Message from The Guardian on Importance of Freedom of the Press

If you are deeply concerned about the Mental Health Crisis in our current  Executive Branch of Government, you are one of many. Today the chief executive, whether jokingly or seriously can be debated, gave a country he is at war with the go ahead to take out Los Angeles and San Diego. His invitation of terrorism and war targeting American soil would be a crime punishable by some of the strictest laws on the books if anyone besides  a deranged, demented U.S. President had uttered it. 

What would any U.S. citizen call a President who encourages a foreign attack on American cities? He left out the “fight like hell or else” part this time, but precedence should have us all at least a bit worried and on alert. Is this as desperate a call to violence as January 6th?

This is abnormal behavior that crosses the line for any jokester or clown act to engage in. Thanks to the still standing First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, our news organizations who have not cowered or become complicit in destroying our free press, as well as many from around the world are calling this latest abnormality to account.

The Guardian is a news organization that still reports independently of political influence and pressure. Following is the link to their reporting of this latest “deranged and dangerous” talk from a U.S. President. 

Also. below is a message from The Guardian with a plea for your support in keeping the press free and independent of political influence. These are the dangerous times the forefathers of these United States of America foresaw and forewarned. It drove them to act by amending the constitution in ways to protect the country from enemies and fools from within in positions of power. 

Nobody is above the laws of this great nation. These laws protect us from would be “kings & pawns, emperors & fools.“  - quote from The Count of Monte Cristo, 2002 film

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/06/trump-suggests-let-iran-take-out-los-angeles-san-diego

In 27 days, our democracy faces a critical test…

With the midterm elections approaching, voters need fact-based reporting to decide the future of our country. Facing declining popularity, Donald Trump is accelerating his attacks on journalists’ First Amendment rights. Before you close this tab, can we ask you to support the Guardian at this critical time for journalism in the US?

The assault on the free press makes it more difficult to report on top election issues like the war in Iran, immigration enforcement, and AI’s potentially existential threat to humanity.

Most recently, Trump banned CNN, MS Now and Politico from the White House, in retaliation for “negative” coverage. While a federal judge has restored White House access for now, saying the ban is likely unconstitutional, Trump is still blocking CNN from Air Force One.

At the same time, Trump is using the FCC – which is supposed to be an independent regulator in the public interest – to settle political scores: The FCC targeted ABC after Jimmy Kimmel made a joke about the First Lady, and Trump suggested that the agency should punish the host of Meet the Press for making a  factual statement the president disliked.

The Pentagon, meanwhile, fired the editor of Stars and Stripes newspaper for “insubordination” shortly after they reported on a suicide attempt aboard the USS Lincoln, the Navy aircraft carrier reported to be in dire straits after 10 months at sea.

Making matters worse, many of the US’s largest news organizations are now owned by billionaires whose personal and business interests may imperil the outlets’ editorial independence. Media critics have observed how CBS News, now owned by a Trump ally, has softened its coverage; CNN could be taken over by the same billionaire; and Jeff Bezos has imposed extreme staff cuts and editorial interventions at the Washington Post.

When freedom is under attack, it falls to a determined few news organizations to ensure the full truth still reaches the public. The Guardian is owned neither by a billionaire nor a corporation and remains dedicated to keeping trustworthy journalism paywall-free for the world.

Despite the risks of maintaining our fierce independence, what sustains us – and fills us with deep gratitude – is the unwavering support we’ve seen from readers. A majority of our funding comes directly from readers. Your support not only powers our work, but more importantly, it safeguards the financial independence that underpins our editorial freedom and courage.

We know our requests for support are not as welcome as our journalism, but without them our journalism wouldn’t exist. Of course, we understand that some readers are not in a position to support us, and if that is you, we value your readership no less.

If you can, please support us today. We’re especially grateful for anyone able to set up a monthly contribution: reliable funding is vital for sustaining us throughout this dangerous period. It takes just 37 seconds to give. Thank you for protecting the free press.

ESPN's Kyle Brandt Hyping Raiders Football

ESPN host hilariously sounds off on network’s disrespect toward Raiders - Yahoo Sports

I saw it and I'm still pinching myself to see if it was all "Just A Dream." Nope, it was no dream. An ESPN 'Big Day' show host blasted football networks and other sports analysts for Not Talking About the 3-0 Raiders. 

