Microchimerism--again

In our Thursday Bible Study today at UALC, we are in chapter 7 of the Gospel of John. 

(NRSV)  7 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish[a] to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. 2 Now the Jewish festival of Booths[b] was near. 3 So his brothers said to him, ‘Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; 4 for no one who wants[c] to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.’ 5 (For not even his brothers believed in him.) 6 Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil. 8 Go to the festival yourselves. I am not[d] going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come.’ 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee.

10 But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were[e] in secret.

There were the usual comments (in a Protestant study) about Jesus' brothers being half brothers. Now the reason I say Protestant is that most of the Christian world believes Mary had no more children after Jesus and remained a virgin. Tradition holds that these are Joseph's sons from a previous marriage, or refers to a clan culture where close relatives (cousins) are called brothers or sisters,

I'd like to propose that God knew best. Our Creator God knows culture and he knows biology. If Jesus had half brothers and yet was the Messiah who was killed, there would be great demands placed on his brothers to take his place (particularly from those followers who didn't believe in the Resurrection). That would have been common in that culture. It still is today.

 But God also designed microchimerism--the passing of fetal cells between a pregnant woman and her babies.  Most of the studies in the last century have involved male offspring. Children leave behind their fetal cells in their mothers. There is strong biological evidence that these cells (particularly males) protect the mother for the rest of her life.  And those fetal cells can also appear in the bloodstreams of the woman's future children. Because of microchimerism there may also be the grandmother's cells passed to the children which the mother got from her mother.  Do you suppose God didn't have a plan to have only Jesus and not other men have Mary's cells in their blood stream?

Maternal Microchimerism: How A Mother's Cells Stay In Her Child Forever

Microchimerism: Lifelong Biological Connections Impacting Everyone

The Trump and Xi summit

Although I understand the economics of the deal and why Trump is chatting it up with Xi, I haven't forgotten the millions of Chinese citizens that were killed by Xi's party, and the millions of baby girls who were aborted for years in China's one child policy. The various popular Communist ideologies by our own leftists--climate extremism, trans-whatever, racist hate, Covid lockdowns, pro-Palestinian riots, worship of big tech and big pharma, anti-Christian bias, all in the name of chaos, not a better life for Americans. Although we can see through the virtue signaling and complain about it, their leaders too know that it causes long term chaos even when the poorly educated 20 somethings grow up or move on to the next big thing. Some people believe this took off in 2008 with the recession and the election of Obama, but I retired in 2000.  Wokeism and the leftist ideologies were firmly in place in academe even if it was called something else like political correctness or multiculturalism.   

Patron Saint of the Internet, Saint Isidore of Seville

I didn’t know the internet had a patron saint. Did you? He lived in the 7th century, and was known for being the first great Christian encyclopedist. St. Isidore of Seville, Bishop, died in 636. My kind of guy.

 According to Magnificat, Vo. 28, no. 3, May 13, "It was his curiosity about the world around him that made him the greatest scholar of his age. Not only did he write about Catholic theology--he collected information about music, medicine, geography, clothing, war, language, animals, plants, astronomy and physics. He compiled this information and carefully arranged it into textbooks that were used by scholars for generations to come."

I don't care much for Wikipedia, but it's getting harder NOT to use it since AI platforms use it and people grab the first thing that pops up. The phrase, "do your own research" is very hard to do unless you have a personal library pre-internet, and it won't help much with some of the current tech stuff like AI.

I used to have 7 sets of encyclopedias, but I think 3 were for children, so they left the house years ago. Although I own many "cyclopedic" type reference books, I don't call them that. But I do own the 11th, 12th and 13th editions of Encyclopaedia Britannica (inherited from my grandfather) and their history is fascinating although I don't necessarily agree with all that's said about it in the internet article.

The 12th was so focused on WWI (incredible maps) the editors soon had to publish the 13th to bring back some balance to scholarship about the world. Reminds me of the phenomenon we call Trump Derangement Syndrome and the Left/socialists believing the world of blame and evil only revolves around their own myopic viewpoint.

