Last night, most of the United States was treated to a rare sight, the Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights.
A severe solar storm occurred yesterday at noontime, resulting in the Northern Lights being visible in North America, as far south as Texas. Even though it was visible to the naked eye, using a smartphone camera app enhanced the beautiful colors of the aurora.
Previously, during the summer, the Northern Lights were not visible until well after midnight. But last night, the colorful show began shortly after dark. The pictures I am sharing were taken between 10pm and 11pm.
In case you missed the show, I have shared some photos I took with my iPhone. I hope you enjoy them.
Photo taken by author.Photo taken by authorPhoto taken by author.
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This coming presidential election is the most critical election of our lifetime. It is unlike any other election this country has ever had. We have a former President, Donald Trump, a convicted felon who has been accused of treasonous crimes and is a known rapist, racist and pathological liar, running on the Republican ticket. His opponent is the current Vice-President, Kamala Harris, who has been a successful prosecutor and a US Senator with a long history of public service.
Presently, the race is considered to be extremely close. A candidate like Trump should never have been allowed on the ballot. It’s a disgrace for our country and the Republican Party. The race should never be this close.
Those closest to Trump, like his Vice President, Mike Pence, and most of those who served in his administration, have said he is unfit for the office of President, although Pence has not announced his support for Harris. They have stated they will not vote for him.
In an unprecedented move, Dick Cheney, the former Vice-President under George Bush and a staunch Conservative, has announced his support for Kamala Harris. His daughter, Liz Cheney, the former Conservative Republican leader in the House of Representatives, has not only announced she is voting for Harris but is also actively campaigning for her.
And they’re not the only Republicans supporting Harris. Former Representative Adam Kinzinger, former Trump Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, Pence advisor Olivia Troye, Trump’s former Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, former Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, former Bush Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and many others from the administrations of George Bush and Ronald Reagan, have also endorsed the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris.
Many other former Republican politicians have joined their colleagues in denouncing Trump and supporting Harris. This show of force and concern for our democracy is unequaled in American electoral history. These people are true patriots who are putting country over party, and courageously risking their future careers and possibly their own safety and that of their families.
My question is, where are the other leaders of the Republican Party? The ones who are so terrified of Donald Trump that they don’t have the balls to call him out for what he is. Pence is afraid to say he will support Harris because he foolishly thinks he can run for President in the future. Trump almost had him killed, and he’s still scared stiff.
Former President George Bush has remained silent, too scared to say anything against Trump, even though Trump has taken the title of the country’s worst president from Bush. Bush’s mother, Barbara Bush, should be turning over in her grave over her son’s cowardice.
Today, Republican Mitt Romney showed his yellow streak of cowardice by refusing to commit to supporting anyone in the election. He’s scared for himself and his family. Hell, he has enough money to provide 24/7 private security for every member of his family. He probably thinks he’s going to make a comeback. I have lost all respect for the man.
Trump’s longest-serving Chief of Staff, General John Kelly, has called Trump “the most flawed person he’s ever met.” He has also confirmed Trump’s many statements denigrating our American servicemen and women. Incredibly, a man with his credentials and bravery does not want to be involved in the election, even after Trump suggested the execution of his colleague General Mark Milley, Trump’s former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
It is just unbelievable that with our country in imminent danger of losing our democracy, former Republican politicians and military leaders don’t have the balls that Liz Cheney has to stand up for our country.
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In the past couple of weeks, Florida, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Tennessee have been devastated by two powerful hurricanes. Trump-supporting MAGA politicians have been quick to remind us that this devastation would not have occurred had Trump been President and was able to use his famous hurricane-averting Sharpie pen to steer the hurricane away from the US.
They also pointed out that the Biden administration has done nothing to assist the victims of the storms as FEMA monies were instead given to house illegal aliens. They observed that Biden had not been there to help in the recovery, recalling fondly how Trump tossed rolls of paper towels to the Puerto Rican victims of Hurricane Maria, smiled for his photo op, and left.