The man who spoke truth to power like a republican senator calling out Trumpism is Kyle "Frickin'" Brandt. This guy is a Chicago Bears fan but more importantly a football fan. He came out on the set sporting a Raiders decaled jacket while accusing his colleagues of short-changing the Raiders early winning success. I immediately turned up the tv volume while yelling, Yes, Yes, Yes, go get'em.! 

Kyle is saying the things about the Raider Haters' (league/referees/networks) which Raider Nation and the organization have known for decades; the cards are always stacked against the Raiders in any game, period. Former owner, the late Al Davis is partly responsible, but that's another story.

I do hope Kyle can retain his job while reppin' Da' Raiders on national television. He does it so damn well. But, if they can cancel Jimmy Kimmel on late night tv for comments, imagine the blowback against a sports analyst defending Da' Raiders while wearing a "slick" silver and black jacket. 

But a word to the wise Kyle. Not only do the league and networks have a way of disappointing Raiders fans, but the team can break your heart with some of the most head-scratching ways imaginable. Both on the field and off, the Raiders can be their own worst enemy. 

Us fans who have stuck with them through it all (team relocations, player convictions, coach firings, tuck rule results) know what it means when people say, "it is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all."  We have lost games, players and coaches in the most diabolical of ways, and yet we continue to march on to an Autumn Wind beat.

We Raiders fans love our football team passionately, win, lose or tie. We are loyal to God, Family and Raiders Football. And on gameday that order can get reshuffled. I personally would rather be a loyal, longtime fan of a team everyone loves to hate on and mock, than a fair-weather-fan of a media darling team loved by many for their current success. Screw the damn media. I'm a Raider!!!

You can't appreciate the highs of winning unless you have suffered through the lows of losing. Or as one of the greatest of all time once said:

As much as we appreciate Chicago Kyle for giving us our flowers on ESPN, we know his heart is with another team. We know this is only a highlight moment in Kyle's broadcasting career, after which there will be no lasting agony should the Raiders bubble burst this season. 

But for us die-hard Raiders fans riding this 3-0 winning season start, about to face the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday with first place in the division on the line, it is much more than just a moment in sports or a division defining game. It is a season to show why we gray-haired, long in the tooth, gridiron ghosts still haunt the NFL with our loyalty to a team that hasn't won a Lombardi since 1983, hasn't seen a Superbowl since 2002, and nobody wants to give any kind of credit to for winning. 

Friends ask why I continue to root for the Raiders and wear Silver and Black?

That is like asking me why I love God, family and football.

Big Day on X: "“I’m hot on the BLEEPIN’ Raiders.” @KyleBrandt with another passionate locker room speech, this time for the Las Vegas Raiders 👀" / X

The Silver & Black Show - Week 4 vs. Chiefs - Hezekiah Masses, Kyle Brandt and Rich Gannon

In Honor and Support of our Brave Soldiers Now Serving

Yesterday I saw an unfamiliar flag fluttering on its pole attached to a third-floor apartment building windowsill. It being a beautiful, sunny day in the San Francisco Bay, with clear blue skies and a light afternoon breeze giving the flittering flag a majestic look against a classic 1907 yellow brick facade (The Saratoga).

What I discovered upon searching online is this is the Service Flag, also known as the Blue Star Flag. It is displayed in or outside windows of families who have members serving in the United States Armed Forces for the duration of any conflict the U.S. is involved in. 

Although nobody should like war, {with the exception of leaderships with narcissistic, corrupt, dictatorial agendas} citizens should be thankful for those service members willing to put their lives on the line protecting their country, so that they and their families can live free and in peace.

We citizens of this great nation salute those service members and their families for their sacrifices.

Read more at about this honorable flag and other family flags at the Nat'l WWI Museum and Memorial.

Service Flag | National WWI Museum and Memorial

Raiders (3-0) Feeling Like Vince Frickin' McMahon

 

Just Win Baby!

I really wanted to wait to begin hyping the Raiders early regular season football success. But after their third straight win, a fourth quarter come from behind road battle against the New Orleans Saints, I couldn't resist posting something, anything.

With today's 35-27 victory, Da' Raiderssss have uninvitedly strutted into the ring of competitive teams' whose opponents must bring their A-game to play against. The silver and black are showing NFL teams, analysts and fans they are a far cry from the (3-14) team of 2025. Improved coaching, players, playcalling and defense has them currently as one of five teams sporting a 3-0 undefeated win/loss record. Every Raiders win has been hard-fought and deservedly earned. 

