Au Cochonnet Marin

In Donald Trump Administration, there will be no bullshit!  Bobby Knight.
Blimey!

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“ I alone can fix it”
That’s what President Elect Donald Trump repeatedly told his supporters during his slash and burn campaign.
Many people didn’t believe this and many still don’t, but the Pompadoured Wonder now has a unique opportunity to prove his detractors wrong.

He, just like mighty Hercules, will have to perform twelve incredible feats (The Twelve Labors of Trump) to win the hearts and minds of all Americans.

 If you don’t quite remember what Hercules Labors were, you can consult GreekMythology.com

This document describes Hercules as follows:

“Offsetting his strength was a noticeable lack of intelligence or wisdom. Once, when the temperature was very high, he pulled his bow out and threatened to shoot at the sun.
While his friend and cousin Theseus ruled Athens, Heracles had trouble ruling himself. His pride was easily offended. He took up grudges easily and never forgot them.”

Based on Hercules accomplishments, here are Donald Trump’s challenges:

‘Build a wall’ — and make Mexico pay for it
Hercules did not built a wall, but it was not in his nature to build.
Donald who claims to be a builder said he would do it and make Mexico pay for it. Qué mierda!

Hercules cleaned the Augean Stables
“Thousands of cows lived in the stables belonging to King Augeas. They had not been cleaned in 30 years, but Hercules was told to clean them completely in a single day. To do so he made two rivers bend so that they flowed into the stables, sweeping out the filth.”

Donald will “drain the swamp” in Washington and deport an estimated 11 million unauthorised Mexican immigrants and their children.
He will do it in a “very nice way”.

Hercules took the Girdle of the Amazon Queen Hippolyte
“Hercules went to the land of the Amazons, where the queen welcomed him and agreed to give him her girdle for Eurystheus’s daughter. But Hera spread the rumor that Hercules came as an enemy. In the end he had to conquer the Amazons and steal the golden belt.”

Donald will steal senator Elizabeth Warren’s girdle.

Hercules took the Golden Apples of the Hesperides
Donald will increase tariffs on Chinese imports to 45 per cent and steal their golden kumquats.

More worryingly, Donald Trump also vowed to:

• Fully repeal Obamacare’ and replace it with an alternative. 
• It now looks like he is already vacillating on that issue.
• Stop the government dictating what types of firearms “good, honest people” are allowed to own.
  Do you need a machine gun to defend your min-fort?
• Reduce gun violence by empowering law-abiding gun owners to defend themselves.
  Against whom?
• Renegotiate America’s role in the UN global climate accord struck in Paris last year.
   “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.”
• Appoint a right-wing Supreme Court JusticeThis says it all.
  This says it all.

It took Hercules 12 years to accomplish his feats. How fast can Donald do it and how much time does he have before the proverbial sand gets into the machine?

The proof is in the pudding Mr. President-elect. America and The World are keenly watching.

Alain

“They who sow the wind shall reap the storm.”

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 On November 8, 2016, in an earthshaking upset Donald Trump wrestled the American presidency away from Secretary Hillary Clinton and became the 45^th president of the United States.
Americans opted for bigotry instead of sanity.

For many people around the world, the results of this toxic election bear a frightening similarity to January 1933 when a fiery populist was appointed chancellor of Germany.
Few people then believed that the toothbrush mustachioed firebrand would actually do what he promised during his electoral campaign, but to the world’s ever greatest sorrow he did.

Just like the German Kanzler, Donald Trump’s promises are not just idle campaign rhetoric. He means what he said about Women, Mexicans, Planned Parenthood, Gun Control, Climate change, etc. and it is not the sycophants around him who are going to restrain his worst tendencies.

Donald Trump, the Republican messiah, has sown the seeds of discord in the land and this antagonism won’t magically disappear but increase after he enters the White House.
Under his watch, are we to become another country where the press is going to be muzzled and dissidents thrown in jail or assassinated?
With a Republican majority in the Senate (51/47) and in the House (222/155) we have everything to fear.

The world was thrilled when in 2008, overcoming its racist past, America chose a smart, decent African American to be the leader of the free world.
Today, the West is stunned that the same America picked a vulgar, notoriously unhinged bully to dictate the policies of the United (?) States.

At end of his 2^nd term Barack Obama’s Presidential Job Approval Ratings are 53%
At the end of his 2^nd term George H.W. Bush Final approval ratings were 22% (January 16, 2009)

What are Donald Trump’s approval ratings going to be after 100 days in office or at the end of his first term?

A very interesting question.

Alain

A few days ago I came across a witch (yes she was wearing a black pointed hat) and Princess Leia.
They were strolling down the street and did not attract much attention.

It was Halloween and people some people like to wear fanciful costumes.
Kids and women seem to be the main protagonists of this theatrical tradition. Men not as much.

“Halloween  (a contraction of All Hallows‘ Evening) or All Saints’ Eve, is according to Wikipedia a celebration observed on October 31^st in a large number of countries. It is dedicated to remembering the dead, including all saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed.”

In the US there is nothing mournful about this celebration. It is a rather jolly occasion for children and some spirited adults to blow off some steam. And God knows that we need this after this dreadful electoral campaign of ours.

In France, if my memory serves me right, it was a totally different affair. This day was known as “La Toussaint” and flowers (especially Chrysanthemums), were placed on graves.
Nothing lighthearted about this.

But Halloween (like most holidays) has become an important business opportunity and has been cheerfully endorsed by many merchants in many different countries.
According to the National Retail Federation, spending on Halloween costumes was expected to reach $3.1 billion in the US alone.
Nothing to sneeze at.

I am not particularly fond of costumes. Wearing a certain outfit (pirate for instance) forces you to stay in character for quite a while.
How many times can you say Aaaarrrrgggghhhh, hoist the Jolly Roger you scurvy dog! in a single evening?

But children and women don’t seem to mind. For them, life is a box of chocolates. For men time cannot be wasted on such a trivial pursuit.
Bellicose activities seem to be much more to their liking.

See you at the polls chumps!

Alain    

Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.– John F. Kennedy