Let's take our European grand tour now -- while we still can

     Being friends with America is sometimes a lot of hard work.  For instance, Saddam Hussein used to be America's BFF and just look what happened to him.  America also "friended" all those Jihadi freaks and warlords in Afghanistan -- and Afghans are still paying the price.

     Kissinger befriended a dictator in Chile but torches and pitchforks eventually nailed Pinochet.  Johnson befriended a dictator in Vietnam and we all know what happened to Diem.  Reagan befriended Noriega in Panama -- and then turned on him too.  Obama befriended Al Qaeda "rebels" in Syria and Libya and also those gross neo-Nazis in Ukraine -- and now even though Trump also tweets in their favor, bin Ladin's next generation is still violently hated by Syrians, Libyans and Ukrainians.  Various American presidents have also befriended Haiti, Yemen, Honduras and Palestine -- and with friends like that, who needs enemies. 

     And now America is trying really hard to upgrade the European Union to its "close friend" status too.  If I was Europe right now, I'd run like hell!  And if I was the average American tourist right now, I'd be taking the traditional European grand tour ASAP.  Go see Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower, the Acropolis and the Colosseum -- while  you still can.

     According to journalist Rostislav Ishchenko, America now has plans to thwart China's big move to establish a New Silk Road trade route from China to Europe.  But how, exactly, does America plan to hijack China's new trade route?  Apparently by eliminating Europe as an effective trade partner at the end of the Silk Road.  https://thesaker.is/europe-as-the-main-front-of-the-hybrid-war/

     America's recent attempts at "The chaosization of Europe" would just about do that, right?

     For instance, all of America's brutal unjust neo-colonial "wars" on the Middle East have sent millions of refugees out on various involuntary road trips.  "Crap!  America just bombed my home, murdered my wife and daughter and slaughtered my camel!" cry America's victims.  "What the freak should I do now!"  Go to Germany of course.  Or Sweden.  Or Britain.  Or Italy.  Anywhere but Baghdad or Benghazi.

     Then there was the recent destabilization of Eastern Europe after America armed almost anyone there who could shoot straight -- and also lots of folks who clearly could not.

     Next came Trump's policy of getting Europe to pay for NATO.  "Gotta buy guns!  Gotta buy guns!" shout the Europeans.  "No money left over to run to the dollar store!"

     And don't forget that America's whacked policies in the Middle East have created all kinds of terrorism in the EU as well.  Blowing up stuff in Belgium, France, Spain and England can be unsettling to say the least.  And economic terrorism sucks eggs too.  Just ask the Greeks.

     But why should all this geopolitical weirdness on the other side of the globe of concern to you and me too?  We live safely on the other side of the Atlantic, right?  But it's like I said.  If you wanna float down the Danube to waltz tunes, lie on a beach in sunny Spain or see Stonehenge by moonlight, you had better do it now -- before America gets any more friendly with Europe than it already is.

PS:  Why does China have so many more friends on FaceBook than America has?  Two reasons.  First, when China sends out a "Friend" request to other nations, it offers that recipient nation definite rewards and perks.  However, when America sends out a "Friend" request to other nations, it's usually in the form of a missile attack or brutal economic sanctions or the CIA tampering with local elections.

      Second, China also has a ten-year plan, a fifty-year plan and a hundred-year plan.  Americans are lucky if our military-industrial complex looks ahead for even a week or two. 

PPS:  America seems to be totally out of touch when it comes to "friending" its women as well.  It's not like we are living in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan -- and yet our president, judges and old-fart legislators treat us like we should either be locked up in purdah or act like glorified blow-up dolls. 

     Have you been watching "13 Reasons Why" on Netflix?  We will never know what made the difference between Dr. Ford's and Hannah Baker's (fictionalized but nevertheless highly plausible) responses after both had been badly bullied -- but fortunately Dr. Ford did not allow herself to become just one more suicide statistic too.  https://jpstillwater.blogspot.com/2018/09/one-word-describes-brett-kavanaugh.html

_____________________________

Stop Wall Street and War Street from destroying our world.   And while you're at it, please buy my books.  https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Stillwater/e/B00IW6O1RM

One word describes Brett Kavanaugh: "BULLY"

     He even tried to bully Senator Feinstein.  Guess he hasn't learned anything in all these 36-odd years after all.  And he also ruled in favor of torture.  Don't bullies start out by torturing frogs?  And Kavanaugh sniffed his way through his entire hearing.  Isn't that something cocaine users do?  And the American Bar Association hasn't exactly friended Kavanaugh either.  https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/9ixjwx/kavanaugh_vs_kavanaugh_supreme_court_nominee_has/

      Kavanaugh seems to be a prime example of the privileged-spoiled-rich-kid, of the type once made famous by Bob Dylan.  Yuck.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jiYVUU1RXQ

      Once a bully, always a bully apparently.  And once a misogynist always a misogynist too?  Only acting judicially instead of physically?  This is a person that we want to represent America's best and brightest?  And most just?  Really?

PS:  Remember Hannah from the TV show 13 Reasons Why?  She too was bullied -- and then committed suicide.  What if bullying had driven Dr. Ford to suicide as well?  Dr. Ford would have become just another statistic that we would never have heard about.  How sad -- tragic -- is that.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JebwYGn5Z3E

_____________________________

Stop Wall Street and War Street from destroying our world.   And while you're at it, please buy my books.  https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Stillwater/e/B00IW6O1RM

God Save Texas from Ted Cruz (by voting for Beto O'Rourke)

      I just finished watching an online television debate between Beto O'Rourke and Ted Cruz.  Both are running for a Senate seat in Texas.  During the debate, Ted went out of his way to scare Texans by hitting every single possible "dog whistle" note of fear, false patriotism, racism, sky-high taxes, socialism and the right to brandish automatic weapons that he possibly could.  Ted even lied outright -- but in a friendly down-home good-ole-boy sort of way that Texans, I'm afraid, just might eat right up.  https://thehill.com/video/senate/407840-watch-live-cruz-orourke-debate-in-texas-in-senate-race

     Beto O'Rourke, however, did not back down.  Like Davey Crockett at the Alamo, O'Rourke stood up for his pro-human principles and refused to say anything phony just to get elected. 

     During the debate, Ted tried mightily to defend tax cuts for the rich, defend Donald Trump and defend America's current miserable war-mongering quagmire status quo -- while also trying to associate Beto with wetbacks, cop-killers, George Soros and Hillary Clinton.  Oh crap.  Who won that debate?  Hard to say.  O'Rourke gave a really passionate wind-up speech but I'm still worried.  Who the freak wants to see Ted Cruz's hypocritical and insincere mug on TV for another six years?  Or possibly in the White House in 2020?  Please, Texas!  Wake up!  Vote for Beto.

     "Cruz voted for a massive giveaway to corporate interests.  He's not working for the people of Texas," said O'Rourke.

     "Socialized medicine is a mistake that would hurt Texas," said Cruz.  Ted even accused Beto of liking Bernie Sanders!  Heaven forbid.  "He's advocating socialism and for putting every illegal in America on MediCare!"  Huh?

     Beto then countered with the sorry fact that America is now twenty-one trillion dollars in debt on Cruz's watch -- whereas Beto, when he was on the El Paso city council, balanced El Paso's budget.  Touché. 

     How can America have the chutzpah to call itself a Superpower -- when it has practically self-sanctioned itself to death with massive debt burdens, let its infrastructure crumple and allowed its citizens to go hungry in order to fight endless, immoral and stupid "wars" to just to keep Halliburtin, Blackwater, Exxon and Lockheed happy?  https://www.thenation.com/article/tulsi-gabbard-on-the-administrations-push-for-war-in-syria/

      IMHO, Texans would get a lot more soul-satisfying jobs fixing the state's infrastructure and going solar than slaving away in the immoral "war" industry and bringing on climate catastrophe while making oil billionaires even richer.  Humph.  https://theintercept.com/2018/09/21/mike-pompeo-yemen-war-raytheon/

     In order to help Texans See the Light, I'm  actually going down to El Paso in November (with a side-trip to Juarez of course) -- to knock on doors during the week before the 2018 elections and get down on my knees and beg voters to vote for Beto because not only is Texas's future at stake here.  America's future is too.  To quote Lyle Lovett, I may not be from Texas but "Texas wants [me] anyway."  Time to dust off my cowboy boots.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQoXnz3h_FE&feature=youtu.be

     And you too can help also -- by donating to Beto's campaign fund.  Please!  Do it for me!  Don't make me have to see Ted Cruz on TV ever again!  Or the face of that war-mongering swamp-loving guy in the White House either.  https://betofortexas.com/

PS:  If you want to know more about Texas, the second-biggest state in America, then please read Lawrence Wright's excellent book "God Save Texas" -- and, God, while you're busy saving Texas, please save Texas from Ted Cruz too.  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/561612/god-save-texas-by-lawrence-wright/9780525520108/

PPS:  Bret Kavanaugh has been accused of attempting to rape a 15-year-old girl back when he was a teenager.  That's not the whole story as far as I'm concerned.  Kavanaugh performed an act of misogamy back then -- and he continues to perform acts of judicial misogamy to this day.  Do we women really want or need yet another misogamist on the Supreme Court?  

        And what about Ted Cruz?  How many misogynistic laws has he voted for?  Shite, the guy even came out in favor of hitting five-year-old girls!  The women of Texas are strong descendants of strong pioneer stock (and I am about to become one!)  It's time that we took a stronger stand against machismo drugstore cowboys like Cruz.  Vote for Beto O'Rourke.  https://act.credoaction.com/sign/cruz_misogyny

_____________________________

Stop Wall Street and War Street from destroying our world.   And while you're at it, please buy my books.  https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Stillwater/e/B00IW6O1RM

Leonard Peltier vs. J. Edgar Hoover:  Still haunted by the ghost of COINTELPRO

     You should see my fabulous new "Free Leonard Peltier" T-shirt!  It's the best souvenir of Florida that I could possibly find.  Long story.

     Leonard's tragic saga first began back in 1924 -- when that un-American rat-fink J. Edgar Hoover became the first director of the FBI and began turning his new-found powers to the Dark Side.  Even now, even 46 years after J. Edgar's death, we are still discovering more and more info regarding all the dirty tricks Hoover played on America's working class, justice-seekers, intellectuals and people of color.  Trust me, this guy was bad news -- the proud father of the FBI's duplicitous, divisive, perfidious, sneaky, unjust and subversive reputation, one that the FBI still struggles with to this day.

     By the 1960s and '70s, Hoover and his infamous COINTELPRO goon squad consistently declared war on Blacks, immigrants, Native Americans, Vietnam protesters, gays, unions, rock 'n' roll and basically just about anyone who wasn't either a Stepford Wife or a body snatcher.  I was there.  It really was that bad.  https://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/home/background/cointelpro/

     Several people, however, did stand up against J. Edgar and his minions back then -- even though it was both dangerous and hard.  Martin Luther King, JFK and Bobby Kennedy, to name a few.  And also Mumia abu Jamal and Leonard Peltier.

     Back in 1975, the FBI had illegally invaded the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota, on Lakota land.  Back then, even though Hoover had finally died, his poisonous and hateful policies still lingered on.  Back in 1975, it was like playing cowboys and Indians on the rez -- only the Indians weren't allowed to fight back.  Those who did try to defend themselves and their families soon found themselves to be dead.  An estimated 300 Native Americans died that way.

     But then Leonard began to demand Native American treaty rights and support the A.I.M. protest at Wounded Knee in 1973 -- at the cost of making themselves visible to the FBI.  So when two gun-toting hot-shot FBI cowboy-wannabes (who should never have been on the reservation in the first place) turned up dead at Pine Ridge, the finger of blame pointed to Leonard.  A scapegoat was needed and a scapegoat was found.

     But don't take my word for it.  Get the full story of the FBI's brutality, lies and betrayals yourself, as meticulously documented by author Peter Matthiessen in his well-researched book, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/322000/in-the-spirit-of-crazy-horse-by-peter-matthiessen/9780140144567/

     And 44 years later, Leonard Peltier is still stuck in jail for a crime he didn't commit -- and people are still wearing their "Free Leonard" T-shirts.

     Peltier is now 76 years old.  He is incarcerated in a high-security federal prison in Coleman, Florida, just outside of Tampa.

     At the book convention I attended in St. Petersburg/Tampa area recently, I asked author Tim Dorsey if he had named his infamous fictional character after the notorious Coleman prison.  "No," Dorsey said.  Oh.

     Leonard, fortunately, is now incarcerated in the elderly unit at Coleman and no longer has to worry (much) about getting beat up by gangs (again).  He teaches art to the convicts and also paints stirring portraits of "traditional" Pine Ridge Native Americans in his spare time.

     Leonard's health is failing.  He is not now a danger to himself or society -- and he never was.  Isn't it time that our government finally frees Leonard Peltier from the ghost of J. Edgar Hoover?  Peltier is one of the last of the heroes who stood up to Hoover's COINTELPRO gang of lame-asses, putting Leonard in the same class as MLK and JFK.  We should be giving Peltier a homecoming parade instead of keeping him locked up in some dungeon for the rest of his life for a crime that he didn't commit. 

PS:  Wanna buy your very own ultra-chic "Free Leonard" T-shirt just like mine?  You don't have to visit Tampa like I did.  You can just order it online.  https://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/storefront/

PPS:  I forgot to mention about those four brave Freedom Riders who left Mankato MN on horseback 55 days ago, and have ridden their horses all the way to Florida to go see Leonard at Coleman prison.  On horseback!  They are almost there.  What a heroic trek!  Say hello to Leonard for me when you get there, okay?  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2168963039841348/

PPPS:  Don't let the ghost of J. Edgar go on laughing at Leonard from inside his special-agent crypt in Hell.  Instead, write to President Trump (1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington DC 20500) and ask him to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier (who is much more deserving of clemency than Paul Manafort, BTW).  And Trump just might do it too -- considering what Trump himself currently thinks (and tweets) about the FBI!

_____________________________

Stop Wall Street and War Street from destroying our world.   And while you're at it, please buy my books.  https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Stillwater/e/B00IW6O1RM

Hail from the thieves: I.C.E freezes our money in Florida

     Good grief!  For decades now, America has been the unwitting victim of various sleazy government contractors who shamelessly pick our pockets for all the valuables they can find there -- using the time-honored ruse of distracting our attention with fears of "war" while they move in for the snatch.  It's like the Artful Dodger or even Fagan himself has seized control of America's treasury.   https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2018/04/24/book-review-hellfire-club-jake-tapper-mccarthy-era-thriller/543899002/

     Since 9-11, these shady pickpockets have upped their game to the point where it's not even safe for Americans to carry a wallet on the subway any more.  Since 9-11, we have been so royally fleeced by these so-called "war" contractors that you would think there was nothing even left to steal.  But no.  Apparently there is still a bit more moolah left to lift.  Now these sleazy moochers have discovered an even newer and better way to slip their sneaky hands back into our pockets again.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/50256.htm

     Now ICE has come up with yet another evil scheme to snatch our purses and run -- whatever little is left in them, that is.  "Stop!  Thief!"  When our current climate catastrophe hit the eastern seaboard recently, it was soon discovered that ICE's sticky fingers have stolen millions of dollars of our FEMA money and then used it to kidnap children instead of helping out disaster victims in North Carolina.  Has ICE become the new Fagan?  And has ICE, like Fagan, started running a new school for pickpockets too?  It certainly looks that way, right?  https://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/52260-detention-of-migrant-children-has-skyrocketed-to-highest-levels-ever

       We Americans appear to be the ultimate gullible marks, stuck on a crowded bus to nowhere while "war" profiteers and ICE profiteers easily dip into our pockets and steal our wallets -- and with absolutely no fear of ever getting caught.

    ICE contractors are now getting paid $750 per day per child for every single child that they can kidnap at the border.  Hell, the kiddies could be staying in a five-star hotel for that price!  https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/contractors-get-750-per-child-per-day-to-detain-migrants-somethings-wrong-here/2018/09/07/8ad78e1a-b1ea-11e8-8b53-50116768e499_story.html?utm_term=.f6a9dd58f1f1

      According to a recent article in The Guardian, what we are getting for our $750 a day is definitely not The Ritz.  "All day and night they listened to the wailing of hungry children.  Here, in a freezing immigration detention facility somewhere in the Rio Grande valley of south Texas, adults and children alike were fainting from dehydration and lack of food.  Sleep was almost impossible; the lights were left on, they had just a thin metallic sheet to protect against the cold and there was nothing to lie down on but the hard floor."  

     Would you pay $750 a night for this ICE version of Oliver Twist's orphanage?  Ask your captors for "more, sir"?  Give it a good review on Trip Advisor?  Uh, no.  https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/12/us-immigration-detention-facilities?CMP=fb_gu    

     While I was in St. Petersburg last week, I took part in an anti-ICE demonstration against the owner of The Birchwood Inn.  Its owner, Chuck Prather, claimed to be just a small businessman in a sweet Florida tourist town -- and yet apparently he is currently renting out five (5) different buildings in the St. Pete area to ICE.  Five of them.  In a tourist town?  Who the freak needs five (5) ICE buildings in St. Petersburg?  It makes you stop and wonder, doesn't it.  There goes our money.  Sticky fingers again.

     Also at the anti-ICE demonstration, I learned about even more Dickensian behavior taking place at the US-Mexico border where apparently some Border Patrol officers hunt down and murder asylum-seekers for sport.  The Ghost of Christmas Past is not gonna like that! https://www.facebook.com/Border-Patrol-Victims-Network-Red-de-Victimas-de-la-Patrulla-Fronteriza-452623394841164/

     All this rash of pickpocket theft by various government contractors since 9-11 has made me truly stop and wonder just how much money is left in America right now for the rest of us.  "What's in your wallet?"  Probably not much.
_______________________________________

Stop Wall Street and War Street from destroying our world.   And while you're at it, please buy my books.  https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Stillwater/e/B00IW6O1RM

Guilty pleasure: How I actually liked visiting Flora-duh

     After hearing so much of this state's bad press over the years regarding Jeb Bush, Rick Scott, Florida's hellish foster-care system, the violent Trump rallies, the brutal murder of Trayvon Martin, the climate catastrophe and all the other horror tales about Flora-duh, I was totally dreading my trip to St. Petersburg -- but still had to go there.  Had an important book conference to attend at the historic Vinoy Hotel.

     But guess what?  I actually liked St. Petersburg.  Everything there was so green and balmy and lush.  They had great public transportation.  The Cuban hot-pressed sandwiches were almost biblically delicious.  I totally went off my health-food diet and ate Key Lime pie in an actual diner.  I walked around in the swamps, er, wetlands.  I got caught in the tail-end of Tropical Storm Gordon (not Gordon Ramsey, BTW, but it was definitely a bit like being in Hell's kitchen).  I visited two excellent libraries.  I stayed in a trailer.  I had a fabulous time and came home with an actual suntan and 40 pounds of free books!

     I also talked with a social worker there who said that, yes, there was a problem with the foster-care system.  "Some retirees supplement their income by taking in foster kids, receiving $500 a month from the state, feeding their wards on rice and beans and then pocketing the rest.  And some of the charter schools here are atrocious too."  Okay.  So those rumors are true.

      But geez Louise.  The beaches, the balmy night air around midnight, the kindness of strangers and the fact that everywhere you look you see tropically green plants smiling back at you.  Just imagine what this place looked like before 1492!

PS:  Another big reason that I had such a great time in Flora-duh is that I had just finished reading a rather scary article in Dissident Voice about how it is totally possible that the human race may become extinct as soon as 2026 -- and that's only eight years from now!  So I'd better start trying to "live fast, die young"?  Too late for that!  But at least I will die knowing that I'd been to almost-paradise.  https://abc.go.com/shows/bachelor-in-paradise

      According to this article, "There is a group of courageous and prominent climate scientists who offer compelling climate science evidence that human beings, along with millions of other species, will be extinct by 2026 (and perhaps as early as 2021) in response to a projected 10 degree celsius increase in global temperatures above the pre-industrial level by that date."  https://dissidentvoice.org/2018/09/human-extinction-by-2026/

     Oops.   

PPS:  And also please be aware that the major Number One cause of climate catastrophe today is "war".  America's war profiteers may not be dropping bombs on our own neighborhoods like they do on Syrian, Yemeni, Afghan and Palestinian neighborhoods -- but nevertheless War Street is also murdering us too (only more slowly and with fewer Technicolor special effects).  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/50217.htm

_____________________________

Stop Wall Street and War Street from destroying our world.   And while you're at it, please buy my books.  https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Stillwater/e/B00IW6O1RM