2020 Election: Anomalies in vote count statistics

                       MEDIA CREDIT: THE WENTWORTH REPORT

Vote Integrity

Data analytics for election integrity.

Read the report here:

Vote Pattern Analysis

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Post No. 314

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2020 General Election in California

Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, some registered voters in California that applied well in advance of an election to receive a special ballot were able to vote early and by mail. Previously that early voting was made possible with a California Absentee Ballot. For the 2020 general election in California, that method of voting has been supplanted with Vote-by-Mail -- for ALL registered voters in California.

Given some prerequisites, individuals can apply to be a registered voter in California at this website:
California Online Voter Registration

Vote-by-Mail

(Excerpt) "Every registered voter in California will receive a vote-by-mail ballot in the [2020] General Election... County election offices will begin sending vote-by-mail ballots to California voters beginning October 5, 2020.

• Ballots returned by mail (postage free) must be
   postmarked by November 3, 2020*.
• Ballots returned at a secure ballot drop box must be deposited by
   8 p.m. on November 3, 2020*.

Voter Bill of Rights

#10 -- The right to report any illegal or fraudulent election activity to an elections official or the Secretary of State's office.
                
                By phone:    (800)345-8683
                By email:     elections@sos.ca.gov
                On the web:  www.sos.ca.gov

Source: "Official Voter Information Guide"
                California General Election
                Tuesday, November 3, 2020*

*Emphasis added

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Post No. 313

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2020 Census in America

MEDIA CREDIT: United States Census 2020

Importance of the Data

The 2020 Census will determine congressional representation, inform hundreds of billions in federal funding every year, and provide data that will impact communities for the next decade.

Nonresponding Households

It's not too late. You can still complete the census online, by mail, or by phone. Also, Census Enumerators will personally visit homes. All census offices are currently scheduled to complete their work by September 30, 2020.

Census Enumerators

Census offices across the country will perform in-person follow-up work by Census Enumerators. Even if you've previously responded, a Census Enumerator may still visit to verify your address or response. You are encouraged to cooperate as they ensure an accurate count.

A Personal Perspective on the Census (opinion)

Thoughtful people will see the importance of counting the entire United States population accurately. Having been on both sides of the census questionnaire, I do encourage cooperative participation as early in the census process as is convenient. There are some individuals in the population that may, for their own reasons, not always have the benefits of being counted top-of-mind. Other folks may have their reasons to at best simply delay or at worst completely avoid answering the questionnaire.

My possibly biased opinion is that the nationwide decennial census is worth its large effort to analyze population data. The voluntary online component or tool for casting a wide net to gather the fishes, similar to the classic return-by-mail questionnaire, seems to be very useful to capture a large majority of the necessary information about the population.

In its final stages of census data gathering, the human enumerators are the sensitive fingertips of the complex large organism. Also the eyes and ears at times. If indeed we want to identify, locate, verify, and count for legitimate purposes nearly all individuals living in the country, human enumerators will continue to be an important resource during the intense efforts to initially get or ultimately verify completed census questionnaires.

I could be wrong.

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Post No. 312

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COVID-19: California's Roadmap to Modify...

California's Roadmap to Modify the Stay-at-Home Order.pdf

April 14, 2020 -- (Excerpt) "Governor unveils six key indicators that will be considered before modifying state’s stay-at-home order [see link above]...

The Governor said there is not a precise timeline for modifying the stay-at-home order, but that these six indicators will serve as the framework for making that decision.

He also noted that things will look different as California makes modifications. For example, restaurants will have fewer tables and classrooms will be reconfigured."

MEDIA CREDIT: Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

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Post No. 309

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California: accessory dwelling unit (ADU)

California has a problem
Okay, say an understated obvious housing crisis. There actually are not enough dwellings. Not enough houses for everyone here, for everyone that wants to live here, for everyone we need to live here, in California.

Let's just call it out: In my opinion, "political will" too often is created and supported by self-serving no-growth interests and money. Occasionally this interferes with sound land use planning. Land use decisions are made by property owners and by the many local, regional, and state governmental jurisdictions.

"Not in my Backyard" (NIMBY) is the simplification into a phrase of motives that drive the creation of "no-growth" policies. These policies are implemented in land use decisions that are made into law by jurisdictions. And past lawful land use has not provided enough dwellings in California, at all.

2020 California (State level) land use laws allow densification
New state level Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) laws allow creation of some additional dwellings in specific land use categories.

(Excerpt) "California's housing and affordability crisis isn’t going away any time soon. But a slate of new state laws have empowered homeowners to use a small but significant tool that advocates say will create an increase in new units and new opportunities.

Accessory dwelling units, or ADUs—small structures, typically under 1,000 square feet, that are built by homeowners on their properties—became a centerpiece of state housing legislation... after five bills were signed into law expanding the ability for Californians to build such structures in their backyards. By allowing residents to both build a small apartment and convert their garage, the legislative package, in effect, allows triplexes in much of the state.

'People will be able to have an ADU and a junior ADU on single family lots, or they can convert two garages on a duplex lot,' says Ira Belgrade, an advocate and consultant for ADU construction... ."

MEDIA CREDIT: Curbed SF, 10.11.2019

ON TOPIC:

"What You Should Know About the New California A.D.U. Laws for 2020"

Rost Architects

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Post No. 304

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COVID-19: Verdict

Politicians and Experts Discuss Political and Technical Issues

COVID-19 often the subject in focus
Senator Ted Cruz (R) and Michael Knowles' interesting, if not occasionally surprising and enlightening, look behind the scenes in American government. Politicians and experts are interviewed and humanized during approximately 30 minute podcasts. They give opinions and advice on the largest issues that are being considered at the highest levels in government, and indeed across America.

Podcast: VERDICT with Ted Cruz on Apple Podcasts

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Post No. 301

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Dunites: secret dune living in circa 1920s utopia?

MEDIA CREDIT: Title Insurance and Trust Company (Los Angeles)

Collection of Historical Photographs

Back of photo penciled inscription:
“John BellÑOld hermit of Pismo Beach 1901"

The sands of Oceano Dunes today

MEDIA CREDIT: Joe Johnston

"The most amazing vibrations on earth could be found ... in the middle of the Oceano Dunes ... That’s where we are. A vortex, kinda like Sedona Arizona, just a magnificent energy center."

Source: John Reid, Environmentalist

When did the Dunites arrive?

(Excerpt)"The shacks of the Dunites have long disintegrated or been buried under the sands of the Oceano Dunes.

The exact timeframe isn’t clear, but the Dunites started coming to the Oceano Dunes, located south of Pismo Beach [California] ... around the 1910s.

The assortment in the early 20th century consisted generally of moonshiners, hobos who took refuge in the dunes during the winter and people who just needed a break from the world — such as Hugo Seelig, who sought refuge in the dunes due to his distress over the United States entering World War I, according to Hammond’s 1992 book, 'The Dunites.'

Economic problems, especially during the Great Depression, also made the Dunes an attractive option, Hammond said.

'There were no jobs and no money and you could go there and do just fine,' Hammond said. 'A lot easier than you could in the city.'

In the 1930s, Chester A. Arthur’s grandson, Gavin Arthur, started a utopian commune in the Dunes called Moy Mell — 'pastures of honey' in Gaelic — which served as a magnet for artists and intellectuals.

Novelist John Steinbeck and photographer Ansel Adams were just a few of the notable guests at Moy Mell.

Hammond said some of the mystics out in the Dunes resented the intrusion of the more moneyed Dunites like Arthur.

'Gavin Arthur built his utopian colony and that changed everything — not for the worst,' Hammond said.

Arthur 'brought in a lot of intellectualism' and started the Dune Forum, a magazine that aimed to be a sort of New Yorker of the West.

In his book, Hammond notes that Time Magazine said the Dune Forum was 'hoping to direct the creative thought of America away from Europe and toward the West.'”

Read more here by Gabby Ferreira.


ON TOPIC:
SCPR audio (09:40)

Read more here: https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/slo-weird/article232802212.html#storylink=cpy

"rough and ready"
The LORD gives us many gifts, not all are kept or applied perfectly. One may too often doubt their ability, focus, and fervor to find pragmatic solutions. There also is divine compassion. Stay rough and ready.

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Post No. 298

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Palo Alto: namesake redwood tree

Iconic Redwood

Source: Wall mural near Stanford University,

located inside an "American chain grocery store."

Artist: unknown

El Palo Alto ("The tall tree")
(Excerpt) "... located in El Palo Alto Park on the banks of San Francisquito Creek in Palo Alto, California, United States, where the Caltrain tracks cross the creek.

