Today is Monday, October 13, 2025, Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Of course, the purists out there prefer to cling to its old name, Columbus Day. And here, the day was marked by intermittent rain, bringing to three the number of days it has rained here. However, few away in the Middle East, the dumbskulled president heralded a new beginning for the war-torn region in remarks delivered to Israel’s Knesset, its parliament. In an online article for NBC Politics entitled “Celebrating a hard-won ceasefire, Trump pushes for ‘lasting harmony’ in the Middle East,” and it’s written by Peter Nicholas.

As all of the 20 living hostages rejoined their families in Israel, Dump spoke to the nation’s parliament in Jerusalem and marked a momentous breakthrough in a war that began just over two years ago.

The U.S. president stated that “the long and painful nightmare is finally over.” But is it?

Being overjubilant , Dump rejoiced, “This is not only the end of a war. This is the end of an age of terror and death and the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God.” (Little does he know of the Divine One!)

Already, an accusation of bad faith came immediately when family members said Monday that Hamas had released the remains of only four of 28 deceased hostages, breaking what they felt was a commitment to release all of the remains. These families called for an “immediate suspension” of the ceasefire agreement until all of the bodies are returned.

When hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on television yesterday, he clearly indicated “The campaign is not over,” thus breaking Dump’s jubilant bubble of peace right away. He also indicated that “some of our enemies are trying to recover in order to attack us again.” Does this sound as if the matter has been completely resolved in favor of peace? I would dare say no here.

Of course, when the delusional president was confronted with Netanyahu’s comments on Air Force One, Dump repeated to reporters: “The war is over. The war is over. The war is over, OK? You understand that?” As if repeating this mantra three times makes it so!

When addressing the Knesset, Chump chastised Netanyahu, saying, “Now, you can be a little nicer, Bibi, because you’re not at war anymore, Bibi,” using Netanyahu’s nickname.

After finishing his speech (which I refused to watch), Dump flew to Egypt to take part in a peace conference with the leaders of 20 nations, posing for pictures in front of a sign proclaiming, “Peace in the Middle East.”

Notably absent from the signing ceremony were the two factions who had been at war: Hamas and Israel. Netanyahu was indeed invited to the ceremony in Sharm el-Sheikh, but he declined to attend because of observing the holiday of Simchat Torah. And there was no representative from Hamas there either. Thus the day lacked what often turns out to be an iconic picture at such Middle East peace observances: the U.S. president and the combatants linking arms.

As for maintaining that peace long term, the Dump administration has less of a specific plan for achieving that. In the 20-point plan that was released last month, the administration’s 19th point lays out certain conditions that include reconstruction of Gaza and political reform that must be met first and then, once that happens, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” The authors set no hard deadlines or timetables for deciding the Palestinians’ fate.

I now learned that Dump inevitably went on for far too long: a full hour. During this longwinded speech, Dump went so far as to beseech the Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon his other Trumpian Little Me, Benjamin Netanyahu, which is definitely an abnormal thing to say during such an address proclaiming the end of hostilities between two hostile foes.

Foreign policy analysts now say that this “leader” needs to stay involved in the situation even if the fighting has temporarily stopped and the hostages have been returned to make progress on his vision of a transformed Middle East.

If he doesn’t, then things can easily fall apart. Aaron David Miller, a former State Department Middle East analyst and negotiator in Republican and Democratic administrations, says, “You have to wonder whether he stays with this. That will depend primarily on whether there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow: the elusive Nobel, which he believes he deserves.” So, as former President Ronald Reagan famously said during that presidential debate with Jimmy Carter, “There you go again!” Could this jockeying for peace be just another ploy in order to snag the Nobel Peace Prize in 2026, given if he’s still around by then?

I will probably be absent here tomorrow since Elliot and I are meeting our two adopted “nieces,” “Esther” and “Rebecca,” for dinner in Astoria at 7. We haven’t seen them in a while and we might just stay late catching up with current developments in all of our lives.

So have a good Tuesday. Let’s hope it won’t be marred by more rain, even though it seems it has been forecasted again.

And so it went!

Today is Sunday, October 12, 2025. A good piece of news finally, given the horrible news coming out of Washington these days, and that is the remaining 20 hostages still held by Hamas are expected to be released tomorrow, as this buffoon of a president is preparing to fly to Tel Aviv on Monday to address the Knesset, Israeli’s parliament, before traveling to Sharm El Sheikh for what is described as a “Middle East Peace Ceremony.” This breaking news is covered in USA Today in an article by Kathryn Palmer and Bart Jansen entitled “President Trump heads to Israel ahead of hostage, prisoner release: Live updates.”

I didn’t report this news yet because I was skeptical of a reported ceasefire being negotiated between the United States and Israel over the conflict in Hamas which has passed more than two years.

Fighting actually paused in Gaza for a third day on Sunday in advance of the expected release of the 20 Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of the president’s 20-point peace proposal intended to end the more than two-year-long Israel-Hamas war.

Dump called the trip a “special event” because Muslims and Arabs were joining in the celebration of the ceasefire, along with Israel. Speaking like an overjoyed child, Dump said, “Everybody is cheering at one time. That’s never happened before. This is the first time. Everybody is amazed and they’re thrilled.”

The United States, along with Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, mediated the agreement between Israel and Hamas, following Dump’s September 29 unveiling of a peace proposal alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is generally disliked by most Israelis.

Interrogated by reporters about how this agreement fit into his legacy, Drumpf went on about his being able to solve wars and at making peace. Again, a very blatant pitch for a Nobel Peace Prize, even though it was awarded to a true democracy fighter, Maria Corina Machado, an opposition leader in Venezuela.

Before we throw laurel wreaths at Dump’s head, we will have to see if this peace deal holds and that there are no more skirmishes between these two enemies. I can’t wait to see if his speech at the Knesset will bear the quintessential Dump touch: long, incoherent, and nonsensical.

Today, as forecasted, was a sopping wet day. I was going to see a film, Roofman starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Durst, but became too entangled in discussing other times to see it with my friend “Seth” that the time came and went. I was going to see it at the Kew Gardens Cinema at 1:15. At that time, it hadn’t begun to rain.

Instead of going to the movies, I went to La Boulangerie after Elliot prepared scrambled eggs in the morning. There I met a nice couple who engaged me in rather a long conversation. They started talking to me after I suggested to the staff that there was a quintet of people sitting at the communal table who were not drinking or eating. The interior of the eatery was filled to the brim, and there was no reason to sit outside since the weather was so inclement. So I decided to complain about this group of people just sitting at the table who looked like they were finished with their repasts.

Therefore, the young man in back of me who introduced himself as “Joshua” complimented me on raising my voice in protest in the patisserie. Now that the five people finally walked out, it opened up several spaces for us, so I sat down next to this couple who claimed they drove to Forest Hills from Cypress Hills, Brooklyn.

Our conversation centered on quite a number of topics like the lack of reading among young people, the degree of surveillance in our lives, and the joy of traveling, as I mentioned that I enjoy doing this. Joshua mentioned having traveled to Italy and how he loved it.

My head was spinning when he offered me the highest compliment: he said I looked 45, which made me giggle and giggle. I did not say what birthday I was celebrating next month because it might have shocked them. It could just be their age that explains it; they couldn’t have been more than in their late 20s or early 30s. And we know that people in this age cohort have no conception of true age. I should have recommended that they see The Substance then. Then we can talk about age.

For most of the afternoon, I rediscovered my stereo system since I played the Petula Clark album on it yesterday. Sadly, the album could not be played. At first, I thought my machine or the stylus was defective, but I put on other albums, and they played with no issue. I eventually threw out this $2.99 used album. But I played many of my old records for the first time in a long time, and I enjoyed it quite nicely.

Tomorrow is forecasted to be a mirror image of today. Let’s see if I stay inside again because of the pelting rain.

Let’s cross our fingers that tomorrow’s hostage exchange proceeds without any problems. It’s about time that this terrible conflict finally ends.

Then we can move on to Ukraine and Russia.

Have a good week.

And so it went!

Today is Monday, October 6, 2025, one day before the horrific anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel by the terrorist group Hamas. Is there even a peace deal being negotiated by the stupid president and far smarter but just as Trumpian Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu? There’s a flurry of CNN updates on the ongoing talks between Israel and Palestinian negotiators as the two-year anniversary nears. Here’s a summary of just a few of them.

One of those updates is entitled “Israeli and Hamas delegations in Egypt for ceasefire and hostage talks,” and it’s by Laura Sharman, Deva Lee, Luke Jacobs, Sana Noor Haq. This piece comments on the indirect talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators that began Monday evening in Egypt over finalizing a deal based on president Donald Chump’s ceasefire plan. An official with knowledge of the negotiations told CNN that the talks are expected to last “a few days,” so don’t expect a resolution to be announced tomorrow, it seems.

Dump said he expects the negotiations to take place”a couple of days” and urged those negotiators to “MOVE FAST [sic].” He earlier told CNN Hamas faces “obliteration” if it refuse to cede power to Gaza. Oh, there he goes again – acting like the strongman he ain’t.

On Friday, Dump told Israel to stop bombing the enclave, but more than 100 people have been killed since he warned Israel to stop. Palestinians spoke to CNN about devastation on the ground and their tempered optimism for a truce.

Talks between Hamas and mediators will continue in Sharm El-Sheikh tomorrow “amid a positive atmosphere,” Egypt’s state-affiliated Al Qahera News reported.

Also, on the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for the release of the hostages, more aid for Gaza, and progress towards a lasting peace.

Talking about the October 7 massacre, which Elliot and I saw firsthand when we visited Elliot’s relatives in Tel Aviv this past September, Starmer said, “Time does not diminish the evil we saw that day.” He added, “The brutal, cold blooded torture and murder of Jews in their own homes. And the taking of hostages, including British citizens, some of whom remain in Gaza today.”

In a related story, families of Israeli hostages gathered outside the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, holding a prayer service on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. This year, Sukkot coincides with the second anniversary of the October 7 massacre. Hostage families said the day marked “another Jewish holiday without their loved ones.”

One of those taking part in the prayer vigil is Einav Zangauker, the mother of 25-year-old hostage Matan Zangauker, who said a prayer for the hostages, asking God to “break their chains, deliver them from their distress, and return them swiftly to the embrace of their families.” If only her prayer were promptly answered. It’s been too long already. Bring the hostages home!

In the meantime, the shitwipe president’s efforts to send National Guard troops to an American city, this time, Portland, Oregon, have been thwarted by a Dump-appointed judge in Oregon who has temporarily blocked the deployment of National Guard members from anywhere in the United States to the city. This won’t sit well with this fascistic regime, I’m sure of that.

This late-breaking news is contained in another CNN article entitled “A federal judge blocked Trump from sending the National Guard to Oregon – again. Here’s what we know,” and it’s by Kelly McCleary, Josh Campbell, Danya Gainor, and Hanna Park.

The delusional president has falsely claimed that the Guard was necessary to quell protests at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Dump’s version of the Gestapo – facility – a claim strongly disputed by local and state officials.

The hastily scheduled hearing on Sunday came after officials in both Oregon and California objected in court to Chump reassigning federalized guard troops in Los Angeles to Portland in an apparent effort to get around the judge’s Saturday order.

Both states said in a motion asking for the expanded order, “There is no rebellion in Portland.”

The name of the judge who stood against Dump and his fascistic regime is Judge Karin Immergut who pressed and occasionally interrupted the Justice Department’s lawyer, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Eric Hamilton, during Sunday’s hearing, which lasted less than 30 minutes, and who expressed frustration over what she characterized as an apparent effort to sidestep her Saturday order.

In granting the second temporary restraining order Sunday, Immergut correctly blocked the Dump administration “from deploying federalized members of the National Guard in Oregon.”

The temporary restraining order is in effect until October 19, and a hearing will be scheduled for October 17 to decide whether it should be extended for another two weeks.

However, there have been protests outside of the South Portland ICE facility that have continued through Sunday night. Two people were arrested by the Portland Police Bureau overnight, the department said, bringing its total arrest count outside the building to 36 since nightly protests began in June. Again, this figure is not as enormous as Dictator Don’s administration would have you believe. To them, the entire city is burning.

Showing true grit and defiance, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said in a statement Sunday night, “The President can expect Oregon to stand up to him at every turn.”

Longtime foe to Dictator Don, California Governor Gavin Newsom, said, “We just won in court – again.” He posted this on X referencing the Sunday ruling. “Trump’s abuse of power won’t stand.”

Before Sunday’s ruling, Newsom vowed to sue over the deployment of California troops in Portland. “This isn’t about public safety, it’s about power. The commander-in-chief is using the U.S. military as a political weapon against American citizens,” Newsom thundered.

I won’t repeat what White House Deputy Chief of Staff “Nazi” Stephen Miller said about the ruling. It’s totally disgusting and warps the truth altogether.

With this ruling, I wonder what blue state is next on this asswipe’s agenda: New York, possibly. Boy, will that not go down well here if Dump even tries to do the same thing as he’s done in California and Portland.

Also, the cowardly Clark Kent of the House, MAGA Johnson, still refuses to swear in newly elected Representative Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) because she has pledged to sign a petition the first day she’s sworn in to fucking release the Epstein files with Dump’s name emblazoned all throughout it. He is another asswipe who needs to go!

What a fucking clown show of a government, wouldn’t you say?

Tomorrow I will be taking a break from writing my blog since I’ll be attending my gay men’s reading discussion to expound on Saleem Haddad’s Guapa. I’ll be attending the meeting with my friend “Harvey” and I don’t know when I’ll be home.

Our television set was NOT brought back from the TV hospital as promised. Our technician texted me saying he forgot to bring the power adapter with him today. Thus he will come tomorrow when I’m not here, at 5:15. I surely hope so! This is so freaking long to wait for a set; we could have bought another one in less time.

Have a great Tuesday. The warm weather lingers for at least one more day.

And so it went!

Today is Wednesday, January 15, 2025. The President of the United States, Joe Robinette Biden, just delivered his farewell address to the American people and in just about 16 minutes or so, he delivered a stark warning of an oligarchy shaping up here in America that is opposed to the principles of a free democracy. Here he takes a swipe at the incoming administration which is already beholden to a group of ultra- wealthy fucking individuals like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and others who seem to be running the country even before Donald J. Chump takes office on Monday, January 20. He says this oligarchy is a threat to democracy and he compared this ultra-wealthy class to the robber barons of yore who ran roughshod over America when they lived and thrived before antitrust laws were finally passed and enforced against them. Biden sees this new class of Uber rich as damaging to this country and he is fundamentally correct. God help us when this clown takes his irrelevant oath of office directly on MLK Day next Monday and announces his pledge to be beholden to these tech giants, not to the American people. Biden announced that Americans must protect themselves from this domestic enemy. The President also decried the spread of misinformation and disinformation inherent in our social media platforms and it’s incumbent upon us to be aware of it. He feels that average Americans themselves will have to change the outcome of this bad direction before we lose the country to this undemocratic cabal. This was not the message Americans were probably expecting from the outgoing president, but he delivered it anyway. Biden said that social media has given up on fact checking, a blunt reference to Zuckerberg’s Facebook, or Meta, platform that just announced this new policy very recently.

The address of the outgoing president seemed like two speeches, with the opening remarks reflecting his administration’s many accomplishments during his one term in office, and the second as a warning against threats of unchecked power and the “tech industrial complex,” which is a nod to outgoing president Dwight D. Eisenhower who railed against the “military-industrial complex” in his farewell speech delivered on January 17, 1961. Here Eisenhower warned the nation to guard against the potential influence of this entity, a term that he is credited with coining.

At the end, Biden implored average Americans to carry forward his hopeful vision of the country. He concluded, saying, “Now it’s your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it too. God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you for this great honor.”

Today was a great day for the outgoing president as he announced a second ceasefire in Gaza earlier today. In this deal, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal that will pause fighting in the region and lead to the phased release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, Qatar’s prime minister has confirmed.

Implementation of the ceasefire will start this Sunday, where Hamas is expected to release 33 hostages during the first phase of an emerging accord. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are set to be released from Israeli jails at the same time.

However, the Israeli cabinet still needs to approve the agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he won’t officially comment on the deal until all details are final.

The release of the hostages would constitute the first phase of the deal being finalized. Negotiations to reach the second phase – which is intended to end the war – would begin on the 16th day of the implementation of the deal. President Biden said talks will go beyond the temporary ceasefire to a Phase 2 of the deal that will include “a permanent end of the war,” as he officially announced the deal.

Another Dump appointee for a cabinet-level position was grilled in the House today; her name is Pam Bondi and she is applying for the attorney general nomination. To me, she is another Dump bootlicker and is definitely unqualified for the position. She supposedly insisted that she would not allow politics to infect her Justice Department, but she consistently accused President Joe Biden’s DOJ of being responsible for politicizing law enforcement against the Golden Idol. This already shows her undying fealty to the bastard and that she cannot be unpartisan in the job.

Again, the word that we must all memorize during Dump’s second term is “kakistocracy.” This is a government by the worst people and the individuals being touted for crucial cabinet-level positions by the incoming president are emblematic of the word to a T. Actually, the word for my 365-day calendar this day, January 15, was actually kakistocracy. It must have known about the upcoming inauguration of a jerk by the name of Donald J. Drumpf and prepared us for that miserable day by listing this word today. So please memorize the word for the next four years as we are governed by Dump’s goons and inept circus of clowns.

And so it went!