Tag Archives: 4th of July

Independence…or Else

I told you a rant was coming…

This has been a really hard week to wrap my head around. First the disastrous commentary on Biden’s debate performance. Granted, the debate was pretty terrible. Biden’s low energy and general demeanor was not ideal. But neither was TFG’s non- stop firehose of lies.

It’s disgusting that the media, particularly the NYT and the pundit class were all baying for Biden’s blood, and at the same time ignoring and minimizing his busy schedule and strong, stirring speeches at these events (G-7! D-Day! Major fundraisers in NY and CA! President stuff!) and completely ignoring the lies of a 34 times convicted felon who lies more than he breathes.

The only newspaper that had the guts to say, “Hey, maybe the guy who has been convicted of 34 felonies, stole national nuclear secrets and tried to over throw an election…maybe HE should step down,” was the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Honestly, I don’t know if he should step down or not. Only Joe Biden knows, and an overwhelming number of primary contest voters voted for him. I can’t imagine the chaos it would cause if he did. I’m against anything that hands the election to You Know Who. If you haven’t read about the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, you should at least read some summaries. For starters, they want to replace career civil servants with TFG loyalists. They want a national abortion ban, gutting of all regulations and the agencies that regulate them. You like clean air? too bad. We can’t tell polluting corporations what to do. You think there should be public education? Nope. That’s out. Medicare, medicaid, Social Security: they’re all on the chopping block. But don’t worry. You won’t live long enough to need elder care.

And then there is the “Supreme” Court…

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

On this, the day that the Declaration of Independence was signed, the document that said all men (well, white men, no women or POC need apply) are created equal and no one is above the fucking law, well…the Heritage Foundation Federalist Society Justices, just said, “New phone, who dis?”

In essence they put themselves above the law, as what they laid out seems to have been, “well, we’ll tell you if we think the president has immunity for this or that act, or not.” They opened the door to lawless corruption from the White House, and no way to rein it in. I’m not a historian, but I’ve listened to enough historians in the last several days to know that wasn’t what the authors of the Constitution intended.

I don’t mean to rain on anyone’s parade or picnic (pass the marshymallows!) I just had to get this out of my head. In the meantime…

Here are some pandas!

The only way out is through, and the only way through is to vote like everyone’s life depends on it. They want us to be demoralized and stay home. Don’t fall for it.

Be the BEAR!
Bob T Vote Blue all the way up and down the ballot Panda

Notes from a Small Island

It’s the 3rd of July here on Whidbey Island. I’m happy to say, that it has been raining all day and the temperature has not topped 60. What’s that you say? Shouldn’t I wish for warm summer weather?

Well, as last year, most of June was in the 80’s, with some temps above 90, even out here on the island (Seattle went above 100 several times, even before July arrived) AND as Island County has not seen fit to put provisions in place banning fireworks when fire danger is high, last year at this time I was completely stressed out in fear that some moron would burn down my neighborhood and me along with it.

So, this year, as we have had a very cool start to summer, I was happy when I woke up to rain, which has continued through the day.

Huzzah!

The show of my (serious non-panda) paintings opened last night, with a well attended reception and a few sales. If you’d like to see it (and you don’t live within range of Langley) your can see it here. I got a very nice comment form an artist friend who had come into see the show. I hope she won’t mind me sharing it here: ” …the light feels brave, like something fighting the darkness that is trying to overtake us…

That is exactly what I have been feeling these past 8 months as I worked on these paintings. That I am desperately clinging to some shard of optimism in the face of the evil that still is trying to take us down.

There are glimpses of hope: people speaking up for the January 6 committee that we might not expect, testifying to events we feared and now are confirmed. While it is true that we haven’t gotten everything we want from those we have elected, I can pretty much guarantee that we won’t like ANYTHING the republicans inflict on us should they regain power.

Here is one of my paintings from the show:

Bush Point Duet

And here are a few panda-‘toons commemorating the holiday:

*snorf*

I would point out that this ‘toon was drawn in 2019, and take no credit (or responsibility) for giving the idea to attack the Capitol to Mittens and his band of thugs.

Made by the same highly scientific company as the Cute-o-Meter!

Panda on, no matter what!
Bob T Panda

It’s Fabulous Furry Fourth of July Friday

I love watching movies where things blow up (OK, now you know my dirty little secret) but I really wish that fireworks displays were limited to professionals that (mostly) know what they are doing, and hardly ever burn down stuff (like my house) that isn’t supposed to burn down.

Did I mention it’s hardly rained in the last month?  And Mehitabel doesn’t like them either.  At least Guy Fawkes Night is in November when everything is nice and soggy.  And now, The Panda Chronicles tribute to the Fourth of July!

Just saying.

uh. oh.

uh. oh.

Huzzah for Rumpy Dog!

Huzzah for Rumpy Dog!

Thanks to Rumpy T. Drummond for making a guest appearance at The Panda Chronicles!

And lest I forget, the answers to the art history quiz! #1 is, of course, John Singer Sargent’s Madame ‘P’, #2 is Edgar Degas, That pesky number 3 is Mary Cassatt (and yes, in the Boston Museum’s version of A Cup of Tea, there are two women, but there was not another panda to model available to Ms. Cassatt .) #4 is Claude Monet’s Panda with a Parasol, and of course, everyone’s favorite in #5, James Abbott McNeill Whistler’s Arrangement in Black, White, and Gray.

I will be contacting the winners forthwith.

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda