caucus99percent

free-range politics, organic community

Had a great family campout over the 4th of July weekend, fun and food for all. Neighbors had a live band that we could hear quite well hundreds of feet away. And the locals shot off fireworks till 1:30 in the morning.
Heh, quiet time is 4 am at our farm/campground.

The Disunited Empire of America

A couple of weeks ago PR added a comment saying 250 years is the average life span of empire. I guess we've arrived. The nation is locked in perpetual war against other countries and our own citizens. The constitution is ignored especially the bill of rights. The nation seems to be under the control of Israel as a bill works its way through congress to unite the US military with Israel's. The petrodollar is on its last leg as nations around the world divest of US dollars and bonds. We're not just a nation divided, we're an empire divided. Much more below the fold...

Afternoon folks!

Let's start this weekend off with a King-size bang... first up, an album from Albert King from his Stax period, then one from B.B. King accompanied by a bunch of rock musicians and studio folks in 1971. After that we have a live album recorded in the early sixties featuring a whole bunch of Chess records blues superstars. Following that is a disc of demos, outtakes and alternates from Little Feat's Last Record Album sessions. Finishing up we move into some prog rock with a live album from the band Curved Air.

Enjoy the tunes and have a great holiday weekend!

Good morning, good people! Hope you are enjoying your holiday!

Well, I am writing this OT on my least favorite holiday, 4th of July. What saves it from being sort of disdainful to me is that it is our wedding anniversary with all accompanying antics, such as fun and frolic.

You may recall that I never, ever, identified myself as an American in any country I visited. When asked where I was from, I answered, "Texas." The US has done so much harm all over the world, so I was uncomfortable with how any foreigner might react. Certainly, I do not consider being American a bragging right. Discussing The Battle of the Alamo is much easier no matter where you are in the world.

By the age of 4, I was reading quite well, and soon became enthralled with our history. How our colonists helped Britain steal from the natives, then we rebelled, stole the stolen lands and treasure from the Brits, so when we hear Trump say the oil in Venezuela, Syria, Iran, etc..., is ours, it isn't really anything new. I was 4 years old the last time I waved a flag. We are enabling a genocide, and preventing food, water, medicine, and energy from Cuba, because those unarmed civilians are dangerous...or something. They aren't proper capitalists.

My hope for the future:

Well, it was nice while we had it...
A big majority of Gen Z apparently don't know what it is
that 'Independence Day' is supposed to be commemorating.
Which doesn't exactly bode well for the prospects of *Re-Independence*.

Although if we ever do manage that, maybe it would be a good idea to forgo the empire business and try something like something novel like a democratic constitutional republic.

Happy Friday everyone. Welcome to Friday Night Photos your once a week escape from the day to day insanity of the world we live in. Post any photos, memes, music or whatever else you find of interest that helps tune out the madness.

Two weeks ago myself along with three other members of the camera club I'm in along with members of ten other clubs were at the county fairs photo contest/exhibition representing our clubs. The contest is one of the largest in the country. This year over 4700 photos were submitted across 34 different categories of which about 1400 were selected . You can submit up to twenty photos. There is a $20 entree fee for every photo you submit. There are cash prizes for 1st-4th place for every category plus best in show. The contest is multi tiered. For tier 1 you submit a jpeg file that is judged by three judges. If your image or images are excepted you have two weeks to print, mount and mat your photos for tier 2 judging. Those that pass tier 2 muster are then hung in the exhibition hall for the length of the fair. This year the fair opened on June 10th and runs through July 5th. I'd love to show some of the outstanding photos in the contest, but photography is not allowed in the photo exhibit.
So tonight and the next few Fridays I will be posting scenes from the fair.
Tonight's focus is on animals at the fair. Some are there to entertain and some are there to be judged.

"And they're off" By far the most popular attraction are the pig races.