Potter-mania

Potter-mania is still with us.

I never bought or read a Harry Potter book. My daughter used to stand in line to buy one when they came out, but I fell asleep during the movie. Now on the used book sale market, they can be very expensive. ABEBooks.com sold 4 Harry Potter first editions hardcover copies for $105,700. Each copy represents a different impression of the first UK edition, each with its own idiosyncrasies.

And to think J.K. Rowling was "cancelled" because she won't say men can be women.

https://www.abebooks.com/books/rarebooks/most-expensive-sales-2024?

J.K. Rowling - Books, Family & Facts

I doubt that any of my books are worth anything, but I still have trouble getting rid of them. I could probably convince myself let me pass this one along.

Low battery alert and very cold weather

Not a good mix. I decided (now that I can drive again) to go to Walmart after the gym and see if any of those snazzy CD/FM/AM clock radio players that I saw online were in stock, but they weren't so I bought a few items and went to the car. I have one of those automatic key fob thingies and it wouldn't let me in the car. I had seen a warning (but only one) on the dash a few days ago that the battery in the key fob was low, but had done nothing about it. It quit on what could be one of the coldest days this winter, and I'm standing in the parking lot with groceries. I figured out how to get the hidden key out, even with cold fingers. Then realized that after opening the door, there was no place to put it in the starter button. Then the dash told me it couldn't recognize the fob, so I got closer to it, and it started. And I took off for Auto-zone to buy a battery. They only come with 2, so I then went back with the other one and had the guy change that one, too.  It took several tools and his smacking it on the counter to get it replaced.

Tech was not my friend this week (old CD player was electrocuted and died). What I was looking for is one of these.  Mine was a 1998 model that fried when a light bulb blew.  Some of the new ones look like 1960s or 1950s radios.

Following a long family tradition

I got my dual chamber leadless pacemaker implants yesterday. Smaller than a AAA battery. Home from the hospital in time to see the Buckeyes win, although I was asleep by then. I think the smaller one goes in the lower chamber of the heart. No wires, no surgery.

Turning the page

I changed my "page a day" horse calendar to JAN 7 today and looked at the quote for the 6th, "It is the quality of our work which will please God and not the quantity," Mahatma Gandhi. I would sure be in trouble if that's what pleases God. And it's not very Biblical and would only apply to certain tasks. Just think of all you do where quantity matters; then which work needs the top quality. The best. Think about wiping a sick child's nose. Will you let that poor little snot covered face just fester because you can't do it perfectly and only once ? Or the 5" of snow I'm looking at outside my window. Individually the flakes might all be perfect, but frolicking together they surely are massively magnificent (as long as you don't need to go to the grocery store). I understand the thought behind the quote--do your best, merit matters, excel even in the smallest job, nothing is too small, etc.--but I know that God is pleased with the imperfect effort if done with a loving heart

New Year's changes in Social Security benefits for retirees

If you are retired and receiving a public pension (like STRS or PERS in Ohio) you couldn't "double dip" and also get your social security benefits. That has just changed. All the details are not worked out yet, and I have no idea how retroactive it will be. Retirees' associations have been battling this for over 40 years, but of course if Biden signed the bill he'll get the credit. To look it up check out government offset, or windfall--they are 2 different laws.

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf?

https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/program-explainers/windfall-elimination-provision.html?

Hugh Hewitt on Biden, the media, and the scandal of the year

I'm just catching up on some podcasts. Christmas Eve eve Hugh Hewitt (Dec. 23) was apoplectic over the news of Biden's clemency and pardon list including 37 on federal death row (3 remain). The 3 who still face the death penalty were obvious "DEI"/ political choices.

The three men on federal death row did not get a commutation were Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who along with his brother killed three people in 2013; Robert Bowers, who killed 11 at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018, and Dylann Roof, who killed nine black Charleston churchgoers in 2015.

 
Among those getting some holiday cheer is Thomas Sanders, who in 2010 kidnapped and then shot 12-year-old Lexis Roberts four times and cut her throat in Louisiana — days after the girl watched as Sanders murdered her mother on a road trip near the Grand Canyon." (New York Post) 

I'm sure the families of the other 37 will be thrilled that Biden who claims to be against the death penalty due to his Catholic faith, makes exceptions for race and religion while supporting and advocating for death to the unborn which the Catholic Church definitely condemns.

