tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32573009674942804322024-03-18T22:01:12.286-07:00smithskJourney of an Evolving Writersmithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.comBlogger362125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-62265093267591607562024-03-10T21:54:00.000-07:002024-03-10T21:54:41.919-07:00Physics (part 8) - Einstein's Story<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCkbON93OBYYZNCJFs7nnukZpPu6nT1oRoTTKVtGsvPSapHnANs5xsxBul8nhfQ7C-reWgupJMKsKkCP5z7gYz44Y6i0V172o7AEUwCLAcukUvJov5D8esDu8XgIyuk32Tgi83ITugtIDADNyoGBHG54F6fglbPfG5JOrIp7IytjvV2qtxdgzSh_my73i/s638/Einstein-formal_portrait-35_(cropped).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="510" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCkbON93OBYYZNCJFs7nnukZpPu6nT1oRoTTKVtGsvPSapHnANs5xsxBul8nhfQ7C-reWgupJMKsKkCP5z7gYz44Y6i0V172o7AEUwCLAcukUvJov5D8esDu8XgIyuk32Tgi83ITugtIDADNyoGBHG54F6fglbPfG5JOrIp7IytjvV2qtxdgzSh_my73i/w320-h400/Einstein-formal_portrait-35_(cropped).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Einstein-formal_portrait-35_(cropped).jpg" target="_blank"><i>Einstein-formal portrait/wikipedia</i></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Einstein's birthday - March 14, 1879</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Born in the 19th century, Albert Einstein became one of the most famous scientists of the 20th and 21st centuries.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And below is a video summary of his accomplishments:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bhhEDAE-a2E?si=ZwfsIbOwSk5CtrB2" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://youtu.be/bhhEDAE-a2E?si=lc-kqw8uL3_lLvJw" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/bhhEDAE-a2E?si=lc-kqw8uL3_lLvJw</a></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More information, check out his biography: <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Albert-Einstein/General-relativity-and-teaching-career" target="_blank">Albert Einstein, German-American physicist.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been 145 years. And his legacy rewrote the physics books.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-size: medium;">What new theories or discoveries will rewrite our physics books today?</span></b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div><div>-----------------------------<br /><div>-----------------------------</div><div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Physics</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>Similar threads (search blog):</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Space</div><div>Science</div><div>Tech </div><div><br /></div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div>-----------------------------</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Einstein-formal_portrait-35_(cropped).jpg" style="font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i>Einstein-formal portrait/wikipedia</i></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-650975214161974892024-02-19T12:32:00.000-08:002024-02-19T12:32:34.763-08:00Write Stuff (part 4) - Generation Gap <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVDDQ-M01u2QY_7hD-CkCvaUTqyr5sA5i9hheJR0gTld0rUQ5Spy2AIM_dLMSPFYUDdMxihr8L26K1MlnQR_4smpuwQW3lqL3RJs1L8Y-ogcvWtzSW2bksgds_6S2PzbziqRoPcA1wGhMYgCVd69ZVZTnSj58e4-wyyErunKgEQuYtmBpRJAKmCyVQ-QI/s768/Generation_timeline.svg.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="768" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVDDQ-M01u2QY_7hD-CkCvaUTqyr5sA5i9hheJR0gTld0rUQ5Spy2AIM_dLMSPFYUDdMxihr8L26K1MlnQR_4smpuwQW3lqL3RJs1L8Y-ogcvWtzSW2bksgds_6S2PzbziqRoPcA1wGhMYgCVd69ZVZTnSj58e4-wyyErunKgEQuYtmBpRJAKmCyVQ-QI/w449-h281/Generation_timeline.svg.png" width="449" /></a><br /><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Generation_timeline.svg" target="_blank"><i>Generations Timelines/wikipedia</i></a></span></div><br /><p></p><p><b>The Generation Gap</b></p><p>Adults have lamented about the sorry state of the youth throughout history:</p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. </b></i><i><b>Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. </b></i><i><b>They no longer rise when elders enter the room. </b></i><i><b>They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.</b></i></span></p><p>This quote has been attributed to Socrates in the 4th century B.C. </p><p>But it has been suggested it really was "a summary of general complaints about the youth by the ancient Greeks, as written in a 1907 dissertation by a student, Kenneth John Freeman."</p><p> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span>Reference: </span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/a4vnuv/old_generations_complain_about_the_next_one_since/?rdt=34780" target="_blank">reddit/AskHistorians</a></i></span></p><div><div>At least it proves the words of Solomon:</div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div><i><b>What has been will be again,</b></i></div><div><i><b> what has been done will be done again;</b></i></div><div><i><b> there is nothing new under the sun.</b></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Ecclesiastes 1:9 <span style="font-size: x-small;">(NIV)</span></i></div><p>In our times, the generations from the late 19th century to the roaring 20s in the 21st century can be succinctly summed up in the video below.</p><p> <b><i>Every Birth Generation Explained in 9 Minutes</i></b>:</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ruKJpwlRe_M?si=JUPAhZ5ay8V7cMlg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://youtu.be/ruKJpwlRe_M?si=51FFeErJ22WE0fub" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/ruKJpwlRe_M?si=51FFeErJ22WE0fub</a></span></p><p><br /></p><p>Such distinctions can be valuable for writers when crafting their characters who grew up in the generation that defined them.</p><div>And these characteristics are another tool of...</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The Write Stuff!</span></i></b></div><div><br /></div><div><p>Solomon also wrote:</p><p><b><i>Generations come and generations go,<br /> but the earth remains forever.</i></b></p><div><i>Ecclesiastes 1:4 (<span style="font-size: x-small;">NIV)</span></i></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">What will define the next generation?</span></i></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>-----------------------------<br /><div>-----------------------------</div><div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Write Stuff</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>Similar threads (search blog):</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>ELM - English, Language, Musings</div><div>History</div><div>Culture</div><div>Pop Culture</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div>-----------------------------</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Generation_timeline.svg" style="font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i>Generations Timelines/wikipedia</i></a></div>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-4871407265283701342024-01-16T10:00:00.000-08:002024-01-16T10:00:00.705-08:00IS40:8 (part 7) - New Year Praise<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMgn649Nz_1v-0zHljLLJPJSWTG_FVqanFVmPuEdHs_56oGlliofwTd1yZiBVYObkSPQU4QwX7ndPcumJ2-t2qgrFrGBybpPJRXSgwT2E6aU4LPSD3SM1zK0La3qdww_bwa9REbA-t91uG2_XeMzRnBF6_4IDUBmEXP2YcGP4Fg3L8pa_0ust2LPE7H3C/s640/MOLITVA.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMgn649Nz_1v-0zHljLLJPJSWTG_FVqanFVmPuEdHs_56oGlliofwTd1yZiBVYObkSPQU4QwX7ndPcumJ2-t2qgrFrGBybpPJRXSgwT2E6aU4LPSD3SM1zK0La3qdww_bwa9REbA-t91uG2_XeMzRnBF6_4IDUBmEXP2YcGP4Fg3L8pa_0ust2LPE7H3C/w400-h300/MOLITVA.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MOLITVA.JPG" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face="sans-serif"><span style="text-align: start;">MOLITVA</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="text-align: start;"> /wikipedia</span></span></a></div><br /><p></p><div><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Blessings for 2024.</span></i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>May this be a year of Revival, Restoration, Renewal.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pray we begin the New Year with praises to our Lord and Savior in our hearts:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GbnpLFA4CWM?si=7wjGsA3pl4d4nJhg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/GbnpLFA4CWM?si=ZEUqcmtu5YjUsZPa" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://youtu.be/GbnpLFA4CWM?si=ZEUqcmtu5YjUsZPa</span></i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>This year, 2024, may we seek Him and claim this promise:</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">11</span> <b><i>“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,<br />“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,<br />plans to give you hope and a future.</i></b><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">12</span> <b><i>Then you will call on Me<br />and come and pray to Me,<br />and I will listen to you.</i></b><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">13</span> <b><i>You will seek Me<br />and find Me when you seek Me<br />with all your heart.” </i></b><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Jeremiah 29:11-13 <span style="font-size: x-small;">(NIV)</span></i></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p style="text-align: center;">-----------------------------</p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Isaiah 40:8</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The grass withereth,</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">the flower fadeth:</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">but the word of our God</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">shall stand for ever.</span></i></b></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>-----------------------------<br /><div>-----------------------------</div><div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>IS40:8</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>Similar threads (search blog):</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Faith</div><div>10C - The Ten Commandments</div><div>Biblia Files</div><div>PPP - Psalms, Proverbs, and Politics</div><div><br /></div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div>-----------------------------</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MOLITVA.JPG" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span face="sans-serif"><span style="text-align: start;">MOLITVA</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="text-align: start;"> /wikipedia</span></span></a></div><div><br /></div>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-38123672092684173482023-12-07T03:34:00.000-08:002023-12-07T03:34:44.766-08:00STC (part 5) - Christmas Party at the S*T*C<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXJd37bWVnZtsDH0NV3-lpp1_8me9kwt27B5Z8ArSQk79TQMzbpSq28BVmLwbpAT2YYAByvz28Ft19EpEMlYg9-thPHUZGQUqjrDPlBzMTaWu8-uDTaBxfaMFB8WsEmEwUCyEmtz3OVwBBKVg9lOHq6rcZZkUgJWCbfMNYPItjvshl2r7wlyFcRIa5CfC/s800/Gifts_xmas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="800" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXJd37bWVnZtsDH0NV3-lpp1_8me9kwt27B5Z8ArSQk79TQMzbpSq28BVmLwbpAT2YYAByvz28Ft19EpEMlYg9-thPHUZGQUqjrDPlBzMTaWu8-uDTaBxfaMFB8WsEmEwUCyEmtz3OVwBBKVg9lOHq6rcZZkUgJWCbfMNYPItjvshl2r7wlyFcRIa5CfC/w400-h283/Gifts_xmas.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gifts_xmas.jpg" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;">Gifts_Xmas/wikipedia.com </span></i></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">S*T*C</span></i></b></p><p><i>Initials for the <b>Satellite Tracking Center</b></i></p><p><i><b>And the title of my historical novel: </b></i><b><i>Women breaking into aerospace in the 1980s meet men behaving badly.</i></b></p><p><i>It's 1984. The space shuttle Challenger is up in orbit. The Reagan administration is beefing up defense to fight the Evil Empire of Communism. And the Satellite Tracking Center, known as the S*T*C, is staffing up to meet those challenges.</i></p><p><i>Then the old boy network finds itself turned upside down when young professional women, such as Samantha Clark and Rosalind Hart, breach the male-dominated mission control teams inside the S*T*C. In the secrecy demanded in the classified world, how do Sam and Roz cope with men behaving badly? Will the women or the old boys break first?</i></p><p><b><i>Christmas 1984 rolls around.</i></b></p><p>Let's take a peek at the festivities inside the S*T*C. </p><p>In particular, the Mission Control Complex (MCC-F) where Sam works as a contractor for Celestia Space Corporation (known as CSC).</p><p style="text-align: left;">----------------------------------------------</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><span style="text-transform: uppercase;">Chapter SIXTY-THREE</span></p><p class="Chapter"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">The
week before Christmas and counting down to launch, CSC held their annual
Christmas party. Inside MCC-F, the customers, mostly the Air Force, were
invited to CSC’s Christmas lunch buffet in the SCIF. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">So,
the feasting began.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Those
at the end of the line were the essential personnel, who had been running real-time
satellite passes at the start of brunch. And when their work was done, nothing
was left. The guests had eaten up the food which was calculated as ample enough
to feed the contractors.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Great!”
Ned Gaubert on the two-side pouted after finishing a pass. “Our customer…the
Grinch…stole this Christmas!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Now,
Ned—” Paul Coleman started his mild scold. Then he saw the injustice of it all.
