"The Charbor Chronicles"

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Weekend Funny: Humorous/ Not Humorous Comic About Sorry State of the Country

Bill King Facebook post, Aug 28, 2025 · Robust thinking.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10172453433550524&set=a.10152912825510524

Friday, August 29, 2025

Scientific Realities: Whether You Like it Or Not, Evolution Is Far More Than Some Mere Theory

British Botanist Charles Darwin

Years ago, I remember seeing an episode of the Simpsons in which a scientist was trying to illustrate that evolution was not merely a "theory" as some people conveniently suggest. This scientist presented an exhaustive analysis of the history of research on the subject, showing how there were so many bones and fossils that basically proved the gradual evolutionary process which ultimately culminated in the "creation" of what we known as modern-day human beings.

Almost all of the proof was there, with the bones of nearly all species of our ancestors illustrating the gradual evolutionary process. Almost.

However, there was one missing. It was explained that this had not yet been found, but scientists were working on it, and it really felt like a matter of time.

Nonetheless, those who dissented and attacked the science behind the "theory" of evolution jumped on this. For all intents and purposes, they dismissed all of the science because it was not complete.

It was funny (because in some ways, it's not really funny at all), so I laughed. At the time, we of course had people who dissented and insisted that evolution was not real. They wanted "creationism" to be given equal footing on schools, so that students were given "both sides of the story."

Except that there really aren't two sides of this story. The science is there, and always has been. You can reject it, plug your ears and not listen, or deny it. You can claim it is one great conspiracy theory by those who hate human beings, or whatever. Again, though, the science is there, whether or not you like it. People either accept this truth, or they don't.

At the time, I still had the luxury of believing that most people accepted the science. Most people I personally knew understood it to be true (at least when it was discussed, which admittedly was not often). In fact, I don't specifically remember ever meeting many people who didn't accept the science, and the few people whom I had met who didn't accept it felt like...well, religious nuts. People who wanted to believe their faith more than accept science and, frankly, truth.

To be sure, I was not really close friends with any of those people who rejected evolution. I'm not trying to pigeon-hole everyone who rejects the science as not being especially bright, because I'm sure some of them are intelligent and otherwise reasonable people. But the ones I personally met were, frankly, unimpressive. One of them was one eccentric guy (a coworker) who once was reading a book and recommended it, explaining to me that this guy who had wrote it (don't remember the author) was going on about how Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel in the Bible lived lives that extended to something like 900 years and beyond. From what I gathered by what he explained, this author felt that this was the natural order of things for humans, and that we probably all should be living lives of 800 or 900 years. At the time, I couldn't tell if he was joking or not, because I didn't really know him all that well. In time, however, it became clear that he was serious. This same guy once was having a heated debate with a black coworker about whether or not Jews could be considered white or not. It was possibly the most anti-Semitic conversation that I had the misfortune to overhear. Frankly, when I think of people I have known personally who feel that evolution is questionable or just outright false, this is the guy who I think of.

Admittedly, his arguments and overall outlook were not impressive in the least.

Since then, I have met more people who similarly do not believe in evolution, or climate change. And while some have not been as outlandish or ridiculous in their beliefs as that guy was, they nevertheless also are not especially impressive in terms of their intellectual curiosity or understanding of facts, or basic science. This goes for two main things in science: evolution and climate change. In fact, I never met anyone who does not reject only one. In my experience, the people who reject one almost always reject the other.

The thing is, the vast majority of them are in no position to even debate these things. They are not qualified to weigh in, one way or the other. I am not saying that out of some kind of position of superiority, either, because it is my belief that I personally am also not qualified to debate this kind of stuff. For my part, accepting the findings of scientists going back generations in these two fields and so many other areas just feels like common sense, frankly.

Still, clearly not everyone feels that way. And if I had the personal luxury as a young man of assuming - wrongly, as it turns out - that the vast majority of people understood evolution to be true and beyond debate, those illusions have been since shattered. The movement to try and thwart and even silence scientific truths has grown very strong, especially here in the United States. In fact, it has grown to such an extent that it now threatens our very freedoms, and that is not an exaggeration. For example, even discussing climate change can get you in serious trouble these days, as the Trump administration has made every effort to stifle free speech and silence those who speak about climate change. There's a word for that: censorship.

If anything, this feels like the ultimate proof that those who reject science have lost the debate. When you have to resort to silencing people and trying to hide all evidence that something has happened (like evolution) or is presently happening (like climate change), you have lost the debate. The fact that you do not accept that and are now forcibly trying to literally eliminate anyone from speaking the truth will not prevent it from being the truth.

For now, polls show that a majority of Americans believe (personally, I feel that it should be worded as accept) that both climate change and evolution are true. Somewhere between 62% (the most current figures, according to a Pew poll linked below) to 70% of Americans understand that climate change is true. And an even more impressive amount understand that evolution is true: a whopping 80% of Americans, according to an article by the National Center for Science Education (see link below) about the poll.

Those numbers may feel reassuring. However, if one thing should have become apparent to us by now, those things can change. After all, 70% of Americans understood that climate change was real back in 2000, and those numbers seemingly keep fluctuating. But remember, in 2000, Americans elected George W. Bush, who did not care about climate change and seemed not to believe in evolution. Polls have continued to show a majority of Americans believe in evolution and climate change, as well as wanting a fairer and more affordable healthcare system, legalization of marijuana, and reasonable gun control measures, such as background checks. Yet we keep electing people into high offices who very clearly do not believe in these things, or at least publicly act like they do not. It may take time, but there really may come a time when a majority of Americans actually reject both evolution and climate change. Sorry to voice this opinion, but it feels like we Americans are growing collectively more stupid over time, which itself has become a growing threat to our nation.

We have to keep fighting to make sure that the truth gets out there. This antipathy towards knowledge, this growing skepticism towards truth and decency, this absurd anti-intellectualism cannot be allowed to prevail. It has clearly gained quite a bit in recent years. And low and behold, not only has this antipathy not improved our standard of living, but in fact has rather begun to noticeably usher in what most people see as a serious decline.

So I for one feel that we need to keep fighting. Need to keep repeating the truth, in hopes that it kicks in at some point. That people begin to listen. It is in that spirit that I am publishing this particular post which I recently came across on Facebook and seemed worth sharing here. Also below are the links to two articles about polls showing how, at least for the moment, a majority of Americans still accept science (for now).

Vast majority of Americans accept human evolution, new survey finds published by the National Center for Science Education, February 28, 2025:

https://ncse.ngo/vast-majority-americans-accept-human-evolution-new-survey-finds

The Short Answer: Are Americans Concerned About Global Warming? published by Gallup, December 13, 2024 UPDATED December 13, 2024:

https://news.gallup.com/poll/355427/americans-concerned-global-warming.aspx

ScienceExplained Facebook Post, August 22, 2025:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=697156563372035&set=a.338451959242499

Some Major Ways In Which Society Has Seriously Declined

Just a few days ago, I posted something about the decline of intelligence and simple decency in our modern world. It does not please me to talk about it, although it feels like something which we really should look into and discuss.

Well, here is another video which examines something very similar. Basically, it elaborates on how our collective society seems to have deteriorated.

Watch this video and see what you think.

And remember, please feel free to share your thoughts here, by all means!

Top 10 Ways Society Has Gone To Sh!t

Dr. Seuss Was Stranger Than Strange, He Was

Most of us in English-speaking countries, or at least in the United States, are at least passingly familiar with Dr. Seuss. I mean, his books were well-established and popular when I was a kid and going to school. So I remember the books and the cartoons which occasionally aired on television.

Well, there are things about him which most of us never really knew about Dr. Seuss. Recently, I ran into this article, which revealed some surprises about Dr. Seuss. One of the main things which surprised me was him finding kids very annoying. That's really quite strange for a famous, even iconic, author of children's books.

So it seemed like something worth sharing here. Below is the link to the article which got me on the topic of Dr. Seuss.

Enjoy.

Dr. Seuss Was Even Weirder Than You Realized by Regina Clarke

https://thefun-guru.com/dr-seuss-was-even-weirder-than-you-realized/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=120226917346350582&utm_campaign=tfg-fb116-us-d-drseussfacts_tfg-rpm12_exp_ma_dy_v9765315276_arizonaandyesterday_dup_08.11.25&utm_content=120226917348630582&utm_term=Facebook_Desktop_Feed&utm_id=120226847815510582&fbclid=IwY2xjawMRDEFleHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQBqyG-lI74NgEeX1m3QcROUACUe6jWeMBeRklXF8ixuQ6A15Mb5Bae85LsApNMjkd-ZT7H8JQ_aem_YpfbjIndrfrsmXBvWY9uPw

August 29th: This Day in History

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

• On this day in 708, copper coins were minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708). In 1178 on this day, Anti-Pope Callistus III gave his Papal title to Alexander III. Jacques Pantaleon was elected as Pope Urban IV on this day in 1261. The Battle of Winchelsea (or Les Espagnols sur Mer) was fought on this day in 1350, when the English naval fleet under King Edward III defeated a Castilian fleet of 40 ships. The Treaty of Picquigny was signed on this day in 1475, when king Louis XI purchased English contacts. In 1484 on this day, Giovanni B Cibo was elected as Pope Innocent VIII.

• The Ottoman Turks captured Nándorfehérvár, now known as Belgrade, on this day in 1521. Hungary was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Mohács on this day in 1526. Francisco Pizarro ordered the death of the last Incan King of Peru, Atahualpa, on this day in 1533. In 1540 on this day, Emperor Karel deprived the city of Ghent definitive rights/privileges. On this day in 1541, the Ottoman Turks captured Buda, the capital of the Hungarian Kingdom.

