The Funny Papers

Michael de Adder, Max Espinosa, Pedro X Molina, Bill Bramhall, Alexandra Bowman, Jack Ohman, Bill Day, Lalo Alcaraz, Nick Anderson, Christopher Weyant, Mike Luckovich, Gary Huck, Jeff Stahler, Tim Campbell, Marc Murphy,

Peace Love Happiness

I didn’t know what you wanted for Christmas, so I’ll regift what I gave y’all last year … and the years before that: a repostage of my annual holiday wish that still holds true … for me:

Christmas means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

It's a religious holiday.
It's a shopping holiday.
It's a day for those who shop religiously.
I'm not a big fan of either.

So, for me, Christmas is a day to spend with those you hold most dear in your heart. For me, it's Carlos and my family. Of course, the family is mostly on the Left Coast and I'm over here on the right, so Christmas is me and Carlos, and Rosita and Consuelo Roca Jones—our furry kids.

It's a day of relaxation and togetherness; reflection and laughter; of a good dinner cooked and shared by the two of us. It's not a day for What did you get? or for thinking How could I have spent so much? It's a day for How lucky am I?

How lucky indeed.

Christmas is more than a celebration; it's a connection we all can share regardless of faith, if we look at it as a day of Peace. A day to relax; to forgive, if not forget. To be at Peace.

Every year I get the same question from friends and strangers alike: What are you getting for Christmas? What do you want for Christmas? And I always say, What I get is a lovely day. What I want, and I ask for it every year, is Peace on Earth.

So here's to Peace on Earth, and the little parts that each of us plays in creating our own peace. To make amends to those we may have slighted in the past year; to those who may have slighted us. To talk with the people we love just because we love them. To be nice.

Just to be nice. Now, there's a concept. Maybe if we all took a moment to think about how we'd like to be treated, we would find ourselves treating others the same way. It's a small step, but an important one. A Please here and a Thank You there. You're Welcome is good, too, though My pleasure, is better. Hold a door open for someone; let someone with fewer packages get in line ahead of you. Lay off the horn. Don't speed. Smile. Be nice.

Be at Peace.
Merry Christmas world.
Happy Hanukkah.
Happy Kwanzaa.
Merry Festivus.
Happy Holidays.
Peace.

And so that's my wish for you and yours. Health. Happiness. Love. Peace.

And, while I've said it over and over again, that I have my personal spiritual beliefs and they do not follow the teachings of any organized religion, every Christmas, no song makes me feel more peaceful, happier, more at ease, or more hopeful than this one.

And so I'll end with O Holy Night, not because I am a religious man, but because I am a hopeful man, a peaceful man, a contented man. And no one, for me, sings it better than my girl, JHud.....Jennifer Hudson.

I wish you Peace Love Happiness

Dad

My father passed away February 1^st at the age of 91. He passed quietly and peacefully, surrounded by family who laughed and told stories and reminisced about my dad ... and I will give you a few of my favorite Dad Tales …

When I came out to my family, my father’s first words to me were, “You’re my son and I love you.”

When I decided to move 3000 miles away from family because I’d met Carlos and knew that was where I belonged, he said “Be happy, I love you.”

And when he spoke his last words to me, the night before he passed, he said, “Take care of yourself, I love you.”

The day he died, other than waking up at midnight and asking the nurse if he was still alive, and saying “Oh shit: when she told him, “Yes,” my dad didn’t say another word to me; but that was all I needed. I love you.

My nieces, Ashley, and Betsy, were there, as was my sister-in-law, Debbie, and we sat with Dad and held his hands and told stories and laughed and cried, and after one particularly loud laugh session, we noticed his breathing had stopped and he was gone.

I will always believe he heard us laughing, and thought to himself that we were going to be fine, and he could leave.

Thanks Dad. I love you.

