Orcs (Christmas 2025, Postscript.)

And God spoke these words, saying,

I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Thou shalt not kill.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.

And all the people saw the thundering, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. ~Exodus 20:1-20

...

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. ~Luke 2:1-14

I'm just gonna come right out and say it.

If you so much as think you're a Believer in anything at all, don't pray to Charlie Kirk.

Chuck Christ only sends you to Hell.

Don't worship the AI Jesus.

Don't abduct or abuse or steal from other people.

I don't even know why the fuck I should have to say this in a nation that even some people loudly proclaim is "Christian."

Especially at Christmas, for fuck's sake!

And I don't even know what this Republican shit is anymore, except that I do know it ain't Christianity or any other religion that I can recognize.

These fucking people will end up worshiping Demons if they think such will give them the Power to kill and steal, which is all they ever really wanted to do in the first place.

And no, they don't care if they go to Hell.

It's not even so much that they don't believe in God or Heaven or Hell.

It's that if worshiping Devils and Idols of Gold bothers some "liberal" or "Not their kind of 'Conservative'" somewhere, they'd do it.

It's that if Hell has a hierarchy and Heaven doesn't, they'd rather go to Hell.

It's that if they can abuse and hurt others in Hell and they can't in Heaven, they don't want to go to Heaven. They'd prefer Hell, or the Underworld, or whatever.

It's that if they can amass and wield political power in Hell or the Underworld, they'd find those places preferable to any Heaven or Paradise you or any Holy Scriptures can ever imagine.

It's become less the classical American Calvinistic "Heaven isn't Heaven if everybody gets to go" than "If they can't fuck over somebody else in Heaven, they don't wanna go there" their own damn selves.

This shit is vapid Celebrity Worship, Internet Contrarianism and the Prosperity Gospel reaching their hell-bound illogical conclusions.

I don't even understand the damn point of this bullshit anymore and I say that as a former Christian Conservative Republican. 

Basic bigotry, hate, "Owning The Libs" or whatever passes for any previous beliefs these fucking people used to claim nowadays just isn't good enough. Whatever the fuck you wanna call it, if it's anything other than "These Fucking People can just do whatever they want, to whoever they want" it isn't even good enough anymore.

Just sayin' the Dungeons And Dragons alignment system pretty much says that's the lowest grade of Chaotic Evil which the various fantasy authors who wrote the books assigned to Goblins and Orcs, basically because they're evil and stupid and not smart enough to do anything but kill and steal.

And, funny enough, as the various book series and editions progressed, even the fucking Goblins and Orcs decided they'd rather be civilized than live in Barbarism and squat in darkness and their own shit.

There's a subset of Americans that'd rather be Orcs (Or Russian peasants) than be free and live in a society.

We've got to take the neighborhood back. We've got to go in there. Just forget telling your child to go to the Peace Corps. It's right around the corner. It's standing on the corner. It can't speak English. It doesn't want to speak English. I can't even talk the way these people talk. "Why you ain't where you is go." I don't know who these people are. And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk. Then I heard the father talk. This is all in the house. You used to talk a certain way on the corner and you got into the house and switched to English. Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can't land a plane with "why you ain't…". You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth. There is no Bible that has that kind of language. Where did these people get the idea that they're moving ahead on this? Well, they know they're not, they're just hanging out in the same place, five or six generations sitting in the projects when you're just supposed to stay there long enough to get a job and move out. 

~Bill Cosby, the "Pound Cake" speech.

I mean, fuck, Cavemen and cannibalistic savages back in the day had laws, at least of a sort. If you go by either Biblical or Historical timelines something like the Ten Commandments has been with us as long as the Written Word itself has.

I don't know what the fuck is wrong with these people.

And I'm starting to wonder how long it is before these assholes go full Bioshock on the rest of us.

You either believe in freedom, and in your own right to have a life, or you don't.

These clowns ain't lining up to worship an Artificial Intelligence because they want the Truth.

They're doing it because they want to kill and steal and do stuff like drink alcohol or use drugs and commit sexual deviancies until they fall down in the street from their own excesses.

All the shit coming out from the Epstein files is its own kind of warning.

And they need some false god that will Bless that sort of behavior.

Which they want to do to the rest of us.

This is going to come down to a fight to stop it, prepare yourself accordingly.

It really is that simple.

Слава Україна!

When men stop believing in God, it isn't that they then believe in nothing: they believe in everything. ~Umberto Eco

Eleven

I am Andrew Ryan, and I'm here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? "No," says the man in Washington, "it belongs to the poor." "No," says the man in the Vatican, "it belongs to God." "No," says the man in Moscow, "it belongs to everyone." I rejected those answers; instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose... Rapture. A city where the artist would not fear the censor; where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality; where the great would not be constrained by the small! And with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city as well. ~Andrew Ryan, Bioshock

Believing In Nothing (Christmas 2025, Eleven.)

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. ~Matthew 2, New King James Version

...

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. ~Luke 2:1-14

...

We've got to take the neighborhood back. We've got to go in there. Just forget telling your child to go to the Peace Corps. It's right around the corner. It's standing on the corner. It can't speak English. It doesn't want to speak English. I can't even talk the way these people talk. "Why you ain't where you is go." I don't know who these people are. And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk. Then I heard the father talk. This is all in the house. You used to talk a certain way on the corner and you got into the house and switched to English. Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can't land a plane with "why you ain't…". You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth. There is no Bible that has that kind of language. Where did these people get the idea that they're moving ahead on this? Well, they know they're not, they're just hanging out in the same place, five or six generations sitting in the projects when you're just supposed to stay there long enough to get a job and move out. ~Bill Cosby, the "Pound Cake" speech.

It's Christmas.

And I've been seeing shit like this all day.

What the fuck is even wrong with people??

I'm sorry but I can remember when *Checks Notes* posting fake pictures of yourself beating up Santa Claus would have not only been a career-ending move, but you probably couldn't go out in public for the rest of your life without a disguise on unless you wanted to get beat up.

But hey that was back when America had standards.

I'm so tired of these fucking people.

The question is, why aren't you??

And I'm goddamned tired of these fucking narcissists trying to even use Christmas as some kind of a stick to beat somebody over the head with.

This crap is the logical outcome of people who only want to be "Conservative" when it's time to have an argument.

My partner was like that, when she was 20. Hell, I was like that at 18. Most of us grow out of this shit.

Most of us grow up.

Most of us, whether we want to or not, have lives and responsibilities and sooner or later have to act like adults.

But not these deranged assholes.

Good Lord, when the fuck is enough going to be enough??

Fuck, even the goddamned movies are more presidential and professional than this crap??

I address you tonight not as the President of the United States, not as the leader of a country, but as a citizen of humanity. We are faced with the very gravest of challenges. The Bible calls this day "Armageddon"; the end of all things. And yet, for the first time in the history of the planet, a species has the technology to prevent its own extinction. All of you praying with us need to know that everything that can be done to prevent this disaster is being called into service.
The human thirst for excellence, knowledge. Every step up the ladder of science, every adventurous reach into space, all of our combined modern technologies and imaginations, even the wars that we've fought have provided us the tools to wage this terrible battle. Through all the chaos that is our history, through all of the wrongs and the discord, through all of the pain and suffering, through all of our times, there is one thing that has nourished our souls, and elevated our species above its origins, and that is our courage.
Dreams of an entire planet are focused tonight on those 14 brave souls traveling into the heavens. And may we all, citizens the world over, see these events through. Godspeed, and good luck to you. ~The President of the United States, from the film Armageddon.

And this Trump shit needs to stop. It needs to be stopped. 

If you don't understand that, fuck you.

Sooner or later, people are going to have to stand up.

Because if we don't, these narcissistic assholes are just going to keep jerking everybody around and tormenting whoever they think they can get away with picking on until somebody kicks them the hell out of power.

And if you haven't noticed, they're acting like they expect that and they clearly have varying levels of escape plans.

In fact, they don't seem to be especially competent at planning anything else.

This is going to come down to a fight.

But it's a fight that they'll lose if the other side shows up.

I'm honestly not sure who I'm more disgusted with, These Fucking People or all the people who won't get off their ass and stop this fucking garbage.

It's Christmas, for fuck's sake!

You either believe in freedom or you don't.

And I'm specifically talking to all the "Conservative" Christians here; You either believe in Jesus Christ or you don't.

You can believe in this Chud shit or you can believe in Jesus, one of these things is not like the other one. These fucking CHUDS believe in nothing worth the meaning of the word "Belief." When Trump is gone, they'll find another one.

Pretty soon it's gonna be time to pick a side.

When is enough??

When??

Слава Україна!

[Cassian plays Nemik's audio diary]

Karis Nemik: There will be times when the struggle seems impossible. I know this already. Alone, unsure, dwarfed by the scale of the enemy. Remember this. Freedom is a pure idea. It occurs spontaneously and without instruction. Random acts of insurrection are occurring constantly throughout the galaxy. There are whole armies, battalions that have no idea that they've already enlisted in the cause. Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward. And then remember this. The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that. And know this, the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance will have flooded the banks of the Empire's authority and then there will be one too many. One single thing will break the siege. Remember this. Try. ~From the Star Wars series Andor, S1.E12 "Rix Road."

Ten

When men stop believing in God, it isn't that they then believe in nothing: they believe in everything. ~Umberto Eco

Small (Christmas 2025, Ten.)

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. ~Luke 2:1-14

...

I address you tonight not as the President of the United States, not as the leader of a country, but as a citizen of humanity. We are faced with the very gravest of challenges. The Bible calls this day "Armageddon"; the end of all things. And yet, for the first time in the history of the planet, a species has the technology to prevent its own extinction. All of you praying with us need to know that everything that can be done to prevent this disaster is being called into service.
The human thirst for excellence, knowledge. Every step up the ladder of science, every adventurous reach into space, all of our combined modern technologies and imaginations, even the wars that we've fought have provided us the tools to wage this terrible battle. Through all the chaos that is our history, through all of the wrongs and the discord, through all of the pain and suffering, through all of our times, there is one thing that has nourished our souls, and elevated our species above its origins, and that is our courage.
Dreams of an entire planet are focused tonight on those 14 brave souls traveling into the heavens. And may we all, citizens the world over, see these events through. Godspeed, and good luck to you. ~The President of the United States, from the film Armageddon.

I saw this yesterday.

Trump, the very definition of the jet-setting New Yorker when I was a kid, telling some poor kid to "Never Leave Oklahoma."

WTF is so great about Oklahoma, exactly?

I'm being quite serious when I say this, and note I say this as a former conservative and Republican myself, the things that most repulse me about conservatism and Republican politics today are the smallness, meanness and utter joylessness thereof. Indeed, I'd argue that there's nothing else left.

Trump is modern American conservatism boiled down to the bones, the essentials, he's all a lot of these fucking people ever wanted.

But none of this is what I was taught.

Like if you can't even enjoy yourself, what's the fucking point??

25 years ago I was still with my ex-wife. We went to her parents' house for Christmas Eve dinner and spent the night there. We argued a bit over what to watch but we settled on Armageddon because her mom vetoed Die Hard (too violent, lots of kids around, and note this family was very much the essence of Y2K-era conservatism with a side of Pentecostal craziness.) We cuddled up on the couch and everybody else had their respective regular places and most of the kids were on the floor playing with various toys and/or my dogs as the mood struck, and I distinctly remember their family cat sitting on top of the bookshelf giving everybody the most baleful glare imaginable, bur in whatever way we all did, everybody had a good time. We stayed up late, slept little, got up early, opened presents and then me, her and the kid piled in my van and went to my Mom's house, opened presents, did Christmas dinner and then pretty much repeated the same process but of course at my grandparents' house everybody agreed on Die Hard because naturally they'd had Disney movies on a loop all day, cuz the kids had already had their time.

Sorry, but things seemed bigger, less judgmental, even George W. Bush let alone the then-outgoing (and thank Christ for that) Bill Clinton would have ever told a kid to live their entire life in a place like Oklahoma.

And sure, we all lived in Northern Michigan but I'd been around the world in the military. It was still good to come home, but we did not fear other peoples or places.

Six years later, I was living three hours away from 'home' and spending Christmas Eve with my roommate/ex-girlfriend (and current partner) and her then-new Idiot Boyfriend.

Neither of us had to work that night and the Idiot Boyfriend was unemployed.

We cooked steaks on the grill, fought like cats and dogs over something or other, enough that the Idiot Boyfriend was like "Hey, what am I, chopped liver?"

To which the mutual and enthusiastic reply from us was "YES!!"

That should have been a hint about some things, LOL.

At the time she preferred her steak basically incinerated and I was all about medium rare.

Honestly the main thing I remember was the Idiot Boyfriend plugged up the toilet.

It's real fun having to go out and find a place that's open and get Liquid Plumber on Christmas Eve in a place like Mount Pleasant, Michigan, let me tell you. Thankfully, K-Mart was open, we got it fixed and now it's just something to laugh about.

Anyway, we made it work, got up in the morning and opened presents, she sent the Idiot Boyfriend back to wherever he stayed at the rest of the time and we played video games most of the morning, then crashed out 'cause we both had to work at midnight.

Again, even at the height of the Bush Administration, the Global War On Terror, and all that (and keep in mind K's older brother spent that Christmas deployed in Iraq) there was joy to be found and nobody told anybody to stay home and be afraid.

But of course, conservatism was still a lot more than a bucket full of angry crabs.

There was no concept of so much of the shit that's going on today.

And maybe we need to hang onto those memories, as checkered as they may be, to resist the even angrier, more fearful future that these assholes have in mind. It has to stop somewhere, and that means we're gonna have to stop it.

Their AI Jesus For Profit Whites Only Future sucks.

Again, you either believe in freedom or you don't.

And as the season turns from Christmas to the New Year, we need to remember that

We need to turn it into action.

This Angry smallness is not the way.

And the Republican idea of the future is too small and mean. It literally doesn't include the rest of us.

Or want to.

Merry Christmas.

If you want a better outlook, we have to make it so.

Слава Україна!

[Cassian plays Nemik's audio diary]

Karis Nemik: There will be times when the struggle seems impossible. I know this already. Alone, unsure, dwarfed by the scale of the enemy. Remember this. Freedom is a pure idea. It occurs spontaneously and without instruction. Random acts of insurrection are occurring constantly throughout the galaxy. There are whole armies, battalions that have no idea that they've already enlisted in the cause. Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward. And then remember this. The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that. And know this, the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance will have flooded the banks of the Empire's authority and then there will be one too many. One single thing will break the siege. Remember this. Try. ~From the Star Wars series Andor, S1.E12 "Rix Road."

Nine

Sergeant Al Powell: [over radio] Hey, John? John McClane, you still with us?

John McClane: Yeah. But all things being equal, I'd rather be in Philadelphia. Chalk up two more bad guys.

Sergeant Al Powell: Well, the boys down here will be glad to hear that. You know we got a pool going on you.

John McClane: What kind of odds am I getting?

Sergeant Al Powell: You don't wanna know.

John McClane: Put me down for twenty, I'm good for it.

~From the film Die Hard.

Merry Molochmas (Christmas 2025, Nine.)

 Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name:

That strengthens the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.

They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.

For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.

Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skillful of lamentation to wailing.

And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the Lord.

Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. ~Amos 5:7-26

...

I believe in no God, no invisible man in the sky. But there is something more powerful than each of us, a combination of our efforts, a Great Chain of industry that unites us. But it is only when we struggle in our own interest that the chain pulls society in the right direction. The chain is too powerful and too mysterious for any government to guide. Any man who tells you different either has his hand in your pocket, or a pistol to your neck. ~Andrew Ryan, Bioshock

...

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. ~Luke 2:1-14

America has had a busy couple of days.

Trump wants a battleship, named after himself. 

The last battleship, the HMS Vanguard, entered service in 1946 and she never saw action. Hell, the entire concept of battleships was outdated by the end of World War I with the entry into service of HMS Argus in 1918 followed by the USS Langley in 1920.

The Epstein files are getting out because of incompetent redactions. Trump now stands credibly accused of Infanticide.

As is the 60 Minutes CECOT segment that Bari Weiss incompetently tried to bury.

And I saw this, some Christian preacher who's running to replace some Republican that got busted for distributing CSAM got caught preaching against food assistance for the poor.

It's Christmas Eve.

Or in proper Republican parlance, apparently, Merry Molochmas, everybody.

IF We, The People, don't step up and stop this bullshit, America is going to face God's wrath. In the Old Testament, God rained fire from the sky and turned people into pillars of salt for a hell of a lot less.

I cannot put it any more simply than that.

And if you're one of the people who's either blinded by partisan fervor or just straight up stupid and tolerates this fucking bullshit?? Well, if the Book of Revelation is to be believed, you're gonna have a real fun time.

It's time to pick a side.

Being Lukewarm, making excuses, isn't gonna cut it anymore in the New Year.

Such isn't even an option.

Or perhaps I should say Republicans don't want to give people that option anymore.

We've got to take the neighborhood back. We've got to go in there. Just forget telling your child to go to the Peace Corps. It's right around the corner. It's standing on the corner. It can't speak English. It doesn't want to speak English. I can't even talk the way these people talk. "Why you ain't where you is go." I don't know who these people are. And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk. Then I heard the father talk. This is all in the house. You used to talk a certain way on the corner and you got into the house and switched to English. Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can't land a plane with "why you ain't…". You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth. There is no Bible that has that kind of language. Where did these people get the idea that they're moving ahead on this? Well, they know they're not, they're just hanging out in the same place, five or six generations sitting in the projects when you're just supposed to stay there long enough to get a job and move out. ~Bill Cosby, the "Pound Cake" speech.

It's either you worship Trump as God, you accept a version of Christianity (and trust me, other faiths will suffer the same fate or worse) that's so watered down as to be heretical and useless (and really, they want people to be too stupid to know the difference) or you accept the fact that this is going to come down to a fight and you start gearing up for it.

I fully expect these motherfuckers to try to roll out some kind of Americanized version of the Chinese "Three Self Patriotic Church" by the end of 2026.

Because if we're being honest, I guarantee you that even MAGA Evangelicalism will not be enough for These Fucking People in the end.

And gods forbid Trump kicks the bucket soon. You think these assholes went whole hog to try and deify Charlie Kirk, or more recently some dipshit College Republican who got shot at Brown University that nobody had ever heard of??

You ain't seen nothing yet.

I have to go over to my Mom's today for Christmas. I'm almost tempted to go through my old books and see if I still have the Left Behind series novel that described the funeral of the Antichrist, Nicolae Carpathia.

I honestly remember too much of that book (reading that book, I also realized how much of a money-making scam that series had turned into) as well as too much of the day that I bought it in general because that's also the day I first met my ex-wife. We met for coffee at Border's Books in Traverse City and (sadly) I ended up taking her up on the offer of going back to her place.

Long story short, it will be so lavish as to defy the imagination, they'll try to stuff him like Vladimir Lenin and they'll try and make some kind of Image Of The Beast so as to continue the grift.

(And I pointed out the other aspect for a reason, because of the huge amount of insanity and sexual immorality that'll go with all of this.)

When Trump goes, These Fucking People will try the same shit.

(Only now you'll just get somebody's spunk in the mail. Ew.)

Not because any of them actually like Trump, but because he represented their best hope of realizing their dream of remaking America from a nation into an HOA for rich white people.

These fucking people have turned America into Babylon.

As in the Babylon of Revelation.

But Babylon always falls, indeed it is prophesied to do so again.

Simply because that's what Empire is, Babylon.

This time they're just being really stupid about it with AI Jesus and Antichrist.

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she said in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. ~Revelation 18:1-10

It will fall, but something must come after.

And as for what that something is?

Well, again, you either believe in freedom or you don't.

And you're either willing to fight for it or you're not.

Better make up your mind, because it's either "fight" or "an eternity of slavery."

It's going to come down to the choice of serving the God of the Heavens (or at least understanding that freedom comes from something) or serving Devils and Idols of Gold...as willingly personified by Trump.

Make your choice.

Слава Україна!

[Cassian plays Nemik's audio diary]

Karis Nemik: There will be times when the struggle seems impossible. I know this already. Alone, unsure, dwarfed by the scale of the enemy. Remember this. Freedom is a pure idea. It occurs spontaneously and without instruction. Random acts of insurrection are occurring constantly throughout the galaxy. There are whole armies, battalions that have no idea that they've already enlisted in the cause. Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward. And then remember this. The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that. And know this, the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance will have flooded the banks of the Empire's authority and then there will be one too many. One single thing will break the siege. Remember this. Try. ~From the Star Wars series Andor, S1.E12 "Rix Road."

Eight

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

If any man have an ear, let him hear.

He that leads into captivity shall go into captivity: he that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he speaks as a dragon.

And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 

And he doeth great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

And deceive them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. ~Revelation 13, King James Bible.