Hump Day Break

apologies if I've shared this before.

Hubby & I love this song by Dr. John.

Listen to the words, it will lighten your hearts with his play on words.

Monday Morning Smile

It's Not You

No, It’s Not You. This is Crazy.

OCTOBER 26, 2017 / JOHN PAVLOVITZ

I know what you’re thinking.

I know you feel something breaking inside lately; an invisible fracture that only you’re fully aware of.

I know the way you walk away from conversations with people you once relied on for wisdom and clarity and compassion, doubting your own sanity because you no longer recognize those things in them.

I know the way you feel internally estranged from the friends, coworkers, family members, and neighbors you used to find affinity with—and you wonder if you’re losing your mind.

I understand how you stare at the perpetual parade of horrible scrolling past you, from the second you wake up prematurely in the early morning until the stretched out nighttime moments you try unsuccessfully to fall asleep—and how you question the grip you have on reality.

I know the disbelief you feel in the presence of loved ones and ministers and leaders who now seem to be speaking some strange foreign tongue that you can’t make any sense of.

I hear the nagging question you ask inside your head a few hundred times a day: “Is it me, or has a huge portion of this country lost its mind?”

It isn’t you.

You’re quite fine, and this is of course both good and terrible news—because of what it says about you and about the place you find yourself.

The fact that you see how wrong this all is, means your faculties are intact, your mind is fully right, and your heart is working properly. It’s all confirmation that you still have a soul doing what souls are supposed to do: keeping you deeply human in profoundly inhumane times.

This is why you need to hold tightly to that soul because it is more rare and valuable than ever.It’s why you need to embrace this holy unrest in the center of your belly; because it is the greatest weapon against the present epidemic of apathy.
It’s why you can’t allow your right mind to make peace with such abject madness.

If enough time passes, an otherwise healthy person can start to get used to sickness. They can slowly begin to convince themselves that almost any horrifying, toxic, painful, twisted reality is acceptable.
Little by little they can gradually allow themselves to acclimate to the nightmare, to come to see it as normal.
Either that, or they determine that they’re actually out of their minds and they collapse inside.

This is a reminder that this is not at all normal and that you are right to feel this disorientation.

I need you to hear this, friend:
You’re okay.
You’re not alone and you’re not crazy.
You’re also in good company.

Right now there is a massive army of similarly walking wounded sharing this place with you; fellow exhausted souls who realize that none of this makes any sense—people concluding that for their health, they will need to create distance from people they once allowed close proximity.
There are millions of good people out here still looking to be the kind of people the world needs; those committed to doing no harm, burdened to bring something decent where it is missing.

There are many of us who see clearly:

This President is not well.
He is not normal.
His behavior and his words and his demeanor are all unhinged, dangerous, and wholly unworthy of his lofty position.
We can see that this is a bastardization of humanity, a rebellion against goodness, a mutiny against sanity.
We can see that those sanctioning and defending and co-signing it are equally unwell, equally disconnected from anything benevolent, similarly propelled by fear and greed and bitterness.

And that’s why we need to keep resisting it.

You need to pushback against the madness that tries to convince you that you’ve gone mad.

You need to press on, because in days when hatred is normalized, goodness matters.

In times when truth and news are pliable, truth-tellers are worth more than gold.

You’re not upside down right now, friend—a good portion of the world is.

But be greatly encouraged.

Loving resistance is a world-turner.

Monday Morning Smile

PEP TALK

Ordinary Men with Extarordinary Moves

Monday Morning Smile

Kellywise

Broken Heart

White Privilege

Why They Kneel

Blind Willie McTell

Bob Dylan - Blind Willie McTell (Acoustic version) W/Mark Knofler from Abhilash Baruah on Vimeo.

drumpf taking out his anger

San Juan mayor "Trump is taking out his anger on Puerto Rico"


Asked on CNN last night whether she believed Trump has handled the response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico differently than he handled hurricanes in Florida and Texas, San Juan Mayor Yulin Cruz said he "most definitely" had. "He's treating Puerto Rico different than the U.S. treated Haiti," Cruz said. "For some reason, he's taking all of his anger out on Puerto Rico."

With due respect to the mayor, I don’t think Trump is taking all his anger out on Puerto Rico. He’s taking some of his anger out on people who are sick or have pre-existing health conditions.


He’s taking some of his anger out on young people who immigrated to America as infants and toddlers.


He’s taking some of his anger out on African-American athletes who are protesting police violence and racism.


He’s taking some of his anger out on women who need contraceptives or college women who don’t want to be sexually harassed.

He’s taking some of his anger out on children fleeing violence in Central America and on refugees fleeing violence in the Middle East.

He’s taking some of his anger out on the poor, who won’t get the services they need because his plans to give huge tax breaks to the rich and to expand the military will use up the federal budget.

He’s taking some of his anger out on people who criticize him, including journalists, judges, and even some senior Republicans in Congress.

Trump seems to possess an endless amount of anger. Puerto Rico is just one of the recipients.

Robert Reich's Conversation

Robert Reich (https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/?hc_ref=ARQl3mzMMTrL5gt-PmRqBQycTGOX1rK7DhSiTmLLpM6j5a4JnEK7cGeONEOTd3HqofY)


October 11 at 3:57pm

This morning I phoned my old friend, a Republican former member of Congress.

Me: So what’s up? Is Corker alone, or are others also ready to call it quits with Trump?

He: All I know is they’re simmering over there.

Me: Flake and McCain have come pretty close.

He: Yeah. Others are thinking about doing what Bob did. Sounding the alarm. They think Trump’s nuts. Unfit. Dangerous.

Me: Well, they already knew that, didn’t they?

He: But now it’s personal. It started with the Sessions stuff. Jeff was as loyal as they come. Trump’s crapping on him was like kicking your puppy. And then, you know, him beating up on Mitch for the Obamacare fiasco. And going after Flake and the others.

Me: So they're pissed off?

He: Not just that. I mean, they have thick hides. The personal stuff got them to notice all the other things. The wild stuff, like those threats to North Korea. Tillerson would leave tomorrow if he wasn’t so worried Trump would go nuclear, literally.

Me: You think Trump is really thinking nuclear war?

He: Who knows what’s in his head? But I can tell you this. He’s not listening to anyone. Not a soul. He’s got the nuclear codes and, well, it scares the hell out of me. It’s starting to scare all of them. That’s really why Bob spoke up.

Me: So what could they do? I mean, even if the whole Republican leadership was willing to say publicly he’s unfit to serve, what then?

He: Bingo! The emperor has no clothes. It’s a signal to everyone they can bail. Have to bail to save their skins. I mean, Trump could be the end of the whole goddam Republican party.

Me: If he starts a nuclear war, that could be the end of everything.

He: Yeah, right. So when they start bailing on him, the stage is set.

Me: For what?

He: Impeachment. 25th amendment.

Me: You think Republicans would go that far?

He: Not yet. Here’s the thing. They really want to get this tax bill through. That’s all they have going for them. They don’t want to face voters in ’18 or ’20 without something to show for it. They’re just praying Trump doesn’t do something really, really stupid before the tax bill.

Me: Like a nuclear war?

He: Look, all I can tell you is many of the people I talk with are getting freaked out. It’s not as if there’s any careful strategizing going on. Not like, well, do we balance the tax bill against nuclear war? No, no. They’re worried as hell. They’re also worried about Trump crazies, all the ignoramuses he’s stirred up. I mean, Roy Moore? How many more of them do you need to destroy the party?

Me: So what’s gonna happen?

He: You got me. I’m just glad I’m not there anymore. Trump’s not just a moron. He’s a despicable human being. And he’s getting crazier. Paranoid. Unhinged. Everyone knows it. I mean, we’re in shit up to our eyeballs with this guy.

EMINEM on drumpf

Desperate Cheeto

Monday Morning Smile

Sorry this is late, I had to finish all the cleanup from Superstorm Nate :)

What it's like in Puerto Rico

Not only an incredible story concerning conditions in Puerto Rico but also a primer on what to expect after in emergency conditions

Tina Chancey

5 hrs · Monroe, CT · 

A FIRST HAND REPORT FROM PR -- TERRIBLE

An apocalyptic account from #PuertoRico (via Karolina O'Donoghue): A friend of mine lives in Puerto Rico and sent this email out late Sunday. I think he must have written on his phone:

"Its 0400 as I write this, can’t sleep again. I keep thinking about what needs to be done. Sure, we have a plan, ration the water, the gasoline, the food. We’ve been very fortunate. We didn’t get flooded, thanks to 4,100 pounds of sand bags. Yes, I’m still sore from humping those heavy things around, securing the house. We have a generator, dry floors, water, canned food and gasoline. We’ll survive this crisis much better than most here on the island. Survive, as in: Live through it.

I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of stories on the news about the storm, but as a former news man, I’m sure that by now we’ve been replaced by Klowe Kardashian’s baby or the latest Hollywood liposuction. But here’s an update of what is really going on in Puerto Rico.

The situation here can only be described as dire. Although we have a generator, we have been using it sparingly as our 6-year-old needs to use her nebulizer at least twice a day, so we use that time to charge batteries, cell phones, keep the fridge cold and the ice frozen. Conserve the reserve, as they say. I don’t want to ramble or be verbose, so I’ll bullet point the issues facing us for clarity.

100% of the power is gone. I’m not saying the power is out, I’m saying that the powerlines are on the ground, snapped, shredded, and displayed at foot level from one end of the island to the other. Replacing the power grid will take months. Each line, pole, relay, and transfer station will need to be fixed or replaced. This island is dark.

95% of all cell service is out. Cars are lined up two lanes deep in places with people just trying to get a cell signal so they can reach their families on the mainland and other parts of the island. However, all communication with the western side is still silent.

90% of the water is at a trickle or less in San Juan, and completely out in most of the island. We are lucky. When the water flows, early in the morning and later at night, we can fill a gallon jug in about 12 minutes. However, the threat of Cholera and other diseases is very real. The water is unsafe.

The curfew has been extended again, until further notice. Very little on this island is moving. We live within a block of a major highway. Usually the night sound is flooded with the rush of traffic, but not now. Now all we hear is the low droning hum of generators. Last night I heard my neighbor’s generator sputter and die as it ran out of fuel. I haven’t heard it since.

Problems we face now:
Fuel. Gas lines are now about 2-3 miles long. People are waiting for hours just for $10 of gasoline. The Puma tank farm has several thousands of gallons of gasoline that supply the city of San Juan, but it’s still under 3 to 4 feet of water and will need to be inspected before any of the gas can be loaded on trucks. But the governor’s office has decreed that the gas will only be available for emergency vehicles, utilities, and government. So as the fuel runs out, generators will sputter and die like my neighbor’s. There is no ETA when the fuel will be available again.

Water. Potable water is running out everywhere. The Governor’s office ordered a price freeze on gasoline and oil, but didn’t include drinking water. In a corner store on Saturday I paid $32 for two 6-packs of Evian as I bought some chips and salsa for my wife and lollipops for my girls. Cash only of course, as there is no internet for the use of a debit or credit card.

Money. This is now a cash only society. People are lined up for hours waiting for an ATM or a bank teller to get money to live on. The cash is running out fast.

Distribution. As the Jones Act of 1920 decreed that all goods to Puerto Rico must come from the United States and carried by United States ships, and as Hurricane Irma took out the ports in Florida, and Hurricane Maria took out the ports in Puerto Rico, getting the necessary supplies in will be very challenging. As of this afternoon, the ports in Puerto Rico were not open and won’t be for at least 3 more days. Distribution centers and Oasis water points haven’t even been set up yet. As the gasoline shortage looms, even the care packages sent from the US can’t be delivered.

Hazards. Trees, road signs, power poles, and other debris still litter all the major though fares throughout the city. There are no street lights and no one directing traffic.

The Stink. This is something not reported by the news agencies. Drowned birds, mice, rats, and other poor creatures killed by the storm have washed into the drains. The rich stench of decomp can be smelled on nearly every corner. The rotting leaves and branches lodged in the gutters and drains have become pervasive.

Fire Ants. As the ground is saturated, the fire ants have sought dryer ground. I have personally had 9 different infestations of fire ants coming from light sockets, outlets, small cracks, door frames and windows as they seek new dry areas to live. I currently have 27 bites on my chest, fingers, arms, and feet from trying to eradicate them from our home.

Looters. The looting has begun. Yachts, boats, and other vessels have been the first target, but we fear that generators, cars and trucks will be next.

Guajataca. The dam may just wipe out the DXC office in Isabela.

I hope this lets you understand the gravity of the situation here in Puerto Rico. The storm devastated this island. As of now, we still have no power and don’t expect it to come back on until sometime after Christmas, and I’m not kidding. We are facing some extreme problems here. Even leaving is impossible as the airline prices have skyrocketed up to more than $3,000 for a one-way ticket to Miami.

