The Schloss-Blog: I've Got A Problem With Amazon, Facebook and the New York Times (Among Other Things)

Are you as ticked off as the Schloss-Blog is about ... amazon and/or Facebook and/or the New York Times?

The Schloss-Blog is ticked off, although I am basically a very happy (go lucky) guy.

But amazon has been slow with deliveries - have they been for you too, especially if you live in a Blue State, like me? Stuff that used to come the same day, now, regularly, comes in two days, sometime three. What's up with that?

***

And Meta (i.e., Facebook) has been a pain in the ass. To sign in, Facebook makes you jump through hoops, as you squirm to try to identify three fire hydrants, or buses, or bridges, or ... whatever, in extremely grainy, fuzzy pics, splattered across an array of nine. You do it again. And again. And again, before Facebook finally lets you sign on. Hey Facebook, hey Zuckerberg, if your buddy Trump doesn't give a sh_t about housing or people's financial situations, then nobody gives a sh_t about three fire hydrants either.

Apparently, Zuckerberg is working so hard on developing AI that he has forgotten about, well, everything else.

***

Do you have an electronic subscription to the NY Times, like I do? The Times, apparently, they are a changing, and unnecessarily too. They're making me (and you?) jump through hoops just to sign on. After entering I.D. and password, do you get the same f_ckin' a pop-up I do, redirecting you to yet another email that has a "code," and after retrieving it, you have to go back to where you came from and enter the f_ckin' code. 

Apparently though, what they want you to do is add people to your subscription. Such a bargain. Hey New York Times, who gives a sh_t? Just let me read what I just punched up.

***

Anyway, been watching Wimbledon? Why do tennis players, with an easy overhead awaiting a smash, hit directly at their opponents instead of into the open court?

Watched Tiafoe do it. And  Keys. And Anisimova. Hey, just put the ball away; why extend the point and give your opponent a hint of a chance?

Is it some psychological thing, showing you can overpower your opponent? Maybe. Doesn't work though.

***

Oh Davey Hearn, you've been a bad boy.

The 67-year-old former Olympic kayaker made a big mistake: he was hanging out at the damaged, algae-filled body of water we formerly called Washington, D.C.'s Reflecting Pool, where he picked up a small strip - hand-sized strip, of the painted-America Blue floor of the pool, a floor that came loose after Asshole Trump's motorcade drove over the whole f_ckin' thing, which no doubt caused the flooring to suffer a - wait for it - 350-foot, ultra-damaging gash.

And now he's been indicted for doing such. His lawyers have not only insisted upon his innocence (and that of several others who were arrested on similar charges) , but they've called out the administration for being completely devoid of evidence in an attempt to cover up the botched job it did in renovating the pool.

With the Iran negotiations going nowhere in the incapable hands of Jared Kushner and Steve Wit-less-koff, with Americans expressing no confidence in the president's ability to get a handle on an economy for which pricing and cost-of-living are out of control, with ICE picking up anybody who doesn't look like - wait for it -Vanilla Ice - Trump is focused on the damage he did to the Reflecting Pool and who he can blame it on.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Erin Schlossberg.

Hope you had a Happy 4th and Happy 250th America.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

The Schloss-Blog: "Nobody Give A Shit About Housing."

The Schloss-Blog is noting that for every lower court ruling that goes against Trump, the Supreme Court comes along and hands him a reversal. 

Immigration? Lower courts ruled that TPS (Temporary Protected Status) could stand for migrants from Haiti, Syria and other countries. But the Supreme Court reversed it and that means Trump and his acolytes can deport whoever they want to from among 350,000 Haitians and 6,500 Syrians who are here under that status.

In other words, if you're not white, you're not wanted here. Getting Congress back in the midterms will slow it down. Getting the presidency back in 2028 will end it.

We are a racist country. Trump and the Republicans in Congress are proud of that.

***

Trump took what would've been a bill that would've hopefully made it easier to buy a house and said he ain't signing it - an overwhelmingly bipartisan bill - unless his restrict-the-vote SAVE ACT passes (which it won't). 

Trump has relentlessly bombed Republican senators for not passing the SAVE bill. Only Iran has suffered more from bombings and Trump is giving them a half-billion dollars to heal from that.

Trump's true heart is seen in his own words: "Nobody gives a sh_t about housing," which he supposedly told House Speaker Mike Johnson in a private meeting.

Right now though, the bipartisan housing bill sits on Trump's desk, awaiting his signature that is apparently never coming.

***

Are Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Hareem Jeffries (D-NY) doing enough to get the Democrats over the finish line in the upcoming midterm elections? Are they out of touch with progressives in their party?

Maybe and probably, respectively.

With Trump continually sliding in polling about his job performance, why haven't the Democratic leaders stepped up, condemned him in the strongest possible terms and made sure the rest of the party picked up the cry?

The Schloss-Blog has spoken out about this before: the Democrats have been too sedate, too sedentary to get voters riled up. They have a golden opportunity to do so, but their messaging and communication has been flaccid.

They seem to be just waiting on Trump to screw up (he has) and hoping that carries them across the midterm-election finish line.

Will it be enough? We'll see.

***

The United States is engaged in tripartite messaging about Iran: 

**Marco Rubio is telling the Gulf states we haven't sold them out with the MOU with Iran (yes, we did);

**Idiot Trump is telling everyone Iran has surrendered unconditionally (they haven't, but the U.S. has); 

**and J.D. Vance is telling everyone that the negotiations with Iran are going well (they're not and we're still shooting at each other, aren't we?).

***

Good night, Mra. Calabash. Here's to you, Jordan Grinnell.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

The Schloss-Blog: MOU Is A Giant F_ck You to America. And Who Is David Carter Hearn?

Who is David Carter Hearn?

The 67-year old from Bethesda, Maryland, has been arrested for allegedly contaminating the Reflecting Pool in D.C., which has turned algae green and has it "American Flag Blue" paint peeling off, because the contractor who painted it fu_cked up.

Can't wait to see the Trump administration try to make these charges stick.

***

Meanwhile, the Schloss-Blog is reading the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. and Iran and the U,S. (i.e., Donald Trump) is giving away the farm.

Why'd we start the war anyway, back in February?

Before the war, Iran was able to freely export its oil. Now, it still can.

Before the war, Iran did not have acceSS to so much of its frozen, sanctioned assets. Now it doe$.

Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz was wide open, vessels passing freely. Now, they can again, at Iran's pleasure, which said it was closing it down.

Before the war, Iran could collect a "toll" at the Strait if it wanted to. Now, it can again, if it wants to.

Before the war, Iran's radical regime was intact. Now, it is again.

Before the war, Iran had its enriched uranium. Now, it still does.

Trump went to war, only to give it all back, as the MOU details.

Trump went to war, dragged in by Israel. Now, he has essentially abandoned them. Israel is not party to this "deal."

Trump sucks.

***

Oh yeah, Trump always criticized Biden for using an electronic pen.

Now, he just used one on the MOU.

*** 

Speaking of the New York Knicks and the star guarsd who gave up so much to accomplish .. everything, the Schloss-Blog is just wondering, in the wake of that, in the wake of Jalen Brunson giving up $100 million+ to help piece the team together, wondering...

...what Steph Curry thinks;

...what LeBron James thinks;

...what Devin Booker thinks;

...what Kevin Durant thinks;

...what Joel Embiid thinks;

...what Paul George thinks;

...what Russell Westbrook thinks;

...what Nicola Jokic thinks;

...what Pat Riley thinks;

...what Thom Thibodeau thinks;

...what HoF coach Pat Ambrose thinks;

...what Steve Kerr thinks;

...what Draymond Green thinks;

***

Agai though, the war is over, right? Or is it?

Israel is still fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon, which could be a dealbreaker.

In any event, a deal to make a deal is all this memorandum is about. None of the US/Israeli goals were accomplished. 

Just to reiterate:

**Iran still has its missiles;

**Iran's terrorist proxies are still its terrorist proxies;

**There was regime change in Iran. The hardline Republican Guard is still in charge;

** Iran's navy was partially destroyed. Partially;

**Nuclear enrichment: Iran still has its enriched uranium and doesn't appear ready to give it up.

Meanwhile, Iran is going to get billions in relief with the unfreezing of many of its sanctioned assets; It will also be able to sell oil without having to try to sneak through the US Navy blockade, which has now been lifted.

Way to go, Donald. Thank you for your lack of attention to this matter.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, David Carter Hearn.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll radio show (at radio free phoenix dot com).

Just Wondering...

The Schloss-Blog is just wondering, in the wake of the Knicks title, in the wake of Jalen Brunson giving up $100 million+ to help piece the team together, wondering...

...what Steph Curry thinks;

...what LeBron James thinks;

...what Devin Booker thinks;

...what Kevin Durant thinks;

...what Joel Embiid thinks;

...what Paul George thinks;

...what Russell Westbrook thinks;

...what Nicola Jokic thinks;

...what Pat Riley thinks;

...what Thom Thibodeau thinks;

...what HoF coach Pat Ambrose thinks;

...what Steve Kerr thinks;

...what Draymond Green thinks;

***

The war is over. Or is it?

Israel is still fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon, which could be a dealbreaker.

In any event, a deal to make a deal is all this memorandum is about. None of the US/Israeli goals were accomplished:

**Iran still has its missiles;

**Iran's terrorist proxies are still its terrorist proxies;

**There was regime change in Iran. The hardline Republican Guard is still in charge;

** Iran's navy was partially destroyed. Partially;

**Nuclear enrichment: Iran still has its enriched uranium and doesn't appear ready to give it up.

Meanwhile, Iran is going to get billions in relief with the unfreezing of many of its sanctioned assets; It will also be able to sell oil without having to try to sneak through the US Navy blockade, which has now been lifted.

Way to go, Donald. Thank you for your lack of attention to this matter.

***

This Is The End

This is the end, the Schloss-Blog notes, beautiful friend, this is the end,, my only friend, the end,

The Doors nailed it, didn't they. 

Meant to signify "...an epic, stream-of-consciousness, exploration of death, the loss of innocence, and the subconscious," the song aptly sums up where the United States is, where Donald Trump is, in his incessant reciting that the Iran War is almost over, virtually over, close to being over.

But it's not. It's supposed to be over today, but is it?

Hello Election Day, 2026, and Republicans running to hold Congress will find out if sticking with Trump or parting with him on this war, this slush fund and/or the ballroom will be rewarded by the voting public or whether they'll be sacked and will yield control of Congress to the do-nothing Democrats..

*** 

As an aside, as of June 9th, per CNN, Trump has claimed, 38 times, that the war with Iran is over and an agreement has been reached that will have Iran yield its weaponry, its support for terrorist proxies, its enriched uranium and will reopen the Strait.

THIRTY-EIGHT times. Has obviously added a couple since then. Blames those "tricky, dishonest" Iranians when it doesn't happen.

Iran is denying this and appears it will never surrender outright, as seen in its shooting down of a U.S. military helicopter, without any overt retaliation from Trump and the United States, because Trump WANTS OUT OF THE WAR and can't find a way to get there while he maintains his blockade of the Strait and Israel maintains its war with Hezbollah.

He keeps insisting on what will be a complete surrender from Iran, and it ain't gonna' happen.

***

Democrats, Trump and the Republicans have handed you gold for campaign material. What are you doing with it? Here's the rundown:

Trump "loves the inflation" that is crippling so many American households.

Trump "doesn't think about Americans financial situations," as they live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to pay for gas, groceries, medications, healthcare, et. al.

Trump said, campaigned on, "Prices will come down." How's that working out? Inflation hit 4.2% last month, its highest mark in years.

Trump blames Biden for everything. Everything. But Trump's been president - again - for almost a year-and-a-half. He owns this. He knows it. The American people know it.

***

Elon Musk is a trillionaire. A freakin' trillionaire. 

Won't be watching the freakin' UFC cage matches at the White House. Disgraceful.

*** 

I'd be remiss if I didn't say how proud we are of our daughter and how lucky we are to have such great friends and relatives who repeatedly told us of the faith they have in her.

With that, good night Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Erin.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show. Maybe the war will be over by then. Yeah, right.

The Schloss-Blog: It's $1.776 (Billion) All Over Again

Schloss-Blog looking at $1.776 billion in slush-fund money that the Trump says it will not seek.

To spend on junkies and losers who attacked the Capital on that infamous Jan. 6 day.

Only in America, Trump's America, do convicted criminals get a windfall, slush-fund fortune. And while the administration is saying the fund is dead - for now - the president is being more sneaky about it, more undeniably deniable.

Trump is saying, "I'd have to ask the lawyers, I don't know," when it comes to the fund.

In other words, it ain't dead yet. Like zombies, it's still around. For now.

And when it gets paid out, the Democrats will gripe, they'll complain, they'll declare the injustice of it all.

And then watch it get paid out, unable to stop it, while their appeals possibly wither in court.

***

Congrats, Golden Tempo.

The Kentucky Derby winner outdueled Commandment and Renegade down the stretch at Saratoga, coming from way behind, to win the Belmont Stakes.

Didn't make for much of a quinella or Trifecta, if you're a betting person, but it made for an exciting race at a sold-out Saratoga, hosting the race for a final time, in all likelihood, as Belmont itself completes renovation. 

***

Beyond the firing the Scott Pelley at CBS' "60 Minutes," the network's top brass is apparently worried about its image and the damage done to it by the work of Bari Weiss, who's now running the news operation at the so-called Tiffany network. 

Is her job in jeopardy, for doing what the owner Ellisons likely wanted? Which is take down the credibility of  a program that Donald Trump hates so much that he sued the network over it and got them to cough up $16 million to settle it.

***

The last Baby Boomer will turn 65 in 2030.

Yes, the dominant generation for so long is now watching as Millennials and Gen Z take over, with their mandate to feel that everything would be handed to them and they don't have to work that hard.

Is the nation subsequently in trouble?

Well, yeah, Trump is president, right?

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Jessica Beverly (feel better).

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

Throwing a Dart, But Things Could Be Worse

The Schloss-Blog wants to know, what were you thinking about, Jaxson Dart?

Introducing Donald Trump. At his rally.

This is Nu Yawk, baybee, not Mississippi.

You clearly ruffled some feathers among your teammates, in the Giants front office and likely in league offices too.

So, here's a tip: with many Giants fans publicly announcing they are canceling season-ticket orders, if you want to be popular with your teammates and the fans, no going gaga over an unpopular political figure.

Like Trump.

His approval ratings are at all-time lows and yours will be too, unless ... 

...Unless you light up the opposition and deliver a playoff-worthy season for the Giants.

This is Nu Yawk, baybee. Behave like it. On and off the field.

***

Seven days ago, May 24, Trump said the deal with Iran was "largely negotiated."

Here we are seven days later, it is still "largely negotiated." The Strait is still closed, the blockade is still on and the U.S. and Iran are still trading potshots across the Persian Gulf. The U.S, is hitting, or says it is hitting Iranian missile bunkers. Iran is hitting U.S. bases in the area, actually wounding Americans.

Trump says he doesn't care and that the U.S. has plenty of time. Guess who doesn't: Americans who need food and healthcare, (Obamacare), funding for which has been drastically cut.

And is being spent on the billions needed to wear down U.S, missile stores.

Brilliant, Donald, brilliant. Just keep taking your time. You're only interested in influencing the stock market with false news (i.e., fake news) that the war may be ending.

***

Hey Kendrick Lamar, Vanessa Williams, pay attention: Drake is No. 1 all-time in No. 1 hit songs by a male artist, surpassing ... Michael Jackson.

***

There is not going to be a Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Judge Christopher Cooper pronounced that only Congress, by law, can change the name.

Everything else Trump has said about the name change is a lie, as performing artists, among the world's best, have cancelled appearance after appearance.

***

Trump's slush fund has been halted for the moment, the one he was going to use to pay the criminals he had already pardoned in the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol.

The weaponization fund was ruled by Judge Leonie Brinkema to be, basically, essentially, what plaintiff Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington called a "Jaw-dropping act of presidential corruption."

Let's see if Trump continues anyway. He just might defy the court order anyway.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Olivia Guenther.

More to come Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.