Dodgers’ Dave Roberts, Mookie Betts call for change after Texas school shooting – San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Roberts said he was “raised to stay in my lane” but was moved by the horrific nature of the recent shootings in Texas and Buffalo to speak out. Kerr strongly called out Republican politicians who have blocked gun-control legislation at the Congressional level. Roberts expressed the same frustration with the failure to address gun violence in a meaningful way.

“It’s ironic that I’m sitting here in the nation’s capital where it’s been run up the flagpole, but it just seems to come to a hard stop at the Senate,” Roberts said. “How there can’t be a bipartisan consensus on an issue like this – it’s very disheartening. It’s very irresponsible by our nation’s leaders. Something needs to be done. Like everyone has said, enough is enough. When is enough enough?

“I love this country as much as anyone. But the people who are supposed to lead our country are supposed to take care of our walls first. That’s both sides of the aisle. If you have Americans killing Americans, I just don’t think they’re doing the job they’re called to do, to be quite frank. And we just can’t be afraid to hold people to a higher standard of accountability. That’s their job. That’s what they signed up for. It shouldn’t be about self-preservation, self-fulfillment. It should be about right is right, and what protects American citizens. Namely, kids. There’s no other spin.”

Roberts, whose father served in the US Marines for 30 years, said he can’t “see the other side” of those who argue for allowing access to automatic weapons.

“I try to be open-minded about a lot of things, but I don’t think it has anything to do with hunting,” he said. “I have a lot of friends that hunt. But hunting is a sport, it’s a game, and with an automatic weapon, that doesn’t seem to me like it’s hunting. Getting a driver’s permit, a job, (you have to be) 25 years old to get a (rental) car. But to be able to go in and buy an automatic weapon, that’s very scary.

“The other layer is mental illness and that’s something we all have to address as well. That’s not being proactive, it’s real in every walk of life that we all have to take note of. … Who’s to say that something can’t happen at a ballpark? We gotta all be careful and we have to be proactive and do what is right. Right is right.”

 

Source: Dodgers’ Dave Roberts, Mookie Betts call for change after Texas school shooting – San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Hypocrisy Run Amok

Filosofa's Word

Picture a child out playing when she accidentally lands in a huge mud puddle.  She runs into the house crying, “Mommy, mommy, look at me … I’m all dirty!!!”  The mother tries to calm the child saying she will go run bathwater and they’ll get all that ol’ dirt off.  But no … the child screams even louder, “I don’t want no stinkin’ bath!!!”  She’s a child and the word ‘hypocrisy’ has no meaning to her, but that is the exact behaviour we’re seeing from members of one of our political parties today, and they are not children, they are full-grown men and women who ought to be able to see their own hypocrisy, but sadly they don’t.

Take, for example, the infant formula shortage which, by the way, is temporary and is NOT by any definition of the word a ‘crisis’ as some would have you believe. …

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Beto O’Rourke confronts Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at Uvalde | The Texas Tribune

Source: Beto O’Rourke confronts Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at Uvalde | The Texas Tribune

Sue Gray report: Drunken No 10 party culture in lockdown laid bare – BBC News

  • Political and official leadership must bear responsibility for the culture at No 10
  • Staff partied – some until after 4am – on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral
  • At another party, in June 2020, there was “excessive alcohol consumption by some individuals. One individual was sick. There was a minor altercation between two other individuals”
  • A No 10 official sent a message referring to “drunkenness” and advising staff to leave No 10 via the back exit after a December 2020 Christmas quiz to avoid press photographers
  • “Multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff”

The PM’s key aide Martin Reynolds was urged to cancel a “bring-your-own-booze” party in the Downing Street garden in May 2020, as it posed “somewhat of a comms risk”.

An unnamed special adviser also told Mr Reynolds via WhatsApp that it would be “helpful” if people avoided “walking around waving bottles of wine etc” ahead of the event, as it was taking place immediately after a televised Covid press conference.

Mr Reynolds later told an unnamed adviser “we seem to have got away with” the party. He has since left Downing Street, returning to his job at the Foreign Office.

 

Source: Sue Gray report: Drunken No 10 party culture in lockdown laid bare – BBC News

Partygate: No.10 laughed at cleaners and security staff who risked their lives | openDemocracy

A security guard was left “shaking his head” after being laughed at for warning about rule breaking, BBC’s Panorama reported this week. And today’s Sue Gray report shows this was no isolated incident.

Gray highlighted “multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment” of security guards, and of cleaners, who were left to regularly clean up bottles and rubbish littered everywhere, red wine splashed all over the walls, and, presumably, vomit (Gray heard that one person had thrown up following a Downing Street gathering).

It is sickening. But it is also unsurprising. Those at the heart of government didn’t just laugh at cleaners, security guards, and other low paid workers. They sent them out to work at the peak of the pandemic – with no protection, often no sick pay, and no choice. And some died.

Source: Partygate: No.10 laughed at cleaners and security staff who risked their lives | openDemocracy

Chive Blossom Vinegar

Ideas and Advice for How To Live a Joyful and Empowered Life.

Chive blossom vinegar is very easy to make and takes your regular vinegar up a notch!

Pick your chives on a dry morning after the dew has dried. I picked and used blossoms with stems attached since the stems are flavorful also.

Stuff the chives into a sterilized glass jar and pour over your favorite vinegar – I used white wine vinegar because the chive blossoms will color the vinegar pink. You could use plain white vinegar and if you don’t care about the color, you could use apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar. Be sure all of the chives are covered with the vinegar to prevent mold.

Put the lid on the jar and place in a dark but warm area for 3-4 days. After 3-4 days, strain and store in the refrigerator. It can be used anytime any way that you use vinegar. Salad dressings are my…

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The Anti-Black Racial Horrors in Buffalo, Abertillery, and Beyond

Ospreyshire's Realm

I know I’m on hiatus, but all of these stories have angered me so much that I just have to talk about them.

I’m sure you all know about that horrific act of racist terrorism in Buffalo, NY. I don’t have to repeat too much, but I didn’t want to see the loss of life or how soft that devil Payton Gendron got so far. Some updates have come up that Gendron was in a groupchat on Discord and other online platforms that detailed his original plan of killing at least THREE DOZEN Black people. That “lone wolf” excuse crumbles after that news came out. All those people should be hit with conspiracy charges! This is just sick with how these white supremacists are coddled in this country. Please check out this video for more information. I’m glad Phil called out how these racist jokes and memes are dangerous. They…

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