When the Emperor had no clothes the people were astonished.  At least that's what happened in the old children's story that was supposed to be a lesson in disguise. So what do folks think about Trump finding himself unable to cover his nakedness. He not only doesn't have $400M in cash as Alina Habba claimed, he doesn't even have a quarter of that amount. I would say, "Liar, liar, pants on fire!" except too many think he is just being cautious with his cash.

To that I ask, since when has Trump ever been cautious about anything? Another "time was" sort of commentary simply shows how far we have fallen from the ethical and moral and how close we are to utter chaos. It would be nice if I thought that it doesn't make any difference but it makes all the difference in the world. We support murderous thugs so what's another reprobate or two?

My "Illegitimi non carborundum" is quite small so the quilting is moving along swiftly. I am already thinking about my next project which will be a departure from my norm in some ways.

Here is a picture of my new ongoing project. I just layered and basted it and have done a very small amount of quilting--on the feathered heart. It definitely isn't as elaborate as true illuminated texts but most of the appliqued elements are from those ancient manuscripts.

"Illegitimi non carborundum" is an old dog Latin phrase that colloquially means, "Don't let the bastards grind you down."  

Many might suppose that I am chortling over the verdict and judgment in Trump's civil fraud trial but my overwhelming emotion is sorrow. Now the real falsehoods will begin multiplying with dizzying rapidity like a virus in a petri dish. Unless and until better people stand up to run for office we will continue to have Trump, Santos, Menendez and their ilk not only in charge of the grand idea that is the United States but the hearts, minds, and pocketbooks of its citizens. It is unfortunate that Pinocchio is just a fairy tale. At least if noses grew at the utterance of a lie, we would be forewarned, not that we weren't aware of the issues surrounding and encompassing at least two of the three on my list. 

I have finished the main applique of my new project, but there are embroidered elements and some very small "dots" to add before the next phase which is going to be lettering.

 Unknown (in this case it is Anne Kirby) is using the same logic as Trump. 2% is the target number not the required number and all contribute, a fact that even Anne recognizes in her comment: "Non-US allies will AIM to meet the goal." There are no warning letters from creditors and NATO does not kick countries out for non-payment as landlords do. That would defeat the entire purpose of NATO. 

The primary point of my post was to point out that keeping the peace is a better way to prosperity, something that was blindingly obvious after WWI let alone WWII. That, after all, was the thrust of Eisenhower's warning about the military industrial complex (1961). Trump went further than that in his condemnation of those countries he considers deadbeats (a concept with which he is familiar). He clearly said he would invite invasion and destruction, outcomes that are hardly admirable. Trump fails. 

This is directly from the NATO site and describes the indirect and direct funding. I include this as there seems to be some confusion about who is responsible for what:  https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_67655.htm

 If you have memories of particularly bad flights, you might not be able to claim , "Worst flight ever," unless this happened as well:

https://airlive.net/news/2024/02/14/delta-flight-dl133-returned-to-schiphol-because-maggots-were-falling-on-passengers-from-overhead/

 Can feuding US citizens agree that at the very least we need some sort of functional governance? The various voting debacles that happened yesterday demonstrate fully that the Republican House cannot even follow through on their own plans and schemes let alone meet in comity with each other, and forget about any other political persuasion. Senator Lankford (R) of Oklahoma is reliably conservative. He worked diligently to produce legislation that, if followed, would certainly slow the flood of desperation at the southern border to provide stability and predictability. A reasonable person would have supposed that the House would have been eager to support this effort after so many years of complaints, but no--that simple step was beyond them.

Surveys typically show that Americans like their own representatives even when they hate yours. How do they feel now? My guess is the MAGA crowd thinks the situation is just swell as they always claim that DC is dysfunctional.  It sure is now with the chief MAGgot holding them with his tiny brain and smaller hands. If they do not do anything we the people should be able to withhold their paychecks.

The best way to fire them is to vote them out.

 Another frabjous day with loads of schadenfreude. Trump found not immune from criminal prosecution.

 While it is difficult for me to fathom why anyone still supports Trump, seeing women do so is downright astonishing and more than a little repulsive. Men are feckless creatures. It's in their biology and in their culture and upbringing and it doesn't matter much what culture it is. But women are naturally more contemplative. 

When Roberta Kaplan, the Harvard educated lawyer who represented E. Jean Carroll, described some of her meetings with Trump this week, I wasn't surprised that he behaved badly to the point of throwing things, but I was at first a little puzzled about some of the verbal exchanges. I am somewhat embarrassed to say that "See you next Tuesday," did not resonate with me initially. I admit that the word this phrase represents is not one that is normally in my vocabulary, but it clearly is in Trump's.

I am a feminist. I am not a shrinking violet and I have been known to use salty language even in inappropriate situations, but I have never in my life called a woman a "cunt", "pussy", or "chick", or any of the other crude or rude and demeaning words that predominate in some men's discourse, nor did I allow any of my three sons to do so. That a candidate for the highest elected office in the country does so says far more about him than his imagination can grasp.

It also says a great deal about the people, male and female, who cheer him on for uttering language that demeans, abuses, and insults all women everywhere. I had to listen to The Deadly Nightshade to rid my head of Trump's abuse.