So hot, but feels like....

We can read the thermometer and see that it is 100 degrees.  And, being the intellectual giants we are, we know that is hot.

But, because our media authorities, knowing that we might be more stupid than they are, have to tell us that it "feels like" 105 degrees because of the "heat index".  OK.  Well, glad I know that and don't just respond to the 100 degrees....I'll prepare for the additional 5 degrees by taking off my hoodie....

Today in history

And so it was, the big news day.  It, in fact, affected no one except politicians and the prognosticators, half of whom got it right and the other half got it wrong.  The belly dancers demonstrating at the Supreme Court were affected because they got on the news.  In fact, no one knows what will happen with this monster we cut loose, because most of the time is spent being emotional about Obamacare and not analyzing it in a rationale way.

Know why?

Because anything with this many moving parts is to big to analyze, instead, the political machine will push it over the edge of the hill and see what happens as it travels.

It's easy to do that when you don't have to earn the money you are spending, in fact, you can force others to pay because you make the laws.

Fair is Fair

It seems inconsistent that our President can make such righteous statements about innocent children being deported as illegals when they were brought to the states by their parents and have contributed by becoming educated and, in some cases, become successful in the military.  These children didn't have anything to do with the decision to come illegally, had no choice in where they are, and might be worthy of protection rather than having to pay for their parent's decision.

While that is worth considering as a philosophical question, doesn't it follow that a child in the womb is as innocent and worthy of at least as much protection by the government, recognizing they as individuals they had nothing to do with the decision to exist or be conceived, yet they pay the highest price for indecision by their parents - with their lives - so that the parents can be relieved?

Fly the flag

As we face this political season each of us Americans face a few hard questions - that is, who will we allow to be our President, and, who will we allow to represent us in the legislature...along with local and state election issues and people.  Sobering responsibility, and hard to know what is really right.  We are limited to, for example, the choice of 2 people for President.  Can we know which one is right?  Mostly no, all we can do is decide which one we think is worse and vote for the other guy.

On the other hand, being Americans we have an even harder question - daily.  That is - which way do we want to live so that what we do promotes truth, justice, and the American way, or, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness FOR US ALL.  Tougher, it happens every day, and the choice we make is about ourselves rather than someone else.  When we make this choice, if its wrong, its our individual fault.

What could be happening?

A quick survey of Facebook gives us an idea of where our society is heading....the number of pictures taken in mirrors is the indicator.

Some time ago cameras were used for art and recording pictures of others and other places.  Now, with the proliferation of cameras making them ubiquitous, it seems many can't resist looking at themselves and then subjecting the world to looking at them looking at themselves.

Strange.

Sound thinking

"...in humility count others more significant than yourselves..."


A good admonition from Paul's letter to the Phillipians.  To do so does require humility that is not natural and must therefore come from something outside influencing me.

Creeping

One of the reasons the blogging is so thin is that Facebook seems to have sucked all of the online communications out of me.  Of course, I almost never write on Facebook either.  I do, however check my newsfeed often.  Like a few times a day.  When doing so I occasionally quip, comment, or "like" something some wrote or posted.

Thats where I get in trouble.

Seems that is called "stalking", or "creeping".  Neither of them seem like nice things.  It doesn't seem appropriate to criticize someone for reading things people post on a public forum that is designed for everyone to read.  I suppose it makes sense that we make up new rules for stupid things, new etiquette for the inane.

The good news is that one of my kids told me not to worry, being a "creeper" isn't a bad think.

That fits the trajectory.

Googling

It is interesting how much information is available online. The verb "to google" is so natural that my 4 year old granddaughter knows to tell her Mom "to google" when there is a unknowable answer on the table. That is an enormous privilege, but at the same time, somewhat daunting to know that we find out these things instantly, and assume them as truth as quickly.

Amazing.

All of this while we have other information that has been written and proven for thousands of years, yet, doesn't even warrant an instant of consideration. Most who spend time studying the Bible and let it guide their lives find it to be true and inspiring. Others reject the notion that the Bible speaks truth without reading any. Some even reject it based on "googling" and finding some critic who rejects it.

Sad.


I bake bread that is made from flour I grind from fresh wheat. I have to use the flour within 2 hours of grinding it to maintain the chemical composition that has the greatest value. It takes about half an hour extra to make bread this way. I could use flour I buy at the grocery store and save that time. If I did save that half an hour, my bread would contain 43 fewer nutrients than grinding fresh flour as I do.

Maybe "googling" for facts is like the store-bought flour in that it does fill the stomach and taste good. It even lasts longer on the shelf (as it appears not much life grows on it). Maybe the freshly ground flour with the 43 extra nutrients is like that Bible reading, where the extra time is invested to produce something life sustaining.

Just saying.