Rick Scott doesn’t care about Florida. All Rick Scott cares about is making money
Image by DonkeyHote of flickr. Creative Commons license.
Hurricane Helene struck the Big Bend area of Florida in 2024 with winds of 140 mph. As the storm made its way through Georgia, the Carolinas and Kentucky, it claimed the lives of 252 people and caused almost $80 billion in damages.
Days before the storm hit, Congress had a chance to attach a supplemental disaster relief bill to a government funding measure that would have helped FEMA quickly respond to the hurricane. Instead of remaining in Washington, D.C., to make sure FEMA got those funds, Florida Sen. Rick Scott skipped the vote and left town – partly because of the approaching hurricane!
That disaster relief supplement was not approved. What followed was a chorus of criticism, primarily from MAGAts, about FEMA’s response to the storm, a response that had been hobbled by money-grubbing Republicans.
Meanwhile, Scott recently voted against a bill that would bar lawmakers, the vice president and president from trading stocks while serving in office. “How many of you don’t want to make money?” Scott asked while speaking against the measure.
The bill eventually passed, but it isn’t known if it’ll be taken up by the Senate at a later date.
It should be obvious to even the MAGAts that Rick Scott doesn’t give a damn about Floridians. What Rick Scott cares about is making MONEY.
In 2018 when Rick Scott became a U.S. senator, his net worth was estimated at $259.66, according to Open Secrets. As of 2025 his net worth, according to Quiver Quantitative, is $553.89 million. That’s a 113 percent increase in seven years, all on a paycheck of $174,000 per year. Not bad for a “servant” of the people.
Rick Scott seems to have forgotten why he was elected to the Senate. He isn’t there to make money. He’s there to serve the people of Florida. If serving the people of Florida gets in the way of his making money, he needs to step aside and let somebody else take that job. It’s not too much to ask that these so-called “servants” refrain from using their positions of trust to get filthy, stinking rich.
I don’t understand why people aren’t mad about this. Why aren’t people furious?
By the way, Rick Scott is up for re-election in 2026.
For the love of God, Floridians, do the right thing.
About the author:
Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”
Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.
As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.
Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .
I got a message from a fellow who asked if I could talk about things other than politics. He said the politics are getting old.
I told him I talk about politics for two reasons – No. 1 that, obviously, we’re having a moment in this country and it’s important to seize that moment and talk about politics now, while we still can.
The other reason is that when I talk about things other than politics I don’t get nearly the interaction and the engagement I get with a political topic.
However, I thought I would ask you guys.
About the author:
Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”
Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.
As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.
Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .
Would you rather I talk about things other than politics? Or maybe occasionally talk about something other than politics?
Leave me a comment and I’ll read them and take them to heart.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros. and DC Studios.
“Superman” Starring David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific, Nathan Fillian as Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and others. Directed by James Gunn. 2 hours, 9 minutes. Rated PG-13. Theatrical release.
Mladen’s take
Unlike Del, “Superman” doesn’t suck. Del declined to see the film with me and Dusty, which is too bad. “Superman” is a lovably hokey piece of rollicking goodness that might have lit, if only briefly, the light of hope in Del’s darkening soul.
What can you say about the film? It resets the Superman universe to its origin. In today’s “Superman,” Corenswet does yesterday’s Man of Steel, Christopher Reeves, justice. Superman is once again a do-gooder, as well as a budding member of the “Justice Gang.” You’ll have to see the movie to understand the joke.
I take “Superman” to be, at least partly, a parable of our time in America. Lex Luthor, very nicely portrayed as Lex Luthor-y by Hoult, is after our hero. Why? Because Superman is an illegal immigrant who keeps a Homo sapiens harem that he plans to use to create a metahuman population of demi-supermen and superwomen to conquer and enslave mankind. Wait to see who’s responsible for the hatred, smack talk, and cancel culture on the internet, according to the movie.
“Superman” is filled with action. Superman v. Ultraman. Superman v. The Engineer. Superman v. The Thing with the Justice Gang assisting. Superman v. Planetwatch troopers. Superman v. Buildings. Superman v. Expanding Pocket Universe Trench.
In my book, however, the slickest donnybrook was the one waged by Mr. Terrific and his spheres. It happens about halfway through the movie. The battle had me entranced. It alone may force me to buy this film on 4K disc.
Oh, I imagine Dusty would be irritated if I didn’t mention Krypton the dog. Yeah, there’s Superdog in the movie. And, yeah, the very well done CGI dog is charming and useful and, behavior-wise, puppy-ish. I should add that Superman is only dog-sitting the metapooch for … who?
The fighting and the dog compensated more than adequately for the bits of almost maudlin person-to-person stuff peppered throughout the film. That Lois and Clark would end up boyfriend and girlfriend was never a doubt in my mind. And, don’t get me started on the peasants with their pitchforks facing a modern army bristling with SMGs, APCs, and tanks. Sheesh.
The “Superman” score pays appropriate homage to the original film’s music composed by John Williams. The soundtrack is very good, too. Got home after the film and downloaded “Punkrocker” by Teddybears and Iggy Pop.
“Superman,” though clumsy in spots, is an A-. The film is spectacular enough, despite its PG-13 rating, to watch on the very big screen. Though Dusty and I couldn’t see it in a Dolby or IMAX theater, consider dropping the extra several bucks to immerse yourself in the wholesome bombast that unfolds.
Mladen Rudman is a former journalist and technical writer. Del Stone Jr. is a former journalist and writer.
This is a stock photo taken by Alisdare Hickson. Find his work on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/people/59952459@N08
I walk 3 miles every day.
I start at a local park, but then I branch off into the adjoining neighborhoods and end up at a local shopping center, where I stop to edit my videos.
Yesterday was a real scorcher. By the time I reached the shopping center I was dripping sweat.
As I sat down to work on my video, an elderly Chinese lady came out of the nail salon nearby and gave me a bottle of ice-cold water. I thought, “That was so nice of her!”
Then it occurred to me that by this time next week she could be handcuffed in the back of an ICE van awaiting deportation back to China. She’d be replaced by an American employee half her age, doing half the work for the twice the salary and not be half as nice.
No thanks. I think I’ll take the immigrants.
Immigrants bring much to this country and are one of the reasons it has been as successful as it is. If I asked you who invented the telephone you would probably tell me it was an American, Alexander Graham Bell. You’d be right. Except Bell was an immigrant.
The inventor of blue jeans was an immigrant.
Doughnuts were invented by an immigrant.
The hamburger was invented by an immigrant.
The AC power system was invented by an immigrant.
Hell, Google was co-invented by an immigrant.
The “president,” louse that he is, is married to an immigrant.
Immigrants bring a richness and diversity of culture, language, arts, sciences and engineering skills to this country. They are far more beneficial than the intellectual lummoxes currently in D.C. and their mouth-breathing MAGAt supporters.
I would much rather live next door to an immigrant family than a MAGAty xenophobe.
About the author:
Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”
Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.
As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.
Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .
This was the scene on Sept. 23, 1973, as Hurricane Eloise struck the Florida panhandle. This photo was taken by my father, Del Stone Sr., from the kitchen window of our house in Fort Walton Beach.
We are entering the heart of hurricane season. Statistically, August and September are the months most likely to see tropical cyclone formation.
And we still don’t know if the various weather-forecasting services are going to be up to the job.
That’s because the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is the parent organization of the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service, suffered significant staff reductions as a result of DOGE cuts.
I was not able to determine how many weather forecasters lost their jobs, but yes, meteorologists were among those who were let go, along with people who fly into hurricanes to take direct measurements from the storm, people who run the weather models to predict a storm’s future path, people who monitor data coming in from remote sensing platforms like satellites, buoys and weather balloons, radar technicians, and other people with mission-critical responsibilities.
What a lot of people don’t understand is the National Hurricane Center must coordinate with local offices of the National Weather Service to make sure people in the path of a landfalling hurricane have the latest information about the storm. NHC figures where the storm is, where it’s going, when it will hit and how strong it will be. NWS figures out what the local effects will be and warns people about the threat. We’ve seen how important that can be when, earlier this year, floods struck Texas, causing massive loss of life.
Also what remains to be seen is how, and if, FEMA responds to a natural disaster like a hurricane. That’s because FEMA also suffered cutbacks, and was compelled to spend about a billion dollars building an immigrant detention facility in the Everglades, the infamous “Alligator Alcatraz.”
So there are lots of unanswered questions as we enter this busy part of the hurricane season, and I think the inescapable conclusion any reasonable-minded person could draw from our current situation is that this regime does not care about people. It cares about money. Because if you took the money we taxpayers spend on ONE golf trip by the president to the state of Florida, we could probably rehire all of those forecasters.
That’s where their priorities lie – in golf trips and tax breaks for billionaires, not us taxpayers struggling to get by in a system rigged to favor rich white men and mega-corporations.
