Brutkey

Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

Histories of ages past
Unenlightened shadows cast
Down through all eternity
The crying of humanity
'Tis then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man
Comes singing songs of love. - Donovan


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#USveteran#History
#Pro-democracy#Sarcasm
#reading#dogs
#cats#owls
#Justified#Bourbon
#NorthernWisconsin
#ClassicRock#ClassicCars
#Ships#Lighthouses
Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world
Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

Ike wasn’t a perfect POTUS; none of them are, of course, and definitely not tRump at all. But Ike, who would definitely be considered a RINO these days in “MAGA world,” wasn’t wrong here.

“Down the long lane of the history yet to be written America knows that this world of ours, ever growing smaller, must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect."
-- President Dwight Eisenhower, Farewell Address, January 1961

A photo of Dwight David Eisenhower taken late in his presidency with something I wrote and followed by a portion of his final address as president. Ike wasn’t a perfect POTUS; none of them are, of course, and definitely not tRump at all. But Ike, who would definitely be considered a RINO these days in “MAGA world,” wasn’t wrong here. “Down the long lane of the history yet to be written America knows that this world of ours, ever growing smaller, must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect." -- President Dwight Eisenhower, Farewell Address, January 1961
Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

The intro

Mistakes: a few
Triumphs: my three kids, two boys and a girl (oldest son, Ryan, KIA in Iraq in 2006. He was 20).
Married: Twice
Divorced: Twice
Grandkids: Six
Current job: Newspaper guy
21 years in the Army Guard, retiring in 2011. Deployed twice, to Iraq in 2004 and GTMO in 2008.
10 years of commercial radio experience in the 80s and 90s at three radio stations
Worked at two Deere dealerships over eight years, acquiring a shit ton of toy tractors!

Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

This is Walter, named for Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears. It’s a 1966 Chevy half ton pickup truck purchased for $360 by my oldest son Ryan in 2000 when we lived in Kansas. He was 14, had his learner’s permit and had money he earned delivering newspapers and mowing lawns. I had to teach him the fine art of shifting a “three on the tree.” After Ryan was KIA in Iraq, Walter was restored to how Ryan planned to have it done. I take it to car shows when possible because my boy would if he could.

Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

I think it’s time to share it again.

Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

Most definitely.

A photo of talk show host/comedian John Oliver and a quote attributed to him. “THE FOUNDING FATHERS CREATED A SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES TO LIMIT THE POWER OF THE PRESIDENT, BUT IT ONLY WORKS IF SOMEONE FUCKING CHECKS OR BALANCES. AND IF YOU DON'T, IT'S NO LONGER ON TRUMP, IT'S ON YOU. BECAUSE WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE PRESIDENTIAL EQUIVALENT OF A FIVE-YEAR-OLD SHITTING ON THE SALAD BAR OF A RUBY TUESDAYS, AT SOME POINT YOU STOP BLAMING THE FIVE-YEAR-OLD, AND YOU START BLAMING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT STOPPING HIM. STOP THAT BOY, THAT'S WHAT I AM SAYING. STOP THAT BOY, NOW.”
Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

At press time, Frito-Lay has pledged to donate $26 million in Funyuns, Ruffles, Munchos, and Cool Ranch Doritos to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library. - the Onion
https://theonion.com/frito-lay-ceo-gifts-trump-gold-funyun/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMJwapleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHheEse7Y5N6hedb0XSrlFM-Xg_JtJF3I4J7FCovjhp7OBaWox97SsvvkW-xB_aem_AXG8YdeXnemMs4DNG4T9Xw

Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

Probably a good thing as the F-35 is a ginormous pile of shit that the venerable F-15 Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon and even the F-22 Raptor could (and have) run circles around.

https://www.defensemirror.com/news/40014

Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

BAM!
#FucktRump

Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

I was going through some of my stuff and ran across a copy I’d made back in 1987 of the Associated Press’s “Thought For Today;” at the time, I was working at my second radio station in southeast Kansas in the city of Iola.
Back then, we were still getting state and national news from our AP machine that typed out news, weather, sports, markets and features around the clock. Given what’s happening in the U.S. nearly 40 years after the A.P. printed this, it seems Mr. Hutchins wasn’t wrong.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY: THE DEATH OF A DEMOCRACY IS NOT LIKELY TO BE AN ASSASSINATION BY AMBUSH. IT WILL BE A SLOW EXTINCTION FROM APATHY, INDIFFERENCE AND UNDERNOURISHMENT.” ROBERT MAYNARD HUTCHINS, AMERICAN EDUCATOR (1899-1977).
Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

12 August, 2018 and Jagger on deck completely focused on his peanut butter-bone, the primary target a few treats inside under that peanut butter.
#DogsOfMastodon
#GoldenRetrieverLover
#MissinMahBud

Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

It was about a year ago I was on deck minding my own business when a black bear diddly bopped across the yard right in front of me and stopped for a second. I said “Hi, buddy!” He looked at me and then continued on his merry way. This sighting from last year, and another one Sunday morning of a black bear cub that popped in and out of sight before I could get a picture of it, made me think of a tune by Zebra from ‘84.
#MusicOfMastodon
#80sAlbumRock
#NorthernWayOfLife

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zkoN2IhwlKg

Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

‘Tis beyond FUBAR indeed.

“A DOGE kid gets beat up in DC and it’s DefCon1; hundreds of bullets into federal buildings with officer killed in Atlanta and it’s crickets; violent mob attacks Capitol wounding dozens of officers and it’s pardons for all.” - U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island)

Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

Republicans in Congress just allocated $30 billion to ICE to hire 10,000 new officers so it can ramp up deportations.
But the Administration’s interest in boosting ICE’s headcount from 20,000 to 30,000 is bumping up against multiple challenges, including finding applicants who are both qualified and willing to live in parts of the country where ICE is intent on deploying more agents. - Brian Bennett
https://apple.news/AxMEIecRvST6C7HBHBu9LWA

Brian Jopek
@BrianJopek@mastodon.world

Newsome had warned in a speech in June that “other states are next.”
Trump “was just getting warmed up in Los Angeles,” Newsom posted separately on Monday. “He will gaslight his way into militarizing any city he wants in America. This is what dictators do.” - Chad De Guzman
https://apple.news/AcGiQRmhKT1KJGNoZu5lOXQ