On the home stretch

Leaves have started turning color outside my 3rd-floor home office window. 

With only a few days left before Nov. 5, it's election countdown time. 

But something really spooky is happening in the presidential campaign, right now, just before Halloween, namely the prospect of Donald Trump becoming president once again. Can lightening strike twice? Can a rare freak accident allowing the total vote loser to actually win election be threatening once again? 

Trump's supporters may revel in his wild antics, identifying with his freedom to be outrageous and confrontational--even to make insults and threats--all without apparent negative consequences. Is this the basis of his appeal?

NBC News, Polls show an election that could be the 'closest since Bush v. Gore'

Our country certainly needs to jettison the Electoral College in favor of the popular vote to remain 

a real world leader, setting an example of democratic governance for the rest of the world  Making 

Trump president again even if he gets fewer votes is not "one man, one vote"; it's not democratic. 

Salon, Campaign official admits Trump "refusing" interviews because he's "exhausted"

Being Donald Trump must be rather exhausting. At age 78 is Mr. Trump really still up for the job?

 (When was he actually ever up for it?) Age is more than just a number, as I am well aware, 

After recovering from "exhaustion," Trump has spent much of his rallies bopping to music. 

Trump likes red ties; that's been fairly consistent.  

                    Wash. Post, Teenager taken into custody after 5 killed in Washington state shooting

Just gathering up Americans' guns and dropping them into the ocean would save so many lives.

Even better would be to shut down gun manufacturing. Would a majority support that? Not yet, 

but majority public opinion in the US is trending in that direction 

How autonomous should teens be? It depends--there is no blanket answer. Who is responsible if they 

shoot someone?  If a teen has a baby, who is in charge of her child? Independence should be a gradual 

process. More questions than answers.

In the days of Malthus, there may have been too many babies. Now that there are too few, the rights 

of the unborn are being reconsidered. Also, the rights of babies already born. 

NY Times, Texas Supreme Court Halts Execution in Shaken Baby Case  Robert Roberson had been set to be executed for the "Shaken baby" death of his 2-year-old child. But after a bipartisan intervention by Texas lawmakers, the Supreme Court issued a last-minute stay. He may even get a new trial. "Shaken baby" as a cause of a child's death has been discredited.

Of course, along with many others, I oppose the death penalty in all cases. 

Wash. Post, Video shows Israeli strike on crowd of people trying to help wounded boy

So close now to our US election, it's unlikely that the staunch official American support for Israel will 

waiver, at least not publicly. But let's hope that pressure to reign in Israel's continuing transgressions still occurs behind the scenes and that if Democrats win the presidency again, such pressure will come down hard on 

Netanyahu and the Israeli military to halt their vengeful war crimes. Meanwhile innocent people will die. 

Halloween is almost here--no more scary surprises, time for a little levity. 

        

And fall has definitely arrived.. 

A Dominican friend just sent me this photo of bishops in Haiti protesting attacks against 

Haitian immigrants in the adjoining Dominican Republic. Haitians are certainly not doing well these days in their own country, especially compared to folks living right across the border in the DR. Haiti now is nothing like the vibrant, artistic country I visited years ago. 

Many Haitians traversing Mexico on their way to the US have decided to stay in Mexico and make a life there instead. 

Reuters, Cuba's power grid fails, plunging country into darkness

The country's electrical grid keeps failing, something that happened often when I was traveling there

 in the 1990's. The Cuban leadership is blaming US sanctions, as before. 

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/cuba-suffers-third-major-setback-restoring-power-island-millions-still-dark-2024-10-20/ 

Cuba's power grid keeps collapsing. Cubans have dared to bang on pots and pans to signal their displeasure. 

Supporters of "reproductive rights" highlight rare cases of severe fetal abnormalities, about which there is little controversy, while the vast majority of abortions do not involve concerns about fetal abnormalities 

My son living in W. Va. just sent me some photos of some of my past visits there, enticing me to visit him

again at Thanksgiving.  

I've now heard from a long-time friend, Salvador, age 69, who came here years ago from Brazil as a professional soccer player. Over a year ago, while traveling in Vietnam, he met a woman of 45 whom he now wants to marry. But he's been waiting for over a year to bring her here on a fiancée visa. I'll keep you posted about her arrival.  

Going in my inbox, I found this old message from Salvador. Sal, who had once been a professional soccer player, had suffered a foot injury. [Note: He speaks Portuguese, not Spanish.]

9/28/2014 Salvador

hello my lovely lady friend life is beautiful I love life and my lovely amiga friend you mrs Barbara. h r u and the children?? im ok about and this year my case foot injury will be over my lawer work on for me but my foot ankle is not the same any more after surgery!!

te amo te quero muicho
beijo
your forever truly amigo
salt

yes  I can play lighjt golf hahahah and light duty work!! and my injury lawyer is workink hart in my case
te amoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
sal

=========================================

The following exhibit, opened recently here in DC, is focused on the reign of King Tut. That monarch presided over an expansive kingdom that arose thousands of years ago, one of many sophisticated civilizations that have arisen and fallen long before our own ever came into being.  

• 26 October 6-9 pm! : "A Treasured Evening: Tutankhamun Unveiled":
  Discover the magic of Tutankhamun's tomb, guided by leading experts in Egyptology in private tours.

• November 2nd 6-9 pm! : "Coming Forth By Day: A Pharaoh's Journey into the Afterlife" 

Meercats like to hang out together, just as we humans do.  

A local friend worked with me on projects in Honduras and we once traveled there together. Her name was Eileen Blumenthal, but she moved 10 years ago to be with a daughter in California. Now her 3 daughters have sent me this message about her death at age 95. 

We are mourning the loss of our beloved mother Eileen Blumenthal, who died in Ojai yesterday, October 21. She led an extraordinary life and died with intention, choosing to begin her final journey after a peaceful walk along the beach as we pushed her wheelchair. We had some wonderful last days full of love and remembrance and letting go. We will miss her dearly.

She had a wide and loving circle of friends that enriched her life and we know you were among them. Please feel free to share this with anyone else who was a friend of Mom's. May you treasure your memories with her as we will. 

I told them: Eileen was a neighbor here on Capitol Hill. I joined her organization and worked with her on projects in Honduras, where we once traveled together. I had been in the Peace Corps there and speak Spanish. I am now 86 and just in June, made a solo humanitarian visit to Honduras, as I have done every year since Peace Corps, but this may have been my last mission as its not getting any easier. When Eileen moved to California, we lost touch over time. She was certainly a remarkable and capable woman who did so much good in the world. As her daughters, you  must be proud that she was your mother. 

Now another former neighbor, living next door for 30 years, has disappeared and her house now has new owners. I still wonder whatever happened to Maggie (Margaret Hobbs), who apparently left while I was in Honduras and has not responded to me since. 

Three years ago, Maggie had urged me to cut down the mulberry tree that was attracting raccoons feasting on its berries. They incessantly banged on my windows and any trimmed branches always grew back. Much as I hated to take down a tree, I followed Maggie's advice and did so, The raccoons thankfully then moved on. 

                            A tree cutter went up to cut branches before taking the tree down.

We bloggers have little control over our postings. Need we apologize for their odd quirks? Since no one is available for blog guidance, except perhaps for fellow bloggers, it means we simply must rely on trial

and error, often mostly error. Posting is free, so really no cause for complaint. 

I've been posting since 2009 at the current address and its predecessor https://honduraspeacecorps.blogspot.com/ reaching out to friends and former visitors living all over the world. It's been wonderful to be able to keep in touch with them in real time via this blog and also email during the past decade and more. I well remember the days of air mail letters that might or might not arrive. I'm so glad to have been in regular communication with friends old and new everywhere, some of whom have now passed on. We have all enriched each other's lives.

Dear family and friends

Remarks, remembrances, retributions, reactions

  This is a rather long post, so put on your reading glasses! 

Thankfully, my family members living on Florida's Gulf coast, right in the eye of Hurricane Helene, have all survived without any major problems or damage.

CNN, 1 storm, 95 dead and a 500-mile path of destruction. Now comes the hard work of recovering

 from Helene

Meanwhile, I experienced a minor calamity here in DC when a workman who had gone up on the roof 

left the cover off an opening, so that overnight rain, perhaps the vestiges of Hurricane Helene, dampened 

items stored in a closet below. Next morning, I first noticed water seeping out under the closet door. The 

workman hastily returned to put the cover back over the opening, then rushed on to another job, leaving 

me to pick up the mess and throw away wet items that I had once planned on taking to Honduras. But 

since I don't expect to return there again, no use drying them out, so into the trash they went. 

Just today, we have arrived at Oct. 1, the 100th birthday of a dear friend, former President Jimmy Carter. Wow! He's managed to survive this long, even after the death of beloved wife Rosalynn. a mother of 4. who died at age 96. I knew them both. If President Carter's memory has not faded entirely, I think he would remember me. 

                         My family met with President Carter at the White House in 1979.

        A photo of me with President Carter when we were both election observers in Nicaragua in 1990                                                     appears in my Confessions book. 

Because our family has contributed to scholarships at Virginia Tech, I've been invited to an event there, but don't expect to actually go, though still glad to be invited.

College of Architecture, Arts, and Design Celebration of Generosity

Friday, Nov. 15 5 p.m. Cocktail Reception | 6:15 p.m. Dinner Program 8 p.m. Dessert Reception | 8:30 p.m. Conclusion

Moss Arts Center 190 Alumni Mall Blacksburg, VA 24061

We invite you to join the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design as we thank you for your support of time, talent, and treasure. Together, we will celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of our students and celebrate the generosity of  our committed donors, board members, volunteers, and friends.

We are also coming up now on the one-year anniversary of the attack on Israel that started the current regional war. A ceasefire sign has been in my front yard for almost a year now. 

AP, Spending deal averts a possible federal shutdown and funds the government into December

Whew! Fiscal calamity was averted once again, just in time. 

Donald Trump continues to make news, always managing to grab the spotlight.

Salon, "Fine with me if they decided not to visit": 

Springfield mayor tells Trump stay away following smear

Yahoo, Ohio Republican Leaders Gently Beg Trump To Please Not Visit Springfield

Yahoo News, Springfield, Ohio, mayor granted emergency powers as Haitian immigrants 

say they fear for their safety amid Trump and Vance’s false claims

Springfield's welcome mat was not rolled out for Mr. Trump.

Yahoo, Trump says he will visit Springfield, Ohio, 'in the next two weeks'

Maybe, maybe not.  

Mr. Trump has reportedly undertaken a new endeavor, selling pricey watches. 

Miami Herald,

‘Big mistake’: South Florida Haitians slam Trump’s false claim about immigrants eating pets

Yahoo News, With Election Day less than 2 months away, Harris agrees to October 

CNN debate against Trump — but he says it's 'too late'

After the first debate with Harris didn't go so well for Mr. Trump, and with Harris still slowly gaining 

ground ever since, especially with female and black voters, now he apparently wants no more debates.

For some American men, the idea of a woman president simply goes against the grain and Trump seems

to be one of those men. 

Whatever happens, the Donald remains effusive about the good looks of daughter Ivanka: "Yeah, 

she’s really something, and what a beauty, that one. If I weren’t happily married and, ya 

know, her father …” he reportedly remarked recently. 

Might daughter Tiffany now feel overlooked? Wife Melania might be glad to hear that her husband is 

happily married. 

Now the Harris "Victory Fund" has asked me for a donation. 

 Of course, I'd rather see her win than Trump, but in addition to being short of funds myself, I am still 

not wholeheartedly behind her. At the same time, I would never give my vote or any money to Trump.

CNN, ‘Uncommitted’ leaders say group will not endorse Harris 
but warn against vote for Trump

I feel a definite an affinity with those folks. 

President Biden gave an address to the UN General Assembly. Even while reading from a 

teleprompter, his diction was mushy and hard to understand. A president needs to be able to speak 

clearly, which Biden seems to have difficulty doing now. He also reportedly forgot he was in New York 

and said "Welcome to Washington." It's hard to imagine Mr. Biden being able to stay in charge 

and credible for 4 more years, so he made the right decision to bow out of the presidential race. 

Good Morning America NYC Mayor Eric Adams indicted on federal charges The mayor of America's biggest city has been charged with accepting improper campaign contributions, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday. Adams is the first sitting New York City mayor to ever face charges.

The Hill, US has worst healthcare system among wealthy nations, survey says

also the most costly.

Wash. Post, Senators press Novo Nordisk CEO on why Ozempic and Wegovy cost less abroad

In my own travels, I've noticed that most American-made pharmaceuticals are cheaper outside the 

US, often even in neighboring Canada, as well as in Latin America and Europe. Lower prices 

are all the market will bear elsewhere, but companies still make a profit; otherwise they wouldn't be 

offering their products there. I've often stocked up on US-made products when traveling abroad.

NBC, Manhunt launched for 'multiple shooters' after at least 4 killed and 18 injured in 

Birmingham

Mass shooting tragedies have become almost daily occurrences in this country. 

USA Today, 6-year-old Virginia student brings loaded gun to school, sheriff's office investigating

I've said it before and will say it again, keeping a firearm in the home poses a grave risk to that home's 

residents and to everyone else. It's past time to update the "right to bear arms" for the modern age.

LA Times, A Black couple defied racism by renting to a Chinese family 

Back in 1939. a black couple rented their house in Coronado, Calif., to a Chinese family. 

Now the descendants of both families have gotten together to celebrate their forbearers.

withm

Scripps News/Ipsos poll: Majority supports mass deportation of undocumented immigrants 

According to a recent Scripps poll (do other polls concur?), the vast majority of Republicans 

and a substantial number of Democrats actually favor mass deportations. But how exactly would mass 

deportations be carried out? And what about due process? Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened 

wholesale deportations--without exceptions! But if that were to actually happen, we'd soon see 

native-born Americans angrily intervening on behalf of their foreign-born neighbors. Furthermore, 

our country actually needs even more of those eager border crossers, both as workers and to support old 

folks like me. Yes, we actually need still more, not fewer, immigrants, because we are not producing 

enough young people, though having a workable screening system would certainly be helpful. The 

economy would take a huge hit from any mass deportations, not to mention our national reputation. 

An inscription on the Statue of Liberty calls for, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddle masses 

yearning to breathe free..,I lift my lamp beside the golden door." 

Average US life expectancy at birth is now 75 for male newborns and 80 for females. National average 

life expectancy had actually declined at the height of the Covid pandemic, losing more than a year

for each gender in 2021.

At age 86, I found my own life threatened recently by Covid, despite vaccination. I managed to 

survive, probably thanks in part to Paxlovid, though I've not recovered completely and maybe 

never will. Soon afterward, I still managed to spend 3 weeks in Honduras in June, traveling there 

without a cell phone, unable to tell folks when and where I'd be arriving next. Yet I still 

hit all anticipated stops by just showing up unannounced, then being enthusiastically greeted to the 

surprise of a young man driving me around. But from now on, I do plan on staying closer to home. 

Wash. Post, U.S. to reach 1,600 executions since death penalty was reinstated

I am among those who support the right to life from conception to natural death, so I oppose executions. 

Abortion is still a US election issue despite many changes over the years. The stigma for out-of-wedlock 

births has almost disappeared and the number of abortions nationally has also declined after rising exponentially right after Roe first legalized the procedure. Meanwhile, contraception has become more 

effective. 

Before Roe, some women went to Mexico for abortions or gave up their baby for adoption. A few also 

experienced miscarriages. Others simply kept and raised their baby. Over my long life, I've known 

women in all those categories. 

Most abortions now are done with pills in the first trimester and infant adoptions have become 

increasingly rare and often quite costly. However, unlike the secrecy of old, birth mothers can now 

get updates on how an adopted child is doing. My 2 adopted kids have expressed different attitudes 

regarding their birth mothers. One has never expressed an interest in searching and the other found out 

the birth mom had died. Little curiosity has been shown about birth fathers, often said to be unknown.

A woman seeking advice in Mississippi’s only abortion clinic actually had a surprise live birth there, then was transported to a hospital with her baby. Fortunately for her child, she gave birth before an abortion could take place. Such clinics in the state have since shut down.

Heterosexual couples living together are having fewer kids now because they can produce fewer or none while still enjoying the pleasures of sex, thus thwarting the very reason that sexual pleasure has evolved. Using contraception has become commonplace. Now having a child is often the default, requiring a positive decision to actually try for a pregnancy. Some couples may think about doing that "some day," but just never get around to it. Many will never become parents.

But have efforts gone too far in limiting births? Malthus is no longer relevant. Suddenly, the dearth of babies is being recognized as a problem. Calif. law now requires insurance to cover IVF.

One-person households are also increasing. I have one myself, but not during most of my life. 

Someone living alone may have a companion pet cat or dog instead of a child. Dog beds of different types and sizes appear in advertisements being sent to me regularly, though I no longer have a dog myself. 

A young couple newly arrived in DC recently asked about living here and sharing my ample home, and also about bringing along their 2 large dogs. No thanks. I'm done with dogs and with all pets now. I once had a black Lab that gave birth to 8 purebred puppies, then I had her spayed. No more pets!  

Since too few human babies are being born in China, that country has now halted all international adoptions, something once commonplace there.  I've known many Americans, including some single women, who adopted Chinese baby girls, as under China's former one-child policy, if a newborn was female, she was often relinquished for adoption so the couple could try again for a boy. 

CNN, She claimed she aborted her baby at nine months. In this country, there’s no law against that

 The country is South Korea. Isn't a 9-month abortion still considered infanticide?

And while on the subject of unwanted pregnancies, the mainstream press still insists on calling abortion opponents "anti-choice", never as "pro-life." Abortion advocates use terms like "Planned Parenthood" or "pro-choice" to describe their own operations, but if a pregnant woman showed up at an abortion clinic and didn't want an abortion, would she be offered any other choice? It seems unfair to dub pro-life advocates as being "anti-choice;" in fact, they are only anti-abortion. Some pro-life operations also describe themselves as offering "pre-born" services. Words do matter. 

Will our country's and the world's evident need for more babies eventually turn public opinion away from abortion-on-demand? Maybe in China that has already happened. Attitudes regarding any human endeavor do ebb and flow, and what is old can become new again. Readers already know my own sentiments on this issue.

Wash. Post, Missouri executes Marcellus Williams despite prosecutors’ objections

I also remain opposed to capital punishment, supporting the right to life from conception to natural death.

AFP, US woman dies in controversial suicide capsule in Switzerland

If some folks want to kill themselves, apparently that's their right, though we should try to help make every human life worthwhile.   

An American friend, a former Peace Corps volunteer retired now in Honduras, had the following to say about Zede, a rather mysterious operation mentioned in a previous posting.

"As far as Zede I believe there is another one in Choluteca as well as Roatan. They were allowed under the previous administration, but are now illegal. They are always in the news and has not been decided if they stay or go."

 I've just received an urgent request from a credible source to intervene on behalf of  Yeris Curbelo Aguilera, a Cuban political prisoner who is an independent journalist. That credible source, worthy of donations, is the Center for a Free Cuba, whose director is a personal friend, John Suarez: "Urgent request for Mr. Yeris Curbelo Aguilera, a Cuban political prisoner, independent journalist, and his family whose lives hang in the balance."

http://www.cubacenter.org

Here I was some years back, visiting in Florida with the family of a young man I had brought out of Cuba via Mexico almost 30 years ago. He had once sent a letter in Spanish asking for help for his medical problems to the organization where I was working then, a letter given to me to translate. So I decided to help him myself and was able to bring him to the US by first getting him a visa to Mexico. I then met him

at the Texas border and facilitated his crossing. He started a new life in this country. We are still in touch.

While the whole world has forgotten about Haiti, I have not. 

KTSM, Hunger in Haiti reaches famine levels as gangs squeeze life out of the capital and beyond

The war that started a year ago between Israel and Gaza has now only escalated and spread. Israel, after being attacked, garnered initial worldwide sympathy as the victim, However, Israel has come to be regarded as an aggressor and even a war criminal for reputedly going far above and beyond defense, still being supported by the US government but not so much by the rest of the world or even by the American public. Being anti-Israel in this war is not necessarily being anti-Semitic, though that criticism is often made.

AFP, Hamas weakened, not crushed a year into war with Israel

Amnesty International

The Gaza Ministry of Health just published a 

649-page list of Palestinians killed by the Israeli military… and the first 200+ pages were the names of children.

The first 14 pages were babies under 1-year-old.

Help us urgently increase pressure on U.S. elected leaders for an end to weapons transfers to the government of Israel and an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

AP, Israel raids and shuts down Al Jazeera's bureau in Ramallah in the West Bank

AP, Lebanon sees deadliest day of conflict since 2006 as Israeli strikes kill more than 270

and over 1000 were wounded. 

AP, What to know about the two waves of deadly explosions that hit Lebanon and Syria

Now the war has spread even further within Lebanon and Syria. This was a highly successful and very sophisticated operation from the Israeli government's perspective, not only killing or endangering the intended targets, but everyone else around them. It was almost like a dropped bomb, but somehow scarier for victims by being so unexpected and for still popping up since in different places, over and over again. Non-militants, civilians, women, and children have all been injured or killed in the effort to target the few militants among them. But the operation has done nothing to sway world opinion in Israel's favor, quite to the contrary. 

www.msn.com › en-us › news

AP, Thousands of exploding devices in Lebanon trigger a nation that has been on edge for years

A pretty diabolical scheme, still ongoing and admittedly (even proudly) instigated by Israeli operatives, has resulted in very gruesome injuries and even child deaths. Surgeons are trying to save the eyes of wounded survivors. While  the exploding devices do show the lengths that Israel is able to go to inflict earth-shattering pain and damage on those it considers enemies, the operation's evident success has not actually helped Israel win more friends and collaborators in a very volatile region. Israel must now be braced for retaliation and the US will have to foot the Israeli financial bill for whatever happens next.

GMA, 20 

more dead, 450 injured as new 
round of explosions rocks Lebanon: Health officials

Lebanon continues to experience cell phone and pager explosions. Hospitals have been overwhelmed. 

All cell phones and pagers there should be discarded.

Reuters, US lawmaker Rashida Tlaib condemns cartoon showing her with exploding pager

USA Today, Beirut strike kills suspect in 1983 bombings that killed 300 Americans Israel killed a top 

Hezbollah figure who was wanted by the U.S. for his role in the 1983 bombings of the U.S. Embassy and a Marine Corps 

barracks that killed 300 people, the Israeli military confirmed Friday, Hezbollah's operations commander, Ibrahim Aqil.

USA Today, US to send more troops to Middle East after Israeli targets Hezbollah in major 

Lebanon strike

More US troop deployments are not surprising. Secretary Blinken keeps advocating valiantly for a 

ceasefire, but no one is listening. The US administration still hopes for a ceasefire before the US 

election, but Israel keeps on escalating and expanding the fight.

Woman rescued from 13ft python after being trapped for two hours...A Thai woman was rescued after being trapped for two hours in a 13ft python’s coils.

This Bhutan airport landing is so tricky only 50 pilots can do it | CNN

I've asked friends in Bhutan about this.

BBC News, Notre-Dame restoration reveals Renaissance poet's coffin  Joachim du Bellay died in 1560 and now  his lead coffin is believed to have been found during the cathedral's restoration after the 2010 fire. 

Wash. Post, Sword with pharaoh’s mark found in Egypt, still shimmering 3,000 years later 

Going way back in time, a team of archeologists in Egypt has uncovered a sword with hieroglyphs from some 3200 years ago bearing the name of pharaoh Ramesses II. Such artifacts reveal that thousands of years before our own era, sophisticated civilizations had developed and flourished. 

CNN

Thousands of bones and hundreds of weapons reveal grisly insights into a 3,250-year-old battle

Now on my enclosed back porch, an ordinary houseplant keeps extending its fronds, going every which way. Should I clip them? I'll have to ask my biologist daughter the next time she visits.

                                            

                                                     The name of the plant appears below.

                                                Here I was with daughter Stephanie the last time she visited.

Havana has always had some wonderful vistas, but very few buildings there are as freshly painted as

the one depicted here-- in a scene designed to appeal to tourists. I'd love to go back to Cuba again, but 

having been arrested and ejected more than 25 years ago, I hesitate to return even now.

Below, my father is shown doing archeological work in Copán, Honduras, back in 1940, when our family traveled there (I was only age 2).

Now at age 86, after recovering recently from Covid, I am keenly aware of getting older. 

Back in our bygone youth, we usually looked forward to birthdays, heralding growing taller and developing new skills. Now for me, the whole process is occurring in reverse. There is something to be said about just dropping dead one fine day rather than undergoing a slow decline. I had a friend in his late 60's who enjoyed hiking and camping and who used to take me to the airport for my annual trip to Honduras. Then one fine day, without any prior health complaints, he simply dropped dead, shocking all his friends, but actually not so hard for him. 

A handmade tapestry is now on display at a local venue, East City Art. We are fortunate here in DC 

to have 

a very accessible and vibrant arts scene. Perhaps some items being featured there will survive, only to be found centuries later by our descendants, just as we are finding artifacts from centuries past.