Russia Invades Ukraine, Film Festivals & "Pvt. Ravel's Bolero"

My antiwar film, "Pvt. Ravel's Bolero" has an interesting evolution which I'm detailing in my book of the same or similar name:

“Pvt. Ravel's Bolero - Film Companion Book History, Form & Structure in the Antiwar Filmic Poem & Historical Documentary" I'm hoping to finish it soon. I am this day finishing up the DVD version of the film and it will soon be released exclusively on a streaming service I recently started with two other indie filmmakers called, "ThrilzTV.com". Pop over and sign up for a free month. If you like it, stick around. It's only $4.99/month! And we ARE going to evolve beyond a streaming indie video channel in support of our indie filmmaking community. 

But this is really a story about my submitting my film to film festivals and in particular, a Russian festival. It was in the week's leading up to and including Russia's ludicrous invasion of Ukraine, all due to their sad, ill, despotic leader, Vladimir Putin, a once middling KGB agent, how apparently had a bruised ego.

My history with Russia goes back to my interest in espionage. It began in high school and the Irish "Troubles" (I'm Irish on my dad's side) which I later transferred into curiosity about US/Soviet relations. In studying that, it led me quite obviously and reasonably into UK/Russia relations history for the past 100 years of their involvement with and against one another. 

Britain found it had to teach America about Soviet espionage leading up to WWII, as we were quite ignorant and disbelieving about things London would tell us. SO they painstakingly updated and educated us on what they'd learned about Soviet tactics, and their long term active measures against other countries, and their disinformation techniques.

This led our "Wild" Bill Donovan, head of our OSS fame being questionably (illegally?) involved in the ABC group of America, Britain and Canada. Eventually, after the war the OSS became the CIA. But in studying this history for decades, considering going into the business myself, entering the USAF with a security clearance for nuclear weapons and signing up with the OSI (Office of Special Investigations, their FBI), I learned a lot.

"When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Donovan, then a major, organized and led the famed 1st Battalion of the 69th New York Volunteers (the original “Fighting Irish,” and which, after the unit was federalized, was redesignated the 165th Regiment of the 42nd Division). He was soon promoted to lieutenant colonel, and his unit arrived in France in October 1917, ready for action." - America's Spymaster, from Warfare History

When in the 1990s I noticed Newt Gingrich started using old Soviet KGB disinfo tactics, the GOP had begun its long decline into autocracy. It was frightfully obvious to me in that decade that something untoward was going on with our Republican Party. Full disclosure, I was raised in my mother's liberal, Teamsters Union family. But I had always had a good head for what was right and fair between human beings, since before I was able to speak.

At some point I left the USAF, got a couple of degrees, started a family and realized I not going into that business after all. But I had learned a lot. I decided I had apparently wasted my time for decades assimilating a vast amount of useless knowledge. Then the "Iron Curtain" fell. I abandoned all those thoughts, thinking I had wasted much effort on useless knowledge. 

Until the 1990s played themselves out and I saw oddly similar things happening, not in Russia, but right here at home in America. I had experienced some of the right wing's white Christian nationalism while in the USAF in Spokane, in Eastern Washington, which I felt was more akin to Idaho (or eastern Oregon) where many from the beaten south after the Civil War had fled to. 

More like Idaho (or was Idaho more like eastern Washington?), than the western side of the Cascade Mountains where I had grown up in Tacoma and around Mt. Rainier. One of my degrees is from Western Washington University in Bellingham, near Canada's Vancouver (love it up there!). So when I heard the leader of the "Church of Our White Christian Heritage" up from Georgia spewing hatred in a chapel in he back hills of Idaho one day, about how Vancouver, BC was a "cesspool of humanity", I was shocked. My wife was terrified. A guy on base had invited us, he drove, surprised us in leaving Washington state for church and needless to say, we didn't go back.

When I left the USAF, I read up on these neo-Nazi loving "Christians" and was shocked at what was going on, right here at home in America (Ruby Ridge, Waco, Oklahoma City bombing, and so on). And how Oregon had been home to some very questionable types I won't go into here. 

Needless to say, I retained my fascination with Russia (and let's not forget Ireland, which I visited for my 60 birthday back in 2015). So when Putin took over, I easily realized it couldn't be good for Russia (for earth?), for a KGB agent to take be handed the reins by a predecessor criminal and alcoholic, as leader of a broken State such as the old USSR. Especially considering the agreement was Putin would protect Boris Yeltsin and his family for all his crimes as Russia's leader in having plundered their coffers. Just as Putin has done and now worries about leaving his position. As trapped in power and Russia it trapped under him.

So thoughts of submitting a work of mine (especially an antiwar film) to Russia, to Moscow, carried a lot of baggage for me. Needless to say, it was a somewhat entertaining notion to me. But I had no idea how it would end up, as so much Russian culture does, as involved and bittersweet as it would turn out.

It all started with that email, from Moscow... 

Wednesday, February 17, 2022:
"Hi, I’m representer of Fox International Film Festival. We heard a lot about your great work "Pvt. Ravel's Bolero". We would like to invite you to take part in our festival."

I checked them on FilmFreeway where I usually submit my films through. Their profile page there said their were a Moscow/Rome film festival. First time I ever saw that. Twin cities...with Russia. OK. Cool. Whatever. I have a long history with Russia since it was the Soviet Union (USSR). I had studied their disinformation techniques and history of espionage along with that of the UK and America (and somewhat therefore, Canada, as in the "ABC" secret America, Britain, Canada during and leading up to WWII).

February 18, 2022
I entered my antiwar historical documentary/filmic poem film "Pvt. Ravel's Bolero", to their festival being held in Moscow (with an associated event indicated in Rome).

Tuesday, February 24, 2022
Russia invaded Ukraine.

