Canned stewed tomatoes, a taste of home

Last week our daughter brought over some freshly canned tomatoes and pickles, but I told her 2 pints of tomatoes would be plenty. I was thinking of spaghetti or casseroles. Then today I opened one to pour over a beef roast, and tasted a few chunks. Wow. Memory overload. My mom used to can tomatoes until I thought I'd never look at another stewed tomato. My dad (and the fathers of my friends) used to crumble soda crackers over them and add sugar to eat as a dessert. It would make me gag, but I guess it was a Depression era treat. Thus I had not tasted cold stewed, freshly canned tomatoes in about 60 years. It was like greeting a long lost friend.

Prager U, Stephen Moore, Red State vs. Blue State America

"We're supposed to be the United States of America. But in many ways, we're now divided into two very different nations.

There is red state America.

And there is blue state America.

The red states favor conservative, small government, free market policies: low taxes, light regulation, tough-on-crime policing, and worker freedom. Think Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Arizona, and Utah.

The blue states favor a liberal/left, big government approach: high taxes, heavy regulations, high minimum wages, and mandatory union membership. Think New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Illinois, Oregon, and, of course, California.

Progressives like to argue that their big-government, high tax policies are economically superior and thus better for the poor, minorities and working-class Americans than those of red states. Conservative policies, progressives contend, are culturally backward, and tilted to benefit the rich.

Let's test this thesis by comparing three of the largest red states: Florida, Texas, and Tennessee with three of the largest blue states: California, New York, and Illinois.

If progressive policies really work, then Americans should be rushing to get into the blue states.

But just the opposite is happening.

Americans are packing up their U-Hauls and heading to the red states. According to the New York Times, in August 2020, so many people wanted to leave New York City that moving companies were turning away business. They just couldn't handle the demand.

This exodus may be accelerating, but it's not new.

Over the last decade the three big blue states each lost an average of one million people to other states, while the three big red states gained almost a million from other states.

Makes perfect sense. Americans like freedom. Small government means more freedom.

And freedom means opportunity.

Let's say you're looking for a job. Over the last decade, Florida, Texas and Tennessee have gained twice as many jobs as the progressive states.

Not only that, but your money goes further in red states. According to a 2019 Tax Foundation study, your $100 stretches to $111 in purchasing power in Tennessee, while in New Jersey it shrinks to $89.

If you're a big corporation or a small company looking for a business-friendly environment, affordable housing or maybe just a better quality of life, where are you going to go?

The tough decision is not choosing a red state or a blue state. The tough decision is which red state to move to.

Progressives like to say that this isn't about economics, it's about weather. The red states tend to be in the South and southwest where the weather is warmer.

But that doesn't explain why so many people are leaving California which has the best weather in the country.

So, what does explain the migration from blue states?

Start with taxes. The two most populous blue states — California and New York — have the highest tax rates in America, while the two most populous red states — Texas and Florida — have no income tax at all.

When taxes get too high, people move to where taxes are lower. The problem for the high-tax states is that these people take their money, their ambition, and their employees with them.

Then, there is crime.

Do blue cities do better than red cities?

The answer, of course, is no. Of the twenty cities with the highest murder rates, 18 are run by left-leaning Democrats — and for the most part, have been for decades. And these cities aren't getting safer; they're getting more dangerous.

A good chunk of Minneapolis was burned to the ground as a result of riots, following the death of George Floyd.

Portland had over 90 consecutive nights of rioting — not peaceful protests, rioting.

Seattle allowed an entire section of the city to declare itself an autonomous zone — a first in American history!

Progressive governors, progressive mayors, progressive police chiefs run all these cities and states.

Ask any resident of Los Angeles or San Francisco about the rise in homelessness and you'll get a litany of horror stories. Both cities, of course, have a long history of progressive mayors.

How about keeping us healthy and safe? Surely the progressive states, with their strict lockdowns, did a better job saving lives from the coronavirus.

Nope.

