North Korea's Burger Diplomacy

The on again/off again plans for a June 12th nuclear weapons summit between North Korea leader Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump may be on again as of this writing, though it’s still unclear what, if any, common ground exists between the two leaders.

Trump is insisting on total North Korean denuclearization as an ultimate goal, though today, in an uncharacteristic nod to reality, he admitted that may require more than one meeting.

So hat is North Korea’s counter offer to complete denuclearization? According to a spokesman for KimJong Un, they might be persuaded to allow a western fast food burger joint to open within their borders. Since we all know that the way to Trump’s artery-clogged heart is through flattery and Quarter Pounders, there may be hope yet for a deal.

Dreams of Old Dogs

"The memories of a man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime." "Free Four" - Pink Floyd (Roger Waters)

Nearly two months ago, we lost our dear girl, Sadie. By dog years, she lived to ripe old age of around 16. Still, it seems she was taken way too soon. Fortunately, she retained her relatively good health until the end, with only arthritis gradually hindering her mobility. In her later months, she slept more and more and I'd love to occasionally see her feet twitching as she dreamed...of what I can only guess. But given her lifelong hobby of chasing squirrels and rabbits, even when her spirit was far more willing than her body, I'm pretty sure she was imagining herself being on the hunt.

Proposed Pres. Donald J. Trump Memorial

Sometimes you just need to "go low". Totally juvenile depiction of Tweeter Dum in his natural habitat.

Donald Trump's Loose Lips

The U.S government has always placed a premium on keeping its secrets, and this has extended into its  messaging to civilians as well, though today the emphasis is more on being aware of what we see and hear (If you See Something, Say Something) rather than what we say. But during WWII, wartime posters clearly sent the message that careless blabbing could carry dire consequences.

Last week's meeting in the Oval Office between Donald Trump and high ranking members of the russian government, in which classified information was allegedly revealed, reminds us that trusting information to someone with "loose lips" could ultimately sink ships and all of us with it.

March for Science- Earth Day 2017

Earth is the only world, as of this writing, known to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.  ? Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

This Earth Day, April 22, 2017, scientists, those who support their work, and those concerned about our current government's disastrous environmental policies will gather in cities and towns worldwide in a march to bring awareness to the state of our planet and what we're doing to it. I, along with thousands of others, will be marching in downtown Chicago (and doing some sketching).

Here's the March for Science mission statement as presented on their webpage:

The March for Science champions robustly funded and publicly communicated science as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity. We unite as a diverse, nonpartisan group to call for science that upholds the common good and for political leaders and policy makers to enact evidence based policies in the public interest.

Hope everyone I know will be there and/or lend their support in body or spirit.