43 thoughts on “On Memorial Day 2025”

  1. to the fallen and to their children’s children: forgive us not only for what we’ve done to this country but also to this world and to all the creatures therein.
    Asking on this day of remembrance of all who are no more “What Have We Done?”

    Oct 3, 2009
    “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson
    The short film to Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song,” his best-selling single in the United Kingdom, earned Michael the Doris Day Music Award from the Humane Society’s Genesis Awards. The urgent need to address the issues facing the planet and all that inhabit it were on the forefront of Michael’s mind when he created this song and short film; issues that are even more urgent today.

    What about sunrise?
    What about rain?
    What about all the things
    That you said we were to gain?
    What about killing fields?
    Is there a time?
    What about all the things
    That you said was yours and mine?
    Did you ever stop to notice
    All the blood we’ve shed before?
    Did you ever stop to notice
    This crying Earth, these weeping shores?
    [,,,]
    What have we done to the world?
    Look what we’ve done
    What about all the peace
    That you pledge your only son?
    What about flowering fields?
    Is there a time?
    What about all the dreams
    That you said was yours and mine?
    Did you ever stop to notice
    All the children dead from war?
    Did you ever stop to notice
    This crying Earth, these weeping shores?

  2. an interesting theory proffered by Arjun Appadurai and worth the read:
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/may/25/trump-american-democracy

    ‘An autoimmune disorder’: how Trump is turning American democracy against itself
    […]
    [Trump] has hit upon an original formula: to reverse-engineer the liberal institutions designed as guardrails against people like him
    […]
    Trump’s twisted genius has enabled the reorganization of the core engineering of American liberal society, to turn its greatest protections against illiberal forces into the biggest weapons of illiberalism. His full-scale demolition of the American social order is based on a remarkable repurposing of the powers of the legislature, of the pesky independence of the courts and of the vaunted guardrails promised by the mass media to seduce many Americans into giving their consent to illiberalism.
    The jury is still out on the success of the judiciary in resisting Trump’s suborning of legal institutions, because the supreme court is playing its cards very cautiously. For now, a combination of Trump’s instincts and advisers continue to fuel a major assault on the American liberal democratic order by hot-wiring its basic components. The endgame is to repurpose them as carriers of a massive autoimmune disorder – whereby democracy destroys itself.
    Will Trump succeed? Are we doomed to an autocracy in democratic drag? Not necessarily. To resist Trump, we need to rewire democracy to revive democracy. This requires a move away from moral abstractions and liberal hand-wringing to local political campaigning, non-violent civil disobedience and active social mobilization. The clock is ticking and we must not allow the wrong man to be the last one standing.

    Arjun Appadurai, professor emeritus at New York University, is an anthropologist and former provost of the New School.

  6. Playground bully geopolitical negotiations . WaPo

    Trump says he will delay tariffs on European Union until July 9
    Trump said that he and the Europeans intend to “rapidly get together and see if we can work something out.”

    By Matt Viser and Cleve R. Wootson Jr.
    MORRISTOWN, N.J. — President Donald Trump said Sunday that he would delay tariffs that were set to be imposed next week on the European Union until July 9.
    Trump told reporters that he made the decision to postpone the levies following a conversation with Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, who had requested an extension so that they could continue to negotiate over Trump’s proposed 50 percent tariffs that were set to be in place June 1.
    “She said she wants to get down to serious negotiation, because … they have to do that,” he said. “And we had a very nice call. And I agreed to move it.”
    Trump said that he and the Europeans intend to “rapidly get together and see if we can work something out.”
    His comments came as he prepared to return to Washington, and followed a post on Truth Social that also said that he would make the extension and that “[i]t was my privilege to do so.”
    Trump also said that he had some “very good talks” with Iran over its nuclear program.
    We’ve had some real progress, serious progress,” he said.
    In a social media post Friday, Trump criticized European diplomats as being “very difficult to deal with” and said trade talks were “going nowhere!”
    As a result, Trump said he was “recommending a straight 50% tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1.”
    Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the president’s threats were aimed at stirring European officials.
    “I would hope this would light a fire under the E.U.,” Bessent said on Fox News.

    To put the US-EU trade balance in perspective…(https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/eu-trade-relationships-country-and-region/countries-and-regions/united-states_en)

    The transatlantic trade relationship is the most important commercial relationship in the world.
    EU-US trade in goods and services reached an impressive €1.6 trillion in 2023. This means that every day, €4.4 billion worth of goods and services cross the Atlantic between the EU and the US.
    EU-US goods and services trade is balanced: the difference between EU exports to the US and US exports to the EU stood at €48 billion in 2023; the equivalent of just 3% of the total trade between the EU and the US. …

    Fucking idiot.

