Reprint of 1/7/21 Article 5 Years After Fascist Attempts to OverthrowTrump's 2020 Electoral DEfeat

I looked up the definition of "facism" on Bing..."an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization".  So henceforth, in light of the attempted coup d'état instigated by Donald Trump and carried out by his personality-cult-transfixed worshippers when they stormed the Capitol during Congress's counting of the Electoral College vote certifying Joseph Biden as the next president, I am now classifying those senators and representatives voting to object to the count and thereby overturn our democratic election as "fascist", no longer Republican.  I am also calling Trump, who expressed approval of the defeat of his own party's US Senate candidates from Georgia, a "fascist" along the lines of Mussolini, Hitler, and Franco.  But not Vice-President Pence, who in the final hour has demonstrated courage in the face of God knows how much pressure to conform to Trump's dictatorial agenda.  Here is a link to the list of who I consider to be fascist traitors...including Kat Cammack, my own newly-sworn in (to uphold the US Constitution) representative and my senator Rick Scott: [Congressional Objectors List].  By the way, a poll recorded that 45% of Republicans at large approved of the insurrection yesterday: they're fascists as well, in my estimation.  After a little home exercise, I can report that I have reached 2.0  virtual miles for today...

Recent Done Jigsaw Puzzle of Washington Monument

Here's another recent jigsaw puzzle I've put together...this one depicts the Washington Monument off in the distance in our nation's capital, from the vantage point of the Lincoln Memorial looking over the pool at the west end of the Mall. Melissa and I visited there back in October, 2018.  We saw a couple of Smithsonian museums, the Capitol (sitting in both the Senate and House chambers), Library of Congress, Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial, Vietnam Memorial and Arlington Cemetery.  It was a memorable visit, and I put this puzzle out on my blog since not only is tomorrow Martin Luther King, Jr, Day, but it's also the day that our next presidential inauguration takes place.  Because of the frigid cold weather, this ceremony has been moved indoors, to the Capitol Rotunda. But I'm only going to be celebrating the legacy of our late civil rights leader, not the return to power of the convicted felon...

Fauci, Nicknames, and Washington

I was at work Thursday evening when, just before the 2020 Major League Baseball televised debut game between the New York Yankees and the Nationals in Washington, DC, pandemic guru Dr. Anthony Fauci threw out the ceremonial first pitch.  I did hear the funny reactions on sports talk radio, prompting me to later check it out.  The good doctor strode up confidently to the mound...and then proceeded to hurl a zinger about 10-15 feet to the left of the waiting catcher.  Not as bad as the radio jocks sounded...I was impressed that Fauci could even throw that far, to be perfectly honest.  Once I had a much worse throw...I was standing nearby a softball game one afternoon while in the sixth grade at Nova Elementary and a stray ball came rolling my way. I scooped it up and then helpfully heaved it back with all my might...only the ball didn't go back, but rather at a 90 degree angle to the left, straight at the school building: it was a very embarrassing run for me to retrieve it, sigh...

Speaking of Washington and sports, the report is out now that the city's National Football League franchise, after finally dumping its moniker "Redskins" following years of harsh criticism, will be moving forward this season as "The Washington Football Team".  And why not, since in soccer you already have teams like "Los Angeles Football Club" and "New York City Football Club".  Personally, I searched myself to come up with appropriate nickname replacements, producing results like "Big Fat Buildings", "Mall", "Museums", "Metro", "Bureaucrats", "Tourists", "Lobbyists"...you see, I visited there a couple of years ago.  But after giving it all due thought, my final suggestion has to be the Washington Jelly Beans, in honor of our late former president Ronald Reagan's penchant for the candy...that should help to soothe all the conservatives miffed at the dumping of "Redskins".  And besides, everybody likes jelly beans, right?  Okay I get it, never gonna happen...

Just Finished Reading The Van Gogh Deception by Deron Hicks

A few weeks ago Melissa and I were walking through Ollie's, a discount store located at Main Street and Northeast 23rd Avenue here in Gainesville.  They have a large book section and I picked out The Van Gogh Deception, a 2017 teen adventure novel by Deron Hicks...for just $1.99.  I just finished reading it and thought it had all the features necessary for an exciting yarn...sympathetic protagonists, mysteries to solve, a wily and ruthless mastermind enemy, many close calls, a suspenseful ending...plus the addition of educational value as great works of art are presented as well as a guide to much of Washington, D.C. A boy is discovered in the National Gallery of Art sitting in front of a sculpture...he has no memory of his identity or why he is there.  Taken into protective custody by the police, he is handed over to Mary Sullivan, a young editor for a publishing firm, for temporary foster care.  Mary has a daughter, Camille, who herself assumes a protective role over "Art", as she calls him.  Meanwhile Dorchek Palmer, a wealthy adventurer-turned-master criminal along the lines of Superman's Lex Luther, uses his high-tech skills and henchmen to track down the young boy, who seems to be the central figure in a grand art hoax scheme with $183 million dollars at stake.  The author presents the narrative from different characters' perspectives, each section headed by the precise time and location...I liked that.  But what I liked the most about this book was how Deron Hicks inserted barcodes alongside the text whenever an art work was mentioned...using a QR reader app on my phone I was able to view the actual works on my phone screen: really cool.  And I thoroughly enjoyed the convoluted way at the end in how the story was resolved.  Two thumbs up from me on this story...I wonder what else Mr. Hicks has written...