You People Make Me So Mad!

Hello, again, People! I'm back. It's been over 5 months since the last time you ripped me out of retirement. Let's face it, with the vitriolic response to any dissenting opinions today, it's hard to muster the enthusiasm to even try. Beside, the hate mail was clogging up my inbox! But, you know, a Cat's got to do what a Cat's got to do. So, here goes....
You "Vote No to Con-Con" people are giving me a rash!  All of this nonsense plastered all over social media is dumbfounding. How can so many people know so little? There are, in my humble opinion, only two possible answers. Either you actually believe that We The People are incapable of intelligently participating in our own government or you really don't know what's going on and just share Farcebook memes to pretend that you do. Either way, you're wrong. So, please allow me to address the most frequently shared, yet utterly ridiculous statements being made by the "Vote No" crowd.
The Constitutional Convention proposition was cleverly placed on the back of the ballot so you wouldn't see it. Beware, they say, a blank ballot will be counted as a yes! LOL!
All propositions were put on the back of the ballot in 2010, when New York State starting using scannable paper ballots. It should really go without saying that a blank ballot is not counted either way.
Teachers, Fire Fighters, Police and all public employees could lose your pensions! Collective bargaining rights could be taken away! Seriously?
Let's start with the obvious. Collective Bargaining on the part of public service employees is not even covered under the State Constitution. It's protected by the Taylor Law, which, by the way, was enacted by the legislature and can be undone the same way. No Con-Con needed. As far as losing pensions go, highly unlikely. The NY Constitution makes public employee pensions contractual and protects them from "impairment". Any attempt to reduce benefits for retirees or take accrued benefits from current employees would violate the Contract Clause of the US Constitution. Either way, you're covered people. Your pensions are safe. Now, could a change to the State Constitution affect pensions for future employees (those who have not yet been hired)? Yes. But that's already happening. In 2012 the legislature put the new Tier (Tier VI) in place, restricting pensions for anyone hired after April 2016. Again, no Con-Con necessary.
The Con-Con will affect health care benefit protections for many people. Nope.
Health Care Benefits are not protected under the State Constitution so there are no protections to lose.
Delegates to a Con-Con will be the same politicians we have now. "Regular" people are not delegates. Well THAT'S ON YOU!
If there is a Con-Con the election of delegates will be free and open. ANYONE can run to be a delegate. If you want "Regular" people to represent you at a Con-Con then get off your butt and vote for them!
This is my favorite! Anything that could be done by a Con-Con can be done through regular legislation in Albany. LOL!!
For this to be true, you would have to believe that our current elected officials would vote to cut their own throats. Term Limits, Strengthened corruption laws, Real campaign finance reform. These are things that elected officials fear the most. These are the things a Con-Con could produce!
Here's what you really need to understand. Anything produced at a Constitutional Convention, any changes to the Constitution, would have to be put before the voters. YOU have the final say. Nothing changes unless the majority of voters in New York State say they should change. So, unless you actually believe that voters will collective say, 'Hey, you know what, I think clean water is overrated', the other scare tactic of telling you that environmental protections will be eliminated is just that; a scare tactic. You really have to ask yourself why, if a Con-Con is so bad, do the Vote No people have to lie? Could it be that the Vote No movement is actually the evil power brokers and special interest groups trying to maintain their stranglehold on New York Politics? Maaaybee.
 So, in closing, vote yes or vote no. That's up to you. But, please take the time to find out what you're actually voting for or against before you vote. Our future depends on it.
Thank you for your time
Nava Blue

My Two Cents About Success

Hello People. All this blogging is really wearing me out! Anyway, today I'm doing something I've never done before. I'm actually admitting that I read other people's blogs and, for the first time, am actually responding to one. If you're not interested, and why would you be, stop reading now and be gone with you! Okay. Now that we're alone...