My new old jeans, Laurie Felt

It appears to me that the Laurie Felt brand was on QVC maybe a decade and then closed down sometime in 2023 saying she wanted more time with the family.  I looked through some old websites and found this.

The Laurie Felt jeans fabric is made of rayon, cotton, polyester and spandex and the various styles are extremely comfortable. It has a very nice feel.  They look very traditional, but there is no zipper behind the stitched fly, mine looks like 5 pocket, but in the front there ae no actual pockets (no bulk).  But the waist has a nice stretch for a pull on. Marc's which is an Ohio grocery and remainder store had a few on the rack and among the XXXXL and the XXXXXS I found a plain old L for $5, and it fit perfectly.  I'd never heard of the brand. 

"They pull-on — and stay on. We’re all about using technology to its maximum, creating special fibers that give a firm hold and an amazing recovery every single time. It’s all in the construction. The higher the construction, the tighter the weave, the softer the fabric, the higher the quality. All cars drive, but a Bentley drives better than a Volkswagen… same concept.

“There is so much stretch that just the slightest little shimmy gets you in. Once you’re in, everything looks lifted, shaped and great at the start of the day and when the day ends,” said QVC show host Jennifer Coffey, after rocking a pair of our Silky Slim Pull-On Jeans on air.

ICE agents going to 40 states

According to a USA Today article in the Columbus Dispatch the millions of illegal aliens who crossed the border and were not removed were "people who entered during the Biden administration." Because of tying the hands of ICE less than 1% were removed.

 
"Between January 20, 2021, and September 30, 2023, the Biden Administration removed from the United States only 10,522 illegal aliens who were encountered at the southwest border and who were placed in removal proceedings before an immigration judge during that time. In other words, of the at least 3.3 million illegal aliens released into the United States since January 20, 2021, the Biden Administration failed to remove, through immigration court removal proceedings, roughly 99.7 percent of those illegal aliens." GOVPUB-Y4_J89_1-PURL-gpo222127.pdf

The article goes on to say although Trump promised to remove 1 million in a year, he only deported 477,277 from Jan, 20, 2025 to April 4, 2026. Trump has stopped illegal immigration. But USA Today complains that the ICE agents were too extreme and half of all Americans object. (using far left Politico figures) because some weren't "worst of the worst," Biden allowed /encouraged 4 years of open borders, Trump fixes it. Blue cities violated the laws, and USA Today features 2 mentions of 2 people killed in riots in Minnesota. Riots and protests, but no mention of those killed or injured or displaced by the illegals, Thanks for nothing, USA Today/Columbus Dispatch. New wave of ICE deployments to impact 40 or more states  by Trevor Hughes

Why so few babies?

There's an opinion piece in the NYT about "Why so few people are having kids" by Anna Louie Sussman. She writes on gender, economics and reproduction. No shock here, but she doesn't answer the headline question. Low fertility rates are global, and she has one anecdotal example (a well educated financially secure Mexican American citizen who wants to buy a nice home in Minneapolis but is afraid of Trump). Most of her examples are academic research (no citations) on economic insecurity although they don't prove her point as it shows high education, good salaries in countries (mainly Nordic) with pronatalist government social policies don't increase fertility.

One of her claims is that economic insecurity causes a rise in radical-right parties and that anxiety causes infertility. Then comes a great line. People of faith aren't having the problem. She describes people who are not anxious (i.e. who are not wild-eyed rioters in the streets) as tradwife, homeschooling 10 kids. This gal has really swallowed the Kool-aid.

Even with her far leftist education that probably cost her parents $100,000 she has no reference, remembrance or research before 2008 and the "Great Recession." She has no knowledge of how families and marriage have been demonized since the 1960s. Remember "Population Explosion" by Paul Erlich? It had Americans afraid to have babies because the world could end in a decade and it was evil to increase the population. AOC probably used it to create the climate hoax. Although she now has a new enemy--THE RICH. And the pill, and abortion? The War on Poverty which chased men out of the home? Those don't only reduce fertility they demonize it. Remember the women's movement and the rush out of the home and into the government and corporate workplace so more women could pay more taxes? Remember the huge inflation of the 70s so no time to cook? Hire a sitter and go to work and then to the restaurant or carry out. Even the entertainment which the little ones consumed with the TV sitter featured divorced or single moms. No shock to me that maybe women like this writer got the message.

It was the culture, lady.

Read those annual reports of your stocks

I tossed out my stockholders ballot before I read the proxy statement and notice of annual meeting for Netflix. First, but least important, was the salaries. The two co-CEOs earn $53 million each. The so-called "median employee" earns $211,201, a ratio of 255 to 1.

Second, and most important, the shareholders wanted changes and those proposals were all opposed by the leadership. Proposal 5 was on politicized brand misalignment, i.e. gender ideology in children's programming. I was horrified reading through the titles of the garbage being aimed at children. "This promotion of sexualized content, particularly to Netflix' youngest viewers, has alienated customers, employees, and shareholders, and exposed Netflix to litigation and regulatory scrutiny . . . exposed Netflix to significant contingent liability and material legal risk." A $500 billion market value company with CEOs who make $53 million is trafficking children, in my opinion. I'll need to call our broker today. Netflix opposing statement was jibberish.

Mary Jane Zipse, member of MMHS 1957

 I received word today that a classmate of mine from high school, Mary Jane Floto Zipse has passed away. Mary Jane Zipse Obituary May 1, 2026 - Finch Funeral & Crematory

Honoring the church volunteers

Our church, UALC, is having a “combined” service today—the 9 o'clock (traditional) and 11 (modern) are meeting at 10 a.m. and then having a lunch— to honor volunteers, which is really just about everyone. We no longer do anything specifically, but we ran the arts ministry for years, taught Bible school, led a small group for years, and back when we had a church board system, I recall that Bob was on that (one pastor discontinued that system but I think it has been reinstated). In the early 80s before I returned to work I used to run the church library—which was fun because I had a budget and at that time there was a Lutheran Book store downtown. I would take the bus, walk a few blocks, browse and buy books and walk with a heavy bag back to the bus stop which dropped me off about 2 blocks from home. A bag of books with the new book smell—what a treat. Today with those tiny motor bikes people use (to save the planet) and drop off at their destination that wouldn’t be possible. Some things were better in the good old days. Also our friend Edie Cole who lives in Florida is in town. She is part of our current small group--widowed a few years ago, and now joins us by Zoom.  She'll also be with us in church and we plan to all sit together at the volunteer lunch.

80 for Brady, watching football can be fun

Inspired by a true story, this film shown at The Estates (a rom com?) tonight tells of four lifelong friends in their 80s (played by Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field) who travel to Houston to watch Tom Brady and his New England Patriots play in Super Bowl LI in 2017. Seventeen years before the 4 had gathered to help Lily get through her cancer treatment and had a tradition of watching him together. They win tickets (they think) and have hilarious adventures on the trip and at the game. 

Obama's quagmire?

Obama ran on the Iraq war issue--specifically getting out. He said it was a distraction from more important issues. Yet all 8 years of his terms we were at war with him in charge. So now Democrats call this 2 month war a quagmire? Hegseth fires back at 'quagmire' label, tells Garamendi 'shame on you' in House hearing.   And if Obama hadn't given Iraq the money to create this mess, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

Looking for low sodium cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is high in sodium but is a good source of calcium.  I can't find a low sodium cottage cheese brand. If I inquire on the internet, I receive results for low fat. Sodium content is similar for some brands, but checking labels is worth it. But I checked Ricotta cheese and it is much lower in sodium, but also different texture. Found this: "Ricotta cheese contains 76.9% less sodium compared to cottage cheese. Both food items are equal in their potassium and phosphorus contents." Ricotta cheese has more iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, and cottage cheese has more copper. Supposedly they taste different, but I think that's because Ricotta has much less salt. Cottage cheese has more liquid (water?) so I think measurements in grams are tricky. Ricotta has more fat, so more calories, but cottage cheese has more sugar and sodium. If you look at the graphs in this article, it looks to me as though Ricotta wins the nutrition race and is safer for those watching salt, which affects a lot of older people. Like me. I've never seen it in anything except dessert or pasta recipes, but tried some on a bowl of fruit today. I was explaining all this to Bob (about 7 a.m.) and he said, what does it taste like? And I said, like library paste. First time I've used this site on nutrition, but it's very thorough.

 https://foodstruct.com/nutrition-comparison-text/ricotta-vs-cheese-cottage-creamed-largeorsmallcurd?

