+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 47

Thread: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

  1. Link to Post #1
    United States Avalon Member RunningDeer's Avatar
    Join Date
    6th February 2012
    Location
    Forest Dweller
    Language
    English
    Posts
    18,341
    Thanks
    127,398
    Thanked 168,300 times in 18,139 posts

    Default President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address


  2. The Following 25 Users Say Thank You to RunningDeer For This Post:

    anandacate (5th February 2020), angelfire (6th February 2020), Antagenet (7th February 2020), Axman (5th February 2020), BMJ (5th February 2020), BushPilot (6th February 2020), ByTheNorthernSea (8th February 2020), Chester (7th February 2020), cursichella1 (7th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), edina (5th February 2020), ExomatrixTV (5th February 2020), heretogrow (5th February 2020), justntime2learn (5th February 2020), Kryztian (5th February 2020), lisalu (5th February 2020), Matt P (6th February 2020), Mike (5th February 2020), mountain_jim (5th February 2020), pyrangello (5th February 2020), raregem (5th February 2020), Sadieblue (5th February 2020), Sue (Ayt) (5th February 2020), ulli (5th February 2020), wnlight (5th February 2020)

  3. Link to Post #2
    Avalon Member Axman's Avatar
    Join Date
    21st March 2010
    Location
    IL a noise
    Language
    Music
    Age
    62
    Posts
    522
    Thanks
    9,017
    Thanked 2,416 times in 423 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    Thanks Running Deer on top of the news Threads.
    Your the best

    The Axman
    So what we cant see means little to some souls on this planet.

  4. The Following 13 Users Say Thank You to Axman For This Post:

    BMJ (5th February 2020), BushPilot (6th February 2020), Chester (7th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), edina (5th February 2020), ExomatrixTV (5th February 2020), heretogrow (5th February 2020), justntime2learn (5th February 2020), mountain_jim (5th February 2020), pyrangello (5th February 2020), RunningDeer (5th February 2020), Sadieblue (5th February 2020), ulli (5th February 2020)

  5. Link to Post #3
    United States Avalon Member edina's Avatar
    Join Date
    13th January 2011
    Location
    Outback in the Four Corners
    Language
    English
    Posts
    2,532
    Thanks
    20,496
    Thanked 20,171 times in 2,420 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    The Best Is Yet To Come!!!
    I happily co-create a balanced world culture harmonized with Infinite Intelligence. ~ edina (Renaissance Humanity)

  6. The Following 15 Users Say Thank You to edina For This Post:

    Antagenet (7th February 2020), BMJ (5th February 2020), BushPilot (6th February 2020), Chester (7th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), ExomatrixTV (5th February 2020), heretogrow (5th February 2020), Ivanhoe (5th February 2020), justntime2learn (5th February 2020), lisalu (5th February 2020), Matt P (6th February 2020), pyrangello (5th February 2020), RunningDeer (5th February 2020), Sadieblue (5th February 2020), ulli (5th February 2020)

  7. Link to Post #4
    United States Avalon Member
    Join Date
    24th June 2013
    Language
    English
    Posts
    1,984
    Thanks
    2,726
    Thanked 6,945 times in 1,689 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    Alien implants in Heads of Important People: I have been watching, from time to time, important people who seem to have a small black tentacle pushing its way past the corner of the person's mouth, etc., whether the person is speaking or merely sitting within sight of someone else who is speaking. My very first sight of this seemingly Alient Implant, was a video presentation being made by a hypnotist named Weiss who claimed to have regressed a great many persons of memories of previous lives. This person appears to be a gentle, knowledgeable soul who would not hurt a fly. However, as he spoke in the video, this thin black tentacle eased out of the right corner of his mouth and extended two inches downward before he became aware of the fact and got it back in. I played this video over and over to ensure that I was not imagining things. Since then, from time to time, but rarely, I briefly noticed this tentacle which the person in whose mouth it sat made efforts to get it back into his/her mouth using their tongue.

    During the video above with President Trump's speech, https://youtube.com/watch?v=4pYaBf15xa4, Mrs. Pelossi (spelling unknown) was having some difficulty trying to keep this thin tentacle from exiting the left corner of her mouth. I placed the Magnifying Rectangle which I have on my computer on her mouth to be absolutely certain that I was seeing what I thought I was seeing; and I am certain it was the same thing happening in her mouth. It is obviously something that everyone in the Congress must know about but not speak about because this thing is determined to get out and even with her mouth closed its tentacle shows itself. It is very black and so cannot escape notice. I have a mental picture of some life form which has attached itself to the back of the throat and into the brain and its tail, the thin tentacle is trying to exit the mouth constantly. Alien Mind Control Device Anyone??? I viewed the video again just to watch her desperately trying to keep this thing from showing itself. Had I not seen the Weiss video so clearly, I would not have been clued in as to what was happening in reality. Whenever it exited the left corner of her mouth (which would be on the viewer's right), she made motions using her tongue, which were obvious to me to get it to remain in her mouth. Please watch this video more than once and pay close attention to HER MOUTH. This sounds so much like Horror Science Fiction that people would not want to believe what they were seeing and therefore dismiss the possibility. However, I having had an eyefull elsewhere, am not so easily put off. What is Controlling those who rule over us?????
    Last edited by amor; 6th February 2020 at 00:38. Reason: typo

  8. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to amor For This Post:

    Antagenet (7th February 2020), BMJ (5th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020)

  9. Link to Post #5
    United States Avalon Member
    Join Date
    25th March 2010
    Location
    Northern Michigan
    Age
    61
    Posts
    2,255
    Thanks
    8,500
    Thanked 18,734 times in 2,089 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    I can only imagine all the underhanded stuff that has happened in the last 4 years, remember some in congress said they wanted to impeach this president before he was even sworn into office. As I have been sued before , attorneys want to shake your hand and give you that warm fuzzy feeling that everything is fine when its actually the head of the snake you are shaking that will stick a knife in your back at every opportunity. I really can't blame President Trump for not wanting to shake the hand of this whatever. And to watch her tear up his speech reminded me of how childish she has become and the title politician doesn't even apply anymore. . That being said we are all now waiting for what will be the next investigation, better get use to this , these people are insane and drunk power. 50 year low unemployment , whats wrong with that?

  10. The Following 10 Users Say Thank You to pyrangello For This Post:

    bettye198 (7th February 2020), Bluegreen (5th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), ExomatrixTV (5th February 2020), justntime2learn (5th February 2020), Justplain (5th February 2020), Matt P (6th February 2020), RunningDeer (5th February 2020), Sadieblue (6th February 2020), Soda (5th February 2020)

  11. Link to Post #6
    Avalon Member
    Join Date
    26th May 2010
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM, USA
    Age
    73
    Posts
    2,450
    Thanks
    11,327
    Thanked 22,061 times in 2,419 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    It’s merely a crease or fold in her skin that begins at the corner of her mouth. The light casts a shadow in the fold making it appear dark. As we age our skin loses elasticity and begins to sag. Such folds at the corner of the mouth, and elsewhere, are common in older people.

    Frankly, I find post #4 quite bizarre.

  12. The Following 15 Users Say Thank You to Satori For This Post:

    BushPilot (6th February 2020), Chester (7th February 2020), Chip (6th February 2020), ChristianSky (7th February 2020), Craig (5th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), Fellow Aspirant (6th February 2020), Ioneo (5th February 2020), justntime2learn (5th February 2020), Kryztian (7th February 2020), mountain_jim (6th February 2020), onevoice (5th February 2020), RunningDeer (5th February 2020), Sadieblue (6th February 2020), Soda (5th February 2020)

  13. Link to Post #7
    United States Avalon Member
    Join Date
    24th June 2013
    Language
    English
    Posts
    1,984
    Thanks
    2,726
    Thanked 6,945 times in 1,689 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    Dear Satori and other readers of my above post: I viewed the above Video very very late at night without my magnifying glasses and assumed the movable magnifier would be sufficient. It was not. I have just viewed the video once again in detail. The speaker of the house has dark red lip liner on both lips with a lighter red on the remainder of the lips. This appeared similar to other videos I had seen which were very much more explicit and beyond question. I apologize for posting the above error and ask that you disregard it. I have tried to erase it without success. The lady is quite normal. I must really stop watching Avalon at three in the morning when I might be suffering from DT's due to sleep deprivation. Thank you Satori.

  14. The Following 10 Users Say Thank You to amor For This Post:

    Antagenet (7th February 2020), BushPilot (6th February 2020), Caliban (7th February 2020), Clarity (6th February 2020), Craig (6th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), mountain_jim (6th February 2020), RunningDeer (6th February 2020), Sadieblue (6th February 2020), Satori (8th February 2020)

  15. Link to Post #8
    United States Avalon Member RunningDeer's Avatar
    Join Date
    6th February 2012
    Location
    Forest Dweller
    Language
    English
    Posts
    18,341
    Thanks
    127,398
    Thanked 168,300 times in 18,139 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    Quote Posted by amor (here)
    I apologize for posting the above error and ask that you disregard it.

    I have tried to erase it without success. The lady is quite normal. I must really stop watching Avalon at three in the morning when I might be suffering from DT's due to sleep deprivation.
    Hello amor, thanks for your explanation.

    If you want to edit your post, click on the “edit” at the bottom, right of your post.



    You can double check your post by clicking the “preview changes”. Then “save changes” when you’re done.



    Hope you’re able to catch some ZZZzzzz….soon.
    Last edited by RunningDeer; 6th February 2020 at 01:39.

  16. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to RunningDeer For This Post:

    BushPilot (6th February 2020), Chester (7th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), justntime2learn (8th February 2020), mountain_jim (6th February 2020), Sadieblue (6th February 2020), Satori (8th February 2020)

  17. Link to Post #9
    United States Unsubscribed
    Join Date
    8th January 2015
    Location
    Kentucky
    Language
    English
    Age
    62
    Posts
    1,991
    Thanks
    12,574
    Thanked 13,955 times in 1,944 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    I couldn't help noticing Juan Guaido getting mega props. Oh boy....


    I wasn't surprised how Pelosi actually beat Pence to the punch in offering the rare bipartisan standing ovation.

    Does this maybe tell us all a lil sumthin about the core agreements these folks have with each other that run more than skin deep? Like setting the example that we should all stand in honor of this already exposed CIA instrument of regime change?

    We're all just supposed to smile, nod politely to each other, and pretend that he isn't?

    By the way, the 50 second video must be watched on actual youtube.
    Last edited by Gracy; 6th February 2020 at 03:15.

  18. Link to Post #10
    Canada Avalon Member Fellow Aspirant's Avatar
    Join Date
    6th July 2011
    Location
    Kingston, Ontario
    Age
    73
    Posts
    1,104
    Thanks
    6,038
    Thanked 5,595 times in 1,002 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    I wasn't surprised when Trump refused Pelosi's offer of an outstretched hand. I'm glad she offered, at least.

    I am surprised, however, at how "triggered" the cult members were by Pelosi's ripping up of the speech.

    They missed a wonderful opportunity to bask in the warm reception of Trump's oration. Instead, they got side tracked by emotional outrage.

    B.
    A human being is a part of the whole, called by us "Universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.

    Albert E.

  19. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Fellow Aspirant For This Post:

    Cipher (8th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), justntime2learn (8th February 2020)

  20. Link to Post #11
    United States Avalon Member
    Join Date
    22nd February 2014
    Location
    Lexington, KY
    Age
    53
    Posts
    953
    Thanks
    6,393
    Thanked 9,019 times in 927 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    🙄
    When you make the mistake of unlocking a blocked comment....



    Matt
    Fear is simply a consequence of a lack of information.

  21. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Matt P For This Post:

    anandacate (7th February 2020), Craig (10th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), justntime2learn (8th February 2020), RunningDeer (7th February 2020)

  22. Link to Post #12
    United States Avalon Member onawah's Avatar
    Join Date
    28th March 2010
    Language
    English
    Posts
    22,209
    Thanks
    47,682
    Thanked 116,098 times in 20,640 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    Surprise! Trump lied in the State of the Union
    Social Security Works
    2/6/20
    https://secure.actblue.com/donate/tr...e-of-the-union

    ("But just two weeks ago, President Donald Trump went to Davos to hobnob with Wall Street billionaires. While there, Trump sat for an interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen, who asked him if “entitlements” would “ever be on your plate.” “At some point they will be,” Trump replied." NO DOUBT THE "SOME POINT' HE INTENDS WOULD BE AFTER HE IS RE-ELECTED. WHEN WILL PEOPLE REALIZE THAT CAMPAIGN PROMISES ARE NOT TO BE TRUSTED? )

    "This week, in his State of the Union address, Donald Trump told a great number of lies.

    I’m glad I don’t have to fact-check all of them, but there is one lie that we cannot let stand: In last night’s State of the Union, he falsely pledged that “we will always protect your Medicare and we will always protect your Social Security.”

