Month: January 2025

Women of a Certain Age-January 2025

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Women of a Certain Age-January 2025

Women of a Certain Age – January 2025 

By Cate Rees-Hessel

  1.  If you call Lean Cuisine a TV dinner, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  2. If you know who Papa Bauer is, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  3. If you are no longer young but still restless, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  4. If you ever wore curlers under a scarf to the A&P, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  5. If you ever shopped at the A&P, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  6. If you ever wore a Peter Pan collar, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  7. If you know what a Peter Pan collar is, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  8. If you ever wore Mary Janes and know that Mary Jane was Lucy’s sidekick, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  9. If your hair was ever as big as Texas, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  10. If you are a fan of Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  11. If you can name the tune that starts out “Hey, Hey”, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  12. If you ever carried a plastic rain bonnet in a small pouch in your purse, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  13. If you ever owned a collapsible drinking cup (mine was pink), you might be a woman of a certain age…
  14. If you feel undressed without a hat, pearls, and gloves, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  15. If you call fat-free milk, skim milk, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  16. If you still use a Day Runner and physical address book, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  17. If you ever baked a tunnel of fudge cake for the holidays, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  18. If you ever owned Sarah Coventry jewelry, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  19. If you know who Sarah Coventry is, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  20. If you call flight attendants, stewardesses, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  21. If you call administrative assistants, secretaries, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  22. If you know what razor company’s name says “Merry Christmas”, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  23. If you ever had a pet rock, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  24. If you ever did a Zoom do, you might be a woman of a certain age…
  25. If you ever received a Whitman Sampler for Valentine’s Day, you might be a woman of a certain age…

Re-Branding the World Map

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Re-Branding the World Map

Re-Branding the World Map

 

By D.S. Mitchell

I don’t know if it’s true but someone in the front office of the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, stated in a press release on Saturday that he  would be changing the name of the Atlantic Ocean. The PM proposed the following moniker for the Atlantic Ocean, “England’s great big fucking pond.” His other proposed name changes include changing the name of the Bering Sea to honor Elizabeth II. He thinks it makes sense to rename it  the Queen Elizabeth Sea. And while he’s at it the Prime Minister,  apparently has also decided to rename Niagara Falls. The new name will be King Charles’ Falls.

It wasn’t ten minutes later that I heard more news on the escalating battle of name changes. King Willem-Alexander, of the Netherlands, entered the fray declaring his intent to rename the City of America, Netherlands, population 2,200 to Juarez, Netherlands. Now these people aren’t just mocking Trump, they are mocking all of us for being dumb enough to give Trump a second chance to destroy the country.

25 Ways to Repurpose those Trump Tickets

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25 Ways to Repurpose . . .

                  those Trump Inaugural Tickets 

 

Trump’s Wooden Nickel Grift Continues 

Editor: Like with all things; Trump has sold a large group of Americans on his endless grift-Trump University, Trump Steaks, Mugshot T-shirts, Trump Bibles, and of course now the infamous ‘souvenir’ inaugural tickets. What follows are a few good ideas from our friend Cate Hessel on how to best deal with those commemorative tickets.

By Cate Rees-Hessel

Because the Trump inaugural was moved indoors the tickets for the much larger outdoor venue previously scheduled were not honored, and the Trump reps suggested that the holders of the cancelled event tickets should consider the worthless tickets as  “commemorative” souvenirs.  Well, well, well. No surprise there.  I have come up with a few ideas on how to utilize them, other than the obvious “stick them where the sun fails to shine.” Another example of how “The Donald” treats his followers. Just ask the cops how they feel about the pardoning of nearly 1600 January 6th rioters, many of whom had pleaded guilty to beating, tazing, and spraying the police with pepper spray and other noxious products. Back to the commemorative tickets, to be quite honest, I simply can’t understand why anyone would have wasted their money on those damn tickets; they were worthless to begin with, because who would want to attend this farce of inauguration. So read on if you possess one of these worthless mementos, or if you are just interested in various methods of repurposing them…

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He Still Speaks to Us

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He Still Speaks to Us

MLK, Still Speaks to Us

By Wes Hessel & Cate-Rees Hessel

 

A True Leader

Monday, January 20th, we honor a great, charismatic leader who led a huge multitude of committed followers – and no, we are not talking about Donald Trump. The real man celebrated today is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the most visible champion of the civil rights movement.  The men who were referred to as the “Big Six” were also key in the work: James Farmer, A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, and John Lewis.  But Dr. King, or MLK, as he is often referred to, was the center of the fight for freedom for all. We hear the echoes of truth in his quotable phrases and speeches.

The Bible He Actually Read – And Lived…

The basis of what Dr. King strove for is rooted in the Scriptures he preached from – the Bible.  That foundation is apparent throughout his words of wisdom, but particularly in these:

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve.  You don’t have to have a college degree to serve.  You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace.  A soul generated by love.”

And one paraphrased from his namesake, reformist Martin Luther:

“Live like Jesus died yesterday, rose this morning, and is coming back tomorrow.”

“And I say to you today my friends, let freedom ring.”

Muster The Mustard Seed

MLK pointed out everything should proceed from faith:

“Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.”

“I have decided to stick with love…hate is too great a burden to bear.”

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”

“We must learn to live together as brothers…or perish together as fools.”

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.”

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’”

“Nonviolence is absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one’s whole being into the being of another.”

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Trump’s Torturous Tribulations

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Trump’s Torturous Tribulations

Trump’s Torturous Tribulations

By Cate Rees-Hessel w/ D.S.Mitchell

 

Disaster Impending

As we draw closer to the dreaded day of January 20th, Donald Trump’s second inauguration, something I thought I would never hear or say, allow me to point out more insane things he has done prior to his taking office again this month. We absolutely must resist this devastating excuse for a president…

Cold Day in Hell?

But it should be noted first, even his inauguration itself demonstrates his all-consuming self-interest: the ceremony has been moved indoors because the temperature is predicted to be in the low twenties. At least two prior Presidents in the last 60 years or so were inaugurated outside in similar cold, and the last time an inauguration was moved indoors, the temp at noon was 7 above zero. Even more telling is the official statement that the most of the quarter-million tickets sold for the event when it was set for outside won’t be honored for indoor seats, but are now “commemorative”. In other words, worthless – but wait a minute, they were already. All the more reason we absolutely must continue to resist this coming travesty.

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President Jimmy Carter Remembered

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President Jimmy Carter in Remembrance

President Jimmy Carter Goes Home

Editor:  Jimmy Carter’s state funeral is over and he has gone home.  Rest in Peace, Jimmy. 

 

By Cate Rees-Hessel with Wes Hessel

 

Man of the People

I have many sweet and wonderful memories of President James Earl Carter, Jr., a man of God and true humanitarian, dedicated to social justice, human rights, and the betterment of regular everyday Americans, no matter their color. He embodied integrity. Jimmy made it one of his missions while in office to promote fair elections globally, and to eradicate serious diseases worldwide. His Presidency, despite economic challenges, and long lines at the gas pump, was full of historically important achievements, such as the establishment of a brand new Bureau of Labor and Democracy at the State Department, as well as creating the Cabinet-level Departments of Education and Energy. President Carter architected peace between Israel and Egypt with the Camp David Accords; additionally he made our country’s National Park System a strong priority.

Up Close…

I had the pleasure of being in Mr. Carter’s company twice. I recall as a teenager standing in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on a cold day during the tail end of his re-election campaign, waiting for his motorcade to arrive outside of Gimbel’s department store, my hair in curls, dressed in a blue plaid coat and tan *pleather gloves. The crowd was large and enthusiastic,  but I managed to get up front.

…And Personal

The strong media presence and sea of people made it difficult to see President Carter. Realizing this, Jimmy jumped up to stand on the back seat of his convertible vehicle – he had a bit of pancake makeup on for the cameras, but that million dollar smile was completely genuine. I was thrilled, he stood right in front of me in the car and I gave him one of my big beauty pageant smiles in return. He noticed me and bent down to shake my hand – just as his fingers nearly touched mine, a Secret Service agent got between us, then the motorcade sped away. I was so very impressed that he cared enough to take a young girl’s hand in a large crowd. He had no idea I was even old enough to vote but he saw me smile and reached his hand out.

My Vote

I did vote for him, the very first person I ever voted for; in my very first election. Sadly, he was not re-elected. I am embarrassed to admit it, but I was a registered Republican at the time. But, I knew that the President of the United States, the most powerful man in the world, cared enough about people to try to shake the hand of a teenager in the huge crowd. That act of kindness, truly touching, not political, was just nice.

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Resolve to Resist the Trump Machine in 2025

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25 Ways I Resolve to Resist in 2025

Today's word is Resist

25 Ways I Resolve to Resist in 2025

Editor: I’ve been told that a majority of voters elected Trump in 2024, but that doesn’t mean I agree with the results; and I know there are millions more just like Cate and Calamity who will continue the Resistance campaign against Trump and the big money funding until this abomination to our constitution can be brought under control.  Fuck the oligarchs. Fuck Citizen’s United. Fuck the Project 2025 agenda.

By Cate Rees-Hessel

Resolute in Resolution

This year my New Year’s resolutions involve resisting the threat to our democracy because, “when we fight, we win.” We can still wish one another a happy New Year, despite the impending doom. I will not watch the inauguration – instead I will scrub my toilet and scoop my cat’s litter box. I pray a fervent prayer for peace and a miracle to occur to prevent “The Donald” from taking office. President Biden has promised to not pardon the orange-haired monster. Will VP Harris refuse to certify the convicted felon’s election because of January 6th? I hope so; but I know she will do what she is supposed to do, perform the ceremony.

Do the Right Thing, Not Right Wing…

First, starting from within, I resolve to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as exercise more often; I never make a resolution to lose weight. I will continue to be kind hearted but set boundaries. I resolve to adopt a resilient attitude and not let malicious words hurt me. I will keep a stiff upper lip while remaining compassionate. I resolve to practice forgiveness and hope to be forgiven in return. I will concentrate on my loved ones and furbabies, not those that I barely tolerate. I will strive to be a ray of sunshine, but I shall scream when faced with adversity because a good loud yell is sometimes the answer to challenges. I intend to pray even more and trust God’s promises.

Resolve to Resist

I resolve to prioritize self care in the coming months because self care is not selfish, it is imperative as we face the stressful and frightening times ahead with a second term of Trump. I have not forgot his first term and the problems that are still arising four years later due to his mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic and building of the border wall, just to name a couple of his horrific faux pas. We must move forward, soldier on, difficult though it may seem. Here are my resolutions for 2025:

  1. I resolve again to never call Donald Trump, “President”.
  2. I resolve again to never call Melania Trump, “First Lady” because she is no lady.
  3. I resolve to resist at every opportunity.
  4. I resolve to wear pearls daily, and Chucks for Kamala Harris often, not just on “Inauguration Day”.
  5. I resolve to take a stand for human rights, because, “when we fight, we win”…
  6. I resolve to stand against racism.
  7. I resolve to take a stand for women’s rights.
  8. I resolve to take a stand for LGBTQ rights.
  9. I resolve to take a stand for dreamers’ rights.
  10. I resolve to take a stand for immigrants rights, because, “when we fight, we win”…
  11. I resolve to take a stand for our democracy.
  12. I resolve to take a stand against dictators.
  13. I resolve to take a strong stand against Donald Trump and JD Vance.
  14. I resolve that I will post and write against the Republican extremist regime.
  15. I resolve to join in peaceful protests against Trump and his minions, because, “when we fight, we win”…
  16. I resolve to be a light in the darkness that threatens our freedom.
  17. I resolve to put my faith in God, not in an anti-Christ like Donald Trump.
  18. I resolve to stop doing business with those supporting MAGA conservatives.
  19. I resolve to resist Elon Musk and all the others that are pulling Trump’s strings.
  20. I resolve to continue to question the election results, because, “when we fight, we win”…
  21. I resolve to also continue to question the alleged “assassination” attempts on Donald Trump in Butler PA and the golf course.
  22. I resolve to vote for Democrats to take back the house and Senate in 2026.
  23. I resolve to say, “I told you so”, to those that voted for Trump when food prices don’t go down and tariffs make prices unaffordable.
  24. I resolve to take a stand against Putin and all the dictators worldwide.
  25. My new years resolutions for 2025 must include resisting Project 2025, because, “when we fight, we win”…

Stay Strong and Positive

Let’s face the coming days ahead with optimism, building each other up, not tearing each other down. I will face the year embracing self love and trusting my heavenly Father.

I dedicate this article to a true man of God and a sincere humanitarian, President Jimmy Carter.  I had the extreme pleasure of seeing him in person twice, and the humble honor of him being the first person I ever voted for. Rest in peace to a real servant of the people…