  8. Measles would be just a childhood memory if not for the bad hombre in the White House.

    Good one, Craig.

  10. Decoration Day, now Memorial Day, is one of those important days in our family. We have lost family in several wars, they died fighting for freedom against fascists. We would get our poppies and pile into several cars to visit the graves of our fallen and those of others. Afterward we would go to my grandparents for a dinner.

    Not all who fought were recovered. My great-uncle is Missing In Action, as is a second cousin. We remembered them in family talks. The sadness I feel is that the youngest generations do not understand what they fought for anymore because of the great gap from then to now.

  11. May Lin who designed the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. also designed the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama.

    The Memorial, dedicated in 1989, was designed by Maya Lin, who found inspiration in the paraphrase from Amos 5:24 that King used in his “I Have a Dream” speech: “We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” On the Memorial’s circular, black granite table, water emerges from the center and flows evenly across a timeline, reminiscent of a sundial, that chronicles the major events of the movement and records the names of 40 men, women and children who were killed during the struggle. Behind the table, a thin sheet of water flows down a 40-foot-long curved, black granite wall on which the words “until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream” are inscribed.

    https://www.splcenter.org/civil-rights-memorial/

  12. Great-great-great Grandpa who died fighting Confederates to preserve the Union.

    ‘Twas ever thus.

  13. Ivy, thanks for posting your comment on the measles video on our Trail Mix Live.

    My research and experience shows Comments and Likes are a very big deal to YouTube’s algorithm robot — videos with what they call “engagement” get a lot more exposure on their feed to the wider world, which builds up traffic and subscriptions. But you do have to have a Google account to set up commenting on YouTube.

  16. Last weekend my brother turned over a bin from our Mom’s basement. It has a trove of WWII photos in an album that belonged to our dad who died when we were kids. It appears to be from dad’s dad’s time at a training camp in Florida. My grandfather was in his 30s when the war was declared.

  21. Craig, it’s a work in progress and heading in a good direction. If you build it, they will come.

  23. Ivy, was the latest introduction of a purple (royal violet?) tie why the Saudis rolled out a matching purple rug for him? maybe they were the ones who gave it to him…. likely with fine threads of gold entwined in it and a fawning note of the color’s meaning.
    here’s an article interpreting the reasoning behind the color ties politicians pick:
    https://primeneckwear.com/blogs/how-to/the-symbolism-of-necktie-colors-in-political-leadership-red-blue-and-beyond

    […]
    Red neckties are a staple in the wardrobes of many political leaders, and for good reason. The color red is often associated with passion, strength, and assertiveness. When a politician dons a red tie, they are sending a clear message of vigor and authority. Red exudes confidence and commands attention, making it a popular choice for leaders seeking to project a sense of power and conviction.
    Consider the iconic image of a presidential candidate delivering a fiery speech in a bold red tie. The color red not only draws the audience’s gaze but also imbues the speaker’s words with a sense of urgency and determination. In this way, red neckties serve as potent symbols of leadership and resolve, signaling to constituents that the wearer is unafraid to tackle challenges head-on
    In contrast to the boldness of red, blue neckties exude a sense of stability, trustworthiness, and reliability. Blue is often associated with calmness, integrity, and competence, making it a popular choice for politicians seeking to inspire confidence and reassurance in their leadership.

    Imagine a world leader addressing the nation in a somber blue tie during times of crisis. The color blue not only conveys a sense of composure and steadfastness but also fosters a connection with the audience based on trust and dependability. Whether navigating complex policy issues or leading diplomatic negotiations, blue neckties serve as symbols of stability and statesmanship, reassuring constituents that their interests are in capable hands.
    Beyond Red and Blue: Exploring Unconventional Colors in Political Attire
    While red and blue neckties dominate the political landscape, some leaders opt for unconventional colors to make a statement or convey a specific message. For example:
    […]
    Purple neckties evoke a sense of nobility, wisdom, and dignity. Politicians may don purple ties to project an image of authority and sophistication, signaling to constituents that they are leaders of discernment and insight. Purple ties are also associated with creativity and imagination, making them a distinctive choice for politicians who dare to think outside the box.

