Compilation of links to my Lakeside cottage architecture stories

Most of these were written during the summer of 2008 and 2009. There has been more remodeling, more upgrades, more rules, but essentially Lakeside remains the same. My garage posts are pt. 11 and pt. 12. Not everyone writes about old garages, but that’s the advantage of following this blog!  Here’s a story about what Lakeside (and the Bruces) looked like in 1974.

What we looked like in 1974.  http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2008/07/lakeside-2008-nostalgia-thats-one-of.html

This is pt. 4 with links to 1,2,3 http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2009/07/lakeside-cottage-architecture-pt-4.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2009/08/lakeside-cottage-architecture-pt-5.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2009/08/lakeside-cottage-architecture-pt-6.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2009/08/lakeside-cottage-architecture-pt-7.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2009/08/lakeside-cottage-architecture-pt-8.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2009/08/lakeside-cottage-architecture-pt-9.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2009/08/lakeside-cottage-architecture-pt-10.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2009/08/lakeside-cottage-architecture-pt-11.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2009/08/lakeside-cottage-architecture-pt-12.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2009/09/nimfy-not-in-my-front-yard.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2010/01/garage-slab-winter-issue-is-now-out.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2009/07/every-town-should-have-guys-club-as-far.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2011/07/down-side-of-historic-preservation.html

http://collectingmythoughts.blogspot.com/2010/07/made-in-usa.html

Five years ago

I’ve been reading through some of my blog entries from summer 2010.  Great memories, but most of the specifics of the programs and events I don’t recall—like Civil War week lectures, and Health week lectures on types of cancer. And then some things never change, like irresponsible dog owners, and the mess people make over July 4 celebration, or the delicious goodies from the Farmer’s Market.  Or my observations about poverty.

“Today is Tuesday and should be the first Farmer's Market.  There are two major seminar themes this week, "Race in America" and "American writers."  This morning's offering is "I am a promise" a film made in 1994. I'm sure it will not be noted that all our biggest poverty/education problems in this country are in urban areas controlled for generations by the Democratic machine which continues to create a sense of powerlessness, anger and hopelessness in people while buying their votes.  I don't want to hear how little has changed in 16 years and how if we just threw more money at it, everything would be OK.”

This week I’ve been thinking about the outrage over the racist, vacant eyed, young man, Dylann Roof, who  killed 9 black Christians in a church in Charleston, SC.  Many stories began popping up on the internet about homegrown terrorists in the U.S. and confederate flags contributing to the problem. That grew to demands to also remove the American flag as racist, stories of white privilege, etc.  If that brand of terrorism is worse (as some say) than ISIS homegrown cells, and the very obvious Confederate flag was flying in many communities for years, why isn’t Obama being blamed for their hate growth?  If it were Bush, he certainly would be bearing the brunt of the responsibility.

Tolerance and diversity are values of the left. Ha.

I won’t be “home” for July 4 festivities

My friend Lynne is our class of 57 poet.  So she sent me this little ditty, because I’ll miss the class breakfast this year.

I’ll give your regards to Main St.,  and remember you on Kable Square.

And tell all gang at Wesley and Main,  that you will soon be there-

Whisper of how you’re yearning,  to mingle with the old-time throng-

I’ll give your regards to old Mt. Morris and say you'll be there ere long..

(She writes, “Forgive me Geo. M. Cohan-but I couldn't resist)

2007, Ladies breakfast at White Pines

Columbus area will get a great show

Last summer Michael W. Smith performed at Lakeside; it was a wonderful show. One of the best in a spectacular season.   On September 28  he’ll be in Columbus (Grove City Nazarene) with Mark Lowry. http://www.premierproductions.com/tour/michael-w-smith-celebration-songs-hymns/columbus-oh

Andrew Young—he’ll have to pay for this

Black civil rights icon and former Mayor of Atlanta Andrew Young says that debate over the Confederate flag is a divisive non-issue which completely distracts from the real problem – the fact that 93% of blacks are killed by other blacks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdeynkVlmBk

While liberals fuss about a flag

The real problem for black poverty and white privilege: marriage.  But from now until the election, what the federal government has done to black families with the War on Poverty will be ignored or lied about.  Why?  Because it works.  It redirects the attention to something that doesn’t matter in the real world and won’t change the economic statistics, and the Republicans (except for Ted Cruz) fall for it every time. Even with a bench of 14, they collectively have half a spine.  Children of married parents rarely grow up in poverty. They have a higher education rate, lower crime rate. Guess what?  Kids need a dad!  Adult children of divorced families have a higher divorce rate, lower marriage rate. Children of gay couples will statistically be such a small sample (adopted or AI, both of which have their own problems) I think we can ignore both the liberal and conservative perspective. Children of unmarried white parents are heading for the same route as black families with no slavery in their background and more dependency on government programs, lower church attendance.

In 2012 The U.S Census Bureau released a report that studied the history of marriage in the United States. They discovered some startling statistics when calculating marriage by race. They found that African Americans age 35 and older were more likely to be married than White Americans from 1890 until sometime around the 1960s. Not only did they swap places during the 60s but in 1980 the number of NEVER married African Americans began a staggering climb from about 10% to more than 25% by 2010 while the percentage for White women remained under 10% and just over 10% for White men. http://blackdemographics.com/households/marriage-in-black-america/

Red palm oil, hype or help?

In this morning’s World’s Healthiest Foods Newsletter, I thought I’d be seeing an article about organic red palm oil, but instead it was on yesterday’s topic, cast iron skillets, which didn’t appear when it was announced.  So I looked it up on Google.  Google now puts mostly advertising first so after wading through about 10 pages of listings, I finally got to an analysis of the hype. Red Palm Oil is the New Coconut Oil on a website that analyzes food trends, fads, and hype. 

Red palm oil (or red palm fruit oil) is extracted from red-hued fruits of palm trees that grow in Indonesia and Malaysia.   The color of the oil remains red due to the beta carotene inside.  This precursor of vitamin A is the same compound that contributes to the color of carrots and other orange-red hued vegetables and fruits.

So it’s true that red palm oil supplies vitamin A.  In fact, the Micronutrient Initiative is exploring the use of red palm oil as part of a food-based approach to vitamin A supplementation in Africa and other parts of the world.  Vitamin A deficiency is a critical issue in developing countries, where it’s the leading cause of blindness (and can even result in death).  However, vitamin A deficiency is rare in this country, and there are certainly much better ways for all of us to get this nutrient, such as eating red or orange vegetables and fruits!

Ah. . . if it is used in a 3rd World country, is must be good. This article primarily goes after a Dr. Oz program on the topic (video not available).  I’ve come to see him (when I do) as great entertainment and a 21st century huckster, snake oil salesman. The Joe Schwarcz article gets a 404 no matter how I try to find it. But it’s a great quote: “As is usually the case with Oz’s miracles, there is a seed of truth that then gets fertilized with lots of verbal manure until it grows into a tree that bears fruit dripping with unsubstantiated hype.”

I guess I’ll have to wait a day to see what the newsletter says.  It’s web page seems to have it’s link confuse.  I’ll update tomorrow.

