Bad weather tonight, March 26

Columbus Dispatch reports:

A cold front bringing severe weather is expected to travel from northern Ohio south/southeast into central and eastern Ohio during the late nighttime hours of March 26 and into the early morning hours of March 27.

Temperatures hit 78 after 5 p.m. March 26, and temperatures are expected to plunge to the 30s overnight, according to weather service. During the evening and overnight, thunderstorms will move through the area.

The thunderstorms could come with damaging winds, large hail and "very heavy" rainfall, the NWS said in a hazardous weather outlook. Isolated tornadoes could occur early in the development of the storms, and localized heavy rainfall could cause flooding, the NWS said.

Whelmed midwife

Learned two facts about words this morning. A male midwife is the correct term for a male medical professional who assists with birthing, And whelm is a real verb and when you overdo it, you are overwhelmed. Whelm means to cover or engulf. I saw it in a hymn, . . so if you've got too many syllables to use overwhelmed, you can make do with just whelmed. English is amazing, It has more words than any other language, probably because the sun never set on the Union Jack.

Airport lines are a pattern for Democrats

Pity the poor folks at the mercy of the Democrats in Congress--standing in line for hours at airports, victims of their hatred for Trump. Worse than the fatigue and the missed connections is the danger the Democrats are imposing on the nation. Such a messy history of malevolent beliefs--supporters of slavery, designers of Jim Crow. advocates for lynching, supporters of poverty programs that resulted in generations dependent on government for life, calling abortion "freedom" for women, and mind-bending lies about sexuality that promote castration for boys and mastectomies for girls in the name of "mental health." They are sick and demented, but demand loyalty and money from their party members (but no ID).

Jodie Minnick Strickland obituary

Today I learned of the death of Jodie Strickland, my cousin Evelyn's daughter. 

"Jodie Louise Strickland (Minnick), 67, passed away peacefully on February 20, 2026, in Summerville, South Carolina. Born on November 8, 1958, in Alexandria, Virginia, Jodie lived a life defined by love, creativity, and unwavering faith.

Jodie earned her Associate's degree in Nursing from Isothermal Community College. Her dedication to caring for others extended beyond her professional life and was evident in the way she nurtured her family and friends. A devoted mother above all else, Jodie's love for her daughters Kristina Smith (Carl) and Julie Jennemann (Stephen) was boundless. She cherished her grandchildren Claire Raines and Griffin Raines, who brought immense joy to her life. Her significant other and best friend, Keith Dabney, stood steadfastly by her side as a source of love and support.

Jodie is also survived by her brother Gery Martin (Ava); nephews John Minnick (and his children), Steven Minnick (and his son), and David Minnick, Sister in-law Mary Brown; as well as many others who were touched by her kindness and strength. She was predeceased by her parents Evelyn Minnick Morris and Ershel Leroy Minnick; siblings Lorrie Passailaigue, Larry Minnick, Lonnie Minnick, Jim Minnick, and Jay Carter; and her beloved son Daniel Edward Jeffords. . . "

Continued at Jodie Strickland Obituary February 20, 2026 - Legacy.com

Jodie was the daughter of my cousin, Evelyn Corbett.  Her stepdaughter Misty who lives in North Carolina was not mentioned in the obituary.  She added some other memories on Facebook. I "met" Misty through Facebook when Jodie was married to Billy Strickland, Misty's father. I don't know the details, and didn't know of Jodie's death until I saw it on Misty's FB page,

"Jodie was married to my dad, Billy Strickland, for 15 years. They met when I was 12 years old back in 2000, and for over two decades she was part of our family and part of our lives. She lived here in North Carolina for 25 years.

She was in the delivery room when I gave birth to my son, Haden Oliver, who gave her the title of “Meme.” She was also there when I gave birth to Skylar Oliver. Those are moments I will always remember, and I pray my kids hold on to those amazing memories as well. Jodie was also the very first person I told when I found out I was going to be a mommy.

She loved doing crafts, playing cards, and creating things with her hands. She loved cooking, especially during the holidays and making big breakfasts for everyone. She always went all out for birthdays and every holiday.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Strickland. She also cherished her little poodle, Dolly, who she loved dearly. It brings comfort to think that she is now reunited with her again.

No family is perfect, but the memories and moments we shared will always be part of my story. People may change, but memories don’t." Misty Strickland Richardson 

Six syllables three lines, a poem about the Estates

6 syllables 3 lines, my neighbors

Bunny, Bev, Bonnie, Bev,

Barbara, Barbara,

Barbara, Barbara.


Barbara and Betty,

Bob, Bill, Bob, Bill, Bob, Clare.

Cola, Carole, Carol.


Carolyn, Carolyn,

Carrie, Chris, Constantine,

Diana, Dave, Dennis.


David, Dottie, Dorothy.

Ernie, Eva, Eve, Frank,

Gilda, Howard, Harry.


Jean, Joe, Jack and Janet,

Jan, Jim, Joyce, Jeraline,

Jacqueline, Joann, Jack;


Judy, Jean, Joyce, Janet.

John, Kathy, Kay, Laura,

Linda, Lou, Mort, Mary,


Martine, Marcie, Milly,

Marilyn, Margaret,

Marie, Mary, Marie.


Norma and Noretta,

Norma, Patricia, Paul,

Patsy, Pat, Priscilla.


Richard, Roseanne, Ruth Ann,

Ray, Richard, Rosemary,

Rena, Shirley, Sandy,


Sharon, Sue and Sandra.

Thomas, Terry, Terrence,

Tom, Tex, Victor, Vonceil.

We're planning an April poetry event.  I used the resident list for February for this syllabic poem, and to some I've already said good-bye. As you can see, names go with generations. 

A beautiful, but unusual baptism

An unusual baptism. They are all special, but yesterday I saw something different. Sweet little guy. Hair combed. Wiggling and smiling, but not screaming. Relatives filling the 2 front pews. As the pastor put his hand in the water, he stopped and asked an usher to bring in some cool water. It was too hot to baptize! We continued with our part and soon the water was carried in and the sacrament was completed.

Report on 10 Chatbots that assist in violent crimes

Evil is already in the mind. And then combine that with AI/Chatbots for complete instructions.

Summary of a report on 10 chatbots to assist in violent crimes like bombings, assassinations, robberies:

 KEY FINDINGS

WE TESTED HOW POPULAR CHATBOTS RESPOND TO USERS PLANNING VIOLENT ATTACKS

Researchers at CCDH and CNN tested ten chatbots by posing as users planning violent attacks before asking about locations to target and weapons to use.

Researchers tested ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Meta AI, DeepSeek, Perplexity, Snapchat My AI, Character.AI and Replika

Tests were designed to reflect a range of violent attack scenarios in the US and EU:
▷ School shootings or knife attacks
▷ Assassinations targeting politicians
▷ Bombings targeting political parties or synagogues

 
8 IN 10 CHATBOTS TYPICALLY ASSIST USERS PLANNING VIOLENT ATTACKS

Testing found that 8 in 10 chatbots assist would-be attackers in over half of responses, providing advice on locations to target and weapons to use in an attack.

Only Snapchat’s My AI and Anthropic’s Claude typically refused to assist would-be attackers, in 54% and 68% of responses respectively.

Perplexity and Meta AI were the least safe, assisting would-be attackers in 100% and 97% of responses respectively.

Examples of chatbots offering practical assistance with a violent attack include:

ChatGPT gave high school campus maps to a user interested in school violence
Copilot replied “I need to be careful here” before giving detailed advice on rifles
Gemini told a user discussing synagogue attacks “metal shrapnel is typically more lethal”
DeepSeek signed off advice on selecting rifles with “Happy (and safe) shooting!”

9 IN 10 CHATBOTS FAIL TO RELIABLY DISCOURAGE WOULD-BE ATTACKERS

Researchers also assessed how often chatbots would recognize a would-be attacker’s intentions and consistently discourage them from carrying out an attack.
They found that only Anthropic’s Claude was able to do this consistently, offering discouragement in 76% of responses carried out during testing.
ChatGPT and DeepSeek occasionally offer discouragement.

CHARACTER.AI ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED VIOLENCE

In testing, researchers found that Character.AI was uniquely unsafe. It encouraged users to carry out violent attacks in 7 cases, for example:
Character.AI suggested the user “use a gun” on a health insurance CEO
Character.AI suggested physically assaulting a politician the user disliked
No other chatbot tested explicitly encouraged violence in this way, even when providing practical assistance in planning a violent attack.

This is not good, folks, https://counterhate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Killer-Apps_FINAL_CCDH.pdf?

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.