Bobservations

Another not so happy week at Casa Bob y Carlos …

Yesterday we let Ozzo out for his business. About twenty minutes later our vet’s office called to say that one of our neighbors found Ozzo in their yard; they put us in contact with the neighbor and Ozzo was brought back home, but it started that conversation again. You see, Ozzo is also about 18 to 20 years old, and he doesn’t see well, he doesn’t hear well, and he doesn’t move well—though he moved well enough to work his way through the fence and go for a Blind Man Stroll.

I suggested we make an appointment with the vet to make sure he’s okay, other than his eyes and ears and back legs, and Carlos couldn’t handle it. As pets do when they come into your home, they bond with one of you; Ozzo bonded to Carlos, Tuxedo bonded with me, MaxGoldberg actually bonded with us both, though he was slightly more partial to me, and Consuelo bonded with her food dish.

So. We’re taking Ozzo to the vet next week, for a checkup only, and to see how his health is because I don’t want him hurt or in pain,  like Max. I’d like the old man to go in his sleep, peaceful and calm, and if he’s okay, other than the aging, then he will live out his days in peace and comfort.

It’s hard; there’s what’s best for the pet and what you want, and really what you want shouldn’t matter.

I, too, was stunned at so many members of the GOP thanking Columbus for discovering America and calling him a hero. No wonder they don’t want history taught in schools.

Republican megadonor Miriam Adelson told would-be GOP presidential candidates—even Thing 45—that she is not getting involved in the 2024 primary.

No money for you! No money for you!

Blake Masters, the GOP nominee for US Senate in Arizona has long denied the results of 2020 election … until this week. Though he ran in the Primary on the Big Lie now, trailing in the polls, Masters now says Biden is the “legitimate president” and that he’s seen no evidence the vote count was rigged.

Pandering, lying, white supremacist. I did ‘Nazi’ that … oops, maybe I spoke too soon. Yesterday Masters said he still believes the 2020 presidential election was neither free nor fair.

I guess he felt the wrath of MAGAts and Nazis and flip-flopped back.

For the first time ever five of Oklahoma’s largest Native American tribes have united to endorse a candidate for governor: Democrat Joy Hofmeister.

The GOP nominee, current governor Kevin Stitt, has had a frosty relationship with tribes after fighting to overturn the 2020 McGirt v. Oklahoma Supreme Court decision that weakened the state’s ability to prosecute some crimes on Native American land.

The tribes have spoken.

In Arkansas, the Conway School Board issued new regulations on bathroom use and overnight hotel stays, based on a student's sex assigned at birth. The board also agreed to ban books that discuss LGBTQ+ romances, deeming them "inappropriate."

Some members of the LGBTQ+ community spoke out against the new policy and one parent of a transgender child shared that after this vote, they plan to move out of state. But many of the people who showed up, and almost the entire school board, said that they're proud of the decision. In fact, applause and cheers erupted after one man suggested LGBTQ+ people should be put to death,

If you know anyone who is trans in this country and you still think you need to vote Republican, strike the word ‘ally’ from beside your name because you are no different than that man who suggested killing LGBTQ+ Americans.

Inspired by her late mother, Catrine, Cyndi Lauper created the Girls Just Want to Have Fundamental Rights Fund to support organizations fighting for abortion and reproductive healthcare after SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade:

“If you don’t have control over your own body, how can you be anything but a second-class citizen? Now, the government has control over your body—not you. What should be a private medical decision between you and your doctor is now a government decision. So, this is a big issue for me.”

Good on Cyndi, and her  mother’s inspiration, for taking a stand.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson—or as I call him, Mr. Eraserhead—says he’s been “blown away” by calls for him to run for president, but says his focus is on his family.

For the love of the goddess, America? The Rock? Seriously?

In another story of a celebrity taking a stand, LeBron James will not air an episode of his HBO show The Shop that featured Kanye West. Maverick Carter, LeBron’s producing partner, said the decision was made after “talking to Kanye directly”:

“[After] talking to Kanye directly the day before we taped, I believed he was capable of a respectful discussion and he was ready to address all his recent comments. Unfortunately, he used The Shop to reiterate more hate speech and extremely dangerous stereotypes. We have made the decision not to air this episode or any of Kanye’s remarks … The Shop [has] … zero tolerance for hate speech of any kind and will never allow our channels to be used to promote hate … Hate speech should never have an audience.”

