Resolution and Tradition

It's that time again; it's New Year's Eve, that nostalgic moment poised on the brink of a new year that hovers ever-hopeful before us. It's often a time of introspection, evaluation, and resolve. Almost everyone seems to be turning over a new leaf, and not just on the calendar. (Yes, I still use paper calendars.)

New Year's resolutions are often broken quickly; "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," as The Lord put it. I think part of the issue with abandoned resolutions is that sometimes they are either unrealistic, e.g. "lose 50 lbs. by Easter" or too numerous--"start running, stop drinking, read a book a month, take a cruise, organize the photos, clean the garage." As experience has taught me, if we ask too much of ourselves, we can become discouraged quickly. 

Last year I had five cross-country trips scheduled and one international journey. I made a single, double-sided resolution for 2022--to enjoy all my travels to the full and to not worry about Covid. I succeeded, and I managed to do so in continuing good health. I don't know if my resolution was fulfilled by positive thinking, a hearty constitution, providence, blind luck, or a combination of all. I'm just grateful that it worked out.

What's my resolution for 2023? I'm not sure yet, and I have another day to contemplate my decision. I do know that there will be just one resolution, and that it will be something I'm reasonably confident I can achieve.

In my ongoing determination to keep what's good from the past, I'll handwrite my 2023 goal on my kitchen's paper calendar. That calendar is a traditional gift from my adult children, compiled with dozens of photos of my grandkids throughout the outgoing year.

I'll never give up that wall calendar. Some resolutions are easy to keep.

Leaving 2022 behind

Not In the Cards

Christmas cards—that’s what I call them, please deal with it—used to be a prominent and fun part of this season. Beginning as early as Thanksgiving weekend, my mailbox would begin to deliver happy greetings from family and friends near and far. There were often several cards arriving each day, many in colorful envelopes festooned with holiday stickers. Sometimes there would be a newsy letter enclosed, recapping significant personal events in the year gone by. Often there would be handwritten notes on the inside or a photo print (remember those?) enclosed.

In those days, by Christmas Eve, dozens of Christmas cards would be taped all over my doorways. It was not so long ago, as recently as five years past. But those days, sadly, are vanishing like snow in the sunlight. Writing and sending Christmas cards takes a chunk of time, extra effort, and money—all items in short supply in most people’s lives today. Postage rate hikes have not been kind to the greeting card custom. It is considerably more expensive to mail cards today than it was in years past.

I suppose we should feel lucky to receive even a “holiday” text, at this point. At least, we know we are remembered. And there is always the occasional “e-card” in my email's Inbox. But for me, a text or e-card can never generate that small thrill of seeing a Christmas card peeking out from my mailbox. I would always save the daily cache of cards to open last, a special treat after all the other mundane mail was disposed of. Receiving cards was a part of the Christmas magic that today is devolving into yet another “once upon a time” tale for the grandkids.

It is less than four days before Christmas Eve, and I have received nine cards. I’m grateful for every one of them. But each year their numbers are fewer. The piano used to be where I started standing up the cards, moving them onto doorways by mid-December as their numbers grew. But there’s no more taping cards on doorways; all the Christmas cards now fit easily atop my piano.

I, for one, will not let the treasured tradition of sending Christmas cards go gently into that goodnight. I’ll keep writing my annual newsletter as long as I can, too. So, to all my Christmas correspondents, it’s in the cards that you’ll have at least one old-fashioned Christmas greeting in your mailbox. My hope for you is that my card will have lots of company.

Merry Christmas!

Fireside on Fire

A couple of years ago, I signed up as a supporting member of Prager U. I'd heard Dennis Prager on the radio sporadically over the years. His mid-day radio show time clashed with my working hours, so I was only able to catch him on off days or in the car on the way to appointments. He always held my attention.

Prager is a very intelligent man. He is also very logical, experienced, interesting, and well-informed. Prager is also a conservative. This combination of positive traits is a lethal witch's brew to his left-wing enemies, who have been on a multi-year mission to destroy him. Many of his videos have been maligned, censored, and banned. His 5-Minute Videos on the Ten Commandments were particularly repugnant to the Lefties. In fact, the video about the commandment not to murder was banned from YouTube because it "discussed murder." How's that for an example of the critical thinking skills of the media giants managing our lives right now?

I joined Prager U because I think the work Dennis is doing is not only important, but necessary to preserve our way of American life. Prager U doesn't charge its viewers. The Fireside Chat is posted every Thursday, and I look forward to watching each of these 30-minute philosophical discussions of life, love, and our current social predicaments. Dennis Prager is almost always a genial, phlegmatic speaker. He is very rarely ruffled. 

Tonight he was on fire. In a departure from the show's usual format, he had as his guest the CEO of Prager U, Marissa Streit. She discussed with him the continuous malevolent efforts of the left-wing "fact checker" organization NewsGuard to take down not only Prager U, but all of its donors and supporters. Dennis was justifiably angry. Upon hearing what was happening to Prager U from NewsGuard's totalitarian lowlifes, I was angry, too.

Just to decide for yourself--while that's still an option in the USA--you should check out Prager U's website. There's a wealth of content there besides the Fireside Chat. I'm especially gratified by the children's content Prager has added in recent years.

In a cultural and societal war such as ours, Dennis Prager says there are three kinds of people: those who do nothing, those who fight, and those who support the fighters. He is fighting hard to keep America free. I'll do what I can to support him by keeping my monthly membership and donating additionally as I can. I signed the Prager U petition against NewsGuard, too. And you'll now find Prager U in my sidebar links. 

It's not much, but it's a start.

Dennis Prager

Techno-TKO

I've been writing this blog for a long time. Since 2004, to be exact. Over the years, I've been able to roll with the occasional updates as they launched. Until now.

For months I've been receiving emails from Google, which owns Blogger, that I need to "install Google tag." There was some message about "sunsetting the current Google Analytics." Not only do I need to install a new tag; I need to "configure" it. And, because Blogger isn't one of the supported platforms that will automatically update by "scanning the new code," I need to manually "copy and paste" the code below into each section of my website:

<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->

<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-9ZZNZ0WP65"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-9ZZNZ0WP65'); </script>

Looks like fun, right? I'm instructed to insert this code "immediately after the <head> element," which can't be found--at least by me. Need some help? Google's got me covered. Their offered solution? Go ask the other users.

So I've dutifully been to the "community forum" and read dozens of the bewildered comments and questions of other exiled Bloggers who are all totally ignored by Google. Odd that Google doesn't support one of its own platforms, but who am I to question a mega-zillion dollar Big Tech giant? Certainly not a software engineer, I've come to find out.

So that's why I've been MIA for a while, and most likely will remain so for a while longer. I've been navigating the maze of instructions, diagrams, screen shots, pages of Q&As and articles. I'll keep hacking at it until I either figure it out or move to a different blog platform. Stay tuned, if you're patient. Unlike Google, I'll make it easy for you to find me.

Thankful Through the Centuries

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in the fall of 1621--401 years ago. It took until 1863 for it to become an official holiday, courtesy of President Abraham Lincoln.

History recounts that the early New England settlers, the Pilgrims, shared a peaceful and enjoyable autumn harvest celebration with the Native Americans of the area. There are no historical records of hate crimes, racism, bigotry or white supremacy during this three-day feast of thanksgiving for a plentiful harvest.

Imagine that. People just being people together; people enjoying being good neighbors and friends. If that could happen in 1621, why not in 2022? I say yes, it can and does still happen. Despite any attempt to denigrate this uniquely American holiday, today's Americans still know and appreciate their family, friends, and neighbors. We know how fortunate we are to be living in this country. No amount of naysaying can change what grateful Americans know to be true, regardless of the century.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Lifetime Memories

On November 15, 1947, my parents got married. That would make today their 75th wedding anniversary. It's a mind-boggling stretch of time. Perhaps "a lifetime" would be a more accurate description.

Mom and Dad got married five days before Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were wed. I'm the eldest of four children, but although both King Charles and Princess Anne were born before I was, my mother had her fourth child almost two years before the Queen had her fourth baby, Prince Edward.

I remember hearing about the youngest British prince's birth quite vividly. My parents and all four kids were riding in the family station wagon, on our way to visit my grandparents. My youngest brother, a hyperactive toddler, was tethered into his carseat (such as they were in 1964), and Dad had the car radio tuned to the news. The birth of the new prince was announced, with the broadcaster concluding his report with the words, "this is Queen Elizabeth's fourth child."

From the backseat, I saw my mother glance at the radio in surprise, then toss this comment in Dad's direction. "She's just now up to four? Oh, I'm way ahead of her." 

I remember that, child though I was, Mom's remark made me chuckle. The memory of it still does. It was a classic Mom one-liner. She had the proverbial million of them, and almost all had staying power. My siblings and I, now seniors all, can rarely hold a conversation without quoting some pithy saying from Mom. If she and my father were alive today, and if Mom were asked how they had stayed married for so long, she might respond "with the help of God and a couple of cops."

But I'm not sure. As mentioned, she had countless one-liners. Even her ten adult grandchildren quote her with startling regularity. In any given situation, there was no telling what Mom would say next. But it was always safe to bet that it would be memorable.

Dad & Mom ~ November 15, 1947

Gratitude and Regret

Today is the Friday after Election Day, and several states are still counting votes. In the 1860s, when votes were counted by hand, by candlelight, and a nation-wide Civil War was raging, we had results for the entire country by the end of the week.

The lack of voting results is a national disgrace, especially in our age of technology. Our vote processing methods are supposedly far superior to the 19th century. Obviously not.

The early voting, mail-in voting, and vote harvesting allowed in some states are destroying our electoral system. The U.S. Constitution stipulates that we have an Election DAY, "which Day shall be the same throughout the United States." We do not have an election week, month, or season. The opportunities this unconstitutional, drawn-out process presents for errors is incalculable.

Today is also Veterans Day, and yesterday was the 247th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Our military members did not serve, sacrifice, fight, and die to protect an unconstitutional voting system. They swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution "against all enemies, foreign and domestic." Those enemies include jaded political players manipulating state voting procedures to benefit their preferred party. The delay in vote returns is a direct insult to every American veteran and active military member.

Our veterans are owed more than thanks. They are owed an apology from every district and state still counting votes today. We also owe them a commitment to repair our broken voting system.

Thank you, Veterans

Secret Voters

The Hill has an intriguing article on what author Douglas MacKinnon is calling "the secret majority." I think he nailed it on the head. Read the piece and see if you agree.

I remember the "silent majority" of a half century ago. That's how President Nixon referred to conservative voters. But, as MacKinnon astutely notes, in those days you wouldn't get fired, have your business shut down or your children expelled from school if you voiced a different opinion. Today's conservatives have learned to be not simply silent, but completely secretive about their political and cultural viewpoints. It's the only rational course of action if one wants to live life in relative peace.

But, as I often say, this used to be a free country. I think there are enough Americans who would like it to be one again, and I also think they are going to make a big difference on November 8. I spent more time than usual reviewing my ballot and researching candidates, especially the judicial ones. The remainder of the ballot was very straightforward for me.

I've already submitted my vote. It's been received and counted (so the Country Registrar's office tells me), but I really can't discuss it any further.

It's a secret.

Loads of Lies

It's difficult to choose only ten untruths, but I gave it a shot (is that still a permissable term?) and came up with the following list of whoppers from coverage of our daunting current events: 

Ten of the Most Outrageous Lies Being Fed to Americans

1.  Voters in Georgia are suppressed.

2.  The U.S. economy is "strong as hell."

3.  January 6th was worse than 9/11.

4.  The southern border is secure.

5.  There is only a "perception" that crime in New York City is "out of control."

6.  Biden's release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is "not politically motivated."

7.  We're not in a recession.

8.  There are more than 70 genders. Make that more than 80.

9.  Big Oil is price gouging us at the gas pump.

10.  "No one is above the law."

All of the above lies are insulting to Americans, but Number 10 is a real heartbreaker. It is text directly from of the U.S. Bill of Rights. But, sadly, most of us know it's no longer true.

Food Preparation

A railway strike seems like something out of the distant past. Not many people, myself included, pay much attention to freight trains and rail travel these days. 

But consumer goods move on trains as well as on trucks. A rail strike could get ugly for us very quickly.

Consider how sad is the current state of our supply chain. I don't look for a favorite brand anymore when I shop; I buy whatever I see on the mostly empty shelves. For me, this grab-whatever method has recently applied to such varied items as toothpaste, dishwashing soap, pasta, bread, and paper napkins.

We all remember the toilet paper panic at the start of Covid-19. I was grateful that I had enough of that particular product in my home. But during the lockdown, I began to wonder--what other types of shortages might pop up in the coming months or years? There was no predicting where the craziness might lead.

In 2020, there was a wide expanse of empty wooden shelving lining one wall of my garage. Once upon a time, it had housed countless tools and materials for my husband's building projects. Those items were all disposed of years ago, leaving yards of empty shelves. So during Covid, I started what my mother would have called my "larder."

Mom's larder had been in our home's basement, and my siblings and I teased her endlessly about her piles of tea boxes and groupings of mayonnaise jars. But I remembered that those stockpiles had come in handy many times, often amidst the drama of a fall hurricane or winter blizzard. And who knew what kind of storm might follow Covid? (Well, now we know. I'd hate to have to replace my larder at today's prices.)

So I began to fill those garage shelves with food. In each weekly shopping trip, I'd buy an extra of any sale item--tuna, cereal, rice, beans, coffee, tea, you name it--and stow it in the garage as my backup reserve. I also bought soaps, cleaners, and paper products. Today, those garage shelves are once again packed solidly, floor to ceiling.

The kitchen cupboards are also full to the edges. If Biden's "Armageddon" strikes (and if I survive it), I've got food and supplies to last me several months.

It takes some practice, but I've got it down now. All food in the garage is stored in order of expiration dates, and I rotate new items into the mix straight out of my car's trunk after a shopping trip. If my grandkids can't find their favorite snack bars in my kitchen, they know they'll probably score if they check the larder. I think Mom would be proud.

Photo: Better Homes & Gardens

A Warning in Our Wilderness

If you aren't following Victor Davis Hanson, you should be. You can find his website, The Blade of Perseus, linked here (and on this blog's sidebar). Here's a caveat that if you start listening to his regularly posted podcasts, you'll receive so much solid information that you'll rapidly become addicted to his next offering.

Hanson's latest written piece, "The Thinnest Veneer of Civilization," is a sobering analysis of just how much trouble our society is in. The rot within our nation is in our faces, everyday.

As a recent example, consider the murder of FDNY EMT Lt. Alison Russo Elling, a first responder on September 11, 2001, who was looking forward to retirement. She was stabbed to death as she walked in uniform, one block from her station house, to buy lunch.

As Hanson often states on his podcasts when discussing such brutal events, "This is unsustainable." He is one brave voice crying out in our wilderness of chaos.

If you listen to Hanson, you'll know history. And if you know history, you'll know he is right.

The body of Lt. Russo-Elling with FDNY escort

Faith, Family--and Fear

Italy's newly elected prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, had a campaign theme that promoted "God, Family, Country." Yet she's being incessantly tagged by legacy media as a "far-right" extremist, even as a "fascist" sprung from the last century's Mussolini. When reading media accounts of Meloni's victory, it's helpful to keep in mind that "fascist" and "racist" are today's preferred-by-the-Left's adjectives for anyone with a differing viewpoint.

