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Thursday, October 31, 2024

Happy Halloween '24

AKA - Be Something Else Day 




 

Don't forget to "ESCAPE" and use the opportunity to show the world who you are.  Remember it is not a costume, but your reality.  

A good day to explain that unchangeable fact to those you work with, have coffee with and love. Introduce to the world your true self.  

For those interested, here is my National Be Something Else Day - 2022  This is my Halloween story.  Halloween is a sacred day for us to "ESCAPE"! .  


You Only live once. 

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

The Bridges of Madison County

Why is this book / movie relevant to us? 

The Movie: Iowa housewife Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep) meets a traveling National Geographic photographer Robert Kincaid (Clint Eastwood), who has arrived in Madison County, Iowa to shoot its picturesque covered bridges. The two begin a four-day affair while her husband and children are out of town that reawakens long-lost passions and yearnings in Francesca. Kincaid confronts his own roving, rootless nature; he asks her to come [escape] with him.

Robert and Francesca never meet again. After her husband's death, Francesca attempted to contact Robert, but his whereabouts by then were unknown as he no longer worked for the National Geographic. Three years later, an attorney sends Francesca a package containing Robert’s belongings, including his cameras, his published photo book, and a letter. Robert has died and his ashes were scattered at the (Madison County) Roseman Bridge. 

Robert and Francesca story is told through flashbacks. Her children learn about the affair from a journal she has left them after Francesca passes away.  She requests to be cremated and her ashes be scattered at the Roseman Bridge. Her children are initially shocked by her story and request. They finally respect the love their mother had for Robert and agree to publish the love story.

__________________


1998 - Myself inside one of
the Bridges of Madison County,
on a snowy afternoon

So why is the story relevant to us? 

Many of us have secrets that our family's will discover.  Maybe a not well hidden photo, a magazine, a box of cloths, a browser history of reading "Rhonda's Escape". Some may get to plan ahead (I helped one friend dying of cancer). However, more than likely something unexpected will happen.

As with Francesca's journal, the surviving family is thrush into realizing their mother had a secret. In the movie and book, not all of the children reacted kindly.  

Do you want your children to see you as a fraud or a person who kept secrets?  A person they did not know? Imagination can run amuck in the shadow of grief. Or would it not be better to be honest now with the option of explaining.  

If you are not religious, your everlasting life is how you are remembered. How do you want to be remembered?


Amazon - The Bridges of Madison County
 by Robert James Waller (1992-05-03) Hardcover


  



Monday, October 28, 2024

20 Cute Outfits That Will Up Your Tomboy (Androgynous) Game

Experimenting with these unique and preppy tomboy looks is so much fun.  (See all of the looks here) 


My Note: This can work for us and build our confidence to get out as our real self. Why not!  So what if you get mistaken for a "Girl"; is that not the point?
"Escapes do not always require a ball gown."



By: Michelle Wagman, Fashion Stylist




My favorite is the lower left: "Raise the hotness quotient with a pair of leather pants, a tank top, and black sneakers [or high heel boots] like a boss lady. Add aviators or any sunglasses of your choice to finish off the look." [Motorcycle optional?]

"Tomboy style" is a style that combines traditionally masculine and feminine elements, and is known for being comfortable and versatile. 

__________________________


Tomboy outfits exude an androgynous vibe that is ruling the street style world. Unlike popular misconceptions, wearing tomboy outfits or following gender-neutral fashion is not about your sexual orientation or being nonchalant about fashion. It is about expressing yourself by playing with masculine outfits, genderqueer clothing, or non-binary fashion and staying away from conventional feminine attires. From Kendall Jenner and Coco Rocha to Priyanka Chopra – women are embracing the tomboy look like never before. This post brings you the most fashion-forward and fun tomboy outfit ideas. Swipe up!

What Does Tomboy Mean?



In simple terms, tomboy refers to young women who have masculine traits and are more inclined to activities that are stereotypically associated with boys and men. They may also dress up in what is traditionally considered men’s clothing and project a more masculine body language.

