Hi, I am Jacek, and I am a NEWS-JUNKIE...

Hi, I am Jacek, and I am a NEWS-JUNKIE...

I have been watching CNN since its inception, watching with bewilderment how it has been changing since.  

It used to be a news-worthy source of information - and then it evolved into a 'partisan-lefty' outlet, and then (as of now) it became an 'ass-kissing pretending to be on a proper side of history' garbage.

I am a moderate Democrat, who is allergic to BS and both extreme propaganda.  

So, for years, the outlet now called 'MS NOW', was slightly too lefty - but recently (coincidently with the name change) it became quite well balanced.  Still 'progressive' but more 'down to earth'.

So I watch it more than CNN now.

If I watched only those outlets the I could lose all real information, about the real America, and the real World.

I tried to watch FoxNews as a counterbalance - but the Bepto Bismol is not enough to stop the NAUSEA produced by ingesting such concentrated amount of vitriol stupidity, without any relation to the truth (or any form of reality).

I need to have the info balanced and provided from different angles - otherwise it's an echo-chamber.

(Democracy NOW - having nothing to do with Democracy is not a right choice either)

*** So, I watch 

1.  BBC World News - slightly conservative, but completely different angle from the American.

2.  RAI 24 - I speak Italian, so I found this service VERY balanced and informative. It shows certain issues which the American outlets do not dare touching (for some reason or other)

...and recently I discovered something what changes the access to information completely:

https://famelack.com/tv

For those, who do not know it - it is a portal where you can select the free tv streaming from any country in the World. The stream is stable, easily selectable... 

So, I watch:

3.  EUROnews (in English) - (provided in France) a very good, European angle on not-only-European issues.  A good counter-balance.

4.  ABC News Australia

5.  News24 (Australia)

I wish there was something from Ireland... but due to the licensing issues, not available in the US.

One can access it via VPN with the Irish server, but I am not sure if it's worthy.

So - that's it.  

Greetings to all NEWS-JUNKIES.

The best language skid ever...

This is, for sure, the best skid about accents, ever played on TV.
(Two Scottish blokes in a voice activated elevator in Scottland, trying to go to the 11th floor)

ATHEISM

I am an ATHEIST.
I have been an Atheist for 60 years by now.

Very often I get approached by so called 'religious people' asking me:
'Why don't you believe in God?'

I don't, but it's the least of the problems here.  This is entirely a WRONG question.

Atheist (like myself) — rejects belief as a valid epistemic tool; relies only on evidence, reasoning, and falsifiability.

Non-theist — doesn’t believe in gods but still uses “belief” as a mental category.

Agnostic — suspends judgment but still accepts belief as a concept.

Theist — uses belief and applies it to gods.

-----

If someone considers “belief” a legitimate way to hold positions, this someone is not an atheist in the strict rationalist sense. This someone is a non-theist who still uses theistic cognitive tools.

(Epistemic - relating to knowledge, understanding, or the conditions under which the process of knowing occurs)

Very often I consider myself more than an Atheist - ANTI-THEIST to be exact (but it's a subject of different discussion).

I have crossed the Country...

I have crossed the Country on the motorcycle (solo trips): 
Length-wise (Coast to Coast and Back 2023) and 
Width-wise (North-South and Back 2026).
...and crossed 26 states on these trips alone:
NY, PA, MD, NC, DE, SC, GA, FL, TN, KY, WV, VA, NJ, OH, IN, MO, IL, KS, CO, NM, AZ, CA, NV, UT, NE, IA.  
Since I also rode through the CN it makes 27 States crossed on the motorcycle.
We will see what is going to be my final score...

'Big, Awkward Cat' - this is how cats see their human...

 I have just read somewhere that there is a theory explaining the human-cat relationship which says, that unlike dogs, cats have never considered their humans 'masters'. 

Humans for the cats are just 'BIGGER, AWKWARD CATS'.  Of course they provide food and shelter and make a safe environment - what is expected from bigger, stronger cats.  Cats rum around the legs of their human, 

mark them with pheromones... as they do with other cats.  They cuddle together and 'hide' in the shelter of their human body, as they would do with other cats.  

If they are annoyed of their human, they scratch and bite, as they would do with other cats.

That actually explains what other theories leave un-answered and un-explained...

