Farewell, June Lockhart

Farewell, June Lockhart. Lockhart appeared on three television series Lassie, Lost in Space, and she also portrayed Dr. Janet Craig, after joining the cast of the CBS sitcom Petticoat Junction, after Bea Benederet passed away from lung cancer. She appeared on ABC-TV's General Hospital in the 1980s and 90s. She and five of her Lost in Space colleagues made cameo appearances in the 1998 Lost in Space movie. Her last role was in the 2021 Lost in Space remake (voice only).

She was well-known for portraying intelligent, compassionate, strong, loving women.

June was a two-time Emmy Award nominee and a Tony Award winner. Her career spanned nearly 90 years. Lockhart was one of the last surviving actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood. She debuted on stage at the age of 8. Her film debut was with her parents, Gene Lockhart and Kathleen Lockhart in a filmed version of A Christmas Carol.

She is survived by her daughters Anne, June Elizabeth, and her four grandchildren. June was 100 years old and passed from natural causes.

Where is Congressional oversight?

He LIED! Imagine that?

First, he said his 200 million dollar ballroom would not impact the existing East Wing building. He said it was being funded by donations, not tax dollars. Should we believe any of that? I do not.

Then, this week the demolition began.

Now, we learn the entire East Wing is to be demolished! Now, the cost of the ballroom is expected to be 300 million dollars.

We all know government spending is never what they claim it will be.

Did the Donald approach Congress? Did he consult with the National Trust for Historic Preservation? Did he consult with historians? Did he ever, perhaps most importantly, consult with the American people?

Where is government oversight? Where is transparency?

The question remains--why? The Donald says people have clamored for 150 years that we need an extravagant White House ballroom. Funny, I've not once in my years heard of a movement decrying this. This is nothing short of a dictator wannabe flexing his muscles.

The current East Wing will be gone in a matter of days.

If this does not scream "I do not intend to leave office--not ever," I do not know what is.

I anxiously look forward to the "No Kings 3" rallies.

A Man. Charlie was just a man

I hope I don't take heat for this. I hope this is the last time I have to say anything about this subject. Charlie Kirk was just a man. 

Yes, it was a terrible thing that Kirk was assassinated before a crowd of 3,000 followers. No one deserves to be gunned down as he was. No one deserves to be gunned down. Not ever.

Yesterday, the memorial in Arizona held in his honor, he seemed to have been elevated to messiah. 90,000 people in attendance? 90,000?

And why? He preached hate couched in love. But if this is his brand of love, I don't want to love anymore.

I would venture a guess that most of those in attendance had never heard of a Charlie Kirk before he was shot, and not until the conservative element saw an opportunity to use his passing as a means to wage war on their perceived enemies.

 This is no secret. Kirk will be turned into a martyr to a cause that is best exemplified by 1950s America--an America best buried but not forgotten. How else will we learn from the lessons of our past? The question is, will we?

Charlie preached that gun violence is a necessary evil if it means we continue protecting the Constitution's 2nd amendment. Charlie preached that gays are deserving of being put to death. He preached that retirement is not necessary. Charlie preached that women should be beholden, subservient to their man. He preached a whole lot more. His views were (and are) incendiary.

So I ask, is this the kind of person we want shaping public policy?

I repeat, Charlie Kirk was just a man. ONE man. 

Does our country go insane when a classroom of school children is gunned down? Shoppers at a mall? Worshippers at a Jewish synagogue? Theatergoers? A woman hiding from a crazed ex-husband? A gay bar?

You see, we don't--we don't go crazy over these senseless deaths, and we sure as hell should.

Charlie, Charlie, where have you gone?

I wanted to wait 24 hours before addressing the Charlie Kirk assassination.

First, thoughts and prayers. Yes, that is me being cynical.

Second, I am appalled and saddened by this act of violence. Violence is never the answer to political discourse. Violence is not the answer to anything. Not ever.

Third: I see the conservatives bemoaning a death of one of their own, BUT where was their anguish and outrage when Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark (and their family dog) were gunned down in their home on June 14? President Trump could hardly be bothered to comment on that tragedy.

Trump has ordered flags flown at half mast. Did he do the same for Representative Hortman? Trump announced today he is going to posthumously award Kirk the Congressional Medal of Freedom.

No comment.

Fourth, i despise just about everything Kirk stood for. He was a divisive as many others of his political party, particularly Mr. Agent Orange.

Do I feel sorry for Kirk? A bit, yes. I feel sorry for any victim of gun violence. Who I really feel sorry for are those left behind—Kirk’s wife and his two young children. I feel sympathy for the hundred in his audience who witnessed this act firsthand.

Fifth, we are a torn, wounded, suspicious society. No one trusts the perceived other side. Funny, I thought we were Americans, not bitter enemies.

The gun violence plaguing our nation will not go away, nor will it cease with just thoughts and prayers.

We wuv woo, Tom

 

 

Our good friend Tom passed away earlier this evening after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer six weeks ago. Our thoughts are with Roger, his husband of eight years.

As you might surmise from the photo (my favorite of the two of them), Tom loved to ham it up. He loved to laugh. He loved telling jokes--all too often--VERY corny ones. And we loved to laugh with him. On numerous occasions, Tom and I would get into nonstop giggling that could last five to ten minutes. We'd laugh, we'd stop, we'd take one look at another and start giggling all over again.

Tom and I made a game of tormenting one another with puns, insults made in jest, always ending with a show of loving affection for the other.

Earlier tonight, Stephen and I visited Tom. As we left, we told him we loved him and that he need not linger on for us. I truly believe a person can hear everything said to them, even when in an apparent vegetative state. We told him we would care for Roger in his absence. We think he needed to hear that.

When we left the hospice, we both agreed we might not see Tom again. I told Stephen the next time I saw him I would have to say to him our usual retort... wuv woo.

Tom, we wuv woo.