Saturday, December 21, 2024
Friday, December 20, 2024
Christmas Snapshot
For several years, we drove two or three times a year from our home in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. to my grandparents' farm in the mountains of southwestern Virginia, near the Tennessee boarder. The trip took about eight hours. Thank heaven for 8-track tapes!
The Christmas trip I'm thinking of must have taken place in 1975, because my sister was a babe in arms. Don't remember anything about it except this one snapshot: Afternoon on an ascending mountain road bordered on both sides with tall, dense growths of evergreen, with no other traffic. It was either snowing lightly or the snow had recently stopped. Snow on the evergreens and a sense of peace, and quiet wonder as the car climbed through the simple yet somehow profound scene. And, this song playing on the car's stereo.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Monday, December 16, 2024
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Friday, December 13, 2024
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Political Movement, Not Murder, Is the Path to Medicare for All
"Killing people is not the way we're going to reform our healthcare system," he said. "The way we're going to reform our healthcare system is having people come together."
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Monday, December 09, 2024
Sunday, December 08, 2024
Saturday, December 07, 2024
Friday, December 06, 2024
Thursday, December 05, 2024
Wednesday, December 04, 2024
Tuesday, December 03, 2024
Monday, December 02, 2024
Sunday, December 01, 2024
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
To Cameo or not to Cameo?
It's hard to keep up. Yesterday, it was going around that former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz has a gig on Cameo. Today I hear current Colorado representative Lauren Boebert has one. Oh, wait, maybe that's not such a good idea for a sitting member of Congress.
Monday, November 25, 2024
Sunday, November 24, 2024
The historic ICC arrest warrant marks the beginning of the end for Netanyahu
This report is a few days old, but I only just now saw it.
Saturday, November 23, 2024
Fat is where it's at
In the immortal words of Florence Ballard, "Thin may be in, but fat is where it's at!
Friday, November 22, 2024
Judge CANCELS Trump's Nov. Sentencing Date; Will Trump EVER Be Sentenced?
Though I'm no lawyer, I greatly fear the answer is no. And that thought is deeply disheartening.
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Puzzled
Something I don't understand:
While I myself have no interest whatsoever in other people's sex lives those on the hard right, MAGA and such, seem obsessed with other people's sex lives. It's not normal, and it can't be healthy.
Why? What's the appeal? There are so many other, more interesting and far more important things in the world, especially if you're a Christian, as these folks aggressively claim to be.
Our Lord charged us to be good stewards of the Earth, to love and care for our neighbor - and, who is our neighbor? all people, especially the poor, the stranger, the sick.
No matter how often I read the Gospels, I never find Jesus telling his followers to poke their noses into other people's private lives. And I certainly don't find Him counseling us to condemn, quite the opposite.
There's so much to do in this beautiful world the Lord gave us, who has time to care whether, when or how anybody else performs the sex act? It's a head scratcher.
Monday, November 18, 2024
Will the Senate Continue Pushing Back on Trump's Absurdly Unqualified AG Pick - Matt Gaetz?
Earlier today I was pondering this very question. The conclusion I came to was that it's a long time from mid November to mid January - plenty of time for Trump to bully, intimidate and arm-twist. So, no, in my oppinion it is highly unlikely that the Senate Republicans who now are talking sensible and tough will actually hold that position come January. Sadly, someone a lot smarter and more experienced than myself, Glenn Kirschner, seems to have come to the same conclusion.
Sunday, November 17, 2024
Saturday, November 16, 2024
Friday, November 15, 2024
Trump's war on workers has begun
A Texas judge has blocked a Labor Department rule raising the salary threshold for white collar workers to receive overtime pay. It is not immediately clear what, if anything, the Biden administration can do to counter the move by Trump-appointed Judge Sean Jordan.
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Trump Judge Draws Pictures in Most BIZZARE Ruling Ever
What the judge writes in this so called ruling is truly the most bizarre nonsense I've heard in a long time.
There are no two ways to look at an AR15. It is a mass
killing device, nothing more and nothing less. The only people who should have
access to such devices are highly trained combat troops. No civilian has reason
to possess such a device. That is the logical conclusion to come to. This is
not a shotgun, it's not a hunting rifle, it is a weapon of war. As such, its
use must be restricted to military personnel.
What do these people use for brains?
Miscellaneous Thoughts
Not feeling so hot today. As you noticed if you looked at the blog archive, I was up and posting much later than usual last night, which probably is part of it. Yesterday I was feeling better, both physically and emotionally. Today, not so much. It’s a pity, since the sun is shining and it’s a very pleasant day, if chilly. Wearing flannel-lined jeans for the first time this season. Well, it is the middle of November.
Still confused and discontented about the election results. Last I heard, late last night, the margin was approx. 52 Trump to approx. 48% Harris. That’s well within the three percent margin of error so, it seems to me, Harris would be justified to request a recount. Recall that Trump demanded seemingly endless recounts in 2020 even though he lost decisively. But much as I love Pres. Biden – and I do love Pres. Biden – I am resigned to his doing nothing about it. He is too busy trying to do as much as he can to help Ukraine and the like. And we know A.G. Garland is useless. I must say, though, I’m fed up to the teeth with the Dems rolling over and playing dead while the Reps get away with murder. Yes, if nothing happens to stop them, they will murder our democracy this time. I don’t have the luxury of leaving the country. At least I’m in a blue state. Our governors and A.G.s will do what they can, but I’m frightened and heartsick.
If it were only Trump, that would be one thing. But it’s not only Trump. He is surrounded this time with people who are intelligent, cunning, ruthless and prepared. Things change from hour to hour with regard to the House and even the Senate. Last I heard, the Pennsylvania senate race had not been resolved and there were still twelve House seats unresolved. We may, perhaps, still take the House. I probably forgot to post it here, but a few weeks ago UBS, a bank, gave a ten percent probability that Trump would take the White House with Rep control of both Senate and House. By contrast, they gave a sixty-five percent probability of Harris winning the presidency with a divided Congress. UBS aren’t squishy, bleeding heart liberals. They clearly preferred the prospect of a Trump victory, but nonetheless called the election as they pragmatically saw it.
And that brings me to another point that has been niggling at me. If everyone from the kooky YouTube psychic lady who sees flying monkeys to Alan Lichman with his Thirteen Keys and the respected British newspaper The Economist had Harris winning yet, apparently, she didn’t, it doesn’t take a conspiracy theorist to see that something’s wrong.
YouTube is interesting, if sometimes frustrating. Like, how come this channel that I’ve never heard of is at the top of my feed when I can’t find some of the channels I’m subscribed to? Yet, sometimes, those seemingly random channels prove serendipitous. Last night, thanks to my feed, I discovered The Sons of Liberty. At first I was apprehensive that it would turn out to be a MAGA group, since they try to appropriate everything and anything patriotic. But, it is a resistance group. I followed them on YouTube and Threads for now. It’s helpful to follow commentators and even the occasional light worker, but I get the impression The Sons of Liberty mean business; serious nonviolent resistance, protecting the vulnerable, etc. When you combine such a group with civil society groups like the ACLU, Common Cause and the like working on the legal front, we might, maybe, be able to make it through till the midterms in 2026.
We have a lot of work to do, and a lot of praying.
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Monday, November 11, 2024
Think you support mass deportation? Watch this.
This video was posted about a month ago, but with Trump's election, it becomes even more relevant.
Sunday, November 10, 2024
CNN: Racist texts referring to ‘picking cotton’ sent to Black people across US after election
Be careful with your comparisons
Passing Dad's television (showing Fox News) just now, I caught a single phrase:
"the greatest political comeback since Richard Nixon"
I admit it. That made me smirk.
Greatest comeback since Nixon, eh? Well now, you might want to be careful comparing your boy to Tricky Dick. If you'll recall, that second term he won in a massive landslide didn't work out so well for him. Just something to think about.
Saturday, November 09, 2024
How about a sheep joke?
Baahbara: “Last week I saw a wolf.”
Ewenice: “Where?”
Baahbara: “No, just a regular wolf.”
Friday, November 08, 2024
Here's what Trump's proposed immigration plan could mean for Texas
Thursday, November 07, 2024
Wednesday, November 06, 2024
On Abortion Bans
Any law that makes miscarriage a death sentence is a bad law, both poorly written and immoral. An abortion ban must be written in close consultation with obstetricians to be sure, for instence, that routine, life-saving procedures such as DNC that have nothing to do with abortion are not criminalized.
