Russian Oligarch's yacht is seized--$90 million--in Spain

The first of many, I'm sure. Biden's "helping" with sanctions and boycotts.  But our government has the power to shut down any business it doesn't like. Vekselberg isn't a U.S. citizen, he's a Russian, and most likely a bad dude.  Plus the yacht was in Spain. His goodies are probably not safe in Russia.  Think of all evidence there is that Hunter Biden accepted millions from a Ukrainian firm to buy influence with his father and our government did diddly squat. This court order was only in place a few weeks; the Biden scandal has been going on for years.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/90-million-yacht-sanctioned-russian-oligarch-viktor-vekselberg-seized-spain-request-united

"Spanish law enforcement today executed a Spanish court order freezing the Motor Yacht (M/Y) Tango (the Tango), a 255-foot luxury yacht owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Spanish authorities acted pursuant to a request from the U.S. Department of Justice for assistance following the issuance of a seizure warrant, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which alleged that the Tango was subject to forfeiture based on violation of U.S. bank fraud, money laundering, and sanction statutes. . .

“Today marks our taskforce’s first seizure of an asset belonging to a sanctioned individual with close ties to the Russian regime. It will not be the last,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Together, with our international partners, we will do everything possible to hold accountable any individual whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue its unjust war.”

“Today’s action makes clear that corrupt Russian oligarchs cannot evade sanctions to live a life of luxury as innocent Ukrainians are suffering,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Today the Department of Justice delivers on our commitment to hold accountable those whose criminal activity strengthens the Russian government as it continues to wage its unjust war in Ukraine. That commitment is one we are not finished honoring.”

Google Docs has become the latest speech enforcer

 We've all seen language evolve, but some of the kinder, sweeter, more leftist inclusive stuff is just nonsense and gag-worthy.  Google is now eliminating or suggesting alternates for "mother" or "lord" or "master" in some well-known idiomatic expressions.  It reminds me of some of the ridiculous phrase twisting we lived through in the 80s and 90s, like "handicapped" or all the polite ways to say "mentally challenged" instead of "retarded."  A whole generation of adolescents had to give up a favorite common insult.  The word "challenged" has become a joke.  I use it when I tell people I'm math challenged, or directionally challenged. (If I don't have my watch on my left wrist, don't give me directions.)  So that has given us pregnant people and assigned sex at birth. Remember a few years back when someone who didn't have a good grasp of English thought "niggardly" was a reference to blacks?  People are so incensed with "black face" (used mostly by Democrat entertainers and politicians like Jimmy Kimmel and Joy Behar) last week there was a black DJ at a high school dance accused of wearing black face--that's the live reenactment of being overly sensitive about words.  I'm so old I remember when black was the insult and Negro was the correct term. I think even "senior citizen" is on the chopping block.

https://www.techradar.com/news/google-docs-is-having-some-serious-issues-with-its-new-inclusive-language-warnings

https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7dk8m/googles-ai-powered-inclusive-warnings-feature-is-very-broken

https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-inclusive-language-cancel-culture-censor-free-speech-offended-woke-micro-aggression-microsoft-11642800484

Moving right? Where's the plumb line?

 I saw an opinion piece (based I'm sure on someone's academic research while quarantined happily) that American voters are moving to the right.  I suspect that depends on where you place center.  Yes, more blacks and Hispanics are fleeing the Democrat party. That doesn't mean the spineless Republicans have any appeal.  Their personal values, particularly on sex and children, are probably more conservative than whites, who are a mishmash of many races and cultures. Minorities made huge gains under Trump, and all Biden has provided is promises and high inflation.  If CRT and wokeism in the classrooms of first graders is the plumb line, and if social media are considered the standard for American voters, I suppose it looks like we're moving to the right.  But I don't see it, particularly not in my community of Upper Arlington, Ohio.  Our public library has a miniscule collection for conservative Christians of any denomination, and as far as politics and social issues, you might find one or two authors against hundreds of the other ilk. Our churches seem as lost in the fog as the media.  I'll have to check and see if any of my conservative friends have taken off their muzzles and face masks.

