Freedom of Speech and Justice Goes Both Ways, Trump: The Juneteenth Holiday, and Dang ... What The Heck Is In Bolton's Book? LOL

So, first Trump tried to sue Bolton to prevent the book release via lawsuit.  

Now, he called upon Barr and the DOJ to issue a halt order for further distribution of the book - which has already been released to the public - citing "national security" concerns.

Hahahaha!

Oh wait, they're serious.

NOW they care about national security concerns? 

Sorry, Trump and Barr, but freedom of speech/the press goes both ways, it's for everybody - and Bolton was YOUR pick. 

If THAT doesn't scare the shit out of you about censorship and too much government control/communism fears, Republicans, then I don't know what will. 

This marks, what, the 97th time Trump has used the DOJ to go after his personal critics, when his Twitter bullying doesn't work?

I don't know, but I'm definitely buying the book, now, even if I have to buy it bootleg off the net LOL :)

I've heard people like Trevor Noah read excerpts from it live - and apparently, it asserts that Trump allegedly directly asked President Xi Jinping - of communist China, mind you - to buy agricultural products from the Midwest states to help him win the election? 

A federal judge agreed to hold a hearing today, probably to settle down Tyrant Toddler Trump to at least be heard, but there's not much you can do after the book has already been released and distributed. 

Additionally, when Sean Hannity asked Trump if he watched the George Floyd video, he replied: 

"The George Floyd case, nothing has to be said. I watched that, I couldn't really watch it for that long a period of time, it was over eight minutes. Who could watch that?"

Jaw drop.

Again.

In fact, I'm pretty sure my jaw is going to drop off completely, before his presidency actually ends.

So ... what was the problem, Trump?

Are you saying your 5-year-old, gnat-like attention span won't last 8 minutes?

Are you saying most men can't last for 8 minutes?

(Oh, I beg to differ;)

Are you saying that despite your belligerent, bullying, big mouth and threats of violence, you must avert your eyes, due to an actual delicate-flower constitution?

Are you saying you couldn't force yourself to face reality, before you chose to teargas peaceful protesters, just so you could emerge from the safety of your little bunker, to take a selfie -  in front of MY national Episcopal church, filled with mostly liberal Democrats - whom you've vilified as CINOS? 

In your case, I'd bet on all 4 reasons lol.

Sigh.

ANYWAY - speaking of freedom of speech and justice, it is the Juneteenth Holiday - and Fayette County Public Schools has chosen to give the day off as a holiday :)

Thus, I leave you instead with the words of a sane, just, emotionally stable, TRUE Christian man  - an excerpt of Martin Luther's King letter from Birmingham Jail.

(Despite the national right to peacefully protest, a circuit judge in Alabama restricting any "demonstration" of protest, and thus civil-disobedience leader, Martin Luther King Jr., was jailed).

"We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct-action campaign that was “well timed” in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word “Wait!” It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This “Wait” has almost always meant ‘Never.” We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that “justice too long delayed is justice denied ...”


... Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial “outside agitator” idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.  "

Yellowstone Screening/Discussion Panel Was Legit - And Kevin Costner Answered My Question!!!

(Updated) 

This is a screen shot of Kevin Costner ANSWERING MY QUESTION!

First of all - God, he's handsome.  

Secondly, I'm not sure if this link will work without the invite (like I said, some friends couldn't access it) - and you have to use Chrome or IE or Edge - but if you can access it, my question is the very last audience question of the Q&A session, which occurs after the show - at about the 1 hour and 14 minute timestamp.

*You have to be using Chrome or IE to open (though Safari from an iPhone seems to work, too) *

(If the link doesn't work, the interview and Q&A session may be up later on YouTube, under the Deadline Virtual Screening/Discussion Panel series.)


Before I asked a question, I had three goals:

1)  Don't sound like a crazed fan and ask a stupid starstruck question that fans ask him all the time, like about Dances With Wolves or something, instead of Yellowstone.

2)  Don't sound like a Kentucky Hillbilly. 

