Hysteria in Academe--ASA meeting

Before they sign up to attend the American Sociological Association 2023 meeting in Philadelphia please be aware that:

Before we can talk about sociology, power, and inequality, we must acknowledge our presence on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Lenapehoking, both diasporic and descendant of Lenape communities. The American Sociological Association (ASA), acknowledges that academic institutions, indeed the nation-state itself, was founded upon and continues to enact exclusions and erasures of Indigenous Peoples. This acknowledgement demonstrates a commitment to beginning the process of working to dismantle ongoing legacies of settler colonialism, and to recognize the hundreds of Indigenous Nations who continue to resist, live, and uphold their sacred relations across their lands. We also pay our respect to Indigenous elders past, present, and future and to those who have stewarded this land throughout the generations.

That takes care of the guilt and shame, now let's look at the propaganda.

Translation for propaganda from academics:

"Attacks on public education"= denying porn to 1st graders
"racial justice" = racist attacks on whites and Asians are OK
"future of Democracy" = seeking more government control

It appears to be who can be more woke than the other organizations. This is a few of the meeting topics.

"As the discussions over attacks on public education, racial justice, and the future of democracy continue to dominate the American conversation, thousands of sociologists whose work provides insights on these and other vital topics will meet at the American Sociological Association’s 118th Annual Meeting, August 17-21, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Approximately 600 sessions featuring over 3,000 research papers are open to the press.

From race and racism to mental health, from climate control and environmental policy issues to artificial intelligence, sociologists are investigating and reporting on the most sensitive problems confronting American society. This year’s theme, “The Educative Power of Sociology,” shows how sociology’s educative power exists within its ability to convey knowledge and research critically, and to even offer solutions and interventions to social problems, from classrooms to boardrooms, individuals and families to communities, institutions to nation-states, and social movements to social change and justice. Given the diverse range of topics that will be covered, the ASA Annual Meeting will provide a wealth of information for journalists assigned to nearly any beat.

Session highlights include:

Attacks on Public Education and Strategies of Resistance to Protect the Public Sphere. This session is focused on the broad attacks on public schooling, including the push to privatize public education, attack anti-racist curricula, and expand charter schools or create separate school districts. Panelists will discuss different strategies of attacking public education playing out as part of the general critique of public institutions and actors along with strategies of resistance and efforts to protect a robust public sphere.
Participants: Amanda Evelyn Lewis, Noliwe Rooks, Jack Schneider, Julian Vasquez Heilig, and John B. Diamond

White Rage, White Apathy, White Zeal: Understanding White Responses to Calls for Racial Justice. White Americans have responded to calls for racial justice in myriad, emotionally embodied ways. What shapes white people’s racialized responses to demands for racial justice, such as those arising from the Movement for Black Lives? Why do some white people become invested in fighting against critical race theory, while the majority remain practically indifferent? Finally, what compels some white people to “show up for racial justice,” in mind, body and spirit? This panel speaks to these questions.
Participants: Jennifer C. Mueller, Kim Ebert, Amanda Evelyn Lewis, Sarah H. Diefendorf, and Biko Mandela Gray

The Future of Democracy: A Conversation on the Supreme Court, Education, Civil Rights, and Society with Tressie McMillan Cottom and Melissa Murray, moderated by Dan Hirschman (live streaming available). Legal scholar, MSNBC contributor, and former interim dean of the University of California Berkeley School of Law, Melissa Murray, and sociologist Tressie Cottom will dialogue about the implications for society and research of the recent Supreme Court decisions on higher education, reproductive choice, civil rights and liberties and LGBTQ+ equality.
Participants: Prudence L. Carter, Daniel Hirschman, Tressie Cottom, and Melissa Murray, New York University Law School"

Received via e-mail July 19, 2023

A touching love story--guest blogger, my nephew Brandon

"I think we should get…HIM.” Katie said, pointing to one of the smaller poodles of the litter.

 
He looked like a blur of beige fur, like the head on a mop. I was still looking at the largest, shyest one, trying to convince myself that I’m right.

It's May 18th, 2013. Less than a month since we've successfully been married and honeymoon-ed. We're in Zebulon, Georgia, of all places, in what seems to be a puppy-mill in training. Katie is fixated on the one rambunctious pup that continues to do low-flying circles in the grass and dirt. He ends up being the only puppy of the ones present that seem eager to meet us.

As with most things -- Katie was right.

We named that little guy Amos, inspired by one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Amos Lee.

In the ten years since Amos and I became inseparable, Katie would be quick to remind me: One, I didn't want a small dog and two, Amos was not my first choice.

Again, she was right. It wasn't that I didn't want Amos. Growing up, we really only had large dogs (aside from Droopy). The only small dogs I was familiar with, were small, yippy, nipping dogs that were full of energy, hard to control and had Napoleon complexes. Amos was Katie's first real pet and dog, and she had her heart set on a toy poodle. I said: "Just so long as he doesn't have a poodle haircut." At that time, I thought talking her into getting a dog would be much much harder. Are you seeing a pattern here? I am wrong a lot. It’s a gift.

Not only was getting a dog her idea, but it turns out her first and only pick that day would steal our hearts.

Amos quickly became the center of our family. He was the star of Christmas cards, and the center of attention when friends would come over. He and I wrote songs together. He rode in a basket on Katie’s bike. Two years in, he would have to contend with the first born, Gibson and before that a new house. Then four years into his tenure, our second son, Nash Corbett. He kept a watchful eye over both of them as they grew.

He was the same, happy go lucky little guy for seven years. But in April of 2020, we knew something wasn't right with him. A week long stay at the vet would result in Amos' diabetes diagnosis. I was heartbroken. I was afraid this was the end. Our veterinarian explained that with care and routine, Amos could still live a full and virtually uninterrupted life. All that was required was a regimented routine of regularly spaced feedings and me becoming an insulin injection specialist.

Three years into Operation: Dog Diabetes yielded Amos’ next brush with pancreatitis. Thankfully, he recovered and with the help of our vet, he was back to being himself. Katie discovered that most dogs don't live much longer than a few years after their diagnosis. "Not Amos," I thought. By all accounts, he was the model patient and I the model caregiver. With Katie's nearly perfect record in the back of my mind — I shuttered to admit that we might not have much longer with our boy.

Dogs are the perfect companions. They love us unconditionally, and require very little of us. A head scratch, some treats, a walk here or there, a place to lay their head. Popcorn. Maybe a piece of bacon. Why not? While their love comes unconditionally, what we really trade is a little piece of ourselves. They accept us as we are. Deeply flawed, and hard to understand. And in return for that piece, they give us everything they have. Trusting us to protect and care for them.

Dogs are a little bit of us, and uniquely their own. They become a part of us. A piece of us and yet a beast that is untamable. They aren't people but they fill all of the gaps in our hearts that people can't. We leave, we come home late, we spend our days at the office, we send them to the vet to board for a week — and yet they are as happy to see us as ever. They sit with us in our quiet moments — while we repeat things to them, asking them questions in a language that they only feign to understand. Do you want to see the boys? Mommy's home. Do you want a treat? Do you want to go for a ride?

You have the photos, videos and key memories of them. What you can never duplicate are the quiet moments between you. You check on your kids, dog asleep at their feet. You come home late at night, he greets you at the door, loud enough to wake the entire house. A yelp, a bark in the middle of the day, as the mail truck passes. The sound of the doggie door. The quiet push of your office door, as he checks to make sure you're still there. The expectation that any time you try to sit down, or take a nap, your stationary legs make an excellent bed.