And PC agreed Ned had a point.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Ned
glared at the GC Randy Rowdy, who had a plate of food.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Hey,”
Randy mumbled with a mouth full. “You got to look out for Number One, Ned.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Ned
sneered. “Love your Christmas spirit.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="SectionImage" style="text-align: center;">* * *<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">The
lunch buffet had cleared out of the SCIF. More fun ahead, it was time for the
crew to open presents from their secret Santas. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Rich
Kerry, tall and thin, wore a red Santa hat and fake white beard. He looked as
incongruous as Christmas in July.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Arye
smiled when he opened up his present from Sam. A customized Jewish Christmas
ornament, crafted from a wooden Star of David, with a fake sprig of holly in
the middle.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Thanks
for the Messiah-mas ornament,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“And
I want to show you something.” Sam pulled out a thin book.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“<i>Zlateh
the Goat</i>, by Isaac Bashevis Singer.” Arye looked it over. “My favorite Hanukkah
story. My mother read me this when I was a kid.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7D1acPvevzw?si=RESivhYNm0FDnwx-" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; line-height: 120%;"><a href="https://youtu.be/7D1acPvevzw?si=sbC--zkpbrJXnmge" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;">https://youtu.be/7D1acPvevzw?si=sbC--zkpbrJXnmge</span></i></a></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Sam
explained, “An old friend of mine—old as in senior citizen—gave me this when I
was thirteen.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“For
your bas mitzvah?” Arye grinned.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“My
what?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“It
would be a bar mitzvah if you were a guy. A <i>bas</i>
mitzvah is when you became a woman.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“The
gentleman, who gave me this, helped me to grow up a lot. He’d be in his
eighties if he were alive.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Sam
could see that the book touched Arye as he looked at the cover. “Thanks for
thinking of me this time of the year. It’s not easy being a Jew during
Christmas.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Hey,
Jesus was Jewish. He celebrated his bar mitzvah and Hanukah.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Then
Rich called out the next present. “Rosa Martinez.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“From
Doug?” Rosa looked apprehensive as she opened the package. “Chocolate colored
bikini underpants? And it says…oh, my—”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Doug
grabbed the card. “I want to eat these panties right off of you, my dear.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Of
all the nerve!” Rosa took her present and smacked him hard on the head with it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Doug
leered back. “More S and M after the party, dear?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Rosa</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">
smacked him harder—several times—and no one stopped her.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Then
one by one, all the presents were given out.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Sam
asked Rich, “Is there anything…for me?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Rich
shook his head. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Sam
stood still for the moment. Then she ran off to the women’s room to cry and
pull herself together.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="SectionImage" style="text-align: center;">* * *<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Frank
Bustamonte was a quiet man. Yet he observed more than he let on. Charles
Sinclair had drawn Sam’s name. And Frank overheard Charles say that he was not
getting anything for <i>that bitch</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Frank
wondered if Charles would have a change of heart. He didn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">So
Frank took action. He repackaged his present from Werner, then sent <st1:place w:st="on">Rosa</st1:place> to get Sam from no-man’s land.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“This
is for you, dear.” Frank presented Sam with her gift. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Rosa
came up with an explanation. “Your present fell behind the file cabinet where
the tree sat. So, Rich missed it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Sam
felt ashamed for crying, as she opened the gift of coffee. “This is nice. It’s
from you, Frank?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Frank
smiled. “Yes, dear.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“I’m
sorry I misunderstood.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Don’t
ever deny your feelings.” Then Frank threw in some cookies from a fan of his
son, the Elvis impersonator. And he said this Elvis had just gotten his
divinity degree so he could do weddings.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“I
thought you might appreciate these.” Gordon Howard presented Sam a few <i>El Chichon Chicos,</i> his pet lava rocks
with smiley faces.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Thank
you.” Sam looked at her presents, feeling her depression fly away. “These rocks
are so nice. They’ll look so cheerful in our garden.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“And
I’ve got a garage full of them.” Gordon flashed his yellowed teeth. Then he belted
out a great belly laugh that would outdo any Santa.</span></p><p>----------------------------------------------</p><p><br /></p><p>To read more, please check out: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/S-T-C-K-Smith/dp/B09BGKKDBG/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1628192395&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">S*T*C</span></b></a></p><p>Your readership is appreciated.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Merry Christmas!</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Happy Hanukkah!</span></i></b></p><p><br /></p><p>------------------------------</p><p>------------------------------</p><p><b><i>For more in this series, search blog:</i></b></p><p>STC</p><p>Christmas</p><p>Hanukkah</p><p><br /></p><p>------------------------------</p><p>------------------------------</p><p>Photo: <span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: small; font-style: italic; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: underline;">Gifts_Xmas/wikipedia.com </span></p><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: small; font-style: italic; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: underline;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-89538538846168621692023-11-26T20:34:00.000-08:002023-11-26T20:34:23.632-08:00Philosophy (part 1) - Stupidity<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3za7_JLFdfUrgPjPCzmLGiN3uOlin5xh5LCx74ElZ4ZIBOcj6TjM6dOanhu8ceitQp5e5chXe1rlYgny_xvTQevfJJlA2l4SP74Pc7kH7Fl-tZFhezss2jQqAS132nIQ0uPUqbcRSH1iobXw8DMfilYEgpBqH2t1VZlo0COgrAFW5B2JqC8Rj2lUVqqpo/s1199/TSJuly1_1916original.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3za7_JLFdfUrgPjPCzmLGiN3uOlin5xh5LCx74ElZ4ZIBOcj6TjM6dOanhu8ceitQp5e5chXe1rlYgny_xvTQevfJJlA2l4SP74Pc7kH7Fl-tZFhezss2jQqAS132nIQ0uPUqbcRSH1iobXw8DMfilYEgpBqH2t1VZlo0COgrAFW5B2JqC8Rj2lUVqqpo/w283-h400/TSJuly1_1916original.JPG" width="283" /></a><br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TSJuly1_1916original.JPG" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;"><i>Thomas Paine/wikipedia</i></span></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span><b style="font-style: italic;"><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Paine" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;">Thomas Paine</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;">, </span></b>American Revolutionary War influencer, best known for his pamphlet<b><i> Common Sense</i></b>, </span>once said:</p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>To argue with a person <br />who has renounced the use of reason<br /> is like administering medicine <br />to the dead.</b></i></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.azquotes.com/quote/505328" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;">AZ Quotes</span></a></div><p></p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Otherwise - Stupidity.</span></i></b></p><p>A casual observer sees displays of stupidity in politics every day. But when the emotions in a crowd get out of control, we can have....</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Mob Rule</span></i></b></p><p>The 20th century experienced much madness. One such gripped Nazi Germany during the 1930s.</p><p>Some resisted the devolution from a democracy with rule of law into a police state under a tyrant. But it was not enough to stop the escalation into World War II.</p><p><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dietrich-Bonhoeffer" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;"><i>Dietrich Bonhoeffer</i></span>,</b></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> German Lutheran pastor, theologian, and anti-Nazi dissident was one of the resistors. He was arrested as part of a failed plot to assassinate Hitler, imprisoned, and hung in April 1945, weeks before Germany surrendered to the Allies. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">But he wrote of the evils of <b><i>stupidity </i></b>in his letters from prison while waiting execution:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ww47bR86wSc?si=h1qs4vMx1AWLCEB2" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><i><a href="https://youtu.be/ww47bR86wSc?si=UcxFNLRmDBFuP9hB" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;">https://youtu.be/ww47bR86wSc?si=UcxFNLRmDBFuP9hB</span></a></i></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">To sum up stupidity:</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The way of fools seems right to them,</i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>but the wise listen to advice.</i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Proverbs 12:15</span></i></p><p><br /></p><p>And our philosophers speak in the art of film:</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tldGgGFe194?si=svPRGhDdWmfytIx8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> <br /><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://youtu.be/tldGgGFe194?si=_w2y9BuU96CMR_oz" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/tldGgGFe194?si=_w2y9BuU96CMR_oz</a></span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><b><i>And that's all I have to say about that!</i></b></span></p><p><br /></p><p>---------------------------------</p><p>----------------------------------</p><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">For more in this series, search blog:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Philosophy</div><div>Politics</div><div>Proverbs</div><p>----------------------------------</p><p>----------------------------------</p><p>Photo: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TSJuly1_1916original.JPG" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;"><i>Thomas Paine/wikipedia</i></span></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-88768414317476588692023-10-01T03:28:00.000-07:002023-10-01T03:28:17.269-07:00CC4 (part 3) - October Surprise on Halloween.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolSnFgM1xHeOiYOp2t2wEg1bQFm1a0j34aL5xvDwL-RNNy5GNLP5jzO2l3pJhUtJoU10f33rAGWNNPMmDtmuFUbNrIff-s5iiMKNxGCFk_itR2ifGBQEpj8dTsbw61yPi0s1F1XDCaLU3ECB9vBAXelPW71eidpXkG6SixE4cvkDe2jwXd_zeb75fy5IP/s1200/800px-Kobe_Mosaic15s3072.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolSnFgM1xHeOiYOp2t2wEg1bQFm1a0j34aL5xvDwL-RNNy5GNLP5jzO2l3pJhUtJoU10f33rAGWNNPMmDtmuFUbNrIff-s5iiMKNxGCFk_itR2ifGBQEpj8dTsbw61yPi0s1F1XDCaLU3ECB9vBAXelPW71eidpXkG6SixE4cvkDe2jwXd_zeb75fy5IP/w266-h400/800px-Kobe_Mosaic15s3072.jpg" width="266" /></a><br /><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kobe_Mosaic15s3072.jpg" target="_blank">Halloween/Kobe/wikipedia</a></span></i></div><br /><p></p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">October surprise on Halloween?</span></i></b></p><p>This surprise in the theme of this chapter of Book 4, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rainmaker-Commander-Chief-S-Smith/dp/B08N1NF1RT/ref=sr_1_2?crid=E0WL3VWGXW11&dchild=1&keywords=rainmaker+s+k+smith&qid=1607195661&sprefix=rainmaker+s+k+%2Caps%2C726&sr=8-2" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Rainmaker</span></i></b></a>, in <b><i>The Commander and the Chief</i></b> series.</p><p class="Chapter"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Part 9</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Chapter 8</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">October Surprise</span></i></b></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Halloween.
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">This
year, the Duke and Duchess of Yorkchestershire were throwing a costume party at
Barrett Manor. And Nova and Reggie arrived a few days early to help with the
decorating. A pleasant break in the English countryside from the hubbub of
London.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Nova
wore baggy sweatpants and a loose T-shirt as she helped alongside the servants.
All under her mother-in-law’s supervision. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">But
Nova needed more rest than usual. She didn’t want to admit anything was wrong.
Though memories of her dad haunted her. Especially during his last year on
earth, before he had succumbed to cancer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Dad
had needed a lot of breaks. Tired easily. And Nova tried to put Dad out of her
mind as she joined her mother-in-law for tea. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Regina
looked over Nova. “Is everything all right, dear?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“I’m
fine,” Nova lied. Then changed the subject. “But, hey. It’s the end of October
already. And this time in America, we brace ourselves for the October
Surprise.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Regina
set down her cup. “What surprise is that?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“When
a scandal is leaked in the media,” Nova said. “Especially during an election
year. With little time for the political target to recover from the allegations.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Oh,
that.” Regina waved a hand. “Politics as usual. Like over here, they’re all
crooks.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Nova
sighed. “I need to take something for my stomach.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Regina
returned a skeptical look as Nova dismissed herself. The Duchess had her ideas as
to what was going on with her daughter-in-law. But kept her thoughts to
herself. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="SectionImage" style="text-align: center;">* * *<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Anton
Orlovic had been at Barrett Manor for the last month, after he got back from
the States. He was the nephew most like Nova’s dad. He could fix most anything.
The Barrett Great House was in fine shape. But maintenance was ongoing. And
Anton had critical skills. He knew what he was doing and cared to do a good
job. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Before
long, the outside was encompassed by lit jack o’ lanterns. Trees strung with
cobwebs and bats and orange and white lights. Inside, the trappings of a
haunted mansion.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">After
sunset, it was party time. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Alfie
Dawkins greeted the precession of guests. Dressed in a black mask like a
highwayman from the Regency Period. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Jane
Meyer saw to the refreshments. She wore an owl mask. Her favorite bird. And she
perfected her hoot so the guests knew she was coming. And gave a hoot.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Sir
Robert Barrett, the host, dressed as Henry VIII. Pumpkin pants. Royal robes.
Tudor flat cap. His hair and beard tinted red. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Dame
Regina, in red hair and wide dress, made a convincing Queen Elizabeth I. She
said, “Off with your heads!” like the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Reggie
morphed into a convincing Nikola Tesla. Dark hair with the part in the middle
and fake mustache. Dressed in a dark jacket, white shirt, waist coat. Holding a
model of a sparking Tesla coil. And he had perfected that wild mad scientist
look.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; line-height: 120%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iEJNJ0rFSe8?si=p4rde8PpShSugMpX" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span><br /><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://youtu.be/iEJNJ0rFSe8?si=0TeSZNiIHuwCME6Y" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/iEJNJ0rFSe8?si=0TeSZNiIHuwCME6Y</a></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Nova
made her entrance downstairs as Wonder Woman. Her favorite female superhero. Twirling
her golden lasso of truth. But she had to alter her costume. And discreetly,
Jane had helped take out parts of the suit so it would fit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; line-height: 120%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/imc_qG8Re2Q?si=65RqmH12yOJ2CAYQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span><br /><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://youtu.be/imc_qG8Re2Q?si=KfYFJTewzDixBhWK" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/imc_qG8Re2Q?si=KfYFJTewzDixBhWK</a></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Anton
dressed as a cowboy and brought his rope. And Anton and Nova demonstrated their
lassoing skills. Nova caught Reggie a few times. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“You’ve
branded me already, darling.” He showed her his wedding ring. “Now, let me go,”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“But
I don’t want to let you go.” She drew him to her and they kissed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Halloween
was also <i>Reformation Day</i>. It was Halloween night of 1517 that Martin
Luther had nailed </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">his <i>Ninety-five
Theses</i> to the door of <i>All Saints’ Church</i> in Wittenberg, Germany</span><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; line-height: 120%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ijjbtcAEOnY?si=fbJamtW9LvuK6txO" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span><br /><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://youtu.be/ijjbtcAEOnY?si=5EjYCXNaJpG9sdvn" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/ijjbtcAEOnY?si=5EjYCXNaJpG9sdvn</a></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">And
Lord Fredrick Wise reminded everyone that it was the German Prince, Frederick
the Wise, who had protected Martin Luther and made the whole Reformation thing
possible. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Wise
was tempted to come as Frederick the Wise. But it was like coming as himself. So
he came as Martin Luther. Dark cap and robe. Holding a copy of the </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Ninety-five Theses</span><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">And
his wife Sharon dressed as Martin Luther’s wife and former nun, Katharina von
Bora. Ivory wimple, black dress, white apron. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Jasmyn
took little Elijah Rainmaker Barrett down from the nursery a few times. The
baby wore a beaded head band with a small eagle feather and colorful streaks of
war paint on his cheeks. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Elijah
was quite the scene stealer. The Duke’s second grandson. The last of the
Rainmaker line.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">One
of the guests looked over Jasmyn’s torn jeans, tie dyed T-shirt, tattoos, spiked
hair streaked with purple, orange, and pink. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“I
love your costume, Nanny,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“What
costume, ma’am?” Jasmyn answered with wide eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Eventually,
the guests settled for a big screen showing of the old cult classic, <i>The
Rocky Horror Picture Show</i>. Center stage was that sweet transvestite. Dr.
Frank-N-Furter. From Transsexual, Transylvania. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Many
at the party knew all the movie lines and sang along, like: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Let’s
do the time warp again.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; line-height: 120%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/umj0gu5nEGs?si=XuR8anuIH4HoPhTE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span><br /><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://youtu.be/umj0gu5nEGs?si=nUdeKQIdkq_P-cE-" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/umj0gu5nEGs?si=nUdeKQIdkq_P-cE-</a></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">The
scene came when Dr. Frank-N-Furter, off stage, hacked Dr. Scott’s nephew Eddie to
death with an ice pick. When Frank-N-Furter came out of the freezer with blood
on his gloves, Nova threw up. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; line-height: 120%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pMRl55U0eDw?si=53wnrZtlM8X3bx8q" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span><br /><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://youtu.be/pMRl55U0eDw?si=BPgG7Ou7Y0dqxzlN" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/pMRl55U0eDw?si=BPgG7Ou7Y0dqxzlN</a></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">That
stopped the show. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">At
least paused it and sent the servants scrambling for cleanup. After which, the
show would go on, so they could party into All Saints Day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="SectionImage" style="text-align: center;">* * *<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Reggie
instructed Jane to make a special purchase at an all-night chemist. And Jane
did not seem surprised by this request. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Then
he escorted Nova upstairs and helped her undo her costume. Unzipping the back. Tugging
off the suit. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“I
see you’ve been putting on a little weight, darling.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Nova
spun around with a look of murder in her eyes. Like if she had an ax, she’d
give Reggie forty whacks. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Reggie
snapped open his eyes. Backed away. Raising his arms in self-defense. Then Nova
sunk into the bed and broke out into heaving sobs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Oh,
God.” Reggie waited for Nova to calm down some.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">He
shook out his handkerchief and dried her tears. Slipped a robe over her. Then
he took off his jacket and fake mustache and got comfortable for a long night.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Reggie
rubbed Nova’s back. “What’s troubling you, darling?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“I
miss my dad.” She blew her nose.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“What
brought this on?’<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Halloween.
The pumpkins. My dad grew the biggest pumpkins. He used to take Nick and me
down to the river and suck up water into his sewer truck. Then irrigate his
gardens with it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Reggie
widened his eyes. “I can imagine what came out of that thing.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Nova
wiped her tears. “We always got the biggest corn and the biggest pumpkins. And
Dad was the one that carved the jack o’ lanterns.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Eventually,
there was a knock. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Enter,”
Reggie said. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Is
everything all right, Commander?” Jane asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“We
shall see.” Reggie received the goods. “Thank you, Jane. I’ll call if we need
anything else.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Jane
responded with hoots. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Reggie
coaxed Nova into the loo to pee on a stick. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">He
looked at the results on the indicator and arched a dark eyebrow. “No more
strong drinks for you, darling.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">“Now
it makes sense what Kaya told me.” Nova let out a breath. “Elijah’s not the
last of the Rainmakers, is he?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">Reggie
chuckled. “Surprise.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;">Happy Halloween<br />Happy Reformation Day</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Be safe.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">All published books (<i>paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited</i>) of <b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The Commander and the Chief </span></i></b>series are linked as a set on amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/The-Commander-and-the-Chief/dp/B0CDYW6D7M?ref_=ast_author_dp" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Commander and the Chief series</span></i></a></div><p>Your readership is appreciated.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>----------------------------------</p><p>----------------------------------</p><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">For more in this series, search blog:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>CC1, CC2, CC3, CC4, CC5, CCx</div><div>The Commander and the Chief series</div><p>----------------------------------</p><p>----------------------------------</p><p>Photo: <span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: small; font-style: italic; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: underline;">Halloween/Kobe/wikipedia</span></p><div><span style="color: #0000ee; font-size: small; font-style: italic; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: underline;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-62032720427976715912023-09-19T00:52:00.000-07:002023-09-19T00:52:11.205-07:00CCx (part 1) - The Commander and the Chief series<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1589" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhzjteUKNATIoIn09NU95T7BMg01JqeWEweQjth3Gh4-WjnjvkeSw3ByxBpcmlMRpxF5552dz2sJzjH62jXKnJrMIP3tZWYxVXa-wX6lLhmOKehjYGLZahWRg9ueXau0PzpOYoqNv08GlQqH2KgJumGNMil2KNMV1Vb5FDUNbuti4FUUXpDoJdZT7M3RB/w133-h200/Dream_Catcher_Book_5.jpg" width="133" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHbo8vzqXOcIb4utFDjUY3QLI5rjkhFt5-YAib3nPYK7tkPXQXcc8gV1CfN3W9nCDQRoUwbPuZRbH1xmyxrOQXHXUUPzFdXIFPcMzDB-AJbF3iMvMIWL4d2JQPhTHSqDi4t_OKJbxuePXJn4usr0dKVxloiPWpekmLnqzsa0xsJAdc_sL9QfyiLoeywjC/s1384/cc_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="929" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHbo8vzqXOcIb4utFDjUY3QLI5rjkhFt5-YAib3nPYK7tkPXQXcc8gV1CfN3W9nCDQRoUwbPuZRbH1xmyxrOQXHXUUPzFdXIFPcMzDB-AJbF3iMvMIWL4d2JQPhTHSqDi4t_OKJbxuePXJn4usr0dKVxloiPWpekmLnqzsa0xsJAdc_sL9QfyiLoeywjC/w134-h200/cc_2.jpg" width="134" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13tG91x6W-iSfg0RqmgZTHaIL2qxIXNDkJT0122deMqNE5Z2aVH2JtRnL4hwKH54jVsS_GC_GML39mIHaOmy4awja-9-gnKPOU2ID3_F-F76Gy_DEIg1Xrvsd2m-NBRtbjtNDQPQ-PGMyd47OW7jqAYbemSyL2H44XQkgfSaL19dhxY7dmT0pFZ6BqrUA/s500/51fqyCx4DsL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13tG91x6W-iSfg0RqmgZTHaIL2qxIXNDkJT0122deMqNE5Z2aVH2JtRnL4hwKH54jVsS_GC_GML39mIHaOmy4awja-9-gnKPOU2ID3_F-F76Gy_DEIg1Xrvsd2m-NBRtbjtNDQPQ-PGMyd47OW7jqAYbemSyL2H44XQkgfSaL19dhxY7dmT0pFZ6BqrUA/w133-h200/51fqyCx4DsL.jpg" width="133" /></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaq_TZoMG56FxRZtZ4EWNC_zwfSYSMMzUS4xFDJNZW5gYJkMOrBt23mobILx_IpAbsxOhn-rDqHdyYOCIPa1X-v8O5gPcxNAZFMMUBIH5hXvOtiY2C-80NepZ5-QmdndBmaWzgLZTlJ9i5or0FhJ7cT_CGcGMgnimESCfOT6cNIXdZY0DA1EY6cOBx0gbf/w134-h200/cc4_.jpg" width="134" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jDfP_j2r7XBqCQaZ-Jy2xQh_kY5lf3DYQlSduwph7eCIDLY3U1ArMPjeSlSea_M1mCkLtugvIOsxAGCjg1C2ovlfKf8xaAf16tO4T8aYwk3VssJw6EbMMdlUm2dRVjKazfiY7C06HqSzpF9S7AncGPxNUeJrsj0SVg49r6yIrTflmU8aMI3zHPCw8anx/s346/cc5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="233" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jDfP_j2r7XBqCQaZ-Jy2xQh_kY5lf3DYQlSduwph7eCIDLY3U1ArMPjeSlSea_M1mCkLtugvIOsxAGCjg1C2ovlfKf8xaAf16tO4T8aYwk3VssJw6EbMMdlUm2dRVjKazfiY7C06HqSzpF9S7AncGPxNUeJrsj0SVg49r6yIrTflmU8aMI3zHPCw8anx/w134-h200/cc5.jpg" width="134" /></a><br /><i style="font-size: small;">cover art by DAVIS Creative, Becki Davis</i><br /><br /><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Announcement</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The Commander and the Chief </span></i></b>series updates.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">All published books (<i>paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited</i>) of this series are linked as a set on amazon: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/The-Commander-and-the-Chief/dp/B0CDYW6D7M?ref_=ast_author_dp" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Commander and the Chief series</span></i></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u>The series overall theme</u>:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>The Commander, a British doctor, and the Chief, a Native American lawyer, take on the Deep State.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>They team up to get to the bottom of the suspicious death of the Chief's husband. The trail leads to coverups, blackmail and bribery schemes, assassinations, and powerful villains with the shadowy characters that control them.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>The Old World meets the Wild West when the two tie the knot in a till-death-do-they-part Anglo-America union. As rogue forces act to eliminate them, the Commander and the Chief cowboy up to keep calm and carry on.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Buckle up for a wild ride where the Big Sky is the Limit.</i></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SI4ZTXOi6Ew?si=Q5v6aM5tPSnCmyFh" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/SI4ZTXOi6Ew?si=npWJlXs3M07_275r" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-small;">https://youtu.be/SI4ZTXOi6Ew?si=npWJlXs3M07_275r</span></i></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><u><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>And in the Big Sky, may Blue Skies shine on you!</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>Thank you for your readership.</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">--------------------------------------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">--------------------------------------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">For more in this series, search blog:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>CC1, CC2, CC3, CC4, CC5, CCx</div><div>The Commander and the Chief series</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">--------------------------------------------</div>--------------------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>Photo: <i style="text-align: center;">cover art by DAVIS Creative, Becki Davis</i></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-30573202254521976592023-08-29T11:39:00.000-07:002023-08-29T11:39:38.838-07:00CC5 (part 1): Pow Wow<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXMnkxygSl1aHhG7_zqIf8-aCkIflHb1HiUu5RY4P42ikEaLsOwXQhlGVCdhtAaaJn5WFN7w2-fcB4PZ7fqgXQMn8OvwoDZWndb6viQXebKN9QO8l8zc7rbTvHx_QkRzup2xKEDwsCa5Cm76E7f0FPUeL_JaB7_YSgsKdaGhCgQGM6af44T49MGR6Z19O/s2775/cc5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXMnkxygSl1aHhG7_zqIf8-aCkIflHb1HiUu5RY4P42ikEaLsOwXQhlGVCdhtAaaJn5WFN7w2-fcB4PZ7fqgXQMn8OvwoDZWndb6viQXebKN9QO8l8zc7rbTvHx_QkRzup2xKEDwsCa5Cm76E7f0FPUeL_JaB7_YSgsKdaGhCgQGM6af44T49MGR6Z19O/w269-h400/cc5.jpg" width="269" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>cover art by DAVIS Creative, Becki Davis</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;"><b><i>Pow Wow</i></b></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Pow Wow</span></i></b> (powwow or pow-wow) has historical as well as modern meanings:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> <i>North American Indian ceremony involving feasting, singing, and dancing.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">INFORMAL</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>a conference or meeting for discussion, especially among friends or colleagues.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #767676; font-size: 11px;">Data from </span><a h="ID=SERP,5535.1" href="https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=17ea41358a18dd29JmltdHM9MTY5MzAwODAwMCZpZ3VpZD0xZTBmMjkzNy05MDNjLTY0ZjYtMzhkNS0zYTQxOTFlNTY1ZTEmaW5zaWQ9NTUzNQ&ptn=3&hsh=3&fclid=1e0f2937-903c-64f6-38d5-3a4191e565e1&psq=pow+wow+meaning&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9sYW5ndWFnZXMub3VwLmNvbS8&ntb=1" style="background-color: white; color: #4007a2; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" target="_blank">Oxford Languages</a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>It's also the title of my latest novel (Book 5) in The Commander and the Chief series:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Commander and the Chief take on the rogue Deep State:</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>the Gunfight at the UK Corral, </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>missing Redcoats in the Nevada Triangle, </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>and nuclear blackmail!</i></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Available <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pow-Wow-Commander-Chief-Book/dp/B0CC4P5Z1G/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=pow+wow+s+k+smith&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">on amazon</span></i></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><u>Here's the next wild ride:</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Speaker of the House Karl Kelly was never supposed to be President of the United States. But that happens when President Todd resigns and the VP kills himself. Then the rogue Deep State acts to remedy that.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>First, take out the new VP, Laurel Hardy. Assassins strike in London, during her Pow Wow with Ambassador Nova Orlovic. But the women fight back as Wild West meets Middle Eastern terrorism in the Gunfight at the UK Corral.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Next, an attempt at US regime change escalates to nuclear blackmail. But Commander Reginald Barrett’s Methuselah project to reverse aging becomes the bargaining chip to forge dubious alliances to fight the Deep State.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Meanwhile, in the mysterious Nevada Triangle, provocateurs incite ET and prepper conventioneers to attack visiting British soldiers. But the Redcoat Regiment vanishes as the mob closes in, and conspiracy theories abound.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Will the Commander and the Chief defuse the nuclear threat and international tensions before it’s too late?</i></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-----</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As for the Native American meaning of Pow Wow (spoiler alert), that is saved for the last chapter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And below is a sample of the real thing:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lgfz-AZ9Pnw?si=gAWdOYWtgPpMHF2j" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/Lgfz-AZ9Pnw?si=UGeNOMDB5wbKI2Cl" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/Lgfz-AZ9Pnw?si=UGeNOMDB5wbKI2Cl</span></i></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For more information on Pow Wows, check out: <a href="https://familyapp.com/pow-wow/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>What is a Pow Wow?</i></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>Your readership is most appreciated.</b></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">--------------------------------------------</div>--------------------------------------------<div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">For more in this series, search blog:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>CC1, CC2, CC3, CC4, CC5, CCx</div><div>The Commander and the Chief series</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">--------------------------------------------</div>--------------------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>Photo: <i style="text-align: center;">cover art by DAVIS Creative, Becki Davis</i></div>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-3746492022050878402023-07-22T09:37:00.000-07:002023-07-22T09:37:45.264-07:00Arts (part 2) - What's Opera, Doc?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxx7APyQb1DIsKti_GfGVAzjRhof17_WljFCmvlEEqtVUacADoZCxKfSD5uwjIKze06hTNupfpyNTDdkK2MA4UlM2v4q95FHaE1B8SaSQF0jyCsi0OBOn2RwLR5LJO27m31sAqGz9GcR66G9Wot7tlPSIPTvVlJtB_Mz4iAQwRVLXMOFEpS1PEFEQovL6/s685/Schott's_1899_Walkure_title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="472" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxx7APyQb1DIsKti_GfGVAzjRhof17_WljFCmvlEEqtVUacADoZCxKfSD5uwjIKze06hTNupfpyNTDdkK2MA4UlM2v4q95FHaE1B8SaSQF0jyCsi0OBOn2RwLR5LJO27m31sAqGz9GcR66G9Wot7tlPSIPTvVlJtB_Mz4iAQwRVLXMOFEpS1PEFEQovL6/w275-h400/Schott's_1899_Walkure_title.jpg" width="275" /></a><br /><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schott%27s_1899_Walkure_title.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Walkure/Wikpedia.com</span></a><br /></i></span></div><p></p><div>My first big exposure to classical music was through the Saturday morning cartoons.</div><div><br /></div><div>There was a good reason for this. Classical music was in the public domain. No copyright. No royalties. No problem.</div><div><br /></div><div>A classic among the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Looney-Tunes#ref1081000" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Looney Tune/Meerie Melonies</span></a> cartoon series (which ran for 80 years) is the 1957 short morality tale...</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">What's Opera, Doc?</span></b></i></div><div><br /></div><div>The long running feud between <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugs_Bunny" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Bugs Bunny</span></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer_Fudd" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Elmer Fudd</span></a> continues in the setting of<a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Wagner-German-composer" target="_blank"> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Richard Wagner's</span></a> <a href="https://www.classical-music.com/features/articles/guide-wagners-die-walkure/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Die Walküre</span></a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Part 1</span></i></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iIbQX_eJuII?start=24" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/iIbQX_eJuII" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/iIbQX_eJuII</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Part 2</span></i></b></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZVjI9x-DU3E?start=24" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/ZVjI9x-DU3E" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/ZVjI9x-DU3E</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Part 3</span></i></b></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JRVOJKxYdcI?start=24" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/JRVOJKxYdcI" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/JRVOJKxYdcI</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>"In 1992, the Library of Congress deemed it "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant", and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry, the first cartoon short film to receive such honors." <br />(reference: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What%27s_Opera,_Doc%3F" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">What's Opera, Doc?</span></a>) </div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Looney Tunes meets Opera.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Best cartoon ever!</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>-----------------------------------------------------------</div><div><div>-----------------------------------------------------------</div><div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>For other posts on this theme, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Arts</div><div><br /></div><div>Music</div><div><br /></div><div>Culture</div><div><br /></div><div>Pop Culture</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>-----------------------------------------------------------</div><div><div><div>-----------------------------------------------------------</div><div><br /></div></div></div><div>Photo: <i style="color: #ffa400; text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schott%27s_1899_Walkure_title.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Walkure/Wikpedia.com</span></a></i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-46691486163900014672023-06-23T18:44:00.001-07:002023-07-01T13:23:58.789-07:00Arts (part 1) - The Starry Night<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUX66fFUjS6_oXLBMj9X9pAEvcoqDDYUOQ7UskLCOK95wFFOH0Re-x-BUBKO94u2dP02zkGddBvmO-2NtZOdbmmit9PEbBGxQWQp5gwJvCKVEG3q8mSu8TrsolwoMDG84YZytlde8-4U8bJ8G_M0c3eTuDz6TS0WivXYuc_0GEmrfIP0EOvIZCbUQp17rK/s1135/Van_Gogh_-_Starry_Night_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1135" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUX66fFUjS6_oXLBMj9X9pAEvcoqDDYUOQ7UskLCOK95wFFOH0Re-x-BUBKO94u2dP02zkGddBvmO-2NtZOdbmmit9PEbBGxQWQp5gwJvCKVEG3q8mSu8TrsolwoMDG84YZytlde8-4U8bJ8G_M0c3eTuDz6TS0WivXYuc_0GEmrfIP0EOvIZCbUQp17rK/w400-h316/Van_Gogh_-_Starry_Night_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Van_Gogh_-_Starry_Night_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia/StarryNight</span></i></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>The Starry Night </b></i></span></p><p>It's one of the most recognized and celebrated works by Vincent van Gogh.</p><p>A year before his suicide, van Gogh painted a depiction of the view from his asylum room window, just before sunrise, with an imaginary village in the background.</p><p>Over 80 years later, this 1889 Post-Impressionist painting inspired Rock musician Don McLean (of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pie_(song)" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">American Pie</span></a>) to compose this tribute to van Gogh: his paintings, his life, his struggles, and suicide:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Don McLean - Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) </i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oxHnRfhDmrk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/oxHnRfhDmrk" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/oxHnRfhDmrk</span></i></a></p><p><br /></p><p>So begins a new thread:</p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Arts</span></i></b></p><p>Spanning the centuries of artists, we have the confluence of <i><b>van Gogh</b></i> -19th century painter - and <b><i>Don McLean</i></b> - 20th and 21st century rock composer.</p><p>Timeless...</p><p>----------------------------------</p><p>For more info:</p><p>* Biography: <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vincent-van-Gogh/The-productive-decade" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Vincent van Gogh - Vincent van Gogh from 1880 to 1890 | Britannica</span></a></p><p>* Biography: <a href="https://donmclean.com/about/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">About | Don McLean</span></a></p><p>* Painting: <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Starry-Night" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Starry Night | History, Description, & Facts | Britannica</span> </a></p><p>----------------------------------</p><p>----------------------------------</p><div><b><i>For other posts on this theme, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Music</div><div><br /></div><div>Culture</div><div><br /></div><div>Pop Culture</div><p>----------------------------------</p><p>----------------------------------</p><p>Photo: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Van_Gogh_-_Starry_Night_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia/StarryNight</span></i></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-6717349673553549282023-05-29T11:22:00.003-07:002023-05-29T11:28:02.993-07:00Music (part 11) - Edelweiss<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYAOmGLK2QFt18oXGc65wAirt5tIsSe3jPpLL9IA6QDy69BbRfTPGu08iJPOQofFjHTU0rxut10Bt-Bd_4vgU3u0Zr-Ba7hPVBC9zyrK5onRIYt0vIo_Dw3CSkoYzsFIVDg_BANx-5PCxbQSUkMo95x2zvGRKia7UK8kZljO9WXnkosLzbqIXTQMZyA/s1200/1200px-Leontopodium_alpinum_070707.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYAOmGLK2QFt18oXGc65wAirt5tIsSe3jPpLL9IA6QDy69BbRfTPGu08iJPOQofFjHTU0rxut10Bt-Bd_4vgU3u0Zr-Ba7hPVBC9zyrK5onRIYt0vIo_Dw3CSkoYzsFIVDg_BANx-5PCxbQSUkMo95x2zvGRKia7UK8kZljO9WXnkosLzbqIXTQMZyA/w400-h300/1200px-Leontopodium_alpinum_070707.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leontopodium_alpinum_070707.jpg" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Edelweiss/wikipedia</span></i></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Winter of 2022-2023 was a tough season in my parts.</p><p>Never thought the snow would end, even after it was officially "Spring."</p><p>Now, the snow has turned to rain. We see green instead of white. And new life.</p><p>With this turn, I think of the beautiful song from <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059742/" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Sound of Music (1965 )</span></i></b></a> -</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Edelweiss</span></i></b></p><p>The version below is sung up in the mountains.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yMJsW1rxAbQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/yMJsW1rxAbQ" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>https://youtu.be/yMJsW1rxAbQ</i></span></a></p><p><br /></p><p>May the optimism of Spring, expressed in this beautiful song, carry you throughout the year.</p><p><br /></p><p>--------------------------------------</p><p>--------------------------------------</p><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Music</div><p><br /></p><p>--------------------------------------</p><p>--------------------------------------</p><p>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leontopodium_alpinum_070707.jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Edelweiss/wikipedia</span></i></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-8158206704993206722023-04-14T03:29:00.000-07:002023-04-14T03:29:43.195-07:00LOL (part 6) - California Fleein'<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3Lq76NFuFMujlPog5fLB1FoMAaWSfzGUhtWCqu5-ZNaOp_uFDhK8RtNsFXCfpMDzyKbWQTxD2iORtUGewvtRcd-hC_lw5LhXNQxD89qEdg0_uNy0iyGCJ-RJPTysSzkCKlmpQ-f4D8hph0fO9vyz6mMRxe-I05ClCs_T3Q6zFxBat11o0es-TFeZ1A/s1200/Memorial_Day_2020_-_San_Francisco_Under_Quarantine_(49935628848).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3Lq76NFuFMujlPog5fLB1FoMAaWSfzGUhtWCqu5-ZNaOp_uFDhK8RtNsFXCfpMDzyKbWQTxD2iORtUGewvtRcd-hC_lw5LhXNQxD89qEdg0_uNy0iyGCJ-RJPTysSzkCKlmpQ-f4D8hph0fO9vyz6mMRxe-I05ClCs_T3Q6zFxBat11o0es-TFeZ1A/w400-h266/Memorial_Day_2020_-_San_Francisco_Under_Quarantine_(49935628848).jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Memorial_Day_2020_-_San_Francisco_Under_Quarantine_(49935628848).jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>San Francisco homeless/wikipedia</i></span></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;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">California Dreamin'</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">John and Michelle Phillips had written the song of that title in 1963. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The lyrics reflect the longing for Los Angeles warmth during a cold spell in New York City. It also would define a popular California sound of the 1960s counterculture. (Reference: <a href="https://www.songmeaningsandfacts.com/the-mamas-the-papas-california-dreamin-lyrics-meaning/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">California Dreamin'</span></a>) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And it had become a hit. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://genius.com/The-mamas-and-the-papas-california-dreamin-lyrics" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Mamas and the Papas</span></a> (1965) performed one of the best-known versions of <i><b>California Dreamin</b></i>', but later a music video was made by <a href="https://genius.com/The-beach-boys-california-dreamin-lyrics" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Beach Boys</span></a> as shown below:</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;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6YAcOPPRpVY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/6YAcOPPRpVY" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>https://youtu.be/6YAcOPPRpVY</i></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">In 2023, 60 years later....</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://babylonbee.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">The Babylon Bee</span></a> parodied this Beach Boys <i><b>California Dreamin'</b></i> video reflecting the sign of the times in California. Denizens were <b><i>fleein' </i></b>instead of <b><i>dreamin' </i></b>of coming there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">California Fleein'</span></i></b></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;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TwJlKw56l30" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/TwJlKw56l30" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>https://youtu.be/TwJlKw56l30</i></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>LOL!</div><div><br /></div><div>What makes comedy funny is that it based on truth--when everything woke has turned to crap!</div><div><br /></div><div>------------------------------</div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>LOL</div> <p></p><div><div>------------------------------</div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><br /></div></div><div>photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Memorial_Day_2020_-_San_Francisco_Under_Quarantine_(49935628848).jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>San Francisco homeless/wikipedia</i></span></a></div>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-39651882938016300022023-03-07T03:59:00.003-08:002023-03-08T21:37:31.516-08:00LOL (part 5) - Breaking Bad meets Star Trek and Pies<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK63h5HQPcn9KdcnRO__DkfqVZhHx-ccydOTcqaImX9iA_5JPKclXLzbqTy-6n5lyk5n4w-LncAkHoKs1cQXGe2wT3_z3l-l6FIWh2unBnnp8DkR9ET-K1EU-KhL3Yk9WE48_2ygZhgEzWETjbpdUA-FaaYpIyGaz_MyHy_LCNYJpK5Y9uMtqtSwBiMg/s577/Pi_pie2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="577" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK63h5HQPcn9KdcnRO__DkfqVZhHx-ccydOTcqaImX9iA_5JPKclXLzbqTy-6n5lyk5n4w-LncAkHoKs1cQXGe2wT3_z3l-l6FIWh2unBnnp8DkR9ET-K1EU-KhL3Yk9WE48_2ygZhgEzWETjbpdUA-FaaYpIyGaz_MyHy_LCNYJpK5Y9uMtqtSwBiMg/w400-h399/Pi_pie2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pi_pie2.jpg" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Pi Day</span></i></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Pi(e) Day is March 14 </p><p>An obvious mathematical pun - 3.14.</p><p>A few years ago, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903747/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b><i>Breaking Bad (2008 - 2013)</i></b></span></a> was a hit as a crime drama thriller.</p><p>Its premise: "<i>A chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student in order to secure his family's future</i>."</p><p>But there was some comedy relief, such as <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2301471/?ref_=ttep_ep9" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Season 5, episode 9</span></a>, as shown in this scene between the banter of characters Badger and Skinny Pete. </p><p>While one of main characters, Jesse, is having a breakdown, Badger pitches his ideas for a Star Trek script over pizza.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mIsauNJ392o" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/mIsauNJ392o" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/mIsauNJ392o</span></i></a></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">For the animated version of Badger's script, courtesy of <a href="https://eatthattoast.com/" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Matt Czap</span></i></a>:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fX1AGFHIros" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><i><a href="https://youtu.be/fX1AGFHIros" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/fX1AGFHIros</span></a></i></p><p><br /></p><p>There you have it.</p><p>Breaking Bad meets Star Trek and Pies!</p><p>And hopefully it brings a laugh -- LOL -- for Pi(e) Day!</p><p><br /></p><p>-----------------------------</p><p>----------------------------</p><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>LOL</div><div><br /></div><p>-------------------------</p><p>-------------------------</p><p>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pi_pie2.jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Pi Day</span></i></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-8463606650136732862023-02-24T03:45:00.000-08:002023-02-24T03:45:48.925-08:00Americana (part 4) - Do you remember these?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtz_GSP1W6pU2bbzE9th1ffBHdOOmuykdEZMsAxdfIIkFtbe7lXYhbHkauxeXMQC7QcZSFr7QxMpZWPS5cRhuFSa6L6_jzz1GJ4gZMbBhlzNCjsZaKLXIIc2VGj-1TXyGOiJzMUks5pmOwnGQChs2jn48_-F9Y_fn1io-h1iqF1GnEdEA9yiA1pTOkQ/s1200/Ft_Dodge_ghost_sign.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtz_GSP1W6pU2bbzE9th1ffBHdOOmuykdEZMsAxdfIIkFtbe7lXYhbHkauxeXMQC7QcZSFr7QxMpZWPS5cRhuFSa6L6_jzz1GJ4gZMbBhlzNCjsZaKLXIIc2VGj-1TXyGOiJzMUks5pmOwnGQChs2jn48_-F9Y_fn1io-h1iqF1GnEdEA9yiA1pTOkQ/w400-h300/Ft_Dodge_ghost_sign.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ft_Dodge_ghost_sign.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>Ghost sign</i></span></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: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Just a little fun....</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A trip down memory lane with the music of the Statler Brothers: <span style="color: #ffa400;"><i><a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-statler-brothers-mn0000578031/biography"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Biography</span> </a></i></span></div><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/puGQsQux80k" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/puGQsQux80k" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>https://youtu.be/puGQsQux80k</i></span></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Enjoy this slice of Americana!</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">-------------------------</p><p>-------------------------</p><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Americana</div><div><br /></div><div>Nostalgia</div><p>-------------------------</p><p>-------------------------</p><p>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ft_Dodge_ghost_sign.jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Ghost sign</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-12135290649255793882023-01-29T22:13:00.000-08:002023-01-29T22:13:26.699-08:00Politics (part 2) - I, Claudius vs the Senate<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgomcG3G8i8pAqoA0D8f5FqAfrsMPhL0W6S8O3Ec9mj15j52wkWw0b29oILF1cOtvF8vIpW3b9YupQFoWtXe9TI862Loi3PeZjdsYJuzhC2g2YlweJ5m0hlh5Cr8rtjiEPjLB8KplhkHhYZYpHiPoVKLNB4ctCcYUVKsjdQG9jJ54NOfY0RR8CQ1LAw/s3092/Claudius_crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3092" data-original-width="2340" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgomcG3G8i8pAqoA0D8f5FqAfrsMPhL0W6S8O3Ec9mj15j52wkWw0b29oILF1cOtvF8vIpW3b9YupQFoWtXe9TI862Loi3PeZjdsYJuzhC2g2YlweJ5m0hlh5Cr8rtjiEPjLB8KplhkHhYZYpHiPoVKLNB4ctCcYUVKsjdQG9jJ54NOfY0RR8CQ1LAw/w303-h400/Claudius_crop.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-size: 13.3px; text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Claudius_crop.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Bust of Emperor Claudius</span></a></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;">Robert Graves wrote his historical novel, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/I-Claudius" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">I, Claudius</span></a> (1934) as an autobiographical memoir of the Roman Emperor <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/claudius/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Claudiu</span><span style="color: #ffa400;">s</span></a> (reign 41-54 A.D.) </div><p style="text-align: left;">The memoir spanned the time of <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/augustus/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Augustus Caesar</span></a>, <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Tiberius/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Tiberius</span></a>, <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Caligula/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Caligula</span></a>, and Claudius' succession to emperor after Caligula's assassination.</p><p style="text-align: left;"> The novel is filled with political machinations, lust, and murders. Ironically when the <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Praetorian_Guard/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Petronian Guard</span></a> chooses Claudius as the new emperor, he doesn't want it. Yet, he soldiers on for 13 years until he's allegedly poisoned so <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Nero/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Nero</span></a> could succeed him. </p><p style="text-align: left;">In 1937, Robert Graves' book was to be made into an epic movie, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028723/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">I, Claudius</span></a>, starring<span style="color: #ffa400;"> </span><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001452/?ref_=tt_cl_t_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Charles Laughton</span> </a>as the title role. But the serious injuries of one the irreplaceable actresses aborted the completion of the epic movie. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Some of the archives of this shelved film were recovered in the 1965 documentary, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0199498/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">T</span><span style="color: #ffa400;">he Epic that Neve Was</span></a>. </p><p style="text-align: left;">One of the greatest scenes: </p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">I, Claudius vs The Senate</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Charles Laughton gives this moving performance as he's presented to the Senate to succeed the murdered Caligula.</div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YEnrnhTBj8A" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/YEnrnhTBj8A" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/YEnrnhTBj8A</span></i></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Complaints of politicians sound familiar?</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">* Attaining their position through bribery</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />* Profiteering from their position </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />* Abusing their office with excesses, such as gluttony</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />* Providing substandard goods to agencies for great cost</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Promises of the new regime sound familiar?</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b>* Stop profiteering and bribery</div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br />* Replace corrupt politicians with those who love their country better than their purses</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />* Drain the Roman swamp</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>2000 years later...</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">The complaints about politicians and promises of reformers amount to the same old same old.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />So far, the book has not been made into the epic movie. Yet, it did eventually make it to the small screen of television.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />In 1976, the BBC produced a 13-part miniseries, <span style="color: #ffa400;"><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074006/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">I, Claudius</span></a>,</span> with a cast of great actors and actresses. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here's the trailer:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T40mDHDKqWM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/T40mDHDKqWM" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/T40mDHDKqWM</span></i></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The 13-hour series develops the characters and the spirit of first century Rome more than perhaps an epic movie ever could.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's a great yarn. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">Passion, Pathos, Power, Prophesy, Poison, and especially .... </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Politics</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>-----------------------------</div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Politics</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Claudius_crop.jpg" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; font-size: 13.3px; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Bust of Emperor Claudius</span></a></div></div></div>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-73691914388321171012022-12-29T11:11:00.000-08:002022-12-29T11:11:08.177-08:00Nostalgia (part 8) - Hiraeth<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB0tkbBKXN-WGtG2eXWV1ydgPo2T2erkEI-9B_h5kChbOjrz5Q5X5AB7k7eWwxc1cSXLLgWDaj43BVwHA9ASpibZMDOYXoFEhbxYEGzIjRaRo3BfOiR6rb-mpZ6Rilg33witfYTGRsq7sfLqNfd6kl_jCbMDbkL-7ejdXQMyMpoHR7GGsTzOHufZYvQ/s800/SaturdayEveningPost30Aug1924.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="604" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB0tkbBKXN-WGtG2eXWV1ydgPo2T2erkEI-9B_h5kChbOjrz5Q5X5AB7k7eWwxc1cSXLLgWDaj43BVwHA9ASpibZMDOYXoFEhbxYEGzIjRaRo3BfOiR6rb-mpZ6Rilg33witfYTGRsq7sfLqNfd6kl_jCbMDbkL-7ejdXQMyMpoHR7GGsTzOHufZYvQ/w303-h400/SaturdayEveningPost30Aug1924.jpg" width="303" /></a><br /><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #ffa400; font-size: 13.3px; text-align: start;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SaturdayEveningPost30Aug1924.jpg" target="_blank"><i>Saturday Evening Post Cover (30 Aug 1924)</i></a></span></div><br /><p></p><p><b><i>Almost 100 years ago</i></b></p><p>The archives director for The Saturday Evening Post said that the magazine has been regarded with "a mixture of nostalgia and affection". Shown: a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Norman-Rockwell" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Norman Rockwell </span></a>cover from August 1924.</p><p>Likewise, so many of Norman Rockwell's paintings evoke a feeling of nostalgia, or perhaps hiraeth.</p><p>That is...</p><p><b><i>Hiraeth</i></b>- (noun) -<i> a deep, wistful, nostalgic sense of longing for home; a home that is no longer or perhaps never was. A yearning and wistful grief for people and things long gone.</i></p><p>From<i>: </i><a href="https://lawhimsy.com/2015/03/25/word-nerd-hiraeth/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Word Nerd</span></a></p><p><br /></p><p>Hiraeth is one of the many emotions reflected in the Psalms, for example</p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>We have heard it with our ears, O God;</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>our ancestors have told us</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>what You did in their days, </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i> in days long ago. </i></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Psalm 44:1 <span style="font-size: x-small;">(NIV) </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>There it is. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>A longing for the good old days.</span></p><p>Hiraeth is often expressed pop culture, like <a href="https://genius.com/Mary-hopkin-those-were-the-days-lyrics" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Those Were the Days</span></i></b></a>, a remake of an old Russian song, performed below by Mary Hopkins.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YwHJ6aNKlTU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/YwHJ6aNKlTU" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/YwHJ6aNKlTU</span></i></a></p><p><br /></p><p>But endings are new beginnings and can engender optimism and hope for the future.</p><div style="text-align: left;">Let go of the past and press forward.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And St. Paul took this advice to heart by the one thing:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Brothers and sisters, </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>I do not consider myself yet <br />to have taken hold of it. </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>But one thing I do: </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Forgetting what is behind </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>and straining toward what is ahead,</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i> I press on toward the goal to win the prize </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>for which God has called me heavenward</i></b></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>in Christ Jesus</i></b>. </div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Philippians 3:13-14<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (NIV) </span></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>I'm grateful for your readership, my friends, this year in 2022.</p><p>As we finish out the old year, look to the new year--2023.</p><p>Happy New Year and keep looking up!</p><div><div>-----------------------------<br /><div>-----------------------------</div><div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Nostalgia</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SaturdayEveningPost30Aug1924.jpg" style="font-size: 13.3px;" target="_blank"><i>Saturday Evening Post Cover (30 Aug 1924)</i></a></div></div></div></div><div><i style="color: #0000ee; font-size: 13.3px;"><br /></i></div>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-88985812942347368352022-11-28T15:23:00.001-08:002022-11-28T15:23:48.760-08:00IS40:8 (part 6) - Hanukkah and The Solomon's Prayer<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppq4UnNuPP5kjpGP5SVQkVgUQFZMbq9lM1_jVzr9V6mk0WVfzmbMlRRmQB1R_fhxA-Iboc-taF1s9uVmcGmKblLDkUPLzZ2DnEVCdTOUHPziJjCN24MyHn8E9PWbQ8Rkic7gyXir4ANOu4xJxTadtVm2rq1OFjBGAo825XC2g_oJ1ArGMNHzpeVl1mQ/s1687/Menorah_0307.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1687" data-original-width="1193" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppq4UnNuPP5kjpGP5SVQkVgUQFZMbq9lM1_jVzr9V6mk0WVfzmbMlRRmQB1R_fhxA-Iboc-taF1s9uVmcGmKblLDkUPLzZ2DnEVCdTOUHPziJjCN24MyHn8E9PWbQ8Rkic7gyXir4ANOu4xJxTadtVm2rq1OFjBGAo825XC2g_oJ1ArGMNHzpeVl1mQ/w283-h400/Menorah_0307.jpg" width="283" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Menorah_0307.jpg" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">TempleMenorah</span></i></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>This December many will celebrate Hanukah as well as Christmas.</p><p>Hanukkah means "<a href="https://www.ifcj.org/learn/holy-land-moments/daily-devotionals/rededication" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">rededication</span></a>"</p><p>This holiday recalls the Jewish victory over the Greeks more than 2,000 years ago, as summed up in the history video below.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-6FBX53ZblU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />reference: <a href="https://youtu.be/-6FBX53ZblU" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/-6FBX53ZblU</span></i></a></p><p>A miracle happened during the rededication of the temple, where just a day's supply of oil allowed the menorah to remain lit for eight days. Hence, the 8 days and candles.</p><p>More information: <a href="https://www.ifcj.org/learn/jewish-holidays/hanukkah-a-season-of-miracles?utm_source=bing&s_subsrc=ESB0000XXEXGX&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=ag&msclkid=2304a442fc821965b9f0c7c1bfbd7708" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">What Is Hanukkah? – A Season of Miracles and Light</span></i></a></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hanukkah, though, originated between the writings of the Old and New Testament. Its rededication happened after the first temple was destroyed in the exile, rebuilt post-exile, then defiled and restored.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But before this rededication of the second temple, there was the dedication of the first temple built in Jerusalem. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPN4Qf-mwTRZQx4yFE1VBKmBX7AtfS1z4uq7G7BPmjBXIBVHZGU-vf4Rzm7AEzPeFKMRtuJk60PYepm5IGat2xPIOs--y_gLu9ARpfma9C62MlaMe4BKHkhZ86HkXRUYpbajHM2iOHcNtBoMmugRVjWflnYDClQkKCMehmOq5RmsftH41dYGqihQ_Xg/s590/Tissot_Solomon_Dedicates_the_Temple_at_Jerusalem.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="445" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPN4Qf-mwTRZQx4yFE1VBKmBX7AtfS1z4uq7G7BPmjBXIBVHZGU-vf4Rzm7AEzPeFKMRtuJk60PYepm5IGat2xPIOs--y_gLu9ARpfma9C62MlaMe4BKHkhZ86HkXRUYpbajHM2iOHcNtBoMmugRVjWflnYDClQkKCMehmOq5RmsftH41dYGqihQ_Xg/w301-h400/Tissot_Solomon_Dedicates_the_Temple_at_Jerusalem.jpg" width="301" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tissot_Solomon_Dedicates_the_Temple_at_Jerusalem.jpg" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">SolomonDedicatesTemple</span></i></a></div><p></p><p>King Solomon offered prayer at this dedication, known as The Solomon's Prayer.</p><p>And a portion of this prayer is presented in song below.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2FK1-_cCg-E" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />reference: <a href="https://youtu.be/2FK1-_cCg-E" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/2FK1-_cCg-E</span></i></a></p><p>Prayer reference: <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+King+8%3A56-60&version=NIV" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">I Kings 8:56-60</span></a></p><p>Though there is no mention of Hanukkah in the Old Testament, it's mentioned in the New Testament, specifically the Gospel of John.</p><p>And Jesus celebrated Hannukah known as the Festival of Dedication in the winter.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">It was winter, </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">and Jesus was in the temple courts </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">“How long will you keep us in suspense? </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">John 10:22-23 <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(NIV)</span></i></p><p>And Jesus had given the people an answer during those spiritually dark days, such as the story of Hanukkah celebrates where light triumphed over darkness.<br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">“I am the light of the world. </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">but will have the light of life.”</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">John 8:12 <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(NIV)</span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p>As we enter the winter of long nights, holidays such as Hanukkah and Christmas anticipate the coming of the Light--spiritual as well as physical.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Blessings and peace this December<br />and into the New Year<br /></i></b></span><b style="font-size: large;"><i>as the days grow longer.</i></b></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">-----------------------------</p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Isaiah 40:8</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The grass withereth,</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">the flower fadeth:</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">but the word of our God</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">shall stand for ever.</span></i></b></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>-----------------------------<br /><div>-----------------------------</div><div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>IS40:8</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>Similar threads (search blog):</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Faith</div><div>10C - The Ten Commandments</div><div>Biblia Files</div><div>PPP - Psalms, Proverbs, and Politics</div><div><br /></div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>Photos:</div></div></div></div><div><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Menorah_0307.jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">TempleMenorah</span></i></a> </div><div><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tissot_Solomon_Dedicates_the_Temple_at_Jerusalem.jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">SolomonDedicatesTemple</span></i></a></div>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-7331125173155841592022-10-25T17:05:00.002-07:002023-05-02T08:39:40.843-07:00ELM (part 7): 2 Boleyn Sisters - 2 Queen Elizabeths<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzwYV6bJ-Y_o7CGE9EAXBi_46AQwXKPkHYFFWfWbtXJBNFuiwCqoZhFUOfE901Cstk5EApSK9glVpOD3Uj2JDlhir5TJT9zzfS9c-Rf5uEQOJhFl8Rr7DB6Ay_pbvB76ItyNcYy9xBbnkOccee_lw-MawSxQnZzG5BhgC2J8zmzD7uCrsU7CUJjSvUQ/s667/Imperial_State_Crown.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzwYV6bJ-Y_o7CGE9EAXBi_46AQwXKPkHYFFWfWbtXJBNFuiwCqoZhFUOfE901Cstk5EApSK9glVpOD3Uj2JDlhir5TJT9zzfS9c-Rf5uEQOJhFl8Rr7DB6Ay_pbvB76ItyNcYy9xBbnkOccee_lw-MawSxQnZzG5BhgC2J8zmzD7uCrsU7CUJjSvUQ/w360-h400/Imperial_State_Crown.png" width="360" /></a><br /><i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Imperial_State_Crown.png" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia.com/Crown</span></a></i></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;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">The Boleyns</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rXJgA6jwjw7p3tws4qBqPGKtwreglX0oYFr9453FkaOxdL-U6SZ2X2GqdpJl8wp2IQxixFsj2cF9d4Ns1PwKTYYH2i3pi_4HsD7iSLLRAmyZGt6Zpocn-RNRLVEhX4cX10YXY1j-xjo6FXPUOm-SaAjEf5dspN6x_exTD99L0PMtTn2YPGVL_xt-5Q/s2200/Arms_of_the_Boleyn_family_of_London.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2200" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rXJgA6jwjw7p3tws4qBqPGKtwreglX0oYFr9453FkaOxdL-U6SZ2X2GqdpJl8wp2IQxixFsj2cF9d4Ns1PwKTYYH2i3pi_4HsD7iSLLRAmyZGt6Zpocn-RNRLVEhX4cX10YXY1j-xjo6FXPUOm-SaAjEf5dspN6x_exTD99L0PMtTn2YPGVL_xt-5Q/s320/Arms_of_the_Boleyn_family_of_London.png" width="291" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arms_of_the_Boleyn_family_of_London.png" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia.com/BoleynArms</span></i></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thomas Boleyn (1477-1539), 1st Earl of Wiltshire, was an English diplomat and politician. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* See: <a href="https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Thomas-Boleyn/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>Thomas Boleyn</b></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thomas was ambitious and worked his way into Henry VIII's inner circle, as well as did his surviving children George, Mary, and especially...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Anne Boleyn</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHJHBPWyCwNQqUUctRuETtZwHdQhRdc-tjziL37HzCzEVdtob7hCE9USYgY3yqP0gQ10XRwRpVfUT3iQQPFBGk8SRkx1ddh6HxKbaAIYC4rCI9YtR4QETc7xNZljEl1V6DK8X0nHh7eZvAgj5Col3BzA1g_hKlwZ3_MtmTn-e8KCqbnlIAyK3hRsJ6w/s2360/AnneBoleynHever.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2360" data-original-width="1765" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHJHBPWyCwNQqUUctRuETtZwHdQhRdc-tjziL37HzCzEVdtob7hCE9USYgY3yqP0gQ10XRwRpVfUT3iQQPFBGk8SRkx1ddh6HxKbaAIYC4rCI9YtR4QETc7xNZljEl1V6DK8X0nHh7eZvAgj5Col3BzA1g_hKlwZ3_MtmTn-e8KCqbnlIAyK3hRsJ6w/s320/AnneBoleynHever.jpg" width="239" /></a><br /><i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AnneBoleynHever.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia.com/AnneBoleyn</span></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Much has been written about Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn (1501-1536). The King's desire for a son changed history. His first wife could not deliver a boy who survived infancy, so he looked for another woman to give him a legitimate son and heir to the throne. And Anne put herself out there as the one.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since the Pope would not grant a divorce, Henry maneuvered to break away from the Catholic Church and become the head of the Church of England. And as head, Henry got his divorce and married the ambitious Anne. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* See: <a href="https://www.biography.com/royalty/anne-boleyn" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>Anne Boleyn</b></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But it did not end well. Anne only produced a daughter, lost the King's love and interest, and lost her head. The following years were full of drama. In the end, Anne's daughter would become....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Queen Elizabeth I</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbq_OFAffNeP8GsSqEwYkbcM_dKwWFrECIS-oWEwFscp2GRLa1WPfL6joO6eeNVwzIyzreslNJYc0bWtWUjAWUY9GdCI-L1Wcspt6FfF0J27VagcGht52iZZkgK9Ge0Iext_KlVi99bbIdtLuuh1iaNxRZC70bR1RUZxjvWDwFIp0pSUGZygFwf09e3g/s1248/Elizabeth_I_(Armada_Portrait).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1248" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbq_OFAffNeP8GsSqEwYkbcM_dKwWFrECIS-oWEwFscp2GRLa1WPfL6joO6eeNVwzIyzreslNJYc0bWtWUjAWUY9GdCI-L1Wcspt6FfF0J27VagcGht52iZZkgK9Ge0Iext_KlVi99bbIdtLuuh1iaNxRZC70bR1RUZxjvWDwFIp0pSUGZygFwf09e3g/s320/Elizabeth_I_(Armada_Portrait).jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Elizabeth_I_(Armada_Portrait).jpg" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipeida.com/ElizabethI</span></i></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Elizabeth I (1533-1603) would be known as the Virgin Queen who brought England into her Golden Age. She was one of the longest reigning monarchs and considered one of the greatest. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* See: <a href="https://www.biography.com/royalty/queen-elizabeth-i" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Elizabeth I</span></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yet the line from Anne Boleyn died when Elizabeth I died as Anne had no other surviving children and Elizabeth never married. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But there was Anne's older sister, the other Boleyn girl...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Mary Boleyn</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC78YS6d906CblQfYe4OE94jYJ3leIm5YlTO8YNRuszfirFMezcdGUJBlXhEcQwA5NvONypp3aotBBtqOreaYGVIU5dOo5Un5RPDf6UW6eja6bOgLBgzA6XF9N-MB8Dl3ZKHfdM63LL_Mm_zOcNTxWhRUd21RVkBWKUke35V4dtkyj_J-0rbCQEW0AOQ/s1650/Attributed_to_Remigius_van_Leemput_(d._1675)_-_Portrait_of_a_Woman_-_RCIN_402991_-_Royal_Collection.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="1295" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC78YS6d906CblQfYe4OE94jYJ3leIm5YlTO8YNRuszfirFMezcdGUJBlXhEcQwA5NvONypp3aotBBtqOreaYGVIU5dOo5Un5RPDf6UW6eja6bOgLBgzA6XF9N-MB8Dl3ZKHfdM63LL_Mm_zOcNTxWhRUd21RVkBWKUke35V4dtkyj_J-0rbCQEW0AOQ/s320/Attributed_to_Remigius_van_Leemput_(d._1675)_-_Portrait_of_a_Woman_-_RCIN_402991_-_Royal_Collection.jpg" width="251" /></a><br /><i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Attributed_to_Remigius_van_Leemput_(d._1675)_-_Portrait_of_a_Woman_-_RCIN_402991_-_Royal_Collection.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia.com/MaryBoleyn</span></a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mary (1499-1543) was Henry XIII's mistress for a short time. She was soon cast aside and out of the limelight, truly the underdog. She had experienced heartache, was widowed, was impoverished for a time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But Anne and George had been executed in 1536. And after her parents passed away, Mary inherited the estate. Mary, the underdog, survived.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* See: <a href="https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mary-boleyn-33619.php" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>Mary Boleyn</b></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mary Boleyn was not a mother to a ruling queen like sister Anne's Elizabeth I. But she was the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother of....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Queen Elizabeth II</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2jCs-luTDJ8dBzVYV__CidUsvhF4yG6IlWA5TXsQ1-a3jcriLLLitr_cQyfDJ3v6UbcMXGEIkUtEtXhWpi6PIA44MX6WNf4zFHIYyogHMPZ19f_mn2stJPBmSuu4SMD9qdwjvCfGf3qRNFe9Y6g91SM4_Wdv1_whxTa5pcn5AnNaKG3NvRKdFaXaWw/s932/Queen_Elizabeth_II_official_portrait_for_1959_tour_(retouched)_(cropped)_(3-to-4_aspect_ratio).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="730" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2jCs-luTDJ8dBzVYV__CidUsvhF4yG6IlWA5TXsQ1-a3jcriLLLitr_cQyfDJ3v6UbcMXGEIkUtEtXhWpi6PIA44MX6WNf4zFHIYyogHMPZ19f_mn2stJPBmSuu4SMD9qdwjvCfGf3qRNFe9Y6g91SM4_Wdv1_whxTa5pcn5AnNaKG3NvRKdFaXaWw/s320/Queen_Elizabeth_II_official_portrait_for_1959_tour_(retouched)_(cropped)_(3-to-4_aspect_ratio).jpg" width="251" /></a><br /><i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Queen_Elizabeth_II_official_portrait_for_1959_tour_(retouched)_(cropped)_(3-to-4_aspect_ratio).jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia.com/ElizabethII</span></a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Reference: <a href="https://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/mary-boleyn-and-queen-elizabeth-ii/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>Mary Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth II</b></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Elizabeth II (1926-2022) was the last head of state of any country to serve in uniform during World War II as well as the longest reigning English monarch--70 years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">* See: <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-II" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Elizabeth II</span></b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">2 Boleyn Sisters ... 2 Queen Elizabeths</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ann Boleyn --- </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">mother of </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Queen Elizabeth I</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mary Boleyn --- </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother of </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Queen Elizabeth II</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And Mary Boleyn's line lives on in Charles III</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Long live the king!</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">------------------------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">------------------------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">For more in this series, search blog:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>ELM - English, Language, and Musings</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-----------------------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-----------------------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Photos:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Crown: <i style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Imperial_State_Crown.png" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia.com/Crown</span></a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Boleyn Arms: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arms_of_the_Boleyn_family_of_London.png" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia.com/BoleynArms</span></i></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anne Boleyn: <i style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AnneBoleynHever.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia.com/AnneBoleyn</span></a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Elizabeth I: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Elizabeth_I_(Armada_Portrait).jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipeida.com/ElizabethI</span></i></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mary Boleyn: <i style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Attributed_to_Remigius_van_Leemput_(d._1675)_-_Portrait_of_a_Woman_-_RCIN_402991_-_Royal_Collection.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia.com/MaryBoleyn</span></a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Elizabeth II: <i style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Queen_Elizabeth_II_official_portrait_for_1959_tour_(retouched)_(cropped)_(3-to-4_aspect_ratio).jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia.com/ElizabethII</span></a> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-44295791718233210162022-09-28T15:44:00.001-07:002022-09-28T15:44:22.690-07:00STC (part 4) - Mikhail Gorbachev<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vvDozDn5PNKFNEHLy6hBySgN_mkQVwZUiUJPKDqXqp6AkOZeO42w8vvxckU145BCH4BHofMApLdedp_3JeL40ovraZY01w6KZQpkaPfFTFfbSeLwADlwiO3A7q9W68w4xCPZSmgLrUTCaK8CkHVaWPypcU6aAdAyViKgpGAeMTzJMd_odHv3nldqPg/s998/Mikhail_Gorbachev_1985_Geneva_Summit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="998" data-original-width="889" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vvDozDn5PNKFNEHLy6hBySgN_mkQVwZUiUJPKDqXqp6AkOZeO42w8vvxckU145BCH4BHofMApLdedp_3JeL40ovraZY01w6KZQpkaPfFTFfbSeLwADlwiO3A7q9W68w4xCPZSmgLrUTCaK8CkHVaWPypcU6aAdAyViKgpGAeMTzJMd_odHv3nldqPg/w356-h400/Mikhail_Gorbachev_1985_Geneva_Summit.jpg" width="356" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mikhail_Gorbachev_1985_Geneva_Summit.jpg" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Gobachev1985/Wikipedia</span></i></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;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.notablebiographies.com/Gi-He/Gorbachev-Mikhail.html" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Mikhail Gorbachev</span></i></b></a>, the eighth and last leader of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Soviet-Union/Brest-Litovsk" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">the Soviet Union, aka USSR</span></a>, passed away on August 30, 2022. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Gorbachev's tenure spanned the end of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Cold-War/Toward-a-new-world-order" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Cold War</span></a> and the tear down of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Berlin-Wall" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Berlin Wall</span></a> as well as the breakup of the Soviet Union.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A tribute to him is shown below:</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;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qgqDtgoLN_0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />( reference: <i><a href="https://youtu.be/qgqDtgoLN_0" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/qgqDtgoLN_0</span></a></i> )</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: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The historical fiction<b><i> S*T*C</i></b> covers 1984-1986, the final years of the Cold War and the last three leaders of the Soviet Union. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1984, Samantha Clark was one of the women who had breached the male-dominated mission control teams inside the S*T*C--the Satellite Tracking Station--as the Reagan Administration took on the "Evil Empire" of the Soviet Union.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">---------</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;">In 1982, </span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Yury-Andropov" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">Yuri Andropov</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">had followed </span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leonid-Ilich-Brezhnev" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">Leonid Brezhnev</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">, but Andropov passed away February 9, 1984. </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;">This news broke at the end of the first day Sam had worked the S*T*C:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>Sam turned on the radio for news about the Winter Olympics. Instead, a funeral dirge was broadcast. Then the lead story: Soviet leader, Yuri Andropov, had died. He had only served a little more than a year after succeeding Leonid Brezhnev. </i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>There goes another one of the old guard from “The Evil Empire.” Sam’s thoughts wandered to President Ronald Reagan as she turned off the freeway onto one of the roads into Santa Vittoria. </i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>When Reagan had used the term, Evil Empire, in a speech a couple years ago, he had gotten much flak from the press. But Reagan’s defense buildup to defeat communism was one of the reasons Sam had secured a job at the S*T*C.</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Smith, S K. S*T*C (p. 44). Kindle Edition. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">---------</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;">A<span>fter Yuri Andropov had passed, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Konstantin-Chernenko" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Konstantin Chernenko</span></a> followed as the new leader, which the crew inside the S*T*C soon learned.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>Later that morning, Lester Wong picked up the newspaper. “Konstantin Chernenko? Sounds like an Asian pin ball machine.” </i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>“Pachinko?” Tan asked. </i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>“Sounds like it.” Lester explained to those who did not have their newspaper privileges, “It says he’s now the chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet…fancy title for the USSR’s latest Fearless Leader.” </i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>PC said in his southern drawl, “And the reason we all have jobs.”</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Smith, S K. S*T*C (p. 104). Kindle Edition. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">---------</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Then a year later, Konstantin Chernenko passed away, March 10, 1985. He was followed by the Soviet Union's final leader, Mikhail Gorbachev:</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>As Sam was driving up Mt. Nauseous, she heard another funeral dirge on the radio. Then the news: Soviet leader, Konstantin Chernenko, has died at age of 73. </i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>In a few short years, the Soviet Union went from Leonid Bresnev to Yuri Adropov to Konstantin Chernenko. Now the big question: Who would be the next supreme commander of this communist superpower? </i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>The following day, everyone knew. Mikhail Gorbachev. And Gorbachev would usher in a new age of Perestroika (Russian for restructuring, to kickstart the Soviet economy) and Glasnost (Russian for openness, his policy of a more open government and culture). </i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>With Gorbachev, the US and the USSR began arms control talks in Geneva, Switzerland. This meeting was something the press had been carping about ever since Reagan took office in 1981.</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Smith, S K. S*T*C (p. 247). Kindle Edition. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">---------</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;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">So came the turning point in the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Footnote:</b></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;">In 1987, President Ronald Reagan issued this challenge to Mr. Gorbachev at Brandenburg Gate in West Germany:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WX00QkvK-mQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span><br />( reference: <i><a href="https://youtu.be/WX00QkvK-mQ" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/WX00QkvK-mQ</span></a></i> ) </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">And November 9, 1989, the wall came down: </span><i><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50013048" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;">Fall of Berlin Wall: How 1989 reshaped the modern world</span></a></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">---------</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">For a feel of the times, 1984-1986, especially for women breaking into space programs, please feel free to check out:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/S-T-C-K-Smith-ebook/dp/B09BK9WWQS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=TS39AWQMUA1C&keywords=stc+s+k+smith&qid=1640800309&sprefix=stc+s+k+smith%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">S*T*C</span></a> by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/S-K-Smith/e/B01JGXCO78/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">S. K. Smith</span></a> @ amazon.com</span></div><p><br /></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Your readership is appreciated.</span></div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>--------------------------------</div><div>--------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">For more in this series, search blog:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>STC - for S*T*C</div><div>CC1, CC2, CC3, CC4 - for The Commander and the Chief series</div><div><br /></div><div>--------------------------------</div><div>--------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mikhail_Gorbachev_1985_Geneva_Summit.jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Gobachev1985/Wikipedia</span></i></a></div></div>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-15475218565468893542022-08-28T02:41:00.000-07:002022-08-28T02:41:37.443-07:00Pray4America (part 19) - II Chronicles 7:14<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8d8l7WIc9fcm-GpJLaCkoJBswa9v7oMnjYap05ouA60cNSNokIcc5EI6BGWElTm3Ae8ck9oV3grJZfNIZhK2vDrSONYQ3Zus5c8Zevy6jsWA3Y9WLr-sXPhilvNWhYIvkN_GzdwaTw79W7mQfh2cfJEU5X2JP1-l-TuplQULRUL5Hm6bLlp99gPHZew/s604/9.12_tea_party_in_DC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="604" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8d8l7WIc9fcm-GpJLaCkoJBswa9v7oMnjYap05ouA60cNSNokIcc5EI6BGWElTm3Ae8ck9oV3grJZfNIZhK2vDrSONYQ3Zus5c8Zevy6jsWA3Y9WLr-sXPhilvNWhYIvkN_GzdwaTw79W7mQfh2cfJEU5X2JP1-l-TuplQULRUL5Hm6bLlp99gPHZew/w400-h299/9.12_tea_party_in_DC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:9.12_tea_party_in_DC.jpg" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Tea Party/wikipedia</span></i></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: left;">Ten years ago, movements from the left and the right, such as the <a href="https://teaparty.org/about-us/" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Tea Party</span></i></b></a> and <a href="https://blogs.shu.edu/nyc-history/tours/occupy-wall-street/" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Occupy Wall Street</span></i></b></a> , emerged from discontent of the power of the few over the values of the many.</div><div><br /></div>The song below, <a href="https://kristabranch.bandcamp.com/track/i-am-america" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">I am America</span></i></b></a>, reflect some the <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zeitgeist" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">zeitgeist</span></i></b></a> of the times as well as today:<br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0heL2Czeraw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />( reference: <a href="https://youtu.be/0heL2Czeraw" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/0heL2Czeraw</span></i></a> )</p><p>As our problems seem overwhelming, the song lyrics suggest the <b><i>one hope to heal our land</i></b>:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">II Chronicles 7:14</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">If My people, </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">who are called by My Name, </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">will humble themselves </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">and pray and seek My face </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">and turn from their wicked ways, </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">then I will hear from heaven, </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">and I will forgive their sin </span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">and will heal their land.</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">----------</p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i><span class="text">Give thanks to the </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="text">,</span></i></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>for He is good;</i></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>His love endures forever.</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Psalm 118:1<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(NIV)</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5pt 0in;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div><p><span class="text"></span></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5pt 0in; text-align: center;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.4px;"><b><i><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Keep praying for America</span></i></b></span></span></div><p><br /></p><p>---------------------------------</p><p>---------------------------------</p><div><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Pray4America</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>Similar threads (search blog):</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div>IS40:8</div><div>Faith</div><div>10C - The Ten Commandments</div><div>Biblia Files</div><div>PPP - Psalms, Proverbs, and Politics</div></div><p>--------------------------------</p><p>---------------------------------</p><p>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:9.12_tea_party_in_DC.jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Tea Party/wikipedi</span></i>a</a></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-60754345202657800292022-07-29T12:57:00.001-07:002022-07-29T12:57:18.089-07:00IS40:8 (part5) - JWST--Good Heavens!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJH14jZOUBwbDUhWhkp0E6T7xy9xRXdxJKPevWvCC3wZFACkDRVTypOOLetPxUGKj9PYQiCpVC8NhmMeYXxNGTpUIXiD2lmV6T19AsHn4NUZgdpuyc39i_6jinxFuHDnVYpypOotVOTsQAx45wV3T-d8IQTKEvljpwFoc9XpW7wMWvwqgyrK1aOSFwBw/s1280/STScI-01G77PKYA4T05YKJ3EDQ36NZCX.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJH14jZOUBwbDUhWhkp0E6T7xy9xRXdxJKPevWvCC3wZFACkDRVTypOOLetPxUGKj9PYQiCpVC8NhmMeYXxNGTpUIXiD2lmV6T19AsHn4NUZgdpuyc39i_6jinxFuHDnVYpypOotVOTsQAx45wV3T-d8IQTKEvljpwFoc9XpW7wMWvwqgyrK1aOSFwBw/w400-h225/STScI-01G77PKYA4T05YKJ3EDQ36NZCX.png" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/2022/031/01G77PKB8NKR7S8Z6HBXMYATGJ?news=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">jwst/nasa</span></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">JWST</span></i></b></p><p><b><i>The James Web Space Telescope.</i></b> </p><p>It was named after James E. Webb, NASA administrator from 1961 to1968 during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.</p><p>The telescope was a long time in the making, first planned in 1996 and projected for launch in 2007. But cost overruns and delays and a major redesign in 2005 had pushed the completion date to 2016.</p><p> And it was actually launched on Christmas of 2021. </p><p>The JWST, a large infrared telescope, is being used to study the history of our Universe, such as: </p><p>* the first luminous glows after the Big Bang</p><p>* the first galaxies formed in the early universe</p><p>* the stars forming planetary systems through dusty clouds</p><p>* the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth</p><p>* the data to support theories of the evolution of our own Solar System.</p><p>As the largest optical telescope in space, its greatly improved infrared resolution and sensitivity allow it to view objects too early, distant, or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope. </p><p>More information: <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/webb/main/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>James Webb Space Telescope (NASA)</b></span></a></p><p>Below is live stream of continually updated images:</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/__xuMe5rLGc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />( Reference: <span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i><u><a href="https://youtu.be/__xuMe5rLGc" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/__xuMe5rLGc</span></a> </u></i></span></span>)</p><p><br /></p><p>Before telescopes, none-the-less <i>space</i> telescopes, people have gazed at the night sky with the naked eye and were awestruck.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Here are portions of two Psalms that express this:</span></b></p><div><div><i><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Lord,</span></b> our Lord,</i></div><div><i> how majestic is your name in all the earth!</i></div><div><i>You have set your glory</i></div><div><i> in the heavens.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>2 <i>Through the praise of children and infants</i></div><div><i> you have established a stronghold against your enemies,</i></div><div><i> to silence the foe and the avenger.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>3 <i>When I consider your heavens,</i></div><div><i> the work of your fingers,</i></div><div><i>the moon and the stars,</i></div><div><i> which you have set in place,</i></div><div><br /></div><div>4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,</div><div> human beings that you care for them?</div><div><br /></div><div>Psalm 8 (NIV)</div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">and</span></b></p><div><i><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The </span></b>heavens declare the glory of God;</i></div><div><i> the skies proclaim the work of his hands.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>2 <i>Day after day they pour forth speech;</i></div><div><i> night after night they reveal knowledge.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>3 <i>They have no speech, they use no words;</i></div><div><i> no sound is heard from them.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>4 Y<i>et their voice goes out into all the earth,</i></div><div><i> their words to the ends of the world.</i></div><div><i>In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>5 <i> It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,</i></div><div><i> like a champion rejoicing to run his course.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>6 <i>It rises at one end of the heavens</i></div><div><i> and makes its circuit to the other;</i></div><div><i> nothing is deprived of its warmth.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Psalm 19 (NIV)</div><p><br /></p><div><div>Astronomer, scientist, nature lover, gazers of the night sky....</div><div><br /></div><div>As the astronomer, late <a href="https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/jack-horkheimer-passes-away-at-72/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Jack Horkheimer</span></a> , would say, signing off each episode of Star Gazer---</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Keep Looking Up!</span></i></b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></div><p style="text-align: center;">-----------------------------</p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Isaiah 40:8</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The grass withereth,</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">the flower fadeth:</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">but the word of our God</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">shall stand for ever.</span></i></b></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>-----------------------------<br /><div>-----------------------------</div><div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>IS40:8</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>Similar threads (search blog):</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Faith</div><div>10C - The Ten Commandments</div><div>Biblia Files</div><div>PPP - Psalms, Proverbs, and Politics</div><div><br /></div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>Photo: <a href="https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/2022/031/01G77PKB8NKR7S8Z6HBXMYATGJ?news=true" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">jwst/nasa</span></a></div></div></div></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: underline;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-66495152403248337362022-06-26T12:36:00.000-07:002022-06-26T12:36:36.807-07:00STC (part 3) - 86,400 <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3Q-Z6xZcBkY36u_qtBn_OsNp2EqbYudM4RxQ3GKdPPVxb0PeJsQKlP5UCbXDXEPG2f7aZQWW4kYTObsptYy8Ngqzi__2p30J53ptzA_X-xHIOVMMggtVRdt-s79R0_5sI9z6qtdG7MnCK7FKK06AQosyUAUZRyvJVyYLY-92gtocPF3Foe8NivcaoQ/s669/Clock-pendulum.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="353" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3Q-Z6xZcBkY36u_qtBn_OsNp2EqbYudM4RxQ3GKdPPVxb0PeJsQKlP5UCbXDXEPG2f7aZQWW4kYTObsptYy8Ngqzi__2p30J53ptzA_X-xHIOVMMggtVRdt-s79R0_5sI9z6qtdG7MnCK7FKK06AQosyUAUZRyvJVyYLY-92gtocPF3Foe8NivcaoQ/w211-h400/Clock-pendulum.gif" width="211" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clock-pendulum.gif" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia/seconds</span></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">86,400 </span></i></b></p><p>That's how many seconds are in a day.</p><p>Here's the math: 60 seconds/minute X 60 minutes/hour X 24 hours per day.</p><p>That piece of trivia can be a tech-y or a science-y thing.</p><p>And some wax philosophical about it--as that is the time allotted for any of us per day.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4SHFp3qWDZc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />(Reference: <i><a href="https://youtu.be/4SHFp3qWDZc" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/4SHFp3qWDZc</span></a></i> )</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>But the timestamp from 0 to 86,399 seconds is critical for many technical operations. Such is the case for operations on a Mission Control Team that tracks satellites.</p><p>In <a href="https://www.amazon.com/S-T-C-K-Smith-ebook/dp/B09BK9WWQS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=TS39AWQMUA1C&keywords=stc+s+k+smith&qid=1640800309&sprefix=stc+s+k+smith%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">S*T*C</span></a>, one of main characters, Sam Clark, with her co-workers John McHenry, Tan Ho, and Enrique Rodriguez, get a tour of the Mission Control Complex on their first day on the job. </p><p>Their lead Paul Coleman, also known as PC, introduced to them to the timestamp:</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Sam pointed to the large red neon display reading 1984.040:76879 with the lowest digits incrementing.</i></p><p><i>“And what do those numbers mean?” </i></p><p><i>“It’s a fancy clock.” PC explained, “Nineteen eighty-four, the year. Forty, the Julian day. That’s February ninth, since it’s been forty days since the New Year. After the colon there, 76891 is the time in seconds.” </i></p><p><i>PC looked at his watch. “Which is…approximately 2122 in military time. For us civilians that’s 9:22 at night.” </i></p><p><i>Sam looked puzzled. “But it’s going on 1:30 in the afternoon.” </i></p><p><i>“Ah!” Paul raised a finger. “But it’s almost 9:30 p.m. in England. And all our times are recorded in Zulu time.” </i></p><p><i>“Zulu?” Enrique piped up. “Man. I loved that movie. A classic with Michael Caine—” </i></p><p><i>PC grinned. “Zulu is the phonetic alphabet term for the Zth time zone. It’s the same as Greenwich Mean Time. GMT. Or Universal Time. UT. All the scientists as well as the military use it. Close to shift change…that’s four o’clock in the afternoon here…Pacific Standard Time…the clocks all roll over to quad zero. Or 0000z.” </i></p><p><i>PC pointed to the red clock. “And that clock will roll over from 040:86399 to 041:00000. A new day.”</i></p><p><i> “Why 86—” Tan had forgotten the rest of the digits in the five-digit number. </i></p><p><i>John chimed in, “Because there are<b> 86,400</b> seconds in a day.”</i></p><p><i>“But, ah! Except when we have to adjust for the leap second.”</i></p><p><i>Then PC looked to the senior PA ensconced at an F2 console. “Ned?” he asked. “Will you explain what y’all are doing here?” </i></p><p><i>“Good question, PC. What am I doing here?” </i></p><p><i>Then Ned Gaubert gave a quiet sigh and turned around with his mouth askew. “This is called a pass. And it’s not what we make at girls.”</i></p><p><i> “Good thing.” Sam returned a sidelong smile. “I’m married.”</i></p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Smith, S K. S*T*C (pp. 35-36). Kindle Edition. </span></i></b></p><div>For a feel of the times, 1984-1986, especially for women breaking into space programs, please feel free to check out:</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/S-T-C-K-Smith-ebook/dp/B09BK9WWQS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=TS39AWQMUA1C&keywords=stc+s+k+smith&qid=1640800309&sprefix=stc+s+k+smith%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">S*T*C</span></a> by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/S-K-Smith/e/B01JGXCO78/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">S. K. Smith</span></a> @ amazon.com</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div>Your readership is appreciated.</div><div><br /></div><div>--------------------------------</div><div>--------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">For more in this series, search blog:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>STC - for S*T*C</div><div>CC1, CC2, CC3, CC4 - for The Commander and the Chief series</div><div><br /></div><div>--------------------------------</div><div>--------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clock-pendulum.gif" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">wikipedia/seconds</span></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-82796061371043061162022-05-29T04:22:00.000-07:002022-05-29T04:22:05.907-07:00STC (part 2) - 1984<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TyFBUot37r1sHD0SRPEB-fgo3uA7tT5uPUtFuvLJ0XepIAeQATBRfm7dcNpqlxGmNiiztQh8kBV2Uplv7n1GcDPfZHPnjWnnTnBZQHvqQVRqidVZ6zzOVT45yMcSnMKjBrg6g0qPEYtc27tyTnmA7qcky7Hf87isIaCjawxocATPg91zb5QWwOjseg/s625/Macintosh_128k_transparency.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="533" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TyFBUot37r1sHD0SRPEB-fgo3uA7tT5uPUtFuvLJ0XepIAeQATBRfm7dcNpqlxGmNiiztQh8kBV2Uplv7n1GcDPfZHPnjWnnTnBZQHvqQVRqidVZ6zzOVT45yMcSnMKjBrg6g0qPEYtc27tyTnmA7qcky7Hf87isIaCjawxocATPg91zb5QWwOjseg/w341-h400/Macintosh_128k_transparency.png" width="341" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Macintosh_128k_transparency.png" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>Macintosh/wikipeida.com</i></span></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;"><br /></div><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>1984</i></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Interesting year.</div><div><br /></div><div>* Ronald Reagan was running for re-election</div><div>* Democrat Presidential Candidate Walter Mondale picked Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate, first woman vice president nominated on a main party ticket</div><div>* Winter Olympics were held in Yugoslavia (which no longer exists)</div><div>* Summer Olympics were held in Los Angelos and up the West Coast and Russia boycotts them</div><div>* The major leaders of the Evil Empire, the USSR, (which no longer exists) were dying off</div><div>* The Space Shuttle Challenger was flying</div><div>* It was the year of George Orwell's--<b><i>Nineteen Eight-Four</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>* This Superbowl ad aired--once:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zIE-5hg7FoA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />( reference: <span style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://youtu.be/zIE-5hg7FoA" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>https://youtu.be/zIE-5hg7FoA</i></span></a> )</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And that ad is referenced in the except below:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><i>Mike Bonacelli, a regular on swings, came into
work before shift change. Then he handed in his resignation. <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><i>“Why, Mike?” Dan looked up from his desk. He
suppressed a smirk, not that disappointed. <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><i>Mike’s dark eyes flashed. “I don’t care to get
trapped in the golden handcuffs.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><i>“Where’re you headed?” Rich looked up from his
desk. <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><i>Mike puffed up his chest. “I got an offer from
Apple. Working on Macintoshes—personal computers. It’s the future, where the
big money is.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><i>“Hey, I saw that awesome Apple ad during last
year’s Super Bowl,” Rich said. “It only aired once though.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><i>“Yep,” said Mike. “MacIntosh. The most awaited
event of 1984, taking a page from Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. The girl
destroys Big Brother conformity to bring on a future full of new
possibilities.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><i>“So, you’re leaving this job, defending your
country, for private industry?” Dan grew a grin as fake as the sincerity in his
voice. “All in hopes to be a millionaire?” <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><i>“Which is something you lust after, right, Danny
boy?” <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><i>“Mike, Mike, Mike.” Dan asked with the taint of
sarcasm in his voice, “Why would you think such a thing?” <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><i>Mike lifted his dark eyebrows. “You talk about it
all the time. It’s no secret you just don’t want to be well off. You want to be
rich.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i><span lang="EN"> “You want
to be like me, Dan?” Rich twitched his dark mustache as Dan shook his head.</span> </i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><b>Smith, S K. S*T*C (pp. 258-259). Kindle Edition. </b><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div>For a feel of the times, 1984-1986, especially for women breaking into space programs, please feel free to check out:</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/S-T-C-K-Smith-ebook/dp/B09BK9WWQS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=TS39AWQMUA1C&keywords=stc+s+k+smith&qid=1640800309&sprefix=stc+s+k+smith%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">S*T*C</span></a> by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/S-K-Smith/e/B01JGXCO78/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">S. K. Smith</span></a> @ amazon.com</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Your readership is appreciated.</div><div><br /></div><div>--------------------------------</div><div>--------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">For more in this series, search blog:</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>STC - for S*T*C</div><div>CC1, CC2, CC3, CC4 - for The Commander and the Chief series</div><div><br /></div><div>--------------------------------</div><div>--------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Macintosh_128k_transparency.png" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Macintosh/wikipeida.com</span></i></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-39489267305622749292022-04-23T03:41:00.000-07:002022-04-23T03:41:34.283-07:00IS40:8 (part 4) - Money, Money, Money<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvaf8W1Tx4hCUPF8rtGjBHELoNgbo0S5za3F-OYGsmK5VnxnMyoMHe0BBMqmJ4_xQRhdONkiYggwLFC0Rrl4ivQDsJEiGHZL8kVfyI4ieE73b_uOU12s-ugTiNHh4c5CiIqXC69_ls3mRbBbX8ZOo7klkCth7zKLowjM8arNH8j6tsd9YmYmqYWrTkw/s898/577px-Billets_de_5000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="577" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvaf8W1Tx4hCUPF8rtGjBHELoNgbo0S5za3F-OYGsmK5VnxnMyoMHe0BBMqmJ4_xQRhdONkiYggwLFC0Rrl4ivQDsJEiGHZL8kVfyI4ieE73b_uOU12s-ugTiNHh4c5CiIqXC69_ls3mRbBbX8ZOo7klkCth7zKLowjM8arNH8j6tsd9YmYmqYWrTkw/w258-h400/577px-Billets_de_5000.jpg" width="258" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Billets_de_5000.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>wikipedia/money</i></span></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;"><br /></div><b><i><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: large;">Money, Money, Money</span></i></b><p></p><p>I think of Scrooge McDuck and his famous money dive: <span style="color: #ffa400;"><a href="https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.385d3eb682296a74c440d5d820fd8d57?rik=PDK%2bgNrf6yHcow&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.neatorama.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2012%2f04%2fscrooge-500x281.jpg&ehk=I3w0B4bS54Wd5njQ1qwOVjmiYv9NV8kS6awwFDybpZw%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>here</b></span></a> </span></p><p>But <b><i>Money, Money, Money</i></b> is one of the catchy songs, written by<b><span style="color: #ffa400;"> <a href="https://genius.com/Abba-money-money-money-lyrics" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">ABBA</span></a></span></b> from the musical, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795421/?ref_=ttpl_pl_tt" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Mama Mia (2008</span></i><span style="color: #ffa400;">)</span></a>. It's about a girl's quest to find out which of three men could be her father before she's to be married.</p><p>Meanwhile, her mother, a former pop singer, does a number with her backup singers about the struggles of owning a rustic hotel on a Greek Island:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IByDClFTOME" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">(Reference: <a href="https://youtu.be/IByDClFTOME" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>https://youtu.be/IByDClFTOME</i></span></a> )</p><p><br /></p><p>I heard this song many times, such as bumper music for shows that discuss ... money. </p><p>Money is power, a force that motivates, drives politics, and makes history. </p><p>And Scripture has much to say about our attitude about it and how we handle it. </p><p>Here are a few samples:</p><p><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">The bad:</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Root of all (these) evils:</span></i></b></p><p><i>For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.</i></p><p>1 Timothy 6:10 (KJV)</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Idolatry:</i></b></span></p><p> <b><i>Jesus had some words who/what is our master:</i></b></p><p><i>No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.</i></p><p>Matthew 6:24 (KJV)</p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Bad treatment of the poor:</span></i></b></p><p><i>The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly</i>.</p><p>Proverbs 18:23 (KJV)</p><p><i>But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?</i></p><p>James 2:6 (KJV)</p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Bribes:</span></i></b></p><p><i>And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.</i></p><p>Exodus 23:8 (KJV)</p><p>Yes, this is much about the abuse of the rich. But showing favoritism to the poor is also wrong.</p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Yet, targeting the rich is condemed:</span></i></b></p><p><i>Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.</i></p><p>Exodus 23:3 (KJV)</p><p><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">Many Biblical heroes were wealthy:</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: large;">Old Testament</span></i></b></p><p><b><i>Job </i></b>- see The Book of Job</p><p>A just man, who was wealthy. He lost it all, suffered, then got twice back and gave an inheritance to his daughters as well as his sons.</p><p><b><i>Abraham</i></b> - see Genesis 11 - 25</p><p>Wealthy man of his day who was called out to become the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%204%3A16&version=NIV" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Father of Faith</span></a>.</p><p><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Abram believed the </span><span class="small-caps" style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">, and he credited it to him as righteousness.</span></span></i></p><p><span>Genesis 15:6, </span>Romans 4:3 (NIV)</p><p>His line would come <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%201%3A1&version=NIV" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">the Messiah</span></a>, through which all nations would be blessed</p><p><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>I will make your descendants</span><span> as numerous as the stars in the sky</span><span> and will give them all these lands,</span><span> and through your offspring</span><span> all nations on earth will be blessed,</span></span></i></p><p><span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-697b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NIV-697b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]" style="display: inline; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Genesis 26:4 </span></span>(NIV)</p><p><b><i>Solomon </i></b>- see II Kings, I & II Chronicles</p><p>He prayed for wisdom and God granted his request. And Solomon carried out his father David's desire and built the Temple. He provided a witness to the known world, such as drawing the Queen of Sheba from the ends of the earth to hear him.</p><p><b><i><span style="color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">New Testament:</span></i></b></p><p><b style="font-style: italic;">Wise men - </b>see Matthew 2</p><p>They saw the star of Bethlehem, they sought Jesus. They gave the baby Jesus rich gifts--gold, frankincense and myrrh. Thus, Mary and Joseph had a resource to pay for their flight to Egypt to escape Herod who sought to kill baby Jesus.</p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">Joseph of Arimathea - </i>see John 19:38</p><p>Rich man who as a secret disciple that became public. With Nicodemus, the two buried Jesus, fulfilled prophesy --</p><p><i>He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.</i></p><p>Isaiah 53:9 (NIV)</p><p><b style="font-style: italic;">Lydia - </b>see Acts 16</p><p>Greek business woman -- seller of purple. </p><p>Paul wanted to go east, but the Spirit sent him west to Lydia, who he found leading a prayer meeting by the river. </p><p>Her home was the first Christian church in Europe.</p><p style="text-align: center;">------</p><p>There's much, much more. And that can be for another time.</p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"><b><i>Meanwhile, here are some final thoughts.</i></b></span></p><p><i>For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.</i></p><p>2 Corinthians 8:9 (KJV)</p><p><i>But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.</i></p><p>Philippians 4:19 (KJV)</p><p>Amen</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">------------------------</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Isaiah 40:8</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The grass withereth,</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">the flower fadeth:</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">but the word of our God</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">shall stand for ever.</span></i></b></div><div><div>-----------------------------<br /><div>-----------------------------</div><div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>IS40:8</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>Similar threads (search blog):</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Faith</div><div>10C - The Ten Commandments</div><div>Biblia Files</div><div>PPP - Psalms, Proverbs, and Politics</div><div><br /></div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Billets_de_5000.jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">wikipedia/money</a></div></div></div></div><p>------------------------</p><p><br /></p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3257300967494280432.post-6333807742523050162022-03-30T09:39:00.000-07:002022-03-30T09:39:17.565-07:00IS40:8 (part 3) - Material Girl <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N__ZFC3vVMLqQSRZTjLHQwgx1lDG8IdiS-fM-YQS27bVL9m2vpr9_q2vIYFuM-dchJGgFC9ytvNvdbbXfDxOd5vVJu318l3F55yJ4nYI0vuIAePPFb-VBLRUWO1AuSXdfqwTSdYyZoQnnSi0XDJtI6gkfLBUch7Y_Ri7OYx-iN7QE3Ucs1Y_nKNOeQ/s1200/1200px-Diamonds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N__ZFC3vVMLqQSRZTjLHQwgx1lDG8IdiS-fM-YQS27bVL9m2vpr9_q2vIYFuM-dchJGgFC9ytvNvdbbXfDxOd5vVJu318l3F55yJ4nYI0vuIAePPFb-VBLRUWO1AuSXdfqwTSdYyZoQnnSi0XDJtI6gkfLBUch7Y_Ri7OYx-iN7QE3Ucs1Y_nKNOeQ/w400-h300/1200px-Diamonds.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diamonds.jpg" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Diamonds/wikipedia.com</span></i></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The 1980s.... </span></i></b></p><p>It was a decade of prosperity and the feeling that life was good.</p><p>And <a href="https://www.biography.com/musician/madonna" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b><i>Madonna</i></b></span></a> made her debut in that decade. And one of her first big hits...</p><p><a href="https://www.madonna.com/discography/album/36/" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;">Material Girl (1984)</span></i></b></a> with <a href="https://www.songlyrics.com/madonna/material-girl-lyrics/#:~:text=Madonna%20-%20Material%20Girl%20Lyrics.%20Some%20boys%20kiss,They%20can%20beg%20and%20they%20can%20ple%20Lyrics" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">lyrics</span></a></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6p-lDYPR2P8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />(Reference: <span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i><u><a href="https://youtu.be/6p-lDYPR2P8"><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://youtu.be/6p-lDYPR2P8</span></a>)</u></i></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p>The video was influenced by another iconic blonde, in an earlier time with the same life was good feelings...</p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The 1950s...</span></i></b></p><p>After the Great Depression and World War II, peace and prosperity were back.</p><p>As well as an earlier version of Madonna, <a href="https://www.biography.com/actor/marilyn-monroe" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Marylin Monroe</span></i></b></a>.</p><p>One of Marylin's signature movies was <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045810/?_encoding=UTF8" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)</span></i></b></a> and this closing number...</p><p><a href="https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/5375500/Marilyn+Monroe" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend</span></i></b></a></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dw7ii6IxNS8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />(Reference: <a href="https://youtu.be/dw7ii6IxNS8" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>https://youtu.be/dw7ii6IxNS8</i></span></a> )</p><p><br /></p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Madonna...Marylin. </span></i></b></p><p>Both blondes in hot pink gowns, obsessed with material things, such as jewels. </p><p>And there is much said about the obsession with the material things of this world in the Scriptures.</p><p>But Jesus makes many points about this, most poetically, in <b><i>The Sermon on the Mount</i></b>:</p><p><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Matthew 6</span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">25</p><p style="text-align: center;"> <b><i>“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, <br />what you will eat or drink; <br />or about your body, what you will wear. </i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Is not life more than food, <br />and the body more than clothes? </b></i></p><p style="text-align: center;">26 </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Look at the birds of the air;<br /> they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, <br />and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. </i></b><br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Are you not much more valuable than they? </i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">27 </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?</i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">28 </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>“And why do you worry about clothes?</i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>See how the flowers of the field grow. <br />They do not labor or spin. </i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">29 </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Yet I tell you that<br /> not even Solomon in all his splendor<br /> was dressed like one of these. </i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">30 </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, <br />which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, <br />will he not much more clothe you—<br />you of little faith? </i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">31 </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>So do not worry, saying, <br />‘What shall we eat?’ <br />or ‘What shall we drink?’ <br />or ‘What shall we wear?’ </i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">32</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i> For the pagans run after all these things, <br />and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. </i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">33 </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, <br />and all these things will be given to you as well. </i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">34 </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, <br />for tomorrow will worry about itself. </i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Each day has enough trouble of its own.</i></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">------------------------</p><p style="text-align: center;">Madonna and Marylin talk about presents. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Jesus talks about being in the present.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">------------------------</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Isaiah 40:8</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The grass withereth,</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">the flower fadeth:</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">but the word of our God</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">shall stand for ever.</span></i></b></div><div><div>-----------------------------<br /><div>-----------------------------</div><div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>For other posts on this thread, search:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>IS40:8</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><i>Similar threads (search blog):</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Faith</div><div>10C - The Ten Commandments</div><div>Biblia Files</div><div>PPP - Psalms, Proverbs, and Politics</div><div><br /></div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><div>-----------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diamonds.jpg" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>Diamonds/wikipedia.com</i></span></a></div></div></div></div><p>------------------------</p>smithskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946340205443725436noreply@blogger.com0