Dark Times – Page 8 – Life on the Wicked Stage: Act 3

Pedophiles, Pulpits, and Politics

The irony is delicious. But it’s tough to swallow.

It’s entertaining, yet frustrating watching the MAGAts fight with each other over this Epstein saga. Frustrating because nothing will really come of it. Entertaining because even stupid comedy makes you laugh now and again.

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This is one of those rare moments when the age-old rule of politics that you shouldn’t get in the way of your opponents digging a deep hole for themselves should not apply. I wish whatever the Dem party is these days would just take the gloves off and start smacking them as the Pedophile Party with every communication. But that would be fighting dirty with dirty and Dems don’t do that on that high road they trapped themselves on.

There’s not only political hay to gain in this chapter of our decline, but there’s plenty delicious irony to boot. The party that loves its churchgoers might be causing a few twitches in the pews. But then again, those congregations have their own problems with perverts in the pulpits. The party that turned a sex trafficking ring into a conspiracy theory doesn’t seem to like it when they realize their propaganda actually worked on their own followers.

Those family values folks in Congress keep voting to keep this under wraps now that their own are under threat. But that actually makes some political sense. Too many of their donors are probably on whatever list may or may not be. If not they themselves.

What’s even funnier is the guy at the center of this can’t keep his mouth shut and actually keeps admitting there’s actually a there there every time he tries to shut it down. Attempting to blame the Democrats for creating and covering up the list actually suggests there is one. I’m guessing a copy might be in his former wife’s casket along with a few other secrets.

I’d use tired and insulting metaphors like circus or clown show to describe this gang and this moment, but that just devalues even the shadiest touring attraction that might ever have existed. Those crews were at least smart enough to know when to pull up stakes and leave town.

(image from Sam Maylyn on Unsplash)

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.

You Can’t Break What You Never Had

You can be surprised to see what you thought was real shatter.

The one thing I hope people take away from this entire episode of our lives is that contracts, oaths, laws, constitutions, compacts, vows, etc… matter less than the character of those who swear by and agree to them.

Daniel tafjord 9p7nBsrcCt0 unsplash. This is not new. But we delude ourselves into thinking breaches of character and integrity are rare things, not run of the mill occurences.

The only reason we have contracts, oaths, laws, constitutions, compacts, vows, etc… is because humans have always had inherit distrust in one another. We’ve stitched trust together from of words, and sometimes deeds, to keep us together and sometimes apart. But every garment has frays and tears, as does the fabric of our lives.

Everything breaks in the end.

(Image by Daniel Tafjord on Unsplash)

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.

Sunday Morning Reading

Mixed feelings and mixed emotions on a Summer Sunday by the lake.

The 4th of July weekend is wrapping up in the U.S. and many are having mixed feelings this year. Today’s edition of Sunday Morning Reading will feature some excellent writing on some of those mixed feelings in addition to some interesting reads on familiar topics from familiar writers, and some not so familiar. Enjoy.

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First up, let’s take a look at Elizabeth Lopatto’s view on the state of things in the states in her post The American System of Democracy Has Crashed. Excellent. Should be required reading.

Neil Steinberg also has thoughts well worth your time in He’s baaaaaaack.

Jack Hopkins gives us The 4th of July: What We Were Meant to Celebrate — and How We’re Failing It. Again, worth a read as we close out the long holiday weekend and this section of today’s Sunday Morning Reading.

Now for some catching up on some links I’ve delayed too long in sharing.

First up is The Chosen Few and the Cost of Global Silence from NatashaMH. History repeats. All the damn time. As she also demonstrates in this piece The Cruelty of Indifference.

Relative youngster, David Todd McCarty writes about aging in When I Am Old.

Writers are having trouble finding the right fit when it comes to how to make a living. Matthew Ingram tells us Why Substack Shouldn’t Be The Future of Online Publishing. We

Chuck Wendig argues about and bemoans the loss of downtime in his writing process given all that’s happening around us in A Small But Vital Thing, Taken.

While writers search for new ways and new homes, Joshua Rothman wonders What’s Happening To Reading?

Never Forgive Them is a piece from Edward Zitron from December 2024 that seems relevant again in more ways than it was intended then.

Composer and poet Stan Stewart recently had his computer die on him. He writes about what he lost and found in Of Dead Computers and Really Living.

Matteo Wong says The Entire Internet Is Reverting to Beta. Sure everything is a janky work in progress, certainly in the janky days of AI. But I think that’s how those who think they run the joint like running the joint.

And to close out this week, take a good look at this wonderful long read from Eric Konigsberg from all the way back in 2001, entitled My Uncle The Hit Man.

Image from Giuseppe Argenziano on Unsplash.

If you’re interested in just what the heck Sunday Morning Reading is all about you can read more about the origins of Sunday Morning Reading here. You can also find more of my writings on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome.

Not as Self-Evident as Some Would Have You Believe

History twists and turns in often strange ways.

Some things are indeed self-evident. Some of that evidence gets white washed away.

This video was created as an ad by Ancestry.com to encourage folks to use that service to learn more about their ancestry. It feels particularly relevant again on this 4th of July, 2025.

I can’t vouch for the claim that all of those pictured are actual descendants of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence. I can claim that I’d like that to be the case, because to my mind it would be a nice addition to the mythology surrounding this country’s founding and almost 250 years of existence, now that what those who did the signing actually stood for is under threat.

History may be written by the victors. But there’s always more than what the chapters convey.

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.

A Not So Happy 4th of July

Mourning not celebrating this year.

Today is the 4th of July. Beyond its annual appearance on the Gregorian calendar it has always been a day of special significance for Americans. Indeed, the reason behind the celebration has been until recently an inspiration for the world. But that has changed. Sadly, I’m one who believes forever. At least the forever that is the remainder of my life.

What’s intriguing is how we’ve all managed to mangle up the significance of the 4th of July and Independence Day. At its essence the day celebrates the 56 men who put their name on a declaration declaring independence from the King of Britain. No small undertaking, they were willing to hang for their beliefs by putting their names on that document. A far different display of courage than what we see from any of our political leaders these days, especially those who are content to bow to another king wannabe in Donald Trump.

Keep in mind, that a large portion of the population of America at the time had no interest in independence from the crown. That division of opinion has always been a part of the character of the country and always will be. Call it self-evident.

It’s brought us through tumult and brought us into conflict. Yet we’ve always had enduring principles alongside some morally wrong views, later enshrined in the Constitution, to keep us on course for change. Frederick Douglass’s 1852 speech, What To A Slave is the Fourth of July? spoke elegantly to the challenges then and sadly still with us.

I certainly don’t need to recount any of the madness that is happening around and to us, as it is tough to keep up with most of it. Our backwards trajectory at the moment almost defies reason. So, instead of celebrating the 4th, I’ll be mourning.

I’m also going to link to an excellent piece from Jack Hopkins called The 4th of July: What We Were Meant to Celebrate— and How We’re Failing It. One of the many points Hopkins points to is that the Founders weren’t just rebels, they were thinkers. As a country, we seem to have lost our capability and desire for that kind of thought and philosophical approach to governing ourselves.

Here’s hoping you enjoy your time this weekend with family and friends. If you’re happy with the way things are going, good for you, but also damn you to hell. If you’re not, mourn or celebrate as you will. Mark what was a courageous beginning in a time that seems to be marking the cowardly beginning of an end to what it started.

As Hopkins says, “the 4th of July isn’t just a birthday. It’s a challenge.”

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.

Sunday Morning Reading

Tough times. Tough thoughts.

The world changed last night in ways we can’t comprehend this morning after the Trump Regime did indeed launch anticipated bombing attacks on Iran. Or maybe it’s too easy to comprehend, yet ignore, the why of it all too well. So it’s tough to put this week’s Sunday Morning Reading column together. I had a number of links to share on my usual topics of interest that I’ll save for another day. Instead I’ll just link to three posts that speak to the moment.

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First up is The Chosen Few and the Global Silence from NatashMH. “Yet history repeats with cruel precision,” she says. And she’s right. One day perhaps we’ll stop destroying ourselves with our decidedly unoriginal thoughts and ways.

Graham Peebles asks Is This What Collapse Looks L ike? That we have to ask the question…

Writing about last week’s horrendous assassination of Melissa Hortman and the attempted assassination of John Hoffman, Sheririlyn Ifill says “people of character stand up” in her piece When Small Men and Women Rule. On so many fronts, it’s time for some standing up.

(image from Gwyn Hay on Unsplash.)

If you’re interested in just what the heck Sunday Morning Reading is all about you can read more about the origins of Sunday Morning Reading here. You can also find more of my writings on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome.

What’s Next After No Kings Protests?

We’re all asking the same question. There are no easy answers.

The No Kings protests this weekend were quite a recipe for hope. I won’t post any crowd number estimates because despite what you may hear or read there’s no real way to know numbers. What is knowable though is the large number of locations across the country that participated, indicating a depth and breadth of support against this horrible fascist regime we allowed to take over.

No kings protest la.

I’m including this link to Scott Dworkin’s post that contains a collection of No Kings protest photos from all 50 states. It’s a great look at that breadth and depth. But those are snapshots of moments in time. The energy that compelled so many to join protests this weekend needs to somehow be harnessed so that any momentum is not lost.

Certainly since the head of the regime we’re all protesting against has done the only thing he can do, which is double down with his threats, now more specifically calling out Blue State cities and populations. We need to turn that recipe for hope into a full blown meal.

So, how do we keep it going?

That’s going to be tough, but this is a tough fight. I’m one who believes that we should extend weekend protests into the work week. Disrupt the work week and it will have a larger impact than just a weekend event. Especially given how the media seems too afraid to provide anything approaching real coverage, and the Trump adjacent media is just going to ignore it or make shit up. Unless there’s violence they want to exploit.

As an example of that, I sent out the above link from Scott Dworkin to some sadly still MAGAt worshipping relatives. From most I got the usual brush off. But two responded that they had no idea the protests were so large across the country. Guess where they get their news?

Perhaps that’s a simple cue we can use for our own good intentions. Accept the media won’t cover what needs covering. Assume those you know won’t see it if they do. Become your own source for providing information. Keep in mind, It won’t do any good to send inaccurate info or just be argumentative. Just send out the info with a message that says “in case you didn’t see this.”

I know that’s tricky ground for many with family tensions about this moment. But, in my humble opinion, it’s a step in the right direction and a necessary one. Big steps were taken this weekend. We need to keep moving forward. The other side is and will. Let’s make it tougher, not easier for them to do so.

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.

Sunday Morning Reading

Intelligence or compassion? They both caught my eye this week.

It’s interesting how topics surface throughout a week. I’m not sure if it’s follow-the-leader or hive mind thinking, but from the sources I follow this week it seemed like everyone was thinking and writing, in one way or another, about Artificial Intelligence. Or maybe just about intelligence.

Certainly there was plenty on other topics because there were certainly plenty of other big things happening. Some intelligent, some not so. Some showing the capacity for compassion right along side our capacity for cruelty. I’m sure there will be plenty written in the days ahead about all of those things. These are the posts that stuck with me for this week’s Sunday Morning Reading.

Kicking things off is a short post by Gene Weingarten called A Cat Named Grandpa. It’s about compassion.

Mathew Ingram wonders Is AI Smarter Than We Are or Stupider Than We Are? Read the piece. If you’ve read any of the things I’ve written on AI you’ll know I agree with Mathew’s conclusions.

David Todd McCarty thinks the lack of originality in human consciousness is both appalling and comforting in I Gotta Be Me.

Natasha MH was Seeking God In A Machine.

For those who need to think about end of life issues, this might be a timely, yet frightening from Ashley Belanger. Check out How To Draft A Will To Avoid Becoming an AI Ghost. Apparently, it’s not easy.

Matteo Wong writes about The Newspaper That Hired ChatGPT. It’s mostly an interview, but one worth reading.

Folks can become addicted to and troubled by just about anything, and AI is no different. We’re starting to hear more and more about this, which is somewhat surprising on a number of fronts given how short a time generative AI has been with us. Kashmir Hill writes about a young man whose reality became so distorted it almost killed him in They Asked ChatGPT Questions. The Answers Sent Them Spiraling.

While not about AI in specific, this tech story speaks volumes about the decisions tech bosses make that influence the technology we use to work and play with. Check out Phil McKinney’s I Convinced HP’s Board To Buy Palm for $1.2B. Then I Watched Them Kill It In 49 Days.

And Happy Father’s Day to all. Miss you Dad.

(Image from Rey Seven on Unsplash.)

Thinking of This Guy and All of Us Today

Maybe it will rain.

Thinking of this guy today. Known as Tank Man for standing in front of a line of tanks during the Tiananmen Square protests in China in 1989. Don’t know why. Perhaps it’s because we’re rolling tanks out to celebrate a dictator wanna- be’s birthday.

Remember. This image can’t be openly viewed in China currently.

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.

Hinge Moment?

It’s going to be a weekend.

There’s really no way to know if you’re living through a hinge moment of history or not. But these next few days certainly have the makings of one.

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Between the events in Los Angeles, (including what happened to Senator Padilla,) already planned but now growing No Kings protests, Trump’s ego-fluffing birthday parade, and events in the Middle East, the atmosphere is charged. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t feel a sense of foreboding.

There’s no way to know what is going to happen and yet we all know we have to live through whatever comes. It’s almost like preparing for surgery knowing you have a negative reaction to anesthesia.

To be perfectly honest, I think my biggest fear is that we have such fools and imbeciles in charge. There may be plans, there may be desired outcomes. There may be plans to disrupt either. The events I cited above, while all potentially fraught with the potential for danger, all depend on those imbeciles and whatever decisions they are going to make, and the reactions to them.

Sadly, we don’t have to look hard to find them or see their imbecilic behavior. Apparently, according to the Secretary of Army, there is an American soldier on the moon. The Pentagon is a mess. And the White House, well.. let’s just say I think the faithful is starting to lose a bit of faith in what comes out of there anymore.

Speaking of faith, I don’t have much of it in those elected to be leading voices in opposition.

If so much didn’t hang in the balance, all of this would be laughable. But so much does indeed hang in the balance. Beyond my fears of the imbeciles is how much they relish being cruel. They’ve baked cruelty into the cake they want to stuff down our throats to a point that just being cruel for the sake of it seems to be the entire point, not just a means to an end.

To be honest, while it feels like things are stacked against those, like me, who stand against this imbecilic sadistic regime, I sense that there are still possibilities to erode the ground underneath their plans. I may not be encouraged by the s0-called leaders of the opposition, but I am heartened by what seems to be a growing groundswell of anger among those they think they’re leading.

Things might need to get uglier first, sadly. The saga of human history bears that out. Perhaps these next few days will tell us which way the hinge of history is going to swing. Perhaps not.

See you on the other side.

Photo by Vasylchenko on Shutterstock.

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.