As a public service, Trump and his supporters are telling the victims they will receive no assistance from the government and not to believe any information coming from FEMA or state and local authorities. Instead, he has opened his home at Mar A Lago to those victims needing housing. He has already donated hundreds of millions of dollars of his own money to assist those who have lost everything.
As Hurricane Milton approached Florida, Republican members of Congress revealed shocking information regarding not only this storm but others that have hit states in the Southeast. They have confirmed that President Joe Biden and his government control the weather. Biden has the ability to form hurricanes and direct them toward heavily Republican areas of those states in the Southeast.
With the help of their top scientist, Marjorie Taylor Greene, they discovered that Biden had a machine to accomplish this activity. He has a weather-changing machine that can create hurricanes, tornadoes, and other environmental disasters. Global warming has nothing to do with the changes in the weather.
All Biden has to do is unlock this machine, which is secreted away in the White House basement, use his password to activate it, set the strength of the wind and the amount of rainfall to produce, and then aim it at the areas of each state with the highest population of Republican voters. Before he presses the “Start” button, he can determine how much money can be diverted from FEMA and other federal assistance programs and be given to illegal immigrants,
This revelation is undoubtedly an October Surprise and emphasizes the importance of returning Trump and his Sharpie back to the White House for the safety of Florida and other hurricane-prone states.
Image Created by Bing Image Creator. Joe Biden creating Hurricane Milton.
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I often get ideas about what to write in the middle of the night. Sometimes I remember the ideas, and sometimes I don’t. Last night, I woke up at 4 AM to pee, which is not unusual for an old guy like me with BPH. What was remarkable was that instead of an idea popping into my head regarding an idea to write about, I was thinking, why do I even write on Medium if no one pays attention to my stories?
I don’t know why I suddenly started feeling down about what I was doing. Perhaps it’s because I have spent a good deal of time in the past couple of weeks creating a newsletter. Like many on this platform, my readership and earnings have declined dramatically. Last year, at this time, I had about 200 reads daily; today, I am lucky to get 10.I attributed this to the inability of the Medium membership, especially my followers, to find what I publish. I thought using a newsletter would help my readers find my stories.
Creating the newsletter was quite tiresome, as I knew little about web design and the technology used to develop and maintain a newsletter. However, I was quite proud of myself for completing this project. But then, after sending my first newsletter to my Medium subscribers, I began to have second thoughts.
Would my present subscribers unsubscribe once they receive the email with my newsletter? Would they delete it without reading it? Would it end up in the spam folder? Did I waste a lot of time for nothing? I’m not sure.
Soon after sending the first newsletter, I received a strange, if not rude, comment on one of my stories. The commenter basically told me that my stats were low because my work wasn’t very good, and I could improve my reads by following him and reading his stories. I didn’t know how to react. Before I deleted him, I checked his profile.
He joined Medium this month and had a few hundred followers and maybe ten articles published. What was striking was that each of his stories, which could have been better, had over 1.5K claps.
I began to think of all those articles I had read that had accumulated hundreds of claps within the first couple of hours of publication. Many stories I have found as fascinating as dryer lint have also had over a thousand claps. The writers often have fewer followers than me, which causes me to wonder about my followers. I know I shouldn’t compare myself to other writers, but I am human and can’t help but question what is wrong with me.
I used to follow and subscribe to many people, but I no longer do. One in particular is a very prolific writer, publishing several times daily. I tried to read as many of his stories as I could but soon lost interest. He seemed to always talk about himself in a braggadocios manner, but somehow his stories lacked feeling. He was more of a publishing machine than a writer sharing himself.
A few writers I enjoyed reading and getting to know disappeared after continued disappointing results on this platform. One writer I used to read faithfully and commensurate with is now rarely seen. She used to be a faithful follower and reader. Others I came to know have left for reasons unknown.
I publish in only a few publications I like and feel comfortable with, and I self-publish my political articles. I have writers I follow and subscribe to, and I make it a point to read most, if not all, of their articles. I won’t mention their names because I don’t want to drop names to get a few views. But they know who they are.
