Tom Faranda's Folly

Monday wordle

Wall Street Journal on Russian tank turrets blown sky high (literally)

Videos of Russian tank blow ups are all over youtube and the internet. Can't be good for the crews - or for the Russian tank export business.

Must mean instant death for the crew. How many twenty-somethings in Putin's war?

Feast Day today: St. Benedict, "Founder of Christian Monasticism"

St. Benedict is considered the founder of Monasticism even though there were monastic communities for two centuries before his birth (in 480). But he is called the founder because he wrote the

Rule of St. Benedict, offering a code of practices for monastic communities. The code has 73 chapters or rules and for a couple of bucks you can get it either as a hard copy or kindle by clicking here. It is short; hard copy is only 96 pages.

A little excerpt from his wikipedia entry -

Benedict's main achievement, his "Rule of Saint Benedict", contains a set of rules for his monks to follow. Heavily influenced by the writings of John Cassian, it shows strong affinity with the Rule of the Master, but it also has a unique spirit of balance, moderation and reasonableness (ἐπιείκεια, epieíkeia), which persuaded most Christian religious communities founded throughout the Middle Ages to adopt it. As a result, his Rule became one of the most influential religious rules in Western Christendom. For this reason, Giuseppe Carletti regarded Benedict as the founder of Western Christian monasticism.^[6]

And here's something I did not know about the Benedictines, even though I am quite familiar with the Benedictine community in Newark, NJ -  Go here for the full entry on the Benedictines

Despite being called an order, the Benedictines do not operate under a single hierarchy but are instead organised as a collection of autonomous monasteries. The order is represented internationally by the Benedictine Confederation, an organisation set up in 1893 to represent the order's shared interests. They do not have a superior general or motherhouse with universal jurisdiction, but elect an Abbot Primate to represent themselves to the Vatican and to the world.

A hugely important figure in Catholic and Christian history.

Here's the Medal of Saint Benedict. A close friend of mine, Bill Connolly who is sadly no longer with us, was awarded The Medal of St. Benedict about 15 years by St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, NJ  (an amazing school) for all his work on behalf of the Prep.

The Sunday wordle

CNN: Democrats calling White House "Rudderless, aimless, and hopeless"

Yes that's for sure. Of course when you are wrong on the economy that's what happens. Just ask Jimmy Carter.

Saturday wordle

On the Appalachian Trail in CT this weekend!

Having prepped for the last five weeks (for example - Second shakedown hike, Beacon to Breakneck), here's the itinerary and maps for this weekend. I will overnight in the Mt .Algo shelter/lean to. The five or so miles along the Housatonic river are flat. Total distance first day about 11 and a half miles.

Second day from the shelter to the NY State border, again about 11 and a half miles. Tim will pick me up there (hopefully). This is the only section of the 2,100 plus miles of the Appalachian Trail that runs through an Indian Reservation.

To a large extent both sections parallel Rte. 7.  Total distance will be about 23 miles and will be seeing other hikers along the way. Not taking any cooking gear - peanut butter, tuna, clif bars etc, and no sleeping bag. Will use a lightweight bivy sack and wear tights. Biggest concern - FALLING! 

Will post pictures and perhaps a video. This area will be quite scenic.

UPDATE: Picture of my pack; base weight is 12 lbs - that's without food and water. So weight will run 17-18 lbs. (Water is heavy two quarts = 4 lbs). I'm happy with the weight. The funny looking silver thing hanging off the back is a "sit pad" for uhhh sitting on. It unfolds - weighs 2 ounces.

Nancy Pelosi struts her stuff while on 4th of July vacation in Italy (Not parody or satire)

Why is the Speaker of the House out of the country on the 4th of July weekend? And perhaps she should have worn a t shirt?

The Democratic House Speaker relaxed at the Alpemare Beach Club in Forte dei Mami while wearing a plunging v-neck one-piece swimsuit and white, long-sleeve coverup after a week where she attended mass at the Vatican and met the Pope.

 

 

Friday's wordle

What's important: The voters v. the media

An interesting survey - no real surprises for anyone who is paying attention.

Wall Street Journal op ed by our friend Chris Bell

The co-founder of Good Counsel Homes. We have known Chris and his wife Joan Andrews Bell (in fact went to their wedding now that I think about it) for over 30 years. Here's a link to a posting - and the entire text of the op ed beneath the link. Chris won't mind.

Chris Bell - Wall Street Journal op ed - Crisis Pregnancy Centers

Sen. Elizabeth Warren last week called for the federal government to “crack down” on crisis pregnancy centers and maternity homes such as Good Counsel, the one I founded in New Jersey in 1985. In the 37 years I’ve been working with homeless women, pregnant mothers and babies, I’ve seen how the media smears the pro-life movement. They say we don’t care about women. They say we love children only before they’re born and, in Ms. Warren’s words, that we “mislead and deceive” women into having babies they don’t want. She may believe that, but it isn’t true.

At Good Counsel, like many similar organizations throughout the country, we take in any pregnant woman in need. Most come from broken or dysfunctional homes and have nowhere else to go. They are welcome to stay with us for a year or longer. During that time, we help them develop child-rearing skills. We also provide budgeting and vocational assistance, nutritional advice and tips for a healthy lifestyle. Many women choose to work or go back to school. Our staff babysits—free of charge—while new moms begin to build a résumé. We do everything we can to help connect women to resources and support.

It isn’t easy. We have a curfew and a policy against alcohol and drug use. But every line is drawn with compassion and mercy.

Want to talk about deception? Many of the women who come to us have been told—by doctors, high-school counselors and social-service organizations—that abortion is their only option. They are told that having a baby means they’ll never finish school and won’t have a career. None of this is true, but I hear it every day.

The hidden reality is that no woman in the U.S. today has to raise a child she conceives. There are safe-haven laws in every state and territory allowing a woman to offer a child anonymously for adoption.

At Good Counsel, we also help women living with the pain of abortion. I know of no one in the pro-life movement who would condemn a woman for having an abortion. Half the women coming to our facility for help have already had at least one abortion. We don’t throw stones. Many of our volunteers and counselors know the pain of abortion firsthand.

Want to talk about misleading? Nothing is more misleading than the claim that abortion is simply healthcare, that terminating a pregnancy is the key to a happy life free from unwanted burdens. My experience of talking with and helping more than 4,000 women at Good Counsel over almost four decades tells me that the pain of abortion can be devastating. Nobody should have to face it alone.

The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson has brought renewed attention to the work done by maternity homes and crisis pregnancy centers. “Love them both” is not just a sign we carry at the March for Life every year. It’s the key to ensuring that frightened and abandoned pregnant women understand that they have options other than abortion.

Ms. Warren is welcome to visit Good Counsel anytime she wants. I think she will see that we don’t mislead or deceive anyone. We stick to the truth, delivered with compassion and mercy.

Mr. Bell is co-founder and president of Good Counsel Homes.

The Thursday wordle - a tough one

Tricky word.

Business writer Charles Gasparino on Biden economic illiteracy

Gasparino an excellent business correspondent - used to be interviewed by Imus on a regular basis. Good short video.

 

Wednesday's wordle

Toxic masculinity - STOP!

Like my house.  Loved the scene with the plunger.

 

Tuesday wordle

Top Gun Maverick - YIKES ten minutes on the training the actors went through!

Top Gun Maverick with Tom Cruise (he just turned 60 on July 3rd) back as Maverick is a huge blockbuster hit (I'll wait 'til it's on Netflix) already past $1 billion box office. First the training then the last couple of minutes has the official trailer. Thanks to Charlie for sending me this - it's really cool!

 

Monday 4th of July Wordle

4th of July!

Yup. God Bless America! With all our warts and troubles, still a great place.

Allies of Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre say Biden administraion set her up for failure (not satire or parody)

Yeah right. Must be systemic racism. This is so tedious.

Allies of the White House press secretary are blaming the Biden administration for her failures because they have a white man, John Kirby, standing by, according to a report in Politico.

The report outlined the struggles of Jean-Pierre, who assumed the duties of the office from Jen Psaki in May and become the first openly LGBTQ and black person to work as White House press secretary.

According to a review of transcripts from Jean-Pierre's time as press secretary by West Wing Playbook, she has been unable to answer reporters' questions 20 times as often as her predecessor, Psaki.

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

Rather than blame these moments on Jeanne-Pierre, her allies blame the Biden administration and John Kirby, according to the Politico report.

Some Black communications officials in and outside the administration, along with allies of Jean-Pierre, feel White House leadership has set her up to fail by having Kirby, a white man who was in the running for her job, hovering nearby and taking the lead on foreign policy.

White House reporters also spoke to Politico about Jeanne-Pierre's performance thus far.

“At a certain point it wouldn’t surprise me if people started voting with their feet,” said one reporter who thought journalists may stop showing up at media briefings if Jean-Pierre continues to offer them few substantive answers.

 

Sunday's wordle

The Saturday wordle

Jeanne Robertson "Finding humor in rehab" -- Funny lady

I haven't posted anything from this lady in a few years - I think she's very funny.

Supreme Court rest rooms have been changed to gender neutral

With Ketanji Brown Jackson set to take over Justice Stephen Breyer's seat on the Supreme Court today, aides have been hard at work changing all the restroom signs to "gender-neutral" so Jackson doesn't get confused when she has to use the restroom.

"It's important to make accommodations for differently-abled non-biologists like KBJ," said SCOTUS Clerk Michael Qian. "We are excited that Ketanji will not only be here to represent women of color, but people of mental confusion as well."

The clerks will also be hard at work striking all uses of the word "woman" from cases and legal briefings passed to the newest justice, as any use of the word "woman" causes her to start stuttering in confusion and say things like "I'm not qualified for this."

The Friday wordle

President Biden as a "transformative" President

Hmm. Certainly a transformation.

And here's more - President Biden speaking at the NATO Summit in Madrid said "Inflation is higher in almost every other country".

Uh huh.

The Thursday wordle