"Happy New Year!" Ubiquitous holiday greeting; "May you live in interesting times." Ancient Chinese curse. Your choice...

Welcome to the first Roundtable for 2017!

2016 was so very complicated. Even the number! It can be factored as 2*2*2*2*2*3*3*7 (bet you didn't see the seven in there, did you?), or expressed as 2^5*3^2*7; whereas 2017 is a Prime Number. How simple, how clean, how hopeful. It is with great relief and trepidation that we bid a collective goodbye to 2016. Relief because it has been a fraught year - the loss of many an icon(CNN), of cherished norms, and of respect for others. But we enter 2017 with great expectations and nary a roadmap. It appears unprecedented in so many ways.

TIME Magazine named Donald Trump 2016 Person of the Year: (How dark, how brooding, how scary!) Trump called it "a great honor." Um, he perhaps did not know what the criteria for the cover is: “the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill, and embodied what was important about the year.”
TIME. Is Trump going to be like Hitler or Stalin or Khomeini? Or like Obama or Roosevelt or Ghandi? TIME will tell...

So, Janus, what can we expect for 2017? Rolling Stone suggests, Think 2016 Was Bad? 2017 Will Almost Surely Be Worse. Scientists see reasons for optimism in space flight, artificial intelligence, gene editing, virtual reality and transportation - from self-driving vehicles, to personal transportation devices; as well as trepidation from political realities and science-averse leaders. Trump: The most anti-science president ever? - Newsweek.

It's a great time for predictions: 2017 Crystal Ball - CNN; 10 Terrifying Predictions For 2017 - Listverse; Seven science stories we can't wait to follow in 2017 - LA Times (subscription). So, what say you, Ranters? What are your predictions for 2017?

Or, is it?

Happy New year to one and all

I hope everyone survived their New Year's celebrations. I have probably condemned myself to a bad year because I failed to stop by a friend's house for black-eyed peas. She insisted it is for luck, and lord knows I could use a dose of that for the year.

The wife says it is Lintl Soup that brings luck and money in the new year.

I've eaten collard greens and blackeye peas for years. Never seemed to help.
This year I made lentil soup.

I made some lentil soup, too. Man is that thick. I think it's the barley in this recipe. I like it better without so much barley.

My lab pup is about 8 months old now. I think it gets really easy if you have a dog door so puppy can go outdoors any time it wants and an older dog that already goes out the dog door to do his business. Puppies love to follow older dogs around and copy them. It will rapidly get the idea that this is our den (the house) and we go outside to pee.

Made a glazed ham for Christmas. Baked yams, scalloped potatoes, fresh green beans, coleslaw all were made from scratch. Desserts and rolls we bought from the supermarket. Pretty good.

Mine came out thick too. I could have added more stock but decided to leave it that way and serve it over rice. WHen I realized it was going to be so thick I considered adding garam masala and turning it into an Indian curry but it was awfully good just like it was so I just went with what I had.

Betty Boop (Boopers) is only ten weeks old so I realize it takes time investment and patience. She was a very good girl this morning and understood very quickly what was expected of her when we got outside.
So she got lots of love and treats.
Yes yes to the "house as one big kennel or den for humans" concept.

We have a room with a dog door and a fenced backyard, so Sierra Sunshine took to it right away. I think the breeder had his dogs all outside, which doesn't lead to very good house breaking. We got her at 7 months old because the breeder thought he would keep her and then his kids got too old to spend much time with her. She bonded immediately to us and our other dogs, so going out to pee with the other dogs was natural for her. I think she peed only once in the house!

One thing she really loves is her kiddie swim pool. Labs LOVE the water even if they can just dunk their heads in it. I feel bad we don't have a bigger pool or pond for her.

In my neck of the woods, the traditional new year luck meal is pork and sauerkraut. It never seemed to help my luck but it sure was delicious.

Western PA typical dish. Never did much for my luck either.

Must be my German-Czech roots: I regularly get packages of bratwurst and cook them up for the fridge. Then I make hot bratwurst sandwiches with mustard and sauerkraut. You wouldn't think of this as a common Southern California thing, but somebody is buying all those brats they have in the store.

