2/25/2025

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

D+110

1932 Austrian immigrant Adolf Hitler obtained German citizenship

1994 Israeli extremist Baruch Goldstein massacred at least 55 Palestinians at Hebron Ibrahimi Mosque, with an assault  rifle

2024 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had died fighting in the two years since Russia invaded

In bed before 9,  awake and u[ at 3;30 to put a full load of laundry into the washing machine, fill the empty humidifier, and light a log in the fireplace.  I had dozed on and off in the recliner after 8 while Geri was watching something on the TV.  As usual, my back aches in various places and my right shoulder aches.  I should receive a call today from Dr. Ryzka or one of the rheumatology nurses informing me of the results of yesterday's blood tests for the markers of inflammation, sed rate and C-reactive protein.

Prednisone, day 310, 5 mg., day 21, Kevzara, day 7/14.  2.5 mg. prednisone at 4 a.m. and at 5 p.m.  Other meds at about 8 a.m.      

At 4 a.m. I am thinking of mindfulness, mindful of the flames consuming the log in the fireplace the soft, repetitive sounds of the washing machine, the floating mist from the humidifier, and the Buddha's first fact of existence: impermanence, transience, change.

Today's task: pick up one or more Susan Crawford yard signs at the DPMC office, 2999 S. Delaware Avenue.      

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes.  Commander-in-chief and Chief Magistrate Donald J. Trump.  Director of the FBI Kash Patel.  Deputy Director of the FBI Dan Bognino.  Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.  Übermensch Elon ($400,000,000,000) Musk. 

Trump's Spoils System.  Musk gave $350,000,000 to Trump to get him elected and Trump gave the federal government to Mush in return.  Quid pro quo.  The SEC investigates and fines Musk for Tesla; Musk gets all the computer data of the SEC on his and competing firms.  FAA fines Elon Musk's SpaceX $633,000 for violations during two launches from Florida; Musk gets all the computer data of the FAA regarding his and competing firms and slashes its personnel.  The FDA has vital investigative and approval authority over Musk's Neuralink brain implants; Musk's personnel cuts included about 20 people in the FDA’s office of neurological and physical medicine devices, several of whom worked on Neuralink.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants information on all crashes involving self-driving cars, including Musk's Tesla; Musk gets all the computer data of the NHTSA, in its own firm and on competitors and cuts personnel whose duties include monitoring Tesla's safety record.

Question:  Does Musk serve at the pleasure of Trump or does Trump serve at the pleasure of Musk?

Our National Shame, Disgrace, and Embarrassment.  At the UN yesterday, the United States joined with Russia, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, Israel, Hungary, Syria, Haiti, and some others in voting against a resolution condemning Russia as the aggressor in the war in Ukraine.  The resolution was proposed by European states including the U.S.'s NATO allies.  Alexander Vindman on Morning Joe this morning asked a question I have long wondered about: what does Putin have on Trump?  His bending over backward to support Putin makes little sense.  He's getting nothing for it, while he gives away the farm to Putin.  I have long suspected that the story in the (in)famous 'Steele dossier' about Trump's 'golden shower' in a Moscow hotel, recorded by the KBG, has some truth to it.  His disgusting liaison with Stormy Daniels is consistent with it.  He is a criminal pervert. 

Semi-busy day.  I went to the HQ of the Milwaukee County Democratic Party in Bayview and picked up 2 Crawford yard signs and then took a very enjoyable ride through Bayview and the 3rd Ward to the Central Post Office to drop off mail, including the check and note to Lizzie about her volunteer work for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Later this afternoon, I prepared a pot of auliflower-bacon soup. 

Geri is undergoing some pretty painful stretches in her effort to avoid a "manipulation" of her new knee.  It's had for me to watch her suffer and harder for her to endure it, 3 to 5 times/day.