Tom Faranda's Folly

Brigid - "I'm a good witch"

Yes you are.

Even better!

You really look the part!

Donald Trump thanks Anthony Weiner

Who'd have thought? A one minute video.

 

Trump: "The vulgarian at the gates"

This is from the Chicago Tribune with a headline "Democrats should ask Clinton to step aside"

It's from a columnist by the name of John Kass -

It's obvious the American political system is breaking down. It's been crumbling for some time now, and the establishment elite know it and they're properly frightened. Donald Trump, the vulgarian at their gates, is a symptom, not a cause. Hillary Clinton and husband Bill are both cause and effect.

If ruling Democrats hold themselves to the high moral standards they impose on the people they govern, they would follow a simple process:

They would demand that Mrs. Clinton step down, immediately, and let her vice presidential nominee, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, stand in her place.

Democrats should say, honestly, that with a new criminal investigation going on into events around her home-brew email server from the time she was secretary of state, having Clinton anywhere near the White House is just not a good idea.

 

FBI further investigation: have to sort through 650,000 new emails!

This is in a note from the Wall Street Journal tonight.

Federal agents are preparing to scour roughly 650,000 emails contained on the laptop of former Rep. Anthony Weiner to see how many relate to a prior probe of Hillary Clinton's email use, as metadata on the device suggests there may be thousands sent to or from the private server that the Democratic nominee used while she was secretary of state, according to people familiar with the matter.

The review will take weeks at a minimum to determine whether those messages are work-related emails between Huma Abedin, a close Clinton aide and the estranged wife of Mr. Weiner, and State Department officials; how many are duplicates of emails already reviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and whether they include either classified information or important new evidence in the Clinton email probe.

Grace Slick - 77 today

Grace Slick in 2014

"Don't you want somebody to love." Go Here for a short interview - Part 1 "'Rock Is Like Sports - You Have A Certain Run, Then Get Out'" and Part 2 - "'I Never Took Heroin, Really Because I'm Too Lazy'" she did for Forbes ("Capitalist Tool") this past December.

Woodstock, 1969

 

Hard truths from noted author and speaker, Fr. George Rutler

Yes, very hard truths ...

FROM THE PASTOR
October 30, 2016
by Fr. George W. Rutler

Exactly eight years ago I wrote a column titled “The One We Were Waiting For” in which I referred to a book by Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson, The Lord of the World. That dystopian novel has been cited by Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis said he has read it several times. The protagonist, if one can apply that term to an Anti-Christ, imposed a new world religion with Man himself as god.  His one foe was Christianity, which he thwarted in part by using “compromised Catholics and compliant priests to persuade timid Catholics.”

   Since then, that program has been realized in our time, to an extent beyond the warnings of the most dire pessimists. Our federal government has intimidated religious orders and churches, challenging religious freedom. The institution of the family has been re-defined, and sexual identity has been Gnosticized to the point of mocking biology. Assisted suicide is spreading, abortions since 1973 have reached a total equal to the population of Italy, and sexually transmitted diseases are at a record high. Objective journalism has died, justice has been corrupted, racial bitterness ruins cities, entertainment is degraded, knowledge of the liberal arts spirals downwards, and authentically Catholic universities have all but vanished. A weak and confused foreign policy has encouraged aggressor nations and terrorism, while metastasized immigration is destroying remnant western cultures, and genocide is slaughtering Christian populations. The cynical promise of economic prosperity is mocked by the lowest rate of labor participation in forty years, an unprecedented number of people on food stamps and welfare assistance, and the largest disparity in wealth in over a century.

   In his own grim days, Saint Augustine warned against nostalgia: “The past times that you think were good, are good because they are not yours here and now.” The present time, however, might try even his confidence. Sands blow over the ruins of churches he knew in North Africa where the Cross is virtually forbidden. By a blessed irony, a new church is opened every day in formerly Communist Russia, while churches in our own formerly Christian nation are being closed daily. For those who bought into the seductions of politicians’ false hopes, there is the counsel of Walt Kelly’s character Pogo: “It’s always darkest before it goes pitch black.”

   It is incorrect to say that the coming election poses a choice between two evils. For ethical and aesthetic reasons, there may be some bad in certain candidates, but badness consists in doing bad things. Evil is different: it is the deliberate destruction of truth, virtue and holiness.

   While one may pragmatically vote for a flawed candidate, one may not vote for anyone who advocates and enables unmitigatedly evil acts, and that includes abortion. “In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to 'take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law, or vote for it'" (Evangelium Vitae, 73).

   At one party’s convention, the name of God was excluded from its platform and a woman who boasted of having aborted her child was applauded. It is a grave sin, requiring sacramental confession and penance, to become an accomplice in objective evil by voting for anyone who encourages it, for that imperils the nation and destroys the soul.

