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Aug 10, 2023Liked by Joyce Vance

I’m going to opt for good news…though 2 days ago. My wife and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary…and things are still going well. On another good news front, our son who has suffered from substance abuse challenges is clean and sober and holding down a job as a security guard. He’s been on a bit of a roller coaster over his nearly 29 years, but we’re proud of how he’s been growing and taking his steps one day at a time. Lastly, I had my first piano lesson as an adult today. I’ve been learning on my own since January, but felt it was time for some professional guidance. You’re never too old for this…and I’m enjoying it immensely. I’ll happily save my outrage for another day.

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Aug 10, 2023Liked by Joyce Vance

Bravo Bob! After funding and attending my childrens’ music lessons for many years, I decided it was my turn—10 years ago! What a delightful gift to myself which brings me great joy. Thank you for sharing your good news, and my best wishes for your son’s continued recovery.

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I just hope that I am still playing the piano in 10 years. That would be wonderful.

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Bob~ Keep playing as long as it makes you happy! I’m now on a little summer vacation from playing, but I’m beginning to hear the piano call my name. It waits so patiently.

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Thanks for the encouragement, Kim!

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Good for you, Bob! A great decision. I hope your making of music enriches your life for years to come. Six years ago I resumed piano lessons after not playing since high school. I hope I’ll never stop! I’ll be 77 in October.

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Thanks, Barbara! I'm sure you'll never stop and I just hope I'm still playing at 77...I'm 67 at the moment.

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Thanks so much for the good news!! We can really use it now. So proud that your son is figuring it out. My grandson was in a bad place for a number of years, but he's turned himself around, also, and it IS cause for celebration!!

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So happy that your son is finding his stable ground. Our nephew has just entered rehab for the first (and hopefully only) time at the still tender age of early 30's. We hope he meets with similar success. And... I too start self-learning a new instrument, the cello, last winter. Thanks for encouragement to work with a professional. Cheers to you.

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You have my prayers that your nephew finds hope in his recovery. The cello is one of my favorite instruments to listen to. Enjoy it!

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Congrats Bob! It is indeed good news. Thx for sharing it here amongst friends☮️

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Congratulations on your 30 years of marriage. Not many couples stay together now days.

WOW!!! Congratulations to your son, so proud of him. Tell him if he falls off to dust himself off and start again. No judgement.

Good luck on your piano lessons. Good for you!

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Many thanks for the kind words, Joyce.

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congrats and thank you for sharing your lovely news!

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Congratulations Bob! Thanks for sharing the good news. May it continue. The outrage of the day is that Trump is still walking around in spite of everything he has done. Judge Chutkin, please put him in jail after he pulls his next trick. No more privilege.

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Aug 10, 2023Liked by Joyce Vance

To Bob and all the adult music students. BRAVO from this retired band and orchestra teacher. Keep on learning and find joy in your musical progress.

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Many thanks for your encouragement, Jean.

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Very good news indeed, Bob!

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Aug 10, 2023Liked by Joyce Vance

It helps balance things out and promote sanity to hear of "good things" when faced with the onslaught of daily horribles. Congratulations on 30 years of marriage - my wife and I celebrate our 40th later this year, so look forward to continuing the "good things," and keep all the bad things in perspective - eventually "good" wins out over the bad.

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You have made my day. Thank you for this. One Day At a Time -- for all of us. Enjoy the music.

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Congratulations, happy anniversary. Life is a challenge but it is worth it. Good luck to your son, and many more year on your marriage.👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️

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Congratulations on your piano lessons! You're never too old to take up a musical instrument.

In 1968 at age 26 I decided to take up guitar. I'd played piano as a teen, but a piano and apartment living are not conducive to observing quiet hours, and pianos aren't very portable.

When my 2 toddlers were visiting their father for 6 weeks one summer, I decided to spend a bit of what I was saving in child care expenses for 6 guitar lessons. When the kids came home, I found a way to squeeze lessons from my normal budget, and I continued learning.

That eventually led to my teacher hiring me to teach beginners in his music store, supplementing my daytime earnings and allowing me to save enough for a down payment on the home I still live in. And the music has been such a joy in the 50+ years since.

Keep up the piano playing. It's so much nicer than feeling outraged. :)

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What a wonderful story, Harriet! Thank you for sharing it and for the encouragement on my musical journey.

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Bob, congratulations on your great news. I wish u & your family the best, esp. your son.

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Bravo, Bob. Good news all-around. 😊

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My wife had the responsibility to convert an existing building into a SCIF. A project of two years, plus. We won’t talk cost - but not inexpensive.

It’s all about delay.

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That Trump wants his own SCIF is the ultimate irony given his flaunting of propriety that necessitates the need to begin with.

"Lookie what I have!!"

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I think he wants MAL to be seen as the new White House

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He did call it the "Winter White House" starting in 2017.

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Aug 10, 2023Liked by Joyce Vance

Yeah. Joyce hit the nail on the head when she talked about it being more costly, but that it would cause a huge delay.

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Jack Smith needs to file a motion demanding Cannon's recusal. If she refuses, he needs to appeal it. She's too inexperienced, and biased, to preside over this case.

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And if she worked for a contractor the government probably didn't pay for it ...at least not directly.

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Given that he used to have a SCIF in Mar a Lago, wouldn't that make it easier?

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Sure. It even has a chandelier and a copier.

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Thanks, Joyce. My outrage deals with climate change. The heat waves and now devastating fires in Hawaii. It is criminal those who can affect real change have been blind to it. The world we are leaving our children makes me weep.

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I live on the Big Island and have been in a state of shock all day. Historic Old Lahaina is gone . . . GONE! So much history up in smoke!! So many lives changed, homes lost, animals killed (pets, farm, and wild). All GONE.

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So, so sorry. I've experienced the effect of devastating fires in California. Both my Mom in the 1991 Oakland fire and a close friend in the Paradise fire in 2018 (I think) lost their homes. It is so tragic. Sending hugs.

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I also have a friend who survived the Paradise Fire (yes 2018) with only her life and her car. I lived in CA for 15 years and am moving back there at the end of this month. WA State also has fires, that’s where I am now. It’s beautiful here.

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I was on the phone with my friend as she was trying to flee in her car, but the roads were blocked. I've never felt to helpless. The next day I was evacuated due to a fire not far from my house. I was lucky.

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This has just been heartbreaking news to see what is happening on Maui. As a Californian, your shock is fully understandable. We all know people who have lost everything in the big fires here. Sending ❤️ from CA.

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I am so sorry. Everything will one day return.

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Cynthia, please stay safe.

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My heart goes out to all that have suffered.. May relief and recovery begin. Prayers for your continued safety.

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To now think of the beauty of Maui gone and the people, homes, pets lost.....💔💔💔

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The devastation is unthinkable in Lahaina. I’ve been talking with friends off and on all day as they hear from friends. So awful.

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Mary do you know if Lahaina Luna HS is ok? I graduated from there.

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I don’t. It appears to be inland from the worst of the fires. On Google maps you can mark Maui fires and then the high school. But I have not heard.

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36 now confirmed dead.

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Oh no.... the loss of human and animal life, the death of trees and the destruction of beauty is heartbreaking.

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Now 53.

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Willfully blind, with malice a forethought.

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Willfully blind, with malice afore thought. That sums up the American Fascist party in a nutshell.

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"It is criminal those who can affect real change have been blind to it." Truth. However what is an order of magnitude more criminal are those who have plans to reverse anything and everything done so far to address climate change. I speak of the MAGA Republican Party, which has hijacked the entire party as we all know, and their "Project 2025" - https://www.project2025.org/

This political party has become the enemy of the world at large, an existential threat to humanity and nature as we know it. If by some quirk - perhaps a totally irresponsible dereliction of duty as a voting block of not voting in 2024 (we are relying on our young adults) the MAGGOTS get into power - it will be a giant step toward the dystopian world we are trying to prevent.

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And the oil companies who want to continue destroying the Amazon, our only hope left for a pristine wild place.

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It's no longer just climate change, it's climate crisis.

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Joyce, in addition to your outrages, which I completely agree with, I must put Trump back on the list for the vile and disgusting ways he talks about Jack Smith, Fani Willis, Alvin Bragg, and anyone else who dares prosecute him. He is an angry person with no respect, regard or integrity whatsoever. I don’t understand how his attorneys don’t try to tamper his language, not that they could. His followers seem to love it, which is all the more vile. So please add this to the list.

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It really belongs there, you're right. I wanted to avoid giving even a little oxygen to the horrible things he said about Fani Willis.

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Trump's attorneys are just as bad as far as using the media to talk about the cases. I hope the judge on Friday at 10 am sharp tomorrow makes it very clear what the boundaries are to avoid sitting in prison while awaiting trial. GAG orders should be placed on Trump and his Attorneys.

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I couldn’t agree more … but judges have tended to bend over backwards to protect Trump and his attorneys 1st amendment rights. I would love to see them all severely chastised for abusing those rights … we’ll see what happens in court.

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They can't show him the discovery information. The witnesses lives will be ruined. He's already set himself against the courts and any restrictions on himself. No "protective order" will have any effect on him disparaging relatively innocent people and putting them in danger.

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His attorneys should quit as he ignores their advice.

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I think they like the cache of representing a former president … even though he is a disgraceful human being. Look at him … preening on all 5 morning news programs this past Sunday. That’s not good lawyering.

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Aug 10, 2023·edited Aug 11, 2023

He deploys malicious language to dehumanize his targets, rendering Fani Willis and Jack Smith and others subhuman. These vile characterizations, as he knows, arouses violent passions among his cult. And since these subhuman targets are trouble-makers, it justifies, so the cult believes, brutalizing Trump’s targets with hammers, nooses and AR-15s and eliminating anyone perceived to jam up Trump’s strongman agenda - pretty much as the Wagner Group thinks and operates on a grand scale. In my opinion.

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We all need to link our arms in hope to get through the despicable behaviors outlined by the Mayor of our community - Joyce Vance.

A few good things also happened. Ohioans showed up and voted to preserve a healthy democracy. A new task force was formed by Mary Smith, president of the American Bar Association. The initiative will help to educate the citizenry about the principles of democracy; strengthen election integrity and access; depoliticize the current polarization.

Our Mayor Joyce Vance warned us that the coming months would be difficult and it certainly feels that way today. As those are held to account for their criminal acts - we will learn the truth through evidence about the conspiracy concocted by Trump and his confederates. It is disheartening and worrisome for sure. Hang in there!

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Increased crime rates are literally following around Trump's rallies. Someone who threatened Biden, Bragg & others was shot. FL is currently a dumpster fire. Maui was devastated (but global warming isn't real). Gun manufacturers are marketing and selling JR AR-15s for kids. Justice Roberts and Barrett showed a bit of common sense regarding policing ghost gun kits, but the other 4 not so much. Justice Alito essentially gave Congress the middle finger. Justice Thomas' motor home (that he and Ginny park in WalMart parking lots and hang out with regular folk) was paid for by a friend. For someone who gets really upset when others say he had unfair advantages (affirmative action), he sure has accepted a ton of favors/gifts.

On the positive side, the wheels of justice have seemed to find their rhythm and Ohio voters turned out to support democracy and freedom. It's certainly been a roller coaster ride (let's hope it's not like the Magnum at Cedar Point where riders had to walk down 200 feet when the ride got stuck). Good thing the Jan 6th case is moving forward because that's a distraction from Judge Cannon in FL.

We are grateful for Joyce and this forum where we can vent and stay hopeful together!

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I almost forgot Trump's lawyer trying to sell his BS on TV. He actually said there was a peaceful transfer of power because inauguration day wasn't violent and Trump voluntary left the White House!!

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Yeah, he and ... whatsername SNUCK OUT THE BACK DOOR! While Biden was locked out, LOCKED OUT, at the front door!!! After the gracious and respectful way that The Obamas ushered TFG and his (ahem *cough cough*) wife inside on THEIR Inauguration Day, I was horrified. That was so absolutely disgusting to me.

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They slithered away in defeat. So much has happened that it's hard to remember all of it!

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hahahahahahahahahah Good one. "They slithered away." Priceless account.

I have to remember that one, Laci.

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That’s because he is so uncouth and devoid of any proper social skills. Just goes to show you, money can’t buy everything.

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Me too. The Trump's are slime.

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Disgusting, but totally in character for tfg and his (ahem *cough cough*) wife. Deplorable doesn’t begin to cover it.

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Crazy man. Just plain crazy🤨

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Chutzpah.

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Yes, thank you Ohio voters!!!

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Aug 10, 2023Liked by Joyce Vance

It still feels like consequences are coming into stark relief for a lot of these folks, and I take great comfort in that. Welcome to the find out era, folks.

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Make those who the power to change uncomfortable. I suggest we turn off the HVAC in Congress and state legislatures until they start working on climate change.

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Well said, Edward:“Welcome to the find out era.”

Sunshine disinfectant!

It’s healthy and enlightening.

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Unfortunately, with the coming (hoped for) consequences, I’m afraid we will be faced with a MAGA that will not go quietly.

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I think the only potential silver lining in all of this is that Aileen Cannon will once again overstep her bounds, causing Smith to appeal her decision to the 11th Circuit and call for her recusal.

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So trump wants a SCIF. Let him pay for it. And in the meantime travel to and from Miami. No point in delaying things.

Even if it takes a year to design it and rebuilt it. Hopefully the trial will be over by then.

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Here is an alternative: There is a federal detention facility 240 feet from the Miami Federal CourtHouse. He could stay there and visit the SCIF without much effort.

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Delay by any means possible is what the Donald wants. He had to come up with something, right?

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But he can't read

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My “outrage of today” is the focus of the media and commentators only on the sins of the co-conspirators rather than also what our society can should do to remedy these electoral outrages! My respectful suggestion is that these crimes should motivate the rest of us to help register and turnout millions of potential young voters for 24!

The very best way according to Forbes Magazine is that there is one nonpartisan organization that is the most effective in the country in registering young voters-- namely click on www.turnup.us/

Please contribute generously to a brilliant group of Harvard students who are using hi tech means on SnapChat to register and turn them out! Please go to www.turnup.us/ right now and see what they are doing with potentially millions of 18 to 29s.

Please help this nonpartisan 501c3 succeed--your donation is tax deductible! Thank you; this is really important and this group of Harvard students is very experienced and effective!

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Thank you for this information.

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Hope you can pass it on to family and friends Joyce!

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I finished the most difficult chapter of my next book today. So that was good news.

So far as the rest of the news in tonight's post, I'll just quote Mr. Robert Allen Zimmerman:

"If my thought dreams could be seen/they'd probably put my head in a guillotine."

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Congratulations on finishing your book.

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Mim's right. "most difficult chapter" and "finished the book" are two unrelated things. :-)

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He finished "the most difficult chapter," not the whole book, I believe.

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But, it's all right Ma, it's Life & Life only ...

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😱

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1977 I graduated from Lahaina Luna High School. I lived in Kaanapali. Terrible loss for the wildlife, plant life, people and animals. I have been unable to find out how the fires started. The orange psychopath just never gets what the rest of us would. DeSantis may have bitten off more than he could chew. These years since J6 are beyond horrible and getting worse.

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DeSantis doesn’t have the authority to fire his AG. Who is able to sue him for this dadurdly act?😡

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Agreed! How can this be legal? Can she sue him to get her job back? What a wantabe dictator!

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Yes she can. Wrongful termination.

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She is an elected DA; he has no authority to fire her; a totally authoritarian move so this guy is really really bad!

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Monique Worrell is a State Atty. in the 9th District--Orange & Osceola Counties in Central FL; She's not the AG in FL. One of the big lies about her is that her campaign was backed by George Soros ads. Last night on MSNBC's The Reid Out, she stated she doesn't know nor ever met George Soros.

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Suspended her!

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Now, that would get his attention.

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So sorry for all of the losses on Maui. It's just terrible. I hope you stay safe.

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So sorry for your lose, we were just in Maui two months ago, we are birders and got to see some or the most beautiful birds and plants and such lovely welcoming people. Everyone I talked with though was concerned about how little rain there had been and it sounds like it had continued to be true. We saw one small fire along the road quickly extinguished by people stopping and getting out of their cars and beating it out. So terrifying to be in a fire. Such a devastating loss of life, community and history

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Had the pleasure of visiting Lahaina, a beautiful piece of our planet. I am in sympathy for your loss!

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BIg positive afterglow: NOHIO in August🌞 Buckeye election win.

On the disturbing side, per ProPublica Update, Justice Thomas accepted VIP sports Tickets to Elite Events, special 🚁 Helicopter Transport & other gratuities.

Honorable Positive Mention: Judge holding Twitter in CONTEMPT for the last 3 days in January 2023.

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clearance is a COMPLETE criminal nincompoop! Can't stand the guy!!

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The orange sadist's demand for his own personal SCIF at his own personal resort LITERALLY makes me want to throw up. And the $350 K fine the muskrat has to pay is the equivalent of around $35.00 for most of us. Yes -- LOTS and LOTS of outrage coming from Charleston, SC! (I had to look up CYA -- not getting any younger!)

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And...who's going to pay for this personal SCIF?? Would it be the alleged millionaire, or the tax payers? And, if it's taxpayers that are going to pay for it, I think we should have a vote. And, while we're at it, I'd like a BMW and a small piece of land to park my RV on. I think someone ELSE should buy me that, also! Damn, but he's infurating!! (but, I do actually want the land, so if anyone is selling an RV lot near NC, please let me know.)

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hahahahahahahahahaha Love it. If only we were a Justice we would have lots of things given to us for our votes. Darn it, should have gone to Law School.

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I just saw the news and latest grift by clearance and ginny-doll.

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Excellent point. Our taxes for Trump’s private SCIF?

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Of COURSE it will be us!! It'll give him a chance to cheat and copy the documents, while nobody's looking. I've gotten to where I won't put ANYTHING past this extraordinarily narcissistic criminal. (I would like a small house in France, preferably in Bretagne. Do you think it's OK to ask Santa to buy something for me from a foreign country?)

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I say you should go ahead and ask Santa about your small house in France. What can it hurt??

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You think so?! OK!! Will do! Thanks so much for your encouragement!

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I wish you luck with this. You never know who else is listening when you ask...so, I expect you'll get it, one way or the other. Send photos from France, ok? (I've never been)

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You mean someone else other than Santa? The more the merrier! I don't have any photos accessible (this was in the pre-cell phone days), but it you google Douarnenez + Bretagne, France I expect you'll find this charming town. <3

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We’ve been looking at Porto,,Portugal but my first second language is French and I have lived in France twice before. Once in La Rochelle, and again in Paris. I’d like to be nearer to the coast. I’ve also looked at Avignon. I also thought of Sardinia .

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I think that France would be easier for you, given that you speak French well. However you could probably do some intensive study of Portuguese (at government expense, of course) and could then comfortably move to Porto. Just going to mention that Douranenez in Bretagne is right on the western coast of France. In fact I think it may be the farthest west place in all of Europe. It's a charming town -- so many wonderful markets, lovely people. Let me know what you decide.

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It does look charming. Very like Honfleur or Callais but not quite so touristy, I’m gathering. We’ll plan a scouting trip. Deep in the throes of finishing a biography of a young lawyer close Emerson who left a series of Civil War letters I’ve been editing for quite some time. Should be wrapped up by next spring. I will let you know. I think finding an agent who can help us through the process will be important, if you have any ideas.

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I will look, thank you. Depends on real estate prices. We want something super simple, a small 2 BR cottage or apartment. Books and fresh food. And good wine.

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(Any responses yet? Good luck!)

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I can’t believe people are even talking about this as a possibility. It’s absurd😂

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$35.00? For Musk I'd bet it's more like 35 cents.

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That's actually what I wrote at first!

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I knew about CYA but was wondering how many others did ... and you know, I think seriously that Mean Mr. Muskrat is actually an alien. Yes I mean from outer space. UFO, the whole shebang.

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When he hosted SNL Musk said he has Asberger's. I do not doubt this, and I do think he deserves the benefit of the doubt on some if his weirder actions. He has done some good things like making Starlink available for Ukraine.

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Marian, I hadn't thought about that, but it's certainly a possibility. I wonder how that can be verified.

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Aug 10, 2023Liked by Joyce Vance

Sadly, there were a lot of other stories that could have made you list. It’s hard to keep up. But we do, thanks to you. Thanks Joyce! How are the chickens?

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I keep meaning to write about the chickens, but there is so much happening every day!

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Everyone of these deserves my outrage but those involved in trying to overturn our election by foul and illegal means take the cake! But what else triggers my outrage is the members of Congress who will do nothing to protect our children by enacting sensible gun control measures. I have great grandchildren who are afraid to go to school and that should be a time learning and growth and not have to have shooter drills. I am appalled by these people.

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I agree PP, and what else triggers my outrage is the members of Congress ,(not just the MAGA T party and Repub election deniers) but all who remain silent about the wrongs being done to our Constitution and the outrageous verbal attacks on Jack Smith, Alvin Bragg, etal by tRump and his "base".

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PP SO TRUE!!! The complete absence of gun laws in this nation. It's SICK SICK SICK!!! (My niece teaches a 7th grade English class in KY. She says that climate change is a far distant 2nd place concern for her children, because fear of being killed while at school is WAY at the top of the list. Can you imagine what it must be like to be in school these days?!)

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My outrage kicked into high gear today with the news that Trump has attacked Fani Willis in an ad campaign filled with more of his outrageous lies.

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Dani Willis is the real star in all this. She is driven to do right for the people❤️

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I especially like the memo she sent to her staff.

"Your instruction from me is to ignore all the noise and keep doing your job with excellence."

I have not personally heard what he said. Just that he said some VERY unkind words. However, Ms. Willis, I assume, will have to create a protective order after indictment. At that time she and court can agree on the extent that TFG will have to STFU!!

Read her entire response here:

https://www.ajc.com/politics/derogatory-and-false-fulton-da-denies-rumors-circulated-by-trump/YSB6RC7KXZG25COURJFHDA5SGM/

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I especially like it that so much of tfg’s future will be decided by strong women and/or poc; can Jack Smith be considered a national treasure?!

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Thank you so much for that link...such a calming presence and a masterful response; “ignore the noise”, indeed!

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I hope he is confined without a cell phone today

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But his evil followers would still make horrible commercials, as they are now doing. Still probably not as bad.

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A protective order sounds like the right move. She should do something. We must stop just sitting back. Let us all seek the guidance of The Almighty.

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Trump is putting out an ad that DA Fani Willis had a relationship with a gang member, which she stated is untrue.

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