Someone Told me I Swatted Like Mutombo on Saturday. He was gone today... But Rose!

    I co-worker of mine said he was not into sports. I get it, I respect that. I wanted to brag to him, and others, about how my Indiana football team was 5-0 for the first time since 1967, about the time my parents moved to Bloomington, and how that team went to its only Rose Bowl, and ended up losing to USC, and none other than a young O.J. Simpson. My teenage son knew O.J. to be the murderer. Alleged killer, I corrected. We weren't there. But the Trojans did beat my Hoosiers way back then. Before me.

    I saw Dikembe Mutombo play at Georgetown, then the Denver Nuggets, and others in the NBA. He was great, not just tall. He was fun, and different. I made a shout out post to him in my basketball group today. A couple guys responded so far. It was coincidence that someone said it about me. Now the end of September. My wife bade it farewell on her evening walk.

    Then I get the news this evening. The great Pete Rose has died! All of 83. He was something, all right. Growing up in southern Indiana, my first major league game in Cincinnati. We saw him and Bench, and Foster, and a few other Hall of Famers of the Big Red Machine.

    Later he was with the Expos and the Phillies. Perhaps he being in Montreal primed me to like the Expos, and then falling in love with Tim Raines there. Hmmm.. Yep, it might have been some of that Rose magic.     

    

    A few short years later in Cincy was the historic game where he hit a single and broke the record of all time hits, by the legendary Ty Cobb. Was anyone alive in 1985 that ever saw Cobb play? I imagine a few.

    What a career! And then then the gambling and the refusing to fess up. Maybe now there can be reports. Would he ever admit to betting on his own team? Even posthumously?

    Any other Rose would have smelled as sweet. And this player, Charlie Hustle, was among the sweetest.

    May Dikembe, a young 58 year-old victim of cancer, and Pete, a modest octogenarian, rest and peace and may their legacies grow fond for their families and fans with time.

    History and its chapters unfold today, the last day of the month.

    Lighter things than the ugliness of armed conflict or the terror in the mountains of Appalachia. Waters swallowing up whole towns.

    Instead, we have the Mets and Braves entering the playoffs, where hopes remain alive in a kinder autumn, a kinder season to look to.

    Sports help distract, sure. But they also bring us hope, humanity, and ... meaning. And, undoubtably, a few heroes. Anti-heroes. Champions and goats. Workers and chiefs. Givers and takers. Showmen. Teams, causes, dreams, ink on the old paper.

    Some of us think.

    Hemingway looked for it, tried to capture it.

    Life. Death. The whole enchilada.

Some Pretty Inspirational Lyrics - Merci, Monsieur Miranda

 

My Shot

Song by

Anthony Ramos, Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom, Jr., Lin-Manuel Miranda, Okieriete Onaodowan, Original Broadway Cast of "Hamilton"

I am not throwing away my shot!
I am not throwing away my shot!
Hey yo, I'm just like my country

I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwing away my shot!

I'ma get a scholarship to King's College
I prob'ly shouldn't brag, but dag, I amaze and astonish
The problem is I got a lot of brains but no polish
I gotta holler just to be heard
With every word, I drop knowledge!

I'm a diamond in the rough, a shiny piece of coal
Tryin' to reach my goal. My power of speech: unimpeachable
Only nineteen but my mind is older
These New York City streets get colder, I shoulder
Ev'ry burden, ev'ry disadvantage, I have learned to manage
I don't have a gun to brandish, I walk these streets famished
The plan is to fan this spark into a flame
But damn, it's getting dark, so let me spell out the name
I am the—

A-L-E-X-A-N-D
E-R—we are—meant to be...

A colony that runs independently
Meanwhile, Britain keeps shittin' on us endlessly
Essentially, they tax us relentlessly
Then King George turns around, runs a spending spree
He ain't ever gonna set his descendants free
So there will be a revolution in this century
Enter me!

(He says in parentheses)

Don't be shocked when your hist'ry book mentions me
I will lay down my life if it sets us free
Eventually, you'll see my ascendancy

And I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwing away my shot

I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwing away my shot

It's time to take a shot!

I dream of life without a monarchy
The unrest in France will lead to 'onarchy?
'Onarchy? How you say, how you s—OH 'anarchy?'
When I fight, I make the other side panicky
With my—
Shot!

Yo, I'm a tailor's apprentice
And I got y'all knuckleheads in loco parentis
I'm joining the rebellion cuz I know it's my chance
To socially advance, instead of sewin' some pants!
I'm gonna take a—
Shot!

But we'll never be truly free
Until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me
You and I. Do or die. Wait 'til I sally in
On a stallion with the first black battalion
Have another—
Shot!

Geniuses, lower your voices
You keep out of trouble and you double your choices
I'm with you, but the situation is fraught
You've got to be carefully taught:
If you talk, you're gonna get shot!

Burr, check what we got
Mister Lafayette, hard rock like Lancelot
I think your pants look hot
Laurens, I like you a lot
Let's hatch a plot blacker than the kettle callin' the pot...
What are the odds the gods would put us all in one spot
Poppin' a squat on conventional wisdom, like it or not
A bunch of revolutionary manumission abolitionists?
Give me a position, show me where the ammunition is!

Oh, am I talkin' too loud?
Sometimes I get over-excited, shoot off at the mouth
I never had a group of friends before
I promise that I'll make y'all proud

Let's get this guy in front of a crowd

I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwing away my shot

I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwing away my shot

Ev'rybody sing:
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Hey!
Whoa!
Wooh!!
Whoa!

Ay, let 'em hear ya! (Yeah)
Let's go! (Whoa, whoa, whoa)
I said shout it to the rooftops! (Whoa)
Said, to the rooftops! (Whoa)
Come on! (Yeah)
Come on, let's go!

Rise up!
When you're living on your knees, you rise up
Tell your brother that he's gotta rise up
Tell your sister that she's gotta rise up

When are these colonies gonna rise up? (Whoa, whoa, whoa)
When are these colonies gonna rise up?
When are these colonies gonna rise up? (Whoa)
When are these colonies gonna rise up? (Whoa)
Rise up!

I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory
When's it gonna get me?
In my sleep? Seven feet ahead of me?
If I see it comin', do I run or do I let it be?
Is it like a beat without a melody?

See, I never thought I'd live past twenty
Where I come from some get half as many
Ask anybody why we livin' fast and we laugh, reach for a flask
We have to make this moment last, that's plenty
Scratch that

This is not a moment, it's the movement
Where all the hungriest brothers with
Something to prove went?
Foes oppose us, we take an honest stand
We roll like Moses, claimin' our promised land

And? If we win our independence?
Is that a guarantee of freedom for our descendants?
Or will the blood we shed begin an endless
Cycle of vengeance and death with no defendants?

I know the action in the street is excitin'
But Jesus, between all the bleedin' 'n fightin'
I've been readin' 'n writin'
We need to handle our financial situation
Are we a nation of states? What's the state of our nation?

I'm past patiently waitin'. I'm passionately
Smashin' every expectation
Every action's an act of creation!
I'm laughin' in the face of casualties and sorrow
For the first time, I'm thinkin' past tomorrow

And I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I'm not throwing away my shot

We're gonna rise up! (not throwing away my shot) Time to take a shot!
We're gonna rise up! (not throwing away my shot) Time to take a shot!
We're gonna
(Rise up! Rise up!)
It's time to take a shot!
(Rise up! Rise up!)
It's time to take a shot!
(Rise up!)
It's time to take a shot! (Whoa, whoa, whoa)
(Rise up!)
Take a shot!
Shot! (Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Shot!
A-yo it's
Time to take a shot! (Whoa-whoa)
Time to take a shot!
And I am—
Not throwing away my-
Not throwing away my shot!

Songwriters: Kejuan Waliek Muchita, Albert Johnson, Osten Harvey, Christopher Wallace, Roger Troutman, Lin-manuel Miranda. For non-commercial use only.

 Israel is the Place, the People, and Others

    Most of us know and understand how the political state of Israel has become what it is, and how historically it was a place populated by Jewish people and leadership for centuries. Most left and Arabs replaced them. Most Christians today and over the centuries, see Israel... Differently, but with many commonalities.

    I started this post a few days ago.

    Politically, there are those feelings. Many of us have religious sentiments and loyalties. The cross overs make it complicated. Economics, racial and cultural and ethnic differences.

    Bibi Netanyahu proclaimed that the Israeli Defense Forces did not start out any Gazans. That would be nice, if true. I need to find that out. One of my biggest gripes since the Gazan War started last fall, 2023.

    Millions of Christians go to Jerusalem and the Holy Land in peaceful times, to the places of the Savior and the Apostles, the lands of the original church. Many of these believers in Christ wholeheartedly support the modern state of Israel, interpreting the Holy Bible to prophesy in the last days (before the return of Jesus the Messiah), that Israel is exactly what the prophets, including Jesus Himself, says it is. People, in my opinion, wrongly conflate in a Christian Biblical understanding that political Israel of the 21st century is the spiritual Israel of which the Bible speaks.

    I disagree. Spiritual Israel is different. It involves millions of children of God, the whole world over, who are literally and spiritually descended of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, or Jacob. We are of Joseph through, his sons Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the others: Reuben, Dan, Levi, Issachar et al. This is a minority doctrine and belief in the Christian world. It is dependent on other beliefs, which have to do with the establishment of a newer tradition in the world, which proclaims to be a re-establishment of Christ's faith, with His priesthoods and correct doctrine.

    But alas, politics, economics, religion, and power, all of these human issues get convoluted and messy, and we have the morass of the Holy Land today. People blame the Shia mullahs and clerics and beliefs of Iran, while others get after the traditional beliefs of the Jewish folks, particularly those who have settled back in Palestine.

    No easy answers.

    As much as the Christian God is the Prince of Peace, there is not much found among many of the places where he dwelt in current times.

    There has to be better ways, better methods or practices for God to prevail, as Israel means.

    Who is Israel? Where is it? It is with you and me; we have to do better, be more peaceful.

    

 Fare Thee Well, Oakland Athletics

    I saw the game after work; I flipped it on. Later, talking to my son in college far away, he with a big sports fan by his side, an 18 year-old who gets hyped up for athletes and teams and the significance of sports, I realized it was historic and memorable, yea, nostalgic, to have the game on and share some images. A day like few we have seen before or since. Someone hurled a green smoke bomb in the outfield, on a sunny early fall California day. The stands were filled with passionate fans, clad in bright green and gold of their program. Most had known it most of their lives. And now departing...

    An older woman held a hand marked placard that stated: "There is crying in baseball!"

    This venue has been known as the Oakland Coliseum.

    An Athletic player was seen removing a rather leaky beer can cast on the field. Protest, a parting message directed at ownership and the powers that be. Or were.  A fan, or fanatic, rather psychotic, was witnessed running onto the field of play, dodging security, reality, or sanity, cementing his (not likely a female) place in history. They did not let the cameras alight on him too much, because this is what many of these whackos seek, this ridiculous limelight shaded in a putrid disgraceful green, but at least he was clothed. 

    The last game in Oakland for the As. Mark it, 2024. However, I could imagine seeing the future Las Vegas club of As swinging by again someday, after their two-year transition up the road in Sacramento. On to the City of Sins! Or, the American dream town of luck and fortune. The once and ever future of our ways. Money, power, swag.

    Poor, broken down Oakland. Oaktown. A place caught by the times and economics, the ways of life in all times. Cannot make it work: sack it up and move it out. Someone else will take care of the hot dogs, the merchandise, the talented runners and hitters and hurlers, the boys who make millions playing a childhood dream sport. In the spirit of the greats: Cobb, Ruth, Robinson, Dimaggio, Williams, Mantle, Aaron, Clemente, Rose and a thousand more titans of the diamond, the American field of dreams. Some were short, and had shorter careers, like Puckett. Others were huge and gossamer, like the Big Unit Randy Johnson, but they all made their marks like David and Goliath and all the Israelites and Philistines of the ever-crossed heroic battlefield. We recount the stories and the lore. There is a place for these warriors of the field where blood and lives were not lost, but only the one who could not make it to home plate more.

    George Carlin was right about baseball. It is a sport for the peaceniks who wish to be safe. Safe at home. That is what this place was for fifty-seven long and short years.

    A place where 57 seasons of the game of major league competition and events can leave some indelible images and memories. I saw their great years with the Bash Brothers on T.V., mostly Mark McGuire and Jose Canseco, but with some dominant pitching from some really good starters and the unforgettable closer Dennis Eckersley, a scorching hurler who could finish with a flourish and flair. Dave Stewart was a fierce thrower, a man to step up in close moments of the October clutch moments.

    Learning the history of the game before my own memories of observation in the middle to late 1970s, I heard or read about the championship teams with guys named Vida Blue, Rollie Fingers, Catfish Hunter.

    Classic. 

    Then, those bash brothers and Dave Stewart, and Carnie Lansford, and a few others that I can recall as making them to the team to beat. I missed their upsets and the Bay Area earthquake series because of my mission for my Church (the Lord). A time when I myself left childhood and transitioned into the bigger, grittier, adult world.

    I had a chance to see my favorite player of all time with the As when he joined them in 1999, but he, Tim Raines, came down with Lupus and almost died, going into early retirement. Before I moved to California nearing the last month and half of the season. I might have seen my best baseball hero there! It would have been slightly hard to make the four-hour trip before October, anyway. Me, new at my high school teaching job in San Bernardino, committed to being a money maker of my own way. Later in 2007 when I moved to central California along the coast, an even closer drive to the Oakland Stadium, I could have seen my second favorite player, Frank Thomas, wind down his career there. I did not take advantage.

    I failed, in my small ways, to support the team, as in the bigger sense the fans and the management of Oakland did in retaining them. C'est la vie. The Athletics wended their way there from the east, originally Philadelphia, then Kansas City from 1955 to 1967, next the Golden State where the Gold and Green became the team of the East Bay.

    Enter this far into the 21st century when Las Vegas is still pushing growth and upward economic momentum, something that Oakland and the surroundings could not manage.

    Such is life, as they say more poetically in French. Deja vu? All over again? Say it ain't so, Yogi Berra. And just for the record, most of the things Yogi ever said he really never said. Or something to that effect. Google some Yogisms, I dare you. 

    I am glad I saw the last few innings in far off suburbia of the east coast this afternoon. On a rainy and cloudy overcast day locally, I was reminded of a shinier, purer yesteryear. These things, these events, these moments, can return us home. It makes me wonder about Raines, and Thomas, and all the great ones there in northern California. Ricky Henderson, Reggie Jackson, and few already mentioned. There were some good ones this century, too. No champs for the last decades, but competitors and loyal ones. Worthy of our respect and acclaim.

    What else to say? You were there 57 years, but many of us are lucky to live even half those years.

    Peace, you formidable and plucky As- Oakland Athletics, and baseball fans in all times. Living and gone. Hold on to those memories, as they are fleeting and wistful.

    In many ways, you will always be there. Because you were with us, and we were with you. The As of Oakland have achieved eternity. Whether we were Dodgers or Yankees or Reds or even Giants. If you never saw them play, perhaps you missed out. I did not. I caught them decently, albeit from my electronic distances, or the pages of a magazine, or the scripts of the digital world, and the trackers of my smart phone. Fare thee well, golden ones. Thanks for the times that we shared.

    

 A Fool's Errand

    Sometimes we get in our own way, we get in our own heads. I know that I do. Life and thought can be frustrating when we get in our own brains in gloomy fashions, our negative mental constructs, analyzing or scrutinizing our own efforts and person, our whole existence, being self-critical like that.

    I go along in life; I can feel less confident or less secure... I can go back in my mind over time, over decades, and see examples of coming up short, messing up, failing, embarrassing myself or others. I can paint myself as a loser, a guy who cannot get enough right.

    It can be a downer to beat myself up, like I am a living, breathing, Charlie Brown. More the anti-hero than the hero, if you know what I mean. We all love and empathize with this lovable loser, this cartoon bald kid with a loving dog and a peaceful life. Made by a kind and thoughtful writer, Charles M. Schultz, may he rest in peace. Many of us have loved his works. His art and messages. Characters and character.

    Miguel de Cervantes of Golden era Spain created a powerful character, by many of the literati the world's first novel and its errant knight anti-hero and fool, the wayward and psychologically challenged Don Quijote, who traipsed across the landscapes fighting windmills that were dragons, pursuing his lovely enchantress who was in fact a woman of ill-repute. He was a man of delusions, far beyond the normal man or woman with dreams and hopes of unrealistic grandeur.

    Perhaps being pessimistic and cynical, jaded and down, is a better and healthier alternative? Charlie Brown has lower expectations, but does not see the world through rose-colored glasses like Sally does with her love interest Linus.

    Love. One of those crazy notions that possesses us so much, so much of the days and nights. Conversely, hate can be another dominant emotion that is hard to shake loose from. Both strong feelings can overwhelm us. Worse still would be looping between them both. Which we can do. Do high, too low. Some in some extremes call this manic thinking and often the subsequent behavior.

    A funny comedian, who later became a real-world senator of Minnesota, played a self-help guru on television (Saturday Night Live), where one of his go-to phrases is "Stinkin' Thinkin'". Something to stop.

    And, as I could go on about this subject of self-critique, to self-loathing or other spirals of negativity, I did want to counterpose with religions that help us base ourselves, and others, or simple secular models and philosophies, good counseling, psychiatric or professional counselors, therapists, support people of all ilk and pays. Chaplains, pastors, priest, yoga and meditation new age healing meisters. Okay, that last part was a little cheesy.

    Deepak Chopra, Tony Robbins, perhaps for children Mr. Rogers, and a million other mental health and erstwhile self-esteem and mental health folks, to include the late, great Richard Simmons, fitness hero who was silly but motivating. He died this past summer, and I felt connected to him a couple ways because of the Army, believe it or not.

    Truth for me, is normally stranger than fiction.

    Religion is good, and can be superior, really. For me, for millions. Billions, at this point. 

    My heroes have lived and died waging higher laws, like Jesus Himself, or Joseph Smith Junior, or Abraham Lincoln and other martyrs such as Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King.

    These are heroes; they are the ones that they say to not to get too close to, because otherwise they no longer remain high in our esteem. Their human frailties lower them in our personal and collective esteem.

    Kind of like us, us self-criticizers, living in our own skins so much, we are easy targets to beat up on, way too much. We can be our own worst critics and enemies of hope and positivity.

    Yes, that is probably what happens. We get a little too hard on ourselves, down on ourselves, and we have to do other things to get some distance, some time away from our own shortcomings and poor traits.

    God would have us lift ourselves up and look to Him. We need to be uplifted, raised from our own constraints, mental and physical, and rise from our lowly ashes of the mind and be cleansed, or purified, or sanctified, by the higher power or powers that be.

    I know Buddhists that believe in these principles, and I know many more monotheists that use these methods and processes to be over, or overcome, our earthly or worldly limitations and imperfections.

    We need to be raised up. No longer to wallow in the doldrums and low points.

    We must ascend. We shall. And hope to live better, and cleaner, and finer.

    No more Peter pessimist. Charlie Brown will turn over a new leaf and become a strong, confident man.

    We pray and carry on.

 Things Going On: A Few Billion. Where to Start?

    Kamala versus Donald. Tim versus J.D. People think that is a big deal. They all have their place in our system; we are closer to the next step. Four more years! Of whom? Of what?

                I hope we will all find out.

    Gas prices have been weird, but mostly dropping. I drove my son out to college in the West recently, and prices were pretty steep in Canada. Below 3.00 dollars once in North Dakota. Back here in the eastern states, and in parts of Idaho and Utah, there were prices in the higher 3-dollar range. Today I saw the price in my hometown for close to 3, so I thought I did better in Manassas yesterday. In actually I did not, I filled up for 3.09 U.S. dollars.

    Who knows? I messed up like that in Magna, Utah, a couple Saturdays ago. 3.69 at one place, filling up the rental car, instead of 3.52 a few short blocks later.

    Violence and Mayhem

    Russia is being aggressive in Ukraine, and the Ukrainians have tried striking back into Russia proper. Israel has been blowing up Hizballah folks and bystanders up in Lebanon, and across the West Bank, and of course down in the Gaza Strip. It has been ugly.

    Pagers, walkie talkies, solar panels, even another thing... Seemingly innocuous, but now deadly. 2024 has gotten more dangerous than ever. Drones doing their deadly awfulness. Laptops, maybe the thing in Lebanon.

