Since the late 70s, Nick Cave has had a lengthy career as a respected musician and writer. He explores themes of death, religion, anger, mercy, and suspicion of the world and all its inhabitants. In one of his most famous songs, "The Mercy Seat," he wrote: "And the mercy seat is waiting And I think my head is burning And in a way I’m yearning To be done with all this measuring of truth. And an eye for an eye And a tooth for a tooth And anyway I told the truth And I’m not afraid to die." This is a man, who alongside his bandmates, has not been afraid to go into the darkest corners of thought and question everything. Even his gentler ballad-type songs have tinges of goth, drama, and intensity. - YouTube www.youtube.com In 2018 (and to this day), he began operating a newsletter called The Red Hand Files, wherein fans can send in questions about whatever they'd please: music, philosophy, love, etc.He writes on the site how and why it all started: "The Red Hand Files began in September of 2018 as a simple idea – a place where I would answer questions from my fans. Over the years, The Red Hand Files has burst the boundaries of its original concept to become a strange exercise in communal vulnerability and transparency. Hundreds of letters come in each week, asking an extraordinarily diverse array of questions, from the playful to the profound, the deeply personal to the flat-out nutty."He takes these letters very seriously:"I read them all and try my best to answer a question each week. The Red Hand Files has no moderator, and it is not monetized, and I am the only one who has access to the questions that sit patiently waiting to be answered."In his latest issue, Amy from Los Angeles asks Cave, "My dad died suddenly and unexpectedly. We moved and only saw him for two weeks of what turned out to be his last year on earth. Now I feel like I have failed him so terribly. How do you apologize to someone who is gone? How do you say I love you and I’m so sorry when their ears and their heart don’t exist anymore?"Cave writes back with clarity and grace. In part, "Find a quiet spot where you can be alone and away from distractions, close your eyes, and picture your father. Then say these words, quietly or in your head –You are my fatherI am your daughterI love youI am sorryYou may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed when you do this because it seems from your question that you fundamentally believe that your father is gone, that his “ears and heart don’t exist anymore,” and that you are speaking to no one, nothing, a void."He later writes, "I suspect your father will hear your words, but I do not know. At the very least, by acknowledging the sacred and mysterious nature of things, these words will impact the general condition of the world, not to mention your own injured heart. I believe we must take our subtle spiritual intuitions seriously and view them as the quintessence that underlies the ordinary world. The rejection of the sacred is the fundamental reason for our existential discontent. “I love you” and “I am sorry” spoken into the universe are two sentiments forever worth declaring." See on Instagram In a recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Cave shares one of the letters from a man in Stockholm named Valerio. He first reads the question: "Following the last few years, I'm feeling empty and more cynical than ever. I'm losing faith in other people and I'm scared to pass these feelings onto my little son. Do you still believe in us, human beings?" See on Instagram Cave then reads his response:"Much of my early life was spent holding the world and the people in it in contempt. It was a position both seductive and indulgent. The truth is, I was young and had no idea what was coming down the line. It took a devastation to teach me the preciousness of life and the essential goodness of people. It took a devastation to reveal the precariousness of the world—of its very soul—and to understand the world was crying out for help. It took a devastation to find the idea of mortal value. And it took a devastation to find hope."The studio audience listens silently. Cave continues:"Unlike cynicism, hopefulness is hard-earned. It makes demands upon us, and can also feel like the most indefensible and lonely place on earth. Hopefulness is not a neutral position. It is adversarial. It is the warrior emotion that can lay waste to cynicism. Each redemptive or loving act, as small as you like—such as reading to your little boy, or showing him a thing you love, or singing him a song, or putting on his shoes—keeps the devil down in the hole.It says the world and its inhabitants have value and are worth defending. It says the world is worth believing in. In time, we can come to find that this is so. Love, Nick." See on Instagram This is met with a huge round of applause, as if the audience really simply needed to hear it.

