I was the receptionist/secretary/labor at Foxbilt Feeds in Mt. Morris, IL. I've forgotten the name of the owner, but he had a fantastic red Ford convertible, probably 1955. I answered the phone and copied down orders for delivery. The car had seat belts, not sure if they were required then or were an add on option. But I must have gone on some deliveries to farmers, otherwise I wouldn't have been in the car. It was a part time, summer job, and my mom took me to work since I was too young to drive. I looked online and Foxbilt does seem to still supply feed and fertilizer.
Thursday, May 30, 2024
Seat belts--early memory
"Click it or ticket. Buckle up." That is the banner at the intersection of Tremont and Kenny Rds. Golf course on the west. Lutheran church, apartments and city building on the east. And a memory flashes of the first time I wore a seat belt in a car. Does that ever happen to you? Useless memories pop up out of nowhere, but I can't remember how to use the TV remote. I don't have any grandchildren to bore with my stories (however, I loved my grandparents' stories).
I was the receptionist/secretary/labor at Foxbilt Feeds in Mt. Morris, IL. I've forgotten the name of the owner, but he had a fantastic red Ford convertible, probably 1955. I answered the phone and copied down orders for delivery. The car had seat belts, not sure if they were required then or were an add on option. But I must have gone on some deliveries to farmers, otherwise I wouldn't have been in the car. It was a part time, summer job, and my mom took me to work since I was too young to drive. I looked online and Foxbilt does seem to still supply feed and fertilizer.
I was the receptionist/secretary/labor at Foxbilt Feeds in Mt. Morris, IL. I've forgotten the name of the owner, but he had a fantastic red Ford convertible, probably 1955. I answered the phone and copied down orders for delivery. The car had seat belts, not sure if they were required then or were an add on option. But I must have gone on some deliveries to farmers, otherwise I wouldn't have been in the car. It was a part time, summer job, and my mom took me to work since I was too young to drive. I looked online and Foxbilt does seem to still supply feed and fertilizer.
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Google search algorithm
"Google’s search algorithm is perhaps the most consequential system on the internet, dictating what sites live and die and what content on the web looks like." Sure is. When I go back and reread some of my blog entries whether it's about Memorial Day, a recipe, family memories, or how bad Obama was, I can see counts of 150-200 per entry. Now, it's about 17-20. Part of it was change in social media choices, but also it's the algorithm. Commercial sites now get top space. And of course, during the pandemic and lockdown, it was simply censored.
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Menopause
I wonder how this sentence got past the DEI police. "Approximately 55 million people in the US and approximately 1.1 billion people worldwide are postmenopausal women." Men who declare they are women don't experience menopause, and women who declare they are men do if they have retained their organs. JAMA. 2024;331(20):1748-1760.
Monday, May 27, 2024
Memorial Day 2024, Monday May 27
The last Monday in May is dedicated to remembering military members who died in service. I've done a number of blogs over the years about my uncle Clare who was killed in WWII in the China Burma India Theater in October 1944. There are only a few nieces and a nephew who remember him, and we are all in our 80s. He came home in October 1947 on the Honda Knot, and from there came by train to Franklin Grove, Illinois where he was buried in the Ashton Cemetery.
Sunday, May 26, 2024
What does the Bible say about soldiers? An old blog entry for Memorial Day Week-end
I came across an item about soldiers and wars in my blog entry of June 1, 2008. I didn't follow through on my question about how have soldiers influenced the spread of the Gospel. But it's still worth looking at.
"This week our congregation has been reading the book of Acts, and I noticed a number of references to soldiers and centurions. I'm not much of a Bible scholar, but I did wonder about what studies have been done on their influence in spreading the Gospel during the first century of the church. Then yesterday, while looking for a different book (and knocking some items on the floor because I sometimes stack books behind books if they don't have attractive covers), I found an International Sunday School Lesson book from 1944 which I think I bought at a yard sale for a quarter about 10 years ago. If you can find them, these books are packed with study outlines, bibliographies, lesson plans, illustrations and color maps. No wimp-out, touchy-feely, "let's get acquainted" questions in this book!
In the introduction the editor writes:"Inasmuch as we are in the midst of the world's most gigantic military conflict, and the minds of people are so much upon war, some of our readers might be interested in taking up a series of studies in young people's meetings, or in prayer meetings, or in private classes in homes, apart from the International Sunday School Lessons, in Biblical themes that have more or less relation to the subject of war. We here suggest two such series, one a study of the centurions and soldiers of the New Testament [the other was OT battles]. They will be found in eighteen different groups, nine in the Gospels, and nine in the Book of Acts. A fascinating book could be written just about the soldiers of the New Testament.
In the introduction the editor writes:"Inasmuch as we are in the midst of the world's most gigantic military conflict, and the minds of people are so much upon war, some of our readers might be interested in taking up a series of studies in young people's meetings, or in prayer meetings, or in private classes in homes, apart from the International Sunday School Lessons, in Biblical themes that have more or less relation to the subject of war. We here suggest two such series, one a study of the centurions and soldiers of the New Testament [the other was OT battles]. They will be found in eighteen different groups, nine in the Gospels, and nine in the Book of Acts. A fascinating book could be written just about the soldiers of the New Testament.
1. The centurion whose servant Jesus healed of the palsy (Matt. 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10)
2. The soldiers of the governor who mocked and smote Jesus--between his trial and crucifixion (Mat. 27:27-32; Mark 15:16-23; John 19:2)
3. The soldiers who mocked Jesus at the cross (Luke 23:36,37)
4. The soldiers who parted Christ's raiment at the foot of the cross (John 19:23,24)
5. The soldiers who broke the legs of the 2 criminals crucified on either side of Christ (John 19:32)
6. The soldier who thrust a spear into the side of Christ (John 19:34)
7. The centurion at the cross who confessed that Jesus was the Son of God (Matt.27:54; Mark 15:39; Luke 23:47)
8. The centurion who reported to Pilate that Jesus was dead (Mark 15:44,45)
9. The soldiers who were set to guard the tomb wherein the body of Jesus lay (Matt. 27:65, 66; 28:11-15)
10. Cornelius, centurion of the Italian band, to whom Peter preached (Acts 10)
11. The "devout soldier" who was sent by Cornelius to bring Peter (Acts 10:7,8)
12. The 4 quarternions of soldiers to whom Peter was delivered for safekeeping, and between two of whom Peter was sleeping (Acts 12:4-18)
13. The soldiers and centurions whom the chief captain used to deliver Paul from the mob in Jerusalem (Acts 21:32-35)
14. The centurion to whom Paul declared he was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:25,26)
15. The centurion to whom Paul asked permission to see his sister's son (Acts 23:17)
16. The soldiers who accompanied Paul to Caesarea (Acts 23:23-35)
17. Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band, to whom Paul was committed when he was sent to Rome (Acts 27:1,6,11,31,43; 28:16)
18. The soldiers who were on the ship on which Paul was carried to Rome (Acts 27:31, 32, 42)"
Only the introduction of the 1944 book mentions the war that was on everyone's mind, an introduction which included five annotated bibliographies containing about 80 titles, many multi-volume, for the teacher to consult! Many people never read an introduction, preface or footnote (librarians love the secondary and tertiary stuff), so I suspect this was a concession to some heated arguments in the back room when deciding what was to go into this book.
The editors appeared to have no doubts about who would be the victor, although I don't think my mother, aunts and grandmothers, with ear to the radio and eye on the headlines, waiting for the mailman (my own father plus numerous uncles and cousins were in the service) were quite so confident.
2. The soldiers of the governor who mocked and smote Jesus--between his trial and crucifixion (Mat. 27:27-32; Mark 15:16-23; John 19:2)
3. The soldiers who mocked Jesus at the cross (Luke 23:36,37)
4. The soldiers who parted Christ's raiment at the foot of the cross (John 19:23,24)
5. The soldiers who broke the legs of the 2 criminals crucified on either side of Christ (John 19:32)
6. The soldier who thrust a spear into the side of Christ (John 19:34)
7. The centurion at the cross who confessed that Jesus was the Son of God (Matt.27:54; Mark 15:39; Luke 23:47)
8. The centurion who reported to Pilate that Jesus was dead (Mark 15:44,45)
9. The soldiers who were set to guard the tomb wherein the body of Jesus lay (Matt. 27:65, 66; 28:11-15)
10. Cornelius, centurion of the Italian band, to whom Peter preached (Acts 10)
11. The "devout soldier" who was sent by Cornelius to bring Peter (Acts 10:7,8)
12. The 4 quarternions of soldiers to whom Peter was delivered for safekeeping, and between two of whom Peter was sleeping (Acts 12:4-18)
13. The soldiers and centurions whom the chief captain used to deliver Paul from the mob in Jerusalem (Acts 21:32-35)
14. The centurion to whom Paul declared he was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:25,26)
15. The centurion to whom Paul asked permission to see his sister's son (Acts 23:17)
16. The soldiers who accompanied Paul to Caesarea (Acts 23:23-35)
17. Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band, to whom Paul was committed when he was sent to Rome (Acts 27:1,6,11,31,43; 28:16)
18. The soldiers who were on the ship on which Paul was carried to Rome (Acts 27:31, 32, 42)"
Only the introduction of the 1944 book mentions the war that was on everyone's mind, an introduction which included five annotated bibliographies containing about 80 titles, many multi-volume, for the teacher to consult! Many people never read an introduction, preface or footnote (librarians love the secondary and tertiary stuff), so I suspect this was a concession to some heated arguments in the back room when deciding what was to go into this book.
The editors appeared to have no doubts about who would be the victor, although I don't think my mother, aunts and grandmothers, with ear to the radio and eye on the headlines, waiting for the mailman (my own father plus numerous uncles and cousins were in the service) were quite so confident.
They wrote: "When the war is over, evangelical Christianity will enter upon the greatest struggle it has known since the days of Constantine in the defense of its great cardinal truths. All of this great and important and sober work will not be done by ministers or theological professors, but much of it by the thousands and thousands of faithful Sunday school teachers throughout our land. Let us prayerfully, carefully, with all the mind and heart we have, prepare ourselves now for this great struggle in the expectation of glorious victory in the ultimate triumph of the truth of God."
Certainly a word for the 21st century. And even they couldn't have imagined it would be our home-grown, gold plated idols (celebrities), our wealth (mind numbing consumerism), our gendered temples (desecration of God's plan for man and woman), our university faculties and our own elected leaders we'd need to fear. Or did they?" (End of June 1, 2008 blog entry.)
Certainly a word for the 21st century. And even they couldn't have imagined it would be our home-grown, gold plated idols (celebrities), our wealth (mind numbing consumerism), our gendered temples (desecration of God's plan for man and woman), our university faculties and our own elected leaders we'd need to fear. Or did they?" (End of June 1, 2008 blog entry.)
Have a thoughtful Memorial Day observance
Testimony wrapped up this week, and closing arguments are scheduled following the holiday.
Judge Juan Merchan, the worst in our history, sent the jury home to stew in the hate and threats in NYC they'll receive for several days if any one of them dares to follow the evidence and the "charge" (which we still don't know) and find Trump innocent of the non-crime. If the Democrats can destroy due process against a former president, they can do it to YOU.
Makes the sacrifices of all the wars and all our lost soldiers look futile, doesn't it?
Democrats are trying to get rid of Alito so they can hire a compliant stooge for the court. Wouldn't surprise me if that's what Merchan is going for.
"Megyn is joined by legal experts Andy McCarthy and Phil Holloway to discuss whether Trump witness Robert Costello helped or hurt his case, if the defense team should have rested after they established Michael Cohen was a liar on the stand during cross-examination, and more.
Megyn, McCarthy, and Holloway discuss Judge Merchan withholding jury instructions from the public, jurors being exposed to outside influence during the Memorial Day holiday, the political pressure on the jury and the judge to get a conviction, and more." (Megyn Kelly podcast May 25.)
Makes the sacrifices of all the wars and all our lost soldiers look futile, doesn't it?
Democrats are trying to get rid of Alito so they can hire a compliant stooge for the court. Wouldn't surprise me if that's what Merchan is going for.
Megyn, McCarthy, and Holloway discuss Judge Merchan withholding jury instructions from the public, jurors being exposed to outside influence during the Memorial Day holiday, the political pressure on the jury and the judge to get a conviction, and more." (Megyn Kelly podcast May 25.)
Thursday, May 23, 2024
Morning meditation on conversion
Morning meditation by Fr. Donald Haggerty:
This stripping away of the gloss and sheen covering much of life is a kind of revelation to the soul. The emptiness of the pursuit of self-gratification is soon tasted and often leaves a lasting aversion to indulgent habits in life. It is not surprising, then that we turn to a difference source of satisfaction. The life of prayer begins to attract us more. A kind of disinterest in chasing after chimeras roots itself in the soul. The result in part is the greater simplicity of lifestyle seen after every deeper conversion." Magnificat, May 2024, pp. 355-56
Fr. Donald Haggerty, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, is currently serving at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. He has been a Professor of Moral Theology at St. Joseph’s Seminary in New York and Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland and has a long association as a spiritual director for Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. He is the author of many books.
"It should not be surprising that a desire for a simpler lifestyle is a common impulse after a serious conversion. This is not just the result of new discipline. The shock of finding God in a personal encounter, and of being known to him, is a penetrating light cast upon life itself. Standing before eternity, so to speak, is a jolting experience and awakens a realization that so many gratifications sought in this life are empty, and unworthy. The awareness of time catches hold of our soul with a keen sense of the transiency and impermanence of the things of this life. What a year earlier might have been a coveted object to possess, a desire or ambition to be pursued, seems now unmasked for its paltry insignificance. It is truly as though a light from heaven had shone on the worldly pleasures and gratifications that formerly occupied out life with hardly a thought.
This stripping away of the gloss and sheen covering much of life is a kind of revelation to the soul. The emptiness of the pursuit of self-gratification is soon tasted and often leaves a lasting aversion to indulgent habits in life. It is not surprising, then that we turn to a difference source of satisfaction. The life of prayer begins to attract us more. A kind of disinterest in chasing after chimeras roots itself in the soul. The result in part is the greater simplicity of lifestyle seen after every deeper conversion." Magnificat, May 2024, pp. 355-56
Fr. Donald Haggerty, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, is currently serving at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. He has been a Professor of Moral Theology at St. Joseph’s Seminary in New York and Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland and has a long association as a spiritual director for Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. He is the author of many books.
Do Democrats ask questions about the direction of their party?
Anna at Facebook told me they don't, but I disagree.
"Some do. We were Democrats until 2000. It was their standing on the bloody corpses of the unborn that changed our minds about what else they stood for or who they were crushing. Others might just realize that the current trial could break the Constitution forever and wake up! Some could see that what is now the fringe (campus riots) could go mainstream quickly. Others will see that what was normal and accepted in science and society even 15 years ago is now an abomination to the Democrat party."
Norma
The Platform, 2000: "The Democratic Party stands behind the right of every woman to choose, consistent with Roe v. Wade, and regardless of ability to pay. We believe it is a fundamental constitutional liberty that individual Americans — not government — can best take responsibility for making the most difficult and intensely personal decisions regarding reproduction. This year’s Supreme Court rulings show to us all that eliminating a woman’s right to choose is only one justice away. That’s why the stakes in this election are as high as ever." Online NewsHour: Democratic Platform 2000 (pbs.org)
I'm glad we got out then. Now, in 2024, the party preaches and tries to force on us, death in the womb up to the day of birth, and some on the fringe go further suggestion a year or two after to make sure the child isn't a burden to parents or just not bright enough, and that killing child in the womb is OK if a defect is discovered. Even biological sex is a mystery to the party which can't define a mother, or a woman, which wants to jail people for using the wrong pronoun, and advocate for men using women's restrooms, sports events and scholarships.
"Some do. We were Democrats until 2000. It was their standing on the bloody corpses of the unborn that changed our minds about what else they stood for or who they were crushing. Others might just realize that the current trial could break the Constitution forever and wake up! Some could see that what is now the fringe (campus riots) could go mainstream quickly. Others will see that what was normal and accepted in science and society even 15 years ago is now an abomination to the Democrat party."
Norma
I'm glad we got out then. Now, in 2024, the party preaches and tries to force on us, death in the womb up to the day of birth, and some on the fringe go further suggestion a year or two after to make sure the child isn't a burden to parents or just not bright enough, and that killing child in the womb is OK if a defect is discovered. Even biological sex is a mystery to the party which can't define a mother, or a woman, which wants to jail people for using the wrong pronoun, and advocate for men using women's restrooms, sports events and scholarships.
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Collected thoughts of the week, and it's only Wednesday
I asked AI (co-pilot) "Did Biden tell Black Graduates they had no future in the USA and their country hated them?" and it gave me no answer, but I did see some ridiculous headlines from the Demedia which always covers for him.
This is the guy who told black Americans, "You ain't black if you don't vote for Biden." How racist is that? Even Kamala Harris during the 2016 primaries reminded Democrat voters that Biden was a racist.
I've been listening to clips from the Demedia opinion writers (that would be all the journalists), and it seems some are fearful that Trump could be the totalitarian monster that Biden is! He might seek retribution if acquitted!! They wrote the playbook on crime and deception in politics and now they are afraid they might be cast!
I was just reading about the top 10 billionaires (all men). Two of them are immigrants (Musk and Brin) and one is the stepson of an immigrant (Bezos). There may be others, but I don't know all their stories. Donald Trump is the son of an immigrant and his beautiful wife is an immigrant. Immigration is good for the United States, and so is following the law by which they come. Biden's plan to overrun the country with illegal immigration is not healthy or patriotic, nor is he offering them a chance at a better life. He wants their votes.
All those female crazies complaining about a man speaking to a Catholic audience, praising his wife for being a homemaker, need to start speaking up for the rights of women they claim they are defending. Look what Biden did to Title IX!! There are real women being denied real rights by real men. Let's get going on that, ladies of the lefty press!
https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-hidden-history-of-bidens-title-ix-butchery/?
Judge Juan Merchan and Alvin Bragg might be the biggest advertisement for how bad the judicial system is. Merchan cleared the court room because he didn't like the look on Bob Costello's face (witness for the defense). Is this an immigrant thing? Is he in middle school? He's crazier than Biden. Bragg ran on putting Trump in jail, and then made up felony charges. The two are the three stooges.
Loren Merchan, daughter of Judge Juan Merchan, is the head of a digital marketing agency called Authentic Campaigns. The agency works with Democratic candidates and non-profits, providing services such as web design, digital fundraising, and mobile messaging. She's making money from this trial.
At least 100 terrorism-tied organizations are involved in the campus protests. Almost all these organizations have expressed support for Hamas and the October 7 attacks according to CRC in the News. So how have Democrats become so anti-Jew and anti-Israel all while terrifying their supporters with lies that the Trump supporters are Nazis? It didn't happen overnight, and they were well prepared to launch their US riots on October 8. If you are a Democrat, you need to be asking questions.
Our tax dollars hard at work for Gaza/Hamas. Close to three-fourths of the humanitarian aid transported from a new floating pier built by the U.S. military off the Gaza coast was stolen on Saturday en route to a U.N. warehouse. Pictured: Palestinian men loot a truck carrying international humanitarian aid from the US-built floating pier near Nuseirat in the Gaza Strip on May 18, 2024. https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20658/gaza-aid-stolen? When you think about it, the citizens may know they shouldn't let Hamas to get the aid to them, so they just stole it.
This is the guy who told black Americans, "You ain't black if you don't vote for Biden." How racist is that? Even Kamala Harris during the 2016 primaries reminded Democrat voters that Biden was a racist.
I've been listening to clips from the Demedia opinion writers (that would be all the journalists), and it seems some are fearful that Trump could be the totalitarian monster that Biden is! He might seek retribution if acquitted!! They wrote the playbook on crime and deception in politics and now they are afraid they might be cast!
I was just reading about the top 10 billionaires (all men). Two of them are immigrants (Musk and Brin) and one is the stepson of an immigrant (Bezos). There may be others, but I don't know all their stories. Donald Trump is the son of an immigrant and his beautiful wife is an immigrant. Immigration is good for the United States, and so is following the law by which they come. Biden's plan to overrun the country with illegal immigration is not healthy or patriotic, nor is he offering them a chance at a better life. He wants their votes.
