Two peas in a pod—Acosta and Trump

They both love being on camera, they both can be rude and boisterous, and they both love a fight. For a New Yorker,  it’s like flies to honey for Trump. And many of his base love it, because the press has been so nasty to them sneering at them and their education level with moral superiority.

However, in my opinion, since CNN has another 150 reporters who have not been barred from press conferences, and those conferences are not a “right” they are a privilege (imagine if I showed up and said because I’m a blogger I should be allowed in because it is a form of the press—at least to people who think I should shut down the site)

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bob-woodward-criticizes-cnns-acosta-lawsuit-says-medias-emotionally-unhinged-about-trump

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/13/business/media/cnn-jim-acosta-trump-lawsuit.html

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/11/13/white-house-jim-acosta-lawsuit-just-more-grandstanding-from-cnn/

https://nypost.com/2018/11/07/jim-acosta-violated-one-of-the-oldest-rules-of-journalism/

I listened to a montage of Acosta’s shouted comments and statements (rarely a question) and actually, I’d call it hate speech, but because both men are white, (and both are sons of immigrants) I guess that won’t work.

Judicial Watch files lawsuit about DWS

Imran Awan and his family were banned from the House computer network in February 2017 after the House’s top law enforcement officer wrote that Imran is “an ongoing and serious risk to the House of Representatives, possibly threatening the integrity of our information systems,” and that a server containing evidence had gone “missing.” The inspector general said server logs showed “unauthorized access” and procurement records were falsified.

Imran Awan was Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s top information technology aide. Most lawmakers fired Awan in February, but Wasserman Schultz kept him on until he was arrested in July, trying to board a flight for Pakistan.

Imran Awan was allowed a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to federal bank fraud but prosecutors found no evidence that Awan “violated federal law with respect to the House computer systems.”

The Judicial Watch lawsuit was filed after the FBI failed to respond adequately to two FOIA requests.

The FBI claimed it could neither confirm nor deny records related to the first request, filed on May 26, 2017. (e-mail notice)

https://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/weekly-updates/weekly-update-new-awan-bros-dem-it-suit/

Poor Martha got Flaked.

“A week ago, it looked like Republicans had picked up three seats, with former Air Force fighter pilot Martha McSally capturing the Senate seat being vacated by anti-Trump Republican Jeff Flake. Instead, she conceded Monday in a narrow loss to a petulant leftist, Kyrsten Sinema. The latter once described her state as “a meth lab of democracy,” a dig at Arizona’s “deplorables.”

It is a notable irregularity that Arizona’s Republican governor, Doug Ducey, defeated his opponent by a whopping 15%, while McSally’s loss to Sinema was under 2%, though Sinema failed to win a popular majority. What can explain such an extraordinary level of ticket-splitting? Clearly, McSally got “Flaked.” “

I demand a recount!! Surely they can find a box of votes in the trunk of some officials car—oh wait, that only happens for Democrats.

A meth lab of democracy.  Nice. Democrats just can’t stop the name calling—racist, sexist, homophobe, Nazi, fascist, deplorable. If you believe in traditional marriage, you’re a homophobe. If you believe in national borders, you’re a racist.  I thought McSally was terrific, and Sinema was awful.  Maybe McSally wasn’t glamorous enough? Sinema is for open borders and abortion, and she doesn’t seem to like Arizonans a lot either.

“According to her own words in the Arizona Republic, Sinema fully backed closing Luke Air Force Base, which supports jobs for 85,000 Arizonans. While Biden, as a Senator, voted to shut down Williams Air Force Base in Maricopa County which served as the nation’s foremost pilot training facility until it was shuttered in 1993, causing a loss of 3,800 jobs and $300 million in economic activity for the state.

And just like Biden, who backs amnesty and did nothing to fix our broken immigration system, Sinema has repeatedly voted to protect sanctuary cities, voted against completing the wall, and voted to deny additional border security at ports of entry where 90% of illegal narcotics enter our country.” https://www.nrsc.org/press-releases/joe-and-kyrsten-2018-07-20/

Sinema has called Republicans Neanderthals and ridicules women who stay at home and take care of their families rather than working outside the home, and she’s militantly pro-abortion (sort of goes with the anti-family thing). This is a real tragedy for Arizona; as Californians tire of the high taxes and over regulation they migrate to Arizona after making a killing on their home sale,, and then set out to change Arizona into the same mess they left.

Delays and Democrats

More delays in Palm Beach County, and we know what that means, more Democrat votes will be found.  Whenever a batch of uncounted votes are found are they ever Republican? And Democrats want votes of non-citizens to be counted.

http://thefederalist.com/2018/11/10/palm-beach-county-democrats-argue-count-votes-cast-non-citizens/

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2018/11/10/what-the-hell-broward-and-palm-beach-counties-ignore-court-ruling-on-vote-counts-n2535700

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/local-govt--politics/blind-voters-claim-they-denied-right-secret-ballot/

The caravan has arrived on the border, people from Central America are climbing the fences and barriers, and it’s crickets from those who told us there is no caravan. I guess it was just an election season issue.  It will be catch and release as usual.  Can’t imagine why these people are called migrants.  Don’t know who paid for the buses.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/caravan-migrants-reach-tijuana-start-climbing-the-border-fence

https://dennismichaellynch.com/video-first-waves-of-caravan-migrants-reach-tijuana-immediately-climb-atop-border-fence/

https://hotair.com/archives/2018/10/19/migrant-caravan-reaches-southern-border-mexico/

More young blacks voting Republican? Suburbs flipping to Democrats?

“According to the Federal Reserve, as of 2016, median black household income was $35,400, and median black household net worth was $17,600. Contrast that with $61,200 median income and $171,000 median net worth for whites.

After all these years of government programs to help low-income Americans, African-Americans, on average, are not catching up.

Perhaps the message is sinking in to young blacks that what they need is more freedom and the kind of growing economy that goes with it.”

Star Parker https://www.dailysignal.com/2018/11/14/election-results-point-to-a-political-change-occurring-among-black-young-adults/

“The 2016 election demonstrated how working-class voters—historically devoted Democrats—found political and cultural refuge in the GOP. Rural counties provided the voting margins necessary for Trump’s win and for Republicans’ legislative gains. In response, politicos and pundits reassessed their dismissal of heartland regions. But Republicans now find themselves in a jam. While Democrats ignored the concerns of blue-collar cities and towns, Republicans took suburban voters’ support for granted. A Republican renaissance is proving illusory without this coalition. By losing suburban voters, the GOP could face a long-term obstacle in securing formerly winnable congressional seats, governorships, and state legislative chambers.

Republicans’ suburban disadvantage also indicates a class division disrupting both political parties. In suburbs outside larger cities, voters are often upwardly mobile transplants—though many have roots in struggling communities—who are financially inoculated against the concerns of working-class families. The economy of the 2010s boosted their stock portfolios, bank accounts, and home values. Development projects in their downtowns brought microbreweries, barre studios, artisanal donut shops, and Trader Joe’s. Opulent Craftsman imitations replaced post-World War II ranches along winding suburban streets. The opioid crisis was a new story, not a pandemic afflicting residential neighborhoods. Once GOP strongholds, these communities are safe and prosperous, with excellent schools—and they now trend Democratic.”

The suburban revolt https://www.city-journal.org/suburbias-electoral-realignment? 

And again it’s rich against poor, but now the Democrats are the rich and the Republicans who are poor, but the media aren’t demonizing the rich Democrats.

Moving from No to Go, 2018 guidelines for exercise

“Probably the most important message from the 2018 guidelines is that the greatest health benefits accrue by moving from no, to even small amounts of, physical activity, especially if that activity is of moderate (eg, brisk walking) or vigorous (eg, jogging and running) intensity. Multiple studies demonstrate that the steepest reduction in disease risk, such as for coronary heart disease, occurs at the lowest levels of physical activity.² Patients need to understand that even small amounts of physical activity are beneficial and that reductions in the risk of disease and disability occur by simply getting moving. The evidence demonstrates that adults obtain the maximal benefits of physical activity by regularly performing 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity or 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. These levels of activity are possible for most healthy people.”

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2712934

My summer of 1958, part 3

What does an 18 year old do all day while living on a farm with her grandparents who aren’t thrilled to have her “help?” See Part 1 and Part 2 for the story about why I was there and what the farm was like.

The diary I kept that summer reveals a lot of cooking and cleaning, certainly more than I do now. Also some gardening—surprise—didn’t remember that at all!  Although I thought they were rather set in their ways and not too friendly then, 60 years later rereading the diary, I’m amazed and admiring at their flexibility and good humor at my housekeeping abilities.

June 1: “The food situation was bad.  Bacon and cold baloney are the only meats in the house. For some reason there are about 2 doz. lemons.  I fixed an orange and banana fruit dish and mixed some peas and potatoes for something hot—and also a meat sandwich.” Note:  when I was a child I thought eating baloney sandwiches at grandma's house was a wonderful treat since my mother never made them.

June 2: “We had scrambled eggs for breakfast, chicken a la king, biscuits, pineapple-cottage cheese salad and tapioca for dinner (noon) and “left-over loaf” and a mixture of green vegetables and fruit salad and tapioca-applesauce.”

June 3: “I mixed up some apricot-buttermilk  bread and put that in the oven at 7:30 a.m. I fixed grandpa and me soft boiled eggs and we all had mixed fruit.  They seem to enjoy fresh fruit in most any type of combination. . . For dinner I fixed hot dogs with bacon, corn and fruit with the fresh bread. . . I bought $10.84 worth of groceries—12 boxes of Jello and 2 puddings to make sure we wouldn’t run out for awhile.  For supper I fixed liver, boiled potatoes, orange-carrot-banana Jello salad and bread.” (My parents showed up around 8 p.m., I made coffee and Dad and I talked in the kitchen) “ and he sure liked that bread I made.”

June 4: I fixed pancakes for breakfast; they might have tasted better if the skillet were  not so rusty. I fixed minute steaks, beans, orange Jello salad and bread pudding for dinner (noon). . . for supper we had soup.

June 5: “The oatmeal I made for breakfast tasted like paste. . . macaroni and cheese for dinner—not much better than the oatmeal. . . soup for supper.

June 7: “I dusted some before breakfast—we had cereal, eggs and juice. . .[ate lunch in Dixon]  For supper I fixed liver, mashed potatoes, tossed salad, relish plate, and strawberry shortcake.  I used the good dishes and really had fun, but what a clean-up job..  After dishes were over I tried to make a strawberry cream pie, but it didn’t work!”

June 9: A reversal of meals--onion soup and baloney sandwiches for dinner and meat loaf, cabbage slaw and melon for supper.

June 10: Oatmeal for breakfast; hamburgers, corn creole and pear salad for dinner; fruit plate for supper with custard.

June 11: Ham, asparagus, cabbage salad and custard.  Soup, sandwiches and Jello for supper.

June 12:  Grandpa's birthday.  I baked a date cake for him, "a major project." Lima bean casserole. Took some cake to the neighbors in the evening.

June 13: Made out a menu and schedule for next week. Chicken pot pie for dinner; meat plate, potatoes & peas and tomatoes and banana bread for supper.

June 16: Hamburgers, mashed potatoes & gravy, tossed salad and blackberry pie for dinner.

June 20: Baked a coffee cake which didn't turn out, so I put it in Jello. Creamed ham and rice for dinner; hotdogs, corn and Jello for supper.  Decided to quit, but had a long talk with Grandma and we worked things out.

June 24: Baked a raisin pie; baked chicken for supper and salmon for dinner (noon) trying to use up food due to refrigerator repair.

June 26: I baked all morning (complained to diary they weren't appreciative). Home made rolls, strawberry parfait, deviled eggs, asparagus and tuna cakes.  Baked pinwheel cookies, ate 10, and sent the rest to my boyfriend in Minnesota. Supper was creamed dried beef and peas on hot rolls.

June 27: Baked rolls for breakfast and made cocoa. Macaroni and cheese for dinner, corn bread and creamed chicken for supper. 

June 30: Cleaned out the kitchen cupboards; washed plastic bags. Pork chops, baked potatoes, corn and apricot tarts for dinner

July 2: Hamburgers, tossed salad, fruit for dinner and potato salad, tomato slices, beets and rhubarb parfait for supper.

July 3: Cess pool backed up into the basement. Liver, asparagus, corn and fruit for dinner.

July 4: Baked a cherry pie, meat loaf, baked beans, fresh rolls.  Salad and soup for supper.

July 11: Fried chicken, lima beans, dressing, cranberry sauce, and crumb cake. Made Henny Penny muffins (uses left over chicken in batter) for supper, then baked a peach-butterscotch pie for the neighbors' anniversary.

I didn’t note in my diary if these menus were my choice or theirs, but reading them over in the following weeks I see a lot of hot dogs, liver and asparagus—which it seems I would go out and cut stalks along the lane. And they were a generation that loved Jello—one of the first convenience foods of the 20th century. Rereading the meals, it seems like a lot of food and they were probably not used to that.

The cleaning I mention makes me wonder how they felt about that—true, they couldn’t do a lot, and dust would blow in from the fields, but if someone came in my house and immediately started dusting everything would I be pleased or insulted?

June 3: “I took down the curtains in my room, washed them and the windows, dusted the halls and stairsteps and ran the sweeper.  Every time I pumped a pail of water I felt guilty—but it does my muscles good even if the water supply is low.” There wasn’t a washing machine so I assume I hand washed the curtains.  I always wrote about washing dishes right after a meal and what time I finished, because I think Mother warned me not to leave any dirty dishes around (not sure it was bugs, mice, or Grandma’s preference).

June 4: “I cleaned out the bread cupboard before breakfast and then had my coffee while I listened to the radio.  **This “revolution” in France seems a long way off from the tranquility of the farm.” . . . in the shed “I found the clippers and decided to try my hand at sharpening them on the old wheel.  I’m not much of a bush clipper, but I attacked the job with unusual pep and concern.  Well, at least we can see the bird bath now from the dining room. . . After dishes I ran the dust mop around and swept a few rugs with the broom.” It seems Grandma wouldn’t let me run the vacuum cleaner which was the whole house kind with tubes built into the walls. I mentioned it several times in the diary, with no explanation why.

June 5:  “I spent most of the morning sewing up the hem in Grandma’s navy blue slip and mending a pillow.   . . In the afternoon we all went to Ashton to look at some cattle Dale wanted to buy, and they finally decided on 89 head. . . After cleaning up the supper dishes I cut a fresh bouquet.”

June 6: I put on an old shirt “and a pair of peddle pushers and went out to the garden for lovely 2 hours of sweat and dirt.  I took my good old time about spading the garden—mixed it with a little tool shed browsing and knife sharpening. . . When I finished my “garden” looked like a fresh grave, but I was happy.”

June 9: “After supper I planted tomatoes and wrote letters."

June 10: "started in on the filthy stove.  The mouse dirt was really thick and there were old nests behind the stove.  I put clean paper in the drawers and put the pans and stuff in them."

June 11: Scrubbed the bathroom floors. Dusted 4 rooms, mopped the kitchen floor and washed the two porch doors. Scraped the paint off the dog door stop.

June 17: Cleaned the silverware and dusted my room and the two west bedrooms. I wrote that I was an intrusion on their privacy and they never said thank you.

June 19: Walked to town after supper, but the lane was like quicksand so it took longer.  On the way back I spoke Spanish and sang hymns. (This sounds sort of pious, but I think it was boredom.) I had also walked in on the 18th after supper to the Ives Drug store, and because it was getting dark by 9 I cut through a freshly cultivated bean field and snagged my dress on barbed wire, was wearing sandals, so was a mess when I got back, but "saved 10 minutes."

June 20: Cleaned dining and living rooms, swept the pantry, clipped the grass on the west fence--was still pumping water.

June 27: Cleaned the dining room and 2 living rooms and mopped the porch; caught a ride with a neighbor to Ashton to shop for groceries. 

**I have no recollection of a revolution in France in the summer of 1958, so I had to look that one up.  And sure enough, there was one due to the Algerian War of Independence (1954–62) which led to collapse of the Fourth Republic and its replacement by the Fifth Republic led by Charles de Gaulle who returned to power after a twelve-year absence (Wikipedia). So there I was sipping coffee and clipping bushes in Illinois and not paying attention while deGaulle was forming a new cabinet in France.  Without TV and the Internet we just had no idea. . . 

My summer of 1958, part 2

In the summer of 1958 I lived on my grandparents’ farm near Franklin Grove, IL when they were in their 80s and I was 18.  (See Part 1)  They were lured back to Illinois with their young son Leslie in 1908 from Wichita, Kansas, where they had lived since 1901 with  the promise of this farm home to help her ill father, then in his 80s. They took care of him until he died in 1912.  My grandmother was the only survivor of his four adult children, her oldest brother Ira having recently died of blood poisoning from an injury on his farm near Ashton and the home place. (Diphtheria and childbirth having taken the other two, Will and Martha, in the 19th century.)  Ira was the one who was helping her father manage the farms.

What our family knew as the farm house had been put together using a small house ca. 1850s, and a larger, early 1900's style, an unspectacular, 8 room, boxy farm house. Grandma had it remodeled adding a huge gracious dining room, with a bedroom and balcony above it where she had hanging plants and flowers and a second staircase, a big airy kitchen with "modern" features like a built in corn cob storage for the blue and black cookstove, manual dishwasher, a metal topped table with flour bins, a walk-in pantry/storage room, an upstairs servant's bedroom, plus two bathrooms, a dumbwaiter, a generator in the basement and a utility sink at the back door for washing up before entering the house. The dining room and the bedroom above it were the new part that joined the 19th c. and 20th c. houses together.

Some updates had been done by 1958, but the house was in poor repair.  Grandpa was not “handy” and Grandma was not a fastidious housekeeper, being much more interested in the business end of farming. And they were old—his hearing had failed, and she’d had several small strokes and falls. So, according to my steno pad diary the well wasn’t working and I was hand pumping the water I used for cleaning, cooking and dishes.  I don’t mention our drinking water in the diary, but it does give me pause to think we were probably drinking unsafe water.

I didn’t understand it then, but do now—Grandma fretted to the point of tears that she wasn’t there when Martin came to fix the well the first time.  According to my diary, Martin didn’t return until June 6.  I can’t recall how the laundry was done, but mentioned in the diary  (June 3) that Grandma had worn herself out and was out of breath gathering up laundry and we had to rush to get her to the hair dresser.  On June 6 I noted I drove to town, mailed some letters and picked up the laundry—it was $8.10.  That day after working in the garden I wrote that I washed my hair and tennis shoes—and I used only one bucket of water to do both jobs!

I wrote that the well drillers came on June 18th, and by the 20th were finished after 105 feet of drilling and finding 41 feet of water although I was still pumping pails of water for household use. A plumber had to reconnect the house to the well source.   Usually, taking a bath wouldn’t be  an event for a teen diary, but I mentioned it on June 27, and washed my hair on the 28th so maybe it was awhile before we got water in the house.

How to make schmaltz

https://www.splendidtable.org/story/how-to-make-schmaltz

We eat a lot of chicken, particularly thighs—that’s the best flavor because of the dark meat.  I prefer to buy it with skin on and bone in because the flavor is better. Sometimes I cook one to have broth on hand, and skim it.  However, I always remove the skin before baking because it just looks and feels slimy.  Well, little did I know this can be rendered to chicken fat and then used in various recipes. The skin and fat can also be purchased at butcher counters.  As much chicken as we eat, that shouldn’t be necessary.

• Skin and fat from 8 chicken thighs (or 2 cups/450 grams miscellaneous reserved chicken skin and fat)
• 1/4 cup/60 milliliters water
• 1 Spanish onion, cut into medium dice

Yield: 1/2 cup/120 grams schmaltz and 1/2 cup/60 grams gribenes (craclkings)

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/hard-cider-gravy-chives

http://www.countymarketnorthbranch.com/Recipes/RecipeFull.aspx?RecipeID=33011  Looks like it’s tasty in place of butter for mashed potatoes.

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/why-schmaltz-is-your-secret-weapon-for-the-best-thanksgiving-sides/?

A new way to fix chicken

I got a new recipe in September for crock pot chicken, but I decided to use it also for baked chicken thighs, and the sauce/paste makes a wonderful spread for crackers.  Mix Panko crumbs, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning into a paste like texture, and then spread it on the thighs before baking (I always remove the skin, see above note).  Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.  Quite yummy.

My summer of 1958, part 1

If you had said to me, “Remember the time you lived at the farm and the well was dry?” I would have responded, “I remember the farm, but don’t recall a problem with the water.”

That’s why it’s nice to have a diary, that retro pen and paper version of a blog, which stands for [world wide] web log. While searching for another notebook, I unpacked a box and found my diary from 1958, a stenographer’s notebook with green tint pages and perfect handwriting in real ink, telling about my days with my grandparents on their farm between Franklin Grove and Ashton, Illinois.  I was there from June 1 to July 12, 1958, and indeed, the water problems were a focus of the first few weeks. I’d totally forgotten that part about pumping water, using a bucket, and driving to my parents’ home to take a bath.

To back up a bit, you need to understand my mother.  Just the sweetest and dearest soul, and always had a solution to anyone’s problem, especially anyone in her family. After my freshman year at Manchester College I wasn’t happy, and wanted to transfer, but I also needed a job for the summer.  My Oakwood dorm friends had all secured something interesting or exciting, and I was faced with going back to Mt. Morris and perhaps working at the drug store where I worked in high school, if it had reopened by then (had been a fire), or fill in at the town library (yawn) where I’d also worked in high school.

