thestream--2020-12-27--How I Educated Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson on Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

It was late on Christmas Eve when I happened upon a story with this headline : “ Neil deGrasse Tyson : Santa ‘ Doesn ’ t Know Zoology , ’ Rudolph Was ‘ Misgendered.
” ’ Intrigued , I clicked on the link , which then took me to Dr. deGrasse Tyson ’ s tweet , which was absolutely devastating .
It read : Both male & female Reindeer grow antlers .
But all male Reindeer lose their antlers in the late fall , well-before Christmas .
So Santa ’ s reindeer , which all sport antlers , are therefore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been misgendered .
Rudolph , misgendered ?
How could it be ?
Santa not knowing zoology ?
I was crushed and disheartened beyond words , feeling as if all my hopes and dreams lay in shambles at my feet .
What was I to do ?
And what about the hundreds of millions of others — no , billions of others — who were likewise feeling devastated and crushed ?
After all , this learned astrophysicist with a Ph.D. from Columbia had the courage to tweet this out on Christmas Eve at 8:48 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
Immediately I took to action , but with one major handicap .
I am neither an astrophysicist nor a zoologist .
How could I challenge a preeminent scientist like Dr. deGrasse Tyson ?
My Ph.D. is in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures from New York University , which did not directly intersect with this tweet .
Neither did my decades of biblical research help me in this battle , nor my years of preaching and teaching .
I ’ m not even a hunter , like my son-in-law Jimmy .
At least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the like .
I was at a loss , the odds were stacked against me , and the clock was now approaching midnight as I wrote .
Surely there had to be some flaw in his reasoning .
I did notice that some others were offering a challenge ( or , at least adding in their two cents ) , but they were in the form of tweets as well , thereby lacking substance and depth , such as this reply : “ Otherwise though the glowing nose part is excellent science.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offering a powerful insight : “ It ’ s Santa , the guy defy the law of physics and fly on a sledge , comes down to house from a chimney .
He must have some tricks under his sleeves to give male reindeer antlers during Christmas.
” How intriguing .
… And then , the light on when .
I had solved the riddle .
I had refuted the brilliant astrophysicist .
I had saved the reputation of Rudolph ( who was not , as Dr. deGrasse Tyson claimed , originally named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only so , but no sooner had I made the discovery , tweeting my find to meet the midnight deadline , but I found confirmation for my conclusion in another tweet , which I ’ ll share with you shortly .
You see , one thing I learned in my decades of study is how to do careful research .
Also , with my debating experience , I have learned to dissect my opponent ’ s position carefully , often revealing fatal flaws .
In this case , Dr. deGrasse Tyson overlooked the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to look at the primary sources — the documents that tell the story in the original languages .
In this case , he missed the forest for the trees .
In short , I did an extensive ( but hurried ) online search under the Latin heading “ Tarandro Volantes , ” which then led me to the famed German journal , Zeitschrift für die Gesellschaft für das Studium von Tarandro Volantes ( Journal for the Society for the Study of Tarando Volantes ) .
Delighted to see that it was archived online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , shedding , ” and , voila , there I found it .
The definitive article on the subject , written by the leading scholar in the field , and published in the leading , peer-reviewed journal on Tarando Volantes .
It was written by Herr Prof. Siegfried T. Klaus ( no relation to Santa ) , and he demonstrated that the male species of Tarando Volantes which hailed from one particular part of the world did not , in fact , shed their antlers in late fall .
Dr. deGrasse Tyson was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after all .
As I tweeted at 11:34 PM ( giving the world some breathing room ) , “ Sorry , @ neiltyson , but you blew it BIG TIME here , failing to focus on 1 particular type of reindeer which hails from 1 specific location .
Among these , male reindeer do NOT lose their antlers in the late fall .
Yes , I ’ m speaking about FLYING REINDEER which hail from the N. Pole .
: ) ” Yes , he failed to look at the antler-cycles of Tarando @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the North Pole , hence his embarrassing , very public miss .
You can only imagine my delight when I discovered confirmation for my findings in another , earlier tweet , which stated , “ Neil , you forget the most important thing , these are not ordinary reindeer , they are magical flying reindeer .
The male magical reindeer retain their antlers until after the 1st of the year.
” And that is how I helped to save the reputation of Santa ( and Rudolph ) in 2020 .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

It was late on Christmas Eve when I happened upon a story with this headline: “Neil deGrasse Tyson: Santa ‘Doesn’t Know Zoology,’ Rudolph Was ‘Misgendered.”’ Intrigued, I clicked on the link, which then took me to Dr. deGrasse Tyson’s tweet, which was absolutely devastating. It read:
Santa doesn’t know Zoology: Both male & female Reindeer grow antlers. But all male Reindeer lose their antlers in the late fall, well-before Christmas. So Santa’s reindeer, which all sport antlers, are therefore all female, which means Rudolf has been misgendered.
Rudolph, misgendered? How could it be? Santa not knowing zoology? I was crushed and disheartened beyond words, feeling as if all my hopes and dreams lay in shambles at my feet. What was I to do?
And what about the hundreds of millions of others — no, billions of others — who were likewise feeling devastated and crushed? After all, this learned astrophysicist with a Ph.D. from Columbia had the courage to tweet this out on Christmas Eve at 8:48 PM. How fiercely the arrow struck!
I Was at a Loss
Immediately I took to action, but with one major handicap. I am neither an astrophysicist nor a zoologist. How could I challenge a preeminent scientist like Dr. deGrasse Tyson?
My Ph.D. is in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures from New York University, which did not directly intersect with this tweet. Neither did my decades of biblical research help me in this battle, nor my years of preaching and teaching.
I’m not even a hunter, like my son-in-law Jimmy. At least he has firsthand knowledge of deer and the like.
I was at a loss, the odds were stacked against me, and the clock was now approaching midnight as I wrote. Surely there had to be some flaw in his reasoning.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
I did notice that some others were offering a challenge (or, at least adding in their two cents), but they were in the form of tweets as well, thereby lacking substance and depth, such as this reply: “Otherwise though the glowing nose part is excellent science.”
Another had more substance to it, offering a powerful insight: “It’s Santa, the guy defy the law of physics and fly on a sledge, comes down to house from a chimney. He must have some tricks under his sleeves to give male reindeer antlers during Christmas.”
How intriguing. … And then, the light on when. I had solved the riddle. I had refuted the brilliant astrophysicist. I had saved the reputation of Rudolph (who was not, as Dr. deGrasse Tyson claimed, originally named Ruby or the like).
Dr. deGrasse Tyson Was Wrong!
Not only so, but no sooner had I made the discovery, tweeting my find to meet the midnight deadline, but I found confirmation for my conclusion in another tweet, which I’ll share with you shortly.
You see, one thing I learned in my decades of study is how to do careful research. Also, with my debating experience, I have learned to dissect my opponent’s position carefully, often revealing fatal flaws.
In this case, Dr. deGrasse Tyson overlooked the obvious, because of which he failed to look at the primary sources — the documents that tell the story in the original languages. In this case, he missed the forest for the trees.
In short, I did an extensive (but hurried) online search under the Latin heading “Tarandro Volantes,” which then led me to the famed German journal, Zeitschrift für die Gesellschaft für das Studium von Tarandro Volantes (Journal for the Society for the Study of Tarando Volantes).
In this case, Dr. deGrasse Tyson overlooked the obvious, because of which he failed to look at the primary sources — the documents that tell the story in the original languages.
Delighted to see that it was archived online, I then searched for “antlers, shedding,” and, voila, there I found it. The definitive article on the subject, written by the leading scholar in the field, and published in the leading, peer-reviewed journal on Tarando Volantes. It was written by Herr Prof. Siegfried T. Klaus (no relation to Santa), and he demonstrated that the male species of Tarando Volantes which hailed from one particular part of the world did not, in fact, shed their antlers in late fall.
Dr. deGrasse Tyson was wrong! Santa did know his zoology after all.
Tarando Volantes
As I tweeted at 11:34 PM (giving the world some breathing room), “Sorry, @neiltyson, but you blew it BIG TIME here, failing to focus on 1 particular type of reindeer which hails from 1 specific location. Among these, male reindeer do NOT lose their antlers in the late fall. Yes, I’m speaking about FLYING REINDEER which hail from the N. Pole. :)”
Yes, he failed to look at the antler-cycles of Tarando Volantes (flying reindeer in Latin) from the North Pole, hence his embarrassing, very public miss.
