AMERICAN JIHADIS?

 

MY GOOD FRIEND, born in another country but a naturalized citizen, told me she saw on the news a woman who refused to wear a mask. The maskless crusader, and I say this advisedly as well as ironically, was asked if she wasn't afraid for her health, what with Covid and all. She answered, fervently, 

"I would die for that man."  

What is this about? Is this the same impulse that sends young people strapped to bombs out into crowds?  

If, in fact, this reflects a desire to be part of something bigger, what is the something bigger here that she so stoutly identifies with?

It's not a movement, religion, mission. What is it? I think that for those who identify with the caliphate, say, or the reward of 75 virgins, there is an important (to them) goal. Unity, kingdom of Heaven, sex with inexperienced (probably) minors--dubious fun. 

I look at Trump, and most of his followers, and I see no identity. I only see contrast, opposition. He is rich. They are not. He has a lot of influence, they don't. He spends $70,000 a year on his tangelo mop. They may want to, but they don't. Until recently, he belonged to that disdained minority, Manhattanite. Mostly, they don't. Many, in fact, gloat that cities seem to them to be losing ground.Twice divorced, mostly they are not--they may wish to be but, oh, the expense! Mostly they can't afford it.

Help me with this list here. I'm not coming up with things they can identify with.

I get the anger, but is that enough? It's not his anger. I don't mean he's not angry. He clearly is. But he's angry about his dad, or slights to his ego. His accolytes are angry about real things. Low wages. Dead-end jobs. A feeling that America isn't theirs any more. But this is not his anger. Is it enough just to be angry? DOES ANGER UNITE, NO MATTER THE REASON? Is that an emotion that can dig down into anyone's psyche and say, I'm with you there. Yes, I'm pissed off. Vote for me and let's be pissed off together. 

WE may be pissed off about different things, but isn't it fun to rage in a big bunch?

 

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THUNDER THIGHS

 

Not only is this woman gorgeous,

This is the ideal healthy shape

According to TODAY'S ScienceTimes. 

(From The New York Times:

Where You Carry Body Fat May Affect How Long You Live

Extra weight in some places may lower your risk of dying prematurely.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/01/well/live/where-you-carry-body-fat-may-affect-how-long-you-live.html?smid=em-share)

It seems that, as with so many things, with body fat, it's location location location. As we've heard before, fat around the middle is bad. That's because it indicates that there's fat inside, around your vital organs. That internal fat is very bad, and stifles important stuff. 

But what is new and interesting is there is good fat--not chloesterol, not olive oil, but plain old body fat.

It's good to have it around your thighs. It's good to have it on hips. Good news, right?

But only if your waist is trim.  Waist fat is an indicator of visceral fat, that is itself an indicator of increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's, among many others.

FYI, I started back at my Pure Barre classes last week. That's how to keep waist small, tummy tight and butt firm with a smiley-face between butt and thigh.

I know it's

Pandemic time. 

I know that several naps a day seems de rigueur.

I know that 2 glasses of Cabernet are also de rigueur.

But, or should I say BUTT we gotta keep that girlish waistline.

MOON OVER PARADOR

"THIS IS YOUR DICTATOR SPEAKING." It's a great line spoken by a great actor in a great role. From a movie starring several great actors. 

For those of you who missed the 1988 film starring Richard Dreyfuss, Sonia Braga and Raoul Julia, I highly reccommend it. It's free on the web and it may have something to say for our times. 

To refresh: a not-that-well-known American actor goes to Parador, a Banana Republic, and while there, the dictator dies. For various reasons the powers that be want to maintain the status quo, such as them being the powers that be. A wildly sinister Minister of Defense (Julia) decides to force Dreyfuss play the dead dictator. Hilarity ensues, and the phenomenally fabulous Sonia Braga, mistress (or is it wife?) catches on and together they try to improve the country, opposed by the demonical Julia who has a spine-chilling laugh that alone makes the movie worth seeing. The movie was not well-reviewed, but I don't understand why. It was truly funny and imaginative, but oh well. Not my point.

The parallels should be obvious, and if Trump dies of Covid-19 I look forward to seeing whom they choose to play him.

In today's real-life version, our tall president would have to be played by two actors, like a horse in a kids' play. Fortunately both ends could be the horse's ass.