The Man Who Knew

by David L Lewis -- who sojourns the earth as is appointed to mankind

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way;
others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying,
“Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord;
Hosanna in the highest.” (Matthew 21.8-9, KJV)

Sunday before Easter is universally celebrated in Christianity as Palm Sunday. Preceding worship services children parade with palm leaves, songs are sung, story of borrowed donkey re-told. Many might hear the story; yet, few, if any, know what the man on the donkey knew.

He knew the path that brought Him there

He had been schooled in the Old Testament and teachings of the Rabies. He had walked from one end of Israel to the other; spoken in churches where He could, in open fields and hillsides when necessary, to individuals at wells on occasion. He taught new understandings of God with which we still wrestle. He had made worshipers among the people and enemies among the clergy. He knew where to borrow the donkey, and where His path must lead.

He knew all earthly glory is fleeting

The crowds cheered. Here, they thought was the man who would overthrow the tyrannical government. The man on the donkey, though, knew the praise of man passes quickly; that only the glory which comes from the Father lasts, or matters. His glory comes even when enemies prevail.

And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, “Master, rebuke Thy disciples.” And He answered and said unto them, “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19:39-41 KJV)

He knew what death is

We all know death must come. We all know the fears of death that haunts. All of us ask, what is it like to die, will it be painful, will it come unexpected, will I fight it? What happens when all human experiences are gone, all knowledge lost, all tasks to do left undone? Death, as it comes to all men, would come to the man on the donkey. Unlike mere man, He knew what it is.

He knew what lies beyond

Heaven. The written text does its best to describe it. Preachers try to help imagine it. ‘Near death experiences’ told somehow never seem able to put the encounter into faltering human words. In the end, only the man on the donkey, who comes therefrom, knew.

He knew His purpose

It may be impossible for human minds to completely comprehend purposes of the Father. The man on the donkey knew death lay seven days away. Heaven, in all its glory, would come in due course. His purpose in taking this path, however, was to demonstrate to mankind the Resurrection promise. His teachings and prophesies would stand over 2,000 years. But, the entire gospel He gave rests on the Resurrection. If there is no Resurrection from death, there is no need for the man on the donkey.

Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. I Corinthians 15:12-14 (KJV)

The man on the donkey was Jesus of Nazareth, called Christ in Greek, Messiah in Hebrew. He is the man who knew.

theDaddy!

 

Patrick, Lottie & Viola, Diane, and Me

There are about six calendars around the house. All of them list St. Patrick’s Day as a “holiday.” This is remarkable when you think of it. It is not actually a holiday by any standard used to proclaim a holiday, and there is no other canonized Saint of the Catholic Church so honored. Patrick must have been some guy. If you look him up you will find he is something more than a mere man, and something less than his legend would demand.

On St. Patty’s Day we are all Irish. Celebrating St. Patty’s day in America goes back to at least 1862; and has become a very big deal, indeed. It is a day on which everyone wants to “be Irish” for a day – even some who on every other day hold tenaciously (and visibly) to an African heritage. But, “we” Irish were not always all that popular. At the time of the great immigration of the 1800’s “No Irish Need Apply” was about as common as wearing of the green is today.

There are self-evident reasons St. Patrick has become such a big deal over the years:

• The day became popular because someone figured out a way to make money on it. Nothing makes a Saint more popular than profit. I for one spent a whole $5 on trinkets for our grandchildren – who probably don’t know what the day is about, never heard of Patrick, and don’t have a clue they are Irish.

• A much older reason is that it was a day during Lent when the rules of sobriety were relaxed in order to “commemorate” a Saint with green beer and corn beef & cabbage. I concede these two delicacies religiously carried forward by modern American can lead to really fun things. However, neither beer nor cabbage has ever had a particular appeal to me, nor have I totally grasped the appropriateness thereof in regard to Sainthood.

The main reason for this life-long Protestant honoring a Catholic Saint’s day is Charlotta Jane Burnett (nee Harrington, 1884-1959), known to one and all as “Lottie”. Lottie was my maternal-grandmother. She was a grandmother’s grandmother with whom I had a strong spiritual connection I cannot here describe. And, she was OLD like grandmothers are supposed to be old – not young like Kay and I!

