There are three things you cannot recover in life: the moment after it’s gone, the word after it’s said, and the time after it’s wasted. – Unknown

Welcome to the big column to end the week, “Caught My Eye” (CME)!

If you are a first-time visitor, welcome! CME is the once a week column that is posted here every Friday morning. This is when I take a look at some of the stories I did not have time to write about during the week. There may be some sarcasm and pointed independent commentary so be warned!

Here are the topics that “Caught My Eye” this week:

• Back-To-School Essentials
• The Whistleblower Complaint
• Trump & Omar
• One More Thing

BACK-TO-SCHOOL ESSENTIALS:

Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national, non-profit organization led by several parents and spouses who lost loved ones in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012, that claimed the lives of 20 first-graders and 6 educators.

Please note that this PSA contains graphic content related to school shootings that may be upsetting to some viewers. If you feel that this subject matter may be too difficult for you, you may choose not to watch this video.

Please share this video with your family and friends.

You can visit the SHP website by clicking HERE.

THE WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT:

There are reports that there’s a whistleblower complaint involving President Donald Trump, and that he does not want it disclosed to members of Congress.

The New York Times reports:

While the allegation remains shrouded in mystery, it involves at least one instance of Mr. Trump making an unspecified commitment to a foreign leader and includes other actions, according to interviews. At least part of the allegation deals with Ukraine, two people familiar with it said.

The Associated Press (AP) reported:

The Trump administration plunged into an extraordinary showdown with Congress Thursday over access to a whistleblower’s complaint about reported incidents including a private conversation between President Donald Trump and a foreign leader. The blocked complaint is both “serious” and “urgent,” the government’s intelligence watchdog said.

At first, I thought this whistleblower issue was a yawner, but then I read one of Trump’s series of tweets about the controversy:

….Knowing all of this, is anybody dumb enough to believe that I would say something inappropriate with a foreign leader while on such a potentially “heavily populated” call. I would only do what is right anyway, and only do good for the USA!

I vote yes! Most independent-minded people like me believe it because Trump has done and said stupid stuff before.

If Trump and his people had not blocked the release of the details, this might have been a nothingburger. Now I am not so sure.

TRUMP & OMAR:

Like me, maybe you have some dumbasses in your Facebook or Twitter feed who post false stuff. Some people are just too ignorant to know the difference or understand the ramifications of these lies.

When you’re someone with as many followers on Twitter as President Donald Trump, you should be extra concerned that the things you post are factual.

The Associated Press reported it with their “NOT REAL NEWS” headline this way:

President Donald Trump on Wednesday used Twitter to share an edited video made by a conservative comedian that falsely accused Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of dancing and partying last week on the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Here we have the man who represents the most powerful country on earth and who complains of fake news all the time, posting fake news.

Omar responded on Twitter saying, “The President of the United States is continuing to spread lies that put my life at risk.”

There are several MAGA nuts out there who just might try to harm Omar.

I know I say this a lot, but we’re better than this. Maybe this President isn’t, but the majority of us are.

ONE MORE THING:

The Associated Press reported that the stage was set Thursday for music and other space-themed entertainment as Earthlings descended on the Nevada desert for events inspired by an internet hoax known as “Storm Area 51.”

The AP also reported that anticipating a big crowd, a beer company had produced alien-themed cans, and a brothel offered discounts to “E.T. enthusiasts.”

Sounds like fun.

Good luck to all those attending. Remember – The Truth is Out There!

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