Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Saturday Political Soap Box 228

For those of you who are not attentive to everything I write, this may come as a bit of a shock to you.

I am not a Democrat.

I am an Independent Progressive.  I will vote for whichever candidate will move the fastest and farthest to achieve the goals most important to me -   mitigating and reversing climate change, universal healthcare through a government single-payer program, student debt forgiveness and free tuition to public universities, a higher minimum wage ($15 or greater), reducing the income gap and restoring the middle class.

Under our present two-party system, there is only one party that even suggests approaching these issues, and that is the Democratic party.  But I look carefully at each candidate, each race.  If the Republican was clearly more progressive than the Democrat, I would consider voting for that candidate.  Frankly, it's been over three decades since that has occurred.

The Democrats are divided between corporate Democrats and progressive Democrats.  The corporate vary from slightly (ever so slightly) center-left to centrist moderate to center-right.  The biggest thing they have in common is they like the current system, accept money from large donors representing wealthy and corporate interests, and want to make change slowly and incrementally.  I can work with corporate Democrats if I have to.  President Obama was a corporate Democrat, but he was also the best President of my lifetime.

Independent Progressives are much more forthright in wanting to achieve many of the goals that I want to see us achieve.  They don't take big money, and they are much more explicit about the structural changes we need to make.

The media and many of the corporate interests behind the corporate Democrats have made it clear that we won't ever have a progressive for a Democratic nominee.  They will pull out any stops to prevent it from happening.  There has not been a progressive nominee since McGovern in 1972, and although the country has changed dramatically, centrist Democrats use that loss as a boogeyman for any progressive threats.  Of course, Republicans have not been deterred by such losses.  They have moved so for to the right (they now dwell beyond, into reactionary/fascist territory), and figures such as Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagen would be considered too liberal to get their nomination.

How deep is the mindset of this anti-progressive movement in the Democratic Party?

The media universally decries Progressive positions and Progressive candidates.  MSNBC, the so-called left-leaning network, regularly warns us that the progressive positions are too far (even though polling proves otherwise), and will alienate voters who might otherwise vote Democratic.  They slam Progressive candidates, particularly Bernie Sanders,  as being unelectable, even when they poll well.  Bernie ahead in a state?  Well. that's a mistake, and his support will dissipate as we get closer to an election.  Elizabeth Warren got a pass when she was down in the polls, with some kind things said about her, but that changed as she rose to contention.  Now everything she does is savaged.

The billionaire class, even those who carry some pretense of being moderate or liberal, are terrified of Warren and Sanders.  Some have even said they would abandon their moderate roots and vote for Trump over a Warren or Sanders.  One billionaire (fifty times over billionaire) has entered the race, mostly due to fear of Warren's wealth tax.  This candidate owns one of the largest media outlets in the country and additionally will be able to buy enough advertising to drown out everyone else.

My favorite President, Barack Obama, has privately said that if Bernie Sanders looks like he could get the nomination, he will come off the bench and come out swinging against him.  Our most popular political figure has suggested that he will turn into a weapon to ensure that a Progressive does not get the nomination.

Progressives don't even have to wait for the Republicans to be attacked and demonized.  The corporate Democrats will gleefully use Republican talking points to try and destroy them.  Medicare For All is too expensive, costing (snatch a number out of the air) thirty trillion gazillion dollars!  People want their private plans (that come from their employers and are subject to their employer's whims, not the employees)!  Free college even for billionaire's kids (I guess according to Mayor Pete's plan, that includes any family that makes a combined amount greater than $100,000 - yeah that's almost like being a billionaire)*!

Now, trust me on this.  If a progressive attacks a corporate Democrat on anything, the weeping and wailing begin - HOW DARE YOU HAND THE REPUBLICANS LINES OF ATTACK AND WEAKEN THINGS FOR OUR INEVITABLE CORPORATE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE!!! But attacking a progressive Democrat?  Oh, you can do that all day and all night until the cows come home.

I will always fight for and support a progressive Democrat.  Things are getting dire out there, and we need them more than ever.

But, sigh, I will concede to the inevitable and vote for the corporate Democratic nominee.  Because, yes, I understand the alternative is so much worse.  And yes, even if the contest winds up being a corporate Democrat (Biden, Mayor Pete, Klobuchar) and a corporate Republican  (Kasich, Romney), I will still vote for the corporate Democrat.

I'm not stupid.

I'm just disappointed.


*Another shocker spoiler alert for Mayor Pete and his plunge to the corporate side of the Democratic Party  -  billionaires don't send their kids to public universities - they go to fancy private colleges that would not be covered by anybody's plan.**

**The reason we still have a Hope Scholarship in Georgia is that it covers every student that academically qualifies.  If it didn't, the moneyed interests that lobby our ultra-conservative Georgia legislature and Governor would have destroyed it.

***Can anybody tell that I am upset about Mayor Pete and his turn to the right?  Spoiler alert...yes, I am.

****and do I realize I misuse the term/cliche 'spoiler alert'? Yes, I am.  I just don't care.

31 Minutes of Thankfulness 2019 Edition

31 Minutes of Thankfulness 2019 Edison

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

I hope everyone gets to celebrate with family and friends!

I have about 31 minutes before I start on other Thanksgiving prep.  I'll take advantage of this brief gap to update to my new edition of thankfulness.

Yesterday we had our Thanksgiving brunch with Alison's father, his wife, and Alison's stepsister, her husband and young son, Graham.  It featured grits, sausage gravy and biscuits, hash brown casserole, apple pumpkin bread, and more! Today we have a Thanksgiving meal with Alison's Mom, and it features smoked turkey, dressing, and squash casserole. 

So that's how much time I have to do my version of the 31 days of Thankfulness I see so many of my friends doing on the Facebook machine.

So here goes!

1)  I am thankful for Alison and Benjamin.  We have a beautiful family, and it so comforting to be loved and supported.  Benjamin has started his first year at college!  He attends Georga College & State University in Milledgeville, Georgia.  He is going gangbusters in college, even better than I anticipated.  He participates in two choirs, an improv group, an Episcopal Youth Group, numerous gaming groups, and has applied to be a Community Advisor next year. Alison is beautiful and patient, practical, and loving.  She has been outstanding at her workplace and has done excellent planning for our family trips, including our Canadian trip to Toronto.  She has helped Benjamin immensely in dealing with university bureaucracy, and on keeping Benjamin on track in school work and college admissions.  

2) I am thankful for my two older boys, Douglas and Gregory.  Douglas is an environmental scientist in Atlanta.  Gregory is living the family dream, working in Hollywood in the movie industry.  He has most recently been the editorial colorist on the TV show For All Mankind. I couldn't be prouder of both of them.  I am grateful that Doug has a beautiful wife, Paige, and was overjoyed to be a part of their wedding.  Paige's father was also the minister who officiated the marriage! I am grateful that both my older boys have taken so much to Benjamin, and have been great mentors and friends to him.

3) I am thankful for my loving parents.  My mother, who passed in October 2008, taught me the power of unconditional love.  My father, who passed in September 2013, taught me more about responsibility and hard work, and about the true meaning of Christianity, than anyone else I've ever known.  I think of them often and miss them terribly.  I am grateful for the love and memories they have given me.

4) I am thankful I have a loving, caring sister.  Carol and her family have always been supportive and kind to me.  She did so much for my father, I am so grateful.  I am excited that she is now a Grandmother, with three (count 'em - three!) grandchildren.   Carol and Mike now live in the Grand Rapids area and live closer to her daughter and grand-daughters, Bailey and Morgan.  And now her son and daughter-in-law in Chicago, also have a son! I see lots of visits to Chicago in their future! 

5) l am thankful for my church family.  Grace Episcopal has been essential in the spiritual and social life of our family, and I am appreciative of the connections we have made and all the support and Christian fellowship they have given us.  I am thankful for everything that Rev. Kit Brinson has brought to our church, and it has been a joy to watch it grow, diversify, and become the hands and feet of Christ in our local community.  

6) I am thankful for my work.  I'm not going to pretend that accounting is something I love to do.  But my employers and co-workers have made it to be as pleasant an experience as it can be.  And I love that I am now "60% retired" working only about 15 to 18 hours a week.  It has helped give me the space to write more, and help me where I have finished two novels, History of the Trap and Crowley Stories: Swamp's Edge, and the short novella, My Europa.  I have in the neighborhood of a  million words on my blog, The Strait Line.  Crowley Stories: Swamp's Edge is now on Kindle and paperback form.  I also added A Christmas with Pegasus as an eshort, with a great cover by Kennedy Brice. Sales have not been sensational, but those who read my stories seem to love them, and want to know where the next book in the series is, and that's the highest compliment I can get.  I am currently working on The Extra Credit Club (first draft 95% complete)and then will begin work on the second of the History of the Trap series.

7) I am thankful that I can act, at least well enough to participate in community theatre.  Getting on stage and feeling the response of the audience has been one of the great pleasures of my life. I am delighted that I was able to participate in The Murder on the Orient Express as Monsieur Bouc.  It is true that I am doing fewer plays per year now, but it just makes me appreciate more those plays that I do.

8) I am thankful for the theatre group, Purlie Productions,  and everything they do to contribute to the arts in the area.

9) I am thankful for the Writers Guild and the Okefenokee Heritage Center. It has been a great joy to help form and support a group dedicated to the arts, and help local writers connect.

10) I am thankful that I have taken the time to develop this blog, The Strait Line.  It is named after a school newsletter my father had as a school principal, and whether it is good or bad, it has been a tremendous joy to me to get back in the habit of writing.  I have made over eighteen hundred blog entries, and my blog traffic has now achieved total page views exceeding 359,000. 

11)  I am thankful that Barack Obama was a successful President of the United States for eight wonderful years.  The fact that the Presidency has been taken over by such a racist misogynist con man buffoon saddens me to no end and makes it difficult to sleep at night, and is exceptionally disturbing to know I have friends who still support Trump.  Nevertheless, I am grateful to have had such an intelligent and caring President for those eight years, and I miss him more than you can imagine.  Now I am simply grateful every morning I wake up, and that foul creature occupying the White House has not put an end to life on Earth.  It makes you realize how precious every day is.

12) I am thankful that Obamacare has survived its challenges, and even though I fear for its future, I still believe it can provide the stepping stone to greater things. It is a vital step forward to universal health care and towards a more equitable, fiscally sound, and morally decent system.  If the Republicans are foolish enough to repeal Obamacare, then all it will do is galvanize the public to bring about Medicare For All that much quicker.  Right now, they continue their efforts to sabotage and undermine it.  All their efforts have only made Obamacare more popular.  I pray that people will see through this charade, and move us back on the path towards the only morally and fiscally responsible healthcare system, single-payer, best implemented in the USA as Medicare For All (not Medicare For All You Want It - that title is just stupid and annoying).

13) I am thankful that virtually all countries and many corporations, states, and local governments recognize the gravest threat facing our planet, climate change/global warming will finally start to be addressed. Not by America anymore, however. This is one of the darkest things we face, this continued climate change denial that grips so many, but I pray that we wake up soon and change.  In some ways, we have already run out of time, but I pray it is not late.  If Trump wins in 2020, then we might as well start a wake for the whole planet.

14) I am thankful that even though the progressive agenda may not be moving as fast as I want, at least the promise of a better future holds.  I am incredibly grateful that in the last election, the Democratic Party retook the House of Representatives, and will provide a vital check on the authoritarian fascism practiced by the orange con man.   I am grateful for the courageous runs made by Lisa Ring for our Congressional Representative in the 1st District of Georgia, and for Greg O'Dricoll for State House.  They offered a refreshing new view to this area and planted the seeds for future improvement.  Many of the new representatives are Progressive Democrats, not Corporate or Blue Dog. The Progressives are articulating many of the positions vital to me and forcing the media and the Corporate Democrats to give these issues at least a passing thought.  They are laying the groundwork for what I believe and pray will be the Progressive majority takeover in 2020.  The House has passed a record amount of legislation, but the DO NOTHING SENATE, led by Senator McConnell, blocks it all.  I am thankful that impeachment inquiries have begun, and that no matter how they turn out, they are making it harder and harder for Trumpeteers to rationalize their continued support of this reckless and corrupt man.

15) I am thankful that even in this radically conservative area, I still can seek out and find liberal friends to talk to.  Lisa Ring received only 10% of the vote in my home county, but I know many of those who voted for her and those who earlier voted for Bernie Sanders, and I am grateful that I found them.  Some ask who I support in 2020.  I will vote for anyone who can run a credible campaign against Trumpp, but my first choice is Senator Elizabeth Warren.  I prefer the Democratic Party to run a woman for President...AND Vice-President.  It's time.  It's way past time.

16) I am thankful that I can read and enjoy the pleasures of the printed page.  I know that some people laugh at my elaborate method of randomly picking new books to read, but it gives me great pleasure, and that is the most essential part.  I am currently reading The Testaments, Margaret Atwood's sequel to The Handmaid's Tale.

