tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70276602800602801972024-03-13T21:22:01.256-07:00The Singing in the WoodKarl Bjorn Erickson's blog on faith, the arts, travel, and more. Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.comBlogger343125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-10109634442300975232024-03-11T19:44:00.000-07:002024-03-11T19:46:23.157-07:00A Review of Cabrini: The Very Good, the Really Good, & the Not so Good<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://youtu.be/oUT7WnzyBI8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUotXl6vNliI-h4rjWNn7CRu_5GixrgCrPylJ_179xDWgkURivvz-KD5Q5EUVPpySXSQMhOncGdQ7VS3KtUIka0960kqvZdY3CRLxobrk9lkUwkFgM74bf9EVU1Cx_nm_CRaURAlbDF6rltbLXSyxXxapOcbS5HG2EsmdNTo3Sg-FeG43b7hkNX52oDc/w400-h210/Cabrini.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double-click for trailer.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: large;">In case you missed it, there's a new movie released this month. It's worth your time. <i>Cabrini </i>tells the true story of Saint Frances Cabrini who worked tirelessly for those poor and forgotten souls the city had forgotten. Cabrini, an immigrant from Italy, arrived in New York on March 3, 1889 along with six of her fellow nuns. Their intent was to simply start an orphanage with the blessing of Pope Leo XIII, but she ended up accomplishing so much more--from orphanages to modern hospitals.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6ZZ7JlOcLUKpc4FjzDTe7YTTyuHM8fEpE-MAPWVyxCCAQsdiNkj1yp6TVDwuHASbV_vLDYvEhnAFv7mvHrlj9zlZf6QzynUpy31iC2_KaSQ_5a9EzAaCSSaguJ6fSP0OTalSTnOxGwt5Sh40frLh93ra4g2Vt6HAO7qOseRJWgpkGTIR1pQhmzBx4GQ/s412/Cabrini%202.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="412" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6ZZ7JlOcLUKpc4FjzDTe7YTTyuHM8fEpE-MAPWVyxCCAQsdiNkj1yp6TVDwuHASbV_vLDYvEhnAFv7mvHrlj9zlZf6QzynUpy31iC2_KaSQ_5a9EzAaCSSaguJ6fSP0OTalSTnOxGwt5Sh40frLh93ra4g2Vt6HAO7qOseRJWgpkGTIR1pQhmzBx4GQ/w400-h240/Cabrini%202.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Some have argued that this movie is dark or that it glorifies feminism. I can understand the dark critique, but its subject matter is one of the darkness of the inner city, of inhumanity to man. I avoid movies that are dark in tone without a larger purpose, but movies that contain dark imagery to underscore hard-fought battles won or for other legitimate purposes can serve a positive purpose in bringing us knowledge and understanding of those who have done good (or ill) for others under extraordinarily difficult circumstances--such as Cabrini. Yes, if it's a <i>Batman </i>movie where you can hardly make out the characters due to the scenes being continually so dark simply for a glorification of violence, count me out, but this is something quite different.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_EJg00OFs8xF7dr5qiT1KISZbWHB9Xxd75GpADgCXAOXSBIfHw_DyfLviDx_cSw71HcsYVFYsGG1OpoUk-1xPCNtxON1GYV4oyLxbXxVvYSP8dcjs8xzV3kNJvWkZ4l8NUzEcWsDMrz6ttEFNWVwpBfsfgyXIDB2-CtF9MRNhlGnAP2Z1KK28X9FqxM/s761/st_frances_cabrini_06.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="761" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_EJg00OFs8xF7dr5qiT1KISZbWHB9Xxd75GpADgCXAOXSBIfHw_DyfLviDx_cSw71HcsYVFYsGG1OpoUk-1xPCNtxON1GYV4oyLxbXxVvYSP8dcjs8xzV3kNJvWkZ4l8NUzEcWsDMrz6ttEFNWVwpBfsfgyXIDB2-CtF9MRNhlGnAP2Z1KK28X9FqxM/s320/st_frances_cabrini_06.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculpture by my father-in-law of Cabrini.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"> Another criticism of the movie is that it promotes feminism. I think this is patently untrue. Catholic tradition--and Italian culture in particular-- are full of strong women of faith. Just because women can't be priests, of course, doesn't mean that they can't have other powerful and meaningful roles within the Church and their families. Catholic teaching, after all, does contain a certain woman we think pretty highly of: Mary. Mary wasn't afraid of saying yes to God and risk stoning for being with child before her marriage to Joseph. She and Joseph further risked life and limb in their travels to Egypt. Even being present at the foot of the holy cross may have placed her at risk--in addition to the agony of anguish. God often calls incredibly strong and brave women, and this doesn't mean that we are arguing for feminism in some way.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I'm not always a fan of Angel Studios, however. It's true that I think that Director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde hit this one out of the park, but I do think Angel Studios could improve their practices in a few ways. First, the previews before the movie are repeated pleadings for advanced ticket sales for their upcoming motion pictures. The movies featured immediately convey everything that is wrong with Christian film: stereotyped characters, overly sentimental scenes, preachy and political undertones, over the top plots, etc. By showing the trashy stuff before a long film like <i>Cabrini</i> (almost 2 and a half hours), it lowers audience expectations and disrespects the audience as well. As it was, for instance, one of our party had to leave just before the ending out of concern for an old pet in her home; it was l-o-n-g. Add to this, Angel Studios is selling all manner of knock-offs from the movie on their site. From tacky jewelry to other assorted nicknacks; it's tacky. I love this movie, but it's like the production company needs to grow up a bit and stop behaving like a spoiled brat.</span><p><br /></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIG5VxtRPsh4ZWaVoB0nvlBcXM61Dz4xY9P7T8hIRmL3q9pGk2xm9hzIpn5CtJWCUTaBjoyco8OiNw-PJZIM7fxbQlN97HZs2PTWy1X8n_201H5jNhdK5SEjmIlp2vHZsn6_dgkLJbPnP_vssNaLEsrglKC9iUk88zpyJ4YYrGzS4itYLaWi6KU_Ssn04/s2048/CabriniRelics_226-2048x1612.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1612" data-original-width="2048" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIG5VxtRPsh4ZWaVoB0nvlBcXM61Dz4xY9P7T8hIRmL3q9pGk2xm9hzIpn5CtJWCUTaBjoyco8OiNw-PJZIM7fxbQlN97HZs2PTWy1X8n_201H5jNhdK5SEjmIlp2vHZsn6_dgkLJbPnP_vssNaLEsrglKC9iUk88zpyJ4YYrGzS4itYLaWi6KU_Ssn04/s320/CabriniRelics_226-2048x1612.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double-click to go to a Cabrini photo site,</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-11748044992876925472024-02-04T20:14:00.000-08:002024-02-05T18:52:25.711-08:00Karl's Pacific Northwest Clam Chowder and Famous Pretzels<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #444444;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMhyphenhyphenJbkm3Hgp5xIYkQzjLERq52vbA1jlBPF5IT6pzoEqWTUKDzcWbLX97hafRa2_OhJ0eP_BNgq2r5vifbmmuM2-0Su3TEvOFFtNtZwfwf4uACQxDCGOBk6qsQ_Deofm8UFw-DfxIRWg4IqZ0XuAnOUTcHZ6jZz0EZMIuAM42E2E2TKHHvD-nZcwxPbn4/s6000/IMG_2187.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMhyphenhyphenJbkm3Hgp5xIYkQzjLERq52vbA1jlBPF5IT6pzoEqWTUKDzcWbLX97hafRa2_OhJ0eP_BNgq2r5vifbmmuM2-0Su3TEvOFFtNtZwfwf4uACQxDCGOBk6qsQ_Deofm8UFw-DfxIRWg4IqZ0XuAnOUTcHZ6jZz0EZMIuAM42E2E2TKHHvD-nZcwxPbn4/s320/IMG_2187.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></span></span><br />If there's one dish I enjoy, it's a good bowl of clam chowder. We've sampled clam chowder in fine restaurants from Victoria to Monteray, and I really can honestly say that our recipe is hard to beat. That said, my recipe owes a debt of gratitude to my own family. In fact, perhaps I should call it Eastern Washington Clam Chowder? No, I guess not.<br /><br />Besides never scalding the milk, the central thing to bear in mind for this recipe is to keep experimenting and perfecting it. That's one aspect I enjoy--that each batch is slightly different than before. I usually add a one or two of a rotating list of seafood together with the clams: shrimp, crab, scallops, smoked salmon, etc. (Freshly caught seafood is particularly good, but make sure you have selected the right kind of clams if you've dug them yourself. Sadly...the Ericksons are not the best clam diggers; we buy them canned now.)<br /><br />I also recommend making it correctly the first couple times before trying to concoct a healthy version. After all, this isn't a side dish, it's the meal. We almost never use real cream, for instance, but it does greatly improve the texture and flavor. You may notice I use the word about a number of times in the recipe. This is because either I have misplaced the precise measurements or I am encouraging some brave experimentation. (I'll let you decide which is the case.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><b>Chowder Ingredients</b><br /><br /><br />about five pounds of cut and peeled potatoes<br />about two cups of chicken broth<br />4-6 small cans of clams or 1 of the large can<br />3/4 to 1 stick of real butter<br />2 diced onions<br />1 diced stalk of celery<br />about a quart of whipping creme or half and half<br />four cups of whole milk<br />2-3 tbsp corn starch (optional)<br />half a carrot (optional)<br /><br /><br />Seasoning (to taste)<br /><br />salt<br />cracked pepper<br />dried parsley<br />basil (fresh preferred)<br />oregano<br />Be creative!<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">At the same time you're boiling the potatoes in the chicken broth, begin to sauté the cut onions in a skillet with some butter or good olive oil. Once the potatoes are sufficiently tender, remove from the heat. Cook the onions until they begin to become translucent. Just before removing from the heat, add the celery. If the potatoes are too big, cut to smaller pieces. (You can cut them within the pot and save a little time.) Add sautéed onions to potatoes, followed by the rest of the seafood and any other desired ingredients. Don't add the milk or whipping creme yet!<br /><br />Once everything has come to a gentle boil, add the milk and whipping creme last. Keep stirring and lower the heat. This prevents the milk from scalding. As the consistency will likely not be thick enough, withdraw half a cup of the liquid from the chowder and add two or three tablespoons of corn starch. Mix well before adding to the chowder. Bring to a boil again, stirring frequently, then remove from heat and serve hot. (The corn starch thickening step is not always necessary.)<br /><br />Everyone (except me) in my household likes ice cold peas dropped atop top the chowder to help cool it down at serving time. I still believe that this is a great affront to the chowder gods. Consequently, you will not see peas in my chowder--unless, of course, my wife Kimberly has prepared it. :)<br /><br /><br />Suggested toppings: crumbled pepper bacon or oyster crackers.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bonus--Karl's Famous Pretzels<br /></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiNVh0s7hKnMVyJOQoGw3Adl5P0RvYj4N4OEBb2AH12ad-5nQNI8Du8UxTTTcX3lguU0oinL7ALrVOp5_ilU7im566KoTNtfIXD0Telin1KZH51DU8NMC94ov-Pv0EQEKqRbJCJxOjYIuTS1RxRpUBn7z8fl2khdBOjS7M1lazNWlw_r_bDRhhiSaBFA/s6000/IMG_2198.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiNVh0s7hKnMVyJOQoGw3Adl5P0RvYj4N4OEBb2AH12ad-5nQNI8Du8UxTTTcX3lguU0oinL7ALrVOp5_ilU7im566KoTNtfIXD0Telin1KZH51DU8NMC94ov-Pv0EQEKqRbJCJxOjYIuTS1RxRpUBn7z8fl2khdBOjS7M1lazNWlw_r_bDRhhiSaBFA/s320/IMG_2198.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve been perfecting this recipe for several years now, and I think you'll enjoy it--unless you're on a no gluten diet. One word of advice is not to skip the quick immersion in the boiling water! This step makes all the difference in their final texture, creating pretzels that are moist yet crisp. I don't go into a lot of detail here about forming the pretzels, but just do your best. It takes a little practice. Even if they look odd, they should still taste great!<br /><br /><br /><b>Ingredients and Preparation</b><br /><br />1 1/4 cup water or beer (1/4 cup of warm water for the yeast)<br />3 cups bread flour<br />1 tsp sugar<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />about 1 1/2 tsp of dry yeast<br />2 tbsp softened butter (optional)<br />1-4 tbsp of sourdough sponge</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 egg (optional)<br /><br />1 or two beaten eggs<br />course salt<br />sesame seeds<br />1/2 stick of butter<br /><br /><br />Activate the yeast separately by adding it to the water and sugar. If you have a bread machine, try using this to prepare and knead the dough. (It helps if you add the water first.) If it’s too large a batch for the machine, try cutting the recipe in half. Otherwise, prepare the dough as you would for an ordinary loaf of homemade bread.<br /><br />Neither the butter nor the sourdough is a required ingredient, but I think both help make a better finished product. The sourdough enhances the depth and richness of flavor. The butter not only improves both the texture and flavor, but it also might help slightly when it comes time to form the pretzels. (You may also want to try adding one tablespoon corn meal and letting the bread "rest" before rising. Also, cooking sprays work well on one's hands.). Update: I think olive oil in the dough works better than anything else I have tried to help make the forming of the pretzels a little less messy.<br /><br />Watch the dough’s progress in the bread machine (or food processor) carefully. It often requires a little fine-tuning with additional water and/or flour in order to achieve a proper ball of dough. You will want the dough to rise for several hours, and, depending on the size and habits of your bread machine, you may decide to transfer before long to a bread pan inside a barely heated oven and cover with a moist towel. (I pre-heat to a couple hundred degrees, put the bread in, then turn off the oven.) As an alternative, you may also want to form the pretzels now, then place in the oven under the towel to rise. <br /><br />HINTS: Another alternative, recommended by my daughter, is to roll the dough into eight-inch ropes and let those rise before later forming the pretzels. You may also find it helpful to roll the pretzels on a floured cutting board.<br /><br />When it looks like it’s done rising, it’s time to get everything else ready. Beat your eggs for the wash and set aside. Get a deep pan and fill it halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Begin forming the pretzels by making eight-inch ropes. Once they're formed into their classic shape, carefully pick each up and dip in the boiling water for ten seconds, or so, before returning to the greased baking sheet.<br /><br />When this step is complete and they’ve all had their hot bath, then brush the egg wash over each and season with the course salt and sesame seeds. Bake until lightly browned for about 20 minutes at 450 degrees. Enjoy with melted butter.<br /><br /><br /><br /><b>Some Quick Pretzel History</b><br /><br />Pretzels are said to have had their origin in Europe in the 600s, and were used by monks to reward children for memorizing their prayers and studies. <i>The History of Science and Technology</i>, by Bryan Bunch and Alexander Hellemans, describe their invention by a monk "...as a reward to children who learn their prayers. He calls the strips of baked dough, folded to resemble arms crossing the chest, 'pretiola' ("little rewards")". Pretzels were also used as a teaching tool for the mysterious three-in-one nature of the Holy Trinity.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>New YouTube video of me endeavoring to cook...</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LnVTqFhDcFc" width="320" youtube-src-id="LnVTqFhDcFc"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-52255709371602477892024-01-01T19:24:00.000-08:002024-01-01T19:29:13.188-08:00A History of Israel at a Glance<p>
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<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRPVwSy27EFyuUlKx9NIfBmLW8miyfaJs1On9i91OsmbvNGuO6F0a2Z64RrXVtLSnD8TDoFVSsCJlyypllIVdHBXEZBGnuFfsWSfJ136AV3kFSvxRLyRfxZzzpckw4GZRRQx2AIPB8BJhRs79GgghjWlBpJjq-6ozpQtft3zzE1Mq0tgVPFmT_VuyhUc/s6000/IMG_4812.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRPVwSy27EFyuUlKx9NIfBmLW8miyfaJs1On9i91OsmbvNGuO6F0a2Z64RrXVtLSnD8TDoFVSsCJlyypllIVdHBXEZBGnuFfsWSfJ136AV3kFSvxRLyRfxZzzpckw4GZRRQx2AIPB8BJhRs79GgghjWlBpJjq-6ozpQtft3zzE1Mq0tgVPFmT_VuyhUc/s320/IMG_4812.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>A relative put this valuable and interesting resource together, and it was recently updated. I've decided to share it "as is." It's an illuminating resource. Note that Palestine did not even enter the picture until 135 AD. Paul Johnson is a great source. <i>Modern Times </i>is another excellent title of Mr. Johnson's. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQtNKA0ms60rcMktfJv-Yd0iKRs09qBmeWOAwWEqE0v97i2UngzZP62_3NNjpv68_zDN-cOC1Pelv9FAb7WFxc6eDhkZgcuzcXs294X7snJ5Wgk5OSWFDfJlapuiOd1pLU1gO81rPPrKlPOdJ1JMdKOjJ4-d86LJM5fXBnwclkeure51CWl3Rtv7oEDfc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="936" height="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQtNKA0ms60rcMktfJv-Yd0iKRs09qBmeWOAwWEqE0v97i2UngzZP62_3NNjpv68_zDN-cOC1Pelv9FAb7WFxc6eDhkZgcuzcXs294X7snJ5Wgk5OSWFDfJlapuiOd1pLU1gO81rPPrKlPOdJ1JMdKOjJ4-d86LJM5fXBnwclkeure51CWl3Rtv7oEDfc=w638-h1000" width="638" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhq6aQFKdcgYc-Fr-vnR3-nM9NeigwS-kytSE_5VVWA8lMH-jGITb29DGLn654niaWTJ5svAjR1utPxfuTnWdwodK-K2BNOkw4NzxJcK_kT-sNTWs36tKD3lIuesL1eNEbX7V5OGbVFEDtowg4m7tcouVwNb-IlSW1gdxvET8CJzFInOLAYLMlFzBIRl0I" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="936" height="764" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhq6aQFKdcgYc-Fr-vnR3-nM9NeigwS-kytSE_5VVWA8lMH-jGITb29DGLn654niaWTJ5svAjR1utPxfuTnWdwodK-K2BNOkw4NzxJcK_kT-sNTWs36tKD3lIuesL1eNEbX7V5OGbVFEDtowg4m7tcouVwNb-IlSW1gdxvET8CJzFInOLAYLMlFzBIRl0I=w662-h764" width="662" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p></div></div><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column">
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</div>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-1516553113454704232023-12-29T16:25:00.000-08:002023-12-29T16:51:00.806-08:00Reflections on Fiducia Supplicans<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 18px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0vIBKCoVRdoLD1cifIQuckR8l8jtYKlSEQghJP4rGqWgGcgmOiNOjZqi5sQjTd78JIh7p25Dv4OQTModgEBPzwgSi_rbRLP7aGtjZxjzvCs80k1oARw9VjwZ-cPSp5rrqi2l3mc6jZjLGYy4NcuhaJoBKPDCclg7SDijtp6RcQilP-ARADZ0rA474_0/s6000/IMG_4462.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0vIBKCoVRdoLD1cifIQuckR8l8jtYKlSEQghJP4rGqWgGcgmOiNOjZqi5sQjTd78JIh7p25Dv4OQTModgEBPzwgSi_rbRLP7aGtjZxjzvCs80k1oARw9VjwZ-cPSp5rrqi2l3mc6jZjLGYy4NcuhaJoBKPDCclg7SDijtp6RcQilP-ARADZ0rA474_0/w320-h213/IMG_4462.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Fiducia Supplicans, the recent Vatican statement on blessings, has caused quite the stir in the Catholic Church. As it’s our spiritual home, and there is a great deal of confusion about what is said in this document and perhaps intended, I’m sharing several reflections here. I should preface this post with the fact that I have a pending article under consideration at a major Catholic publication on a tenuously associated topic; I’m not going into great depth at this time. Also, there is a tendency in some circles to pile on Pope Francis. While I have disagreement with his repeated tendency towards obfuscation on issues of doctrine of the Church, I don’t believe it’s my place to encourage or participate in behavior that crosses the line. (Any vitriolic comments concerning Pope Francis will be deleted by the moderator.)<br /><br />The first thing I’d like to point out is that there are two dimensions to this document. There is the reading of the document itself, then there is the foreseeable application or implication in the real world. We have all seen, for instance, what has happened in the past to denominations that have endeavored to make a simultaneous peace with the world and their church; it fails. In the time of C.S. Lewis and England, it concerned the ordination of women in the Anglican Church. In his essay the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fern-Seed-Elephants-Other-Essays-Christianity/dp/0006240682">“Fern-seed and Elephants”</a> Lewis took a hard look at the implications of this move. (Writers like Joseph Pearce have argued that Lewis would likely not have remained Anglican much longer, but his death in late 1963 left this question unanswerable.) There is no reason to doubt similar negative prospects on a document of this nature, but let’s back up a step or two.<br /><br />The supporters of Fiducia Supplicans like to suggest that those who oppose it fail to understand the described nuances (loopholes) in the blessing descriptions. That’s not quite right. If you read the document as purely an academic piece, the nuances might perhaps work. If you read it as a piece integral to witness and evangelization, it fails for the degree of ambiguity and confusion it contributes to in its real world application. As a further aside, the document implies that it’s not about blessing the couple at all. It suggests these are akin to ordinary blessings of individuals. Yet, it repeatedly uses the the word “couple” within the document, which lends further discord and confusion to the argument.<br /><br /><br /><i>38. For this reason, one should neither provide for nor promote a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation. At the same time, one should not prevent or prohibit the Church’s closeness to people in every situation in which they might seek God’s help through a simple blessing. In a brief prayer preceding this spontaneous blessing, the ordained minister could ask that the individuals have peace, health, a spirit of patience, dialogue, and mutual assistance—but also God’s light and strength to be able to fulfill his will completely.<br /></i><br /><br />Not only is this likely going to cause yet more confusion among the faithful (particularly chaste homosexuals), but it puts a bullseye on the back of any priest who declines to perform such a blessing. </span><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Resources and Commentary at a Glance:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><a href="https://dwightlongenecker.com/a-parish-priest-on-fiducia-supplicans/" target="_blank">Father Dwight Longenecker</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><a href="https://x.com/carleolson/status/1736815452423434743?s=20" target="_blank">Carl Olson</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><a href="https://x.com/carleolson/status/1736838827615097251?s=20" target="_blank">Carl Olson (2)</a><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UTh9m9DR6WI" width="320" youtube-src-id="UTh9m9DR6WI"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p></div>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-27118083141283893422023-11-30T19:03:00.000-08:002023-11-30T19:16:43.505-08:00Saying Goodbye to the Best Dog Ever<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfzF-0RdldYss9PCT2YFSk_aJOGADvLA0MPWPLVHuNEEywUluXggjWQBdTpfSCccqShJMbgTfoW50g1atVBbjM7msrqxs21JjXRkjxFA88M8YPLvFdJ_NshucEDkf6Jd1QpcvFA8IpLdv2IOy_o6kDEWumqESw599s5XLkB8wKXCT9CBZAuEzuQPoR4g/s2304/16872463654_9ee822e7f9_o.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfzF-0RdldYss9PCT2YFSk_aJOGADvLA0MPWPLVHuNEEywUluXggjWQBdTpfSCccqShJMbgTfoW50g1atVBbjM7msrqxs21JjXRkjxFA88M8YPLvFdJ_NshucEDkf6Jd1QpcvFA8IpLdv2IOy_o6kDEWumqESw599s5XLkB8wKXCT9CBZAuEzuQPoR4g/w266-h400/16872463654_9ee822e7f9_o.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">On November 22, the day before Thanksgiving, my wife and I made the terribly difficult decision that it was time to put our eleven-year-old Newfoundland, Chester to sleep. I have to admit the last three or four years have been hard. He was a medically challenging dog, but we provided the best vet care we could afford. It was a lot of hard work at times--not to mention expense--but it was all worth it, of course. Still, when that time came on the 22nd, I wasn't expecting such a deep level of grief for a...dog. I thought his years of illness would subdue the sadness somewhat, make the good times seem more distant; I was dead wrong. For the first few days after, I kept thinking I saw him in the house out of the corner of my eye, or I would forget and watch for him at night for a moment as I was navigating the dark bedroom.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjB4tWn" target="_blank">Chester</a> was a gentle giant of a dog. He welcomed everyone warmly and didn’t have an aggressive bone in his body---unless one of his p</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">eople was in potential danger. When hikers would catch sight of him, they would frequently joke he looked like a bear. On one particular hike where the trail wasn't particularly good, I remember he seemed to rotate somewhat from the front of our little group to the back, keeping a watch on everyone. When he was a puppy he didn’t care for playing fetch, but he did enjoy soccer. He was incredibly loving towards all of us and would also instantly adapt his behavior (particularly when younger) to people with special needs. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’m grateful he survived long enough to meet our grandson James. The baby really enjoyed meeting him. He was quite the dog, and he is sorely missed by all of us. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">As I've <a href="https://www.catholic365.com/article/524/are-there-animals-in-heaven.html" target="_blank">written elsewhere</a>, I'm a firm believer that good pets will be with believers in heaven. I believe we'll see him again someday, and I am thankful for that.</span></span></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-3835497054647134672023-08-06T19:47:00.003-07:002024-03-11T18:36:42.074-07:00The UAP Question<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitqhTr9mncaF2AZRGqWfY8iaexYHrrbniX88VwNXc0_pJjq0gDV5zYZsIpohsMiD8Y_7610EaEn6rsij0ZihUiRwqgovoD5pPmNpjhadRMPO3GPMIeqstKCOthJuTsrfzoSI9lU3H7GGNUH9m-PTZ8lFd0Zb3N9fEU5TBciohli55h6gA0zOvWHlqHih4/s6000/bigstock-Sky-Starry-Background-space-St-474916141.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitqhTr9mncaF2AZRGqWfY8iaexYHrrbniX88VwNXc0_pJjq0gDV5zYZsIpohsMiD8Y_7610EaEn6rsij0ZihUiRwqgovoD5pPmNpjhadRMPO3GPMIeqstKCOthJuTsrfzoSI9lU3H7GGNUH9m-PTZ8lFd0Zb3N9fEU5TBciohli55h6gA0zOvWHlqHih4/w400-h266/bigstock-Sky-Starry-Background-space-St-474916141.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Unfortunately, we have all been given the dubious blessing of living in <i>interesting times</i>. Things seem to grow stranger and more bewildering with each passing day. Whether it is the nonsensical gender identity/fluidity debate, Russia’s own hired mercenaries making a wild dash for Moscow, ridiculous <a href="https://www.catholic365.com/article/13025/clarity-of-vision.html" style="color: #954f72;">conspiracy theories</a> gaining traction, or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) swooping in and out of the news, there is a lot to process. While Joel 2:30 and Matthew 24 point to signs in heaven as well as “wars and rumors of wars” that signal the onset of end times or <a href="https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-rapture" style="color: #954f72;">tribulation</a>, it can become harder to consistently focus upon Christ with these distractions pulling us ever further away. This turmoil may lead some to a concern that the strange events themselves point to a chaotic and uncontrolled reality untouched today by the hand of God. This, then may also lead to the misguided idea that perhaps perception <i>is</i> reality. That is, for instance, why continue to oppose things such as gender identity or abortion, if everything is going crazy around us and God has supposedly exited stage right? After all, wouldn’t it be easier to just give in and “make nice?” Please allow me a personal example to begin this look as I focus here on the UAP question--as it intersects with a person of faith, in particular.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">A number of years ago, we lived a half hour away in the town of Salem, Oregon. We had a nice ranch style home in a great neighborhood, situated within just a few blocks of our church. One activity I enjoyed was to stand on my expansive (greatly missed) back deck and stare up at the night sky to take in the stars. It was not unusual for me to catch the distant streak of a meteor or unwavering glint of a satellite high above. Something else caught my eye one particular evening. It appeared from the north heading south overhead. Its triangular or “V” shape was more inferred than seen, as the sky and stars were partially blotted out overhead by this large, unknown craft. Everything around me was remarkably still; absolutely no sound came from the thing gliding south above me. I attempted to take a photo with my phone, but, of course, it was just blackness. Before I could call my wife, the object was gone into the night—still heading south, as last I could discern. My mind went briefly to the Native American tales of the thunderbird, except this thing was clearly enormous and mechanical in nature. When you have nothing on which to gauge or compare size or height precisely, it is difficult to estimate proportions, but it certainly appeared to dwarf any aircraft of which I am familiar, and the absolute silence made it highly unlikely to be…from around here.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Since I am the guy writing this, I might as well sheepishly confess that this wasn’t the only occurrence. I also saw multiple lights come together and then speed apart at a high rate of speed across the night sky of the Yakima Valley when I was just a child. I tried to explain what I saw, but the adults in my life at the time assumed that I had simply been watching too much television. Time to limit those <i>Star Trek</i> episodes perhaps? Many years later when I heard that the FBI had made some large <a href="https://vault.fbi.gov/" style="color: #954f72;">freedom of information releases online</a>, I decided to search for my hometown and “UFOs.” While I recalled locating information in that particular database, it must have been elsewhere. The information I did begin to uncover, however, suggested that there were numerous other substantiated reports of occurrences along these lines dating back at least to the early 1970s. In January 2019. For example, the <i>Yakima Herald Republic</i> ran <a href="https://www.yakimaherald.com/archive/lifestyle/seen-a-ufo-weird-tales-of-the-yakima-valley-and-beyond/article_c60cec86-1096-11e9-b506-fbb05708dfb7.html" style="color: #954f72;">an article</a> exploring some of these instances. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some look at the question of potential alien life—just like certain social issues—and decide that it undermines faith, demanding a new way of understanding the spiritual and physical world; they are viewed as mutually exclusive. While alien life would require some spiritual retooling perhaps, it need not damage one’s faith. It may surprise readers to learn that C.S. Lewis addressed the issue of alien life in one of his essays—as well as his last recorded interview. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-size: large;">…usually, when the popular hubbub has subsided and the novelty has been chewed over by real theologians, real scientists and real philosophers, both sides <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-size: large;">find themselves pretty much where they were before. So it was with Copernican astronomy, with Darwinism, with Biblical Criticism, with the new psychology. So, I <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-size: large;">cannot help expecting, it will be with the discovery of "life on other planets" If that discovery is ever made. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-size: large;">The supposed threat is clearly directed against the doctrine of the Incarnation, the belief that God of God "for us men and for our salvation came down from <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-size: large;">heaven and was . . . made man." Why for us men more than for others? If we find ourselves to be but one among a million races, scattered through a million spheres, how can we, without absurd arrogance, believe ourselves to have been uniquely favored? I admit that the question could become formidable. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lewis, CS. “Religion and Rocketry,” <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Last-Night-Other-Essays/dp/0062643517/ref=sr_1_1?crid=209FOLXGSGZNO&keywords=the+worlds+last+night&qid=1688514521&sprefix=the+worlds+last+night%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-1" style="color: #954f72;"><b><i>The World’s Last Night</i></b></a><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s important to make a brief digression here. Some extremely intelligent Catholics are making the somewhat naïve argument that all UAPs originate with the devil as further distractions from what is good and true. While the devil may indeed may play some role here, I’d like to respectfully remind these writers that it seems highly implausible that evil spirits can interfere with humanity to the degree that they are able/permitted to take a nuclear missile system offline as has been revealed took place at the <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/10/19/air-force-veterans-who-are-ufo-true-believers-return-newly-attentive-washington.html" style="color: #954f72;">Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota on October 24, 1966</a> or that they can be seen and recorded by pilots and radar installations around the world. (The following is one written account of many available of the 1966 incident. This particular best-seller by journalist Leslie Kean brings together former military, commercial pilot, and air traffic controller accounts of interactions with UAPs from over the last half century, or so, and it includes testimony from those hailing from multiple countries.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <i>Something very extraordinary also occurred one year earlier at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota: On October 24, 1966, the Minuteman missile system was adversely affected during an afternoon while UFOs were sighted from the ground by multiple observers at three separate missile sites for over three hours, and two objects were tracked on radar. Communications and radio transmissions between various facilities monitoring the events were disrupted by static when the UFO came close to the site. <o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">At 4:49 p.m. the outside and interior security alarms of safety for the Oscar 7 missile silo were activated at the control desk located sixteen kilometers (ten miles) away. A security team was dispatched and discovered that not only was the fence open but the horizontal door closing the missile silo was also open. This reinforced-concrete door weighed nearly twenty tons and there were no tire tracks nor any record of a visit that could account for this.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kean, Leslie. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/UFOs-Generals-Pilots-Government-Officials-ebook/dp/B0036S4C66/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2GU8EPTRNQGGJ&keywords=ufo+leslie+kean&qid=1688514570&sprefix=ufo+leslie+kean%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-1" style="color: #954f72;">UFOs</a> (p. 139). Crown. Kindle Edition.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">When one reads or hears first-person accounts from both military and commercial pilots, they do seem to carry more weight; these are people trained to observe and work under pressure. More recently, UFO whistleblowers like retired Air Force Officer David Gruisch have also gone even further in expressing his concern as to what nefarious activities government may be involved in concerning these objects.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Be that as it may, what the issue really does come down to how Leslie Kean articulates this issue in the introduction. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">To approach UFOs rationally, we must maintain the agnostic position regarding their nature or origin, because we simply don’t know the answers yet. By being agnostics, we are taking a giant step forward. So often, the UFO debate fuels two polarities, both representing untenable positions. On one side, the “believers” proclaim that extraterrestrials have arrived from outer space and that we already know that UFOs are alien vehicles, and on the other, the “debunkers” argue with aggressive defensiveness that UFOs don’t exist at all. This counterproductive battle has unfortunately dominated public discourse for a long time, only heightening confusion and creating more distance from the scientific—the agnostic—approach.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kean, Leslie. UFOs (pp. 12-13). Crown. Kindle Edition.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NE9IhP5mZw" style="color: #954f72;">Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing</a> on UAPs, it’s abundantly clear that we can’t close our eyes to their reality. Whatever these objects may prove be, they do appear to be part of our reality. As such, it’s probably best that we begin to get our minds around that fact. Yes, certainly some supposed interactions may be manifestations of the devil for purposes of deception, but spiritual entities don’t engage in dogfights with military jets or shutdown nuclear missile silos. At any rate, I believe this is an important foundation to bear in mind, because confusion abounds when we over generalize about subject matter such as this. The UAP issue is potentially so important, I believe, as perhaps another ringing sign that we may be approaching end times and serves as a gentle reminder to be vigilant. (Bear in mind that that this is just my opinion, so feel free to take it with a couple grains of salt.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Added a couple of my own astrophotography shots in early 2024.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Jk4HnhsvFVeSw9Xv3DPq8yDcIBhNDO6Z6825nT6D_HM4JqpVNxJaa7P5_xd_xg18r0nZzdWEjLdDly6ifibeU1u_8Kj3m5w6XDoGxZaOAu97RFstvgvBpOJ25TJ6OnryyJbb0EywEjpKyYgAaYx9WzSgBsGKMMycp4sWGs3lgc9LFzvWQVY5A0K4-G0/s1740/IMG_2558(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1740" data-original-width="1036" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Jk4HnhsvFVeSw9Xv3DPq8yDcIBhNDO6Z6825nT6D_HM4JqpVNxJaa7P5_xd_xg18r0nZzdWEjLdDly6ifibeU1u_8Kj3m5w6XDoGxZaOAu97RFstvgvBpOJ25TJ6OnryyJbb0EywEjpKyYgAaYx9WzSgBsGKMMycp4sWGs3lgc9LFzvWQVY5A0K4-G0/s320/IMG_2558(2).jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEl5JqJKSaPOR3pmMNf-LXp-pbTp-N6yoxEkOTWvdVoUv-IrnpLY5SqGIZ6VUWRmiZYMabPasa3fC7PppSr-mzJbEhM1wIFja0R87WeAC_UkfjnN3ZBczAmAGLN2UdBa96w3zkQV5fQ0rkIJ_JJtsGYhN8PfXWBN9yhtBc-VUXWbnzZkQ77RgJLE0LKxk/s1920/IMG_2559(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEl5JqJKSaPOR3pmMNf-LXp-pbTp-N6yoxEkOTWvdVoUv-IrnpLY5SqGIZ6VUWRmiZYMabPasa3fC7PppSr-mzJbEhM1wIFja0R87WeAC_UkfjnN3ZBczAmAGLN2UdBa96w3zkQV5fQ0rkIJ_JJtsGYhN8PfXWBN9yhtBc-VUXWbnzZkQ77RgJLE0LKxk/s320/IMG_2559(2).jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-34045651590408325552023-08-06T19:12:00.003-07:002023-08-06T19:15:41.123-07:00Visiting "God's Thumb" (via the Knoll)<div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVCoAKs7TqqepaRE5-_bEUsYZAHZ5mxKMS-T0oE79_bDGjZ8Q2HN0q6b0x6ZKzK_PVjHpIqYEv0NSYly1fV2z7iAzKKX-kPob0aVSM-nidGRAMOJ81v1vemtapWpnrbAja0CymonirFrJdJe9jwOso0-HSY3IHH6OTiNCBv7Aw9_vXA4wlOIABTKRMmU/s6000/IMG_0677.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVCoAKs7TqqepaRE5-_bEUsYZAHZ5mxKMS-T0oE79_bDGjZ8Q2HN0q6b0x6ZKzK_PVjHpIqYEv0NSYly1fV2z7iAzKKX-kPob0aVSM-nidGRAMOJ81v1vemtapWpnrbAja0CymonirFrJdJe9jwOso0-HSY3IHH6OTiNCBv7Aw9_vXA4wlOIABTKRMmU/w395-h263/IMG_0677.JPG" width="395" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"God's Thumb" (Lincoln City, Oregon)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div></div><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Did an interesting hike yesterday: "God's Thumb." (See <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/oregon/god-s-thumb-the-knoll-loop?fbclid=IwAR1C0sai2_A9obIMChNESXfkzOmkMOXB1jL6SYdy-ritiyeMDUAIHQLhn1E" target="_blank">AllTrails</a> for the details.) It was a gorgeous hike, and the view at the end was magnificent...but I almost cashed in my chips. This hike had me feeling my age. If you're a young guy or an athletic older person, go for it, but my suggestion is take my short-cut route instead to <a href="http://singinginthewood.blogspot.com/2018/10/oregons-cascade-head-shorter-hike-option.html" target="_blank">Cascade Head</a>. </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">I tried to capture the trail conditions and the steepness in some of my photographs, but it works about as well as photographing the giant trees on the Coast--proportions fail to really convey true nature. In case you're wondering, no, I did not venture onto God's "thumbnail," as the trail looked as safe as my first car navigating Queen Anne Blvd in Seattle; don't really care for heights. So, unless family members really want me to take them back for some mysterious reason, I think I'll stick to Cascade Head via the Hwy 101 short-cut. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcNmmvOYXmhYE-4LyO6Nv2nBQJnwG4tiqwOx-_l7ku_fEYYSSufEmBuDIcdoJFQ5a-VS6Z1moqIKZfjApXreFyOu0dSf53Xi0rwyBUwglRXizitxct5XINYnuMX5wzPondnU11pYgq3iHBy-Ficp5DkvpRMpjfjG-NF0medJUa-oZkmsmaom6c7PjkmQ/s6000/IMG_0693.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcNmmvOYXmhYE-4LyO6Nv2nBQJnwG4tiqwOx-_l7ku_fEYYSSufEmBuDIcdoJFQ5a-VS6Z1moqIKZfjApXreFyOu0dSf53Xi0rwyBUwglRXizitxct5XINYnuMX5wzPondnU11pYgq3iHBy-Ficp5DkvpRMpjfjG-NF0medJUa-oZkmsmaom6c7PjkmQ/w400-h266/IMG_0693.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHlt-VxjdV-HbASw0VmvaZVvw9G9Djdgayv9grAvfPvhwI82kBVgglVYFVz4o7d8DJ6M-NQR4IBgow4k91wYza10ZhzYJjvFunOkG-ek0u648eJ-xfJdPgJWQ5OZ2PM2On_JvfbP3f82NwW8DV6MdSui6qb5YVuRI7hj98TcYIBw5khhRY7dmk694ivU/s6000/IMG_0706.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHlt-VxjdV-HbASw0VmvaZVvw9G9Djdgayv9grAvfPvhwI82kBVgglVYFVz4o7d8DJ6M-NQR4IBgow4k91wYza10ZhzYJjvFunOkG-ek0u648eJ-xfJdPgJWQ5OZ2PM2On_JvfbP3f82NwW8DV6MdSui6qb5YVuRI7hj98TcYIBw5khhRY7dmk694ivU/w400-h266/IMG_0706.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3ovsWCweTUMrbG8U8rNcGATuvMqahlhklEdzJUwd5r_hfJwJWugAVRIpJ51_OXWVCnlHEuhS0xqH8CtokqDy1J4PSvyftpaDLswnC4Qf8M48F5DBz0nSc-7JmwYj02HQm3nLcumCCcK81AqMfNL1gCX0pXSNnm07xB57kLhZeacOZo4whxxkeL12nxI/s6000/IMG_0708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3ovsWCweTUMrbG8U8rNcGATuvMqahlhklEdzJUwd5r_hfJwJWugAVRIpJ51_OXWVCnlHEuhS0xqH8CtokqDy1J4PSvyftpaDLswnC4Qf8M48F5DBz0nSc-7JmwYj02HQm3nLcumCCcK81AqMfNL1gCX0pXSNnm07xB57kLhZeacOZo4whxxkeL12nxI/w400-h266/IMG_0708.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: auto; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></div>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-61503872499891814222023-05-18T20:03:00.004-07:002023-05-18T20:10:04.947-07:00Remembering May 18, 1980<blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYLS4I9WUdlgzZcCuFGS07FdH2u9ehtn6ioZCBa4k-f9-LSF8yTH2IPwL-Tdmn5xH73_7auc8SZwLuSBa4THQ-GTS4ojCeumevORJFjKV4GkDGeL2_WSgJ5vHrKPIHf3iSoIsWhNiu2sKM3jaD6JZ4Vz1kT9BorgJ53BuMCScpbstjhFPXO7iedKY/s890/441EDA39-3FDF-4C0D-8EB5-933C0642FE64_1_201_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="890" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYLS4I9WUdlgzZcCuFGS07FdH2u9ehtn6ioZCBa4k-f9-LSF8yTH2IPwL-Tdmn5xH73_7auc8SZwLuSBa4THQ-GTS4ojCeumevORJFjKV4GkDGeL2_WSgJ5vHrKPIHf3iSoIsWhNiu2sKM3jaD6JZ4Vz1kT9BorgJ53BuMCScpbstjhFPXO7iedKY/s320/441EDA39-3FDF-4C0D-8EB5-933C0642FE64_1_201_a.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It seems like such a long time ago now. I was just short of being a teenager, and I remember the Sunday began sunny in Washington State's Yakima Valley. I recall on the drive out to West Valley to pick up two children for church that I remarked that the clouds reminded me of an upside down egg carton. They looked very peculiar. </span></div><p></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Some time later, about the time my grandfather was finishing a Sunday school lesson on the book of Revelation (entertaining timing for years to come), we noticed it was growing dark outside. Someone must have caught the news report on the radio; it was the first we had heard of the eruption. I remember we drove home in the dark with the headlights on through the gently falling ash, which sounded something like whispering from inside the car. </span></div><p></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The two girls we took to church had to shelter with us, as the roads were not considered safe. (The two girls were Shannon and Mora McGowan. Tragically, Mora committed <a href="https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19980702&slug=2759162" target="_blank">suicide</a> in Portland in 1998. All I remember is that she was a bubbly and happy reader.). An hour or two later, sometime in the early afternoon, I ventured outside for a few minutes. I remember it was still like night. I don't believe that the sun began to break through until close to sunset. </span></div><p></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> According to news reports, a number of roofs collapsed as a result of the ash fall, and machinery also broke down across the valley. Some farmers said that the ash produced better crops, while others swore the opposite; it depended on with whom you spoke.<span> </span></span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div><p></p></blockquote><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"></blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4Mj6a1WVmpkENFoMhKBSlxF4xNFSVFbrnPIIciKDS3SNvPfrFjs8TYRC6iY3N27XQ26NYMDYtzdLPVnT-jB86gHp4TOotvo7WZT_lzl9eiFn4rD4m20NK8YqLx2bPRe5Tju6VgF7MsH5lGi6ylH4kdBB7x5lxhob6JQmI3WILtj5k-EQNifguE1F/s852/253149EC-0231-404D-8C6B-5A3E123A72B1_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4Mj6a1WVmpkENFoMhKBSlxF4xNFSVFbrnPIIciKDS3SNvPfrFjs8TYRC6iY3N27XQ26NYMDYtzdLPVnT-jB86gHp4TOotvo7WZT_lzl9eiFn4rD4m20NK8YqLx2bPRe5Tju6VgF7MsH5lGi6ylH4kdBB7x5lxhob6JQmI3WILtj5k-EQNifguE1F/s852/253149EC-0231-404D-8C6B-5A3E123A72B1_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4Mj6a1WVmpkENFoMhKBSlxF4xNFSVFbrnPIIciKDS3SNvPfrFjs8TYRC6iY3N27XQ26NYMDYtzdLPVnT-jB86gHp4TOotvo7WZT_lzl9eiFn4rD4m20NK8YqLx2bPRe5Tju6VgF7MsH5lGi6ylH4kdBB7x5lxhob6JQmI3WILtj5k-EQNifguE1F/s852/253149EC-0231-404D-8C6B-5A3E123A72B1_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUHr0fFxJg81xEIpdijpdKUuyUUZb_FXGjdonyY9wBnE8LBhykF9yx5F24g0iverM6d5DodEY3d9EBf_Z7PpE1jGE50a9SbngNTmViDMUTsIzg1-VZbYNRgLjelejnVJysValrClkWyMTXyj5jdMatBTPrCF341O0c5TRs0V0-P_m62mKsb-hBK7E/s884/8E3DA9F5-BFC6-4B2C-A8BB-54727D5CFE95.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4Mj6a1WVmpkENFoMhKBSlxF4xNFSVFbrnPIIciKDS3SNvPfrFjs8TYRC6iY3N27XQ26NYMDYtzdLPVnT-jB86gHp4TOotvo7WZT_lzl9eiFn4rD4m20NK8YqLx2bPRe5Tju6VgF7MsH5lGi6ylH4kdBB7x5lxhob6JQmI3WILtj5k-EQNifguE1F/s852/253149EC-0231-404D-8C6B-5A3E123A72B1_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4Mj6a1WVmpkENFoMhKBSlxF4xNFSVFbrnPIIciKDS3SNvPfrFjs8TYRC6iY3N27XQ26NYMDYtzdLPVnT-jB86gHp4TOotvo7WZT_lzl9eiFn4rD4m20NK8YqLx2bPRe5Tju6VgF7MsH5lGi6ylH4kdBB7x5lxhob6JQmI3WILtj5k-EQNifguE1F/s320/253149EC-0231-404D-8C6B-5A3E123A72B1_1_201_a.jpeg" width="263" /></a></div></blockquote><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KcHX8v91KdDUxmgguRug6hxPCSZymGKzTAJcselPOS7PcVb-2McSgqTl7aEM1w4y8P3Qx-k3SKOD5Bvs3bBKqjqv-4OXFz5QHacMHSQFUU-GGNrv-PkDHbeV7UX0LauCL3mhUnYg92W1yE_OtW0BLNkERSrDR60-4uln8vOB-lUMF0HQlVO26HcQ/s890/441EDA39-3FDF-4C0D-8EB5-933C0642FE64_1_201_a.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="890" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KcHX8v91KdDUxmgguRug6hxPCSZymGKzTAJcselPOS7PcVb-2McSgqTl7aEM1w4y8P3Qx-k3SKOD5Bvs3bBKqjqv-4OXFz5QHacMHSQFUU-GGNrv-PkDHbeV7UX0LauCL3mhUnYg92W1yE_OtW0BLNkERSrDR60-4uln8vOB-lUMF0HQlVO26HcQ/s320/441EDA39-3FDF-4C0D-8EB5-933C0642FE64_1_201_a.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUHr0fFxJg81xEIpdijpdKUuyUUZb_FXGjdonyY9wBnE8LBhykF9yx5F24g0iverM6d5DodEY3d9EBf_Z7PpE1jGE50a9SbngNTmViDMUTsIzg1-VZbYNRgLjelejnVJysValrClkWyMTXyj5jdMatBTPrCF341O0c5TRs0V0-P_m62mKsb-hBK7E/s884/8E3DA9F5-BFC6-4B2C-A8BB-54727D5CFE95.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="884" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUHr0fFxJg81xEIpdijpdKUuyUUZb_FXGjdonyY9wBnE8LBhykF9yx5F24g0iverM6d5DodEY3d9EBf_Z7PpE1jGE50a9SbngNTmViDMUTsIzg1-VZbYNRgLjelejnVJysValrClkWyMTXyj5jdMatBTPrCF341O0c5TRs0V0-P_m62mKsb-hBK7E/s320/8E3DA9F5-BFC6-4B2C-A8BB-54727D5CFE95.jpeg" width="320" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="876" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Of1b7Nei93DG42xtIjOKqo3BTUvgO9Iej-5mnpAyZBelQYJ8jAmSzAfjUB8tZKM6akyz3_2bq_cBAyKDl48E4qHGF_D1aYFsp4okAEQ0Vc1ncZdUiU3MWABel-Cy_lD98VHNdryhycgIspmFJyAc42a1vyZpOHFpcLghcaqVhBLQK4x3i1igSbTK/s320/CD8D86BD-0398-4AC7-84D3-81762C5876BD_1_201_a.jpeg" width="320" /></blockquote><p></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-15430791683999340002023-02-05T15:41:00.047-08:002023-02-12T17:00:20.065-08:00Skewering Wokeism<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rzTKudM0j0LRZG2pp-61xrldzv03svVWf3vty9BJ1dFwDZZzkhI1_qrlNYdntNeHDhaS-nOM6V6_f47EBCCVwDCQ5Ifm0ZqGbm27etVhNTvIWO5SFB8JEBHfCBeCoOKzeoWf3OMBAnp251ufKHy1RSfL5elXV80MTWElq-Q73WpK2H_Px5Y3Ufu_/s6680/bigstock-Censorship-And-Suppression-Of--399522971.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4200" data-original-width="6680" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rzTKudM0j0LRZG2pp-61xrldzv03svVWf3vty9BJ1dFwDZZzkhI1_qrlNYdntNeHDhaS-nOM6V6_f47EBCCVwDCQ5Ifm0ZqGbm27etVhNTvIWO5SFB8JEBHfCBeCoOKzeoWf3OMBAnp251ufKHy1RSfL5elXV80MTWElq-Q73WpK2H_Px5Y3Ufu_/s320/bigstock-Censorship-And-Suppression-Of--399522971.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: times;">In the late 1980s and 1990s, it was known as political correctness. Personalities such as Rush Limbaugh took it on mercilessly on his show, yet the movement continued to grow and develop to the sad place we find ourselves today: where jobs and careers are lost over what would seem the most ridiculous reasons a few years ago. We are more familiar with this phenomenon today as <i>wokeism</i>. Let’s see how it is satirically approached by the <i>Babylon Bee</i>.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">NATIONALITY Being woke is all about diversity. We love people of ALL nationalities and want the whole world to just be a big melting pot of all cultures, creeds, and nations. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Except, of course, Americans. America is a disgusting place filled with white nationalists who could learn a thing or two from more advanced socialist countries like Venezuela or the Soviet Union. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">So if you’re a white Christian American male, you’ve got a real problem, because your entire existence is basically a plague upon the earth. You need to spend all your days online apologizing to people from superior countries for the place you’re ashamed to call home. The nice thing is you don’t actually have to put your money where your mouth is and move to Canada. You can just constantly threaten to leave the country and say things like “UGH, I’M SORRY FOR MY FELLOW AMERICANS” and “I’M TOTALLY MOVING TO CANADA THE NEXT TIME A REPUBLICAN WINS THE PRESIDENCY!!!” But you can keep reaping the benefits of American prosperity while never leaving for a country that’s not doing as well.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Babylon Bee. <i>The Babylon Bee Guide to Wokeness</i> (p. 20). Salem Books. Kindle Edition.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Another thought-provoking take on wokeism is voiced by <a href="https://www.michaelrectenwald.com">Michael Rectenwald</a>, Chief Academic Officer, American Scholars. In a <a href="https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/what-is-the-great-reset/">December 2021 piece for Imprimis</a>, he wrote the following. (Note that before referring to the Great Reset, he referred to the contextual information and basis to support his argument--less so that it was an inevitable outcome, but more that there were indeed powerful individuals who wished to make it so by taking advantage of every calamity available to them.)<br /><br /><br /><i>...Other developments that advance the Great Reset agenda have included unfettered immigration, travel restrictions for otherwise legal border crossing, the Federal Reserve’s unrestrained printing of money and the subsequent inflation, increased taxation, increased dependence on the state, broken supply chains, the restrictions and job losses due to vaccine mandates, and the prospect of personal carbon allowances. <br /><br />Such policies reflect the “fairness” aspect of the Great Reset—fairness requires lowering the economic status of people in wealthier nations like the U.S. relative to that of people in poorer regions of the world. One of the functions of woke ideology is to make the majority in developed countries feel guilty about their wealth, which the elites aim to reset downwards—except, one notices, for the elites themselves, who need to be rich in order to fly in their private jets to Davos each year.</i></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-family: times;">I thought this was a particularly good time to quickly raise this issue as there have been several excellent talks lately that I wanted to share with my growing audience. Together, perhaps we can put an end to the censorship and cowardice betrayed by wokeism if we learn to stand our ground and better articulate our positions--with respect and courtesy.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yysKhJ1U-vM" width="320" youtube-src-id="yysKhJ1U-vM"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Language and brief image warning for the above, but the message of this Bill Maher monologue is a timely one.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/91z7YPCLSWk" width="320" youtube-src-id="91z7YPCLSWk"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zJdqJu-6ZPo" width="320" youtube-src-id="zJdqJu-6ZPo"></iframe></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p></div>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-38092700117642597532023-01-14T17:06:00.005-08:002023-01-16T19:28:30.376-08:00Marijuana and its Unintended Consequences<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptSiZFUBgUFNb2w5MZDuyqW5KqNcAaGoK7eP6RPymw3RrJYNJwtSDCjVUYxzagyaCBDVmMZI2YBo5aV5R2alzkkOcacFJlrK-JPbfxfbaoRNjId4KbXqNNmENfAromXkFtLBEvMhhkk5HQ9d-WqU0Opqb3LiFkHBY7ilQ6yTGVIOMBdYMtm8UbwaA/s9504/bigstock-Beautiful-brunette-woman-sayin-436582223.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6336" data-original-width="9504" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptSiZFUBgUFNb2w5MZDuyqW5KqNcAaGoK7eP6RPymw3RrJYNJwtSDCjVUYxzagyaCBDVmMZI2YBo5aV5R2alzkkOcacFJlrK-JPbfxfbaoRNjId4KbXqNNmENfAromXkFtLBEvMhhkk5HQ9d-WqU0Opqb3LiFkHBY7ilQ6yTGVIOMBdYMtm8UbwaA/w400-h266/bigstock-Beautiful-brunette-woman-sayin-436582223.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br />Not so long ago, the issue of legalized <a href="https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Marijuana-Cannabis-2020_0.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">marijuana</a> used to be the stuff of somewhat esoteric political debates between Republicans and Libertarians—maybe the occasional anarchist thrown in for good measure. Even stalwart Republicans of the 1970 era like William F. Buckley, Jr, founder of the <i>National Review</i>, was a vocal supporter of its </span><a href="https://time.com/vault/issue/1972-12-11/page/32/" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">decriminalization</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">. It’s no surprise that everyone from Rick Steves to Brad Pitt and Miley Cyrus are extolling the virtues of pot at nearly every opportunity—some more careful than others, of course, about potentially alienating wide swaths of fan their fan base.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I was never taken in by siren call of marijuana; I knew of too many people who used it. I noticed how they lost their spark, their vitality, and even ambition or a desire to make something better of themselves. They disappeared into a murky mediocrity, surviving rather than thriving. In many ways, it reminds me of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brave_New_World" target="_blank">Huxley's soma</a>. When I had the opportunity to work for a time in the Tobacco Tax Compliance field for state government, my eyes were further opened to the interconnected nature of the black-market in selling to a surprising number of establishments, and, then, in turn, often using the proceeds to support some very dangerous causes. Despite Rick Steves’ glowing assertions otherwise, I was always confident that it was only a matter of time until organized crime stepped in to take a piece of the action. After all, not all growers and producers are going to be satisfied with the built-in containment measures of the current system; they want to expand and grow. That expansion has to go somewhere, and that means the illegal market. Imagine someone blowing up a balloon; it’s eventually going to pop. If you see state laws and regulations as the thin veneer of containment, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I know of so-called <i>conservatives </i>who even market marijuana or its derivatives. They apparently make a good enough living at it that those nagging concerns in the back of their minds have grown much quieter now over time. What are some of these associated costs, though? You might be surprised to learn of profoundly negative environmental, social and economic, health, psychological, and even livability issues associated with its grow and production. I decided to gather some items here and share a related thought or two as it relates. These will mostly be short paragraphs followed by related links. I’m keeping the links in the visible form in order that you can see the sites before accessing them; they’re not all Fox News, for example.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Leading with one’s weakest point is not usually a good debate strategy, but in this case I’ll note that the <i>quality of life argument</i> seems the hardest to quantify objectively. Other than a few articles like <a href="https://www.opb.org/news/article/sumpter-oregon-marijuana-dispensaries/" style="color: #954f72;">this one</a>, there aren’t many examples of newspaper stories and the like talking about how the nature or feel of loved towns has been lost forever due to this drug. While I had one particular story recounted to me from a resident in Eastern Oregon about how awful things had become in her neighborhood, too little information remains from the contact to use it in any kind of a meaningful way here. While many of us may <i>feel </i>that the presence of these establishments somehow negatively impacts our daily life, there’s no way to quantify this. Further, in states such as Colorado, reports actually suggest that the added tax revenue may be increasing the value of existing neighborhoods.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsren1lgV7dyet-KAYoJEoRwaiAJztPjgoW9wkdD3Z4AJfYRAne1d7WZpe1_lKfdebEMquQxL8auEFybatH9TgJUX9WUH_ujdan1Y5qC8No5gAjDo4voNbAHTZb4wv0ctap21bZjfjdjVwU4NDqVXlTpKnwnEWttI4IXmkqy7WYAdmHOTy1ynI2V_/s2048/Jackson%20County%20Sheriff.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsren1lgV7dyet-KAYoJEoRwaiAJztPjgoW9wkdD3Z4AJfYRAne1d7WZpe1_lKfdebEMquQxL8auEFybatH9TgJUX9WUH_ujdan1Y5qC8No5gAjDo4voNbAHTZb4wv0ctap21bZjfjdjVwU4NDqVXlTpKnwnEWttI4IXmkqy7WYAdmHOTy1ynI2V_/s320/Jackson%20County%20Sheriff.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Okay, so enough with the lukewarm reception, because now it’s going to get downright chilly in here. Surprisingly, some very large illegal grow operations have been taken down in Southern Oregon by law enforcement in recent years—particularly Jackson County. These raids don’t only include the illegal grows themselves, but also what are called “narco slaves.” These are agricultural laborers who are forced to work in these poor living conditions for extended periods of time under threats of constant violence. <o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><u><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt;">Narco Slaves, Organized Crime, & Social Impact<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Narco Slaves: </span><a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/narco-slaves-migrant-workers-face-abuse-oregons-cartel/story?id=95069523" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">https://abcnews.go.com/US/narco-slaves-migrant-workers-face-abuse-oregons-cartel/story?id=95069523</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Exploited Workers,</span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/10/02/weed-cannabis-undocumented-immigrants-00059827" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/10/02/weed-cannabis-undocumented-immigrants-00059827</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Captives of Cannabis, </span><a href="https://www.nbc.com/nightly-news-films/video/captives-of-cannabis-human-trafficking-in-the-marijuana-industry-part-2/NBCN606981904" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">https://www.nbc.com/nightly-news-films/video/captives-of-cannabis-human-trafficking-in-the-marijuana-industry-part-2/NBCN606981904</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Modern Day Slaves: </span><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2022/09/30/nbcs-jacob-soboroff-discovers-ties-between-marijuana-industry-and-modern-day-slaves/?sh=23bab26039c4" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2022/09/30/nbcs-jacob-soboroff-discovers-ties-between-marijuana-industry-and-modern-day-slaves/?sh=23bab26039c4</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Reality of Legal Weed in California, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-09-08/reality-of-legal-weed-in-california-illegal-grows-deaths" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-09-08/reality-of-legal-weed-in-california-illegal-grows-deaths</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">US Cannabis Industry and Organized Crime, </span><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/u-s-cannabis-industry-may-be-linked-to-international-organized-crime-officials-say-159567941894" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/u-s-cannabis-industry-may-be-linked-to-international-organized-crime-officials-say-159567941894</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">California’s Pot Legalization Failures, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-09-22/california-legal-pot-measure-has-not-met-expectations" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-09-22/california-legal-pot-measure-has-not-met-expectations</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Another unintended consequence of the legalization of marijuana has been the negative health effects on the young. There is significant evidence that the adolescent brain may suffer particular harm from consumption of pot. In some people who have a pre-existing mental health condition, the marijuana may also greatly worsen the situation—particularly in terms of violence. A popular “shock jock” on Fox News made the argument, for example, that marijuana is what is behind the school shooters. He got this idea from an <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/900FABBDCA94EAD2878C45457056C981/S0033291719002125a.pdf/use_of_illicit_substances_and_violent_behaviour_in_psychotic_disorders_two_nationwide_casecontrol_studies_and_metaanalyses.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">article out of Cambridge</a>, but he took its conclusions likely just a bit too far. The article’s focus is individuals who are already psychotic. It’s possible this could apply to some—or even many—of the school shooters, but the way it was presented on Fox News doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence in citing it confidently at this time. (You might add marijuana to the list I conveyed in my <a href="https://www.catholic365.com/article/8522/untangling-the-root-causes-beneath-the-school-shootings.html" style="color: #954f72;">own article on this topic</a> as one additional <i>potential</i> factor in school shootings.) Besides the harm it causes the body, inadvertent consumption of cannabis edibles by children is a skyrocketing reason for Emergency Room visits.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><u><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt;">Health Consideration Links<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Consumption of Marijuana Edibles Surges by Children, </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/04/health/children-eating-edibles-weed.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/04/health/children-eating-edibles-weed.html</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Marijuana’s Effect on Adolescents, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/health-effects/teens.html" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/health-effects/teens.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Cannabis and the Adolescent Brain, <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1920325116" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1920325116</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Physical Risks of Marijuana, <a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/marijuana" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.samhsa.gov/marijuana</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Marijuana’s Connection to Violence, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7084484/" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7084484/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Persistent Cannabis Use and Violent Behavior, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41537-020-0104-x" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.nature.com/articles/s41537-020-0104-x</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Where Pot Became Legal, Car Accident Deaths Rose, <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-07-19/where-pot-became-legal-car-crash-deaths-rose-study" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-07-19/where-pot-became-legal-car-crash-deaths-rose-study</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The environmental destruction brought by illegal marijuana grows is also thoroughly documented. One of the first times I began thinking about this issue was when a lovely lavender farm just north of us was converted to a large marijuana grow operation. I like going out at night and star watch, so I was really taken aback by the light pollution produced by this operation. At night, it looked like a pillar of light towering above the facility. I briefly tried to raise concerns over this environmental harm with my state representatives, but they didn’t seem to care. Most likely, they are on the receiving end of donations from these groups anyway. It’s the harm of the illegal operations, though, that really deserve a closer look. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><u><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt;">Environmental Damage of Illegal Marijuana Grows<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Legalizing Marijuana and Abating Environmental Harm: Am Overblown Promise, <a href="https://lawreview.law.ucdavis.edu/issues/50/2/Topic/50-2_Vitiello.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">https://lawreview.law.ucdavis.edu/issues/50/2/Topic/50-2_Vitiello.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Environmental Downside of Cannabis Cultivation, <a href="https://daily.jstor.org/the-environmental-downside-of-cannabis-cultivation/" style="color: #954f72;">https://daily.jstor.org/the-environmental-downside-of-cannabis-cultivation/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Reporting Illegal Grows (CA Flyer), <a href="https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=184717&inline" style="color: #954f72;">https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=184717&inline</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Grow Lamp -Loving, Water-Sucking Marijuana Plants Aren’t So Green, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-05-09/marijuana-industry-seeks-to-lessen-its-environmental-impact" style="color: #954f72;">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-05-09/marijuana-industry-seeks-to-lessen-its-environmental-impact</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-63417587379346914822023-01-01T17:20:00.001-08:002023-01-01T17:21:46.768-08:00Writing in a New Year<p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_DLwXM68Rt6Kl9vXwaGBv0BVOpOyahiLhDhI-Jf1AXMRz93p3M0wOw1sbHxagvMTvuR09WRWPLsDZmuP-OTioi7V4mnC9V-CNgoZsLh7JWd6Be4n2cQUTyYTsRd7wMORSePId-H070eA2RSku7DMHqzvLTdqodYddYohDHAgksuGRdPAyolBtFqd/s1102/Artwork.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="712" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_DLwXM68Rt6Kl9vXwaGBv0BVOpOyahiLhDhI-Jf1AXMRz93p3M0wOw1sbHxagvMTvuR09WRWPLsDZmuP-OTioi7V4mnC9V-CNgoZsLh7JWd6Be4n2cQUTyYTsRd7wMORSePId-H070eA2RSku7DMHqzvLTdqodYddYohDHAgksuGRdPAyolBtFqd/w259-h400/Artwork.jpg" width="259" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy 2023!!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />In case you haven't noticed, my writing has taken a bit of a dip lately. As I near the last five, or so, years of state government service before retirement, I start to feel like Bilbo when he remarked that he felt "...stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread." (I think I’ve been tired since the COVID deluge of work hit my state office.) If you are craving more fiction, you will probably have to wait a bit longer until I hit that "retire button." Meanwhile, I'll try to keep the sporadic content coming until retirement! Articles will still be coming every so often most likely. Strangely, I returned to college to improve my writing. Yet, after graduating in 2018, I feel less like writing anything than I ever did before. Probably a lesson there...</span></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-87068961720560121862022-09-13T20:10:00.004-07:002022-09-13T20:12:57.301-07:00Truth and Lies (A Catholic's Perspective)<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGu2vZVRmycIKDneClGsteHHVHcnTxz81VK960Ez76hDppHg3FJE4KTf7zZUGF8gD4gxdHbVMFJIpPXQybkljG48GRlhI8Sah4R9ehkTnktN6XNrji6BH3FRc0C17nz9slcsoTrNCBuBVc97AQz74R2nTOgfjhvP10ngHPFeajojYIUkJ784CRdivq/s5906/bigstock-On-A-Black-Surface-Lies-A-Whit-461411677.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3898" data-original-width="5906" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGu2vZVRmycIKDneClGsteHHVHcnTxz81VK960Ez76hDppHg3FJE4KTf7zZUGF8gD4gxdHbVMFJIpPXQybkljG48GRlhI8Sah4R9ehkTnktN6XNrji6BH3FRc0C17nz9slcsoTrNCBuBVc97AQz74R2nTOgfjhvP10ngHPFeajojYIUkJ784CRdivq/s320/bigstock-On-A-Black-Surface-Lies-A-Whit-461411677.jpg" width="320" /></a> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">It was 2003 when we learned the news that would uproot us once again from our church home. We had only just recently begun feeling like we <i>belonged</i> in the Episcopal Church. After a great deal of church shopping around our area, we had hoped to be able to finally settle down. It was the ordination of a practicing homosexual </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">named Vicky Gene Robinson to the position of bishop within the Episcopal denomination that spiritually sent us reeling. According to what we understood, Vicky Gene Robinson of New Hampshire set the tone of his new relationship with the abandonment of his wife Isabella and their child. To me, it seemed like there was a clear disregard for Biblical truth there.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Having become somewhat accustomed over the preceding years to speaking our minds regarding issues with which we disagreed, my wife and I sent a letter of concern to the bishop of the Episcopal Churches of Western Oregon. I remember mentioning the writings of Saint Paul in my correspondence, and, despite the issue making me sick to my stomach, I was careful to keep it courteous and respectful. I may have also made a reference to C.S. Lewis’ essay “Fern Seed and the Elephants,” but I don’t recall for certain. When the response arrived, the bishop’s assistant dismissed Pauline theology outright and took an unusually vitriolic tone with me. It was abundantly clear that it was time to prepare for some more church shopping…all because of that thing called truth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Because of the preceding example I chose, I should hasten to add that I am not selecting the sin of homosexuality for some kind of mortal sin extraordinaire, compared to which other sins pale in wrongdoing. I am also not espousing a view where we treat homosexuals with derision or rudeness; I have good friends who have chosen this lifestyle. It’s a common Christian teaching, however, that the teacher or leader within the faith needs to be exceedingly careful “because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) That Episcopal bishop’s new role becomes a particularly public embrace of a watered-down and misunderstood version of the Bible, one where truth becomes subservient to warm feelings and “good will,” divorced from their underlying meaning. For more information, see paragraph 2357 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for a discussion of “Chastity and homosexuality.”</span><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">To a paraphrase one of my favorite Catholic authors, a good truth is hard to find. In a similar way to how the Book of Wisdom describes its namesake, truth shares similar reflections of the divine. It’s worth remembering that in <i>Inferno</i>, Dante saves the eighth circle of hell for fraudsters and liars. Each is eternally sentenced to suffer in these pits within the inferno as punishment for their crimes against God and man. These days, we might describe Truth like a tired refugee who is denied shelter again and again; no room at the inn. The evidence of this is all around us. We have politicians as well as elected officials who seem to lie with the same ease with which they breathe. On the international stage, we see Russia deceiving her own people (not to mention our own) concerning the carnage being wrought upon the innocents of Ukraine. We have the former Chief of Police for Uvalde Schools, Pete Arredondo, who appears to have done his best to shield the truth from the public’s eyes. Then, speaking of a school shooting, there’s Alex Jones, who tormented parents who had lost their children so tragically. And don’t forget the entertainment industry, Big Pharma, and, of course, Big Tech. There are too many to name. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">If you have ever read </span><a href="https://www.nicholascarr.com/" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">Nicholas Carr</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> or perhaps listened to his thought-provoking debate “Is Smart Technology Making Us Dumb” on Intelligence Squared Debates, you have been introduced to his idea that technology may be fundamentally changing the way our brains function. We are more distracted than ever, and the contention is that our ability for deep thought is being eroded by these constant interruptions. Like I have written elsewhere, there is also a sense in which social media itself pushes us apart as much as it brings some of us closer together. As the <i>Catechism of the Catholic Church</i> so eloquently puts it, “<span style="color: #202020;">The means of social communication (especially the mass media) can give rise to a certain passivity among users, making them less than vigilant consumers of what is said or shown. Users should practice moderation and discipline in their approach to the mass media. They will want to form enlightened and correct consciences the more easily to resist unwholesome influences<a name="2497"></a>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span>We are all familiar with classic dystopian literature like a <i>Brave New World</i> or <i>1984</i>. Many in our culture seem to have withdrawn with suspicion and scorn from mainstream news sources or dialogue upon current events. They may identify all such <i>reputable</i> media as “fake news,” for instance. They focus on highly questionable sources of information for their daily sources of news, and this leads to obvious problems of isolation. While I’ve tried recently to reason with some of these individuals, the responses I receive are usually along the lines that the Ukraine war atrocities are faked, or that the videos have been re-purposed from previous conflicts. The denial of reality is sadly reminiscent of cult members. I can <i>almost</i> understand where this media cynicism grew from; we have all witnessed bias in broadcast and print news. Their answer, however, is to embrace a lie, a particularly dangerous lie. In an article entitled </span><a href="https://www.catholic365.com/article/13025/clarity-of-vision.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span>“Clarity of Vision,”</span></a><span> </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">which appeared on Catholic365 last year, I said of conspiracy theories that they “seem particularly sinful for the Christian, since it’s taking the worst of gossip and melding it with characteristics of false witness, then running one’s view of the world through this inherently defective (subjective) lens. We shouldn’t cling to information that is beyond our reasonable knowing. Matthew 7:5 comes to mind here.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrV3GOM59LYIf2gvnaJEOGCyukYA15clIxNMMfdikfoEFT7caCx6OfqgmaLppEQuXeooaUfwNiFvUhASZnhs9iwKEcJT59E1l3eYZddCYYJ7THnjRAEWfL5EE9Oo0bjc5UJ0jlF0SzU6VA3Lk_ZuLCGf8MIuWrdu71qHKqyqdUdefUZT5CJpeMjJd/s834/4.+Orwell+1984+Cover+4.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrV3GOM59LYIf2gvnaJEOGCyukYA15clIxNMMfdikfoEFT7caCx6OfqgmaLppEQuXeooaUfwNiFvUhASZnhs9iwKEcJT59E1l3eYZddCYYJ7THnjRAEWfL5EE9Oo0bjc5UJ0jlF0SzU6VA3Lk_ZuLCGf8MIuWrdu71qHKqyqdUdefUZT5CJpeMjJd/s320/4.+Orwell+1984+Cover+4.jpeg" width="192" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />Novelists such as George Orwell have repeatedly warned readers of the prospect of state and media manipulation; it’s a valid concern. The following passage from <i>1984</i> also touches on a vocabulary and language deterioration in a way that seems to echo some of Nicholas Carr’s thoughts as well. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">‘Even when you write it you’re still thinking in Oldspeak. I’ve read some of those pieces that you write in “The Times” occasionally. They’re good enough, but they’re translations. In your heart you’d prefer to stick to Oldspeak, with all its vagueness and its useless shades of meaning. You don’t grasp the beauty of the destruction of words. Do you know that Newspeak is the only language in the world whose vocabulary gets smaller every year?’ Winston did know that, of course. He smiled, sympathetically he hoped, not trusting himself to speak. Syme bit off another fragment of the dark-coloured bread, chewed it briefly, and went on: ‘Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it. Every concept that can ever be needed, will be expressed by exactly one word, with its meaning rigidly defined and all its subsidiary meanings rubbed out and forgotten. Already, in the Eleventh Edition, we’re not far from that point. But the process will still be continuing long after you and I are dead. Every year fewer and fewer words, and the range of consciousness always a little smaller…<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Orwell, George. 1984 (Deluxe Hardbound Edition) (pp. 58-59). SHJBOOX. Kindle Edition.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Some may be responding to that important warning, however, in an impulsive rather than thoughtful or reasoned way. Technology and particularly social media are the perfect mediums with which to instantly share valuable news around the world. While that’s a powerful good, one lie clothed within a half-truth can speed around our planet at the same hypersonic speed. The only remedy against the lies swirling around us is to counter them with truth, full disclosure. Of course, we can also convince ourselves of our own lies over weeks, months, or years. Lies can also lead to pride over time. When someone believes they are privy to information known only to a select few—e.g. those listening to a particular radio, television, or podcast episode—shared viewpoints between listeners can be acknowledged with a knowing wink or other subtle sign. When we are imagining conspiratorial insights far beyond the ability of our direct knowledge, there may be a tendency to call those on the other side “sheep,” for instance. C.S. Lewis addresses the nature of pride most eloquently in “A Case for Christianity.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which everyone in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves. There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison. It was through pride that the Devil became the Devil: Pride leads to every other vice. It is the complete anti-God state of mind.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Of course, there are times when truth may not help one’s larger argument, may even jeopardize one’s job, but one still needs to share the necessary words of accountability. While the stated objectives of the Russian Federation, for example, concerning the allegations of Nazism in Ukraine are ludicrous, it must be conceded that the <span style="color: #202122;">Azov Special Operations Detachment, a right-wing militia, has served for some time. We need not paint the Ukrainian government as pure as the new fallen snow to establish that what Russia is doing to the country is a reprehensible war crime. The following passage concerning the nature of truth and lies is taken again from the section of the <i>Catechism of the Catholic Church</i> concerning bearing false witness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #202122;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #202020;">2485</span></i></b><i><span style="color: #202020;"> By its very nature, lying is to be condemned. It is a profanation of speech, whereas the purpose of speech is to communicate known truth to others. The deliberate intention of leading a neighbor into error by saying things contrary to the truth constitutes a failure in justice and charity. The culpability is greater when the intention of deceiving entails the risk of deadly consequences for those who are led astray. <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a name="2486"></a><b><i><span style="color: #202020;">2486</span></i></b><i><span style="color: #202020;"> Since it violates the virtue of truthfulness, a lie does real violence to another. It affects his ability to know, which is a condition of every judgment and decision. It contains the seed of discord and all consequent evils. Lying is destructive of society; it undermines trust among men and tears apart the fabric of social relationships.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #202020;"><br /></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">When we were faced with leaving the Episcopal Church over its ordination to bishop of a practicing homosexual, we were attempting to discern the truth or mission of an organization, but we are all called upon to make determinations on truth or veracity throughout each and every day of our lives. How we arrive at our decisions, and how we communicate those decisions to others, can become terribly important. Critical thinking techniques can help us discern the truth. For a church, for instance, you might have many <i>litmus tests</i> that are required before you are truly at home. While it is a little different for a Catholic, the Nicene Creed might still serve as an important anchoring point for a new parish. For new religious traditions with which you may not be so familiar, issues such as homosexuality or abortion may shine a light for you on the overall legitimacy or truth of the denomination in question. Are they in support of the Culture of Life or the Culture of Death?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrwu9Nwc2sZ7er04HpXngcApSxOdvOLMBfns3sbw7le0FLOYmXYPQzRYlHbh9pkT2thR8aXaqh056-y38xE4AUDyek1ygMXo8IlH_XXoJ-eg8zka4xmtysQrAzbqLmfAf5a3JES_vimYKgS1kXoOKan5GchFh5swy0uaqcGeCvAd-hAc1TpYY__sA/s6000/IMG_4454.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrwu9Nwc2sZ7er04HpXngcApSxOdvOLMBfns3sbw7le0FLOYmXYPQzRYlHbh9pkT2thR8aXaqh056-y38xE4AUDyek1ygMXo8IlH_XXoJ-eg8zka4xmtysQrAzbqLmfAf5a3JES_vimYKgS1kXoOKan5GchFh5swy0uaqcGeCvAd-hAc1TpYY__sA/s320/IMG_4454.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Let’s change gears a bit and try approaching this issue of truth from an entirely different direction. My wife and I were recently in Florence, Italy on a wonderful vacation. In Tuscany, one thing you must do is try a true Florentine Steak. The locals will warn you, though, if your steak is under a pound and a half or not meeting other listed requirements, it is a fraud. Calling a steak Florentine in Italy when it is not, is apparently quite a big deal. At any rate, the local advice is that a restaurant that misrepresents steaks as Florentine should not be considered trustworthy in <b>anything else</b>; they’ve forfeited the diners’ trust with their deception in this single area. It’s entirely possible to apply a similar standard of trustworthiness and logic to both organizations and individuals. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">One thing in particular about conspiracy theories is that they usually read more like a <i>story </i>than real life. If you’re familiar with the cliché pattern of urban legends and conspiracy theories, they become easier to pick out; you almost can start to smell them. If you’re reading an account, and it sounds just too good to be true, try Googling a few lines of the account within quotes. You can also use the “-“ sign to help fine-tune your search results. This is a simple version of what is called a <i>Boolean Search</i>, and it can be particularly useful for spotting repurposed urban legends or conspiracy stories that have no root in truth. Sites like Snopes.com can also prove of some benefit. Another suggestion when it comes to testing information’s veracity is careful review of its original source. See, for instance, what others have written in the way of criticism of the particular account that has caught your eye.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In the fourth chapter of 1 John, we are urged to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” A similar method can be employed to assess something’s reliability. There are many tools available to discover the truth of a questionable assertion. As a matter of fact, if you overhear a legal phrase such as <i>neutralizing the credibility of the witness </i>or <i>false in one thing, false in everything</i>, you are getting warmer; these techniques are already all around us. Among the tools available to us, then, are direct examination of the assertion itself using critical methods previously highlighted, credibility review of the source—e.g. has the organization or individual taken positions in opposition to the Bible, Church teaching, or other tried and true standards—and finally seeking the input of others whom you trust. Of course, your own skills at spotting deception should quickly improve as you make a more conscious effort to fact-check claims and not assume the information you are being given is correct. If we all do this, committing to stop spreading misinformation, imagine the clearer world we could begin to create. This allows us to focus more on the truly meaningful things.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">If we distill all of this down to its essence, we see a need for renewed emphasis upon living truth in all that we say, do, and believe—whether in-person or in the anonymous world of online communications. If lies, half-truths, fabrications, and exaggerations are coming at us all day long, requiring us to mentally filter the content, our duty as Catholics should be to stand for truth in word and deed. People should know that we are different, that we can be trusted. This kind of adult accountability is sorely lacking in today’s world. As Saint Augustine wrote in <i>On Choice and Free Will</i>, “If there is something more excellent than the truth, then that is God; if not, then Truth itself is God.” If people see calm reason and truth reflected in our lives and hearts, perhaps it will point them in the direction of divine Truth. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” In embracing this one at the door called Truth, we may jeopardize relationships, damage connections with political parties, and lose friends, but we will gain something so much more real, substantive, and eternal in return: Truth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><i>This article is adapted from <a href="https://www.catholic365.com/article/20493/a-refugee-named-truth.html" target="_blank">Catholic365</a>.</i></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></i></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-15533739932939658612022-04-16T17:38:00.009-07:002022-05-17T20:20:24.195-07:00From the Tiber to Arno: A Trip Review with Top 20 List<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #343434;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3eyQo7zwSCFRYDZ8Zm0X_YxoCLi4vqfhIRikDldyfSpmMTsk6dHMK8A4vICd1awPONWRFgJAFSWceDPagpob9j-sR0vPz9bJHTgKJww5FXnXLcLMDS1HDQ-dBWvW6MD0xvsEdriSbhcVHpjUIQwGAGC5int4snJVjN5armp0fCTXDJN6pnRPM8K4/s4032/IMG_0588.HEIC" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3eyQo7zwSCFRYDZ8Zm0X_YxoCLi4vqfhIRikDldyfSpmMTsk6dHMK8A4vICd1awPONWRFgJAFSWceDPagpob9j-sR0vPz9bJHTgKJww5FXnXLcLMDS1HDQ-dBWvW6MD0xvsEdriSbhcVHpjUIQwGAGC5int4snJVjN5armp0fCTXDJN6pnRPM8K4/w300-h400/IMG_0588.HEIC" width="300" /></a></b></div><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-size: large;">Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company? (<a href="https://www.zicasso.com" target="_blank">Zicasso</a> / <a href="https://culturalitaly.com" target="_blank">Cultural Italy</a>)</span></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">This is my second trip to Italy, and my wife's first. I was looking for a service that would help facilitate the transportation, lodging, and museum reservations, while not micro-managing everything about our days in Rome and Florence. I was looking for freedom to spontaneously do some things on our own when time permitted. While the fatigue element of traveling has a way of denting one's free time, we really couldn't have asked for better support. (There was only one occasion where we were unable to make a connection to a hotel shuttle at the Rome airport, but Cultural Italy ended-up reimbursing us for a taxi.)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /><br /></span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">The benefit of Cultural Italy was so much more than simply a collection of practical services, though. Most of the museum guides we had were one-on-one, and their knowledge was extensive. For Rome's Castel San Angelo and the Pantheon, for instance, my wife and I were paired with a lifelong resident of Rome, fluent in English, who was in the process of earning a doctorate in Roman history (or related field). His knowledge and expertise made the walking tour so fascinating. He even took a question from me on the mysterious disappearance of the Ninth Roman Legion beyond Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain and was able to share new and exciting historical evidence on the matter. It was more than a cultural or sightseeing experience; it was truly a learning experience. This is exactly what we were looking for as well.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /><br /></span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">While one of the hotels was less than perfect--e.g. almost no hot water--by and large the accommodations were a delight. The breakfast at <a href="https://www.hotelmellini.com/en/best-places-to-stay-rome" target="_blank">Hotel Dei Mellini</a> was truly astonishing, greatly exceeding our expectations. We were also pleasantly surprised that this same hotel's neighborhood within downtown Rome was so quiet after nightfall. The local knowledge that connected us with this establishment in particular was greatly appreciated.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fce5cd;">What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">I think the most enjoyable parts of the trip included the first day in Rome as well as our days in Florence. Perhaps the most memorable moment for me was taking my wife on a horse and carriage ride in Florence. This was something she had mentioned wanting to do in the past--such as Kansas City--but it never really worked out until Florence. To see how delighted she was, made me all the more glad that we made the journey. Touring the Vatican with my wife would also have to be high on the memorable list as well. As <a href="https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/a-thirst-for-reverence" target="_blank">new Catholics</a>, this part of the journey felt a bit like a pilgrimage for us. (I even brought fellow Knights of Columbus members' prayers with me to offer in Saint Peter's.)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /><br /></span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">All in all, I think the most important thing is having to had the opportunity to introduce my wife to the stunning beauty of Italy's art, architecture, landscapes, and (not to be forgotten) people.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fce5cd;">If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">First, I'd have not taken the T-Mobile advice on my particular phone plan working in Italy; it didn't. Our phones were basically expensive paperweights until I managed to upgrade my plan while staying in Florence. This ended-up creating a lot of unnecessary stress for us--particularly when circumstances separated the two us for brief periods of time.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /><br /></span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">Second, ensure that my secondary e-mail was not going to suddenly stop working when I arrived in Italy. This almost created a snag in getting COVID pre-flight test results forwarded from Abbott. (Automatic forwarding means that I don't directly access this particular account regularly.)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /><br /></span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">Less important items... I'd have reached out straightaway about the lack of hot water and poor ventilation at the Hotel Duomo in Florence. It made the time there a little difficult, and I didn't know at the time whether, or not, hot water was a legitimate expectation. (The cut hot dogs as breakfast meat were not too appealing here either.)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /><br /></span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">For the 12-hour bus tour of Tuscany, there needed to be a little more time spent to ensure adequate restroom access. It was a tad...difficult at the start of the day. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Practical Notes for the US Citizen Traveling to Italy</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">1. Upgrade cell phone plan if necessary to ensure coverage. "Pay as you Go" plans--e.g. T-Mobile--won't necessarily provide you the level of communication you need to feel safe and secure, </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">2. Be sure to bring enough cash (Euros). You may want to spend it at the airport at the end rather than bring it back to exchange again due to associated fees.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">3. Don't depend on a single credit card. Bring several. American Express, for example, is accepted at only </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif">about 50-60%of Italian establishments. Taxi drivers seem to prefer cash. If you ask for a receipt, ensure that they have not inflated the fare as a "favor." Be aware of foreign transaction fees and try to avoid them. Using debit cards out of the country is not recommended.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">4. Don't expect courteous drivers. Whether you're attempting to cross a busy street or taking a cab, be prepared for the unexpected. Drivers don't generally stop for pedestrians, and taxi drivers would likely be arrested for reckless driving if in the United States. (We particularly <i>enjoyed</i> one taxi driver using the wrong lane to drive in for a block or two just outside the Vatican's wall.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">5. Public bathrooms are not only a rarity in much of Italy, there is often a charge of a pound to use them. Even American companies like McDonalds, are picking up this bad habit. Bring coins! In a related vein, watch where you step just off of main streets in cities like Rome. The homeless don't appear to have enough facilities.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">6. Hotels use a keycard to activate power and lights for individual rooms. You'll be groping in the dark until you find the card slot. <b>(See below.)</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">7. Hotels often only offer half showers. This just means that there is no curtain or glass all the way. It can make for colder showers and wet, slippery floors. Don't slip!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">8. Tipping is often considered rude. Whatever you do, don't leave the tip on the table or add to your final bill as you do in the USA. It's best to ask if you may offer a tip before doing so. It's generally fine for drivers and tour guides. Be courteous and respectful.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">9. Bring a map with you!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">10. If you're not using a tour company, be sure to buy admission tickets before you depart for Italy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">11. Ensure that you consistently carry your passport and any applicable medical documentation that is required. Different areas within same country may have very different requirements.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">12. Be aware that street signs often show destinations rather than actual street names--which may be situated above on the buildings. If you take a photo of the sign for later reference, you may still may not end up where you wish if you convey the location identified on the sign to the driver as opposed to the street. Speaking of streets, don't expect them to follow north/south or east/west orientation. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">13. Expect to wash your clothes by hand in the hotel room.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">14. Remember to bring power adapters, so that you can charge your devices in your room, etc. (I strongly recommend <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YDF8GCT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">this brand</a>.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">15. It's helpful not to check your bags going into Italy, but checking one or two only on your way back home. Keep in mind that you'll be doing a lot of walking, and that you will become very personally acquainted with your luggage over time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">16. Be constantly aware of your surroundings and potential dangers. Sometimes even very nice hotels may have serious security gaps that prevent you from even keeping a window open at night such as continuous balconies. <b> (See below.)</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">17. Italians in the know will suggest that you barter in the markets and shops. If you're comfortable doing this politely and respectfully, then go for it, If you don't know what you're doing, best avoid doing this too much. It tends to make you look like a dumb, stereotypical tourist who is just flailing. For most of us US citizens traveling abroad, we can afford to pay a little more to help support the local economy we're visting.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">18. Take it from me, Italian is a hard language to learn. If possible, though, don't assume everyone you meet has English fluency. Greet them politely in Italian and ask in Italian if they speak English. <b>Don't unconsciously speak more loudly!</b> This is common courtesy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">19. Bathroom etiquette in Italy is a little different than in the United States. You'll have women and men frequently in the same restrooms (or passing closely by). The differences are subtle, but don't be upset to see someone of the opposite sex waiting outside your stall.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">20. If you decide to visit an Italian cathedral for Mass, it's tacky and discourteous to leave in the middle of the service; it's distracting to others. Don't give a bad name to other US tourists; be respectful.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: large;">21. Lastly... Don't miss our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prl8cvpMcp4&t=16s" target="_blank">trip video</a>!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPAFqov015efR7CGKrfQ4oJzWf2wv9YxAOyh1BZ2CdRYxkG8pXxatBsSrmqf8-5Y8-YgAwm0tJjiM4pd3_ySIV8ERqyqri0A7Pakim1R0sOejtNc3ebwHhJMEzViiPAAKnXw9DJN6he1yjM1v-CDwwTDph262GMP9WO-yhMJCrPVzZg0PeEpzkrEz/s6000/IMG_5837.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPAFqov015efR7CGKrfQ4oJzWf2wv9YxAOyh1BZ2CdRYxkG8pXxatBsSrmqf8-5Y8-YgAwm0tJjiM4pd3_ySIV8ERqyqri0A7Pakim1R0sOejtNc3ebwHhJMEzViiPAAKnXw9DJN6he1yjM1v-CDwwTDph262GMP9WO-yhMJCrPVzZg0PeEpzkrEz/s320/IMG_5837.JPG" width="213" /></a> (7)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbi04nlHVtGJw0whj34lCJX0k9Ovsmcq-0juGb1q1a7TaIvbA6EDmrgxrj3CgbLXs9h8CQxLfF3AikN_nET0W541EniHPa5_qvqgeLX-MGU4Pjmz7Sj1tFZCVi61BJUeVFFT7zL0NmUQv_Rke2ZZA6JFjV5eodbL4vtKe6qvqsKF36k2vU8y5HO2m3/s6000/IMG_5840.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbi04nlHVtGJw0whj34lCJX0k9Ovsmcq-0juGb1q1a7TaIvbA6EDmrgxrj3CgbLXs9h8CQxLfF3AikN_nET0W541EniHPa5_qvqgeLX-MGU4Pjmz7Sj1tFZCVi61BJUeVFFT7zL0NmUQv_Rke2ZZA6JFjV5eodbL4vtKe6qvqsKF36k2vU8y5HO2m3/s320/IMG_5840.JPG" width="320" /></a> (6)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AYxTggZGDfTEcIRC391X-I_v5vQMF9tqvB6p1irSnmyA9p3lc_M6IDCSwaGP6LcOL3dkhGNvzd_JacNgjsTpsJSVALfxLenTkSg-BjSbnamPM9tpqMpEUK97twvFoRijSZ5yyv26e-g5vQUjd9N0R0ZcXmbwx5eo2rBTqmqcW4zWc-mqubcP_Kxl/s6000/IMG_5848.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AYxTggZGDfTEcIRC391X-I_v5vQMF9tqvB6p1irSnmyA9p3lc_M6IDCSwaGP6LcOL3dkhGNvzd_JacNgjsTpsJSVALfxLenTkSg-BjSbnamPM9tpqMpEUK97twvFoRijSZ5yyv26e-g5vQUjd9N0R0ZcXmbwx5eo2rBTqmqcW4zWc-mqubcP_Kxl/s320/IMG_5848.JPG" width="213" /></a> (16)</div><br /><span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskJudZYDHgzh5uZBfGl-aW80eEy5339USIrHBqWyY4dTjdDe-ANEYW9y2mH5hgCP0WiqSfvhus2YEa7jHfm4oh371VYL0C1X5tVFrOwZ00sjqWg4S0cEnKeh3act2ac425w5HMFzDDXqjEUUX9lg_iLDB6k1OcHebeEMqibiiFMzCgWt8zAM275GG/s6000/IMG_4584.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskJudZYDHgzh5uZBfGl-aW80eEy5339USIrHBqWyY4dTjdDe-ANEYW9y2mH5hgCP0WiqSfvhus2YEa7jHfm4oh371VYL0C1X5tVFrOwZ00sjqWg4S0cEnKeh3act2ac425w5HMFzDDXqjEUUX9lg_iLDB6k1OcHebeEMqibiiFMzCgWt8zAM275GG/w640-h426/IMG_4584.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZrNisO87kRdB4Ibs54prW0vIwrJwoQDX7Ur3XxfSsrOVSYhrHmxOTMItcYhKLBC3IVsmof-R94_3639lO97BENY9TSefSBxgDV_rNjEMsRNcjWi0Vmw-oi3NNO3cl8k85Vj7Pr8ZmN3-zgRCqgWxGbYxEBJHwCqbvYwTTyOSRJTif9pr76g8Cw7e/w640-h426/IMG_5249.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnUP9dA3ck7hS4KH-UF7qFCtCuAFUl8ZYcywhYIh1-q3n_Eglf84wMAwPb2nLqhm8Hj55SuzNCE02uNbAo2CP36tDlSYIA5F_c8RTQjzSzM27e4TDwVNMri6LgtGq738aNKKb7FduUeZDaAUE9qIPpDlug2Iu4eRvQfDGgiUrYpRuy585rQrHcJte/s6000/IMG_5454.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnUP9dA3ck7hS4KH-UF7qFCtCuAFUl8ZYcywhYIh1-q3n_Eglf84wMAwPb2nLqhm8Hj55SuzNCE02uNbAo2CP36tDlSYIA5F_c8RTQjzSzM27e4TDwVNMri6LgtGq738aNKKb7FduUeZDaAUE9qIPpDlug2Iu4eRvQfDGgiUrYpRuy585rQrHcJte/w640-h426/IMG_5454.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-41985690060585317152022-03-22T20:30:00.001-07:002022-03-22T20:30:05.582-07:00Russia and Ukraine<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcf1CuWTH9-X5eEvI3tfScXz27g0Wyq4fAvk35jJMe6AoRGYxIEmr3ks50NRY1xrrWyCqltCr3AAU9BpW4bA5Y3fvUjMGhdZe1W6NN5pRBFsjXGT3GodDxBdkDq_Z4LLkfqTbPRRl8FbOfIQhPFn3ch613cEFcwYmXn6mQyaDtLNqCahcskl0nCh1/s6262/bigstock-War-Of-Russia-Against-Ukraine--449967811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4175" data-original-width="6262" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcf1CuWTH9-X5eEvI3tfScXz27g0Wyq4fAvk35jJMe6AoRGYxIEmr3ks50NRY1xrrWyCqltCr3AAU9BpW4bA5Y3fvUjMGhdZe1W6NN5pRBFsjXGT3GodDxBdkDq_Z4LLkfqTbPRRl8FbOfIQhPFn3ch613cEFcwYmXn6mQyaDtLNqCahcskl0nCh1/w400-h266/bigstock-War-Of-Russia-Against-Ukraine--449967811.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />I am no expert on geopolitical matters, but it seems to me we are upon the precipice in terms of the mantra “never again.” After the destruction and bloodshed inflicted upon the millions of innocents by the Nazis in particular (there have certainly been many others), most civilized members of Western Nations vowed never again. Today on CNN, an old Ukrainian woman, identified as a survivor of the Nazis, said this was the worst thing she has ever experienced in her lifetime. Let that sink in for a moment. History is repeating in a sense, and we are either sitting on our hands, or our president seems to be telegraphing our pain thresholds to our enemies. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">I suggest it’s time to stop reacting to Putin’s War, and start turning the tables on the warmonger instead, changing the environment, while maintaining Russia’s “golden bridge” (Sun Tzu used less colorful phrasing in <i>The Art of War</i>). We need to lay down a maximum battle duration that will be allowed for this conflict to continue—e.g. two more weeks—along with a prohibition against any associated escalations or resorting to chemical, biological, or radiological weapons with severe consequences. It needs to be declared that the rest of the world has a say in the what transpires; the moral and economic impacts of his atrocities are too great to be allowed to continue. We understand that there are environmental webs that interconnect everything, well, there are other connections, connections of humanity that are even more real, connections also between mankind and God. Accountability awaits.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Give him a way out, but make it clear that the majority of industrialized nations on the planet oppose Russia’s barbarous actions. It may also be worth pointing out the lack of any semblance of any coherent plan on their part other than just killing and destruction. They are like senseless waves of orcs, without thought or reason. Their military has become a meat grinder for those young men, all to appease the madman in the Kremlin. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Give them a black and white deadline that the fighting must draw down; it must end. Give them time to do so. If it does not end, we as the civilized nations must stand up and fight. Otherwise, Russia will obliterate every man, woman, and child within the smoking borders of that nation. In the darkness of a wicked night of July 1918, the Bolsheviks shot and bayoneted to death the entire Romanov family in a bloody basement of Yekaterinburg. With the murder of good Czar Nicholas II and family, the Soviet Union stirred in its mother’s womb. Perhaps the Russian Federation is not so far removed from its parent.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakH-joSFeEpunX56qRbDw7aawXUENoawMpRYorQ-wM71G_FjXDal-NFOoGppG2JA3AgicGBGlWagamveq3j6SdQpUXSVZyJezpjA1Bwm7bFXSaBa4p8tOImPqb3gJTXPw_oFWyna1HMP08axwCClCrkG5PO2bt2CsWll9JFQyGpAS25HgKsOXQ334/s1920/37207961632_dc51b970ef_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakH-joSFeEpunX56qRbDw7aawXUENoawMpRYorQ-wM71G_FjXDal-NFOoGppG2JA3AgicGBGlWagamveq3j6SdQpUXSVZyJezpjA1Bwm7bFXSaBa4p8tOImPqb3gJTXPw_oFWyna1HMP08axwCClCrkG5PO2bt2CsWll9JFQyGpAS25HgKsOXQ334/w400-h266/37207961632_dc51b970ef_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-77822722809049440652022-01-18T19:05:00.002-08:002022-01-18T19:05:40.173-08:00Beware the False Identities Roaming the Metaverse <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPMWSipojgMcK_OudlYnbjCiausAOWz7c_J7WIlzMj-KNSMGGvVd7DPfHr4mrejB9L31aGKVCFFO-yg7PXuTOG2EAuSPNhFtX5d5a5lWiadbTEhzzwNVPJLo2uDhvzcQQEr7fk3nRHRBLkNjZqZtILn4Pv-mtqgA4sNLcmN35t3YwXiM3YFG4_CIkY=s1136" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPMWSipojgMcK_OudlYnbjCiausAOWz7c_J7WIlzMj-KNSMGGvVd7DPfHr4mrejB9L31aGKVCFFO-yg7PXuTOG2EAuSPNhFtX5d5a5lWiadbTEhzzwNVPJLo2uDhvzcQQEr7fk3nRHRBLkNjZqZtILn4Pv-mtqgA4sNLcmN35t3YwXiM3YFG4_CIkY=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></div><span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span><span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPMWSipojgMcK_OudlYnbjCiausAOWz7c_J7WIlzMj-KNSMGGvVd7DPfHr4mrejB9L31aGKVCFFO-yg7PXuTOG2EAuSPNhFtX5d5a5lWiadbTEhzzwNVPJLo2uDhvzcQQEr7fk3nRHRBLkNjZqZtILn4Pv-mtqgA4sNLcmN35t3YwXiM3YFG4_CIkY=s1136" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sharing this little episode in case it's of interest. This kind of thing can also be called "catfishing," but usually that term seems saved for online connections of a more tawdry nature. Anyway, I am not easily <i>taken</i>, but this person had me quite confused for a week, or so. Don't get me wrong, I always enjoy a good mystery. (Heck, I'm a mystery writer.). This person who connected with me on Facebook seemed to share an interest in desalination. Being from Singapore, it seemed an interesting thing to text about from time to time. When the texts started to occur nightly, though, the ol' alarm bells began to sound. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Having worked in the compliance enforcement field for almost a quarter century, I'm usually pretty good at looking people up and deep diving into their particulars in my free time. In her case, however, the slate was entirely blank. I'm not going to detail all the steps I explored here, except that they included BeenVerified, which usually is somewhat helpful in returning information on people being reviewed--just not in this case. Nada. Zilch. Neither her e-mail address nor her cell phone number returned any reverse information either. Her Facebook account showed check-ins in both Singapore and China. The latter check-ins made me a bit uneasy, particularly as she seemed really interested in using my connection to launch connections to my friends (some of whom are also in government). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">As she repeatedly referred to herself as a business owner of two different companies, I finally decided to reach out to the leadership of both. Whether she was legitimate, or not, there was something disturbing about her behavior, and I was curious to learn what her game was. I received a response back pretty quickly from the media company situated in Singapore of which she claimed to be a president. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08); caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-line;"><i>Hi Karl, interesting. No she doesn’t work for us. And I’ve never met her. Clearly just randomly found our company and decided to pretend she works for us.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">A short time later, I also received some interesting observations from an online friend who is fairly familiar with the Japanese language in particular.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql" style="caret-color: rgb(228, 230, 235); color: #e4e6eb; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: black;"><i>Both Nakamura and Hoshino are surnames in Japanese. Nakamura is a very common name, Hoshino less so, but Wikipedia lists a couple of dozen noted people name Hoshino. </i></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle" style="caret-color: rgb(228, 230, 235); color: #e4e6eb; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: black;"><i>I never have come across a Japanese who used a surname as a given name. That alone would make me suspicious.</i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Nakamura Hoshino remains a mystery, but now at least, she's blocked. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxEUM-ckJF92Ifdz7d6qe6QkFxBJ7xLmn_uis6kGgSM1k73CscOcm5UtyFl3a2x_cXq0oUkTckiBEnzMIgy2zhFxen-zfBazqhHtH8igcgIguBq9hN8AkJTQ-4O2Fjytgmr4e4mpsrCO8QSsqLrpC4RiSpmPYXy1MDgDTII2q5KQgTuJf03c9ZIobI=s1300" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="974" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxEUM-ckJF92Ifdz7d6qe6QkFxBJ7xLmn_uis6kGgSM1k73CscOcm5UtyFl3a2x_cXq0oUkTckiBEnzMIgy2zhFxen-zfBazqhHtH8igcgIguBq9hN8AkJTQ-4O2Fjytgmr4e4mpsrCO8QSsqLrpC4RiSpmPYXy1MDgDTII2q5KQgTuJf03c9ZIobI=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhi7CIM8B29F3mg5OEI_VGfTzJs2Q9YwJ3a6ss-1Arx3l2nzx3n8PBKXUX_6HAhKIGmNoKq65SL5K-cjEnU3JWGt4uVEYR26eyNkgkWBGLPJolpBKxlrLi6TdQvWYnGZ1r5Lcf0I9aoSMn9x5J3eON3QBS-2596EVP0HZwcUaHs0VbWDXH7mp28Geu=s974" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="974" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhi7CIM8B29F3mg5OEI_VGfTzJs2Q9YwJ3a6ss-1Arx3l2nzx3n8PBKXUX_6HAhKIGmNoKq65SL5K-cjEnU3JWGt4uVEYR26eyNkgkWBGLPJolpBKxlrLi6TdQvWYnGZ1r5Lcf0I9aoSMn9x5J3eON3QBS-2596EVP0HZwcUaHs0VbWDXH7mp28Geu=w400-h248" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizAU-DNQE9nFcfIQB6lgxvK6jA5V296PCyGJL_fxoLHVFQ7fKvbCF8AU_HP6zIGDLNmDiqFo82Sjs9vj5WC1TOnxqTp4mGnqX029XgceRRLk1FPaEU5PbamssrSwi2OQb6n8TMRh8ZKJlvz9kX4m2lI297_5gO1SgPB1ldaG76Hn7SGOwqGLsOXUxp=s1300" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="974" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizAU-DNQE9nFcfIQB6lgxvK6jA5V296PCyGJL_fxoLHVFQ7fKvbCF8AU_HP6zIGDLNmDiqFo82Sjs9vj5WC1TOnxqTp4mGnqX029XgceRRLk1FPaEU5PbamssrSwi2OQb6n8TMRh8ZKJlvz9kX4m2lI297_5gO1SgPB1ldaG76Hn7SGOwqGLsOXUxp=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-11282985281098527562021-09-27T15:07:00.012-07:002021-10-09T15:29:16.457-07:00Clear Vision in a Murky World<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MehD5q4bcGg/YVI_L5E57XI/AAAAAAAAK1Y/dWkE_hjSb146rzXItH6JAj3ryt3h-YF1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s4000/bigstock-Covid--Vaccine-In-Doctor-Han-425135702.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2565" data-original-width="4000" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MehD5q4bcGg/YVI_L5E57XI/AAAAAAAAK1Y/dWkE_hjSb146rzXItH6JAj3ryt3h-YF1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/bigstock-Covid--Vaccine-In-Doctor-Han-425135702.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">COVID has been enlightening in shining a spotlight on the darkness and disorder within our own minds. <span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">It shouldn’t be a surprise that the relative madness of these days seemingly demands simple explanations: a black and white answer for what troubles us and why.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">In this age of social distancing, closed places of learning, and, ultimately, fear itself, why not turn to unusual sources of information for answers; traditional sources certainly haven’t offered a great deal of wisdom or thoughtfulness in the present age of darkness.</span></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">In fact, many public channels of communication concerning COVID in particular seem condescending and virtue-signaling to many of us on the conservative side of the political spectrum. Rather than invite dialogue or suggest reflection, they cement our biases or perspectives from the outset. If state and federal governments really want to create inroads with this demographic, they should put all of their chips on the table and engage in authentic, meaningful communication. For instance, what potential impact might be made if a state leader were to invite skeptics along for a tour of a hospital’s COVID ward? Yes, there are HIPPA issues to address, but that shouldn’t present an insurmountable barrier. Go outside your bubble and meet them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span>Those who take the bait of the conspiracy theory are certainly not engaging in anything new. These wild stories first came up on my radar when I ran for the Oregon House of Representatives almost a decade ago, but conspiracy stories have been around in one way or the other since the earliest days of modern civilization. The anti-Jewish conspiracies of the Middle Ages after all paved the way for modern genocide. (CNN did a recent story on this topic, and it can be accessed <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/09/23/qanon-roots-reality-check-orig.cnn-business?fbclid=IwAR3m8gVppVXRwgDQcPdSl40r4HCdm95kMkAOVhIHBETVhSjFkwu9QhiWpm8" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: black;">HERE.</span></a>) </span><span>At their core, conspiracy theories seem particularly sinful for the Christian, given it’s taking the worst of gossip and melding it with characteristics of false witness, then running one’s view of the world through this inherently defective (subjective) lens. We shouldn’t cling to information that is beyond our reasonable knowing. Matthew 7:5 comes to mind here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Many years ago, I wrote a short story entitled “Clear Vision.” It was likely encouraged by too much reading of Hemmingway and not enough of finer literature, but the goal of the story remains valid enough. While it can be argued that there is no truly objective reality, this is likely a construct of minds content to swallow the lie of moral relativism. As people of faith, we should recognize that there likely is a true reality or perspective of the present day. This <i>clearer vision</i> can begin to be understood through careful reading and studying of current events and their context or place within the complex tapestry of history. Using this and our faith, we can create a lens that brings the murkiness of current events into somewhat sharper clarity. We can see where we are sailing and perhaps avoid the rocky shoal. There are no shortcuts here, though. It takes effort to even begin to understand the complexities of the modern world. If you look for it to be handed to you on a silver platter, you’re surrendering your intellectual independence to manipulators and charlatans. If they're people in <o:p></o:p>religious authority...Dante's vision of the heretics comes to mind.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I’ll share something here that I’ve not mentioned many times before. A few days before September 11, 2001, I had a troubling dream featuring steel and glass towers burning above my head. I remember trying to make the way through the smoke and flames before the dream ended as quickly as it had begun. Truth be known, I believe we probably are in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/revelation-divine-message-Bruce-Vawter/dp/B0090OJX4Q" target="_blank">end times</a>, but we’ve been here for quite some time. No one knows the day or the hour of Christ’s return, so I suggest we should strive to live as intelligent and discerning people of Christ within a world that is quickly passing away around us. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">One important dimension of this awareness is not to attribute contrived motivations to people we don’t personally know. Yes, misguided organizations such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Reset" style="color: #954f72;">World Economic Forum</a> and our own president seem to cry out for it sometimes…but we have to be stronger than that. We have to face the irrational with the rational. We need to accept that COVID is not part of a one-world conspiracy and that Trump did indeed lose the election last year. In short, we need to grow up a bit and realize the world needs deep thinkers more than it needs loud and screeching voices creating a false panic.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Additional Resources</b> (more to be added/no particular order):<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20201221_nota-vaccini-anticovid_en.html">Ethics of the vaccines for Catholics (from Vatican)</a></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-08/pope-francis-appeal-covid-19-vaccines-act-of-love.html">Pope urges vaccination.</a></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Jimmy Akins talks about COVID vaccines</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmOVRwbKB1Q" style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">here</span></b></a> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">and</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=042hXOTP3mU" style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">here</span></b></a><u>.<o:p></o:p></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trio-conservative-radio-hosts-died-covid-will-their-deaths-change-n1278258">Conservative radio hosts die of COVID</a>..</span><span style="color: #f6b26b;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conservative-radio-hosts-anti-maskers-death-covid-19-2021-9">Business Insider reports on COVID deaths of conservative hosts.</a></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/07/24/radio-host-phil-valentine-has-changed-mind-covid-vaccine-skepticism/8081830002/">Regretful radio host</a></span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z66QsT3bKj4" target="_blank">Father Tim Mockaitis Presentation</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-13691092308873012322021-07-25T19:19:00.013-07:002021-07-25T19:26:57.235-07:00A Modest Proposal (Desalination for Oregon)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I-OFyt0cDbQ/YP3_A6cC6GI/AAAAAAAAKZw/dvWbbYae4EsnWIAxy6rxU6vMuXQzOSMugCLcBGAsYHQ/s4805/bigstock-Glass-Bottle-With-The-Inscript-353750189.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4016" data-original-width="4805" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I-OFyt0cDbQ/YP3_A6cC6GI/AAAAAAAAKZw/dvWbbYae4EsnWIAxy6rxU6vMuXQzOSMugCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/bigstock-Glass-Bottle-With-The-Inscript-353750189.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Unlike Jonathan Swift's work of the same name, today's post is aimed squarely at the topic of clean water management and creation in Oregon: just some food for thought, or...water for drink, if you like. Let's begin by acknowledging that we may indeed have a problem here. Between the <a href="https://www.koin.com/news/wildfires/oregon-wildfire-roundup-july-25-2021/" target="_blank">wildfires</a> of this year and last as well as the <a href="https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2021/07/05/New-water-wars-are-coming-to-the-American-West-amanda-little-oped/stories/202107050012" target="_blank">water wars of Southern Oregon's Klamath Basin</a>, and this year's <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/07/08/heat-wave-west-california-nevada/" target="_blank">deadly heat wave</a>, change seems to be afoot in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Consistent water reserves may be turning into a luxury of the past. While I am no alarmist, and I remain somewhat skeptical of Global Warming as a process created by human beings' industrialization and development, I think it may be prudent at this time to point out some strategies or approaches that could facilitate improved clean water distribution throughout our drying state.</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rKNyltD23o/YP4EAFeqNyI/AAAAAAAAKZ8/8IOyDNob6SE1qM7Z5ZQYng3KK2ICjrQPQCLcBGAsYHQ/s6000/50342856593_0d0744a43b_o.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rKNyltD23o/YP4EAFeqNyI/AAAAAAAAKZ8/8IOyDNob6SE1qM7Z5ZQYng3KK2ICjrQPQCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h213/50342856593_0d0744a43b_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">There's nothing quite like waking up to a morning view like this (summer 2020) to get you asking yourself some tough questions. I lived through Mt. Saint Helens' eruption on May 18, 1980 in my hometown of Yakima, Washington; this was the closest thing I've experienced since that frightening day from my childhood. While there is certainly a lot of blame to go around--e.g. lack of comprehensive forest management--let's focus on one particular option that might offer a degree of hope.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Desalination is something that everyone has heard of, but people may not understand the degree to which it is being successfully utilized now through cutting edge technology offered by companies such as <a href="https://www.ide-tech.com/en/" target="_blank">IDE Technologies</a> and sharp researchers such as <a href="https://engineering.oregonstate.edu/season-7-clean-water/turning-seawater-sweet-water-s7e6" target="_blank">Oregon State University's Bahman Abassi </a>. There have been some phenomenal minds working on this, and the technology is ready to go. Already, desalination of seawater is being used successfully all around the world--from <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/israel-proves-the-desalination-era-is-here/">Israel</a> to <a href="https://www.carlsbaddesal.com">Carlsbad</a>. As far as Oregon's geography and culture, however, I'd suggest that two central obstacles remain--not counting the price tag.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yQXUCVAFrYY/YP4IUy0OteI/AAAAAAAAKaE/yI7FXGM79J0ygSZWEsrHB7ToyPlV7z2BACLcBGAsYHQ/s6000/IMG_2640.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yQXUCVAFrYY/YP4IUy0OteI/AAAAAAAAKaE/yI7FXGM79J0ygSZWEsrHB7ToyPlV7z2BACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2640.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>First,</b> Oregonians care deeply about their amazing environment. Constructing a large industrial facility on the Oregon Coast is going to take some persuasion, and legitimate concerns need to be considered before any shovel ready project can begin. Environmental concerns on an Oregon desalination project would include site placement, water quality impact, wildlife impact (including whales, sea lions, salmon, etc.), and perhaps even electricity drain on local systems. I propose using the term sustainable desalination, because it seems that is what is truly within reach. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">For instance, the leftover water and solids routinely returned to the ocean may have a negative impact on the salinity levels of the water for local wildlife. This can, at least partially, be offset by selling the sea salt on the retail market, potentially also defraying the startup costs. Think of it, you could cook with Oregon sea salt, thereby helping to support a worthwhile venture for your home state. As I believe there are already companies in Oregon that create sea salt from our Pacific waters, perhaps mutually beneficial arrangements could be created between the concerned parties: take and sell the resulting salt for a fee that would go towards supporting the project's continuing costs and particularly its required startup investment in machinery, equipment, property, and construction.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Sustainable to me could also include a solar array that creates electrical independence for the desalination facility. Granted, we'd want to ensure these arrays aren't zapping shore birds flying above, but it's at least one additional option to consider. Electric self-sufficiency should be within the realm of possibility either now or soon, and it might prove particularly helpful in diminishing the environmental impact of the desalination facility, and helping make it more appealing to its neighbors.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Second,</b> where to build the facility raises some interesting challenges. If you constructed it between Florence and Newport, you could potentially utilize the Willamette River's own headwaters to facilitate the transport of the freshwater north to the Willamette Valley, since this river flows from south to north. (I like the idea of using a river rather than pipes when feasible to do so.). Of course, the greatest water need is going to be further south in the state, so perhaps construction between Brookings and Port Orford might offer the best opportunity for transporting the freshwater east to the parched Klamath Basin. Wherever it's situated, I don't believe it would be required that it sit particularly close to our picturesque coastline. As in other parts of the world, large pipes could be laid carefully deep into the ocean to draw the seawater in far out at sea where the intake would pose the least risk.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">In conclusion, I'll offer a tiny digression here. For a variety of reasons, I am not a huge fan of the marijuana industry. Whether it's the legal or illegal markets, it's not my thing. I've seen the harm it causes people and their families, and I've seen the trouble the grow operations frequently bring to smaller, rural communities. You may wonder what in the world does this have to do with desalination? Well, admittedly, it's a tenuous connection, but hear me out. As detailed in numerous <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/22/us/california-water-thieves-drought/index.html">news reports</a>, this industry is particularly hard on community water systems, and illegal operations can cause damage to the water table, as I understand. In short, there are many other temporary or emergency solutions that a state might consider in times of serious drought. Curtailment of grow operations, along with actions such as using treated wastewater on agricultural crops, might go a long way in helping bridge the water gap for a time. We need to all brainstorm and consider ways in which we can salvage our arid farmland and save ranchers from losing their livelihoods. In the United States, after all, fresh water should be the least of our concerns.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">As I told an inquiring college student recently, I am no scientist, nor do I play one on television... No, I'm just a guy who wanted to share one option for potentially helping to begin to address the water crisis--before it gets even worse. More than anything, I wished to share this idea with you all for greater discussion. Let's talk about it and see if it makes sense to pursue. I don't know what the next step <i>should</i> be, but I feel like we need to move quickly in addressing the water problem before it gets impossible to be a farmer or a rancher in Klamath County--and an ever-growing arid swath.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UUXZyuj440/YP4Y2kxtKEI/AAAAAAAAKaM/XRBkJzb8GTwEVpt_O1STozJt5WAhkTToACLcBGAsYHQ/s6000/IMG_2445.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UUXZyuj440/YP4Y2kxtKEI/AAAAAAAAKaM/XRBkJzb8GTwEVpt_O1STozJt5WAhkTToACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/IMG_2445.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-87919939514926461852021-07-19T16:38:00.006-07:002021-07-19T17:04:14.609-07:00Lake Pamelia Hike (Updated from 2012)<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;">A Day Hike to Lake Pamelia</h3><div class="post-header" style="color: #997755; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.880000114440918px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-4568017554734300151" itemprop="description articleBody" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; position: relative; width: 598px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; background-color: white; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; color: #333333; float: left; font-size: 13.52400016784668px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 8px; position: relative;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N2tKDN7JzWQ/T_HwONqfQ9I/AAAAAAAAAx4/H5u-ceGFm-8/s1600/IMG_6500.JPG" style="clear: left; color: #993322; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N2tKDN7JzWQ/T_HwONqfQ9I/AAAAAAAAAx4/H5u-ceGFm-8/s400/IMG_6500.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.81920051574707px; text-align: center;">Wild Rhododendrons in bloom around the lake.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif">Trying to get in better shape and break the daily routine a bit, I first ventured to Lake Pamelia around the summer of 2012. It didn't disappoint. <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTJw8jAwjQL8h2VAQAzHJMsQ!!/?ss=110618&ttype=recarea&recid=4278&actid=51&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&navid=110000000000000&pnavid=&cid=null&pname=Mt.+Jefferson+-+Pamelia+Lake+Trail+Area+-+Pamelia+Lake+Trail+%233439" style="color: #993322; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pamelia Lake</a> </span><span>is situated in Oregon's beautiful Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Area. These hikes are (almost) always a lot of fun, and I thought I'd offer some quick notes to readers (and reminders for myself) who may be interested in trying it in the future.</span></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-4568017554734300151" itemprop="description articleBody" style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; position: relative; width: 598px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif">The first thing to bear in mind is that this is a limited access area. This means that a special wilderness use permit must be acquired first online. You will also need a parking permit for the trailhead. See the <a href="https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/300009" target="_blank">Cascades Wilderness Permit </a> and the NW Forest Pass. Here is a link to the <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r6/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=fsbdev2_027010" target="_blank">annual NW Forest Pass</a>.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif">The Pamelia Lake Road, leading to the trail head, is located about fourteen miles east of the ranger station off of Highway 22. It's paved most of the way, but it is a single lane. Use caution also due to the irregular road surface which can cause underside damage if you try to go to fast. (No comment on how I know this.) </span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif">The hike itself is not that difficult, but it's probably not fair to call it easy either. <i>Moderate </i>difficulty is probably the most accurate description. Make sure that you bring more food and water than you think you'll need, and remember that weather conditions can change rapidly, so bring appropriate clothes (and sunscreen). The pleasant sound of Pamelia Creek accompanies the hiker for much of the way--a good reminder to stay hydrated!</span><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9dWizCFQTh4/T_O4Y0T5eQI/AAAAAAAAAyI/AlbXjhYgs6g/s1600/IMG_6497.JPG" style="clear: left; color: #993322; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9dWizCFQTh4/T_O4Y0T5eQI/AAAAAAAAAyI/AlbXjhYgs6g/s400/IMG_6497.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; background-color: white; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif">About three miles of hiking uphill, the winding trail deposits the hiker on the lake's west side with impressive views of Mt. Jefferson to the northeast and wild rhododendrons </span><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif">gracing the lake's shoreline in early summer. It's a great place to sit and relax for a while.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif">The only last suggestion I'd offer is to watch your way carefully. There are a number of poorly marked and intersecting trails on the lake's western side. It's easy to get a little turned around and find yourself going in a circle--not exactly filling the hiker with wonderful feelings of accomplishment. If you get confused or lost, it's best to return to the lake to regain your bearings. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif">I hope the reader finds this information of some value. It's a great little hike for those of us in the beautiful Willamette Valley. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif">(Here is one more <a href="http://www.nwhiker.com/HuntsCove.html" style="color: #993322; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">link</a> that may prove useful! Particularly good explanation of the trails in this area.)</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-opBcaOBpyEY/YPYPbFHCEyI/AAAAAAAAKWA/Yds-MQgW2X8EIOfG3azQLPDftuD2Brv_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s6000/IMG_2445.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-opBcaOBpyEY/YPYPbFHCEyI/AAAAAAAAKWA/Yds-MQgW2X8EIOfG3azQLPDftuD2Brv_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2445.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3WcrAROxHS0/YPYPajawZjI/AAAAAAAAKV4/nQAr8irhTP8d1zu4fDLX9_xhlUrTKZBRACLcBGAsYHQ/s6000/IMG_2449.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3WcrAROxHS0/YPYPajawZjI/AAAAAAAAKV4/nQAr8irhTP8d1zu4fDLX9_xhlUrTKZBRACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2449.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-59o9Xpsvr-c/YPYQQjlAmiI/AAAAAAAAKYc/MgbgaOwDuI8WR-M3p46rrnNeOpxGhTRqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s6000/IMG_2667.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-59o9Xpsvr-c/YPYQQjlAmiI/AAAAAAAAKYc/MgbgaOwDuI8WR-M3p46rrnNeOpxGhTRqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2667.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, sans-serif"><u>New:</u> You may also enjoy <a href="http://singinginthewood.blogspot.com/2013/09/injured-and-alone.html" style="color: #993322; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">"Injured and Alone."</a> </span></span><br /></div>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-21190878413251749992021-07-05T19:59:00.004-07:002021-07-05T20:05:52.933-07:00The Ripples of Emotional Abuse<p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Er6F1lV0yxw/YOPEHMAARhI/AAAAAAAAKSo/HUaSSobm41EQ_zE-pRfM6r_wpXwjaVumwCLcBGAsYHQ/s5760/bigstock-Children-Violence-And-Abused--311663725.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="5760" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Er6F1lV0yxw/YOPEHMAARhI/AAAAAAAAKSo/HUaSSobm41EQ_zE-pRfM6r_wpXwjaVumwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/bigstock-Children-Violence-And-Abused--311663725.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve never really written about emotional abuse before, but I thought I’d pen a few paragraphs on this dark topic tonight. My wife and I know of a couple where the domineering female half of the couple has made life increasingly difficult for the man, whom we will call Germaine. Every time we have a suspicion, it seems that something odd happens that somehow verifies the accuracy of our instincts. Earlier in the relationship, the female half, for instance, somehow managed to accidentally dial us in the middle of a terrible (verbal) fight. If you heard it, you’d understand the destructive nature of emotional abuse—whether it’s a man or woman on the receiving end. She was screaming awful things at the top of her lungs—completely unaware of the open line being recorded on our voicemail. Shortly after, the male half attempted to leave her.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">For a while, we were thankful that the man began to finally have an opportunity to heal and speak again to family members—particularly his daughters of whom she harbors a deep and baffling jealousy. He confirmed much of what had been previously suspected. Germaine verified that she held his phone and screened his calls and texts. This has led to injured relationships with family members and old friends, missed opportunities, and a general lack of connection with family and friends with whom she doesn't wish to connect. She took away the television they had out of fears of him being drawn away by another woman he might catch sight of on the screen. Her narcistic tendencies also had a devastating effect upon his livelihood, but further details here can’t be shared at this time. As we feared, though, he decided in the end to return to the isolation and pain of abuse. It felt like a gut punch to those who love Germaine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Most recently, she impersonated him on a long and viscous series of texts to one of his daughters in particular. When the truth of her deception came to light, it was shared with Germaine; sadly, he seemed less surprised than simply deeply grieved by this broken trust. To those whom she does not see as a <i>threat</i>, she’s as sweet as pie. Germaine’s own brothers don’t appear to have the slightest idea at the degree of emotional abuse he’s suffering daily. Going home for Germaine is less a retreat than it is a war zone filled now with her hoarded belongings. But, he said yes: for better or worse.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">An interesting thing about emotional abuse is the people it hits beyond its initial victim; both daughters are greatly suffering. One of them in particular is dealing with incredibly painful fibromyalgia, which seems to be linked to the stress and pain of the lost relationship with her father. Having lost her mother some years back, she now feels essentially that she’s lost her father too. She has to try to back away from the relationship to safeguard her own mental and physical health. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">So…if you’re considering returning to an abusive relationship, understand that yours is not the only life that will be darkened by this evil. It's like a cancer that races out from a starting point with a desire to infect and corrupt. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Enough is enough. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Resources:</u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/help-for-men-who-are-being-abused.htm" target="_blank">Help for Men Being Abused </a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><a href="https://www.thehotline.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.thehotline.org/" target="_blank">National Domestic Abuse Hotline </a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/help-for-battered-men" target="_blank">Help for Battered Men</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><a href="https://www.usccb.org/topics/marriage-and-family-life-ministries/when-i-call-help-pastoral-response-domestic-violence" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><a href="https://www.usccb.org/topics/marriage-and-family-life-ministries/when-i-call-help-pastoral-response-domestic-violence" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">USCCB</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-49976138227634946442021-03-07T16:36:00.000-08:002021-03-07T16:36:23.413-08:00A Call for Your Miracles!<p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ExlE42aBBJ0/Th-WprdW19I/AAAAAAAAAX8/0WfoNp0IeAU7Ei2DTuGOEWHKMqMynGJtwCPcBGAYYCw/s3456/IMG_1489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3456" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ExlE42aBBJ0/Th-WprdW19I/AAAAAAAAAX8/0WfoNp0IeAU7Ei2DTuGOEWHKMqMynGJtwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_1489.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></i></b></div><b><i><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature.</span></i></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">--St. Augustine</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Do you have family miracles that have not been widely shared, stories that should really be told? I am considering creating a compilation of Catholic and Orthodox miracles from the last century, or so. Too many times people believe that these episodes are over; I want to help share that they continue. If you wish to remain anonymous, please state so in your communication. Please e-mail me your accounts in a summary form. I'll let you know if I am moving ahead with the project and whether, or not, your contribution will be able to be utilized in the book. Please e-mail me at miracleswithapurpose@gmail.com and copy me also at karl@karlerickson.com . <b>Thank you!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8-3LPllBKGk/TWlKJPI6UvI/AAAAAAAAAQk/CwluBo_ITucDc11KiMzc7NNupcaKR3n4QCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8-3LPllBKGk/TWlKJPI6UvI/AAAAAAAAAQk/CwluBo_ITucDc11KiMzc7NNupcaKR3n4QCPcBGAYYCw/w400-h300/IMG_5336.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-12026891698694707302021-03-07T16:04:00.008-08:002021-03-07T16:13:49.572-08:00A Review of Caravaggio, A Life Sacred and Profane <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rm057Uhu5Zo/YEVi9Vz9igI/AAAAAAAAJts/0izVHYtHu3A0tzsWVnQ17cw18Swx-TXxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/2d27ef93326af5d164c8cae090ebe0e200ba8165.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rm057Uhu5Zo/YEVi9Vz9igI/AAAAAAAAJts/0izVHYtHu3A0tzsWVnQ17cw18Swx-TXxgCLcBGAsYHQ/w237-h320/2d27ef93326af5d164c8cae090ebe0e200ba8165.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Caravaggio, A Life Sacred and Profane</span></i><span style="font-size: medium;"> by Andrew Graham-Dixon could be described as an authentic work of art itself. The author’s masterful use of the language brings this troubled, brilliant artist to life in a way that is truly remarkable. His whole mysterious life is virtually opened up to reader—from his early days as a new artist trying to earn a living in Rome to his ill-fated Maltese knighthood; the contradictions abound. I offer the opening paragraph as an example of the author’s eloquent way with words.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Caravaggio’s art is made from darkness and light. His pictures present spotlit moments of extreme and often agonized human experience. A man is decapitated in his bedchamber, blood spurting from a deep gash in his neck. A man is assassinated on the high altar of a church. A woman is shot in the stomach with a bow and arrow at point-blank range. Caravaggio’s images freeze time but also seem to hover on the brink of their own disappearance. Faces are brightly illuminated. Details emerge from darkness with such uncanny clarity that they might be hallucinations. Yet always the shadows encroach, the pools of blackness that threaten to obliterate all. Looking at his pictures is like looking at the world by flashes of lightening. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I<span>n 2017, at the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Gallery Borghese</a> in Rome, I had the opportunity to view a magnificent painting by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610): Madonna Dei Palafrenieri. Caravaggio’s masterpiece is captivating in its beauty and expressive detail. The painting’s lifelike faces of Christ, Mary</span><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">, and Saint Anne as well as its vibrant colors held my attention for some moments before I noticed something else. Looking closer, I observed that Mary’s bare foot was squarely atop a serpent’s head and the young Christ’s foot was atop hers. This detail might go unnoticed by some visitors, but the theological implications behind this symbolism is not only rich and profound, it also transforms the beautiful image into something much more complex and nuanced. Andrew Graham-Dixon’s book does a particularly outstanding time describing this painting and its journey from Saint Peter’s Basilica (a short stay of about a week) to the Borghese family. Like so many other pieces of his art, truly born of sweat, tears, and blood, the pages tell the fascinating backstories of each work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The Madonna of the Palafrenieri, sometimes known as the The Madonna of the Serpent, is an unsettling picture. Monumental in scale , almost ten feet tall and most than six across, it shows three figures in a tall room, absorbed in a confrontation with pure evil. The Virgin and the infant Christ together crush the head of a serpent beneath their feet. As the foul creature writhes in its death agonies, St. Anne frail and bent by age, looks on in solemn contemplation. By God’s grace, the devil is defeated.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the same time that I was finishing this book, I was also listening to a Sacred Music course on the Great Courses platform, taught by Dr. Charles Edward McGuire, that touched on some of the same Roman families as mentioned in the in the book. This serves as a good reminder that there is no such thing as wasted knowledge. Even the smallest detail can add to greater understanding of the subject being studied, lending clearer context to the matter at hand. The interconnected nature of the great families of the past—such as the Borghese family--have a way of coming up again and again in the study of art and music. We owe a debt of gratitude indeed to the great patrons of the arts for commissioning and helping to safeguard the classic works of art of Caravaggio and so many others.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span>Reading this powerful book on Caravaggio, it feels as if I’m drawn again into those ancient Roman churches and museums to gaze at his awe-inspiring paintings. I can’t wait to see them again in a year’s time—Lord willing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Resources for the Reader:</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it/" target="_blank">Gallery Borghese</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://civitavecchia.portmobility.it/en/visiting-church-st-louis-french-rome" target="_blank">Church of San Luigi De Francesi</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/collezioni/musei/la-pinacoteca/sala-xii---secolo-xvii/caravaggio--deposizione-dalla-croce.html">The Vatican Museum</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.caravaggio-foundation.org/">The Caravaggio Foundation</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caravaggio">Caravaggio on Wikipedia</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Caravaggio" target="_blank">Caravaggio in The Britannica</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.andrewgrahamdixon.com/index.html" target="_blank">Andrew Graham-Dixon</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmEiZF-Fsqs" target="_blank">An Artist Called Caravaggio</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbO64YZbPX0">Rome and London</a> (See 22nd minute.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-78_omTVLSn0/Wfpwvwhr5WI/AAAAAAAAFQU/XZXU_EVa60g3IMLATgdsrcoRly20NYgrACPcBGAYYCw/s3846/IMG_2717.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="3846" data-original-width="2564" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-78_omTVLSn0/Wfpwvwhr5WI/AAAAAAAAFQU/XZXU_EVa60g3IMLATgdsrcoRly20NYgrACPcBGAYYCw/w266-h400/IMG_2717.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--pnxtmDKPTQ/WcLGqPOhbXI/AAAAAAAAFEM/K6tpo3powAoY0eGZ3ERsU-Zk20HgjO5JACPcBGAYYCw/s4272/IMG_3476.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--pnxtmDKPTQ/WcLGqPOhbXI/AAAAAAAAFEM/K6tpo3powAoY0eGZ3ERsU-Zk20HgjO5JACPcBGAYYCw/w400-h266/IMG_3476.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzt711ydnn8/Wgjm1G1E03I/AAAAAAAAFSM/HRi0y_PnMq4eDc-hJLrzZD9r85senOu-gCPcBGAYYCw/s4272/IMG_2339.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzt711ydnn8/Wgjm1G1E03I/AAAAAAAAFSM/HRi0y_PnMq4eDc-hJLrzZD9r85senOu-gCPcBGAYYCw/w400-h266/IMG_2339.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-22354932093279519442021-02-01T20:08:00.000-08:002021-02-01T20:08:01.512-08:00In Memory of My Nephew, Jonah Dennis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWsSeGQmlZY/YBjP6UQyfWI/AAAAAAAAJjQ/Dx-KXebCzD8CaCJcs5rDM3UB-_IiGdO2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/120200457_10221040742520171_9062716914862670988_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWsSeGQmlZY/YBjP6UQyfWI/AAAAAAAAJjQ/Dx-KXebCzD8CaCJcs5rDM3UB-_IiGdO2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/120200457_10221040742520171_9062716914862670988_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "libre baskerville", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 22px !important; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;"><br /></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "libre baskerville", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 22px !important; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;"><br /></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "libre baskerville", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 22px !important; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;">Obituary</h2><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Jonah Mark Dennis, age 16, died Thursday, January 21, 2021. He was born in Santa Cruz, California on March 12, 2004 to Richard Dennis and Felicia Wilson Lee, joining two older siblings, Lydia and Josiah. Following military orders, the family lived in San Angelo, TX, where sister Lily was added to the growing family, before transferring to Hawaii for several years. After his parents divorced, Jonah and his siblings moved with their father to Rotan, Texas and his family grew again when they moved to Dallas, TX to join forces with his step mother, Shannon Collier Dennis and her two children, Emma and John. Jonah’s brother, Bede, and sister, Mary, were born in Dallas. While Richard was in seminary, the family lived with Shannon’s parents, John and Shirley Collier in Plano, TX, where the youngest, Ruby Rose joined Jonah’s family, rounding out the dynamic duo, the fantastic four, and the terrific three of the blended siblings into a full, busy, and loving household. Jonah’s family subsequently moved to Corpus Christi, TX, Aransas Pass, TX, and Spring Branch, TX. Beginning in 2018, Jonah and his biological siblings lived with their mother, Felicia, in Kirtland, New Mexico.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"> </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Jonah’s kindness, gentleness, sensitivity, and playful humor endeared him to all he met. He was the family peacemaker and the family prankster. He would readily give up any possession to stop others from fighting, but he could stubbornly argue until the cows come home. Jonah gave his best effort to all he did. He was an excellent, well-rounded student and loved learning. He loved legos as a boy and building model rockets with his grandfather; playing the cello and drums; and eating cereal Saturday mornings in a blanket on the couch. Jonah was the chess champion of his elementary school. He wrestled; played soccer and golf; and enjoyed swimming and fishing with his family. Jonah wanted to become a priest, but also dreamed of becoming a pilot at the Air Force Academy. Above all, Jonah loved his family, which was tragically fragmented in divorce. Jonah was a light in this world and his passing left a hole that will only be filled in heaven.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"> </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Preceding Jonah in death are his grandfather, Mike Dennis, Sr., his grandmother, Shirley Collier, and still born siblings, Christopher Richard, Maple Margaret, and Roan Titus.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Surviving Jonah are his parents, CPT Richard and Shannon Dennis, Aaron and Felicia (Wilson) Lee; grandparents, Lenice Dennis, Dr. Jim and Deborah Wilson, John and Karen Collier, and Keith and Betsy Lee; siblings, Lydia, Josiah, Lily, Bede, Mary, and Ruby Dennis, John and Emmaline Dyer, Faith, Mari, Gabby, and Charles Lee; aunts and uncles, Joy Dennis, David Dennis, Dr. Allen and Amanda Dennis, Chris and Heather Carrol, Karl and Kimberly Erickson, and many cousins and friends will mourn his passing.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">A funeral service will be held in Kirtland, New Mexico at 10:00am Thursday, January 28, 2021. Burial will be at Belvieu Cemetery in Rotan, Texas. Visitation will be from 9:30am – 10:30am at Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home Chapel in Rotan on Saturday, January 30, 2021 with the graveside service to follow at 11:00am with Dr. Fr. Philip LeMasters officiating under the direction of Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Children’s Home of Lubbock in Jonah’s memory as Jonah would have wanted to help children of broken families.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"> </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">www.childshome.org</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">P.O. Box 2824</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Lubbock, TX 79408</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"> </p><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 10px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 1.1em; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">To send sympathy gifts to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jonah Mark Dennis, please visit our <a class="twtreelnk" href="https://www.weathersbeerayfh.com/obituary/Jonah-Dennis/sympathy" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(47, 90, 61) !important; font-weight: 600;">tribute store.</a></p></div><div class="row" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px; padding: 5px;"></div><p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-39780251755682462002020-11-01T19:56:00.003-08:002020-11-01T19:56:53.839-08:00Taking a Break from the Writing and Podcast<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKfVAJArsSE/X59-x7l_TjI/AAAAAAAAJHw/hMtPx3gaF5EqKV0zxoaqHrT1IBsPklylwCLcBGAsYHQ/s6000/IMG_0089.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKfVAJArsSE/X59-x7l_TjI/AAAAAAAAJHw/hMtPx3gaF5EqKV0zxoaqHrT1IBsPklylwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/IMG_0089.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Besides a love of the written word, one of the central reasons I have continued investing in the writing and podcast efforts over the years was to create a significant wealth of communication-related experience with which to leverage a career switch from tax compliance to state or federal government communications. When I graduated in 2018 from Marylhurst University with a BA in English Literature and New Media, I thought things would change for the better. While they have most definitely done so, it wasn't quite in the way I expected. For one thing, I've learned that communications is not a field easily entered by the older worker; fresh out of school is the way to embark on that career path. The departments are generally seeking young people for these positions.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I expected when I graduated from college that I'd be a much better writer. While I may be a stronger writer today, I have also found the desire to write is rarely as strong as it once was. Perhaps it was the act of writing and re-writing my university thesis that burned me out for a while on the act of writing. The whole process seemed less artistic or creative than simply a sort of "writing by the numbers" approach to essay structure. That, combined perhaps with lackluster sales of my books, has led me to where I am today--subtly redirecting my time and energies into more fruitful areas.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Anyway, we all have plenty on our plates these days, and I frankly think my time is better placed in serving God and enjoying my family than investing hours in creating fresh content for the web or books. I have offered my services to one company, and I remain available as needed to a local Catholic publication too. I am still interested in being involved in photography and voice work projects, but I suspect they're going to take more of a backseat to simply<i> living</i> than they have in the past. When I retire in less than a decade, I hope to hit the writing harder than ever; we will see.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I will continue to add to the blog as time allows.</span></div><p></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-54000861632163103922020-09-20T19:55:00.001-07:002020-09-20T19:55:43.297-07:00SEIU 503 Troubles Podcast<p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gBZeltQ0KNk/X2gViJPY-DI/AAAAAAAAJAM/SWcGNXFACOgwbDgLd6dyICd8xArCJ2MPACLcBGAsYHQ/image.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="320" height="213" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gBZeltQ0KNk/X2gViJPY-DI/AAAAAAAAJAM/SWcGNXFACOgwbDgLd6dyICd8xArCJ2MPACLcBGAsYHQ/image.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As discussed in several previous posts, I have had some issues over the years with SEIU 503. Past posts have documented my frustrations with their positions, but they crossed a new line with their online planning to further disrupt Portland by getting involved in the BLM riots. In posting their plans to get between protesters and police...it was the last straw for me. Unfortunately, it's not an easy process to exit the union once you're a member. This podcast talks about the associated challenges, and it also offers the perspective of a representative from Freedom Foundation named Rebekah Milliard. This is a critically important First Amendment issue.</div></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">You can access this latest podcast <a href="https://www.podcasts.com/sounds-and-words-b3959377f/episode/SEIU-503-Troubles-in-Salem-7ffe">HERE</a>. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yNotZWFD4Wg/X2gT5CdeMuI/AAAAAAAAI_o/oEyCVPd32_MI6aVeBtyuXt4zV6nlogrtQCLcBGAsYHQ/s5000/bigstock-Businesses-Interior-Fire-Burne-370262218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /></a></div><br /><p></p>Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7027660280060280197.post-33086546505218153492020-08-03T15:02:00.003-07:002020-08-03T15:02:32.596-07:00Sing a New Church Karaoke Night! (Humorous Aside)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DXy_JzMGDRk/XyhlRNF_w1I/AAAAAAAAIvk/TZUm8PA9OhMMy-tiwU3Q0u3-kepb8yjDQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/bigstock-Microphone-With-Blurry-Indoor--370425289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DXy_JzMGDRk/XyhlRNF_w1I/AAAAAAAAIvk/TZUm8PA9OhMMy-tiwU3Q0u3-kepb8yjDQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/bigstock-Microphone-With-Blurry-Indoor--370425289.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In honor of <a href="https://babylonbee.com/" target="_blank"><i>The Babylon Bee</i>'s </a> regular body slamming of traditional news outlets through the art of satire, I give you my little contribution to this important literary...genre. Hope you enjoy! (For my real take on this hymn, <a href="https://media.musicasacra.com/publications/sacredmusic/pdf/sm136-3.pdf" target="_blank">go to page 53</a> or <a href="http://singinginthewood.blogspot.com/2012/05/sing-new-church-not.html" target="_blank">here</a> too.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />The 5th annual “Sing a New Church” Karaoke Festival is scheduled to start directly after the 11am Mass on Sunday, August 23rd in Minot’s Saint Cecilia Catholic Church. The excitement is quickly building for this fun-filled event for the entire family. As done in past years, winners will have an opportunity to win valuable prizes from two of the following five categories: Social Justice, Multiculturalism, Gender Discovery, Diving for Diversity, and (the wildcard) Ecumenical Experiences!<br /><br />Parish staff encourage attendees to recall that the event follows Mass. This means, for instance, that the Boykin and Smith families would want to actually stay in the nave AFTER the recessional hymn begins (and finishes too). Please contact staff with questions.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The first-place winner will progress to the second round with an </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">opportunity to capture the National Karaoke Pennant! Round 2’s music </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">has just been announced as the angelic and inspiring “Earth and All </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Stars.” Of course, we're all stars when we sing together!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Don’t be left out in the cold, join us in Minot on Sunday! This is a great </span><span style="font-size: large;">time to bring friends along, so that they can learn more about important </span><span style="font-size: large;">things-- such social justice and ecumenical diversity.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let’s hit last year’s winners where it hurts the most and take the much-prized Karaoke Pennant of the Greater Minot Diocese (conveniently shortened to the KPGMD).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">PS. In this strange time of long lines for sanitizer and social distancing from the Boykin family, let's remember to get things right on Sunday. Washing your hands at least once on August 23rd would be a super fabulous start!</span></div>
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Childrens Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04495287586663295792noreply@blogger.com0