   It is also the duty of the clergy to make this clear and not to shrink, under the pretense of charity, from explaining the Church's censures. Wolves in sheep’s clothing are dangerous, but worse are wolves in shepherd’s clothing. While the evils foreseen eight years ago were realized, worse would come if those affronts to human dignity were endorsed again. In the most adverse prospect, God forbid, there might not be another free election, and soon Catholics would arrive at shuttered churches and vacant altars. The illusion of indifference cannot long be perpetuated by lame jokes and synthetic laughter at banquets, for there is handwriting on the wall.       

 

Image: FBI agents after inspecting Anthony Weiner's phone

Forwarded by my friend Fran...

Michelle Malkin: "Hillary's Climate of Hate"

The well-known conservative writer doesn't sugarcoat it.

Hillary Clinton isn’t just a nasty woman. She’s a ruthless hatemonger devoted wholly to two corrupt pursuits while on the federal teat: tearing down and cashing in.

The two-faced, split-tongued politician who mocked Trump for calling out America’s rigged system came to power decrying the “vast right-wing conspiracy” to deflect from that blue dress her husband stained. She’s a menace to alternate media, to entrepreneurs, to honest, hard-working people, to the rule of law, public safety and national security.

When you tune out the manufactured noise and distractions, when you ignore the media squirrels and engineered scuffles, when you rip up the gender card and contemplate nearly 25 years of the politics of personal destruction and private enrichment — not to mention the standalone disqualifying scandals of Benghazi, Emailgate and the WikiLeaks disclosures — the choice should not be difficult.

You can take a gamble on the imperfect businessman who has never held public office. Or you can go with the guaranteed continuation of Hillary Clinton’s entrenched climate of hate and culture of corruption. Left, right or center, if you are opposed to Clintonian history repeating itself, you’ll take your chances with Trump. I am.

Drudge cover on the new Clinton email probe

Well, I think it's funny! But our poor country ...

COMEY: IT'S NOT OVER

 

ERECTION DAY ROCKED!

 

[email protected]

Pro-life millennial women speak out

This is posted on the America Magazine (The Jesuit publication) youtube channel. Insightful. Worth the five minutes to watch.

Rush answers Clinton question "Why aren't I 50 points ahead?"

A blundering comment she made awhile ago WaPo video: Mrs. Clinton goes kind of nuts: "Why aren't I 50 points ahead you might ask."   - right up there with the deplorable comment.

 Here is Limbaugh back September 22nd.

Westchester newspaper: the Journal News continues to fire people

I suppose because nobody reads their paper ...

Media giant Gannett Company Inc., announced Tuesday that it had laid off about 2 percent of its total workforce, including five newsroom positions at The Journal News/lohud.com.

A pair of longtime staffers -- news columnist Phil Reisman and sports reporter Rick Carpiniello, who had both been with the paper for nearly 40 years, were among the five, lohud.com said.

****

The layoffs were said to be a  cost-cutting move, reported lohud.com.  

Stating the obvious.

if you care, here's the full lohud posting.

Click here to read the lohud.com story.

Video: Weird jobs that pay well - like dog food taster

Amusing - A few raunchy jobs.

 

Architect of Obamacare finds rising premiums amusing

Dr. Emanuel has recently blamed Republicans for the rising (25% for next year) costs of Obamacare. How's that? All a bit of a joke if you don't have the coverage ... hit he link for the big yucks.

 

One picture says it all about the World Series

From my friend Nancy. Indians won last night and lead series 1-0.

 

St. Margaret Clitherow, Brigid's hometown Catholic martyr.

Yesterday was the feast of the English martyrs, killed between 1535 and 1679. And none are more attractive then St. Margaret Clitherow, who was a convert and executed for harboring priests in 1586.

When she was put on trial, she refused to plead either guilty or not guilty - that way her family and any other people would not have to give any testimony. The punishment in such a case was to be pressed to death - the procedure was to have a heavy door put on top of you and then weights piled on the door. Because her husband was a prominent citizen, a stone was put behind her neck and she died of a broken neck after 15 minutes - instead of the normal several hours as was the routine with this "method." 

There is a beautiful small chapel in York which Brigid and I always visited when we were with her family.

World Series, who'd have figured Chicago Cubs v. Cleveland Indians?

The last time the Cubs won the World Series, 108 years ago. Last time for Cleveland, 68 years ago. Great article (required if you like baseball!) about the two relief pitchers the Yanks traded earlier this year: Miller to the Indians and Chapman to the Cubs. Very interesting comments from Larry Rothschild, the Yankee pitching coach. There's lots more then what I excerpted so hit the link.

How Yankees inadvertently saved Chapman, Miller for this moment

CLEVELAND — Andrew Miller never worked three consecutive games this season as a Yankee. Aroldis Chapman did it once.

The idea, pitching coach Larry Rothschild explained, was to preserve the duo for big games late in the year. Chapman, in particular, yearned to be used more. On three occasions with the Reds, he had pitched four straight days.

“But he understood,” Rothschild said by phone. “They both did. We didn’t want to use them three days in a row so we could do it later in the year. Unfortunately, it is for two different teams.”

****

“I am happy for those guys,” Rothschild said. “They did the right thing. They were always ready to pitch and great to be around. Everyone with the Yankees loved to have them, the circumstances did not allow us to [get to the World Series with them].”