Rather than being rare, Miscarriage (spontaneous abortion) is quite common. If current, poorly designed abortion bans remain on the books, the spectrum of women of childbearing age - from teens to late forties - will be decimated, leaving millions of motherless children. Such an outcome cannot be healthy for society as a whole. And it is most assuredly not pro-life.
Trump Won
Donald Trump has won the electoral college, and he looks set to win the popular vote as well. God help us all!
Tuesday, November 05, 2024
Monday, November 04, 2024
Sunday, November 03, 2024
Saturday, November 02, 2024
American CATHOLICS will be SENT to JAIL If this HAPPENS !
"By law, all American hospitals must provide emergency care. If that care includes an emergency abortion, even Catholic hospitals are obliged to perform that operation. However, no religiously affiliated hospital is obliged to provide elective abortions."
She's always touting her willingness to compromise, and this seems to me a simple, logical solution to the problem that should be acceptable to most people on both sides. But, she didn't say that, and you can see the hostility of the men in the video. I'm afraid her obdurance may cost her votes.
Crossed wires
Restaurant worker: “Do you want your pizza delivered?”
Customer: “Yes, please. I hate liver!”
Breonna Taylor case: Jury issues verdict in ex-LMPD detective’s federal retrial
Well, it's some sort of justice, I guess. It certainly took long enough.
Friday, November 01, 2024
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Monday, October 28, 2024
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Friday, October 25, 2024
Recommended Book of the Week: The Magician's Nephew
As those who frequent this blog probably know, I'm a voracious reader, including of children's and YA books. So, to inaugurate my Recommended Book of the Week feature, I've chosen a long-time favorite.
The Magician's Nephew
Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer are perfectly ordinary children in Victorian London. But, when they accidentally walk into the study cum labratory of Digory's Uncle Andrew, they begin a series of adventures that prove to be anything but ordinary.
If you buy this book through the provided link, your blog mistress earns a small commission. I earn from qualifying purchases.
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Monday, October 21, 2024
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Friday, October 18, 2024
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Time to reverse your ceiling fan
In the summer, your ceiling fan keeps you cool by pushing cooler air downwards with its counterclockwise spin. Now that Fall is here, reverse the blades so that, by spinning clockwise, they send the rising warm air back down where it can do you some good.
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Monday, October 14, 2024
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Friday, October 11, 2024
Column: Elon Musk's courtship with MAGA has driven X into misinformation abyss
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Vote Blue
As many of you know, I live in Massachusetts. My 2024 mail-in ballot arrived on October 7. Mail-in ballots arrived and early in-person voting started even earlier in some states.
Every year, there are reports that some percentage of the eligible electorate did not vote. This always upsets me, just as it upsets me to hear people say that they don’t vote – they feel as though they are not important enough – their vote doesn’t count.
Friends, each and every citizen’s vote matters! Voting is the most precious right, privilege and duty of citizenship. Generations of our fellow Americans have fought and died to secure that right for you and me. And around the world, people are still fighting and dying for that right.
So, be it by mail, by in-person early voting at the city clerk’s office, or in person at the polls on Election Day (Nov. 5), cast your ballot as if our democracy depended upon it. For my friends, my fellow Americans, my brothers and sisters, it does! Our democracy, our country itself, is nothing more nor less than her citizens – you and me. And this year, she needs us more than ever. Donald Trump presents a clear and present danger to our democracy, our national security, to our civil rights – to the very foundation of our nation itself, the Constitution of the United States. It is imperative that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz not merely be elected, but be elected in a landslide.
Finally, remember the adage, “Use it or lose it.” Trump has stated as clearly as he possibly can that, if he is elected this year, we will never vote again.
Be a patriot. Vote!
Wednesday, October 09, 2024
Tuesday, October 08, 2024
Monday, October 07, 2024
What's new?
One of the things that's new, or at least going on, is that I've been experiencing brain fog, fatigue, inability to concentrate and general blahs.
One thing I have meant to mention is that in the summer I got hooked on the video game Royal Match. It's very enjoyable, though it may be contributing to my fuzzy-headedness.
More recently, I've been trying to become more serious about my Catholic practice. St. Thomas the Apostle parish in West Springfield videocasts daily and Sunday Mass on YouTube, so I can attend remotely. Also found not only the Rosary but also a few other devotions. No doubt you've noticed that the Morning Offering has been starting the blog day for a while now. So, that's lovely and, really, a great comfort.
For the fall I bought a pair of houndstooth check slacks [click]. I got the natural. They're a lovely, soft knit material - very comfortable.