Canadian psychologist Elliott Jacques coined the term "mid-life crisis" in 1965 to describe a time in people’s lives when they begin to grapple with meaning, purpose, and mortality. This developmental state can inspire people to become more spiritual and improve their health. It can also cause people to seek extramarital affairs and buy a flashy car.As baby boomers came of age, they were among the first generations to openly struggle with the mid-life crisis. You saw this often in '80s and '90s pop culture when men would buy sports cars and get their ears pierced to appear young and virile. Now that they’re at retirement age, boomers are embracing the three-quarter life crisis, where they're facing their mortality by travelling, taking risks, and living it up while they can. The problem is that this has taken them away from their roles as grandparents, and their millennial children feel abandoned.What’s wrong with boomer grandparents? A married man and woman in their late 60s.via Canva/PhotosRecent generational trends show a big rift between millennials and their boomer parents. The older generation isn’t keen on spending time with their grandchildren or helping their kids raise their families. At a time when the cost of living is through the roof, especially childcare, young families need more support than ever, and it feels like the baby boomers have dropped the ball by prioritizing their well-being over the children and grandchildren. "It is a really common struggle," Leslie Dobson, a psychologist in Los Angeles, told Business Insider. "You have children, and it feels even more like an abandonment that they've chosen their life over meeting their grandchildren and building these relationships. There's almost like this three-fourth life crisis that [boomers are] in. And they're really looking at this as, 'Oh, my God, my life's almost over. When is my last day, and how am I going to live my best life?'" A mom an dher baby.via Canva/PhotosThe crux of the generational rift is whether boomers should have to sacrifice their remaining years putting family first or whether they deserve to have fun while they can. Many in the younger generation see the decision to put good times and personal development before family as a hallmark of a group deemed the “Me Generation” in the ‘70s.Do millennials and boomers parent differently?To make things worse, when boomers are around to care for their grandchildren, their old-school, authoritarian approach to parenting often clashes with the more gentle, nurturing style adopted by the millennials. "What I've seen in my clients is there's a huge differentiation in parenting," Dobson said. "If you ask a millennial, the boomers are overly harsh and not good at parenting the younger children. And millennials are very aware of what could potentially be traumatizing, what is not gentle parenting."Popular millennial parenting influencer Paige Connell went viral on TikTok recently for pointing out a big problem with boomer grandparents: they insist on doing it their way and won’t listen to their children. “It's so strange being a millennial parent with boomers who are now grandparents to your children. Because we all want them to have this, like, really close, loving relationship, but struggle for so many reasons,” she opens her video. “I think one of the biggest reasons is just the blatant disregard for any parenting decisions we make, and so this can look so many different ways, I think it starts when they're born, right.” @sheisapaigeturner This is a PSA for Boomer grandparents. If you value time and closeness with your kids and grandkids, I highly recommend that you learn what their boundaries are around parenting, and respect them respecting your children as they become parents goes a very long way for your relationship. ##boomergrandparents##boomerparents##boomervsmillennial##millennialmoms##boundarysetting##grandparentsoftiktok##momof4kids ##parentingstyle Ultimately, the millennial-boomer generational divide isn’t just about parenting styles; it’s about expectations, values, and priorities. As millennials struggle with young children, boomers are off chasing joy and fulfillment in the final quarter of their lives. Hopefully, they can both understand each other and meet in the middle.

Certain graduating classes get major bragging rights for snagging celebrities to perform pretty epic commencement speeches. From Arnold Schwarzenegger’s meditation on what it means to be “self made,” to Taylor Swift’s advice about overcoming mistakes, some icons truly know how to make this milestone, well…iconic. However, you’d be hard pressed to find a better commencement speech than the one given to the 2025 class at University of Maryland (UMD), Muppet creator Jim Henson's alma mater, delivered by the one and only Kermit the Frog. After all, the distinguished amphibian has racked up many laurels, including "best-selling author," "Peabody Award winner," "international superstar," "friend to all creatures" and "champion of creativity, kindness and believing in the impossible." - YouTube youtube.com But regardless of his notable accolades, the famous frog shared some trul sage word of wisdom about three things “close to his heart”: “Finding your people” Kermit credited Henson, who could “always see the spark in someone” for teaching him this lesson. Kermit talked about the importance of creating a tribe not just of like-minded individuals, but of those whose differences offered fresh perspectives. “…which is why you’ll see me hanging out with a bear and a pig and a penguin and a prawn, and, uh, whatever Gonzo is,”Kermit joked. Why is finding you people so important? Easy. “Because, life is not a solo act…it’s a big, messy, delightful ensemble piece, especially when you’re with your people.” media2.giphy.com “Taking the leap” This point wasn’t just about chasing after your dreams, but of taking your people on the ride with you. “Rather than jumping over someone to get what you want, consider reaching out your hand and taking the leap side by side. Because, life is better when we leap together.” media1.giphy.com “Making connections” On the flipside, her Kermit talked about the importance of not just staying connected to your people, but of staying connected to your dreams, “no matter how big” or “impossible” they seem. “The truth is dreams are how we figure out where we want to go. And life is how we get there.” After all, as Kermit noted, “life's like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending.” Then of course, the speech concluded with a "Rainbow Connection" sing-along. Because why wouldn't it? Take it from Kermit: stay connected to the things and people that light you up, and don’t be afraid to take that leap. Watch the full speech below. - YouTube www.youtube.com

The 80s seems like a completely different lifetime when it comes to what was considered acceptable behavior. Things people deemed acceptable or were just part of everyday expectations for television back in the 60s through well into the 90s would get stars blacklisted today. But there was one game show in the 80s that had moments so cringy that even for the times may have raised some eyebrows though everyone seemed to go along with it, except one brave little girl.The Canadian show, Just Like Mom ran from 1980-1985 even with the uncomfortable moments between the game show host and young girls. The girls who were aged 7-12 would appear on the show with their mother answering questions about each other and competing in bake-offs to see which pair knew each other best. Just Like Mom was created by Catherine Swing, the wife of the show's host Fergie Olver who would often stand uncomfortably close to the girls and elicit kisses. Mom hugging crying daughterPhoto credit: CanvaRecently a compilation video of the game show host behaving in a manner people might consider questionable is going viral. In the video the Olver stands near the girls, often putting his hand on their backs, placing his face close to theirs to ask questions. The very first clip shows 11-year-old Lee Ann, Olver hovers over her asking what color her eyes are."What color are your eyes?" Olver asks before the child tells him they're blue, to which he responds, "they're not blue, now don't tell me that. Look at me a little closer." Just as the girl leans in slightly, appearing hesitant to do so, Olver quickly kisses the child on the side of her mouth and declares, "they're green." Dad kissing child on cheekPhoto credit: CanvaThe audience sounds as if they didn't know how to react to the bizarre moment. Some people loudly gasp, others uncomfortably chuckle, while a few seem to let out a high pitched surprised squeal. The girl also laughs uneasily while the host remains extremely close. Video clip after video clip shows similar interactions where the host tries to either kiss the girls or have them kiss him but one little girl refused. While it appeared that she was nervous to do so in front of a live audience, on television and refusing a directive from an adult, she stood her ground. This was a moment where parents can see in real time the benefit of teaching body autonomy and the power of teaching children that no is a complete sentence. Olver originally didn't accept the young girl's "no," attempting to coerce her into kissing him when she was clearly uncomfortable and uninterested in the request. The host perches himself up close to the young girl and says, "you look like a girl who likes to give out hugs and kisses," to which the girl laughs with discomfort before saying, "not really." That didn't stop him, Olver continued, "not really? can I have a hug and a kiss?" This time the girl gives a very direct answer through nerves by shaking her head no while saying "uh-uh." She's clearly uncomfortable as she bites her fingernail trying to assert authority over her body against someone much older.At this point the child has been clear. She immediately told the host she didn't give out hugs and kisses and when that didn't work she mustered the courage to say no more directly. Olver was still not accepting of the child's boundaries and continued to apply pressure by questioning her decision, "I can't have one?" Again the child shakes her head and says no but he persists, saying "even if I say...whisper in your ear that Alison you're going to win the show? I still can't have a hug and a kiss?" Alison sticks to her answer so Olver changes tactics, telling the child, "Well I guess you can't win the show then if I don't get a hug and a kiss." Mom comforting daughterPhoto credit: CanvaAlison stayed firm in her no but the host's behavior resulted in the child's mother calling him a dirty old man. In the end the host appears to have moved on and told the girl she did a good job answering one of the questions, but to top the praise Olver attempts to sneak a kiss. The little girl didn't let that deter her as she quickly dodged his advance. It seems apparent that Alison's parents instilled the idea of bodily autonomy in her giving her full permission to say no to adults and anyone else who dares to get in her space without consent. While the experience was probably not one that she would've ever wanted to have, that moment likely gave permission to other young girls watching to tell the host and other like him no. And no is a complete sentence, especially when it comes to someone's body. There's no further explanation needed. No further clarification. The answer is simply no. Well done Alison. Well done.

Can you hate your own hero?

Is any hope of a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine about to slip away?  President Trump just told reporters that he is “not happy with what Putin is doing”, and meanwhile approximately 50,000 Russian troops are positioned just across from Ukraine’s “fortress city” of Kharkiv.  A major offensive in the direction of Ukraine’s second largest city would escalate the conflict to an entirely new level, and European leaders would go absolutely ballistic.  So what would President Trump do in such a scenario? Based on what he just told the press, it is clear that President Trump has lost patience with Vladimir Putin… Speaking to reporters on the tarmac at Morristown, New Jersey before he boarded Air Force One and returned to Washington, D.C., Trump spoke about a range of topics as he fielded questions ranging from tariffs to manufacturing goals to Russia and Ukraine peace talks. “I’m not happy with what Putin is doing,” Trump said. “He’s killing a lot of people, and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin. I’ve known him a long time. Always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.” “We’re in the middle of talking, and he’s shooting rockets into Kiev and other cities. I don’t like it at all,” he said, adding, “I don’t like what Putin is doing, not even a little bit. He’s killing people. Something happened to this guy, and I don’t like it.“ I have never heard Trump talk this way about Putin. But I can understand why Trump is so frustrated.  We are supposed to be trying to find a way to end this war, but the Russians just sent a massive wave of missiles and drones at Kyiv… A massive Russian drone-and-missile attack targeted the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and other regions in the country for a second consecutive night, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens, officials said early Sunday. The scale of the onslaught was stunning — Russia hit Ukraine with 367 drones and missiles, making this the largest single attack of the more than three-years-long war, according to Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Air Force. In all, Russia used 69 missiles of various types and 298 drones, including Iranian-designed Shahed drones, he told The Associated Press. I really wish that the Russians had not done this. But the Russians are steaming mad at the Ukrainians because it appears that they tried to blast Vladimir Putin’s helicopter out of the sky… Ukraine made an audacious bid to blast Vladimir Putin’s presidential helicopter out of the sky over Russia’s Kursk region last week, according to reports. Air force Major-General Yuri Dashkin said repeated military drone attacks were launched at the moment when the Russian leader made a rare visit close to the war zone. A Putin trip to Kursk region was previously reported as taking place on May 20. Dashkin said: “During the period when the President [Putin] was working in the Kursk region, the enemy launched an unprecedented attack with unmanned aerial vehicles. The air defence group in this area destroyed 46 aircraft-type [Ukrainian military drones].” If another country tried to do a similar thing to President Trump, we would be extremely upset too. Of course the corporate news outlets in the United States have barely said anything about this attempt on Putin’s life. Overall, it is being reported that Ukraine sent “764 drones into Russian territory between Tuesday and Friday”… It comes as both sides of the conflict have claimed an increase in drone strikes, with Moscow’s Foreign Ministry claiming that Ukraine launched 764 drones into Russian territory between Tuesday and Friday. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov blamed “some European nations led by the UK, France, Germany, and the EU leadership” for the increased level of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia. Why can’t both sides just stop the drone attacks for a few weeks and give peace a chance? Sadly, if the Russians send tens of thousands of troops toward Kharkiv, and chance for peace will probably be completely gone. It is Ukraine’s second largest city, and Sky News is telling us that approximately 50,000 Russian troops have been “positioned just across the border from Kharkiv”… Russian forces are reportedly gathering across the border from Ukraine’s “fortress city” – but why? After pushing Ukrainian troops out of Kursk, the Russian region they had occupied parts of for many months, what’s left of the 50,000-strong Russian force is positioned just across the border from Kharkiv. Why would the Russians launch such an operation? Don’t they understand how the western world would react? Alex Jones is suggesting that the Russians would use an offensive toward Kharkiv as leverage to get Ukraine to sign a peace deal… Major Ukraine War Escalation: 50,000 Russian troops are amassing near Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, in preparation for a major Russian offensive. Putin is clearly putting massive pressure on the Ukrainian dictator, Zelensky, to accept Russia’s demands and sign a peace deal. I think that it is quite likely that this is what the Russians are thinking. But in my opinion a major offensive toward Kharkiv would completely kill the peace talks.  