Next week's opponent is the Kansas City Chiefs, enough said. Who better to use as a measuring stick of improvement than our AFC West rival who've been on a decade long division and league dominance up until last year. Our much-improved defense will get a good test going up against Mahomes and Kelce, with Mrs. T. Swift-Kelce in an Allegiant Stadium luxury box wearing chief's gear.

"Can't Wait!"

As of now, I'm gonna enjoy wearing this comeback Raiders win through the week leading up to the Chiefs Sunday showdown. Just look for the guy in your town dressed in Raider's gear Power Walking like an undefeated champion's ring walk to take on his next opponent. 

"I Pity the Fool" who steps into the ring to take on the newly improved Raiders.

RAAAAAIIIIIIIIDDDDDEEERRRRRSSSSS!!!!!!

Final Score

Raiders 35

Saints 27

NFL Football Week 1

The Trades, The Draft, The Pre-Season, The Cuts..... Done!

NFL Pro Football Season 2026 is here. 

Week 1 began Wednesday Night with a Patriots/Seahawks Superbowl repeat right down to another New England loss. But it was close. Thursday Night Football saw a division rivals 49ers/Rams game with the favored home team of Los Angeles taking a surprise beatdown.

And Today, my fanatical football cohorts, the waiting is over for all of us. My team and most of yours will take the field for the first time in a meaningful game this season. Our hopes are soaring high, our predictions seem right-as-rain, and our teams all have a puncher's chance at making it to the Big Shew!

So, it is time to stop talking Lebron James, screw the Yankees and Dodgers, and get down and dirty with the game that truly separates boys from men. It is time to grab refreshments, enter our caves and begin acting like real men:

ARE U READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

WELL, ARE U PUNK!

Boxing Saturday Night: Garcia Closes The Door On Benn

My Only Professional Boxing Event - Sweet

 

Manny Pacquiao vs Agapito Sanchez (2001)

• Date: 2001-11-10 • Location: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, USA • Referee: Marty Denkin • Judge: Ric Bays 54-58 • Judge: Marshall Walker 56-56 • Judge: Raul Caiz Sr 57-55 • International Boxing Federation Super Bantamweight Title (1st. defending of Pacquiao) • World Boxing Organization Super Bantamweight Title (1st. defending of Sanchez) • Time: 1:12 • Weights: 120.5 lbs (each)

The Main Attraction on the HBO Event taking place in San Francisco, Ca. was Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (26-0) vs Jesus Chavez (35-1). So here I was, seated approximately ten floor-rows back (row KK) due to a convenient ticket printing mix-up, able to see the sweat from George Foreman's ringside bald head as well as from the fighters, watching my first and only professional boxing event featuring two would-be hall of fame boxers early in their careers.

There were plenty of preliminary fights that were so, so. However, to be up close to any boxing ring during a fight is undisputedly one of the best experiences in sports. The anticipation leading up to the main event was edge of your seat can't wait. By the time the two main fighters entered the ring and introductions were made, the arena's atmosphere was simply off the charts. Definitely worth the price of admission.

It was the only time Pacquiao (33-2) and Mayweather would be on the same boxing card until they finally faced off against each other fourteen years later in 2015. That fight was also anti-climactic, with Mayweather displaying his defensive skills while applying what seemed like an avoid direct confrontation style. It was like watching the fox chase the hare and the hare's quickness was too much for the fox. Mayweather fans saw him as demonstrating the sweet science of boxing while Pacquiao fans labeled Mayweather a cowardly running chicken. It was not a good fight.

Now with both pretty much retired, they were scheduled to meet in 2026. However, the HBO event was postponed indefinitely due to legal disputes and financial gridlock surrounding Mayweather's camp. But that's okay, boxing fans aren't trying to see an old fox chase an older hare around the boxing ring, even in an exhibition match.

If you've never been to a Professional Boxing event and have the opportunity to do so,

"Just Do It!"

Lindsay Clancy Trial Thoughts

After watching various shows about the Lindsay Clancy case, I determined there was no motive for why a mother of three children would murder her kids. I believe the defense and/or prosecution also voiced no motive was found. This doesn't mean there was no motive but that no evidence could be presented as a motive. A prosecution without a motive usually favors the defense, except in this case both sides agree the mother murdered her kids. It is the mental state of the accused mother that is on trial.

After taking it all in and hearing additional evidence I hadn't heard earlier, I do believe at the time of the murders Lindsay Clancy knew what she was doing. I feel she struggled with coming to the conclusion of having to take the lives of her three little ones but somehow was able to justify it in order to successfully follow through with at least part of the plan (murder-suicide).

It is the "somehow" which I feel gives us a peek into the motive for why she did what she did to her children. 

I believe if a mother has determined to commit suicide her biggest roadblock/burden is having to leave her children behind. Not knowing what will happen to her children after she is dead, and having no say whatsoever in the fate of their lives afterward would weigh heavily on any mother abandoning her young children due to any circumstances. 

And if mental illness, depression or a fatal illness has befallen a mother, what more concern would she have than the care for her young children (5yrs, 3yrs, 8mos) after she is gone. A mentally stable mother might look to female family or close friends to ensure the safety and upbringing of her children. A loving father, who did exist in this case, might lack in nurturing and loving.

In the case of Mrs. Lindsay Clancy, we know she was being treated for mental illness and depression. What was never given as evidence was her motive for wanting to kill herself, if there is such a thing for suicidal thoughts. Perhaps it was mentioned in the trial, but I don't remember hearing it. It seems clear that for whatever reason(s) she came to the conclusion to end her own life, the lives of her children weighed heavily on her decision. 

In coming to that conclusion, she was faced with the dilemma of leaving her children behind to face a life without a mother's nurturing love. I do believe she loved her children as much as any mother could, and in her depressed mental state she chose the only place she thought they'd be safe and possibly with her to watch over them was in death. 

It seems the prosecution and defense were more focused on accusing and defending the medical professions and pharmaceutical prescriptions used to treat her condition, than determining what led Lindsay to want to commit suicide. I believe once Lindsay decided to kill herself, as a mother she calculated it was best for her children to die along with her. 

In other words, Lindsay chose first to kill herself, and the killing of her children was an afterthought that took planning.

I believe the Lindsay Clancy Case was a botched murder-suicide. A case where a loving mother chose what she felt best for her children once she decided to end her own life. And in some mentally/emotionally challenged way of thinking, it would take the love of a mother to understand the fear and hurt of leaving her children behind forever. Perhaps, so much fear and hurt that she may not have been able to go through with her own suicide while her little ones were still alive. 

A painful tragedy to envision. And I'd assume painful for a mother who lived through it all and a father who couldn't protect his children. But my heart truly goes out to those who were innocent victims in this case: young Cora, Dawson, and Callan Clancy. No verdict in any courtroom will give back what was forcefully taken from them. Life!

Prayers go out to the Clancy Family

Tears in Heaven Await us All!

Eric Clapton: The Unthinkable Tragedy That Inspired "Tears in Heaven"

Psychologist testifies Lindsay Clancy was not criminally responsible in killing of her 3 children | PBS News

Lindsay Clancy didn't have acute psychosis when she killed her 3 children, psychologist says | Courthouse News Service

Did Lindsay Clancy Benefit From the O.J. Simpson Effect? | Mistrial Analysis - YouTube

Update:

BREAKING: The Lone Clancy Holdout Was The ONLY Black Juror! - YouTube

Tai Chi

 

Yang Taichi 85 Forms Part 1 & Part 2 Back View

Just Won Baby!

 

"he growls as he storms the country,

a villain big and bold."

It wasn't pretty. Raiders have much work to do both offensively and defensively. But in their second preseason game the Raiders showed composure, resilience, and the "Will to Win" as they came back from a seventeen-point halftime deficit to defeat the Houston Texans in Raiders style.

Winning can soothe the aches and pains from a disappointing showing. And watching that first half was a painfully, huge disappointment. But to show up when it matters most, with the game on the line and no time outs left eased the earlier pain. A gutsy goal line tush-push play with fourteen-seconds on the game clock launched a Raiders sideline celebration as a decades old team motto sunk in for the newly signed young players wearing silver and black (white jerseys): 

"and the trees all shake and quiver and quake,

as he robs them of their Gold."  The Autumn Wind

Final Score

Raiders 22

Texans 20

Django - A Tarantino Classic

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

"Django" - Composed by Luis Bacalov

After revisiting the movie Django Unchained, I have nothing but admiration for the creativity and genius of filmmaker Quentino Tarantino. The characters, the dialogue and the violent cruelness of some scenes make it a classic tribute to Western films past. And the main theme song, an original from the 1966 film Django, should be tops on any list of western theme songs.

The genius is recognizable right from the beginning, when Tarantino inserts slavery, race and revenge into the plot along with his uniquely hinted humor. To watch a Tarantino film is to sit back, suspend belief, and let your senses take in an unfiltered collage of place, time, peoples and circumstances.

