The Message Forum is an ongoing dialogue among classmates. The goal is to encourage friendly interaction, including interaction among classmates who really didn't know each other. Experience on the site has revealed that certain topics tend to cause friction and hard feelings, especially politics and religion. 

Although politics and religion are not completely off-limits, classmates are asked to be positive in their posts and not to be too repetitive or allow a dialog to degenerate into an argument. 

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Lowell Tuttle

Yes.   The meek. 

As for the post, I would like to say "in character."

Wayne Gary

Holly,

I sent you a private message.

I do appreciate your comments.  It was quite hard watching my wife having here memory go away.  She was very smart as when we met she had a BA/BS in English and Chemistry and a MA in English from Texas Womans Univ.  After we got married and she was diagnosed with MS she went to SMU and got her JD and became a lawyer before the MS affected her mind.  It was very hard watching her become nonverbal and bed ridden for 10 months.  We moved into my parents home so they could help and she died in my arms on a Sunday morning, she was only 39. It was my love for  her my faith and the support of my parents that I was able to get through it.

Holly Hobby

Lowell,

If your calm and dignity could be bottled and sold, you'd be a billionaire. And the whole world would be like this. 

David Cordell

Wayne,

The loss of your first wife is hard to comprehend. That said, it strikes me that you are very fortunate to have been happy with two different wives! One of my very close friends has been happily married to his second wife for 35 years (not sure if she would agree with "happily") but he refers to his starter wife as "plaintiff".

Separately, I must reiterate that my newspaper activity involved no effort from me, so I don't consider it much of a good deed. HOWEVER, a couple of days ago I was returning to my car from Home Depot and saw this woman dressed in a sari struggling to unload onto a flatbed cart an SUV full of wood flooring that she was returning. She couldn't even get the first package out of the vehicle, and there were at least 30, all of them six feet long.

So, in an effort to be a white knight (no racial/ethnic meaning intended), I asked if I could offer my assistance, and she happily accepted the offer. After one package, I realized that I was less like Sir Lancelot, and more like that doddering old knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade who couldn't even wield his sword.

About half way through, it occurred to me that I should have suggested that the Home Depot staff would have been willing to unload everything. But by then, I was committed. To make that suggestion half-way through the process would have been an admission that I am 69 years old, which is simply out of the question.

Anyway, it only took a few minutes. Of course that doesn't count the time that evening with the heating pad and the TENS unit, and in the Jacuzzi. 

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

That was a very rude comment, Lance, and one that didn't need to be expressed, as it does nothing for any of us, travelling along life's path.

Why did you feel the need to utter it?

Does it nurture your superiority complex?

You, with your wonderfully gathered knowledge of the Bible's word, should know better.

"If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all," said Flower, the little skunk in BAMBI. (the movie)

David Cordell

Janalu, Thanks!

Lance,

First, my hope is that people will realize that small efforts can make a big difference in someone else's life, even if just for a moment. Not all of us are willing to make huge commitments,  but small efforts can be very, very effective. We can "talk the talk." We can tell stories of what other people have done. But walking the talk is the real commitment.

Second, I am always suspicious of people who use religion as a cudgel to criticize others. I know people who act in a Godly way, and know people who tell others others how to act in a Godly way. I prefer the former.

Third, I'll take my chances at the Pearly Gates. You are certainly welcome to send a critical letter in advance, just in case the Big Guy needs your input.

I will send you and Janalu a link to a 15 minute video that I took last night. I went to Subway  and saw a woman who, while waiting in line, was pouring over three very long store receipts that had obviously come from somewhere else. I started a conversation.

Turns out that she buys stuff for cheap from various stores, getting large discounts, and distributes it to needy people, often through Catholic Charities, although she is Jewish. (I'll send the link to Bobby Fleming, too, since he worked for Catholic Charities.) I  kept asking questions, and she kept talking. As a child, she had been abused by her mother. She had three children, two of whom had special needs. Her husband abandoned her. She still suffers from severe bouts of depression. At one point in her life, she had to rely on charity. She sees herself as "paying it forward."