My film ends, end credits run, then a list of all "Wars on Earth" scrolls on, seemingly forever. The day Russia invaded Ukraine, I added one last war. So when it played in Moscow, that would be seen on the screen. They would have to know that in reviewing the film so to put it on screen would be a conscious decision. I doubted they would play it, or select it. I felt I had quashed my chances at winning an award, or even being selected. 

I really wouldn't blame them. But maybe they would appreciate just seeing it in watching it, judging it, privately as we do as film festival judges. As I've done myself in our Gorst Underground Film Festival, Kelly Hughes and I founded some years ago. It would take some kind of bravery under the dictator Putin to chance that kind of thing. But there are more Russian patriots that one might think. As happens in any country over twenty years under oppression. Would I have done something like that when the sexual predator and criminal Donald Trump was POTUS45 (or POTUS47 for that matter)? Absolutely. But to be fair, it's no where (yet) near the same thing.

Kelly and I, along with Tony Green in Montreal, Canada have started ThrilzTV streaming indie video channel. It's pretty cool. An indie streaming channel by and for indie film types. Utterly no bearing on anything I'm talking about here. I just thought I'd mention it. It's been a lot of work, but it's coming along well, and you will hopefully hear about it more in the future. And not just from me.

I guess I mention that because I mentioned Kelly. So I should mention Tony. And I'm talking about these two films of mine, both of which are now going to be on ThrilzTV, exclusively with "Pvt. Ravel's Bolero" to become available on there soon after a lot of promotion and hoopla (hopefully, the hoopla, not the availability as it's GOING to be available there).

Tuesday, February 24, 2022:
"Hi, dear JZ Murdock! Congratulations from FIFF team, as your work was selected to the second part of our December-January 2022 programme. Your work was something special and our jury was really excited watching it! We would like to inform you that in addition to being successful in your chosen categories, our jury has recommended you the following categories in which they think your work can be successful as well:
"Best War Film"
Good luck in the final part of our October-November 2021 programme!
With love, the FIFF team!"

Wow. No kidding? I found that brave of them. A statement perhaps against Putin's Kremlin in general. Especially since the last words of the film seen on screen are: "Putin's Folly" 2022

So I was up for "Best War Film" that Friday, on February 27, 2022. They thought that my film, THAT film... would play in Moscow? Even after Russia had invaded Ukraine? That, was pretty bold. I was having fond feelings for them.

Alas, in the end, I received only Official Selection. But thinking it was played in Moscow after Russia invaded a neighbor for no good reason was reward enough.

Plus, it allowed me to email Symbiotic Film Festival in Kyiv to tell them about this as it played out. I've talked about this before, like when it was happening. I wrote a blog about it.

Thursday, January 13, 2022:

Symbiotic emailed me requesting I submit my film noir, "Gumdrop", a short horror (trailer). 

Monday, February 23, 2022:

FilmFreeway:

Dear JZ,

Congratulations!

Symbiotic Film Festival has updated the Judging Status of your submission "Gumdrop", a short horror to Selected.

"Gumdrop", a short horror

Selected

Project has been selected to be included in festival!"

Wednesday 26, 2022:

Email to Symbiotic Film Festival:

"I'm hoping as we all are that you are all safe.

I just wanted to mention, my film, "Pvt. Ravel's Bolero", an anti war film, filmic poem/documentary was just given official selection by Fox International Film Festival in Russia, and they also nominated it as  "Best War Film", which I take as a form of support for Ukraine, if not also a form of dissent against what is going on. 

The world watching and is with you and pushing for ever more to be done to help you.

Slainte! May this all end soon and in your favor!"

I never heard from them again. But it is rewarding to see that they are still listed on FilmFreeway and their website is still up.

I only wish the same could be said for the Fox International Film Festival who had shifted their home reference only to Rome. Their listed website URL from before is not online and their listing on FilmFreeway is now gone:

.

I wish them well and can only hope my own response against their criminal leader Putin's illegal war in Ukraine did not adversely affect or cost them any difficulties. I'm not vain enough to think it had, but under a regime like that, anything is possible. Though I see a reference to them on someone's Twitter posting from last Friday, May 12th, 2023. I can only assume this is the Rome festival location.

What does make me happy is that the Symbiotic Film Festival seems to be alive and well. They are still today listed on FilmFreeway as being in Kyiv and their website and Twitter are up! Though their website is only updated through last year, their FilmFreeway listing indicates July 31, 2023 as their event date for this year's festival.

I wish them all well! Both festivals.

And now "Pvt. Ravel's Bolero" will be exclusively on "ThrilzTV.com". It's only 28 minutes long. But it packs a punch. Which explain why it's winning all these awards, I suppose. 

I wish you all well. We'll need it!

Cheers! Sláinte!

June 1, 2023 update:

Since multi award winning "Pvt. Ravel's Bolero" is ONE, an antiwar documentary about WWI, I'm not surprised Moscow rejected it here in this festival, since...TWO, the last phrase in the entire film, after a long scrolling list of all wars on earth, is:
"Putin's Folly 2022" for the Ukraine war he instigated.
I so wanted to be impressed by them. But I also understand.
And I should be even more impressed that the Fox International Film Festival in Moscow in Feb. 27, 2022 did play it.
I have one final festival Moscow Film Party coming up, then I'm done there... Notification Date: June 20, 2023

About ThrilzTV.com - New Streaming Indie Video Channel by 3 Indie Filmmakers

I have been working since late last year on a new project, ThrilzTV! A streaming indie video channel. Thought bubble of Tony Green, in Montreal, who pulled in Kelly Hughes here in our PNW where together after a lot of work and a couple of false starts, we recently went live. We're building something very special here that you can get in on the beginning of, something very interesting, very unique, where you can help to make it all that it can, and will be.

We are three indie filmmakers who got together and started the Thrilz streaming indie video channel, one we could be proud of, offering a place for others like us. When Amazon Prime recently dumped a lot of indie filmmakers' films, where would they go? 

Who are we?

Tony Green - Tony is an indie film director with a long history in the recording industry who resides in Montreal, Canada.

Kelly Wayne Hughes - Kelly is an indie film director and event creator (Gorst Underground Film Festival, Slash Night Monthly Indie Film Night (which COVID-19 killed off), and other events) residing in Port Orchard, Washington. He lives across Sinclair Inlet from JZ, which hosts the massive Bremerton Naval Shipyard.

JZ Murdock - JZ is an indie film director, author, writer, and event creator (along with Kelly, with their Gorst Underground Film Festival and Slash Night Monthly Indie Film Nights, in Gorst & Bremerton, Washington respectively).

Our goal? To support our indie filmmaker community, their films, and fans. All are welcome, but not all may see it as their cup of tea. What we're not? Hollywood. Bollywood, Nollywood, or any "wood" other than the woods we frequent off the beaten path.

Does that mean we're bad? Naw...not at all. Just: Raw...Indie...Cinema! As we evolve over time, bringing to light more and more of what is missed and unseen out there, and needs to be brought into the light. There is so much interesting media out there, media that no one will ever see, all because it's not vastly overmarketed by a massive machine of business and the film industry.

We are Indie!

We are...ThrilzTV!

About

Welcome to ThrilzTV, your go-to streaming channel destination for thrilling movies and TV shows! Our channel features a wide selection of action, suspense, and horror movies, TV series, and some unique oddities and we support our indie filmmaker community. 

YouTube / Twitter / Tumblr / Instagram / Facebook / Reddit

At ThrilzTV, we offer exclusive access to hard-to-find movies and TV shows, as well as behind-the-scenes content and interviews with your favorite actors.

Our Mission:

ThrilzTV is an indie movie channel built by a team of passionate filmmakers who believe in the power of storytelling to inspire, entertain, and educate. Our mission is to showcase the best in independent filmmaking and provide a platform for emerging filmmakers to share their unique perspectives and stories with a global audience. We are committed to promoting diversity, inclusivity, and authenticity in storytelling and are dedicated to creating a community that celebrates creativity, innovation, and collaboration. With ThrilzTV, we aim to redefine the indie movie-watching experience and provide a space where filmmakers and movie lovers can come together to connect, learn, and grow.

What are we?

ThrilzTV is the ultimate destination for independent filmmakers, dedicated fans, and avid viewers seeking an electrifying streaming experience. Created by a dynamic trio of passionate indie filmmakers, our platform is designed to celebrate and uplift the indie community while providing an immersive space for unique storytelling and thrilling cinematic adventures.

At ThrilzTV, we understand the indomitable spirit of independent filmmaking and the boundless creativity it embodies. Our mission is to empower and showcase emerging talent, giving them a platform to share their extraordinary visions with a global audience. We believe that independent films possess a raw authenticity, pushing boundaries and challenging conventions, and we are committed to giving these captivating stories the spotlight they deserve.

For Filmmakers - ThrilzTV serves as a launchpad for careers, a showcase of a place where their cinematic dreams can take flight. We provide a supportive environment where artists can connect, collaborate, and find inspiration, nurturing a vibrant community that thrives on innovation and originality. Our commitment to filmmakers extends beyond the screen, offering resources, mentorship programs, and opportunities to connect with industry professionals, empowering them to reach new heights in their artistic endeavors.

For Fans - To our dedicated fans and viewers, ThrilzTV offers a captivating selection of indie films that will leave you on the edge of your seat, captivated by their rich narratives and breathtaking visuals. Whether you're a lover of intense thrillers, thought-provoking dramas, mind-bending sci-fi, or heartwarming indie gems, our curated library will satisfy your cravings for exceptional storytelling. Join us on a cinematic journey that transcends traditional boundaries, where creativity knows no limits.

We invite you to immerse yourself in the world of ThrilzTV and become a part of our thriving indie community. From engaging interviews with visionary filmmakers to exclusive behind-the-scenes content, we go beyond just streaming films, providing a holistic experience that celebrates the art of filmmaking. Join the conversation, connect with like-minded enthusiasts, and explore the endless possibilities that the indie film world has to offer.

Together, let's redefine the boundaries of cinema, supporting indie filmmakers and fostering a thriving community that believes in the power of storytelling. ThrilzTV is here to entertain, inspire, and ignite your passion for indie films. 

Welcome to the electrifying world of ThrilzTV – where indie cinema comes to life!

RAW INDIE CINEMA!

Walkabout Thoughts #34

My thoughts, Stream of consciousness, rough and ready, while walking off long Covid and listening to podcasts…

Weather for the day… 60 degrees and light clouds, lots of blue sky

Podcast for the day podcast “Pod Save America“ episode, "MAGA King v. RINO Loser."

Instagram post for the day

So, still working on our streaming network, ThrlzTV. We're uploading more movies every day. Some very interesting ones. One investor I'm told just said some of the movies we have he can't seem to find anywhere else. Lots of oddities and fun stuff. We just started something we've wanted to do, planned to do, actually. Only two films in it right now but we have plans for more. Plans to shoot some films ourselves, or eventually to fund producing them. 

Right now in our "Thrilz Exculusives" category there's only two. Indie director Kelly Hughes' film, "It's Not The House It's My Mother": "After a childhood spent in a mental hospital, a young woman returns home. A doctor uses unconventional therapy to help the woman unlock the mystery of her past, unknowingly unleashing an evil force created by the mother years before."

And an award winning  film I made based on a true crime I wrote a horror story about years ago, that I had learend about in my abnormal psyche class at Western Washington University toward earning my psychology degree. The short horror story is, "Gumdrop City" (it's an audiobook, an ebook, and in a book). 

