I have believed for many years, and still do to this day that we, by that I mean humanity will never be rid of radicals, i don't care whether their particular dogma is religion, politics, race or whatever.....whether they are left wing, right wing, or some other wing nobody has heard of yet.......but they all suffer from the same delusion, and that is they are right and if you disagree, there only a few choices on their part, those that oppose must be, minimalised, re-educated, persecuted, or eliminated.....
  And despite the promises, of well meaning people, while we may be able to defeat radicalism in individual cases, the history of the world teaches us that we will never eliminated the ideology of radicalism.....I think it might be hardwired into our DNA....... 

  This is a selection of random thoughts that have been swirling around the thing that is sometimes laughing called my brain, or are they really random...
  The massive amounts of "Fake News" that seems to invade social media, much in the style of Attila The Hun, do i find articles while surfing the net, like everyone else obviously, but do i post it on social media without a little research, absolutely not,  i may list the article here over on the left, but under a heading that basically says, "Reader Beware", I've come to the conclusion that the problem of this mass invasion is that peeps will find an article that they agree with, which advances their own point of view, and rather than do a fact check, they assume that since the article agrees with their point of view it must be right.....
  Note To Self: you really must stop trying to argue facts with peeps who are convinced beyond doubt that their point of view is right, I've told myself over and over that I'm wasting my time..........and I do my best to avoid those situations, those type of posts, and from time to time despite my better judgement, and respond......and I've taken an oath that I will never do it again.........but it seems there is always a next time......
  Which brings me to an old adage:
  " If people are convinced their are right, there is no point to confuse them with facts "

  I'm collecting material for an article, which I may or may not ever write, from my unique point of view it makes perfect sense, but I foresee that it could most probably create a fire storm, not the first time I've done that, but before i post it here or anywhere else i need to as the old saying says 'I must get all my ducks in a row'..........and then I must decide whether or not, it's worth the hassle that it might cause,...

  I wrote awhile ago about the new version of Iron Chef, now called Iron Chef Gauntlet........7 chefs take on each other and the winner takes on 3 of the best Iron Chefs......honestly I don't care fore the format......but right from the start, I picked one of the 7 competitors, as being the one to watch, and that was Stephanie Izard..... and she got through the prelims and ended up winning against the 3 Iron Chefs.....so she now has the title of Iron Chef.......however..........i still have a problem with the format.........

  I got to thinking today, not always a good thing, but hay........Hilary and i were born in the same year, she's a couple of months older and the Donald was born in '46.........so both are about my age, so i think i can say this without being accused of 'Ageism'........but they and I are too dang old to be the POTUS.......and maybe he's in better shape then I am, because one of us is, that is POTUS  and I don't mean physically...the stress of the job may result in the physical but it's prime direction is the mental stress.....
  We have a law that says you must be at least 35 years old, a few other requirements which don't have a bearing on my point here......don't get me wrong I'm not saying that a man or woman my age should not be allowed to run for POTUS.......but maybe a medical exam, by that I'm mean a total exam.......bring in Freud....or the modern equivalent........of course on the other hand, is it one of those things where anyone who wants the job probably shouldn't  be considered for the job.....
 I realize that none of this is ever going to be considered, but then i don't expect that very few people will listen to me, but listen to yourselves..sometimes I think we would be better off just selecting our POTUS by Lottery.......
  Okay, now your saying in you minds that I'm too old to have an opinion, I'm using my own physical condition, my mental state, the fact that I sometimes forget what i had for breakfast, and my age to say what I've said above...... now that may be construed as Ageism..... 

  A random post on Facebook made me think of two of the crazy events in my life.......that is being awaken earlier then i wanted....now depending on the normal day i needed to be in the plant by 7 Am +/-.......on this day a moderately busy day was 7 Am......but the W was always up by 5 Am +/-...our D had a lot to do with that, just a rug rat at the time.....but my W would channel surf between local news and CNN.....at the time just straight news, no commentary.....it was one side or another of 6 Am.......she awoke me......you need to see the news on CNN.........it relayed the fact that a reactor in Seadrift  Texas, had up, on a Union Carbide Plant.....( please note not a nuclear reactor but one that makes plastic)......my first call was to our Union Carbide rep.......who lived in NJ....my question was  "Was it our reactor" (aka the one that produces our material)...she was already up...and replied "my best information is yes".........i will delete my response..... the next call i made was to our purchasing agent....have you see CNN.....the response was no..........i filled her in....i need you as soon as you can get here....they can't tell me how long.......her response was i need to call my babysitter but I'll be at the plant about 45 minutes......anyways we spent most of the day running down every available pound of material we could get are hands on........to make a long story shorter, we were 12 hours from having to shut down the plant when the first load of new material arrived.....
 There is another story, I could tell, but maybe I'll save that for another time
 

  This has been one of those days, my left foot has been talking to me all day and what it has been saying is not repeatable here, but as the day has progressed it has quite shouting and now just an occasional whisper........fortunately i had no need to walk for needs, but it is something that i deal with from time to time, and I can't complain because  the damage that was done many years ago was for the most part self inflicted, years of sport and then several years working on a shipping dock, so many events that I've lost count, along time ago......

  For those who haven't figured it out yet, I will be 70 my next birthday, and i live in a hotel, as i don't drive anymore, and believe me you won't want to encounter me behind the wheel of a car, especially at night, severely nearsighted and night vision basically gone, but i live where all of my normal needs are a 10 minute or less walk away.......even my Doc is two lights east and up a hill...( oh bye the bye I'm on my own dime........don't ask but it was all legal)
  My education is in Bible/Theology?Philosophy/and 3 ancient languages......but I'm also pretty good in history, math and science, and a poet......and have an exceptional reading rate (aka words per minute)
  If you look on the left under 'Articles Gleaned from the Net' you will find some articles on Autism, the one deals with a review of the introduction to "Sesame Street" of an autistic Muppet named Julia......well worth the read
  

It's been a weird day, felt a tad unwell last night so laid down around 7:30 Pm, and with a few brief interruptions, rolled out of bed about 9:30 Am this morning, and felt well like i was in a fog......but after a couple of hours was feeling pretty good, took a short walk to pick up a few things, had an extended conversation with someone I've never met before, but that's definitely not the first time, and i hope not the last.
 Was kicking around YouTube, and discovered an English copy of "The Twelve Tasks of Asterix" and spent some time watching same, ( have added a link on the right under cartoons)

  You if you were to look, under the PDF files on the right find an article by Dr.. Rembert Carter.......was a respected teacher of mine in college, and a highly revered pastor.....
  Two thoughts, or rather remembrances
  First
   I had been assigned in high school when writing my English Term Paper, to use only certain books, one of which was H.G.Wells "Modern Utopia"........the catch was there was only one volume in the entire Buffalo and Erie County library system...spent 8 hours on spring break sitting in a reading room of the main branch reading that dang book and taking many pages of notes........jump forward about a year and I'm sitting in History of Western Civilization.....Dr, Carter started the class and said "Has anyone here read the book "Modern Utopia".....i was the only one who had read it.....he basically dismissed the class and we spent an hour discussing the book
  Second
    He was pastor of a rural church, a few miles north of The Triple Cities ( southern NYS)....most of his congregation were farmers, and those who earned their living by physical labor...some barely literate....but in the back 2 pews were up to a dozen of the bible/theology students from the college he taught at.....with our Greek New Testaments open.......and all of us, and i mean all there got something out of the service, i learned at that time how to speak, and teach if you will, to all, and you could reach most at the same time........despite a disparity...in their knowledge and education.....and that knowledge has served me well
  He past several years ago...but i still remember what i learned from him 

  Missed breakfast this morning ( one of the amenities provided where i room)......but it's only available for a certain time period which i slept past...got busy on other things and looked at the clock, and it was pasted 2 PM.........made a fine sandwich of roast beef, some macaroni salad, oh and lest i forget a Bloody Mary, I'm aware that after 2 PM is late for a proper Brunch, but i have rarely been accused of being proper, and on the rare occasions that that has occurred, I have vehemently denied  what i consider to be a rash judgement of my person......
  Spent my waking hours so far, dealing with email, and other things on the web......also watched some episodes of the old A&E series "Hornblower" on YouTube, also a few games of online solitaire, and a few replies and a post on Facebook........
  Nothing has irritated me enough yet today to go off on one of my frequent tirades here or on Facebook, but then the day is only half spent......   

 Yes I'm still up, sleep seems to be evading me tonight...in case you haven't noticed i abhor normal punctuation, except for a break with a few dots, and the occasional comma, I tend to use what my instructors in school would have faulted me for run on sentences.......but maybe because of   my studies in Koine Greek.....which has no punctuation marks and run on sentences.i seem to be addicted to it, or is it my stream of conscience style of writing.... you will note that when i think about i will indent new paragraphs
  If you are aware of current politics, and all forms of media in the old US of A, not just network both social media, there have been numerous calls for the impeachment of President Trump, some even before he had actually taken the oath of office....
  Now anyone that has known me as far back as grade school could tell you I am very good at many things but the two which are involved here are math and research.....and my college education and many years of private study have only honed those skills, and given the almost infinite resources of the internet.....what can I say...
 But I must admit until the last few days I have not studied before the procedures involved in the impeachment of a President......but that short coming has been taken care of..
  To put it simply my conclusions are these:
   A) at this point unless something absolutely vile is discovered
   B) the pure mathematics say that at this point it won't happen
     1) if sent to the House of Representative the opposition would need 20 some odd votes from the              majority to sustain an indictment.......
      2) and if that actually occurred......depending on the number of Senators that voted then 20 or 21 of          the majority would have to vote in the affirmative
      3) in the current state of partisan politics....what can I say...i doubt that that will happen
  I have made no statement where I stand on this issue, and I won't at this time.....i merely say that at this time it's just a waste of time and money.....
       

 Finally, a break in the rainy, gloomy weather.....only in the low 50sF but the sun peeps thru the cloud cover from time to time.........took a pleasant walk if a bit abbreviated...
 I find myself spending less time watching TV, and more time searching, finding older movies and documentaries on YouTube......and a few online games.....nothing crazy.....the games that is.....mostly solitaire type games....
 

While one thing lead to another, I've been watching on YouTube...."The Sinking of the Bismarck"......based on a book by C.S.Forester, my favorite author of historic fiction, years ago there was a series on IIRC A&E......based on a series of books written by Forester......the "Hornblower" series...and for many years.....I've wished to watch it again......so i decided to look on YouTube........and low and behold i found that some of them has been on YouTube since 2007......NUTS!!!!!.......have spent the day to this point and probably for many more hours, binging on the series.
(by the by if you're interested you can find the link to it on the right)

I have spent some of my time on my desk top this afternoon, watching two different takes on the same historical event, that is the sinking of the Bismarck..........one is one of my favorite historical fiction movies, and a historical documentary of the same event.....( you can find links on the right, one under the movies "Sink the Bismarck"..based on a book by one of my favorite historic fiction writers C.S, Forester......and the other under documentary list as "Nazi Supership-The Bismarck").........obviously the writer of the historical fiction book, took a few liberties... the biggest one was the captain in charge at the Admiralty, a fictional character.....but he did the same thing with the "The Hornblower Series"......despite this,  i like both the historical fiction, and the actual events, different takes to be sure, one just enjoyable, the other historically accurate......

 Took my first walk in 3 or 4 days, combination of near constant rain, and a few minor physical problems, and yet, the temperature was in the mid 30'sF......with wind chills hovering one side or the other of the freezing mark.......mixed snow and rain, but caught the right time for more or less clear weather, yes there was a brief bit of snow, and one raindrop.....which happened to hit me square in the nose.....random event, my karma catching up with me, or Mother Nature hates me......I have no opinion which one.....
 They say ( have always wondered exactly who they are, but that is for another time) that there is a fine line between those of high intelligence and insanity, or in the common tongue crazy.........I've bounced multiple times on both sides of the line that at this point I have no idea which side of the line I'm on at any given time........was my current thoughts, brilliant or just plain nuts......
 Anywho...a marketing rep at the plant I worked for and I had the following conversation:
Said I: "This place is going to drive me crazy"
In replay quote he "There is no point in driving you crazy, all that is needed is to take you by the hand and walk you across the street"
 This same guy is the one who hung the nickname "Troll" on me.........his reasoning was that I was the least bigoted and most even tempered individual he'd ever met, by that he meant that i hate everybody and was always in a foul mood......therefore a troll......... while I disagreed with his conclusions.......i can at least at that point,  understand where he was coming from.........

it's been raining for the 9 or 10 days and is forecast thru Tuesday AM, rain or snow actually....if you look on the left you will find an article on "How to Build an Ark"......
have messed again with the structure of the blog but when do i not........

( PLEASE  NOTE: on the left column you will find links to sites which explain proper ways to interpret the Bible)
 I have become increasing  annoyed with the way some people deal fast and loose with the Scriptures, and taking things out of context or twisting the means to prove a point that is frankly not defensible.
 Unfortunately  sometimes honest people are deceived by these so called experts.....
( by the by, I have a degree in Bible/Theology).....and near 50 years of private study))
Sorry, rant is over, but it just drives me nuts to see the Scriptures twisted to prove a point that has no value...

Some congressmen quoted " For ye have the poor always with you" took it way out of context, and said that Jesus said the poor don't want health care.....please in that day and age, what organized health care?
drives me nuts when people take a passage out of context and spit out some complete foolishness, and "claim" biblical proof.......

Matthew Chapter 26

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

 Another rainy day, stayed in today and since there really wasn't a thing on the tube which either I've seen multiple time, or just wasn't worth the time.
 Among other flicks I was watching on YouTube, i finished watching "The Contender" (link to it is wondering over on the right)......The first time I saw it, my immediate thought was it was a boxing movie.....well I've been wrong before, and I was wrong with this one.......It's a political drama, and well worth the time because of the subject matter..... 

one of the things i hate the most, well maybe hate is to strong of a word, one thing that drives be nuts is, i guess what i'm really trying to say is once i take a position on an issue and the first two things someone responds is either you're wrong, or accuses me of not researching all possible sides of the issue........that i didn't study the problem before i took a position.......
 If i'm told i'm wrong more often then not i just ignore that response......if i'm wrong just tell me why and i can offer an apologetic.....i just walk away from it, if someone already decided they have the complete truth there is no point in confusing them with facts.........in my almost 70 years i have change positions on many issues, but only after researching all sides, ......but to question the point i take and accuse me of not looking at all sides and opinions of the issues, that just....the only thing i can say is     OY VEY.......

 For the next 14 days we only have the chance of rain for 14 of them, according to the latest 14 day forecast..........but i saw there was a hole in today's storm, and i had an errand to run, yes i could have written a check, put in an envelope, and put a stamp on it and given to the services of the USPS.......but since my Doc's office is just under a ten minute walk, why not save the cost of a stamp, also as i was out, took the opportunity, to pick up a couple of things, not that i needed them today.....but I'll needed them within the next couple of days and with the forecast....... 

If you came here looking for my sandwich for lunch.....you're out of luck
 and one who has read this blog knows that I'm far right wing on the issues of my faith........I would make most of the so called religious right look like liberals......however I believe the whole of Christian Scriptures.......i don't just believe what i want to....which fits my social view point....
 there is one outstanding principles in scripture is the concept of free will  ,,,,,,,, what that means to me is i have the right to believe how and why i believe.......but then you have the same right to believe as you believe..
 I may, and more often then not probably disagree with you, we will discuss, i may even try to convince you, but i will not decide what you believe, and further then that I will not protest your opinion, nor will i try to legislate to out law your view(s).........
 The first amendment to the Constitution is still valid....or isn't it......we may disagree on everything else, but i hope, we can still agree that each of us has the right to believe as we believe.......and to ban your beliefs, if I succeed, then eventually someone will protest my beliefs, and they that is my beliefs will be banned as well........