California Historical Landmark
The tree is California Historical Landmark No. 2 ... It is recognized by the National Arborist Association and International Society of Arboriculture for its historical significance as "a campsite for the Portola Expedition Party of 1769"; being frequented by the Costanoan/Ohlone Indians; and for its use as a sighting tree by surveyors plotting out El Camino Real. The tree is depicted on the city of Palo Alto's official seal and on the seal of Stanford University. It is the origin of the city's name [Palo Alto.]

Source: Wikipedia

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Post No. 297

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Life's Been Good: what one wishes?

"Life's Been Good" by Joe Walsh (Duration - 8:56 min.)
Satirical classic rock song with a type of insightfulness; comedically shrewd cultural commentary that shows a value beyond entertainment. It may in fact be a lifestyle anthem that wisely sums up what some righteously do NOT wish for.

A cut from the 1978 album: "But Seriously, Folks..."

MEDIA CREDIT: Youtube.com

Song lyrics for "Life's Been Good:"

I have a mansion, forget the price
Ain't never been there, they tell me it's nice
I live in hotels, tear out the walls
I have accountants pay for it all

They say I'm crazy but I have a good time
I'm just looking for clues at the scene of the crime
Life's been good to me so far

My Maserati does one-eighty-five
I lost my license, now I don't drive
I have a limo, ride in the back
I lock the doors in case I'm attacked

I make hit records, my fans they can't wait
They write me letters, tell me I'm great
So I got me an office, gold records on the wall
Just leave a message, maybe I'll call

Lucky I'm sane after all I've been through...
I can't complain but sometimes I still do
Life's been good to me so far

I go to parties, sometimes until four
It's hard to leave when you can't find the door
It's tough to handle this fortune and fame
Everybody's so different, I haven't changed

They say I'm lazy but it takes all my time...
I keep on going, guess I'll never know why
Life's been good to me so far
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Source: AZLyrics.com

ON TOPIC:

Joe Walsh (Clown Prince of Rock, Average Joe, 1947- )


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Post No. 295

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Pacific Heights Mansion in San Francisco

Bourne Mansion: 'English Townhouse,' SF Historical Landmark #38

MEDIA CREDIT: Hand in Hand Production

San Francisco Historical Landmark #38 is a majestic century-old mansion, an elaborate edifice of local ‘clinker bricks,' standing firmly in the highest part of the well-located Pacific Heights neighborhood.

Circa 1894-1897, William Bowers Bourn II commissioned architect Willis J. Polk to create an ‘English townhouse’ where he could stay and entertain when he was in The City. This mansion, a masterpiece of masonry skills and aesthetic materials, was a singular work at the time. It resolutely survived earthquakes in 1906 and 1989, and is a grand architectural artifact in San Francisco history.

Bourn II had roots in the Empire Mine near Grass Valley, founded by his father William Bowers Bourn. After his father’s passing in 1874, Bourn II guided the revitalization of the lucrative mining company and other financial interests. The family fortune grew enormously. Bourn II was president of the utility company that would become Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), and president of the Spring Valley Water Company (SVWC) that supplied and distributed water to five counties in the Bay Area. SVWC eventually was sold to a government entity. Bourn II developed many projects, often with architect Willis Polk. A notable property down the peninsula is Bourn’s massive estate, “Filoli.” The name is derived from the first two letters of each word in Bourn’s motto: “Fight, Love, Live.”

Bourn Mansion today is privately owned and lovingly preserved to be a faithful historical representative of its young and maturing region during a transitional turn-of-the-nineteenth-century.

Bourn Mansion is a four story, 9 bedroom, 7 bath mansion that features 27 total rooms including grand entertaining spaces, luxurious living areas, and ornate detailing throughout. Its interior now appears virtually unchanged from initial construction. Original features include a richly carved staircase, oak hardwood floors, and mahogany and redwood paneling. When restoration work is needed, initial construction is matched as closely as possible.

The first floor serves as the main entry into the mansion. Beautiful mahogany doors open into the entry foyer. Notice the vaulted, hand-gilded gold ceiling. It is believed to simulate a rich mineshaft from Bourn’s Empire Mine. Directly off of the entry foyer to the right is an elegant Ladies Sitting Room featuring paneled walls and decorative molding. To the left is a Gentleman’s Den. Here, you’ll find hand-chiseled redwood planked flooring and ceiling beams, and a brownstone fireplace that provides a rustic setting. At the end of the entry foyer, a hand-carved Grand Staircase connects each level of the building. The first floor also has a Laundry/Fitness Room, Gourmet Kitchen, full Pantry/Prep Area, and Manager’s Suite with bathroom.

The second floor is the main entertainment level. The Grand Staircase leads to a large central Reception Hall that is entirely encased in a hand-painted mural by American painter and sculptor, Bruce Porter. It connects to the Formal Sitting Room, the Ballroom, and the Dining Room. The Formal Sitting Room has redwood paneling and a fresco ceiling of pastel and gilding. There is an extravagant Ballroom at the front of the mansion that is highlighted with ornate crown moldings, a carved Italian marble fireplace, large Corinthian columns, and a balcony that overlooks Webster Street. The Dining Room is surrounded by mahogany paneling and ceiling beams. Adjacent to the fireplace in the Dining Room, the Conservatory has an arch-shape ceiling, abundant daylighting with massive leaded-glass windows, and direct access to an outdoor terrace.

ON TOPIC:

This blogger would like to thank the talented and gracious owners of this magnificent San Francisco property for their much appreciated time, efforts, information, and hospitality that has made possible this brief article and a very meaningful experience at the mansion by a fortunate small group of people.

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Post No. 294

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The Geary Theater in San Francisco

American Conservatory Theater (ACT)

(Excerpt) "Hailed as the 'perfect playhouse,' the beautiful Geary Theater has been our home since the beginning. When the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake ripped the roof apart, San Franciscans raised a record-breaking $30 million to rebuild the theater. The Geary reopened in 1996..."

Source: encore, Season 52, Issue 5, JAN-FEB 2019, "Seascape"

MEDIA CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Traditional seat of legitimate drama in San Francisco since 1910

(Excerpt) "In the earthquake and fire of 1906, The City lost all eight of its downtown theaters.

Bliss and Faville, one of the most prominent architectural firms in San Francisco, designed the Geary Theater. Construction of the Geary began in 1908, and re-opened on January 10, 1910. It was then known as the Columbia Theater, named after a theater at Powell and Ellis streets, that had been destroyed in the earthquake and fire. ...[Between] 1924 and 1928... the building was known briefly as the Wilkes, and then the Lurie Theatre... reopened as the Geary Theater on February 6, 1928.

In January 1967, the Geary Theater became the permanent home of the American Conservatory Theater [ACT], which bought the building in 1974. In 1975, the Geary was awarded a place on the U.S. Department of the Interior's NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES and was named a LANDMARK of the State of California and the City and County of San Francisco."
Source: United States History

MEDIA CREDIT: QWKDRW

MEDIA CREDIT: QWKDRW

MEDIA CREDIT: QWKDRW

MEDIA CREDIT: QWKDRW

1989 Earthquake - roof and interior damage

Photo below: (Excerpt) "A view of the proscenium and the orchestra seating of the Geary Theater after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. The earthquake causes cosmetic damage, ripping a 2,000-square-foot hole in the ceiling."

MEDIA CREDIT: HISTORICAL TIMELINE, ACT-SF.org

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Post No. 290

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Product of Norway: salmon raised in fjords

Fjord Sea Water Pens for Raising Mature Salmon in 14 to 22 Months

Source: www.fromnorway.com

Source: Norwegian Seaford Council

Norwegian Farmed Salmon

MEDIA CREDIT: JOHAN WILDHAGEN

Fish facts
A deep dive into Costco's Norwegian farmed salmon
by Laura Bode (free-lance writer), Costco Connection, February 2019

(Excerpt) "Almost 98 percent of the space in a salmon farming pen is is water and just 2 percent is fish... Norway was the first country to develop fish farms, back in the 1970's... The Norwegian government is very particular and protective about the farmed salmon environment... [salmon] feed and [sea water] environment is constantly being monitored... All the farming sites are monitored during and immediately after a cycle is over... veterinarians come in and regulate to ensure healthy fish."



On Topic:
SalmonFacts.com
Sustainable Source of Protein
Fjord Aquaculture
Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)
Egil Sundheim, U.S. director of the Norwegian Seafood Council


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Post No. 289

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Bishop Curry's Sermon at St. George's Chapel

Royal Wedding Sermon Delivered
...for Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, their assembled guests, and all others that will reflect globally and be inspired spiritually by this message at the Windsor Castle royal wedding venue.

UPDATE: complete video added (Duration: 13:39)

MEDIA CREDIT: youtube.com

Personally, one impressive analogy that was presented is about humanity discovering fire -- for the second time. The American Episcopal Bishop begins the analogy between love and fire at approximately 10:30 on the above video. It may be valuable enough to watch the video from the beginning to appreciate the excellent and situationally unique sermon. The analogy comes near the end. It can be appreciated on its own in text below.

Love and Fire Analogy
(Excerpt) "French Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was arguably one of the great minds, one of the great spirits of the 20th century. A Jesuit, Roman Catholic priest, scientist, a scholar, a mystic. In some of his writings, he said from his scientific background as well as his theological one. In some of his writings, he said as others have, that the discovery or invention or harnessing of fire was one of the great scientific and technological discoveries in all of human history...

...And he then went on to say that if humanity ever harnesses the energy of fire again -- if humanity ever captures the energy of love -- it will be the second time in history that we have discovered fire."

Source: Ponder Anew, 5.19.2018

Can you not imagine a better assembled group to hear, in person, the hand-picked preacher's stunning royal wedding message? As one commenter on a linked-to website said, "He [The Right Rev. Bishop Michael Bruce Curry] took people to church today, Happy Sabbath." Masterfully done, Harry and Meghan.


ON TOPIC:
Markle Sparkle: "The New Royal Strain." Seriously, of cultivated cannabis. As in, "Your Royal Highness?" Culture-neutral plaudits to America's newly-minted royal nephew [Tyler Dooley from Oregon] for what some might consider cheeky branding at the expense of British royal stuffiness.

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Post No. 280

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"The Great Revolt" by Zito and Todd

"The Great Revolt ...Reshaping American Politics"

(Excerpt) "Standout syndicated columnist and CNN contributor Salena Zito, with veteran Republican strategist Brad Todd, reports across five swing states and over 27,000 miles to answer the pressing question: Was Donald Trump's election a fluke or did it represent a fundamental shift in the electorate that will have repercussions -- for Republicans and Democrats -- for years to come."

Source: Amazon Books

Peaceful Revolution in Plain Sight

(Excerpt) "The media may think they are doing a great job of destroying President Trump’s presidency and we shall see what happens in the 2018 midterm elections, but the fact is that for the people that had a grievance in 2016, to listen to them post-2016 is to see they are even more upset now than they were then. Zito and Todd note, 'Leading national journalists missed the potential efficacy of Trump’s grievance appeal because they exemplified, professionally and personally, the other end of the complaint.' Exactly right.

The true test for the Trump coalition might be the midterm elections this November, a chance to see if the voters only wanted a temporary change, or to see if these voters want a peaceful revolution that leaves its mark. ...[T]he coalition could easily fracture for any number of reasons. The Democrats, and the media by extension, have their work cut out for them though. As Zito and Todd correctly note regarding the Democrats’ uphill climb, 'This obsession with the redefinition of cultural norms has come at a price for Democrats. Beyond the people it offends, it denies Democratic candidates time to discuss the pocketbook issues that swing voters are more likely to use in guiding their votes.'

Where is the gulf between the Trump voters and the members of the media? 'When the press picked Trump’s words apart for strict fact analysis, voters assumed he spoke directionally; the press took him literally, but voters… took him merely seriously,' ..."
Source: Review by Steve Parkhurst, 5.8.2018

President Donald Trump vs. President Bernie Sanders

If President Donald J. Trump's election in 2016 was a fluke -- not a lasting 'great revolt' -- voters will again be 'reshaping American politics' in the 2018 national election. In America's constitutional republic, voters have a potential super-power for peaceful revolution in plain sight.

On the other hand, history may never know of a President Bernie Sanders. By many accounts, the 2016 presidential partisan primary elections and nominating convention where he competed were "rigged." Possible corruption in the selection of some convention delegates in that 2016 partisan nominating process was clear to all voters, delegates, and reporters that would notice.

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Post No. 279

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2012 Political Data-Mining: "groundbreaking"

Source: President Obama and Mark Zuckerberg, 2016

2012 Presidential Campaign Data-Mining Via Facebook
Considered "genius" by some, the privacy intrusions into the lives of Facebook users during the 2012 presidential campaign appears to have been no less than in the 2016 campaign. Facebook's current situation may be "existential" -- and thought by some to not be a problem -- for the social media giant. However, being in a symbiotic position with a presidential campaign that is politically weaponizing the data-mining of users and friends may warrant more prescriptive considerations.

(Excerpt) "In 2012, the Obama campaign encouraged supporters to download an Obama 2012 Facebook app that, when activated, let the campaign collect Facebook data both on users and their friends.

According to a July 2012 MIT Technology Review article, when you installed the app, 'it said it would grab information about my friends: their birth dates, locations, and 'likes'.'

The campaign boasted that more than a million people downloaded the app, which, given an average friend-list size of 190, means that as many as 190 million had at least some of their Facebook data vacuumed up by the Obama campaign — without their knowledge or consent...

This Facebook treasure trove gave Obama an unprecedented ability to reach out to nonsupporters. More important, the campaign could deliver carefully targeted campaign messages disguised as messages from friends to millions of Facebook users...

According to a Time magazine account just after Obama won re-election, 'the team blitzed the supporters who had signed up for the app with requests to share specific online content with specific friends simply by clicking a button.'

The effort was called a 'game-changer' in the 2012 election, and the Obama campaign boasted that it was 'the most groundbreaking piece of technology developed for the campaign.'"

Source: Invester's Business Daily, 3.19.2018

One hopes that there will be no further erosion of individual privacy or security and that even-mindedness will prevail in current congressional deliberations on this issue -- also clearly present in the 2012 presidential election.

On Topic:

Members of Congress publicly question Zuckerberg, April 2018

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Post No. 278

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Five Kernels of Corn: "Lest we forget."

First Thanksgiving Feast

The American public education system, as best it can, now teaches that migrant European Pilgrims invaded the east coast of a new land to brutally expand their cultural sphere of influence into an undeveloped fertile region. In so doing, the invaders wrecked the eco-system and existence of indigenous peoples.

Okay, some educators may find criticisms of the above description so I'll immediately admit that it's a bias generalization.

It could be noted that these self-assured autocratic Pilgrims also seemed to be extremely unprepared for such an invasion. Shortly after they first arrived, they were debilitated by the region's winter weather in 1620. Over half of the men, women, and children died because of the lack of food. The severe hardships endured that winter were so bad that at one point the daily food ration was five kernels of corn per Pilgrim.

The next spring, the surviving Pilgrims worked with some indigenous people learning how to grow corn. The fall harvests, at some point, inspired a ceremonial communal feast. During the first thanksgiving feast, Gov. William Bradford purposely gave everyone five kernels of corn and said to each one, "Lest we forget."

Source: "Just for You, Editorial Opinions of Steve Abaroa"

Church Children's Message

The 'five kernels of corn' remind us:

Kernel 1

GOD loves us

Kernel 2

GOD provides for us

Kernel 3

the friends GOD gives us

Kernel 4

the people GOD has given us who love us

Kernel 5

GOD hears our prayers and answers us

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Post No. 272

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2017 Great American Eclipse

... the solar eclipse seen through leaves of a tree

MEDIA CREDIT: petitesam

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GIVE ME A MOMENT a lifestyle

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Post No. 267

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Political Correct: tyranny or... freedom?

Apparently, PC began to germinate in freedom

(Excerpt) " 'Politically correct' was born as a lefty in-joke, an insidery nod to the smugness of holier-than-thou liberals. As Gloria Steinem put it: ' "Politically correct" was in­vented by people in social-justice movements to make fun of ourselves.' "

And a pragmatic commentor adds this bit of value to the article:

"The idea of 'political correctness' is a victim of 'reductio ad absurdum' in two directions. To the left, it is too easily used as a means to stifle honest discourse or to berate and silence people who mean no offense. To the right, the reaction to PC is too easily used to sanctimoniously disregard the humanity of others under pretense of one's right to free speech.

In the middle, it's really just the age-old Golden Rule. We should try to understand and be decent to one another. It's not actually that hard to communicate clearly and honestly while being mindful enough to abandon language that belittles or demeans others. On the other side, it's also not that hard to consider the context and the speaker and not automatically take offense when none was intended.

In the end, it's not being 'politically correct' that's important; being decent to one another is."

Source: "How 'Political Correctness' went from punch-line to panic," nytimes.com, 7.19.2016

On Topic:

"What Do Trump Supporters Mean When They Say 'Politically Correct'?"

(Excerpt) “The only thing that you’re allowed to tolerate is left issues. They have to be tolerated. If you’re coming from the right it’s hate, it’s bigotry, it’s intolerance. People that come from faith-based values — you’re not allowed to have an opinion. Even if you express it nicely and politely and kindly."

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