The steno pad’s first 10 pages were filled with notes comparing Manchester with Murray--the history, religion connections, majors, costs (Manchester’s tuition and fees were higher, but room and board lower—and all laughable by today’s standards, ca. $1,000/year).  Also in the steno pad were notes about the University of Chicago in a fine arts curriculum and vocational guidance with a minor in Spanish. Expenses were higher—about $1,755, but student jobs looked plentiful.  And then notes about the University of Illinois, what would transfer, a major in Spanish and a minor in Russian.  The notes end there, but I did transfer to Illinois and just by coincidence, that’s where my boyfriend was.

So back to Mother.  I got a little sidetracked.  She knew I was unhappy and that I didn’t have a job;  she knew her parents who were 82 and 84 (b. 1876 and 1874) shouldn’t be alone in their big old farm house in very poor condition. Although Mother and her siblings Muriel and Leslie, and the neighbors checked in often, it wasn’t the same as someone in residence. Neither one of them would consider moving, although they did spend their winters in an apartment in Orlando, Florida. Somehow, Mother convinced me I’d be doing her a favor if I worked as a housekeeper for Grandma, and she also convinced Grandma that Norma needed a summer job. Perfect.  She was a master at this! My grandparents didn’t really want me there (weren’t convinced they needed any help) and I couldn’t have imagined a less inviting or a more lonely place to be (I had spent the summer of 1957 in California at a church mission in Fresno and a year at college with many friends), but my mother appealed to my “missionary” spirit which was still rather strong in those days. I was the 50’s version of the SJW—social justice warrior.

I arrived at the farm about 4:15 on June 1, 1958.  My brother drove me there and helped unload all my clothes. . . .Stay tuned for the next installment of the Summer of 1958 down on the farm.

Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Me and Mick

“Do you have a job, a car, and a couch? Congratulations! Your hips are probably as tight as Mick Jagger’s pants.”

I used to be very flexible.  Now if I turn the wrong way or bend over to remove laundry from the dryer or tie my shoe, BING, there goes the back.

I can do about 5 of these, (1-3, 5, 8) but not the more drastic ones shown on this website.

How to Stretch Your Hips https://gmb.io/hip-mobility/

1. Lying Hip Rotations
Cross one ankle across the opposite knee and rotate the hip in and out.

2. Piriformis Stretch
Cross one knee over the opposite thigh and pull the knee toward the opposite shoulder.

3. Butterfly Stretch
Sit with your feet together and move your knees toward the floor.

4. Frog Stretch
On all fours, separate your knees as wide as you can and rock back and forth.

5. Kneeling Lunge
Get into a lunge position and keep your chest tall as you move your hips back and forth.

6. Traveling Butterfly
Move from the longsitting position to the butterfly position.

7. Squatting Internal Rotations
From a deep squat, rotate one knee toward the ground, then alternate.

8. Pigeon Stretch
Sit with one knee bent to 90-degrees in front of you, and one knee behind you, rotating your back hip forward and backward.

Also: https://gmb.io/hips/

What are you hearing in sermons and homilies?

Howard Kainz, a Catholic, observes, “I was surprised in the last couple months to hear two homilies – one on the abuse crisis and cover-ups, the other on abortion. My surprise is based on the fact that I have never heard these two topics discussed at any Sunday Mass since Vatican II. And I have attended Masses in quite a few states.”

I’ve noticed the same thing at our church.  In over 40 years at UALC, I’ve heard one sermon on marriage and nothing about abortion, homosexuality, same sex marriage, war, poverty, immigration, and just a smidgen on finances, etc. It is up to small groups or social ministries to address those concerns—without a pastor and usually without Biblical leadership.

Forty years ago I was relieved not to hear about the culture and day to day drama from the pulpit, as we had transferred from First Community Church and that seemed the primary topic of the day, but with no gospel.  The preacher there in the 1970s was a fabulous speaker, impassioned, poetic, with sermons that read like the front page of the Washington Post;  and he was also unfaithful to his wife and children leaving in disgrace. Maybe he just had pent up energy or guilt.

But there are times I feel we conservatives Christians are drowning in a culture of hate, bias, misinformation, and scripture twisting. I understand the pastor has to speak to everyone, but it does seem we just quietly go out to coffee in the narthex to struggle on our own while munching blueberry donut holes.

https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2018/11/12/homilies-on-hot-topics/

Remembering the Obama years

I haven’t forgotten what things looked like in 2008 when Obama was running.  Also haven’t forgotten how the stock market dropped with a thud when he secured the nomination.  I haven’t forgotten that the official recession was over in June 2009 before the first expensive, bloated, unnecessary gift-to-special interests went out the door of the White House.

I haven’t forgotten either that Bush inherited a recession from Clinton, and he cut taxes and things quickly moved on.  I haven’t forgotten what fracking did for the economy and how Obama fought our becoming energy independent, or how so many people who lost their jobs and insurance just buckled down and worked 2-3 jobs, or started their own business.

I haven’t forgotten that Obama took over major sectors of the economy—the classic definition of national socialism—the banks, the auto industry, health insurance, and of course, everyone’s favorite, bathrooms.  The stock market, not necessarily “the economy” started going up, up, up, but not necessarily growth, or labor participation, or consumer confidence, which are the real measures. 

I haven’t forgotten that unemployment went over 10%.  So when Obama, who virtually killed the Democrat Party causing about 1200 losses of offices in state and local governments and pushing it ever further left into the current crazy level, touts how this is HIS economy, anyone who remembers those 8 years just laughs and realizes he’s smoking marijuana again, or maybe never stopped.

An overweight, 72 year old is putting him to shame with his knowledge and energy—and his campaigning.  Obama couldn’t even fill a room and loses his voice, and Trump pulled massive crowds who waited in the rain 2 hours, and then he goes on to two more campaign stops. 

Yes, I haven’t forgotten who turned the Democrat Party into something I, as a 40 year Democrat, can barely recognize. That’s one campaign promise he kept—to fundamentally transform the country.

On elections and adoptions

“I worry that we made a tragic mistake,” Lisa Milbrand wrote of her decision to adopt two daughters from China, adding: “I pulled those two beautiful babies away from a rising power and into a damaged democracy. I brought two girls of color into a society where it’s clear that their word and their bodies are worth less than a man’s—and where open, overt racism has become even more likely now than it was a decade ago. And unfortunately, my worries aren’t exactly tinfoil-hat-wearing paranoia.”

Can’t imagine a woman so callous and uncaring, that she thinks her Chinese children (adopted from China) would be better off in an orphanage in a totalitarian country, than living in the U.S.A.

And all because of President Trump.  The hate just rolls on, and on. Trump is not a racist, but she is.

http://thefederalist.com/2018/11/08/mom-says-regrets-adopting-daughters-china-trump/

The great party

Jordan Peterson is a Canadian professor, but he’s in a lot of trouble for using the wrong pronouns (gasp), and comments a lot on the U.S. This is about the history of Democrats—can’t tell if it’s tongue in cheek. I just don’t think anyone in the party would ever say these things.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eIpi0rpVf8

He’s written a best seller.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZYQpge1W5s  This is an outstanding video—don’t know the interviewer, but he  wipes the floor with her on “social democrat,” on identity politics, philosophy, on patriarchy, on the Constitution, on the weight of academe, on lobsters, on hierarchies as built into nature, etc.

Same old same old from the leftist New York Times

Smarter Times which apparently exists to point out flaws in NYT, from grammar, to sloppy writing, to amnesia in stories.  http://www.smartertimes.com/1609/vanishing-northeastern-republicans

“Of all the angles for the New York Times to choose for a front-page post-election political story, the "vanishing Northeastern Republican" one they used is pretty lame.

The Times blames President Trump: "A Trump-Fueled 'Wipeout' for House Republicans in the Northeast," is the headline.

But the Times has been writing the obituary of Northeastern Republicans since long before Donald Trump became a political force.

Here, for example, is a Times dispatch from 2006:

It was a species as endemic to New England as craggy seascapes and creamy clam chowder: the moderate Yankee Republican.

Dignified in demeanor, independent in ideology and frequently blue in blood, they were politicians in the mold of Roosevelt and Rockefeller: socially tolerant, environmentally enthusiastic, people who liked government to keep its wallet close to its vest and its hands out of social issues like abortion and, in recent years, same-sex marriage.

But this election dealt the already-fading New England Republican an especially strong blow, one that some fear will increase the divide between the two parties nationally by removing a longstanding bridge between them.

Of 22 members of the newly elected House of Representatives from New England, only one is a Republican: Christopher Shays of Connecticut, who eked out a victory while two other Republicans from his state, Representatives Nancy L. Johnson and Rob Simmons, lost to Democrats.

Not only is it an old story, but it also doesn't particularly fit the results in 2018, which saw Republican governors elected in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts, and Republican congressmen Pete King and Lee Zeldin hold on their Long Island congressional seats.”

Matt Whitaker, the Left’s latest cause

Mike Huckabee writes: “President Trump’s appointment of Jeff Sessions’ chief of staff Matt Whitaker as acting attorney general to temporarily replace Jeff Sessions is generating a lot of hysterical screaming from Democrats, who will not accept anything less than a totally unfettered special counsel.  Of course, Democrats in 2018 react with hysterical screaming to everything relating to Trump, so there’s little reason for Trump or his supporters to take them seriously.”

https://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?p=latest-news&id=1850B584-11B3-44EE-8D18-EB2B0A20D57F&s=6MHR

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/11/matthew-whittaker-jeff-sessions-replacement-excellent-choice/

Last night we had demonstrations here in Columbus against Matt Whitaker—several hundred people.  My husband was really puzzled.  “Where do they find these kooks?” he asked.  “Social media, and huge databases of protestors on call for any reason for Democrats/Progressives/ Socialists.” I said.  I think they also get paid, at least beer money.

Racist, sexist, homophobic, yada, yada

Everything is racist: starting and ending with the people you disagree with (on any subject at all).  (David Warren commenting on his website being blocked) https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2018/11/09/on-hate-racism/

“To people who hate the truth, the truth looks like hate.” Father Paul Sullins suggesting the strong relationship between a sub-culture of homosexual priests and the abuse of young men.  http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/is-catholic-clergy-sex-abuse-related-to-homosexual-priests

Women and Brain Health

NEW YORK -- Former First Lady Laura Bush launched the Campaign for Women's Brain Health here on Tuesday evening to empower women with the tools they need to become more knowledgeable about the brain, and to better implement brain care for themselves and their families.

The project is a collaboration between UsAgainstAlzheimer's, WomenAgainstAlzheimer's, and Woman's Day magazine. The campaign's goal is to expand the fight against Alzheimer's to include all aspects of brain health, noted George Vrandenburg, of USAgainstAlzheimer's, and Jill Lesser, of WomenAgainstAlzheimer's.

"To achieve this, the partnership is engaging three key groups: families and communities; providers, payers, and health systems; and policymakers," Vrandenburg and Lesser stated.

Rest of the article   https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/alzheimersdisease/76199?

Your race card has expired, liberals

"No president in history came to office with more political capital than Barack Obama. He squandered it like a lottery winner within a few months. If liberals had any sense of irony, they would appreciate the inanity of braying about racism right after America elected a black president." Joy Tiz, Sept. 16, 2009

But Obama was so good at it, it's now all out, worse than ever, never slow down, and every candidate, black, white, and brown is using it. Black socialist woman didn't win in Georgia--must be racism; black male with questionable background not elected in Florida--must be racism. Black millionaire Don Lemon feels free to demonize all white men, and liberal commentators now go after white women as victims of patriarchy for not voting for blacks.

Halloween is over, time for Christmas

Quote of the Day

The political bias on college campuses

Perhaps you aren't convinced college campuses are just birthing rooms for young Democrats?

"In total, Florida public college employees donated $587,454.47 from 2017-2018. Of that amount, 94.8 percent were made to Democrat politicians or Democrat organizations" and, "Employees of the University of Texas have given $1.1 million during this election cycle, more than 92% of it to Democrats." and at Yale "96 percent of these donations went to Democratic political campaigns and committees."

Of course, I think these are voluntary contributions--public school teacher unions (membership required in order to teach) give 99% to Democrats.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/america-s-most-partisan-industry-1541542039?

Rejoice you pure in heart

I usually save the printed hymns from the Sunday bulletin, and then noticed we had sung “The Church’s One Foundation” twice in a month, once as an entrance hymn and once as a closing hymn.  However, when I looked at the attribution, they were different, with one attributed to Plumptre and Messiter, and one to Stone and Samuel Wesley.  I was pretty sure that Wesley was the one we sang, so I looked up the other combination, and found “Rejoice you pure in heart” and enjoyed this lovely choir, the Metro Singers of Hyattsville, MD . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_GBKSqtgvI 

Then I looked back through what I’d saved, and indeed we had sung “Rejoice you pure in heart.” Don’t know if the misattribution came from the copied source, or if when inserting the hymn into the template, the attribution from a previous week slipped in. 

House lost in mid-terms

Milo said it best

“Abortion is the business model of Planned Parenthood, and business is booming. Looking at the period of 2000 to 2013, government funding increased from just over $200 million to the aforementioned $500 million, while abortions rose 66 per cent and adoption referrals dropped 25 per cent.

More importantly, Planned Parenthood is gaining market share at a strong clip. In 1986, it accounted for about 6 per cent of the abortions in the United States. That has grown to more than 30 per cent as of 2011. This type of growth makes Planned Parenthood the Apple Corp of the Valley of Death.

Planned Parenthood can attribute a good portion of their boffo baby-killing business to their president since 2006, Cecile Richards. Richards is well on her way to personally matching Hitler’s body count. Breitbart has done the grim maths so you don’t have to.”

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2015/08/22/godwins-law-planned-parenthoods-body-count-is-up-to-half-a-holocaust/

Guest blogger Yusnaiberth explains how socialism really works in the 21st century

I was born and used to live in a very rich country, where anything you planted grew, where any small or big business used to succeed, where people used to leave the country ONLY for two reasons: 1. to study (Post-Grades or Masters) or, 2. for tourism, but they used to come back to keep growing and to keep living happy with everything...with their family and friends to be in an eternal party and comfort.

Since the 50’s, that country used to be the destiny of thousands of immigrants, most of them from Europe. That Country, blessed with beautiful lands, forests, rivers, desert, mountains and beaches; where the Angel Falls is!. . . that country where the most beautiful women used to be . . . that country, that was a paradise WAS my Venezuela, UNTIL Socialism=Communism put its hands on her in 1998. 

That was when Hugo Chavez Frías took the power (a military ex-convict for trying to take the power by force in 1989 and 1992, but then got amnesty from the left party in power).  Everything else I tell you about this story you can find in YouTube or Google.  This man convinced people to vote for him to get rid of the two main parties (AD & Copey) and their corruption, based on Socialism, but at the end it came out to be something worse . . . that “XXI ‘s Century Socialism” was just Pure Communism.

That government became a Dictatorship regime, my country went from a wealthy status to just ruins today.  Chavez destroyed the national production, he closed and/or expropriated any business which disagreed with his ideology: all free, high taxes, exchange control, price control,  etc. Electrical, Communication, Transport and Water companies went from private to public.  Money destined for technology, improvement and maintenance of all those services were stolen . . . disappeared!

He made indefinite re-election, made the presidential period longer . . . anybody in the public administration or system who disagreed or wasn’t registered in his party was fired.

Venezuela was destroyed economically and socially in less than 14 years and once Chavez died, he left as his successor, Nicolas Maduro and this one made things worse, radicalizing the “revolution” and receiving orders and instructions direct from Castro’s Brothers.

Venezuela became a partner with Iran, Russia and China and it is confirmed those countries already have cells and colonies residing there, making Venezuela a huge threat for United States.

Hundreds of thousands of people have died fighting against this regime or due to the insecurity, food and medicine being scarce.

I used to work for +14 years in a big American Company (Procter&Gamble), which during +50 years had its Latin American Division settled in Caracas-Venezuela. We used to be +2000 employees between offices and industrial plants.  Now there are no more than 30 employees, I’m not exaggerating.  Company had to move all its operations due to the insecurity and exchange and price control and the has same happened with all the industries.

Ruins...just ruins is what you can see today...

I came here legally, running away from the regime and insecurity, that was 11 years ago (2007), after I fought against the regime, I protested, voted, signed, ran and almost was killed in a march in 2002.

I finally gave up and realized there was nothing to do anymore if I wanted a future . . . alive. In the last two years I’ve lost 4  members of my family due to lack of medicine or medical attention. People are dying for human rights violation during protests in 2014, then in 2017 . . . Do you know what Obama did or said? NOTHING! He looked to other side!

It’s hard to summarize so many things my country has lived, but what I wanted to say you in one phrase is: “I know the monster and I know what’s inside his guts”...and during 8 years of Obama’s Presidency I could detect so many signals of the same socialism Chavez sold to us. A socialism fed with populism, hate, resent and envy.

I used to give him the benefit of doubt, until in 2013 when I personally participated in a movement to ask Obama for sanctions for the Human Rights violators and Narco-Cartel Military Leaders. Obama ignored us for 7 months, he ignored the +400 students killed or disappeared plus hundreds of political prisoners. HE DID OR SAID ANYTHING! Approved the first sanctions because the pressure of the Republicans Marco Rubio and Diaz Balart and because 2016 election was coming.

Donald Trump, well I didn’t like him that much at first, but I knew that anything against Hillary would be much better...but, something happened, he has not only done everything he promised the USA, he approved not once but 6 rounds of sanctions against Venezuela’s regime corrupt and military cartel members AS HE PROMISED.

Other things made me so convinced about Trump and the RED Wave: the daily cry and attacks of the lefties, everyday posts in Facebook promoting hate and spitting resent and an eternal victimization for the past. . .people who didn’t forgive and move on. . .parents like me supporting things like abortion or early years gender change (I wondered what about if is your own kid?). . .the always “poor illegal immigrant” but God forgive you! if you tell them to open their homes to strangers and pay all their expenses even their visas, medical and school expenses! I’m tired of hearing people who take all for granted and believe a government is responsible for each of their failures and wrong decisions.

And the last drop in the glass...Venezuelans who came here running away of socialism voting for Democrats just to obtain personal benefits.

I’ve been pretty active not only here but in Spain (my husband’s country) where socialism is already destroying that country economy and safety stability. The violent immigrants coming from Africa are being supported and protected by the left-socialist government. I see that  if Democrats win, the same is gonna happen with the violent invasion called “caravan”.

I’m sorry! I tried to summarize too many stuff...I could be writing and writing hundreds of reasons why USA is in danger.  My only purpose is to open the eyes of those who have never been out of USA and don’t really know what socialism is.

I became a Citizen Last May 2018 and I couldn’t be more proud to give my first vote in this country to fight against what I ran away of. I will defend this Country, the country which opened its arms to me, my kids’ country, because they were born here and now my Country, My Sweet Home.

I’m sorry if my English grammar isn’t good, I’m doing my best to speak and write better English every day as part of my obligation of INTEGRATION as immigrant.

Thanks!

Voter suppression by the media

Inside the beltway bubble

 

https://www.lifenews.com/2018/11/06/washington-post-columnist-if-you-vote-republican-youre-okay-with-racism/?

“Appearing on MSNBC Live With Craig Melvin late Tuesday morning, left-wing Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart accused anyone voting for Republicans in the midterm elections of being “okay” with “racism.” Asked later if some Democrats running in red states were “perhaps a little left of the center,” he dismissed such concerns and insisted they were just living their “truth.” “

Democrats and their crony media throw the word racist around like it was candy corn on Halloween. It has become meaningless.

I hope John James wins in Michigan

The investigation is finished—414 pages

Now where does Justice Kavanaugh go to get his reputation back?

“In addition to Ford, Kavanaugh and the three witnesses Ford named — who either denied any knowledge of the alleged incident or directly refuted her claims — the committee spoke with 14 former classmates of Ford and Kavanaugh. "None of them had any knowledge of the conduct alleged against Justice Kavanaugh by Dr. Ford or of the gathering at which she claimed to have been assaulted," the committee states.”

Quite a comprehensive investigation. About Ford, her drinking and party lifestyle, one person reported: " “I wish I could say all of the things I know, but I don’t want to put myself out there.”

I don't blame her. The shameful way the Democrat senators acted, I would never want to be called to testify in traffic court, let alone a SCOTUS confirmation. And no wonder the names are redacted.  They’d never be able to eat in a restaurant or pump their own gas again.  That’s how evil and poisoned the Democrats made this.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/38008/senate-judiciary-heres-everyone-we-interviewed-james-barrett?

https://www.dailywire.com/news/38006/senate-judiciary-committee-report-45-interviews-james-barrett

I understand that Christine Blasey Ford plans to write a book (for a lot of money).  How?  She can’t remember anything!  She needed marital counseling to even come up with lies!

We vote tomorrow

Diversity, Inclusion, Multiculturalism, Microaggression, Ableism, etc.

It’s a huge industry—diversity and inclusion.  There are special reeducation camps on all college campuses, with sub-groups within departments and student organizations and this has expanded to/within corporations.   I noticed this announcement for Ohio State.  It’s like religious evangelism—in fact, it is a religion, except supported by tax dollars. Ohio State has had such an office/department since 1970—almost 50 years.  It’s almost impossible to untangle the number of staff positions and departments—there is for instance, a Council of Hispanic Organizations (UCHO) and the Hispanic Oversight Committee (HOC) at The Ohio State University. They’ve been publishing a magazine for over 25 years.

D and I essentially exists to convince people to base decisions, culture and lifestyle on how people look.

“The “Check Your Blind Spots” Tour is a series of events in partnership with CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™. The “Check Your Blind Spots” event aims to give faculty, staff, students and community members the opportunity to learn about unconscious bias, perhaps discover some of their own and become aware of companies doing the same.

By participating, you will be empowered with the knowledge and resources needed to strip yourselves of preexisting biases and better understand the role that you can play in advancing diversity and inclusion within your communities and in your future places of work”

Strength Training humor

Sometimes I use a strength training book for humor. Like the IT band stretch. After you cross one leg behind the other ankle. . .

"Lean forward until you are as close to the floor with your fingertips as you can go Or if you are able, grasp your toes, or, as a more difficult modification, place your hands flat on the floor."

In what world?.

“Hollis Lance Liebman has been a fitness magazine editor and national bodybuilding champion. Currently a Los Angeles resident, Hollis has worked with some of Hollywood’s elite, earning rave reviews. He is the author of several fitness books, including The Core Training Kit, Anatomy of Core Stability, and the forthcoming Anatomy of Exercise Encyclopedia. (Amazon)”

• Series: Exercise in Action
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Thunder Bay Press (May 27, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 162686053X
• ISBN-13: 978-1626860537

Thoughts on the Central American “caravan”

Some in the caravan are women and children, and depending on which cable news channel you watch, that will be the focus of the camera.  But estimates are the caravan is about 80% young males.  There are also a few criminals, and a few traffickers.  Not all, by any means.  But how many do you folks who don’t object to open borders find acceptable?  10 out of 7,000?  20?  30?  How many trafficked children (documented during the Obama years and reported by Washington Post) are OK? 10? 50? Of the 333,000 illegals deported in 2015, some 42% had criminal convictions (that doesn’t count illegal border crossing or not returning for a court date).  So don’t be so naïve to assume this caravan has no men with criminal behavior.

We actually do have a legal immigration system.  Most immigrants (76%) are in the country legally—and I wish Trump would mention that more often--while a quarter are “unauthorized,” low estimates 11-12 million.  In 2015, 44% of the legals were naturalized U.S. citizens. From 1990 to 2007, the illegal alien population tripled in size – from 3.5 million to a record high of 12.2 million. They don’t necessarily come across the border—some overstay a student visa or their H1B1 visa to work for Google and Facebook.  Again I ask you.  What is the right number for illegals to reside, work, start families with children who will be citizens, educate, use medical care, apply for college, send millions back home, etc. in the U.S.?

These people in THIS caravan of October 2018 are NOT refugees—they have not been in a war, have not spent years in a camp waiting for sponsors, they are well dressed, seem well fed, there are organizations helping them with supplies—they do have a crappy government that can’t control crime. Mexico has offered them asylum and they’ve said No which is how we know they aren’t desperate.  Mexico is not the “streets paved with gold” they seem to imagine or have been promised by various non-profits encouraging this.   But they can seek asylum in the U.S. if they go to the right place.  That isn’t walking across the border. 

Why should these people, most of whom will not come back for a court date if released into the population (catch and release), have priority over displaced people from Africa, or Asia or Iraq (including many Christians)?  There are wars going on all over the globe. Millions are moving on foot or in caravans, crossing dangerous rivers, mountains and deserts.  This group is drawing attention because of the election, and both parties are using them as bait—vote for us, vote for us! This caravan is about Trump—let’s just be honest.  Most of the illegal aliens who already are here live in the top metro areas, all controlled by Democrats.  So of course this is a political issue!  What party wouldn’t want millions more voters indebted to it?

The problem with this chart below is it doesn’t distinguish between legal immigrants and illegal aliens.  But you can pretty much tell.  It’s just tough for the Chinese and Indians to sneak in.  That said, in the next quarter century, Asians will out number Hispanics in either and both types. I don’t recall the name of the law, but the U.S. actually discourages people we might say are influenced by western civilization, or make it very difficult for them. Someone in government decided racial diversity was better than continuity, shared values and history.

Microfiber pollution

I was reading a very interesting article in the Summer 2018 National Parks magazine about microfibers and the plastic pollution in our oceans, rivers and lakes.  A few years ago those tiny particles in toothpaste, hand wash and other personal care products were outlawed, however, synthetic clothing when washed also releases tiny fibers that make it past all the filters and they end up in the water ways. 97% of the microplastics found in a national park study were microfibers most from synthetic clothing, but also fishing nets, carpets, wet wipes and cigarette butts. So even if we think we’re reducing our plastic footprint by consciously not buying food items stored in plastic bottles, each time we buy/wash a polyester blouse, sweater or coat, we’re putting that waste into the waterways.  I agree it’s a big problem. BUT.  This comment at the end of an article  https://storyofstuff.org/blog/microfibers-are-microplastics-1/ with all the inflammatory shoulds and musts is not the way to go or win people over.

“It is crystal clear that the earth needs to recover and that is only possible with mass industry green reconversion. So plastic and all fossil fuels and derived byproducts must stay in the ground as we turn to clean natural renewable energies and go back to old comfy healthy cotton, wool, flax, silk, and intro hemp which makes a great textile as well. All governments need to stop and ban the plastic and fossil fuel production and use and ban them from imports as well. They will find the financial solutions to help small biz reconvert while big ones must pay the enourmous damage they have caused by reinvesting in a full on green repurpose and conversion. “ (Paula)

Cha-Ching. More taxes. More wealth transfer.  More government interference in our lives.  I’d like to see what’s in her closet.

Every item of clothing I’m wearing from my underwear and socks to the colorful scarf while I write this blog is made of synthetic material, but because I keep my clothes forever, and older clothing releases more fiber than newer when washed, I’m doubled damned!

I’ve done my little part to ride my life of plastic.  When I discovered that chewing gum was made out of plastic, I stopped that habit of 70+ years.  I thought they were still using tree sap.

Here’s a blog to help you lighten the plastic damage you’re personally doing to the waterways. https://myplasticfreelife.com/plasticfreeguide/

Oh For a thousand tongues to sing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O9kw3cILpg

We recently sang this in church—but to a more familiar tune by C.G. Glaser (1828).  Since Charles Wesley wrote it in 1739, I wondered what music had been used in the intervening 90 years.  Perhaps this one, but the YouTube didn’t give information on the music. Additional information from the web:

“ Lowell Mason’s (1792-1872) arrangement of the Carl G. Gläser (1784-1829) tune AZMON is used with “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” in the UM Hymnal. Gläser was a German composer and contemporary of Beethoven. Though Charles Wesley’s text has been sung to a number of tunes through the years, AZMON is the dominant choice throughout the hymnody of the mainline denominations.” https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-o-for-a-thousand-tongues-to-sing

“If I had a thousand tongues, I would praise Christ with them all.” So said Peter Böhler to Charles Wesley, inspiring the first line of the classic hymn, “Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer’s praise” (Psalter Hymnal Handbook.) Written to celebrate the one year anniversary of Charles’ conversion to Christianity, this declaration of Christ’s power and victory in his own life, rich in Biblical imagery of the Kingdom of God, becomes our own hymn of praise. We stand with the angels before the throne of God, lifting our voices as one church to glorify the one who “bids our sorrows cease.”

And yet, we also sing in the knowledge that the Kingdom of God is not yet fully realized. We proclaim Christ’s victory as a declaration of hope that we will see Christ reign over all. We stand with the voiceless, the lame, the prisoner, and the sorrowing, and lift our song of expectation. (Bulletin blurb, https://hymnary.org/text/o_for_a_thousand_tongues_to_sing_my#authority_media_flexscores)

The original hymn had 18 stanzas. The seventh stanza became the first stanza of the hymn that we now know.  We sang four. 

Things I have noticed—guest blogger Jim

Things I have noticed recently:

Just read that 4,153,237 people got married last year; not to cause any trouble but shouldn't that be an even number?

Today a man knocked on my door and asked for a small donation towards the local swimming pool I gave him a glass of water.  KEEP GOING

I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.

If I had a dollar for every girl that found me unattractive, they would eventually find me attractive.

I find it ironic that the colors red, white, and blue stand for freedom until they are flashing behind you.

When wearing a bikini, women reveal 90% of their body... men are so polite they only look at the covered parts.

A recent study has found that women who carry a little extra weight live longer than the men who mention it.

Relationships are a lot like algebra. Have you ever looked at your X and wondered Y?

Did you know that dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish?

I think my neighbor is stalking me as she's been googling my name on her computer. I saw it through my telescope last night.

Money talks, but all mine ever says is good-bye.

You're not fat; you're just easier to see.

If you think nobody cares whether you're alive, try missing a couple of payments.

I always wondered what the job application is like at Hooters. Do they just give you a bra and say, “Here, fill this out?”

My therapist said that my narcissism causes me to misread social situations. I’m pretty sure she was hitting on me.

On average, an American man will have sex two to three times a week. Whereas, a Japanese man will have sex only one or two times a year. This is very upsetting news to me.  I had no idea I was Japanese.

The location of your mailbox shows you how far away from your house you can be in a robe before you start looking like a mental patient.

I think it's pretty cool how Chinese people made a language entirely out of tattoos.

Money can’t buy happiness, but it keeps the kids in touch!

And finally!

The reason Mayberry was so peaceful and quiet was because nobody was married. Think of this; Andy, Aunt Bea, Barney, Floyd, Howard, Goober, Gomer, Sam, Earnest T Bass, Helen, Thelma Lou, Clara and, of course, Opie were all single.  The only married person was Otis, and he was always drunk!

Democrats want to go backwards

This should be the closing argument for the election: The economy. It's the best in my lifetime. The Recession was over June 2009--before the first dollar was released from Obama to "help." Did it feel over to you? It was the slowest recovery in history, yet Democrats want to return to that!

Obama did everything he could to hold back full recovery to make us more dependent on government--from a take over our health insurance and higher taxes, to shutting down reporters (Trump didn’t jail reporters, but Obama did), to the addition of strangling regulations, to brow beating us with negativity about the country, to bailing out banks and taking over auto companies, to threatening jail if we didn't buy his insurance product, to enabling ISIS and extending the war, to confusing users of public toilets. He virtually destroyed the Democrat Party which has now been taken over by Socialists and other radicals.

Health Care = Impeachment

People (aka Democrats) say Trump is using fear of an alien invasion to rally his base, but Democrats are using health care to try to impeach Trump. Grab the House and drop the issue of health. When Obama took over a fifth of the U.S. economy, health care was barely an issue. Something like 15% didn't have health insurance, many because they didn't want to make a co-pay, preferred not to carry it, or hadn't applied for one of the 4 government plans available. It was a made up issue to grab more power. But once the government "gives" people something, it's difficult to take it back.

Gosnell and Searcy

Nick Searcy who both directed and acted in the Gosnell movie writes,

"I realize, looking back, that I was quite naïve about how this film would be received. I truly believed that if we did it the right way, even the so-called Hollywood Left would appreciate our fairness in telling the story, see its value, and, furthermore, share our goals in getting this important story before the public.

Sadly, I was wrong. As I said, this town runs on fear — the fear not only of failure but, more insidiously, of being shunned because of your political opinions. I was gratified by the talented people in this industry, many of them who differed with me politically, who did believe in our script and were willing to come on board. But many people, some of them good friends of mine, declined to work on this film, not because of its quality but because of the fear of reprisal or even ostracism by the groupthink herd in Hollywood. More than once, I was asked questions like “Are you crazy?” or “Are you sure you want to do this?”"

I had read and reviewed the book, “Gosnell, The Untold Story of America’s Most Prolific Serial Killer” by Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer. I have volunteered in a pregnancy crisis center for 5 years and on the prayer call list for 15—so I was not as shocked as others by this movie.  I contributed money to have this film made. I was very reluctant to see it, but I did, and it is an excellent film. A first class story with excellent production values. You won't be sorry if you see it.

We like to say we have free speech in this country, guaranteed by the First Amendment.  And to an extent, that’s true.  But we don’t have the right to a job, career, family or friends after we exercise the right. And Searcy’s disappointment in his friends is so true.

All Saints and Reformation Sundays

We had such a fabulous music selection on Reformation Sunday—choir, organ, brass.  I don’t know how these things are planned, if there is a worship committee or it’s the choir director Brian and organist Allan or the pastors, but it all worked together.  The prelude was a smashing organ-Trumpet piece called  Chorale with Interludes by Charles Callahan. https://www.morningstarmusic.com/composers/c/callahan 

Our musicians sit behind the congregation in the balcony, so I always have to turn around if I want to see them.  Anyway, as the prelude came to a glorious end, and the trumpet stopped, one pipe on the organ wouldn’t—a very low register with a rumble you could hear a few blocks away.  It must be every performer’s nightmare.  Dave Mann was the pastor who was leading the service (senior pastor Steve Turnbull gave the sermon), and he is also an organist, so he stood there and smiled and waited, but it got louder and louder and you could hear someone rustling around trying to shut down the organ.  So he decided to just go ahead with the Confession and Forgiveness, which had to be shouted. Soon the organ noise quieted down as it was shut off (?).  But an elaborate Call to Worship was planned, and we were not only reading scripture, but were supposed to sing all 4 verses of “A Mighty Fortress” interspersed with scripture, and the organ was needed for that.  So after each verse, the loud malfunctioning pipe would continue, and the lead pastor had to shout over it. Finally, at the end of that section, we heard the maverick pipe sort of quietly slink away.

During coffee time after the service in the narthex I asked one of the choir members how it was fixed and she said someone got a ladder and went up inside the pipes, and stuck in something to stop it.  I’m sure a repairman will be called.  The organ had a huge refurbishment in 2005, thousands and thousands of dollars which I think a donor paid for because it was about 30 years old, and I’m sure general maintenance is  expensive.  http://churchacronym.blogspot.com/2005/05/pentecost-concert-our-choir-presented.html

Today November 1 is All Saints Day, from which we get the festive contraction Halloween, for All Hallow’s Eve. So this coming Sunday is All Saints Sunday.  It too is a lovely service, but more sober.  The names of the congregants who have died since last October 31 are read from the pulpit. Since we are gone in the summer, sometimes I’m not aware of the death.  Then during communion the names of our own remembered friends and relatives are read from cards we had filled out.  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus . . ." Hebrews 12:1

"Most Lutheran churches use the first Sunday in November to remember all the saints in the Church of Christ Jesus, especially those members and friends of the local congregation who have been called to Heaven in the previous year.

The custom of commemorating all the martyrs of the Church on a single day goes back at least to the third century. All Saints' Day celebrates not only the martyrs and saints, but all the people of God, living and dead, who together form the mystical body of Christ.

In Europe, All Saints' Day is also called All Hallow's Day ('hallowed' means 'sanctified' or 'holy'). October 31st, the evening before All Saint's Day is named All Hallow's Eve, which was contracted to Halloween." (Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Ypsilanti, MI)