What Our Children Are Learning

This meme recently appeared on my Facebook feed:

I didn't know whether to be sad or angry, so I settled on both. And I figured I might as well add a few points the meme's author missed:

It's un-American to question the actions of your government. 

 

If you're strong and rich, laws don't apply to you; you can behave terribly and not suffer any consequences.

The truth is whatever you say it is, as long as you repeat it loud and long enough.

You can ignore inconvenient facts and manufacture your own as you need. 

I have three adult children, and six grandchildren ranging in age from 13 to 25. I hope that they continue to reject the despicable example set by this president and the members of his administration. And I hope that I never behave in a way that makes them think I would behave so terribly.

Have a good day. Believe in the Constitution and the law, not in the squalid and disgusting behavior of the current leadership.

More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

Murder without Consequence

We've come to expect the new normality of Der Furor's administration: blatant, unapologetic corruption; abuse of the justice system for the benefit of Der Furor's friends and the persecution of his enemies; destruction of the federal government for the benefit of the few; undermining of public health in the service of junk science and personal whims; the violent roundups, often on the basis simply of skin tone or vocal accent, of those suspected to be in the country illegally; and presidential speech more suitable to slobbering grade-school bullies.

But now, we can add murder.

In the name of a righteous battle against drug traffickers, the Department of Defense has attacked 22 small boats in the Western Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, killing nearly 100 people without the presentation of the smallest shred of evidence of their guilt. This is bad enough, but credible reporting now indicates that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth - arguably the least-qualified person ever to hold the office - directed that the survivors of one attack be eliminated in a second strike.

Make no mistake: this is cold-blooded murder. It violates US law, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the laws of war, international law, and probably a lot of other laws, too ... not to mention common morality. If we had a real, honest, functioning government, Hegseth have been sacked on the spot, along with everyone in the chain of command that participated in passing the order down and actually pulling the trigger. It is so egregious that even some Republican members of Congress - who have not heretofore covered themselves in glory by speaking out against the lawlessness of Der Furor and his cronies - are calling for "vigorous oversight" of strikes on alleged drug boats.

I predict, based on previous administration actions, that denial and stonewalling will be the order of the day. If anyone is held to account or actually punished, it will be the lowest-ranking person in the "kill chain" - Hegseth, and the generals and admirals who passed on his murderous orders without pushback, will suffer no consequences, servile Republicans will "investigate" and issue a bland and innocuous report, and the killings will continue.

I served 23 years in the United States Air Force, and am proud of my service and of our military institutions. But I am ashamed of the administration and of those in positions of military leadership who fail to speak out against the sort of actions for which we held Nazi and Imperial Japanese leaders nearly a century ago. "I was only following orders" was not a valid defense then, and it is not now.

In a recent video, six Democratic lawmakers, all former military or intelligence professionals,  reminded military personnel that they are not required to follow illegal orders. Republican lawmakers and administration spokestoadies condemned them for undermining military discipline ... but we now clearly see what happens when illegal orders are followed. If anything, the makers of the video underplayed the danger to good military order and discipline in service of "only following orders."

I'm more disgusted with Der Furor and his ghastly reign than ever. You should be, too.

Have a good day. Speak out. Demand accountability, from the top as well as the bottom.

More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

Musical Sunday

I first heard a trimmed down version of this wonderful song a few weeks ago when it was played for a rumba heat in a European dance competition. I loved the melody and lyrics and tracked down the video, which is today's Musical Sunday offering: Roy Orbison singing "She's a Mystery."

