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As of 23 January 2025 [11 pm EST]

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Coming 'soon' in Politics-related Content: Coverage of the upcoming Maine gubernatorial and Senate campaigns [links, images and notes].

SIPPING FROM MY FIRE HOSES

You have probably heard of the expression "drinking from a fire hose" to describe being overwhelmed by too much informaton to handle.

Drinking from a fire hose

IMAGE: Drinking from a fire hose - English Idioms. Thank you to English Mogador [October 9th, 2022]

Recently I have decided to update this idiom to more accurately reflect modern circumstances: "drinking from multiple fire hoses". To some extent we have Steve Bannon to thank for extending the idiom (with his advice to "flood the zone" to intentionally keep people off balance by providing so many news stories that can't be ignored, one after the other, day after day, that people simply give up trying to respond meaningfully). If you get information from a lot of different places (TV, radio, podcasts, social media, conversations with family and friends, newspapers, online websites, foreign media, cable, posters, email, etc.), you are also drinking from multiple fire hoses!

When you get right down to it, most of us feel wicked busy or just plain overwhelmed from time to time. In my case, I probably just make matters worse for myself by being curious and interested in so many things [some say I am obsessed, LOL]. Hopefully, this will help to explain why it takes me so long to update this website. I was given the nickname "speed bump" by colleagues at my first programming job; as I get older and inevitably slow down, I feel that I am living up to that nickname. Fortunately, I am interested in history, so by the time I finish updating this page, it is already history!

Just watched a video [on the 20th] that I must share; it will go to my blog soon, but I thought you should see it right away! If you don't know, I am working for the Graham Platner campaign, but this website is strictly under my control and I was not asked to share this video.

If you wish to see politics-related material, click the Show Politics-related Contentbutton above. Sometimes it is hard to separate news from politics, but I try. Your feedback will help. Let me know if I should "hide" material that should have been classified as "political" by sending me an email (preferably with a screenshot of the offending material). Thanks.

BREAKING NEWS - 22 January 2026: The U.S. government has sent ICE agents to Maine! Here are some recent Central Maine news stories to help you understand what is happening. Caution: this story is moving so quickly that events will happen that are not covered here; check your trusted local sources of news. Keep in touch with people you know and trust.

Cat reading book about how to read humans and influence dogs

HUMOR [AI-Modified]: Know Your Enemy or Know Your Potential Friends? Courtesy of Craig Bailey on Facebook.

Somewhere I read that most of the images on the internet are of cats and dogs; some of these images cry out to be shared (like this one).

No one wanted this old shelter cat

NATURE/CATS: No One Wanted This Old Shelter Cat Until This Happened Courtesy of Kindred Paws - 01/20/2026 [8:01].

He spent years surviving on the streets, carrying a label that made people walk away. When we finally brought Bruce home, something incredible happened — he purred for the first time in his life. This is the story of a "sad" shelter cat who just needed one person to stay.

The Frog Who Learned to Wait

HUMOR [AI-Modified]: Into Every Life a Little Rain Must Fall!. Courtesy of CozyOneStudio on Pinterest and Skeptical Science.

I have a feeling that we are in such a time right now! But this image almost reminds of the frogs that didn't hop out of the pot in time!

Graham Platner Fireside Chat

NEWS/POLITICS: Graham Platner reaches back into American history to share his thoughts on how the Democratic Party can emerge from its current powerlessness to once again move this country in the right direction [01/20/2026]. Courtesy of the Graham Platner for Senate campaign.

19 January 2026

If you pay attention to the news, you have probably noticed that something strange seems to be happening in the United States of America these days. If you don't pay attention to the news (and who could blame you), there are a few things you should be aware of:

To a Mouse

On Turning her up in her Nest, with the Plough, November 1785

WEE, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
      Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
      Wi' murd'ring pattle!

For the rest of this lovely poem, please visit the Poetry Foundation.

A Quiet Medieval Winter

MUSIC: A Quiet Medieval Winter – Gentle Celtic Music for Reading, Rest & Solitude. Thank you to Lord Pecalon - 12/20/2025 [1:10:18]

The world grows quiet under the falling snow, and the distant city fades into the mist. This gentle medieval winter music creates a melancholic yet comforting atmosphere, perfect for deep focus, reading high fantasy, or simply finding peace in solitude. A lone traveling badger rests beneath the ancient oak tree. The journey has been long, but the cloak is warm, and the view across the frozen valley offers a moment of reflection. Listen to the gentle melodies of the Celtic harp, the weeping lute, and the lonely wooden flute as they weave a tapestry of winter memories. Whether you are writing your own story, studying for the future, or sleeping away a heavy day, let this music be your sanctuary.
  • [6] NEWS-GREENLAND: President Trump has managed to alienate NATO and Europe with his desire to own Greenland (which he sometimes refers to as 'Iceland'.

  • Can Congress Stop Trump From Taking Greenland? Sen. Bernie Sanders Says Yes - CBS: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - 01/21/2026 [4:42]

  • Trump backs off tariff threats and hails 'framework of a future deal' on Greenland - NPR [21 January 2026]

  • Defending Greenland from invasion - animated satire
  • MUSIC/POLITICS/SATIRE: Greenland Defense Front - The Hungry Giant (Official Music Video) demonflyingfox - 01/10/2026 [1:51]. Thank you to demonflyingfox
  • Cartoon showing two eskimos discussing the sale of Greenland
  • POLITICAL CARTOONS: Bribing Greenland - Darkow [01/xx/2026]. Courtesy of Cagle Cartoons

  • Caglecast with 77 cartoons about Greenland
  • POLITICAL CARTOONS: Trump's Greenland Obsession [01/xx/2026]. Courtesy of Cagle Cartoons
    Trump's 2026 Greenland obsession explodes: 77 savage editorial cartoons roast his 'whether they like it or not' threats and 'hard way' bullying. Invasion fantasies, Arctic power trips, and imperial madness—pure laugh-out-loud political satire!
  • TV-DRAMA: Borgen, a Danish political drama television series, set in Copenhagen. "Politician Birgitte Nyborg becomes the first female Prime Minister of Denmark against all the odds. Four series have been made, three of which consist of ten episodes each, and the fourth one eight." - Wikipedia

    We have watched the first one (I think) but started watching the fourth series very recently when we discovered that it featured Greenland in the story line. We are watching it on Netflix.
  • Borgen - Power and Glory series description
  • IMAGE: Borgen - Power and Glory series description. Thank you to Wikipedia
  • [7] MOVIES: BEN HUR. Every once in a while I decide to watch this movie again. Nostalgia for sure. Great movie. Charlton Heston at his best.
  • Ben Hur driving his chariot in the race under the watchful eye of Pontius Pilate
  • RELIGION/HISTORICAL FICTION: This image was captured while watching the movie on my own screen at home!. Rent or buy from Amazon Prime
  • [8] GIFT/HUMOR: In case you are looking for a gift for that special person in your life. LOL

  • Image of travel cup with message for the elderly
  • Message for the elderly on a cup. For sale on Amazon
  • [9] DOCUMENTARY/NATURE: Here is a great way to spend an hour 'virtually' forest bathing and learning a thing or two in the process.

  • Barred Owl Documentary
  • An Epic Barred Owl Documentary: The Fledgling 4 Nature documentary - 07/09/2024 [1:07:02]. Thank you to Joe Gowac
    A FINALIST FOR THE 2024 WILDLIFE CONSERVATION FILM FESTIVAL

    Is spending 100 straight days with a family of owls crazy? Maybe, but for me , what I captured will blow your mind. This is a fun documentary for adults, kids, bird lovers and wildlife photographers. All the music was provided by ‪@epidemicsound‬ Everything was filmed with ‪@SonyAlphaUniverse‬ gear.
  • [10] CHESS: With all the other news going on, I found it difficult to keep up with my chess videos. Hopefully the arctic blast planned for this weekend will make some online chess time a possibility. Meanwhile, enjoy this very interesting game from Capablanca!

  • Chess Vibes reviews a chess game played by Capablance over a century ago
  • 113 Years Later... Stockfish Finds The Truth Chess Vibes - 01/23/2026 [18:57]. Thank you to Chess Vibes
    AI-generated video summary [Chrome browser]: Chess Vibes analyzes a century-old game, revealing a previously unseen draw, thanks to Stockfish. The video examines a complex endgame, showcasing tactical nuances and a surprising winning strategy. A seemingly simple move, missed by Capablanca, unlocks a hidden path to victory.

As Joyce Vance says: "we are all in this together". Including the cats, dogs [pictures with the next update], frogs, owls and all the other critters who are also affected by the activities of our government and [let's face it, other governments].

Cheers, Don

p.s. I know these entries belong in the blog, but I am rushing to update the site whenever I have a few minutes; I will be moving this kind of material to the blog where it belongs when I can. Besides, I am working on a new format for this page which will make shuffling blog material around completely unnecessary!

There is no Authenticate button yet to see the rest of the site (which is always under construction, i.e.: in complete disarray). If you can find an authenticate button, let me know. Try the "Blog" Button instead.

The astute observer will notice that authentication is not actually conducted yet. This website is almost universally constructed with "HI" but some "AI" is bound to creep in at some point, despite my best efforts (and deliberately on occasion).

Note: "HI" = Human Intelligence; "AI" = Artificial Intelligence; "NI" = Natural Intelligence. LOL