Halloween isn't Pagan At All; Melting Pot American Holiday

Yeah yeah, I've heard it all before; the claims that Halloween is based on old Celtic traditions, it's about worshiping the devil, and so forth.  The problem is, that simply isn't true.  A study of the actual history shows that much of what you've likely been told about this day isn't accurate.  Now, I don't care if someone decides to celebrate the day or not, or participate in activities, but I do care when people piously claim that their not doing so is because they are better, more Christian, or whatever, than those who do participate.  That's virtue signaling, and it isn't accurate or even very Christian.  For those who claim to warn others of the supposed dangers, I'd suggest they learn the real facts first.

The ancient Celts in Ireland and Britain did celebrate on October 31, a very minor day, but they also celebrated on the last day of most months of the year.  That particular one wasn't all that special. and that celebration isn't why Halloween is on that date.  The truth is, the celebration of All Saints Day was moved by Pope Gregory III, to coincide with the dedication of a chapel at St. Peter's, in Rome.  So, November 1 became All Saints Day not to coincide with any Celtic holidat at all, but for a completely different reason.  A later Pope, Gregory I, commanded that all observe the day, so the practice spread to Ireland. Later, some began to speculate on what happened to those who were not in heaven, and started to bang pots and pans to show those people weren't forgotten, and to hopefully discourage them from causing trouble.  A bit superstitious, perhaps, but hardly pagan.  The Bible certainly speaks of spiritual matters, and even mentions one case of someone perhaps speaking from beyond the grave.  Some debate this, but the truth is, we really don't know for certain.

The costumes come from France, where people began to dress up after the Black Death, as a reinder of mortality.  That happened on All Saints, however, not All Hallows Eve.  In America, when the different cultures became intermingled, so did the different practices, and costumes became associated with Halloween, instead.

The candy is likely from practices to celebrate Guy Fawkes, when revelers would wear masks and demand refreshments, on November 5, which in America ended up on Halloween because no one cared about Guy Fawkes, but demanding treats from neighbors, while all costumes, is a lot of fun for the kids.  So, the time shifted to Halloween, with the costumes and the fears of spirits, and the candy all combining in a purely American way, to create a fun holiday for kids to pretend, to get some treats, and to just be kids.  Adults enjoy the games, too, quite often, with costume parties and the like.

Ah, you say, but what about witches and jack-o-lanterns?  Well, some old harvest festivals included turnip lamps, so in true American fashion, those were borrowed, and pumpkins are far more fun to carve, and larger, so they were the American choice.  Witches were tossed in by the greeting card industry, in an attempt to sell creepy cards for Halloween.  Not really much of a thing, but they tried.

Surprise: Halloween's Not a Pagan Festival After All

In fact, we have very little real historical information about Celtic traditions at all.  Modern self-proclaimed witches might claim that they celebrate Samhain, we have no data on what actually happened during such celebrations, and those who used such claims to sell books were speculating, and that isn't a good reason to go along and agree with them.  How often do we see books sold today, based on claims of this or that, supposedly some issue of "faith", that are nothing but speculation to make a buck?  The books on claimed parallels between ancient mythology and Christianity are no more accurate than those offering dire predictions based on "blood moons".  So, please, use some common sense, folks. 

Guess what? Halloween is more Christian than Pagan

How Trick-or-Treating Became a Halloween Tradition

There is no reason whatsoever, other than personal choice, to not have fun on this holiday.  You can use it to remember that there are dangerous consequences for the unsaved, unrepentant sinners, to just have fun, or whatever, but you don't need to worry that it's some sort of devil worship.  Even if there are some similarities to older practices, none of those were about devil worship, by any means.  That's nothing but nonsense, made up to scare people, and draw them in to church activities.  Now, I have nothing against churches offering safe alternatives, because there are some concerns about safety, and in some places, those might be better choices, but that's not the same as having those because the day is somehow "evil".  So, let your kids have fun.  Carve a jack-o-lantern (we did last night), pick out costumes (parents should have some final say in choices for those, of course), take the kids trick or treating (and be sure to inspect the candy), have a party if you want, decorate, watch a scary movie, and relax.  It's a natural thing to think about the dead at this time of year, with the season changing, leaves falling, and the world seeming to go into a more "dead" state.   Recognizing that death is a part of life isn't wrong, and is part of the whole cycle.  In Spring, we celebrate life, and resurrection.  So, in Fall (Autumn if you prefer), we can remember the other part of that. 

Disrespecting Graves??

Veteran Flag Holders Stolen from Graves at Indiana Cemetery

About 40 veteran flag holders were reportedly stolen from graves at a cemetery in La Porte, Indiana, this week.

President of the Cemetery Board, Scott Harris, called the police and told them that the flag holders, which are valued at $40 each, had been taken sometime between Friday and Monday.
“Veteran grave markers have been stolen from area cemeteries in the past. According to previous reports, about 50 grave markers were stolen from the Patton Cemetery in 2015 and about a dozen bronze markers were stolen from Rolling Prairie Cemetery in 2012,” the La Porte County Herald-Argus noted.
Each of the flag holders was unique to a veteran’s grave and was purchased by members of that veteran’s family. The holders also represented the different kinds of service, according to WSBT.
“We just want to try and get these items back for the families, because like I said, you can’t get more disrespectful than actually taking from a grave site from someone that served our country,” said Captain Bill Degnegaard of the La Porte City Police Department.
“And this is something the families like to do to honor our veterans, and we would like to get those items back for them,” he concluded.
Many of the flags that were previously in the holders are now lying on the ground.
Patton Cemetery Board Vice President and Center Township Trustee Lisa Peurzakowski said she is saddened by the recent incident.
“This is sad because these men and women went to war for us so that we could have the freedom that we have now,” she commented. “And for somebody to come and take those emblems that were there, put there by the different organizations, steal them and probably scrap them for money, we have no idea, but it’s really sad that it’s come down to where they have to start doing stuff like that.”
On Wednesday, the La Porte Police Department asked anyone with information about the flag holders to contact the department at 219-362-9446.
However, Peurzakowski said this is not the first time Patton Cemetery has had trouble keeping people off of the property at night. She also noted that someone had dumped trash there before.
“It looks like we’re going to have to work on something else. We don’t have any electricity out here, but there’s got to be a way of maybe putting cameras somehow,” she commented.
Peurzakowski also noted that the theft will be probably be discussed at an upcoming board meeting.

What sort of complete scum does something like this?  Why?  Disrespect to the veterans?  Profit?  What's the motive here?  They need to set up trail cams, and catch these scumbags, lock them in a room somewhere, and throw away the room.   Why steals from a grave?? 

Good Deed from a Good Man

Gary Sinise Foundation Donates Smart Home to Wounded Veteran

A wounded Iraq war veteran and his wife were welcomed into their nearly-finished smart home on Wednesday in Colorado.

Retired U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matthew Slaydon and his wife, Annette, did not hold back their tears when 50 community members cheered as they stepped into their new house in Bayfield.
“I plan on living the rest of my life here, and I plan on paying this forward,” Slaydon commented during the Walls of Honor event. “I’ve got so many people that don’t have any scars, but they’re so horribly wounded still, that I want to share this with.”
The mortgage-free home was donated by the Gary Sinise Foundation along with other donors and specially designed to meet all of Slaydon’s needs.
The house will give him independent mobility so he can enjoy every inch of the property, according to his wife.
“Matt’s going to be able to wander this property on his own, which is something he hasn’t done in 12 years,” she said. “It’s really important, as we sit here and say thank you today, that you can really understand what a difference this is making in people’s lives.”
During his third deployment in Baghdad in 2007, a roadside bomb filled with nails and wood screws exploded two feet away from Slaydon, which caused him to lose his left arm and left eye. He now lives with bilateral blindness.
“Through his recovery process, Matthew was inspired to keep going because of his sense of duty, his family, and his military brothers and sisters. His wife, Annette, was by his side through the entire process,” the foundation’s website stated.
On Thursday, the foundation tweeted a photo of Slaydon and his wife inside their future home:

https://twitter.com/GarySiniseFound/status/1187474824148353031

“This house is going to have all this technology in it to be able to help him live a more full and happy life here,” said foundation spokesman Chris Kuban.
“It’s all about helping veterans to help other veterans. We can’t change every veteran’s life, but we can change this veteran’s life,” he concluded.
Once the house is completed, the Slaydons plan to move from their current home in Phoenix to the new house in May.

Awesome thing, and typical for Mr Sinise.  He does a lot for the military people and veterans.  Solid fellow, and nice.  I had chance to be on stage at one of his concert events, and he's really a cool guy.  Nicely done,sir.  Much appreciated, from all military and veterans.  Good to know some people care.

 

A Lack of Honor

China Disqualified for ‘Extensive Cheating’ at Military World Games

China’s entire national orienteering team was kicked out of the Military World Games on Friday because it was caught cheating, apparently with the assistance of spectators.

Orienteering is essentially a combination of long-distance running and pathfinding. Contestants are expected to navigate across difficult terrain as quickly as possible using a map and compass, visiting a series of control points along the way.
According to the International Orienteering Federation (IOF), the Chinese team took a number of top spots in both men’s and women’s orienteering at the Military World Games, which are being held in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. The games drew about 10,000 athletes, coaches, and officials.
After the competition, administrators discovered the Chinese athletes were “illegally aided by spectators and had used markings and small paths prepared for them during Sunday’s race,” as the BBC put it. The results of the orienteering competition were annulled after complaints from other teams.
The IOF rejected an appeal from China and stated the entire competition was “unfortunately overshadowed by extensive cheating by the Chinese team.”
“The Ministry of Defence, whose People’s Liberation Army are joint organisers of the games, did not immediately respond to a request for comment,” AFP reported on Friday.
The UK Guardian cheekily suggested the Chinese orienteering team must have lost its moral compass and described the incident as a tremendous embarrassment for China, which was hosting the Military World Games for the first time. The opening ceremony on October 18 was presided over by Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping.
“News of the disqualification was not widely reported in Chinese media on Thursday, in contrast to reports this week celebrating the team’s wins,” the Guardian noted.
AFP noted that Chinese athletes have recently been caught taking shortcuts and using bicycles in marathon races, while the BBC recalled three Chinese runners getting banned for life from the Boston Marathon in April for rules infractions, including the use of forged paperwork to get into the race.

Wow.  They have displayed a complete lack of honor.   Where is their moral standard?  No honor code in their military?  I am disgusted.  They are on their own lands, too, and cannot win without cheating?  At orienteering?  It's not really complicated!  At all.  Yet they needed markings and paths set for themselves?  Sad, that.  If this is the best their military can manage, I am not worried about them as any sort of real threat.  How would they find their way to the fight?

"Because you'd be in jail." - FISA Abuse Probe Near Completion

IG Horowitz: Highly Anticipated FISA Abuse Probe Report ‘Near Completion’

Michael Horowitz, the U.S Department of Justice’s (DOJ) inspector general (IG), said Thursday that he is almost done finalizing the report into possible abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Horowitz made the revelation in an October 24 letter addressed to House and Senate leaders.

The IG anticipated that the report would be released to the public with “a few redactions,” adding:

    "Given that our draft report is lengthy, and concerns sensitive national security and law enforcement matters, we understood that it would take the Department and the FBI some time to work through and appropriately mark the entire report. I can report to you that the [finalizing] process is ongoing and nearing completion, and we are working through these issues constructively with both the Department and the FBI."

    …

    "After we receive the final classification markings from the Department and the FBI, we will then proceed with our usual process for preparing a final report, including ensuring that appropriate reviews occur for accuracy and comment purposes. Once begun, we do not anticipate the time for that review to be lengthy."

Several news outlets obtained Horowitz’s letter. The DOJ IG has been conducting a parallel probe to the one focused on the origins of the Russian collusion hoax, which recently became a criminal investigation. Both investigations are related.

In March 2018, Horowitz launched the review of FISA abuses at the behest of lawmakers and then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Horowitz examined whether the FBI violated FISA when it sought surveillance of Carter Page, a former Trump campaign aid, back in 2016 in relation to the “Russian collusion” probe.

Fox News noted:

    "Partially redacted versions of the FBI’s FISA warrant to surveil Page revealed that the FBI relied on a largely discredited dossier written by British ex-spy Christopher Steele that was funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee. But, the FBI apparently obscured that fact in its warrant application, telling the secret court only that the dossier was prepared at the behest of an unidentified presidential campaign."

The surveillance of Page prompted Trump and his Republican allies to accuse the Obama administration of spying, or even committing treason, against former top law enforcement officials. In April, Attorney General William Barr told lawmakers he believes the FBI spied on the Trump campaign.

Barr is currently reviewing the draft of Horowitz’s report. Horowitz’s investigation is expected to animate congressional hearings and investigations.

“As soon as Horowitz is done with his review of the FISA warrant application, the counterintelligence investigation, the Trump campaign, we’ll have a hearing in public with Horowitz and we’ll call a bunch of witnesses,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told the Fox Business Network last Sunday.

President Trump has been anticipating the DOJ IG’s report.

“The IG report is going to come out soon, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters last week.

“But, I predict you will see things that you don’t even believe, the level of corruption … Let’s see whether or not it’s President Obama. Let’s see whether or not they put that in,” he added.

Trump has the authority to declassify and release the DOJ IG report. Horowitz’s letter announcing the prospective release of the FISA abuse probe report came amid House Democrats’ impeachment investigation.

That's the article for you.  Let's see, yes, if the responsible party is actually named.  We know he was involved.   I want to see that happen.  I lot of people don't want to see it happen, though, and are throwing fits:

Malcolm Nance: Trump May Be After Obama, Biden, Clinton, Brennan — ‘Ultimate Distraction to Steal an Election’

In the article, the panicked MSNBC analyst states:

WARNING: I heard a DC rumor fm a close Trump source in May 2017 he wanted to charge Obama, Biden, Brennen & Clinton w/treason over Russia. Now with Barr as AG this may be crazy but viable. It could incite civil unrest…the ultimate distraction to help steal an election,” Nance wrote on Twitter.

Hey, bub; it's not crazy if it's true!  No one is above the law.  That includes the lawless twit that tried to destroy the country.  The facts are starting to be known now:

Michael Flynn’s Lawyers Claim Lisa Page Altered FBI Interview Record to Frame Him

Report: DOJ Review of Russia Probe Origins Is Now Criminal Investigation

That's why Dems are in such a frenzy, and trying to distract from all of this with a BS impeachment inquiry:

Report: Democrats Say ‘Whistleblower’s’ Testimony No Longer Needed

Yes, you read that correctly; they are claiming that the fabricated "whistle blower report", which is known to have been total BS, isn't even important, and they can just proceed anyway.  Anything to distract.  Even the NYT admits, by mistake, that this whole Ukranian thing was nonsense:

YT Confirms Ukraine Didn’t Know U.S. Froze Aid at Time of July 25 Call: ‘Can’t Have Quid Pro Quo With No Quo’

Enough already!  Let's focus on the real issues, which include spying on  presidential campaign and probable treason.  Let's get people locked up who did these thing.  The president stated plainly in a debate why Dems, Hillary specifically, didn't want him elected.  Because they'd be in jail!  Make it so, please!

A Lack of Honest Reporting, and Look Before You Leap, or Judge.

Located this article, and at first, it looks bizarre, and very bad for the woman arrested:

Ohio Mom Claims She Found Intruder Attempting to Bathe Her Toddler

An Ohio mother claims she was horrified when she discovered an intruder attempting to give her two-year-old son a bath inside her home.

Areica Hill told WCMH that she awoke to find a woman inside her home in Columbus on Wednesday attempting to give her son a bath.
“I get up and I walk to my door and the way my house is set up, I can look down the hall,” Hill said. “I see a white female lady, bent over the tub, with my 2-year-old in the tub.”
Hill said she snatched the woman away from her child, and her boyfriend restrained the alleged intruder until police arrived.
The woman, whom police identified as 22-year-old Elizabeth Hixon, was arrested and charged with burglary.
Hixon posted bond in Franklin County Municipal Court and was later released, according to court records.
Hixon’s mother reportedly told WCMH that her daughter “had good intentions” and that “her heart was in the right place.”
Hill said she has never met Hixon and “would like to see other charges filed against her.”
Prosecutors have not yet received the police investigation but will figure out which charges are appropriate once the investigation is in their hands, the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.

It's not that  simple, however.  A link tot he original story reveals a bit more, and some crucial information:

Woman attempts to give 2-year-old bath in bizarre Franklinton break-in

COLUMBUS (WCMH) — A Columbus mother says she was horrified when she woke up and found another woman inside her home, getting ready to give her 2-year-old son a bath.
“I’ve never heard of anything like this,” Areica Hill said.
Hill told NBC4 that she awoke Wednesday morning to the sound of a dog barking in her home. 
“I get up and I walk to my door and the way my house is set up, I can look down the hall,” Hill explained. “I see a white female lady, bent over the tub, with my 2-year-old in the tub.”
Hill said she fought the woman off, and her boyfriend held the woman in place until the police arrived.
Elizabeth Hixon, 22, was arrested and charged with burglary.
An affidavit in the case, filed in Franklin County Municipal Court, said: “Ms. Hixon stated that she entered the residence, to provide care to a juvenile, which was outside the residence.”
On the phone, Hixon’s mother told NBC4 that her daughter had good intentions and that her heart was in the right place.
Hill said she had never met Hixon.
She plans to follow this case, as it moves forward.
“I would like to see other charges filed against her,” Hill stated.
Prosecutors have yet to receive the police investigation. Once they do, they will determine what charges are appropriate, according to Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien’s office.
Hixon has posted bond.

Note the crucial bit - the woman stated the child was outside, alone and unattended.  The mother as inside with her boyfriend, not husband, and didn't know her child was outside.  I'd guess the door was opened because they toddler went through it already.  I'd guess this woman really did have good intentions, and intended to save this household the hassles of a visit from CPS for child neglect, and has now been rewarded by being arrested.  I'd also guess that distracting from this truth is why the mother s demanding additional charges.  Where are the charges against her for her child being outside alone?  You can purchase locks that toddlers can't get through.  Note the racia angle, too.  The woman who was arrested is white, and the mother and toddler are black.  If that was reversed, would people be defending the woman arrested, saying she as just trying to help?  

A lot of people are assuming this woman is mentally ill, or a pedophile, and not even bothering to research the whole story first, or see that the child wasn't being properly attended by his mother. 

Streaming Services and their Woes and Errors.

This streaming war isn't going to turn out well for any involved, I say. Companies such as Netflix were great for one reason,and one reason only; we could go there and see content from a lot of different places, at an affordable price. These smaller versions, with only their own content, are not gong to do as well, as they are basically just streaming versions of television stations. People already pay for those, with cable and satellite subscriptions, and I for one won't pay twice for that. If it's one provider on the service, it's a channel. Why would I care about streaming? Do you hear that, networks that offer "all access" sorts of deals?  Nope, not paying twice for your channel.  Nor do I want a handful of streaming services, to have to search around for the content I want to watch.  I can do that with the tv remote right now, and my television service.  Streaming was supposed to be different.

We are being told, Netflix Takes on $2 Billion in Debt as Disney, Apple Launch Competition.  Well, whatever.  These companies don't want to listen tot he viewers, and don't pay attention, and they can all lose money,a s far as I am concerned, and perhaps learn n the process, and become something good again. 

Netflix used to be good.  When I joined, I spent some time rating a LOT of movies.  A lot.  I wanted good recommendations, and they had a great algorithm for that.  I'd see plenty of recommendations for movies, and the rating they predicted was typically right on target, or I'd like the fil even better.  I saw a lot of things I might have not watched that way, and that I really enjoyed.  All was well.  Then they decided to bow to political pressure, because of some whining Leftist who couldn't handle criticism, and they did away with their good rating system.  Used to be, you gave a number of stars, 1-5, to a movie or show.  Good system, worked great.  They decided to gowith a simple thumb up or down, though, and since then, the recommendations have gone down the toilet.  I see, instead of things I'd actually like to watch, recommendations for stuff you couldn't pay me to watch.  Literally.  Complain, and the response is to ask if you want to cancel your service!  Not, "Gee, let me make a note of that, and pass it along, and I hope we can improve for you."  Nope, they just don't seem to care. 

Add to this, they have lost a LOT of good content.  Tons of movies and television shows are no longer available to stream, that were in the past.  Some have been lost to other platforms, and soe just dropped, apparently.  They do add new content, but a lot of it is really substandard, much is foreign, and it's nowhere near as good as it used to be.  In the past, I could spend a lot of time worting through several things I wanted to see, trying to choose one, and now, I have to spend a lot of time tryng to find anything worth watching.  That they LIE in some descriptions doesn't help, either.  Yes, lie.  I just watched a truly HORRIBLE movie, because the description was complete BS, and didn't even match what you can see elsewhere online.  Word of advice, if you aren't already familiar with what the movie or show is suposed to be, look it up elsewhere before watching.  Don't trust Netflix to describe t properly. 

Of course, we already know we can't trust them, since they've partnered with the "former first couple" lying scumbags.  They seem to think that has nothing to do with their loss of revenue.  They're wrong.  Now, don't get me wrong; I don't expect to approve of every single program a streaming service shows, and I can just not watch things I don't like.  I am sure there are people who wouldn't watch things I like, and that's alright.  However, you have to have some standards.  They should also have a way to avoid completely certain categories, if you don't want to see those in your listings.  They don't, though.

I see these companies losing a lot of money.  Netflix is already in debt, and these smaller ones won't be able to sustain themselves, for long, on exclusive shows.  Too many choices, too many other places we can watch something, to cause people to pay for many little services.  Imagine paying individually for television stations.  It doesn't work. 

Illegal Aliens, Propaganda and the Media

As another election season approaches, and the Left grows more and more desperate, the propaganda becomes more and more obvious.  Today, I read an article claiming people are "afraid" to go to the hospital, implying that Border Patrol officers are just lurking all over, waiting to drag off poor, innocent "undocumented immigrants".  Of course, that isn't the case, and the article even proves that what they imply isn't true, but I am certain that gullible people still fall for the ploy, and believe that the Borer Patrol is somehow wrong.  Here's the link:

Border Patrol's growing presence at hospitals creates fear

The BS is so strong, they should provide virtual boots to protect our feet.  I'll break it down for you.

They start off with this little gem:

MIAMI (AP) — An armed Border Patrol agent roamed the hallways of an emergency room in Miami on a recent day as nurses wheeled stretchers and medical carts through the hospital and families waited for physicians to treat their loved ones.

 Sounds sinister, eh?  It's supposed to!  Then, though, for anyone actually paying attention, they expose the reality almost immediately:

The agent in the olive-green uniform freely stepped in and out of the room where a woman was taken by ambulance after throwing up and fainting while being detained on an immigration violation, according to advocates who witnessed the scene.

 Well, gee, that's an entirely different scenario, isn't it?  They even state:

Normally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents enter hospitals when detainees require emergency medical services or specialized care. In many cases, agents escort sick immigrants to the hospital after apprehending them at the border. In some instances, they have detained them after leaving a hospital.

Duh!  Police commonly escort other sorts of criminals to hospitals.  Do the doctors and other staff complain abous that as well?  Do these people think criminals, known criminals already in custody, just stop being criminals if they need medical attention?  That would be a very stupid thing to believe.  And, yes, same situation exactly, because "undocumented immigrants" are not immigrants at all; they are illegal aliens, people who broke the law to enter this country, uninvited, to steal jobs from Americans, to leech off of Americans for benefits, to have children here who, unlike in most countries in the world, ill be given citizenship.  These are not immigrants. 

The BS gets thicker the more you read:

The American Medical Association Journal of Ethics devoted its entire January issue to medical care for immigrants who are in the country illegally, including a discussion of whether medical facilities should declare themselves "sanctuary hospitals," similar to sanctuary cities.

"Our patients should not fear that entering a hospital will result in arrests or deportation. In medical facilities, patients and families should be focused on recovery and their health, not the ramifications of their immigration status," the association said in a statement.

 So, the AMA thinks that criminals should get a free pass if they make themselves throw up, and pretend to faint?  Gee, thanks, AMA, for showing that you stand against Americans.  Nice to know we can't trust our doctors, because they value criminals over citizens.  What about the safety of Americans who could be harmed by these criminal invaders?  I guess their health doesn't matter?  Just listen to the utter BS from this doctor:

But Dr. Elisabeth Poorman, a primary care physician at the University of Washington in Seattle, says facilities need to constantly train staff on how to interact with law enforcement and immigrant patients in these situations.
"The ground is constantly shifting. I can tell the patient I am committed to your safety, but in the current administration we cannot tell everyone that they are 100% safe," she said.

Hey, Poorman (and what a name for a doc, in this article, eh?  Total coincidence, I am sure,right? *eye roll*), how about you tell these invaders they'd be safer staying in their own countries, and not invading mine?  Your job is to heal any medical issues, not be concerned with their illegal actions.  Certainly, your job as a doctor is not to aid them in breaking the law.  Right? 

Am I the only one that thinks this entire scenario seems created?  From the convenient fainting and hurling, to the name of the doctor? 

Wah, wah, boo hoo.  Get hout, back across the border, and pay for your own medical care, and don't demand safety and a free pass from Americans when you invade our nation.  The current administration, under President Trump, is concerned with Americans first, not the "safety" of illegals with no respect four our laws, our borders, or our culture.  These contrived scenarios, set up t gain sympathy, aren't flying with me.  And I vote.  I will vote, again, for our great President Trump, who actually cares about the country he's leading.  Unlike virtually every other person trying to take that office.  Unlike those who hate him because he isn't the Establishment.  Unlike every TDS-affected anti-Trumpster on both sides of the political game.  And, to all who claim to be conservative, and still stand against the president, get on board or get out of the way. 

MAGA
Thank God for President Trump.

Deer surprise for driver!

Deer crashes through both backseat windows of moving car

Oct. 18 (UPI) -- A New York state man received a shock while driving when a deer crashed through a backseat window -- and promptly crashed back out the opposite window.
Roger Johnston, a photographer and proprietor of Captured Momentz Photography in Rome, said he was driving on Route 28, near Forestport, when the doe crashed through the backseat window of his Kia Optima while he was going about 55 mph.
"Nobody can believe it. I can hardly believe it myself," he told NYup.com. "I saw the deer coming at me from the driver's side and it started to leap. Next I knew, I heard a loud crash. I stopped and there was glass and fur everywhere in my back seat. No blood -- just glass and fur. It went right through both windows. It didn't touch the car doors."
Johnston said he feels fortunate the animal was a doe, instead of a buck with large antlers.
"Fortunately, it didn't come through the driver's side front window. It probably would have killed or severely hurt me," he said.
Johnston said he ended up spending the rest of the day as planned, photographing nature -- including some area deer.
He said his windows are repaired and there doesn't seem to be any lasting damage to the car.

Yikes!  Good thing she didn't pick the front window, and that no one was in the backseat!  That's just wild!

Lawless Perversion Out, Common Sense and Freedom In!

Federal court strikes down Obama administration 'transgender mandate' for doctors

A federal court in Texas ruled Tuesday that doctors across the nation are not required to perform gender-transition surgeries if they go against their medical judgment or religious beliefs.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor reversed a mandate from the Obama administration that required a doctor to perform gender transition procedures on any patient, including a child, even if the doctor believed the procedure could harm the patient, or otherwise face penalties and legal action.

In December 2016, six months after the mandate was issued, two different federal courts ruled the policy was an unlawful overreach by a federal agency and likely a violation of religious liberty. The rulings were in response to two lawsuits against the "transgender mandate" filed by an association of over 19,000 health care professionals, nine states, and several religious organizations.

Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which argued against the government, calls the new decision a "huge victory" for religious freedom.

“It is critically important that doctors are able to continue serving patients in keeping with their consciences and their professional medical judgment, especially when it comes to the personal health choices of families and children,” Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, told Fox News in a statement.

“Doctors cannot do their jobs if government bureaucrats are trying to force them to perform potentially harmful procedures that violate their medical and moral judgment," Goodrich said.

In May 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a proposed new rule which would fix the transgender mandate and keep the federal government from interfering in decisions that should remain between doctors and their patients, but the previous rule remained on the books while the proposal was being considered.

Becket pointed to research, backed by HHS, which shows there are significant risks with gender reassignment therapy – especially in childhood – such as heart conditions, increased cancer risk and loss of bone density. According to studies presented by Becket, fewer than one in four children referred for gender dysphoria continued to experience that condition into adulthood.

The government's panel of medical experts concluded these therapies can be harmful and advised against requiring coverage of these medical and surgical procedures under Medicare and Medicaid, which were exempt from the mandate.

Sickening mandate in the first place, trying to force doctors to do something to a patient that they believe is harmful, wrong, etc.  Anyone trying to force this on a child should be in prison for serious child abuse, too, as far as I a concerned. Since when is surgery the solution for a mental issue?  Nice to see this thrown out. 

Twins Die While in Foster Care

This is sickening.  Taken fro their parents, and now dead, because the supposed caregiver chosen by the state didn't do her job, at all. 

Georgia foster mom charged with murder in hot car deaths of twins, 3

This woman was no mother.  Where was she when the children were dying of heat stroke in a car, in the yard of a home where she was not even present?  Children of three, that unsupervised?  Great job, CPS.  NOT!

Grown man Attacks Child Over Snowball Fight

North Dakota man, 68, charged with assaulting 9-year-old boy after being hit by snowball: report

A 68-year-old North Dakota man is accused of shouting profanities and throwing rocks at a group of children in retaliation for being hit with a snowball before pushing a 9-year-old boy into a truck and smashing his face into the ground, according to a report.

Douglas resident Gordon Van Hassel, 68, is charged with felony aggravated assault of a victim under the age of 12, the Grand Forks Herald reported Monday.

According to the charges, Van Hassel was walking his dog by a group of children having a snowball fight when he was apparently hit.

Van Hassel later claimed the kids were harassing him, so he chased them, catching the 9-year-old who he allegedly pushed to the ground and repeatedly kicked, KFYR-TV reported.

The boy later told authorities he was afraid for his life and passed out during the attack, according to the affidavit. An adult reportedly carried the boy home by sled before he was taken to a hospital in Minot.

The assault left him in pain and unable to walk on his left leg, according to a Ward County Sheriff’s deputy.

Van Hassel was being held at the Ward County jail. He was scheduled to appear in court for arraignment Thursday. He faces up to 10 years in prison if he’s convicted.

Sickening!  It's a shame the family didn't have a good dog out there with the kids, to take this jerk down.

Bear vs. People - Just How Stupid Are People??

The idiocy of some people never ceases to amaze me.

Tourists filmed getting dangerously close to a black bear in Tennessee

 Back away from the bear!

A group of curious tourists were recently caught on camera getting dangerously close to a black bear in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. Video footage of the surprising scene has since gone viral on Facebook, with many commenters describing the visitors as “idiots” for getting so close to a wild animal, a violation of a federal regulation punishable by fines and arrest.

On Oct. 14, Kelly Price Helms shared an “insane” 33-second clip to Facebook, featuring a group of people photographing a black bear from just a few feet away, while the wild animal ate grass near the side of a road between Cades Cove and Townsend, as per WBIR. The visitors seemed to be blissfully unaware of the dangerous situation they were in.

“Witnessed this the other day while visiting the Smoky Mountains. Insane!” Helms captioned the now-viral video, which has since been shared nearly 5,000 times to date.

“Please note that my family and I were safe in our car and unable to move along due to these people jumping out of their vehicles,” she added.

Social media commenters were quick to declare the tourists “idiots” and “fools” for the reckless behavior.

“Good grief! People are crazy. This is a wild animal. Yes, they are beautiful and I love to see them but I’m not crazy enough to get that close,” one user wrote. “The sad thing is when people get attacked the bear is the one that suffers the consequences if they find it.”

“It only takes one time for that bear to come after you … There is a sign at the beginning going into the Smokies that tells you how far to stay away from the bears,” another agreed.

"People are stupid. Stay in your car and leave the bear alone,” another said.

More broadly, Helms said that she shared the footage in hopes of raising awareness on the importance of respecting wildlife and natural habitats.

"I just want people to be informed about the danger of being that close to wildlife. It could not only turn bad for the tourist but for the bear as well," the woman told WVLT.

Though a spokesperson for the National Park Service (NPS) was not immediately available to offer further comment on the incident, the agency’s website warns that “bears are wild animals that are dangerous and unpredictable. Do not approach bears or allow them to approach you!”

It is also illegal to willfully approach bears within 150 feet (50 yards) or any distance that disturbs or displaces the creature in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the NPS explains. Violation of this federal policy can result in fines and even arrest.

Biologists estimate that roughly 1,500 bears live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is one of the “largest protected areas in the eastern U.S. where black bears can live in wild, natural surroundings,” the agency states.

The bears are beautiful, sure, but they are also dangerous.  These people were behaving quite foolishly.  I've camped in that forest, and the rangers made sure we knew how much to respect the bears.  We were shown steel bowls, etc, with huge claw holes through them.  The trash cans in the campground were buried, only the lids exposed, to protect from bears.  But these clowns walk right up for pictures?  

Start at 4:26 for the bear story.

Not Just Another Fish Story!

This one, you need pics!

Montana fishermen catch live bobcat in fishing net on lake

Not quite the catfish he was expecting.

Brett Hereford was fishing on a lake in Montana on Sunday, Oct. 6, with his dad, Bob, and mom, when the pair made an unusual discovery — a bobcat “thrashing around” in the water.

The Herefords were fishing on Flathead Lake when they made the kitty catch.

According to Bob’s post on Facebook, his son scooped up the bobcat “very carefully” into a fishing net to save it from drowning. The pair then took it back to shore, where they released the animal into the wild.

In a video of the bobcat in the net, Bob announces the cat is “not happy” and declares the bobcat likely wants in the boat, before stating, “but we’re not going to let him.”

Bob revealed that the group pet the animal “quite a bit” to warm it up after a person on Facebook stated that the bobcat looked cold.

The anglers were not sure how the bobcat got so far away from shore in the first place — bobcats can swim, but usually avoid water unless necessary — but were glad to be there as the father-son duo felt the animal looked tired and was unable to stay above water.

https://www.facebook.com/bob.hereford/videos/2540175912705894/

Glad they were there and able to rescue that poor kitty!  

Explosion at Elementary School - No Injuries

Explosive Device Blows Up at Montana Elementary School, No Injuries

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — An improvised explosive device blew up in an elementary school playground in Helena on Tuesday just before classes began, authorities said, causing no injuries but leaving investigators to puzzle over what was behind the explosion in Montana’s quiet capital city.

No threat was made against Rossiter Elementary school, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton told The Associated Press.
Dutton said the device blew up at 8:21 a.m., just minutes before the morning bell rang to start classes. Dutton did not immediately answer whether children were in the vicinity or if the explosion damaged any property.
Officials planned a news conference Tuesday morning.
Students were evacuated from the school after authorities made sure the path was clear of other devices. The children were placed on buses and sent to another location where they could be picked up by their parents, Helena public school officials said.
All schools in Helena and East Helena were locked down and were being searched by officers. School officials said in a statement that the lockdown was a precautionary measure, and that no students would be released outside for recess.
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Montana Highway Patrol were assisting sheriff’s and Helena police officials in the investigation.
Helena is a small city of about 30,000 people in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The school is in a residential neighborhood just north of the city’s center.

Thank God no one was hurt!  I hope we get more information, and they can discover who was responsible for this.  No threats made makes me more concerned.  

Fear Mongering and Police State Tactics

Middle School Girl Charged with Felony for Allegedly Pointing Finger Gun at Classmates

A middle school girl in Overland Park, Kansas, is facing a felony charge for allegedly making her hand into the shape of a gun and pointing it at classmates.

NBC News reports that an unidentified individual “felt threatened” by the girl’s action and “used the school’s online anti-bullying app to alert administrators.” An investigation followed, which led to the school’s resource officer being told and the girl being arrested.
The Kansas City Star reports that the girl made a gun out of her hand–by pointing her finger–after another classmate allegedly asked her to name five people she would kill if she could. “In response, the girl allegedly pointed her finger pistol — like the ones many children use playing cops and robbers.” She allegedly pointed her hand at four classmates, then herself.
The student was charged with making a “criminal threat,” which is a felony.
Johnson District Court documents show claims that the girl “unlawfully and feloniously communicated a threat to commit violence, with the intent to place another, in fear, or with the intent to cause the evacuation, lock down or disruption in regular, ongoing activities.”

How in the world does a pointed finger constitute a threat?  Why would such a gesture ever cause an evacuation, or a lock down?  How fragile are people, that something we did as children, playing games, can now be construed as a threat warranting an arrest of a child???

This is beyond insane.  The parents of this girl need to file a massive lawsuit, against the school, and the police, for this nonsense.  Did they arrest the person who asked her the question?  How about any other students involved in the conversation?  Where is the actual threat?  What, a kid can't express that there are people she doesn't like, without being arrested?

Why do people continue to place their children into institutions that are used to indoctrinate them, and treat them as prisoners?

Good Riddance!!

Far better, I believe, than having scum like this living a life in prison.

Pedophile Who Assaulted Nearly 200 Kids Stabbed to Death in Prison

Execution should be the norm for this sort of criminal.  This seems to be a lot more widespread than many want to believe, too.

Time to Ditch the UN!

This sort of thing should be enough to make any sensible person realize that we need to remove ourselves from the United Nations, and remove the United Nations from our country.  Check the actual numbers listed in this article:

Pay freeze at the UN? Trump administration owes the United Nations $1 billion

According to this, the United States "owes" the UN about 1,055,000,000.  Yes, that's one BILLION, FIFTY-FIVE MILLION dollars.  They claim that two thirds of other ember nations are all paid up, to the tune of "nearly two billion", for 129 countries.  So, according to the UN, the United States somehow owes as much as 65+ other countries combined?  For what, exactly?  What does the UN do for us?  Nothing, as far as I can see, except waste our money, and take up spce in valuable real estate.

Time to ditch the UN.  Past time.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Teacher shares gut-wrenching moment a hungry student made her cry in front of her classroom

I have no issues with the teachers getting together to help this student.  That's a good thing.  However, nowhere in the article is there any mention of why there is no food on the home of this child?  If the family is poor, are they not receiving assistance?  If they depend on free breakfast and lunch at the school, they'd most likely qualify, so why is the only food in the home coming from donations?  Where are the parents?  Are they being investigated for child neglect?  If they are receiving benefits, and the child is depending on donated food, that's a real problem.If they aren't receiving benefits, is it because they don't qualify?  Is there a working parent in this situation? 

Great work fro the teachers, but there is a lot that needs to be investigated in a case like this.  Clearly, something isn't as it should be.  Either the family needs help, or someone in the family needs to step up and do their job. 

Criminal Children - 9-Year-Old Charged With Murder

Interesting case, though we have few details.  A child of nine, sex unknown, has been charged with five counts of murder, plus arson charges, for allegedly starting a fire in a mobile home, that took the lives of three babies and two adults.  Sickening crime, for certain. 

'Extremely uncommon': 9-year-old charged with murder after 5 die in Illinois fire

As for the charges, some are claiming that children of that age should not ever be prosecuted, no matter what crimes they might commit, and the ever-stupid United Nations is claiming that no one under fourteen can be responsible for themselves. 

That's total BS, of course.  Children of that age might not reason as well as adults, but that doesn't mean they can't tell right from wrong, or understand that murdering people isn't something that's acceptable.  Children of that age know that, and I'd assume that the DA's office has some pretty good evidence, to even file charges that serious against a child of that age. 

Age isn't an excuse for crime.  This isn't a child of four, playing with matches and making a mistake.  This is a child well old enough to know better, and the report states that the fire was definitely intentionally set.  No accident, and no child that age is unaware of the consequences of such things. 

Why is it that some claim a child of that age could decide to be the opposite sex, or to reject parental authority, but somehow, when it comes to being responsible for action taken, is "too young"?  They can't have it both ways!!

Definitely a case to watch. 

Victim's Brother and Judge in Case Forgive Convicted Former Cop

This is truly awesome.  The case is a sad one, and the death a real tragedy, but this act, from the brother of the man killed, and also from the judge, is exactly right.  Here's the story:

Billy Hallowell: Amber Guyger’s murder trial ended with an amazing act of forgiveness

Americans are captivated by the amazing forgiveness story out of Texas – a young man’s bold decision to not only forgive, but to openly embrace the ex-cop who killed his brother.

Video of the courtroom moment Wednesday when Brandt Jean – the 18-year-old brother of victim Botham Jean – chose to forgive and then embrace convicted killer Amber Guyger left many viewers in tears as the power of true faith and restoration was on full display.

But there was another element of the story that sparked some intense controversy: the presiding judge’s decision to also embrace and give her Bible to the convicted killer.

Judge Tammy Kemp brought a Bible into the courtroom after Jean’s stunning act of forgiveness and handed it to Guyger before delivering a powerful message about hope, redemption and life change.

“You can have mine. I have three or four at home,” Kemp told the convicted killer when the judge handed her the Bible. “You just need a tiny mustard seed of faith. You start with this.”

And Kemp wasn’t done there. She referenced John 3:16, embraced Guyger and offered an essential truth that can benefit all of our lives: “You haven’t done so much that you can’t be forgiven. You did something bad in one moment in time. What you do now matters.”

This was a moment that further touched many hearts, but some critics like writer Jemele Hill took a starkly different view on the matter, calling Kemp’s handling of the matter “unacceptable.”

“How Botham Jean’s brother chooses to grieve is his business. He’s entitled to that,” she tweeted. “But this judge choosing to hug this woman is unacceptable. Keep in mind this convicted murderer is the same one who laughed about Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination, and killing ppl on sight.”

Hill is entitled to her opinion, but she and others miss the mark on the true depths of the remarkable moment that unfolded before the eyes of a weary and divided nation – a country so culturally splintered and desperate for hope, forgiveness and compassion that the bold audacity displayed by both Jean and Kemp stopped nearly everyone in his or her tracks.

Their extraordinary display placed grace, humanity, love and forgiveness in front of hate, anger and condemnation. As for Kemp – an official charged with upholding the law – she could have simply left the courtroom; she could have chosen to ignore Guyger and move on with her day.

But, instead, the judge looked beyond herself and outside of the terrible and horrific mistakes that Guyger made, and she saw a human being – an individual in need of truth, restoration and the saving grace that can only be found in the gospel narrative.

Regardless of what one believes about faith and God, the judge’s kind act is not only commendable, but it’s essential. It doesn’t wipe away Guyger’s crime; instead, it offers her a pathway to the only spiritual antidote available.

Perhaps people don’t realize the true call Christians have to “love God” and “love others.” These aren’t mere words. They are a true and oft-times difficult calling for believers to live like Jesus. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus implores his followers to love their enemies and “pray for those who persecute you.” In Romans, Paul tells Christians to feed and help their enemies.

On the cross, Jesus himself asks God to forgive those crucifying him, saying, “they do not know what they are doing.” I could go on and on, as this is the central message of the Bible.

Kemp both saw Guyger as more than a convicted killer. She saw her as a human being in need of God’s love, and that’s a powerful reminder of the level of kindness and compassion that we are called to as Christians and human beings.

No matter what you believe about faith, it shouldn’t be difficult to understand this judge’s pure motive to help this woman seek true heart change.

Billy Hallowell is the the director of communications and content at PureFlix.com, the former faith and culture editor of TheBlaze and the author of “The Armageddon Code.” Follow him on Twitter @BillyHallowell.

The case is tragic.  This woman, who was a police officer at the time, was coming home from a fifteen hour shift, and also on a phone call.  She parked on the wrong floor of the parking garage, and as a result, went to the wrong apartment.  This is something other tenants stated they have done as well,due to the floors apparently not being marked as visibly as they could be.  Then, when she tried her key card, which would not have worked on another door, the victim's door was not latched, so it opened anyway.  This was shown to be the case by investigators, due to a bent striker plate.  So, the door opened, and the apartment, that she was thinking was her own, was dark, and she was the silhouette of a man.  Thinking she was being burglarized, she drew her weapon, and gave verbal commands, then fired twice.  Apparently, the victim was wearing earbuds or something of the sort, and thus likely couldn't hear her.  He died.  From all reports, he was a good person, sang in church, served as a youth pastor, cared for friends and neighbors, and was loved by all who knew him. 

I listened to the 911 call from this woan, and she stated she messed up, made a mistake, and was taking to the victim, asking him to stay with her, etc.  She was obviously upset, as you'd expect.  She's accepting that she did what she did, and paying for that.  So, why are people upset that a family member of this man forgives her, and the judge gives her a Bible?  That's as it should be.  Treating this woman as a monster, for a mistake, even if a careless one, doesn't help anyone.  Showing such hate for her, and refusing to even accept that this wasn't intentional, hurts the people displaying that hate. 

I have a lot of respect for this man's brother, and for that judge.  I hope others involved can find some peace with this as well.  There is a lot that can be learned fro this.

Mom Tries to Murder Children and U.S. Press Plays Games

Sick story, of a woman in Florida who tried to kill her own kids, supposedly because she believed she'd been cursed by way of voodoo.  The story is on many news outlets, but with a glaring omission; the U.S. sites seem unable or unwilling to post a picture of this woman.  Here are five links to the story, and not a one shows a photo:

Florida woman drives car into tree after telling four kids to remove seat belts: 'The devil can’t hurt you'

Calicia Williams Told Her Kids To Remove Seat Belts Then Crashed Into A Tree | October 4

Florida mother accused of trying to kill 4 children by slamming minivan into tree

'The devil can't hurt you': Mom tries to kill kids by driving into tree, police say

Mom, four children seriously injured in Ocala crash

You have to look in a British publication to see a photo:

SICK PLOT Evil mum ‘told her 4 kids to unbuckle seatbelts and hold hands out so she could kill them in car crash’

Seems clear that the media in this country wants to play games whenever a suspect is of a certain color.  This isn't the first tie I've seen this happen, and I am sure it won't be the last.  A white suspect, and the photo is there for all to see, but a black suspect, and you have to search all over to see.  Beyond ridiculous.  Whatever happened to equality?