• The Battle at Surat India took place on this day in 1612, with the English fleet beating the Portuguese.

• English King Charles I signed a peace treaty with Scotland on this day in 1640.

On this day in 1655, Warsaw fell without resistance to a small force under the command of Charles X Gustav of Sweden during The Deluge.

• Adriaen Pieck/Gerrit de Ferry patented wooden firespout in Amsterdam on this day in 1664. English troops occupied Menorca & Sardinia on this day in 1708.

• In 1708 on this day, Haverhill, Massachusetts, was destroyed by the French & Native American tribes. Edmond Hoyle published his "Short Treatise" on the card game whist on this day in 1742.

• This day in 1756 marked Prussian Libya occupied Saxson, marking the beginning of the Seven Years War, where England & France would clash across continents.

• On this day in 1758, the New Jersey Legislature formed the first Indian reservation.

Statue of a Continental Soldier of the American Revolutionary War of Independence in Trenton, New Jersey

• On this day in 1776 during the Revolutionary War, Americans withdrew from Manhattan to Westchester. Shay's Rebellion took place on this day in 1786 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

• In 1792 on this day, the English warship Royal George capsized in Spithead; killing 900.

Flag of Haiti

• In 1793 on this day, slaves in the French colony of St Domingue (Haiti) were freed.

The flag of Brazil.

• Portugal officially recognized the independence of Brazil on this day in 1825.

• 1831 - Michael Faraday demonstrates 1st electric transformer

1833 - Britain's Slavery Abolition Act becomes law

• 1842 - The Treaty of Nanking was signed by the British and the Chinese. The treaty ended the first Opium War and gave the island of Hong Kong to Britain.

1844 - 1st white-indian lacrosse game in Montreal, Indians win

1854 - Self-governing windmill patented (Daniel Halladay)

1861 - American Civil War: US Navy squadron captures forts at Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina.

1862 - 2nd Battle of Bull Run Va (Manassas) during US Civil War

1862 - Battle of Aspromonte-Italian royal forces defeat rebels

1862 - US Bureau of Engraving & Printing begins operation

1864 - William Huggins discovers chemical composition of nebulae

• 1871 - Emperor Meiji orders the Abolition of the han system and the establishment of prefectures as local centers of administration. (Traditional Japanese date: July 14, 1871).

1882 - Australia beat England by 7 runs "Death of English cricket"

1882 - Fred Spofforth completes 14-90 for match v England (7-46 & 7-44)

1883 - Seismic sea waves created by Krakatoa eruption create a rise in English Channel 32 hrs after explosion

1885 - Gottlieb Daimler receives German patent for a motorcycle

1885 - Boxing's 1st heavyweight title fight with 3-oz gloves & 3-minute rounds fought between John L Sullivan & Dominick McCaffrey

1889 - 1st American Intl pro lawn tennis contest (Newport RI)

1895 - The formation of the Northern Rugby Union at the George Hotel, Huddersfield, England.

• 1896 - Chop suey invented in NYC by chef of visiting Chinese Ambassador

1898 - The Goodyear tire company is founded.

Flag of the Olympics

• 1904 - 1st Olympics in US are held (St Louis)

• 1904 - 3rd modern Olympic Games opens in St Louis

• 1905 - Pierre de Brazza leaves Brazzaville

1906 - Bridge in St Lawrence Canada caves in; 70 die

1906 - William J Clothier wins the US Tennis Open

• 1907 - The Quebec Bridge collapses during construction, killing 75 workers.

1908 - NY gives a ticker tape parade to returning US Olympians from London

1909 - AH Latham of France sets world airplane altitude record of 155 m

1909 - World's 1st air race held in Rheims France. Glenn Curtiss (USA) wins

• 1910 - Japan changes Korea's name to Chōsen and appoints a governor-general to rule its new colony.

• 1911 - Ishi, considered the last Native American to make contact with European Americans, emerges from the wilderness of northeastern California.

1913 - Pieter Cort Van de Linden forms Dutch government

1914 - 4th day of Tannenberg: Russian Narev-army panics, Gen Martos caught

1914 - Arizonian is 1st vessel to arrive in SF via Panama Canal

1914 - Battle at St Quentin: French counter attack under General Lanrezac

1916 - Congress creates US Naval reserve

• 1916 - Gen Von Hindenburg becomes German Chief of Staff

1916 - Transportship Hsin-Yu & cruiser Hai-Yung collide; 1000 die

1916 - US Congress accept Jones Act: Philippines independence

1916 - Von Hindenburg replaces Von Falkenhayn as German chief of staff

1918 - Bapaume taken by Australian Corps and Canadian Corps in the Hundred Days Offensive

1924 - German Republic day accepts Dawes plan

Baseball Great Babe RuthBaseball Great Babe Ruth 1925 - After a night on the town, Babe Ruth shows up late for batting practice Miller Huggins suspends Ruth & slaps a $5,000 fine on him

1929 - German airship Graf Zeppelin ends a round-the-world flight

1930 - The last 36 remaining inhabitants of St Kilda are voluntarily evacuated to other parts of Scotland.

1932 - International Anti-War Committee forms in Amsterdam

1932 - United Cigar Stores shuts 800 shops

1939 - Chaim Weizmann informs England that Palestine Jews will fight in WW II

1941 - German Einsatzkommando in Russia kills 1,469 Jewish children

1943 - Denmark scuttles their warships so as not to be taken by Germany

• 1944 - 15,000 American troops liberating Paris march down Champs Elysees

Flag of Slovakia

• 1944 - Anti German rebellion in Slovakia

• 1945 - British liberate Hong Kong from Japan

• 1945 - Gen MacArthur named Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Japan

1947 - Constantine Tsaldaris follows Maximos as Greece premier

1949 - USSR performs first nuclear test

1949 - USSR explodes its 1st atomic bomb

• 1950 - Intl Olympic Committee votes admission to West Germany & Japan in '52

1953 - KHSL TV channel 12 in Chico, CA (CBS) begins broadcasting

1953 - USSR explodes its 1st hydrogen bomb

1954 - SF International Airport (SFO) opens

1956 - French government routes troops to Cyprus near Suez crisis

1957 - Congress passes Civil Rights Act of 1957

1957 - Strom Thurmond (Sen-D-SC) ends 24 hr filibuster against civil rights

1958 - Air Force Academy opens in Colorado Springs, Colo

• 1958 - George Harrison joins Quarrymen (Lennon-McCartney-Best-Sutcliffe)

1960 - Jordan premier Hazza-el-Madjali deadly injured at bomb attack

1962 - Some provisions of Kuwaiti constitution are suspended

1962 - US U-2 flight sees SAM launch pads in Cuba

1963 - Harmon Killebrew (Twins) HRs off Pete Burnside (Senators) in DH

1964 - "Funny Thing Happened" closes at Alvin Theater NYC after 965 perfs

Animator Walt DisneyAnimator Walt Disney 1964 - Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins" released

1964 - On Elston Howard Night, Mickey Mantle ties Babe Ruth's career strikeout record (1,330)

1965 - Astronauts Cooper & Conrad complete 120 Earth orbits in Gemini 5

1965 - Willie Mays sets NL record for HRs in a month with his 17th of August

• 1966 - Beatles last public concert (Candlestick Park, SF)

1966 - Dutch Internal minister Smallenbroek resigns after driving drunk

1967 - Final TV episode of "Fugitive"

1967 - Yanks longest day, Red Sox take 1st game 2-1 in 9, Yanks win 2nd game in 20, 4-3 a total of 8 hours & 19 minutes

1968 - 1st US Open tennis match (Billie Jean King beats Dr Vija Vuskains)

1968 - Democratics nominate Hubert H Humphrey for president (Chicago)

1969 - Joe Pepitone quits Yanks after being fined $500 for leaving the bench

1969 - KYUS TV channel 3 in Miles City, MT (ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting

1970 - Black Panthers confront cops in Phila (1 cop killed)

1974 - USSR performs underground nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR

1975 - Star in Cygnus goes nova becoming 4th brightest in sky

1978 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR

1982 - 38°F lowest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in August

1982 - Steve Miller's "Abracadabra" hits #1

1982 - The synthetic chemical element Meitnerium, atomic number 109, is first synthesized at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, Germany.

1985 - Atlantis moves to launch pad for 51-J mission

1985 - Emmy News & Documentaries Award presentation

1985 - NY Yank Don Baylor is hit by a pitch for a record 190th time

1986 - Heike Drechsler of E Germany ties world women's 200 m mark (21.71s)

• 1986 - Morocco king Hassan II signs unity treaty with Libya

1988 - USSR launches 3 cosmonauts (Valery Polyakav, 1 Afghan) to station Mir

1990 - C-5 transport plane crashes at Ramstein AFB, Germany, killing 13

• 1991 - JFK Jr wins his 1st battle as an attorney

• 1991 - USSR suspends Communist Party activities

1992 - Largest wrestling crowd out side of US (75,000) at Wembley Stadium

1995 - NATO launches Operation Deliberate Force against Bosnian Serb forces.

1996 - Vnukovo Airlines Flight 2801, a Vnukovo Airlines Tupolev Tu-154, crashes into a mountain on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen, killing all 141 aboard.

1997 - At least 98 villagers are killed by the GIA in the Rais massacre, Algeria.

2003 - Ayatollah Sayed Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, the Shia Muslim leader in Iraq, is assassinated in a terrorist bombing, along with nearly 100 worshippers as they leave a mosque in Najaf.

• 2005 - Hurricane Katrina devastates much of the U.S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, killing more than 1,836 and causing over $115 billion in damage.