It’s a good thing artists aren’t killed for being disrespectful to Christians

“The unusual medium used to create a portrait of Pope Benedict XVI . . . has upset Roman Catholic leaders in Milwaukee,” reports Mitch Smith of the New York Times. Go figure. They’re not talking about Post-its or chewing gum . Niki Johnson’s portrait of the pope emeritus is fashioned from “17,000 stretched-out condoms in a variety of colors.” It is titled “Eggs Benedict.”  WSJ

No one is suggesting killing Niki Johnson, but does the Milwaukee Art Museum need to purchase it? I’d withdraw my membership and donation immediately.

“The decision by the Milwaukee Art Museum to acquire and prominently display a controversial portrait of Pope Benedict XVI fashioned from 17,000 colored condoms has created outrage among Catholics and others who see it as profoundly disrespectful, even blasphemous.

Many suggest that if a piece were as offensive to other faith traditions or communities it would not be tolerated, much less embraced.

Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki blasted the decision as insulting and callous. The museum acknowledged it has fielded about 200 complaints. A handful of patrons dropped their memberships; one longtime docent tendered her resignation; and at least one donor vowed never to support the museum financially again.

Museum officials said an equal number of people have voiced support for the piece and that memberships and pledges in general are growing. They said they regret that the portrait, by Shorewood artist Niki Johnson, has elicited such enmity. But they insist it was not their intent — nor the intent of the artist — to offend Catholics or anyone else. And they said they continue to enjoy the support of people of all faiths, including Catholics.”

So the intent was not to insult the leader of the largest Christian church in the world? How stupid do they think we are.  And I hope Milwaukee Catholics stand up to this ridicule.

Not to worry—you won’t need to be a citizen to vote

“Monday’s big election law news came from the Supreme Court’s penultimate decision of the term upholding Arizona’s congressional districts.

But before handing down its last three decisions, the court made voting-rights advocates happy by deciding not to review a different election case.

“Arizona citizens can continue to participate in voter registration drives without worrying about not having proof of citizenship documents,” Shirley Sandelands of the League of Women Voters of Arizona said in a statement Monday.

The case, Kobach, et al. v. Election Assistance Commission, et al., was about whether Arizona and Kansas could require voters to prove their citizenship when registering to vote with the so-called federal form. Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach led the suit against the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, which was an appeal of a lower court decision.” http://www3.atr.rollcall.com/supreme-court-victory-for-voting-rights-advocates/?dcz=

You would think being a citizen shouldn’t be such a tough one.  I can’t see Canada or Mexico letting me vote if I were passing through or had a summer home there. But I guess I don’t think like a Democrat. All that matters is pandering to that very powerful and growing demographic-- minority, black and young. They know where the gold is buried and that sensible people with common sense are aging out of the system.

http://www.truethevote.org/true-vote-commends-amicus-filing-noncitizen-voter-registration-lawsuit

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2015/04/22/ks-and-az-file-scotus-petition-in-effort-to-stop-non-citizens-from-registering-and-voting/

So this is transformation of our country

Middle and high school students can’t get a Coca-Cola or a candy bar at 13 Seattle public schools, but they can get a taxpayer-funded intrauterine device (IUD) implanted without their parents’ consent.

School-based health clinics in at least 13 Seattle-area public high schools and middle schools offer long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), including IUDs and hormonal implants, to students in sixth-grade and above at no cost, according to Washington State officials.

Seattle school clinics

So seriously underage girls are being co-opted by the schools.  Does that make the participating public school system and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists which gave this atrocity a green light co-rapists in underage sex? Isn’t that a crime? And what about those poorly trained “clinic” workers who insert them? Isn’t that a violation of a child’s body? 

• Hormonal IUDs (e.g., Mirena®) contains the hormone levonorgestrel, which is a type of progesterone. A hormonal IUD prevents pregnancy in several ways: killing or harming the sperm, making the mucus in the cervix thick so sperm can't reach the uterus, and helping make the uterine lining an unappealing place for a fertilized egg to implant itself. About 2 in 1,000 women become pregnant during the first year of getting a hormonal IUD.
• Copper IUDs (e.g., ParaGard®) consists of copper wire wrapped around the stem portion of the T-shaped device. It can stay in place at least twice as long as a hormonal IUD--for at least a decade. A copper IUD works by causing a woman's uterus and fallopian tubes to produce a fluid that kills sperm. About 6 in 1,000 women become pregnant during the first year of getting a copper IUD.

For as long as they’ve been keeping track more contraceptives for teens means more sex which means more pregnancies which means more abortions or young, unprepared mothers.  But teach chastity?  OH horrors.  That wouldn’t work.  Someone might graduate from high school a virgin, and that would never do.  That’s not progressive; that’s not the Democrat way.  How many of these girls will get counseling on the psychological damage, say, if it’s incest, or an older man leading her to prostitution, or how many will get STDs. How qualified are these staffers who’ve had no training in counseling?

Do you suppose the President has had his daughters fitted with an IUD? He did say a baby is punishment.  But he also has a pretty good security detail to send on their dates.

Microbiome or why asthma and ADD today and not years ago?

“Commensal microbes that live on and in us are critical for our health. By cell numbers, we are approximately 90 percent microbial, and the vast majority of the genes expressed in our superorganism are not on our mammalian chromosomes but in the bacteria, archaea, and single-celled eukaryotes that call the human body home. Normally, a robust microbiome would be part of our inheritance, a legacy passed, largely maternally, from generation to generation. But recently that chain has been broken, usually more than once. The increase in cesarean deliveries, the reduced prevalence and duration of breastfeeding, overuse of antibiotics both as prescription drugs and in agriculture, modern urban living surrounded by sanitizers, and a general tendency to limit contact with the environment have changed our relationship with the microbes that are an integral part of our biology. In today’s world, our best chance of acquiring microbes might be from touching our computer keyboards and cellphones or frequenting shopping malls, hotel rooms, or doctors’ offices—and many are not bugs you want in and on your body.” . . .

“Antibiotic administration in infants is associated with higher risk of asthma later in childhood, a risk that scales with the number of rounds administered.¹¹ Increased use of antibiotics in infants is also associated with a higher risk of childhood obesity,¹² and some investigations have reported an association between antibiotic use and an elevated risk of celiac disease. It is likely only a matter of time before more links between disease and an infant’s compromised microbiome are revealed.”

The sum of our parts, The Scientist, July 1, 2015

Top local radio talk shows in U.S.

Most I’ve never heard of unless Chicago or Ohio or if they’ve substituted for Glenn or Rush or Michael. Not too many women on this list; I wonder why.  We are born with the gift of gab.

1. John and Ken, KFI 640 AM, Los Angeles, California.
2. Curtis and Kuby, WABC 770 AM, New York, New York.
3. Howie Carr, WRKO 680 AM, Boston, Massachusetts.
4. Steve Cochran, WGN 720 AM, Chicago, Illinois.
5. Bill Carroll, KFI 640 AM, Los Angeles, California.
6. Brian Wilson and Larry O’Connor, WMAL 630 AM, Washington.
7. Brian Sussman, KSFO 560 AM, San Francisco, California.
8. Jeffrey Kuhner, WRKO 680 AM, Boston, Massachusetts.
9. Roe Conn, WGN 720 AM, Chicago, Illinois.
10. Chris Plante, WMAL 630 AM, Washington, D.C.
11. Michael Berry, KTRH 740 AM, Houston, Texas.
12. Dom Giordano, WPHT 1210 AM, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
13. Doug McIntyre, KABC 790 AM, Los Angeles, California.
14. Lars Larson, KXL 101 FM, Portland, Oregon.
15. Jim Gearhart, WKXW 101.5 FM, Trenton, New Jersey.
16. Geraldo Rivera, WABC 770 AM, New York, New York.
17. Steve Dahl, WLS 890 AM, Chicago, Illinois.
18. Clarence M. Mitchell IV “C4,” WBAL 1090 AM Baltimore, Maryland.
19. Joe Pags, WOAI 1200 AM, San Antonio, Texas.
20. Bill Cunningham, WLW 700 AM, Cincinnati, Ohio.
21. Armstrong and Getty, KSTE 650 AM, Sacramento, California.
22. Ronn Owens, KGO 810 AM, San Francisco, California.
23. Chris Stigall, WPHT 1210 AM, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
24. Mark Reardon, KMOX 1120 AM, St. Louis, Missouri.
25. Ron and Don, KIRO 97.3 FM, Seattle, Washington.
26. Mandy Connell, KHOW 630 AM, Denver, Colorado.
27. Dan Yorke, WPRO 630 AM, Providence, Rhode Island.
28. Larry Young, WOLB 1010 AM, Baltimore, Maryland.
29. Mark Davis, KSKY 660 AM, Dallas, Texas.
30. John Carney, KTRS 550 AM, St. Louis, Missouri.
31. Joe Piscopo, WNYM 970 AM, New York, New York.
32. Lincoln Ware, WDBZ 1230 AM, Cincinnati, Ohio.
33. Tom Bauerle, WBEN 930 AM, Buffalo, New York.
34. Jim Villanucci, KXNT 100.5 FM, Las Vegas, Nevada.
35. Charlie Brennan, KMOX 1120 AM, St. Louis, Missouri.
36. Charlie Sykes, WTMJ 620 AM, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
37. Brian Whitman, Ben Shapiro, Elisha Krauss, KRLA 870 AM, Los Angeles, California.
38. Tom Marr, WCBM 680 AM, Baltimore, Maryland.
39. McGraw Milhaven, KTRS 550 AM, St. Louis, Missouri.
40. John DePetro, WPRO 630 AM, Providence, Rhode Island.
41. John Hancock, WBT 1110 AM, Charlotte, North Carolina.
42. Mark Belling, WISN 1130 AM, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
43. Joyce Kaufman, WFTL 850 AM, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
44. Mac and Gaydos, KTAR 92.3 FM, Phoenix, Arizona.
45. Chris Merrill, KOGO 600 AM, San Diego, California.
46. Mark Trivisano, WTAM 1100 AM Cleveland, Ohio.
47. Alan Stock, KDWN 720 AM, Las Vegas, Nevada.
48. Simon Conway, WHO 1040 AM, Des Moines, Iowa.
49. Jeff Wagner, WTMJ 620 AM, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
50. Jan Mickelson, WHO 1040 AM, Des Moines, Iowa.

 http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/influential-talk-radio-hosts-shows/2015/06/30/id/652849/#ixzz3ee0xranV

Happy July 1 from Lakeside, Ohio

I had a 2 mile walk this morning, east on Third and then back west along the lake. Now sitting on a ice pack.  Right leg bursa not too bad, but thought I’d nip any inflammation in the bud—or in the bursa. I’ve now walked or cycled 1038 miles since Dec. 26.  Coolish today, but they are predicting a nice day, zero rain. Big storm last night about 10 p.m. but it seems to have moved over the lake.  Is there anything as useless as a diary/blog that discusses weather?  I have a calendar/garden diary of my mother’s from the 1970s.  It’s almost funny.

The Lakeside grounds crew is here cutting up the limbs from storm damage Friday and Saturday.  Our tree is on the easement, which means they clean it up.  Our neighbors’ Hackberry which fell over is on their property, so they have to pay.  If it had damaged their cottage, insurance would cover it, but it didn’t.  It actually looks like it’s on their neighbor’s property, except back in the day when people weren’t too sure, that driveway is 4’ over the line.

I bought a new microwave (smaller) in May, but it doesn’t seem to be heating all that great, which was the problem with the 20 year old it replaced.  The old one has been given away, and I don’t think I have the receipt here because everything seemed fine a month ago.

I left after the first 2 numbers of last night’s program, Hey Mavis.  It was sort of jazz, sort of blue grass, and mostly original material.  I usually wait until intermission.  It wasn’t bad, but just not what I felt like listening to, so I walked home and stopped to chat with a neighbor.  We had a nice chat with the young couple sitting in front of us at Hoover, but they left before I did.  They were staying in a B&B which must be tough with small children (one a baby), but she had fallen in love with Lakeside.

This year my husband joined “The guy’s club.”  I think it was originally a spoof on The Women’s Club which has been around for about 90 years, and they had no agenda and no programs. Their dues support various Lakeside projects. But they do march with their drill team (carry power drills and wear matching t-shirts) in the July 4 parade, and go to lunch.  So today he’s going to lunch with them.  He knows most of them from sailing, but has never joined.

  

Where in Bible is marriage being for a man and a woman.

Marriage between a man and a woman was instituted by God with Adam and Eve. Genesis 2:24 states: "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh."

In Matthew 19:4-5, Jesus reaffirms this: "He answered, ‘Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one’?"

I doubt that this will satisfy the culture worshipers. We may have to look at biology or chromosomes.

http://www.catholic.com/video/same-sex-marriage

Muslim prisoners seem to have rights that Christian bakers don’t

From Washington Post: [Likewise, o]rdering a Muslim prisoner to handle pork requires him “to defile himself by doing something that is completely forbidden by his religion.” [In context, the court is referring to the Muslim religion as understood by the prisoner, not passing judgment about what Islam actually requires.-EV] And there are no alternative means of allowing Jones to exercise his right to avoid handling pork besides not ordering him to handle pork. Accommodating Jones’s right to avoid handling pork isn’t less burdensome than the religious-based accommodations, such as providing Kosher diets and disposable utensils, that we have held for many years are constitutionally required.

You can choose from 51 genders on Facebook; what does God say?

Fifty one genders listed on Facebook?  Does language have meaning?  Some of you may be old enough to remember when “gay” and “queer” were pejoratives, now they seem to be the preferred terms. But does language matter? Our church (Lutheran) doesn’t discuss the language—or the acts—or the marriage—or the culture. Need to go elsewhere—to the Catholics.  Some insights.  Attorney Charles LiMandri explains why the Catholic Church does not use the terms "gay" and "lesbian" in Magisterial documents.   http://www.catholic.com/video/the-importance-of-language-in-the-homosexual-marriage-debate

What the people of California (and many other stats) said in 2008 and how the SCOTUS undid the will of the people.

LiMandri is smeared in every pro-same-sex program/article I’ve seen on the internet. Anyone who stands for traditional, scriptural or historical definition of marriage will now be called homophobic, hater, bigot, etc. So if that is also your opinion of scripture and culture and me, don’t bother to leave your hate comments here.

Stay with us

National Lutheran Choir, Minneapolis recorded live at the Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis MN on Dec 9, 2010

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmO0MUBr1Fk

Luke 24:28-30 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Stay with us, Lord Jesus, stay with us.
Stay with us, it soon is evening.
Stay with us, Lord Jesus,
Stay with us, it soon is evening, and night is falling.

Jesus Christ the world’s true light!
Shine so the darkness cannot overcome it!
Stay with us, Lord Jesus, it soon is evening.
Stay with us, Lord Jesus, for night is falling.
Let your light pierce the darkness
And fill your church with its glory.

EGIL HOVLAND (1924-2013) tr. Gracia Grindal

The new encyclical on the environment

“Some in the media are portraying the encyclical as if Pope Francis is a secular environmentalist, when in reality the encyclical is sharply critical of environmental ideologies that don’t recognize mankind’s unique place in creation,” said Jimmy Akin, senior apologist for Catholic Answers, the largest lay-run apostolate of Catholic apologetics and evangelization in the United States.

Akin said the Catholic Church’s longstanding teaching on caring for the Earth is fundamentally different than the politically driven agendas of many activists.

“Some environmentalists look on humans as menaces to nature—as if all other life was meant to be here, but humans are interlopers,” he said. “But both Scripture and Pope Francis’s new encyclical view human beings in a positive light and recognize that they have a unique and special role as caretakers of God’s creation.”  Catholic Answers

Talking points on same sex marriage and other hot issues of the day

• Why is it intolerant for me to point out the intolerance of those who say they can’t tolerate someone else’s “intolerance?” Why is it hateful for me to call attention to the hate of those who clearly hate those they find “hateful?” Why is it illogical for me to argue for logic? Why is it fallacious for me to challenge those who use fallacies? And why is it considered libel for me to point out the illiberality of those who claim to be “liberal?”

• Why is it unscientific to argue for science; to contend for facts and, thus, point out that it is a physiological fact that gender is genetic and not a feeling; that it is a sociological fact that children fair much better in a household anchored by a married mom and dad; that it is a medical fact that some sexual behaviors result in disproportionate negative consequences; and that it is an economic fact that traditional marriage accrues to the financial advantage of women and their children?

• Why is it considered loathsome for me to argue for the highest definition of the human being and to contend that it’s an insult to dumb down the identity of a person to nothing but the sum total of his or her appetites and inclinations?

• Why is it angry for me to draw attention to the anger of those who are clearly angry?

• Why is it wrong for me to point out that many who disagree with my above points will find it impossible to avoid name calling and other meaningless breaches of basic freshman level Socratic logic; that in their closed-mindedness they will find it impossible to be open-minded; that in their illiberality they will find it impossible to be “liberal; and that they will not be able to resist shooting the messenger rather than simply considering the veracity of his message?

• Why is it wrong to challenge those who ignore the facts of an argument and instead digress into the fallacious, sensational and salacious?

• Why is it wrong to suggest that those who have lectured conservatives for years about the dangers of legislating morality are now celebrating the legislation of morality?

• Why is it wrong to point out that same judges who constructed the wall separating Church and State now seem intent on dismantling that wall brick by brick?

• Why is it wrong to ask what ever happened to academic freedom and intellectual liberty and to remind everyone that the liberal arts academy was founded some 800 years ago upon these precepts and not upon an ideological fascism where power suppresses the people and where conformity is demanded by demagogues who seek to silence debate?

• Why am I wrong to suggest that the thoughtful scholar and true liberal, as well as, the committed conservationist (i.e. one who truly believes in conserving not only the physical environment but also the time tested truths of justice and human dignity) must always seek to do what’s right regardless of what the Supreme Court of the United State says?

• Why is anyone wrong to remind everyone that morality isn’t determined by the minority, virtue isn’t defined by a vote, and nine men and women in black robes surely don’t have the power to tell over 300 million Americans what a sacrament of the Church is or isn’t?

• Why is it wrong to contend that, as human beings, self-evident truth is written on every heart and that we don’t have any right to make the rules up as we go?

Everett Piper

In 2005 we visited this college on an architectural tour.

Shocking. The New York Times has been caught doing investigative reporting

Buried on A14 today.  She wasn’t telling the truth in March about her e-mails.  Boy, am I shocked.

Hillary Rodham Clinton told reporters last month that the memos about Libya she received while secretary of state from Sidney Blumenthal, a longtime adviser whom the Obama administration had barred her from hiring, had been “unsolicited.”

But email records that Mrs. Clinton, according to officials briefed on the matter, apparently failed to turn over to the State Department last fall show that she repeatedly encouraged Mr. Blumenthal to “keep ’em coming,” as she said in an August 2012 reply to a memo from him, which she called “another keeper.”

All or part of 15 Libya-related emails she sent to Mr. Blumenthal were missing from the trove of 30,000 that Mrs. Clinton provided to the State Department last year, as well as from the 847 that the department in turn provided in February to the House committee investigating the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya. The emails were reviewed by a reporter.

Grace and Frankie

I don't understand how Netflix works, but obviously it was up on current events (and anticipating and pushing for them) with "Grace and Frankie," a series about two older 70s something women (Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin) whose husbands decide to leave them so they can marry each other. Reading the story lines, I see it's rather smarmy (now there's a shocker!), but has been picked up for another season.

Somewhere I read (and it’s not worth looking up) that although only 2% of Americans are LGBT, about 20% of the themes in movies, TV and theater are. This series pushes the envelope of decency with humor, good writing and well known stars. It’s a formula that works.  Let’s assume no judgment about right or wrong, or sin or religion.  Let’s just consider biology and anatomy.  Inserting the penis into another’s anus or mouth for sexual pleasure, for love, is not natural. It might be many things, including disease transfer or a power statement, but those body parts were never intended to work together for the glory of God, for procreation, or for comfort.  So why would certain groups, both gay and straight, in entertainment and politics, be pushing so hard for its acceptance? If you have an answer that doesn’t include calling me names, leave a comment.  Otherwise, don’t comment because it won’t be published.

Donald Trump—you’re fired

Trump was the last person in the crowded field of Republicans that I would choose as candidate, however, the firing of him by NBC and Univision is pretty absurd.  He clearly was referring to ILLEGAL immigrants, not all Mexicans. There are sufficient news stories to back up his claims, even if they appear on the back burner of the MSM.   And Univision is so racist (shadeist) that you can’t find a single brown, black or Asian person on any of their shows—except in its enthusiastic studio audiences.

A reminder for my trolls and critics—read the rules

This blog is written to suit Norma, not its readers. She hopes that what suits her will suit them; but, if not, it will make no difference. No reader, subscriber, or body of subscribers, will be allowed to govern her course, dictate her policy, prescribe her methods, or choose her topics. Collecting My Thoughts

Clement of Rome chastises the first century Christians at Corinth

“So the worthless rose up against the honoured, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against those advanced in years. For this reason righteousness and peace are now far departed from you, inasmuch as every one abandons the fear of God, and is become blind in His faith, neither walks in the ordinances of His appointment, nor acts a part becoming a Christian, but walks after his own wicked lusts, resuming the practice of an unrighteous and ungodly envy, by which death itself entered into the world.”Chapter III of The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Clement of Rome (ca. 96).  Christian Classics

Sounds so familiar, doesn’t it, like it could be this week, but this is the letter of Clement of Rome to the Corinthians.  Any Christian who suspects the first century church had it all together should read the church fathers. Early Christians seemed to be following every whim and whiff and lust of the culture, and squabbling among themselves.

Gay backlash

From the Wall Street Journal:

“It didn’t take long for the backlash to emerge after the Supreme Court handed down Obergefell v. Hodges. From opponents of same-sex marriage one heard the usual empty talk about constitutional amendments and civil disobedience. The fiercer—and uglier—backlash came from the victors.

A case in point is the Patriot-News. The Harrisburg, Pa., paper rushed out an editorial that began celebratorily enough: “June 26 just became a de facto national holiday for gay Americans. . . . [Justice Anthony] Kennedy nailed it: There are no rights more fundamental than due process and equal treatment under the law.”

Not even free speech? Definitely not, according to the Patriot-News, which in the same editorial announced this new policy: “As a result of Friday’s ruling, PennLive/The Patriot-News will no longer accept, nor will it print, op-Eds and letters to the editor in opposition to same-sex marriage.””

But remember, it’s all about love.

A MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN (humor)

To the citizens of the United States of America from Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

In light of your failure in recent years to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. (You should look up 'revocation' in the Oxford English Dictionary.)

Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except North Dakota, which she does not fancy).

Your new Prime Minister, David Cameron, will appoint a Governor for America without the need for further elections.

Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.

To aid in the transition to a British Crown dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'colour,' 'favour,' 'labour' and 'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters, and the suffix '-ize' will be replaced by the suffix '-ise.' Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (look up 'vocabulary').

2. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as ''like' and 'you know' is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as U.S. English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take into account the reinstated letter 'u'' and the elimination of '-ize.'

3. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.

4. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not quite ready to be independent. Guns should only be used for shooting grouse. If you can't sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you're not ready to shoot grouse.

5. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. Although a permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

6. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left side with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

7. The former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) of roughly $10/US gallon. Get used to it.

8. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.

9. The cold, tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. South African beer is also acceptable, as they are pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of the British Commonwealth - see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.

10. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie Macdowell attempt English dialect in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.

11. You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies).

12. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket, and we will let you face the South Africans first to take the sting out of their deliveries.

13.. You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.

14. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).

15. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; plus strawberries (with cream) when in season.

God Save the Queen!

Note: In the last update, OED added twerk, FLOTUS, yarn-bombing, and crowdfund. That sounds sort of American English to me. The first edition took 44 years to complete 1884-1928.

The President was heckled at the LBGT Pride gathering, but . . .

“The press reported on this “scolding” approvingly. NPR noted that the president “shut down” the heckler. CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley called it a “smack down.” Missing from the fawning coverage was a revival of the insinuation that, because of his race, President Obama has been the “most disrespected president in history.” Why? Perhaps because the heckler wasn’t a Republican or a right-wing pundit but an illegal immigrant and transgender activist protesting the detention of LGBTQ migrants slated for deportation.”  Matthew Hennessey

Blackface actors insult blacks, drag queens insult women

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Blackface” is a style of theatrical makeup that originated in the United States, and is used to make an actor look like a Black person, but in a very exaggerated way. It is the countenance of an iconic, racist American archetype—that of the “darky,” as Blacks were often called in the past. Blackface also refers to a genre of musical and comedic theatrical presentation in which blackface makeup is worn. White blackface performers in the past used burnt cork, and later greasepaint or shoe polish, to blacken their skin and exaggerate their lips. They’d often wear woolly wigs, gloves, tailcoats, or ragged clothes to complete the transformation. Later, Black artists also performed in blackface. http://www.blackhistory.com/content/61585/blackface

The Left will call this hate speech

SCOTT WALKER: " I call on the President and all Governors to join me in reassuring millions of Americans that the government will not force them to participate in activities that violate their deeply held religious beliefs. No one wants to live in a country where the government coerces people to act in opposition to their conscience. We will continue to fight for the freedoms of all Americans."

About that rainbow flooded White House Obama set up

The White House doesn't belong to the current residents and their values; it's the people's house. Leftists are all about tearing down the flag--this one. They don't care about what happened 150 years ago. They re-enslaved those who were set free.

Which party cares about minorities?

While one U.S. party attacks a flag, monuments, statues and historical sites of a war that was won 150 years ago, another party saves lives. One party says they care about a past they can't change, the other party actually does something about saving the future.

“Right now [2013] abortion on demand in the black community, according to the archives of the Tuskegee Institute, from 1882 to 1968 – 86 years – the Ku Klux Klan lynched 3,446 Negroes,” [Walter] Hoye said. “While it took the Klan 86 years to accomplish this, abortion on demand in America accomplishes that in less than 4 days.” Hoye's numbers are based on the Guttmacher Institute's (research arm of Planned Parenthood) fact sheet on induced abortion in the United States. Tuskegee's records also show 1,297 whites were lynched. Abortion is seen as a compassionate way to keep children from the effects of poverty and poor parenting, even by some Christians.  Twisted.

There is no judicial branch

Andrew C. McCarthy: “Yet, for all the non-stop commentary, one detail goes nearly unmentioned — the omission that best explains this week’s Fundamental Transformation trifecta. Did you notice that there was not an iota of speculation about how the four Progressive justices would vote? There was never a shadow of a doubt. In the plethora of opinions generated by these three cases, there is not a single one authored by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan, or Sonia Sotomayor. There was no need. They are the Left's voting bloc. Once it has become a given that a critical mass of the Supreme Court is no longer expected, much less obliged, to do law, then the Court is no longer a legal institution. It is a political institution. That is where we are. We should thus drop the pretense that the Court is a tribunal worthy of the protections our system designed for a non-political entity — life-tenure, insulation from elections, and the veil of secrecy that shrouds judicial deliberations.”

Who is this man?

I wonder who paid for the disgraceful, gaudy light display at the people's house in Washington DC; I wonder why it was all ready to go when the SCOTUS decision was announced; I wonder why this president is so effortlessly divisive; I wonder why he lied to the American people about so many of his core values in order to get elected.

Justice Thomas dissent

Millennials now outnumber the Boomers

It is the millennial demographic which now outnumbers the boomers that has made the cultural earthquake in drugs, marriage, pornography, genderism, and bigotry when its views are not accepted. They were more than willing to toss a bone of "love" and "dignity" and give up on marriage for themselves, which huge numbers didn't want anyway because it means commitment and growing up to face adult responsibilities. The White House lit up in rainbows yesterday, but until 2012, President Obama ran from and lied about this issue to maintain the support of blacks. This is what we've become, a nation of the duped led by a liar.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/25/millennials-now-outnumber-boomers-census-says/29294241/

Statement from NALC Bishop The Rev. John F. Bradosky

Contrary to Jesus’ authority and teaching about marriage that affirms the Father’s intention in creation, the decision by a majority of the justices of the United States Supreme Court today to legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states is tragic, but not surprising. Many Americans live with the arrogance and delusion that contemporary wisdom makes our understanding superior to the revealed truth of God’s Word. In this context the high court’s ruling redefines relationships and marriage as a right preserved as a matter of human “dignity.” Such dignity is based on an individual determination of fulfillment and morality without regard to external truth or teachings that preserve the greater good of all society. The Supreme Court has foolishly endorsed this idolatry. . . .

