I was reminded that I didn’t do a post with ‘toons last week, so consider this to be last week’s post this week. Rather like the title of John Oliver’s show, Last Week Tonight. Much was in the news this week, but the cartoonists grabbed one topic as their central focus … the college admissions scandal.
Then there was Trump’s ludicrous budget proposal …
The tragedy of immigrant children, separated from their parents and kept in ‘detention centers’ …
Welcome, friends! Did you notice what was in the front yard as you came in? No? Then come … you simply must see! Yes, there … see them? The crocuses are coming up!!! It will be a while before we get blooms, but I am so happy to see their fresh green sprouts! So, how was your weekend? Mine? Meh. It was very cold this weekend, and I’m still not quite up to snuff these days, tire too easily, so while we went out for lunch and the bookstore, that was about enough for me. I was ready to come back home and put on my warm, cozy sweats and thick book socks. Daughter Chris’ band played in the St. Patrick’s Day parade downtown on Saturday, but Miss Goose and I stayed home where it was warm. Apparently not many people did, though, for it was so crowded it took her over an hour to be able to make her way back to her car after the parade!
Chris, my li’l drummie girl, is 3rd from the right, front row
Well, since it is Monday, let’s make it a jolly one with a bit of humour, shall we? Grab a snack and a cuppa. I put extra tea out for you, rawgod, since you said somebody sipped yours last week. And David … there’s BFG just for you!
Playing music for … cheese?
Say What??? This one doesn’t come from a satirical site, but you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking it did.
A team of Swiss researchers has been studying the effects of music on cheese. Yes, you heard me right. Nine wheels of Emmental cheese weighing 10 kilos (22 pounds) each were placed in separate wooden crates last September to test the impact of music on flavor and aroma.
One wheel was played Mozart 24/7, while another was subjected to Led Zeppelin, and yet another to some hip-hop group of whom I’ve never heard and don’t care if I never do! One lone wheel was left in peace and quiet.
According to the researchers from Bern University …
“The most obvious differences were observed in strength of flavor, smell and taste. The hip hop sample topped the list of all cheese exposed to music in terms of fruitiness … [it] was the strongest of these in terms of smell and taste. The differences were very clear, in term of texture, taste, the appearance, there was really something very different. All the energy is directly resonating inside of the cheese.”
Interesting, but my question is … taste varies from person to person, so the cheese I might prefer might well (likely would) be the one that had Mozart playing in its … um … what does cheese have in lieu of ears? Who comes up with these ideas, anyway! And why?
Ghost or Gimmick?
The Habitat for Humanity Restore of Rowan County is a second-hand furniture store in North Carolina. They recently acquired a queen canopy bed frame and highboy chest of drawers that the previous owners said were haunted. Store Operations Director Elizabeth Brady says she felt obligated to advise potential customers of the possibility of a ghost or ghosts residing within, so she posted photos on Facebook, along with the disclaimer …
And suddenly there was a flurry of interest in the pieces, culminating in a sale for $1,000 just last week. Now, perhaps I just have a suspicious nature, but I have a funny feeling it was an intentional tease to pique the public interest and have people vying to own these ‘haunted’ pieces, thereby raising the going price.
Turn some lights out, Bud!
I’ve had a few eye-opening electric bills in my time, but I think the highest ever was probably under $400. I would love to have seen the look on poor Tommy Straub’s face when he opened his monthly bill from Con Edison in New York and found this …His average bill is $74. Tommy took it all in stride, however, tweeting …
“I own a 600 square foot apartment in Astoria. I do NOT own the entirety of Manhattan Island. THIS IS INSANE. FIX IT.”
I think I would have been on the phone to Con Ed, rather than on Twitter, but that seems to be where everybody heads when things go amiss! Happily, the problem was quickly resolved with a phone call, but if I had been the one to get a bill like that, it would have been too late to resolve, for I would likely have suffered heart failure right then and there!
ATM mobbed?
Back in November in Houston, Texas, I think perhaps the men who loaded an ATM near Interstate 45 and Farm to Market Road 1960 in Harris County, may have been a bit hungover or somehow distracted. Perhaps there was a pretty little filly trotting down the FM road? Anyway, where they were supposed to place $20 bills, they instead placed $100 bills! Customers contacted Bank of America, to whom the machine belonged, when it was discovered that the machine was dispensing extra cash, but not before a few people grabbed the money and ran, and a few fights broke out! No word yet on the amount of excess cash that was distributed, or on whether those found having taken the cash will be charged with some criminal offense.
Personally, I would have waited for the cops and turned the extra money over. No, really, I would have! I’m he one who drives back to the store and goes back in to tell the clerk she gave me 25 cents too much change!
Dragonlord the Pig … or CAT???
What would Jolly Monday be without a cute animal video? I say I post these for the young set of readers, but in truth, I have a ball with them! Last night, I was sitting watching animal videos to find just the right one for this post, and literally laughing! I really think we ‘oldsters’ enjoy the animals as much as the youngsters, don’t you? Dragonlord is a pig who, having been raised with house cats, thinks he is one of them. Watch …
And now, folks, I am sorry to say that we must all get this show on the road. I, of course, have laundry, bathrooms & a kitchen to clean, and a nap to take email to answer. And you all … well, some of you anyway … have a job to go to so you can pay the electric bill next week. I do so love seeing your beautiful smiles, and I hope you will share them with everyone you see this week! Thank you for sharing part of your morning with me and Jolly! Hugs ‘n love from Filosofa and Jolly!
It seems about time for some snarky snippets, don’t you think?
Rules were made to be … rescinded?
If you don’t like a rule, you can just ignore it. If that doesn’t work, you can just re-write the rule. At least, if you are Donald Trump, that seems to be the way it works. I’m reasonably certain that it would not work that way for most of us.
Case in point …
Back in 2016, President Obama signed an executive order, part of which mandated an annual accounting of how many civilians have died in military and CIA strikes. The goal was to increase transparency in an effort to limit the number of civilian deaths as a result of drone strikes in countries like Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan. The deadline for that annual accounting by U.S. intelligence officials passed last week with no report issued. And so, Trump merely rescinded that part of the executive order with an executive order of his own. As I said at the beginning, if you don’t like the rule, or miss the deadline, just get rid of the rule!
The number of drone strikes abroad has dramatically increased since Trump took office. For example, during President Obama’s entire eight years in office, 154 strikes were carried out in the war-torn country of Yemen. Comparatively, during Trump’s two years, 176 have been conducted. Extrapolating the data, more than 4.5 times as many per year under Trump. And yet, he has decided it is not important for that data to be made public. I beg to differ.
Freedom???
I have frequently compared the Trump administration to George Orwell’s book, 1984, and with good reason. One of those reasons is what Orwell dubbed ‘newspeak’, and what the Trump administration has termed, ‘alternative facts’. Either term works. It is the means Trump & Co. use to justify the unjustifiable. I have also said that somebody needs to write an “Alternative Facts Dictionary”, for it becomes confusing to those of us who grew up with Merriam-Webster as our guide. Here’s a new one for you: Freedom = deprivation of rights. That’s funny, for I thought it was the opposite.
Specifically, ‘religious freedom’ has become a buzzword for “anything the Christians don’t like is bad and will not be tolerated”. But would somebody please explain to me what problem Christians have with LGBT people? Mind you, before somebody takes umbrage, I am not referring to all Christians, but the group of them that agree with Mr. Jack Phillips, the Colorado baker who refused to bake a cake for a gay couple and ended up costing much money and causing much angst as a result of his homophobia. Though not Christian myself, I have many friends who are Christians, but who are not homophobes. In fact, I have a number of friends who are both gay and Christian. But then there are those others …
Nebraska State Senator Patty Pansing Brooks introduced LB 627 in January this year, a bill that would have updated all relevant state statutes to prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. No-brainer, right? But did you know there are more than two dozen states that have no LGBT nondiscrimination protections at the state level? Long story short, the bill failed to garner the votes needed to pass. Opponents of the bill claimed that it would be used to target religious business owners in the state and punish them for their beliefs. Bullsh*t! People in this nation are not punished for their beliefs, but for their discriminatory actions!
Senator Robert Clements suggested that LGBT people didn’t deserve protections because he wasn’t aware of any science suggesting they were “born at birth that way.” By a grammar book, Mr. Clements! And perhaps re-read that bible you claim to be spouting from.
This, as well as anything, epitomizes why I eschew religion … far too often it is used as justification to promote bigotry and hate. Michael Pence, Donald Trump, the televangelists, and all those who would enforce the “Christian point of view” on the rest of us are bigots, plain and simple. Believe as you wish, but don’t punish those of us who do not think as you do.
Take THAT, Fox ‘News’!
Three cheers for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) who today announced that they will bar Fox ‘News’ from sponsoring the 2020 Democratic Primary Debate. The reason they cite is an article in The New Yorker titled “The Making of the Fox News White House”. According to DNC Chairman Tom Perez …
“Recent reporting in the New Yorker on the inappropriate relationship between President Trump, his administration and Fox News has led me to conclude that the network is not in a position to host a fair and neutral debate for our candidates. Therefore, Fox News will not serve as a media partner for the 2020 Democratic primary debates.”
Among other things, the article reported allegations that late Fox News founder Roger Ailes passed along questions to Trump prior to a 2016 Republican primary debate and noted that former Fox executive Bill Shine is now the White House communications director. Several other former Fox News employees and contributors work in the Trump administration.
I have referred to Fox as state t.v. more than once, and while that may be somewhat of a stretch, it most certainly is not an arms-length relationship as it ought to be.
Trump is none too happy about the DNC decision, it would appear.
“Democrats just blocked @FoxNews from holding a debate. Good, then I think I’ll do the same thing with the Fake News Networks and the Radical Left Democrats in the General Election debates!”
Such is not, contrary to what he may believe, within his power. But wait! There are executive orders! Oh, but it’s going to be a fun twenty months. Define ‘fun’ as ulcer-inducing in this case. Shoot me now.
There was so much fuel for the gristmill this week, and the cartoonists didn’t let us down. In fact, there were so many fine ones that I may have to do two ‘toon-posts’ this week!
First there was the “summit” with Trump and Kim Jong-un which was, as we mostly knew it would be, a complete waste of time and money … our money.
Then there was Michael Cohen’s testimony before Congress
So, how was your weekend? Mine? Meh. It was very cold this weekend, and I’m still not quite up to snuff these days, tire too easily, so while we went out for lunch and the bookstore, that was about enough for me. I was ready to come back home and put on my warm, cozy sweats and thick book socks. Daughter Chris’ band played in the St. Patrick’s Day parade downtown on Saturday, but Miss Goose and I stayed home where it was warm. Apparently not many people did, though, for it was so crowded it took her over an hour to be able to make her way back to her car after the parade!
Interesting, but my question is … taste varies from person to person, so the cheese I might prefer might well (likely would) be the one that had Mozart playing in its … um … what does cheese have in lieu of ears? Who comes up with these ideas, anyway! And why?
The Habitat for Humanity Restore of Rowan County is a second-hand furniture store in North Carolina. They recently acquired a queen canopy bed frame and highboy chest of drawers that the previous owners said were haunted. Store Operations Director Elizabeth Brady says she felt obligated to advise potential customers of the possibility of a ghost or ghosts residing within, so she posted photos on Facebook, along with the disclaimer …
His average bill is $74. Tommy took it all in stride, however, tweeting …
Customers contacted Bank of America, to whom the machine belonged, when it was discovered that the machine was dispensing extra cash, but not before a few people grabbed the money and ran, and a few fights broke out! No word yet on the amount of excess cash that was distributed, or on whether those found having taken the cash will be charged with some criminal offense.
And now, folks, I am sorry to say that we must all get this show on the road. I, of course, have laundry, bathrooms & a kitchen to clean, and 
“Democrats just blocked @FoxNews from holding a debate. Good, then I think I’ll do the same thing with the Fake News Networks and the Radical Left Democrats in the General Election debates!”
