Ted’s Remarks About Stuff
July thru September, 2013


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Sep. 30, 2013

It looks like parts of the U.S. federal government will be shutting down tonight at midnight EDT.  This is due to an inability of the House and Senate to agree on a resolution to keep the government running.

Government shutdown Q&A:
How long? What's the impact?

Sep. 29, 2013

As a conservative white male, I resent the implication that I am “racist” against people of other colors, particularly African-American or Black people.  Some of my best friends in life have been black, brown, yellow, and other colors.

By no means do I dislike Barack Obama because he is black (although, he is half white).  On the other hand, I have a strong aversion to his misguided and imprudent policies, many of which I am convinced are devastating the economy and general stability of the USA.

I like today’s article by Frances Rice, retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and Chairman of the National Black Republican Association:

Do Democrats Commit Hate Crimes
Against Black Republicans?

Sep. 26, 2013

The so-called “Affordable” Care Act, also known as Obamacare, will take effect, officially, in a few days.  On October 1, the insurance exchanges nationwide will open.  People without health insurance will be going to these exchanges to purchase coverage.

The U.S. House of Representatives has sent a bill to the U.S. Senate, a portion of which defunds Obamacare.  However, there is little doubt in my mind that the Senate, controlled by Democrats (who are the only ones that voted for Obamacare in the first place), will strip out the part that defunds Obamacare and send it back to the Senate.

This law has been a major attack on American freedom and liberty since its final passage on Mar. 21, 2010, and it will continue to be so.  Anyone who believes otherwise is living in a wishful-thinking fantasy.

ObamaCare Technical Glitches
Mount As Oct. 1 Launch Nears


On October 1, Obamacare's
Price Tag Will Surprise Americans

Sep. 23, 2013

The end of the brutal attack on the upscale Westgate mall in Nairobi, Kenya, finally may be near.  For three days, Islamic Al Shabab militants have killed and injured shoppers in the mall.  They have been targeting non-Muslims.

Kenya mall attack: Somali terror
group may include Americans

Some of the attackers have been identified as having come from the USA, including from Minnesota and Kansas.  There also are reports that some of the Islamic militants are from Canada, Finland and the UK.

Abdiwahab Shiekh Abdisamad, a Nairobi-based expert on Horn of Africa issues, has states, “Al Shabab is no longer a Somalia problem or a Somalia baby. It is now an international problem.”  I believe this to be a fact; this is why the fight against Islamic extremism is referred to as the “global war on terror.”  I feel it is probable, rather than merely possible, that such attacks will occur in the USA.

Americans who do not recognize radical Islam as a national and global threat are sadly but blatantly ignorant.  When unanticipated terrorist attacks begin, law-abiding citizens will be caught off-guard and will be in complete consternation and dismay.  By that point, the onslaught of violent assaults will not be easy to halt.


Sep. 22, 2013

This is the first day of Autumn in the northern hemisphere (and first day of Spring in the southern hemisphere).  I stood some raw eggs on end, one on the narrow end and one on the wide end, which I like to do on the Autumnal or Vernal Equinox.  It’s just one of my things. 

   
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Try it yourself, but be careful that an egg doesn’t topple over and roll off the table.  I guess you could make a scrambled egg with it if that happens.


Sep. 19, 2013

Today is the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles (= Sukkot), the seventh Hebraic feast of the year.  It began last evening at sunset.  According to Leviticus 23:42,43, all native-born Israelites were (and are) to construct and to live in booths or “sukkot” (which is the plural of “sukkah”) for a week.

Doing this each year was and is a reminder to them of the temporary tabernacles in which their Israelite ancestors lived after leaving ancient Egypt.  For forty years, they resided in the tabernacles as they roamed around the desert, from place to place; and God took care of all of their needs, including water, food, and clothing.

I do not build a sukkah, as I am not a native-born Israelite, nor am I even Jewish.  But I have a Jewish friend, age 95, who has a little structure in her backyard that reminds me of a sukkah.  She and I have enjoyed sitting in there during the week of Sukkot the past few years, pretending it is a sukkah.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1) in a sukkah during Sukkot, not in a stable in December.  The word “tabernacle,” used as a verb, means “to take up temporary residence, especially to inhabit a physical body” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).  So Jesus tabernacled with mankind for a few decades after He came the first time.

Incidentally, there is a full moon on the first day of Sukkot, on which Jesus most likely was born.  Interestingly, Jesus died on Passover (which was on Good Thursday of that year), on which there also was a full moon.

As a Jew, Jesus celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles and even taught in the temple courts during the feast (John 7:1-44).  In the future Messianic era, during the Millennium, Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah will return to tabernacle with us again.  Representatives from the nations of the world will go to Jerusalem, where King Yeshua will be sitting on His throne, to observe the Feast of Tabernacles—essentially, a giant birthday celebration for Jesus:

The LORD will be king over the whole earth.  On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. ... Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:9,16)
Sep. 17, 2013

I enjoy walking around Balboa Park and hadn’t been there in awhile, so I drove over there.  They eliminated a lot of parking space there a few months ago, so it usually takes longer to find a place to park.

Once I parked, I had to run to the botanical building, since it was closing soon.  I got to the door at 3:55, and it closed at 4:00.  So I walked around for five minutes and took snapshots of only orchids.

After that, I walked around other parts of the park.  It’s a nice place to relax if you’re stressed, or even if you’re not (I wasn’t, especially after I left).

         

         

         
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Sep. 14, 2013

At sunset yesterday, Yom Kippur began.  It also is known as the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32, 25:9; Numbers 29:7-11), and it will end this evening at sunset.

I have a friend who fasts for 25 hours on Yom Kippur instead of for 24 hours.  I have heard that others do that as well; so I do it, too.

I believe that Yeshua/Jesus will return to earth, to begin to rule and reign, on a future Yom Kippur, at the end of the 70th Week.  In the past, I have written two email responses having to do with Yom Kippur:


Sep. 12, 2013

I returned to San Diego yesterday afternoon after having a great time in No. CA for a couple of weeks.  While there, I didn’t eat any Thai or Japanese food, and I was craving it when I got back.  So I had an early dinner at Ichiban and lunch today at Taste of Thai.  That will satisfy my cravings for awhile.

         
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Sep. 11, 2013

The events twelve years ago on September 11, 2001, were a stern warning to America from God.  However, over the years, the enormity of that day has been discounted, and not many continue to heed God’s admonition.

One who understands not only the gravity of 9/11 but who also has written about the prophetic nature of that day is Jonathan Cahn in his book The Harbinger, which includes details of the nine harbingers that God has used to warn both Israel and the United States.  More about this can be read here, plus a one-hour video by Rabbi Cahn can be viewed:

God's Judgment on America prophesied in 9/11:
Scripture linked to 9/11 in the most amazing uncanny ways


The Harbinger — Rabbi Cahn, Full Version

The basis of Rabbi Cahn’s message is this significant passage in the book of Isaiah:

The Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall on Israel.  All the people will know it—Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria—who say with pride and arrogance of heart, “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig [sycamore] trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars. ... But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 9:8-10,13)

All of this reminds me of ancient Judah.  Josiah, one of the last kings of Judah, began to reign at the young age of 8 years old.  During the majority of the 31 years that he reigned, he kept God foremost in all that he did.  Nevertheless, the destruction of Judah, at the hands of the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:8-11), already had been determined by God; and even a near-perfect king could not change God’s mind.

This is what the LORD says:  I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read.  Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me to anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched. (2 Kings 22:16,17)

Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.  Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to provoke him to anger. (2 Kings 23:25,26)

You can read the account of King Josiah in 2 Kings 22:1 through 23:30 and in 2 Chronicles 34:1 through 35:27.  Basically, the stiff-necked, foolish people and most of their leaders had forsaken God and had worshiped other gods.  They were not going to repent and alter their allegiance and behavior, though they were implored repeatedly by God to do so (2 Chronicles 36:14-16).

The most righteous king who ever ruled over Judah humbled himself and reformed the official policies of the nation to conform to the Book of the Law of the Lord, given through Moses; yet God would not recind His inexorable judgment on the nation.  This was because the king could not change the minds and hearts of the people.  Collectively, they might have been able to change God’s mind by humbling themselves before Him, seeking His face, and turning from their evil ways (2 Chronicles 7:14); but they would not.

I feel that not only the USA but all the nations on earth are in the same boat.  Most of humanity has rejected the one true King and Creator of the universe: YHWH ().  The people of the world have gone their own stubborn ways, and there will be an exceedingly high price to pay for this.  A “flushed toilet” cannot be “unflushed.”  Thus, I regret to say, I do not think that any nation of the world, including America, will be exempt from either of the following dreadful judgments to come: the Great Tribulation and the Day of Vengeance.


Sep. 10, 2013

Even when I am away from home, I put together my raw oats and fruit concoction to eat—along with toasted corn tortilla, crunchy peanut butter, and coffee—virtually every morning.  I even eat the orange peel, which is a great source of fiber.  More details can be seen in my Aug. 24, 2012 entry.

         
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After making my breakfast today, I put a whole bunch of small golden tomatoes (picked yesterday) in a ziploc bag.  In case we go somewhere, I want to take them with me to munch on.  They are a great snack.  They also are an excellent source of the anti-oxidant lycopene.


Sep. 9, 2013

We were out in the garden harvesting again today.  Besides an abundance of tomatoes, we collected egglants, Thai peppers, jalapeño peppers, red bell peppers, and a butternut squash.  Soon thereafter, I made myself a little snack of tomatoes and basil leaves.

         
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Sep. 7, 2013

A couple of friends and I drove into San Francisco today.  One of them is Indonesian, so our main destination was an Indonesian food fair that was going on at Fort Mason Center.  There were lots of friendly people and great food there.

         
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Nearby, in San Francisco Bay, the first day of the America’s Cup catamaran races were taking place.  The New Zealand team beat the U.S. team in the first of several races.  Since we were near the water, we saw a few of the vessels participating in the race.

         
         
         
         
         
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The weather was perfect in San Francisco.  On the way back to Marin County, my friend’s car thermometer measured 100°.  When we got home, I took the heat sensor for the clock and placed it in the sun (usually, it is in the shade).  It registered 110°.

I don’t know if it actually was that hot, but it felt to be at least 104° or 105°.  In any case, that’s my kind of weather.  I thought about getting a few Thai peppers from the garden and popping them in my mouth.

Since the pavement was very hot, he decided to take the dog in the car and walk her in the Rush Creek Open Space Preserve.  She really enjoyed that, especially getting to rub noses with another dog.

         

         
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Sep. 5, 2013

The Feast of Trumpets began at sunset last evening and will continue to be observed today and tomorrow.  It also is known as Rosh HaShanah or the Jewish new year.  There is a new moon, and it is a special Sabbath:

Say to the Israelites: “On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts.  Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.” (Leviticus 23:24,25)

Today begins the ten days known as Yamim Nora’im or Days of Awe.  This period will end on Yom Kippur, which begins this year at sunset on Sep. 13 and continuing until sunset on Sep. 14.  Various dates for Hebraic feast and holy days in upcoming years can be seen in the Calendar of Hebraic Holy Days 2012–2020 table.

Yeshua/Jesus will fulfill all of the Hebraic Fall Festivals/Holy Days at His second coming.  I believe that the Pre-wrath Rapture event will take place on a future Feast of Trumpets, perhaps within the next handful of years.


Sep. 4, 2013

We picked another load of fresh vegetables today.  There were habanero and serrano peppers (red and green), red cayenne peppers, red Thai peppers, onions, tomatoes, eggplants, and spaghetti squash.

         

         

         
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At one point, we were laughing about something and I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing.  Thinking I had picked a small red tomato, I popped it into my mouth, chewed it up, and swallowed it in just a few seconds.

Then I realized that it wasn’t a tomato; it was an extremely hot red habanero pepper.  For the next 20 minutes or so, it felt like I had consumed a glass of molten lava.  Actually, I kind of enjoyed it.

My friend likes to dehydrate and store his peppers so that he can have them for the months ahead.  So we de-stemmed the peppers, put them into a food processor, spread them out on sheets, and placed them into a food dehydrator for several hours.

Afterwards, they were so potent that capsaicin molecules were floating everywhere in the room.  We had to put on masks to avoid coughing.  I ate one tiny sliver of a Thai pepper; it was extremely hot and tasty.  I could eat those everyday and never get tired of them.


Sep. 2, 2013

The friend I am visiting is an excellent cook, whether on the stove or on the grill.  This afternoon, he grilled eggplants, red bell peppers, and chicken breasts.

The green marinade he put on the chicken included basil, terragon, olive oil, white wine, and jalapeño peppers.  There also were some beets leftover from the other night.  It was an outstanding meal.

         
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I hope you had a happy Labor Day.  It is late Monday night, and I see that the new portion of the Bay Bridge just opened a little while ago, several hours ahead of schedule.  Someone on the news just said that it is the largest self-anchored suspension bridge in the world.  Wow.


Sep. 1, 2013

San Francisco—Oakland Bay BridgeThe traffic around the Bay Area, where I am visiting, has been especially crazy since Wednesday night.  This is because the Bay Bridge (connecting Oakland and San Francisco) is closed.  The brand new 2.2-mile eastern span of the bridge is expected to reopen Tuesday morning by 5:00 a.m.

The old Bay Bridge opened on Nov. 1, 1936, six months before the Golden Gate Bridge.  During the 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake of Oct. 17, 1989, a section of the eastern span of the Bay Bridge’s upper deck collapsed onto the lower deck, and the bridge was closed for a month.  I recall what a nightmare that was.

Originally, the eastern portion of the bridge was going to be retrofitted for an estimated cost of $230 million.  However, the choice was made to build a new bridge, swelling the cost to a whopping $6.4-billion.  That project began in 2005.

New San Francisco Bay Bridge to
open decades after '89 quake

I recall the big 1989 earthquake, which took place at the beginning of the third game of the World Series.  Coincidentally, the series was between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics, teams on either end of the Bay Bridge.

I lived in Irvine, CA, at the time and was at my community swimming pool.  It was late afternoon, and I had fallen asleep in a chair.  Suddenly, I woke up, startled, and looked around.  It was like something or someone had awakened me, but no one else was around, and it was very quiet.  I remember wondering why I had woken up so suddenly.

So I went back to my house and turned on the TV.  The broadcast of the baseball game at Candlestick Park had stopped, and I learned about the quake on the news.  To this day, I think I may have felt a small wave of the quake hundreds of miles away and woken up, since I am a very light sleeper.  Another friend in Orange County, herself a light sleeper, reported the same thing to me.

I have been rocked by several quakes in So. CA over the years, including (but not limited to) the following:

  • 6.8 Imperial Valley earthquake: Oct. 15, 1979;
  • 6.0 Palm Springs earthquake: July 8, 1986;
  • 5.9 Whittier Narrows earthquake: Oct. 1, 1987;
  • 5.6 Whittier Narrows aftershock: Oct. 4, 1987;
  • 4.7 Newport Beach earthquake: Apr. 7, 1989;
  • 5.4 Upland earthquake: Feb. 28, 1990;
  • 5.8 Sierra Madre earthquake: June 28, 1991;
  • 6.1 Joshua Tree earthquake: Apr. 22, 1992;
  • 7.3 Landers earthquake: June 28, 1992;
  • 6.4 Big Bear earthquake (aftershock of Landers quake): June 28, 1992; and
  • 6.7 Northridge earthquake: Jan. 17, 1994.
There have been others, but those were the most memorable quakes for me.  I doubt that I have felt the last of them.


Aug. 30, 2013

I flew up to San Francisco a couple of days ago and am visiting a friend in Marin County.  I like coming up here because we go on a long walk with his dog everyday, and he has an elliptical machine that I use for 30 minutes a day.  Best of all, though, he always has a bumper crop of vegetables this time of year, and I go nuts eating all of them.

We spent a few hours making homemade pasta sauce.  I washed and took the stems off of scores of small tomatoes (eating many along the way).  I also picked all the basil leaves off of their stems.

He puréed all of the tomatoes in a food processor and then simmered the liquid for quite awhile.  He also chopped up onions, garlic, eggplant, serrano peppers, red bell peppers, mushrooms, and kalamata olives to add to the sauce.

         

         
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Recently, he went on an Alaska cruise, where he caught fresh salmon and had them shipped home.  Along with the salmon, he had grilled some eggplant and mushrooms.  Plus he had baked some red and golden beets and some spaghetti squash.  Most of it was from his garden.  I put together a plate of food for dinner that would have rivaled that of any gormet restaurant.  Yum.


Aug. 29, 2013

Just like Egypt, Syria has been involved in a revolt of its people against the government.  Tens of thousands of civilians have been slaughtered by the Syrian regime over the past couple of years, most recently by chemical weapons.

Whether there will be an intervention by the U.S. military in this conflict is unknown.  Today, the British Parliament narrowly voted against military engagement in Syria, perhaps forcing the U.S. to go it alone if it chooses to strike Syria.

One main factor, as to whether or not this will happen, may be how Syria’s main allies—Russia, China, and Iran—will react.  This article provides a good overview of this:

Syria allies: Why Russia, Iran and
China are standing by the regime

Of course, another consideration is that if the U.S. sends forces into Syria, there could be a subsequent retaliation by Syria against Israel.  In that case, I certainly would not expect Israel to sit idly by and take it.


Aug. 23, 2013

A friend and I ate at one of our favorite places for lunch.  It is the Asia Seafood Buffet in Buena Park.  There is a wide variety, and we both think that the food is excellent.

She and I don’t go there too often because we both gorge ourselves, and we typically do not like to do that.  When we do go, we eat nothing before we get there, and it is our only meal of the day.

         
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Looking at that food, it’s amazing to me that I ate all of it.  But I did.


Aug. 22, 2013

Bob Filner, Ex-Mayor of San DiegoFINALLY, San Diego’s Mayor Bob Filner has resigned.  What a relief.  I hope the next mayor will respect women, not exploit them.

Bob Filner to resign as San Diego
mayor over sexual harassment

To celebrate, I ate lunch at one of my favorite Thai places, Taste of Thai.  As usual, I had a ped mak mak (extremely spicy) red curry vegetarian plate.

         
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It was super-duper yummy, as it always is.


Aug. 20, 2013

It seems that there always has been a heated debate, within Christendom, about the “predestination vs. free will” issue.  Personally, I believe that both of these things are equally true.  That is, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the two.  Someone emailed me with some questions about this and related topics; you can click here to see my response:


Aug. 15, 2013

Military vehicle being pushed off of a bridgeThe rebellion and chaos in Egypt has become much worse.  Members of the Muslim Brotherhood have persisted in protesting the ouster of former President Mohammed Morsi since July 3.

Hundreds have been killed in just the past day.  Several Christian churches have been burned down.  An armored police vehicle was pushed off of a bridge by protestors.  I doubt that this volatile situation will be under control anytime soon.

Defiant Muslim Brotherhood vows to 'bring down' military
coup in Egypt, as protesters storm government buildings

I continue to wonder how near Egypt is to civil war and when the series of events in Isaiah 19 might begin.


Aug. 11, 2013

Tonight, from about 11:00 p.m. to just before dawn, will be the best viewing of the Perseid meteor shower.  Look mainly in the northern to northeastern sky, where the constellation Perseus is located.  On average, there should be about 50 to 70 meteors seen per hour.


Aug. 6, 2013

Tonight at sunset, the Hebrew month of Elul begins.  There also is a new moon, which always takes place on the first day of every Hebrew month.

This begins the season of TeshuvahTeshuvah means “return” or “repentance.”  It will encompass Rosh HaShanah = Feast of Trumpets, 30 days from now; and it will end in 40 days on Yom Kippur = Day of Atonement, the highest holy day on the Jewish calendar.

This season should involve prayer, seeking God’s face, and entering into spiritual intimacy with God.  In a deeper sense, it means to sacrifice our interests, desires, pleasures on behalf of others.

Furthermore, we should strive to let go of our self-motivated actions of judgment, criticism, and gossip.  This is easier said than done (especially for myself); but by seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can be successful in this endeavor.


Aug. 5, 2013

Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President ObamaDuring the Benghazi, Libya attacks of Sep. 11, 2012, Americans Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, and Tyrone Woods were murdered.  Since then, many have suggested that there was a cover-up, by the Obama administration—specifically, about who issued the order to prevent military offensive actions that could have neutralized the terrorist’s actions, thereby saving lives that were lost.

The spotlight now seems to be on Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to President Obama.  It may be that she was the one to direct the US troops and the CIA to stand down in Benghazi.  This is an interesting revelation, in light of Mr. Obama’s recent reference to the Benghazi issue as one of several “phony scandals.”

Benghazi Bombshell:
Valerie Jarrett, Commander in Chief

Actually, though, this is old news.  The following article from Nov. 19, 2012, only a couple of months after the Benghazi attack, points to Valerie Jarrett’s possible involvement:

Did Valerie Jarrett Limit
Defensive Actions in Benghazi?

July 30, 2013

Hole in the sunA giant coronal hole in the sun, about 400,000 miles across, was observed by NASA on July 18.  The diameter of this hole is about 50 earth widths.  It is an area of cooler, less dense material in the sun’s atmosphere, the corona.

The hole does not affect the sun’s brightness, but it does cause a disruption in the sun’s magnetic field.  This and other coronal holes are moving closer to the sun’s north and south poles.

The presence of these big holes is a normal phenomenon that happens every 11 years, as the solar cycle reaches a maximum of activity.  This maximum is expected to be in late 2013 or early 2014.  Potentially, this could cause disruptions of communications and GPS systems on earth.

Spacecraft sees giant "hole" in sun

This caused me to think about something that I’d never considered before.  I wonder if this, possibly, could have anything to do with the sun turning dark as one of the cosmic disturbances associated with the opening of the Sixth Seal.  At that time, the sun will turn “black like sackcloth made of goat hair” (Revelation 6:12), and then the day of vengeance will be imminent.

Unless I see further evidence, I am going to assume there is no connection between this large coronal hole and the opening of the Sixth Seal.  Some have suggested that the solar and lunar eclipses taking place in 2014 and 2015, on significant Hebraic calendar days, explain the changes in the sun and moon after the Sixth Seal is opened.  My response to that notion is here:


July 29, 2013

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas heads a cabinet meeting in the West Bank city of RamallahNew Israeli/Palestinian “peace talks” are taking place in Washington, DC, today.  The Israelis will be represented by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Yitzhak Molcho, and the Palestinians will be represented by Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat and Mohammad Shtayyeh.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has reiterated his praise for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.  He said, “Both leaders have demonstrated a willingness to make difficult decisions that have been instrumental in getting to this point.  We are grateful for their leadership.”

Israel, Palestinians dispute format
of Washington peace talks

These are the first peace talks in almost three years, which began on Sep. 12, 2010.  Those talks turned out to be unproductive, as I expect these new talks to be.


July 28, 2013

Officially, there have been two temples in Jerusalem: the First Temple (Solomon’s Temple) and the Second Temple (Zerubbabel’s Temple).  Some have wondered why Herod’s Temple should not have been considered to be a Third Temple.  The reason is that it actually was an expansion of the Second Temple.  Here is a question about that; click on it to see my response:


July 26, 2013

There is no doubt in my mind that the personal freedoms and liberties of Americans are at risk.  There is a great deal “behind the scenes” about which we are unaware.

Like many nations before us, and even at the present time in the world, police states physically invade the privacy of innocent citizens.  I feel that the USA is headed in that direction as well, perhaps much sooner than most people can comprehend.  This video provides a taste of this:

Wake Up America: Homeland Security
Preparing For 2nd Revolution

July 24, 2013

Egyptian General General Abdul-Fattah el-SisiThe protests in Egypt not only are continuing but are escalating.  This is due, in part, to an appeal by General Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi to the Egyptian people.

General Sisi is calling Egyptians to go into the streets, en masse, giving him a mandate to crack down on violence and terrorism occuring around the country.  For all intents and purposes, Egypt’s military has just declared war on the Muslim Brotherhood.

Egyptian General Calls for Mass Protests

It appears to me that Egypt is one step closer to civil war.  If so, the events in Egypt described in Isaiah 19 could be near.


July 18, 2013

The city of Detroit, Michigan, declared bankruptcy today.  It is the largest city in U.S. history to do so.  Detroit has lost over half of its population over the last 60 years, from 1.8 million to 700,000.

Detroit files for bankruptcy protection

Besides Detroit, MI, here are other localities in the U.S. that are bankrupt:

  • City of San Bernardino, CA
  • City of Stockton, CA
  • Jefferson County, AL
  • City of Central Falls, RI

When there is a very low ratio of people who produce to people who live off of the government, this happens.  No doubt there are other U.S. cities and counties that are bankrupt but that have not filed yet.  I have little doubt that such bankruptcies will continue to increase.


July 16, 2013

Today is Tisha B’Av or the 9th of Av, which actually began at sunset last evening.  It is a day of mourning to commemorate the many tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people in the past.

Tisha B’Av

July 15, 2013

Bob Filner, Mayor of San DiegoEmbattled mayor of San Diego, Bob Filner, has insisted that he is not going to resign.  This was hours after three former supporters revealed details to the media about the sexual harassment allegations made against him.  Several members of the City Council, Democrats and Republicans alike, have called for Filner to resign.

Filner, a 70-year-old Democrat, has stated that a fair investigation will find him innocent of sexual harassment.  Yet, last week he admitted to treating women on his staff poorly.  He also promised to seek professional help, take a sexual harassment class and apologize to women he may have offended, besides saying, “I need help.”  It almost sounds like he is both acknowledging and denying his problem at the same time.

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner accused
of forcibly kissing, groping women

Admittedly, I am not thrilled with Bob Filner as the mayor of my favorite city in the world.  San Diego needs a leader who can respect women, not take advantage of them.  I hope that he will peceive the necessity of stepping down soon.


July 14, 2013

Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli CabinetIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today that Iran was getting closer to the “red line” that he had set for that nation’s nuclear program several months ago.  Netanyahu had conveyed the imminent danger of this “red line” in a speech to the United Nations on Sep. 27, 2012, when he said that Iran could reach that threshold by mid-2013.

Netanyahu: Iran 'weeks away' from crossing red line

Today, Netanyahu warned the international community not to be distracted by the crises in Syria and Egypt.  He noted that Iran must be stopped before amassing enough uranium to fuel one nuclear bomb.

I believe that Israel is fully capable of making a unilateral military strike against Iran to prevent it from crossing the nuclear barrier.  Potentially, such an attack could change the course of world history overnight.


I have been craving lasagna, so I made two of them today.  They’re almost identical to the ones I made on Jan. 20.  This time, though, I used whole-wheat lasagna noodles, which are more healthful.

         

         

         

         
1-minute slideshow

I put one in the refrigerator and stored one in the freezer.  I also made some cornbread with whole kernels of corn in it; I was craving that, too.  All of that food will last me quite awhile.


July 12, 2013

Janet NapolitanoU.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano confirmed today she will leave her position to lead the University of California system of schools.  Napolitano, a Democrat, also was governor of Arizona from 2003 to 2009.

Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security chief, to head UC

Interestingly, a poll of visitors to the L.A. Times website revealed that 78% of them felt Janet Napolitano is not a good choice to head the UC system.


July 9, 2013

A Palestinian jihadist group, Masada al-Mujahideen, has indicated that it is to blame for recent wildfires in Arizona.  The Yarnell Hill fire, which tragically killed 19 firefighters (members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots), caused the most devastating loss of life for wildfire firefighters in 80 years.

Palestinian Terror Group Claims
Responsibility for Arizona Wildfires

Officials in Arizona have felt that the Yarnell Hill fire, and some other fires, probably were caused by lightning.  However, al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for setting fires in several European nations, and I have no doubt that they would like to do the same in the USA, if they have not already done so.

The best solution would be to seal the border from California to Texas.  There is no excuse for not doing this soon, and it should be done before any immigration bill is signed into law.  The illegals who are crossing the border are not just harmless Mexicans; they also are dangerous terrorists from Middle Eastern countries.  It’s only a matter of time before they bring over a weapon, or weapons, of mass destruction.


July 7, 2013

A day after Mohamed ElBaradei’s appointment as interim prime minster on July 6, his selection now is in doubt.  Apparently, this mostly is due to intense objections by members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Mohamed ElBaradei's appointment as
Egypt's interim PM thrown into doubt

It does not sound like the new government in Egypt is at all stable.  This seems to me to be further evidence that Egypt is headed for more chaos and even civil war.


July 6, 2013

Mohamed ElBaradei, Prime Minister of EgyptLiberal opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei, 71, was named as Egypt’s interim prime minister today.  He is a former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a UN nuclear watchdog.

ElBaradei named Egyptian prime minister

Adly Mansour, who became Egypt’s new president on July 3, named ElBaradei as prime minister.  ElBaradei is expected to be part of transition negotiations with the military, as well as taking a leading role in developing a new constitution.


July 4, 2013

Thank God everyday for your freedom and liberty, as well as your independence from tyranny and from governmental totalitarianism, fellow Americans.  Never, ever take these things for granted, as they can be lost relatively quickly and readily.


July 3, 2013

Egyptian protestersMillions of Egyptians have been protesting for days, calling for President Mohamed Morsi to step down.  He has refused, so today Egypt’s military toppled the country’s first democratically elected president, who now is under house arrest.

Mohamed Morsi was elected on June 24, 2012.  For over a year in power, he has been accused of not achieving the goals of the people and of failing to meet the demands of his generals, insisting that he share power with his opposition.

Furthermore, in his attempt to further the cause of Islam, Morsi has worsened an already terrible economy, and unemployment continues to escalate.  But the political turbulence in Egypt has been going on for decades.  Since the “Arab Spring” uprisings of 2011, the stability of the nation has declined rapidly.

Egypt coup against Morsi is
rooted in a decades-long struggle

Adly Mansour, President of EgyptThe head of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mansour, 67, will replace Morsi as Egypt’s interim president.  He will be sworn into office tomorrow.  Also, Egypt’s constitution has been suspended indefinitely.

I have my doubts that Egypt ever will be stable again.  This is not good for Israel next door, who has had to deal with an increasing number of unpredictable neighbors in the past few years.  At least with Hosni Mubarak as president, Egypt was relatively stable; now it is volatile and may become explosive.

For those who are wondering if Isaiah 19 might be in the process of being fulfilled right now, I feel pretty much the same as I did in 2012, when Mubarak was being expelled.  Here is one of my email responses at that time:

Basically, I do feel that what is happening in Egypt right now probably is the precursor of the events included in Isaiah 19.  If an Egyptian civil war ensues, it would seem to hasten the onset of those events.  And if we are near the end of the age (see my July 1) entry, then all these things probably will take place sooner rather than later.


July 2, 2013

The U.S. Treasury Obama administration announced late tonight that it will delay, from 2014 to 2015, a key part of the president’s signature health law.  This pertains to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as “Obamacare.”  Specifically, what will be delayed is the requirement that companies employing more than 50 people must provide health coverage for employees working over 30 hours per week.

Obamacare 101: Why major part of
health law is delayed, and who's affected

I firmly believe that the ACA is going to be a complete failure.  If this disastrous health care law were to be fully implemented in 2014, more Americans would realize how terrible it is and would be less likely to vote in the Nov. 2014 elections for Democrats, who were the ones that voted for it.  Most likely, this is a big reason why full implementation of the ACA is being delayed until after those elections.

No Republicans voted for the Affordable Care Act.  When Democrats in the House of Representatives voted for the Senate’s version of the ACA on Mar. 21, 2010, I referred to Obamacare as a “train wreck waiting to happen.”  A couple of months ago, on May 10, Senator Max Baucus, an author of the ACA, also warned that implementation of the law was becoming a “train wreck.”

Countless unsuspecting Americans are going to be utterly shocked and bewildered when Obamacare is fully implemented.  It’s just that, with the delay, they won’t find out for at least a year later than they otherwise would have.  At a minimum, those who support it and who are up for re-election in 2014 should lose their jobs.


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