Bummed out in Ocean City, Maryland

 I'd heard through the birding grapevine that there were surf scoters to be seen at Ocean City Inlet. I'd never seen any of those, and I fancied some me time by the ocean. Long story short, I saw the scoters, some loons, oystercatchers, sanderlings, mergansers and more. I couldn't stay long; I thought the strong wind would knock me over.

I had to drive a few blocks up the main drag before I could head back inland. This strip is filled with hotels and motels, and I noticed that several hotels had signs saying, "Stop the wind turbines!"

That's what bummed me out. Ocean City is a big tourist draw in the summer, and has been for a long time. But, oh! Those wind turbines! So unsightly! 

Do the hotel owners really think that the sight of wind turbines will keep people from coming? I don't. I've harped on this subject before. The rich folks who own the coal mines, oil fields, and factories have never been concerned with the ugliness of their smokestacks, refineries, and slag heaps which, aside from their ugliness are unhealthy. Why don't the rich care? Because they don't have to live near the blots they put on the landscape. But the poor do, and they suffer.

But with wind turbines, the rich have to see them from their summer beach getaways. Ocean City, and the industrialists, need to grow up. They should see these windmills as a source of pride, as their part in slowing down climate change. I would think they'd realize that the current era's global warming-driven superstorms are worse for a beach town than the sight of windmills.

And speaking of unsightliness, Ocean City is a blight in its own right, as are many beach cities on the east coast.

Campaign promises, kept and not kept

 President Lump has made some of the most over-the-top impossible promises ever made by any candidate. While criticizing the inflation during the Biden administration, he promised to get those grocery prices down pronto when he assumed office. He walked that promise back before his inauguration. As for solving the problems in Ukraine and the Middle East, he promised to do it quickly. He is the deal maker, after all.

Whether any of these positive promises are ever fulfilled, we will have to wait until he fulfills his negative ones to find out. And I have to report that he is without peer in doling out punishment to his political enemies, and in taking actions that will solidify his power, such as firing several inspectors general whom he thought might have some backbone.

But the bug that prompted this little outburst of mine is his discontinuance of a security detail for Dr. Anthony Fauci. Dr. Fauci, as anyone with any scientific understanding and moral character knows, is a national treasure. In addition to having dealt with several disease outbreaks, Dr. Fauci has proved, in his writing, that he is one of the least judgmental people you'll ever meet. In his book, On Call, when he discusses his interactions with President Lump during the COVID pandemic, he does not express anger at the president, as I would have. If I had written such a book, the word egregious would have been used at least once. But Dr. Fauci simply describes Lump's words and actions, and expresses mild puzzlement.

But President Lump, during his first term, managed to tar Dr. Fauci with a brush that caused some of the MAGAs to make threats against him, and to say he belongs in prison. The president has not only discontinued Dr. Fauci's protection, but done so in a very public manner, which may put him in even more danger from Lump's credulous followers. Lump's action is petty and vengeful, which is nothing new for him.

The Supreme Court, to its eternal glory, has ruled that a president is shielded from prosecution for any crime committed as part of his presidential duties. I suppose that the president's fulfillment of his campaign promise to punish his political enemies is covered under that ruling.

To President Plump on the occasion of his second inauguration

Warning: This letter includes sexist language, but keep in mind that I am trying to communicate with Mr. Clump at his own level.

Dear Sir*,

I know you like to speak in superlatives, especially about yourself and your accomplishments. It must be difficult overcoming the knowledge that you're pretty much a loser. Of course, I have to be fair and note that you have won two out of the three elections you've been in. Two out of three. Only you could get superlatives out of an imperfect record.

Let's talk about election number one: You won the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton, a candidate even many Democrats don't like very much. You lost the popular vote, but I have to admit that, according to America's wackadoodle election rules, you won fair and square.

In election number two, you lost to a candidate called Sleepy Joe. (If you didn't want to lose to Sleepy Joe, you shouldn't have given him that nickname. Losing to Sleepy Joe looks bad, don't you think?) It hurt you so bad losing that election (any election loss goes against the mythology you've created about yourself being the best at everything in the world), that you denied losing and launched a coup attempt that was unsuccessful. I mean, congrats on the poop offensive in the House of Representatives.

In election number three, hallelujah! You finally won the popular vote! Yee haw! But you didn't win it in any superlative-generating way. There being more than two candidates in the race, you didn't even get 50% of the vote. But I suppose that, in your mind, you won in a landslide. Otherwise, I don't suppose you could be as happy as you want to be.

OK, now here's the interesting part, Two out of three elections won, more or less. One loss to Sleepy Joe. Now, we know that you are the best at everything you try, so two out of three isn't that good. And really, how can you feel that good about the two wins? After all, you won against girls. That wouldn't get you much praise on the playground.

Congratulations!

Your friend, Monty

* p.s., I called you Sir because I know you always say people you talk to call you Sir, and I don't like to add unnecessarily to your lie count.

p.g.