the arrogant celebrity class, life will be complete at last.  Invisibility sounds better with each passing moment.

From Iran to Texas: Graduation Day

Tumultuous scenes of enraged human Iranian herds dominating TV news videos contradict everything I once experienced, albeit briefly.  Watching women covered in black like pieces of animated furniture offends the senses.  The now reminds me of the then.

The year was 1968, its final weeks winding down as we, four U.S. Air Force airmen, graduated from a physical therapy specialist course at the (then) Medical Service School at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas.  The course, considered critical because so few were initially enrolled to cover the entire Air Force hospital system, was fairly new to the USAF, and at that time a handful of instructors only graduated a maximum of (rarely) 30 airmen a year.

But this particular graduating class was different. For the first time, as an experiment which succeeded wonderfully, the government allowed as additional students two women from a local civilian hospital -- and two young women from Iran.

Iran?  Surprised?  Don't be.  In 1968 we were on friendly terms with Iran, even training their fighter pilots and other personnel.

As you might expect, during "on hands" medical training in the classroom (as opposed to lectures and textbook teaching when we all sat together), the women worked and learned among themselves, while we four men stayed to ourselves for training in lab modalities with instructors.  The ladies from Iran were kind, eager to learn and appreciating their time in the United States. 

This fleeting occasion blending together military, civilian and foreign players proved at least minimally newsworthy, as the local press provided some coverage as the event's training concluded.

True enough, Iran under the Shah back then was no paradise, but at least the people of Iran could appreciate some degree of freedom AND attire themselves in the clothing of the West -- as you can see in the photo displayed here.  I've cropped out most of the graduation day photograph because there's really no reason to include everybody, but remaining are the two Iranian ladies and, yes, that's me in the background.  I blacked out parts of their faces because that's what you do when you hope to make recognition difficult in case the wrong people are having a look, but no matter that, what I really wanted to emphasize was the clothes the young women wore back then.  No dark-side burkas to confine bodies or minds, just mix-and-match clothing of one's choice.  (I do regret that my photo edits make the women appear to resemble hostages!)

Do I know the young women's names?  Of course, but even more than 50 years later they will not appear in a blog providing easy pickings for Iranian operatives or their allies who might chance to read this blog and go looking for sacrificial lambs among the Iranian people who still pray for freedom from the radical religious dictator insane asylum running the country (for now).

So yes, there was a time when Iran was Persia, and a time when Persia became Iran and the people enjoyed wealth, beauty, an established culture and education, and then as now many of the people saw the United States in  a good way.  The older Iranian population surely remembers, though  younger people raised under the brutality and fanaticism of the current leadership have no idea.

Did President Trump do the right thing by ordering General D. Bag Soleimani and his associates obliterated?  Absolutely.  Yet one more piece of trash which rightfully should have been taken care of once and for all by the weak and obliging Obama bunch.  Any day when you can kill a known terrorist with a continuing agenda in play is a really, really good day.  Any day when you can avenge what Iranian terrorists did to your embassy in Iraq after killing and injuring more Americans is a great day.  Any day you can drive home a point to the ayatollah-mullah-imam caboose that any penchant for terror deserves a tough slap back is an exceptional day.  Any day that doesn't turn out to be Obama's, Hillary Clinton's and the Democrats' Benghazi is a good day for America.

By saying these things, I'm not waxing patriotic so much as simply being practical.

Iran?  Let's hope too many more years don't pass before the magnificence of Iran and its people can be reborn in hands other than those of religious fanatics who belong dead with brutal centuries already long forgotten by the future.

How Dare You! 2020 Barges In Uninvited

No, I couldn't stop it from arriving, but I don't really want it, either.  2020 will probably bring along another 12-month bag of trouble for the entire world, President Trump's monumental efforts of good intentions notwithstanding.

Just looking at a few topics of recent interest which I did not explore in depth, I'm already feeling  doubtful.  For instance:

Activists want to abolish honors classes for students, claiming racism and white supremacy; a school district insists upon implementing mandatory busing despite almost unanimous opposition by parents whose kids would be bused -- and immigrants from communist countries living in the community see this as one more step toward the communism they escaped.

If anybody had fun in Ukraine, it was the Obama administration, according to Ukraine officials.  And once again, a student found his graded assignment paper scribbled with anti-conservative notes and accusations of racism by his smarter-than-anybody-else teacher.

New studies indicate what everybody should have known long ago:  Computer screen time is changing children's brains, and we don't think that means for the better.  More?  It's apparently fashionable for students to boycott college English classes, calling them racist and just too darned white.

Stories of this nature are rivaled by so many others, and I ask -- if the United States hadn't been held (legally, I'll admit) hostage by the Obama folk for eight years of national weakness, would China, Russia, North Korea and Iran be so far advanced in weaponry pointed toward and intended for our direction?  We would probably learn a very, very hard lesson, but for Donald Trump.  Unfortunately, we can't negotiate through a world of monsters abroad with sprigs of niceness and pleasant diplomacy alone, which, I guess, may be some of what colleges, universities and (shudder...) high schools are providing decomposed student minds these days.

Happy 2020?  We'll see about that.