The decision to say goodbye to our Amos was the toughest decision we’ve had to make as a family. I have doubts. I have the regret that his last days were spent in a vet kennel and not at home. I I tried everything I could to hold on to him. I didn’t want to let him go. I would've done anything in my power to keep him with me — with us. But after these ten years, and everything he gave to us -- I couldn't let him suffer anymore.

In his last days, in addition to not eating and stomach issues, we found out that his heart had grown in size. Not only from our love, but from the beginnings of congenital heart failure. I looked into his little black eyes — cloudy with cataracts as a result of the diabetes. I no longer saw the young, bouncy, lively pup that we had known all these years. I saw eyes that were suffering — tired but could not sleep. His knees were worn from years of compensating on moveable knees caps. Knees sore from chasing the boys, jumping on couches, beds and up and down stairs. My heart, my head and my guts were all screaming that it was time. Please. Can’t I be wrong this time? Just one more time.

Before the doctors came in, he desperately tried to crawl to me, and lay his head against me. His breaths — pained, rapid and shallow. I haven't cried like that in my entire adult life. I held him close in his last moments and told him everything would be ok. That I would miss him and that I loved him.

Scott Van Pelt, in his 2022 tribute to his dog Otis, said this: "Nothing we do could earn what dogs give away to us for free." And: "If this hurt is the cost of the transaction, for being on the receiving of a mighty love that I got to know — I'd pay it again with enormous gratitude.” I couldn’t say it any better than that.

It is with the deepest hurt in my heart that I write this now. I can't begin to quantify in gratitude, and in love what I owe to our sweet Amos. I would gladly pay again and again, with the piece of me I gave, and the pieces now of my broken heart, just to have his head rest against my chest one last time.
If our lives are but a blink in the span of time, a dog's life for us is a blazing, beautiful shooting star. A shooting star where simultaneously a wish is made and a wish is granted. It is one of life’s cruelest truths — that we get to love them, caring for them and them us so deeply but that they live such a seemingly short amount of time.

It bears repeating. Katie couldn’t have been more right — about everything and especially Amos. I've never been more glad to admit that I was wrong.

Amos -- we love you always. The boys miss you. Katie misses you and said you can share her blanket. There’s not a moment that I don’t miss you. Thank you for sharing your brief, but beautiful life with us. I’ll hold on to your memory forever.

The Birkin Bag

Jane Birkin died. I'd never heard of her. It seems she inspired the "Birkin bag, a designer purse made by Hermès. The exclusive bags, which retail for $9,000 to $500,000 and are difficult to come by, are beloved by celebrities such as the Kardashians, Cardi B, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Victoria Beckham and Lady Gaga." (USA Today)

I have a $9 purse I bought at Walmart 5 years ago that I love, and if it weren't worn out, I'd still be using it. It is made of denim and is the perfect size for my phone or i-pad and has 2 little side pockets for keys, comb and Kleenex.

It would seem that Lady Gaga and I have different values.

Except for Kim Kardashian who describes herself as a political mix of Republican and Democrats, I think all these ladies probably vote for Democrats. Which tells us where they are on the importance of life and liberty (for themselves, not others). Kardashian worked with President Trump to get a black woman freed from prison and on a criminal justice program. Haven't heard if she's helping Biden with his criminal just-us plan.

A second brain

 The Second Brain: Our Enteric Nervous System

"Comprised of 100 million neurons, the network of nerve cells lining the digestive tract is so extensive that it has earned the nickname “second brain.” Technically known as the enteric nervous system, this network of neurons is often overlooked and contains more nerve cells than the spinal cord or peripheral nervous system.

Beyond the sheer volume of neurons, our second brain bears even more resemblance to the brain in our heads. The mass of neural tissue in our gut produces over 30 different neurotransmitters, which are signaling molecules typically associated with the brain. This includes a staggering 95% of the production and storage of serotonin, the neurotransmitter famously known as the “happy chemical” due to its role in regulating mood and wellbeing."

Just because I thought this was interesting.

Our second brain: More than a gut feeling - UBC Neuroscience

Gut microbiota’s effect on mental health: The gut-brain axis - PMC (nih.gov)

Greeting the neighbors at 6:30 a.m.

 On my morning walk I noticed a DIY moving truck and my neighbors loading personal belongings into their car.  So I stopped to chat.  They are moving to Florida.  I don't think this is political or financial because they bought a smaller home 4 years ago, and are just hoping for a nice retirement on the beach. Covid and the lockdown messed up their timetable, but now they are on their way.  They've lived there 13 years, and although we've chatted at parties, this was the longest conversation we've had.  I remember it used to be a 4 generation household.  His mother, their daughter and a granddaughter. Now it's just the 2 of them in 3700 sq. ft. But that's a lot of boxes, memorabilia and stuff to move. Safe travels Barry and Kathy.

  

Exercise heart rates for 85 year olds

Looks like I might be on target. I've been using 104 as my maximum target rate. I'm not working out to lose weight, but to benefit heart and brain.

The target pulse rate zone for a 85 year old male to burn fat during light to moderate exercise is 68 to 93 beats per minute1. 85 year old females working out to loose weight should exercise between 66 and 91 bpm. This exercise range corresponds to 50% to 69% of the maximum target rate for your age.

If you’re an older adult looking to establish an exercise routine, you should, ideally, be able to incorporate 150 minutes of moderate endurance activity into your week. This can include walking, swimming, cycling, and a little bit of time every day to improve strength, flexibility, and balance.

Exercise Plan for Seniors: Strength, Stretching, and Balance (healthline.com)

https://www.healthly.io/en/heart/exercise-pulse-rate-age/85-years/#

Exercise heart training zones chart for 85 year old women

% Max	Exercise	Pulse
90-100%	Maximum Maximize Performance	118-131 bpm
80-89%	Hard (Anaerobic Zone) Maximize Performance & Improve Fitness	105-117 bpm
70-79%	Moderate (Aerobic Zone) Improve Fitness	92-104 bpm
60-69%	Light (Recovery Zone) Weight Loss & Improve Fitness	79-91 bpm
50-59%	Very Light Weight Loss	66-77 bpm

Sound of Freedom movie--what's the controversy?

Why are some in the MSM and Americans deep in the Democrat political pool denying the truth and seriousness of the film, "Sound of Freedom," with Jim Caviezel playing Tim Ballard? It's a film about a modern abolition movement and underground railroad to free children in sex slavery. With most crimes, it's follow the money.

1. Trafficking in persons (TIP) is the 3rd largest industry in the world, with arms being #1, and illegal drugs #2. It's hard to get a firm fix on the dollars, but ILO claimed $150 Billion for labor trafficking (2014), and other international sources say 70% of that is sex trafficking of women and children. It's a "renewable" product, and once someone is enslaved the money continues to roll in for the owner or syndicate, unlike the illegal drug industry when the commodity is gone when sold, smoked or ingested. In the sex industry, it's 100% on return of investment.

2. Sex trafficking is closely tied to the pornography industry, which is also a global multi-billion dollar industry. Statistics for this industry are for 2023, whereas most government statistics are 2-3 years behind. It's about $97 billion. Pornography is the gate way drug for the consumer, and the training manual for the victims.

 
3. Technology--Big Tech--is right in the middle of all this slime and degradation. Internet porn is probably a third of the recurring business and the image of a woman or children, both boys and girls, and be reused thousands of times, enslaving the consumer in the privacy of his/her home while revictimizing the victim, who may be dead or long ago out of the industry. It's "clean" on subscription with just a few clicks. The income is beyond your imagination. That's why the stats are all over the place.

