“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
Building the connection between Cultural Marxism and the mini-skirt started with a comment from a high school classmate. We, the graduates of a certain all girls high school in fly over country, participate in an annual fundraiser resembling the NCAA Basketball Tournament. The various decades go through the whole bracket thing (we start with 1960s v 1980s, 1970s v 1990s, etc., and whittle it down to two classes). It goes on for a few weeks before we get to the final combatants. The winning class for any one bracket is determined by percentage of class participation. For the last two years, my class – one of three in the mini-baby boom a few years into Generation X – and a class quite a few years our junior have been pitted against each other in a battle to the death.
This year my class won. Take THAT Generation Y…at least I think they’re Generation Y.
At any rate, what was interesting to us “old ladies”, was a comparison of the two class pictures taken on the front steps of the school when we were seniors. In my classmate’s words, “We were so modest” in our clothing choices compared to the other class when we were out of uniform.
In examining at the photographs, my classmate was right. We who were teenagers in the 1980s were covered from neck to well below the knees in clothes that were in no way form fitting or tight, and the ladies coming of age over a decade later were ALL sporting skirts that hit them at least three inches above the knee.
There is something to be said for this comparison simply being about the ebb and flow of fashion over the decades, but somehow…given current trends…an argument can be made that women’s natural instincts to be conforming, to an extent, are exploited to the point that we are being manipulated into what the Cultural Marxists want us girls to be above all else: sex objects, and subject to human desire moreso than any other force.
I write that not to be hard on my own sex, but as an observation after searching high and low in ready to wear clothing for longish skirts to feed my own rebellion against the tyranny of the mini skirt. Even among the outfitters that offer the plain American woman fare, it’s not easy to find – longish skirts that are not denim and versatile. A handful of retailers do carry long skirts, but they tend to all look alike.
Due to the sheer number of mini-skirts on the market, and several of them being pleated and/or plaid just like the proverbial little Catholic school girl who was the subject of more than one derisive pop tune in the 1980s, (trust me, there were – and are – plenty who couldn’t even fake purity if they tried) it just seems that there is some other plot afoot.
See, along with the baby burlesque offerings of decades past and present, despoiling those who are “pure” is a fetish of the perverted, even if that “purity” has to be faked.
Of course, that’s not how the fashion of the mini skirt was sold to women when it became all the rage in the waning days of the most influential fashion designers of the twentieth century. No, back in the 1960s, the mini was a symbol of breaking free of the established order of things, and that, the cultural marxists in control of the entertainment and mainstream media channels at the time assured the young people of the world, was just what women wanted to do.
(Three generations later, we know that the goal was to break down society and turn it into a matriarchal culture, Henry Makow posits, but the reality is, the people at the top of the food chain wanted paganism back. They have been busy putting all the legal aspects of pre Christian paganism into place, and filling the void the planned decline of religion and the associated lifestyle created when they imposed crap like women’s lib on an unsuspecting public.)
It’s not that the mini-skirt was really new when it appeared in a London boutique in 1964. No, minis had long been a part of entertainment costumes for dance, musicals, and science fiction offerings, entertainment that was either saccharine or dystopian in nature, and completely not grounded in reality. In other words, the mini skirt represented an escape from reality. That it happened to show off a woman’s legs…well, the men, ahem, didn’t mind.
Honestly, how were mere mortal women supposed to compete with this?
https://youtu.be/A2XdG8oF3sM
And it’s not like this was a lone occurrence. It was more like front loading that eventually gave us this.
This particular video touched off a (hand wringing concern from the mommy set) tangential firestorm regarding encouraging overeating and obesity as opposed to girls developing eating disorders that result from teenage girls trying to achieve the impossible as presented in airbrushed pictures. Psychologists can argue over which is more valid of a concern for the modern parent of teenaged girls.
What it did in the context of this essay, though, was use the mini-skirt to sell to young women the idea that their sexuality depended on wearing one.
Which is worse, the mini skirt or leggings for showing off legs, etc., is a matter for a different debate.
The truth, though, is that the mini skirt at this time in history, perhaps since its appearance on the fashion runways in the 1960s, has held women in the grasp of Cultural Marxists. It is expected that we chuck our natural modesty to bare knees or risk being labelled something other than sexually desirable women.
What is interesting about that is that the woman fashion designer who liberated women from some of the practices that were actually dangerous when it came to shaping – Coco Chanel – considered the knees and the elbows to be ugly, and thus believed that they should be covered as often as possible. Her fashion creations reflected that belief.
A parallel construct in fashion is women in trousers, jeans and the like. Along with leggings, that’s an argument for a different day. The reality is that since the Cultural Marxists started to dictate fashion choices outside of the preppy realm, and pushing the classic American fall back look aside – to the point of derision – in a lot of ways, young women have been put on display like pieces of meat. It is now expected we be revealing, or we risk being sidelined and compared to leftist heroines like the vampiress Fiona Hill.
What makes the rise of the mini-skirt as expected fashion egregious in so many ways is that the Cultural Marxists used women’s natural tendencies of wanting to look good, be attractive, popular, and fashionable against us to make short skirts a norm in the female wardrobe happen regardless of modesty concerns, religious related or not, and men being, well, men.
The President and FLOTUS Melania are traveling to Britain this morning for the NATO Summit. They will attend various functions with other world leaders through December 4th. Thus, the Trumps will be in England, on a world stage, with impeachment swirling on the homefront. Dems and US Press Corps will do their best to discredit our leader. Expect it, as the sun will rise in the east.
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PUBLIC SCHEDULE For Monday, December 2, 2019. 9:45am ET, THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart the White House en route to Andrews AFB. South Lawn. Open Press Q&A. 10:05am ET, THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Washington D.C., en route to London, UK.
As financial contributions to NATO have been a subject for many years, let’s take a look at the 2.5 billion dollar budget. Not a much as we thought. “NATO Allies have agreed the civil and military budgets for 2019. At a meeting of the North Atlantic Council on Tuesday (18 December 2018), Allies agreed a civil budget of €250.5 million and a military budget of €1.395 billion for 2019.” https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_161633.htm
What is the purpose of the North-American TransAtlantic Organization? It used to be the group were allied to defend Western Europe against Russia. Yet today, France wants to buy ships from Russian military and form a closer alliance with Moscow. Germany has been working on Nordstrom pipeline, to supplying 60% German citizens with LNG from Russia. Obviously, Western Europe does not perceive Russia as a threat.
Newly declassified documents paint a CLEAR picture of the promise from George Herbert Walker Bush and his admin, to Gorbachev of Russia around the time of the of the Berlin Wall. The promise made was that NATO would NOT expand past the East German Border, “not one single inch”. In effect, if the Soviet Union was to disband, there was no further purpose to NATO. Yet, various interests in the USA and Europe were reluctant to give up the fiiefdom of NATO. In fact, over the last 30yrs, NATO has expanded to include 13 former Soviet Bloc Nations, and advance all the way up to the Russian border. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/newly-declassified-documents-gorbachev-told-nato-wouldnt-23629 RT points to the 30 documents as proof of a broken promise. https://www.rt.com/news/413029-nato-gorbachev-expansion-promises/
Of course, IF the USA and NATO broke their promise to Russia, it would still be fresh in the mind of Putin, who was stationed in East Germany 1985-1990. AND it would explain his objections, nervousness, as NATO absorbed more and more countries, placed Patriot missiles in Poland, and probably why Putin would object to our involvement in Ukraine.
Again, we come back to Ukraine. Funny, eh?
Yet, this particular NATO Summit is fraught with high stakes drama from all sides.
A NATO Summit the week before the election gives Boris Johnson a chance to take the stage as a world leader. Look for President Trump to try to help him as much as possible.
Added to the drama is our squirrelly ally Macron of France. He gave an interview to the Economist in November and his comments were “scary” as to the future of NATO’s alliance. He doubted if the USA would show up for a conflict in Europe and said NATO is experiencing “brain death”. https://www.economist.com/europe/2019/11/08/allies-aghast-at-emmanuel-macrons-dismissal-of-nato The Allies were “aghast”, as The Economist points out, they were sure it would be Trump who would make the incendiary remarks. (Sigh).
French President Emmanuel Macron’s critical remarks about NATO were “dangerous”, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in an interview published on Sunday evening by the Financial Times.
Macron told The Economist last week that NATO was experiencing “brain death”, citing a lack of coordination and U.S. unpredictability under President Donald Trump. (Got that? Macron waffles on NATO – but blames Trump)
“I think President Macron’s doubts about (NATO’s commitment to mutual defense) can make other allies wonder if perhaps it is France that has concerns about sticking to it. I hope that we can still count on France fulfilling its obligations,” Morawiecki was quoted as saying. (Morawiecki puts the blame back where it belongs)
“France is spending below 2 per cent of GDP (on defense) . . . I think it’s worth asking why certain aspects of NATO do not look as we wish. And it’s not for the lack of U.S. commitment to the alliance, but rather the lack of reciprocity on the part of some European allies,” he said. (Ouch, that one hurt, but Morawiecki is correct)
France has traditionally had an ambivalent role in NATO, taking no part in its strategic military planning from 1966 to 2009 despite being a founding member. Still Macron’s comments – a month before NATO’s Dec. 4 summit in London – were unexpected.
Wait……… What do you mean France takes no part in strategic military planning and hasn’t since the mid-60’s? So, France contributes less than 2%, complains about it, and has absolutely no idea how their country is defended? Did France just become the 14yr old teenager, consuming more than they contribute?
With friends like France, who needs enemies? Of course, everything is relative and media cannot be trusted. Many times leaders use hot rhetoric to their domestic audience which does not play well on a foreign stage.
Take a look at Germany’s Defense Minister, Ursula von der Leyen ……. the petite blond to the right of Merkel, and Kramp-Karrenbauer, known as “Mini-Merkel” the brunette to the left of Merkel….. thought to be Merkel’s successor…. a “coronation in waiting”. The woman on the far right, wearing red, is German Politician Julia Kloeckner.
Germany has pledged to bump defense spending to 2%……. but by the year 2031. They hope to get to 1.5% by the year 2014. No kidding, they’re waiting until 2031. According to Kramp-Karrenbauer “A country of our size, with our economic and technological power, our geostrategic position and global interests, cannot just stand on the sidelines and watch,” she said.
The Bundeswehr should be deployed proactively abroad, the defense minister said. She has pledged to bump defense spending to 2% of GDP by 2031, which could make Germany the third largest defense spender in the world.
In other words, Germany wants a seat at the table but for the USA to pick up the tab. President Trump believes this is unfair to the USA taxpayers….. but apparently President Trump is a brut for asking his allies to pay for their meal.
Merkel has problems with her health, the videos of her shaking violently are still fresh on the minds of others. She also has problems with allowing free speech in Germany, her most recent contentious policy stance. Merkel is on the way out. It will be interesting to see if her “replacement” accompanies Merkel and is introduced to new leaders. Watch the makeup of the German delegation.
According to AP, the USA will pay less for NATO in 2019 and Germany will pay more. The U.S. spends more on defense than all other 28 allies combined. Macron refuses to increase France’s portion, citing the death of 13 French soldiers.
Macron said France won’t increase its contributions for NATO’s in-house budget and referred to the 13 French soldiers killed in a helicopter collision as they were fighting Islamic State group-linked extremists in Mali.
“If anyone wants to see what they call cost sharing, they can dome to the ceremony that France is organizing on Monday,” he said. “They will see the price.”
As Eastern EU nations are still fearful of Russia, western EU nations look to strengthen ties with Russia. Eastern nations strongly object to the dangers of nation security which come with more immigration from the Middle East, while Germany/France/Belgium and Spain embrace more and more migration. Trade/IP theft/National Security and surveillance from China and problems with radical Islam present new problems.
Whatever happens this week in England will surely make headlines.
Somewhere in this house, there remains a photo of the “Gingerbread House”, but I cannot find it. It was a spectacular creation. As an annual tradition, all the hotels in New Orleans had a pastry chef competition for the best gingerbread house. I entered one time…. and won….. the whole thing… which came as a big surprise to a whole lotta people.
The story behind The Great Gingerbread House is better. That one grand and indulgent confection made me who I am today…. in a way…. it “hatched” me. Strange how events evolve. It turned into a life lesson on why taking chances is usually a good thing, and why forgiveness is easier to obtain than permission.
Here’s the backstory.
In school I skipped a few grades, so by the time college rolled around, I wasn’t 18yrs old. It created problems for me, socially, when it came to friends who were of driving or drinking age, but I tried to fit in as best as possible. I was lucky, however, with a new law passed in Louisiana against elder discrimination. It meant employers could no longer ask a person’s age on an application. It meant, they didn’t know how old I was…..
One of my first jobs was as a hostess for a local Sheraton Hotel, about 2 miles from our home in suburbia. Didn’t have a car at the time, but I did have a Honda Mo-Ped, which required a helmet, but it also meant Daughn was mobile and no longer dependent on others. The hostess uniform was a rust-colored-bullet-proof-polyester-formal-evening gown with a big slit up the middle. Obviously, I could not wear a formal evening gown on a Mo-Ped. Thus, every day, I packed a bag, wore shorts into work, changed clothes in the restroom, and re-curled my hair. It was the 80’s and big hair was mandatory.
The new job started on a Monday, early summer, after graduating high school. Surely, this job would be so much better than working as a cashier at A&P. I was excited. After a day or two of training on the register (which was easy after A&P), and training on how to seat people and be polite (no kidding – lessons on how to be polite), I blended into the group. Miss Gloria, the other hostess, was an elderly lady who had been there a long time, but she wasn’t good at adding up tickets and dividing up tips correctly, and I quietly rechecked her numbers.
Unknown to me, the restaurant business has added tension, stress, and a great deal of drama. The Restaurant Manager got into a scuffle with the Food and Beverage Director, while the General Manager was there. Restaurant Manager was fired, on the spot, the first Friday. On the way out of the door, still upset, the GM handed me the keys to the front door and promoted me to Restaurant Manager. I hadn’t been there a week.
The ride home that night was exhilarating. I was a MANAGER, my first promotion! My little Mo-Ped rolled along the right side of the thoroughfare, top speed of 22 mph, but I wanted to ride in the middle of the road and scream to the heavens. Of course, I wasn’t REALLY a manager. I wasn’t REALLY in charge of anything. All it REALLY meant was I was responsible enough to have the keys, remain last and come in first, vacuum, turn in the receipts, and lock the doors. BUT I was oblivious to all that…. after all, I had a new name tag which said, MANAGER.
Glory of new status faded quickly as I waded through the drama of wait staff and kitchen chefs who argued all the time. Why couldn’t they just get along? As part of my new duties, I had to go to “meetings” for “managers”. Ohhhh, I was so happy and felt so important…. only to be crushed. I learned a new Restaurant Manager would be hired by a “corporate” office in the faraway land called….. Pennsylvania. They owned over a hundred similar hotels. I was sad. At least they let me stay in the meeting.
It was a real managers meeting, where we talked about “revenue” and “sales”. Gee whiz, Dad was an exec. Yeah, I knew what “revenue” and “sales” meant. I knew they had to go UP, otherwise I was a bad manager…. and now I was fighting for my job. Hmmmm…. what to do?
Well, if I had to pass the keys to someone older and more experienced, at least I should hand over a clean”ship”, right? I started deep cleaning, re-organizing old storage closets, when I found a mountain of old banquet equipment, tiki bars that rolled into place, and decorations for every holiday. The next day, I asked Miss Gloria about my find. She confirmed “those were the days”, the “heyday” of the hotel.
Sometimes ignorance and naivety is a good thing. It sure helped me. Too young to realize I couldn’t do something and too young to be intimidated. As an added plus, I went to work at about 3:00pm, and the REAL managers left the building at about 4:00pm, which meant….. I had no one to tell me I couldn’t do something.
I was UNSUPERVISED.
Naturally, I assumed if we brought back the “heyday” of the hotel, then revenue would go up, and Daughn could keep her job as a manager. Pretty simple formula, win-win situation, and made sense to my teenage brain. I had a long talk with the “Bar Manager” and he liked the idea. We never asked anyone else for permission…. to expand. Our joint boss, the Food and Beverage Director was an Italian, who spoke broken English, and was never there.
The restaurant and bar were configured in a large “L” shape, with a gorgeous but “BARREN” hotel pool nestled in the middle. Yet, the restaurant had heavy curtains across the glass wall, always drawn, so no one could see the pool. I wondered, “Why?” The far side of the pool had a wrought iron fence, next to a busy interstate intersection. So, if you were wearing a bathing suit, you might “feel” naked in the middle of an intersection and awkward, as Gloria explained to me. I was confused and frowned. “Well, why not just put up a bunch of plants and screen the traffic?”, I asked. “Good idea.”, she said. At some point in the evening, I went to the restroom, down a long corridor, glass wall on one side, lined with tall PLANTS. I stopped about half-way, realizing, those were the plants which were supposed to be outside, along the fence. We moved the plants/trees, cleaned off the pool furniture, and spruced it up. The pool was lovely and inviting.
As we geared up for our first “pool party”, we needed special drinks and food, right? The bar manager was totally on board but another problem surfaced. My head chef, master of the kitchen, was Swiss, barely spoke a word of English, mid-30’s and highly temperamental. He hated the sight of me and the kitchen was his domain. Message was clear – I should keep out. Yet, our menu offered nothing from Louisiana…. which didn’t make sense. He told me the restaurant catered to people who were travelers and not familiar with the “spice” indicative of Louisiana. I reread my “Dale Carnegie – How to Win Friends and Influence People” and, as best as I could, asked him to add a couple of recipes for the pool party….. boiled shrimp, oysters on half-shell, etc. I even brought him mom’s recipe for marinated shrimp. Can’t remember how it happened, or what I had to trade him, but he conceded. Vaguely, I recall, he was convinced the idea was doomed to fail…… and he wanted to watch me go down in flames.
The first pool party was a great success. I called friends who were young and attractive to attend. All the activity brought guests to the pool. We made money… which was a GOOD thing. Revenue was increasing……….. and all of a sudden, there was no more talk about replacing me with a Manager from “corporate”. Our events (and even Mom’s shrimp) made a few local papers. We became a hot spot for the locals.
We added items to the menu, slowly but surely, traditional LA fare. A killer red beans and rice on Mondays as was tradition. We added a lunch buffet after church on Sundays to draw the local crowd, and a late night burger stop on Friday nights after local football games, and LA chicory coffee and fresh beignets at Check-Out desk. More revenue. Looking good. Every time I turned around, I was getting a raise… but I was having the time of my life.
College started but classes were easy as a freshman. It did cut my sleep and I was burning the candle at both ends, but young people can handle it. There were several big events which happened. The Swiss Chef quit in a big kitchen ruckus (a whole nother story)……. and I learned to be a temp chef that day… there was no one else. He was replaced quickly. The Italian F&B Director quit and a decision was made not to replace him. A busboy was completely out of hand and I fired my first person. He vandalized my Mo-Ped, killing it. Bummer.
As the weeks rolled by and more people were fired, I took over the food and bar ordering, and I still was not 18yrs old. It was far more involved than I thought – again, ignorance and naivety was my friend. A few mistakes but nothing serious. Not supposed to be in a place serving liquor, let alone ordering the liquor. It worked out well though, because I knew all the Bacardi/Seagram’s/Beer and Wine vendors from time spent at A&P.
I was spending a lot of time at the hotel, and the GM offered me a suite to use. I moved a few things in and sometimes slept there. That’s when everything came to a sudden crash.
Dad was not happy with my newfound business sense and independence. Spending the night in a hotel was not working for him at all. Of course, nothing was happening, I wasn’t sleeping with anyone. Heck, I lost my boyfriend because I didn’t have time. Didn’t matter to Dad. I had to come home after work….. Okay, fine. I still had the suite at my disposal when I needed it to nap or change clothes/shower/whatever.
The fall passed quickly and we geared up for Christmas season. Suddenly, we had a banquet division, and we were scheduling big office parties for the month. Again, the “heyday” was back! December was approaching and soon I would be 18yrs old. The GM called me to his office for my Christmas bonus and offered to pay for my college tuition if I would major in HRT. Wow, paying for my college as well? I was thrilled.
But Dad had other plans. I had to have my wisdom teeth removed before age 18 and while his insurance would pay for it. I would be “down” for several days. “What?”, I objected. How could I possibly be absent from work during the holidays? Of course, I thought I was so important nothing would happen without me……. but I was responsible for the effort and wanted to see it through. No compromise. Dad made his decision. I told my GM and arranged for extra staff at work for a few days.
I went “under the knife” on December 8th, after my last final at school, but there were problems, and the Oral Surgeon had to break my jaw in three places to remove the impacted wisdom teeth. One look in the mirror and I was mortified. Sure, I was a shallow female teenager who looked like she had been in a car wreck, but I couldn’t possible let anyone see me with a purple face! The pain and swelling were terrible. When I leaned over, I thought my head would explode. The surgeon said I would be “down for at least 10 days”.
Phoning my GM with the bad news, he returned with more bad news. I would be….. “replaced”. Immediately, my mind raced to the threat of “corporate Pennsylvania”. My heart sank to my toes. I wanted to throw up. I was….. “fired”? Dispensable? Just wiped away with a brush…… casually. Someone else, stealing my glory….. but time marches on. After all I did, I was heartbroken, but it was a valuable lesson.
Moping around the house, I went from bad to worse. Gheez, I was foul. Not only could I not go out on my 18th birthday, finally able to celebrate being “legal”, but I lost my boyfriend and my job. I blamed Dad for my utter ruination. My social life was dead for the holidays, I lost my suite at the hotel, now had to pay my own tuition. I was a walking talking big black storm cloud.
Most of all, I was bored out of my mind,….. when I got a call from Miss Gloria that changed everything.
Apparently, I signed up the hotel for the annual Christmas Gingerbread Pastry Chef competition, but I made a mistake, and filled out the form in my own name as “entrant” for the hotel. Gloria told me that the hotel didn’t want the entry as they were scaling back “outside activities”, but I had to call the Association and withdraw myself, otherwise it would embarrass the hotel with a “Non-Entry”. I agreed, hung up the phone and started dialing the association ……… and then I stopped.
Why couldn’t I enter the competition? Again, ignorance and naivety, forgiveness instead of permission. No, I didn’t call my GM back and ask for permission. No, I had never made a gingerbread house. No, I wasn’t that good of a cook, and I sure as hell was no pastry chef on the level of grand hotels in New Orleans…………. but I was bored and mad, occasionally spitting lightning bolts from my fingertips.
I made up my mind.
I took over the dining room to make a gingerbread house, three storied Victorian, why not? I had a picture to go by and thought, “Sure, I can do this”. Over the next week, it consumed me. I worked late into the night, while my parents were asleep. Finally, Dad took pity on me and cut a piece of plywood for my masterpiece….. With a 2’x4′ piece of plywood, that meant I could make a garden and small village for the house. As the deadline approached, my step mother helped, teaching me to make frilly scrolls…. perfect touch. Dad and I were back to normal as I calmed down. He helped me engineer a licorice swing for the gingerbread garden. Dozens of trips to the grocery and specialty stores plus 60lbs of flour later, I was finished. It really was beautiful.
Dad and I took the House downtown to the competition, my jaw was still nine shades of yellow but I had almost recovered. Other pastry chefs had installed their exhibits and gosh, they were breathtaking. That was December 16th but the houses would not be judged until Christmas Eve. I walked away feeling better. It was good to be outside and in a Christmas atmosphere. Never in a million years did I hope for an honorable mention.
Over the next few days, I was back to normal, out and about, playing with friends, scurrying around to get ready for Christmas. Kind of forgot about the house competition because I didn’t enter to win it, I entered because I was bored.
Christmas Eve rolled around and all the repeat winners for the competition were awaiting the big announcements for this year’s division champs and grand prize winner. They were all dressed in their finery, waiting for the obligatory photo in the local papers. I wasn’t there….. cuz it was Christmas Eve…… Grandma and Grandpa were in town, and we had stuff to do.
And I won, grand prize.
I didn’t learn about it until Christmas Day and the news came as a complete surprise. MANY other entries, I thought, were far better than mine. My old GM called and told me the “hotel” had a “mystery entry” for the Gingerbread competition and THEY took first place. I got my job back, another raise, school tuition……. and still can’t remember what presents I received that year.
It was a good Christmas.
The decades flew by and I went to work in Manhattan, then Miami, in the Finance biz……. Yet, when I could afford to live where I chose to, and do what I wanted, I bought a little B&B back in Mississippi. And again, I’m thinking about making a Gingerbread House for Christmas.
This 1st Sanctuary Sunday of Advent 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.
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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 an abode for those who seek respectful conversations.
Please also consider the Important Guidelines, outlined here. Let’s not give the Internet Censors a reason to shut down this precious haven that Wolf has created for us.
Remember – your greatest gift to President Trump is FIVE WORDS: “I AM PRAYING FOR YOU!“
AND WHAT TIME IS IT? TIME TO….DRAIN THE SWAMP!!!
Our movement is about replacing a failed and CORRUPT political establishment with a new government controlled by you, the American People. ~ Candidate Donald J. Trump
Also remember Wheatie’s Rules:
No food fights.
No running with scissors.
If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.
On this day and every day –
God is in Control . . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . . Keep Looking Up
Hopefully, every Sunday, you can find something here that will build you up a little . . . give you a smile . . . and add some joy, 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.”
1st Sunday of Advent ~ Advent Faith & Hope
Faith and hope are related. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) And yet, faith and hope are different attributes. “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)
During Advent, we look back at Christ’s 1st coming in celebration, while at the same time we look forward in anticipation of His 2nd coming when He returns for His people.
The Faith generated by the events of the past . . .
~ Advent Faith ~
Faith, as defined in dictionaries, is the belief in something for which there is not complete evidence, so that it can’t be accepted as an indisputable fact. For us Christians, “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) Simply put, our faith is trusting in something we cannot explicitly prove.
As Christians, we have faith in God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and in God’s Word, the Bible. Our faith is not grounded in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” ( 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 )
Advent faith is strong because it looks back at what God, through His prophets, said would happen with respect to the first coming of the Messiah, and finds that those events did happen. The Old Testament scriptures abound with the God-breathed words of the prophets concerning the Messiah that would come. Those Old Testament promises were fully realized in the 1st coming of Christ Jesus, the Messiah, which we celebrate at Christmas.
. . . leads to a confident Hope for the future.
~ Advent Hope ~
Hope, as it is usually defined, is akin to wishful thinking, a desire that something we would like to happen will actually happen. But hope, as used in the Bible, is more than just a wish. There’s a confident and certain expectation that what we desire will, indeed, take place. This type of hope needs a much stronger foundation than that of wishful thinking . . . something like faith that is firmly rooted in the events of the past.
We look forward with a confident hope and expectation, a peaceful assurance built on the strong faith of the fulfillment of the prophesies of Jesus’ first coming, to the return of Jesus, as prophesized in both the Old and New Testaments.
Jesus said He is coming again. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3). “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep . . . For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20,22)
What a wonderful time this will be: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)
Jesus’ return is our blessed hope. “. . . we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ . . .” (Titus 2:12-13)
Jesus loved us enough to offer Himself as a sacrifice to God, then defeated death by His resurrection from the dead, giving us a confident, reassuring expectation that we, too, will one day rise from our graves to live a never ending life with Him in the presence of God!
My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand.
By faith, we trust Jesus’ words, and that leads to the hope that we will one day be with Him forever.
1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. 3 Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. 5 O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the LORD.
Psalm 122 The Joy of Going to the House of the Lord
1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.” 2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! 3 Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, 4 Where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. 5 For thrones are set there for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. 7 Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.” 8 For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” 9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.
Romans 13:11-14 Put on Christ
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk decently, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Matthew 24:36-44 No One Knows the Day or Hour
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
I had been looking for, and have now found, an online homily that complements each of the Advent lectionaries. This homily is prepared by Reverend Monsignor Russell G. Terra, Pastor Emeritus of Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Redding, CA. http://www.stjosephredding.org/parish-homilies.html
1st Sunday of Advent “The Realm of the Spiritual” December 1, 2019
Is 2:1-5 Rom 13:1-14 Mt 24:37-44
My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord –
Last week I spoke about the sad fact that most of the younger generation do not have the same values that the generations before them had. What I did not mention is how rapidly this godlessness is increasing today.
The latest research reveals that Christians have declined from 77% of Americans to 65% in just the last 10 years! The non-religious affiliated, the “Nones” as they are called, have increased from 16% to 26% within the same time frame! However, what is most significant is that this represents 40% of all Americans under the age of 40!
This is truly alarming! Moreover, if the trend continues, Christian believers will become a minority – and we will, likely, be persecuted for certain values we hold that are non-negotiable!
At the root of the problem for many is a rejection of all things that cannot be physically or materially quantified – including anything that is not scientifically provable. However, this completely eliminates the spiritual. It eliminates what can be called a “5th Dimension”, which is the spiritual realm in which God works and interacts with us. What the non-affiliated risk is the Christian heritage that has sustained our country for almost 250 years – and the Salvation History that is found in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
What is absolutely essential for complete human spiritual development is openness to the Bible and to the spiritual realm which can transform our lives in preparation for the vision of God.
Today’s reading from Isaiah was written before the fall of Jerusalem, 700 years or so before the time of Jesus. The Chosen People no longer led God-centered lives – and their leadership had become corrupt. Catastrophe was coming – but God wished to give hope to the faithful few. So, Isaiah spoke of a future Kingdom of God in symbolic words.
The mountain of the Lord is the realm wherein God dwells. Everyone is invited, and countless will come to this realm. Our vocation is to know God’s ways and to walk God’s paths. Then we will achieve what is really important. Moreover, there will be the absence of conflict and war – and, instead, eternal peace! However, to get there, we must walk in the light of God’s revelation and grace!
In his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul insists upon the urgency with which we must be prepared and ready for God’s final call to His kingdom. We are to wake up to what is happening around us! We need to recognize our complacency and our failure to see and do what really must be changed in our hearts and lives. Our ultimate reckoning is closer than we think because with each day’s passing, our life here becomes one day less.
Perhaps, many of us have already repented and dealt with our darkest sins and crimes – But what about the subtle things – like our attitude, our behavior toward others, our tone of voice, our failure to communicate, our neglect of those we love, and our addictions that are not drugs, alcohol, or sex – like social media itself?
Once again, we are urged to put on the armor of God’s light and grace – to be able to stand against all darkness satan espouses – satan, who also works in the 5th dimension!
Finally, Jesus teaches us in St. Matthew’s Gospel that his coming for us will be without much or any warning at all. This might be at our own death – or at his universal final coming at the end of the world. Jesus will come, besides business as usual for Wall Street, our jobs, our politics, our recreation, our family life, and our usual daily activity. But come he will – and take us, he will!
Brothers and Sisters, those who truly believe and recognize the realm of the spiritual, know that God makes overtures toward us at every moment. God comes again and again in special ways throughout our lives. One of these is His annual coming at Christmas with the birth of His Son in human form.
So, let us prepare for this wonderful gift and for all that God continues to give to us!
Ever had a recipe that didn’t quite turn out like you planned? Hehe, I have.
Recipe Failures are a favorite topic in our house.
As a young broker, I learned to cook out of necessity. Couldn’t afford swanky dinners on my credit card for clients. Besides, our parents’ generation invited people home for dinner….. kind of thought that’s the way it was supposed to be. My clients were mostly men, owners of companies, at least a generation older than me. With a “couple” invitation to dinner, kind wives took pity on me, and taught me a great deal. I was a willing student, and although unplanned, the “come to my house for dinner” bonding time often cemented my relationship with the wives.
There were so many mistakes in the beginning years.
Like the time I bought the most beautiful beef fillets I could afford, had them specially cut by the butcher, but I didn’t know how to grill….. had a penthouse but no grill. I put them in the oven at 350 degrees, and thought they would be “done” in 11 minutes….. just like Dad did when I was a kid. That one was a beauty.
Or the time I bought specialty steaks from a high priced Miami Steakhouse and took them to a Manhattan client as my “guest” contribution for the weekend. The steaks were like rubber…. sold me a crappy lot. We ended up eating potatoes for dinner.
Or the time I decided to make croissants from scratch. Did you know there are 162 layers of butter in a croissant? Bakeries have a machine, called a laminator, to process the dough. It looked so easy to do by hand on a Saturday morning cooking show….. took me all day long. I’ll never make croissants again.
How about the Rum Cake I made to take to a boyfriend’s family for Christmas? It was on the cover of Southern Living Annual Cookbook. The recipe required 12 eggs and an entire afternoon. No one ate a single slice. It even smelled bad.
Or the time I was over zealous to create a spectacular dessert for Christmas Eve dinner, as opposed to a normal dessert, cuz I was trying to impress my boss. I started a complicated pumpkin cheesecake at 8:00pm the night before. Finally got it into the oven at 1:00am, should have been finished at 2:00am…… but then the instructions told me to leave it in the oven, temp off, for another 2 hours, and “don’t open the oven”. I waited and waited, eventually setting an alarm for 4:00am. Yet, because I was up all night with dessert, I nodded off during dinner…. great impression, eh?
There were a few monumental errors. My step-mother was an incredible cook. As a teenager, we watched PBS on Saturday morning. Dad was a frustrated Bob Vila. Often, my step-mother would copy something from one of the cooking shows for dinner. I watched her do it for years, so how hard could it be? Thus, when I was newly married, I was watching one of the cooking shows and thought I could make bagels at home. Why not? Well, first of all they were ugly – the color of oyster white paint. Beyond that, they were hard… all the way through. In fact, they were so hard, we decided to feed them to the birds….. and the birds ignored them. The dough was so heavy the birds couldn’t carry off the scraps… little wings fluttering so fast…. nothing. The guys teased me for weeks, “We don’t need a fence to keep the deer out, we’ll just use Miss Daughn’s Bagels…. better than chain link.” Yeah, that bad.
Or the time I was convinced to create a more “natural” home and start making my own bread. Oh yes, I was determined. I bought books on the subject. Over a $100 of specialty flour and new pans…… and the bread rose to the thickness of cardboard and I ended up with a bread boat.
New husband suggested I call his mother for advice. I scoured the kitchen sparkling clean and begrudgingly called her. Everything was prepared for her ‘lesson’ as if she was a visiting surgeon. She didn’t measure anything. Stuck her elbow under a hot water tap to check temperature. She put a little sugar in the yeast to feed it and so it would foam. “What do you mean, FOAM?”, I said. “Oh dear”, she replied with the contempt dripping from her fangs, “You have to let the yeast foam, otherwise the bread won’t rise.”
Wut?
How come my recipes didn’t tell me about the “FOAM THING”? She was in my kitchen less than 15 minutes, said she would be back “after lunch, it will be done rising”. The sun was shining through the glass door as she waved goodbye, and the sun bathed her like a “bread goddess”. I sat and stared at the bowl for over an hour, flabbergasted. So many things I did not know.
The Diet Light Cookbook was funny….. looking back. I was a pretty good cook by that point, but thought we should start eating healthier. Over a couple of weeks, I made many dishes, all from the cookbook….. everything tasted the same. I came home late, almost dust, and husband was burning sticks in the backyard. He told me to grab a glass of wine and come join him. As I approached, I realized he was ripping pages from the cookbook and burning them. I protested a little, “We could both lose 10lbs and you should drop blood pressure.” He took a long swig of his beer and said, “I’d rather die happy”.
There was no bigger failure than the “Great Potato Soup Escapade”. Hours and hours of effort, over 20lbs of potatoes, but it turned to starch. My husband dumped it out back, behind our old chicken coop. The following spring, it was still there. He had to bury it. Nothing grew there for years.
In summary, to our friends and family, please excuse us while we try to be creative this Christmas. If our project turns out looking like the magazine photo, terrific. If it doesn’t, that’s okay.
The point of the failure becomes – don’t ever stop trying.
Take a chance, try some new skill or ethnic food.
Even the failures become a terrific story.
If worse comes to worse, we can always eat Chinese Christmas Turkey.
This Sanctuary Q Tree Saturday Open Thread is 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).
‘Sanctuary’ is not a bad word.
Like so many things, the Left has sullied it by using it as a cover to bring in and shelter people who are breaking our laws.
I say, let’s take it back! Our country should be a Sanctuary for us…not for people who aren’t even supposed to be here.
Free Speech is practiced here at the Q Tree. But please keep it civil.
Discussion of Q is not only allowed but encouraged. Imagine that! We can talk about Q here and not get banned.
Please also consider the Important Guidelines, outlined here. Let’s not give the odious Internet Censors a reason to shut down this precious haven that Wolf has created for us.
With the Storm upon us…please remember to Pray for our President.
Wheatie’s Rules:
No food fights.
No running with scissors.
If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
For your listening enjoyment, I offer this composition by Berend Salverda, titled ‘Line In The Sand’:
Visual descriptions for our dear Zoe, and for anyone else who may find them helpful:
Header Image: Is a gigantic Tree, sitting on a hill in the middle of a group of buildings and homes. The Tree reaches up into the sky, it’s branches forming an enormous canopy. Underneath the canopy, there is a bright glow shining up from within the Tree. The canopy of the tree stretches out over all the structures below. Second Image: Is a rounded doorway at the top of a stone stairway, built into the base of an enormous Tree. The doors are glass and there is a bright glow coming from beyond the doors. There are plants, vines and vegetation on either side of the stone steps. Third Image: Is an open room with comfy-looking futons, a fluffy throw rug and large throw pillows on a gleaming wooden floor. There are glowing lanterns positioned around on the floor. Fourth Image: Is President Trump walking outdoors, with two secret service agents behind him. He is holding up his left arm out to his side, giving a wave with his hand.
Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving. It’s time to decorate the Christmas QTree. Ready?
First lady Melania Trump tosses an ornament to a child across the table after he tossed one to her as she visits with children in the East Room among the 2017 holiday decorations with the theme “Time-Honored Traditions” at the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
This ACTION NOVEMBER open thread is 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.
Please feel free to comment. We have a new policy, starting 20191110. Keep it SOMEWHAT civil. Our rules began with the civility of the Old Treehouse, later to become the Wolverinian Empire, except of course that Q discussion is not only allowed but encouraged, and speech is considerably freer in other ways. Please feel free to argue and disagree with the board owner, as nicely as possible.
Please also consider the Important Guidelines, outlined here in the January 1st open thread. Let’s not give the odious Internet Censors a reason to shut down this precious haven.
We have a new board – actually a new SITE – called The U Tree – where people can take each other to the woodshed without fear of censorship or moderation. NOT HERE. This board will remain a REFUGE for those who need civility, either some or all of the time.
Please keep the President, his family and team in your thoughts and prayers. If you run into the President, SPEAK THE FIVE WORDS BOLDLY. “I AM PRAYING FOR YOU!“
AND WHAT TIME IS IT?
TIME TO….
DRAIN THE SWAMP
Our movement
Is about replacing
A failed
And CORRUPT
Political establishment
With a new government controlled
By you, the American People.
Candidate Donald J. Trump
Also remember Wheatie’s Rules:
No food fights.
No running with scissors.
If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.
I’ll leave you with the very best of us. Thank you, Clarence.
Note to all, this is NOT a fake photo, or photoshopped. It’s an official Getty Photo from the Hong Kong celebration for our Thanksgiving, and as a special thanks to President Trump for signing the Hong Kong Support Act.
Getty Image
It was the Scut Farkus moment for Hong Kong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbzObyvBslw
It’s time to bring on Christmas. Ode To Joy, in Honor of our President, our Troops in Afghanistan and stationed all over the world, the voters in Hong Kong, and……. America. Brings me to tears every time.
Sunrise, Florida, is really a bedroom community to Ft. Lauderdale, slightly north of downtown, and a little bit southwest of Mar-A-Lago. This is my turf, my old home. My former secretary lived in Sunrise. President Trump is working on breaking the Dem Lock on Broward/Dade counties. We KNOW Brad Parscale has practically been living in Florida for months.
Well, here we go. I will add more links as they populate.
Freedom is easy……. when it’s not in danger. A challenge to freedom, awakens a sleeping giant.
The results of the Hong Kong Elections, after 6 months of protests, are a staggering win for the Pro-Democracy effort and a slap-heard-round-the-world, to Beijing.
From RTHK:
“…… no one was predicting that the pro-democracy camp would win a majority of seats – much less almost all of them.”
“While official results are yet to be announced, partial counts suggest that opposition candidates should win an overwhelming majority of the 452 District Council seats up for grabs, and may have a winning ratio of as high as nine-to-one.”
Seven out of eight pro-democracy lawmakers who fought for a seat in the polls won, with the exception of Council Front lawmaker Chu Hoi-dick, who lost to independent Lai Wing-tim in Yuen Long.
“…… yielded a landslide win to pro-democracy candidates, delivering a strong rebuke to chief executive Carrie Lam from the people of Hong Kong and shocking Beijing ……
” ……3 million people in a city of 7 million queued to vote in the local election held every four years, or 71.2 per cent of registered voters. At the previous election just 47 per cent voted.
By Monday morning pro democracy candidates appeared to have won a stunning 390 of the 452 seats and were on track to control at least 17 of 18 district councils. (emphasis is mine)
Beijing is rather surprised, insisting, no matter what, Hong Kong is still part of China…….. they would not allow “Separatists” to run for office.
Separatism is banned under Hong Kong law. But Wong’s last-minute substitute, Kelvin Lam, won the seat of South Horizons West. Wong wrote on Twitter: “I’m extremely delighted to announce that, despite my disqualification by Beijing, my backup candidate Kelvin Lam has won in South Horizons West with 57 per cent of the vote.”” (Sydney Morning Herald)
Take a few moments and look at this website for election results. Pro-Democracy is green. Look at all the green!
Keep your eyes on this website for the Hong Kong election results. Results should be posted tonight. Red is pro-establishment, gray is independent and green is pro-democracy.https://t.co/IjtBxhtsaV
Historic turnout in local council elections in Hong Kong. The result: A landslide vote for freedom, democracy, and continued autonomy from Beijing. The people were heard loud and clear. Now their leaders need to listen.
Somewhat satisfying to watch the NYTimes forced to admit Communism FAILED when elections take place.
In a stunning sign of support for the protests that have roiled Hong Kong this year, more than half of the 452 seats in Sunday’s local district council elections flipped from pro-Beijing to pro-democracy candidates. https://t.co/5keoE63aGH
Even the South China Morning Post had to admit losing control in 17/18 districts. How on earth can the CCP keep news of this landslide win from the people on the mainland?
Freedom tends to spread like wildfire…….
Hong Kong elections: pro-Beijing camp left reeling from landslide defeat https://t.co/kXhLMyN89T
