Cleveland Clown Central

"...But where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns.
Don't bother, they're here."

--Stephen Sondheim

This 'meme' (which was created to be copied) pretty much defined what happened yesterday in Cleveland.

Now, this is a foto taken by reporter Homa Bash (WEWS TV5). I met her once, she is very pleasant (and pretty) and tiny; so i am not in fear. Her beat yesterday was to take account of the protestors. Her comments, "I should mention these protesters seem EXTREMELY peaceful", and "This is more intense police presence & riot gear than I saw at Brelo verdict with 10x less people, and "Overheard at GOP protests: 'Um why are they in full riot gear for like 12 protesters?'".

Wait till next year, more clowns and cops for the demonic clown coronation. Protestors take a warning. Your protests will not be entertained. You should not feel safe. Perhaps, streets devoid of people and only the press presenting images of a police state dystopia will give the world a true sense of what is in store.

Cleveland World Festival

 Darth, or his brother Chad the day shift manager at Empire Food Market Madison Wisconsin

 enjoying a Sunday afternoon

 "Yes, and when we take over the world..."

 Chakai Manta

 Alice in Operaland

Cleveland Shakespeare invited the public to read Shakespeare in the Croatian Garden.

Seven Ages of Man. As You Like It. Jaques, Act II. Scene vii.

 "All the world's a stage,..."

band practice

 Later in the day, the temperature reached 93°F.

 Saint Ignatius High Cleveland

Parma scene

playing the trump card

I have always found the Donald a boorish buffoon, only now have i found him entertaining. It is great that he is the primadonna clown, now, on the demonic clown bus which the candidates of the Republican Party ride. He reminds me of a grumpy blonde howler monkey.

The party bosses are not happy with him. The difference in positions by all their candidates is trivial and minute. The Donald is merely louder, and less evasive. Reality and logical argument are illegal aliens to the Republican Party, so it is not the substance, but the Donald style that is the difference. The ignorant base Republican likes the Donald's brashness; they interpret it as frankness.

Where Trump is different is that he insults other Republicans, breaking Reagan's commandment, a commandment that Republicans actually believe in. Like other Republicans, he doesn't admit to facts or to error. Politic and strategic gaffes he does not recognise, they become points of honor that will be defended and advanced. What he says about other Republicans is true, and if they play tit for tat, well good. Donald will not back down.

The great stuff about the Donald is he grabs the microphone and camera, and the other clowns remain in the shadows, some trying to perform a silly antic that the audience would notice. In a few days, there is to be a Republican 'debate' on 'Fox' limited to the top ten in the polls. The press recognises sixteen candidates. The last to announce, Kasich from Ohio, received reduced attention from the press because of Trump's attempt to monopolise the spotlight. Yes, the 'debate' will be in Ohio, and the governor of Ohio may be excluded.

Even more betterer, Trump is threatening the party, that if he is not treated well by them, he will run as a third party candidate. O, please, please.

Georges Clemenceau *1841, 1929† would become premier of France twice. Long before, in 1886 under the Third Republic, he said for president, "I shall vote for the stupidest".

There is a Polish comment, "Nie mój cyrk, nie moje małpy (not my circus, not my monkeys)". Yeah, they are idiots, but not my problem.
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postscriptum: the politician Trump resembles most is Silvio Berlusconi

Elias' chariots

The Fiery Ascension of the Holy Prophet Elijah. Holy Trinity Orthodox (O.C.A. [Russian]). Parma.

And as they went on, walking and talking together, behold a fiery chariot, and fiery horses parted them both asunder: and Elias went up by a whirlwind into heaven. — IV Kings ii. 11.

 stained glass.  St. Ilie. St. Mary Romanian Orthodox. Cleveland.

20 July is St. Elias (various spellings). He is a prophet in the Old Testament, the second forerunner of Christ. He was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot. Artistic license has some latitude in depicting this. The eastern churches have more enthusiasm for him, and the blessing of vehicles and their drivers done after his example. The 'Lazarus parish' of St. Casimir Cleveland has instituted a new parish tradition after its re-opening by Vatican decree. This is the second year they have done the blessing. One fellow was asked about his car, he also is part of St. Mary Byzantine Cleveland. He said that he is getting his car blessed to-morrow there. To-morrow is St. Elias proper, to-day is the day before, but St. Casimir's is not having Mass to-morrow. One can have a vehicle blessed more than once.

  St. Casimir Roman [Polish]. Cleveland. Vehicle blessing in honor of St. Elias.

 baby carriages are also vehicles

and for people who did not drive through

Merchant of Parma

 Cleveland Shakespeare Festival. Merchant of Venice. Tri-C West, Parma. 18 June 2015.

 Prince of Morocco, suitor to Portia

Portia, 'Tysonio', Nerissa

Antonio, Shylock

Lebanese Garden

Cleveland Cultural Gardens in Rockefeller Park are expanding. The lists of nations are several, some are on some lists, and not on others. The Lebanese is one such. They have started with a quick, simple, clever, and elegant element--a raised flower bed that imitates their national flag--Cedar of Lebanon. They have no sign, but it is not needed, they have a representation of their flag, and their flag on a plastic pipe.

a day at the museum

Cleveland Art Museum

 chutes and ladders

parade disappointment

 

Garrison Keillor's imaginary Lake Wobegon parade was much better, and possible to imitate. Uncle Sam lead the parade, and there followed Miss Liberty, and Betsy Ross. Parma's was well attended with many participants, and was crummy. There are three public high schools in Parma, it would have been better if they had a concert or something. They were ok, not much else as a highlight. These schools have theatre departments. There are adults interested in theatre and 'cosplay'. We have police, fire department, military at nearly all parades; and they led Parma's. Then this one had the elected officeholders--too many politicians and their platoons with colored tee shirts with the politico's name. Really, they have that many relatives and patronage appointees? The Republican US senator had (what looked like College Republicans) work the crowds passing out stickers, and a truck load of these people in the parade.

Garrison knew that whimsy and humour are appreciated by people. Wobegon had an ocarina band from the Catholic parish, and a precision pitchfork team. And they had horses, a team pulling a circus wagon and a sixteen team double hitch of Percherons (drafthorses) pulling another wagon. Okay, that we could not do here, but as big as the parade was, and no horses at all. People like horses and dogs in parades. An attempt could have been made to invite such groups. What they had instead were businesses advertising their presence. The fun factor was low.

It is a community, we can all acknowledge civic and social organisations. Non-liturgical Protestant churches latch on to everything to evangelise. Some come from beyond the community. Some are overly enthusiastic in passing out literature. There are many religious institutions, people are free to go and not to go, but everyone does not want to be propagandised to go to one particular one that was unfamiliar to one before this immediate encounter. One group had waves working the crowd. The hard sell is an American institution.

There were a couple of unintentional episodes of humour. Many of the parade marchers threw little candies out to children like chicken feed. Safety town unit marched with a sign "Don't take candy from strangers", and the incongruity was noted by many of the watchers. The other funny thing was, i presume now but not then, the last two units jumbled together. One was a church, and the other a Halloween fright house. Yeah, i dunno. Their last character was a gravedigger with shovel, top hat, and union gravedigger shirt.