Obama's North Star certainly isn't the Constitution

"Obama comes out to get mad about disinformation: Yesterday [April 21] at Stanford, President Obama gave a sweeping speech about disinformation, my favorite thing to complain about people complaining about. He called for more government regulation of platforms (they should be “be required to have a higher standard of care when it comes to advertising on their site”) and criticized big tech’s business model (“inflammatory content attracts engagement”).

“These companies need to have some other north star other than just making money and increasing market share,” the former president said.

We have an idea of what that North Star can be: how about the constitution? There’s a First Amendment in there that seems like a pretty great articulation of what the values of a social media company ought to be."  Nellie Bowles, "Common Sense" April 22, 2022  

Alcohol deaths during the Covid lockdowns

"The number and rate of alcohol-related deaths increased approximately 25% between 2019 and 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rates increased prior to the pandemic, but less rapidly (2.2% mean annual percent change between 1999 and 2017). The rate increase for alcohol-related deaths in 2020 outpaced the increase in all-cause mortality, which was 16.6%.

Previous reports suggest the number of opioid overdose deaths increased 38% in 2020, with a 55% increase in deaths involving synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. There were similar increases in the number of deaths in which alcohol contributed to overdoses of opioids (40.8%) and, specifically, synthetic opioids (59.2%).

Deaths involving alcohol reflect hidden tolls of the pandemic. Increased drinking to cope with pandemic-related stressors, shifting alcohol policies, and disrupted treatment access are all possible contributing factors. Whether alcohol-related deaths will decline as the pandemic wanes, and whether policy changes could help reduce such deaths, warrants consideration.

Study limitations include inaccurate death certificates, such as underreporting of alcohol involvement,6 and unclear causal relationships among listed causes of deaths. Provisional data are subject to change when more death certificates are processed."

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2790491

https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/home/topics/addiction/alcohol-related-disorders/covid-19-pandemic-disproportionate-affect-on-women-led-to-increased-alcohol-use/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/women-alcohol-and-covid-19-2021040622219

Advice on using less plastic--or how we lived in the 40's and 50s

Sometimes you have to wonder about the modern "sustainable" and eco-friendly life style. I can still remember when we were encouraged to use plastic bags to save trees. I have about 6 reusable bags, but during the pandemic we weren't allowed to bring them into the stores! They can get pretty yucky.  I remember when no one paid for bottles of water. All straws in restaurants were paper, in fact, most people didn't eat in restaurants. We all used cloth diapers; if there were disposable diapers, they were used for trips in the car. A few people had freezers, but they were for their home grown food. There were not 1500 kinds of air freshener and floor cleaners confusing one at the store. My Tupperware pieces (not many) are probably 50 years old. Can't compost--where would I put it that it wouldn't draw rodents or other animals.

This is the list recommended by Lifetime Fitness. For younger people, it might be a learning curve. We are all addicted to "convenience." My age group at least remembers a different time.  The trash figures are stunning, however, there are no citations for how the authors came up with them.  The worst environmental damage in recent years was caused by Covid and mask mandates.  Billions of masks made from fossil fuel are everywhere. The number of food containers for carry out must have been a real boost to that industry.  Probably came from China, like the masks.

1. Invest in a reusable glass or stainless-steel water bottle. People around the world buy a million plastic bottles every minute; in the United States, more than 60 million end up in landfills and incinerators every day.  (We don't buy throw away plastic bottles for water, but I do have plastic bottles I can reuse, thank you.  Don't like carrying glass bottles around.)

2. Opt for cloth rather than disposable diapers. Americans discard some 20 billion plastic diapers annually.  (I've seen the cost comparisons about 40 years ago and adding the cost of hot water and soap and electricity to dry so you don't save a lot.)

3. Bring your favorite mug or travel container to the coffee shop for filling up.

4. Skip the plastic straw. If a straw is a must, purchase a reusable stainless-steel or glass straw.

5. Stock up on reusable grocery bags. Americans use and discard some 102 billion plastic bags annually. Each of these can take 1,000 years to degrade.

6. Pass on prepared frozen foods: The packaging is mostly plastic or cardboard coated with plastic.  

7. Eschew chewing gum — it’s pretty much made from plastic. [Note:  I didn't realize this until about 5 years ago and gave up a very bad habit I'd had since childhood.]

8. Use matches instead of disposable plastic lighters, or invest in a refillable metal lighter.

9. Avoid plastic wrap to cover leftovers, cheeses, and other refrigerated food by using a dish cloth or parchment paper. [This isn't going to happen, but I do use reuseable plastic storage containers.] 

10. Cook with cast-iron instead of nonstick pans. Teflon, the most common nonstick surface, is a fluoropolymer plastic. [I prefer this, but it's not safe on a glass top stove, nor can I lift them safely.]

11. Make your own cleaning products. They’re less toxic, and you can reuse spray bottles, eliminating the need for multiple plastic bottles filled with cleaners. (For recipes, see “Make Your Own Spring-Cleaning Kit“.)  [Good in theory, but I've moved on to hiring at cleaning service.]

12. Decline plastic flatware with your takeout orders; pick up bamboo or other reusable flatware for picnics and traveling. [I use cheap stainless ware picked up at yard sales and reuse. But Covid made this carry-out trend grow immensely.]

13. Buy food in bulk when possible and pack it in your own reusable jars or containers. You’ll save money and limit unnecessary packaging.  [Not a useful tip for 2 person household.]

14. Bring your own containers for vegetables and fruits to the farmers’ market, where you can refill them.

15. Pack your lunch in reusable containers and bags. Skip foods packed in single-serving plastic cups.

16. Mix up your own hand salves, lotion bars, and deodorants instead of buying personal-care items sold in plastic containers. Coconut oil is a great base for all of these. (For more ideas, see “DIY Beauty“.) [I use a lot of coconut oil as moisturizer.]

17. Replace your Tupperware with a set of reusable glass storage containers for leftovers. [Not going to happen.  Glass is too heavy.]

18. Compost your food waste to reduce the number of plastic bags needed to haul it to the landfill.  [No place to put it.]  https://experiencelife.lifetime.life/article/18-ways-to-live-with-less-plastic/?

Masks are gone for now

The cruelty of our states and our federal government show us their totalitarian direction these last two years and how far the USA has fallen on the freedom scale.  It's not progressive, or democratic, despite their attempt to change the language. The frenzy from the Left about Elon Musk's desire to make Twitter a free public space again is really alarming--not the freedom of speech but the Left's effort to stop it.  The battle for the minds of young children is another arena where we see evil taking over.

Maoists in the Mist by Melissa Mackenzie

"Masks are gone, for now. Biden and his totalitarians have decided to appeal the decision by a Federal judge that the CDC exceeded its authority with the Federal mask mandate. I write about the ways the totalitarians harassed Americans in big and small ways.

My biggest concern is the people who cannot see their own Maoist impulse through this public health debacle. The indifference to ruining people's careers and harming their ability to care for their families when they worked through the pandemic and took all the risk up front is astonishing.

The Keyboard Klass™ is contemptuous of nurses, for example, who worked through the pandemic. These men and women got COVID, are immune and then were FIRED for refusing to take an experimental genetic therapeutic (it's not a vaccine.) It was their choice to not get vaccinated, said the self-righteous unaffected.

Nancy Pelosi sat in a business her policies shut down and violated her own rules for her hair. 43% of small businesses in California went out of business while this woman had her hair done.

This is evil stuff.

I wrote up the indignities supposedly free people faced over the last couple of years.

Civilization is a thin veneer. Too many people would like to impose their will on their neighbors and gladly do it and feel morally superior in the process.

I hope that freedom-loving people remember what happened these last two years.

The mask mandates--they didn't work

The graph tracks the results of a natural experiment that occurred nationwide during the pandemic. Eleven states never mandated masks, while the other 39 states enforced mandates. The mandates typically began early in the pandemic in 2020 and remained until at least the summer of 2021, with some extending into 2022. The black line on the graph shows the weekly rate of Covid cases in all the states with mask mandates that week, while the orange line shows the rate in all the states without mandates. As you can see from the lines’ similar trajectories, the mask mandates hardly controlled the virus. . . If you add up all the numbers on those two lines, you find that the mask mandates made zero difference. The cumulative rate of infection over the course of the pandemic was about 24 percent in the mandate states as well as in the non-mandate states. Their cumulative rates of Covid mortality were virtually identical, too (in fact, there were slightly more deaths per capita in the states with mask mandates).

  

But now we have people addicted to and dependent on masks.  Sigh.

https://www.city-journal.org/the-failed-covid-policy-of-mask-mandates

First really great day of the spring and it's 83!

 We cleaned off the deck and washed the furniture and had our dinner outside--beef roast, potatoes, carrots and yellow peppers, fresh fruit and a giant cookie.  What an amazing day.  Our neighbor's dog, Kerry, stopped by to visit.  She loves Bob.  He takes her on walks and feeds her when her owners are gone.  She didn't want to go home, but I think she could smell the beef roast!  Later in the day I took a walk and enjoyed the flowering crab apple trees.  I'm wearing my head phones in the photo while enjoying a podcast about Liturgy of the Hours.  Had a visit with a new neighbor Mark who moved in last week, and an old neighbor Jan (but younger than me). So many of my neighbors are planting flowers.  It was a beautiful time.

Bottom of the news barrel

Research finds that a high-sugar diet supplied by tourists is giving Bahamian rock iguanas the lizard equivalent of high blood sugar.

"Northern Bahamian rock iguanas (Cyclura cychlura), already listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, face a grave new threat: adoring tourists who regularly offer them grapes as if they’re paying tribute to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine.

Research published today (April 21) in the Journal of Experimental Biology shows that iguanas that live on islands frequented by grape-slinging tourists are unable to regulate their blood glucose levels as well as those that live on more remote islands to which humans rarely venture. The study focused on two subspecies of the rock iguana—the Allen Cays rock iguana (ssp. inornata) and the Exuma rock iguana (ssp. figginsi)—both of which are critically endangered."

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/grape-doling-tourists-gave-endangered-iguanas-high-blood-sugar-69931?

A quick look at the article shows that neither the tourists nor the scientists were too bright about this. It seems the tourists were told originally to give them grapes rather than bread, and that some tourists are actually holding inappropriate diet items, like lettuce in their own mouths to feed the iguanas!  Grapes are very high in sugar and even for humans aren't included in low carb diets.  Also, the indangered iguanas on a poor diet are thriving

Our Friday night date--a little history

 Tomorrow night we'll be going to our Friday date night spot, The Rusty Bucket. Our Friday night dates go way back--sometime in the 60s.  The Bucket is just one of many restaurants where we've been regulars over the years.  I accidentally came across a blog about how we ended up there about 17 years ago.

 "Last night [March 18, 2005] we switched from "Old Bag of Nails" in the Tremont Shopping Center to "The Rusty Bucket" in the Lane Avenue Shopping Center for our Friday night date. Our suburb's recent non-smoking ordinance has moved all the smokers out of the Old Bag down to Grandview Heights, which means a lot of the alcohol sales are also gone. So in this one location, the owners have changed the menu and raised the prices, moving to more dinners. We like the "pub" atmosphere and seeing our friends and neighbors, so we decided to try Bucket, which opened about a year ago. The decor is just about the same with a little more of a sports bar feel (more TV screens than Old Bag), similar menu, and cheery young ladies to wait the tables. We thought the food was tasty, hot and well-prepared, and the noise level wasn't too painful. We'll probably go back--although we didn't see a soul we knew even though the two restaurants are within a mile of each other."

Let's see if we have any photos.

 

2010

 New Year's Eve 2019 with Sloughs

With Kunzes in Worthington Rusty Bucket

 

Visual Arts Ministry Sept. reunion 2010

 2015

Tucker on Biden--the composite of clips

 I don't like it when people speak disrespectfully of the cognitively challenge.  Unfortunately, Joe Biden provides too many opportunities.  After protecting him for years, the media seems to turning, but why?

https://youtu.be/fC2rRw_Z7HE

Will we protect Finland's border and not our own?

"Should Finland join NATO, the United States, under Article 5 of the NATO treaty, would be obligated to go to war with the world’s largest nuclear power to retrieve Finnish lands that an enraged Russia might grab.

Moscow has already indicated that, should Sweden and Finland join NATO, Russia will introduce new nuclear weapons into the Baltic region.

Why is it wise for us to formally agree, in perpetuity, as NATO is a permanent alliance, to go to war with Russia, for Finland?

Given the war in Ukraine and concomitant crisis in Eastern Europe, it is understandable why Stockholm and Helsinki would seek greater security beneath the U.S. nuclear umbrella."

Pat Buchanan has been needling the right and left for as long as I've been paying attention.  He didn't like President Bush.  You won't be able to accept all his warnings and logic, but often right, and I don't mean just politically.

https://buchanan.org/blog/should-we-commit-to-fight-russia-for-finland-159291

Tribute to Phil from his friend Sonja

 Sonja and Phil went through cancer treatment together. She has survived and moved to a lovely 19th century home in central Ohio which she has lovingly furnished with her antiques and pets. She's a huge Civil War fan.  Today is the second anniversary of his death, and I saw this on her Facebook post today, April 21, 2022.

"There is a huge hole in my heart, that was created when God called you home 2 years ago, on this day. It still hasn’t healed yet, and sometimes I feel like it gets bigger.

 
I find myself wishing that I would see a message from “Tripod” (still one of our funniest names ever created for you) pop up with a “can you talk now?” I sometimes cry still, when the 4pm hour rolls around, as that is when you would call after work, and we would have our marathon conversations filled with laughter, sarcasm, and wisdom…what I wouldn’t give to have you rocking on the front porch with me, having one of our conversations, and enjoying our pure, deep friendship. Damnit, I miss you, Phil!

The Bruces gave me the honor of speaking about Phil, at Phil’s memorial service 2 years ago, these are the words I spoke."

 

  

On vacation from Facebook--notes of farewell and good luck

  

Sue Flaherty: I will miss you and your insight. Hurry back!

Sara White Martin: I'll miss you!

Keith Fernanes: I know where to find you!

Kelly Monroe Kullberg: We'll miss learning from your research expertise. And seeing your personal posts, Norma

Anna Loska Meenan: I'll miss you.

Diane McDermott: I will miss you and your wisdom while you are absent. Take care, my friend.

Sue Noll: I don't have messenger by choice, but appreciate your updates and wisdom. Please pop in if needs for prayer occur!

Debbie Hummel Marconi: I log off everyday between 5-6. It has made a great diff in my angst. Enjoy the peace!

Jenny Seely Simoni: Enjoy your R & R.

Mame Russell Drackett: I will miss your calm wisdom! Take care!!

Beverly Miller Meyers: Happy vacation.

Mindy Stauch Newman: I will miss you so I will visit the blog. Thanks for all the wisdom. I loved reading your FB page.

Barbara Martin: I will, but I'm with you.

It's been a chilly April, but today should be warm

“The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
a cloud come over the sunlit arch,
And wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of March.”

― Robert Frost

Vaccines were not effective for Omicron variant

"The currently available 2-dose COVID-19 vaccines were not effective in preventing symptomatic disease caused by the omicron variant, as determined according to data from more than 800,000 omicron-infected individuals. . . . Boosters created a short-term improvement in vaccine effectiveness against the omicron variant, but this effect also declined over time."

Read the whole article. It's complex with percentages and number of weeks following the vaccine. But clearly, there is a long way to go.

https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/971927?

A Litany of Compassion for the Sick, by Fr. Peter John Cameron

 We pray with special love and concern for all those who are ill or infirm, asking the Lord for his consoling grace to strengthen the sick in times of trial.

Response: Lord, be close to give your comfort.

When pain or distress is overwhelming:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When the healing process goes slower than hoped:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When terrified by treatments for therapy:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When it’s hard to let go of long-held plans:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When the feeling of alienation arises:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When worn out and weary:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When troubled by impatience and negativity:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When loneliness adds to anxiety:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When sickness makes it difficult to communicate:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When discouragement or despondency sets in:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When fear makes it impossible to face the future:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When the ravages of disease attack self-esteem:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When anger and resentment assail:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When beset by worry or fretfulness:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When it’s hard to rely on others for care:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When envy arises toward those who are healthy:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When pessimism or cynicism holds sway:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When anguish is intensified by the need for reconciliation:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When sickness is mistaken for punishment:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When loved ones are far away:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When sickness causes financial hardship that leads to worry or despair:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When afflicted by the feeling of nothing to hope for:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When weakness makes it impossible even to think:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When friends draw back fearful of disease:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When illness makes those who are suffering moody or irritable:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When haunted by regret and the shame of past sins:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When it is difficult to sleep:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When there’s resistance to necessary change:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When tempted by denial:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When nobody seems to understand:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When bound to home or when restricted in movement:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When listlessness and apathy threaten:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When medication seems to make things worse:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When all that’s needed is a caring touch:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When it’s impossible to maintain familiar routines:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When it’s hard to find the strength to go on:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When it becomes difficult to pray:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When suffering of any sort becomes hard to bear:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

When death draws near:
Lord be close to give your comfort.

https://aleteia.org/2020/04/29/litany-of-compassion-for-the-sick/

Parental rights bills and the battle for the children's bodies and minds

And now U.S. Bancorp? Ethan Peck posed this question at shareholders' meeting:

 
"U.S. Bancorp is a corporate partner of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), which has lobbied ruthlessly against Florida's anti-grooming legislation preventing teachers from speaking to children as young as 4 years old about sex and sexuality. In sponsoring HRC, U.S. Bancorp is then, in effect, using its shareholders' assets to fund efforts to indoctrinate young children with radical gender ideology."
U.S. Bancorp CEO Andy Cecere doubled down on the company's sponsorship of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) which is fighting Florida's law giving parents rights to stop the indoctrination of young children.

 I always say "follow the money," and usually it doesn't lead to a bank. However, I'm still asking how this went from a tiny fraction of adults with actual gender dysphoria to a huge political cause involving thousands of corporations, including Disney, which should be kind to families, not blowing them apart with a radical agenda. Who is making the money from the transhoax? It just doesn't make sense. We know there are doctors and mental health "professionals" and academics getting grants and government bureaucrats slogging in the swamp, and fund raisers, and non-profits. It doesn't seem to fit the usual, right/left, fascist/communist, totalitarian/imperialist, race/ethnic, or colonialist/serf model. Seems to go for the beginning of all creation--In the beginning God. . .
They go after the unborn, and when a few slip through their bloody grasp, they try to destroy those little ones too. Who is behind these killing fields?

https://nationalcenter.org/ncppr/2022/04/19/u-s-bancorp-supports-group-that-wants-teachers-to-discuss-sex-with-kindergarteners/

Now we know who is running the White House. The Easter Bunny

 The only people who will understand this are those who saw news coverage of the big jolly rabbit guarding Biden as he tried to talk to someone in the crowd about Afghanistan. The silencer stepped right between them waving his arms (front legs) and redirecting Biden to a "safe space."