"I am not a robot."

are you sure? 

do you think for yourself? or do you let someone(s) or something(s) else do your thinking for you? are you brainwashed? 

are you addicted? to alcohol? to drugs? to your phone? to pleasure? comfort? are you addicted to an ideology? to media? to religion? to a political party?

do you care about other people? poverty? hunger? homelessness? oppression? do you care about the environment? global warming? pollution? or do you care only about yourself? 

let's not fool ourselves--we're all robots.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cupcakegoshxx/26886376012/

attribution: Rachel.Adams and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

senseless violence

https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-13-2024

one rally attendee dead. several wounded, including one in critical condition. shooter dead. 

a lone wolf, mentally ill person with a gun? a legal gun? an illegal gun? drug addict?

what is clear is that this is another senseless crime. 

I wouldn't go to a political rally for all of the tea in china.

will it ever be safe to go anywhere?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/51035555243@N01/4528787585

attribution: Thomas Hawk and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/

no joke

https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_e47d4ec4-3e38-11ef-b438-d7b03d6e8436.html

This is NOT a laughing matter!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/masiciu/33004345858/

attribution: Guido and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

"deeply divided"

The media reports daily how "deeply divided" our nation is. 

Who or what is responsible for this "deep divide"? 

Can there be any doubt? 

Our "two-party" system of government and the political parties themselves (and their candidates) are responsible.

Enough with the two-party system of government.

Enough with candidates who are too egomaniacal, narcissistic and old to be president.

Enough with the Democratic and Republican parties.

Enough is enough!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/democracychronicles/16823831141

attribution: Democracy Chronicles and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

enough is enough!

A US citizen has to be 35 years old to be president. If a candidate for president had to be no older than 65 when their term expired, then HALF of the population meets these requirements. Needless to say, there are PLENTY of good candidates to choose from.

Enough with the two party system of government.

Enough with candidates who are too old to be president.

Enough with the Democratic and Republican parties.

Enough is enough!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/democracychronicles/16823831141

attribution: Democracy Chronicles and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

dead duck

In politics, a lame duck is a president who has served for two terms and can't run again. 

After last night's debate, the term that is more applicable for Joe Biden is "dead duck". I sympathize with old Joe. I'm old too. I get confused and distracted too. I am painfully aware that, physically and mentally, I can't perform like I did years ago. The very thought of someone my age being president of the US is frightening.

So, where does this leave the US? The only viable choice is Biden or Trump. 

If you're looking for someone(s) to blame , then you can blame our two party system of government. You can blame the Democratic and Republican parties for Biden and Trump. Policy, and everything else, aside, both of them are too old to be president. 

A US citizen has to be 35 years old to be president. If a candidate for president had to be no older than 65 when their term expired, then HALF of the population meets these requirements. Needless to say, there are PLENTY of good candidates to choose from.

You can blame those who support the Democratic and Republican parties for Biden and Trump. You can blame voters for not demanding better candidates. And, you can blame voters for voting for them.

Enough with the two party system of government.

Enough with candidates who are too old to be president. 

Enough with the Democratic and Republican parties.

Enough is enough!

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kretyen/2437909587/in/photostream/

attribution: Ken Bosma and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

by the numbers

Illegal immigration and abortion are two "hot button" issues for the 2024 election.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidential_election

The Department of Homeland Security reports that immigration enforcement actions rose from more than 500,000 in 2020 to nearly 1.5 million in 2022. 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1892-_Immigration_Enforcement_Actions_-_Department_of_Homeland_Security.svg

The Guttmacher Institute reports 874,100 abortions in 2016, 862,300 in 2017, 916,460 in 2018 and 930,160 in 2019.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_statistics_in_the_United_States 

How will you decide? 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/22767170@N00/1403329318/

attribution: nerovivo and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Alzheimer's disease

Can there be greater suffering than that caused by Alzheimer's disease, particularly to a married couple when one has the disease and the other is their caregiver? One is confused, distracted and annoyed as their brain shrinks. They lash out at their caregiver. It's not their fault. It's the disease. Their caregiver becomes the brunt of their spouse's confusion, distraction and annoyance. 

