DNA DOES NOT LIE

White skin and blue eyes developed between 10,000 to 40,000 years ago in Northern Europe

The white race as a human category was invented, as I understand it, about 300 years ago. The science of the time categorized plants and animals by lumping together things that looked similar. And that worked pretty well. 

Science after World War II divided humans into three to five races (I learned that while studying anthropology at UCLA in the 1950s). 

About 30 years ago the Human Diversity Genome Project began to sort humans by DNA, not by appearance.  It turned out that the continent with the most diverse DNA was Africa, the continent of human origin. That makes sense; Africans had the most time to diverge from one another.  

Scientists realized that when an African tribe set off to explore a new continent, they could take with them only a small part of the greatly varied DNA in Africa. Today, the farther you get from Africa, the less the DNA diversity.  

Today a black tribal woman in Africa may share more DNA with the King of Sweden than she does with another black woman in another tribe who lives on the opposite bank of her river. 

Our constructed racial categories are contradicted by DNA. 

According to biology, human races, as we use the term, do not exist. Racism still exists (for example, on the Supreme Court).

There is no DNA justification for distributing power and wealth on the basis of colors--but you know that. 

86

I first encountered the term "86" in the early 1960s.  I once went to Barney's Beanery, a famous low-rent joint in Hollywood. This dump had a sign behind the bar--I won't repeat the wording--that crudely informed customers that gay customers would not be served. About that time a known character actor saw the sign and told the server off. I did not witness this, but I heard later that the actor had been 86-ed. 

86-ing someone or something has several meanings, but the main meaning is that you are refusing service to somebody. You are banning somebody. 

None of the meanings imply violence. 

That 86 implies assassination is outrageous bullshit made up by Crybaby Trump. 

 "86" commonly means to discard, cancel, or refuse service to something or someone. Origins and uses:

• Restaurant/bar slang: to mark an item as sold out or to refuse service to a customer.
• General slang: to get rid of, remove, or cancel something (e.g., "86 the plan").
• Verb and noun: can be used as "to 86" (verb) or "an 86" (noun, meaning the person/item removed).

Possible origins (uncertain, several theories): shortened bartender jargon, rhyming slang, military codes, or menu numbering; no single proven source.

Penalty

The recent attempt to kill Trump (or his  ludicrous cabinet) is the third try, one more than Gerald Ford got. Future attempts are likely. 

Trump might be the most hated president ever. His campaigns against health care and immigrants have destroyed many American families. If he outlasts his second term, Trump might have to hide from those searching for him, including Interpol. 

Trump hopes to rebuild Alcatraz and restore the firing squad. I oppose the death penalty. That's a principle.  And no more assassinations. Remember Martin, Robert and John.

 

Face

Why are Americans in the Strait of Hormuz? 

The answer is that President Trump, who lost interest in Iran after two weeks, needs to save face. 

Saving face was one reason Americans died in Vietnam for ten years. Today saving Trump's demented face might take until his second term ends. Many Iranians and Americans may die.

I did my service under President Eisenhower, who had already earned enough face to keep the peace. 

Strategy

Polls indicate a Democratic sweep is coming. Followed by a thousand kleptocrats pleading with judges. But will the duds who lead the Democrats find ways to help ordinary Americans? 

For California governor my first choice is Katie Porter. I do not expect her to win a nomination. She's a blunt, honest woman, not a type people favor. She gets my vote. 

Democrats are going to win big. I hope they make plans. Don't waste a win like Joe Biden.  

Age of Consent

The other night, without the kind of good information that ruins discussions, my family enjoyed a vigorous evaluation of the age of consent.  Later I put together several facts.

In California the age at which a young person can legally enjoy sex is 18; no exceptions are allowed. The rationale, I suppose, is that people under 18 lack the maturity to avoid manipulation and make wise choices. After 18, good luck. 

I live in California and the law reflects my own beliefs. But I once earned a degree in sociology and anthropology at UCLA. I learned that different cultures create different rules. 

In 25 American states the age of consent is 16. In six countries, including China and Germany, the age of consent is 14. In Japan it is 13. 

 In France, in 1776, the age of consent was 12. In Virginia it was 10.

Music

When I was in the seventh grade at Benjamin Franklin Junior High, our teacher taught a class of working-class kids how to make paper.  We visited a newspaper printing press. We studied the form of the sonata.

I've forgotten her name, the teacher.

I went on to enjoy the Weavers, Les Paul and Mary Ford, the Beatles, Joe Cocker, Leonard Cohen, Credence.  Now I am 91, and every day I watch classical music on YouTube.

See? You never know.

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Hormuz

How suicidal is the GOP?

Our elected president, a crumbling, blaspheming oaf, incapable of learning, has lost the Iran war. Maybe he can string the losing out for the rest of his term, using a half-assed blockade or whatever else comes to him at 3 AM. He will insist that he is winning. He creates his own reality 21 hours a day and sleeps three.

Meanwhile the American military weakens. Recruitment has fallen off. Officers are not re-enlisting. Ammo is dwindling. 

The Democrats, with little to offer, are likely to flood into office in the next election. Maybe an aggressive leader with plans will emerge. At least the Democrats will attempt to modulate Trump's bloody lunacy. 

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Trump's Best Play

Suppose, counterfactually, that Donald Trump had a brain. In that case his best move might be to block the Hormuz Strait and grip the Iranian and world economies by the throat. Instead he is trying to open the strait.

 A few hours later--I see that Trump has adopted this tactic! He is blocking the strait. Next: Why don't China and Indonesia also put up blocks? They have large navies.