Low Sodium Cottage Cheese - The Kidney Dietitian

Saying good-bye to Luan

 Next Saturday we'll be saying our final good-byes (for now) to Luan Zangmeister who died on April 16, 2026.  We were fellow members of UALC for about 5 decades. I recall poking my head in the room where she and helpers assembled the UALC newsletter, many chats in the halls, Sunday school classes after first service and our Thursday senior Bible studies. We watched her children and grandchildren grow up. Her son Jim was the "lucky" camp counselor when our daughter broke her arm at horse camp, and he was Phil's guitar teacher.  I remember her kindness when she sent us cards and notes when our son Phil had cancer. 

A memorial service will be held at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, 2300 Lytham Rd., at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, 2026. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. The Reverend Paul Ulring will officiate.

  

Luan Zangmeister Obituary (1933 - 2026) - Columbus, OH - Southeast Messenger

Take your child to work day, April 23, 2026

Take your child to work day. They are interviewing kids on Fox & Friends about this event. One little girl said she had no idea what her dad's job is, but she's going to work with him. Said she's looking forward to spending more time with him. Hmm. Sounds like he needs some time with the kids at home, too.

I can't remember not knowing what my father's job was. In fact, he wasn't happy when I was in 3rd grade and it was a class project. I drew a picture of him standing in front of his big red truck with a 5 o'clock shadow. He was already out working by the time I left for school, so I must have drawn what I saw in the evening. Also, occasionally my brother and I rode along with him. I thought it was a special treat, but maybe my mom was just busy?

Spring art show at The Estates

Here at the Estates on Friday evening Bob had a small (and brief--3 hours) one artist show. Most paintings were from our apartment, but three came from the storage shelves at our daughter's home. Two were new this year. Champagne and hors d'oeuvres were served. What you see on the walls hangs in the lobby, not the show. It was very popular with our neighbors and people are still talking about it and which was their favorite. Lots of variety. Pheasants in the snow. Santa Marie Fishing boat. Aarni washing potatoes in the lake. Bicycles in Lakeside. Phil Bruce. Young Haitian woman. Abby reading. Andy docked on Lake Erie. Verde River, Arizona. Indian woman with veil. Jack sailing Webb 3. Southern Ohio barn. Ireland Plateau. Pavilion in Snow at Lakeside. Stockbridge, Scotland, Leith River.

  

  

Celebrating 250 years with the USPS

A special postage stamp appeared in July 2025, but I hadn't shopped for stamps for a while and hadn't seen it. Today I bought a sheet celebrating USPS, "250 years of Delivering" issue. I admit, I was baffled by the message (of the art). I could see a town/neighborhood, seasons of the year, clothing that did not identify as female, vehicles/vans, birds, dogs, cats, black employees, no automobiles, people gardening and having summer activities on rooftops of buildings, babies and children, and a few businesses that could be a bookstore or a restaurant. One thing was clear; in this make believe town square there was a statue of a pony express rider. I looked at a couple of websites for an explanation and this video sort of explains it. https://youtu.be/0rfif1Lv7c0?si=pnPSzqgyZVMOgCxr It is following one current black female employee through time in the U,S. She's the only person in the art that is clearly a woman. Or even whose ethnicity is clear. It's why you see no changes in our life and culture except the models of the mail vans. Not even the clothing changes--not even ADA rules for handicap access (the ramps have no railings).

Qoheleth in today's words of Justices of SCOTUS

 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 1:9 (Qoheleth) Listen up, Democrats.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has given a stirring speech about the dangers and weaknesses of "progressivism" (aka Marxism) pointing to Woodrow Wilson and speaks directly to the likes and emotional appeals of Justice Ketanji Brown who relies on current cultural trends, and lower courts to draw policy and legal opinions. She and other progressives are opposed to the ideas of the Declaration of Independence. That is not the purpose of SCOTUS. She's an embarrassment. 

"Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Wednesday delivered a televised broadside against progressivism, a political philosophy he described as an existential threat to America and the principles that founded it 250 years ago.

“Progressivism seeks to replace the basic premises of the Declaration of Independence and hence our form of government,” Thomas said in a speech at the University of Texas Austin Law School pegged to the nation’s upcoming milestone birthday.

A spirit of “cynicism, rejection, hostility and animus” toward America -- by Americans -- has taken hold, Thomas said in remarks carried live on CSPAN." ABC News

Justice Clarence Thomas Says Progressivism at Odds with Declaration of Independence Principles | Video | C-SPAN.org

The Clarence Thomas Lecture at The University of Texas at Austin

"Qoheleth in the Book of Ecclesiastes emerges as a regal, wise, and deeply reflective figure-almost certainly Solomon, based on the robust internal and historical testimony. This Teacher convenes his audience through the text to examine life’s meaning and embrace the reality that all human pursuits find fulfillment only when rooted in reverence for God.

Ecclesiastes thus stands as a potent portion of biblical Wisdom Literature, shining throughout history and into the present day. The identity of Qoheleth reminds readers that even the greatest king with unmatched riches, fame, and intellect must ultimately conclude that life’s genuine purpose is found in acknowledging and fearing the Lord, who created all things and to whom everyone must give account." Bible Hub

He Found It

When I got to the dining room at The Estates for breakfast today, the early risers were all a flutter. Chairs pulled out, people searching. One man had lost a hearing aid. Someone turned on her phone flashlight, others were patting his clothing, another was looking through the sugar packets. He had to leave to catch the taxi (he still works), so after he was gone, I suggested we pray about it. I asked Ginny to lead us in prayer--she's the daughter of a missionary, a Baptist and goes to Bible study here. So, she started. And she barely got "Dear Lord" out, when someone stuck her head in the door and said He Found It. It was inside his belt buckle.

Edna St. Vincent Millay -- a favorite

 My friend Joan has recently lost her husband and has reposted this poem--always a favorite of mine since college.

Time Does Not Bring Relief.

Time does not bring relief; you all have lied
Who told me time would ease me of my pain!
I miss him in the weeping of the rain;
I want him at the shrinking of the tide;
The old snows melt from every mountain-side,
And last year’s leaves are smoke in every lane;
But last year’s bitter loving must remain
Heaped on my heart, and my old thoughts abide.
There are a hundred places where I fear
To go,—so with his memory they brim.
And entering with relief some quiet place
Where never fell his foot or shone his face
I say, “There is no memory of him here!”
And so stand stricken, so remembering him.

Analysis of Time does not bring relief; you all have lied - Poemotopia

Flashback to the Korean War deals

I remember the Korean War (1950-53) better than WWII, which ended when I was 5 and my dad and all my uncles (except one) came home. In 1950s and in the 2000s I knew a lot of WWII vets and some had served in both wars. 

Did you know it wasn't a war? No, it was the Korean Conflict. FDR actually "facilitated" (Yalta, giving USSR a foothold in Korea) because like Trump, he was trying to clean up (after the war in Europe) and "made a deal" which for millions of Europeans and Asians went really bad. Kinda like Obama making a deal to give Iran enough money to destroy the USA. So, it was left to Trump to do the real clean up decades later after FDR's went haywire and Obama's blew up the whole Middle East. Although FDR had a lot of Communist friends, so I suppose it's a matter of opinion if you want the world enslaved by Communists or Fascists or Islamists. The Communists killed far more people, mostly their own citizens, and if you read history, Trump is making far better deals. Unfortunately, we now have even more Communists in our government than we had in the 1940s.