“We do not believe any group of men adequate enough or wise enough to operate without scrutiny or without criticism. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it, that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. We know that in secrecy error undetected will flourish and subvert.” –J. Robert Oppenheimer
Joe Biden never won. This is our Real President – 45, 46, 47.
AND our beautiful REALFLOTUS.
This Stormwatch Monday Open Thread remains open – VERY OPEN – a place for everybody to post whatever they feel they would like to tell the White Hats, and the rest of the MAGA/KAG/KMAG world (with KMAG being a bit of both).
Our various sister sites, listed in the Blogroll in the sidebar
Our beloved country is under Occupation by hostile forces.
Daily outrage and epic phuckery abound.
We can give in to despair…or we can be defiant and fight back in any way that we can.
Joe Biden didn’t win.
And we will keep saying Joe Biden didn’t win until we get His Fraudulency out of our White House.
Wolfie’s Wheatie’s Word of the Week:
ingluvies
noun
a crop or craw of birds
a dilation or pouch in the esophagus of certain animals that receives food prior to the main stomach, esp a bird’s craw, or the first stomach of a cow or other ruminating animal
the widened portion of the esophagus of birds and lower animals
a crop or pouch in the esophagus of many birds, in which food is stored or partially digested before passing to the stomach
Used in a sentence with bad American English and Russian accent
“Moose ingluvies, but squirrel not having!”
Ridiculous misleading example of usage generated by bad AI
You don’t have to understand the math, to follow along and understand why light and atoms end up being a lot like vibrating musical strings.
Basically, Erwin Schrödinger plugged a simple but weird equation by Louis de Broglie, which said that matter has a frequency just like light, into the existing wave equation, and he got a matter wave equation.
And all of THAT is revealed on the way to answering, what in the heck is an imaginary number doing in there?
November 5, 2024 happened. It is time. God answered the prayers and groanings of His faithful as well as all MAGA supporters with an intervention. We start this story by going back in history to build the foundation. It was also a time of God’s intervention into human events.
Most people ignore or gloss over what transpired with the negotiations and collective agreement of the content that is stated in the Declaration of Independence. They acknowledge its importance, just do not really pay much attention to how it came to be. The vast majority of Americans are clueless as to its content and relevance to life in America today, nearly 250 years later.
Instead of spending time on discussing the Declaration’s content, I have posted a link below. As an American you owe it to yourself and your country to study the Declaration of Independence and Constitution as if your life on this planet depended upon it. Your children and grandchildren should be taught its content and importance; do not count on the schools to do so. If you are unfamiliar or need a reminder, please read it because my story is about some of the people who conceived, executed andrisked all for the contents of that critical document that led to the establishment of the United States of America.
What was the foundational concept of the Declaration? It was a Biblically inspired belief in the natural rights of mankind as expressed in the document itself. What was the background of the signers in regards to this belief system? From the following link,
“Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration, the great majority, perhaps all, identified themselves as Christians, and all but one were Protestants. Four were either present or former ministers, and a number of the signers were the sons of clergy. At least half of them had studied “divinity” at their various universities. The denominations breakdown runs as follows: 32 of the signers, well over half, were Episcopalians, or Anglicans, the old state Church of England. There were 13 Congregationalists, 12 were Presbyterians. There were two Quakers, two Unitarians, and one Roman Catholic.“
If that statement is correct and I have no reason to believe it is not, we can clearly determine that Biblical faith formed the basis of their world view as well as that of the future nation.
The ensuing implementation of the Declaration led to war, lost battles and this…
I hope you have reacquainted yourself with the document and the period in this brief tour of American history at its founding. I contend that it is that same American spirit that charges through the words of the Declaration of Independence that led to the greatest, ongoing experiment in national governance in world history. It is a spirit that is very much alive and expressed by the massive America First MAGA movement today, whose spirit is spreading like wildfire worldwide.
Not all of the 56 signers were present during the discussions and negotiations that surrounded the production of the document. They signed on anyway. They knew what was at stake and agreed in principle with the contents of the document. In this series we are going to dig down into understanding their roles and who many of them were as human beings. We need to personally identify with their commitment such that we may be emboldened to go and do likewise. This series will focus on many of these brave patriots.
Hint: They acted a lot like many America First MAGA patriots do today. Quite a few were from wealth and dignified. A handful were truly messed up people. Others were heroic and inspirational. Some were bombastic and others were pensive. A large number were highly educated and accomplished. Others were less educated, yet enlightened and committed to the cause. Blended together they gave us the foundational start for a truly blessed nation.
