Shadows Disappear When Times Are Darkest

I don’t need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod;  my shadow does that much better.
—     Plutarch
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On This Day In:
2023	Between Us And Darkness
2022	Or Simple Truths You Don’t Want To Believe
2021	I Never Could Keep A Secret
	A Half A Mile Or So (Sail On)
2020	Facing The Truth
2019	How Much Is Your Education Worth?
	Is America Ready: Mayor Pete – 2020!!
2018	Disruptive Definition
2017	A History Of Small Insights
2016	Be Uncommon
2015	Ooops!
2014	What Price Freedom?
2013	Remembering Val
2012	Good-bye, Val
	Survival Value
2011	Traitors In Our Midst
	Life Ain’t Easy

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A One Day Early Good-Bye To 2023

What is life?  It is the flash of a firefly in the night.  It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime.  It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.
—     Blackfoot Proverb
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On This Day In:
2022	No Implication Of Reasonableness
2021	Let Yourself Soar In 2022
	Where You’re Concerned (It’s So Easy)
2020	The Most Dynamic Link
	Looking Forward To 2021 (Like A Rock)
2019	A Proud Assertion
2018	Ask #45 About Anything
2017	Playing Makes Sense
2016	And Fathers, Sons
2015	My Suspect Confidence
2014	Disguised Blessings
2013	Be
2012	The Only Way to Win
2011	Honest Writing

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And In Between…

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced.  Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.
—     Cherokee Proverb
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On This Day In:
2022	To / Two Christmas…
2021	Everything Good In You
	Within Your Heart (It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas)
2020	Keeping Christmas
	What Will You Give? (Little Drummer Boy)
2019	Looking Forward To Tomorrow (2019 Version)
2018	Not One Cent!
	Looking Forward to Tomorrow
2017	Make Glad The Heart Of Childhood
2016	Sincerest Flattery
	The President-elect: Making Spirits Bright
2015	What Are You Looking At?
2014	Ite, Missa Est
2013	I Hear Voices
2012	Positive Thoughts
	Hope Works
2011	Look! Up In The Sky…
	Humility Before The Unknowable

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Time Passings

Old age lives minutes slowly, hours quickly;  childhood chews hours and swallows minutes.
—     Malcolm de Chazal
You’re not as young as you used to be, but you’re not as old as you’re going to be.
—     Irish Proverb
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On This Day In:
2022	Small Comfort
2021	Get It Done
	Toe Tappin’ And Head Bobbin’ (Walk, Don’t Run)
2020	Saddle Up!
	Practicing To Be Clever (Something Stupid)
	Anybody Want A Bagel?
2019	Welcome Home (Your Song)
	The Whole Community
2018	The Cells Are Right
	Day 19: Broth
2017	Be Responsible
2016	Thinking About November 8th, 2016
2015	Lonely Teardrops
2014	Pleasurable Law
2013	Room For Justice
	In The Minds Of Others
2012	Extinction, n.
2011	Snap!

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Toll Roads

Hell is not so bad as the road that leads to it.
—     Yiddish Proverb
The road to hell is always in good repair because its users pay so dearly for its upkeep.
—     Anonymous
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On This Day In:
2023	Toll Roads
2022	I’m Just Sad (1,000,000 In U.S. Dead From COVID)
2021	I’ve Still Not Found #45’s One Thing
	Chewin’ On A Piece Of Grass (Ventura Highway)
2020	Listening To A #IncompetentDonald COVID-19 Press Briefing
2019	I Am Doubtful
	Future Justice Looks Corporate
2018	True Measures
2017	Hoping For Tapes
	In It Now
2016	On Viewing This Mudball
2015	It Takes A Village
2014	In God’s Eyes
2013	We Root For Ourselves
2012	Like A Shark
2011	Discernible Virtue

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Between Us And Darkness

Hatred corrodes the container it’s contained in.
—     Proverb
I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.
—     Mahatma Gandhi
Education on the value of free speech and the other freedoms reserved by the Bill of Rights, about what happens when you don’t have them, and about how to exercise and protect them, should be an essential prerequisite for being an American citizen — or indeed a citizen of any nation, the more so to the degree that such rights remain unprotected.  If we can’t think for ourselves, if we’re unwilling to question authority, then we’re just putty in the hands of those in power.  But if the citizens are educated and form their own opinions, then those in power work for us.  In every country, we should be teaching our children the scientific method and the reasons for a Bill of Rights.  With it comes a certain decency, humility and community spirit.  In the demon-haunted world that we inhabit by virtue of being human, this may be all that stands between us and the enveloping darkness.
—    Carl Sagan
Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.
—     Ralph Waldo Emerson
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On This Day In:
2023	Between Us And Darkness
2022	Or Simple Truths You Don’t Want To Believe
2021	I Never Could Keep A Secret
	A Half A Mile Or So (Sail On)
2020	Facing The Truth
2019	How Much Is Your Education Worth?
	Is America Ready: Mayor Pete – 2020!!
2018	Disruptive Definition
2017	A History Of Small Insights
2016	Be Uncommon
2015	Ooops!
2014	What Price Freedom?
2013	Remembering Val
2012	Good-bye, Val
	Survival Value
2011	Traitors In Our Midst
	Life Ain’t Easy

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Eight Best Things

All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me….  You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.
—     Walt Disney
Fall seven times, stand up eight.
—     Japanese proverb
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On This Day In:
2023	Eight Best Things
2022	A Little Epiphany
2021	Clear Global Standards
	A Girl Like You (Sauvecito)
2020	Life’s Mysteries
2019	I Doubt I Ever Will
2018	Who Will Thank (If Not Remember) Me
2017	Reinforced Learning
2016	I Choose To Believe
2015	What They Don’t Teach You At School
2014	Still Trying To Die (5)
2013	Honest Doubt
2012	Choice
2011	Ownership Of Thought

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Particularly Peaceful Neighbors

Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come.
—     Chinese Proverb
[Hopefully, this is what China advised Putin before he invaded Ukraine.  If they did, he should have listened to their advice.  (And, no, I don’t really think they said this to him.)    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2023	No Trick At All
2022	Particularly Peaceful Neighbors
2021	Thoughts
	It’s A Rich Man’s World (Money, Money, Money)
2020	Pax Et Justitia
2019	And Unlawful Orders From A President
2018	Instinct For Presence
2017	Hard Enough
2016	Jumps
2015	One View Of Failure
2014	We Speak For Earth
2013	Inward Urgency
2012	Delayed Reviews
	Fulfilling My Duty
2011	Interference

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Somebody Should Have Warned Putin About Ukraine

He who licks knives will soon cut his tongue.
—     Ukrainian proverb
We don’t even know how strong we are until we are forced to bring that hidden strength forward.
—     Isabel Allende
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On This Day In:
2023	Even If I’ve Gone
2022	Somebody Should Have Warned Putin About Ukraine
2021	No Plan And Less Sand
	It Might Sound Strange (I Wish It Would Rain)
2020	Why #45 Is In The Dark
	180 Day Health / Weight Update (Mar 2020)
2019	Tonight I Am All Blacks
	In All Its Messy Complexity
2018	Danger = Opportunity
2017	True And Great
	Sand At The Beach
2016	There Is A Difference Between Dangerous And Frightening
2015	Always A Goal
2014	Standing Strong
2013	Shaken And Stirred
	The Bird With The Broken Wing
2012	Friends In High Places
2011	Objective Independence

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Like Smiles, Flowers And Rainbows

It isn’t much good having anything exciting, if you can’t share it with somebody.
—    Winnie the Pooh
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On This Day In:
2023	Your Children Are Watching You
2022	Like Smiles, Flowers And Rainbows
2021	On Your Marks, Get Set…
	Absolutely Nothing (War)
	Roses And Chores
2020	Which Is Which
2019	Were You Saying Something?
2018	Ethics Lesson
2017	May I Have Some More, Please?
2016	A Little Lost
2015	This High Place
2014	Elected Madness
2013	Well Written
2012	Related Parts
2011	The King Is Oscar
	Better Reputation?

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Outside Yet?

He who is outside his door already has a hard part of his journey behind him.
—     Dutch proverb
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On This Day In:
2022	One Of The Problems (Anyway)
2021	Outside Yet?
	Have You Ever Won? (Rhiannon)
2020	Choice
	More Rain Forecast (I Love A Rainy Night)
2019	He Claims It’s Fake News And Spies
2018	Mine, Too
2017	Who’s Turn Is It Now?
2016	Before You Vote In November…
2015	Two Faithful Thoughts
2014	Love Light
	Orange October (III) – Giants Advance To National League Championship Series (NLCS)
2013	Nothing Ridiculous
2012	Keeping Faith
2011	Summon Us, Don’t Criticize Us
2010	Obama’s Wars – Book Review
	Game Two – Hearbreaking Loss

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The Real World Effect Of Fox News’ Lies

Wood that grows warped can never be straightened.
—    Greek Proverb
[I predict when the history of this period is better understood, the poisoning of American conservatism will be laid at the hands of Faux News (specifically:  Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes) and (former Speaker of the House) Newt Gingrich.  The years of constant lies (Gingrich) and the promotion of these lies (Murdoch and Ailes) are what have led this country to our current state of affairs where a majority of “red” states believe they should secede from the Union and a majority of “blue” states seem willing to let them.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	One Great Secret
2021	The Real World Effect Of Fox News’ Lies
	Anymore (It Doesn’t Matter Anymore)
2020	#45: White House Turnover
	R.I.P.: Eddie Van Halen (Dance The Night Away)
	Gee Whiz (All I Have To Do Is Dream)
2019	Two Peace
2018	The Sensation Of Human Intimacy
2017	One Night In A Thousand Years
2016	A Considerable Amount Of Work
2015	Panzer Soldier
2014	Babies (I)
2013	Patriotic == Tell The Truth
2012	30 Days To Go
2011	Altering The Course

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Or The Person You Love

Happiness is to hold flowers in both hands.
—    Japanese Proverb
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On This Day In:
2022	And Counting…
2021	Or The Person You Love
	Still Beating For You (Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat)
2020	The Chain Must Be Broken
	Back To Me… (Truly Madly Deeply)
2019	Love Like This… (Something Just Like This)
2018	Open Hearts Find Strength
	Day 32: Planning The Future
2017	Thinking Out Loud (Thinking Out Loud)
2016	Fighting Change
2015	Get Change
2014	Trapped (Again)
2013	Someone Else Believes
2012	The Practical Value of Science
2011	Seize Gladly The Difficult Task
	A Constitutional Conversation
2010	The Fierce Urgency Of Now…

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Life Finds A Way

If you were born lucky, even your rooster will lay eggs.
—    Russian Proverb
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On This Day In:
2022	Sort Of
2021	Life Finds A Way
	In The Palm Of My Hand
2020	I’m Not Worried
2019	Forgiving The Chasm
2018	A Sure Sign Of Age
	Before The Fall – Cheat
2017	Distant Goal
2016	More Lives
2015	Go Shopping More
2014	Say What?
2013	Accepting Beauty
2012	Transitional Choice To Ride The Wave
2011	Freedom Isn’t Always Perfect
	Just That Simple

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Some Doctors Are Better Than Others

Every patient is a doctor after his cure.
—    Irish Proverb
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On This Day In:
2023	And I Always Will
2022	What You Know
2021	Some Doctors Are Better Than Others
	Lessons (Love Don’t Love Nobody)
2020	A Liar As President Corrupts Us
2019	Is It Dark And Quiet For You?
2018	Undeniable Requirement
2017	Orange Corrosion
2016	Both Particle And Wave
2015	Deep In Debt
2014	The Difference
2013	My Heart Is Described
2012	Keen To Be Alone
2011	The Ideal Business…
2010	55

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