"Just five years ago, there was still less than 10 allies that spent 2% of GDP on defense,” Stoltenberg said during remarks at The Wilson Center in Washington. “I can only now reveal that this year, more than 20 allies will spend at least 2% of GDP on defense.” (CNN, June 17, 2024)
Saturday, July 20, 2024
The lies about Trump--NATO
One of the biggest lies the Democrats tell about Trump is that he wants to destroy NATO. So, paying your fair share (2% of GDP) is now being a Nazi? Hmm. Who is it that talks about "fair share" all the time? But what's crazy is Biden is now given credit for what Trump asked for!
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
The tale of 3 cities--Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum
Today's Gospel reading in Magnificat is the disturbing warning Jesus gives three cities, Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum (Matt. 11: 20-24). They not only had a long history of being God's special people, but they'd witnessed the Kingdom of God, Jesus performing his miracles, yet refused Him. We could read that Chicago, New York and LA, or the United States, Canada and Mexico, or Germany, England and France. All have been blessed over the years not just with material wealth, magnificent universities and stunning technological achievement, but the riches of knowing God's word, from parchment to podcast. And still, we don't repent and follow His ways. The events of the last several months, or even since 9-11 come to mind. God seems to be doing something remarkable right now, summer 2024. Trump may never be president again, but God has revealed through his efforts the soft underbelly of a very corrupt system that refuses to honor God and appreciate all His gifts.
Sunday, July 14, 2024
Trump's message to America after the shooting
President Trump's statement on Truth Social
"I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!"
There's more, and I'm looking at various sites. I'm not on Truth Social so have to find it elsewhere.
“Based on yesterday’s terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days, but have just decided that I cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else. Therefore, I will be leaving for Milwaukee, as scheduled, at 3:30 P.M,” Trump said in a Truth Social post."
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” he wrote.
“We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness. Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.
“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.” (New York Post)
The iconic photo of a bleeding, fist pumping, defiant Trump being swept off the stage by the Secret Service with the American flag against a bright blue sky waving above him will become famous, but a lot of the sources I've seen clip out the flag. Whether it was space, dislike for Trump or distain for the flag, we can only guess.
"I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!"
There's more, and I'm looking at various sites. I'm not on Truth Social so have to find it elsewhere.
“Based on yesterday’s terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days, but have just decided that I cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else. Therefore, I will be leaving for Milwaukee, as scheduled, at 3:30 P.M,” Trump said in a Truth Social post."
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” he wrote.
“We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness. Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.
“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.” (New York Post)
The iconic photo of a bleeding, fist pumping, defiant Trump being swept off the stage by the Secret Service with the American flag against a bright blue sky waving above him will become famous, but a lot of the sources I've seen clip out the flag. Whether it was space, dislike for Trump or distain for the flag, we can only guess.
A message from Pastor Turnbull--God holds the future
Our senior pastor, Steve Turnbull, sent this e-mail this afternoon addressing the assassination attempt on President Trump.
"First, as we prayed in our services this morning, let us be faithfully in prayer for President Trump, his staff and his family, and for the families of those killed, injured and traumatized in the attack. Let us also be praying for President Biden and all other candidates for office at our city, state and national level. What we witnessed brings home the danger these public servants put themselves in, and it is right for us to pray for their safety, and for comfort for them and loved ones who now face greater fear. And let’s be praying for our nation – for peace, kindness, and neighborliness even through this election cycle where differences of opinion are strong. This is a moment where we as a country can seek both repentance and healing. I'm certainly praying for this, and I invite you to join me.
That leads into the challenge I have for you: as a congregation, let us practice the love of our neighbors as a witness to a hurting world. Comfort and care for your friends, relatives and neighbors – maybe especially those with whom you disagree. Jesus has called us to love our neighbors, and our enemies, and we as believers ought to lead the way as the nation reckons with the dire consequences of hatred, division and violence. I challenge myself, first, and then you to be intentionally Christlike in your thoughts, actions, and online engagement in this election season ahead of us. Our neighbors need this from us.
Finally, I want to share with you a word of hope. Last night, we went to sleep in a world that felt very uncertain. This morning we woke up in the same world, but we gathered across the country and around the world to worship God who Scripture says, “holds all things together” (Col. 1:17). In Psalm 95, it says, “For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.” While we may not know the future, or be able to control the outcome of historical events, our God can and does. He holds together this fragile, broken world, and he holds the future. "
Friday, July 12, 2024
Socialists become Communists or Fascists, F.A. Hayek, 1944
"No less significant is the intellectual history of many of the Nazi and Fascist leaders. Everyone who has watched the growth of these movements in Italy or in Germany has been struck by the number of leading men, from Mussolini downward (and not excluding Laval and Quisling), who began as socialists and ended as Fascists or Nazis. And what is true of the leaders is even more true of the rank and file of the movement. The relative ease with which a young communist could be converted into a Nazi or vice versa was generally known in Germany, best of all to the propagandists of the two parties. Many a university teacher during the 1930s has seen English and American students return from the Continent uncertain whether they were communists or Nazis and certain only that they hated Western liberal civilization."
"The Road to Serfdom; text and documents, The definitive edition," ed. by Bruce Caldwell, (The collected works of F.A. Hayek, vol 2) University of Chicago Press, c1944, c2007. pp. 80-81
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Pew Report January 2020 on incomes and prosperity
It must have hurt to have to say good things about the Trump economy or the nation in general in this Pew (left of center) Report, which came out in Jan 2020 before Trump halted some travel from China in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus. (In hindsight lab leaked viruses laughed at those regulations, just like Pelosi did.) The report does take the long view going back decades to find slow growth and little change. But I did notice that the report noted the shrinking middle class--because people were moving up, not down.
"The unemployment rate in November 2019 was 3.5%, a level not seen since the 1960s."
". . . household incomes, which have rebounded in recent years."
"In 2018, the median income of U.S. households stood at $74,600. This was 49% higher than its level in 1970, when the median income was $50,200." (Incomes are expressed in 2018 dollars.)
"On balance, there was more movement up the income ladder than down the income ladder. [since 1970]"
"Since 1980, incomes have increased faster for the most affluent families – those in the top 5% – than for families in the income strata below them." (If you look at the inflation adjusted charts, this doesn't seem to be so, but if wealth creates wealth and there's been a huge increase in dual income families in the last 40 years, I would agree. In the long run, wealth transfers from the government from the middle class to the lower class may help consumption, but it doesn't build wealth to be passed along by generations.)
Several paragraphs in the report note the rising incomes of the upper income, without noting the disparity in marriage rates. Obviously a three person household of a single mother and two children, is going to be less than a three person household of a married mother, father and child. Income gaps between white and Asian households can usually be adjusted for marriage and number of family members. Childhood poverty can almost all be explained by the difference in marriage rates.
"The unemployment rate in November 2019 was 3.5%, a level not seen since the 1960s."
". . . household incomes, which have rebounded in recent years."
"In 2018, the median income of U.S. households stood at $74,600. This was 49% higher than its level in 1970, when the median income was $50,200." (Incomes are expressed in 2018 dollars.)
"On balance, there was more movement up the income ladder than down the income ladder. [since 1970]"
"Since 1980, incomes have increased faster for the most affluent families – those in the top 5% – than for families in the income strata below them." (If you look at the inflation adjusted charts, this doesn't seem to be so, but if wealth creates wealth and there's been a huge increase in dual income families in the last 40 years, I would agree. In the long run, wealth transfers from the government from the middle class to the lower class may help consumption, but it doesn't build wealth to be passed along by generations.)
Several paragraphs in the report note the rising incomes of the upper income, without noting the disparity in marriage rates. Obviously a three person household of a single mother and two children, is going to be less than a three person household of a married mother, father and child. Income gaps between white and Asian households can usually be adjusted for marriage and number of family members. Childhood poverty can almost all be explained by the difference in marriage rates.
