March 14 tornadoes in Ohio

Although I slept through it on Thursday, March 14 (not serious on our side of Columbus), I heard that the final count was 14 tornadoes in that area of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, with 8 in Ohio. I don't know what the record is, but that was quite a spring storm. Using the Internet I looked back a few hours and then days, and that afternoon the warnings were not serious and a few days before, the comments were that it had been a very mild season for tornadoes! So much for knowing what climate, temperature and weather will be--cooling or warming--in a century or two if we can't get a few hours warning.

I've never been to Indian Lake but know it is a popular summer recreation area and retirement spot in Ohio, and it has suffered a lot of damage. https://news.yahoo.com/lakeviews-gone-indian-lake... There are many stories at this link.

Thank you to friends/family who checked in with us.

Fifteen years ago today, March 16, 2009 Antiques Road Show pt. 5

Although it's a gorgeous day, it's a tad chilly for me to walk outside, so I've been on the exercycle watching reruns of Antiques Roadshow again. I thought of one of mine and rustled around in a cabinet and found two.

 
The first was a printed copy of my blog written 15 years ago, March 16, 2009, the day after we returned (and were recovering) from a Holy Land cruise with about 170 travelers--
members of our church, their friends, and members of 2 other churches. I must have written furiously--it runs for 65 pages (with photos) and was finished on March 18! Of course, I was much younger then.
Here's what I found written for March 16, 2009--advice from Beverly Miller Meyers who had been on a similar trip some years before. With tears, I copy it here, safe and true 15 years later.

"Bon Voyage! Have fun and be safe. I am still green with envy. Wear your support stockings on the plane and any long bus rides. In Egypt follow your guides rules but if you get a chance the people are so poor especially in Cairo that a few shekels is always appreciated. In Israel climb up to into and around everything. There is so much history there. At Bethlehem crawl under the altar under the main altar and look through the star to the dirt. If Jesus wasn't born there it had to be close by. In Greece buy some Ouzo it tastes like licorice. Drink it with ice and the same amount of Ouzo and water. At the Parthenon go into the back of the temple of Athena and see the best representation of Nike bending to tie her sandal. If you get there please take a photo for me. Nike might have been moved to the museum by now though. At Ephesus look at everything again for me. Ephesus is my new favorite ancient city. I want to go back there some day not on a tour and just wander. Check out the history of the evil eye in Greece and Turkey.
Lots of Love,
Bev"

And we did it all, but in reverse order leaving from Cairo, 31 hours back to Columbus.

The rise in black violence due to the George Floyd riots

Alarming rise in youth gun deaths breaks down very differently by race (nbcnews.com)

You can read this NBC account (based on Pew Research) and never see a word about George Floyd or how black "leaders" including the current vice president encouraged the rise in violence among black teens (called children or kids in msm articles). That's because Democrats asked the Democrat run sanctuary cities to defund the police and allow rowdies to roam. They encouraged black mobs to assemble and riot during Covid restrictions too. Far more people were killed or injured and federal buildings damaged during the BLM political riots in most major cities than during the January 6 riot when only one person was killed--a white female Veteran killed by a capitol policeman. Democrats continue to fail black citizens of the USA.

You'll only hear about these (mostly homicides) deaths if a police officer is involved. Otherwise, black leaders and the media pay those families no mind. This story is all based on Pew Research which makes no mention of who is doing the killing.

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/04/06/gun-deaths-among-us-kids-rose-50-percent-in-two-years/?

St. Patrick's Day is three days away

March is Irish American Heritage Month. My Irish beat the crowd and came to British America before the revolution, and no one was Catholic. I'm a huge admirer of that great missionary St. Patrick and liked this story.

Why I Hate St. Patrick’s Day by AMANDA TEIXEIRA

Imagine that you grew up uneducated. In your teenage years, you were kidnapped and sold into slavery in a foreign land. Your family was gone. You submitted to your masters and relied on God through this struggle, growing leaps and bounds in your faith. You escaped your slavery in an adventurous series of events. Later, you decided to go back to the land of your slavery to share the Gospel with the pagan land. In faith you began preaching, baptizing, giving your very self in love to the people who once enslaved you. They came to know Jesus Christ through your witness; they convert, their families convert, and eventually their whole country converts! They even decided, upon your death, to preserve that day as holy to celebrate your heroic generosity, bravery, and love.

Fast-forward 1700 years give or take. From heaven you gaze down to earth on your feast day…
And people are using it as an excuse to get drunk and be irresponsible as they stumble around with rainbows, shamrocks, and green beer flying in every direction.
Hello, St. Patrick!

Modern traditions didn’t pop up overnight, but these days most people in Western Civilization are decidedly Irish and Catholic on St. Patrick’s Day. Most saint feast days come and go without societal notice but St. Patty’s day has everyone jumping on the bandwagon. Even Wonka is aware of this.
OK, so I don’t really hate St. Patrick’s Day…I am Irish and Catholic; I can’t truly hate it. However, I can hate that the entire point of having feast days are lost in modern society.

Why do Catholics have saint feast days to begin with? To celebrate the life of someone who gave their life to Jesus Christ and shared him in heroic ways with the world around them. The reason for these days is to remind us of those older brothers and sisters who have gone before us and left behind a powerful witness. We are celebrating the grace of God in their lives as we also celebrate the victory of Jesus Christ over death and sin in our lives. We remember that we are but pilgrims on earth and, God-willing, one day will worship the Lord in heaven alongside the saint we are celebrating.

So, what can we do to reclaim St. Patrick’s Day? Or even take what’s already GOOD about St. Patrick’s Day and reintroduce the point of why it’s good to our culture?

Become a person who truly celebrates the REAL St. Patrick! Practically how can you do this?

1. Tell the real story! This man was sold-out for Jesus Christ and endured crazy hardships many people could relate to! Bring inspiration to those around you.

 
2. Become an evangelist! If Patrick was on earth for his feast day, this is what he would likely do. Remember the old legend about St. Patrick using shamrocks to explain the Trinity? Don’t hesitate to use the shamrock on his feast day to talk about God, who desires to be in communion with all people. Be bold and loving…not weird and creepy.

3. Drink some green beer! If you are 21 or older, feel free to have some beer on St. Patty’s dayin moderation. Set an example about how to use alcohol properly – to celebrate and make merry while maintaining sobriety. “Go, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a merry heart, because it is now that God favors your works.” Ecclesiastes 9:7

4. Celebrate with others! Feast days are opportunities to join in communion and camaraderie with others to enjoy their friendship. Go to a local Mass, attend a parade, cook corned beef and cabbage, meet up at a pub…with others!

5. Get into it! Wear the hats, beads, (appropriate) shirts, temporary tattoos, etc. and have fun with the day! These Patty’s Day symbols of the day can increase our silliness and joy as we walk around looking like goofballs with all our buddies. Remember the Party Blog? We certainly can’t show the culture how to truly celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with long faces.

Have fun this March 17th, celebrating the REAL St. Patrick – a father in our faith and a hero for the New Evangelization.

“Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me.” -Saint Patrick

This article was originally published at Focus.

THIS ARTICLE IS MADE AVAILABLE COURTESY OF THE CATHOLIC EXCHANGE

Fitness routine with the guys

I was minding my own business at the Lifetime Fitness Center watching HGTV on the big screen, but I couldn't help overhearing the 3 guys next to me. Men just rag on each other. It's a hoot. They call each other ugly, bald and fat, and then they all laugh. Don't try that with women. But after the introductions it's down to business. A friend who wasn't there on the treadmill was at the hospital with his wife who was having surgery; another guy was waiting for a kidney transplant; two guys were discussing the various taxes they were struggling with; another reminisced about the old days when our suburb had its own trash department and little scooters would go to the garage to pick up the trash cans (I'd forgotten that, but it was true).

And meanwhile, I missed which house was chosen by the home buyers.

House Hunters is getting a new twist. A New 'House Hunters' Spin-Off Is Coming to HGTV with a Major Twist (msn.com)

The State of the Union by Joe Biden

I didn't watch the SOTU, but here's what I gleaned from listening to podcasters who did. Joe's most popular programs are abortion, war, maiming children with the trans agenda, and invasion at our borders. (I heard the applause.) This is what he's asking Democrats to support. Oh yes, and he hates Donald Trump and thinks he's a Nazi, as well as half the country who support him. The only time he even mentioned the USA was when he was condemning Trump (or so I heard). Prove me wrong.

Be Kind Campaign for adults

The Ohio State Office of Student life is having a contest and I can't figure out what it is or how it is done! It's a good thing I'm not a student, and just a retired faculty member.

.
First, the rules sound like it is for kindergarten age, and second, it might work better in a church Vacation Bible School program than a campus of a major university.

Here's the name of the contest: #BeKind Instagram Walls Contest.

Here's the purpose of the contest: promote kindness, love, positivity and mental health support on the OSU campus and in the Columbus, Ohio, community.

 
Here's what the entrant submits: Art via Instagrammable wall. An Instagrammable wall is a decorated or artistic wall that lends itself to being photographed and posted on social media. The contest will consist of wall artwork that shares messages about kindness, happiness, love and Buckeye Pride. The art can be any type of visual 2D media (paintings, illustrations, photography, etc.) with other details on the website, which I won't post.

So, I was so stunned that adults needed contests to be kind and that Instagram is considered art (a 2-fer), I asked Chat/AI if kindness contests were popular on college campus. Oh yes, s/he gushed. It's really BIG. It can be like holding the door open for someone, or saying thank you, or sharing a snack!. Woo! Woo! Imagine that I said. They not only don't know basic biology, like who is a male and who is a female, but mom and dad didn't teach them any basic social skills, so one more reason Meta (who owns Instagram and Facebook) has to collect more information about them.

And don't forget, kiddoes, "by submitting a Submission, Entrants agree to grant to the University a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, sub-licensable, fully paid-up, worldwide license to such Submission, together with all intellectual property rights therein, including, without limitation, the license rights to cache, publicly display, and reproduce the Submission. Entrants also give up any claim that any use by the University, derivative or otherwise, of any Submission violates any of Entrants rights, including, but not limited to, moral rights, privacy rights, rights to publicity, proprietary or other rights, and/or rights to credit for the material or ideas set forth therein." I'm just guessing that Meta takes a cut too.

Here's a link to a NATIONAL organization to be kind. It has a board of directors, corporate support, fund raisers and all sorts of things you could research. And to think that churches do this for free! And teachers at my parents' one room rural schools back in the 1920s knew how to do it! Amazing.
https://thebekindpeopleproject.org/about/school-support/

I smell the poop of a cash cow.

Update:  I found a poster for the OSU Kindness contest.

The Mighty Mississippi postage stamps

Not everyone cares. But I do. I send letters and notes and I like pretty or interesting stamps. My local USPS branch has diddly squat for stamp selection. The last time I was there the selection was four black history designs and one lunar New Year and a Valentine abstract beyond recognition. I bought the Valentine. Then I went home and looked on-line. It took about a week and $1.70 shipping and handling, but I now have some lovely "Mighty Mississippi" and "Historic railroad stations of the United States." The Mississippi river sheet is 10 different states (without location), and the rail stations block is 5 cities, although I only recognized Cincinnati, which by the way is spectacular if you ever want to see wonderful public art.

I suspect no one knows the location of the Illinois stamp "In Illinois, a sailboat passes limestone bluffs adorned with fall foliage in a photo by Walter Blackledge." (Waterways journal) I asked Chat and it gave me word salad. The closest I came was a comlex description of the limestone bluffs, only 2 small towns nearby.

https://www.usps.com/

Forgotten books--like strolling through the stacks

This morning I was looking on-line for a title about the hymn writer Frederick W. Faber and came across a reprint series. "Forgotten Books is a London-based book publisher specializing in the restoration of old books, both fiction and non-fiction. Today we have 1,294,132 books available to read online, download as ebooks, or purchase in print." I found what I was looking for plus many more written by Faber. But truly the oddest collection of titles with nothing in common except they are "forgotten."  https://www.forgottenbooks.com/en Everything from "Canned Poultry," October 1950 to "The Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages" to "The Book of Costume, or Annals of Fashion From the Earliest Period to the Present Time" to "The Blind in the United States, 1920, by U. S. Bureau of the Census." Cost is about $9 a month to read as a member, or $9.50 for a paper copy.

Faber came up in my morning devotions.  He authored the well-known hymns "Faith of our Fathers" and "There is a wideness in God's mercy."

Antiques Roadshow pt. 4, the purse

On an Antiques Roadshow rerun (possibly 2018) I saw a lovely, 19th century beaded purse. I was surprised it was valued at only $385. It was beautiful. I wouldn't carry it, but I do have an antique purse. I get a lot of compliments on this purse--a few a week. I'd buy another one if I could find it. A faded denim which can hold my i-pad or phone, with two nice side pockets. Walmart--$9.00. I purchased it about 6 years ago, although I really don't remember, so it could be older. Since it began life faded and worn, it's hard to tell, but it's starting to develop some holes from my pencils.

Chef-o-Nette is closing

We heard some bad news Monday night. The Chef-o-Nette in Upper Arlington is closing! This week! When we moved here in June 1967 we rented an apartment on Farleigh Road. We cut through someone's yard to the little Tremont shopping center and found a restaurant. We lived in that neighborhood for 35 years. I couldn't count the times we've eaten there, or just popped in for the tapioca. I'm not sure but I think the last time I ate there was with Phil in September 2019 for my birthday 2 days before he was diagnosed with glioblastoma and our lives changed forever. I probably had a "Hang-over with fries." When he was in pre-school we'd go there for a snack then wait for Phoebe to get out of Tremont School across the street. I wrote about the Chef in this blog in 2010 and 2006.

Collecting My Thoughts: Chef-O-Nette in Tremont Center

Collecting My Thoughts

Collecting My Thoughts

 

Food labels and storage

Last night my neighbor Jan asked if I had any corn starch. I did, but it was waaaay beyond shelf life, maybe 10 years or so, so she declined and went to the store. Corn starch is inert and has no viable anything in it. But that shelf was high and I was on the step stool, so I checked out what else had expired. Most of it. Like 2010. But what was the most gross was the powdered milk. It was brown! Yuk! Ever the librarian, I looked it up, and learned it's a known chemical reaction called The Maillard reaction which is responsible for the color change. "It’s the same process that gives crusty bread its golden hue and imparts flavor to roasted coffee beans. In the case of milk, the lactose molecules react with amino acids, leading to the formation of brown compounds. " It's why milk turns brown when heating at higher temps. 

Powdered milk is safe for long term storage, however, mine was probably over 10 years. And the top cabinet next to the stove is NOT cool which is best for storage. You can also freeze it. With long storage, the vitamins decrease some, but the other essential nutrients—such as protein, carbohydrates, and minerals—remain relatively stable for years. Co-Pilot generated the answer to my question about why powdered milk turned brown with age.

https://orbitkitchen.com/why-does-milk-turn-brown-when.../?

The Cyber attack that wasn't

AT&T reported it was not a cyberattack last Thursday but "the application and execution of an incorrect process used as we were expanding our network." How many believe this given the unpatriotic way the Biden crowd protects even a land border from invaders (including Chinese and Russians coming across) and allowed the "weather balloon" incident near military bases? Biden just gives away the store. Democrats need a really big incident come November to disrupt and change the rules that keep elections safe. But it requires a little practice.

