Month: August 2025

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Wow!

A long exposure image of the Earth from orbit showing the Dragon capsule, the city lights appearing like streaks with the green and orange atmospheric glow, many stars in the background of space with the streak of the Milky Way and both Magellanic Clouds as large circular blobs. [source]

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They’re Worried…

…about cartoon characters when the actual AntiChrist (or at least something that so closely fits their description of said being that should be setting off alarm bells) is sitting in the Oval Office?

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A New Acquisition

Normally when I’m in working at my desk, I’m listening to music through my headphones. It’s become a bit of a problem because the wired headphones I use—unlike my Bluetooth Airpods—do not have a pass-through option, so I’m effectively cut off from the outside world when I’m wearing them. Ben hasn’t said anything, but I know he’s becoming increasingly annoyed that I’m not responding to things he’s said—from the other room—simply because I can’t hear him. So, other than not listening to music while I’m working in the office when he’s home at all, I needed to find another solution. I could have gotten a plug-in bluetooth transmitter to plug into my Minidisc player and use my Airpods, but my wired headphones sound so much better than the Airpods that really wasn’t a viable option.  The other thing I could do was to get some small powered speakers that sounded good, fit my limited desk space, and didn’t break the bank. I looked, but nothing new really reached out and grabbed me. Then I remembered the AR Powered Partners I had back in 1999…

I liked them a lot, but—as I do so often with stuff—I foolishly sold them when I’d moved on to other interests and then later come to regret it.

Since they’re long out of production, I checked on eBay to see if any were being sold, and the vast majority of ones that were available (now over twenty-five years old) looked like they’d been ridden hard. So I set up a notification to be emailed whenever new offerings went up. A couple weeks ago a pair showed up with a Buy It Now price of only $70 (normally they go for twice that in awful condition). They looked mint—or at least as mint as any piece of used electronics can look after twenty five years. The seller mentioned that they were a single-owner and had been used gently indoors.

How could I not? They arrived a couple days ago.

For being so small (relatively) I’d forgotten how heavy they were. The enclosures are cast aluminum, and the 5-inch woofers have magnets almost as big as the drivers themselves. And yes, they were absolutely mint. They had scratchy volume controls, but a quick disassembly and a squirt of De-oxit into the pots cleared that up quick enough.

How do they sound? Fab-u-lous! As good as I remember. Now I’ve just got to watch that I don’t play them too loud!

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Just Sayin’

Since all our usual shows are on hiatus at the moment, several weeks ago Ben and I started binging Gray’s Anatomy. I watched the first few seasons back in the day, but lost interest when the Izzy-Denny storyline dragged on forever.

Having made it past that point now, however, the one thing that stands out is how all the major characters end up having sex/sleeping with/coupling with each other.

Having worked for years in a hospital, I know (because I accidentally stumbled upon some In flagrante delicto occurring in a few out-of-the-way areas of the building on more than one occasion) that this goes on, but as I said to Ben the other night, “These characters are like a group of gay men in the 80s! They’ve either already fucked everyone else in the group or they’re currently fucking someone else in the group!”

I know this is how the writers generate drama for the series, but except for a few episodes when they were called out by hospital management for these trysts, it’s been largely forgotten in subsequent seasons.

To the series credit, it’s always been very gay/bi friendly, and I have to commend them for that.

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“It Doesn’t Cost Anything To Be Kind”

Alan Cumming, Bisexual actor, guest-hosting  Jimmy Kimmel Live and using the platform to speak out for transgender rights:

“America? How are you doing? No, really, how are you doing? I mean, how are you doing aside from being a country that’s just reintroduced concentration camps, taken health care away from 17 million people to give billionaires a tax cut, and also to finance an armed militia of masked men that commits heinous assorted kidnappings and crimes against humanity on a daily basis. Aside from all that, are you okay? I wouldn’t have thought so … I split my time between New York City, here in the United States and Scotland, my homeland … Yes, I am an immigrant from Scotland. Are you scared of me? I am taking an American’s job right now. But don’t worry, according to ICE I’m one of the good ones … Tonight’s show is all about superheroes. Not only are the Fantastic Four here as I said, but some of you may also remember me as Nightcrawler from the X-Men.

Of course, these superhero movies are only pretend, but I happen to believe there are actual superheroes in real life who walk among us. And these superheroes are called trans people, because just like superheroes trans people are both with something special and magical about them, and they often have to hide what’s special and magical about them from other people. Like superheroes they grow up in a society that doesn’t understand them, that makes them the other and often hates them. Like superheroes, trans people just want the world to be a safer place. And they believe we should protect each other and live our lives in peace. Like superheroes, evil billionaires want to get rid of trans people for no fucking reason whatsoever. And just like superheroes, trans people are not new. They’ve been around forever and they’re not going anywhere, no matter how much this administration tries to make you fear them.

There is no evidence that trans people are a threat to women. There is, however, ample evidence that the President of the United States publicly brags about barging into beauty pageant dressing rooms and grabbing women by their pussies. Wake up, America! Come on, millions of Americans are obsessed with his idea that trans people are attacking women in bathrooms. Do you know what trans people do in the bathroom? They poop and they pee. And I’m sure they always wash their hands afterwards. And why on Earth, this is what gets me, why on Earth would a rapist go to the bother of pretending to be trans in a country that actually treats rapists better than trans people?

Do think anyone in [The Felon’s] Administration could actually name two trans people … here in America the amount of hate crimes against trans people has risen hugely in the last year. And in Los Angeles, they’re up by 125%. Another surprising statistic? Our sitting president is a million percent more likely to be on the Epstein list than any trans person. So let’s not pretend that we’ve got our eye on the ball when it comes to sexual violence, OK, America? And how dare this president make random, unfounded accusations of sexual criminality against trans people when he was literally ordered to pay $83 million to a woman who accused him of sexual assault. It’s the pot calling the kettle black after trying to grab its handle in the changing room of a T.J. Maxx.

Trans people are far more likely to be victims of sexual assault or violence than be the perpetrators. Now, I know that some of you don’t want to look at trans people but, please America, at least force yourselves to look at the facts. There is no epidemic of attacks committed by trans people. But do you know how many people are killed every year by gun violence in this country? Over 46,000. And you’re worried about pronouns. Everyone in this country’s pronouns should be gun and control … [And] to people who repeatedly attack the trans community, why; why do you care so much? Why are you so upset by what other people do to their bodies in order to be happy? If it’s okay for the Kardashians and Elon Musk, shouldn’t it be okay for trans people? …

Even as an atheist I am a big fan of Jesus, I really am. I mean, what’s not to like? A tall, gorgeous man with great abs and flowing hair getting his feet washed by prostitutes and encouraging people to love their neighbors, all the while slaying in a loose caftan. And Jesus was an immigrant, by the way, let’s not forget. Jesus would have loved trans people. He changed water into wine. Is that not itself an act of transition? And you know how I know Jesus would have loved trans people? Because he loved people. He loved all people. And so of course he would love trans people and all queer people. I mean, Jesus was followed around at all times by twelve hot single guys. All of them also sporting caftans. You do the math. Jesus loved The Gays, America, deal with it. The only thing our current president has in common with Jesus is that they both owe their careers to their dads.

But seriously, just take a moment to realize what it must feel like to be a trans person in America today. Our government has legislated that trans people do not exist. It is trying to erase them completely. Imagine having to stockpile your essential life-saving medicine because your president might cut off access to it for no other reason than it makes him look strong to his base. If a government is going to declare that a whole group of people shouldn’t exist why can’t it be a truly dangerous group of people like those who take their socks and shoes off on airplanes and then go into the bathrooms? Why can’t it be people that use leaf blowers at unearthly hours of the morning? Why can’t it be unkind people? Which brings us back to Jesus.

Jesus just wanted us all to be kind. That’s all. So, for once America, I beg you, let’s all really try to give kindness a go. Like my little mom says it doesn’t cost anything to be kind. And I guarantee that any situation you find yourself in will go a little better with kindness. Now, speaking of kindness, despite this government’s slashing of funds for all things LGBTQ+, there are a number of great organizations out there still helping the queer and trans community, including The Trevor Project, P-Flag National, and Trans Lifeline. Please  call them if you need them and support them if you’re able. Thank you so much for listening.”

I saw this at Debra’s She Who Seeks when she posted a YouTube video of Cumming’s monologue. It was heartfelt and heartbreaking, funny and sweet , harsh and kind.

I’ve been thinking of it all week and going back to one though: be kind. What difference does it make in your life is a person is trans? Who is getting hurt by a trans person? No one; but many are hurting the trans community for no other reason than ignorance and fear spread by the current regime.

We need to stand with our trans brothers and sisters and let the tares know that, once again, they are on the wrong side of history, of life, of kindness, of Jesus, of faith, of spirituality, of hope.

Check out Alan’s full monologue at Debra’s blog—click the link above—and hear the entire speech. It’s worth it.

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Friday Madness From Jeff Tiedrich

he’s so fucking gross, and he defiles everything he puts his nasty little hands on.

it was bad enough when he tarted up the Oval Office with so much tasteless gold tat that it now looks like the gift shop of a bordello. you could have sent a child in there, armed with macaroni, glue, and a can of gold spray paint, and they would have done a more tasteful job.

tell me, how broken-inside do you have to be to gaze upon a historic and beautifully-curated rose garden and think ‘nah, let’s pave right the fuck over that shit’?

Donny, we’re told, wants the White House grounds to look more like his seedy little Florida golf motel. why? he’s down at Motel-a-Lago almost every weekend. does he really get that homesick the four days of the week he’s up in Washington, that he needs to turn the White House into some sterile parking lot?

does Donny want to be able to look out the Oval Office window, and there’s the Space Nazi, high as two ketamine-soaked kites, sitting on the patio where the Rose Garden used to be, piloting Forkship One to Mars?

nobody asked for this — and yet it’s being shoved in all of our faces, because fuck you, that’s why. nobody tells America’s Mad King what he can or can’t do.

now get ready to projectile vomit, because Little Donny Fuckface isn’t done shitting all over what we used to — in more innocent times — call The People’s House.

look at this abomination.

nobody asked for this, but Donny’s going to burn through two hundred million dollars in his quest to bulldoze the White House and replace it with a gaudy golf motel.

and I mean that quite literally — because I hear you asking ‘hey Uncle Jeff. ninety thousand square feet is larger than a football field. how is a ballroom of that size going to fit in the current White House?’

the answer is, it’s not.

the plan is to something-something-something the 55,000-square-foot East Wing and who the fuck knows what after that. if you want actual details, forget about it — because as usual, nobody in the White House can get their stories straight.

here’s Karoline Lie-vitt’s version.

The ballroom will be built where the “small, heavily changed, and reconstructed East Wing currently sits,” Leavitt said Thursday during a press briefing. When asked if crews would tear anything down to make way for the new structure, Leavitt said “the East Wing is going to be modernized.”

that’s complete nonsense. you can’t put a 90,000-square-foot ballroom where the 55,000-square-foot East Wing currently sits without tearing something down.

math, how does it work?

and here’s Donny’s version.

“It won’t be— it’ll be near it, but not touching it, and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” Mr. Trump said.

so which is it, you ass-clowns? is it going to replace the East Wing, or be near it?

by the way, here’s another artist’s rendition of the new ballroom.

oh no, wait — I’m sorry, that’s an actual photo of the Kremlin.

again, nobody asked for this. you can’t have healthcare, but Donny’s going to set fire to two hundred million dollars in his compulsive crusade to replicate his vermin-infested golf motel.

what’s next for the White House, Donny? hey, how about a spa? just think of it, bro — a vulgar golden spa, complete with teenage “spa girls,” just like the kind you and your dead pedo bestie used to fight over.

Donny won’t be happy until he’s shit all over everything we hold dear. one by one, he’s taken our once-sacred institutions and clownfucked them until they were worthless.

remember the Presidential Medal of Freedom? it used to be the highest honor that our nation could bestow on a civilian.

no more. now it’s that cheap trinket the president’s Slovenian trophy wife hung around the neck of some drug-addled sex-tourist.


Donny’s also made a mockery of our legal system. he’s used his presidential powers to pardon cronies, murderers and war criminals.

nobody should be surprised if he pardons the woman who used to wander the Motel-a-Lago spa rooms in search of teenage girls she could traffic for Donny’s dead pedo bestie.

speaking of which, the hornet’s nest Donny kicked when he let slip that he and Jeffrey Epstein fought over possession of those ‘spa girls’ shows no sign of going away.

yesterday, at a White House event for who the fuck even cares, the only thing the reporters wanted to talk about was you-know-what.

eporter: “the family of Virginia Giuffre released a statement overnight in response to some of the comments that you made this week, that Jeffrey Epstein ‘stole’ people from Mar-a-Lago. at the time, did you know why he was taking those young women, including Virginia Giuffre?”

Donny: “no, I didn’t know. I mean, I would figure it was ABC fake news that would ask that question, one of the worst.”

oh, so a fact that Donny let seep out of his rancid anus-mouth two days ago — that Virginia Giuffre was ‘stolen’ (she wasn’t your possession, Donny) — now, all of a sudden it’s ‘fake news’?

news flash for Donny: you’re the one who put the story out there, dumb-ass.

Does anyone besides the brain-dead cultists really believe that Donny didn’t know what Epstein was up to? what the fuck was that birthday poem about sharing ‘wonderful secrets’ all about?

was it Jeffrey Epstein’s recipe for the perfect bloody mary? was that the ‘wonderful secret’? I don’t think so.

don’t piss on our heads and tell us it’s raining, Donny.

now let’s all enjoy Donny concluding his hissy-fit and walking smack into his podium.

fun fact: one of the signs of advancing dementia is the inability to move around without bumping into things.

here are your heroes of the day: the Swedish state-owned energy company Vattenfall, who hired Samuel L. Jackson to star in a commercial entitled “Motherfucking Wind Farms.”

enjoy.

this is going to be my closing message for the foreseeable future:

practice self-care. do what you need to do to keep sane. if that means you need to disengage with my daily posts for a while, I get it. this community of ours will still be here when you return.

to all the people who have signed on in the days since the election, welcome aboard. settle in as we all try to deal with the shitfuckery that’s ahead of us.

we are all in this together, and we are all here for each other.