17) I am thankful for the television streaming services we have and the features that let me watch the programs I want when I want to watch them.   I am also grateful for the high-speed internet that makes streaming so practical.  We just finished the second season of Succession, and are in the middle of Castle Rock, Watchmen, and The Dublin Murders.  We are also watching my son Greg's  For All Mankind, one of the best shoes I've ever seen, certainly the best alternate history. 

18) I am thankful for pets.  We have four beautiful dogs, Dachshund mixes who are loving and have long, waggy tails.  Well, our newest, Boss-A-Man, maybe more chihuahua and Pomeranian, but he is marvelously sweet, and I'm glad I get to spend more time with him, in my semi-retirement. We also have a cat who is on rare occasions, sweet, Skitty.   

19) I am thankful for the movies.  I love storytelling of all kinds, and there is still nothing like going to the movie theater.  The best we have seen recently is Doctor Sleep and   Avengers: Endgame.

20) I am thankful for continuing medical advances that help extend and improve the quality of life.  I am at the edge of being diabetic, but I am going to fight it off with everything that I have.  Well, after Thanksgiving dinner, of course.

21) I am thankful that communities still come together sometimes to support neighbors in crisis, like with sick children, or suffering a fire or other tragedy.  The assistance given to others during the recent fires in California have been heartwarming, but Trump's cold and disturbing reaction to the fires have been heart-breaking and disturbing, threatening to cut off aid, and blathering about forest rakes.

22) I am thankful for those friends I have discovered or reconnected with through Facebook.  I am most grateful to Benita Vierke Collins, for her friendship and her efforts, and at reconnecting with the Bridgeport High School Class of 73 (and adjacent years), including such friends as Coleen Hitsman Anegon, Dona Bow Kilbourne, Lisa Whitehead, Karen Iffil, Pete Pasterz, Sandy Lurins, and Linda Arnst Spayeth (who has been so supportive of my writing efforts).

23) I am thankful for the great joy comic books have brought to my life.  I have been a fan and collector since I have been 5 years old.  Recently, Superman has been rebooted yet again, but the results have been AMAZING, with Lois and Clark married with a son.  Action Comics and Detective Comics have been restored to their original numbering, and I couldn't be happier.  I am saddened by the loss of Stan Lee, who had a prominent hand in the creation of so many Marvel characters, and whose legacy of decency and advocacy of Democracy will burn within me for the rest of my life, and in the lives of my sons as well.

24) I am thankful for Christmas, and the opportunity to express such joy and love to others.

25) I am thankful for the peacemakers, all the diplomats and others who spend so much time and effort to make the world a better place to live.  I pray that we give them the space to do what they can in Syria and other hot spots around the world.  I am thankful for the many Americans who have been willing to welcome the Syrian refugees and others in crisis.  You may not know from listening to the darkest politician of my age, Donald Trump, or others echoing his bigoted and hateful sentiments, but there are still many Americans, of diverse faith and politics, who still care about people and remember that this is a NATION of immigrants and refugees.  I am grateful for the courts for slowing down his blatant MUSLIM ban. Unfortunately for the world, we have put this hateful bigot in charge.  I can only pray that goodness and diplomacy still prevail.  

26) I am thankful for the first responders, who often put their lives on the line for us.

27)  I am thankful for ketchup, the condiment of the gods. I am grateful there is a low sugar version that I can use at least some as I fight off diabetes.

28)  I am thankful for Cherry Coke, the nectar of the gods.  I am grateful there is a Stevia (Zevia) version.

29)  I am thankful for colder weather, so I can go out sometimes without having to worry about the gnats.   That's not every Fall/Winter day here in Southeast Georgia, but it does happen often enough to celebrate it when it does. 

30) I am thankful for God, and for love.

31) I am thankful for Jesus Christ, who resides in my heart and urges me to love God, love my neighbors, and do everything I can to make this a better world.

Time's up!  On to Thanksgiving festivities!

The Face of Waycross

I came here knowing no one, except a few of Alison's relatives.  I came here a stranger.

And then I met Paul Tang. 

On one of our first visits here, while we were still living in North Georgia, Alison, who was a Blackshear native, encouraged me to try out this Chinese restaurant she had grown to love.  It was hard for me to understand everything she was trying to tell me. Was it the food? The atmosphere?  The service?

It did not take me long to realize that it was Paul Tang.  This gregarious man greeted me like a long lost brother.  He shook my hand and talked about how wonderful Alison was.  I felt immediately accepted, and it made me feel so much better about this area. 

Alison's father, Johnny Aldridge, did the printing for Paul Tang's restaurant, Wong's Palace.  Alison had been eating there since she was a  small child.  Paul affectionately called Alison's father, Mr. Rich.  Was it because of the lucrative printing contract?  Probably not.  It most likely came from a re-interpretation of the name - Johnny Aldridge...Ald Ridge...All Rich.  Alison's father has a great sense of humor, and they would cut up a lot.

When Alison came back to Blackshear to get married, it was a no-brainer.  Our first stop after the wedding was to go to Wong's.  What better way to give you the most luck and love than to start your new life together at Wong's?

Within six months of getting married, we found an opportunity to move to Blackshear.  It was a risk, but knowing Paul Tang helped me make my decision.

We first worked together in the Bowen Building in Waycross.  And we would go to Wong's at least once a week.  I was determined to explore the whole menu, trying in order each combination.  And here was one of the great things about Wong's.  Once you know the menu and what you like, you could customize anything to your tastes.  Ask them if you could change things up, and the answer would always be, "No problem!  We can do it!"

My older boys would visit me sometimes, and we would always fit in a trip to Wong's.  And even though Paul would only see my older boys once a year or less, he always remembered who they were.  He knew their names, and asked follow-ups on the last conversation he had with them!

And when my son Benjamin came into our lives, he greeted and treated Benjamin as if he were his own son.  Benjamin loved Paul.  If you ask Benjamin where he wants to go to eat, he will always bring up Wong's. 

When we sold our little starter home on Church Street in Blackshear, we sold to a Chinese family who was operating Panda Restaurant in Blackshear.  They did not speak English, and communication was difficult.  Paul was kind enough to sit in our closing and help translate.  He made it so much easier for both families involved in the sale. He did not consider them competitors.  He considered it a service to his friends and his community.

