Eric, I for one appreciate this summary of where we are.. And for what you attempted to do for the dioxin contaminated people of East Palestine and surrounding communities. Through your education of the most likely contaminants we experienced. I hate to feel this way but give two shits about America 250. To read your experience of 200 and what my kids are experiencing with 250, is light years apart..We currently have a billionaire grifter in office. The literal brain dead one before this.. The current billionaire is literally stealing millions of poor peoples money with them worshipping the grift???. False narratives all around us, with few knowing what is true or false anymore. As you wrote, no one reads anymore or if they do, only to confirm their inherent or fed biases. From my observations, Americans have no discernment. If they did as they say, have American exceptanlism, why the hell did so many sheep inject a DNA contaminated gene therapy into their body? I have observed a precipitous, zombie like tribalism and division amongst us, exponentially so since 911. The government propaganda and planned division have gotten so great, only the cultists on one "side" are loving 250...Instead of all of us finding common ground and enjoying this great expirement in self governance..
I truly didn't want kids because my gut after 911 told me we would be where we are. However, I was blessed with a great family. I pray that my boys will see 300 but where we are...not so sure about that. What I do know, is my boy's will have discernment. They have been through every "debate" with the Peadatrician about no jabs, questioning authority, all the way everywhere. Never, ever be afraid to ask a question if it doesn't make sense. A title doesn't bring authority over them, always ask the why.. This is what I attained in school, to be an American is asking questions! Understand the why or hell no! My family doesn't agree with tyranny! We are coerced into it, with all the magnificent data theft "tools" that make us "safe" now, as you summarized. From my observations, less than 20% have this will to overcome biases and authority. My prayer is that the 20% can make it to 300...My boys will be there if we aren't nuked or cancered first,from all the better living through chemistry. Appreciate you and this post.
As an American born in Europe, I appreciate the peek holes you carve into the veil surrounding the USA…the rockets red glare, and the bombs bursting in air…yet no country I know of can boast a clean slate.
Country itself is an issue. Always some horrid tribal history. It is the disparity between "the greatest country in the world" that kills anyone and everyone randomly and systematically...that dumps most of its budget into the military...that sells off all of its integrity and all government authority is a commodity...where we pay a third of our income in taxes and get absolutely nothing but the military and some paltry healthcare for a few people...
That's not the discussion; we are not talking about personal preference, which is always the red herring when discussing national accountability. The only thing personal here is one's personal involvement in society, doing one's part — "asking what I can do for my country," as JFK said. I could live almost anyplace in the world that would have me. I have work to do in the United States, which is why I left Belgium, where I had a very good life, and returned here 19 years ago.
Just an afterthought, as I guess I am feeling a little sad today, this date being the 23rd anniversary of my only brother’s passing in the early hours of that Sunday morning, Gerald John the youngest of we four born in all of five years, named after one of my mom’s favorite cousins who lived and worked as a rocket scientist in California and my dad John,, and he himself contracted his Jerry J Klimek Trucking dump truck and pony to the city of Vancouver, BC hauling whatever, snow off the runways of YVR airport in winter.., at only age 43 in a MVA - leaving then a 39 yr old wife an 8 yr old son and 6 yr old daughter, tragic.
One of my favorite old songs I first heard as an 18 yr old, on a late ‘60’s San Fransisco based band “Seatrain” LP and performed here in the Columbia Valley by old friend Pat Alison of Florida, who lived here then in the late ‘70’s and rocked with a local band, “Windy Valley”. I woud love to hear a cover of the song “Willin’”. With the refrain of “and if you give me weed, whites and wine, and if you show me a sign, then I’ll be willin’, to keep on mov-ing.” Not recommending all the other stuff, but we surely all could use a sign.
Good morning Eric, at the end of the long weekend celebrating the great national holiday of my American friends and family. I would have liked to have spent it myself south of the 49th parallel visiting with special dance friends of mine, both US and Canadian nationals as I am, who gather annually in Missoula, MT to study Argentine Tango with our maestro from Buenos Aires, a now Canadian citizen based in Montreal for many years. Sadly, I had to decine again this year, due to personal, business, and mostly financial constraints, the latter brought on primarily by the events of the past year and a half since the present US administration has been in the position of decimating any trust in it by it’s planetary neighbours and allies, friends. The eyes of the world are on you, your fellow citizens and good, incredulous people bemoaning every new travesty that occurs in your country, with disgust and anger and sadness, even as, speaking for myself, shortcomings in my own country are largely ignored, because it seems, nothing can compare to the mess down south. I am not proud to say this. But part of me was fine with not visiting Montana this past weekend to enjoy commune with true friends in fear that I might say something offensive to my American friends - we Cdns are so ‘polite’ lol. My family finances are very strained - my husband had to leave for a long overdue visit with his mom in southern Ontario who was struck by a stroke in mid-January and has a birthday tomorrow who he has not seen in a year now. He will be couch surfing and making every effort to not expend any expense beyond the now outrageous airfare he had to spend to get there and back to where we live in the west. He has vowed never to visit in the US again, ever since a family trip he made with his brother and dad, now deceased for five years, to visit Florida during the time period of Trump’s first admin. He was accosted at the border due to a criminal record he still has in Ontario(!) for stealing a couple of tires when he was a 16 year old punk. He is now nearly 63. And a lifelong, working, tax paying, law-abiding, professional. At the time, after hours of being held and begging by his father to please let him join them on this trip that was long overdue for them all, they allowed him to go ahead this time, but warned him that his record was now red-flagged with the US border patrol and he would not ever be allowed to enter again to the country of the United States of America. He has, ever since that time, gone through all of the red tape and application processes to have his court/legal record in Canada expunged, but it is bogged down in beaurocratic piles and he has been informed by the Cdn court system to whom he has made application to and been actively checking and waiting for some progress to happen, for years, that nothing will, not as long as your again present US administration is in office. What a catch-22 joke! I love visiting your country and it’s people (mostly!) and my husband and I have had many wonderful trips together, but no more it seems, and I will have to just go myself when I can. We are not ‘sketchy’ type people and I am now a still fully employed senior citizen and grandmother of teenaged children myself, and he is almost one too, a senior. It is very easy to develop an attitude towards your countrymen&women of, resentment based disgust of, I paraphrase, “when are you wonderful people going to get this psychopath out of office” and put him where he belongs, in prison?! And his corrupt family too?! May your days be happy and healthy this summer of 2026. I am in every way, grateful for what I have and keep a reminder of all that I have such as a home that I own (well, me/we and the bank!) on a welcome sign beside the front door of our home that reads, “Having someplace to go is Home. Having someone to love is Family. Having both is a Blessing.”
Eric, I for one appreciate this summary of where we are.. And for what you attempted to do for the dioxin contaminated people of East Palestine and surrounding communities. Through your education of the most likely contaminants we experienced. I hate to feel this way but give two shits about America 250. To read your experience of 200 and what my kids are experiencing with 250, is light years apart..We currently have a billionaire grifter in office. The literal brain dead one before this.. The current billionaire is literally stealing millions of poor peoples money with them worshipping the grift???. False narratives all around us, with few knowing what is true or false anymore. As you wrote, no one reads anymore or if they do, only to confirm their inherent or fed biases. From my observations, Americans have no discernment. If they did as they say, have American exceptanlism, why the hell did so many sheep inject a DNA contaminated gene therapy into their body? I have observed a precipitous, zombie like tribalism and division amongst us, exponentially so since 911. The government propaganda and planned division have gotten so great, only the cultists on one "side" are loving 250...Instead of all of us finding common ground and enjoying this great expirement in self governance..
I truly didn't want kids because my gut after 911 told me we would be where we are. However, I was blessed with a great family. I pray that my boys will see 300 but where we are...not so sure about that. What I do know, is my boy's will have discernment. They have been through every "debate" with the Peadatrician about no jabs, questioning authority, all the way everywhere. Never, ever be afraid to ask a question if it doesn't make sense. A title doesn't bring authority over them, always ask the why.. This is what I attained in school, to be an American is asking questions! Understand the why or hell no! My family doesn't agree with tyranny! We are coerced into it, with all the magnificent data theft "tools" that make us "safe" now, as you summarized. From my observations, less than 20% have this will to overcome biases and authority. My prayer is that the 20% can make it to 300...My boys will be there if we aren't nuked or cancered first,from all the better living through chemistry. Appreciate you and this post.
As an American born in Europe, I appreciate the peek holes you carve into the veil surrounding the USA…the rockets red glare, and the bombs bursting in air…yet no country I know of can boast a clean slate.
Country itself is an issue. Always some horrid tribal history. It is the disparity between "the greatest country in the world" that kills anyone and everyone randomly and systematically...that dumps most of its budget into the military...that sells off all of its integrity and all government authority is a commodity...where we pay a third of our income in taxes and get absolutely nothing but the military and some paltry healthcare for a few people...
