#economy – CDTalent Enterprises

New Zealand All Blacks classic *haka* is aggressive as hell as spectacle, but not a riot.

Millions of people in some 1,800 marches across America on Saturday, and dozens of countries around the world, displayed extreme negatives regarding the US Prez, whose $45MM birthday parade was a badly attended (and embarrassing) event. About 1/3 of that was budgeted for repairing those DC roads the tanks will tear up during a military hoo-hah usually done for dictators.

I told a number of people at Charlotte event that I never did anything related to Vietnam protests, which were often MASSIVE, vocal, strongly purposeful events long before today’s social media could get the necessary word out by posting on multiple sites. A 50th class reunion in September is a huge counterpoint to knowing ‘Nam went down in a matter of weeks the Spring of my senior year.

Having stated often how glad I was to not be involved in that meat-grinder, its a 100% Truth that, aside from our incredibly bloody Civil War, NOW is the most divisive time in our nation’s history.

I’m not the only person who cheered about trump’s VERY badly attended birthday-celebration for ‘US Army’s 250th Anniversary’ Saturday. If those people who support djt’s chaotic second term at the helm thought he owned the libs, the Reality of ‘Eat (excrement), 50 billion flies can’t be wrong’ was evident on a world-wide stage. GShork 6/16/25

Will another 1000-1200 words make a difference?

Attempting to write something strong-meaningful about overall picture probably won’t fly as high and well as Thomas Paine’s ‘Common Sense’ of 1776 in swaying public opinion, and there are plenty of columnists and pundits who will have opinions and better platforms to present their views to a larger audience. I’ll use bullets (no ballot necessary, the people have definitely spoken) for a Monday review on non-attendance in DC.

There will probably be a number of fellow grads I won’t be chatting with in September, but since we haven’t communicated much since HS, its not going to affect my sleeping habits. Those who identified me as ‘one of those journalism guys’ at previous reunions, the only piece I regret from back then was dissing the majorettes, because KK turned into a dynamic Woman vs. just *really* cute girl junior year. NOW is a lot more serious deal, definitely no regrets on stating my POV.

Kent State (5/4/1970, 4 dead, 9 wounded) was my first clue our government could actually do something like shoot unarmed protestors. Most consider it a tragic situation, jittery young Ohio National Guard troops opening fire, but there’s NO mistaking how serious the current administration is about trying to control what We the People are allowed to say or do, at least according to trump & his Minions. I’m not the only #BoomerwithAttitude who recalls Chicago cops working their fucking night-sticks, but TV made us aware of black people being beaten and more long before that. But I didn’t see that so much in Schenectady, NY.
Bobby Kennedy invoking his own brothers assassination FOR THE ONLY TIME – and Indianapolis was the only city that wasn’t ablaze in America the night of ML King’s death. THAT’S deserved rioting, not just protest.
The direct repudiation/regular bitch-slapping (apologies for a non-gender specific but accurate phrase) of long time American belief in principles of posse comitatus https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/posse-comitatus-act-explained (bans using military for police actions) and habeas corpus -a judicial order forcing law enforcement authorities to produce a prisoner they are holding, and to justify a prisoner’s continued confinement – is beyond just disturbing. Lady Liberty lies propped against an LA curb, nicked repeatedly by rubber bullets and probably tear-gassed, just five months into this administration.

‘We’ DID fix a quantity of negatives about environment and civil-womens-gay rights back then, at least paid enough attention to it to recognize what losing those advances would mean today. Could changes have happened any more organically, without LOTS of effort on legal front by many, many people over many, many years? Save the freaking eagles worked. Gal Gadot (as Wonder Woman) beating Ares, and ending WWI by breaking his hold on the minds of German military isn’t on the menu with trumpies.

RULE OF LAW – Can America trust the judiciary to hold strong against a relentless tide of malfeasance while providing full immunity? A common sign Saturday was ‘No faux (fake) king way.’ Un-Constitutional doesn’t seem to carry as much weight, if ANY, with ‘those people.’ Its in black and white about ‘born here = Citizen,’ and right to be told charges and allowed to defend oneself. People – including those who voted for trump and/or participated in infamous, watched by the WORLD ‘Capital tour group’ in January, 2021 – only now seem to recognize what they’re losing after an espouso is picked up going to work, or their job is axed by DOGE.

