So much winning

Aren't you tired of all the winning yet?  New intelligence has detected N. Korea hard at work producing more fissile material and the missles to deliver it.  Iran has threatened to block the straits of Hormuz and choke off 20% of the world's oil supply if we apply crippling sanctions for their non-existent violations of the Obama era  nuclear agreement.  Russia continues on its merry way, subverting political campaigns in the US.  It seems tRump, the master negotiator, is reshaping American foreign policy in ways that give new meaning to "aid and comfort" to our enemies.  Obviously he is playing 11 dimensional checkers and everything will turn out well for us and badly for our hapless opponents.

Gardening outtakes

Another dry weekend at Casa Monzeglio.   Although the soil still holds some residual moisture from last week's downpours, several sunny days with temps in the 80s and low humidity have required me to water transplants copiously and continue daily watering of new seedings of basil, cilantro, dill, beets and lettuce.  Fortunately, the lawns have cooperated and mowing is only required to knock back crabgrass and other weeds.  The grass is almost totally dormant.  Harvesting for the farmers' market includes onions, shallots, new potatoes, squash, peppers, herbs and lettuce.  More tomatoes are ripening every day and rain is predicted for tomorrow and Wed.  Things are looking up!

It's the evidence, stupid

Up until now, most democrats have assumed, based on his M.O. that The Donald knew all about the meeting at tRump Tower which Donald Jr. hosted in hopes of Russians providing dirt on Hillary.  It would seem inconceivable that someone like tRump, who is a micro controller of those in his orbit would not know.  However, until now there was no one in tRumpworld who was willing to confirm the obvious.  Michael Cohen it seems was in a position to know and now seems willing to say his master knew before it happened.  High crimes and misdemeanors indeed.

Recorder nation

I don't know about Faux News, but the rest of the mainstream media is all about the trump/Cohen recording all day, all the time.  Listening to the co-conspirators arrange the payment of hush money to yet another woman who apparently fell for the president's* late middle age charms in 2006, one feels the need for a long hot shower.   I sincerely hope there are more Cohen recordings ready to be released if only to relieve the boredom.  In light of tRump's predelictions, it seems the fixer was more than justified to make recordings.  I'm sure there are many of Cheeto Jesus' confidants who are either preparing to record mutual conversations or are congratulating themselves for emulating Michael Cohen's example. 

Gardening before the storm

It looks like we will finally get some relief from the mini drought we have experienced this summer.  I spent all the daylight available last night seeding and transplanting in advance of the promised storms.  Beets, fennel, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and greens are waiting somewhat impatiently for the promised moisture, so if we don't get it there will be a watering session this evening.  This part of the season is always exhausting with planting, harvesting and weeding duties all demanding attention.  It is hard to balance everything for the next few weeks.   September can't come soon enough, although I know I'll be waxing nostalgic for the delights of July!

Odds and Ends Weekend

By dint of a plumbing emergency on Saturday and golf with friends on Sunday I was out of the loop on the latest world events.  Spending the day as a paying plumber's helper gave me an appreciation for the people who keep the power on and the water flowing.  But it was an expensive lesson!  Meanwhile the drought continues to punish my gardens.  Precipitation was promised over the weekend, but not delivered.  Except on the golf course in Bromont, Quebec where it managed to rain for virtually the entire round but then cleared up in time for the trip home.  Meanwhile, our president* was threatening more fire and fury to another of his favorite countries, Iran.  This caused one pundit to advise the Iranians to "Back up the Brinks truck to the White House", since the last country which received the same treatment got virtually everything it wanted from the US without giving up anything.   To add to tRump's woes, his fixer, Michael Cohen seems ready to flip on the man he once vowed to take a bullet for.  It looks like another fun week of news ahead if we don't get annihilated before it's over.  Finally, an Italian, Francisco Molinari is the Champion Golfer of the Year after winning the Open championship at Carnoustie in Scotland yesterday.

tRump derangement syndrome

I have to admit it.  I feel like a hostage in my own country.  Virtually all the media I consume outside  of the Golf Channel is on a 24/7 mission to discredit and delegitimize Cheeto Jesus.  I realize I am in the bubble which is more than most Faux News viewers will do, but it is exhausting.  Every day brings new nuggets of reporting about every thing from Paul Manafort's trial to the latest foreign policy faux pas committed by the president*.   Many of these stories are moving at a glacial pace so much of the reporting is a recap of events leading up to the latest revelation.  After spending an hour watching one of the liberal shows, you wonder why you gave up so much time for so little gain.  As summer wanes the drumbeat of the elections will commence and there will seem to be even more urgency.  However, the outrage liberals feel is not matched by the actions or non-actions of congress.   Much as the Fox news nation felt let down by congressional inaction in the face of reported scandals in the Obama administration, I feel powerless as congressional republicans block investigations into tRump corruption.  Of course, in 2018, liberals are certainly correct.  Right?