European leaders would go completely nuts and President Trump would become extremely angry with Vladimir Putin. If President Trump ultimately concludes that there is no peaceful way to end this war, he will try to find a military way to win it. Needless to say, that would bring us right to the brink of the unthinkable. Unfortunately, Vladimir Putin has made it clear that Russian forces will soon be creating buffer zones in three Ukrainian border regions.  The following is a direct quote from Putin… I reiterate: this concerns the Kursk Region, the Bryansk Region, and the Belgorod Region, which have also suffered and continue to endure shelling. Moreover, the adversary typically targets objectives devoid of military significance: civilian infrastructure and people’s homes. The most recent events only confirm what I just said: drone attacks as well as sabotage and reconnaissance actions target civilian transport, including ambulances and agricultural machinery. Most of the casualties are women and children. As I said, a decision has been made to create a buffer security zone along the Russian border. Our Armed Forces are working on this now. They are also effectively suppressing enemy firing points. So we know that Russian forces will be coming across the border. But we don’t know if they will try to go all the way to Kharkiv. If they do, that will fundamentally alter the trajectory of this conflict. Meanwhile, Israel is “preparing for a potential multi-front war with Iran”… The Israeli military announced on Friday that it is preparing for a potential multi-front war with Iran and its regional terror proxies amid stalled nuclear negotiations for a hostage release-ceasefire deal. A recent Israeli military drill, dubbed “Barak Tamir,” reportedly simulated preparedness for a multifront regional conflict. The exercise tested emergency coordination between civilian and military agencies, with a focus on protecting critical infrastructure and the home front, as the Iranian regime continues to openly call for Israel’s destruction. “This exercise was designed to refine coordination and improve the speed and quality of response during escalating scenarios,” an IDF spokesperson stated. The IDF wouldn’t be “preparing” for such a conflict unless Israeli leaders felt like it was a very real possibility. I have a feeling that things will soon get very “interesting” in the Middle East. We live at a time when armed conflicts have been breaking out all over the globe.  In fact, it is being reported that the number of armed conflicts that we witnessed last year was the highest that we have seen since World War II… Last year, varying levels of conflict were reported across at least 50 different countries, from the civil war in Myanmar to extreme violence between drug cartels in Mexico, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED). Experts predict that the trend will probably continue throughout 2025 and beyond. Across the 50 countries, there were at least 56 active conflicts – one of the largest quantities since 1946 – “with fewer conflicts being resolved, either militarily or through peace agreements”, the Global Peace Index estimated. There are many that believe that World War III has already begun. But there are also many that believe that negotiations will be successful and world peace is just around the corner. Without a doubt, global leaders will be making some critical decisions in the days ahead. Let us hope that they make their choices wisely. Michael’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com. About the Author: Michael Snyder’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com. He has also written nine other books that are available on Amazon.com including “Chaos”, “End Times”, “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”.  When you purchase any of Michael’s  books you help to support the work that he is doing.  You can also get his articles by email as soon as he publishes them by subscribing to his Substack newsletter.  Michael has published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and he always freely and happily allows others to republish those articles on their own websites.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, we strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today. The post Trump Loses Patience With Putin As 50,000 Russian Troops Prepare To Cross The Border And Storm Ukraine’s Second Largest City appeared first on End Of The American Dream.

from TheCrowhouse: TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

by Matt Ehret, Activist Post: In the following article, I would like to trace out the roots of the eco-religion of the New World Order, and the emergence of a hoped for alliance of sovereign nation states which may finally liberate humanity from this structure of evil. The End of the End of History From […]

Ray Dalio started the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, from his New York City apartment years ago.  He’s well respected because he knows his stuff. In an interview on Fox News on the heels of Moody’s downgrading the AAA rating of the US Debt, Dalio warned that things are much more dire than they seem (regarding our national debt). “When there’s a lot of debt, it has to be sold… and there are not enough buyers for that debt. When that happens, bad things happen like interest rates go up and the economy goes down,” Dalio said. When asked if he’s worried about the dollar no longer being the world’s currency, Dalio replied, “Yes…When we say world’s currency, let me be clear…  I think all the countries are having debt problems now.” Fox News asked Dalio about his ownership of gold (he has spent $319 million on gold this year) and if he would recommend that everyone buy gold. Dalio responded by saying, “Money has to be a medium of exchange and a store of wealth. And I think because we have a debt problem, you have to look at the alternative monies.” If you think clearly about what Ray Dalio just said, you have to conclude that he’s concerned that the US dollar (and other currencies around the globe) may collapse soon.  Or at a bare minimum, greatly lose what little purchasing power they have left. Is he right? Is a currency collapse something you should be concerned about? Let’s look at the numbers… We (our government) are spending roughly $2.6 billion per day on interest payments for the national debt. TWO POINT SIX BILLION DOLLARS! – EVERY DAY! – JUST ON INTEREST! Next year, 2026, the annual interest payments will exceed $1 TRILLION! It’s unsustainable.  We are borrowing money to pay the interest on our debt.  And it gets worse day by day.  The daily interest payment is projected to rise to $4.9 billion per day by 2035. Should you do like Ray Dalio did and buy gold? Many experts are predicting that gold prices will continue to climb… Just as it has over the past century and beyond. So get in now before something drastic happens that creates a mad rush to gold that drives the price to unimaginable levels. Not sure where to get reliable advice that you can trust? Here’s a faith-based Christian precious metals company that can provide you with all of the information you need to get started. Named after the first book in the Old Testament, Genesis Gold Group was formed to provide a safe place to learn about protecting your wealth and purchasing power with gold and other precious metals. “In a world full of uncertainties, Genesis Gold Group has been a beacon of light for me and my family,” said Christian actor Neal McDonough. “That is why they have my complete confidence and faith.” Learn more about working with a faith-driven precious metals company and receive their Genesis Wealth Protection Guide. The Number Of Fund Managers That Believe The Demand For Gold Is Exploding Has Nearly Doubled Since March! According to a recent Bank of America survey of fund managers, a significant 42% of respondents believe that gold will be the best-performing asset in 2025, while confidence in US equities has declined considerably… a substantial increase from 23% in March. So Act Now Before Booming Demand Drives The Price Out Of Reach! Click here to get your FREE Wealth Protection Guide today. Speaking of Neal, please enjoy this hilarious clip with Neal and Superman (Dean Cain) together: (Note: Thank you for supporting American businesses like the one presenting a sponsored message below and working with them through the links below which benefits WLTReport. We appreciate your support and the opportunity to tell you about Genesis Gold!  The information provided by WLTReport or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.)