    But just two weeks ago, President Donald Trump went to Davos to hobnob with Wall Street billionaires. While there, Trump sat for an interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen, who asked him if “entitlements” would “ever be on your plate.” “At some point they will be,” Trump replied.1

    His comments rightfully created quite a stir, since “entitlements” is how elites like those gathered in Davos refer to Social Security and Medicare. Trump ran in 2016 on a promise not to cut Social Security and Medicare.2 Insider code is necessary because cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid is not only terrible policy but deeply unpopular even with voters who make up Trump’s base.3 He’s been breaking that promise ever since, but his Davos comments are the first time he’s overtly admitted that he lied to the American people.

    Either Trump was lying to the Wall Street billionaires in Davos, or he was lying to the American people last night. Trump’s pre-2016 history on Social Security, his actions while in office, and the people he’s surrounded himself with reveal the truth.

    Trump thinks he can win re-election by lying to seniors about his own record. Social Security Works is setting the record straight.

    In 2000, before he ever had aspirations of running for President as a Republican, Trump released a book with a chapter on Social Security.4 In this chapter, he displayed utter contempt for Social Security and its beneficiaries.

    Trump referred to Social Security as “a ponzi scheme.” He called for raising the retirement age to 70, because “How many times will you really want to take that trailer to the Grand Canyon?" He said that he “plans to work forever”, which is easy enough for someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth. But what about everyday people who work in careers such as nursing or construction that involve hard physical labor?

    Trump added that destroying Social Security by privatizing it “would be good for all of us.”

    What happened between 2000 and the 2016 election? Trump developed a keen understanding of the politics of Social Security. He realized that, once you leave the Mar-a-Lago crowd, voters of all political affiliations overwhelmingly oppose cutting benefits. Yet Republican politicians, at the behest of their billionaire donors, go against the will of their voters by supporting cuts.

    Trump exploited these divisions ruthlessly in the Republican primary, tweeting that “I was the first & only potential GOP candidate to state there will be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid.”5

    But just because Trump realized that publicly supporting benefit cuts is politically toxic doesn’t mean that his real views have changed. Trump’s selection of Mike Pence as a running mate foreshadowed how he would govern. Pence supports raising the retirement age 6 and led a group of House Republicans in criticizing George W. Bush’s Social Security privatization plan—for not going far enough!7 Someone genuinely committed to protecting Social Security would never select Pence as their top deputy.

    Once elected President, Trump threw his commitments to protecting Social Security out the window. His most recent budget proposal would cut $25 billion from Social Security and $845 billion from Medicare. Fortunately, House Democrats have declined to pass that budget into law. But, since then, Trump has found sneakier ways to attack Social Security.

    Trump’s administration is in the process of jamming through a rule change that’s designed to rip Social Security benefits away from Americans with disabilities. When Ronald Reagan made a similar rule change, hundreds of thousands wrongly lost their benefits and over 20,000 people died.8 The Reagan administration was forced to reverse the policy after massive public outcry. Now Trump wants to bring it back.

    Social Security Works led an effort to deliver more than 150,000 public comments opposing this rule. But that’s not the only way we’re fighting back.

    Trump’s administration is cutting Social Security right now. Trump, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, want to make more cuts in the future. But the plan was to keep that quiet until after the November election.

    In Davos, surrounded by billionaires salivating over the prospect of gutting the American people’s earned benefits, Trump accidentally let the mask slip. At the State of the Union, he tried to put it back on.

    It’s up to us to make sure that everyone in America sees what’s underneath before it’s too late.

    Thanks,

    Linda Benesch
    Social Security Works"

    References
    1 https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/22/davo...ent-trump.html
    2 https://medium.com/senator-bernie-sa...d-99beefa9f584
    3 https://www.people-press.org/2016/03...ed-in-the-u-s/
    4 https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article...onzi-scheme-we
    5 https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...38364187602944
    6 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/boehn...t-age_n_674793
    7 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/boehn...t-age_n_674793
    8 https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...162-story.html

    Also posted here: https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...=1#post1334723
    Each breath a gift...
    _____________

  23. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to onawah For This Post:

    Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), Wansen (7th February 2020)

  24. Link to Post #13
    United States Avalon Member edina's Avatar
    Join Date
    13th January 2011
    Location
    Outback in the Four Corners
    Language
    English
    Posts
    2,532
    Thanks
    20,496
    Thanked 20,171 times in 2,420 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    I'm curious, what's people's opinions of George Soros?

    And George Soro's funded organizations?
    I happily co-create a balanced world culture harmonized with Infinite Intelligence. ~ edina (Renaissance Humanity)

  25. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to edina For This Post:

    BushPilot (7th February 2020), Chester (7th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020)

  26. Link to Post #14
    United States Avalon Member edina's Avatar
    Join Date
    13th January 2011
    Location
    Outback in the Four Corners
    Language
    English
    Posts
    2,532
    Thanks
    20,496
    Thanked 20,171 times in 2,420 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    I enjoyed this moment in the SOTU 2020.

    I feel the young man, Ian, with his ambitions for "Space Force", had extraordinary poise for his age.

    In this clip, Trump introduces his grandfather.


    I think it's okay to feel good about the country you live in. And it's people.

    It's a great counterbalance to the decades long, perhaps even centuries long, demoralization campaigns.
    Last edited by edina; 7th February 2020 at 03:31.
    I happily co-create a balanced world culture harmonized with Infinite Intelligence. ~ edina (Renaissance Humanity)

  27. The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to edina For This Post:

    anandacate (8th February 2020), Antagenet (7th February 2020), BushPilot (7th February 2020), ByTheNorthernSea (8th February 2020), Chester (7th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), justntime2learn (8th February 2020), RunningDeer (7th February 2020), Sadieblue (7th February 2020)

  28. Link to Post #15
    United States Avalon Member edina's Avatar
    Join Date
    13th January 2011
    Location
    Outback in the Four Corners
    Language
    English
    Posts
    2,532
    Thanks
    20,496
    Thanked 20,171 times in 2,420 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    Someone put together a video with the closing remarks of Trump's 2020 SOTU.

    Quote "This nation is our canvas. And this country is our masterpiece. We look at tomorrow and see unlimited frontiers just waiting to be explored. Our brightest discoveries are not yet known. Our most thrilling stories are not yet told. Our grandest journeys are not yet made. The American age, the American epic, the American adventure, has only just begun. Our spirit is still young. The sun is still rising. God's grace is still shining. And, my fellow Americans, the BEST IS YET TO COME!" - DJT
    This is a vision. Where there is no vision, the people perish.
    I remember learning this when I was in the Air Force, decades ago.
    I happily co-create a balanced world culture harmonized with Infinite Intelligence. ~ edina (Renaissance Humanity)

  29. The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to edina For This Post:

    anandacate (8th February 2020), Antagenet (7th February 2020), BushPilot (7th February 2020), ByTheNorthernSea (8th February 2020), Chester (7th February 2020), Denise/Dizi (8th February 2020), justntime2learn (8th February 2020), RunningDeer (7th February 2020), Sadieblue (7th February 2020)

  30. Link to Post #16
    United States Avalon Member onawah's Avatar
    Join Date
    28th March 2010
    Language
    English
    Posts
    22,209
    Thanks
    47,682
    Thanked 116,098 times in 20,640 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    I compare Soros to the character Sorhed in the Harvard Lampoon's version of Tolkein's classic, "Bored of the Rings". Sorhed was the equivalent of Sauron.
    See: https://www.tor.com/2018/02/07/tbr-s...-of-the-rings/


    "In 1969 Doug Kenney and Henry Beard, editors of the prestigious comedy magazine The Harvard Lampoon (and soon-to-be creators of the National Lampoon) co-wrote a deeply silly parody of Lord of the Rings called, wait for it, Bored of the Rings. It turns out that a long, debauched scene at the book launch for Bored of the Rings features prominently in David Wain’s (somewhat fictionalized) recent biopic of Kenney, A Futile and Stupid Gesture. While I was watching the film I realized that (a) I had the book, and (b) I had somehow never read it. And thus this week’s TBR Stack is born!

    I have to say, I was shocked by how many interesting comedic thoughts Kenney and Beard stuffed in under all the silliness.

    As a comedy nerd I’ve been maybe a little obsessed with the Lampoon. I’ve always been interested in the fact that a group of guys with Ivy League educations were the ones who paved the way to both the mainstreamed anarchy of early SNL and the entire school of “slobs vs. snobs” comedy that defined the early ’80s. So it’s especially cool to look at this book, written while Kenney and Bear were still in school, before they had any idea that their comedy hobby would become a real career.

    When I started the book I found it slow-going: they open with a salacious scene between a Boggie (read: Hobbit) and an elf maiden, and then dive right into some obvious (and cheap, imo) gags by renaming Bilbo Baggins “Dildo Bugger” before crowing about how they’ve only written the book for a quick paycheck, and then spending entirely too much time on a chapter called “Concerning Boggies” that made me want to throw the book across the room. I thought this was going to be a lonnnng 160-page paperback.

    But then the comedy kicks into a different gear when they begin mashing consumerism up with high fantasy tropes. The heroes of the story are renamed for junk food: Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin become Frito, Spam, Moxie, and Pepsi. Boromir becomes Bromosel; named after the antacid, Bromosel seems to be aware of the fact that he’s in a story, and breaks the fourth wall to comment on the action. Aragorn son of Arathorn, called Strider, is now Arrowroot son of Arrowshirt, called Stomper, the first in a variety of riffs on Disney. Gandalf isn’t a wizard because there’s no magic here. Instead he’s Goodgulf Greyteeth, described as a “discredited Rosicrucian,” “32nd Degree Mason,” and “Honorary Shriner,” and his great battle is with a “Ballhog” clad in a Villanova jersey. This is all silly and fun, but more telling is that the Goodgulf’s subsequent transformation is entirely cosmetic, centering on gleaming white bellbottoms, a Nehru jacket, and a far out medallion, rather than any spiritual growth.

    The riders of Rohan become Riders of Roi-Tan, who are pretty clearly, um, Nazis, written in the same over-the-top parody style that Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner used to mock unspeakable horror, with drinking songs:

    Ve dance und sing und valse und two-step
    Und never ever mach der goose-step
    Peace is vhat ve vhant und do have
    Und a piece of anything you have

    There’s a slightly sharper stab when the Roi-Tanners side-eye Gimlet, son of Groin, because he looks so…Dwarfish—a nice nod to the charge that Tolkien’s Dwarves were too close to anti-Semitic stereotypes. This more pointed satire jostles against the Narcs of Fordor, cast as a black leather-clad motorcycle gang, Tim Benzedrine and his old lady Hashberry, and Birds-Eye of the Vee-Ates, a Jolly Green Giant/Treebeard mashup who speaks entirely in produce puns. Again, silly. But Bored of the Rings does have a slightly more interesting current running through it: like Lolita, it took an easy, marketable hook, and used it to create a cutting satire of shallow consumerism and the good-old-fashioned American road trip.

    BOTR was published in 1969. The American highway system was first codified by various ‘auto trail associations,’ which banded together to number the country’s highways by the mid-1920s. The Interstate system was formed in the mid-1950s as part of a gigantic public works program helmed by Eisenhower, in an effort to bolster a national defense system. But much like the internet, a program originally intended for military use was soon overrun by American civilians in search of escapism, and by 1960 the romantic ideal of a cross country drive had been cemented in the US collective consciousness. Whether it was a wholesome family traveling together and reading Brylcreem ads aloud, a lone searcher as in On the Road or Travels with Charley, or the weekly woobies of the Route 66 television series, the idea of getting various types of kicks on the American open road was irresistible, and ripe for parody.

    BOTR takes the fellowship not to the Prancing Pony, but to a Howard Johnson Motor Lodge, already retro and nostalgic by 1969. They head to an “orange-and-green flashing sign” and find:

    …a gaudy plexiglas and chrome inn, whose blinking sign portrayed a boar, rampant, devoured by a mouth, drooling. Beneath it was the names of the inn, the Goode Eats & Lodging. Passing through the revolving door, the party signaled the bell clerk, whose name tag read Hi! I’m Hojo Hominigritts!. Like the rest of the staff, he was costumed as a suckling pig with false sow’s ears, tail, and papier-maché snout.

    It takes them into Riv’n’dell, the Last Homely House East of the Sea and Gift Shoppe (Barca-Loungers in every room!), and then into Lornadoon. Where Rivendell is recast as a gingerbread village, Lothlorien is a high-fantasy Knott’s Berry Farm or South of the Border, like any number of little roadside attractions that gradually outgrew their humble origins to become destinations in their own right.