2007 - A United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident takes place at Minot Air Force Base and Barksdale Air Force Base.

2012 - Georgian hostage crisis results in 3 police officers and 10 militants being killed

• 2012 - Operation Eagle, undertaken by the Egyptian Army, results in the deaths of 11 suspected terrorists and the arrest of another 23

• 2012 - Banana Spider venom is found to be effective in relieving erectile dysfunction

Professional Road Cyclist and Testicular Cancer Survivor Lance ArmstrongProfessional Road Cyclist and Testicular Cancer Survivor Lance Armstrong 2012 - The USADA claims to have stripped Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles

1828 - A patent was issued to Robert Turner for the self-regulating wagon brake. 1833 - The "Factory Act" was passed in England to settle child labor laws. 1842 - The Treaty of Nanking was signed by the British and the Chinese. The treaty ended the first Opium War and gave the island of Hong Kong to Britain. 1885 - The first prizefight under the Marquis of Queensberry Rules was held in Cincinnati, OH. John L. Sullivan defeated Dominick McCaffery in six rounds. 1886 - In New York City, Chinese Ambassador Li Hung-chang's chef invented chop suey. 1892 - Pop (Billy) Shriver (Chicago Cubs) caught a ball that was dropped from the top of the Washington Monument in Washington, DC. 1944 - During the continuing celebration of the liberation of France from the Nazis, 15,000 American troops marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris. 1945 - U.S. General Douglas MacArthur left for Japan to officially accept the surrender of the Japanese. 1949 - At the University of Illinois, a nuclear device was used for the first time to treat cancer patients. 1957 - Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina set a filibuster record in the U.S. when he spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes. 1962 - The lower level of the George Washington Bridge opened. 1965 - Gemini 5, carrying astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles ("Pete") Conrad, splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean after eight days in space. 1966 - Mia Farrow withdrew from the cast of the ABC-TV's "Peyton Place." 1967 - The final episode of "The Fugitive" aired. 1971 - Hank Aaron became the first baseball player in the National League to hit 100 or more runs in each of 11 seasons. 1977 - Lou Brock brought his total of stolen bases to 893. The record he beat was held by Ty Cobb for 49 years. 1983 - Two U.S. marines were killed in Lebanon by the militia group Amal when they fired mortar shells at the Beirut airport. 1983 - The anchor of the USS Monitor, from the U.S. Civil War, was retrieved by divers. 1990 - Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, in a television interview, declared that America could not defeat Iraq. 1991 - The Communist Party in the Soviet Union had its bank accounts frozen and activities were suspended because of the Party's role in the failed coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev. 1991 - The republics of Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement to stay in the Soviet Union. 1992 - The U.N. Security Council agreed to send troops to Somalia to guard the shipments of food. 1994 - Mario Lemieux announced that he would be taking a medical leave of absence due to fatigue, an aftereffect of his 1993 radiation treatments. He would sit out the National Hockey Leagues (NHL) 1994-95 season. 1998 - Northwest Airlines pilots went on strike after their union rejected a last-minute company offer. 2004 - India test-launched a nuclear-capable missle able to carry a one-ton warhead. The weapon had a range of 1,560 miles.

1533 Atahualpa, the last ruler of the Incas, was murdered as Francisco Pizarro completed his conquest of Peru. 1786 Shays's rebellion, an insurrection of Massachusetts farmers against the state government, began. 1842 The Treaty of Nanking was signed, ending the Opium Wars and ceding the island of Hong Kong to Britain. 1877 Brigham Young died in Salt Lake City, Utah. 1949 The U.S.S.R. tested their first atomic bomb. 1957 Strom Thurmond ended the longest filibuster in U.S. Senate history. He spoke for more than 24 hours against a civil rights bill; the bill passed. 1966 The Beatles played their last major live concert at Candlestick Park, California. 1991 The Supreme Soviet, the parliament of the U.S.S.R., suspended all activities of the Communist Party, bringing an end to the institution. 2005 Hurricane Katrina slammed into the U.S. Gulf Coast, destroying beachfront towns in Mississippi and Louisiana, displacing a million people, and killing more than 1,000.

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/aug29.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Lately, Trump Appears To Be Growing Far More Comfortable With Flirting With Outright Dictator Status

Does anyone else get really nervous anytime that President Trump talks about being a dictator, even when it is designed to quell fears and urge people that he is not, in fact, a dictator?

After all, claiming that he is not a dictator, and then going ahead and suggesting that a lot of people really want a dictator, feels like Trump's way of testing the waters. Seeing how the general American public will respond.

“The line is that I’m a dictator, but I stop crime,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting, referring to his moves to send troops into major American cities. “So a lot of people say, ‘You know, if that’s the case, I’d rather have a dictator.’”

He later added: “Most people say … if he stops crime, he can be whatever he wants.”

So in one fell swoop, Trump has already laid the groundwork for his becoming a de facto dictator. Basically, he is claiming that "most people" are fine with him being a dictator, at least on condition that he "stops crime." And we are apparently just supposed to take his word for that? Have there ever been polls with that seemingly absurd question, about whether Trump really should be able to become a dictator? Frankly, even if most Americans are okay with Trump, theoretically, becoming a dictator, aren't there laws against it? I mean, if the Constitution means anything, doesn't it guard against an abuse of power precisely like the threat of an abusive dictator or absolute ruler?

Hello?

Believe it or not, this does not remind me as much of George Orwell as of the warnings - decades ago, mind you - by punk musician Jello Biafra, formerly of the Dead Kennedys.

It also reminds me of that well-known quote:

Trump’s authoritarian flexing has snowballed to the point where it’s hard to keep track. There are moments of ridiculous vibes, like when Trump suggests he could rename the Kennedy Center in his honor. But there are also moments that demand pause, such as when he wants the Pentagon renamed to the Department of War. The fact that we are even debating how far the country has shifted says volumes. When Richard Nixon in 1973 told newspaper editors gathered at Disney that he was no crook, the world shrugged. A half-century later when Trump says he is not an autocrat, audiences are left wondering if he’s making a promise or protesting too much.

Indeed, I also feel that King Con Don doth protest too much.

Frankly, everything that he says feels like there is some deeper, more sinister meaning than what he simply says on the surface.

12 Years Ago, Obama Joked He Wasn’t a ‘Dictator.’ When Trump Says It, No One’s Laughing by Philip Elliott Senior Correspondent, Aug 26, 2025:

https://time.com/7312463/trump-dictator-comment-fires-cook/

‘I am not a dictator,’ Trump says. Here’s what 21st century dictators do Analysis by Zach Wolf Zachary B. Wolf, August 26, 2025:

https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/26/politics/what-is-a-dictator-trump-analysis

Trump’s new ‘dictator’ comment betrays his trick for expanding his power Analysis by Aaron Blake, August 26, 2025:

https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/26/politics/dictator-comments-trump-power-expansion-analysis

Trump on dictator accusations: "I just know how to stop crime" by Rebecca Falconer, August 26, 2025:

https://www.axios.com/2025/08/26/trump-dictator-crime-crackdown-dc-democrat-cities

Exclusive: Most Americans see Trump as "dangerous dictator," poll says by Russell Contreras, Apr 29, 2025:

https://www.axios.com/2025/04/29/prri-poll-most-americans-trump-dangerous-dictator

Let's Talk About Gavin Newsom & His Mock Trump Social Media Posts

This is a picture of a magnet that was being sold at Strand's Book Store in New York City a few years ago. No, I did not buy it, but I liked it and took a picture, which I am sharing here now.

If you had told me ten years ago that I would actually be applauding a Democrat who is posting AI images of himself with a superhero build or having figures like Hulk Hogan and Kid Rock seeming to lend support, it would have been very difficult to believe.

Yet ten years later, due to very specific circumstances, I actually am getting a kick out of all of these new Gavin Newsom posts. Clearly, they are not done in half-serious manner, like those by President Trump. I suspect that MAGA believes that these ridiculous posts are meant in good fun. However, I also suspect that Trump himself almost believes these images convey who he truly is.

Remember some of the ones that he has released in the past? There is one of him as a muscle-head wrestler, kicking some ass. There's at least one of him as a superhero, although he recently got into legal trouble after posting himself as Superman. There are plenty of others, too. Way too many, frankly.

Well recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has presumably emerged as the frontrunner for the 2028 Democratic presidential field, has been using Trump and MAGA's own idiocy against them. He and his team have been releasing a whole bunch of Trump-like posts, mimicking the language and absurd imagery which King Con Don has become infamous for, and which MAGA generally cannot get enough of.

Funny thing, though. It seems like the "Fuck You Feelings" crowd are actually not happy about this. When Newsom displays exactly the same kinds of posts and images which Trump regularly releases, they recognize it as "childish." Many of them have grown decidedly incensed at all of this, clearly triggered.

Such whiny snowflakes!

Here is one example. This one did not have any images, but the writing is in all-caps, which of course is the trademark style of Donald Trump. It also suggests a mockery of Trump's infamous narcissism, only putting Gavin Newsom at the center of all great things. Then it ends with what has become yet another staple in Trump's posts in recent months:

“DANA ‘DING DONG’ PERINO (NEVER HEARD OF HER UNTIL TODAY!) IS MELTING DOWN BECAUSE OF ME, GAVIN C. NEWSOM!” the governor’s press office account tweeted on Tuesday. “FOX HATES THAT I AM AMERICA’S MOST FAVORITE GOVERNOR ("RATINGS KING") SAVING AMERICA — WHILE TRUMP CAN’T EVEN CONQUER THE ‘BIG’ STAIRS ON AIR FORCE ONE ANYMORE!!! TRUMP HAS ‘LOST HIS STEP’ AND FOX IS LOSING IT BECAUSE WHEN I TYPE, AMERICA NOW WINS!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.”