  28. from a vet and about-to-be harvard grad
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/opinion-why-is-trump-obsessed-with-harvard/ar-AA1FuE6a?cmp_prftch=2&ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=b5d495936d644cb1b08d129252a71c74&ei=17

    […]
    Harvard’s veteran alumni had to recently launch a fundraising campaign so that Harvard veteran graduates could have a ceremony and receive a graduation stole. Why? Because one of the many assaults on Harvard by President Trump included forcing the cancellation of affinity celebrations. So the school pulled funding for all celebrations, and the Harvard Veterans Alumni Organization had to raise funds so that veterans like myself could be honored.
    Trump’s assault on DEI and “wokeness” and his campaign to fight antisemitism has only focused on one school and seems to hurt students that have nothing to do with his agenda. We live in a world where we like to pretend that the negative things we hear about a place we have never been to be true. You have people genuinely scared to go into cities because the news tells them it’s a warzone, people who think rural areas are populated only by racists, and saddest of all, people who think that anyone slightly different from them is the enemy.
    […]
    Trump’s continued assault on a university threatens that advantage not just for Harvard, but every other top-notch school. Big Ten schools, University of California schools, Texas giants such as the University of Texas, Rice and Texas A&M, and every other major institution now have to draw back and stop pursuing excellence. The reason? Fear of the President Trump.
    And they have to be wondering, are they next? They could be, but for now they get to sit on the sidelines as Trump’s fixation with Harvard once again heads to the court. Forcing kids who did nothing wrong to transfer has to be about as low as one can act, but here we are.
    At some point, we have to wonder how a school with a Jewish population of 10 percent and with a Jewish president is somehow Hamas-lite to the White House. One can’t help but wonder if there is a personal reason for Trump’s antics. Because as a veteran, I am still astonished that Harvard is somehow now being associated with the worst of America when it is just full of hard-working students like me.

    Jos Joseph is a master’s candidate at the Harvard Extension School at Harvard University. He is a Marine veteran who served in Iraq and lives in Anaheim, Calif.

  29. Mentioned them yesterday. The three boys who went to ward. All born in Scotland. Came to the US as 8, 6, and 4. Lost their mother when they were 16, 14, and 12. All drafted into WW II.

    David, William, and Robert. Robert was my dad.

  31. I also had an uncle-by-marriage who along with his two brothers went to war, survived D-Day by sea, air, and land, and all returned home to their town to raise families. That must be some kind of miracle.

    That was my uncle who brought home a German prisoner officer’s German-speaking German Shepherd. Dog lived all the way to my childhood and was the meanest dog I’ve ever known, and its puppies were no better.

  32. What’s with the glow-up of Adolf’s Memorial Day speech?

    The sundowner syndrome seems to be setting in at brunch time.

    Adolf lied about brokering a peace deal between India and Pakistan…and their news outlets called him out and said he lied.

    He is Jonesing for a Nobel, because Obama has one. It’s making him crazier.

  34. BID, I can’t stand those horrible mentally deranged “greetings” he sends out on significant occasions. Who finds those valuable or even funny? People equally or more insane than him? Is that the majority of our country now, and if so, why?

  35. Ina was my mother’s favorite after Paula Deen. She knew more about their lives than she did ours.

  36. Well, I’m happy to say I didn’t watch anything that had Dodo trying to act like he gives a flying shit about the losers and suckers who he’s never had the decency or insight to understand the sacrifices they made so that an asswipe like him could lie his way to a position ignoring the document they gave their families and lives to preserve and protect. Red tie, blue tie, purple tie? Who gives a shit? Oh, and the basil and mint seem happy and for once in a very long while the deer apparently aren’t interested in the flowers I planted for Mrs. P for Mother’s Day.

  37. I was wrong about the red hat/pink tie combo today. That was his West Point costume. Atrocious anywhere, anytime.

  38. I don’t know whazzup with the mushroom coffee. How many hits does it take? Better get me some serenity now.

  39. Fuzzy logic may be the best explanation so far.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuzzy_logic

    (I thought the answers would be in sorites. I didn’t find them there, but they led me here.)

    “A sorites argument, also known as a “heap paradox” or “little-by-little argument,” is a type of argument that uses seemingly valid reasoning to arrive at a conclusion that contradicts common sense. It often involves the concept of a vague predicate, like “heap,” where the boundary between what is and isn’t the predicate is not clearly defined.”

  40. “He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” Trump warned.

    fuckin’ idiot 🤦‍♂️

  42. Today I celebrated the life 0f my uncle, Army Air Corp 2nd Lt. Mort Lazar, for whom I was named. Lost at sea, his transport ship was torpedoed enroute from Tunis to Anzio during WWII. He had been captain of the NYU basketball team prior to enlisting.

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