I AM PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A 'BIG, AWKWARD CAT' FOR MY CASSI, FOR 17 YEARS...

I will never forget...

ARMORY Park Avenue never disappoints...

 ARMORY Park Avenue never disappoints...

Great venue for un-orthodox expositions and installations.
Last Sunday (June 15, 2025) we went to see the exhibition named 

DIANE ARBUS: CONSTELLATION

Everything has been written already about the artist, her life, her images...
It would be an exercise in futility to add to it. 

I am not going to produce any seditious statements, neither...

But, I found a very interesting element of the installation itself.  The steel structures holding the images cast very intriguing shadows on the floor.  In addition to it I found even more intriguing and mysterious 'tire marks' on the wooden floor.  Were they intentional...? Or not...

Here we go:

ONE LINER 025: Wars...

Something, we (all humans) should learn from The Native Americans.

Native Americans fought wars... a lot of them.  

They were fighting for the territories.  
They were fighting for spoils. 
They were fighting against aggression.  
They were fighting aggressive wars.  
They were fighting against other tribes...

But, they never, ever, tried to hide their 'reason' for the war behind 'THE WORD OF GOD'.

Let it sink in...

13 hours...

It just dawned on me:

When you tell time on a 12 hour clock, you do not use the 0-12 range of hours but 1-13...

Sounds funny and far fetched...

No matter if it's 12:13 AM, or 12:13 PM, you use a thirteenth hour.  

Just think about it.

 

WTF - this flag baffled me..

I NEED HELP TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING!

A couple of weeks ago I rode to Northport, Long Island. There is a nice harbor in this small North Shore village.

And this is what I saw: (have a close look at the picture).
I saw 'trumpist' flags, but this one baffled me - "re elect' Trump - but what is the last digit of the year? It doesn't look like '4'... This photo was shot in October 2024.
If this is '0', an old, battered flag - from the previous election?
Am I missing something - or some people live in a parallel universe?

Am I missing something - or some people live in a parallel universe? 

A motorcycle trip from New York City to Orient Point, LI - ferry across the Sound to New London - and a trip home through the Connecticut...

Yesterday, (Wednesday 10.09.24) I made finally the LOOP, as shown on the image (on my motorcycle).

From New York City to Orient Point, LI - about 107 miles (2h 45m). And then a ferry across the Sound to New London (1h 20min trip). And then 128 miles from New London, home.

247.8 miles which should take 5 - 5.5 hours of riding, and actually took 9 hours - thanks to the traffic around New Haven, then Stamford, and from Mount Vernon right to the gates of the NYC.

BUT:

I had a pleasure to sail across the Sound on the ferry which happened to be U.S.S LST 510 - one of the boats which landed our troops on Omaha Beach during the D-Day in 1944.

I have to admit - I felt privileged...

(and the smooth ride going East through the LI Wine Country was amazing - I will have a few screengrabs from the video my GoPro was recording - in the next post...)

Andy Warhol - Eating A Hamburger (1982) - a conversation piece (a joke)

 Yesterday, I rode to Long Island (Jones Beach). I always liked Long Island, and even though the traffic is ridiculously slow (a trip of 90 miles in 5 hours and 30 minutes - with just 40 minutes on the beach) I still do it sometimes...

There is a famous, little video by the Genius of the Pop Art: Andy Warhol - Eating A Hamburger (1982)

I just couldn't refuse myself a pleasure of making a 'conversation piece' about the famous video...

I film all my riding (you never know what can come out of it) and in most cases, throw away the footage.

But sometimes:

https://vimeo.com/1009957217/d9835ed2c3?share=copy

FACEBOOK (FB) LIFE - one lives to remember...

I live on Facebook.  Since its inception, it has become the most efficient way to communicate with people who live far away, often on different continents.  

It's not an addiction, as some suggest, but a 'life line'.

I value people who I met, and with whom I have something in common - be it experiences, political views, or simply curiosity.

I live on Facebook...  However, this platform doesn't make it easy to keep track of your posts.
It doesn't even show the latest posts to some of the friends...

Last year I went on a TRIP OF MY LIFETIME - a solo motorcycle journey from New York City, NY, to Santa Barbara, CA and back.  It took me 26 days of riding (all together 27 days)>
I posted to FB every day some images, my itinerary and some comments...  
I learned later, that if I wanted to see the whole trip, there was no way to return to the early entries.

