Happy
Thanksgiving! ¡Feliz Día de Acción de Gracias!
Brrr,
it’s unseasonably cold for November. What’s happened to global warming? I’m someone
called friolenta in Spanish, that is, especially sensitive to cold. I prefer
summer heat. This weather reminds me of when my friends and I were standing
packed like sardines at Obama’s first inauguration, which afforded us a little
warmth. That was in January and this is only November. If there had been a
crush at the inauguration like the recent one Seoul, we would have all been trampled.
Whatever
the excesses of the internet, I am thankful for it at this Thanksgiving. The
internet saved us during the pandemic when face-to-face encounters were risky. And
when the weather is as frigid as it is right now, it’s good to be able to stay in
touch. For me, with contacts all over the world, the internet really has become essential.
When my phone and internet were out recently for more than a week, I really felt
disconnected and alone.
Amigos de Honduras In the most recent issue
of a printed, mailed monthly newsletter for former Honduras Peace Corps
volunteers called Amigos de Honduras, my a 2-page article appears with 3 color photos about my trip to Honduras last summer, though, of course,
the world at large, has no access to it. Just seeing that article and photos
evoked again the nostalgia I feel about Honduras. On that summer trip, I’d
reconnected with my former Peace Corps colleague, Art, younger
than me, but now retired and living in Honduras fulltime. His income goes
much further there, allowing him to buy a nice house in a gated community. As much as
I enjoyed that trip, I’m not ready to make such a major leap myself .
Closer to Home When my late ex-husband
and I first moved to Capitol Hill in 1969 with our 2 small children, it was not
considered a desirable location. But my husband, who was blind, needed the convenience
to his office and work with Congress. I’m still here, almost 54 years
later.
Our area has gone
through several transformations to have become a very desirable neighborhood. Without
a car now for more than 20 years, I appreciate that food stores, restaurants, banks,
and the post office are all within walking distance. Eastern Market metro
station opened 6 years after we came, a great convenience when I was traveling
to Spanish interpretation assignments after my Peace Corps service. Brent, a
public elementary school that my kids had attended, now has a waiting list.
It’s
a something of a chicken and egg problem for planners to decide when and where to
locate new stores, housing, and other amenities to lure residents or when the
number of residents is sufficient to sustain those amenities. I’m glad to have
seen our area go through so many transformations. Now in the digital age, change seems to be speeding up.
At my age and after more
than half a century of having a home still in this neighborhood, I’ve seen and participated
in many transformations, both personal and more far reaching. More than 20
years ago, I was away for more than 3 ½ years with the Peace Corps in Honduras,
but otherwise have been living in my home continually.
Before Peace Corps, I had a
serious suitor who wanted us to marry, but I wasn’t anxious to try that again.
I felt I'd given marriage my all for 24 years with a husband who was blind. My
suitor actually died before I went into the Peace Corps. Since my son and
foster son had also died not long before, I scarcely had any more emotion left to
grieve.
Now I’m still living on Capitol Hill, which has become a very trendy
and desirable neighborhood. People often come by now asking to buy my house, which
is not for sale, and letters arrive offering “all cash.” Then where am I
supposed to live? I’d rather stay living here as long as possible.
Many items for sale, some
said to be brand-new, are posted on our neighborhood website, though I doubt
most get their asking price. In fact, even those being offered for free may
have trouble finding takers. Most of us already have way too much stuff.
Someone on our neighborhood
website, maybe a teacher or another parent, advises: “please be kind to your
children when you pick them up from school. I’m sure they’ve had a very
challenging day. Give them some love and supportive words, don’t scream at them
and say mean things to them when you see them. Try to be happy to see them.
They are only young for a little while & those harsh words hurt. I see
parents yelling at kids while they walk home from school and it saddens me
greatly.” Good advice and how about demonstrating more kindness and civility all
around, and not just with kids?
Stealing packages has
become a full-time job for some folks, especially now during the holidays. Package
thieves need to be put out of business. Home delivery of packages could be stopped by organizing a system of packages pickup at a central well-guarded
place. Package theft is happening often everywhere, not just in our
neighborhood and region.
A terrible event was
mentioned on the news and in the Washington Post, but seemed even more
immediate with a mother’s initial posting on our neighborhood website, although
she doesn’t live in our area: “My 13 year old son was shot yesterday afternoon
while he was raking leaves in our front yard on Jameson street, Temples Hills.
As you could imagine this has shaken us up tremendously, our entire family. He
is now at Children’s fighting for his life.” Unfortunately, that young boy has died.
I haven’t heard anything about the arrest of a suspect.
More recently, the bereaved
mother mentioned above posted this regarding a vigil for her son: “Thank you so
so much everyone for your continued prayers and support. My heart bleeds for my
son. We must get justice for Jayz. Raking leaves in the front yard should be a
safe place for every child.”
USA
Today,
4-year-old boy fatally
shot himself with gun left on dollhouse in Indiana, police say Here, a mother’s
boyfriend brought his gun into the house and left it on top of a dollhouse. Why
did he need a handgun when visiting a family with children? Is a
handgun like a security blanket for some folks, always having to be with them?
Wash. Post, A manhunt is underway after three people were killed in a shooting at the
University of Virginia late Sunday This appears was a targeted killing of 3 football
players. A suspect has been arrested.
Fox, UVA shooting suspect Christopher Darnell Jones'
'bizarre' last words to 3 murdered football players revealed "You guys are always
messing with me” is what he reportedly said. He was a former member of the
football team and had a weapons’ violation, but still was able to get a gun.
And across the country, Idaho Statesman, Four students found dead near
University of Idaho campus after school warns of homicide That shooter is still unknown
and at large.
While we were
still engaged in lamenting and analyzing these 2 recent mass shootings, yet another occurred,. Reuters, Five dead, 18 injured in shooting at gay nightclub in
Colorado, police say A suspect is in custody
in this most recent mass shooting.
No use lamenting the
proliferation of guns because those who might be able to reduce or stop gun ownership
are not listening. I’m not sure what to do myself, but I’m ready to join in
any common effort. Having fewer guns available and in circulation seems key.
It’s hard to know just how to accomplish that because prior attempts have
failed, even though gun-lovers among us are far outnumbered! It’s true that
“people, not guns, kill people,” but having fewer guns in the hands of people
would certainly help.
When I see Harvey
Weinstein looking so pitiful now, coming into the courtroom with his pants
falling down, it’s a big contrast from when I actually saw him in person almost
10 years ago at a private preview of his film about Nelson Mandela, “Long Walk
to Freedom.” Back then, he was boastful and arrogant, touting his many achievements.
Ethel Kennedy is still with us at age 94,
after her husband Robert’s assassination and the deaths of at least 2 of her 11
children. Just before his assassination, I recall going up to Robert campaigning
in Sacramento, California, carrying my first baby Andrew, whom he patted on the head.
Robert Kennedy and my son Andrew are gone, but Ethel is still alive and breathing
despite all she has been through.
Wash. Post, Mormon
Church voices support for same-sex marriage bill This represents a
surprising switch.
Maryland probe finds 158 abusive priests, over 600
victims https://apnews.com/article/religion-maryland-baltimore-sexual-abuse-by-clergy
As a child, like many other kids, I was a devout Catholic, fortunately
never abused by a priest. At age 21, I was married in the church after my
future (non-Catholic) husband attended preparation sessions with a priest,
where they actually enjoyed sparring over points of faith. I raised my children
in the church: First Communions, Confirmations, the whole nine yards. My
husband and I were a good team, with me helping him but always staying in the
background to assure got the credit. He was very bright
and had unerring political instincts, but after 24 years of marriage, he found another helpmate at his
office. After leaving me to marry her, he only spoke with me once in a surprise
phone call he made to me in 1984. He and his 2nd wife had a
daughter who would have been about 5 when he died in 1999.
After my husband had divorced
me, my faith started ebbing, though for a time, I joined a progressive group still
within the Catholic fold that met locally, but gave it up completely when it went online. I’ve since attended mass at the National Shrine with Catholic visitors
from abroad. In Honduras, if staying with a family there, I have accompanied them
to church. I admire much about Pope Francis. But I no longer attend church regularly
and no longer contribute. Pedophilia within the church is one reason. Putting so-called
celibate priests in positions of respect and authority over children is a
recipe for trouble. I’ve long advocated, including in my books, for allowing married
and women priests in the Catholic church.
I’m still inclined to contribute to
Catholic Charities and Catholic Relief for their good work both here and abroad
for beneficiaries regardless of their faith or lack thereof, something I’ve often
personally witnessed. I’ve also served as an interpreter for Catholic Charities
at its DC headquarters preparing someone for an asylum hearing. But I’ve become
a relativist on most human conduct, no longer believing in final, innate, universal
human rights. It all depends on the culture and common beliefs to which we all
contribute. That puts me at odds with Amnesty International, as well as with the
Catholic church. Despite my now almost 42-year Amnesty membership and my volunteer
leadership role, I disagree with the organization’s stance, first, that identifiable
and universal human rights apply all people everywhere and at all times, second,
that abortion is a human right. When Amnesty was founded in 1961, abortion was certainly
not considered a human right.
CNN, Arizona will now
give undocumented students in-state tuition rates Reportedly, 19 other states do the
same. I suspect it’s partly because college enrollment is down.
Quartz, Biden is the first president in 20 years to hold the
Senate at the midterms Biden turned 80 to become the first octogenarian in the White House,
now representing my age group, and he’s still going strong, at least in terms
of political success. Though our numbers are growing, elders’ political influence
seems focused mainly on social security, although some of us have broader
concerns. Recent surveys indicate that most potential voters consider Biden too
old to run for president again, but he may still try for another term and actually
win again.
Democratic
support for Biden in 2024 surges after midterms; Trump takes a hit: USA
TODAY/Ipsos Poll A majority of women under
30 voted for Democrats in the midterms and probably abortion was one issue
motivating them. As a mother and grandmother of another generation, I’ve
already said enough about my own abortion stance on these pages, https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3731564-young-women-broke-hard-for-democrats-in-the-midterms/
Donald Trump might not be able to win
another presidential election, in fact, in terms of sheer vote numbers, he has
never actually won any, just becoming president the first time by a quirk of
the Electoral College. He seems never have developed intellectually beyond 5th
grade. His dwindling base will still support him. He has already declared himself to be a presidential candidate once
again, muddying the waters for other Republican presidential hopefuls, sounding angry now and out for vengeance against enemies both real and perceived. Trump
has never been a team player. He reportedly blames wife Melania for Dr. Oz’s
loss, when Trump’s own support may have actually tanked Oz. The early timing of
his recent announcement may have been calculated to help protect him
from prosecution.
The response to Trump’s latest presidential
launch has been noticeably lukewarm, though the pillow guy is still enthused. Melania
doesn’t seem to be on board this time around and Ivanka has checked out
entirely. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, recently re-elected, has been evoking
considerably more enthusiasm among potential Republican voters. Trump claims to
have “dirt” on DeSantis. So, what is it?
Daily Beast, It’s Day 1 of the Trump Campaign—and His Donors Are
Already Exhausted
NY Times, Big-Name Donors Are Moving On From Trump It
would be great to have Donald Trump in the rearview mirror, although some of his
successors might actually have a better chance of being elected, which is not a
happy thought.
National
Review, DeSantis Takes Massive Lead over Trump in
2024 Florida GOP Primary Poll
Daily
Mail,
'New SURGE of illegals will now head for our southern border':
Fears that unlawful crossings will soar after DC judge lifted Trump-era Title
42 that saw migrants immediately deported That quoted statement was reportedly made by new Texas Republican
Congressman Ronny Jackson, former White House doctor. Of course, Biden is now
being blamed rather than the judge who made the decision. It appears that the
message has already reached eager migrants clustered around the border.
Miami
Herald, Keys beach goers witness Cuban migrant
arrival, among nearly 90 who landed over 3-day span
In
Ukraine, the senseless war continues. Still, better that the US is providing only
money and weapons, not actual troops. Much of the war is being fought with unmanned
drones. There have been other odd developments in that war, like the following.
Many
Russian soldiers, especially conscripts, seem unenthusiastic about the
fight. But Mr. Putin isn’t ready to give up yet. He would need a face-saving
way out and Zelensky may unwilling to agree to that yet.
As
for China, Biden
and Xi both were apparently polite and civil to each other, while the whole
world’s attention was being rivetted on them during their 3-hour closed-door
meeting. Only the interpreters were witnesses and, as a former interpreter
myself, I know their lips are sealed. The 2 leaders had met before, but this
was the first time since Biden became president. Their meeting was hardly an
event just “on the sidelines,” as had been described beforehand. No encounter between
them could have simply been held casually and in secret. For his part, President
Biden reported stressing the need for peacefully settling differences.
Certainly, an all-out war between the US and China would be a global disaster. In
our ever-more connected world system, already people everywhere are
experiencing the consequences of the war in Ukraine.
