First, make two columns

Whether a Democrat or Republican, a Trump supporter or not, take an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper and fold it in half length wise. At the top left column, write OBAMA. At the top right column, write TRUMP. Then write the numbers 1 through 15. For each president fill in the numbers with policies YOU believe have helped the American people.

I'll start with Obama.

#1. His race lifted the pride of many black people causing them to vote in unprecedented numbers. I don't discount this--pride, a sense of self worth even if borrowed, is important.

#2. His race lifted the burden of guilt for racism and personal bad behavior from the shoulders of millions of Americans who sighed with relief.

OK. I'm done with that column. There's something to be said for feelings, although as policy, it's pretty weak. And that race thing has certainly come back to bite us as it was fertilizer for BLM, Soviet style reeducation classes in critical race theory and the virus of Woke.

I'm aware that many Democrats would put Obamacare at the top Left, but when you look at the loss of insurance for millions who already had good insurance and liked their doctors/hospitals and then lost them, it wasn't a sound plan. Certainly not for "feelings." Compare those 85% to those 15% uninsured who received very expensive, poor insurance or who had never signed up for one of the government plans already available, In my opinion, it was a very poor and expensive swap. Also the mandate to buy a product or be fined or go to jail was a very bad precedent.

Now for President Trump.

#1 Life. Protection for the unborn, the disabled and the elderly. Although the Democrats responded with powerful penalties against the unborn--like no aid for those born alive if intended for death, even in the 9th month, he supported both with his person at pro-life events and actions the unborn. I'm a one issue voter, so of course, LIFE would be at the top of my list. President Trump was dedicated to advancing policies that protect the fundamental right to life for the unborn, the elderly, and the medically dependent and disabled. Democrats in Congress, who spent 4 years trying to impeach him, saw abortion as pitting the rights of the child against the rights of the mother, and abortion as an act of political courage and charity, to combat poverty and poor health. The President believed Americans were better than that.

#2 Protect and advance lower income Americans were key for the President. Lower taxes and better jobs help the poor far more than one more government program which primarily goes to the middle class bureaucracy. Lowest unemployment rate in my life time. Lower taxes did nothing for those who paid no taxes at all (close to 50%), and for that the Left criticized him. Pelosi called it crumbs. It's hard to give back what the government didn't take.

#3 The border was strengthened with moral, physical, technical and political walls. This directly affected #2.  The flood of illegal immigrants has hurt American workers for decades. This brought attention back to legal immigration, one of our strengths which builds the country. It also brought attention to the "sanctuary city" controversy, where local governments use our tax money to expand their population which enlarges their state representation which hurts the entire country.

I've got more, but I need to go to the store. I'm sure you can think of a few issues specifically important to you. And if you can find anything good about Obama's administration that I missed, please add that.

Comments on the week's events by my friend and I agree

 Right now “I am mad as hell and not going to take it anymore!”  Trump never acted very “presidential,” but he got things done. His accomplishments have been historic in numbers and in dimension. He was elected because people were tired of the establishment politicians of both parties failures to deliver what they promised and their party and power over what is best for the country attitude. 

 I resent being lectured about morality when the left including politicians, corporations, news media and social media fail to call out the left for any transgressions. They are clearly working to silence anyone who dares to disagree with them. 

 Where was this outrage from Elected Democrats in 2020 while cities literally destroyed by the far left loonies?  Destroying businesses and thus innocent peoples’ livelihoods was termed block parties. Federal buildings and police stations were attacked. Where was the outrage by the rest of the left. Oh but let a small group of loonie rightists break into their place of business ( the capital) and they go apoplectic!  The hypocrisy is enormous. 

 I believe the election was unfair. Democrats have been bending the rules and creating fraudulent votes for years. The only reason they do not want voter ID is so fraudulent votes can be cast. They didn’t let the Covid “crisis go to waste.”  They rushed out mail in ballots to everyone on their dirty registration roles with little , if any, verification that those voters are still alive, live at the address of record, or are even citizens. In PA Democrat counties allowed voters to correct their ballots and Republican counties did not because they followed the law. In GA signatures were verified on in person voting but not on mail in ballots. The list goes on. Democrats spent four plus years trying to destroy Trump because he dared to call them names, he wasn’t one of them and he was being successful. They ginned up so much hate against him but no one ever called them out for promoting violence. No, that is reserved for Republicans only. 

