Deja Vu (1998-2025): A Primer

 

Strains of "Deja vu all over again" started popping up in my thoughts last week as talk about attacking Iran and 'bunker buster bombs' began to increase in frequency.

Lest we forget (I didn't) - from 25+ years ago:

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"On December 16, 1998, President Bill Clinton announces he has ordered air strikes against Iraq because it refused to cooperate with United Nations (U.N.) weapons inspectors. Clinton’s decision did not have the support of key members of Congress, who accused Clinton of using the air strikes to direct attention away from ongoing impeachment proceedings against him.

Just the day before, the House of Representatives had issued a report accusing Clinton of committing “high crimes and misdemeanors” related to the Monica Lewinsky scandal, in which Clinton had—and then lied about—an illicit sexual liaison with an intern in the Oval Office." -from History.com - This day in history

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Hmm...let's see. Bad press or dismal polling numbers? I got it: Let's bomb somebody to create a diversion!!

"Those Who Cannot Remember the Past Are Condemned To Repeat It" - George Santayana 

As I wrote to (then) U.S. (PA) Senator Pat Toomey in ~2018:  'The man needs to be removed from office as quickly as possible and by any means necessary.'

Quite a few folks in Washington need to grow a pair...and quickly. 

Quo Vadis, America? 

Summer Soldiers and Sunshine Patriots...

"THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."

- from The American Crisis by Thomas Paine, December 1776.

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Happy Friday the 13th to all the triskaidekaphobics out there! 😲

I'm sure by now that most of you - except those who view Fox News as your sole source of (mis)information - have seen the footage of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla being "placed" on the floor and handcuffed yesterday while attempting to exercise his rights as guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment during a press conference.

I was stuck in a major backup on the Schuylkill Expressway in center-city Philadelphia yesterday afternoon while all of this was unfolding. From Senator Padilla clearly identifying himself by title and name - followed by DHS Secretary Kristi "I Shot My Dog" Noem clearly stating (a/k/a lying) he did not identify himself on (where else?) Fox News - I listened in darn near total disbelief at the audio recordings of the incident and all that followed including the evasive and intentionally obfuscatory comments from Speaker Johnson and many others in response.

My take? Pathetic cowardice on full display.

Hundreds of "No Kings" protests are planned throughout the country tomorrow. I'll be attending the one in my hometown, and I hope everyone stays safe out there.

Even you, Holden. 😍

1. DNA 2. Fingerprints and 3. ---

 

...writing styles. 

I recently received a comment on my latest post. It was submitted under a fictitious name. 

The person does. not. exist. 

As I read it, and then read the revised comment, I could say the writing style and vocabulary sounded somewhat familiar. 

And that. would be. a lie. 

Just like evidentiary DNA and fingerprints, writing styles are very, very difficult to disguise and/or refute.

Actually...dam (sic) near impossible. Remember how the 'Unabomber' was eventually identified and caught? 

And he had an IQ of 167. 

Do better and/or try harder, my friend. Your choice.

And as for me "dialing it back"? 

Not possible. 

Peace. 

 

Trail of Tears, Kristallnacht...and ICE

Unless you are a true student of history, you more than likely cannot recognize the parallels between the 'Trail of Tears', Kristallnacht and the modern-day ICE raids taking place in broad daylight in our country today. 

And if, by chance, you are a red-blooded MAGA supporter...you'll turn a blind eye to those parallels until, perhaps, they come knocking on your door.   

If you're following current headlines, you cannot help but notice that more folks are getting directly involved by interceding in these events as they unfold. 

Eventually, someone trying to help may be hurt or killed. 

Once again, history is repeating itself. 

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“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 

- George Santayana

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Golf balls...anyone?

For 40+ years, I worked for some of the largest financial services corporations and law firms on the planet. Looking at financial statements, crunching numbers and assessing risk were a part of what I did every single day. 

At one point, I had $1.0M mortgage lending authority. My signature alone. Been there, done that and I could write a book about what I've seen. 

So...it boggles my mind just a tad to understand how someone could blow through a net worth of $330 million in four years. Four Years!

Or better yet, why a purported billionaire needs to hawk golf balls for $35.00? 

C'mon Trumpeteers...help me out. 

I'll wait. 

Later. 

Once, Twice, Three Times A...

...LIAR.

I have posted this elsewhere, so without further adieu: 

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Sorry, folks, but I had to share this one.

Be it in a bedroom or boardroom, I truly wonder how many times a person has to be caught in an outright lie ( or 3 ) before they're finally recognized for what they truly are...someone who cannot be trusted.

***** With anything. *****

Here's one from the article linked below:

"Trump claimed last Thursday that gas prices “hit $1.98 yesterday in a couple of states.” That wasn’t true. No state had an average gas price below $2.70 per gallon on Wednesday, according to data from AAA, which reported a national average of about $3.17 per gallon. And the lowest individual Wednesday price found by the firm GasBuddy, which tracks tens of thousands of gas stations across the country, was $2.19 at a station in Texas."

And the cost of eggs is down ~93%. NINETY-THREE %. Sign me up!!!

I'll save the superfluity for another day.

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As I've offered before ad nauseum: Numbers don't lie...people do. What I have learned, and witnessed, throughout my 40+ year career is that if you throw out numbers, you'd better be damn well sure they have been triple-checked and run through the grinder one more time to be confident they are correct. 

Check it out for yourself. 

Fact check: Trump lies about the price of eggs, groceries and gas

Later. 

     

Earth Day (1975-2025)

~Fifty years ago, I was part of an environmental group @ Wilkes College that was working toward having a regional geological feature set-aside and protected. Known to locals as "The Tubs", it was created by glacial meltwaters - in whole or as part of a finishing touch - during the last Ice Age. It is now part of PA's state park/forest system.

From one of their websites:

"Seven Tubs Recreation Area is an outdoor recreational site covering 400 acres in Upstate PA. Seven Tubs got its name from the glacial meltwater that created potholes and filled up pools or "tubs" of water. The highlight of Seven Tubs Recreation Area is Wheelbarrow Run - a stream that flows through a ravine full of tubs that are gouged into the underlying bedrock."

Yesterday, while visiting northeastern PA to attend a viewing and a funeral for two longtime family friends, I stopped by the Tubs to check out recent improvements. It was especially rewarding to see how seeds planted decades ago have continued to flourish for future generations to enjoy.

Happy Earth Day to all.

Seek Not to Understand...

 

...but to trash anyone and everyone with opposing views.  

Go figure. 

My question...why? What does that accomplish?  

Hey, to each his/her own. Just remember...character counts. Facts count even more. 

Thanks to the actions of one man who went bankrupt SIX times (fact) and had Daddy save him from failure #7 (fact), the world financial markets are in turmoil...in some cases worse than in 2008. 

Trillion$ in personal wealth have been wiped out. Trillions. 

Understand that of which you speak. Otherwise, you'll be deemed irrelevant. Irretrievably. 

Later...

   From April 4, 2025. 

     

Deny, Deny, Deny...

Just curious: Whether it be under your roof - or within your circle of family and friends - or your co-workers - or your neighbors; how many times would you catch someone in an outright lie before you realized that they could not - or never - be trusted? 

How many? 

This latest SNAFU regarding the chat/text release of highly confidential military information, and the reactions (see title of post) that followed, is yet another example of the completely dysfunctional and totally untrustworthy group of (*insert description of your choice*) assembled in the administration of Donald John the Lesser's second term. 

Just FYI: All of those liars are easy to spot. 

Their lips are moving. 

...By Men with None

 

For no reason beyond the color of his skin, a man of honor has been dishonored by men with none. None. 

Quo Vadis, America?