3)  And above all, you should NOT, under any circumstances, mention that you once had THIS poster of him in Bull Durham on your wall in college in 1988 ...

LOL


So, I decided on the following. 

If you can't see my typed question, here's a close up - it's a writer mindset question lol ...

If you can't view the video in the link above, and it's too small to read, I said: 

"Hi Kevin - Considering the characters are so complex, and there are no clear "good guys," what do you think the appeal/connection is for the audience?"

There was only a certain amount of characters allowed in the question, so that was it, and the Deadline Interviewer added to it a bit, asking:  "Why is this 'destination appointment' television?"

Kevin's answer was a GREAT answer, it hits the nail on the head and ties into current events as well, I think.

This is my meantime transcription of his answer, as I can still play back the video, at present. 

"I think people enjoy watching a level of dysfunction, they enjoy watching really outrageous things coming out of people's mouths at a critical moment. There are moments in time, we wish we were saying what these characters were saying."   

" All of us are confronted with daily issues that we kinda have to walk away from, and it's only in walking away, we decide what we wish we would've said, to somebody who really deserved it."

"And in Yellowstone, we actually get to say things that I think people wish they could say to somebody else. I think one of the reasons why maybe Yellowstone has caught air is that, you know, we live in a world where, when we have problems, people turn to their lawyers to solve it. We turn to our agents to arbitrate a problem, to PR people to try to clean something up, when there's really nothing to clean up; when really, in our own life, I'd like to confront the person who's really bothering me personally."

"I think we put so much distance between being able to find a level of justice that we feel is appropriate for somebody who's really bugging us."

" And to be honest, I think people would really like to arbitrate their own their own problems, so when we see somebody like John Dutton, arbitrating his problems, sometimes we can live vicariously through people like that, and we think, "I wish we could do that" or "I wish I could do that." "I wish I would've said that, I wish I would've smacked that guy myself."

"So, I think that Taylor (Taylor Sheridan, creator/screenwriter, "Sicario," "Hell or High Water," Wind River" ) captures that level of escapism, but it's tapping into a nerve, where we wish we could solve some of our own problems, it might feel really good. To tell somebody who's been bothering us, really, what time it is. "

Btw, I realized later they never said "advanced" screening - it WAS just a screening of the Season 2 Finale, rather than the Season 3 premiere, which was fine by me (it was a great finale) - and Kevin Costner answered my question and I can die happy now! 

LOL.

I still have no idea how I was selected to get an invite, I didn't enter any contests or anything?

I guess it was just random, after signing up to get access to Deadline articles and search terms.

Either that or my brother-in-law, the Senior Accountant for Universal Studios in LA, had something to do with it - but I doubt it - especially because Paramount and Universal are rivals lol. 

I've never won anything in my life (well, besides when I was 12 years old, a bit part in a movie, which ended up being more of a curse than a blessing ) - but never any contests or sweepstakes or drawings - this is a first!


Thank you, Deadline!


Thank you, Kevin Costner!


You made my 2020 :)



___________________________

Update:  So, after sharing the link to the video with friends, some ladies at my work, and Mark's work -  Fayette County Public Schools, Central Office, where it made the rounds very quickly - the consensus was the following  ...

TOP 5 REACTIONS TO THE VIDEO DISCUSSION PANEL: 

1.  From the ladies - "My God, he's STILL so hot."

2.  From the men, "How can anyone still look that good, at 65 years old - especially just sitting around his house during COVID?  Bastard." LOL

3.  "That was a great question!"  (Whew, thank God lol.)

4.  "Yeah! Go Kevin Costner! I LOVED his answer!  It's true!"

5.  The cat. walking around in the background, was the real star lol.

Most importantly, anyone who has not seen Yellowstone yet is now going to watch past episodes and watch the premiere on Sunday :)

PS - Deadline Yellowstone Virtual Screening/Discussion Panel: Are We Webcam COVID-Hair Rejects? :)

So ... as you know, I rarely post selfies.  However, I'm not sure if we're going log in for video for this thing or not. I think we just watch this thing? 


I ... really hope not, because we both have COVID hair. With the pictures to prove it!


(No, btw, that is not a bald spot on me - that's my extremely gray roots on top.)


Just in case, we just took these to see what we looked like on Webcam, all COVID-ed out.


Yeah, yikes.


However, I may make the one with Brookie my profile pic, just because she actually held still for a photo - who wouldda thunk it :)


They may be too grainy, though.

Okay, so just logged in - here's what it looks like.  Looks like no video on our end, but you CAN ask the interviewer question to ask Kevin Costner, once they arrive at 8!?!

So cool!

Update:  8:01 - so nothing's happening.  Our friends got a confirmation but can't get in.

God, I hope it's not a phishing scam lol.

Deadline mag does have a legitimate Deadline virtual screening, though. 

 Update - 8:07 - It's started! 

It appears to be Season 2 Finale, I guess a recap before the premiere. (I hope) Hmm ... 

Yellowstone Season 3: We Received an Invitation to an Advance Virtual Screening and Panel Discussion for Tonight?!? :)

So ... I'm not sure how I got this (I must've signed up for access at Deadline magazine, a while ago, and viewed info about Yellowstone there, last fall) - but Deadline just sent me a pass to virtually screen the premiere episode of Yellowstone Season 3 in advance  - TONIGHT - and view a panel discussion afterwards, with a Deadline interviewer and Kevin Costner!

Thank you, Deadline!

(No, you can't ask questions and bug the actors -  you just watch it and and view the interviewer/panel discussion lol)

I thought it was a prank/scam, but it appears we were just confirmed in, so we'll see?

We sent the link to a couple we know that loves the series as much as we do!

My husband is more excited than I am! lol.

Happy Early Father's Day gift, honey!

(Though I had nothing to do with it lol)

Regardless, the official season premiere is Father's Day, June 21st, at 9 p.m. EST on Paramount (or Amazon Prime pay-per-episode/season after air date).

I wrote a little blurb about this show, last year, for those unfamiliar with the show - it really found its footing mid-season 2, IMO.  

And if you don't have Paramount, you can purchase per episode or full series through Amazon Prime after it airs (which is how we do it, as we don't have cable and Paramount anymore, we stream ;)

Here's the official Season 3 trailer, with Josh Hollaway (Lost, Colony) as Beth's nemesis-potential-love-triangle-problem?







LOL, Beth - "You are the trailer park, I am the tornado."  

Yep, that's probably accurate about Beth Dutton, in general lol.   

(You do NOT want to piss off Beth Dutton lol, she's probably the scariest member of the family.)

Lastly,  the Yellowstone theme song, which IMO, is like the best series theme song out there currently ... featuring Montana itself as a main character :)

A Morning Dove Story :)

Yes, that is a play on words :)

And no, I didn't get a picture, this is just a random picture of a very young mourning dove for reference.

Okay, so ... here's what happened this morning. :)


So, Mark is working and I'm answering an email.  We decided to open up the windows and the balcony door because it's very cool out, perfect weather today. 

All of the sudden, a little young dove flies in and lands on the floor in front of me, happy and calm as you please - just waddling across the room, looking at me the whole time.

I knew if I got up too suddenly, it would scare her out, rather than gently usher; however, my husband had different ideas.  

Before I could get "Okay, not too quickly, you'll scare it and it will bash itself into the glass trying to get out"  out of my mouth, Mark was up and waving his arms in front of it like a crazy man lol.

Well, of course, this resulted in it flying into the bedroom and doing exactly that, trying to fly out the window through the glass. 

I said, "Mark - seriously, will you let me handle this one, please?  I know birds."

I went and got some sunflower seeds and came back in the bedroom.  Nowhere to be found. 

Then I said, "Hello, dahling - it's all right.  We won't hurt you.  I have seeds for you," in a very soft voice.

Out from behind my pillow waddles the little young dove, looking at me.

I sat down on the bed and she waddled over about half way, not sure. 

Then of course Mark comes in, "She's going to get hurt and bash herself, just grab her!"

Well, of course, his entrance freaked her out and she flew first landing on his computer monitor, then to the kitchen to my microwave.