Chapman was traded to the Cubs on July 25, and Miller was dealt six days later to the Indians. Both were great for the Yankees and arguably have been even better for their new clubs, with Miller, in particular, emerging as the biggest force of this postseason.

 

 

Study: "Lifting weights could make you more intelligent"

Ahhh, good news for me, since I lift weights 3X/week - and need all the help I can get regarding intelligence.  This is from the Independent (UK).

Researcher Dr Yorgi Mavros, of Sydney University, said: “What we found in this follow-up study is that the improvement in cognition function was related to their muscle strength gains.

“The stronger people became, the greater the benefit for their brain.”

The weight training programme involved lifting weights that were 80 per cent as heavy as the maximum the participants were able to lift twice a week for six months. This is similar to training regimes used by athletes. 

As they got stronger, the amount of weight they lifted was increased to keep to the 80 per cent level.

MRI scans revealed that specific areas of the brain increased in size among those who took part.

****

“The key however is to make sure you are doing it frequently, at least twice a week, and at a high intensity so that you are maximising your strength gains. This will give you the maximum benefit for your brain.”

****

Dr James Pickett, head of research at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “New research is beginning to unravel how physical exercise may have benefits for the brain as people get older. This study suggests that people with minor memory and thinking problems, known as mild cognitive impairment, may benefit from weight training to improve their brain health.

I think there's also some evidence that weightlifting helps the immune system.

Anyway I use a program off this book Practical Programming where I have a volume day, a light day and an intensity day, usually in a Monday-Wednesday-Friday cycle. If I have a hectic week and can only do two sessions, I cut out the light day. The book, "Practical Programming for Strength Training" is great and I've given multiple copies away. It's suitable for everyone from a professional athlete to people just wanting to keep their body and soul together. There's an excellent section for folks (like me) who are older - as in 50's and on up.

 

Trump v. Clinton - who's winning the social media war?

This was forwarded to me in an email by my friend Ed and has some interesting stats that I believe are somewhat current. It's no contest but we'll see in two weeks. I thought Clinton had the youth vote? This is a cut and paste off the email which is why it looks a little weird.

UPDATE: #'s below are exaggerated for Trump as far as twitter is concerned, but he's still well ahead. And on facebook the Trump #'s are too high, but he has 11.7 million followers to 7.6 million for Clinton. And it has been shown that many of Hillary's followers are fakes. FULL DISCLOSURE: I don't follow either of them on anything. But I am a Never Hillary voter.

 

 

Let’s take a look at the facts that the media completely ignores or covers up. Instead, they have been giving Clinton the lead despite the fact that she can’t get anyone to even show up to her rallies.

 

FACT #1: Trump has nearly three times the amount of followers on Facebook.

Trump: 12,174,358 likes.

Clinton: 4,385,959 likes.

That does not look good at all for her! 

Fact #2: Trump has 18.6 million twitter followers.

Hillary Clinton has only 6.1 million.

The best part is that most of Hillary’s are actually fake. According to the Washington Examiner, 41 percent of Hillary’s “followers” are not even real people.

In contrast, The Daily Caller says that Trump’s followers are 90% real with  90% of them having a previous voting record. 

Fact #3: Trump averages 160k viewers per live stream.

Clinton averages 400 viewers per live stream.

Wow. That is bad. Trump also gets 5,000 percent more eyeballs focused on the screen than Clinton. Yep. She really is that boring to the folks. 

Fact #4: Instagram.

Trump has 6.2 million followers.

Clinton has 800,000 followers.

Instagram is a platform with mostly all pictures and not much substance – exactly what Hillary supporters love. And still she does very poorly in this medium. 

Fact #5: On Reddit.

Trump: 297,696 subscribers

Clinton: 21,429 subscribers 

But on Hillary for Prison: she gets 255,228 subscribers.

Trump has more subscribers than Clinton on every major social media outlet but what is even funnier is that there are nearly 3 times as many people subscribed to “Hillary for Prison” than there are subscribed to the Clinton page. 

The best part is that the DNC's leaked emails from WikiLeaks have proven that Clinton pays people to support her online. Trump supporters on the other hand willingly actually like and follow him on Social media. 

Rigged system? "Podesta Says It’s OK for Illegals to Vote With Driver’s License"

From wikileaks. This is amazing in it's gall.

In the latest Wikileaks Podesta documents John Podesta actually says it is OK for illegals to vote if they have a driver’s license.

John Podesta: I think Teddy’s idea scratches the itch, is pretty safe and uncomplicated.
On the picture ID, the one thing I have thought of in that space is that if you show up on Election Day with a drivers license with a picture, attest that you are a citizen, you have a right to vote in Federal elections.

NY Times as equal opportunity employer

Unfortunately this isn't picked up on by many people - certainly won't be covered by the news people at the Times. And the NY Times is a publicly traded company, so unlike a privately held company that can do as it pleases, they are supposed to be doing a real job search to fill the position with the best qualified candidate.

A PR from the Catholic League -

Pleas for more diversity and inclusion are a mantra at the New York Times. For example, it demands more inclusion in the Catholic Church’s clergy—women must be ordained—and rails against the glass ceiling in the corporate world that keeps women from reaching the top.

There is one exception: when it comes to hiring a new publisher at the New York Times, it throws diversity and inclusion to the wind. Not only does it confine its search to white boys, it only considers blood relatives. The New York Times is not only a patriarchy, its affection for hiring along patrilineal descent lines is boundless.

Mark Thompson, who heads the New York Times Company, announced today that Arthur Gregg Sulzberger is the new deputy publisher of the newspaper. Thompson is perhaps best known for covering up, and lying about, the deeds of BBC child rapist Jimmy Savile.

This appointment is critical because it signals the continuation of the Times monarchy: Arthur Gregg’s father, Arthur Sulzberger Jr., is the current publisher, and his son is next in line to succeed him on the throne. Sulzberger Jr. got his job because his predecessor, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, was his father.

A.G., as Arthur Gregg is now known (it was confusing at the newspaper so they settled on his initials), would represent the fifth generation of his family since the Grand Patriarch, Adolph S. Ochs, bought the newspaper in 1896.

To elect Arthur Gregg Sulzberger, the Times erected a cement ceiling: the only other two candidates for the job were Sam Dolnick and David Perpich. All three are cousins.

No women were interviewed. No blacks were interviewed. No Latinos (including the undocumented) were interviewed. No Native Americans were interviewed. No Asians were interviewed. No Catholics were interviewed. No Protestants were interviewed. No Muslims were interviewed. No Mormons were interviewed. And to the best of my knowledge, no transgender persons were interviewed.

This triumph of patriarchy was not, however, equally distributed along descent lines: no one from the Ochs family, or any of the other branches of the family, was considered. This is a cement ceiling that even ISIS couldn’t crack.

In keeping with its incestuous tradition, the selection committee included senior executive Michael Golden and his sister-in-law, Trudy Golden. Carolyn Greenspon was on the committee: she is a family trustee and board member of the New York Times Company. Thompson, chief executive of the Company, was also on the committee. No one not from the inner circle of the board, newspaper, or the family, was included.

Who needs affirmative action? Who needs to advertise? Who needs a head hunter? This is an old-boys club par excellence.

Thompson said the selection “was done in an extraordinarily careful, systematic way.” On that, everyone can agree.

It would be instructive to learn what Maureen Dowd thinks about this nativistic, misogynistic, racist, non-inclusive, diversity-be-damned, rigged hiring system at the New York Times. But this is not likely: she has long settled in, and knows exactly what her place is.

Cardinal Dolan comments on the wikileaks insults to Catholics

 

Finally says something. Of course certain Catholics don't think the remarks were insulting at all. John Podesta - one of the chief insulters - says he is a Catholic.

KRDO NewsChannel 13’s Heather Skold had the chance to speak with Cardinal Timothy Dolan as he spoke at the "Respect Life Dinner."

"WikiLeaks" released another round of emails in which Clinton campaign leaders made fun of the faith.

"Extraordinarily patronizing and insulting to Catholics… If it had been said about the Jewish community, the Islamic community, within 10 minutes there would have been an apology and a complete distancing from those remarks, which hasn't happened yet,” said Cardinal Dolan. “I'm hoping that she's going to distance herself from these remarks by her chief of staff."

Cardinal Dolan stopped short of endorsing a candidate for president, instead saying that he expects people to be "acquainted with the issues."

He trusts people to be guided by their moral convictions.

 

 

Pope Francis: Give Food, Drink to Needy … But Donations Don’t Replace You

Personal responsibility. This won't make the media. Doesn't fit the narrative.

When we give to the needy, God’s mercy is present, Pope Francis says. Yet, he warns, don’t think solidarity campaigns and donations are enough, you must personally realize your responsibility….

“Faced with some news and especially certain images, the public feels touched and responds occasionally with solidarity campaigns. The generous donations made this way, can help alleviate the suffering of so many.”

Charity, in forms of solidarity campaigns, donations, and so on, is important, but perhaps does not involve us directly enough, the Pope observed.

“But when, going down the street,” he explained, “we cross a person in need, or a poor man comes knocking at the door of our house, it is very different, because they are no longer in front of an image, but we are personally involved. There is no longer any distance between me and him or her.”

“In these cases, what is my reaction?” he asked those present to consider.

He told those present to ponder how often we say when praying the Our Father, “Give us this day our daily bread,” and yet we do not really focus on those words.

Every day, Francis lamented, many are starving, right next to abundance and waste.

Citing the Apostle James, he reminded those gathered that faith without works is dead, and that we cannot delegate our responsibility to help the starving and thirsty.

“This poor [person],” he urged those to realize, “needs me, my help, my word, my commitment.” He reminded them how Jesus instructs us to do so in Gospel.

A sad tale: "Obama Lied. My Third Health Plan Just Died."

The truth. The "Affordable Care Act" was so misbegotten it never had a chance. As I said over and over - just type "Obamacare" in the search box above and scroll through the titles of my postings. And I have clients who had their insurance cancelled.

This is Michelle Malkin - read it and it gives an inkling to why an outsider like Trump could be the next President.

Once was a shock. Twice was an outrage. Thrice is a nightmare that won’t end.

Every time we receive a ancellation letter, I recall President Obama’s big lie: “If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. Period. If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away. No matter what.”

****

Like an estimated 22 million other Americans, I am a self-employed small-business owner who buys health insurance for my family directly on the individual market (as opposed to group insurance through a company or third party). Our most recent plan features a $6,000 deductible with a $1,000 monthly premium. It’s nosebleed expensive, but provides us access to specialists not curtailed by bureaucratic gatekeepers. This has been important for us because several members of my family have required specialized care for chronic illnesses.

Once again, however, I’ll soon be talking about our plan in the past tense. Choices for families like mine have evaporated in the era of Obamacare. In Colorado, UnitedHealthCare and Humana will cease selling individual plans next year. Rocky Mountain Health Plans is pulling out of the individual market in all but one county. Nearly 100,000 of my fellow Coloradans will be forced to find new insurance alternatives as open enrollment approaches on Nov. 1, according to the Denver Business Journal. As Anthem abandons PPOs, the cost of remaining individual market plans will soar an average of 20 percent.

It’s a nationwide implosion.

Individual market customers on the Obamacare exchange in Oklahoma learned last week that they’ll face average rate hikes of a whopping 76 percent. Last month, Maryland approved double-digit rate hikes for all individual market plans. In August, Tennessee approved rate increases of between 44 and 62 percent for three insurers still carrying individual market plans. And in Minnesota, where the individual market is on the brink of collapse, state officials recently agreed to raise rates an average of 60 percent next year — affecting an estimated 250,000 people both on and off the Obamacare exchanges.

The private individual insurance market is in peril. The government-run exchanges are flailing. And the vaunted nonprofit Obamacare co-ops that were supposed to dramatically lower costs have bombed despite billions in taxpayer subsidies.

 

 

Neat! Fosbury Flop is 48 years old. What if it was invented today?

The Fosbury Flop revolutionized the high jump. Here's a short, clever video of what would happen if it were invented today and not in 1968.

 

Rugby: New Zealand 17 wins in a row; going for record 18th

This Saturday they'll be playing Australia in an otherwise meaningless game - my bad as no rugby game is meaningless - but they will try to break the record for wins in a row. The record is jointly held by New Zealand (three times) and South Africa.

 

Rosary Hill/Dominican Sisters testimonial

The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne caring for terminally ill cancer patients (at no cost). Founder - Rose Hawthorne, the daughter of author Nathaniel Hawthorne.

 

Rugby: So. Hemisphere, New Zealand v. South Africa

The last game of the Southern Hemisphere Championship. An amazing display by New Zealand against historically their greatest opponent. The All Blacks have won 17 games in a row.

The longer highlights (15 minutes) are here. Below are the short version highlights and the last ten minutes in the second video.

 

Here are the last ten as South Africans are run off their feet.

 

Democratic party bus dumps human feces into storm drain

 

I suppose that's appropriate. DNC says it's "an honest mistake." Hit the link.

http://www.cbs46.com/story/33418363/witness-clinton-forward-together-tour-bus-dumps-human-waste-into-storm-drain

A Lawrenceville businessman took several photos of the tour bus dumping waste into the storm drain. You can see in the pictures, a liquid coming from the bottom of the bus.

According to the witness, a HAZMAT crew had to be called to the location. 

CBS46 reached out to the DNC and they issued the following statement:

This was an honest mistake and we apologize to the Lawrenceville community for any harm we may have caused. We were unaware of any possible violations and have already taken corrective action with the charter bus company to prevent this from happening again. Furthermore, the DNC will work with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, as well as local and state officials to determine the best course of corrective action.

How long does it take to get out of shape - de-condition?

For me, it seems like about three days. Here's a more scientific look. It's a short article, only 11 paragraphs if you hit the link.

. “If you stop resistance training, you will lose strength at about half the rate it was gained,” explains Pete McCall, M.S., C.S.C.S. and exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. “So if you had increased your leg strength by 50 percent after following a 10-week program, then stopped working your legs completely, you’d lose half of that strength in 10 weeks, and all of it 20 weeks later.”

“Studies have shown that cardio fitness tends to go away quicker than fitness built by strength training,” says McCall. In other words, that Spinning class is going to feel tougher than lifting weights.

And lastly, other factors come into play when your muscle definition dwindles. Things like genetics, age—we lose three to five percent of muscle mass per decade after we turn 30, says McCall—stress levels, sleep, and metabolism all have a role in how quickly you’ll lose that strength.

 

Lifestyle report: Almost half of men shave their legs

Well I'm in the other half. The article is in the Independent (UK) but the survey was done by Men's Health in the USA.

Surveying their Facebook followers, Men’s Health found that while the majority of men are not completely shaving their legs, a surprising 15 per cent are, while a further 33 per cent admitted: “I don’t shave clean, but I do use a trimmer to cut it down”. That’s nearly half of the men polled that are tackling their leg hair in some way or form - but why?

you need to hit the link for the answers.

 

Media political contributions: 96% to Clinton

Go to link below - It's not big $$$, but it shows where their hearts are - Clinton $382,000, Trump $14,000

In all, people identified in federal campaign finance filings as journalists, reporters, news editors or television news anchors — as well as other donors known to be working in journalism — have combined to give more than $396,000 to the presidential campaigns of Clinton and Trump, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis. Nearly all of that money — more than 96 percent — has benefited Clinton: About 430 people who work in journalism have, through August, combined to give about $382,000 to the Democratic nominee, the Center for Public Integrity’s analysis indicates.

Yikes! Rhino's snout gets stuck in tire

How'd you like to remove the tire. It appears the veterinarians in Zimbabwe tranquilized the rhino first; but the cameraman at the end was pretty nervous ... A one minute video.

Washington Post: It's in the bag for Clinton

I'm a pretty regular reader of WaPo because they usually keep their editorial opinions out of their news coverage. But that's gone out the window with their election coverage and like most of the rest of the media - and Wall Street - they are in the tank for Mrs. Clinton.

Here they suggest she is so sure of winning she can either play it safe or aim for a HUGE win. Mind you, according to their own most recent poll she's only 4 points ahead among likely voters.

Of course this may just be a strategy to discourage Trump supporters. I wouldn't doubt it.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton faces a striking choice in the final three weeks of the campaign: to expand her efforts to states that Democrats haven’t won in a generation, or to stay a current course that, if conditions hold, would deliver her a resounding electoral college victory.

After two tumultuous weeks focused on Donald Trump’s behavior toward women, Clinton is ahead in nearly all of the key battleground states where her campaign has directed the most resources, according to many recent polls. But some once-solidly Republican states — notably Arizona, Georgia and Utah — now also appear to be in play.

Clinton aides said they see advantages to running up the score in the electoral college, where 270 votes wins the White House. Victories in unexpected places could boost that total, handing her more of a mandate come January and decreasing the potency of Trump’s complaints of a “rigged” election.

But victories in core battleground states such as Pennsylvania and New Hampshire would almost assuredly cut off Trump’s path as well. Those states are also home to key down-ballot races that will determine control of the Senate, an important factor in how much support Clinton would have while launching an agenda in January.

 

 

 

 

The Trump NC HQ bombing: CNN blames Trump

When I heard the North Carolina Republican headquarters had been bombed - I was in the gym when it came over the news - I wondered how long it would take for the media to blame Trump.

Answer - Not long at all. CNN’s Stelter Blames Firebombing of NC Republican Office on Trump's 'Over Heated' Rhetoric

Shortly they'll claim Trump supporters did it to get sympathy for Trump. On a nearby building “Nazi Republicans get out of town or else” was spray painted and Republicans aren't smart enough to think of that embellishment.

 

 

Fr. Arturo Sosa, new head of the Jesuits

 

 

He is from Venezuela. Certainly a distinguished looking guy. He's so unknown in the United States and Europe that there is no wikipedia  entry for him (yet). So this from the Jesuits and one minute video below -

 

Bob Dylan and his religious beliefs

Here's a timely article.  It's short but you have to hit the link.

What Religion Does Nobel Prize Winner Bob Dylan Practice?

Even later, it was found that Dylan continued to practice some of his Jewish customs, once again giving rise to speculations as to his religious beliefs. However, the doubts are now cleared with Dylan's Messianic Jewish friend and spiritual guide, Al Kasha, 75, saying that Dylan never lost his faith in Christ.

Read more at World Religion News: "What Religion Does Nobel Prize Winner Bob Dylan Practice?" http://www.worldreligionnews.com/?p=31844

Even later, it was found that Dylan continued to practice some of his Jewish customs, once again giving rise to speculations as to his religious beliefs. However, the doubts are now cleared with Dylan's Messianic Jewish friend and spiritual guide, Al Kasha, 75, saying that Dylan never lost his faith in Christ.

Read more at World Religion News: "What Religion Does Nobel Prize Winner Bob Dylan Practice?" http://www.worldreligionnews.com/?p=31844

Even later, it was found that Dylan continued to practice some of his Jewish customs, once again giving rise to speculations as to his religious beliefs. However, the doubts are now cleared with Dylan's Messianic Jewish friend and spiritual guide, Al Kasha, 75, saying that Dylan never lost his faith in Christ.

Read more at World Religion News: "What Religion Does Nobel Prize Winner Bob Dylan Practice?" http://www.worldreligionnews.com/?p=31844

Wall Street Journal: "Anti-Catholics for Clinton"

An editorial, with an interesting 3 minute embedded video interview with a Notre Dame priest. I put a note in the excerpt below with some additional info.

It’s no secret that progressive elites despise religion, but it’s still striking to see their contempt expressed so bluntly as in the leaked email chains that include Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.

The emails show that in 2011 Mr. Podesta and Jennifer Palmieri, who is now a senior Clinton campaign official, received a note from their Center for American Progress colleague John Halpin. Mr. Halpin notes a media report that our News Corp. superiors, Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch and CEO Robert Thomson, raise their kids Catholic. Mr. Halpin observes that many leading conservatives are Catholic and opines that they “must be attracted to the systematic thought and severely backwards gender relations.”

******

This is a window into the intolerant secular soul of the Democratic establishment and perhaps explains why it has done so little to accommodate requests for religious liberty from the Little Sisters of the Poor. Team Clinton apparently views religion merely as a justification people adopt for their views on politics and gender. Don’t Clinton campaign advisers think it’s at least possible that a person might be motivated by sincere belief?

Mr. Halpin’s response to Ms. Palmieri was: “Excellent point. They can throw around ‘Thomistic’ thought and ‘subsidiarity’ and sound sophisticated because no one knows what the hell they’re talking about.”

We’ll leave Thomism to the theologians, but subsidiarity is a concept that the left would do well to consider. It is the idea that social problems are best addressed by the nearest and smallest competent authority, rather than by a faraway state.

******

Clinton advisers would also rather force the church to accept their teachings. In 2012 activist Sandy Newman emailed Mr. Podesta to say there “needs to be a Catholic Spring, in which Catholics themselves demand the end of a middle ages dictatorship.” As if people are forced to believe at the point of a gun. Mr. Podesta responds with an update on what he’s been doing to prepare “for a moment like this.”

NOTE: The two groups Podesta is referring to are "Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good" and "Catholics United", both of which groups tend to pop up during the election cycle and are funded by multi-billionaire and professed atheist George Soros. If you doubt me, just google the two names and the dirt will come out. Or just go here for a listing of his donations to anti-Catholic groups.

This disdain for people of faith helps explain today’s political polarization and why so many people are willing to support a blunt, avenging force like Donald Trump. Religious Americans know that much of the political establishment detests them.

St. Teresa of Avila, feast today

One of the great Catholic mystics and Saints. And the first woman named a Doctor of the (Catholic) Church. Last Lent I read her book The Interior Castle (available as Kindle edition for 99 cents!), which is eminently accessible & profitable to anyone willing to devote 15-30 minutes for several weeks. Phenomenological not theological, and she has a dry, one might say foxy, sense of humor. It was written for her sisters - she reformed the Carmelites and established numerous convents and monasteries - and not published 'til after her death, four years later in 1582. This more or less spared her from being examined by the Inquisition (she was already dead). 

Her writings are absolutely applicable to 21st century folks.

Planned Parenthood's 100th anniversary today

A sad day, in my mind. Worth remembering that the founder, Margaret Sanger. was a racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic. Her positions are voluminously illustrated in her own writings. Here's just one example:

"[We propose to] hire three or four colored ministers, preferably with social-service backgrounds, and with engaging personalities. The most successful educational approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal. And we do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members." [2]

Nasty stuff.

What the head of the IMF thinks of the Developing World

Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Having lived in Jamaica, way back in 1977-1979 I'm no fan of the IMF. I don't think they've gotten any better since then, as far as the Third World goes.

 

Bob Dylan awarded Nobel Prize in Literature

UPDATE: In email from correspondent Ray: "To celebrate 'Everyone must get stoned'"

"Like a rolling stone". I've always liked Bob Dylan, but I never thought of him as Nobel Prize material ... Here's the 30 second announcement.

 

Wikileaks, the Clintons, and the Clinton campaign

The corruption is incredible. Not too mention the anti-Catholic plotting. Links are below for anyone to follow up on.

UNIVISION chief urged Clinton to hit harder...
CNBC John Harwood Advises Campaign [And he was debate moderator?!]...
NYT Gave Hillary Veto Power On Quotes!
BOSTON GLOBE coordinated to max her 'presence' in paper...
SHE WAS TOLD WHEN TO SMILE?
BRAZILE BUSTED: DNC Chief Shared CNN Town Hall Questions...
Used Benghazi as distraction from email scandal...
CAMPAIGN DISCUSSIONS WITH DOJ!
State Dept Coordinated Email Release...

 

Oh, there's more ... and they'll probably be more tomorrow. Links from Drudge.

 

PODESTA: I'VE BEEN ALTERED!
He Plotted 'Catholic Spring' With Left-Wing Activists...
Infilitrate Church...
Hacks Expose Journalists In Clinton's Corner...
WASH POST bureau chief protected Podesta...
Clinton Staffers Discussed Which Emails To Release...
And Which to DELETE!
Brazile had EXACT WORDING of proposed town hall question before CNN?
Dems planned to fool Sanders supporters at convention...
'His people will think they've won something'...
'Bitching' Bernie Voters...
Emails Reveal MORE Collusion Between State And Clinton Campaign...

The Pope speaks - again - on Gender Theory

As he differentiates between ideologues - "ideological colonization" and people with a transgender tendency. .

 

Origin of Leatherman - the multitool megabrand

Pretty interesting article on the Gear Junkie website.

Here's one of our (many) leatherman tools - the Juice S2. Pliers, scissors, knife, four screwdrivers and a bottle/can opener in a neat four ounce package. One of their most popular tools (I am not a paid spokesperson!...).

And here's the article.

Origin Of Leatherman: The Road From Start-Up To Mega-Brand

The Leatherman is one of the most iconic pieces of outdoors gear. Was there a moment where you thought, “I have really invented something significant!”

Yes, in that first year when things were going so crazy compared to what we expected. At some point we thought, “Wow, what’s going on here?” Maybe we didn’t design a new pocket knife, maybe we designed something that’s in an entirely new product category.

****

Tell us what the immediate future at Leatherman will bring, and then any hints on a five-year outlook or plan.

We always have a three-year revolving “new product introduction plan.” Three years out we have an idea for a new concept, then two years out we have an idea for an actual product, and then one year out we’re working with metal to create prototypes.

My basic philosophy is that we’re in the business of helping people with preparedness. Our five-year plan is to continue to evolve as demands for preparedness evolves.

Let’s say that in the future, a screwdriver isn’t the tool you need to fix kids’ toys anymore. In that case, a Leatherman will need to have the relevant tool(s) for the job. Our goal is to always give you the tools you need to be prepared for the unexpected.

The worldwide Jesuits are meeting - their 36th Convocation

Good article by the excellent journalist, John Allen.

ROME- Beginning October 2 and running until needed, the Society of Jesus is holding its 36th General Congregation. That means that for the foreseeable future, 215 delegates of the leading men’s religious order of the Catholic Church are gathered in Rome not only to appoint a new leader, but also to determine the path the Jesuits will take in the near future. ... there are 16,740 Jesuits scattered across the four corners of the earth, including about 12,000 priests, 1,300 brothers, 2,700 scholastics, and 753 novices...

Here's an interesting fact on their worldwide diversity -

Although the list is too long to name them all, three quick facts:

• They come from every continent except Antartica.
• The country with most delegates (49) is India, where there are currently 4,000 Jesuits. With 33 delegates, the U.S. comes second, followed closely by Italy, with 31. Several countries have only one.
• The oldest participant is the outgoing Superior General, Nicolás, and the youngest elector comes from Lebanon, Father Dany Younès.

As Venezuelan Jesuit Father Arturo Sosa says in a video made available by the GC36, “seeing the picture of the Congregation is enough to realize [its] immense cultural diversity,” with people from over 60 countries.

I believe Mother Teresa's personal spiritual advisor was a Jesuit.

A fellow short, fat, Italian I really admire.

Yup. Today is the Feast Day of Saint Pope John XXIII. His feast day is today because it's the date he called for convening Vatican II.

The fourth of 14 children, born to a family of sharecroppers, here's his wikipedia bio.

And a very brief biography from the Laudate online Catholic service.

Pope John XXIII (1881 - 1963)

Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was born in the village of Sotto il Monte, near Bergamo, in 1881. At the age of 11 he entered the seminary at Bergamo and later pursued his studies at the Pontifical Seminary in Rome. He was ordained priest in 1904. He was secretary to the Bishop of Bergamo but from 1921 onwards he served the Holy See directly in various posts, both in Rome and in Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece, culminating as Apostolic Nuncio to France from 1944 until 1953, when he was created cardinal and made the Patriarch of Venice. He was elected Pope in 1958. He convoked the Roman Synod, instituted the revision of Canon Law, and called the Second Vatican Council, which opened on 11 October 1962. He died while the Council was still in session, on the evening of 3 June 1963.

Nice: The Pope explains the Rosary

Pretty good!

How I spent my Sunday

On a nice 6.7 mile hike with Brigid and hiking buddy Jeanne Marie - and then a stop at the Peekskill brewery. We didn't do the original hike we'd planned but what we did - on and near the Osborne Loop Trail south of Cold Spring - was excellent.

And moi - more to pictures to follow.

Russia vetoes UN resolution to sve Aleppo (city in Syria)

Nice. Putin let's them burn.

It was the fifth time that Russia used its veto to block UN action to end the five-year war in Syria, which has claimed 300,000 lives.

As the council meeting got underway, the Syrian regime pressed its assault on rebel-held areas of Aleppo, where 125,000 people are living under siege and facing almost-daily heavy bombing.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault urged the council to take immediate action to save Aleppo from being destroyed by the Russia-backed Syrian bombing campaign.

"What is at stake today is first and foremost the fate of Aleppo and its people," Ayrault told the council.

"But it's more than that -- it's the hope of establishing at last an end to a conflict for which we are all, all of us, paying the catastrophic consequences."

Ayrault said the council "must demand immediate action in order to save Aleppo."

In a message directed at Russia, Ayrault said any country that opposes the French measure will "give Bashar al-Assad the possibility of killing even more."

The draft resolution presented by France called for an end to all military flights over Aleppo and to the aerial bombardments that have escalated since the Syrian army launched an offensive last month.