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John Jackson

So sorry to hear about Steve Polis.  I've been out of touch for a long time, but I remember him as a really good and generous person.

David Mitchell

The sad news about Steve Polis reminds me of my last "sleepover" at Tom Litzingers house. It was quite late in life for that type of thing - we were juniors - and Steve was with us that night at Tom's house. If I recall correctly, it followed a football game in which we beat Hartley and Tom got to play the entire second half - after Fritz built a big lead and sat out the second half.      BTW, Tom played really well!

Our sleepover was planned beforehand so Steve and I sat together in the stands. I think I drove the two of us. He was alwasy sort of a mellow, easy going guy, but suprisingly intellectual. And a sense of humor.  He was really a hard guy not to like.  

May he have rest and peace forever.

Thanks for the update Mike B.

Michael McLeod

Oh No. That's awful.

Donna Kelley (Velazquez)

Very sad news. May Steve rest in peace.

James Hamilton, M. D.

Sad news about Steve's passing. May he rest in the peace of God's home.

The ultimate reality of this pandemic has taken a member of our class family.

Jim 

Julie Carpenter

Rest in peace, Steve. And thanks for the memories.

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

May God grant to Steve eternal rest.

With the news of Steve's passing, this story I discovered on Facebook takes on a special meaning as we approach the celebration of the birth of the One who came to save us all and grant us eternal life.

Joseph Gentilini

Eternal Rest grant unto Steve Polis, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him.  

James Hamilton, M. D.

Folks,

Tomorrow, 21 December, begins winter. I don't know about you all but I feel that we, in many ways, have missed part of last winter, as well as all of spring, summer and autumn. The things that usually occur in our lives over those seasons have been significantly altered by this pandemic. Travel, church attendance, family gatherings, graduations, sporting events, celebrations, weddings, parties and even simple meals at restaurants have all been affected by this viral plague.

But there appears to be a flicker of light at the end of this tunnel. The two mRNA vaccines (I am not sold on the chimpanzee/adenovirus-derived vaccine which Oxford/Astra-Zeneca is producing) that are being released are very promising and, although not the total answer, will likely have a major positive impact on our lives in 2021. Granted that the inoculations will need time for antibody responses to be generated in a large population, the hope is high for a more normal life in the reasonably near future.

Most of us will be in "Tier 2" (or now maybe Phase 1C as per today's CDC proclamation) thus our time to get the shot will probably be in the spring or summer. So we have to make it through the winter - just like this young doe searching for tufts of grass in the snow:

She knows that the snow will eventually melt.

And our pandemic will eventually be conquered.

Until then, and even after, stay safe!

Jim

David Mitchell

I know we are giving politics a rest for now, but this is kind of fun. My local Democratic Congressman, Joe Cunningham, just did something in his farewell speech to the House of Representatives (he only served one term and then lost this fall) that I have to tip my hat to. 

Joe was a somehwat liberal Democrat but was voted one of the most independent people in all of Congress. He served on that voluntary committe of 42 (can't recall their name) members of Congress and Senate that was composed of 24 Republicans and 24 Democrats - trying to tune out the presssure of party politics and simply get something done. He voted to stop a Congressional pay raise and fought to save some Veterans benefits. He also voted to stop off-shore drillng in the South Carolina coast (a potential disaster in the making). He went into Congress saying Nacy Pelosi had to be replaced as their leader (and caught hell for it). And he often worked across the aisle, urging both sides to a more co-operative stance.

In his concession speech to a Republican Trump Lady, Nancy Mace (the first female cadet graduate of our nearby "Citadel" military univesity), he mentioned something just in passing that I seized upon. He stated that one of the problems with Congress is Gerrymandering, and that it needs to be reformed or abolished. 

I could not agreee more!   (along with term limitations and a few other things)

I wish you could view one of his political ads. It was one of the funniest, light-hearted, down to earth politial ads I have ever seen, with his three brothers joking about how they teased him as a kid. Too bad more politicains could't practice a little more humility and self-deprecating humor.

But he gained instant notoriety when he first arrived in Washingotn and tried to bring a six pack of local brewery beer from one of South Carolinas growing micro-brewerey busines into the floor of the House - making some sort of point about our state's economy. Due to the fact that that is illegal in Congress, the memory of that gesture followed him ever since.

So, last week on the floor of Congress, Joe gave this wonderful goodbye.   

David Mitchell

O-M-Golly, 

Well-known Conservative Evangelical author and lecturer Beth Moore has really gone and done it now!

I won't comment. Nor do I ask you all to comment. Just could not let this go without calling your attention to it.

But google her name and see if you find her recent comments interesting. If you knew her and her following, and knew as many Evangelicals as I do you'd know how big this is. Wow!

Reminds me of Billy Joel's, "We Didn't Start the Fire" 

(could not find the video Mark posted last year, but you get the idea.

Michael McLeod

Yep. Good to see her stand up like that. And actually, Dave, she isn't only one in that corner of the woods coming out about it.

Not that I'd want to comment, or anything.

David Mitchell

If you haven't yet realized what a special place Columbus Ohio is, then get a load of this. 

I only wish I could get the rolling video to post here, but you can get other live video views if you Google up something like "Naked man rollerblading on highway in Columbus Ohio". 

