"After unsuccessfully trying to pitch his tent in a tough neighborhood in New Jersey, Gadhafy, Khaddafy, Qadify, uh, Mu Mu, appeared at the U.N. with what appeared to be a rubber nose (C.I.A. studies claimed that the Colonel was in the advanced throes of Syphilitic Dementia and his real nose had decomposed).  While Mu Mu ranted and raved on the speaker’s podium with P.J. watching on TV, P.J. became fearful that His Excellency’s rubber nose would fall off and bounce all over the General Assembly like a Super Ball --  Suddenly, P.J. was dumbstruck: Mu Mu reminded him of someone.  Who?  Who?!  YES: Bambo -- Bambi’s brother.  Upon further musings P.J. concluded that while Mu Mu had probably earned his venereal disease from a real sheep, Bambo -- immaculate in his purity -- most likely got his from a toilet seat, though sadly the end result was the same in both despots -- absolute lunacy.
            "So: Even though everything finally appeared to make perfect sense to P.J., he never shared his discoveries with Nietzche.  He was too much of a gentleman, a nice guy, a good neighbor, and an all-around excellent man."    - from the Neighborhood by Kevin O'Kendley

To a few:
​Go have a cackle party.  We can roast chestnuts in your furnace of guffaws.  Thank God I don’t like chestnuts and I don’t know what a furnace is.


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Please give to Children's Leukemia Research Association, PMB 369 Donation Center, 6632 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, MI, 48301/  585 Stewart Avenue  #18, Garden City, NY, 11530,  516-222-1944.  
   

On December 25th: ​Merry Christmas. 
On December 26th: Happy Kwanzaa.
On December 31st: Happy New Year...

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Please give to the ALS Association (Lou Gehrig's Disease)/ 1275 K Street, NW, Suite 250/Washington DC, 20005/202-407-8580
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​Though surrounded by an internal landscape of devastation, insulation from the pain of lost dreams, a battered though unbeaten fighter will hold on to a pin prick of hope.  In that gray Limbo a spark of hope is the only light to read by.   - For Teachers -- a Teacher: my sister, Colleen, Navy veteran, mother, sister, wife, friend.

 
Please support the National Education Association/ 1201 16th Street, NW/ Washington DC, 20036/ 202-833-4000

              "The King George was a floating Hapsburg Palace.  A few minutes wandering among the ornate chandeliers, Old Testament frescoes and teak wainscoting, I came to a fountain with jet sprays, gurgling water, colored lights, naked Romanesque statues with fig leaves -- it was a wishing pool .  I saw pennies on the pool bottom, which I took as a clue being a detective and all.  Two thoughts hit me simultaneously: one the whole fountain scam could be a subterfuge to cover up the fact that the ship was taking on water and we were sinking; two, I had to use the loo."   - Excerpt more-or-less from my novel Otis Moon by Kevin O'Kendley.

An evil man and a good man may look alike but they are not alike.

If I fall from here -- from the hole I'm in -- I’m gonna need to climb a big ladder first.

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Please give to the American Red Cross/ 2025 East Street, NW/ Washington DC, 20006/ 1-800-RED-CROSS     900 Hammond Street/ Bangor, Maine, 04401/1-800-733-2767

            "In his jarring, rock throwing voice, Joe recited, 'I knew this broad got her husband cremated, Bobby boy.  Every time she needs a little luck she sprinkles his ashes around.  Reno.  North Shore.  Got stuck on ice on 89 up by Truckee and sprinkled a little under the back tires.  Works better than road sand she says because of some of the big chunks.'
            Both men laughed --
            'Really?' Bob asked.
            'Really.  Lady said the guy was more useful dead than alive.' "   - from The Three Almost Wise Men by Kevin O'Kendley.

           
            Sometimes definition is just perspective and perspective just experience all dressed up for court.

             My new email address is ksokendley@outlook.com.


Please give to the Diabetes, Endocrine, Nutritional Center of Eastern Maine Medical Center/ 905 Union Street/ Bangor, Maine, 04401/ 207-973/7334
and The Bridge Medical Diabetes Medical Center/ 5938 U.S. 93 South/ Whitefish, Montana, 59937/ 406-863-9300     



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    The Bill of Rights, the first Ten Amendments was ratified on December 15, 1791:

First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press or the right of the people peaceabley to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.      

Second Amendment: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Third Amendment: No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Fourth Amendment: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.

Fifth Amendment: No person shall held to answer for a capitol, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb, nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Sixth Amendment: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature of cause of the accusation, to be confronted with the witnesses against him, to have compulsory process of obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Seventh Amendment: In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Eighth Amendment: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted.

Ninth Amendment: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Tenth Amendment: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.


Please support the League of Women Voters of Maine/ P.O. Box 863/ Augusta, Maine, 04332/ 207-620-0256/  and the League of Women Voters of Sacramento County/ 801 12th Street, Suite 201/ Sacramento, California, 95814/ 916-447-8683

"Slippery Dick was pardoned by Congress before Ms. Clinton, Ms. Bachman, Ms. Haley, Ms. Pingree, Ms. Giffords, Ms. Waters, Ms. Wasserman-Schultz, Ms. Palin, Ms. Gabbard, joined the ranks of some other GOGs (Good Old Girls) like Ms. Pelosi, Ms. Snowe and Ms. Collins, becoming senators, governors, congresspersons, etc., which, of course, then made pardoning someone named Slippery Dick politically problematic if not outright unwise."   - from The Taverna by Kevin O'Kendley

Looking for work: Contact Kevin O'Kendley.


Please give to the Paralyzed Veterans of America/ 801 18th Street, NW/ Washington D.C. 20006/ 1-800-555-9140

There are parts of Frederick Douglass' full speech -- The Meaning of July 4th for the Negro -- the meter, the rhythm, passion, ideas, rebellion, that are so good, so beautiful, that I chuckled with joy.  His courage, his heart, his intelligence incredibly human, noble; his speech was of an American for Americans.  An excerpt of the speech is below.