tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101016822024-03-07T02:14:37.278-06:00T F Stern's RantingsMy articles emerge depending on what ever tickles my fancy; hope you enjoy the ride. It started several years ago when one of my op-ed pieces to the Houston Chronicle got butchered; been blogging ever since.T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.comBlogger2132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-20678064081757200692024-03-05T18:46:00.004-06:002024-03-05T18:53:29.741-06:00Going Towards a Cashless Society<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGk_OHFWThlG2JaDd-HFAr_UdVttKfsELkeX4ys3rlK6Ib5xpUC7qSRUHxQXLuJihpEjdHxCoykrvSwaFJaQVL48m-ZYO-JhlPC7opXoBfjg8njwncKdaLUmE2SRU143yBbG2RpqRqk0ERVnIIORGumv6mn-X31IQO16CcTLuDTqVF_e5QBye4VA/s933/Cashless%20Society%20logo%20courtesy%20of%20Ramsey%20Solutions%20dot%20com.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="933" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGk_OHFWThlG2JaDd-HFAr_UdVttKfsELkeX4ys3rlK6Ib5xpUC7qSRUHxQXLuJihpEjdHxCoykrvSwaFJaQVL48m-ZYO-JhlPC7opXoBfjg8njwncKdaLUmE2SRU143yBbG2RpqRqk0ERVnIIORGumv6mn-X31IQO16CcTLuDTqVF_e5QBye4VA/s320/Cashless%20Society%20logo%20courtesy%20of%20Ramsey%20Solutions%20dot%20com.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The elite,
the masters of the world, have a plan which includes controlling the lives of
every individual and business on this planet. The key word is
Control if you hadn’t figured that out. They’ve declared, by virtue
of their extraordinary economic powers, that it’s necessary to make all our
decisions for us to ensure the planet is run properly, or at least according to
their whims and wishes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(Image
courtesy of Ramsey Solutions)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the
risk of relying on religious tradition, I’ll compare the elitist’s totalitarian
solution with a scriptural situation. To bypass individuals making
poor choices, Satan proposed his plan during the great council in Heaven, a
plan which was in conflict with God’s <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2010/10/agency-essential-to-the-plan-of-life?lang=eng#p11" target="_blank">Plan of Salvation </a>. In God’s plan, He gave
every individual his or her agency as a means of testing their resolve to obey
His commandments; but Satan had other plans.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Regarding
the term Agency, Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared the following during his
General Conference talk in October of 2010: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">“…Of the
10 definitions and usages of the word agency, none expressed the idea
of making choices to act. We teach that agency is the ability and privilege God
gives us to choose and “to act for [ourselves] and not to be acted upon.”</span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2010/10/agency-essential-to-the-plan-of-life?lang=eng#note1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">1</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> Agency
is to act with accountability and responsibility for our actions. Our agency is
essential to the plan of salvation. With it we are “free to choose liberty and
eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and
death, according to the captivity and power of the devil.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Satan
wanted to make sure not one soul would be lost, that every individual would,
after having experienced an adulterated version of mortality, one without the
ability to make good or bad choices, after obtaining a body in mortality; they
would all return to be with God. They’d never have a chance to do anything
stupid; but they would never learn lessons needed to progress through
eternity. And all it would cost mankind is their agency, a gift from
God. Instead of giving the glory to God, whose desire was to bring
to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, Satan wanted to keep that
glory.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Isn’t that
too familiar sounding when you compare the plans coming from the elite, the
folks running the World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum, those
who with the leverage of the world’s economy are telling nations to obey or be
denied banking privileges? Nations are no longer sovereign, in other
words, they have given up their ability to determine and implement the will of
the people and be accountable to those people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We’ve been
told to prepare for major changes in how money is used. The Dollar
has outlived it usefulness we’ve been told. If we go on the World
Economic Forum’s mandate, then all currency has outlived its usefulness. Folks
have far too much flexibility when it comes to purchasing items, especially
items which the elite have reserved for themselves, or which might not be
appropriate for use by the lower class of individuals living from paycheck to
paycheck. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You must
stop eating real beef, use some manmade lookalike replacement or ground up
bugs; real beef is reserved for the elite segment of society. Better
yet just die of starvation and help the planet achieve sustainability.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The age of
digital money, or whatever they plan to call it, is almost upon
us. To prepare us for the shift in thinking many companies have
already stopped accepting cash as payment for normal transactions, being
pressured by the banking industry, a process called “redlining”, to comply or
having their accounts closed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
banking industry, at the behest of the United States Department of Justice,
pressured businesses tied to the firearms industry, gun manufacturers,
ammunition manufacturers and sporting goods outlets into compliance with the
desires of the anti-gun crowd. They called it <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Choke_Point" target="_blank">Operation
Choke Point </a>. It didn’t matter that this sort of
“redlining” was determined to be unconstitutional since it deprived lawfully
operating businesses equal banking services.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This same
basic method of getting rid of businesses, ones the elite have determined are
undesirable, that same method is being applied to the coal, oil, and gas
industries. According to an <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/532159-redlining-2021-banks-are-denying-financial-services-based-on-morality/" target="_blank"> article in The Hill</a> ,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Banks are
creating a new version of redlining, this time against legal industries, for
political and ideological reasons and blaming it on vague risks to the banks’
reputations.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Businesses
which violate the catechisms of Climate Change religion can expect to be
targeted. The elite don’t care that the scare tactics of their
Climate Change religion are built on lies and deception; they have enough
scientists on the payroll who’ve publicly placed a stamp of approval on the
propaganda being put forth as if it were scientific data.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I used the
term catechism a moment ago; if the shoe fits… There’s a new litmus
test being applied to banking practices, not much different than the
unconstitutional use of Operation Choke Point; but goes even
deeper. The term being applied now is Environmental, Social and
Corporate Governance<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental,_social,_and_corporate_governance" target="_blank"> (ESG) </a>and it’s defined by Wikipedia:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Environmental,
social, and corporate governance (ESG), is a set of considerations,
including environmental issues, social issues and corporate
governance that can be considered in investing. Investing with
ESG considerations is sometimes referred to as responsible investing or,
in more proactive cases, impact investing.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Large
successful businesses are in essence being told, “Get with the program or good
luck finding a banker to support you because your ESG score isn’t high
enough. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now apply
the acceptable environmental and social governance (morality) codes against
individuals who have expressed doubts as to their conversion to the catechisms
of Climate Change. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Do you
still drive a vehicle dependent on gasoline or diesel? Do you
believe citizens have an inalienable right to own and carry a
firearm? Do you think citizens should be permitted to grow their own
vegetable gardens or even own private property? Will the
banking industry be pressured to limit the use of digital currency assigned to
undesirable individuals, those who don’t agree with the powers that
be? Before you respond, this is already being done in Europe and
China.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There’s a
conscious effort to have folks believe the notion that only individuals or
businesses operating outside the law use cash because cash makes it possible to
avoid detection for their criminal acts and to avoid paying
taxes. Criminals like waiters and waitresses pocketing tips, the
fellow who mows the yard and pulls weeds from the flower bed, and the worst of
these criminals takes money from the Tooth Fairy and places those coins in a
piggy bank.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So, what
is a cashless society? The answer given by <a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/cashless-society" target="_blank">Ramsey Solutions </a>:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“A
cashless society is one where all physical money (cash and coins) is
totally replaced by a digital currency. In a cashless society, you can’t
spend or save paper dollars, because they aren’t accepted as payment. And the
money in your bank account only exists in digital form—no driving through an
ATM to withdraw a fresh stack of Andrew Jacksons.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Checks are
not acceptable either since folks have been trying to write them for debts
incurred without having sufficient funds to cover the check. The
solution, according to the elite, makes everyone use a credit or debit card
that is instantaneously verifiable. At first glance such a system
doesn’t seem like a terrible idea.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Freeing up
businesses from having to count money or worry about bad checks, no more
worrying about being robbed since there won’t be anything to rob; Wow, all our
worries are gone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY89VU6eHlCNGknPHK0GQ6LtKBHbYJCFeEaxLhAspSSPQkGKlL4VmQEVEFtPJJ3dKzIS5-yuVKbKffR-OtWR_3JNaLS4ZN0vewvcIEsBDjSHA0AU4cQGTI7TTdCCp-7JPc5QhMLVbbaA0n_eHLdnJTNSFRkZlabHLn5nsaNSSLv-3hoYk5tPD38w/s1062/Kelsey%20Seybold%20going%20Cashless%20on%20April%201%202024%20poster.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="1062" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY89VU6eHlCNGknPHK0GQ6LtKBHbYJCFeEaxLhAspSSPQkGKlL4VmQEVEFtPJJ3dKzIS5-yuVKbKffR-OtWR_3JNaLS4ZN0vewvcIEsBDjSHA0AU4cQGTI7TTdCCp-7JPc5QhMLVbbaA0n_eHLdnJTNSFRkZlabHLn5nsaNSSLv-3hoYk5tPD38w/s320/Kelsey%20Seybold%20going%20Cashless%20on%20April%201%202024%20poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Our
medical provider, Kelsey-Seybold, recently notified us that as of April 1,
2024, they no longer would accept cash or personal checks at their
clinics. In the back of my mind the question popped up, “Is this the
result of being pressured by the banking industry as a step towards the
eventual use of digital currency? Or is this something they came up
with to streamline the operations within their business? Maybe this is simply
an April Fools prank, sorry, it’s not.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
cashless society that’s being foisted on us looks more and more like Satan’s
doing with each passing day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-19822700167725566022024-02-26T15:09:00.003-06:002024-02-26T15:16:02.183-06:00Being Converted<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3d1SGCPPPM7C3jSC-bKEFC3FhtTI9oEvdJa8iYO2YYBi63-5M4GgI8KYRqbZAoGlnADqTXvAJcjf4WyRnaIA2K2HTF8PKgmtihUSVx_mlUblqgLG75TCQ20x7sqQSoOGnJa6UpITvmHJZxYyzJ1vSQKan_BrLYpVj7Yb_bwLpOmXWt_MdTHK8w/s407/Church%20of%20Jesus%20Christ%20of%20Latter%20day%20Saints%20logo%202020.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="234" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3d1SGCPPPM7C3jSC-bKEFC3FhtTI9oEvdJa8iYO2YYBi63-5M4GgI8KYRqbZAoGlnADqTXvAJcjf4WyRnaIA2K2HTF8PKgmtihUSVx_mlUblqgLG75TCQ20x7sqQSoOGnJa6UpITvmHJZxYyzJ1vSQKan_BrLYpVj7Yb_bwLpOmXWt_MdTHK8w/s320/Church%20of%20Jesus%20Christ%20of%20Latter%20day%20Saints%20logo%202020.jpg" width="184" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I’ve a
healthy respect for the efforts of our Full-time Missionaries as they go about
finding and teaching the principles of the gospel to individuals who are
unfamiliar with the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.</span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">But what about those who, for
one reason or another, have joined the Church and no longer feel a desire to be
among us?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">While
going over the membership list of the Madisonville Branch, those individuals
I’ve never met, who’ve, for one reason or another have chosen not to meet with
us, the thought occurred to me, could it be they are not truly converted yet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What more could we be doing to invite these
individuals, to impress upon them the importance of the covenant they entered
into when they were baptized?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">Then a
more sobering idea occurred to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
similar thought was expressed by the disciples during the Last Supper upon
learning one of them would betray the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">“Is it
I?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I the individual who has yet to
be converted, to achieve the level of discipleship the Lord would have me
attain?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">Have I
been sharing the gospel with friends or even strangers, asking them if they
were familiar with our beliefs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beyond
that, are my actions in accordance with my beliefs, enough so that others would
recognize me as a follower of Christ?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">I
heard Henry B. Eyring cautioning those listening, not sure if it was during
General Conference or elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
was some while back, so this is from memory:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">“There
is a danger in saying, I’ll do it Someday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ll read my scriptures more, someday, I’ll pay a full tithing,
someday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll attend the temple,
someday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll develop a better
relationship with the Lord, someday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">Then
when all those somedays become lost, you’ll weep, and the Lord will weep for
the lost opportunities of someday”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(paraphrased)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">Isn’t
this the same as saying, I’ll strive to be more like the Savior, someday?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someday I’ll be truly converted to His ways.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">The following quote was by </span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">Richard C. Edgley, Presiding Bishop of the Church</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">The strength of the Church is in the
millions of humble members striving every day to do the will of the Savior</span><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">—day by day, one step at
a time. These humble members come from all nationalities, all social strata,
and every economic background. They include those of the highest educational
backgrounds as well as those of the humblest who live in the smallest hamlets
in the most remote areas of the world</span><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">—all having hearts throbbing with a vital testimony of
Jesus Christ and a desire to serve the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">As I
have pondered these faithful members, I am struck by two qualities they all
seem to have. First, regardless of social or economic status or position, their
humility leads to submissiveness to the Lord’s will. And second, in spite of
the difficulties and trials of life, they are able to maintain a sense of
gratitude for God’s blessings and life’s goodness. Humility and gratitude are
truly the twin characteristics of happiness.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">There
are all sorts of wise sayings posted on social media, items which can be
applied to our lives as we strive to improve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This one fits the criteria:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">“If we
are not careful, we will begin to chase after the temporal more than the
spiritual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our pursuit of the spiritual
and eternal will then take a backseat.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Michael John U. The, a member of the Quorum of the Seveny<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">The
Lord reminded Peter of this important aspect of discipleship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,
Simon, <span class="clarity-word"><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">son</span></i></span> of
Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou
knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John 21:15<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">In a talk, <i>The Great Commandment</i>, given during the
October 2007 General Conference by Joseph Wirthlin he asked:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 10.65pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black;">“</span><span style="color: black;">Do you love the Lord?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">Spend time with Him. Meditate on His
words. Take His yoke upon you. Seek to understand and obey, because “this is
the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” When we love the Lord,
obedience ceases to be a burden. Obedience becomes a delight. When we love the
Lord, we seek less for things that benefit us and turn our hearts toward things
that will bless and uplift others.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">Elder Wirthlin could easily have asked,
“Have you been converted to the Lord?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">President Russell M. Nelson in the April
General Conference back in 2017 stated:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“When you reach up for the Lord’s power in
your life with that same intensity that a drowning person has when grasping and
gasping for air, power from Jesus Christ will be yours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the Savior knows you truly want to reach
up to Him when He can feel that the greatest desire of your heart is to draw
His power into your life you will be led by the Holy Ghost to know exactly what
you should do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">When you spiritually stretch beyond
anything you have ever done before, then His power will flow into you. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">And then you will understand the deep meaning of words
we sing in the hymn “The Spirit of God”.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">Think about that statement, ponder on how
it applies to each of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does this kind
of spiritual expansion occur all at once; say for example, when we decide to
accept the gospel in our lives and be baptized?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Or… does it happen when we have our Endowments bestowed upon us at the
temple?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To some degree, yes; but as the
disciple Simon Peter was reminded, having given his life over to the bidding of
our Lord, his conversion process was on going… and required a fresh commitment
with each day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">“…<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black;">Yea,
Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">Your family and friends
will likely be more open to the gospel and of your own conversion by observing your
actions rather than your words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">As mentioned earlier, “</span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">… I am struck by two
qualities ... First, regardless of social or economic status or position, their
humility leads to submissiveness to the Lord’s will. And second, in spite of
the difficulties and trials of life, they are able to maintain a sense of
gratitude for God’s blessings and life’s goodness. Humility and gratitude are
truly the twin characteristics of happiness.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: medium;">May humility
and gratitude be manifest to those around us as expressions of our love of the
Savior and serve as evidence of our conversion to the gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-39368417322067119032024-01-22T13:50:00.006-06:002024-01-22T13:51:59.173-06:00The Snowplow Song<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGc4KrzxjbAP7AE8igie5SI690WWA4ig4A94veQK6YTXxSeBc2ryZsMXQ_PehH_MZtJh19JKqT9CS3LfErZNuDOJBZu20JljkJ_PHrWfyK1K2Z5WNCNvqMmeK1j54BDX_wzt0Yw0L4AWMYRaZxz84kAjW40TPQrYq58A_LQdrYYy_I4W7M9KQXDg/s604/Snow%20Plow%20clearing%20snow%20cartoon.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="604" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGc4KrzxjbAP7AE8igie5SI690WWA4ig4A94veQK6YTXxSeBc2ryZsMXQ_PehH_MZtJh19JKqT9CS3LfErZNuDOJBZu20JljkJ_PHrWfyK1K2Z5WNCNvqMmeK1j54BDX_wzt0Yw0L4AWMYRaZxz84kAjW40TPQrYq58A_LQdrYYy_I4W7M9KQXDg/s320/Snow%20Plow%20clearing%20snow%20cartoon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Growing up
when we lived on Long Island we had the opportunity to experience an occasional
winter storm.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This didn’t happen all
that often since the winters were tempered to a certain degree by the waters of
the Atlantic; but every once in a while, a blizzard would blow through covering
the roads and making things difficult.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">While
thumbing through Facebook I spotted a cartoon drawing which sparked a memory.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My mother
had a small car at the time, I believe it was a Renault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was before anyone developed a desire to call
them Ray-know, considering them a kin to a later Yugoslavian POS called the
Yugo; but that’s not important to this story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">While
attempting to navigate through the neighborhood streets which were covered with
quite a bit of snow, with my little sister happily singing to herself in the
back seat, my mother tried to figure out the tune my sister was singing so
softly to herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a pleasant-sounding
tune that bounced cheerfully within the confines of the small car as mom
carefully stayed within the tire tracks left by the last vehicle that had made
it down the road.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Mommy,
there’s a snowplow coming, mommy, there’s a snowplow coming…” the words of the
song sounded so sweet as they…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“MOMMY
THERE'S A SNOWPLOW COMING!”, the meaning of the song landed abruptly on mom’s
ears as she noticed a flashing blue light in her rearview mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a watchful eye mom was able to spot an
indention in the snowbank ahead where a driveway had recently been
cleared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled into the safe spot
and the snowplow drove past indignantly covering the car with a blast of
freshly cleared snow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-14564680620602965042023-12-23T14:29:00.004-06:002023-12-24T14:39:28.073-06:00A Christmas Eve Thought<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXxwrmG5ZwyGzh659vphS4HcxhysZs3hboV_AJfR-5UIw5qvvLx_If5hQYXtnMc1-OCgTYm3V1Ns9bIIr_W-QUqQ0ipfQSPPxdjn_-uAhb6DhdFnwatfwua5kdCIUo-PRZ4HCOWFjkkDPUd15CD8u1DPBZt_meaxdPb5xZyVIy0P0yInRrJArwQ/s407/Church%20of%20Jesus%20Christ%20of%20Latter%20day%20Saints%20logo%202020.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="234" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXxwrmG5ZwyGzh659vphS4HcxhysZs3hboV_AJfR-5UIw5qvvLx_If5hQYXtnMc1-OCgTYm3V1Ns9bIIr_W-QUqQ0ipfQSPPxdjn_-uAhb6DhdFnwatfwua5kdCIUo-PRZ4HCOWFjkkDPUd15CD8u1DPBZt_meaxdPb5xZyVIy0P0yInRrJArwQ/s320/Church%20of%20Jesus%20Christ%20of%20Latter%20day%20Saints%20logo%202020.jpg" width="184" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">As we meet this morning, it being Christmas Eve, some
thoughts relating to this day invaded my mind during the weeks leading up to
this day.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I’ll start with a message from
3 Nephi, which reads:</span></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“And it came to pass that in the
commencement of the ninety and second year, behold, the prophecies of the
prophets began to be fulfilled more fully; for there began to be greater signs
and greater miracles wrought among the people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="verse" data-aid="128345652" id="p5" style="--height: 98.53191375732422px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; vertical-align: baseline; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But there were some who began to say that
the time was past for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by
Samuel, the Lamanite.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="verse" data-aid="128345653" id="p6" style="--height: 127.32624053955078px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; vertical-align: baseline; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And they began to rejoice over their
brethren, saying: Behold the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not
fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been
vain.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Perhaps you were expecting angels to come
down and leave messages of glad tidings at this time; however, it only gets
worse for them as we read...<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="verse-number"><b><span style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0in;">“</span></b></span><span style="background: white; color: black;">Now it came to pass that
there was a day set apart by the </span>unbelievers, that all those who
believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should
come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Try to imagine yourselves going home after
today’s meeting, having hope in your hearts, all the while realizing that it
might well be your last day in mortality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Would you be hanging your stockings on the fireplace awaiting Saint
Nicolas’ visit or hanging your head wondering why the Lord’s prophets had let
you down?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Remember, have faith in the Lord,
regardless of your circumstances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the
son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly
sorrowful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="verse" data-aid="128345658" id="p11" style="--height: 127.32624053955078px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; vertical-align: baseline; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><span class="verse-number"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></b></span></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And it came to pass that he went out and
bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of
his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in
the tradition of their fathers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="verse" data-aid="128345659" id="p12" style="--height: 98.53191375732422px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; vertical-align: baseline; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><span class="verse-number"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; padding: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></b></span></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And it came to pass that he cried mightily
unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the
Lord came unto him, saying:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="verse" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at
hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the
morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil
all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.”
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Within this short message
important lessons are left, we’re reminded…the Book of Mormon was written for
us in our day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re to learn and
appreciate the history of an ancient people; but why, on this day?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On the other side of the
world a similar message was given:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Angels visiting the earth
to greet poor shepherds as they watched their flocks by night as found in Luke
2:10 and 11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which
shall be to all people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For unto you is
born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s the same message
given to Nephi, the son of Nephi, when his heart was exceedingly
sorrowful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So, here we sit on
Christmas Eve, eagerly anticipating the celebration tomorrow brings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tomorrow is Christmas Day, the meridian of
time as acknowledged by even non-believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Woke crowd” historians would
have us use their updated version of “BC” and “AD”, calling those years prior
to the birth of Jesus Christ “BCE”, or Before Common Era and all years
following as “CE” or Common Era.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
wicked continue their efforts to erase the miracle of Christ’s birth from the hearts
and minds of the world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Believers of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ look forward to the Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The scriptures have indicated all
manner of signs alerting mankind of the “Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord”,
many of which have already appeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
yet, the wicked continue, laughing at foolish believers who follow “signs given
and warnings from Prophets”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As we observe and point out their abominations… they
create laws which make it illegal to point out their abominations, calling such
language “hate speech”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those guilty of
offending the wicked are vilified, some are even charged with crimes and taken
to courts where corrupt judges rule against the righteous…or am I mistaken.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My friend Gary Lewis wrote the other day, “<span style="background: white; color: #050505;">The signs of the times surround us with
witness that the latter-days are upon us. All the prophecies are being
fulfilled.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He included a quote from
LeGrand Richards from April of 1951:</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“If the inhabitants of
this earth had the ability and the power to read the signs of the times, they
would know that already the Lord has given far more than the darkening of the
sun or obscuring the light of the moon or causing the stars to fall from heaven.
