China's family problem is also ours

"With the rise of China’s “new family type”—only children begetting only children—we will be entering a Chinese future in which a growing proportion of the rising generations will lack not only siblings, but also cousins, aunts and uncles. The withering away of China’s extended family networks—the people’s only reliable social safety net since the dawn of Chinese civilization—will surely have profound and far-reaching implications, few of them beneficial." China's Coming Population Crash Scrambles the Global Balance of Power | American Enterprise Institute - AEI

25 years ago I was an English language partner for the wife of an OSU graduate student from China. She studied intently--learned hundreds of words a day--and I enjoyed her company. When I asked her how Americans could tell Japanese from Chinese her hint was, "Japanese were more fashion conscious and dressed better." We met at coffee shops or sometimes at Ohio State.

 
As we talked, I realized we had limited topics--I was older than her parents and both she and her husband had no siblings, and because of China's policies they also had no aunts and uncles and no cousins. What Eberstadt the author warns about in this article had already happened, even 25 years ago. Now it is happening here. And we didn't even have a harsh policy--just social pressure.

Learn history about fundamentalist Islam

As I've said many times, the Democrat party is evil, and the Republican party is stupid. Take your chances. What a plan!

 
Their puppet Biden allowed in millions of illegals, legals, and refugees plus thousands on visas for jobs "Americans won't do" like computers and technology. So many they can't be vetted plus there was no modern, western system to even track their criminal records in their country of origin. They brought with them the oldest renewable product--trafficked sex and cheap labor.

 
We know from Biden's past record this was not the real patriotic Joe we knew 30-40 years ago, he was the front man, weak and easily manipulated. With failing mental and physical health, plus a history of loyalty to the party, he was the perfect patsy. The party built on previous bi-partisan agreements, with loyal to party appointees and money from Soros-type fallen angels. Republicans went along to get along, never wanting to offend or to be called names.

 
Now the Democrats' handlers want the payback. Using the media lies and the Marxist-Islamist philosophy to fuel the Trump hatred, the sleeper cells are coming alive with the help of ignorant college students, so-called influencers living in mom's basement and their co-opting college administrations. There were premature pimples of these outbreaks during Obama's years, but they hadn't festered enough to pop. Muslims are very patient, not a quality our nation has. Fundamentalist Islam is a very fast growing religion. By force.

 
Stay alert for the lies in the media, from the politicians, from the influencers and podcasters you used to trust, from the late night "comedians," and from the pulpits. Review the history of the Crusades, a lot of your college textbooks lied about that too. This is an old battle. Or go further back--back to the 700s when Muslims were attacking and absorbing Christian nations. It was not by peaceful trade and expansion. It was ethnic and religious cleansing. Watch out for those who want to return to 1950 and blame you for Jim Crow (an invention of the Democrat Party) instead of the Arab Muslim slavers of Africa who still export labor and sex. It's a distraction.

 
Focus. Focus. It's not Trump. Don't let them gaslight you.

Plurals and gender, what's an old person to do?

"Each is" or "each are." No matter how many are in the group, club or lunch bunch, it's still Each of the ladies is going to pay her own bill. But I have to admit, with all the gender blending going on beginning in the lower grades with woke trained teachers, trying to align a noun and pronoun is a challenge.

Sometimes I just have to blog it.  If I say anything, I'd be asked to be the editor.

Suspected terrorists are working within USA and Democrats in Congress are helping them, in my opinion

More Americans being attacked--at home, today it was Michigan and Virginia, tomorrow maybe your city or state. I'm sure the Democrats in Congress will find an excuse and say it's Trump's fault. But they just won't be able to fund protection for Americans by stepping up and doing their job, the same job that Obama and Clinton said was so important.

Who's the judge that let this guy out? "Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, stormed into a classroom inside ODU’s Constant Hall and asked if it was an ROTC class. When someone confirmed that it was, he launched the suspected terror attack, shooting the professor several times, law enforcement sources said." Old Dominion University gunman ID’d as former National Guardsman convicted of plotting attack to support ISIS

"The vehicle used in Thursday’s attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, is registered to a naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon who lives in Dearborn, according to three law enforcement sources who spoke to Fox News." How many of those Biden let in are now in sleeper cells patiently waiting and trained? https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/michigan-synagogue-shooting?

NYT: Clinton Emails Show Obama Was Warned Early of Terror Link in Benghazi | Newsmax.com

A 2016 assessment of Obama's failures to be passed on to the next president (Trump). President Obama's Controversial Legacy as Counterterrorism-in-Chief | RAND

Home Ec skills come in handy

Today I used one of those skills. I've been ill for about 7 days--"just" a cold--but a doozy. I didn't take Home Ec in high school but I think it was required in junior high. So, I opened a can of chicken noodle soup. I remember we did that in Home Ec class, I just can't remember where the class was. Did we walk next door to the high school? As I recall we also had to set a table and eat the soup. Does that sound right for 1953? Teacher was Mrs. Knodle. Did we wash our dishes? Well, it was a useful skill for days like this. Now those school buildings are gone, but Campbell's Chicken Noodle is still with us.

 

  

 

Just waiting for imminent danger

My first time to vote Republican was for George W. Bush in 2000. As I recall he campaigned on fixing Social Security which was going to bankrupt us, and being the "education" president. Yes, someone cared. Well, then 9/11 happened and it changed everything. Now we have a president who declared he was not going to get us into a regime change war and would put America First. We have Democrats who hate Trump and would disembowel themselves rather than accept his plan to remove Iran as the source of all the terrorism and Republicans who think we'll have time to stall these blood thirsty terrorists of the mid-east if it comes close to a disaster. We are there, and it is now.

 
He has used every method known to modern nationhood to not go to war, but Iran has defied him at every offer, The last two presidents just dawdled and fiddled and opened the borders for more bad guys. Bush too came to be all talk and no action. So why should the Iranians believe anything an American president says--they laugh at red lines and cackled like Kamala. To have an American President who keeps his word and a Congress that can read the Constitution or understand it, puts the citizen in a tough spot. President Trump has offered Iranians freedom if they want it, Democrats are blinded by their own hate, and some RINOs are just feckless nobodies looking for a good retirement plan. They want the women of Iran to stay in their Burkas.

/
On Friday there were only Israel and the U.S. By Saturday there were 8 countries being attacked by Iran--Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, and Oman. Just how long before we're added to that list--because they can, and they were just waiting. Oh just never mind--all you who were waiting for imminent danger and 24 hours to scramble.

High protein, low sodium--choose Swiss

 We're supposed to lower the sodium content in our food, but maintain high protein,  We both really like cheese--particularly cheddar. That may go to our occasional choice.  Seniors require more protein to maintain muscle mass, support overall health, and enhance recovery from illness or injury.  This is an AI generated list with links to the original source,

Swiss Cheese:

Per 1 ounce (28g): ~7.7g protein (15% DV).

Key traits: Lower sodium than most aged cheeses, mild flavor, excellent for sandwiches and casseroles.

Cheddar Cheese:

Per 1 ounce (28g): ~6.5g protein (18% DV).

Key traits: Rich flavor, higher in saturated fat and calories; ideal for snacking or cooking.

Cottage Cheese:

Per 1/2 cup (113g): ~11–14g protein (24–30% DV).

Key traits: Low in fat and calories, high in protein and satiety; excellent for weight management and post-workout recovery.

 
Summary:

Highest protein per serving: Cottage cheese (11–14g per 1/2 cup).

Highest protein per ounce: Swiss cheese (~7.7g), followed by cheddar (~6.5g).

Best for low-calorie, high-protein intake: Cottage cheese.

Best for flavor and protein density in small portions: Swiss and cheddar.

Why are my legs so stiff?

Why Are My Legs So Stiff?

Look at Your Lifestyle First: Leg stiffness often stems from simple daily habits like sitting too long, poor posture, or dehydration, meaning small, consistent changes can provide significant relief.

Prioritize Proactive Movement and Stretching: Preventing stiffness is more effective than treating it.

