Fleeing War, a Syrian Family Makes a New Home in North Carolina
Most of us who were born in this country have no idea of how blessed that we really are.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
Night Will Fall
This powerfully disturbing documentary is currently showing on HBO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOYY_UPBcFE
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
Albert Einstein
The world remains a dangerous place to live. And, there remain people without the will to do anything about it.
The world remains a dangerous place to live. And, there remain people without the will to do anything about it.
Justice
"Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." Matthew 13:49-50
"And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna." Matthew 10:28
"And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna." Matthew 10:28
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Lenten reflection
Help! - The Beatles must have been reflecting on the readings for today when they wrote this song. In our first reading, Esther implores God for help as she prepares to approach the king without invitation, an offense punishable by death, in order to save her people. The Lord indeed provides protection for Esther, and her life, as well as the lives of her people, is spared. The Psalmist tells of how he called on the Lord for help and the Lord answered him, giving him strength. In our Gospel, Jesus tells us that if we ask the Father for help, we will receive what we need and find what we seek. Clearly, our scriptures are telling us that not only is it ok to ask for help, but also that it is necessary. However, in a culture that constantly tells us that we must be independent, that we must be able to do everything on our own, that asking for help, makes us appear weak and incompetent, asking for help is more easily said than done.
So often we don’t want to burden others with our own problems – they have problems of their own, we think. But I think the last line of our Gospel offers an important point on this attitude: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.” Do we not hope that our friends would come to us if they were in need of help? Scripture tells us that the same is true for God – He wants us to come to Him in friendship when we are in need of help. Indeed, our readings today hint that we might need a change in perspective on asking for help that the Beatles articulate well:
When I was younger so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone I'm not so self-assured
Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone I'm not so self-assured
Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors
May we “change our minds and open up the doors” to ask God and others for help in our Lenten journeys as we continue to prepare for the joy of Easter.
Emily Persicketti
College of Nursing, Class of 2016
College of Nursing, Class of 2016
judging others
"Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7
"Who am I to judge?" Pope Francis
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Judging others
"Who am I to judge?" Pope Francis
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye." Matthew 7:1-5
By the same token, what we say and do are facts; and, facts have consequences.
The US Marines have a saying: "It's God's job to judge the terrorists. It's our mission to arrange the meeting." Oorah!
Likewise, Matthew 22:15-22 speaks to the civil authority that we ALL must answer to.
"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time."
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye." Matthew 7:1-5
By the same token, what we say and do are facts; and, facts have consequences.
The US Marines have a saying: "It's God's job to judge the terrorists. It's our mission to arrange the meeting." Oorah!
Likewise, Matthew 22:15-22 speaks to the civil authority that we ALL must answer to.
"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time."
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
ugly
The United States of Financial Insecurity | Next Avenue
"...the studies also point to huge chasms between America’s wealthiest and the rest of its citizens, particularly when you look at the long-term trends.
The bottom three quintiles of Americans, as measured by net worth, gained little wealth over the past 24 years, Pew found, but the top quintile’s wealth rose from just over $600,000 in 1989 to nearly $1 million in 2013.
And one in five households (not the wealthy ones) regularly rely on “fringe financial services” to meet their needs, according to CFED. This means, for instance, they’re using high-cost predatory lenders to borrow. African-American, Latino and Native American households are substantially more likely to be unbanked, says CFED."
"...the studies also point to huge chasms between America’s wealthiest and the rest of its citizens, particularly when you look at the long-term trends.
The bottom three quintiles of Americans, as measured by net worth, gained little wealth over the past 24 years, Pew found, but the top quintile’s wealth rose from just over $600,000 in 1989 to nearly $1 million in 2013.
And one in five households (not the wealthy ones) regularly rely on “fringe financial services” to meet their needs, according to CFED. This means, for instance, they’re using high-cost predatory lenders to borrow. African-American, Latino and Native American households are substantially more likely to be unbanked, says CFED."
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Pope Francis
Pope Francis asks God to forgive the Curia its 15 Vatican 'diseases' - Independent.ie
To the Roman Curia on the occasion of the presentation of Christmas greetings (22 December 2014)
Pope Francis' words are good for ALL of us to hear and to reflect upon.
Matthew Chapter 23.
Franciscus Pontifex vivat.
To the Roman Curia on the occasion of the presentation of Christmas greetings (22 December 2014)
Pope Francis' words are good for ALL of us to hear and to reflect upon.
Matthew Chapter 23.
Franciscus Pontifex vivat.
Sunday, December 28, 2014
clueless
U.S. airstrikes remain crucial to Afghan forces in Taliban battles - LA Times
Afghan & US military understand what President Obama & many in Congress don't--that you beat the enemy by pursuing the enemy--NOT by running away.
Afghan & US military understand what President Obama & many in Congress don't--that you beat the enemy by pursuing the enemy--NOT by running away.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Friday, December 5, 2014
Silver Spring Transit Center: the gift that keeps on giving
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/cost-of-silver-spring-transit-center-repairs-jumps-another-21-million/2014/12/04/a87cf0bc-7bee-11e4-b821-503cc7efed9e_story.html
"To complete the project, the county has decided to front the money for the repairs and then try to recover it by suing the contractors that it holds responsible for the problems — a process that could take years."
"To complete the project, the county has decided to front the money for the repairs and then try to recover it by suing the contractors that it holds responsible for the problems — a process that could take years."
Monday, December 1, 2014
Jesus and His Church
Jesus wasn't a "hammer". I believe that Jesus is disappointed when His Church behaves like a "hammer".
Jesus reserved his strongest criticism for hypocrites. Matthew 23 23-36
Needless to say, Jesus is disappointed with hypocrites in His Church.
Franciscus Pontifex Vivat!
Jesus reserved his strongest criticism for hypocrites. Matthew 23 23-36
Needless to say, Jesus is disappointed with hypocrites in His Church.
Franciscus Pontifex Vivat!
Sunday, November 16, 2014
You have a point, Jonathan Gruber
Jonathan Gruber is catching a lot of flak for saying that American voters are stupid.
What did Gruber really say?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G790p0LcgbI
There's more.
The Silver Spring Transit Center is publicly funded: 53% federal, 11% state (MD) and 36% county (Montgomery).
In March 2013 Montgomery County made public a structural investigation and report for the over-budget, overdue SSTC. The report documents severe structural flaws, including widespread cracking, deck slabs more than an inch thinner than what they're supposed to be, under strength and over stressed concrete, exposed reinforcement, missing reinforcement, a complete lack of expansion joints, under designed beams, etc. The report blames the numerous flaws on "errors and omissions" by the SSTC's builder/contractor Foulger Pratt, design engineer Parsons Brinkerhoff and concrete inspector/tester and special quality inspector Balter Co. Montgomery County chose these private companies, non-competitively, via public-private partnership, to design, build and inspect the SSTC. Why didn't Montgomery County use the normal competitive practices for selecting a builder/contractor, design engineer and concrete testing and inspection firm for a public works project? Crony capitalism? The mainline news media isn't asking; and, Montgomery County isn't talking.
"Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage."
Currently, publicly funded "repairs" are being made to the yet-to-be-opened SSTC. However, without expansion joints, the lemon SSTC can be expected to continue to crack in the future.
Montgomery County failed to hold public meetings to inform the paying public as to what they are doing and why they are doing it, and to answer the public's questions and to take their comments on the public record BEFORE the County began "repairing" the yet-to-be-opened, supposed-to-be-brand-new, LEMON SSTC. The mainline news media failed to report this blatant lack of transparency.
"Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage."
Former Montgomery County councilwoman Valerie Ervin spoke about Montgomery County's lack of transparency in an interview:
http://www.mymcmedia.org/valerie-ervin-on-silver-spring-transit-center-video/
"... there's a lot of the story still underneath the surface (translation: we haven't been told the whole truth) ... it's going to cost taxpayers a lot of money until it's resolved (contrary to what we've been told) ... people have many reasons not to believe what they've been told (translation: we've been lied to)".
BTW, the incumbent County Executive and County Council were re-elected.
"Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage."
What did Gruber really say?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G790p0LcgbI
"Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage."
Does he have a point?
I'm not an economist and health care is not my field. Engineering is. Montgomery County's public statements, and lack thereof, and the news media's (print, TV, radio, internet) failure to report the Silver Spring Transit Center debacle "in depth", and to ask "probing questions", are definitely lack of transparency on Montgomery County's and the news media's parts.
In May 2014 Montgomery County MD councilman Phil Andrews said:
"'This project has been a monumental debacle', Andrews stated. 'There's no comparison between the Silver Spring Transit Center and any other construction project in the county's history.'
In 1993, county leaders estimated a transit center would cost $26 million to build. That figure more than tripled to $93 million in 2008. In 2013 it spiked again to $120 million. Following the newest round of planned repairs, Silver Spring's fiscal eyesore should top-out at around $131 million.
'It is tens-of-millions-of-dollars over budget, it's got major safety issues, major durability issues, it can't work as intended at this point,' Andrews said. 'It's just way overdue.'"
 |
This is taken from a presentation that Ed Blansitt, Montgomery County Inspector General, gave on
September 3, 2014 to the annual conference of the Federal Audit Executive Committee (FAEC), Council
of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria VA. |
There's more.
The Silver Spring Transit Center is publicly funded: 53% federal, 11% state (MD) and 36% county (Montgomery).
In March 2013 Montgomery County made public a structural investigation and report for the over-budget, overdue SSTC. The report documents severe structural flaws, including widespread cracking, deck slabs more than an inch thinner than what they're supposed to be, under strength and over stressed concrete, exposed reinforcement, missing reinforcement, a complete lack of expansion joints, under designed beams, etc. The report blames the numerous flaws on "errors and omissions" by the SSTC's builder/contractor Foulger Pratt, design engineer Parsons Brinkerhoff and concrete inspector/tester and special quality inspector Balter Co. Montgomery County chose these private companies, non-competitively, via public-private partnership, to design, build and inspect the SSTC. Why didn't Montgomery County use the normal competitive practices for selecting a builder/contractor, design engineer and concrete testing and inspection firm for a public works project? Crony capitalism? The mainline news media isn't asking; and, Montgomery County isn't talking.
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| Look whose tongues that the cat's got! Montgomery County's and the news media! |
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| Crony Capitalism |
Currently, publicly funded "repairs" are being made to the yet-to-be-opened SSTC. However, without expansion joints, the lemon SSTC can be expected to continue to crack in the future.
Montgomery County failed to hold public meetings to inform the paying public as to what they are doing and why they are doing it, and to answer the public's questions and to take their comments on the public record BEFORE the County began "repairing" the yet-to-be-opened, supposed-to-be-brand-new, LEMON SSTC. The mainline news media failed to report this blatant lack of transparency.
"Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage."
Former Montgomery County councilwoman Valerie Ervin spoke about Montgomery County's lack of transparency in an interview:
http://www.mymcmedia.org/valerie-ervin-on-silver-spring-transit-center-video/
"... there's a lot of the story still underneath the surface (translation: we haven't been told the whole truth) ... it's going to cost taxpayers a lot of money until it's resolved (contrary to what we've been told) ... people have many reasons not to believe what they've been told (translation: we've been lied to)".
You have a point, Jonathan Gruber.
"Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage."
"Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage."
BTW, the incumbent County Executive and County Council were re-elected.
"Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage."
One thing that is transparent: The Silver Spring Transit Center is a $130+ million, money pit, LEMON that will be wasting public funds (US, MD & Montgomery County) for DECADES.
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| Silver Spring Transit Center |
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| Silver Spring Transit Center |
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Putin plans to leave G20 early after West blasts Russia over Ukraine
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/15/us-g20-summit-idUSKCN0IZ03C20141115
Don't let the doorknob hit you in the butt, Putin.
Don't let the doorknob hit you in the butt, Putin.
Pulling together the early solar system
https://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/strong-magnetic-field-early-solar-system-1113
The spectral signature of olivine has been seen in the dust disks around young stars. The tails of comets (which formed from the dust disk around the young Sun) often have the spectral signature of olivine, and the presence of olivine has recently been verified in samples of a comet from the Stardust spacecraft.[16] Comet-like (magnesium-rich) olivine has also been detected in the planetesimal belt around the star Beta Pictoris.[17]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivine
The spectral signature of olivine has been seen in the dust disks around young stars. The tails of comets (which formed from the dust disk around the young Sun) often have the spectral signature of olivine, and the presence of olivine has recently been verified in samples of a comet from the Stardust spacecraft.[16] Comet-like (magnesium-rich) olivine has also been detected in the planetesimal belt around the star Beta Pictoris.[17]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivine
The way that things used to be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUXuV7XbZvU
At the end of his speech President Kennedy told Congress that it wasn't easy for him to decide to recommend to Congress that they commit the $ to landing a man on the moon and returning him safely by the end of the decade. He told Congress that it was up them to decide. He further told them that whatever they decided that he was sure that they would make their decision in the best interests of the American people. ... Congress then gave him a "standing o". ... Things sure were different then.
At the end of his speech President Kennedy told Congress that it wasn't easy for him to decide to recommend to Congress that they commit the $ to landing a man on the moon and returning him safely by the end of the decade. He told Congress that it was up them to decide. He further told them that whatever they decided that he was sure that they would make their decision in the best interests of the American people. ... Congress then gave him a "standing o". ... Things sure were different then.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Try this
OK, here’s the deal.
Put a pile of rocks at the bottom of the Washington Monument. Drop a super ball from the top of the Monument onto the rock pile. Make it stick--without bouncing.
This is like dropping a probe onto 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, with gravity “several hundred thousand times weaker than that on Earth”, and making it stick.
Winner reports immediately to the European Space Agency.
Put a pile of rocks at the bottom of the Washington Monument. Drop a super ball from the top of the Monument onto the rock pile. Make it stick--without bouncing.
This is like dropping a probe onto 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, with gravity “several hundred thousand times weaker than that on Earth”, and making it stick.
Winner reports immediately to the European Space Agency.
Personally, I like the idea of a net of some sort that would be deployed upon contact. Hopefully, it would snag and grab on to something... The key here is slowing the probe down as much as possible before it makes contact. Since gravity is so weak, I look at this more like docking one spacecraft to another in space. It seems to me that the "mother ship" could get pretty close, in distance and in speed, to the comet before the probe is released. Placing the probe on the comet's surface would be better than it hitting the surface at a relatively high speed.
I also see a problem with orienting the probe properly--top is up; bottom is down. It seems to me that this is another step after the probe has landed (and stopped bouncing). The first thing that occurs to me is to try to design the probe without a top or bottom--so that it would operate however it was oriented when it settled down. If that isn't possible, then perhaps a series of small motors could be used to orient it and to level and plumb it correctly, e.g. making it "right-side-up" if it lands "upside-down".
I also see a problem with orienting the probe properly--top is up; bottom is down. It seems to me that this is another step after the probe has landed (and stopped bouncing). The first thing that occurs to me is to try to design the probe without a top or bottom--so that it would operate however it was oriented when it settled down. If that isn't possible, then perhaps a series of small motors could be used to orient it and to level and plumb it correctly, e.g. making it "right-side-up" if it lands "upside-down".
My hat's off to the ESA. They've accomplished a remarkable feat just getting to the speeding comet, much less landing a probe on it.
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
another "poor choices" Election Day
Democrat?
Republican?
I'm neither.
I'm closer to Libertarian; but, on some issues, I reject the Libertarian view. For example, I believe that gun rights are trumping more basic rights, e.g., Newtown CT. Also, why waste my time voting for someone(s) who can't win? Worse yet, why would I waste my time voting for a candidate who is running as one major party's strategy to take away votes from the other major party's candidate. That's the worst kind of wasted vote.
I'm sitting out another Election Day.
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| Paths to Destruction |
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