We missed the reunion again

 Wenger family plans annual reunion | TownLively  My grandfather's mother was a Wenger.

The Wenger Family Association will hold the 101st annual Wenger reunion at the Wenger Meetinghouse, 16 Supervisors Drive, Jonestown, [PA] on Friday to Sunday, Aug. 25 to 27 [2023]. Wenger family members' surnames may also be spelled as Wanger, Whanger, Winger, Wengerd, Wengert, Wingerd, Wingert, Wingard and Wingart.

On Aug. 25 at 7 p.m., a historical meeting will be held, featuring James C. Landis speaking on the topic "Lessons From Land and Law: A Review of Deeds for the G1 Hans Wenger Homestead, the Wenger Cemetery and Wenger Meetinghouse."

Reunion attendees may take a bus tour on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 8 a.m., visiting sites related to Hans and Hannah Wenger in Lebanon and Lancaster counties. The tour will depart from the meetinghouse and return by noon; lunch is not included.

There's always next year. 

I'm liking Mike Johnson more and more

The Democrats go off unhinged again! "Never mind that the Democrats declared the 2000, 2004 and 2016 elections illegitimate, any GOP skepticism about the 2020 outcome is somehow illegitimate in and of itself. And Johnson was indeed skeptical. As a constitutional lawyer, he knew that officials in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin had violated the U.S. Constitution and their own state laws by altering election statutes with no legal authority to do so. Johnson and 125 other House members summarized this charge in an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs in Texas v. Pennsylvania, a Supreme Court case contesting results in those states." . . .

 
"So, Speaker Johnson is guilty of being a Christian, a fringe religious sect with only 2.6 billion adherents, including a mere 87.8 percent of our congressional representatives. He is also a conservative, an ideological cohort that Gallup reports as larger (4 in 10) than their liberal counterparts and steadily growing. He is also an unapologetic supporter of former President Trump, whose poll numbers are remarkably high compared to those of President Biden, who is now less popular than Hillary Clinton."

October 7 Hamas attack--story of a survivor

Sunday morning on Israeli TV (i24) I watched an interview by the same survivor of an attack by terrorists on a Kibbutz who appeared on CBS 60 minutes 2 weeks ago. It's a harrowing tale of bravery, of armed citizens saving their families and friends, and failure of the military who didn't get there for 9 hours. However, when he was asked about Biden and the U.S. response, he had nothing but praise--said Biden would be remembered in history. I wonder how much he knows about the billions Obama and Biden have sent to Iran which has been funding Hamas and Hezbollah, or that Biden has been trying to disarm our citizens, or that he has essentially opened our borders to terrorists?

Podcasts--true crime are the most popular

I'm not sure I knew what a podcast was until the summer of 2021, and now I have about 50 on my "library" list on my smartphone. It used to be I'd see them occasionally on YouTube and follow for awhile, but I really prefer the audio to the video.  It's easier to do other things. You can investigate a topic much more in 2 hours than in 30 seconds on the evening news. My list changes some as I learn more about the values and veracity of the host or if I don't like the quality of the host's voice or talking speed.  I first figured out that they were a popular form of entertainment and information when I watched the first season of   "Only murders in our building." Only Murders in the Building (TV Series 2021– ) - IMDb

"Follows three strangers (Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez) who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth. As they record a podcast of their own to document the case, the three unravel the complex secrets of the building which stretch back years. Perhaps even more explosive are the lies they tell one another. Soon, the endangered trio comes to realize a killer might be living amongst them as they race to decipher the mounting clues before it's too late."

Although it was very well acted the language was just too raw, so we stopped watching.  Now has finished up season three.

Pew Research says 24% of podcasts are true crime and about 10% are "politics and government." (Sort of the same thing, don't you think? 

"A new Pew Research Center study of 451 of the top-ranked podcasts in the United States shows this diversity of subjects: No single topic is the main focus of more than a quarter of these podcasts.

True crime is the most common topic, making up 24% of these top-ranked podcasts – perhaps reflecting the early popularity of Serial. The next most common topics are politics and government (10%); entertainment, pop culture and the arts (9%); and self-help and relationships (8%)." A Profile of the Top-Ranked Podcasts in the U.S. | Pew Research Center

Many of those on my list are former news reporters or programs I've known for years like Glenn Beck, Megyn Kelly, Hugh Hewitt, and Victor Davis Hanson.  I had either seen them on TV, listened to live programing on the radio, or read their columns. Probably ten are about religion, with some politics thrown in.  Another ten are politics, or politics with popular culture. Maybe ten are about health, or health related. I'd say five are "red-pilled"--they've left the Democrat party for a variety of reasons, usually Covid or Communism.  "Great books" is self-explanatory, as is "Boring books for Bedtime." Two are Canadian, Jordan B. Peterson, Dr. Gad Saad, others are American immigrants, like Patrick Bet David, born in Iran (business, entertainment, politics), or foreign, like Zuby, British citizen of Nigerian ancestry, Freddie Sayers, British with conversations on science, politics, free speech. Three are black and conservative, and they are also outspoken about their Christian faith. Jason Whitlock is sort of a two-fer x 2--black, conservative, Christian, and sports. A number of these have regular sidekicks or guest panels with whom they debate, disagree or affirm. Four of my favorites are medical shows. Often, they interview each other.  On the list I have a lesbian Jew journalist and a formerly gay man (very conservative Christian) who has a lot of Hollywood connections. 