For what he has accomplished in the establishment of his kingdom in the earth
in these latter days, and the unseen power operating in the world for the
accomplishment of his purposes, are greater signs than any of these phenomena
that we read about—the signs of his coming."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My message to all of you on this Christmas Eve, be of
good cheer, have Joy in your hearts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be
true to your beliefs and continue being faithful to the covenants made with
your Father in Heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along this same
line of thought, our Prophet, Russell M. Nelson, in his talk, “Joy and
Spiritual Survival”, given October of 2016 reminded us,:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“When the focus of our lives is on Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel
joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We celebrate with great joy the birth of Jesus
Christ; being equally aware of his death, resurrection and the atonement made
on our behalf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also look forward with
great anticipation and joy to His return… with the same faith as our ancestors were
looking forward to His arrival the first time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As I finish my thoughts this Christmas Eve, I wanted
to share something from an old movie, <i>The Bishop’s Wife</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the close of the movie, the Bishop, having
been reminded of the true meaning of Christmas, finished his sermon:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“…All the stockings are
filled, all that is, except one. And we have even forgotten to have it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The stocking for the child born in a
manger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s his birthday we’re
celebrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t let us ever forget
that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Let us ask ourselves what
He would wish for most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then, let
each put in his share, loving kindness, warm hearts, and a stretched-out hand
of tolerance. All the shinning gifts that make peace on earth.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As surely as Jesus Christ was born so many years ago
after signs in the Heavens were observed, so surely will the signs be fulfilled
announcing the Second Coming of our Savior, even Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: rgb(34, 136, 34); color: #000099; font-family: Times, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
<br />
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<!--[endif]--></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-70760990032549425652023-12-21T14:29:00.003-06:002023-12-21T14:29:54.652-06:00Max Might be a Shepherd Dog<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvI8AAPqFLOTT6jwUOBJCGAmxFa7qhGKH-AeiIFiJGCBkIorvu6oussz4Q3ydOoAl86CwjubyvOzBnFUXPDK8iEZBS6XFykCq3w3FTtVVyXAXr_OUcw8df0HAjhvGeU3qb0rsPJJHTW-UD2yCaQO1574evtY_cs7oiDZKO4tL11iSgVpQQ3kHEFw/s1080/Max%20April%2018%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvI8AAPqFLOTT6jwUOBJCGAmxFa7qhGKH-AeiIFiJGCBkIorvu6oussz4Q3ydOoAl86CwjubyvOzBnFUXPDK8iEZBS6XFykCq3w3FTtVVyXAXr_OUcw8df0HAjhvGeU3qb0rsPJJHTW-UD2yCaQO1574evtY_cs7oiDZKO4tL11iSgVpQQ3kHEFw/s320/Max%20April%2018%202023.jpg" width="156" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yesterday we loaded up a box with plates of homemade
Christmas Cookies to share with friends living in the Centerville, Texas area
near our property.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">We started off with Ron
and Norma Jeanne Fillmore since they live the farthest.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">We had a great time chatting, paying
attention to their dog who was demanding attention.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then, on the way back towards Centerville we
stopped at Sister Haven’s property, then at Sister Webb’s office.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mike and Su Wallrath were the last we could
visit there in Centerville, having spent the morning and much of the afternoon delivering
cookies.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We then turned the truck towards those who live within
a mile or so from our property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we
drove past the entrance to our property we noticed our neighbor’s dog, Max,
sitting by the gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Max likes to make
sure we park properly, leading us joyfully down the driveway; but we didn’t
turn into the driveway, instead we headed to the Jackson’s house.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I should mention, the Jackson’s are Max’s actual
family; but Max has dual citizenship, not sure what else to call it since Max
likes living under our roof too. When we pulled onto the Jackson’s property,
there was Max sitting under the carport; he’d taken a shortcut by cutting across
the acreage that separates our properties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We visited with the Jacksons and then drove, as if to go home; but
instead turned the other direction towards the Nells and James’ property.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Max first started to head to our place; but it was
almost funny watching him try to figure out what we were doing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe he thought we were lost; but he made
sure to keep up with our meanderings as we pulled into the next driveway to
visit Dennis James and deliver another plate of cookies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On the way back towards our property we noticed the
younger Jackson family had just arrived home, so we stopped to visit there
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Max sat at the edge of their
driveway, frustrated once again with our inability to find home.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lastly, we headed past our property to check the
mailbox and see if the Clarks had gotten home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We got lucky and were able to deliver their cookies as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No mail in the box, so we headed back as if
to go home; but we noticed the gate to the Finley’s property was open,
something that indicated they were available to visit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Max sat on the road while we visited with Tammy, going
over local issues about the dumpster company that kept adding charges to the
monthly fees we’d already paid in advance for the entire year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We agreed that the dumpster company had lost us
as a customer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Max must have given up on us as we watched him slowly
walk down the road headed to our property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>About twenty minutes later, having finished our visits for the day, Max
greeted us at the edge of our property as he energetically pranced in front of
the truck, making sure I followed to where my old truck normally sits next to
Lucy’s car.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If Max were a person who kept a diary, an interesting
thought, it would be fun to read yesterday’s entry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The Stern’s got lost several times; but they
finally were able to get home with my help.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-38005405599172471432023-12-11T10:24:00.006-06:002023-12-11T10:38:20.402-06:00Of Course, We Trust Our Government<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwmEfho07CIC7PaH211fAfPmVaiwLMm55xHfgCRZCuWggUXlFhAvI4bcVJj0Lob8ydS16CHW7hkEJKnwd35eEEZUCehMgE-tyLjGKzYWfP2jk8zP_XrCYJ2Z8NywkCrTZ5cSiJHuJ_NVs5D6rl-c_Iq1pe6aU1CcSE7qtdjLtZwBRZZC0q2aNsTQ/s1076/Donald%20Trump%20denied%20access%20to%20evidence%20by%20Jack%20Smith%20image%20by%20Newsweek.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="1076" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwmEfho07CIC7PaH211fAfPmVaiwLMm55xHfgCRZCuWggUXlFhAvI4bcVJj0Lob8ydS16CHW7hkEJKnwd35eEEZUCehMgE-tyLjGKzYWfP2jk8zP_XrCYJ2Z8NywkCrTZ5cSiJHuJ_NVs5D6rl-c_Iq1pe6aU1CcSE7qtdjLtZwBRZZC0q2aNsTQ/s320/Donald%20Trump%20denied%20access%20to%20evidence%20by%20Jack%20Smith%20image%20by%20Newsweek.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">While scanning headlines this morning this image jumped off
the screen, begging to be explained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s not that I don’t trust our government to be
upfront and honest… No, they have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that those
currently in power will do anything they can, legal or not doesn’t seem to matter,
those in power will do anything they can to eliminate the voice of anyone who
gets in their way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If you like or don’t like former President Donald
Trump makes little difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
should bother individuals in our Constitutional Republic is the weaponization
of government agencies, silencing opposition by censorship, using tax laws to bankrupt
businesses or businessmen that don’t conform to the leftist agenda tied to ‘climate
change’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This isn’t something which belongs solely to the
American leftists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be sure, the
agenda springs from a much more sinister group of elitists on a world-wide scope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The One World Order folks, call them whatever
you wish. The One World Order folks desire to eliminate the United States of
America as a Constitutional Republic along with our Rule of Law and Individual God Given Rights included in the Bill of Rights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s enough in this one paragraph to write
an entire book, a detailed warning of the evil intent being displayed; but that’s
too much for today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Donald Trump has been criminally charged, and
convicted by the leftist media, of trying to overthrow the government, allegedly,
by inciting huge crowds to storm the Capital Building on January 6<sup>th</sup>
of 2020.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’ll recall, that was the
day Congress was supposed to have an open discussion, followed by a vote, on
the validity of questionable voting during the Presidential Election, a process
which unexplainably determined Joe Biden being installed as the winner of the
Oval Office.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar to look at the
information gleaned, comparing what’s been released by the major news media
outlets (propaganda stations owned by the far left) with information that’s
miraculously found its way into the light of public discussion via unbiased
sources…(wow, another run on sentence)…for a reasonably sound and questioning
individual to come to the conclusion that there’s something Rotten in Denmark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forgive the use of an old saying which
identifies treachery, treason, and sabotage due to voting irregularities which
may or may not have been properly investigated by our trusted Federal Bureau of
Investigation and Department of Justice, those Sterling individuals whose work
is always to be accepted without question.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I shouldn’t have to include a paragraph, go look all
this stuff up since it’s easily available via live Congressional and Senate interviews,
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>explaining substantiated and factual
accounts which prove the FBI lied to a Federal Judge to obtain the illegal
warrants which were used to wire tap Donald Trump even before he became
President.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That all the ‘trumped up’
information had been supplied by the Democrat Party and his then Presidential
Opponent…you got it, Hillary Clinton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That the DOJ hasn’t lifted a finger to charge any of those
co-conspirators, those who attempted to eliminate Donald Trump as a
Presidential Candidate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aren’t these the
same folks who have admitted to censoring conservatives, called conservatives domestic
terrorists and imprisoned individuals who questioned the results of elections
and then come up with the ‘trumped up’ criminal and civil charges against
Donald Trump?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Would it take a Rhodes Scholar to determine the intent
of these oh-so righteous representatives of our government simply want to interfere
with the next Presidential Election Process by making it difficult, near
impossible, for Donald Trump to properly run his election bid?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s much more difficult to campaign when a
corrupt judge places a gag order on you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How about a corrupt judge and prosecutor conspiring to
withhold evidence which they know would vindicate you and be sufficient to have
all criminal charges thrown out?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Call this pure speculation on my part, my knowing how
transparent those in power have been up until now, always being truthful when
asked to present a case against individuals whom they don’t agree with.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">So, Donald Trump is on trial for questioning the
integrity of the election, having the audacity to call liars and cheaters…well,
calling them liars and cheaters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quoting
from the from the <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/jack-smith-shuts-off-donald-trump-from-getting-his-hands-on-evidence/ar-AA1lks7W" target="_blank">Newsweek posted article</a> that accompanied the photograph: </span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="dropcap-element-slot"><span style="color: #2b2b2b;">“D</span></span><span style="color: #2b2b2b;">onald Trump's legal team has continued its attempts to
gain access to what they see as important information in case against the
former president in Washington, DC.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Trump says important information relating to the case has
not been turned over to him and his lawyers, but the government has argued the
information being requested is “not relevant to the case.”’<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If you read through the rest
of the article it concluded with the following:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b;">“In the
American capital, Trump is charged with: conspiracy to defraud the United
States; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding;
conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights. He
denies all of the charges against him.</span>”<span style="color: #2b2b2b;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m reminded of one of the closing scenes from the
movie, Contact, where the Congressional hearing has been completed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Jodi Foster character was dragged through
the mud as if she’d created her entire experience, that her testimony was
without any evidence or fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was being
ushered into a waiting limousine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
that moment the Matthew McConaughey character acting as the voice of one who
represents truth and objectivity proclaims, “I for one believe her”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Despite all the attempts to discredit Donald Trump,
and there are aspects of his personality which make him difficult to like and
support, despite of all the fabrications intended to destroy him both as a
member of our society; but more importantly, to destroy his chances of ever returning
to the Oval Office…despite of all this… I believe him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That’s how much I trust our government. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-88279783142797180262023-12-10T21:43:00.002-06:002023-12-10T21:49:34.328-06:00Dealing With Dementia<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5g9feyglu2WyRghBhEWRMmUtQ4fmxCVzqIXVw3ZWSIC-JyDsl7YItFSY-pTZz8FBV7LMEZLpjmOWIu19wPtWb-Kn2rCQLx9Xfj8_6YLBSgaxyokOjtY2AVWp7NDYEFhpGVm8IPAnPb_OaT-ydjBVDNvivw1b0m7z9HJs0s_L2c-ZH22vUmZGlmg/s842/Dan%20on%20morning%20walk%2001a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="686" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5g9feyglu2WyRghBhEWRMmUtQ4fmxCVzqIXVw3ZWSIC-JyDsl7YItFSY-pTZz8FBV7LMEZLpjmOWIu19wPtWb-Kn2rCQLx9Xfj8_6YLBSgaxyokOjtY2AVWp7NDYEFhpGVm8IPAnPb_OaT-ydjBVDNvivw1b0m7z9HJs0s_L2c-ZH22vUmZGlmg/s320/Dan%20on%20morning%20walk%2001a.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">My brother Daniel has an advanced stage of dementia
which makes for some interesting challenges.
</span><span style="font-size: large;">He and his wife live on our three-acre property in the RV we purchased
‘just in case things got interesting’ and our kids needed to evacuate Houston
and have a place to escape to.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That scenario didn’t pan out as planned; but in a way,
it worked out the way the Lord would have it.
My brother and his wife needed a place to live as they fled an
increasingly violent stricken area of Uganda, Africa where they’d been serving
as lay missionaries. Apparently, Daniel
had been injured during a fall and his early signs of dementia had accelerated
as a result.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We offered them a safe haven and they accepted our
hospitality, acknowledging that they’d be helping to offset some of our living
expenses like utility bills. This has worked out well going on right at a year
now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Daniel has been keeping up physically, doing lots of
exercises, jumping constantly on a small trampoline looking gizmo along with
walking the property back and forth.
He’s supposed to stop when he reaches the end of our property and turn
around; but this morning Lucy was in the kitchen and noticed as he reached the
front gate, he appeared to have it in his mind to go further as he disappeared,
going down the private road and out of sight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I got into the pickup truck and drove off in the
direction Daniel had gone. It didn’t
take long to catch up as he was only an eighth of a mile ahead, casually
walking in his pajamas while wearing a nice woolen cap; our morning temperature
being about fifty degrees. With the
windows rolled down I eased up along side and encouraged Daniel to hop in.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Oh, Thank You”, he responded, “I’m looking for a
friend who has a house over here.” I continued driving down the hard packed
dirt road past the Finley’s property.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Let’s check the mailbox”, figuring he might enjoy
going a bit further. I drove the truck onto the county road and used our
neighbor’s driveway entrance to get turned around to facilitate access to our
mailbox. Daniel appeared a bit agitated,
not being familiar with the landscape he was now seeing. “There’s our mailbox. Let’s see what’s inside”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Oh, that’s a good idea. We’re expecting a package today.” Upon opening the drop-down lid, it was clear
the mailbox was nearly full with letters and small packages. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“This package has your name on it. See, Daniel Stern”, handing it to my brother
who again explained that they’d been expecting this delivery. The rest of the mail was addressed to Lucy,
mostly junk mail from folks looking for donations since Lucy’s a sucker for
various charities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Oh, this is the one we’ve been waiting for.” I drove back to our property and into our
driveway. I could see Daniel’s wife, Lisa, in front of our house as she played
with our dogs while talking to Lucy who was sitting on the porch. It was plain to see they were glad I’d
corralled Daniel and brought him back.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I stopped the truck to permit my brother a chance to
get the door open and exit. He handed
the box to his wife Lisa and introduced himself, “Hi, I’m Daniel”, to which she
replied, “I’m Lisa”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“I found another American while on my walk”. Daniel
was doing his best to explain his good fortune at having found a friend while
he was on our private road. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">While this sounds a bit surreal, I have to wonder how
all this must be jumbled up in my brother’s mind as he tries to make sense of
this world he’s now living in. We must
be ever so gentle with Daniel as he faces battles we can’t even comprehend.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-4605866262844051152023-12-10T21:41:00.000-06:002023-12-10T21:41:09.378-06:00Meeting Potential Spam<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3NmVTsL4Bf04O_d4T-cqOVQ0lBklYRaZVwGdQycAvCNmysIJyJrlKalGw5yOrwzszhk3ygpjxsLw_B6tBa_xUvh5rcLfSoLpApJSMYwCy4V0nB_LOv0QBZjecaAoCFiIlg-rVam-d25mrYLTAoTMPyCZHiJzZd95PViFgYXDZ6cky9e2xcC_Pw/s601/Potential%20Spam%20Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3NmVTsL4Bf04O_d4T-cqOVQ0lBklYRaZVwGdQycAvCNmysIJyJrlKalGw5yOrwzszhk3ygpjxsLw_B6tBa_xUvh5rcLfSoLpApJSMYwCy4V0nB_LOv0QBZjecaAoCFiIlg-rVam-d25mrYLTAoTMPyCZHiJzZd95PViFgYXDZ6cky9e2xcC_Pw/s320/Potential%20Spam%20Image.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><br />Strange as it might sound, I actually met Potential Spam the
other day.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">All these years his name
would come up on my cell phone, interrupting a quiet afternoon with annoying
precision.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I’d learned to ignore the
ringing by tapping the dismiss function, returning to solitude and quiet.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yesterday was different. I needed an electrician to
solve an issue on our property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
looking for a locally listed electrician, the search turned up vendor services
companies which promised to find the most qualified or reasonably priced
electricians according to my Zip-code.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After entering the required fields, the vendor services company informed
me that an electrician would be at my property the following day between 8:00am
and 11:00am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last detail required
was my credit card information so they could charge me in advance for 3 hours
of promised work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(Image courtesy of Version)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I requested the name of the electrician and a phone
number to contact the individual to assist him/her in finding our rural
location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some versions of electronic
maps we’ve found took folks off on a wild goose chase so it was easier to give
them directions we knew would get them here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The vendor service company was reluctant to provide the phone number of
the electrician seeing as how they might lose their portion of a pre-arranged
contract.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fast forward to the next morning when I heard my
cellphone go off around 7:30am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Glancing
at the information it was Potential Spam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Before I could dismiss the call, it quit ringing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple of minutes later the phone rang;
again, it was Potential Spam.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Normally I don’t get those annoying calls quite so
early in the morning; but my brain engaged momentarily, suggesting that it
might be the electrician attempting to call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He had contacted us via the vendor services company’s switchboard and
thought it odd my phone number showed me living in California, as he laughed
knowing the address given was near Buffalo, Texas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sure enough, it was the fellow trying to find our
property, sorting through the various County Roads which weave around this
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to let me know he would
only be a few more minutes in transit, that he wasn’t too far off the mark.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">His service truck pulled into our driveway, and I
walked over to greet him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As he opened the door of his truck, I reached out my
hand, gaining eye contact as I asked, “Do you go by Potential or by your last
name Spam?” We got along great from that
moment on. He diagnosed the electrical issue and promptly had things working.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-60766456677449293002023-05-22T10:22:00.000-05:002023-05-22T10:22:51.242-05:00Turns out Mike was a Camel<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ywv4pdMwL7puCsoCIcHDVe_30kdXC3tpf9lgOP_NCjB3HAIecX6OiC8J6jcmMN3UoZVUtOEWMDYKTXHEuKKzBC5bHjyiJNd8DGRN7S3ZZVp_D5nyTtIbsl2Om5HwNYduNQHgNTLf5kWupcTZDOQL8GgnD8O45Od9lszSYASlhM0VJpbVQuY/s897/Calendar%20May%2022%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="897" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ywv4pdMwL7puCsoCIcHDVe_30kdXC3tpf9lgOP_NCjB3HAIecX6OiC8J6jcmMN3UoZVUtOEWMDYKTXHEuKKzBC5bHjyiJNd8DGRN7S3ZZVp_D5nyTtIbsl2Om5HwNYduNQHgNTLf5kWupcTZDOQL8GgnD8O45Od9lszSYASlhM0VJpbVQuY/s320/Calendar%20May%2022%202023.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Each morning, to get started on the right foot, I take
my vitamins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As part of this ritual, I
tear off a page from the calendar which acts as a checks and balance later on
in the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the page on the calendar hasn’t
been changed then it means I forgot to take my vitamins.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The calendar rewards me with a piece of trivia printed
on the pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, the other
day I learned that a Chef’s Hat has 100 folds in it that represent the number
of ways an egg can be cooked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the
kind of information that might be found on the old Trivial Pursuit game.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This morning’s information had me chasing a memory
from way back as I read, “Camels can hold a grudge and wait patiently for their
opportunity to take revenge.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never
owned a camel; had dogs and cats over the years; but never a camel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The idea that camels can hold a grudge and
then wait patiently for the opportunity to take revenge; now that’s diabolical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">While working day shift as a police officer there was
a Mobil gas station located on Westheimer at Commonwealth that offered shade from
the sun and good company to chat with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a great location to set up for red light violations since
Commonwealth was a one-way street, making it safer to begin the pursuit of a
violator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The owner of the station
enjoyed having a police car present on the property and Mike Koetting, one of the
mechanics working there, had a warped sense of humor that matched my own.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One hot summer day while Mike had the hood up on my patrol
car checking on something that was making an odd noise, I flipped on the siren
to prank with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mike hit his head and
flinched, a natural reaction to being startled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He grimaced and let me know he’d get even.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Each time I’d set up under the gas station’s awning, looking
to catch a red-light violator; but in the back of my mind was the warning, a
gentle reminder that Mike would find a way to get even for having been
startled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the days passed it appeared
that Mike lost interest in getting even.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Weeks became months and eventually I forgot all about having pranked
with Mike.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A year later to the very day, I’d settled in under the
awning enjoying a slow traffic day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While relaxing in my thoughts, comfortable knowing I was surrounded by
friends, Mike came up from behind with an air ratchet that he used on my elbow
which was casually hanging out the window of my patrol car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had I not been wearing a seat belt I might
have exited through the window. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Gotcha! Now we’re
even.” Mike had penciled in the date on
his calendar, the day to get even. All
this time I thought he was a mechanic; turns out Mike’s a camel.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-20727154744836942802023-03-28T11:56:00.002-05:002023-04-02T13:28:14.334-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-75848473048623915212023-03-16T19:14:00.001-05:002023-03-16T19:19:22.245-05:00Police Public Relations<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALmViud1XeT5JDQwVMXS4f8vw-HQneFxozE-20hq-zfwbT9zagIsjsjCAoanCFntQJjB95vzQ0FH8zHtsazSgfhrmM3wXu48gLzAobhIrI9n8K8weAVyokFkwL-5ptehK-PaugpEhzCE8A2xipGuGCOCNdFl45b_JqvAh7pSIALJ63IOJjds/s531/No%20Left%20Turn%20Sign.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALmViud1XeT5JDQwVMXS4f8vw-HQneFxozE-20hq-zfwbT9zagIsjsjCAoanCFntQJjB95vzQ0FH8zHtsazSgfhrmM3wXu48gLzAobhIrI9n8K8weAVyokFkwL-5ptehK-PaugpEhzCE8A2xipGuGCOCNdFl45b_JqvAh7pSIALJ63IOJjds/s320/No%20Left%20Turn%20Sign.jpg" width="233" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">In the mid-1970s while assigned to the Montrose area
of Houston, the City posted a series of No Left Turn signs at the behest of the
local Neighborhood Watch group.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">There
was a pattern of traffic which had cars continuously circling through residential
areas, back onto the main thoroughfares and then back through the residential
areas.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;">Basically, these individuals were
looking to ‘hook-up’ with like-minded individuals, I’ll let you draw your own
opinion.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Department didn’t want to unnecessarily upset the
more ‘tolerant’ segment who regularly frequented that area and so the first
week after the new traffic signs were installed, with the intent to alter the
annoying traffic pattern, I was sent to provide warnings rather than issue
traffic tickets to anyone who failed to comply with the new traffic signs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’d no sooner arrived when I observed two vehicles
simultaneously make a left turn off of Montrose Boulevard onto Lovett
Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stood out in the middle of the
street and flagged them over to the curb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">When I approached their vehicles, I asked each driver
for a driver's license and they handed these over to me.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">The lead vehicle had been driven by a
Catholic priest wearing the customary black shirt with the small white
collar.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">I explained that he probably
hadn’t seen the brand-new traffic sign and asked that he be more aware in the future
as I let him go.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The second vehicle was driven by a more ‘progressive’
individual who might have attended Woodstock gauging from his appearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The idea popped into my head, have some fun
with this guy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I explained that I only had one ticket left in my book
and that it was obvious that, "I couldn’t write the priest, so I had to let him
go".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My words landed on his ears and
settled in as I pulled the traffic ticket book from my back pocket as if I planned
to start writing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The veins in his neck immediately began to swell, “You
can’t do that! You…you can’t do that!” There was a form of righteous
indignation attached to his vocal cords as the words came out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“You’re probably right”, was my reply as I reached
into my pocket and took out a quarter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
flipped it in the air, caught it and then slapped it onto my wrist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Call it, heads, or tails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This way you have half a chance.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“You can’t do that!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was turning red faced, “You can’t do that!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I let him vent for a moment of two longer as
I pulled out my traffic ticket book, showing him I had plenty of blank tickets
that could be used.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please be more
careful and pay attention to the new traffic signs”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m not sure if this falls under Public Relations or
simply Jacking with Folks.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-79889121419840367732023-03-13T12:50:00.003-05:002023-03-13T13:08:54.149-05:00Price Gouging or Fair Market Value<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2D5SpONvujnpW84LebV3453vuZbrHpCJD6PnV8SVeYXTBgmd-DRf-06IXuMjBWlh8Yr544f0Cm8U8SkWg-dICFsH3DUVySAvWJMGJf-IUhSfpreujmQHZ4Mc35-ExGt4ICmk_VKh-NpfOSQL-DnQ4KvsZ5mrqSZlUVMdvLho9j8pGmw6FGA/s1799/RV%20City%20Water%20Inlet%20Replacement%20Part%2003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="1799" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2D5SpONvujnpW84LebV3453vuZbrHpCJD6PnV8SVeYXTBgmd-DRf-06IXuMjBWlh8Yr544f0Cm8U8SkWg-dICFsH3DUVySAvWJMGJf-IUhSfpreujmQHZ4Mc35-ExGt4ICmk_VKh-NpfOSQL-DnQ4KvsZ5mrqSZlUVMdvLho9j8pGmw6FGA/s320/RV%20City%20Water%20Inlet%20Replacement%20Part%2003.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This past week the connection where the city water
hose line feeds into our RV broke. Water was gushing out the end of the hose
and I shut off the water, examined the issue and figured it would be a fairly
simple repair since a standard water hose is connected to a fitting built into
the side of the RV.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was mistaken; the connection necked down to fit the
half inch diameter hose fitting on the other side of the flange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t simply hook the water hose up
without the specialty connector which contained a pressure valve.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It was late in the afternoon on Friday, I had to scramble
over to the hardware store before they closed at 5:00pm, only to find they
couldn’t help. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Not being a regular fix it yourself type guy, I found
out you can’t visit the local hardware store, walk over to their plumbing
section and purchase an RV replacement part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The term ‘proprietary’ was used by the owner of the hardware store as she
explained the folks who sell RV replacement products won’t sell those parts to
hardware stores in order to force folks to purchase these ‘specialty parts’
from the RV outlets.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I understand the use of proprietary marketing, don’t
like that it’s done; but that’s how the free-market system works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the same reason you don’t go to the Chevy
dealership to buy a replacement part for your Honda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might find an aftermarket replacement
part at Auto Zone; but then it might not be an exact fit, so you end up having
to go to Honda anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The next morning we’d planned on going into Houston anyway
and would pass by the RV dealership where we’d purchased our 2022 Keystone Bullet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps, we thought, since the RV was less
than a year old the broken part might be covered by warranty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The folks at the parts department explained
that they weren’t the ones to ask, that we’d have to take that up with
management.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I should mention that I’d called their parts
department on Friday to see if they had such a part in stock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fellow put me on hold for a few minutes
as he checked and then said, “Yes, we have them in stock and, depending on
which one you need, it will cost between $25 and $30”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, on Saturday morning the fellow who greeted me
showed that they only had one RV City Water Fill connector and it was going to
cost me roughly $54.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went to look for
others that would be in the back stockroom but explained that the one on
display was the only one in stock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
gritted my teeth, reached into my wallet, and paid cash.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I knew I could get the same product on the internet
for less than $20 plus shipping and handling; but since we had family in town
for the weekend using the RV, we didn’t want to wait a few days for a replacement
part to be delivered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The replacement job took only a few minutes. The part
needed was the black plastic half inch diameter pressure valve connector which
was held in place by two flexible tabs to the chrome ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently, many RV units used a separate single
flange cover for the city water input whereas the newer RV units now have all