All those female crazies complaining about a man speaking to a Catholic audience, praising his wife for being a homemaker, need to start speaking up for the rights of women they claim they are defending. Look what Biden did to Title IX!! There are real women being denied real rights by real men. Let's get going on that, ladies of the lefty press!
https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-hidden-history-of-bidens-title-ix-butchery/?
Judge Juan Merchan and Alvin Bragg might be the biggest advertisement for how bad the judicial system is. Merchan cleared the court room because he didn't like the look on Bob Costello's face (witness for the defense). Is this an immigrant thing? Is he in middle school? He's crazier than Biden. Bragg ran on putting Trump in jail, and then made up felony charges. The two are the three stooges.
Trump says Judge Juan Merchan can rehabilitate ‘Justice System of New York’ by dismissing hush money case - Washington Examiner
Bill Maher was interviewed on the Megyn Kelly podcast. He's clueless about what has been happening the last 3 years. He believes, actually believes, that the protestors in J-6 broke down the doors (the guards opened them and showed them around--it's on tape) and that several police were killed. Those are media lies. Only one person was killed, and she was a veteran shot by Capitol police. He believes, actually believes, Hillary Clinton never said the 2016 election was stolen from her. Blind and deaf. We all heard it, why didn't he? Because he is part of the Demedia, yet he claims to be "independent."
Another crazy Democrat female--born that way--running for Congressional office. "Sue Altmann headed South Jersey Women for Progressive Change (SJWPC) from 2018 until at least February 2020, including as co-chair of the political engagement committee. The group describes itself as an "8,000-member action network for intersectional grassroots advocacy and activism, open to all who identify as female or were assigned female at birth." Another woman who can't tell you what a woman is. Dem Congressional Hopeful Sue Altman Led Group That Called To 'Imagine a Society Without Police' (freebeacon.com)
Monday, May 20, 2024
Wild kingdom at the Condo
Sometimes it's like wild kingdom outside my living room window where my desk is. Deer, heron, Mallards, rabbits, hawks, fox. I heard a crow making an awful ruckus and stepped outside to the deck to see what was going on. I looked and looked and followed the crow hopping from branch to branch by the creek. Then I saw it. Another animal, brown and black, not a bird was probably 30-40 ft up in a tree. I went back to my desk and grabbed the binoculars. I searched and searched. The crow was quiet. And then I saw it again. The largest raccoon I'd ever seen. In our 22 years here I'd never seen a raccoon, and now one was in a tree. He was probably hoping for an evening snack of a bird egg or two. That big old crow better get back on duty quick.
The deck has shed its winter coat. Our friend Rod came over today and power washed it, the furniture and the stairs. It was ghastly hot so he said he'd do the patio (where all the crud fell) another day and move the bush and trim the trees. As he had the chairs flipped over I noticed some of the legs had lost the little plastic disks that keep them from scraping the planks. I'll have to look for some replacements. This set has held up well--probably got it about 20 years ago.
Aging is Painful by Adam Cifu from Sensible Medicine
"Aging is Painful
Anybody who gets to middle age knows that things don’t work like they used to. Around my house we say that any day that nothing hurts is remarkable. My patients are full of pithy phrases to make the point that aging is physically difficult.1
“Getting old is hard, but it beats the alternative.”
“Aging is not for wimps.”
“Every time I look in the mirror, I ask myself, how the hell did that happen?”
People respond to their progressive disability in all manners. Some fight at every turn. Every visit, irrespective of age, is spent discussing aches, pains, and things that can no longer be accomplished. There are demands for me to make things better. I find it challenging to address the concerns, rather than dismissing them with “it’s just age,” while also letting people know that some suffering is “part of the human condition.”
Other people accept frighteningly steep and acute declines. My challenge at these visits is to balance, “She’s not asking me to address the problem, so who am I to pry” with “This actually seems like something I should explore, even if she is willing to accept it.”
Where there is little diversity is our ability to adjust to disability. I was taught that people rate the quality of life with a disability higher when they are living with it than when they are watching other people live with it. Thirty years of clinical experience has made this real. We should add to the saying, “There but by the grace of God go I” the addendum “but, when I end up there, I’ll be OK.”
Aging is Sad
When I was an intern, I admitted an elderly woman with pneumonia. Her biggest problem was not the pneumococcus but her depression. Her mood made her miserable and the associated psychomotor retardation was going to make her post-hospital rehabilitation impossible. She was already taking an SSRI and seeing a therapist. I called her primary care doctor, a geriatrician. Like a true intern, I expected he would have an answer to her misery. His response was, “Yup, it is a sad time of life.”
There is a lot to be said for the golden years: retirement, family, friends, greater financial security – but as the years go on, the psychological costs mount. Besides the physical decline, there is the constant loss. I repeatedly hear, “Everyone around me is dying.” Siblings, cousins, friends. It sometimes seems like those who are most connected suffer the most – that big family that has always provided support now provides an unending procession of funerals.
People mourn their losses as well as their own mortality. You cannot ignore what is to come when your peers are dying. Those who deal with this best seem to be the people who can be honest that their grief about the loss of a friend is partly the fear and sadness that they are next.
Loss is Never Easy
I never felt like I had enough time with MM. Not that she needed time for me to attend to her medical problems. She was blessed with enviable genes and an outlook that combined cheer and steel. I just wanted time to hear more about her life and her experiences. I wanted to learn from her.
On one unpressured Friday afternoon we chatted. I did not have another patient to see, another note to write, or another meeting to run to. Her daughter would not pick her up until 6:00 PM. I told her that I still thought about her husband, also a patient of mine, who had died about a decade earlier.
She paused and then remarked. “We lived together in the same old house for more than 60 years. Every time something stops working there, I curse the damn house and I curse Charles for leaving me alone in it. He was always puttering around, fixing things. Then, of course, I think of the wonderful years we had here. I cry because I still miss him, and then I thank the house for reminding me of him.”
I can’t write anything original about loss and grief and mourning. We’ve been writing about it for as long as we’ve had written language. What strikes me, though, watching so many people experiencing loss, is that it is always hard. Losing a loved one is hard. It does not matter if your father is 50 or 90. It does not matter if your mother’s death is sudden or expected. It does not matter if you have come to terms with the complexity of your relationship with your sister or have not.
Our losses become a part of us, they shape us. The tearing, searing grief might last days, or weeks, or months, or years, but it always ends. Nobody, however, ever “recovers.” Nobody “gets over it.” Having known, having loved, and having lost makes us who we are."
Anybody who gets to middle age knows that things don’t work like they used to. Around my house we say that any day that nothing hurts is remarkable. My patients are full of pithy phrases to make the point that aging is physically difficult.1
“Getting old is hard, but it beats the alternative.”
“Aging is not for wimps.”
“Every time I look in the mirror, I ask myself, how the hell did that happen?”
People respond to their progressive disability in all manners. Some fight at every turn. Every visit, irrespective of age, is spent discussing aches, pains, and things that can no longer be accomplished. There are demands for me to make things better. I find it challenging to address the concerns, rather than dismissing them with “it’s just age,” while also letting people know that some suffering is “part of the human condition.”
Other people accept frighteningly steep and acute declines. My challenge at these visits is to balance, “She’s not asking me to address the problem, so who am I to pry” with “This actually seems like something I should explore, even if she is willing to accept it.”
Where there is little diversity is our ability to adjust to disability. I was taught that people rate the quality of life with a disability higher when they are living with it than when they are watching other people live with it. Thirty years of clinical experience has made this real. We should add to the saying, “There but by the grace of God go I” the addendum “but, when I end up there, I’ll be OK.”
Aging is Sad
When I was an intern, I admitted an elderly woman with pneumonia. Her biggest problem was not the pneumococcus but her depression. Her mood made her miserable and the associated psychomotor retardation was going to make her post-hospital rehabilitation impossible. She was already taking an SSRI and seeing a therapist. I called her primary care doctor, a geriatrician. Like a true intern, I expected he would have an answer to her misery. His response was, “Yup, it is a sad time of life.”
There is a lot to be said for the golden years: retirement, family, friends, greater financial security – but as the years go on, the psychological costs mount. Besides the physical decline, there is the constant loss. I repeatedly hear, “Everyone around me is dying.” Siblings, cousins, friends. It sometimes seems like those who are most connected suffer the most – that big family that has always provided support now provides an unending procession of funerals.
People mourn their losses as well as their own mortality. You cannot ignore what is to come when your peers are dying. Those who deal with this best seem to be the people who can be honest that their grief about the loss of a friend is partly the fear and sadness that they are next.
Loss is Never Easy
I never felt like I had enough time with MM. Not that she needed time for me to attend to her medical problems. She was blessed with enviable genes and an outlook that combined cheer and steel. I just wanted time to hear more about her life and her experiences. I wanted to learn from her.
On one unpressured Friday afternoon we chatted. I did not have another patient to see, another note to write, or another meeting to run to. Her daughter would not pick her up until 6:00 PM. I told her that I still thought about her husband, also a patient of mine, who had died about a decade earlier.
She paused and then remarked. “We lived together in the same old house for more than 60 years. Every time something stops working there, I curse the damn house and I curse Charles for leaving me alone in it. He was always puttering around, fixing things. Then, of course, I think of the wonderful years we had here. I cry because I still miss him, and then I thank the house for reminding me of him.”
I can’t write anything original about loss and grief and mourning. We’ve been writing about it for as long as we’ve had written language. What strikes me, though, watching so many people experiencing loss, is that it is always hard. Losing a loved one is hard. It does not matter if your father is 50 or 90. It does not matter if your mother’s death is sudden or expected. It does not matter if you have come to terms with the complexity of your relationship with your sister or have not.
Our losses become a part of us, they shape us. The tearing, searing grief might last days, or weeks, or months, or years, but it always ends. Nobody, however, ever “recovers.” Nobody “gets over it.” Having known, having loved, and having lost makes us who we are."
Saturday, May 18, 2024
Watch out for all the scams
No, there is no discount on Forever stamps if you just click on a site [which will steal your credit card number].