They may not always write masterpieces, but what they write from the heart about themselves and what they do. Reading their stories is like having a beer or cup of coffee and shooting the shit with a friend. I’ve gotten to know them and let them get to know me. I consider them to be friends. This is what I would miss if I ever left Medium.
I have done everything I can, within the limits of my ability as what others would call a writer. When talking with friends, neighbors, or family members, I cannot bring myself to say, “I am a writer.” But I cannot find a way to make my work interesting enough for people to read. I thought creating a newsletter would help, but it’s probably just another misadventure, like my futile attempts at writing blogs on WordPress and Blogger. Maybe someday I’ll learn.
I’ll continue sending my newsletter until my free plan runs out. Who knows, maybe things will pick up. Being an opinionated old fart, I probably won’t be able to swallow my pride and throw in the towel. So, I’ll stick around and rethink what I am doing on Medium. Thank you for allowing me to vent and wallow in self-pity for a while.
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The 2024 Presidential Election is less than a month away. We’ve all heard from both candidates about their platforms. Trump is seeking revenge on his political opponents and those who will not vote for him. He also plans on mass deportation of immigrants or creating internment camps for them. His platform is retribution.
Harris, on the other hand, talks of returning Roe v Wade, offering a plan to fight the housing crisis, and plans to improve Medicare and healthcare for the middle class. Her message is uniting America and what her administration will do for you.
Trump talks of what you can do for him. Harris talks of what she can do for you. It’s pretty simple.
If you study what Trump has been doing for the past four years, you will realize why he wants you to vote for him for two reasons.
He mainly wants you to vote for him to stay out of prison. He is a convicted felon with 34 indictments to his name. He has several pending trials in his future, a couple of which could result in lengthy prison terms. If he wins, he will make them all go away. But if he loses, he most assuredly ends up with jail time.
The other reason he wants to win is a financial one. During his time in office, he and his family used the Office of the Presidency to enrich their coiffures with hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money. Because of all his legal problems, he owes millions of dollars in legal fees. He needs the Presidency to steal from the government.
So, if you can’t afford his $100,000 watches, gold sneakers, or trading cards, you can do the next best thing. You can vote for him so he can steal what money you do have.
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The statement, “The United States is the greatest country in the world,” is heard everywhere at every event and gathering. It is one of the most common comments coming from the mouths of American politicians, especially those involved in a campaign. USA! USA! We are number 1!
So, how did we become the greatest? Let’s take a look at what makes us so special.
We have freedom of religion. This is true, but there are some catches; you must be Christian, especially the Evangelical or Protestant kind. Catholics are acceptable, except for that Pope thing. Jews are permissible as long as they don’t own any big businesses. Buddhists are okay because they seem to be quite docile. Muslims, well, that’s another story.
We consider no one above the law. There are some exceptions to this idea, however. If you are wealthy, politically connected, or your name is Trump, the Supreme Court guarantees that you are above the law. Also, if you are a white male and a Republican, you, too, may be considered to be above the law. If you’re a young Black male, forget it! You don’t count.
Every American citizen over the age of 18 has the right to vote. Well, that’s almost true. If you’re a white Christian Republican male, you almost certainly have the right to vote. As it stands now, white Republican women also have the right to vote. If you are white and live in a part of the country that votes Democratic, you’re on shaky ground. You can vote for now. If you are a Black man or woman, you may vote, but you may have a great deal of trouble getting to the polls, proving you are a citizen, or confirming you are registered to vote. In the future, especially if Trump is re-elected, you probably won’t be allowed to vote.
We are the land of the free and home of the brave. Yes, we have many brave veterans who served their country and many who have given their lives to preserve our democracy. However, as far as the land of the free goes, this freedom has some exceptions. In particular, women do not have the freedom to manage their healthcare and have no reproductive rights. Their gynecological decisions are not theirs; they belong to Conservative politicians.