If nothing else, Tarantino should be remembered as the filmmaker who revolutionized the "N"-word in film. From an older generation, who rightly attach so much violent hatred to this word, hats off to a younger generation for somewhat declawing the word and rendering it less harmful by using it in a fraternal/brotherly context.

But to know the history of the word is to know what a person today means when using it. One should know the social context associated with how a person addresses another. When it comes to the "N"-word, its history alone distorts its use and meaning today. 

Personally, I do not use the word. But I'm more aware and sensitive to the manner in which someone addresses me than the words they use to address me. Yes, words matter. But as we have seen with the "N"-word, when a word is used in a slang context, its social relevance has been altered by those using it in that context. Meanwhile, those so offended by the ugly history associated with the word continue to find its use in any context offensive.

As for Quentino Tarantino's over the top use of the "N"-word in his films, I believe his creative artistry puts the viewer's thoughts and conscience on trial, where he/she is the judge/jury/plaintiff/defendant all wrapped up into one. Each viewer must battle with their own inner feelings about how the word was used and what emotions arose in them by hearing its use over and over again. I doubt those who find the word vulgar regardless of context can comfortably sit through a Tarantino film. Then again, maybe Tarantino is all about making viewers uncomfortable about violent and cruel behaviors that were once acceptable. 

Chattel Slavery was legal in what is now the United States of America for 246 years.

Do remember, Django is a creation of historical fiction for entertainment purposes. It is you, as a living, breathing being with a mind, body and emotions tethered to your own history that movies like Django can awaken awareness in. There is so much more to this classic Western movie than just one word. But without the "N"-word's use, in its slavery-era context, I doubt this film would have had and continues to have such an impact on its viewing audience.

Analyzing Evil: Stephen From Django Unchained

Not you, Stephen. You right where you belong

note: for my late brother Will, who loved Westerns and enjoyed every moment of watching Django!

Instagram yamlittle_mba

There’s a powerful moment in Django Unchained where Stephen, the house slave played by Samuel L. Jackson, sees Django riding a horse and immediately becomes furious. Not because Django did anything wrong, but because the image itself violates the order Stephen had internalized. A Black man moving freely, confidently, outside the hierarchy he had accepted. That moment wasn’t just about anger. It was about conditioning.

I thought about that scene when I saw the old clip from the Ricky Lake show where two Black men are arguing about racism. One is speaking honestly about still feeling the weight of profiling and discrimination. The other says racism may exist but we should just ignore it and focus on Black people harming each other instead.

Both are reacting to the same history, but from very different places.

One says you can acknowledge racism and still strive, still build, still succeed while understanding the system you’re navigating. The other says success requires pretending the system doesn’t exist at all.

But the deeper issue is how the conversation turns inward and becomes a fight between us. That’s the legacy that stretches all the way back to slavery. Systems that conditioned people to compete, distrust, and police one another while the larger structure remained intact.

Stephen’s anger at Django wasn’t just a character moment. It was a metaphor. Internalized hierarchy can make people defend the very structure that once oppressed them. And when that conditioning carries forward through generations, the argument becomes less about the system and more about each other.

The real challenge isn’t deciding whether racism exists or pretending it doesn’t. The challenge is recognizing the history of how we were conditioned and refusing to let that conditioning turn us against each other.

Awareness and success are not opposites. You can acknowledge reality and still rise above it.

Disclaimer: This post contains commentary on historical themes, media, and social dynamics for educational and discussion purposes.

Shame vs Guilt / Honor vs Righteousness

excerpt from Essays on Ethics by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

- Guilt, not shame

All societies need a shared moral code. They all therefore need a process of socialisation. But not all do this in the same way. The anthropologist Ruth Benedict made a fundamental distinction between shame cultures and guilt cultures. In shame cultures the highest value is honour. In guilt cultures it is righteousness, "doing what is right because it is right." In shame cultures, morality functions through a sense of what others expect from you. Shame itself is the sense of the disgrace we would suffer if others found out what we have done. Guilt has nothing to do with opinions of others and everything to do with the voice of conscience. Shame cultures are other-directed. Guilt cultures are inner-directed.

This has significant consequences. One who has been shamed has been marked, tainted, stigmatised. The only way of escaping shame is to leave and live elsewhere or, in extremis, to commit suicide. Guilt cultures are different because they draw a sharp distinction between the agent and the act, the sinner and the sin. The act may be wrong, but the agent remains untainted, intact. As we say in our morning prayers, "The soul You gave me is pure," even if I have done things that are impure. Thus, in guilt cultures, there is always the possibility of remorse, repentance, atonement, and forgiveness. We can mend broken relationships. We can atone for sins. We can apologise and be forgiven. What we did does not hold us eternally captive. What we do in the future can atone for what we did in the past. A guilt culture is a morality of freedom. A shame culture is a morality of conformity and social control.

Much has been written about Genesis 2-3, the story of the first humans in the Garden of Eden and the first sin, eating from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Few, however, have understood that it is actually a story about the difference between guilt and shame. Bernard Williams, in Shame and Necessity, points out that shame is essentially a visual phenomenon. When you feel shame, you are experiencing or imagining what it is like to be seen doing what you did by others. The first instinct on feeling shame is to wish to be invisible or elsewhere. Guilt, by contrast, is more a phenomenon of hearing than one of seeing. It represents the inner voice of conscience. Becoming invisible or transported to somewhere else may assuage shame, but it has no effect on guilt. The voice goes with you, wherever you are.

Seven Features of Jewish Ethics

1. The dignity of the individual

2. Human freedom

3. The sanctity of life

4. Guilt, not shame

5. Loyalty and love

6. The ethics of covenant

7. The dual covenant

Judaism: A faith and way of life centered on the Torah, divine commandments (mitzvot), and spiritual relationship with God. Historically, traditional belief held that the return to the Land of Israel would occur through divine messianic intervention rather than human political action. 

Zionism: A movement formalized by figures like Theodor Herzl in the 1890s in response to European antisemitism, asserting that Jewish people—like other nations—have the right to national self-determination and sovereignty.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on cancel culture, restoring morality and Israel’s missed opportunities | Jewish Rhode Island

The Dreyfus Affair (French History)

 

novelist Robert Harris on "An Officer and a Spy"

"The Dreyfus Affair: A Lesson for Our Time," presented by Joseph Gal, PhD, MS

Alfred Dreyfus

1859 - 1935

French artillery officer of Jewish descent, wrongfully convicted of treason. Sentenced first to life imprisonment on Devil's Island penal colony. Sentenced a second time to 10 years but later exonerated. Antisemitism and a French military coverup were motives behind his wrongful convictions. 

Movie: J'accuse (2019)

Corruption: When U See Something, Say Nothing!

 

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Capital One Financial (COF.N)

, opens new tab hit back on Friday against a lawsuit over its decision to close ‌the Trump Organization's bank accounts years ago, stating that it did so after a review by anti-money laundering experts.

The disclosure marks the first time a bank has formally tied money laundering concerns to U.S. President Donald Trump's family business. Capital One is seeking to dismiss ​the case by casting doubt on claims of illegally debanking — or denying services on religious or political grounds — ​the Trump Organization.

Capital One says it closed Trump Organization's accounts after anti-money laundering probe | Reuters

And here we are as American citizens 2026, watching helplessly as a government we once suspected of corrupt, greedy, unfair practices now flaunt their disregard for rule of law in plain sight for all to see. Democratic foreign governments understood early the "Quid pro quo" policies being pushed to do business in America and have taken steps to offset any losses. 

Meanwhile, American citizens are left feeling the squeeze not only financially, but in their all-around health, as well as the health of the country. 

- Because of an underlying propensity to be greedy, and because the human condition seeks advantage, there is no shortage of corruption — and its pernicious consequences — in the contemporary universe. But no political jurisdiction can function on behalf of its citizens and stakeholders if its leaders and middle managers are focused on private gain rather than public enrichment. Instead, bridges collapse, roads crumble, food is tainted, organs are peddled for profit, police self-enrich at roadblocks, marriage and birth certificates become costly, and the very fundamentals of a safe and secure life are compromised.

The Baleful Consequences of Corruption | The MIT Press Reader

And yet we still see those corrupt ones in high government positions continue to lie, excuse, and defer in order to avoid accountability for war, disease, food & fuel prices, unconstitutional/illegal federal job cuts, Immigration and Customs Enforcement killings, and the list goes on growing by the day. We must continue to keep a light on the truth while this unwelcome darkness fueled by greed passes through. The world is watching, and I'd like to believe most are keeping us in prayer.

United Nations | Peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet

In a Mildly Corrupt Regime, Government by the People Undermines Government of and for the People

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“If There Is No Struggle, There Is No Progress” - Frederick Douglass

 

Frederick Douglas (Abolitionist)

The following is an excerpt from his August 3, 1857, speech at Canandaigua, New York.

Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters.

This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. 

Find out just what any people will quietly submit to, and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.

By George, Senator's Amazing Recovery

 

"I Wish My Brother George Was Here"

Either former disgraced senator George Santos is trying to fake his way back into the Senate as Missing Mitch, or Republicans have found their ideal replacement for the former senate majority leader. Either way, it is a funny, eye-catching meme. 

Gov. Beshear demands proof of McConnell's capacity to serve amid senator's 2nd health update | whas11.com

Kentucky: What happens if Senator Mitch McConnell cannot finish his term

George Santos betting activity on Kalshi flagged to DOJ, sources say

Invictus Poem Dangerous to Catholic Faith?

 

"Invictus" by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

– William Ernest Henley, 1875

Marc Sims - Bible, theology, culture, etc.

One of the most popular poems in the West today (particularly the last two lines), William Ernest Henley’s Invictus is a kind of reverie and praise of the rugged individual who refuses to let the circumstances of life crush them.

From the age of 12 Henley had tuberculosis of the bone and suffered tremendously, eventually resulting in his left leg being amputated when he was 17. He spent the remainder of his life in and out of hospitals, under the constant threat of having his other leg amputated, and eventually died from the illness at the age of 53. As an avowed atheist the only solace and strength Henley could look to for comfort amidst a life of suffering was within himself. At the age of 27, while Henley was laid up in a hospital, he wrote Invictus, latin for “unconquerable.” It has become well known, along with Rudyard Kipling’s If, as the quintessential picture of the stoic manly virtue of Victorian England.

The poem’s influence has been considerable. Nelson Mandela famously recited this poem while in prison, looking to it as a beacon of hope. It was also the last words of Timothy McVeigh before he received a lethal injection after killing 168 people in the Oklahoma City bombing. For good and ill, the “unconquerable soul” of Henley has resonated with many.

Better to Reign in Hell

Each of the four verses strikes a note of defiance. The only nod Henley gives to a power above him is a reference to “whatever gods may be” who give to him his “unconquerable soul.” The rest of the poem positions himself in active resistance not only to the circumstances of his life, but to any kind of higher power over him, whether that be chance (verse 2), death (verse 3), or the Christian God (verse 4). In each verse he is beset by darkness, bludgeoning, horrors, and punishments, yet stands unafraid and undaunted: Invictus.

The last verse in particular is a scandalous slap in the face of Christianity. Henley rejected belief in God, but even if the Christian God exists it matters not. The “straight gate” is an allusion to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in threat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it,” (Matt 7:13-14, KJV). To reject the narrow path of Christ is to plunge yourself into destruction and judgment. But Henley, so to speak, cries out: bring it on. The “scroll” charged with punishments is likely a reference to the book of judgment in Revelation 20:11-15. Henley is not intimidated by threat of punishment or judgment, for he is the captain and master of his fate, not an Eternal Judge. In other words, he would rather take the punishments of the scroll and maintain his autonomy and control, then become submissive and compliant. It reminds one of Satan’s confession in Milton’s Paradise Lost: “Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.”

Illusory Independence

While there is something commendable about a kind of courage that is willing to face down overwhelming odds, the kind of independence and autonomy Henley portrays in Invictus is imaginary, dangerous, and exhausting.

It is imaginary because no one is able to defy the circumstances of life. We do have some power to choose how we respond to the events in life, but no one is the master of their fate. We have no control over what happens to us, what other people will do, or the situations which providence finds us. I did not choose the family I was born into, when I was born, my genetic makeup, or what is happening in the world around me. Further, while Henley purports to say that it “matters not how strait the gate / how charged with punishments the scroll” at judgment day, it does matter. Henley’s hubris is staggering. At the last day he will not be defiantly standing against the God of the universe saying: I don’t care, bring it on. No, he will be on his face confessing that Christ is the Master and Captain (Phil 2:10-11) before begging the mountains to fall upon him (Rev 6:15-17).

It is dangerous because it removes any authority from outside or above the individual and places the authority within, I am the captain of my soul. Some people look within and find virtue (Mandela), and others find ugliness (McVeigh). But if the heavens above and circumstance around us cannot bow our heads, then what will? When McVeigh killed 168 people, he saw himself as the “master of his fate” and “captain of his soul”–he saw himself as the hero, defiant, and undaunted. And, since the worldview of Invictus loads the individual with authority, who are we to say otherwise? That is dangerous.

