California Scheming

Once again, two humorous tales for free. If you enjoyed this humor, skip to the top right-hand part of the post and click on one of the book covers. You can also help Russell by reblogging from your blog.

What's So Funny?

Have you ever taken a long cut–as opposed to a shortcut? What I’m referring to is driving around the world to get across the street. Some people call it “taking the scenic route,” or offer the excuse of avoiding heavy traffic, toll roads, or fear of getting stuck in a Presidential Motorcade. The goal is to ignore the shortest, fastest, most efficient route to your destination.

My wife, Connie, really enjoys doing this. In fact, her motto is, “If there’s a back road–take it!” As an experienced yard sale fanatic, she knows every side street, alley, and dead-end cul de sac in our portion of North America. We’re never truly lost, just not always sure where the road we’re on is going to take us.

Tell me about a time when taking an alternate route led to an adventure.

If you’re new to Friday Flash Fiction, the person who wrote…

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Words of Wisdom … But Will We Listen?

Words of wisdom we need to listen to.

Filosofa's Word

Once again, Robert Reich has wise words, but will this nation listen?  That, my friends, is the $64 million question.

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Voters can replace a party that knows how to fight with one that knows how to govern

Robert Reich

As America heads into its quadrennial circus of nominating conventions (this year’s even more surreal because of the pandemic), it’s important to understand the real difference between America’s two political parties at this point in history.

Instead of “left” versus “right”, think of two different core competences.

The Democratic party is basically a governing party, organized around developing and implementing public policies. The Republican party has become an attack party, organized around developing and implementing political vitriol. Democrats legislate. Republicans fulminate.

In theory, politics requires both capacities – to govern, but also to fight to attain and retain power. The dysfunction today is that Republicans can’t govern and Democrats can’t fight.

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Covid update!

Kawanee is feeling better. 🙂 — Suzanne

I’ve had to have a second test to be able to go back to work, after the 10 days of meds… I am officially negative for a second time! Yay! I will hopefully be returning to work Monday.

I want to say, the throat swab test was rough… but the nose swab was worse. Holy jumping crickets! I think that woman was drilling for oil or roto-rootering my brain! I don’t wanna do that again. I was also tested for antibodies… sadly it doesn’t look like I’ve got them. Which is disappointing, I was hoping to donate some good plasma and help some folks out.

I got myself a cool mist humidifier and 2 air purifiers… my allergies seem to be under control. I am so glad for that.

I still have a few tests to undergo but it’s a relief that I am negative. Wear a mask… protect those…

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Bug Patrol~

Great pictures by Cindy Knoke of the Rock Wren, a glorious songbird, and a bug catcher.

The Holler is quite buggy so it is most helpful for this little guy to catch both the spider and the spider’s catch all in the same web!

Rock Wrens are diligent feathered bug catchers.

They are always hunting and eating.

Rock Wrens are year round residents at The Holler and they are the only species in their genus, Salpinctes.

Rock Wrens are glorious songbirds whose music fills our days. Click to hear their vocalizations:

Cheers to you from The Holler’s hungry, musical and industrious wrens~

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Snarky Snippets To Kick Off The Weekend!

More snarky subjects.

Filosofa's Word

Snark … what would I be without it?  Hmmmm … interesting question … a mild-mannered book-lover?  Healthier?  For sure I would sleep more and better, but … perhaps I would find life boring if I didn’t have so much angst on my plate, eh?

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A tweet from beyond the grave …

I find it more than a little bit creepy when a new tweet pops up by a man who has been dead for just over two weeks.   Herman Cain, business executive, writer, and Tea Party activist and one-time presidential hopeful, died on July 30, as a result of the coronavirus, which he likely contracted from attending Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the prior month.

Then, all of a sudden yesterday …

Multiple other posts have appeared from ol’ Herman, including one linked to a Trump campaign video which accused Biden of having “a racism problem”, and another criticizing Gretchen…

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fog in Bucharest

A view of fog in Bucharest.

Paul Militaru

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Yes Media, He’s Trying to Steal the Election

Donald Trump is trying to slow down mail delivery. It can cause serious problems at election time.

On The Fence Voters

Article 1, Section 8, Clause 7: Congress shall have the power to establish Post Offices and Roads.

Feb 20, 1792: An Act to Establish the Post-Office and Post Roads within the United States.

The first entry resides in the United States Constitution. The second entry was signed into law by none other than the first president of the United States, George Washington.

The current president of the United States is taking a wrecking ball to this iconic institution, as we speak. For no other reason than to steal his way to victory in the 2020 election.

Yes, national media, he’s trying to steal the election. Please feel free to use this adjective in any future headline because it’s the truth. To describe it in any other way is a complete abdication of your duty to report the facts.

We’ve seen this before, of course. Our national outlets go out of…

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Corpse Road from Chapel Stile

A walk to Corpse Road from Chapel Stile.

Walking the Old Ways

One of the loveliest and easiest routes in the Lakes is along the old corpse route from Chapel Stile to Grasmere. Some beautiful scenery and a wonderful paved path some of the way. Until the church at Chapel Stile was built, the dead of the Langdale Valley would have been carried to Grasmere for burial.

A Glimpse of Grasmere (c) John Bainbridge 2020

It’s a short route, so we walked it in both directions, from Grasmere to Chapel Stile and then back again.

We walked up the lane from Grasmere to Huntingstile, where almost immediately you arrive at the paved section of the path. It seems almost miraculous to me that such old paths have survived as much as they have. It’s why we really must fight to preserve the original lines of our ancient rights of way. Take them away and you take away a hugely important part of…

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Impotent Tyranny

What amounts to impotent tyranny.

Filosofa's Word

I’ve been doing some thinking about Trump’s ‘executive orders’ last week, how he has overstepped his authority, shredded the Constitution yet again, and all for naught, for nothing he did is likely to help very many of the people who need help the most.  He is all pomp, no substance, as is proven by the fact that rather than sign these orders in his office as would have been appropriate, he took them to his country club to sign them in front of a group of rich, old, white men sipping wine who applauded enthusiastically, for they have no horse in this race.

Today I happened across a piece written by a freelance writer, Joel Mathis, writing for The Week, that I thought covered the matter well, so I am sharing it here today.

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Donald Trump’s impotent tyranny

Joel Mathis

Everything is a show with Donald Trump.

He was…

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Announcing the Launch of HMS Lanternfish by C.S. Boyack

A new book by C.S. Boyack, “HMS Lanternfish”

Fiction Favorites

Hey everyone. I’m so glad to be able to participate in the launch of Craig Boyack’s new book. One of the reasons I’m glad is Lisa Buton, Craig’s spokesperson is here in person.  So not to waste a moment here is Lisa.

Hi, John. We’ve got to stop meeting up like this, or people are going to talk. Anyhoo, I’m here to talk about Craig’s new book and offer some great deals along the way.

The new one is called HMS Lanternfish, and it’s the second book in the series. James and his pirate crew are back, and this time they’re diving into the war effort.

In Voyage of the Lanternfish, they dealt with a lot of hardships. They were short on food and water, munitions, guns, and everything else. This time, they have to deal with too much. The hold of a ship will only contain so much…

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