So, I copied all the FB entries about the trip and reposted them on this blog.  I created the section of this blog called:  "JOURNEY ACROSS THE CONTINENT AND BACK (2023)", so I  could return to the Journey whenever I wanted.  
It's also accessible from this link on my website:  https://www.jmk-gallery.com/across

I only wish that I started from making posts about this Journey on the blog and linked these posts to the FB.

Well, this is exactly what I decided to do now.
So, anybody who would like to keep track of my posts (if there is such a person) will have a clear and easy path.  Just log in the
INCOHERENTRANT.COM  blog (or ALMOSTINCOHERENTRANT.COM)
and you can see any post at will, and comment at will as well.  Without the FB scrutiny.

Until the next time, my friends...

ONE LINER 024: TRUMP IS A TRATOR!

For quite a few years now, whenever Donald Trump refers to the President Joe Biden, he uses a slur CROOKED.  

I think it's a high time to refer to the 'former president Trump' as:
TRAITOR DONALD TRUMP.

(participated in a coup + connived with Putin = TRAITOR)

ONE LINER 023: We, Humans (in general) are assholes.

We, humans (in general) are asholes.  

Surprised by this statement?  You shouldn't be.

At this aspect, humans divide in 2 groups - there are many other categories, but they are not the subject of this classification.

These 2 groups are:

1.  People, who think that they are better than others (for any reason, be it education, religion or lack thereof, finantial status, color of the skin, place they live... etc), and they ACT upon this belief, discriminating left and right, showing their supposed superiority, and applying harsh judgement on everybody, who have and those who have not.  Clearly bigots and zenophobes.

2.  The Second group is completely different...  People who think as above (maybe 'at the back of their heads', maybe at the bottom of their souls), but DO NOT ACT upon it, suppress it, trying to treat everyboy like 'an equal, passing judgements only on those who are openly bigots and zenophobes...  And then they 'soak in' they self-appreciation...  'until they are proony'...

It's only my opinion, but I simply do not see any other type of personalities among Humans.

When people from the Second Group get elected to the office, starting from the local level and ending on the highest rank in any system, things go in right direction.  Those who have are pressed to share a bit more, and abandon the first group, and those who do not have may benefit from the govenmental program and maybe starting to hate a bit less all those who have.  All members of the first group are shamed and themselves have to work on supressing those sadistic and unhumain tendencies.

We are only humans, and knowing what we are and what are the most primitive and tribal tendencies of the psyche is THE KEY to progress and social harmony.  Does the harmony exist - no, but we all should aspire to make it happen.
We, 'type 2' people, knowing our demons, do our best to ovecome them.  It's a constant struggle, but we are for it.  It's a process to make it better, to create a climat, where the racism, and zenophobia (and all other kinds of the discrimination) can't grow, and get eradicated.  

Completely different sutuation is created when the First type gets the power.  Throughout the history it happened repeatably in different places on the planet.  The recent history is full of it - but let me bring our attention to only two episodes which changed the world dramatically.  I am referring to the fall of the Weimar Republic with Hitler getting an absolute power in Germany, and of course the second, being Trump getting elected in the USA.  
I dare say - the two episodes in the World History which have the chance to be similarly destructive to the fabric of the world societies. 
I do not want to teach the history at this point.  The Weimar Republic fall is just a reference to show that all has been writted and done already.  We all should know it.  "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - as George Santayana concluded.  I do not believe that Trump was an avid student of history (or anything else for that matter - as his niece writes in the new bestseller book)... and his supporters?...

When the First Personality type gets in power, all 'type 1' people get encouraged.  They are angry that they had had to suppress their ugly fillings for so long, and they spew the venom of hate.  Millions of those who you even wouldn't suspect of being 'bad people' become 'bad' in an instant, and grow in power, seeing the growing number of alike characters, and responding to the encouragement from the highest office of the country.  
The fall of the Weimar Republic is just a reference.  We have been repeating the same scenario in the USA since 2016, when the dishonest, senile 'type-1' person was elected to be the President of the USA.

---
One of the Greatest Governors of the New York State, Andrew Cuomo in his more than 100 daily briefings during the hardest part of the Covid-19 Pandemic, used to say:
"It's all you, people.  Show me how you behave today and I will tell you with the high dose of certainty how we all look in 2-3 weeks, with the infection curve and the hospitalization, and the death".

