'Tis the Season

Okay...the tree is up, the cards are in the mail, and the shopping is just about done. I've given myself permission to take it easier this year; many people in my life are doing the same. It's more the season to enjoy and spend precious time together. 

My closest friends are retired, as am I. We are busy planning social get-togethers rather than gift exchanges, and we're all looking forward to enjoying the luxury of time with each other. Time is what was always in such short supply during our hectic working years. It's a true Christmas treat for us to be able to splurge on unfettered hours together, celebrating in leisurely fashion.

Good memories are far more enduring than gifts. They are, in fact, gifts in themselves. I hope you are planning to share these Christmas holidays with family and friends. 'Tis the season to unwrap good times. May your days be merry and bright.

"Remembrance, like a candle, burns brightest at Christmastime."
~ Charles Dickens 

The Christmas Rush

In my neighborhood, Christmas decorations appeared on Veterans Day--November 11.

It wasn't just one or two houses; it was entire blocks, fully illuminated in festive decor. I was driving in the dark on November 12 and thought I had entered a rupture in the space/time continuum. Wait...wasn't it still two weeks until Thanksgiving?

What is up with this frantic rush to year-end? Whatever happened to celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, which once upon a time was a treasured tradition? Thanksgiving is the only truly American holiday, but it has been all but eliminated by the stampede to Christmas. If it weren't for the enduring popularity of turkey and trimmings, Thanksgiving would probably be a mere memory by now.

My Christmas tree isn't set up yet, nor are any of my yuletide decorations. I'll do that this weekend. There's plenty of time until Christmas, nearly three weeks. When they do go up, my decorations will stay put until the Church celebrates the wise men arriving in Bethlehem, the feast of Epiphany in January. As usual, I'll be the last one in my neighborhood to wait until the Twelve Days of Christmas are completed to store away my seasonal items. All those trees tossed at the curb or dumped in lots on December 26 are being thrown out on the second day of Christmas. 

These days it seems that Christmas expires faster than leftover turkey. 'Tis the season to hurtle ahead, I suppose. But I'm in no rush. Cheers to a long and leisurely Christmas season.

The Twelve Days of Christmas ~ December 25 to January 6

Let the Holidays Begin

Enjoy Your Thanksgiving Holiday
~ back online in December

Forgotten Heroes

 "We're as good as dead." ~ a Palawan POW survivor, p.164

The European battle theatre of World War II usually gathers the lion's share of historical coverage, as it is surely entitled to do. But often overlooked or forgotten are the stories of American combat veterans who fought in the Pacific theatre battles, which were exceedingly brutal and horrifying.

As Good As Dead by Stephen L. Moore is a riveting, meticulously researched account of the fate of World War II American POWs held on the Pacific island of Palawan. Having learned about the 1942 Bataan Death March in my youth, I prided myself that I was educated about the war. Until I read Moore's book, I didn't know that the death march was the very beginning of the American prisoners' agonies.

The surviving death march POWs of Palawan were put to forced labor building a landing field for Japanese war planes. It was backbreaking work. As Moore's recounting illustrates in grim detail, the prisoners were incessantly starved, beaten, tortured, and murdered by the guards and officers. 

As the war approached its end and the Americans began advancing towards Palawan, the POWs were forced to dig pits for their own mass graves. They were packed into the pits, drenched in fuel, and set afire. The few POWs who escaped by tumbling to the beach far below were hunted down and first tortured, then killed, when found. 

Eleven men survived Palawan's death camp. Even as they made their escapes, they sustained terrifying wounds while creeping through the jungle or swimming through the ocean to freedom. It is truly miraculous that any of these brave men lived to tell their harrowing story.

It took me many weeks to finish As Good As Dead. I had to keep pausing, because the events depicted were so upsetting. What these POWs suffered daily were horrific torments beyond my imagination. This Veterans Day, I'm remembering the Palawan POW victims and the few courageous survivors who forged on after the war to rebuild successful lives back home in the USA.

Thank you to all our US Veterans, especially the men of Palawan.

Happy Birthday, Marines

 "I ought to do my own share of the fighting."

~ John Adams, founder of the US Marines and 2nd US president

Founded before the birth of our nation, the United States Marine Corps, the troops of the Marines fight by land and by sea since America's Revolutionary War. Even as they earned the moniker "Devil Dogs" on the battlefields of France, Marines also fought by air in the first World War. In World War II, Marines fought at enormous cost so many key battles in the Pacific theatre--in such places as Guam, Okinawa, and Iwo Jima. The iconic photo of the American flag being raised on Iwo Jima captures the unyielding spirit, courage, and determination of these dedicated warriors.

Two and a half centuries is a long time to keep exceling in combat and achieving victories. Yet the US Marines continue bringing it home, year after year, decade after decade--century after century.

Thank you to the brave members of our US Marine Corps. As our second president noted, I ought to do my own share of the fighting, too. Every American should do so. Our country is certainly worth the battle.

No Longer Free

A British man was fired from his teaching job for hoisting 150 national flags around his hometown.

Furthermore, he has been blackballed by a former employer and an employment agency that refuses to work with him because he is "racist"--a word that currently conveys absolutely no meaning due to constant, dishonest overuse and misapplication. 