these water connections under one elongated oval flange held in place with 8 or
10 screws.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With a pair of plyers, the two plastic retaining
prongs were depressed freeing the connector from the chrome flange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That connector was then pushed through the
elongated oval flange plate and the hose on the RV side screwed on exactly as
it was designed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The standard water hose
from our faucet was then connected to the brass pressure reducer piece and the
job was done.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Thinking back to Saturday morning</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">s adventure, the
fellow working at the Holiday World of Willis knew I had to have the part and
never flinched as he handed me the receipt.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I checked the mirror in my car as I drove out of their parking lot; no,
didn’t see any blood dripping from my nose either.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;">Fifty-Four</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"> Dollars for a part that probably cost less
than two dollars to make. Yes, that’s
what most folks would consider price gouging.</span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-75404803901964413592023-02-25T12:03:00.001-06:002023-02-25T12:03:38.760-06:00A True MacGyver Moment<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08xV-jANV6nnsEAZ7r9WuJ0DOdMLKUECztuRiS4YwQR2zwy6o7fz8OkyTybgxBeAmPLtJ2MNlgm8T3VNQ-m_J-rFLx_DHP8EJwlboJ16gm_2ASUToxciWFxPXTdzGqOyr0rgGxObv67lMlQAaD2HBg72Z0BAS9f-i7Ha5PdzWH6wi9N5Mi-4/s587/MACGYVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="394" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08xV-jANV6nnsEAZ7r9WuJ0DOdMLKUECztuRiS4YwQR2zwy6o7fz8OkyTybgxBeAmPLtJ2MNlgm8T3VNQ-m_J-rFLx_DHP8EJwlboJ16gm_2ASUToxciWFxPXTdzGqOyr0rgGxObv67lMlQAaD2HBg72Z0BAS9f-i7Ha5PdzWH6wi9N5Mi-4/s320/MACGYVER.jpg" width="215" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">My neighbor’s car locked him out after he’d unhooked
the battery.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">It was then he realized
that the mechanical key didn’t open the door, someone having unhooked the
important parts of the lock inside the door frame, probably using a ‘Slim Jim’
or similar tool.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I explained that I no longer had any locksmith tools,
having given those away when I retired several years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still understood how to by pass the system;
just that I’d need to be creative, I think that’s the term, in deciding how to
attack the challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I had a nice long antenna out in the connex storage
building along with some empty plastic kitty litter containers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to the kitchen and borrowed two Teflon
coated spatulas to use for wedges and figured that might work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I cut the kitty litter container into flat sheets and
started to insert these one at a time, bypassing the tight seal of the passenger
side front door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then another and another
until the first spatula was able to get past the upright post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I placed sheets of plastic from the kitty
litter container along the edges of the door so the antenna, while being
inserted, wouldn’t scratch or mar the door edges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My neighbor had two small pieces of trim wood
that had enough strength to gently pry the door edge, just enough to permit the
antenna access to where the door lock was located.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This was when I started to sing a church hymn, mostly
in fun; but I think the Lord was helping all this time, “Guide Us, O Thou Great
Jehovah”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had my neighbor help guide
the antenna’s working end by looking through the window until it landed squarely
on the lock’s pivot point.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The whole operation didn’t take that long and it was
quite exhilarating to be able to walk in the footsteps of the master of
modified tricks. Thank you, MacGyver, for
an inspired moment.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(Image courtesy of bing dot com)</span></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-16405226945465714192023-02-12T15:39:00.005-06:002023-02-12T15:42:32.922-06:00First Aid Training<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_z4-EnMZjtu2qwXjapKlZjmET2qkVBjKEoBKJ5RwZLipXAB-4HxctPEr975ZbmyAAkGVKUiuqjlnJYJC2OBwO3WIJm7WNa3yCm-Dt3P0ARvX2quGEHU6XqE2hqypAr974NjFOZ0ng7J7Ve6uaDqzv8IVG_GV2CH7ibEXvWeVJhqQXZe1wfI/s355/First%20Aid%20logo%20courtesy%20of%20Bing%20dot%20com.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="355" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_z4-EnMZjtu2qwXjapKlZjmET2qkVBjKEoBKJ5RwZLipXAB-4HxctPEr975ZbmyAAkGVKUiuqjlnJYJC2OBwO3WIJm7WNa3yCm-Dt3P0ARvX2quGEHU6XqE2hqypAr974NjFOZ0ng7J7Ve6uaDqzv8IVG_GV2CH7ibEXvWeVJhqQXZe1wfI/w200-h186/First%20Aid%20logo%20courtesy%20of%20Bing%20dot%20com.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This Wednesday the Young Women and Young Men attending
the Madisonville Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will
hold a combined meeting where they will have training on basic First Aid.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This kind of activity will be beneficial since one never knows when such training might be needed.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was reminded that while working for the Houston
Police Department, all officers were required to complete at least eight hours
of First Aid training each year as mandated by the State of Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Night shift officers would be asked to show
up during the day for this training and receive overtime pay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This later was changed to where the training
was done on night shift at the Police Academy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">There had been a scandal of sorts in the late 1980’s
where an officer from the Northeast Substation had been accused of stealing
money from those he’d arrested for being drunk.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">This was an embarrassment for every police officer as the Houston
Chronicle had fun printing a couple of articles painting the entire Department
as if it were common practice for officers to steal money from prisoners.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Internal Affairs figured out which officer was
involved, set up a situation where he’d be the one to arrest an individual
carrying marked bills and let the incident play out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure enough, upon finishing the booking of
the prisoner, the officer was found to be in possession of the marked
money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hopefully that’s the last time he was permitted to
wear the uniform; but what has this got to do with First Aid training?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Upon showing up at the Police Academy building over by
the airport, there were about 2 officers from each substation seated around a
large conference table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The First Aid instructor
was from Social Services; but not a police officer, and he decided to find out
how much each of us knew without having been given training, at least not as
yet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">He pointed to one officer, having looked at his name
tag, and asked, “Officer So and So, you’re on patrol and come upon a man
bleeding severely, his having fallen through a plate glass window.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">What’s the first thing you should do?” That officer gave a reasonable response, and
so it went as the instructor made it around the table.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Pointing in my direction he asked, “Officer Stern,
while on patrol you come across a man lying face down in the ditch.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">What’s the first thing you should do?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Without hesitating my response was, “Well, if you’re from
the Northeast Substation the first thing you do is go through his wallet
looking for money.” A round of muffled
laughter broke out around the conference table, that is, all except from the
two officers from the Northeast Substation who didn’t think it was funny at
all.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-52268556013622377422023-02-05T15:03:00.002-06:002023-02-05T15:08:49.973-06:00The Hot Sheet<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tskVI3w2KVSMXU3ElYH5V8aKrrRww13LijrdyivNo3p32QuROxSjmfqHgFm6GKTgzCWracu6Kp55hp2tKZ5GtXA6oGYcTvl8lX4Ej_TFoUCZWq1XGXUZajXJmz6vZCtyslJRqZ6Ey0uGwpOSV1rLvPtfucqJF0g-P9CPzpeQDkdRho71pc0/s543/Recovered%20Stole%20Ford%20Truck%20courtesy%20of%20Bing%20dot%20com.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="543" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tskVI3w2KVSMXU3ElYH5V8aKrrRww13LijrdyivNo3p32QuROxSjmfqHgFm6GKTgzCWracu6Kp55hp2tKZ5GtXA6oGYcTvl8lX4Ej_TFoUCZWq1XGXUZajXJmz6vZCtyslJRqZ6Ey0uGwpOSV1rLvPtfucqJF0g-P9CPzpeQDkdRho71pc0/s320/Recovered%20Stole%20Ford%20Truck%20courtesy%20of%20Bing%20dot%20com.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A fellow retired police officer reminded me that at
one time patrol officers were handed a Hot Sheet while in Roll Call.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This was a list of currently reported stolen
vehicles which could be useful while on patrol.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">It must be remembered; this was before the advent of the computer age
and most police cars didn’t even have a ‘good time radio’ as they were
considered a distraction.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(Image courtesy of Bing dot com)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There were any number of ways to fold these Hot Sheets
to make them more accessible when they were stashed above the sun visor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since these were printed in columns and there
were so many stolen vehicles to be listed, that meant at least two Hot Sheets,
sometimes more to be carefully folded to make the most of this information.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When I was a rookie, recovering a stolen vehicle was
one of the items on my ‘Bucket List’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You have to have recovered at least one stolen vehicle to be able to
look in the mirror and hold your head high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Weeks went by and nothing; but each day I’d religiously scan the lists
hoping to score.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The senior police officer would drive around to check
different known drop locations hoping we’d stumble across an abandoned stolen vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some officers seemingly had a magic touch as
they’d call for a wrecker almost daily to haul off their find.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t that officer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That day finally arrived, and I remember the feeling
of pride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my mind, the right to wear the
blue uniform had been penciled in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
felt like a beam of sunshine was created especially for me as I called the
listed owner to announce my success.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Sir, this is Officer Stern with the Houston Police
Department calling to let you know we’ve recovered your stolen truck.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was awaiting cheers, maybe even some
confetti tossed in my direction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“I bet my bass boat wasn’t with it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A dark cloud blocked out all the excitement
as his words landed on my ear. Not only was this guy not going to recommend me
for Rookie of the Year for having recovered his shiny new Ford F-150, but he
was flat out disappointed in how long it had taken to give him the bad news; his prized fishing boat was never going to be found.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The senior officer smiled as he watched my reaction,
“You’ll get used to that.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Becoming a
hero police officer wasn’t going to be easy.</span></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-64382925718668050612023-01-30T11:45:00.003-06:002023-01-30T11:45:55.195-06:00Checking 3622<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLDIgWSuVexpwHBGUTPYT_L48SpZk_JDvYUrGpYiEE3cDF5TuDXgFFUSoK2oNhzJokHcm2H2UKIlwwxZJGfDt1GgfXpeRoKymE8qvm1-D_KmuQbjAnn4po0JXvCctlK9BdalqU7zplXKy4S_k3DBf-pr8KeKLRRm-NbgLwVQOGuuhWIWtqaU/s753/Touch%20Tone%20Telephone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="753" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLDIgWSuVexpwHBGUTPYT_L48SpZk_JDvYUrGpYiEE3cDF5TuDXgFFUSoK2oNhzJokHcm2H2UKIlwwxZJGfDt1GgfXpeRoKymE8qvm1-D_KmuQbjAnn4po0JXvCctlK9BdalqU7zplXKy4S_k3DBf-pr8KeKLRRm-NbgLwVQOGuuhWIWtqaU/s320/Touch%20Tone%20Telephone.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I was in a meeting at church the other day and the
topic turned to the advent of the computer age.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">We take for granted that our cellphones have many built-in conveniences to
include a fully operational computer with more capabilities than the computers
used to place a man on the moon.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(Image of Touch Tone Telephone courtesy of Bing)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Back when I was a young police officer in Houston
working the street, if we wanted to have a detailed background check on a suspect,
we’d ask the dispatcher to check 3622, for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If we were at the station, we’d simply dial 3622, that being the last
four numbers of the phone number for the folks who had the only computer hooked
up to the national system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It might be hard to comprehend how different access to
the computer room was in that period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
room was basically a high security vault and only rare few individuals were
permitted to enter that room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">‘Old Head’ police officers knew two numbers, 3622 and
3611, to check for outstanding warrants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The newer crop of officers might not have heard of the antiquated means
of accomplishing this task since every police car has its own computer tied
into the national system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That part of the history lesson leads to the next part
of the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It was somewhere in the mid-70s when I had to work
light duty due to an injury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They put me
behind a desk doing menial paperwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Department was in the process of installing computer terminals in
most every office, a decided break from having to contact 3622 for such tasks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My first day working light duty was the same day the
computer terminal was installed at the desk where I was to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fellow invited me to become acquainted with
all the features and explained, “Don’t worry about damaging anything, just have
fun figuring what it can do”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was
neat, getting to have hands-on experience with new technology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I can hear the younger generation giggling
since they grew up in a different era.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I set about pushing the keys that ran across the top
row and found there was an application built in for creating letters up the
chain of command, something I’d become familiar with much more than I would
have liked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Most officers, when they needed to explain an incident
which might lead to disciplinary action, wrote out their thoughts on a yellow legal
pad. That information was then handed to the division’s secretary who’d type it
out, the officer would then sign that letter and submit the finished version up
the chain of command.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With the word processing function available to officers,
they could, if so inclined, write and edit their letter until it best matched
the desired way it would be received as it went up the chain of command.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitn7l_roHkkfRPB95KHThw2IOrcdnsREsR8D3BJJ6-3gfqB9o6B8nHDiuzDtUWxEEQef0MgjyXrO5pkF11P7wtYNCSQrwhx5bc-x5rXe4pk0pvClO185IZB4sIoOSr6yVSYB-DboSRo0iaK0e2Y1sO1z_htdvylLq7sHqxJEEAYOd-kbtnjIU/s1107/Oops%20Red%20Key.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="1107" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitn7l_roHkkfRPB95KHThw2IOrcdnsREsR8D3BJJ6-3gfqB9o6B8nHDiuzDtUWxEEQef0MgjyXrO5pkF11P7wtYNCSQrwhx5bc-x5rXe4pk0pvClO185IZB4sIoOSr6yVSYB-DboSRo0iaK0e2Y1sO1z_htdvylLq7sHqxJEEAYOd-kbtnjIU/s320/Oops%20Red%20Key.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>Curiosity took my attention to the last key along the
top row of buttons to push.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">It was a
large Red Button. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Offhand I couldn’t say
if it had anything to indicate its function. The invitation offered by the
technician came to mind, “Don’t worry about damaging anything, just have fun
figuring what it can do”.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(Image courtesy of istockphoto dot com)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It might have been two, perhaps three minutes before
two technicians came hurriedly toward me, a panicked look on their faces
indicated the building was about to explode. I’m guessing they came via the stairwell
rather than having to wait on the elevator. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hitting the large Red Key to find out what
it did shut down the entire computer system of the Houston Police
Department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every single computer
terminal had been returned to the Stone Age, to include the folks working
3622.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The technician, the same one who’d earlier been so
pleasant as he’d explained, “Don’t worry about damaging anything, just have fun
figuring what it can do”, carefully adjusted that to include, “…but never,
under any circumstances, touch the Red Key!”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-16291034783831359932023-01-18T11:38:00.001-06:002023-01-18T11:38:21.269-06:00By The Book<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcDVqxEcNWwC4w1n9QPn_ZtiDbW2R3WvXHc0Fn5YIznMY9FHvefJncZyyh6UdEA44zv56kbZPxRfu2BiwWU82loC-LOBkmlVDqt51VVdjNtEcf9bVbBycUpzOWZ7RSjZH7e3ucb7JKHmIBlUaEcwry1dZJGnil-AS-SpyXNVMo-hXNChsU04/s574/Rules%20and%20Regulation%20By%20the%20Book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="574" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcDVqxEcNWwC4w1n9QPn_ZtiDbW2R3WvXHc0Fn5YIznMY9FHvefJncZyyh6UdEA44zv56kbZPxRfu2BiwWU82loC-LOBkmlVDqt51VVdjNtEcf9bVbBycUpzOWZ7RSjZH7e3ucb7JKHmIBlUaEcwry1dZJGnil-AS-SpyXNVMo-hXNChsU04/w200-h147/Rules%20and%20Regulation%20By%20the%20Book.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />One <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">of the
character traits desirable in police officers has to do with being able to do
things ‘by the book’.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">It implies a
desire to adhere to standards designed to protect the integrity of the
department while establishing boundaries for those working within the ranks.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(Image courtesy of istockphoto dot com)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">Back in the mid to
late seventies I apprenticed as a locksmith, working for free in order to learn
the ‘tricks of the trade’, so to speak.