In less cheerful news, my knuckles ache. Not all of them - mostly it's the index fingers - and not all the time, but enough. Seems to me it first became noticeable as more than a one off in the summer.
It's probably a good idea to keep a record of such things somewhere. All too often you mention somethin to the doctor and when she asks when it started, you have no idea, which makes you seem rather foolish.
Both Dad and Sis have been poorly lately. Please keep them in your prayers, hold them in the Light, whatever your thing is. It's a great help.
So, what's new with you?
Sunday, October 06, 2024
Saturday, October 05, 2024
Friday, October 04, 2024
Thursday, October 03, 2024
Gripe, Lie...
Predictably, Fox News is griping that Jack Smith's January Sixth brief should not have been released to the public "so close to the election."
Perhaps also predictably, they claim the reason for their objection is a long-standing, unwitten Justice Department rule of avoiding starting an investigation of a politician within some time (sixty days, ninety days, I don't recall) of an election. Needless to say, the "rule" they are invoking does not apply to the situation at hand.
Fox News chronically lies, misrepresents and distorts. The on-air personalities who spew these lies, to say nothing of the hacks who write them, must surely know they are lies. What miserable human beings, making their livings by knowingly, purposely diseminating lies, what's more knowing those lies will frighten and manipulate their viewers. All I can say is, may God have mercy on their souls - if they still havde souls - because I certainly cannot find it in my heart to feel charity towards them!
Wednesday, October 02, 2024
Tuesday, October 01, 2024
Monday, September 30, 2024
Sunday, September 29, 2024
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Pink Canada Mints
The other day, I got a sudden yen for pink Canada mints, something I hadn’t had or even seen in probably fifty years. Google came through, and I was able to order a two pound bag from Amazon.com.
There’s a snapshot memory connected with this particular candy. Mom and I were in an airport waiting area. I must have been ten or under, since it was just the two of us. Everything was gray – the seating, the floor, the walls. Mom had a magazine or a crossword or something in her lap. We were chatting and eating pink Canada mints. No idea where we were or where we were going, just the memory of being in that moment.
Friday, September 27, 2024
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Monday, September 23, 2024
Sunday, September 22, 2024
Saturday, September 21, 2024
Friday, September 20, 2024
Andy Williams with the Osmond Brothers: "Good Morning Starshine"
As a kid I had a transistor radio. Good grief, but that statement dates me! Do any of you younguns even know what a transistor radio was? The reception and sound quality weren't great, but that wasn't the point. The point was, you could take your music with you wherever you went. And I did, the wrist strap wrapped firmly around my wrist.
...all of which is preface. One day, not long after my illness, I was listening to my beloved transistor when this record came on. I absolutely loved it. Don't recall what comment I made to Mom, but she bought me the cassette issue of the album, _Get Together with Andy Williams_. Eventually wore it out, I played it so much.
Thursday, September 19, 2024
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Not only beautiful, Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night"fits models of atmospheric and fluid dynamics
A new study finds that "Starry Night," painted by Dutch Post-Impressionist Vincent Van Gogh in 1889, perfectly fits current models of atmospheric and fluid dynamics.
Study author Dr. Huang Yongxiang said, "It [the painting] reveals a deep and intuitive understanding of natural phenomena. Van Gogh’s precise representation of turbulence might be from studying the movement of clouds and the atmosphere or an innate sense of how to capture the dynamism of the sky.”
I have always loved "Starry Night." This scientific study only serves to deepen my awe at Van Gogh's talent and insight.
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Friday, September 13, 2024
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Honesty Chez Catreona
Honesty, also called Money Plant or Silver Dollar Plant, is a flowering plant in the cabbage and mustard family native to central and southern Europe. Introduced to England in the late Sixteenth Century, soon after Honesty came to our shores with the Pilgrims.
It thrives in moist, partially shaded locations. In late Spring into Summer, the plant blooms with a profusion of dark pink flowers. At this time of year, the flowers have given way to paper-thin seed pods that take on a silver sheen as they dry.
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Kamala Harris wins debate, Taylor Swift endorses her moments later
Thank you, Madame Vice President, for a first class debate performance. And thank you, Taylor, for a thoughtful and eloquent statement of endorsement.
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Monday, September 09, 2024
Early Autumn
The sweet and melow voice of Jo Stafford with "Early Autumn" from her 1955 album Soft and Sentimental.
Vance for VP? Hell No!
My latest meme. I seem to be drawn to highlight Vance's, er, negative points. Well, that's okay. People with a lot more brain power and talent than I are working on Trump.
As always, feel free to share this one if you think it might help.
Sunday, September 08, 2024
Faith and Justice Matter to Harris and Walz
Amid all the discussion of the Harris-Walz campaign's wide and warm inclusiveness, till now I had heard nothing about faith-based outreach and inclusion. But, unsurprisingly, this well organized, disciplined and focused campaign is on it. At the end of August Sojourners published an article about Rev. Jen Butler, the campaign's faith outreach director. True to form, they got the best.
A veteran of the Obama administration as well as many years of organizing and interfaith discourse, Rev. Butler is a solid addition to the stellar Harris-Walz organization.
Saturday, September 07, 2024
Wildlife Chez Catreona
When they went out yesterday morning, Dad and Sis spotted a large praying mantis on the back bumper of the car. It sat for its portrait before, with a little encouragement from Dad, it flew off into the grass.
You never know what you might see in the wilds of Springfield! I'm not a bug fancier myself, but some readers may find it interesting.
You’ve probably noticed…
You’ve probably noticed, the blog has a fresh, new look, not to mention a new title.
I’ve been struggling for a couple weeks - that felt like a couple eons - to alter the source code for the blog’s template. But, ahem, every time I tried another idea that seemed like it would be the charm, the mess only got worse. Finally, I gave up and set a new Blogger template. And being new, unlike the previous one that was ancient as such things go, this one was fully customizable. Phew!
Can’t think why it took me so long to come around to the completely logical decision to apply a new template, except that I do tend to be change-averse. When I think how much time and angst I could have saved myself by exploring the current Blogger template set! Sometimes I’m not too bright. * igh*
As to the new title: At the time I founded the blog, The Arty Blog seemed appropriate. Now, though, something broader and more inclusive is called for. Life, the Universe and Everything isn’t the most original title. It fits the bill though.
Let me know what you think of all the changes.
September Morn
A sad song and, yes, I know it's a Neil Diamond [click] song. But Engelbert does a beautiful job with it.
Happy Saturday!
Friday, September 06, 2024
RIP Sergio Mendes
Master of the bossa nova, Brazilian musician and bandleader Sergio Mendes has died at the age of eighty-three.
Thank you for all the wonderful music, Sergio. Rest in Peace.
After police caution, father gave suspected Georgia school shooter AR-15
Who gives their thirteen or forteen-year-old an AR15 for Christmas? To my mind, that in itself constitutes child abuse.
I'll have to look it up, but seems to me the school shooter in Michigan a couple of years back was given a weapon - an automatic pistol? - by his parents. In that case, the parents were quite rightly prosecuted. In this Georgia case, too, the father has been arrested and charged.
An epidemic has been running through this country since at least as far back as Columbine twenty-five years ago. Boys and young men are so alienated, so deeply despairing that they obtain fire arms, often automatic weapons, and go into schools, houses of worship, malls and grocery stores... and slaughter as many people as possible. Holding parents to account is one valuable tool in confronting this mass madness. Comprehensive, sensible gun control laws would help as well. But there must be more that can be done.
Someone needs to find out why these kids are so dispondent, why they have such a bleek view of life that they think killing many strangers - and usually themselves, either by self-inflicted gunshot wounds or suicide by cop - is the only solution.
Kamala gets KEY surprise endorsement
This video dropped about 11:00 last night. But, it struck me as a great way to start our blog day.
Thursday, September 05, 2024
Tuesday, September 03, 2024
WTF?! TOP Trump Group Makes SICKENING MOVE Against Kamala
The general idea seems to be that V.P. Harris is not a natural born citizen of the United States, ergo she is prohibited from running for the presidency. Wait till you get a load of the precedent the Republican legislators' group cites to support this claim. Make sure you are not actively eating or drinking while watching this video!
Sunday, September 01, 2024
An Inconvenience
Although it is often said not to blame the child for being the product of rape, J.D. Vance is the only person I have heard refer to rape as "an inconvenience."
In the opinion of this childless cat lady, such an attitude makes Vance unfit to be the father of daughters. Indeed, it makes him unfit to be the father of sons. It is a despicable, unfeeling attitude to hold, much less to express in public.
