Bernie Sanders

If you ever thought one man or one vote couldn't make a difference, just think of Bernie Sanders. At one time he was the only "Democratic Socialist" in the Democrat Party--in fact, he didn't even call himself a Democrat, just said he was an Independent who ran for office of President as a Democrat. They really walked all over him and didn't accept him then--chose Obama and Hillary--but look at him now! He refers to the Democrat Party as "my party." It's now loaded with Communists and Islamo-Fascists. Biden led an army of 11 million invaders, and Hillary began stealing health care in Bill's first term, allowing AOC and Bernie to take up the call. While Bernie criticizes billionaires who have actually built something and provided jobs for you the people, he is a millionaire and laughs in your faces as you are blinded by an "affordability" crisis, the price of gasoline, so you ask/vote for more of what brought down Venezuela and Cuba. Yes, one man can make a difference,, and it will take a lot of votes to stop his global reach.

PolitiFact | What Bernie Sanders has said about the Democrats over the years

Transgressive poetry

Today I found a poetry term I didn't understand: "Transgressive poetry: Poetry that deliberately violates social, moral, or aesthetic norms; challenges taboos around language, body, or politics; associated with confessional and avant-garde movements." I suspect it must have been 20th century poets.

I tried to imagine what that would be in the 21st century when half the populace believes it's OK to kill preborn humans so the world could have more bats or jungles (but not more cows or cats); and calling a movie star fat when she is and moves to Ireland is equivalent to rape, but calling the President a Nazi or Fascist is just normal speech; or cutting off the breasts of young girls and loading them up with testosterone is compassionate care, but teaching them about Jesus would be violating her freedom and personhood.

The riots in France--not a student protest

My computer screen opened with the amazing Millau Viaduct in southern France built to relieve the tourist traffic in that scenic area and only recently surpassed by China as an engineering wonder. I wondered how it had survived the unrest. No mention. But that put me into the news at "France24." French media are just as naive and dumb as ours--still say it's a student protest. Dumb as U.S. Democrats.

Covid and the Amish--a flawed study exposed

If you ever wish to poke holes in the "peer reviewed" myth of authenticity and excellence in medical studies, you could use the fact of mixing Mennonites in with the Amish in this so-called research on the Amish and Covid. But there are so many other flaws in this (and others in this report) you really should reconsider getting that shot. Protect the researcher, protect the grant money, but most of all protect the producer of the product.

https://brownstone.org/articles/how-a-flawed-covid-study-tried-and-failed-to-discredit-the-amish/

Welcome to Columbus, Ghanan nurses

Columbus , Ohio, Mayor Andrew J. Ginther has signed a formal agreement with Ghana to create legal, structured pathways for Ghanaian-trained nurses to work in Ohio’s healthcare system
(theheraldghana.com), BTW we have 4 major health systems here--Trinity, OSU, Nationwide Childrens and OhioHealth with 4 or 5 smaller ones.

 If the mayor did it, then it's tax payer dollars. I looked up the price tag for nurses in general for Columbus metro area and it's already $20,000 below the national median whether entry or higher level. Columbus is Democrat run and locked down, top to bottom, and claiming that they will give mid-Ohio a better deal if we just vote Democrat. Counting Ohio State we already have 9 nursing schools here, and supposedly these immigrants are already trained and ready to go. I'm sure they have family for chain migration (U.S. federal law). If housing is tight for low income and non-whites, how does importing Ghanans help the economy and Columbus people hoping to move up through more education and good job opportunities? Can they really do a better, safer job than our home grown whom we've already paid to educate and acculturate?

The Presidents and Iran

 

Who is Susan Kokinda?

Times of Israel, blogs by Avi Schwartz

"Susan Kokinda is not a typical media pundit. She represents a school of political and economic thought that sees today’s events not as isolated headlines, but as part of a long historical struggle over sovereignty, industry, finance, empire, and national destiny.

Promethean Action describes itself as a movement dedicated to “defying oligarchy” and unleashing human creativity. Promethean Action has spent decades arguing for the revival of the American System: industry, infrastructure, productive labor, scientific progress, tariffs, national banking, and the rebuilding of the real economy."

Maybe the American Revolution isn't over?

The Blogs: Susan Kokinda, the American System, and the Battle Behind the Headline | Avi Schwartz | The Times of Israel

Judith Core Gowdy (Judy) — 1940–2024

When Judy and John and their sweet daughters lived in Upper Arlington, Ohio, they attended Upper Arlington Lutheran Church which is where we met.  We had both attended a Cursillo Week-end and we became members of a small group.  Our church benefitted from her artistic talent. This obituary was in the Seattle Times in 2024.

"Judith Core Gowdy, née Judith Ellen Core, was born May 28, 1940, in southern California to Ed and Margaret Core, and later moved with her family to Portland, Oregon, where she graduated from Lincoln High School. She attended the University of Oregon, joined the Sigma Kappa Sorority, and earned a degree in Interior Architecture.

In 1962, Judy moved to Seattle, starting her career at design firm William L. Davis. She married John in 1967, and together they raised two daughters, Minda (1972) and Carlin (1975). The family lived in Seattle, Upper Arlington, OH, Westfield, NJ, and Bellevue, WA, with a life filled with family traditions, volunteer work, and creative projects.

Her career reached its peak in Bellevue, where she founded her own interior design business, served as President of the local ASID chapter, and later received its lifetime achievement award. She was also active in the Women’s University Club of Seattle. Judy was known for her warmth, creativity, and dedication to family and community, and she passed away on June 12, 2024.

 https://obituaries.seattletimes.com/obituary/judith-gowdy-1090163782?

Watts, Wesley and Winkworth, rev. 2026

The topic covers three faith traditions--Puritan/Congregational, Methodist and Lutheran. I say tradition rather than denominations because there have been many divisions. These divisions and traditions developed during a time of great cultural changes in the arts, technology, and politics over three centuries.

There are many biographies available on the internet, so I've linked to only one site, but after reading several, they don't all agree. And I've added a link to a recording.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) Nonconformist (non-Anglican), dissenter, English

Known as the "Father of English hymnody," Isaac Watts wrote approximately 600 hymns. He showed literary genius even as a boy. He learned Latin at four, Greek at nine, French at ten, and Hebrew at thirteen. His parents were "Dissenters." That is, they were not Anglicans, which was a treasonous offense in those days. Frustrated with the heartless psalm singing of his time, young Watts sometimes criticized the singing at his church. A dissenter among dissenters, I'd say. Listening to his concerns one day, Watts' father challenged him, "Well then, young man, why don't you give us something better to sing?" He rose to the challenge by writing his first hymn. It was well received by his congregation, and for the next two years, Watts wrote a new hymn for every Sunday. He is known for Christianizing the Psalms.

Isaac Watts - The Center For Church Music, Songs and Hymns

https://youtu.be/iYYXWxDzEmM?si=piM_5tB7KAda78-f O God our help in ages past, paraphrase of Psalm 90, a good hymn for the New Year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMK9QHaoqpo podcast about Isaac Watts

At The Cross: Isaac Watts, The Father of Hymns

Charles Wesley (1707-1788) Church of England, Methodist, Missionary to Georgia, English

"Charles Wesley wrote over 6500 hymns [some sources say 8,000], which would be writing at least two hymns a week, every week for 50 years, from his conversion in 1738 to his death in 1788. His hymns came out of what he saw as important occasions. His own life inspired hymns: his conversion, his marriage, things he had seen, the death of his friends. Public events inspired hymns: the earthquake panic, rumors of an invasion from France, the defeat of Prince Charles Edward at Culloden, the Gordon riots. He wrote hymns for all the festivals of the Christian faith.

Wesley’s hymns can be generally classified as hymns of Christian experience, invitation hymns, sanctification hymns, funeral hymns, and hymns on the love of God. In his hymns, he referenced all but 4 of the books of the Bible. He used more than 45 different meters. It has been said that Wesley’s hymns clothed Christ in flesh and blood and gave converts a belief that they could easily grasp, embrace with personal faith, and if necessary, even die for."

Charles Wesley - The Center For Church Music, Songs and Hymns (excerpt)

Why Wesley Still Dominates Our Hymnbook - Christianity Today Really good article, but it is 17 pages long

https://youtu.be/9Bwn0k0k8xI?si=pbrUv266Izp907kr "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," Charles Wesley

Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878) studied with Unitarians, English, best known as translator of 17th century German hymns

"Winkworth was a prolific translator of German hymns She became interested in translating these hymns when Chevelier Bunsen, the German ambassador to England presented her with a copy of Andachtsbuch. This devotional book showed her the treasures in German hymnody. She published two series of Lyra Germanica, in 1855 and 1858. The first had 103 translations from Bunsen's Versuch eines allgemeinen Gesang und Gebetbuchs (1833). The second had 121 more translations from the same book. She also published the Chorale Book for England (1863), which contained some earlier translations with their proper chorale tunes, and Christian Singers of Germany, (1869) biographies of German hymn writers."

Catherine Winkworth - The Center For Church Music, Songs and Hymns

https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-now-thank-we-all-our-god Now thank we all our God, Martin Rinkart