I don’t want to hear about that orange POS or worry about WW3 or the economy or ICE or any of the other no good, terrible, very bad things that are going on. I want to bask in my ignorance.
Just for today I want to be the innocent who waters her garden and talks to crows and delights in butterflies and believes in the inherent goodness of humanity.
Curated from Cottage Whimsy / Artist: Naoko Stoop
This Beach Boys song seems to convey the vibe of the day, only good vibes! Here’s Good Vibrations studio footage. I know that Leon Russell played on a version of GV, but I don’t see him here:
This is exactly where we are. It’s happening all over again, but this time, HERE, in the United States. Who will have the necessary courage to stop this nightmare?
January 13, 1943 “Terrible things are happening outside. Poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart. Men, women, and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared.” Diary of Anne Frank – Anne Frank
From media sources:
+ Did you all see the video of the ICE agent breaking a car window near the border? He wasn’t an ICE agent. He’s the founder of Veterans on Patrol, a FAR-RIGHT MILITIA patrolling the border for migrants. They’re basically deputizing militias to act as federal agents. This is dangerously out of control.
+ A U.S. born citizen was arrested in Florida for entering the state as an “unauthorized alien.” His mother and a community advocate showed his birth certificate during a hearing in Leon County. The judge said she had no authority to release him. Update: He has now been released.
+ This happened in Boston. Trump’s ICE Gestapo took away a little girl in a Winnie the Pooh shirt who was on her way to school.
+ A 19 year-old living in New York — Family has an asylum case pending with no criminal record or tattoos, ICE grabbed him and two other boys right at the entrance to his building. One said: ‘No, he’s not the one,’ like they were looking for someone else. But the other said: ‘Take him anyway,’” he recalled. He is in CECOT (El Salvador)
Even more disgusting and tone deaf to the destruction of democracy and while all of this is going on around us, was the spectacle of half a dozen entitled women taking a very expensive ten minute joyride to cosplay being an astronaut.
The Blue Origin “flight” took the women more than sixty-two miles above Earth, crossing the internationally recognized boundary of space and giving them a few moments of weightlessness. It’s an insult to every real astronaut who spent years training for space exploration. I. CAN’T. EVEN.
Everyone I know is deeply ashamed of this country and very sorry because however it occurred, the orange POS and his puppet master Muckrat are in charge of destroying democracy and our relationships with our allies.
I learned that my greatgrandmother emigrated to the United States though Ellis Island from Kviv, Ukraine, so I feel like Ukranians are my people, too.
Did you see this horribly hostile attack of President Zelenskyy by the sofa-lover Vance, the orange POS, and Hegseth, (who’s supposed to be the Secretary of Defense but I don’t acknowledge him, either)?
It’s absolutely abhorrent! We support Ukraine 1000%
VANCE: Have you said thank you once? ZELENSKYY: You think if you speak very loudly— TRUMP: He’s not speaking loudly. You’ve done a lot of talking. You’re not winning this. ZELENSKYY: Mr. Trump, you are increasing the volume of your voice, but not the logic of your argument. Ukraine is still standing. We are still fighting. HEGSETH: Look, we have to be realistic. America can’t fund this war forever. ZELENSKYY: Realistic? Like when your Defense Secretary Hasgeth refusing to even say Russia invaded Ukraine? You couldn’t admit the truth, and now you want to lecture me on reality? HEGSETH: This is about diplomacy. We need a negotiated settlement. ZELENSKYY: Diplomacy? Putin broke every ceasefire, every treaty, every promise. What kind of deal do you think he wants? One where Ukraine still exists? TRUMP: You don’t have the leverage. You don’t have the cards. ZELENSKYY: Because you keep taking them away—blocking aid, repeating Putin’s lies, pretending this war is already lost. VANCE: You should be grateful. The U.S. has given you a lot. ZELENSKYY: Grateful? My people are dying while you sit here demanding I smile and shake hands with my enemy? Gratitude will come when Russia is defeated. HEGSETH: But Ukraine needs to be realistic. There are limits to what America can provide. ZELENSKYY: And are there limits to what Russia can take? Or do you just let them redraw borders by force? TRUMP: It’s going to be very hard to do business like this, Volodymyr. ZELENSKYY: Ukraine is not a business deal. We do not trade away our sovereignty. We fight for it. VANCE: But for how long? What’s the endgame? ZELENSKYY: For us, there is no exit. We win, or we cease to exist. The only question is whether America stands with us.
The elephant in the room is what’s happening in Israel. October 7 will mark one year since the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip and Israel. It’s the fifth war of the Gaza–Israel conflict since 2008, and the most significant military engagement in the region since the Yom Kippur War in 1973. I don’t have an opinion to share because I think all the killing is terrible with horrendous collateral damage.
Now is the time for an end to war and hope for long lasting peace.
Happy New Year! Shana tovah!
Rosh Hashanah is one of Judaism’s holiest days. It’s also a powerful new moon, which enhances the overall spirituality of this holiday.
Meaning “head of the year” or “first of the year,” Rosh Hashanah — the Jewish new year — marks the creation of the world.
It also marks the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days leading up to Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement.
As is the custom with all new years, it’s a time to reflect on the past and how we can improve in the future.
This is the time for apples and honey to represent a sweet new year, to be eaten with challah bread and pomegranate seeds.
L’Shanah Tovah Tikateivu “May you be inscribed [in the Book of Life] for a good year.”
I brought a carload of donated items to House of Ukraine in San Diego’s Balboa Park. While I was there, the HOU was alive with many people who stopped by to help. An elderly gentleman brought 1800 sterile syringes while a person in military fatigues dropped off a Kevlar vest. Another, a retired soldier, brought the vest that had saved his life many years ago and he wanted to donate it, hoping it would do the same for a fellow soldier protecting his homeland in Ukraine.
There are no people pics because I thought it prudent to protect their identities. You just never know, especially active military.
Did you hear this? A six-year-old girl died “alone, weak, frightened, and thirsty” after she was trapped under the rubble of her destroyed home in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol https://telegraph.co.uk.
Putin’s aggression needs to be stopped, but it’s going to take all of us to help Ukraine.
Before anyone gets too bored of hearing about Russia’s atrocities, this is scary info: In case you didn’t know, Russia is approximately ONLY 55 miles from Alaska. Pretty close to home, don’t you agree?
This horrendous invasion has names and faces, helpless victims of insane megalomaniacs. Animal rescuer Sasha chose to stay in Ukraine to take care of her animals. A Russian rocket hit her home. Her son found her body. Another innocent life ended.
The people I met with said their supplies are sent out every few days with materials eventually arriving by air to some of the surrounding European countries and then brought to Ukraine.
Not in San Diego area? Locate your own Ukrainian community and find out how you can help where you live.
1.High Priority Needs: – Military supplies (helmets 3A, Kevlar vests protection standard IV, Kevlar plates, monoculars with a magnetic arrow, thermal imagers, boots, knee pads, gloves, military clothes) – Military aid kits and medicines (QuickClot, First Aid Esmarch Medical Tourniquet Rubber, thermal blankets, hemostatic drugs, blood transfusion systems) – Thermal underwear: men’s underwear, warm socks – NO MORE DIAPERS NEEDED at this time. Cannot accept used clothing at this time.
Humanitarian Supplies: – Medical supplies (Theraflu, any painkillers, Gelofusine, dressing bags, needles №20,10, catheters, Iodine, antiseptics, needles КВ-3, Sets for measuring central venous pressure, infusions of sodium chloride, drip systems etc.)
Political Support: Write and/or call your area’s elected officials. *Sample template below, I didn’t craft the letter; take what feels right for you as I know the no-fly zone concept causes some concern regarding retaliation.
Write NATO urging no-fly zone over Ukraine. USNATOPAA@state.gov
Financial Support: There are several vetted charities; please research for your area.
My opinion is pretty straightforward. We simply can’t sit back and do nothing. I’m doing what I can, and I hope you will, too. ‘Nuff said.
I am a US citizen and I would like to express my concerns about the atrocities in Ukraine where homes and livelihoods are violently attacked by Russian troops.
Despite strong and consistent promises from the US government and its allies before the attack and invasion by the Russian forces, we are yet to see a strong and powerful response. The people of Ukraine are bravely facing the heavily militarized and massive Russian Army. We understand that the US is not ready to send American military forces to Ukraine, but we do expect that the US government should be able to help the Ukrainians.
The following is critically needed for an effective response by Ukrainian troops from the sea, air, and land: • Heavy anti-aircraft launcher systems similar to Patriot MIM-104 • Additional man-portable air defense systems similar to FIM-92 Stingers • Additional man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank missiles similar to FGM-148 Javelin • More ammunition
The people of Ukraine are in desperate need of protection and, unfortunately, expressing concerns and prayers alone cannot protect their children, women, and seniors, but No Flight Zone over Ukrainian territory can. The no-fly zone will provide for the protection of the civilian population against cruise and ballistic missiles and air assault debarkations.
This war is the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II. It began in 2014 because of Putin’s fear of Ukrainians striving for their democratic future and independence. Russia occupied Crimea and orchestrated a war in Eastern Ukraine taking over its territories and people. Russia’s recent invasion disrupts and threatens the lives of millions of Ukrainian citizens today and potentially millions of European citizens in the future. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
As a US Senator/Congressman/Congresswoman, you are in a unique position to stop the beginning of World War III.
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 