Where on earth would you otherwise live? Name a few please.
That's not the discussion; we are not talking about personal preference, which is always the red herring when discussing national accountability. The only thing personal here is one's personal involvement in society, doing one's part — "asking what I can do for my country," as JFK said. I could live almost anyplace in the world that would have me. I have work to do in the United States, which is why I left Belgium, where I had a very good life, and returned here 19 years ago.
Eric: wonderful reflection:
Just an afterthought, as I guess I am feeling a little sad today, this date being the 23rd anniversary of my only brother’s passing in the early hours of that Sunday morning, Gerald John the youngest of we four born in all of five years, named after one of my mom’s favorite cousins who lived and worked as a rocket scientist in California and my dad John,, and he himself contracted his Jerry J Klimek Trucking dump truck and pony to the city of Vancouver, BC hauling whatever, snow off the runways of YVR airport in winter.., at only age 43 in a MVA - leaving then a 39 yr old wife an 8 yr old son and 6 yr old daughter, tragic.
One of my favorite old songs I first heard as an 18 yr old, on a late ‘60’s San Fransisco based band “Seatrain” LP and performed here in the Columbia Valley by old friend Pat Alison of Florida, who lived here then in the late ‘70’s and rocked with a local band, “Windy Valley”. I woud love to hear a cover of the song “Willin’”. With the refrain of “and if you give me weed, whites and wine, and if you show me a sign, then I’ll be willin’, to keep on mov-ing.” Not recommending all the other stuff, but we surely all could use a sign.
Good morning Eric, at the end of the long weekend celebrating the great national holiday of my American friends and family. I would have liked to have spent it myself south of the 49th parallel visiting with special dance friends of mine, both US and Canadian nationals as I am, who gather annually in Missoula, MT to study Argentine Tango with our maestro from Buenos Aires, a now Canadian citizen based in Montreal for many years. Sadly, I had to decine again this year, due to personal, business, and mostly financial constraints, the latter brought on primarily by the events of the past year and a half since the present US administration has been in the position of decimating any trust in it by it’s planetary neighbours and allies, friends. The eyes of the world are on you, your fellow citizens and good, incredulous people bemoaning every new travesty that occurs in your country, with disgust and anger and sadness, even as, speaking for myself, shortcomings in my own country are largely ignored, because it seems, nothing can compare to the mess down south. I am not proud to say this. But part of me was fine with not visiting Montana this past weekend to enjoy commune with true friends in fear that I might say something offensive to my American friends - we Cdns are so ‘polite’ lol. My family finances are very strained - my husband had to leave for a long overdue visit with his mom in southern Ontario who was struck by a stroke in mid-January and has a birthday tomorrow who he has not seen in a year now. He will be couch surfing and making every effort to not expend any expense beyond the now outrageous airfare he had to spend to get there and back to where we live in the west. He has vowed never to visit in the US again, ever since a family trip he made with his brother and dad, now deceased for five years, to visit Florida during the time period of Trump’s first admin. He was accosted at the border due to a criminal record he still has in Ontario(!) for stealing a couple of tires when he was a 16 year old punk. He is now nearly 63. And a lifelong, working, tax paying, law-abiding, professional. At the time, after hours of being held and begging by his father to please let him join them on this trip that was long overdue for them all, they allowed him to go ahead this time, but warned him that his record was now red-flagged with the US border patrol and he would not ever be allowed to enter again to the country of the United States of America. He has, ever since that time, gone through all of the red tape and application processes to have his court/legal record in Canada expunged, but it is bogged down in beaurocratic piles and he has been informed by the Cdn court system to whom he has made application to and been actively checking and waiting for some progress to happen, for years, that nothing will, not as long as your again present US administration is in office. What a catch-22 joke! I love visiting your country and it’s people (mostly!) and my husband and I have had many wonderful trips together, but no more it seems, and I will have to just go myself when I can. We are not ‘sketchy’ type people and I am now a still fully employed senior citizen and grandmother of teenaged children myself, and he is almost one too, a senior. It is very easy to develop an attitude towards your countrymen&women of, resentment based disgust of, I paraphrase, “when are you wonderful people going to get this psychopath out of office” and put him where he belongs, in prison?! And his corrupt family too?! May your days be happy and healthy this summer of 2026. I am in every way, grateful for what I have and keep a reminder of all that I have such as a home that I own (well, me/we and the bank!) on a welcome sign beside the front door of our home that reads, “Having someplace to go is Home. Having someone to love is Family. Having both is a Blessing.”