Is a person who shoots a Minnesota State senator and wife, murdering two and seriously wounding two others, a throwback to assassinations of political figures like Malcolm X, the Kennedys and M.L. King, Jr. in Sixties? We *better* not hope so, not when anyone can get a military-grade weapon like an AR-15 that spits death at an unholy rate sent through the mail. Forget Reacher having a discussion with gun store owner about getting pistols and ammo before 3-day ‘cooling off’ period because he knows some ways around regulations.

NATIONAL DEBT – Repugnants in Congress are VERY willing to gut every social program to pay for a multi-trillion dollar tax break for billionaires, knowing without any doubt it will put an already staggering debt ($36T) into non-Elon/SpaceX orbit. trump *immediately* tanked an envy-of-the-world economy he inherited from Biden. Does anyone doubt he told BBC (billionaire boys club) members when to get in-out of market? I don’t have any kids, but everyone else’s, know even worse times are coming regarding repayment and budget tradeoffs`.

Book banning, tariffs randomly slapped down against allies and (except Russia) others without reason, attempting to reverse any-all vestiges of DEI by wiping out even the mention of Enola Gay – which was name of bomber that dropped historic 1st ever nuke on Hiroshima – because of that last part of its name. NO taking gifts of value from other countries, and a prez who decides it doesn’t apply to him because ‘I’d have to be crazy not to accept something (as over the top) as a jumbo jet,’ and the illegal creation of a currency (Bitcoin-ish) anyone can buy without signaling they are gaining influence through BIG TIME direct bribes to him and family, is a constant drum beat.

Sorry, have to get back to Real Writing

Okay, not all of this was Saturday, but the WORLD *is* watching US and ‘cuz I’m a word guy, I needed to get it off my chest. It took a minimal amount of time for the end of Vietnam War – as soon as North knew US bombers wouldn’t be doing anything to slow their roll, they mopped up South Vietnam in weeks. As first war USA lost, its affected how this country went about things for decades, and today, EVERYONE truly wonders how ‘we’ can be trusted in almost any venue or for any reason.

Europe is moving on with necessary WHO and NATO-related operations (ie. Ukraine), long-time BFF Canada has its elbows up in the corners about little brother attitudes and trump’s cretin-ish musings of 51st state possibilities, and if the Orange One believing Greenland and the Panama Canal Zone can be taken militarily, he’s apparently no smarter than Putin about biting off more than he can chew. Thinking USA will escape devastation two previous world wars brought on everyone else isn’t about thought leadership or best practices, its ludicrous.

We the People has arrived at a bottom line about democracy. Picard’s “Here and no further!” for any Trekkies, or substitute ‘trumpies’ into a one-liner from Vietnam-era ‘Platoon,’ “Eff’n Cong are comin’, and they ain’t stoppin’ for shit!’ is legit too.

Ed. Note, 6/23/25 Freaking great, now he’s bombed Iran without, ‘doesn’t need,’ Congressional approval.

‘This isn’t how I remember things being’ is a common, wistful thought on lips of many #BoomerswithAttitude like myself. I recently put what is described as a premium graduation card-puzzle on Etsy (19″x13″, 15 pcs., $8.25 + shipping), because my microeconomy as a relative peasant non-billionaire class BETTER have an alt gig! When that ever-lovin’ 3rd rail, Social Security – which is NOT AN ENTITLEMENT, I PAID INTO IT SINCE AGE 16, OUT OF $1.65/hr. MCDONALDS PAYCHECK – is threatened right in front of us? Bullshit on ‘Better.’

Medicaid cuts and starving kids, loss of healthcare? Everything, everywhere, all at once? Holy crap!

‘Welcome to the Real World’ is an intentionally darker duotone piece, ‘WTRW’ was originally meant as a jaded look at employment situation, with the many inconveniences and crazy things grads et al face in 2025, We the People has arrived at a bottom line about democracy. Picard’s “Here and no further!” for any Trekkies, or sub ‘trumpies’ into a one-liner from Vietnam-era ‘Platoon,’ “Eff’n Cong are coming, and they ain’t stoppin’ for shit!’ is legit too.

Damn! That first election post-Watergate seems like a million years ago, when top Repubs like Goldwater told Nixon, “You gotta go!” because he’d lost the trust of the nation. Nixon had too much respect for the office to try staying, while trump has A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E-L-Y zero shame about demeaning office, and by the crudest example of Repub enablement, stuck it out legally through two impeachments.