 
4. The sex trafficking and labor and debt bondage are all tied together. We Americans consume many products produced by forced labor, maybe something small like elements in our smart phones or huge like the windmills on the prairies. Africa and China primarily are the source for just those 2. The List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor comprises 159 goods from 78 countries and areas, as of September 28, 2022. (Dept. of Labor) Here you get into the money of Politics. I can't claim to know the routes and how-to's, but getting Washington to clean up its act will take massive political will from the PEOPLE. If we have politicians who refuse to watch a movie because they are afraid of Christians or conservatives, the quagmire is deep and wide, and money is at the bottom of the pit.

Human Trafficking Statistics by State [Updated August 2022] (worldpopulationreview.com)

2022 Trafficking in Persons Report - United States Department of State

The Shocking Information the Porn Industry Doesn't Want You to Know | Adventist News Network

Cracking The $150 Billion Business Of Human Trafficking (forbes.com)

Slavery is a $32bn industry so why aren't we following the money trail? | Global development | The Guardian  (2013 article)

Economics of forced labour: ILO says forced labour generates annual profits of US$ 150 billion

Transgender Ideology, Biden Border Abet Child Sex Slavery, Rescuer Says (dailysignal.com)

Today's photo--Romena church in Tuscany, Italy

Romena church in Pratovecchio Stia, Tuscany, Italy was the photo (not mine) that came up today as I opened my computer. We've visited many countries after I retired in 2000, and Italy for beauty, history, and spirituality is still my favorite. 

"The Tuscany region in central Italy has been romanticized, and rightly so, for its rich history of art, music, literature, and cuisine. Add to that laudatory list the sheer breathtaking beauty of the place—Tuscany is simply one of the most scenic places on the planet. Our image captures a lyrically sublime sight of the region."

It took me back to our travels with the University of Illinois Alumni Society in 2008 in Italy. Here's what we did/saw/experienced.

Day One: Leave Chicago for Naples
Day Two: Arrive in Naples, get on a bus for Sorrento, 
Day Three: Motorcoach along the Amalfi Coast. Visit Positano. Back in Sorrento attend lecture and discussion.
Day Four: Pompeii. Meet the folks of Sorrento to hear about their lives.
Day Five: Isle of Capri.
Day Six: Discussion--that's all I see on the program.
Day Seven: Motorcoach to Orvieto. Wine tasting event
Day Eight: History of Orvieto and Umbria and Italy. Focus: Etruscans, who were there first. Walking tour. Cathedrals. Cobblestone streets. Discussion of Renaissance Art.
Day Nine: Walking tour of Florence. Architectural highlights.
Day Ten: Perugia and Assisi.
Day Eleven: Free day for sightseeing, shopping, etc.
Day Twelve: Motorcoach to Rome (which we won't see except the airport). Fly home. Based on previous tours, the only place we won't hear understandable English is the O'Hare Airport.

Travel is/was the joy of early retirement.  I'm glad we didn't wait too long, since it is difficult at this age.

Positano, Italy

Dog Vomit Slime Mold Fuligo septica

 That's what I have in my flowers/bushes in front of our condo.  I took a photo and posted it on Facebook. Someone identified it. It's bright yellow early in the morning. It even has a Latin name, and was identified and named in the 1700s.

Dog Vomit Slime Mold (Fuligo septica) · iNaturalist

Folklore

In Scandinavian folklore, Fuligo septica is identified as the vomit of troll cats.[18]

In Finland, F. septica was believed to be used by witches to spoil their neighbors' milk. This gives it the name paranvoi, meaning "butter of the familiar spirit".[8][19] In Dutch, "heksenboter" refers to "witches' butter". In Latvian, the slime mold (amongst other slime molds) is called "ragansviests" as "witches' butter" or "raganu spļāviens" as "witches' spit" but it is unclear about the origins of these names.

Human pathogenicity

The species is known to trigger episodes of asthma and allergic rhinitis in susceptible people. [20][21]

Why do men have nipples?

Why men have nipples when they obviously don't need them was the discussion between Bret Weinstein and his wife Heather Heying published July 8 (podcast). I won't go into the details, but apparently evolutionary biologists and others have wondered about this long before Woke took over science. They also discussed many other ethical and scientific issues, like the CDC site which now includes "chest feeding."

We've learned in the last few months that a born female human who thinks she is male, decides to become pregnant. She lactates, gives birth and has enlarged breasts to feed the offspring (even though it was bathed in testosterone beyond safe limits). But the transagenda is way ahead of us if we accepted "chest feeding" (only Democrats loyal to Biden did that).

Now just a few months later, that term may also include a born male who claims he is a woman, who takes a toxic brew of hormones to violate his biology which then causes his nipples to leak liquid of foreign origin, then he attaches an infant to his nipples (the kid doesn't know any better) and claims "chest feeding."

Woke has eliminated the need for breasts, the perfect solution for the continuation of the human race, and for females just like that. This is a war against women, whether in the locker room, the board room, the bedroom or the nursery.

These are the very same people who are worried that pesticides upset the endocrine system moving from the soils to the plants to the harvest to our dinner table.

Added the kettlebell to my morning exercise

My arms and hands are weak, and my fingers struggle to open a package of cheese or squeeze the toothpaste tube. Today I added kettlebells to my morning routine at Lifetime Fitness. I started with 5 lbs, the smallest they had. The kettlebell is a round-shaped steel or cast iron weight, commonly described as resembling a cannonball with a handle. I only walked around the outside of the workout area once, so in case it's not comfortable, I shouldn't feel awful tomorrow. They are much more comfortable than carrying groceries in a sack with handles, which is usually the only weight I carry like that. When I looked it up I found it is a popular sport, especially in Europe and is used in physiotherapy in everything from metabolic syndrome to osteoporosis to hip fractures in the elderly.  I did my usual search for articles, using "ncbi" and elderly.  Not much out there, but in finding a review article I learned some new words, and discovered that what I did this morning is called "farmer's walk" I suppose because you look like you just carried 2 buckets to or from the barn.

For my morning walk around the condo grounds, I've added a water bottle attached to my waist to squirt at dogs that aren't on a leash.  I only met one dog this morning, but she was on a leash.  She looked eager to greet me with a jump on my legs, but fortunately Bobbi my neighbor (her owner) restrained her/him.  They used to have two 15-year-olds of the same breed, but they have died and this friskier one seems to be a rescue and younger.  God bless dog lovers who rescue their pets.

Debby Diehl, obituary

Debra Lynn (Nall) Diehl, 67, of Mt. Morris, Illinois, passed away peacefully on July 5, 2023, after suffering from some heart issues earlier last month.

Debby was born to the late Buddy Roger & Marjorie (McCue) Nall, on December 8, 1955, in Beloit, Wisconsin. Debby married Brian Diehl on February 11, 2005. He was the love of her life.

https://www.finchfuneral.com/obituary/Debra-Diehl?

I'd never met Debby--she was married to my father's cousin, Brian, who was 11 years younger than me, so I'd only seen her Facebook page.  Brian is the son my aunt Ada, so he is my first cousin, once removed.

Cheri Lynn Hooker O'Mathuna, 1959-2023

Cheri Lynn O’Mathuna, 64,  daughter of our good friends Ron and Jane Hooker "went home to be with the Lord on July 2, 2023. She died at home looking out on her flowers with her husband Dónal by her side, surrounded by her children Catrina (married to Andrew Bogart), Conor (married to Sinéad) and Peter (married to Emily), along with her best friend and sister-in-law. She is also deeply missed by her father, Ronald Hooker, her brothers, Jeff and Greg (married to Cheryl), several nieces and nephews, and many cousins.

