My subtitle is an homage to the movie “A Christmas Story” based on a story by Jean Shepherd to set the tone for my commentary.

We watched this movie last night as part of our ritual viewings of our favorite seasonal movies. It’s based on the humorous writings of author Jean Shepherd; this beloved holiday movie follows the wintry exploits of youngster Ralphie Parker. It opens with a downtown scene about an Indiana town in the 1940s.

– “Downtown Hohman was prepared for its yearly bacchanalia of peace on Earth and goodwill to men.”

“Higbee’s corner window was traditionally a high-water mark of the pre-Christmas season. (The kids crowd around the window, and we soon see inside.) First-nighters, packed earmuff to earmuff, jostled in wonderment before a golden, tinkling display of mechanized, electronic joy.”

Christmas’ meaning has changed drastically over my 74 years, altering my appreciation for this particular holiday as I read and learned to appreciate classic literature and film messages that try to interpret its true meaning. The culmination was my realization of its importance to mankind. Continue reading →

“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they don’t want to hear.” ~ George Orwell

So, listen up Liberty Lovers…

You and I are being controlled by a cacophony of noise. There’s no meat, no meaning, no merit, and no message; it’s a tool to keep us distracted. There is no substance, no soul, no deeper spirit, and no scheme, except its scope to distract us from knowing the truth of what’s going on in our republic. If these hidden actions and intents need to be obscured, are they constitutional, lawful?

I’ve never tracked the number of times I’ve mentioned Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) in my articles and columns, but that shouldn’t diminish that this tactic underlines the processes in play in American Partisan Politics, the government of these United States of America.

For the past fifty years at least, the mainstream media promotes the messages that our country is in peril from internal and external forces that want to cripple or even destroy everything that we hold precious. It began with the Communist’s, turning us inward to implicate anyone and everyone suspected as an enemy of the partisan political party in power.

Can you see the pattern here? Continue reading →

Nothing is what it seems; everything’s changed. It’s all about hate and retribution. It’s no longer enough to oppose something; we must now destroy it. There is no middle ground, no compromise. We are the carnage cult of the modern era. One side is the triggered executioner; the other is the cause and the target.

46% of Americans lean toward the Republican Party, and 45% lean toward the Democrat Party, leaving a scant 8% in the Independent column. There are obvious extremes in each, and that’s the point of this exercise. This is almost evenly split politically overall, but it’s the extremes that should concern us. 28% of Democrats are extreme, as are 31% of Republicans; again, a nearly even split, putting 59% on the political fringes and leaving 41% in the moderate zone. But are these the extremist partisans causing this political tension? [data]

The Left claims their opposition is Hitler, a Nazi, a Fascist, Gestapo, Jackbooted Thugs, a threat to democracy.

Everything his administration does will destroy the American way of life. They advocate violent opposition to everything he does because their side has all the correct answers. Continue reading →

I’m going to be brutally honest and probably say things that will offend many of you. GOOD because you need a good kick in the ass to get you up and moving before we completely lose this country to bad actors and invaders. You know, those who hate everything we espouse.

I’m so pissed-off that I can hardly think. The more I learn about this latest bullshit in Congress, the opposite of progress, and how one partisan political party can close the government, I begin to fume. It’s compounded by the traitorous actions of the immigrant population invading America to destroy us from within by using the liberties inherent in our Constitution to bring about our demise.

How Effing Dare, They!!! 

Continue reading →

Hidden Complexity and Importance?

Who is this Devil, of whom we so glibly speak?

I’ve been searching to understand why people feel so free, so entitled to do whatever comes to mind, and act so insolently. I have some thoughts and ideas… subjective opinions from my observations! I do not speak for anyone but myself. It’s my opinion, and it makes sense to me, just like all of the hundreds of columns and articles I’ve written. Oh, by the way, I’ve changed my mind and opinion on a few, and freely admit that I’ve been wrong on a couple.

AI defines religion as a complex system of beliefs and practices related to the supernatural, sacred, or spiritual, and the belief in a higher power or powers, an organized system of doctrines and symbols, and the communal and individual practices that stem from those beliefs, such as worship, rituals, and a moral framework. Religion is a matter of choice.

Maybe it’s a matter of taste and opinion, or possibly a bad choice.

But then… a peanut butter and Bermuda Onion sandwich is a matter of taste, too… Continue reading →

“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.” ~ Seneca

Steps to understanding intent.

What are we looking for?

It’s Sunday morning, October 26th, 2025. The events of the previous several months have been a torrent of data points, allegations, innuendos, accusations, and hypocrisy; an emotional roller-coaster, embellished by some of the finest performative political posturing a person could possibly tolerate.

There was much joyful anticipation about the possible peace in the Middle East and between Ukraine and Russia. Reactions suggest that people view promises as sources of anticipation, influenced by personal aspirations and disappointment when those desires don’t materialize. But we don’t look inward for the root of the dream; we’re being lied to and misled by the mainstream media and their advertising tactics. Continue reading →

I want to begin with a story to illustrate my subtitle. Be patient, you know, I’ll get to the point, eventually…

Are we running out of Time?

Several years ago, I managed a major communications ‘forklift’ improvement project for our power company. I worked with a team of engineers to coordinate their activities and communicate the processes and progress to the stakeholders. Forklift improvements involve the complete dismantling, removal, and replacement of the existing system without interrupting services. This process is typically done in stages, carefully planned, and impeccably executed to minimize business disruption. It requires incredible cooperation, a dedicated team effort, and careful coordination with the business. Piece of cake… Continue reading →

What If… We were on the Highway to Hell?

With libel and outrage, partisan political party specific, of course…

After all, we are at war. And all’s fair in love and war…

This is democracy reimagined, redefined, remitted, but not requested. Continue reading →

     Dickens is ANGRY!

To Whom It May Concern:

Our world and country are in chaos. The partisan political parties battle for control of this republic. Cities are the victims of bad policies, but they re-elect the same type of people to those leadership positions, and there is no end in sight, implying that they don’t want help, have given up, or no longer care.

Our current situation fits Einstein’s definition of insanity perfectly. Continue reading →

By now, you all should know my morning routine, my liaison with coffee and the news. I freely admit that I’m troubled by the ongoing decline in moral standards and the erosion of personal responsibility across this republic.

I’ve written at length about the culpability of the media and the partisan political parties, and how they directly influence what we believe, which reflects on how we act or respond. It’s no longer a partisan issue, but rather a complex contagion of epidemic proportions. Continue reading →

“The tendency of democracies is, in all things, to mediocrity.” ~ James Fenimore Cooper

“Meh… good enough…” [Link]

Creating a culture of rewarding and celebrating conformity in being ordinary.

Unlike Socrates, Mediocrates is not a historically known individual but rather a satirical, fictional “god” or “philosopher” representing mediocrity and the pursuit of average intelligence or skill: Seek not to excel…

Mediocracy: a dominant class consisting of mediocre people, where mediocrity is celebrated and rewarded. Welcome to the herd.

Mediocre: of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate.

The Socratic Method encourages argumentative and cooperative dialogue to stimulate critical thinking by posing questions and then responding to them, thereby eliciting ideas and information.

The Mediocratic Method accepts conventional wisdom without question. Continue reading →

Racism like Dracula rises from the grave… AGAIN!

“No matter what the reform or rebrand may imply, Dracula is still a monster, and “racism” is still tyranny.”

I borrowed this opening from my Good Friend Jeff Bennett’s article [link] on The Federal Observer. I adapted it for this column’s sub-heading because it captures the essence of this column succinctly. I encourage you to read the original article and to peruse the site and enjoy Friend Bennett’s work.

The section labeled Sunset Boulevard is of particular interest.

Federal Observer is a large and comprehensive effort intended to inform and awaken the reader. It also contains links to other Bennett sites. You will not be bored, and certainly not disappointed.

Who knows… you might even learn something… Continue reading →

Believe what you will, but at your peril.

Albert Einstein once remarked:

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the universe.”

Hornswoggle – to get the better of someone by cheating or deception. It originally described someone who was embarrassed irretrievably, but we now have a new appreciation for this term… Continue reading →

Bamboozle is a funny-sounding word, but if you’ve ever been bamboozled, it’s not funny at all; in fact, it’s an experience you’ll probably never forget, but not for Merkan’s, we’re bamboozled every hour of every day; so often, in fact, that we no longer recognize it; we’re desensitized, oblivious, and inured.

Bamboozle: to deceive by underhanded means or methods: to confuse, frustrate, throw off wholly and thoroughly, cheat, hoodwink, trick, fool, dupe, perplex, or hornswoggle.

I just spent the last few hours skimming through my posts on the Federal Observer. My goodness, I write a lot. I want to thank my good friend Jeff Bennett for sharing and archiving my work, but I’m not alone there on FO (interestingly, there is an alternate interpretation for those initials ). Jeff has more information on this site than any human could possibly absorb. Not to mention his three other sites, but that’s not the point of this current work, although we all owe Jeff our gratitude for his efforts to make America a better-informed republic.

Shakespeare said it best: “What’s Past is Prologue.”
Continue reading →

But where’s the beef?

The year was 1984, and the fast-food battles were in full swing as purveyors employed every tactic imaginable to discredit one another. The phrase ‘where’s the beef’ became an advertising icon and was used in every possible sense, even straying into the political arena. Even Congress, the opposite of progress, used this catch-phrase…

The phrase implies that something is missing.

The missing component is recognizing and accepting responsibility for words and actions… You know, consequences.

There is a reaction for every action; that’s Newton’s third law. It’s been parsed and rehashed into various phrases like ‘cause and effect’ and ‘Nothing comes from nothing…’ It boils down to actions and reactions. Although Newton’s laws are primarily applied to physics, they also extend to more mundane aspects of life. Continue reading →

Who or what do you trust?

Just look at where we are!

Why is probably the most open-ended indirect question ever posed, yet it’s on my mind constantly. An indirect question is a rhetorical device used to provoke thought or conversation, and it makes an excellent opening for this article.

My formal training leads me to question everything, how to discover answers and possible solutions, and then how to test them. However, the questions I’ve been asking lately don’t seem to have clear-cut answers; they lead to more questions. That’s what I learned outside of the formal arena.

Life is a cruel teacher; after all, she kills all of her students.

Am I asking the wrong questions, or are the answers that ambiguous? Continue reading →

It’s a common practice that when things have gone wrong for too long, the ailing system requires a complete reset. It’s an opportunity to reassess the current process and incorporate changes to address deficiencies or rectify problems. However, when the system is so corrupt and focused on divisive elements rather than its intended goal, it’s time to start over.

That’s a direction we haven’t taken for a very long time as a country; not since 1776, as a matter of fact. Merka seems to prefer the band-aid and cobble approach to everything, but there are only so many patches you can make before the underlying fabric will no longer support them, and the patches hold other patches in place, rendering the original indistinguishable from the changes. You can’t tell where the repairs end and the original begins.
Continue reading →

But I’m near the end and I just ain’t got the time… and I’m wasted and I can’t find my way home

It happens to every society, eventually, and Merka’s next in the queue…

I was unsure of the title for this piece. What-cha-ma-call-it is too vague, and Business as Usual is non-descriptive but true, and I can’t believe what I’m seeing is threadbare and worn out. Truth be told, this is not only a title, but a synopsis of the article, which is what a title should be.

Congressional hearings are like a train wreck, a structure fire, an automobile accident, or a dumpster fire; something compels you to stop, to look, and to watch; you can’t seem to turn away. That’s how I feel about the direction we’re headed after watching these pointless congressional hearings. In my last article, I called them “The Real Housewives of Congress.” Continue reading →

Illegal Immigration & Sanctuary Cities

Go ahead. Tell me I’m wrong.

Today’s Illegal Immigration fiasco is this generation’s slavery, and it’s causing a significant rift today, just like it did in 18th-century America. The prominent difference is that today we excuse violence as an expression of our Constitutional right of Free Speech, rather than the violent insurrection that it is. God forbid we should hurt someone’s feelings by speaking truth, you know ‘tellin it like it is.’ by ‘callin a spade a spade’, and maybe even meet that or meet it in kind. Merka is a nation of Karens.

– The pejorative term “Karen” refers to someone perceived as entitled, demanding, and often using their perceived social status to their advantage, and this behavior is not limited to any particular gender.

If we used reciprocal force, wouldn’t that be protecting their own lives? We are still allowed to do that.

So, unknot your knickers, park your prejudice, and open your minds for a while. Continue reading →

Senator Joseph McCarthy: American hero

Senator Joseph McCarthy’s primary assertion was that communists had infiltrated the US government, particularly the State Department. He famously claimed to have a list of 205 such individuals, although he never provided concrete evidence to support his accusations.

McCarthy’s claims fueled the Red Scare, a period of widespread fear of communist influence in the United States following World War II. His accusations led to investigations, hearings, and blacklists in various sectors, including government, Hollywood, and academia.

While McCarthy’s accusations were never fully substantiated, they did have a significant impact on American society and politics in the 1950s. The Army-McCarthy hearings, which were televised, were instrumental in exposing McCarthy’s tactics and ultimately contributed to his downfall.

Fast-forward to today; there are proudly self-professed, self-identified, and self-confirmed Socialists, Marxists, Communists, and Terrorist Sympathizers in the US Congress, the opposite of progress, leading this republic over a cliff. Continue reading →