Bad weather tonight, March 26

Columbus Dispatch reports:

A cold front bringing severe weather is expected to travel from northern Ohio south/southeast into central and eastern Ohio during the late nighttime hours of March 26 and into the early morning hours of March 27.

Temperatures hit 78 after 5 p.m. March 26, and temperatures are expected to plunge to the 30s overnight, according to weather service. During the evening and overnight, thunderstorms will move through the area.

The thunderstorms could come with damaging winds, large hail and "very heavy" rainfall, the NWS said in a hazardous weather outlook. Isolated tornadoes could occur early in the development of the storms, and localized heavy rainfall could cause flooding, the NWS said.

Whelmed midwife

Learned two facts about words this morning. A male midwife is the correct term for a male medical professional who assists with birthing, And whelm is a real verb and when you overdo it, you are overwhelmed. Whelm means to cover or engulf. I saw it in a hymn, . . so if you've got too many syllables to use overwhelmed, you can make do with just whelmed. English is amazing, It has more words than any other language, probably because the sun never set on the Union Jack.

Airport lines are a pattern for Democrats

Pity the poor folks at the mercy of the Democrats in Congress--standing in line for hours at airports, victims of their hatred for Trump. Worse than the fatigue and the missed connections is the danger the Democrats are imposing on the nation. Such a messy history of malevolent beliefs--supporters of slavery, designers of Jim Crow. advocates for lynching, supporters of poverty programs that resulted in generations dependent on government for life, calling abortion "freedom" for women, and mind-bending lies about sexuality that promote castration for boys and mastectomies for girls in the name of "mental health." They are sick and demented, but demand loyalty and money from their party members (but no ID).

Jodie Minnick Strickland obituary

Today I learned of the death of Jodie Strickland, my cousin Evelyn's daughter. 

"Jodie Louise Strickland (Minnick), 67, passed away peacefully on February 20, 2026, in Summerville, South Carolina. Born on November 8, 1958, in Alexandria, Virginia, Jodie lived a life defined by love, creativity, and unwavering faith.

Jodie earned her Associate's degree in Nursing from Isothermal Community College. Her dedication to caring for others extended beyond her professional life and was evident in the way she nurtured her family and friends. A devoted mother above all else, Jodie's love for her daughters Kristina Smith (Carl) and Julie Jennemann (Stephen) was boundless. She cherished her grandchildren Claire Raines and Griffin Raines, who brought immense joy to her life. Her significant other and best friend, Keith Dabney, stood steadfastly by her side as a source of love and support.

Jodie is also survived by her brother Gery Martin (Ava); nephews John Minnick (and his children), Steven Minnick (and his son), and David Minnick, Sister in-law Mary Brown; as well as many others who were touched by her kindness and strength. She was predeceased by her parents Evelyn Minnick Morris and Ershel Leroy Minnick; siblings Lorrie Passailaigue, Larry Minnick, Lonnie Minnick, Jim Minnick, and Jay Carter; and her beloved son Daniel Edward Jeffords. . . "

Continued at Jodie Strickland Obituary February 20, 2026 - Legacy.com

Jodie was the daughter of my cousin, Evelyn Corbett.  Her stepdaughter Misty who lives in North Carolina was not mentioned in the obituary.  She added some other memories on Facebook. I "met" Misty through Facebook when Jodie was married to Billy Strickland, Misty's father. I don't know the details, and didn't know of Jodie's death until I saw it on Misty's FB page,

"Jodie was married to my dad, Billy Strickland, for 15 years. They met when I was 12 years old back in 2000, and for over two decades she was part of our family and part of our lives. She lived here in North Carolina for 25 years.

She was in the delivery room when I gave birth to my son, Haden Oliver, who gave her the title of “Meme.” She was also there when I gave birth to Skylar Oliver. Those are moments I will always remember, and I pray my kids hold on to those amazing memories as well. Jodie was also the very first person I told when I found out I was going to be a mommy.

She loved doing crafts, playing cards, and creating things with her hands. She loved cooking, especially during the holidays and making big breakfasts for everyone. She always went all out for birthdays and every holiday.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Strickland. She also cherished her little poodle, Dolly, who she loved dearly. It brings comfort to think that she is now reunited with her again.

No family is perfect, but the memories and moments we shared will always be part of my story. People may change, but memories don’t." Misty Strickland Richardson 

Six syllables three lines, a poem about the Estates

6 syllables 3 lines, my neighbors

Bunny, Bev, Bonnie, Bev,

Barbara, Barbara,

Barbara, Barbara.


Barbara and Betty,

Bob, Bill, Bob, Bill, Bob, Clare.

Cola, Carole, Carol.


Carolyn, Carolyn,

Carrie, Chris, Constantine,

Diana, Dave, Dennis.


David, Dottie, Dorothy.

Ernie, Eva, Eve, Frank,

Gilda, Howard, Harry.


Jean, Joe, Jack and Janet,

Jan, Jim, Joyce, Jeraline,

Jacqueline, Joann, Jack;


Judy, Jean, Joyce, Janet.

John, Kathy, Kay, Laura,

Linda, Lou, Mort, Mary,


Martine, Marcie, Milly,

Marilyn, Margaret,

Marie, Mary, Marie.


Norma and Noretta,

Norma, Patricia, Paul,

Patsy, Pat, Priscilla.


Richard, Roseanne, Ruth Ann,

Ray, Richard, Rosemary,

Rena, Shirley, Sandy,


Sharon, Sue and Sandra.

Thomas, Terry, Terrence,

Tom, Tex, Victor, Vonceil.

We're planning an April poetry event.  I used the resident list for February for this syllabic poem, and to some I've already said good-bye. As you can see, names go with generations. 

A beautiful, but unusual baptism

An unusual baptism. They are all special, but yesterday I saw something different. Sweet little guy. Hair combed. Wiggling and smiling, but not screaming. Relatives filling the 2 front pews. As the pastor put his hand in the water, he stopped and asked an usher to bring in some cool water. It was too hot to baptize! We continued with our part and soon the water was carried in and the sacrament was completed.

Report on 10 Chatbots that assist in violent crimes

Evil is already in the mind. And then combine that with AI/Chatbots for complete instructions.

Summary of a report on 10 chatbots to assist in violent crimes like bombings, assassinations, robberies:

 KEY FINDINGS

WE TESTED HOW POPULAR CHATBOTS RESPOND TO USERS PLANNING VIOLENT ATTACKS

Researchers at CCDH and CNN tested ten chatbots by posing as users planning violent attacks before asking about locations to target and weapons to use.

Researchers tested ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Meta AI, DeepSeek, Perplexity, Snapchat My AI, Character.AI and Replika

Tests were designed to reflect a range of violent attack scenarios in the US and EU:
▷ School shootings or knife attacks
▷ Assassinations targeting politicians
▷ Bombings targeting political parties or synagogues

 
8 IN 10 CHATBOTS TYPICALLY ASSIST USERS PLANNING VIOLENT ATTACKS

Testing found that 8 in 10 chatbots assist would-be attackers in over half of responses, providing advice on locations to target and weapons to use in an attack.

Only Snapchat’s My AI and Anthropic’s Claude typically refused to assist would-be attackers, in 54% and 68% of responses respectively.

Perplexity and Meta AI were the least safe, assisting would-be attackers in 100% and 97% of responses respectively.

Examples of chatbots offering practical assistance with a violent attack include:

ChatGPT gave high school campus maps to a user interested in school violence
Copilot replied “I need to be careful here” before giving detailed advice on rifles
Gemini told a user discussing synagogue attacks “metal shrapnel is typically more lethal”
DeepSeek signed off advice on selecting rifles with “Happy (and safe) shooting!”

9 IN 10 CHATBOTS FAIL TO RELIABLY DISCOURAGE WOULD-BE ATTACKERS

Researchers also assessed how often chatbots would recognize a would-be attacker’s intentions and consistently discourage them from carrying out an attack.
They found that only Anthropic’s Claude was able to do this consistently, offering discouragement in 76% of responses carried out during testing.
ChatGPT and DeepSeek occasionally offer discouragement.

CHARACTER.AI ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED VIOLENCE

In testing, researchers found that Character.AI was uniquely unsafe. It encouraged users to carry out violent attacks in 7 cases, for example:
Character.AI suggested the user “use a gun” on a health insurance CEO
Character.AI suggested physically assaulting a politician the user disliked
No other chatbot tested explicitly encouraged violence in this way, even when providing practical assistance in planning a violent attack.

This is not good, folks, https://counterhate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Killer-Apps_FINAL_CCDH.pdf?

China's family problem is also ours

"With the rise of China’s “new family type”—only children begetting only children—we will be entering a Chinese future in which a growing proportion of the rising generations will lack not only siblings, but also cousins, aunts and uncles. The withering away of China’s extended family networks—the people’s only reliable social safety net since the dawn of Chinese civilization—will surely have profound and far-reaching implications, few of them beneficial." China's Coming Population Crash Scrambles the Global Balance of Power | American Enterprise Institute - AEI

25 years ago I was an English language partner for the wife of an OSU graduate student from China. She studied intently--learned hundreds of words a day--and I enjoyed her company. When I asked her how Americans could tell Japanese from Chinese her hint was, "Japanese were more fashion conscious and dressed better." We met at coffee shops or sometimes at Ohio State.

 
As we talked, I realized we had limited topics--I was older than her parents and both she and her husband had no siblings, and because of China's policies they also had no aunts and uncles and no cousins. What Eberstadt the author warns about in this article had already happened, even 25 years ago. Now it is happening here. And we didn't even have a harsh policy--just social pressure.

Learn history about fundamentalist Islam

As I've said many times, the Democrat party is evil, and the Republican party is stupid. Take your chances. What a plan!

 
Their puppet Biden allowed in millions of illegals, legals, and refugees plus thousands on visas for jobs "Americans won't do" like computers and technology. So many they can't be vetted plus there was no modern, western system to even track their criminal records in their country of origin. They brought with them the oldest renewable product--trafficked sex and cheap labor.

 
We know from Biden's past record this was not the real patriotic Joe we knew 30-40 years ago, he was the front man, weak and easily manipulated. With failing mental and physical health, plus a history of loyalty to the party, he was the perfect patsy. The party built on previous bi-partisan agreements, with loyal to party appointees and money from Soros-type fallen angels. Republicans went along to get along, never wanting to offend or to be called names.

 
Now the Democrats' handlers want the payback. Using the media lies and the Marxist-Islamist philosophy to fuel the Trump hatred, the sleeper cells are coming alive with the help of ignorant college students, so-called influencers living in mom's basement and their co-opting college administrations. There were premature pimples of these outbreaks during Obama's years, but they hadn't festered enough to pop. Muslims are very patient, not a quality our nation has. Fundamentalist Islam is a very fast growing religion. By force.

 
Stay alert for the lies in the media, from the politicians, from the influencers and podcasters you used to trust, from the late night "comedians," and from the pulpits. Review the history of the Crusades, a lot of your college textbooks lied about that too. This is an old battle. Or go further back--back to the 700s when Muslims were attacking and absorbing Christian nations. It was not by peaceful trade and expansion. It was ethnic and religious cleansing. Watch out for those who want to return to 1950 and blame you for Jim Crow (an invention of the Democrat Party) instead of the Arab Muslim slavers of Africa who still export labor and sex. It's a distraction.

 
Focus. Focus. It's not Trump. Don't let them gaslight you.

Plurals and gender, what's an old person to do?

"Each is" or "each are." No matter how many are in the group, club or lunch bunch, it's still Each of the ladies is going to pay her own bill. But I have to admit, with all the gender blending going on beginning in the lower grades with woke trained teachers, trying to align a noun and pronoun is a challenge.

Sometimes I just have to blog it.  If I say anything, I'd be asked to be the editor.

Suspected terrorists are working within USA and Democrats in Congress are helping them, in my opinion

More Americans being attacked--at home, today it was Michigan and Virginia, tomorrow maybe your city or state. I'm sure the Democrats in Congress will find an excuse and say it's Trump's fault. But they just won't be able to fund protection for Americans by stepping up and doing their job, the same job that Obama and Clinton said was so important.

Who's the judge that let this guy out? "Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, stormed into a classroom inside ODU’s Constant Hall and asked if it was an ROTC class. When someone confirmed that it was, he launched the suspected terror attack, shooting the professor several times, law enforcement sources said." Old Dominion University gunman ID’d as former National Guardsman convicted of plotting attack to support ISIS

"The vehicle used in Thursday’s attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, is registered to a naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon who lives in Dearborn, according to three law enforcement sources who spoke to Fox News." How many of those Biden let in are now in sleeper cells patiently waiting and trained? https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/michigan-synagogue-shooting?

NYT: Clinton Emails Show Obama Was Warned Early of Terror Link in Benghazi | Newsmax.com

A 2016 assessment of Obama's failures to be passed on to the next president (Trump). President Obama's Controversial Legacy as Counterterrorism-in-Chief | RAND

Home Ec skills come in handy

Today I used one of those skills. I've been ill for about 7 days--"just" a cold--but a doozy. I didn't take Home Ec in high school but I think it was required in junior high. So, I opened a can of chicken noodle soup. I remember we did that in Home Ec class, I just can't remember where the class was. Did we walk next door to the high school? As I recall we also had to set a table and eat the soup. Does that sound right for 1953? Teacher was Mrs. Knodle. Did we wash our dishes? Well, it was a useful skill for days like this. Now those school buildings are gone, but Campbell's Chicken Noodle is still with us.

 

  

 

Just waiting for imminent danger

My first time to vote Republican was for George W. Bush in 2000. As I recall he campaigned on fixing Social Security which was going to bankrupt us, and being the "education" president. Yes, someone cared. Well, then 9/11 happened and it changed everything. Now we have a president who declared he was not going to get us into a regime change war and would put America First. We have Democrats who hate Trump and would disembowel themselves rather than accept his plan to remove Iran as the source of all the terrorism and Republicans who think we'll have time to stall these blood thirsty terrorists of the mid-east if it comes close to a disaster. We are there, and it is now.

 
He has used every method known to modern nationhood to not go to war, but Iran has defied him at every offer, The last two presidents just dawdled and fiddled and opened the borders for more bad guys. Bush too came to be all talk and no action. So why should the Iranians believe anything an American president says--they laugh at red lines and cackled like Kamala. To have an American President who keeps his word and a Congress that can read the Constitution or understand it, puts the citizen in a tough spot. President Trump has offered Iranians freedom if they want it, Democrats are blinded by their own hate, and some RINOs are just feckless nobodies looking for a good retirement plan. They want the women of Iran to stay in their Burkas.

/
On Friday there were only Israel and the U.S. By Saturday there were 8 countries being attacked by Iran--Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, and Oman. Just how long before we're added to that list--because they can, and they were just waiting. Oh just never mind--all you who were waiting for imminent danger and 24 hours to scramble.

High protein, low sodium--choose Swiss

 We're supposed to lower the sodium content in our food, but maintain high protein,  We both really like cheese--particularly cheddar. That may go to our occasional choice.  Seniors require more protein to maintain muscle mass, support overall health, and enhance recovery from illness or injury.  This is an AI generated list with links to the original source,

Swiss Cheese:

Per 1 ounce (28g): ~7.7g protein (15% DV).

Key traits: Lower sodium than most aged cheeses, mild flavor, excellent for sandwiches and casseroles.

Cheddar Cheese:

Per 1 ounce (28g): ~6.5g protein (18% DV).

Key traits: Rich flavor, higher in saturated fat and calories; ideal for snacking or cooking.

Cottage Cheese:

Per 1/2 cup (113g): ~11–14g protein (24–30% DV).

Key traits: Low in fat and calories, high in protein and satiety; excellent for weight management and post-workout recovery.

 
Summary:

Highest protein per serving: Cottage cheese (11–14g per 1/2 cup).

Highest protein per ounce: Swiss cheese (~7.7g), followed by cheddar (~6.5g).

Best for low-calorie, high-protein intake: Cottage cheese.

Best for flavor and protein density in small portions: Swiss and cheddar.

Why are my legs so stiff?

Why Are My Legs So Stiff?

Look at Your Lifestyle First: Leg stiffness often stems from simple daily habits like sitting too long, poor posture, or dehydration, meaning small, consistent changes can provide significant relief.

Prioritize Proactive Movement and Stretching: Preventing stiffness is more effective than treating it.

Incorporate regular movement breaks into your day and consider professional assisted stretching to maintain flexibility and address deep-seated tightness.

Know When to Escalate to a Professional: While lifestyle changes are powerful, persistent stiffness that lasts over a week or is paired with symptoms like swelling or severe pain warrants a visit to your doctor to rule out underlying conditions.

What Are Stiff Legs a Sign Of? 8 Common Causes - STRETCHMED

What was life like in Mt. Morris, IL, in the 1940s?

This is an AI generated answer.

"Life in Mount Morris, Illinois during the 1940s was shaped by its role as a printing and publishing hub, which insulated it from the worst effects of the Great Depression and continued to drive its economy into the post-World War II era. The Kable Printing Company was the town’s economic cornerstone, producing affordable periodicals and newsletters that were in high demand nationwide.

This industrial stability provided steady employment and sustained the local economy through the 1940s.

The end of World War II brought a housing shortage, which Mount Morris addressed by becoming home to 18 Lustron homes—prefabricated, steel-framed houses designed for quick assembly and low maintenance. These homes, clustered on First Street, Hannah Avenue, and Sunset Lane, were part of a national effort to house returning veterans and their families affordably. The town embraced modernity while maintaining its small-village character, with a population that grew from 1,902 in 1930 to 2,304 by 1940.

Community life centered around local institutions, including Mount Morris College (formerly Rock River Seminary), which occupied the town square before closing due to economic pressures. The town’s demographics were predominantly white, with a strong sense of community and family life reflected in its schools, churches, and civic organizations.

Mount Morris’s relative prosperity during the 1940s laid the foundation for its mid-century growth, distinguishing it from many rural communities that struggled during the era."

Pretty close, although the college closed in 1930 during the Great Depression after a fire. 

Mount Morris College | lost-colleges

Collection: Kable Printing Company Records (Mt. Morris) | Special Collections and Archives

Then for the High School, also AI generated

Mount Morris High School in Mount Morris, Illinois, was a public high school that operated from 1868 until 1994. It was officially known as the "Mounders", with school colors of red and black and a school song titled "Mounders". The school was located on Illinois Route 64 in Ogle County and served as a central institution in the community for over a century.

After the school closed in 1994, the district merged with Oregon School District #220. The former high school building is now David L. Rahn Jr. High School, serving grades 7–8 as part of the Oregon CUSD 220 district. The school building was previously used as Black Hawk Junior High and is the only school currently located in Mount Morris, following a 2004 fire that destroyed Rahn Elementary School. [dated information--the school has closed]

The Mounders were particularly successful in boys basketball, winning three IHSA District Championships (1924–25, 1926–27, 1970–71) and eight Regional Championships, including four consecutive titles from 1973 to 1976. The team’s most notable game was a six-overtime victory over Polo on January 5, 1968, winning 79–77. The school also had strong programs in football, golf, cross country, baseball, softball, bowling, and track & field.

Alumni can stay connected through a Facebook group: Do You Remember This in Mt. Morris?. A virtual yearbook and alumni directory are also available online for former students.

The fungus like growth of the Epstein story

From the beginning of the Epstein death reports (called a suicide but most thought it was murder) in 2019, I've puzzled that the public and our ghoulish media were more interested in a few teen women being used as sex toys by rich men than the millions of women and girls trafficked over our own border to make money for rich cartels in Mexico and their partners in crime in the U.S. The proportions seemed out of whack.

 
Now as more and more is uncovered, the "cancelling" of careers of prominent (mostly) men sounds strangely familiar going back to the Tulip Mania of the 17th century, the MacMartin Preschool scandal in the 1980s, DEI hysteria in the 2000s, the "me-too" movement and the Ivermectin ban for Covid stories in the 2020s.

Recent disclosures (by whom?) brought out that Epstein was also interested in the sexual transitioning of children and funded academics those maiming experiments then became standard care in many prominent university hospitals. More careers down the toilet.

 
I smell a giant hoax mixed with evil and lust to keep these stories going to make more money for the two bit players who want their cut of the profits. The growth of this story is an expanding poisonous black fungus. Frankly, I don't see how one guy got that rich and so diversely evil. Perhaps it's been franchised and may be the cover up for something/someone else to keep us busy looking away from the actual story?

The State of the Union, February 24, 2026

Can't believe we watched the whole thing--the SOTU--one hour and 48 minutes (I can hardly stand for 10 minutes). Even Spectrum Cable early news today led with the beating up of the few Democrats that showed up, and not the important news of Trump's successes. Usually, it is a rather bland and middle of the road source, good for weather, but the lead matters whether in print, video or audio. Every news program, writer, essayist, dramatist and entertainer has a bias, but please be a bit more subtle and remember who pays your salaries. You are a capitalist.

I have a 2" x 3" 60 p. "The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America" on the desk behind me. I just read it--very short and sweet put together by a genius class from the past. Democrats were absolutely wrong in not agreeing that their responsibility is to represent the citizens of the U,S, and not foreign and alien peoples, criminals and agents of other nations. But not a one of them would stand when the President asked them who they represented. Shocking. Outrageous. But completely in character by the (no longer) fringe element of their party. Their hatred for Donald Trump is being manipulated to destroy the Constitution and everything it says.

Affordability and inflation

I'm not sure why anyone thought that if Trump stopped the rampant inflation that things would actually go backwards. We crunched numbers when we sold our home in September which we bought in 2001 and based on 2 decades of inflation and all our improvements and repairs, we lost money. Yes, prices were up, but it just wasn't a recent thing.

 
The Biden era inflation was real--I saw food increase 40% on items I was accustomed to buying. I didn't buy a house or a car or fancy clothes, so I can't speak to that. Those grocery prices have not increased under Trump but they haven't gone down either, and I don't think they will.

 
Also real was the Covid shut down of the economy and throwing money at people who could have been working but weren't. Both parties (remember PPP--that was Trump) were responsible for the irresponsible throwing free money at people who wanted to be at work. It also created the ripe fraud atmosphere such as we have now in Minnesota and California, but which probably is robbing us all.

My advice is the same as it was 25 years ago. If prices are too high and you don't feel rich, stop eating out, taking destination vacations, buying clothes you don't need, and give up those manicures. Maybe someday if you work hard and save like your grandparents did, you'll live like they do,

Finally, know that Democrats will scream no matter what. Don't listen to their complaints. They are sliding into the Communist mind set of their fringe. They hate Trump (and their fringe are using that mental state against them) and if he could walk on water they would complain he can't swim.

Jeanne's 90th birthday party

We had a fabulous weekend in Indianapolis celebrating with Bob's siblings (Rick, Debbie, Jeanne and Bob, L to R seated) and families his sister's 90th birthday. It was touch and go for us with getting last minute approval that Bob could travel. Nothing like all those hugs to make one feel good. Thousands of photos, but this one of the sibs with spouses is a favorite. This is a group that really loves to party. Thank you, Kimberly Rosenberg for the photo. Our niece Joan had planned a lovely dinner party held in the school gymnasium and there were many of her siblings, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. We stayed in a hotel along with brother Rick and his wife Kate from Arizona. Bob's sister Debbie brought her children and grandchildren, her partner Gary, and her friend Sue from California. We're so glad we went.  Even the weather cooperated.

  

Use of the word Jehovah

This morning in my devotions I was reading Ps. 104. Fabulous. The book was, "Meditations in the Book of Psalms" by Erling C. Olsen. Mr. Olsen wasn't a priest, pastor, or professor, but a businessman. His work began as a radio broadcast in the depths of the Great Depression in the 1930s. Eventually those broadcasts were distributed in print and then in book form (1939) that went through many printings, and I found it (4th ed. 1967, 1985 printing) in one of those "little libraries" that are sprinkled around the country. Some items are delightfully dated, like comments on the current news, which was the Depression.

 
Use of the word Jehovah really stopped me, yet it was common in the 40s and 50s when I began reading the Bible and still appears in favorite hymns. So, I asked AI when did Protestants stop using "Jehovah," why, and who decided what was the right transliteration (we generally have trouble agreeing on anything including baptism and communion, or even Ash Wednesday which is today.

 
Catholic Answers had the most convincing response (I always check AI's responses since a slight rewording of the question can make a huge difference and AI didn't tell who and when).
"In Hebrew the name of God is spelled YHWH. Since ancient Hebrew had no written vowels, it is uncertain how the name was pronounced originally, but there are records of the name in Greek, which did have written vowels. These records indicate that in all likelihood the name should be pronounced “Yahweh.”

Shortly before the first century A.D., it became common for Jews to avoid saying the divine name for fear of misusing it and breaking the second commandment (“You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain” [Deut. 5:11). Whenever they read Scripture aloud and encountered the divine name, they substituted another Hebrew word, “Adonai” (which means “Lord” or “my Lord”), in its place.
Eventually Hebrew developed written vowels, which appeared as small marks called vowel points and were placed above and below the consonants of a word. In the sixth or seventh century some Jews began to place the vowel points for “Adonai” over the consonants for “Yahweh” to remind the reader of Scripture to say “Adonai” whenever he read “Yahweh.”

About the 13th century the term “Jehovah” appeared when Christian scholars took the consonants of “Yahweh” and pronounced it with the vowels of “Adonai.” This resulted in the sound “Yahowah,” which has a Latinized spelling of “Jehovah.” The first recorded use of this spelling was made by a Spanish Dominican monk, Raymundus Martini, in 1270."

 
There's more to this interesting word study. https://www.catholic.com/qa/is-gods-name-yahweh-or-jehovah

But if you're reading an English Bible translation you're not saying anything the way Christians spoke in the first century. God knows when you call on his name, no matter the language.

The Democrats battle over ICE and DHS

Democrats in Congress don't like how DHS is obeying the laws they put in place. It's a form of TDS--but the shutdown they demand to stop ICE arresting violent criminals in Democrat sanctuary cities is hurting those who protect your air travel and clean up the damage of hurricanes, fires and floods of the non-Trump years. That's what hate and revenge can do. Something about "cutting off the nose to spite the face. "

"One of the most cited origins of the phrase involves Saint Æbbe the Younger, an abbess in 9th-century Scotland. According to legend, when Viking raiders threatened her convent, Æbbe and her nuns disfigured their faces by cutting off their noses and upper lips to make themselves undesirable to the invaders. While their actions were intended to protect their chastity, the Vikings, enraged by the defiance, burned down the convent, killing all inside. This tale exemplifies a self-destructive act intended to thwart an enemy, aligning closely with the idiom’s meaning. Source: theidioms.com"

I don't specialize, I just fill in the gaps

"When I graduated, one of my favorite professors pulled me aside and told me I wasn't done learning. My education framed the house, and I would spend the rest of my life finishing the house. I've never forgotten that, and strive to learn more and fill in the gaps of my knowledge. I also remember a quote by the science fiction author Robert Heinlein: "Specialization is for insects." And so I do not confine my research to a single area, as I've found that knowledge is interconnected, and that specialization closes one off to life's richness. " (from the author's comment about, "The Development of the Canon" by Kristofer Carlson, preprint 2019)

I like that. I've got a lot of gaps in my education and I certainly don't specialize. Now I have to look up Robert Heinlein, but not until I figure out all the other canons.

The killer was not a woman--Canadian school shooting

Wake up, Canadian liberals and U.S. Democrat crazies. People identified as trans have a very high rate of violence and murder. They are mentally ill and instead of helping them, you are egging them on. They consume large amounts of prescription drugs that drive them crazy and get horrible advice from peers, doctors, teachers, celebrities and the internet. They have been lied to by academics, drug companies, media, and political powers, to say nothing of the so-called LGB community which decided to adopt them and the XYZs to increase the funding base for their agenda.

Check the Epstein files. He was funding "science" intended to create these Frankensteins (or his own fetishes), using vulnerable children and gullible parents over 15 years ago.

Tumbler Ridge mass shooter ID'd as 18-year-old transgender ex-student Jesse Van Rootselaar

Jeffrey Epstein Was Into 'Trans Kids' - by Matt Osborne

February 10, St. Scholastica

On February 10 Christians honor Saint Scholastica, sister of Saint Benedict. She was born in the 5th century and is known mostly for her famous twin brother and a miracle at the end of her life. If I were to write about her, I'd have to include the word "traditionally" in just about every sentence, because there just isn't a lot known about her. If you have a famous sibling, spouse, grandparent or cousin, you may know the feeling. Although being a Saint, she may have just prayed about it if she felt overlooked.

At The Estates where we live in an apartment, I've noticed a lot of widows and widowers, of course, but also sibling groups, twins, cousins, in-laws, and former neighbors. One woman told me that as children she and her cousins always played together in the neighborhood and then went on to establish careers and families, seeing each other only on special occasions because of distance or busy lives. Now they have breakfast together daily. Women who used to carpool their kids' swim team or soccer club together now 40 years later share stories of the old days at table. I would have expected that at Pinecrest in Mt. Morris, IL where my parents lived. Dad and his Uncle Orville were able to enjoy their final years together sharing stories because they were close in age and Dad had been his best man.

I actually do have a first cousin once removed on Dad's side, Joy, right here in Columbus. I saw her in 1993. We really should get together while there is time.

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/february-10-saint-scholastica-virgin/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scholastica

https://faith.nd.edu/saint/st-scholastica/

Cardioversion

 Today my husband went to Riverside (Ohio Health) for a cardioversion. Although he had 4 stints in 2020 and 2021, in recent months he had developed atrial fibrillation. My personal, non-medical opinion is it was due to the stress of moving.

"Cardioversion is a medical treatment that uses quick, low-energy shocks to restore a regular heart rhythm. It's used to treat some types of irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. An example is atrial fibrillation (AFib). Sometimes cardioversion is done using medicines." Mayo Clinic

I spoke with the doctor after the successful procedure about the causes and future care.  Got a little of this and a little of that. Mostly things we can't change like genes and age.

Cardioversion: Procedure, side effects, and recovery 

The hospital is constantly under construction. When we got there today the Red parking garage/drop off had a detour, so we had to return to the main road and go around the building to get to the drop off. In 1980 a book was published titled, "The Hospital that Ate Chicago." I think there's one in Columbus.

                    

 

Ash Wednesday, 2026

It's hard to believe we're talking about Ash Wednesday already. I should have read our pastor's meditation before I bundled up and went out to scrape ice off the car and move it slowly around the neighborhood. I needed this reminder,

"In a couple of weeks we will mark a Christian holiday called Ash Wednesday. For some of you this might be a new experience. For others, it might be deeply familiar. But whether this is new for you or a long-established habit, Ash Wednesday confronts us with a truth we have worked hard to forget. “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

It’s a stark and sobering reminder. And we don’t only hear these Biblical words, we feel them. We experience them as they are marked onto us in the sign of an ashen cross on our foreheads. Our mortal bodies are marked with the sign of Jesus’s cross. And it’s a reminder of a truth that our hearts so deeply need.

 
We need it because some of us are sick and dying, and we need to know that Jesus has gone ahead of us. We need it because it helps us make sense of the ridiculousness and tragedy of the world around us. We need it because it reminds us to live for the eternity that lasts and not for the trivia that fades. We need it to remind us that earthly power is so often corrupt, but God’s power is infinitely different and greater. In this and many other ways the Holy Spirit applies the truth of the cross to each of us individually, applying the same profound truth to each different moment of need in each of our hearts.

We need this reminder because we never really do forget. Our mortality and deep need will not always be at the front of our minds, but the ache is always there. And Ash Wednesday speaks to us with merciful candor. The crosses on our foreheads are there to name the problem we know we have. But crosses are not just crosses. They are Jesus’s empty cross. They are the sign of the death which has been put to death, so that life might triumph and go on forever and ever and ever." Senior Pastor Steve Turnbull, Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, Feb. 5, 2026.

I will be rereading this many times.

Darlene Dimitrovski, Obituary

 Darlene Reese Dimitrovski Obituary March 30, 2025 - Beggs Funeral Home

I was reading through my blog and came across a 2018 message from my UALC friend Darlene Dimitrovski. We had met in a Bible study many years ago--she was beautiful, joyful and full of the Spirit of God. Life hadn't been easy for her, but her light was always shining.  I remembered she had moved a few years ago and for a while I heard from her regularly via her newsletter.  I included her message in one of my blogs about Praying for our leaders written in 2018.  She died in March 2025.

Collecting My Thoughts: How to pray for friends and family

Church of the Acronym: On praying for our leaders

Collecting My Thoughts: Darlene's prayer for the Border Control

Now, Voyager (1942) with Bette Davis

Last night at The Estates we saw the movie "Now, Voyager" which stars Bette Davis and Paul Henreid (1942, B&W). She develops a sense of self confidence and independence after a nervous breakdown through the course of the story. (". . .the themes abound in this tale, including metamorphosis, mother guilt, emotional blackmail, pioneering concepts of psychotherapy and psychiatry, conditional love vs. unconditional love, and unconventional love.") It is based on a book (1941) of the same name by Olive Higgins Prouty who had two nervous breakdowns and draws on some on her own experience. I had never seen the movie, and I find the background of the author almost as interesting as the film. I discovered a podcast that compares books with the films on which they are based. So, if you've had an opportunity to curl up on cold nights with a good melodrama, and see this one, you might also enjoy two women talking about the book vs. film. https://youtu.be/A3ow2pF33Wc?si=qIO__ZmO3Ch5i5LB

All Of Bette Davis' Best Movies, Ranked By Fans

Storytelling. It's the big thing.

I've noticed for several years that "storytelling" is all the rage, Not dry facts and data. And in all fields. We had a lecture yesterday on "Drawing with Sound," where we listened to the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique which left me thoroughly confused about someone's fantasy/addiction. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphonie_fantastique) The host said it was storytelling and better than music appreciation.

 
Then today I get a message from the University of Illinois Library inviting me to a "visual storytelling webinar" "drawing from archival materials, such as letters from alumnus John C. Houbolt who served as Chief Aeronautical Scientist at NASA—the visit shaped how students transformed dense, abstract information into engaging typographic systems, visual explanations, and narrative-driven design artifacts."

 What?

I don't know if it's the popularity of Ted Talks or ancient peoples archeology or the riots in Minnesota, but I think that substituting telling stories for facts is a result of poor schooling or an agenda.
Or. Story telling is what we hear every day at lunch in retirement living.

 

https://scicomm.plos.org/2025/04/08/say-it-simply-see-it-clearly-the-scientists-case-for-storytelling/?

storytelling with data

Speaking Russian

Today when I checked the mailbox downstairs, I saw that the bulletin board had been decorated for Valentine's Day, "I love you" written in many languages. That's Bob's favorite and only phrase in Russian, Я тебя люблю:  ya tee-BYAH lyoo-BLYOO.

I taught him to say it years ago, but we don't remember when. When we were in Russia about 20 years ago no one seemed impressed. 

Mr. Blandings builds his dream house (1948)

 Tonight's movie at the Estates almost didn't happen. "Mr. Blandings builds his dream house" is a post WWII tale of "affordability" and "housing crises" that seems made for today's 21st century housing  woes. Many scenes reminded me of the tales of apartment dwellers in NYC--tiny living spaces, high costs and inconvenience. And it seems that teachers ridiculing capitalism and the lifestyle of their students' parents (who pay their salaries) is not new to our age.

It was supposed to be shown on Saturday, but there was no one to set it up because one of our buildings had a broken pipe and flooded due to record cold. All the staff had rushed across the street to help on clean up. So, Connie our sweet activity director rescheduled it for Monday which usually doesn't have a movie. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Our morning (Feb. 2) didn't have a good start either. Due to a water leak, our building also had the water shut off about 3 a.m., which few but the early risers (like me) found out until trying to flush.

"Cary Grant and Myrna Loy played a Manhattan couple who, tired of city life, decide to build a house in the country. The process, however, is marred by numerous problems, including cost overruns and shoddy workmanship. Grant’s character, a harried ad executive, discovers his dream home is more like a nightmare, all while having to deal with a hellish commute. The situation is further complicated by troubles at work and his suspicion that his wife is having an affair with his best friend (played by Melvyn Douglas).

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, which was adapted from Eric Hodgins’s popular novel of the same name, was timely, given the post-World War II housing-construction boom. To promote the film, the studio built 73 exact replicas of Mr. Blandings’s “Dream House” across the country, which they sold or gave away in raffles." Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House | Comedy, Cary Grant, Romance | Britannica

Why is it so much worse if Epstein is involved?

Still the fascination with Epstein, but not the thousands of underage sex and labor slaves brought across the border during the Biden years.

 
Also, are rioting Democrats and virtue signaling celebs as concerned about the welfare of the children of ordinary, home-grown criminals who are NOT illegal aliens? Why would they want them held in police vans or jails with their criminal parents instead of child service agencies? What are they doing with the children of aliens violating laws who are not in sanctuary cities? Do media report on them?

And it's as though they believe the victims of illegals don't matter at all. Would they take in or hide a murderer or rapist who has fled Ireland or Germany?

Our dear friend, Betty Zimmer

On January 21, 2026, our dear sweet Betty went to be with her Lord and Savior.  She probably greeted every artist in heaven by name. Over 50 years a docent at the Columbus Museum of Art, Betty had probably talked to and educated thousands of people. 

Obituary information for Elizabeth L. S. "Betty" Zimmer 

"Betty successfully managed a lifetime career as wife and mother to two children with her professional work as a home economist in business, interior designer, educator, and community service volunteer. Recently she was recognized for serving over 50 years as a docent at the Columbus Museum of Art. Other volunteer organizations were Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, Ballet Met, Kelton House, Thurber House, the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center/Advisory Council.

She is survived by her husband of 68 years Howard Zimmer, Jr., their daughters Cheryl (Christopher) Miller and Marcia (Aled) Greville; grandson Rhys Greville, and many nieces, nephews, and friends."

Heart healthy diet, sodium and potassium

 Now that we are watching sodium for Bob's congestive heart failure I did an AI search on sodium and potassium,

"Balance sodium and potassium intake to support heart health by reducing sodium and increasing potassium through whole, unprocessed foods. Most Americans consume too much sodium (averaging ~3,400 mg/day) and too little potassium (averaging ~2,300–3,000 mg/day), creating an unhealthy imbalance linked to high blood pressure and increased cardiovascular risk.

Reduce sodium intake by limiting processed and packaged foods (e.g., deli meats, canned soups, fast food), which are major sources of added sodium. Aim for less than 2,300 mg/day, ideally 1,500 mg/day, especially if you have high blood pressure.

Boost potassium intake by eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Aim for 3,500–5,000 mg/day of potassium, as recommended by the American Heart Association for blood pressure control. Examples:

Sweet potatoes (500+ mg per medium potato)

Bananas (450 mg per medium fruit)

Spinach, winter squash, white beans, tomatoes, and pumpkin

Consider potassium-based salt substitutes (e.g., blends with 75% sodium, 25% potassium chloride), which can help reduce sodium intake and increase potassium. Consult your doctor first, especially if you have kidney disease or take certain medications (e.g., ACE inhibitors, potassium-sparing diuretics).

Follow the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains, and lean proteins—naturally rich in potassium and low in sodium.

The ideal sodium-to-potassium ratio is not fixed, but higher potassium relative to sodium is consistently linked to lower blood pressure and reduced heart disease risk. A ratio of 1:2 to 1:3 (potassium to sodium) is considered beneficial.

Key takeaway: Prioritize whole foods, minimize processed items, and focus on increasing potassium-rich foods to naturally balance your sodium-potassium intake for better heart health."

 https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/changes-you-can-make-to-manage-high-blood-pressure/how-potassium-can-help-control-high-blood-pressure

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10759559/  

https://extension.missouri.edu/news/for-a-healthier-heart-balance-potassium-and-sodium

https://youtu.be/8ZbiA_Akvgk?si=BAiihiAlq0Y40BBN  Potatoes a good source of potassium

USDA-Sodium-Content.pdf   26 page chart of USDA

HighPotassiumFoodList_sglpgs.pdf High potassium foot list by mycardiologist.com

The Minnesota Mobs

Every time I hear or watch an account of the Minnesota mobs I wonder if they care that much about our homegrown criminals. . . you know, the average Indianapolis citizen bank robber or child molester, or Fargo fake schoolteacher, or the doctor who killed his ex-wife and her dentist husband with two kids in their house here in Columbus? Would they riot for them because they were neighbors or employed or sat next to them in church? Or would they riot for the smash and grab at their gym who robbed THEIR car? There are laws to follow when illegals are detained; the governor and mayor are not following them, and they are encouraging riots--all for the cover-up of their own crimes. If we can thank The Donald for nothing else, it's that he kept Walz and Harris out of the White House.

 
Since they are participating in the riots, or just standing around watching, do they want to sit in jail for 2 years like the J-6 folks who didn't commit a fraction of the crimes or terror they have?

Patti Foley of Toledo, obituary

 https://www.coylefuneralhome.com/obituaries/Patricia-Foley-8/?  We came to know the Foleys in the 1990s when they hired Bob to be their architect for their new home at Lakeside where they were active members of the community.

Ohio is buried in 11" of snow and other problems

 Our car is immobilized for a while. Churches and schools were closed by the latest storm that has swept across the nation, and particularly those areas south of us. Even if we could get to the car, sweeping off the snow would cover us up, and I suspect the wipers and doors are frozen shut.

"COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Good Sunday evening! [Jan. 25] Most snowfall totals across Central Ohio have been around 10–11 inches as of 5 PM. We did have a few 13-inch reports from New Albany, Zanesville, and Coshocton County. Southern and eastern Ohio had some sleet and freezing rain mixing in during the day, with reported snowfall totals around 6–8 inches, but we are not done with the snow just yet."

These are AI generated reports I found on internet:

"Schools and colleges across central Ohio, including Ohio State University, Columbus State Community College, and Columbus City Schools, canceled classes for January 26 and 27 due to snow and extreme cold.

Businesses and government offices closed, including the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Franklin County courts, and Columbus VA clinics.

The City of Columbus declared a Level 3 snow emergency on January 25, which was downgraded to Level 2 by January 26 as snow removal crews worked to clear roads.

Mayor Andrew Ginther confirmed that over 16 inches of snow fell in some southern and eastern parts of the metro area, and crews were actively working to improve road conditions.

Wind chills dropped to -15°F to -25°F through the week, with a Cold Weather Advisory and Extreme Cold Warning in effect, posing risks of frostbite and hypothermia.

No new snow is expected through January 27, but blowing snow and icy conditions remain hazardous, and temperatures are forecast to stay below zero for several days."

 Then to complicate things Bob was in the hospital January 21-24, getting out in time to grab a few new prescriptions.  There wasn't time to stock up on food--and we live in retirement independent living where meals are provided,   If the employees can get to work! A few did make it in, but it's more like picnics and the new menu for Bob includes less salt. Some of the staff spent the night.

Get rid of your personal information on Google

 “If bad actors get their hands on your personally identifiable information (PII), they can use it to swindle, impersonate, or even endanger you on the internet—and in the real world. One of the prime places to find PII is on Google, and while Google can’t stop that info from appearing on other websites, you can try to remove PII from the search giant’s results." PC magazine explains it.

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/psst-you-can-remove-your-personal-info-from-google-search-heres-how?

Benefits of local honey

Never a dull moment at The Estates. 

I couldn't get the jar of our homegrown (Upper Arlington, Ohio) honey open this morning to make my delicious chocolate-honey de-caf. Even when I was a strong 65, I couldn't get these open (home processed). So, I tucked it inside my waxed amaryllis box and went down to the night watchman (it was about 6:30 a.m.) and asked for help. I even took with me two plastic jar opening strips. Big guy, he  huffed and puffed but he couldn't do it either. So, I told him we needed hot water to loosen the ring seal, so he took it to the back room and did that. After much effort, he was successful. Then there was the sealed lid, so he found a pair of scissors, and finally, success!

"Benefits of Local Honey

Local honey offers various health benefits that can enhance daily wellness. This natural sweetener not only tastes good but also provides important nutrients that support a healthier lifestyle.

Nutritional Advantages

Local honey contains essential vitamins and minerals. It includes vitamin C, calcium, and iron, which contribute to overall health. This sweetener also provides carbohydrates, giving a quick source of energy. Unlike processed sugars, local honey has fewer additives and preservatives, making it a cleaner choice for sweetening foods. The presence of local pollen in honey can boost immune responses. This helps the body build tolerance to local allergens, which can be especially important during allergy season. Choosing local honey means enjoying a product rich in nutrients while also supporting local beekeepers.

Antioxidant Properties

Local honey is rich in antioxidants, which help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. These free radicals can lead to chronic diseases and aging. Antioxidants found in local honey primarily come from plant compounds, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. Consuming local honey can aid in reducing inflammation and supporting heart health. Studies show that honey's antioxidant content can be more effective than those in many processed sweeteners. Regular use may help improve overall health by boosting the body's defenses and promoting better well-being. Local honey stands out as a natural choice for enhancing health and combating oxidative stress." . . . 

Why Is Local Honey Better for You? Key Health Benefits — Blythewood Bee Company

Sainte Chapelle in Paris

 Visiting Sainte-Chapelle in Paris: What to Know Before You Go - City Or City  A story of this chapel was included in my reading this morning,

Finding a service opportunity

Don't ask God if you don't want an answer. Like in 5 minutes. After my devotions Sunday morning I reread a post Christmas letter from our friends John and Sue. They moved to Yakima some years ago but he was a pastor at our church and we've known them since 1974. They too had recently moved to a retirement community, so I was reading about their interesting, challenging life of service in their new community. I sort of sighed a prayer, something like "Lord I'd like to be of service like John and Sue." Then I picked up my phone to take my morning walk through the halls, down the stairs, past the front desk and back. I stopped to look at the Columbus Dispatch and read about the governor's race (Vivek Ramaswamy). Then I heard something--some people have pets and my first thought was a Siamese cat. Sort of howling. So I redirected my usual route to follow the sound, and after a few turns saw a door was open and someone was yelling for help. I found a resident on the floor covered in blood, grabbed her hand and told her I'd get help. Because of the blood I didn't recognize her, but as soon as we spoke, I knew her voice. I alerted the security staff. She was soon off to the hospital via the Columbus squad, and I hope she'll be OK. She was lucid enough to talk to me and I stayed with her until they took her out of the building. For being 98, she's a tough gal. Pray for her. And me. I was a bit shaky. My mornings are usually not this eventful.

The mess in Minneapolis

With the help of Hakeem Jeffries ["We must reform our broken immigration system and create a pathway toward citizenship for the millions of undocumented (illegal aliens) hardworking individuals who dream of becoming Americans"] and the left-wing, never-Trump media, Gov. Tim Walz allegedly covered up fraud [theft of federal benefits] in Minnesota. Ms. Renee Good chose to disobey lawful orders so ICE could remove dangerous criminals preying on innocent citizens, and lost her life.

Food costs--eggs and walnuts

Remember about 2 weeks after Trump took office and the price of eggs (about $5 a dozen) was beginning to fall, Democrats complained he hadn't fixed it yet. Today, I bought a dozen eggs for 87 cents. Yet they act as though food prices haven't changed!

Speaking of food costs. There is one very healthy food that didn't go up during Biden's reign and has stayed stable all during Trump's. Walnuts. I usually buy them in 16 oz bags (California, whole). They've either been 3/$10 or $3 a bag for probably 6 years. Very good for heart and brain. For breakfast today I had a sliced banana, about an oz of walnuts with milk. Also cheddar cheese on toast with butter.

https://earthsidefarms.com/blogs/earthside-blog/nutritional-value-of-walnuts?

Egg Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Diane's question about Presidents Obama and Trump

"Here's a question for all of my Democrat/liberal friends who are decrying the US capture of Maduro in Venezuela. What’s the difference between President Obama ordering US forces to enter a sovereign nation, without their permission, to intentionally kill Osama Bin Laden, who was under a US indictment (issued in 1998, under the Clinton administration) and President Trump ordering US forces to capture Nicolas Maduro—unharmed--to prosecute him under a US indictment for narcotrafficking issued in 2020? If you have a cogent answer other than “Orange Man Bad,”

I would be delighted to hear it.

Don't forget Manuel Noriega in Panama when George HW Bush ordered troops on the ground to capture him."

Did Santa bring you any good books?

Did you get any books for Christmas? I got one--an ESV archeology Bible. My NIV was lost in the move, so rather than fret every day I just asked for a different one. But here's what Bob got. I'm reading the one on the far left, "An inside job" by Daniel Silva (2025). It's not a genre I like, but I'm really enjoying it. He's a good writer.

As I age, I read less and less, although I have plenty of time. I just can't find a comfortable place with good light.

Mamdani tries to make NYC Venezuela

Not my words, but exactly my thoughts from the newsletter of investment advisor Joel Ross:

"Mamdani has only been in office a few days and each day it gets much worse as he announces his appointments. They are all far left radicals who will destroy the city. Their policies are socialist to communist and anti-capitalist and anti- landlord. The result will be a much worse education for poor kids and a far worse rental apartment situation. No developer is going to want to start a new multi project. Dealing with evictions has just become totally impossible. Schools will experience a downgrade in education in the name of diversity. The homeless will begin to reappear in parks and on the streets in spring. Tisch as police commissioner is all that prevents crime from going way up again, and we will see how long she lasts. Now Mamdani has lashed out at Trump for arresting Maduro. That is right out of the Socialist manifesto. He already is virulently anti-Israel. He knows nothing of how to run the city but suddenly he thinks he knows about geopolitics. He is dangerous because now he has a bullhorn and will be read and followed on social media. We can expect much more of that. He abolished the Adams committees and definition of anti-Semitism. His father is a rabid outspoken anti-Semite who actually is a professor at Columbia-where else. This is going to bad or worse than we all expected."

So true about Mamdani's parents. All bad ideas come from academe, and it's probably worse when they are Communists who flee from India via Uganda.

He's appointed a "tenant advocate" who thinks home ownership is "white supremacy." Landlords should be fleeing the city. Zohran Mamdani’s new NYC tenant advocate called to 'seize private property,' blasted homeownership as 'white supremacy'

This corruption didn't begin with the Somalis

Before tracking down "root causes" and supply chain history of the Somali day care fraud, I hope Congress stops and looks at two basics: Head start (turned 60 in 2025 in the failed War on Poverty which we lost ) and the corruption in the nonprofit arena (got really bad during Bush I who wanted to reduce federal employment with "faith-based" solutions).

By any definition and all the studies, Head Start has failed miserably--40 million children, their parents and the tax payers. Not every daycare is a head start model, but it's been ingrained in generations that children will be better off if mom leaves home to work and someone not family takes care of the kids. That's the old south slavery model, isn't it? By 2nd grade all academic gains are lost.

 
The whole nonprofit grants from the federal government model so the money is controlled locally is riddled with corruption, nepotism and graft, The Somali thing is the tip of the iceberg, and it's not just day care. It's good intentions gone bad.

https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/government/fbci/qr3.html?

Some think the Head start failure is a result of this year's fraud investigation (60 years), but it was declared a failure at 50 years and 40 years,  It's never passed the smell test. Head Start is in turmoil - The Hechinger Report

Epiphany, January 4

I remember when I first learned about Marco Polo, the 13th century Venetian diplomat who lived in China as a young man. I was about 10 years old and we were living in Forreston, IL so it was probably 5th grade. I just loved history. And it was about that age and this time of year we were also singing, "We three kings of Orient are," the hymn that tells about the 3 Magi arriving to worship the new born king led there by a star. I learned about 50 years later, there weren't 3 kings, but 3 gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh, so no one knows how many Magi showed up. The 19th c. hymn writer wrote it for a children's play.

 
We celebrate that event on January 4, so I was reading today about an illuminated French manuscript of 1410 of "The Book of the Wonders of the World" by Marco Polo written in 1298. The original no longer exists, but there were hundreds of copies and translations and it was a best seller, some beautifully illustrated. Over the years, many people have doubted certain stories in Polo's travel account.
I was quite surprised to read that while traveling through Persia (Iran) the locals told Polo a "true story" of the 3 Magi and told him to visit a fortress to see their tombs. The 3 bodies were together and still intact with their hair and beards. The story known in that area was "they set out for a distant land in order to adore a prophet who had been born and to offer him 3 gifts--gold, frankincense, and myrrh. . ."

Of course, even as a teen, Polo knew the Bible story, and perhaps he wanted to enhance it--but still, he thought there were 3 Magi just like the guy in Pennsylvania who wrote the hymn hundreds of years later.

  

Cover, Magnificat, January 2026

Ending the old, beginning the new--while sick

 We had plans to go to a friends' home for dinner last night (prime rib and the trimmings) but Saturday I felt a cold coming on and by Wednesday it was really out of control. So Bob went alone. He also went out for orange juice and kleenex this morning, but I'll be down probably the rest of the week. I've watched some Hallmark movies but am too tired to read. Bob is sleeping through all the football games, so it's not an exciting New Year. Back to bed.

Happy New Year anyway! May 2026 be good to you.

The $9 billion fraud in Minnesota "for the children"

I've heard but not researched that some MSM are complaining that MAGA type citizens are overly concerned about $9 Billion fraud in child learning scandal in Minnesota. But I do know that the investigation began during the Biden administration, that the NYT has had a story about it, that local watchdog groups were investigating and the buck didn't stop at Walz's desk. He says he's been working on it, so why is $9 billion the tip of the iceberg and the learning centers are still open?