Here are the lyrics:

Darkness falls and she will take me by the hand 

Take me to some twilight land 

Where all but love is grey 

Where I can't find my way 

Without her as my guide 

Night falls I'm cast beneath her spell 

Daylight comes our heaven turns to hell 

Am I left to burn and burn eternally 

She's a mystery to me 

She's a mystery girl 

She's a mystery girl 

In the night of love words tangled in her hair 

Words soon to disappear 

A love so sharp it cut 

Like a switchblade to my heart 

Words tearing me apart 

She tears again my bleeding heart 

I want to run she's pulling me apart 

Fallen angel cries and I just melt away 

She's a mystery to me 

She's a mystery girl 

She's a mystery girl 

She's a mystery girl 

She's a mystery girl 

Haunted by her side is the darkness in her eyes 

That so enslaves me 

But if my love is blind 

Then I don't want to see 

She's a mystery to me 

Night falls I'm cast beneath her spell 

Daylight comes our heaven turns to hell 

Am I left to burn and burn eternally 

She's a mystery to me 

She's a mystery girl 

She's a mystery girl 

She's a mystery girl 

She's a mystery girl 

She's a mystery girl 

She's a mystery girl 

She's a mystery girl 

She's a mystery girl 

Have a good day and enjoy the rest of your weekend. More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

Cartoon Saturday

You just can't make this stuff up ...

A relative of White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt has been arrested by ICE agents, and was described as a "criminal illegal alien from Brazil" for overstaying her tourist visa; Der Furor's chief representative in Ukraine war peace talks last month advised a senior aide to Vladimir Putin on how the Russian leader should pitch his position to Der Furor; a Georgia prosecutor has dropped the 2020 election-interference case against Der Furor, all but ending efforts to hold him criminally responsible for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election; a massive fire in a high-rise apartment complex in Hong Kong has left at least 36 persons dead and as many as 279 still missing; and in the English town of Sittingbourne, a bar could have its license suspended after complaints about excessive noise and “irresponsible bottomless brunches.” Don't ask.

I'm so far behind on sorting my new cartoons that I may never catch up, so I may as well stick with my old standby, random cartoons ... 

It's a valid question ...

She's just a bit more obvious about it than most ...

This looks about right ...

If you live with dogs, you understand ...

It probably helps with that vow of silence ...

History in a nutshell. Emphasis on the nuts ...

Nothing to see here, folks, move on  ...

With an administration so focused on mediocrity that it willfully eliminates the Department of Education, this is probably where we're going ...

I think I probably have that from time to time ...

We have the same health insurance ...

Have a good day and a great weekend. Go and run a few miles to work off the Thanksgiving dinner, and be sure to come back tomorrow for Musical Sunday - more thoughts then.

Bilbo

The Left-Cheek Ass Clown for November, 2025

It's always a challenge to scoop the largest floating chunks from the swirling cesspool of ass clownery for purposes of presenting this award. Sometimes, the winner is obvious, but most of the time the selection is difficult, and sometimes it's nearly impossible. Lately, it seems as if the event horizon of the socio/political/religious black hole of lunacy threatens to suck me into the Zone of Virtual Selection Impossibility. But the choice still needs to be made, and I'm going to step up to the challenge

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers, we raise the tattered curtain and shine the flickering spotlight of shame upon

The Left-Cheek Ass Clown for November, 2025

to

Der Furor's Governmental Clown Car

Der Furor once grandly claimed that he would appoint only the "best" people to positions in his administration, and that the nation would "win" so much that we'd be tired of winning. It hasn't worked out that way, as Der Furor and his chosen advisors have appointed dozens, if not hundreds, of individuals so staggeringly incompetent and unfit for their positions that describing this administration as a clown car is an insult to clowns. And cars. Here are but a few recent examples:

A judge ruled that Lindsey Halligan, the insurance lawyer with no prosecutorial experience hand-picked by Der Furor to run his revenge prosecutions of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, was illegally appointed and that the prosecutions were thus invalid. 

The administration proudly announced a 28-point "peace plan" to end Russia's war in Ukraine that was so obviously weighted in favor of Russia that it was widely denounced even by Congressional Republicans, and administration officials fell over themselves backpedaling to describe it as a "starting point" for negotiations. 

Following a video prepared by five members of Congress (all veterans) and former intelligence professionals reminding military personnel that they are not obligated to follow illegal orders, Der Furor accused them of treason ("punishable by DEATH," per his social media post) and called for them to be hanged, saying that any order given by the president is - de facto - legal. The Defense Department announced that Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona would be investigated for interfering with the “loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces” by participating in the video.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., blithely ignoring decades of science showing vaccines to be safe while showing that he openly lied to Senator Bill Cassidy during his confirmation hearing, personally instructed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to change its longstanding position that vaccines do not cause autism.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a draft memo to Congress, announced plans for the military to sever hundred-year history of ties with Scouting America, because the group once known as the Boy Scouts is no longer a meritocracy, has become an organization designed to "attack boy-friendly spaces," and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion.

Ignoring the advice of senior military lawyers concerned that such attacks are illegal, the administration continues to attack small boats in the Western Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, claiming - without evidence - that they are manned by terrorists transporting drugs to the United States. Since September 6th, at least 21 boats have been attacked and sunk and 83 persons killed; a further two victims were rescued and repatriated to Colombia and Ecuador rather than being tried in a US court ... which would have required presentation of actual evidence of their committing a crime. 

What's left of the Department of Education has proposed excluding a wide range of college degree programs - including nursing, education, social work, public health, physician assistant, occupational therapy, physical therapy, audiology, speech-language pathology, and counseling and therapy - from the definition of "professional degrees," specifically in relation to their eligibility for student loans.

The East Wing of the White House has been razed - apparently with no coordination with the affected historical preservation organizations - to make way for a Versailles-style grand ballroom ... for which no firm plans seem to exist.

 

The Oval Office has been garishly decorated with tacky gold embellishments that has turned it from a place of subtle power and authority to the inner sanctum of the madam of a cheap whorehouse.

I could go on, but it's just too depressing.

As political commentator Rick Wilson noted of administration actions in another context,

“This wasn't a dumpster fire. It was a dumpster fire on top of Burning Tire Mountain during an eruption of Mount Shitshow.” 

And as legal journalist Ben Wittes described Der Furor's first administration (and even more true now),

"Malevolence tempered by incompetence."

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers, the Left-Cheek Ass Clown Award for November, 2025, is presented to the Clown Car that has replaced legal, ethical, and moral governance in the United States. The damage will take decades to repair, if it can be repaired at all.

And one must wonder that so many Americans are okay with all this.

Have a good day. Demand better from your government, but expect less. As Jerry Reed said at the end of his classic song "The Crude Oil Blues," "he who expected nothin' ain't gonna be deceived."

More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

Thanksgiving, 2025

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've been writing this blog since 2006, and some of you have been reading it almost since the beginning. You've learned many things about me over the years, one of which is that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. In a crazy world in which we too often focus on fear, negativity, and the material things in life, it's good to have a day on which to sit back and reflect on the things for which we can be truly thankful.

We’re living in a scary time in which it’s easy to be distracted from things for which we can be thankful, because there is so much going on that is awful, and so many people who keep working hard to keep it awful. For me, this year the awful things included:

The knowledge that many of my fellow Americans support a president who is a corrupt and self-centered liar, grifter, convicted felon and sexual abuser who proudly and deliberately tramples on every norm of human decency and honor in a relentless pursuit of wealth, power, and revenge;

A Congress more interested in keeping problems alive so they can be weaponized against opponents than in actually solving them;

The sad reality that many Americans cheerfully accept frequent mass murder - even of  children - as an acceptable price to pay for their beloved, unrestricted "right to keep and bear arms;" 

The return of diseases we thought long conquered, largely because ignorant fools believe weird conspiracy theories and conflate the responsibility for public health with Government overreach and unacceptable limits on their personal freedoms;

A flawed legal system in which the availability, affordability, and equality of justice depends on one’s skin color, political connections, ability to manipulate the system to their advantage, and ability to pay astronomical legal fees; and,

The reality of a changing climate that is denied by those who steadfastly refuse to see the obvious truth around them.

That all sounds pretty bad, and it is, but on the whole, it’s once again been a good year for me. Although there have been some occasional negatives, I consider myself a fortunate man for a lot of reasons:

Good health, aside from the normal aches, pains, and sound effects common to advancing age. I had a second knee replaced this past summer, and through the miracles of modern medicine and my ability to afford them - as long as the GOP keeps its hands off Medicare - I'm still walking;

The patient and long-suffering love of my beautiful and endlessly talented wife;

Three loving and successful children of whom I am proud beyond words;

Six adorable, intelligent, talented, and loving grandchildren;

A large and loving extended family;

A comfortable retirement, at least as long as the GOP keeps its hands off Social Security and my modest retirement investments continue to prosper;

A roof over my head (as long as I keep up the mortgage payments);

Good friends (yes, all of you are included);

The ability to write what I wish in this space without worrying (so far, at least) about government censorship;

 

The freedom to worship (or not) as I find meaningful, free to ignore those who insist that their way is the only way and their scripture the only scripture, and that I must follow their path or suffer the consequences; and, 

The good fortune to have been born in the United States of America - a country which, for all its faults, gives me the opportunity to enjoy all of the above ... so far.

I have many things to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day, and it's only proper that I should take a few minutes to acknowledge that I am, as ever, most richly blessed.

I wish all of you, Dear Readers, Friends, the very happiest, healthiest, and safest of holidays.

Have a good day. Give thanks for the good things you have and the bad things you don't. 

More thoughts tomorrow, when we name the On-Crack Ass Clown for November ... see you then.

Bilbo

Poetry Sunday

Thanksgiving is almost here, and we're all working hard to get ready for family gatherings and reflections on all that we have to be thankful for. Today's short poem is a simple reflection on the time of year ... 

Thanksgiving

An Old Rhyme, Author Unknown

The year has turned its circle,

The seasons come and go.

The harvest all is gathered in

And chilly north winds blow.

Orchards have shared their treasures,

The fields, their yellow grain,

So open wide the doorway~

Thanksgiving comes again!

Have a good day, enjoy the rest of your weekend, and get ready for the holiday! More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

Cartoon Saturday

I just got back from vacation yesterday afternoon, and don't have the time and energy to do the usual news summary this week ... but why should I just depress you? Let's get right to the cartoons, this week featuring a random selection from my unsorted pile ...

I'd wondered where a lot of those weird MAGAts and conspiracy theorists came from ...

A butler can't be too careful ...

Dracula, updated ...

They have to cover a lot more techniques in medical school these days ...

I'm not quite sure that's true ...

Caption: "Nadine finally found a pediatrician that understood her." Doctor's words: "No, you don't have to vaccinate your child. If an epidemic should break out, we'll just burn a witch."

Stained glass by numbers ...

Scientist bears? ...

Ain't it the truth? ...

I feel this way about searching for movies I want to see on services I subscribe to ...

And that's it for Cartoon Saturday - I hope you enjoyed it. Have a good day and a great weekend ... more thoughts tomorrow, when Poetry Sunday returns. See you then.

Bilbo

Great Moments in Editing and Signage

And away we go ...

Beef ... the other white meat ...

For the person who has everything ...

Now, this is a tough quiz ...

I think we need to bring this title back ...

Makes sense to me ...

It must be some house ...

Divorce pending? No kidding ...

It probably tastes like ... uh ... never mind ...

There's just got to be a great story here, but I'm not sure I want to hear it ...

Uh ... I'll pass, I think ...

And that's it for this week's collection of amazing signage finds - I hope you enjoyed them. 

Have a good day, and come back tomorrow for Cartoon Saturday, where the ya-ha's just keep on coming! More thoughts then.

Bilbo

Musical Sunday

As you may know, my wife Agnes is a dedicated quilter. She owns four mighty, high-tech sewing machines and a vast quantity of material, patterns, and supplies that allow her to churn out gorgeous quilts and quilted decorations (like table runners, wall hangings, placemats, etc, etc). Last weekend, Mike sent me a link to this amazing parody of Queen's "Fat Bottom Girls" that wonderfully skewers the world of hard-core quilting. Even if you're not into the craft and its esoteric lingo, you'll still love the brilliant takeoff on Queens' classic ...

Share it with the quilter in your life!

And just so you know the sort of thing Agnes can churn out, here's a wall hanging she embroidered and quilted that features books, knicknacks, and such from the shelves of my study ... click to embiggen it for the full effect ...

Have a good day and enjoy the rest of your weekend. More thoughts coming.

Bilbo