A major public backlash against new technologies is brewing

‘We have arrived at the scary moment when our prevailing attitude to innovation has shifted from love to fear’. {Ted Gioia 3/19}

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. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

POPULISM AND GRIEVANCE: THEOCRATIC FASCISM’S STRONGEST WEAPONS

Reuters

On a primal level, #Cult45 adherents are cognizant of the intentions of Trump and his associates: Namely, to establish an Fascist and theocratic regime, closely aligned with Putin's Russia. The rank-and-file enthusiastically supports such efforts and greatly desires conformity, silencing dissenting voices (‘own the libs.’) Unfortunately, those most vulnerable to the consequences of this political climate are often disengaged, preoccupied with distractions like video games and cell phones, and are 100% jaded and cynical (not without much justification to feel such way.) With pervasive violent rhetoric and the assertive nature of #Cult45, a significant number feel intimidated, unwilling to ‘resist’ regardless of the circumstances. Neither will they find the courage to stand up and resist. January 6, 2021, was all about a show of power - to put the fear of God into a nation and its people - and I believe the majority of Americans were sufficiently spooked by that event. #Cult45 operates as a formidable pressure group, a collective of intimidating figures led by a supreme bully. Their relentless efforts have worn us down considerably, and are showing no indication of relenting. Exactly the opposite.

Do we truly believe that all this amplified 'Boomer' rhetoric about everything being 'woke,' younger generations being soft and not wanting to work, the illegal aliens and the ‘Great Replacement’ theory, the panic about drag queens, the anti-intellectualism, etc. is all just a coincidence? Confirmation bias and time-tested, yes - the ‘get off my lawn’ type is as old as time immoral - but not a coincidence. All the 'back in my day' memes that saturate our feeds nonstop do so because the intended demographics eat that s**t up with a silver spoon. Donald Trump absolutely knows what his audience wants, and has since day one of his political career. Fox News and talk radio do not devote most of their broadcast days to populist bellyaching as the target audience is predisposed to such complaints by their elder nature. Elon Musk's influence is transforming X (formerly Twitter) into a breeding ground for extremist ideologies, driven not solely by his own Nazi inclinations but also by the widespread presence of millions - perhaps even billions - of populist-minded individuals worldwide, who are always characterized by racist, nationalistic, and religious biases. Said individuals are the biggest marks around, and the likes of Trump, Musk, and Putin are taking full advantage.

Do not misunderstand me, there are many hints of truth to all these populist laments about a country gone 'soft' and a culture that is rotten: For most Americans are too cowardly, and/or dumb, and/or complicit to defend themselves against those taking everything away from them, and therefore will only give our would-be overlords and their army of minions the added satisfaction of having correctly proved their point before they slice our throats. We only narrowly averted Fascism in 2020, and only under extraordinary circumstances; even then, many of those 81 million that elected President Biden had to be dragged kicking and screaming into doing so. Reminder: In 2020, Trump actually received around 12 million more votes than he did in his triumphant 2016 campaign. With President Biden successfully cast as the central villain in their twisted tale, #Cult45 and their leaders are licking their lips and smelling blood, more motivated than ever. The rest of us are too tired or apathetic to do anything about it. Am I wrong? 

Begin the fightback immediately, starting yesterday, as failure and tyranny are assured otherwise.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. Visit Stop the Idiocracy, @Sunking278 on FACEBOOK and X; @arthurnewhook on POST. @arthurnewhook.bsky.social; and @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world.

National suicide: Fascism is staring us right in the face, and much of #Murica is oblivious while many more embrace it

America is on a path of gradual national suicide, and within a year, it will meet its final demise unless significant changes occur urgently. The looming threat of a one-party, Fascist, and theocratic dictatorship with echoes of Auschwitz's horrors is imminent. It can happen here, and most Republican officials and lay people are outright begging for oppressive rule. The desire for fascism in these United States is beyond palpable, revealing mean-spiritedness and willful ignorance on a scale I have never known in my 46 years on this rotten earth. 

