The news that’s being missed, ignored and hidden is more fascinating than you can imagine. Do you have any idea of what you’re missing? I do.

THE DHS BULLET BONANZA. Coming soon to a level of consciousness near you soon.

And what ever gave Americans the idea that they had some right to keep and bear firearms of significant caliber and power? Who ever uttered such an ill-conceived and fanciful notion?

“Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man gainst his own bosom. Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American…. [T]he unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.” (Tench Coxe, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788.)

The reference. The standard. The clenched baritone. The baleful muted howl of incomprehensible loss. All set to a catchy beat. Incomprehensible. A toe-tapping ditty chronicling suicidal loss. A 1-2, a 1-2-3-4. “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” True, no exaggeration, the greatest country song ever. The reference. The standard. This is my most prized photo of a celebrity. And to call George a celebrity misses the point. This was December 1993. I look like a baggage handler for Air Morocco (and I have no Idea what that means). When I entered the room where George was greeting special guests (Ahem!) someone announced that there would be no autographs, only photos. Who wants an autograph? Of course I want a photo. To prove the moment. Pert near 20 years ago. You rarely meet those rare people who can do something so rare, so rare no one can even approximate it. George Jones spoke sad fluently. And remarkably could make it catchy. Giving heartache a 4/4 signature. Yabba dabba doo the King is gone.

And if you had any doubt as to the power of George … .

Never before has it mattered more. And that’s no exaggeration. Thinking, critical thinking, is a structured event. Not for the weak. Impossible for the stupid. Let us begin today’s foray into our world, shall we?

Questions, questions and more questions. Why did they do this? Were they alone? What was their cause and objective? Whom did they represent? Were they a part of a cell? Was their stated faith a factor at all? Was the police reaction along with what seems to be substantial military support rational, warranted and permitted by law? Why is anyone in the government even mentioning or discussing Miranda warnings being issued? A priori, no less? Why was there no getaway plan? Why not just get away period? Was this an act of war or a crime? (Not my idea, I assure you.) What about the mindless profiling and prognostications and attempted vatic augury as to the idea of the bomber(s) without a shred of evidence. What about The Posse Comitatus Act? As firewalls between domestic and military disintegrate. Will the tried and trite enemy combatant designations be dusted off, will there be those who clamor for a declaration of war?

And one more thing. Take a look at this. This is the NDAA. Notice anything familiar? Don’t worry. You will.

Sec 1031. AFFIRMATION OF AUTHORITY OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES TO DETAIN COVERED PERSONS PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE.

(a) IN GENERAL.-Congress affirms that the authority of the President to use all necessary and appropriate force pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107–40) includes the authority for the Armed Forces of the United States to detain covered persons (as defined in subsection (b)) pending disposition under the law of war.

(b) COVERED PERSONS.-A covered person under this section is any person as follows:
(1) A person who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored those responsible for those attacks.
(2) A person who was a part of or substantially supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners, including any person who has committed a belligerent act or has directly supported such hostilities in aid of such enemy forces.

(c) DISPOSITION UNDER THE LAWS OF WAR.- The disposition of a person under the law of war as described in subsection (a) may include the following:
(1) Detention under the law of war without trial until the end of the hostilities authorized by the Authorization for Use of Military Force.
(2) Trial under chapter 47A of title 10, United States Code (as amended by the Military Commissions Act of 2009 (title XVIII of Public Law 111-84))
(3) Transfer for trial by an alternative court or competent tribunal having lawful jurisdiction.
(4) Transfer to the custody or control of the person’s country of origin, any other foreign country, or any other foreign entity.

(d) CONSTRUCTION.- Nothing in this section is intended to limit or expand the authority of the President or the scope of the Authorization for Use of Military Force.

(e) AUTHORITIES.-Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect existing law or authorities, relating to the detention of United States citizens, lawful resident aliens of the United States or any other persons who are captured or arrested in the United States.

And these words, these predictions infra shall and will live forever. In my memory. Without a shred of evidence these brave men weighed in, still frothing after the assault weapons debate and debacle. And to be fair even the (I suppose) right jumped on the Islamist bandwagon. Again without a scintilla of evidence. This is what we’ve become. Prescient profilers. 

Today’s podcast is a mélange like you can’t believe. A veritable pastiche of free-form, freethinking, free-association and unchained, unfettered, untethered, dis- and un- connected mentation. I loves it! I enjoy the Q that’s been appended to LGBT. Q as in questioning. Let’s add Q to our names and critical thinking M.O. Question.

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. — Weird Al Einstein

Think of my commentaries this way. Mentally carminative. I relieve mental flatulence. It’s a wonderful thought. And by the by, this picture supra is perfect. The myth and illusion of the left-right paradigm.

Carminative: An agent that prevents or relieves flatulence (gas in the gastrointestinal tract) and, in infants, may help in the treatment of colic. The origin of the word “carminative” is particularly curious. It was borrowed from the French carminatif (masc.), carminative (fem.). Virtually all English-language dictionaries state that the French took the word from the Latin carminare, to card wool. However, a respected French dictionary Le Petit Robert indicates that carminare meant nettoyer, to cleanse. The confusion appears to stem from the fact that to card wool was to cleanse it. Thus, a carminative cleanses the bowels.

The God Particle. Why we look up and pray (hope) something’s in charge.

Debt before dishonor. I’ll bet you know nothing about credit, FICO and the pitfalls. I’ll bet you know nothing about the real goings-on as to papal succession. Well, don’t feel bad. These inter alia are my area levels of expertise. Sit back and just watch the magic. Including my greatest Friars Club moments. This will surely make you cringe, Shirley.

And now, the moving picture portion of the entertainment. “Historically, the most terrible things – war, genocide, and slavery – have resulted not from disobedience, but from obedience.” ― Howard Zinn

I couldn’t have said it better myself. There’s so much more than the visual, the visible, the apparent. This disquisition delves into scores and heaps of data, ideas. Knowing yourself, drafting a user’s manual, is what the secret to self-actualization really is. And finding why we do that which we do is priority number one.

And these words are beyond beautiful. How succinct and perfect. And from the late 19th century, no less. They could have been spoken today. So apt, so perfect, so spot on.

Variations on the quote below have been misattributed as a response to a toast, by John Swinton, as “the former Chief of Staff at the New York Times”, before the New York Press Club in 1953. However, research reveals that Swinton (1829-1901), after moving to New York, wrote an occasional article for the New York Times and was hired on a regular basis in 1860 as head of the editorial staff. Afterward holding this position throughout the Civil War, he left the paper in 1870 and became active in the labor struggles of the day. He later served eight years in the same position on the New York Sun and later published a weekly labor sheet, John Swinton’s Paper.

The remarks were apparently made by Swinton, then the preeminent New York journalist, probably one night in 1880. Swinton was the guest of honour at a banquet given him by the leaders of his craft. Someone who knew neither the press nor Swinton offered a toast to the independent press. Swinton outraged his colleagues by replying:

There is no such thing, at this date of the world’s history, in America, as an independent press. You know it and I know it.

There is not one of you who dares to write your honest opinions, and if you did, you know beforehand that it would never appear in print. I am paid weekly for keeping my honest opinion out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for similar things, and any of you who would be so foolish as to write honest opinions would be out on the streets looking for another job. If I allowed my honest opinions to appear in one issue of my paper, before twenty-four hours my occupation would be gone.

The business of the journalists is to destroy the truth, to lie outright, to pervert, to vilify, to fawn at the feet of mammon, and to sell his country and his race for his daily bread. You know it and I know it, and what folly is this toasting an independent press?

We are the tools and vassals of rich men behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes.

(Source: Labor’s Untold Story, by Richard O. Boyer and Herbert M. Morais, published by United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America, NY, 1955/1979.)

Despite the misattribution, the quote raises the issue of whether there is not continuing truth in Swinton’s remarks, and whether some candid journalist might not be able to fairly say similar things today. Anyone who has associated closely with journalists can hardly avoid finding a ring of truth in such words, and the best evidence lies in the actual product of journalists and how well, or how poorly, it both agrees with and covers what actually happens, especially involving such things as corruption and abuse of power.

And the that video thing. I’m glad you asked.

A parallel universe. Science has posited that that the web of subatomic particles that composes our physical universe – the so-called “fabric of reality itself” – possesses what appears to be an undeniable “holographic” property. G’head, read for yourself. I’m in awe of the implications. Can you feel your brain stretching?

We are viruses. What a lovely thought. The Matrix changed my life. As did Hee Haw, but that’s another story.

I’d like to share a revelation that I’ve had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you’re not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You’re a plague and we are the cure. (Agent Smith)

And now for something universally parallel. Red or Blue?