THE JUDGMENTAL AND SELF RIGHTEOUS BIAS OF BISHOP THOMAS JOSEPH TOBIN

THE JUDGMENTAL AND SELF RIGHTEOUS BIAS OF BISHOP THOMAS JOSEPH TOBIN

Comments 0 Comment

Thomas Joseph Tobin is an American Bishop in the Roman Catholic Church at Providence Rhode Island. He was born in 1948 and after studying in Rome was ordained to the priesthood in 1973.   Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop in 2005. Bishop Tobit falls into that category of American prelates whose self-righteous conviction that they are on the exclusive high moral ground closes all doors to other viewpoints. This is a Bishop who became involved in a public dispute…

Read More Read More

THE STORY OF THE CONVERSION & EXECUTION OF TOKICHI ISHII

THE STORY OF THE CONVERSION & EXECUTION OF TOKICHI ISHII

Comments 0 Comment

In 1918 a 47 year old Japanese man, Tokichi Ishii, was hanged for murder in Tokyo. The story of his life and conversion to Christianity has been written by the man himself, while waiting in prison for his execution. His autobiography,  A Gentleman in Prison, The Story of Tokichi Ishii, Written in Tokyo Prison, was translated to English and published in 1920. His story became one of the most famous in Japan. He was a notorious Japanese thief and murderer. He…

Read More Read More

WISDOM FROM NURSERY STORIES AND FABLES

WISDOM FROM NURSERY STORIES AND FABLES

Comments 0 Comment

There can be a lot of wisdom in stories created for children and in the  form of fables passed from one generation to another. Here are just a few examples I believe represent learning experiences for us all The Velveteen Rabbit is a children's book written by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson. It chronicles the story of a stuffed rabbit's desire to become real through the love of his owner. It was originally published in 1922. This selection from…

Read More Read More

DONALD TRUMP’S NATIONAL POLITICAL DEMOLITION DERBY

DONALD TRUMP’S NATIONAL POLITICAL DEMOLITION DERBY

Comments 0 Comment

 For the uninformed, a demolition derby typically consists of five or more cars that compete to win by the drivers deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another until there is only one left that is capable of being driven which becomes the "winner." Popular at county fairs and festivals, the mechanical mayhem is very loud, dramatic and chaotic to watch, as cars repeatedly crash into each other until there is only one left that is capable of driving. Soon, the…

Read More Read More

THE HEAVENLY HEIGHTS OF EVANGELICAL HYPOCRISY

THE HEAVENLY HEIGHTS OF EVANGELICAL HYPOCRISY

Comments 0 Comment

I was amazed to read that a conservative political analyst and commentator, Mona Charen, was loudly booed at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in March of this year. This is the largest annual gathering of conservatives. She surprised those in attendance when she criticized President Trump for his sexual misconduct and for the hypocrisy of the the GOP as well as evangelicals in failing to condemn his conduct even though they were quick to condemn others for the same…

Read More Read More

MONEY TALKS AND GUNS KILL

MONEY TALKS AND GUNS KILL

Comments 0 Comment

  We have had a recent history of tragic mass shootings. Here are a few of the more deadly attacks.  December 2, 2015      14 killed, 22 injured San Bernardino, CA  June 12, 2016            49 killed, 58 injured in Orlando FL nightclub shooting September 23, 2016    5 killed Burlington, WA October 1, 2017        59 Killed, more than 500 injured Las Vegas February 15, 2018    17 killed 14 wounded in Parkland FL Before the recent Florida school killing,…

Read More Read More

PUBLIC SERVICE INVOLVES AN OBLIGATION OF HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER. SO, WHAT HAPPENED TO AMERICA?

PUBLIC SERVICE INVOLVES AN OBLIGATION OF HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER. SO, WHAT HAPPENED TO AMERICA?

Comments 1 comment

It is not an exaggeration to point out that the president, his staff, Congressional leaders and appointed agency heads are continually exposed for their lies, political hypocrisy and evasion of truth. Concealment and attempted cover up is regularly exposed. Appointed agency heads are grossly unqualified for their job or just plain incompetent. Worse, they have an open agenda of undermining the purpose for the agency as a regulatory body. Personal financial or political interests are too often the motive for…

Read More Read More

EVALUATION OF JOE KENNEDY III RESPONSE TO THE STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH

EVALUATION OF JOE KENNEDY III RESPONSE TO THE STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH

Comments 0 Comment

As a retired trial lawyer who spent the majority of his adult life studying communication skills, I was curious to view the response by Representative Kennedy to the president's state of the union address. He has been viewed as as new rising political star. His family background involves some of the most dynamic and charismatic political leaders of our time. As a dedicated democrat, I was interested in his speaking skills given the need for great, young candidates in our…

Read More Read More

WILLIAM TAYLOR: COACH, MENTOR AND INSPIRATION FOR ANACORTES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

WILLIAM TAYLOR: COACH, MENTOR AND INSPIRATION FOR ANACORTES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Comments 0 Comment

On January 24, 2002 William "Bill" Taylor died in Anacortes. He was one of Anacortes's most successful basketball coaches. He also was a positive influence in so many young men's lives, including mine. He was a great coach and mentor to me. I've published a full account of my high school relationship to this great coach and his profound influence in my life: https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2013/01/william-taylor.html . In addition, I published a background of this unique man who was so important in guiding…

Read More Read More

AS TO YOUR PAST REGRETS, REMEMBER THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT NOW

AS TO YOUR PAST REGRETS, REMEMBER THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT NOW

Comments 0 Comment

I was listening to Willie Nelson sing the song There is Nothing I Can Do About it Now on my car radio and thought about the wisdom that used to be written in poems and short stories, but are now so often written in song. It struck me how on target the lyrics were about our past regrets, the "if only" worries about the past which are now out of our control. Much as been written about it.  John Greenleaf Whittier,…

Read More Read More