Adjusted for population, as a resident of New York, New Jersey or Illinois, you were three, four or even five times more likely to die of the virus than if you lived in a red state like Florida, Texas, Georgia, Utah or Arizona.

Progressives and liberal Democrats may mean well. They certainly talk a lot about how much they care about the poor, minorities and the working class.

Yet somehow, it's always the poor, minorities, and the working class who pay the price for their bad policies. That's why those who can move, move. Those who can't get stuck with the short end of the stick.

Red state America is prospering. Blue state America is in meltdown.

So, where do you want to live?

I'm Stephen Moore, economist at FreedomWorks, for Prager University.

Elizabeth Truss, new Prime Minister UK

My friend Bill (from high school) says: "UK voters have to be thrilled! Their newly elected Prime minister, Elizabeth Truss, announced today massive changes for the UK. The UK is now suffering from 14% inflation and high energy cost we can not even understand. She is cutting income taxes as well as adjusting the income tax scheduled levels which will further reduce income taxes on citizens of the UK. In addition she is opening up fracking immediately to address the energy situation the population faces. There are other changes as well to address the problems the UK faces. You will not get any news in the USA on these changes as it is a total embarrassment to the present administration in the USA. Can the UK take over the world leadership ,position that the USA continues to destroy ? As we move into a second class country lead by the current administration we continue on our down ward direction and in many ways based upon our supply situation moving to a third class country. I don't know if the UK can supply enough energy to fill the void from Russia as the USA could have ,but it is very interesting. Prime Minister Truss immediately takes over a positive imagine in the image of Margaret Thatcher as well as being compared to Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump in terms of positive change employed in a speedy fashion."

What do you think? Why aren't we in a position to supply energy? That's a trick question. We all know it is Biden.

A taste of fall

Today we enjoyed a taste of fall--about 77 degrees here in Columbus. Our noon meal we ate on the deck--grilled salmon with honey/cinnamon glaze, butternut squash, steamed cabbage, salad of orange sections and onion slices on fresh spinach leaves topped with shredded carrots. Bob got some chocolate chip cookies, but I'd already eaten 2 while baking them this morning. A perfect day. We began eating our main meal at noon about 6 months ago.

Wokeism and abortion in the miliary

It seems Leftists in government aren't worried about wokeism now being demanded for our military to create disrespect and hate for whites is a threat to our safety, but pregnancy of female soldiers is. Rand Corp. study: "The Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court ruling will limit service women’s and DoD civilian women’s access to reproductive health care and affect the health of these critical populations." War isn't pleasant and people are killed, including innocent civilians. However, killing the unborn citizens to protect the readiness of the military? Now that's cold. Can our female soldiers not be continent long enough to complete their enlistment?

And yes, we tax payers paid for this, so how could the results have been any different? "This research was sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and conducted within the Forces and Resources Policy Center of the RAND National Security Research Division (NSRD), which operates the RAND National Defense Research Institute (NDRI), a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Unified Combatant Commands, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the defense agencies, and the defense intelligence enterprise." They admit at the beginning of the study that they deliberately made the military dependent on female recruits. 4 women with interests in "gender studies" diversity and inclusion and advanced degrees in psychology, sociology and Spanish are the authors.

The Rise of Wokeness in the Military | Imprimis (hillsdale.edu)

Landmark Women's Reproductive Health Survey Shows Need for Improvements in DoD Reproductive Health Care | RAND

Ob-Gyn: No, The Dobbs Decision Does Not Put Women's Lives In Danger (thefederalist.com)

The hypocrisy of the Biden administration

Joe Biden has authorized the "inhumane political" shipment of 1.7 million illegals throughout the country, making all states "border states." Yet the liberals go all "safe space" on us if they get 50 bussed or flown into their million dollar home neighborhoods and ship them off to towns that have better social services. Wow. What hypocrites.

Biden admin to ship migrants from border to US cities (nypost.com)

Biden has been bussing migrants to blue cities since 2021 | The Post Millennial | thepostmillennial.com

Biden dumping illegal migrants around the nation without notice | Washington Examiner

Aunt Leta and Uncle Ben

I can't recall when I signed up for Family Search, the huge Mormon data base of genealogy, but every now and then I get an interesting e-mail alerting me that there's new information in my family tree. Lask week it was the marriage certificate of my Aunt Leta and Uncle Ben. She was my grandmother's sister, and he was my grandfather's cousin. She lived in Illinois and he lived in Tennessee, but for some reason (I never heard a family story about it) they were married in Henerson Kentucky.  In my memory, they were always "old," but I was surprised to see they didn't get married until 1940, Ben was 46 and Leta was 34. Leta's baby sister, Ada, who would have been about 26, was one of the witnesses. They had no children, but Ben had a son Gene from a first marriage who was mentally challenged. Gene died in 1999 having lived many years in a care facility, and by then there was almost no one to look after the final arrangements and burial. Except my dad who was in his 80s. He made the arrangements and went to the cemetery with a few other distant cousins in the cold and snow to pay respects, because that's what families do. I think he got pneumonia. You just never know what old memories will show up in your e-mail.

Eat real food, get more rest, and move more

It's odd for me to enjoy podcasts (auditory processing), but I do. Since I got a smart phone, I use it more for podcasts than phone calls. Here's Bari Weiss (one of my favs) in a conversation with Dr. Casey Means, a Stanford trained physician who left the traditional medical system behind to solve the one problem that she says is going to ruin us all: bad food.

Honestly with Bari Weiss: Eating Ourselves to Death on Apple Podcasts

I've often wondered about the "equity" push in medicine and public health. A large number of health problems are caused by lifestyle--eating, drinking/drugs, exercise (or lack of) and sexual promiscuity. Like Covid. We knew 2.5 years ago obesity was a predictor of serious Covid complications, including death. But pushing pills and vax was the solution. What if "equity" is just one more way to kill off Americans, particularly minorities? (Someone out there hates BIPOC, and it isn't the Trumpsters).

Dr. Means in this podcast talks about all the body parts that go bad from poor nutrition, and particularly obesity. 4 out of 5 black women are obese or overweight. Body positivity can kill you and that's a hot trend. Healthy at any size is a lie. 93% of us have metabolic disfunction according to her even if we aren't obese. By the time you find out you're pre-diabetic, it may have been 10 years in the making. Is this all a part of Big Pharma profits? Which foods are really bad for you, according to Dr. Means? Fake meats (highly processed); seed oils; sugar. She approves of intermittent fasting.

Just bought Halloween Candy today. The first 4 ingredients in those little orange pumpkin candies are sugar, corn syrup, salt and honey. Now I'll have to hide it from me.

The Best and Worst Foods for Your Metabolic System – Dr. Casey Means - Levels (levelshealth.com)

Northern, rich sanctuary cities complain about illegal invasion

"MSNBC’s Chris Hayes called the migrant flights “deeply deeply sick and dehumanizing” as if the 50 individuals were shipped to a concentration camp. CNN actually compared the flights to one of the nation’s most glamorous vacation spots to the Nazi Holocaust. The Washington Post’s Max Boot, who last month called Martha’s Vineyard “the real America,” condemned the move as “beneath contempt” for the Florida governor.

The majority-white, wealthy liberal enclave where median home sales are north of $1.3 million and where 150,000 tourists descend every summer should, however, be well-equipped to absorb 50 new migrants into its community. After all, rich white liberals have spent the better half of the last decade lecturing Americans to bring home “your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” and welcome unchecked illegal migration."

10 Even More Awesome Places To Send Illegal Immigrants (thefederalist.com)

Kinley Shogren painting

Kinley Shogren (1924-1991) was a "fine Cleveland artist of the mid-20th Century. He became known for his popular watercolor scenes around rural Ohio, and was an authority on Great Lakes shipping and ships. He painted a great number of the freighters and other craft sailing the Great Lakes, including an accurate detailed written description of the boat for each." From an auction site description.

And today I was browsing through art items at the cancer resale store and noticed a Kinley Shogren painting of a boat in a harbor--sort of misty with two other boats barely seen in the fog.  I'd never heard of the artist, but noticed the note on the back that he was from Mansfield, Ohio and the painting was a class study. Usually, I'm not impressed with their art items, but for $10 I thought it was wonderful.  So I bought it. There's some glare on the glass but this is a pretty good likeness.

https://danielebrady.blogspot.com/2019/12/ohio-artist-kinley-shogren.html  Local paper features a show, include the obituary.

https://www.wkyc.com/article/features/local-artists-painting-finds-new-church-home/464098118  A painting of Jesus by Shogren done for a church is placed in another church 40 years later.  His son tells of posing for his father.

https://www.arcadja.com/auctions/en/author-lots/3kx4mfel/  47 lots of paintings and prints

His typical style is very tight and realistic, particularly the ships and landscapes.  He was concerned with accuracy.  But I like the fresh and quick sketch look of my "find." Here are others I found at auction sites.

  

Update.  The name on the back of the painting (seems to be original owner) is Neal Layne.  I looked him up and he lived our community, died in 2003, and was an architect.  Bob remembers him!  Services were here in UA but he is buried in Mansfield, where the artist taught and had his studio. 

Napping benefits

I like to post about napping, because I've always been one to nap--my mom did too. This study has a little age on it--9 years, but I was wondering if I would work a few math problems before I napped, I might get better at math. Sleep On It | NIH News in Health

“We’ve learned that sleep before learning helps prepare your brain for initial formation of memories,” says Dr. Matthew Walker, a sleep scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. “And then, sleep after learning is essential to help save and cement that new information into the architecture of the brain, meaning that you’re less likely to forget it.”

The real costs of an abortion

The Unintended Costs of Abortion (buzzsprout.com)

Why are pregnant mothers dying at much higher rates in the United States compared to other developed countries? Dr. Monqiue Chireau Wubbenhorst, an OB/GYN, has the answers.

EP027: Dr. Monique Chireau Wubbenhorst

In this episode of The EDIFY Podcast, Dr. Monique Chireau Wubbenhorst tackles the data and debates surrounding maternal mortality rates in the United States. As an OB/GYN, Dr. Wubbenhorst also discusses some of the unintended consequences of abortion and the dangers she sees with the growing advocacy for abortion-by-mail. This podcast is a must-listen as our states start to debate these issues.

Who are the fascists?

"If there are fascists in America these days, they are apt to be found among the tribes of the left. They are Mr. Biden and his people. . .whose opinions have, since Jan. 6, 2021, hardened into absolute faith that any party or political belief system except their own is illegitimate, inhuman, monstrous, and (a nice touch) a threat to democracy. The evolution of their overprivileged emotions – their sentimentality gone fanatic – has led them in 2022 to embrace Mussolini’s formula: “All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state.” Or against the party. . . meanwhile their thinkers wonder whether the Constitution and the separation of powers are all they’re cracked up to be." Lance Morrow, WSJ

Even with the border wide open for anyone to walk across, we still hear H. Clinton and Biden Spox solemnly mouthing, "threat to democracy" when frowning about Trump supporters. Yet we are in the midst of the most totalitarian government in post WWII in the USA.

The Democrats are the election deniers and have been since 2000

The Democrats have been the worst election deniers. Why is that not an insurrection via the media and fake impeachment procedures? Who did Trump put in jail in his 4 years? They made up the Russia story and ran with it. Gaslighting. Lies.

https://youtu.be/XX2Ejqjz6TA

An immigrant who is a MAGA Republican has a message for Joe Biden

Message from an immigrant for Joe Biden.

https://youtu.be/lP5gOqkUF_A He wants someone to get this to Joe Biden.

Important exercises for older adults

While any movement is always better than none, there are certain foundational exercises that need to be performed on more than designated workout days, says Ann Phelps, D.P.T., a physical therapist at Athletico Physical Therapy in Chicago.

Why? Because that’s how you’ll get the results you want, from improving strength and mobility to building better balance to staying independent longer.

Below, Phelps shares the four most important exercises to add to your daily routine.

4 Exercises Older Adults Should Do Every Day (silversneakers.com)

Reminders of Lakeside

Yesterday I bought some long stem sunflowers at Kroger, but when I looked in our cabinets, I didn't like the choices of vases. Instead I cut the stems and selected a small blue bowl made by our Lakeside friend, Ed Day, who died in 2020. I think Ed and Happy had a sale when they moved from Dayton to Lakeside after retirement. That's probably how I happened to have it. It's inscribed on the bottom with his name and date. Then I added some lovely hand painted Blue Ridge China (Mountain Ivy pattern) from the Southern Potteries company (1916-1957) Erwin, TN. I bought these from the Lakeside Archives in 2020 when they had a little store (for just one season) of donated items where the Archives is now located on Walnut St.

  

  

Biden calls out GOP MAGA as fascist

It's nothing new to point out how the Democrats accuse the Republicans of doing what they themselves are doing. Like smearing all Trump voters as fascists because they question the tricks and travesties of the 2020 election, when Hillary Clinton, Stacy Abrams, Al Gore, etc. have all done it earlier, longer and louder. But they have "science" to back them up. Well, social science. There was a pseudo-scientific study done in the 1950s , "The Authoritarian Personality" by Theodor Adorno and others. It was massaged a bit for American academe and was popular in the 1980s with all sorts of levels of personality traits to explain the Germans of WWII and the right wing Americans. And of course, they could then pin it on anyone not buying into the Democrats' left party line from pronouns to polar bears. It's now used to explain any form of patriotism, flag display, devotion to western family structure including traditional marriage, and common civil qualities like merit, hard work and duty. It fit right into the whole BLM fight created by 3 over-educated Marxist lesbians who needed a scam to make money. They may hate capitalism, but they LUV money.

Just 2 of the qualities on the scale of fascism show how silly it is, since they most perfectly describe the horrors of today's Leftist in government and academe--concern that the world is going to end (anyone heard of ramping up fear of climate change?) and obsession with sex (whoa! 50+ genders and boys can be girls by just imagining it and famous universities with medical departments to remove healthy breasts and implant penises in little confused girls?) There's more, but you get my drift. Crying fascist while pointing one finger with four pointing back at the accuser is just typical Democrat sign language.

 
But if you ever doubted, take a look at the slavish devotion to chaos commands of the BLM/Antifa movement and the mindless Democrats who rushed to cry "defund police," but now deny they ever said it during the George Floyd riots. The travesty of the J-6 trial and their obsession with destroying Donald Trump are perfect examples of the authoritarian scale they love to use on others.

 
Warning: I know nothing about this author (a British Jazz saxophonist and political writer whom the left calls racist and anti-Semitic, of course) or platform, and the site is censored by FB, so that's something. But on this topic, they are right. Our own media shows it every day in every way. Like Biden's last speech. When you have nothing to say and are an empty suit, accuse half the country of being fascist.

https://www.newsfromtheperimeter.com/home/2020/12/27/the-fascist-scale-revisited

Laying siege to the Institutions--Christopher Rufo

Christopher Rufo is the new "hate on him" guy that the Left loves to ridicule and demean. Why? Because he exposes Wokeism, CRT, trans-agenda, queer theory, intersectionality, etc. with the Sword of Truth, and a clear explanation of their own Leftist/Marxist history and direction. What looks like chaos to you, is well planned."The leftist dream of a working-class rebellion in America fizzled after the ’60s. By the mid-1970s, radical groups like the Black Liberation Army and the Weather Underground had faded from prominence. But the leftist dreamers didn’t give up. Abandoning hope of a Russian-style revolution, they settled on a more sophisticated strategy—waging a revolution not of the proletariat, but of the elites, and specifically of the knowledge elites. It would proceed not by taking over the means of production, but by taking control of education and culture—a strategy that German Marxist Rudi Dutschke, a student activist in the 1960s, called “the long march through the institutions.”

This idea is traceable to Italian communist Antonio Gramsci, who wrote in the 1930s of “capturing the culture via infiltration of schools, universities, churches, and the media by transforming the consciousness of society.”

This march through our institutions, begun a half-century ago, has now proved largely successful. Over the past two years, I’ve looked at the federal bureaucracy, the universities, K-12 schools, and big corporations. And what I’ve found is that the revolutionary ideas of the ’60s have been repackaged, repurposed, and injected into American life at the institutional level." https://christopherrufo.com/laying-siege-to-the-institutions/

Controlling K-12 of public and private education is essential. Why else have the DoJ attack parents? The younger the better. Perhaps the only Biblical principal the Left has learned well, is Proverbs 22:6--"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." In my opinion, the Leftists are the losers with old, tired ideas in contrast to our U.S. Constitution (which they hate) has the fresh, recent and revolutionary ideas. The only similarity might be that the 60s Weather Underground and the 2011 Occupy Movement were the white, young, wealthy and best educated; our Founders were also white, young, wealthy and well educated. The difference is the radicals of the 1960s and 21st century were spoiled brats and guilt ridden by their own abundance. Their only desire was/is to create chaos--and the plan now begins in the schools--even pre-K. To create confusion about family, marriage, sex, religion, purpose, meaning, ambition, merit, etc.

Tracking down an artist, Julia Crainer

We brought all our artwork to Columbus on Saturday from our recently sold Lakeside home.  One I had always enjoyed, but didn't have the provenance, had defeated my internet searches. From the signature on the original painting of hot peppers I bought at Cottage Accessories, a little resale store in Lakeside in 2008, I was looking for Julia Grawer. I did find other paintings by that signature, at an Minnesota auction site of radishes, garlic and lettuce.  It had been sold but it did have an enlargement feature for the signature.  When I clicked on that, I could see that the name was Crainer, not Grawer.  The i and the n looked like a w without enlargement.  So I kept looking, and finally found an auction site where someone had left a comment about her:

"Julia Crainer is a lovely artist from Texas who has taught at Coastal Bend College and Concan Porcelain Art School. I have been lucky enough to take a watercolor class with her 3 times. Loved EVERY minute of learning from her. She painted this watercolor of corn which she either grew or bought at the market. Her signature style in some of her prints... is to watercolor...and when finished....add fine ball point pen marks on top in black ink." :D

Once I'd tracked her to Texas I looked for an obituary that mentioned "art teacher," and I found one, very lovingly written by a son. She died November 19, 2015 at 90.

"Julia was born in Bay City, Texas to MacMillan and Gladys Ballard Arrington on November 29, 1924. In Passing, She was undoubtedly greeted after hugging her Soulmate husband Everett, by many of the family, friends, and students that she loved, taught, mentored and inspired in her long, productive, and inspiring life that crossed over previously.

Julia’s life was centered on family and art. When at three she was given paints, her natural gift for art was discovered and encouraged by her gifted parents. Later her talent was recognized by several artists who mentored her. A short autobiography written for a 2010 gallery display of Crainer’s multi-media artwork states,

“…. My life has been too long and full for me to include everyone who has been significant in my life and career, but I must mention Everett Mac and Jim, my dear sons who, along with my Everett, have been the center of my adult life. I thank my family, teachers, students, and friends for all they have done to enrich my life.

I also want to thank God for giving me my gift and a family that encouraged me to use it. As a two time cancer survivor, I also thank God for restoring my health. I believe God gives each one of us gifts that he expects us to use for others and for Him. I was put here to have two sons. As a teacher, I try to help others develop their gifts as many helped me develop mine. I hope to teach as long as God grants me health and life.”

The Lord gave mom over 70 years as a Teacher, 56 Yrs as a wife, 70 yrs as a Loving Mother and almost 92 years of living Life making so many new loving friends along the way.

Crainer’s joy was creating special Art works for her family, but her Artwork is known far beyond her family, friends, and state. Many of her paintings reside in foreign countries and other states. 

More here.  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202953990/julia-ballard-crainer