Keeping in touch with the class of 1957

 I was talking to my brother in Illinois the other day while sitting in our driveway soaking up the beautiful weather. One of the advantages of our high-tech communication--cell phones. He mentioned that he and a few of his class members of 1959 had gathered recently--maybe 10 of them.  A few women from my high school class (1957) also met the week before for coffee.  An e-mail had gone out discussing some 1950s memories of the "campus" in our hometown.  It wasn't our high school campus, but the old college campus that our parents attended until it closed a year after a disastrous fire in 1930. It's still called the "campus."  One memory popped up of one of our more unusual classmates, Neal Johnston, who marched to a different drummer, and died in 2010. Here's his obituary from my class blog. MMHS1957: Neal Johnston, class member, dies May 24

My parents met on a "blind" date, but my Dad did change his school plans after that so he could attend Mt. Morris College after he and Mom met.  Today is her birthday.

Sell or donate your old books?

 I'll never do that again!

It seems we are always cleaning out books, but the shelves are always full. Books are like rabbits!! So this time I decided to try "Half Price Books" on Bethel Rd. instead of donating to the library, the VOA or the cancer shop. I think I got about $.25 a pound. I'd already checked the internet and knew what resale was going for--I sort of figured middle. My rare and unusual weren't prime--they definitely had been loved, and I'd bought them used maybe 10-15 years ago. Still, a vol 1 no. 1 of Atlantic. That was hard to give up (I collect first issues but no one else I know does). But I had looked up my Wenger genealogy volume from 1977, and it was going for $130 in even poor condition. I'm a descendant of Hans, not Chrisitan (both arrived in the colonies in 17th century) but it was still interesting if you are Mennonite or Brethren. He said, "Well, we don't have much market for genealogy. " But I'm sure they have "pickers" who do resale. So, it's back to the library next time. I'd rather donate for a good cause and get nothing. I had some massive, really interesting architecture books too, but I already knew they would not be worth much--even checking the internet they were only about $8. I had to make one trip to the car for each! We'll probably take our art books with us to Lakeside and donate to Rhein Center for classes.

Speaking of books, yesterday I found several articles about Books Within Books. It seems in many books when printing became profitable and affordable, many old and medieval Jewish manuscripts in Hebrew were used in the bindings, and now they are being "liberated" for their content and even Biblical stories. I plan to write on it soon. The databases were just created in the last 10 or 15 years.

Books Within Books

Books Within Books - Printed_MatterPrinted_Matter

Rural Free Delivery

 Until today, I didn't know the postal service had a podcast.  Very interesting. How Rural Free Delivery Changed America | Mailin’ It! - The Official USPS Podcast

The Hur interview with Biden has been leaked

Dr. Anna Loska Meenan reports: "The audio just dropped last night during Laura Ingraham’s show, and she played some of it. I had 2 reactions: sadness and anger. I was sad because Joe sounded so much like my mother did during the worst of her dementia, the way he drifted into imagined stories, and I wondered how people who supposedly loved him could put him through everything he was going through. Then I got angry, because this man who frequently couldn’t put a coherent sentence together was in charge of our country, and everyone around him knew he was not competent and covered for him anyway, telling those of us who saw it that we were right-wing conspiracy nuts who watched Fox News too much, and all along Fox was reporting the truth. They raided Trump’s home and arrested and prosecuted him for keeping documents he was legally entitled to have in secure storage, while declining to prosecute Biden for keeping documents he was not entitled to have in boxes in his garage, just because they claimed he was too mentally impaired to stand trial."

What to know about leaked audio from Joe Biden, Robert Hur interview

Do you shop at Costco?

Maybe you always knew this, but I didn't. Probably because I don't subscribe to a lot of things or buy in bulk. Costco makes its money from memberships fees, not from selling merchandise. It's like going to the movies (sort of). We spent about $8.15 on the early show last week, and the popcorn was $11 for a small bag (we said no to that). Or joining a health food co-op. You pay a membership fee and get food for less, but the owners may be making the money from your membership. Or maybe gift cards? Many people never use them, but the company has the cash. I'll have to think about it. They make their profit just by letting you in the door.

How Costco Makes Money

7 Ways to Shop at Costco Without a Membership (2025)

13 Things You Need to Know Before Buying A Costco Membership

Here's my take on the Qatar plane dust up

1. Democrats need an issue. Any issue. It's nowhere near what Biden accepted from Ukraine with Hunter's selling influence. We've even got him on tape. Now we've paid billions.

2. But put it in practical, easy to understand terms. Let's say your rich neighbor invites you to a back yard BBQ and says, casual clothes. But when you get there, the other neighbors knew the dress code and you didn't. The hostess takes pity on you and gives you something to wear from their closet, so you don't look like a loser.