Despite the fact that we have a sane and capable president, somehow he is hated and resented. The widespread lack of respect for the president from seemingly all sides is appalling, and I have reached a point where I genuinely want to see President Biden assert himself forcefully and instill the fear of God into all those who would have their fellow Americans live in constant fear - the ones deemed bad Americans by #Cult45, so roughly at least half of the overall population of men, women, and children (yes, they will happily kill children, their ‘pro-life’ bonafides notwithstanding.) Give the Fascists a small taste of their own medicine, for we have no other choice if we are going to survive. We are in a cold civil war, soon to turn hot if #Cult45 is not brought down within the next ten to twelve months. This is war.

Americans today appear to actually crave chaos, tyranny, economic turmoil, betrayal of allies, and overall degradation. So long as they are endlessly entertained and the people they do not like are being punished, a majority will lovingly embrace authoritarianism on an epic scale. My faith in fellow Americans perished in 2016, and eight years later, it is abundantly clear that we, as a nation, have embraced pure evil. Americans can no longer be trusted on the world stage, at least not for a long time to come and likely never. By all means, though, keep allowing #Cult45 to trigger us and to set the terms of engagement every single time out. Keep on attending every single fight one is invited to by the trolls and goons. The United States of Entertainment is almost certainly f**ked, but hey, isn't that Taylor Swift great? Our priorities are so out of whack and people better start to take seriously the dire threat staring us in the face, and to realise that the enemy is us. #SeriouslyAnnoyed #Biden2024OrDeath

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.

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.

Colorado court rules on Trump ballot access: A privilege a s**tbag such as he *never* should have had to begin with

Luke Gronneberg/Sidney Daily News

Concerning the Colorado ruling: An individual of dubious character such as Donald Trump should never have been legally sanctioned to vie for the presidency in 2016, nor yet in the year 2024, given all that hath transpired. Henceforth, stricter qualifications should be imposed on a federal level to attain the privilege of the ballot. These qualifications may encompass examinations of mental competence, civic knowledge, moral rectitude, a minimum amount of government experience, background checks conducted by multiple law enforcement and national security agencies, and mayhap even the mandate of prior military service, at least for male aspirants. I have also firmly concluded that some of these same prerequisites should be met to qualify for the right to cast a vote: We are compelled to renew our driver's licenses every few years. Wherefore not introduce a voting license resting upon, at the very least, passing a rudimentary civics exam? Those who support this nation-killing jackal bear responsibility for the consequences. The year 2016 revealed the truth, and the COVID pandemic confirmed it – people at this historical moment are truly this horrible and stupid; the trend has worsened exponentially since then with no signs of improvement in the foreseeable future. Get me off this sinking ship.

Copyright 2023, 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.

Sleepwalking into tyranny: Trump blatantly refuses to rule out abusing power if returned to the White House. Do Americans care?

Charlie Neibergall/AP

{AP 12/06: ‘Trump declines to rule out abusing power to seek retribution if he returns to the White House.’}

President Biden’s campaign manager: ‘Donald Trump has been telling us exactly what he will do if he’s reelected and tonight he said he will be a dictator on day one. Americans should believe him.’ Amen, but the real question remains: doth Americans still hold regard for the rights and freedoms of any other than themselves? Care they not if they themselves are stifled and oppressed, as long as the bread and circuses keep coming? The peril is indeed palpable and dire, yet I perceive that pleas for democracy and the rule of law fall upon deaf ears with the common American. From the four troublesome years wherein Trump was sitting president, and from the scourge of COVID, and from the memories of 9/11, and from the multitude of school shootings suffered over recent decades, and from the insurrection of January 6, people hath learned nothing!. 

Madness hath been normalized, honour and integrity are scoffed at, and the populace hath grown insensate. Meanwhile, every other post upon my timeline is venerating a pop music star, most renowned for composing ditties about her foolish ex-paramours, as if she were a deity. When will people start getting serious? We find ourselves in a murky abyss, strolling unconsciously - even knowingly and gleefully in all too many cases - towards despotism. Should President Biden not be reelected in 2024, then turn off the bloody lights, for it shall be curtains for us. Heed the president’s warnings, heed Liz Cheney’s warnings, heed the admonitions of all who still dare to trumpet the alarm. 

Copyright 2023, 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.

Decency hath forsaken this abode. In a country fraught with ludicrous partisanship and division, denizens from both the left and the right forsake our allies, and, instead, warmly clasp hands with our most malevolent adversaries

Pray, where doth sanity and virtue reside in this bloody country? Much of the American left doth point accusing fingers at Israel in the face of assault, with too many openly applauding Hamas; all disseminating untruths they fervently wish to embrace. The true hues of Jew-hatred are becoming manifest on each side. Most of the American right doth lay blame upon Ukraine for the onslaught, with many boldly extolling Vladimir Putin and reproving (the Jewish) Mr. Zelensky; all spreading falsehoods. Extremes in both factions (arguably the majority of everybody now, the centre hath witherered) do heap blame upon the victims of terrorism, oppression, and anti-semitism. And how quick are each extreme to lay blame upon President Biden, the actual grown-up and decent, sensible human being in the room? Left and right, they cheer on the literal murderers, terrorists, and despots of their choosing, performing and thinking as their leaders dictate.

In these times, I am thoroughly repulsed and oft find myself in solitude with my steadfast beliefs. Uphold Israel, champion Ukraine, and cease the dissemination of propaganda and fabrications, predominantly spawned in the troll factories of St. Petersburg and Beijing, be it from the left or the right. If a bumbling soul and a virtual cripple such as I can discern these matters, what ails everyone else? Alas, I detest these times, and they will become darker still. Aye, far darker. Lunatics of all persuasions are steering us not merely toward a domestic civil conflict but straight into World War III. A lamentable state, indeed. Nick work, #Murica, nation of f**king imbeciles.

Copyright 2023, 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.

A few words for the leader of the Roman Catholic church regarding the prelate’s meetings with Israelis and their opponents

Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square. Photo: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

AP: Pope meets relatives of Israeli hostages and Palestinians in Gaza and sets off firestorm over words - Señor Bergoglio, and all those who have need to hearken so: This war shall cease only upon the complete obliteration and dismantling of Hamas. Israel engages in battle for its very survival, it has the right to exist. As for the denizens of Gaza - much akin to adherents of #Cult45 in the 'red' states, only on a greater scale - suffer under the oppression wrought by their own kin. Cease this equivocation, bothsidesism, for it hath only contributed to the proliferation of the antisemitic rhetoric that is reaching an intolerable extent. 

I do perceive Islamists and their accomplices, as well as all who form #Cult45 in #Murica, as greatly resembling each other. The Arab Muslims dwelling in Gaza and the West Bank endure hardship for the reason that many amongst them were long since indoctrinated to accuse Jews, Christians, and anyone but their actual oppressors for their wretchedness. Especially in rural domains, the diverse factions constituting the Trump alliance suffer due to their consistent voting against their own welfare. I harbor little compassion for those who lend their support to the Fascist Trump and the traitorous modern GOP, nor do I possess much pity for most 'Palestinians.' Ye have all brought these miseries upon thyselves, and, alas, upon the rest of us as well.

Pray for peace as thou wilt, Pope Francis, but relative tranquility shall only arise through the utter destruction of the agents of death - chiefly Hamas, and all the other bands of Jihadi terrorists that ply their trade in the region. Peace for Israel shall emerge from the crucible of conflict, and none have the authority to pass judgment upon Israel for it. Across centuries, Jews have waged battles for their very survival in every corner of the globe they've dwelt. The Holocaust ought to stand as the ultimate admonition, yet multitudes in this world yearn to reenact its horrors, and their unholy numbers swell. There exists no moral equivalence; Israel must prevail, whatever the cost!

Copyright 2023, 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.

Grand Prix auto racing on the streets of cities: How and by what right is such an event permitted?

A Grand Prix race in the nighttime streets of Las Vegas, with a scarlet race car hurtling past a grand, multicolored, and illuminated globe-shaped edifice. Upon the structure, the words 'Welcome to Las Vegas' are boldly emblazoned. The car is cornering swiftly, and the scene is bathed in the vibrant hues of the city's neon lights. Photo: Mike Blake/Reuters.

Grand Prix auto racing on the streets of cities; in this instance, Las Vegas. But how and by what right is such an event permitted? Pray tell, is this not a prime example of crony capitalism, where a private entity, with the blessing of the city's authorities, is granted the power to shutter public roadways, forcing them to be repaved not once but twice, for the sake of a mere spectacle? Such actions not only disrupt the normal flow of trade and commerce, but also severely curtail the freedom of movement of the city's inhabitants. Indeed, tales abound of workers on the renowned Strip who were forced to endure hours-long waits in parking garages, their workday extended by this arbitrary closure. Yet, one wonders, were the citizens of Las Vegas consulted in this matter? Did they clamor for this Grand Prix, a race that would bring with it the disruption of their daily lives and the expenditure of millions for infrastructure repairs? All for the sake of a noisy and dangerous contest of automobiles, whose economic benefits remain dubious at best? 

I declare this a flagrant violation of the civil liberties of Las Vegas residents, nay, of any city that is subjected to such an absurdity. Such a spectacle should find no place in a free and just society. 

Do peruse the esteemed Neil deMause's blog, 'Field of Schemes,' wherein thou shalt uncover the unscrupulous tactics employed by professional sports organizations to exploit the public's goodwill, most often with the complicity of self-serving politicians who eagerly thrust their cities and states into the path of financial ruin. A veritable awakening to the machinations of these avaricious entities. 

As a steadfast devotee of sporting contests, I find myself wrestling with an internal turmoil, torn between my enduring passion for the games and a growing disdain for the shameless commercialization that has engulfed them. This pervasive pursuit of profit has permeated every facet of the sporting realm, from the incessant barrage of ever-goofier television advertisements to the outrageous demands made by teams upon public funds. Such excesses have reached a point where our daily lives are disrupted and our hard-earned tax dollars are diverted into the coffers of millionaires and billionaires, all in the name of perpetuating these grand spectacles. This has transformed our nation into a veritable 'United States of Entertainment,' a realm where the pursuit of amusement has eclipsed all other values. Alas, this trend is but a harbinger of further excesses to come.

{READ ‘Vegas Grand Prix claims $1.2B in positive impact from closing down local businesses for a week’ from Field of Schemes 11/21}

Copyright 2023, 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.

#OTD 1923: The infamous Beer Hall Putsch unfolded in Munich, a foreshadowing of what is happening to #Murica today

Bundesarchiv

#OTD 1923: The infamous Beer Hall Putsch unfolded in Munich, a Nazi coup d’etat bid against the Weimar government, quelled by the next day. Yet, its chief plotter, Adolf Hitler, was foolishly sentenced to but five years in prison, and freed after a mere nine months. No need to recount what followed, for we all ken the horrors that came to pass when this madman seized power in 1932. Or do we? For in our dear #Murica today, a leader who, in office, too led a failed coup, yet faces no true justice for his sedition and treachery, at most, a mere slap on the wrist. Clearly, America and much of this world hath not well heeded the lessons of history. Willful ignorance and malice that led so many in Germany to embrace Hitler, and the same holds true today in America with Donald Trump and his adherents. In 2024, cast thy vote as if thy lives and nation hang in the balance, for truly, everything is at stake this time.

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

The left-hand washing the right-hand: The epidemic of anti-Israeli and anti-Jew sentiment on the hard-left helps no one of goodwill, only tyrants

The anti-Semitic, anti-Israel faction of the Democratic Party must be silenced without delay, beginning yesterday. We have literal Nazis with designs on reclaiming the White House, and they hold a potent position in Congress. Half the land doth mindlessly lament President Biden's age, the enduring presence of COVID (as I have personally encountered of late), and a multitude of other quandaries. Yet these left-wing nutjobs wouldst instead point accusatory fingers, espouse conspiracy theories, and weep for repressive individuals who would not hesitate to slay them (and the rest of us) without a second thought. Verily, if these leftists are to extend their sympathy to a bunch of Islamist barbarians, why do they not shed tears for the plight of the ordinary Trump-supporting fellow (#Cult45)? Those fools probably hate any American to the left of Attila the Hun more than any Islamist half a world away, yet these bloody leftists cry for these foreign murderers. In a circuitous manner, here is precisely what hath transpired: The left-hand once more washes the right-hand, and all of you expressing support for the ‘Palestinians’ - however well-intentioned or not one may be - are falling for these lies, hook, line, and sinker. You are helping Donald Trump to reclaim the White House, and thine hands art stained with blood! Cast not Israel as a scapegoat, nor lay blame upon the Jews. #StandWithIsrael and stand against barbarism and repression. 

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

The Munich Agreement in our time

German Federal Archives

#OTD 1938: The vile and genocidal Munich Agreement was inked, as Neville Chamberlain, Édouard Daladier, Benito Mussolini, and Adolf Hitler did conspire and scheme to barter away Sudetenland's soil devoid of the Czechs' consent. This treachery paved the way for the Nazi invasion of Poland and World War II’s direful morass. In our time, voices too numerous clamor, both near and far, urging Ukraine to yield to Putin and Russia vast amounts of territory. Many doth point their fingers at Ukraine’s gate, laying blame at their door of fate, and whilst they extol Putin, the murderous dictator in his might. Assuming, in their feeble and faithless way, the American folk return Donald Trump to the White House in 2024, a perilous chance looms that America will align with Russia in their ongoing grievous design upon Ukraine. Let us, then, extend gratitude to President Biden and his steadfast stance in valiant defence of Zelensky and Ukraine; instead of ceaseless grumbles and cries about the financial cost, for history warns that appeasing dictators is a path always lost and far more costly. As the Great Man stated in his blunt refutation of Chamberlain, ‘you chose dishonour and you will have war,’ and that is the foolish path America hath found itself on now. I am simply astounded by these times we must endure, and what people's tragic folly and malevolence does obscure. It is likely this wretched state will worsen ere the dawn that will dispel this endless night and bring forth hope reborn.

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

America grows numb to Donald Trump and his antics

Carolyn Kaster/AP

In my own view - at least were this a logical time and place - it is past due for President Biden to admonish and remind the American populace regarding the grievous mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic by Trump. Mayhap, reminding the populace incessantly of what a tumultuous period it was may prove the most effective means to restore some semblance of rationality. Regrettably, none wish to converse any longer regarding the COVID pandemic. However, Trump's inadequacy in handling the matter ought to constitute a central theme of the President’s campaign: Trump's incompetence in addressing the COVID crisis alone - pretending he did not collude with the Russians to influence Hillary Clinton's defeat, ignoring the detrimental impact of his trade policies on the economy, forgetting his with meeting Kim Jong Un and professing to have 'fallen in love,' and even disregarding the events of January 6 - should render him unsuitable to ever again hold office. 

But do Americans still place importance on competence? Furthermore, do they retain concern for preserving the constitutional and traditional norms of our republic? Do Americans of today truly care for the truth at all? Do they hold their own rights in regard, or are they content as long as someone else faces retribution? At this moment, America finds itself in a collective state of darkness, and with time, our society will crumble entirely as individuals descend into a state of despotic insanity. Every society throughout history that has experienced such a progression - as exemplified by Germany between the World Wars - has met with defeat and annihilation, without exception. Excerpt from this fine and timely article - 

‘I don’t know that Trump won’t determinedly try to shatter major constitutional precedents once back in office. But I suspect a lot of voters who haven’t thought this through, or who feel obliged to prioritize differently, are willing to take a calculated risk that he won’t in order to rationalize voting for him for kitchen-table reasons.

‘No wonder, then, that so many of us have grown uncomfortably numb about his illiberal nonsense. What else can we do? The right-wing electorate that craves his brand of politics will abide after Trump passes from the scene, and the swing voters who decide elections seem open to accepting a paradigm shift toward post-liberalism in exchange for a slightly better economy. There’s nothing to be done. What choice do we have but to get used to it?’ 

{Read ‘Uncomfortably Numb: Trump’s getting worse. Not enough people care,’ by Nick Catoggio via The Dispatch 9/26}

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

Anti-vaxxer movement continues to rise, vexing the White house and anyone with common sense, decency, and sanity

Had we not a complete faction of backward, tin-foil hat-wearing rascals in our midst, mayhap we could begin to enact laws of true substance to coerce the obstinate to abide. (Or, for that matter, to commence a firm repression of these conspiracy theorists - offenders of the First Amendment - who do disseminate such refuse.) Purposeful and rebellious foolishness reigns supreme. Without any hyperbole, I verily believe the stubbornly and hatefully foolish do intend and fervently desire to eventually bring about the deaths of the rest of us. {Politico 9/20 - The anti-vaccine movement is on the rise. The White House is at a loss over what to do about it.} 

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

The response of America to two distinct media scandals involving modeling work with lesbian themes, and the implications it holds regarding our society

#OTD 1983: Vanessa Williams is crowned the first black Miss America. She would be stripped of the crown following the publication of lesbian-themed softcore photos from her modeling portfolio. In 2016, many of the same people who called for Vanessa Williams’ head took no issue with the wife of a swindler - a white Eastern European lady who likewise had done lesbian-themed modeling work - becoming First Lady of the United States. In all fairness, Vanessa Williams did recover from the scandal and forge a prosperous singing career. Nevertheless, this narrative does not present a particularly flattering portrayal of the values and inclinations of this nation.

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

Has anything changed? Thoughts on the 60th anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing

AP

#OTD 1963: KKK terrorists perpetrate a bombing upon the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL, which resulted in the death of four children and inflicted injuries upon others. Sadly but tellingly, particularly since a certain Donald J. Trump entered the political arena with his venomous rhetoric, it hath been irrefutably demonstrated that the kind of mindset that impelled these Klansmen to commit such a heinous deed still persists; and is far more widespread than most of us have been willing to acknowledge or confess.

We all do recall the terror of June 17, 2015, when a white supremacist did slay nine congregants at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. America has scarcely progressed any further in terms of enlightenment regarding matters of race, and is just as prone to violence and deliberate ignorance as it was in 1963. If anything, in the era of Trump, we appear to be regressing, which is a genuine affront to the memory of all those innocent souls who suffered torment and perished solely due to the color of their skin. {CNN 9/15 - 60 years after 4 little girls were killed in a KKK attack on the 16th Street Baptist Church, memories of the lives that were taken live on} 

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on TWITTER, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and POST - @arthurnewhook.

What fresh hell is this? Latest CNN poll has President Biden and Donald Trump essentially tied in a likely 2024 match-up, with considerable majorities of Democrats declaring their desire for an alternative candidate

Julio Cortez/AP

CNN - Biden faces negative job ratings and concerns about his age as he gears up for 2024

What a collection of malcontented and deluded fools the inhabitants of these United States are becoming. Disloyal Democratic voters fret over President Biden - thoroughly misled by a treasonous media, and also by the president's grandstanding political adversaries - whilst the right-wing half of this land pleads for Fascism. In the meantime, President Biden's actual track record hath been one of accomplishments. The mere preservation of stability in this decaying realm is an achievement in itself. Left or right, the American populace craves and demands amusement in their politics, and that is the genuine reason why President Biden doth not enjoy greater popularity than he currently possesses. Is this who we truly desire to be? A congregation of monkeys within a zoo flinging excrement at one another, insisting that we be spared from boredom even for a fleeting moment? 

Even after enduring the myriad trials of the past few years - a pandemic, a violent coup attempt, economic turmoil, riots, and so forth - it is evident that America finds itself in a state of sheer hostility and a heedless disregard for truth and morality. We have come to esteem our frivolous diversions and causing harm to others above all else; even above the very existence of our republic; even above the state of our very souls. As the writer of this piece in The Bulwark doth declare, our political landscape hath devolved into 'a twisted reality show that elevates outrage, insults, and cruelty in a spirit of sadistic fun,’ and we take pleasure in it as such. Should Joe Biden not be re-elected in the year 2024, and Donald Trump re-ascend to power, it shall signify the end. History shall chronicle the people of these United States in this era as being equally self-destructive and bereft of virtue as those who dwelt in Sodom and Gomorrah. I do not mince words when I declare that I am filled with shame to be an American in our present age. But not of our president.

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on TWITTER, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

What the bloody hell is happening here?

Believe it or not, in these suburban outskirts of Boston, a family of Trump supporters and rustic folk hath taken up residence. Moreover, they have chosen the high school's driveway situated behind my dwelling as the ideal locale for their two young lads to heedlessly navigate their motor bikes. On this very day, I found myself outdoors indulging in a cigarette, and these two youths descended the gentle incline behind my home, mere feet away from where I was standing, seemingly intent on demonstrating their skills before me. Without a second thought, I raised my voice to them: "Gentlemen, be careful! Be careful!” They gazed upon me with vacant countenances, as if never before having received admonishment in their young lives (which may very well be the case). Following this, I loudly urged them to depart, saying and with an almost demonic gleam in my eyes, "go, go!" And indeed, they did depart without a word. Never did I explicitly forbid them from riding their scooters - though such a notion was implied - but only sought to instill in them the importance of circumspection and an end to their ostentatious displays. I derive some satisfaction from the notion that perchance, I succeeded in instilling a modicum of fear in these young scamps, and their rustic father can disregard my sentiments. Yes, good people, even here in Massachusetts, we find ourselves in the company of the unsophisticated. To them, I say, may they be cast aside, for they are the scourge of society.

Visit Stop the Idiocracy, @Sunking278 on FACEBOOK and TWITTER; @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS. And @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world.

Hath the United States of America deliberately forgotten COVID?

CDC

Is there a notable 'forgetting' taking place amongst the public concerning the pandemic? I find myself here in contemplation, casting my thoughts back to our state three years past: Most every enterprise shuttered, masks adorning the faces of all in public, and a large portion of the nation turned the act of complaining and whining into a cottage industry. The NBA and Stanley Cup playoffs contested in the month of August within empty arenas, the artificial hum of crowd noise accompanying baseball and football games played before sparse or nonexistent spectators. The utter lack of leadership from the incumbent president, a leader bereft of any discernible plan, viewing the pandemic merely as a diversion from his populist and slanderous escapades. Concurrently, the extensive protests for racial justice unfurled against the backdrop of the COVID scourge and the aftermath of George Floyd's untimely demise. It was an exceedingly distressing period, one that I ardently believe should not slip into oblivion. Indeed, the transient surge in emphasis on the act of hand washing remains a practice applicable at any time and in any circumstance, yet I hear scarce mention of it nowadays. In fact, due to widespread defiance regarding mitigation measures, we now find ourselves a less hygienic and more squalid nation. Nurses and physicians face disdain, basic cleanliness is met with scorn, and in the advent of the next pandemic or epidemic, it is probable that a sufficient portion of the general populace will disregard public health mandates. Irrespective of the trauma endured, a nation that willfully forgets and obstinately marches forward, pretending naught occurred, is destined to replicate its errors. Thus, it is doomed to failure.

[Visit Stop the Idiocracy, @Sunking278 on FACEBOOK and TWITTER; @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS. And @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world.]

Junior GOP presidential hopefuls make noise about slashing Social Security and Medicare

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As I have grown older and further away from the absurd right-wing populism and conspiracism of my younger years, I see more clearly that one need not be a Communist or a Marxist - or even think of oneself as any variant of a ‘socialist,’ which I never have and still do not - to understand that rich and civilized nations should have basic safety nets in place to prevent its citizens from going into poverty. European nations typically take far better care of their seniors and vulnerable, and their living standards (by and large) only continue to rise or stay at a high level, while America’s living standards have been plummeting in recent decades. In this country, we have only the most basic of social safety nets for citizens, and even that is far too much for many Republicans and their enablers. Earlier this year, during the contentious debt ceiling negotiations, more than a few House Republicans and especially those in the ‘freedom caucus’ were growing quite bold in their proposals to suffocate and drain Social Security and Medicare. Three of Donald Trump’s 2024 GOP rivals - namely, Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, and Nikki Haley - are again testing the waters in hopes of bringing public opinion around to incrementally ending these vital programs. 

Younger Americans are already having an extremely harder time, all across the board, in getting ahead in life than previous generations, and they are going to have nothing to fall back upon when they reach their senior years. And I hate to say it, but I sense that many in the ‘Boomer’ generation (so long as they are still getting theirs), along with some of the more callous among my generation (Gen X) and even among the ‘millennial’ generation (who will suffer themselves) are quite okay with all that. That callousness is what the likes of Pence and DeSantis are counting on. And Donald Trump as well, even if he at least has enough sense to know it is still bad for business to hint at anything that would threaten senior citizens and the vulnerable. {WP 7/22: Trump's GOP rivals open door to cutting Social Security for younger people}

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on TWITTER, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

Lowlife pseudo-country music star stirs controversy with video shoot at an infamous Tennessee courthouse

Beginning seven years ago, with the emergence of Donald Trump as the ultimate populist demagogue, this former right-winger was left with no recourse but to finally stop giving all these people the benefit of the doubt when it comes to most anything. In particular, in matters of race, religion, and morality. The assclown musician Jason Aldean and his people chose a particular courthouse with a sordid history for his video shoot as a dog whistle to his neo-Confederate fans and white nationalist populists everywhere. Let us be real, those types are by far the largest consumers of this kind of trash modern ‘country’ music, and Jason Aldean certainly knows this clearly and capitalizes. Trump has taught his little grifters quite well in the game, but how difficult can it be when there are millions and millions of Americans so gleefully willing to be gaslit and swindled by con-men who say or imply the sort of things they want to hear. Especially any rhetoric stating or implying that blacks must be kept in line. Do read this article from the Washington Post and the harrowing account of what happened at the Maury County Courthouse in November of 1927. {WP 7/19}

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on TWITTER, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

Elon Musk: The epitome of our self-destructive and malevolent age

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It still boggles my mind that the ‘richest man in the world’ is such an unholy idiot. Either that, or he is a sadist. I am offended that he has ruined what was the single most effective communications platform we had. Post-Trump and post-COVID, it really should no longer surprise myself or anyone else the lengths some will go to in order to hurt and control others. Elon Musk literally spent $44 billion - many times what Twitter was worth at the time of the transaction - in order to declare himself King of the Trolls, to play mind games with people, and quite possibly to deliberately destroy the platform altogether (if it was deliberate, he is succeeding in grand fashion.) Millions in #Cult45 routinely vote against their own economic interests because their hatred of fellow Americans and foreigners is all consuming. None of it makes any logical sense, but logic and common sense no longer live here and ours is not an age of reason. No, we really should not be surprised that the likes of Musk and Trump will hurt themselves, and their acolytes will hurt themselves, in order to hurt the rest of us worse. Never, however, can people of goodwill allow all of this insanity and degradation around us to be normalized. We must continue speaking out against it, for however long as necessary - which is going to be the rest of our lives, I am afraid. (Follow my new account on Threads, @arthurnewhook.)

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on TWITTER, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

Hell on Earth: The hottest day in world history, and it is only going to get hotter

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So far as is known and for as long as records have been kept, the earth has never had a hotter average temperature than it did on July 4. For the longest time, like the good little right-wing ignoramus I once was in the pre-Trump days, I rejected any notions that the earth’s climate was changing or that man was at fault. The evidence eventually became too much to ignore or downplay any longer, and now it appears as though the most severe and damaging effects of climate change are beginning to ravish the earth years ahead of some of even the most dire forecasts and projections. It is clear now, we are seriously f**ked and the time to save ourselves has passed. {AP 7/04}

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on TWITTER, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and POST - @arthurnewhook.

Are we seriously going to allow our history to be rewritten, real-time information to be suppressed, and the voices of reasons to be silenced? (Spoiler alert: Yes)

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A legitimate crisis of nightmarish, dystopian proportions unfolding right now: The 2020s will be remembered - that is, if they are remembered with any degree of accuracy, or if the earth is still standing - as an era of extreme crisis. And the biggest crisis of all is the ‘crisis of trust,’ where everything is becoming a facade and nobody will be allowed to think for themselves anymore. Not that most Americans have bothered to think for a long time now, but we are now moving into something that is beyond Orwellian - or beyond anything Huxley could have envisioned - and it is already too late for any hope of stopping it. All hands are dirty, and I genuinely believe myself cursed to be living in these times. An excerpt from a must-read Ted Gioia piece: ‘Folks have been dumping their crap into our information flows for a long, long time. Big corporations and institutions are the worst offenders—they actually get rich by polluting our data streams. But individuals are adding to the raw sewage too.’ {Ted Gioia - Thirty signs you are living in an information crap-pocalypse 6/30}

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on TWITTER, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and POST - @arthurnewhook.