According to my mother, grandma was “from” Ireland. My sister Diane found that grandma was born in Illinois cir. 1884, which makes her most likely a child of one of millions escaping the Irish potato famine about that time. For the record, Diane found our paternal-grandmother, Viola Reed Lewis, had family who came from Tyron, Ireland.

It doesn’t matter after all these years, but me and Diane want our grandchildren to know of their Irish legacy. For me it is not about Patrick or beer or cabbage, it’s about giving honor to Lottie & Viola and whatever Irish heritage which may have come “from” Ireland.

theOldIrishDaddy

 

I Don’t Believe It!

Doubts & Disbelief From the Quasi-Adult World of David L Lewis

Ghosts, angels and demons, even space aliens, okay. I mean, like, you know, mankind has known about that stuff since the beginning. Call me crazy, but there is a lot of stuff out there that is just not as believable as are ghosts, angels and demons, even space aliens...

I don’t believe Presidents can do that. Ask any random group of fifth-graders what they’d do if they were President and you’ll get answers like: “world peace”, “stop all wars”, “stop pollution”, “end crime”, “stop bad people from coming to America”, “stop prices from going up”. Let me assure you, my dear fifth-grader (and average tv/pc watcher), that if any President could do those things they would already be done. As President Harry Truman said, ‘No problem which can be solved gets to the President’s desk.’

I don’t believe any ‘expert’ knows everything about anything. There is always more to every story. Doubt anything which does not begin with “the state of our knowledge indicates…” To paraphrase my New Testament professor: ‘Nobody knows everything; the true expert knows what he is ignorant about’.

I don’t believe Polls provide ‘proof’. It is amazing how much these things are taken as “proof” something is true/false, will/won’t happen, or is loved/hated. I’ll believe Polls when all results include at least half the population and tell the exact number of real, live people who answered the phone and were willing to spend 5 minutes on the phone answering leading questions. But, they are done by polling experts, so there’s that.

I don’t believe News is ‘fake’ just because I don’t like it. If it’s opinion, it’s opinion. If it is “sources”, it’s a clue. If it is “two or three witnesses”, or printed and signed, or recorded on video, it’s evidence. If it’s submitted under penalty of law at risk of reputation and livelihood, it’s judicial. If it’s a lie, the truth will arise. And, Polling of fifth-graders shows if it’s novel third party narrative, it’s just as good as random expert opinions encountered on the Internet. The President can’t fix that, either.

On the other hand, having been there, I do believe this...

theDoubtingDavid!

 HEY, WOMAN!

WHAT’S FOR SUPPER?

by David L Lewis -- the husband who found out hard way that doesn’t work!

Are you aware that everything you eat is in your mind? It’s true. There are people who eat stuff us sane folk would never consider. Eating it just because their mother cooked it when they were kids, or just because they were talked into it. In Survivor Training they teach how to overcome what’s in the mind and eat whatever, really, whatever. There are even people who kill things like cows and pigs and chickens, cut them up into pieces, cook them over an open fire, pour copious amounts of red stuff on them, and then they eat the pieces! Hear tell people even eat really yukky things like (forgive crude language) spinach!

Heard there are folks who just LIKE to eat, no mind what. I am definitively NOT one of those types! If I could, would never eat another thing the rest of my life. However, there are things which I do LIKE to eat (White Castles come to mind).

So, I am told that long, long ago, far, far away, in a world that never was and never will be again, there was, so I am told, this thing called “women’s work”. I am pretty sure that included things like figuring out what was for supper and cooking it. But, my meanie woman of fifty-eight years wants to know what my mind would like to eat! Don’t she know that comes under “woman’s work”? Don’t she know I’m too dump to figure it out, or cook anything beyond cheese sandwiches by myself? Don’t she know that’s why God created her specially for me?

And, just because she cares and wants me to be healthy, my woman tries to have things I like to eat (except White Castles). There’s always a list – verbal or written – from which to choose from things I like to eat. This, of course, means I have to decide for myself what’s for supper. Then she even fixes for me -- and serves it, too. See, told you she is a meanie.

Reminds me a bit of being in hospitals. Except hospitals put me on Cardiac diet, which means any eatable food ain’t on the menu. At least my meanie woman don’t do that to me. She don’t have me on any Cardiac diet. Overall I’d rather just stay home and (politely) tell her what’s on my mind to eat.

If my woman reads this I may have to fix my own supper. Does White Castle deliver?

HEY, WOMAN! WHAT’S FOR SUPPER?

(who knows, might work this time)

theHungryHusband!

 LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Campaigning Game Rules as updated by David L Lewis

Long, long ago, in a world that never was and shall never be again, the game of presidential politics began on the Labor Day before coming Election day. Now, it officially begins when the last polling places close to voters for the last such election.

Actually, in addition to changing the time line of campaigns, deciding who can be a candidate has evolved, also. There was a time when no one thought a Catholic (Kennedy) could win, of if a divorced man could (Reagan), or someone who admitted smoking pot and ‘monkeying-around’ with an aid in White House (Clinton) was suitable. Of course, Eugene Debs had run while in Federal prison in Terra Haute, so being a law-breaker involved in insurrection is okay.

Now it seems all pretense of the traditional rules have fallen. However, lest some mistakenly believe just anyone can run for the office, I herewith submit updated ‘rules’ to fill this moment in the midst of political time.

Here Are New Campaign Rules

The Ronny Rule – It’s Not About Age

At the 1984 Presidential debate a 73 year old Ronald Reagan famously quipped: “I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience."

The Nikki Rule – It Is About Age

If elected President, Nikki Haley says she will seek mental competency tests for Presidents and federal lawmakers over 75 years of age. Perhaps a ‘72-hour Hold’ at some secret neutral site?

The Rupert Rule - It's About the Green

"It's Not About Blue. It's Not About Red. It's About Green.” Rupert Murdock is founder and Chairman of News Corp, which owns FOX News, Wall Street Journal, and other ‘conservative news’ media entries around the world. He proclaimed this Rule during court hearings in which his firm admitted that to keep ratings up they intentional, repeatedly lied following last election. Lies for which it agreed to pay $700-million in reparations.

The Costanza Rule – Lying Is Truth

George Costanza of Seinfeld fame offers this classic Rule: '...just remember. It's not a lie… if you believe it.' To which may rightfully be added the famous Joseph Gobbles version: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”

The Kellyanne Rule – Have Alternative Facts Available

"Alternative facts" is phrase coined by Kellyanne Conway when Counselor to the president. To aid in this rule, and help readers have the facts your Party approves, example alternative facts are shown below in no particular order of political correctness. Feel free to use these, and to add your own in facts. This way we will no longer need to consider anyone else’s part of the story.

DEMOCRAT FACTS	REPUBLICAN FACTS
Radical Right-Wing Republicans	Radical Left-Wing Democrats
Radical Right-Wing Media	Left-Wing Legacy Media
Politically Appointed Republicans	Deep State Democrats
Biden Haters	Never Trumpers
Trump Phantom Policies	Biden Unproven Policies
Koch Brothers	George Soros
Ronald Reagan	Clintons
Conspiracies	Cancel Culture
White Supremacist	Antifa
Antiquated Immigration Law	Evil Foreigners
Rule of Law	Witch Hunt!

The Messenger Rule – Don’t Bother Killing Messenger

It is said that in ancient times if a messenger brought bad news of a battle or some such, the remedy was to kill the messenger. This we no longer need to do! Just keep changing media until you find one that says what you want to hear and go into the game armed solely with their facts. You will find some media which makes It’s money by telling you what you want to hear.

The Cohn Rules - If Implicated In Wrong-Doing

[Roy Cohen was a lawyer who represented and mentored New York real estate developer Donald Trump during his early business career.  A full discourse on Cohn is beyond scope of this blog.]
Deny!
Distract!
Delay!
Never back down!
Always attack!

The Judge Judy Rule - If Indicted by Grand Jury(s)

If Innocent, refute the allegations, provide your defense.
If Guilty, refute the prosecutor, attack their personal life.
If have no defense refute the Judge and/or Jury, yell a lot.

To be dutifully submitted to US Election Commission by

theCandidateForWorldsMostNearlyPerfectDaddy!

 

President’s Day 2024

Impressions of all those Presidents serving during the lifetime of David L Lewis

In one of my more ‘difficult’ entries into a hospital I was asked if I could name the President? Not exactly a question heart problems focuses the mind upon. When the nurse came back to the room, however, I told her all the Presidents back to Franklin Roosevelt, and VPs back to Truman.

It is curious that the three men considered to be our greatest Presidents – Washington, Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt – were also the most vilified during their administrations. This is part of reason no historian or serious student tries to ‘rank’ a sitting President. You simply don’t know how the current administration is going to work out until it’s too late. As to past Presidents, there are two well known surveys which are generally acknowledged as authoritative, C-Span and Siena College Research Institute Survey of Presidents.¹

Following are those men I named to that nurse, all those whom served during my lifetime. And, yep, they’ve all been men, so far. They are listed here in order of ranking according to Siena College Research Institute, with my personal impressions of each.

1^st of 45) Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)

I was born in 1943; so, no, I don’t remember him. He led the world though the Great Depression and World War II. Turns out that’s a really big job for any man.

6^th of 45) Dwight D Eisenhower (1953-1961)

This is first President of whom I have living memory; just not much of one. As Conservative Movement leader William F Buckley said of Ike: “He didn’t do anything, and that’s what we want a President to do.” Heard he did deport those 1.5-million illegal aliens in 1958 alone. So, Ike, did that solve anything?

7^th of 45) Harry S Truman (1945-1953)

“Give them hell, Harry” did just that. Over my lifetime Harry has risen in historian’s appreciation from day he left office. He made hard decisions, including the hardest ever handed a fellow from Missouri with high school education. He honestly did what his sense of duty demanded, and took responsibility for errors of those under him.

8^th of 45) Lyndon B Johnson (1963-1969)

A politician’s politician, only truly selfless act of his presidency was to not run for re-election in 1968. But, he changed our world, as written in a previous blog: https://blogsbythedaddy.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-bullet-that-changed-america.html

9^th of 45) John F Kennedy (1961-1963)

First President who made me aware of what an idyllic President would be. Stood up to the greatest crisis in human history, inspired a post-war generation, and died too soon to know what might have been.

11^th of 45) Barack Obama (2008-2017)

Siena survey ranks Presidents across twenty-one different categories.^2. In this observation President Obama ‘checked all the boxes’, and was best ‘person’ in office of my lifetime. That said, for those who hoped he could change Washington, he was a disappointment.

14^th of 45) William ‘Bill’ Clinton (1993-2001)

His highest accomplishments may have been avoiding Impeachment and playing the Saxophone. But he was pretty good at that president stuff and, as they used to say, ‘made the trains run on time.’ He did bring us an acceptance of moral turpitude in a sitting President.

18^th of 45) Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

The questions of his running were his advanced age (73) and whether a divorced man could win Evangelical vote. He was President while I was “Busy making other plans”. It is not clear whether he was a President who had been an actor, or an actor who had been a President.

20^th of 45) George H W Bush (1989-1993)

The last decorated veteran of World War II to serve as President. As a former Congressman, Ambassador to UN and liaison to China, CIA Director, and Vice-President, he may have been the best qualified by experience and knowledge ever elected to the Office. None of which got him re-elected in a bad economy.

#24 of 45) Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

Perhaps the most honest, spiritual, and dedicated President of my lifetime. None of which made him a particularly effective President.

28^th of 45) Richard M Nixon (1969-1974)

History will show he should have been remembered as great, but he brought “Trickie Dick” Nixon with him to the White House. Tried to stop inflation by freezing all prices. When Court said he couldn't do that prices, and therefore wages, exploded.

30^th of 45) Gerald R Ford (1974-1977)

The grandfather-president we needed to calm the waters of Watergate; and gave us a few laughs when he promised to “Whip Inflation Now”. How’s that going, Gerry?

35^th of 45) George W Bush (2001-2009)

Being man of the hour on 9/11 may have been his finest hour. Used this to launch America into not one, but two undeclared wars against whom we had vastly superior forces, on-going diplomatic talks, and no particular moral justification. Other than all that he is not ranked very high as an effective President.

43^rd of 45) Donald Trump (2017-2021)

In interview seen on YouTube video last October Trump acknowledged to have been known as a “liar, manipulator, and bully” since third grade. He smiled and tilted his head to side as he does and answered the reporter, “Guess that’s true. It’s why I am so successful.” [It appears this video has been removed.] As to ranking, his may rise in time; however, at this point he doesn’t seem to have checked very many ‘boxes’ of Siena survey.

For the record, #44 is James Buchanan, President just prior to Civil War; and #45 is Andrew Johnson, who followed Lincoln³.

Just in case some nurse asks, who is first President you remember?

He who is ignorant of history wasn’t watching while it was happening?

theWouldBeHistorian

Footnotes

¹Since 1982 the Siena College Research Institute Survey of U.S. Presidents has conducted a broadly-based, non-partisan survey of historians, political scientists and influential presidential scholars. Cited as one of the most respected surveys. Previous surveys of US Presidents have been reported in Presidential Studies Quarterly, Scholarly Reviews, and national news outlets. Issued annually, as of this writing the most recent survey available is 2022.

²This survey ranks Presidents across twenty-one different categories:

• Background

• Imagination

• Integrity

• Intelligence

• Luck

• Willing to Take Risks

• Avoid Crucial Mistakes

• Court Appointments

• Domestic Accomplishments

• Executive Appointments

• Foreign Policy Accomplishments

• Handling of U.S. Economy

• Party Leadership

• Relationship with Congress

• Ability to Compromise

• Communication Ability

• Executive Ability

• Leadership Ability

• Overall Ability

• Acceptance of Responsibility

https://scri.siena.edu/us-presidents-study/

³https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/presidents-ranked-worst-best/3/

 

Ten Memorable

February 14^th Events

As compiled by pseudo-historian David L Lewis

269 – Bishop and patron saint of Terni known by his friends as St Valentine was executed the Roman way. Valentine had defied emperor's orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war (that’s their story and they are sticking to it).

496 – Feast of St Valentine established. Since then February 14th has been a day of celebration—though it has generally been less about religion, and more about romancing and spending money on some girl(s).

1477 – Earliest known Valentine was love letter written by Margery Brews to her fiancé John Paston. Referring to him as her “right well-beloved Valentine” she beseeches him to marry her despite fact she hasn't been able to convince her father to increase her dowry. [When us daddy’s no longer had to pay some guy to take a daughter off our hands came later.] Formal messages, or valentines, appeared in the 1500s, and by the late 1700s commercially printed cards were being used.

1849 – James Knox Polk was first serving President of United States to have his photograph taken. Not a particularly good start for commercial photography as it was blocked by Facebook and Polk was banned from Facebook 17 hours.

1899 – Voting machines approved for use in Federal elections. Also trademarked at the time was the word “rigged”.

1920 – League of Women Voters founded in Chicago. The 19th amendment which granted women right to vote wasn’t actually ratified until August 18^th. Contrary to all Poll opinions at time, the Republic did not collapse.

1929 – Saint Valentine's Day Massacre: Seven people, six of them gangster rivals of Al Capone's gang, were murdered in Chicago. Unfortunately, the idea of celebrating Valentine’s Day in this manner did not catch on.

1949 – Parliament of Israel convened for first time, making official the state of war between Jews and the world which has been continuing since Abraham begat Ishmael.

1965 – Dated girl met two days before at Hodge’s Skating Rink. If I recall correctly we went to St. Louis Planetarium. Think her name was Kay something. Wonder whatever happened to her?