Beset by The Lurdane

“Inch your way through dead dreams to another land. Maybe you're tired and broken, your tongue is twisted with words half spoken and thoughts unclear. What do you want me to do, to do for you, to see you through? A Box of Rain will ease the pain, and love will see you through.” Phil Lesh and Robert Hunter, Grateful Dead, 1970, about considering or leaving a confusing wet planet and power of love over hate.

A holiday hodgepodge with too many interesting tidbits and scandalous gambits demands synthesis and elicits generalizations, though entire books explore each dodge. Yet is there any point trying to make sense amidst an infowar malestream of propaganda saturation and violent commotion? Given Gödel's Loophole in US Constitution, one must muster courage and faith that this great experiment can endure another polar vortex spanning MLK Holiday, Marmot’s Reveal, Presidents’ Birthdays, Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine’s Day, WWII era Remembrance Day (internment of Japanese American citizens), and winter’s cleansing at Lupercalia coinciding with Ash Wednesday with no ICE free streets predicted for this Mardi Gras. Ramadan outruns Lent and precedes another mass nationwide protest by Mailer’s Armies of the Night planned for March 28th, not soon enough. Why can’t an early Spring instead bring a revival trend? Might democracy survive unscathed to celebrate country’s 250th anniversary? What does mainstream, oligarch owned media portend?

Under today’s unfair era have to wonder how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr would fare. During 1960’s, he had a mutually beneficial dream, marched and preached, mustered crowds in the hundreds of thousands, sought basic civil rights for every resident, and would have undoubtedly been on Krusty Gnome’s hotlist as an ANTIFA and BLM agitator, that is, an imaginary boogeyman. He earned his Nobel Prize upon brave and compassionate effort, not the same as extorting one from a worthy recipient. In 1983 Reagan named a federal holiday in honor of his martyrdom, much like Christmas and Easter for another rabble rouser. But along with Juneteenth holiday has been all but rescinded by executive order by a jealous racist No-King, his deliberate affront to Black History Month. Being divisive and offensive is what demons do.

Labann's reputation is likewise confined to a recognition oubliette, where they dump dissidents so oppressors can forever forget. If you’ve learned anything under this crooked Forty 6 or 7 regime it’s that besmirched cravings, blind ambition, and brazen aggression are mental derangements that invite the opposite: disappointment, dishonor, and disruption. Egomaniacal dictators by definition don’t care what the people deserve: democracy, opportunity, and sustaining security. Acts of cruelty create enemies aplenty. Camo, guns, masks, and uniforms cause fear, flashpoints, and suspicions that increase fatalities. Against such menace, threats, and villainy one might expect a marvel avengement rather than a mundane discontentment. Every day this repulsive manille fails to serve the rank and file expands crowd of resisting jacquerie, revolting peasants righteously exercising their constitutional entitlement.

Beside brownshirt tactics - blocking cars, kidnapping children, pulling innocents out of cars and homes onto frozen streets, shooting pepper balls at clergy, and tossing tear gas at bystanders in blue cities and school zones - ICE stormtroopers gunned down avid cyclist and VA nurse Alex Pretti while on a errand of mercy after murdering mother of three Renée Nicole Macklin Good. Despicable DHS deemed both assassins and terrorists to dodge own culpability. If you’re not outraged, you need an activist group bike ride to spark some empathy, though lately due to weather rides have been few, furtive, and short. New York City is closer to Canadian border than Minneapolis, yet ICE wouldn’t dare take on organized democracy in a world media hub. “These machines of freedom kill fascists.” Give a shout out to Angry Catfish, Bike Farmer, Critical Mass, and Twin City of Minneapolis - St. Paul under siege. The world is watching. 

Congress controls spending, makes laws, and uniformly levies duties, excises, imposts, and taxes. Original but never adopted 1st Article intended that every fifty-thousand citizens would get one representative, which is one reason government enumerates a census every decade; this would mean a House today with over 7,000 seats instead of only 435; every state still gets only two senators, something of a problem among states sparsely populated wielding undue influence. Begs a question about adequacy of policy attention, whether all citizens are being heard or served. Executive branch cannot direct states on how to run polls or limit voting in any way. Against goal of all people having a say, vicious parties with low member affiliation want to stack restrictions illegally against disenfranchised, elderly, immigrants, married women, and poor through birth certification, district reorganization, photo IDs, registration proofs, and scary prospect of armed agents arresting racially profiled voters in polling place parking lots.

US Constitution is a liquid talisman, more than a marriage license with a prenuptial contract, which survives as planet's oldest existing government charter, although it could fall to lurking autocracy if not preserved through alert vigilance and attentive care. Those who aren’t aware of these civil rights might not fight to secure them until too late. “We The People” in Preamble affirms that those allowed ascendancy serve citizens, not a cadre of oligarchs, a self assumed dictator, or some foreign autocrat. Its 7 Articles form a social contract between agencies of state and resident individuals. Citizens permit government (not other way around) to defend them through collected revenue, fiscal management, and law enforcement. Articles define and direct 3 branches - executive, judiciary, and legislative - to act accordingly and stand down when any state exercises its own powers. Violators found treasonous face impeachment, forfeit entire estate, held until they die, and possibly execution, exile, or incarceration. Original Bill of Rights formed a bulwark of The Four Freedoms: from tyranny and want, of religion and speech. Another 27 fortifying amendments were gradually ratified by a two-thirds congressional vote to address unforeseen challenges.

1st Amendment: Entitles freedoms of press, religion, and speech, peaceful assembly, and petitions for redress of grievances; prohibits laws that designate a state religion or impede free expression.
This right has never been more maligned and threatened, with colleges, news networks, even sitting congresspeople undergoing specious lawsuits and undue pressures from executive branch. Citizens, congresspeople, and taxpayers are fully entitled to speak against candidates, executives, governors, nominees, politicians, and representatives in every way without fear of lawsuits for slander. Everyone can vote without coercion or fear of reprisal based on any criteria including congressional record, donor lineup, nagging doubts, party affiliation, personality traits, potential merit, or private scandals, all of which bear mention by an independent press. Unlike equal opportunity human resource decisions, none are exempt from ageism, mental defect, nepotism, partisanship, racism, or such biases. Holding office is not for thin skinned sensitives. However, one cannot foment riots, libel private citizens, order crimes, or provoke harm to anyone else with impunity.

“When we’re not challenged, it’s easy to believe in free speech, when it doesn’t seem like the government is trying to crack down on free speech... when we’re not at risk of being arrested.” Barack Obama, President’s Day, 2026

2nd Amendment: People can bear arms and join state militias to secure freedoms and security.
Sixteen hundred insurrectionists that attacked the capitol, all right wing extremists, were pardoned; many took DHS jobs to further abuse civilians, while, not surprisingly, others were convicted of 129 new crimes since. But according to them any citizen carrying a concealed and licensed weapon who shows up in their location is subject to immediate execution. Laws don’t specify forfeiture of this right (SCOTUS upheld a bill to deny carry privilege to domestic abusers under restraining orders), but ought to exclude Proud Boys and worse sociopaths. Dilemma is that they primarily own and want guns, though that would be a parole violation in nearly every jurisdiction, not average folks struggling to make a dignified and honest living, who recognize that weapons provide zero safety, more likely to kill than protect owners.

3rd Amendment: Soldiers can’t be quartered in a home during peace or war without owner’s consent.
Border control and ICE agents are not army, FBI, militia, or police previously established by constitution. DHS is an illegitimate bastard of Bush era paranoia and can be ground into dust overnight by cutting its funding. Insiders agree that shifting agencies under one organizational umbrella created administrating chaos and reporting havoc. As a paramilitary horde exceeding in number legitimate trained police in locations sent, they create pointless mayhem, disrupt daily life, impose upon resources, and snarl commuter traffic.

4th Amendment: No unreasonable searches and seizures of personal papers or property without a court warrant and probable cause.
Your documents, home, and person are supposedly exempt castles and temples, yet DHS has routinely violated these rights under worthless administrative warrants never adjudicated by appointed or elected officials.

5th Amendment: Specifies no arrest or incarceration without due process including court arraignment and grand jury indictment, no property seizures for public use without just compensation, no repeat prosecution of same crime after acquittal (double jeopardy), and right to hear a Miranda notification and invoke exemption from self incrimination.
Means that a judge has to add your name to a list used in enforcement dragnets. Police can’t just arrest anyone they encounter or profile unless caught committing an actual crime. Those arrested get to hear charges against and what further rights they still have. Same applies in Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Portland Maine and Oregon, or such sanctuary cities nationwide, versus Red States where this militarized mob has yet to be deployed. It’s clearly unconstitutional to impound a car for a fee or sell off without owner’s consent who has been acquitted or wrongly arrested, although sale and seizure of property following a conviction has served as judgment settlement or victim compensation.

6th Amendment: Rights of accused in criminal proceedings to counsel for defense, innocence until proven guilty, and a speedy public trial in the jurisdiction crime was committed before accusers, an impartial jury, and witnesses.
Justice delayed is justice denied, though insider Emily Almanza's Price of Mercy argues that facilitating a convict's basic needs beyond parole deters recidivism, thereby finalizing legal system's revolving door. DOJ and SCOTUS were stacked with “sychoplants” to ensure plans of dismissing or dragging out arraignments and indictments of the privileged until statute of limitation in each case expires. Epstein’s bride Spamula Blondie took a bribe rather than prosecute Frump University fraud. So, what was the coverup for which she was appointed Attorney General? Will she remain in office when magrats and maximalists lose congressional dominance after mid-term election and majority starts pedophile prosecution? Some of Epstein's and guests' thousands of victims have awaited DOJ interviews and justice in convictions for decades.

7th Amendment: Leave to elect a jury trial in civil suits and appeal decision.
Laws must be written to include all residents, then enforced equally despite class, race, or wealth. Oligarchs are subject to same laws as working stiffs. Took an act of congress to demand disclosure of Epstein Files from a DOJ intent on holding congress in contempt, obstructing justice, and protecting elite pedophiles and rapists. Many must ultimately serve prison sentences, if only those who should have fulfilled oaths of office.

8th Amendment: In criminal cases, further guarantees no cruel and unusual punishments or excessive bail or fines.
Of the hundreds of thousands detained indefinitely by DHS without judicial arraignment, 39 have died in custody as of this posting, far beyond excessive. Aggressive deporting and ethnic cleansing cure no problems; every opponent and protestor they preemptively kill raises a dozen in their stead. ICE raids are really a stop-at-nothing desperation to limit Democrat votes and keep Republican control over Congress despite their minority position, a mere 25% voter affiliation. If Democrats were welcoming aliens to pad votes, why then did Obama deport more than Republicans? Pure xenophobia, they depict as horrific sin aliens desperately wanting to get in to escape persecution under American protection, whereas they shield international sex panderers who extort marks, launder money, and rape children. If nation needs to be cleansed of some inferior groups, let it be fascists, pedophiles, and sociopaths.

9th Amendment: Other than specified rights, Constitution doesn’t deny or disparage state rights themselves.
Executive branch is prohibited from calling out the National Guard without a governors consent, unless to put down an insurrection. In several major instances, both clauses have been breached, insurrection wasn’t quelled while troops were unnecessarily deployed, while Speaker of the House colluded to allow without congressional remedy.

10th Amendment: If Constitution doesn’t designate a power to federal government, then power belongs to state or the people themselves.
Voting process can only be run by states free from interference from executive fiats or federal agencies.

11th Amendment: Citizens of one state can’t sue another state or foreign state.
Nor can beltway bullies bring unilateral action against sovereign states. Cooperation is key. Both imperialism and peace are bought and fought for. Since WWII, America spent trillions protecting treaty allies and saving starving third world. Conquering countries and controlling populations would cost many times more than good will gained through charities, food, and medicine. Now DOD is randomly murdering fishermen suspected of trafficking drugs without a shred of evidence, and regime changing by kidnapping heads of state without United Nations approval.  

12th Amendment: Covers how electors count and report votes.
Rabid narcissist for sake of vanity, after costly exhaustive recounts at states' expense, is still wasting millions of tax dollars trying to prove he won election he attempted and failed to rig in 2020. Vindication has no value except as legacy lyrics to a swansong.

13th Amendment: Slavery is abolished, along with indentured servitude, except as punishment for duly convicted criminals.
With a third of humans worldwide meeting definition of enslaved or trafficked, further social justice questions remain as minimum wages have not risen with rate of inflation resulting in the biggest gap in wealth in modern history. Reagan assumed that trade unions meant dreaded communism and busted as many as he could; this big phony would later take credit for loosening Soviets' grip on Eastern Europe, which was in fact accomplished by trade unions in those countries.

14th Amendment: Citizen status is secured by being born within borders of United States (birthright citizenship) and gets to vote by attaining an age of 21 years (now 18), unless having committed crimes, given aid or comfort to enemies, participated in insurrection, or waged a rebellion.
States are in charge of voting, so, despite rider, all but ten now directly reinstate. Incarcerated convicts cannot, but once sentence (and sometimes terms of parole and/or probation) has been served, right is restored automatically. Remaining ten allow individual petitions under certain conditions.

15th Amendment: Secures citizens voting rights undenied on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Current administration has been systematically excluding people of color and conscience from participating in government and society. Every effort is being made to deny registration or voting access to everyone not male and white. Convicted January 6th insurrectionists were pardoned, restored to voter rolls, and temporarily hired to attack and murder law abiding citizens with impunity.

16th Amendment: Allows federal income taxes, but not based on population census.
Current president is suing an IRS whistleblower for a breach of privacy that revealed he paid nothing over several years after and before first term. Other than a disclosure that contradicts lies, there’s no monetary loss upon which to base suit. In fact, constitution demands that third parties expose felonies.

17th Amendment: Designates lengths of terms and numbers from states of senators, and how to fill vacancies.

18th Amendment: Prohibited production and distribution of alcohol.
Later they'd argue that this discriminates against a certain class of people, so not generally applicable.

19th Amendment: Citizens cannot be denied a vote by sex; women’s suffrage.
Tearing down the “distaff wing” of the White House signals current administration’s misogynistic denial of women in any role except as loyal lapdogs and trophy tokens of chief executive.

20th Amendment: Describes congressional and presidential procedures and term limitations.

21st Amendment: Repealed alcohol prohibition under 18th Amendment.
Led to a permissive attitude on all addictive and harmful substances, particularly opioids. Fentanyl, a cheap synthetic illegally imported from China, lately causes as many fatalities in overdoses as automotive carnage or infectious diseases.

22nd Amendment: Each president gets only 2 terms, even if one term is less than 4 years.

23rd Amendment: Casting final vote, presidential electors (electoral college) number same as congressional seats.

24th Amendment: Citizens cannot be denied a vote for nonpayment of fines or poll taxes.

25th Amendment: Specifies order of succession for a president’s death or resignation.
Meanwhile, Putin’s portrait remains enshrined in recently gilded Oval Office.

26th Amendment: 18 year old and older citizens all get a vote.

27th Amendment: Congressional compensation won’t change until after next election.

A violation of any one amendment or article is an impeachable offense. Last year Border Control and ICE denied asylum to a half million people, detained 70,000, 75% of whom were immigrants without criminal records, and deported 300,000. This is 100,000 less than Obama’s 2014 peak, in fact, failing to match his rate despite twice the funding and manpower due to operating chaos. Add $1 billion for national guard deployments to back up abduction sweeps and occupy 6 US cities, trying to incite armed resistance and trigger war powers, and vanishing legal residents to concentration camps under barbaric conditions without congressional oversight. Marching orders are to deport, eliminate, or incarcerate foreigners (xenophobia), influential women (misogyny). people of color (racism), seniors (ageism), and welfare (medicaid, SNAP, TANF) recipients. These crimes are unprecedented in peacetime history. But focus on blue states proves it's also election interference, limiting votes from places that might undermine Republicans control. If you skirmish with goons you waste your power. Instead of battling ICE, nation’s revival of disposable Gestapo stooges, or cheering on vocal opponents, protestors should boycott bosses, corporate CEOs. Don’t buy IPhones or Teslas; cancel media subscriptions; opt out of social media.

Still from viral video of Border Control failing like Keystone Cops to catch a Chicago bicyclist who taunted them with, "I'm not a citizen!"

The alchemy of democracy is ordinary people joining in extraordinary action. America’s 350 million residents of 50 states are in charge, not an amateur cabinet of pennywise clowns and reckless lurdanes who were specifically chosen for their lack of experience so as to offset impotency of an organized crime boss, world's latest Humpty Dumpty, tottering atop a house of suits in a gathering impeachment gale, stumbling upon cankle rankle, fallacious commentary,  fascist policy, and illogical arguments that incite permanent rancor and personal ruin. Can’t retort, “Fake news,” without admitting that journalists reporting whatever press secretary says is nothing but lies, propaganda, or spin. Can’t allege, “Reporter is biased or stupid,” without committing libel or slander, unless one has evidence to support, not just angry over question asked, since the only stupid question is one that wasn’t posed. Self important puffery usually summons a powerful fiend who pretends to befriend. Cautious, conflicted, coy, and obscure may well serve as survival instincts, as long as one so characterized somehow withstands corrupt and cruel shenanigans.

That a record number, 48, of representatives, ~10% including 30 Republicans, are leaving office during midterms has been attributed to death threats upon unpopularity of executive branch’s policy, yet coconspirators raiding treasury won’t take a hint. If you want justice or reparations you need a deck of playing cards (remember Gulf War?) plastered with faces of this despicable cast of inhuman kakistocrats, insidious criminals, and willful miscreants who cater to their kleptocratic king:
ADA badboy Bod Mange
Agri-Sec Broken Rollers
Ambush artist and loyalty enforcer Garish “Lips” Gloomier
Ballroom concierge Nell Gripter
Border czar Tae “Cavacash” Homeboy
Budget mangler Rust Vault
CIA spook Clyffe Dirtirat
Defunct doge Greedon Disgust
DHS’s Krusty “Puppysnuffer” Gnome
Deputy advisor and worm tongue whisperer Sleazy Murder
DOT’s Sure Doofus
Energy drain Jist Wrong
EPA’s Pee Dinhell
Fascist fashionista Gregstapo Bodiodor
Fake DA Lying Hooligan
FCC’s Bendhard Waycar
G-man Gobar Kattle
GOP congressional goons Bringon Donsballs, football coach Patches Downtubes, Jaundice Coma, Max “Teen Dates” Skates, Peaches Callin, Sandy Dune, Skipper Hawksley, Shift “Grindr” Jonesin, and Toy “No Neck” Smells
High spy Tugsee Grabhard
Interior designer Doublemint Blurglum
Health conspiracy savant Ed “Quoth the Raven” Youkandie
HUD head Spot Token
Labor leader Lousy Dreamer
Propagandists Barfa Ravioli, Dirty Waters, Liar Ingrained, Gore Gutfelt, and Sworn Insanity
Revenue's smug spewer Snot Pissant
Sauron’s mouthpiece Copro Leverite
SBA’s Reelly Loathesome
Schemer Frank Lee Nutz
Schoolmarm from WWE Letus McSlam
Secretary of State Ruby Begone
SSA’s Mr. Effing Big
Teabagger Howodd Nutlick
Trade rep Gameloser Jeer
Veep Divan “Poopy” Pants
Vet Affair draft dodger Cuck Doggi
VOA absent announcer Hairy Fake
Warhawk twink Repeat Headsmash
White House surrogate mom Sorri Weasel

This greedy, grifting, smirking cohort is the very definition of “The Enemy Within”. Hesitate to mention them, given frequent indictment and rapid turnover of first term henchmen; over 400 were fired or jailed. These merciless fascists, party in minority, and right wing maximalists abuse 75% majority of independents, liberals, naturalized Latinos, and nearly 200 million workers with an increasing number of them, at least a million, unemployed over last 12 months. Their platform is not what they pretend, rather the opposite of fiscal prudence, rule of law, and support for security.

Republican bobbleheads nod in agreement of their criminal scheme betraying own guilt. What of the optics that their conservative cosplay has perennially failed nation since Reagan? It’s because helping constituents has never been their intention, rather stealing trillions while turning your attention to other distractions. Such fringe fixations attract creepy, exclusive, insecure, privileged, scorned sociopaths. They spend other people’s money on themselves, spread hate, sponsor genocide and terrorism, strip rights from whoever resists, and want to murder anyone who won’t bend a knee to whatever they want, including crypto-bribes, habitat destruction, heinous acts, human trafficking, Ponzi schemes, slave torture, and statutory rape. It’s best described as an asylum for the criminally insane without attendants, cells, restraints, or walls. Makes you wonder why they aren’t being collared, convicted, and incarcerated, preferably in some jungle gulag where they’d gladly send you for daring to demand autonomy.

After stealing trillions, nothing is left to assuage their greed obsession and naked aggression but scofflaw satisfactions of arrests, searches, and seizures. While laughing at the Constitution on a mission to break every amendment and article, cabinet compiled a 250 page gaslighting bundle of lies listing illegal “achievements and firsts”, which no previous public servant would have ever conceived. In assaulting social contract and attempting autocracy, the sliver of silver has been clarifying laws and raising awareness of what might be lost under tyranny.

Taking orders from an albino lobster, an adoration of tinkerbells believe his addled confabulations. How can you presume you’re Peace Prize worthy when you’re against everything for which former laureates Al Gore, Barach Obama, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Carter, Nelson Mandela, and United Nations stand. Bemoans a couple birds endangered by windmills, but couldn’t care less that a half billion humans have died since foreign aid was halted; instigated more international conflicts than all previous presidents combined ostensibly to claim another peace brokerage. Boggles one’s mind how a misogynist pedophile racist who alienated entire LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, independents, military, muslims, people of color, vets, and women could score any victory without rigging and stealing elections. There isn’t enough angry hetero poser white males to make his perverted math work. But having known how Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton struggled for votes, how delusional were Democrats to nominate a black woman? When they pushed historic firsts they invited horrific consequences. Yet latest poll given 20/20 hindsight shows Kamala Harris winning with 58% of votes.

Happiness for yourself is impossible while others suffer. Valentines remind one of how essential building loving relationships truly is. "Hold on and hold out," said the late Jesse Jackson. Families live for each other in cooperation with surrounding communities. On a daily basis, national policies hardly register or resonate, though they directly cause death and want.  Keep poking a hibernating bear; dormant citizenry will arise and react brutally and decisively. 

“Tin soldiers and Nixon coming. We’re finally on our own. This summer I hear the drumming, four dead in Ohio... Gotta get down to it, soldiers are cutting us down. Should have been gone long ago. What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground? How can you run when you know?” Neil Young, Ohio, 1971

Paine for Germain

When did the fork crotch replace fork crown for forking around? Long before trending among 1990’s hybrid and mountain bikes and today’s gravel style, in 1899 Iver Johnson Arms and Cycle Works patented a double arched, non-brazed, welded fork, with sides oval in cross section. What once was always seems to recycle historically, including not only bike technology, but fascism, monarchy, slavery, and sociopathy.

George Germain. Viscount of Sackville, didn't foresee Thomas Paine’s Common Sense becoming a royal pain. Published on January 10th, 1776, exactly 250 years ago today, during its currency this pamphlet was almost as popular as and sold more copies than The Bible within a predominantly Christian community.

Paine’s impassioned persuasion and "No Kings" prototype rallied colonists to cut exploitive ties with English Crown. Just 6 months later they declared independence. However, George III had heeded Germain’s advice to harvest overseas investments through repression and taxes, enforced by atrocities and massacres. Taking farmers and followers for granted, Germain underestimated 13 mainland colonies and veered into Caribbean with military diversions and incursions. Sound familiar? All of their disrespect and intractability practically assured British defeat in The American Revolution (Ken Burns, dir., 2025. current miniseries).

Freedom’s resolve is an unstoppable adversary. Germain was deranked and recalled to England, where, as a noble heir, he demanded a public court martial. Crown obliged and he was dishonorably discharged altogether in humiliating disgrace, never to recover his ill gotten prestige. Odd that Burns didn't highlight him or Paul Revere in maybe his last documentary, given federal cuts to PBS funding. All pain, no gain. Does you no good to complain; just feel worse after, nobody listens anyway, while your reputation circles down the drain.

Right words at right time will cause deranged despots, smug snots, and terrible tyrants to swear, sweat, and tremble. Only fascists fear nonexistent ANTIFA as the baba yaga of domestic terrorism, along with art, commentary, performance, and writing that expose their nefarious dissemble and resist their extremist policies that cost lives, shelter, and wothwhile economies. Can't hide facts of crimes for long, especially ones against humanity televised for The People and their prosecutors to witness for themselves. Privileged situations can turn on a dime. Entire cabinet can be impeached and imprisoned within statute of limitations time.

What do you call this blog? Citizen journalism or clinquant deception? You might complain these posts quickly detour into dark cul-de-sacs. Last entry, before busy holidays, was titled with a hapax portmanteau resembling an overused spice flavor. Anyone can compose hopeful, nonthreatening text to reap praise from self deceiving admirers. Why then do authors or journalists gamble their lives and reputations publishing unabashed truths? Encyclopedias aren’t popular. Wikipedia always begs for funding.

Catering to the affluent who dominate media pays better than heroically standing up for the indigent. Why paddle doggedly upstream? Why pedal honorably upslope? Concerted effort overcoming obstacles is how you succeed, but rewards obviously aren't guaranteed. Lazy methods make one fat, stupid, and susceptible to brain/sane washing and crazy controls that instill doubt and fear. Hard not to recall cool satire of Jonathan Swift while riding cruel streets on a Brooks old school Swift saddle. To ironically add insult to injury, an executive edict just stopped making common cents. Businesses anxious to make change are buying rolled pennies at a premium, $1.40 per hundred; a roll of 50 wheat pennies is actually worth $3.00 to any coin dealer.

Inspired by the michaudine, mankind’s first pedaled bicycle, purloined a French nom de plume, Labann, implying a declaration of intolerance for injustice and an eternal curse against state marginalization of bicycling borne with righteous dignity, versus Batman’s Bane, who presented an existential threat and warranted severest of penalties, as does every traitor and villain. One doesn’t just pluck an alter ego from rare ether. Riding a freedom machine among a brotherhood of equals makes one wonder why anyone would prefer to be cheated, threatened, or victimized rather than assume personal responsibility, learn governance for themselves, resist temptations of comforts, take charge of routine business, and undermine mewling dweebs on a power sweep. Propelling by pedal among millions of others supposedly sharing roads, bicyclists come to fully appreciate equality, fraternity, and liberty of France's tripartite motto, another undervalued benefit to reap.

"It is no longer necessary to go into lengthy detail about the usefulness of the bicycle, because it has long since established itself as indispensable in our national life...A good bicycle...provides just the needed exercise for keeping in good health, and in the most pleasurable way. It means quick and safe transportation at the cost of practically nothing. It enables one, at any time, to take the fresh-air-route all over the highways of health, and be independent of crowded trolley and railroad cars of slow and interrupted service... Many boys and girls get back the purchase price of their bicycles with money earned after school hours, and on Saturdays, by running errands and delivering packages...The bicycle is the safest outdoor sport anyone can take up ...an Iver Johnson Bicycle bought today [list price $120.00], if treated right, will be handed down from father to son...” - J. Lovell Johnson, Iver Johnson Catalog, Fitchburg, MA, 1928

By way of a run-on rant, today’s confluence of artificial intelligence, automotive convenience, corrupt politics, instant gratification, and virtual presence has already arrived at an unsustainable destination. Rather than serving needs of the many, scheme relinquishes control to oligarchs, who, by definition, are a small but vicious minority driven by self interest at the expense of 350 million coequal members of a Democratic society. Masses only acquiesce because they were conditioned to believe that some designated driver rules and they don't. It’s gotten so bad that optics of lavish parties and revenue raids while qualified programs are being unilaterally terminated don’t rise to overwhelming outrage, revolution even. Bullies get away with capital offenses by blaming victims and pitting underprivileged against unhomed individuals. SNAP family kids must go hungry because POTUS and SCOTUS want to lord over public and maximize political leverage.

Average voters already have a profound grievance; imagine how maniacs, sociopaths, and such “special folks" feel with current clown at the head of their class. Maybe white supremacists are proud to see a fellow deviant rise to “Leader of the Free World”. Or maybe they feel uneasy about impending legislation leveled against them. A diagnosis might mean your privileges and rights are forfeit, like operating a motor vehicles or simply mingling outdoors. SCOTUS recently decided they can't own weapons. Severely disturbed people were once imprisoned in asylums until they proved themselves fit to return to society. Felons among them served life sentences or were summarily executed.

Everyone, including those so afflicted, ought to survive if not thrive under world’s richest economy. If you’re sinking or underwater with food and shelter uncertainty, blame billionaires, Congress, and cryptocurrency CEOs, who deny you by keeping wages low and tightening money supply. Soon your foreclosed property, tanked investments, and worthless savings will lead to serfdom under self-made royalty dictating your only path forward. Is dystopia not what you signed up for? Nonconformity and self defense are legal. Nothing can stop encouraged and organized masses. Not deterring invaders, improving lives, and lowering costs, regime is instead lowering standards, murdering moms, redefining citizenship, stripping rights, and taking agency cost avoidances for themselves. After a decade of word salad rife with thousands of demonstrable lies, how can you believe anything they say?

Low frustration quotient? No, low tolerance for willful stupidity, a form of community abuse and consequence of antisocial self interest. Those who lay down and let themselves be subjugated don’t earn a free pass, they get abused all the more, having made easy targets of themselves, kicked to the curb. Sadistic curs given immunity sucker punch the most vulnerable relentlessly, since they so often get away with it. That’s how extortion succeeds; deals dangled can range from fear of being beaten, embarrassed, exposed, imprisoned, punished, or stripped of dignity, freedom, property, rights, or wealth. Often the slightest resistance foils them completely. Just say no to the despicable, few, powerless, thoughtless autocrats, dictators, and tyrants.

B&C is art, the antithesis of AI slop, laden with empathy and imagination, versus generic digital content devoid of emotional appeal and human interest. Bicycling is dark woke performance art when wars are being fought over oil consumerism. Gasoline is no queen. Anthropologists say if only 3% of any constituency raise their voices in protest collectively, chain of command and repressive governance will usually get deposed; that's only 1% more than number who showed for last coast-to-coast protest. With approval polls in every category now at historic lows, any push will renew citizen commitment to democracy and topple delusional rule. Given facts, it took only one pamphlet and residual tea tax from Townshend Acts for fathers to found the greatest nation ever despite destiny and drawbacks.

“Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road, healthy, free, the world before me, the long brown path before me leading wherever I choose... Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing. Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms... Strong and content I travel the open road. The earth, that is sufficient... You road I enter upon and look around... I believe that much unseen is also here... I swear to you there are divine things more beautiful than words can tell.” Walt Whitman, Song of the Open Road, 1856, describes freedom to live fully and joyfully through courage and motility

Punkin’ “Cinemain”

Riding around lately noticing obsessions with “Horrorween” decorations and orange greasepaint clown creations. Are homeowners trying to dodge own anxiety and dread from nation’s walking dead who only vote red? Don’t you adore commentators who endorse Top Ten lists deciding for you what to explore? “Compared to what?” those they annoy might ask. How many films have these pumpkin headed critics seen? Small sample numbers bias opinions and skew perceptions. Labann has viewed tens of thousands, though only a few thousand set within last 200 years actually involve bicycling, mere hundreds in some main role. Among the many mentioned or reviewed never rated any against another, given each have scenes worthy of attention that uniformed punks ignore.

Excusable mistakes in Bike&Chain’s appendix “Bike Obsessed Films” rate a retraction. Long unavailable Les Bicylettes de Belsize (Douglas Hickox, dir., 1968) is a short musical with almost no spoken dialogue about Steve (Anthony May) recklessly riding a Raleigh RSW16 (not a Moulton) sans helmet on location in Hampstead, London, England. Belsize Park neighborhood in title of famous Englebert tune (someone else sang on soundtrack) is never visited. One morning Steve evades 2 broadsides and gets into 2 minor crashes before falling in love on first sight with Raleigh billboard model Julie (Judy Huxtable). Best to review after you actually view.

The Cyclist, aka Peloton (John Lawrence, dir., 2012), depicts down-on-his-luck self-absorbed athlete Nash (K.C. Clyde), looking to resume his racing career while scraping by as a messenger. There’s a contrasting Iranian film under same title, aka Bicycleran (Mohsen Makhmalbaf, dir., 1989), in which a motivated Nasim (Moharram Zaynalzadeh), hoping to pay wife’s medical bill, will do anything for money, including marathon riding in a circle nonstop for 7 days. Both plumb depths to which humans will go when determined to succeed or survive.

Infinitely Polar Bear (Maya Forbes, dir., 2015) depicts Boston biracial married couple Cam (Mark Ruffalo, Avengers) and Maggie (Zoe Saldaña, Avatar) as they try to work around his bipolar disorder and their two school age girls so she can attend Columbia’s MBA program in New York full time for 18 months. Set amidst the 1970’s bike boom, filmed on location in Providence, Rhode Island, in manic mode Cam bikes around in a speedo and embarrasses family. Despite important story and star cast (including cycling obsessed and often mentioned Ruffalo), film didn’t return 25% of its investment.

In “awesome” short Litterbugs (Peter Stanley Ward, dir., 2016), precocious inventor Alice (Leila Wetton) and tween sidekick Stanley (James Grogan) get even with mean girls who’ve bullied them. Riding out to a junk yard on her adult tricycle, Alice scavenges castoff gadgets and mechanical litter then recycles into "robugic" drones to do her bidding. Vengeance!

Mary Poppins Returns (Rob Marshall, dir., 2018) one generation later to a Banks family in Depression Era crisis at risk of losing their home. Mary (Emily Blunt) advises as usual to “go fly a kite”, through which they avert foreclosure and regain youthful outlook. Leader of lamplighters Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) makes extended and frequent uses of his cargo bicycle culminating in a dance scene with bike acrobatics and Mary spinning wheelies.

Youths who are bicycling sleuths Elliot (Jensen Gering) and Willow (Catherine White) save mom Celine (Denise Richards) and town of Wickensburg (Richard Boddington, dir., 2022) from an unscrupulous nuclear waste disposer. In worse sequel Return to Wickensburg, 2 years later young adults motor about rather than ride, unlike adventurous twentysomething Anathema Device in Good Omens.

Documentary feature Dear Sirs (Mark Pedri, dir., 2022) retraces by mountain bicycle grandfather Silvio’s route as a soldier captured by Nazis during WWII, a wounded patient mistreated in an insane asylum, an exploited slave scavenging scrap metal, and starving prisoner in Sandbostel’s Stalag 10 concentration camp. While in Hamburg, Mark reflects on Nazi inhumanity by citing ANTIFA dissident and Hitler victim Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Silence in the face of evil is evil itself... No man in the whole world can change the truth. One can only look for the truth, find it, and serve it... Comfort the troubled, and trouble the comfortable.” This one hour sobering reminder exposes what occurs when a nation becomes subservient to a sociopathic tyrant and stops caring about entire community. Nazis detained and murdered anyone who wasn’t compliant and white; history repeats itself, both bad and good, so resistance isn't futile.

Anytime (Darcy Wittenburg, dir., 2024) has extreme sports promoter Red Bull celebrating freeride’s elites through sponsors Arosa Lenzerheide’s Bike Kingdom park, Evoc Sports bags, Maxxis tires, and Shimano components.

Another documentary, The Extraordinary Journey of the Bicycle (Michael Kollatschny, dir., 2024), describes how the eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia in 1818 and its dust resultant global winter diverted reliance on horses onto mechanical innovations, such as the draisienne. One might argue that chariots were also bicycles; putting cart wheels in line with a pedal push pulley drive reassigns human riders as horse’s asses.

Gold Peak Tea, Real is Gold spot (2024), “Doesn’t need hype or trickery to be interesting,” because bicyclist spokesman breaks away from phony set to tour exotic fascination of tea plantation.

History Honors 250 is a series of PSA spots that History Channel is running through 2026, when America celebrates its quarter millennium as a Greco-Roman democratic republic... if it makes it that far under current totalitarian threat. Of particular interest is one on Women’s Rights first aired on 7 April 2025 that connects their vote with freedom experienced while riding bicycles.

Itinerant bicyclist Cliff Cash delivered The Long Road standup comedy special and destroyed MAGA mythos specifically.

Xfinity Mobil Spot (2025) shows Frankenstein’s creature bicycling around some dark scary backwater, which inspires learning to cook with a pinch of cinnamon like a gourmet chef. Incongruous?

Jimmy Kimmel Live, September 30th, 2025, half way through show, Seth Meyers’ brother Josh parodied California Governor Gavin Newsom bicycling onto stage, cracking up his Brooklyn audience, and reviving stereotypical west coast tropes. Will show survive?

Mocking Ozempic and Wegovy commercials, Comedy Central’s South Park interrupts itself for a “Lizzo spot" with a stop at a bike shop, then resumes ridiculing godless villainy of Pol Prop. Pigs who want it all pop semaglutide pills to avoid exercise and glomb whatever they want. You can simply adopt riding as a lifestyle and so much safer lose chubby blubber, then thumb your nose at first president since Lincoln who didn’t appreciate bicycling and rather make war against bike advocacy in favor of petroleum consumerism.

Out this October, Bugonia (Yorgos Lanthimos, dir., 2025) is an absurdist black comedy remake of a South Korean film. Two beekeeping bicyclists, conspiracy theorists, and environmentally conscious twentysomethings, Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and cousin Dan (Aidan Delbis), kidnap and torture powerful pharmaceutical CEO Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), convinced she's an alien who wants to destroy Earth.  Maybe they aren't wrong?

Fantasy/SciFi film in development Ghostwriter (J.J. Abrams, dir., 2025) produced on location in both Glasgow, Scotland, and Rhode Island, USA stars Glen Powell (Twister), Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), and Samuel L. Jackson (Avengers, Pulp Fiction). A bloodied Powell was snapped being filmed along Providence’s Lovecraftian streets for supernatural scenes of him cycling on a Specialized.

Rhythm and sounds of bicycling inspire so many songs, some composed over last 5 years heretofore slipped through cracks:

Christian Alexander, Bicycle, single, AMF Records, 2023

Doon Kanda, Bicycle [piano instr.], Celest, wwwomb, 2023

Eric Owyoung & Future of Forestry, Bicycle [piano instr.], single, Sound Swan Records, 2023

Lili Trifilio, Bicycle, Book Club, 1326398 Records DK, 2019 - “I was riding home on my bicycle on the northwest side of Chicago. Then I saw your face in a rain puddle looking back at me from a car window... If you wanna come and see my new place in the city by the freeway, we could ride our bikes at our own pace. If they break down, we can fix them.”

mariek, Bicycle, single, self, 2021

Nevi, Bicycle [jazz instr.], Istanbul Edition, Losen Records, 2020 - Russian and Turkish musician collaborate; no apparent relation to the Italian bicycle brand.

Sarah Watson, Bicycle [piano instr.], Bicycle EP, self, 2021

Xaia, Bicycle, single, self, 2020 - “I don’t have a car... I’m tired of the yelling, I just want to be alone... All I do is ride my bike all day...”

Poli-Urethane

“Father, father, we don't need to escalate. You see, war is not the answer for only love can conquer hate. You know we've got to find a way to bring some lovin' here today. Picket lines and picket signs: Don’t punish me with brutality. Talk to me so you can see, oh, what's going on... Everybody thinks we're wrong; but who are they to judge us simply 'cause our hair is long?” Al Cleveland, Obi Benson, and Marvin Gaye, What’s Going On, What’s Going On, Tamla, 1971 - Protest song inspired by police brutality on Bloody Thursday in Berkeley hit #1 among Billboard R&B singles, made money for Live Aid chartities, and was covered profitably several times.

Bike&Chain exists because of marginalized bicycling culture, and recognizes “Fertilization Administration” has declared war on citizen cyclists, independent women, and public servants, so any program that supports lane designations, reproductive rights, or safety nets is now forfeit unless they unite to fight. Not to justify latest tirades to youths, culture inseparably intertwines with politics, though often authors won’t admit it. Small shop owners as Aaron Johnson of GoGrava must react to de minimis shutdown and new tariffs. Seems politics at its core tries to score through biased polls, deliberate lies, and varnished truths. David Nyberg debates, “Deception appears to be normal... a workday attribute of practical intelligence,” though ethics advise elsewise on sticky evidence. Mucilaginous polyurethane dries into several bike components including apparel cloth, bar tape, helmet inserts, inner tubes, pump gaskets, saddle shells, and such accoutrements. You're not a thane just because you back a baby daddy dictator politically, have assets worth billions, and want to be called a doge or minister; you must get elected first to govern or represent nation's constituents.

Bike Radar compiled a list of Best Cycling Books 2025, and said it’s for “cycling bookworms”; instead, most titles would only appeal to endurance athletes and wannabe racers rather than poli sci majors. Even James Hibbard’s The Art of Cycling (Quercus, 2021, 320 pp.), previously reviewed, has nothing to do with art or culture at all, rather what’s in it mentally for you, though more recently published than bulk of titles they recommend. By assembling citations and specifying contexts you elevate importance of items probably beyond their worth. Not surprisingly, Labann’s noncommercial volumes were again overlooked.

Zachary Mooradian Furness, Put The Fun Between Your Legs! The Politics and Counterculture of the Bicycle "(University of Pittsburg, 2005, 228 pp.) - Peer reviewed doctoral dissertation includes an extensive bibliography and short filmography, and touches upon all historic points of bicycle advocacy. “My analysis is focused upon the politics of cycling in the United States... largely based upon a critique of car culture, and with it, the ideological assumptions that inform our labor practices, consumption habits, uses of technology, and our relationship to our material world... important to analyze because globalization has resulted in the mass exportation of American culture and economics to other parts of the world.” Dicatators hate that, so VOA was just silenced. Must’ve been something in the air, since Bike&Chain also had been written by then.

Treatment equality among bicyclists, motorists, and pedestrians has been federal law since 1990, but same old culture war persists after decades. Federal Highway Administration officialy reaffirmed in 2010, "Because of the benefits they provide, transportation agencies should give the same priority to walking and bicycling as is given to other transportation modes." Federal regulations prohibit planners from impeding bicycling or severing routes bicyclists use during new construction; bridges must accommodate bicycling and walking. Despite long established guidelines, mounting lawsuit losses, and repeated court injunctions, new regime bullies onward, defies constitution, and ignores observance. But such criticism assumes normality and precedents one hopes, not criminality and disobedience from public servants. Charity directors, law enforcers, and school teachers who witness incivility may somethimes turn into misanthropes. Government officials are supposed to work for your reciprocal cooperation and toward your best interests. Seems cabinet of April fools, Mad Hatter, and March Hare rather make millions of resentful antagonists. Better consider what they do, not believe what serial liars say, to those they harm.

Ken Avidor, Bicyclopolis (2017, 98 pp.) - Intricate bike-centric graphic novel 17 years in the making was self published by this Minneapolis based cartoonist, first mentioned in March of 2011 while still being developed. Through a time travel theme, Avidor predicts where demented environmental and political abandonment lead. Amidst a global climate crisis, it’s not the time to shutter NOAA or withdraw from Paris Accord.

DeFranzy, Cycling is Freedom [German pop], single video, self, 2018 - Just so, suffragette, and when they begin to infringe upon basic motility, call it what it is: verboten slavery, vicious repression, or vote suppression. In a democracy, everyone gets a vote, women in majority foremost, unless theonomic ideology of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaiden’s Tale comes to pass as a direct consequence of Project 2025. Can’t happen here? Read Genesis 29:29. Already has with sex slaves, toxic bros, and worse offenses upon horizon.

Adonia E. Lugo, PhD, Bicycle / Race: Transportation, Culture & Resistance (Microcosm Publishing, 2018, 192 pp.) - Cultural anthropologist defines “mobility justice”, and discusses racial discrimination and sustainable transport. Gets Labann thinking of how bicycles are stolen and vandalized less often than cars, with a huge black market for catalytic converters, quarter panels, and wheel rims to fulfill. Bicycles don’t suit lazy thieves, who'd rather plunder US Treasury, world's biggest target. "Infrastructure neglect" is just another tactic to funnel funds their way. Senator Booker's filibuster set record straight: American people are in charge.

“In mid-2018, women in Saudi Arabia gained the freedom to ride a bicycle, and the efforts of women’s activists such as Baraah Luhaid played a part in this, as she established Spokes Hub... We often see the bicycle just as a form of transport, but it’s much more than that; it’s a classless item that billions of different people across the globe own.” Zain Hussain, The bicycle: a symbol of unification, Medium magazine, 2019 - So, Saudi women are bestowed this right a century later than Americans and Europeans? Wow!

Ken Avidor, Courier, single video, self, 2019; short animation related to a future dystopia where bicycle couriers have to deliver food to front line battle zones instead of Door Dash, Grubhub or Uber Eats after petroleum paradigm crashed. First in a series where sabotage hero poses as a bicycle courier.

Avidor Family Singers, My Bike is Freedom, single video, self, 2020 - Short Ken Avidor animation with an original song. Bicycling is the fifth freedom, along with freedoms from tyranny and want, and of religion and speech, all of which are at risk under authoritarian attack.

Max Whittle, Cycling is Freedom, single video, self, 2020
It’s a sentiment that adheres longer than orange facepaint, more like steadfast shellac.

Peter Cox and Till Koglin (editors), The Politics of Cycling Infrastructure: Spaces and (In)Equality (Policy Press, 2020, 261 pp.) - “Physical infrastructure is currently posited as the primary key to unlock cycling’s potential as a primary mode of sustainable transport... Governance mechanisms that provide for and respond to citizen voices... recognize the need for and implement change... Infrastructure is never neutral and always inherently political.” Most articles in this anthology based analyses on European cities. In USA, conservative congressmen aren’t even holding public forums anymore.

Some American mayors brazenly act out their bicycling abhorrence. According to Jody Rosen’s article The Bicycle as a Vehicle of Protest, (The New Yorker, 2020), “N.Y.P.D. has a long history of hostility to cyclists... police have used questionable, sometimes violent tactics to sweep up participants in Critical Mass, the guerrilla group rides that aim to promote cyclists’ rights... Transportation issues are social-justice issues... American bike riders [are] of all races and backgrounds, but... The term ‘invisible riders’ has gained currency among critics who decry the marginalization of black, brown, female, and working-class cyclists by establishment activists.” Bike boom at the time kept reluctant bus riders moving alternatively, minimizing recession effects of pandemic quarantines.

Chris Watson, The Bicycling Guitarist, pedals beyond politically correct into some sort of unbalanced chauvinist rant while playing original tunes, poising himself and his Stratocaster guitar, and riding his 1977 Schwinn Sportabout 10-speed in circles.

The Bicycling Guitarist fea. Chris Watson, Repoman, Elektra’s Room, self, 2020 “Oh, Repoman. He likes my band. So I guess my Schwinn is safe from being repossessed. That means it was possessed more than once. Possessed and depossessed, then repossessed. But, fortunately, fortunately it's an ‘exorcise bike’.” Among a half dozen albums, this oddly appears to be only song that directly references bicycling.

American cycling team gets Trapped Inn (Leah Sturgis, dir., 2024) at a remote European mountain lodge; teammates then start unexpectedly dying. Taps into contagion angst. Peloton protagonists Connor (Matt Rife) and Greg (Robert Palmer Watkins) compete to solve this otherworldly mystery. Horror film genre merely mirrors and woefully understates what's now actually occurring because of DOGE meddling in earned benefits, established services, and foreign aid.

Heartfelt 2024 testimony from Claire Pomykala of Living By Bike declares that bicycling at all is a political act. “Resist capitalist forces and lifestyles that sit, to fight status quo, to reconnect with nature, to recognize our ignorance: bicycling is inherently political... Bicycling is revolution.” Battle hardened Claire has bike-packed from Atlanta to Oz through Europe, learned hands-on loads of lore, and taught self a myriad of truths through living vulnerable to what world provides. New US administration believes it can rescind visas. restrict travel, and strip citizenship from anyone who opposes their goal to control, because laws only apply to you, not them. Bicycling is human, not conservative, liberal, or partisan; all demographics ride except abject invalids and beer swilling, coal-rolling, extreme right, fossil fuel addicted wimps, who may or may not notice X's tweet logo now includes a sieg heil salute despite billions in stockholder losses undermining temporary victory. As in all crime syndicates, fraudulent DOGE forwards same fascist agenda yet insulates felon POTUS from prosecution. Unless you're a multimillionaire, you'll pay more taxes and suffer loss of services.

Montreal, Quebec has enjoyed better bike accommodations since Claire Morissette’s advocacy in 1990’s. Yet after decades many residents still don’t get it. A short Oh The Urbanity! documentary, I Went to an Anti-Bike-Lane Revolt (Patrick Murphy, dir., 2024) shreds local misconceptions about alleged bike issues of ableism, ageism, school safety, and such notions adopted without regard of indisputable evidence to the contrary. Everyone is mistreated, some more than others, though goal is to avoid egregious examples. Bruised egos can be self inflicted, so too close to exercising personal freedoms to cure. Roads mistreat bicyclists who nevertheless ride and tolerate them.

Wes Marshall, PhD, PE, Killed by a Traffic Engineer (Island Press, 2024, 424 pp.) - A professor of civil engineering whistleblower contends that AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) guidelines aren’t wholly based on inclusive safety or sound science. “There wasn’t nearly as much science behind the numbers as the 1,000-page manuals make it seem.” No sh*t! says Labann, who spent decades battling bull and writing manuals. Since 1899 when they began counting vehicle crash fatalities, 4 million Americans have died, many times that globally, more Americans than all military conflicts in which they fought including founding revolution. Best laid plans of Three E’s - Education, Enforcement, and Engineering - are rife with shortcomings among texting, tired, and twisted motorists, planners, and police.

“Asking Americans to sacrifice their beloved cars is not a winning political message, but helping them rediscover something they love more can change the world.” Steven Goodridge, The Conservative Case for Walking and Bicycling, Medium magazine, 2024 - Informative article appends a nice bibliography. Could continue with citations and contexts, but do conclude politics concern cyclists. It's too easy to round out paragraphs with so many asinine, bizarre, criminal, and despicable executive fiats signed daily, then immediately struck down by courts as illegal and unconstitutional. Forever forward, forge past onto next spin session and subsequent post toward velorution.

Spilt Champagne

“President he’s got his war; folks don’t know just what it’s for. Nobody gives us rhyme or reason. Have one doubt they call it treason. We’re chicken feathers all without one nut. Goddamn it! Tryin' to make it real compared to what.” - Eddie Harris, Gene McDaniels, and Les McCann, Compared to What, Swiss Movement, Atlantic, 1969... album certified gold and song covered by 270 other performers.

Le Demi-Fond was once a 100 kilometer velodrome event where “the big motor” paced “the stayer”, that is, motorcyclist created a slipstream for drafting bicyclist running huge chainrings to reach speeds up to 124 mph. A popular spectacle from last century, it was inherently dangerous with track competitors and spectators killed and maimed until officially banned in 1994, though something similar is still how bicycle speed records are made on salt flats. Somewhat echoes e-bikes today, which quicken pace so each ride averages 3 to 5 mph faster. Riding bikes used to mean mere spinning; with e-bikes that becomes e-moting, because you frequently have to react in a panic and try to spin faster than motor boost, typically paused at 20 mph, to conserve charge for final segment on tired legs. Although sprayed champagne celebrates podium wins, spilt wine portends disaster. There’s no glory in top speed to which a cyclist strives, just a blur among crowds desperate for fresh air and smidgeon of exercise as Spring season finally arrives.

Level of being admired at zero percentage, aggregator Labann generously marches on never wanting to address attention needy POTUS insanity and wishing current term to be over permanently. Tired of turds dominating words downing out every voter democratically. “Halfway through”, demi-term election might overthrow oligarchy advantage. News used to be idea provoking specifics, not obviously vicious lies, gamely negotiated politics, not gas lit by wise guys. Where’s public outrage upon this perilous stage? Witch hunts describe going after officers doing their jobs who stood in your way when you committed a crime. If you keep misapplying and violating laws, you will be impeached and indicted every time. Whence and whither congressional counterbalance? Court rulings can only compel law abiders; marshals are their sole contempt enforcers if judges take a stance.

American People for nearly a century have long been the bulwark against wanton homicide and a stabilizing influence worldwide. Amagastan dupes don’t inherit this reputation. Christian Nationalists say, “Be charitable to yourself first,” in other words, stuff your pockets at someone else’s expense, even to where others perish or suffer for your greed and predation. They don’t know recipes for stone soups. Homeless beggar Christ amassed no coinage as a carpenter and fisherman, performed miracles and served strangers for free, for which he was crucified and interred penniless in donated linen and tomb by way of example on how to live divinely. To opposite extreme, Mango Mussolini is marching an army of mercs and orcs out of his lair, Mordor Lago, to murder mankind, spill blood, and wreak havoc. Slashing cybercrime mob surveillants, law enforcement agents, inspector general operatives, and national security staff leaves both them and you less protected against megalomaniacal psychopaths who’d burn planet and torture infants for a laugh.

Ruining how agencies run creates dissatisfaction meant to pave way to privatization, falsely reputed to improve efficiency. Taxpayers, which excludes many billionaires who evade paying, have invested literally hundreds of trillions in buildings, equipment, infrastructure, and workforce training. Consider post office with facilities and vehicles (Bezos drools), or military with jets, munitions, tanks, vessels, and weapons (Dumbo tools). Social Security (nobody’s fools) has $3 trillion in a trust fund you amassed. Fort Knox stores your tons of gold treasure, increased in value to $300 billion, enough to reduce public debt if liquidated. Unelected villains want to hand it all over to cronies to exploit for profit, leave citizens impoverished, raise service costs, and rob you blind. You’re already paying millions to El Salvador to inter a few hundred deportees not even indicted while stateside prisons remain full of convicted perps. Tariffs have nothing to do with encouraging domestic production; champagne only comes from France, as do thousands of other goods impossible to copy and only made abroad. It’s all a reality show for the cluelessly gung-ho, not sensible policy for vast majority.

Administrative decisions of late have been met with abject horror among three quarters of population. Not one campaign promise has been fulfilled, and vile edicts are being carried out despite federal court injunctions against. Conservative congress decided to cede their power as a coequal branch of government and let Felon 47 do his damnedest to destroy democracy, exploit war power act to deport without due process and stay in office, and target potential domestic enemies including political opponents and press reporters. How can half of supposed representatives support such unconstitutional injustice? Cowardly congressmen listened to advice not to answer questions or conduct forums. That’s admissible evidence of their violating oaths of office to stand for constituents. A quick fix would be to recall them individually from state to state, which would reverse curse of a slight GOP majority. Investigative journalists hold public officials accountable and shine a light on acts unlawful; otherwise, democracy dies in darkness.

When SCOTUS ruled in favor of Citizens United, it enabled billionaires to buy congressional seats among both major parties, call shots as they please, and determine all policies. Before oligarchs seized control, government had sustained many popular participant programs - Affordable Care, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Supplemental Nutrition - that a succession of Republicans since Reagan wanted to crush and divert funds from held accounts into hands of the richest few. Temptation to smash and steal was just too strong for self indulgent legislators and their stink tank lunatics. Brian Tyler Cohen argues, “This feels like betrayal... We are desperate for fighters... If this crop of elected officials won’t, then people are going to elect new ones who will.”

Make great again for whom? Criminal kleptocrats, crypto schemers, goon squads, greedy oligarchs, privatizing congresspeople, shrewd whores, storm troopers, white supremacists, and yes men. Everyone else will be banished, deported, or targeted. Better watch your back and pack a go-bag when you have to escape, especially congressionally appointed judges forced to follow constitution who block autocratic playbook, or dissidents and opponents to unitary executive rule. “You don’t impeach judges who issues orders you don’t like... Debate makes this country great,” said senior senator Bernie Sanders. Unless as slaves, there’ll be no quarter for Asians, Blacks, Indians, Latinos, seniors, or women. Sorry, MAGA-mob, you were literally sold a big perverse joke and a pig in a poke. Have to have faith they’ve miscalculated effects of mistreating military veterans and public servants, two groups who own lion’s share of nation’s war tactics and weapons expertise. Would not want to take on these patriots in any fight, especially ones that threaten their families.

Voter remorse? “I been a bad, bad, bad man... Remember the time when I eat you up? Yeah, I was a lie that you can't give up. If I was to cheat, oh no, would you see right through me? ...How you like me now? How you like me now?” The Heavy, The House That Dirt Built, Counter, 2009

To whom do you turn? Liam Turner (Robert Timothy Smith) ineptly scribbles a dyslexic Dear Santa (Bobby Farrelly, dir., 2024) letter to North Pole, but transposes characters and winds up with a visit from Dear Satan (Jack Black) from North Lope, who offers him 3 wishes for his soul. Black’s character turns out to be a demon on probation, not Prince of Darkness himself. In another such switcheroo, you got a convicted serial con man instead of a Leader of the Free World. “Slow down, Lance Armstrong,” says school crossing guard (Cate Freedman) to nemesis teacher Mr. Charles (P. J. Byrne), whose midlife crisis has him riding a racing bicycle about town on Christmas Day. They agree to go together for Chinese food, though he rethinks asking her to sit on his back rack, so they stroll instead.

Not all romances conclude happily ever after. In favorably received Netflix series One Day (Luke Snellin, dir., 2024), Episode 13, Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall) and Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) are an engaged couple in 2000, 14 years after they met in Edinburgh at their graduation ball. Having crossed paths for years, they are now planning their wedding. Dexter looks to open a café. Emma’s is about to publish her fourth novel. After a spat, she leaves Dexter an apology note, saying she still loves him and that she'll be five minutes late for their realty appointment to view a honeymoon house. On a rainy Saturday, Saint Swithin's Day, a careless motorist knocks Emma off her bicycle, and, despite wearing a helmet, she dies; foul weather must follow each day for next 40, according to folklore and screenplay.

Bicycling culture among contemporary Navajo Nation is the subject of documentary In The Dirt (T. C. Johnstone, dir., 2023) in conjunction with New Mexico non-profit Silver Stallion, where youth learn bicycle handling, mechanical repair, personal empowerment, and specialty coffee skills.

Dick Wolf’s scripted drama Law&Order: SVU, Season 16, Episode 4, Holden’s Manifesto (Jean de Segonzac, dir., 2014), portrays bike messenger and ignorable incel Holden March (John Karna, shown), who avenges his narcissist ego by murdering women he’s convinced wronged him by ignoring his awkward advances. Detective Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) and Sergeant Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) have to ferret out and take down this serial slayer. Story is based on real life case Elliot Rodger's Retribution resulting in Isla Vista Killings of same year. Over 25 years, program has won 46 awards including 6 Primetime Emmys.

Pivotal scene in blockbuster musical Wicked (John M. Chu, dir., 2024) has fondling Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) and Prince Fiyero Tigelaar (Jonathan Bailey) by bicycles spiriting off a lion cub in a basket that Oz (Jeff Goldblum) wants to cage along with all other animals. Harks back to original when Ms. Gulch put Toto in her basket. Creature mistreatment sets her on course to becoming Wicked Witch of the West. Though cut off to be continued before story concludes, this Wizard of Oz prequel was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won 2.

Big budget sci-fi bomb The Electric State (Russo Brothers, dirs., 2025), beside being among the most expensive movies ever made, takes on dystopian interface between artificial and human intelligence, but wastes many acting talents. Foster teen Michelle Greene (Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things. shown) channels previous role while battling evil tech CEO Ethan Skate (Stanley Tucci), bicycling about to muster a posse, and bringing back her comatose genius brother during a civil war instigated for profit in data memories. If not for bad character development and weak plot, you’d think audiences would identify with made-in-China “Tesler” boycott backstory, and react to EV insult reversal as hypocritical irony. Not masochistic enough to enjoy fiction so close to current events?