NALC congregations and pastors can legally continue to teach, preach and practice our confession:

We believe and confess that the marriage of male and female is an institution created and blessed by God. From marriage, God forms families to serve as the building blocks of all human civilization and community. We teach and practice that sexual activity belongs exclusively within the biblical boundaries of a faithful marriage between one man and one woman. (Common Confession 6, Marriage and Family)

http://thenalc.org/wp-content/uploads/Documents/Teaching%20Statements/Marriage-Law-Cover-Letter-2015-JUN-26.pdf

Ten hymns on aging and our “golden” years

http://www.hymnary.org/hymnal/ALY1976

I'm generally not a joiner, but as a age, I appreciate hymns and liturgy more. "The mission of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada is to encourage, promote, and enliven congregational singing." If the sermon, announcements and Sunday School lesson are a bust, and the layman reading the Bible passages mispronounces all the place names, hymns and liturgy are there for us to worship Jesus, the whole point of attending. This organization looks promising:  http://www.thehymnsociety.org/

Sing for Joy is the St. Olaf choir web site with beautiful choral music that follows the lectionary. http://www.stolaf.edu/singforjoy/

As Justice Scalia said

“You would think the answer would be obvious—so obvious there would hardly be a need for the Supreme Court to hear a case about it,” Scalia wrote. “In order to receive any money under §36B, an individual must enroll in an insurance plan through an ‘Exchange established by the State.’ The Secretary of Health and Human Services is not a State.”

“Having transformed two major parts of the law, the Court today has turned its attention to a third. The Act that Congress passed makes tax credits available only on an ‘Exchange established by the State.’ This Court, however, concludes that this limitation would prevent the rest of the Act from working as well as hoped. So it rewrites the law to make tax credits available everywhere.”

As Scalia sums it up: “The Court holds that when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act says ‘Exchange established by the State’ it means ‘Exchange established by the State or the Federal Government.’ That is of course quite absurd.” The practical consequence is that despite the limiting language, tax subsidies will continue to flow to people who buy medical-insurance policies in the majority of states, which have not established exchanges.”

In my opinion, we no longer have 3 branches of government.  In fact, I’m not sure what the Supreme Court is.  It doesn’t seem to be about what the law says, even a poorly written law like Obamacare which no Republican voted for and no Democrat read. This is the end of the American experiment; words mean nothing.

Never waste a crisis, Mr. President

I personally hope the governor of SC will remove the Confederate flag, but then all progressives, Democrats, Occupiers, Socialists and junior faculty who teach college freshmen Communist mush will have to promise not to go after other forms of free speech and memorials. Ha. We know that will never happen. The flag demand is just the prelude to a symphony of rage, so bring it down if you wish, but don't for a minute think it will stop there.

Ft. Hood where the Muslim terrorist who wasn't considered either but killed 13 and injured over 30, is named for Confederate General John Bell Hood. I've never understood that because although he was considered very brave, he was reckless and lost a lot of battles. Maybe he helped the North win and that's why it's named for him. And plenty more are also named for Confederates with a vast majority of US Army installations below the Mason-Dixon line named after Confederate generals. So no, I don't think if these demands are met (remove a flag flying over SC) it will end, [motto of the President's aide, Emanuel, Never waste a crisis]. And of course, all the U.S. military, if you know anything about the left.

http://www.examiner.com/article/should-u-s-military-bases-named-after-confederate-generals-be-renamed

Wal-Mart, Amazon and others to stop selling Civil War confederate symbols

Our educational theme this week at Lakeside is WWII. We've reviewed the horrors of the European theater and the Pacific theater. Within just a few years after the end of the war on two fronts we were trading partners and chummy with Japan and Germany. Our academics were agonizing over whether the bomb was necessary and paying reparations to Japanese Americans. My father brought home souvenirs made in Japan after the war when just a few months before Americans were trashing everything that had a Japan stamp on it. The U.S. rushed to save the starving and battered Germans and helped rebuild their cities we had been destroying.

But it seems we have a segment in our own country, primarily leftists who are unhappy that in the last 50 years Democrats have lost the vote south of the Ohio River particularly the last decade, that just must continue to punish the South. The internet is alive with calls for retribution—150 years later—for the sins and evil of Dylann Roof.  The patriotism in the southern states could put the North Eastern blue states to shame as they push our country toward socialism and statism, the very political ideas our fathers and grandfathers fought. Major retailers are rushing to please their government bosses, removing the remnants of the Confederacy while still selling Nazi paraphernalia. But then Nazi is short for "National Socialist," a system of government where private businesses were allowed but the government regulated everything from the idea to the owner to the employees to the supply chain to the consumer. A system that taught, "You didn't build that."

On Tuesday, several well-known retailers, including Wal-Mart and eBay [as well as Amazon, Target, Etsy, Sears], announced they would no longer sell or offer merchandise featuring the Confederate battle flag. But, Twitchy said, a number of people noticed a bit of hypocrisy in the items remaining for sale.

Walmart, for example, continues to offer Che Guevara posters for a mere $46.55. Guevara, Biography.com said, "was a Marxist revolutionary allied with Fidel Castro who went on to become an iconic cultural hero." The retail giant also offers at least three Lynyrd Skynrd CDs that prominently feature the battle flag as of this writing. We contacted Walmart to determine if they intend to remove the items but have not received a reply. The retail store, however issued a statement on its decision. [we never intend to offend anyone].

http://www.examiner.com/article/hypocrisy-seen-efforts-to-scrub-confederate-battle-flag-from-public-view

Five no-no white edibles

I ran into a friend last night we see only in the summer.  She’s lost about 20 lbs since I last saw her and looks and feels great.  I asked her how she did it, and she said she gave up 5 white things.  1)  White sugar, 2) white flour, 3) white rice, 4) white shortening, Crisco, 5) and white potatoes.  To give up sugar she said she had to detox for 2 weeks, and got headaches and the shakes.  Wow.  Sugar was never my problem, I’m a potato chip and cheese crackers gal, and I didn’t eat a lot of rice (although now I am eating brown rice), and flour was only if I baked, of which I don’t do much.  Potatoes are a powerhouse of nutrition—so I still eat those on occasion.  She’s hoping to get off all her medications.  Her doctor said she was obese and laid down the law.  I couldn’t even get a doctor to tell me I was over weight when I complained about leg pain.  I’ve been using an exercyle, but she uses some sort of trampoline thingy because she has bad feet and it provides a nice cushion.  She loves it.  We both expressed some concern about our wrinkles.  Fat is such a great crease filler!  She has beautiful skin, and no wrinkles at all on her face (so far with 20 lb gone), so we’ll see.   I’ve lost 30 lbs., and only gave up my “triggers,” those things that make me eat more (I bear no responsibility—ha, ha) like peanut butter, cheese, and potato chips, plus any meal that needs a few pieces of bread to hold it together. So I’m eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, more beans, brown rice, onions, red cabbage, dark lettuce and greens, more fat free yogurt and less meat, fewer potatoes. I’ve added 35-40 minutes a day of exercise.  I hate exercise.  In 6 months I think I’ve had French Fries twice and maybe potato chips once. I added in my dark chocolate drink, which satisfies a lot of cravings. Every BODY is different.  Find your spot and stay there.

2013 at 165 lbs and counting (it went up)

2015 ca. 140 lbs (not sure of the date)

Lakeside chaplains are now preachers

It's Lutheran Chautauqua week at Lakeside, and the preacher is Dr. Rick Barger, the president of Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus. I heard him briefly at the dockside worship yesterday and then those who heard his sermon at the Hoover service said he was outstanding. So I plan to go to the 9 a.m. chaplain's hour, now renamed "Faith for Living Hour" since the chaplains have been renamed preachers. He will also lead Vespers at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday (I think it is still called vespers). He has an engineering background, and believes the church can sponsor construction, water, and sustainability projects, but must never forget the people need Jesus first.

http://www.tlsohio.edu/about-trinity/introduction/barger-rick-bio

The haters have tried to make Charleston the Dallas of 1963

In 1963 I was blamed for JFK's death at the hands of an American communist who was then killed by another American who followed crime stories and hung out at the police station. (I don't think I was blamed for what Jack Ruby did, however). I was a 23 year old white woman working in the Russian Language and Area Studies Center at the University of Illinois, and even then, as a liberal, I thought that was pretty far fetched.  And I was sensible enough to know the south and people of Dallas weren't to blame either--another favorite whipping boy of the media, even 50 years ago. I was able to narrow the responsibility down to the man who shot him.  Now once again we have hate mongers attempting to blame everyone whose ancestors came to the U.S. from Ireland, England, Germany, Switzerland, Bosnia, Russia, including Jews, Mennonites, Lutherans, Catholics, Orthodox, and atheists  (but not Spain whose people got here first but they are never blamed in these racist plots because of the made up word "Hispanic." ) I believe the people of Charleston have come together to show all the haters, those druggies who join hate organizations on the internet, and those mind addled who sit in their parents’ basement or are tethered to their i-phones making up lies about Drudge, the Tea Party and Fox, just how to share the love of Jesus.  The crazies are out there, just like 1963, but I’m older now, and wiser, and I won’t take it anymore.

Happy Father’s Day!

Single use vs. multiple use plastic bags—Austin, TX

“Two years after the bag ban was implemented, the city asked the Austin Resource Recovery group to investigate its effectiveness. Their June 10 report, written by Aaron Waters, states that while the ban was successful in lowering the amount of single-use plastic bags made from high-density polyethylene in city landfills, it was actually worse for the environment overall.

“The amount of single use plastic bags has been reduced, both in count and by weight,” Waters states. “However, in their place, the larger 4 mil [4/1,000ths of an inch] bags have replaced them as the go to standard when the reusable bag is left at home. This reusable plastic bag, along with the paper bag, has a very high carbon footprint compared to the single use bag.”

The 4 mil reusable bags are often made from non-recycled low-density polyethylene and require more resources to manufacture than the single-use bags, Waters explained. Many of the heavier gauge 4 mil bags are also shipped from overseas, which increases their carbon footprint compared to the single-use bags.”

http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/us/environmentalists-solution-makes-trash-problem-worse

Daily Beast writer blames “white culture” for the Charleston tragedy

One white man equals a national need to have a conversation on white culture, but when a black man kills, it's poverty or poor self esteem or lack of fathers or a failing school system? Why do the deaths of blacks only matter when the killer is white? Write about Chicago and Baltimore's crime rates going up under this administration's blaming everyone but the perpetrator. This is simply ridiculous. In 1963 I was blamed for JFK's death and I'm not speaking for the nation or all white women, but I am very, very tired of these smears. Charleston has shown the whole country how to come together in the face of tragedy, and I just hope they can keep the Holders and Sharptons out of town. And the writers for the Beast. The author of this piece primarily wanted to talk about his own experience--he's very close to Obama's making his speech about himself instead of the victims. I suppose I could generalize about 2 black guys who think everything is about them, but I won’t.

Twaddle followed up with drivel here: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/06/19/we-need-to-talk-about-white-culture.html?

Is the Pope green?

Much of what is in Pope Francis’ encyclical on environmental stewardship, Laudato Si’, poses a major challenge for free-market advocates, those of us who believe that capitalism is a powerful force for caring for the earth and lifting people out of poverty. But one of the most welcome lines is a call for honest, respectful discussion.

Francis warns against both extremes: on one end, “those who doggedly uphold the myth of progress and tell us that ecological problems will solve themselves simply with the application of new technology and without any need for ethical considerations or deep change.” And on the other end those who view men and women “as no more than a threat, jeopardizing the global ecosystem, and consequently the presence of human beings on the planet should be reduced.”

He continues:

He gave a strong pro-life message, one the left doesn’t want to hear.

Do black lives only matter when the killer is white?

Our President barely missed a beat on using this latest tragedy to push an agenda, while he ignores the weekly death toll of other blacks in crime ridden Democrat controlled cities. Their families grieve, too. He was also wrong about how other countries have suffered. Between his agenda and the MSM, I'm surprised we have an illegal immigration problem; who would want to flee dictatorships and communism to come here?

http://www.frontpagemag.com/2015/dgreenfield/a-national-tragedy-and-a-partisan-response/?

Chicago’s bloody weekends show us that the politicians and reporters haven’t turned their attention to Charleston because they care about dead black people.

They are there for the psychotic killer, Dylann Storm Roof, not for his victims. They are there for a Southern state with a Republican governor who can be safely blamed the way that their Mayor of Chicago can’t. They are there to use the voiceless dead as convenient props in their campaign for gun control – in a state that already has some of the toughest gun control laws in the South. They don’t care about black people. They care about their political agendas.

Obama made that clear when he blamed Republicans for the shootings in his statement. The formatting of the statement on the White House website with its paragraphs about healing and the church in small print and the call for gun control and accusations of racism set out in giant bold type show with stark clarity what the president’s priorities are.

His priority is not, “Now is the time for mourning and for healing.” It is, “Someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun” and “this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries” to impose his burden of collective guilt on all Americans.

And of course, he was  wrong about “other advanced countries” too, or has he forgotten France and Norway and Scotland and others?

Rutherford on race in South Carolina

Todd Rutherford, a South Carolina state legislator, spoke out on CNN about what a racist state he represents (I assume he couldn't be elected without white support) and that Fox News spews hate for blacks (despite its many minority correspondents and show hosts and panel members). So Bill O'Reilly, who has an opinion show on Fox (not a news show which many liberals confuse) invited him on his show to present his side.

Rutherford made a fool of himself, in my opinion, and insulted millions by accusing them of being racist for watching Fox.  He rehashed some stories about Obama I've never heard on Fox, but have certainly seen passed around the internet. He couldn’t identify a single show or comment as being told on Fox, but simply repeated himself.

Like other Democrats, Rutherford equates any criticism of Obama (the Iraq pull out, or executive over reach, or the Beau Bergdahl trade, or our weak border security)  with racism, because how could there be any other explanation than racism when he's been elected twice?

Friday Family Photo—Early Father’s Day cook out

We won’t be around on Father’s Day, so we all met at our son’s home for the festivities the week before.

I am Hashimoto's Disease.

Until our daughter was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, I’d never heard of it. Her hair dresser was one of the first to suggest something was wrong; her employer (a doctor) noticed something was changing and suggested an endocrinologist.  Thyroid function tests didn’t show an abnormality.  It’s invisible (for awhile), always on the attack, and often misdiagnosed.  Even with no thyroid (also had thyroid cancer which is not always the case), she still has Hashimoto’s Disease. This is an excellent explanation.

Hi. My name is Hashimoto's. I'm an invisible autoimmune disease that attacks your thyroid gland causing you to become hypothyroid.

I am now velcroed to you for life. If you have hypothyroidism, you probably have me. I am the number one cause of it in the U.S. and many other places around the world.

I'm so sneaky--I don't always show up in your blood work.

Others around you can't see me or hear me, but YOUR body feels me.

I can attack you anywhere and any way I please.

I can cause severe pain or, if I'm in a good mood, I can just cause you to ache all over.

Remember when you and energy ran around together and had fun?

I took energy from you, and gave you exhaustion. Try to have fun now.

I can take good sleep from you and in its place, give you brain fog and lack of concentration.

I can make you want to sleep 24/7, and I can also cause insomnia.

I can make you tremble internally or make you feel cold or hot when everyone else feels normal.

I can also give you swollen hands and feet, swollen face and eyelids, swollen everything.

I can make you feel very anxious with panic attacks or very depressed. I can also cause other mental health problems. You know crazy mood swings? That's me. Crying for no reason? Angry for no reason? That's probably me too.

I can make your hair fall out, become dry and brittle, cause acne, cause dry skin, the sky is the limit with me.

I can make you gain weight and no matter what you eat or how much you exercise, I can keep that weight on you. I can also make you lose weight. I don't discriminate.

Some of my other autoimmune disease friends often join me, giving you even more to deal with.

If you have something planned, or are looking forward to a great day, I can take that away from you. You didn't ask for me. I chose you for various reasons:

That virus or viruses you had that you never really recovered from, or that car accident, or maybe it was the years of abuse and trauma (I thrive on stress.) You may have a family history of me. Whatever the cause, I'm here to stay.

I hear you're going to see a doctor to try and get rid of me. That makes me laugh. Just try. You will have to go to many, many doctors until you find one who can help you effectively.

You will be put on the wrong medication for you, pain pills, sleeping pills, energy pills, told you are suffering from anxiety or depression, given anti-anxiety pills and antidepressants.

There are so many other ways I can make you sick and miserable, the list is endless - that high cholesterol, gall bladder issue, blood pressure issue, blood sugar issue, heart issue among others? That's probably me.

Can't get pregnant, or have had a miscarriage?

That's probably me too.

Shortness of breath or "air hunger?" Yep, probably me.

Liver enzymes elevated? Yep, probably me.

Teeth and gum problems? TMJ?

Hives? Yep, probably me.

I told you the list was endless.

You may be given a TENs unit, get massaged, told if you just sleep and exercise properly I will go away.

You'll be told to think positively, you'll be poked, prodded, and MOST OF ALL, not taken seriously when you try to explain to the endless number of doctors you've seen, just how debilitating I am and how ill and exhausted you really feel. In all probability you will get a referral from these 'understanding' (clueless) doctors, to see a psychiatrist.

Your family, friends and co-workers will all listen to you until they just get tired of hearing about how I make you feel, and just how debilitating I can be.

Some of them will say things like "Oh, you are just having a bad day" or "Well, remember, you can't do the things you use to do 20 YEARS ago", not hearing that you said 20 DAYS ago.

They'll also say things like, "if you just get up and move, get outside and do things, you'll feel better." They won't understand that I take away the 'gas' that powers your body and mind to ENABLE you to do those things.

Some will start talking behind your back, they'll call you a hypochondriac, while you slowly feel that you are losing your dignity trying to make them understand, especially if you are in the middle of a conversation with a "normal" person, and can't remember what you were going to say next. You'll be told things like, "Oh, my grandmother had that, and she's fine on her medication" when you desperately want to explain that I don't impose myself upon everyone in the exact same way, and just because that grandmother is fine on the medication SHE'S taking, doesn't mean it will work for you.

They will not understand that having this disease impacts your body from the top of your head to the tip of your toes, and that every cell and every body system and organ requires the proper amount and the right kind of of thyroid hormone medication for YOU.

Not what works for someone else.

The only place you will get the kind of support and understanding in dealing with me is with other people that have me. They are really the only ones who can truly understand.

I am Hashimoto's Disease.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/thyroid-sexy/i-am-hashimotos-disease-a-letter-for-patients-family-and-friends/353693224649639

Tim Hunt and fainting feminists

The claws are out at the Daily Beast over the Nobel Prize winning cancer scientist, Tim Hunt, who told a joke about women. Oh my. The Twitterverse came alive--probably at least 15 multiplying in their nastiness and getting a valuable scientist fired. So to provide some clarity for hysterical posters I responded, "The real issue is that his institution is so afraid of a few twits on social media that it will fire two cancer scientists for telling a joke. I heard a recording of this, and that a few women fell on their fainting couch is ridiculous and doesn't speak well for women in the sciences (although it was social media that ran with it, not the women)."

Then these sweet ladies who can be sexist, racist, and self-haters, turned ageist and attacked me for my age, because obviously, anyone over 40 isn't allowed an opinion. They've apparently never heard how men talk to each other.

"Three things happen when [girls] are in the lab: you fall in love with them, they fall in love with you, and when you criticise them they cry," he said. According to one of the attendees, the joke was greeted by a "deathly, deathly silence."

Since he met his wife in a lab, I strongly suspect this joke was very personal. She was also fired.

http://reason.com/archives/2015/06/13/the-illiberal-persecution-of-tim-hunt

The response to Hunt is way more archaic than what Hunt said. Sure, his views might be a bit pre-women's lib, pre-1960s. But the tormenting and sacking of people for what they think and say is pre-modern. It's positively Inquisitorial.

The irony is too much to handle: Hunt is railed against for expressing an old-fashioned view, yet the railers against him do something infinitely more old-fashioned: they expel from public life someone they judge to have committed heresy. Kick him out. Strip him of his titles. Mock his misfortune. "Savour the moment." How awfully ironic that the Royal Society, which played a key role in propelling Britain from medievalism to modernity, is now being asked to behave in a medieval fashion and send into the academic wilderness a heretic among its number.

Getting tired of the word IDENTIFY

It used to mean establish or indicate who or what (someone or something) is.  Now it means to fantasize.

Lakeside is more than just a pretty face (. . . lake)

I know it sounds crazy when the lake, tennis courts, shops and parks are so close, but this is often where you'll find me at Lakeside, attending one of the wonderful lectures. Next week is WWII history to honor the 70th anniversary of the end of the war. This is actually the movie theater, the only one in the county. Also have morning Bible studies here with preacher of the week.