Funny thing is I can't remember my parents ever serving sausages as a kid. I do remember the frozen breaded veal popsicles. God, those were awful.

Had cataract surgery today one the first eye. Pretty easy and opted not to be put out. Vision is slowly returning.

Thankful to those who created and maintained Medicare.

So at what distance is your vision going to be fixed when you are done? I have a friend who had cataract surgery and the curve of the eyeball was fine for distance vision with no lens at all! He used to wear thick glasses but now he just uses reading glasses when he wants near vision.

Not sure yet however the Dr did say I would need readers because astigmatism

You might just get away with 20 dollar cheapos at the drugstore.
If you're lucky.
I know I get away with them. I use them for close viewfinder work on camera and that's about it. I keep a pair of my single vision glasses in the car for driving and another identical pair in the bedroom for watching TV. For the computer I don't need anything, but of course I have 3 very large monitors and a 42 inch TV set for evaluation use.
But I didn't need anything even when I was using 24's.

You probably need prescription reading glasses if you have to deal with astigmatism. I'm lucky. I used to have 20/30 and 20/50 distance and I could see close up. Now my distance vision is much better and I need $2 reading glasses from the 99 cent store for close up and the computer. I've always passed the DMV test without glasses.

Hopes for a speedy recovery Phil.

Indeed! Get well soon.

I don't know about cataract surgery but I do know that people recover very quickly from radial keratotomy surgery, and they slice the front of the eye nearly off to do that.

In and out in 45 minutes, wear an eye patch for a day or two and that is it.

They open the front cover of the eyeball, chip out the lens (it is hardened and cloudy) insert a plastic lens and lay the flap back over. What you see is brighter, sharper and oh so wonderful.

Here is what they put in my eyes 8 years ago (Dec 07 and Jan 08) AcrySof IQ multi-focal also treating my astigmatism. I still wear glasses for near vision (about two feet past my outstretched hand.

And among the benefits of a long line of Democrats, it is no cost to me.

Nice. Pro'lly won't be that way much longer.

Moving vans are at the White House now. Pro'lly there to remove all traces of competence and dignity of the Office of President in preparation of the next guy.

I have a long history of political action and am proud of the fact that those actions have helped make changes in our world. Possibly because of that, I am deeply disheartened by the Trump onslaught.
So many changes many of us gave time, money and in some cases our very lives, are about to be gutted. Those of you in your 20's, 30's and even 40's have never lived in a world similar to what they are now proposing. I can't blame you for that naiveté but please be aware of the assault upon your life that is happening.
Strangely, I doubt that Mr. Trump even cares, since it seems to me he is just out for his own grab of money from us. His own statements in past years show a radically different person that what he puts out today. But those who he has appointed and ceded direction to are radicals who have been working to undo everything since 1950.
I will continue to look for ways to fight, kick and scream our way forward, but it is now for a younger generation to get off your asses and act. It is great to see many post here and elsewhere about what is going on. But my experience has been that until you get into the dirt and push these sick people, not much will change.
At the very least maybe miss one circuit party, one dinner out, or something that is just for you and pay that money to an organization that is DOING something.
Those who know me know I am in favor of play and fun. This is different -- this is WAR.
Pick up your war gear and fight. We are humans, not political or other labels. There are many, even some who will see this screed, who have more money than they need. Meanwhile many do not have enough to eat, to have decent housing, and for essential medical care.
I have never posted anything like this before, and it is my hope that this makes the difference in some individuals actions and systems.

I do not have, never have nor will I ever have a twitter account but if I did this is the tweet I would like to make:

That horrible human being Trump, as a businessman is very over rated. Sad.

Two of his favorite "business moves" are bankruptcy and ignoring contracts. In fact, these two things and a lot of BS may be his only business moves. Without them, all that is left is the BS.

I'm going to enjoy it when he tries one of those as CEO of the US and finds out he can't do either.

SNL ended last night's live broadcast with a very classy tribute. Enjoy!

Class, compare and contrast these two same-day pictures:

Uncharted waters indeed! Having to explain what 'golden showers' are to our parents.

UnPresidented!!!

Inauguration Day

Made me snort


Made me cry

'
What has happened to Ezekiel?

I hope that the Gestapo in New York, or elsewhere, haven't gotten him.
.

I dunno about Zeke but this Trump thing has kinda took the wind outa my sails.

It's disheartening. Really really disheartening.

Don't despair, use that energy to fight back. I was around in the 60's and learned not to give in

Just look at it as entertainment: Maybe we should start a pool. Name the week that Trump gets impeached, assassinated, resigns, or is Sectioned 8 out by Pence et al. I take week 24.

Trump pro'lly reads RR and is going after him first. I'm sure I"ll be a close second (good thing I live on the Left Coast ) as we've been outspoken about President* Trump even before he won the election.

My generation (Gen X'ers) fought back against Reagan and GHW Bush and their QT service regarding AIDS.

ACT-UP, FIGHT BACK!

GAYS AND LESBIANS UNDER ATTACK. WHAT DO WE DO?
ACT UP! FIGHT BACK!

WE'LL NEVER BE SILENT AGAIN! ACT UP! FIGHT BACK!

THEY SAY GET BACK. WE SAY FIGHT BACK!

A blogger on another blog I go to suggested that, perhaps, the GOP is letting President* Trump do all of the awful things and then they impeach him and when Pence becomes Prezzie, all of the sh!tty work has been done for them and they can say: that mean and nasty Donald Trump!

That is giving to much credit to the repubs, I do not believe that they are clever to hatch such plan.

There are a few clever Republicans to hatch that kind of plan - plus these same Republicans are sociopaths.

OK, poor choice of words. Maybe I should have used 'smart'. And a lot of them are devious sociopaths.

That's actually the major sub-plot of Dune by Frank Herbert: The bad guy installs one son as planetery dictator who is a real prick, just so he can have his other son "rescue" everybody.

Ah, Dune, my favorite novel of all time. For me it was so good that it ruined other sci-fi novels for me. I've read it at least six times.

Well ain't that sumthin' - Melania Trump is the very first First Lady to have her nude images on Porn Hub.

Melania Trump is suing a Maryland blogger for $150m because the blogger accused Melania Trump of being a 'prostitute.'

My take: Prostitutes have sex for money - a quid pro quo business transaction.

We've all seen Melania and Donald Trump's interaction with each other. Their relationship is clearly not based on love or mutual respect - their relationship is clearly a business transaction.

My evidence?

Clearly shows what President Donald (Comb Over) Trump thinks of women.

To paraphrase Rodney Dangerfield, They get no Respect from President Donald (Grab'em by the p***y) Trump.

It struck me as a bolt (probably because I am losing so much sleep) that I am now living in an alternate reality. I now know what it feels like to be divorced from a fact-based universe. The frisson that comes from realizing that all that I believed in, that has ordered my existence for over 50 years, is inapplicable to existence anymore is staggering. I thought it was Donald Trump who was out of touch with the world, but now he is sucking us all into an existence that we don't recognize. Even if we don't occupy the same fevered swamp of his imagination, his impact is reverberating like a scene from Inception or Doctor Strange.

I've experienced something like this before. Once I had a client suffer a psychotic break during a conversation. It took a great deal of will to stay grounded and translate what was going on in her head with what I knew to be "real world." To maneuver her actions within her virtual reality to accomplish parallel action in my grounded existence.

I'm sure Trump's staff has to manage that same feat daily. Working with what used to be called a "functioning lunatic" is mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting. The difference now, though, is it is hard to contain the damage such a person can do when they exert control over you, rather than the other way around. Surviving this undamaged is going to be tricky indeed.

Even P.J. O'Rourke admitted he had hopes for Hillary because despite his assessment that she was "wrong on absolutely everything", he insisted she was "wrong within normal parameters" whereas when it came to Trump, he said, "Trump Earth is flat. We will sail off the edge. Here be MONSTERS."

So lemme clear something up for you, and it applies to EVERYONE on Earth too, by the way:

There IS NO "surviving this undamaged" scenario. It does not exist.
Abandon hope all ye who enter here.
Okay? Glad we cleared that up.