So I said, "Shhh, Mark - no, that's not the way to do this, it will traumatize her more to grab with your hands.  Let me do this, Mark, okay? Stay calm - if you freak out, she'll freak out, then Brookie will freak out and all hell will break loose. Just stay calm and step back - please. "

So I walked slowly into the kitchen, talking to her softly, almost singing - I could see her little heart almost beating out of her chest.

So I reached up very slowly, talking very softly, and gently put my fingers behind her feet to step back on. (Anyone who's had birds knows this is the non-threatened way to get a bird, never go at them from the front, always slowly, gently approach the feet and touch them, they step back on you fingers almost like a reflex.)

So, there she sat on my fingers until I very gently walked her to the deck, sing-song talking to her the whole way - until we were outside and she flew away!

Mark: "Wow ... good job, honey! I mean ... I can't believe I  just watched a wild dove step back onto your fingers and stand on them and carry her across the room and outside, just like it was a trained pet - that was amazing!  You never put your hands on her, she just stepped back on your fingers.  How did you do that? Animals love you." 

Me:  "Well, it depends on the animal lol.  I doubt I'd have the same effect on lions or wolves, and clearly, certain humans with carnivore temperament lol.  Babies and children, tend to dig me, too, I'm not sure why? I've had birds before, though, so I know how to approach them."
"Birds are smarter than people think, they observe and assess you  with milliseconds, much like a horse or dog does.  Never grab with your hands, any animal, unless they are injured and can't move/fly; otherwise, let them come to you and go/land where they like."

"Animals express affection differently, but they have to trust you before you should even try to touch them, which is something I think we've gotten backwards even with dogs and cats.  They'll show you how to show them affection in their world, if you let them come to you, and actual petting is a gift of trust."

"Until then, as with all animals, they need to observe you first - your smell, then whatever sound you're making, then movement - frantic and frenzied VS. calm and casual - and THEN finally touch, IF they trust you." 

"So it's all about keeping soft voice, almost sing-song, moving slowly, no sudden movements, see where your hands are and are going at all times - to let them know you're not a threat.  "

I'm not sure what the Native Americans might say about this dove home visit, but I'm pretending it's a good omen?  lol.

Scripturally, doves mean peace or hard times past, or even the Holy Spirit.

Amen :)

See? Even Josh Gates Shares My Love for Bollywood Movies :)

Even though I've mentioned the only two things I'm snobby about are film and architecture (because I figure if you have that kind of money, do it right) - but I love Bollywood movies, people singing and dancing at random, even inappropriate times - I can't help myself.  

For those unfamiliar,  Josh Gates is our new favorite American-du-jour, courtesy of his "Expedition Unknown" Series on the Travel Channel and the Discovery Channel, where Josh Gates travels the globe full time, seeking treasures like Indiana Jones, and is also a part-time paranormal investigator.

He geeks out over history, archaeology, and spiritual as much as we do (he has a degree in Archaeology) - and always with a culturally respectful, ever friendly attitude, a big heart, and goofy/corny/funny deprecating sense of humor :)

Indiana Jones, or even Anthony Bourdain, he ain't - but still lovable nonetheless.  

(In fact, I can't see either Indy or Tony breaking out in Bollywood dance  :)

I hadn't seen this episode before, but it made me laugh - and lo and behold, Josh Gates jumps into the dance - and he even got a little rhythm, who wouldda thunk it?  :)

Without further ado, I give you Josh Gates' Bollywood dance ...







(Go Josh, Go Josh, Go! Go! Go, Josh!)

Jefferson Davis (Former President of the Confederacy) Statue Finally Removed from the Kentucky State Capitol - Glory, Glory Hallelujah!

The dismantling was completed yesterday afternoon.  

(I said dismantled from its base -  NOT destroyed.  It is unclear where he will go, likely a private museum.)

In the words of Kentucky state representative, Derrick Graham, "He's gone, y'all.  Glory Hallelujah!"

Amen :)

Video of the dismantling ...








Many of us, in this state, have been trying to get it down for years.

Yes, it's history and heritage - but not one we're proud of - or at least we shouldn't be proud of, we should be ashamed. 

Thus, some "history" belongs in private museums owned by Confederacy-loving/KKK/white-supremacy and other amoral freaks with halls of shame -  not presiding over the grand hallway rotunda of the the state capitol, which our taxpayer money supports -  where children on school tours - and all people - should feel welcome,  not reminded and retraumatized by parts of our state and nation's more shameful past.

For those unaware, our State of Kentucky was officially Union - but you could choose which side you fought for.

Kentucky was the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln - but also the birthplace of Jefferson Davis -  who went to Transylvania University, here in Lexington, and also practiced law here in Lexington briefly, before he went on to be the President of the Confederacy during the Civil War.

And let us not forget, it is Jefferson Davis who uttered the words: "African slavery, as it exists in the United States, is a moral, a social and a political blessing" - as if God himself blessed the idea of slavery.

Pro-slavery Southerners often twisted verses of scripture to pro-Slavery, despite the big-picture idea from the bible that the subjugation into slavery via conquest, and the oppression into poverty of people via physical and economic means - including the Jews by Egyptians in the OT and the Romans in the NT - was clearly depicted as evil.

Let us also not forget that rather than face the music - the consequences of his actions - when the Union Army came to arrest him to stand trial for treason and other war crimes ...

... President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis ... ran away in his wife's coat and shawl ...

Not because he was transgendered, mind you -  but to disguise himself and evade capture - because in the end, Jefferson Davis was a coward.

Though the press had a field day in imaginative comics over the event, -this isn't propaganda, it's historical fact - verified by his wife and house slave, who claimed it was at their urging.

Jefferson Davis wasn't wearing a dress, but he really was wearing his wife's coat and shawl when captured - which he claimed was a "mistake during his hurry."

Mm hmm ;)


Is that a bit like hiding in a bunker below the White House while the people protest and riot, outside, as consequence of fear-and-hate-filled propaganda, words and deeds, having fueled the fire?  ;)

That's a common thing for bullies with big mouths -   all big and bad behind microphones, phone screens, and computers and henchmen - ordering or manipulating letting them do the actual dirty work, then throwing them under the bus later, claiming they had nothing to do with it  - they're all cowards, in the end.


Jefferson Davis was imprisoned for 2 years, but later pardoned by Confederate sympathizer, Andrew Johnson, who had assumed the presidency after Lincoln was shot (and who was later the first U.S. president to be impeached) - so he never stood trial.

Additionally, Pope Pius IX sent him a a portrait, with the inscription, "Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis, et ego reficiam vos, dicit Dominus", which correspond to Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you that labor, and are burdened, and I will refresh you, sayeth the Lord". A hand woven crown of thorns later accompanied the portrait, which many say the Pope also made, but may have actually been made by Davis' 2nd wife. 

(Like I said, despite Christ and Moses both denouncing oppression and slavery, other verses n the bible - particularly the words of Timothy and Paul - have been twisted to mean slavery was acceptable/blessed by God.)

Regardless, Jefferson Davis still presided over the Kentucky State Capitol until June 13, 2020.

And may I just say that for years, there was a college bar called "JDI's (Jefferson Davis Inn) stood for years, on High Street, right next to his former law office - which was coincidentally where one of the cruelest things was ever said to me in my life (that I won't share here).  

So I won't be shedding any tears  - in fact, I'm overjoyed, for multiple reasons! :)

Glory, Glory Hallelujah and Hosanna in the Highest!

His truth IS marching on ... :)

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on!

Glory, glory, Hallelujah! Glory, glory, Hallelujah!
Glory, glory, Hallelujah! His truth is marching on

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps
His day is marching on

Glory, glory, Hallelujah! Glory, glory, Hallelujah!
Glory, glory, Hallelujah! His truth is marching on

In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me
As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free
While God is marching on

Glory, glory, Hallelujah! Glory, glory, Hallelujah!
Glory, glory, Hallelujah! His truth is marching on!
His truth is marching on! 

And on ... and on ... and on!