Tom Faranda's Folly

My letter to Attorney General William Barr

I sent this out Friday by FEDEX - 2 day delivery (I'm cheap...). So it arrived yesterday. I sent it on my business stationary - here is the text. Be interesting to see what answer, if any, I get from the DOJ.

 

By FEDEX

7-26-2019

The Honorable William P. Barr Attorney General of the United States

U.S. Department of Justice

950 Pennsylvania Ave.

Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Attorney General Barr:

I was saddened and disappointed to read that you had ended the moratorium on federal capital punishment, and that five people are now scheduled to be executed starting in December. I read the press release from the Department and understand that all five were convicted of horrible, almost unimaginable crimes and have exhausted appeals.

I believe in justice, but also in mercy and the possibility of reform. While the case can be made that these men deserve execution, that is no way to build a culture of life. They are incarcerated and can no longer cause harm. By sparing them from capital punishment a message is sent that rehabilitation is always possible.

 As the current head of the Pastoral Council of Holy Name of Mary Catholic Parish in Croton, NY I do not pretend to speak for everyone in my community but want to point out that as Pope Saint John Paul wrote, “bloodless means are sufficient … and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.” Pope Francis has also ruled out capital punishment, as have the Bishops of the United States Catholic Conference.

I appreciate there can be political pressure to carry out these executions. I hope you will give further thought to what message this sends when the government executes men who have been rendered harmless, and reconsider your decision.

Sincerely,

 

Thomas G. Faranda

Principal

 

    CC. Sr. Helen Prejean

       Timothy Cardinal Dolan

       HNM Pastoral Council members

 

 

 

BB "'I'm Still Sharp As A Tack,' Insists Mueller Moments Before Taking Phone Call On A Banana"

After a brief recess, Mueller insisted he was entirely lucid. "I hear a few murmurs out there that I've lost it," he said. "Well, I haven't lost it. I've still got it. In fact, I'm still sharp as a tack."

Before testimony could resume, however, Mueller interrupted the proceedings, appearing to reach for his cell phone. "I really have to take this," he said apologetically as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a banana. "Yeah, go for Bob."

Mueller proceeded to have what appeared to be a five-minute conversation on the fruit as bewildered congresspeople looked on. "Well, tell them I don't want to be there this Friday. Matlock's on, you know that. You know I don't go out when Matlock is on." He shrugged apologetically at those in the room, mouthing "sorry."

"Look, if the consulate has a problem with that, tell them they can call me themselves," he concluded, slamming the banana back down on the table.

 

Amazing - shark(s) and giant grouper - who wins?

It's no contest ... With commentary by some NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) scientists. They are awed.

And here's another view of a giant (goliath) grouper. We saw grouper when we lived on Grand Cayman but never giant ones.

Article: Where do the owners of private jets fly to?

FULL DISCLOSURE: I do not own a private jet or have a time share in one. But I wish I did...

Private jet flights climbed almost 10% last year, according to an analysis of 30 island destinations by real estate broker Knight Frank and aviation adviser WingX. Private jets flew to islands in the Americas almost 30,000 times, making them the world’s top hub for non-commercial aviation, led by the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the Cayman Islands. “Private jets are the path of least resistance” for travel, said Knight Frank partner Alasdair Pritchard, who advises billionaire clients. “If you can afford it and then experience it, you wouldn’t go back.”

Women's World Record in 400m hurdles broken last night - and on a wet track

Here's the end -

 

Instead of previous push-up challenge, "Biden Challenges Trump To Water Aerobics Contest"

The challenge was intended to make Trump look weak and Biden a more macho, intimidating option for Democrats looking for someone with the right stuff to take Trump on in the general election. Biden said if he's put in the general election, he'll face off against Trump in a water aerobics test of strength in various exercises appropriate for the men's advanced age.

"I'll flutter kick circles around that weakling," Biden boasted in an interview. "My instructor at the Y says I'm one of the most promising students in her 'advanced seniors' class. And then I'll finish him off with a half-dozen leg lifts. He won't see what hit him."

"I'll arm curl him all the way back into the sauna!" he added confidently, attempting to flex but getting a muscle cramp. ...

Biden also bragged that he uses the "heavy" weights, referring to the half-pound foam dumbbells he uses in the pool.

At publishing time, Biden was forced to withdraw his challenge after he was banned from the gym for getting a little too close to some of the women in the pool.

My birthday follow-up

Mostly by Brigid, the comedienne -

Here is the artist ...

BB: "Man Standing Before God Explains How Much Worse The Other Political Party Was"

A questionable strategy...

Confronted by the infinite holiness of God, Peterson felt the guilt and shame of his sins washing over him, realizing with a sense of dread how he had rejected Christ and willfully rebelled against his Creator. But then, Peterson got an idea. He quickly began explaining to God just how bad the other party was so he could get off the hook.

"I know I'm complicit in a lot of evil, God, but have you seen what the other guys were doing?" he said. "Man, they were doing a LOT of bad stuff. Really offensive to Your holiness. I bet you're pretty glad I was there to stop them." Peterson explained how he had a choice between caging kids and killing babies and so he just settled for what he felt was "the lesser of two evils."

"I mean, you gotta admit, it was a tough call," he said, shrugging. "Classic Catch 22. Hehehe." He chuckled nervously to fill the awkward silence.

"Anyway, I'll just slip on through the Pearly Gates, then, Lord?"

"Lord, Lord?"

Happy Birthday to me! As I turn 61 again!

Yes, always subtract seven years is one of my mottoes to live by. Unfortunately it doesn't work anymore.

Here is absolutely conclusive proof. Myself with Tim at his graduation back in May, when I realized I need to start ironing my face. That's me on the right ...

OMG! Never take yourself too seriously - another of my mottoes...

 

 

Baseball: Wow! Guy goes home with a headache!

Poor technique catching a home run...

Wall Street Journal on Mueller testimony

UPDATE: In the gym watching CNN last night - Erin Burnett - and they made every effort to put a positive spin on his appearance. I guess it's what their audience wants to hear.

OMG! Mueller had a deer in the headlights look the whole time. The Journal got it exactly right and below the link is a sample - one Mueller response. The whole thing seems an embarrassment. Can't believe moveon.org and The New Yorker think it was positive for their side (the hate Trump side).

House Democrats hoped that Wednesday’s hearings would allow them to highlight their favorite portions of the Mueller report for people who haven’t read it. Democrats didn’t expect this segment of Americans to include the author.

Largely unwilling to promote, defend or elaborate on a document with which he seemed strangely unfamiliar, former Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller let stand the report’s finding of no Trump-Russia collusion and, intentionally or not, ensured that his work will not be used to drive a duly-elected President from office.

By late morning it was clear that the Democratic effort to coax a dramatic reading of the Mueller report from its ostensible author was failing.

Here's a sample. No wonder in his six minute press conference several months ago he took no questions.

 

Yanks-Twins last night; amazing game with spectacular ending

What a game. The lead changed five times in the last three innings. And then - suddenly it was over on a stunning defensive play. 

 

Here are the "extended highlights." If you want more.

A look at the "Socialism 2019" Conference - good article.

From the Daily Signal, a conservative website. NOte the conference held at a Hyatt Hotel. Isn't the Hyatt a Capitalist Tool?

Since there’s often confusion as to what socialism really is, I decided to attend the Socialism 2019 conference at the Hyatt Hotel in Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend. The conference, which had the tag line “No Borders, No Bosses, No Binaries,” contained a cross-section of the most pertinent hard-left thought in America. Among the sponsors were the Democratic Socialists of America and Jacobin, a quarterly socialist magazine.

The walls of the various conference rooms were adorned with posters of Karl Marx and various depictions of socialist thinkers and causes.

Most of the conference attendees appeared to be white, but identity politics were a major theme throughout—especially in regard to gender.

At the registration desk, attendees were given the option of attaching a “preferred pronoun” sticker on their name tags.

In addition, the multiple-occupancy men’s and women’s restrooms were relabeled as “gender neutral,” and men and women were using both. Interestingly enough, the signs above the doors were still labeled with the traditional “men’s” and “women’s” signs until they were covered over with home-made labels.

One of the paper labels read: “This bathroom has been liberated from the gender binary!”

While the panelists and attendees were certainly radical, and often expressed contempt for the Democratic Party establishment, it was nevertheless clear how seamlessly they blended traditional Marxist thought with the agenda of what’s becoming the mainstream left.

They did so by weaving their views with the identity politics that now dominate on college campuses and in the media and popular entertainment. The culture war is being used as a launching point for genuinely socialist ideas, many of which are re-emerging in the 21st century.

Here are six takeaways from the conference: Go here for the six takeaways/complete article.

Netflix: Case study of what happens when high-flying growth stock misses it's growth #'s.

It gets whacked.

Netflix's disappointing quarter reported last Wednesday has caused the streaming darling of Wall Street to shed more than $24 billion in value in six days as the stock has sunk 15 percent.

Shares of Netflix have now fallen each of the last nine trading days, as the stock began its downfall even before it released its quarterly financial report, which indicated it lost subscribers in the U.S. for the first time since launching its streaming service nearly a decade ago. Netflix also disclosed last Wednesday that it added just 2.7 million subscribers worldwide, while it had previously anticipated adding about 5 million in the quarter.

Netflix's largest fall in recent days came last Thursday when the stock dropped 10 percent, knocking $17 billion from its market capitalization. The stock closed Tuesday down $3.32 to $307.30, a price that leaves it with a market cap of $134.5 billion.

To be sure, longtime holders of Netflix stock have profited mightily as its shares have surged 3,300 percent in less than nine years, but analysts don't expect anything near that sort of return going forward, and the heavy volume of trading over the past nine days suggests many investors are cashing in on their big gains.

Was the "crack in the growth trajectory a soon-forgotten hiccup or sign of things to come?" asks Vijay Jayant of Evercore ISI. The analyst expects shares of Netflix to rebound to $380 sometime in 2020, but that's less than where they traded two weeks ago.

In January, Netflix raised its domestic prices by 13-18 percent, depending on the subscriber plan, and the increase is the presumed culprit for falling subs in the U.S. while revenue was not a problem during the quarter.

On the horizon, of course, is more competition coming from Disney, Apple, WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal and others, which will lead to Netflix having to create more of its own content as it loses access to a lot of third-party movies and TV shows, and Jayant says: "We continue to see the proliferation of new internet TV services as a bigger threat to Netflix's content costs than subscriber growth."

So is it a good buy now? One things for sure - it's a better buy now then it was two weeks ago!

YIKES! Baby elephant in trouble!

Everyone loves elephants ... Almost 4 million views.

 

Boris Johnson will be new Prime Minister of Great Britain

From the Wall Street Journal. Of more than average interest to us, since Brigid is a UK citizen.

" Boris Johnson to Become U.K. Prime Minister After Winning Party Election Former London mayor, promising Brexit in October, to take office as leader of Conservatives"

His tenure will almost certainly be defined by Brexit, one of the greatest political challenges faced by any British prime minister since World War II and one that ended the careers of his two immediate predecessors.

“I know that there will be people around the place who will question the wisdom of your decision,” said Mr. Johnson to a packed auditorium. “We are going to energize the country, we are going to get Brexit done on Oct. 31 and we’re going to take advantage of all the opportunities it will bring in a new spirit of can-do.”

His anointment will herald a period of intense political and economic uncertainty for the U.K., with the prospect of a sudden break from the EU and questions about how long his minority government will last.

Mr. Johnson, whose decision to campaign for Brexit during the 2016 referendum was regarded as decisive, beat Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in a vote on Tuesday for the nomination as Conservative Party leader. He won by 92,153 votes to 46,656.

************

As the leader of the party that with the support of a small number of lawmakers from Northern Ireland commands a small majority in the House of Commons, he will take over as prime minister on Wednesday after an elaborate ritual.

Prime Minister Theresa May will make a last appearance as leader in the House of Commons before traveling to Buckingham Palace to tender her resignation to Queen Elizabeth II. Mr. Johnson will then visit the palace, where the queen will formally invite him to lead the government.

************

Mr. Johnson’s victory brings to office an unconventional politician who has risen through the ranks as much because of his public gaffes as despite them. He is popular with members of his own party, most of whom are enthusiastic about Brexit and regard him as an electoral asset for the party.

His supporters are hoping that he can shift the Brexit narrative through the optimism he sought to portray in his leadership campaign and by credibly threatening the EU with the prospect that he is ready to take the U.K. out of the bloc without a deal aimed at softening the expected economic shock.

***********

The scale of the victory was welcomed by Mr. Johnson’s supporters. “It is important because it gives him a mandate,” said Jacob Rees-Mogg, a euroskeptic Conservative lawmaker.

Mr. Johnson’s government will rely on the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland to muster a majority of just three.

***********

The precariousness of the Johnson administration could mean a general election isn’t far away. Mr. Johnson may decide to call one to break the logjam in Parliament in an effort to create a majority for a form of Brexit that he favors. Or the opposition could succeed in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in his government that would require a general election.

A general election is likely to happen before Brexit, said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director at the Eurasia Group.

Opinion polls suggest no party could be confident of winning a majority in a general election, with the most likely outcome another hung Parliament and further political deadlock.

Old Visa commercial - pretty funny.

Can you identify the actress? Thanks to Bob for sending me this!

 

Mariano Rivera Hall of Fame induction

For Yankee, and Mariano aficionado's...

Feast Day today: Saint Mary Magdalene

As St. Thomas Aquinas observed - "The Apostle to the Apostles."

Appearance of Jesus Christ to Maria Magdalena

Here's a little bit about her During Jesus's Ministry

And a recent article in America Magazine Nothing in the Gospel occurs by mere chance. It is highly significant that in a society where men wielded power in almost every aspect of life, Christ chose a woman to be the first to see him after his resurrection and to announce the news to his apostles. suggesting that her Feast Day be raised to the level of a Solemnity.

Why Planned Parenthood fired their President

Turns out that while she is very pro-abortion that's not enough. She actually thought PP should do more healthcare and less politics. So she had to go.

This is from NRO via Yahoo! Good article. The author, Alexandra Desanctis, follows the issue closely. The whole article is 16 paragraphs.

Planned Parenthood has long sought to downplay its commitment to abortion, calling itself a health-care organization and spreading the lie that abortion is only 3 percent of its business, even as its clinics perform between one-third and half of all abortions in the U.S. annually. The group’s leadership evidently believes this political moment demands more aggressive advocacy.

And Wen wasn’t up to the task. Considering her record thus far, she was hired for the “M.D.” beside her name, and little else. ... She consistently inserted the phrase “as a doctor” into her messaging to give the organization the gloss of medical legitimacy, and she never sounded like the polished, sure-footed political advocate Richards had.

Plenty of turmoil, meanwhile, was taking place behind the scenes. “Wen had tried to refocus the organization’s mission and image as a health provider offering a wide array of services, including abortions,” sources told the Washington Post this week. “Those close to Wen said she was opposed by some board members and others who wanted to emphasize the organization’s commitment to abortion rights.”

In January, Wen told BuzzFeed News she wanted to restructure the organization’s goals, noting that people aren’t going to Planned Parenthood to make a political statement. “What we will always be here to do is provide abortion access as part of the full spectrum of reproductive health care,” Wen said. “But we also recognize that for so many of our patients we are their only source of health care.”

***********

It didn’t work. In February, top political staffers left Planned Parenthood, reportedly amid ongoing conflict over Wen’s management style. Now that tension seems to have boiled over. Six sources told BuzzFeed this week that “significant management issues [were] part of the board’s decision to oust Wen,” and one “said her removal was accelerated by the intensifying battle over abortion rights, saying that she was not the right leader in this climate.”

Perhaps the most revealing detail from Buzzfeed’s report? Two sources said Wen angered staffers by refusing to use “trans-inclusive” language, “for example saying ‘people’ instead of ‘women’ and telling staff that she believed talking about transgender issues would ‘isolate people in the Midwest.’”

**********

Wen’s firing suggests that, instead of claiming to be just a normal health-care organization, Planned Parenthood intends to capitalize on its status as an influential left-wing interest group. To do that, it must become a purveyor of the entire progressive agenda, to the point of embracing the “intersectional” language promoted by transgender activists. So the mild-mannered Wen had to go.

Pro-lifers have long known what Planned Parenthood itself appears to be admitting: The group’s ultimate goal is to wield its political influence within the progressive movement to continue profiting from abortion.

 

African Cardinal Sarah on his 50th anniversary as a priest and his relationship with Pope Francis

His original influence? The missionaries "who communicated their faith to me."

Forbes: "Mariano Rivera Will Make History Upon Sunday's Hall of Fame Induction"

Great article in of all places, Forbes ("Capitalist Tool") magazine. The picture here is from the recent Old Timer's Game at  Yankee Stadium. Looks like he could still pitch in the Big Leagues!

The New York Yankees stellar reliever will be inducted Sunday into the National Baseball Hall of Fame behind the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, New York, the first player unanimously elected.

And here is an under 2 minute video as he talks about his "cutter" - and how all the batters knew it was coming!

 

Baseball: Real rarity - guy steals all three bases!

Back at the end of May. And he got on with a walk...

Ralph Nader endorses Warren-Sanders ticket. Or Sanders-Warren...

Would be a "very powerful ticket" (he says). From the Wall Street Journal. Wow. Ralph Nader is 85 years old.

Nader Calls for Warren-Sanders Ticket Former Green party candidate says both leftists are “articulate” and “pretty clean.”

Former Green party presidential candidate Ralph Nader says that Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (Socialist, Vt.), would make a “very powerful ticket” for Democrats in the 2020 general election. Mr. Nader adds that such a combination, combined with aggressive Democratic party efforts to keep Greens off the ballot, would make it hard for a Green party candidate to attract many votes in November of next year.

Mr. Nader, who first gained fame as an anti-corporate activist in the 1960s, calls Sens. Warren and Sanders the “strongest team” for Democrats in 2020 and says it’s “absolutely accurate” to see their campaigns as the legacy of his own multiple runs for President.

Mr. Nader is perhaps best known for his 2000 campaign, which some Democrats blame for siphoning votes away from then-Vice President Al Gore and costing him the election against then-Gov. George W. Bush (R., Texas). Mr. Nader ran as a Green party candidate that year in part because he believed that Mr. Gore and his Democratic party colleagues were insufficiently committed to the environmental agenda.

As for candidates seeking the 2020 Democratic nomination, Mr. Nader says it’s “too bad” that Sens. Warren and Sanders are “pitted against each other” since they are both advancing many of Mr. Nader’s views. “They can flip a coin” to decide who leads the ticket, says the former Green candidate, adding that both Ms. Warren and Mr. Sanders are “articulate” and “pretty clean.”

Considering the messages of the current campaigns Mr. Nader jokes that he could “almost accuse” Mr. Sanders of “plagiarism” if the Vermonter hadn’t been making such arguments for decades. And the anti-business crusader seems no less enthusiastic about Ms. Warren. “I think they complement each other,” he says.

Still, Mr. Nader is offering no guarantees that he’ll vote for such a ticket, saying that his vote is private and also lauding New York’s Howie Hawkins, a Green candidate for 2020.

Yankee Radio announcer John Sterling back on the job!

Here he's calling the Yankee first game of doubleheader against Tampa Day (Yanks won both games) which included the Aaron Boone dust up with the home plate ump. And hear his call on Hicks homer...

 

BB - Trump 2020 strategy: "Air Unedited Footage of Democrats Talking"

It would work like a charm. These people are anathema to swing voters.

The Trump campaign has unveiled its 2020 campaign strategy of airing unedited footage of speeches and press conferences by far-left Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and that other one.

GOP commercials will air the footage around the clock. The speeches will not be edited in any way. Rather than pushing their own policy proposals, Republicans will just remind the nation of just who it is they're running against.

"We were pretty concerned when Trump was tweeting those racially charged things the other day," said one campaign strategist. "But now we're in the clear again. I mean, he'll say something problematic again soon. But we don't even have to defend it. We just have to show people the Dems tripping over themselves to say something even crazier."

"Frankly, when we saw that wild press conference after Trump's tweets, we took a moment and thanked the Lord above for His blessings," he added.

By large majority, House votes to block impeachment effort.

So after all is said and done, the majority of Democrats opposed impeachment. They are smart.

The House voted to block an effort to impeach President Trump, in the first test of the divisive issue since Democrats took control of the chamber. Lawmakers voted 332-to-95 to table the resolution, with Republicans joined by a majority of the split Democratic caucus in passing the motion.

??? "Russian Orthodox Church considers ending blessings for nuclear weapons" ???

To quote a sage I know (Ed Mechmann) "why in the world would they ever have blessed nuclear weapons to begin with?"

This is from the Catholic Herald (UK) -

Last month, a committee on ecclesial law met in Moscow and recommended ending the practice of blessing missiles and warheads, and suggested that priests should instead bless only individual soldiers and their personal weapons. According to a report by Religion News Service, Bishop Savva Tutunov of the Moscow Patriarchate said that it would be more appropriate to bless only the warrior who is defending their country, and their own personal weapon–instead of bombs. “One can talk about the blessing of a warrior on military duty in defense of the fatherland,” said Tutunov. “At the end of the corresponding ritual, the personal weapon is also blessed — precisely because it is connected to the individual person who is receiving the blessing. By the same reasoning, weapons of mass destruction should not be sanctified,” he said.

Weapons systems, including Topol-class intercontinental ballistic missiles, are frequently blessed by members of the Russian Orthodox clergy during military parades and other events. These blessings are seen as a way of spiritually protecting the country.

In 2007, Russia’s nuclear weapons were consecrated in a service at the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. In Russian Orthodoxy, the patron saint of Russia’s nuclear weapons is St. Seraphim.

Tutunov’s view is not universally held in the Orthodox Church. According to  thepiece published by Religion News Service, Fr. Vsevolod Chaplain, a former spokesman for the Patriarch of Moscow, said that Russia’s nuclear arsenal is akin to the “guardian angels” of the country and are needed to protect Orthodoxy.

“Only nuclear weapons protect Russia from enslavement by the West,” Chaplin said to a Russian newspaper.

Patriarch Kirill is rumored to have been a KGB agent prior to the fall of the Soviet Union. His predecessor, Patriarch Alexy II is also believed to have been a KGB agent. The Moscow Patriarchate denies this.

The Catholic Church is explicitly opposed to nuclear weapons, and supports countries dismantling their arsenals.

Pope St. John XXIII called for the banning of nuclear weapons and wrote that “a general agreement must be reached on a suitable disarmament program, with an effective system of mutual control” in his 1963 encyclical Pacem in Terris.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes acts of war aimed at the indiscriminate destruction of entire cities or large areas as “a crime against God and man.”

“A danger of modern warfare is that it provides the opportunity to those who possess modern scientific weapons – especially atomic, biological, or chemical weapons – to commit such crimes.”

In November, Pope Francis is expected to visit Nagasaki and Hiroshima–cities where the United States deployed two atomic bombs during World War II–on his apostolic visit to Japan.

Feast today: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

The Carmelites. A big deal indeed!

Hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah in northern Israel in the 12th century. They had a chapel dedicated to Our Lady. By the 13th century they became known as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” They soon celebrated a special Mass and Office in honor of Mary. In 1726, it became a celebration of the universal Church under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For centuries the Carmelites have seen themselves as specially related to Mary. Their great saints and theologians have promoted devotion to her and often championed the mystery of her Immaculate Conception.

Saint Teresa of Avila called Carmel “the Order of the Virgin.” Saint John of the Cross credited Mary with saving him from drowning as a child, leading him to Carmel, and helping him escape from prison. Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus believed that Mary cured her from illness. On her First Communion day, Thérèse dedicated her life to Mary. During the last days of her life she frequently spoke of Mary.

There is a tradition—which may not be historical—that Mary appeared to Saint Simon Stock, a leader of the Carmelites, and gave him a scapular, telling him to promote devotion to it. The scapular is a modified version of Mary’s own garment. It symbolizes her special protection and calls the wearers to consecrate themselves to her in a special way. The scapular reminds us of the gospel call to prayer and penance—a call that Mary models in a splendid way.

---

Reflection

The Carmelites were known from early on as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” The title suggests that they saw Mary not only as “mother,” but also as “sister.” The word sister is a reminder that Mary is very close to us. She is the daughter of God and therefore can help us be authentic daughters and sons of God. She also can help us grow in appreciation of being sisters and brothers to one another. She leads us to a new realization that all human beings belong to the family of God. When such a conviction grows, there is hope that the human race can find its way to peace.

First I'd heard this - Antifa member killed while attacking an ICE facility with fire bombs and an AR-15

I would have thought this would have made the news. It happened Saturday but first I heard of it was when I saw it here last night.

 

Mark Dice - at the White House for the all-conservative "Social Media Convention"

This was last week, but Dice, an interesting blogger with a fairly big following and an a bit odd sense of humor, was there and here's his commentary. At the end, a back-and-forth between he and CNN blowhard Jim Acosta.

 

Good article - no doubt about it, to live longer do strength training (lift weights, body weight training, etc)

Not saying stop doing aerobic exercise - but ... And forget needing to do heavy weights, like the cartoon here. Almost any strength training works.

To Delay Death, Lift Weights. Two new studies remind of us of what we already know but sometimes forget.

The results, published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, found that those with low muscle strength were more than twice as likely to have died during the follow-up period than those with normal muscle strength. In contrast, having low muscle mass didn’t seem to matter as much.

The reference group, on the right side in the front, is those without either condition. In comparison, those with both conditions were 2.66 times as likely to die during the study. Having low muscle mass but normal strength, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be such a bad thing.

Here's the second study -

Researchers in Australia analyzed data from 80,000 adults in England and Scotland who completed surveys about their physical activity patterns starting in the 1990s. The headline result was that those who reported doing any strength training were 23 percent less likely to die during the study period and 31 percent less likely to die of cancer. Meeting the guidelines by strength training twice a week offered a little extra benefit.

One interesting (and, for me, reassuring) detail: Strength training in a gym and doing bodyweight exercises seemed to confer roughly equivalent benefits. So you don’t necessarily need to heave around large quantities of iron.

In this particular cohort, the benefits of meeting only the strength-training guidelines seemed to be roughly equivalent to meeting only the aerobic-training guidelines—at least in terms of overall mortality.

All very interesting. Hit the link above for the whole article, from Outside Magazine.

Coast Guard intercepts a drug smuggling submarine

Off Business Insider. Scary if you're the Coast Guard guys jumping on the sub. They intercepted $232 million in cocaine.

Bernie Sanders relates his thinking to ... beer!

Thank You Nancy!

Feast of St. Henry II - a very interesting dude.

Well, he had an fairly unusual lifestyle. Here is his full bio from wikipedia, and below an outline off the Catholic Morniing Offering email.

Saint Henry II (972-1024 A.D.) was born to the Duke of Bavaria and the Princess of Burgundy. He was a pious child and was given the education of a priest. However, his destiny changed when he succeeded his father as the Duke of Bavaria and took a holy woman as his wife. Upon the sudden death of his cousin he also became the King of Germany. Then, in 1014 A.D. he was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in St. Peter's Basilica by Pope Benedict VIII. St. Henry was determined to rule the empire with justice for the greater glory of God. He was known for his virtue and great faith; when entering any town, he would first pray in a church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He also invoked the saints to help him in battle against pagan armies. He did much good for his subjects and for the Church, and was graced with many mystical experiences. He and his wife, St. Cunegundes, observed perfect chastity during their marriage and therefore remained childless. Henry tried to enter a monastery after the death of his wife, however, his application was refused because it was thought he would continue to do much good if he remained in the world. St. Henry is the patron of dukes, kings, childless people, the handicapped, and people rejected by religious orders. His feast day is July 13th.

BBC: In Columbia, deactivating land mines.

24 year old woman - a saint.

Fed Chairman Powell on raising the minimum wage to $15 - "We don't take a position"

Worth listening to what he has to say on the subject, as he scrambles to avoid being seen as political. From his hearing with the HOuse Financial Services Committee on Wednesday.

Yankee stuff: Aroldis Chapman got the save in the All Star game - here it is

From the same guy who puts up lots of funky baseball stuff on youtube. Video is less than 2 minutes long. What a picture of Chapman!

Fed Chairman Powell on the economy - current expansion is reaching new groups

Some of his testimony yesterday to the House Financial Services Committee. Of course this is good news and has been obvious for some time.

Pope Francis calls for prayers for disabled French man being denied food and water

UPDATE: Vincent has died.

They have cut off nutrition and hydration for the man, who is disabled, but was not dying.

Pope Francis urged people to pray Wednesday for Vincent Lambert, a disabled man who is slowly being starved to death in France after doctors removed his food and water.

ANSA reports the pope called for prayers for Lambert and his family, and others who also are being abandoned to die.

“Let us pray for the sick who are abandoned and left to die,” Pope Francis wrote on Twitter. “A society is humane if it safeguards life, every life, from the beginning to its natural end, without choosing who is worthy of living or not. May doctors serve life and not take it away.”

On Sunday, doctors removed the water and feeding tubes from the 42-year-old man after a lengthy court battle over his medical care, Agence France-Presse reports. He is expected to die slowly of starvation within the next few days.

His father, Pierre Lambert, 90, said what is being done to his son is nothing less than “murder in disguise, it’s euthanasia.” He and his wife said they are resigned to their son’s death, having exhausted all legal options to protect him.

Faith Wire reports the Lamberts asked for continued prayers for their son in his final days.

“Dear friends who have supported us so much throughout these 6 years, this time, it’s over,” they said in a statement on Facebook. “Vincent’s death is now inevitable.”

“There is nothing more to do if not pray and accompany our dear Vincent, in dignity and contemplation,” they continued.

From Westchester Mag: five Peekskill brunch places

Here's the article "5 Brunches You Absolutely Have to Try in Peekskill"

And we really like one of them, Kathleen's Tea Room. Been there a few times.

Kathleen’s Tea Room

979 Main St.
914.734.2520

We’re tempted to describe tea as a “light” brunch, but that would just factually be wrong. With menu options including salads, sure, but also warm crumpets, turkey clubs, open-faced Reubens, and a brownie banana split sundae, you’ll end up stuffing yourself before your tea and fresh scones even arrive. The best part? Kathleen’s is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Fridays and Saturdays (it’s closed Sundays), which means you can partake in a high tea pretty much any time and day you want without having to worry about whether your brunch menu is going to time out just before you arrive.

 

Baby elephant having tough time; Mom and Aunt to the rescue!

Who doesn't love elephants? A short vid.

 

How to get into Yale, Harvard, Georgetown ...

Have a parent who's a politician. While Tucker goes after Democrats, I'd be mightily surprised if it doesn't cut the same way for Republicans. But Al Gore having four of four going to Harvard? Oh please. (FULL DISCLOSURE - I went to Fairfield U. and as a senior I scored the winning try against Yale in rugby. Nah,nah! I scored so rarely I still remember it...) 

First Medal of Honor ever recorded - by a CIA Predator Drone

A little less than nine minutes long. John Chapman. Quite incredible.  This was posted on youtube this past June 26th. Over 1,600,000 views in less than two weeks.

Nike issues Bernie Sanders signature shoe

From Babylon Bee: "Shoe that helps you survive under socialism."

Every pair of Air Marx is emblazoned with Sanders' signature and iconic "crazy old man" silhouette. The shoes pack in all kinds of useful features for people living in a socialist regime, including the following:

• New ActiveShrink technology helps the shoe shrink right along with you as you wither away from starvation
• Breadline Padding Plus helps you stand in breadlines for hours hoping the government is generous enough to give you some food
• A Venezuelan flag, or optional Soviet Russian flag, to show your true patriotism
• A patented air pump that helps you pump up your wheelbarrow tire as you slave away farming food for the government to redistribute
• Comfy and aerodynamic design that helps you chase zoo animals more effectively
• The shoes are completely edible and can be boiled into soup or gruel in a pinch

The shoes are not available for purchase but will be given from Nike according to their ability to each customer according to their needs.

"I'm happy to team up with Nike to release this shoe," said Sanders. "I will make millions of dollars off this deal, which is not hypocritical because it's me and not you."

The Sanders Air Marx is only available in one size, as Sanders remarked: "who needs a choice of shoe size when there are starving children in the world?"

Pope Francis moves Archbishop Fulton Sheen "one step closer to Sainthood."

Thanks to Jessica for sending me this. It's also in the NY Post and NY Daily News.

The late Archbishop Fulton Sheen, a charismatic figure of US Roman Catholicism in the 20th century and a pioneer in using media for religious purposes, is one step closer to sainthood. A Vatican statement on Saturday said the pope had approved a decree recognizing a miracle attributed to Sheen's intercession, meaning he will be beatified. ... The Vatican did not identify the miracle in the Sheen case, but the Catholic News Agency reported that it was the full recovery of a baby named James Fulton Engstrom, who was stillborn in Illinois in September 2010. The baby's parents, Bonnie and Travis Engstrom of the Peoria-area town of Goodfield, prayed to Archbishop Sheen to heal their son after he showed no signs of life when medical professionals tried to revive him.

The stillborn baby had no heart beat for an hour. In the picture above - can you figure out what Church he is preaching in?

July 4th: Private Cold Spring/Rinerville fireworks

A last minute eat - drink - and be merry decision to hang out with Mike and Karen.

But first - Tim party in our back yard was just getting under way as we left - we met more arriving celebrants in the driveway on our way out.

Tim (blue floral shirt) knows how to throw a barbecue.

Meanwhile we had Bourbon Manhattans as prelude to a big steak spread. And then - the works! The video at the end is 50 seconds long. Took me awhile to realize there was more if I aimed my phone UP!

First some little ones on the porch - as Mike sets it up. Note red wine in front of Brigid ... standard...

And then prepping for the Grand Finale - in the backyard off the deck.

Thar she blows - watch 'til the end -  worth the (free) price of admission!

Amusing! How British broadcasters did the play-by-play on the Yankee-Boston series

I just found this very funny as BT Sports in the United Kingdom explains baseball. The two games are melded into one video. Yanks still win both.

Trump has witty repartee with CNN's Jim Acosta

A few days ago at the G20 meeting. Amusing back and forth as Trump ultimately compliments Acosta on his new book.

A throwback July 4th: "We're an American Band" and John Sterling turns 81!

I posted this last year - good to repeat!

Meanwhile ...  "tear that hotel down!" Live in '74. The 1997 version is also linked below - they left their shirts on for that one.

And here they are in 1997 - equally fun. Same song, shorter hair, shirts on.

News Flash! John Sterling taking four days off.Feeling "under the weather".

And Yankee announcer John Sterling has his 81st birthday today. Again I lifted this from a posting one I did last year.

Radio announcer John Sterling. This is amazing - great article in Forbes of all places.

Sterling likes to say he is the only living person who saw every pitch thrown by Mariano Rivera and every pitch thrown to Derek Jeter. John Sterling's work ethic puts Lou Gehrig’s to shame; since 1990, he has not missed a single moment of any Yankee game. That means 162 regular-season games, a few dozen spring training games each season, and over that span, an addition 181 post-season games.