Antiques Roadshow, pt. 3, the dictionary

The Antiques Roadshow appraisal at our house today is my Merriam-Webster New International Dictionary of the English Language 2nd edition Unabridged. At least that's what I told my husband at dinner, but I was wrong. The word Merriam isn't in the title but is in the publisher's name. And until I looked at it carefully, I had several things incorrect. I'd assumed it was copyright 1948, but it is 1934. It has an updated "New Word" section which is 1939 and 1945, but 1948 is on the title page. That section (from the 40s) is truly fascinating. You can still purchase Mr. Webster's 1828 edition and it's interesting because it reflects a Judeo-Christian culture. The 1934 2nd edition unabridged was last printed about 1960 and the copyright doesn't end for a few years. But the 3rd edition is available.

This particular antique was a Christmas gift to my parents perhaps in 1949 or 1950 from my grandparents. My aunt and uncle probably were given one too. My parents had a special stand for it which someone else in the family might have. The volume is massive, so a stand that fits would be helpful. It sits on our dining room buffet. After my father died in 2002 it became mine. I use it frequently. 

Here's how language and dictionaries change with the culture.

 
Marriage (1828 Webster's dictionary): "MAR'RIAGE, noun [Latin mas, maris.] The act of uniting a man and woman for life; wedlock; the legal union of a man and woman for life. marriage is a contract both civil and religious, by which the parties engage to live together in mutual affection and fidelity, till death shall separate them. marriage was instituted by God himself for the purpose of preventing the promiscuous intercourse of the sexes, for promoting domestic felicity, and for securing the maintenance and education of children."

 
The color plates and illustrations are as good as the day 10 year old Norma first looked at it. The print does seem to have grown smaller! There are 600 special topics with little bios about the editors and there were special assistant editors checking their work!

Antiques Roadshow, pt. 2, the dishes

Today's Antique Roadshow at our house is the dinner table set with hand painted Blue Ridge China (Mountain Ivy pattern) from the Southern Potteries company (1916-1957) Erwin, TN. I bought these from the Lakeside Archives shop in 2020. The pottery in Erwin which at one time was the biggest in the USA closed almost 70 years ago because of foreign competition after WWII. There are avid collectors and they have a show which this year is October 3-5 which coincides with an apple festival. Dinner was broccoli soup, grilled salmon, green beans with onions, fresh pineapple with red grapes, sour dough toast, and lemon cookies. I have a fairly full set, so I had enough pieces.

My own Antiques Road Show, pt. 1

Addictions start small. At first, I hardly noticed. One day I flipped on Roku (streaming service) to watch something while riding the exercycle and I came across reruns of PBS Antiques Roadshow, something I rarely watch. Now I watch several hours a day. I think the oldest show I've seen was 1998. I most enjoyed the 2019 Sarasota show at the Ringling mansion because we'd been there with Bob and Jeanne Poisal. I've seen a lot of changes in fashion, hair color of the appraisers (they are volunteers and not paid), and some ridiculous values, but they go up and down. Gen-X and Millennials don't care about Civil War flags or Grandma's pottery. But a Hot Wheels prototype can go for $100,000.

 
So, for Sunday dinner today I served up a box of watches and miscellaneous I found in my scarf drawer and asked Bob to identify. We think we know where the pocket watches came from but we're scratching our heads about the WWII compass. We're also pondering a set of cuff links with Phil's initials that was in the box. I'm checking with his ex-wife on that one, and the groom for whom he was the best man.

He gets us ad

The "He gets us" ad. Such a kerfuffle. It amazes me that so much misunderstanding and suspicion can ooze from such a simple message--Jesus' message. Mostly I've heard very conservative Evangelicals question it. They see a subtle SJW message. But here's a liberal Catholic:

"Even as I look at the images in the foot-washing ad, I note that several of them feature white Christians washing the feet of people of color—a priest washing the feet of a young gay Black man; a suburban mother washing the feet of a migrant who has just gotten off a bus. It feels patronizing, self-congratulatory: The white people performing humility as a sly power move to cement their authority in this situation.

As charitable as I try to be in watching something like this, I cannot help but wonder if this isn’t a Protestant evangelical sneak attack of some kind. A slick ad that somehow lays down groundfire for something more proselytizing to come in and penetrate our very brains."

The foot washing questions. That seems foreign to many. I was baptized in The Church of the Brethren, an Anabaptist group formed in 1708; foot washing is part of the communion service as it is for Amish and Mennonite groups (there are many different sects). It reenacts a passage from John and symbolizes humility, service and the call to love. If the writer thinks the ad unnecessarily shows whites in the role of being the humble, loving servant, maybe he should think about how that works with your fellow church member--the one you think sings off key in the choir or is a different political party or is the teacher who flunked your kid. Not all sins are about about sex and race--that's media hype.

 
Millions were watching that ad who perhaps had never heard of Jesus except as a swear word. Maybe they will ask a question. Maybe they hate white people, or black people, but maybe they hate their ex-wife, or co-worker, or are depressed about their failures, or are discouraged and suicidal -- and if this ad points them toward repentance and restoration, God love 'em.

Food insecure?

I saw an article about "food insecurity" yesterday That means that in the last 4 weeks the cook/mother/grandmother/oldest daughter once or twice or 10 times went to the cupboard and couldn't find enough to make a meal for the family/residents/siblings. Really? A gallon of milk is $2.65 and 10 pounds of potatoes are $4 in Columbus, Ohio.

 
A pack of cigarettes is $9 in Columbus--and a big chunk of that is federal and state taxes. The food in Ohio has no tax. You can fix a very nutritious meal for less than a pack of cigarettes, but you'll believe the stories on TV about hungry people in America. Potato combined with dairy is almost a perfect food. That's why smart mothers make potato soup and scalloped potatoes.

What's insecure is the cook. S/he has a 12 can pack of Coke for $4.00 and 13 oz. bag of Lays potato chips for $5 in the cupboard. And she may be smoking a cigarette. If she admires her $40 manicure when opening the cupboard, well, it's not the food costs but the values.

The survey (of a child or youth) to determine "food insecurity" is really vague and uses words like a lot, sometimes, enough, cheap food, run out, and asks the person to recall the past month (Self-Administered Food Security Survey Module for Children Ages 12 Years and Older, September 2006)

You might be a Christian Nationalist if

 You might be a Christian Nationalist if:

You believe in natural rights.

You attend church. Possibly more than once a week.

You support your children and participate in their lives.

You believe marriage is between a man and woman.

You believe men can't become women, nor women men.

You believe teachers and school administrators should not secretly influence your children against your family values.

You believe giving a child cross sex hormones and genital surgery is child abuse.

You believe the USA has borders that should be protected.

You believe children are being trafficked across the border.

You believe releasing foreign military age young men who are well dressed and physically fit into the general population with no tracking could endanger our safety.

You believe sowing distrust and loss of trust in the military with wokeism instruction is a threat to our safety.

You believe DEI has been destructive to student learning.

You believe in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

You believe Israel has a right to eliminate the danger of Hamas.

You believe Hillary Clinton and ladies in pink hats had a right to protest the election results of 2016, just as Trump supporters had a right to protest the election results of 2020.

I''m not a good list maker

I had printed my blog of October 17, 2022 (3 pages), and found it in a stack of papers today. I think it is a list I'd intended to check off. I'm not a good list maker--some of you live by lists. Not me. But #17 was interesting.

"17. Should I buy more food for emergency storage? Joe is talking Armageddon and nuclear war so we've got a crazy leader in Russia and a demented leader in the USA, and I don't even have extra batteries in the house, and I see a lot of pasta in my "emergency tornado" food box. How would we cook pasta if Putin dropped a bomb on NYC or DC? Remember in the 1950s when the basement of our school building was lined with huge bundles of dried (I assume) food stuffs. Must have been for the whole town. And we learned to duck under our school desks. Sure, that will solve the problem our government doesn't know how to fix."