Trump and treason

Thanks to a blockbuster story in the NYT, we now know the US intelligence agencies had incontrovertible proof of Russian interference in the 2016 elections and that it was carried out at the instigation and direction of Vladimir Putin.  tRump was given a briefing which contained the information 2 weeks before his inauguration.  Yet he has branded any investigation of said Russian ratfu*king as "fake news" and a witch hunt.   That the article revealed sources and methods used by the CIA probably means the sources of the intel were compromised at some point between tRump's briefing and now.  Some have even speculated he could have revealed the leakers to Putin in Helsinki.   This seems a little far fetched because of the timeline.  I'm betting he burned his own intelligence agencies' sources much earlier.   The lies, obstruction and downright treasonous activities should have led to impeachment soon after James Comey was fired, but as we all can infer, The Donald could probably hand over the heads of the CIA, FBI and the NSC to Putin's tender mercies and he could still count on a tongue bath from Sean Hannity.   This whole episode will go down in our nation's history as perhaps the most shameful scandal since Benedict Arnold's betrayal.  At least Arnold was a lone wolf.  tRump has been aided and abetted by the Republican party, to its eternal disgrace.

Mid summer doldrums

We have reached that time of summer again.  Aside from an occasional salad or a slice of watermelon, many if not most consumers are skipping on vegetable consumption.  Being a lifelong gardener and produce marketer has insulated me personally from this annual veggie fast, but the effects are noticeable, both personally and professionally.  At last week's farmer's market, hordes of polite shoppers passed the vegetables on display and most averted their eyes as they hurried to check the baked goods and crafts further down the market.  In the real world, the growers and shippers are reducing prices and hoping for sales to move their crops.  Meanwhile, vacations are happening, children and parents are indulging in fast food meals and making promises eat better when school starts.  As usual, August promises to be a long month.

No surprises

A few pundits acted surprised by Cheeto Jesus' performance yesterday in Helsinki.  After a private two hour meeting with his handler, The Donald jumped through whatever hoops Vladimir Putin held up.  Any questions from reporters at the press conference regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election were answered with standard Trump word salad.  Hillary's e-mails, Peter Strozk and his electoral victory were prominent, as well as agreement with Putin's denial of said involvement.  tRump usually assumes the Alpha male strut when he enters any room, but in the presence of his handler he is meekly submissive.   Rachel Maddow, who has covered the Russian ratfuc*ing of the 2016 elections more thoroughly than any other media outlet was incredulous that her worst fears seemed to be confirmed.   We have a Manchurian candidate as president who is putting another country's priorities above our own.  Does treason have another name?

Crying in the desert

The hot, dry weather continues in the north country.   Lawns are drying up, the soil in my gardens is cracking as the clay hardens.   A fleeting shower on Saturday morning was just a bad memory by afternoon.   These are the days when all the careful work during the spring and early summer are being progressively undone by the merciless July sun.  I played golf with some friends in an effort to forget the impending catastrophe, but even the golf course was blanching in the 90 degree heat.   thunderstorms are on offer for tomorrow, but the spotty nature of such weather could easily miss my area and rain over the lake.  In the mean time, I'll keep planting and hoping...

Shame as well as embarrassment

I thought tRump's chastisement of fellow NATO members was about as bad as it gets.  It turns out that for Theresa May at least things could and did get worse.  In an interview with a British newspaper, our President* allowed as how he had advised the PM on how to handle Brexit, but she didn't listen to him and has made a mess of the process.  I wonder how he would handle similar criticism from a fellow alliance member!  So, after insulting our allies and embarrassing thinking citizens of his own country, tRump will be flying to Scotland for a round (or two) of golf on our dime and then on to Helsinki where he'll report to his Russian handler and receive new instructions on how to sow chaos among US allies and comfort to our enemies.  Hail to the Chief....

Where have you gone, Dixie Chicks.

I don't think I have actually written this before, but the acknowledgement that we the people of the United States actually elected Donald Trump to be our president* makes me ashamed of my citizenship.   As the ignoramus in chief stood up at a press conference in Brussels and shot his usual word salads at various questioners I was dumbstruck at the level of ignorant bravado emanating from this sorry excuse for a human being.  The Shrub was also a staggeringly bad chief executive and was responsible for far more suffering (so far) than Cheeto Jesus has visited upon a prostrate world.  But at least in Bush's case he seemed self aware to an extent.  tRump is certainly not.  His one success is that he has accomplished his major self appointed task.  He is the anti-Obama. 

Judicial Dinosaurs from the swamp

The latest pick from a republican president* for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, is supposedly a "nice" guy who will decide cases based on an originalist view of the Constitution.   Of course, somehow, the originalist take on almost any case hinges on whether it is beneficial to corporations, the wealthy and the socially conservative.  Funny how that works.  However, in the 21st century, the government or more descriptively, the regulatory state cannot be hobbled by the interpretation of an 18th century document written by men with no notion of what technology would do to change their world.  Citizens today expect to be able to breathe clean air, drink clean water and avoid environmental carcinogens.  They also approve of the social safety net and want it strengthened.  An 18th century government cannot do these things in the face of globe spanning corporations with the clout of IBM, Boeing, Google, Facebook, et. al.  A government of the people, by the people and for the people must have the ability to regulate corporations for the public good.  Kavanaugh and his ilk propose a government by corporations.  It is a stark choice and we need to exercise our limited franchise to make sure this is the last disaster the GOP can foist upon us.

Another brick in the wall

Cheeto Jesus' disregard for the rule of law and its place in American jurisprudence were on full display last night as he plucked yet another right wingnut judge from the circuit court system to fill Anthony Kennedy's seat on the Supreme Court.  Brett Kavanaugh is a 53 year old republican party partisan who was part of Ken Starr's penis hunt in the 90s.   He also fought for and celebrated the Bush vs. Gore ruling which installed the Shrub in the Oval Office.  You can expect him to hold the president* has virtually unlimited power and cannot be investigated or indicted while in office.  Voter suppression, gerrymandering and other non democratic means of holding onto power will also get favorable rulings.  As one pundit put it, it's exactly what you would expect from any republican president and that is the problem.  As a shrinking minority party, the GOP can no longer pretend it holds American democratic values dear.  It has devolved into a party which will attempt to hold onto power by any means, even collusion with a foreign power.  Kavanaugh is merely a symptom of this disease.

Milestones

Families grow by various means.  Marriages, childbirth, and adoption are the most common ways.  Our family celebrated the latter over the weekend as a gathering of family and friends officially welcomed Erica Justyce Groleau to the clan.  Erica has been with Alicia and Rick for more than 5 years now and we have seen her grow into a bright, inquisitive, beautiful 9 year old who handles her status with aplomb.  She has managed her integration into our extended family while retaining ties with some members of her birth family.  I hope she is able to continue this intricate dance and reap the benefits of knowing her origin as well as her future.  As always, a strong family feeling is key to success in interpersonal relationships and Erica is well placed to benefit.  The party was a great success due to Alicia and Rick's efforts and it was a pleasure to catch up with everyone who made the trip. 

Casual cruelty is the new norm

At a rally attended by 6500 cheering morons, Cheeto Jesus casually mocked George H.W. Bush and his "Thousand Points of Light" and went after John McCain for his vote against Obamacare repeal even as the Arizona senator fights for his life.  As Joe Scarborough pointed out, it is as much on the cheering throng as it is on the president*.  If those cheers had turned to boos, perhaps tRump might have started thinking about the road he is forcing the country to travel.  While civility is perhaps overrated, mocking those who gave most of their lives in service to America is just one in a series of new lows in our social discourse brought to us by the mountebank who managed election due to a series of fortuitous coincidences and the intervention of the FBI and Russia on his side.  We are stuck with this suppurating boil for at least 2 more years.  Let's call his boorish behavior out at every opportunity and hold him accountable for lowering the level of our polity.

Exceptional

Many, if not most Americans are willing to give much of our nation's sordid history a pass, at least every 4th of July.   Founded on the genocide of the native population, built on the backs of millions of slaves and finally as it became a world power, allowed a gilded age of robber barons and unspeakable poverty to exist side by side.  That's a lot to answer for, but as our history is sanitized and taught by our school system we are not encouraged to ask the questions that might tarnish our belief in American Exceptionalism.  To be sure, there is much to be proud of in our history, but the racism, nationalism, misogyny and various other isms which have plagued us get a rose colored eyewash amid the picnics, fireworks and other holiday activities.  My 9 year old granddaughter was moved to sing " America the Beautiful" at the sight of our country's flag hung on our back porch last evening.  It is good to celebrate the triumphs in our heritage, but also to note the stains on our honor.  To resolve to enact a more perfect union among our modern day melting pot of citizens is a worthy endeavor we can all get behind.  May the Flying Spaghetti Monster bless America.

Independence Day thoughts

If you are a thinking citizen, the July 4th holiday is probably going to cause melancholy reflections on the state of our union.  Ripping apart families trying to immigrate to our country, starting trade wars with our closest allies, denigrating and destroying American institutions such as the EPA  and the FBI are not the actions most of us would think to take if we were running the country.  However, Cheeto Jesus and his enablers in the government and the media are doing just that and more.  The groundswell of popular revulsion which started with the women's march right after the inauguration and continues  with protests against the almost daily outrages committed by this administration continue.   Despite attempts at voter suppression by states controlled by the GOP it looks like citizen activism will result in some changes after elections in the fall.  That alone makes July 4th a day to contemplate the American experiment and gives hope for its continuance.  We all must take our duties to the country seriously, lest our democracy wither due to inaction.

Nothing to see here, just move along

Today's high should be in the mid to upper 90s on the NCR and not many people are happy about it, especially those of us without central air conditioning.   Very few houses in the north country have this particular amenity because historically, temperatures as hot as today's predicted 98 degrees are so rare as to be a curiosity.  Of course most new construction features air as the summers now usually contain several periods of severely hot weather.  Meanwhile, the garden is showing the effects of the warmer weather.  Summer squash, peppers and tomatoes are thriving, while lettuce is getting ready to bolt at the slightest provocation.  succession planting is difficult under these conditions, as keeping seeded areas moist until germination occurs is a daunting task.  Hopefully the weather will break with thunderstorms on Thursday, solving both the heat and moisture problems.