I thought Covid had boosted the popularity, and according to Forbes.com in January 2023 it did. However,  "Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the art of the podcast became a full-blown renaissance. But in truth, podcasting predated the coronavirus, responding to the evolving wants and needs of young listeners who don’t just want to blast the radio in their cars. 

Around the globe, there are more than 400 million podcast listeners who tune in for all sorts of content. Because of that high listenership, there are over 2 million independent podcasts with tens of millions of episodes between them. That’s right: Over 2 million podcasts."

One of the strangest towns you'll ever see

 Burj Al Babas: Tour The Ghost Town Of Abandoned Fairytale Castles – Animal Everyday

The cost of food--still grateful

 Sometimes I need to remind myself that we in the U.S. still have plentiful, and inexpensive food, despite what Joe Biden is trying to do to the economy in the name of climate change.  I just spent $25.05 at Aldi's.  I buy a lot of fresh things there (and a few bakery items), and it's only a mile from my home. Ohio doesn't tax food, and recently removed tax on disposable diapers. 

Dozen mini muffins blueberry         3.45

10 gourmet choc chunk cookies      2.19

Cantaloupe chunks 16 oz                 3.29

Pineapple spears 16 oz                     3.49

Butternut squash 2.03 lb                   1.81

Sweet onions 2 lb.                            1.89

Yellow potatoes, small                      3.49

Bananas,  1.55 lb   .41/lb                    .64 

1/2 gal. whole milk                            1.61

Orange juice  1.6 qt                          3.19

According to move.org (a moving company) "The average cost of groceries in America in 2023 is $415.53 a month per person1. [Ohio is $392.59 per person a month.] However, this number can vary greatly depending on factors like age and personal eating habits. Location is another important—though potentially surprising—factor in determining food costs. Groceries cost more in some US cities and states than others." How Much Does Food Cost in the US? | Move.org

Nerd Wallet says:  "Have food prices been rising? Absolutely. Thanks to a combination of inflation, pandemic-related supply-chain disruptions and tariffs on certain foreign imports, food prices have steadily risen since 2020.

But inflation has been slowing in the past year and the latest data shows the cost of groceries aren’t rising as fast as they once were.

Food prices rose 3.7% between September 2022 and September 2023, according to the most recent consumer price index (CPI) report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By comparison, at the same time in 2022 prices rose 11.2% over a one-year period." The Cost of Groceries: Are Food Prices Going Up? - NerdWallet

The Fires of Tribalism

"The most extraordinary thing about my personal story is how ordinary it is. Bay Ridge, the charming neighborhood in the southwest corner of Brooklyn where some of the worst pro-Hamas riots erupted last week, is itself a tapestry of so many similar stories of young men and women coming to America in search of its goodness and greatness. The neighborhood was once home to America’s largest Norwegian community; then came the Italians and the Irish and the Greeks, followed by the Puerto Ricans and the Mexicans, the Jordanians and the Egyptians and the Syrians. Different people, different ethnicities, different faiths, yet a shared sense of place and, more importantly, of destiny. Whatever else these immigrants believed, whatever else they carried with them from their homelands, they all had this in common: America was their home, and you don’t set your home on fire.

What changed?

To answer this question, consider the two things press reports tell us for certain about the rioters: Most are young, and most are of Middle Eastern descent."  American Banlieue | City Journal (city-journal.org)

What changed?  The Democratic Party has changed. You can't deny it. It has shown us the past few years that rioting, looting, burning and killing is OK in Democrat run cities, defunding the police is OK, but only if the rioters have their blessing. Crooked prosecutors are OK. Out of control judges filled with hate, and ignorant of the Constitution, are OK. If a crowd gathers to protest an election, even if Democrats have protested elections for several decades, then those Americans, wearing a MAGA hat or even standing around looking, are "dangerous to Democracy."

The ghost in the kitchen

I went to bed last night concerned about a strange buzzing noise in our friends' home. I was imagining all sorts of disasters and thought they should call the fire department.  The mystery has been solved.

"The ghost was a stud finder buried in a pail of tools standing on a stool next to the kitchen counter."

Dave as he tells it had been installing undercabinet lights in the kitchen this past week, tackling the devil in the details of a laggard kitchen remodeling project. The stud finder had never before made a sound by itself. You have to press and hold the on-button to make it work. So, most of its life is spent lying inert somewhere, like in this pail.

But that afternoon Dave had been repairing a torn underground sprinkler system line. Last Spring they had the stump ground out for one of the aged, deteriorating silver maples that had been overhanging the house and that had been removed last winter. Dave forgot that a sprinkler head was in the vicinity and the stump grinder ground up the tubing. It was not until yesterday that he got around to finishing that repair. He went into the house to scrounge up a steel tape measure and stirred around in the bucket of tools in the kitchen, where he had left the tape measure. One of the jostled tools must have fallen against the on-button of the stud finder and it must have thought there was a stud in the vicinity, so it began doing its thing—squealing with a high-pitched squeal. They turned off every bit of electricity to the house but could still hear the buzzing. When they were searching, he tried to think of any battery-operated devices. He looked at smoke alarms and the radio/cd- players, but never thought of the stud finder. And his wife Donna found it! Now they don't have to call any fire departments or electric companies. They slept securely with no anxieties about ghosts in the kitchen. (as told by Dave)

Now if we could fix the thumping in our pipes caused by a new hose for watering the flowers.

Vitamin K2--never heard of it

Dosage: ideally 180 to 360 micrograms per day. An egg yolk can contain between 67 and 192 micrograms of vitamin K2.

In older persons with low vitamin K status, an age-related decline can be observed. Numerous advantages of vitamin K2 include improved skin quality, strengthening of bones, improved mitochondrial function, and better vascular health. Vitamin K2 dose ranging from 180 to 360 mcg per day is standard, while some people with certain conditions like osteoporosis may need even higher.

Vitamin K2: Everything You Need to Know (healthline.com)

https://healthnews.com/longevity/longevity-supplements/dr-sinclairs-longevity-supplement-and-drug-stack/

Growing Evidence of a Proven Mechanism Shows Vitamin K2 Can Impact Health Conditions Beyond Bone and Cardiovascular - PMC (nih.gov)

Vitamin K2: What It Is and Its Benefits – Cleveland Clinic

8 Foods High in Vitamin K2 and Why You Need It (webmd.com)

Socialism and anti-Semitism

 It's not like we weren't told of the connection between socialism and hatred of Jews. This is from 1953.

The Anti-Semitic Tradition in Modern Socialism, by Edmund Silberner. Inaugural lecture delivered at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, 1953.

Examines anti-Semitism in socialist theory and political movements in England, France, Germany, and other nations. Most socialist theorists identified capitalism with Jews. Discusses, among others, Charles Fourier, Ferdinand Lassalle, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Jean Jaurès.

The 43 Best Books on Socialism - Foundation for Economic Education (fee.org)

Look how much Obama and Biden spent on arming Hamas

 https://openthebooks.substack.com/p/biden-pays-rockets-fly-administration?

Our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com found that the Biden Administration spent more than $1 billion from U.S. taxpayers on “aid” to Palestinians. It proposes sending another $260 million in its FY2024 budget request, but that funding is not yet approved by Congress.

Here’s how the Biden Administration allotted U.S. taxpayer Palestinian-aid through the United Nations: $318.4 million (2021), $363.9 million (2022), and $371 million (2023).

Biden’s spending binge is a sharp reversal from President Donald Trump’s August 2018 freeze. Biden started pouring taxpayer dollars into Gaza and the West Bank in April 2021.

A letter from City Journal about the Middle East situation (via e-mail)

 Dear Friends and Supporters [of City Journal],

As horrific events continue to unfold in the Middle East, the initial shock of the terrorist attacks has given way to a series of troubling questions. Why have Western institutions responded to the assault by blaming the victims? Could similar dangers emerge in the United States and, if so, what measures should we take to prevent them? How will Israel wage the war for its own survival?

City Journal has been busy seeking answers, providing reporting, analysis, and commentary on the crisis. Be sure not to miss our coverage of:

Universities and woke institutions sympathizing with Hamas

• Eitan Fischberger on the history and terrorist connections behind Students for Justice in Palestine;
• Tal Fortgang and Jonathan Deluty on how SJP is more pro-Hamas than the terror organization itself;
• Abigail Shrier asks how universities can so brazenly abandon their Jewish students;
• Paul du Quenoy eviscerates Harvard’s reaction to the Hamas attacks;
• Max Eden exposes university leaders’ morally perverse responses.

Western moral confusion and a civilizational crisis of confidence

• Hannah E. Meyers on the parallels between BLM activists and Hamas apologists;
• Christopher F. Rufo on the radical Left’s endorsement of civilizational suicide;
• Guy Sorman on religion’s underappreciated influence over today’s geopolitical conflicts;
• Juliana Geran Pilon and Eitan Fischberger on the disturbing moral equivalence between Israel and Hamas espoused by America’s mainstream media;
• Theodore Dalrymple explains the delight Hamas and its supporters take in genocide;
• Nicole Gelinas on the Democratic Socialists of America’s depraved demonstration against Israel.

How to think about the security of Israel, America, and Jews around the world after the attacks

• Mark P. Mills on how advanced defense technologies often provide a false sense of safety;
• Liel Leibovitz explains how constitutionally dubious restrictions on gun ownership facilitate violence against Jews;
• Martin Gurri explores whether domestic infighting will prevent Israel—and the U.S.—from forcefully resisting Hamas (and Tehran);
• Judith Miller analyzes the next steps for Hezbollah and Iran and the intelligence failures that led to “Israel’s 9/11”;
• Ari David on how the attacks have shattered Jews’ sense of safety worldwide;
• Shlomo Brody explains how global naïveté and Hamas’s exploitation of civilians put Israel in a no-win situation regarding its own defense;
• Ellen R. Wald on the threat the conflict poses to global energy markets;
• Seth Frantzman analyzes the tactical challenges of waging urban warfare in Gaza;
• Andrew A. Michta explains how the attacks should prompt a reassessment of U.S. national-security priorities.

City Journal will continue to investigate what the conflict means for our culture and institutions, our cities and security, and our democracy and civilization.

The problem is Iran

"The Hamas attack against Israel is not only a massive Israeli intelligence and military (as well as a U.S. intelligence) failure, but also a dramatic success for Iran’s axis of resistance from Yemen to Gaza. The highly choreographed, multipronged, day-long operation and incursion into Israel itself, involving the use of motorized paragliders and drones and the taking of hostages, required months of planning and training that only Iran and Hezbollah could have provided. Late yesterday, a Hamas spokesperson told the BBC that Iranian support for the assault was a point of pride." (Atlantic, Oct. 8, 2023)

We can put this at the feet of Biden and Obama. They weakened our military and gave Iran money.

Today, October 19, Iran is encircling Israel, as I write.

Walking outside with Zuby

I was just looking for a couple of guys to take on my walk when I came across this podcast (Zuby, love the guy) and a guy talking about foot pain. Boy, did I learn a lot.

https://youtu.be/S_SOdzLjEjo?si=YxWg_6jCDNZT_Rt-

https://wydefootwear.com/ I don't own a lot of shoes, but I do change 2 or 3 times a day to be comfortable. I'm willing to try a pair.  He's an entrepreneur.  A start up during Covid.

"Wyde Footwear was founded with one main mission: To restore our innate human foot function in as many people as possible. Known for being designed after real feet while having zero compromise on design and functionality; Wyde serves customers around the world who are relentless in their search for a healthier body and life."

Keith's recipe for scallops and shrimp in white wine sauce

Sauté the shrimp in a hot pan with olive oil. Once they’re almost cooked take them out and sauté some garlic and shallots with 2 cups of [good] white wine. Add a quarter stick of butter. Cook over medium heat. Add shrimp and scallops. Add a little lemon juice and some lemon zest. Add a few chili flakes. Serve over your favorite pasta with a vegetable like asparagus and a nice presentation.

Purchased some dinner plates--couldn't resist

I bought four Lenox dinner plates at Volunteers of America this morning for $20. White on white, with platinum trim, new. Sticker with bar code still on plates, but one has small chip on underside. Debut Collection, Hannah Platinum, Millenium Edition. Made in USA.

I like to set a pretty table.

"Featuring an elegant and understated floral motif with a raised white palmetto pattern, each dinner will become a memorable and enjoyable moment with Hannah Platinum. This timeless design features a platinum trim on durable white bone china, and is dishwasher safe, making it ideal for any occasion."

Difficult to find a price on internet but it seems to be about $24-$25 per dinner plate new, and $20 at replacement. One offer was 4 for $50, used. Manufactured in 1997.

How to save $56,000 a year--don't move!

 Recently we've been discussing costs of retirement communities with various friends who have made the move, or are anticipating one.  The costs have ranged from $12,225/month to $6,500/month. All those figures are for less space than we have now, with no garage and little storage.  Huge difference--we have a lot of stuff and freedom to come and go.  And there's no guarantee those prices won't go up. All the facilities are nice, but some are downright luxurious! 

Most offer the traditional amenities within these ranges. (The Cost of Living in a Retirement Community (investopedia.com)

"Retirement communities, also called “senior living communities” or “independent living communities,” are designed for people in their mid-50s and beyond who are desirous and capable of living independently and don’t require specialized medical care. These communities can offer different types of housing, including single-family homes, duplexes, condos, and apartments.

In terms of amenities, retirement communities can provide things such as:
On-site gyms and fitness centers
Cleaning and laundry services
Transportation services
swimming pool in house or access
Community recreational events
On-site dining [one meal a day is included in some of the prices]

Assisted living facilities and nursing homes, on the other hand, are for seniors who need some level of help managing daily life. That can range from assistance with basic chores, such as laundry or cleaning, to round-the-clock medical care.

A third type of community, called continuing care, offers a full range of services from independent living through assisted living, memory care and nursing home care. This allows residents to age in place regardless of their health needs going forward and can also accommodate couples in which one partner needs a higher level of care than the other."

So, I did some number crunching to determine how much it costs to live in our 2,600 sq. ft. condo

Condo fee and insurance, lawn care, snow removal  $422/mo

AEP electricity $300

Water $40

Spectrum--wifi, cable, phone--$250

Real estate taxes $675

Cleaning $140

Estimated monthly cost $1,829

Opportunity cost--What the market value of our condo would earn if invested--unknown--perhaps $2,000/month--I'm not factoring this in, although my father would.

So even taking the bottom figure of $6,500/month or $78,000/year, we save about $56,000 a year by staying here as long as we can.  That means, staying healthy.                                           

How to witness with the little things--advice I gave 7 years ago

St. John Paul II: “No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples.” Little things mean a lot. Say grace when you're eating in a restaurant, the same as you would at home. Be visible in your thankfulness for everyday gifts. Wear a cross and be prepared to tell others your testimony if asked--just be sure it's about Jesus and not just you. Some people place a bumper sticker for their church, para-church organization or Christian media. It's especially good if there's a bit of rust or a dent you'd like to cover. I found our local station (820 a.m. in Upper Arlington, OH) because of a bumper sticker. How refreshing to find inspired and interesting talk radio by women. Be prepared to give a pleasant greeting--God bless you. Have a blessed day. James Isenhart always greets me (on FB) with something short and inspirational. He's doing something small, yet huge, for Jesus reaching people who maybe haven't had a kind word all day. Adrienne Ross (on FB) is another--although she has many topics, she never fails to glorify God after a wonderful service at her church. When we're not commiserating about politics, I love the resources Joan Shaw Turrentine (blog friend) directs me to. My cousin Gayle never fails to find just the right Bible verse to encourage me in e-mail. And when you ask for prayers, I always stop right away and do that. You benefit us all by asking--don't be shy.

Uwe and Hannelore Romeike family vs. Biden

The Biden administration is deporting a Christian family from Germany who legitimately fears persecution and should qualify for asylum, while allowing 99 percent of illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S., most of whom likely do not qualify for asylum.

Uwe and Hannelore Romeike reportedly fled Germany in 2008 because they were threatened with prosecution and $9,000 fines for homeschooling their five children. The couple and their family have lived in Tennessee and filed for asylum. The family has thrived in the U.S., including having two children who are American citizens and two other children who married American citizens. Unfortunately, the U.S. authorities denied their asylum claim in 2013. After the Obama administration intervened, the family had been able to stay in the U.S. under an “indefinite deferred action status.”

Biden Admin Deports A Christian Family, But Not Illegal Immigrants (thefederalist.com)

New Data Reveal Biden Administration’s Failure to Remove Over 99% of Released Illegal Aliens, Fueling Border Crisis Concerns | House Judiciary Committee Republicans

Debbie Stradley, October 3, 2023

We met Debbie just four years ago.  Her mother lives across the street and had told her about our son Phil's diagnosis of glioblastoma in October 2019.  Debbie came over immediately and wrapped me in her comforting arms--we'd never met.  I found out then that she had metastatic breast cancer.  She's fought bravely for many years, and I'll never forget her kindness to a stranger.  I knew her husband from the veterinary college at Ohio State.

Debbie Stradley Obituary - Columbus, OH (dignitymemorial.com)

Debbie Stradley passed from this life on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. Debbie was born in Bethesda, Maryland on May 23, 1959 to the late George and Patricia (Barratt) Dent. Debbie grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and later attended The Ohio State University studying industrial design. Later in life she returned to college and received a B.A. from Cedarville University with a major in Bible/biblical studies. In addition to being a chaplain for several years with Mt. Carmel Health System, Deb continued her role of a care giver in church leadership and beyond, always putting the interests of others above her own. Her zeal for life and her authentic gift of compassion touched many lives. Among her many passions were love of nature, gardening, photography, design and scuba diving. She loved her many dogs and cats. Debbie will be deeply missed by her husband of 35 years Daniel Stradley; her brother Kit (Lisa) Dent; her nephew and niece George and Grace Dent; her stepmother Carole Dent; and many others. Memorial service will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 16, 2023 at SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST, 1740 Zollinger Rd, Columbus, Ohio 43221, immediately following the service a Celebration of Life Reception will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 at SCHOEDINGER NW. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Madison County Vineyard, 106 Olive St, London, Ohio 43140. Please visit www.schoedinger.com to share memories and condolences.

The moral equivalency

"I saw a short video of Jeremy Bowen of the BBC interviewing an officer at Kfar Aza, one of the border towns which was overrun by Hamas terrorists. Mr Bowen was initially concerned about the victims but was quick to query the wisdom of an incursion into Gaza given the risk of civilian casualties. It is as if Israel is the loser in some cruel game, where the opponent – Hamas – can come in, murder, rape and kidnap civilians, but Israel is not allowed to take any responsive action because of the risk to civilians in Gaza." (Robert Festenstein, blog, Times of Israel)

Painful thoughts on the attacks on the Jewish state

October 13, 2023

I was aware of the physical frailties of old age—my parents lived to 88 and 89, my four grandparents late 80s and early 90s, and my great grandparents late 80s. I knew them all. I also knew my husband’s parents, grandmother and his step-grandparents all living to mid-80s and early 90s. Today is my brother-in-law’s 100th birthday. What I didn’t expect was this feeling of helplessness.

I didn’t expect to feel the promises of God’s mercy and caring to ring so hollow. After all, most of these dear ones of my past had lived through the Panic of 1893, the Spanish American War, WWI, The Spanish flu epidemic, the Great Depression, the scourge of polio, WWII, Korea and Vietnam. I even called my Dad on 9/11 for some comfort. Maybe they felt as helpless as I do now, and never mentioned it?

Today I was reading Psalm 25 in my morning devotions. I thought about those beautiful words such as TRUST, TRUTH, SALVATION, MERCY, LOVE, GOODNESS, UPRIGHTNESS, FAITHFULNESS, PARDON, FRIENDSHIP, COVENANT and FORGIVENESS. I couldn’t help but think back to Saturday’s assault on civilians in Israel. Where was God? Where were our elected politicians, our counterintelligence, our high-tech smarties who can shut down any opinion about Covid or pronouns they don’t like, but couldn’t find “chatter” of killers of Jews? It was Nazis in the ghettos of the 1940s.

What happened to the “rules of war” and the lessons of WWII we heard about in high school and college?

Also, I can't help but think of the silence of our churches—not just about the Israeli/ HAMAS/ Hezbollah/ Iran situation, but my own church's failure to speak out or call a prayer meeting on ANY issue—social, economic or political—from Covid to abortion to local bond issues, to the border crisis to transgenderism. I suppose it's understandable with 35,000 “protestant” and “Bible only” groups many of whom have split on secular issues, including slavery and feminism. It is still an eerie silence for anyone who reads the paper or watches the evening news. It’s possible in the 1930s we didn’t know about the Soviets starving the Kulaks or the Nazis invading Poland and killing Jews until it was too late. Today we have HAMAS uploading their crimes in real time on the internet for all to see. Today we know the U.S. returned $6 billion to Iran who has sworn death to Israel. We've bought their oil for untold billions. We funded this!

There’s an ugly dividing waste land that runs through our wealthy, educated metropolitan congregations. The same Christians who support abortion and “a woman’s right to choose,” sanctuary cities, open borders, climate change laws that hurt the poorest economies, demonization of half of America’s voters and the sexual mutilation of children in the LGBTQ spectrum, also have been willing to excuse over the years Palestinians and deny that the Islamic hatred and beliefs about Israel’s existence is a real threat to Jews and the U.S. It’s the elephant in the sanctuary. Right here in Columbus (specifically 2021, 2014 and this week) there were large demonstrations in support of Palestine and against Israel. Was anything said—prayer—discussion? Is there a direct line from our silence to beheading babies and shooting the elderly at bus stops?

If our churches can’t even object to the Governor or Board of Health about violations of our religious rights in 2020 and 2021 during the lockdowns, how can I even suggest we have the moral authority and strength to say anything about the Russia Ukraine war, or the tribal warfare in South Sudan among Christians, or the Ethiopian crisis, or the invasion by millions at our Southern border, or HAMAS attacking civilians?

Well, I do suggest it. Can I sit through one more Bible study or sermon or hymn and not be sickened by our silence, and my own feeling of weakness while we dither about hiring women pastors (an issue from the 1970s) or how many millions we can raise to keep our buildings up to date?

Mike Huckabee on moral equivalency

 "I caught Brit Hume on Fox News yesterday, making the observation that watching the revolting cheering of the anti-Semitic carnage in Israel has been clarifying, like turning over a rock and discovering all kinds of disgusting moral equivalencies. He said we’re learning that some people we thought just had slightly unusual or “exotic” views actually have quite astonishing views.

That’s a good point, except the insane and violent extremism of the modern left wasn’t a shock to some of us, who’ve been warning about it for years.

For people who haven’t been raised right, who have been failed by the education system and don’t know what morality is, here’s a clue: There is no “moral equivalency” between terrorists who murder, torture and rape innocent people and their victims."

Billions to Iran

Biden/Obama tried to destroy our fossil fuel industry while paying Iran billions for oil--which in turn funds the alliance of Gaza, Tehran and Moscow. He tries to hide his duplicity by attacking half the American voters for supporting Trump, so you won't notice what's going on. And meanwhile, at the gas pump in the days to come and Iran uses its leverage, keep that in mind. Trump made us energy independent.

Lulled by a false sense of security . . .

"The world is a harsh and violent place. Sometimes we forget that and must be reminded. On October 6, Israel in outward appearance resembled a normal country. The military threat from its Arab neighbors had long been reduced to manageable levels. A high-tech boom had generated unprecedented prosperity. Carefree young people danced until morning in the night spots of Tel Aviv. Israelis felt safe enough to invest their considerable energies on sterile political controversies, American-style. These mostly swirled around the current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, a sometimes Trumpian figure, who, like Trump, inspired wild apocalyptic predictions and acts of symbolic resistance."

And then came Saturday, October 7, a holiday . . . Was Israel Lulled Into a False Sense of Security? | City Journal (city-journal.org)

Biden can't protect Israel's borders or Ukraine's borders or ours

"THE BIDEN BORDER CRISIS: NEW DATA AND TESTIMONY SHOW HOW THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OPENED THE SOUTHWEST BORDER AND ABANDONED INTERIOR ENFORCEMENT"

Interim Staff Report of the Committee on the Judiciary and Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security and Enforcement

• Between January 20, 2021, and March 31, 2023, there were over 5 million illegal alien encounters. Of these encounters, at least 2,464,424 had no confirmed departure from the United States.
• During the same period, DHS released at least 2,148,738 illegal aliens into the United States.
• Only 5,993 illegal aliens encountered at the southwest border and placed in removal proceedings before an immigration judge were actually removed from the United States during this time.
• A mere six percent of illegal aliens released into the United States were even screened for fear of persecution for purposes of asylum.
• As of March 2023, DHS had removed only 874 of the illegal aliens found to have a credible fear of persecution and whose claims were adjudicated on the merits and denied by an immigration judge.
• An additional 205,473 aliens were released into the country through illegal categorical parole programs.

2023-10-09-New Data and Testimony Show How the Biden Administration Opened the Southwest Border and Abandoned Interior Enforcement.pdf (dropbox.com)

Let me count the ways the Biden regime is a threat to the whole world

1) Used a pandemic to take back the White House using fear, lies and the deep state.

2) Biden bug-out from Afghanistan left behind billions of military weapons and technology,
3) which enriched the Taliban and
4) demoralized our troops,
5) which in turn sent a message to Putin that Biden is a paper tiger controlled by unnamed political forces,
6) which led to the deaths of thousands of Ukrainian and Russian people,
7) and threatened all of Europe.
8) Then he gave a 6 billion dollar deal to Iran for "humanitarian aid"
9) a country which has sworn to destroy Israel,*
10) which in turn funded an invasion of Israel's borders (why not since Biden has proven he can't protect our own borders).

I'm a former Democrat. I know the game. I was fooled too. Democrats are the party of the KKK and Jim Crow, the party that coaxes women into killing the next generation while bringing in outsiders to take their place, and then evangelizes them for careers in government and business. The party that can't define "woman" will be happy to send their sons and daughters into another war.

Democrats never waste a crisis. They used the Covid crisis to destabilize our economy, our schools, our health system, our military, and with the help of Big Pharma and Big Tech, our constitutional government putting in place a puppet regime worse than any totalitarian rule in modern times.

So many Democrats have been red-pilled** by their party's lust for power and insane treatment of Trump and they are looking anywhere for a political home (probably not to the weak, sniveling Republicans). They need to open their eyes and assess the damage. Yes, Biden has betrayed Israel, but he betrayed us first.

*"In Tehran yesterday [Oct. 7], members of Parliament chanted, “Death to Israel.” The Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh made a televised speech warning Arab countries that Israel could not protect them—an apparent threat against countries that had signed the Abraham Accords, such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which has been considering normalizing ties with Israel. Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas’s armed wing, said that his group’s action would at last put an end to Israeli air raids against Iranian and Hezbollah assets in Syria." (The Atlantic, Oct. 8, 2023)

** dramatically transformed, especially by introducing them to a new and typically disturbing understanding of the true nature of a particular situation

Mask research by the CDC--inaccurate

"The CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which is widely cited but not externally peer-reviewed, serially exaggerated the evidence for mask-wearing among 77 such outside studies it published, according to an independent review by epidemiologists at the University of California San Francisco, the system's health sciences campus.

Just 14% of MMWR studies reached statistical significance and 30% actually studied mask effectiveness. Yet three-quarters concluded that masks were effective, authors Tracy Beth Hoeg, Alyson Haslam and Vinay Prasad wrote in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Medicine, the official journal of a consortium of five associations in academic internal medicine.

 
None of the 77 was randomized, the strongest form of evidence, and just one study each "used causal language appropriately" ("particle filtration on mannequins") or "cited conflicting evidence" (mostly about influenza), they wrote. "The level of evidence generated was low and the conclusions were most often unsupported by the data." "

This is not called science it's called an agenda.

CDC repeatedly misrepresents mask research, mask mandates worsen depression: studies | Just The News

Ellsworth Wareham gives advice on nutrition and long life

https://youtu.be/FX58PyQwrcI?si=3hYjhqTW0FSe6SI9

He was 98 when he made this video, but lived to be over 104.  He's got some good advice on heart disease (his cholesterol was 117) and being a vegan, but most people wouldn't find it acceptable.  I came across this reading about Blue Zones. 

From Wikipedia: Ellsworth Edwin Wareham (October 3, 1914 – December 15, 2018)^[1][2] was an American cardiothoracic surgeon and centenarian from Loma Linda, California who promoted the health benefits of plant-based nutrition.^[3][4]

Queer Theory is big in anthropology

It's shocking how stupid educated people can be. Maybe it's because women outnumber men in college degrees (since 2008). And you can't compromise with them. It's gone way beyond using the correct pronoun with a colleague or not dead naming people, now they must foist their insane beliefs on people dead for thousands of years. We lost the battle when we agreed to use the word "gender" as a biological thing instead of a sick fantasy. Leftists have created a new tower of Babel in attempting to be god. It won't end well.

"We used to say there’s sex, and gender. Sex is biological, and gender is not. Then it’s no, you can no longer talk about sex. Sex and gender are one, and separating the two makes you a transphobe, when of course it doesn’t. In anthropology and many topics, the goalposts are continuously moved. And, because of that, we need to stand up and say, “I’m not moving from my place unless there’s good scientific evidence that my place is wrong.” And I don’t think there is good scientific evidence that there are more than two sexes." Elizabeth Weiss, a professor of anthropology at San José State University, whose panel discussion for the November Toronto conference was deep-sixed as not being "settled science." https://www.city-journal.org/article/dis-empaneled?

There is much to respond to in this portion of AAA’s statement. First, it’s ironic for the organization to accuse scientists of committing the “cardinal sin” of “assuming the truth” of something, and then to justify cancelling those scientists’ panel on the grounds that the panelists refuse to accept purportedly “settled science.” Second, the panel was organized to discuss biological sex (i.e., the biology of males and females), not “gender roles”; pivoting from discussions of basic biology to murkier debates about sex-related social roles and expectations is a common tactic of gender ideologues. Third, the AAA’s argument that a person’s “gender role” might not “align neatly” with his or her reproductive anatomy implies the existence of normative behaviors for members of each sex. Indeed, this is a central tenet of gender ideology that many people dispute and warrants the kind of discussion the panel intended to provide.  (Colin Wright, author of the CJ article)

More on Issue one and the Ohio Constitution

Planned Parenthood, supported primarily by Democrats/Progressives, is a cash only lucrative business for abortion and has a special program (funded by Warren Buffet) for poor and minority women to kill their babies. Its other programs are supported by the government, including contraception. Among the young, contraception has a high failure rate and thus they create a market for the abortions. Clever.

Abby Johnson, a former PP employee, says the Ohio bill (Issue 1) to enshrine abortion in Ohio's constitution has all the earmarks of having been drafted by Planned Parenthood. The slick ads we're seeing on TV are manipulative and contain inaccurate information. (Thepublicsquare.com podcast, 60)

The abortion battle in Ohio

I've been watching all the classy pro-abortion ads on TV (trying to enshrine abortion up to the day of birth in our Ohio Constitution). Excellent production values and heart-rending stories. Mega doses of outside money. It has caused me to wonder about all the rights and choices the babies being aborted won't have in their future.

No, women will still be able to get treatment for miscarriages.

No, it will not affect removing a deceased unborn child.

When a woman's life is at risk and the baby is pre-term, medical intervention can possibly save both.

Ectopic pregnancy (embryo implants outside the uterus) interventions are still necessary.  This is not an abortion.

Don't forget, abortion is the direct and intentional killing of a baby in the womb.  In the past, both parties were champions of the weak and helpless.

What Jesus never said

 

Welfare statistics for 2023 in U.S.

 50 Important Welfare Statistics for 2023 | Lexington Law

There were 70 million people on the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s welfare programs in the United States in 2021 which includes SNAP, housing assistance, unemployment programs and Medicaid. It is higher than military spending. It is estimated welfare spending in 2023 will account for around 14 percent of the federal budget.

How and why we lost confidence in the public health system

"In the end, it took some grandstanding Republicans in Congress to break the logjam of information. In July 2023, the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic released a trove of emails, text messages, and other interactions between Fauci, Collins, other health officials, and leading virus experts. Other messages were leaked to independent reporters, including Matt Taibbi, Bari Weiss, and Michael Shellenberger. These communications reveal a stunning contrast between those experts’ confident public statements and the doubts and fears they expressed privately.

In dozens of interviews, dating to the start of the pandemic, Fauci, Collins, and others expressed bland assurances that the new virus must have spilled into the human population from a wild animal. The idea that the Wuhan Institute might have been involved was dismissed as “just a conspiracy theory,” in Fauci’s words. But the recently disclosed communications reveal that behind the scenes, many of the world’s top virologists worried that the SARS-CoV-2 virus had leaked from the Wuhan lab. Worse, some feared that its terrifying transmissibility might be due to genetic manipulation."

The Covid Cover-up | City Journal (city-journal.org)