Are you preparing for any more Joe-built disasters?

Letitia, another DEI hire, campaigned to get Trump

The latest non-crime and ridiculous "award" of nearly half a million (paid out to whom since there was no victim and no crime?) for "civil fraud" against Trump brings back to memory how our federal government created a housing/mortgage free fall in 2007-2008 and sent our entire nation into a recession by over valuing homes and getting inadequately funded suckers to fall for the trap. The government backed mortgage agencies have been over evaluating the real estate market for decades. We were helping our son buy a home at that time, and the ridiculous financing of that era was unbelievable--so we went the standard route with a solid down payment. Just call me Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. The only crime was that of AG Letitia, another DEI hire, vowing in her campaign to get Trump. She used Trump to get elected. She called him "illegitimate" meaning she publicly campaigned on not believing in the results of the 2016 election. Isn't that illegal? Republicans are call Nazis for believing the 2020 election was a fraud. No one else would have ever been charged with what the government has done for decades.

See what New York AG said while running for office about charging Trump | CNN Politics

In 2008 I wrote a poem about the fed chair and the Secretary of the Treasury.

"I’ve got the low down, trillion dollar, Ben and Henry Blues"
by Norma Bruce ©

Woke up this morning ‘bout five fifteen,
Read my big ol Bible and a new magazine,
Jumped in the van, turning on the key
Let me tell you mama, there’s no stopping me.

Driving on to Main Street, stopping at the light
Heading for the coffee shop the other side of night,
Singing with the radio, changing stations now
Got the dog and pony show, candidates take a bow.

(refrain) Mitigating factors, oozing out the wazoo,
Sell ‘em or hold ‘em, it’s all a rescue.
I’ve got the low down, trillion dollar
Ben and Henry blues.

Warm bakery bread and yeasty brown rolls
Congress still propping up the C-E-Os
Espresso coffee chai and tea
The government ya know--that’s just you and me.

NINJA loans for aliens, flipping for the rich,
From coastal homes, to buildings in the sticks,
McBama to Fannie to Goldman Sachs
They’re pointing fingers and covering tracks.

(refrain) Mitigating factors, oozing out the wazoo,
Sell ‘em or hold ‘em, it’s all a rescue.
I’ve got the low down, trillion dollar
Ben and Henry blues.

A church joke from an internet friend

Subject: Squirrelly

The Presbyterian church called a meeting to decide what to do about their squirrel infestation. After much prayer and consideration, they concluded that the squirrels were predestined to be there, and they should not interfere with God’s divine will.

At the Baptist church, the squirrels had taken an interest in the baptistry. The deacons met and decided to put a water-slide on the baptistry and let the squirrels drown themselves. The squirrels liked the slide and, unfortunately, knew instinctively how to swim, so twice as many squirrels showed up the following week.

The Lutheran church decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God’s creatures. So, they humanely trapped their squirrels and set them free near the Baptist church. Two weeks later, the squirrels were back when the Baptists took down the water-slide.

The Episcopalians tried a much more unique path by setting out pans of whiskey around their church in an effort to kill the squirrels with alcohol poisoning. They sadly learned how much damage a band of drunk squirrels can do.

But the Catholic church came up with a more creative strategy! They baptized all the squirrels and made them members of the church. Now they only see them at Christmas and Easter.

Not much was heard from the Jewish synagogue. They took the first squirrel and circumcised him. They haven’t seen a squirrel since.

The gang's all here--retirees' lunch

 On January 5, 2024, the OSU Libraries retirees got together for lunch at the Morgan House.  This restaurant is in Dublin, OH, north of here about 20 minutes, and is named for a Civil War event.  It's a log cabin with additions moved to Glick Rd. from another location. About The Morgan House & John Hunt Morgan Near Columbus Zoo Restaurants | Dublin Ohio (morganhse.com)   Lots of back lighting, but that's my white hair in the front.  We don't talk much about libraries anymore.  I think we talked about Medicare and the drug plan changes. And cats, grandchildren and vacations.  Like all older people. From the left, Marty, Marcia, Mary Jo, Graham, Susan, Jerry, David, and me. On Februaty 2 it was my turn to host, so I chose the OSU Golf Course Dining Room.  It's close to my home and the parking is easy.

The menu begins with the letter C

We had an interesting Sunday dinner yesterday: every item on the menu began with a "C" but I didn't realize it until today. What are the odds? Chicken alfredo, carrots with honey and butter, coleslaw, cantaloupe, and chocolate chip cookies. The letter C has no sound of its own. Poor thing. It is either a K, an S, or a CH. K sound obviously is the biggy. S, not so much. Cellar, center, cymbal, citizen, city, cinnamon etc. Looks like if a C is followed by an I or E it has an S sound, but if followed an A or O or U it is a hard K sound. The British Isles were overrun and conquered by so many different nations/peoples and had so many dialects, that I'd have to ask a scholar why this happened--that we have an orphan letter in our English language alphabet. 

Photo:   C is for Cat and Chihuahua.

A tiger by the tail

 The clerk said there is a tiger face on this sweater, but we had to take a photo to find it.

The Tucker Putin interview and the aftermath

Seems that no one (except me) thought the Tucker/Putin interview was good. Putin and all our Leftists thought they were softball questions. Sort of like the Obama interviews from ABC or CBS. It was certainly better than Biden in his basement in 2020. Others thought Tucker should have interrupted and asked different questions. Oh sure. People who ask Biden about the flavor of ice cream. Despots talk--why was anyone shocked? The history is irrelevant only if your own historical knowledge began with Obama's reign.

There are more sources for you to check. One I printed out 2 years ago was "Why is Russia Invading Ukraine?" by Leonard Hege in the "Plain News" (for plain people -- Amish, Mennonite) 3-9-2022, 5 pp. His outline was similar too, although not as detailed as Putin's. The Plain people (Anabaptists) have a history with Russian despots who sent their ancestors all over Europe, North America and South America in the 17th-20th centuries. Then I recommend Konstantine Kisin of Triggernometry podcast, a British Jew who was born in the Soviet Union and knows his history. Kisin suggests you stop listening to people who had opinions before they heard it. (he didn't like it, but I thought he confirmed much of what I heard). Since 99% of Americans know nothing of Russian history, I thought letting him talk was OK. We listen to left wing twaddle every time we turn on TV or the internet. It's not like everyone agrees.

Free market capitalism has made the whole world more rich, and U.S.A. has benefitted from that. So has Russia, but is Putin wrong to compare us to the Roman empire, whose decay just happened at a slower pace. There are many hidden warnings in what Putin said, but instead people want to hear Tucker ask different questions. And do you really not believe what Putin says about the CIA and interfering in other countries' politics when you can see, whatever your party, how powerful forces in our own government are trying to destroy one man and thus disenfranchise half the country? Putin is far more aligned, by his own analysis, with the American left than the right.

Triggernometry - YouTube

Snowed in on Saturday

We finally have measurable snow. About 4.5" on our deck railing (a very scientific figure). Some of central Ohio got up to 6". I'm baking lemon cookies this morning. It just seemed to go with snow. Bob says the streets are still too slick for us to be out, so we won't go to the gym today. We have too many friends on walkers and canes, healing from broken bones and surgery.  I'd rather not join them.  I picked up 2 books at the library yesterday, Pale Rider about the pandemic of 1918 for March book club, and Blackout by Candace Owens, which I bought for $1.00.  So it will be a cozy day with wonderful smells from the kitchen.

Weather snowfall:  we're next to Hilliard.

Can the government ever stop spending money it doesn't have? Can we?

For many years we had a "Friday night Date" and went out to eat. About 60 years. Then came Covid. The restaurants closed, churches closed, libraries closed, schools closed, clubs closed, and no one was getting together to socialize. We had never been good at "carry-out," except for pizza. I'd look at the $50+ bill to eat in the kitchen that I could have fixed for $10. And still have a clean up. So we probably saved a lot of money. In 2020-21 the personal savings rate in the country went from about 10% to 30%. Now it's below pre-pandemic levels. We never went back to Friday Night Date. Now it's about once or twice a month. And we don't really miss it. Watch this video on I.O.U. U.S.A. Then figure out a way to decrease your costs for housing, transportation, or food. We need to ask our government also to stop spending money it doesn't have.

I.O.U.S.A.: Byte-Sized - The 30 Minute Version - YouTube

Full disclosure:  This week we did both have a pedicure.  We called it our Valentine Date.

Rob Reiner plays to type--he's still "Meathead"

Rob Reiner, now 76, played to type in the 1970s, Meathead, a thickheaded liberal who if he didn't jump to conclusions or fall for lies, he would have no exercise at all. Now he's going after "Christian Nationalists." Not sure what he's trying, but is he criticizing Christians who believe in borders? Christians who wave flags and sing the national anthem at parades? Christians who believe all lives are worth living? Christians who believe in honest elections? Christians who don't buy into the anti-Christian climate chaos? Christians who worship Jesus instead of humanist agendas? Are these the Christians who deliver his goods, keep his plumbing working, and build his lavish homes? Are these the Christians who do his gardening and prepare his food and clean his homes? Prepare his taxes, fix his teeth, repair his automobiles, check out his library books, ring up his groceries, laugh at his movies so he can make money? Are these Christians who support Trump and therefore snobs like Reiner can claim they shouldn't be allowed to vote?

 
Rob Reiner is worth $200 million, not exactly NFL territory, but probably he never lifted a finger to do real work--both his mom and dad were successful Hollywood types. His only talent was picking the right parents. Reiner is a secular Jew criticizing people of another religion. Typical Hollywood hypocrite.

Tell me how you really feel! The Fire Department

This is an excerpt from an essay about a volunteer fire department with a board out of control, but it's so well written I thought I'd capture it.

"Even our pillars of “higher education” have vanished from the critical thinking circles of rigorous public discourse. They have fallen fast and hard for intersectional identarian ideologies and gross sexual deviancies; so much so that they are now simply mindless delusion factories. Factories whose sole product are the feckless, soulless acolytes of enforced groupthink and Marxism. Graduates devoid of the critical thinking skills that were once hallmarks of these institutions, are now just carbon-copy idealogues with witheringly expensive credentials and huge student loan debt.

Last year’s Harvard plagiarism debacle illustrates this clearly – over 400 years of rigorous scholarship have been thrown into the mud at the feet of the new god of academia: the DEI dynasty – an institution that John Carter’s Substack, Postcards from Barsoom aptly identifies in his essay, Fake Gay and DEIing of AIDs.

This same indifferent disregard and breathless arrogance that has destroyed Harvard appears to be continuing its cancerous boardroom sweep across the country by power-drunk venomous apparatchiks who gleefully issue destructive diktats from on high, seeking to tear down anyone and anything remotely opposing their newfound authority. The days of working out minor quibbles and personality differences are long gone – replaced by angry Maoist HR-scolds swinging administrative battleaxes around in politically fueled blood-rages."

A good read about a community in the Pacific Northwest now without its volunteer fire department.

Firing The Fire Board - by Michael Carter (substack.com)

Jim Minnick obituary

Leroy James "Jim" Minnick, beloved lifelong partner and best friend to Mary Brown passed away peacefully on Thursday February 8th, 2024, at the age of 68. Jim was known to family and friends for his kindness, leaving behind a legacy of love and cherished memories.

Born in Glendale, California on December 25, 1955. Jim grew up in South Carolina. He was a son of Evelyn Mae Corbett-Morris and Ershel Leroy Minnick. Jim's journey was intertwined with that of his lifelong partner, Mary Brown. Their love story was one of unwavering devotion and companionship, spanning 3 decades. Together, they built a life filled with laughter, love, and countless shared adventures. Their bond was a testament to the enduring power of love and commitment.

His dedication, work ethic, and integrity earned him the respect of co-workers at Quebecor where he was employed for 22 years. Jim will be remembered for his generous spirit and compassionate heart. He was always ready with a helping hand or a listening ear, offering support and encouragement to all who crossed his path. His kindness knew no bounds, and his impact on the lives of others was immeasurable. In his free time, Jim enjoyed coin collecting, metal detecting and loved to watch sports. He found solace and joy in the simple pleasures of life.

Jim is survived by his loving lifelong partner Mary Brown, siblings, Gery Martin (Ava), Jodie Louise Strickland and a very special great aunt, Norma (Bob) Bruce [correction, first cousin once removed]. He also leaves behind Nieces: Julie Jenneman (Steven) and Kristy Smith (Carl), Nephews: John, Steve (Leslie), and David Minnick and several great nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents Evelyn Mae Corbett-Morris and Ershel Leroy Minnick. [siblings] Lorrie Passailaigue, Lawrence James Minnick (Linda), Lonnie John Minnick, Julian Byron Carter, Barbara Jean and Gloria Kay and their beloved dog Eli.

He also leaves behind a host of relatives, friends, and colleagues who will forever cherish his memory.

Though Jim's physical presence may be gone, his spirit will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him. His legacy of love, kindness, and integrity will continue to inspire and uplift us in the days ahead.

A celebration of Jim's life will be announced at a later date.

Rest in peace, Jim. You will be deeply missed and fondly remembered, always.

https://www.westmorelandfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Leroy-James-Minnick?obId=30693463

From shoes to uncles

There's an editorial in WSJ today from a woman who had been told by her doctors she had to give up high heels. There's a pay wall, but I know she finally opted for good health rather than be crippled. I was never a shoe fanatic, but I did wear high heels, probably 3" in high school and college, then 2" in my 40's, then sort of wedgies, and now flat Mary Jane's. After I retired in 2000 at 60 I was always well dressed when I went out in public--like to the coffee shop, grocery store or various club meetings. Until about 2010, I always wore high heels with my slacks. After exercise class I would go home and change clothes rather than appear in the grocery store in my athletic clothes. Somewhere after 70 I decided that was probably wasted energy. These memories are included in the blog I wrote in 2015 about "What I used to do and don't anymore." If I hadn't written it, I might not remember I ever wore high heels.

My grandmother Weybright held out as long as she could. Born in 1876 she was still wearing sensible high heels and a nice dress when I would drive her to cattle sales or the state fair (she managed her farms) in the late 1950s. Women were stronger and smarter in those days. I think she also wore a hat in public.

In the photo below (1949) my grandmother is in the back on the right and I can see she's wearing heels with a strap; her sister-in-law, Alice Jay, who was older is seated on the left and is also wearing heels. It was a terribly hot sticky day, and I was very uncomfortable as I can see from the look on my face.

  

The person taking the photo was my uncle, J. Edwin Jay, the retired president of Wilmington College in Ohio. I decided to check the internet, and found that a younger faculty member had decided to publish in 2015 Jay's story of his years at Wilmington on the internet from a typed manuscript he found in the library. So I looked up Prof. McNelis who had retired, and sorry to say he died about 6 months ago, so I can't thank him for that nice gesture. Uncle Edwin and I corresponded for years, and I made a special trip to see him before he died in Detroit in 1963. And we know all this because some journalist has given up her painful shoes.

James I. McNelis, III, Ph.D. (teachingtolkien.org)

James McNelis Obituary (2023) - Eureka, CA - Times-Standard (legacy.com)

History and Tradition - Wilmington College (Wilmington, Ohio)

Here's What "Trendy" Shoes Looked Like In Every Decade Of The 20th Century (ranker.com)

The Trump Obsession of Biden

I was listening to the VDH podcast (Victor Davis Hanson) this morning, and he repeated this story (with vocal imitations) about Biden. Then I saw it in print.

"Things are becoming so strange, so surreal, so nihilistic in contemporary America that the chaos can only be deliberate. Chance, incompetence, and accident could not alone explain the series of disasters we now daily witness that are nearly destroying the country.

When the ailing and non-compos-mentis president now speaks, he rarely becomes excited about Iranian or terrorist provocations. Biden seems restrained even at Russia’s outlawry in Ukraine. The atrocities of Hamas now earn only measured objections from Biden. He does not seem too angered by the collapse of the border. Nor do the deaths of 100,000 Americans to imported fentanyl earn a loud trademark Biden scream.

No, what earns his unchecked ire, often expressed in shouts and hysterical tones, are Donald Trump and his supporters. Most recently, out of nowhere, Biden resurrected the old and proven falsehood that Trump had libeled the Normandy dead as losers and suckers. He then compounded that libel by claiming Trump’s supposed dismissal of the heroic dead was a grievous family insult to his own late son, who did not die either in combat or while in uniform but in 2015, tragically, from brain cancer.
During these anti-Trump fits, Biden wakes up and his face tightens up. He begins screaming, in uncharacteristic, animated fashion, anytime he can smear half the nation’s voters as “semi-fascists” and “ultra-MAGA” extremists. In private, he swears that Trump is a “f—ing asshole” and “sick f—k.” If only Biden substituted “cartel” or “Iran” or “Hamas” for “Trump” or “MAGA.” we might see an animate president."

My observation?  Biden's irrational behavior is just one of the reasons you need to turn a deaf ear and blind eye to any insult you hear about Trump being a Nazi or racist because the Trump stories are almost always lies stuffed with evil and puffed up by the media. I've yet to find one that was true. And Biden every day shows he is far worse than any of the caricatures of Trump.

St. Mary's Summer School of Faith 2023 with Charles Craigmile

I'm a huge fan of Charles Craigmile's theology classes, and have followed him about 10 years now.  I'm usually a little behind. I just found the 2023 list of classes, but haven't watched them yet.  I wish St. Mary's would put the classes on a podcast, although he also has good visuals.

In 2023, Charles Craigmile presented a series of sessions at St. Mary’s in Lake Forest as part of their Adult Education program1. The sessions covered various topics related to the Catholic faith and were held weekly on Tuesday nights. Here are some of the topics that were covered: 

https://youtu.be/d9qpfZBFUU4?si=Y8GNDtyxN0ThOvAC  2023 Summer School of Faith

The Identity and Mission of the Catholic Church
Grace & the Sacraments and the Spiritual Life
Living a Moral Life and Contemporary Moral Issues (marriage, divorce, contraception, abortion, IVF, homosexuality, etc.)
Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven & Hell

Collecting My Thoughts: Summer School of Faith 2022, Vatican II

Restoring the sacred in a secular age.  Series for 2019   https://youtu.be/AcS6WXVr6GU?si=jykqmBkfm2WrC7QW

Collecting My Thoughts: Summer School of Faith-Sixth, 2018-Charles Craigmile, Culture Lost, Culture Reclaimed

The income gap

If a thesis is repeated hundreds of times, many people believe it; if it is repeated millions of times, hardly anyone doubts it. Like masks can stop the spread of a virus, or you can stop climate change by forcing people to own a different car or sending rich celebrities in private planes to conferences where they lavish themselves with goodies, or men can become women by wishful thinking and hormones. And there's another one: there's a rising gap between rich and poor.

"Phil Gramm, Robert Ekelund, and John Early recently showed in their excellent book "The Myth of American Inequality: How Government Biases Policy Debate." The actual percentage of their income paid by the top one percent of earners in tax in the U.S. was only 16.1 percent in 1962, when the top marginal rate was 91 percent. However, in 1988, when the top rate was only 28 percent, the percentage paid by the top one percent of earners had risen to 21.5 percent! As the top tax rate fell by two-thirds, the percentage of their income that the top one percent of tax filers paid in federal income and payroll taxes rose by a third.

Since the 1960s, the welfare state in the U.S. has been constantly expanded, so that the proportion of the population receiving transfer payments, and the amount of transfer payments, has increased continually. If one takes into account taxes on the one hand and transfer payments on the other, it becomes clear that the actual income, i.e. what a citizen has left after taxes and transfer payments, is much lower for the rich and much higher for those on low incomes."

New Study Calls into Question the Theory of Rising Inequality - Foundation for Economic Education (fee.org)

Exploring Income Transfers: What You Should Know (enrichest.com)

List of 80+ Federal Welfare Programs (singlemotherguide.com)

Bare-faced Go-away-bird vs. Lying dog-faced pony soldier

 Remember when Joe Biden called a woman a lying dog-faced pony soldier in 2020? He wasn't sued because no one had a clue if his slur was racist, sexist or homophobic, so the media gave him a pass. Our Page a day bird calendar for Feb. 5 has a bird that could have been named by Joe Biden. It's a "Bare-faced Go-away-bird. " It doesn't have a mask and it's difficult to tell the males from the females. It was named by a German and is found in a number of African countries.

Bare-faced Go-away-bird - eBird

The hysteria pandemic on top of the Covid pandemic

"The media, the government, scientific and public health organizations, etc. relentlessly twisted the facts to conform to their ideology. Most of us were deceived into believing that COVID-19 was far worse than it really was, that interventions were more effective than they really were, and that downsides of interventions were smaller than they really were. The pandemic became cartoonishly distorted across every dimension. A psychic pandemic had been superimposed onto a real pandemic.

Public health elites did not worry that the messaging was wrong. They worried that the spell might be broken. Thus Birx lamented, “When people start to realize that 99% of us are going to be fine, it becomes more and more difficult [to get people to comply].”

Almost all pandemic policies sharply contradicted decades of scientific consensus. Most experts knew this was wrong but were unwilling to fight the mob. But some did."

Kevin Bass, "How my medical school scandalously dismissed me" The Illusion of Consensus, 

How My Medical School Scandalously Dismissed Me (illusionconsensus.com)

Autoimmune diseases afflict primarily women

Women account for around 80% of all cases of autoimmune disease, a category that includes conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. What explains this sex bias has long been a mystery, however. . . . A prime suspect is the X chromosome: in most mammals, including humans, a male’s cells typically include only one copy, whereas a female’s cells typically carry two.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00267-6?

As if 99.9999% of the third world didn't know that men and women are different, here's one more proof for more advanced cultures--autoimmune diseases. Yet the authors of this article needed to include this disclaimer just in case someone sues Nature magazine: " (This article uses ‘women’ and ‘female’ to describe people with two X chromosomes and no Y chromosome, reflecting the language of the study, while acknowledging that gender identity and chromosomal make-up do not always align.) "

 Of course, gender is a grammar term and not science or biology.

Xist ribonucleoproteins promote female sex-biased autoimmunity (cell.com)

Inspirational message our young people need to hear

This Davos speech should be required reading for every teen-ager and every Democrat. For Christians committed to social justice and economic opportunity for the poor, it would also be a good study.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/special-address-by-javier-milei-president-of-argentina/?

"Today I'm here to tell you that the Western world is in danger. And it is in danger because those who are supposed to have to defend the values of the West are co-opted by a vision of the world that inexorably leads to socialism and thereby to poverty."

Milei: "Thanks to free trade capitalism, the world is now living its best moment. Never in all of mankind or humanity's history has there been a time of more prosperity than today. This is true for all. The world of today has more freedom, is rich, more peaceful and prosperous. This is particularly true for countries that have more economic freedom and respect the property rights of individuals.
Countries that have more freedom are 12 times richer than those that are repressed. The lowest percentile in free countries is better off than 90% of the population in repressed countries. Poverty is 25 times lower and extreme poverty is 50 times lower. And citizens in free countries live 25% longer than citizens in repressed countries."

