I intended to avoid politics this week.
CNN posted a great video in their daily 5 things news update of a festival in Aomori Japan. Nebulas are paper floats created for the annual festival. The float is 30 feet wide and 15 feet tall and consists of colored paper on a fine wire frame elegantly backlit. For over 300 years the men of the area have created these works of art for the festival which concludes with a tremendous fire works display and celebration. This last year a young woman who learned the skill from her father and is the first female nebula creator won the contest. Women in the past were not believed to have the “strength” to handle the challenge. The young women said, “it was a big surprise.” I am guessing the first women to earn the vote in our country share that sentiment.
I have always held a fascination for the praying mantis. The stick like green ones I see in my yard with the heads that swivel 180 degrees, bug eyes, and the apparently praying hands. The kids and grandchildren go out of their way to protect them and praise them for eating so many irritating insects like mosquitoes, aphids, crickets and grasshoppers. Much to my surprise they are a voracious carnivore and can also eat spiders, frogs, lizards, and even small birds. It was interesting to discover that up to 28% of males are eaten by their partners after mating. There are over 2400 species and most rely on “ambush” to catch their prey while a few others are true stalkers and hunters. Much to my surprise, they are not all green and some are large and colorful to match their surroundings. Not to worry, the mantis is not poisonous and they do not sting. So many interesting and interconnected things in our eco system that we put at risk each day.
Ok, a quick take on our Fearless leader. This week he has outdone himself on inflammatory and mostly false comments. I am guessing, someone has turned them into a song by now, but I have not heard it yet. So just some snippets; thugs on a plane, defending a young shooter in Kenosha, pointing out paintballs and pepper spray would not kill the Black Lives Matter protesters in Portland, comparing Jacob Blakes shooting by a police offer “to choking a three foot putt”, Vote more than once, people you have never heard of are controlling Joe, and the Democrats will destroy the suburbs. No Republican leaders want to comment, except Mitt Romney who critiqued his words as “jaw dropping.” If the wing nut on staff who is espousing herd immunity for COVID is not frightening enough, breaking news last night gave us a look into what Fearless really thinks of those brave and selfless Americans in our military. Fearless will deny it—his John McCain slurs suggests it is true. For all that is just, we must 8645.
Enjoy the Labor Day weekend. We recall and honor the social and economic achievements of American workers. Seems like we need to rededicate our country to the social and economic justice described by our founders. Please vote once and thoughtfully.
Mike