It's also the second movie in that category on Thrilz now: "Gumdrop", a short horror (as with Kelly's film, if you can't watch it it's because you need a subscription, but you can see the poster, anyway). We will be adding more filmmakers indie movies as time goes on.

There's a short I shot previous to this film, "The Rapping" (think Edgar Allen Poe, not music). I used a piece in this film. I thought I might put that up also. It's kind of cool to see a piece like that. If you've ever seen a film where they made a short to show on a TV in the film, and wanted to see the rest of that short, this is that kind of situation. It's only eight minutes long. 

I shot it as a test to see if I could do it. Figured I could, and I did. But it laid the groundwork for getting back into film. Which led to "Gumdrop" and some awards. Which led to "Pvt. Ravel's Bolero" which led to many more awards. I'll probably put that up on the service at some point in our "Thirlz Exclusives" category of films you can't see anywhere else..

So, you're up to date on that.

Now, this is a great podcast from Thursday, last.

"Hi...you look like my old cat Stanley?" Sorry I just walked by a cat sitting on top of a car with a street side…

Anyway the podcast is taking an aside, talking about shows to watch. Dan says he's gotten into watching Liaison. Hey, I just started watching that, on Apple+. He said it's like The Bureau, they're trying to claim some of that feeling. I watched that too. Liked it very much. Then Jon said he's watching "Shrinking". Love that show too! With Harrison Ford. Who said he liked it and watned to do it because the dialog was some of the best writing he's ever seen. 

Moving on, now they're pointing out the differences between Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, and their running for POTUS in 2024.

I know I know, it’s ludicrous to think that either of these clowns would run for president (or worse, get elected), but you may be surprised by this… Donald Trump actually WAS president... for Four Years!
Impeached twice however, so...

I know I know… Amazing, right? But what are you gonna do? Some peoples children. Right? There’s just no comprehending how such a weak person is, as so many “strongmen“ are, or how people can’t see that at all.

I see, when I look at Donald Trump, as a weak man, a pathetic man, a very sad man, and a man whose family is very sad because of him, and very sad in the public eye. At least those of us who have an eye that is open, those of us who aren’t shortsighted, those of us who can see reality.

It doesn’t make me special that I can see this. Most of America is like that.

It’s just that we thought democracy was forever. Albeit after we’ve been told for hundreds of years that you have to fight for it every day. Gee, who knew? Who knew that history, philosophy, and wise people all through history should be listened to?

Remember Winston Churchill‘s quote about democracy? “Democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried.” 

You may see a lot of other forms of government you like, but the only one that’s been proven to actually work is democracy. You know, without all the murder and serious civil rights abuses like genocide.

I know I know, it’s looked highly defective at times because of people complaining about it... for their own wealth and power. Especially of late on the Republican side. But...that’s what toxic capitalism does when you get yourself in a position where you allow people to make laws which fertilize toxic capitalism. 

When you allow those in power to rule as they wish, more than we would wish to allow, because we forget about how important it is, and how important it is to monitor and fight for it. 

Guess what? It really appears to be really important!

Words to live by.

Cheers! Slainte!

Walkabout Thoughts 33a - ThrilzTV, Our New Streaming Movie Service

Well. Not much walking of late. But I thought I'd offer an update.

I've been saying for a while I was working on building a brand new streaming movie service. And so we have been. It recently went live online. We've yet to market it yet, holding off on that as we continue to build it up and other things. 

A streaming service by indie filmmakers for indie fiimmakers, and lovers of other than mainstream big studio films, with a taste for the unusual and unique. Some vintage, some bizarre, some docs on fimmaking, some movies you probably won't see elsewhere, and just stuff. We have big plans for it. Not just movies, but expanding beyond that.

Brief aside about streaming services from the WrapPro: "The Oscars Box Office Bump Is Dead – but the Streaming Lift Is Alive and Kicking"

I used to work at Tower Records, and Posters (started there) and Video (ended there, in Seattle, other than being a supervisor there, I took over Jeff Ament's job (of Pearl Jam). Our video employees would gather some nights to party, blow off steam after a week of dealing with the public (Have you MET the public?), and we'd bring some fun/weird films from work. And we'd always have a blast. We would have loved this, having a streaming service such as we're building. And no need to check out VHS tapes from work!

Mostly we're just testing it out, getting more movies on it every day, and already...somehow, we've  already acquired subscribers! So if you want to get in on something at the beginning...here we are!

From a post by our marketing department guy, Steve:

"I'm excited to be helping out with a new streaming movie service called ThrilzTV.  If you're a fan of fun, thrilling entertainment and looking for something a little different then come check it out.  Not your Hollywood blockbusters but a range of independent films and nostalgic "B" movies too. 

"If you're interested in being a beta tester and getting a free month send me a message and I'll give you a promo code.  All we ask is that you watch some movies and take a short 10 question survey."

So there it is! Thanks, Steve! 

Well, I said I'd share when it came online and here we are!  As always...

Cheers! Sláinte !

Walkabout Thoughts #33

My thoughts, Stream of consciousness, rough and ready, while walking off long Covid and listening to podcasts…


Weather for the day… 44 degrees and light clouds lots of blue sky

Podcast for the day podcast “Pod Save America“ episode, “

Instagram post for the day

Olympic Mountains today

“Trump has reminded us that misogyny is a feature not a bug in the Republican Party”

“Pompeo hates Nikki Haley”