According to Biden’s report on his meeting with Xi, he had said that China
and the U.S. should both work on “transnational challenges” such as climate
change, health security, and global food security. A readout of the meeting
published by the White House included Biden’s statement that the U.S. would
oppose “any unilateral changes to the status quo by either side” about
Xi’s “One China” policy regarding Taiwan independence. The two also reportedly
agreed that “a nuclear war should never be fought.”
It has been over six months since Palestinian-American
journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while covering an Israeli
military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin. On November 14, Rep.
André Carson introduced the “Justice for Shireen Act” (HR 9291), a bill that will be vital to ensuring a
thorough and transparent investigation is carried out so that the perpetrators can
be held responsible. That same day, it was reported that the FBI has opened an
investigation into Shireen Abu Akleh's death.
Reuters, World's longest-ruling leader holds vote to extend rule
of tiny African state He is 80-year-old
Teodoro Obiang, who has ruled for 43 years.
His country, Equatorial Guinea, is notable for being Africa’s only
Spanish-speaking country, something I found out when asked to translate some
documents for Amnesty International.
This website address
says it all: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/cuba-slashes-growth-forecast-economic-crisis-grinds-2022-11-14/
World
population has now officially reached 8 billion, due mainly to better infant
survival and increasing life expectancy for seniors like me. So what can be done
to keep it steady, neither rising nor falling precipitously? Analysts have
estimated that world population could gradually rise comfortably to 9 or
10 billion, but not much beyond. The greatest recent growth has occurred mainly
in Africa, while the population of South Korea and Japan already seems to be
shrinking, with Europe barely holding steady and China and the US facing future
reductions if present trends continue.
What
about feeding a hungry world population, especially one more eager to consume
meat? Meat is in short supply and not easy to produce.
Having
tried plant-based “meat” myself, I’ve found it quite edible, but would need to
get more accustomed to it before making it a regular part of my diet. US animal
meat companies are buying up plant-based “meat” brands, but those efforts may
eventually be replaced by lab-based meat taken from animal cells, eliminating
the need to raise and kill animals to produce actual meat. The source of the
nutrients/calories needed to develop lab meat has not been well-defined,
but will have to come from somewhere. And there might be initial resistance to
eating such products, slaughterhouses could well decline, along with poultry
and livestock, though probably not in my lifetime. Presumably, chickens will
still keep laying eggs and cows will still produce milk, though perhaps those
equivalents can eventually also be produced in a lab.
The actual substance of lab-based meat
apparently varies and is still under experimentation. What provides the actual
calories isn’t yet specified or well-defined. Below is what is being said so
far. It doesn’t sound very appetizing. How does it taste?
Some media consist of complex ingredients such
as extracts of plant or animal tissue (e.g., peptone, meat extract, yeast
extract); others contain exact quantities of known inorganic salts and one or
more organic compounds (synthetic or chemically defined media). The medium may
be solidified by the addition of agar. Agar is
a jelly-like substance consisting of polysaccharides obtained from the cell
walls of some species of red algae.
In
Asia, lost pets might meet a fatal end, mainly in China, where dogs are often eaten,
also cats. Dogs are eaten as well in Nigeria. Those animals used to be eaten
centuries ago in Europe. It is illegal to eat dogs in the US, with certain exemptions
for Native ceremonies.
Locally,
both lost and found cats and dogs keep showing up on our neighborhood website.
Some are advertised as being lost, others as having been found by someone else
now looking for the owners. Are the same animals perhaps appearing as both lost and found?
These 2 items refused to be posted before, but herethey are appearing now. Above is a lice comb for hair and beard dating back to 1700 BCE. To the left is a 400-year-old Native American pipe.
//////////////////////////////////
I’ve been notified online about freelance
editors’ jobs than can be done remotely, but all are fulltime and I really
don’t feel like working fulltime and on deadline any more. I’ve done that long enough
already, thank you. The following openings look interesting, but not sufficiently
so to tempt me to apply:
KABOOM 25
in 5 Playspace Equity
Confederated Tribes of Siletz
Indians, Grant Writer
Spanish
Editor
Looking for an editor
[on the neighborhood website]
And also this ad has appeared about automatic entry doors:
¡Estamos preparados para llevarte al futuro de la automatización
de accesos!
And Kaiser, my health plan, offers free Spanish
interpreter services: Tenemos servicios de intérprete sin costo alguno.
