The President’s fight with the gang of 4

Ilhan Omar is the only one of the 4 Desperados who can go "home" (the others need to go back to their Democrat controlled districts and clean up those messes many years in the making), but she wouldn't be welcome in Somalia or Kenya, which first gave her refuge. Maybe that's why she is so bitter and ugly about the U.S. Nobody wants her. We've all known people like her--give her a hand and she'll cut it off.

It's not that women can't be devious and evil on their own, however, they also make good tools when misled. "Saikat Chakrabarti [is] the prime mover behind a Tennessee-based PAC called the “Justice Democrats,” whose support was largely responsible for getting Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley, Ro Khanna, and Pramila Jayapal elected last November. Chakrabarti has now set up shop in the House, ostensibly as AOC’s chief of staff."
https://spectator.org/meet-aocs-brain-saikat-chakrabarti/

The PAC zeros in on young, attractive women who can be coached and taught while also being attractive on TV and in personal appearances. Then they run them against old, tired white do-nothing male Democrats in Democrat districts.

Lakeside 2019, Week 5

Sunday was a wonderful day-- low humidity, sunshine, wonderful worship services at dockside and Hoover,  band concert by the lake, ice cream social, Kids Sail (which Bob helps with) and Danny and Joanie  (our niece and her husband) to keep us company. The weather for the rest of the week looks like hot, with some fallout from Hurricane (or tropical storm) Barry. Programs for week 5 are on gardening (so I won't be attending) and on leadership by General John Borling (ret.).  The LWC program is on the influence of the Wright Brothers' sister, Katherine.

 

Danny and I at the dockside service 

Bob serving communion at Dockside service

 

Enjoying the ice cream social and band concert on hotel lawn

Thoughts on a summer day--Lakeside 2019

I just read on Facebook that one of our nephews is getting married--I'll pencil it in.

Yesterday Bob went to the Farmer's Market--it's an event of Tuesday and Friday mornings at Lakeside.  In June things were sparse, but now the crops are starting to grow.  Anyway, he came home with the most fabulous chocolate chip cookies ever.  So I went back and got rhubarb, beets with leaves, and romaine. Things we need more than cookies.

Bob has finished all his porch reading, so I went down to the Lakeside Women's Club which has a library and selected a Rita Mae Brown, Crazy like a Fox, novel.  She's written a lot--not as much as Mary Higgins Clark, but if he likes her style, it could keep him busy for awhile.  She's in her mid-70s and I just won't tell him she's a lesbian activist and feminist.

Dinner tonight is from the crock pot, but it doesn't seem to be doing well, and may have to take a pass through the oven.  The program at Hoover Auditorium is Texas Tenors.  They are wonderful.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OG_OsZWnRQ  Last night was Three Dog Night, and although I did recognize a few songs (we sat outside a short while in order to protect our hearing), they looked like refugees from North Shore (our local nursing home).  It was a packed house.

Each Saturday afternoon, a local talent sings from the pavilion, and I sat on a park bench for awhile--it's very hot but a great wind blowing.  He was really fabulous--don't know why he isn't on a bigger circuit.  Very few people were listening--just talking and enjoying the afternoon.  But he said his wife is a doctor--jokingly said she supports him.  Hmm. Gave up a career for marriage?

Lakeside 2019, Week 4, Simon & Garfunkel and Mark Twain

Last night's tribute to Simon & Garfunkel by Nic and Alex Chamberlain was delightful. They love that era (although young enough to be the grandsons of many in the audience) and performed it well. We even got up and danced, despite my bursitis. And a super band--especially the pianist with the long blond pony-tail.

Today is the second installment of Organizing 101. I’ll have to put a few things away (like the back of the van) so that we can accommodate our guests, niece Joan and husband Dan.  Tonight is 3 Dog Night, which I’m sure we’ll not attend, or if we do, we’ll sit outside on a bench.  Five years ago Phil came up for that.

The Mark Twain/Rod Serling lecture with Mark Dawidziak TV critic of Cleveland Plain Dealer was outstanding yesterday. I didn’t take American literature in college, nor did I ever watch Twilight Zone, but he managed to pull it all together.  He’s also written a book on the TV show Colombo which will be issued this fall on its 30th anniversary.

Wheelersburg, Ohio, (on the Ohio River) has a championship girls little league softball team, and the family of the pitcher is renting 2 doors down. We sit on the porch and watch a powerhouse pitch like I've never seen--12 years old--as she practices with her dad in the yard. Her older sister already has a college scholarship in the sport, and there are 4 other girls in the family.  A few years ago Bob did a painting of one of the daughters with red hair riding her scooter.

This is how much the left hates Trump

Home Depot co-founder and noted philanthropist, Bernie Marcus:

“I woke up this morning thinking it was going to be another great day. I've been celebrating with friends, family and the community since I turned 90. I've told you about the gracious gift of $117 million that was collected and given in my honor to four charities that mean a lot to me. All that happiness blew up because I said in a newspaper interview that I have supported and will continue to support Donald Trump.

Boom!

Negative stories... vicious threats, without cause, to boycott the company that has enabled my foundation to give billions to support autism, medical research, education, heart and neurological issues like stroke, and to help our veterans. The company that I retired from in 2002 and have not had a business relationship with in almost 20 years. A company that has employed more than a half-million people. The people who work there are affiliated with both political parties or no party at all. They are of all religions and all colors and backgrounds. Why would people want to hurt them?

All because I give my voice and some of my money to our President. Am I in China? Argentina? Russia? That's what it feels like to me.

It saddens me that our country has come to this, where I, as a private citizen, cannot express my feelings. It angers me and it saddens me, but it sure as hell is not going to stop me. If you thought it would, you've got the wrong guy.

In the next ten years, God willing, I will accomplish more to save this world than my critics will do even if they had forty lifetimes.”

Lakeside 2019, Week 4, Dr. Roizen and Dr. Dillon

Dr. Kelly Dillon of Wittenberg University (Springfield, OH)  was our speaker at Lakeside Monday and Tuesday on children and guns, cyberbullying and media literacy. My major question is why Hollywood and TV celebs are so critical of the 2nd amendment when in fact they fuel the violence with their films and shows. Seems awfully hypocritical. It's an industry--not just actors, but screen writers, agents, producers, directors, lighting, costuming, make-up, drivers, camera jockeys, set designers, film editors, it's all in a days job. They all play a role in the violence.  She presented some compelling research done at OSU using edited movies, some with violence some without then following children who were playing with nerf guns and a real gun.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170925132929.htm

In terms of her media lecture, I believe educated people have too much faith in  “knowledge,” and “information.”  Especially parents of adolescents.  They seem to think that if “we have that conversation” with our children about sex, alcohol, drugs, or on-line safety or cyberbullying, then like magic, they will make the right decisions.

Dr. Michael Roizen of the Cleveland Clinic drew a large crowd for an evening lecture.  He went through his slides so quickly I knew I’d have to search the internet for his YouTube and summaries of his books. But I did have a few takeaways to investigate.  He thinks that even at my age, I can make a difference in my genes by actively pursuing the right nutrition, exercise and few modifications.  He is still in favor of  older adults using a multi-vitamin and  baby aspirin. He likes breathing exercises for lowering blood pressure.  Interestingly, he recommends jumping for strengthening bones.  Not sure I’ve seen that before—I’ll have to find an explanation.  Dr. Roizen is a HUGE fan of coffee—like it’s a magic elixir.  Like most people knowledgeable about nutrition, he’s not fond of sugar.

https://www.whenway.com/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190624111622.htm

He’s written many books, and there was a table of autographed books for sale.

Are Americans the worst patients in the world?

“Recriminations tend to focus on how Americans pay for health care, and on our hospitals and physicians. Surely if we could just import Singapore’s or Switzerland’s health-care system to our nation, the logic goes, we’d get those countries’ lower costs and better results. Surely, some might add, a program like Medicare for All would help by discouraging high-cost, ineffective treatments.

But lost in these discussions is, well, us. We ought to consider the possibility that if we exported Americans to those other countries, their systems might end up with our costs and outcomes. That although Americans (rightly, in my opinion) love the idea of Medicare for All, they would rebel at its reality. In other words, we need to ask: Could the problem with the American health-care system lie not only with the American system but with American patients?”

Atlantic July 2019. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/07/american-health-care-spending/590623/

Anna Loska Meenan, who lives in the Rockford area and used to be on staff at the Mt. Morris clinic, says:

This excellent article explains why Medicare for All in the US would quickly lead to one of two scenarios: Either the health care system would be immediately bankrupted, or the resulting rationing would lead to riots in the streets. Having been involved in health care, I can confirm that this author speaks the truth, and from conversations with docs who are still seeing patients, I can see that things have only gotten worse since I left medicine 10 years ago.

MSNBC hosts has it wrong

“Kamala Harris supports Born Alive abortions, open borders, a centrally planned socialist economy, free healthcare for illegals, the abolition of private health plans, the Green New Deal, and the Iran Deal.

And the only reason MSNBC thinks Republicans don’t want to vote for her is because she’s Black.”

dk  African American Conservatives

Blast from the past--the fifties

Carol Samsel Hayes sent me a scan of what looks like some old photos of me in elementary school, and my high school freshman class photo. Carol is a cousin by marriage of my cousin and reader of my blog, Gayle. As I recall, we spent a lot of time together summer of 1953 playing cards and going to the pool and getting together with Doree.  Then Carol's family moved--maybe around 1954 to the Chicago area.  We reconnected about 10 years ago on the internet.

I remember that pale pink (lower left) coat with a little black velvet trim on the collar--was considered very stylish then.  I think I'm wearing a tan denim skirt I made for 4-H and "bucks" shoes--mine were a rust color (middle top), and I seem to have Steve Brinker in a head hold and am wearing jeans, so it must have not been a school day since we didn't wear jeans to school in those days.  You can see the old elementary school building which was torn down years ago. It must have been before school in the morning because of the shadows. Then there's a group photo of 7th and 8th grade girls, with Carol and Doree among them.

The power of YET

Joan Shaw Turrentine, retired teacher, pastor’s wife, mother, grandmother, blogger and FaceBook companion writes:

“I was reminded again this morning of the power of "yet." Even at my age, YET sometimes keeps me going. When I retired, I couldn't paint, or play piano, or write meaningful poetry, or read the Bible through yearly, or truly understand "big picture" economic or political issues, or relax enough to see the beauty in the stress of relationships, or turn loose of (and forgive myself for my part in) the stress generated through daily living - YET.

I still can't paint or write or forgive myself or understand those "big issues" like I really want to - YET. But I HAVE learned to add "yet" instead of a period when evaluating my life and accomplishments.

So, advice from this old lady to my young friends: Quit putting periods at the end of your self-evaluating statements/thoughts. When you come to the end of the statement, add "yet" and keep trying.”

Lakeside 2019, Week 4

The daytime lectures this week feature Kelly Dillion of Wittenburg University speaking on “Kids, Guns & the Media,” and “Media Literacy for  all Ages” on Monday and Tuesday.  On Wednesday Mark Dawidziak speaks on “The Twilight Zone,” and on Thursday, “Rod Serling & Mark Twain: moralists in disguise.”

Tuesday evening at Hoover Auditorium will be author, Michael Roizen, MD, Cleveland Clinic, speaking on the 6 + 2 normals.  Here’s a YouTube of one of his lectures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzSaI73NKaw 

At another lecture, https://www.healthandwealthresearch.com/free-research/how-to-become-a-1-percenter  given this year, he said,

“Consider that 84% of all healthcare costs are due to chronic disease, and 75% of chronic diseases are driven by just six measurable factors:

• Blood pressure

• Body mass index (BMI)

• Fasting blood sugar (or hemoglobin A1C)

• LDL cholesterol

• Smoking (measured by blood cotinine levels)

• Unmanaged stress

These six predictors of chronic disease are controllable in up to 95% of people.”  (+2) See your primary care provider and stay up to date on your immunizations.  So for being 80 and 81, we’re in pretty good shape (but I need to lower my cholesterol).

Today, Sunday afternoon, a woman is speaking for the Heritage Society about how she came back to Marblehead Peninsula to start a business.  On Monday in Chautauqua Hall we’ll have another evening of Porch Stores—this little feature now in the 3rd year has been so popular (and it is nationwide) that it is held in Chautauqua Hall in the Fountain Inn rather than on a porch.  Tuesday at the Women’s Club I plan to attend a program about Mrs. Warren Harding.

Last night a huge crowd showed up to enjoy the Spinners, a black do-wop group, but although we stuck our heads in the door, it was so hot we went over to the Barris’ and chatted with Dan.  Friday’s Cooking with Chef Stacy lecture  in the morning featured how to purchase, chop, treat and store knives, and she did a demo for corn chowder, made with 2 quarters of cream!  We asked, but she said, no, it should be cream—just eat less of it if concerned about calories. I’m not a member of the CLSC discussion group, but Thursday they are doing “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Townes, and our book club did that one, so I may see what that’s about.  On Friday July 12, we’ll have another Organizing 101 on dealing with “stuff.”  The first one was very good.

Carol's high school class reunion

My sister Carol died in 1996.  Recently her high school classmates were in Mt. Morris for a reunion--not sure why 64 is a special year, but perhaps someone was willing to organize it or someone could be in town who rarely visits.  So here is a photo of the group that met for breakfast.  If there was a larger group meeting, I don't know.

How do they do it?

As I returned from my 2 mile lakefront walk this morning, I had heard and seen a lot of dogs.  Two of the cutest were the labs, one black and one chocolate, tied at the bike rack and staring at the restroom door in the pavilion. Anxious for their person to reappear with her/his love, acceptance and snacks.  At the corner of 3rd and Poplar dogs in different houses, opposite corners, felt the need to arouse the household just in case I tried to invade.  Young dogs, old dogs, puppies, pretty, ugly and those in training.

But the ones who puzzle me aren’t the dogs necessarily, but my neighbors. She’s late 70s, and he’s in his 80s.  They bought the house across the street about 5 years ago after many years of renting, and they are delightful, helpful neighbors. She makes the most wonderful peach cobbler. She brings me books to read which she has enjoyed.  However, it is a small house and they have a lot of company.

In addition to their own dog, their guests have at least 3, I think.  Plus all the people, four of whom seem to be teen-agers—their grandchildren plus their friends.  Cars, boats, bikes, floats, towels, etc.

We’ve been alone since 1986. I think that much company and that many dogs (one year they had a chicken, and maybe a pet pig), is something one needs to grow in to gradually. Or God has granted them a measure of patience we don’t have.

As I returned from my 2 mile lakefront walk, the largest dog visiting my neighbors—looks like a cross between a standard poodle and Great Dane—began to bark.  It was about 7 a.m.

Hot and steamy, but a good sail

 

With Tony Gardner

France seeks to end life of disabled man

Pro-life is advocating for your protection at the other end, too. The government of France is trying to kill a disabled man, even though his family takes care of him.

"Euthanasia is illegal in France. However, a 2005 law allows physicians to refrain from using “disproportionate” treatments “with no other effect than maintaining life artificially.”

Lambert, 42, has been a tetraplegic and severely disabled for more than 10 years, after he sustained severe head injuries in a traffic accident in 2008."

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/french-court-orders-severely-disabled-man-be-disconnected-from-food-water

The challenges of being on social media and the internet

I was checking on the biography of the person who had written about and translated Saint Epiphanius of Salamis.  That’s not important since he’d posted for many ancient writers and Christians.  What was interesting was the warning he’d given about anything about himself:

“This page was written in 1999, when this website was new.  It contained my photograph, my email address, and various personal, educational and professional details and so forth.

Little by little, it has grown shorter.  The internet is not so small a place as it was in those days.  A troll was merely a nuisance, not a brutal thug determined to use the compulsive element in social media to drive a vulnerable teenager to suicide, and to jeer at them afterwards on their memorial Facebook page.  A spammer was merely an advertiser, not an internet criminal determined to steal your every shekel, and your identity with it.  Privacy was taken for granted.  None of this is true today.

My email address was the first to go.  That change was forced upon me by the torrent of spam.  I created a form -- which the spammers soon learned to attack -- but this stemmed much of the trouble.

Next to go was my photograph, once I found that the nastier people online sought out personal information in order to use it to inflict pain on their victims.  Professional details went next, for the same reason.

Today I have decided to remove the rest.   It is a wrench, it is true.  But I see no alternative.  If I were to join the internet today, I suspect that I would not use my own name at all, but a pen-name.  Anything else puts you at risk from the criminal element online. 

I myself feel uncomfortable writing online under any name but my own.  Occasionally some forum software prevents me from using my own name; but it is a weird feeling.  But I think it would be absurd for me to attempt to use a pseudonym at this time of day.

All the same, I cannot sensibly allow personal details to remain on the web when I can prevent this. Nor should you.

You can still email me, if you like.  The following link will take you to a form, and this will email me.”

A sad story of our times.  Vicious trolls, angry Christian haters, and just plain nasty people.

Yard sale to benefit pastors and missionaries

Each year Vern and Dianne Hartenburg collect items and sponsor a sale of cottage friendly items to benefit a fund to help young pastors and missionaries enjoy a vacation at Lakeside.  Vern finds items thrown away and refurbishes and renovates them, and charges the most reasonable prices I've ever seen at a sale.  This one, which is usually held over the Memorial Day week-end, was the day after the fourth as the rain date.  When I walked past on my morning walk I noticed a big crowd and went over to look (next to Hoover). The sale opened at 7:30 a.m. at which time the buyers wrote their names on the tag, paid for it, and then claimed it.  I bought a new rack for towels for the guest room. Many people came early and sat on or near the items they wanted. One couple had been there since 5 a.m. waiting to get the wicker couch and chairs painted red.

 

 

 

                                                   This is the item I got for $4.00

The face of HIV is aging

I received a notice in e-mail of a medical seminar on the “Changing faces of HIV” and the photo to advertise this topic was an attractive white blonde woman. False advertising; fake news.  Gay and bisexual men are the population most affected by HIV in the United States. In 2016, gay and bisexual men accounted for 67% of the 40,324 new HIV diagnoses in the United States and 6 dependent areas. (About 2% of the population) Approximately 492,000 sexually active gay and bisexual men are at high risk for HIV.  And most are black and young. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/msm/index.html

Women do contract HIV—usually from men who have sex with men, and most are also black.

What’s is an inkhorn?

I might be ostentatious, but I'm not an "inkhorn." I prefer plain English. In fact, I'd never heard the word inkhorn used this way.

"Picture an ancient scribe, pen in hand, a small ink bottle made from an animal's horn strapped to his belt, ready to record the great events of history. In 14th-century England, such ink bottles were dubbed (not surprisingly) inkhorns. During the Renaissance, learned writers often borrowed words from Latin and Greek, eschewing vulgar English alternatives. But in the 16th century, some scholars argued for the use of native terms over Latinate forms, and a lively intellectual debate over the merits of each began. Those who favored English branded what they considered ostentatious Latinisms "inkhorn terms" after the bottles carried by scholars, and since then we have used inkhorn as an adjective for Latinate or pretentious language." Merriam Webster Word of the Day.

Anglo-Saxon, the language of the Germanic barbarians who invaded the British Isles, was useful for swearing, cursing, naming common things like animals, counting money and time, but for just about everything else, Latin and French words needed to be imported by the Normans (originally were Vikings) when they invaded Britain in the 11th century (which is also the origin of both my maiden and married names). I also don't do a lot of swearing and cursing. In fact, none.

As of January 1, 2019, there were (estimated) 1,052,010.5 words in the English language. (Global Language Monitor) Shakespeare invented about 1700 words, and the KJV Bible changed the language forever. Today the internet accounts for many changes like OMG and BFF.

TV channels refuse to be patriotic

We're enjoying "Salute to America" on Fox on July 4 and the President's great speech about scientific discoveries, brave explorers, civil rights and justice, and his honoring the various branches of the military. Massive crowds standing in the rain. While watching the Marines' tribute, we took a peek at the broadcast channels to see if they were following through with their anti-America threats because they hate the President, and sure enough, got a food processing commercial and 2 game shows. The brave, the strong and the free. And the media all said, not us.

Record low number of Democrats (22%) say they are proud to be American, and it wasn't all that high during the Obama reign, either. "76% of Republicans, who have historically taken much more pride in the country, tick the extreme box. Even when Barack Obama was president, Republicans still managed to come in at 68%." (Market Watch)  That about tells the story of why the country is polarized.