How the USA and the world will look tomorrow is directly related to what 'we the people' think and do.  People are tired.  That's understandable.  We are in a deep mess, where the 'covid-19' pandemic is only a 'cherry on the top'.   
Sooner we all understand that what Trump has done already (growing uncontolled deficit even befor the pandemic, loss od the leadership role of the USA in the world, removing the US from the Climat Treaty, destroying non-proliferation treaty, and nuclear heads limit in the arselal of the USA and Russia,  Letting Putin's Russia assume control over a great part of the Middle East, etc.) is wrong and destructive to the whole world, sooner we can start preventing the unreperable damage to the fabric of our reality.

It's all you, people, who can promote the change.  This, coming elections ARE the most important elections in the history of the world, not only in our history.  Do not try to 'wait it out'... The twisted, orwellian reality will hunt us for decades.

It's all you people... VOTE.

ONE LINER 022 - MAGA AIWBT

It's self explanatory...

ONE LINER 0021 - SUPREME COURT APPOINTEE HEARINGS

In the recent weeks the Nation has been exposed to a political farse associated with the serious accusations of the sexual misconduct, against the Supreme Court appointee, and the Republicans trying to dismiss, and/or belittle the charges, and their meaning.

Yesterday, on September 27, 2018, people could witness a public hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee, of the two 'protagonists' of the alleged event:  the accuser (Dr. Christine Blasey Ford), and the accused (Judge Brett Kavanaugh).

The Republicans have made sure that the FBI background check of the appointee hasn't been opened, nor any of the indicated witnesses, or additional accusers could be subpoenaed and heard.
As of this early afternoon, thanks to the motion of the Senator Flake, there will be a week postponement of the Senate vote to conduct the FBI background check - conditional on the President's decision to reopen it.  Is it a real concern about the truthfulness of the Judge Kavanaugh, or just an empty gesture.  We will know soon (I hope).

I believe that a great number of people all across the USA, were 'glued' to the TV, or pod-cast transmissions of the Hearings.  

Dr. Ford testimony was very powerful and convincing.  It seemed very coherent, careful and to the point not hiding, or covering any parts which she couldn't remember clearly after all 36 years passed.
Her face and the whole body language fit and enhanced everything what she was trying to recall and testified.
I do not want to dwell on her testimony.  

What I have found strikingly damaging to the Judge Kavanaugh, was not her account, but his own.  
A person, hand picked by the President to get a life-long seat on a bench of the highest court in the Republic - The Supreme Court should have, not only unblemished past, a history independent judgement on his current post (DC Court of Appeals), but also a balanced, controlled personality.

However, what Judge Kavanaugh showed was that he, himself is a belligerent, political hack, with so much contempt to the institution of the Senate Judiciary Commission, that he couldn't contain himself.  
His face expressions were straight from Dr. Ekman behavioral psychology textbooks.  
What Kavanaugh presented, was a uncontrollable rage and contempt to all who dared asking him any question.  He challenged Sen. Amy Klobuchar when she asked him about his drinking, or 'blocking out', aggressively reversing the question to her(!).  In some instances, he reacted like a person with a 'substance abuse' problem - which manifested in sweating, short fuse, aggressive denials of everything related to drinking, and attacking the person asking about it.

I have seen it when guilty teenagers try to get out of the 'tight spot' being confronted on their transgressions.  Every drug user, and drunk, does react that way.  It's not only common, it's symptomatic.

Do we want to have a belligerent drunk in the Supreme Court (putting aside his misguided opinions about the presidential powers, women's right to the decision if and when to bear children and so on)?  It's an easy answer: NO.

ONE LINER 0020 - R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

August 31, 2018.  We are saying the final FAREWELL to the two giant human beings: Aretha Franklin (the Queen of Soul) and the Senator John McCain (a maverick and a war hero).

Aretha's song  R.E.S.P.E.C.T  is ringing in my ears.  We all respect her as a musical giant and him, for being a politician who 'put the Country first...'

A note to the #45 (President Trump):
It's not enough to demand the Respect from everybody around, while punishing the people who disagree with you, or your political, moral, fiscal, etc, stance.  Respect is to be earned!
Let me use the word which you like to repeat (I suspect, not fully understanding it, and not pronouncing it right) - reciprocal*.  
RESPECT is one these things, which needs to be reciprocal.

In the case of President Trump - the consecutive number of the presidency, #45 is also his place on the list of Presidents, according to the Respect they earned.  Bravo!

________________
*  according to the Cambridge Dictionary:
reciprocal
adjective UK ​  /rɪˈsɪp.rə.kəl/ US ​  /rɪˈsɪp.rə.kəl/ formal
A reciprocal action or arrangement involves two people or groups of people who behave in the same way or agree to help each other and give each other advantages.

ONE LINER 0019 - 'Mirror, mirror...'

August 27 2018 - The flags are flying half-staff on the government buildings all across the America, to honor the life and passing of the 6 term Senator, former POW, and a patriot - John McCain.  All across the America... except, over the White House, where it retuned to full-staff after 24 hours (required by the law).

Until now, all the presidents in such situations, were trying to show, that they were above the personal feuds, and they are for the unification-not-division... Not this one.

Joke:

In the morning, Trump is standing in front of the mirror and asks:
'Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the pettiest President of them all?'
After the moment of hesitation the mirror answers, not caring any more about the rhymes:
'Donald J Trump - the one who shouldn't even be here, since he lost the popular vote!'

My expectations of leadership role of this President (#45) are very, very low at this time (never have been high...), but THIS blows my mind...

VOTE in NOVEMBER 2018.

ONE LINER 0018 - Putin's Arsenal...

Putin is the most disruptive, the most anti - western civilization force on the planet.  
Even though Russia's economy is classified as 28th, or so, in world, his military might is huge and unhinged.  He has many weapon systems which math or supersede their western counterparts (like infamous, and only 'promised' so far, undetectable missile sytem, he unveiled a few moths ago with a stunning animated simulation of Russian attack on... Florida).

However, the most dangerous and the most effective weapon against democracy, American and West-European way of life, and the world's economy, in his arsenal is TRUMP.

Trump is either a TRAITOR, or a naive, senile prick - both of these options are scary...

Think about it, come November...

ONE LINER 0017 - BIRTHER 'Trump' Movement

In 2008, when Barak Housed Obama was about to become the 44th President of the United States of America, the BIRTHER Movement was born.  It was led, for at least 5 years, by Donald J Trump who is about to become the 45th Presidents of the same United States of America.

The most outrageous thing associated with the Birther Movement, was not the fact that they were trying to delegitimize the President Obama, claiming that he wasn’t worn in the States.

The most outrageous thing was, and quite ingenious, was that instead of dismissing such a charge as completely stupid as irrelevant (I will explain why in a moment), all Democrats and anybody supporting the President, assumed the defensive position, trying to prove that Obama WAS born in the States.

The bully (and I mean Donald J Trump) managed to stupefy all Americans, and cry denying the charge! 

__________

Time has past…  In 2016 Primaries to the Republican Nomination to the Presidential race, there happened to be Senator Ted Cruz.  I do not want to talk about his lack of virtues, and the IQ making the monkeys look like ‘brainiacs’. 

What I am writing here and now is that, like President Obama he was born in a family consisting of an American mother, and foreign-national father.  And this is where the similarities end.

Senator Cruz was born in Canada, not in the States.  And as far as this argument is concerned, Canada is the same as Kenia, or any other country - it ain’t the USA.

And yet, Cruz, being born outside of the country, from a singe American parent, was eligible to run for the Presidency of the USA.

It was, all legal, and agreed by both sides of the isle. 

Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution imposes only three eligibility requirements on persons serving as president – based on the officeholder’s age, time of residency in the U.S., and citizenship status. Under the Twelfth Amendment, the same three qualifications apply to the Vice President of the United States: 

* Only "natural-born" U.S. citizens (or those born abroad, but only to parents at least one of whom was a U.S. citizen at the time) may serve president of the United States.

______________

How is it possible that Trump could have manipulated the discussion on the presidential requirements the way he did.  How is it possible, that NO-ONE ever rose asking the questions I ask, and dismissing the absurd and completely immaterial, and completely irrelevant accusation.

I am ashamed for all Americans, who, instead of reading the Constitution, engaged in a straggle on the Trump’s terms.

Shame…