Obama on Diapers

 

Monday Smile

 

Sound on

Monday Morning Smile

 

The defensive display of a mantis

Monday Smile

 

I hope this makes you smile as much I smiled when I first saw it.

RIP Kris Kristofferson

 

From Rolling Stone magazine:  
Kris Kristofferson, the country singer, songwriter, actor, Rhodes scholar, and soldier who epitomized the American Renaissance man and whose poetic lyrics transcended genre, has died at age 88 https://trib.al/nNJslTW

Kristofferson was a prolific songwriter with one of the best voices ever.  Below are the songs he penned.  Click on each to make readable.

Lies Lies Lies by drumpf

 Watch Zelensky's face as drumpf lies

Reminds me of this

WHO is drumpf's tailor????

POTUS' Final UN Address

 President Biden delivered his fourth and final address to the United Nations, reflecting on the "remarkable sweep of history" he's seen throughout his five-decade career and warning that the world was at a new "inflection point."

 
The 81-year-old president said he was more optimistic than ever despite wars raging in the Middle East and Ukraine and the world facing emerging challenges such as climate change and artificial intelligence.

• "I recognize the challenges from Ukraine to Gaza to Sudan and beyond: war, hunger, terrorism, brutality, record displacement of people, a climate crisis, democracy at risk, strains within our societies, the promise of artificial intelligence and its significant risks. The list goes on," he said.
   
• "But maybe because of all I've seen and all we have done together over the decades, I have hope. I know there is a way forward."

The president, who campaigned on his foreign policy credentials, touted his administration's efforts to rebuild America's alliances and partnerships "to a level not previously seen."
 
He defended his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan, calling it "a hard decision but the right decision," while paying tribute to the 13 service members who were killed amid the chaotic evacuation as well as the 2,461 who were lost during the 20-year war.

• "Four American presidents had faced that decision, but I was determined not to leave it to the fifth," he said.

President Biden also addressed two major conflicts that began during his presidency that have no end in sight: Ukraine and Gaza.

He challenged fellow leaders to not let up on their support for Ukraine, warning that it would destroy a democratic nation and encourage further aggression.

• "We cannot grow weary. We cannot look away and we will not let up on our support for Ukraine," he said.

The president mourned the 1,200 Israelis who were slaughtered by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, noted that innocent Palestinians are "going through hell" in Gaza, and called on both parties to swiftly reach a ceasefire and hostage deal.

• "Now is the time for the parties to finalize the terms," he said. "Bring the hostages home, secure security for Israel and Gaza free of Hamas's grip, ease the suffering in Gaza, and end this war."

He also urged Israel and Hezbollah to step away from the precipice of a full-scale war, arguing that such a conflict was "not in anyone's interest."

• "A solution is still possible. In fact, it remains the only path to lasting security and to allow the residents of both countries to return to their homes," he said.

In closing his remarks, President Biden touched on his "difficult" decision to step aside to allow for a new generation of leaders to come forward, casting the move as an example for other world leaders.

• "There is so much more I want to get done. But as much as I love the job, I love my country more," he said. "My fellow leaders, let us never forget, some things are more important than staying in power. It's your people that matter the most. Never forget, we are here to serve the people, not the other way around."

Monday Smile

 

Monday Smile

 

You Need to Wake Up Now

 

Way to go, Penzey's

 Penzey's is a spices and seasoning company at https://www.penzeys.com/.  They also have brick and mortar presence country-wide (https://www.penzeys.com/locations).

Recently, they put out this statement on their website.  I am so impressed by it I think I will start shopping there (if the prices are right).  

If you're not a MAGAT, I think you'll like their statement:



About Republicans

As we’ve now said on our first-ever About Us page on our website, there’s something unique about humankind’s relationship with spices that time and again have caused spices to be a driving force for change. We live in a time calling out for change and for solutions to the very real problems our country and our planet face. There’s two very different futures ahead for us totally dependent on whether we solve these problems or not. With so much at stake we feel obligated to use the unique position spices hold in our lives to try to help promote the solutions to these problems as best we can.

Watching the slow decline of the Republican Party over the last half century, and the steep decline/bottom falling out over the last decade, it can be easy to see the nonsense that has overtaken the party as pretty much random. Once you start seriously looking at the problems America and the world face and who and what are standing in the way of solving those problems, it quickly becomes clear there is nothing random to what the Republicans are promoting.

The Republican departure from conservative values and embrace of what, from a distance, looks a whole lot like insanity didn’t happen by chance. All of it has been intelligently crafted with the goal of preserving the position of those who profit from the inhumanity that is at the very roots of pretty much every problem we are facing. From the environment, to racism/discrimination, to health, to saving our democracy at home and growing it abroad, half the time Republicans are intentionally blocking the solution to the problems we face. The other half of the time they are the problem we face.

The truth of our time is we’ve arrived at the point where there’s no way to respect the nonsense the Republican Party is promoting and have any hope of overcoming the problems we as a nation and we as a planet face. Given the choice between saving America and planet Earth or saving the feelings of Republican voters, we are choosing to side with saving our country and our world. I’m sorry it’s come to this.

And no, there is no HATE!!! in any of this. There is a whole lot of propaganda at the heart of much of how Republican voters have been steered away from conservative values to what they now seem all too happy to vote for. The thing to remember about propaganda is that it doesn’t just misinform, it also works to make people immune from the truth by convincing them any facts that counter their propaganda are nothing more than HATE!!! But we really have no hate for Republican voters. None at all.

I actually like and respect most of you guys. Sure, there are a growing number that are there for the racism, but I still believe the majority of you have good hearts that want to help and do the right thing. I know you to be trustworthy, and honest, and funny, and caring, and good souls. The problem isn’t what you are, the problem is what you are now voting to support. You guys have been turned around.

Remember when your distrust of big city types, and your deep rooted beliefs in paying your debts, respecting your marriage, raising kids willing to serve, honoring your word, and going to church every week had you voting for Donald Trump over Joe Biden all because Biden’s son had a computer? Or how you couldn’t vote for Hillary because she was over-prepared and used emails? I know that to you your actions seem rational and in keeping with your values, but when it comes to voting you are now consistently voting in people who are the exact opposite of you and the values you hold dear.

What does any of this mean? Going forward we would still be glad to have you as customers, but we’re done pretending the Republican Party’s embrace of cruelty, racism, Covid lies, climate change denial, and threats to democracy are anything other than the risks they legitimately are. If you need us to pretend you are not creating the hurt you are creating in order for you to continue to be our customer, I’m sad to say you might be happier elsewhere.

If on the other hand you still want the best spices and don’t need us to respect what you now vote for to be our customer, Hooray! We are happy to have you here, but know that we will, on a regular basis, try to wake you up from this dream that has you believing there is anything conservative left at all to what the Republican Party has become. We can and will work without Republicans to solve the problems we face, but it sure would be nice to get back to a time where Republicans were equal defenders of equality, the environment, and democracy. We look forward to that day.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for being here,