West Yorkshire: former ‘emo’ band frontman and convicted paedophile Ian Watkins killed in prison stabbing attack

image generated via ChatGPT

{Sky News 11 October} ‘Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins dies after attack in prison’

I could not name a single Lostprophets song: their music remains a complete and blessedly vacant space in my memory—a footnote I never cared to read. They were one of those wretchedly formulaic ‘emo’ outfits that flourished among the younger cohort in the 2000s—the kids who were approximately ten years my junior, give or take—appealing to adolescent angst through distortion pedals and cosmetic despair. The sort of sound, such as I heard of it, that is utterly alien to my own more symphonic and intricate musical inclinations.

But while their ‘art’ passed me by entirely, I remember with sickening clarity the revelations that did emerge concerning their frontman, Ian Watkins. The crimes were of a wickedness so foul, so venomous to the very essence of mankind, that even the most jaded reader of true-crime reportage might have flinched. I will not reiterate the particulars—they are readily found elsewhere, and one need not pollute the mind—but suffice it to say they represented the nadir of human degeneracy.

Justice eventually found Ian Watkins, albeit years too late for the innocence he annihilated. Some creatures are beyond reclamation; alas, many of them are in positions of power and shall never—at least in this mortal span—be brought to bear for their iniquities. Each of us might name a rogue of that breed, perhaps an orange and elderly one, yeah? And there is no rhyme or reason whatsoever as to who God blesses with fortune and favour, as opposed to those He oppresses. More often than not throughout the history of humanity, good people suffer while the cruel ascend, arrayed in gold and glory for their wickedness. The cosmos keeps no ledger of justice—only irony.

Providence, it seems, doth mete out mercy with no more discernment than a drunkard casting darts. Yet, every now and again, it striketh a bull’s eye. —Arthur Newhook, 11 October 2025.

Copyright 2025, Arthur Newhook. FULL LIST OF LINKS - linktr.ee/arthurnewhook. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED on Cash App ($ANewhook).

Fellow supporters of President Joe Biden: CUT IT OUT WITH THE BLOODY TAYLOR SWIFT WORSHIP

Evan Agostini/AP

#Cult45 manufactures baseless animosity towards those who even mildly disagree with their agenda, or sometimes just because they make a convenient target, as is the case with a successful (relatively) young pop music singer (gee, who could I be referring to?) triggering the angry, old white men who comprise the bulk of the GOP base. Every single time, all too many of you fall into their traps, distracting from real issues in today's morally compromised and celebrity- obsessed America. The Fascists create these phony controversies because it works on a dumbed-down and absurdly restless population that values bread and circuses above all else. Stop playing on their terms! They goad you into wasting time over arguing about people and things that do not really matter so that you do not concern yourselves with health insurance, Social Security, matters of war and peace, climate change, our eroding civil liberties, or any number of pertinent issues. They brand you as sheep, and most of the time all too many of you prove them correct.

For whatever it is worth - and her actual music really is not all that germane to the discussion - Taylor Swift is not an essential artist like Nina Simone, Carole King, or Kate Bush. Despite her commercial success and despite that she hath been deemed an enemy by our enemies, she is still only a disposable pop star making goofy dance music for teenagers. Sure, good for her for enabling voter registration at her concerts, but she is hardly the first to do such a thing and to believe her doing this will save our democracy is pathetically naive. This woman is worth upwards of a billion dollars and can defend herself; she does not need millions of (perhaps well-meaning) people posting memes and expressing outrage on her behalf day and night. Meanwhile, actual human beings in this country and around the world are being oppressed in sundry ways, and they have no one to speak for them; no, they do not dance, lip sync, or date football players, so they do not matter. Our fellow citizens do not entertain us, so who cares about them, right? Our priorities are so screwed up that I cannot even articulate it properly at the moment. 

Folks, we are going to be crushed in the upcoming election. President Biden is under attack from all sides like no other president in modern history. Under attack by Trump and the GOP, by all the Christofascist loons, by the far-left ‘progressive’ jerks, by Arabs and Muslims furious that he (rightfully) stands by Israel, by the isolationists who would gladly allow Putin to march over all of Europe, by the sleazy mainstream news media, and by so many of the insufferable know-it-alls that live amongst us (that loud-mouth uncle who comes to Thanksgiving dinner, the ‘Karen’ who makes the lives of retail workers miserable, so on and so forth.) He is a capable and steady leader in a nation that has come to relish chaos, division, racism, hatred, and stupidity. We are a nation of impatient, willfully ignorant, and unserious imbeciles. When President Biden loses to a felon and traitor in November, know now that I am going to hold the likes of Taylor Swift, the media which props up these twits, and all of you who are obsessed with said twits at least partly responsible for our loss. When we are locked away in concentration camps - any of us who stand opposed to the nationalist populist agenda - I will remember the millions of lay people who have spent years now concerning themselves primarily with watching ‘reality’ television shows, posting selfies, getting fat on junk food, and living vicariously through the worthless excuses for celebrities that we are saddled with in this time. Our lives are literally at stake, so stop engaging in pissing contests over people who wouldn’t piss on you to save you if you were on fire!

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

The United States of Entertainment: A realm where personality cults, reprobates, and tyrants flourish, and where free will, critical thinking, and basic decency meet their demise

AI generated image

Observing grown adults engage in overt idol worship, fervently insisting on their idols' infallibility and suppressing dissent, is not only lamentable but also profoundly disturbing. This starkly contradicts the ideals of human liberty, critical thinking, and rugged individualism that the United States ostensibly once championed but now disregards. Full stop! I refuse to conform to a society where select mortals (rather mediocre ones, at that) are propped up by perpetual media hype and wield such influence over vast numbers of people that some adherents are practically (or literally) prepared to kill for them. It is important to note that I am not exclusively referring to #Cult45 and not solely pointing the finger at DJT.

The ceaseless idol worship of a disposable, thoroughly mediocre pop music star (initials ‘T.S.’) is becoming more than a mere annoyance. I am genuinely concerned about people’s mental health, and our corrupt media is to blame for enabling these charismatic charlatans - and there are others beyond the aforementioned, such as Elon Musk, who may be classified as an existential threat alongside Trump - to cultivate personality cults. This is not the country and society I grew up in, one that valued freedom of expression, critical thinking, and rugged individualism. That was the United States of America. Now, we are the United States of Entertainment, a country of sheep; anyone daring to stray from the herd shall be 'canceled.'

How did we reach this point, teetering on the edge of outright Fascist theocracy, while the majority of Americans remain blissfully ignorant? Supporting a pop star for enabling voter registration at concerts will not stop Trump, the GOP, and #Cult45 from imposing tyranny. Showing genuine support for the one person standing between us and Fascism - President Joe Biden - would be a better course. Yet, all I see is complaining and fretting over trivial matters, most notably his age. We are not a serious people. President Biden has held this diverse nation together amid serious storms, highlighting his worth and integrity, yet is never recognized for this. The lack of respect for competence and decency, while narcissistic buffoons are held up as role models, makes me sick.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

Guns now the leading cause of death for American children, and America is broken beyond repair, but at least we’re not Russia

Marco Bello/Reuters

CDC: Guns are now the leading cause of death for American children - Nothing will be done. The far-right makes up, approximately, 40% of the overall population, and upwards of 80% or more of the rural population. They are, by far, the largest percentage of gun owners, and their ranks include many police officers and military personnel. The Constitution is written in such a way that privileges small states and rural areas over cities. The Supreme Court is heavily biased in their favor. Most of the state legislatures are controlled by the GOP, and they are gerrymandering congressional maps anywhere and everywhere they can get away with doing so. They may not control academia, the entertainment industry, or pop culture in general (though they are working hard to change all of that), but politically and legally they have this country by the proverbial balls. January 6, 2021, was just a taste of what is to come, and the rank-and-file of #Cult45 are just waiting for the word to begin slaughtering the rest of us. I’ve been saying all along, dating back years, that America is a lost cause. Yet we still have to fight: After all, we will eventually have to give an account to God of whether we stood up to evil, or helped facilitate it. I am not anti-gun and would be opposed to just outlawing them altogether; but some basic measures to ensure to the greatest extent possible that only trained, qualified, and law-abiding individuals are allowed to possess them would not be an ‘infringement’ on the Second Amendment. No private citizen needs to own weapons of war, such as an AR-15. All rights come with responsibilities and limits, so do tell why gun ownership should be exempt? But, as I said, nothing is going to happen, except more bloodshed. America today is akin to places like Iran, much of the Middle East, Russia, etc., where ignorance and superstition is increasingly becoming enforced, and intellect and reason are gradually being suppressed. Go down fighting. (Axios 5/26)

Damon Winter/NYT

Michelle Goldberg: America may be broken beyond repair - Do ‘we simply stumble on, helpless as things keep getting worse?’ That has been the state of affairs for a couple of decades now, but simmering rage can only build up for so long before it explodes. It is very hard to see any scenario now where the country can heal these riffs and be held together. Therefore, the question becomes: Is this union worth persevering, or would it be for the best for the United States to be dissolved and a series of new, smaller states to emerge from its ashes? If it is the latter, there will be extreme disparities between the new states that emerge in terms of their economies, laws, standards of living, and so forth; and there will be bloody wars between some of these states from time-to-time. If one looks at the history of Europe over the centuries - and even within the last 100 years - borders are constantly changing, alliances come and go, and those processes always entail great conflict and bloodshed. So, just breaking America up does not guarantee there will no longer be strife between the peoples of this vast continent. But it would appear people in New England, or California, or in Chicago no longer want to be ruled over by people from the rural South and Midwest, and vice versa. Each side wants to impose their lifestyles and values (or lack thereof) upon the other, neither is in the least bit interested any longer in compromise and going along to get along. Something will have to give. (New York Times 5/27)

Yuri Kochetkov/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/WP

Russians face prospect of Soviet-style shortages as sanctions bite - Excerpt: ‘Stung by Western sanctions, Russia is starting to devolve into a secondhand economy dependent on poor substitutes, where shortages are stirring memories of the consumer wasteland that was the Soviet Union. While it may be able to find new purveyors for some Western-made goods and components in friendly countries such as China and India, Russia is increasingly determined to make its own — returning to policies of import substitution that yielded a vast, if globally uncompetitive, industrial complex before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Already, Moscow is facing serious challenges.’ (Washington Post 5/26)

Roger Dean

Fourteen warning signs that you are living in a society without a counterculture - Serious food for thought here. We are not living in a vibrant culture that rewards independent thought and creativity. I think that’s something we all should be ashamed of, and be working to fix. (Ted Gioia 5/28)

Rest in Peace, Alan White: Hall of Fame drummer of YES fame dies at 72 (AP 5/26)

This is beautiful. The Beach Boys serenade Alan White, sometime within the past few years. RIP to a great drummer and human being. 

Never really 'got' The Band, and I believe that holds true for most who came after that '60s generation. But, any musician who had a positive impact on peoples' lives as Ronnie Hawkins did deserves to be celebrated. (CBC News 5/29)

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Odds and ends: Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison in killing of unarmed Ukrainian civilian, Americans being replaced by zombie shells of their former selves, Early Voting wins the Preakness, and more

stock photo, via Crosswalk.com

Thought of the day: If only Americans weren't too busy engaging in culture wars and moral panics, and if this were still a serious nation instead of a glorified circus (#Murica), then Putin wouldn't feel so emboldened. Americans are completely failing the Ukrainian people. Exactly what kind of dystopian nightmare are we living in here? Not that there is a ‘good’ kind; all I know is, I want off. #StopPutin Слава Україні

Milwaukee Independent

Kevin McDermott: Yes, real America is being ‘replaced.’ By a radicalized political right - Quote: ‘How is it that people who have nothing but contempt for the principles that define the best of this country today have somehow managed to designate themselves as the arbiters of what it means to be American?’ (St. Louis Post-Dispatch 5/21)

Straight out of the 1930s: Trump speaks via satellite to CPAC conference in Hungary - Alongside #Cult45 stalwarts Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, and a Hungarian journalist who smeared Jews as ‘stinking excrement,’ Roma peoples as ‘animals,’ and blacks with the infamous ‘n’ word. (Business Insider 5/22)

Mariupol on the verge of a health and sanitation ‘catastrophe’ - Seeing the destruction of Mariupol from afar has been among the more horrifying and disturbing events I can remember. I pray I never have to witness such horror in person. Please continue to pray for Ukraine. (Ukraine 24 5/22)

Young Russian soldier convicted of killing an unarmed citizen, sentenced to life in prison - The first of many such convictions to come, Lord willing. (Washington Post 5/23)

(VIDEO) An interesting look at the Russian city of Vorkuta, north of the Arctic Circle and, according to Wikipedia, ‘the easternmost town in Europe' - A longtime coal mining hub that has been losing population for decades. During the winter, they have two hours of daylight in a twenty-four hour period Yet, there is a surprising liveliness about the place, far removed from Moscow, or anywhere else on the planet.

Julio Cortez/AP

Here come the conspiracy theories: Early Voting wins the 147th running of the Preakness Stakes (AP 5/21)

Rest in Peace, Vangelis. Greek composer dies at age 79 - 'Chariots of Fire' will always be a resplendent piece of music. (Prog Magazine 5/19)

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Russia about to experience its worst oil crash in three decades, while their soldiers are killing themselves; Shanghai about to implode over COVID lockdown, and a scary climate change projection

stock photo/The Statesman

Russia estimates its oil output could fall as much as 17% - Quote: ‘If the full-year 2022 estimates come true, that would mark the lowest volume of output since 2003, when Russia pumped 421 million tonnes. It would also mark the worst crash in more than 30 years.’ (Yahoo! Finance 4/27)

[VIDEO] Why do Russians kill themselves and blame Ukraine? Another in a long line of Russian fails - The Russian military and its leaders are inept and are self-destructing. Praise God for that. (UATV 4/27)

Jin Liwang/Xinhua/AP

Shanghai COVID lockdown may soon come to an end, pending testing, while Beijing braces for its own lockdown - All those in #Murica still screaming about how their civil liberties were violated during the first phases of the pandemic, should remember that we were still allowed to leave our homes for essential needs. In China, authorities are just locking everyone in, and not allowing them out for any reason. Nor providing them with basic needs. (AP 4/28)

Sky News

Thousands of new virus transmissions from bats projected due to climate change - Scary stuff. Quote: ‘Scientists expect 15,000 transmissions of viruses between different species by 2070, mostly driven by bats moving to new areas in a hotter world.’ (Sky News 4/28)

Wikipedia

German composer, electronic music pioneer Klaus Schulze dies at 74 - His 1976 album Moondawn is highly recommended. May Klaus Schulze rest in peace. (The Guardian 4/27)

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Putin and the Moscow Establishment begins making move to restore Trump in 2024, thoughts on Pink Floyd’s campaign for Ukraine, ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ dumbassery, and more

Office of the Presidency of Ukraine

Putin’s top Ukrainian ally, oligarch/opposition party leader Viktor Medvedchuk, is captured by law enforcement - Disguised in an army uniform, Medvedchuk escaped house arrest just days after Russia began their war on aggression. Chalk this up as another big win for Ukraine. (CNBC 4/12)

Putin moving to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election, makes it clear he wants Trump returned to power - Excerpt: ‘American intelligence officials reportedly assessed that Russian President Vladimir Putin may use the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine as a pretext to order a new campaign to interfere in U.S. elections. Though AP reported that “it is not yet clear which candidates Russia might try to promote or what methods it might use,” Russian state media seem to be in agreement that former U.S. President Donald Trump remains Moscow’s candidate of choice.’ They’re telling us exactly what they plan to do, yet just keep on screaming ‘fake news,’ by all means, #Cult45. We have a massive problem on our hands in #Murica, and that is millions no longer take Russia seriously as a threat and even sympathize with it and against our own leaders. While there are some possible signs out there that Trump is fading as a political figure, the fact is Putin and the Russians remain convinced he is their best option to unseat Biden and restore a Moscow-friendly regime in D.C. And I remain convinced that tens of millions of Americans would, and will, kill fellow Americans for the orange jackass, or at least in the larger cause of ‘owning the libs.’ Putin knows the United States is a ticking time bomb and its people want to rip each others’ throats out, and he will gleefully continue to exploit these divisions to his benefit as long as Americans allow him to. (Julia Davis 4/11)

Bob Vosseller/Jersey Shore Online

‘Let’s Go, Brandon’ is just an exceptionally lame and dumb way to announce to the world that one is proud to be dumb, don't try to enlighten them, and they will be belligerent little bitches for the rest of time because we took their orange hero away from the White House. As much as they claim to love this country, their brand of patriotism is cartoonish and completely insincere. Pure and simple, belligerence and hate is their way of life now, and nothing good is going to come of it. Not for us, but especially not for them. 

