We find ourselves upon the 4th of July, the day we celebrate our Declaration of Independence. So, what do we do when the Freedom that our Forepeople fought for has gone corrupt and how some of us are, well, a few fries short of a Happy Meal following their orange leader Donald McDonald. The realization is almost unbearable. Our democracy is getting a beating from none other than the White House and, just when you think it can't get any crazier, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who provided the swing vote in same sex-marriage, affirmative action, and abortion access, just announced he'll retire in July. Translation: #45 will get to appoint another extreme conservative who will join the court's four conservatives to rule on his eventual Presidential Self-Pardon. Here's the rub... A simple majority of 51 votes in the Senate is required to confirm a Supreme Court nominee, and Republicans currently hold 51 seats. Senator John McCain is away from Washington battling brain cancer, but Vice President Mike Pence could cast a tie-breaking vote. So, I have two thoughts: 1) We need to raise our voices, and stomp our feet loudly that the President of the United States who is under investigation for not just obstruction of justice, but for collusion with a foreign enemy should not be able to appoint a Supreme Court replacement until he’s been proven... innocent. And 2) God bless the health of Ruth Bader Ginsburg! | Let's see. #45 mocked a disabled man, bragged that he grabs "p*ssy" without consent, said countries with mostly non-white people are shitholes, and Republicans shrugged their shoulders. Republicans ate it up when "Crumb and Get It" bakery refused to serve Joe Biden in 2012. FoxNews called this and other acts like it "tiny revolutions" and hailed these people as heroes because they "stood on principle." But just let White House Spokesperson Sarah Sanders get asked to leave a restaurant and the GOP goes nutso, literally flinging shit at the Red Hen Restaurant and yelling "Make America Great Again" while others marched with signs saying,
"Homos are full of demons" and "Unless they repent Let God Burn Them (LGBT) 2 Peter 2:6."
I say "womp womp" shit throwers. And then I remind you what I said last week about "cognitive dissonance"... a means to divide us and take our eyes off the real issues. Do not be distracted. Rally! Do what you can do! When those astronauts on Apollo 13 had a problem 200,000 miles from Earth, they didn't give up. They rallied. We're each only one match, but strike it up, my friend. It's time for our Fight Song! | In case you missed them, here are some issues to bring to your attention:
Despite for years decrying the national debt,the GOP has raised the national debt to its highest level since after WWII.
* Despite that Summit Spectacle, satellite imagery shows North Korea is continuing to upgrade its nuclear enrichment facility.
* Despite being outraged by Sara Sanders supper, Republicans in the Ohio State House approved the "Pastor Protection Act" that would make it legal to deny wedding venues to gay couples.
* Despite his Tweet about Red Hen being filthy, Tweeter-in-Chief's beloved Mar-a-Lago has been cited with 78 health code violations in the last three years including rust, mold, and parasites. YUM!
* Despite leading the Benghazi investigation for two years with zero indictments, Trey Gowdy says it's time for Mueller, who thus far has 22 indictments and 5 guilty pleas, to "Finish the hell up."
* Despite numerous mass shootings and our pleas for gun reform, there was yet another mass shooting this week, this time of journalists who face a chilling new reality.
Yes, this week being well informed is at odds with being sane. | Are you one of the special people who actually wash their hands correctly? Or are you like the 97% rest of us who do it wrong? (Which can lead to contamination of food and surfaces and result in foodborne illness.) A new study from the US Department of Agriculture shows almost all of us don't wash our hands and rub with soap for 20 seconds. That's the amount of time recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says that washing for shorter periods means fewer germs are removed.
In case you need a primer, here's the Center for Disease Control's tips on how to wash your hands. But let me make it simple for you. You're supposed to lather your hands for as long as it takes for you to hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice. I'll be the first to admit I've never done that. | BDE - If you haven't already heard of it, I'm about to whisper it in your ear. Close them now if you can't handle a four-letter word for a man's Yankee Doodle Dandy... BDE is "Big Dick Energy" and it's all the buzz in social media right now. New York Magazine’s The Cut describes BDE as the “quiet confidence and ease with oneself that comes from knowing you have an enormous penis and you know what to do with it.” It was used to describe the late Anthony Bourdain, but i's apparently not just limited to men... and you don't have to have a third leg. Martha Stewart and Rihanna, for example, are said to have BDE. Speaking of Wiener Schnitzel, I just found out that Japan has a yearly festival called Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Iron Penis). Don't laugh. It’s an ancient tradition that serves as a celebration of (and prayer for) fertility, long marriages and healthy births, and a way to promote awareness about sexually transmitted diseases. Moving along... | In light of the 4th of July, let's talk turkey... Did you know Benjamin Franklin wanted to pick the turkey for our national seal. He was overruled by other committee members John Adams and Thomas Jefferson who wanted the bald eagle. Bald eagles only live in North America and, unlike America, has few natural enemies. Bald eagles aren't bald. "Bald" used to mean "white-headed" and they become "bald" around five years of age. In a dive for prey, they can reach speeds of 100 mph and can carry roughly half their body weight in flight. Bald eagles mate for life, but if one dies, the survivor will accept a new mate. Though they are no longer endangered, it is a felony to shoot a bald eagle. | Next 4th of July, will we still be calling ourselves a democracy? | ▪ "The irony is so rich, it just got a big tax cut."
▪ "I’m so exhausted the bags under my eyes are bigger than my boobs."
▪ "I laughed so hard I almost choked on my tofu."
▪ "It's a good thing she's smart, 'cause she sure ain't pretty."
| ▪ | "The irony is so rich, it just got a big tax cut." | | ▪ | "I’m so exhausted the bags under my eyes are bigger than my boobs." | | ▪ | "I laughed so hard I almost choked on my tofu." | | ▪ | "It's a good thing she's smart, 'cause she sure ain't pretty." | | After learning to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in pre-school, my nephew's teacher told her young students about patriotism. "One of the best things about America is that in this country, we are all free."
My nephew stood up and schooled her, "I'm not free. I'm four!" | Be joyful in what you do. | It's June 30, 2018. Remember children, don't play with fireworks! Let your dad who's been drinking beer all day do that! Please HAVE YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY & PETS subscribe to this newsletter. Free subscriptions are only for a LIMITED TIME! Join me on Instagram. Really. Join me. | |