Since when did love of one's faith, family, and native land become dangerous traits? Only since the would-be globalist tyrants started trying to take over today's world.

If you notice, we're always being informed that conservatives of any stripe are "a threat to our democracy." Another favorite battle cry of the Lefties is that "our democracy is at stake." The word "democracy" is never defined; neither are the epithets of "fascist" and "racist" that are hurled about with such regularity.

Here's a fun word game for you. Every time a left-winger refers to "democracy," substitute the words "my power." It's very telling.

Nancy Pelosi gave a speech last spring on how to "preserve democracy." She went on to refer to the Capitol as a "temple of democracy." Hmm.

Try it with Joe Biden's reaction to Meloni's election, keeping in mind that she was freely chosen by voters and that Italy is a NATO ally: "...democracy is at stake." Always ignored is the fact that the United States is a representative, democratic republic--not a mob-rule "democracy." But you get the idea. What they're really talking about is "power."

It's obvious that the Left is terrified of this woman, and no wonder. Meloni's 2019 speech at the World Congress of Families was enough to send any Communist into heart spasms. Below are just a few quotes:

• "Why is the family an enemy? Why is the family so frightening?"

• "There is a single answer...Because it defines us. Because it is our identity, because everything that defines us is now an enemy for those who would like us to no longer have an identity and to simply be perfect consumer slaves."

• "They said all sorts of things about this congress. They said we want to go back to the past. That we're losers. That we're embarrassing. That we're un-enlightened. They said it's scandalous for people to defend the natural family founded on marriage, to want to increase the birth rate, to want to place the correct value on human life, to support freedom in education and to say no to gender ideology."

• "I say the losers are those who have nothing better to do than come here and insult us."

• "I can't define myself as Italian, Christian, woman, mother" but instead must be defined as "citizen x, gender x, parent 1, parent 2..." 

• "I must be a number. Because when I am only a number, when I no longer have an identity or roots, then I will be the perfect slave at the mercy of financial speculators." 

• "Each of us has a unique genetic code that is unrepeatable. That is sacred. We will defend it. We will defend God, family and country, those things that disgust people so much..."

In a different speech, Meloni said, "Yes to the natural family, no to the LGBT lobby, yes to sexual identity, no to gender ideology, yes to the culture of life, no to the abyss of death, no to the violence of Islam, yes to safer borders, no to mass immigration, yes to work for our people."

Wow. This woman has no problem speaking her mind, even in today's oppressive climate. Well, I must confess that I agree with her common sense positions. I guess I'd be described as a "far right" extremist, too.

Meloni favors free nursery schools for mothers employed outside the home. She states that Europe's low birth rate as "the biggest problem facing Europe. If we do not address this, everything else is pointless."

I can't speak for you, but I wouldn't mind living in Italy right about now.

Giorgia Meloni - New Prime Minister of Italy

It Could Be Worse

Yes, it could be worse. We could have Jacinda Ardern running the country.

Aside from being a budding tyrant, New Zealand's Prime Minister Ardern is not very bright. A more dangerous combination in a national "leader" is hard to find. Most Americans in 2022 are aware of this frightening fact.

Ardern is so terrified of opposing viewpoints that, in a UN speech, she condemned online free speech as "weapons of war." Geez. Have an herbal tea, Jackie, and maybe look up a class on critical thinking skills.

Below is a snippet from her impassioned queries:

“After all, how do you successfully end a war if people are led to believe the reason for its existence is not only legal but noble? How do you tackle climate change if people do not believe it exists? How do you ensure the human rights of others are upheld, when they are subjected to hateful and dangerous rhetoric and ideology?”

Well, I've got a couple of ideas, oh Great One, if you'll allow a humble challenge to your concrete mindset. How about you do your research and present some facts? Can you prove a war is not noble? How? Do you have enough provable data to convince people that climate change is real? Can you explain your positions in a coherent, logical, calm and convincing way? Are you able to just go ahead and uphold "the human rights of others" (that would include forgoing coercion, by the way) and, by your actions, ensure those rights are enforced without worrying about the current batch of tweets?

I realize that these are a lot of questions for an emotionally overwrought prime minister. But I'm an American of a certain age who grew up in a free country with free speech as our most cherished and protected right. That country, very sadly, has largely vanished. But I don't give up hope that there are enough Americans still standing and ready to turn the current Titanic-like condition of our government around. That starts with speaking out without fear of censorship (or fear that the FBI will show up Saturday morning at dawn, drag you out in a pajamas-and-handcuffs ensemble, and confiscate your cell phone. Fingers crossed.).

Speaking out would be harder to do with an authoritarian hysteric at the nation's helm. We're coming very close to that, but not as close as New Zealand. So, as bad as things are in the U.S. right now, it could be worse. What Americans need to remember, especially as Election Day approaches, is the famous line from Steel Magnolias: "It can always get worse."

A Special Kind of Evil

When you quote Jesus Christ to support killing babies, you've hit a low to make Satan smile.

That's what California's govenor, Nihilistic Newsom, is doing. His election campaign is funding billboards in several pro-life states citing the Bible verse "Love your neighbor" as a basis for abortion. This disgusting gambit is raw and blatant evil delivered from a self-serving individual who fancies himself the next U.S. president.

You won't find this news covered in the left-wing legacy media, of course. But the sickening story is out there, if you search for it. Newsom may be able to hide from unfavorable media coverage. But quoting scripture to support abortion is a special kind of evil that Newsom can't hide from God. He claims to be Catholic. With Catholics like him, satanic cults are superfluous. If I were in his shoes, I'd be on watch for a lightening bolt.

A Moment in History

It's been truly awe-inspiring to watch the ongoing tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II. I've had the BBC livestream playing continuously, and what I've seen is beyond remarkable.

The endless droves of people who pass the royal casket have individual styles in how they say goodbye. Some bow their heads; some bow from the waist. Many wipe away tears or fold their hands in a prayerful pose. Others curtsy, make the Sign of the Cross, whisper words of farewell, wave, salute in military fashion, or blow kisses. Many do any combination of all those things. This continues unabated throughout the days and nights of Elizabeth II's lying in state. Regardless of the hour, the crowds of people never stop coming. The line had to be closed for several hours at one point due to the overwhelming numbers of people wanting to pay their last respects to Queen Elizabeth II.

It's obvious that the Queen was truly beloved by her countrymen in a way no American public figure could ever hope to approach. Can you imagine Americans standing in 24-hour-long lines that stretch for many miles, over the course of several days, to pay last respects to any public figure? I, for one, cannot.

United States history has two and a half centuries to anchor it. The United Kingdom's history reaches back a millennium. This foundation of ancient tradition, seen in the view of the 70-year reign of a dedicated and cherished monarch, lends a special solemnity and deference to the formal events surrounding Elizabeth II's death. I find it fascinating to observe the respectful rituals from afar.

I'm an American to the bone, a Constitutionalist. I believe that our Founders constructed the most brilliant form of government the world has ever known. That does not prevent me from admiring, with a tinge of envy, the impressive national unity, respect, and reverence that the United Kingdom is displaying as they publicly honor their departed Queen. It's a touching moment in history we shall never see again.

Queen Elizabeth II lies in state at Westminster Hall, London

Never Forgotten

Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night.

~ Edna St. Vincent Millay

9/11 Memorial & Museum, New York, NY ~ photo J.S. Lee

 

Promise Kept

Elizabeth's 21st Birthday Message ~ 1947 ~ A promise to the British people

Faithful to her vow to the very end, Queen Elizabeth II welcomed the United Kingdom's 15th British prime minister under her reign on September 6, 2022. Elizabeth died two days later, age 96.

Queen Elizabeth welcomes Prime Minister Liz Truss ~ 2022

God rest The Queen.

California Steaming

I can think of half a dozen states that have summer temperatures at least as high as California does. Arizona, Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, and Florida all spring to mind. There are many other states that suffer brutal seasonal heat waves, but all we're hearing about in the media is the "crisis" in California.

Like the Hoover Dam, the California "crisis" is entirely manmade. Its author is Gov. Newsom, who has delusions of grandeur that he's handling this situation beautifully by switching us over to "batteries." He's ready to run for president and Californize the nation. Yesterday my phone was exploding with siren blast texts ordering me to raise my air conditioner's thermostat to 78. That's the kind of autocratic approach that makes me want to crank it down to 68.

Newsom stood today in a fleece jacket, collar up and tightly zipped, lecturing the rest of us in the state to raise the setting on our air conditioners to avoid blackouts. I wonder what the temperature was in the room where he spoke so bundled up. Fellow Americans, beware of this pompous phony.

If the governor would stop shutting down our oil and gas reserves and return full access to our state's energy resources, there would be no crisis. Californians pay double what other hot weather states pay for our electricity; this is intentional. Just like outlawing gas-powered automobiles by 2035 is intentional. I can't count the number of people I've talked to about this oppressive law who are vowing to buy gas-powered cars between 2030-2034. I'll probably join them.

More immediately, there's a mileage tax on the ballot this November. If passed, Californians will be taxed on every mile that they drive. As if paying the country's highest gas prices--due to State taxes--isn't enough. Of course it isn't; it's never enough.

California is beautiful, but it's being beaten down into the dirt by smug green elites who think they have all the answers. They know what's best for us little people. No energy or automobiles allowed unless approved by the State. It's all about controlling the unwashed masses. Speaking of which, don't even get me started on the water restrictions.

A New Season

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit.

All my grandchildren, on both the East and West coasts, started school yesterday. The photos I received of them before school showed smiling and excited faces, unmasked and happy, eager to go back into their classrooms. It was a heartwarming sight.

The start of the schoolyear always makes me think of life's turning wheel. The shorter days tell us summer is waning. The holiday season ahead beckons us to move forward, towards the year's end. Everyone is another year older. And there is a hopefulness that the next cycle about to unfold will somehow be better.

My grandkids are too young to realize the difficulties of our nation's current challenges. I worry for their futures. After I'm gone, what kind of country will they be called upon to struggle in? I remind myself that each of them will be a force for good, and we need that now more than ever. I suppose every generation of grandparents has felt the same way.

My grandchildren remind me of the good fruit parable. Life's wheel turns; the harvest comes. I find it comforting to know that the good trees will always grow. 

Article 1, Asunder

The United States Constitution clearly delegates the power of the purse to Congress right up front in Article. 1, Section. 1:

All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

The composition, requirements and duties of each house of Congress are specified by the Founders in exquisite detail throughout Article 1. It comes first in the Constitution because Congress is closest to The People. At least, it was until the last century.

The Founders took such pains with the text because they knew the tendency for corruption, evil, and illegal power grabs inherent in human nature. It was as though they could see the spectre of a destructive and dictatorial Joe Biden lurking in the mists of a dark American future. In Section 9, clause 7, Article 1 definitively states:

No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.

What Biden did today regarding student debt was unconstitutional, unethical, and immoral. Loan debt, by definition, cannot be "canceled" or "forgiven." It is money that has been spent already, for a service received under signed contract. He is transferring that debt to Americans who have paid their student loan obligations or who never had student loan debt in the first place.

Biden is not empowered to do this under our Constitution. He is not a king reigning by divine right, although he acts as though he is. He is a very transitory president. And, as our current Democrat rulers keep reminding us, "No one is above the law." No one, evidently, unless it's a Democrat president tearing Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution asunder--at the expense of the American taxpayer.

Ready for Battle

With its anti-Catholic, anti-Rosary hit piece, The Atlantic has gone around the bend. Even for a left-wing publication, this is beyond the pale. The online blowback has been so swift and fierce that they keep tweaking the headline, which originally stated that the Rosary "became an extremist symbol" to "how extremist gun culture is trying to co-opt the Rosary."

Oh sure, we Rosary devotees are quite the right-wing, gun-crazed militants. I've been praying the Rosary almost every day for a dozen years, but I've never owned a gun or fired a shot. Try to square that circle, Lefties.

The Rosary is a contemplative, meditative series of prayers intended to focus the mind on the many mysteries in the life of Jesus Christ. Could anyone find a less violent subject for concentrated thought? You can get back to me on that.

Since beginning this wholesome habit of praying the Rosary, I have found myself more centered, calm, and aware of God's presence in my daily life. If such a mindset predisposes me to militant extremism, you'll have to prove it. Yes, the Rosary is often described as a "weapon." It is a weapon against evil, and it's meant to fortify goodness. No wonder the Communists have a problem with it.

Among the unintended condsequences the Atlantic article managed to accomplish is a rise in Rosary sales. God works in mysterious ways.

Below is a picture of my late mother's favorite Rosary beads. She owned quite an arsenal of Rosaries, some of them very beautiful. Such a radical revolutionary she was, that mother of mine! But these were her favorite because they had been a gift from her best friend, circa 1945. I remember them from my earliest memories. I now use them, often. More than 75 years of Rosaries have been prayed on these beads. You'll have to do the math on how many prayers that adds up to.

I also carry Mom's Rosary at all times, in my purse. These are my personal, concealed carry, high caliber assault Rosary beads. They are always ready for action. Godless hack writers, along with haters of all stripes, would be wise to stand down.

Remembering Audit Hell

Have you ever been audited by the IRS? I have. To put it as mildly as possible, it's not pleasant.

It was nearly 30 years ago, but I remember as though it happened last week. Being audited by the IRS is a long, stressful, worrisome, expensive process. My late husband was a small business owner; that's exactly who the newly weaponized IRS will be targeting with their legions of new auditors. They will scour tax returns for any error, no matter how small. When someone looks that hard, they find.

Back in the mid-1990s, there was a mistake in our tax return from three years earlier. Penalties and interest compounded daily, so we owed a massive amount by our modest financial standards. Pete and I worked with the IRS, answering every demand for receipts, documents, checks, and records. The litany of government demands seemed endless. Even though we were cooperating, the regularly recurring threatening letters invariably arrived on either a Friday or Saturday--just in time to wreck a hard-earned weekend.

We had life-threatening illness, several major surgeries, and even a terrible car accident in our family during the four-year ordeal of our audit. The IRS did not care. They wanted their money.

Thank God we had a good tax professional to help us through. He represented us to our assigned auditor and eventually arrived at a settlement that we could handle. I still have the letter from the IRS that closed our audit. But Pete's business folded during those years, and he never had one again. I'm convinced the anxiety, stress, and pressures of that miserable period took years off his life.

So now hardworking Americans will have 87,000 auditors poring over our paperwork, searching for government gold. I can promise you, they will find it. If there's anything itemized on your tax return, I advise you to hang on to every single receipt. You're going to need them.

Just Curious

After the unprecedented raid on President Trump's home, I'm left with one recurring question.

What are the radical lefties so scared of? Dozens of FBI agents swarming all over the Mar-a-Lago premises, car lights flashing, guns drawn--at a former president's residence. And Donald Trump wasn't even home.

Trump obviously terrifies the Big Government Lefties (many would say "Communists," but I'll try to stay polite). The Lefties hate him with feverish obsession, and they just can't let him go. They've got to find something, anything, to throw him into handcuffs and leg irons. But, why? What was it about his presidency that was so awful, so frightening, that nearly two years later they are still frothing at the mouth to get him somehow?

It couldn't just be the mean tweets, could it? No. That wouldn't make sense, even for Lefties. It's got to be much more than that.

Was it the low gas prices? Gasoline was so much cheaper when Trump was president, since he allowed our own energy sector to grow and flourish. Could that be the problem?

Was it the booming economy? People were working, the stock market was soaring, low-income and minority workers had record low unemployment numbers. Inflation was never mentioned. Maybe that's it?

Was it Trump's deregulation of business, allowing independent entrepreneurs nationwide to thrive and prosper? Hmm. We could be getting somewhere now.

Did peace breaking out in the Middle East, courtesy of Trump's groundbreaking Abraham Accords, cause the issue? Or maybe the fact that China and North Korea, not to mention Iran and Russia, were all minding their Ps & Qs on Trump's watch? Yes, that certainly could have upset the Lefties.

Or was it the fact that he supported everyday Americans? You know, US. The hardworking taxpayers that the Lefties are hiring 87,000 more IRS agents to shake down and intimidate. Everyday Americans--not rich corporate ideologues--comprise Trump's voting base. I think that scares the sox off the Lefties.

Whatever it is, the Left is very scared of him. They are so scared of him that they've made a serious mistake with the raid on Trump's home. By acting like the ruling iron-fisted thugs in Cuba, Venezuela, Communist China, and the old Soviet Union, the Left has alienated a lot of voters. Americans don't like tyrants and dictators. They just aren't our style. Furthermore, Americans still vote.

That makes me think of another question. If the Left's manipulation machine starts meddling again in the next election, how angry do you think American voters will be? I may be curious, but that's something I don't want to find out.

Safe At Home

Vin Scully ~ 1927-2022

I was never a Dodgers fan. But I was always a Vin Scully fan. He was the gold standard for baseball broadcasters, although (in my opinion) none ever surpassed his level of excellence and accomplishment.

Vin Scully died last night at the age of 94. There will be innumerable tributes to this sportscasting legend, as well there should be. Even though I've probably listened to it a half dozen times, today I listened again to Hugh Hewitt's interview with Vin Scully (July 3, 2012) in his honor.

There are many notable quotes from Scully's broadcasting career. My favorite is from a discussion about a player who was listed as "day to day." After that description, Scully remarked "Aren't we all?" 

A very "pleasant good evening" it was when Vin Scully rounded heaven's home plate.

Deceit and Disbelief

This may be the first time in my life I ever agreed with any statement issued by the Communist Chinese Party, but the adage states that there's a first time for everything. When China says that Joe Biden never mentioned genocide in his phone conversation with President Xi, I'm with China.

In fact, I don't believe there was a two-hour phone conversation between Joe and Xi. Have you watched Joe Biden try to patch two sentences together? Do you think he could manage two hours on the phone? As the Brits might say, not bloody likely. Actually, I wonder if he was even on the call at all. Someone was, I suppose, but I don't believe it was Joe.

There's nothing credible coming out of this White House. Some examples? Regardless of what the official word is, I don't believe that the border is closed. I don't believe that the economy is strong; it's never strong in a recession, and we're in one now. I don't believe in "Putin's price hike" (neither does the Federal Reserve Chairman), and I don't believe Biden deserves any credit for the half-dollar drop in gas prices. 

What I do believe is that one day the current occupant of the White House will pay a price for his constant deceitfulness. If I'm going to believe that we still have a country, I have to believe that.

A Small Return

The first American police officer died in the line of duty in 1786. There was one such death that year. 

By the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund's count, in 2020, 373 officers died in the line of duty. In 2021, 472 officers did. If you add in 2022's total--so far--that's almost one thousand officers dead from doing their jobs in two year's time.

For people who put their lives on the line for us every day, I think that's way too many. I also think they deserve more gratitude than what they receive. 

So I have a new charity to support. After what the fallen police officers have done, this is the very least I can do.

Summer Singing

One of the many perks of having grandchildren is getting to watch movies with them. I recently watched the animated feature film, Sing 2, with my grandkids; it was delightful.

I had watched Sing, the original 2016 film, when it was first streaming and found it so enjoyable that I coaxed adult friends and family members to watch it, too. Everyone who watched it, liked it. I think they will feel the same about the sequel, which is less story build-up and more musical fun. The soundtracks are certain to have you singing along, or at least bopping in your chair.

Both Sing and Sing 2 feature a entirely animal character cast. Gems from Hollywood's A-list such as Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson, and Reese Witherspoon give voice to, respectively, a koala, a porcupine, and a pig. This second film also features a star turn by Bono as a reclusive rock star lion. It's great fun, with charming humor for young and old alike. There are also a few positive life lessons embedded in the story, which are always a welcome surprise in today's dark cultural climate.

It's not necessary to watch the first movie to enjoy the second, but I highly recommend that you start at the beginning of Buster Moon's quest for musical stardom. It's a wonderfully uplifting break from the dreariness of current events. There are no woke agendas in these adorable movies, no indoctrinating themes on race or any other topic--not that I could see. There's just engaging characters, lighthearted fun and terrific music. Treat yourself to a night off from the weary world. SING!

Fight On

 Protect our Freedoms ~ Celebrate Independence Day

Simply Stated

The right of U.S. citizens in each state to decide their own laws
on abortion was restored on June 24, 2022.

The right of U.S. citizens to carry firearms was reaffirmed
on June 23, 2022.

The Supreme Court of the United States is doing its job. Every decision starts with reading--and understanding--the U.S. Constitution.

Here's a question for all the "mostly peaceful protesters": Have you ever read the Constitution? If not, please give it at least a cursory glance. The justices aren't just making this stuff up. The basis for all their decisions is in the founding document.

I don't believe your violent tantrums are in any way related to the Constitution, though. You just want your own way, and the law be damned. I can't say it any more plainly than that.

Taking Stock

Over 40 years ago, I remember my mother-in-law regularly stocking care packages to send to her relatives who were trapped in the Soviet Union. She did this for decades, until well after the Iron Curtain fell. Always included among the clothing and foodstuffs was a large box of tampons. I once asked why she sent that particular item, and she explained that her niece would use them. Such a luxury item as women's tampons did not exist in the Soviet Union.

I was incredulous. Imagine being a 20th century woman and not able to buy tampons! I couldn't comprehend living in such an impoverished society and thanked God I was born in the USA.

Here we are, in America, in 2022. My daughter is coming to visit with her family soon and planning to stay a few weeks. She told me about the tampon shortage on the East coast and how she shops multiple stores and buys whatever version she finally finds; there's no fussing over a favorite brand anymore. Now I find myself busy driving from one drug store to the next, on $6.25 per gallon gasoline, trying to find a box of tampons to have on hand for her. I'm grateful my grandchildren are well past the age for baby formula.

Poverty, want, and the degradation of society are all proud hallmarks of communism. The radical leftists within--what Mark Levin calls the American Marxists--have done a thorough job of bringing our country to its knees. But I have a feeling we're about to rise from the canvas of our discontent. When we can't provide for our own needs or those of our children, we know it's time to make a stand. The mid-term election is coming in November. 

Bring it.

The 60-Year Slide

I've heard many people compare these times to the 1960s, saying that today's turmoil and unrest is very similar. Having grown up in the 1960's, I must disagree.

Yes, there were riots that rocked the nation back then. There were huge protest movements. There were revolutionary new theories, such as feminism and "free sex." Probably most destablizing at that time were the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, followed less than five years later by the assassinations in rapid succession of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, the latter during a presidential campaign. Those were rough and frightening days; I remember them well.

The difference between then and now is clear to me. In the 1960s, our national institutions were on firm ground. Today, none of them are.

Colleges and universities in the United States still provided classical education in the 1960s; the Marxists had not yet made much progress in their relentless onslaught on our educational system. The Supreme Court was sacred; in the 1960s, no one would have imagined an assassination attempt on a Supreme Court justice. The southern border was a non-issue. The family unit was still honored, with parents having full authority over their children.

The military was far above partisan politics; no one worried about an errant ideology encroaching upon our armed forces. Law enforcement officers commanded respect and did their jobs with community support. Parents and employees were able to speak freely in public, protected by the First Amendment, regardless of their political or philosophical views. And while corruption has always been an unpleasant aspect of politics, Americans in the 1960s did not question the integrity of our elections.

The 1960s made a lot of noise and, in many cases, real progress towards the changes that ensued in the following decades. But activists and protestors in the 1960s were limited, confined by the firm outlines of a fully functional system of education, legislation, social structure, and justice.

In 2022, that is no longer true. In short, we have seen the wheels have come off our society. Today there is no safe place to seek shelter from the ceaseless indoctrination and heavy-handed enforcement of an increasingly totalitarian, leftist government. The solid framework of our republic has been winnowed out, from family to school, from church to the workplace, from national military to local police. We should not be surprised that the arches of our institutions are collapsing in upon us.

Even if enough Americans have the strength and spirit for the fight, it will be a long haul to rebuild our country to its rightful state. It could take another 60 years. We'd better get started.

All Too Possible

If you haven't read a page-turning thriller in a while, you might want to add the chilling novel 2034: A Novel of The Next World War to your summer reading list.

Co-authored by Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis, USN (Ret.), the plot details a series of missteps and miscalculations by major international powers competing for global dominance. The story unfolds across the world stage through the actions of a compact group of vividly drawn main characters. Their compounding errors lead to nuclear confrontation. In many cases, the ensuing devastation extends to their personal lives.

It's been years since I've read a book I had trouble putting down at night. But 2034 kept me up past my bedtime. Much more than the suspenseful story, the plausibility of such ill-fated scenarios leading to nuclear war is frightening. It seems entirely possible that this plot could fast and easily become real--and far sooner than a dozen years from now. I thought the most fictional part of this book is its title.

Prayer, Not Politics

So many children have been murdered today. Parents and families are heartbroken beyond words. A community is reeling with grief. 

Yet we know this is not the last time. Sadly, these tragedies have become a familiar story. Last weekend, how many people died violently in the United States? Do we remember the supermarket and church shootings of just a few days ago?  We should. We should keep all of our fellow Americans impacted by these murders close to our hearts in prayer.

Prayer, not politics. Just once. If only, just once, the politicians would honor the victims and respect the grieving families by not talking politics. Just once, they should acknowledge that something is broken in the soul of America. This country needs prayers. The politics have no place here in this terrible moment.

But no matter how inappropriate, the opportunity to push forward an agenda will be too tempting, as it always is. The politicians will go there. They will skip over the devastating losses and blather about gun control to shattered parents.

I, for one, will not listen to any of them. Instead, I will pray for the grieving families of Uvalde and for our ailing nation.