Thank you for the prompt about heroes. It has been inspiring on this gray Tuesday morning.
Given that Ukraine is on our hearts and minds these days, I immediately thought of Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman.
Journalists like Jamal Khashoggi. Women who speak up against powerful men who have abused them. (I am watching the Cosby documentary and verklempt at the testimonies being shared.) Darnella Frazier, who recorded the murder of George Flloyd. Capital Police Officer Eugene Goodman who had the presence of mind to distract rioters away from Senate chambers without concern for his own safety. Russians who have taken to the streets to protest against the invasion of Ukraine.
Anyone who speaks the truth knowing it won't be rewarded (and may be punished punitively) is my hero. I wish I knew all their names.
Hero: Alexander Vindman. The first name to come to mind. But so many others. Stacy Abrams and her fellow voting rights activists, John Lewis not least among them; may his memory always be a blessing to us. I think Eugene Goodman belongs on the list. As does Liz Cheney. As does Fiona Hill. And Anita Hill. And Christine Blasey Ford. The trailblazing Ruth Badger Ginsberg. Alexi Navalny, who survived poisoning and still returned to Russia, knowing he’d be imprisoned. May the Russian people take courage from his brave refusal to give in. The courageous Resistance fighters of WWII. Harriet Tubman, who escaped slavery herself and then at enormous personal risk, went back to the South and helped hundreds of others make it out too. Every woman who escapes an abusive relationship. That really takes guts. People who hide behind guns, who pose and posture, who betray their own country? Not so much.
How about the Nobel Peace Prize winners, Dmitry Muratov and Maria Ressa?
I don't know about here at home. How about Elon Musk, for his (i) heroic marketing of electric luxury cars with so-so fit and finish that don't really drive themselves, (ii) his heroic vision of abandoning this planet, (iii) his heroic amount of money of course, and (iv) his delightful, non-trollish, very much not obnoxious, non-snotty persona on Twitter. What a guy! (Was it a Tweet of the Week that responded to his Time "Person of the Year" award with something like, "Okay, so we're calling just anyone a person now?")
I'd endorse your nominations of anti-Trump Republicans, except I'm not sure we should give awards for doing the minimally decent thing.
I, too, laughed at the "Jesus, look at the time!" Tweet. Also, I was in the "Other" category on the baseball season length. I want the season to last 162 games, but I don't like it inching into November. Why don't we keep at at 162 games, but include 6-8 double-headers in the season for each team? Shorten the number of days in the season by the days saved by the double headers. (And how about a double header during the Divisional and League Championship Series?) This would make player management issues a real factor in the management of the season and the playoffs, making roster construction VERY important.
My list of heroes include 1. People who donate organs - especially ones who donate to strangers,2.All winners of the Medal of Honor, 3. People who care for disabled children day in and day out, 4. People who care for old folks and 5. Grandparents who raise their grandchildren.
As for Anti-Trump Republicans, Adam Kinzinger (for reasons which go without saying) and Joe Walsh.
Walsh (who was my Rep, and against whom I voted) was a rank opportunist posturing as a hard righty who rode the Tea Party wave in 2010 (in the process unseating a moderate Democrat Melissa Bean, who well-represented her District) - to the overall detriment of the country. While Walsh has much to answer for for being part of the unserious (but very successful) Republican party that eventually led to the election of Trump, he has seen the error of his ways and repented in very visible and overt ways. I view him much like Jennifer Rubin (Opinion Columnist for the Washington Post and whose column used to be called "Right Turn"), who has changed her tune from conservatism in the face of Trumpism's unleashing of the racism and authoritarianism in the Republican Party's quest for maintaining power at any cost.
You said subscription TV viewers are willing to fork over. The sports package at DirecTV went up 20% recently and when I asked to have it removed I was told it could not be done.
Re Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman, two elements I feel are being overlooked. This vigilante mentality that Zimmerman exhibited and the mentality behind stand your ground laws. I appreciate how “fact-oriented” you are and I believe the emotions that impact decisions and their impact are sometimes minimized and/or overlooked. And being right sometimes override ability to consider other possibilities. Believe you can’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt what happened between Trayvon and George. What I do know for a fact, is George had one of the best lawyers on the planet!
Some remarkable headlines regarding potential sabotage by Russian troops of their own equipment to avoid fighting. Not sure if they qualify as "heroes" but I'll put them on the ballot for honorable mention.
Lt. Col Vindman stood up for truth and was vilified and punished by Trump, forcing him to leave the military. Hero. The Republicans who waited for Trump to leave office before calling him out on his lies and coup attempt? Not.
I only hope soon to be martyred Zelenskyy managed to get his family out of the country because Putin will not stop until he's assassinated.
Eric, don't waste your time on Trump cultists; they're blind to the truth.
BTW, I just read a news report about Trump saying he would pull out of NATO if elected to a second term, no doubt to please his master.
Re: visual tweets -- Laughed out loud at the telling time one. I could hear my father exclaiming that. Good memories.
Thank you for the prompt about heroes. It has been inspiring on this gray Tuesday morning.
Given that Ukraine is on our hearts and minds these days, I immediately thought of Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman.
Journalists like Jamal Khashoggi. Women who speak up against powerful men who have abused them. (I am watching the Cosby documentary and verklempt at the testimonies being shared.) Darnella Frazier, who recorded the murder of George Flloyd. Capital Police Officer Eugene Goodman who had the presence of mind to distract rioters away from Senate chambers without concern for his own safety. Russians who have taken to the streets to protest against the invasion of Ukraine.
Anyone who speaks the truth knowing it won't be rewarded (and may be punished punitively) is my hero. I wish I knew all their names.
Hero: Alexander Vindman. The first name to come to mind. But so many others. Stacy Abrams and her fellow voting rights activists, John Lewis not least among them; may his memory always be a blessing to us. I think Eugene Goodman belongs on the list. As does Liz Cheney. As does Fiona Hill. And Anita Hill. And Christine Blasey Ford. The trailblazing Ruth Badger Ginsberg. Alexi Navalny, who survived poisoning and still returned to Russia, knowing he’d be imprisoned. May the Russian people take courage from his brave refusal to give in. The courageous Resistance fighters of WWII. Harriet Tubman, who escaped slavery herself and then at enormous personal risk, went back to the South and helped hundreds of others make it out too. Every woman who escapes an abusive relationship. That really takes guts. People who hide behind guns, who pose and posture, who betray their own country? Not so much.
How about the Nobel Peace Prize winners, Dmitry Muratov and Maria Ressa?
I don't know about here at home. How about Elon Musk, for his (i) heroic marketing of electric luxury cars with so-so fit and finish that don't really drive themselves, (ii) his heroic vision of abandoning this planet, (iii) his heroic amount of money of course, and (iv) his delightful, non-trollish, very much not obnoxious, non-snotty persona on Twitter. What a guy! (Was it a Tweet of the Week that responded to his Time "Person of the Year" award with something like, "Okay, so we're calling just anyone a person now?")
I'd endorse your nominations of anti-Trump Republicans, except I'm not sure we should give awards for doing the minimally decent thing.
I, too, laughed at the "Jesus, look at the time!" Tweet. Also, I was in the "Other" category on the baseball season length. I want the season to last 162 games, but I don't like it inching into November. Why don't we keep at at 162 games, but include 6-8 double-headers in the season for each team? Shorten the number of days in the season by the days saved by the double headers. (And how about a double header during the Divisional and League Championship Series?) This would make player management issues a real factor in the management of the season and the playoffs, making roster construction VERY important.
My list of heroes include 1. People who donate organs - especially ones who donate to strangers,2.All winners of the Medal of Honor, 3. People who care for disabled children day in and day out, 4. People who care for old folks and 5. Grandparents who raise their grandchildren.
As for Anti-Trump Republicans, Adam Kinzinger (for reasons which go without saying) and Joe Walsh.
Walsh (who was my Rep, and against whom I voted) was a rank opportunist posturing as a hard righty who rode the Tea Party wave in 2010 (in the process unseating a moderate Democrat Melissa Bean, who well-represented her District) - to the overall detriment of the country. While Walsh has much to answer for for being part of the unserious (but very successful) Republican party that eventually led to the election of Trump, he has seen the error of his ways and repented in very visible and overt ways. I view him much like Jennifer Rubin (Opinion Columnist for the Washington Post and whose column used to be called "Right Turn"), who has changed her tune from conservatism in the face of Trumpism's unleashing of the racism and authoritarianism in the Republican Party's quest for maintaining power at any cost.
You said subscription TV viewers are willing to fork over. The sports package at DirecTV went up 20% recently and when I asked to have it removed I was told it could not be done.
Re Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman, two elements I feel are being overlooked. This vigilante mentality that Zimmerman exhibited and the mentality behind stand your ground laws. I appreciate how “fact-oriented” you are and I believe the emotions that impact decisions and their impact are sometimes minimized and/or overlooked. And being right sometimes override ability to consider other possibilities. Believe you can’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt what happened between Trayvon and George. What I do know for a fact, is George had one of the best lawyers on the planet!
Some remarkable headlines regarding potential sabotage by Russian troops of their own equipment to avoid fighting. Not sure if they qualify as "heroes" but I'll put them on the ballot for honorable mention.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/01/world/ukraine-russia-war#some-russian-troops-are-surrendering-or-sabotaging-vehicles-rather-than-fight-a-pentagon-official-says
Lt. Col Vindman stood up for truth and was vilified and punished by Trump, forcing him to leave the military. Hero. The Republicans who waited for Trump to leave office before calling him out on his lies and coup attempt? Not.
I only hope soon to be martyred Zelenskyy managed to get his family out of the country because Putin will not stop until he's assassinated.
Eric, don't waste your time on Trump cultists; they're blind to the truth.
BTW, I just read a news report about Trump saying he would pull out of NATO if elected to a second term, no doubt to please his master.