Last year Cheri had the joy of meeting her two grandchildren, Killian Bogart and Orla O’Mathuna, whom she quickly spoiled in every way she could. She is now enjoying a heavenly reunion with her mother, Jane Hooker. Cheri graduated from Upper Arlington High School (1977) and The Ohio State University (1982). She was actively involved in home churches and Bible studies for many years through Dwell Community Church and in Ireland.

Cheri was an amazingly tender, caring and beautiful person. Her eye for color and coordination allowed her to adorn everything she touched with beauty. Her gift of hospitality led her to host events that perfectly celebrated those she loved. Many people in Columbus, Dunboyne, Belfast and elsewhere will be laughing and crying as they remember the great times that Cheri helped create.

She loved the Lord and was passionate to help others know Jesus and the grace and forgiveness he extends to all who will accept his gift. This gave her a strength and fortitude that might not have been obvious under her soft skin and warm smile. Her dependence on God helped her face thirteen years of cancer with dignity, determination and courage. She was very grateful to the wonderful staff at St. James’s Hospital, Dublin, The James Cancer Center, Columbus, and the hospice nurses who helped her through her last few days.

Cheri touched everyone she met with love and grace. She could bring laughter and fun to any event (even if the laughs were at her own expense). Now she is being showered with God’s love as he shows her around the mansion he has been preparing for her (John 14:2-3). We know she will be busy giving Jesus some decorating ideas. While we who remain are deeply saddened by her passing, we are grateful that she is truly, deeply at peace, and that we have had the privilege of knowing Cheri.

In lieu of flowers, as an expression of sympathy, memorial gifts may be sent to The James Cancer Hospital “Leukemia, Lymphoma and Post-Transplant Research Fund.” Gifts can be made online or sent to The OSU Foundation, PO Box 710811, Columbus OH 43271.

Cards may be mailed to 3999 Wynding Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43214, USA.

Cheri Lynn O'Mathuna Obituary 2023 - Shaw-Davis Funeral Homes & Cremation Services

Do masks stop the spread of viruses?

I don't see a lot of masks these days--occasionally at the grocery store, and even a woman driving alone on a nice day wearing a mask this week. This evening we went to a visitation, and one woman was wearing a mask. Perhaps she had a cold and didn't want to expose anyone, but masks don't stop the spread, according to all the studies done. Perhaps the best study hasn't yet been designed, but it's zero, zilch, nada. Of course, I said that in 2020, but I was shut down or blocked. https://www.city-journal.org/article/approximately-zero Don't expect die/dei hard government supporters to change--I looked at some of their explanations for this study, and they go by feels rather than facts. We've already given them so much power, I doubt they will give it back.

Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College

Democrats are not getting the memo. They are rubbing their hands with glee even though the majority of Americans agree they shouldn't be discriminating against Asian Americans, who [shock and awe] are not "one" group. Harvard has always had quotas for certain groups and it always will. It's been women, or Jews, or Asians. They look for work arounds, like the word "diversity" in Powell's opinion in the Bakke decision 45 years ago. That one word which now means the opposite of what it meant opened the door to sneak in DEI at every level from kindergarten to grad school as a "positive." They claimed to end quotas and affirmative action with "diversity." Then among themselves they agreed to not look at cello or violin accomplishments or nerdy computer hobbies so they could eliminate students with immigrant parents who work for Google in favor of one who produced hip hop videos with a millionaire dad.

 
I'd give you a good link, except this crazy AI Chat-gpt keeps trying to write my argument. So this will remain an opinion, mine and thousands of others.

Tip:  Save anything you have in print.  It is lost forever on the internet, especially with the AI and as we librarians say, To the victor belong the archives.

St. Maria Goretti and Alessandro Serenelli

I'm not one who has visions or dreams* about Jesus or spiritual events. I just plod along reading one of my 10 Bibles, 20 reference books, or miscellaneous articles in magazines for insight. However, occasionally God puts before me the story of Saint Maria Goretti to remind me of his command to forgive others as we have been forgiven (Lord's prayer). I've come across this story numerous times. Today there she was again on p. 81 of the July issue of Magnificat. Maria was a young Italian girl sexually assaulted and stabbed to death by Alessandro Serenelli. He was arrested, tried and jailed, all the while blaming others and society for his sins. Maria appeared to him years later in a dream in prison, and she forgave him. Although he was still denying he was to blame for his deeds, his life changed. He was released from prison after 27 years (probably in part because of his changed life) and was also forgiven in person by Maria's mother, who was still alive. Unlike the 5th century or 10th century martyr stories, this all happened in the 20th century, so there are accurate reports, even photographs. Alessandro lived out his life as a Capuchin lay brother serving others, and lived long enough to attended Maria's canonization in 1950. There are churches and parishes named for her, and I'm always moved by this story of forgiveness.

 I have such a struggle forgiving Joe Biden that I hope someday I can be as forgiving as Maria and her mother. I'm not there yet.

* I did have one dream, very special, in 1974 when Jesus appeared, but it's been so long I'll need to go back and look for my notes. I've noticed (and you have too) that people my age either forget or embellish important events. I have 20 years of blogs and a lot of notebooks, so somewhere I probably have it recorded.

The algorithm game in the search engines

It's no secret. I'm a one issue voter. After I check off the pro-life issues, I can go from there--conservative candidates, environment, education, local issues, etc. But I also use the internet to research these issues because there aren't just 2 sides--there may be 10, and I also use the ballot funding record as a guide. Deep pockets, dark money, bad dudes like Soros and Son. You've heard that Google, Bing, Duck duck go, and Brave have algorithms which push the Democrat/Progressive/Socialist media and organizations to the top, and most people will only look at the top 3 or 4 (which will all agree).

So here's my last search. I was looking through the articles written by Suzanne Bell, quoted in JAMA, about the nearly 9,800 lives saved with the TX heartbeat bill. (She was against it and has done a lot of research in developing countries.) Since it's almost impossible to do any political issue without Trump's name popping up, I started following the term, Global Gag Rule. This refers to a 1984 bill preventing U.S. tax dollars from going to foreign NGOs if they offer abortion services used in foreign countries. It's the "Mexico City" rule, and it was used under Reagan, GHW Bush, GWBush and Trump; it was rescinded for Clinton, part of Obama terms, and Joe Biden. Of course, it was referred to as Trump's Gag Rule by angry pro-aborts. Anyway. That's not the point.

 
I went through perhaps 15 pages with 10-15 articles on each page, and found the same articles all the way through: The Guardian; Guttmacher; NPR; Reproductive rights; NCAC; Center for American Progress; Planned Parenthood; KFF; ACLU; Salon.com; Democracy now; Huffington Post; Open Society; Vogue; and so forth. In other words, it's not just a few swings to the left, it was ALL pro-abort arguments, with inflammatory words, data, medical articles, NGOs, politicians, sad stories, opinions, etc.

 
Not a single word defending a policy that keeps American colonial invasion dollars out of the wombs and families of third world women.

 
There are lots of issues here if you look closer. Why can't foreign NGOs survive without that small piece of American aid? What else is U.S. dollars controlling in their "aid." Is this tied to military bases in that country? Are there any journalists coming out of U.S. colleges and universities, or grad schools that are conservative, or are they eliminated before they ever get into the job market? If one or two slip through are there any corporations or businesses that would hire them if their ESG score isn't desirable. There is no diversity of thought or values now in the education system or job market. DEI is DIE.

So you see, an algorithm isn't just an algorithm. It's life from the beginning to end affecting thousands.

Just say No

Being able to say "No it's against my religion" is part of the First Amendment.

Should a vegan restaurant be required to serve meat?

Should a Muslim fashion mall kiosk be required to stock lascivious outfits for non-Muslims?

Should a Wiccan bookstore be required to stock "I found Jesus" books?

 
Should a MAGA political merch store be required to distribute pamphlets advocating mutilating children?

The "Bake that cake or else. . ." nonsense will continue. They are not "real" customers--the issue (pizza, flowers, bakery, web designer) is shopped until a small conservative Christian entrepreneur who can't afford the legal costs is found. Then all the coffers are opened with the money left over from the marriage campaign. This is not about fairness, it's about destroying the Constitution.

Supreme Court sides with Colorado web designer in blow to LGBTQ protections : NPR

Mass shooting around the 4th

Some sources say four shootings some twelve.

That term gets sort of loose these days. Shootings at neighborhood parties or festivals (Baltimore, Philadelphia, Ft. Worth, Highland Park) are called "mass" but I didn't see that term used for a Korean American, her unborn baby and husband, two weeks ago in Seattle and the shooter is known.

 
I suspect race sensitivities have something to do with how shootings are reported. Reporters want to keep their jobs. White on black gets huge national coverage and nation's repentance and reparations are demanded; non-binary or trans shooter (I think there has been 5 recently) will slam shut any reporting on medical care/mental illness or manifesto from the shooter; black on black, ho-hum; black on Asian, silence.

Enjoy the holiday.

 I took a wrong turn today and drove through a neighborhood I probably hadn't seen in 20 years. The small houses I remembered had either been remodeled grandly, or torn down and replaced and all the empty lots now had mini-mansions. Then I saw something that really warmed my heart; two young girls were roller skating on the sidewalk, laughing and having the best time. The younger one was looking up to the older. The neighborhood had changed, but kids hadn't.

This is how we did it in the 1940s-50s.  The base could be lengthened so you could pass them on to the next kid.  It would hurt when the shoe clip would slip and you'd go flying into the grass.

A disgusting misuse of crafters' big hearts for volunteering.

I was browsing a website I'd seen in a magazine that describes the activities and products of crafter organizations--people who knit, sew or craft materials that can benefit the less fortunate. I was shocked to see that one group was "helping" out the local Planned Parenthood agency--with heating pads for cramping from a chemical abortion. Wow. They just destroyed a human life so let's donate heating pads. Also little bags for personal items (probably need a lot of sanitary napkins for bleeding) and free birth control pills to take home for 14 year olds. It's the worst imitation of what churches and pregnancy centers do to help teen girls and young women get through some tough times, which includes counseling, clothing, household articles and presenting the gospel in a safe environment. 

The devil in drag pretending to be something else.

Tucker Carlson, episode 8

 https://youtu.be/lT8Bn05WLs8

Tucker exposes "Rick" Levine of the U.S. HHS.  Says, happy summer of pride. Wife and children. Living proof you can become whatever you want to be.

And the bi-partisan support for the Russia-Ukraine war.

A week to celebrate, or not?

Churches across the nation should have been celebrating today for the First Amendment victories this past week. But that probably didn't happen because so many congregations have members who only listen to MSNBC, CNN and NPR lie to the nation. The rest have jaded members (like me) who already know that it's a game of whack a mole with the colleges and universities. Their massive DEI bureaucracies for racism in academe won't give up and the "shop for a judge" political hacks will continue to sue the little baker and candlestick maker who doesn't have the resources to fight back.

Freedom of religion (establishment and free exercise) is first among the Firsts. Without it, nothing else matters, and the founders knew it.

 
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

In 21st century America the bureaucracy just gets a non-government agency to deprive people of their Constitutional rights.

Happy July 4.

Biden v. Nebraska (22-506)
The Secretary of Education does not have authority under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 (HEROES Act) to establish a student loan forgiveness program that will cancel roughly $430 billion in debt principal and affect nearly all borrowers. I won't need to pay off someone's student loans.

Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (20-1199)
The admissions programs at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Asians being discriminated against; end of affirmative action supposedly.

GERALD E. GROFF, PETITIONER v. LOUIS DEJOY, POSTMASTER GENERAL
Mr. Groff, a Christian, not required to work on Sunday.

CREATIVE LLC ET AL. v. ELENIS ET AL. (21-476)
Lorie Smith, graphic artist, Christian, does not need to serve same sex couples in wedding celebration.

Dark Horse podcast Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Very disturbing. Bret Weinstein has just released a November 2021 podcast with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is convinced Fauci is the most dangerous man in the world in that we lost all our constitutional guarantees to freedom because of him. Weinstein is an evolutionary biologist who was fired from his professorship for blowing the whistle on wokeism. He and his wife Heather Heying work together and she has a substack column, "Natural selections."  It's almost 3 hours long. Bret Weinstein | DarkHorse Podcast on Apple Podcasts

The word on exercise

A quote from my new book, "Outlive," by Dr. Peter Attia (c. 2023).

"So if you adopt only one new set of habits based on reading this book, it MUST be in the realm of exercise. If you currently exercise, you will likely want to rethink and modify your program. And if exercise is not a part of your life at the moment, you are not alone--77% of the US population is like you. Now is the time to change that. Right now. Even a little bit of daily activity is much better than nothing. Going from zero weekly exercise to just 90 minutes per week can reduce your risk of dying from all causes by 14%. It's very hard to find a drug that can do that." p. 218

 
Dr. Attia has a podcast. Interviews interesting people.

Bob had an appointment with his cardiologist this morning and he said something very similar. Although Bob never took a pill before 2020, he now has a handful every morning. His doctor said that his regular exercise program is worth more than all of them.

Physical Exercise as a Preventive or Disease-Modifying Treatment of Dementia and Brain Aging - PMC (nih.gov)

Hazy and smoky in central Ohio

This is from a Forbes article 4 years ago. But we had heard it from an Arizona tourist guide in 2003--environmental regulations are part of the problem with wildfires. You wonder what other "green" goals will cause havoc in 20 years.

"Yet in spite of blaming climate change and attacking President Trump for suggesting bad environmental policies made California’s fires worse, California’s outgoing governor, Jerry Brown, quietly signed two bills to correct the worst of the state’s fire management policy missteps, proving Trump was right all along." (Forbes, Nov. 27, 2018)

Not a topic I usually research, but central Ohio is pretty smoky from 161 fires in Canada. A friend posted on Facebook an aerial photo of Mt. Verson, OH, and you can barely see the town. Our dinner guest last night had already sought emergency medical attention for his asthma earlier in the day.

Update: Everyone's talking about the smoky haze and hot weather. Photos of downtown Columbus are amazing--we can hardly see it.   And I'm concerned about the guys on my neighbor's roof. They've been replacing it for over 12 hours. Want to bet they are immigrants?

Mis- Dis- and Mal- mischief in the Justice Department

THE WEAPONIZATION OF CISA: HOW A “CYBERSECURITY” AGENCY COLLUDED WITH BIG TECH AND “DISINFORMATION” PARTNERS TO CENSOR AMERICANS

"The First Amendment recognizes that no person or entity has a monopoly on the truth, and that the “truth” of today can quickly become the “misinformation” of tomorrow. Labeling speech “misinformation” or “disinformation” does not strip it of its First Amendment protection. As such, under the Constitution, the federal government is strictly prohibited from censoring Americans’ political speech. The government also may not use third parties to bypass the First Amendment and conduct censorship by proxy.2"

But that's exactly what our federal government did.

cisa-staff-report6-26-23.pdf (house.gov)

Among other things . . . 

• CISA is “working with federal partners to mature a whole-of-government approach” to curbing alleged misinformation and disinformation.8
• CISA considered the creation of an anti-misinformation “rapid response team” capable of physically deploying across the United States.9
• CISA moved its censorship operation to a CISA-funded non-profit after CISA and the Biden Administration were sued in federal court, implicitly admitting that its censorship activities are unconstitutional.10
• CISA wanted to use the same CISA-funded non-profit as its mouthpiece to “avoid the appearance of government propaganda.”11
• Members of CISA’s advisory committee agonized that it was “only a matter of time before someone realizes we exist and starts asking about our work.”12

Good buy.

I was in Walmart on Bethel last Thursday and noticed how nice the fresh flowers looked, so I stopped. There were 3 price levels for bouquet size. I picked out a $5, all buds, but I knew they were lilies. There were 13-14 buds, now in full flower--pink, yellow and orange. What a lovely surprise. God's artistry.

Michael Rectenwald's message for leftists

Michael Rectenwald is the author of numerous books and poetry collections. He is a retired professor of literature. He's recently started a podcast, and has a website, Michael Rectenwald Home.

•  Let leftists live imprisoned in 15-minute cities, under constant surveillance, wearing masks, & submitting to endless useless vaccines, or worse.
• Let them survive on UBI issued in CBDC, with digital IDs that track their every move from cradle to grave.
• Let them forgo real meat, eat synthetic meat, toxic vegetables, and bugs.
• Let them submit to smart city technologies that track their carbon footprints and issue them social credit scores so they feel like good compliant citizens.
• Let them have their Marxism, critical race theory, transgenderism, and servility to the ever-burgeoning state.
• Let them think they are radicals as they serve as the foot soldiers and accomplices of the globalist elite.
• It's time to separate from these people. No reconciliation is possible.
• The only question is whether the totalitarians they serve will let us out.

The 15-minute city (FMC or 15mC) mentioned above is an urban planning concept in which most daily necessities and services, such as work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure can be easily reached by a 15-minute walk or bike ride from any point in the city. At this point, I think they exist in China.

UBI is universal basic income.

CBDC is central bank digital currency and is generally defined as a digital liability of a central bank that is widely available to the general public. Today in the United States, Federal Reserve notes (i.e., physical currency) are the only type of central bank money available to the general public.

Quick trip to Indianapolis

Saturday we had a quick trip (80 mph on a moving parking lot all the way) to visit my sister-in-law Jean, and a few other relatives.  We went out to eat at her favorite restaurant, Sero's, a Greek family style restaurant that serves breakfast all day. Indianapolis Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Restaurant | Sero's Family Restaurant (serosfamilyrestaurant.com)

  

Enjoying lunch at Sero's

Visiting at Jean's home

Secretary Bird

We have a bird calendar on our kitchen table, and although I wouldn't say I've "learned" new birds, I've at least seen them, and often we discuss the more unusual ones. Today's is "secretarybird." Not common around here, but endemic to sub-Sahara Africa. Just had to look up this one. When I first saw it I thought it might look like a secretary with a pen in his hair, and I was close according to this video, but the name was similar and different before that time. They have the body shape and hunting instincts of eagles, but legs like storks, and can be over 4 ft. tall. Their legs are very powerful, and they can kill and eat snakes.

https://youtu.be/difrBNjGwLo

Yesterday Bob asked what I did with them when I tore them off, and I said I kept them, but wasn't sure (in a house already with a lot of clutter) what I'd do with them. Maybe I should learn to draw birds, he said. And so, here is a "how to" video. https://youtu.be/2ptuRthuGko 

Many begin to doubt what we were told about "science"

"Little tears are forming in the fabric of belief. Many who believed that taking their shots was the only right thing to do, are noticing inconsistencies in the official story. The failure to prevent disease. The rashes and the fatigue. The cognitive deficits. The heart damage and the cancers. The sudden deaths among the young and apparently healthy. The adverse events.

These things can nag at one’s consciousness.

Most who were compliant, however, still believe on balance that it was the right choice, even if it came with risks that we were not told about.

“Because I had my shots, when I did get Covid, I was barely sick for a day or two.”

“Because” has no place in that sentence. It assumes a causality for which there is no evidence."

Read more here: https://naturalselections.substack.com/p/its-not-too-late?

Heather Heying is an evolutionary biologist and I listen to her podcast with her husband Bret Weinstein. They are life long Democrats and university faculty, now on the outside for questioning the vaccine, the blatant evil treatment of scientists who disagreed with Fauci and CDC. They are openly opposed to the current transgender hysteria of Democrats.

Blogging ideas for December 2008

Before Facebook, I carried a blog notebook in my purse, and would jot ideas down to research and comment on. At the end of the year, I'd evaluate what I DID NOT write about. December 2008: Here's several for that year:

"Abstinence is 100% successful in controlling the spread of AIDS and in reducing poverty, but it's a political wasteland with the pro-abortion crowd. There's no money in abstinence." 

"There are 39,000+ runners in the NYC marathon--26 in the 80-90 year old division. In my dreams!!!" 

"Theresa Hogan has an op-ed saying don't make this a single issue election--abortion. Why not? I might not word it that way but we do need a leader with character, not one who gets a 100% rating from NARAL."

"In NY the UN Secretary [Ban Ki-moon--Korea] looks up from his latte and polished desk and says he's "concerned" that women and children are being raped; homes burned and sons murdered. Someone buy this puppet a ticket to the Congo."

"In Jos Nigeria clashes of ethnic violence have killed over 400 and displaced over 7,000--mainly Christians by Muslims. I'm not going to say it was buried in the back pages of the paper because the victims were Christians, but I will say it was because they were Africans. But when you've killed millions by taking DDT away from them, what's a few more? Where are the happy-clappy, sappy-crappy one-globe folks when you need them?"

"Recipe for Buckeye Pie"

My interests and opinions haven't changed much in 17 years--politics, people and pie.

Note: I had to look up a Congo war in 2008, because the almost continuous wars in Congo had killed about 6 million since the late 90s. It was 2008 Nord-Kivu campaign. Killing thousands of Africans doesn't get a lot of press in U.S. media because they can't find a white policeman to blame it on.

Breakfast today, the protein in two eggs

 Today I had a delicious breakfast:  2 fried eggs, sprinkled with some ham crumbles, 3 small slices of sharp cheddar cheese melted on top, and a handful of fresh spinach steamed on top.  I decided to check the grams of protein because older people need more protein and I really don't know how much protein I consume.  I asked Brave, my search engine, "eggs protein" and got this "summary."

"Eggs are a complete source of high-quality protein, containing all nine essential amino acids.2 On average, a medium-sized egg contains around 6.4 grams of protein, which makes up around 12.6% of the overall edible portion.4 Egg protein is highly digestible and an excellent source of essential amino acids, with the highest attainable protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score.0 Eggs are a versatile and affordable way to get protein in the average American diet.1 They are also a complete source of important nutrients like choline and eye-protecting antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.3"

This is an AI generated response, a summary.  I didn't even get to do my own research--browsing the selection of articles already shown because of an algorithm. If you rely on the "summary" you see only what Big Tech's librarian wants you to see. It's phone SIRI with footnotes. The sources for this summary didn't show, but appeared as "tags." You have to click on the tag to see who/what wrote this. Virtually every search I've done recently has been AI generated. Most people will not look further than the "summary."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9316657/ "The health benefits of egg protein"  I use NCBI for every medical, nutritional, physiology, exercise, health search I do--it's what I begin with. AI did it for me. It's a quick and dirty search, but has rarely failed me. A big advantage is you can often get a full print, and many references to other sources.

https://www.eatingwell.com/article/291485/10-foods-with-more-protein-than-an-egg/   Eatingwell.com is owned by a digital media company with many brands, called Dotdash Meredith, the business division of IAC.  Eating Well the magazine was created in 1990 in Vermont and was purchased from the original publisher, folded and was restarted as a quarterly and acquired by Meridith Corporation in 2011. Bingo.  I know Meredith because it published Better Homes and Gardens (founded as Successful Farming in 1902). When you click on eatingwell.com you see its last print issue was April 2022, and Meredith was acquired by Dotdash. If magazines were families, Eating Well would be related to and distant cousin of Daily Beast through Barry Diller who founded Fox Broadcasting Network. The staff bios are worth reading and most of the hard blood and guts of journalism are from or live in Vermont where the magazine began almost 35 years ago.

There were some other tags that AI used, but 2 I trust if good enough for two eggs, which I estimate at about 20 grams for my complete breakfast dish.  All I needed was a label.

Exercise, lactate and brain health--introductory material

"It has been well established in epidemiological studies and randomized controlled trials that habitual exercise is beneficial for brain health, such as cognition and mental health. Generally, it may be reasonable to say that the physiological benefits of acute exercise can prevent brain disorders in late life if such exercise is habitually/chronically conducted. "

 

 Title:  Effect of Exercise on Brain Health: The Potential Role of Lactate as a Myokine
Takeshi Hashimoto,1 Hayato Tsukamoto,1 Soichi Ando,2 and Shigehiko Ogoh3,*
Metabolites. 2021 Dec; 11(12): 813.
Published online 2021 Nov 29. doi: 10.3390/metabo11120813  PMCID: PMC8709217
PMID: 34940571
Norbert Nemeth, Academic Editor

Effect of Exercise on Brain Health: The Potential Role of Lactate as a Myokine - PMC (nih.gov)

-------------------------------------------

"Population aging has become a worldwide phenomenon. Degenerative changes in brain structure and function occur with aging, causing a cognitive decline in older adults. In addition to aging, vascular dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson's disease, Huntington and other neurodegenerative diseases, as well as some metabolic diseases such as diabetes, are accompanied by an increased risk of cognitive impairment or dementia. This poses a great challenge to public health and socio-economic development in many countries. However, due to the difficulties in developing new drugs for cognitive impairment, especially in AD, and the lack of drug-specific therapeutics available for the treatment of AD dementia stage, more and more researchers now focus on non-pharmacological intervention.

As an economical and practical non-pharmacological therapy with no toxic side effects, regular exercise was proved to be an effective means for preventing and treating cognitive impairment or dementia, which could reduce the risk of dementia in healthy people and even higher risk gene carriers. The comprehensive health benefits of exercise are systemic, multi-dimensional and multi-organ, including skeletal muscle, cardio-respiratory system, vascular system, liver, fat, and brain. Hormones, exerkines, and metabolites produced by different tissues, and organs during and after exercise are secreted into the blood circulation and then act on brain tissue, thereby playing a neuroprotective role. The discovery of novel mediators associated with exercise and their mechanism of action will be an important development direction in this field."

Title: The potential mechanisms of lactate in mediating exercise-enhanced cognitive function: a dual role as an energy supply substrate and a signaling molecule

Xiangli Xue, Beibei Liu, Jingyun Hu, Xuepeng Bian & Shujie Lou
Nutrition & Metabolism volume 19, Article number: 52 (2022)

---------------------------------------------  

Daytime napping

Highlights

• Whether daytime napping is causally associated with brain health remains elusive.
•  We studied the causal role of daytime napping on cognitive and neuroimaging outcomes.
• We found a modest causal link between habitual napping and larger total brain volume.

Regular Naps May Slow Brain Shrinkage | Technology Networks

From the Ross Report, an investment newsletter

"It is very clear we are now in a situation where the Democrats will do anything to win, and to destroy their opposition. The timing of announcing the indictment was set to offset the evening news about the FBI memo on Biden so the mainstream media could ignore the Biden story. It is clear the Biden family has been bribed, and is totally corrupt. The guy who bribed Joe has it on tape. The Ukrainian accountant for Burisma who had direct knowledge suddenly died. It is clear the Clintons are very dirty and Hilary should be in jail. She had the illegal server and destroyed evidence under subpoena, but she walked away. The Clintons pocketed tens of millions in what were essentially bribes run through the foundation. It is just a question of, is Biden dirtier than the Clintons?  Obama took docs and refused to turn them over -no action against him. The nation has now become a corrupt cesspool controlled by very dangerous people who will stop at nothing to retain power and destroy those who try to stop them.

While there have been corrupt people in power before, and other underhanded acts, this series of attacks on Trump and phony claims like Russia Gate, and the impeachments, are the worst in modern history. It rivals the Continental Congress [which] tried to undermine Washington at Valley Forge to get rid of him. It is far from clear where this goes. Much of the charges against Trump in this latest attack are going to get dismissed as they come under the civil law of the Records Act. The one place he has a real issue is his intentional obstruction, and the showing of material to reporters.

The Durham report is damning about how the Democrats, and the FBI, and DOJ schemed to get Trump, but it is unfortunate he never brought indictments. Why we do not know. What we did see was the mainstream media push aside Durham as nothing new when in fact, it is a massive scandal. The nation is in a very dangerous place now, and how all of this unfolds, and who will be the next president is totally unclear. With the mainstream media covering up for Biden, and all out attacking Trump like they did with Russia, it is unclear what the vast number of voters will understand about what is really happening. The media continue to be heavily biased and dishonest. I believe this case will harm Trump with enough voters that he will not be the nominee. One of his most diehard supporters told me yesterday even he has had it with Trump. Barr has explained that he did not indict Biden because at that time there was barely any real evidence and it was still being investigated, and so he turned it over to a US Attorney to dig in. Then he left office and the Biden White House has managed to bury the FBI investigation. Barr did not determine there was no case as has been falsely stated by some Democrats and the press. Truth was the opposite. He did not have near enough then to indict Joe. That is all changed now with the Republicans pursuing what DOJ did not pursue." Ross Report, June 19, 2023

Our taxes pay to glorify a cult--21 federal agencies

This is disgusting. I want my money back. 

• Are there no homeless on the streets? 
• Are there no 18 year olds aging out of foster care? 
• Are there no rivers to clean up? 
• Does Flint have clean water yet? 
• Are there no forests that need a controlled burn? 
• Are there no parks that need lights replaced? 
• Are there no potholes in DC that could be repaired? 
• Are there no pre-schools that need appropriate children's books? 
• Are there no babies to save from the abortionist cabal?

Surely our taxes can do better than paying to advertise a religious cult. Talk to any gay man or lesbian and you'll find out this is not about them, it's about transagenda.

Examples: Taxpayer Dollars Fund Federal Pride Month Celebrations (dailysignal.com)

 
"Department of Education: Rather than focus on increasing the overall math, science, or literary scores of American children, the Department of Education decided it was more important to create this pride post on Twitter: “Our message to LGBTQI+ students, teachers, and staff as we begin #PrideMonth: ED has got your back.”" ED also means erectile disfunction, something the children they are maiming will have as adults.

"The Smithsonian Museums: The taxpayer-funded museums offer a lineup of LGBTQ events for the month of June, including sexuality talks and “drag story hours” featuring “drag queens” reading books to children." Although called a "non-profit" (over 1.5 Billion income) this clump of many museums gets over half its funding from the government and enjoys all the special perks of government agencies, including obscene salaries for its executives.

"Veterans Affairs: Under the theme “We All Have a Seat at the Table,” the United States Department of Veterans Affairs is holding its third annual “virtual Pride Month.” This monthlong event features online seminars on topics that include “A Legal Guide to LGBTQ Couples,” “Healthcare and Fertility Preservation for Transgender Patients,” and “A Clinical Guide to Gender-Affirming Prosthetics,” to name a few. " Gender affirming Prosthetics? I guess that's fake breasts so veterans can prance around the White House with naked chests during Pride Month.

The Dominion Voting Software

So all these "crazy" people, Trump included, who said there was something wrong with Dominion weren't so crazy after all? All that money Dominion got from Fox? What's going on? The Halderman Report.

"The warnings are stark, suggesting that Georgia’s voting machines could be manipulated by bad actors in mere minutes. Halderman argued that attackers could alter the QR codes on printed ballots, and install malware on individual voting machines “with only brief physical access.” They could attack the broader voting system if they have the same access as certain county-level election officials, his report said."

Expert report fuels election doubts as Georgia waits to update voting software (nbcnews.com)

From Feb. 1, 2022 What We've Been Waiting For: Judge May Release Bombshell Report on Dominion Voting Machines in Georgia (westernjournal.com)

From Sept. 9, 2022  Tech Experts Warn Georgia's Voting System in Danger After Trump Supporters Busted Copying Software (thenewcivilrightsmovement.com)

Software updates on new voting machines in Georgia | 11alive.com

After a lengthy delay in disclosure, Georgia Report on Dominion Systems explodes onto the scene: Analysis | News | city-sentinel.com

Tucker is causing heart attacks on the left

Interesting to see how the low rated media are treating Tucker on Twitter. Using adjectives we've all said about them! Anti-semitic, unhinged, paranoid, deranged, conspiracies, slapped together, his hair sticking up (?) They would kill (and they are trying) for his audience numbers.

A letter from Bird about corruption

From: Dennis (surname removed)

To:  Editorial Page Editor
Riverland News

Hillary Clinton erased thousands of potentially damaging emails and took a hammer to cell phones to render them useless, but nothing happens. Barak Obama has boxes of classified material from when he was president, but nothing happens. Mike Pence has boxes stored from his time as vice-president, but nothing happens. We all saw Joe Biden on that stage in a foreign country saying that if the prosecutor investigating his son isn’t fired the country would not receive U.S. tax dollars, but nothing happens. Joe Biden has hundreds, maybe thousands of boxes from when he was a senator and also vice-president, some stored in his garage, but nothing happens. I guess that’s OK, because Joe’s vintage Corvette is protecting them. But when Donald Trump has boxes stored at his estate in a locked room, that has an extra lock installed as requested and has a secret service detail in residence, this demands a federal indictment. Ask yourself why this is happening. One reason of course is that Trump is again running for president and the left is petrified that if elected, he will finish the job of draining the swamp and put them all out of work or better yet in jail where most of them belong, But I believe it is because the House is now investigating Biden on potential corruption charges for accepting millions in bribes when he was vice-president that could result is his impeachment, a legitimate impeachment. That’s why this is happening.

Dennis 
Rainbow Springs

Matthew 25

Matthew 25 has always been a favorite of mine. Recently, I read a wonderful reflection on Mother Teresa.

Mother Teresa carried the Gospel in her hand without a book. Sometimes when asked to describe the Gospel message, she would take her listener's hand and pinch each finger, saying, "You. Did. It. To. Me." You did it to me. This five-finger gospel, taken from Matthew 25:40, summed up for Mother Teresa the truth about the body of Christ and showed her the way to love the God she could not see in the brother or sister she could see.

Father Jonah Teller, Magnificat, June 2023, p. 245

The fast fall of Fox

Although I haven't watched Fox News since Tucker was fired, I did hear from Matt Walsh that the 8 p.m. time slot has dropped from 1st to 41st. The women running Fox apparently were put there to destroy it. Owners must have their own supply of money independent of their investment. Fox not only hates its viewers, but also its employees. They are required to see "reeducation" messages and attend classes on LGBTQ sex and depravity. Things that would get anyone fired in the workplace. Years ago, I had a gay boss and a trans employee--they were honorable people who would be horrified by what is going on. Fox management pushes porn on its staff. I suppose it is a ploy to get them to resign, but those folks have mortgages, college debt, and church pledges to pay, so only the most screwed up, kinky or privately wealthy will stay. Sorry to see it. I loved the Fox ladies at noon and the Five. Meanwhile, Tucker continues spilling the beans on all our media sources. Episode 4 was on Biden's methods to destroy our Constitutional election process. Jail his opponent for "crimes" he Biden has committed. Banana Republic. We be it.

Excess deaths not related to Covid. Many are reporting on this.

https://youtu.be/hHXICFnF-do

This research is from England. Dr. John Campbell

https://youtu.be/CROf3xmGzYI

This is from Korea, myocarditis. COVID-19 vaccination-related myocarditis: a Korean nationwide study | European Heart Journal | Oxford Academic (oup.com) It's not mild. Over 44 million people in the study. Given  vaccination-related myocarditis cases including deaths (VRM)  why is the CDC recommending the vaccine for everyone ages 6 months and older in the United States for the prevention of COVID-19, asks the author.

https://youtu.be/FxIug6k1mso

This is from Australia. 12% higher than normal. 34% of excess deaths not related to Covid.

These videos June 16 and 17, 2023.

Episode 3 for Tucker, and Fox fumes

Tucker Carlson released his 3rd episode and "claimed that comments Trump made during a 2016 Republican primary debate marked the exact point at which "permanent Washington" determined to throw Trump in prison. Carlson featured video footage of Trump saying the U.S. should never have been in Iraq, that America had "destabilized the Middle East," that the claims made about weapons of mass destruction had been a lie, "and they knew there were none."

Carlson said that Trump's statements regarding weapons of mass destruction being a lie "sealed his fate."

Carlson said that Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo, and Sen. Lindsey Graham had described Trump as a "visionary genius up until the moment he lost power." Carlson said "then they unsheathed their real agenda — as always the neocon war agenda. And they piled on with maximum force." (from Mike Huckabee newsletter)

Tom Fitton on Trump Indictment

 

Jason Whitlock speaks out on Garth Brooks' message

 Excerpt from a longer message: Whitlock: Garth Brooks befriends the fallen angel in the lowest place - TheBlaze

"Diversity, equity, and inclusion form a false religion. It’s a religion designed to supplant the word of God.

Diversity is not a solution to America’s problems or anyone’s. It’s an excuse and a tool for elites to pursue power. Diversity favors the people born into power and wealth. They decide who gets elevated based on the whims of their feelings.

The hyper-focus on diverse hiring de-emphasizes qualifications and merit. An individual can make himself qualified through hard work and discipline. Merit is open to everyone. “Diversity” is completely subjective, cannot be earned, and is partially determined by sexual lifestyle choices.

Diversity promotes division and chaos among the non-elites. It incentivizes people to choose alternative identities. It undermines a culture of competition that is critical to America keeping its standing as the leader of the world."

The sad state of U.S. leadership

Biden may become our most blood thirsty White House Resident. Plunged Afghanistan back into control of the Taliban and deserting our allies; promotes abortion at any time during pregnancy killing millions of unborn, particularly minority children; took bribes from both Ukraine and China which will ultimately kill millions; lauds and encourages the LGBTQ agenda during Pride Month, sterilizing the young with sex hormones and surgeries while promoting zero birth rates; sends billions in war weapons and makes no plans to promote peace, killing both Russians and Ukrainians; wastes billions on fanciful green schemes while ignoring immediate solutions. An evil man.  Evil.