So I will make it to the office as soon as I can. Please pray for us, and understand why I can’t make it to the office tomorrow as I need to ensure the safety and security of my family that I will leave behind. Hopefully I will make it to the office soon. I’ll keep you updated as much as possible.
[below is copied from an update the next day]

My cell signal keeps going in and out… mostly out… so I’m not sure when this will actually be sent.

As I said in my last update, disease is going to be a problem. Well… When clearing out some debris on Saturday afternoon, chunks of our neighbor’s roof, cardboard that flew in from who-knows-where, and for some reason lots of Styrofoam, there were pockets of mold already growing. As I didn’t have a mask for protection, since most of the Walgreens and other pharmacies are still closed, I ended up breathing in some of the spores. Now I have Strep Throat. I’ve been taking some antibiotics that were left over from the last time I was sick. Glad we still had them. I’ve had a fever off and on since Sunday night, so yesterday we tried to find a doctor. As most of the offices are closed due to damage, have no fuel for the generator or no generator at all, there are few options. We found an open hospital at 2200 last night. There were more people in the ER than I could count. Most people were still standing as all the seating had been taken hours ago. They were only taking people much worse off than me. When my wife asked how long it might take, the nurse just said, “Maybe sometime tomorrow.” My wife called another hospital and was lucky enough to have a nurse answer the phone. After a brief conversation, she asked, “How busy is your ER?” the nurse replied, “It’s like the end of the world here. We might not be the only hospital open, but it sure feels like it.” We went back home.
Most hospitals and clinics are still closed. Many of the hospital staff are being sent to other facilities to try and alleviate some of the burden, but lines are still incredibly long.

Even though I still had a fever this morning, to keep the vehicles and generator running, my wife and I were up at 0430 to get in line at the local gas station. $30 per person is all that is allowed. In order to get the gas we needed, we both had to go. We returned home about 0820 and I went back to bed. The gas station opened at 0600. We were 7th in line with gas cans. The line of cars stretched out for 4 blocks by the time made it to the pumps.

Bank lines are worse. They move faster than gas lines, of course, but there are many more people trying to get cash. No internet, no debit card. I’ll be standing in that line tomorrow morning about 0500, but I should be home by lunch.

FEMA has now confiscated all the diesel fuel on the island. They will begin doling it out to hospitals and emergency services later this week. This means that workplaces won’t be able to get any diesel for their generators. Most of the pay checks in San Juan will stop by the end of this week.

Problems at the ports are more serious. The governor is calling for anyone with a Commercial Driver’s License to help distribute the cargo coming off the ships. As cargo arrives, they can only move about 10% of it off the docks as they don’t have near enough drivers. Groceries are arriving, but not getting to the stores. Congress will not suspend the foreign ships restriction to the port either, so everything must first go through Florida to get here.

The airport has been inundated with people trying to leave the island. American Airlines, Southwest, United, and Jet Blue all have waiting lists of more than 2,000 people. Only 10 flights are going out per day. Hundreds of people are camped out in the airport departures area waiting for a ticket, some for more than 2 days now. There is no food or water, other than what they bring or someone can bring them. Most of the airport is without power, so there is no air conditioning either.
I have 9 two liter bottles of water left. Each has a date on the top of when to use it, to make sure we have enough water for the next week. We are running out of drinking water and there are no water points set up yet, so we’re trying to stretch it out as far as we can. The stores haven’t had water for a few days.

My girls don’t seem to mind any of this. At 4 and 6, they don’t really understand the gravity of the situation, they’re just happy there isn’t any school! But I can tell they are getting some cabin fever. We can’t take them to the park. Parks are littered with debris, branches and broken trees. Parks probably won’t be cleaned up until the rest of the city is back to normal.

I’ll have to cook the rest of the meat we had frozen tonight on the BBQ. Even with a generator, things thaw.

We’ve been conserving our fuel as reserves are running low and everything has finally thawed out. We still have lots of canned food, but until the trucks are running again, no one trusts the meats in the stores. There’s no telling how long something may have sat on a shelf during the storm only to be refrozen when the generators kicked in. But sadly, even as many stores are throwing out their rotting foods, many desperate people are rooting through it, looking for something to take home.
I’m exhausted and still a little feverish, so I’m headed back to bed.
Feel free to share this with whomever and however you like. We need all the help we can get."

RIP Tom Petty

I grew up listening to his voice, I loved it!!!  In my mind he was a bastard child to Bob Dylan  :)

RIP, Tom.  Thank for for the memories

Monday Morning Smile