Greta ‘n Giggles!

Posted on by under Election 2022, Environmental Issues, Global Issues, Humour, Personal, Social commentary

Well, folks, it’s here — the day we’ve all either looked forward to or dreaded, depending on your level of optimism/pessimism.  And I, for one, cannot write another word about the election at the moment.  Last night, my home was attacked by local street urchins, damaging the front door, a window, and nearly giving me a heart attack, as if the current political situation wasn’t enough to do so!  The police were called, they showed up, drove around for all of 90 seconds, and left without even getting out of their cruiser or knocking on the door where at least two of the urchins live.  Need I tell you that the county Sheriff is a Trumpeter?

You’ve either voted by now, or have firm plans to go to the polls today, else you’ve firmly decided not to vote, and at this point, there is nothing I can say to change your mind.  My angst level is high and I don’t want to write about the election and the fools in this nation any more for right now (that’ll probably change by this afternoon, though).  A couple of days ago, my dear sweet friend Bee Halton, who knows of my deep admiration for young Greta Thunberg, sent me the following video of an interview with Ms. Thunberg ahead of a book she has coming out in February 2023.  This interview started with many giggles, and then morphed into some serious discussion about the planet, our environment, etc.  As always, Ms. Thunberg is a delight!  She has matured greatly and it’s only when she mentions her Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, that I remember it, for she is as well-spoken as anyone I’ve ever heard.  So do yourself a favour … set the political scene aside for just a few minutes and share in the fun, the laughter, and yes, the talk of the most serious issue facing the world today!  I promise you won’t regret it and that you will chuckle!  Thank you, my dear Sweet Bee!!!

76 thoughts on “Greta ‘n Giggles!”

  2. Greta is a nice young woman with an important message. But she is no longer more beloved here in Germany, because she wants our government not to stop using the available nuclear power plants. Germans having their own plan, and buying gas only from Russia has shown how crazy are their plans. 😉 xx Michael

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    • Oh, I wasn’t aware of that, Michael! I admire Greta greatly, but I can certainly understand why that would be a problem for Germany. Sigh. Nothing is easy anymore, is it? xx

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  4. Giggling has nothing to do with it. She is young and would never be a republican, as she ages. That’s what they don’t like.

    Im retired and when I worked, I obviously had to have certain hours at work, but I never felt I lived by the clock. Nor do I now. Half the time I don’t even know what day it is. I smell the roses too, but still am very aware of the mess the world is in and I most definitely tend to feel we have passed he tipping point on the environment..it’s too late unless some of these young people come up with some new unheard of technology to make a change.

    As for politics..it’s always been corrupt and until people WANT to become more educated and WANT to care about the planet and the equity of all life, it won’t matter.

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    • They also don’t like, I think, that she tweaks their conscience, for they KNOW that climiate change is real and that there is very little time to begin repairing the damage in earnest. Plus, of course, she is a female and the Republican males will NEVER admit that women are just as capable of intellect and knowledge as they are.

      I’m as busy today as when I worked 12-14 hour days, but that’s the way I like it … idle time drives me nuts! But, I do get what you’re saying … I know you are an astute observer of many things, particularly politics, and I know that like all of us, you get discouraged quite often. It’s part of life on the planet today, I think … not only here in the U.S., but in nearly every country, even Sweden this year!

      Hang in, Mary … try to find ways to feel more cheerful, even if it means tuning out of the news for a day or two. Hugs

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  5. I mean no disrespect, but a giggling Greta is going to give a lot of climate deniers the opportunity to say, “How can we take someone like that seriously!” We know they aren’t listening, just looking.
    Meanwhile, the world is being destroyed, and still not enough people care. Every airplane that takes off, every cruise ship that leaves port, and every vehicle that travels great distances across our world to bring us products that we don’t really need are all contributing to a future our children and their children will not be able to save.
    We live at such a pace that we have to do everything RIGHT NOW! When are we going to realize clocks are killing the world as surely as are the carbon fumes in the air and the nonbiodegradable microplastics we have filled our oceans with.
    I know it sounds ridiculous, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Without clocks, we would have time to smell the roses!

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    • I disagree with you 100% on this one, rg. She has matured into a delightful young woman and people DO take her seriously. It really isn’t necessary to completely wipe mirth and humour out of one’s life in order to be taken seriously, to be heard and valued. Her persona, the giggles and humour, just give balance to the seriousness of her mission. This young woman has already had a big impact, and I predict will continue to do so over the coming years. Anyone who doesn’t take her seriously because she is able to have a bit of fun, has a sense of humour, wouldn’t have taken her seriously anyway.

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  6. So sorry about the street urchins. They are everywhere unfortunately…a product of poor parenting and the hate filled times…
    The video is delightful.
    I’m worried about today..am voting this afternoon…I can no longer even watch the news and the dire predictions because in my heart, I know it’s likely true.

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    • Thanks, Mary. Yes, it was disturbing, to say the least. They were at it all summer, but last night’s attack was the worst yet. Apparently their bad behaviour is escalating and I don’t know how much more I can take. The management company that runs this apartment complex doesn’t care, won’t do a damn thing.

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the video … isn’t Greta just delightful?

      I agree … best thing is to turn off the news … I’m not even reading the articles that predict gloom and doom. I figure there’s still a pretty good chance that some of these buffoons like Walker, Vance, and Oz will not win, that the people with some sense in this nation will get out and vote! Hang in there, Mary. Hugs

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      • Yes, I hear the interviewer is quite popular in the UK … I thought he did a great job. While I have long been a big fan of Greta (even named my car after her) I was amazed by how mature she is, how well-spoken. She and others like her are the future of the human species!

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    • Thanks, Keith! Yes, there is a gang of about 15 of them, ranging in age from maybe 6 years up to 13-14 years old, and they think it’s great fun to harass the neighborhood. It’s happened before, but last night was the worst, and when Natasha and I stepped out, they moved threateningly toward us waving flashlights. That’s when we called the police. Every time it happens, I ask, “Where are the parents???” Sigh. I hope you enjoyed the video! Greta is pretty amazing, isn’t she?

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  10. Greta is an amazing young woman, and I have huge respect for her. This was a delightful video: as Russell Howard is a great comedian the laughter isn’t unexpected for me 😊

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    • Indeed she is! I’ve long admired her for what she does ever since she first came onto my radar with her school strikes. I think she is going to make a big difference in this world, and this video showed another side of her, one I hadn’t seen much of before! Yes, Bee told me that Russell Howard is quite popular over there … I hadn’t heard of him before, but I loved the way he conducted this interview. I even laughed … aloud!

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      • I hope world leaders take more notice of her than they have been doing: her message is too important to be ignored. Russell is a talented comedian as well as doing interviews on his show, which is always fun.

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        • So do I. I watched a clip from one of the speakers at this week’s COP27 and when the cameras panned the audience, they looked like they were bored to tears, some talking on cell phones or to each other, others just sitting there with a blank look on their face. I need to start addressing climate change and the environment more in my posts, for there is literally NO issue that is more important. I very much enjoyed Russell’s laid-back style, his humour. I’m going to see if I can catch some clips from his show …

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          • Did you see the one where Sunak had just been talking and they showed three in the audience: one said something and the others laughed?

            I’ve done a couple of Tuesday posts for the environment- might be some songs in there for you. There’s a lot of Russell on YouTube, both from his own show and his appearances on a show called Mock the Week. Plenty to be enjoyed there.

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            • Okay, now I’m confused! I thought Sunak said he didn’t have time to attend the COP27! And I thought Boris was going in his place. But, after reading your comment, I went in search of “Sunak COP27” and they showed a video clip of him being rushed out of the venue as if there were some threat or emergency. I’ll dig deeper later, after I’ve had some sleep and regained my equilibrium after these 8 hours or so of studying election results! But for now, I’m just confused.

              I’ll definitely check out some more of Russell’s YouTube videos … he’s fun! And, I’ll see if I can find your environmental music posts … later. For tonight, my brain is fried.

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              • Sunak, like all Tory leaders, is good at one thing: U-turns. He got so much grief for his decision that he had to go. Johnson wasn’t ever his replacement, just part of his ongoing ego trip. There’s another Sunak clip which shows the laughter – I guess those from other countries can see what a joke we are.

                Early reports from the elections say the results aren’t great, but not as bad as feared. Fingers crossed.

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                • Well good! He should get grief over it, especially the offhand way he said that he ‘didn’t have time’ … didn’t have time to preserve the environment so future generations can live??? That reduced him in my view by a notch or two. But, I’m glad he ultimately went. I haven’t looked for that clip yet, as I spent last night into this morning glued to election returns.

                  The results are a mixed bag, but I’m much happier than I expected to be. There was no ‘red wave’ as we kept hearing was going to be the outcome. In fact, a number of Republicans who the party was banking heavily on, lost. There were a number of disappointments, but no real shockers, most were predictable. One news outlet declared that the biggest loser of the night was, in fact, Donald Trump, for many of the candidates he backed, lost. That, in itself, is good news! And, contrary to my expectations, there has thus far (touch wood) been no violence.

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                  • Typical Tory arrogance. To make it even better he came back today for PM’s Questions and got roasted by Starmer.

                    Your results are better than I feared too. Now we get all the challenges and unfounded accusations of voter fraud, I guess.

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                    • I KNEW there was a reason I liked Starmer! I still haven’t found the clip you mentioned, but I did find an article in The Guardian about Sunak’s visit to the COP27, and it was definitely NOT complimentary! I wanted to like Sunak, partly because he seemed more intelligent than Boris, but … my like of him is fast fading. Was it him or Truss that kept King Charles away from the COP27? I’ve heard both.

                      Yes, our results weren’t perfect, but … they sent a message, I think, that We the People are fed up with lies, fed up with maga, fed up with bigotry, and fed up with those who would destroy our democratic foundations, such as they are. Still got my fingers crossed 🤞 for a couple of races in Arizona and one in Colorado.

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                    • Being more intelligent than Johnson isn’t difficult! On keeping KC3 away from COP27 the answer is both. Truss initially did it, Sunak then doubled down on it.

                      Hoping those other results go well. I’ve seen a news report that the Dems might be challenging some of the votes in Arizona on the grounds of voter suppression. Karma bites!

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                    • Yep, that’s what I’ve long said about Trump, too … my cat may have more intelligence. A question, because I truly don’t understand as much as I’d like about politics in the UK: Could King Charles (KC3 — I like that abbreviation!) have gone anyway? What would happen if he defied the wishes of the PM?

                      So far most are turning out pretty well. Arizona is still up in the air and likely will be until late Saturday, and Georgia will require a runoff on December 6th, since no candidate received 50%. But, I’m more optimistic than I expected to be.

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                    • We have a constitutional monarchy, under which the monarch takes advice from the prime minister and since KC2 was restored to the throne I don’t think that advice has ever been overridden. It would probably cause a constitutional crisis. It doesn’t help when the prime ministers are morons, though.

                      Keeping my fingers crossed for the US. It still terrifies me that enough vote for people like Walker that they get into a runoff though.

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                    • It’s a shame, though. One would think that Sunak would have been grateful to have such a resource attend the COP 27 on behalf of the UK. Ah well, just like here, the egos get in the way of actual governance.

                      Yes, I’m amazed that 1.9 million people voted for the big, dumb jock who has told so many lies that I cannot even keep up with them all. Said he graduated with honours from college — he actually dropped out. Said he worked in law enforcement both as a deputy sheriff and with the FBI — neither one has a shred of truth. Lied about paying for not one, but two abortions. Threatened to shoot his ex-wife. WHY THE HELL would anybody in their right mind vote for that person to sit in the Senate, making the laws that we all live under??? 🙄

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                    • Sigh. It is frightening … and it makes me wonder about hope for the future of humanity. If people find more value in a person’s ability to throw a football than they find in a person’s ability to create laws that will help humanity, help people survive, help the environment … then perhaps humanity is a failed experiment after all. The only thing that makes me question that is the many good people, like yourself, who I’ve known over the years. Surely humans are actually two distinct and separate sub-species? Sigh.

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                    • Actually, I’ve thought it many a time, but then I remember that back during the days of Jim Crow, Black people did have to take tests that were far beyond the level of education they were allowed at that time. My fear is that if all people had to take any form of test in order to vote, the tests, particularly in southern states, would be used to keep Blacks away from the polls. One party already finds enough ways to do that, so I wouldn’t want to put a tool in their hands to add to their discriminatory ways. So, I don’t know what the answer is. My guess is that eventually the fools will vote against their own best interests to the point that a dictatorship is handed the keys to the Oval Office and the Capitol, and after 20-30 years of strife and chaos, people will have to fight to restore a democratic form of government. Then, for a few decades they will appreciate it, until it is but a story handed down from generation to generation, then they will forget again. The Chinese say history is cyclic, and from what I’ve seen in my short 71 years, I’m inclined to agree.

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                    • I’m sure you’ve seen Roger’s comments, as he is my top commentor, I think … he goes by determineddespitewp? And it isn’t surprising that you two think alike in many things, for he is from your side of the pond … he lives in Wales.

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                    • Thank you, that’s really kind of you, and is reciprocated. I would imagine that like-minded people would gravitate towards your blog. Some people here actually like Johnson and his crew, but I doubt many of them would like your posts!

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                    • I’ve been doing some thinking about friendships and such, as you’ll see from my a.m. post in a bit, and my blogging family seems to have really replaced much of the friendship family I thought I had ten years ago. Most of those have gone by the wayside in light of my political views, but I now have a whole new set of friends/family. You’re right … those who don’t see things in the same light as I do, don’t stick around long. The exceptions are the ones like Orca Flotta, my old friend Scott Lawlor, and Dave of Seek the Truth, who DO stick around, but only so they can annoy and argue. Often I just ignore their comments, for I don’t have the time nor energy to delve into the argument.

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                    • Blogging has been the same for me, too. We tend to gather other bloggers around us who share our values. I’m lucky in that my posts are usually so bland as not to incite arguments- we shouldn’t fall out over musical tastes, or on subjects like mental health, should we?

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                    • I wouldn’t call your posts ‘bland’, but your topics aren’t controversial in the true sense of the word. Sure, we might banter about the Beatles vs Lionel Richie, but those aren’t life-threatening topics like some of mine tend to be. And no, mental health is far too serious to argue about … anybody making a snide comment there would be run off the internet by us all!

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                    • I didn’t set out to be controversial and probably couldn’t do it now if I tried! For me, my blog is a place I can feel comfortable and I wouldn’t feel good picking fights. I’ve only ever been trolled once on one of my mental health posts: I got my own back by writing a post about it 🤣

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                    • I don’t set out to be picking fights, but … my views are what they are and I pull no punches. I’ve had my share of haters and antagonists, but one a couple of years ago was a real wake up call when he threatened to find me and kill me. I had my lease and phone records transferred to my daughter’s name over that one. And then there’s always Scott and Orca. Scott has mental health issues and I try to overlook him, until he starts calling me names, then I block him for a while. Orca just likes attention, I think.

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                    • Wow, looks like the MAGAts found you. Hope that never happens again. I don’t recall seeing Scott, unless he goes by another name, but I’ve seen Orca: I just thought that was a troll trying to wind you up.

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                    • Scott is Scott Lawlor, though he uses numerous screen names trying to get around the fact that I moderate his comments. He’s been booted from Twitter twice. He and I used to be friends, and I still … try to be understanding. The Scott I once knew was a good man. Blind since birth, he writes and composes music, has two teenage children who he adores, and a wife who I think must be a very patient woman. He escalates — David thinks he is probably bipolar — and then once I finally stop even responding, he waits a few weeks, apologizes, and is once again a sensible, kind man … for a while. And then the cycle starts all over again. It’s funny you say that about Orca, because others have said the same, that she’s a Russian troll. Might be. I deleted her response to Roger today, as it was extremely rude and I simply don’t tolerate that.

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                    • He does, but no, it doesn’t excuse his rudeness. Yes, Orca is a woman! She was born and raised in Germany, but now lives in South Africa with her husband — no children, which is probably a good thing! And yes, I can see why you were thinking of a whale! 🐳

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    • Indeed, she is intelligent, passionate about saving the planet, and still very much fun! She’s had to fight hard to overcome her reticence, but I think she is one remarkable young woman … one who we could all learn from, if only we took the time to listen.

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