I said I would bow out of these conversations but I’m moved to acknowledge your Summerland vacation and the gift that it was to your friends who are facing multiple life challenges…big ones. Giving voice to these real life stories is a reminder to appreciate our own good fortune, no matter what that looks like for each of us. So…thank you…and I truly wish them well going forward.
"facing multiple life challenges…big ones"? Like "do I pay the rent or buy food for my children"? Like "I'm an American citizen, but I'm not white, so will I be detained and deported?" No, I didn't think so! Sounds more like the entitled saying "Let them eat cake!"
There is NO comparison. What is happening to so many people who are NOT criminals is UNFORGIVEABLE, REVOLTING and simply CRUEL. There can still be acknowledgement when others…yes, more entitled..go though an unexpected loss…and acknowledgement of community when it shows up. Frankly, I’d like to see more outrage about what is happening to those you describe above. It’s horrifying..I agree.
AMEN to that, Elaine. The loss of a home, no matter how small or how large, is a traumatic experience. Those mentioned here, however, evidently avoided standing in line at a soup kitchen, or sleeping with their children in a homeless shelter without any means of transportation as a consequence...just saying.
Beautiful, Bonnie. This week I realized what a strange - but hopeful - time of extremes we are living in. First, the hopeful: we are living in a new era that transcends the failures of feminism. I can think of three people who, for me embody what I call Real Women Who Can't be Cancelled. I put 27 year old actress Sydney Sweeney in this camp. She should get the Nobel Prize for demolishing Critical Race Theory. Then there's Karen Jones, who's taken what would have destroyed many people - her arrest for being at J6 - and become a stand-up comedy star in Austin. Joe Rogan and Tony (“Kill Tony”) Hinchcliffe are fans. And lucky Santa Barbara - she's back here after the disgraceful way The Dems and The Independent treated her, doing a show at the Timbers on August 23rd at noon. The information on the event is above these comments. Watch how she blows the minds of the all male table at Kill Tony https://youtube.com/shorts/ZWg3VLeqtso?si=YsfGCPeue7NSszJM . And then there's you, Bonnie, and they'll never be able to cancel you, much as they might like to. What a trio of great ladies!
As for Bonnie's reporting on our Santa Barbara government. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn put it better than I can:
One of my favorite authors and quotes! Thanks. Solzhenitsyn encapsulated the modern Democrat party and their sycophantic cult followers perfectly.
Fortunately, last November was the beginning of the end of their reign of terror. Ive waited for this time since my parents back in the 1970's, Soviet refugees, described what was to come and how it ends. How it always ends...
As the character, Maximus, said in the movie "Gladiator" :
"The time for honoring yourself, will soon be at an end."
A travel story: A number of years ago I was able to visit Russia's haunting White Sea and Solovetsky Island - the alleged home of the Gulag Archipelago. Today a lovely forested area with a few old wooden Russian houses, flower beds and a monastery, including a a row of arcaded trees allegedly planted by the prisoners along the entry drive. More cultivation work around this property uncovered numerous buried bones, now duly memorialized with proper Russian Orthodox crosses. Have not read the book, but the grounds today still include a very long wooded stair case which apparently played a tragic role in the re-telling of the events that took place here..
Hey Bonnie, great piece and I appreciate your efforts to share a little piece of human interaction and kindness. It must come as a surprise to find that all it takes is a story of challenges in life to open the floodgates of crazies coming out of the woodwork in order to lay their white guilt trip on the rest of us. Ya, it must be a real downer to be brown or black and being stuck in our beautiful community? Sure, part of the lefty personality disorder is to lay guilt, shame and embarrassment on anyone who can rise above life’s inevitable unfairness and seek out the goodness in others.
This is actually a very tiresome government employee union bargaining refrain they have been using for decades, but this time with new words..... "you care more about buildings than you do people." When they endeavor devour more and more of the tax dollars for themselves.
There is no new found "compassion" calling it "human infrastructure" now because it is the exact same ploy for more cash in their own hands for their own slush fund. Sorry to inject the bitter, into the sweet. But they never rests, they never stop trying to guilt elected officials into handing them more of our cash. Guard against their word games.
Human infrastructure pleas = "you care more about buildings than you do people." Guilt tripping for dollars. The answer of course is: No, we care about both and so should you.
So Sneddon likes to brag about stolen land. So do all of these hypocrites. The next time you hear one of these hypocrites do their “stolen land” acknowledgement schtick; tell them to stop bragging about what their ancestors did for them!
When they try to defend their hypocrisy by claiming they are just respectfully acknowledging the land they are using; ask them if they intend to give it back?
We are reminded of course, Ms Kristen Sneddon is pulling down nearly a quarter million dollars of tax payer cash every year through her dual public employment -non-full time, all the time in government service. According to Transparent California.
Stop stealing our cash, Ms Sneddon. Donate one of your compensation packages to your personal sense of guilt-tripping "causes", and follow the example of our current President Trump.
Just think what a noble gesture it would have been if the five yes-vote city council persons donated their own annual compensation to fund this pro-illegal immigration handout; instead of passively handing over our "taxpayer" money instead.
Taxpayers who, by the way, did not vote to support their performative virtue-signaling NGO slush fund enrichments.
Thanks Bonnie for bringing a smile to my face. We joined the Elks because of the things they stand for, and the food has been a pleasant surprise as has been the opportunity to occasionally hit the dance floor. I feel it is important to "stop and smell the roses," which I do each Sunday.
Talk about jokes, how about the SB Council approving up to 6 story buildings in Paseo Nuevo that will put a serious burden on fire and emergency response when and if needed. How about that brick on State and Arellaga 4 stories...joke?
slogan “Asphalt over Humans” ...... Stolen Land......
Let me ask this of these PR slogans. Egypt, Persian, Greece, Rome and these are a just the few where expanding and dynamic cultures expanded their influence over cultures and physical land.
Without this happening where would the Tech. World of Today be? Is it a kind and cuddle view of the world? Is it Sparta vs. Persia? Is it the Marx vs. Freedom? Hitler was a radical Socialist, Stalin was a Communist Dictator, Mao? What can you say about book burner? How about changing the history to meet politically correct one party dictators out of Sacramento?
Want to bet there were cultures here before the Chumash? Is it fair to say they took over land?
How much land have these protesters of appropriated land used Housing Authority, condemnation of land (Paseo Nuevo was owned by Beaver and said I'll build it on my own dime) used to remove private property from tax roles. Then they "force" increased taxation on the rest of us to cover their politically correct dictatorial government.
Kind of a different view of the politics this SB Council are demanding of the people.
Regarding the Elks Lodge for lunch: The Elks also host a terrific Spaghetti Dinner on the 2nd Wednesday of every month (except December). For $12.00, the "Caravaneers" serve a generous portion of spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread. The meat sauce is the best in town! Arrive about 5:30 for the 6:00 service. Take-out orders too.
Bonnie writes "I have been trying to do my once-a-month 'what’s good or happy' column instead of what is so wrong here in Santa Barbara. But it’s impossible sometimes, because our elected officials continue doing or saying dumb things." Well, I can feel your pain, Bonnie; like the powerful world leader who takes time from playing golf every now and then to say the most bombastic things. As for senseless slogans, you missed one, Bonnie: "Make America Great Again." HELLO! America has ALWAYS been great, but it appears that in an effort to "make America great again" the powers that be are attempting to concentrate all political power into the hands of obscenely rich anglocentric White men, kinda like the ones that "lorded" it over my serf ancestors and bought and sold my neighbors of color. No thanks! To show that America is in TRUTH actually still great, my friends and I are looking forward to participating in this Saturday's "Central Coast Flag Run." Look for our Stars and Stripes as they proudly fly over signs opposing the current Putinist regime in Washington. Слава Україні! Heroiam Slava!
No need to move to Russia or Afghanistan, Steve, when Trump is bringing their form of government to us, complete with masked secret police and warrantless arrests. The world is not laughing at us anymore because fascism is not funny, it is now more like they pity us. More and more countries are no longer buying our stuff, while we must pay Trump's tariff taxes on what we buy from them. TACO 2 WEEKS's empty threats to Putin is not "kicking ass," it is more like "kissing ass." What happened to "peace in 24 hours"? What happened to "lowering the cost of living"? The serial rapist and pedophile running our country is running us into the ground. Why would he ever release the Epstein files when his name is all over them? I fully expect him to pardon Maxwell in exchange for her not testifying against him.
You need to be a member of Elks for regular dining. No membership is required for their Spaghetti Night, 2nd Wednesday of each month except December. It’s a fundraiser for the Club. We meet with friends most months. Great spaghetti in a relaxed setting.
Since June, I’ve been trying to acknowledge the many people who helped turn a heartbreaking time into something healing and hopeful. My dear friends of over 30 years lost absolutely everything in the Palisades Fire. I’ve written about them before—about visiting their destroyed home and spending time with them in the aftermath.
In June, they invited me to join them on vacation to Summerland, here in California. Yes—Summerland.
They rented a stunning home perched on a hill, complete with a dream kitchen. Each day, I put out a beautiful spread courtesy of The Berryman: fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and nuts. My friend Vanessa even made a special pimento cheese spread just for me to bring along. It was the kind of thoughtful gesture that made everything feel personal and comforting."
Respectfully, this doesn't sound like someone who lost everything. Yes it's horrible to lose a home and especially for sentimental items to be destroyed, but their is a huge disconnect between the the home lost and the lifestyle maintained. A person who truly loses everything doesn't invite others on vacation to a town like Summerland, they don't go shopping or dining regularly in Montecito, they don't have a support group or get gifted home made pottery, they certainly don't go to a bookstore whose opening was presided over by Oprah Winfrey and Meghan Markle...
This woman lost her home yes, but if she can rent a vacation home and have guests over, they're better off than the working class. No to truly lose everything or close to it is going homeless, and having no friends or family reach out for support, sleeping in cars, eating at parks with a outdoor stove from Big 5 Sporting Goods, and showering at the YMCA. It's not having no sympathy for thr wealthy, but about clarity. There's a big differences between suffering and *🌟bourgeoise🌟* suffering where their luxury lifestyle and housing remains, even if temporary.
Did the "stunning home perched on a hill" include a view of the fields filled with poor people doing stoop labor? I'm sure that would have added to the thrill of their feelings of lordly opulence and entitlement.
I said I would bow out of these conversations but I’m moved to acknowledge your Summerland vacation and the gift that it was to your friends who are facing multiple life challenges…big ones. Giving voice to these real life stories is a reminder to appreciate our own good fortune, no matter what that looks like for each of us. So…thank you…and I truly wish them well going forward.
"facing multiple life challenges…big ones"? Like "do I pay the rent or buy food for my children"? Like "I'm an American citizen, but I'm not white, so will I be detained and deported?" No, I didn't think so! Sounds more like the entitled saying "Let them eat cake!"
There is NO comparison. What is happening to so many people who are NOT criminals is UNFORGIVEABLE, REVOLTING and simply CRUEL. There can still be acknowledgement when others…yes, more entitled..go though an unexpected loss…and acknowledgement of community when it shows up. Frankly, I’d like to see more outrage about what is happening to those you describe above. It’s horrifying..I agree.
AMEN to that, Elaine. The loss of a home, no matter how small or how large, is a traumatic experience. Those mentioned here, however, evidently avoided standing in line at a soup kitchen, or sleeping with their children in a homeless shelter without any means of transportation as a consequence...just saying.
And I totally agree with you!
Beautiful, Bonnie. This week I realized what a strange - but hopeful - time of extremes we are living in. First, the hopeful: we are living in a new era that transcends the failures of feminism. I can think of three people who, for me embody what I call Real Women Who Can't be Cancelled. I put 27 year old actress Sydney Sweeney in this camp. She should get the Nobel Prize for demolishing Critical Race Theory. Then there's Karen Jones, who's taken what would have destroyed many people - her arrest for being at J6 - and become a stand-up comedy star in Austin. Joe Rogan and Tony (“Kill Tony”) Hinchcliffe are fans. And lucky Santa Barbara - she's back here after the disgraceful way The Dems and The Independent treated her, doing a show at the Timbers on August 23rd at noon. The information on the event is above these comments. Watch how she blows the minds of the all male table at Kill Tony https://youtube.com/shorts/ZWg3VLeqtso?si=YsfGCPeue7NSszJM . And then there's you, Bonnie, and they'll never be able to cancel you, much as they might like to. What a trio of great ladies!
As for Bonnie's reporting on our Santa Barbara government. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn put it better than I can:
“We know they are lying
They know they are lying
They know we know they are lying
We know they know we know they are lying
and they are still lying.”
But who ends up in the Gulag?
Who ends up in the Gulag? Look no further than "Alligator Alcatraz." I just loved Solzhenitsyn's description of the Trump regime!
One of my favorite authors and quotes! Thanks. Solzhenitsyn encapsulated the modern Democrat party and their sycophantic cult followers perfectly.
Fortunately, last November was the beginning of the end of their reign of terror. Ive waited for this time since my parents back in the 1970's, Soviet refugees, described what was to come and how it ends. How it always ends...
As the character, Maximus, said in the movie "Gladiator" :
"The time for honoring yourself, will soon be at an end."
A travel story: A number of years ago I was able to visit Russia's haunting White Sea and Solovetsky Island - the alleged home of the Gulag Archipelago. Today a lovely forested area with a few old wooden Russian houses, flower beds and a monastery, including a a row of arcaded trees allegedly planted by the prisoners along the entry drive. More cultivation work around this property uncovered numerous buried bones, now duly memorialized with proper Russian Orthodox crosses. Have not read the book, but the grounds today still include a very long wooded stair case which apparently played a tragic role in the re-telling of the events that took place here..
Good to see someone else making quotes from "Gladiator" - an all time great movie!
Hey Bonnie, great piece and I appreciate your efforts to share a little piece of human interaction and kindness. It must come as a surprise to find that all it takes is a story of challenges in life to open the floodgates of crazies coming out of the woodwork in order to lay their white guilt trip on the rest of us. Ya, it must be a real downer to be brown or black and being stuck in our beautiful community? Sure, part of the lefty personality disorder is to lay guilt, shame and embarrassment on anyone who can rise above life’s inevitable unfairness and seek out the goodness in others.
My favorite dumbest thing said, to legitimize the misappropriation of funds, was when one of them coined the new term "human infrastructure."
Exactly!!!
This is actually a very tiresome government employee union bargaining refrain they have been using for decades, but this time with new words..... "you care more about buildings than you do people." When they endeavor devour more and more of the tax dollars for themselves.
There is no new found "compassion" calling it "human infrastructure" now because it is the exact same ploy for more cash in their own hands for their own slush fund. Sorry to inject the bitter, into the sweet. But they never rests, they never stop trying to guilt elected officials into handing them more of our cash. Guard against their word games.
Human infrastructure pleas = "you care more about buildings than you do people." Guilt tripping for dollars. The answer of course is: No, we care about both and so should you.
So Sneddon likes to brag about stolen land. So do all of these hypocrites. The next time you hear one of these hypocrites do their “stolen land” acknowledgement schtick; tell them to stop bragging about what their ancestors did for them!
When they try to defend their hypocrisy by claiming they are just respectfully acknowledging the land they are using; ask them if they intend to give it back?
We are reminded of course, Ms Kristen Sneddon is pulling down nearly a quarter million dollars of tax payer cash every year through her dual public employment -non-full time, all the time in government service. According to Transparent California.
Stop stealing our cash, Ms Sneddon. Donate one of your compensation packages to your personal sense of guilt-tripping "causes", and follow the example of our current President Trump.
Just think what a noble gesture it would have been if the five yes-vote city council persons donated their own annual compensation to fund this pro-illegal immigration handout; instead of passively handing over our "taxpayer" money instead.
Taxpayers who, by the way, did not vote to support their performative virtue-signaling NGO slush fund enrichments.
Thanks Bonnie for bringing a smile to my face. We joined the Elks because of the things they stand for, and the food has been a pleasant surprise as has been the opportunity to occasionally hit the dance floor. I feel it is important to "stop and smell the roses," which I do each Sunday.
Talk about jokes, how about the SB Council approving up to 6 story buildings in Paseo Nuevo that will put a serious burden on fire and emergency response when and if needed. How about that brick on State and Arellaga 4 stories...joke?
slogan “Asphalt over Humans” ...... Stolen Land......
Let me ask this of these PR slogans. Egypt, Persian, Greece, Rome and these are a just the few where expanding and dynamic cultures expanded their influence over cultures and physical land.
Without this happening where would the Tech. World of Today be? Is it a kind and cuddle view of the world? Is it Sparta vs. Persia? Is it the Marx vs. Freedom? Hitler was a radical Socialist, Stalin was a Communist Dictator, Mao? What can you say about book burner? How about changing the history to meet politically correct one party dictators out of Sacramento?
Want to bet there were cultures here before the Chumash? Is it fair to say they took over land?
How much land have these protesters of appropriated land used Housing Authority, condemnation of land (Paseo Nuevo was owned by Beaver and said I'll build it on my own dime) used to remove private property from tax roles. Then they "force" increased taxation on the rest of us to cover their politically correct dictatorial government.
Kind of a different view of the politics this SB Council are demanding of the people.
Regarding the Elks Lodge for lunch: The Elks also host a terrific Spaghetti Dinner on the 2nd Wednesday of every month (except December). For $12.00, the "Caravaneers" serve a generous portion of spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread. The meat sauce is the best in town! Arrive about 5:30 for the 6:00 service. Take-out orders too.
Life always exists between bitter and sweet - you just presented a perfect balance. Thanks for taking us along.
The City Council is a bunch of loose cannons.
Bonnie writes "I have been trying to do my once-a-month 'what’s good or happy' column instead of what is so wrong here in Santa Barbara. But it’s impossible sometimes, because our elected officials continue doing or saying dumb things." Well, I can feel your pain, Bonnie; like the powerful world leader who takes time from playing golf every now and then to say the most bombastic things. As for senseless slogans, you missed one, Bonnie: "Make America Great Again." HELLO! America has ALWAYS been great, but it appears that in an effort to "make America great again" the powers that be are attempting to concentrate all political power into the hands of obscenely rich anglocentric White men, kinda like the ones that "lorded" it over my serf ancestors and bought and sold my neighbors of color. No thanks! To show that America is in TRUTH actually still great, my friends and I are looking forward to participating in this Saturday's "Central Coast Flag Run." Look for our Stars and Stripes as they proudly fly over signs opposing the current Putinist regime in Washington. Слава Україні! Heroiam Slava!
have you ever given any thought to moving to Russia or Afghanistan?
what an angry loser!
we had to watch your guy (Biden) fumble and stumble his way through the last four years while the rest of the world laughed at us!
they are not laughing anymore.
America is back kicking ass and running things.
cheers
No need to move to Russia or Afghanistan, Steve, when Trump is bringing their form of government to us, complete with masked secret police and warrantless arrests. The world is not laughing at us anymore because fascism is not funny, it is now more like they pity us. More and more countries are no longer buying our stuff, while we must pay Trump's tariff taxes on what we buy from them. TACO 2 WEEKS's empty threats to Putin is not "kicking ass," it is more like "kissing ass." What happened to "peace in 24 hours"? What happened to "lowering the cost of living"? The serial rapist and pedophile running our country is running us into the ground. Why would he ever release the Epstein files when his name is all over them? I fully expect him to pardon Maxwell in exchange for her not testifying against him.
wow!
you really are a radical communist!
thanks for proving that to me!
I guess it would have better for the country if Kamala Harris had won?
Thanks Bonnie you brought tears to my eyes.
You need to be a member of Elks for regular dining. No membership is required for their Spaghetti Night, 2nd Wednesday of each month except December. It’s a fundraiser for the Club. We meet with friends most months. Great spaghetti in a relaxed setting.
I enjoyed spaghetti and spud night for years. The Best!!!
"On to Happy and Good things
Since June, I’ve been trying to acknowledge the many people who helped turn a heartbreaking time into something healing and hopeful. My dear friends of over 30 years lost absolutely everything in the Palisades Fire. I’ve written about them before—about visiting their destroyed home and spending time with them in the aftermath.
In June, they invited me to join them on vacation to Summerland, here in California. Yes—Summerland.
They rented a stunning home perched on a hill, complete with a dream kitchen. Each day, I put out a beautiful spread courtesy of The Berryman: fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and nuts. My friend Vanessa even made a special pimento cheese spread just for me to bring along. It was the kind of thoughtful gesture that made everything feel personal and comforting."
Respectfully, this doesn't sound like someone who lost everything. Yes it's horrible to lose a home and especially for sentimental items to be destroyed, but their is a huge disconnect between the the home lost and the lifestyle maintained. A person who truly loses everything doesn't invite others on vacation to a town like Summerland, they don't go shopping or dining regularly in Montecito, they don't have a support group or get gifted home made pottery, they certainly don't go to a bookstore whose opening was presided over by Oprah Winfrey and Meghan Markle...
This woman lost her home yes, but if she can rent a vacation home and have guests over, they're better off than the working class. No to truly lose everything or close to it is going homeless, and having no friends or family reach out for support, sleeping in cars, eating at parks with a outdoor stove from Big 5 Sporting Goods, and showering at the YMCA. It's not having no sympathy for thr wealthy, but about clarity. There's a big differences between suffering and *🌟bourgeoise🌟* suffering where their luxury lifestyle and housing remains, even if temporary.
Did the "stunning home perched on a hill" include a view of the fields filled with poor people doing stoop labor? I'm sure that would have added to the thrill of their feelings of lordly opulence and entitlement.