Friday, August 21, 2026

The Left-Cheek Ass Clown for August, 2026


You may want to get something to drink and get comfortable ... this one's a major rant.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers, we present the award for

The Left-Cheek Ass Clown for August, 2026


to

The United States Congress,
with Special Recognition to
the Republican Majority


The current session of Congress, the 119th, is the least productive in history. Under the spineless and inept "leadership" of House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Congress has accomplished nothing of consequence other than passage of Der Furor's disastrous "Big Beautiful Bill," the negative impacts of which for ordinary Americans were carefully designed to come into force after the upcoming midterm elections. The Congress, both houses of which are controlled by the increasingly authoritarian* Republican Party, has completely abdicated its Constitutional responsibilities to appropriate funds, exercise oversight of the Executive Branch, and declare war**. 

Republicans in Congress have been completely cowed by the vindictive anger of Der Furor and the unfocused rage of his MAGA faithful, to the point where they are unwilling to take the tiniest and most timid action in response to behavior which, in a Democratic president, would have heads exploding in a number that would trigger seismographs around the world. 



Republicans in Congress have turned a blind eye to the arguably immoral, illegal, and unconstitutional treatment, and even outright murder, of persons - including American citizens - at the hands of the ill-trained, over-equipped, and violence-prone agents of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, a modern-day version of the dreaded Gestapo of Nazi Germany.


Republicans in Congress have turned a blind eye to a staggering level of overt corruption on the part of Der Furor, his family, and his cronies. 

Republicans in Congress have cheerfully confirmed a series of unqualified, incompetent, and/or corrupt figures to senior positions in the regime - Pete Hegseth at Defense (not War), Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, at Health and Human Services, Todd Blanche at Justice, Kash Patel at the FBI, Linda McMahon at Education, Howard Lutnick at Commerce, Scott Bessent at Treasury, to name but a few.

Republicans in Congress have supported the extrajudicial killing*** of persons in boats on the high seas, allegedly for transporting drugs, although no evidence of this has ever been provided by the regime.

Republicans in Congress have cheered on Der Furor's wanton alienation of our allies and ignored his obvious preference for and support of autocrats who have long been our adversaries.

Republicans in Congress have blindly supported Der Furor's war of choice against Iran, which has led to utterly predicable consequences for the military, the U.S. and world economies, and what's left of our international standing.

Republicans in Congress have ignored the grossly unprofessional, childish, and unpresidential behavior of a president who has no respect for the office he holds and the nation he represents. The unending stream of ludicrous, AI-generated social media slop alone would not be considered acceptable behavior for a middle-manager at a commercial entity, much less the former leader of the free world.

Republicans in Congress have ignored or pretended to be unaware of the unending stream of blatantly obvious untruths pouring out of the Gilded House. Any acknowledgement of such lies is tepid in the extreme, usually offering some weak rationale or blather of whataboutism.

Speaking of the Gilded House, Republicans in Congress have ignored the flagrant waste of taxpayer dollars being squandered on golden highlights on the People's House, making the Oval Office look more like the reception room of a cheap whorehouse than the seat of the democratically elected leader of a free people ... 


... or have they pushed back on the wanton destruction of an entire wing of the Gilded House to erect a vast, gilded ballroom demanded by no one but a wannabe autocrat ignorant of and indifferent to history, propriety, and the law.


I could go on, but you get the idea. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers, the Left-Cheek Ass Clown for August, 2026, is the United States Congress, with Special Mention - signified by the Poop of Distinction in Gold - to the Republican majority. 


The 119th Congress is not only as useless as a potted plant ... it is as useless as a dead potted plant.


Have a good day, and come back tomorrow for Cartoon Saturday, when we'll take a look at the original guy with the impossible job - Sisyphus. More thoughts then.

Bilbo

* Okay, let's just say it out loud - fascist.

** Yes, the Iran fiasco is a war, not an "excursion."

*** We used to call it "murder."

Thursday, August 20, 2026

Thursday Trees


We've had a few days to come down from the high of Monday Mountains, so it's time to get another boost of natural beauty as we once again visit the temporary home of Thursday Trees.

1 - a hackberry tree in Korea ...


2 - good morning, Treebeard ... 


3 - 


4 - 


5 - this is how I feel most mornings when I stumble out of bed ...


6 - in the Kew Gardens, London ...


7 - monsoon forest in the Zhangjiajie National Park, China ...


8 - a Swedish oak ...


9 - weeping beech ...


10 - As hot as it's been, I thought we'd end with a winter scene ... we'll be grousing about the cold soon enough ...


Sit down under a nice, spreading tree today. The shade costs nothing, unlike pretty much anything else that can raise your spirits.

Have a good day and come back tomorrow for the naming of the Left-Cheek Ass Clown for August ... more thoughts then.

Bilbo

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Cartoon Saturday - Special Edition


Cartoon Saturday is still four days off, but I have a good collection of special cartoons I need to use while they're hot and topical, and so ...

Welcome to the Special Edition of Cartoon Saturday! Today's theme: the Navy Der Furor wants. Here we go ...

A brief summary of the features of the new DF-Class battleship ...
  

Since Der Furor wants to refit the Navy's aircraft carriers to use steam catapults rather than the newer electromagnetic launch system (at a cost of billions of dollars, of course), this will probably be the next logical step ...


In Der Furor's new Navy, Cabinet officers won't be the only figureheads ...


Killing two birds with one very expensive stone - the DF-Class Ballroom Battleship ...


Since nobody knows more about both construction and naval architecture than Der Furor (just ask him), this looks like a reasonable hybrid design ...


I don't think this one will ever get built, because there's not enough gold on it ...


It's got a great figurehead, if nothing else ...


Plenty of gold, plus a distinctive command center for when battles get ... hairy ...


The advantage of this design is that it combines vast amounts of gold with maximum name placement ...


Another variation on the figurehead from the third image above. The ship needs more gold, though ...


The rhinestones are a nice touch, and might even help with attracting pirates who can be blown out of the water for good videos to show at Pentagon briefings ... 


I think this version is cute, but won't be adopted for two reasons: neither enough gold nor enough huge, intimidating-looking guns ...


This version's interesting because it combines maximum gold with what appear to be masts for sails to augment the coal-fired engines ...


Not a bad design, but they could have put a lot more gold in that empty hull space ...


Der Furor is also an expert on the design of aircraft carriers (just ask him). He'll like this one as long as the tower is in the right place. The golden aircraft are a nice touch, as is the obligatory giant placement of his name ...



Here's another version of the carrier. Not quite enough gold on the hull, but it does include both DF's name and the number 47, which we all know has mystical symbolism for him. It has the gold aircraft, too ...


So, what do you think? Which designs will appeal most to Der Furor's sense of gaudy, over-gilded "style?" Of course, no matter which design is picked, it'll need to be funded ... so it looks like the sailors will be eating that crummy food for a long time.

Have a good day. Consider the future of your military when you decide who to vote for in November ... and especially in 2028.

More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

Monday, August 17, 2026

Monday Mountains


It's time once again for your weekly fix of inspiring mountain vistas ...

1 - Half Dome, Yosemite ...


2 - Lake Ediza, Sierra Nevada ...


3 - Mont Charvin, France, with flowers ...


4 - San Juan Mountains, southwestern Colorado ...


5 - South Tirol vista, Austria ...


6 - Triglav sunrise, Slovenia ...


7 - The Breithorn, Switzerland ...


8 - Thor's Hammer, Bryce Canyon, Utah ...


9 - Wasatch Mountains, Utah ...


10 - Wooded mountains, North Carolina ...


And that's your alpine high to start off a new week. Take a deep breath, get grounded, and face whatever the day brings.

Have a good day. More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

Sunday, August 16, 2026

Poetry Sunday


Yesterday we celebrated the birthday (in 1863) of Ernest Lawrence Thayer, author of what is probably the most famous sports poem ever written. It's a poem made for reading aloud, and I (in all modesty) can do a world-class rendition of it after a beer or two. With a tip of the batter's helmet to Mr Thayer, let's go to the bottom of the ninth at Mudville for the story of 

Casey at the Bat
By Ernest Lawrence Thayer


The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day;
The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play.
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought if only Casey could but get a whack at that—
We’d put up even money now with Casey at the bat.

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey’s getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey’s manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey’s bearing and a smile on Casey’s face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt ’twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Casey’s eye, a sneer curled Casey’s lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped—
“That ain’t my style,” said Casey. “Strike one,” the umpire said.

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
“Kill him! Kill the umpire!” shouted some one on the stand;
And it’s likely they’d have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey’s visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, “Strike two.”

“Fraud!” cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn’t let that ball go by again.

The sneer is gone from Casey’s lip, his teeth are clinched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey’s blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.


Have a good day and enjoy the rest of your weekend. And remember, even the Caseys have a bad day once in a while.

More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

Saturday, August 15, 2026

Cartoon Saturday


Is it too late to quit my subscription to August?

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will soon be equipped with tactical gloves which will deliver a painful electric shock to "gain compliance from combative individuals;" Mike "My Pillow" Lindell lost his campaign for the Minnesota governor primary but - surprise! - refuses to concede the loss ... in a GOP-only primary; White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her position at the end of the August to spend more time lying to her family ... the Mouth of Sauron is reported to be the leading candidate to replace her; in a rambling* speech to police officers in New York, Der Furor said that he will declare the Strait of Hormuz to be a U.S. territory; and in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, a suspicious package outside a fire station that caused police to shut down rush hour traffic turned out to be an "electronic sex portable pump device." 

This week, a collection of people whose short-term outlook is completely justifiable nowadays.

Some people are a little less concerned about the future than others ...


The original is more eye-catching ...


I can't argue with that ...


Can't argue with that, either ...


Sometimes you just hate to be proven right ...


When your mother is the one with the warning ...


Everybody's got scheduling problems ...


The way the weather is going, he's the right man for the job ...


His sign needs a little work, but I endorse the opinion ...


The very definition of a self-fulfilling prophecy ...


And that's it for Cartoon Saturday ... the end was nearer than you thought.

Have a good day and a great weekend, and come back tomorrow for Poetry Sunday, when we visit the most famous baseball poem ever. More thoughts then.

Bilbo

* Does he deliver any other kind?