You can only imagine my delight when I discovered confirmation for my findings in another, earlier tweet, which stated, “Neil, you forget the most important thing, these are not ordinary reindeer, they are magical flying reindeer. The male magical reindeer retain their antlers until after the 1st of the year.”
And that is how I helped to save the reputation of Santa (and Rudolph) in 2020. It was the least that I could do.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-12-28--Time to Rally Georgia and Arizona, Mr. President!

Several weeks ago I wrote an article for The Stream , urging the president to take his case documenting election fraud directly to the American people .
No doubt others have urged him to do the same .
Last week , he made that case in an excellent tightly-argued 14-minute speech , presenting extensive evidence of the various types of election fraud that occurred in key battleground states .
Millions of people have viewed this speech online , but many more — especially in Georgia and Arizona — need to hear the president make his case in person … and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People Indeed , the president should immediately take his case to the people with two large public rallies , in Georgia and in Arizona , preferably in front the state capitols in each of those states .
When he does , he should urge his supporters to demand that their governors and legislative leaders convene special legislative sessions to address and remedy the election fraud there .
In Georgia , he should urge supporters to demand decertification of the vote , based upon video and other evidence of massive late-night fraud in Fulton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he should also urge concerned citizens to demand that the Maricopa Board of Election supervisors comply with the subpoena releasing the voting machines for audit by the state senate .
If he makes these decisive moves , he will dramatically increase his chances of prevailing in the battle to restore election integrity and secure the victory that he most assuredly won on November 3rd .
DOJ/FBI and Courts Not Stepping Up Here ’ s why .
To date , relevant law enforcement agencies , including the Department of Justice and the FBI , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let alone to prosecute or remedy the fraud .
Similarly , the courts have repeatedly signaled that they do not want to arbitrate the outcome of the election .
Apart from a January 6th “ Hail Mary ” in Congress , that leaves state legislatures ( and officials accountable to them ) as the only bodies capable of effectively addressing the fraud .
This by either decertifying the current slates of Biden electors or by appointing Trump electors instead .
( Although the Supreme Court may eventually agree to hear the Trump campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be much more likely to act soon enough if state legislatures themselves begin to take the evidence of fraud seriously ) .
State legislatures have also proven reticent to take decisive action , at least in an official capacity involving majorities of their members .
Nevertheless , in both Georgia and Arizona , that could yet change if the president mobilizes his supporters to apply effective pressure on governors , legislators and other state officials .
In Georgia , a number of factors suggest that if Trump holds a rally there soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one currently scheduled for January 4th — such an event could make the difference there .
A majority of Georgia voters think fraud tipped their state to Biden .
A majority also favor convening a special session .
An overwhelming majority now disapprove of Governor Kemp ’ s job performance , largely because he has refused to address evidence of fraud in any meaningful way .
In addition , a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee overseeing election integrity has just called for a special session and decertification of the vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence .
Finally , a majority of members of the Georgia state house now likely favor a special session — and possibly decertification — though the Republican legislative leadership there continues to resist convening one .
All this suggests that many Georgians are primed to demand action of their state leaders and that state leaders need to hear from Georgia voters in massive numbers to motivate them to act .
It also suggests that getting them to act — by disallowing fraudulently counted or illegally cast ballots — will make the difference .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s current margin in Georgia .
Just disallowing the Biden-only votes produced by the now famous late-night counting of under-table ballots would alone tip the state to Trump .
So would disallowing many other categories of documented illegally cast ballots .
A decertification of the vote in Georgia , or recertification for Trump , would encourage Arizona to do the same , especially if Trump decides to lead a rally there .
Indeed , the Arizona legislature is apparently just a few votes short of the needed majority for legislative action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Maricopa voting machines would likely put President Trump well over the top , based on the error rate determined by sampling a voting machine in another Arizona county , .
But if Arizona and Georgia were to decertify or recertify , the President would need only Wisconsin , Pennsylvania or Michigan to do the same and the election would go to Trump , or at least be sent over to the House of Representatives .
And in Wisconsin , the Supreme Court has outlined a path by which the Trump team could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtained improperly by people who falsely or illegally claimed indefinite confinement .
In fact , the number of illegal votes that the Trump campaign has identified in Wisconsin vastly exceeds Biden ’ s current margin .
The pending Pennsylvania court case , and possible legislative action in Michigan , offer other opportunities for reversing fraudulent results .
The Logic is Simple and Compelling The strategic logic in support of this course of action is simple and compelling : To win , the president ’ s team must get key state legislatures to exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get them to act , political pressure must be focused on Republican governors and/or legislative leaders in those states .
Yet , only a massive public outcry in those states can now generate such pressure .
And that means Trump must rally his supporters in those states with a specific call to action .
President Trump has been abandoned or betrayed in his fight to remedy fraud by formerly-friendly media outlets , the courts , the Justice Department and all but a handful of leaders of his own party .
But he still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and power : the millions of frustrated people who voted for him who know the election was stolen .
Mobilizing those supporters to demand specific action by their state legislatures could yet give the President the political leverage he needs to change the dynamics of this contest .
In fact , if the president rallies his supporters , first , in Georgia , and then in Arizona , and possibly other states as well , the whole fraudulent electoral house of cards could come crashing down swing state by swing state .
Perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he won on November 3rd .
Michael Del Rosso is Vice President and Senior Fellow of the American Strategy Group , a think tank dedicated to understanding the strategic threats to the United States .
Over the past two decades he has actively worked to form and advance both conventional and alternative strategies and policies for the USG to address the existential threats to the United States and our allies .
His focus is on dimensions and domains of conflict outside of the bureaucratic consensus ; examined against the full spectrum of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hazards necessary to support the new strategic realities the world faces .

Several weeks ago I wrote an article for The Stream, urging the president to take his case documenting election fraud directly to the American people. No doubt others have urged him to do the same.
Last week, he made that case in an excellent tightly-argued 14-minute speech, presenting extensive evidence of the various types of election fraud that occurred in key battleground states. Millions of people have viewed this speech online, but many more — especially in Georgia and Arizona — need to hear the president make his case in person … and soon.
Take His Case to the People
Indeed, the president should immediately take his case to the people with two large public rallies, in Georgia and in Arizona, preferably in front the state capitols in each of those states. When he does, he should urge his supporters to demand that their governors and legislative leaders convene special legislative sessions to address and remedy the election fraud there.
In Georgia, he should urge supporters to demand decertification of the vote, based upon video and other evidence of massive late-night fraud in Fulton and other counties. In Arizona, he should also urge concerned citizens to demand that the Maricopa Board of Election supervisors comply with the subpoena releasing the voting machines for audit by the state senate.
If he makes these decisive moves, he will dramatically increase his chances of prevailing in the battle to restore election integrity and secure the victory that he most assuredly won on November 3rd.
DOJ/FBI and Courts Not Stepping Up
Here’s why. To date, relevant law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Justice and the FBI, have shown no inclination to expose, let alone to prosecute or remedy the fraud. Similarly, the courts have repeatedly signaled that they do not want to arbitrate the outcome of the election.
Apart from a January 6th “Hail Mary” in Congress, that leaves state legislatures (and officials accountable to them) as the only bodies capable of effectively addressing the fraud. This by either decertifying the current slates of Biden electors or by appointing Trump electors instead. (Although the Supreme Court may eventually agree to hear the Trump campaign’s case in Pennsylvania, it will be much more likely to act soon enough if state legislatures themselves begin to take the evidence of fraud seriously).
State legislatures have also proven reticent to take decisive action, at least in an official capacity involving majorities of their members.
Nevertheless, in both Georgia and Arizona, that could yet change if the president mobilizes his supporters to apply effective pressure on governors, legislators and other state officials.
Georgia
In Georgia, a number of factors suggest that if Trump holds a rally there soon — meaning this week, well before the one currently scheduled for January 4th — such an event could make the difference there. A majority of Georgia voters think fraud tipped their state to Biden. A majority also favor convening a special session. An overwhelming majority now disapprove of Governor Kemp’s job performance, largely because he has refused to address evidence of fraud in any meaningful way.
In addition, a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee overseeing election integrity has just called for a special session and decertification of the vote for Biden based on its evaluation of the evidence. Finally, a majority of members of the Georgia state house now likely favor a special session — and possibly decertification — though the Republican legislative leadership there continues to resist convening one.
All this suggests that many Georgians are primed to demand action of their state leaders and that state leaders need to hear from Georgia voters in massive numbers to motivate them to act.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
It also suggests that getting them to act — by disallowing fraudulently counted or illegally cast ballots — will make the difference. The number of such ballots vastly exceeds Biden’s current margin in Georgia. Just disallowing the Biden-only votes produced by the now famous late-night counting of under-table ballots would alone tip the state to Trump. So would disallowing many other categories of documented illegally cast ballots.
Arizona
A decertification of the vote in Georgia, or recertification for Trump, would encourage Arizona to do the same, especially if Trump decides to lead a rally there. Indeed, the Arizona legislature is apparently just a few votes short of the needed majority for legislative action to decertify. Further, an audit of Maricopa voting machines would likely put President Trump well over the top, based on the error rate determined by sampling a voting machine in another Arizona county, .
But if Arizona and Georgia were to decertify or recertify, the President would need only Wisconsin, Pennsylvania or Michigan to do the same and the election would go to Trump, or at least be sent over to the House of Representatives. And in Wisconsin, the Supreme Court has outlined a path by which the Trump team could induce decertification: by challenging absentee ballots obtained improperly by people who falsely or illegally claimed indefinite confinement. In fact, the number of illegal votes that the Trump campaign has identified in Wisconsin vastly exceeds Biden’s current margin.
The pending Pennsylvania court case, and possible legislative action in Michigan, offer other opportunities for reversing fraudulent results.
The Logic is Simple and Compelling
The strategic logic in support of this course of action is simple and compelling: To win, the president’s team must get key state legislatures to exercise their constitutional duties and prerogatives. To get them to act, political pressure must be focused on Republican governors and/or legislative leaders in those states. Yet, only a massive public outcry in those states can now generate such pressure. And that means Trump must rally his supporters in those states with a specific call to action.
President Trump has been abandoned or betrayed in his fight to remedy fraud by formerly-friendly media outlets, the courts, the Justice Department and all but a handful of leaders of his own party. But he still retains one massive source of political support and power: the millions of frustrated people who voted for him who know the election was stolen. Mobilizing those supporters to demand specific action by their state legislatures could yet give the President the political leverage he needs to change the dynamics of this contest.
In fact, if the president rallies his supporters, first, in Georgia, and then in Arizona, and possibly other states as well, the whole fraudulent electoral house of cards could come crashing down swing state by swing state. Perhaps just in time to secure the victory he won on November 3rd.
Michael Del Rosso is Vice President and Senior Fellow of the American Strategy Group, a think tank dedicated to understanding the strategic threats to the United States. Over the past two decades he has actively worked to form and advance both conventional and alternative strategies and policies for the USG to address the existential threats to the United States and our allies. His focus is on dimensions and domains of conflict outside of the bureaucratic consensus; examined against the full spectrum of all threats, doctrines, objectives, tactics and hazards necessary to support the new strategic realities the world faces.


thestream--2020-12-28--‘They Were Relentless’: How I Learned Respect for Our Communist Media

Some of the best advice for dealing with the media can be found in He Leadeth Me , a 1973 book by American Jesuit Father Walter J. Ciszek .
Father Ciszek was captured by the Russian army during World War II .
They accused and convicted him of being a Vatican spy .
He would spend 23 years in Soviet prisons and the labor camps of Siberia .
In one key passage , Ciszek describes how his dismissive contempt for his captors and the absurdity of the charge against him vanished .
In a moment , they turned to cold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealing with .
The Russians were not about to stop asking him the same questions over and over again for days on end .
They were not going to listen to facts or reason .
“ They were relentless , and they were thorough , and they were good at their trade , ” Ciszek notes .
This kind of appreciation for the skill of your enemy is essential to dealing with atheist materialists , whether in the old Soviet Union or in the modern media .
Sure , the press is filled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unbelievable mistakes .
You and I might consider the MSM something of a joke .
But don ’ t be fooled .
In the midst of the mediocrities , you ’ ll also find experts and fanatics .
You ’ ll meet people schooled in opposition research , psychological warfare and emotional manipulation .
You don ’ t have to like these facts .
( In fact , you shouldn ’ t . )
But you must respect reality .
The reporter who has just called you with a list of personal questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trained and skilled interrogator .
Assume , to be on the safe side , that he is very likely a deeply damaged , ideologically obsessed and angry human being .
One who cares nothing about you , fairness , or even your life .
Just like the Russians who tortured Fr .
Ciszek .
The Story Was Written Before They Even Contacted You Every person who comes into the media ’ s crosshairs should understand this .
Nothing you say or do is going to change the story they are going to write @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before they even contacted you .
They will falsify quotes and leave out facts .
They often have reams of opposition research ( ugly tales about you ) at the ready .
If so , they will slowly dole it out to set up and trick a naïve subject .
To echo Fr .
Ciszek : They are relentless , they are thorough , and they are good at their trade .
Acknowledging this and not expecting fair or decent treatment will leave you more prepared than most .
To become hysterical , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to play into their hands .
Treat them the way surfers treat sharks — as a deadly adversary that should never be underestimated .
When Ronan Farrow Calls You , Hang Up !
On September 14 , 2018 , I was at home when I got a call from Ronan Farrow of The New Yorker .
My high school friend Brett Kavanaugh had been nominated for the Supreme Court on July 9 .
Now , two months later , Farrow was calling me to tell me that Brett and I had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misconduct in the 1980s.
” At the time of Farrow ’ s call the accuser had not been named .
She turned out to be Christine Blasey Ford , a college professor in California .
Ford ’ s charge would upend the Kavanaugh nomination and roil the nation .
I told Farrow I had no idea what he was talking about — and asked him if he could be more specific than “ sexual misconduct in the 1980s.
” He couldn ’ t .
The only accurate description of what happened that night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the site Hot Air : Judge apparently found out he was named in the letter when Ronan Farrow called to ask about it .
Farrow offered no details about when the incident supposedly happened or where , or even the name of the woman .
Judge has been accused of participating in an attempted rape with a would-be Supreme Court justice , in other words , and can ’ t even get the basic facts of the allegation provided to him .
It ’ s Kafkaesque .
And it raises another question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge was the second man and they ’ re taking this seriously , why is he only hearing about it now , from Farrow ?
Why not in July from Feinstein ’ s office or Rep. Anna Eshoo ’ s office ?
She was the first person contacted about the charge , remember .
I have been a reporter for some many years myself , and because I have done a lot of reading on communism from The Gulag Archipelago to China ’ s Cultural Revolution .
So after I hung up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening .
I had been set up , and it had been a long time in the making .
I could , in sports vernacular , see the entire field .
Media critic Ben Smith described Farrow as a writer who “ delivers narratives that are irresistibly cinematic … and often omits the complicating facts and inconvenient details that may make them less dramatic.
” Farrow also “ suggests conspiracies that are tantalizing but he can not prove.
” Because I know that most reporters are no different from the old Soviets at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working from a large file of oppo research .
It had been worked on for weeks , if not months or even years .
There would be more stories that were all already written .
Still , even I couldn ’ t believe it when the media and the members of the United States Senate began trying to decipher jargon from my high school yearbook .
Their goal ?
To prove that Brett and I had , I don ’ t know , drunk some beers when we were teenagers .
If I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would simply edit whatever I said to fit the narrative .
There was only one problem : I wouldn ’ t play along .
I gave one interview to The New York Times , lengthily pointing out that I simply had no recollection of what Ford was talking about .
I told them that the Brett Kavanaugh I knew in high school was a good friend and decent guy .
He was interested in sports .
Even that one interview may not have been advisable , I know .
That 4 a.m .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the most chaotic point of the Kavanaugh episode , I decamped from Washington .
I spent a couple days at a friend ’ s beach house on the Eastern Shore to try and regain a little sanity .
One night at about three a.m. , there was a loud knock on the door .
Here it was , the moment you always hear about in novels like Darkness At Noon , or memoirs like Ciszek ’ s .
The totalitarians were pounding on my door in the middle of the night .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ course .
Respecting that awesome power and diabolical ability of those lined up against me meant facing reality with a clarity that would help me survive .
Like Fr .
Ciszek , I understood that I was dealing with highly skilled sociopaths , men unencumbered by consciences .
Mark Judge is a writer and filmmaker in Washington , D.C .

Some of the best advice for dealing with the media can be found in He Leadeth Me, a 1973 book by American Jesuit Father Walter J. Ciszek. Father Ciszek was captured by the Russian army during World War II. They accused and convicted him of being a Vatican spy. He would spend 23 years in Soviet prisons and the labor camps of Siberia.
In one key passage, Ciszek describes how his dismissive contempt for his captors and the absurdity of the charge against him vanished. In a moment, they turned to cold realism when he realized what he was dealing with. The Russians were not about to stop asking him the same questions over and over again for days on end. They were not going to listen to facts or reason. “They were relentless, and they were thorough, and they were good at their trade,” Ciszek notes.
Respect Thy Enemy
This kind of appreciation for the skill of your enemy is essential to dealing with atheist materialists, whether in the old Soviet Union or in the modern media. Sure, the press is filled with people who are incompetent and make unbelievable mistakes. You and I might consider the MSM something of a joke. But don’t be fooled. In the midst of the mediocrities, you’ll also find experts and fanatics. You’ll meet people schooled in opposition research, psychological warfare and emotional manipulation.
You don’t have to like these facts. (In fact, you shouldn’t.) But you must respect reality. The reporter who has just called you with a list of personal questions might be a goofball — or a trained and skilled interrogator. Assume, to be on the safe side, that he is very likely a deeply damaged, ideologically obsessed and angry human being. One who cares nothing about you, fairness, or even your life. Just like the Russians who tortured Fr. Ciszek.
The Story Was Written Before They Even Contacted You
Every person who comes into the media’s crosshairs should understand this. Nothing you say or do is going to change the story they are going to write. Indeed, the story was written before they even contacted you. They will falsify quotes and leave out facts. They often have reams of opposition research (ugly tales about you) at the ready. If so, they will slowly dole it out to set up and trick a naïve subject.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
To echo Fr. Ciszek: They are relentless, they are thorough, and they are good at their trade. Acknowledging this and not expecting fair or decent treatment will leave you more prepared than most. To become hysterical, or to even talk to them, is to play into their hands. Treat them the way surfers treat sharks — as a deadly adversary that should never be underestimated.
When Ronan Farrow Calls You, Hang Up!
On September 14, 2018, I was at home when I got a call from Ronan Farrow of The New Yorker. My high school friend Brett Kavanaugh had been nominated for the Supreme Court on July 9. Now, two months later, Farrow was calling me to tell me that Brett and I had been named in a letter claiming “sexual misconduct in the 1980s.” At the time of Farrow’s call the accuser had not been named. She turned out to be Christine Blasey Ford, a college professor in California. Ford’s charge would upend the Kavanaugh nomination and roil the nation.
I told Farrow I had no idea what he was talking about — and asked him if he could be more specific than “sexual misconduct in the 1980s.” He couldn’t. The only accurate description of what happened that night was by Allahpundit, a popular blogger at the site Hot Air:
Judge apparently found out he was named in the letter when Ronan Farrow called to ask about it. Farrow offered no details about when the incident supposedly happened or where, or even the name of the woman. Judge has been accused of participating in an attempted rape with a would-be Supreme Court justice, in other words, and can’t even get the basic facts of the allegation provided to him. It’s Kafkaesque. And it raises another question. If Democrats knew all along that Judge was the second man and they’re taking this seriously, why is he only hearing about it now, from Farrow? Why not in July from Feinstein’s office or Rep. Anna Eshoo’s office? She was the first person contacted about the charge, remember.
I have been a reporter for some many years myself, and I have done a lot of reading on communism from The Gulag Archipelago to China’s Cultural Revolution. So after I hung up with Farrow, I knew exactly what was happening. I had been set up, and it had been a long time in the making. I could, in sports vernacular, see the entire field. Media critic Ben Smith described Farrow as a writer who “delivers narratives that are irresistibly cinematic … and often omits the complicating facts and inconvenient details that may make them less dramatic.” Farrow also “suggests conspiracies that are tantalizing but he cannot prove.”
I Wouldn’t Play Along
Because I know that most reporters are no different from the old Soviets at Pravda, I knew that they were working from a large file of oppo research. It had been worked on for weeks, if not months or even years. There would be more stories that were all already written. Still, even I couldn’t believe it when the media and the members of the United States Senate began trying to decipher jargon from my high school yearbook. Their goal? To prove that Brett and I had, I don’t know, drunk some beers when we were teenagers. If I contradicted the media narrative, the press would simply edit whatever I said to fit the narrative.
There was only one problem: I wouldn’t play along. I gave one interview to The New York Times, lengthily pointing out that I simply had no recollection of what Ford was talking about. I told them that the Brett Kavanaugh I knew in high school was a good friend and decent guy. He was interested in sports. Even that one interview may not have been advisable, I know.
That 3 a.m. Knock on the Door
At one point during the most chaotic point of the Kavanaugh episode, I decamped from Washington. I spent a couple days at a friend’s beach house on the Eastern Shore to try and regain a little sanity. One night at about 3 a.m., there was a loud knock on the door. Here it was, the moment you always hear about in novels like Darkness At Noon, or memoirs like Ciszek’s. The totalitarians were pounding on my door in the middle of the night.
I didn’t answer, of course. Respecting that awesome power and diabolical ability of those lined up against me meant facing reality with a clarity that would help me survive. Like Fr. Ciszek, I understood that I was dealing with highly skilled sociopaths, men unencumbered by consciences.
Mark Judge is a writer and filmmaker in Washington, D.C.


thestream--2020-12-28--Military Photo of the Day: Launch of the Valkyrie

An XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned aerial vehicle launches at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona on December 9 , @ @ @ @ @ final week of 2020 , everyone .

An XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned aerial vehicle launches at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona on December 9, 2020.
Have a great final week of 2020, everyone.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-12-28--Joy Breaks: Top 10 Stories of Inspiration From 2020

When we turn on our televisions or smart phones we are bombarded with news that brings us down .
And 2020 sure was a downer .
But good , heartwarming stories still managed to poke through .
Here are the top 10 from 2020 that we hope will bless you .
When a six-year-old boy in Newbury , Ohio , received his final chemotherapy treatment , he returned to school to a standing ovation from students , faculty and staff .
John Oliver Zippay , known as J.O.
, was diagnosed in 2016 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia .
He spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had three years of chemotherapy treatment .
His last treatment was two days after Christmas .
His parents told Fox 8 Cleveland that he was unable to do any sort of physical activity for those three years , so they are looking forward to seeing him play like any other child .
“ You want that for your child , to grow up and get dirty and play outside and have fun and we kept him in a bubble so we ’ re excited , ” said his mom , Megan Zippay .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ having our little boy back.
” The principal of an Arlington , Texas , school said she ’ d ‘ listened to God ’ when she donated a kidney to a parent of three of her students .
Sarah Schecter , PhD , is the head of Lower School at The Oakridge School .
Schecter found out in 2018 that Nate Jones — father of her students Aaron , Sydney and William — needed a new kidney .
“ It sounded really bleak , ” Schecter told WFAA in Dallas .
She began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donate her kidney to Jones , even though she didn ’ t really know him well .
“ I know this sounds weird , because I ’ m not the type of person who hears the voice of God , but I just felt called to give him my kidney .
I did not want to .
It was not on my list of things to do .
So , I just kept thinking that someone else would give him a kidney and that it would work out .
… But it kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the person to do it.
” During the 2018 Christmas break , Schecter talked with her family about what was on her heart .
She thought they might try to talk her out of it .
But they didn ’ t .
They encouraged her to do it .
So , in March of last year , Schecter told Jones ’ s wife , Amenze , that she would take the test to see if she was a match .
It turned out that she was .
Schecter wasn ’ t surprised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t I be ?
Since God put it on my heart , why would it not be the perfect match then ?
” A few days before the surgery , members of Schecter ’ s church gathered to pray for her .
When she went into surgery , she had Psalm 118:24 on her mind : “ This is the day that the Lord has made ; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
” The surgery was a success for both Jones and Schecter .
Jones said he doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Schecter told him , “ There ’ s something bold for you to do .
God will give it to you .
You ’ ve got a good kidney now .
Just go forward and do what you need to do.
” Some people would call Schecter an amazing person for donating her kidney to a man in need .
“ Truth is , I ’ m a normal person .
I listened to God one time and followed through .
… I wish I would have listened to God more .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have taken if I had listened more ?
” 80-year-old John Kline has spent time each day with his wife , Ann , who has Alzheimer ’ s , at John Knox Manor Nursing home in Montgomery , Alabama .
When the statewide order limiting visitation at nursing homes went into effect , Kline didn ’ t stop visiting her .
He just went outside her window .
And his serenading her with “ Amazing Grace ” went viral .
He wanted to sing to her so she ’ d remember him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ much I love her , ’ til death do us part , ” Kline told the Montgomery Advertiser .
“ But I ’ m trying to make the statement that no matter what happens , there ’ s no reason to give up on love .
If she gets where she doesn ’ t know me , I will still go see her , because I will still know her.
” Kline spends about 15 minutes each day serenading her from her window , according to Fox News .
He sings church hymns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her remember him and their life together .
In a recent post on Facebook , Kline said that their visits weren ’ t a “ pain , ” but “ through a pane.
” “ No visitors to John Knox Manor Nursing Home , ” he wrote .
“ Not my best singing — so you probably won ’ t want to listen .
I cut it off at 45 seconds .
I love my Sweet Ann and look forward to spending eternity with her .
God bless you for even looking — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was because you wanted to hear Ann.
” The video has received 77,000 views and close to 2,000 shares on Facebook since Kline posted it .
Six-year-old Miela Kroenke ’ s dance competition was recently canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak .
So her dad , Nebraska State Trooper Lt. Tyler Kroenke , got his dancing shoes on .
And a cape .
The video of the pair dancing to “ Hero ” went viral .
Miela said she had to work with her dad to get the dance right .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Fox & Friends .
“ He started getting better and then it looked good.
” When asked about his fellow troopers ’ reaction to the video , Tyler Kroenke said he didn ’ t expect so many people to see it .
“ It is what it is and I ’ m glad they could have a laugh at my expense.
” A video cover of the song The Blessing filmed in the UK has gone viral .
The video has had nearly 2.5 million views .
According to Premier Christian News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups took part making the video .
Singers harmonized on the video , performing out of their homes during the coronavirus outbreak .
Worship leader Tim Hughes from Gas Street Church in Birmingham , UK , organized the video .
He told Premier that he saw The Blessing performed by singers in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania .
People began to call on him to do the same thing with the song in the UK .
“ Basically , we thought , let ’ s call lots of friends , lots of different networks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in someone from their church singing this song and then we edited it all together .
It was amazing — these are musicians who aren ’ t the most organized !
We spoke to them on the Friday and Saturday and everybody had to be in by the Tuesday and everyone got behind it — everybody said yes and it ’ s been a beautiful thing seeing it all come together.
” Kari Jobe , along with Cody Carnes and a few other musicians , wrote the song , which is based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so moved by this song and how quickly it came about , ” Jobe said about the power of The Blessing .
“ Because this song is based on scripture , the message is timeless , and we wanted to release it as quick as we could knowing the effect it could have on people ’ s hearts and spirits immediately , as it did ours .
Also , God knew it would be something we could hold onto during a season of our lives that ’ s full of uncertainties and unknowns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is with you.
” Trey Elliott placed his hand on the Tulsa Police Chief ’ s shoulder .
“ Please protect this police officer , and his family , and his entire city , amen.
” Trey may just be 7 years old , but he ’ s already making a Kingdom impact .
He wants to show his love and support to the police officers amid the protests and riots , Fox News reported .
His mom , Brittany Elliott , told The Stream that Trey never wanted to pray out loud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been quite eye-opening to say the least just to see him be bold in his faith and step out and not be afraid to go up to them and ask them if he could pray for them , ” said Brittany .
“ It ’ s really amazing to watch that with him.
” When she explained the protests and riots to him , Trey thought the officers could use some prayers .
“ I think I want to pray for the police officers , ’ cause it seems like they need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mom .
“ They ’ re in some really hard times.
” The first prayer was at a coffee shop where Trey saw some detectives .
The police officers ’ response has been overwhelmingly positive .
“ You know , they ’ re just so sweet , ” said Brittany .
“ We met some really awesome officers that are just so thankful to have … this little boy that wants to pray for them.
” Brittany tells parents to talk to their kids about what ’ s going on in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hide it from them .
Explain it to them on their level .
You ’ ll definitely appreciate learning from your kids through this.
” Brittany and her husband have been teaching Trey about prayer and faith since he was a baby .
“ I ’ m glad that he ’ s learning to pray out loud .
… If your kids want to do something , help them .
If they have a goal , it might sound crazy , but don ’ t turn them down .
Definitely help your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be able to pray with every officer in the Tulsa Police Department .
As of Tuesday , he ’ s prayed with 90 officers out of the 800 police officers in Tulsa .
A kind gesture by a Columbia County , Florida , Sheriff ’ s deputy was captured on film and has gone viral .
Brownie Lyons posted on July 2 that she witnessed Sheriff ’ s deputy and shift supervisor Corporal Shane Foote sharing a meal with a homeless man .
“ My husband and I were at a drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Lyons told WCJB .
“ He pulled over and opened his back door and was getting something out of the back seat .
It turned out to be the chair he ’ s sitting in .
We were wondering if he was going to talk to the guy about being on the street but when we pulled out , he had set up the food and was sitting down with him eating.
” She added , “ I actually took this picture while my husband was driving by .
I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it doesn ’ t matter if he ’ s in law enforcement or not .
I wanted to show that there are people who do good things and not always for recognition.
” She posted the picture on Facebook as a “ feel good ” moment .
“ So many times officers , paramedics , EMTs , and nurses like myself do a lot of good things according to our hearts to serve not for anything else .
It takes very little effort to show kindness .
I try very hard every day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A kind word or gesture goes a long way.
” Lyons said that her son realized he went to school with Foote .
He also posted the image and tagged the officer .
Lyons ’ son told her , “ That ’ s Shane all day everyday !
” The Columbia County Sheriff Office told WCJB that Foote ’ s example serves as a great reminder that we are all in this together .
The post has been shared nearly 4,500 times .
The explosion in Beirut , Lebanon , earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catholic church celebrated Mass .
Father Marwan Mouawad , a priest at St. Maron Baouchrieh Church , said initially they thought it was an earthquake .
“ As usual we started the Mass and at the beginning of it we felt as if an earthquake was happening , the earth was moving , shaking , so first we looked at the roof to see if it was going to collapse on us , ” he told the Associated Press .
The video shows Father Rabih Thoumy in the middle of Mass just before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the ceiling fall down around him .
Fr .
Mouawad said God was with them .
“ We felt the grace of God who was with us because when you look at the damage you can think that no one can come out from this alive because there were big damages with lots of glass and iron pieces that exploded , ” he said .
“ It ’ s truly a miracle .
It ’ s a miracle.
” The church resumed services the following Sunday .
One parishioner said their faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Of course what we are going through is a catastrophe , we are praying for all the dead people , for all the injured , for all the children , ” said parishioner Marlene Rauphael .
“ We hope to survive , but here in Lebanon we already are survivors.
” Almost 50 cars , trucks and motorcycles celebrated Bill Macomber ’ s 100th birthday with a drive-by party .
The WWII veteran turned 100 on August 6 , but the family was unable to organize a drive-by party at that time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped organize the party , telling CBN News they weren ’ t worried about the weather .
“ We stopped looking at the weather forecast .
We have been looking so forward to this.
” Kim Turner Kendricks , Bill ’ s grandaughter , posted birthday wishes on Facebook .
“ Happy 100th Birthday to my AMAZING Granddad , Bill Macomber !
!
!
!
!
!
Thank you for your continuous love and support for us all !
!
!
You truly are a blessing to so many !
!
!
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of how we should love and care for others .
Love you !
!
!
” Originally from Georgia , Bill — who served in the Navy during the 1940s — settled in Virginia after the war .
He had been assigned to the USS New Mexico .
He married his wife , Helen , 76 years ago .
She will turn 99 years old in November .
His faith has endured throughout the years .
He said that Psalm 121 has given him hope .
I lift up my eyes to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from ?
My help comes from the Lord , the Maker of heaven and earth .
He will not let your foot slip — he who watches over you will not slumber ; indeed , he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep .
The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand ; the sun will not harm you by day , nor the moon by night .
The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and going both now and forevermore .
“ He ’ s been good to me , ” said Bill , “ to let me live this long .
He must have something He wants me to do.
” Thank you , Bill , for your service .
And happy birthday !
“ We started with prayer , we ’ re going to end with prayer , and we ’ re going to give the glory to God , ” Boise State team Chaplain Mark Thornton told Deseret News .
It was after Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Boise State .
The Boise State Broncos pray before and after each game , reported the Deseret News .
When he can , Thornton reaches out to opposing teams ’ chaplains to invite them to pray midfield following the games .
Thornton found the head coach for BYU .
He told Coach Kalani Sitake that the Boise players were getting ready to pray .
“ Can we join you guys ?
” asked Sitake .
Of course , Thornton said yes .
Nearly the entire BYU team prayed with Boise State ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know if an entire whole team has joined us before in the years that I ’ ve been here , ” said Boise State co-captain Avery Williams .
“ That means a lot.
” Thornton said he thanked God for the opportunity to play the game .
“ We prayed for the guys who got hurt on both sides of the field , just for a quick recovery for them .
We blessed BYU and just prayed that they would continue to have a great season , and that we would continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ‘ We ’ re Not Going to Turn That Down ’ Sitake told Deseret News that he wouldn ’ t have missed the prayer time .
“ We ’ re not going to turn that down , when a team invites our team to kneel down and praise God for the opportunity we had to play .
What a great invite from them .
I was really impressed with them the entire game , just a great program with wonderful sportsmanship and you know , hopefully we can be able to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well when we play them.
” “ The fact that it ’ s such a big rivalry and we can be really physical with each other , compete really hard with each other and then drop our pride , drop our egos , drop what just happened for two to three hours and give thanks to God , that says something about both schools , ” said Williams .
“ Faith really unifies us , ” Williams added .
“ We have this relationship with God , and we realize there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we all are all in for.
” Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

When we turn on our televisions or smart phones we are bombarded with news that brings us down. And 2020 sure was a downer. But good, heartwarming stories still managed to poke through. Here are the top 10 from 2020 that we hope will bless you.
When a six-year-old boy in Newbury, Ohio, received his final chemotherapy treatment, he returned to school to a standing ovation from students, faculty and staff.
John Oliver Zippay, known as J.O., was diagnosed in 2016 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He spent 18 days in the hospital and then had three years of chemotherapy treatment. His last treatment was two days after Christmas. His parents told Fox 8 Cleveland that he was unable to do any sort of physical activity for those three years, so they are looking forward to seeing him play like any other child.
“You want that for your child, to grow up and get dirty and play outside and have fun and we kept him in a bubble so we’re excited,” said his mom, Megan Zippay. “Looking forward to the future and having our little boy back.”
https://twitter.com/dcexaminer/status/1215349283353956360
The principal of an Arlington, Texas, school said she’d ‘listened to God’ when she donated a kidney to a parent of three of her students.
Sarah Schecter, PhD, is the head of Lower School at The Oakridge School. Schecter found out in 2018 that Nate Jones — father of her students Aaron, Sydney and William — needed a new kidney. “It sounded really bleak,” Schecter told WFAA in Dallas.
She began to feel like God wanted her to donate her kidney to Jones, even though she didn’t really know him well. “I know this sounds weird, because I’m not the type of person who hears the voice of God, but I just felt called to give him my kidney. I did not want to. It was not on my list of things to do. So, I just kept thinking that someone else would give him a kidney and that it would work out. … But it kept being on my heart, that I was the person to do it.”
During the 2018 Christmas break, Schecter talked with her family about what was on her heart. She thought they might try to talk her out of it. But they didn’t. They encouraged her to do it.
The Perfect Match
So, in March of last year, Schecter told Jones’s wife, Amenze, that she would take the test to see if she was a match. It turned out that she was. Schecter wasn’t surprised. “In a way, why wouldn’t I be? Since God put it on my heart, why would it not be the perfect match then?”
A few days before the surgery, members of Schecter’s church gathered to pray for her. When she went into surgery, she had Psalm 118:24 on her mind: “This is the day that the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” The surgery was a success for both Jones and Schecter.
Jones said he doesn’t know how to repay Schecter. Schecter told him, “There’s something bold for you to do. God will give it to you. You’ve got a good kidney now. Just go forward and do what you need to do.”
Some people would call Schecter an amazing person for donating her kidney to a man in need. “Truth is, I’m a normal person. I listened to God one time and followed through. … I wish I would have listened to God more. Who knows what exciting adventures I would have taken if I had listened more?”
Watch:
80-year-old John Kline has spent time each day with his wife, Ann, who has Alzheimer’s, at John Knox Manor Nursing home in Montgomery, Alabama. When the statewide order limiting visitation at nursing homes went into effect, Kline didn’t stop visiting her. He just went outside her window. And his serenading her with “Amazing Grace” went viral.
He wanted to sing to her so she’d remember him. “I’ve always said how much I love her, ’til death do us part,” Kline told the Montgomery Advertiser. “But I’m trying to make the statement that no matter what happens, there’s no reason to give up on love. If she gets where she doesn’t know me, I will still go see her, because I will still know her.”
Kline spends about 15 minutes each day serenading her from her window, according to Fox News. He sings church hymns and songs from the 1950s to help her remember him and their life together.
In a recent post on Facebook, Kline said that their visits weren’t a “pain,” but “through a pane.”
“No visitors to John Knox Manor Nursing Home,” he wrote. “Not my best singing — so you probably won’t want to listen. I cut it off at 45 seconds. I love my Sweet Ann and look forward to spending eternity with her. God bless you for even looking — and if you listened, well that was because you wanted to hear Ann.”
The video has received 77,000 views and close to 2,000 shares on Facebook since Kline posted it.
Watch:
Six-year-old Miela Kroenke’s dance competition was recently canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. So her dad, Nebraska State Trooper Lt. Tyler Kroenke, got his dancing shoes on. And a cape. The video of the pair dancing to “Hero” went viral.
Miela said she had to work with her dad to get the dance right. “He always got it wrong,” she told Fox & Friends. “He started getting better and then it looked good.”
When asked about his fellow troopers’ reaction to the video, Tyler Kroenke said he didn’t expect so many people to see it. “It is what it is and I’m glad they could have a laugh at my expense.”
A video cover of the song The Blessing filmed in the UK has gone viral. The video has had nearly 2.5 million views.
According to Premier Christian News, more than 65 churches and Christian groups took part making the video. Singers harmonized on the video, performing out of their homes during the coronavirus outbreak.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Worship leader Tim Hughes from Gas Street Church in Birmingham, UK, organized the video. He told Premier that he saw The Blessing performed by singers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. People began to call on him to do the same thing with the song in the UK. “Basically, we thought, let’s call lots of friends, lots of different networks and people and see if everyone can send in someone from their church singing this song and then we edited it all together. It was amazing — these are musicians who aren’t the most organized! We spoke to them on the Friday and Saturday and everybody had to be in by the Tuesday and everyone got behind it — everybody said yes and it’s been a beautiful thing seeing it all come together.”
Kari Jobe, along with Cody Carnes and a few other musicians, wrote the song, which is based on Numbers 6:22-27.
“I’m so moved by this song and how quickly it came about,” Jobe said about the power of The Blessing. “Because this song is based on scripture, the message is timeless, and we wanted to release it as quick as we could knowing the effect it could have on people’s hearts and spirits immediately, as it did ours. Also, God knew it would be something we could hold onto during a season of our lives that’s full of uncertainties and unknowns. Do not be afraid, God is with you.”
Watch:
Trey Elliott placed his hand on the Tulsa Police Chief’s shoulder. “Please protect this police officer, and his family, and his entire city, amen.” Trey may just be 7 years old, but he’s already making a Kingdom impact. He wants to show his love and support to the police officers amid the protests and riots, Fox News reported. His mom, Brittany Elliott, told The Stream that Trey never wanted to pray out loud before this experience.
“It’s been quite eye-opening to say the least just to see him be bold in his faith and step out and not be afraid to go up to them and ask them if he could pray for them,” said Brittany. “It’s really amazing to watch that with him.”
When she explained the protests and riots to him, Trey thought the officers could use some prayers. “I think I want to pray for the police officers, ’cause it seems like they need some prayers,” he told his mom. “They’re in some really hard times.” The first prayer was at a coffee shop where Trey saw some detectives.
