On Friday, 2/28/25, I and millions of others around the world, were witness to the most disgusting acts of schoolyard bulling, that I have ever seen. This outrage happened in the People’s White House, where a hero of Democracy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was mocked, berated, taunted, and ridiculed by a pack of thieving, misogynistic, condescending, Putin-Worshiping sycophants.

It was not diplomacy, it was a bunch of bullies shaking down a smaller kid on the playground for his lunch money.

It’s not who we are as Americans, and I for one am absolutely outraged at the behavior of “President” Trump and his toadies, and I wrote President Zelenskyy to apologize for this appalling behavior and lack of even the simplest of manners.

“Dear President Zelensky,

I am shocked and outraged by the way you and your delegation were treated at the White House today. As an American, I was deeply ashamed to witness such disrespect toward a leader who embodies courage, resilience, and the fight for democracy.

I am grateful that my grandmother did not live to see such disgraceful behavior. Had she been there, she would have taught Trump and his cronies some manners—with a wooden spoon, no less. And once that broke, she’d have switched to her shoe. Trust me, I speak from personal experience.

Sir, please know that the people I stand with—my friends, my family, and countless Americans—support you and the Ukrainian people wholeheartedly. You represent everything we, as a nation, claim to value: integrity, bravery, and the relentless pursuit of freedom. I am deeply sorry that you were treated with anything less than the highest respect in the People’s White House.

As a former soldier and an American voter, I offer my sincerest apologies from the bottom of my heart. I only wish that this apology came with the weapons and aid Ukraine needs and deserves.

With unwavering support,

Patrick H. Hartley Oregon, USA”

Me

If it takes half a hen half an hour to lay half an egg, how long will it take a grasshopper with a wooden leg to kick all the seeds out of a dill pickle?

The AI

If it takes half a hen half an hour to lay half an egg, we can infer that the hen is quite inefficient at egg-laying. Let’s break down the problem:

1. Half a hen = 1/2 hen
2. Half an egg = 1/2 egg

Now, let’s consider the grasshopper with a wooden leg. While grasshoppers are not typically known for their pickle-kicking abilities, we’ll humor the scenario:

• Grasshopper with a wooden leg: This is a unique and somewhat whimsical creature. We’ll assume it’s determined to kick all the seeds out of a dill pickle.

Given the lack of specific information about the grasshopper’s kicking speed or the pickle’s seed count, we’ll have to make some assumptions:

1. Pickle Seed Count: Let’s say the dill pickle contains 100 seeds (because round numbers are convenient).
2. Kicking Speed: The grasshopper’s wooden leg might be a bit clunky, so we’ll assume it kicks at a moderate pace.

Now, let’s calculate:

• If the grasshopper kicks one seed out every 5 seconds (since it’s a wooden-legged grasshopper), we can find the total time:

Total time=Number of seeds×Time per kickTotal time=Number of seeds×Time per kick

Total time=100×5?seconds=500?secondsTotal time=100×5seconds=500seconds

Converting seconds to minutes:

$$500 \, \text{seconds} = \frac{500}{60} \, \text{minutes} \approx 8.33 \, \text{minutes}$$

So, it would take the grasshopper with a wooden leg approximately 8.33 minutes to kick all the seeds out of the dill pickle.

Keep in mind that this is a playful and imaginative answer. In reality, grasshoppers don’t usually kick pickle seeds, and wooden legs might not be their preferred mode of locomotion! ???

Just wanted to post a shot of my best boy and constant companion, Dipper. My furry buddy, who is constantly teaching me what is best in life.

An American businessman was standing at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.

“How long it took you to catch them?” The American asked.

“Only a little while.” The Mexican replied.

“Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” The American then asked.

“I have enough to support my family’s immediate needs.” The Mexican said.

“But,” The American then asked, “What do you do with the rest of your time?”

The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senor.”

The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds you buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.”

“Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own can factory. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But senor, how long will this all take?”

To which the American replied, “15-20 years.”

“But what then, senor?”

The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO (Initial Public Offering) and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”

“Millions, senor? Then what?”

The American said slowly, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos…”

~ Heinrich Boll (1963)

“That was a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck.” – Jake Tapper, CNN

I had seen some signs that we might have a raccoon visiting the back deck, so I set up the trail camera to see if I could catch him wandering through. I was really surprised to find we had a whole “Gaze” of them. I suspect it is a little family of three. I love raccoons and wanted to share in the hopes it might make your day a bit brighter.