Lastly, it is exhausting because it forces you to become your own savior. You cannot look outside of yourself for strength or help. It is you against the world, against the heavens, against death. And that is a heavy burden. What if death approaches and you do not find yourself fitting the 27-year-old’s description of being “unafraid”? Too bad. You have no one and nothing else to help you.

Dorothy Day, the 20th century Catholic worker, wrote a poem in response to this worldview fittingly titled Conquered:

Conquered

Out of the light that dazzles me,

Bright as the sun from pole to pole,

I thank the God I know to be,

For Christ – the Conqueror of my soul.

Since His the sway of circumstance,

I would not wince nor cry aloud.

Under the rule which men call chance,

My head, with joy, is humbly bowed.

Beyond this place of sin and tears,

That Life with Him and His the Aid,

That, spite the menace of the years,

Keeps, and will keep me unafraid.

I have no fear though straight the gate:

He cleared from punishment the scroll.

Christ is the Master of my fate!

Christ is the Captain of my soul!

Dorothy Day (November 8, 1897 – November 29, 1980) was an American journalist, social activist and anarchist who, after a bohemian youth, became a Catholic without abandoning her social activism. She was perhaps the best-known political radical among American Catholics.

Journey to Sainthood: Dorothy Day

Lovely comic depiction of "Invictus" by Sir William Ernest Henley.  : r/Poetry

Is Vitello the Giants Biggest Liability?

Buster Posey seems to have his mind made up on Tony Vitello's future with SF Giants

After watching yet another Giants late inning give away moments ago, I am convinced that rookie MLB Manager Tony Vitello is still learning how to manage games in the big leagues. While he is trying to figure it all out (lineup, opposition, strategy, and key moments in a game) this battling Giants team appears to be a well-built ship with an inexperienced captain at the helm.

Sure, hitters and pitchers had a challenging first half. But watching pitching ace Logan Webb give up a tying three-run homerun in the bottom of the 7th inning with two outs against the Mariners proved to me the captain is still sleep/inexperienced at the wheel. Webb clearly struggled while trying to reestablish his dominance after a hit-by-pitch and a walk. There was no mound visit to check on Webb or just give him a break at 80+ pitches. Experience, just from the first half failures, dictates something be done BEFORE the opposition jumps on you.

But what do I know, I've never played or managed in an MLB game. What I do see while sitting back watching my flat screen is a repetitive pattern where the Giants dominate early then "Things Fall Apart." 

And here we are again. Seattle Mariners Pitcher Andres Munoz just sat down three giants with two looking strike outs and one ground ball. He did it on nine pitches averaging 98 mph (five of them 100 or 101). Things have fallen apart!

Mariners are batting in the bottom of the ninth inning. If the Giants are lucky, they'll get it into extra innings. So, it has come to wishing this team luck when trying to close out or finish off an opponent. The Giants team that won three world series in the 2010's were torturous to watch. This 2026 team has clearly given new meaning to torture in SF Giants Baseball. And the final outcome has become brutally predictable.

Where the hell is Liam Neeson when your team is being kidnapped?

GOOD LUCK GIANTS!!!

Giants vs. Mariners (Jul 18, 2026) Box Score - ESPN

Donald Trump Said What????

 

NOOOOooooooooooo!

AI Overview:

White evangelical Protestants continue to be among Donald Trump's most reliable and strongest political bases, with Pew Research Center studies showing approval ratings for his administration often hovering around 70%. [1]

They are drawn to his strong leadership style, alignment on conservative cultural issues, and his role as a protector of Christian interests against perceived threats. While the majority of this voting bloc strongly supports his broader agenda, some congregations and national leaders have expressed disagreement or subtle distancing regarding certain policies, such as his strict immigration measures and disruptions to church services by law enforcement. [1, 2, 3]

For further insights into the relationship between the administration and religious conservatives, explore the Pew Research Center analysis on evangelical political standing. To understand the friction some congregations are facing regarding his administration's actions, read the NPR report on divisions over immigration policies. [1, 2]

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Almost 18 months since Trump's 2025 Presidential Inauguration, Evangelical Christians must be fearing the wrath of their Lord and Savior for not heeding his warnings: 

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves."  Matthew 7:15

"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" Matthew 7:16

Christians are having a Trump-sized reckoning : It's Been a Minute : NPR

White evangelicals remain among Trump’s strongest supporters, but less so than a year ago | Pew Research Center

American Christians Face a Choice - The Atlantic | (discussions)

The Forgiveness of God