Both of us are confused, distracted and annoyed. I'm not sure that I'm more confused and distracted as many people my age. I definitely feel that I'm more annoyed than most people in my age group.

Little is known about Alzheimer's disease other than Alzheimer's is a widespread fatal disease for which there is no cure. 

Please pray for those who have Alzheimer's disease, and pray for their caregivers.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/afagen/26639206407

attribution: Adam Fagen and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

how to deal with trolls

what's a troll?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(slang)

How to deal with trolls

"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."

George Bernard Shaw

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kaslradio/7704795724

attribution: KASL Radio and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Don't feed trolls

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DoNotFeedTroll.svg

attribution: Sam Fentress (traced to SVG by James Hales), CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

Methuselah for president in 2028

 NEWS FLASH!!! 

Both the Democratic and Republican parties confirmed today that they are courting Methuselah to be their candidate for president in 2028. Through the wonders of modern science, Methuselah, who was Noah's grandfather, and who died at the age of 969, has been brought back to life. Methuselah could not be reached for comment. 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Methuselah_Stained_glass.jpg

attribution: Robert Scarth, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

"knife fight to the death"

 

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/biden-trump-stop-steal-election-2024-1234993149/

Buckle up, buttercup!!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/smartsignbrooklyn/10275383893

attribution: SmartSign and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

politics

My brother-in-law and his wife are typical dyed-in-the-wool New England hardcore liberal democrats who relocated to Florida. They hate trump. I can't blame them for that. Trump is an old immoral megalomaniac who, after he dies, will have his MAGA followers searching for ways to run him for president. I wouldn't be surprised if radical right-wing crazies have trump's dna code secretly stored in numerous locations anxiously awaiting the return of multiple trump clones. 

I, on the other hand, am neither a democrat nor a republican. Biden is a tired old dyed-in-the-wool hardcore democrat who is single-handedly ruining this country. Afghanistan, Israel, mishandling classified documents, immigration/lack of border control, government spending, national debt, abortion, etc.

Philosophically, I tend to be libertarian. The two party system of government in our country is ruining it. George Washington had it right. 

https://peretiredgoodbadugly.blogspot.com/2018/03/we-need-new-george-washington-style.html 

I'm planning on sitting out the 2024 election like I did in 2016 when both candidates for president were equally bad. If one can't support either candidate, then what's the point?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/donkeyhotey/6262122778/

attribution: DonkeyHotey and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

US college campus demonstrations

https://www.inquirer.com/news/pro-palestinian-protests-columbia-philadelphia-20240424.html 

At Villanova University, a “Gaza Solidarity” event has been scheduled by the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine for noon next Tuesday. It’s being described by the chapter as a “disruptive yet peaceful action,” whose members ask participants to “please wear your mask and wear all black.”

Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, Ph.D.

President, Villanova University

Dear Father Donohue,

With all due respect, on behalf of tens of thousands of Villanova alumni, both living and deceased, we pray that the chaos that is occurring at some colleges and universities in the US, will not spread to Villanova.

I humbly suggest that you could alert Villanova's faculty, police, and students (including the seminary and Law School) of the Inquirer report and ask them to participate with you in a counter, peaceful demonstration--surrounding the demonstrators and leading the counter demonstrators in a rosary. These counter demonstrations could apply to any future demonstrations that violate Villanova's principles of "Unitas, Veritas and Caritas". 

Mary, Mother of Jesus, pray for you, and pray for Villanova.

Sincerely,

Ray Koenig

class of 1968

collapse of Maryland's key bridge

In the wake of the collapse of the francis scott key bridge in maryland, governor Wes Moore pledged that it will never happen again. 

https://www.kxl.com/latest-francis-scott-key-bridge-collapse/

so, what's the governor got in mind? I suspect nothing of a specific nature.

Here are some thoughts:

1. replace the main spans with simple spans. when simple spans fail, the failure is limited to one or two spans (if a pier supporting two simple spans fails). when multi-span continuous spans fail, multiple spans fail.
2. install an automated system that closes the bridge when the bridge fails.
3. install an automated system to prevent huge cargo ships from leaving the shipping channel.

1 and 2 should be clear enough to engineers. 

further explaining #3:

similar to providing an automated system that would close the bridge if it fails, an automated system could be implemented that would fire torpedoes at a cargo ship that leaves the shipping channel--with just enough explosives to disable the ship and keep it from hitting the bridge.

a variation of this concept is to line the channel with fixed underwater mines that would yield the same result. above the water line, highly visible fixed buoys would be used to alert tug boats and others to stay clear of the mines.

when all is said and done, the cost of this catastrophe will probably exceed many times the cost of the container ship and all of its cargo. that notwithstanding, how much are lives of people crossing the bridge worth? answer: priceless. 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wes_Moore_Official_Governor_Portrait.jpg

attribution: Maryland State Government via Wikimedia Commons

What the Bible Says About Sin

https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-sin-700703

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rykneethling/5811115037

attribution: Ryk Neethling and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

trump is a lying racist

 

https://apnews.com/article/trump-nikki-haley-58b7ffa7e49f626bae481060cf9975d2?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share 

unconditional surrender

https://fdr.blogs.archives.gov/2017/01/10/the-casablanca-conference-unconditional-surrender/ 

Can you imagine during WWII, when tide for Germany and Japan began to change, for the US and its allies to agree to a cease fire--after hard fought and bloody battles in Europe and the Pacific? I can't. The allies demanded "unconditional surrender"--and that's exactly what they got.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Casablanca-Conference.jpg

attribution: Post-Work: W.Wolny, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/Public_domain

President Biden, you lied to the us--just like your predecessor. 

On October 7, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would respond to the savage Hamas attacks. He asked Israel's allies for moral support. He didn't ask for advice, money, troops, or anything other than moral support. In essence, he was implying "Israel's got this". 

You, President Biden, pledged to Israel that it has the USA's moral support. You assured us that the USA would not be furnishing "boots on the ground" to Israel. 

Within days, you broke your promise. You, your Secretary of State, and others in your administration are advising Israel to cease fire. You've asked Congress to send billions of dollars to Israel. You sent two aircraft carrier battle groups to the Middle East.

Mr. President, when Prime Minister Netanyahu implied "Israel's got this", instead of meddling, you should have stuck with your pledge of moral support only--and backed off. There are some times that demand action and there are other times to leave well enough alone. 

Worse yet, Mr. President, is the fact that you lied to us. That makes you no better than your predecessor.

It's about time: As Partisan Hostility Grows, Signs of Frustration With the Two-Party System

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/08/09/as-partisan-hostility-grows-signs-of-frustration-with-the-two-party-system/

it's past time to dump the two party system of government. 

how?

answer: stop supporting democrats and republicans.

Trump's Military Cowardice Goes Beyond His 5 Draft Deferrals

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/donald-trump-dodged-the-draft-5-time 

what if the founding fathers could have looked into the future?

needless to say, the founding fathers didn't have a crystal ball. polls weren't in existence when the founding fathers established government for the United States. there wasn't even a United States. just 13 loosely-knit "states", some of whose residents wanted to maintain their "state's" (former colony's) autonomy. 

what if they had had a crystal ball? what if they could have seen what became of their "united states"? 50 states? 335 million people? 

what if they could have seen illegal immigration? thousands of illegal immigrants crossing the borders every day? what if they could have seen the crime, corruption, gun violence, drugs, racism, bigotry, hatred, etc.? what if they could have seen government in action? or inaction, as the case may be?

what if they could have seen how scientific polls can determine the will of the majority with remarkable speed and accuracy? how technology has advanced to the point where citizens could vote securely from home (or a public library) and the results could be known in a matter of hours?

certainly if the founding fathers had had a crystal ball and polls, then the constitution that they would have enacted would be much different than the constitution that they did enact in 1789.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quartz_crystal.jpg

attribution: Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons