Memorial Day 2026

Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." — Winston Churchill

As we do on this day each year, we pause to remember the men and women who died fighting for our freedom.

We stand by humbly, gratefully, silently, to honor their sacrifice.

We remember…

We mourn for those lost…

And we mourn for those they’ve left behind…

As we reflect once again on the the steep price of freedom.

By all means, enjoy your picnics, parades and celebrations today – it is a holiday after all. But do pause to remember and honor all the brave Americans across the centuries who have sacrificed their lives in the fight against tyrants, tyrannies and terrorists; the enemies of freedom who will always be amongst us and will always be a threat to liberty. God willing, America will always be there to vanquish freedom’s adversaries. 

Wishing all a tranquil, thoughtful and reflective Memorial Day.

Originally posted Memorial Day 2018

Incompetency ‘R Us

This about sums it up:

Don’t mind me,  it’s just been one of those weeks when everything you try to do is either unavailable, broken, flawed or otherwise bungled by someone’s incompetence. And  while “Tom” from Mumbai sympathizes he’s incapable of helping in any meaningful way. It probably is unrelated to schools turning out students who can’t read, do basic math or write: idiots in other words. I’d like to reconsider my position on AI, maybe it isn’t such a bad idea after all.

And how can it possibly be Caturday again already?

Because Life Doesn’t Come With a Guidebook, It Comes With A Mom

THis has become my perennial Mother’s Day Post.

Can you believe it…it’s Mother’s Day already! Even during stressful times like these the years  tick by at an alarming rate. I can’t say for sure whether the universe is expanding but I can verify the fact that time is accelerating. My Mom has been gone for 17 years already this month, which doesn’t even seem possible, sometimes it seems she was here just yesterday. Mom: ever a part of you, always with you, even when she isn’t.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.

To celebrate mothers is to celebrate life itself. Like virtually everything else in life there are exceptions but for the most part mothers are indeed exceptional in their unconditional love and devotion. At a Mother’s Day gathering in 2017 Melania Trump explained it this way:

“Mother is a title that claims your heart and changes your life forever. In fact, it has been said that having a child means allowing your heart to walk around outside of your body.”

So if you’re lucky enough to still have your mom around, grab some flowers and thank the woman who let her heart walk around independent of her body.

Give her a big hug (assuming neither of you have the Wuhan cooties of course). If she’s no longer with you, honor her memory by recalling the good times you had when you were both impossibly young.

For time is indeed a most fleeting commodity.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there – and to everyone else who has, or ever had, a Mom.

Moms:because life doesn’t come with guidebook, it comes with a mom

Proof That Creativity Hasn’t Been Completely Killed

Is anyone else war weary and politically pooped? I doubt I’m alone so here’s an entertaining diversion that may keep you smiling till Mother’s Day.

It’s 11 years old so the video quality isn’t what it is today but it’s still hilarious, still more creative than anything Hollywood has put out in the same timeframe. Proof that low tech still has a place in our lives.

Their mothers must be proud.

Wishes for a good week to all.

Not All Heroes Wear Capes

Who is Elizabeth Bik? She is basically a scientific truther who points out studies in scientific papers that can’t be duplicated. In other words, she exposes dubious “scientific” results being cranked out by thousands of academics who feel pressured to publish papers. Apparently “truthiness” is no longer a requirement in science.

Elizabeth Bik

Her super power is an unnatural ability to spot image duplications/manipulations in scientific papers resulting in major corrections and retractions. To date, her work alone has resulted in 1,686 Retractions, 269 Expressions of Concern, and 1,256 Corrections (as of April 2026). What started as a simple exercise in checking for plagiarism turned into a full time career of exposing just how common image manipulation – fraud – is in scientific publishing. She’s doing the work that sham peer reviewers ( they get paid processing fees for their reviews) refuse to do.

By the way, Elizabeth is a Dutch microbiologist who came to this country (legally) 25 years ago and worked at Stanford laboratory before moving on to the biotech industry. If all immigrants contributed even a fraction of what she does nobody would be complaining about immigration.

An example of Elizabeth’s data sleuthing:

In addition to her other work Elizabeth has a blog, Science Integrity Digest, that lately has been exploring AI’s role in plagiarized papers. Science has no greater hero than this data sleuth. And had she been around to nail Michael Mann for his fraudulent hockey stick graph perhaps we wouldn’t have the climate hysteria that has engulfed the planet in a flimflam extortion scheme of monumental proportions for decades now.

The Democrats Entertainment Enterprise: Better Than Policy and Ideas.

Singing.

Bo and Zo read to a group of children and lead a sing-along at a Bronx childcare center: The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round; if they don’t fall off first.

Dancing.

Michigan State Senator and U.S. senator candidate Mallory McMorrow  proves Democrats can’t campaign without turning every event into a circus. She burst into the 2026 Democratic Convention in Detroit like she was starring in her own parade, complete with a pounding marching drumline, clapping hands, and a giant cardboard cutout of her own face bobbing through the crowd. Sad. Desperate theatre kids hawking hype over substance.

Berating.

Walz rips Trump and Vance in Spain, says 'feeble-minded, trigger-happy president' has no exit plan for Iran. Says the man whose exit plan from Minnesota includes pocketing millions of dollars from various Somali Learing Centers.

Those crazy, corrupt, communist Democrats. They’re nothing if not entertaining. Nothing.

You Can Always Count On The Euro-Trash

The hubris of the smug, effete Euros would be amusing if it weren’t so aggravating. The Euros would rather side with recognized terrorists than save their own culture and civilization. They renounced their strongest ally who has stuck with them for over 100 years. The same ally that has bailed them out time and time over that 100+ years. That’s some very weak cheese, even for the cheese eating surrender monkeys.

May God help these godless ingrates as I doubt we will step in to save their bacon (literally) again.

I’m not familiar with Tim Soret but he has his thumb on the stupidity of his fellow Europeans.

As a European, I apologize to Americans for all the idiocy coming from our side.

You save your pilots no matter the cost.
You send humans to the moon.
You fight authoritarianism head-on.
It's truly inspiring.

We're on the wrong side of the moral equation.

— Tim Soret (@timsoret) April 5, 2026

Frankly I hope I can join your ranks one day.

I'm done with the morally smug, economically illiterate, declinist mindset here. We think we're so cultured & so smart, but it's mostly masturbatory.

Americans keep demonstrating their uniquely actionable & pragmatic intelligence.

— Tim Soret (@timsoret) April 5, 2026

 

And on a happier note, thank you, dear MOTI, for brightening my weekend with this most lovely arrangement. It has been such a very grey spring (following a very grey winter) around here. “April flowers” are even more welcome than usual, and these are stunners.

You need an overhead shot to appreciate the magnificent branches of apple blossoms, or maybe they’re cherry blossoms, I’m not sure but either way they are gorgeous.

As are the coral peonies, a most unusual color and they are very dramatic mixed with the soft pink blossoms and pale pink roses and greens.

Another homerun bouquet from the MOTI that will brighten our home all week while we wait for the sun to shine again. Prayers and blessings for all from the very grateful MOTUS house.

Easter Sunday 2026

And he said unto them, Be not amazed: you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he is risen;

He is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. - Mark 16:6

‘I am the resurrection, and the life: He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.’

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? — John 11: 25-26

Christians around the world gather today on this most holy of Christian holydays to celebrate with joy the miracle of the Resurrection and the promise of eternal salvation. Enjoy this beautiful, joyful, hopeful spring day: rest, reflect and renew. Have a blessed Easter.

Stop Doodling Around

Happy Wingsday wingsmen.

I offer this as a PSA: Although dogs bred with poodles have been extremely popular for years now, resulting in new breeds left and right, please stop breeding poodles with EVERYTHING!

Stick with adorable doodle dogs and curly fries.

The world really does not need a Chick-a-Doodle.

Maybe an Australian mountain doodle

but definitely not a Chick-a-doodle.

All feather, no meat

The King of Memes

Although Chuck Norris didn’t invent memes, arguably that was Russian standup comedian Yakov Smirnoff with his “In Soviet Russia…” routine, but he certainly ruled the genre.

Yakov Smirnoff pre-dated the viral shared template, humorous, digital memes that took off in the 2000s as his routine  peaked in the 1980s was known as a Russian reversal joke.

 

As funny as the Smirnoff trope was the unquestioned master of the internet meme was Chuck Norris. So let’s just leave the war behind for awhile and revel in the fun of “Chuck Norris facts.” Like the Communism/Capitalist trope they will age well because of the eternal clash of left and right, good and evil.  So here’s to you Chuck, the baddest hero ever. The list of his amazing strengths is long and eternally funny. A few of my favorites below: there are literally hundreds of these and I encourage you to add your favorite.

 

RIP Mr. Norris. You earned it.

TDS Remains At Epidemic Level

“Cuba’s President announced talks with the Trump administration amid a fuel crisis.” Could this really be happening? Yes, but only because of President Donald J. Trump.

Slightly used car for sale in Havana

Notice under the rear right bumper, they DO have a pot to piss in!

He told us we’d get tired of winning (we’re not). He likes winning so much he wants other countries under oppressive regimes to win as well.

OK, so the Abraham Accords. Taking down the Venezuelan cartel/dictatorship. Finally a response in the Iran War, the mullahs thought we were stupid and weak, they were right. Now Cuba.

You do get he's basically walking on water. Making every elected hack, bureaucrat and diplomat… https://t.co/iMOyB7xwA0

— Northern Barbarian (@xnoesbueno) March 15, 2026

The media is apoplectic of course. How dare he! As Daniel Friedman pointed out “The Left is so committed to the position that bad guys are actually good guys and good guys are actually bad guys that multiple major media outlets tried to justify and rationalize the actions of a terrorist who drove a truck full of explosives into a pre-school full of babies.”

Trump Derangement Syndrome remains at epidemic levels with no vaccine in sight.

PDJT was wrong, it’s not us who got tired of us winning it’s the left. And they don’t know how to lose.

Thank You President Trump – And Farewell To Our Blonde Gator

 

Is there even one serious American who really thinks it a good idea to allow psychotic religious fanatics to get their hands on nuclear weapons? Who could be in favor of allowing a brutal, repressive, authoritarian regime that has professed “death to America” for decades to obtain annihilistic weapons? The Democrats have been seeing Nazis all over this country for years but when they get a chance to eliminate a real 21st century Nazi they decline, choosing instead to condemn Trump - for wanting to eliminate a 21st century Nazi.

Their TDS is either the result of or caused by an inability to think rationally. As Don Surber noted “anything the commander-in-chief does is illegal, dangerous, unconstitutional and eventually, grounds for impeachment.” TDS should be listed in the DSM as a major mental disorder.

Continued negotiations with Iran’s brutal, ideologically driven theocracy, a regime that suppresses dissent, supports worldwide terrorism, tortures and executes its own citizens won’t result in peace. They don’t want peace, they want death to Israel and America. The 48th year of the conflict will not change that. And who beside the USA can change that?  If not us, who? If not now, when?

May God bless President Donald J. Trump for excising this malignancy.

 

 

Tribute to our Blonde Gator

Photo from GW: BG in 2016 at a B-17 air show with GW and his family. She’s holding a picture of another WWII B-17 crew that includes Caj’s father (with a plane that Caj was named after).

  

 

  Photo from lilozzie: Blonde Gator (left) visiting lilozzie (and Mr. Herbert) last June 

To say that Blonde Gator’s death has hit me hard is an understatement. What can I say about this exceptional woman who graced our lives with her comments and observations for so many years? She was a force of nature unto herself: intelligent, witty, snarky, and fun. She did not suffer fools gladly, which made her a perfect moderator at Newsbuster’s.

She retained her positive approach to life even in the face of daunting health and life challenges for both her and her beloved Blake. How she navigated through the last 2 years with such good humor and grace is beyond me. Such courage, fortitude and resilience in the face of adversity was nothing short of aspirational. She was the very embodiment of the American can-and-will-do spirit. As I said, a true force to be reckoned with.

We’ll miss the tales about Blonde Mom with her Thunderbird, BG’s crazy trips through Costa Rica, her management time at the mob connected waste company, the marathon cooking sessions of green chili, tamales and homemade sausage with her trusty Kitchen Aide, the crazy kitty tales – especially that one special one that showed up on her porch one Christmas Eve and stayed a lifetime. She entertained and enlightened us for years with her interests and experiences which stretched from deep sea fishing to orchids and everything in between. She lived a very full life.

You will be deeply missed by all your friends here Jacque. May you now rest in peace in the arms of the Lord, reunited with your beloved Blonde Mom and little sister.

As the years tick on we continue to lose so many of our MOTI.  Some that immediately come to mind: Bunny, Lost in Younkers, Claire, Della Street aka NotMySocks, Janet the Elder, Succotash,, Muskrat, Longknife, Karla, Rocket Ride,  Jettie and now Blonde Gator. I’m sure there are others too that slip my unreliable mind, as well as those who have just disappeared without a trace like Boo and Greenspots. We don’t know where they are or what’s happened to them but they’re all remembered here and are deeply missed.

Till we meet again

Waiting For Spring

Oh dear, another snow bomb scheduled this weekend. Major winter storm en route with all the attendant blizzard conditions, canceled flights, dangerous travel, electric outages and wall to wall coverage.

It all seems so unfair with all the carbon emissions causing the earth to warm so dangerously. But then, we all know life’s not fair.

Pray for spring.

Happy St. Valentine’s Day

Let’s start the day off with a nice cup of coffee.

You’ll need it to fortify yourself against the onslaught of Valentine’s Day. Remember, this is not just an exhibition, it’s also a competition replete with candy, flowers, cards, puppies and poetry.

Not bad for a made-up holiday. I’m not sure St. Valentine would approve of the materialism of the day but who could object to a day dedicated to love?

Oh yeah, the religion of peace.

The rest of you, enjoy the sweets be they animal, mineral or vegetable.

Happy Valentine’s Day, I wuv you all!