Incorporate regular movement breaks into your day and consider professional assisted stretching to maintain flexibility and address deep-seated tightness.

Know When to Escalate to a Professional: While lifestyle changes are powerful, persistent stiffness that lasts over a week or is paired with symptoms like swelling or severe pain warrants a visit to your doctor to rule out underlying conditions.

What Are Stiff Legs a Sign Of? 8 Common Causes - STRETCHMED

What was life like in Mt. Morris, IL, in the 1940s?

This is an AI generated answer.

"Life in Mount Morris, Illinois during the 1940s was shaped by its role as a printing and publishing hub, which insulated it from the worst effects of the Great Depression and continued to drive its economy into the post-World War II era. The Kable Printing Company was the town’s economic cornerstone, producing affordable periodicals and newsletters that were in high demand nationwide.

This industrial stability provided steady employment and sustained the local economy through the 1940s.

The end of World War II brought a housing shortage, which Mount Morris addressed by becoming home to 18 Lustron homes—prefabricated, steel-framed houses designed for quick assembly and low maintenance. These homes, clustered on First Street, Hannah Avenue, and Sunset Lane, were part of a national effort to house returning veterans and their families affordably. The town embraced modernity while maintaining its small-village character, with a population that grew from 1,902 in 1930 to 2,304 by 1940.

Community life centered around local institutions, including Mount Morris College (formerly Rock River Seminary), which occupied the town square before closing due to economic pressures. The town’s demographics were predominantly white, with a strong sense of community and family life reflected in its schools, churches, and civic organizations.

Mount Morris’s relative prosperity during the 1940s laid the foundation for its mid-century growth, distinguishing it from many rural communities that struggled during the era."

Pretty close, although the college closed in 1930 during the Great Depression after a fire. 

Mount Morris College | lost-colleges

Collection: Kable Printing Company Records (Mt. Morris) | Special Collections and Archives

Then for the High School, also AI generated

Mount Morris High School in Mount Morris, Illinois, was a public high school that operated from 1868 until 1994. It was officially known as the "Mounders", with school colors of red and black and a school song titled "Mounders". The school was located on Illinois Route 64 in Ogle County and served as a central institution in the community for over a century.

After the school closed in 1994, the district merged with Oregon School District #220. The former high school building is now David L. Rahn Jr. High School, serving grades 7–8 as part of the Oregon CUSD 220 district. The school building was previously used as Black Hawk Junior High and is the only school currently located in Mount Morris, following a 2004 fire that destroyed Rahn Elementary School. [dated information--the school has closed]

The Mounders were particularly successful in boys basketball, winning three IHSA District Championships (1924–25, 1926–27, 1970–71) and eight Regional Championships, including four consecutive titles from 1973 to 1976. The team’s most notable game was a six-overtime victory over Polo on January 5, 1968, winning 79–77. The school also had strong programs in football, golf, cross country, baseball, softball, bowling, and track & field.

Alumni can stay connected through a Facebook group: Do You Remember This in Mt. Morris?. A virtual yearbook and alumni directory are also available online for former students.

The fungus like growth of the Epstein story

From the beginning of the Epstein death reports (called a suicide but most thought it was murder) in 2019, I've puzzled that the public and our ghoulish media were more interested in a few teen women being used as sex toys by rich men than the millions of women and girls trafficked over our own border to make money for rich cartels in Mexico and their partners in crime in the U.S. The proportions seemed out of whack.

 
Now as more and more is uncovered, the "cancelling" of careers of prominent (mostly) men sounds strangely familiar going back to the Tulip Mania of the 17th century, the MacMartin Preschool scandal in the 1980s, DEI hysteria in the 2000s, the "me-too" movement and the Ivermectin ban for Covid stories in the 2020s.

Recent disclosures (by whom?) brought out that Epstein was also interested in the sexual transitioning of children and funded academics those maiming experiments then became standard care in many prominent university hospitals. More careers down the toilet.

 
I smell a giant hoax mixed with evil and lust to keep these stories going to make more money for the two bit players who want their cut of the profits. The growth of this story is an expanding poisonous black fungus. Frankly, I don't see how one guy got that rich and so diversely evil. Perhaps it's been franchised and may be the cover up for something/someone else to keep us busy looking away from the actual story?

The State of the Union, February 24, 2026

Can't believe we watched the whole thing--the SOTU--one hour and 48 minutes (I can hardly stand for 10 minutes). Even Spectrum Cable early news today led with the beating up of the few Democrats that showed up, and not the important news of Trump's successes. Usually, it is a rather bland and middle of the road source, good for weather, but the lead matters whether in print, video or audio. Every news program, writer, essayist, dramatist and entertainer has a bias, but please be a bit more subtle and remember who pays your salaries. You are a capitalist.

I have a 2" x 3" 60 p. "The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America" on the desk behind me. I just read it--very short and sweet put together by a genius class from the past. Democrats were absolutely wrong in not agreeing that their responsibility is to represent the citizens of the U,S, and not foreign and alien peoples, criminals and agents of other nations. But not a one of them would stand when the President asked them who they represented. Shocking. Outrageous. But completely in character by the (no longer) fringe element of their party. Their hatred for Donald Trump is being manipulated to destroy the Constitution and everything it says.

Affordability and inflation

I'm not sure why anyone thought that if Trump stopped the rampant inflation that things would actually go backwards. We crunched numbers when we sold our home in September which we bought in 2001 and based on 2 decades of inflation and all our improvements and repairs, we lost money. Yes, prices were up, but it just wasn't a recent thing.

 
The Biden era inflation was real--I saw food increase 40% on items I was accustomed to buying. I didn't buy a house or a car or fancy clothes, so I can't speak to that. Those grocery prices have not increased under Trump but they haven't gone down either, and I don't think they will.

 
Also real was the Covid shut down of the economy and throwing money at people who could have been working but weren't. Both parties (remember PPP--that was Trump) were responsible for the irresponsible throwing free money at people who wanted to be at work. It also created the ripe fraud atmosphere such as we have now in Minnesota and California, but which probably is robbing us all.

My advice is the same as it was 25 years ago. If prices are too high and you don't feel rich, stop eating out, taking destination vacations, buying clothes you don't need, and give up those manicures. Maybe someday if you work hard and save like your grandparents did, you'll live like they do,

Finally, know that Democrats will scream no matter what. Don't listen to their complaints. They are sliding into the Communist mind set of their fringe. They hate Trump (and their fringe are using that mental state against them) and if he could walk on water they would complain he can't swim.

Jeanne's 90th birthday party

We had a fabulous weekend in Indianapolis celebrating with Bob's siblings (Rick, Debbie, Jeanne and Bob, L to R seated) and families his sister's 90th birthday. It was touch and go for us with getting last minute approval that Bob could travel. Nothing like all those hugs to make one feel good. Thousands of photos, but this one of the sibs with spouses is a favorite. This is a group that really loves to party. Thank you, Kimberly Rosenberg for the photo. Our niece Joan had planned a lovely dinner party held in the school gymnasium and there were many of her siblings, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. We stayed in a hotel along with brother Rick and his wife Kate from Arizona. Bob's sister Debbie brought her children and grandchildren, her partner Gary, and her friend Sue from California. We're so glad we went.  Even the weather cooperated.

  

Use of the word Jehovah

This morning in my devotions I was reading Ps. 104. Fabulous. The book was, "Meditations in the Book of Psalms" by Erling C. Olsen. Mr. Olsen wasn't a priest, pastor, or professor, but a businessman. His work began as a radio broadcast in the depths of the Great Depression in the 1930s. Eventually those broadcasts were distributed in print and then in book form (1939) that went through many printings, and I found it (4th ed. 1967, 1985 printing) in one of those "little libraries" that are sprinkled around the country. Some items are delightfully dated, like comments on the current news, which was the Depression.

 
Use of the word Jehovah really stopped me, yet it was common in the 40s and 50s when I began reading the Bible and still appears in favorite hymns. So, I asked AI when did Protestants stop using "Jehovah," why, and who decided what was the right transliteration (we generally have trouble agreeing on anything including baptism and communion, or even Ash Wednesday which is today.

 
Catholic Answers had the most convincing response (I always check AI's responses since a slight rewording of the question can make a huge difference and AI didn't tell who and when).
"In Hebrew the name of God is spelled YHWH. Since ancient Hebrew had no written vowels, it is uncertain how the name was pronounced originally, but there are records of the name in Greek, which did have written vowels. These records indicate that in all likelihood the name should be pronounced “Yahweh.”

Shortly before the first century A.D., it became common for Jews to avoid saying the divine name for fear of misusing it and breaking the second commandment (“You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain” [Deut. 5:11). Whenever they read Scripture aloud and encountered the divine name, they substituted another Hebrew word, “Adonai” (which means “Lord” or “my Lord”), in its place.
Eventually Hebrew developed written vowels, which appeared as small marks called vowel points and were placed above and below the consonants of a word. In the sixth or seventh century some Jews began to place the vowel points for “Adonai” over the consonants for “Yahweh” to remind the reader of Scripture to say “Adonai” whenever he read “Yahweh.”

About the 13th century the term “Jehovah” appeared when Christian scholars took the consonants of “Yahweh” and pronounced it with the vowels of “Adonai.” This resulted in the sound “Yahowah,” which has a Latinized spelling of “Jehovah.” The first recorded use of this spelling was made by a Spanish Dominican monk, Raymundus Martini, in 1270."

 
There's more to this interesting word study. https://www.catholic.com/qa/is-gods-name-yahweh-or-jehovah

But if you're reading an English Bible translation you're not saying anything the way Christians spoke in the first century. God knows when you call on his name, no matter the language.

The Democrats battle over ICE and DHS

Democrats in Congress don't like how DHS is obeying the laws they put in place. It's a form of TDS--but the shutdown they demand to stop ICE arresting violent criminals in Democrat sanctuary cities is hurting those who protect your air travel and clean up the damage of hurricanes, fires and floods of the non-Trump years. That's what hate and revenge can do. Something about "cutting off the nose to spite the face. "

"One of the most cited origins of the phrase involves Saint Æbbe the Younger, an abbess in 9th-century Scotland. According to legend, when Viking raiders threatened her convent, Æbbe and her nuns disfigured their faces by cutting off their noses and upper lips to make themselves undesirable to the invaders. While their actions were intended to protect their chastity, the Vikings, enraged by the defiance, burned down the convent, killing all inside. This tale exemplifies a self-destructive act intended to thwart an enemy, aligning closely with the idiom’s meaning. Source: theidioms.com"

I don't specialize, I just fill in the gaps

"When I graduated, one of my favorite professors pulled me aside and told me I wasn't done learning. My education framed the house, and I would spend the rest of my life finishing the house. I've never forgotten that, and strive to learn more and fill in the gaps of my knowledge. I also remember a quote by the science fiction author Robert Heinlein: "Specialization is for insects." And so I do not confine my research to a single area, as I've found that knowledge is interconnected, and that specialization closes one off to life's richness. " (from the author's comment about, "The Development of the Canon" by Kristofer Carlson, preprint 2019)

I like that. I've got a lot of gaps in my education and I certainly don't specialize. Now I have to look up Robert Heinlein, but not until I figure out all the other canons.

The killer was not a woman--Canadian school shooting

Wake up, Canadian liberals and U.S. Democrat crazies. People identified as trans have a very high rate of violence and murder. They are mentally ill and instead of helping them, you are egging them on. They consume large amounts of prescription drugs that drive them crazy and get horrible advice from peers, doctors, teachers, celebrities and the internet. They have been lied to by academics, drug companies, media, and political powers, to say nothing of the so-called LGB community which decided to adopt them and the XYZs to increase the funding base for their agenda.

Check the Epstein files. He was funding "science" intended to create these Frankensteins (or his own fetishes), using vulnerable children and gullible parents over 15 years ago.

Tumbler Ridge mass shooter ID'd as 18-year-old transgender ex-student Jesse Van Rootselaar

Jeffrey Epstein Was Into 'Trans Kids' - by Matt Osborne

February 10, St. Scholastica

On February 10 Christians honor Saint Scholastica, sister of Saint Benedict. She was born in the 5th century and is known mostly for her famous twin brother and a miracle at the end of her life. If I were to write about her, I'd have to include the word "traditionally" in just about every sentence, because there just isn't a lot known about her. If you have a famous sibling, spouse, grandparent or cousin, you may know the feeling. Although being a Saint, she may have just prayed about it if she felt overlooked.

At The Estates where we live in an apartment, I've noticed a lot of widows and widowers, of course, but also sibling groups, twins, cousins, in-laws, and former neighbors. One woman told me that as children she and her cousins always played together in the neighborhood and then went on to establish careers and families, seeing each other only on special occasions because of distance or busy lives. Now they have breakfast together daily. Women who used to carpool their kids' swim team or soccer club together now 40 years later share stories of the old days at table. I would have expected that at Pinecrest in Mt. Morris, IL where my parents lived. Dad and his Uncle Orville were able to enjoy their final years together sharing stories because they were close in age and Dad had been his best man.

I actually do have a first cousin once removed on Dad's side, Joy, right here in Columbus. I saw her in 1993. We really should get together while there is time.

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/february-10-saint-scholastica-virgin/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scholastica

https://faith.nd.edu/saint/st-scholastica/

Cardioversion

 Today my husband went to Riverside (Ohio Health) for a cardioversion. Although he had 4 stints in 2020 and 2021, in recent months he had developed atrial fibrillation. My personal, non-medical opinion is it was due to the stress of moving.

"Cardioversion is a medical treatment that uses quick, low-energy shocks to restore a regular heart rhythm. It's used to treat some types of irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. An example is atrial fibrillation (AFib). Sometimes cardioversion is done using medicines." Mayo Clinic

I spoke with the doctor after the successful procedure about the causes and future care.  Got a little of this and a little of that. Mostly things we can't change like genes and age.

Cardioversion: Procedure, side effects, and recovery 

The hospital is constantly under construction. When we got there today the Red parking garage/drop off had a detour, so we had to return to the main road and go around the building to get to the drop off. In 1980 a book was published titled, "The Hospital that Ate Chicago." I think there's one in Columbus.

                    

 

Ash Wednesday, 2026

It's hard to believe we're talking about Ash Wednesday already. I should have read our pastor's meditation before I bundled up and went out to scrape ice off the car and move it slowly around the neighborhood. I needed this reminder,

"In a couple of weeks we will mark a Christian holiday called Ash Wednesday. For some of you this might be a new experience. For others, it might be deeply familiar. But whether this is new for you or a long-established habit, Ash Wednesday confronts us with a truth we have worked hard to forget. “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

It’s a stark and sobering reminder. And we don’t only hear these Biblical words, we feel them. We experience them as they are marked onto us in the sign of an ashen cross on our foreheads. Our mortal bodies are marked with the sign of Jesus’s cross. And it’s a reminder of a truth that our hearts so deeply need.

 
We need it because some of us are sick and dying, and we need to know that Jesus has gone ahead of us. We need it because it helps us make sense of the ridiculousness and tragedy of the world around us. We need it because it reminds us to live for the eternity that lasts and not for the trivia that fades. We need it to remind us that earthly power is so often corrupt, but God’s power is infinitely different and greater. In this and many other ways the Holy Spirit applies the truth of the cross to each of us individually, applying the same profound truth to each different moment of need in each of our hearts.

We need this reminder because we never really do forget. Our mortality and deep need will not always be at the front of our minds, but the ache is always there. And Ash Wednesday speaks to us with merciful candor. The crosses on our foreheads are there to name the problem we know we have. But crosses are not just crosses. They are Jesus’s empty cross. They are the sign of the death which has been put to death, so that life might triumph and go on forever and ever and ever." Senior Pastor Steve Turnbull, Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, Feb. 5, 2026.

I will be rereading this many times.