Trump Administration To Be Gifted A Luxury Boeing 747-8 From The Qatari Royal Family

New outfits for Mothers' Day

On Mothers' Day we had a lovely worship service and Sunday School at a neighborhood school (UALC is being remodeled) and then went to The Avenue in Dublin, OH, for dinner. So much traffic! Not only was half the country calling their mothers, but the rest were on the road. Dinner was delightful. Then back home to open a present . . . it was a bit snug, so my son-in-law and I went shopping! I also had a Christmas gift card with me, and there were Spring sales, so I bought a summer dress, too. And here I am wearing the package ribbons.

ABCs of Corruption

Norma's ABCs of Democrat Corruption from January 20, 2023

I think I posted this, but can't find it, so here it is maybe again.

Abortion
Border
CIA censorship and collusion
Diversity Inclusion and Equity
Education, Department of
FBI
Green New Deal
Homeland Security, Department of
Interference, Election
Justice, Department of
Kerry, John
Laptop, Hunter Biden’s
Mail in Ballots
National Security Council, Biden’s
Open Society Foundation—George Soros’ grants
Perkins Coie
Questions, Biden answering
Russia, Russia, Russia
Surveillance
Transagenda
Ukraine—VP Joe Biden leveraged $1 billion in aid
Vaccine mandates
Woke
Xi Jingping
YouTube, Google, Facebook, Twitter collusion with gov't
Zuckerberg

So many fish stories

There are so many fish stories in the Bible. This morning, I was looking for some details about the fish that figures in the miracles in the book of Tobit. I came across again the wisdom the father Tobit gives to his son Tobias as he sets out for the journey with the angel Raphael (although he doesn't know he's an angel). 

"Revere the Lord all your days, my son, and refuse to sin or to transgress his commandments. Live uprightly all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing; for those who act in accordance with truth will prosper in all their activities. To all those who practice righteousness give alms from your possessions, and do not let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it. Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor, and the face of God will not be turned away from you. If you have many possessions, make your gift from them in proportion; if few, do not be afraid to give according to the little you have. So you will be laying up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity. For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps you from going into the Darkness. Indeed, almsgiving, for all who practice it, is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High." Tobit 4:5-11 

Because Tobit, who is blind, thinks he is dying (there is a prayer about that), this advice to his son Tobias is followed by instructions on marriage, treatment of others and seeking advice. We readers know that his future daughter-in-law, Sarah, who is depressed and wants to die, is also praying. 

Great story.

The first American Pope, Leo XIV

Yesterday May 8 was a BIG day. UK and US celebrated the 80th anniversary of VE day (Victory in Europe) with a trade deal and the world has a new Pope, Leo XIV. Many are claiming victory, many on the fringes are rioting just because . . . and experts everywhere are left stunned and speechless. President Trump had been floating a tease about a "deal" but I think this unexpected appointment took some of the glitter off his big announcement. And this all happened on the day India and Pakistan conflict of many decades got much worse. India is now the country with the most population--over 1.4 billion.

I watched 2 interviews with his older brothers. Their shock was awesome. He will always be their "little brother." It seems from a small boy he'd wanted to be a priest. Since he's been in Peru for 40 years and is also a citizen there, I'm not sure how "American" he is by this time. Missing the 80s, 90s and the first quarter of the century means he's missed a lot of the chaos and disruption in our culture.

And also I found out 2025 is a Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church. This jubilee was announced by Pope John Paul II at the end of the 2000 Great Jubilee and is celebrated from Christmas Eve (24 December) 2024 to Epiphany (6 January) 2026, lasting a total of 379 days.
The theme for the 2025 Jubilee is "Pilgrims of Hope."


Leo XIV is the new Pope - Vatican News

Fact Sheet: U.S.-UK Reach Historic Trade Deal – The White House

India Pakistan War Breaking News 5 Pakistani Jets Down, Over 50 Drones Hit: What Happened On Thursday Night (May 8-9)? | Times Now

China is not the biggest threat

This is my personal opinion, but China is not our greatest enemy. Radical, fundamentalist Islam is. And although Islamists kill each other in the millions with no thought of even their own people, and they are not united in one country or one theology, they hate Jews and Christians as much as they hate other Muslims. We see it now on our "elite" campuses. Infiltration. We see it in our Congress. Virtue signaling. They have a love fest with the Communists, Socialists and Progressives among us. Bad news. Obama and Biden were the worst of our leadership in being sucked into their plans, ignoring their nuclear threats, but it starts in the universities. Obama seemed full of spite and Biden full of B.S.

Democrats are losing their party, but some are loyalists. They are going against everything they used to say they supported in their 20th century campaigns. Patriotism, working class, merit, hard work, family, Christian values. Of course they were soft even then, so environmentalism became global warming became climate change. The Civil Rights movement was stolen from blacks and became feminism, gay rights, and then trans anything even animals. Even Transtifa.

America --home of the brave victim?

 https://www.city-journal.org/article/small-business-administration-federal-contracts-race-discrimination-essays?

"The Supreme Court’s 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard decision ruled that racial preferences in university admissions are unconstitutional. Since that decision, universities have used applicants’ personal essays about discrimination as a backdoor way to continue racial favoritism."

How to turn the application process into a fiction writing class.

100 days, what we've learned about Democrats

It's been a hundred days and we've learned a lot about Democrats. They want

no borders
funding for foreign wars
gangs controlling our streets
schools run for labor unions not students
waste, fraud and grift
foreign funding and control of our universities
vandalism of property if they disagree with owner
hiring, training and firing based on race and ethnicity
mutilation of minor children
abortion up to and beyond birth
county and municipal judges to make federal decisions
private planes for their own oligarchs
citizens' rights and privileges for green card holders and illegals
21st century sex slavery and labor slavery
flow of disinformation from legacy media

add what I've forgotten

Church council meeting Sunday April 27

 After 9 am church service and Sunday School at Windermere school we drove across the river to have lunch with our Mill Run brothers and sisters and had a congregational meeting. Church Council | UALC

Pep talk on how long the remodeling is taking.  I think we only have the school two more Sundays. Elected new members and had Q & A. 

Where the money went--about 20% to missions. 620454_e830e5a3ebad4a179e53c71d7c5cc867.pdf

100 days, President Donald J. Trump

 The 100 days thing was started by FDR. The President who kept the country in a Depression for 7 more years until WWII bailed us out with massive infusions of blood and treasure. Now every president seems to run that race. But now I think it's more about the mid-terms.

Democrats have nothing to run on except their hatred and loathing of Donald Trump, so they've got the impeachment papers ready, and probably the knives, guns and poison too plus the plans to tweak their vote steal. But the lives he's saved in 100 days on the border issue is worth the pain of the tariffs and Lawfare (and he'd solve that too if the Dems would just not get hysterical).

 
This term I'm all about slavery, the big issue of the 19th century. The importing of labor and sex workers plus the trade in goods manufactured by people in developing countries working at slave wages means we're right back in it. The slave trade today is much larger than it was in the 18th century. Some estimate 50 million. Now it's supported by our politicians, our consumers and even some of our churches, just as in the 1850s. In other words, it's us.

 
Now it's not just labor for cotton and agricultural crops but for cheap baubles and bangles. For pharmaceuticals. For cars. Even for high fashion. Biden brought in millions of illegals--and our government approved it and we the people are both paying in the deaths from drug trafficking, but in our own moral depravity in the trafficking of slaves which are much more renewable than drugs.

This article underestimates the number in the USA and our own culpability, but it's a quick read. It's from Harvard which takes too much money from some of the corporations and the government which have led to the problems. https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2018/06/27/the-intersection-of-human-trafficking-and-immigration/?

Megyn Kelly media

Although I have about 15 podcasts in my pod "library" there are just a few I try to catch each week--Megyn Kelly, All-In, and Dr. David Anders of EWTN. My second string is PBD, Tucker and Triggernometry. Then Joe Rogan and Zuby. Megyn Kelly is starting a new platform. I hope it doesn't spoil her brand. It's called MK Media. The programs, scheduled to launch in April and May, will be called Next Up with Mark Halperin, The Nerve with Maureen Callahan, and Spot On with Link Lauren. I'd never seen Mark until I began watching Newsmax where he was on a morning panel. He's OK, a little dry, but then we have enough of the footloose and shouters. The other two I don't know at all.

 
For me, of course, a podcast must be conservative, pro-life and a voice that doesn't hurt my ears. I've got to be honest--most women lose it in the voice department. Upspeak (uptalk), mumbling and vocal fry (low growl) will make me push another app or walk out of the room without my phone. Ladies: please don't try to sound like a wounded bear asking questions.

Settling in with a good movie

It was a quiet Sunday evening, I'd finished my book club reading for the month, I didn't want more politics, so I clicked on Spark TV and got a Candlelight Media film which are similar to Hallmark--romantic, family friendly and no bodice ripping or smash mouth kissing. It was a charming film about a travel blogger and a travel package marketer who meet by accident while on location on a beautiful pacific island. I got to see some great scenery, and we had visited the four places (if the islands were Hawaii) that are featured in the romance--Turkey (Cappadocia), Scotland, and Finland which included dog sleds and aurora borealis. 

So today I looked up the company. It's based in Utah, so I suspected the "team" are Morman/LDS, and from the surname (Brough), they all seem to be related. They also seem to own Spark TV. Here's a list of current or upcoming films: https://www.candlelightmedia.com/all-movies

I continued to poke around the internet and found a 10 year old blog of a novice screen writer who had an unpleasant experience with the Brough family and felt they saw their business as an LDS mission. I know nothing about legal contracts for screenwriters and found nothing evangelistic in the story line unless you think decency, honor and truth telling offensive.

Trailer for Passport to Love (2024), https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29270596/?

Thirteen minutes off

 We noticed out bedroom clock was 13 minutes fast. It has all sorts of buttons we've never used in its 20 years (although actually we don't know how old it is) like snooze and alarm.  We've never set the alarm.  However, we suspect the problem.  The cleaning ladies were here on Friday morning. and as they go through the house something is usually reset or unplugged or put back where we can't find it.  They also make little folded designs in the Kleenex and toilet paper.  I've tried resetting the clock and Bob did too to no avail.  I'll have to work on it after church, but for now it's 13 minutes fast and the minute button refuses to move. I still haven't found a clock to replace my office clock that died some months ago.

What's for lunch?

Our semi-homemade dinner, Saturday, April 26: Chicken alfredo (chicken was rotisserie from Kroger's and sauce was Ragu and the pasta was made by Barilla; fresh green beans, baked butternut squash; Romaine lettuce salad with sliced tomatoes, peas, olives, cukes, Betty's dressing; fresh pineapple with white grapes. So far so good. Cheryl's cookies, yummy; buttercream-frosted cutout cookie, wow, you should read the label on those! Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, blue 1, blue 1 Lake, blue 2, blue 2 Lake, Red 40, Red 40 Lake.

 
FYI: "Dyes are water-soluble colorants, whereas lakes are formed from the combination of water-soluble dyes and insoluble materials. While both are used for coloring food, dyes are more suitable for products with high water content, while lakes are more suitable for products with fat or oil."
Finding out what "Lake" is and what is the insoluble material is difficult. It's not a dye. Lakes are produced by coloring an aluminum salt (this is not elemental aluminum) substrate using FD&C dyes. They are oil-dispersible and can be mixed with oils and fats. Maybe you know what that means, but I don't. Must be a super duper secret recipe.

The FD&C Act has a provision for some substances within the definition of a food additive if they are GRAS for their intended uses. Such a provision does not apply to color additives. . . During fiscal year 2022, FDA certified batches representing a total of 28.1 million pounds of color additives, much of it for food uses.

What's on your plate?

Trump's really bad idea

Sometimes President Trump's former life as a Democrat seeps through. Give 'em money. And that idea he floated of a $5,000 gift from the federal government to new moms is one of those times. Let's ignore that it would cover 2 weeks of day care or that it's ripe for fraud. The low birth rate is also cultural, religious, social and biological. No cost estimate on that.

 
The sperm count for instance. It's dropping all over the world, not just the USA! That was reported even when I was working in a medical library, but then with some concern in 2017 and again in 2022, when a report cited in Smithsonian said the average sperm concentrations have dropped from 104 to 49 million per milliliter. Now you can still make babies, but the chances are reduced and it should be cause for alarm.

And how about children being taught the last 20-30 years from K-12 that their country is racist, homophobic and evil? Is that supposed to make them want to repopulate the earth? Will that make them proud to be a member of the human race? The feminist movement encouraged women to look down on motherhood. Women were to be valued for how much money they can earn and what they pay in taxes to the government.

And what about women? We've (as a group) have been pumped full of a collection of hormones since the early 1960s, and the early versions were so experimental that God only knows what they did to the delicate organs and systems that are needed to produce a healthy child. Who knows what was passed along to the following generations. Those of us who have been pregnant carry the cells of those children and they carry ours forever through fetal microchimerism when their cells pass through the placenta into our bodies and vice versa. Those fetal cells may even transfer to the next pregnancy or even from grandmother to grandchild. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8762399/ What about all those other foreign materials we had in our bodies--like birth control pills or rings, patches and injections--all created to stop procreation?

I think we'll be seeing new research on environmental toxins and their effect on fertility--things we ingest in our food and water--for both men and women.

It's not the money, it's the mind. Since the 70s we were brainwashed to think of people as a "bomb" to destroy the earth. More recently white, heterosexual males are discriminated against and made to apologize for being guys and thought of as an enemy, or whose masculinity is frail enough to be simply a thought or feeling to become whatever a trans-activist group decides. It's not good for the future or the nation. Any nation.