Why Do We Need Bigotry?

Posted on November 20, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Racism & Bigotry, Social commentary

A couple of news items crossed my path yesterday that had a common theme … bigotry. Bigotry takes many forms – misogyny, racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, Islamophobia and more – all of it ugly. The human species is the only one on earth that has this superiority complex, and I’ve yet to understand why.

A ‘big’ march …

Back in 2013, after George Zimmerman was acquitted in the murder of a young, unarmed black man named Trayvon Martin, a new movement came into existence: Black Lives Matter. In the years following, there were far too many incidences of police killing unarmed black people with little or no provocation, and the words, Black Lives Matter, sometimes shortened to BLM, became even more relevant as we came to realize that the U.S. is still very much a racist nation.

But then, some portion of the Caucasian population took umbrage at the phrase and started their own counter-movement, ‘All Lives Matter’. They questioned why black lives mattered more than white, for they lacked understanding. Nobody was saying that black lives mattered “more”, just that they mattered “too”. It was a statement of equality … a life is a life, whether the person’s skin is black, white, or green. Since the beginning of this nation, people of colour have been looked down on by society, and the time is past for us to stop that! That is what Black Lives Matter is about … equality.

But, it isn’t only black people who are discriminated against in this country. Jews, Muslims, Hispanics … and one of the most misunderstood groups, LGBTQ people.

Back in 1970, on June 28^th in New York City, there occurred what would become known as the first “Gay Pride” march, to mark the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. This was the birth of the Gay Pride movement … pride as opposed to shame or social stigma. Like the Black Lives Matter movement that would come later, it was about equality. But, just as with Black Lives Matter, bigots misunderstood the meaning.

In response to Gay Pride, or LGBT Pride, a relatively small group of people recently formed what they call “Straight Pride”. But that “Straight Pride” movement is not about equality … not in the least. It is a highly discriminatory movement, an anti-LGBT movement that seeks to harm. Fortunately, the movement has not gained much momentum and doesn’t appear to be taken seriously by very many.

Last Saturday, a group calling themselves the ‘Super Happy Fun Group’, planned a ‘Straight Pride’ march in Dallas, Texas. The group told their followers they were going to make a “mighty impact on Dallas” by marching through downtown on Saturday, “spreading the joys of straight pride” to all who would hear. Dallas police took the threat seriously and had a dozen uniformed and plainclothes officers on hand to protect the demonstrators from counter-protesters. The local paper, the Dallas Observer, sent a reporter to cover the event.

The turnout? Three people showed up to march in the ‘big parade’.Perhaps there is hope for this nation after all? Perhaps some people are getting tired of the hate and bigotry that is tearing this nation into bits? Is it too much to hope for? Yeah, probably.

A change of heart?

I’ve mentioned before my aversion to certain businesses that engage in discriminatory practices, such as Hobby Lobby and Chick-Fil-A. Of late, Chick-Fil-A has come under heavy criticism for their anti-LGBT practices, including making large donations to anti-LGBT groups. When Popeye’s came out with their chicken sandwich that is considered to be comparable to Chick’Fil-A’s famous chicken sandwich, Chick-Fil-A apparently began losing a significant amount of business.

Chick-fil-A announced Monday that it would no longer be making charitable donations to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army—two organizations with decidedly anti-LGBTQ stances. However, in years past Chick-fil-A had claimed to have distanced itself from the anti-LGBTQ cause, but its tax returns told a different story.

Time will tell if the company has truly changed its stance. I have my doubts.

Y’know, friends … we wouldn’t need Black Lives Matter or LGBT Pride movements if people just treated everyone with kindness, regardless of their skin colour, religion, gender preferences. The world is a big, sometimes scary place, and life is hard sometimes for most all of us. We’re all in this together, folks … why are there always some people who judge others based on the colour of their skin or other superficial criteria? Isn’t there enough hate in this world without adding to it senselessly? There is no room for this clannish, tribal mentality in today’s world. Women’s rights, civil rights, gay rights … those should not have to be fought for, they should be the natural order of things. Sigh.

Time For ‘Toons!

Posted on November 19, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Humour, Law and justice, Political commentary, Social commentary

I thought it was about time for a ‘toon post … a bit of humour to dull the pain of the 24/7 news cycle where we are always being bombarded with some new abomination.

There was one bright spot last Friday, when Roger Stone was convicted on all seven felony counts with which he was charged. Now, if ol’ Roger had been charged and convicted for every crime he’s ever committed, according to my calculations, he would be serving a 2,347 year sentence. The truth of the matter is I won’t be surprised if Trump pardons him, but let’s enjoy his downfall while we can.

Only trouble with this one is they made Trump look slim …

The thing that is on everybody’s mind, of course, are the ongoing impeachment hearings, and the cartoonists on both sides are having a field day.

Rather than either shutting up, or having some logical rebuttal to the witness testimonies, the republicans, most notably Jim Jordan, Devin Nunes, and Trump himself, are engaging in a smear campaign. Why, Trump even tried to blame former Ambassador Marie Yovanovich for the Civil War in Somalia!

And speaking of Jim Jordan …

Some in the GOP seem to be having a hard time these days. It must be difficult to have to give full support to a ‘man’ who has no values, no integrity, lies, cheats and steals. Surely some of them are considering whether Trump is worth them throwing away their own careers.

The foundation for our government is the U.S. Constitution. Presidents take an oath to protect and uphold the Constitution. The document has withstood many challenges over the past 232 years, but I have to question whether it can stand up to the constant shredding and burning it is being put through under Donald Trump and his cadre of oafs.

And just a few miscellaneous ‘toons …

Remember when the worst thing the opposition could find to criticize the president for was wearing a tan-coloured suit? I long for the good ol’ days.

I Feel A Snarky Snippet Coming On

Posted on November 19, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Law and justice, Political commentary

Yep, friends, I know it’s hard to believe, but I have still more snarky snippets in my pack! There’s just so much material … sigh. I am working on a piece about Stephen Miller that I started last week, but frankly I’m not sure when it will see the light of day. I can only wallow in the muck that is Mr. Miller for so long before I am physically ill and have to step back out for a while. Stephen Miller is perhaps the most evil person I’ve encountered in many years, perhaps ever. Anyway, to release some of the pent-up angst, I found plenty to snark about …

Loyalty … to the country, not the prez

The representative for my district is Warren Davidson, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, therefore a radical right-wing republican. Last evening, he posted on Twitter:

“Executive Branch employees swear to faithfully discharge the duties of their office. If they disagree with #POTUS they should resign, not join in a ‘resistance.’”

He was referring, of course, to Acting Ambassador to the Ukraine William Taylor and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent, both of whom testified before the House impeachment inquiry that Trump’s attempted extortion to force Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to open a false investigation of Joe Biden and his son, Hunter in exchange for military aid that was already approved, was disturbing, was wrong, and potentially damaging to the national security interests of both the Ukraine and the U.S. He referenced an OpEd in The Hill that claims, in a nutshell, that Trump can do whatever he pleases and that none of the people in his administration have a right to protest or to speak against his actions.

Bullshit. People who work in government do not work for the president. They work for We the People, and their loyalty is to the people of this nation, not the president. I well remember that Trump asked James Comey, former Director of the FBI, to sign a loyalty oath … an oath not to the country, but to Donald Trump. Comey refused. How many in the administration have signed such documents, though, that we don’t know about? This, my friends, is unconstitutional, plain and simple.

Mr. Taylor and Mr. Kent were acting appropriately and were courageously putting the best interests of this nation before the megalomaniac in the Oval Office. They were concerned with the manner in which foreign policy is being conducted, more like mafia tactics than respectable government negotiations. Not to mention, they were legally obligated to honour the subpoena by the House, which some in the Trump administration seem to have forgotten. My hat is off to both of these gentlemen. As for Mr. Davidson … I will work diligently to help people in his district see that he is a greedy, manipulative authoritarian who deserves to be given the boot next year.

Pardon Me?

When due process of law takes place, it should not be overridden by the ‘man’ in the Oval Office. Let’s get something straight here … Donald Trump is, for better or for worse, the president, but he is not the king, of the United States. Most presidents use their power as needed, but try not to abuse it, and try to act in the best interest of the country. Donald Trump is the polar opposite.

Major Matthew Golsteyn of the Army Special Forces was awaiting trial on charges that he murdered an unarmed Afghan in 2010.
Army First Lieutenant Clint Lorance was convicted at trial in 2013 for ordering the shooting of a group of civilians in Afghanistan, an order he then tried to cover up.
Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher of the Navy SEALs was charged with the murder of a captive in Iraq but was acquitted this summer of all charges except for the minor charge of posing for a photo with a corpse.

Last week, Donald Trump used his pardon pen to pardon these three war criminals, one of whom had not yet even been convicted. This is a bit different from your run-of-the-mill pardon. These pardons were issued against the advice of top defense officials and are largely seen as a sign of disregard not only for the decisions of military juries, but for the judicial process itself.

Oddly, the majority of the military’s rank-and-file are supportive of Trump. This surprises me, for he has done nothing for them, has done nothing for veterans, and even attempted to rip off veterans when he promised a donation from his charity, then attempted to renege. So … what’s the allure? But, the top brass are less enamoured with Trump, especially after these three pardons. Privately, many worried that Trump’s actions could erode discipline by sending a message to troops and commanders that in some cases the laws of war would not apply.

He doesn’t understand, he doesn’t think, he doesn’t care. Speculation is that he will also pardon Roger Stone … what a farce this government is becoming.

Sometimes it backfires!

You have to love this one. U.S. House representative Elise Stefanik played a role in last Friday’s impeachment hearings, accusing Democratic committee chairman, Adam Schiff, of trying to silence her and other members of her party, “simply because we are Republicans.” She also rather contentiously questioned the former United States ambassador to Ukraine, Marie L. Yovanovitch, who was testifying before the committee.

Donald Trump was pretty pleased with her, tweeting …

“A new Republican Star is born. Great going @EliseStefanik!”

I had to chuckle, though, for this one actually helped Ms. Stefanik’s opponent in next year’s election, Tedra Cobb! Ms. Cobb’s campaign received more than $1 million in donations over the weekend! One such contributor was none other than Kellyanne’s hubby, George Conway, who donated $2,800. Others included George Takei and Mark Hamill.

And, just because I sense you guys need a few laughs, I give you … Seth Meyers as he summarizes last week with humour for us!

Jolly Monday … Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Posted on November 18, 2019 by jilldennison under animals, Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Humour, Politic-Free Mondays, Political commentary

Good Monday morning, my friends! Come in, shed those coats for it’s nice and toasty in here. Jolly and I have had the oven on all morning, baking up some special goodies for our friends, so it’s almost hot in here. How was your weekend? Mine was just a bit hectic, but no complaints. My only complaint is that I need to find a way to slow down time by about 50%! Here Thanksgiving is just over a week away, and Christmas only about 4 weeks after that! I do have a few … well two … Christmas gifts bought, but … I cannot even take credit for those, as Miss Goose found them and picked them out for the boys … all I did was provide the money. Anyway, if any of you know where the knob is to dial back the speed of time a bit, would you please let me know?

I hope you brought your appetite along, for we really have been baking all morning. I apologize in advance, though, for I got a late start, and Jolly Monday may be just a bit shorter today than some other weeks. But, as long as it starts your week off with a smile, then that’s the important thing, yes?

And, for you bacon-lovers …

Larry’s bacon

A most undesirable job …

A friend sent me this the other day …

‘Hallmark Dream Job’ offers $1,000 to watch 24 Christmas movies

“We’re looking for a lover of all things Christmas, G-Rated romcoms, and too-close-to-home family dramas to watch 24 Hallmark Christmas movies in 12 days. We want you to have opinions-lots of them! Think the grumpy Grandpa turned jolly Santa was a little overdone? Felt like the plot was a bit half-baked? Be as honest as possible in your review.”

Applicants have to send a short video explaining why they would be perfect for the job. The winner will receive $1,000, a streaming service subscription and a “movie watching kit” including cookies, cocoa, a mini Christmas tree and some Hallmark merchandise.

Sorry, folks, but there would have to be a much bigger prize at the end of the day than $1,000 to get me to sit through 24 sappy Hallmark Christmas movies … I’m thinking I might consider it for a half-million dollars … might.

World’s most polite firefighters

Parts of Australia, just like California, have been suffering dreadful wildfires this autumn. Paul Sekfy’s home in New South Wales, Australia, came into the line of the fires last week, but luckily firefighters were on the scene. They fought valiantly, and while they were unable to save his outbuildings, they did manage to save the main house.

When Mr. Sekfy was able to return to his house, he found a note from the firefighters …The firefighters, exhausted, hungry and thirsty after hours without food or water, had helped themselves to the milk in Mr. Sekfy’s fridge. It seems they also ate some peanut butter and cheese, but Mr. Sekfy doesn’t mind one bit …

“They don’t have to pay back the milk, I’ll just sort them a couple of cases of beer.”

And it’s only 10,000 calories!

I can only eat about ½ of a burger (hamburger/beef burger) at a time anyway, especially if it’s accompanied by a few fries (chips), so I’m probably not the best judge, but it seems to me this is an awful lot of burger …No, it wasn’t done as some promotion, nor was it done for a Guinness record … this is actually on the menu at a restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand. Chris Steaks and Burgers is offering a 10,000 baht ($330) prize for anyone who can finish the mammoth snack in nine minutes. So far, three people have actually succeeded.

The burger consists of a 13-pound patty (beef or pork), covered in fried onion rings, bacon and mayonnaise. The cost for the beef burger is 2,500 baht ($82.75) and the pork one 3,500 baht ($115.86). Any takers on that challenge?

I found a few ‘toons ‘n funny pics for your Monday morning viewing pleasure …

And one especially for you, Hugh …

And, I cannot forget the cute animal video … this week’s is critters playing in the snow!

And that, my friends, is all we’ve got time for today! You guys need to go earn a living, and I need to go earn my keep here by doing laundry and cleaning the house, plus Miss Goose is insisting that I get out some Christmas decorations today. Sadly, they are all buried somewhere in the mess of my closet. If you don’t see any further posts from me for a few days, you can assume I never made it out of the closet. Keep safe and have a wonderful week, my friends. And, as always, please … share a smile and maybe even a hug with someone who might really need one today. Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

Snarky Snippets: Filosofa Growls

Posted on November 17, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Law and justice, Political commentary, Rants, Social commentary

I awoke this morning to an odd noise that I couldn’t seem to pinpoint. At first I thought it was a car motor outside, but everywhere in the house I went, the noise stayed the same. I asked the girls if they could hear the noise (my hearing is strange … I don’t hear what is there, and I often hear that which doesn’t exist), and they said they heard it only when I was near. Hmmmm … a mystery. Well, we finally figured out that it was a low, growling sound emanating from somewhere deep in my throat. Well, you all know what that means, right? It means that it’s time for … Snarky Snippets!

Donald Trump, whose claim to fame is firing people, who even had a television show that was based solely, from what I’ve heard, on him screaming, “You’re Fired!” every week, is in firing mode this month. The latest in a series was Matthew Doherty, who until last week served as executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. What, you may ask, did Mr. Doherty do wrong? Nothing, as far as I can discern, but the timing is interesting.

The council was created in 1987 and is supposed to coordinate the government’s approach to tackling homelessness. It is unclear who will lead the organization now. Trump has recently promised to take action against California’s homelessness problem, arguing that homelessness hurts the quality of life and the “prestige” of some of its largest cities. One measure that has been discussed is razing the tent camps that house many homeless.

Did Trump fire Mr. Doherty because Doherty is a man of integrity and refused to go along with Trump’s inhumane ideas? And think about it … what does Trump plan to DO with the homeless people? Remember, we are talking about people here, not just some things that are lying about detracting from the “prestige” of the cities. Will he throw the children in cages? Since for the most part these people are citizens, not immigrants, he cannot send them “back where they came from”, so will he throw the adults into the Pacific Ocean and say, “Sink or swim”?

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Remember those tax cuts for the wealthy that Trump & Congress so generously approved in December 2017? One of the beneficiaries of those tax cuts came onto my radar just this morning. In 2017, the year prior to the implementation of the new tax cuts, FedEx paid $1.5 billion in taxes. Last year, however, was a different story … last year FedEx paid -0- in taxes. That’s right, folks … almost ever single person reading this post paid more taxes in 2018 than the corporation that saw a net income of $4.57 billion in fiscal 2018. Let that one sink in for a minute.

Now, the rationale for the tax cuts on corporations was that the companies would use the extra money they had on investments that would create more jobs … you know, that ‘trickle down’ theory that has never worked and never will work. Well, the company spent less in the 2018 fiscal year than it had projected in December 2017, before the tax law passed. It spent even less in 2019. Much of its savings have gone to reward shareholders: FedEx spent more than $2 billion on stock buybacks and dividend increases in the 2019 fiscal year, up from $1.6 billion in 2018, and more than double the amount the company spent on buybacks and dividends in fiscal year 2017.

In a nutshell, the country’s national debt is higher than ever before, the budget deficit (you remember, the one that republicans were so concerned about when Obama was president?) is in the tank, but a lot of rich people got even richer, thanks to their rich friends in the U.S. Congress and in the Oval Office.

Oh, and one last thing … this year, FedEx cut back on employee bonuses in an effort to reduce labour costs.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Just so you know, my friends, Attorney General William Barr says that We the People (those of us who still use our brains to think) are “undermining the rule of law”. Yes, that’s right. Trump can break the law, trample the Constitution, and even shoot someone on Fifth Avenue, but it is those of us who disagree with him that are undermining the rule of law!

“Immediately after President [sic] Trump won election, opponents inaugurated what they called ‘The Resistance’ and they rallied around an explicit strategy of using every tool and maneuver to sabotage the functioning of the executive branch and his administration. The fact of the matter is: that in waging a scorched-earth, no-holds-barred war of resistance against this administration, it is the left that is engaged in the systemic shredding of norms and undermining the rule of law.”

He forgets that after Barack Obama won the presidency in 2008, it was the right that formed the Tea Party movement, and republicans in Congress who conspired to oppose every effort put forward by the incoming administration. He forgets that the Koch brothers initiated the “Tea Party” movement immediately after Obama’s election, to shout down democratic lawmakers, protest in the streets and at state capitols across the nation, and even protest violently outside of the U.S. Capitol building. Some of them reportedly spit on lawmakers as they were walking into Congress to vote on healthcare legislation, and some called black lawmakers the N-word.

Yet it is those of us who want the madman out of the Oval Office, who wish to restore some integrity and intelligence to the position of president, who are “undermining the rule of law”???????

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Okay, folks, I think I’ve growled so much that my throat hurts, so I’ll stop here and leave you with a bit of humour.

Snarky Snippets, Volume #105

Posted on November 15, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, education, Law and justice, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, religion, Social commentary

That’s right, folks, this is the 105^thversion of Snarky Snippets!!! The concept started as just one post on a day that I didn’t have a major topic, but had several little things I wanted to write about. Several commentors suggested I should do this more often, so I began writing snarky snippets once a week or so. Nowadays, however, it is more like 3-4 times a week! This morning I wondered if I had done one hundred yet, so I did a quick keyword search and came up with 104, making this the 105^th! I start with some rather cheering news to kick off the weekend …

Roger goes down in flames!

Well, folks, you know how Trump has said that the Mueller investigation into the ways in which Russia interfered with our 2016 election and who may have been involved within Trump’s campaign, is naught but a ‘hoax’, a ‘witch hunt’, and that nobody has been convicted of anything? WRONG! Just this morning, Trump’s long-time friend, ally and former aide was convicted on all seven felony counts with which he had been charged! ALL SEVEN!

