Once, waking up in nature early in the morning, I noticed something surprising. Several dozen ants had fallen into a five-liter bottle of water that had been left open the night before. They waved chaotically in the transparent water, as if each one was fighting for its life.

At first, it seemed to me that they were drowning each other, saving themselves at the cost of the death of others.

This thought made me repulsed, and I turned away, deciding not to intervene.

However, after two hours, curiosity got the better of me, and I looked in the bottle again.

My astonishment knew no limits: the ants were alive! Furthermore, they had formed a true living island, a pyramid, in which some were supported by others, staying afloat like an entire colony.

I held my breath and began to observe. Those at the bottom were actually submerged in the water, but not forever. After a while, they were replaced by ants from the upper layer, which voluntarily descended. Those who were tired went up, without hurrying, without pushing the others.

Nobody tried to save themselves first. On the contrary, each one made an effort to go where it was most difficult. This coordinated system of mutual aid touched me to my core.

I couldn't resist. I found a spoon that easily passed through the neck of the bottle and carefully inserted it. Seeing salvation, the ants began to come out one by one, without generating even a drop of panic.

Everything was going well, until one of them, weakened, slipped back into the water, without reaching the edge.

And then something happened that I will remember all my life.

The last ant, almost outside, suddenly turned back. He came down, as if to say: "Hold on, brother, I won't leave you!"

She dove into the water, clinging tightly to the drowning one, but she couldn't pull him out on her own. I couldn't resist, I brought the spoon closer, and then they both came out, alive, together.

This episode moved me more than any movie or book about friendship and sacrifice. I felt a storm of emotions: first, condemnation, for having taken the ants for insensitive beings; then, amazement at his resistance; admiration for his discipline and brave sacrifice... And in the end, shame.

Shame on humans. For us. Because of indifference, because of how we lose each other in pursuit of benefits, because of how rare it is that someone comes back to save the weak. We build walls, instead of creating living bridges.

If ants, small creatures, are capable of such coordination and selflessness, why are we humans so often deaf to the suffering of others?

That day I understood one thing: true strength is in unity. And if someone still doesn't know how to live correctly, let them learn from the ants.

Credit goes to respective owner 

 

BELANGER

NEGAUNEE – Negaunee resident Carsen Belanger, 18, is accused of taking exploitative pictures of and sexually assaulting a woman last year.

Belanger is charged with eight felonies: three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct-personal injury, four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct-personal injury and one count of capturing/distributing an image of an unclothed person; says the case report from the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office. For each first-degree felony Belanger faces imprisonment for life or for any term of years and to be registered as a sex offender; for each second-degree felony Belanger faces up to 15 years in prison; and for the capturing/distributing crime Belanger faces up to five years in prison and or a $5,000 fine.

The case report received from the Sheriff’s Office was released after The Mining Journal put in a request for public records and was processed under the provisions of the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. Much of the case report is redacted, specifically the mention of Belanger’s name, the sheriff’s department cited the reasoning as, “public disclosure of the information would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of an individual’s privacy.”

The victim was 19 years old at the time and Belanger was 17 at the time of the report in July 2024. The case was first investigated when the victim went into Bell Hospital requesting a sexual assault kit be done on her, and claimed the assault happened early that morning. A month later, DNA was collected from the assault kit, and Belanger, his phone and social media accounts were searched by the Michigan State Police Computers Crimes Unit. By April, multiple photos of a match to the victim were found on the phone, and the DNA collected from the sexual assault kit matched Belanger to the victim.

A warrant was issued for Belanger by chief prosecuting attorney Jenna Nelson and magistrate Felicia Savola a few days after the DNA match. Two days later, on April 17, Belanger was arrested in the Negaunee High School parking lot.

Belanger is scheduled for a preliminary exam hearing at 9:30 a.m. on May 28. Alex Berger from Berger Law will be representing Belanger, with Nelson prosecuting.

No Home, No Money, But Unbroken Loyalty:

 No Home, No Money, But Unbroken Loyalty: The Man Who Carried His Dog’s Final Journey on His Back

For years, that dog was his only companion. They had no luxuries, no home, no comfort - but they had each other. Through rain, sun, and the dust of endless roads, they always walked together. They shared dry bread, puddle water, and cold nights wrapped in cardboard. Today, the silence is heavier than ever. His four-legged friend no longer runs beside him. No tail wags. No more licks at sunset. But he couldn't leave him behind. He would not abandon him, not like the world had abandoned them so many times. With his own hands, he built a small wooden stretcher. And with a shattered heart, he carried him on his back. No money, no car, no help — yet he took him to his final resting place. Step by step, broken inside but with dignity intact. Because real love never gets left behind. Not everyone will understand this picture. Some will only see a man and a dog. But those who've truly loved will see a story of loyalty that endures even beyond death. 

Credits goes to the respective owner❤️

 

  · 

In the middle of the city's hustle and bustle, where people walk past each other without noticing, a man stands out not for what he says, but for what he represents. He has no home, no wealth, and no certainty about what tomorrow will bring, but he possesses something far more valuable than all that: the unconditional love of his dogs. He lives on the streets, facing the unforgiving cold in winter and the scorching heat in summer. Despite the hardships, he never complains. He asks for nothing for himself, only for them. These dogs are his family, his reason to keep going.

Every morning, before the city awakens, he rises and gently strokes the backs of his companions who sleep by his side, trying to share the little warmth he has. He carefully adjusts the makeshift blankets he's created from scraps of fabric, making sure they are comfortable and protected. While he endures hunger and loneliness, his only concern is ensuring his friends don’t feel the same abandonment. He shares with them every crumb he receives, sacrificing his own food so they won't go hungry.

Some passersby look at him with curiosity, others with disdain. "If he can't take care of himself, how can he take care of these dogs?" they wonder. But they don't see what he does when no one is watching: how he checks their paws to make sure they’re not hurt, how he covers them with his body when it rains, how he speaks gently to them when they're scared. To him, these dogs are not a burden, but his reason for being. Each wag of their tails is a silent thank you, each loving gaze a promise they’ll never abandon him.

So, night after night, he keeps going, no matter the cold or the obstacles. Because to him, these dogs are not just animals, they are proof that true love cannot be bought, but is given unconditionally, with the soul, expecting nothing in return.

 

  · 

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.

Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.

One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

Cranky Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?

What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me?

A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,

Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.

When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'

Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.

And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,

With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?

Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see?

Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,

As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.

I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,

Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another

A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet

Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet.

A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.

Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.

Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.

A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,

Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,

But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.

At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,

Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.

I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.

For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.

And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.

It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.

The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.

There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,

And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells

I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.

And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.

I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.

And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.

Not a cranky old man .

Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!

PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM!

The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart!

 

 

 

TRUMP DOES THE UNTHINKABLE.

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TRUMP DOES THE UNTHINKABLE. by Liz Crokin

As an entertainment journalist, I've had the opportunity to cover Trump for over a decade, and in all my years covering him I've never heard anything negative about the man until he announced he was running for president. Keep in mind, I got paid a lot of money to dig up dirt on celebrities like Trump for a living so a scandalous story on the famous billionaire could've potentially sold a lot of magazines and would've been a Huge feather in my cap.

Instead, I found that he doesn't drink alcohol or do drugs, he's a hardworking businessman. On top of that, he's one of the most generous celebrities in the world with a heart filled with more gold than his $100 million New York penthouse.

Since the media has failed so miserably at reporting the truth about Trump, I decided to put together some of the acts of kindness he's committed over three decades which has gone virtually unnoticed or fallen on deaf ears.

In 1986, Trump prevented the foreclosure of Annabell Hill's family farm after her husband committed suicide. Trump personally phoned down to the auction to stop the sale of her home and offered the widow money. Trump decided to take action after he saw Hill's pleas for help in news reports.

In 1988, a commercial airline refused to fly Andrew Ten, a sick

Orthodox Jewish child with a rare illness, across the country to get medical care because he had to travel with an elaborate life-support system. His grief-stricken parents contacted Trump for help and he didn't hesitate to send his own plane to take the child from Los Angeles to New York so he could get his treatment.

In 1991, 200 Marines who served in Operation Desert Storm spent time at Camp Lejune in North Carolina before they were scheduled to return home to their families. However, the Marines were told that a mistake had been made and an aircraft would not be able to take them home on their scheduled departure date. When Trump got wind of this, he sent his plane to make two trips from North Carolina to Miami to safely return the Gulf War Marines to their loved ones.

In 1995, a motorist stopped to help Trump after the limo he was traveling in got a flat tire. Trump asked the Good Samaritan how he could repay him for his help. All the man asked for was a bouquet of flowers for his wife. A few weeks later Trump sent the flowers with a note that read: We've paid off your mortgage.

In 1996, Trump filed a lawsuit against the city of Palm Beach ,

Florida, accusing the town of discriminating against his Mar-a-Lago resort club because it allowed Jews and blacks. Abraham Foxman, who as the Anti-Defamation League Director at the time, said Trump put the light on Palm Beach not on the beauty and the glitter, but on its seamier side of discrimination. Foxman also noted that Trump's charge had a trickle-down effect because other clubs followed his lead and

began admitting Jews and blacks.

In 2000, Maury Povich featured a little girl named Megan who struggled with Brittle Bone Disease on his show and Trump happened to be watching. Trump said the little girl's story and positive attitude touched his heart. So he contacted Maury and gifted the little girl and her family with a very generous check.

In 2008, after Jennifer Hudson's family members were tragically murdered in Chicago , Trump put the Oscar-winning actress and her family up at his Windy City hotel for free. In addition to that, Trump's security took extra measures to ensure Hudson and her family members were safe during such a difficult time.

In 2013, New York bus driver Darnell Barton spotted a woman close to the edge of a bridge staring at the traffic below as he drove by. He stopped the bus, got out and put his arm around the woman and saved her life by convincing her to not jump. When Trump heard about this story, he sent the hero bus driver a check simply because he believed his good deed deserved to be rewarded.

In 2014, Trump gave $25,000 to Sgt. Andrew Tamoressi after he spent seven months in a Mexican jail for accidentally crossing the US-Mexico border. President Barack Obama couldn't even be bothered to make one phone call to assist with the United States Marine's release; however, Trump opened his pocketbook to help this serviceman get back on his feet.

In 2016, Melissa Consin Young attended a Trump rally and tearfully thanked Trump for changing her life. She said she proudly stood on stage with Trump as Miss Wisconsin USA in 2005. However, years later she found herself struggling with an incurable illness and during her darkest days, she explained that she received a handwritten letter from Trump telling her she's the bravest woman, I know. She said the opportunities that she got from Trump and his organizations ultimately

provided her Mexican-American son with a full-ride to college.

Lynne Patton, a black female executive for the Trump Organization, released a statement in 2016 defending her boss against accusations that he's a racist and a bigot. She tearfully revealed how she's struggled with substance abuse and addiction for years. Instead of kicking her to the curb, she said the Trump Organization and his entire family loyally stood by her through immensely difficult times.

Donald Trump's kindness knows no bounds and his generosity has and continues to touch the lives of people from every sex, race, and religion. When Trump sees someone in need, he wants to help.

Two decades ago, Oprah asked Trump in a TV interview if he'd ever run for president. He said: "If it got so bad, I would never want to rule it out totally because I really am tired of seeing what's happening with this country.'"

That day has come. Trump sees that America is in need and he wants to help. How unthinkable! On the other hand, have you ever heard of Hillary or Obama ever doing such things with their own resources?

Now that's really unthinkable! Might be worth passing on!!!

Just shows we hired the right guy. If Hollywood , the liberals and the

media ever STOP harassing him, Trump will have time to do many more positive things for our country....the good ole United States of America!!

PS ~ To those who are already Fact Checking, don't bother . . . already did it, and all the stories are TRUE!

The Liberal, progressive, socialists want to destroy this guy. .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those of you who are newer to our lovely area once a year I always put out a reminder. We are going into the coyote mating season. Januar and February they are extemely agressive and active. Coyotes will be on the prowl looking for food. They have been known to scale a 12ft fence with ease. Here recently two hunters found a coyote den with over 50 dog and cat collars. There's no telling how many they killed that didn't have a collar on. A coyote can literally wait in the shadows you take your little dog out for potty break and turn your head and that is how long it can take for you to lose your precious fur baby. They have adapted to being the best skilled hunters and they go into peoples backyards all the time and on front porches. All of these pictures that I am posting are coyotes with beloved cats and dogs in their mouths. This is disturbing. We live in a very rural part of town where coyotes don't really have a natural enemy in our area. Protect your dogs and cats when outside especially.