Peace and Kindness, Love and Understanding ... Merry Christmas

I didn’t know what you wanted for Christmas, so I’ll regift what I gave y’all last year … and the years before that: a repostage of my annual holiday wish that still holds true … for me:

Christmas means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

It's a religious holiday.
It's a shopping holiday.
It's a day for those who shop religiously.
I'm not a big fan of either.

So, for me, Christmas is a day to spend with those you hold most dear in your heart. For me, it's Carlos and my family. Of course, the family is mostly on the Left Coast and I'm over here on the right, so Christmas is me and Carlos, and Rosita and Consuelo Roca Jones—our furry kids.

It's a day of relaxation and togetherness; reflection and laughter; of a good dinner cooked and shared by the two of us. It's not a day for What did you get? or for thinking How could I have spent so much? It's a day for How lucky am I?

How lucky indeed.

Christmas is more than a celebration; it's a connection we all can share regardless of faith, if we look at it as a day of Peace. A day to relax; to forgive, if not forget. To be at Peace.

Every year I get the same question from friends and strangers alike: What are you getting for Christmas? What do you want for Christmas? And I always say, What I get is a lovely day. What I want, and I ask for it every year, is Peace on Earth.

So here's to Peace on Earth, and the little parts that each of us plays in creating our own peace. To make amends to those we may have slighted in the past year; to those who may have slighted us. To talk with the people we love just because we love them. To be nice.

Just to be nice. Now, there's a concept. Maybe if we all took a moment to think about how we'd like to be treated, we would find ourselves treating others the same way. It's a small step, but an important one. A Please here and a Thank You there. You're Welcome is good, too, though My pleasure, is better. Hold a door open for someone; let someone with fewer packages get in line ahead of you. Lay off the horn. Don't speed. Smile. Be nice.

Be at Peace.
Merry Christmas world.
Happy Hanukkah.
Happy Kwanzaa.
Merry Festivus.
Happy Holidays.
Peace.

And so that's my wish for you and yours. Health. Happiness. Love. Peace.

And, while I've said it over and over again, that I have my personal spiritual beliefs and they do not follow the teachings of any organized religion, every Christmas, no song makes me feel more peaceful, happier, more at ease, or more hopeful than this one.

And so I'll end with O Holy Night, not because I am a religious man, but because I am a hopeful man, a peaceful man, a contented man.

And no one, for me, sings it better than my girl, JHud.....Jennifer Hudson.

The Funny Papers

Christopher Weyant, Clay Bennett, Ann Telnaes, Mike Luckovich, Jack Ohman, Lalo Alcaraz, Chris Britt, Marc Murphy, Adam Zyglis, Bill Bramhall, David Horsey, Ed Hall, Mike Peters, Gary Huck,

Peace and Kindness, Love and Understanding ... Merry Christmas

I didn’t know what you wanted for Christmas, so I’ll regift what I gave y’all last year … and the years before; a repostage of my annual holiday wish that still holds true … for me:

Christmas means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

It's a religious holiday.
It's a shopping holiday.
It's a day for those who shop religiously.
I'm not a big fan of either.

So, for me, Christmas is a day to spend with those you hold most dear in your heart. For me, it's Carlos and my family. Of course, the family is mostly on the Left Coast and I'm over here on the right, so Christmas is me and Carlos, and Ozzo, Tuxedo, and Consuelo Roca Jones—all our furry kids.

It's a day of relaxation and togetherness; reflection and laughter; of a good dinner cooked and shared by the two of us. It's not a day for What did you get? or for thinking How could I have spent so much? It's a day for How lucky am I?

How lucky indeed.

Christmas is more than a celebration; it's a connection we all can share regardless of faith, if we look at it as a day of Peace. A day to relax; to forgive, if not forget. To be at Peace.

Every year I get the same question from friends and strangers alike: What are you getting for Christmas? What do you want for Christmas? 

And I always say, What I get is a lovely day. What I want, and I ask for it every year, is Peace on Earth.

So here's to Peace on Earth, and the little parts that each of us plays in creating our own peace. To make amends to those we may have slighted in the past year; to those who may have slighted us. To talk with the people we love just because we love them. To be nice.

Just to be nice. Now, there's a concept.

Maybe if we all took a moment to think about how we'd like to be treated, we would find ourselves treating others the same way. It's a small step, but an important one. A Please here and a Thank You there. You're Welcome is good, too, though My pleasure, is better. Hold a door open for someone; let someone with fewer packages get in line ahead of you. Lay off the horn. Don't speed. Smile. Be nice.

Be at Peace.
Merry Christmas world.
Happy Hanukkah.
Happy Kwanzaa.
Merry Festivus.
Happy Holidays.
Peace.

And so that's my wish for you and yours. Health. Happiness. Love. Peace.

And, while I've said it over and over again, that I have my personal spiritual beliefs and they do not follow the teachings of any organized religion, every Christmas, no song makes me feel more peaceful, happier, more at ease, or more hopeful than this one.

And so I'll end with O Holy Night, not because I am a religious man, but because I am a hopeful man, a peaceful man, a contented man.

And no one, for me, sings it better than my girl, JHud.....Jennifer Hudson.

Bobservations on Ukraine

I didn’t write this, but I found it at Hopes and Fears  and if for anyone confused about what's happening in Russia and Ukraine:

Ukraine used to be in an abusive relationship with Russia, feeding him, letting him use her car, paying for the coffee etc. and giving him whatever he asked for until she built up the confidence to call it quits back in 1991.

Since then, Ukraine has been working on herself, becoming a strong independent woman with help from friends like France, America, Poland, and others. They give her support, loan her money, and are helping her find her way.

Ukraine has been enjoying being single for 30 years and looking forward to continuing to grow and create new friendships.

Now Russia, being the toxic ex that he is, wants her back, and doesn't want her meeting new people or creating any new relationships as this impacts the level of power and control he can exert over her.

A couple of weeks ago Russia started sitting out the front of Ukraine's house and when her friends ask him what was he doing there, he said "Oh nothing, just getting a little bit of exercise in, that's all."

After her friends told her that Russia was potentially getting ready to do something bad to her, he said "They're lying, they just want you to be scared of me and that's not what it is."

Yesterday Russia broke into Ukraine's house, beat her up and "took advantage" of her while live-streaming and double dog dared any of her friends to do something about it. She's still waiting for help.

I didn't write this, but it's a great analogy, with one exception: she's not waiting for help. She's kicking that abusive boyfriend's ass while her friends are destroying him on social media.

In a statement published to Twitter, imprisoned Putin opposition leader Alexei Navalny has called on the Russian people to protest the invasion of Ukraine and has called Putin an “obviously insane tsar.” Navalny noted that protests from within Russia would signal to the world that not all Russians support Putin’s attacks.

Flori-duh Governor Ron DeSantis has rejected a push for his state to sell investments in Russian-owned companies in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine. In the past, however, he has called for taking on Communist China and reviewing the state’s investments in Chinese companies. He’s also called for the state to stop investing in Ben & Jerry’s parent company over its decision to stop selling ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem.

But Russia? He won’t do it and won’t say why. Understand that Flori-duh and do something about it.

Just the other day in Ukraine a Russian military convoy that was ALLEGEDLY more than 40 miles long reportedly stalled on its way to the capital of Kyiv because … wait of it … they ran out of gas; and food.

That Putin  isn’t a good planner of attacks, eh?

The International Criminal Court has opened an investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine, an early step in a process that potentially could lead to Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Kremlin leaders being charged at The Hague.

The Moscow Exchange is not open for stock trading this week in hopes to stop the flow of blood from their economy thanks to the invasion.

Ordinary Russians are facing the prospect of higher prices and banned foreign travel as Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine sent the ruble plummeting 30% against the U.S. dollar. Russian citizens are lining up at banks and ATMs to try and save their assets and Russia’s central bank increased interest rates 9.5% to 20% to prevent a run on the banks.

Never was there a better illustration of Thing 45’s “alternative facts” than what was presented by Russian state media this week.

As BBC World TV opened its bulletin with reports of a Russian attack on a TV tower in the capital Kyiv, Russian TV was announcing that Ukraine was responsible for strikes on its own cities. Seriously.

But … rather than commenting on the food and service at Russian restaurants and cafes, some users have begun posting online reviews detailing Russian actions in Ukraine to try to smuggle information past the tight control of state media.

In an effort to stop the truth from getting out, Russia's communications regulator took radio station Ekho Moskvy off air, because of its coverage of the invasion, but online comments on platforms such as Google Maps and Afisha.ru are harder to contain … like these “reviews”:

"The place was nice! However, Putin spoiled our mood by invading Ukraine. Rise up against your dictator, stop killing innocent people! Your government is lying to you."

"The deployment of troops in Ukraine is a war, not a special operation. Russian military kill children and civilians!!!!"

Online users in Russia also recommended posting pictures of Ukraine in reviews for popular eateries.

Look at that! Social media can do some good.

A Ukrainian woman has been praised for her bravery after she confronted a heavily armed Russian soldier with sunflower seeds. She handed him the sunflower seeds—Ukraine's national flower—so that they might grow when he dies.

Switzerland, a favorite destination for Russian oligarchs and their money, announced that it would freeze Russian financial assets in the country, set aside its long history of neutrality to join the EU to penalize Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.

Boeing suspended maintenance and technical support for Russian airlines this week while US energy firm Exxon Mobil is leaving Russia. Airbus stopped sending spare parts to Russia and supporting Russian airlines. Apple has stopped sales of iPhones and other products in Russia, while Ford Motor joined other automakers by suspending operations in the country.

Visa and Mastercard have blocked multiple Russian financial institutions from their network, complying with government sanctions imposed over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. And both companies have announced that they will donate $2 million for humanitarian aid.

Google has announced that YouTube will geoblock Kremlin-affiliated media outlets Russia Today [RT] and Sputnik in Europe to choke off Russian war propaganda. Facebook, Microsoft, TikTok and Twitter announced similar restrictions.

After calling Putin a “genius” last week, Thing 45 has changed his tune and is now condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Fuck all the way off you pandering traitor.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was ready to justify the invasion of Ukraine to a top UN human-rights forum on Tuesday—but was left humiliated when more than a hundred diplomats abruptly walked out.

Ain’t nobody got time for lies.

I love that people, and countries, around the world are standing up with, and for, Ukraine, but some of them to rethink their messages.

And I’m looking at you Carmen Carrera. Carrera, of RuPaul’s Drag Race, looked all kinds of messy and thirsty when she posted her support for the people of Ukraine while wearing a lingerie ensemble that she believes matches the colors of Ukraine’s flag. It doesn’t.

But she’s not the only one. Actor AnnaLynne McCord went viral after posting a video on social media where she apologized to Russian President Vladimir Putin for not being his mother, saying she believed she would have loved Little Vlad so much that he’d would not become a Micro-dick-tator. Seriously.

And then we have John Cena, used the attack to promote his new HBO Max show by Tweeting:

“If I could somehow summon the powers of a real life #Peacemaker I think this would be a great time to do so.”

Yes, let’s summon a fictional superhero to fix an actual war. Oh John, take a seat.

Then there’s The View’s Joy Behar ranting about how she hasn’t been able to go to Italy because of the pandemic “and now this.”

Sorry people dying and being forced to flee their homeland has put a snag in your vacation plans you entitled one-percenter.

Now, while I am hopeful when I see the world, and the Ukrainian people, and the Russian people speaking out, I do realize that Putin is a lunatic and you cannot count him out until you take him out. But know that he is squirming watching Ukraine take on his troops, watching the entire world Stand with Ukraine, and watching his own people turning against him.

The Funny Papers

Ed Hall, Mike Smith, Mike Luckovich, Clay Bennett, Nick Anderson, Bruce Plante, Michael de Adder, Adam Zyglis, Darrin Bell, JD Crowe,