Poppies
Mad Magazine revisited…the return of the spies and good old espionage tales
Long ago and far away…in the scheme of my life…Mad Magazine was the favorite magazine for satire and farce, and making fun of the Cold War—which actually was not at all funny, and jokes about the Russians (called the Soviets then) were much in vogue. The world being divided pretty much dominated by two camps: the United States and Russians. Us and Them. The rest of the world was either with us…or against us.
The Free World—in which the benevolence of the U.S. supervised and kindly contributed to the rest of the world. Our motto: we will help you and give you goodies like weapons and allow a great measure of independence and sovereignty—as long as you do what we say. That includes voting with the U.S. in world organizations, and supporting our extensive military bases in virtually every country in the world. This has two major purposes: 1. holding strategic locations in the world from which the U.S. maintains control. 2. We will protect you from the enemy—which is namely: The Soviet Union. The old USSR—behind the Iron Curtain.
And so the present situation unfolds…and the position of good old Uncle Sam deteriorates under this virtual siege by an unstable, unknowledgeable, poorly educated minority in the United States.
God knows where it will all end.
Knock Out Roses
Secretary Betsy DeVos may be proving critics wrong, linked from the NewYorkTimes article by Erica L. Green
Here is a link to an interesting article about Betsy DeVos, the new Secretary of Education.
Although I normally pride myself on being open minded and reasonably well-informed, most of what I have heard about Secretary DeVos has not been flattering to her. So curiosity (and good intentions) led me to read the article, and I’m must say that I’m glad. The gist of the article is that although she is often thought of as just another Trump Administration appointee, she is herself appointing appropriate people who have excellent backgrounds in educational and civil rights.
There’s nothing as grand as a royal wedding (a bit of British history)
http://healthskillet.com/stunning-photos-from-pippa-middletons-wedding/37/
One of my favorite bourgeoise extravaganzas has always been a Royal Wedding. So when I followed the trail to a set of photos described as “photos you weren’t supposed to see.” I usually do not like following the pointing arrows from photo to photo in this feature, but in spite of myself sometimes, they are hard to resist.
The Wedding of Pippa Middleton, who (for anyone stranded on the moon for the past few years) is the sister of Princess Kate, wife of Prince William….who, in the scheme of things here is the son of the late Princess Diana and Prince Charles, grandson of the reigning Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Prince Charles is the heir-apparent to the British throne.
True, Pippa Middleton is not really a “royal,” nor is her new husband. She might be called a “royal-in-law” possibly? But for purposes of this post and on general principles, Pippa is close enough to qualify.
These photos are very enjoyable to look at…beautiful bride, cute and “real” children, and fabulous hats worn by all the women.
These photos are not the usual stiff and perfect photos with everyone in the wedding party, including the children, lined up like little soldiers…under orders not to move, cry, make faces, or get dirty. Obviously just having royal blood in the veins doesn’t make serving as bridesmaids/flowers girls, or page boys, any less trying. So these candid photos of the wedding party, the children under the herding of Princess Kate for the afternoon. Riding herd on six little children is not an easy thing to do.
My favorite British Royal of all time was back in the 1930s and 40s when the King of England was George VI, and the young Elizabeth (now the Queen) was a young girl….and her sister Margaret were the princesses. Princess Margaret was my favorite…she was about six years old (like me at the time) and she was always doing cool stuff like dancing on tables and what not, under the beaming eye of her doting father King George. Whereas Elizabeth was already being prepared for succession to the throne, Margaret was not under the same rules and expectations of propriety and decorum.
…end of history lesson.
(RE-BLOGGED) President Lies About The Real Reasons For Loss Of US Manufacturing Jobs, Part I
Thanks for posting this, Gronda….I always appreciate your thorough research and commentary on the news. Thanks for allowing the REBLOG!
To hear the way the Republican President Donald Trump tells it, the USA is losing manufacturing jobs because company executives have been moving jobs out of the country while omitting the fact that most manufacturing jobs are being replaced because of advances in technology like automated and robotic systems.
The president is looking to the past, when he promises coal miners that he is bringing back coal mining jobs when the energy companies have moved on by preferring to utilize renewable sources of energy.
When the president plays tough cop on immigration to where farmers can’t hire enough migrants to pick the crops, the farmer who cannot find US workers is being forced to resort to automated systems as well.
The president’s complaint about the US having a trade deficit with Germany doesn’t take into account the number of German autos which are being manufactured in US southern states and…
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Science lesson for today…ants at work
Toby the Tabby, posing in the foyer
Neighbors to the West
Rhododendrons, Cee’s Flower of the Day
S
Buckeye Tree Flowers
affairs of the neighborhood…
reminders from an orange azalea
This azalea has been around for forty-odd years outside the window of my old house, next door to where I live now. I am not the photographer.
Poppies, 2017
Baby Rose’s first appearance