Kathleen Wintering (Nagy)

So sorry to read about Steve. He was a great member of the Class of `66!! Kathy Wintering

Michael McLeod

Dave: Just in case you are keeping score:

Televangelist Pat Robertson, one of President Trump’s staunchest backers, on Monday described Trump as “very erratic,” called on him to accept that President-elect Joe Biden won and said the Republican should not consider running again in 2024.

The comments marked a sharp turnaround for Robertson, who recently voiced support for Trump’s false claims of widespread voter fraud and declared before the election that God had told him Trump was going to win.

“I think it’s a sideshow,” Robertson said Monday on his television show, “The 700 Club,” when asked whether he thinks Trump should run again in 2024. “I think it would be a mistake. My money would be on [former United Nations ambassador] Nikki Haley; I think she’d make a tremendous candidate for the Republican Party.”

James Hamilton, M. D.

Here We Go Again?

SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01 (VUI = Variant Under Investigation).

That's the name of this new strain (mutation) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that has been found in the UK. Seventy percent more conageous than the original but supposedly does not cause a worse disease. The big question is whether the vaccines will be protective from that strain also. I am sure there will be more questions in the days to come.

Stay tuned... 

Jim 

Joseph Gentilini

Responding to Mike's comment about Pat Robertson - I was amazed at his comments suggesting Trump get over it and recognize Biden's election.  Almost made my head swirl since he has been one of his most ardent supporters.  When Pat's mind has changed, it probably shocked Trump and made him even angrier.  I think Donald is unravelling and truly is mentally ill. I pray for him.

Michael McLeod

Joseph:

That is the single most intelligent post about Donald Trump I have seen on this forum - or any other, for that matter.

It reflects heart and mind -- which is to say compassion and common sense. 

A balance between those two qualities when the subject of Mr. Trump comes up is truly in short supply. I know I can't muster it up. I've tried and failed. So congrats, bro.

David Mitchell

I bet you all thought that the convegence of Jupiter and Saturn was the event that only happens every 800 years, but you are only partially correct.  

Au Contraire!

It's only every 800 years when Betth Moore, Pat Robertson, Newsmax, and Fox News all make confessions that "converge" on the same message about elections and voting machine mis-information.  

Sorry Rudi and Sidney.  I guess it wasn't Hugo Chavez after all. 

David Mitchell

I celebrated a rather unique 50th anniversary a few days ago. It was 50 years ago that a young Warrant Officer "Loach" pilot was flying his second-to-last day (or so he thought - but turned out to be his last day) of his first 12-month tour in the magnificent "Delta", and stretched his luck just a wee bit too far, and got shot down. 

The before and after is really more intersting than the fact itself. But the story is a bit too gritty for this time of year on the Forum. Think I'll hold it till 2021.   I think you will be amused by the (bizarre) final outcome. 

Michael McLeod

Ok so here is a story for the season:

I have a friend named Santa. No, seriously: I have a friend named Santa. Her father gave her that name so people would remember her. (He needn't have done so: she is just one of those beautiful, heartfelt, funny, trustworthy, non-judgmental and altogether likeable people you feel very fortunate to have in your universe.) She was the award-winning page designer and artist at the magazine I worked for and we've been friends for years but had not seen each other for quite some time.

Something else that is unique about Santa is that she once designed birthday cards, valentine cards, and I have to assume Christmas cards for Hallmark. And several times over the years, when I've had serious tragedies in my life and was in grief and confusion and pain, I would recieve from her a personal, hand-made card  - one that looked absolutely like a store-bought card but clearly was a homemade, one-of-a-kind on closer inspection, often including our personal greeting - "Hey, pal" - that had sprung up between us over the years.

She also sent me handmade cards on happy occasions - but it's the ones that came through in the clutch that meant the most. Safe to say she lives up to her name. She makes a damn good Santa. And that is how I have her listed in my cell -- simply, as "Santa." 

Therin lies an amusing problem.

I keep forgetting this, because over the past few years we haven't stayed continually in touch, but if I just call her the way I call anyone else on my cell phone and say her name out loud - "Siri, call Santa" -- as I just did a few minutes ago, Siri gives me crap. But of course she does. Instead of connecting me, she assumes I am just messing around, kicks into smart-ass mode as she is programmed to do, and says:

"I can't. But don't worry. I'll put in a good word." 

Try your own phone and see what she says. She won't connect you to my dear friend, Santa Choplin, I'll tell you that much.

John Maxwell

Joseph D. McCarthy

All right - Time for a commercial break, or the lateast quiz.  We will probably need Mr. Fred to interject on this topic.

Who can name the most famous, world-wide known, indivdual born as a, probable, follower of Yahweh?  And what is Yahweh?  

Now back to our somewhat regular program.

Now that the vaccine is nearing release for all of us I wan't to wish everyone Happy Hoidays and a Very Happy New Year.

Joe

Michael McLeod

Well I'll guess Jesus of Nazareth. 

Joseph D. McCarthy

Come on Mike.  That's only half of the questions, but very astute.

And following the Watterson Rules of education, so far you have a "C".  With the answer to the follwing quesion you might get to an "A-".

Joe