In the 16th century, it meant a wild, energetic, boisterous, immodest, or rude female. Over the centuries, it has come to denote women who have an androgynous sense of style. However, in the 21st century, some people have come to call the term sexist. Regardless, the trope continues to feature in pop culture and art. When a woman has a charming masculine personality that heterosexual feminine women find attractive, those uncomfortable with the term sometimes refer to it as a “girl crush” personality.

Sunday, October 27, 2024

Political Cartoons 10-27-2024


 











'Shark Tank' investor says whether he'd invest in
Trump or not if he was on an episode


Friday, October 25, 2024

GOP's Anti-Trans Rhetoric Is ‘Sad And Shameful’

 41% Of Republican Voters Agrees

A new survey from the progressive polling firm Data for Progress shows that voters across party lines are fed up with candidates using anti-trans rhetoric on the campaign trail.

By  
Oct 24, 2024


Former President Donald Trump’s campaign has spent more than $21 million on political advertisements attacking Vice President Kamala Harris this election cycle over her support of transgender rights — and stoking fears about transgender people’s presence in public life.

In an ad that has run nationally and in swing states and is circulating widely online, the Trump campaign takes aim at Harris’ prior support of gender-affirming care for people in prisons. It ends with the tagline: “Kamala is for they/them; President Trump is for you.”

A new report from Data for Progress out Thursday shows that voters across party lines believe these ads have gotten out of hand — and that they think Democrats are better equipped to handle LGBTQ+ issues than Republicans.

The progressive polling firm surveyed 1,216 likely U.S. voters about candidates’ stances on transgender rights. Respondents were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with a series of statements.

Asked if they viewed Republican candidates’ use of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in their campaigns as “sad and shameful,” 41% of Republicans and 58% of independent voters agreed. That compares to 38% of Republicans and 25% of independents who do not think it’s “shameful.”

The survey also found that 80% of all voters polled, across party lines, agreed that the two major parties should spend more time talking about the economy and inflation than issues related to transgender people. And 52% of voters trust the Democratic Party more than the GOP to handle trans issues, including a 39% plurality of independents.

This new data is consistent with other polling from Data for Progress earlier this year. In January, the firm asked a similar number of likely U.S. voters to rank issues most important to them. The economy and employment were at the top of the list, followed by climate change and health care. LGBTQ+ issues ranked last.

Trump and Republicans have made big bets this year that anti-trans rhetoric will not only help the top of the ticket, but will help them clinch several competitive races for seats in the House and Senate in what is projected to be the most expensive election of all time.

Republican expenditures targeting a minority group that by some counts makes up as little as 0.5% of the U.S. population have not borne fruit in the past. During the midterm elections in 2022, Republican candidates who ran campaigns heavy on anti-trans rhetoric, who used hateful language to describe transgender people or who called into question the science of gender-affirming care overwhelmingly lost. By contrast, LGBTQ+ candidates won at record-setting numbers, according to the Victory Institute, which works to elect LGBTQ+ candidates.




Thursday, October 24, 2024

Donald Trump brings new meaning to ‘Guilt by Association’

 


Opinion by Glenn C. Altschuler, 12/18/22 



My Note:  This is a detail well written opinion piece that outline how Trump has breach our trust by his associates.  i.e. “love letters” North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, Covid test kits to Putin, telling Proud Boys members to “stand back and stand by.”, Liz Crokin, a reported QAnon Pizzagate conspiracy theorist, posed for photos with Trump. “You are incredible people, you are doing unbelievable work," he said...

However, lets take this one step further: Are not those supporters and those who vote to put him back in office also co-conspirators, thus guilt by association. I welcome your comments.


________________________________.  

The Hill:  Almost 4,000 years ago, the code of laws issued by Hammurabi, king of Babylon, included a decree that if a house is not constructed properly, collapses and kills the owner’s son, the builder’s son should be executed.

Fast-forward to the Cold War, when many Americans were forced to resign or were fired from their jobs or were blacklisted because they were allegedly or actually linked to alleged or actual communists.

These days, laws punishing people based on their connections to disfavored individuals or groups are regarded as incompatible with the fundamental premise of liberty: Americans should be held responsible only for their own beliefs and behavior.

Kanye West and Trump at White House meeting
 -
That said, although it no longer plays a role in establishing criminal or civil liability, “guilt by association” remains an extraordinarily effective way to judge the character of acquaintances, friends, and political leaders. Donald Trump (who refuses to relinquish fawning “love letters” North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un sent to him) is a 21st-century incarnation of tyrants who, according to Aristotle, “are always fond of bad men, because they love to be flattered. And no man who has the spirit of a freeman will demean himself by flattery.”

Trump’s modus operandi — feign ignorance when pressed about praise by an odious person; if absolutely necessary, issue a vague or self-evidently insincere condemnation and change the subject — brings new meaning to “guilt by association.”

In February 2016, David Duke, the former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, declared that “voting against Donald Trump at this point is really treason to your heritage.” Asked if he repudiated Duke and white supremacist organizations, Trump replied, “I know nothing about David Duke. I know nothing about white supremacists. … You would want me to condemn a group I know nothing about. I’d have to look.” Trump subsequently blamed his failure to disavow Duke and white supremacist organizations on a faulty earpiece.

Trump did not mention that in 2000, he attributed his decision not to seek the presidential nomination in the Reform Party to the influence exerted on the party by Duke, Patrick Buchanan, and Lenora Fulani: “This is not company I wish to keep.”

Trump Doubles Down on Anti-Trans Falsehoods
at Moms for Liberty Conference

During a presidential debate in 2020, moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if he condemned white supremacists. “Give me a name of a specific group,” Trump replied. When Joe Biden mentioned the Proud Boys, a violent militia group, Trump said only that Proud Boys members should “stand back and stand by.”

After the debate, Trump told reporters, “I don’t know who the Proud Boys are. I mean, you’ll have to give me a definition because I really don’t know who they are. I can only say they have to stand down, let law enforcement do their work.”

Meanwhile, the Proud Boys posted “stand back” and “stand by” above and below the group’s logo.

Faced with a firestorm of criticism from Republicans as well as Democrats, Trump told Sean Hannity, “I condemn all white supremacists. I condemn the Proud Boys. I don’t know much about the Proud Boys, almost nothing, but I condemn that.”

A few weeks later, NBC News’s Savannah Guthrie asked Trump if he condemned QAnon conspiracy theories. “I know nothing about QAnon,” Trump said. “I just told you,” replied Guthrie. “What you tell me doesn’t necessarily make it fact,” Trump shot back. He subsequently added that it was impossible to know if U.S. government officials were running child trafficking rings.

In the summer of 2022, Trump continued his flirtation with QAnon. The former president reposted a video maintaining that leaders of the Democratic Party are Satan-worshipping, cannibalistic pedophiles whom Trump will exile to Guantanamo Bay or execute when he returns to the White House. The video also presented an image of Trump holding a playing card with a “Q” on it.

On Truth Social, a MAGA booster declared that Trump’s repost was a “massive hat tip” to QAnon and a “big middle finger to the ‘Fake News.’”

In November 2022, Trump had dinner at Mar-a-Lago with Kanye West, who made antisemitic comments and said he admires Adolf Hitler, and Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust denier and white supremacist.

“You are better than this,” said David Friedman, the Trump administration’s ambassador to Israel. “Even a social visit from an antisemite like Kanye West and human scum like Nick Fuentes is unacceptable. I urge you to throw the bums out, disavow them and relegate them to the dustbin of history, where they belong.”

Trump did not take Friedman’s advice. Instead of a condemnation, he maintained he was trying to help Kanye, “a seriously troubled man, who has always been good to me,” and that West brought Fuentes, “whom I never met and know nothing about.”

In a twist on “guilt by association,” Milo Yiannopoulos, an alt-right provocateur and former Breitbart editor, claimed he had asked West to include Fuentes “to show Trump the kind of talent he’s missing out on by allowing his terrible handlers to dictate who he can and can’t hang out with” and to remind the former president “that he has systematically, repeatedly, neglected, ignored, abused the people who love him the most, the people who put him in office.”

According to The Associated Press, Trump’s staff decided to implement protocols to make sure that everyone who met with him had been fully vetted and approved — and that a senior campaign official was always in the room.

Trump appears at Mar-a-Lago event
with QAnon influencer and Pizzagate conspiracy theorist
Liz Crokin
Two weeks later, Trump attended an event at Mar-a-Lago to raise funds for a documentary on sex trafficking. One of the speakers, Liz Crokin, a reported QAnon Pizzagate conspiracy theorist, posed for photos with Trump. “You are incredible people, you are doing unbelievable work, and we just appreciate you being here and we hope you’re going to be back,” the former president declared.

No one, it seems clear, can save Trump from a verdict of “guilt by association.” 

And no one should.


___________________


How about YOU!

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Drag: The Musical

Has Plenty Of Sequins And Sass. It Might Just Make You Cry, Too


By Curtis M. Wong


Jujubee, Jan Sport, Alaska Thunderfuck
and Nick Laughlin in "Drag: The Musical,
Drag: The Musical,” which opens Monday at New World Stages in New York after two successful runs in Los Angeles, centers on former lovers Kitty Galloway (played by Alaska) and Alexis Gilmore (Broadway’s Nick Adams), who now operate a pair of competing drag clubs in the same town.

Unfortunately for Kitty and Alexis, however, both clubs are in financial despair as the city around them is gentrifying and rents are skyrocketing. Enter Alexis’ estranged brother, Tom Hutchinson (Joey McIntyre of New Kids On The Block), who makes a last-ditch, if reluctant, effort to save his younger sibling’s business.

At first, Tom’s adolescent son Brendan (Yair Keydar at a recent performance) approaches his uncle Alexis’ love of drag with skepticism. Over time, the two form a kinship that leads Brendan toward a path of self-discovery.

Alaska, whose real name is Justin Andrew Honard, drew heavily on personal experience while working on the script and songs for “Drag: The Musical” with co-writers Tomas Costanza and Ash Gordon.

...

In preparing the show for its New York debut, the trio has written a new song, “Straight Man,” for McIntyre that Costanza has joked is an “anthem for every dude who cracks open a cold one, swings a club, and cranks up the rock at the family barbecue.”









Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Feminine Differential - Heeled Ankle Boots

 


Pikolinos Connelly
Tall ankle boots with side buckle

With Fall in full swing, it is impossible to ignore that winter is close.  I have always loved winter fashions. However here in Florida my winter fashion opportunities exist but are limited.  Ankle boots under dress pants, and jean are somewhat seasonless.  

Before getting several Harley riding boots, I was a big fan of Pikolinos foot wear. They have somewhat a European flair. I saw then first in Canada and was impressed with their quality and style.    Their boot selection essentially go from "snow storm practicality" to fashion.

I have a similar pair of the boots shown and have almost wore then out.  See my post from 2018 "Boots On The Ground Bootie…shootie…ankle boot…shoe boot"

I wore then on an unintended hike in 2017 and discussed that here: Rhonda's Travels - Hiking in Heel.  Yes, I am a big fan and on a very rainy day just last week I wore then again with jeans to a causal business meeting. 

Pikolinos describes this bootie on it's site:   "Design, fashion and comfort with height. Must-have ankle boots for any wardrobe. The design is super practical and versatile, perfect with dresses or trousers. Plus, their light soles make them a great choice for comfort. The Connelly will be your best allies!"

One of the reason I listed these as a "Feminine Differential" is because these can be worn with just the right length jeans (boot cut) and most will not notice the 3"+ heel.  Keep in mind, heels always change your walking, gate in good way. However, to make a statement, pair then with skinny jeans; see my 2022 "Feminine Differential - How To Wear Ankle Boots".

Maybe my old trusted and tried Pikolinos are ready for a refresh.  I very much recommend these. 

Monday, October 21, 2024

Sunday, October 20, 2024

Political Cartoons 10-20-2024

 









MSNBC: With President Joe Biden out of the race, Democrats have started questioning the mental fitness of Trump, who would be the oldest president in history if he wins in November.
















Friday, October 18, 2024

Ride For the Cure '24

 Upcoming Event:




The outfit for the day - Maybe 


I did this last year


Treasure Coast Harley Davidson proudly presents our 3rd Annual Breast Cancer Event and Motorcycle Ride on Sunday, October 27, 2024, in support of the Susan G. Komen organization. First 100 riders who pre-register and show their confirmation during registration will receive a custom Breast Cancer Patch. $15 per rider, $5 per passenger. Wear your Pink Ride For Cure shirt, only pay $10!** Prizes will go to Most Pinked Out Bike, Most Pinked Outfit, and the 3rd Annual Custom Wrap Guitar winner will be announced - tickets are FREE! Enjoy the after-ride party at Treasure Coast Harley-Davidson with vendors, BBQ by the CVMA, and live entertainment!



Thursday, October 17, 2024

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Musical Interlude



 


Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Official Video)


Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Gender Norms: My Son Wants to Be a Princess for Halloween

On Halloween, children can explore self-expression, free from gender norms.



By: Duygu Balan LPCC
Posted October 9, 2024 


A person should always choose a costume which is in direct contrast to her own personality."—Lucy,  𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘗𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘬𝘪𝘯, 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯

 

Gender Role Reversal Smiling Boys
 in Princess Dresses

Halloween is an opportunity for pushing against the limits of gender roles, allowing for exploration, self-expression, and stepping into roles beyond the confines of our day-to-day lives. It permits us to discover stories and characters, by using art, crafts, and role play to set our imagination free. In this space of creative expression, costumes are simply costumes. There is no need to label them as ‘for girls’ or ‘for boys.’

Within the context of a male-dominated society, expectations of what gender should wear certain costumes can be seriously limiting, stereotypical, and reductive. Letting go of rigid associations allows for increased inclusivity and opportunities for self-expression.

When a little girl wants to dress up as a superhero or a construction worker it may be seen as empowerment, and parents may feel proud of their daughter for being strong and resilient. However, the reaction may be harsher when a boy wants to dress up as a fairy or a princess. Respecting individuality rather than reinforcing outdated gender norms must be kept in mind for all children.

"I don’t really know if my paintings are surreal or not, but I do know that they represent the frankest expression of myself."—Frida Kahlo

Gender Assigned Colors

logical and absurd to assign colors based on gender—blue for men, pink for women—when these are social, made up, constructs. While it may be culturally accepted for a woman to wear a blue sweater, a man wearing a pink sweater may draw unnecessary and maybe even negative attention.

Gender reveal parties have imposed the idea that pink is for girls and blue is for boys. Assigning colors to babies enforces a stereotype that they are supposed to grow into. Since there are two colors, it assumes that there are only two genders, two roles, that are appropriate to claim. A girl who is more into a traditionally masculine style is considered a tomboy and not girlie enough whereas a boy who leans more toward a traditionally feminine style may be faced with judgments of being perceived as weak and not man enough. Gendered colors are significantly outdated, and lead to stereotypes, sexism, prejudice, and exclusion.

It can be very confusing for a little boy when a girl can wear pants, but a boy can't wear a skirt. In the same vein, it can feel very disempowering when a girl is discouraged from outfits that are more practical, plain, and easy to move in.

How to prepare your child for negative reactions

As a parent, it is our responsibility to prepare our children for negative social reactions, we must teach them how to manage criticism and regulate their own responses. Prepare your child for the possibility of negative comments, mockery, and even bullying. Let your child know that while it is neither fair nor right, it can still happen. Ultimately it is your role as a parent to make decisions that reflect your values and teach your child that those who criticize or mock often feel restricted and insecure in their own ability to express themselves.

If other adults make fun of your child or make mean comments about your child’s costume, it is essential to defend your child. Set clear boundaries, and if necessary, remove yourself and your child from their presence. It is important for your child to see that you can stand up for him, that you have his back, and you support him fully. This helps foster a sense of security and reinforces their self-worth, showing them that their feelings matter, and permitting them to express themselves.

Should your child feel upset by any negative reactions, offer reassurance. Validate their emotions, let them know it's okay to feel hurt or confused and remind them that they are not to blame. Ultimately, a child’s sense of self and trust in their own worth is built on the foundation of caregivers who are attuned to their emotional and physical needs. Your unwavering support is crucial to helping them trust themselves, see their inherent worth, and grow up to be a loving and lovable adult. Halloween is a good time to push against gender stereotypes and celebrate creative expression.


Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Don’t freak out...

ALL little boys used to wear dresses and nobody cared!



by Pip Lincolne


Franklin D Roosevelt in 1884, aged 2
 Image via Wikipedia 


Can you even believe that such a fuss is made of boys wearing dresses and skirts? Fact is that up until the early 20th century, little boys wore dresses and gowns well into their preschool years, and often beyond.

Once upon a time, all little boys wore dresses.

In Western European countries, boys would be dressed like this until anything from 2 to 8 years old, with some boys documented wearing dresses into the late teens.

“Boys’ dresses were often made in brighter or darker colours and in plainer or stronger fabrics, and might have had chunky belts and trimmings and large metallic buttons, none of which were typical of girls’ dresses,” the V&A Museum of Childhood explains.

“Boys’ dresses were more tailored in appearance, and often had features associated only with clothing for boys, such as the opening down the front of the skirt, fashionable in the 1810s and 1820s.


From Beauty and fashion

Monday, October 14, 2024

Are Trump and Vance Propagating Bad Genes?


Trump suggests immigrants have 'bad genes' in latest disparagement of migrants



Has Trump forgotten that his current wife is a migrant and Vance's wife, Chilukuri Vance is the daughter of Indian immigrants. 

Trump seems to be making migrant and immigrant synonyms. Although both refer to someone settling in a new country there is a difference. Trump equally disparages both, so for sake of this discussion we will also use the two interchangeably. Just for reference, both Trump's mother and grandfather were immigrants.

Politico: Former President Donald Trump used increasingly harsh rhetoric to attack immigrants, suggesting last Monday during an interview that immigrants commit horrendous crimes because “it’s in their genes.”

The fact is that two of Trump's wives have been immigrants and Melania Trump has a sketchy immigration history. Melania appears to have entered the US legally and then worked [stayed] illegally. Under Trump's most recent threats, she would have been subject to imprisonment and deportation.   

According to VOX Nov 5, 2016:  "It’s an ironic twist for a presidential campaign that’s marked itself by casting aspersions on immigrants in general, and “illegal” immigrants in particular, for the past 17 months."



Sunday, October 13, 2024

Political Cartoons 10-13-2024

 


USA Today:  If Trump actually cared about soaring prices, he would be wise to return to the GOP free trade policies of old.

...Taxing other nations will inevitably raise prices for the American consumer.  Moreover, the entire purpose of tariffs is to raise prices among imported goods in order to incentivize domestic production and consumption through lower relative costs. The reality, however, is that tariffs give domestic companies room to raise their own prices, generally proportionately to the import tax increase from other nations. 









Saturday, October 12, 2024

Friday, October 11, 2024

Milton Is the Hurricane That Scientists Were Dreading

Climate change set up the Gulf of Mexico to birth a storm this strong, this fast.




By Zoë Schlanger 
October 8, 2024


As Hurricane Milton exploded from a Category 1 storm into a Category 5 storm over the course of 12 hours yesterday, climate scientists and meteorologists were stunned. NBC6’s John Morales, a veteran TV meteorologist in South Florida, choked up on air while describing how quickly and dramatically the storm had intensified. To most people, a drop in pressure of 50 millibars means nothing; a weatherman understands, as Morales said mid-broadcast, that “this is just horrific.” Florida is still cleaning up from Helene; this storm is spinning much faster, and it’s more compact and organized.


Emotional John Morales updates on Hurricane Milton as Cat. 5: 'I apologize, this is just horrific'

_________________

My Note: What is it going to take for politician to have this same reaction? And, do do something. I guess it will be after they address gun violence in school?  Why do we keep re-electing these morons. 

Update to yesterday's post: Sheriff Keith Pearson first confirmed four (now 5) died after tornadoes ripped through Spanish Lakes County Club Village and other areas near Lakewood Park in northern Fort Pierce. [This was 200 miles for where Milton made land-fall.]



Damage from a tornado spurred by Hurricane Milton at the Windgate community in Palm Beach Gardens at about 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024.
This was about 5 miles from where I live.



Thursday, October 10, 2024

Safe...

A quick update:  This afternoon starting about 4PM (Wednesday) a rain band from Hurricane Milton enter my area.  It brought, 2 hours of terror as many large tornados formed. There are isolated areas with extensive major damage, injuries and confirmed fatalities over a three county area.  

I am safe and my home has no damage. Tonight we are dealing with tropical storm winds and some rain. Tomorrow the storm will be off Florida's east coast. 

We will know more on the damage when the sun rises tomorrow; including the West Florida Tampa area and here in South Florida.

Rhonda



Palm Beach Post: Marie Cook reacts to the damage to her home in the Binks Estates community after a tornado touch down around 5:30pm striking homes in The Preserve and Binks Estate among others in its path Oct. 09, 2024 in Wellington.  (BILL INGRAM/THE PALM BEACH POST)

See more photos here:




.


Wednesday, October 9, 2024

DeSantis Refused To Answer Calls From The White House...

“It’s up to him if he wants to respond to us or not,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said of the Florida Republican.

My Note: This morning Florida is facing another climate related disasters, and the governor is thumbing his nose at those who control emergency preparedness / after-relief. It cost him literally nothing. His conservative constituents are not going to get mad that he delivered aid for them in a time of emergency. Why is disaster preparedness political? 

I am embarrassed! May this political hack go off into the dark place reserved for politicians who, so obviously, seek their own interest first. 

If you did not think he was evil before; now you know.

Tuesday Follow-up: Biden did play this down. However, made a point of saying he has shared his personal phone number with Tampa's Mayor. 


 
By Ryan Grenoble October 7, 2024



Gov. Ron DeSantis 
DeSoto County FL 2022

HuffPost: The White House called out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at a Monday afternoon press briefing in response to reports that the Republican has refused to answer phone calls from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris about hurricane relief efforts.

“It’s up to him if he wants to respond to us or not,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters with a shrug Monday, confirming the reports.

“We invited the governor, right, to come and survey the damage areas with the president. Obviously, we were in Florida, we invited the governor of Florida to come. It was his decision not ― to not attend or not be there with the president,” Jean-Pierre said. “The president has reached out around Hurricane Helene. He reached out. It is up to the governor. It is really up to the governor.”

Jean-Pierre noted that federal officials, including Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, have nevertheless connected with state and local officials to help with storm recovery.

“We’re going to do the work,” Jean-Pierre said. “We’re going to continue to talk to local and state officials, that’s important as well, we’re going to pre-position as Hurricane Milton is coming towards Florida.”

DeSantis reportedly refused to talk to the vice president about hurricane relief in his state less than a week after Hurricane Helene pummeled the area and while another powerful storm, Hurricane Milton, will likely make landfall later this week.

“Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn’t answer,” a DeSantis aide told NBC News of the Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee. The aide added that the Republican governor was screening the calls because they “seemed political.”

When Biden visited Florida last week, DeSantis also decided not to meet with him. The source told NBC they didn’t think the two had talked on the phone despite Biden’s efforts to call DeSantis last week.

The development comes as Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has spread baseless conspiracy theories and lies accusing the federal government of failing to provide adequate storm relief. Last week, Trump claimed Biden hadn’t spoken with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) after Hurricane Helene. Both Biden and Kemp said that wasn’t true. [Trump lied].


One model depiction of Milton's wind gusts
as it approaches landfall Wednesday night. CNN Weather





Tuesday, October 8, 2024

What are the advantages of being transgender?


BY:  Alex Zorach
I am Nonbinary (Genderfluid, Mostly Agender), They/Them

My Note:  There is a lot of negativity about being transgender. This a long answer, but a good response to the question.  Worth you time.  

Please comment on why you may feel there are "advantages to being transgender".

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ALEX: I think being trans gives you unique insights into gender, in an intimate, personal way that most cis people don’t ever get to experience. The degree to which I’ve experienced this is limited — I’m trans and nonbinary, but I have not hormonally transitioned, and my social transition has been carried out only to the degree that I am only occasionally gendered female and more often confuse people, but am still usually gendered male.

But I have gotten a glimpse of some really deep changes in how people treat me and interact with me on the basis of seeing me differently on the gender spectrum, and from talking to trans people who have carried out a full binary transition, in which they go from consistently being gendered in one way, to consistently being gendered in the other, these people have experienced a lot of what I have but more thoroughly and with far more examples.

We see how people treat women and men differently. We see some of the many assumptions people make about people on the basis of their gender. We see double standards and hypocrisy. We see the little “inside” things, the things women only say to other women and men only say to other men. Frankly some of it can be nauseating, but I wouldn’t easily give up the ability to get this extra glimpse into gender dynamics.

Some of these things include people treating women with greater warmth, trust, and openness, and men with greater coldness, skepticism, fear, and aggression. At the same time people are often more likely to trust men’s technical competence, and either question or show surprise at women’s competence in similar areas. Certain subcultures have blatant double standards, with some of them being much harder on women, others of them being much harder on men.

There are other advantages to being transgender. For me, I think being trans has forced me to think about gender very deeply, and I like the understanding and wisdom I’ve gained from this process. I started feeling tensions with gender from a young age, and continued experiencing them over the years. I think I understand gender very well, and I find myself often able to raise interesting objections that throw a wrench in both mainstream conservative viewpoints, and mainstream liberal viewpoints. Sometimes someone will be saying something and I’m able to give a concrete example that really shuts down an untruthful argument, and that feels really sastisfying and empowering. I could have discovered many of these things without being trans, but I think it would have been harder…they would have been distant from me, and I might not have been as motivated to do the extra work I would have needed to do to get to where I am now.

There are obviously a lot of hardships associated with being trans, and I have experienced and still experience many of them, including bullying and harassment, people harboring gross misconceptions about you, body or social dysphoria, and many others.

I know a ton of trans people who see their trans identity as a source of nothing but hardship, and would give anything to wake up in a “cis” body that matches their identity. I’m nonbinary, so this isn’t even really possible (nonbinary people can’t be cis because people aren’t assigned nonbinary genders at birth) but even besides this, I like being trans, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything even if I could. Yes, it causes some suffering, some tension, some disconnect, some frustration. But it is also a source of insight and deep thinking.

And I’m weird in a lot of ways beyond just my gender identity and experience of gender…for me…it seems to really fit who I am on a deep level. I’m someone who crosses and defies a lot of categories, so it seems natural for me to experience gender the way I do