[njb: I would disagree with him that the world is more peaceful, and unfortunately the U.S. is funding some of those conflicts. Also, the freedom index for the USA is losing ground. We're 17th. Thank you, Democrats for limiting our speech, religion and destroying the trustworthiness of the media.]

Message from General Mike Flynn about U.S. Wars

Message on X (Twitter) from Mike Flynn

The United States of America invaded Iraq back in 2003 based on now U.S. Government debunked claims of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The very famous speech that General Colin Powell gave in the United Nations with the full weight of the CIA behind him where he said Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, was all a lie. 

We then proceeded to lose so many young lives, killed and wounded. We also lost trillions of dollars from our treasury (meaning from American taxpayers). We lost a ton of prestige as well on the world stage. All for a loser endless war that now looks to be turning the tide toward war once again, but this time the tide is against the United States. 

Also, Iran is most certainly developing a nuclear weapons programs. We know this because our government under Obama and Biden have told us. These administrations are funding them to the tune of billions of dollars. This is no secret—it’s all public knowledge and those on the left appear to consider it their duty to support Iran (I really don’t know where this attitude comes from). Do these people hate America (and Israel) so much, they want to see a war or the destruction of entire societies? That’s what nuclear weapons can do.

 I can speculate and analyze all day long about this and point fingers at Obama and Kerry, the Clintons, pressure from the globalists at the WEF, or maybe it’s the CCP directing our U.S. foreign policy (I’m not kidding—at times, it feels that way).

All the money we’re pouring into Iran flows into Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran surrogates inside the Iraq Government, and many other Iranian aligned groups and individuals in the greater Middle East.

Tactically but with strategic consequence are the number of attacks on U.S. forces. That number is now north of 150 resulting in several casualties. During the previous Iraq War, there were more than 600 U.S. casualties directly caused by Iran. 

Iran has unleashed proxy wars in Israel, Syria, Yemen, Gaza, Lebanon, Red Sea, and are likely behind protests here in America as well as influencing, through their relationships with Venezuela, the invasion of our southern border. 

The big “so what” is that Iran is our enemy, not our friend. 

And what is the Biden administration’s response: Continue to send billions in aid and trade to Iran (our enemy). 

In my judgement, you cannot make peace with fanatics. For example, there were over 300K soldiers and civilians killed during the final Battle for Berlin against the Nazi's in 1945. The Nazis knew they had zero chance for victory. But that’s how fanatics operate. We have to stop dealing with fanatics.

Lastly, if we don’t focus right here at home, AMERICA FIRST, we could lose everything. So much is at stake and we’re not even allowed to close the front door to our home. I believe in God. I believe in the power of prayer. I believe that we have lost sight of the importance of God in America. To reclaim our republic as a Judeo-Christian nation built on a set of moral principles and values, we need to be fearless and we better get our act together very quickly. 

God Bless America.

https://twitter.com/GenFlynn/status/1753078333275877862?

Race hustler in Boston needs a reality check

That bald race hustler squad member is calling a Walgreen closing in a high crime and vandalism area of Boston, racism. Well, why not. They say that about everything. Didn't AOC chase out a Walmart with jobs in her district claiming something similar? There is a cure for their ignorance. Let them work for a week in such a neighborhood, without their own government paid security, either stocking shelves, unloading trucks, riding the bus to work and walking a few blocks or standing at the pay cubicle, so they can fear for their lives. Let them shop in the neighborhood and be victims of muggings and theft. Let them look at the profit/loss statements and face the investors fleeing to other stocks.

 
The Democrats might consider dropping their party's push for defunding police and turning criminals back out on the street when they've committed mayhem. Democrats are not tough on crime, but sure can run their mouths while coddling criminals.

Depolarization of Christians during this political climate

Our church is offering an educational unit on "Depolarization" to help members face the increasing divisions especially in the current election cycle using the Bible as a guide. Call it a polarizing subject, but abortion is at the top of my list. I don't want to nor will I attempt to bridge the gap between me and a Democrat, a Christian, a fellow member of the body of Christ, who voted twice to push through the abortion issues which passed this year in Ohio. A change in our state constitution to "protect the rights of women." And let's just throw in a recent side issue of men in women's sports and locker rooms bill, a bill which DOES NOT protect women, but which would allow continued mutilation of children, aka "affirming care." A bill which Republicans in the legislature needed to override the veto of our so called Republican governor, Mike DeWine.

Actually, I haven't heard too many conservatives complain about the divisions and polarization in our country--they seem to know that liberals are feeling some guilt and anxiety about the wars, the border, and abortion available to the last day, and THAT's causing them to see a profound chasm of the Democrats own creation. It's not the party they signed on to 30-40 years ago, nor the party I left almost 25 years ago. It's not for me to close the gap or wave the white flag.

Congregational meeting and Dave Mann's retirement

When we began attending UALC in 1974 we met a young couple who were students at Luther Seminary in Bexley, Dave and Pam Mann (although she might have been his fiancée still). He was hired to be the Middle School minister. He had long blond hair and played the guitar. He's also a great organist.  He was sort of in an out -- he became our missionary to Cameroon in Africa. Instead of raising support as many missionaries have to do, our church kept them "on staff." We watched their four children grow up and eventually they returned to the U.S. (must have been some culture shock) where he rejoined our local staff with the usual ministerial responsibilities. In a few years he took a position at Institution Univers in Ouanaminthe, Haiti for about a decade, then returning to UALC where he was in charge of our international ministry. Bob participated in the Haiti short term ministry for 10 trips and taught in the school there.  Pam is a fabulous artist and contributed to so many of our in house art projects and quilt ministry, and also for many years she was a leader in the church's aerobic classes.  They retired at the end of 2023, and today was the celebration for their years of service and best wishes for their next adventure.

Dave and Pam were in Haiti during the terrible earthquake in 2010, and although Ouanaminthe was not hit, his school took in many students from the damaged area.  On his Facebook page he wrote:

"The day began with an all-school worship service. I was privileged to give the message. It was not difficult to find the word that would be right – Ours is a God who knows how to transform evil into good. The story of Joseph which is a key piece of my Bible curriculum in the 10th and 11th grades demonstrates this teaching. As I began to quote Genesis 50:20, many of the students completed the verse with me aloud. And, of course, the cross of Jesus is the ultimate proof that our God is a redeemer. Joseph’s story was not finished when he was in prison. Jesus’ story was not finished in the tomb. Haiti’s story was not finished on January 12th. Our story is not finished today. Our God will have the last word.""

On Easter Sunday 2018 Dave preached and told this story about John and Ali which I recorded in my blog.

"John was having a very busy day, and he passed a black man on Route 23 going north who’d had a flat tire and was attempting to flag someone down. John felt the Lord tap his shoulder but proceeded on as he had a busy schedule. Then he felt a firmer tap, so he turned around to help the stranded motorist. Not only was the tire flat, it was ruined. Not only was it ruined, but the man, Ali, had no money. So John paid for the tire himself, and then installed it for Ali. When they were finished, Ali told him he’d been waiting for two hours and no one had stopped, so why did John stop? “Because I serve the King,” John told him. Then Ali said, he’d like to know about this King that John served. Last Easter Ali was baptized a Christian and joined our Lutheran church. Dave told him that he would experience rejection and even hate from his Muslim community, but God’s love, through John had touched him and he came to know the living Lord."

  

Bob with Pam and Dave in Haiti in 2008

Bob and Pam at the quilt show at UALC in 2019 

Swamped by e-mail and Ben Sira

My e-mail is out of control. I'm not asking for solutions. This is a rant, not a cry for help. I think I get 50-75 a day, and I've scrupulously unsubscribed to those which sneak in because mailing lists are sold. However, even the ones I've asked for and read, or save, send other suggestions and offers and I can't always tell from the subject line whether it's important. Then add the medical portals for the 2 of us which send all manner of "stuff" including alerts about appointments and requests to sign in remotely. There are specialists not connected to our regular physician, they send notices too. I can give many other examples--charities, church groups, clubs, condo association, credit card, groups of friends that do "reply all", spam, and so on, and on. Sometimes I miss a personal e-mail letter which I love because it gets lost in the crowd.

Recently my book club read "Sisters of Sinai" which I liked so I bought a used copy (so I could check the bibliography) because I was interested in Ben Sira (Sirach, Ecclesiasticus). The Scottish twin sisters finding a scrap of Ben Sira manuscript in Hebrew in Egypt in 1896 was one of the most important Biblical discoveries in recent time, right up there with the Dead Sea Scrolls. After checking the internet, I signed up for something called Academia which is open access for academic papers so a reader can browse and download. There are many others that aggregate publications like SSRN which I've used, and even Ohio State has one called Knowledge Bank. On my first try, I found over 124,000 papers written about Ben Sira. Now I'm getting inquiries from this service about updating to premium and have I considered reading paper xyz. I also bought a few other books through ABE, and I get not only notices about where they are in transit, but wouldn't I like to try this or that book. So you see, it's my own fault.

A beautiful duck

 We have a page a day calendar of birds on our kitchen table. Today I said, Mandarin Duck, that's the most beautiful bird I've ever seen. So I looked it up in birdsfact.com and it said, "It is the most beautiful duck in the world in comparison to other species of ducks." https://birdsfact.com/mandarin-duck/

A Mandarin Duck Somehow Found Its Way To Central Park (thethings.com)

8 Fascinating Facts about Mandarin Ducks- The Symbolic Ducks in Korean Weddings | Nature World News

Inflation 1973-2023 in my recipe box

Today I was looking through my recipe box (sort of a historical archive now since I rarely bake) for something cobbler like/lite and found a recipe for cheesecake that serves 12 by my cousin Judy who lives in Winnebago, IL and grew up in Byron. It was dated August, 1973, so I have no idea why we were exchanging recipes. Our big family reunion was 20 years later and for that she contributed some from her mother, Aunt Gladys (d. 1976). Anyway, I'm not going to make a cheesecake, but on the back of the card I noted the prices. Things have changed a bit in 50 years. Pie filling (for topping) .59; Dream Whip .26; graham crackers .23; cream cheese .55. It seems I didn't count the sugar, eggs, and butter because I probably had that on hand (called homemaker math). It's in my handwriting, so I probably copied it to fit in this tiny box for 3 x 5 cards.

Some on FB are old enough to remember the nightmare of stagflation of the 1970s--high inflation, high unemployment, and low growth. In 1973 the average rate of inflation for food prices was over 13%. In August 1973 when I noted the prices, the food inflation rate was 18.2%! That may be why I noted the costs on the card. Compare that to 2023 food prices which was 5.8% for the year. The killer rate we all remember (and blame Biden for) was about 10% for 2022. I blame this primarily on the lockdown which really messed up all levels of the economy as well as health.

Data are from https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/food-inflation-in-the-united-states/? 

The Mentor magazine

It was snowing in Columbus, OH, on January 19.  I'm recovering from back strain and much improved, so was tackling the laundry. My adult ADHD kicked in and I noticed something on a top shelf peeking out, calling to me while the washer filled. Debating whether to stress my back, I reached for it and found a May 1929 "The Mentor" magazine.

"The Mentor magazine was published from 1913 to about 1931 by The Mentor Association. The Association was founded by William David Moffat in 1912 and included experts in various fields. Each issue was devoted to a single subject augmented by fine photogravures (photogravures are prints produced in such a way as to mimic the richness and subtle range of tone found in photographs). . . http://archives.dyclibrary.net/?p=206

I've searched this computer for the data base of my grandparents' library, but I can't find it.  I created and printed it back in the 90s, but my back will not allow bending, stretching and lifting. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have picked this up anywhere unless I recognized it. Both my maternal grandparents attended college in the 1890s and although they subscribed to many practical and farming magazines, this looks like it would have appealed to their interests.  This issue concerns wild animals (birds, bears, elephants) and travels, particularly the American west.  Also articles about animal artists. Robert L. Dickey, Grace Mott Johnson, Louis Jonas

I particularly enjoy the advertisements in old magazines. There's a full-page ad for Woman's Home Companion (Springfield Ohio) which promised serialized books for only $1.00 a year. Last year (1928?) the subscriber could have enjoyed The Story of Religion, What is Wrong with Marriage, Mareea-Maria,  The Foolish Virgin, The Quart Eye, Mamba's Daughters, Troupers of the Gold Coast or the rise of Lotta Crabtree, Keeping off the Shelf, and The Father. Of course, on the back, there is a full color ad for Camel cigarettes, "a Miss is as good as a mile" with an attractive young woman offering cigarettes to a handsome man.

Over reach of regulatory agencies--the deep state

NPR--liberal:  "The U.S. Supreme Court wrestled Wednesday with the implications of overturning a nearly 40-year-old precedent that could weaken the way the federal government regulates, well, everything.

A system in place for decades has governed how judges review curbs on air and water pollution, gun safety measures and workplace protections. But conservative legal foundations and business groups have urged the court to scrap that system, arguing it hands too much power to federal agencies at the expense of Congress and the judiciary.

Several of the court's conservative justices expressed deep skepticism of the current framework. But all three left-leaning justices offered support for keeping the system in place. And Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a Trump appointee, raised concerns about "inviting a flood of litigation" if they reversed course."

Supreme Court hears arguments in a case that could weaken federal rulemaking : NPR

Daily Signal--conservative: "The U.S. Supreme Court took up two cases Wednesday regarding the regulatory authority of the federal government as fishermen argue that government agencies are exceeding their authority by imposing costly mandates.

In Loper Bright Enterprises vs. Raimondo and Relentless Inc. vs. Department of Commerce, fishermen are challenging administrative law, dubbed “Chevron deference,” that asserts that when a federal statute is ambiguous about specific regulations, courts should defer to the implementing agency’s interpretation of the law.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration implemented a rule in 2020 forcing fishing companies (such as Relentless Inc.) to pay for federal observers to monitor the fishermen at sea on their own fishing boats—even though Congress did not give the agency authority to do so."

https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/01/17/supreme-court-hears-fishermens-challenges-to-costly-regulatory-authority-of-feds/?

NJB opinion:  Both Democrats and Republicans lean heavily on long-time bureaucrats to carry out their agendas, however Democrats also have the power of academe in their corner. Few conservatives can even get hired at major, powerful universities, let along make it through P & T. That limits their ability to get past the gatekeepers at the journals and print media. So we have the revolving door of CDC, FAA, EPA, FTC, FCC, FDA CFPB, etc. plus all the "tools" and "acts" and lobbyists and union leaders who control these groups. The liberal media are screaming that the SCOTUS could "gut" or "strangle" these agencies. Without ever mentioning the constitution. Or what's happening to us, the citizen/voter.

A friend says we need to pray about the SCOTUS decision: I'm all for prayer; Paul tells us to pray without ceasing. But it also wouldn't hurt Christians to be informed. What if each young mothers Bible Study group chose to look at just ONE agency/act /regulation that the federal, state and county governments are doing about foster care, trafficking of children, Head Start, safety of playgrounds, SNAP, school nutrition, and so forth. There are probably thousands. Sometimes church involvement is limited to applying for grants which in turn puts the government in the middle of the church via its budget.