No, there is no excess of something in a warehouse and you can get a really good deal or discount.
No, Medicare has not sent out new cards and all you have to do is read back the number on your old card to the caller who will hoax and scam you.
No, your membership is not about to expire at Lowes, or Amazon, or Walmart, and that too is a scam. (I get about 6 a day.)
No, someone is not trying to make a delivery and the driver is lost. so please give information.
No, no, no, and double no. Just hang up, or delete the message.
No, there is no excess of something in a warehouse and you can get a really good deal or discount.
No, Medicare has not sent out new cards and all you have to do is read back the number on your old card to the caller who will hoax and scam you.
No, your membership is not about to expire at Lowes, or Amazon, or Walmart, and that too is a scam. (I get about 6 a day.)
No, someone is not trying to make a delivery and the driver is lost. so please give information.
No, no, no, and double no. Just hang up, or delete the message.
Friday, May 17, 2024
The Commencement speech heard around the world
I've read excerpts of Harrison Butker's speech at Benedictine College by journalists who have sliced and diced it from the left and right, without reading or listening, but finally listened to the whole thing. https://youtu.be/-JS7RIKSaCc?si=IoYc4Bscv7PbhYGV It was not what I expected. Remember--he is talking to college graduates about to go out and face the world! He spoke personally about vocation--his as a husband and father, and his wife's, whom he met in middle school, as a wife and mother. He attends the TLM, Traditional Latin Mass, and encouraged the graduates to choose a city not just for the career opportunities but for the availability of a believing, serving church. I've heard a lot of speeches over the years, but never heard that one! He did lay the responsibility for many of society's ills on emasculated men. He said to live in the post-God world one needs to "do small things well" and to choose friends carefully as they leave the bubble of campus life. But before he talked about his own life as a Christian father, he really took the bishops and priests to the wood shed for their failures, particularly during the Covid lockdown.
Thursday, May 16, 2024
Butker is kicking butt and making Leftists furious
Harrison Butker's graduation address at a small Catholic college laying out the truth of the swamp in DC and our culture has apparently shocked some on the Left. How dare he? A football player lecturing us? I rarely watch ABC--it's background for breakfast because the kitchen table TV is not with cable, just babble. It's so difficult for Democrats to be really informed--I hear it all the time, about Covid, about climate, about the Biden laptop, the Biden crimes--they are incredibly uninformed so they will vote for good old Joe. But this speech is getting around if for no reason other than to criticize him. Hope he can keep his job. NYT, Wapo, HuffPo, LAT, etc. are enraged by his bigotry. Imagine. Telling the truth about DEI, Biden, killing the unborn etc. The 1% against the 99%. Conservatives must be completely silenced!!! (Hear the heels clicking?)
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
A busy May season
We've had a "busy" social spring--at least for us. On May 3 we went with our neighbors and friends Jerry and Joan, and Bill and Joyce to the "new" Old Bag of Nails." It's a restaurant we used to go to that has now moved to a new location--on the first floor of a retirement home! The food and atmosphere were about the same, even the prices didn't seem that bad, but it seems an odd location. Parking was bad. There's a lot going on in that area with the new city community center. I wrote about it here, Collecting My Thoughts: Friday Night Date and a Derby Party on Saturday
Then the next night we were at a Kentucky Derby party, at the Hahms. Bob's horse won $4 so that means the evening was even, since mine West Saratoga didn't place. He is a pretty horse with a good story which is why I chose him. On Sunday morning we drove to Lakeside and ate a packed lunch on a picnic table near the lake. But not too close--it was a little windy. We spent the night at the Idlewyld B & B so we could greet the class Bob used to teach. This year he recruited Kevin Buckland because it's hard for Bob to be that long on his feet. We had a great time with Kevin and his wife Pertain and went to the Que (BBQ) for dinner on Saturday evening. We had a room on the porch and Kevin set up a movie screen and we watched YouTube videos of other art shows.
Then on Friday the 10th our condo association had a drive-way gathering BYOB and lawn chair. It was fun to see everyone. There's a new couple--haven't moved in yet but they came--probably 60-ish. That's usually the age. Kids grown, house is too big. Their house hasn't sold yet, so the price is probably too high because everyone is looking and can't find anything. Saturday we again went out with Jerry and Joan, and Bill and Joyce because the Sloughs are leaving today for Lake Erie and will be gone until Fall.
On Sunday we went out to eat for Mother's Day with Phoebe and Mark to a restaurant "The Avenue" in Dublin, a suburb northwest of us. When we moved here over 50 years ago, Dublin was a sleepy little town of 19th century houses, and now it's booming. It was a lovely day and everything was delightful. Then Monday and lunch with Ron for his 90th birthday--and boom--by Tuesday we had this terrible cough caused I think from the mold and dust from cleaning the deck.
On May 15, 2012
Bob and Phil went to Lakeside for Spring clean up and stopped for a milkshake in Bucyrus
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
John Kasich is hard of hearing?
I just glanced at a quote by Ohio's John Kasich (former governor) that Biden wasn't a good communicator. Really? I understand him when he talks. He wants abortion legal to the day of birth. It's only about 10,000 viable infants who will die each year. He wants millions to come through our borders unscathed with no consequences. Some seek asylum, some wealth, some destruction of our country. He wants Israel to fail in wiping out Hamas. What country could possibly trust this guy? He wants Ukraine to win in its civil war against Russia with no options for negotiation. He wants me to drive an electric car at great expense and inconvenience. He wants girls to share locker rooms with boys and be beaten in athletic events. He wants the USA to go deeper in debt. No, John, I'm hearing him loud and clear. But sometimes Republicans are as hard of hearing as Democrats.
Monday, May 13, 2024
Getting ready for summer
We've uncovered the deck furniture and washed off the tabletop and chair webbing. Today we enjoyed an early birthday celebration with a friend. His 90th. His children are throwing a party in June, but it will be the first day of our vacation, so we won't be in town. The guys met at church in 1967, so that's about 57 years of friendship with Ron. He and his wife whom he met at Upper Arlington high school died four years ago. Dinner was grilled salmon, steamed cauliflower and asparagus, mixed fresh fruit and Key Lime Pie. We actually ate inside because there was a very noisy machine spewing ear splitting sounds across the creek, then after it quieted down we went outside to enjoy the lovely spring weather.
Sunday, May 12, 2024
Biggest Week in American Birding
Yesterday I wore my green-gray BSBO t-shirt to the gym. Black Swamp Bird Observatory. Today is the last day of "The Biggest Week in American Birding" hosted by BSBO and last weekend we were in Lakeside for an art workshop (observing, not teaching) and some of the activities were there. I picked up a visitor's guide and could spend a month perusing it. https://www.facebook.com/bsbobird/ or BSBO - HOME
Here's just one useful article: How you can help birds. Keep cats indoors. Don't release balloons. Discard used fishing line. Take a beginner birding. Drink Bird-friendly shade-grown coffee. Protect windows from collisions.
Cats kill an estimated 2.4 billion birds every year. Birders don't like wind turbines or giant glass windows on buildings, but they don't kill as many birds as cats.
I'm not a birder, and I can probably only identify 25 birds, and mostly I learned those names when I was a child. Not sure how, perhaps my mom or my teachers. Here at my living room window at my computer I see herons and mallards, owls and woodpeckers, hawks and crows, cardinals, robins, wrens and doves. Some get on the windowsill and look at me! And of course, when we were up on Lake Erie we saw many species not common around here. More than 3 dozen species of warblers pass through northwest Ohio and the BSBO tracks them.
Here's just one useful article: How you can help birds. Keep cats indoors. Don't release balloons. Discard used fishing line. Take a beginner birding. Drink Bird-friendly shade-grown coffee. Protect windows from collisions.
Cats kill an estimated 2.4 billion birds every year. Birders don't like wind turbines or giant glass windows on buildings, but they don't kill as many birds as cats.
I'm not a birder, and I can probably only identify 25 birds, and mostly I learned those names when I was a child. Not sure how, perhaps my mom or my teachers. Here at my living room window at my computer I see herons and mallards, owls and woodpeckers, hawks and crows, cardinals, robins, wrens and doves. Some get on the windowsill and look at me! And of course, when we were up on Lake Erie we saw many species not common around here. More than 3 dozen species of warblers pass through northwest Ohio and the BSBO tracks them.
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Tip your server and other nice things to do
This is a very nice message. My friend Arlene sent it. However, that's not all there is to changing the world. I know many Democrats who do all of these, yet they support abortion, don't care about 7 million invading the U.S. through the open Biden borders, think Hamas means Palestinians, don't care about the issues of the Russia-Ukraine war, watch the terrible misinformation that spews from the Democrat controlled media like CNN, NPR and MSNBC, contribute to their alma mater despite the raging anti-Semitism embedded there, believe men can become women through magical thinking, and believe what they are doing to President Trump through the "just -us" system is OK. Think before you vote. That's how we change things in this country, assuming no one has stolen it through a Soros funded scheme.
Friday, May 10, 2024
Who wrote Ephesians?
Recently I heard a Bible teaching on Ephesians. When speaking of who is the author of the letter to the Ephesians, she suggested that Paul wasn't the actual author, that instead it may have been a disciple or someone closely working with him, and then she went on. . . without mentioning the option that it is not "settled" science and there are just as many arguments and scholars for Pauline authorship. When I got home I looked at what books I might have to explain that. Unfortunately, although I knew that line of thinking comes from "higher criticism," I no longer have any of those volumes. Here's what I do have, and also my own conclusions.
I have an IVP New Bible Commentary; Revised by Guthrie. He explains the higher criticism view of Ephesians, but completely debunks it point by point (p. 1106)
I have an NIV Archeological Bible, and its article "The Authorship of Ephesians" under subsection "The Reliability of the Bible," points out "some scholars" question Paul's authorship and then supports Paul's authorship with 8 bullet points with citations.
I have an NRSV Catholic edition which confirms that speaker, "It is unlikely that the Letter to the Ephesians was actually written by Paul. It is generally thought to be pseudonymous written after his death. The vocabulary, style and general content of the Letter do not resonate with the same expression and viewpoint articulated in the seven unquestionably Pauline letters." In other words, what most seminaries are teaching their new pastors and church workers. That's from the "Introduction to the Books of the Bible" ( p. lxxi), and it's difficult to say if the same wording is in the Protestant editions (this one contains the Deuterocanonical books removed in the 16th c.) It also provides the higher criticism view of 3 Isaiahs, and casts doubt on the authorship of other NT epistles.
So then I turned to my most scholarly title, the Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th ed. 1910 which I inherited from my grandfather Weybright. It really laid out in detail the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries research primarily by German Protestants beginning with the OT and working through most of the NT, until the rationalist, anti-supernatural, post-Christian theories had infected all the seminaries, and because of the date, did not include the rise of the fundamentalists and the major splits in Protestantism. Yet it would not fly the white flag and roundly defended Paul's authorship. Perhaps the most clever and witty paragraph was: "The view which denies the Pauline authorship of Ephesians has to suppose the existence of a great literary artist and profound theologian, able to write an epistle worthy of Paul at his best, who, without betraying any recognizable motive, presented to the world in the name of Paul an imitation of Colossians, incredibly laborious and yet superior to the original in literary workmanship and power of thought, and bearing every appearance of earnest sincerity. It must further be supposed that the name and the very existence of this genius were totally forgotten in Christian circles fifty years after he wrote. The balance of evidence seems to lie on the side of the genuineness of the Epistle.
From my point of view, I looked through some of the homilies of the early church fathers. They were much closer to the "real" author than German scholars who weren't even Christians. They did not doubt the authorship of Paul.
I have an IVP New Bible Commentary; Revised by Guthrie. He explains the higher criticism view of Ephesians, but completely debunks it point by point (p. 1106)
I have an NIV Archeological Bible, and its article "The Authorship of Ephesians" under subsection "The Reliability of the Bible," points out "some scholars" question Paul's authorship and then supports Paul's authorship with 8 bullet points with citations.
I have an NRSV Catholic edition which confirms that speaker, "It is unlikely that the Letter to the Ephesians was actually written by Paul. It is generally thought to be pseudonymous written after his death. The vocabulary, style and general content of the Letter do not resonate with the same expression and viewpoint articulated in the seven unquestionably Pauline letters." In other words, what most seminaries are teaching their new pastors and church workers. That's from the "Introduction to the Books of the Bible" ( p. lxxi), and it's difficult to say if the same wording is in the Protestant editions (this one contains the Deuterocanonical books removed in the 16th c.) It also provides the higher criticism view of 3 Isaiahs, and casts doubt on the authorship of other NT epistles.
So then I turned to my most scholarly title, the Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th ed. 1910 which I inherited from my grandfather Weybright. It really laid out in detail the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries research primarily by German Protestants beginning with the OT and working through most of the NT, until the rationalist, anti-supernatural, post-Christian theories had infected all the seminaries, and because of the date, did not include the rise of the fundamentalists and the major splits in Protestantism. Yet it would not fly the white flag and roundly defended Paul's authorship. Perhaps the most clever and witty paragraph was: "The view which denies the Pauline authorship of Ephesians has to suppose the existence of a great literary artist and profound theologian, able to write an epistle worthy of Paul at his best, who, without betraying any recognizable motive, presented to the world in the name of Paul an imitation of Colossians, incredibly laborious and yet superior to the original in literary workmanship and power of thought, and bearing every appearance of earnest sincerity. It must further be supposed that the name and the very existence of this genius were totally forgotten in Christian circles fifty years after he wrote. The balance of evidence seems to lie on the side of the genuineness of the Epistle.
From my point of view, I looked through some of the homilies of the early church fathers. They were much closer to the "real" author than German scholars who weren't even Christians. They did not doubt the authorship of Paul.
Biden official accused of transferring classified documents on his phone
"The top Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs committee on Monday asked the State Department to confirm the allegations against [Robert] Malley, who was quietly placed on unpaid leave last June [2023] and had his security clearance suspended amid a State Department investigation reportedly centered on his potential mishandling of classified information.
The State Department has refused to reveal the exact nature of the allegations against Malley, leading Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member James Risch (R-Idaho) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) to launch their own investigation into Biden’s top diplomat for Iran. "
Very serious stuff! He got the Biden garage treatment for documents instead of the Trump treatment. It's been since June 2023.
"Biden tapped Malley in January 2021 to try to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, under which Tehran agreed to limit its nuclear program to make it harder to obtain a nuclear weapon in return for economic sanctions relief. In 2018, President Trump opted to kill the deal and reimpose sanctions on Iran."
The State Department has refused to reveal the exact nature of the allegations against Malley, leading Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member James Risch (R-Idaho) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) to launch their own investigation into Biden’s top diplomat for Iran. "
Very serious stuff! He got the Biden garage treatment for documents instead of the Trump treatment. It's been since June 2023.
Notice how carefully worded Politico (leftist media) is in the story. FBI probes whether Iran envoy Malley committed crimes in handling of classified info - POLITICO
Thursday, May 09, 2024
Is Biden demented or does he want to destroy Israel?
Let's stop making excuses for Biden. He's old. He's demented. He's just a puppet. No. He's just abandoned our closest ally in the middle east, and maybe our closest in the world. Our friends know we will abandon them; our enemies know we won't fight back.
If you are a Democrat, flee the party so you're not culpable like the driver of the car that chauffeurs the gunman. This is not about Israel any longer; it's about wanting to destroy the Jews.
If you are a Democrat, flee the party so you're not culpable like the driver of the car that chauffeurs the gunman. This is not about Israel any longer; it's about wanting to destroy the Jews.
"When Hamas launched its Oct. 7, 2023, rape, kidnap, and murder killing spree against Israeli civilians, President Joe Biden quickly traveled to Israel and pledged that America would have its longtime ally’s back. Since then, he has repeatedly affirmed his “ironclad” commitment to the security of the Jewish state.
But the “ironclad” pledge should concern Baltic states as they face Vladimir Putin’s invasion threats. It should also concern the Philippines as it faces Chinese efforts to carve out an exclusive economic zone. And it should concern Japan as it faces Chinese and Russian affronts to its territorial sovereignty. Because Biden’s support for Israel is molten rather than ironclad.
This Monday, national security spokesman John Kirby refused to say whether the U.S. suspended an agreed arms shipment to Israel and also refused to offer American support for Israel’s effort to eliminate Hamas’s last bastion in Rafah." https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/2993208/biden-abandons-israel/?
Wednesday, May 08, 2024
Thoughts on Ben Sira
Ben Sira (also known as Ecclesiasticus or Sirach) is part of the Apocrypha, or more accurately the Deuterocanonical books of the Bible. I've only been in one Bible study that even mentioned this lovely collection of proverbs, wise sayings, advice and counsel to all types of people from physicians to fool. And the female leader (on video) of that class railed against the writer/translator as being a misogynist. Not so. It's a lovely book, and I really like the longer advice pieces. As far as being anti-female, what's wrong with this advice? It's directed at men and how they behave around women.
Chapter 9: 3 Keep away from other men's wives or they will trap you. 4 Don't keep company with female musicians; they will trick you. 5 Don't look too intently at a virgin, or you may find yourself forced to pay a bride price. 6 Don't give yourself to prostitutes, or you may lose everything you own. 7 So don't go looking about in the streets or wandering around in the run-down parts of town. 8 When you see a good-looking woman, look the other way; don't let your mind dwell on the beauty of any woman who is not your wife."
That advice would work in the 21st century.
But more to the point. If 7% of Sirach is addressed to problems with women, then that means the other 93% is addressed to problems with men. What do Paul and Jesus lay at the feet of men (to whom they were talking) Well, how about Mark 7: greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, arrogance, folly, evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, and blasphemy for starters. Paul was just as straightforward as Jesus: Colossians 3: 8: "But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips. "
Abraham was a liar; Noah was a drunkard; Moses lost his temper and killed a man; Elijah was despondent; David was an adulterer and murderer; Peter denied his Lord; Paul (Saul) chased down Christians and killed them. Thomas doubted. So, it seems the Bible doesn't always reflect well on men, yet they were all part of God's plan of redemption.
I don't recall where I read it, but Luther and Calvin didn't remove those 7 books from the Protestant canon. Later Reformers did that.
Chapter 9: 3 Keep away from other men's wives or they will trap you. 4 Don't keep company with female musicians; they will trick you. 5 Don't look too intently at a virgin, or you may find yourself forced to pay a bride price. 6 Don't give yourself to prostitutes, or you may lose everything you own. 7 So don't go looking about in the streets or wandering around in the run-down parts of town. 8 When you see a good-looking woman, look the other way; don't let your mind dwell on the beauty of any woman who is not your wife."
That advice would work in the 21st century.
But more to the point. If 7% of Sirach is addressed to problems with women, then that means the other 93% is addressed to problems with men. What do Paul and Jesus lay at the feet of men (to whom they were talking) Well, how about Mark 7: greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, arrogance, folly, evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, and blasphemy for starters. Paul was just as straightforward as Jesus: Colossians 3: 8: "But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips. "
Abraham was a liar; Noah was a drunkard; Moses lost his temper and killed a man; Elijah was despondent; David was an adulterer and murderer; Peter denied his Lord; Paul (Saul) chased down Christians and killed them. Thomas doubted. So, it seems the Bible doesn't always reflect well on men, yet they were all part of God's plan of redemption.
I don't recall where I read it, but Luther and Calvin didn't remove those 7 books from the Protestant canon. Later Reformers did that.
Tuesday, May 07, 2024
CyberCemetery an amazing burial ground for defunct government programs
The CyberCemetery is an archive of government web sites that have ceased operation (usually web sites of defunct government agencies and commissions that have issued a final report). This collection features a variety of topics indicative of the broad nature of government information. In particular, this collection features web sites that cover topics supporting the university's curriculum and particular program strengths. CyberCemetery - UNT Digital Library
Don't call the police
What happens when you call the police and they won't come? It's Just Deserts. Police have been maligned and criticized by Democrat politicians, and DC is a town owned by Democrats. George Washington University's students and faculty will just have to suffer at the hands of a minority of spoiled brats and foreigners who need to have their visas pulled. The anti-Jew encampments are illegal at all universities, they are not covered by "free speech" codes. President Ellen Granberg of GW did nothing when the anti-Israel riots started and she's paying for it now. Appeasement of the enemy rarely works. The whole nation sees how these snowflakes are being treated differently that the J-6 protestors. I hope they remember come voting time--assuming the Democrats still allow that.
How many ways can Republicans find to destroy their unity, party and nation?
Well, let's fight about a Republican governor who wrote in her book that she shot her dog (aka "put him/her down")--a dog that had escaped restraint, killed chickens, couldn't be controlled by the owner, and tried to bite her when finally stopped. I'm not a breeder of hunting dogs, not a trainer, and not an owner. I like dogs--always had one when I was a child. However, this dog was not safe if left to live out a "normal" life around people and other animals.
Yes, it's more sanitary and maybe humane to take him to the vet, and not see the death. But we're on the edge of World War III, we're being invaded by millions at our border, the privileged class college students are rioting in the streets, the Dept. of Justice has become a political tool of the Democrats. We can turn on the TV and see a mockery of our once admired court system by an out of control Democrat judge with serious mental issues and a Democrat, Soros backed, DA so filled with hate he can't do his job.
The death of a dog with an irresponsible owner just doesn't make my list of tragedies we are facing today. I can't find a link, but I learned this years ago probably when I was a veterinary medicine librarian. The #1 killer of pet dogs and cats is elimination problems (peeing in the house). UTIs, incontinence, fear, poor training, or anger at being left alone for 12 hours--it could be any number of triggers which become habits. Owners get frustrated, can't take the time or have the patience to work with the animal, and it goes to the pound where it will be killed. Sounds awful, doesn't it? Millions suffer death at the hands of the owner--just look up the hundreds of products for "pet odor" and think about what the next step is if you want a livable house, but you have a life--a job to go to--kids to raise. But the death of ONE dog will probably ruin the career of a good governor.
Yes, it's more sanitary and maybe humane to take him to the vet, and not see the death. But we're on the edge of World War III, we're being invaded by millions at our border, the privileged class college students are rioting in the streets, the Dept. of Justice has become a political tool of the Democrats. We can turn on the TV and see a mockery of our once admired court system by an out of control Democrat judge with serious mental issues and a Democrat, Soros backed, DA so filled with hate he can't do his job.
The death of a dog with an irresponsible owner just doesn't make my list of tragedies we are facing today. I can't find a link, but I learned this years ago probably when I was a veterinary medicine librarian. The #1 killer of pet dogs and cats is elimination problems (peeing in the house). UTIs, incontinence, fear, poor training, or anger at being left alone for 12 hours--it could be any number of triggers which become habits. Owners get frustrated, can't take the time or have the patience to work with the animal, and it goes to the pound where it will be killed. Sounds awful, doesn't it? Millions suffer death at the hands of the owner--just look up the hundreds of products for "pet odor" and think about what the next step is if you want a livable house, but you have a life--a job to go to--kids to raise. But the death of ONE dog will probably ruin the career of a good governor.
Saturday, May 04, 2024
Friday Night Date and a Derby Party on Saturday
We tried the "new" Old Bag of Nails (pub food, noisy bar) in Upper Arlington last night with 2 other couples. The Arlington Bag had moved from the Tremont Center near our former home on Abington Rd. to that messy scramble of partially built buildings at Kingsdale on Tremond Rd. Because of the congestion and parking, we'd avoided it up until now, but we all managed. We found a handicap spot as we were drivers for someone who needed that. There was a lively crowd, lots of middle age and some families. Since it is in a retirement building (Covenant) squished next to the new community center we weren't sure what to expect. The menu was much as we remembered from 25 years ago, and we got the Cobb Salad. The others ordered breaded fish (one order can easily serve 2 and hand helds.
We're going to a Derby party tonight May 4, and I've been wearing the same fuchsia hat for about 5 years. Today I found a new white floppy hat for $3 (still with store tags) at Volunteers of America and wrapped it in blue flowers from the old hat to go with my blue shirt and multicolor floor length skirt I got at the Discovery Shop (cancer) for $6.
The 2024 Kentucky Derby lineup features a competitive field of colts and jockeys. Here’s a look at the full lineup:
We asked the waitress to guess the combined years of marriage, but she failed the test. 185. 56 + 64 + 65. We tipped her anyway. She was very sweet and very young--but then, everyone looks young to me! It was an evening with a lot if reminiscing--the days of black and white TV, the old wringer washers, Bill and Joyce met because he was in the Army in the town where she lived, and the rest of us avoided the military because we were pregnant or had a baby, first jobs, first apartments, and most of that was over home-made apple pie with ice cream at Jerry and Joan's home after our restaurant meal. We all get together fairly often, so I don't know why we had so much story telling. Age I suppose. No one else to talk to who remembers this stuff--plus our kids are tired of our stories! We all have or had summer homes and Bill and Joyce will be leaving in a week or so for Put in Bay on Lake Erie. Jerry and Joan go to Boyne City on Lake Charlevoix in Northern Michigan. We sold our place in Lakeside on Lake Erie in 2022 after 34 years.
And while I was looking for a hat at the VOA, I just happened to see a Laurel Burch tote for $3. I have one of her umbrellas from 30 years ago. https://colorfulcritters.com/laurel-burch-handbags-totes/ I don't know if it's an old one or new one (she died in 2007) licensed with her name. It looked unused. I love her whimsical designs.
While I was at the VOA I asked the clerk for a tape measure so I could determine if a cute pair of light weight summer pants would fit. She didn't speak English, which has never happened to me in that store. She gestured to the store manager, who also spoke very little English, but figured out what I needed. They were fine. $3.
Now I need to look up the horses who are running, and who are the jockeys. We each place a $2 bet.
Now I need to look up the horses who are running, and who are the jockeys. We each place a $2 bet.
The 2024 Kentucky Derby lineup features a competitive field of colts and jockeys. Here’s a look at the full lineup:
- Dornoch (20-1) - Trainer: Danny Gargan, Jockey: Luis Saez
- Sierra Leone (3-1) - Trainer: Chad Brown, Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
- Mystik Dan (20-1) - Trainer: Kenneth McPeek, Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
- Catching Freedom (8-1) - Trainer: Brad Cox, Jockey: Flavien Prat
- Catalytic (30-1) - Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr., Jockey: Jose Ortiz
- Just Steel (20-1) - Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas, Jockey: Keith Asmussen
- Honor Marie (20-1) - Trainer: D. Whitworth Beckman, Jockey: Ben Curtis
- Just A Touch (10-1) - Trainer: Brad Cox, Jockey: Florent Geroux
- (Encino, scratched)
- T O Password (30-1) - Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi, Jockey: Kazushi Kimura
- Forever Young (10-1) - Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi, Jockey: Ryusei Sakai
- Track Phantom (20-1) - Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Jockey: Joel Rosario
- West Saratoga (50-1) - Trainer: Larry Demeritte, Jockey: Jesus Castanon
- Endlessly (30-1) - Trainer: Michael McCarthy, Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
- Domestic Product (30-1) - Trainer: Chad Brown, Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
- Grand Mo the First (50-1) - Trainer: Victor Barboza Jr., Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo
- Fierceness (5-2) - Trainer: Todd Pletcher, Jockey: John Velazquez
- Stronghold (20-1) - Trainer: Philip D’Amato, Jockey: Antonio Fresu
- Resilience (20-1) - Trainer: Bill Mott, Jockey: Junior Alvarado
- Society Man (50-1) - Trainer: Danny Gargan, Jockey: Frankie Dettori
- Epic Ride (50-1) - Trainer: John Ennis, Jockey: Adam Beschizza
These are not race horses, but may be the first original art I purchased. Artist is Alison Adams, and I purchased it at Manchester College. 1958. She may have been on the faculty.
Friday, May 03, 2024
Let's hear from the Christian churches on biological sex as it is in the Bible
The Catholic Church has spoken unambiguously: the idea that men can become women or women can become men—or any other “gender”—is not only confused; it is evil.
Now let's hear from the 35,000+ Protestant, non-denominational and Bible churches. All Christian churches are full of Democrats and this evil belongs to them.
Now let's hear from the 35,000+ Protestant, non-denominational and Bible churches. All Christian churches are full of Democrats and this evil belongs to them.
Eva Vlaardingerbroek at CPAC Hungary: The Great Replacement Is No Longer A Theory, It's Reality
Her name is a mouthful, but she's even harder to listen to. The leftists have been ridiculing "The Great Replacement" theory, but she says it's a fact. I haven't checked her statistics on immigration in Europe.
Thursday, May 02, 2024
Follow the money given to the universities
These demonstrations/riots/insurrections from UCLA to Columbia show what a huge FAIL the DEI departments and cabals at the universities are. They all have 150-200 "administrators" and assistants to assistants sucking from the federal tit of special grants. Then each department from dance to archeology to horse breeding has a faculty member tied up in paperwork to assure equity a fantasy. And this is what has come of it. 1) cheat the Asian students out of their freedom to choose a school, 2) kill the Jews, 3) blame all white people. If you teach children that there are only two kinds of people, oppressors and the oppressed, of course you collect a bunch of fascists looking for a cause. Soros has placed a lot of his lawyers in the halls of "just us" and you can watch that being played out in NYC in a court room right now. The next trick will be all the perps will be back on campus after a short trip to court.
Although a lot of bad ideas begin in government, most by far begin in academe. Many universities would close without the money they receive from foreign governments who have to pay full tuition for their students.
Although a lot of bad ideas begin in government, most by far begin in academe. Many universities would close without the money they receive from foreign governments who have to pay full tuition for their students.
The campus riots
I was at the gym this morning surfing the channels. Fox was wall to wall riots on campus, particularly how police (state police?) were handling the UCLA baby babbling Gazans. Everyone was very well behaved. Kids were grinning for the cameras. "Hey look mom; I'm on TV. Send money" (just kidding). Police were using plastic ties and removing masks. MSNBC and CNN, zip, nada, zilch. Lizzie Warren was talking about sending aid to Gaza and encouraging women to kill their babies. There was a celebrity on the other channel talking about his latest food routine or show--didn't stick around to find out. On Fox I could see that the tents were removed and all the "belongings" dumped in a pile of trash, just like removal of homeless. And that's what they are, except the homeless are probably more patriotic and less fascist than these protestors. And maybe these spoiled rich college kids chanting from the river to the sea (genocide) can find out what it means to defecate and urinate on the street, because I don't know if anyone has set up porta-potties for them after they are arrested.
The real estate market
I know people looking for houses, and realtors looking for listings. Yesterday in an elevator I met a guy in shorts and t-shirt carrying a bag of food. We chatted, and he apologized for using his phone--said it was his business. He told me he was a real estate agent working as an Uber-Eats delivery/driver to make ends meet. I admire that perseverance and dedication. The ups and downs of real estate are not always about Biden induced inflation, sometimes it's personal choices, but I believe this ridiculous market should send Democrats screaming away from their party.
Wednesday, May 01, 2024
Biden's folly--IX changes
Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a single sentence. It simply bars sex discrimination in any federally funded education program. See what happens in a bureaucracy, in the swamp? The latest disaster is 1,577 pages. Both parties have created a monster, but the Democrats have defied God, nature, science and history. Nothing more evil than that. The party of intersectionality, of wokeism, of feminism, of transparency, of "me too" and rich old fools has dealt a death blow to women's safety and equality in scholarships and ambition. Way to go, Biden.
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Government bureaucracy drowning in failed programs and thousands of reports--Head Start
While I've been watching the Soros' funded fascist professionals create chaos on our campuses, I've been digging deep into the reports about Head Start, which so far has hit us up for over $1 trillion since its beginning as small test group in the LBJ era to improve the academic and life trajectory of poor children. All evaluations at 40, 50 and now almost 60 years have shown it to be a huge failure to help children succeed, but an outstanding success in providing a good living for millions of academics and government workers.
Here's one example. The culture of the TANF office. I'm pretty jaded about government waste--after all, I was a university librarian buried in task force reports and minutiae of information, data and knowledge. But this one really stunned me. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/project/understanding-poverty-childhood-and-family-experiences-and-tanf-office-culture-2016
ACF stands for Administration for Children & Families, and I think it was created to push Head Start back into infancy since it had failed so miserably to help pre-school aged children. But the genealogy of government agencies and bureaus is fuzzy and fat so I could be wrong. It happens.
It's a long, long way from helping a 3 year old get ready for kindergarten in the hope he'll do better in math in high school. (Yes, that's what they believed in 1965). We already know what gives kids the best chance to avoid poverty--married parents who have finished high school and have jobs. It's not the culture of the office that hands out the checks.
ACF stands for Administration for Children & Families, and I think it was created to push Head Start back into infancy since it had failed so miserably to help pre-school aged children. But the genealogy of government agencies and bureaus is fuzzy and fat so I could be wrong. It happens.
The anti-Semitism riots of April 2024
BLM destroyed government buildings killing people and destroying neighborhoods.
Biden reaction, kid gloves.
Islamist fundamentalists riot, trespass, scream hate speech, interfere with transportation, education and basic human rights?
Biden reaction, look the other way.
Patriots demonstrate about a rigged election? An unarmed female veteran killed as a warning to the patriots?
Biden reaction, harass, arrest, jail and try them in Kangaroo court.
Need clarity? Vote Biden/Harris out of office and flee the Democrat party.
Biden reaction, kid gloves.
Islamist fundamentalists riot, trespass, scream hate speech, interfere with transportation, education and basic human rights?
Biden reaction, look the other way.
Patriots demonstrate about a rigged election? An unarmed female veteran killed as a warning to the patriots?
Biden reaction, harass, arrest, jail and try them in Kangaroo court.
Need clarity? Vote Biden/Harris out of office and flee the Democrat party.
Monday, April 29, 2024
Arguing with Copilot (artificial intelligence)
AI (Co-Pilot) drives me around the bend. I asked for the 2023 household income for married couples because I wanted to update a 2017 blog. So, it provided the tax rate! I'm running out of patience, and really told them/it/her. She/he/it apologized and then gave me about 6 different ways to look at it, and said the latest was 2019! She also again told me to check the government tables. So, I looked up the U.S. Census Bureau and got the 2021-2022 tables. It's $110,800 compared to female head of household of $56,030. I suppose an academic in women's studies will whine about equity, but I know enough math to know that two people have a higher income than one person regardless of the sex. Of course, they now have multiple ways to define marriage, family, and household, so I probably will never be able to accurately update my 2017 blog. In case you didn't know, Asian households are still the wealthiest, the best educated, and more likely to be married.
Indiana trip April 27
We had a wonderful visit with our Indiana family Saturday, good weather for travel, and lots of laughs, and there were about 16 of us. One nephew has 5 children, so that upped the count a little. I took along a lot of Mother's Day cards hoping they can be distributed--I know they'll all show up at the home of my sister-in-laws. We were all exhausted when we got back -- it's about 6 hours on the road for a short visit, but we all had fun.
Bob and me with his sister
Bob and me with his sister
A message from President Carter of Ohio State University
"I value and welcome free speech. I have spoken to this since the day I arrived here at Ohio State. As many of you know, I wore the cloth of our nation for 38 years to support and defend these rights. What occurred on our campus on April 25 was not about limiting free speech. It was an intentional violation of university space rules that exist so that teaching, learning, research, service and patient care can occur on our campuses without interruption.
And so forth, but they did it anyway, some were students, but most were outsiders. I don't know why they talk about negotiation. What's to negotiate with non-students and outsiders? They can't settle the Israel-Hamas war, and the rules for encampment were set. Other college presidents have folded immediately. Let's see how long Carter will stand up to bullies.
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Should I pay your child care costs?
The TV (Spectrum) was on in the background, but all I heard was not only am I supposed to pay their college loans, but I need to pay for their mom and dad's cost to go to work by paying for child care for their little ones. Governor announces details on Child Care access program (spectrumnews1.com)
I have 2 female relatives who run a daycare in their homes so they can raise their own children, and they earn much more than they would if they were employed outside the home. Why? Daycare can cost from $27,125 a year in CT to $14,813 in SD. Teachers according to BLS make $71.93 and hour and nurses $72.48 (figures include benefits). Sounds like a lot of money unless you have child care costs that the Governor of Ohio wants me to help with.
I can hear the screams now. But you lived in ancient times (1980s) and probably only had one car, one TV and no contracts for internet, cable, phone, and never went out to eat at 5x what it costs at home. Yup. And now that I can afford not to work (because I saved and invested the maximum allowed when I did work), and can afford a pedicure, a cleaning service, a vacation, and someone to do home repairs, I'm supposed to pay off someone else's living expenses so she can be a wage slave at a salary I couldn't have dreamed of. Check the BLS figures.
Let's think about this. I didn't have any college loans to pay back at high interest rates, and I didn't have any daycare costs because I didn't go back to work as a librarian until my kids were in school, and then only part time so I was home when they were. Many parents don't pay these costs--except for other's kids. Maybe they juggle schedules with a spouse or drop the kids off at Grandma's, or wait like I did.
I have 2 female relatives who run a daycare in their homes so they can raise their own children, and they earn much more than they would if they were employed outside the home. Why? Daycare can cost from $27,125 a year in CT to $14,813 in SD. Teachers according to BLS make $71.93 and hour and nurses $72.48 (figures include benefits). Sounds like a lot of money unless you have child care costs that the Governor of Ohio wants me to help with.
I can hear the screams now. But you lived in ancient times (1980s) and probably only had one car, one TV and no contracts for internet, cable, phone, and never went out to eat at 5x what it costs at home. Yup. And now that I can afford not to work (because I saved and invested the maximum allowed when I did work), and can afford a pedicure, a cleaning service, a vacation, and someone to do home repairs, I'm supposed to pay off someone else's living expenses so she can be a wage slave at a salary I couldn't have dreamed of. Check the BLS figures.
Update: When AI (Copilot) started giving me vague responses like consulting a government website, I wrote: "If I wanted to spend hours looking at government sites I wouldn't be asking Copilot." So it apologized and gave me more specifics. Is it OK to be rude and snarky for something that isn't human and just a collection of data and pixels? Does the Bible cover that?
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Now Thank We All Our God--again
I love reading hymns in my morning devotions. Sometimes I spend all my time on the opening hymn and Psalm. I own two hymnal sources, both Protestant, but often these hymns are also used in Catholic services. Today it was Now Thank We All Our God. I wrote about it for Thanksgiving 2022. Collecting My Thoughts: Now thank we all our God, story of a favorite hymn Such an interesting and tragic background. Martin Rinkart, a Lutheran pastor, wrote it during the 30 Years War, the most devasting war in Europe's history. The war is often called a religious war, however, it was primarily political with the various Lutheran and Catholic princes fighting each other, plus disease and starvation. It wiped out about half of the German population.
I noticed today that it was based on a benediction in Sirach (The Wisdom of Sirach or The Book of Ecclesiasticus) 50:22-24. "And now, bless the God of all/ who has done wondrous things on earth;/ Who fosters men's growth from their mother's womb,/ and fashions them according to his will!/ May he grant you joy of heart/ and may peace abide among you;/ May his goodness toward us endure in Israel/ as long as the heavens are above."
"Martin Rinkart was a minister in the city of Eilenburg during the Thirty Years War. Apart from battles, lives were lost in great number during this time due to illnesses and disease spreading quickly throughout impoverished cities. In the Epidemic of 1637, Rinkart officiated at over four thousand funerals, sometimes fifty per day. In the midst of these horrors, it’s difficult to imagine maintaining faith and praising God, and yet, that’s exactly what Rinkart did. Sometime in the next twenty years, he wrote the hymn, “Now Thank We All Our God,” originally meant to be a prayer said before meals. Rinkart could recognize that our God is faithful, and even when the world looks bleak, He is “bounteous” and is full of blessings, if only we look for them. Blessings as seemingly small as a dinner meal, or as large as the end of a brutal war and unnecessary bloodshed are all reasons to lift up our thanks to God, with our hearts, our hands, and our voices." https://hymnary.org/text/now_thank_we_all_our_god
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Grab and Go
When I hear the word "grab" in church it just doesn't feel right. "Grab a communion cup," or "Grab your Bible and turn to (chapter verse) or "Grab your neighbor's hand and share your concerns." Really? In God's House? So, I looked up synonyms to see what else is available. Snatch. Capture. Snag. Seize. Nab. Hmmn. Proves my point--not even the synonyms sound loving, graceful, kind, charitable or spiritual. Some of you are more knowledgeable or fluent in English than I am. How would you phrase the same meaning?
Biden's Charlottesville moment
I noted that Biden had said nothing in 7 months about the riots against Jews all across the nation and on many college campuses even though he had the J6 protestors jailed. And now, ta-da! His own Charlottesville moment.
"I condemn the antisemitic protests, that’s why I set up a program to deal with that,” Biden told reporters in Virginia. “I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians and their — how they’re doing.”
Biden ran on the Charlottesville “good people on both sides” lie. Now in 2024 we have Joe Biden actually doing what he claimed Trump did in regards to antisemitism pic.twitter.com/IyxiY6q5Ue — boxingMD (@BoxingMD1) April 22, 2024
But Trump didn't say what the media (and Biden) condemned him for. The reporters continued to harass him and question him, demanding that he clarify that he wasn't talking about neo-nazis. Now Biden says there are "very fine people" protesting and supporting Hamas, but he also waited 7 months. Plus the Charlottesville protest was in one place over one statue. These "hate all the Jews" protestors are condemning an entire race all over the world. And if they say it's just about Israel, why are they threatening American Jews?
"I condemn the antisemitic protests, that’s why I set up a program to deal with that,” Biden told reporters in Virginia. “I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians and their — how they’re doing.”
Biden ran on the Charlottesville “good people on both sides” lie. Now in 2024 we have Joe Biden actually doing what he claimed Trump did in regards to antisemitism pic.twitter.com/IyxiY6q5Ue — boxingMD (@BoxingMD1) April 22, 2024
But Trump didn't say what the media (and Biden) condemned him for. The reporters continued to harass him and question him, demanding that he clarify that he wasn't talking about neo-nazis. Now Biden says there are "very fine people" protesting and supporting Hamas, but he also waited 7 months. Plus the Charlottesville protest was in one place over one statue. These "hate all the Jews" protestors are condemning an entire race all over the world. And if they say it's just about Israel, why are they threatening American Jews?
Monday, April 22, 2024
The ham sandwich trial
"Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump in 2023 with 34 counts of falsifying business records supposedly to cover up “hush money” payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.
“This case is just bogus from start to finish,” Von Spakovsky says, adding, “It’s in Manhattan. It’s a Manhattan jury, and I’ll tell you, quite frankly, I think if the DA charged Donald Trump with eating a ham sandwich, the jury would find him guilty.” "
“This case is just bogus from start to finish,” Von Spakovsky says, adding, “It’s in Manhattan. It’s a Manhattan jury, and I’ll tell you, quite frankly, I think if the DA charged Donald Trump with eating a ham sandwich, the jury would find him guilty.” "
https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/04/15/why-criminal-case-against-trump-bogus-legal-expert-explains/?
I glance at the trial periodically, but it makes me ill to see our justice system fall this low. No one else in the U.S. would ever be tried for this, and we all know it.
But what also makes me sick is that there are Democrats in Congress now who want to remove his Secret Service protection so that he can be assassinated.
While Biden allows Islamists and their rich kid lackies from elistist schools like Columbia, Harvard, Yale and the other wannabies riot and protest and shut down traffic, he also wants us to pay off their loans. There is so much evil roaming the streets it's depressing.
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Proof that Joe Biden hates women
Absolute proof that Joe Biden (or his stand-ins for Obama) hates women.
Trump reversed many of the anti-woman regulations (never voted on by Congress) developed by Obama's swamp team around Title IX. It puts men in women's private spaces--locker rooms, bathrooms, clubs, prisons, etc. If there were no other reason to vote for Trump, this would be it.
Trump reversed many of the anti-woman regulations (never voted on by Congress) developed by Obama's swamp team around Title IX. It puts men in women's private spaces--locker rooms, bathrooms, clubs, prisons, etc. If there were no other reason to vote for Trump, this would be it.
Our Constitution allowed, in Title IX, separation and differences when sex was relevant. Now it's discrimination. The word gender with all its wokey wanky hanky panky meaning has replaced "sex" in Title IX. The regulation also affects men in that there are kangaroo courts (victim advocates) at any school that gets federal funds, even for lunch or 4-H, to use against boys and men since sexual harassment now can mean anything, such as using the wrong pronoun. The males have no right to question or to even ask for the evidence. It's impelled speech, and loss of freedom of speech.
There will be law suits--it's been coming for 2 years and people are prepared. Donate to fight this anti-woman, anti-female, anti-Christian regulation from the Department of Education.
It's bad for everyone. Gay or straight, black, white, brown or Asian. It's a disaster for the Constitution, which it completely bipassed. It eliminates free-speech, freedom of religion, and due process, and all the election laws which are supposed to give us a representative government. No one elected these creatures in the regulatory swamp.
Friday, April 19, 2024
Donald Trump and MAGA
Someone believes this is a great country worth saving and that's President Donald J. Trump.
I believe all these phony charges and ridiculous trials (NARA, Jack Smith, Fani Willis, Letitia James, Alvin Bragg) would never come to trial for any other American. Begin with the classified documents--Biden, Pence, and even Jimmy Carter all had classified documents unsecured years after they served, and vice presidents aren't allowed to take ANY, not even for their memoirs. And no one knows what Obama has because his are in a "special" NARA facility. The charges are in part to convince Trump and his supporters that this really is a country deeply flawed because the president in power can jail his opponents just like a third world country. Look how many people they've already jailed during the Biden term.
With Big Tech and Big Pharma colluding with FBI, CIA, FDA and CDC the Biden team has managed to cancel thousands of lives and ruin the education of millions of children over an unapproved vaccine and unnecessary lockdown. What great country would do that?
They want to defund the police, and emasculate the military by spending our wealth on the safety of other countries in proxy wars. They are importing drugs and gangs making every state a border state. They allow Islamists shouting death to Jews, but jail Christians if they pray in front of an abortion clinic. What great country would do that? Democrats believe former NY governor Cuomo who said, "America was not that great."
Yes, Biden and the Democrats are making a strong case against the U.S. being a great country.
I believe all these phony charges and ridiculous trials (NARA, Jack Smith, Fani Willis, Letitia James, Alvin Bragg) would never come to trial for any other American. Begin with the classified documents--Biden, Pence, and even Jimmy Carter all had classified documents unsecured years after they served, and vice presidents aren't allowed to take ANY, not even for their memoirs. And no one knows what Obama has because his are in a "special" NARA facility. The charges are in part to convince Trump and his supporters that this really is a country deeply flawed because the president in power can jail his opponents just like a third world country. Look how many people they've already jailed during the Biden term.
With Big Tech and Big Pharma colluding with FBI, CIA, FDA and CDC the Biden team has managed to cancel thousands of lives and ruin the education of millions of children over an unapproved vaccine and unnecessary lockdown. What great country would do that?
They want to defund the police, and emasculate the military by spending our wealth on the safety of other countries in proxy wars. They are importing drugs and gangs making every state a border state. They allow Islamists shouting death to Jews, but jail Christians if they pray in front of an abortion clinic. What great country would do that? Democrats believe former NY governor Cuomo who said, "America was not that great."
Yes, Biden and the Democrats are making a strong case against the U.S. being a great country.
Thursday, April 18, 2024
NPR--many kinds of truth, unless you support Trump or are a conservative
Katherine Roberts Maher hasn't been CEO of NPR very long, but she's certainly a symptom of the rot there. She used to run Wikepedia, where everyone except conservatives get to provide their own "truth." Conservative media is now providing "mash ups" of her comments before she entered the elitist disinformation land of public supported radio. I'm not on X (Twitter), but I'd guess they are making mincemeat of her.
American Spectator, April 17, 2024: "What is perhaps most notable about Maher’s radicalism is how utterly conventional it is. While her posts may be exceptionally risible, her views are par for the course in most of America’s elite institutions — in many cases, they are the price of entry. Maher herself sports impeccable elite credentials: Prior to NPR, she served as CEO and executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation, which runs Wikipedia. According to a 2021 biography, Maher was also “a fellow at the Truman National Security Project,” has written for outlets such as Foreign Policy, the Atlantic, and the Guardian,” and serves as “a member of the Advisory Council of the Open Technology Fund and the board of the Sunlight Foundation.”
These are the people who run our country. Maher’s only distinction is that she was marginally clumsier about concealing or soft-pedaling her ideas in the public eye.
This may come as a surprise to many elected Republicans, who have happily forked over government check after government check to institutions like NPR, but we are not actually obligated to fund people and organizations that hate us. https://spectator.org/its-bigger-than-nprs-katherine-maher/?
These are the people who run our country. Maher’s only distinction is that she was marginally clumsier about concealing or soft-pedaling her ideas in the public eye.
This may come as a surprise to many elected Republicans, who have happily forked over government check after government check to institutions like NPR, but we are not actually obligated to fund people and organizations that hate us. https://spectator.org/its-bigger-than-nprs-katherine-maher/?
Update from City Journal: "Maher’s prolific history on social media, which she seems to have used as a private diary, narrating her every thought, emotion, meeting, and political opinion in real-time. This archive is a collection of her statements, but at a deeper level, it provides a window into the soul of a uniquely American archetype: the affluent, white, female liberal—many of whom now sit atop our elite institutions." https://www.city-journal.org/article/quotations-from-chairman-maher?
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
The Nashville Shooter
A woman killed 3 children and 3 adults at a Christian school last year and her name isn't even listed in the article I just read about the investigation. Is it because she is white? Anti-Christian? Was she taking hormones dangerous for women? Does her journal implicate an influential institution in charge of her care? Like Vanderbilt's Vivid? Vanderbilt generates about $12 billion annually. Is there abuse recorded in her journal? Is this white privilege or LGBTQ+ privilege?
Lawyers for both Covenant School and Covenant Presbyterian Church, where the school is located, argued against the release of the writings.
New twist: Parents of the murdered children say they own the copyright to the journal. Tennessee judge wants more information on copyright before ruling on school shooter's writings | AP News
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