Overdue Snarky Snippets

Posted on October 16, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Global Issues, Law and justice, Political commentary

I’ve been nice lately. I did a Happy Thanksgiving post for our friends in Canada, an Indigenous Peoples’ Day post, a Jolly Monday, and a Good People post. But, all that niceness … it simply is not sustainable and sooner or later, the steam must be vented.

And so, my friends, hang onto your hats, for there is a bunch of snarkiness built up from the past few days.

Ignorance, arrogance, greed, and narcissism run in the Trump family. Look at Donald, but even his children … Don Jr. is as big of an a$$hole as his father, Eric is a joke, Ivanka is as arrogant as they come. But … the disease seems to run to in-laws as well! Take a look at what Eric’s wife, Lara, said yesterday about Trump foolishly pulling U.S. troops out of Syria, leaving our Kurdish allies vulnerable to attack by Turkey …

“I think we should start with the fact that if you ask the average American out there, I think they would have to Google ‘Who are the Kurds, and why is America even over there fighting this war?’ I think the president though has always been very direct about this, he said from the very beginning that he wanted to pull out of Syria, now he is almost 3 years into his presidency and he’s doing it now, so it shouldn’t be a surprise, and I don’t think the people should be hesitant to partner with the United States in any way as result of this.”

So, because the “average American” is ignorant in foreign affairs and might not know who the Kurds are, it’s okay for us to leave them open to being slaughtered? One word for Lara Trump: bitch.

Oh, and speaking of the U.S. troops pulling out of Syria and the fool who ordered such a move, here’s another take from another nutty republican. This time, it’s former VP Dick Cheney’s daughter, Liz, who happens to be a U.S. representative from Wyoming. While she admits that Trump’s decision was a bad one, by her reckoning it’s the democrats fault Trump made that decision because … wait for it … Trump was too distracted by the impeachment proceedings! Seriously, folks, is there something funny being put into the drinking water of republicans?

And speaking, again, of the troops being pulled out of Syria … read what Donnie had to say last night on his usual venue, Twitter, about it …

“After defeating 100% of the ISIS Caliphate, I largely moved our troops out of Syria. Let Syria and Assad protect the Kurds and fight Turkey for their own land. I said to my Generals, why should we be fighting for Syria and Assad to protect the land of our enemy? Anyone who wants to assist Syria in protecting the Kurds is good with me, whether it is Russia, China, or Napoleon Bonaparte. I hope they all do great, we are 7,000 miles away!”

What. An. Asshole.

First, Donnie did not defeat ISIS … the Kurds, working side-by-side with our own military largely rendered Daesh (aka ISIS) powerless by either killing or imprisoning most of them. But, guess what? After Donnie pulled our troops out of Syria last week, and Turkish forces began invading Northeast Syria, hundreds of Daesh prisoners began escaping from their prison! Is anybody foolish enough to think they won’t begin re-grouping?

Second, what an arrogant, uncaring attitude his words convey. If this is how he treats our friends …

And third … this dolt doesn’t even realize that Napoleon died in May 1821 … nearly 200 years ago!!!

For the past nearly three years, since the resident clown took over the Oval Office, the immigration policy of the United States has been chaotic at best. First, he tried to implement travel bans against most all Middle-Easterners except Saudis. That didn’t work, so he turned his sights to the southern border and began the brutal separation of Latino migrant children from their parents in such an unorganized, helter-skelter manner that now the government has no idea who the parents of the children being kept in cages are. But this latest takes the cake.

When I first saw this, I thought, “No way!” But … yeah, way. I have confirmed this story with three different major sources.

The Connors family of the United Kingdom were vacationing in Canada earlier this month. Out on a drive near the U.S.-Canada border, a rather large animal ventured into the road, forcing them to swerve onto a side road. Almost immediately, flashing lights from a police car appeared in their rearview mirror. Turns out they had accidentally crossed the border and were in the U.S. Simple solution … the officer informs them, they turn around, and within minutes they are back in Canada, right?

Nope … guess again. The couple and their three-month-old baby were arrested and taken into ICE custody! Yes, you heard me right. That was on October 3^rd, and today, October 16^th, they are STILL in custody!!! They are currently being detained at the Berks Family Residential Center in Leesport, Pennsylvania, waiting to be deported.

The family has an attorney, and the details of what has taken place since they were detained are either unclear or in dispute, so I won’t speculate further. I will only state unequivocally that to detain a family with a small child who have done nothing wrong, gives the U.S. a horrible reputation, one equal to a third-world country where you enter at your own risk.

WAIT! I wasn’t done snarking yet! Sorry folks … it seems my time is up for now … but I’ll be back!

Jolly Sleepy Monday!!!

Posted on October 14, 2019 by jilldennison under animals, Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Holidays, Humour, Politic-Free Mondays

Good … {yawn} … Monday mor {yawn} ning, friends. Sorry ‘bout that … I’m super {yawn} sleepy this morning for some reason. Maybe it’s the season change, for it was definitely autumn here this weekend. Hugh tells me they even had a bit of snow out there in Minnesota! So, did you all have a good weekend? Anybody do anything exceptionally fun?

And now, it’s back to the grind … er, um … the joy of the work week! But first … there are treats over there on the table, and then let’s see what fun adventures we can find to get into today, okay?

Bacon — the one on the left is Larry’s, the one in the middle is rg’s, the one on the right is Emily’s. Now guys — she’s younger and doesn’t have to worry so much about her cholesterol. I’m just looking out for you guys.

Coffee or tea?

Benjamin’s donuts ‘n juice

A few holiday treats!

A night in a blimp?

You all know the Goodyear blimp that flies over football games and such, right? Well, guess what? Now, you can spend a night in the famous dirigible! Goodyear listed one of its blimps on Airbnb for three separate one-night stays October 22 through 24.

Somehow, Goodyear squeezed a bed, a couch, two chairs, several tables, a potted plant and plenty of football knicknacks into the tiny blimp gondola, and it looks surprisingly cozy. And imagine the views you’ll have … why, I would stay awake all night just looking at th … what??? It won’t be leaving the ground? Bummer. The blimp will remain grounded in an air hangar minutes from Goodyear’s headquarters in Akron, Ohio. Guests can step outside the blimp into an open entertainment center complete with a TV and open bar. Heck, I can stay home and have television and a glass of wine. I wanted stunning views!

Anyway, if you’re interested, it’s only $150 for a one-night stay. Goodyear advises those interested to monitor its Airbnb listing on October 15 for a chance to make a reservation.

Tough luck …

A Japanese businessman traveling on business in Paris had his watch stolen last Monday. Now, normally I would have empathy … I mean, it’s rather an invasion of person to have your watch snatched right off your wrist, yes?

The man had stepped out of the Hôtel Napoléon, near the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Elysées, around 9 p.m. on Monday evening to smoke a cigarette, when he was approached by a man who asked him for a cigarette, but when he put his hand out, the thief seized the timepiece and ran away.

But, there’s a reason I’m not terribly empathetic here … the watch was valued at $830,000. Obviously, if he could spend that much on a watch, when one that costs $30 would keep time just as well, then he isn’t in need of my compassion. Perhaps at least the thief will find a way to do good, to help others, with the money he gets for the watch.

What, you may ask, does a nearly million-dollar watch look like (for nobody reading this post has likely ever seen one!)? Well, it was a Richard Mille Tourbillon Diamond Twister, and it looks like this …

Seriously??? And people pay almost a million dollars for THAT???

Pumpkin carving … glub blub

‘Tis that time of year, when people are carving pumpkins into scary faces and other things. Where do you carve your pumpkin? Chris is the pumpkin carver in our house. She used to do it in the kitchen, but now she usually just sits on the floor out here in the living room and carves away. But there is a group of people who have a unique pumpkin-carving place this year … underwater!

Nearly two dozen artists of all ages, working in teams of two, used dive knives and fine carving tools to transform their orange gourds into sea creatures Saturday. The divers also were challenged to keep the hollow, naturally buoyant pumpkins from floating off while they carved their critters. Take a look …

Josephine Walker and Stephanie McClary from Detroit, Michigan, placed first with their representation of two moray eels encircling a heart. Their prize? A dive trip for two at Key Largo’s Amoray Dive Resort, the contest’s organizer.

And now for a few ‘toons ‘n pictures …

I had to think a few minutes to get this one, but once I did, I chuckled

This is soooooo me!

And this one is for Hugh, with a little something extra, since I forgot Maxine last week!

Well, friends, I’ve really enjoyed spending a bit of time with you this morning, but I know you have things to do, places to go, people to see. Please remember to share those gorgeous smiles you’re wearing … remember that some people didn’t make it over for Jolly Monday and they might need a smile. Have a wonderful week all! Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

Time For Some ‘Toons!

Posted on October 12, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Global Issues, Humour, Law and justice, Political commentary

It’s been another of those weeks that was filled with ‘breaking news’, most of it angst-inducing. These days, as never before at least in my recollection, has it been so difficult, nearly impossible, to keep up with it all. To a large extent, perhaps that is the intent of the small mind in the Oval Office. I have no less than five posts started, but before I can finish one, something else pops up and the result is I cannot focus at all now, so … I decided it’s time for a cartoon break!

Last Monday morning, after a telephone conversation between Trump and Turkey’s President Recep Erdoğan, Donald Trump announced that he would be pulling U.S. troops out of Syria, thus leaving our Kurdish allies to fend for themselves. Since then, hundreds of Kurds have been slaughtered by the Turkish army. Nothing funny about the situation, but the cartoonists sum it up well …

And, of course the other big news concerns Trump’s other phone conversation, this one with President Zelenskyy of the Ukraine, whereby he attempted to bully, blackmail, or bribe Zelenskyy into ‘digging up dirt’ on one of Trump’s potential competitors in next year’s election, Joe Biden. A whistleblower, concerned about the call and other issues, came forward, and it was this that at long last motivated the House to open a formal impeachment inquiry …

Just under three weeks ’til Hallowe’en, folks. Those kids who are hoping to score some treats at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue might want to re-think that plan …

We all know of Trump’s ego … it goes beyond ego, really … narcissism, megalomania … I’ve never seen someone who thought himself to be so superior …

A last one … this, I believe, sums up the entire past three years …

Enjoy your weekend!

Filosofa’s Thoughts

Posted on October 11, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Election 2020, Global Issues, Law and justice, Political commentary, Social commentary

Tonight, I was in an introspective mood, doing some thinking about where this nation appears to be headed and about the people of this nation who seemingly applaud the direction we are taking. In the midst of my introspection, came the news that the so-called president of this country was once again conducting a rally and that he was, once again, denigrating those of us who speak or have spoken against him or his actions. The rally was in Minnesota where he said of Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden …

“He was only a good Vice President because he understood how to kiss Barack Obama’s ass.”

This isn’t Dave down at the corner bar talking after a few beers, my friends … this is the ‘man’ who was elected to lead a nation of 330 million people. At the same rally, he slammed Ilhan Omar, the U.S. House representative from Minnesota, saying …

“How do you have such a person representing you in Minnesota? I’m very angry at you people. She is a disgrace to our country, and she is one of the big reasons that I am going to win, and that the Republican Party is going to win, Minnesota in 13 months.”

But do you know what disgusts me the most, my friends? At that last malicious statement by Trump, his audience stood and begin chanting “Four more years” and “Send her back”.

That’s right, my friends … a large number of the people of this nation still, despite his rants, his foul language, his illegalities, his anti-humanitarian rhetoric and policies, his self-serving nature, still find something to relate to … something to cling to. And that is what disturbs me most. People who I once thought I knew, people I once called “friend”, support the speech and actions of a person who is … a lawbreaking, lowlife bucket of scum. And they want him to lead this nation … straight over the cliff or into the iceberg, whichever analogy you prefer. I find that I can no longer respect or even tolerate those who would support a president whom I cannot respect. And this led me to some thoughts … thoughts which, if you care to listen, I will share with you tonight.

I think that when the person who sits at the highest level of our government invites foreign nations to create chaos and promote falsehoods in our elections, as Trump did in 2016 and is doing already for the upcoming 2020 election, we cannot respect that person, for he is breaking the law, undermining the Constitution, and acting out of self-interest, not the interest of the nation.
I think that when the person who occupies an office that has been respected for more than 200 years stoops to calling any who don’t agree with him names such as ‘pompous ass’, ‘fat Jerry’, ‘nervous Nancy’, ‘lyin’ Ted’, ‘shifty Schiff’, and more, that person cannot expect and does not deserve the respect of the nation.
I think that when the person who was elected to lead a nation of 330 million people turns his back on that nation’s allies, pulls out of crucial previously negotiated treatises, and leaves other allies to certain death, that person loses the respect not only of the people of the nation, but of the people of the globe.
I think that when the person who supposedly ‘leads’ a nation disregards environmental threats to not only the nation, but the entire globe, and instead provides incentive to wealthy industry barons to further decimate the planet, that person has earned the scorn and wrath of every person on the planet.
I think that when the person elected to the highest office in the nation lies, cheats, steals and then bullies those who would hold him accountable, we cannot possibly have any respect or compassion for this person.
I think that any person who has taken an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of a nation, then breaks that oath on a near-daily basis, does not deserve the honour of the position to which he was elected.
I think that a person who holds an office that historically has been internationally respected, but yet praises strongman dictators while stabbing that nation’s allies in the back, can only be considered a traitor who deserves no respect.
I think that any person who defends a president guilty of the above trespasses, cannot claim to be a good person, a patriot, or a concerned citizen, for he or she is defending a creature who has no concern for the nation and its people.

In the words of writer and friend John Pavlovitz …

“I just want a President with compassion, intelligence, and simple human decency.”

And in the words of Filosofa …

“I just want a president I can respect and trust. I don’t need to like him, but I need to be able to respect him.”

Tonight, as I write this, I sit here with tears in my eyes and a very heavy heart, for we do not have a president that meets either John’s standards or my own. We have a dishonest, deceitful, bullying ‘person’ in the White House who is leading us quickly down a path to … what? Destruction, certainly, but … will this nation survive intact? I once thought I knew this nation, thought I understood our government even with its flaws, and thought I liked the people I called ‘friend’. If our friends and neighbors who are still wearing their slightly frayed maga hats, who are still playing that somewhat warped “he tells it like it is” record, don’t take off their tinted glasses and find a functional mind and a conscience, if he is allowed a second term, I think this nation will not come out in 2024 only slightly damaged, but completely destroyed. I shan’t be here to see it.

STOP The World … I Wanna Get Off!

Posted on October 9, 2019 by jilldennison under animals, Bits 'n Pieces, Law and justice, Political commentary, Rants, Social commentary

(Note to Readers: I had already finished this post when I realized what day it is … gasp … Wednesday … good people day! I am too exhausted tonight to spend 4 hours or so working up another post, so ‘good people’ will be pushed back one day and will appear right here on Thursday morning. My apologies.)

Just when you think it can’t get any crazier, any more chaotic … it does. You know it’s gotten bad when you read that the human species will become extinct soon and you breathe a sigh of relief and hope it’s tomorrow.

I no longer know if I’m being snarky or just outright ranting, so I didn’t call this post Snarky Snippets, but it is some cross, some combination of snarky & rant. Hmmm … maybe I should come up with a new category … Snark & Rant.

The shape of things to come …

From the Moorhead, Minnesota police department …

Joseph Schumacher

On Monday, October 7, 2019, at approximately 12:08 pm, officers were dispatched to the area of 24 Ave and 8 St S. for a disturbance call. The female caller stated she was driving southbound in the 1000 block of 8 St S when the suspect pulled up next to her and rolled his window down. The male began yelling at the female expressing his dislike for the political bumper sticker the female had displayed on her car. He then pointed to his bumper sticker and further expressed his difference in national political views. The male eventually continued past the victim’s vehicle, and once in front of her, he held up a handgun inside his vehicle.

Officers were able to locate the suspect in a nearby business. After seeing a box for a handgun in plain view inside the suspect’s vehicle, officers found a loaded handgun in the center console during a further search. A passenger in the suspect vehicle also confirmed the actions of the suspect driver.

Joseph Schumacher, age 27, of West Fargo, was booked in the Clay County Jail on two counts of Felony Terroristic Threats and Misdemeanor charges for having a loaded handgun inside a vehicle without a permit.

He is a Trump supporter, she was sporting an Elizabeth Warren bumper sticker. I fear that given the increased venom and vitriol in Trump and his supporters’ rhetoric these days, we are going to see a lot more of these incidents until that inevitable day when …

Death of the innocent

My friend Carolyn lives in a very rural area just outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in the Smoky Mountains. Like me, she is a lover of nature and a lover of all critters, large and small. Two days ago she posted this on Facebook …

“It’s days like this (very rare) that make me hate Appalachia. Some #$%& drove by and shot a young tame doe and her baby in my front yard and left them lying there together dead. The little doe had raised the fawn close to my house. I saw them every morning and evening.

If anyone knows who did this, tell me and I will report it so they will get in serious trouble. Thanks for any help.”

Speaks for itself, doesn’t it? 😢

Two thumbs up for da judge

On Monday, Judge Victor Marrero of Federal District Court in Manhattan ruled against Trump, dismissing a lawsuit that had been filed by Trump seeking to block a subpoena for eight years of his personal and corporate tax returns. A win for the good guys, but the best part was how the judge stated his decision. The judge said Mr. Trump’s lawyers were, in essence, arguing that the president, along with his family, associates and companies, were above the law.

“This court finds aspects of such a doctrine repugnant to the nation’s governmental structure and constitutional values …”

Hooray … finally somebody understands that Trump cannot, must not be allowed to be above the law. Of course, Trump’s attorneys, knowing full well what the verdict would be, already had their appeals ready, so for now … no tax returns. I reiterate what I have said time and time again: if there is nothing to hide, then what’s the big deal? Obviously, there is something very serious being hidden, for them to go to so much trouble.

Where are the courageous?

Gordon Sondland, the United States’ ambassador to the European Union, had been expected to testify yesterday morning as part of the expanding impeachment probe by three House committees related to Trump’s efforts to press Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden. Notice I said, “had been expected”. Trump forbade Sondland to testify, and Sondland, apparently unable to find his cojones, caved. He did not have to … he could have defied Trump & Co, gone right on up to the Capitol and given some honest answers. Instead, he cowed in the face of Trump’s bombast.

Wouldn’t it be nice if he, or any republican in Congress, stood up to Trump and said, “There comes a point in every person’s life where they have to make a choice between doing what’s right or wrong, and that time has come for me. I will do what I believe is right, even though there may be consequences. I will put my country before my own self-interest.”?

I have to ask … is there one single republican in Congress with the guts, the courage to do what’s right and put this nation ahead of their slavish devotion to Trump, damn the consequences? I think we have the biggest bunch of wusses and wimps on the right-hand side of the aisle on Capitol Hill that I have ever seen. Gordon Sondland should be at home sucking his thumb and cuddling his dolly if this is the best he can do … we need some people with integrity and strength in our government, not a bunch of cowards.

In light of Sondland’s cowardice, Democrats have subpoenaed Sondland for his testimony and documents that they say are being withheld by the State Department. The subpoena demands those documents be turned over by October 14^th, and that Sondland sit for a deposition on October 16^th before three congressional panels.

Then later yesterday, White House lawyers called the impeachment investigation “illegitimate” and “constitutionally invalid” and said they will block any and all cooperation with the ongoing inquiries and investigations.

THEY CAN’T DO THIS!!!

Except … they can if nobody will stop them. Who will stop them? Will the republicans in Congress finally wake to the fact that Trump is rapidly escalating his position to that of a dictator? Will they finally hold Sondland and others accountable by giving them a nice cozy jail cell where they can have plenty of time to think about their actions? Will they finally provide the oversight that is mandated by the Constitution of the United States? Will the Courts keep up the pressure, and as Judge Marrero did, say “No, the president is NOT above the law”? Will the trumpeters out there in La-La-Land finally wake up and see what they have wrought?

If none of the above happen, people … if Trump is allowed to virtually render the impeachment investigations dead in the water, then we have lost any semblance of a free nation, we will have become a dictatorship.

Every day seems to get crazier and crazier. I miss having a government I can trust, miss going to bed at night feeling that at least my corner of the world is in capable hands. I want this crazy world to stop, just let me off, let me find a quiet corner, find some peace, sleep without night terrors.

Jolly Monday! 👻 🏚️ 👻

Posted on October 7, 2019 by jilldennison under animals, Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Humour, Politic-Free Mondays

Good Monday morning, friends. Well, that’s something of an oxymoron, isn’t it … ‘Good’ and ‘Monday’ really don’t seem to belong in the same sentence. However, for me, Mondays are special, for it means that I get to see all of you and spend a bit of time with you! So, did you have a wonderful weekend? Mine was fine … it was nice to have the cooler temperatures and be able to get out and about without struggling to breathe. Now, I know it’s a little early yet, but it is October, and so I did a bit of Hallowe’en-themed baking for you guys. Jolly helped, but after the time he set the kitchen afire, he’s only allowed to help with supervision. So, grab a bite of something, a cuppa, and let’s see if we can find something to smile about!

Benjamin’s juice boxes — but he’ll share if you ask nicely!

Legally haunted???

See this house?