This news came on top of the Wall St. Journal story on the incompetency and dementia of Biden the entire 4 years and how his family and staff protected him and the media lied. The WSJ story was solid journalism with many interviews with staff and observers and media who weren't allowed to tell what they knew. Conservatives who knew this had been silenced or cancelled or called conspiracy nuts. Because Hugh is a journalist, he was most upset with the media, but he's awfully mad at Jill Biden and the rest of his family. The Scandal of the Year - The Hugh Hewitt Show: Highly Concentrated - Apple Podcasts  

Every Democrat you know should listen to this.

Butternut Squash on a cold winter day

I'm baking a butternut squash today. Usually I peel it, but that's hard on the hands. "Winter squash are packed with lots of nutrients. Adding them to your meal rotation is a great way to get fiber, along with vitamins A and C, potassium and antioxidants. Consider that 1 cup of baked butternut squash, one of the most popular varieties of winter squash, provides 160% of your daily recommended value of vitamin A, along with 7 grams of fiber." (https://www.mccormick.com/articles/adam-dolge/can-you-eat-squash-skin?)

One cup (205 grams) of cooked butternut squash provides (1Trusted Source):
Calories: 82
Carbs: 22 grams
Protein: 2 grams
Fiber: 7 grams
Vitamin A: 457% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
Vitamin C: 52% of the RDI
Vitamin E: 13% of the RDI
Thiamine (B1): 10% of the RDI
Niacin (B3): 10% of the RDI
Pyridoxine (B6): 13% of the RDI
Folate (B9): 10% of the RDI
Magnesium: 15% of the RDI
Potassium: 17% of the RDI
Manganese: 18% of the RDI
Aside from the vitamins and minerals listed above, it’s also a good source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, and copper. (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/butternut-squash)

Update: Since I had about 3 cups of squash, 2 cups of mashed potatoes (made with lots of butter and cream) and a quart of chicken broth, I did make squash soup this morning because my friend Nancy planted the seed in my brain. Tossed in some cloves, cinnamon etc. tasted it--mighty fine--so I had a bowl for breakfast. Delicious. With a cinnamon bagel and cream cheese.

We enjoyed friends and events in 2024, looking back

January 2024

1. Looks like we were doing the same as this year--packing things up to take the VOA, Discovery Shop and library. Old clothes, clearing shelves, washed sweaters and table clothes,

2. Met with police and banks about a credit scan. New cards.

4. Campfire (conservative Christians) met at Kullbergs. Senior Bible Study, Philippians

5. OSUL luncheon at Morgan House on Glick Rd.

6. Rusty Bucket  with Bill and Joyce, Joan and Jerry

8. Book Club, Sisters of Sinai

10. Coffee with Adrienne

11. Campfire at Kullbergs.  Senior Bible Study, Mary Kate Hipp on Tabernacle.

12. Coffee with Joann and Jim at McDonald's.

13. Quilt show at MR.

25. Senior Bible Study, Tammy Schuster

26. dinner/dessert Jerry and Joan, Bill and Joyce at Rusty Bucket

27.  WOW bible study overview by Woodsen, Shopping at Macy's with Phoebe.

28,  Retirement party for Dave and Pam Mann, began in 1974 with middle school kids

February 2024

1 Senior Bible Study, in-between parables

2. OSUL retirees

3. WOW

5. Book Club, My first ladies (flowers)

8. Senior Bible Study

9. Stone kitchen, Bill and Joyce, Jerry and Joan dessert at Joan's. 

10. Sent Valentines cards

11. Dinner here with Bruce and Marty and Rod and Judi, Valentine theme

12., Coffee with Adrienne

22 Senior Bible Study Mark 7 Lenten worship and lunch

29. Senior Bible study Mark 9 Lenten worship and lunch

And I will need to update this--maybe

Take care of your heart

Your heart beats 100,000 times a day — that's roughly 35 million beats per year and 2.5 billion beats over the course of life.

With each beat, the heart pumps blood through a vast network of veins and arteries, delivering oxygen and essential nutrients to every cell while simultaneously removing carbon dioxide and waste.

In fact, your heart pumps so much blood that it travels about 12,000 miles (19,000 km) through your body in a single day, which is twice the diameter of Earth.

And this remarkable organ functions tirelessly, acting as the engine that keeps your body running year after year on end. The sheer number of heartbeats over a lifetime is a testament to the incredible durability and resilience of this small yet powerful organ.

What's more, from infancy through old age, the heart continuously adapts to our changing needs, whether we're exercising, resting, or experiencing stress. So remember: Taking care of your heart ensures that it can keep taking care of you. (from instagram, Hashem Al-Ghaili

Christmas 2024

 Bob will have enjoyment for many evenings with his stash of Christmas reading.  10 Louise Penny and 5 Susan Elia MacNeal.

Christmas Eve 2024, seven services

Our senior pastor at UALC, Steve Turnbull, has to give 7 sermons today, Christmas Eve.  This year an 11 a.m. service was added so that the people who like traditional with communion didn't have to go out at night, and that also provided an option for families with several generations, or who have to visit more than one home.  

11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship with Communion

2:00 p.m. Modern Worship with carol Choir

4:00 p.m. Modern Worship

5:30 p.m. Modern Worship

7:30 p.m. Modern Worship, live streamed

9:00 p.m. Traditional Worship with Communion, live streamed

10:30 p.m. Traditional Worship with Communion

And on Christmas Day there will be a 10 a.m. service and we'll be attending that, too.  All services are at the Mill Run campus this year because Lytham Road is a construction zone.

We attended the 11 a.m. service this morning and it was very nice.  We had all the traditional carols and communion and the organ. It was all congregational singing--no solos or choir, and everyone participated.   And also many children--so a little fussy and hyped up about Christmas but such fun to see.  The 2 little girls in front of us, maybe 5 and 9, wore lovely match green sequined dresses with cute bows in their hair.  Dad helped the little one with her lighted candled after careful instructions from Pastor Joe.

We're having carry-out-in from DaVinci's tonight.  The restaurant needed the pick up by 2 p.m. so our daughter brought everything over and it's been repackaged and ready to put in the oven around 5 p.m.  The table is set with good china and we're using Phil's Christmas tablecloth.

Merry Christmas to all.  Joy to the World and Hark the Herald Angels sing!

Christmas 1994, 30 years ago

 Is doesn't look like I'll be getting out my Christmas letter until maybe Valentine's day, but I found an old, old one from December 1994, so I'll re-post. We still have that tree--so it's held up well. Bob started his architectural business that year, and we'd bought a lot of equipment. We'd visited both Indianapolis and Mt. Morris family.

Christmas 1994

Phoebe and Mark invited us over to see their Christmas tree--an artificial model, and we liked it, thought it looked pretty good, so they went with us and we shopped for a tree for us, too. It's now standing in the living room and we don't have to worry about turning out lights, or getting too dry. However, the wonderful pine smell is definitely missing. I bought some spray, but it only makes the room smell like I've used an air freshener. There are some things that you just can't get out of a can!

We'll be going to visit our Indianapolis family on Dec. 17 and then on the 18th continue on to Mt. Morris for a 3 day visit with Mom and Dad. Bob has some special Christmas presents planned for his family members, but we'll actually miss the get-together which will be on the 24th. We'll be back here to have church, dinner and celebration with our family.

We got all our "toys" in November. We're upgrading Bob's office to the family room and bought a copier, a fax machine and a new computer for him, and a garage door opener, washing machine, garbage disposal and new Dodge Van for us.

Bob's first year (actually 10 months) of business is coming to a close, and it has been a good learning experience, and he's even made some money. Three of the jobs have been Lakeside cottages--something he originally thought he didn't want to do because then it would be "work" to go there instead of relaxation.

                                                            Christmas 1994

Advantages of physical activity for older people

 The new study, published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, found that, on average, people aged 50 to 83 who did more moderate to vigorous physical activity than usual on a given day did better in memory tests the day after.

Associations of accelerometer-measured physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep with next-day cognitive performance in older adults: a micro-longitudinal study | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity | Full Text

Guess I better go to the gym today.  When it's cold or raining, that's a tough haul for me.

Mangione's back looks fine to me

 Critics of the health insurance industry needs to be looking at Barack Obama and Obamacare, not at company CEOs. And those idiots idolizing Luigi! I've seen the video clips of the sappy women and gay men drooling over Luigi Mangione. In the 1970s we visited prisoners at the old Ohio Pen with a church group and saw with our own eyes how otherwise normal women quickly became suckers for convicts. It's the "misunderstood bad boy" attraction. They become 14 and stupid again, The guy didn't even need to look like a model--could be short, fat and ugly, and yet these women fell for the lies and sad story. It was shocking, so I'm not surprised that women still fall for it no matter how vile the crime. Also, I saw Mangione in a film clip racing his bike through the streets of NYC and it didn't look like a bad back to me.

I'm still the fashion police

A lot has changed since Trump won in 2016. He knew the deep state was a problem, but only now sees how deep and murky politics really is. He knows now it's much more cutthroat than business or entertainment, but loyalty and deals are still his strength. Ordinary words have flipped, and Democrats seized words like "democracy" and "woman" and stomped on and shredded them. In my opinion, Melania and Barron are hardly recognizable. She's dressing like a librarian, or the wardrobe we used to wear 30 years ago--gray suits, sensible shoes, subdued and blending in. Barron looks like he's grown about a foot and now towers above both parents and all his siblings Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany. Last I read he was 6'9" and still growing and advised his dad about the younger voters.

Dual-chamber leadless pacemaker system

I won't exactly be making medical history, but I might be moving quickly ahead of my dad and siblings, all of whom had/have a conventional pacemaker. I'll be meeting with Dr. Amin about a "revolutionary" dual-chamber leadless pacemaker system, which will coordinate i2i (implant to implant) devices (smaller than a AAA battery) between the heart's atrial and ventricular chambers without traditional leads. I've seen it likened to a "moonshot" or a least a Thomas Edison moment in heart regulation. It was approved by FDA in 2023. I'm a pace setter at age 85!

Of course, I've learned all this in a week, so I'm a little fuzzy on the details--I been reading blogs and product literature and listening to podcasts. It's like trying to learn Mandarin and then having a conversation. It's brand new even to the experts, IMO.

 
In September I was told I was not a candidate for a pacemaker (originally developed in the late 50s) and here I be, now ready for the moon! If you have one of these in your heart, let me know--I've yet to meet anyone who does. And if you're a direct descendant of Grandma Bessie, we might want to talk.

A Christian and an evolutionary biologist with no faith discuss the value of religion

 A non-religious evolutionary biologist is stumped about human dignity.  Only religion explains it.

https://youtu.be/gwQHLHNsKvw?si=4NEjlCLCo8Qf_fpY  full podcast

https://youtu.be/28AvAlU8FPs?si=ePq6yhIVsjhUFltq   critical clip

Dark Horse is one of my favorite podcasts.  I've never heard of John Papola and the Dad Saves America podcast before, but he sounds like a critical thinker and just a wee-bit over my head. He reminds me of Joe Rogan without the profanity. 

Federal employees and IRS

"Don’t expect to get any customer service from the IRS. Only two of the 76 local IRS offices picked up their phones to answer questions, according to a July 2024 report." This is from Daily Signal report on at home workers for the federal government.  https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/12/05/joni-ernst-report-highlights-federal-employee-outrages/?

That caught my eye because we've just received a letter from the IRS saying we had a refund for our 2021 taxes (I think it was due to their error) and needed to fill out a form immediately and return it in order to claim it because we hadn't responded. There was no previous notice. Someone probably had her coffee cup or romance novel sitting on it. Or maybe she was at the beach and just didn't meet her quota.

Why did so many women vote for Trump?

Although I haven't read it yet, First Things has an article "How Trump won over women voters."  How Trump Won Over Women Voters | Rachel Bovard | First Things I'll give my own opinion and read it later--usually you can read that excellent religion and culture journal free for one or two times.

 
My take. Although highly paid and over-educated women as a group do lean to the left and are easily led because they are too busy with career and kids to carefully research the issues of the day, most women care about their budget, their children's education, their neighborhood, the safety of their families and community, and they love being women. They may love men, but don't want to compete with them for restroom facilities or athletic scholarships. Also, they don't like wimpy, childish men. Really.

 
That would sum up a Trump voter, or at least a voter who realized Harris didn't align with their values no matter who was running against her. Women voters knew, because Harris said so, that she was the last person in the room when Joe signed off on the Afghanistan bug out, when he showed the world how weak and feckless he was throwing us into 2 wars with no vote from Congress, and how she went along with the country lock down mandates, how the churches closed without a whimper from fear, and how children were unnecessarily forced to get the jab or be locked out of their schools and athletic events. Women voters saw other women being cancelled for speaking out or deciding not to run for school board or city council out of fear of retaliation. Women voters saw their own grocery bills and housing costs soar while illegals were being housed and fed in hotels. https://nypost.com/.../nyc-now-using-14-hotels-to-house.../

"In the real world, where the vast majority of American women actually live, this shift was inevitable. Most American women are turning to the right because the elite left has turned against most American women.

According to exit polls, women voters’ top concerns in 2024 were the economy and “threats to our democracy.” By contrast, Democrats’ top campaign messages were “abortion-on-demand” and “Orange Man Bad.” 

Maybe their marching song instead of "I am woman hear me roar" (1972) became "I am woman respect my body and my vote" (2024).

Leadless Pacemakers

 My cardiologist's staff has contacted me about having a leadless pacemaker after getting some results on November 20 from the heart monitor loop which is showing bradycardia, tachycardia and atrial fibrillation. In fact, several times it had stopped.  So I thought I'd better be informed before I agreed to it since a few weeks ago I was told I was not going to have a pacemaker. There is not a lot of information.

"Traditional pacemakers have been the standard treatment option for patients with severe/symptomatic bradycardia, an arrhythmia indicating an unusually slow heart rate. While there have been significant advancements in pacemaker technology since its introduction in 1958, pacemaker devices have continued to require the creation of a surgical pocket under the skin on the upper portion of the chest wall in order to hold the power source, and the use of leads to reach the pacing site. Current leadless pacemaker devices are self-contained enclosed capsules that include the pacemaker electronics and battery, and are delivered via catheter to the right ventricle of the heart. Leadless pacemakers function similarly to traditional single-chamber ventricular pacemakers without requiring transvenous leads or the need for a surgical pocket. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coverage/evidence/leadless-pacemakers

I wanted to know the background of the funding and approval. This was CHAT generated

"Based on the provided search results, here is a summary of the Aveir leadless pacemaker grants:

FDA Approval: The Aveir Leadless Pacemaker System received FDA approval on March 31, 2022, for the treatment of bradycardia (slow heart rate) or irregular heart rhythms.

Indications: The system is indicated for management of one or more of the following permanent conditions: syncope, pre-syncope, fatigue, disorientation. Rate-modulated pacing is indicated for patients with chronotropic incompetence, and for those who would benefit from increased stimulation rates concurrent with physical activity.

Retrievability: The Aveir leadless pacemaker has a high retrieval success rate, with a study demonstrating a rate of 88% over 9 years, making it a viable option for patients who may require future upgrades or removal.

Dual-Chamber Pacing: The Aveir DR system is the first dual-chamber leadless pacemaker approved by the FDA, allowing for simultaneous pacing of both the atrium and ventricle.

Battery Longevity: The Aveir VR leadless pacemaker has a projected battery longevity of up to 16 years, compared to the average 8-10 years for traditional transvenous pacemakers.

Clinical Trials: The LEADLESS II trial demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of the Aveir VR leadless pacemaker at 6 weeks post-implantation, with a high efficacy rate of over 98%.

Congenital Heart Disease: A retrospective review of three Aveir retrievable leadless pacemaker implants in adult patients with congenital heart disease showed successful implantation and short-term outcomes up to one year post-implant.

These grants and approvals demonstrate the Aveir leadless pacemaker’s potential as a safe and effective treatment option for patients with bradycardia or irregular heart rhythms, particularly those with congenital heart disease.


fda.gov
Aveir Leadless Pacing System – Aveir Leadless Pacemaker, Model LSP112V (Right Ventricular); Aveir Delivery Catheter, Model LSCD111; and Aveir Link Module, Module LSL02 – P150035 | FDA

abbott.com
AVEIR DR System: 3 Things to Know After FDA Approval | Abbott Newsroom
cardiovascular.abbott

What we're asking the loop recorder to do? video from a 2023 conference The Latest in Implantable Cardiac Monitor Technology: Dr. Ulrika Birgersdotter-Green at HRS 2023

Product information on Abbott dual chamber leadless pacing

https://www.cardiovascular.abbott/us/en/hcp/products/cardiac-rhythm-management/pacemakers/aveir-dr-dual-chamber-leadless-pacemaker-system.html?

Since 1996 I've been on medication to control heart rate. For most of my life I've had POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), but didn't know what it was. Had an ablation in January 2002, but it didn't work. POTS: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment