Parthian Shot

No shame to reach out for help when you need it. Comforting to know our leaders are big enough to meet in dark alleys and be told what they need to hear from people who know a lot more than they do. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

When you realize this is actually what the god of these people wants to happen, the path to your conversion to atheism will be much easier. LETHALITY!—it's really all the regime has to offer. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Another in our series of short, bitter bonus bits where people you may recognize say what they mean instead of what they want you to think. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Why is this Al-generated war policy debate so much more interesting than all the tired old completely discredited eggspurts telling you Trump has totally saved the day in spite of being a horrible person? In part it is because the brazen artificiality does not get in the way of the fun stuff—the conjectural cotton candy synthesized into deeply troubling plausibility. And in a pretty fair and balanced exchange. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Earlier today I posted the text of this podcast as a note, and I decided it might be useful to speak it for those who cannot or will not read. As I say in the note and podcast: “If the state does not fear the people, the state will do anything to the people that it wants.” That raises many questions, and inspires answers that may not always be reassuring. But liberty is often not reassuring and comforting. That also is an answer to the questions raised in these dark days. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Happy Trump Hump!Trump makes an audacious announcement and fixes the Jesus problem!Just being liberated from ever having to say the words “Merry Christmas” ever again is a real blessing, huh? Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Fearless Leader explains the boat thing to all of you who clearly do not understand how government works. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Another in a series of compassionate clarifiers. It is the least we can do. Fearless leader explains the Holocaust and other things he says people just don't understand. 1933 is already here. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

PolClar provides an exciting and encouraging update in the ongoing effort to clarify the political intentions of Fearless Leader. For those who feel it is way past time for the White House to put its cards on the table, so the American people know what is going on, this should be very helpful. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Reflections on the failure to educate the people. Rusty old democratic republics barely run just anyway, but they have no chance to get the people anywhere good, when the nation keeps saying "good luck" getting the job you are not educated to do, and oh by the way the USA is all about taking care of number 1—and screw everybody else. Yeah, that crap sounds brave to greedy simpletons, but it does not render sanity or give USA any chance to survive at all. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Nobody reads or writes poetry anymore, and when they do, they shouldn’t. So there is always risk in doing things you shouldn’t. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

This statement from Fearless Creeper is I agree a little short for a podcast, so I am not calling it that. Let us call it an audio bubble-gum wrapper. Smells very pink. Very sweet. The message is so deliciously simple, don’t you think?In my experience, as I have diligently tried to show you all, when FC can be gotten away from the political or game-show stage, and when he feels encouraged by kind words to just say what is so obvious and so true about how he sees things, he speaks with a boldness that is beautiful with its savage confidence in the righteousness of life for people such as himself.I mean, say what you will about him, and I have, but isn’t that kind of honesty admirable—or something? And, like Einstein’s nutty theories, even though what FC says may make you deeply uncomfortable or even permanently traumatize you, it definitely goes a long way to making sense of what facts we do have to work with regarding this ever so important national concern. So, I think we should all put down whatever we are doing right now, even if you are sitting on the toilet, and forget all the terrible things people are constantly saying, and just offer FC your sincere expression of gratitude for being the sort of leader who, when the going gets rough, can always be depended upon to put a vulnerable young woman or girl exactly where and how he (and his erstwhile best chum ever) can educate her on reality in a world that would put him charge of—everything. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Thoughts on privilege and storms and risks when it goes floodin' down in Texas. Stories always have more to 'em, huh? Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

The kind of anti-fascist schlepping in Trump's big, beautiful parade was at least a little encouraging, except what with the world rapidly descending into chaos and war, maybe it woulda been better to look like you could at least march down the street in step. Or you know, maybe just not do the parade. Yeah. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Fearless leader tells you what the idea really is. I tell you what your level of moral outrage oughta be, but you're probably too exhausted to do anymore oughta-shoulda's. A boy and his tank send their regards. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

While I do not drink anymore, I appreciate some good advice about beverages. It’s getting really hot. And crushing some ice sounds like a really good plan.Good luck out there. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

So sad, right, when good friends break up. Poor Elon. His little world is crumbling all around him. And DT is being so mean to him. But I think somewhere in all this maybe not so completely real melodrama is a lot of truth. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

When things don't go so great for you, when you get the very lamest Tarot card of all—which is not even Death—it is "Failure", what do you do? I don't know. Why are you bothering me about it? Oh right. I read Tarot cards. Yep, I do. Guess you'd better listen to the podcast. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Why doesn't the enormous spew of words on Substack and all over social media actually change anything politically? The world doesn't work like that. People want soma, not solutions. And you know, they can't even agree about the problems that need solving. But beyond all that, I will tell you something else Ambrose Bierce said and we'll have another visit from that really remarkable world leader person. So very diverse. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Reflections on the role of and addiction to fantasy in our lives. We may be strongly pulled at times like this in the direction of unreality, where better happier worlds may be found. But is that where we need to be? Well, unless you're really into pain and El Salvador, maybe so. Because that plate of cold turkey with the red pill cherry can be a lot to take in, especially if you feel obliged to do something about it. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

After Stephen Miller said some crazy shit last week, Gandalf rolled a joint of Sauronic Palantir and got some folks to confess what we all know is the truth. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

On the morality of synaptical reserve versus launching your ambush on your own vanity. The reason the world refuses to change is because you do. That, unfortunately, does not make you a bad person. It makes you perfectly normal. Overwhelmingly so. OK. Go back to sleep. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Some thoughts on the operational integrity of "constitution", as the Founders and some 18th-century political philosophers thought about that idea. Just having a constitution is not good enough. It has to be both respected as a document with continuing relevance to the people, and it has to have real power to constrain and coerce even the bad presidents and others to obey its limitations of their power. And if it isn't doing those things, then it isn't working for the people who are the reason for it to exist at all. And they need to get a newer model. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

There is a Tarot card that describes your (and our) current dilemma. It is a card about desperately being afraid to overthrow oppressive regimes and circumstances, because who knows what that will cost and what that will bring? As I will explain to you, there is a mechanism at work that will liberate you from this terrible moral tension, no matter what you want. You may not love the remedy of course, but you cannot say you did not ask for it. And it will be merciful—in a big-picture way of thinking about that. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Wherein I come at the problem of aggressive stupidity installed as the arbiter of excellence from a number of perspectives. This is more a pie in the face than a critical rebuke. Well, there is a rebuke in the pie too of course. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

In this podcast, I explore what exactly it is Pete Hegseth believes and what he is trying to do, and why you should be trying to do everything you can to stop him.But for example, there is just way too much in common between the thinking of Pete Hegseth and another guy with a Norwegian name—Anders Behring Breivik. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

This is not really an official podcast. It is a poetry break. And make whatever you want of the alleged or imagined difference.It is just a poem plus some comments on the hard political reality. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

What kind of Nazi is Elon Musk. Just a cosplay swaggerer, seeking tech-nazi cred with his Junior Injustice League incels? Or is Elon Musk more like the kind that totally gets and supports the underlying assumptions of the German political party, AfD?That is what this podcast seeks to answer.Listen and learn. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

A look at the insane energy policy of Donald Trump, as he revealed in executive orders yesterday, showing among other things his love of coal.Yep, with Trump in charge, the skies will fill with filth, the atmosphere will clog up with even more carbon, the climate will spike with heat, and the weather will burn and drown like it has never done before.You voted for it.Now you and your kids will get to pay quite dearly for doing so. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

I discuss the Trump-Hitler doctrine, or Trump's foreign policy. Whether it is a joke or not, it is a further effort by Trump to normalize fascism and criminal conduct on the part of the USA, like the USA needs any more help on that count. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Time for the 10th episode of the Parthian Shot podcast. Yay! Too bad it is about such a dreadful topic. And too bad I am so unkind, because I don’t care about anybody’s feelings. Y’all chose this. And the Pillar of Severity and Sarcasm is what you rate.But you know, if you were a good person you woulda subscribed a long time ago. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Well, it’s Sunday, so we had to have a sermon about Zion and trumpets and complaining to the manager because where the hell is God anyway? And also, did you know Jimmy Carter said he was gonna make America great again long before Donald Trump said that? It is never a good sign when some asshole running for president or acting as president tells you he’s gonna make America great again. Because either he’s telling you the truth, about how there is an actual need to do that, and so that would mean you are currently not great, and likely to keep on being so because you know that loser ain’t gonna be the answer—or—he’s lying. And you are not great in all kinda ways if that is so, right? Because even if you were great up to that point, he is gonna have to do stuff to change that so he can look like you need him to fix things.So, all I’m saying here is you just need to cook up a nice pot of lentils. But you’ll see. I mean, it all makes sense in the end. But, y’all who count yourselves as being of the faithful will want to get out your Bibles and turn to the minor prophet, Joel, whose name means “Joe is God”, chapter 2, from which I will be reading a short and inspiring excerpt.Thanks for listening. But not really. Now if you subscribe and pay for it, I’ll consider thanking you. But let’s not fool ourselves. I don’t know you. You don’t know me. But you’re listening to me. I ain’t listening to you.Do the right thing.Paid subscribers will not be called minor prophets by the maker of this podcast. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

So, today’s little sunflower is kind of a critique of somebody else’s stuff, but I prefer to think of it as merely having grown out of that compost. I did not and do not intend to pick on that person or construct particularly. But her tone and concerns about how her identity is being erased as her web content is diminished seemed silly to me, and yet also like a good representation of the majority chorus of “me-ism”, the narcissistic faith that has replaced all the others. Having read her article a couple of times now, I want her to be meaning this complaint as irony or sarcasm, but I can tell that is not mainly where she’s coming from. This will be my second podcast about issues of identity, because that idea has occupied my thinking for a bit. I have mixed feelings about the meaning and the value of user-identified and embraced identity. I do not know what we all, but mainly you all, ought to be doing. instead of the mindless and catastrophically evil things you are doing, but I know that a lot less of it would be a good idea, and that can be assisted by drastically lowering your estimates of your own value as beings and your demands for what you feel is owed to you. So, you know, embracing your true identity as specks of dust.I understand that is not in any way a popular view. The world mostly wants to do what Americans do, mainline insatiable greed and consumption, but just more and better and worse. And that, for example, is why the world has so far never been able to take such things as global heating (and burning to the ground in a pile of ashes) very seriously. Because changing in accord with warnings about doom and gloom just doesn’t sound like very much fun. And life is short. And people will have their fun. And if you say otherwise, you will be done.The reflections towards the end of the podcast regarding the true meaning of salvation may be of more than passing interest. Because while people get the joke or symmetry about having sympathy for the Devil, they seldom get the shadow side of that sermon, having sympathy for God, who might have become exhausted by your many thoughts and prayers a long, long time ago.The original article which in part inspired this episode. Happy Monday, if you are into that sort of thing. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

Oh it’s Christmas again. The day of hope. The day of cosmic reset. A chance perhaps. But that does not really seem to working or happening, huh? Many Christmases have come and gone in times of utter darkness and hopeless despair. People could look all about at their world and their evil circumstances and they could see that short of Jesus coming to save them right then and there, they and everything they cared about were doomed. And Jesus did not come.We are relatively way better off than so many of those people, who nevertheless maintained their faith, even to the horrible end. But weren’t those poor people just fools? And wasn’t Jesus the biggest fool of all?I look at those questions, and then move the discussion to a consideration of the faith and actions of the world, as it is, compared to some things Jesus said this would bring about.And lastly, I suggest Babylon and the USA seem like very similar cases. And in the Bible, if you are like Babylon, things will not likely end well for you.Where then is hope? Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

So, a lot of what you’re seeing going on in Mar-a-Lago and Washington DC is because the Republicans and their elected and unelected fearless leaders have been claiming the election is a big mandate to overthrow the republic and set up the kind of country the oligarchs have been hankering for—like the faithful hanker for rods and staffs up their butts in the Bible.It isn’t just that these scumbags are lying about the mandate, and lying about what needs to happen, and lying about their lying because they are such habitual liars their webs of deception would almost be aesthetically pleasing scrawled in a Slytherin urinal or something, but the thing is the remedy to it all is not so clear. Right now you have people who have spent billions upon billions of dollars working out just exactly how to con the world into sitting there and taking getting totally fucked. And they are pretty good at managing the livestock—which is you—by now.So, I have no helpful suggestions to make. Because common sense argued long ago that y’all do something, and y’all just sat there. I’m just offering you a happy, unhealthy bounty of no cheer whatsoever to enjoy on the first day of dark, dreadful winter.So, prepare to cry! Maybe laugh a bit too. I guess we’ll see. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

I mean, were you the asshole who came up with the grammar rules?I have never met that asshole. That’s because all those assholes are dead.I don’t know. I think there’s an arc in my salad of binary assumptions.Because the people are declining into their uneasy chairs and falling for the impossibility of anybody getting out of here alive.Anyway, bottom line, I don’t explain my jokes or my poems.So, just let it flow over you, like the jabbing jagging shards of light floating out of a billion-mile bong.. And all your kneejerking and anus-squeezing is OK. It is a feature. Not a problem. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

A poetic riff or a riffy poem or just another ill-tempered and sarcastic rant about the absurdities of our political and cultural prospects. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

My first reaction to hearing this news was visceral—even though it was certainly no surprise. I think everybody expected this. But then Biden goes and does it and he does it in the expansive way he did it and he does it while still pathetically and stupidly bragging about how when he lies to the American people it ain’t that really because special circumstances on account of life ain’t fair and Republicans are mean bastards.But they didn’t make you lie, Joe. And this ain’t the first time. You’re well practiced at it. I mean, increasingly, you have smelled more and more like Trump, and increasingly it has made it easier for people to vote for the evil one and all those other Republican scumbags. You blurred things and you also insisted on pointing out how your kid was gonna rate the special circumstance “Get out of jail free” card, while everybody else’s kid can go to jail—and hell.Anyway, this is my pod-rant about it all. As I noted in my note this morning, the asshole should pardon everybody! Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

What can we say about the importance of identity that has not already been said? Well, I made an effort to explore answers to that question. And so this podcast. As always, do not blame me. You are totally responsible for choosing to listen to this. I mean, the show notes do not sound very fun. So...be accountable. Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe

This is the first podcast of Parthian Shot.I spontaneously jabber about one of my favorite aphoristic commandments. And I arrive at the strong suggestion you use your other eyes to obediently perform the trick.I do not know what good this will do you. But the soundtrack just totally rocks, doesn’t it? Get full access to Parthian Shot at parthianshot.substack.com/subscribe