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Showing posts with label John Lennon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Lennon. Show all posts

Friday, February 13, 2026

It's all about LOVE!



Bad Bunny's halftime show at SuperBowl XV had this billboard to remind everyone what brings us together. (More later explaining what was happening)


Person attending the emergency demonstration in San Francisco the day Alex Pretti was murdered, with a sign that gets to the heart of the matter.

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A protest for peace - the  Bed-in by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, 1969.


From March 25 to 31, they stayed in the presidential suite, Room 702, at the Amsterdam Hilton, welcoming reporters every day from morning until evening.

When questioned afterward about whether the protest had achieved its goal, Lennon expressed irritation at the press’s skepticism, arguing that being dismissed was intentional: “It’s part of our policy not to be taken seriously. Our opposition, whoever they may be, in all manifest forms, don’t know how to handle humour. And we are humorous.” 



The first bed-in took place at the Hilton Hotel in Amsterdam, followed by a second at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, at a time when public frustration over the war was intensifying.

Aware that their March 20, 1969 marriage would draw global media attention, Lennon and Ono decided to turn their honeymoon into a platform for peace activism.

SOURCE: https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/john-lennon-yoko-ono-bed-in/

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From stoic, Marcus Aurelius, in Meditations...

What we do now echoes in eternity...

Here is a rule to remember in future, when anything tempts you to feel bitter: not ‘This is misfortune,’ but ‘To bear this worthily is good fortune.’...

and

Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.
Thanks Jess Craven for sharing these quotes of the philosopher.

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FYI

The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.


Any questions? Comments?

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My reaction to seeing they had Latino names was a bit "Hurumph, can this be real? Are they manipulating us again?" 
Second, I want justice for their actions in killing Alex Pretti. And not the "reassignment" kind. Real trial justice.
Third, as a confirmed but sometimes struggling pacifist, I want to move to forgiveness and love even towards those who have committed heinous actions. I am nowhere near feeling that way yet, but it's out there for consideration. It keeps me from being angry, mostly.

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Sharing with Sepia Saturday...



And an interpretation of what the meanings were for those who don't understand Spanish - Band Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime show:
"Bad Bunny opens in a massive sugarcane field. For those that don’t know, sugarcane was once one of Puerto Rico’s biggest economic drivers. It represents labor, history, survival. If you want the deep dive, Google it… because it matters.
As he walks through the fields you see workers, kiosks, piragua stands, domino players, nail tech hustle, food stands… everyday Puerto Rican life. Not glamorized. Just real. Because that hustle is part of our DNA.
Then he passes two Puerto Rican boxing champions, Xander Zayas and Emiliano Vargas, a reminder that boxing has always been a source of pride for the island.
Next thing you know he’s on top of a classic casita straight out of el campo singing some reggaeton bangers. Are they the most proper songs? No 😂 But he still had the tact to censor the bad words even though half the audience wouldn’t have known the difference anyway.
And let’s talk reggaeton for a second. That genre was born in the barrios and caseríos. It wasn’t always accepted. It was criticized before it went global. So when he says:
“Estás escuchando música de Puerto Rico, de los barrios, de los caseríos.”
That means:
“You’re listening to music from Puerto Rico. From the neighborhoods. From the housing projects.”
Translation? This global sound came from us.
Then comes the violin intro to Monaco and he introduces himself by his full name:
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio.
Not Bad Bunny. Benito.
And he says:
“If I’m here today at the Super Bowl it’s because I never stopped believing in myself… and you should believe in yourself too. You’re worth more than you think.”
Goosebumps.
From there we transition into what looks like a full Puerto Rican wedding. And if you’ve ever been to one, you KNOW it’s basically a family reunion with louder music and better outfits.
Enter Lady Gaga in a light blue dress with a red flower, a subtle nod to the original colors of the Puerto Rican flag, singing “Die With a Smile.” A song about love, about choosing your person no matter what. But with a salsa twist and a live band… because nothing says celebration like live horns and percussion.
Benito says:
“Mientras uno está vivo, uno debe amar lo más que pueda.”
“While we’re alive, we should love as much as we possibly can.”
Then…
“Baila sin miedo, ama sin miedo.”
“Dance without fear. Love without fear.”
Kids dancing. Adults dancing. Just joy everywhere. At one point there’s even a little boy knocked out across three chairs… and every Latino watching laughed because we have ALL been that kid at the family party.
Then the shift.
Nuevayol.
New York.
La Marqueta. Corner store. Barbershop. People dancing in the streets. A love letter to the Puerto Rican diaspora and the communities that built culture far from the island.
He says:
“San Francisco, disfruta… que esto es por un momento solamente.”
“Enjoy this moment… because it won’t last forever.”
Then a cameo from legendary Toñita handing him a shot. If you know Caribbean Social Club in East Harlem, you know that’s real community history.
One of the most powerful moments? A family watching Benito on TV holding his Grammy… and then he walks into the scene and hands that Grammy to his younger self.
“Siempre cree en ti.”
“Always believe in yourself.”
Dream → reality.
Then comes another icon… Ricky Martin.
Straight into “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii,” touching on themes of identity and cultural preservation before exploding into “El Apagón.”
And if you know Puerto Rico, you know an apagón is more than a blackout. It’s one of the island’s biggest ongoing struggles. But what happens when the lights go out?
People come outside.
Neighbors connect.
Music finds a way.
Resilience.
Out comes the massive Puerto Rican flag… pride on full display.
Then the party ramps all the way up.
“Todos quieren ser Latinos pero les falta sazón!!”
Everybody wants to be Latino… but the seasoning is missing 😏
Suddenly flags from North, Central, and South America flood the field. As flags from every corner of North, Central, and South America flooded the field, the stadium lit up with one message across the screen: The only thing more powerful than hate is love. And honestly… that said everything.
He says God bless America… names countries across the continent… ends with:
“Y mi patria… Puerto Rico.”
My homeland.
Then a football that reads:
“Together we are America.”
And just when you think it can’t get bigger, he closes with “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” and turns the entire stadium into one giant celebration.
Listen…
The biggest stage in America had a jíbaro from Puerto Rico standing on it with class.
He brought history.
He brought struggle.
He brought pride.
He brought resilience.
He brought unity.
An American halftime show spoken largely in Spanish… showing that Puerto Rican history IS American history.
Connected to Latin America.
Connected to the diaspora.
Connected to each other.
Culture isn’t something you hide.
It’s something you carry.
Chest all the way out with pride last night.
Puerto Rico está bien cabrón.
Acho… PR es otra cosa.

Thanks Karrie Emmanuel Carrasquillo from FaceBook

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At George Washington University, Feb. 11, 2026
——————— 



I mentioned that I canceled my cardio stress test because of high – stress – to the extent I was nauseous.

When my doctor sent in an order for an anti-anxiety pill that’s what it was for just one pill. And my insurance doesn’t cover it. And I can’t take it before I start the test because they want me to be alert so they’re For when I’m in the MRI machine. Not sure what to do about the anxiety and nausea, but I have a month to think it over.




Friday, January 2, 2026

Just some good thoughts




 ༻The Wisdom of John Lennon༺

"The thing the sixties did was to show us the possibilities and the responsibility that we all had. It wasn’t the answer. It just gave us a glimpse of the possibility.
Love is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it’s going to get on by itself. You’ve got to keep on watering it. You’ve got to really look after it and nurture it.
We live in a world where we have to hide to make love, while violence is practiced in broad daylight.
Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we’re being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I’m liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That’s what’s insane about it.
You don’t need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are! There’s nothing new under the sun. All the roads lead to Rome. And people cannot provide it for you. I can’t wake you up. Only you can wake you up. I can’t cure you, only you can cure you.
You’re all geniuses, and you’re all beautiful. You don’t need anyone to tell you who you are. You are what you are. Get out there and get peace, think peace, and live peace and breathe peace, and you’ll get it as soon as you like.
That’s what the great masters and mistresses have been saying ever since time began. They can point the way, leave signposts and little instructions in various books that are now called holy and worshipped for the cover of the book and not for what it says, but the instructions are all there for all to see, have always been and always will be.
I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It’s just that the translations have gone wrong.
Peace is not something you wish for; it’s something you make, something you do, something you are, and something you give away. Declare it. Just the same way we declare war. That is how we will have peace… we just need to declare it.
Produce your own dream. If you want to save Peru, go save Peru. It’s quite possible to do anything, but not if you put it on the leaders and the parking meters. Don’t expect Carter or Reagan or John Lennon or Yoko Ono or Bob Dylan or Jesus Christ to come and do it for you. You have to do it yourself.
My role in society, or any artist’s or poet’s role, is to try and express what we all feel. Not to tell people how to feel. Not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a reflection of us all.
When you do something noble and beautiful and nobody noticed, do not be sad. For the sun every morning is a beautiful spectacle and yet most of the audience still sleeps.
Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end."
~John Lennon

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“Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed” Abraham Lincoln 







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Today's goddess:


Marble female figure

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Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It’s just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.

PAULO COELHO

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Sharing with Thankful Thursday 



Join the fun of sharing old photos, or whatever, with Sepia Saturday!

Happy New Year to all lovers of old photographs and all friends and followers of Sepia Saturday. Since 2009, Sepia Saturday has been providing a platform for enthusiasts to share their old photographs with others throughout the world by means of our weekly theme-based blog. Although there always tends to be a theme, we have always emphasised that going off-theme was perfectly acceptable - the theme isn't really important - the old photographs are. Sepia Saturday is now in its 807th week and we start 2026 with a theme image that is not only an old photograph - it is a recognised work of art as well: Dorothea Lange's famous 1936 photograph of a Californian agricultural worker.

The photograph comes from the Library of Congress collection of images on the Flickr Commons platform. Flickr Commons has been running a year longer than Sepia Saturday and has managed to bring together over 100 museums and archives from over 25 countries to share their photographic archives on-line. It is a wonderful resource and it has done so much to spread the understanding of the importance of our shared photographic history. The theme images for the next couple of years on Sepia Saturday will be drawn from the various collections available on Flickr Commons, and our first image is therefore from one of the founder institutions - the Library of Congress.



Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Imagine!

 John Lennon was spot on, as they say.

We need to act from these imaginations.



The Wisdom of John Lennon༺
"The thing the sixties did was to show us the possibilities and the responsibility that we all had. It wasn’t the answer. It just gave us a glimpse of the possibility.
Love is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it’s going to get on by itself. You’ve got to keep on watering it. You’ve got to really look after it and nurture it.
We live in a world where we have to hide to make love, while violence is practiced in broad daylight.
Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we’re being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I’m liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That’s what’s insane about it.
You don’t need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are! There’s nothing new under the sun. All the roads lead to Rome. And people cannot provide it for you. I can’t wake you up. Only you can wake you up. I can’t cure you, only you can cure you.
You’re all geniuses, and you’re all beautiful. You don’t need anyone to tell you who you are. You are what you are. Get out there and get peace, think peace, and live peace and breathe peace, and you’ll get it as soon as you like.
That’s what the great masters and mistresses have been saying ever since time began. They can point the way, leave signposts and little instructions in various books that are now called holy and worshipped for the cover of the book and not for what it says, but the instructions are all there for all to see, have always been and always will be.
I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It’s just that the translations have gone wrong.
Peace is not something you wish for; it’s something you make, something you do, something you are, and something you give away. Declare it. Just the same way we declare war. That is how we will have peace… we just need to declare it.
Produce your own dream. If you want to save Peru, go save Peru. It’s quite possible to do anything, but not if you put it on the leaders and the parking meters. Don’t expect Carter or Reagan or John Lennon or Yoko Ono or Bob Dylan or Jesus Christ to come and do it for you. You have to do it yourself.
My role in society, or any artist’s or poet’s role, is to try and express what we all feel. Not to tell people how to feel. Not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a reflection of us all.
When you do something noble and beautiful and nobody noticed, do not be sad. For the sun every morning is a beautiful spectacle and yet most of the audience still sleeps.
Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end."
~John Lennon

The Playing For Change version of Imagine:




All the new thoughts about making any future plans say you have to have a vision, an idea in mind, toward which to move. What's yours?



And so these words can take us to feeling better, safer, more secure and hopeful.

Do they stay with us very long?
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Here is a quote from Jeff Teidrich, who likes to use the S-word and F-word as if that makes him more appealing to some readers. But when he asked

"What Kind of Shithole Country lets a Corrupt Criminal Run For President?"

I quote just a bit about his views on how we got here...

" our founders assumed that their spiffy new system of government was going to be forever run by “honorable” people. the bewigged-and-powdered landed gentry who wrote the rules didn’t imagine that knaves and scoundrels would be allowed to rise to positions of power.

and so Tommy Paine and Benny Franklin and T-Jeff and all their homeys formed a government that leaned a lot on the honor system, with surprisingly few hard-and-fast laws regulating the conduct of elected officials.

they assumed every president was going to fit the mold of George Washington, choosing to set aside the trappings of royalty and voluntarily doing what’s best for the country.

they certainly never anticipated that an entire political party would fall under the spell of a 91-count criminal mob boss.

oh, you starry-eyed dreamers.

let me introduce you to Donald Trump, and his lawless band of Republican cutthroats."

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and then the next day Tiedrich said:

"this is your modern-day Republican party.

no ideas, no policies, no principles, nothing to make the lives of We the People better.

just grudges, grievances and score-settling."