Upon returning, I re-visited Buzzard Swamp where great blue herons and red spotted purple butterflies are common at this time of year. Unfortunately so are deer flies which made for a bothersome walk. The summer has been passed golfing and walking and fishing and other outdoor activities, then keeping up with the news when inside.........To the latter point I'm reading Kamala Harris' book called 'The Truths We Hold' about her life and passions, and I'm afraid it is unlikely that she will be elected president because she is simply too compassionate, principled and qualified a person for such an important office. For example, she never would have smiled with an orphaned baby for a photo op at the scene of a mass shooting as Trump and wife Melania did in El Paso... Hard to comprehend why such things do not register with his supporters...Generally it is fear and suspicion/cynicism of government/immigrants/ socialism that seem to motivate many Republicans despite many of them benefiting from the "socialist" policies of that very government they despise. ( Science has measured larger amygdalas in conservative brains, so their impulsive fear/anxiety may be partially biological? ) Hopefully Trumps trade war and other policies do not affect the global situation too severely. No doubt other countries and many businesses are simply waiting the election cycle out. I have read enough books to know that there are secret government programs that even the president does not know about.. In this case that's probably a good thing...POSTSCRIPT: I watched Mr. Trumps United Nations speech and thought it to be one of the more controlled and rational speeches he has made. ( ...so long as he sticks to the teleprompter he does alright....) I actually agree with the aversion to war that he espouses despite his appointing war hawks to his administration, and to some of his arguments against China's unfair trade practices. But his environmental policies seem wholly backward looking and his denials won't stop the acidification of the ocean no matter how long or loudly they are repeated.
