It's no wonder we argue as much as we do. Blame it on our Fore Fathers...

 The original image depicted the Signing of the Constitution of the United States.This painting, originally by Howard Chandler Christy, shows delegates from the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.The scene highlights intense debates over issues such as the balance of federal power and slavery.While some founders, like Hamilton and Burr, became fierce political rivals, others collaborated to create a new system of government - our Constitutional Republic...

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This may be the end of the carriage rides...

 

A teenage tourist was killed when the horse pulling the carriage he was riding in got startled and bolted in Central Park on Wednesday afternoon after the operator got out to take a photo of the passengers, cops and sources said. The idyllic trip through the greenspace took a nightmarish turn for the group - in town from India - when the coachman left his post near 71st Street and Centre Drive around 2:45 p.m. 

 

The carriage driver was at least an arm’s length from his horse to take a photo of his passengers when the animal became spooked and took off, according to sources and the Transit Workers Union. The teen passenger, Romanch Mahajan, was thrown from the carriage and hit his head, the sources said.

The carriage then hit the wheel of another carriage and toppled to the ground. When the animal lovers get up in arms about this, it'll probably mark the end of an era. Kinda sad if ya think of it.

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Handmade gifts are extra special when

they're for someone extra special.

Click on the picture for more information on this bracelet

 It's one-of-a-kind and comes with free shipping.

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The Scots are drinking BeanTown dry - and other nonsense...

Bars in the Boston area are running out of beer because Scottish soccer supporters are drinking them dry, according to reports.

Boston was selected to host two of Scotland's FIFA World Cup matches this year. Members of the "Tartan Army" have turned up in the city in droves to support their team and partake in celebratory drinks while there to enjoy the games.

"It's been a wild time in Boston as the Tartan Army has taken over," Boston Beer Co. manager of communications Devon Savage said. "As large groups of Scots swarmed Boston this week to cheer on their soccer team, they found the Samuel Adams downtown Boston taproom. And they happily stayed for more than one pint." Savage said the taproom ran out of Samuel Adams Boston Lager over the weekend because the Tartan Army drank them dry. 

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There are people I know who've never seen me without a hat on, 

and probably wouldn't recognize me without it. Juss' sayin'...

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Ths is just my opinion, but I think the biggest problem we have in this country today is that people - from every age group and socialstatus - think other people give a shit about what their opinion is on any subject, but especially about politics. 

This is, of course - and as I've said - just my opinion, but there is pretty much nothing you could say, short of maybe offering me a couple million bucks, to make me change the way I think things should be. But, again, that's just my opinion...

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The UK government has announced a social media ban for under-16s. They will be blocked from accessing social media, including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and X, from next spring. Livestreaming and stranger communication, including in gaming, will be switched off by default for 16- and 17-year-olds.

This is a classic example of Government gone amuck. This harkens back to one of my absolute pet peeves - Government over-reach. We've gotten to the point where our so-called leaders can do very little to improve our lives, but they sure as fuck think they have the right to tell us what we cannot do. This is not a job for Government - it's a parent's responsibility to limit what their kids can and cannot do. It pisses me the fuck off. Juss' sayin'...

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Wednesday on MS NOW’s “All In,” Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said President Donald Trump’s Iran deal was an “unconditional surrender.”

Booker said, “Donald Trump told us in February, I am going to get unconditional surrender. He just didn’t tell us that it would be his unconditional surrender. Don’t take my word for it from the Wall Street Journal to conservatives are calling this Donald Trump’s retreat, Donald Trump’s blunder, Donald Trump’s surrender. This is a horrific deal and capitulation to Iran.”

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Why is it we can do it and they can't...

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What's that mushroom cloud you ask? Well, that's  Putin’s prized Moscow oil depot being blown to bits, erupting into a massive fireball. The blast is one of many that rocked Moscow last night, in Ukraine‘s biggest attack yet on the Russian capital.

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Yeah - what do they get in this deal...

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Handmade gifts are extra special when

they're for someone extra special.

Click on the picture for more information on this bracelet

 It's one-of-a-kind and comes with free shipping.

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/BjacksonJewelry

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As close to a dream as possible...

We drift where the clocks have no hands,

Through oceans of violet sand.

A feather descends on the breeze,

And blossoms in ancient, tall trees.

The stars are but whispers of light,

That dance on the edge of the night.

You reach for a face in the fog,

But wake with a start, in the bog.

And what was the truth that you sought?

A memory, quickly forgot.

A shimmering bridge made of glass,

That shatters before you can pass.

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As true now as it was then...

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Handmade gifts are extra special when

they're for someone extra special.

Click on the picture for more information on this bracelet

 It's one-of-a-kind and comes with free shipping.

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/BjacksonJewelry

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Try this and tell us how it was - cause I'll pass for now and take your word for it...

 I think I gotta start smokin' pot again, 'cause that's probably the only way I'd ever think of doing something like this, but there are actaually people who think it's a good idea. Watermelon is usually the fruit we imagine sliced cold on a hot summer day, dripping with juice and eaten straight from the rind, but on a grill it can become something completely unexpected. When thick slices of watermelon hit high heat, some of the moisture begins to cook off, the natural sugars caramelize, and the surface takes on smoky char marks that make it look almost like a steak. The crisp, refreshing bite softens into something warmer, firmer, and surprisingly savory, especially when it is seasoned with salt, pepper, citrus, herbs, or spices. It is not trying to replace steak in nutrition, but as a creative summer dish, it shows how heat can transform even the most familiar fruit into something bold and surprising. What starts as a sweet picnic snack becomes a smoky centerpiece on the grill, proving that food can still surprise us when we treat simple ingredients in a completely new way. Sometimes the most unexpected main course is hiding inside a fruit bowl. 