The police officers’ response has been overwhelmingly positive. “You know, they’re just so sweet,” said Brittany. “We met some really awesome officers that are just so thankful to have … this little boy that wants to pray for them.”
Brittany tells parents to talk to their kids about what’s going on in the world today. “Don’t try to hide it from them. Explain it to them on their level. You’ll definitely appreciate learning from your kids through this.”
Brittany and her husband have been teaching Trey about prayer and faith since he was a baby. “I’m glad that he’s learning to pray out loud. … If your kids want to do something, help them. If they have a goal, it might sound crazy, but don’t turn them down. Definitely help your kids along in it.”
Trey hopes to be able to pray with every officer in the Tulsa Police Department. As of Tuesday, he’s prayed with 90 officers out of the 800 police officers in Tulsa.
Watch:
A kind gesture by a Columbia County, Florida, Sheriff’s deputy was captured on film and has gone viral.
Brownie Lyons posted on July 2 that she witnessed Sheriff’s deputy and shift supervisor Corporal Shane Foote sharing a meal with a homeless man.
“My husband and I were at a drive thru near the place the officer stopped,” Lyons told WCJB. “He pulled over and opened his back door and was getting something out of the back seat. It turned out to be the chair he’s sitting in. We were wondering if he was going to talk to the guy about being on the street but when we pulled out, he had set up the food and was sitting down with him eating.”
She added, “I actually took this picture while my husband was driving by. I do not know the officer, and personally it doesn’t matter if he’s in law enforcement or not. I wanted to show that there are people who do good things and not always for recognition.”
A Kind Gesture Goes a Long Way
She posted the picture on Facebook as a “feel good” moment. “So many times officers, paramedics, EMTs, and nurses like myself do a lot of good things according to our hearts to serve not for anything else. It takes very little effort to show kindness. I try very hard every day no matter how I’m treated. A kind word or gesture goes a long way.”
Lyons said that her son realized he went to school with Foote. He also posted the image and tagged the officer. Lyons’ son told her, “That’s Shane all day everyday!”
The Columbia County Sheriff Office told WCJB that Foote’s example serves as a great reminder that we are all in this together.
The post has been shared nearly 4,500 times.
The explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, earlier this year was captured on film as a Catholic church celebrated Mass.
Father Marwan Mouawad, a priest at St. Maron Baouchrieh Church, said initially they thought it was an earthquake. “As usual we started the Mass and at the beginning of it we felt as if an earthquake was happening, the earth was moving, shaking, so first we looked at the roof to see if it was going to collapse on us,” he told the Associated Press.
The video shows Father Rabih Thoumy in the middle of Mass just before the blast sent him running as chunks of the ceiling fall down around him.
Fr. Mouawad said God was with them. “We felt the grace of God who was with us because when you look at the damage you can think that no one can come out from this alive because there were big damages with lots of glass and iron pieces that exploded,” he said. “It’s truly a miracle. It’s a miracle.”
The church resumed services the following Sunday. One parishioner said their faith gave them courage to come back.
“Of course what we are going through is a catastrophe, we are praying for all the dead people, for all the injured, for all the children,” said parishioner Marlene Rauphael. “We hope to survive, but here in Lebanon we already are survivors.”
Watch:
Priest celebrates live streamed Mass when a massive explosion rips through Beirut. pic.twitter.com/uvhEW33cFa — Norbert Elekes (@NorbertElekes) August 5, 2020
Almost 50 cars, trucks and motorcycles celebrated Bill Macomber’s 100th birthday with a drive-by party. The WWII veteran turned 100 on August 6, but the family was unable to organize a drive-by party at that time.
His daughter, Cherry Smithson, helped organize the party, telling CBN News they weren’t worried about the weather. “We stopped looking at the weather forecast. We have been looking so forward to this.”
Kim Turner Kendricks, Bill’s grandaughter, posted birthday wishes on Facebook. “Happy 100th Birthday to my AMAZING Granddad, Bill Macomber!!!!!! Thank you for your continuous love and support for us all!!! You truly are a blessing to so many!!! You have shown us so many wonderful examples of how we should love and care for others. Love you!!!”
Originally from Georgia, Bill — who served in the Navy during the 1940s — settled in Virginia after the war. He had been assigned to the USS New Mexico. He married his wife, Helen, 76 years ago. She will turn 99 years old in November.
His faith has endured throughout the years. He said that Psalm 121 has given him hope.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains —
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip —
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you —
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
“He’s been good to me,” said Bill, “to let me live this long. He must have something He wants me to do.”
Thank you, Bill, for your service. And happy birthday!
Watch:
“We started with prayer, we’re going to end with prayer, and we’re going to give the glory to God,” Boise State team Chaplain Mark Thornton told Deseret News. It was after Friday’s game between nationally ranked BYU and Boise State. The Boise State Broncos pray before and after each game, reported the Deseret News. When he can, Thornton reaches out to opposing teams’ chaplains to invite them to pray midfield following the games.
Prayer on the Gridiron
Thornton found the head coach for BYU. He told Coach Kalani Sitake that the Boise players were getting ready to pray. “Can we join you guys?” asked Sitake. Of course, Thornton said yes. Nearly the entire BYU team prayed with Boise State’s players. “I don’t know if an entire whole team has joined us before in the years that I’ve been here,” said Boise State co-captain Avery Williams. “That means a lot.”
Thornton said he thanked God for the opportunity to play the game. “We prayed for the guys who got hurt on both sides of the field, just for a quick recovery for them. We blessed BYU and just prayed that they would continue to have a great season, and that we would continue to have a great season as well.”
‘We’re Not Going to Turn That Down’
Sitake told Deseret News that he wouldn’t have missed the prayer time. “We’re not going to turn that down, when a team invites our team to kneel down and praise God for the opportunity we had to play. What a great invite from them. I was really impressed with them the entire game, just a great program with wonderful sportsmanship and you know, hopefully we can be able to have that type of impact on other programs as well when we play them.”
“The fact that it’s such a big rivalry and we can be really physical with each other, compete really hard with each other and then drop our pride, drop our egos, drop what just happened for two to three hours and give thanks to God, that says something about both schools,” said Williams.
“Faith really unifies us,” Williams added. “We have this relationship with God, and we realize there’s something much bigger than ourselves that we all are all in for.”
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-12-28--Fatman: Not the Santa We Want, But Maybe the Santa We Need?

Fatman is a new movie directed by Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms and starring a heavily-bearded Mel Gibson as a certain gift-giving figure of holiday lore .
It ’ s a hard movie to analyze — much less categorize .
Is it dark fantasy ?
Satire ?
Social commentary ?
All of the above ?
And does it even have a point ?
Here ’ s the plot .
Rich , bad kid Billy Wenan ( Chance Hurtsfield ) abuses the household staff , threatens the girl who beat him in the school science fair and steals his grandmother ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does he do with that money ?
Billy hires an obsessive-compulsive hitman known as the “ Skinny Man ” ( Walter Goggins ) , who happens to have a side hobby : buying up people ’ s old Christmas gifts , as a way of working out his childhood grudge against Santa .
Skinny Man ’ s fastidiousness is contrasted with the messiness of Chris Kringle ( Gibson , of course ) .
Twenty-first century Santa lives in North Peak , Alaska .
He drives a 1970s Ford truck with an AM radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spare time hones his pistol skills .
He ’ s a slob who eats cookies as he drives into town to pick up his government check .
Yes , Santa now works for the U.S. Government — which pays Chris “ based on volume of presents delivered.
” And that ’ s a problem : with so many kids being bad , only half of them are now getting gifts from Santa .
Uncle Sam isn ’ t happy , and Santa ’ s whole operation is in danger of going bankrupt .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ugly — Scenes But things are about to get worse for the already-jaded Chris Kringle .
After Kringle literally leaves bad Billy a lump of coal , the spoiled punk hires the Skinny Man to “ kill the Fatman.
” The hired gun then sets out on his own personal revenge tour , leaving a trail of blood all the way to the Arctic circle .
Suffice it to say this isn ’ t a movie for kids , or the faint of heart .
If The Grinch gives you pause , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it ’ s not just Lethal Weapons ’ Martin Riggs in a ZZ Top beard .
There are witty , genuinely funny and moving scenes .
Ruth Kringle ( Mariann Jean-Baptiste ) is wonderful in her own right , and a perfect complement to Kris ’ s cynicism .
She also saves his bacon , both literally and figuratively .
The many references to the U.S. government supporting Santa ’ s business just because it represents a massive economic stimulus ring all too true .
The one scene with the reindeers ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as one of them teaches a suit a valuable lesson .
The often-excoriated Gibson proves , yet again , that he is an excellent actor .
When Ruth leaves some thankful letters from kids whose gifts from Santa led them to productive careers , Chris gets choked up .
So Fatman is more than just an extended NRA commercial .
How Original Is This Movie ?
What to make of this Miracle on 34th Street meets Pulp Fiction ?
The idea of trying to kill Santa is actually not original here .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ radio drama The Plot to Overthrow Christmas .
In that story , Satan , unhappy that the Fat Man in the red suit is spreading cheer and altruism , sends Nero to knock him off .
But the damned Roman emperor changes his mind , unlike Fatman ’ s antagonist .
The movie does generate some sympathy for the assassin , whom we learn is a formerly “ twisted child ” named Jonathon Miller , as well as for his young boss , Billy .
Miller ’ s step-parents abused him , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
Still , as Chris Kringle himself elucidates , their bad environments are no excuse for choosing evil .
They must be punished , although one does get a shot at a second chance , if not actually redemption .
And that , I think , reveals the key to this perplexing , yet entertaining and thought-provoking , movie .
It ’ s rife with Law , but very little Gospel .
Maybe Chris Kringle is John the Baptist on steroids , the enforcer of the Law — as when he shames @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going home to his family instead of sleeping with the bartendress .
There ’ s certainly nothing in this movie about the Christ child and the Incarnation leading to the Crucifixion and Resurrection .
Not St. Nicholas — But Maybe Another Familiar Figure But even more accurately , Chris Kringle might be seen as a figure from pagan mythology .
And with good reason .
He has superhuman strength .
At one point he single-handedly replaces an entire pallet which had fallen off a forklift .
A gunshot wound which some “ kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heals in a few days .
He tosses off a glass of poisoned milk with glee .
This isn ’ t Saint Nicholas .
No , Chris is more likely modeled on the Norse god Odin .
Besides the healing powers and ability to traverse the globe overnight , Chris says , at one point , “ You think I got this job because I ’ m fat and jolly ?
” My thesis is that the protagonist of Fatman is the chief pagan “ deity ” who acknowledged the power of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to northern Europe — and signed up to help with a certain difficult yet necessary seasonal job .
And in the process , enforce the morality of the Law , if not spread the Gospel .
Several scenes at the end , showcasing the new-look Chris , support this analysis .
Seen in this light — as paganism put at the service of Christianity — Fatman , with all its violence , can be enjoyed for what it is , rather than excoriated for what it ’ s not .
Gibson ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we want , but as Western Christian society slouches back toward paganism — maybe he ’ s the Santa we need .
Timothy Furnish holds a Ph.D. in Islamic , World and African history .
He is a former U.S. Army Arabic linguist and , later , civilian consultant to U.S. Special Operations Command .
He ’ s the author of books on the Middle East and Middle-earth ; a history professor ; and sometime media opiner ( as , for example , on Fox News Channel ’ s War Stories : Fighting @ @ @

WARNING: Mild, unavoidable spoilers ahead!
Fatman is a new movie directed by Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms and starring a heavily-bearded Mel Gibson as a certain gift-giving figure of holiday lore. It’s a hard movie to analyze — much less categorize. Is it dark fantasy? Satire? Social commentary? All of the above? And does it even have a point?
The Plot
Here’s the plot. Rich, bad kid Billy Wenan (Chance Hurtsfield) abuses the household staff, threatens the girl who beat him in the school science fair and steals his grandmother’s Social Security checks. And what does he do with that money? Billy hires an obsessive-compulsive hitman known as the “Skinny Man” (Walter Goggins), who happens to have a side hobby: buying up people’s old Christmas gifts, as a way of working out his childhood grudge against Santa.
Skinny Man’s fastidiousness is contrasted with the messiness of Chris Kringle (Gibson, of course). Twenty-first century Santa lives in North Peak, Alaska. He drives a 1970s Ford truck with an AM radio and cassette player, and in his spare time hones his pistol skills. He’s a slob who eats cookies as he drives into town to pick up his government check. Yes, Santa now works for the U.S. Government — which pays Chris “based on volume of presents delivered.” And that’s a problem: with so many kids being bad, only half of them are now getting gifts from Santa. Uncle Sam isn’t happy, and Santa’s whole operation is in danger of going bankrupt.
Good and Bad — But Not Just Ugly — Scenes
But things are about to get worse for the already-jaded Chris Kringle. After Kringle literally leaves bad Billy a lump of coal, the spoiled punk hires the Skinny Man to “kill the Fatman.” The hired gun then sets out on his own personal revenge tour, leaving a trail of blood all the way to the Arctic circle. Suffice it to say this isn’t a movie for kids, or the faint of heart. If The Grinch gives you pause, this movie will give you the chills.
But it’s not just Lethal Weapons’ Martin Riggs in a ZZ Top beard. There are witty, genuinely funny and moving scenes. Ruth Kringle (Mariann Jean-Baptiste) is wonderful in her own right, and a perfect complement to Kris’s cynicism. She also saves his bacon, both literally and figuratively. The many references to the U.S. government supporting Santa’s business just because it represents a massive economic stimulus ring all too true. The one scene with the reindeers (in their stalls) is a howler, as one of them teaches a suit a valuable lesson.
The often-excoriated Gibson proves, yet again, that he is an excellent actor. When Ruth leaves some thankful letters from kids whose gifts from Santa led them to productive careers, Chris gets choked up. So Fatman is more than just an extended NRA commercial.
How Original Is This Movie?
What to make of this Miracle on 34th Street meets Pulp Fiction? The idea of trying to kill Santa is actually not original here. It first cropped up in the 1938 radio drama The Plot to Overthrow Christmas. In that story, Satan, unhappy that the Fat Man in the red suit is spreading cheer and altruism, sends Nero to knock him off. But the damned Roman emperor changes his mind, unlike Fatman’s antagonist.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The movie does generate some sympathy for the assassin, whom we learn is a formerly “twisted child” named Jonathon Miller, as well as for his young boss, Billy. Miller’s step-parents abused him, while Billy’s absent father clearly scars him. Still, as Chris Kringle himself elucidates, their bad environments are no excuse for choosing evil. They must be punished, although one does get a shot at a second chance, if not actually redemption.
Law, Not Gospel
And that, I think, reveals the key to this perplexing, yet entertaining and thought-provoking, movie. It’s rife with Law, but very little Gospel. Maybe Chris Kringle is John the Baptist on steroids, the enforcer of the Law — as when he shames a truck driver at the bar into going home to his family instead of sleeping with the bartendress. There’s certainly nothing in this movie about the Christ child and the Incarnation leading to the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
Not St. Nicholas — But Maybe Another Familiar Figure
But even more accurately, Chris Kringle might be seen as a figure from pagan mythology. And with good reason. He has superhuman strength. At one point he single-handedly replaces an entire pallet which had fallen off a forklift. A gunshot wound which some “kids with a deer rifle” gave him heals in a few days. He tosses off a glass of poisoned milk with glee. This isn’t Saint Nicholas.
No, Chris is more likely modeled on the Norse god Odin. Besides the healing powers and ability to traverse the globe overnight, Chris says, at one point, “You think I got this job because I’m fat and jolly?” My thesis is that the protagonist of Fatman is the chief pagan “deity” who acknowledged the power of the true God when knowledge of Him came to northern Europe — and signed up to help with a certain difficult yet necessary seasonal job. And in the process, enforce the morality of the Law, if not spread the Gospel.
Several scenes at the end, showcasing the new-look Chris, support this analysis. Seen in this light — as paganism put at the service of Christianity — Fatman, with all its violence, can be enjoyed for what it is, rather than excoriated for what it’s not. Gibson’s Chris Kringle might not be the Santa we want, but as Western Christian society slouches back toward paganism — maybe he’s the Santa we need.
Timothy Furnish holds a Ph.D. in Islamic, World and African history. He is a former U.S. Army Arabic linguist and, later, civilian consultant to U.S. Special Operations Command. He’s the author of books on the Middle East and Middle-earth; a history professor; and sometime media opiner (as, for example, on Fox News Channel’s War Stories: Fighting ISIS).