We are a country that welcomes immigrants. Every American is, of course, a descendant of immigrants, except for our indigenous peoples. This was true long ago, but a few minor changes have occurred. We do welcome immigrants into our country, but they have to be white, Christian Europeans. Black and Brown people, known for being criminals and mental patients, are no longer welcome.
The United States has the best healthcare in the world — if you can afford it. However, it’s also the most expensive — many Americans who go without healthcare because of the high cost end up dying. Millions more go into insurmountable debt because of their overwhelming medical bills. Along with the high cost of medical procedures, we also have the highest prescription drug costs in the world. Millions of Americans have to choose between purchasing their prescription drugs or paying for rent or groceries.
America has been known to have streets paved with gold, where everyone can aspire to the American dream of owning a home or business, having a good-paying job, and raising a family. Well, maybe for rich, white guys like Elon Musk. Today, many people can’t afford the high cost of renting a home, much less buying a house. But that’s alright; they can join the thousands on the streets of our American cities. This is good for now, but some communities are making it illegal to be homeless.
Every American can tell you we have the best educational system in the world. Our high school athletic programs are unequaled. We have the best football, basketball, and soccer teams. To ensure this, our high school coaches are among the best-paid educators in the country. At the insistence of parents, students have minimal homework to devote more time to athletics. Our math and science scores are some of the worst in the world. But hay, how about that champion football team? No one wants to be called an elite by MAGA because they are educated.
There is one aspect of our American education system that no other country experiences. We are the only country in the world where a student can leave home for school and not return alive. Yes, America is number one in mass deaths due to school shootings. But that’s okay. Trump says, “Just get over it!”
But don’t worry. Students aren’t the only ones who can die in school shootings. Because of our American love affair with guns, especially assault weapons, we all are kept on our toes. You never know whether you will come home alive from your visit to Walmart, a concert, a parade, or even church.
We can’t forget that the main reason for our greatness is our democracy. We have a democratic form of government in which the citizens elect our leaders. Well, it’s not really that democratic, especially in our presidential elections. Our president is not elected by majority vote but by an antiquated institution called the Electoral College, which is a holdover from our slave-owning days. The president is elected by the votes in about four or five states, regardless of what the rest of the country says. We’ll never get rid of the Electoral College because so many Conservatives want to go back to the days of slavery.
In short, what makes our country great is that our Declaration of Independence guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Life, for those who can afford the healthcare to stay alive or can dodge the bullets from the weapons of a mass shooter while living their life.
Liberty for those seeking the freedom to love and marry whom they choose or be who they choose to be, as long as those choices refer to straight, white Christians and not members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The pursuit of happiness is for those who wish to pursue the goals of a career, family, business, or life without government interference, except for women who want control over their own bodies.
On second thought, maybe we’re not the greatest country in the world, but we could be if we eliminated all the hate and divisiveness in our country.
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After exercising at my gym this morning, I stopped at one of our local grocery stores to pick up something for dinner. While wandering the aisles, I was again reminded of just how stupid Americans can be.
I was walking down the paper towel and toilet paper aisle when I noticed something. There were only a few rolls of toilet paper left on the shelves. Oh no, not again!
On Tuesday of this week, the Longshoremen’s Union went on strike in major ports on the Eastern seaboard. This situation would affect items imported from Europe and Asia that would not be unloaded from cargo ships. The products most affected are autos, electronics, and other consumer goods — not toilet paper! 90% of the toilet paper sold and used in the United States is produced in this country.
Of course, mentally challenged Americans acting without any reputable information or knowledge of world trade immediately crapped their pants and headed to the stores to hoard toilet paper. Panic, not seen since the pandemic!
Of course, the strike was suspended until January, after the election and new year, thanks to Joe Biden’s negotiating skills.
The American public is assured of getting all the imports from Asia and Europe right on time for the Christmas buying season. But here’s a warning: don’t eat or drink too much during the upcoming holiday season, fearing getting diarrhea. If you’re unlucky to get the runs, you’ll have to run over to the moron next door who’s hoarding toilet paper.