The friendship between Stone and Trump dates back more than 40 years. Does anybody really believe that Stone was involved, but that Trump knew nothing about it? I don’t. Trump did not testify in person in the Mueller investigation, but rather submitted answers in writing to the questions posed by Mueller and his team. In one such answer, he claimed that he could not recall the specifics of any of 21 conversations he had with Mr. Stone in the six months before the election.

Stone is the sixth individual to be convicted on charges stemming from the Mueller investigation. The others are:

Rick Gates, Trump’s former deputy campaign chairman
Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security advisor
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former longtime attorney and “fixer”
George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign aide
Paul Manafort, Stone’s former partner

Remember how, after the Mueller report was released and Attorney General William Barr gave his misleading summation of the report, Trump kept screeching, “No obstruction, No collusion!” It was a lie then, we all knew it was a lie, and Stone’s conviction proves the lie. I wonder what ol’ Trumpie will have to say now?

Stone’s sentencing will be interesting. On one count alone, he could face up to 20 years, which at age 67 could amount to a life sentence. It is anticipated that he will receive a lighter sentence, but then again … remember when he posted a picture of Judge Amy Berman Jackson with the cross hairs of a gun near her head? Might not go so well for him after all.

Ohio wants to “Make America Stupid Again”

Most days, I am ashamed to say that I live in the state of Ohio. Like any other state, it has its ups and downs, but since the state’s electoral votes went for Trump in 2016, I would just as soon live in Bangladesh or somewhere. Today’s latest had me picking up my jaw from the floor where it had dropped.

A proposal in Ohio would allow students to be exempted from answering questions correctly in school if their wrong answers conform with their personal religious beliefs. In essence, a student wouldn’t be penalized if their answers were scientifically wrong, even if they’re in a science class or science-based school.

In part, the bill reads that no school “shall prohibit a student from engaging in religious expression in the completion of homework, artwork, or other written or oral assignments.” So, for example, if a young person answers on a test that the earth is flat, his/her answer cannot be counted wrong as long as he or she claims it is what is taught by their religion??? Science is factual, not subject to the whims of one religion or another. The U.S. Constitution calls for a separation of church and state. This bill is discriminatory, for if two children both get the answer to question #14 wrong, but one claims it was a result of her religious beliefs, then she will not have it counted against her, while the other will. Discrimination!

The proposal has already been passed as a bill in the Ohio state House of Representatives. It now goes to the Republican-led Senate, where, if passed, it would move onto Republican Governor Mike DeWine’s office for his signature. I swear if this one passes, I’m moving to a different state!

Only in Kentucky …

I have a number of friends who live in Kentucky, so I am not putting down the state per se, but let’s face it, this is the state that keeps sending Mitch McConnell back to the Senate time and time again … says something, don’t you think?

Well, this latest has nothing to do with politics, but it crossed my radar last night and I let out a WTF before I could catch myself. The headline reads …

Kentucky man wins 3-year court battle to put ‘IM GOD’ on license plate

Back in 2016, the man, one Ben Hart, ordered personalized plates, otherwise known as ‘vanity plates’ for obvious reasons. He requested the plates read “IM GOD”, but was turned down by the state Department of Transportation. Some things are just deemed to be inappropriate. Most people would have just picked something else, or given up on the personalized plates altogether, but not Ben Hart.

He took the state to court, aided by the American Civil Liberties Union in Kentucky and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Three years this has been in process, until finally on Wednesday a U.S. District Court judge in Frankfort ruled in favor of Hart, saying personalized license plates are private speech, and protected under the 1st Amendment. 🙄

I wonder how much money was spent on this foolishness?

Well, folks, that’s a wrap for today’s episode of Snarky Snippets! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Filosofa Reflects …

Posted on November 14, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Personal, Random, Social commentary

You all remember Snap, Crackle and Pop of Rice Krispies fame? Last night, after working for a few hours on emails, posts, comments, etc., I stood to refill my coffee cup, and I distinctly heard those three characters … in my knees. And hips. And feet. What the …??? It’s likely not the first time I had heard this cacophony of sounds, but … perhaps the first time it penetrated the fog that surround my brain and allowed me to realize that sound was coming, not from a box of cereal, but from ME! Yes, those were my body parts crackling, snapping, and popping! What can this possibly mean??? OH NO!!!

I’m OLD!!!

Seriously, though … there comes a point in our lives where we look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “who is that?” Or, “how did I get to this point, and where have the years gone?”

At this point, once we accept that we are no longer 30 years old, and no longer have the world on a string, we reflect. We look back on the years and ask ourselves some tough questions. Was I a good person? If there is a scorecard, did I give more than I took? Did my life have purpose, in the grand scheme of things? What was my single greatest achievement in life? What was my worst mistake, and did I atone for it in some way? And the real kicker … if I had it to do over again, what would I do differently?

Thing is, though, that the answers on Tuesday might be entirely different from the answers on Friday. Take that first question, for example. “Was I a good person?” Well, first of all, define “good”. There was the time that I threatened to beat a lady with a shovel for taking too long checking out at a local market. I wasn’t very good that day. But then, there was the time that I gave a family $1,000 that was most of my own bank account at Christmas to buy gifts for their children. Does one outweigh or offset the other?

And, about that “single greatest achievement in life” … is it my children? Well, one child now. That one child is making a difference in the world every day. She is a nurse, and one who entered the field because she wanted to help people, to dedicate her life to others. I gave birth to her, taught her all of life’s important lessons, taught her to think for herself. Do I get a brownie point for that? No, I think that point belongs on her scorecard.

I spent some 30 years as an accountant … more than once, I compared the field of accounting to a career in prostitution, reckoning that the most successful accountants sold their souls upriver. Twice during my career, I quit jobs rather than break the law or sacrifice my integrity. Does that make me a good person? Doubtful, as somebody else simply stepped in to do the dirty work.

On to another question, then. Did I give more than I took? This one is easy … or is it? I think that yes, I did, but then … did I really? I first thought the answer was a resounding “yes”, but then … I look around. I have given small amounts from time to time to a variety of humanitarian organizations, but … I have also lived a life of convenience. It is snowing outside, and my heat is set at a comfortable 72°. I have a refrigerator and freezer full of food, a chicken is simmering in the crock pot, and quite literally, I want for nothing. Or at least nothing that money can buy. I am not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but neither am I suffering. I spent $89 at the grocery today, $10 of which was for a bottle of wine to help me relax enough to sleep at night, and $5 of which was to purchase the aforementioned chicken. Some people are living on $25 or less for a week. More to the point, perhaps, some people would not see a chicken killed for their own pleasure, so here again, I fail.

So, at the end of the day, I could compare myself to some and be seen as a good person, or to others and be seen as a total dud, a failure. So, the question really is, I think, whether we, each and every one of us, believe we did our best, gave our all. For me, I am not proud of all the times I have put self ahead of the greater good, but neither will I kick myself for the times I have failed, for through failure I have learned.

As we get older, as we come to realized that our lives are on the downhill side, we ask ourselves the questions, we contemplate whether we might have done more … and I think that we will, if we are honest with ourselves, come up lacking. But you know what? I think that just the fact we take the time to ask the questions, to look back, to assess and analyze, says something about our character. I hope that at the end of the day, more people will remember me with a smile than with a scowl.

Filosofa’s Mini Rants

Posted on November 14, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Election 2018, Global Issues, Law and justice, Political commentary

Because I cannot afford a new computer at the moment, I shan’t write about today’s impeachment proceedings except to say that should Jim Jordan and I ever run into each other in person, his head is likely to look like a rotten turnip once I am done bashing it! Since it is not prudent for me to write about the proceedings today, I figured a few snarky snippets or mini rants might alleviate some of the pressure in my head.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell posted the following on Twitter last evening …

“Critical legislation is currently frozen in place. Casualties of Democrats’ apparent inability to make headway on anything besides fighting with the White House.”

Seriously, Mitchie??? How many bills have been passed by the House that are sitting somewhere in your office because you refuse to even bring them to the Senate floor for a vote??? This was the most hypocritical statement I have ever heard! The House is doing its job at the moment, investigating the criminal activities of the person sitting in the Oval Office. You’ll get your chance to try, and hopefully convict him soon. Meanwhile, why not earn your fat paycheck by passing some of the legislation that has been sent to you by the House?You could start with … For The People Act to secure America’s elections, expand voting rights, and get money out of politics. It was passed by the House and sent to the Senate 250 days ago! The election is in less than 12 months, and your fat patootie is still sitting on the bill to ensure the integrity of the election. Do Your JOB, Mitchell!

Gonna need a new computer after all if I keep beating the lettering off the keys …

U.S. representative Devin Nunes from California is an idiot. There has never been any doubt. I’m seriously considering reprising my Idiot of the Week feature for people like Jim Jordan, Mitch McConnell, and Devin Nunes! The man once co-sponsored an act to discourage frivolous lawsuits, but yet he himself seems to be ‘sue-crazy’. In just the past two years, he has sued …

A stone fruit farmer in Dinuba, and two other people, for conspiring to damage his 2018 reelection by asking that Nunes not be allowed to call himself a “farmer” on the ballot.
The research firm Fusion GPS and a Democratic group called Campaign for Accountability for attempting to interfere with his “investigation” (quote marks are mine) into ties between President Trump and Russia when he was chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
Twitter and a couple of parody accounts, including @DevinCow, who has called Nunes “a treasonous cowpoke.” He is asking for $250 million to assuage his hurt feelings.
McClatchy, parent company of Nunes’ hometown paper, the Fresno Bee, for writing that he had a financial interest in a winery sued by an employee who was asked to work on a charity cruise where men behaved very, very badly.
And, most recently, Esquire magazine and the journalist Ryan Lizza, who Nunes claims have defamed him to the tune of $75 million in writing about the Nunes family dairy farm, which is not in California, but in Iowa.

Sheesh … is he trying to compete with Donald Trump for the Guinness World Record of most lawsuits?

I could actually write an entire post about Nunes, but he’s not worth that much of my time or energy, so I will confine myself to his latest antics. Now, Nunes is a conspiracy theorist … almost as much of one as Alex Jones! Back in 2018, he came up with some long-winded theory that the FBI was conspiring against Trump. As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Nunes participated in yesterday’s impeachment hearings … the ones I’m not writing about tonight.

Nunes began with an opening statement which included a misleading claim that Democrats on the committee had tried to “obtain nude pictures of Trump from Russian pranksters who pretended to be Ukrainian officials.” Then he went on to allege that the Ukraine whistleblower who reported Trump’s call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was “acknowledged to have a bias against President Trump” and falsely claimed that the whistleblower’s “attorney touted a ‘coup’ against the president.”

Nunes also falsely claimed that Trump’s July 25 phone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was to express “concerns about foreign corruption,” even though Trump did not mention “corruption” once on the call. Nunes also falsely claimed that the “officials’ alarm at the president’s actions was typically based on second-hand, third-hand and even fourth-hand rumors and innuendo,” even though multiple witnesses testified about first-hand interactions with Trump and with others.

Here’s another one whose head should be made to look like a rotten turnip!

Oh, and now that you’ve gone and mentioned Trump …

The president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, arrived at the White House today for a visit with Donald. Don and Recep have a close relationship, there are ties that bind them. Back in 2015, after Trump threw his hat in the ring, he did an interview with then-Breitbart host Steve Bannon. When asked about how he would deal with Turkey if he were to become president …

“I have a little conflict of interest because I have a major, major building in Istanbul. It’s called Trump Towers — two towers, instead of one. … And I’ve gotten to know Turkey very well. They’re amazing people. They’re incredible people. They have a strong leader.”

Yep, straight from the horse’s mouth … a “little conflict of interest”. But wait, it gets even better. Two of Erdoğan’s sons-in-law play a role here. One is Turkey’s Minister of Finance, and deals directly with Trump and Trump’s own son-in-law, Jared Kushner (you remember, the one who lied on his security clearance forms and was, therefore, not given the highest level security clearance?). The other son-in-law is actually a Trump business partner and advisor.

After a phone conversation between Trump and Erdoğan last month, Trump pulled our troops out of Syria, leaving Erdoğan to invade the Kurdish-held lands and devastate our allies, the Kurds. And yet, Trump praised Erdoğan …

“We’ve been friends for a long time, almost from day-one. We understand each others’ country. We understand where we are coming from. They’re highly respected in their country and in the region.”

Understands??? Trump understands NOTHING! Another dictator that Trump praises and claims a kinship with, while he feeds our allies to the sharks.

Well, I thought this little rant might help me calm down, get rid of some of the angst residing within my head, but it has only made it worse. Perhaps a little snack …

Jolly Monday Wishes A Happy Birthday To Sesame Street!!!

Posted on November 11, 2019 by jilldennison under animals, Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, education, Humour, Politic-Free Mondays

Welcome to another episode of Jolly Monday on this cold Monday morn. This is a special day in many ways, but one of those ways is that it is Remembrance Day (Canada and the Commonwealth countries) and Veteran’s Day (in the U.S.), a day to remember and honour those who died while in military service. I’ll have more about that in a later post today, but I just wanted to mention it here. Well, toss your coats over there, and grab a nice hot drink and a snack off the table, for I have a couple of cool things to bring smiles to those blue lips this morning!

Sorry guys, no bacon today! I forgot to buy any, and I used the last of it last week!

🎈 Happy Birthday Sesame Street!!! 🎈

The anniversary was actually yesterday, November 10^th, but since yesterday was Sunday, there was no appropriate venue for me to celebrate, so we are celebrating this event one day late. Do you know what the event is? I’ll give you a hint … 1969. Still don’t know? Okay, how about this … Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Elmo, Bert & Ernie … NOW you got it? That’s right, folks, it was fifty years ago yesterday that Sesame Street made its television debut!

The show was the brainchild of Joan Ganz Cooney, a former documentary producer for public television. Cooney’s goal was to create programming for preschoolers that was both entertaining and educational. She also wanted to use TV as a way to help underprivileged 3- to 5- year-olds prepare for kindergarten. “Sesame Street” was set in a fictional New York neighborhood and included ethnically diverse characters and positive social messages. There was Linda, the librarian who taught sign language, and Tarah who taught us about wheelchairs …

Sesame Street taught ABCs and 123s, but also much more … it taught our children about diversity and acceptance, taught them how to deal with tough situations and emotions. And most important of all, it made learning completely painless and even fun!

They had a foster child character, an HIV-positive character, and once Elmo even testified before Congress! When Will Lee who played the shopkeeper Mr. Hooper, died unexpectedly of a heart attack, Sesame Street tackled the concept of death …

Well, okay, now I’ve gone and made you cry on Jolly Monday. But, say ‘Hi’ to the gang over at Sesame Street, wish them a Happy 50th Birthday, and then I promise to make you laugh!

Big Foot has been STOLEN!

Police in Florida are seeking information on the disappearance of an unusual piece of property — a 300-pound Bigfoot statue.The Boynton Beach Police Department said the 8-foot-tall Sasquatch statue was stolen from in front of a store called Mattress Monsterz in October.

“Bigfoot is missing,” the department tweeted.

But if you think that’s bad …

In Marysville, Ohio (I used to work at the Honda plant in Marysville!) thieves made off with a roller coaster!!!The Union County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a white, Dodge Ram with a flatbed that was spotted by a traffic camera taking the roller coaster.The roller coaster, which is worth about $50,000, has alligator-themed cars that measure 20 feet in length.

Who the heck steals a roller coaster??? What are they thinking they can do with it … give it to their kids for Christmas? Set it up in the back yard? Sheesh.

Campus parking fines payable by … WHAT???

This one caught my eye, and while I expected to find humour, and I did, I also found something kind of nice. I never had to pay parking fines during my undergrad years, but when I went to grad school, I racked up quite a few. They were all written off thanks to a couple of kindly profs, but still …

This happened at University of Alaska in Anchorage. Students can pay outstanding parking fines with donations of peanut butter and jelly for fellow students facing hunger.

“Any nut butter-almond, cashew, peanut butter- or any flavor jam, jelly, marmalade, preserves, etc. will be accepted. All donations must be commercially produced (no home canning), unopened and not expired.”

The jars will be distributed through the UAA Emergency Food Cache at the UAA Student Health and Counseling Center. Two jars can erase $10 worth of fines, while five jars eliminates $60.

I think that’s really nice, don’t you?

Time for a few ‘toons, don’t you think?

And a few cute or funny pictures

I’m sorry guys … I just couldn’t resist! You know I don’t mean it, right? Right? Guys???

And that wraps up another …

{pssssst … Gwammie … did ya forget about the aminamal video?}

Oh … Jolly just reminded me … how could I possibly end Jolly Monday without a cute animal video???

Okay, folks, this is really it for this morning, for some of you have jobs (you know, the kind where they pay you to go there and do work?), and others of us have … um … jobs that pay only in the currency of personal satisfaction! Please, remember to share those lovely smiles with others you see today … speak kindly, for you don’t know what people are dealing with. Have a great week, dear friends! Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

Afternoon ‘Toons!

Posted on November 9, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Environmental Issues, Global Issues, Humour, Law and justice, Political commentary, Social commentary

The first thing I saw in the news this morning made my blood boil … the republicans in the House of Representatives are requesting that Hunter Biden and the whistleblower be subpoenaed to testify before the investigative committees. First, Hunter Biden? They have no reason to ask Hunter Biden to testify … that is harassment of a private citizen without cause. But even worse, is their “demand” that the whistleblower testify. That is akin to painting a big, red target on his or her back. It would almost certainly be signing his/her death warrant, given the crazies in the Trump camp that are running around fully loaded for bear. So, I knew that anything I would write at the moment would be a rant. It’s Saturday, and this afternoon I will be going out for lunch and a bit of shopping with the girls, so I really don’t want to be in a growlie mood. So, instead I decided to look at some of those brilliant political cartoons and at least maybe have a chuckle or two, at the expense of the idiots in Washington.

Lindsey Graham. Sigh. Lindsey seemingly has no conscience, is two-faced, and seemingly goes in whichever direction he perceives the winds of fortune to be blowing, even if it means stabbing a friend in the back, as he once did his ‘best friend’, John McCain. More recently, ol’ Lindsey, who fully supported Bill Clinton’s impeachment back in 1998-1999, is refusing to even do his job, says he won’t even read the transcripts from the impeachment investigations.

Since long before he took office, Trump has called climate change a ‘hoax’. Since taking office, he has actively done everything in his power to add to the problem, to decimate and destroy our environment. He has long said that he would take the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord, making us the only nation on the planet not committed to doing everything in our power to keep the planet from becoming uninhabitable. Last week, he kept that “promise”, and took the first step toward pulling out of the Accord. It was a sad day for the citizens of this nation, and one that will ultimately make us the pariah, the most hated nation on earth. Climate change is real, folks … it’s Trump who is the hoax!

Trump recently announced that he is changing his state of residence from New York to Florida. I don’t recall what b.s. excuse he gave, but the reality is it’s naught but a tax dodge. New Yorkers cheered, while Floridians drowned their sorrows in either a bar or the rising sea tides.

I rather thought this looked more like Boris than Donnie …

There was some good news last Tuesday, as people in states like Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania used their vote to tell the nation that they are fed up with the GOP corruption running rampant in the Era of Trump.

And, of course, as I mentioned in my opening blurb, there is the whistleblower and the fact that the GOP is basically calling for his/her execution …

And, of course, there is that proverbial ‘elephant in the room’, the looming impeachment, which I hope succeeds beyond our wildest dreams and that Trump is booted out of the White House before the end of the year! Yeah, I know, I’m dreaming.

And, to offset any angst you might be feeling … take a look at this … guaranteed to give you a chuckle. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, my friends!

Filosofa's Word

Cogito Ergo Sum

Category Archives: Bits ‘n Pieces

I Feel A Snarky Snippet Coming On

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Jolly Monday Wishes A Happy Birthday To Sesame Street!!!