Managing Pond Scum

Schadenfreude is the pleasure we feel when witnessing the misfortune of others.  While it may seem mean-spirited, and even vindictive; if you feel guilty about the satisfaction you experience when someone else messed-up don't be too hard on yourself.  It happens.  I admit to feeling a wee bit mirthful over the president's ongoing battle with pond scum.

Anybody who has lived on a farm, had a neglected backyard pool, pond, gone fishing or otherwise been anywhere near a body of water knows that algae happens once the weather warms-up.  Where I live excess nutrient runoff can create entire dead zones in Green Bay and close beaches to swimmers.  When that happens both us and our dogs stay out of the water until the danger passes.  Hey!  What about your ponds and creek?

Good question.  All three bodies of water on our property support a wealth of diversity including aquatic plant life to animals.  There is no excess nutrient runoff in the ponds because we don't apply any.  Natural algae growth and protozoans support insects and animals on the low end of the food chain. Which, in-turn, support amphibians and reptiles and birds like cranes, ducks and herons.  I can't speak for runoff in the creek because I cannot control agricultural applications upstream or downstream; but it certainly supports bait fish and crawdads.  Speaking for myself, we use best management practices (BMPs) for riparian habitat.

Does the water on my ponds and creek look like drinking water?   Nope.  Would I drink it?  Nope.  Does it look better than the Reflecting Pool water?  Absolutely.  The biophilia is in balance.  You cannot win a fight against Ma Nature and science.

Algae blooms have long thrived in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool since it opened in 1922.  It is filled with stagnant tidal water from the Potomac River further enriched with excess nitrogen and phosphorus runoff which algae loves.  Mr. Trump's own Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will tell you that the water in the pool is unsafe for swimming, fishing or supporting aquatic life.  It is hazardous.  

The president has insisted that his $14 million renovation this spring would forever banish the cloudy, algae-infested water as a consequence of sealing the leaks, filtering the water and painting the bottom American Flag Blue.   

Following the renovations it was refilled with the same nutrient-rich tidal water (not treated city water), wildlife defecated in the pool, it is shallow, fetid and foul and warmed-up in the summer sunshine.  Summers in D.C. are sweltering and the dark blue bottom exacerbated the problem by absorbing more heat and voilà, the largest algae bloom in recent memory!

Mr. Trump wanted blue and he got green.  And lots of it. 

He looked at the algae and blamed imaginary enemies, because enemies are easier than learning.  In the last five days it seems at least five individuals have been cited, arrested or otherwise detained for poisoning or vandalizing the Reflecting Pool.  I don't believe the Reflecting Pool was sabotaged; because I haven't been witness to mug shots or the drama of  a Trumpian perp walk.  The real cause is usually the obvious; it is simply dirty water, full of food for algae, followed by hot weather and now the bottom is delaminating possibly because of shoddy installation by a no-bid contractor and/or the president's own motorcade driving across it.   

 

The president called it an attack because the real answer is too complicated for him to grasp.  Another excuse from the man who shouts at people but cannot shout science out of the water. I guess he missed the class. 

The toxic Reflecting Pool is actually a perfect metaphor for Mr. Trump; and he created it himself. He's gonna drain it, repaint it and start over.   All the while expecting a different result.

So here we are; the National Guard has been tasked with watching paint peel from behind a newly-installed chain link fence and Donald Trump may go down in history as the only US President to be outwitted by a single celled organism.

You can't make this stuff up if you tried.... 

 

Standing Watch

Since it opened in 1922 the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has been an ideal incubator for algae growth.

It is filled with tidal water (not chlorinated city water), wildlife defecate in the pool, it is shallow, stagnant and warms-up in the summer sunshine.  Since Mr. Trump had it painted a darker American Flag Blue, it now heats-up faster and warmer.  

The Trump administration has reached the stage of its Reflecting Pool saga where soldiers now stand guard over a pond full of scum and the internet has decided that image needs no embellishment to be devastating. 

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up.... 

 

The Dear Leader

click on the image to enhance your worship experience

Yup.  Another massive banner bearing the image of Donald Trump was hung from another federal building today; above the main entrance to the Department of Justice Headquarters in Washington, DC

Further evidence of the vast improvement of your and my prosperity and general lot in life.  Along with making the world a safer place. 

All Hail The Dear Leader! 

Following Orders Redux

Anybody who follows my musings on the blog or knows me personally also knows that I never served in the military.  Nevertheless, that universal fact does not disqualify me from having an opinion on military matters that are of interest to me or in the news.

This business of following orders has risen to the level of discussion here a couple of times already.  April 21, 2024 and, again on August 31, 2025.  

 

This week, there was a kerfuffle over Democratic lawmakers reminding the military to refuse illegal orders.  Between you and me I think they were trolling the president and, predictably, he rose to the bait.

All of this melodrama about sedition, treason and death by hanging is gonna bump-up against the First Amendment; you know, that business about freedom of speech.  Besides, everyone knows that the video was only addressing (without defining) an obligation to defy illegal orders.

I am told that, generally speaking, orders are presumed to be lawful and that a service member who disobeys a potentially questionable order does so  at their own peril.  The final determination of an order's lawfulness is ultimately a question of law decided-upon by a military judge in a court-martial.  That is a high bar.

A critical tenet of U.S. and international military law, established by principles like those from the Nuremberg Trials, is that "just following orders" is not a valid defense for committing crimes.  Service members have an affirmative obligation to refuse orders that are "patently illegal" or "manifestly unlawful". 

An order is considered unlawful if it:

• Requires the commission of a crime or a criminal act.
• Violates the U.S. Constitution, federal law, or applicable international law.
• Is contrary to a lawful superior order or regulation.
• Is beyond the authority of the official issuing it. 

Examples of clearly unlawful orders include orders to target or intentionally harm civilians, torture detainees, or falsify official records. 

 

A walk down memory lane would offer-up these examples:   

 

1968 — The My Lai Massacre (Vietnam)

U.S. soldiers were ordered to “kill anything that moves.”  That resulted in the slaughter of over 500 unarmed Vietnamese civilians.  Many soldiers refused.  Some tried to stop it.  Lt. William Calley was convicted for issuing illegal orders.  A helicopter pilot, Hugh Thompson Jr., famously ordered his crew to fire on fellow Americans if they continued killing civilians — because the laws of war required him to intervene.

2003–2004 — Abu Ghraib Prison Abuse (Iraq)

Some military personnel were ordered, encouraged, or pressured to commit acts of torture on detainees.  Several refused and reported it.  The Taguba Report (2004) confirmed illegal orders and systemic abuse.  Eleven soldiers were convicted.

2004 — Pat Tillman Cover-Up (Afghanistan)

After Army Ranger Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire, military leadership pressured soldiers to falsify witness statements.  Several refused.  Investigations in 2005 and 2007 confirmed illegal directives to hide the truth and deceive his family and the public.

2007 — The Haditha Killings (Iraq)

24 unarmed Iraqi civilians were killed after Marines were ordered into a “search and destroy” posture inconsistent with rules of engagement.  While convictions were rare, the Pentagon acknowledged violations of the law of armed conflict and improper commands.

1944–1945 — The Dachau Killings (WWII)

U.S. troops were ordered by rogue officers to shoot unarmed SS prisoners after the liberation of Dachau.  Some soldiers refused; some complied.  Investigations documented the illegal order.

 

Illegal orders are a real thing.  And while all sorta people have all sorta opinions on this  week's news on the subject; the folks you don't hear from are those who are currently serving.  It's not that they're disinterested. It's not because they're uninformed.  It is a consequence they cannot legally enter the public debate.  Don't take my word for it - you can read all about it here.   

 

In my view the US military is the most professional on the planet.  I don't lose much sleep over the matter of those who serve understanding right from wrong. 

 

 * This blog post was in the queue before the events of yesterday afternoon when two West Virginia Army National Guard troopers were shot in Washington, DC.  More on that rapidly-developing situation as more solid details are known.   As I have said before; political violence is wrong. 

  

Protecting Union Station

Godfrey C. Danchimah Jr. (born July 21, 1969), known as Godfrey, is an American comedian and actor who has appeared in multiple venues to numerous to list.  

Bio here.

Enjoy this YouTube Short.... 

Guardians Or Gladiators?

Almost a year and a half ago I published a short post titled: Following Orders.  I was musing about how a future Trump administration might deploy the military within the country's borders.  Fast forward to the present and we're learning more about this almost every day; and while I am famous for bad predictions that post from April of 2024 was seemingly prescient.

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

I've never served in the military; consequently I can only speak as a civilian.  What I think I know is that fundamentally there are significant differences between local law enforcement officers and army national guard soldiers.

Civilian law enforcement academies and technical colleges focus on things like criminal law, civil rights, de-escalation and community engagement.  Day-to-day law enforcement includes enforcing criminal law, traffic safety, conducting investigations and community policing.  Sheriff deputies and police officers are seen as front line guardians of law and order.  And, at least where I live, they are a familiar presence as a consequence of daily interaction with the local population.

National guard soldiers receive military training including things like combat readiness, tactical operations, discipline and a military occupational specialty.  Some military police units train for law enforcement, but their orientation is different from civilian policing.  Guard units are populated by citizen soldiers who have civilian jobs or perhaps attend school while training part-time and sharpening their readiness to act when called upon by their state governor or the President.   

Nevertheless, national guard troops do serve in temporary support roles.  This can include crowd and riot control, (civil unrest events), disaster response (hurricanes, floods, wildfires), infrastructure protection (power plants, airports, hospitals) and augmenting first responders when local resources are overwhelmed.

Mostly, the guard is our federal reserve force for wartime missions and overseas deployment.  They blow stuff-up, defeat opposing forces and achieve battlefield dominance.  Soldiers are war-fighters; modern day gladiators.  

Between you and me I think having armed troops on our main streets is unsustainable for the long term.  It is an expensive short-term fix.  Furthermore, it is poor optics; if it were to happen around here the tourists would stay home and businesses would be grumpy.  The former is fact the latter is opinion.

There has been chatter on social media including people suggesting that president Trump is seeking to accomplish a couple of things; namely the normalization of military deployments to conduct law enforcement.  Secondly, provoking some kook or nutjob to commit an act of political violence thereby escalating tensions by such means that he can invoke the insurrection act, declare martial law and suspend elections.  Sounds rather conspiratorial, eh?  Inexplicably, most of my previously self-identified libertarian acquaintances have gone silent on this subject so we can save a discussion of the Posse Comitatus Act for another day.  

I happen to believe that Donald Trump eventually gets around to attempting everything he says he wants to do.  And he has repeatedly said he would consider or invoke the Insurrection Act, including in public statements in June 2025 during his current presidency.

Meanwhile, Speaker Michael Johnson's home state of Louisiana, and New Orleans in particular, boast some of the the highest murder rates in the country.  One has to wonder why Governor Jeff Landry called-up and deployed Louisiana guard troops to Washington, DC; instead of Speaker Johnson's home district?  The correct answer is political theater; nevertheless, all of this can be combustible.  See paragraph eight (above) about the president shouting Fire! in an otherwise quiet theater.

The administration is populated with pliant sycophants who will unquestionably act on the president's orders.  Therefore, the execution of sketchy orders will fall to the next line of senior military officers.

It is gonna be interesting how this unfolds.....