Parkinson's Disease
I do a slow burn at the wealthy and powerful like Ari Emanuel who are now fuming about not knowing how weak and confused Joe Biden is (and was in 2020). These gazillionaires and their buddies control our lives through the people we "elect." The money and power they control we can't even imagine. I suspected Parkinson's 4 years ago, not because I'm a doctor, but because I know or knew so many people (at least 10) who have/had it. 80% men. There are many kinds and it can be misdiagnosed. The only time I saw emotion on Joe's face was when he'd get angry and start screaming incoherently at a friendly audience, name calling, dredging up old stories, forgetting decades and shouting like a demented person, or when he was eating ice cream shmoozing the kids. But Conservatives were demonized if it was mentioned. We'd been so beaten down with Covid cancellations, many just chose to keep quiet about what we saw.
Quick cookie recipe
Took a nap; woke up with the munchies. 1 pkg cake mix; 2 eggs, 1/2 cup oil. 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Tuesday, July 09, 2024
Mary Roberts Rinehart on War
Joe Biden gave us a humiliating, disastrous withdrawal from one war, and has involved us in two others (by financing them). Let's not forget it was not just the debate that brought us to this point.
“War is not two great armies meeting in the clash and frenzy of battle. War is a boy being carried on a stretcher, looking up at God’s blue sky with bewildered eyes that are soon to close; war is a woman carrying a child that has been injured by a shell; war is spirited horses tied in burning buildings and waiting for death; war is the flower of a race, battered, hungry, bleeding, up to its knees in filthy water; war is an old woman burning a candle before the Mater Dolorsa for the son she has given.”
― Mary Rinehart, American writer
Project 2025
What is Project 2025 which has the Leftists pulling their hair in search of new catastrophic words to describe "white Christian nationalism?"
"With the Biden administration half over [January 2023] and with the immediate dangers inherent to one-party rule in Washington behind us for now, it’s past time to lay the groundwork for a White House more friendly to the right. For decades, as the left has continued its march through America’s institutions, conservatives have been outgunned and outmatched when it comes to the art of government.
One reason is because the Republican establishment never moved on from the 1980s. Beltway conservatives still prioritize supply-side economics and a bellicose foreign policy above all else. Belief in small government, strangely enough, has manifested itself in a belief among some conservatives that we should lead by example and not fill all political appointments. Belief in the primacy of the national security state has caused conservative administrations to defer political decisions to the generals and the intelligence community."
"With the Biden administration half over [January 2023] and with the immediate dangers inherent to one-party rule in Washington behind us for now, it’s past time to lay the groundwork for a White House more friendly to the right. For decades, as the left has continued its march through America’s institutions, conservatives have been outgunned and outmatched when it comes to the art of government.
One reason is because the Republican establishment never moved on from the 1980s. Beltway conservatives still prioritize supply-side economics and a bellicose foreign policy above all else. Belief in small government, strangely enough, has manifested itself in a belief among some conservatives that we should lead by example and not fill all political appointments. Belief in the primacy of the national security state has caused conservative administrations to defer political decisions to the generals and the intelligence community."
Monday, July 08, 2024
Joe Rogan on Joe Biden
Joe Rogan, a comedian and now famous podcaster, says in the 80s comedians used to do "Joe Biden nights" as comics, where each performer used someone else's acts. That's how famous he was THEN as a plagiarist. https://open.spotify.com/episode/67haCs3jEOu2mThrqzC3Gc So when Politico or NYT says Trump lies--think of Joe telling lies for over 45 years to the American people.
Saturday, July 06, 2024
Joe on gender, race and color
I think we can figure out what Biden was saying in Philadelphia a week after the debate: "By the way, I'm proud to be, as I said, the first vice president, first black woman... to serve with a black president. Proud to be involved of the first black woman on the Supreme Court. There's so much that we can do because, look...we're the United States of America." (Try to diagram that sentence!)
Even though he claims in the interview at WURD to be a black woman and to be involved with a black woman (who couldn't define what a woman is), we know he is not a black lesbian. It's just good old Uncle Joe, the guy half of the electorate said they wanted back in 2020 to bring the country together.
But really folks, is it smart to be proud about another person's ethnicity and political decisions and skills? That's what he seems to be saying--Harris and Obama are nothing without me--I'm the big cheese. They only matter because of their skin color. I'm surprised he didn't tell the black radio hosts he only agreed to the interview because they are black. Back in 2020 when Harris was running for president in the primaries she called Democrats racists, and he seems to prove it.
Even though he claims in the interview at WURD to be a black woman and to be involved with a black woman (who couldn't define what a woman is), we know he is not a black lesbian. It's just good old Uncle Joe, the guy half of the electorate said they wanted back in 2020 to bring the country together.
But really folks, is it smart to be proud about another person's ethnicity and political decisions and skills? That's what he seems to be saying--Harris and Obama are nothing without me--I'm the big cheese. They only matter because of their skin color. I'm surprised he didn't tell the black radio hosts he only agreed to the interview because they are black. Back in 2020 when Harris was running for president in the primaries she called Democrats racists, and he seems to prove it.
The Democrat Party "democracy" they say we'll lose
Glenn Greenwald reminds us that the 2016 Democrat election (primaries) were rigged to favor Clinton over Sanders. In 2024 they had NO primaries--no voters had a choice. This is the "Democracy" the Democrats say we'll lose if Trump is elected. Power and money run the party, not the voters.
Friday, July 05, 2024
1967 and 1968 were scary in presidential politics
Today I was reminded of just how scary 1967 and 1968 were for our country--which put today's problems with Biden and 2 wars in perspective. Our children were born in 1967 and 1968 and this podcast reminded me of how helpless we felt. You want your kids to have a better life, but it all seemed to be crashing. Especially awful were the assassinations. If you were around then and have forgotten what a mess the Democrats (and the country) were in, take a listen to the podcast "Honestly." Bari Weiss is the founder of Free Press and main speaker on the Honestly podcast, but she has a guest host, Eli Lake, for this one. I'd forgotten how much LBJ and RFK hated each other, and the level of disruption the Chicago riots caused. Mr. Lake brings it all back with some of the interviews. Honestly with Bari Weiss: When a President Drops Out: What Biden Can Learn from 1968 on Apple Podcasts
From the transcript: "Today, Free Press writer Eli Lake hosts a special episode about what happened in 1968 when President Johnson decided he was not fit for reapplying for his job. He listened to his critics and backed away from the White House, allowing the Democrats an opportunity to stage an open convention to choose their next candidate for the presidency. But why did the party want him gone so badly? And how did this seismic decision work out? It’s a tale of murder, war, and riots that culminated in the most explosive convention in the history of America."
DEMOCRATIC_CONVENTION_1968_REEL_1_306-1424-r1.webm.720p.vp9
Thursday, July 04, 2024
America the Beautiful
"America the beautiful" by Katherine Bates composed on a trip to Colorado is so beautiful I thought I'd write something about it. It's been recorded by so many famous entertainers and bands--Elvis Presley to Aretha Franklin, military bands to small town band concerts. Everything I've read would indicate it is public domain--but alas, even that is being argued and worked out in the courts. But I was certainly shocked to read in my morning devotions (Magnificat, July 2024) that the copyright is held by the Benedictine Nuns of the Abbey of St. Cecilia, Ryde, Isle of Wright, UK. That's either a big typo or perhaps applies to a particular recorded rendition. I'll check with the publisher.
"Amber Waves" is the title of a USDA magazine. The title is probably taken from that familiar tune. I used to collect first/premiere issues of magazines and have the first issue (in print). It still exists on line. https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves.aspx
Wednesday, July 03, 2024
Latest, updated list of lies about President Trump
https://sharylattkisson.com/2024/06/50-media-mistakes-in-the-trump-era-the-definitive-list/?
The list is now at 160, but because they are so often repeated even after debunked, some people are hearing them for the first time. Like the bleach thing, and the "nice people" lie.
Dr. Zhivago and "The Secrets we Kept"
This is a terrible way to waste 15 minutes, but I've been researching the use of polystyrene foam as disposable coffee cups. I'm reading a spy novel ("The secrets we kept" by Lara Prescott). It's 1956 and the typing pool is gathered at the coffee shop (in Washington DC, and I don't yet know who the spies are but the latest fad in novels is to have bright young women save the West as spies). Here's the line that stopped me. "The Agency's own brew, though brown and hot, tasted more like the Styrofoam cups we drank it from."
Doesn't that sound like an anachronism to you? So of course, I looked it up. Not a lot of history (with dates) for polystyrofoam cups, but AI tried. Seems this environmental disaster was developed in 1954 and the foam cups created in 1957. Sometime in the 1960s they began to be used for disposable coffee cups, and 7-11 popularized them around 1964. The big use expansion of these cups was the 1970s and 80s. That's the bare bones, and right now if you're drinking disposably, it's probably a paper cup with a thin plastic coating (which may be leaching into your coffee), and the BIG advancement was in the development of the lids.
Back to the spies. This novel is built about Boris Pasternak's "Dr. Zhivago," and although I'm not sure I read it, I did see the movie several times. Also I took Russian in college and I can pronounce the names. The author's name is Lara, as was the love interest in Pasternak's novel.
Doesn't that sound like an anachronism to you? So of course, I looked it up. Not a lot of history (with dates) for polystyrofoam cups, but AI tried. Seems this environmental disaster was developed in 1954 and the foam cups created in 1957. Sometime in the 1960s they began to be used for disposable coffee cups, and 7-11 popularized them around 1964. The big use expansion of these cups was the 1970s and 80s. That's the bare bones, and right now if you're drinking disposably, it's probably a paper cup with a thin plastic coating (which may be leaching into your coffee), and the BIG advancement was in the development of the lids.
Back to the spies. This novel is built about Boris Pasternak's "Dr. Zhivago," and although I'm not sure I read it, I did see the movie several times. Also I took Russian in college and I can pronounce the names. The author's name is Lara, as was the love interest in Pasternak's novel.
https://youtu.be/WiWWa-T0EIY?si=e22chGIuSSxQafZX Lara's Theme
Tuesday, July 02, 2024
Presidential immunity
I think Democrats should be thrilled with the clarification of presidential immunity by SCOTUS. Both Obama and Biden have serious crimes that could come back to haunt them. But Democrats are so damaged by their hate for Trump they think anything in the Constitution they don't support is about Trump.
The decision, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, established a broad new immunity from prosecution, not just for Trump, but for past and future presidents, too. Presidents may not be prosecuted for exercising their “core” constitutional powers, and even in situations where former presidents might be prosecuted after leaving office, they are entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for official actions they took as president.
Such immunity is needed, said the chief justice, in order to protect an “energetic,” and “independent executive,” willing to take “bold” actions and make unpopular decisions when needed. And while Roberts said that private actions by a former president are not protected from prosecution, his opinion seemed to inexorably intertwine private and public actions. Supreme Court says Trump has absolute immunity for core acts only : NPR
Monday, July 01, 2024
Angry Democrats upset about Presidential immunity
"The President is not above the law. But Congress may not criminalize the President’s conduct in carrying out the responsibilities of the Executive Branch under the Constitution. And the system of separated powers designed by the Framers has always demanded an energetic, independent Executive," the SCOTUS opinion said.
Democrats are angry and insane. President Trump has all the same rights that all presidents and all citizens had before the SCOTUS decision, yet they believe "Democracy" has failed under a "MAGA court." They don't see that SCOTUS has protected them! Think of all the angry, biased, crazy, befuddled things Biden has said and done in the last 4 years--they better hope he has immunity.
Democrats are angry and insane. President Trump has all the same rights that all presidents and all citizens had before the SCOTUS decision, yet they believe "Democracy" has failed under a "MAGA court." They don't see that SCOTUS has protected them! Think of all the angry, biased, crazy, befuddled things Biden has said and done in the last 4 years--they better hope he has immunity.
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