Why should Trump wash his mouth with soap…

In English speaking countries, washing out one’s mouth with soap is a time-tested physical punishment that consists of wedging a bar soap into a person's mouth so that, Donald Trump, in that instance, will bite it, taste it and ingest it in a one-of-a-kind effort to change his communication style. 

It would be a symbolic "cleansing" following each one of his infractions and as well as a deterrent, due to the foul aftertaste. When corporal punishment was still permissible, it was commonly used as a means to enforce child discipline at home or at school, and was more frequently employed by mothers than fathers. Since it leaves a disgusting and lasting taste in one’s mouth, this punishment still has advocates today. 

This form of punishment was especially common in the United States and United Kingdom from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century. It was often used as a response to profanity, lying, biting, tobacco use, or verbal disrespect. It diminished considerably in recent years, in favor of discipline methods sometimes even more violent or humiliating. 

For sure, a quality politician is first and foremost an excellent sales person, a skill that Trump sorely lacks.

In the unlikely event that Harris and Trump ever debate, she should offer that soapy therapy to the aging candidate, not to mention the unique picture of the ex-president foaming at the mouth, by making certain an 18 wheeler following the campaign and loaded with bars of soap, keeps up with the impressive volume of foul names, lies, and other expletives uttered by the old man.

Good job, Republican Jerome Powell!

For a very long time, yet without much evidence, I have been suspecting that Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve, was playing politics by waiting to lower interest rates when inflation was on its way down, especially considering that 1) He’s of Republican persuasion and 2) We’re on the eve of a Presidential election that the Republicans don’t want to lose. 

As our country could now be tilting into a full-blown recession, my suspicions were confirmed as Powell is now under fire as critics accuse him of playing politics with the economy by maintaining high interest rates despite clear signs, for a long time now, that inflation is waning. 

Economists, Democratic members of congress and various watchdog groups are clearly suggesting that the Fed’s lack of action may be more about influencing the 2024 presidential election than doing what’s good for the US economy.

Back on November 2, 2017, knowing that it’s not good to have a fox in the chicken coop, then President Donald Trump, replaced the Democrat Janet Yellen with the Republican Jerome Powell, to run the Fed. 

Not nearly as smart and wanting to be seen as a “good guy”, Biden announced on November 22. 2021, his intent to nominate Jerome Powell for a second term as Chair of the Federal Reserve. Now, you can understand why Powell has applied his “too little, too late” policy to help as much as he could his fellow Republicans make Biden look bad and lay the blame on him for a lousy economy. 

I only hope that, if elected, Kamala will tell Jeremy to go away and enjoy his retirement benefits!

My advice to Kamala Harris

Recently, Donald Trump (DT) began attacking Kamala Harris (KH), the new presumptive Democratic nominee, by using words like “dumb as a rock”, “bum”, “laughing stock” or “phony” among other expletives, and that left me wondering as to what the best response would be to these demeaning qualifiers.

Initially, I was of the opinion that the best answer to these gratuitous insults should be reciprocated in kind, but after thinking about it, there’s a better way to address Trump’s foul mouth and this is how it could unfold, should Trump ever muster the courage to debate with Harris as it has been abundantly talked about. 

KH: There's something that has always mystified me, Donald, do you want to know what it is? 

DT: Go ahead ka-mah-la, fire up! 

KH: Your Mom, I heard, was a very classy lady. I’m sure she told you that, in order to really succeed in life you ought to be polite at all times and she set a wonderful example for you. Why is it then that you feel compelled to use derogatory language when you talk about your political opponents? 

DT: What are you talking about ka-mah-la? 

KH: Well, when you have these rallies with thousands of people attending, you constantly say “Crooked Biden” or “Kamala Harris is dumb as a rock”, “a bum” or even a “phony”. We Democrats refrain from using this kind of language that we feel belongs to the gutter. Is you memory going so bad that you’ve forgotten your Mom’s admonitions about using decent and respectful language? I’d like to know? 

DT: When leftists like you are going to take the country over and disenfranchise hard-working Americans, you leave me with no other choice! 

KH: Have you ever considered that you might have a vocabulary deficit? You still could get tutored for that, it’s not complicated and pretty affordable for a billionaire like you! 

DT: You see how nasty you’re getting ka-mah-la! KH: Well I shouldn’t be given all that free advice to an opponent, but you’ve done so much damage to your image by using disrespectful language that you’d need at least another full electoral campaign to get a smidgen closer to me… 

DT: This reek of communist propaganda, ka-mah-la! You should be called out for election interference! 

KH: Let’s continue debating the real issues, Donald, but before we change subject, I’m sure your Mom also told you that you’d catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!

Scorpion Trump and the voting Frog

Today’s blog is about that famous Russian tale, called “The Scorpion and the Frog”. It’s in fact an animal fable that teaches us how very vicious people can’t resist hurting others even when it is not even in their own interests. This fable sometimes attributed to Aesop, seems to have emerged in Russia in the early 20th century. I have allowed myself to recast it into America’s modern ages. Here it is, I hope you enjoy it!

Scorpion Trump wanted to cross the large Democracy River but since he couldn’t swim, he asked a Democrat frog to carry him across. The Dem frog responded “Do you know who you’re talking too? I may not look smart, but I’m poles apart from your deplorable supporters!” 

A MAGA-Republican frog swimming down river, was asked the same question by Scorpion Trump, but it declined, saying, “I’m taking my kids to their swimming lesson, and I’m already running late. But if you have no ride when I return, I’ll be honored to help you…” 

A few moments pass, and an Independent frog shows up ready to cross the river. Also asked to give Scorpion Trump a ride, it hesitated initially, afraid that the scorpion might sting it smack in the middle of the waterway, but the scorpion promises not to, pointing out that he will cancel Obamacare, cut taxes and get the country out of Ukraine if the unconvinced frog gives him a ride and that it would drown if it killed the frog in the middle of the river anyway. 

The Independent frog, always “on the fence” considers this argument sensible and agrees to transport Scorpion Trump across the body of water. Midway across the river, Trump gets the urge to sting the frog, dooming them both. 

In an ultimate breath the dying frog asks Trump: “Why did you sting, asshole, despite knowing the consequence?, to which Scorpion Trump replies: "I am sorry, but I couldn't resist the urge. It's in my nature!”

Why don’t we all boycott X (Twitter)

I used to admire Elon Musk, I even bought the car he makes, but in July 2023, after he bought Twitter and overtly became pro-Trump, I canceled my “X” account. I naively thought that Musk’s weirdness would generate a huge exodus towards other platforms, but it never happened, and to this day, I wonder why there hasn’t been a boycott of X. 

In fact, there might be reasons for it despite concerns about Elon Musk's behavior and decisions. First, there’s the matter of user habits, as the effort required to switch platforms or completely disengage from one like X can deter people from boycotting. 

Then, there’s the platform’s critical mass that becomes more valuable as more people use it. X/Twitter as a private company claims to have “200 to 250 million” daily active users across the world. . No similar site comes even close. 

Many users feel that they must stay on Twitter to keep in touch with friends, follow news, or engage with communities, making it harder to leave. Another point is where to go if one leaves? While there are alternative platforms, not all users find them appealing or effective for their needs. 

I must also recognize that people aren’t all like me, and have varying opinions on Musk's behavior and decisions. Some may feel that their individual actions, such as boycotting, won’t have much impact on the company or its leadership, leading them to stick to the platform. 

As importantly, social media is a source of entertainment and engagement and it’s not because some may disagree with certain behaviors that they’ll drop the platform. Unless there is a well orchestrated boycott led by influential personalities, after Musk pushes things one bridge too far, X or Twitter will continue its merry way. 

Too bad for me, but sometimes that’s what happens when one’s opinion isn’t part of the majority! Nov 10 2011

Smoking is unhealthy and I know it!

Today’s air quality index (AQI) in Park City is around 90 and according to specialists it’s the equivalent of smoking 2 cigarette for the day. 

There are currently close to 80 fires in our surrounding western states and our surrounding air has been smoky for over a week. So if you figure it out, I have smoked the entire virtual pack! We shouldn’t exercise outdoors, but we do it anyway, so starting tomorrow, we’ll try to wear a mask. 

Will it filter micro-particles? Don’t bet on it, but I’m pretty sure that we’ll feel healthier. In the meantime, Congress is considering renaming the Rocky Mountains to the Smoky Gauloises Range!

 

A pivotal job interview

Some pun is intended there, as a huge part of Look’s success and reputation has resided for a long time with its ski binding “pivot” turntable design. 

This said, some 50 years ago, I just made the long journey from Montriond, my home village, to Nevers, a boring town smack in the center of France, driving over 5 hours for a job interview that would turn my life around. The position was something I badly needed, the pay was good, almost $10,000 a year, big money for France back in 1974, so I took the job as it was offered to me! 

In hindsight though, I now realize that I should have done more due diligence and, at the very least, drove an extra 7 hours to Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, in order to meet René Plancherel, my predecessor in the job to get a first-hand account of what the job entailed, what was really going on with Look, why he had left the job and what was lurking for me around the corner. 

In those days, ski binding manufacturers like Look and Salomon were fierce competitors and had Swiss racing directors (Lausanne’s Jean-Lou Sarbach worked for Salomon), which facilitated payments made to French or Italian racers on Swiss bank accounts.

Had such a meeting been possible and the late Plancherel willing to talk, I would have learned a hell of a lot, even though I’m pretty sure I’d have taken the job anyway. Something to remember in case of reincarnation!