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They come here to see soccer, and we screw 'em. Nice...

Restaurants in FIFA World Cup host cities are slapping automatic 20% gratuities on checks, citing concerns that international visitors won't tip American-style. The move is spreading from Kansas City to Atlanta and Philadelphia as operators say they need to protect workers who rely on tips to make a living. Critics warn the mandatory charges risk driving away customers.

If I knew in advance that a restaurant I was going to eat at was doing this, they'd immediately go  on my shit list in indelible ink and stay there forever. This whole tipping mentality is getting out of hand. Be nice, work hard for us, do a good job, and we'll reward you with a gratuity - a gift that says thanks you for making my time here more enjoyable. 

Stick a service charge on my bill and the next call you'll probably make is to 911 - for one reason or maybe another. Juss' sayin'...

Their voices matter. To them, not to us...

Hollywood’s biggest anti-Trump assholes gathered in New York for a fiery protest concert called “Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert for the First Amendment.” Robert De Niro kicked things off by cracking about Trump’s White House UFC cage fights, saying, “Good evening, everyone, and welcome to all of you who couldn’t get tickets to the White House cage fights.” The event, co-produced by Jane Fonda, was packed with fierce pushback against Trump and his agenda.

De Niro did not pull any punches, calling Trump a “racist, misogynist, xenophobic tyrant.” He also led the crowd in chanting “Shut the fuck up!” after Trump said he doesn’t think about Americans’ financial situation. Jane Fonda used softer language but was just as fiery, saying the government "is violating the First Amendment and silencing artists". She pointed to the shutdown of institutions like the Kennedy Center and the defunding of museums as proof that attacks are coming from every part of the government.

  The night also featured performances from Rufus Wainwright, Patti Smith, and Sasha Allen, with actors like Julia Roberts and Lily Gladstone (?) speaking onStage.

Julia Roberts recited a poem from Amanda Gorman in honor of Renée Good, a 37-year-old queer woman shot and killed by ICE in Minneapolis earlier this year. 

The event ended with Fonda calling for action items, including blocking the Paramount and Warner Bros merger. “We have sung out, and now it’s time for us to rise up,” she said to cheers. The concert was live-streamed to hundreds of thousands of people, with many hosting watch parties and renting out theaters across the nation for what organizers called a cathartic night of protest. 

We'd call it a waste of oxygen, but then again, we're just hard working patriots, and we're not as smart and as popular as they are, are we...

Wanna see real stars? Try this.

This HillBetty. That simple...

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 Birthday or Anniversary coming up?

Here's a great idea for a gift for her

Click on the picture for more information on this unique pairing.

It's simple yet elegant - and comes to you with free shipping!

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/BjacksonJewelry

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What exactly is a 'fair share'?

Do they pay their "fair share" ? Of course they do - and then some, unlike us. This is only federal tax on personal earnings NOT taxes paid by their companies etc.

The top 10% already pay about 70% of federal income taxes, and the top 1% pays nearly 40%. The top 10% shoulder the overwhelming majority of federal income taxes, while the bottom 50% of earners pay roughly 3% of this specific revenue. 

Many lower-income households pay no income tax at all due to standard deductions and credits. 

While top earners pay the highest total dollar amounts, their effective tax rates (the actual percentage of income paid) are often debated. The Cato Institute estimates that the top 10% face an average overall federal tax rate of around 27%. The 70% statistic applies specifically to federal income taxes. When you include all federal, state, and local taxes (which includes payroll, corporate, property, and sales taxes), the tax burden is less concentrated, because lower-income individuals spend a larger portion of their income on consumer sales and FICA payroll taxes. 

The high tax share paid by top earners also reflects the high concentration of wealth and income at the top, with the highest-earning 10% earning nearly half of all U.S. income. 

Maybe instead of endlessly arguing over who should pay more, we should spend more time asking where our tax dollars are going and whether we're getting the results we're paying for.

Check these chairs out - click on the picture.

These are cool. I got them in time for this trip...

 

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Smokin' the floor dust...

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Maybe the best Calvin and his Dad comic ever...

Yeah, gonna be another toasty day...

 

Dam - that's a big sucker...

 

The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest hydroelectric project by installed capacity, featuring 32 main turbines.Located in Hubei, China, the dam spans the Yangtze River and reached full operational capacity in 2012.It serves crucial functions for flood control, power generation, and improving shipping capacity on the river.The massive project has generated record-breaking electricity, producing nearly 112 TWh in a single year following the 2020 monsoons.

Waking up at Errigal...

I'm away for a few days, so posts will be limited...

The pinkish-grey quartzite peak of Errigal Mountain 822' (752m) dominates the landscape of northwestern Donegal, appearing conical from some angles, but from others like a ragged shark's fin ripping through the heather bogs. Its name comes from the Gaelic earagail, meaning 'oratory', as its shape brings to mind a preacher's pulpit. Its looming presence seems to dare walkers to attempt the strenuous but satisfying climb to its pyramid-shaped summit.

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