The concepts of rule of law and individual liberties were enshrined in Britain's Magna Carta, signed in 1215 by King John. The framers of the United States Constitution drew heavily from the Magna Carta in establishing our American rights and freedoms. One might say eight centuries is a good run for such a foundational document of Western civilization, but one would be wrong. Our God-given freedoms are timeless and should be fiercely protected as such.

The global immigration onslaught from Islamic countries continues to wreak havoc throughout the Western Judeo-Christian world, coming as close as Dearborn, Michigan, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and now New York City in our own nation. A frightening number of these immigrants come not to assimilate into our culture, but to dominate it. "Diversity," far from being our strength, is turning out to be our downfall.  

The United Kingdom should stand as a stark warning to the USA. If your government cowers to those who come to destroy your people's way of life; if you cannot speak openly and honor your country's values at will; if you cannot fly your own country's flag without fear of punishment--you are no longer free.

British dad Shaun Remmer - fired for flying his nation's flag.

A Royal Flop

Speaking as a Boomer, the "No Kings" protests over the weekend were rather embarrassing for me. One aerial reporter described the crowds as "a sea of Q-Tips," referring to all the white-haired participants.

I realize that many forgotten hippies are hungry for modern relevance, but I wish they could find a more rational target than President Trump. Explain to me, just how is he a king? If he were the dictator that they insist he is, the protesters would be in jail right now. Jimmy Kimmel never would have gotten back on the air under "King Trump." The View would be off television. Left-wing media reporters and writers would be rounded up and disappeared. If Trump were king, all of his excessively vocal critics would be afraid to speak. Instead, all of Trump's detractors are brazenly outspoken, 24/7.

To add to the pointlessness, it was amusingly poor timing to schedule the "No Kings" protests immediately following the Trump administration's forging of a peace settlement in Israel. Good grief, people, find a more productive activity to pursue in all your spare time. 

Although, on second thought, go ahead and knock yourselves out screaming into the wind against your phantom fascist. It's your First Amendment right as an American. It does all of us good to be reminded that the United States IS a free country.

"No Kings" protesters, Oct. 18, 2025

Worth A Watch

I listen to the Commentary Magazine podcast, usually each morning. It's full of smart people of often differing opinions analyzing current events, with a positive Jewish perspective. One feature of the program, towards the end of the stream, has several times proved valuable to me--their "recommendations" for books, movies, and television shows.

Most recently I heard the one of the podcasters offer praise for an Apple TV+ show, For All Mankind. Since Apple TV+ is the only streaming service I subscribe to, and I'm always in search of worthy viewing fare, I started watching it. I'm still watching it, often in binge mode. It's been less than a week, but I've already completed Season 1 and started Season 2.

The plot involves the NASA space program beginning with the first moon landing, but with a twist. That twist changes all of our American history and much of the world's as well. For viewers of my generation, it's what we would've called "mind-bending."

The golden age of American space exploration is a favorite of mine, so I'm predisposed to enjoy the show. But aside from my personal bias, the production is first rate. The main characters wrestle their personal challenges within the deftly captured aura of their time. Acting, costumes, set design, and soundtracks are all spot on. 

While there isn't a lot of music, the song played is always perfect for the scene. That artistic discernment always hooks me.

It appears that Season 5 of For All Mankind is delayed. Since I just started watching Season 2, I can be patient. I'm just glad they are keeping the show going. These days it's rare to find something worth watching on TV.

Season 5 coming soon.

Opinions on the News

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." 

~ John Adams, 2^nd President of the United States of America

There is a plethora of depressing news these days. Below, in no particular order, are my own thoughts on six concerning situations in today's current events.

1.    The pope should stay out of American politics. When he opens up the Vatican City gates to unfettered immigration, then he will be entitled to criticize our country.

2.    The Department of Justice should stop talking and start arresting suspected offenders. I don't pay the slightest attention to anything the DOJ says anymore, and I won't until they take action.

3.    Blue City mayors should try enforcing the law rather than supporting the criminals. It's impossible to take them seriously until they do so.

4.    Any candidate for public office who advocates for the murder of his/her opponent--and their children--should immediately be ousted from the competition. The fact that this is even a topic of discussion illustrates how far we, as a country, have fallen.

5.    I'll vote in California's special election about redistricting, but I don't fool myself that it will make any impact whatsoever. Based on results of past votes, California's politicians have already planned the outcome and will do as they please. 

6.   New York City--NYC!!--is about to elect an Islamic Communist as mayor, less than a quarter century after September 11, 2001. Let that sink in.

Considering today's alarming headlines, I find it very sad that the Founding Fathers of the United States wouldn't recognize the place.

Gen. George Washington in prayer at Valley Forge, PA ~ American Revolutionary War

Heavenly Helpers

 “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”

Psalm 91:11

Today is the feast of the Archangels on the Church calendar. Each of the three angels honored today have specific assignments with humanity, according to the Bible.

Michael is revealed as the protector; Gabriel is the communicator; Raphael is the healer. I can't think of an era in history when they all were more needed. Perhaps, especially in our morally troubled times, Michael is critically necessary.

The St. Michael Prayer was written by Pope Leo XIII in the 19th century following a vision of demons released from hell to wreak havoc on Earth and St. Michael's ongoing battle against them. The short, popular version of the prayer appears below. It was recited at the end of Mass until the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. Many Catholic churches still pray it at the end of mass, including both my children's parishes. 

The much longer, detailed version of the St. Michael Prayer is in this link.

Saint Michael Prayer

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

September 29 ~ The Feast of Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael