‘Toons To Brighten Your Day … Or Not

Posted on October 30, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Humour, Political commentary, Social commentary

It is a dreary, dark, rainy day here today, and I thought a few cartoons might brighten the day, lighten the mood.

The big story of the day … every day for the past month or so, and for the foreseeable future … is that of the impeachment inquiries taking place in the House of Representatives, and the response by Trump and the republicans …

Ol’ Mick Mulvaney has been in the news a lot lately, since he did that “open mouth, insert foot” trick, and then tried unsuccessfully to remove his foot from his mouth …

Corruption runs rampant in Washington these days, from the “president” down through his rank of minions, and among some in Congress who feel compelled to defend Trump’s speech and actions, though for the most part there is no defense.

You all remember last week when Trump was giving a speech and he claimed that he’s building a wall … in Colorado!

Trump’s treatment of our Kurdish allies will not be forgotten any time soon. Pulling our troops out of Syria, leaving the Kurds vulnerable to Erdoğan’s brutal attacks, was beyond unconscionable, and has shown our allies around the globe that the U.S. can no longer be trusted.

The GOP once stood for “Grand Old Party”. Those days are long gone, and for the past ten years or so, it has stood for only the wealthiest in the nation, willing to abandon the rest of us. Still, I think they bit off more than they could chew when they nominated and later elected Donald Trump to the presidency, and they are now struggling to figure out how to support him, how to defend the indefensible.

And last, but not least, since tomorrow is Hallowe’en …

Have a safe and fun Hallowe’en!

Good People Doing Good Things — Heroes

Posted on October 30, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Good people doing good things

There almost wasn’t a ‘good people’ post this morning, for while I had a couple of potential stories in my notes, I simply wasn’t motivated. That seems to be the case a lot these past few days. I was actually watching part of a movie on my laptop, all but having given up on ‘good people’. But then, I had an email from our friend Ellen, with a forward that included this first story, and I found the motivation I had been lacking. So, my first ‘good people’ is actually Ellen, and my second is …

Just as it seems that bad news travels fast and far in today’s electronic age, so does news of bad cops, and we rarely hear about those who go out of their way to do good. So, when this story came to my attention, I knew I wanted it to be first in the Wednesday morning line-up.

It happened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when 12-year veteran Officer Kevin Zimmerman pulled over Andrella LaShae Jackson for a problem with her car’s registration. Three of Ms. Jackson’s children were in the back seat, two young enough to be in car seats, but they were not … in car seats. Officer Zimmerman asked Ms. Jackson why the kids were not properly secured, and she replied that she couldn’t afford car seats, being a single mom.

“With bills coming up and winter coming up, I have to get coats and boots and shoes for my kids, So it was hard for me.”

Now, she could have incurred a hefty fine, but instead, Officer Zimmerman opened his heart and his wallet, went to Wal-Mart and bought, with his own money, two car seats for the little girls. He then stopped by the police department to pick up stickers and children’s books for the girls, Niyah and Sky. He then visited Jackson’s home and installed the car seats himself. Zimmerman said he was raised to “do the right thing even if no one is looking”.

“I am a dad of three kids and can’t imagine anything happening to them or not being able to have them secured in their car seats.”

A big thumbs-up to Officer Zimmerman for going well above and beyond the call of duty and for his great kindness. I’m sure the Jackson family won’t soon forget him.

Lamont Thomas of Buffalo, New York, thought he was finished raising children. He had two biological children, and over the years, he had adopted five others through the foster care program … all were now grown, or nearly so. Mr. Thomas began taking in foster children in 2000 and has fostered more than 30 children since. According to the first child he fostered, then later adopted, Michael who is now 27 …

“He was my third foster home and it ended up being my forever home. Lamont never turned [a child] away. They either aged out or went back home to their own families. We’re all grown now, I can’t believe he’s started all over again. Lamont has been a life-saver to me. I wouldn’t be the person that I am today, had Lamont not ventured in my life.”

Fast forward to October 17^th, in the courtroom of Judge Lisa Rodwin, where Lamont Thomas once again became a father … of five children! The children, Zendaya, 5, Jamel, 4, Nakia, 3, Major, 2 and Michaela, 1, were siblings who had been removed from their parents’ home more than a year-and-a-half ago, and separated, sent to four different foster homes in four different cities. Ever since their plight came to Lamont’s attention, he has been fighting to get them back together, and finally he did.Says Mr. Thomas …

“They bring new energy to me. They’re lovable kids, very affectionate. They deserve to be raised as siblings, and that was my fight. I wanted to be the difference, make a difference by being a difference for these youth. I was fighting to keep back the tears. Every day I think about it, my eyes swell up. All that we endured to make this happen, it was something.”

Another ‘good people’, a man who gives of himself, who puts others before his own self-interest. A man who wants to make a positive difference in the world. He gets Filosofa’s two thumbs up!

U.S. Air Force Technical Sgt. Kenneth O’Brien has quite a list of accomplishments … he has rescued people from a burning car; served on the president’s security team; and he was one of the divers who saved the team of Thai soccer players last year.

Last month, he was on a plane on his way to receive a medal for his heroism as one of 12 Airmen who were named the 2019 Outstanding Airmen of the Year. On the Okinawa-to-Dallas flight with his family, he suddenly noticed a one-year-old child choking. O’Brien quickly stepped in to perform CPR and back thrusts, and within a minute, the baby had regained consciousness. He continued to check on the baby periodically, and all was well.

True heroes all seem to have one thing in common: that “Aw, shucks, ‘twarn’t nothin’” attitude, and Sergeant O’Brien is no exception …

“I’m thankful that the child is ok and that I was able to help when the family needed support. I happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

He may not be tooting his own horn, but one of his fellow Air Force compadres, Lieutenant General Jim Slife, is!

“He’s on the President’s security detail during his summit with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. He pulls a person from a burning car in Korea. He saves a Thai Navy SEAL during the Thai cave rescue mission. During that mission, he’s the furthest American in the cave, successfully rescuing the Thai [soccer players] who’d been trapped for days.

So, he’s rightfully recognized as one of the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year. AND THEN… on his flight back to the states from Okinawa last weekend for the AFA Convention to be recognized, an infant starts choking and stops breathing. Our man OB leaps into action, clears the breathing passage, resuscitates the kid, hands him back to the parents, and then goes on about his business.

Sheesh! I don’t know whether I want to be right next to him in case some bad stuff goes down, or whether I want to be as far away from him as possible because bad stuff always seems to go down around him.”

Wow. We hear of many who are touted as being heroes, and most are in one way or another, but it just seems that the title isn’t even quite enough for Sergeant Kenneth O’Brien.

Snarky Snippets To Start The Week

Posted on October 28, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Election 2020, Law and justice, Political commentary, Social commentary

I’ve got an abundance of angst built up these days, and there’s really only one way to alleviate it … share it!

Persona non grata?

There are two ice skating rinks in Central Park that have been owned by Donald Trump since the 1980s. As is the case with most things owned by Trump, his name was all over them … on the ‘Welcome’ signs out front, the boards around the rink, the sign where skates are rented, and even the staff’s uniforms. Well, while the Trump Organization still owns the rinks, you won’t see Trump’s name prominently displayed these days. Turns out, he was bad for business! When a Washington Post reporter visited Wollman Rink on Tuesday, the only prominent appearance of the Trump name was on the Zamboni ice-resurfacing machine.

According to an employee speaking on the condition of anonymity …

“It was hurting business. A lot of the schools, you know, liberal private schools up here, come to parties up here. That was a big income earner up here Monday and Tuesday night.”

The tarp wasn’t quite long enough to cover the whole thing!

As much as Trump loves seeing his name plastered all over everything he owns, it isn’t only the skating rinks that have taken his name down. Three hotels and six Manhattan residential buildings not owned by Trump, but whose owners once paid to display the Trump name, have now removed “Trump” from their buildings.

It is reported that Trump’s hotels in New York, Chicago and Doral, Florida, have seen a significant drop in business since he took office. I wonder if they will soon have his name removed as well?

Delinquent debt?

It has long been reported that Donald Trump defaults on his debts. Throughout his tenure as a real estate developer, he has reportedly failed to pay contractors and others on a regular basis. Some things never change. His campaign, in other words he, owes money to at least twelve U.S. cities that has gone unpaid.

The largest is to El Paso, where he owes $569,000, and the smallest is Burlington, Vermont, where he owes a paltry $8,000. Some, such as Spokane, Washington and Tucson, Arizona, were incurred for campaign rallies held in those cities during his 2016 campaign, while others like El Paso are for rallies held since becoming president.

The Republican Party claims to have raised more than $300 million in the first nine months of this year alone, and yet … they cannot pay the $1.7 million he owes to various cities around the nation? Earlier this month, when he announced plans to hold a rally in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that city attempted to get paid in advance, but to no avail. He now owes Minneapolis $530,000 … more than half a million dollars!

I would suggest to all cities that in the future, unless his campaign pays up front, just skip the extra police protection … let him provide his own … or not.

Booooooooooooooooo!

Trump decided to attend game #5 of the World Series between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros yesterday. He and Melania, along with their entourage of Secret Service, showed up shortly after the first inning, and they sat in the Washington Suite, joined by a number of other politicians including the @#$% Lindsey Graham, Steve Scalise, @#$% Matt Gaetz, @#$% Mark Meadows, and other boot-licking republican congressmen.

After the third inning the Nationals, as is their tradition, performed a salute to veterans, and the crowd was cheering. Until … the screens in the stadium switched to Donald and Melania Trump in the stands and the tone shifted from applause to loud boos throughout the stadium. And then … the fans began to chant … “Lock him up. Lock him up!” Then during the fifth inning, two men sitting behind home plate held up signs that read, “Veterans for Impeachment”.

Now folks, what the heck did he expect? It wasn’t one of his rallies where he pays people to attend and cheer him while wearing their ugly red hats. He is under investigation for criminal acts and is likely to be impeached. Did he really expect a standing ovation? Does he truly think he is that well-loved? Sheesh. As far as I’m concerned, he got exactly what he deserved.

Well, that’s enough snarky for one day. More to come!

Howly Jolly Monday!

Posted on October 28, 2019 by jilldennison under animals, Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Humour, Politic-Free Mondays

Good Monday-before-Hallowe’en morning, my friends! Not only is this the Monday before Hallowe’en, but it is also the last Monday in the U.S. before the end of Daylight Savings Time (DST), and this time next week, darkness will fall even earlier. On the other side of the pond, the time changed this past weekend. You know what this all means, right? Winter is coming. Snow. Shoveling. Slippery roads. Sweaters. Socks. Shoes. Sigh. Hey … I just realized … everything to do with winter starts with the letter ‘S’. Yes, yes, my mind does work in odd ways, but we all knew that. Anyway, to start this week out right, let’s have a little snack, a warm drink, and see about finding something to bring a smile to our faces on this cold, dark winter morn … (Sorry guys … no bacon today … I ran out!)

Teeny tiny rats driving teeny tiny cars

Scientists at University of Richmond in Virginia have taught rats how to drive! Now, the scientists claim this research is going to help them better understand human anxiety and depression … I’m not sure what the connection is, but the rats driving their little specially-made cars are too adorable!

They claim it proves that little rat brains are much more capable of performing complicated tasks than previously realized. The scientists also claim that driving appeared to reduce the rats’ stress … hmmmm … quite the opposite effect than it has on humans. But then again, the rats weren’t driving on the Interstate highway with 10,000 other rats trying to get ahead of everyone else!

Take a look …

Parking sticker shock …

A week or so ago, we had the occasion to go into the city. Now, I avoid going into the city like the plague … for one thing, I almost always get lost downtown, and for another, I just don’t like crowds and tall buildings, much prefer trees and wide open spaces. But, in this case, it was something that needed to be done for a friend, so we braved it. We were parked in one of the many underground parking garages for less than three hours, and when we left, I got the shock of my life … $14! Not only that, but to get out, you couldn’t pay cash, but had to use a credit or debit card! Luckily, daughter Chris had hers handy! But, if you think that was bad …

Johnny Cheung Shun-yee owned a parking space in front of the 73-story office tower The Center, in Hong Kong. Take a wild guess what someone was willing to pay for the spot, one of only 40 in front of the building? Nope … nope, more than that. The equivalent of $969,000 USD!!! That’s almost one million dollars for a bloomin’ parking space! Turns out, it is also more than three times the average home price in Hong Kong! And we thought the cost of living here was high!

‘Tis the season … for zombies???

In Key West, Florida, they hold an annual ZombieFest Street Party this time of year. Some 11,000 zombies are expected to show up, riding bicycles down Duval Street, joined by a smattering of other creatures such as skeletons, evil clowns, witches and the like.

Hmmm … I know a few people who would fit in well there!

Now THAT’s scary!

We’ve all been, at one time or another, in those Hallowe’en haunted houses, right? Personally, I don’t care much for them, for there is always something that reaches out and touches you in the eerie darkness, and I’m trying hard not to die of heart failure just yet. But, there is a haunted house in Summertown, Tennessee, that must really be the haunted house to top all others!

Just to give you an idea, in order to even enter McKamey Manor, one must first complete a sports physical, sign a 40-page waiver, pass a drug test, provide proof of medical insurance, and prove they are at least 21 years old. If you meet all those criteria, you must then watch a 2-hour video called And Then There Were None, which features footage of every visitor from July 2017 and August 2019 quitting before the end of the experience. Visitors leave by uttering the code phrase, “You really don’t want to do this.”

The owner of the house, Russ McKamey, says admission is cheap … a bag of dog food to help feed his five dogs, and the prize for finishing? A cool $20,000. Thing is, nobody has ever finished! McKamey claims that the key to inspiring terror is a “mind game” that relies on hypnotism to have visitors tricked by their own minds. He said each experience is video recorded to prove to visitors — and authorities — that nothing illegal took place.

“When I use the hypnosis I can put you in a kitty pool with a couple inches of water and tell you there’s a great white shark in there, and you’re gonna think there’s a shark in there. And so, when you have that kind of power over people, and have them do and see things that you want them to see, then they can leave here thinking it really happened, and they’ll go to the authorities and say, ‘oh, whatever,’ and I have to come back and show the footage and say, ‘it didn’t go that way at all.”

Um … I don’t know about you guys, but I won’t be heading to Summertown, Tennessee, any time soon!

Let’s wrap up with some ‘toons …

And a few funny signs …

And, what would Jolly Monday be without a cute animal video?

That’s a wrap, folks, for we all have things we need to be doing. Please, please, remember to share those gorgeous smiles you’re wearing … I know from my own experience how much it can help sometimes just to have someone smile and say “Hey … how ya doin’?” Keep safe and have a great week! Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

“I Tried Not To Be Snarky” Snippets

Posted on October 24, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Political commentary

Friends … I had every intention of NOT being snarky this morning. My intentions were pure and good … I would write something upbeat and cheery … surely I could have an attitude adjustment and be happy-go-lucky just for one post, right? Right? Sigh. Wrong.

Why?

Below is a map of the United States … please take just one minute to look at it and see where Colorado is located (hint … it’s the blue state just left of center).Now, you see Colorado there, right? And … do you notice that there is at least one whole state, New Mexico, between Colorado and the U.S.-Mexican border? The southernmost part of Colorado is some 450 miles from the border. And yet …

“You know why we’re going to win New Mexico? Because they want safety on their border and they didn’t have it. And we’re building a wall on the border of New Mexico. And we’re building a wall in Colorado. We’re building a beautiful wall. A big one that really works that you can’t get over, you can’t get under.”

Dang! I didn’t know there was a feud going on between Colorado and New Mexico! Why didn’t someone tell me? That was Donald Trump speaking at an oil and gas conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, yesterday. Colorado’s governor, Jared Polis, had a great comeback, though …

“Well this is awkward. Colorado doesn’t border Mexico. Good thing Colorado now offers free full day kindergarten, so our kids can learn basic geography.”

Good one, Guv! Not so good, Donnie … in fact, downright embarrassing.

Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont also had a good one, inspired by Sharpiegate …

And speaking of … misspeaking …

What’s in a name, anyway?

It isn’t the most important thing in the world, certainly not the worst of Trump’s many, many, many terrible tweeting faux pas, but it speaks volumes about how he views other people.

On July 15^th, Trump formally nominated Mark Esper as Secretary of Defense. The Senate quickly confirmed the nomination, as they have with most of Trump’s nominee’s, and Mr. Esper took office on July 23^rd. Imagine Mr. Esper’s surprise on Sunday when he saw this tweet by Trump …Sure, it’s a minor thing, but it tells us that Trump doesn’t even think enough of his own hand-picked cabinet member to get his name right. And it wasn’t a live broadcast, where he might be forgiven for misspeaking, but rather a tweet, where he had the opportunity to look at it, realize his mistake, and correct it before hitting ‘Send’. I see this as a matter of great disrespect. Am I surprised? Not at all. However, if I were Mr. Esper or any other member of Trump’s administration, I would take this as yet another sign that he considers his staff as nothing more than disposable assets to be used, abused, and kicked aside when they displease him.

The ultimate hypocrisy …

You’d have to laugh, if only it weren’t more asininities coming from members of the Trump clan. Now, we all know that Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, served on the Board of Directors of one of Ukraine’s largest natural gas companies. This had nothing to do with Joe Biden other than perhaps the Biden name gave him a foot in the door. There is no scandal, such as the one Donald Trump has been attempting to fabricate for the past several months, ever since most polls revealed that if the election were held today, he would lose to Joe Biden.

But, there is a certain irony when the entire Trump clan go on national television to whine … yes, folks, they whined … about nepotism! Think about that one for a minute. The Trump clan … is decrying nepotism???

You’ve got Jared and Ivanka, neither of whom could obtain security clearances, serving as “presidential advisors” … and both, I might add, who have business interests tied to Trump’s presidency. And then, there’s Don Jr. and Eric who are supposed to be running Trump’s businesses, but somehow find time to stick their long noses into the day-to-day business of governance, and frequently tweet on daddy’s behalf, and even appear on Fox News to toot daddy’s horn! Disgusting animal killers is what they are!

And these infamous fools critique Joe Biden’s son for … um … accepting a job that his education well prepared him for???

Junior and Eric travel all ‘round the country on our dime, folks. They are accompanied by Secret Service agents wherever they go, and believe me, they go to some places that you and I could only dream of. And we … yes, We the People, We the Taxpayer, pay for their journeys. Whatever high-classed (read, expensive) accommodations they choose, the Secret Service must also inhabit … on our dime. Even though they have NO OFFICIAL ROLE, nor are they qualified for one, in our government. And they are screeching “Nepotism” at the Bidens??? Yeah, right, dude. If anyone buys this one, please call me, for I have a lovely little bridge in Brooklyn I will sell cheap!

Granted, none of these stories constitute impeachable offenses … that’s a story for another day. Nor are they as relevant as certain republicans in Congress, led by the obnoxious Matt Gaetz, disruptong an impeachment inquiry for some five hours today, breaking every rule in the book. Again, that’s a story for later. But, even these small incidents have relevance because they show us the mindset that is allegedly running this nation. Can’t get your own employee’s name right? Sheesh. When I was in management, I made sure to know even the names of the children of the people who worked for me … it’s called ‘common courtesy’, ‘respect’, ‘caring’. And to claim to be a “stable genius”, with “great and unmatched wisdom”, but not even know where the state of Colorado is??? Every bit of this, every ignominious tweet where he misspells words, calls people names, is further evidence that not only is he not a genius, but he is neither intelligent nor educated. And yet … some 40% of the people in this country want that.

As for my failed attempt at not being snarky … don’t look for it to happen any time soon. In fact, I’m thinking about changing my middle name to ‘Snarky’. But, to prove that I am not the snarkiest, here is a clip from Seth Meyers who has snarky down to a science!

Good People Doing Good Things — Helping Kids (And A Turtle)

Posted on October 23, 2019 by jilldennison under animals, Bits 'n Pieces, Good people doing good things, Social commentary

Ready for a look at some good people today? I know I sure am … seen enough of the other kind this week!

Andrew Levy is a real estate agent in Palm Beach Gardens, but much of his business is conducted in the area of Jupiter (the city in Florida, not the planet). You may remember a few months ago I wrote a piece about children who couldn’t afford their school lunch, and schools were not only denying them lunch, but shaming them as well? Well, somehow the plight of numerous children in Jupiter, Florida, came to the attention of Mr. Levy and he was stunned to find that some children were going without lunch, or being given only a dry cheese sandwich.

Andrew marched (well, he probably drove) to the school district offices and paid off the debts of every child in the nine Jupiter schools!

“These children that were in debt were going to either not eat or they would get just cheese sandwiches and I thought that’s crazy. I thought you know something? If for a modest sum I could make that change, I’m gonna do it.”

Now it wasn’t, by most standards, a huge amount … $944.34 in total … but wasn’t it a beautiful thing to do? And, Andrew isn’t planning to stop there, either!

“Every quarter, I’m going to do either a GoFundMe page or a fundraising page that can raise money every quarter, so lunch debt never accumulates so that children never have to worry about a hot meal and parents never have to worry about paying the bill.”

A little thing? Maybe, but isn’t that what it’s all about? People doing whatever they can to help others.

Jonathan Pollard is a lawyer in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He says he remembers what it was like, being in college, too broke to go home for the holidays. So, he wants to help young college students get home for the holidays this year, and this is what he posted on LinkedIn:

“If you’re a college student and you want to go home for Thanksgiving, but can’t afford the plane ticket home, I’m pitching in. I will book your ticket.

You must be in college, have financial need, and be able to prove that you are excelling in academics, sports, or extracurricular activities. Basically, you have to be excellent at whatever your passion is.

If you’re in college, can demonstrate excellence and need help getting home, just send me a message. I’m a small time nobody and can’t possibly afford to help everyone out there. But I’ll do my part. I’ll help as many people as I can. Because I don’t want anybody staying on campus alone because they can’t afford to get home. Trust me.

I know what it’s like to be in college, flat broke and too poor to go home. Well it’s not happening to you. Not on my watch.

I could go buy a new truck or I could send a bunch of young folks home for Thanksgiving. Seems like a no brainer to me.

I never forgot what it’s like and I never will.”

Another man with a kind heart … see, folks? They are out there!

Dylan Ence is a senior this year at Dixie High School in St. George, Utah. When Dylan was a freshman in 2015, he and his family visited the very poor village of Patamban Michoacan in Mexico, and the memory has stayed with him ever since. So ….

Dylan is planning a return visit to the Mexican village in December. And, guess how he’s getting there?Yep, a school bus. But … why? Well, see, for the past four years, Dylan has been saving every penny for this day. He was so moved by the plight of the poor village children who had no transportation and often spent entire weeks at school so as to not miss their classes, that he … bought them a bus! Yep, Dylan bought the bus at auction and in December he will be driving it to Patamban Michoacan to donate to the village.

But that’s not all. Ever since his initial visit, he has been taking donations of school supplies, buying some himself, and now the bus is filled with backpacks, pens, pencils, socks and clothing for the young village students! He is currently in the process of getting insurance and travel papers from the Mexican government to get his bus and supplies safely across the border and plans to leave for the three-day journey on December 20^th. What a young man, yes?

Well, folks, that wraps … what? Looks like Jolly just got up and he has a little good people story he wants to share, too …

Hi everybody. I found a story about a turtle an’ I wanna share it with you, ‘k? There was a big fire in the Amazon Rain Forest, an’ that’s a long way from here. Anyway … a turtle named Freddy was burned really, really bad in the fire, an’ his shell was ruined, see?

An’ then there’s this group of scientists called “Animal Avengers”, and guess what? They made Freddy a bran’ new shell with somethin’ called a 3D printer! See, Freddy woulda died without a shell, but now he gots a bran new one! But … the Avengers guys thought Freddy needed some colour, ‘cause his new shell was good, but it was just plain ol’ grey. So …Dey painted his shell!

Isn’t he beeyuteeful!!! Here’s a picture of the Avengers …An’ you can watch this video, too … don’ worry … it’s real short!

‘Bye now! I hope you liked my story ‘bout Freddy!

Well, folks … Jolly had a pretty cool story, didn’t he? He doesn’t usually help out with the good people posts, but he begged to get to tell that one. And that’s a wrap for today … remember, friends … let’s all try to be a good people and help make the world just a bit better, okay?

Jolly Funday Monday!

Posted on October 21, 2019 by jilldennison under animals, Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Humour, Politic-Free Mondays

Good Monday morning, friends! I hope you all had a fun and/or relaxing weekend. Mine? Oh, nothing much … you know, hiked up Mount Everest, paddled down the Amazon … just the same ol’, same ol’. Okay, okay … I did next to nothing! The girls and I did our usual lunch/bookstore trip on Saturday … I took a break from my blog on Saturday, by the way! A whole day without writing a single post! That’s the first time since sometime late 2018, I believe! But, now begins another week, and I’m trying to psych myself into getting back into my household chores routine, because for the past several weeks I have seriously lacked motivation to do more than the absolute essentials.

Anyway, enough of that … there are treats on the table … I have no idea what, since I let Jolly prepare the table, though I baked the treats (you remember how Jolly is in the kitchen!) So, grab a bite and let’s start this week off with some fun!

Larry’s bacon

Note to rawgod: Note that all three plates of bacon are uniquely different. Take whichever you wish, but take only one, please, for the others are for Emily and Larry!

When you go fishing, you expect to catch … er … fish, right? Sure, you might get a surprise by catching a mollusk of some sort, or these days you might well pull up a net full of plastic bottles ‘n such. But what you really do not ever expect to catch is a …That’s right … a bobcat!

Bob Hereford was out fishing on Flathead Lake in Montana, with his wife, son Brett, and the family pooch, when they heard something thrashing around in the water. Bob very carefully steered the boat in the direction of the splashing for a closer look, and there he was, struggling to stay afloat, the little bobcat. Son Brett gently scooped him up in their fishing net, and they drove the bobcat back to shore, releasing him on dry land.Experts say that while bobcats can swim, they typically avoid bodies of water, and they speculate that it is possible an eagle had picked up the bobcat and dropped him over the water. Either way, all’s well that ends well, and this fish story had a happy ending!

It’s no secret that cats like to get ‘in’ things. Leave a cardboard box lying around … before you can turn around, there’s a cat in it … well, if you have cats, that is. When Orange was still alive, his favourite place was the fruit bowl! A laundry basket full of clothes left unattended? There will soon be a cat in it. Every time daughter Chris is packing for a band trip, the cats love getting into her suitcase.Last week, Nick and Voirrey Coole – a couple from Isle Of Man, the United Kingdom – had scheduled their 40th birthday celebrations in New York. When they went through airport security with their carry-on baggage, the security staff repeatedly asked them if that was their bag after it had gone through the scanner, they were puzzled. They had purposely put very little into their carry-ons, for they intended to use them to bring back souvenirs.

The security staff unzipped the bag in question, and out climbed the Coole’s cat, Candy! Nick later posted on Facebook …

“You know that feeling when you get ushered into a side room at airport security because you’ve got a cat in your hand luggage? Candy decided to sneak into our hand bag, thanks Barry and Lorna for picking her up so we can head off on our holiday. Fair play to airport security for helping to get her home so we could catch our flight.”

As one commenter, Richard Lee said, “Cat was obviously thinking, ‘I fits, I sits, I fly’”

How about a few houses, all decked out for the spooky season…

Oopsie … my bad … wrong scary holiday!

Shay Bradley died earlier this month, and his funeral was held on October 12^th in Kilmanagh, Kilkenny, Ireland. As friends and family stood around the grave where the casket had just been lowered, imagine their surprise when, from down in the hole, came a knocking sound and “Hello … hello!” … more knocking … “Hello. Let me out! Where the f*** am I?” … knocking … “Let me out. It’s f***ing dark in here.”

His daughter, Andrea, posted on Twitter …

“It was his dying wish that we played this at his funeral. What a man, to make us all laugh when we were incredibly sad. He was some man for one man. Love you forever Poppabear.”

I think we have time for just a few cartoons …

Alright, folks … time for us all to go forth and be useful … no, Joe, not multiply … you’ve already done your share of that! Oh, but first … how could I forget the cute animal video? This one comes to us courtesy of Colette … she saw it, and knew we would all love it! It’s short, but guaranteed to bring a smile to your face!

And now, we must really go. Jolly and I have so enjoyed spending time with you this morning. Share those smiles, friends … some people seem to have lost their own! Keep safe and have a wonderful week! Love ‘n hugs from Filosofa and Jolly!

He’s Got To GO!

Posted on October 18, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Election 2020, Global Issues, Law and justice, Political commentary

Folks, it’s just not funny anymore, okay? Oh wait … it was never funny, was it? When lives are at stake, there can be no laughter. When the foundations of a government is at stake, the time for laughter has passed.

On November 8^th of 2016, some 62,979,879 people voted for a ‘man’ named Donald Trump. A ‘man’ few had heard of in political circles, for he was naught but a real estate ‘mogul’ and a television entertainer. I had heard the name, but not being a watcher of television, nor an occupier of casino stools, it was largely irrelevant to me. Until June 2015, that is. The vote for Trump was not the majority, but nonetheless, because of racial gerrymandering, he managed to win the electoral college and thus was inaugurated on January 20^th, 2017, into the highest office of the United States government.

Since that fateful day, he has been hellbent and determined to destroy the nation he swore to protect, to oppose the Constitution he swore to uphold, and most of all … to profit.

He was the most unqualified, unprepared person imaginable for this position. He said he would surround himself with the ‘best people’. They said he would learn … they said he would become ‘presidential’.

They were all wrong. He didn’t.

It is now 33 months into his term, and much of the destruction he has wrought is irreversible. The latest horror may well have been the last straw for this nation, for it has convinced our allies that our word is worth less than the paper it is written on. As a result of his decision to remove U.S. troops from northeastern Syria, at least 38 civilians and 81 Kurdish fighters have been killed. Those deaths are attributable to the United States. Their blood is on the hands of none other than Donald Trump who negotiated with Turkish President Recep Erdoğan, Trump immediately removed troops from Syria, and within hours Erdoğan began brutally attacking the Kurds.

Donald Trump does not feel badly about the deaths, but instead made comments on Wednesday that the “Kurds are no angels”, and that the Turks attacking the Kurds in Syria has “nothing to do with us”.

“I view the situation on the Turkish border with Syria to be, for the United States, strategically brilliant. Our soldiers are out of there, they’re totally safe. They’ve got to work it out. Maybe they can do it without fighting.”

A classic case of that arrogant saying, “I got mine”.

Trump’s ignorance has cost human lives. That, my friends, is not reversible. I would like to hear from some of those who support Trump if they are okay with our allies being murdered because Trump didn’t know what he was doing.

The House of Representatives held a vote on Tuesday on whether to condemn Trump’s actions in the Middle East. The bill received overwhelming bi-partisan support in favour of condemning Trump’s actions: 354 Yea; 60 Nay; 4 Present; 14 Not Voting. 81% of the entire House condemns Trump’s foolhardy action. My own representative voted Nay, and had a scathing email from me waiting in his in box this morning. The biggest disappointment was that Justin Amash, who left the GOP earlier this year after voicing support for impeachment, abstained, voting only “Present”. Ah well, I suppose his bout of conscience didn’t last very long, did it?

What does this condemnation mean? Not a damn thing, really, for it is mainly symbolic. What it does signal, however, is that at least 129 republicans in the House of Representatives have had enough … for them, Trump has finally crossed a line. This is, perhaps, the true significance of this move … it sends a message, loud and clear, that there are limits to what he can do and still have the support of his party in Congress. My hope is that some of those 129 republicans will also now think long and hard about impeachment and see that it may be the only way to salvage what is left of our reputation before he finishes his process of destruction. The presidency of Donald Trump is costing the people of this nation far, far too much.

Yesterday, Trump boasted of a cease-fire that had been worked out between Mike Pence and Recep Erdoğan. It is not a cease fire. Let’s be clear … it is a cessation of attack for five days, 120 hours, to “give the Kurds time to clear out”. But … the Kurds have a right to be there. The Kurds should not have to ‘clear out’. The implication is clear … any who remain at the end of five days will be obliterated. This amounts to nothing more than a further abandonment on the part of the U.S. of our allies. What happens, I wonder, if Trump’s buddy Putin decides he would like to add the UK or France or Germany to his vision for an expanded USSR-style Russian empire?

It seems to me that the person who has the least understanding of international affairs, is calling all the shots now. Or, rather, he is the puppet whose strings are being pulled by the likes of Putin and Erdoğan, who are actually calling all the shots.

And the latest, announced late yesterday, is that he has awarded himself a prize! He, in his great and unmatched wisdom, has decided that next year’s G7 summit will be held at Trump’s Doral Resort, so that he can profit ‘bigly’. This, my friends, is against the law. But, will anybody hold him accountable? Will anybody say, “No, Donnie, you cannot do that?” It remains to be seen. Thus far, I’ve only seen looks of disbelief and shaking heads, but no action. Perhaps, if Trump stays on his current path of shoving our allies under the bus, he will be the one not invited to next year’s G7.

There is growing support around the nation for impeachment. Just today, White House Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, let slip that Trump had, in fact, offered “quid pro quo” to the Ukranian President Zelinskyy, in exchange for providing false information about the Bidens in order to affect the outcome of next year’s election. My friends … It is time for Donald Trump to go, and frankly, I don’t care in what form or fashion, for if he remains in office for another five years, this nation will hit rock bottom. I firmly believe that.

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!

Filosofa's Word

Cogito Ergo Sum

Category Archives: Bits ‘n Pieces