 I must add that Judicial Watch has successfully sued a number of states forcing them to clean their voter registration roles. Thousands of names have been removed from the rolls in those states. But many states have not done this yet. 

 Yes, I know Trump isn’t likable , but his policies snd accomplishments have have resonated with so many people. They love him. What has Biden ever done?  Trump had thousands of people at rallies all over the country. Biden barely campaigned and when he did he’d got a handful of cars attending. How did he get so many more votes than Obama did?

My husband and I will be very active politically over the next few years. We will take a stand against all this politically correct nonsense and censorship. We will promote liberty and self-reliance and personal responsibility. We will try to do this with love even though it keeps getting harder to do so with all the hate that the left has generated. 

 Remember, the left has already done or is doing everything bad they accuse the right of doing whether or not the right is actually doing anything wrong.  Another thought - It is just so rich that the Democrats talk about coming together now that they have won. How dare they suggest that after they have spent four plus years throwing dirt at everyone Republican!  Yes, we should try to compromise, but Democrats have pushed too far. If they are not careful there could be a revolution. 

VDH Common sense as always

“The proper conservative response to last Wednesday’s violent entry into the Capitol and vandalism, as well as assaults on law-enforcement, is to identify the guilty parties and ensure they are arrested.”

“Those who wrongly demanded to defund the police, now rightly deplore the lack of a Capitol police presence. Their only consistency is their own perceived political self-interest.”

Crazy 2020 Is Dead! Long Live Crazier 2021! - American Greatness (amgreatness.com)

Letter from a friend of a friend

He was there on the 6th, and this is what he saw and heard.  I don’t know “friend,” however I’d believe him above anything that is said on CNN, MSNBC or the reporter on our local news channel who kept referring to the President’s lies while interviewing our governor.

“Family:

I just wanted you to know that since we live so close to Washington D.C. I decided to attend the March for Trump. No matter how I felt, I knew this would probably be one of the most historic political events in my lifetime. I must honestly say I was impressed. When I came home I was shocked by how the media spun things. There were so many people there, the pictures don't even do it justice. Here's an image from the stage someone else took:

[see below]
The following pictures and videos are from my own camera which I attached to a homemade selfie stick made from a flagpole, zip-ties, and rubber bands:
Pictures: https://cloudup.com/cZ8ELLpbuGK
Videos: https://cloudup.com/c1Mcm70XVhO

I remember specifically in Trump's speech (though that section is not being shown by the media) that he said we should never give up or concede. He said even if we lose the fight, to keep fighting in 2 years and vote them out. And he promised to be on the ground with us campaigning to find real politicians who would fight for the people. He went very deep into stats and fraud claims, but much of that was removed from the public eye in other streams. If you want to hear his full speech, here's a working URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBH7ql34Ex0

Never once did he say to riot or attack. He said to never give up and to remember we have the power. I know people who were at the front steps of the capitol (after I left) who didn't even realize there was any violence.

I personally believe this was a setup in a lot of ways and I am sad that anyone would condone violence. But let me be 100% clear, Trump told us to fight legally. He told us to have hope. He told us to fight for truth. I walked away with a new perspective of Trump. It was great to hear his words directly instead of any marketing spin. The contrast of what he said versus what they say he said is quite disturbing. I just wanted to share that with all of you.”

10 books Conservatives need to read

‘Economics in One Lesson,’ by Henry Hazlitt (1946)

‘The Black Book of Communism,’ by Stéphane Courtois, et al. (1999)

‘Hollywood Party: How Communism Seduced the American Film Industry in the 1930s and 1940s,’ by Kenneth Lloyd Billingsley (1998)

‘Reagan and Thatcher: The Difficult Relationship,’ by Richard Aldous (2012)

‘A Renegade History of the United States,’ by Thaddeus Russell (2010)

‘Gay New York,’ by George Chauncey (1994)

‘Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston,’ by Valerie Boyd (2002)

‘Public Opinion,’ by Walter Lippmann (1922)

‘Good White People,’ by Shannon Sullivan (2014)

With summaries and annotations. 10 Books Every Conservative Should Read To Combat Fake News (thefederalist.com)

Stay awake, not woke.

Normally, I wouldn’t be reading Refinery29, a digital media source established in 2015. It’s owned by something called Vice Media which in turn is Disney, A & E, and other media investors.   It’s for young fashionistas in New York. But then, it’s the modern version of Woman’s Day or Ladies Home Journal which influenced women of the last century with heath and fashion while being obedient to the needs of the marketing department. 

One of the founders and CEOs Christine Barberich  (the other 3 are all males) resigned in June because a minority employee had said bad things about her and the toxic work atmosphere on her Twitter account. Twitter users can say anything and the accused is toast.  Twitter has so much power it has silenced the President of the U.S., and because it is a private company, freedom of speech does not apply.  Maybe you think that’s great because you don’t like the president.  Just keep in mind there is someone out there who doesn’t like YOU too, maybe an ex-, or a member of your club, or even an adult child. The laws about employee and management put in place over the years to protect you, don’t apply to gossip and whispers on social media. Your union or employer will not protect you if the charge (no hearings or trial) contain the magic word, RACIST.  You could have your life’s purpose and meaning closed out and cancelled by Twitter.

But back to Refinery29—why was I reading a digital style magazine for shallow, young New Yorkers? Because it was quoted in the Ohio State University  “OSU HealthBeat” which I received in e-mail. Elizabeth Gulino in Refinery29  was quoting in “The COVID-19 Vaccine Won’t Make You Infertile” the OSU Iahn Gonsenhauser, MD, chief quality and patient safety officer at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.  Then HealthBeat also linked to two other articles that quoted R29 which quoted an OSU doctor. This raises R29’s credibility as a serious journal, and OSU’s appeal to the younger set. A two-fer.

Here’s the kicker (I actually did some further research on this issue, and completely agree with Dr. Gonsenhauser who is quoted in many other popular websites.)  Refinery29 is so woke and so alert to every possible misstep of intersectionalism, it has begun to cancel women by referring to “pregnant people.”  You may skip right over that when you read about pregnancies (the way God designed the plan for males and females to procreate).  That change has moved into the language and fanciful unscientific beliefs because of women calling themselves men while still hanging on to all their lady parts. It’s along the same line as Pelosi destroying the “gendered family.”  It’s all about cancelling women and their uniqueness.

“There is limited data about the safety of receiving COVID vaccinations during pregnancy. Pregnant people are typically excluded from clinical trials due to concerns about harming the fetus (although many argue that keeping pregnant people out of trials leads to their health needs being underrepresented). Twenty-three of the participants in Pfizer's trial became pregnant over the course of the study, but that's too small of a sample to tell us much. Dr. Olulade says that people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to become pregnant [paraphrase] should talk to their doctor before getting the vaccine (everyone should!). "Ultimately it’s about weighing the risks of the unknown when it comes to the vaccine in pregnant women [direct quote] versus the known dangerous risks of COVID."

You and I are awake, not woke.  We know that pregnant people are women, and that people who are pregnant or breastfeeding are women. Every time you read about “pregnant people,” or see an adjective in front of the word “justice,” you are being manipulated. When the kettle heating the water to boil the frog for dinner gets hot enough, it’s too late for you to jump out and save yourself.

Update:  Facebook gave me a black mark for posting this link to my own blog (owned by Google) to my FB wall.  I'm directly quoting a source that quoted an OSU doctor speaking on Covid, yet Facebook fact checkers find my opinion about being woke objectionable.

Still sorting, packing and reshelving

Does your husband (or you) save screws, nails, tacks, and pieces of unidentified plumbing parts, TV wires, and pencils too small to use? We are rearranging the basement storage. Life was easier I think when we lived in a house for 34 years that had no basement and no attic. Now we've had both for the last 19 years, and I swear these mysterious oddies and endies in my husband's tool area just grow! I have one box that is just light bulbs. extra extension cords and surge protectors, and emergency candles. Another box of containers that just hold things together like putty, glue, calking, bonding, etc.

I had planned to buy a metal open shelving unit to store what I didn't throw out, but after pricing them (over $50), the wood bookshelf from our old house that's a little awkward began to look pretty good. Also none of us could remember how we got it in the house and down the stairs in 2002. So we solved the moving problem by just putting it back.

One of the collectors of nuts, bolts, nails, screws of 4 styles and 16 different lengths appears to be an insert from an old desk—maybe walnut or maple. I asked Bob if it was from his grandfather's desk (he died in 1955) which we had when we were married in 1960, or his grandparents' secretary they'd purchased when they got married in 1906. But he couldn't remember. So just in case it's an antique, I moved it to the laundry room where it can accumulate more unidentifiable things.

Am I alone?

Violence is unacceptable--written by a friend

"Violence is unacceptable. Vandalism is unacceptable. I condemn fully the actions of a few that occurred in our nation’s capital yesterday [Wednesday] Period. 

I’m so glad all of America is on the same page now. I’m wondering where the half that spoke up yesterday and today were all this time, but welcome to the club of common sense. It’s time for some reflection for those who never condemned the violence of the past seven months. Seven months of denying the reality of the domestic terrorism and normalizing political violence has consequences. We all saw what was in our streets all summer with the burning down of people’s livelihoods, murdering innocent police officers, hitting pedestrians in the back of the head while laughing about it, churches burning, screaming in the faces of diners in restaurants trying to make a comeback, stealing armfuls of clothing and electronics. Hell, across the bridge in downtown Seattle a new “nation” was formed in the midst of what the mayor called a “summer of love” and people were murdered and police officers were barricaded in precinct buildings that were set on fire. 

Liberals laughed at it. All summer. We watched as mainstream media told us not to believe our lying eyes telling us it was all a “mostly peaceful protest” while standing in front of a five alarm fire. See also, Cuomo’s (who apparently needs to read the First Amendment) “show me where it says protests are supposed to be polite.” It was all normalized and allowed to continue all summer with no consequence.
Today, we have newly minted President-Elect Biden saying about yesterday’s chaos, “well if it was BLM...” ...what? Are you kidding? This is the uniting message of the President-Elect? What did Biden want - more than one unarmed woman to die yesterday? This is called gaslighting, ladies and gentlemen. Biden’s dementia must have allowed him to forget that BLM was allowed to burn cities to the ground. Biden’s dementia must have allowed him to forget that BLM was moved out of Lafayette Park the day after a church was lit on fire and there were so many rioters trying to storm the WH that the President had to be removed and put into the bunker with dozens of secret service agents injured. 

Unsurprisingly, no outcry of an “attack on democracy” from from the usual players on social media then. Crickets from the mainstream media. Normalization of political violence. A small fringe of the other half of the country took notice and took their chances at playing the stupid game without the spray paint (and likely some Antifa actors joined in what they consider a normal Wednesday). The difference here is that Republicans are also outraged by this behavior. We are consistent. It is the outright hypocrisy of the media and liberals now pearl clutching at people in a federal building that is atrocious. No such clutching of the pearls from them during the Kavanaugh confirmation when extremists took over the Hart Senate Building?

Regardless, welcome to the club of common sense. What you won’t see from Republicans is the bail out of the idiots. But join the club, Democrats, join the club with the mission statement “outrage at violence.” No bail funds allowed."

Two wrongs don’t make a right, but there were two, after all.

Antifa sponsored riots in major Democrat cities on New Years Eve, just a week ago. The media didn't blink an eye and politicians federal and local didn't resign in shame for not stopping it.

Maxine Waters and Nancy Pelosi, behaving like zombie mean girl cliques, have been screaming at the President and his supporters for four years, telling Democrats and anarchists to get in the faces of American citizens minding their own business and take them down, to shame them, and cause them economic loss. They ruined families and friendships, and probably destroyed careers. Pelosi ripped up the president's speech with millions watching on TV in an "act of violence." Big Tech has made themselves our rulers shutting down communication after stealing our identities and data for years to create massive wealth for their millionaire owners, and we never cast a vote for them.

Now the book burning Democrats and many Republican leaders who barely spoke out as our nation was torn apart by riots are outraged that a small group went rogue on Wednesday (some probably were Antifa or FBI plants as there always are in these crowds) from a rally of many thousands. The people came to the capital at great expense and danger to express their frustration over a stolen election. The courts had refused to hear their case, and the local officials just laughed in their faces. The citizens in Hong Kong rally against a Communist government for their rights, and Americans whose rights were stolen in a so-called free country are ridiculed.

A fraction of those at the rally broke out and defiled the "people's house." As others have suggested, it was 99% peaceful. Where was the outrage this past summer from those members gathered for voting Wednesday? They allowed violent behavior and even encouraged it while federal, state and personal property was bombed, burned and defiled? Where were the cabinet members now fleeing the chicken coop calling for calm or asking Schumer, Pelosi and Waters to accept responsibility for their own incendiary words? We know where Joe Biden was--in his basement. We know were Bernie and AOC were--fanning the flames. We know were the media were during the summer riots--dashing off more articles on cancel culture and critical race theory ignoring the Marxist roots of the leaders of BLM and the white faces of Antifa. We know where the board members and CEOs of major corporations were this summer--scrambling to get in the line of woke--as their own buildings were boarded up or burned. down and employees sent home.

It's terrible that 5 people have died, and none of them were killed by the rogue group that attacked the building, unlike those who died during the summer mayhem at the hands of Antifa and BLM.

This is not "whataboutism." It's about the gaslighting and theft, the spying and lying that's been going on for 4 years.

Portland police declare a riot as protest gets out of control (msn.com)

7 Charged In New Year's Eve Vandalism Of Philly Federal Buildings | Philadelphia, PA Patch

Maxine Waters encourages supporters to harass Trump administration officials (cnn.com)

Pelosi calls Trump, GOP lawmakers 'domestic enemies,' 'enemies of the state' over mail-in voting opposition | Fox News

Photos of America's Summer of Rioting - American Renaissance (amren.com)

What happened yesterday, didn’t start yesterday

I received an email from a European friend expressing her sorrow and disbelief about what happened in the capital yesterday. She’d spent several years in the U.S. getting her PhD in the 1980s when we became close friends and she’s returned several times and is now a granny. Brief messages in social media over the past years have shown her to believe the usual European press and American press about our President, while ignoring the accomplishments the last 4 years like Israel peace agreements, low unemployment, cutting red tape, lessening the power of the bureaucracy, lower taxes, prison reform, better treatment of veterans and prison population. Here’s how I responded.

What may be more unbelievable is what happened in the summer with federal and state buildings being vandalized, statues torn down, even of Abraham Lincoln, of required “reeducation camps” for workers in private and public businesses, and anarchists (mostly white) in the streets of every major city controlled by Democrats. It was impossible to travel through downtown Columbus. Businesses not already destroyed by the pandemic where leveled by the rioters. After the Republican convention in August in DC, attendees were attacked in the streets returning to parking lots. But the party of tolerance and diversity said little or nothing except “defund the police.” Biden hid in his basement. Kamala Harris was raising funds to bail out the anarchists arrested for looting and burning.

We don't know who took over the buildings yesterday, yet we know who the press will blame. We know that a few minutes of footage was run on loops in the news programs and reporters who called our summer of riots "peaceful" are now suddenly awake and casting blame and on the job. A group terrorized a Republican Congressman’s home in a DC suburb just this week, yet Washington Post called it a peaceful protest.

I urge you to hold judgement; I'll wait. The culprits don't represent anyone I know who supports our president. Many people including us are angry about how Trump supporters have been treated for 5 years (even before the election). The media, the education system, the churches, and a very powerful Marxist wing of the Democrat party maligned and insulted us. There are hundreds of viewpoints along the political spectrum. The issues aren't just the symbolic black or white, right or left, Democrat or Republican. There are many, many views from anarchists to survivalists to everything in between. We are sorry too, yet who to believe?

We are in three small groups at our church that meet on Zoom, and the divisions are palpable. Yet, all are Christians, all are Lutheran, all are white, all living in same community, all using the same Bible, all college educated, all upper middle class, mostly retired, mostly married or widowed, and deeply divided. And they were divided during the Obama years, which he exacerbated. Plus Bush was ridiculed and maligned during his administration by the media and his supporters depicted as knuckle dragging troglodytes. I remember scanning the few English publications on the news stands when we were in Finland. The European media literally couldn't speak Bush's name without rancor and hate.

So let's wait and see how this unfolds. Prayer would be good, however, the American people abandoned their Christian roots decades ago, so perhaps God is leaving us to our fate of worshiping materialism and the created world.

A Science parable—author unknown

A science professor on the first day of class went down each row of students and had them answer one question: "are you open-minded?" If so, then stand! Student after student proudly stood up and proclaimed, "Yes, yes, yes, yes. . ." One lone student said no, remained seated, and was mocked and scoffed at by the crowd. The professor then said to everyone else standing, "Good. . .all who are standing can leave now. . .you're not cut out for science." A wave of anger, disappointment and disgust took over the classrooms as entitled and confused students were trying to figure out what was going on. The professor then went on to explain, "If you're open minded, you're gullible and suggestable. If you want to know the truth, you need to be discerning--you hunger for evidence and you test assumptions--you take nothing at face value."

Both parties, but mainly Democrats are destroying the country

Democrats objected to the 2016 election because Trump won legally—using the electoral college vote which is the constitutional way, not the popular vote, which Democrats won. They went insane. Pink hat parades, attacking people in restaurants, finding a few Russian robots on Facebook, demanding the deaths of viable babies, launching impeachment even before the inauguration, screaming at us from late night TV and evening news hours on CNN. 80% of U.S. voters, including millions of Democrats, have claimed foul play in 2020. Some at the local and state level, but most for the presidential and Senate elections. 70,000,000 who voted for Trump see something illegal either in the night of the election or the mail in process (which is not absentee, btw) and all the rushed state controlled rules on how to run an election.

We have to face it. Democrats are just more clever and more evil. And Republicans are spineless and chasing rainbows. I hope you’re proud of your party, Democrats, and your media which pulled off 5 years of lying and deception beginning with the ride down the escalator of Trump in 2015, and your entertainment industry which chased the BLM and the MeToo movements despite decades of promoting the degradation of women and the ridiculing of blacks to make millions, and your welfare system which takes from the middle class to give to the rich while holding back the poor, and your shredded plastic Constitution. Congratulations, Democrats, you've destroyed a grand experiment, and we can't say we weren't warned.

The leadership of both parties has shown they don't really want lower taxes, or freedom of speech and religion, or freedom from middle East oil control, or an economic wall against Communist China, or legal immigration, or the end to foreign wars that drain our blood and treasure, or the end of miles of red tape and acres of swamp land for sale in DC.

President Trump was mistaken. Our citizens really didn't want fair trade, or legal immigration, or good jobs for minorities. Our citizens didn't really want smaller government or freedom. They wanted to be taken care of. The leaders of both parties wanted the status quo, they want to go back to making all the deals in the back room with collusion of the media and the king makers in industry. They want power and wealth. By theft, by lying, by rigged trials and courts, and boxes of found ballots in the middle of the night.

Our niece Kimberly

Meet Kimberly Rosenberg: Founder of Virtue & Vixen – SHOUTOUT LA

Her business is beauty. In short, she provides traditional beauty services specializing in eyebrow shaping, makeup artistry for weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and red carpet events. She also represents Virtue & Vixen as a brand of skincare and cosmetics. --from the article.

Minority voices dominate the national conversation

R.R. Reno speculates in the January issue of First Things (p. 59) that the percentage of the American population that fits the progressive activist profile might be over 10%, but not much. That compares to about 13% for U.K. But as in Britain, they are many times more likely to hector the rest of us and broadcast their political opinions. Their voices dominate social media producing a democracy deficit. Progressives drown out alternative voices and stomp on dissent. This is compounded by the censorship of Big Tech social media giants using blocking and algorithms to steer you away from the conservative viewpoint.

 
Even today as reports of attacks by Antifa on Josh Hawley's home in DC, the Washington Post, that "prestigious, elite" journal of record, is downplaying the seriousness of assaulting a member of Congress, while running endless wokeism articles, less some snowflake have her feelings bruised. It directs it's coverage to that 10%. Called them "peaceful," sort of like that Iranian terrorist they called a "scholar." In an opinion piece, it called Hawley's ambition a threat to the Republic! As though Biden after 47 years of bumbles and fumbles and several runs for the WH isn't ambitious? They don't think Biden's chumminess with China and Iran are a threat, but Hawley defending the President's right to use all legal means to question election fraud is terrible? 

Weird values and word choices those liberals/progressives/Communists.

Some causes may be scams

There must be hundreds of scams out there willing to separate you from your stimulus check. The one I heard this morning could well be on the up and up, but let it be a reminder about all those that aren't.

 
A very young, very white man was featured on our local a.m. news appealing for a go-fund-me campaign to use YOUR stimulus check to be repurposed for his idea to help those who've fallen on hard times. He began with reasonable comments about "through no fault of their own" and went on to "systemic racism." Sorry, Charlie. Most of the people hurting are those who had a good job, a hopeful future in a good economy, perhaps the best in their lifetime. They weren't poor, they were ambitious, had a decent education, and even had some savings and investments which are being used up. The speaker was marketing a SJW brand in my opinion. 

Most poor and low income people are white, most of the children not being supervised for on-line schooling are white, most of the people missing rent and mortgage payments are white. The vast majority of those with Covid19 are white. I realize that doesn't sell well in a time of racialist hawkers, but it's a fact. 

Small businesses, mom and pop stores with a few employees have been devastated, the entertainment and leisure industry has been decimated, non-profits have had to lay off excellent staff, all while massive big box and on-line services have thrived due to the mismanagement of governors and mayors who shut down a thriving economy. 

There are hundreds of non-profits, churches and charitable organizations that have been vetted who need our help. They are trying to help those not in the government maze of transfer programs for food, housing, education, and health. If you don't know any established charities or churches, ask a neighbor or DuckDuckGo. Food pantries can use your money to purchase food for emergency use, someone in your own family or neighborhood may not be able to meet a mortgage payment or pay the insurance bill, someone you know has died and her family needs help.

 
Don't fall for the racism scam. True charity is biblical, healthy and more holy than fake guilt and wokeism.

How to fight Covid at home

I'm not a doctor or nurse, so is there anything to this advice that my mother or grandmother probably didn't know (except for the OTC meds and prescriptions)? I'd heard about the dehydration. You just never know on the internet whether it's someone's dog or a real person.

"HOW TO FIGHT COVID AT HOME

No one ever talks about how to fight Covid at home. I came down with Covid in November. I went to the hospital, running a fever of 103, a rapid heart beat, and other common symptoms that come with Covid. While I was there they treated me for the high fever, dehydration and pneumonia. 

The doctor sent me home to fight Covid with two prescriptions - Azithromycin 250mg & Dexamethasone 6mg. When the nurse came in to discharge me, I asked her, "What can I do to help fight this at home?" She said, “Sleep on your stomach at all times with Covid. If you can’t sleep on your stomach because of heath issues sleep on your side. Do not lay on your back no matter what because it smashes your lungs and that will allow fluid to set in.

Set your clock every two hours while sleeping on your stomach, then get out of bed and walk for 15-30 min, no matter how tired or weak that you are. Also move your arms around frequently, it helps to open your lungs. Breathe in thru your nose, and out thru your mouth. This will help build up your lungs, plus help get rid of the Pneumonia or other fluid you may have.

When sitting in a recliner, sit up straight - do not lay back in the recliner, again this will smash your lungs. While watching TV - get up and walk during every commercial.

Eat at least 1 - 2 eggs a day, plus bananas, avocado and asparagus. These are good for Potassium. Drink Pedialyte, Gatorade Zero, Powerade Zero & Water with Electrolytes to prevent you from becoming dehydrated. Do not drink anything cold - have it at room temperature or warm it up. Water with lemon, and little honey, peppermint tea, apple cider are good suggestions for getting in fluids. No milk products, or pork. Vitamin’s D3, C, B, Zinc, Probiotic One-Day are good ideas. Tylenol for fever. Mucinex, or Mucinex DM for drainage, plus helps the cough. Pepcid helps for cramps in your legs. One baby aspirin everyday can help prevent getting a blood clot, which can occur from low activity. 

Drink a smoothie of blueberries, strawberries, bananas, honey, tea and a spoon or two of peanut butter."

The Holy Name of Jesus—a prayer

Today is January 3, Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus on the Roman Catholic calendar. I love to read about the commemorative and feast days, and the lives of the Saints.  We Protestants (I’m Lutheran) have lost a lot of our history. Most ordinary people didn’t read or have books, they surely didn’t have TV or internet for most of history, or CNN or Fox to opine, but they had festivals and feast days to remember, reflect and celebrate.  Today I read this lovely piece by Richard Rolle, a 14^th century hermit.  Seems like an easy prayer to remember in these tough times.  Who doesn’t need a little more joy or something to chase the devil.

"If you will be well with God, and have grace to rule your life, and come to the joy of love: this name Jesus, fasten it so fast in your heart that it come never out of your thought. And when you speak to him, and through custom say, “Jesus,” it shall be in your ear, joy; in your mouth; honey; and in your heart, melody: for men shall think joy to hear that name be named, sweetness to speak it, mirth, and song to think it.

If you think the name “Jesus” continually, and hold it firmly, it purges your sin, and kindles your heart; it clarifies your soul, it removes anger and does away slowness. It wounds in love and fulfills charity.

It chases the devil, and puts out dread. It opens heaven, and makes a contemplative man. Have Jesus in mind, for that puts all vices and phantoms out from the lover."  (Richard Rolle, English hermit, 14th century.)

CRT training—Just say No

CRT used to be the cathode ray tube, that tube/screen that flickers in front of your face. Now it means critical race theory, and if you learned about it college or studied it even 5 years ago, you need to catch up, and realize you're getting slapped up the side of your head with a marketing campaign with a powerful brand. Your church, your school board, your employer may be trying to convert you to a new religion, one more fundamentalist than any you've experienced.

I don't agree with everything in this debate, particularly not the guy who thinks Trump is to blame for its rise because I watched it soar under Obama, and on the campuses, even in the 1990s. Much of it is Marxist based just substituting race for class. So be prepared. If people refuse to debate it calling you a racist (some CRT advocates consider "debate", personal responsibility, and free speech as white racist privilege), then you have a right to refuse to accept it and should object to it being taught to your children or your being forced to attend thinly veiled Marxist reeducation camps. It only benefits the self interest (and wallets) of the marketers.

https://youtu.be/ZuvhrXM3v7U

Child stars—what became of—Barry and Stan Livingston

To avoid watching ABC news in the kitchen during breakfast, my husband’s been watching MeTV channel that plays old reruns.  Since “My three sons” ran for 12 years (1960-1972), I’ve seen a lot of the cute little Barry Livingston (Ernie), who is adopted by the father in the series (Fred MacMurray) after the oldest son gets married and leaves the show in 1965.  That way they didn’t have to change the title.

During the lockdown I’ve seen a lot of movies and TV shows, and I’ve been wondering what became of the children on those shows, so I looked up these talented, cute kids.  Here’s Barry Livingston singing a song about his own adopted brother, Gene.

https://youtu.be/rsNzI8wzFkw

Of all the characters on the show, according to Wikipedia he’s the only one still acting.  Apparently, he also has a YouTube Channel and enjoys singing and composing. He says his parents had 3 sons, adopted 3, and they were also foster parents.

And here’s a YouTube (2012) about Stanley Livingston (Chip) who is Barry Livingston’s (Ernie) real life brother. Provides some insights into how the show and cast worked together. https://youtu.be/KsaIfBo0mc0

Barry and Stan talk about 4 generations watching their show (now on MeTV) https://youtu.be/spmkw59Xnl4

Women who made a difference in 2020

Chloé Zhao has made the "Change Makers List: 30 women who saved entertainment in 2020." Zhao won the Golden Lion Award this year at the Venice Film Festival (the first woman in a decade to do so) for the new drama “Nomadland.” It's about Americans suffering from the economy (of a decade ago). I read the book. I wonder what they did to it?

From my blog:  Collecting My Thoughts: Book review “Nomadland by Jessia Bruder  "I'm about 1/3 finished, but I get the drift. Convince the readers there's something terribly wrong with the USA instead of the poor decisions, divorces, childhoods and investments of selected people interviewed for the book. So far, although the "great" recession of 2008 is noted as a cause for the white collar workers, the underlying factors in many of these cases are divorce, and/or an unhappy, abusive childhood that also included divorce, disruption, and frequent moves. I've been skimming or reading books like this for 4 decades. And since the so-called War on Poverty and the disintegration of households of married couples and families, the discussion doesn't get more positive, but the journalists/fabulists don't seem to catch on."