When we travel, we often stop at different restaurants - Mexican, Italian, BarBQ, American, Greek, Thai.  But we do not stop at Chinese restaurants.  Because we know they will always disappoint compared to Wong's.  For my family, there is only one place - Wong's Palace.

Paul had been struggling with illness the last few years.  Many times he seemed to be winning, that he had beaten it back.  But recently he lost that battle.

No, he was not an intimate friend.  I knew him like many others as the smiling face of Waycross.  He meant the world to me, to my family, to many of us who live here.

He will always live on to me as the true face of Waycross.  He opened his arms and welcomed me in.  As he did for so many of us.

Benjamin will be home for Christmas break.  He will want to go to Wong's.  It will be hard on him that Paul is not there.  But I know how Benjamin thinks.  Paul's physical body may not be there, but his spirit will dwell there forever.  And not just at Wong's, but all around this area.  He lives on each of us whose lives have been touched by him.

We will go there with Benjamin.

And we will lift our sweet teas in his honor.

The Trouble With Plans: Saturday Political Soap Box 227

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" - John Lennon.

In a time long ago and far away, I was a debate coach for Cass City High School, a small town in the thumb of Michigan.  I helped guide the debate to their highest finish in the school's history, 3rd place in the state (Class C Division).

We had much fewer resources than other schools.  This was long before the days of the internet and google.  The library either carried the magazines and books we needed. Or it didn't.

We had to be smart.  We had to be clever.  Our affirmative team had one case, and they knew it backward and forwards, and they displayed supreme confidence when presenting it. Our negative team had a sneer and disdain that would poke holes in any case presented.  They knew basic arguments, and a similar logic, that they could use to smear any case presented.

The negative team was two people, one male, and one female, who were the brightest kids in school, really two of the brightest kids I ever knew.  Even without being armed with the jillions of quotes of other teams.  In fact, the simplicity and quickness of their strike, the tightness, and cleverness of their language and style, made them almost impossible to beat.

The affirmative was good enough not to drag us down.  The negative team was the reason we achieved our best finish ever.

Maybe it wasn't fair.  It's so much easier to be negative than positive.  That and the fact that I had two of the smartest kids in the state on it made our rise pretty easy.

It's so much easier to be negative.  Ever do family traveling with a kid, who, when asked where he wants to eat, says, "I don't care.  Wherever you want to."  And then when you go by specifics places, the kid trashes it and tells you why that one is not where they want to go?

That's where we're at in the Democratic primary.  Everybody's whining for specific plans, and then when they get them, sniping at them for not being perfect.

I love Elizabeth Warren.  I am a dedicated member of Team Warren.  I believe she represents the very best interests of working people and has the smarts, abilities, persistence, and persuasion to get the job done.  But, both fortunately and unfortunately, she has plans.  Lots of them.

Most of her plans are very, very good.  They represent a blueprint to a better way forward.  Without them, she may not have caught fire and moved up in the polls.

That works until you are perceived as a frontrunner.  Then people will start sniping at your plans. Having detailed plans invites your opponents to stab and stab and stab and, if necessary, misrepresent them, so you have to spend all your time in a defensive posture.

This is why so many times our party nominations are won by the fluffiest, those who are inexact and full of platitudes.  Make America Great Again?  What does that even mean?  Secret plans to end wars?  Replacing Obamacare with something better, but I'm not gonna tell you what that is?  We need to replace Washington insiders because...shiny and new is better?

We say we want substance.  And yet, time and time and time again, WE DON"T VOTE THAT WAY.

It's so easy to say you want to do something better. It's much more difficult to present something to get us there.

Some of the Democrats are bold and decisive in moving us to universal healthcare.  Others have more vague or incremental plans, and they feel free to snipe and undermine those who are more exact.  I won't name any names. Still, there are candidates who have abandoned Medicare For All and decided instead to concentrate on handing Republicans negative talking points about it on a silver platter. And, for at least for one candidate, switching from advocating hope to playing up fears on healthcare, that strategy is actually working.  Huh.  Maybe it's my negative debater all grown up.


The topic that year I was debate coach?

Resolved: that we should adopt a single-payer national health care program.

That was in 1978.

Yep.  When it comes to sniping at plans, health care takes the prize.

Dangling at Cliff's Edge

The Cliffs of Mohr in Ireland.

They are beautiful,

But also a little scary to someone who has a bit of a fear of heights.

And now, I feel like I am metaphorically dangling at their edge, hanging on by my fingertips.

No, I am not suicidal.  But I do feel like I am at the edge of something that if I am not careful, I will fall and not be able to recover.

I went to get some annual lab work done a week ago.  Just something the doctor has me do once in a while, one of the consequences of getting older.

The nurse called with the results yesterday.  It seems everything is normal - except for one thing.  And it's something that's been creeping up for a while now.

My blood sugar readings are now at the edge, the very edge, between prediabetic and diabetic.  Just a fraction of an inch more up, and I would be falling, identified as diabetic.

The nurse was ready for me to start a drug called Metformin.  Some of you may have had positive experiences with this drug.  Not in my world.  I have people close to me who have been harmed by this drug, some mildly and others devastatingly.  So, no.  Hard pass on Metformin for me.

It was decided (mostly by me) that I would get a reprieve.  I will get another reading in March and see if it has gotten better or worse.

I discussed with a relative who has been dealing with similar issues, told them my readings, and they agreed that it may be something I can improve through diet and exercise. So, yes, that is what I'm going to try to do.

And I will.  I have a loving wife who will work with me every step of the way.  Yes, I am a human butterball, but I'm stronger willed than most people think.  I know how to sacrifice and show discipline.  And with the metformin gun to my head, if I can pull myself by the fingertips off this cliff, I will do it.

Part of what is happening in our medical culture is a change in the definition of who is diabetic.  They changed the standards a while back, and it is part of why the number of identified diabetics has exploded in this country.  People's behavior has not worsened, although the over-consumption of processed foods is a huge problem.  I told the nurse practitioner there was no diabetes in my family, at least from my parents and ancestors, and he told me there probably was - the standards were different!

Why?  I'm sure there are valid medical reasons for it, but this country being what it is, with such outsize influence by Big Pharma, you can't help but wonder if part of it isn't just to sell more drugs.

So, wish me luck.  I'm old, and my body is stubborn.  I'm going to exercise and get fit (fitter).  I will keep going to the foot doctor and do whatever I can to make sure my foot problems do not interfere with an exercise routine.  I will do my best to eat based on the recommendations of the Dash diet and the Prediabetes Cookbook.  Alison is knowledgeable and smart and, although fine now, has diabetes in her family history, and is more than willing to adopt out food plans right along with me.

I will pull myself off this cliff.

Tidbitting the Tuesday

Just starting out with a Canadian sunset.

Why?

Why not?

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I am looking forward to the holidays.  I am spending time trying to clear my work schedule so I can spend more time at home with my family.  Benjamin will be coming home on Tuesday evening and will be spending about five days with us.

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Work is not cooperating as the information I need to complete assignments is coming in very slowly. I would like it to be faster, but sometimes the horse don't drink.  So I need to be patient.

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Sports have faded again, as soccer season is over, and most of the football teams I follow continue to disappoint.  Michigan Wolverines are not having the worst season ever, but neither will they be going to the national championship playoff.

Nevertheless....fifty years ago, in 1969, Ohio State was demolishing everybody by wide margins.  Sports Illustrated ran a story implying they were the best college football team of the century!

Then, at the end of the regular season, the Michigan Wolverines, led by coach Bo Schembechler, unexpectedly upended the Woody Hayes led Ohio State Buckeyes in one of the greatest upsets in sports history.

On this fifty-year anniversary, that would be a nice thing to revisit.

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Trump's Walter Reed visit on Saturday?

Who knows?

Many of the "routine" things that could be done could easily be done at the White House.  As of writing this, he has strangely disappeared from public view.

Who knows?

You only know that he and his team have no credibility and can't be believed.

So who knows?

All I know is that exaggerations of the health of Hillary Clinton were rampant in the Fall of 2016, promulgated by Russian hackers and bots and gleefully promoted by the Trump people.

I'll never forget a co-worker showing me a doctored video of Hillary head's shaking as if she had epilepsy, thinking he had caught the Zapruder film, convinced that she was mentally damaged.  Nothing could persuade him otherwise.  The Russians had him - hook, line, and sinker.

Will he notice what's going on with Trump's health right now?  Won't raise his curiosity one iota.

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Pictures of people in community theater are a-bounding on my facebook feed.  Something about a challenge to show 10 theater pictures in 10 days, then you have to challenge another theatre person to do the same.   I show theatre pictures all the time.  I would have no trouble doing that.  I would not challenge others.  I really don't like to do anything that even remotely smacks of chain mail.

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Does anyone understand this meme?  I don't mean the words at the top.  That's something about the pronunciation of a town here in Southeast Georgia.  I'm not smart enough to edit that part out.  I mean the two pictures.  I mean, what's up with that?  How is this so popular? Separately or in conjunction with each other, they make no sense to me.

Social media is a weird and strange place.

If I were brighter, I would create this -

Woman:  You!  Social media person!  Why are you doing this?  How does this make any sense?

Cat:  How would I know?  I'm a cat inexplicably in front of a salad.  Does anything make any sense?


Anyways, something else will come up next week, probably even weirder.

Ta Ta to Tidbits for now!

T. M. Strait

No More Billionaire Presidents: Saturday Political Soap Box 226

Now is the not time for another billionaire President.

I don't care if it's a Reich Wing lunatic like our racist President, Donald J Trump.  Of course, he may not be a real billionaire.  That may be part of the con.  But we can say at least - he plays one on TV, and he wants us to believe that he is.

I don't care whether it's a center-right figure like Micael Bloomberg.  He's worth probably the combined wealth of all the Presidents we've had combined.  He owns a huge media conglomeration and has the money and broadcast megaphone to drown out anyone else in the world.  Well, except maybe Jeff Bezos is worth about $150 billion.  And guess what?  Jeff Bezos encouraged Michael Bloomberg to run.  Think about that.

I don't even care if it's progressive Tom Steyer, who's politics are close to mine. He's still a billionaire.  He still sends the wrong message about what we can do to fix our system.

Why do you not want a billionaire President, Tom?  Isn't this a free country where anybody can run? Don't you want somebody who was able to succeed that much in our system run our system?

Well, no, I don't.

Here are some of the reasons why -


Being a Billionaire is not a matching skill set with running a government

There is nothing about being rich that translates into being a good President.  It is an entirely different skill set.  Billionaires are used to people following what they order.  Their command (presumably lawful commands, unless, of course, you're Trump or a coal baron), are followed without question.  That's not how government works.  It is an intricate dance of checks and balances that most billionaires do not have to consider.

Running a business does not translate into running a business.

We've had some very wealthy people run the government.  But they have come from people who have accumulated years of public service, such as Franklin Roosevelt and  John Kennedy.  John Kerry and Mitt Romney, major party nominees who did not win, also follow that pattern.

The only billionaire with government experience that would pass this first standard is Michael Bloomberg, who is Mayor of one of the largest cities in the world, New York City.

So, just from the first reason, we're down to one eligible billionaire.


Our campaign finance system is broken

Should anyone be able to run for President?  Sure.  Even billionaires should be, although I would urge every thinking person to not vote for them.

Our campaign finance system is broken in this country.  Money talks.  Way too loud.  And to have candidates who can drown others with their personal wealth seems very wrong.

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have shown that it is possible to run a campaign on small-dollar donations. They do not accept corporate and PAC money.  But even they would be drowned out by the avalanche of money that Michael Bloomberg could spend just from his own personal wealth.  Not to mention owning one of the most gigantic media megaphones.  And by that, I mean Bloomberg News.  Sycophants like MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and Chuck Todd are just extra bonuses.

As long as the campaign finance system is broken, and politics are fueled by wealthy donors and large corporations, none of the basic problems are going to be solved in this country (climate change, universal health care, gun reform measures, tax code favoring the rich, etc.).

It is possible that some billionaire could defy their own personal interest and support changes that would fix the campaign finance system.  Tom Steyer might do that, so he could pass this test.

Michael Bloomberg, however, fails this test super big time.


Income Equality is one of the most significant issues of our lifetime

The gap between rich and poor in this country is growing wider and wider.  Electing a billionaire does not help solve this; it exacerbates this.

This increase has been happening under both Republican and Democratic Presidents.  We have systematic problems that need to be addressed.

This gap, which includes the diminution and insecurity of the middle class, has been suer-fueled by the Trump administration.  The income tax reform has led to many wealthy people and large corporations paying a lower percentage of tax than many in the middle class.  The rich get rich, the middle class treads water, and the poor get more isolated, vilified, and desperate.  One of the great crimes of our present times is those in the privileged class encouraging the working poor to target minorities, the poor, and immigrants for their declining economic status, rather than those who are really responsible.

In this regard, even the best-intended billionaire sends the wrong message.  Tom Steyer's heart may be in the right place, but there's nothing that he could do that Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders couldn't do better.

And we need to be clear as to why Michael Bloomberg is coming into the race. It's not because of gun control.  It's not to check climate change.  He's coming in because he fears that a Corporate/Centrist Democrat will not win the race.  He sees that Biden is not taking a commanding lead and that the combined Warren/Sanders vote is enough to overwhelm him.  And why does he fear the progressive wing of the Democratic Party so much?

Because they might increase his taxation in some marginal way.  The wealth tax, that little 2% ta on wealth that Warren talks about, one that would barely put a slight dent in his holdings, has him and Bezos and Gates and Zuckerberg shaking in their boots.

He's not running to benefit this country.  He's running to preserve the wealth and privilege of his class.

Why the wealth tax is a good idea, and why it is vital to correct tax code inequities, is a discussion for another post.  I've addressed this before, but if people want, I can address it again.  But not here. These get too long, and people wander away.  Heck, I don't even know if very many of you made it this far.

There are other reasons as well why should not elect a billionaire President, but the ones mentioned here are the ones topmost in my mind.

Christian Reich extremist?  Go back Mike Pence or Mike Huckabee or someone similar.

Trumpeteer?  Got no real answer for you.  Ted Cruz or Lindsay Graham, maybe?  I don't know.  If you're still with Trump, I don't know what to say about you or how to help you?

Rock ribbed Republican?  Promote people like Mitt Romney and John Kasich.  I know.  Romney is rich, but he's had a lifetime of government service, and I'm not sure he's a billionaire.

Centrist/Corporate Democrat?  You got Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar, among others.

Progressives?  Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are right in your sweet spot.

Whatever you do, don't be swayed by the smell of money.

Pease.  I'm begging you.

No more billionaire Presidents.

The Struggle For All Mankind

Exciting news!

My oldest son, Gregory Strait, has his first credited show (as colorist)!

Well, you know, Proud Papa wants to see this!

But,,, it's a part of a new streaming service, Apple TV +.  And we didn't have that.

And the model ROKU we have will not get the Apple TV + app.

Proud Papa will not be deterred!

I bought a brand new state of the art ROKU, Ultimate Plus or some such name that promoted itself as being able to handle the Apple TV + streaming service.

I set that up, finding out with my other streaming services that I had to resign in - they had no idea who I was anymore.  But ok!  It's for my son!  I'll do it!

Setting up Apple TV + was about a two and a half ordeal, as you had to go through the bureaucracy of Apple, and we had to dig up some stuff we had long forgotten.

But, finally, we had it!

We were able to see the first episode of For All Mankind1

And it was awesome!

It's an alternate history where the major variation is that the Russians are the first ones to land on the moon.  It is entertaining and brilliantly done.

And the show's coloring?  Magnificent!  Alison commented that it was one of the few shows she's ever seen where she could still what was going on even when it was dark!

Don't believe me?

Beleive the Apple executive that called my son's boss and said it was the BRST LOOKING SHOW ON THE APPLE TV + STREAMING SERVICE!!!

Woo-hoo!

We are in a free trial that lasts through this Friday.

We have been only able to watch the first episode.  The rest say they are unavailable, even though four episodes have aired.

What the heck?  Iy took considerable research and community questions, and the best we can figure out is that the free trial week is limited to only the first one or two episodes of each series.


WHAT TH'?  WHO DOES THAT?

Apple, I guess.  That is the only downside to the whole thing - trying to work with Apple.  I still can't figure out the ID on my iPhone.  I've tried some but I usually have to say NOT NOW.

Look, though.  The service is not expensive, $4.99 a month.  And it has a number of really great, exciting new shows.

And come Saturday, I'll let you know if we can see more episodes of

THE SHOW WITH THE GREATEST COLOR EDITING OF ALL TIME - 

FOR ALL MANKIND!!!

Update:  Apple TV +, out of nowhere, now works on my desktop, including episode 2 of For All Mankind.  On the ROKU and big TV?  I still can't watch it, and that is where I WANT to watch it.

Bazaar Weekend Monday Musings

It was a Bazaar Weekend!

Yes, it was our church Bazaar Saturday, with a wide variety of vendors.  There were lots of arts and crafts,  healthy food advice, artists, pet rescue, and somehow I slipped in there too, selling my self-published books.

The crowd was steady and friendly, and I sold four books. It sounds pathetic, but for me, that was actually pretty good. My inventory of books on hand is dwindling, and I may not re-supply until next year.

That's me.  I'm huge.  My belly is practically on the table.

Saturday was our wedding anniversary, and we went out to eat after the bazaar to L.L. Creek 'n' Bean (I may not have the name quite right).  In my latest effort to lose weight, we did split one appetizer, on entree and two sides.  It was a grilled chicken entree, Blackberry Chipolte Chicken, and it was delicious.

The restaurant was crowded with kids from baseball teams (baseball in November?), and some kids were given free reign, with team members and younger siblings raising hell at their own tables, while the adults (adults, coaches, etc.) sat at different tables indulging in adult beverages, ignoring much of the chaos. It was noisy, but we could still hear each other.  For the most part.

We then saw the movie Doctor Sleep, based on the Stephen King book, and is an extension of the story in The Shining, featuring the boy Danny Torrance all grown up, played by Ewan McGregor, who was able to tap into both the Shine and the Force (he played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the second Star Wars trilogy).  It was a long but enjoyable movie.

Sunday was church, and then later, our continued attempts to watch For All Mankind - more on that in a subsequent blog post.

Today I need to leave early (for the new semi-retired me) to continue to learn the church Treasurer function.  Yes, Alison and I volunteered to take that over.  I have sworn to remove myself from accounting as much as I can, with the goal of putting it entirely behind me, but I find it sort of like trying to quit the mob -  every time I try to get out, they pull me back in!

Until next time,

T. M. Strait

A Buggy Mountain Top

I have been to the mountain top.

Of course, in Pierce County, that is a double-stacked fire ant mound.

It stung considerably.  Before I passed out in pain, I was able to tumble to the bottom.

Later, the rains came and washed the mountain top away,  Then the bug spray guy came and really wiped it out.

You can't really get along very well without a bug spray guy.  I think they call them extraerminators.  It's a significant way to make a living down here.

I wish they could spray for gnats, but that's probably asking for too much.

Sometimes there's a bug spray truck that fogs for mosquitoes, I think.  Mosquitoes are dangerous, and with climate change, they are bringing up more and more tropical diseases.  It seems like a lock that any dog here gets heartworms unless they are on heartworm preventative.  We used to foster dogs, and they had heartworms more often than not.  Our last adoptee has heartworms, and they thought he was too old for the fast kill, so they did a slow kill, which has not been working like it should.  So now Boss-A-Man is undergoing a "slow-fast kill,"  and I hope it works.  I have to keep him calm, which is not always easy to do, but I am doing my best.

We had a rat in the storage room, so our bug spray guy has set out things to eliminate that.  They are supposed to kill the rat, but not a cat if he eats the rat. That is very thoughtful.  Thank you, Monsanto.  For that and Equal, which was a failed pesticide.

Our bug spray guy is named Neil.  He is a very nice man.  His wife is ill, and we all pray for her continued recovery.

I understand the biological necessity of bees.  I know they are necessary for a healthy ecosystem.  My middle son has a beehive in his backyard for honey and such.  I understand their value.  That doesn't stop me from panicking when they are around me.  Bees, wasps, hornet - all give me phobia level heebie-jeebies.  Gnats and mosquitoes drive me crazy, mosquitoes because they freaking bite me, and gnats because of the buzz around my ears and eyes.  And, yes, I've tried all kinds of repellants, but they still love me.  That love is not mutual.

We should be headed into a more bug-free season, but here in the South Swamp Land, they never truly go away.  We might have a day with a high of 55, followed closely by a day of a high with 90.

Every day below 60, I treasure because I finally can go outside and enjoy myself.

I have been to the mountain top.  And it so much more enjoyable on a chilly Autumn day.

Thursday Hobby Throwback

They say at the heart of any man beats a thirteen old boy.

That many of the hobbies and interests that you have carry through to the rest of your life.

That seems generally true.  I know how shocked I am when I see myself in the mirror - that is not what I think of myself most of the time.  That is until I realize how much my foot hurts or that my back doesn't do what my back used to do.  Or I'm driving at night and realize I cannot see in the dark as well as I could.  Or the dawning realization that I can't eat like a college student anymore.

But hobbies and interests?  Yeah, they're about the same.

Here is an inventory of things I was into as a teenager and whether or not they are still a passion.  This does not include any romantic interests in the opposite gender (for me - for you, it may be a different romantic interest).  That is a given.

Baseball Statistics

I loved baseball statistics.  I followed them in the newspaper.  I participated in a play-by-mail baseball strategy game.  I earned my varsity letter for being the statistician for the baseball team.  It was one of the few signs in my early life that I might have some ability to be an accountant.

Now?  Sadly, that passion is gone.  Newspapers rarely track that information anymore, and I do not have the discipline to look them up on the internet.  If there is a good baseball statistic site, I don't know about it.

Probably now that I'm a CPA, I've reached my fill of flashing numbers, so to spend time with it as a hobby holds less interest.

Acting

I've always "performed," onstage or off.  My first play was as a freshman in high school, when I dropped out of football, discovering a play tryout, thinking two things - 1) theatre involved less running (true), and 2) chicks dig actors (not true - at least high school actors).  When I came out for the curtain call of my first play (Harvey, playing an 80-year-old judge), and I heard the swell of applause, I was hooked.

Now?  Yep.  Life long passion!  It's getting harder to find roles, but I still like to perform at least once a year.  It's getting harder and harder to memorize, and it's disruptive to developing a steady routine, but when  I get in the zone?  Almost nothing like it.

Science Fiction Magazines

I used to routinely get science fiction magazines, starting from the time I was about 8.  I even had a subscription to Worlds of If for several years.

Now?  I can't say I never get them, but it's pretty rare.  I still have a dream in the back of my mind that I would love to have one publish a story of mine and see my name on their cover.  A few of these magazines still exist (e.g., Asimov's,  Analog), but they are pretty hard to find.  Fewer and fewer outlets carry them.

Writing

I've wanted to be a writer since at least 7th grade.  It's when I first adopted the pen name, T. M. Strait, emulating my favorite writer at that time, H. G. Wells. I wrote sporadically, never really finishing anything.  As a freshman in high school, I first conceived of History of the Trap.

Now?  I write more than ever.  History of the Trap has become a reality and is my best selling book (that means a whole lot less than you think it does).  My blog has over 2,000 entries.  Whether anyone pays attention or not, it is my greatest passion, and I will do it as long as my mind allows me to string together words.

Comic Books

I started reading comic books in Kindergarten, fascinated first with Classic Illustrated, Jr., especially the ones involving princesses, and although this may no longer be considered politically correct, I was obsessed with rescuing princesses - those were my favorite kind of stories.  I later grew into the Marvel revolution, and a fondness for Superman, the Legion of Super-Heroes, and many more.

Now?  No, I did not grow up to rescue princesses, but my passion for comic books has remained constant.  To this day, I still receive new comic books monthly from a mail service, Westfield Comics.  I still collect Superman.

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Other passions that stem from those teenage years?  Politics - still follow and think about constantly, but it is much more depressing with Trump daily ruining our country and the blind allegiance of the Trumpeteers eating away at me every day.

Movies - used to go to the movie theatre at least once a week - first with my parents and then on my own when  I could drive. Now it's fewer than a dozen times a year, but part of that is there is so much more available that you can see at home.

Science Fiction - my favorite genre then, my favorite genre now. 


That's all I can think of right now. 

So, yes, I can say, at least for me, the thirteen-year-old boy is still alive and well.

Even if he is just a little bit creaky and gray now.

Double the Choir Weekend!

Alison, her mother, and I, went to Milledgeville this weekend to visit with Benjamin, and experience his double choir weekend!

First up, we heard him in the University Chorus, where they sang songs related to Shakespeare, the lyrics coming from different Shakespeare plays.

The next day, we heard him in the church choir of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.  We are so happy that Benjamin's faith journey continues while in college.  Not every college student, even if they are religious, continues on their own to the extent that Benjamin is.  He also belongs to an Episcopal Youth Group.  Only a few of their members attend St. Stephen's, the Episcopal church closest to campus.  Some of those who don't may be commuting students who attend at home.

No experience, no individual is perfect, so I don't mean to pedestalize Benjamin.

Nevertheless, I am very proud of him and the way he has taken to college.  He is doing well academically and socially.  He is participating in more extra-curriculars than he even did in high school.

Bravo, Benjamin!  You are off to a sensational start!

Raising the Universe: Saturday Political Soap Box 225

Whether you support him or not, whether you're ok with people left out of our healthcare system or not, Bernie has to be acknowledged as our Moses leading the way out of our broken healthcare system.

I am for universal healthcare.  It is my most rock bed central position.  It is the closest I come to being a single-issue voter.

The system that has been most talked about is Medicare For All.   I like the name.  Medicare is a popular program, and it makes the idea instantly recognizable to almost every American.

But I am not wedded to the name.  I am wedded to the concept.  Everyone must be covered.  Everyone must have access.  People should not go broke trying to get the healthcare and medical procedures they need for the well-being of themselves and their families.  Access should not be determined by wealth or whether your employer has (FOR NOW, EXISTING ONLY AT THE COMPANY'S WHIM) a gold-plated deluxe healthcare policy.

I posted this recently:

Imagine if I pay rent of $800 a month. I pay for my utilities. I pay for any repairs or maintenance. I pay the property tax and insurance. This costs me, on average, another $800 a month. That's a total of $1600, maybe more if things go badly. Now I have an offer to pay rent of $1000 a month, BUT my utilities are included, and the landlord covers repairs, property tax, and insurance. Should I change to the $1.000 a month rent plan?

Note that I am comparing one rental plan to another.  This is not a commentary on homeownership vs. renting.

Given the facts presented, a rational person would select the slightly higher rent that covers more of the other costs. 

Unfortunately, when it comes to healthcare, the American people have shown little rationality.  It's not all their fault.  There are significant forces in the country (private insurance, pharmaceuticals, hospitals, etc.) that have a vested interest in ginning you up to hate universal healthcare.  So they spend beaucoups of time and money (often filling the campaign coffers of politicians) to get you to stress more about taxes than total cost.

The bonus of a universal system is that not only is it morally right, it is also the most cost-effective system.  Administration costs shrink considerably (no multi-million dollar CEOs to keep afloat).  Private insurance is not trying to increase profits by denying care or setting up bureaucratic roadblocks.  Hospitals and doctors don't have to deal with tons of paperwork by multiple insurance companies.

We now have the most expensive per person medical system in the world, almost twice as much as our closest rivals.  Going to Medicare For All is going to close that gap, not increase it.

People have been fussing at Elizabeth Warren for not giving a more decisive answer on how she would fund Medicare For All.  She talks about total costs when the media and other candidates want her to say something about increasing taxes so they can go GOTCHA!

Yesterday, she came out with a plan that structures it so that the Medicare For All program is funded without raising middle-class taxes. I have not read the details, but she is a very meticulous, well-thought person, so I am sure there is a method and rationale behind how she wants to fund it.

Me?  I'm not running, so I don't know why we can't do the common sense thing- if it's Medicare For All, why not increase the payroll tax percentage that comes out for Medicare?  Don't cap it, and extend it to unearned income as well.  Worried about the effect on middle-class taxpayers?  Reduce the amount of income tax they pay - maybe even extend a tax credit to taxpayers with low to moderate-income.

With no premiums, no deductibles, no co-pays, most Americans will come out way, way, ahead.

Some want to stay gripped to the plan that comes from their employer.  You know - the plan you will lose if you are fired, laid off, or just try to get another job.  The plan that the employer can change form year to year.  The plan that leaves most of us fighting to get our bills covered, having to be lawyers/advocates/accountants/Type A personalities just to get things covered.  How exhausting.

I try not to say too much about the Democratic candidates that is negative.  The truth is all of them, even the most conservative and cautious, will be light years ahead of the Republicans.

Nevertheless, I am sick of the moderate Democrats trashing the progressive Democrats over healthcare issues, handing the Republicans talking points on a silver platter.  If they want to say universal healthcare is difficult, fine.  To say that it is impossible and a pipedream, angers me and breaks my heart.

I am an Independent Progressive who votes Democratic because I believe that is the quickest route to covering everybody.  I will always vote in the primaries for the candidate that will most quickly bring us to that.

Do I want to beat Trump or whomever the Republicans nominate?  Hell, yes.  Do I want to abandon my healthcare position to do that?

No, I won't do that.  And I believe it has the extra bonus of being the strategically correct thing to do.  The working class has to once again see the Democrats fighting for them, and things that benefit them, and not as Republican Lite, just as beholden to their high dollar donors as the Republicans.

Unless we become an authoritarian, fascist country (a path many have undeniably started on), we will one day have universal healthcare.  It is inevitable.  Like other great social movements in our country, it looks impossible until it isn't.

It's just a matter of whether it happens slowly or quickly, incrementally or all at once.

I vote for quick.

No more canisters in convenience stores.

No more Go Fund Me healthcare.

No more medical bankruptcies.

No more people dying for lack of access to decent healthcare.

Please join me in supporting candidates who will move our healthcare system into the 21st century, and bring us into the rest of the civilized world that already has universal healthcare.

Kingdom Escape: Friday Flash Fiction

Take me with you.

I can't.  I wish that I could.

Do you understand what is happening here?  Things aren't safe anymore.

I understand.  But I'm going to be lucky to make it on my own.  It would be almost impossible if I bring others.

It will be okay.  I can help you look out.

A man and woman together?  You know they're watching out for that!

I love you.  Please don't leave me here.

I love you, too.  And I'm trying to keep you safe.  Don't you know how dangerous it's going to be?  I can't risk your life like that.

Everything is a risk.  And I would rather be with you, risking everything, than be back here without you.

No, I can't so that.  I won't take that chance.

And I won't take the chance that I have to live here without you.

Look, you know our best hope is for me to get out of the Kingdom and tell the story of what's happening here.  If they know, they'll have to come in.  They'll have to stop this nightmare.

I think you're wrong.  I think they already know, and just don't care.

I can't believe that.  There are good people in the world.  They'll hear about this, and they won't let stand.

There are good people here, and they just watched it happen and did nothing.  Why do you think the DSSA will be any different?

I don't know.  I have to have faith that decency and humanity will prevail.

You have that faith in others, but you don't have it in me?

If you go with me and something happens to you, I couldn't live with myself.

And I can't live if I don't go with you.  Please, let's do this thing together.

Stop!  Why did you kiss me?  You know what that does to me?

We must be together.  Everything means nothing without you.

My God!  Heaven help me!  I cannot leave you!  Alright!  Come with me!  It's insane, but I can't live without you either!

(FLASHING LIGHTS.  SIRENS)


HALT!  THE KINGDOM KNIGHTS HAVE YOU SURROUNDED!  PUT YOUR HANDS UP AND COME OUT SLOWLY!

I am sorry, my love.  It is at an end.

Never, my love.  They will never tear our souls apart.

(GUNFIRE)