Trump’s enemies in the media

Yesterday it was reported that Kim was unhappy about the U.S.-South Korea military drills, which as I understand, happen every year. Chuckles and jeers from the Left.  Does it seem to you that the MSM are cheering for North Korea just so they can poke fun at the President who's come further in ending the Korean War than all the presidents since the mid-50s? Really? They want more nukes from North Korea and more from Iran it seems. Whose side are they on? Has their hate for Trump overflowed to hate for Americans? The fall out will be on their supporters, too, because when bombs fall, they don’t ask about your party.

Why walking is good for you

Weight loss, toned muscles, better than running, helps the brain, stronger bones, relief from back pain, a calmer mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ka7B3hCg08

Seattle punishes success

Seattle is driving out its lucrative, job creating businesses by creating a "head" tax on each employee so they can create more homeless camps and hopelessness. Hope they come to the mid-west. I'm thinking whoever our governor or mayor will be, Democrat or Republican, they will be smarter than that!

The Left always eats it own.

Even for leftists, this is insane, but Jeff Bezos owns Washington Post which runs 8-10 anti-Trump articles everyday, so I guess he deserves it.



https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/seattle-head-tax-passes_us_5afa53d5e4b0200bcab82fea

For my children

My new pledges

I will back up my computer once a week.

I will unplug my lap top once a week and let the battery run down.

I will floss once a day.

I will replace the head in my electric toothbrush every 3 months.

I will faithfully use my eye drops.

Hiatus

Computer in for repair.

Diversity propaganda and reeducation workshops

If you watched much TV, you'd assume that 30% of the population is LGBTQ (it’s about 2%)  and that white men were all abusers and losers. "Entertainment" has become diversity reeducation.  Of course, if you watch old movies on TV, you'd see that Indians talked funny and scalped people, blacks were servants who loved to dance, and that women wanted to be punched and slapped.  So maybe entertainment isn't the best place to learn values--it was wrong then, and wrong now.

https://troymedia.com/2018/05/10/entertainment-diversity-propaganda/

The Gates Annual letter

Interesting letter to donors from Bill and Melinda Gates. https://www.gatesnotes.com/2018-annual-letter Especially the Trump policies question. "The administration’s policies affect our foundation’s work in a number of areas." But when you read the whole response, it's nothing at all--just a lot of IFs and we don't agree with him type things. His policies have not affected their foundation and what it does at all. What does affect their foundation is the success of capitalism world wide, particularly in India and China, and that's what is reducing poverty. Extreme poverty has dropped dramatically--2014 figures showed 721 million fewer people worldwide lived in extreme poverty in 2010 than in 1981 — despite the fact that the global population went from 4.5 billion to about seven billion during that time.

Yes, NGOs (charities, foundations, churches) can help, and for the child with a vaccine, or the opportunity to have an education, donors matter. But what really matters are the policies of the government where the children or workers live, not the policies of our government. Only the president of Nigeria can stop Boko Haram who kill Christians educated by missionaries. There's growing research to show that charities in 3rd world countries have held them back.

Kim in North Korea and his father and grandfather have contributed to the deaths of millions and the poverty and slave labor in the countryside. No Gates money could change that. Trump possibly can. He's made more progress than all the "progressives" bundled together of the last 50 years.

Another question was why don’t the Gates contribute more to U.S. causes.  Well, even defined very broadly, including military aid, the percent of U.S. federal budget for foreign aid is very small--about 1.3%. But that's higher than the 1990s after collapse of USSR. There are almost always strings attached to foreign aid--as there is with NGOs donations. IMO, there's no point in propping up a dictator or communist government with foreign aid. However, our government spends about 73% of the budget on social/human services here at home, and about 15% for defense.

Trump Trauma among Rich Democrats

02138 is the ZIP for Cambridge, MA, home to Harvard and MIT. The town voted 89% for Hillary Clinton in 2016, but 4.5% thought she wasn't liberal enough and voted green or socialist according to Dominic Green in the April 2018, First Things. The townspeople were in end-times mode after the election insisting that Trump won because black voters were suppressed. The sky was falling and they might lose the right to abort babies.

"Here in west Cambridge, the only thing falling from the sky is money. It showers down upon my property-holding, stock-optioning, tech-investing, organic-eating, trash-recycling, Democrat-donating neighbors."

Green then goes on to talk about the small pocket of poverty in Cambridge--street crime, drug-dealing, high rise office buildings for Novartis, Google, and Twitter--where minorities work only with a mop and bucket. And none of the tech people are black, they aren't even servers in the artisanal pizzerias favored by the rich Democrats and university professors. Property values are soaring in Cambridge and the poor and minorities are pushed out. New low rise apartments are being built for the singles who work in the biotech industry. Green grieves for the loss of diversity, and reports that ordinary middle class like police, firefighter, nurses and teachers can't afford to live there. Also, they don't want conservatives in Cambridge (or teaching at the elite colleges). Republicans are such losers--besides they are too poor to live there. They might hang the Stars and Stripes from their porches and buy American-made cars. And it's just so darn embarrassing that Donald Trump is making Cambridge residents who survived nicely the recession even more rich and that middle class wages are rising. Yet they lie awake at night worrying about the future of the republic and their children.

Read the whole article. https://www.firstthings.com/article/2018/04/city-of-the-chosen

Book Club Selections for 2018-2019

This week our book club met to discuss Cod by Mark Kurlansky, and we selected our choices for September through May next season. The addition of a poetry reading is new, and I’m looking forward to that.  Russia seems to be on our mind—2 selections, one a novel and one a memoir.  I was pleased to see the great Ronald White on the list—he’s been a speaker at Lakeside twice, once on Lincoln and once on Grant. Thurberville, of course, has a Columbus setting.  We’ve read Dava Sobel before—a great writer. Not sure I have all the leaders correct—but that will be sorted out. 

Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles led by Carolyn, September

The year I was Peter the Great, by Marvin Kalb, led by ?? October

Lincoln’s Greatest Speech by Ronald C. White, Jr., led by Peggy, November

Selection of favorite poems—each member decides.  December

The Other Alcott by Elise Hooper, led by Mary Lou, January

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, led by Letha, February

Thurberville, by Bob Hunter, led by Jean, March

A Country Between by Stephanie Soldena, April

Longitude by Dava Sobel, May

Spike in STDs in LA—Is it racism or sex?

It's nothing new to blame STDs on racism or society in general--just google it and you'll find articles in peer reviewed journals 10-15 years old. STDs among men who have sex with men is 107x higher than men who don't, (over 300x higher in Hawaii) and it's rising, according to the CDC. For years that was blamed on stigma and homophobia, but that's not the cause--it's a higher rate of promiscuity, a desire for risk, and the old stigma excuse has gone by the boards. And the higher rate for black men, higher than Hispanic, Asian or White? Again, it's caused by sexual behavior, not racism. And they call climate deniers unscientific? Will we never learn? More contraception will prevent pregnancies? Didn't happen. More sex, more babies. The pill will reduce abortions? Didn't happen. Abortions can reduce women's poverty? Making pregnancy a woman's problem simply took men out of the equation creating more poor households. Academics and progressives never learn.

http://www.gopusa.com/why-is-los-angeles-a-hotbed-of-stds-racism-of-course/

https://patriotpost.us/articles/55829

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-std-stigma-20180507-htmlstory.html

https://jezebel.com/5742830/disturbing-evidence-of-race-bias-in-std-screenings

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4939479/

https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/msm/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats16/natoverview.htm

Take back the culture

Now that Eric Schneiderman, leader of the Trump Resistance and Superhero of the MeToo Movement has been found to be a serial abuser of women, you would think it might cause a set back in the twin movements of demonize Trump and create more victims for the left. However, I've been watching this stuff for about 40 years and it's only a bump in the road. CNN today offered an interview with Stormy's attorney instead of news of the hostage release or an analysis of Schneiderman's duplicity.

Take back your HR department, your party, your profession, your college or university, your church social justice committee, God's rainbow covenant for Noah, and maybe your extended family. Stop waiting for the left to implode--they just pick up the pieces and move on to a new cause.

Small town seeks economic recovery and growth

I grew up in a small northern Illinois community, Mt. Morris (and Forreston 15 miles away) which had a healthy economy in the 1940s through the 1960s based on the printing/publishing/magazine fulfillment business. The town had been built first on education, and when the college failed during the 1930s Depression, private investors took over the buildings and developed a nice economy to complete the printing business already established by the Kable twins at the turn of the century.  The printing plant, originally known as Kables,  was sold several times, and finally closed a few years ago. The publishing company, Watts, known for its numerous agricultural journals, moved out of town, as did the fulfillment company.   Murray Trout (now deceased) wrote a history for me a few years ago.  Now another friend, a member of the Mt. Morris Economic Development Corporation,  has updated me on the current negotiations on using the printing plant.

“The initial behavior of the 'new' owners, "Phoenix" seems to be more favorable and more 'engaged' than the previous owners, IRG.  https://phoenixinvestors.com/

Omni-trax, owner of the RR spur has been busy clearing brush and repairing track.  http://omnitrax.com/

The plant has an overabundance of electric power, natural gas service, two deep water wells and a water tower, a $14 mm waste water treatment plant within a mile, one block from buried, ultra-high speed (giga-bit) fiber optic cable, the RR spur, of course with 'cross-docking' capabilities, 600K square feet, fully sprinklered  under roof and a 30+ acre property base.  

The problem is NOT the facility, but its location in the state of Illinois.  One of the highest property tax structures in North America; workers comp and unemployment tax rates off the charts, and a legislature that is run - and has been run for 30 plus years - by a 70+ year old Democrat from Chicago, not to mention a $100+ billion unfunded liability, public employees' pension fund, with unsustainably generous (3%) annual cost of living increases, and a structurally unbalance-able budget.  Have I forgotten or overlooked any other disadvantages—oh yes--each of our contiguous neighbors - WI, IA, MO, KY, IN - are 'right to work' states.

A Janesville, WI, outdoor and children's furniture manufacturer has 'waltzed' with us several times:  His company is reported to be headquartered in Battle Creek, MI; and he expressed an interest in moving it to the Mt. Morris Printing Plant.  He claimed possibly 400 semi-skilled labor jobs.  He claimed that Kellogg's was his financial backer, and wished to establish a 'maintenance facility' for their long-haul trucks.  After the Kellogg's decision makers studied the location, they reportedly determined that, "We aren't interested in doing business in Illinois."

It's not a 'pretty' picture … although we have had several small successes, e.g., Sullivan's Foods replaced MM SuperMart with a new, 50% larger store, DOLLAR GENERAL and CASEY'S have opened stores.  But downtown is virtually half deserted! 

The ENCORE! arts group has become instrumental in attracting music groups to summer concerts, and visual artists to The Gallery, i.e., 1st floor of Old Sandstone, as well as several summer festivals, i.e., PorchFest  - music on private porches, functioning much like a 'progressive dinner' - and StrawFest, a straw-statue constructing competition.   The Performing Arts Guild continues to showcase several productions each year.

And periodically, we are contacted by IL Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to 'bid' for re-locating businesses, but to no avail as yet.

Mt. Morris has two Tax Increment Financing ("TIF") districts, which accumulate tax funds for rehabilitating 'downtown' structures, and nearly 200 acres of Enterprise Zone property, which offers tax abatement and sales tax avoidance incentives.  We have engaged a Rockford-based architect, who specializes in restoring buildings to their once, long ago glory; and hope thereby to 'spruce up the downtown' with some of the TIF funds.

Many of the 'experts' which we hear and see suggest towns and villages build their own 'creative economies'; but when one studies the demographics of Mt. Morris, and realizes that Pinecrest Communities [retirement/nursing facility affiliated with Church of the Brethren] is the growth industry, one doesn't find many early, middle aged entrepreneurs!

Attacks on Laura Ingalls Wilder

One of the first attacks I remember on Laura Ingalls Wilder was written by Michael Dorris, who committed suicide about 20 years ago after being accused of sexual abuse by his daughters and the break up of his marriage. She is practically sacred to my memories of childhood and sitting with Mom while she read the whole series to my brother and me (even though I knew how to read). Many years later I read all her columns for farm magazines when I prepared my own research about women who wrote for agricultural publications.

Caroline Fraser has written 2 books and wants to dispute Ingalls-Wilder's memories and facts. That's what current academic criticism is--call it all myth, and especially browbeat American pioneers for daring to settle on Indian land. So that means we should discredit memories of Jews who were children in the 1940s watching their parents and siblings go to the gas chambers, or terrorism memories of survivors of Tutsi-Hutu wars, or the tales of living through the dust storms of the plains during the Great Depression, or the Gospels because they were written so many years after Jesus' resurrection, or the slave narratives recorded by the Federal Writers Project, or even my blogs about what I saw, heard and remember.

Liberals have long discredited Mrs. Wilder--especially because her libertarian daughter, a novelist, edited her works and was very patriotic (died in 1968). Some don't even give Wilder credit. But also the message of hard work, self-reliance, faith in family and community, and self-sacrifice is an anathema to them. I guess Laura and her little family struggling on the prairies were precursors of white privilege and must be destroyed before she gives other children hope and enjoyment.

Who’s the hater now?

It's now fashionable to declare that if a person believes marriage is between a man and woman,  he is a homophobic hater.  Yet both Obama and Clinton ran on that assumption right up to 2012 or until someone threatened to spill the beans.  It's possible to believe differently and not hate. This company, Chick-fil-a, doesn't discriminate or have hiring and promotion quotas for its homosexual employees, but the thought police have declared them not suitable to be among the 7,300 fast food restaurants for New Yorkers. 

Recently, a Houston gay man shot and killed his partner/husband then himself --now that's hate, but apparently he had correct political views on same sex marriage.  Or maybe he expected fidelity?

https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2018/04/the-sins-of-chick-fil-a

http://abc13.com/autopsy-details-shooter-in-murder-suicide-of-divorcing-men/3439322/

Abortion peaked in 1981

Everything the Democrats told you about abortion is a lie. Roe v. Wade has created more poverty among women; it has created more child abuse; there are more scandals at abortion clinics than there ever were for "back alley" abortions; staff at abortion clinics suffer trauma and quit; they are "aging out" of the abortion business; many women suffer terrible post abortion trauma; studies from Europe reveal a 6-7x higher suicide rate among post-abortion women; some of the strongest opponents of abortion are women who have experienced one or two.

It's good that there has been a dramatic decline in the number of abortions. The pro-lifers are winning this issue of violence against the unborn. “There is diminished enthusiasm for abortion, misgivings about its brutality, medical professionals withdrawing their support, and the general public moving with the larger trend toward the pro-life stance, all of which allow for legislative action.  . . Every life lost to the abortion industry if a crime.”

Rachel MacNair, "Our Pro-Life Future,” First Things, June/July 2018, p. 41-44

Wearing a hat to church

I bought a hat to wear to a Derby party last night. So I decided to wear it to church today (Lutheran). Things have changed since my early 20s when I stopped wearing hats and gloves (and going to church).

1) You can knock them off getting into a car.

2) Cars in the 50s and 60s did not have bulging headrests to mess with your hat.

3) The sign of the cross requires a slight change in movement--aim for your eyebrows.

But I got a lot of compliments--particularly from men over 70. Children just stopped and stared.

Announcing our new pastor

Today in church it was announced that Steve Turnbull of Community of Grace Lutheran Church, White Bear Lake, Minnesota, will be the new pastor at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church.  I think this photo is about 6 years old—found it on Facebook.

Fillies in the Derby

Maybe Bruce Jenner is confused (did you read he's getting married for the fourth time--a woman younger than his daughters), but horsemen seem to know there's a difference between the boys and girls.  It took me awhile, but I finally found a list of fillies in the Kentucky Derby.  Fillies mature a little later than colts, so the Derby really isn't good for them.

Fillies in the Derby 1875  Ascension    10th; Gold Mine    15th
1876  Lizzie Stone     6th; Marie Michon    7th
1877  Early Light     8th
1879  Ada Glenn     7th
  Wissahickon     9th
1883  Pike’s Pride     6th
1906  Lady Navarre   2nd
1911  Round the World    6th
1912  Flamma    3rd
1913  Gowell    3rd
1914  Bronzewing    3rd; Watermelon     7th
1915  REGRET    1st
1918  Viva America    3rd
1919  Regalo     9th
1920  Cleopatra    15th
1921  Prudery    3rd&; Careful     5th
1922  Startle      8th
1929  Ben Machree    18th
1930  Alcibiades    10th
1932  Oscillation    13th
1934  Mata Hari     4th; Bazaar; 9th
1935  Nellie Flag     4th
1936  Gold Seeker     9th
1945  Misweet    12th
1959  Silver Spoon     5th
1980  GENUINE RISK   1st
1982  Cupecoy’s Joy   10th
1984  Life’s Magic     8th, Althea     19th
1988  WINNING COLORS   1st
1995  Serena’s Song   16th
1999  Excellent Meeting    5th; Three Ring    19th
2008  Eight Belles    2nd
2010  Devil May Care   10th

The 2018 Derby list—Forbes

1) Firenze Fire
Owner: Mr. Amore Stable
Trainer: Jason Servis
Jockey: Paco Lopez
Opening odds: 50-1
Saturday morning odds: 66-1
Post position winners (where they opening and listed in the program): 8
Last winner: Ferdinand (1986)
2) Free Drop Billy
Owner: Albaugh Family Stables LLC
Trainer: Dale Romans
Jockey: Robby Albarado
Opening odds: 30-1
Saturday morning odds: 35-1
Post position winners: 7
Last winner: Affirmed (1978)
3) Promises Fulfilled
Owner: Robert J. Baron
Trainer: Dale Romans
Jockey: Corey Lanerie
Opening odds: 30-1
Saturday morning odds: 50-1
Post position winners: 5
Last winner: Real Quiet (1998)
4) Flameaway
Owner: John C. Oxley
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: José Lezcano
Opening odds: 30-1
Saturday morning odds: 45-1
Post position winners: 5
Last winner: Super Saver (2010)
5) Audible
Owner: China Horse Club International, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Starlight Racing, WinStar Farm
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Opening odds: 8-1
Saturday morning odds: 13/2
Post position winners: 10
Last winner: Always Dreaming (2017)
6) Good Magic
Owner: E Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables LLC
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: José Ortiz
Opening odds: 12-1
Saturday morning odds: 8-1
Post position winners: 2
Last winner: Sea Hero (1993)
7) Justify
Owner: China Horse Club International, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Starlight Racing, WinStar Farm
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Mike Smith
Opening odds: 3-1
Saturday morning odds: 7/2
Post position winners: 6
Last winner: Street Sense (2007)
8) Lone Sailor
Owner: G M B Racing
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Jockey: James Graham
Opening odds: 50-1
Saturday morning odds: 50-1
Post position winners: 8
Last winner: Mine That Bird (2009)
9) Hofburg
Owner: Juddmonte Farms Inc.
Trainer: Bill Mott
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Opening odds: 20-1
Saturday morning odds: 15-1
Post position winners: 4
Last winner: Riva Ridge (1972)
10) My Boy Jack
Owner: Don’t Tell My Wife Stables, Monomoy Stables LLC
Trainer: Keith Desormeaux
Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
Opening odds: 30-1
Saturday morning odds: 18-1
Post position winners: 9
Last winner: Giacomo (2005)
11) Bolt d’Oro
Owner: Ruis Racing LLC
Owner: Ruis Racing LLC
Trainer: Mick Ruis
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Opening odds: 8-1
Saturday morning odds: 17/2
Post position winners: 2
Last winner: Winning Colors (1988)
12) Enticed
Owner: Godolphin LLC
Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Opening odds: 30-1
Saturday morning odds: 25-1
Post position winners: 3
Last winner: Canonero II (1971)
13) Bravazo
Owner: Calumet Farm
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Jockey: Luis Contreras
Opening odds: 50-1
Saturday morning odds: 60-1
Post position winners: 5
Last winner: Nyquist (2016)
14) Mendelssohn
Owner: Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Opening odds: 5-1
Saturday morning odds: 7/2
Post position winners: 2
Last winner: Carry Back (1961)
15) Instilled Regard
Owner: Oxo Equine LLC
Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer
Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke
Opening odds: 50-1
Saturday morning odds: 60-1
Post position winners: 3
Last winner: Fusaichi Pegasus (2000)
16) Magnum Moon
Owner: Lawana L. and Robert E. Low
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez
Opening odds: 6-1
Saturday morning odds: 15/2
Post position winners: 5
Last winner: Orb (2013)
17) Solomini
Owner: Zayat Stables LLC
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Opening odds: 30-1
Saturday morning odds: 22-1
Post position winners: None
18) Vino Rosso
Owner: Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez
Opening odds: 12-1
Saturday morning odds: 12-1
Post position winners: 2
Last winner: American Pharoah (2015)
19) Noble Indy
Owner: WinStar Farm LLC and Repole Stable
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Opening odds: 30-1
Saturday morning odds: 30-1
Post position winners: 1
Last winner: I'll Have Another (2012)
20) Combatant
Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Willis Horton Racing LLC
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
Opening odds: 50-1
Saturday morning odds: 66-1
Post position winners: 1
Last winner: Big Brown (2008)