VE Day 80th anniversary.

 What is VE Day 80th AnniversaryE Day commemoration without any of the royals who stood on the balcony that day, 80 years ago. VE Day was declared on 8 May 1945, after Britain and its allies formally accepted Nazi Germany's surrender after almost six years of war. Four days of celebrations, which have been organized by the government, began on Monday 5 May and will run until Thursday 8 May. I remember VE day. I was 6 1/2 years old on May 6th that year. Even at the young age, we understood what war meant. 

Jackson earns AA degree

North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC), Mason City, is a fine school of about 2500 students today. I, a graduate in 1958, was proud to attend the 2025, graduation of my grandson, Jackson Everist. An excellent place for both of us to begin our higher education. Jackson received his AA degree in humanities in one year with honors (4.0 GPA and Phi Theta Kappa) Jackson's parents, Joel and Rachel, teach at NIACC.

PBS and NPR

 Donald Trump has signed an executive order to end federal funding of PBS and NPR.  He has no authority to so do.  Congress does. We need to contact our Congressional delegations to stop Trump. Small towns and cities and metropolitan areas need PBS and NPR for balanced truthful coverage of the news. They also give us local weather forecasts. Some people listen to NPR all day.  I trust PBS and watch it every day. We must act.

Whooping Cough

Before there were vaccines, I had whooping cough as a very young child. My sister, my mother, and I were quarantined at home for 10 weeks. (Our dad had to stay at his sister's house). I still have memories of sleeping in my crib with a cover over it and steam.  I almost died. We worried my mother would.  To this day, I cough often for no reason, except for remaining damage from that disease.  So far this year, there have been 8,064 reported cases of whooping cough in the U.S., compared with 3,835 for the same time in 2024, Please, vaccinate children! 

Yale Alumni

 

On Monday afternoon, 0ver 6000 Yale University alumni (including myself) signed and delivered letters to Yale leadership. To the best of our knowledge this alumni response is unprecedented--and in one week. 

We were very pleased to see that yesterday morning, Yale President Maurie McInnis, joined 171 other university presidents to issue a joint statement “speak[ing] with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.”  

 

Musk

 Tesla sales are way down! People are protesting Elan Musk doing so much damage (on behalf of Trump). So, Musk may be out of our lives soon, but the damage he has done remains.  We need to keep protesting and calling our legislators.  There are so many issues. How about USAID and Head Start? I'm going to speak about these cuts today. What about you?

Pope's death

 Billions across the globe mourn the death of Pope Francis. He cared for the marginalized. He washed tired feet. He was a servant leader. He lived a simply life. We give thanks for him. From him we have all learned so much. 

Easter Eve

 "We had hoped." Such sad words on the walk to Emmaus at the eve of that first Easter Day. Jesus appeared and walked with the two, telling them the whole story. And then, they invited this stranger to stay with them because it was almost evening. And Jesus, at table with them, revealed himself in the breaking of bread. So it is this Day of Resurrection for us. 

Easter Morning

At early dawn "they" came to the tomb. Who are "they"? We will find out. The stone was rolled away. The women were perplexed, then terrified. They bowed down and were told, "Why do. you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen." The "women" turned from the tomb and told the apostles and all the rest. Once they have witnessed, they are named: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and the other women who were with them. The men thought it an idle tale. The women were not believed. 

April 19th through the years.

April 19th! On this day in 1775--250 years ago--with the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the American Revolution began.

On April 19, 1861, the first blood of the American Civil War was shed when a secessionist mob in Baltimore attacked Massachusetts . 

On April 19, 1995, 30 years ago today, 168 died in the Oklahoma City Federal building bombing, the largest domestic violence terrorist act in the United States.

On April 19, 2025, tens of thousands will rally across the U.S. for "No Kings Day" to object to the actions of President Donald Trump.

Holy Saturday

 The women at the cross had watched from a distance. They knew Jesus had been unjustly put to death. Once Jesus' body was taken down, and laid in a rock-hewn tomb, the women, who had come with Jesus from Galilee looked at the tomb and how Jesus' body was laid. What do you feel when someone you were close to is gone?  The women returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

Good Friday

 Pilate and Herod said Jesus had done nothing to deserve death, but the crowd kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him. They kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that Jesus should be crucified; and their voices prevailed.  Remember what the crowds were shouting a few days before? Where are you in this crowd?  Jesus was handed over and the people watched as he was mocked and hung on the cross. Darkness at noon. Jesus breathed his last. And the women stood at a distance and witnessed these things.