Paraphrasing “Nikki Haley is just a Kevin McCarthy“

So I told my adult trans kid I’d like to take them and their trans spouse out for that kid's birthday next weekend. I said pick a place and we'll go there. Thinking that’s part of a gift. And their response was, "Oh so I choose?" Yeah. Sure. In part because of their dietary requirements being hard for me to track. And thinking about that, as many do (with a roll of the eyes, and I’m not saying I’m doing that, but people do), it occurs to me...Why do so many seem so attuned to their physiology regarding diet? That’s annoying to many who are not. But here’s the thing. As we’ve become more educated and knowledgeable about diet and an awareness of things, why would we not become more attuned to ourselves, internally? And how is that a bad thing? One might argue even that it’s bullshit. But if you’re eating healthier because of it, then how is that bad? It’s annoying to others, sure. But what if it’s not imaginary? When I was a kid, and this is how I’m viewing this whole issue… I was fifth or sixth grade, my mom took me over to a friend's house. Some woman who had a couple of Siamese cats (that's another story). While I was talking to this woman when we first got there, I felt my body invaded. It was a weird kind of rush. I could see her breathing down on me, standing a few feet from my mom and I inside the front door. I couldn’t put my finger on the feeling I was having until later. But I started not feeling well later that day. The next day I felt worse and my mom said the woman was talking to her on the phone and said she thinks she came down with something. By the next day I was feeling so bad my mom took me to the doctor. And he said, "You’ve got the flu or something." I told him I knew it, and then about the woman, realizing I felt I was catching something from her, apparently a virus. I felt something invading my body while talking to her, probably my immune system over responding. Years later, a doctor told me that my allergies were my immune system overreacting too rapidly to invading elements. And if it was slower, my body could adjust and I wouldn’t have all these allergy issues. This was back in the early 70s by that time. So the doctor when I was a kid, in his office, said, "I’m sorry but it’s impossible that you’re feeling ill or could have felt her give you the flu as you stood in front of her. It takes about two weeks for you to feel the symptoms." I didn’t know what to do with that. He’s a doctor. I was a kid. But the thing was, he’s right about a week or two to feel the symptoms. But I wasn’t feeling the symptoms the day I met that woman. I was feeling an invasion and my immune system reacting. I’ve always been very tuned into my physiology. And I’ve always been discredited on that. But it’s been proven to be accurate over my 67 years. By time I hit my teens, it wasn’t quite as accurate, as you get older, it diminishes. But still seems to be more awareness than other people I've known. Getting back to my original premise… I do also believe that food is medicine, or can be. Sure, some take things to extremes. Some always do. But there is logic, and science in it. Eat healthier, you're healthier. Eat poorly, your health will suffer for it, though you may not notice it at first or until you're old, and some can handle that better than others. At least some of these people, with our better education and knowledge today than we had so long ago when I was a kid, if they're more tuned into their bodies now and trying to eat better… other than being annoying to some of us, what the hell is the problem with that? Don’t get me wrong. I like eating meat. But ethically and morally, I realized once a society gets to a place where they don’t have to hunt and kill for their food, why are we still killing other species for food? Not to mention, eating a lot of meat in a diet is unhealthy and can kill you over time. Granted not everybody, but we’re not all the same, biologically speaking. That’s why one person can smoke as much as another, yet one gets lung, cancer and dies and the other lives to 100 and is healthy. But it doesn’t mean everybody’s wrong. And that doesn’t mean we’re always correctly righteous in our annoyed beliefs.

It occurs to me that with some people, probably younger than me, who are doing what they're doing today about their diets and stuff, as I was discussing above, people traditionally did pay attention only once they had health problems. When they were told to log their health statistics, day by day. Which I’ve been doing since I got long Covid back in April, almost a year ago. So if they don’t need to log it all to figure things out, and can simple tell, more power to them. I’ve been getting a lot of migraine visuals lately. I used to get maybe a migraine every year or two, or every so many years. I would go a little blind, start to see visuals, start seeing bright colors at about a half an hour before the pain hit. Which could last for three days. I read somewhere that as you get older you don’t necessarily get the pain, but the visuals. So I counted in my log today and found I had migraine visuals, seven times in the past 30 days. Which I assume has got to be because of long Covid. It's disturbing.

Speaking of which, I read somewhere else that long Covid can thicken your vagus nerve. Is that good or bad? Probably bad, right? Which are the issues I’ve been having, vagus nerve issues. Since this is the second time, I am sure, as I had long Covid the first time lasting 8 to 14 months long, I have to wonder if repeated long Covid physically changes/damages something? And if one's vagus nerve gets thickened? Does that mean you’re not having permanent issues while things being magnified? Like when I first got it, that was really bad and I had to go into the ER with couple paramedic visits due to my pulse/BP shooting up and I became hyper sensitive to certain foods. As this has is faded, will it never go completely away because I may now have a thicker vagus nerve? Does thicker mean it's more functional or less, and if more that seems to be over reacting to things. Just great. 

Here’s a nightmare scenario. My poor son and his girlfriend have been dealing with her heart issues for a year now. Something she’s perhaps been ignoring for years, as we tend to do when it's not obvious what the problem is. She’s been having seizures and things that she didn’t recognize until the doctors figured it out and gave her meds. They couldn’t get the meds figured out. They'd get them "figured out" and then they'd fail before she could go home from the hospital stay. "Hello again, hi, bye!" Sorry. That was a like, cute one year old I just walked by with his mom… Anyway she left their city to go to Seattle and then back home and then back again and then back home but didn’t make it. Had to stop at another hospital in another city and on and on for a year. So I said to my son, at least once, did she have Covid? And he said, "Yes." I told him then that she may have had long Covid and not even known it. And if that’s the case, it magnifies things. I wrote a book about it, "Suffering Long Covid" And I published it. He gave her a copy but he doesn’t think she read it. Which may be good because there’s some hard realities in that book. Anyway, as of yesterday they finally think they’ve got things worked out and she can come home. But we’ve heard this so many times. "Hi". This time it was my postal woman delivering mail a few blocks from my house. I'm headed onto my 3rd mile now [I jumped back up from below, later on, so that explains my mileage being out of sequence, shit happens...]. So anyway, all the medication they tried on her has reacted in ways they didn’t expect and... that’s what long Covid does to you. So, as time passes, a long Covid phase for her fading, it could be that meds will start to work correctly, as they seem to be. Finally. But I don’t know. She’s got some good doctors, at some good hospitals, who know what they’re talking about, and they think Covid is definitely a factor. Now that could mean the initial week or so of Covid damaged her heart. Or that the long Covid issues were screwing with her results. There’s also a study that says it can kill off some of the muscle cells inside your heart which cannot grow back and that’s a serious concern. So you could end up with a heart transplant. But here’s hoping next week they’re both finally having dinner together and this nightmare can finally be, if not over, better controlled. I think they’re giving her a pacemaker now. Which is sad because no one needs a pacemaker in their 30s, although sometimes you do.

I think I walked a mile last walk and the time before that, or at least the last time anyway. I’m just starting my 2nd mile and at the end of that I’ll see if I can walk a third. I’d like to at least do that today. So far my right knee is holding out…

Regarding this bullshit about Medicare and Social Security with Republicans. There’s a news clip of one of them saying that those things are very important but so is military spending. But we review military spending every year. Well, dumb ass. The obvious difference there, which only a disingenuous fool couldn’t see, is that we don’t know from year to year how much military spending we will need with a current forecast. But we know that American citizens, our human beings still need to live and survive, to have healthcare and money to live on they expected, some for over 50 years. Kind of not an ever-changing thing like a military budget. That is so simple to understand and obvious that it’s offensive that a professional adult politician would speak such dumb words in public. But then, his voters probably won't notice. He's a Republican. (No, not all Republicans are dumb, but MAGA has altered the stats on that) So...

That was centered around comparing thing as "citizens need" to "military budget". Ron Johnson said that about those, I wanna call them "entitlements", because we should be entitled to them and we funded them ourselves as citizens, he says it’s a Ponzi scheme. Well, if you look at it critically, it’s not. Unless you’re a Republican, apparently. But let’s say it is. Well, then? Fix it! Something Republicans hate to do. Fix things. Because it opens them up to criticism and hard work. And compromise. They love breaking things and shutting things down and defunding things and crippling government. You know it’s a lot easier to take a sledgehammer and destroy a house then it is to build one that’s viable and functional that you can live in.

By the way, Rick Scott in Congress ,who is so against Medicare and Social Security? We need to recognize the company he used to work for, who was fined over $1 billion for fraud in those areas. Makes you wonder why he hates social security and medicare so much.

By the way, even Mitch McConnell can’t stand Rick Scott.

Thinking about this for a second. When you see news clips of some Republican, talking to a group of senior citizens about how we need to kill Medicare and Social Security, and they don’t say anything. Or maybe even applaud? Those are not people who need Social Security, or Medicare. Those are wealthy seniors who just see it as taking their tax money. First of all, fuck them. If you got that much money, you should be taxed. Get these Republicans in a room with a good deal of America who need help. The middle class, not the upper class, not the upper middle class. As I understand it, there’s wealthy people who actually use Medicare, while some refuse to rightly indicating it's kind of immoral. Yes, ethically if you paid into it, you deserve it. But if you don't need it and other do and you are after all a part of a nation, a society, yeah, like I don't know...help others? And I would bet they take Social Security, too.

I don’t know what the stats are on this, but if wealthy Americans are paying into Social Security all their lives? And they don’t need it at all in any way, shape or form? How about we don’t give it to them? Wouldn't that help? I mean, if I were a wealthy person, that would be my attitude about it? I have plenty, give it to those who need it. It's charity, it's partiotism.

OK, on the issue of privatizing Social Security, or for that matter, Medicare… or most things...No! Time and again we have seen Republicans push for the privatization of  things, at times even convincing Democrats, as it has so often turned out to be a complete disaster. One that they keep trying to keep alive. Ideology over reality, as usual. You don’t privatize prisons! It’s ethically and morally wrong. Just as the State, with a capital "S", should not kill its own citizens, so I'm against capital punishment (except for maybe people like Trump, who have massively harmed massive amounts of people). When the State takes away a person's, freedom, and imprisons them, that should be the government, not a for profit business picking up that responsibility. That is the government shirking ITS responsibility. That should be an alternate motto of the Republican Party: Shirk Responsibility!

OK I’m about quarter-mile into my 3rd mile (just after seeing the 1 year old and saying hi and bye), and my knee tweaked. I could maybe finish the 3rd mile, but it's safer to turn around and walk back. Let it rest and try again another day. Rehab can be painfully slow, but if you overdo it like (as with long Covid), you’ll really regret it and it can then take longer. When I get home, I need to stretch like the VA nurse said, and then ice it.

And now Adam Schiff is on the podcast…

So my blog is called murdockinations.com, and it’s about the machinations of, if not the phenomenal, the phenomenological mind of this sci-fi/horror writer and filmmaker/documentarian. Just wanted to make that clear...

Excellent! Adam Schiff just said that McConnell and Rrump stacked the courts and they need to be unstacked, and the only way to do that is to expand SCOTUS. And he’s looking at term limits. Finally, thank God. America’s been broken. It needs fixing. I don’t want to expand the SCOTUS but we have to fix things and sometimes it’s uncomfortable. He also mentioned Gerrymandering, as far too often the minority is running things or choosing the president. The minority needs a voice, obviously, but they don’t need control. Obviously.

In the end today, I got in 2.5 miles (6,115 steps) before having to turn home as my knee had finally had it for the day, even if I hadn't. Hang in there little guy.

Cheers! Sláinte!

Walkabout Thoughts #32

My thoughts, Stream of consciousness, rough and ready, while walking off long Covid and listening to podcasts…

 

Weather for the day… 50 and light clouds lots of blue sky

Podcast for the day podcast “Pod Save America“ episode, “Evening Joe"

Instagram post for the day

Fun Tweet for the day. Another (Chelsea Handler on MTG). 


From the podcast on Biden's SOTU 2023, paraphrasing for fun: “I may be old, but they’re fucking crazy”.

Regarding the white trash response from some Republicans at SOTU 2023 embarrassing themselves, and addressing President Joe Biden, or any president... keep your mouth shut. This isn’t your place. I would like to say that I’ve watched the UK government, with their PMQ's (Prime Ministers Questions) and there is a lot of energy in that room at times. I have long wished we had something like that. I’d love to have seen Donald Trump as president showing up to that every week and being dressed down as should’ve been. Instead of so much scampering away in fear and tiny dick energy from a child as POTUS45. As so many, most especially Republicans did for four years and still some today. But this is America and the SOTU happens, not the place for autocratic toxic conservative, toxic capitalistic, full-on nutcase Republican, white trash comments.

Republicans for decades wanted to kill abortion rights, while saying they didn’t, stacking our courts until finally, it happened. They’ve long wanted to cut Medicare and Social Security, wanting those more as bargaining chips, which is like threatening to withhold air from people until they agree to do what you want. That is not bargaining. After a year of them saying they were going to cut Medicare and Social Security, and one saying he wants to have to vote on it every five years, which is ludicrous, now as they approach an election year, it's all, "Oh, no, we don’t wanna do that? Not until they get in power and just do it. More and more it’s as if Putin is their leader because this is exactly what he does. Lie, then act as he likes. GOP has been mimicking old Soviet and KGB tactics since the 90s and no... I’m not gonna stop saying it, because it’s true.

I think Dan just said on the podcast that Mitch McConnell lives to kill Social Security. Yeah, ask Mitch if he wants to help do something bipartisan like, and the first thing he’ll say is, "Sure, cut that and we can talk." Why do Republicans hate Social Security and Medicare so much? I suspect it’s because of their belief in “pulling yourself up by the bootstraps“ and their belief in "job creators" as Gods and being more important than the people that work for them. Which is an ideology and has little to do with our overall reality. As if they want to give people incentive, or force them to be wealthy enough to afford everything they'll ever need. Which just isn’t the case in a country, or in any country. Government is there to protect us, to help us become successful, to give us a platform for that. As the country and government becomes more functional, stronger and economically independent, wealthier. then they should be adding to what they can do to help citizens. Especially at this point. Most, especially those who are least able to "pull themselves up by the bootstraps". Be it because of themselves their family line, or systemic balances, or prejudices, or inherent bigotry. Government needs to level the playing field which while some would call that Socialism, isn't. It's simply making things functional. It’s not giving away everything. And just because something doesn’t work perfectly, doesn’t mean you should throw the "baby out with the bathwater". Which is always the knee jerk reaction from our toxically conservative friends.

Republicans like to call Social Security a Ponzi scheme. It's not, it doesn’t follow that model. It may look like that to ignorant people. It may work on convincing other ignorant people of it as a meme or a mob chant. But it is what I said in the previous paragraph. It’s basically there for national security purposes, to better empower a nation. What was that comment? Gandhi: “The measure of a civilization is how it treats its weakest members.

Well? Our weakest members actually are the MAGA & their broken Republican Party. But they're not who Ghandi was talking about. Rather those they abuse.

Regarding Biden’s comment to SOTU about having a talk with your Black child about dealing with the police when they pull you over in a car. Being white, I never gave that much thought. Well, my older brother did tell me when I was young how to treat police. "Be respectful, don’t piss them off because they’re in control until they leave you alone." I’ve had a concealed weapons permit since I was 21. I didn't carry it all the time. I would carry it on car trips back when is in the Air Force, driving from Spokane to Tacoma. I called the Spokane police department once and asked them, "when you get pulled over on the highway, what should you do about that?" Their comment? You’ll have to ask the state patrol. So the next time they pulled me over for speeding at 72 in a 55... shortly after I was doing over 130 for about 50 minutes, cutting an hour off of our four hour trip... I asked him. Brief aside...

HEY! What the hell is that? This is really spooky! There is a loud tone coming from... everywhere! It just stopped! Now there’s just noise echoing all around me. Now it’s not. Wow! That was Really bizarre! Maybe somebody playing with an RV speaker system or something. but damn strange! END brief creepy aside...

Anyway, I asked the state trooper. I said, "I’m legal. I have a permit. But I’m carrying a gun. I just wanted to ask you what should you do when you get stopped in this situation, because I don’t want for some reason, you find it later and think I didn’t tell you." You could see it first, in his eyes... panic. But then he quickly relaxed. He started writing the ticket up and said, "Just don’t mention it." You've got a wonder though. If that was today or even worse, a few years ago before all this became so public, and I was black... then what? How would that have turned out?

How do you know things are really fucked up in your country? When the theme of an election is "democracy and making abortion illegal". When you’re revisiting things that were long ago established and one of them even over 200 years ago. Whoever is pushing that agenda? They’re not good people, no matter what they think of themselves, or who they’ve been before this... what they're doing is not good.

Well, I got two miles on my walk today. Double last time, but way less than what I had built up to, a while back, before my knee went out. Knee is doing good. Although I did have one weird tweak today, like my femoral artery, above and below my knee. Just a shot of pain, for no apparent reason. Weird. I need to remember to stop getting older. However, saying that years ago once to somebody, they said, "So you wanna die?" I said, "No. I don’t wanna die." They said, "Then explain to me what not getting older is?" All right, that's a valid point. But I just meant not aging anymore.
I have one option on that. And there’s that artery tweak of pain again. Well, at least it’s not my left arm…

I need to remember to do what the VA nurse told me to do after I'm down walking... stretch in various ways, especially my legs, for 60 seconds, when I’m done walking.[Later: I did, felt good, I have to expand doing that more regularly. I did hang a chart of stretches from Aikido in my kitchen last week so I'd get around to it.]

As they just said in the podcast about Gov (Governor...unbelievable) Sarah, Huckabee Sanders' rebuttal to the SOTU and her saying that we now have the choice between "normal or crazy." Wow, what a hypocrite. Yeah, that worked for Democrats against Republicans in 2022, so why wouldn’t they want to turn it around and try to throw it back at them. Because that’s what they always do. There’s a crazy they point they trip on over there and look away from themselves to say, "They're doing crazy!" Or, "They’re doing crimes!" Especially true with Trump. They do weird or criminal things, the point away and say, "Hey, it's Them! They’re doing those crimes!" It's all distractions, smoke and mirrors.

Great podcast quote:  “People who turn on Fox News think it’s a window when it’s a mirror."

Another good podcast comment: "If Republicans try to claim Joe Biden is a crazy radical leftist, it’s just not gonna work. Because it's just obviously not who he is." That'll only work on the craziest of the right wing. I mean the crazy radical leftist WISH Joe Biden was that, but he’s just not.

It’s not that Republicans sound crazy to normal people, which is the majority of Americans, but they just sound... weird.

A last few interesting things:

U.S. downs "car-sized" object

The “Dissident Homeschoolers” of Upper Sandusky: Katja and Logan Lawrence

The True Origin of the US Marine Corps' 'Oorah' Call

 

That's it. Stay well! Be Healthy! Go out now, be brilliant, be productive!

Cheers! Sláinte!

Walkabout Thoughts #31

My thoughts, Stream of consciousness, rough and ready, while walking off long Covid and listening to podcasts…

Weather for the day… 47 degrees and lightly overcast, and I can see blue here and there.

Podcast for the day podcast “Pod Save America“ episode, “After Balloon Delight" with a visit by Ron Klain

Instagram post for the day

Damn. It took me months after the worst of this bout of long Covid to get up to a mile and eventually five miles. Then winter hit and back down to 3 mile walks. But without my lack of conditioning overall and my lungs and long Covid exacerbated vagus nerve issues of blood pressure and heart rate. And then, my right knee went out. I asked the VA for x-rays and they said, "Go for it." But I said, "Well, I’m gonna wait and see how it heals." The Nurse said it might just be as bad as I thought and suggested stretching after walking (Hold 30 seconds before it releases, then another 30 seconds, something she learned working in the pain clinic). But I was sure it was leading to surgery. Because when I felt like this before in 1989 and 2000 in my left and right knee operations, respectively, this was how I felt. This time I was barely able to walk without a cane at first. But the last week or so it’s been good and I’m not needing a cane at all. And in this walk now, I'm past the half mile mark and feeling good. But I don’t wanna overdo it. So maybe next walk I’ll try two miles. It’s just so annoying. I’m used to most of my life be able to push it. In that sense I certainly miss my 20s and 30s, to be sure. But...you take what you have and make it the best it can be.

Olympic Mountains behind cloud cover

Ron Klain on the podcast has a good point regarding “Biden’s swagger“ if you will, at theSOTU last night. Because when Joe Biden come into office two years ago, the country was in the shit. We were still suffering from the Trump infection and Trump insurrection, the failed coup, the two trump impeachments and now we’re seeing how all the crimes he committed (actually most of his life) are in the courts and headed to the courst, while the DOJ finally get around to himeand why there’s a question about this, why there was ever, I  (we) don’t know. It’s somewhat because he was POTUS, but let’s face it, people were reticent to hold him accountable before that. It’s ridiculous. Indict him, try him and let justice go forward as it should. As it would with any of US. But anyway, things are so much better now after 2 years and in so many ways. The whole time Biden had to put up with mouthy MAGA types in Republican disingenuous, if not outright disinformation. And these new childish Republican congressional types, last night, utterly no class whatsoever, some of them. Remember when a miserable Joe Wilson yelled "You Lie!" at President Obama? Not the good Joe Wilson, because most Joe Wilson’s I know we’re good guys. I remember watching that thinking, "This is only gonna get worse on the Republican side." And here we are. The kangaroo Court Republican Congressionals are in session.

We currently have one political party in America. The Democratic Party. About a third of the Republican Party has lost its fucking mind, a third of it is, I think stunned, and a third of it is trying really hard to be the old Republican party, but they’re like Russian tanks in the mud.

We’ve had one Chinese balloon this POTUS46 term at least three we know of, under POUTS45. So I really don’t know what all this noise is about. Trump didn’t do a damn thing, at least Biden shot it down at some point. Not to mention Chinese spy satellites cann't see a lot anyway more than beyond what they already know, with a balloon that went over what everybody knows about mostly anyway. and the missile silos are where? Underground. Do we know if we signal jammed signals from the balloon gathering intelligence back to China? Because if no data was gathered over American soil, WTF is all the noise about? As for not shooting it down sooner, let’s see… say Biden shoots it down, and a piece of it kills an American citizen. So rather than dealing with all this crap from Republicans now, we'd be dealing with a dead American from an action Biden took? You do the math. Republicans would have lost their minds. "Why couldn't you wait until it hit the Atlantic and THEN shoot it down?" On the other hand, had Biden shot it down over American soil and it landed on a Drag story hour? As mentioned in the podcast, that would really screw up the Republican speaking points. Maybe they'd implode?

If the balloon wasn’t getting all that much information, our counter-intelligence certainly was. We had a chance to study it’s capabilities, and we can now pick up pieces of it to potentially learn a hell of a lot more. Apparently they gamed out trying to safeuly capture it, but there isn't the technology for that.

Just to say, milestones for Democrats these past two years are quite a few, actually. Milestones for Republicans outside of the negative MAGA insanity? Was working bipartisan with Democrats to get things passsed. Which I think pretty much says it all...

Cheers! Sláinte!