2 Nov: Daily Homily and Tweets

by | Nov 2, 2017 | Tweets | 5 comments

I’m sure you can all guess what sort of tweets dominate the Twitter-verse today. It is, of course, yesterday’s terror attack in Manhattan. Yes, I know this post says 2 November. But though the attack was the 31st in NY, it was the 1st in NZ. Going one more letter down the alphabet makes all the difference. And because I’ll be posting this when most in the US are asleep, they won’t see it until it’s the 3rd in NZ though still the 2nd there. But right now, as I write, on the afternoon of the 2nd in NZ, the cowardly murders in New York were yesterday. So there. Confused?

And the day before yesterday, here, was Halloween. We didn’t have Halloween in NZ when I was a kid, though we were aware that kids in the US did. In fact with my Christian upbringing, I was vaguely unsure about the idea of celebrating Halloween. It was also a surprise to me that it was such a big thing in the US. Even as a child I was aware that people in the US were much more religious than we were. So I thought they wouldn’t want to be messing around with the kind of dark forces that Halloween brings to mind.

Now, I privately laugh at the idea that anyone worries about such things. The vague feelings I have around the date are mostly of annoyance. They mostly relate to disgust that people brainwash children into believing things like religion are real. But if people want to have fun dressing up, go for it. They never needed my consent anyway!

There were two things I thought were really great about the NY response to the terror attack. The first was how quick and efficient the response of the emergency services was. They are clearly a great bunch of men and women.

The second was how Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke about carrying on as normal. Life went on as usual in New York. A couple of blocks away from the scene and you wouldn’t know it happened. Even the parade went on as usual. No one was going to stop New Yorkers living their lives, and that’s great.

But apparently, not everyone felt that way. Conservative Christian radio host Sandy Rios thinks that de Blasio and Cuomo are a disgrace.

Among other things she said (via Right Wing Watch):

I saw men, people, marching in the parade with horror masks and blood dripping down and I thought, ‘You know, something is not quite right here. This is all just wicked. It’s just wicked. Now we’re free to march in the streets with blood-dripping masks and carrying skulls, so that’s what the mayor and the governor encouraged people to continue to do. I just think they’re missing the point.”

As I heard the governor speak yesterday, Cuomo, he kept saying ‘forward together, forward together. Well that was, I believe, an Obama phrase and I think it’s a phrase that comes out of—again—the old communist playbook. It’s really kind of bizarre.

What’s bizarre is the reaction of Rios. I think it’s obvious that what she thinks of the mayor and governor is due to politics. If they were members of the GOP, she’d think their response was perfect. It’s only because she disagrees with their politics that she’s criticizing them at all.

But Commie playbook? Really? Is her bigotry so blind that the only thing she can come up with is Commie playbook? Now that’s truly bizarre!

 

Political Tweets

Just sayin’.

 

Fair question!

 

Mueller Time Tweets

There are some from the populist wing of the GOP whose reaction to Manafort’s arrest shows they’re not capable of thinking clearly.

 

Go to this first tweet and read the thread. You’ll especially like it if you’re a fan of The Boss!
(Via Ann German.)

 

I’m in full agreement with Amy Siskind on this.
(Via Ann German.)

 

All you need to know about Paul Manafort … and you didn’t even have to ask!

 

Human Rights Tweets

The short video in this tweet is, I think, very important background information in understanding the attitudes found in much of the US South.

 

These next three tweets are especially relevant following the video above.
(Via Ann German.)

 

 

 

Click through to the thread attached to this tweet to read about the reality of General Robert E Lee, whom General Kelly called “honourable”.
(Via Ann German.)

 

How is this sort of thing still happening? I find it shocking that there are still people around who object to interracial couples. This is what happens when children aren’t taught the truth about history.

 

And a good news story to finish the section …

Healthcare Tweets

Another reason the US needs a single-payer healthcare system, and more proof that they’re good for the economy.

 

Obama is still doing the right thing by his fellow USians, even in the president isn’t.

 

Religion Tweets

I adore this pic!
(Via Ann German.)

 

Atheist Tweets

The link in this tweet will take you to a short clip from a NZ television show called Sunday. It’s our version of 60 Minutes. Lloyd Geering is one of our leading citizens.

 

Space Tweets

They may have found us somewhere to move to after we wreck this planet!

 

Art Tweets

Very cool!

 

Science Tweets

We already know of course that being overweight is a risk factor for Type II Diabetes. Turns out the link could be genetic.

 

The medical applications of ISOLDE at CERN.

 

Harvesting cherries!

 

Wow! You gotta see this!

 

Scenic Tweets

Cool design in Italy.

 

What to do next time you’re in Paris …

Marine Tweets

This crab includes birds in its diet!

 

Reptiles Tweets

Good news!

 

Insect Tweets

Very cool!

 

That’s one beautiful fly!

Yes, I know it’s not an insect.

 

Bird Tweets

You don’t say?! ????

 

 

 

 

 

Yep, that’s Kaka semen.

 

Another NZ native, the Takahe, which I don’t think I’ve featured before.

 

 

Dog Tweets

Spot the dog!

 

I wonder what he wants? ????

 

Cat Tweets

I don’t have time to do a separate post about this wonderful short film, so I put it in a tweet.

 

I’m not sure whether I should put this here or in the Entertainment Tweets section, but either way it’s cool!
(Via Ann German.)

 

Wonderful photo.

 

This is a cute photo …

 

But I had to reply …

 

This cat is rubbing it in!

 

It’s my favourite kitty again!

 

 

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5 Comments

  2. Jenny Haniver
    Jenny Haniver on 3rd November 2017 at 4:28 am

    I hate gummy bears but love that gummy bear caterpillar. I did a Google image search for limacodidae caterpillars and found many amazing caterpillars in this family, though the gummy bear seems to be unique; but really worth a look at the crazy diversity of shapes and stunning markings of these guys.

    Reply
  3. Andrea
    Andrea on 7th November 2017 at 12:53 am

    The Simon’s Cat video is so sweet! And it looks SO much like what happens at my house!

    Reply
    • Heather Hastie
      Heather Hastie on 8th November 2017 at 2:39 pm

      I think that’s what’s so great about the Simon’s Cat videos. We can all see cats we know in the things that happen. 🙂

      Reply

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