Today I read an interesting piece on success and what it means to you. First, in the spirit of transparency, it was written by our boy, who is actually a full grown man. I would like to say that it was well written but….apparently grammar, syntax and punctuation are generational things. Anyway, it was well thought out and, syntax aside, thought provoking. In the piece he writes about a generation, his generation, where “everyone was convinced they would grow up to be super rich rock stars”. It made me think about one of the biggest differences between my generation and the young adults of today. Reality. I don’t mean that in a nasty way. Think about it. Think about how reality, or the perception of reality, has changed since you were young. We all wanted to be rock stars too but, for us, it was a wild dream that 99% of us knew would never happen. We didn’t have YouTube, turning plain Janes into overnight sensations, or the Kardashian’s proving that talent is necessary for celebrity. We didn’t actually believe that we would be rich and famous if we just wanted it enough. We dreamed about it, fantasized, and then settled in to our futures. Not so for this generation. They’ve had the fantasy showered upon them since birth. Justin Bieber, Dot Com Billionaires, Video Game Celebrities all make that dream seem just outside your grasp. But, the reality is that 99% of us will never live that dream. Therein lies the problem. Too many young people today confuse dreams and goals. Dreams are big and elusive; something motivating to reach for. Some dreams do come true. Many do not. That is certainly no reason to stop dreaming. Just because you’ll never make the NBA doesn’t mean you should stop shooting hoops with your friends. Goals are different. Goals are concrete and achievable. Every time you set a goal and reach it, you have succeeded. Be proud of that success. Success is a series of goals achieved. Goal #1 should be to strive to be the best at everything you do. Even if you’re not happy with the job you have today, be the best damn ‘here’s what I’m doing today’ guy there is. At the end of the day, a job well done is something to be proud of.  Pride breeds confidence and confidence breeds success. If you constantly compare your life, your reality, to your dreams you will probably never feel successful. Life rarely measures up to our dreams. We can’t make all of our dreams come true. But success; we can control that! So, set your goals and use each one that you achieve as a stepping stone to the next. Before you know it, maybe that dream won’t seem so far out of reach. Okay. I’m done. Hopping off my soapbox and heading home. It’s not my dream home, mind you, but it’s a damn fine home none the less!

Sway

P.S. If you’d like to read the boy’s article, and I highly recommend that you do, it’s right here:

https://michaelfight.wixsite.com/theclub/single-post/2017/05/03/Measuring-success

It's Finally Happened!

Hello People. I never thought I would see the day, but here it is, in all it's glory! The New York Times, via an opinion piece, has deemed SALAD....wait for it.....RACIST! That's right. Times columnist Bonnie Tsui has taken up the long awaited battle against racist Asian Salad. Why? Because it's made by "Westerners", not Asians, thus, it's cultural appropriation, vis-a-vis Racist! Tsui rants, or in this case writes, that "racist Westerners often use offensive stereotypes to name such Americanized cuisine while fetishizing Asian culture". Huh? Tsui goes on to say that "The casual racism of the Asian salad stems from the idea of the exotic" and is "rooted in the wide-ranging 'all look the same' stereotype of Asian culture". Wow. Really? You got all of that out of an Applebees salad? Wait until she finds out that French Fries aren't really French or that Buffalo Wings come from chickens! I shouldn't be surprised. In the last year or so the "OK" sign, chopsticks, The Constitution, the words 'thug', 'urban', 'inner city', and, my personal favorite, 'American' have all been deemed racist. Earlier this week, on the campus of Colgate College, a call came in to the security office from a student who said that a black man carrying what appeared to be a gun had entered a building on campus. The head of security sprang into action. He sent out an alert for students to shelter in place, contacted the police and implemented to 'active shooter' protocol in place. It turns out the man was a student and the weapon was a glue gun. When the facts came out, it was obvious that the security chief reacted to the report of a black man, not the whole gun thing, when he acted. So, he was, of course, suspended. Had the report been of a white man with what looked like a gun, I'm sure he would have just continued doing his crossword puzzle and called it a day. Thank goodness Colgate weeded out that bad seed! Oh, wait, before I forget, Friday is May 5th. Be careful what you call it. If you're even thinking about a celebration, think again. Don't be a racist! It's not your day, or your culture, to celebrate. Just say no to Cinco de Mayo!, Which, by the way, isn't even a national holiday in Mexico. Also, in case you missed it, Hawaiian Luaus are also a no-no. So, just to be safe people, stick with BBQ, Wings and Kraft cheese slices. And, if you want a day to celebrate that shouldn't offend anyone, try Tuesday the 22nd. The next one is in August. It's always been a favorite of mine.
Sway