I’d show up on Saturdays and do whatever I was able during those
hours. Most of the time I’d get a free
sandwich as part of the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">deal.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At a certain point it became clear that I was able to
do some of the simpler jobs and could actually go out on jobs to prove my
talents. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any money collected belonged to
the shop since I was there as an apprentice. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It dawned on me that if I wanted to be self-employed,
even for very small jobs, I needed to obtain a sales tax permit in order to be
within the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doing things by the book
was important, especially since I was also a uniformed police officer
representing the City of Houston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
wouldn’t do for me to violate the law as it would be fodder for the local news
media.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I drove over to the sales tax offices during my lunch
break while on duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After filling in a
form I handed it over to the young lady sitting at her desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She glanced it over, making sure all the
spaces had been filled in; but stopped when she got to the line, ‘estimated monthly
income’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I’d done a rough calculation in my head, considering
how much I might make doing a job every now and then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the ‘estimated monthly amount’ I
wrote down was, $250.00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The young lady
asked if perhaps I’d meant to write, $2,500.00; but I assured her that $250.00
a month would be about right.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">She had a look of bewilderment as she lowered her chin
slightly and asked, “You mean to tell me you’re going to quit the police
department so you can be a locksmith and make only $250 a month?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rather than go into details about my locksmith
business being mostly a hobby, something to do for fun on Saturdays, I replied,
“Oh, yes Ma’am, I really enjoy locksmith work”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think she winced and took a deep breath as she stamped the form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I posted a minimal deposit to cover expected
sales taxes to be collected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next 40
years in business is, as they say, history.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Doing things by the book was a good idea since that
hobby became a primary source of income that supplemented my employment as a
police officer until I retired from the Houston Police Department.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That brings up another story regarding doing things by
the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple of weeks prior to
retiring from the department I wanted to make sure all my ducks were in a row,
pardon the expression. There were things like continuity of medical insurance for
my family to consider along with other payroll oriented issues that had to be
properly addressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The forms were
turned in and all that was needed was to finish out the last week on duty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQ-ovWONW9ZwaE8BeBP1d-7rDFCGe0Zd07iokEkqsQ4l4KT0MjHWPhKy4xNqr2ZKZjKaWSEo6VPbsE54KMOMoUie7TrboTpY6mr8U4op_xbU4CX3e_yvlqOCT3GmDmFZyK212-aT2NvFlgSUEHu8gVlwd5JjKgl1D3M-koDdFbi-UAMzG6-I/s654/Police%20Car%20MDT%20unit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="647" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQ-ovWONW9ZwaE8BeBP1d-7rDFCGe0Zd07iokEkqsQ4l4KT0MjHWPhKy4xNqr2ZKZjKaWSEo6VPbsE54KMOMoUie7TrboTpY6mr8U4op_xbU4CX3e_yvlqOCT3GmDmFZyK212-aT2NvFlgSUEHu8gVlwd5JjKgl1D3M-koDdFbi-UAMzG6-I/s320/Police%20Car%20MDT%20unit.jpg" width="317" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />The next night, after being assigned my regular beat and shop (police
car), I turned on the MDT (a fancy term for a laptop that’s attached to the
police car). The login screen wouldn’t
cooperate, asking in bold print why a retired officer needed to login.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">(image courtesy of wolfcomusa dot com)</span> <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=police%20mdt%20image&qs=n&form=QBRE&=%25eManage%20Your%20Search%20History%25E&sp=-1&ghc=1&pq=police%20mdt%20image&sc=0-16&sk=&cvid=601294A45ED14AED95503BC98617DE35&ghsh=0&ghacc=0&ghpl="><span style="background: white; color: #4007a2; font-family: Roboto; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><br />
<span style="display: inline-block; touch-action: manipulation;"></span><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I took a deep breath and managed to convince the
dispatcher that I had not retired yet, that I still had a few more days to
go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow the dispatcher was able to
convince the system to accept a retired officer for active duty that night.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then, when it was time to fill up the police unit with
gasoline prior to going home at the end of shift, the computer at the gas pumps
wouldn’t accept my information; again, asking why a retired police officer was
trying to obtain gasoline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately,
my shift supervisor was close by and used his information to convince the
system to let me fill up with gas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The next night, rather than worry about why a retired
police officer was on duty, our supervisors agreed that it would be much easier
to assign me to desk duty the remainder of my active duty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some might argue or question my being a by the book
kind of individual; but, for the most part, I did try to stay within the lines.</span></span></p><p></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-23004572217067601702022-10-01T12:35:00.002-05:002022-10-01T12:48:01.053-05:00Spilled My Yeti<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcD7F9mldJRpYeOF2BcaBhfBjpTzi1pZ_ZSQ9ZyuSTlDNyFAImTFkvQC-DzNOpTmyJuHQV0wkcc19GIh3QUAdq0BhvQiP8lHUYignKQV_dnqMki7CtkHlzm8wZ0OlW7w-jc_oOygtRLq5zI5Ucx4FrZIDAq9Un2Ra3rcTPQIdy2fQ8QYkwi8/s1080/Spilled%20My%20Yeti%20Oct%201%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcD7F9mldJRpYeOF2BcaBhfBjpTzi1pZ_ZSQ9ZyuSTlDNyFAImTFkvQC-DzNOpTmyJuHQV0wkcc19GIh3QUAdq0BhvQiP8lHUYignKQV_dnqMki7CtkHlzm8wZ0OlW7w-jc_oOygtRLq5zI5Ucx4FrZIDAq9Un2Ra3rcTPQIdy2fQ8QYkwi8/s320/Spilled%20My%20Yeti%20Oct%201%202022.jpg" width="156" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">While looking forward to the Saturday Morning Session
of General Conference, I’d topped off my Yeti with lots of ice and water.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">This isn’t an average size Yeti, and in fact,
it’s a competitor’s version of a Yeti that holds sixty-four gallons; we picked it
up at the Bucky’s store in Madisonville.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Growing up in my era, folks called their vacuum
cleaners, Hoovers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t matter what
company manufactured the device; Hoover was a commonly known device.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suppose the folks at Yeti should be
thrilled to have had a similar fate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rather than set the huge honking container on a table,
we have food storage spread around the house, and so…there are three cases of
canned ground beef next to the sofa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
covered with a bath towel that makes it ‘invisible’, a mind game that permits
us to use the living room as part of the pantry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These cases of canned goods are placed on
bath towels to keep moisture from ruining the hardwood flooring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cats think the top layer of bath towels
are for them to sleep on, providing a strategic location for staring out the
window.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI78qB_9n-5o4wkdrhK2dir9gatlcnxF8n8Qak7tGXMiet9SvfdAerVIK_l6FIjRgSufGN7YZM3qA6_WhccOPiHWE85W0qSV9cQAIjn1TUO9iRZjP6Sf7WNs1LiGhJhaNbE3souZrKMzSz-5-gDB53T1BlVmWIBKrNY3_F7pRzLkgFBPkp2a4/s1080/Spilled%20Yeti%20%2002%20Oct%2001%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="1080" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI78qB_9n-5o4wkdrhK2dir9gatlcnxF8n8Qak7tGXMiet9SvfdAerVIK_l6FIjRgSufGN7YZM3qA6_WhccOPiHWE85W0qSV9cQAIjn1TUO9iRZjP6Sf7WNs1LiGhJhaNbE3souZrKMzSz-5-gDB53T1BlVmWIBKrNY3_F7pRzLkgFBPkp2a4/s320/Spilled%20Yeti%20%2002%20Oct%2001%202022.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span><br /></span></span></p>General Conference started and the first speaker was
Dallin H. Oaks.</span><span> </span><span>I reached over to take a
sip from the Yeti; but accidentally tipped it over, sending several hundred gallons
of water and ice to the floor.</span><span> </span><span>It’s
possible the amount of water and ice has been exaggerated.</span><span> </span><span>I didn’t get to pay attention to the message
being shared by Elder Oaks about how much humanitarian aid was produced by
members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We have a supply of older bath towels that are kept next
to the washer and dryer room and I made a hurried dash across the house to retrieve
several towels to mop up the mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was easy picking up chunks of ice and placing them back into the Yeti; however,
the water had spread quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A local
fisherman had taken up position on the shore in hopes of catching a big one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The towels under the stacks of canned ground
beef along with the towel that’s under a stack of popcorn bags had soaked up
some of the water; not good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Each of the stacks of canned goods had to be moved
along with two hundred pounds of popcorn to keep the water from damaging the
wood flooring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was accomplished and
fresh towels have been placed where the others had been, canned ground beef
cases stacked as they had been and the washing machine will get another load of
towels.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">General Conference continued and the local fisherman
decided to go home since the lake dried up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-50646520808635625772022-09-27T19:23:00.000-05:002022-09-27T19:23:20.661-05:00The Algorithm Two Step<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_PpVCNg-teeedekzB3G5mYZomvhBuxJFw_xOW5DcxcR6aUZBenXmfw_3YSEA_v3YRjQ2gz7PPXEDRBS7p0Ojs5odp7C0yRQdfyh9-D6EiGrB8_j0AVZDtGeGnXGVmMc_xbiEppYgCEJsxoFoQDdGltoKTUmMhsAc_Oqecr1lTGKHAYoFJ6s/s1200/Aircraft%20Carrier%20USS%20Nimitz%20photo%20by%20nypost%20dot%20com.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_PpVCNg-teeedekzB3G5mYZomvhBuxJFw_xOW5DcxcR6aUZBenXmfw_3YSEA_v3YRjQ2gz7PPXEDRBS7p0Ojs5odp7C0yRQdfyh9-D6EiGrB8_j0AVZDtGeGnXGVmMc_xbiEppYgCEJsxoFoQDdGltoKTUmMhsAc_Oqecr1lTGKHAYoFJ6s/s320/Aircraft%20Carrier%20USS%20Nimitz%20photo%20by%20nypost%20dot%20com.webp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USS Nimitz</td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I must admit, I spend too much time on social media
outlets like Facebook, time that could be more productive elsewhere, such as
creative writing; hmmmm.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I suppose looking
at entries of friend’s cats and dogs beats watching the latest news and is good
for my spirit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Interesting paths are created by social media which
rely on algorithms, as if the computer memory banks recognize my desires, found
a need or simply want to sell a product made by one of their advertising sponsors.
Simply hit the Like Button on an item, any item, and the journey begins.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I happened to view a photograph of an aircraft carrier
some time back…and for the next several weeks my daily visits on Facebook
brought many more images of…you guessed it…aircraft carriers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were aircraft carriers from other
countries, aircraft carriers with aircraft taking off, landing, short videos of
aircraft on approach to land or take off, aircraft carriers doing high speed maneuvers
and so on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is starting to sound
like a rehash of Forrest Gump learning the many uses for shrimp.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">About a week ago a friend posted an image of a rustic
log cabin nestled in an autumn country setting with trees ablaze in splendid fashion,
and I clicked the Like Button.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’m
being flooded with images of rustic log cabins, tiny homes, hunter’s shacks
along with full size mansion sized country styled houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This doesn’t touch on how many photographs on
the beautiful fall landscapes on display with winding country roads lined with split
railed log fences. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5VdXtlkRmuyTtL2XqluLXxSDbhuvOIYDKteOx4cJYHr45PSWpxHWiQPEiaFq-mXbNsiTdynQMo2PZFxAWc0wZygkY-lxBxxHoaJ5vlmbbEfiFOKDSdQXG-qtfEBhZfF7wBdeJJpK4lVcDM77VUpNbJ-_sEfnTALqXFoGwYDXkU4nvN599pM/s240/Log%20Cabin%20image%20on%20Pinterest%20Virginia%20Tennessee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5VdXtlkRmuyTtL2XqluLXxSDbhuvOIYDKteOx4cJYHr45PSWpxHWiQPEiaFq-mXbNsiTdynQMo2PZFxAWc0wZygkY-lxBxxHoaJ5vlmbbEfiFOKDSdQXG-qtfEBhZfF7wBdeJJpK4lVcDM77VUpNbJ-_sEfnTALqXFoGwYDXkU4nvN599pM/s1600/Log%20Cabin%20image%20on%20Pinterest%20Virginia%20Tennessee.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>I needed directions to a transmission repair shop for
my 2003 Dodge truck.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I’d already talked
to them over the phone and arranged for their services; but Google shared my
information so now when I start up the internet it has several suggested
transmission repair locations, advertisements from those who support Google and
would dearly love my business.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNk-rMMUI1I7S-rS6Qm27pLKP0AkYDJ8AYRVNXpv07J2f8usgbbR_hGpiThGxD_2A4p6ZeZ3aSfXVlrKuNOpkZ6KUSNblqeS4rYV8z-yqN4q4ZXf6vChywxur3pjION0SNSV4eECJ7GfFQekiD4cCUpgODbKUy0OQ0jplxkYxzDVtdyY5y8LQ/s474/Transmission%20for%202003%20Dodge%20Truck%20photo%20on%20ebay%20dot%20com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="474" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNk-rMMUI1I7S-rS6Qm27pLKP0AkYDJ8AYRVNXpv07J2f8usgbbR_hGpiThGxD_2A4p6ZeZ3aSfXVlrKuNOpkZ6KUSNblqeS4rYV8z-yqN4q4ZXf6vChywxur3pjION0SNSV4eECJ7GfFQekiD4cCUpgODbKUy0OQ0jplxkYxzDVtdyY5y8LQ/s320/Transmission%20for%202003%20Dodge%20Truck%20photo%20on%20ebay%20dot%20com.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>A spin-off on having notified Facebook that I own an
old Dodge truck, even though it’s not an antique, at least not yet; I get to
see images of really old pick-up trucks that have been restored to pristine
condition.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I’m not complaining, just
making an observation.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Maybe Google thinks
my truck needs a paint job to go along with the transmission repair job.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Admiring a beautiful woman can be illuminating as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to social media, I have
a crush on several actresses: Wonder Woman’s Lynda Carter, Bewitched’s
Elizabeth Montgomery, Friends’ Jennifer Aniston and several others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least they got this part right; but who
could blame me on these choices?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
sure there are dozens of attractive female images to click the Like Button on. Will
I have to sacrifice my love of aircraft carriers to make room for movie stars
showing too much skin?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5wsmUSdkAWEaOqpiCwdGtJGMLtbtfVA20jiZ7HFcCBouAeI5BYK4CWiC2oE-yGMooaG8npqcLbY9pM7rlmCO16HP41USqEta7MB_6nq94zOLnOUBbVmo3nxjnune5xjEbdp33WuCMia12Q1M0hRwVBOm6VXGNufL3BUu-AJxBUUtrPnvLzuc/s1600/Wonder%20Woman%20Lynda%20Carter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1248" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5wsmUSdkAWEaOqpiCwdGtJGMLtbtfVA20jiZ7HFcCBouAeI5BYK4CWiC2oE-yGMooaG8npqcLbY9pM7rlmCO16HP41USqEta7MB_6nq94zOLnOUBbVmo3nxjnune5xjEbdp33WuCMia12Q1M0hRwVBOm6VXGNufL3BUu-AJxBUUtrPnvLzuc/s320/Wonder%20Woman%20Lynda%20Carter.jpg" width="250" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">About a year ago I saw a finely crafted violin
displayed, you bet…the algorithm has me down to eventually purchase a violin,
learn to play and, as a bonus, sends me classical music videos featuring violin
solos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">…And you thought I was only interested in being
adopted by lonely puppies and kittens, said the man with two dogs, two matured
cats and the newest member to the family, an 8-week-old kitten we named,
Thumper, because she pounds the wooden floor while charging with reckless
abandon to stir up trouble. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We might
have gotten her name wrong; Terrorist Kitty might be more suited for her. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Walking down the hallway at night requires an acquired
skillset similar to young parents trying not to step on Lego blocks in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a senior citizen, that’s evolved to avoiding
freshly regurgitated food, scattered grains of cat sand or any number of toys
that at one time had squeakers embedded within their bodies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess this new dance could be called the
Algorithm Two Step.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-3952985924805534762022-09-20T13:55:00.001-05:002022-09-20T13:57:08.389-05:00HPD Honorably Retired Patch<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPg5MUjCjnZFD046XGqRMXpXrl8QFPtgNoOIf8oDcnOI761oO9M1uSNGaH3RTqBDDlELcu7EUPFkYxfJfa3i1AJfdWnDHbdVgeay_sXJdKgWJak9jHXnsV8dDHsy8ztAo-RAJpdZnPk-QHbro4bk6lY35YXH0yjt6BT2AR2cpVus6bC56G0o/s960/HPD%20Honorably%20Retired%20Patch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPg5MUjCjnZFD046XGqRMXpXrl8QFPtgNoOIf8oDcnOI761oO9M1uSNGaH3RTqBDDlELcu7EUPFkYxfJfa3i1AJfdWnDHbdVgeay_sXJdKgWJak9jHXnsV8dDHsy8ztAo-RAJpdZnPk-QHbro4bk6lY35YXH0yjt6BT2AR2cpVus6bC56G0o/s320/HPD%20Honorably%20Retired%20Patch.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Not too long ago, while thumbing through the Retired
Houston Police Officer’s page, a photograph of an HPD Honorably Retired Patch
appeared.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I was unaware that such a
patch had ever been created.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Perhaps
this was simply a ‘possibility’ of something that might become available.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I suggested that such a patch could be applied to a
jacket, specifically an old Eisenhower styled wool jacket that was popular at
one time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember being lucky enough
to have been given a ‘hand-me-down’ original “Ike”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A senior patrol officer was retiring, and he
wanted someone to continue enjoying it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was a dark blue jacket with light blue epaulets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It came with the original large chrome “PDs”
on the collars and chrome buttons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some years later, just by chance, a large box
containing a slightly newer version of Ike jackets was discovered in the
Uniform Supply Division.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been quite
a while since then, making my recollection of exactly how I obtained a second
Ike jacket blurred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t remember if
we had to pay anything for them; but I latched onto the brand-new jacket and
was proud to be able to sport it during those months of the year when mildly
cool nights made wearing a light jacket preferable to the standard issued
winter coat. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As I recall, the Department wasn’t thrilled with the
Ike jackets being worn; but didn’t make a big deal out of it since many
officers took advantage of the opportunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That, and the fact that the Ike jackets looked so much better than
anything else the Department had come up with, it was like having a ‘going to
church’ uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When it came time to retire, both of my Ike jackets
were handed off to younger officers who considered themselves quite
fortunate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was thirty years ago, my
goodness, has it been that long ago? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So, where is this going now that I’ve brought you up
to speed?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Why not make the Honorably Retired HPD patch available
to all who have earned it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then take
that to another level and come up with an updated version of the Ike
jacket?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d recommend the jacket be a
solid dark blue, to include dark blue epaulets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The buttons might look better with the original chrome ‘clip from the
back’ style; however, that’s just an option and standard buttons might be more
cost effective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a jacket could be
worn to almost any function which normally would require a sports jacket or suit
such as church meetings, special occasions, funerals or national holidays.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If someone in the uniform purchasing department put
together an order for enough Ike jackets it would bring the price down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a perfect world the City/Department would
recognize the service of their retired police officers and issue one of the
afore mentioned jackets; but knowing the mindset of those controlling the
money…no need considering that option.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How much would a new Ike jacket cost? I haven’t a clue; maybe a hundred dollars,
perhaps even less. But the idea might be
worth following up on.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-35520071431495671722022-09-06T23:10:00.001-05:002022-09-06T23:15:46.280-05:00Asked for Help and Got It<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9vob5vU4HbGItCVOZ7600-9KSAk1JCPI6M0j64jnK323WPt3XSxPkxTINleinj8Q54CaEXEA7MOVFG73_-n7TMmw-Yw6_a0q4MgUjGi9oo3sSfJ9qS4GiMM0d_62-41C5shg7NogsElCMAOCww3VCx6NB9XVZaVah6O7gI3h1cMHUMeVay8/s806/Blogger%20logo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="806" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9vob5vU4HbGItCVOZ7600-9KSAk1JCPI6M0j64jnK323WPt3XSxPkxTINleinj8Q54CaEXEA7MOVFG73_-n7TMmw-Yw6_a0q4MgUjGi9oo3sSfJ9qS4GiMM0d_62-41C5shg7NogsElCMAOCww3VCx6NB9XVZaVah6O7gI3h1cMHUMeVay8/w200-h133/Blogger%20logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">A while back I went to write a blog post; but upon
clicking on the button that normally took me to the webpage that was designed
to do that, it no longer had the information I was used to seeing.</span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">It didn’t have a button to indicate anything
about adding a new article; instead, it had references to various improvements
to help with “my blog experience”.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">After having attempted to find the “<b>+</b>” button
which would have shown me the last several articles posted along with the
opportunity to add a newer post…I gave up, having found an endless loop taking
me back to the same gibberish on how to improve “my blog experience”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br />My neighbor is something of a computer guru and has
helped me on several occasions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I waited
until he’d gotten back from vacation and asked if he would help once
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This time I had two challenges for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first had to do with Microsoft 365 and
that the little icon at the bottom of my monitor no longer functioned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It only brought up a blank box that was
supposed to have other small icons; Word, Excel and so on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If, on the other hand, I double clicked on
the small icon for Microsoft 365, it showed the box with all the proper icons;
but when I clicked on Word…again, nothing happened.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-xnDmn_OkzTVv8Y9Kg8mV4ZFziCdSWxO3a8ZhqfiDN-Bhnu3O5Yq0QmZwbvHVAlqM0t_j069muhbXrlzU637OhPF-PRuAkWdwsFqwRTlutX3ZWE5q16xiuHNpyTeHOdBdBKQqsuybsdKkvBf-XXReGuDN5rbv91Pw6ctg594owitsHIPdxs/s802/Office%20365%20logo.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="802" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-xnDmn_OkzTVv8Y9Kg8mV4ZFziCdSWxO3a8ZhqfiDN-Bhnu3O5Yq0QmZwbvHVAlqM0t_j069muhbXrlzU637OhPF-PRuAkWdwsFqwRTlutX3ZWE5q16xiuHNpyTeHOdBdBKQqsuybsdKkvBf-XXReGuDN5rbv91Pw6ctg594owitsHIPdxs/w200-h113/Office%20365%20logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I’d already figured out a round about way of bringing
up a blank Word document page to work on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All I needed was to bring up a Word document that I’d already filed
away, erase everything on that document, type in a title for the new document
and then save that document under the new name so as not to erase the older
document.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not exactly efficient; but it
works.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Turns out that Microsoft screwed up, at least that’s
the information gleaned from the internet by my computer friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to what he found, this issue must
be affecting anyone who is using Microsoft 365…and it won’t be fixed until
Microsoft sends out a new update.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Imagine, if you will, how many customers are trying to figure out how to
make their computer open a blank Word document.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s a lot of unhappy customers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Back to getting my blog back to where I could add a
new article… It took a while, trying various logical avenues, none of which
were helping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What happened?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently, Google had taken over Bloger.com.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then when I went to sign in it showed my Gmail
address and asked for my password.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Well, that should have been easy since I only use that
Gmail for church business, and even then, only for certain aspects of church
business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I typed in my password and…nothing,
no help and back to the screen showing how to better enjoy “my blog experience”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Then he asked for the original email used when I
opened the Blog. Fortunately, I keep index cards showing all the old passwords
and things like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out Google
wanted to log me in using an ancient email address, one that got hacked years
ago so it was abandoned.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Google sent a challenge code to my cellphone;
thankfully that number is still active.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Upon clicking on the proper challenge code everything snapped back on
and the “<b>+</b>” button reappeared.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I did have to update the saved URL button on my tool
bar, the easy access button that takes me to a blank Blog page ready for a new
article.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to do this for Chrome’s
tool bar as well; but that’s all taken care of now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUi7ZchumLYZCpI4n1FstHYycECSYqC6vb6Ywisc8xaIar7q9Bk08rmdC3nc00-bNRrcnGD-Xy8IGly4oY5p_s_daZmJZUh_fkPWdmjWktLHZxtNRP1VMrWbDPGTD1DcosEUVlBkeHkspsv-QNIT0VfrVCryBT-a6vlkpPWkoLiwX-nPbCBss/s956/Dr%20Pepper%20logo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="956" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUi7ZchumLYZCpI4n1FstHYycECSYqC6vb6Ywisc8xaIar7q9Bk08rmdC3nc00-bNRrcnGD-Xy8IGly4oY5p_s_daZmJZUh_fkPWdmjWktLHZxtNRP1VMrWbDPGTD1DcosEUVlBkeHkspsv-QNIT0VfrVCryBT-a6vlkpPWkoLiwX-nPbCBss/w200-h112/Dr%20Pepper%20logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br />My neighbor has a great billing system for when he
solves computer issues for me. He only
let’s me pay him with Dr Pepper. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-92073527471379969602021-09-16T19:23:00.001-05:002021-09-16T19:23:55.039-05:00Just One Red Leaf<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6b43W3IC1rXwWeC4Lu01DyD_dCMat33r00zwXBUlagbh2TBhnJtUO_rhQxlH-dk8mWe7AM7arG2S1zQucfDAP7ORD5MXBawHjTo2wMKnvzQvUeBz2JOZ6y-CeVOklyRN09OLUPw/s1080/Red+leaf+fallen+16+Sept+2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6b43W3IC1rXwWeC4Lu01DyD_dCMat33r00zwXBUlagbh2TBhnJtUO_rhQxlH-dk8mWe7AM7arG2S1zQucfDAP7ORD5MXBawHjTo2wMKnvzQvUeBz2JOZ6y-CeVOklyRN09OLUPw/s320/Red+leaf+fallen+16+Sept+2021.jpg" width="156" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">While taking my afternoon walk down our private road towards
the mailbox, more of a chance to exercise my replacement knee than to check on
the mail; I happen to notice a single red leaf on the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure which tree it fell from; this
being only the second week in September, it seemed a little premature to have Fall
leaves. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The afternoon temperature was right at 90 degrees,
about normal for this time of year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d
walked enough to notice beads of perspiration had formed on my forehead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I take my cellphone with me on these walks,
just in case I need to call for help getting home in case my knee decides it’s
had enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still find it rather
amazing that folks can take photographs with their “phone”; so, I snapped a
photo of the fallen leaf.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">That single red leaf, as my mind worked to explain why
I’d taken a picture of it, that single red leaf represents hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s right, hope.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Looking around at the many trees that line our private
road, they all appeared to be dressed in various shades of green indicating
that Summer was in full swing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
unable to identify the tree which had lost the single red leaf and yet it had
to be nearby.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fall and the resplendent colors we look forward to is
close, so close as to make me hopeful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The air will change from being in the nineties to a more comfortable
setting, perhaps a light breeze out of the north to blow lots and lots of
leaves about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps my youngest grandson will come visit and he can
toss handfuls of leaves into the air, delighting as they fall around him
without a care in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll then
go into the house and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate to warm up and smile at
having lived to see the seasons change.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Two weeks from now we’re having a wood burning stove
installed in our living room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this
moment it’s in the shipping crate sitting on the porch awaiting the scheduled
installation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In biblical terms this
would be called faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We haven’t seen
any cold weather, at least not at this time, and yet we are acting on the hope
that cold weather surely follows the first fallen leaf.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">During the hottest days of summer, I was splitting
large tree chunks down to a usable size that will fit the wood burning stove we
purchased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That kind of labor, effort
spent on the expectation of something that had yet to be…that’s the definition
of faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hope and faith are essential elements to having
joy. They have nothing to do with how
much money you make, whether or not you are living in a fancy home or under a
bridge trying to figure out where your next meal is coming from. If we can have hope in our hearts and minds
that good things will happen and then act with faith believing that things will
work out, then everything will work out just fine.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-3826182939800611302021-09-13T15:11:00.001-05:002021-09-13T15:11:27.297-05:00Tell the Truth; but, Take Good Notes<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFD1shwOco2bwLnRFc0K3xs3a50aJW7K0esVIZIwiwf8rf65LrlkWASHrFrHwQvRJ2z5vTMQkQMCyF-s2XJe4BVXN35MDEh_uE5YPwlkJxsvNZAaNXRJUz7-EhKMeix0pCwK2cg/s960/Tell+the+Truth+quote+Mark+Twain+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="688" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFD1shwOco2bwLnRFc0K3xs3a50aJW7K0esVIZIwiwf8rf65LrlkWASHrFrHwQvRJ2z5vTMQkQMCyF-s2XJe4BVXN35MDEh_uE5YPwlkJxsvNZAaNXRJUz7-EhKMeix0pCwK2cg/s320/Tell+the+Truth+quote+Mark+Twain+poster.jpg" width="229" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">There was a clever quote by Mark Twain shared on
Facebook, “If you tell the <b>truth</b>, you don’t have to <b>remember</b>
anything”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought about that for a
moment and then decided it was lacking something important, which might annoy
folks seeing as I was contradicting one of America’s foremost minds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yes, it’s important to tell the truth because once you
start telling lies, eventually you’ll forget which lie you told and you’re
going to be caught.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">But keeping good notes about the truth is important
too; especially if you expect to remember details down the road.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">To illustrate my point, back when I was a police
officer for the City of Houston, I’d write traffic tickets and later appear in
court if the driver wished to contest the ticket.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I developed a short code consisting of letters and
numbers to jog my memory on details which were associated with each
violation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the driver ran a red
light; but claimed the light was yellow, down in the corner of the traffic
ticket I’d put “CY”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’d also put how many car lengths from the intersection
the driver was when the light turned red prior to driving on through that red
light; 1,2,3 and so on… but reserved ½ to indicate that the driver not only ran
the red light; but had accelerated rather than tried to stop. This was a simple
way to be able to testify to what I’d seen when it came time in traffic court,
often months after the ticket had been issued.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">One afternoon after having testified about a driver
having run a red light by 3 car lengths the judge stopped the prosecutor,
looked at me and asked, “Didn’t the driver run the red light by 3 and a half
car lengths?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t help but smile
as I refrained from outright laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“No, Sir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She ran
the red light by 3 car lengths.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Then what’s this 3 and a half you marked down at the
bottom of the ticket?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Judges aren’t
supposed to enter evidence like that, not even in traffic court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It turns out this judge had a law office across
the street from one of my favorite intersections for writing red light tickets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d take notes on his own and then compare
my testimony to what he’d observed and jotted down on a note pad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I suppose he was satisfied that my testimony matched
with his own observations; but that didn’t justify him adding to my testimony.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Your Honor, the 3 indicated how far from the
intersection her vehicle was when the light turned red and the ½ noted that she’d
put her foot through the accelerator trying to beat the light.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d successfully explained my notation; but
then the judge asked another question.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“What’s this letter “B” indicate, Officer Stern?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to pause, momentarily looking into the
heavens for help prior to answering.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Belligerent, Sir.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’d pulled it off and thanked my folks silently for having expanded my
vocabulary over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The prosecutor
nearly fell over as he confined a belly laugh at hearing my off the cuff response.
No doubt, this particular traffic violator had been a real…alter that, had been,
belligerent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">As you can see, taking good notes helps to jog your
memory even when you’re telling the truth; especially when you’re telling the
truth.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-68273280583083532522021-07-29T16:22:00.002-05:002021-07-29T16:22:31.664-05:00Healthy vs Asymptomatic<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4rEZtEVZqZBWI4I8_bb0eNPbRnY9U-AuzrPHCgSZJoUz8Y0yB6a8rFaR7uuxCzXgzE-HsGtg-vL7-WC6s8jDLU_2ZLV9ur33o69-R7x92wQ2SyFgXOY_HySplOewURy3yoXkpw/s631/NAZI+Germany+Work+Permit+coutesy+of+Shutterstock+dot+com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="631" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4rEZtEVZqZBWI4I8_bb0eNPbRnY9U-AuzrPHCgSZJoUz8Y0yB6a8rFaR7uuxCzXgzE-HsGtg-vL7-WC6s8jDLU_2ZLV9ur33o69-R7x92wQ2SyFgXOY_HySplOewURy3yoXkpw/s320/NAZI+Germany+Work+Permit+coutesy+of+Shutterstock+dot+com.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Prior to having surgery, the medical folks insisted I
fill out a COVID Survey.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Apparently, it
doesn’t matter if you’ve had the experimental vaccine or not; each individual is
treated as if they have the COVID virus.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">This would explain why each question is asked from the standpoint, “Are
you currently Symptomatic or Asymptomatic?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">(Image of NAZI Germany Work Permit/Passport courtesy
of Shutterfly.com)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">Interestingly, there’s an article written by several
doctors,</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.verywellhealth.com/asymptomatic-definition-importance-and-controversy-2249055">What Does Asymptomatic Mean?</a> </span></span></p>
<p class="comp" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: large;">“An asymptomatic infection is one in which a bacteria,
virus, fungus, or parasite has invaded the body but has not yet caused any
symptoms (like fever or a cough).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="comp" id="mntl-sc-block_1-0-11" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position-x: 0px; background-position-y: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: inherit; counter-reset: section 0; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 1.2rem 0px; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; vertical-align: baseline; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: large;">Your body may fight off
the invader and you may never know it was there. Or, you may develop symptoms
of the illness after an asymptomatic phase. Depending on the pathogen, you may
be able to spread the germs to others even though you have no symptoms.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="comp" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: large;">If I’m interpreting the questionnaire/survey correctly,
there is a presumption on the part of the medical industry that everyone is either
sick and showing symptoms of the COVID virus, or, they have the COVID virus and
have yet to display any symptoms; but are to be considered a threat to humanity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="comp" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: large;">At one time individuals who didn’t feel sick and had no
symptoms of being sick were referred to as Healthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="comp" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: large;">According to my grandfather there was an exception to the
old rule, at least when it came to observing a woman who appeared to be
pregnant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s never polite to ask if
she’s pregnant, as it could become awkward”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He continued that thought by saying, “The only time it’s permissible to
ask”, pausing as he put the rest of the sentence together, “…is if you can see
the baby’s head crowning”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d give a
wink and a sly grin for having made a joke.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="comp" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: large;">The COVID virus crisis, pandemic or well played political
device; call it what you will, has altered the presumption of ‘healthy unless
proven otherwise’ into a dark pit where everyone must prove they don’t have COVID,
even if the testing for COVID is less than accurate to the point of being flawed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="comp" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hummm…it dawned on me; the same thing has happened with
the ‘presumption of innocent until proven guilty’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Far too many are willing to apply ‘trial by
media’ as they find individuals, “Guilty, he must be guilty because it was on television”,
depending how the news media spins a story…but I’m getting off topic, or am I?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="comp" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: large;">We’re being led down the path of Totalitarian Marxist
control as corporations and government attempt to install Vaccination Passports
to limit movement and actions of individuals, as if this kind of intervention
were acceptable under our Constitutional Republican form of government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But it’s for the safety of everyone, so you
must submit”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="comp" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-size: large;">Is this how a healthy society behaves?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think not.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10101682.post-28076055161075292012021-07-02T19:57:00.001-05:002021-07-02T20:17:22.042-05:00Washing the Car and the Sacrament<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IelMd9Ytvbh2mQNV_6BWMHzVNLpXJdPLTo-k9i0q9gA2P8elUc_zxXfKNrbGLVIEK-xpRl3UEcxXr7YNQkeWLVIPLm7GB1bSvUlQFfbUON3aM3OkIuxaSDqyxHBWVE_7EUAQSQ/s1080/BMW+Z-3+Washed+July+2+2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IelMd9Ytvbh2mQNV_6BWMHzVNLpXJdPLTo-k9i0q9gA2P8elUc_zxXfKNrbGLVIEK-xpRl3UEcxXr7YNQkeWLVIPLm7GB1bSvUlQFfbUON3aM3OkIuxaSDqyxHBWVE_7EUAQSQ/s320/BMW+Z-3+Washed+July+2+2021.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Last Sunday I drove my clean and polished 1999 BMW Z-3
Coupe to church.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">As I pulled into the
parking lot a few raindrops began to fall and it was a close call getting in
the back door as buckets of rain fell.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I didn’t think much of it until after church when it
was still raining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Driving from Madisonville
back to Buffalo wouldn’t be near as much fun with the roads wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d have to drive conservatively rather than
my normal aggressiveness; letting the car have fun while going through the
gears was not an option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The last couple of miles to my property are on ‘county
roads’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means leaving the asphalt
pavement and driving on crushed rock or dirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If it’s dry then a cloud of dust follows you, covering the lower portion
and back end of the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it’s wet the
road becomes a slip and slide covering the lower portion and back end with a
layer of mud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since it was still raining, all I wanted to do was
park the car in front of the house and get inside; spraying off the mud would
have to wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it turned out it waited
all week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was depressing just looking
at my pretty green jewel sitting there covered with a film of dirt; but there
were plenty of chores around the property that took priority.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the on-going tasks is splitting firewood from stacks
of tree trunk sections that are behind our storage trailer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At one time that wouldn’t have been such an
ordeal; but after you reach 70 there isn’t much get up and go in this
body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, after chopping a small bundle of
firewood down to size it’s time to cool off, take a nap and try again
later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The property needed mowing, something I usually break
down; doing the front two acres one day followed by the back acre the next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feeling spry and wanting it done, I got all
three acres mowed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That back acre needed
to be double cut so it’s more like doing two acres.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then today we drove down to Huntsville to get our
grocery shopping done as we prepare for Independence Day; our kids and
grandkids coming up to visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m glad
the property got mowed as it looks so inviting; but that dirty BMW sitting in
front of the house wasn’t going to let me off the hook.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The tires and wheels were the worst so it took some
heavy-duty chemical spray and a stiff brush to get them clean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the rest of the car got gently rinsed
and hand washed with a wet rag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lastly
the towel down to remove water spotting and bring out the shine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">About this time, you might be wondering what this has
to do with taking the Sacrament…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When we first bought this beautiful jewel of a car it
was polished to the ‘9s’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was as near
perfect as a car could be, both in performance and looks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time has required a renewal of its paint job;
but once that was accomplished the beauty of near perfection returned.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Isn’t that similar to the act of being baptized?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You start out nearly perfect, without sin or
blemish and as you go about life you start to notice dings and blemishes that
shouldn’t be there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Upon entering the
waters of baptism those dings and blemishes are removed leaving you shiny and
bright before the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But…then you have to get out in the world, earn a
living, mix it up with others and the next thing you know there are dings or
blemishes that need work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That’s where attending Sacrament Meeting comes
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As this ordinance is performed you
enter into a covenant with the Lord to repent, to get back to being the kind of
individual He expects you to become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just as with baptism, you come out shiny and bright, ready to continue
doing your best.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That neat looking car in front of my house reminded me
of this simple thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We get covered in
dust and mud all the time while on our way home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ‘home’ I’m talking about is returning to
our Father in heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We park ourselves on the sofa, too tired to do much
else followed by a night’s sleep and off we go again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then on Sunday we have a chance to go through
the ‘car wash’, figuratively speaking, and renew our efforts to become more
Christlike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So glad I took the time to wash my car this afternoon,
gave me a chance to renew my spiritual self as these thoughts entered my heart
and mind. Hope to see you at church…</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>T. F. Sternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10998813855197833260noreply@blogger.com0