When Penguins Shame Us-

Bok Bok Bok by Clay Jones

Trump chickens out again Read on Substack

This is not a conspiracy theory, but it’s something to watch out for: Trump declares “Liberation Day” and raises tariffs on every nation in the world except Belarus and Russia. Stocks plummet, and Wall Street loses nearly $6 trillion. Then, after all sorts of promises from him and his goons about being tough, Trump chickens out and delays the tariffs for 90 days, and Wall Street rebounds. What needs to be questioned is if Trump gave any insider information to his friends that he was going to delay the tariffs, thus making Wall Street rebound. Can I get a “hmmm?”

Trump said, “I’m telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass. They are dying to make a deal. “Please, please, sir, make a deal. I’ll do anything, I’ll do anything, sir.” And then, Trump chickened out again without making any deals. Not one.

One nation that did NOT kiss Trump’s ass is China, who retaliated by raising their tariffs on us to 84 percent. Trump retaliated by raising tariffs against China to 145 percent. China is the only nation not spared by Trump’s 90-day delay.

China threatens to stop buying our products and even stop watching our movies. This is bad news because not only will that hurt Hollywood’s revenue but also make our Chinese competitors smarter because they won’t be sitting around all day watching shit like Dude, Where’s My Car?.

Trump is mad at China for retaliating. In his feeble, twisted little mind, he believes it’s personal. How dare they retaliate, which the European Union did too. The EU is now delaying their retaliatory tariffs.

So, what happened to “Liberation Day?” There was a giant dog and pony show for “Liberation Day,” and now it’s “never mind?”

Trump claims 75 nations called to negotiate, but as we’ve learned over the years, Trump lies. I’m pretty positive nobody told him, “I’ll make a deal. I’ll do anything.” But, of course, other nations are willing to negotiate. That’s what diplomacy is. Diplomacy is NOT attacking an ally by saying they should stop being a country and join yours. Diplomacy is not demanding that it give you parts of its territory. Diplomacy is not attacking your friends with tariffs to make them negotiate. You could negotiate without the attack.

Trump is making every one of his policies personal, which is how a narcissistic toddler governs. This is bullying. I would not be surprised if this entire thing is only about Trump getting more people to kiss his ass.

Attacking the entire planet with tariffs, then backing down a few days later, isn’t strength; it’s cowardice. It also shows the world that Trump is indecisive, suffers from mood swings, and can’t be trusted.

Trump’s National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said, “This was Trump’s plan all along.” Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said this was Trump’s “strategy all along.” White House spokesgoon Karoline Leavitt said, “Many of you in the media clearly missed the art of the deal.”

I did miss “Art of the Deal,” Karoline, which Trump did NOT write and probably hasn’t even read. But do you know what I didn’t miss, Karoline? I didn’t miss Trump’s “art of the deal” when he negotiated ending a government shutdown with Nancy Pelosi. I didn’t miss that Trump walked into those negotiations with a little bit of something for his border wall and walked out of the negotiations with the government reopening and getting nothing for his stupid, racist border wall. Was that his strategy all along?

I also didn’t miss that Trump negotiated a new NAFTA with Canada and Mexico during his first term (sic) and broke those promises in his second term (sic).

I’m sure other nations didn’t miss those “arts of the deals,” nor did they miss that when Trump starts chaos, he’s impatient and will back down quickly. When push comes to shove, it’s easy to push Trump down. If you’re playing chicken with Trump, he’ll swerve first.

Every nation that negotiates with Trump on tariffs will start with the upper hand. Just like Obi-Wan Kenobi, they have the high ground.

Trump’s post about other nations kissing his ass is him showing his cards. All they have to do is kiss his ass by appealing to his giant ego, and they will out-negotiate him. It also helps them that our president (sic) is a dunderhead.

Fascist blogger Curtis Yarvin (anti-democracy, pro-slavery, says Whites have higher IQs than Blacks, cited by JD Vance as an “influence,” attended Trump’s inauguration), talked about Trump’s “confidence” in 2.0 in an interview with The New York Times, saying, “It’s almost like he actually feels like he knows what he’s doing.”

Isn’t that exactly what we want in a president, for him to “almost feel like he knows what he’s doing?” That should have been one of the campaign messages.

What happened to make Trump chicken out with the tariffs wasn’t because he got 75 phone calls from nations ready to negotiate, but phone calls from oligarchs freaking out about the stock market. Trump says they got “yippy,” but nobody was saying, “Yippee.” Maybe something more like, “Yippee-ki-yay, Motherfucker.”

Cartooning colleagues, do NOT steal “yippee-ki-yay, Motherfucker” from me.

Trump gave himself credit for Wall Street’s rebound yesterday, but today, it’s going “yippy” again. But I’m sure Trump almost knows what he’s doing.

Creative note: I wanted to do something with “yippy,” but I couldn’t resist this penguin idea after it landed in my brain. I may do “yippee ki-yay” later if it’s not stolen from me.

Music note: I listened to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but only for a few minutes because this cartoon didn’t take long to color.

Drawn in 30 seconds: (snip-go see)

Clay Jones Bats It Out Of The Park!

Fascist Hockey by Clay Jones

Get the puck out of here Read on Substack

I suspect a lot of people are not going to like today’s cartoon, especially in my area. I live in Caps country.

The Washington Capitals’ Alexander Ovechkin scored his 895th NHL career goal on Sunday, breaking the record set by “The Great One,” Wayne Gretzky, which has stood unchallenged since 1999. The NHL is celebrating Ovechkin’s achievement, which he accomplished with only five games remaining in the regular season. The Caps will be the number-seed in the playoffs (which means they’ll probably lose in the first round).

Another person celebrating Ovi’s accomplishment is Russian President Vladimir Putin, who congratulated Ovi, saying, “You’ve surprised legendary masters. Without a doubt, this achievement is not only your personal success but a true celebration for fans in Russia and abroad.”

There’s nothing wrong with that, right? Even if Putin is a monster, it’s expected that he would congratulate a Russian for such a great historic accomplishment, and Ovechkin should be proud to be Russian, just as you should be proud of your nationality, even if you’re not always proud of your nation’s actions. What’s wrong here is that Alexander Ovechkin is a Putin supporter.

Ovechkin is a Putin supporter to the point that his profile image on his Instagram page is of him with Putin.

Ovechkin played on the Russian Olympic team in 2014, when the games were hosted in Sochi, Russia. The Russians were defeated by Team USA and then lost to Finland in the quarterfinals, but they came back later in the year and won the World Championship in Belarus (when most nations didn’t send their best). Putin celebrated with the team in the locker room, where the Great Eight poured champagne into Putin’s glass from the championship trophy.

Later, Ovi visited Putin at the Kremlin, where he asked Putin to give him and each of his teammates a car, a Mercedes GL, to be specific. It was a request Putin granted.

Putin and Ovi have played hockey together, and when Ovi got married, Putin sent a wedding gift, a tea set, but I’d be careful about drinking anything Putin serves. When Russia annexed Crimea and started its war on Ukraine, Ovi expressed his support with a photo on Instagram.

GR8 forgets that there aren’t free elections in his nation, that Putin murders his critics and enemies, that a free press and political opposition are prohibited, and that Putin has been in power for 25 years. “#SaveChildrenFromFascism” is a hashtag used by Russian media to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. Here, Alexander Ovechkin is a stooge.

Asked by ESPN about the post, Ovi said, “I don’t try to make a statement. Right now, as a Russian, I have lots of friends from Ukraine. I just don’t want a war. Nobody wants a war.” That was a weak response full of bullshit. You made a statement, Ovi, and it was one supporting Putin’s war that’s killing people in Ukraine. Ovi, you want to “save children from fascism,” but how about saving them from Putin’s bombs?

In 2017, Ovechkin created the Putin Team, a social movement in support of Putin, and issued a statement saying, “I’m sure there are many of us who support Vladimir Putin! So let’s unite and show everyone a strong and united Russia!”

After Putin illegally invaded Ukraine in 2022, Ovi said, “Obviously, it’s a hard situation. I have lots of friends in Russia and Ukraine, and it’s hard to see the war. I hope soon it’s going to be over and there’s going to be peace in the whole world.”

When asked if he still supports Putin, Ovi said, “Well, he is my president, but I am not in politics. I am an athlete, and you know, how I said, I hope everything is going to be done soon. It’s [a] hard situation right now for both sides … I’m not in control of this situation,” but that photo’s still his profile image on Instagram.

This isn’t a case of left or right-wing politics. Putin is a monster. He’s a murderer. He’s a liar. He’s tampered with other nations’ elections, including ours. He’s worked to put his puppets in power, puppets like Donald Trump. Putin is a dictator who’s bombed children’s hospitals and has never expressed remorse.

“I’m sure there are many of us who support Vladimir Putin! So let’s unite and show everyone a strong and united Russia!” Ovechkin said in a statement when he created Putin Team.

If that’s disappointing for Caps fans, imagine how Canadians feel about The Great One, a national icon for Canada, being a Trumper.

Yes, hockey fans, I’m sorry to report that Wayne Gretzky is a MAGAt.

Look. Here’s a photo taken at MAGA-Lardo on election, where The Great One (not Trump) was in attendance.

Here he is in a MAGAt cap.

Last February, Trump praised Gretzky in a rambling post on ShitSocial, saying, “Wayne Gretzky is a fantastic guy! They call him, “The Great One,” and he is. He could run for any political office in Canada, and win. Wayne is my friend, and he wants to make me happy, and is therefore somewhat “low key” about Canada remaining a separate Country, rather than becoming a cherished and beautiful 51st State, paying much Lower Taxes, a Free and Powerful Military, NO TARIFFS, and having a Booming Economy. Wayne and Janet, his wonderful wife, love Canada, and they should only support Canada, and whatever else makes the Canadian People, and Governor Justin Trudeau, happy. He’s the Greatest Canadian of them all, and I am therefore making him a “free agent,” because I don’t want anyone in Canada to say anything bad about him. He supports Canada the way it is, as he should, even though it’s not nearly as good as it could be as part of the Greatest and Most Powerful Country in the World, the Good Ole’ U.S.A.!”

Gretzky was a Canadian hero who led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup victories. He was a symbol of national pride, but that started to wane once he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. Now, his nation is disappointed in him as he won’t defend them against Trump’s insults, suggesting they become our 51st state, and attacking them with tariffs. He hasn’t even downplayed Trump’s comments that Gretzky could be governor of that 51st state. Talk about installing puppets.

Gretzky tried to defend his MAGAness by saying, “We always, believe it or not, really never talk politics in the locker room…we watch basketball, we watch baseball, we talk about the Blue Jays, we talk about the New York Yankees. (For) hockey players, that’s never on the docket. It’s just something that we stay in our lane. The prime minister and the president don’t tell us how to play hockey. We don’t tell them how to do politics, right?”

Gretzky said hockey players don’t talk politics and stay in their lane, yet it looks like Gretzky’s lane took him to MAGA-Lardo on election night, and it also took him to Washington, DC, to attend Trump’s inauguration (sic) last January.

Gretzky’s hometown of Brantford, Ontario, will take a major hit from Trump’s trade war as 80 percent of its production is sold to the United States. Yet Gretzky has yet to comment on Trump’s tariffs hitting not just his home nation but his hometown.

Many Canadians feel like Gretzky has abandoned Canada and chosen the United States over it. He’s married to an American and has made the USA his home. Recently, someone smeared poo on the statue of Gretzky at Edmonton’s Rogers Place, probably upset over him turning his back on Canada or they mistook it for a Tesla.

In 2009, Gretzky was awarded Canada’s highest civilian honour, Companion of the Order of Canada. Gretzky still hasn’t picked the award up. With him now being a fully-pledged MAGAt, it might be wise for him not to pick it up.

Creative note: This is NOT my most popular cartoon. It only has one like after three hours on Twitter/X, and only 13 shares on Facebook (but 72 likes).

Note about nothing: I almost choked to death on a salad yesterday. I was watching 30 Rock during lunch and Pete Hornberger had shaved his head only to discover a birthmark that looked like a Swastika made out of penises. I did survive…obviously.

Music note: I listened to The Pixies.

Drawn in 30 seconds: (snip-go see)

Peace & Justice History for 4/10

https://www.peacebuttons.info/E-News/peacehistoryapril.htm#april10

Interesting News From Ukraine

War is very bad, but I read this news with relish.

Oh, Those Clever Ukrainians

Clearance

I ran across this over the weekend, and emailed it to myself in case I thought I ought to post it. I’m not sure it’s a great post, but it’s cool if you turn the volume down a bit at the beginning. It’s one of those little shorts that is somehow satisfying and a little cleansing to watch. I know it’s morning, and I do not work for any pastry providers. It’s just a neat little vid.

🐕Funny Little Guy

So, things with Ollie are progressing nicely. He’s a very good boy, he’s hilarious, and he’s made a good difference here in the house. Anyway. He was a little bit broken when he came; the wonderful family who gave him to me had rescued him from a kill shelter, where he was dropped for biting. They got him in 2020, everybody was pretty sure he was not older than a year, and he’d been abused and left with one or both rear legs that get sore. So, while Corgis are naturally snappy and usually are trained out of that, Ollie’s instincts are distrust and biting. The family who gave him to me were working with him, but he bit their toddler for reasons but still, so he had to move away. They think he’s around 5 now. I’ve been working with him more on trust and behavior. He has never demonstrated thinking of biting me, nor our son who lives here, and they play hard together! It really only takes a little time and a lot of consistency. And positive attention. Turns out, Ollie knows just how to behave himself, is a superlative watchdog (so now we’re working on barking after I’ve said something’s OK,) and is fun to play with. I wouldn’t want to be a stranger who just reached out to pet him, or to break in the house, but if I’m there, he’s not going to bite unless he sees that things are not right. I do worry he’ll never enjoy riding in a car; he gets really agitated and frightened in the car; it takes him some time to get past it once we’re home.

So yesterday (I’m scheduling this for early AM posting,) we went for our morning jaunt. He’s just hilarious on walks! Even though he’s been altered most of his life, he marks. Most of our doggies continued to mark after being spayed or neutered; even Corky, who was female. Anyway, I usually call walks “taking Ollie to check and reply to his messages,” since of course that’s what it is for doggies; they sniff, then mark (or not) then along comes the next reader-sniffer. Today, we stopped at a buried fiber optic marker, and he sniffed and sniffed and sniffed. He was very thorough, like individual bits of blades of grass thorough. Suddenly, he lifted his head, and turned to look at a house behind us. Then he glanced up at me, then sniffed the same spot again, but not as long. He then turned bodily to look at that house (I have no idea if they have a dog there,) then turned and sniffed again, then zoooomm we were off to the end of the block, Ollie apparently airborne. I’m still dying to know what on earth he learned there! I know we should be careful what we wish for, but I wish he could talk.