    Me

    I am working, eighth straight day. I have chosen this life, mostly. Nothing too crazy, just getting by. Doing okay.

    

    Cloudy and rainy day out and about, not too cold at all.

    Malawi complains of climate change disasters, and calls out the big emitters to stop messing up our planet and their country. The world has warmer temperatures, that is pretty evident. Storms and weather calamities are more prevalent. Of course there are more people than ever. More of us affected by detrimental weather events

    What else? People teaching, hiking, going to school, people paid for teaching... That is just my family.

    A few billion other things are happening.

    Both my college football teams are 4-0 and newly among the top 25. I am excited. Winnable games this Saturday.

    And we hope to capture some of this life. Today.

    Sudan has been bad, but not much news lately.

    Latin America? Mexico will get her first lady president in December, I think. A Chilean guy at work gave me some Chilean negativity last week. Oh, well. His thing, not mine.

    More later...

    

 The Hoppy Toad and the Injun Braves

        We were not Ernest Hemingway and his alter ego Nick up in the wiles of northern Michigan, but we lived outdoors, threw around fishing poles and dreamed of... adventure. Far from the lights, noises, distractions, and comforts of home, we the young men of our church congregation and our added buddies were in the trees and woods and streams and lakes of south-central Indiana, and left to our own constraints, social conventions, and imaginary concoctions.

    The order of the Arrow, or the Order of the Arrow, a secretive society or group within the Boy Scouts, impressed upon me and others a solemnity towards the American Indian that I appreciated-- I had studied, or read about the tribes of the North American continent for years, I had mentally constructed many things about the natives of our history and lore, had admired many of these peoples and their leaders more than the white colonizers, the same Europeans of whom I myself had descended from.

    The scouts looked to the outdoor, intrepid, and naturally-based native Americans, or First Nation peoples as the Canadians came to call them.

    We were young, naive; some like me had hopes and dreams of other things, perhaps greater or unique, or even typical of such children in my region, or country, or world-wide...

    Some hopes of solid futures seemed ruined by my parents' situation. Alas, they are imperfect; they became untethered from their earlier commitments in marriage, which had its mental and practical effects on me.

    Unmoored me, perhaps left me a bit adrift, even doubtful in many processes, big and small, even larger groups and aspirations like my faith, and my own personal worth or value. Perhaps the introduction of serious doubts and concerns influenced me more than I could imagine.

    Dealing with or not dealing with the reality of divorce at that age, a formidable time.

    And I wanted things to be more about me, not about them. Selfish? Perhaps.

    Bobby had been raised by his single mom for all his life. His dad perhaps played little or no part. Except money, I guess.

    We all had our problems and issues.

    So, the toad, this little amphibian victim to be, was just a totemic sacrifice of opportunity.

    It was all meant to be, and no one was seriously hurt.

    Perhaps part of me was healed, as nature and God proves bigger than all of us.

    We thank the heavens for such things, in the oppressive heat of the summer of August.

    

    Us Indians in the wild.

    

Political and Biblical Israel May Be One and the Same

    Seculars and atheists, and many other believers, see it all as nonsense. 

    But there are millions of living and dead fully invested.

    Sad to see these perilous times; many have said and even prophesied that it was all foreseen

    Sera?

 Anecdotes from Scouting - Yesteryear

    Spencer Olsen and a bunch of us went on a very long hike in the Hoosier National Forest near Camp Maumee. Spencer was undersized and a cute kid; the oldest child of his family. At the end of this very tiring march across hill and dale, a bunch of us sat and rested or climbed up the tall remote fire tower in the forest. Perhaps it was the genius idea of a Scout like Spencer to drop a sock from the top of the tower, but it got hung up in a branch, maybe 20 to 25 feet off the ground. So, many of us spent a good deal of time throwing all sorts of objects high to the branch trying to dislodge it, including a spear-like wooden stick. Well, little Spencer (a diminutive kid) chucked the spear, and it proceeded to arc beautifully high and straightforwardly into the hood of a nicely painted vehicle, pushing a well rounded dent into its metal frame.

    Spencer was distraught! Aghhh! No grief audibly uttered by Charlie Brown had ever been as gut wrenching. "Noooooooooooo!". We were trying to retrieve his sock, not partially disfigure a perfectly fine motor car. That was a tough blow for little Spencer. I think it was his fault the sock was originally caught, and then the blow to the car was also his blame. He was quite bamboozled. 

    Hours later, we forlorn or well bushed young men laid our well-worn back packs and rucks in the shelter of the front walk way of our church on Second Street, that much closer to the relative safety and calm of our homes and parents, but also a further guilty and remorseful reckoning for poor Spencer and his wayward mishaps of the end of our campout.

    

    I was not too worse for the wear, having not gotten my sock stuck in a tree, which was probably the brainchild of another boogey nosed Scouter, and the not-so-smart hurling of the spear. I had also the genius to save a robust Twix candy bar, which had survived till the end of the strenuous adventures of our troop. I probably should not have revealed it there in the last hour, awaiting our parents to pick us up, but when Spencer saw it he could not resist. "Oh, if I could have that, [my friend], (he likely called me by name), that would mean so much..."

    I thought about things like what would be the right thing, what would make me a hero, what it is to not be selfish, what would Jesus do, go the extra or second mile.

    I gave it to him. The whole thing? I think so. Not even splitsies. Really?

    Wow.

    Miracles can happen. 

    I am not sure what happened in fixing that car hood. But we had a time.

 Yet ANOTHER Reason to Dislike the Game of Soccer, aka Football

    For many years--at least since the 1990s--I have observed and concluded that the game of soccer, or more popularly known worldwide as football, has poor rules or standards practiced that make it unfair, uncool (for most Americans, anyways), and not good enough for much consumption as a good enough sport compared to others that we watch and enjoy. I can explain these issues, and I will below.

    However, I have decided as of tonight, that there is yet another glaring thing about this sport that is not fair and is inherently wrong about it: fouls. I will break that down, for your convenience.

    But first, my older griefs, in no particular order:

    1.     Offsides. Dumb. It credits a lazy or poor defense for getting away with goals taken/made and subsequently erases/nullifies that the offense has earned these goals by being better. Dumb, dumb, and makes the game more boring than it should be. Poorly organized, poorly executed. Wrong and awful, way too much. Americans like me hate this rule.

    I have talked to Germans who say we need this rule to keep the game fair, organized, or whatever, but I am sorry: this from a country that brought us two world wars. Thankfully the good guys won. Sorry, no offense, I love almost all Germans, but offsides is not a very well thought out rule, nor fair, nor fun. Pardon; I know lots of other sports with smarter and fairer rules, and they do not infuriate me so.

     2. Losing players to red cards. What? Going down a man or two? What? I could see maybe not letting that player stay in the game, but taking players out and changing the numbers for egregious fouls. Not American, not really cool. Hockey will penalize players for minutes at a time, but that sport is also not very American. Save that for another day.

    3. Losing minutes while the ball is being reset, or after a goal celebration, or while guys are injured. Stupid, wasteful, and not accountable. Stoppage time? I hate it. Real sports that Americans loves time their games better. See American football and basketball. The clock is well kept. Soccer is sloppy and aggravating.

    4. Okay, I have come to final complaint that I have been developing for years, but it is crystalized tonight: fouls disparity. Tonight, a Tuesday, I tracked my Indiana Hoosier men's soccer squad, which is struggling so far this year, admittedly, compete at home against local college Evansville. But year in, year out, since the late 1970s, Indiana is one of the top programs in the country. No one has won more championships than them since 1975, and no one in collegiate division one soccer for men has ever been to more College Cups, which is the Final Four.

    Evansville committed 24 fouls, while IU tacked up only 6. Four to one! That is a lot of fouls. A terrible disparity. But the Aces tie the game late and come away with a non-loss. Would this happen in any other sport? I do not think so.

    No. Indiana should have had some penalty kicks or something better (not remove an opponent from the game, no), but a tie with such a disparity of fouls is wrong. If the goalie can block the penalties, fine. IU should have been allowed more chances to score based on all the opponents poor play.

    Un-American, dare I say.

    Not good enough. This sport needs some changes.

    I will still root for IU and the national teams of the U.S., men and women. My BYU girls are really good, too.

    But, I can hate the parameters, and hope for better.

    I said it.

    Go Hoosiers! Go Cougars! Go USA. Make this crazy and unfair game a little better for me by winning by these wayward standards.

    Blogged it...

A Sterling Gazette, by my friend

 Sterling Gazette for the Week of April 8th

SG

Sterling Gazette

Tue 4/9/2024 4:01 PM

Sterling Gazette

"Keeping Sterling Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Informed and Amused Since 2014"

 

Greetings Blessed Readers,     

Our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, shared the following message on his social media channels last Thursday, as a prelude to General Conference:

 

Dear brothers, sisters, and friends, how grateful I am that we can watch, listen to, or attend general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this weekend. I know that the General Authorities and General Officers of the Church who will speak to us have prepared thoughtfully to teach us what the Lord would have them teach. I encourage you to view each session, prepared to make note of the spiritual impressions you receive.

 

For each of us, time marches on. As many of you know, I am closing in on my 100th birthday. Though my body reminds me every day that it is nearly a century old and to go easy on it, I honestly don't know where the years have gone. They have simply flown by.

 

As senior leaders in the Church, we are called to serve for the remainder of our lives, often long beyond "retirement age."  This means that you may see some of us during general conference speak while sitting down, or pre-record our message to be shared at the appropriate time, or even require a little assistance getting to and from our seats in the conference center.

 

From my point of view, this is cause for celebration.  I thank the Lord every day for the privilege of still being here with you. I cherish working alongside colleagues who are wearing out their lives in service to our Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ, despite the aches and creaks that come with advancing age. I don't have words to express how grateful I am for strong colleagues on whom I can lean in many ways as we strive to serve the Lord.

 

May each of us, regardless of our individual circumstances, listen with open hearts and minds to what we hear this weekend so that the Lord can continue to direct each of us in our individual paths.

 

Happy general conference, my dear brothers and sisters!

 

Then we were treated to a wonderful weekend, as we got to experience the spiritual boost that comes with participating in General Conference.  As a bonus, on Monday, many of us got to experience the wonder of observing a rare solar eclipse.

 

Although it was obvious during conference that many of our leaders are showing their age, it was also obvious that age has not diminished their enthusiasm for the gospel and their callings in building the kingdom.  This is evident from the message from President Nelson, as printed above.  Your editor suspects that his long life is connected with his sense of humor and enthusiasm for life.  Hopefully all of us will be able to grow older with such grace.

 

***

This is a friendly reminder that the Gazette can only be as good as its subscribers.  So please do your part and forward any news, ideas, or juicy gossip to the editor by using the email address listed at the end of each issue (SterlingGazette@aol.com).

 

Today’s quote is from James Fenimore Cooper: “Never have I beheld any spectacle which ... so forcibly taught the lesson of humility to man as a total eclipse of the sun.”

 

***

General Conference Summary

By Clark Kidd, Religion Reporter

 

The Church has provided a good resource that summarizes the wonderful General Conference that was presented last weekend.

 

Use the link https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/april-2024-general-conference-talks-news-announcements to access this information.

 

Here are some of the things contained in the summary:

 

·         President Russell M. Nelson Announces 15 Temples

·         What the Prophet Taught

·         New General Authority Seventies and Sunday School General Presidency Called

·         2023 Statistical Report

·         Pre-Conference Message from the Prophet

·         64 New Area Seventies Called at the Leadership Session

·         Summaries of the Talks Given at each Session

 

One of the interesting things found in the Statistical Report was that 251,763 converts joined the Church in 2023, and that Church membership at the end of the year was 17,255,394.

 

Also, the Church News has created a downloadable PDF summarizing each talk offered during the April 2024 general conference.  You can use this link to download this useful resource: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/download-a-pdf-of-talk-summaries-from-april-2024-general-conference.

 

***

New Goodwill Store to Open

By Clark Kidd, Community Reporter

 

Those of us who regularly donate used items to charity will soon have another option for dropping off donated items.  Here is some information as taken from a county email:

 

On Saturday, April 13th Goodwill of Greater Washington (Goodwill), a local nonprofit agency, will celebrate the grand opening of its 22nd retail store in the greater DC metropolitan region, and the second in Sterling, VA.

 

The ribbon cutting ceremony begins at 9:00AM and the public is invited to attend. Free snacks, music, discounts, and fun, family experiences will be offered throughout the morning.

 

The new store is located at 45380 Manifest Boulevard in Sterling, VA 20164, near the intersection of Route 28 and Church Road.

 

The store is hiring about 30 people to fill positions. Candidates can apply online to be donation attendants, merchandise processors, sales associates, and team leads.

 

***

Sterling Area Job Fair

By Clark Kidd, Employment Reporter 

 

Here is some information about an upcoming job fair for our area.  This was provided by an email from the Sterling District county supervisor:

 

I'm thrilled to announce that a date has been set for the 2024 Sterling District Job Fair:

 

Date: Saturday, June 29, 2024

Time: 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Location: Sterling Community Center [120 Enterprise Street, Sterling, VA 20164]

 

For Businesses, Nonprofits, and Community Groups:

 

Are you a Northern Virginia business owner or representative of a nonprofit organization looking to expand your team? The 2024 Sterling District Job Fair presents an excellent opportunity to connect with motivated individuals eager to contribute to your organization's success.

 

Do you provide valuable services and resources to the Sterling community and Loudoun County? You are also welcome to showcase your organization or community group at the 2024 Sterling District Job Fair! Whether you provide career counseling, educational resources, or community development support services, this is your chance to connect with individuals who can benefit from your assistance.

 

Register by Saturday, June 1st on Eventbrite at https://bit.ly/3U20qbs.

 

For questions or more information, please contact Supervisor Saines’ Office at Tianni.Ivey@loudoun.gov.

 

For Job Seekers

 

Are you searching for employment opportunities in our community? Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details. Don't miss this chance to take the next step in your career journey.

 

We will provide more details as they become available.

 

***

Leadership Changes from General Conference

By Clark Kidd, Religion Reporter

 

On the Thursday before the public sessions of General Conference, a Leadership Session was held, where many upcoming leadership changes were announced.  The two links below can be used to review these changes.

 

The link https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/april-2024-general-conference-leadership-session describes changes that were announced regarding Area Seventies, including the names of those who will be called or released.

 

The link https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/2024-temple-leadership-assignments lists 73 upcoming changes involving new temple presidents and temple matrons.

 

***

New Washington D. C. Temple President

By Clark Kidd, Religion Reporter

 

As announced in the General Conference Leadership Session (see previous article), a new president and matron have been called for the Washington D. C. Temple.  They will assume their new duties starting in September.

 

According to the article, the new president will be Peter K. Christensen, with his wife Toby E. Christensen serving as the new matron.

 

Although the Church provided no biographical information about them, an Internet search found this Church News article from 2008 – https://www.thechurchnews.com/2008/3/29/23231933/new-mission-presidents-151/ – when they were called to preside over the Nevada Las Vegas Mission.

 

***

April 2024 World Report

By Clark Kidd, Media Reporter

 

As part of General Conference, every six months the Church produces a new World Report, which is a great summary of what the Church has been doing since the previous conference.

 

Use the link https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/april-2024-world-report to learn more, and to watch the latest 45-minute video report.  This is a great way to keep informed of some of the wonderful things that are happening in the world, that we may not otherwise hear about. 

***

Recalls and Product Warnings

By Penny Yingst, Consumer Reporter

 

Here are the active recalls and product alerts for this week:

 

Abdallah Candies 8 ounce Sea Salt Almond Alligators

The products have a chocolate covered cherries label with code 0315 on the bottom of the box. The boxes do contain sea salt almond alligators but have an incorrect ingredient label.  Sea salt almond alligators contain almonds as an ingredient, which was not declared on the ingredient label. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to almonds run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

 

The product was distributed nationwide and sold in specialty retail stores, grocery stores, and other retail outlets. The recalled products were distributed from 03/01/2024 to 03/29/2024. Retail products are packaged in candy boxes with a label on the bottom of the box containing nutrition and ingredient information. The code 0315 is found in a box at the bottom center of the ingredient label.

 

Consumers who purchased the product/code cited above are advised not to eat any product and should destroy or return the product to the place of purchase.  Consumers with questions should call Abdallah Candies with their concerns.  Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm central time at 952-890-4770 or 800-348-7328.

 

Lidl Deluxe Branded Macarons Party Edition

The recall was issued due to undeclared wheat, soy, egg, milk, and tree nuts (almonds, pistachios, and coconut) in the products as a result of non-English ingredient labeling.

 

People who have allergies to any of these run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products. Lidl US has received no reports or complaints of illness related to this product to date.

 

This recall includes units with the brand, “Deluxe,” printed at the top of the front panel, and “Party Edition” at the bottom of the front panel (back panel of package will not have English labeling or ingredients). All units have a barcode/UPC of 4056489365365.

 

Affected products contain the following undeclared allergens:  Wheat, Soy, Egg, Milk, and Tree Nuts (Almonds, Pistachios, and Coconut).  Contact Lidl concerning the recall please visit https://www.lidl.com/product-recalls for more information.

 

Honeywell’s Supplier of Fendall 2000 Non-Sterile Eyewash Cartridge

This has been recalled as it was found to be non-compliant with current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) requirements.  Use of or exposure to the eyewash without seeking medical attention afterwards could result in a range of ocular infections such bacterial keratitis or endophthalmitis. Immunocompromised individuals, those sustaining ocular injuries that damage the corneal epithelium and those sustaining penetrating ocular injuries are at higher risk of potential infection.

 

The saline eyewash solution contains purified water, benzalkonium chloride, edetate disodium, sodium chloride, sodium phosphate dibasic, and sodium phosphate monobasic. It is not marketed as sterile.

 

·         Product Name; Product Number; Manufacturing Dates; Expiration Date; Region; Quantity

·         Fendall 2000 Non-Sterile Eyewash Cartridge; 32-002050-0000; 11-Oct- 2021 through 21-Jun-2023; 11-Oct-2023 through 21-Jun-2025; USA; 6,954

·         Fendall 2000 Non-Sterile Eyewash Cartridge; 32-002050-0000; 11-Oct- 2021 through 21-Jun-2023; 11-Oct-2023 through 21-Jun-2025; Canada; 3,651

 

Customers that have Fendall 2000 Non-Sterile Eyewash Cartridges should stop using the product immediately and destroy or dispose of it.  Customers with questions regarding this recall can contact Honeywell Safety Products USA, Inc. by telephone at 1-800-430-5490, or CustomerServiceInquiryBox@Honeywell.com between the hours of 8:00AM to 4:00PM EST.  Customers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to using this eyewash solution.

 

Procter & Gamble Tide, Gain, Ace and Ariel Laundry Detergent Flexible Film Bags

The outer packaging meant to prevent access to the contents can split open near the zipper track, posing a risk of serious injury to children and other vulnerable populations if the contents of the laundry detergent packets are ingested, as well as posing a risk of skin or eye injuries. Ingestion of a large quantity of any surfactant-containing household cleaning products can cause death among individuals with underlying health issues.

 

This recall involves certain lot codes of Tide Pods, Gain Flings, Ace Pods, and Ariel Pods liquid laundry detergent packets packaged in flexible film bags that were manufactured between September 2023 and February 2024. Recalled products range from bags with 12 to 39 laundry detergent packets and include the following: 

 

·         Gain Flings Original

·         Tide Simply Pods Plus Oxi Boost

·         Gain Flings Moonlight Breeze Scent

·         Tide Pods Clean Breeze Scent

·         Gain Flings Blissful Breeze Scent

·         Tide Pods Free Gentle

·         Gain Flings Spring Daydream Scent

·         Tide Pods Oxi 

·         Gain Flings Plus Ultra Oxi

·         Tide Pods Ultra Oxi

·         Gain Flings Plus Odor Defense

·         Ace Pods Clean Breeze

·         Tide Pods Original

·         Ace Pods Spring Meadow

·         Tide Pods Spring Meadow Scent

·         Ace Pods Alpine Breeze

 

Consumers should immediately secure the recalled bags out of sight and reach of children and contact Procter & Gamble for a full refund and a free replacement child-resistant bag to store the product. Consumers can also receive a cabinet lock for securing laundry materials.  Consumers should check to see if their bag is part of the recall by checking the lot code on their bag.  Recalled lot codes will be listed at pg.com/bags and are found on the bottom of the package.  Consumers with recalled bags can submit a photo of the recalled product, showing the lot code to participate in the recall.

 

Sold at Big Lots, CVS, Family Dollar, Home Depot, Sam’s Club, Target, Walmart, and other major stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and other websites from September 2023 through present for between $5 (one 12 ct. bag) and $30 (four 39 ct. bags in a box).  Contact Procter & Gamble toll-free at 833-347-5764 from Monday through Friday, 9 AM ET to 6 PM ET, Saturday, 9 AM ET to 5:30 PM ET, or online at pg.com/bags.

 

True Brothers Fuel Bottles

The fuel bottles pose a flash fire hazard to all users due to lack of a flame mitigation device, which is in violation of Federal Safety Regulations for Portable Fuel Containers.  These fuel bottles pose a risk of poisoning and burns to children due to lack of a child resistant closure, which violates the Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act.  The fuel bottles were sold online at Walmart.com from an unknown start date through January 2024 for around $17. The True Brothers fuel bottle is red with a black cap and white markings bearing “multi fuel stove”, “FUEL BOTTLE”,

 

The CPSC urges consumers to stop using the fuel bottles immediately and to dispose of them empty as normal refuse.  CPSC issued a Notice of Violation to the seller Shenzhen Yinglong Industrial Co., Ltd. of China, doing business as LetSports, but the firm has not agreed to recall these fuel bottles or offer a remedy to consumers. Consumers who purchased the product will receive this notice directly.

 

Essential Medical Supply Adult Portable Bed Rails

When attached to an adult’s bed, users can become entrapped within the bed rail or between the rail and the side of the mattress. This poses a serious entrapment hazard and risk of death by asphyxiation.

 

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Essential Medical Supply Inc., of Orlando, Florida, are re-announcing the recall of four models of the company’s Endurance Hand Bed Rails. This recall involves the Hand Bed Rail (model P1410), Hand Bed Rail with Pouch (model P1410-P), Hand Bed Rail with Floor Support (model P1411), and Hand Bed Rail with Floor Support with Pouch (model P1411-P). They were originally recalled in December 2021.

 

CPSC previously announced the recall on December 22, 2021, following the entrapment death of an 86-year-old man in California. He died at his home in December 2012, reportedly from the Endurance Hand Bed Rail (model P1410).  When attached to an adult’s bed, users can become entrapped within the bed rail or between the rail and the side of the mattress. This poses a serious entrapment hazard and risk of death by asphyxiation.

 

CPSC and Essential Medical Supply Inc. urge consumers to stop using the recalled bed rails immediately and to check their homes and the homes and assisted living facilities of loved ones for the recalled bed rails.  Essential Medical Supply Inc. sold about 272,000 units of the bed rails at medical supply stores nationwide and online at www.amazon.com and www.walmart.com. The bed rails were sold from October 2006 through December 2021 for between $36 and $98.

 

The name “Essential Medical Supply, Inc.” and the model number are printed on a label located on the grip handle of the bed rails. The rails are made of either chrome or white metal tubing and include black padding on the grip handle and under-bed frame. They measure approximately 17 inches to 21 inches high by 20 inches wide.  Only bed rails that do not have model numbers ending in “R” are included in this recall.

 

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bed rails. For consumers who own the recalled bed rails sold or imported on or after November 1, 2015, Essential Medical Supply Inc., will provide a refund. The amount of the refund will be pro-rated based on the age of the bed rail. The company is not offering a remedy for older bed rails. Consumers with older bed rails sold between October 2006 and October 2015 should stop use, disassemble and dispose of the bed rails to prevent reuse.  CPSC urges consumers to report any related incidents to the agency at www.SaferProducts.gov.  Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bed rails and contact Essential Medical Supply to receive a full refund. The firm is only providing refunds on bed rail models sold or imported on or after November 1, 2015. The amount of the refund will be prorated based on the age of the bed rail.

 

These were sold at Essential Medical Supply of the bed rails at medical supply stores nationwide and online at www.amazon.com and www.walmart.com. The bed rails were sold from October 2006 through December 2021 for between $36 and $98.  Contact Essential Medical Supply at 800-826-8423 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or online at essentialmedicalsupply.com and click on “Important Safety Notice” at the top of the page, or visit https://www.essentialmedicalsupply.com/important-safety-information for more information.

 

Mainstays Electric Mini Choppers

The chopper’s blade can operate unexpectedly during assembly or when not enclosed in the container, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

 

This recall involves Mainstays Electric Mini Choppers with model number MS14100094536S1. The choppers are rechargeable and cordless, and have a green lid, white body, and clear plastic bowl. They have one blade attachment, which consists of three curved blades on one white plastic spindle. Model number MS14100094536S1 is on the label attached to the bottom of the clear plastic bowl.  Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled choppers, and contact Walmart to receive a full refund. Consumers can bring the chopper to their nearest Walmart store for a refund.  These were sold by Walmart stores nationwide and online at Walmart.com from August 2022 through October 2023 for between $10 and $15.

 

Contact Walmart at 800-925-6278 from 7 a.m. through 9 p.m. CT any day, or online at https://corporate.walmart.com/recalls or https://corporate.walmart.com/ and click on "Recalls" at the bottom of the page for more information.

 

As always, please see the USDA website (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem) for more information about recalls. 

***

Come Follow Me Reading Assignment

By Clark Kidd, Religion Reporter

 

Here is the Come Follow Me reading assignment for this week:

 

Week:              April 8—14    

Title:                The Lord Labors with Us

Reading:          Jacob 5–7

 

Use the link https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/come-follow-me-for-home-and-church-book-of-mormon-2024/15 to read the material online.

 

Please make time to study the material this week, so that your experience will be more meaningful.

 

***

Argentina Trivia Quiz

By Clark Kidd, Entertainment Reporter

 

Okay game lovers – here’s another one of those little multiple-choice quizzes designed to test your knowledge of various topics.  The answers appear at the end of the quiz.     

 

1. What is the capital city of Argentina?

A.    Rio de Janeiro

B.     Santiago

C.     Buenos Aires

D.    Lima

 

2. What is the name of the traditional Argentine music and dance style?

A.    Samba

B.     Tango

C.     Merengue

D.    Flamenco

 

3. Which region is known as the wine country in Argentina?

A.    Patagonia

B.     Salta

C.     Buenos Aires

D.    Mendoza

 

4. Which of these foods is considered a national dish in Argentina?

A.    Tacos

B.     Feijoada

C.     Asado

D.    Ceviche

 

5. Which mountain range is found along Argentina’s western border?

A.    Rocky Mountains

B.     Himalayas

C.     Andes

D.    Alps

 

6. Which of these animals is commonly associated with the Argentine Patagonia?

A.    Elephants

B.     Penguins

C.     Camels

D.    Kangaroos

 

7. Which river is the second longest in South America and flows through Argentina?

A.    Amazon

B.     Orinoco

C.     Paraguay

D.    Paraná

 

8. What is a popular Argentine pastry often eaten for breakfast or as a snack?

A.    Croissant

B.     Empanada

C.     Scone

D.    Bagel

 

9. Which of the following is a major agricultural product of Argentina?

A.    Rubber

B.     Wheat

C.     Tea

D.    Cocoa

 

10. Argentina was part of which historical empire before gaining independence?

A.    British Empire

B.     Ottoman Empire

C.     Spanish Empire

D.    Portuguese Empire

 

(scroll down for answers)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers: 1-C, 2-B, 3-D, 4-C, 5-C, 6-B, 7-D, 8-B, 9-B, 10-C.

 

***

 

Healthy Hints

By Penny Yingst, Lifestyle Reporter

 

Here are some items of interest that I discovered this week:

 

Things to Ponder

·         What if my dog only brings back the ball because he thinks I like throwing it?

·         If poison is past its expiry date, is it more poisonous or is it no longer poisonous?

·         Which letter is silent in the word "Scent"; the "S" or the "C"?

·         Do twins ever realize that one of them is unplanned?

·         Why is the letter "W", in English, called double "U"?  Shouldn't it be called double "V"?

·         Maybe oxygen is slowly killing you and it takes 75 to 100 years to fully work.

·         Every time you clean something, you just make something else dirty.

·         The word "swims" upside-down is still "swims".

·         Intentionally losing a game of 'rock, paper, scissors' is just as hard as trying to win.

·         100 years ago everyone owned a horse and only the rich had cars.  Today everyone has cars and only the rich own horses.

·         Your future self is watching you right now through memories.

·         The doctors that told Stephen Hawking he had two years to live in 1953 are probably dead.

·         If you replace "W" with "T" in "What, Where and When", you get the answer to each of them.

·         Many animals probably need glasses, but nobody knows it.

·         If you rip a hole in a net, there are actually fewer holes in it than there were before.

 

***

[Editor’s Note: These items are repeated from previous issues.]

 

New Voice of the Tabernacle Choir

By Clark Kidd, Music Reporter

 

As was announced some time ago, Lloyd Newell will no longer be the voice of the Tabernacle Choir, because of a new assignment as a mission leader.  It was recently announced that the new voice of the choir going forward will be Derrick Porter.

 

Use the link https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/music-spoken-word-derrick-porter-replaces-lloyd-newell for more details.  Newell’s last Sunday broadcast with the choir will be June 16. Porter will deliver his first Music & the Spoken Word message the following week, June 23.

 

***

Arbor Day Photo Contest

By Clark Kidd, Photography Reporter

 

Attention all photographers.  Loudoun County has announced the rules and deadlines for the 2024 Arbor Day photo contest.  Here are some of the details as taken from a county announcement:

 

The annual Loudoun County Arbor Day tree photo contest is underway and Loudoun County wants to see your favorite tree!  Photos will be accepted through Monday, April 15, 2024. Winning photos and honorable mentions will be announced at the in-person Loudoun County Arbor Day Celebration scheduled for Saturday, April 27, at 11:00 a.m. at the Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 5527 Sullivan’s Mill Road in Middleburg.

 

Entries must be:

 

•                     A photo of a single tree or group of trees located in Loudoun County.

•                     Original photos taken by the entrant.

•                     Digital entries submitted through an online form. High resolution photos are encouraged. 

•                     Only two entries allowed per person or group.

 

Entrants are asked to provide a brief explanation of why the tree is a favorite.

 

Awards will be distributed to the top three photos. Only the winning and honorable mention entrants will be notified.  Any of the top three photo entrants who are unable to attend the Arbor Day Celebration will be notified and awards will be provided via mail.  The photos will not be returned and will become the property of the Loudoun County Arbor Day Committee.

 

For more information about the photo contest or the in-person Arbor Day Celebration, visit http://loudoun.gov/trees.

 

Use the link https://www.loudoun.gov/FormCenter/Building-Development-26/2024-Arbor-Day-Photo-Contest-My-Favorite-403 to enter the contest.

 

***

Latest Email Scam from Punchbowl

By Clark Kidd, Technology Reporter

 

 

Recently this reporter has received several bogus emails that appear to be invitations to upcoming events.  Unlike many of these phony emails, this one is quite professional looking, and one might easily be fooled into clicking on the "Open Invitation" button and exposing your device to potential corruption.

 

It appears this invitation is coming from a web site called "punchbowl," which is a valid website that can be used to create and send invitations (similar to Evite).  But these invitations are not from punchbowl.  The so-called senders are always valid people that have sent me emails in the past, so I suspect the hackers obtained the address books of these folks and sent these emails to their contacts.

 

Use the link https://help.punchbowl.com/article/808-how-do-i-know-if-the-punchbowl-invitation-or-card-i-received-is-real-or-spam to read punchbowl suggestions for recognizing valid invitations, and avoiding those that appear suspicious.

 

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New Hymnbook Preview Next Month

By Clark Kidd, Music Reporter

 

As noted in previous articles, we will soon start to see information about the new hymnbook that is being rolled out over the next few years.  Here is the latest update, taken from a News Release that was issued yesterday:

 

After six years of work reviewing thousands of submissions and gathering hymns from across the world, 12 hymns of the new “Hymns—for Home and Church” will be available on May 30, 2024. The selections will include “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and will be published in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. The hymns will be available in the Sacred Music and Gospel Library apps, and in the online Music Library.

 

More groups of new hymns will be released every few months until the full hymnbook is complete in 2026. The same advance release plan will begin for many other languages over the next two to three years.

 

Use the link https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/hymns-for-home-and-church-may-2024 to read the full News Release.

 

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Tours of the Kirtland Temple

By Clark Kidd, Religion Reporter

 

A recent article in the Church News contained comments from some of the first individuals to tour the Kirtland Temple since it was acquired from the Community of Christ just weeks ago.  There are also some interesting comments about what the Church is doing to support the efforts there, including calling new missionaries that will help give tours.

 

Use the link https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/visitors-to-the-historic-kirtland-temple-share-their-experiences-as-site-reopens-for-public-tours to check out this interesting article.

 

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Daily Chuckle

 

Any of us who have completed a home improvement project can appreciate this one from The Babylon Bee: 

      

 Your editor suspects that most of us have been bitten by the auto-correct feature:            

 

A Pizza Hut in Ontario went viral thanks to a cringe-worthy typo on a sign on its front door. The dining room was closed, it said, due to “unforeseen circumcisions.” As the image spread online like wildfire, the joint didn’t fight back, but rather acknowledged the gaffe, and capitalized on it with a limited-time $5 pizza special — “no tip required.” In an online post, restaurant general manager Marc Girard placed the blame on “stupid auto correct.”

 

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If you're interested in game night, contact Clark Kidd at ClarkLKidd@aol.com.

If you'd like to start a group or class of your own, send an announcement to SterlingGazette@aol.com.

 

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