Hopping-mad crazy the world this Monday afternoon with shit sticking to every corner and crevice of society and feeling like the whole apparatus could explode in a screaming fireball at any second. Animosity against our fellow man is the culprit with a lot of egging-on by vile assholes.

Outside just now finishing-off my daily B&M (Wine, Wood-tip), the scene was peaceful and nearly quiet, though, the sound of traffic and faraway voices could be faintly heard in this urban setting here in Califoria’s Central Valley. A respite from the chaos for just a few minutes, then back to the keyboard and the tempest aflare far and wide.
Fuse to that explosive device is the murder trial against Derek Chauvin in the horrifying death of George Floyd last May, and the spark for that fuse is now in the hands of the jury. Despite what in real-life justice is an open-and-shut case, the evidence obvious — Chauvin killed Floyd intentionally — the outcome is really up in the air.

In closing arguments, prosecutor Steve Schleicher told the jury straight: ‘“He did what he did on purpose, and it killed George Floyd … Use your common sense. Believe your eyes. What you saw, you saw.”‘

However, this country does not work that way, probably never has and probably never will — GW Bush still don’t know shit:

"Americans are so polarized in their thinking that they can't imagine a George W. Bush and a Michelle Obama being friends," the former President said. https://t.co/DdntjP22iW

— CNN (@CNN) April 19, 2021

In reading about this relationship/friendship between Mrs.Obama and GW, you still have to keep in mind he’s a war criminal and all the shit she says about him has to be filtered through that reality — it’s a relationship of near bullshit, but does expose the dislike a lot of people carry around for one another.
The story via Town&Country this afternoon:

One of the internet’s favorite friendships is that between former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Michelle Obama.
The Republican president and Democratic first lady have an unlikely bond, filled with big greetings at public events, conversation, and, yes, hugs.

This weekend, Bush spoke about the relationship with CBS News’s Norah O’Donnell.
He discussed the public reaction when their friendship became apparent to the American public.
The first moment was in 2016, when the pair shared a hug at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

“The big hug, yeah,” Bush said.
“But I think the [moment] that became more famous was when I gave her the Altoid during [late Senator John] McCain’s funeral.”

Indeed, Bush passed Obama a small mint during the funeral, in a moment that quickly went viral.
The 43rd president described his surprise at the public outpouring in response to these interactions.
He expressed disappointment that many Americans may be surprised that politicians in separate parties can be close.

“It shocked me,” he said.
“We got in the car and I think Barbara or Jenna [Bush, the president’s daughters] said, ‘Hey, you’re trending!’ The American people were so surprised that Michelle Obama and I could be friends.”

“I think it’s a problem that Americans are so polarized in their thinking that they can’t imagine a George W. Bush and a Michelle Obama being friends,” Bush added.

Michelle Obama, too, has described her affection for President Bush.
The pair are often seated next to each other at formal events, where they’ve developed a running rapport.

“President Bush and I, we are forever seatmates because of protocol, and that’s how we sit at all the officialaded functions,” Obama told Today in 2018.
“He’s my partner in crime at every major thing where all the ‘formers’ gather. So we’re together all the time.”
She later added, “I love him to death. He’s a wonderful man, he’s a funny man.“

Michelle added this, too (USAToday): ‘“Our values are the same,” Michelle Obama said. “We disagree on policy but we don’t disagree on humanity. We don’t disagree about love and compassion. I think that’s true for all of us.”‘

WTF! GW rolled by Dick Cheney invaded Iraq without reason except for oil — estimates of the death toll vary, 250,000 to million and destroyed the Middle East as it stood forever. The Brookings Institute in June 2007:

The Iraq War represents the sum-total of Bush’s disastrous foreign policy.
The war has killed and maimed hundreds of thousands of people, and displaced four million Iraqis. It has cost the United States a half a trillion dollars to date — a bill that increases by $275 million every day.
It has made Iraq, the region, the world and the U.S. less secure.

Despite Michelle gushes, GW is not a funny man — Asshole:

Sadly remembering the violent death of Marla Ruzicka 16 years ago today. She was an early and influential advocate for the proper recognition of the civilians killed in the Iraq War, including compensation for their families. https://t.co/QMkJaIMGCH

— Iraq Body Count (@iraqbodycount) April 18, 2021

Our depiction of ‘relationships‘ is totally fucked…

(Illustration: ‘The Three Amigos‘ — Dick Cheney, GW Bush, Donald Rumsfeld — found here).