An Actual History Lesson

People, people, people. Every time I think I'm out, you drag me back in. I'm done being nice. The following is for all of the morons who have been making asinine comments about President Trump's statements about Andrew Jackson. Your smug little snide remarks about what the President said just prove to me, and anyone else with an actual knowledge of history, that you're an idiot. First, let's address the actual statement:

"I mean, had Andrew Jackson been a little bit later, you wouldn't have had the Civil War." "He was a very tough person, but he had a big heart." "He was really angry that-- he saw what was happening with regard to the Civil War." "He said, 'There's no reason for this

If anyone had taken even a moment to think about this, instead of immediately jumping up and down screaming that Andrew Jackson was dead before the Civil War, you'd see that it makes perfect sense. Here's an actual history lesson for you, not the "idiot's take on history" we've become accustomed too. The "Sectional Divide" in America (North vs South) was rampant in 1835, mainly over the issue of Slavery. President Jackson saw the growing controversy as artificial and political with both abolitionists and southern extremists looking to divide the Union to serve their own separate ends. This made the President very angry. Jackson saw this as a threat to the Union and the "American Experiment in Liberty". As such, President Jackson worked to placate both sides just enough to keep them talking without taking a side and forcing the issue. In other words, he negotiated. In doing so, the Union remained together and the experiment in liberty continued. 26 years later, long after Jackson's death, the Confederates bombed Union soldiers at Fort Sumter and the rest, so they say, is history. So, with this in mind, let's re-examine what they President said:

"I'm mean, had Andrew Jackson been a little bit later, you wouldn't have had the civil war"

Jackson held the Union together in 1835. Who's to say that 'if he'd been a little bit later' he couldn't have held the Union together in 1861. 

"He was really angry that--He saw what was happening with regard to the civil war"

He saw the Sectional Divide growing over, among other things, slavery. He was really angry that this issue could tear the nation in two, which it eventually did. So, What President Trump was saying was that Andrew Jackson understood that a sectional divide over any issue could destroy the promise of America; and that compromise and negotiation we're needed to keep the Union whole. Jackson was ahead of his time. If he had been President in 1861, perhaps he could have avoided the war. 

So people, the moral of the story here is; Our President may not be articulate but he isn't stupid. Maybe, instead of racing to prove he's wrong, we take a minute to actually hear what he's saying. Who knows, you might learn something.

Nava

Stupid Is, Well, Stupid

Hello People. The winds of stupidity are blowing strong across our Country again. Let's start with today's glaring headlines about the outrage over Attorney General Jeff Sessions asking for the resignations of the remaining 46 US Attorneys held over from the Obama administration. The fact that there's nothing unusual about that seems to have alluded the media. Most US Attorneys resign after an administration change, 47 of them did step down.In 1993, Bill Clinton removed all 93. I guess I missed the "outrage" then. I've said it before and I'll say it again, just because you don't remember it doesn't mean it didn't happen.
March 2017: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the health care reform proposal must be fully read and presented to the public with "ample time" to review.
March 2010: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the health care bill must be passed so we can find out what's in it. As much as I appreciate her new found love of reading, her hypocrisy is overwhelming.
Okay, enough about politics, because there's plenty of stupid to go around.
An elementary school in Sacramento, California has nixed the annual Father-Daughter dance in favor of the Family Dance, to make it more inclusive. The school board said they would also be reviewing all "gender related activities" moving forward. I can't speak for all people but, I know that when the captor was growing up, her brother couldn't wait to go dancing with his dad!
The brain trust at the University of Southern Illinois has organized a "Nap-In". Yes, it is what you think it is. They're encouraging students to come to the library for a two hour nap to "dream of diversity". Then, it gets better, when they awake they can write their Utopian dreams on the dream wall for all to see! How charming. May I suggest that when/if they graduate they lay down and dream about getting a job. That will work!
Students at a Des Moines, Iowa high school, after wearing red, white and blue to a school basketball game, were forced to hand-deliver an apology to the opposing school. Why? Because their actual school colors are black and orange and, because the other team had players who were the children of immigrants, it was determined that wearing the colors of the USA was offensive. Let's see; living in America (check); going to school in America (check); offended by the colors of America (check). Sounds about right to me!
"Comedian" Samantha Bee, on her show Full Frontal, did a hysterical bit on young CPAC (conservative political action committee) members and their "Nazi haircuts". She showed a video while she mocked the young men. Funny thing. The young man she focused her venom on was undergoing treatment for brain cancer. Chemo took his hair. Hysterical, right?
I read an article from Psychology Today about a group of "psychologists" who have diagnosed the President as mentally ill. In defending their ability to diagnose someone they have never met, one of the geniuses, a Harvard man, offered this analogy: (paraphrasing here) 'The actual medical exam is not the be-all end-all in making a diagnoses. If the man in the back of the bus is sniffling and sneezing, you don't have to examine him to know he is sick'. Makes sense, right? UNLESS he's allergic to, say, perfume, and is being affected by a woman sitting near him. Why, he's not sick at all. Maybe if you had examined him you would have known that asshat! Just like Ms. Bee, your ability to judge someone just by looking at them is not as keen as you seem to think.
I'll leave you with this. In the immortal words of the Boomtown Rats "Cos I know what I read ain't true; I know; And I'm telling you; I know".
Respectfully,
Nava

That's On You Goober

Hello People. I have a bit of wisdom for you. Just because you don't remember it, doesn't mean it didn't happen. I say this because of the onslaught of ridiculousness that has been blanketing social media. First, let me start with the resignation of General Michael Flynn. Whatever happened there, and I say 'whatever' because none of us actually know, there was an issue and he resigned. Fine. Then the floodgates of lunacy burst open. The resignation of this one nominee was earth shattering! It's scandalous! The greatest blow to an American President in history! LOL. Please consider this:
Obama’s nominee to chair the National Intelligence Council, Chas Freeman, withdrew over questions about payments from the Saudi Arabian government, business ties to the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corp., and negative statements he made about U.S. support for Israel. After he resigned he issued a combative public statement blaming the “Israel lobby” for “character assassination.”

Obama's White House “Green Jobs” czar Van Jones resigned after he it was discovered he signed a statement in support of a 9/11 “Truther” group.Former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) withdrew his nomination to become Health and Human Services Secretary after it was discovered he failed to properly pay his taxes.Nancy Killefer, Obama’s nominee to serve as the government’s chief performance officer, withdrew due to tax problems.Governor Bill Richardson (D-New Mexico) withdrew his nomination to become Commerce Secretary because of an ongoing investigation into whether he doled out government contracts in exchange for campaign money.White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers resigned after posing for photos at a White House dinner that a couple crashed through security to attend.I can do this all day....Jonathan Z. Cannon, nominated to serve as Obama's deputy director at the Environmental Protection Administration, withdrew over questions about a defunct non-profit, America’s Clean Water Foundation, where he served as a board member. In 2007, EPA auditors accused the non-profit of mismanaging $25 million in taxpayer funding.Jide Zeitlin, Obama’s nominee to serve as U.S ambassador to the United Nations for management and reform withdrew his name while being accused of identify fraud and improper business practices.Erroll Southers, Obama’s nominee to serve as director of the Travel Security Administration, withdrew after refusing to answer questions about collective bargaining and false testimony he presented to Congress.Maj. Gen. Robert A. Harding, Obama’s second nominee to service as director of the Travel Security Administration, withdrew his name after it was discovered he received “service disabled veteran” status for sleep apnea.

I think you get my point. The problem is that so many of the "outraged resistance" movement just starting paying attention this year. They have no sense of history and no clue as to what has been going on around them. The TRUTH of the matter is that everything they are protesting began long before Donald Trump became President. Let's talk immigration. President Trump's travel ban was seen as "against everything that America stands for". Really? How many of those hundreds of protesters who chose to jam up airports are aware that President Obama deported more people than any other president in American history? As a matter of fact, Obama deported more people than all other Presidents of the 20 century COMBINED. Where was your outrage then? What? You didn't know that. Well, that's on you Goober. Before you pick up a picket sign, why don't you try picking up a newspaper. 

Respectfully,

Nava Blue

Make It Stop People!

Hello People. I swear that all of this nonsense is driving me to drink! I've had a long talk with my captor who has, in one form or another, worked in the media for the past 25 years. Today's media is out of control. I don't know if it's political, ideological or just plain ignorance but I have to tell you, it's driving me nuts! President Trump has the media on their heels. He keeps calling them out and they keep making their defense of themselves the headline. Here's a News Flash: It isn't. He's playing you. Let's take the President's contention that the media is downplaying or ignoring terrorist attacks around the world. The President's goal, by making that statement, was to remind people that the world is a very dangerous place, thus backing up his need for the travel ban. The media, which, as a whole, is clearly opposed to the ban, played right into the President's hand. What did they do? They spent days reporting on the President's list of terror attacks, reminding viewers of the ones they covered, justifying the ones they didn't and producing a list of other attacks that the President didn't mention. They made his case for him. He got exactly what he wanted. They can't see the forest for the trees. The media went on to report that the President continues to say things that he has no proof of; things that just aren't true. "It's unprecedented" they declared! Really? Last June President Obama said that "the steel industry is producing as much steel in the United States as it ever was. This is just plain false. It's not even close to true. Did the media "fact check" this? Did they report on the "lie". Nope. They never even questioned him. In February 2013 Mr. Obama claimed that during his first term his policies forced car manufactures to "double fuel efficiency" in their vehicles. True? Nope. Not even close. Fuel efficiency increase by 11%. In December 2012 Mr. Obama claimed that if Republicans didn't extend middle class tax cuts "114 million middle class families would suffer". That's interesting since, according to the US Census Bureau, there are only 76 million middle class families in America. Remember the outcry over that one? Me either. I could do this all day. My point is that these things happen all of the time. Does that make it right? Of course not but it doesn't make it headline news either. We cannot deny that there is a glaring double standard in the media and we will all suffer because of it. When I read post after post on social media stating beliefs based on half truths and misrepresentations I can't help but wonder where we are headed. One last thought. The Seattle judge who issued the stay on the President's travel ban stated, on the record, that since September 11, 2001, no foreign nationals from the countries on the banned list had been arrested for terror related activities. Do me a favor, Google the names Omar Faraj Saeed Al Harden and Abdul Razak Ali Artan. How about Mohanad Shareef Hammadi and Waad Ramadan Alwan? These are just a few that I am aware of. I'm sure there are many more. You see, when you don't get the whole story you can't make an informed decision.
Peace Out
Nava

Please Consider This

Hello People. As you continue to fervently protest everything you can think of, I have a few suggestions. One of the latest controversy from President Trump regards his assertion that voter fraud may have accounted for 3-5 million votes. Outrageous! Right? State Attorneys General, main stream media and leftist pundits all agreed that there is zero proof of voter fraud of any kind. They are sure of it!
Please consider this: The top 3 states housing illegal immigrants are California, Texas and New York. There are about 5.5 million undocumented people living in those three states. Add New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Illinois and the total of undocumented residents totals about 8.5 million. Now, what do these states have in common? None of them require identification to vote. Yet, all of the aforementioned "experts" are confident that not one of those people voted. Not one. In 2014 the Public Interest Legal Foundation, based in Indiana, identified 141 counties across this Country that had more registered voters than residents! No proof? Really? So, why the resistance to an investigation? Let's find out one way or the other.
The border wall has heads spinning. It's unAmerican! It's insanity!
Please consider this:  The Secure Fence Act (H.R.6061) was signed into law in 2006. It passed the House 283-138 and the Senate 80-19. Here's a fun fact. Both Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barak Obama voted YES. Look it up. That's a real head-scratcher, right? By the way, 65 nations around the world, including many of our NATO allies in Europe, have border walls and fencing to keep illegal immigrants, terrorists and criminals out of their countries.
President Trump will somehow prevent women from getting equal pay. I saw A LOT of signs about that even though The Trump Organization has more female executives than male and the women, in many cases, make more than the men.
Please consider this: As secretary of State, Hillary Clinton gave her highest paying positions to men and, during her tenure, women earned 72 cents for every dollar men earned. It's an actual fact. Also, according to the 2014 U.S Census report, under Barak Obama's watch, more than 2 million women fell into poverty. Whaaat! Let us not forget that Barak Obama failed to put equal pay in to practice over the last 8 years. Another head-scratcher. Let's see you slap that on a sign!
Respectfully,
Nava Blue

Why You Suck

Hello People. I’ve tried to be patient. I’ve tried to be understanding. I’ve even tried to ignore your obvious attempts to annoy me. Well, I’m done with that. I realize that many of you are upset by the election of President Trump. I also realize that a large number of you have no idea why. At least that’s how it seems when you flaunt your hypocrisy and continually spout falsehoods and obfuscations. At some point you have to ask yourself why, if Mr. Trump is so bad, does his opposition have to make things up to enrage people?  Let’s start with social media’s greatest hits. ‘President Trump removed the Dr. King bust from the White House’. This was a widely reported, outright lie. The “reporter” who initiated that lie later claimed that “someone must have been standing in front of it”. Really? ‘President Trump removed all references to climate change & LGBTQ from Whitehouse.Gov’. Also, ‘President Trump took away a lifeline for struggling Veterans’.  Not true. Yes, these pages were removed from Whitehouse.Gov and migrated to Obamawhitehouse.archives.Gov, along will ALL OTHER materials created by the Obama white house. It is Standard Procedure done by every new administration and has NOTHING to do with policy. Why were just the aforementioned topics singled out? Because, they are the most inflammatory. ‘President Trump has shut down the public call-in line to stifle free speech’. Well, yes, the public call-in line was disconnected, on January 14^th by the Obama Administration, as is Standard Procedure.  I could go on and on about this nonsense but let’s move on.

The Women’s March on Washington had some issues in my humble opinion. First of all, the captors were there, so their opinions are derived from a different point of view. The March was covered in profanity and vulgarity. In spite of the vast number of children and young girls that were there, posters, tee shirts and chants were filled with F-bombs and words like pussy and c*unt.  You may call that a “women’s movement” but I call it trash on display. Apparently, one of the rights you're fighting for is the right to be vulgar in public. Wow, empowering. This wonderful gathering of inclusiveness and diversity to lift all women up, blocked and berated Pro-Life women’s groups because, apparently, they only support “choice” if you choose in lock-step. I have news for you. Life is a choice too. If you actually support a woman’s right to choose then you have to support their right to choose life. At some point you really have to ask yourself why you are standing next to a grown woman dressed as a vagina. Hypocrisy?