After a few minutes, I asked if I could take her photo, showing the receipts. Then I started video-ing, unfortunately after she had told much of her story. Below is a photo from before I started the video.

Note: the video is not very exciting, and you will have to turn the volume up. But if you do watch it, you can tell me what you think about how small efforts can make a big difference in someone's life, if only for a moment.

Jerry May

David, whether it is stated or not, your actions speak much louder than words. I admire what you do for others.

(reminds me of a post I started awhile ago about "kind words, deeds" etc.)

We have a decorated ex-Marine living next door to us.......who saw action in Viet Nam. He is older than us,(perhaps 78-79) but looks to be about 60-65, at about 5'9 maybe and 180 lbs. He still has a lot of dark hair. And he is in shape. (i should be so lucky, the gray is finally coming in like crab grass!)

One day while coming in the rear of the condos..... I observed him sitting on the patio with his housekeeper and a beautiful red headed woman with blue eyes. She had a beautiful countenance......and I said "Hello." Tom spoke up and said......She might hear you.....but she hasn't spoken in 9 years!" It was his wife of over 55 years. 

So here is a lady sitting up in a wheel chair staring straight forward with a perpetual smile on her face. As I walked by, she did not follow me with her eyes.....just stared straight ahead. 

Tom did more than just love her. He showed it by hoisting her up the stairs whenever going back to their unit. I was amazed at this man's saintly actions. (his housekeeper had told me he did everything for her.....and all she did primarily, was cook) One day I did see him carrying her upstairs! I just had to comment to him later......saying "Tom I saw you carrying B upstairs. I must say.....I've never seen such devotion and strength!" He downplayed it saying....."Well she is my labor of love....and besides....she only weighs 95 lbs or so" I still commented he was a saint for doing so, and that his wife was beautiful......who must have also been in her late 70's.

Tom said, "Naw....I'm no saint, she is a JOY in a way!"

In November my neighbor downstairs called me, and said "B" had passed away. I said: "Oh my God, that is sad for him......but her suffering is over I guess."

I caught him in the hall after that a few weeks later.....and said, " Tom, I'm very sorry about "B" and you will be in our thoughts and prayers. He said, "Well it is a good thing for her; but selfishly its tough for me. You never really are prepared when the day comes, though we knew it was imminent."

Later, I told Ellen, "Listen sweetie it will be Tom's first Christmas without his wife.....lets have him over for dinner." We did so....the Tuesday before.....and he willingly obliged bringing a type of homemade jam...and a bottle of wine.

We all three had a great time considering......and he seemed to enjoy showing Ellen pics of his wife when she was younger and pics of his daughters. The daughters were very attractive.....but I still think the Mom had them beat when she was younger.

Also, he spoke of being "checked out on multiple aircraft" in the service....but primarily flew the H-46 chopper with the side doors and a gunner on each side. Apparently any PTSD he may have suffered was long gone...but not forgotten. Because each horror story was hard to comprehend. He would carry soldiers to the LZ (landing zone) and also pick up the dead and wounded. He indicated there were many times he got out of the aircraft and it looked like "swiss cheese" Over several days or weeks he carried fellow Marines to a LZ just 700 yards across a rice-paddy field.....because the men would have been "killed or wounded" just running across. He even said one time his chopper took a round in the front (passing through metal and glass and hitting him squarely in his chest. Luckily the Kevlar stopped further progress. (said it felt like a hard punch) He walked away with a deep bruise.

Again I said, "Man youre a hero!" The answer was "Nope, the REAL heroes are dead!" I did ask him what he would rather fly. Without hesitation he said "A helicopter. More places to put it down.....where with a plane or jet....you've got to find just the right spot!"

Anyway, drifted long here.....but just wanted to point out.....you never know what the next person has been through. (and hearing all this, made me feel.....everyone has their crosses to bear~j

Holly Hobby

Part I  "The Killer" a true story shared in hope of better illustrating consideration of refraining from using the bible to shame and judge

Lance  (Re David):

Another “joy” of Covid: working from home.

With the exception of painting the interior and one bath remodel, most of the remodel was completed last week. You’d think two contractors could whip out the remaining bath remodel; two painters could begin preparing each room for the painting, together in relative quiet. There is no quiet in this house.  Neither is there running water.

My husband, a stellar example of focus and discipline, could handle international corporate contract negotiation re the U.S. if the house if the house was on fire. At the same time, single handedly extinguish it.

I’m the antithesis of my husband. I need quiet when I’m working. At this rate, by the end of this week I’ll no longer have to worry about clients. I won’t have any.

Re David:  I’m sure you didn’t mean your response to David re efforts to help at Home Depot (as it sounded).

David wasn't shining a light on himself.  His story was funny, relatable and uplifting.The bible provides a blue print for all things good, right and true.   God's word provides “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." 

For those who believe in Him, the bible provides a blueprint, guidelines, a vision, for what one’s life should look like.  God's work  provides a blueprint for admission to the “nonsmoking section”; a life eternal.

But when that blueprint becomes a weapon for shaming others, it is no longer God’s Word; instead, a hijacked version of it, one gradually but effectively chipping away at the soul of Christianity.

This is not said in unkindness, Lance. I know you and Steve mean well. But temptation to distort and/or rewrite someone’s authentic intent complete with "evidentiary" biblical citation   is neither fair or Godly. David’s story was funny and uplifting. It wasn’t in self-aggrandizing that he shared.

If by chance his story might compel a little more awareness, a little more kindness, once you think about it, I’m sure you’d agree it’s likely God prefers encouragement instead of bonking someone over the head in self-righteousness. cont.

Bob Davidson

Last night I watched an episode of The Big Bang Theory.  It's probably my favorite contemporary network show and on constantly in reruns. In one scene Raj and his sister Priya skype-call their parents in India.  When they ask them how they are doing, their mother replies something close to, "We're great.  We are very rich people in a very poor country."

I get that's why the big rich class is so enthusiastic about getting rid of Trump and putting in the Harris-Biden, Pelosi, Shumer triumvirate and beggering the middle class.  I also get why the arms industry-warmonger bureaucracy-imperialist class is happy, since the world can blow back up and we can go back to all the Obama-Bush chaos Trump stopped. I also understand the racialists, Marxists, criminals, and America-haters being happy, along with graft/power seeking Democrat politicians.   I see the Trump Derangement Syndrome crowd enjoying seeing him and his "enablers" fall and be ruined so much that they don't care what happens to anyone else.

The thing I wonder about is people who don't fit in those categories.  What do you more or less sane Biden supporters think will be better for you with the new regime?  How do you see your lives improving?  What do you think they will do that will improve things for people other than the ones I mentioned above? 

A number of people on this forum who seem reasonable, thoughtful, and decent are overjoyed about our new rulers.  I just can't figure out why, aside from internalizing all the Orange Man Bad propaganda.  Can someone give me a reason to be hopeful about my life under our new rulers?  I'm not rich, an arms merchant, an employer of cheap labor, a bureaucrat, race hustler, Marxist, politician, criminal, or welfare recipient, just an old, middle-class working small-firm professional who likes to shoot an occasional deer or wild hog, drive my gas powered pick up, read a wide range of opinions, and live my life with the minimum amount of government interference.

David Cordell

Bob D.,

Enjoyed your cogent political post,  but I didn't feature you as a hunter!

I should mention, although I have before, that Bob was a very-long-time Boy Scout leader -- a wonderful form of service. I was very proud of my two sons' attainment of the Eagle rank, which clearly wouldn't have happened without dedicated Scout leaders. One of them even made the trip from Philly to Lubbock to attend Rob's funeral. We will always remember him for that, as well as my friends Hull and Lance, who also made trips to attend.

Bob, how long did you work with Scouts? Did you ever teach shooting? Also, I have seen Big Bang Theory only once -- on an airplane in the show's early run. It was funny, but I never got around to seeing the show on TV.

Wayne, have you taught shooting to boys? (Or girls. No sexism intended. But it seems that the crowd that insists that boys and girls are the same is also the crowd that wants to ban guns. So, presumably they would not want girls to learn to shoot!) 

Kurt, I liked your post about the NYT commentary.

Kurt Fischer

Has anybody questioned the use of vocabulary for describing the rioters at the Capitol Building?

In various places they are described as leading an insurrection, being members of a coup, and attempting to overthrow the government.

These labels seem over the top when compared to their actual actions.  They were protesters who turned into rioters and committed crimes by breaking into the Capitol Building, damaging property and interrupting our legislative process.  Obviously they should be caught and punished.

But were they attempting a coup?  If so, they were the worst examples of leading a coup I've ever read about.  They were proclaiming a message and doing it in an illegal manner, but nothing I have seen or read leads me to believe this was a coup and insurrection aimed at overthrowing the US government.  

Has this struck a similar chord this anyone?

Wayne Gary

I got this the otherday

Brad lived in California and was a lifelong environmentalist.  He was sick of the world; of Covid-19, Brexit, Russian belligerence, global warming, racial tensions, and the rest of the disturbing stories that occupy media headlines.

Brad drove his car into his garage and then sealed every doorway and window as best he could.  He got back into his car and wound down all the windows, selected his favorite radio station,  started the car and revved it to a slow idle.        ( Note - I would have had a bottle of Vodka with me )

Four days later, a worried neighbor peered through his garage window and saw him in the car.  She notified the emergency services and they broke in, pulling Brad from the car.

 A little sip of water and, surprisingly, he was in perfect condition . . . but his Tesla had a dead battery.

Wayne Gary

David,

I got my NRA instructor certifications for Rifle, Shotgun, Black Powder and Home Safety in order to teach Scouts.  I have yet to teach any girls.  We treat both boys and girls the same and encurage the girls to learn about shooting.

The NRA is the only group certifing instructors.  The gun banners only view about firearm safety is to not have any.

I think it is quite telling that the Girl Scouts descrimate against boys and feel the girls should not be interested the the BSA programs.  They have filled suit in New York saying the BSA has signed up girls that wanted to be in Girl Scouts of America since BSA is now calling the 11-18 age group Scouts BSA instead of Boy Scouts.

Bob Davidson

David,

That is touching that the Scout leader showed up for Rob's funeral.  A boy who makes it to Eagle is almost always someone you remember. 

I was a Scout volunteer for over 25 years.  I was never the main rifle-shotgun instructor.  Our now 96 year-old troop had an alum from one of the three-generations of Eagles families who was a deputy sheriff and taught shooting to the other cops.  He had all kinds of certifications (the former Boy Scouts required either the BSA or NRA instructor certification to teach firearms safety or run a range), as did a couple of the other leaders, including one who was a champion skeet shooter.  The deputy was a marvelous instructor -- and a really good friend.  I got certified with the BSA (in a program run by the NRA) and always assisted running the rifle range and the skeet shooting at the annual campout.  My son was the shotgun rangemaster at the late, lamented El Rancho Cima Scout Ranch near Wimberly for a couple of summers when he was in college. 

We always had a couple of mothers who wouldn't let their sons go on that campout because they didn't want the boy to learn to shoot a gun.  The loudest of those virtue signalers, a professional actress, had her son, despite her intense opposition, become an Airborne Ranger who did three tours in what he called "the sandbox."  (When he came home on leave we got him to speak to the boys about his experiences.  My favorite thing he said -- they always asked him if he'd killed anyone -- "No one who wasn't trying to kill me first.")  Another became a gatling gunner on a Navy ship in the Gulf. 

I met a number of truly awesome Scout leaders, both in my troop, and other units, along with a number of impressive young men.  A lot of the girls in Sea Scouts were pretty impressive, too, including my daugher-in-law.  Scouting BSA is hoping that the same program will have a similar benefit for teenage girls.  Although the orginization is cagy with the data (like they are about all the current membership numbers), It looks like the girls do the same thing they do the Girl Scouts -- quit when they are 13 or 14.

Big Bang Theory almost always makes me laugh. 

I like venison sausage and my son-in-law's family ranch is overrun with wild hogs so we shoot them -- it's actually a fun passtime.  I don't eat them (they are pretty unappetizing, especially once you see the cloud of nasty bugs jump off them after they are shot). 

Wayne Gary

Steve,

I got all of my shots and have the tags on my collar.  Maderna Covid in August and Sept.

David Cordell

Lance said: "However what was your motivation for documenting her conversation by video...then sharing here?"

David responds:

First, I didn't share the video on this site.

Second, I had two reasons for making the video. 1) Martha is extremely service oriented. (As I write this, she is taking homemade soup to two widows on our block.) I knew she would want to hear the woman. 2) There has been discussion about service on this site, and I thought it would be nice to share something about a woman who is doing more than her part.

That's why I started taking the video, but, again, I didn't post the video. Why not? Having watched it, you should be smart enough to know why that I chose not to post it. Namely, I didn't wish to endure another round of insults from you. Alas, I have failed again.  

As far as having boxes of alphabetized newsclippings, etc, that's hardly the case. I do have scrapbooks that my mother assembled for me, and I am very grateful to her. What you don't know is that many other people are included in those scrapbooks, and that I have scanned and forwarded many such items to friends. (Good deed?) Further, you might look at the "Old Photos & Clippings" pages on this site to see how many photos of other people are posted there, many of which come from my scrapbooks.

Why don't you share with us some of the things you do to make the world, or a little corner of it, a better place? You can be an example for all of us to aspire to emulate. Share with us examples of your service to your church.

Meanwhile, feel free to skip all of my posts. I'd hate to offend you.

Holly Hobby

Lance re (David's story). A true story I'll title "The Killer" shared in efforts to better illustrate consideration of refraining use of the bible to shame or judge. It's not meant in criticism, Lance. I promise.

All my adult life has been involvement in animal rescue.  Among my passions is animal welfare.  I work with several animal rescue groups. They do all the hard work. I no longer schlep the streets. I’m what’s called the “go to person.”  The “last resort” when/if they hit a brick wall. Several years Albertson’s did away with the outdoor garden department, leaving it intact, leasing the space to small businesses for storage.  Except for removal of Albertson’s inventory, the space remained intact, the same industrial strength aluminum steel served as a store front.

According to Dunn &  Bradstreet Albertson's is  a fortune 500 company with 275,000 employees and estimated annual sales of $62.46 billion. Under their banner is  Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's/Star Market, Safeway, Market Street, Haggen, and United.  Albertson's also owns the meal kit company, Plated.

One day I received a call from an animal rescue group. For weeks the rescue group had been trying to trap a mother cat and her kittens who managed to slip through the fence finding refuge in the abandoned storage area. To date their efforts proved futile because Albertson’s refused to work with them allowing brief access to place humane traps.  Already two of the kittens had been poisoned; one kitten shot and killed. Shattered glass covered the floor, evidence of intent to injure or kill the mother cat and her remaining kittens.

Upon the rescue group hearing that Albertson’s planned to exterminate the area, heightened pleas to management requesting brief access to trap and remove before extermination fell on deaf ears.   Exasperated and out of time they reached out to me, jokingly and metaphorically known as “the hired gun.”  (cont)

Holly Hobby

(Lance r/t David's story) Daniel a true story shared in hopes of consideration to refrain from using the bible as a weapon to shame and judge. 

Part II

Similar to the rescue group, no one at the local level would listen. Finally, I warned them. Still, they wouldn’t budge.  Wasting no time, I appealed directly to then CEO whose office gladly agreed to intervene. Immediately they pointed me in the right direction instructing subordinates to do whatever they needed to do to “make it happen.” With God, the CEO and top management on board no one would have dared say "no."  Faster than a heartbeat, one phone call, literally opened the gates allowing amimal rescuers to set humane traps and wait.  

With the mother cat and kittens humanely trapped and safe, I offered (the rescue group) to write and place copy for the rescue group in order to expedite finding homes for the mother cat and each of her kittens.

The first response was an eloquently written email from a man in his late sixties, whom I’ll call “Daniel,” a former jet mechanic on Rolls Royce engines.  Something about his email touched a chord.  Instinctively impressed, I decided at least, he was worth the requite background check required the rescue group.  He passed.

It wasn’t until the night before the rescue group planned to release the mother cat and one of her kittens to Daniel came an inexplicable instant of moment of prescience telling me to drill federal databases.   

Lowell Tuttle

Kurt, your post is right on.

Only thing wrong with it is your feeling the names the perps are being called are over the top.

I think they are right on.

Pipe bombs, smashing blocked doors and windows, climbing the walls, disobeying orders to draw fire?

Those names being called seem correct to me.  

Plus, the advance on the Capitol wasn't the week before the electoral process, it wasn't six months before, it was right during the voting process.   It was a planned attack.  Perhaps there were a few demonstrators who were swept up into the foray and went into the Capitol out of curiosity, but more of those involved had a plan to go in and stop the government from performing a necessary task at the exact time it was needed to be done.

Rioters? yes...

There were a lot of protesters who did not invade the Capitol.  They were valid in their right to protest...On the mall.  To my knowledge, they are not being persued or arrested.

Holly Hobby

Lance r/t David's story and bible scripture:

Part III The Killer

Steve Keene

Bob D.,

I was staying with a very good friend of mine back in 2009-2010 in the Texas Panhandle while I did consulting work in the area.  The friend, a good old boy from Stinnett,Texas was one of my original partners when I drilled my first wells in the Panhandle for myself in 1983, is now the largest operator of wells in the Panhandle field.  He stayed and picked up cheap leases in 1986 and held them till they became valuable in 2000.  His cousin who worked for him in an oilfield supply store that he owns was also living with him.  At night I generally got in second and found his cousin watching tv so I generally went to my computer and did some more work.  His cousin always watched the Big Bang Theory and just the casual look of that show made me crazy because I would rather watch sports or National Geographic documentaries or such.  One day he implored me to sit down and watch that show with him.  That was the second funniest situation comedy I had seen after Seinfeld and I knew them all clear back to Leave it to Beaver, Lucy and Dick Van Dyke.  I have been hooked on it ever since and thought it was wonderful until the last two years when everybody got married and took away a lot of the comedic situations.  It got sappy.

Just goes to prove that you can get locked into a mindset without considering new things.  

I am an Eagle Scout, the first one in my troop in Amarillo, Texas so you can remember me. LOL  

If you get the pigs less than two hundred pounds and let a Mexican skin them for you and barbecue them on the grill they are the best gourmet meal I know.  They are tender and not gamey.  There are flies and bugs on domestic pigs, cows and chickens, too.  I do have a little problem eating chicken legs after seeing the shit they stand in and how nasty they are and I have layed off pork for other reasons of late.

Holly Hobby

 Part IV "The Killing"  

Lance r/t David's story: 

Along with dawning of the next day, came sudden, inexplicable prescience.  Even so,  I shared the story with my husband, daughter and trusted confidantes each vehement that I cease all communication with Daniel.  End of subject. And so it went for days.  I neither emailed or responded to Daniel’s emails.  But something told me somewhere was a missing piece to the puzzle. 

 Without telling anyone, I called Daniel, a convicted murderer. A man who patently lied to me by omission.  I didn’t say “hi Daniel” when he picked up the phone. I said “I know. I know you murdered someone. I also know you were arrested, convicted and served time in prison for the murder.”  Daniel said nothing.  I waited. Nothing. “Talk to me, Daniel,” I said, do not lie to me. "Still, nothing. "I'm done.  I’m hanging up.”  “No!  Don’t hang up. I’ll talk” he said.

A former jet mechanic on Rolls Royce engines, Daniel served in the Marines, a first responder, in the Viet Nam war.  Upon return to the U.S. his life devolved into drinking, drinking and drinking—self medicating untreated, unrecognized but severe PTSD.  In a flash second of alcoholic rage, he murdered his killed his wife.  In the same flash second, he killed himself, too. 

Continued first chance I get.

Holly Hobby

Lance,

Please don't take my sharing of story as criticism. It is not. 

Everything I know I learned from someone else.  Granted I vet the source. But some things, the important things, things that will have really mattered in the end I've learned through observation and listening to informed--not influenced people, who often have no idea I’m in the room.

Every day I learn. Whether talking to a hospital department Chair of Vascular Surgery or the register clerk at Kroger is a chance for learning. For observing. 

I’m know you mean well, Lance.  I’m simply suggesting a different way of looking at things. I’ll continue Daniel’s story first chance I get.  It’s quite extraordinary.

It doesn’t matter how many times I tell Daniel "it's not that big of a deal." Or try to convince him "I didn't 'save' you." Nor does it matter how many years I’ve told him “do not buy me a Christmas present, every- single- year is an avalanche of gifts, money he cannot spare yet saved throughout the year. 

Countless times I've tried to explain, "I'm not doing you favors. From the beginning I've considered it a  privilege, a gift from God allowing the opportunity to know you." And it is.

But had I made my decision solely on my interpretation of the bible (admonishing one not to be foolish)  or listened to common sense and those who loved me, it would't have been Robert denied the chance for  a sliver of happiness;  it'd have been I denied the priviledge of helping him find it. 

Nothing angelic here.   Just someone willing to think outside the box. 

Holly Hobby

Bob (Davidson)

Yes.  Yes. There is hope.

Sometimes I cry, thinking about Daniel. I bust my butt making sure he has the best cardiologist, cardiointerventionist. Pulmonologist. Endocrinologist. Too often, even with Medicare,  he can't  afford the prescription, a life saving drug, one whose patent precludes a generic. 

When he's not helping someone far worse off them himself, Daniel toils hours hour, doing everything he can, filling out all the forms, making all the calls, answering the same question over and over in hope of getting pharmaceutical financial assistance.  

No matter one's political belief we're all in this together. The only ones who aren't are those who erroneously believe until the November election everything was fine.

YES,  there is hope. And you know it.  I know this because I know the man you are.

Chin up. Get crackin' little buddy. I love you.

Kurt Fischer

Lowell:

I guess I have to go back to the definition of the words being used.  I really don't believe coup and insurrection apply to this situation.  And just to make sure you understand, I find no redeeming qualities in what the rioters did and feel they should be subject to full criminal prosecution.  This wasn't just a riot on main street, but it carried into our nation's Capitol Building.  Much, much worse.

Coup

A coup or coup d'état is the removal of an existing government from power, usually through violent means. Typically, it is an illegal, unconstitutional seizure of power by a political faction, the military, or a dictator.

A sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.

Insurrection

A violent uprising against an authority or government.

An act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government

An organized attempt by a group of people to defeat their government and take control of their country, usually by violence

I don't believe what we witnessed was a coup.  There was no evidence that I saw of an attempt to remove the existing government or to seize the power of the government.  A bunch of blowhards, but way short of even thinking about a coup.

I'm a bit less settled on the term "insurrection".  Given the first two definitions above, this might have been termed an insurrection.  I think the third definition carries the better sense of the word.  Based on the first two definitions, we would label the riots in Portland, Minneapolis and Seattle as insurrections.  They were violent uprisings against an authority or government.  In fact, most riots would seem to fit this definition, yet we don't label them as insurrections.  

However, based on the third definition, I really don't believe the individuals in question were attempting to take control of the country.  They were there to yell and scream and break stuff and show off their minimal powers (I sat in Nancy's chair!), but they weren't there to take control of the country.

I come back to my original point.  These guys were rioters who achieved criminal mischief and should be prosecuted, but the words in use now go way beyond what they appeared to trying to accomplish.