Sunday I attended a Presbyterian church that was very proud of being part of the Reformed tradition. Sunday was Reformation Sunday and the pastor explained that it came on the Sunday before Reformation Day which is October 31. I had never noticed that before.
He said the October 31, 1517 was the day that Martin Luther nailed the 95 Thesis to the door of Wittenberg Cathedral and started the theological debate that led to the Protestant Revolution. In case you can’t do the math that is 501 years ago.
Today most protestant denominations trace their roots back to Martin Luther and the other reformers such as John Calvin.
So if you don’t want to celebrate Halloween I suggest you celebrate Reformation Sunday. You could go around nailing lists to people’s front doors. We might start a whole new tradition.
homo unius libri
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Opus 2018-259: Cui Bono
Who benefits from illegal aliens invading our country? It is a question that is often ignored or presented as a partisan issue. It is not a chasm populated by Republicans on one side and Democrats on the other. The list is long and ubiquitous.
The countries sending them want easy access. This is nothing new. We act like dumping your problem people is a new phenomenon. Not so. Oliver Cromwell sent large numbers of rebellious Scots and Irish as indentured servants. Georgia was established as a penal colony. Even the slaves that were sold by Africans to European and Muslim slave dealers were the ones that the locals wanted to get rid of.
The people who come want easy crossings. Whether they are fleeing oppression, looking for a better job or terrorists wanting to destroy us, they have one thing in common. Abolish ICE. Neuter the border patrol. Create more sanctuary cities. A large part of the world would love to move to Southern California if they could just get across the ocean.
People who want cheap labor are in favor of a porous border. It isn’t just the rich businessmen who run sweat shops. The desire for cheap labor extends everywhere. People who want cheap labor to mow their lawn are in favor of open borders. People who want restaurant prices to stay down don’t mind cheap labor. I was struck by a recent headline sparked by an illegal who murdered a college girl. The reporters suddenly became aware of farms in the area who depended on illegals to work for low wages.
The Democrat Party believes they are gaining a whole new voter base. They don’t even care if the voters are citizens. They will register them and have them voting the rest of their lives. In many case they will keep them voting for years after they die. Their problem is that the country is so awesome that many of them start doing well, gaining wealth and realizing that the Democrats want to take that away from them.
Who then is hurt by illegal aliens. The biggest hit is taken by the everyday tax payer. They are the ones who fund the schools, government medical programs, food subsidies and rent payments. The money comes from some where and many of the illegals are either in the cash economy or working under assumed identities so they make reduced contributions, if any.
You also have the victims of crime. We hear the statistics again and again. Currently the headlines are repetitious about illegal aliens committing murder, rape and robbery. Our jails are full of the ones who have been caught and convicted. Many people live in fear even within their homes.
Do we need to do something about illegal aliens? Yes we do. Will we? Probably not.
homo unius libri
The countries sending them want easy access. This is nothing new. We act like dumping your problem people is a new phenomenon. Not so. Oliver Cromwell sent large numbers of rebellious Scots and Irish as indentured servants. Georgia was established as a penal colony. Even the slaves that were sold by Africans to European and Muslim slave dealers were the ones that the locals wanted to get rid of.
The people who come want easy crossings. Whether they are fleeing oppression, looking for a better job or terrorists wanting to destroy us, they have one thing in common. Abolish ICE. Neuter the border patrol. Create more sanctuary cities. A large part of the world would love to move to Southern California if they could just get across the ocean.
People who want cheap labor are in favor of a porous border. It isn’t just the rich businessmen who run sweat shops. The desire for cheap labor extends everywhere. People who want cheap labor to mow their lawn are in favor of open borders. People who want restaurant prices to stay down don’t mind cheap labor. I was struck by a recent headline sparked by an illegal who murdered a college girl. The reporters suddenly became aware of farms in the area who depended on illegals to work for low wages.
The Democrat Party believes they are gaining a whole new voter base. They don’t even care if the voters are citizens. They will register them and have them voting the rest of their lives. In many case they will keep them voting for years after they die. Their problem is that the country is so awesome that many of them start doing well, gaining wealth and realizing that the Democrats want to take that away from them.
Who then is hurt by illegal aliens. The biggest hit is taken by the everyday tax payer. They are the ones who fund the schools, government medical programs, food subsidies and rent payments. The money comes from some where and many of the illegals are either in the cash economy or working under assumed identities so they make reduced contributions, if any.
You also have the victims of crime. We hear the statistics again and again. Currently the headlines are repetitious about illegal aliens committing murder, rape and robbery. Our jails are full of the ones who have been caught and convicted. Many people live in fear even within their homes.
Do we need to do something about illegal aliens? Yes we do. Will we? Probably not.
homo unius libri
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Opus 2018-258: Toast Rules
All games have rules. If they didn’t they would be impossible to play. Certain things are understood and not allowed and people are always trying to get away with things. It is the nature of games. One of the card games that I played in my youth was called Rook. It is a recognized, registered, trademarked game even if you have never heard of it. I played it for years before I ever read the rules and found that what I had been playing was not Rook. It was our version of Rook. We even had subversions. We called ours Pasadena College Rules. If we had been playing with someone who had read the rules they would have claimed we were cheating. No. We understood the rules. It didn’t do any good to complain that the rules didn’t allow something. We all agreed to play that way. If you refused to acknowledge the rules you played under, you were toast.
Politically a lot of us low level conservatives have been toast. This came to me as I was reading a post by Don Surber about recent activity in the Senate. Evidently the Senate Judiciary Committee met while the Senate was not in session and approved some judges to go to the floor for a floor vote. Democrats are crying, “Foul!” It seems that they were all out of town and even the Republicans only had two senators present. I am guessing that they were playing by Pasadena College Rules. It must be legal because they are getting away with it but it doesn’t seem logical.
This is where those of us in fly-over country probably need to read the real rule book. Traditionally conservatives have believed that the rule of law means you follow the law even if you don’t agree with it. That means a Supreme Court with a conservative majority will abide by such nonsense as Roe v Wade because it is the law and precedent. A liberal, activist court will throw out 200 years of American rulings and 2,000 years of Western civilization because they can and it advances their leftist agenda. That means the conservatives can never move forward. All they can do is hold the line while the liberals are free to go crazy.
We need to take another look at the rule book. This time it needs to be the actual play-book that is being used, not the one that sits in the box and gets ignored. What are the rules, encased in the Constitution, and what are traditions made up by the dominate party and the ingrown incumbents? Take the idea of a 60 vote necessity to end debate and get on with the business of confirming judges. This is not in the Constitution and if used as it was originally intended, to make sure everyone had a chance to speak, it was a tool to keep the majority from running over the minority. It became a way for people who lost elections to keep the Senate from voting and doing its job. It was tradition and it was changed. If it had not been changed we would be getting no judges confirmed.
Jury nullification is another principle that citizens need to consider. When you are on a jury the judge tells you the choices you have under the law. That is the judges opinion and what he tells you may be technically correct. But what if the law is wrong and it is being used to railroad someone for political purposes? Jury nullification says that the jury can declare someone “not guilty” no matter what the law says. It is the jury applying the same principles to their role that the liberal Supreme Court justices apply to theirs. Just because the jury only serves on one trial and doesn’t get black robes does not mean they are second class citizens.
I am sure there are other ways we can begin to play by the real rules. I am tired of being toast.
homo unius libri
Politically a lot of us low level conservatives have been toast. This came to me as I was reading a post by Don Surber about recent activity in the Senate. Evidently the Senate Judiciary Committee met while the Senate was not in session and approved some judges to go to the floor for a floor vote. Democrats are crying, “Foul!” It seems that they were all out of town and even the Republicans only had two senators present. I am guessing that they were playing by Pasadena College Rules. It must be legal because they are getting away with it but it doesn’t seem logical.
This is where those of us in fly-over country probably need to read the real rule book. Traditionally conservatives have believed that the rule of law means you follow the law even if you don’t agree with it. That means a Supreme Court with a conservative majority will abide by such nonsense as Roe v Wade because it is the law and precedent. A liberal, activist court will throw out 200 years of American rulings and 2,000 years of Western civilization because they can and it advances their leftist agenda. That means the conservatives can never move forward. All they can do is hold the line while the liberals are free to go crazy.
We need to take another look at the rule book. This time it needs to be the actual play-book that is being used, not the one that sits in the box and gets ignored. What are the rules, encased in the Constitution, and what are traditions made up by the dominate party and the ingrown incumbents? Take the idea of a 60 vote necessity to end debate and get on with the business of confirming judges. This is not in the Constitution and if used as it was originally intended, to make sure everyone had a chance to speak, it was a tool to keep the majority from running over the minority. It became a way for people who lost elections to keep the Senate from voting and doing its job. It was tradition and it was changed. If it had not been changed we would be getting no judges confirmed.
Jury nullification is another principle that citizens need to consider. When you are on a jury the judge tells you the choices you have under the law. That is the judges opinion and what he tells you may be technically correct. But what if the law is wrong and it is being used to railroad someone for political purposes? Jury nullification says that the jury can declare someone “not guilty” no matter what the law says. It is the jury applying the same principles to their role that the liberal Supreme Court justices apply to theirs. Just because the jury only serves on one trial and doesn’t get black robes does not mean they are second class citizens.
I am sure there are other ways we can begin to play by the real rules. I am tired of being toast.
homo unius libri
Friday, October 26, 2018
Opus 2018-257: Liberty Is Not Tolerance, part 2 of 2
Why is it important that we stand up for religious liberty today? In one word, Islam. Islam is one of those realities that you need to look into yourself. Do not take anyone else’s word for what Islam is, even mine. Get a Koran and read it yourself. If you are not a reader, you have my sympathy but do not accept the carefully chosen “sound bites” that are given to you by the media. Islam is like Christianity in that it is given a charge to convert the entire world. The difference that effects our lives is that the Bible never gives Christians the commission to use force or coercion. The Koran does. If you read it you will also find that it condones lies if they advance the cause.
America and Americans are willing to grant Muslims religious liberty. That is no problem. The problem comes when you realize that their religion, if they truly believe it, demands that they bring you to your knees in submission. It can be the submission of conversion. It can be the submission of servitude or slavery which they call “dhimmi”. When you research it and see it means “protected person” then understand the jargon. Slaves in the south were protected people also. People locked into rubber rooms and straight jackets are protected also. The final classification of submission is death, the ultimate peace.
We have home-grown religious groups that are determined to convert everyone. I immediately think of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons. They are very aggressive in presenting their beliefs but last time I heard Mormon missionary teams were not armed. There are religions rooted in other countries that suppress those who differ but they are not set on conquering the world and forcing it into one mold with violence and suppression. I have not heard of Buddhist suicide bombers trying to take down American democracy. Maybe that is because I don’t read the New York Times.
We still have religious liberty although the left is working hard to throttle it. In the past year the mayor of Austin, Texas tried to require pastors to turn over their sermon material and e-mails so she could scan it for what she would call hate language. She was stopped. The next bright light of the left may get away with it. Some probably have by using zoning laws, parking regulation and parade permits.
Religious liberty is a protection that goes both ways. Don’t give it up in the name of tolerance.
Background
Thomas M. Cooley was on the Michigan State Supreme Court after the Civil War.
Dennis Prager covers the distinction between liberty and freedom well in many forums. You can do a search for “Dennis Prager on liberty” and find many listings.
Blakely, William Addison, Ed. American State Papers and Related
Documents on Freedom in Religion, Fourth Revised Edition.
Washington, D.C.: The Religious Liberty Association, 1949.
homo unius libri
America and Americans are willing to grant Muslims religious liberty. That is no problem. The problem comes when you realize that their religion, if they truly believe it, demands that they bring you to your knees in submission. It can be the submission of conversion. It can be the submission of servitude or slavery which they call “dhimmi”. When you research it and see it means “protected person” then understand the jargon. Slaves in the south were protected people also. People locked into rubber rooms and straight jackets are protected also. The final classification of submission is death, the ultimate peace.
We have home-grown religious groups that are determined to convert everyone. I immediately think of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons. They are very aggressive in presenting their beliefs but last time I heard Mormon missionary teams were not armed. There are religions rooted in other countries that suppress those who differ but they are not set on conquering the world and forcing it into one mold with violence and suppression. I have not heard of Buddhist suicide bombers trying to take down American democracy. Maybe that is because I don’t read the New York Times.
We still have religious liberty although the left is working hard to throttle it. In the past year the mayor of Austin, Texas tried to require pastors to turn over their sermon material and e-mails so she could scan it for what she would call hate language. She was stopped. The next bright light of the left may get away with it. Some probably have by using zoning laws, parking regulation and parade permits.
Religious liberty is a protection that goes both ways. Don’t give it up in the name of tolerance.
Background
Thomas M. Cooley was on the Michigan State Supreme Court after the Civil War.
Dennis Prager covers the distinction between liberty and freedom well in many forums. You can do a search for “Dennis Prager on liberty” and find many listings.
Blakely, William Addison, Ed. American State Papers and Related
Documents on Freedom in Religion, Fourth Revised Edition.
Washington, D.C.: The Religious Liberty Association, 1949.
homo unius libri
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Opus 2018-256: Liberty Is Not Tolerance, part 1 of 2
I was looking over my book shelf trying to decide which books I would never get around to reading. One that caught my eye was American State Papers. Since so much is available on line I wondered why I still had this old volume. When I looked a little closer and saw the subtitle I got a better idea. It continued with and Related Documents on Freedom of Religion. It was a collection that focused on the American concept found in the First Amendment that we called “Freedom of Religion.”
A statement in the Foreword caught my eye.
Liberty is an important term to understand. It is not the same as freedom. Freedom has the idea that you can do anything you want at any time you want. The American concept of liberty understands that your right to do anything you want has boundaries set by the rights of others. Thus I am free to turn my music as loud as I want until it reaches into someone else’s space where they desire quiet. At that point I can either turn my music down, change locations, use my headphones or invest in some insulation. They don’t have to tolerate your liberty.
American religious liberty has been a development. Almost every one of the original thirteen colonies had an official church. The exceptions that come up in my memory are Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. There were struggles to allow the kind of denominational differences that we take for granted today. The key is that the struggle continued until the First Amendment demanded that we be free from an official state church. Even after the Bill of Rights was ratified states still had official churches but the tide was moving toward liberty.
Early in our history we had tolerance. There was an accepted state church but they tolerated others. In the toleration only the state church received tax support. In the toleration the non-conformists faced a lot of discrimination. The key is that in time we moved from tolerating what we did not like to allowing freedom of conscience without penalty.
To be continued...
Background
Thomas M. Cooley was on the Michigan State Supreme Court after the Civil War.
Dennis Prager covers the distinction between liberty and freedom well in many forums. You can do a search for “Dennis Prager on liberty” and find many listings.
Blakely, William Addison, Ed. American State Papers and Related
Documents on Freedom in Religion, Fourth Revised Edition.
Washington, D.C.: The Religious Liberty Association, 1949.
homo unius libri
A statement in the Foreword caught my eye.
“This is a country of religious liberty, not of religious toleration merely.” page 9The Foreword was written in 1893 by a man named Thomas M. Cooley. I think it would help us today to think about the difference between liberty and toleration.
Liberty is an important term to understand. It is not the same as freedom. Freedom has the idea that you can do anything you want at any time you want. The American concept of liberty understands that your right to do anything you want has boundaries set by the rights of others. Thus I am free to turn my music as loud as I want until it reaches into someone else’s space where they desire quiet. At that point I can either turn my music down, change locations, use my headphones or invest in some insulation. They don’t have to tolerate your liberty.
American religious liberty has been a development. Almost every one of the original thirteen colonies had an official church. The exceptions that come up in my memory are Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. There were struggles to allow the kind of denominational differences that we take for granted today. The key is that the struggle continued until the First Amendment demanded that we be free from an official state church. Even after the Bill of Rights was ratified states still had official churches but the tide was moving toward liberty.
Early in our history we had tolerance. There was an accepted state church but they tolerated others. In the toleration only the state church received tax support. In the toleration the non-conformists faced a lot of discrimination. The key is that in time we moved from tolerating what we did not like to allowing freedom of conscience without penalty.
To be continued...
Background
Thomas M. Cooley was on the Michigan State Supreme Court after the Civil War.
Dennis Prager covers the distinction between liberty and freedom well in many forums. You can do a search for “Dennis Prager on liberty” and find many listings.
Blakely, William Addison, Ed. American State Papers and Related
Documents on Freedom in Religion, Fourth Revised Edition.
Washington, D.C.: The Religious Liberty Association, 1949.
homo unius libri
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Opus 2018-255: New Terms: USM and OMQ
I continue to see the “Just Do It” meme based on the Oppressed Millionaire Quarterback OMQ with bad knees. I am wondering if the Unnamed Shoe Maker (USM) is like Liberace, “laughing all the way to the bank.” Someone once commented that there was no bad publicity except no publicity. As long as people who are angry at the USM for what they did and continue to make fun of them, they get free publicity.
This is a page out of the Trump play book. Remember all the free publicity he got because the media kept mocking him. My guess is that the USM is good with what is going on.
Sure they are funny. Yes, they are creative. I do enjoy them. I am just wondering....
homo unius libri
This is a page out of the Trump play book. Remember all the free publicity he got because the media kept mocking him. My guess is that the USM is good with what is going on.
Sure they are funny. Yes, they are creative. I do enjoy them. I am just wondering....
homo unius libri
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Opus 2018-254: Pick Your Law
You have heard the nonsense of “What would happen if you had a war and nobody came?” In reality what would happen is that one side would show up and the other would become slaves. So far we have seen that scenario playing itself out in our streets as the left has declared a war and the right is still refusing to show up. If it continues this way then we will become slaves of a socialist state.
We need to remember that we have the super weapons in this battle. All we really need to do is show up and put them in action. I refer to truth and the law. They require two different platforms.
The truth needs to be put out where it can be seen. We who get on the internet and know where to look can find a lot of truth. The problem is that the sheeple of the United States tend to still believe what the talking heads tell them. I will concede that the Kavanaugh hearings unglazed the eyes of some but I am not sure it is a long term fix. I have heard it asked so let me repeat the question, “Why are all the newspapers owned by liberals if conservatives have all the money?” I recently picked up the front page of our local big city paper while I was in a waiting room. I did not need to get past the headlines to realize that there was no point in reading it. I have this dream that someday I will pick up a newspaper and find a well written, coherent and honest report of something that has happened. If I do I will subscribe but I refuse to put any more money into funding liberal rags.
The law is our big secret weapon that we refuse to use. When a mob shows up at a restaurant and begins to threaten law abiding citizens who are minding their own business, it is time for some arrests to be made and some trials to go on. How is it that Democrats can call for violence and nothing happens? How is it that people can make accusations under oath and walk away scot free when it is obvious they have lied? How can we literally have riots by masked Antifa goons and no one goes to jail?
We need to apply the law of justice or we will end up being forced to resort to the law of the jungle.
homo unius libri
We need to remember that we have the super weapons in this battle. All we really need to do is show up and put them in action. I refer to truth and the law. They require two different platforms.
The truth needs to be put out where it can be seen. We who get on the internet and know where to look can find a lot of truth. The problem is that the sheeple of the United States tend to still believe what the talking heads tell them. I will concede that the Kavanaugh hearings unglazed the eyes of some but I am not sure it is a long term fix. I have heard it asked so let me repeat the question, “Why are all the newspapers owned by liberals if conservatives have all the money?” I recently picked up the front page of our local big city paper while I was in a waiting room. I did not need to get past the headlines to realize that there was no point in reading it. I have this dream that someday I will pick up a newspaper and find a well written, coherent and honest report of something that has happened. If I do I will subscribe but I refuse to put any more money into funding liberal rags.
The law is our big secret weapon that we refuse to use. When a mob shows up at a restaurant and begins to threaten law abiding citizens who are minding their own business, it is time for some arrests to be made and some trials to go on. How is it that Democrats can call for violence and nothing happens? How is it that people can make accusations under oath and walk away scot free when it is obvious they have lied? How can we literally have riots by masked Antifa goons and no one goes to jail?
We need to apply the law of justice or we will end up being forced to resort to the law of the jungle.
homo unius libri
Friday, October 19, 2018
Opus 2018-253: The Balance of Partisanship
One of the characteristics of the American Republic is the division of power along with checks and balances. We often credit Montesquieu with this but if you read his The Spirit of Laws you find that he did a lot of looking at the English system which had two houses of legislature plus a monarchy. The Founding Fathers dug even deeper than that. They did a lot of research into the Greek democracies and the Roman Republic. One of the examples of divided power was found in Sparta even though it was not a democracy.
Partisanship is part of the reason our system works. If you only have one party then you end up with the kind of brutal repression common in the socialist systems of National Socialism and Communism. Anyone who ever gets out of their bedroom realizes that large number of people never agree on things. The only way you can have one party rule is by severe repression of any dissenting voice.
So let’s here it for partisanship. That is the point of the First Amendment. The Second is there for those times when the left forgets the boundaries of discourse.
November is coming. Let the anarchists and socialists feel the burn.
Bauer, Susan Wise. The History of the Ancient World. New York:
W. W. Norton, 2007.
homo unius libri
“The Spartan people preferred two kings at odds, rather than one directing affairs with unchallenged power.I am not sure how we would recreate that today but I would suggest the two political parties as candidates for kings. They are constantly fighting each other for control and to set the agenda. I don’t know how many times I have heard “this is the end of the _______ party”. And then a few years later I hear it the other way.
“The two-king system, although it produced its own difficulties, did prevent the rise of a Mesopotamian-style monarchy”, p. 421
Partisanship is part of the reason our system works. If you only have one party then you end up with the kind of brutal repression common in the socialist systems of National Socialism and Communism. Anyone who ever gets out of their bedroom realizes that large number of people never agree on things. The only way you can have one party rule is by severe repression of any dissenting voice.
So let’s here it for partisanship. That is the point of the First Amendment. The Second is there for those times when the left forgets the boundaries of discourse.
November is coming. Let the anarchists and socialists feel the burn.
Bauer, Susan Wise. The History of the Ancient World. New York:
W. W. Norton, 2007.
homo unius libri
Thursday, October 18, 2018
Opus 2018-252: Different Trigger, Same Gun
Some things never seem to change. It is hard to believe. I have found myself talking about how today’s Democrat party is different than it used to be. There may be some truth to that but not as much as you think. John Batchelor quotes an editorial from a newspaper called The Tribune back in 1896. Read through it and ask yourself, “Does this sound familiar?” The trigger issue in those days was silver as a base for the dollar instead of gold. The trigger changes but the gun is the same.
Batchelor, John Calvin. Ain’t You Glad You Joined the Republicans?
New York: Henry Holt Company, 1996.
homo unius libri
“Man and blind hatred of property, hatred of those who appear more fortunate and seem to have easier lives, notions that all men ought to be equal in income and expenditure and tastes and engagements, as well as legal rights with a passionate desire to tear down the existing state of things if it cannot be made to suit such a fanaticism - that is the desperate and dangerous force which only uses the silver issue as a means of striking at all property and all the prosperous.The title of the editorial was “American Silver Communists”. It is interesting that even in 1896 the informed were aware of the danger of Communism. Too bad so few are informed now. The tactic of the Democrat party was to divide the country by class warfare. It is still their goal.
“Does anybody ask how such a brainless craze came to exist in this free country?
“The Democratic party cultivated it laboriously and patently for twenty-five years, especially in all the Western and Southern States, as its only hope of defeating the Republican party.
“Every day and every night it appealed persistently to the mean hatred of success by those who do not succeed, of property by those who have none, of employers by employed, of capital by labor, and contrived at last to create a communistic spirit in free American which is as ignorant, as stupid, as vindictive and madly destructive as that which lightened the torch and danced around the corpses in Paris.” pages 129-130
Batchelor, John Calvin. Ain’t You Glad You Joined the Republicans?
New York: Henry Holt Company, 1996.
homo unius libri
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Opus 2018-251: Who Is the Deep State?
I imagine everyone has a different definition of the deep state. For some it is a tight group at the center of the halls of power that act as puppet masters, pulling strings and manipulating society toward a police state that they control. For some it is rogue, unelected bureaucrats who ignore the law and advance their own personal egos and power.
I think it is much bigger than that. I think it is a vast host of individuals. Some work alone and others work in groups. They may not even be aware of each other but they have one major flaw: They think they are the exception. They don’t need to play by the rules. They consider themselves what Thomas Sowell calls “the Anointed.”
If you are playing Monopoly they want to be the banker or at least sit by the banker so that they can make slight-of-hand “loans”. After all, it is only a game and suckers don’t deserve to win.
If they are a preacher they carefully select the Bible passages they use and skip any verse that might cause you to question what they say.
If they are politicians they say things like, “We need to pass the bill so we can find out what is in it.”
If they work for the DMV, IRS of OSHA they make sure that things go as slow as possible. They are obsessed with forms and check marks. They make dealing with the government a living hell. They are anyone who has the ability to tell you “no” based on a technicality or minor error. They move your application to the bottom of the pile or send it to the wrong office. They stand in classrooms, sit behind plate glass windows. They wear badges and robes. They have a wide variety of incomes and live in many neighborhoods.
What they have in common is power over others that they use as their priorities dictate instead of the way the rules were intended.
Think how much better our lives would be if we did away with entire departments of the federal government. Do we really need a Department of Education? Do we need the government to tell us that food products must have nutrition labels? Does your barber really need to be licensed?
November is coming. One of the issues you should examine is elected officials who want to cut the size of government.
The Deep State wants you.
homo unius libri
I think it is much bigger than that. I think it is a vast host of individuals. Some work alone and others work in groups. They may not even be aware of each other but they have one major flaw: They think they are the exception. They don’t need to play by the rules. They consider themselves what Thomas Sowell calls “the Anointed.”
If you are playing Monopoly they want to be the banker or at least sit by the banker so that they can make slight-of-hand “loans”. After all, it is only a game and suckers don’t deserve to win.
If they are a preacher they carefully select the Bible passages they use and skip any verse that might cause you to question what they say.
If they are politicians they say things like, “We need to pass the bill so we can find out what is in it.”
If they work for the DMV, IRS of OSHA they make sure that things go as slow as possible. They are obsessed with forms and check marks. They make dealing with the government a living hell. They are anyone who has the ability to tell you “no” based on a technicality or minor error. They move your application to the bottom of the pile or send it to the wrong office. They stand in classrooms, sit behind plate glass windows. They wear badges and robes. They have a wide variety of incomes and live in many neighborhoods.
What they have in common is power over others that they use as their priorities dictate instead of the way the rules were intended.
Think how much better our lives would be if we did away with entire departments of the federal government. Do we really need a Department of Education? Do we need the government to tell us that food products must have nutrition labels? Does your barber really need to be licensed?
November is coming. One of the issues you should examine is elected officials who want to cut the size of government.
The Deep State wants you.
homo unius libri
Monday, October 15, 2018
Opus 2018-250: Curses
I can’t find where I first saw it mentioned but you my have read about the witches coming together to throw a curse on Justice Brett Kavanaugh. It is supposed to be focused on his mistreatment of women. I imagine they are basing it all on a vague, unsupported accusation that he got too pushy once when he was a teenager. I have good news for the new justice from the book of Proverbs.
What is interesting to me is that it doesn’t say that curses don’t exist, just that they are worthless if not deserved.
Maybe someone has cursed all the media outlets that report fake news. Their circulation has certainly take a nose dive.
homo unius libri
(Proverbs 26:2 NAS77) Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, So a curse without cause does not alight.I don’t think political assassinations or publicity stunts qualify as a reason for a curse.
What is interesting to me is that it doesn’t say that curses don’t exist, just that they are worthless if not deserved.
Maybe someone has cursed all the media outlets that report fake news. Their circulation has certainly take a nose dive.
homo unius libri
Opus 2018-249: The Next Cool Look
One of the older texts I am reading on my Kindle is the Journals of Lewis and Clarke. It is quite a slog. Getting through the spelling and grammar is a chore. Then you have double entries for each day, I think one is from Lewis and one from Clarke. I am currently reading the entry for November 1, 1805. At this point they were east of modern Portland.
As they traveled they described the Indian tribes that they met. One thing you learn from historical documents is that the American Indians were not a monolithic culture. Two groups even a few miles apart could speak totally different languages and dress totally different. Today as I read they went into the methods used to mold the heads of their children. Not the minds, the heads. They had previously mentioned flat heads among some tribes, now they described the method of strapping boards on the heads of the babies until the heads went to the form they wanted.
The reason I bring this up is I think we could be looking at a wave of the future. I am thinking of the body mutilation going on in the millennial generation. I am even seeing it in older people who must be trying to relate. Have you seen the picture of the guy that has big rings in his cheeks and nose and you can look through his head? Piercing and tattoos are a growing trend. So I ask, “When you have covered and punctured your body as far as it will go, what next?” How do you set the new trend? I would suggest head molding for children.
I am not wanting this to happen. I find tattoos, studs and rings to be silly at best and ugly most often but keep in mind that I don’t understand why anyone would wear a necklace either. I am just guessing at where the next silly stage will be. Like tattoos, once you have formed the babies head it will be that way the rest of their lives.
Sadly, you heard it here first.
homo unius libri
As they traveled they described the Indian tribes that they met. One thing you learn from historical documents is that the American Indians were not a monolithic culture. Two groups even a few miles apart could speak totally different languages and dress totally different. Today as I read they went into the methods used to mold the heads of their children. Not the minds, the heads. They had previously mentioned flat heads among some tribes, now they described the method of strapping boards on the heads of the babies until the heads went to the form they wanted.
The reason I bring this up is I think we could be looking at a wave of the future. I am thinking of the body mutilation going on in the millennial generation. I am even seeing it in older people who must be trying to relate. Have you seen the picture of the guy that has big rings in his cheeks and nose and you can look through his head? Piercing and tattoos are a growing trend. So I ask, “When you have covered and punctured your body as far as it will go, what next?” How do you set the new trend? I would suggest head molding for children.
I am not wanting this to happen. I find tattoos, studs and rings to be silly at best and ugly most often but keep in mind that I don’t understand why anyone would wear a necklace either. I am just guessing at where the next silly stage will be. Like tattoos, once you have formed the babies head it will be that way the rest of their lives.
Sadly, you heard it here first.
homo unius libri
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Opus 2018-248: Headlines: Response to Resist
We need to see more of this response to leftist violence. According to the Gateway Pundit a member of a college Republican group was pushed around by a leftist. He called the police and is filing charges. It will be interesting to see if there is any video and if this goes anywhere. This needs to be an automatic response.
This might be a good time for a group of conservative lawyers to offer their services in a pro bono or “no charge unless a claim is won” basis. I don’t know the legal costs involved in something like that but it would seem to me that it would be money well spent. These people will not go away unless it becomes too painful to continue acting like bullies. If we don’t want to end up with blood running in the streets and violent civil war we should start using the tools of the rule of law while we still have a chance.
If you sheriff won’t back you up, vote the sucker out. If your police won’t support you then it is time to make changes on your city council. They appoint the police chief. Even in a republic the people are supposed to have a say in their leaders and a way to hold them accountable.
homo unius libri
This might be a good time for a group of conservative lawyers to offer their services in a pro bono or “no charge unless a claim is won” basis. I don’t know the legal costs involved in something like that but it would seem to me that it would be money well spent. These people will not go away unless it becomes too painful to continue acting like bullies. If we don’t want to end up with blood running in the streets and violent civil war we should start using the tools of the rule of law while we still have a chance.
If you sheriff won’t back you up, vote the sucker out. If your police won’t support you then it is time to make changes on your city council. They appoint the police chief. Even in a republic the people are supposed to have a say in their leaders and a way to hold them accountable.
homo unius libri
Friday, October 12, 2018
Opus 2018-247: Election 2018: What Kind of Government Do We Deserve?
I watch the mindless, unprincipled march of the Democrats. They could not be sitting in positions of power and working their evil if they did not have a lot of Democrats voting for them and a lot of Republicans not voting at all. I keep wondering how so many people can be so blind. Can’t they see what is obvious? Have they lost their minds? Do they have no sense of logic or morals?
Then I begin to wonder if they are saying the same things about me. Actually they are saying a lot worse things.
They are wrong, of course.
homo unius libri
Then I begin to wonder if they are saying the same things about me. Actually they are saying a lot worse things.
They are wrong, of course.
homo unius libri
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Opus 2018-246: Firsts: I Still Can’t Believe It
Part of moving to Texas is needing to begin to do my own yard maintenance. That means I am now trying to mow the non-tree and rock free parts of our property. I am guessing that means almost an acre. I am getting into the swing of pushing a mower around. I do about an hour at a time and eventually get it done.
What I was not prepared for was dealing with the machinery. My wife brought home a used string trimmer with a two stroke-engine. I have always avoided two-strokes. I don’t understand them and they don’t want me to understand them. The device slowly went down hill. At first it was impossible to start once it was warm so I only could use it until the string wore down. Then I needed to wait until the next day. Eventually it started refusing to run.
I had a choice to make. I could keep taking it back to the guy who sold it to us and have him work his magic or I could try to fix it myself. Since I am cheap and my manhood was on the line I decided to give it a go. What was the worst that could happen? I would fail and take it to him anyway. I had nothing to lose.
So I did a search on You Tube and watched a few videos. I ordered a kit that included everything I would need including a new carburetor. The day came when all the parts were in my possession and I had no more excuses. I started taking out screws and pulling things apart. Eventually I did all I knew to do and the moment of truth came............It started. I was in shock.
I did some trimming and then turned it off and renewed the string. It started again. I am impressed.
So now I have actually fixed something. I need a nap.
homo unius libri
What I was not prepared for was dealing with the machinery. My wife brought home a used string trimmer with a two stroke-engine. I have always avoided two-strokes. I don’t understand them and they don’t want me to understand them. The device slowly went down hill. At first it was impossible to start once it was warm so I only could use it until the string wore down. Then I needed to wait until the next day. Eventually it started refusing to run.
I had a choice to make. I could keep taking it back to the guy who sold it to us and have him work his magic or I could try to fix it myself. Since I am cheap and my manhood was on the line I decided to give it a go. What was the worst that could happen? I would fail and take it to him anyway. I had nothing to lose.
So I did a search on You Tube and watched a few videos. I ordered a kit that included everything I would need including a new carburetor. The day came when all the parts were in my possession and I had no more excuses. I started taking out screws and pulling things apart. Eventually I did all I knew to do and the moment of truth came............It started. I was in shock.
I did some trimming and then turned it off and renewed the string. It started again. I am impressed.
So now I have actually fixed something. I need a nap.
homo unius libri
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Opus 2018-245: Baby Talk: The Joy of Anticipation
Recently we were able to Skype with my daughter and granddaughter. The baby is at that stage where she is able to move all four extremities and each one has the strength to accomplish a task but the coordination isn’t there. She will rear up like a seal and examine her world. The next minute her face is in the rug but her rear is in the air. You can watch her try to figure it out but there is still something missing. A fun time was had by all, except maybe the baby.
One of the great side benefits of having grandchildren is that your mind drifts into the past. I was sitting and thinking about chasing my granddaughter when she starts to crawl. That brought back fond memories of chasing my son down the hall while he howled with laughter. I don’t need any trigger warnings. The memories are warm and gratifying.
I had forgotten how long it takes infants to master basic skills. In a sense it will never change. There are still some things that I have trouble with like getting all the pieces of lettuce off the counter when I make a salad or using the right amount of shampoo. Life will continue to have it’s challenges. I can see the day coming when I will have a hard time getting my shoes done right. I already have days I get my underwear on backwards.
Fortunately I have mastered crawling. I will need it next time I see my granddaughter.
homo unius libri
One of the great side benefits of having grandchildren is that your mind drifts into the past. I was sitting and thinking about chasing my granddaughter when she starts to crawl. That brought back fond memories of chasing my son down the hall while he howled with laughter. I don’t need any trigger warnings. The memories are warm and gratifying.
I had forgotten how long it takes infants to master basic skills. In a sense it will never change. There are still some things that I have trouble with like getting all the pieces of lettuce off the counter when I make a salad or using the right amount of shampoo. Life will continue to have it’s challenges. I can see the day coming when I will have a hard time getting my shoes done right. I already have days I get my underwear on backwards.
Fortunately I have mastered crawling. I will need it next time I see my granddaughter.
homo unius libri
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Opus 2018-244: Election 2018: History Lessons
At the end of the Civil War Abraham Lincoln called for reconciliation and forgiveness. Most people have heard the famous finish to his second inaugural even if they don’t know the source.
He relaxed, went to the theater and was murdered.
At the end of World War II we began to rebuild Germany and Japan. In Europe it was called the Marshall Plan. Japan was put under the control of General Douglas MacArthur who had a very high regard for the future of that country. Do you get who we are. We forgave our enemies and helped to rebuild their nations.
Of course we had totally defeated them with a no-holds barred approach to victory. They were shattered. We could afford to be magnanimous.
The results are open to interpretation. True, we did not have Germany rising again to bring us to World War III. Japan did away with its military. We have had peace on those fronts but the direction they are going today makes you wonder if it was the best approach.
With the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court we won a battle in the War for the Heart of America. For the moment due process, the rule of law and presumption of innocence came out on top. It ceased being an issue of who he was but instead what he represented. Let’s take a moment to rejoice, but only a moment. We need to keep digging the trenches, putting stakes around our castles and combing the countryside for the guerilla resistance. We need to root out the traitors and by the careful use of law and due process show them what justice means. They will be back and they are good at hitting us in places that we don’t think a person of integrity would strike.
That is because they are not people of integrity. Morals for the socialist are whatever brings them victory. The only high road is the one that destroys the opposition.
We are the opposition. We have a duty to follow the rule of law and due process. If you are a Christian or a believing Jew you have a responsibility to be kind to your enemies, but that comes after you win, not before.
There will be many battles in the coming days to wear us down and get us to compromise. We need to stay alert and remember to vote on November 6. I will say vote early. I would say also vote often but that is one of their techniques. Our biggest danger is that we give up on how slow freedom works, throw in the towel and become like them.
Then we lose.
homo unius libri
“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan — to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”He made this statement after references to God, the Bible and our Christian tradition. They are very noble and correct.
He relaxed, went to the theater and was murdered.
At the end of World War II we began to rebuild Germany and Japan. In Europe it was called the Marshall Plan. Japan was put under the control of General Douglas MacArthur who had a very high regard for the future of that country. Do you get who we are. We forgave our enemies and helped to rebuild their nations.
Of course we had totally defeated them with a no-holds barred approach to victory. They were shattered. We could afford to be magnanimous.
The results are open to interpretation. True, we did not have Germany rising again to bring us to World War III. Japan did away with its military. We have had peace on those fronts but the direction they are going today makes you wonder if it was the best approach.
With the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court we won a battle in the War for the Heart of America. For the moment due process, the rule of law and presumption of innocence came out on top. It ceased being an issue of who he was but instead what he represented. Let’s take a moment to rejoice, but only a moment. We need to keep digging the trenches, putting stakes around our castles and combing the countryside for the guerilla resistance. We need to root out the traitors and by the careful use of law and due process show them what justice means. They will be back and they are good at hitting us in places that we don’t think a person of integrity would strike.
That is because they are not people of integrity. Morals for the socialist are whatever brings them victory. The only high road is the one that destroys the opposition.
We are the opposition. We have a duty to follow the rule of law and due process. If you are a Christian or a believing Jew you have a responsibility to be kind to your enemies, but that comes after you win, not before.
There will be many battles in the coming days to wear us down and get us to compromise. We need to stay alert and remember to vote on November 6. I will say vote early. I would say also vote often but that is one of their techniques. Our biggest danger is that we give up on how slow freedom works, throw in the towel and become like them.
Then we lose.
homo unius libri
Opus 2018-243: How About a Red Bull?
One of the memes going on today seems to be having a Beer for Brett. While I support the effort I don’t drink, so I can’t join the movement. I have a suggestion for those of us who are teetotalers. I would suggest Dr. Pepper for Due Process, Perrier for Presumed Innocent or Red Bull for Rule of Law.
It is a good day to celebrate but keep in mind that the forces of tyranny will only back off far enough to get a running start. Their entire goal is to force socialism so that we can all be equally poor and bound. Expect them in your churches and public parks. They can show up at your weddings or your next high school football game.
Expect it. They will come. Be ready. Stand strong. It might be better to have the Red Bull and stay alert than the beer and lose control.
homo unius libri
It is a good day to celebrate but keep in mind that the forces of tyranny will only back off far enough to get a running start. Their entire goal is to force socialism so that we can all be equally poor and bound. Expect them in your churches and public parks. They can show up at your weddings or your next high school football game.
Expect it. They will come. Be ready. Stand strong. It might be better to have the Red Bull and stay alert than the beer and lose control.
homo unius libri
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Opus 2018-242: Political Theater in Proverbs
I want to share something I came across in Proverbs today. As I read it my mind went to a recent political display that most of us have been following. I will mention no names or point any fingers although I am probably shaking a fist. It starts with this,
I’m going to guess you didn’t need to ponder too long. I have this feeling that certain faces and actions came to your mind without me saying anything. If not then you have been playing video games too much.
The things we have seen have created a lot of rage in me and probably in you. Keep in mind that they are an abomination to God.
It is good to be on the right side. Again, I will let you fill in the names.
homo unius libri
(Proverbs 6:16 KJV) These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:I have read that many times and reflected on the verses that follow. Usually I am looking to get my own act together but today it seemed like something that should have been covered by the MSM. Read this and ponder.
(Proverbs 6:17 KJV) A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
I’m going to guess you didn’t need to ponder too long. I have this feeling that certain faces and actions came to your mind without me saying anything. If not then you have been playing video games too much.
The things we have seen have created a lot of rage in me and probably in you. Keep in mind that they are an abomination to God.
It is good to be on the right side. Again, I will let you fill in the names.
homo unius libri
Friday, October 5, 2018
Opus 2018-241: Kalifornia Is Nice This Time of Year
There is no real need for the uncomfortable celebrities to go to Canada. Such a download could become a potential cause of conflict and force Canada to build a wall. We don’t need that when there are ready alternatives withing the lower 48. Just as I fled the People’s Republik I would encourage the disenchanted to flee the free states. For those west of the Mississippi I would suggest Kaliforny is the place they ought to be and like the Clampetts they can head to Beverly...Hills, that is.
For those east of the Mississippi I would suggest the People’s Republic of Massachusetts.
The problem is that they look at how bad things are in those socialist paradises and opt for Texas. In their rhetoric they hate everything Texas stands for but in their hearts they know it and other states that believe in freedom are the only places where they will be allowed to continue to be so wrong. In Texas there are still enough people who are working toward a bright future that the liberals can be carried while they protest.
Perhaps we could propose a tax incentive for people moving to blue states. We could use the money to extend the wall along the border of California.
I am only 1% joking.
homo unius libri
For those east of the Mississippi I would suggest the People’s Republic of Massachusetts.
The problem is that they look at how bad things are in those socialist paradises and opt for Texas. In their rhetoric they hate everything Texas stands for but in their hearts they know it and other states that believe in freedom are the only places where they will be allowed to continue to be so wrong. In Texas there are still enough people who are working toward a bright future that the liberals can be carried while they protest.
Perhaps we could propose a tax incentive for people moving to blue states. We could use the money to extend the wall along the border of California.
I am only 1% joking.
homo unius libri
Thursday, October 4, 2018
Opus 2018-240: Election 2018: Choose Your Side
I watch the circus that is our government. I see the elites who think they know what is best for everyone else and watch them manipulate, lie and cheat. I find it hard to believe that Diane Feinstien and Cory Booker don’t have a part of their mind that keeps saying, “I am sooooooo wrong. How do I live with myself?” You have all seen the cartoon depictions of a little angel on one shoulder and a little devil on the other.
That is only for cartoons. I came across some verses in the Bible this morning that reminded me of the real problem.
They know what is best for us and don’t care how much they destroy in the process of creating a perfect world.
Of course we also have the potential arrogance of becoming so self-righteous that we join them, just another team in the National Evil Team. That is why it is important to keep a standard of unchanging right and wrong. For Christians that starts in the Bible. For Jews in the books of what I call the Old Testament. For assorted pagans I would suggest that you consult your sources of moral authority and act on it. I know where serious Jews and Christians will come down. I don’t know enough about Buddhists and Hindus to speak with authority.
The battle goes on. Each of us gets to choose which side we are on. Sadly it seems like all of the Democrats and too many of the Republicans have already made the choice that can destroy life as we know it.
An election is coming. Vote before you are forced to revolt.
homo unius libri
That is only for cartoons. I came across some verses in the Bible this morning that reminded me of the real problem.
(Proverbs 4:16-7 KJV) For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.Does that not describe a lot of the politicians and their media sycophants that we see on a regular basis. It isn’t a matter of cute little caricatures. It is a matter of evil little hearts that glory in inflicting mischief on others. What else would explain the constant ignoring of testimony and basic facts? How else could they justify setting aside due process, the rule of law and a presumption of innocence? You need to understand that when they intimidate a Jeff Flake into craven jelly they walk around off camera giving each other high-fives. When they browbeat a witness with gotcha questions they are swooning with a sense of power inside.
They know what is best for us and don’t care how much they destroy in the process of creating a perfect world.
Of course we also have the potential arrogance of becoming so self-righteous that we join them, just another team in the National Evil Team. That is why it is important to keep a standard of unchanging right and wrong. For Christians that starts in the Bible. For Jews in the books of what I call the Old Testament. For assorted pagans I would suggest that you consult your sources of moral authority and act on it. I know where serious Jews and Christians will come down. I don’t know enough about Buddhists and Hindus to speak with authority.
The battle goes on. Each of us gets to choose which side we are on. Sadly it seems like all of the Democrats and too many of the Republicans have already made the choice that can destroy life as we know it.
An election is coming. Vote before you are forced to revolt.
homo unius libri
Opus 2018-239: Building a Legacy
Which came first the name or the slang?
I am referring, of course, to senator Jeff Flake and the way he has flaked on his responsibility to the Constitution, the country and the people of Arizona. Actually I am not so concerned about the people of Arizona. They seem to have a problem. They are the same ones who brought us John McCain.
Often our slang and vocabulary comes from the name of a person associated with it. Gerrymandering came from Elbridge Gerry. Borking describes how judge Robert Bork was treated by the Democrats. In some future generation people may think that Jeff Flake originated the slang.
Consider it his legacy. As the Democrats would say, it is accurate even if the facts don’t back up the actuality.
homo unius libri
I am referring, of course, to senator Jeff Flake and the way he has flaked on his responsibility to the Constitution, the country and the people of Arizona. Actually I am not so concerned about the people of Arizona. They seem to have a problem. They are the same ones who brought us John McCain.
Often our slang and vocabulary comes from the name of a person associated with it. Gerrymandering came from Elbridge Gerry. Borking describes how judge Robert Bork was treated by the Democrats. In some future generation people may think that Jeff Flake originated the slang.
Consider it his legacy. As the Democrats would say, it is accurate even if the facts don’t back up the actuality.
homo unius libri
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Opus 2018-238: Ode to Old: Handle with Care
I thought about getting a new Bible. Actually I don’t need to “get” one because I have plenty on the shelf. What I mean is retire my old one and move to a newer printing.
I started using this Bible in 1986. It is bound in top grain cowhide but after 30 plus years it is breaking down. The flaps at the top and bottom of the spine are gone and cracks are appearing at other places. The section I used the most is coming loose from the binding and much of the New Testament is turning yellow, not from age but from the oils in my fingers as I turned pages. Other parts are pristine and new. Is it time to move on?
Then I realized the Bible had a lot in common with me. I am old and worn. I am frayed around the edges and crumbling in more places every day. Yet I think I am still serviceable and have a few years left me.
I think it might last as long as I will. A new one would be like getting a toupe or using Botox. I don’t think so.
homo unius libri
I started using this Bible in 1986. It is bound in top grain cowhide but after 30 plus years it is breaking down. The flaps at the top and bottom of the spine are gone and cracks are appearing at other places. The section I used the most is coming loose from the binding and much of the New Testament is turning yellow, not from age but from the oils in my fingers as I turned pages. Other parts are pristine and new. Is it time to move on?
Then I realized the Bible had a lot in common with me. I am old and worn. I am frayed around the edges and crumbling in more places every day. Yet I think I am still serviceable and have a few years left me.
I think it might last as long as I will. A new one would be like getting a toupe or using Botox. I don’t think so.
homo unius libri
Monday, October 1, 2018
Opus 2018-237: Fond Memories
Around my senior year in high school I was very active socially. That last summer the group of friends and associates I had at church did something every night.
The activities were varied. They ranged from going to someone’s home to play a card game called Rook to overnight hikes up the mountain. Although the numbers varied everyone was invited.
Keep in mind it was a different world. You could go to Knott’s Berry Farm and spend the evening without spending a dime. This was before the hippies started hanging around and making it like San Francisco has become today. There was no admission charge and you only paid for what you wanted. You could walk around on Hollywood Boulevard without being attacked by perverts, muggers and Antifa. We used to go to the beach at night for what was called a grunion hunt. We would build a fire, play our guitars and roast marshmallows until someone yelled, “The grunion are running!” I don’t think we ever caught a grunion but we built a lot of memories. One year we realized we had nothing to put the marshmallows on so we stopped on the way for a scavenger hunt. One of the thing on our list was wire coat hangers.
Our town had a curfew but it was ignored as long as you were not causing trouble. I can’t think of any neighborhoods that we were afraid to go into. I never had a key to my house and as far as I can remember the back door was never locked. It was a wonderful time to be alive.
Things certainly have changed.
homo unius libri
The activities were varied. They ranged from going to someone’s home to play a card game called Rook to overnight hikes up the mountain. Although the numbers varied everyone was invited.
Keep in mind it was a different world. You could go to Knott’s Berry Farm and spend the evening without spending a dime. This was before the hippies started hanging around and making it like San Francisco has become today. There was no admission charge and you only paid for what you wanted. You could walk around on Hollywood Boulevard without being attacked by perverts, muggers and Antifa. We used to go to the beach at night for what was called a grunion hunt. We would build a fire, play our guitars and roast marshmallows until someone yelled, “The grunion are running!” I don’t think we ever caught a grunion but we built a lot of memories. One year we realized we had nothing to put the marshmallows on so we stopped on the way for a scavenger hunt. One of the thing on our list was wire coat hangers.
Our town had a curfew but it was ignored as long as you were not causing trouble. I can’t think of any neighborhoods that we were afraid to go into. I never had a key to my house and as far as I can remember the back door was never locked. It was a wonderful time to be alive.
Things certainly have changed.
homo unius libri
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