Telling others Saturday that I didn’t attend gatherings about Vietnam, the HUGE loss of time, treasure, and lives it historically represents, an ultimate divisiveness it produced back then, I also said, BUT I’M HERE NOW. How about *you*?

“Good enough for government work,” was a phrase my Dad never liked, for fairly obvious reasons.

The government paid him decently and on time; it put four boys through college, and he retired at 59, taking a ‘silver bullet’ combination of years of service– including Navy hitch– and age. Nobody EVER expected the U.S. government could be in the economic fix it seems to constantly battle now.

“No, but I know where you can get a bunch of $6,000 toilet seats,” was my brothers freestyle response to people he spoke with about his Army Audit job.

I got a job offer two weeks ago, right on the screws with doing what I truly wanted to (content creation vs. writing), decent bucks and benefits. I do NOT judge the value of benefits lightly. I’ve had a new knee for just over a year, and I’m thankful as hell for the ACA/Obamacare that made it possible.

On a very real Bottom Line, I’m still antsy waiting for the okay to come in and do paperwork because of a background check, mostly because it’s a situation that I have no control over, and there’s always some holding of breath at times like that. There’s nothing negative to be found in such a check, but you can’t SPEND a job offer, y’know?

Having just turned 62, I guess I’m officially semi-old, but there is no tuition due for kids anywhere, no car payment, and certainly no mortgage. That’s a biggie for sure–I’ve lived with a brother in other half of his house for a couple years, and he *knows* I pay the rent off the top of whatever I bring in, and a share of the phone/cable is usually on time. Insurance and gas, yeah, I got that. Groceries, just mine. I’m not getting bounced if the next period for rent is a little late. All I’m concerned about is how soon the situation moves forward with that background check– its only been two weeks and I’m staying positive.

I read a piece on Facebook where some bozo threw down on ‘unnecessary individuals’ whose duties (Army mostly) they took up easily and did in far less than full time job as a Fed employee, and while that came across as a planted comment from one of those ‘bots (they ARE still screwing with us folks), some fat in Federal employment is neither here nor there about 800,00 hostages and the economic stress that puts on them AND this country.

Please, not later than that.

My church social-community group is having a Pierogi Dinner tomorrow, and we’ve reached out to appropriate people about giving free passes to TSA employees with ID and their families. We have always told people at successful Oyster Roasts, fish frys, and during 33 years of Christmas tree sales that the $$ raised stays in Charlotte, and we’re proud of that. Yes, the last couple years we’ve sent contributions (for the beverages we provide) to Eastern North Carolina and a small parish in Houston after huge flooding, because they know who truly needs a couple hundred bucks to survive a situation dumped on them. If we make less of a profit on this event, no problem, the piece we’re breaking off to give some families an evening out with good food and people is being applied in the strongest possible way.

Waiting like this isn’t the worst situation I’ve ever been in. During the Great Recession I survived in retail for seven years, and while the pay sucked, I still drew a check. I can’t imagine how many of my peers with kids in college and mortgages did it, I assume they stole from their future to pay bills during an extended period of hellish stagnation. That old bat in charge of Commerce Department saying without blinking that he can’t understand why furloughed Feds are going to food banks when they *should* be able to get loans against back pay that will (absolutely?) come after things are settled, has to get most of those 800,000 people as mad as it does me, and I technically don’t have a dog in this fight.

This situation is so obviously WRONG, because holding 800,000 people’s lives in the balance is only the tip of the economic iceberg. The whole mentality seems so skewed to screwing, with total tone-deafness to understanding the unreal stress this WORKING WITHOUT PAY brings. (Which butthead said they are *volunteering*?) All those people probably get the money later, but holy pierogies! Batman, there’s no good reason that all of us are suffering because ONE PERSON and some attending enablers are blaming “the other guys” for a political intransigence–nay, a HOSTAGE situation– over a singular point (the wall), that so many were famously and regularly told would be paid for by others.

I hope we comp a hundred dinners tonight. We’ll have done something positive. Getting the call for my paperwork, I certainly wouldn’t mind hearing about that today either. Or tomorrow, or even Monday.

Please, not later than that. My brother deserves a couple bucks from me soon, even if he KNOWS what I’m waiting for.

Tag: #economy

NO KINGS! Marches a Success, Vietnam fell 50 years ago, So now what?