Good on James and Carter for standing up against Hate Speech; we need more of that in this country. We need everyone to call out Hate Speech, and refuse to vote for it, when they hear it.

Not so much a Would You Hit It, but another Which Chris Pine Would You Hit: formerly blond and shaggy Chris Pine from Don’t Worry Darling promotional tour, or the newly shorn silver fox Chris Pine?

I Didn't Say It

Rebel Wilson, comic actor, coming out during Pride Month, and introducing us to her new girlfriend, Ramona Agruma:

“We spoke on the phone for weeks before meeting. And that was a really good way to get to know each other. It was a bit old-school in that sense — very romantic. I think going through the process of finding more self-worth, I think that what you want in a partner is elevated, and so it’s great to have someone who feels like an equal partner and be in a healthy relationship. I thought I was searching for a Disney Prince… but maybe what I really needed all this time was a Disney Princess .”

Welcome out, Rebel, and please accept as our gift, from Homo HQ, the Official Coming Out Toaster Oven™ and a copy of The Gay Agenda.

Love is love; welcome out.

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Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation, subtly calling out NRA lapdog Senator Ted Cruz for his “solution” to prevent mass shootings:

“We have a horrific scourge of gun violence in this country. As mayor—as every mayor is doing around the country—you take the steps that you can to reduce community violence. But you’re also looking at Washington to say, ‘Will anything be different this time? Will we actually acknowledge the reasons why we are the only country … where this happens on a routine basis?' The idea that us being the only developed country where this happens routinely—especially in terms of the mass shootings—is somehow a result of the design of the doorways on our school buildings is the definition of insanity, if not the definition of denial.”

Snap.

Pete—and yes, that is my favorite picture of Hot Pete—is all common sense, something an insane loon living in denial would never understand.

We need more Pete’s in Washington, and less Ted’s.

CAST A GODDAMNED VOTE.

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Blake Masters, Arizona Republican Senate hopeful, admits the United States has a gun violence problem, but he knows who to blame:

“We do have a gun violence problem in this country, and it’s gang violence. It’s people in Chicago, St. Louis shooting each other. Very often, you know, Black people, frankly. And the Democrats don’t want to do anything about that.”

Racist fuck. Plain and simple and right in your face. Racist fuck.

Is this what you want Arizona?

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Matthew McConaughey, actor, a native of Uvalde, Texas, telling the stories of those who died at Robb Elementary:

"You could feel the shock in the town. You could feel the pain, the denial, the disillusion, anger, blame, sadness, loss of lives, dreams halted. You know what every one of these parents wanted, what they asked us for? ... That they want their children's dreams to live on. That they want their children's dreams to continue, to accomplish something after they are gone. They want to make their loss of life matter. [Meaningful gun legislation reform, universal background checks, raising the minimum age for purchasing an AR-15 to 21, a waiting period for purchasing AR-15s and the implementation of red flag laws] are reasonable, practical, tactical regulations to our nation, states, communities, schools and homes. Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals. These regulations are not a step back—they're a step forward for a civil society and, and the Second Amendment. ... We got to take a sober, humble, and honest look in the mirror and rebrand ourselves based on what we truly value. What we truly value. We got to get some real courage and honor our immortal obligations instead of our party affiliations. Enough with the counterpunching. Enough of the invalidation of the other side. Let's come to the common table that represents the American people. Find a middle ground, the place where most of us Americans live anyway. Especially on this issue. Because I promise you, America, you and me, we are not as divided as we are being told we are."

McConaughey and his wife, Camila Alves, spent most of the past week with the families of those who were killed in his hometown. He showed pictures of their artwork and brought to the briefing room green Converse shoes like the ones that one girl wore every day that were used to identify her body after the shooting. She had drawn a heart on one of the shoes.

We’re killing children in America and one party doesn’t want to act in any way that inhibits the NRA from making money. They value what is a domestic terror organization over the lives of children.

CAST A GODDAMNED VOTE.

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