Let’s just address a few of the more glaring examples of hypocrisy and stupidity on display. Ashley Judd, while decrying Mr. Trump’s “nasty woman” comment, called him “a man who looks like bathes in Cheetos dust”. Name calling, body shaming, shallow; all of the things they claim make President Trump “not their President”. Chelsea Handler proudly proclaimed that Mrs. Trump “barely speaks English” and tweeted out that she hoped “someone was explaining all of this to Melania” Well, the First Lady speaks FIVE languages fluently. Unlike Ms. Handler who apparently only speaks drunken idiot. As far as explaining the proceedings to Mrs. Trump, the first lady is a college grad, unlike, again, Ms. Handler. So after trashing President Trump for his stance on illegal immigrants, she goes on to taunt, mock and demean a legal immigrant. Very inclusive. Very diverse. After ripping the President for his late night tweets, they take to Twitter, not to attack the man, no, to attack his 10 year old son. Bullying? Wasn’t that one of your issues? Hypocrisy? So, the Women’s March on Washington preached of love, diversity and unity but those are just words. Their actions speak a whole lot louder to me. Okay. One final thought. Stop calling President Trump a “Fascist’.  He is not a Fascist. Is he a Nationalist? Yes he is. So am I. I believe that America is the greatest country in the world. So, sue me. The cornerstones of Fascism are ‘no elected representation’, ‘no free market’ and ‘no individualism or individual glory’ where the State controls the press and all other media. That sounds a hell of a lot more like his predecessor than is does about President Trump. Stop labeling people with names you clearly don’t understand. As a matter of fact, why do you follow your own preaching and stop labeling people all together! So, for the reasons that I’ve listed and the many more that I simply didn’t have time to list, you really suck. Please stop Sucking!

Thank You,

Nava Blue

It's A Brave New World

Hello People. I am Nava Blue, the new leader of the Real House Cats dynasty! Unlike my predecessor PoKitty, may she rest in peace, she really cared. Now, look deeply into my eyes. Do I look like I care? Okay. I realize that many of you have just started paying attention, I mean really paying attention to what's going on. This leaves you vulnerable to those who would seek to mislead you. I am not one of those people. If I tell you something you can bet, good, bad or ugly, it's the truth. So, if, at some point, my views offend you, too bad. Go to your safe space and read Dr. Davis' 'Because I'm Worth It'. With that said, let us begin.
The latest pre-Inauguration folderal involves the President-Elect and Georgia Congressman John Lewis. In a nutshell, the Congressman said that he would be boycotting the Inauguration because he didn't believe Mr. Trump was a "legitimate president". The PEOTUS countered by saying Mr. Lewis was all talk and no action. There is no denying that Mr. Lewis was a brave leader in the civil rights movement in the 1960's. He most certainly was. However, that, alone, does not make you immune from criticism. In a time when all elected officials should be working toward healing the great divide in this nation, these unnecessary exchanges don't help. During the primary election, Congressman Lewis said of Donald Trump, "I've been around a while and Trump reminds me so much of a lot of the things that George Wallace said and did. I think demagogues are pretty dangerous, really.  We shouldn't divide people, we shouldn't separate people.” Here’s the interesting part. In October 2008 Congressman Lewis said of the campaign of John McCain & Sarah Palin that they were “sowing the seeds of hatred and division in a way that brought to mind the late Governor George Wallace and another destructive period in American politics. Sound familiar? How about this, in January 2001 Mr. Lewis boycotted the inauguration of George W. Bush saying he didn’t attend the swearing in because he didn’t believe that Mr. Bush was “the true elected president”. Anyone else see a pattern forming here? I get the feeling that Congressman Lewis is not a bi-partisan kind of guy. He certainly isn't interested in healing the divide. 

Speaking of the great divide, there;s another controversy brewing on the hill. It's over the winner of the Capitol's annual high school art competition. The winning painting came from a student in Ferguson, Missouri. It's entitled "Untitled #1". Basically, Republicans say it is offensive but the Congressional Black Caucus says it is protected art and deserves to be hung at the Capitol. Republicans have removed it several times only to have it re-hung. The Chairman of the CBC says he "might just have to kick somebody's ass if it comes down again". Classy. Anyway, I'm no art critic so I'll leave it up to you. Should this be displayed on the wall of the United States Capitol?

I'm just the messenger!

Nava Blue

I Died Today

Hello My Dear Friends. I died today. If you’re reading this, and obviously you are, I have crossed the Rainbow Bridge into eternity. Don’t be sad. Well, be a little sad. I am dead after all! Here’s a bit of advice. When you cross the Rainbow Bridge, make sure you take a right or you’ll end up in Canada! Seriously. They don’t tell you that. After nearly 17 human years on this planet, I, along with my human captors, decided my work here was done. I have always believed that when the pain of aging outweighs the joy of living it is time to say goodbye. I know that my passing will leave a hole in their lives. That’s a good thing. You see, my Dear Friends, I know I will be missed because I know that I was Loved. That is one thing that I have always known.  And, my Dear Friends, when all is said and done, if you can say that, you’ve lived well. The greatest solace, as the end grows near, is knowing, really knowing, that you are loved. As our loved ones age, they get a little cranky and a little forgetful. Sometimes it feels like a burden to visit. Well, suck it up. Don’t waste time, my Friends, no one knows how much time they have on this earth. Tell the ones you love that you love them. Do it daily. Can anyone really hear that enough? Hug your friends. A good hug can turn a bad day around in an instant. Say what’s in your heart. The weight of carrying around the things you should have said will drag you down. Good or bad, if you speak from the heart you will be heard. It’s easy to love when times are good but it’s more important to love when times are bad. If one good thing comes out of this past election, I hope it’s the knowledge that we can disagree, vehemently, and still love one another. Good people do and say stupid things sometimes. That doesn’t make them bad people. Bad people do and say stupid things all of the time. They just suck. Stay away from bad people. Seriously. Bad people never change but, I digress. One last thing. Social media does not and cannot replace social interaction. Get out of your sweats and go out once in a while! It’s nice to wish someone a Happy Birthday on Farcebook but it’s so much nicer to get a card in the mail. Remember Birthday cards? Don’t take the easy way out. Make the effort. We’ll all be better for it.

The decision that my captors made was heart wrenching but not difficult. They saw, daily, how diabetes, arthritis and my weakening heart was taking its toll on me. I saw the pain in their eyes as they watched me struggle. Human nature makes you want to hang on to a beloved member of your family hoping, above all odds, for a little more time. But, as my captors sadly realized, sometimes you just have to let go. So, today, with my family by my side, I died. I had a long and lovely life. I learned many things and, throughout my life, I’ve tried to share them with you. Regrets? I’ve had a few. But, then again, too few to mention. Sorry. Had to be done. Unfortunately, 17 years was not long enough to see the Buffalo Bills make the playoffs. 17 freakin’ years! Are you kidding me Buffalo! How long can one team suck? Anyway, there is some good news. I’ve groomed the baby, NavaBlue, to take over for me, so the Blog Will Go On! You’re welcome! I wish you love, laughs and happiness.

Po

A Poem for You!

Hello My Dear Friends!

Twas the week after New Years'
And in each room, bar none
I saw lights and decor
That must be undone.
Off the wall, off the shelf
Do I box, bag or wrap?
Then hoist up in the attic
With other seasonal crap.
The lights and the santas
Make the times warm and gay
Why can't they make decorations
That put themselves away?
Tinsel is lovely
Dangling so bright and pretty
Until you have to remove it
From the back end of your kitty!
Don't get me wrong,
I love Christmas, I do
It's the aftermath of the day
That leaves me so blue.
The stockings looked great as they hung in a row
Now I'll fight with the mantel hooks
Ho freaking Ho.
So My Dear Friends
I resolve for this year
To dump half the stuff
That I've hung to spread cheer.
So many memories
Packed into each holiday treat
But if it doesn't fit in the box
It's going out to the street.
Farewell Santa and reindeer and fake Christmas snow
The attic is too far, so to the roadside you go.
And so I exclaim, with my arms and back sore
I have 12 months to heal
Until I do it once more!