    On the far bank of the river they found a thick strand of dead trees covered with signs in Elveranto which said, “Come to fabulous Elf Village,” “Visit the Snake Farm,” “Don’t miss Santa’s Workshop,” and “Help Keep Our Forest Enchanted!”

    “Lalornadoon, Lalornadoon,” sighed Legolam, “wonder of Lower Middle Earth!”

    At that a small door in the trunk of a large tree opened, revealing a small room filled with postcard racks, loudly clicking cuckoo clocks, and boxes of maple-sugar candies. A greasy-looking elf slipped out from behind a taffy machine.

    But it’s when we get to Saruman (renamed Serutan, after a laxative) that the claws really come out:

    Down in the low valley lay the pastel pink-and-blue walls of Serutan’s mighty fortress. The entire city was ringed with walls, and around the walls was a pale-lavender moat crossed by a bright-green drawbridge… Beyond the walls the expedition saw the many wonders that had lured countless tourists through its portals in the past.

    Amusements of all description lay within: carnivals and sideshows under permanent tents, fairies’ wheels and gollum-coasters, tunnels of troth, griffin-go-rounds and gaming houses where a yokel could lose an idle hour, and, if he wasn’t careful, his jerkin… Everywhere, they noticed, were the brainless grins of Dickey Dragon. Pennants, signs, walls all bore that same idiotic, tongue-lolling face, But now that once-beloved creature had revealed itself to be the symbol of its creator’s lust for power, a power that had to be ended.

    And imagine my astonishment when this reliance on road trip cliches settled a longstanding debate in Tolkien fandom! Because now when Frito and Spam are rescued by an eagle (in this case Gwahno, The Windlord) it actually ties the book together perfectly. Gwahno is efficient to the point of rudeness, yelling at them to fasten their seatbelts, snapping at them to use the barf bags if necessary, and complaining about running behind schedule: he’s the encapsulation of everything wrong with air travel. After all their picaresque adventures in Americana and kitsch, they end firmly in the angry, efficiency-at-all-costs Jet Age. And thus this ridiculous parody becomes a commentary on the perils of modernism, just like Lord of the Rings itself.

    Fair warning that much of the humor is dated (and there’s a Br’er Rabbit rewrite that’s not so much dated as racist) but there’s also some fun satire, and a genuine sense of affection for the source material that makes the whole enterprise worth the read."
    **********************************************************
    The review on Amazon.com at: https://www.amazon.com/Bored-Rings-P.../dp/B007EE4T3E

    "The classic parody of The Lord of the Rings is back! With a brand-new “boreword” by Henry Beard.

    The Power almighty rests in this Lone Ring.

    The Power, alrighty, for doing your Own Thing.

    If broken or busted, it cannot be remade

    If found, send to Sorhed (the postage is prepaid).

    It’s up to Boggie Frito Bugger and his band of misfits—including inept wizard Goodgulf Grayteeth, halfwit Spam Gangree, twins Moxie and Pepsi, and Arrowroot of Arrowshirt—to carry the Great Ring to Fordor and cast it into the Zazu Pits.

    Can they avoid death by hickey tree and escape the dread ballhog? Can the fellowship overcome the narcs and Nozdruls hounding their every move and save Lower Middle Earth once and for all? Yes, of course—this isn’t Hamlet, you know."

    Quote Posted by edina (here)
    I'm curious, what's people's opinions of George Soros?
    ( This may seem inappropriate to some, but I take Trump's address about as seriously as BOTR.)
    Each breath a gift...
    _____________

  31. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to onawah For This Post:

    Chester (7th February 2020), edina (7th February 2020), Kryztian (7th February 2020), Sadieblue (7th February 2020)

  32. Link to Post #17
    Avalon Member T Smith's Avatar
    Join Date
    15th January 2011
    Posts
    1,785
    Thanks
    15,274
    Thanked 11,413 times in 1,676 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    Quote Posted by onawah (here)

    [B]Either Trump was lying to the Wall Street billionaires in Davos, or he was lying to the American people last night. Trump’s pre-2016 history on Social Security, his actions while in office, and the people he’s surrounded himself with reveal the truth.[/
    Or... a third possibility. He's finally learning how to assume the role of politician and say the most palatable thing required of the moment, depending on with whom he's speaking. It's a dirty game, a distasteful game, and one that will frustrate if we choose to hang on every word said by every politician to every special interest group. In short, contradictions abound... and the truth be damned.

    I'm not condoning Trump's words here, but in this case if we are truly concerned about what those words mean it may behoove us to consider the broader context. Specifically, in the case of Davos et. al, I would be much more concerned about almost any other politician not named Trump (or not named Ron Paul, Tulsi Gabbard, etc., who will never have a snowball's shot in hell of ever representing us plebs) of ever being beholden to Wall Street billionaires. Regardless of the inconsistencies of rhetoric inherent to every elected public official ever to assume high office, we know Donald Trump is a populist president--arguably the first populist POTUS to somehow assume the office since Andrew Jackson. That means his base--or the main (and only) special interest group supporting his presidency (and therefore, the only special interest group to whom he is truly beholden) is the people, the masses, the plebs--or, depending on one's vantage, the deplorables.

    Were Trump ever to lose the support of the "unwashed masses"--and I can think of no better way to do so than to effect entitlement cuts like social security or medicare--he would be finished as a politician. The populist uprising would toss him to the curb as quickly as they put him there.

    Put another way, the special interest group most dependent on the aforementioned entitlements is the only interest group supporting DJT. Sure, the likes of Davos and any other shrewd special interests will always do their sycophantic best to curry favor with whomever is in office, and any shrewd elected official will likewise always do their sycophantic best to say whatever said interest group wants to hear, but in this case i would judge all of this as only a rhetorical part of the game.

    Now, all said, if social security or medicare is ever truly on the chopping block under the reigns of this POTUS, I'll be the first to reassess my judgments. But for now, these concerns carry little weight as far as I can tell.
    Last edited by T Smith; 7th February 2020 at 10:27.

  33. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to T Smith For This Post:

    anandacate (7th February 2020), cascadian (8th February 2020), Deux Corbeaux (12th February 2020), edina (7th February 2020), onawah (8th February 2020), RunningDeer (7th February 2020), SunSea (9th February 2020)

  34. Link to Post #18
    Australia Avalon Member GMB1961's Avatar
    Join Date
    7th July 2015
    Location
    Mt Eliza, Victoria, Australia
    Age
    62
    Posts
    127
    Thanks
    714
    Thanked 1,232 times in 120 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    I think President Trumps speech was really good I just thought the tearing up of the speech by the lady standing behind him wasn't a very nice thing to do on National TV. Obviously she holds him in contempt but to do that so openly and with malice is just not right. Thoughts?

  35. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to GMB1961 For This Post:

    anandacate (8th February 2020), edina (8th February 2020), RunningDeer (8th February 2020)

  36. Link to Post #19
    Avalon Member
    Join Date
    26th May 2010
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM, USA
    Age
    73
    Posts
    2,450
    Thanks
    11,327
    Thanked 22,061 times in 2,419 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    Quote Posted by amor (here)
    Dear Satori and other readers of my above post: I viewed the above Video very very late at night without my magnifying glasses and assumed the movable magnifier would be sufficient. It was not. I have just viewed the video once again in detail. The speaker of the house has dark red lip liner on both lips with a lighter red on the remainder of the lips. This appeared similar to other videos I had seen which were very much more explicit and beyond question. I apologize for posting the above error and ask that you disregard it. I have tried to erase it without success. The lady is quite normal. I must really stop watching Avalon at three in the morning when I might be suffering from DT's due to sleep deprivation. Thank you Satori.
    Thanks so much for your post.

    Please understand that I truly was not attacking you and did not intend to assail your sincerity or good intentions. The reality of the situation is bizarre enough and I was at a moment when all this nonsense in Congress, and elsewhere, simply hit me. I felt the need to say something.

  37. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Satori For This Post:

    edina (8th February 2020), RunningDeer (8th February 2020)

  38. Link to Post #20
    Avalon Member T Smith's Avatar
    Join Date
    15th January 2011
    Posts
    1,785
    Thanks
    15,274
    Thanked 11,413 times in 1,676 posts

    Default Re: President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address

    Quote Posted by GMB1961 (here)
    I think President Trumps speech was really good I just thought the tearing up of the speech by the lady standing behind him wasn't a very nice thing to do on National TV. Obviously she holds him in contempt but to do that so openly and with malice is just not right. Thoughts?
    Sign of the times... see my thoughts here

  39. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to T Smith For This Post:

    Deux Corbeaux (12th February 2020), edina (8th February 2020), RunningDeer (8th February 2020), Sadieblue (8th February 2020)

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 3 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts