Trump über alles

see  http://rustbeltvoice.blogspot.com/2012/01/presidential-political-assessment.html
To-night there is a group Republican talking event in Las Vegas. As per usual, i shant watch.

I have always been negatively impressed with those money making commentators on politics. I have found my judgments better (although i was wrong on the choice of Cleveland as a convention city). Years ago, i used to see George Will on ABC and in the Athens Messenger. I saw a pompous, arrogant, pretender to great knowledge and wisdom. Other than being a vacation buddy of Ronnie Reagan, he had little substance. Then came Rush Limbaugh to bullshit the people for Republicans. I cannot get a cup of coffee for my views.

Trump is a rich, loud mouth idiot that has hurt people, and will continue to do so. There is a portion of the Republicans whom abhor the prospect of 'the Trump', or is it 'the Donald', but y'no, the actual difference amongst the passengers of the demonic clown bus is too little to parse. Trump is merely the loudest, while Carson is the softest in voice. Trump is the most apparent, because he uses smaller words, and repeats them for emphasis. It is hard for those who wish to present a mild middle to present him as such. The ethos behind these very representative individuals of their party is troubling. The Republican powers that be, Republican strategists, and diehards are also worried about the 'tarnishing of their brand'. They are delusional, this is their brand. And Trump is not the worst. The vilest candidate is the Canadian immigrant with the Spanish name. Practically everyone that knows, or has dealt with Rafael Cruz detests him. When Bill Clinton was around, there was talk of 'FoB' (Friends of Bill). There are no friends of 'Ted'. There are millions who think like Ted.

The boys in charge will do their damnest in machinations to derail the Donald. For the sake of democracy, Trump is the best Republican. He is the only one that tells the truth on his comrades, while telling the same lies they do to the public. Donald once (well probably many times) said, “Part of the beauty of me is that I am very rich”. That money buys freedom of speech, he will say what he will without worrying about censure by the bosses. For those of you that have the taste, and the dollars, for prised wines—look for a 1964 vintage.

nature visible in the suburbs

Parma

 Parma

 Rocky River

  Rocky River

  Rocky River

Greyhounds

 

The greyhound is an apt metaphor for how dogs and people are treated in society which monetary interests rule. He is an hunting hound, a sight hound, who courses (chases) his quarry. The greyhound and other similar looking dogs were known in earliest days of civilisation, in Sumeria and in Egypt. His bearing is considered noble, and he is pictured in Egyptian tombs and mediæval heraldry. Greyhounds have a long history with man.

A century ago, a man invented a mechanical hare and opened up a dog racing track in California. Tracks opened up in several states (especially Florida), and most English speaking countries. Recent extension of casinos and other forms of gambling has closed many American tracks; but the industry still exists.

The business needs young fast dogs, always more. If they are not young and fast, they are discarded, and replaced; very much like human labor.

Now, in the recent past, many of the dogs were then put to death. Humanitarian dog fanciers began to organise greyhound rescue societies. The unemployed, and unemployable hounds that were born and bred to serve monetary interests have been sometimes saved to become companion animals.

Many realise that we are all creatures of the same God. Certainly, we know Francis of Assisi taught this. He is not the only patron of animals. There are saints for all animals, for domestic, for wild, for particular animals, for ill animals... The two Tonys (Egypt, Lisbon/Padua) are both animal patrons. Some animals have two patrons. Dogs have Hubert and Roch. We are to treat animals well. We have the custom to have animals blessed on the feast of Francis, 4th of October.

2015 Miscellany #5

 Rocky River Metropark

 Cleveland Zoo

 Morty from the Glassblower shop, Cleveland West 25th

 Lakewood Park

Cleveland West 25th

hawk's dinner

Johnny Appleseed

Viktor Schreckengost. Johnny Appleseed. Lakewood Ohio. 1954.

Lakewood High is being remodeled, notice edge of construction fence left. The painted terra cotta sculpture will be restored, currently 'bandages' are giving him a 'face lift'. Of course, he is Johnny Appleseed; but the local officials in charge thought Johnny a 'nut', so they called it 'Early Settler'. A lesson to the high schoolers, if they realised.

Schreckengost *1906, 2008† was an Ohio boy who worked most of his life in Cleveland. Also in 1954 he created two large terra cotta outdoor sculptures for the Cleveland Zoo. They were taken down from the Pachyderm building in 2008, and have been in storage. They are now to be placed on the Natural History museum, when their expansion is completed.

Black Friday

All Fridays matter

Fluctuat nec mergitur

Fluctuat nec mergitur has been the motto of the city of Paris for more than six hundred years. The Latin is far more concise than English. The heraldic device that accompanies the slogan is a ship riding waves. A translation is "tossed about and not sunk". After the recent massacres, this was painted at Place de la République, the sight of recent demonstrations of solidarity. This is a twitter foto by Karimagicien, and has been picked up by Wikipedia.

Now, this metaphor of the ship is also used in the Faith. We are carried about in that ship and the world sends a tempest and troubles the waters. This has long been part of Christian iconography. The nave is the main part of the church, it is where the congregation meets, sits, stands, and prays. 'Navis' is Latin for ship, 'naus' is the Greek.

signing choir

signing choir St. Augustine Cleveland

Cleveland Mass Mob XIX came to Saint Augustine's. [click] This is a 'quick pic' snapped without framing. The camera, having limits, could not stop motion. It becomes an interesting foto catching the movement of the hands in flight.

3 da B4 Θanxgiving, #thanksObama

3 Democrats and still a clown truck of Republicans left

For sometime now there are no primaries, but 'fundraising' and group speaking televised events fictitiously called debates. Republicans only like to answer questions of what they want to talk about, and do not want any others. There has been competition to get on the show. The number of 'candidates' is towards the large side, so there is a main event, and a secondary kiddie table event. The Republicans have had 10, 11, 10, and now 8 on the marquee event. The junior debate has had 7, 4, 4, and 4. The Fox auxiliary 'network' has cut the number of speakers, and has barred some altogether. Gilmore, Pataki, and Graham can sit at home.

☐ John (Jeb) Bush
☐ Ben Carson
☐ Chris Christie
☐ Rafael (Ted) Cruz
☐ Carly Fiorina (née Cara Carleton Sneed)

☐ Jim Gilmore
☐ Lindsey Graham
☐ Mike Huckabee
☑ Piyush (Bobby) Jindal November 17, 2015
☐ John Kasich

☐ George Pataki
☐ Rand(al) Paul
☑ Rick Perry  September 11, 2015 oops
☐ Marco Rubio
☐ Rick Santorum

☐ Donald Trump
☑ Scott Walker  September 21, 2015
========================

☑ Lincoln Chafee  October 23, 2015
☐ Hillary Clinton
☑ Lawrence Lessig  November 2, 2015
☐ Martin O'Malley
☐ Bernie Sanders
☑ Jim Webb  October 20, 2015

supper table

We Are All French

Pray For Paris 

 Vive la France

 

opening in the wall

Beaumont High. Cleveland Heights.

been thinking to write

This here looks like a sewer gas vent pipe. It has been painted, and a couple of pieces added.

2015 Miscellany #4

Saint Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral. Parma. dome update

 great blue heron. Rocky River Metropark

faded Liberty

This is outside one of the former railway electrical substations, for the streetcars that had run in Cleveland three generations ago. It is called Transformer Station, and is a satellite of the Cleveland Art Museum. Currently, it is better than anything inside other than the crane left from earlier usage. The exhibits inside change from photography, and modern contemporary art. It has two rooms, and rivals the exhibit space of the four storey MOCA building at Mayfield and Euclid. I do not care for much of such [see click].

2015 Miscellany #3--signs

 calavera W. 25th Cleveland

    Lakewood

Sysack sign against state issue 3 concerning cannabis, Cleveland

 

  Lakewood

the Alpine ibex, kozorog, steinbock. E. 55th Cleveland

Watson, come here

"Watson, come here" is a variant of the first words spoken over the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell. Watson was also the friend of Sherlock Holmes. Our Golden Retriever pup may be a namesake of one of those two. I see great humour in calling out "Watson, come here".

Dogs are vibrant animals. They can exude joy, and affection. Their intelligence is visible, and self-evident. They may very well be the best possible ambassador from the animal kingdom. Part of this aura is that hounds are social, but so are termites; no dogs are social towards people. This breed of pup has a cuteness charisma that pegs the meter.

We all have our biases. We here are very pro-dog. Dogs are creatures that deserve names. Here in America, often dogs are given Christian names. No, that is not right. There should not be confusion in calling a human or a hound. True 'Watson' is a human surname, but 'Tom' is a normally given human's name. Giving a doggy a clever name is good. Here is the opportunity for cleverness. Giving a child the name 'Sparkles' or 'R2D2' is a mistake, but to a Basset Hound--well that's kool.

the steps are a success

A few days ago an addition to Lakewood park was opened up. Concrete blocks were landscaped into a reclaimed slope looking out on Lake Erie. It is both serene and social. One can look upon the waters, and what may be visible on the waters. One can sit and read, or chat with a friend or friends, or have a family picnic. Here are fotos from Wednesday and Thursday. People come to take pictures, to be out with their dogs. Kids race up and down the blocks.

Of course weather will dictate activity. Monday through Thursday of this week has had remarkably mild weather. Thursday was a new record high, Wednesday a degree short. In this weather there is peaceful congregating. The blocks are like those on a pyramid or a mastaba. You climb or sit.

The place is a great public space.  It is also a monument.  It is already functioning as a public square park, but without traffic or commerce to spoil it. People come to spend an hour after work or school, and watch the last minutes of the day.