"Poetic Wednesday" Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) was a lawyer, judge, historian, and playwright. He was also one of Scotland’s best loved poets. “Native Land” is one of my favorite poems because it captures our feelings of patriotism for our “native land.” (Like most poetry, it is better if you read “Native Land” out loud with … Continue reading “Native Land” – A Famous Poem About Patriotism, by Sir Walter Scott
“Saturday Commentary” Growing Old I never really thought I would be old. It gradually snuck up on me when I wasn’t looking. Obviously, aging is inevitable. Whenever I am tempted to complain about aging, I remind myself that growing old is better than the alternative. When I am tempted to complain about my aches, I … Continue reading Growing Old: 15 Advantages and Disadvantages
"Sunday Sermon" The Lord has repeatedly warned: “Be not deceived!” We are admonished to “Be as wise as serpents and yet without sin.” (D&C 111:11) Use Multiple News Sources News sources are not only biased in their writing, but in their selection of stories. They “cherry-pick” and “card stack” their articles. To guard against news … Continue reading “Be Not Deceived” – Misinformation and Conspiracies
Thomas Jefferson referred to the Founding Fathers as an “Assembly of Demigods.” This was not an exaggeration. Here is an overview of just some of the accomplishments of the “First Four Presidents," all major Founding Fathers. George Washington General of Continental Army First president Set historic precedents for the presidency ("Mr. President," 2 Terms) … Continue reading Presidents’ Day – “The First Four”
"Fun Facts Saturday" Fractals are never-ending "branching" patterns that are repeated in nature in ever smaller and larger scales. This "branching" is fundamental to our universe. For example, the snowflake has a six-fold symmetry that is repeated. If you look closely, you can see tiny branches of ice that stretch out in different directions. … Continue reading Fractal “Branching”Patterns – Nature’s Artistry at its Best
"Poetic Wednesday" “Jabberwocky” is a “nonsensical” poem by Lewis Carroll. It was included in his 1871 sequel to “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” entitled, “Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There” (1871). “Jabberwocky” is considered the greatest “nonsense poem” composed in English. When “Through the Looking-Glass” was translated into 65 languages, this poem gave the … Continue reading “Jabberwocky” – A Famous “Nonsense” Poem About the Quest Against Evil
"Fun Facts Saturday" 1. Mosquitos (375,000-1,000,000 annual deaths) The deadliest animal on the planet by far is the mosquito. That is not surprising when you think about it. The blood suckers transmit a host of deadly diseases, including: Malaria West Nile Virus Dengue Fever Yellow Fever Zika Virus Encephalitis Mosquitos kill an estimated 375-000-1,000,000 people … Continue reading The 10 deadliest land animals.
"Memorable Stories" In 1989, I attended the 2-week “Judges College” for new judges at U.C. Berkeley. We stayed in the student dorms and ate breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria. For dinners, we were on our own. I had a county allowance of $100 for dinners - $7 per meal. (In today’s money that would … Continue reading My Most Expensive Meal Ever
"Poetic Wednesday" When I was in college, in the old days, scientists agreed that the earth was threatened by global cooling. Because of pollution, warming solar radiation was being reflected into space, and the world was cooling. Our planet would end in a fatal ice age. Now, scientists concur that the earth is threatened by … Continue reading “Fire and Ice” – Robert Frost’s 1920 Poem on How the World will End
"Poetic Wednesday" As an English major in college, I was required to take a full semester class on Shakespeare. To enhance my study, I listened to recordings of famous actors while I followed along with the text. Sonnet 130 is one of Shakespeare’s most popular. It is satire. The theme is: you don’t need to … Continue reading Shakespeare Sonnet 130 — An “Honest” Tribute to his “Homely” Lover
The London Edition 