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan loses no confidence vote in legislature, must abdicate his office - Pakistan does what the United States - or its GOP senators - twice refused to do, and that is remove a corrupt and tyrannical leader from power. (Deutsche Welle 4/09)

Pink Floyd

#PinkFloyd #Ukraine Anybody who says David, Nick, and their friends - and most of all, Andriy Khlyvnyuk - are doing anything but the right thing are not acting in good faith. Millions of innocent Ukrainians are staring death in the face via the Russians. Some have even been abducted by Russian troops, possibly sent into the wilds of Siberia for no other crime than existing. Including children. Roger Waters gave an interview to Russia Today as recently as February, declaring that only idiots would believe that Putin would ever invade Ukraine. Then, on 2/24, Putin invaded Ukraine. Egg on Rogers Waters' face, and he is not needed at this time. 'Hey Hey, Rise Up' is perfect as is, and all give thanks to our leader in Floyd-dom, David Gilmour, for making it happen.

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Pink Floyd returns to help Ukraine, Russia is suspended from UN Human Rights Council, more proof emerges that Russian soldiers are deliberately targeting Ukrainian civilians for extermination, and more

Sarah Lee/The Guardian

David Gilmour shares his motivation for reconvening Pink Floyd to support Ukraine - Something of a miracle. Pink Floyd - that is, David Gilmour and Nick Mason, with Guy Pratt on bass, Nitin Sawhney on keyboards, and Ukrainian vocalist Andriy Khlyvnyuk - is back with a new song, entitled ‘Hey Hey Rise Up.’ Interesting tidbit in this article about Roger Waters, who is most definitely not involved. Rarely have I ever felt more proud of one of my absolute favorite musical acts than I am of Pink Floyd today - David Gilmour and Nick Mason; Richard Wright having left us nearly fourteen years, and Roger Waters is absent and so be it. Rarely have I ever felt so fortunate that any given group of musicians exist in this world, and have made our world a slightly less miserable place with their music and vision. I believe those of you who have been with me for some years now on this social media thing know that I am not given to excessive praise, and when I do engage in such that it is well warranted and compulsory that given individuals or group of individuals be acknowledged. As far as I'm concerned, Pink Floyd is not just another rock band, they are life itself. (The Guardian 4/07)

Russia suspended from UN Human Rights Council - Only the second country ever to have been stripped of its membership on the panel. The last country on earth who should have anything to say about human rights in any country when, throughout history and presently, they have rarely respected the rights of their own citizens. (AP 4/07)

‘Radio transmissions in which Russian soldiers appear to talk among themselves about carrying out premeditated civilian killings in Ukraine have been intercepted by Germany’s foreign intelligence service.’ (The Guardian 4/07)

FLASHBACK 2017: A reader on my page (@Sunking278) posted this Reuters article from five years ago, revealing that Trump gave away U.S. intelligence secrets in a White House meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the Russian ambassador to the U.S. at the time, Sergei Kislyak. (Reuters 5/15/17)

Wow, the gall of the above tweet. I guarantee that Marjorie Traitor Greene and every single one of her fans will not hesitate to commit mass violence against the 'violent left' (a/k/a, anyone to the left of Attila the Hun) when they get the chance. Keep voting GOP,  #Murica, and they'll get that chance.

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President Biden places fresh sanctions on Putin and associates, Zelenskyy challenges the UN to practice what they preach, COVID-19 rages on in one of the world’s very largest cities, and more

Felipe Dana/AP

Russian media campaign dismisses Bucha deaths as fakes - Stunning cruelty. To commit genocidal actions toward an entire population, and afterward to insist they were not at fault and the Ukrainians are staging the scenes of horror. More cruel still that so many around the world are so eager to buy Russia’s lies, to blame the victims, and to convince themselves that somehow Putin is on a crusade from on high. (AP 4/06)

AFP fact check: No, the discovery of bodies in Ukraine’s Bucha was not ‘staged’ with actors

Following the atrocities committed in Bucha and across Ukraine, President Biden announces new sanctions on Russian interests - Including against banks, Putin’s daughters, and even Sergei Lavrov’s family. (AP 4/06)

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Zelenskyy calls for the UN Security Commission to remove Russia, or else it should dissolve - Absurd that predators like Russia and China are making decisions about war and peace on the global stage. The whole arrangement has never made sense, and especially not now. President Zelenskyy, in his address to the Security Commission, demonstrated clearly that he is not only determined to win the war, but also to win the peace. (NPR 4/05)

Alexei Navalny thread concerning the Russian media’s complicity in the assault on Ukraine

Aly Song/Reuters

COVID lockdown extended indefinitely in Shanghai, a city of 26 million people - Basic services are not being met, food is running low, and panic is in the air. The world is going to be stuck in this vicious cycle with COVID-19 for the foreseeable future. (Reuters 4/06)

Rest in Peace, Bobby Rydell - Singer who achieved fame as a teenager in the 1950s and early 1960s dies at 79. (New York Times 4/05)

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After seeing his forces get their asses thoroughly kicked by Ukrainian fighters, Putin is now pivoting to a strategy of ‘liberating’ the Donbas region in the far east of Ukraine

Reuters

Make no mistake, this is a great victory for Ukraine, but Putin can never be taken on his word. By no means do I think he is done inflicting terror upon all of Ukraine and its people. He is buying time, knowing he has been seriously embarrassed on the world stage. Exposed as a ‘paper tiger.’ More to the point, however, the horrific damage has been done, and Putin is a war criminal who must be brought to justice. Entire generations of Ukrainians - those who are not dead - are scarred for life. An entire generation of Ukrainian children will never know innocence again. There is no going back for Vladimir Putin, and there is no forgiveness: He is defined forever as a murderer and a monster. Via the BBC -

Is the Russian military having to change its plans? Perhaps even reduce the scale of Moscow's ambitions in Ukraine?

It's probably too early to tell, but there's definitely a shift in emphasis.

A top Russian general - Sergey Rudskoy - says the "first stage" of what President Vladimir Putin calls Russia's "special military operation" has been mostly accomplished and that Russian forces will now concentrate on "the complete liberation of the Donbas".

This is likely to mean a more concerted effort to push beyond the "line of contact" that separates Ukrainian government-held territory in the east of the country from the Russian-backed separatist "people's republics" of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The pace of Russia's advance in other areas of Ukraine remains glacial. Its forces have been pushed back from positions around the capital, Kyiv, and are said to have started digging defensive positions to avoid losing more or prepare for some kind of pause.

It's probably way too early to conclude that Russia has given up on capturing Kyiv, but Western officials say that Russia continues to experience setback after setback.

On Friday, they said Russia had lost another general - the seventh - and that morale was at rock bottom in some units. (Read more)

Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

As he visits Poland and meets with Ukrainian refugees, I am going to submit that - along with President Ronald Reagan - Joe Biden is showing us right now that he is one of our two greatest post-WWII leaders. Those who oppose him will never give ground or admit error – even if their very lives depended upon it - but no matter. The fate of the world is in the balance, and thus far humanity is surviving, and even thriving, against Mr. Putin’s aggression. As to you Republicans, your hero would have just handed Ukraine over to Putin on a silver platter. Would any of you Trump fans *really* feel good about that, knowing it means the destruction of the entire free world? Yes, that will mean all of us, don’t be a fool. Check yourselves! President Biden is delivering, nobody could possibly do more, so give him credit. (CBS News 3/26)

Putin cites author J.K. Rowling as an example of Western ‘cancel culture.’ - Harry Potter is the least of your worries right now, motherf**ker. Let there be no doubt where most of these nationalist populist talking points in America are coming from. (Sky News 3/25)

As for the Supreme Court nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson - I truly don't care about this nonsense. She appears to be qualified enough, the only job of the Senate is to confirm her. The GOP is going to undergo a reckoning sooner or later, they can't afford to fall on their swords over this. It is only the job for a Justice to interpret the law, not to validate anyone's ideology or work on the behalf of a political party. Vladimir Putin is seeking to kill us all, get serious, GOP. (New York Times 3/25)

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins dies at 50 - Shocking. Not really much of a fan of this group, but no matter. The guy was well-loved and respected, may he rest in peace. (AP 3/26)

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Vaccines, somebody named Nikki Minaj, and what the hell else does anyone expect the president to do if they don't want him to do his job?

At first, I thought it was absurd that the White House wished to reach out to rapper Nikki Minaj after her inane ramblings on Twitter about vaccines and her cousin’s friends’ testicles. Why bother? That was until I heard a report on the radio this morning about fans of hers gathering somewhere or other and proclaiming that Dr. Fauci, etc., had lied to them. These celebrity nitwits, not for better but worse, do have influence over large numbers of stupid people, and America has an overabundance of those. If they’re spreading bulls**t that may harm people, then maybe the administration feels they have no recourse but to address this adolescent, belligerent crap. We’re about to become the wealthiest country with the lowest percentage of vaccinated people, and that is with us having the earliest and greatest access to the vaccine. This is truly embarrassing, but it can’t be laid at the feet of the Biden administration. Even as a candidate before being elected, Joe has been telling us all along to take all necessary precautions against COVID, and everything his administration has done to this point has been in service of eradicating this plague from our nation and the planet. But if a bunch of belligerents won’t listen and take heed, there is only so much the president and his administration can do. Except, that is, but to tighten the screws. And Joe Biden has done that, with his recent vaccine mandate. You, the anti-vaxxers, forced him to take a rather harsh tack that he clearly did not want to have to take. The anti-vaxxers point to back in December, when Joe said he had no desire to issue any mandates. I believe he really meant it at that time, but his patience was tested and the Delta variant hit. What else could he responsibly do? Just giving into the populist mob was not an option, not if potentially millions of lives were to needlessly be put at risk (any more than they are already are, thanks to these people.) Everybody takes this man for an idiot, but then everybody – not literally meaning ‘everybody,’ of course – have lost their damn minds in these horrible times. But he’s only doing what any responsible leader would be doing in this situation. But yeah, let’s reminisce about how the last guy said this virus had only affected fifteen people and soon it will be none, and how he deliberately undermined public confidence in doctors, nurses, and governors desperately trying to save lives but who didn’t sufficiently kiss his orange ass. Telling the world that everybody was out to get them; all except for him, of course. Yeah, wonderful leadership there. F**k off with that; real leadership does not entail playing to one’s fears, bigotries, and delusions, but rather it demands that we do our part. And it’s really not very hard at all. I’ve been doing my part to help eradicate this plague – and I firmly believe this plague is an act of God – how about you? Look in the mirror before pointing the finger at the man doing what he was elected to do.

Copyright 2021, Sunking278. Stay up-to-date: Twitter – @Sunking278 and Facebook – click here.

Charlie Watts, 1941 - 2021

Hayoung Jeon/EPA, via Shutterstock

It’s a sad day. One of the world’s most iconic drummers has left us. Rest in peace, Charlie Watts. Have never thought to do so before, but perhaps I need to make a list of best Charlie Watts performances. ‘Honky Tonk Woman,’ ‘Mother’s Little Helper,’ and ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ immediately come to mind. Without Charlie Watts and his backbeat – to say nothing of his quiet and reserved presence - the Rolling Stones may have become something, but not the all-time great icons they are. He will be missed.

Copyright 2021, Sunking278. Stay up-to-date: Twitter – @Sunking278 and Facebook – click here.

Anti-Semites attack pop music superstar Billie Eilish for saying ‘hello’ to Israeli fans in promotional video

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Jerusalem Post - Billie Eilish slammed for saying ‘hi Israel’ in promo video

This venomous, hateful filth has no place in civil society. It is a gross abuse of the freedom of speech, and we should all demand social media companies do more than they have to crack down on it. Israel is America’s friend and ally, and they will not allow the Jewish people to be victim to another genocide. Israel is surrounded by malevolent individuals who would love nothing more than to slaughter all Jews. Could it be any more apparent the lengths Jew-haters will go to, when artists who are just trying to connect with their fans are intimidated in this manner? I hope young Billie Eilish - the ‘it girl’ of the moment, *perhaps* for good reason - doesn’t cave to the pressure, and instead stands with her Israeli and Jewish friends.

Copyright 2021, Sunking278. Stay up-to-date: Twitter – @Sunking278 and Facebook – click here.

Week in review, 02/10 - 02/16

Don't have any definitive proof or documentation, but this picture has been going around and apparently the turtle is named Jonathan and is 189 years-old. Born in 1832, when Andrew Jackson was president, and still alive. God Bless this marvelous creature ...

‘This coronavirus is going to be here to stay. Eradication of this new coronavirus is basically impossible.’ Doctors warn that COVID-19 will become endemic, a seasonal illness like the flu

MIS-C syndrome in children is growing in numbers, and cases becoming more deadly

President Biden declares there will be enough vaccine for 300 million Americans by the end of July: Light at the end of the tunnel, but only if everybody were to do their part. Millions steadfastly refuse to do so

Massachusetts: ‘Hundreds of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been reported as "wasted" to the Department of Public Health’

It’s going to take awhile to catch up after the previous administration’s dreadful handling of this pandemic. Gov. Charlie Baker: Massachusetts is not seeing anticipated increase of COVID vaccines from the federal government

First case of the South African variant (B.1.351) confirmed in Massachusetts; patient had ‘no reported travel’

‘Hundreds of students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst could face disciplinary action after officials said they disregarded Covid-19 protocols, contributing to a spike in cases and a number of new restrictions at the school’

Very interesting details emerge of the previous president’s bout with COVID-19 this past October. In the moment, many of us were confused as to whether he was faking the whole thing or not. The timing was suspect, but he did appear a bit pale and gaunt. Now we know it was for real and more serious than what was being reported

Georgia prosecutors launch criminal investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the election

For the historical record: How all 100 senators voted in the second Trump impeachment trial

Forty-three Republican senators just voted to piss on these peoples’ graves: Two police officers who helped fight off the U.S. Capitol mob on January 6 have committed suicide, and more are hurting

More than 120 anti-Trump Republicans (in other words, real Republicans) meet to discuss forming a center-right third party or faction. The GOP can no longer be reformed from within, it’s firmly a nationalist populist party now. A new party would be a tremendously challenging undertaking, and likely would take years to prosper. The other option is for everyone to infiltrate the Democratic Party, and try to make them a true ‘big tent’ party once again

‘55 percent of Republicans back the use of force as a way to “arrest the decline of the traditional American way of life,”’ Lisa Lerer: Whether or not Trump is convicted, the extremism that flourished under his administration is embedded in our politics

Clearly positioning herself for 2024, Nikki Haley is singing a different tune and now says ‘we shouldn’t have followed Trump.’ Of course not, you craven, shallow opportunist, and you knew that all along as you shamelessly pandered to him and his cult following. #NeverTrump #NeverHaley

Conspiracy theorists accuse President Biden of ‘altering the jet stream’ to cause deadly winter storm in Texas. Altering the jet stream is not even possible

Oh, for the love of Christ: QAnon believers now claiming that President Biden is flying on a ‘fake’ Air Force One, and therefore is not the real president

Happy to see civility being enforced again after four years of incivility and madness: White House press aide resigns after threatening Politico reporter

The United Kingdom is undergoing its worst economic decline in 300 years. Not a misprint, 300 years

‘Russia is prepared for a split with the European Union if the EU imposes new crippling sanctions amid a dispute over the treatment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.’ An evil, brutish nation that must be contained at all costs before they start another catastrophic European war that will kill millions. In hindsight, we should have destroyed them when they were at their weakest at the time of the Soviet Union’s demise. Some would say we should have destroyed them at the end of World War II, as Gen. Patton wished to do. Instead, being the decent people we are, we chose to help build them back up each time. And look at the ‘thanks’ we got for our goodwill

President Biden imposes sanctions on Myanmar military leaders who directed the recent, successful coup in that country

Hezbollah leader declares ‘Israel will see things it hasn’t seen since its inception’ in response to IAF military drills

Nanny Facebook announces they’ll be limiting political posts in their algorithms in order to ‘turn down the temperature’

‘Murica: Where we can’t be bothered to wear masks to protect one another from a deadly virus, because ‘mah freedumb.’ But achieve fifteen minutes of fame for being a complete idiot, and we’ll reward you: More than $21,000 raised for woman who put ‘gorilla glue’ in her hair

Rest in Peace, Chick Corea. The great Jazz keyboardist has left us at age 79. A remarkable life and career. A Boston native. A huge loss

Trying to keep us all sane here: From 1973, the amazing Return to Forever album, Where Have I Known You Before. Jaw-dropping great, take a listen. #RIPChickCorea

To the extent I still care about this thing (not much), I will pick Kate Bush, Iron Maiden, Fela Kuti, Rage Against the Machine, and Todd Rundgren for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A very weak class of nominees, and only going to get weaker the further we get away from the golden age of rock/pop music

‘Baseball trading cards are booming during the pandemic.’ I like this trend. As a kid in the ‘80s, it was a fun little hobby but one that I never took seriously. Had I taken it seriously and held onto them, perhaps I’d be sitting on a small goldmine

A glimpse into life on Prince Edward Island in the early 20th century, when at least some of my ancestors were still living there

Copyright 2021, Sunking278. Stay up-to-date: Twitter – @Sunking278 and Facebook – click here.