Writing done, I came home and napped and did not care. I decided to not write, not think, not clean the apartment. Work on Wednesday is my hardest day - lots and lots of pans for 4 hours with a 15-minute break.
I listened to music and documentaries, I started notes for this blog, then went to sleep.
How tired was I? Tired enough to oversleep by two hours this morning. Work was slightly less strenuous than yesterday. I made a run for the door. Going to work this morning, I started wondering about my next trip to the jail to let Delaware County I was still here and being good. Wednesday night, I decided to call off the Memorial Day cookout I had planned. Being broke was one cause, and then the other thing being that I had mistaken when it was Memorial Day. I thought it was the last weekend of May. This also was when I figured out May 25 fell on a Sunday. That was when I was to go to the Sheriff's. They are closed on weekends. I spent most of the day thinking I had missed my appointment. When I got home, I got frantic to find the date in my email. No such luck. I called the Sheriff's office. The date was confirmed as May 25. No luck trying to be there tomorrow. So, it was decided to fit me in today. Another issue was the bus I needed to take would leave at 2:30. I told the person on the other I would take the bus coming my way, and be there in a half hour. Only it was 1:26. My brain was fuzzy - tired and a low-level headache is what I blame right now. I totally screwed up. I came back here, spent an hour ingesting RC Cola, and going through my email. Then I went to catch the #2 bus as it headed back to the station. Only that bus was running behind. Luckily, the driver let me out at Liberty, so I could catch the #17. I jogged from Jackson to Adams to catch the bus out to the jail. Then things got back on track after that.
I swear my brains are turning to cotton candy.
I spoke twice with T2.
Then I came back to work on this post, and a couple of others.
Some readings I want to share follow.
State Representative Sue Errington (District 34) on Delaware County Today 5/20/25 (WMUN)
Sheila Kennedy continues putting out good stuff; good as in sensible.
Donald Trump opposes the “invasion” of immigrants.
Well, not all immigrants–just Brown or Black ones. Perhaps you have somehow missed the administration’s daily efforts to reverse the progress of women and people of color, but there’s no way to miss the racism of his recent exemption of (properly pale) folks from his otherwise unremitting war on immigration–his grant of refugee status to “persecuted” White folks from South Africa. According to our racist and demented Chief Executive, White South Africans should be welcomed while dark-skinned people escaping actual persecution–and dark-skinned people already living in the U.S.–should be excluded.
One thing about life under an autocracy: it spawns a particular kind of black humor. Among the various telling memes and cartoons making the rounds, one especially has captured (at least in my mind) the essence of our current situation. The cartoon shows Nixon and Trump; Nixon is famously saying “I am not a crook.” Trump is saying “I am a crook. So what?”
I think that sums up how far we’ve traveled–and in what direction.
I’m willing to believe that some of our former Presidents have been less than honest. But those who failed to meet social expectations of honor and virtue did work to hide their bad behaviors–to deny dishonesty or venality, to appear to be the sort of leaders Americans had the right to expect. Trump doesn’t bother.
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As the extent of the Trump corruption becomes more widely known, the question will be whether it matters to the MAGA cultists. After all, they are getting exactly what they voted for: an administration promoting White Christian nationalism.
Thus far, there’s no evidence that they care about the honesty or competence of those they’ve elected, or about the America the Founders bequeathed us.
These moves strike Americans who were raised with the admonition that “it isn’t whether you win or lose, but how you play the game” as “dirty pool.” But they make all kinds of sense to people who believe they are trying to save civilization from hurtling toward an Armageddon where “those people” will replace the good White Christian men that God wants in charge.
Those True Believers represent a very significant element of the MAGA base. They don’t necessarily include the party overlords, but those pooh-bas recognize that their hold on power depends upon playing to the base’s beliefs. Today’s Republican officeholders agree with Machiavelli, who said “We ought to see clearly that the end does justify the means…If the method I am using to accomplishes the goal I am aiming at, it is for that reason a good method.”
The Trump administration–with its attacks on due process, habeas corpus and the rule of law itself– is making the difference impossible to ignore.
About Trump liking and welcoming Afrikaners, South Africa got over apartheid, but Trump brings their ideas here.
An Afrikaner Refugee Has Thoughts About the Jews (The Bulwark)
I find his treatment of the South African President disgusting.
Trump confronts South Africa's president in tense White House meeting (NPR)
In many ways, Trump’s criticism of South Africa’s laws – meant as redress after apartheid – dovetail with his efforts to eradicate diversity initiatives in the United States, which — like some of the South African laws he resents — are meant to correct historical racial disparities.
His views have been supported by the South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, who was among Trump’s top advisers in the opening months of his new administration.
Trump fast-tracked processing of White South African refugees. But not everyone wants to leave (CNN)
Indiana’s energy future: progress, innovation, and economic opportunity (Indiana Capital Chronicle) is an op/ed that I saved from deletion because I think it is a sign of good things for Indiana.
The nexus of energy and economic development was at the heart of this year’s public policy proposals introduced by Sen. Eric Koch and Rep. Ed Soliday. Whether it was urging state and federal coordination, supporting emerging technologies like small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced transmission technologies, or speeding up generation build out for large customers, lawmakers and Gov. Mike Braun’s administration worked with purpose to keep Indiana competitive and demonstrate leadership on key issues facing our state and nation.
The adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 3 urges regional transmission organizations and the federal government to take action on expediting the approval of electric transmission and generation projects. This resolution recognizes that the ability to quickly develop and build additive energy infrastructure is critical to economic development and the utilities’ obligation to serve Hoosier customers 24/7/365.
And then there was: Ratepayer protection agency recommends against Duke's coal-to-gas push (Indiana Capital Chronicle)
The state agency tasked with protecting utility consumers has asked regulators to reject Duke Energy Indiana’s “ill-advised” plan to retire two coal-powered units — and replace them with new natural gas units — at the Cayuga Generating Station in west-central Indiana.
The project would add more than 470 megawatts to the aging facility’s 1005-megawatt capacity. Cayuga has operated for 55-plus years and is the oldest coal-fired facility in Duke’s Hoosier fleet.
But it also comes with an estimated $3.3 billion price tag that financing costs could balloon to $5.3 billion, according to Duke. The company is one of the “big five” investor-owned regulated monopolies.
Margaret Atwood’s 10 best books – ranked! (The Guardian). I still put Blind Assassin at #1.
American Individualism and American Power - (JSTOR Daily) gives me some ideas for "Chasing Ashes" - if I can ever get back to writing fiction.
Something I do not how to categorize or can write a full post about: Mannhood: Democracy Dies in Daylight (Liberties)
Some humor: More Latin Mottoes for Trump-Era Government Entities (McSweeney’s Internet Tendency)
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