Wow.

First and foremost, it clearly is a studied approach, as they really nailed Trump's absurd style of speech, and his over-the-top praising of himself. Quite clearly, it is not really "about" Gavin Newsom himself. Rather, it is meant as a sort of mirror being held up to Trump and his MAGA cult following. And wonder of wonders, they apparently don't like what they see.

Now admittedly, I am of two opinions about this.

On the one hand, I truly think that it's sad that we apparently seem to need to have someone respond the way that Gavin Newsom has been doing.

On the other hand, it is holding up that mirror to a cult group notorious for going out of their way to be childish and petty and to piss people off with their bullshit. They love to mock people mercilessly. Yet once again, the "Fuck Your Feelings" MAGA cult morons are proving to be whiny snowflakes as soon as they are on the receiving end of exactly what they so love to dish out.

And let's face it: those posts have been quite funny.

People on the left have been mostly amused by all of this. Many feel that this is the first truly effective and apparently successful way to attack Trump on his own terms. Frankly, they might have a point. After all, look who keeps winning elections and mocking both opponents and democracy more generally at every opportunity? At some point, those opposed to Trump and MAGA are going to have to get their hands dirty, are they not?

Newsom and his team have been able to garner a whole lot of attention with these social media posts which, for all intents and purposes, troll Trump and MAGA supporters. And while Trump fans and MAGA cult members claim that they "get the joke" but just don't find Newsom funny, it is obvious that they are not getting the joke. Everyone who actually "gets it," if you will, understands that what Newsom really is doing is holding up a mirror to MAGA. And as it typical, it is clear that they don't like what they see, hate being on the receiving end of it.

Case in point, Newsom recently had a social media post in which he had well-known vocal Trump supporter Kid Rock dressed as Uncle Sam and pointing at the viewer, imitating the "I Want You" theme by suggesting that Kid Rock wants everyone to support Gavin Newsom.

Obviously, it was trolling. Again, though, far too many MAGA cult members tend not to be too swift on the uptake. Kid Rock could not resist responding in predictable fashion, falling into the trap. The Newsom team pounced with a very Trumpian response:

“I HATE KID ROCK!!! — GCN,” the office wrote.

In another post a few hours later, Newsom’s press office wrote: “HAS ANYONE NOTICED THAT SINCE I SAID ‘I HATE KID ROCK’ HE'S NO LONGER 'HOT?'”

MAGA finds it hilarious when their own elected Dear Leader acts in such a completely over-the-top, ridiculous manner. But suddenly it's not so funny when they are on the receiving end of equally outrageous behavior?

I'm sorry, but that's actually quite hilarious!

When Newsom began receiving criticism for all of this by the media, he simply pointed out their own culpability in this joke of a Trump presidency which has now been taking waaaaayyyy too far. After all, he never should have received the GOP nomination in the first place. But he has received the Republican presidential nomination in three straight elections and has been elected to the Oval Office twice now. And of course, he cast aside almost all aspersions to "joking" about running again in 2028. He has suggested that he will run again, and even showed other heads of state his Trump 2028 campaign gear.

No, he's not joking. Yes, he is seriously going to run again. While many on the left seem convinced that he will somehow have his presidency ended well before this term is supposed to end - some say within six months - I am convinced otherwise. He will serve out his term and, yes, he will run once again in 2028. Possibly 2032, and so on and so forth.

We really will never get rid of Trump.

Part of the reason that Trump continually gets away with this kind of absurd and clearly immature behavior is that the media allows him to, time and time again. They only report on his behavior in order to sell headlines, but they never, ever call him out on it. Others are held to a higher standard - well, standards - but Trump can pretty much get away with anything. And this is the paradox which Newsom rightly pointed out when questioned and criticized about his own behavior with this social media posts:

“I'm just following his example,” Newsom said last week. “If you have issues with what I'm putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns with what he's putting out as president.”

He continued: “To the extent it's gotten some attention, I'm pleased, but I think the deeper question is how have we allowed the normalization of his tweets, Truth Social posts over the course of the last many years, to go without similar scrutiny and notice?”

Bingo. That was the perfect response, right on target. Just as he has been holding up a mirror to MAGA's absurd fixation with Trump's ridiculously immature and embarrassing social media posts which are unworthy of a serious man, let alone an elected leader, Newsom held up a mirror to the mainstream media for also largely treating Trump and his unhinged behavior as something that sells, worthy of juicy headlines that sell, and not seeing Trump as anything more than a form of entertainment which they clearly and fully intend to capitalize on, quite literally. After all, despite often claiming that they hate each other, Trump and the media actually rely on each other quite transparently. In fact, I don't think that either of them could exist in the form that they now presently exist without each other.

And of course, the country, and indeed the entire world, suffers as a result of it.

So why not fight fire with fire?

Here's a little snippet by Justin Baragona in a recently published article by The Independent:

As CNN’s Andrew Kirell noted in Tuesday’s edition of the Reliable Sources newsletter, Newsom is essentially punking the right-wing media ecosystem right now with this tactic.

“The effort, clearly designed to hold a mirror up to MAGA and ‘bully the bullies,’ so to speak, has evidently gone over the heads of many conservative media personalities, baiting them into making Newsom's point about Trump’s behavior on their own,” he wrote.

Gone over the heads of MAGA.

Not exactly a surprise, is it? After all, almost every negative aspect of Trump and what he is doing, and just how damaging his presidency has been and continues to be, seems to be lost on them. Whether this is because of their collective stubbornness or legitimate stupidity (my own assumption is that it is a bit of both), things just keep getting worse and worse. And the worse things get, the louder they applaud and celebrate the decline of the country, which their beloved Dear Leader is hastening at a ridiculous pace.

Again, at some point, we need to answer them on their terms. After all, nothing else seems to be working.

X Page for Governor Newsom Press Office:

https://x.com/GovPressOffice

Gavin Newsom is expertly trolling Fox News stars by mimicking Trump online — right down to the nicknames by Justin Baragona, Wednesday 20 August 2025:

Gavin Newsom’s pitch-perfect parody has resulted in several Fox News hosts taking the bait — and making the governor’s point, Justin Baragona writes.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/gavin-newsom-trump-fox-news-tweets-b2810625.html

Newsom Perfectly Rips MAGA Hypocrisy After AI Image Mocking Trump Is Slammed As 'Blasphemy' by Amelia Mavis Christnot, Aug 19, 2025:

California Governor Gavin Newsom's press office account on X called out the blatant hypocrisy from Trump supporters after he was criticized for sharing an AI-generated version of himself being prayed over by several MAGA celebrities.

https://www.comicsands.com/newsom-trump-ai-blasphemy?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawMQyfhleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHiUNIqGm6KhUzna6JzkGww-XXBAeqO5pmFsFJJUmUATwWROgCbGFrhpSV9Mo_aem_JWe5l3_ARiJpIXAp1NtZIw#Echobox=1755570049

Kid Rock hits back with lewd insult after Newsom mocks him with Trump-style post The California governor’s press office has started parodying Trump’s online posting style Katie Hawkinson in Washington, D.C. Wednesday 20 August 2025 16:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/kid-rock-responds-newsom-trump-post-b2811084.html

HuffPost Poli Sci Experts Predict How Gavin Newsom's Brutal Mockery Of Trump And MAGA Will Resonate Kimberley Richards Tue, August 19, 2025 at 4:24 PM EDT

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/poli-sci-experts-predict-gavin-202407980.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

How Gavin Newsom trolled his way to the top of social media by Adam Wren 08/20/2025:

Inside the MAGA-parodying strategy that has rocketed the California governor to algorithmic dominance — while annoying leading Republicans.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/20/gavin-newsom-twitter-trump-00515785

Below are some of the posts with Trump-styled AI artwork, which frankly brilliantly mimics Trump and the MAGA Moron Nation. Some of these are actually rather funny. Take a look:

Jay Remy Faceboook Post, August 19, 2025:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4171708886401185&set=pcb.4171710776400996

Newsom Perfectly Rips MAGA Hypocrisy After AI Image Mocking Trump Is Slammed As 'Blasphemy' by Amelia Mavis Christnot, Aug 19, 2025:

Emily R. Andrews Facebook post, August 19, 2025:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1320891509382073&set=a.113043426833560

MeidasTouch Facebook post, August 23, 2025: · New post from Gavin Newsom

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1096325189355750&set=a.146905417631070

Facebook post, August 20, 2025:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=31424324167166185&set=pcb.31424465220485413

The Meme War Veteran Facebook Page, August 23, 2025:

ANYBODY REMEMBER THE LATE, GREAT PEPÉ LE PEW? PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AND SAY, "SIR, NOBODY HUGS AND KISSES FLAGS LIKE YOU! NOT EVEN PEPÉ LE PEW!"

FRANKLY, I CAN'T HELP IT. THE FLAG HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY VOLUPTUOUS. I'VE SAID IF IT WEREN'T A FLAG, PERHAPS I'D BE DATING IT. IN FACT, I TAKE THEM OUT POLE SHOPPING. I'M AUTOMATICALLY ATTRACTED TO FLAGS. WHEN I SEE THEM, I MOVE ON THEM VERY HEAVILY. I JUST START KISSING. IT'S LIKE A DRY MAGNET. JUST KISS. I DON'T EVEN WAIT. AND WHEN YOU'RE A STAR, THEY LET YOU DO IT. GRAB 'EM BY THE POLE. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS COVFEFE!

- GCN

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=670122352782135&set=a.112121221915587