John Hancock
The signature of the first to execute it, John Hancock from Massachusetts, was the most flamboyant and recognizable of all. It reflected his popularity during that day. He was orphaned as a youth and adopted by a wealthy merchant uncle. He interned in the business, graduated from Harvard College at 17 and eventually inherited a vast wealth when his uncle died in 1763. The assets were said to be the largest in all of New England. Prior to the rise of the American patriots; that wealthy, elite standing would have placed him in the midst of the society of British loyalists in the colonies. However, John Hancock rejected that standing as time moved on and joined the independence movement. He was in the company of John and Samuel Adams, the latter being a political mentor, while becoming deeply involved in the republican movement in New England. In 1768, his sloop the Liberty was impounded by the British for allegedly carrying contraband. This accusation inspired a large group of local patriots to storm the customs post, burn the government’s boat and beat up its officers. The officers retreated to a British ship offshore. It was not long afterwards that Hancock helped lead and strongly support the Boston Tea Party.
When Peyton Randolph resigned from the Continental Congress in 1776, Hancock became President. England decreed a large reward for his capture and other patriot leaders later that year. Hancock’s comments upon signing the Declaration with large, easy to read handwriting were, “The British ministry can read that name without spectacles, let them double their reward.” One who had so much to lose, who could have easily gone along to get along; gave without reservation to America and his fellow patriots.
It was a big 🖕 you to the oppressors of the colonists. A spirit that has long prevailed in our nation.
What is not discussed much in historical accounts is all of the relationships, entanglements, misfortunes, twists and turns of the life of this as well as many other patriots. Some historians suggest Hancock was disappointed that Washington was given command of the Continental Army. Yet, we know that he held great respect for Washington and the two worked well together in the affairs of the young nation. What was true by this point was that his mentor from the early days, Samuel Adams, had soured on Hancock as he considered him vain and extravagant, unbecoming of a republican leader. Despite his wealth suffering from the war, Hancock always gave greatly to the poor and needy. He was generous to so many and the people idolized him.
His political career was a picture of ups and downs, as were his military leadership skills during the war. Yet, his reputation and support never really suffered for it. Throughout the war period he was loved and was elected governor of Massachusetts in 1780 with over 90% of the vote. He served terms there as well as being elected as a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention among other elected posts.
There have been many supporters and many detractors of Hancock that continued over the 2+ centuries that have followed; owed in large part because he did not leave much in the way of journals or letters for historians to use to make their assessments. Obviously, too much that has been stated about him came from information gained from his detractors as they were not shy in writing their commentaries (much like today). What he did have that could never be discarded or ignored was the overwhelming support of We the People (sound familiar?).
Despite his wealth and societal acceptance, he chose to give his all for America. He cast off the British crown and became an American patriot. Well before the war he had married into the politically prominent Quincy family with whom he had two children. He died in 1793 at 56 years old with his loyal wife, Dorothy, by his bedside. He had suffered from gout most of his life and it eventually led to his death. Even Samuel Adams, the acting Governor, reconciled to the greatness of the man as he led the efforts to provide a lavish funeral and declared its day a state holiday.
Guess Who?
Shall we step into the shoes of the next founding father?
You have lived a life of wealth and privilege as a 4th generation colonist with deep British roots. You are a graduate of Yale and have numerous real estate and business holdings that you received as inheritance. Your ancestors had immigrated to America and built the family’s business empire as loyal British subjects. Over the years as they passed away this led to you assuming control as an adult. You marry Mary Walton of the prominent merchant Walton family. You expand your family’s holdings and eventually become the 8th colonial governor of New Jersey. Local residents in one area even name a town after you. Life has been exceptionally good, but now you are faced with a difficult decision that will have lasting consequences on not only you and your family, but on your fellow colonists. The rulers of the colonies have ordered your vast property holdings and real estate development interests to be seized. However, they tell you that if you decline to vote for liberty that your holdings will be spared and life can go on as it has been. This is an offer that is extended as a courtesy due to your great grandfather and his brother having served with honor and high rank in Cromwell’s army in the English Civil War in the previous century; which eventually led to similar military involvement currently with a brother and half brother located in the colonies. They know your decision will be one of great influence on your fellow restless, angry colonists.
With all of this family history, work, and social standing you respond to the offer with, “There are plenty of homes but only one country.” To summarize – 🖕Brits.
It does not stop there. Your brother who is a General in the British army follows up and tells you not to not sign that document or you will lose everything. Your half-brother, Gouverneur Morris, does likewise even though he sides with the colonists. You hesitate after the safety of your family becomes a question. Once reassured by General Washington that they will be safe and it comes time to sign or walk away you respond with, “Damn the consequences. Give me the pen.” Once again – a big🖕Brits. Your family of a wife and ten children are driven into exile.
You then proceed to lose all of your property holdings and money in the exchange from the sacrifices of war.
Over time you become a hero and icon in the Revolutionary War and legislature that leads to your nation’s founding. You first give up your seat in the Continental Congress to your brother, Gouverneur, and become a General in the Continental Army under Washington. In 1777 you also return to roles in governance in the New York legislature and later become a county judge. After the war you return to your 2000 acre farm and begin the process of restoring what had been burned down by the Brits. Over time three of your sons join the military and become officers; a General, a Colonel and a Lieutenant. They later go on to serve with honor and distinction in the War of 1812.
You continue to serve your nation until your death in 1798 at age 71. Prior to your death in 1790 you offer your land as the site to house the U. S. Capital. It is now part of the South Bronx neighborhood known as Morrisania. Upon your death you are buried in the family vault on the property of St. Anne’s Church in the Bronx.
Your name is Lewis Morris of Bronx County, New York, a legendary American patriot.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
I am sure some are asking, “Who?” Other than reading his signature on the document, most probably know very little about him. Yet, this young patriot contributed during a critical time in the lead up to the war in important ways that cannot be easily measured. His efforts had very little to do with military exploits on the battlefield. His gifts were of persuasion and concern for family and countrymen. He did his thing, after which, he disappeared.
Yes, there is more, a mixed bag like all of us. Privilege, good deeds and decisions, love, suffering, sorrow, poor decisions, and tragedy are in his story.
Thomas Lynch, Jr. was born in the Georgetown, SC area in 1749 on the Hopsewee Plantation his family owned. He was sent to England to study at Cambridge University, graduated and stayed to study law. After eight years away he returned home in 1772 and married Paige Shubrick, whom he courted prior to going to England. He was active in the family’s plantation operations as a planter, having no interest in going into law despite his education. He became politically engaged immediately as his father was a noted patriot in the independence movement who later signed on the Continental Association. His father had a serious stroke while serving in this role, so at age 26, young Lewis stepped in as a representative of the Continental Congress.
Upon his return to South Carolina and with independence in the wind, he was soon commissioned a captain and company commander in the South Carolina First Regiment under famous Col. Thomas Pinckney. He recruited men from his region to join the unit.
Unfortunately, while in his role with the regiment he soon fell ill from bilious fever (tick bite) before he could take full command of the unit he had recruited for the war effort. He never fully recovered. News soon came that his father’s health was again severely declining and he received permission to go to Philadelphia as a representative of the state where his father was serving in the Continental Congress. This led to him at age 27 to become the youngest signer on the Declaration of Independence as he stepped into his father’s role once again. While still there he made a fierce defense for the use of slaves on the plantations and threatened South Carolina’s secession if there were illegal attempts to end the practice. Later that year as he and his father made their way home, his father passed away from a second stroke.
Lynch stayed in South Carolina and lived with his wife at their Peachtree Plantation in the South Santee River area, one of three he owned. His health continued to be a lingering, serious problem. He and his wife took the advice of friends to relocate to Europe to see if a different environment might help. With the young nation still at war they could not leave through normal sea routes, so they chose to travel to the West Indies first. From there they planned to travel to Europe. They left for the destination on the brigantine, Polly, on December 17, 1779. They never arrived. The ship, crew and passengers were never heard from again. After becoming the youngest of the Declaration signers, at age 30, Thomas Lynch, Jr. became the youngest of the signers to die.
Lynch’s contributions beyond those stated above were his passion and ability to encourage others in the patriotic pursuit of independence. He was a brilliant orator and motivator of the people. He was aware of his impact on others and served as an inspiration to the people who knew him during the fight for independence.
Common Themes
Throughout this series you will note common themes. In this part and as will also be present in others; each of these colonists became American heroes at a critical juncture in our nation’s formation. These and many other signers first arrived on this planet from families that came from wealth and strongly rooted British backgrounds. They were privileged with strong educational training. They were disciplined in their pursuits. They had advantages that average colonists would never experience. However, this was important in the organization of the young nation. Their understanding of law, governance and industry while embracing the principles of natural rights, liberty and freedom would serve the needs of We the People well.
Yet, all three in this story as well as the other signers rejected the haughty attitudes of the Brits and loyalists with whom they had lived for so long and maintained relations. The interconnections from long held family relationships had proven very difficult to navigate. All three in this story chose a different path for themselves and their fellow colonists. They did so without reservation and remained faithful to the pursuit of freedom until death. Their devoted spouses were at their side when each passed away. The newly formed states of their origins proudly memorialized their contributions, which still affect the course of our nation today.
These were three American heroes who gave their all for their fellow Americans in the spirit of the words in the founding document they all signed in defiance of their oppressors. May we go and do likewise.
Joe Biden never won. This is our Real President – 45, 46, 47.
AND our beautiful REALFLOTUS.
This Stormwatch Monday Open Thread remains open – VERY OPEN – a place for everybody to post whatever they feel they would like to tell the White Hats, and the rest of the MAGA/KAG/KMAG world (with KMAG being a bit of both).
OK – this will take a while to explain, but I’ll try to be brief.
I wanted to do a Hanukkah post – especially because Hanukkah 2024 has the unusual aspect of starting on Christmas (Western Christmas, that is) this year. Yes – Hanukkah runs from sundown on December 25, 2024 until sundown on January 2, 2025.
Now, you may have noticed that I spelled Hanukkah “wrong” in the title. Well, the holiday turns out to have 24 different “wrong” spellings! I simply picked the one that celebrated “X” the most!
Since the time for this debate is nearing: The right way to spell Hanukkah is to change the spelling of Channuka each time that you mention Xanukah. Khannike is a delightful holiday (get it?) when one eats fried foods and remembers miracles. Mark your calendar, Janice is coming!
I wanted to do two posts – an extra Xanukah post, and a post about the Grok AI now being free. And then I needed to do the Christmas post, but thankfully Aubergine did that, so I only had to do those two posts. And THEN I got the idea to combine them!
As to the point about the Grok AI, I was seeing ads on X for Grok now being free. Like this one.
A few days ago, I decided to try it. I clicked on the ad when I saw it, and it took me right to Grok. So I asked Grok a question.
What follows is the answer that was returned in under 15 seconds.
15 web pages
The image you’re referring to likely depicts a black hole, specifically showcasing the visual phenomenon known as the “photon ring.” Here’s an explanation of why this object appears differently from most ringed planets:
Shape and Appearance: Unlike planetary rings which are composed of particles orbiting a planet in a relatively flat plane, the shape in your image is due to the unique gravitational effects of a black hole.
Photon Ring: The bright ring you see is not a physical structure but an optical effect. It’s caused by photons (light particles) that orbit the black hole multiple times due to extreme gravitational lensing before escaping towards the observer. This results in a ring-like structure that appears around the black hole’s shadow. The light from the accretion disk or material around the black hole bends in the intense gravity, creating this luminous ring. The thickness and brightness of this ring can vary based on the black hole’s mass, spin, and the viewing angle.
Black Hole’s Shadow: Inside this photon ring is the black hole’s shadow, which is essentially the silhouette of the event horizon—the point beyond which no light or matter can escape. This shadow appears dark because any light or matter that crosses the event horizon cannot be seen from outside. The size of the shadow is roughly twice the size of the event horizon, making it larger than what you might expect just by looking at the black hole itself.
Difference from Planetary Rings: Planetary rings are made of ice, dust, and rock particles that orbit the planet due to its gravity but remain within a certain band due to stable orbits. A black hole’s photon ring, however, is an effect of spacetime curvature, where light paths are significantly altered around the black hole, creating an illusion of a ring. This is not due to physical material distribution but how light travels in the extreme gravity of a black hole.
Scientific Significance: The imaging and study of such phenomena help in understanding general relativity, black hole physics, and the behavior of matter and light in extreme gravitational fields. The first direct image of a black hole, captured by the Event Horizon Telescope, was of M87’s black hole and showed this very ring, confirming theoretical predictions about how black holes should appear.
This visual representation is a testament to the bizarre effects predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity, where gravity can bend light to such an extent that we observe phenomena like the photon ring.
photon ring theory
gravitational lensing
OK – that was cool. So I decided to ask it another question that’s relevant today, and would take me a while to search.
Grok – please explain why Hanukkah normally happens before Christmas (December 25), but it happening after Christmas this year.
25 web pages
10 posts
Hanukkah normally occurs before Christmas because it follows the Hebrew calendar, which is lunisolar. Here’s how it works:
Hebrew Calendar: Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. The Hebrew calendar is based on both lunar and solar cycles, with months starting with the new moon. Because lunar months are about 29.5 days long, there are roughly 12 lunar months in a solar year, but this cycle is shorter than the solar year, causing a drift. To realign the calendar with the solar year, an extra month (a second Adar) is added approximately every three years in a 19-year cycle. This adjustment ensures that holidays like Hanukkah maintain their seasonal timing.
Gregorian Calendar: In contrast, the Gregorian calendar, which is solar-based, has a fixed date for Christmas on December 25. Since the Hebrew and Gregorian calendars do not align perfectly, the date of Hanukkah on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, typically falling between late November and late December.
This year, in 2024, Hanukkah starts at sundown on December 25 and continues until January 2, 2025, due to the specific alignment of the lunar and solar calendars. It’s a rare occurrence for Hanukkah to begin on or after Christmas Day:
Rare Coincidence: The last time Hanukkah started on Christmas Day was in 2005, and it won’t happen again until 2035. This is because the Hebrew calendar’s leap year system occasionally pushes Hanukkah later into December, sometimes even into January, but rarely this close to or after Christmas.
Leap Year Influence: The Jewish calendar’s leap year, where an extra month is inserted, can shift Hanukkah’s timing on the Gregorian calendar. In a year like 2024, the leap year effect has resulted in Hanukkah starting later than usual, thus coinciding with or following Christmas.
In summary, the variable nature of the Hebrew calendar’s lunisolar system causes Hanukkah’s date to shift relative to the fixed solar-based Gregorian calendar, leading to this rare occurrence where Hanukkah begins after Christmas.
Hebrew calendar leap years
Other lunisolar calendars
WELL – that was excellent. Grok really gives nice answers – and FAST.
Recently, I accidentally discovered that a long-held belief of mine was very likely untrue! As I sure you all can identify with, this was somewhat disconcerting. Who likes to be wrong? But I am a researcher, and accepting what one finds when researching is imperative. I thought I would share what I found out with you all, since it is Christmas, and that is crux of the matter.
I thought for many years that Jesus was not really born on Christmas Day. That day was chosen, I believed, because pagan cultures already celebrated on that day, and Christianity wanted to include (subsume, some would say) those religions. This is called the “History of Religions” theory.
There was Saturnalia, for example, celebrated originally on December 17, and later from the 17th through the 23rd; and the December 25 holiday Sol Invictus (the Unconquered or Invincible Sun). The earliest reference I had seen to the celebration of Jesus birth on December 25 was in 354 AD. It is from Depositio Martirum of the Chronography of 354, and reads:
‘December 25, Christ is born in Bethlehem of Judea.’
However, I was to find that this is NOT the earliest that such a thing was suggested, by a long shot!
I stumbled across this reference to Hippolytus, who in his day attempted to date every Passover all the way back to the date of the Creation, and the first Passover full moon (he believed God created the moon in the “full” phase). To do this, Hippolytus created a “lunar table.” A statue of him was discovered in Rome in 1551 AD and now sits in front of the Vatican Library. On the right side of the statue is a carving of this lunar table, taken from Hippolytus’ Canon, written in 222 AD.
This lunar table was designed to calculate the dates of past and future Passover full moons, by determining the date of the full moon occurring on the Vernal Equinox. The date of this Equinox was fixed on March 25 in the Julian Calendar. This turned out to be more difficult than Hippolytus thought, and his calculations went awry within just three years of calculating the dates.
However, that is not the point of discussion here. The point is, Hippolytus noted two things in his Canon; one, that the Passion of Jesus occurred on Friday, March 25, 29 AD. The second is, he wrote that the “genesis” of Christ occurred on April 2, 2 B.C. The word for “genesis” here is γένεσις. There is debate on whether this word means conception or birth, but given what I have read in the last week, I am strongly inclined to the former meaning. Researcher Thomas C. Schmidt has done a fantastic study of this. You can read the research here; I highly recommend it:
This was my starting point, but I branched out when I realized there were others who believed early on that Jesus was conceived on or about March 25. In 221, Julius Africanus, the Roman Christian historian, wrote that Jesus was conceived on March 25, the anniversary of the day Africanus believed God created the Earth. This would logically, given a nine-month gestation period, put Jesus’ birth on December 25.
So, there are now two sources who believed Jesus was born on December 25, as early as 221 AD. Is there an even earlier source? Turns out, it looks like there is!
Clement of Alexandria calculated Jesus birth backwards (what a way to figure, but whatever) from the death of the Emperor Commodus, thusly:
From the birth of Christ, therefore, to the death of Commodus are, altogether, 194 years, 1 month, 13 days.
This would put Jesus’ birth on January 6. It is still celebrated on that date by the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Clement continues:
“And there are those who have determined our Savior’s genesis not only the year, but even the day, which they say took place in the twenty-eighth year of Augustus on the 25th of Pachon…
And treating of his passion, with very great accuracy, some say that it took place in the sixteenth year of Tiberius, on the 25th of Phamenoth, but others the 25th of Pharmuthi and others say on the 19th of Pharmuthi the Savior suffered.
Indeed, others say that he came to be on the 24th or 25th of Pharmuthi.”
The important word in there is “genesis,” most likely meaning conception. The translation of “genesis” as conception is consistent with Clement’s usage of this word in other contexts, for example:
“It is not therefore frequent intercourse by the parents, but the reception of it [the seed] in the womb which corresponds with genesis.” (Clement of Alexandria Stromata 3.12.83.2)
The 25th of Pharmuthi coincides with the Vernal Equinox in the Egyptian calendar and also matches one of the possible dates which Clement gives for the Passover of Jesus’ crucifixion.
This shows that in the time Clement wrote his Stromata, between 198 and 203 AD, where this information appears, there were already people who believed that Jesus was conceived on or about March 20-21, or on the Vernal Equinox.
What we know about the pagan holiday Saturnalia is, it was originally a one-day celebration on December 17. It was later extended to December 17-23. This is one celebration that has been suggested as a reason why Christians decided to put Jesus’ nativity on December 25, but this holiday never fell on that date.
A December 25th holiday, Sol Invictus, was instituted in 274 AD by the Emperor Aurelian, who made this the primary god of Rome.
“The festival of Sol Invictus on the 25th December in the later Roman empire combined the festivals of both the old sun god (Sol Indiges) and the new official sun god (Deus Sol Invictus). The Circus Maximus had been dedicated to Sol Indiges since ancient times, and then was dedicated to Sol Invictus. The Roman emperor Aurelian created the cult of Sol Invictus during his reign in AD 270-275 (in the 3rd century) and, on his coins, Sol was described as ‘Dominus Imperii Romani’, the official deity of the Roman empire.”
It has been suggested over the centuries that the “chosen” date of December 25 as the birth of Jesus was in response to the imposition of Sol Invictus. However, given that we know that 75-50 years PRIOR to Sol Invictus being instituted, Christian leaders believed Jesus was born on December 25, it is just as likely that Aurelian instituted the holiday against the Christian belief! This is actually more likely in my opinion, given the facts that: a) Romans were inclined to incorporate the gods of conquered cultures into their belief systems and had done so for centuries; and b) by the time of Jesus, Jews had been admonished against the practice of including foreign gods in their culture for literally thousands of years. This was almost the entire background cause of sin in the Old Testament.
This theory, that Jesus’ birth date was not chosen to subsume another religion’s holiday, but was instead “calculated” by early Church leaders from the Creation of the world, or from the dates of Passover full moons, is called the “Calculation Theory.”
This theory does not prove that Jesus was actually born on December 25, but rather it does strongly suggest, at least to me, that the date of his birth was NOT chosen in response to a foreign religion, but in accordance with the beliefs and dates spelled out in God’s Word, the Old Testament. Hippolytus used the dates in the Old Testament to calculate the years from the Creation to the birth of Jesus, as did Clement of Alexandria.
From Hippolytus Chronicon:
(§686) . . . from Adam until the transmigration into Babylon under Jeconiah, 57 generations, 4,842 years, 9 months. (§687) And after the transmigration into Babylon until the generation [generatio] of Christ, there were 14 generations, 660 years, and from the generation [generatio] of Christ until the Passion there were 30 years and from the Passion up until this year which is year 13 of the Emperor Alexander, there are 206 years. (§688) Therefore all the years from Adam up until year 13 of the Emperor Alexander make 5,738 years. Chronicon §686-688
It is quite notable to me that there is a “9 months” period stated in this calculation, the span of human gestation. From Schmidt:
“Hippolytus only gives extraneous months on two occasions, once in §654 where he adds six months to David’s reign, and in §675 where he states that Jehoahaz reigned three months.”
So it is a rare case in his calculations to include months at all. The possible reasons for the nine month addition, how the translation of one word [generatio] affects the interpretation of it, and much more is found in Thomas C. Schmidt’s excellent research linked up above, if you want to read it.
I still don’t know for certain that Jesus was actually born on December 25. But I DO know that early Christians, based on their calculations of when God created the Earth, and when Passover full moons occurred and their dates, almost certainly believed that He was. And for now, that is good enough for me!
Joe Biden never won. This is our Real President – 45, 46, 47.
AND our beautiful REALFLOTUS.
This Stormwatch Monday Open Thread remains open – VERY OPEN – a place for everybody to post whatever they feel they would like to tell the White Hats, and the rest of the MAGA/KAG/KMAG world (with KMAG being a bit of both).
Our various sister sites, listed in the Blogroll in the sidebar
Our beloved country is under Occupation by hostile forces.
Daily outrage and epic phuckery abound.
We can give in to despair…or we can be defiant and fight back in any way that we can.
Joe Biden didn’t win.
And we will keep saying Joe Biden didn’t win until we get His Fraudulency out of our White House.
Wolfie’s Wheatie’s Word of the Week:
vicegerent
noun
acting in place of another
having delegated authority
not the same as a viceregent, although similar
Used in a sentence
A viceregent is a ruler acting in place of a monarch, while a vicegerent is an appointed representative of a higher authority, often with broader administrative duties.
Now I seem to recall Rand Paul’s name associated with Festivus, and I never quite got it, until this news report. Stay with it for at least a minute. LMAO!!!
Well, DOGE-GONE, it’s BARBIE!
I’m sorry, but Festivus has me in the mood to play my favorite song!
In case you’re wondering what a “ferrocell” is, there’s a fascinating paper describing how one works.
The beauty of this song – other than simply being well-done, is that in some pleasing ways, the actual science of sunlight shining on the orbiting moon, blocked by its own orbiting mass, corresponds with, and maybe even transforms through the “crackpot matrix” to, the dithering of Mr. (at)witsit about ferrocells and whatnot.
Between “real” science and “pseudo” science, I’m falling in love with the crazy beauty of this universe!
Good night, good morning, good day, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Joe Biden never won. This is our Real President – 45, 46, 47.
AND our beautiful REALFLOTUS.
This Stormwatch Monday Open Thread remains open – VERY OPEN – a place for everybody to post whatever they feel they would like to tell the White Hats, and the rest of the MAGA/KAG/KMAG world (with KMAG being a bit of both).
Our various sister sites, listed in the Blogroll in the sidebar
Our beloved country is under Occupation by hostile forces.
Daily outrage and epic phuckery abound.
We can give in to despair…or we can be defiant and fight back in any way that we can.
Joe Biden didn’t win.
And we will keep saying Joe Biden didn’t win until we get His Fraudulency out of our White House.
Wolfie’s Wheatie’s Word of the Week:
coprophagous
Yes, this word randomly came up in my word source, and I decided to tough it out and keep it. I have never wimped out on a word, and I’m not starting now. So YES. And YUCK.
adjective
eating feces
Used in a sentence
To the AWFULs who destroy innocent patriotic families – Don’t just “be offended”, as Matt Gaetz would say. Be coprophagous!
Shown in a picture (in as “purty” a fashion as possible)
Shown in a video
MUSIC!
DePat said something about she and others all yelling “the cranberries” at the same time.
Well – SOMEBODY was listening!
AND – just for the heck of it – I have to add my new favorite song!
Yes, I may be a hillbilly, and I may have voted for the outlaw and the hillbilly, but I can take a joke, and this song, like Elon Musk, has…..
Joe Biden never won. This is our Real President – 45, 46, 47.
AND our beautiful REALFLOTUS.
This Stormwatch Monday Open Thread remains open – VERY OPEN – a place for everybody to post whatever they feel they would like to tell the White Hats, and the rest of the MAGA/KAG/KMAG world (with KMAG being a bit of both).
Our various sister sites, listed in the Blogroll in the sidebar
Our beloved country is under Occupation by hostile forces.
Daily outrage and epic phuckery abound.
We can give in to despair…or we can be defiant and fight back in any way that we can.
Joe Biden didn’t win.
And we will keep saying Joe Biden didn’t win until we get His Fraudulency out of our White House.
Wolfie’s Wheatie’s Word of the Week:
urbiculture
noun
cultivation or development of urban life
the practices and problems peculiar to cities or to urban life
the way of life characteristic of cities
urban culture
Used in a sentence
Is wokeism a natural part of modern urbiculture, or is it a special pathology thereof?
Shown in a picture by Gab’s “wokester” AI, “Woke Gemini”
Apparently shown in a video (by searching on the word)
MUSIC!
SO – the DDG search “urbiculture music” weirdly brings back mostly videos of Ethiopian music, but it also brought back this ambient Greek and Mediterranean music with accompanying scenic photography. Enjoy!
This Stormwatch Monday Open Thread remains open – VERY OPEN – a place for everybody to post whatever they feel they would like to tell the White Hats, and the rest of the MAGA/KAG/KMAG world (with KMAG being a bit of both).
Our various sister sites, listed in the Blogroll in the sidebar
Our beloved country is under Occupation by hostile forces.
Daily outrage and epic phuckery abound.
We can give in to despair…or we can be defiant and fight back in any way that we can.
Joe Biden didn’t win.
And we will keep saying Joe Biden didn’t win until we get His Fraudulency out of our White House.
Wolfie’s Wheatie’s Word of the Week:
zymotechnics
noun
the art of fermentation
fermentation technology
Used in a sentence
If one considers Pasteur and zymotechnics to be ancestral to modern biotechnology, then surely Liebig and early organic chemistry are foundational to modern pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and medicinal chemistry. (Derived from THIS LINK.)
Shown in a picture, sorta, kinda, hey, look! A squirrel!
Shown in a Soviet Uzbek film – no, wait – that’s not….. whatever!
MUSIC!
Well, now that we’re committed to the theme…..
UGH. Think I’ll have a sparkling water!
THE STUFF
If you want to see how much bad science is out there, just watch this lady review a scientific paper that was getting some “wowee” buzz.
You don’t have to understand the equations – just assume for the moment that she knows what she’s talking about (this is her area of science).
But notice that the opposite should also be true (and she says it). Some valuable gems get lost in the trash as well. Good science is increasingly not noticed, until it is rediscovered a second or third time and somehow gets more attention.
This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.
It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.
In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.
We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.
Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.
In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.
God is in Control . . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . . Keep Looking Up
Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.
“This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” . . . “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Faith and Hope
Faith and hope are distinct yet related. That there is a difference between faith and hope is evident in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Two of the three greatest gifts are faith and hope, listed separately. That faith and hope are related concepts is seen in Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is confidence in what we hope for.”
Faith is a complete trust or confidence in something. Faith involves intellectual assent to a set of facts and trust in those facts. For example, we have faith in Jesus Christ. This means we completely trust Jesus for our eternal destiny. We give intellectual assent to the facts of His substitutionary death and bodily resurrection, and we then trust in His death and resurrection for our salvation.
Biblical hope is built on faith. Hope is the earnest anticipation that comes with believing something good. Hope is a confident expectation that naturally stems from faith. Hope is a peaceful assurance that something that hasn’t happened yet will indeed happen. Hope must involve something that is as yet unseen: “Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?” (Romans 8:24). Jesus’ return is our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13)—we can’t see Him yet, but we know He’s coming, and we anticipate that event with joy.
Jesus said He is coming again (John 14:3). By faith, we trust Jesus’ words, and that leads to hope that we will one day be with Him forever. Jesus was resurrected from the dead, “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). That is the basis for our faith. Then we have Jesus’ promise: “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). That is the basis of our hope.
The relationship between faith and hope can be illustrated in the joy a child feels when his father tells him they are going to an amusement park tomorrow. The child believes that he will go to the amusement park, based on his father’s word—that is faith. At the same time, that belief within the child kindles an irrepressible joy—that is hope. The child’s natural trust in his father’s promise is the faith; the child’s squeals of delight and jumping in place are the expressions of the hope.
Faith and hope are complementary. Faith is grounded in the reality of the past; hope is looking to the reality of the future. Without faith, there is no hope, and without hope there is no true faith. Christians are people of faith and hope. We have “the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time” (Titus 1:2). xhttps://www.gotquestions.org/difference-faith-hope.html