Tells you a lot about their character, doesn’t it?
About the author:
Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”
Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.
As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.
Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .
Image by Ted Eytan.
The United States appears to be teetering on the brink of authoritarianism, with federal officials, watchdogs and gatekeepers being replaced en masse by Trump loyalists, and Trump himself trying to supersede the Constitution and bypass the checks and balances that have preserved American democracy for hundreds of years.
What can ordinary Americans do to resist this takeover? The internet yields the following suggestions. Feel free to embrace as few or as many as you feel comfortable with. Bear in mind there are risks. The choice is yours.
1. The easiest thing you can do is vote – in every election, not just the majors. In the 2024 presidential election 62 percent of registered voters actually voted. Four years earlier, when American citizens fired Trump from the presidency, 66 percent of voters turned out. Imagine what last November’s outcome might have been had more voters bothered to cast their ballots.
2. Educate yourself about the candidates. It only takes a few minutes to learn how they stand on the issues. Also, make sure you understand the issues themselves. For instance, prior to the 2024 election many Americans were under the impression tariffs were paid for by the nation against which the tariff was imposed. Tariffs are in fact paid for by the businessperson importing the goods, then passed along to consumers. The tariffs imposed on foreign nations by Trump will be paid for by you.
3. Evangelize for your beliefs. If your community has a newspaper, write a letter to the editor or a guest column. Call online or radio talk shows. Use your social media platform to express your viewpoint. The algorithms are not invincible. New eyes may very well see your posts. Before doing any of these things, make sure you know what you’re talking about. Research research research! And please, be respectful.
4. Write to your U.S. representative and your state’s senators to express your displeasure with what is happening within the federal government. Their contact information is easily obtainable online.
5. The American Civil Liberties Union is resisting efforts to subvert the Constitution and federal law. Donate!
6. Support the loyal opposition. Make a donation, again if you can afford it, to your political party, be it the Democrats, Libertarians, Independents or another party. Offer to do volunteer work. They need telephone canvassers, people to help with mail-outs, and door-to-door canvassers.
7. Participate in protests if you’re so inclined. The 50501 movement ( https://www.fiftyfifty.one/ ) is organizing protests around the nation at various times throughout the year. Start with them. Check social media outlets like Facebook or Next Door for other local protests.
8. Years ago U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-NY, recommended the following actions. Many are still relevant:
A. Write letters to media editors every time you see an article or broadcast that utilizes a normalizing tone or doesn’t make note of the extreme nature of Trump, his behavior and rhetoric, or his Administration’s actions.
B. Use the hashtag #resist on your social media platforms.
C. Contact your elected officials via petitions, letters, calls and social media to urge them to resist any action that would normalize the administration and demand that they loudly condemn any Trump actions that are unbefitting our democracy.
D. Reach out to your friends and family and encourage them to do the same.
E. Support rhetorically and financially those organizations that are stepping up to fight normalization.
9. This is from Robert Reich at The Guardian:
“Participate or organize boycotts of companies that are enabling the Trump regime, starting with Elon Musk’s X and Tesla, and any companies that advertise on X or on Fox News. Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of consumer boycotts. Corporations invest heavily in their brand names and the goodwill associated with them. Loud, boisterous, attention-getting boycotts can harm brand names and reduce the prices of corporations’ shares of stock.
“To the extent you are able, fund groups that are litigating against Trump. Much of the action over the next months and years will be in the federal courts. The groups initiating legislation that I know and trust include the American Civil Liberties Union, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Environmental Defense Fund and Common Cause.
“Spread the truth: Get news through reliable sources, and spread it. If you hear anyone spreading lies and Trump propaganda, including local media, contradict them with facts and their sources. Here are some of the sources I currently rely on for the truth: the Guardian, Democracy Now, Business Insider, the New Yorker, the American Prospect, Americans for Tax Fairness, the Economic Policy Institute, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, ProPublica, Labor Notes, the Lever, Popular Information, Heather Cox Richardson and, of course, my Substack.
“Urge friends, relatives and acquaintances to avoid Trump propaganda outlets such as Fox News, Newsmax, X and, increasingly, Facebook and Instagram. They are increasingly filled with hateful bigotry and toxic and dangerous lies. For some people, these propaganda sources can also be addictive; help the people you know wean themselves off them.
“Push for progressive measures in your community and state. Local and state governments have significant power. Join groups that are moving your city or state forward, in contrast to regressive moves at the federal level. Lobby, instigate, organize and fundraise for progressive legislators. Support progressive leaders.
“Keep the faith. Do not give up on America. Remember, Trump won the popular vote by only one and a half points. By any historical measure, this was a squeaker. In the House, the Republicans’ five-seat lead is the smallest since the Great Depression. In the Senate, Republicans lost half of 2024’s competitive Senate races, including in four states Trump won. America has deep problems, to be sure. Which is why we can’t give up on it – or give up the fights for social justice, equal political rights, equal opportunity and the rule of law. The forces of Trumpian repression and neofascism would like nothing better than for us to give up. Then they’d win it all. But we cannot allow them to.”
10. Subscribe to Heather Cox Richardson’s excellent newsletter exposing the criminal activities of Trump and the Republicans. She’s also on Facebook, X, and TikTok. Follow this link to her Substack: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/
11. This was mentioned earlier but it bears repeating: When you see misinformation, dispute it. Don’t just scroll by. Find the facts and link them to the post so that people will at least have an option to educate themselves about the truth.
12. Fact check everything you’ve been told. I use these sites to combat disinformation:
A. Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/
B. FactCheck.org: https://www.factcheck.org/
C. Politifact: https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/
D. Full Fact: https://fullfact.org/
13. Communicate to the news media that you are interested in seeing them cover events involving the administration, and particular the opposition to the actions of the administration. People have taken to the streets in protest, yet the media are barely covering that aspect of the takeover.
14. Take out ads, billboards or other forms of advertising to express your outrage.
For a morale booster, read this article: https://otherwords.org/five-popular-checks-on-trumps-agenda/
About the author:
Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”
Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.
As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.
Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .
This is a stock photo of Donald J. Trump I found on Pexels. It falls under a Creative Commons usage license.
Yesterday’s news brought me to the end of my patience.
I’m done.
I can’t stand it any more. I’m appealing to the government, the American people, God – anybody who’ll listen – to please, get that monster out of the White House. Get him out. Get him out now.
The government is in chaos. Nothing is getting done, good or bad. Mike Johnson, that spineless, bottom-feeding creature of the deep trenches, has shut down the House to keep lawmakers from passing bills that would require the government to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, allowing the American people to finally know the truth.
Each day brings new and more horrible accusations – vile, horrible accusations. The crime, graft, corruption, lying and cruel assaults on our citizens and our institutions were bad enough, but now … child molestation? Are you fucking kidding me?
And to think, he’s being shielded and protected, not only by his subordinates but the party itself. It’s stomach-turning.
Each new lie, accusation, and revelation cheapens us. Each one dirties us as a people. We’re talking about AWFUL things as if they were everyday, commonplace occurrences. We’re almost treating them as if in any rational context, they could be acceptable. And each time we talk about them, we become more desensitized to his grotesque depravity. Honest to God, I feel like I need to shower 10 times a day.
This is wrong. We weren’t meant to live this way.
To think, Richard Nixon resigned for covering up a break-in at the opposition party’s headquarters. Or that Bill Clinton was impeached over a blowjob.
That monster needs to go. I don’t care if he’s impeached, committed to a memory care unit or shipped to Mars, he needs to go. And take that useless sock puppet J.D. Vance, and that bottom-feeding sea creature Mike Johnson, with him.
He’s a pox on humanity.
Worst president ever.
And just a horrible, horrible human being.
This image was taken by VCU Capital News Service and made available through a Creative Commons license.
I said this once before but I’ll say it again because I keep seeing it happen.
Invariably some MAGAt type will see somebody online criticizing President Pedobear and say something to the effect: “If you don’t like this country, why don’t you leave? Get out.”
To which I would respond, “The president is not the country, and the country is not the president.”
It is perfectly possible to love this country but intensely dislike its leadership. In fact, it’s our duty as Americans to question our leadership, to hold it accountable. That’s our job, because if you’ll recall, the president was elected to serve us. We do not serve him.
Our loyalty is to the principle of democracy as it is embodied in the Constitution. The MAGAts are loyal to a kook.
Our flag features the stars and stripes. The MAGAt’s flag features some dude’s name and a rendering of a bloated, cantaloupe-colored criminal.
We are citizens of what used to be a great nation. MAGAts are members of a cult.
It is not our place to leave this country.
It is their place to check themselves in for deprogramming.
About the author:
Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone’s stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra’s Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year’s Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone’s comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled “December” for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman’s Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone’s novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild’s award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”
Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida’s best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.
As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn’t look a day over 94.
Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .