Burns Strider

The Tik Tok Presidency: constantly changing fads and priorities as shallow and cheap as the .30 sec. flexes that define them.

“I want to believe that the imperfections are nothing—that the light is everything—that it is more than the sum of each flawed blossom rising and falling. And I do.” - Mary Oliver

A dumpster, a propane tank, and a water tank in front of a clump of scrub trees, proudly proclaiming this to be "Nowhere, Okla."

OK, so I'm here now. What's up?

Paying respect to an anthem or flag out of fear of jail & punishment creates a hollow gesture, ceremonial farce. Meaning and patriotism is lost. Freedom is real when freedom exists.

19-year-old HK student charged with insulting China's anthem granted bail A Hong Kong student charged with insulting China’s national anthem during  a 2026 World Cup Asian qualifier in Hong Kong in June has been granted bail.

A Hong Kong student charged with insulting China’s national anthem during  a 2026 World Cup Asian qualifier in Hong Kong in June has been granted bail.

In full: https://buff.ly/3AOSXFT

Jailed democrats' plan constitutionally allowed under Basic Law, Hong Kong legal scholar says | Hong Kong Free Press HKFP Democrats’ plan to veto the budget was constitutionally allowed under Hong Kong’s Basic Law, a legal scholar has said, a day after 45 pro-democracy figures were jailed for conspiring to commit subversion...

Jailed democrats' plan to veto the budget was constitutionally allowed under Hong Kong's Basic Law, a legal scholar has said.

In full: https://buff.ly/40Usd1e

Opinion | Universities Like Yale Need a Reckoning We must look in the mirror to know why we have already lost some battles and social respect and part of our democracy

www.nytimes.com/2024/11/14/o...

“The American university is a profoundly important reinvention of an ancient idea…embedded in the modern university, is that a higher education can remake one’s life…Our herculean task is to make it work again.”

BTW, waiting for Trump to fail is not a strategy. It’s a capitulation. It’s a capitulation of being in charge of your own destiny. It’s a capitulation of leadership. It’s a capitulation of standing for something. It’s a capitulation of hope… the future… winning… elections. #dontcapitulate #Lead

Every time a car commercial featuring a biracial couple airs Stephen Miller gets a nosebleed.

1 in 3 Hongkongers want to move abroad, survey finds A third of Hong Kong residents have said they intend to move overseas, according to a recent survey by the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

A third of Hong Kong residents have said they intend to move overseas, according to a recent survey by the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

In full: https://buff.ly/48N8JxA

I'd have to imagine these trends accelerated DRAMATICALLY after the election

'Hail Hitler and hail Trump': People wave Nazi flags outside Jewish play in Michigan President-elect Donald Trump's reelection was credited for emboldening a group of people waving Nazi flags in Michigan over the weekend.WLNS reported that the flags were seen in two cities, including ...

Protest outside Anne Frank play in Michigan. Nazis with Nazi insignia American flags and yelling Heil Hitler, Heil Trump

“President elect Trump must come out & condemn this immediately. Otherwise, others will feel they have space to do similarly.” Rep Steve Cohen

www.rawstory.com/nazi-flags-m...

On this #VeteransDay, I remember my father, Big Daddy Strider, who flew combat in WWII. He was decorated 24 times and holds the distinction of most decorated war veteran in our home county of Grenada, MS. I salute and thank all who have defended our freedom and way of life.

1870-71: Franco-Prussian War, 433K dead
1914-1918: WWI, 17.6M dead, including 116K Americans
1939-1945: WWII, 54M dead in Europe, including 277K Americans
1949: NATO founded
1949- : No big interstate war in Europe (until Ukraine, which isn't in NATO)
2024: "NATO's dumb. What's it do for us anyway?"