AH, YES. JUST AS I REMEMBERED.

Between the ages of six and nine, my brothers and I went to the Ruggles Street Baptist Church in Boston. While I enjoyed Sunday School, I didn't much care for attending the Royal Ambassadors, a church club governed by a surly counselor. Despite being an atheist from as early as twelve, I always liked biblical stories, especially the tale of Joseph sold into Egypt, Daniel in the lion's den, and the story of Samson. I was always sure that the bible they gave to children like me had a very erotic painting of Samson in bondage. But I assumed it was must be mistaken. Why would a bible. especially one in a Baptist church, have any erotic picture in it?  And, of course, I had long ago lost the bible. But when I was recently given a old bible that belonged to a friend of mine who passed away, I was surprise to see that it contained that very photo. Do you think it's erotic?

THESE KILLERS ARE STILL ON THE LOOSE

What is wrong with the media?  Why are programs like The Today Show and The View among others having Condoleeza Rice and Donald Rumsfeld as guests? Aren't they aware that these are war criminals? These are evil people responsible for lying us into a fake war anD having thousands of American men and women killed or maimed. Their lies and callousness have decimated cities, slaughtered many thousands of innocent people, even made the world more easily accessible to terrorism. These are people who should be in prison, or at the very least shunned pariahs. But the ignorant or not-caring media invite them to chat as if they were human, and in some cases discuss altruistic programs to bring minor repairs to lives they destroyed. Who runs these networks, 15-year-olds who don't know that Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld and Bush have blood on their hands, lots and lots of blood, buckets of blood?  And because they do, we shouldn't care what they're doing: playing the piano, painting schlock portraits, bossing around horses, or rolling around in a wheelchair. These are war criminals, murderers, evil unrepentant scum. Having them as guests on any media is totally amoral or just plain stupid.

AN OBSCENE PHOTO.

I can't think of anything more offensive on this Memorial Day 2017 than seeing Donald Trump lay  a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This fat fuck of a cowardly draft dodger who more than likely has some ties with Russia is not worthy of being in Arlington National Cemetery much less being involved in its holiday ceremonies.What does this greedy spoiled scion know of courage, valor, sacrifice? Nothing. If he stays in office, it's more likely that he will create still more dead men and women to be interred in Arlington. His presence is a disgrace.

WHAT NEXT?

I don't think commercials have ever been more plentiful or more unpleasant. The worst are these disgusting ads for bathroom tissue that leave nothing to the imagination. I would much rather be scolded by Mr. Whipple than told by an animated bear why he will never get clean. Then, of course, there is the fabreze commercial with a woman's voice telling us how much she likes her downstairs bathroom to answer the call of nature (though the spot shows it being used by a man). Do we really need to know why she visits it, and why she so adores fabreze? Also, of course, is the blonde model whose intimate bathroom discussion leaves nothing to the imagination. Call me a prude and uptight, but, surprisingly, I have absolutely no interest in anyone's bathroom habits. Considering how vulgar these ads are now, I hate to think of what the next generation will be like.

AND THE WINNER IS THIS LOSER.

Only after Greg Gianforte won the Montana election, did he apologize for body slamming a reporter who had the gall to ask him an unwelcome question.  Let us hope the reporter sues this arrogant bully and gets a good settlement. And let us hope that even those Montanans who voted for this embarrassing thug second-guess their really bad choice.

HOLDING THE TRUMP CARD

Melania Trump is very lucky. She hooked Donald Trump when she was nearly broke and will probably end up a millionaire after the divorce. She won't have a drawn-out custody fight over Barron because Trump doesn't really want the responsibility of a child, especially one who is autistic. Even before the divorce she doesn't have to sleep with this fat, repulsive boor because he's mostly someplace else. She's attractive enough to land another husband if she wants, despite the fact that she barely has any eyes. Since the media isn't offended by vapidity, she will probably do lots of future talk shows and smile coyly when they ask, "Do you still visit Donald in jail?" Of course, she will be stifled from making any negative comments about her ex-husband, but wait'll you hear what she has to say about Ivanka!

WHAT AN AWKWARD PHOTOGRAPH.

Despite being an atheist I have great respect for Pope Francis. I am aware that having an audience with him would be a sublime religious experience to millions of Catholics worldwide. Thus I find it very offensive that he has to meet with someone as low and vulgar as President Trump and his parasitic relatives. The Kushners are probably the pushiest, most parvenu hanger-ons of our times, as unworthy of an audience with the pope as they are with access to the White House. Trump himself claims to be a Christian, which I doubt, as I doubt that he is pro-life as he claims, since that would mean actually caring about an issue that doesn't involve him.  I suspect, in fact, he is an ardent atheist as he is not likely to have any gods before him. And naturally he has no concern about global warming as he is too ignorant to understand its importance. Melania is, at least, a Roman Catholic, giving her some claim to meeting the Pope. I'm sure while posing for this photo she has fantasies about her future divorce.

If anybody is reading my blog and expects an e-mail forget it. I don't have e-mail today because I have Comcast, and for some reason they just removed it for no reason. Of course I tried getting it back, but they rejected all correct passwords and notified me that they sent a text message to my phone. I don't have text messaging. I did spend 45 minutes on the phone, being disconnected, and later talking with a sympathetic employee in China. He couldn't get my e-mail back, and eventually I had to big goodbye as my blood pressure soared at Comcast's incompetence. He promises to call tomorrow. But a Comcast promise has absolutely no value, so I suspect I will be on the phone, like millions of Comcast users, for another horrendous near hour tomorrow to solve an irritating problem which should not have occurred in the first place.

THIS SADISTIC BASTARD IS DEAD.

I have been an atheist since I was 12. Today at 74, I see no reason to be anything else. However, recently when I read that big game hunter, Theunis Botha, while hunting in Zimbabwe, was crushed to death when an dying elephant fell on him, I thought, 'hmmm, maybe there is a god'. Then I thought about all the thousands of innocent animals that are slaughtered every year by sadistic hunters like Botha and, of course, the brainless Trump brothers,  hunters who are never punished for their killings and, in fact, continue to live the privileged lives of the cruel and wealthy. Then is was obvious to me: of course there is no god.

I love it. The media are praising Donald for his speech in Riyadh. Don't they know this illiterate can't write a speech?  If anything, praise him for puppeting a speech. So far no one has mentioned his bored expression and his nearly falling asleep during King Salman's speech. Is that verboten? Has suppression of the press already begun? I would love to hear the instructions on Air Force One to all his loyal lackeys commanding them to use the word "president" as often as possible. Nobody mentions that narcissistic Ivanka is a pushy intrusive bitch in addition to being an evil employer of underpaid children. Her stone-faced parvenu husband, Norman Bates, isn't much better. We still don't know why Rancid Pieface flew home early. Also why did they need both Spicey and Huckabee in Saudi?  And finally mentioned the elephant in the room: It was Saudi Arabian terrorists who attacked America on 9-11. Not Isis, not Iranians, not Iraquis, but Saudi Arabians, you now like Osama Bin Laden.

P.S. I learned later that Donald had to skip one of the Saudi events because he was too tired. This from the man who claims to have boundless energy. He sent his vapid camera-happy daughter to fill in.

THE MUSLIM HATER IN ARABIA

Once again the media are kissing Trump's ass because he's being treated well by the Saudis. They see any break in madness as a sign of maturing. And why wouldn't the Saudis be happy? Trump just made a billion and a half dollar arms deal with them, which means the next time they attack us, they won't have to steal our planes, they will have their own weapons. In the meantime the crowd of freeloading sycophants flying with him are making generous and excessive use of the word "president" as commanded, to keep his ego in check. Naturally Trump is very happy with the false adulation and being surrounded by gold-laden decors nearly as tacky as his own back home. So it would appear that his visit to these thieves in bathrobes has made him seem slightly sane again, much thanks to speeches written for him which he probably barely understands. I wonder if all these grinning, oppressive, misogynist tablecloth-topped millionaires have any idea how much Trump hates them. And vice versa.

A VERY "BIG" DONALD FAN.

I was just watching Blake Farenthold,  a feckless fat fuck from Texas, defending Trump and, like so many other Lone Star misogynists (sued for sexual harassment in 2014)  taking every opportunity to still attack Hillary. As Donald makes one misstep after another, he still has Republican fans who must have some secret reason for wanting to keep this moron in office. In this case the bloated Farenthold attacked the media for daring to report the president's stupidities and covering Donnie's idiotic indiscretions. Blake is yet another Texan twerp who puts party ahead of country. I always wonder what the wives and children of representatives like Farenthold think when they see hubby and daddy defending somebody as deceitful, chauvinistic, greedy, narcissistic, and basically immoral as Donald Trump. Especially when, more often that not, they constantly proclaim themselves as Gawd-fearin' Christians.

AREN'T WE A WONDERFUL COMPANY?

While I think this commercial is very well done, well acted, and well meaning, I still find it insipid. The idea that an ex or present employee stopping into McDonalds with his school acceptance letter leads to general rejoicing is just too pat. Am I really supposed to believe that the manager and all the employees are so invested in this kid's future, it is a cause or a joyous time out? This is a major corporation giving themselves a major and generally undeserved pat on the back.  How about a living wage?

HEAVENS TO BETSY!

I was delighted to see that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was soundly booed during her commencement address this Wednesday at the Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. I don't think these African-American students owe this privileged harridan one iota of respect considering that she is an unqualified naif who purchased this position with donations to Donald Trump. In addition she is hardly a supporter of better education, and is too eager to promote charter schools and religious educators, thus shredding the Constitutional separation of church and state.  The unprepared and wildly wealthy Ms Devos has admitted in the past that she feels  the millions she and her family have spent on the Republican party entitle them to influence. Obviously Donald Trump agreed in giving her this position. Obviously America disagreed since she has not been received anywhere with admiration and respect. Her address in Daytona Beach is just the latest example of the disdain in which she is held. While she is well educated, many late night comics deliver jokes that suggest she is less than an intellect, and while these jokes are shockingly disrespectful, they are also hilarious.

SHHHHHH.

I can't be the only person in America who hates the crap music you have to listen to in every restaurant, department store, doctor's office, mall and retail outlet of every kind. Most people tell me they don't hear it, lucky bastards, but I do and it spoils every experience. Why should I be forced to listen to someone else's taste in music when I am the customer, the bill payer, the person who should be pleased? I am not even sure the proprietor knows better. I think companies like Musak sell him a bill of goods, tell him that people want music, that it increases sales and then pipe in the cheapest, low royalties crap because they know people are sheep, and unlike me, won't complain. Most offensive are the new so-called songs, which aren't songs at all, just a trite beat and a single lyric line repeated as often as 25 times. Yesterday at Einstein's Bagel they played two such songs right in a row: "You Don't Know a Thing About Me" and "Come Away With Me". Those titles are pretty much the entire song lyrics and are sung by some third-rate female singer dozens of times. You can't get much closer to the Chinese water torture. And there are a hundred such songs, including maddening hits like "This Girl is On Fire." If only. Americans are tense, neurotic, and angry. Much of the reason for that is that they never experience silence in public. I am sure everyone would be happier in a society that providing more quietude and relaxing silence, but I will never know since such an experience isn't available in today's fill-every-moment-with-noise world.Wherever they go they are required to listen to music over loudspeakers. In many cases it drowns out conversation. But nobody complains, except me.Why? Because people feel they have no choice. Even when they are the customer,the purchaser, the patient.  I recently asked my very expensive vet why I had to listen to rock music while I waited for my cat to be seen. He had no answer and just turned the volume down a little. Not only did I hate being forced to listen to pop crap, I doubt that the dogs in the waiting room liked it any better.

WHAT DO TRUMP FANS WATCH ON TV?

Think about it. They certainly don't watch Trevor Noah, Samantha Bee, Seth Meyers, or Stephen Colbert, shows that hilariously tear Trump apart. Which means they're missing out on a lot of great satire. Do they watch medical shows which will give them a glimpse into all the procedures they won't be able to afford with Trump in power? I doubt that they watch the news on CBS, NBC, or ABC, which is actually balanced and will provide them with hated information. Of course the nostalgia channels will take them back to Mayberry RFD, I Love Lucy, and other comforting shows from a mostly white America. But that may mean having to watch a promo for The Jeffersons or Sanford and Son. Needless to say, PBS programs are out of the question. Of course there are all those CSI programs, but that involves science, which might confuse them. Unfortunately for them, there aren't a lot of religious programs which they wouldn't watch anyway, not with all that love your neighbor crap. So it appears that their first choice in entertainment is Fox News. It seems to be the only safe place for Trump fans to be completely protected from the truth.

THE ROSE GARDEN SEPTIC TANK.

Just a quickie. As most people know the replacement for Obama care got the required number of votes today.This led to a Republican celebration in the Rose Garden.Meanwhile the Democrats were celebrating elsewhere, since this cruel vote is sure to cost the GOP lots of seats in 2018. Needless to say both Trump and Ryan looked smug, as they always do when they screw the average American, though the bill is unlikely to make it through the Senate. But what I find most amazing is how, without any sense of embarrassment, Trump made pathetic needy child remarks like, "How am I doing?" or crowed with understandable incredulity, "I'm the president." Truly this is a man who will eventually need all kinds of mental health care, which history has shown us is, without doubt, a preexisting condition.

LORDY, LORDY, WHAT A LYING TRAITOR.

I don't doubt for a minute that James Comey knew exactly what he was doing when he severely affected Hillary Clinton's chances of winning the presidency. And I doubt that he has one moment of regret for the harm that he has done to America by helping to usher a buffoon into office.  I'm sure like most FBI agents, he's a loyal Republican. All I could see at today's hearings was a pathetic liar, and a very uneducated one. How can anyone who graduated from college not know that a person does not become nauseous but nauseated?