Minor Photography and Major Demonisation, Dehumanisation and Desensitisation

Metal coated fabric fibres

Macrophotography of fabrics; PM May's Bill and visit to USA; POTUS Trump, Mexico and how to make the unpalatable acceptable.

Following on from yesterday's microscopy, in preparation for the Cambridge Open Studios in July, took some more pictures of the three different silk fabrics. This time I used extension tubes and took macro images directly with the camera. J also taking photos of her pictures as she will exhibit with L and me.

Battled for a while trying to remove borders from a table on a website. Yes, I know that you use the 'border' attribute' but the borders rebelliously failed to disappear, no matter whether code included in html or in the CSS. Will revisit again with a fresh look on Monday.

PM May has arrived in the US and has already had a great reception, by Republicans and of course POTUS Trump. It will be interesting to see if she manages to get through the experience of meeting the new administration and its capricious leader unscathed, or at least parts on amicable terms if there are points of difference.

May at least seems to be held accountable, by her right wing, the law and Parliament. Ahead of the game, she had initiated the Bill for 'The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 

2017'. The act is so short, that the title takes up 20% of the actual important content. In actual fact, the single key phrase is:

1. The Prime Minister may notify, under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the EU.

The other advantage she has is that currently, the economy is buoyant and performing better that the original dire predictions.

In the US, we are seeing a continuation of some increasingly unpleasant trends. The Mexican President has cancelled his visit, the probably calculated two tweets making it impossible for him - an insult to Mexico and Mexicans:

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump  9 hours ago

The U.S. has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers... 

...of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.

The indignity of of being told that you are a country of criminals and rapists, ignoring the fact that many immigrants have made a major contribution to the economy, in labour and taxes. Then the brazen twist that it is also your responsibility to pay for a wall or else. Trump is doing this to his 3rd largest trading partner. We are 7th on the list, behind Japan, Germany and South Korea.

I find it quite frightening that the most powerful nation on the planet is led by someone who is xenophobic, unable to accept facts on even trivial items, who thinks that torture is OK and should be reinstated.

Placed in a position of ultimate rule, it becomes easier for others with equally reprehensible views to enter the corridors of power. The overblown and aggressive rhetoric begins with demonisation of any opponent or group, followed by their dehumanisation. In this way it, achieves the desensitization that lets you take previously unpalatable actions and damn the consequences.