A Pause
For the Cause
I sometimes wonder if the great minds of our time skipped childhood completely. The lessons learned chewing pink bubblegum, for example.
It takes some sustained effort to get the wad plastic enough to make a bubble of decent size. Once you have it going, the bubbles can get as big as your breath and courage will allow. Miscalculation has unhappy consequences.
You can scrub the film off your face. Off your eyelids and out of your nose and ears. The residue landing in your hair defies shampoo. Scissors are required to remove and discard the evidence of your folly.
I believe this life lesson is applicable to Big Deal musings about the vagaries of human-centric activities. Like stock markets and the price of a carton of eggs or a gallon of gas or credit card debt or mortgage rates. Or a trip to the dentist.
Oral hygiene in Troubled Times
Abigail Thomas has four children, twelve grandchildren, two great grandchildren, two dogs, eleven books, and a high school education. She turned 83 last October. She is a fey and fearless voice of wisdom and courage. A legendary memoirist.
I count myself among her 87,850,000 followers. Given those numbers, you can imagine how flattered I was when she took kind notice of one of my 100 Substack postings. In a very brief exchange of chat notes, she mentioned that she bought enough balls of bubblegum to fill one of the old-fashioned glass globe dispenser units. And was chewing one of the balls whenever necessary to cushion the bad effects of reflexively grinding her teeth in these troubled times.
What a good idea!!!
Oral hygiene, stress relief, and a flood of happy memories at the same time.
That is why she is a thought leader.
Abigail’s remedy rose unbidden this morning when I reviewed the latest tally of Trump’s careening policy moves. I offer these facts for those of you with the same curious bent of mind as mine.
Candy for Nutrition and Car Repair
Walter Diemer invented Dubble Bubble in 1928 while working at the Fleer Company. The gum was included in the rations for soldiers during WWII.
In 1998 Concord Confections bought the candy division of Fleer. In 2004, Tootsie Roll Industries bought Concord Confections.
Tootsie Roll Industries claims it was founded in 1896 by Leo Hirschfeld, an Austrian Jewish immigrant to the United States
The candy was included in the rations of marines during the Korean War. Tootsie Rolls provided nourishment, helped patch holes in vehicles, and plugged bullet holes in shelters. The candy maker is trading this morning on the New York Stock Exchange as TR at $31.78 per share, up 0.02 percent in a generally tanking market. It’s right up there with bonds, which are trading up 0.04 percent.
Our Boorish and Despicable Buffoon
Donald John Trump created “good television” last week. He disrespected President Volodymyr Zelensky and claimed comradeship with Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. In the self-assigned role of Peace Keeper, the Mad King doubled down on setting Europe on its ear. He took high offense to not being praised for his thuggish thinking and boorish conduct. He had the representatives of Ukraine removed from the White House before the official lunch was served.
He now is demanding that Zelensky apologize on live television before Trump will move forward with daylight robbery of Ukraine in its hour of need. Trump proposes to seize rare earth mineral and other natural resources as “repayment” of military assistance freely granted to Ukraine during the last three years as it fought Russia’s most recent land grab. And for Russia to keep land occupied by use of force during the conflict. Which real estate incidentally and ironically contains a large portion of the rare earth deposits Trump mistakenly believes will accrue to his personal benefit when he forces Europe to bend a knee to his overweening ego and continued abuse of the image of America the Reliable.
I Object
The guy has taken down security walls between our nation and Russia. This insane policy offers our jugular to the knife of an avowed enemy of our democratic republic. What is as bad or worse, it betrays the trust and safety of other nations of a democratic nature. Our erst-while global security partners are exposed to back door attacks and direct harm through our abandoned network openings. The exposure of human intelligence sources is a disaster of epic proportions. The shattering of mutual trust and regard is a monumental tragedy.
It is done.
We now are who the Mad King has made us.
Divided, dazed, and disoriented. And rightly despised.
Going Forward
There is no escaping the consequences, intended or otherwise, of Election 2024.
78 million of We the People are beyond alarmed and embarrassed by this weak-minded huckster who would be king.
We are threatened.
It is time for the Power of One.
For each of us with the impetus for life of a simple plant turning to the sun, every day in every legal way to use our person and our purse to delay, deny, disable, and destroy the implementation of the Project 2025 playbook.
1. To cause and support recall referendums on members of congress too cowed to adhere to their oath of office.
2. To demand the filing of criminal charges against Elon Musk.
3. To insist upon the filing of a third Article of Impeachment against Donald John Trump.
Heads up.
Hearts strong.
Will ever faithful and true.
Persist.
Prevail.
That government by the people, of the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth on our watch.
Makes me want to ROAR!!! Wait…here…hold my gum…
Congratulations on your 100th article and daily devotion to democracy and all who would read and share your words. Fewer than 1% of the 17,000 Substack writers post EVERY DAY. Mostly, our favorites show up with something wise, valuable, and full of awe every day, such as you, Heather Cox Richardson, Robert Hubbell, Maryan Pelland, and Walter Rhein. Abigail Thomas and Dan Rather are up there with you when it comes to people past 80 with plenty of gas left in the tank and life lessons learned and relearned. Whatever day they post, it's pure gold.