This house can be yours for a mere $1.9 million! It’s a large house … 4,628 square feet, with five bedrooms, five bathrooms, stained glass windows, arched doorways, a three-car garage, a sun room and a saltwater pool overlooking the river. Oh … and it comes with one other accoutrement: ghosts. 👻

It all began in the late 1960s when Helen Ackley and her family moved into the Victorian house at 1 LaVeta Place in Nyack, New York. Side note but here’s a fun fact: Nyack sits on the West bank of the Hudson River, and right across the river rests none other but the legendary Sleepy Hollow.

According to Ms. Ackley, there were ghosts sharing the house with them. She said that one ghost woke her daughter, Cynthia, up every morning for school by shaking the bed. It gets better. When Spring Break rolled around, Cynthia made an announcement that there was no school and she was planning on sleeping in. Turns out the bed did not shake that next morning. Despite all of these instances, Mrs. Ackley says that it was a “peaceful coexistence with the spirits”.The Ackleys would live in the house for more than 20 years before deciding to sell, not because of the ghosts, but simply to move to a warmer climate. They sold the house to Jeffrey and Patrice Stambovsky, who placed a $32,500 deposit into an escrow account. But, turns out the Ackleys rather forgot to mention that one pesky little detail about the ghosts. Well, it wasn’t all that strange that the Stambovskys would hear about the ghosts, since Ms. Ackley had submitted an article to Reader’s Digest that was printed in 1977 detailing the paranormal experiences inside her home.

When the Stambovskys learned of the ghosts, they decided to call off the purchase, but the Ackleys refused to refund their deposit, so the case ended up in court. Long story short, in what would come to be known as the “Ghostbusters” ruling in 1990, the appellate court ruled that, because a routine home inspection would never uncover it, sellers must disclose that a house is haunted to potential buyers. And thus, this house is now considered to have been declared ‘legally haunted’.

In 1993 paranormal researchers were able to contact the ghosts and published a book on those events.

Since then, the house has had two more owners, but is once again up for sale for a mere pittance ($1.9 million). Any takers?

Notice anything?

Take a look at these pictures. Notice anything? Some pretty detailed photography, right? Wrong. These are not photographs but are portraits done by artist Dylan Eakin.

“I’ve been training myself in photorealism since 2016. It’s been a bit of a journey, but I’m finally at a place, where I’m truly proud of my work. Charcoal is the main medium I used, with graphite for the finer details. Every once in a while, I’ll use tiny points of white paint for the highlights.”

I am in awe … but then, my artistic skills are zip, nada, zilch. You can see more of Mr. Eakin’s work at Bored Panda.

Pics ‘n ‘toons

Here are a few cartoons and funny pictures I snagged …

Adorable Lions

What’s your favourite critter? Mine is … lions, tigers, bears, kitties, elephants, hedgehogs, giraffes, cougars, ducks, dogs, geese, camels, peacocks … well, you get the picture … I’m a critter-lover, so I loves ‘em all! For today, let’s watch some baby lions having fun!

That is about it for me this week, folks. Have a safe and awesome week, and remember to share those smiles with people you run into, people you work with, people you live with … we all need smiles … and yes, Roger Jacob, this means you too!!! Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

Yes, Virginia … There Are Still More Snarky Snippets

Posted on October 5, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Election 2020, Free Press Issues, Global Issues, Law and justice, Political commentary, Social commentary

The best fiction writer in the world couldn’t have made this one up … and by ‘this one’, I mean all the back-and-forth, all the ranting, the lies, the deflections and obfuscations that have become the ‘norm’ in our government of late, and especially the past two weeks. Whew … I don’t know about you guys, but I’m both exhausted and depressed as hell. Can’t somebody just lock Trump up in a room without his tweety-machine for just one day and give us a chance to catch our breath? But, of course, it isn’t only Trump, but his minions as well.

Trump and Xi – you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours?

Already under intense scrutiny over his attempt to bully and blackmail Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy in order to enlist Zelenskyy’s assistance in digging up non-existent dirt on presidential hopeful, Joe Biden, Trump had the unmitigated gall to then call on China to also investigate Biden! In front of the press, nonetheless! Boy, he must really be afraid of Joe is all I can say. I’m curious … what’s he going to do when, as I believe will happen, Elizabeth Warren overtakes Biden in the polls? Never mind … I don’t even want to think about it.

Anyway, there’s another angle to this story. Now that it’s been discovered that a number of Trump’s phone calls with foreign leaders had been moved to a server where few knew of them, things are beginning to come to the public eye. One of those things is a phone call that Trump had in June with Xi Jinping, the president of the People’s Republic of China. In that phone call, Trump promised Xi that he, and by extension the U.S., would remain silent about the Hong Kong protests, and he also just happened to mention not only Joe Biden, but also Elizabeth Warren. I have not seen the transcript of the call, so I don’t know the context, but … why would he even mention them? When questioned about it, so-called White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham responded …

“World leaders need to be able to speak freely in their conversations with the President–that is a key component to effective diplomacy. And that is why such conversations are kept confidential. We are not going to start discussing the contents of every conversation President Trump has with world leaders, other than to say his conversations are always appropriate.”

Oh, wait just a moment, Ms. Never-Speaks-To-The-Press Secretary … I think we will discuss whatever We the People deem is important to discuss. Trump is already on the wrong side of the law … that law that he claims doesn’t apply to him because he’s “got that Article II”. Oh yes, we will discuss why U.S. officials have been banned from supporting pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. And we will discuss why a so-called president is discussing his campaign with the leader of a communist country! We will, ultimately, demand to see a transcript of that phone call and others.

For the record, the U.S. should be fully supporting the Hong Kong protestors who are fighting for their democracy, fighting, in fact, for their lives.

Moscow Mitchie – still an asshole

Mitch McConnell, still recovering from a fall that broke his shoulder, is back in the saddle. But, that didn’t stop him from running a new campaign ad on Facebook. A snippet from that ad …

“Nancy Pelosi is in the clutches of a left-wing mob. They’ve finally convinced her to impeach the President. All of you know your Constitution. The way that impeachment stops is a Senate majority, with me as majority leader. Pelosi is obsessed with impeaching President Trump, and your conservative Senate Majority is the ONLY THING standing in her way. But I need your help. Please contribute before the deadline.”

A ‘left-wing mob’, eh? So, according to Moscow Mitch, the man who has worked with Putin to undermine the democratic processes of our elections, the man who refuses to even consider election security measures, is calling We the People a ‘left-wing mob’. Well, Mitchie … if you want, why don’t you just have every one of us arrested for being part of a mob? Oh … because then we couldn’t work and thus couldn’t pay the taxes that pay yours and your wife’s salaries!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Crazy women!

Donald Trump uses and abuses women. He treats them like chattel and obviously thinks that the only purpose women serve is for the pleasure of a man. There is plenty of evidence to support that statement. Part of his campaign promise was that he would appoint to the Courts, judges who would not uphold women’s rights, ie., overturning Roe v Wade. His nasty remark about women that was released in 2016 on the Access Hollywood video. The fact that he has had three wives and cheated on every single one of them, including the current wife. He has had numerous affairs, and paid off two women to buy their silence during his campaign three years ago. He is a male chauvinist pig, and yet …

“According to the POLITICO/Morning Consult poll, fewer Republican women (7 percent) than Republican men (10 percent) support the impeachment inquiry. When asked whether Trump could, in theory, do something that would cause them to support impeachment, 44 percent of Republican men said yes. Only 33 percent of Republican women agreed.”

What a bunch of fools they are.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

What an impression that must have made …

On Wednesday, Trump hosted Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö in the Oval Office. As is typical with Trump, he went off on a tear and made a fool of himself, venting about Adam Schiff and other topics near and dear to his … whatever. A couple of pictures capturing the look on Niinistö’s face tell the story.

What is this guy … a fruitcake?

Help? Somebody? I need to be rescued? Oh why didn’t I stay home?

Get. Your. Hand. Off. My. Knee. Fatso.

The one good thing …

The one good thing to come of all this corruption and chaos is that the late-night talk show hosts are having a blast with it all.

Well, folks, I hope you’re enjoying your weekend and that my snarkiness and growling didn’t put a damper on it. Have a great one.

Snarky … Really Snarky … Snippets

Posted on October 3, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Election 2020, Law and justice, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry

It’s happened again, my friends! The angst has built up to the boiling-over point, and I simply must release some snarky snippets to minimize the damage!

Wait just one minute …

This isn’t supposed to be how it works! The headline reads …

Bolstered By Impeachment Inquiry, Trump Campaign And RNC Raise $125 Million

Impeachment is a stigma, not an honour!!! Where are these people’s brains??? Who in their right mind would donate money to a ‘man’ who is proven many times over to be corrupt, who has rigged an election once and is attempting to do so a second time, who … oh heck, the list is so long that I don’t know where to start.

According to NPR …

Three days after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the House was launching an impeachment inquiry into Trump, Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale crowed about new donors pouring into the campaign.

Parscale claims in a tweet that the campaign received donations from 50,000 new donors in the two-day period following Pelosi’s announcement. Are there truly so many people in this nation who are actually proud of Donald Trump for committing crimes against his competitors, for attempting to rig an election, for breaking the law he swore to uphold? I would suggest those who donated stand up for a moment, look under their derrieres to see if they have been sitting on their brains all this time. Any who would donate to Trump because he is being investigated for criminal activity, qualifies as being among the most ignorant people on the earth.

So, I guess if he really does stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, he would increase his donations a few thousand-fold?

Say WHAT???

Frank Nucera was the chief of police for Bordentown Township, New Jersey, until one day in September 2016 when he slammed a black teenager’s head into a doorjamb. It wasn’t the first time Nucera had displayed racist behaviour … in the past, he had referred to African Americans with the n-word, compared them with the Islamic State, said he’d like to shoot them on a firing squad and tried to use police dogs to intimidate them. Fellow officers had recorded Nucera using the n-word no less than 81 times over the past years. This last, however, cost Mr. Nucera his job, and may cost him his freedom, as his trial ended yesterday and the jury is still deliberating.But, what really iced the cake, at least for me, was something that came out in a transcript presented at trial.

“I’m telling you, you know what, Donald Trump is the last hope for white people, cause Hillary will give it to all the minorities to get a vote. That’s the truth! I’m telling you.”

This sorry excuse for a man was on the police force for 34 years, the last 10 as chief of police. His transgressions were many, and complaints had been made against him, but he was a law unto himself. When one officer wrote an anonymous letter to the local paper, Nucera had it seized and tested for fingerprints. When he didn’t like an online comment, Nucera reportedly wanted to subpoena the IP address to identify the commentor. And the list of his abuses of power is practically endless.

You might be interested to know that Nucera, who resigned his position in February 2017 while being investigated by the FBI, is currently receiving an annual pension of $106,000 per year. And, while he faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, Nucera’s lawyer, Rocco Cipparone, says his client used “ugly and embarrassing” words but urged the jury not to use social justice against his client!

The jury returns to further deliberate this morning, and I will provide an update when I have one.

Finally, justice is served

Just over a year ago, in September 2018, I reported on a police officer, Amber Guyger who, while off-duty, entered the apartment of a neighbor, supposedly thinking it was her own, and believing the neighbor was an intruder (he was sitting in front of the television eating ice cream), shot and killed him. Guyger, by the way, is white, and the neighbor, Botham Jean, was black.

On Tuesday, a jury in Dallas, Texas, found Ms. Guyger guilty of murder, and she was sentenced to 10 years in prison. It is my hope that this sends a message across this nation that We the People are not only tired of the racism that has run rampant in recent years, but that there will be zero tolerance for members of the law enforcement community acting with impunity against people of colour. We the People are every colour, and it is the duty of law enforcement to protect and defend every single person in their community, regardless of race or skin colour.

Ms. Guyger claimed that “This is not about hate, it’s about being scared”. However, according to text messages by Guyger that were introduced by prosecutors, she has a history of making racist remarks, including mocking the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, as well as her black colleagues. She didn’t even bother to speak, to look around at the apartment and notice that it was not her own, but just pulled out her gun and fired. Again, let this send a powerful message to all.

Another casualty of (trade) war

Bayou Steel Group in LaPlace, Louisiana, abruptly closed its doors this week. Workers were given no notice, but the 376 employees of Bayou were simply told on Monday that they no longer have jobs. Bayou was the single largest employer in the parish, and this is a huge loss to the people. Per Governor John Bel Edwards’ press release …

“While Bayou Steel has not given any specific reason for the closure, we know that this company, which uses recycled scrap metal that is largely imported, is particularly vulnerable to tariffs. Louisiana is among the most dependent states on tariffed metals, which is why we continue to be hopeful for a speedy resolution to the uncertainty of the future of tariffs.”

Another casualty of Trump’s trade war. I wonder who he’ll blame for this one? Hillary? Adam Schiff? Me?

Well, folks, I guess I’ve snarked enough for now, but I leave you with something from another great snarkster, our friend Don Lemon.

Good People Doing Good Things — Three Nice Guys

Posted on October 2, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Good people doing good things, Social commentary

I want to begin today’s ‘good people’ post with an update to a previous post. Many of you many not have yet discovered Filosofa’s Word back in June 2017 when I wrote about Dan Price, the CEO of Gravity Payments, a credit card processing company in Seattle, Washington. What Mr. Price did back then was to slash his own salary from $1.1 million to $77,000 in order to pay every one of his employees a minimum of $70,000. He came into much criticism at the time, and many said it would never work … but it did! I was thrilled to see Fox Business have to eat their words, after they labeled him the “lunatic of all lunatics,” and Rush Limbaugh declared, “I hope this company is a case study in M.B.A. programs on how socialism does not work, because it’s going to fail.”

This week, Dan Price is back in the news. Gravity Payments succeeded so well that its income has more than doubled in the four years since Mr. Price initially boosted his staff’s salaries. Some time ago, he acquired another company, ChargeItPro in Boise, Idaho. This week was the ribbon-cutting ceremony, as the employees of that branch moved into a brand-new office, and Mr. Price, who flew in for the ceremony, announced that they, too, would be given raises bringing their minimum salary to $70,000 by 2024. They will get an immediate $10,000 increase, and incremental raises until they reach the $70,000 mark.

For the second time, I give Mr. Dan Price two thumbs up for caring more about people than about lining his own pockets. See … capitalism could work if every company owner had the heart of Mr. Price!

Jerry Martin drives a school bus for Copperas Cove Independent School District in Texas. Last week, he went above and beyond the call of duty after noticing that at one of the stops where he picked up children, the weeds and grass had grown quite high. Turns out, the house on the property is currently vacant and nobody has been keeping up with the yard.Mr. Martin worried about the kids standing in the tall weeds, so the next day, he took his own mower and … yep, you guessed it … he cut the grass! A little thing, for sure, but how many people would have done that?

David Vance is a customer assistant at Lidl supermarket’s Connswater branch in east Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK). Last Tuesday, a cashier called him over because his customer, an elderly gentleman, was having trouble paying for his groceries. His card was repeatedly declined, and the man didn’t seem to understand.

After a quick assessment and trying the card once again, David Vance did the nicest thing … he pulled out his own wallet, gave the cashier enough money to cover the man’s groceries, and said to the cashier …

“That’s fine, put that through.”

Just like that. The man, not really understanding what happened and apparently assuming that he had just paid for his own groceries, took his purchases and left the store. David Vance went back to work, the cashier took the next customer, and life went on.

Except that a customer in line behind the elderly man had noticed, and she, Karen Gibney, posted this on Lidl’s Facebook page …

“Today I watched one of your till staff pay for an elderly man’s shopping from his own wallet. I don’t think the man was aware that his card kept declining and didn’t seem to understand that the staff member had paid for it as he didn’t say thank you, he just walked on with not a word.

But I saw it. I saw him discreetly pay and sat back down at his till like it never happened. I wanted to let you know that this is one of the kindest acts I’ve seen from a staff member ever.

It was in your Connswater branch just after 9am. It would be nice for him to hear a thank you that he didn’t get from the customer he helped.”

David was a bit surprised when told by the store’s management of the Facebook post …

“Last week I didn’t think I did anything out of the ordinary, I just noticed one of our regular customers needed a hand. I was a bit taken aback to hear about the Facebook post and the traction it got – I don’t even have Facebook myself!”

Lidl has recognized David’s actions by making him “Customer Service Champion” for the month of October. See, folks, this is what good people are like … they don’t think twice, they don’t expect a reward … they just help people because it’s who they are.

It’s a shorter-than-usual ‘good people’ post today, not because I ran out of good people … nothing could be further from the truth … but because I ran out of energy. Still, I hope these three people inspired you, helped you to remember that the people we see everyday on the news are not the only kind out there, but that they are counter-balanced by the good people, quietly going about their business, not asking for recognition or reward.

Jolly Monday … A Smidge Of Humour

Posted on September 30, 2019 by jilldennison under animals, Bits 'n Pieces, Humour, Politic-Free Mondays

Good morning, friends, and welcome to another episode of … Jolly Monday! Fall may have officially rung in last Monday, September 23^rd, but in reality, fall will arrive where I live this coming Thursday night. Mother Nature has a mind of her own and scoffs at our calendar! Until then, the daytime highs are predicted to be consistently 93° F, but on Friday, it drops to 69° and stays in the low 70s for the foreseeable future. I will welcome it with open arms, for I will once again be able to get out for my daily walks … I am turning to a lump of clay here! So, how was your weekend? Ready to get back to the ol’ salt mines? Hmmm … methinks you all don’t look too happy to be going back to work … tell you what … let’s find something to put a smile on those dour faces, shall we? Jolly and I did some baking over the weekend. Oh, and Larry? Please share your bacon with rg, so he doesn’t try to eat it all … there’s plenty for two! Grab a snack and a cuppa something, and we’ll get this show on the road!

Benjamin’s juice boxes — but he’ll share if you ask nicely!

Benjamin’s Star Donuts

Larry’s bacon

A breathtaking job …

Now here’s a job I wouldn’t mind … if only I lived in Australia. Domino’s Pizza posted a job opening for a $20 an hour position as a Chief Garlic Bread Taster. Phew … I imagine no amount of toothpaste and mouthwash would make your breath sweet again for a few days anyway, but … might be tasty and fun!Oh, wait … it’s just a single day job. Well, bummer … if I’m going to travel all the way to Australia to be a Garlic Bread Taster, I’m going to have to work more than one day to recoup my travel expenses!

The posting requires the candidate to have …

minimum of 5 years’ experience in garlic bread consumption
a detailed understanding of the pizza and garlic bread relationship
working taste buds
burned their fingers at least once not being able to wait for the garlic bread to cool down
a history of reviewing other people’s food choices (solicited and/or unsolicited)

Well, apart from being several thousand miles away, I am disqualified on a few other counts, too. My taste buds are definitely not what they once were, which is why my family now forbids me to salt things that they will be eating. And I never knew there was a “pizza and garlic bread relationship”. So, guess I’ll just keep doing what I do for a living … nothing.

Careful at the gas pumps …

We all know there are some intrinsic dangers to pumping gas. If you’re a smoker … well, just abstain while you’re standing over that hose with gasoline flowing through it. And cell phones are a no-no while pumping gas. But, I bet you never thought of this one.

It happened in Brunswick, Georgia, where Lynda Tennent had just finished pumping her fuel and was headed into the gas station to pay, when out of nowhere came a deer who jumped all the way over her head, accidentally kicking her in the head with one of his rear hoofs! She was a good sport about it, though …

“I thought I was being robbed. I reached up and grabbed my head… I thought I was bleeding. You know the funny thing? I was just worried I was going to be late for work.”

And speaking of Georgia deer …

I wonder if these deer are related? Chris Dorsey was on her usual morning jog in Stone Mountain Park when she came across a young doe with its body caught between the bars of the fence. Now, Ms. Dorsey is an athletic woman and was strong enough to pull the bar just enough to allow the deer to go free. But, as the deer ran, Dorsey walked back over to where she had left her cell phone recording the event, and when she looked up, the deer had gotten stuck again! This time was a bit tougher, for the bars were thicker and not as easily bent. Take a look …

Something not quite right with the deer in Georgia … maybe they’ve been eating too many of those fermented Georgia peaches?

Cute li’l critter …I came across this picture and, as the picture was not labeled, I did a reverse photo search to find out just what sort of critter this is. Turns out, it’s a Pygmy Marmoset, also known as the ‘finger monkey’. Look at those tiny, yet long tails … and those little faces, not even as big as the person’s fingernail!

Pygmy marmosets are the smallest monkeys in the world, weighing in at an average 4 ounces. Adult pygmy marmosets have tails that are longer than their bodies and marked with conspicuous black rings. The fur on their faces sweeps back over their forehead and ears and they have two white marks on either side of their mouth and a white, vertical line on their noses. In several states it is illegal to own one as a pet.

Take a look …

Well, folks, I must go, for there is much work to be done, and never enough hours in which to do it. But first, I want to remind you of something very important. Here in the U.S., but also in Canada and the UK, things are tough right now. People are angry, people are sad, people are under a lot of stress. You know the best cure for all of that? It’s so simple … it’s a smile. You can add a hug if you like, but so often just a smile will lighten somebody’s load. Oh! And speaking of smiles … I can’t tell you what, for it is a surprise, but stay tuned on Friday for a special post!

Keep safe and have a great week, my friends! Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

Filosofa's Word

Cogito Ergo Sum

Category Archives: Bits ‘n Pieces