Why Donald Trump is not mentally fit to be President of the United States

 The Economist names Trump #1 'biggest danger' in the world: 'Will wage war on any institution'

Keep in mind that The Economist is a respected British newspaper.  It has been published for almost two hundred years.  Hence, there is every reason to pay attention to the news that Economist staff has stated that, heading into 2024, it is deeply concerned about the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House.  The paper waned that Trump's return would be viewed as a go-ahead for Russian President Putin to "fight on" in Ukraine and expand his conquest to other former Eastern Bloc countries.  The paper also warned that if Trump were returned to the Oval Office, China might invade Taiwan  "with catastrophic consequences."  It expressed a fear that Trump would mishandle the situation in the Middle East, as Iran and its proxy miliary force find increased support.  

The clock is ticking.  There is less than a year until the 2024 presidential election in the United States.  Much could change in that time, but I am extremely concerned that not enough Americans realize how serious a threat Trump is to their democracy.  So many people are getting false information from Fox News and other far-right media.  So, I will continue to write periodic warnings to my friends in the United States from my perch here in Toronto, Canada.  I don't have a vote in the American election, so it's up to you to decide the fate of your country.  It will be a decision that with profoundly affect Canada and the rest of the world.

Every day, Trump's rhetoric becomes increasingly cruel and violent.  He is using fascist language, reminiscent of Hitler and Mussolini.  He has called his political opponents "vermin." and he has mocked the beating given to Nancy Pelosi's octogenarian husband, Paul.  He has called the media the enemy of the people.  Is this the kind of person Americans want in the Oval Office?

I am neither a psychiatrist nor a psychologist, but it is becoming clear that Donald Trump is becoming more and more unhinged with each passing day.  My hope is that will not be permitted to run for public office via the 14th Amendment to the U.S. constitution, which forbids anyone who has engaged n insurrection or rebellion against the Constitution of the United from holding public office (Remember January 6, 2021).

In a column for the Washington Monthly, attorney James Zirin, a former federal prosecutor in New York's Southern District, noted Donald Trump's growing problem with facts, his confusion when giving speeches as well as pronounced slurring when speaking.

Cutting right to the chase, Zirin asked: "Has Donald Trump gone nuts?"

Admitting, "This is obviously a difficult question to raise about any person, let alone a candidate, who has demonstrated vicious, paranoid, and violent behavior," he added, "Still, all the armchair gerontologists parsing every utterance from President Joe Biden, trying to distinguish his congenital stutter from his natural aging, should look at Trump, whose behavior has gone from bad to weird to bizarre."

Taking great pains to point out he's not a medical professional, Zirin asked if the former president might be "suffering from a palpable form of dementia."

- Tom Biggiani, Microsoft (msn.com), November 25, 2023

I am passionately concerned about the survival of democracy in the country next to mine.

- Joanne

What do the lyrics to Bohemian Rhapsody mean?

 
"I was green with envy when I heard ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. It was a piece of sheer originality that took rock and pop away from the normal path.”

- Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA 

One of my favourite songs is "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen.  The song was released on October 31, 1975 as the lead single on Queen's fourth album, A Night at the Opera.  Written by lead singer Freddie Mercury, it is almost six minutes long. Elton John was reported to have said that the song was too long and too weird.   

Freddie Mercury began writing "Bohemian Rhapsody" in 1968, when he was a student at Ealing Art College in London, England.  The song was not originally titled "Bohemian Rhapsody."  In May of 2023, a collection of Mercury's personal belongings were being prepared for an auction at Sotheby's.  A copy of his handwritten lyrics revealed that he had intended to call it "Mongolian Rhapsody."  According to The New York Times, he crossed out the first word and changed it to "Bohemian,"  

I never really understood the lyrics to Bohemian Rhapsody until I read the following.  It was posted by Brice Forest, a member of the band Balearic Burger.  I would like to share it with the readers of Number 16.

- Joanne

 

Why is the song called 'Bohemian Rhapsody'?

Why does it last exactly 5 minutes and 55 seconds?

What is this song really about?

Why did the Queen movie premiere on October 31?

The movie premiered on October 31 because the single was first heard on October 31, 1975. It's titled that way because a 'Rhapsody' is a free-form musical piece composed of different parts and themes that seem unrelated to each other.

The word 'rhapsody' comes from Greek and means 'assembled parts of a song.'

The word 'bohemian' refers to a region in the Czech Republic called Bohemia, where Faust, the protagonist of Goethe's work of the same name, was born. In Goethe's work, Faust was an elderly and intelligent man who knew everything except the mystery of life. Unable to comprehend it, he decides to poison himself.

At that moment, church bells ring, and he goes outside. When he returns to his room, he finds a dog that transforms into a kind of man. It's the devil, Mephistopheles. He promises Faust a full life without misery in exchange for his soul. Faust agrees, rejuvenates, and becomes arrogant. He meets Gretchen and has a child. His wife and child die. Faust travels through time and space and feels powerful. When he becomes old again, he feels miserable once more. Since he didn't break the pact with the devil, angels contend for his soul.

This work is essential to understanding 'Bohemian Rhapsody.'

The song is about Freddie Mercury himself. Being a rhapsody, it has 7 different parts:

1st and 2nd acts - A Capella

3rd act - Ballad

4th act - Guitar solo

5th act - Opera

6th act - Rock

7th act - 'Coda' or final act

The song talks about a poor boy questioning if this life is real or if his distorted imagination is living another reality. He says that even if he stops living, the wind will keep blowing without his existence. So, he makes a deal with the devil and sells his soul.

Upon making this decision, he rushes to tell his mother and says...

"Mama, I just killed a man, put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger, now he's dead. Threw my life away. If I'm not back again this time tomorrow, carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters..."

The man he kills is himself, Freddie Mercury.

If he doesn't fulfill the pact with the devil, he will die immediately.

He says goodbye to his loved ones, and his mother breaks into tears, tears and desperate crying that comes from Brian May's guitar notes. Freddie, terrified, cries out, "Mama, I don't want to die," and the operatic part begins. Freddie finds himself in an astral plane where he sees himself: "I see a little silhouetto of a man"... "Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?"

Scaramouche is an "escaramuza," a skirmish between armies with horseback riders (4 horsemen of the Apocalypse of evil fighting against the forces of good for Freddie's soul), and he continues, saying, "Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me."

This phrase appears in the Bible, specifically in Job 37 when it says, "the thunder and lightning frighten me: my heart pounds in my chest." Seeing his son so scared by the decision he has made, Freddie's mother begs to save him from the pact with Mephistopheles. "He's just a poor boy..." "Spare him his life from this monstrosity." "Easy come, easy go, will you let me go?" Her pleas are heard, and angels descend to battle the forces of evil. "Bismillah" (an Arabic word meaning "In the name of God") is the first word in the holy book of Muslims, the Quran. So, God Himself appears and shouts, "We will not let you go."

In the face of such a confrontation between good and evil, Freddie fears for his mother's life and says, "Mama mia, mama mia, let me go." They shout again from the sky that they won't abandon him, and Freddie cries, "No, no, no, no, no," and says, "Beelzebub (the Lord of Darkness) has a devil put aside for me." Freddie pays homage here to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Sebastian Bach when he sings... "Figaro, Magnifico," referring to Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro," considered the greatest opera of all time, and to Bach's "Magnificat."

The operatic part ends, and the rockier part bursts in. The devil, angry and betrayed by Freddie not keeping the pact, says, "So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye? So you think you can love me and leave me to die?"

It's chilling how the Lord of Evil feels powerless against a human being, against repentance and love.

Having lost the battle, the devil departs, and we reach the final act or 'coda' where Freddie is free, and that feeling comforts him. The gong that closes the song sounds. The gong is an instrument used in China and East Asian cultures to heal people under the influence of evil spirits.

It lasts for 5:55 minutes. Freddie liked astrology, and in numerology, 555 is associated with death, not physical but spiritual, the end of something where angels will safeguard you. 555 is related to God and the divine, an ending that will lead to a new beginning.

And the song plays on Halloween eve for the first time. A holiday called 'Samhain' by the Celts to celebrate the transition and opening to the other world.

The Celts believed that the world of the living and the dead were closely connected, and on the Day of the Dead, both worlds would unite, allowing spirits to cross over.

Nothing in 'Bohemian Rhapsody' is coincidental.

Everything is carefully crafted and has a meaning that goes beyond being just a song.

It has been voted worldwide as the greatest song of all time.

Reflections on war and peace

Yesterday was Remembrance Day (Veteran's Day in the United States).  That day was chosen to mark the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, at the 11th hour on the 11'th day of the 11th month.  World War I was originally called the Great War.  It was the war that was supposed to end all wars - until World War II came along.  With all that's going on in the world right now, I have given the concepts of war and peace a great deal of thought.

At the moment, there are two dominant wars raging in the world - the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the Middle East war between Hamas and Israel.  People are suffering enormously.  It is truly sickening and heartbreaking.  Innocent children are being slaughtered.  Atrocities are being committed daily.  With regard to the Middle East conflict, so many people are pointing fingers and taking sides, but everything is not black and white.  It's far more complex and far more profound.  

Extremists and terrorists do not want peace.  They are unwilling and unable to concede anything or compromise on anything.  They do not have a balanced view of the world.  They are "true believers" and those who don't believe what they believe are enemies or heretics.  Brutal dictators such as Vladimir Putin lust for more and more power.  They will gladly send soldiers to die in an attempt to fulfill their delusions of grandeur.  Putin, for example, sees himself as Russia's modern-day Peter the Great.

Greedy arms dealers make more and more more money by selling there weapons of war.  They profit financially while children and the poor pay the price.  Peace is not in their interest.  They don't care about those who suffer from war.       

This is not to demean the sacrifice made by those who gave their lives to rid the world of the scourge of Nazism.  However, maybe World War II wouldn't have happened if the settlement of World War I hadn't caused some much economic hardship for the German people.  Perhaps Hitler wouldn't have attained power if conditions in Germany had been different.

There is no Utopia, no heaven on earth.  This is an imperfect world and people are imperfect.  There will always be war and conflict.  However, we can choose to work toward a more peaceful world, especially by preventing wars from happening in the first place.  When a society is more equitable, when there is hope, then there is more chance for peace.  The proliferation of weapons, especially nuclear weapons, does not help, nor does ideological, political or religious extremism.  

The most dangerous individuals are those who see the world in black and white, with no shades of gray. The far left and the far right are both threatening.  Democracy is not perfect, but it is the best system of government possible.  Communism, fascism and theocracies result in authoritarianism and dictatorships.  There can be too much government or not enough government.  In communist countries, the inner circle of the Communist Party live a much more lavish lifestyle than others.  The extreme right wing. including Donald Trump and his most ardent supporter, is hateful and violent toward immigrants, no-whites and non-Christians. 

Beware of movements using the word "freedom" in their names, such as the "Freedom Convoy" that shutdown the city of Ottawa and the "Freedom Caucus" of the Republican Party in the United States.  They don't seem to understand the true definition of the word.  They don't seem to understand that there is no absolute freedom and that their "freedom" ends when it interferes with the freedom of others.

We have to be proactive.  We have to try harder to prevent war.  If Egypt and Israel were able to make peace with the 1979 Camp David Accord, why can't the Israelis and the Palestinians do the same?  Anwar Sadat, Menachem Begin and Jimmy Carter showed remarkable courage.  We need leaders with the courage to make peace, not war.  It requires more courage to work for peace than to promote war.  

Unfortunately, sometimes war is necessary, but only as a last resort, when every last attempt at peace has been exhausted.  It should never be provoked.  It must be kept in mind that the stakes are higher than ever before.  Modern warfare does not just consist of soldiers on a battle field.  There are drones and all sorts of bombs.  Innocent civilians are often the victims.

There is no glory in war, only horror, death and destruction.

Here are some thoughtful reflections on war and peace from a variety of sources.

Bradley

We have men of science, too few men of God. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. The world has achieved brilliance without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.

- Omar Bradley (1893-1981), senior officer of the United States Army during and after World War II, rising to the rank of General of the Army, first chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Armistice Day speech (November 11, 1948), published in Omar Bradley's Collected Writings, Volume 1 (1967)

Berry

Wars have never made peace or preserved it or fostered its ideals. To have peace you must make peace with your enemies. To make peace only with your friends is to avoid the issue, and to permit a great principle to become absurd. Far from making peace, wars invariably serve as classrooms and laboratories where men and techniques and states of mind are prepared for the next war.

- Wendell Berry (1934- ) , American poet, philosopher, novelist, farmer and social and environmental activist, "A Statement against the War in Vietnam," The Long-Legged House (1969)

Gandhi

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?

- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), Indian statesman, Non-violence in Peace and War (1942)   

Low

I have never met anyone who wasn't against war.  Even Hitler and Mussolini were, according to themselves.

- David Low (1891-1963), British political cartoonist in New York Times Magazine, February 10, 1946  

Machiavelli

Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please.

 - Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), Italian diplomat, author, philosopher, historian, History of Florence

The grim fact is that we prepare for war like precocious giants and for peace like retarded pygmies.

- Lester B. Pearson (1897-1972), Canadian diplomat, politician, statesman, 14th Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968, winner of 1957 Nobel Peace Prize, Speech in Toronto, March 14, 1955

- Joanne

Wake up, America, before it's too late!

"Trump allies proposing deploying military to the streets if he wins in 2024: report"

Frankly, I'm sick and tired of writing about Donald Trump.  I am sick and tired of his rantings and his childish antics.  However, exactly one year from now, on November 5, 2024, Americans go to the polls.  If Trump is still the Republican nominee for president, the United States will be in grave danger of losing its democracy.  I can't ignore the catastrophe that awaits my neighbours to the south if Trump attains power again.  He is one of the most dangerous men in the world.

I am extremely worried . As a Canadian, I will not be voting in the 2024 presidential election, but I just can't sit back and do nothing.  What happens in the U.S. affects my country and the whole world.  That's why I am issuing this waring to any American who reads this.  Donald Trump is planning some king of miliary coup.  He has made no secret of the fact that he admires dictators such as Vladimir Putin of Russia and North Korea's Kim Jong Un.  If you want democracy to survive in America, do not support him,  He has made no secret of the fact that he wants to expand the powers of the presidency.  He has been relentless and ruthless in attempting to achieve his goals.

I can't believe that the United States is so morally depraved.as to allow such a person as Donald Trump to sit in the Oval Office again.  It is distressing that so many support Donald Trump, a man who on January 6, 2021, tried to overthrow the elected government of the United States.  Trump spews hatred and he is a racist.  It's about time that he was held accountable for his actions.  He has gotten away with too much for too long. He is not above the law.  He should be held responsible for his misdeeds if found guilty by a criminal court of law.  

It is my hope that, due to the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, he will not me permitted to run for public office because of his involvement with the January 6th insurrection.  I feel I have no choice but to continue to write about this present threat to democracy in the United States.

Democracies can be fragile under certain circumstances.  Those circumstances exist in the United States right now.  Donald Trump and his cohorts have taken control of the Republican Party.  They party of Lincoln is now a far-right cult with extremists such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, Josh Hawley, Jim Jordan and the current Speak of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson.   

Don't say you haven't been warned, America.  Donald Trump has made no secret of who he is and what he wants to do.  Your country will never be the same if he becomes president again.  Trump poses an extreme danger to the United States and to the world. 

- Joanne

Why is there so much anger?

Anger is an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong.

Anger can be a good thing. It can give you a way to express negative feelings, for example, or motivate you to find solutions to problems.

But excessive anger can cause problems. Increased blood pressure and other physical changes associated with anger make it difficult to think straight and harm your physical and mental health.

- Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology

In my whole life, I've never seen such anger and despair and hate in the world.  Of course, I haven't lived through the Great Depression or World War II.  It is understandable, however, that people are hurting from a very painful pandemic.  It's also understandable that they resent having to pay higher prices for food and rent, especially since they are not seeing similar increases in their wages.  In times of struggle and adversity, women, children and the marginalized suffer the most.  One thing I know for certain, the larger the gap between the haves and the have-nots, the more unhappiness and crime there will be in a society.

The anger is most apparent in the political arena.  It is sparked by fear and frustration, and it draws people to dangerous demagogues and authoritarians.  Demagogues promise simple solutions and bumper sticker slogans.  They reel you into their "cause" because they can be very charismatic.  They give you people to blame for your grievances.  They target "enemies" for you.  Those "enemies" are individuals who belong to other political parties or have different political views.  They are people who look differently than you, worship differently from you, speak differently than you or eat differently than you.  They are immigrants and refugees, Blacks, Jews and Muslims, to name a few.  

 Although anger is included as one of the Seven Deadly Sins, it is really "excessive anger" that is destructive.  As long as anger is contained and channelled in a positive way, it can be a useful emotion.  However, anger should not be allowed to fester.  It needs an outlet.  If it is not expressed in a constructive way, it will be expressed in a destructive way,  It will explode into road rage, domestic violence or murder.  That is the danger.

- Joanne

The Toronto Blue Jays' playoff disaster

       

Something is rotten is the state of Blue Jays Land.  Toronto Blue Jay fans are disappointed, disgruntled, disgusted and dismayed, especially with President Mark Shapiro and General Manager Ross Atkins.  Oh sure, the team won 89 games and they were good enough to make postseason play.  However, the Jays collapsed like a house cards in their playoff series against the Minnesota Twins.

It's not just that the Jays have gone down to defeat in the their last two playoff appearances.  It's the way they've lost.  Their last two playoff performances have been embarrassing and shameful.  In 2022, they allowed an 8-1 lead slip away in the second game of a 3-game against the Seattle Mariners.  They didn't get past the first round.  Although the Jays won 91 games in the 2022 regular season, they experienced a meltdown in the postseason.

In their 2023 playoff series with Minnesota, the Blue Jays only managed to score one run in two games.  Don't get me wrong, the 2023 Jays were a good team with some glaring flaws  They were by no means a great team, but there were a lot of talented players in the lineup.  The 2023 roster just wasn't built to go deep into the postseason or to win the World Series.  They didn't have enough power hitting and they couldn't hit in the clutch.  Time after time, they left player stranded on base.  

During the 2022 offseason, the Blue Jays made some big roster moves.  On November 26, they traded outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, a fan favourite, to the Seattle Mariners for relief pitcher Erik Swanson and pitching prospect Adam Macko.  In doing so, the Jays gave up some hitting power.  Hernandez spent six seasons in Toronto and won Silver Slugger awards in 2020 and 2021  In 2023, he batted .258 for the Mariners and hit 26 home runs in 160 games.  Swanson was a good addition to the Jays' bullpen, but they missed Hernandez's hitting. 

In December 2022, the Jays made two significant moves to bolster their outfield defence.  On December 14, they agreed to a one-year $9 million contract with fee agent  Kevin Kiermaier.  On December 23, they made what may turn out to be the worst trade in the history of the franchise.  They acquired outfielder Daulton Varsho from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for their star prospect, catcher Gabriel Moreno, as well as outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr.  As expected, Kiermaier and Varsho provided solid defence, but at too high a price.  Unfortunately, the Jays gave up a lot of slugging power in order to get Varsho.   With Moreno and Gurriel Jr. making huge contributions, the Arizona Diamondbacks are playing the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League Champioship.Series (NLCS) title.  

It seems that Moreno has the potential to be an all-star or a Hall of Famer.  The Jays had three good catchers in Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk and Moreno.  Something had to give and one of them had to go.  It should have been Kirk.  This is not to demean Kirk, far from it.  He is a skilled catcher and he demonstrates grit and determination. It's just that Moreno is a better hitter and a much faster runner.  Kirk gives it his all, but he will always be a slow runner.  The Jays will always have to use a pinch runner for hm in key situations. 

After the Jays humiliating defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Twins, GM Atkins should have accepted responsibility for the debacle.  I am not putting all the blame on Atkins.  The players also bear some responsibility.  Their play was far too streaky all season.  For example, Matt Chapman was American League player of the month for April.  For the rest of the season, his hitting was very uneven, although he always provided stellar defence at third base.           

Ross Atkins

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. recorded 26 homers and 94 RBI in 2023.  Those are very good numbers.  They are very respectable, but still disappointing for Vladdy.  More is expected of him because he hit 48 homes with 111 RBI in 2021.  Fans wonder if he'll ever be that good again.  Vladdy is not always the best base runner either.  He can sometimes be too aggressive or not attentive enough, as he was in the crucial second game of the 2023  playoff series with Minnesota. With the  Blue Jays down by two runs, Vladdy was at second base and George Springer at third.  Bo Bichette at the plate, with two outs and a full count.  Suddenly, Vladdy was picked off second base.  That was an inexcusable blunder.

Vladdy's gaffe, however, pales in comparison with the Jays' bonehead decision to pull Jose Berrios after three dominant innings, when he was pitching the game of his life.  Barrios had only allowed three hits with five strikeouts and one walk on 47 pitches.  As soon as he allowed that one walk, manager John Schneider walked on to the field and replaced him with lefty Yuseai Kikuchi,   Kicuchi promptly allowed two runs, from which the Jays never recovered.  As commentator Buck Martinez pointed out, the removal of Barrios provided some relief for the Twins.  It was a psychological advantage for them.  They didn't have to deal with Barrios anymore and it sparked them.

The Jays have defended the move to replace Berrios.  They say it was planned, that it was an organizational decision.  Atkins has called it a "courageous" decision on Schneider's part, deftly deflecting the responsibility from himself.  The truth is that it will go down in the annals of Blue Jays history as a bonehead move.  Call it whatever you like. but a bonehead move is still a bonehead move.  It doesn't matter how many were involved with the decision, it cost the Jays a must-win game.  I did notice that Schneider's seemed red-face for the rest of the game.

There are three lessons to be learned from the Jays' experience.  Firstly, statistics and analytics won't necessarily win you games.  The Jays loss in the second game against Minnesota proves that.  Sometimes good managing means reacting to what's happening on the field.  Barrios was pitching well and shouldn't have been removed.  Period.  Secondly, a team that performs wee in the regular season many be eliminated early in the postseason.  Racking up wins in the regular season is not as important as winning when it really counts.  Thirdly, balance is needed.  The Jays shifted from too much from offensive power to defensive strength.

Then there was the mishandling of Alec Manoah. Manoah's nightmare season was unexpected, and the Jays brought him back too soon.  Who knows how he'll perform n 2024.  He may return to his old self, or he may never be the same.  The Jays can't count on him.  If he rights himself, it will be a bonus.  The Blue Jays have to get a decent starting pitcher.  Their starting pitching depth is very weak.

Jays fans are understandably upset.  They supported the team very well.  In 2023, Jays attendance surpassed three million for the first time since 2017, despite increasingly rising ticket prices.  The fans deserve better for their money.  The Jays have had few playoff appearances since their World Series wins in 1992 and 1993, over 30 years ago.  They only really came close in 2015 under their former GM Alex Anthropolos, who led Atlanta to a World Series victory in 2021.  A.A.'s team has done far better than the Jays in the playoffs.  Just imagine if Moreno, Gurriel and Hrrnandez were still in a Blue Jays uniform.  The Jays certainly would have gone further in the postseason.  

Mark Shapiro has confirmed that Russ Atkins and John Schneider will be back for the Jays' 2024 season.  They are fortunate to have survived the disappointing 2023 season.  They won't be so fortunate if the Jays don't turn it around in 2024.  As for Rogers, they may find a lot of empty seats at the ballpark if something doesn't change.

 Joanne

Phoebe: St. Paul's Deacon and the Future of Women in the Church

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

Romans 16:1-2

The New International Version

Our sister Phoebe, a deacon in the church in Cenchrea, will be coming to see you soon.  Receive her in the Lord, as one who is worthy of high honour.  Help her in every way you can,  for she has helped many in their needs, including me.    

Greet Priscilla and Aquila.  They have been co-workers in my ministry for Christ Jesus,  In fact, they have risked their lives for me.

Romans 16 1-2

New Living Translation, Catholic Reference Edition

Who was Phoebe and why is her legacy so important today?  Phoebe was a first-century Christian woman in the church of Cenchreae, an ancient seaport, now a village known as Kechries in the municipality of Corinth in Greece.  She is mentioned by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans 16: 1-2.  Paul describes Phoebe in the King James Version of the New Testament as "servant,"  and :"succorer."  The New International Version changes those two nouns to "deacon" and "benefactor."   

Paul's letter to the Romans was written in Corinth, likely around the years A.D.56  to A.D. 59, before his third missionary journey.  St. Paul wrote his epistle in an effort to obtain support for a missionary journey to Spain.  He not only speaks of  obtaining assistance from Phoebe, but he also mentions other women such as  Priscilla and Aquila, whom he describes as "co-workers in my ministry for Christ Jesus."

Although some scholars believe the Paul restricted the office of deacon to men, others point out that when describing the attributes deacons must posses, Paul included women.  He wrote, "They, likewise, are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." (Timothy 3:11)  Woman deacons, therefore, were to adhere to the same standards as male deacons.

If St. Paul considered Phoebe a deacon of the church, one wonders why Catholic women are prohibited from serving as deacons. The Roman Catholic Church is facing an existential crisis.  Church attendance has plummeted in the secular societies of Europe and North America.  In France, Italy and Spain, once great bastions of Catholicism, Mass attendance has dropped substantially .  The COVID-19 pandemic certainly hasn't helped.  Still, many Catholics failed to return to the pews when the pandemic eased.  

To make matters worse, the Church has been hit hard by sex abuse scandals and residential school scandals.  It is also facing a conflict between conservative Catholics and more liberal ones.  Its charities and good works have been far overshadowed by misdemeanours and malfeasance.  Furthermore,I have noted that many people in their 20s and 30s have no attachment to the Church, even if they were raised Catholics.  Many find little relevance in religious observance.  To be blunt, social media is their god.

Prayer is good and powerful.  However, prayer alone will not increase church attendance.  Nor will it bring about a substantial increase in vocations.  Let me be clear.  I am not suggesting that tradition should be abandoned or that stability is not a desirable goal.  I am not advocating change only for the sake of change, or merely to increase church attendance.  I truly believe that women deacons would energize the Church.  

Female deacons would be a valuable asset. in spreading the gospel.  Deacons cannot perform any of the sacraments, but they can preside over services that do not involve the celebration of the Mass.  Although deacons are not able to preside at the Eucharist, they can lead worship with the distribution of consecrated communion elements, when permitted.  Catholic deacons can officiate at weddings, but only with the permission from the priest or bishop.

Women deacons would provide an underused resource, namely the greater contributions of women to the Church..  Women played very important roles in the New Testament. According to  the Gospel of Mark, It was Mary Magdalene and other women who found the empty tomb on Easter Sunday, and they saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

Yes, it is true that none of the 12 apostles of Christ were women., but neither were they Black, Asian, disabled or Indigenous.  The Church is said to be the Body of Christ.  Women are members of that Body.  The laity is also part of that Body.  Why shouldn't they have a voice in the direction of the Church?

At present, a Synod on Synodality (October 4-29, 2023) is underway in Rome.  It is an assembly designed to advise Pope Francis on how the Catholic Church  can more fully incorporate all of its members.  There are 54 women among its 365 delegates,  This is a distinct minority, of course, but the encouraging news is that it will mark the first time that women have ever voted in a Synod of Bishops  It is also interesting to note that more than a quarter of voting members are not bishops.

Tradition is important, but rigidity can be stifling.  Over 60 years have passed since the opening of the Second Vatican Council by Pope John XXIII on October 11, 1962.  That's why fresh air should be allowed in.  Some windows need to be opened.  Inflexibility is not the answer and a Church that fears change will stagnate and wither.  As Pope Francis put it, "If you don't change upward you go backward - And the effects on morality are devasting."  The clergy is made up of human beings.  They have made mistakes and they will continue to make mistakes.  The Church was wrong about Galileo Galilei, a 17th century Italian astronomer and physicist.  It took the Vatican 350 years to formerly admit that Galileo was correct when he said that the Earth moves around the sun.

Pope Francis is an awkward situation.  He clearly wants to make changes, but faces fierce opposition from  the conservative elements of the Church.  Francis obviously doesn't want to create deep division within the Church.  At this critical time, the Church cannot afford a schism.  It would be painful and destructive.  So, Francis has to navigate very carefully and very deftly.

Prior to the synod, five conservative cardinals submitted a set of dubia, or doubt, to Pope Francis regarding women's ordination, the blessing of same-sex unions and the authority of the synod to issue binding teaching.  They were Germsn Cardinal Walter Brandmüller, American Cardinal Raymond Burke, Mexican Cardinal Sandoval Íñiguez, Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, and Cardinal Joseph Zen the former Bishop of Hong Kong. None of the five cardinals who submitted the new set of dubia are among the roughly 400 participants in the synod, which is scheduled to meet until Oct. 29.

Francis, for his part, has chastised conservative critics in the United States, who have challenged him on such theological issues as the Latin Mass, and social issues such as the environment and migration.  During an August 5, 2023 m meeting with Jesuit priests in Lisbon, Portugal, Pope Francis addressed the  the criticism of his leadership, particularly in the United States.  He said, "Those American groups you talk about, so closed, are isolating themselves.  Instead of living by doctrine, by the true doctrine that always develops and bears fruit, they live by ideologies."

For the sake of the Church's future, progressives and conservatives must find common ground.  They must engage in dialogue and listen carefully to each other's concerns.  All voices should be heard and much consensus is needed.  No one should be unbending and unyielding.  That, of course, is easier said than done, but the effort must be made. That is the only reasonable path forward for the Church.

Yes, it is true that none of the 12 Apostles of Christ were women, but neither were they Black, Asian, disabled or Indigenous.  The Church is said to be the Body of Christ.  Women are members of that Body.  The laity is also part of that Body.  Why shouldn't they have a voice in the direction of the Church?  

God is often portrayed as an old man with a white beard and a deep voice, but a Supreme Being does not have a gender.  A Supreme Being is spiritual.  Someday there will probably be woman priests, but it won't happen overnight.  Meanwhile, the basic tenets of Christianity (Love Thy neighbour, the Golden Rule) are more important than dogma.  If Christians follow those teachings, they will always be on the right track.  Those teachings can never be changed.  They can never be outdated.  They serve as a guide forever.

END NOTES

The name Phoebe means "pure," "radiant,"  It was the name of a titan in Greek mythology.

Phoebe is not canonized a saint in the Catholic Church.  However, her feast day is celebrated on September 3rd by the Roman Catholic Chuch, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Episcopal Church of the United States.

- Joanne

Toronto's Yonge-Dundas Square should be renovated

 

Yonge-Dundas Square

A recent Toronto Star editorial argued that Toronto is sorely in need of a public square that is attractive and engaging.  I heartily agree with that notion.  The greatest cities in the  world have wonderful public squares.  I have long wished the same for our city because, let’s face it, Yonge-Dundas Square is undesirable.  In fact, as the Star editorial stated, “At its worst, it has all the appeal of a parking lot."  To be blunt, it is an eyesore.

Just last month, I had the good fortune of visiting Scandinavia.  I was very impressed with the town and city squares in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.  They are people-friendly gathering places with plenty of seating.  Views are not obstructed by skyscrapers.

Of course, Toronto isn’t going to have a Trafalgar Square, a Place de la Concorde or a beautiful Italian-style piazza anytime soon.  Still, why can’t we aspire to something better than Yonge-Dundas Square?  Surely the fourth largest city in North America can create something preferable.

Let’s begin with the name. “Yonge-Dundas Square.”  What could sound less enticing, less imaginative, less attractive.  That name is as dull and sterile as the square itself.  It too has all the appeal of a parking lot. 

In my daydreams, I imagine a large friendly public square at Bloor and Yonge.  When I awaken, I see nothing but skyscrapers blocking my view.  There is no welcoming place for people to congregate, no public square with fountains, statues and greenery in the heart of our city.  Those high rises at Bloor and Yonge, unfortunately, are here to stay.

However, it is not too late to improve Yonge-Dundas Square and give it a new name.  Restaurateur Arron Barberian has put forth a suggestion for renaming the downtown square after the late singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot.  Barberian’s suggestion certainly merits a great deal of consideration, especially since the square is situated near Massey Hall, a venue where Lightfoot frequently performed.

Yes, refurbishing Yonge-Dundas Square would be a costly venture in monetary terms.  Some would argue that the city cannot afford such extravagant spending.  Admittedly, renovating the square would be expensive.  It would certainly be an arduous task, but well worth the cost in human terms.  A refurbished square would be a priceless addition to our city, bringing much happiness to many.  It would improve the quality of urban life and it would attract countless tourists to Toronto. 

I don’t have all the answers, but I hope that Mayor Olivia Chow and members of Toronto City Council give this careful consideration.  They should make it one of their priorities.  Councillor Chris Moise (Ward 3, Toronto Centre}, has urged the council to order a review of the management of the square for the purpose of coming up with new ideas and to determine whether it should be run by an outside board or by the city, in the manner of Nathan Phillips Square.   That’s an important step forward and I wish Councillor Moise much success in his attempt to revitalize Yonge-Dundas Square.

After enduring a long and difficult pandemic, we Torontonians deserve something special to brighten our lives. a place where we can just sit and enjoy the sunshine on a summer day, or sip hot chocolate in the winter.  We need a locale for people of all ages to gather and connect with each other.  An isolated society is not a healthy society.

Back in 1972, media executive Moses Znaimer commissioned singer-songwriter Tommy Ambrose and advertising mogul Gary Gray to create a song about Toronto as the theme music for Citytv., a new UHF Television station.  They came up with “Toronto People City,” which, sadly, is largely forgotten.  I watched a video of that lost anthem on the internet today and I dreamed about what Toronto could and should be.  For those of you who haven’t heard the song, I suggest you google it.

 

- Joanne 

Good news: Something to make you feel better

 

Are you as sick and tired of all the bad news as I am?  Some days I wake up and I think the world is going stark-raving mad.  The recent ongoing wars between Russia and Ukraine and  Israel and Hamas, the hateful right-wing militancy, the political circus in the United States involving the Republican Party and Trump, and the ravages of climate change, are all very disconcerting and scary.  That is why on this Friday the 13th, I would like to brighten your day (and my day) by sharing some good news with you.  It's something you can cheer about.

Scientists believe that they have found one of the causes of autism.  This breakthrough could lead to treating serious neurological disorders in children such as autism and schizophrenia.  American researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have discovered that brain inflammation in youngsters may be the source of the disorders.  This could open the door to new treatments.

According to a Microsoft News (MSN) article by Stephen Beech, for the first time, scientists have learned that inflammation alters the development of brain cells and could be linked to neurodevelopmental disorders  Beech writes, "Using single-cell geonomics to study the brains of children who died from inflammatory conditions, such as bacterial or viral infections or asthma- along with those who died in a sudden accident, the research team found inflammation in early childhood prevents specific neurons in the cerebellum from maturing completely.

I am encouraged by anything that gives hope to children and youth.  They, along with women, suffer the most from war and discord.  We need some good news right now.  If you have some good news to share with me, I promise I will post it on this website, as it is factual.  I invite you to send your contributions to me.  Of course, we can't just close our eyes and completely shut out what's going on in the world.  However, sometimes we need a break, a respite from all the horror.  Every drop in the bucket helps.

- Joanne

Butterfly Conservatory: Niagara Falls, Ontario - Photos

On October 4, 2023, I visited the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara Falls, Ontario.  The glass-enclosed conservatory was built in 1996.  It includes laboratories and specialized greenhouses for raising butterflies and growing plants.

This was my second visit to the conservatory and I enjoyed it immensely.  There is always more to learn about this fascinating insect. They are so colourful and graceful as they flutter their wings.

 I found the staff at the conservatory to be very helpful and friendly.  If you are in the area, I highly recommend that you spend some time in the conservatory.  It is located at 2565 Niagara Parkway, just 6.7 kilometres (4.2 miles) from the Falls.  Over 2,000 tropical butterflies float around the rainforest ambience.  You can take your own walking tour of the conservatory, but you will need over an hour to experience everything properly.  You start with a short, informative video presentation.  Then you can walk through winding  paths of lush vegetation and waterfalls.

Below is a photo of a feeding tray where butterflies gather.  Look closely and you will notice that these butterflies have a large eye design design on their wings.  This is for their defence against predators, so that  attackers will think they are dangerous.

         

- Joanne

Warning! American democracy on life support. The threat is very real!

On a recent Meet the Press, the host explained that Trump and Biden are so close in the polls because "they both have significant liabilities. with the American electorate." What liabilities? " For Trump they're "the indictments and allegations of criminal wrongdoing," said the host. For Biden. "His age."  

- Robert Reich, Afternet, Microsoft, September 2023

Sound the alarm bells!  Donald Trump is a disgrace and he should not be allowed run for public office.  The 2024 U.S. presidential election is still over a year away.  A lot can happen during that time. Nevertheless, if Joe Biden and Donald Trump remain their party's respective candidates, the election may very well turn out to be the most consequential in  American history.  It may decide whether the United States remains a democracy or not.  I do not write those words lightly.  I am a Canadian and what happens in the United States affects my country and the entire planet.  What a tragedy for the world if  Donald Trump becomes president again. The thought ends shivers up my spine.  I am extremely concerned.

Since I am not an American citizen, I cannot cast a vote in next year's presidential election, but I can definitely write about it.  This website is one of the few outlets that I have to express my deep concerns.  Democracy is fragile.  It can vanish in the blink of an eye if it is not nurtured.  This is a heartfelt plea in support of democracy and he rule of law in America.

I am sickened by the thought of the United States losing its democracy.  It is truly shocking that America is in a such a state of moral decay that a man such as Donald Trump is the leading candidate for the Republican nomination for president.  This is a man who behaves like a mob boss.  He is a man who preaches hate against immigrants, refugees, Blacks, Latinos, Jews, Muslims, homosexuals, liberals etc.  He continues to degrade, diminish and disrespect women and disabled persons.  

It is disconcerting that so many Americans consider him a credible candidate for president and that they equate him with President Joe Biden.  I know that Donald Trump's MAGA supporters are brainwashed.  They believe lies, distortions and conspiracy theories.  The have a cult mindset and they follow their Dear Leader blindly.  Nothing I write here will sway them.  My hope is to sound the alarm for Americans sitting on the fence.  My hope is to reach moderate conservatives, independents and undecided voters.  

Americans may not be enthralled with Joe Biden.  However, Biden will never be a threat to democracy.  He is not an admirer of  dictators such as Vladimir Putin of Russia or Kim Jong Un of North Korea.  He will graciously concede if he loses the 2024 election.  He may not be an entertainer like Trump.  He may not be charismatic, but he gets things done.  He doesn't receive the credit he deserves, so I will remind Americans sitting on the the fence of Biden's achievements.

* President Biden has passed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package to increase investment in the national network of bridges and roads, airports, public transit, national broadband internet, waterways, and energy systems.

* Biden's American Rescue Plan helped get more than 500 million life-saving COVID-19 vaccinations in the arms of Americans.

* Biden ended a streak of federal inaction on gun violence by signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that created enhanced background checks, closed the "boyfriend loophole," and provided funds for mental health for young people.

* He cut child poverty in half through the American Rescue Plan.

* He capped prescription drug prices at $2,000 per year for seniors on Medicare through the Inflation Reduction Act.  

* He made a $369 billion in climate change, the largest in American history, through the Inflation Reduction Act.

These are real achievements.  The fundamental question is: Do Americans prefer drama and entertainment over solid achievement and good government?  Sadly, some people are entertained by Trump, but do Americans need a reality show host or someone who actually makes life better and easier for them?

Donald Trump and the Republicans have done masterful job of painting Joe Biden as old and senile.  There is not a great deal of difference in the ages of Biden and Trump.  Biden is 80 and Trump is 77.  If Trump (God forbid) becomes president again, he will be about 84 when his second term ends.  Who knows if Trump would ever allow another free election in the United States.  He will expand presidential powers and do whatever he wants.  That means the end of American democracy.  How can decent Republicans support such a man? .  He can cry "Witch hunt!" as much as he wants, but most people realize that he has engaged in a great deal of criminal activity.  On January 6, 2021, Trump and his unruly supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C., the heart of American democracy.  They tried to change the results of a free and fair election.

Remember that Joe Biden has a stuttering problem.  Even if he were a bit senile, the U.S. would be much better off with a senile Joe than an authoritarian Trump who behaves like a mob boss and threatens violence.  Donald Trump criticized Biden's cognitive ability, but Trump's mind isn't too sharp.  The former U.S. president blundered through a speech in Washington where he warned of the threat of World War II.  He appeared to confuse Joe Biden with Barack Obama.  

I don't think enough Americans are aware of the danger Trump poses, especially if they only watch Fox News.  The ex-president has been inciting violence.  He will continue to send dog whistle messages to his followers.  He is a very dangerous man.  According to a recent poll, seven per cent of Americans believe that Donald Trump should be restored to office by force.

What will happen if Donald Trump secures the presidency?  I can guarantee that he will undermine American democracy and assume authoritarian powers.  He will expand the powers of the presidency and he will attempt to muzzle opposition media.  Remember that one the first things an authoritarian does is take control of the media.  Trump has already called the media "the enemy of the people."  On Sunday, September 24, 2023, he declared that he intends to thoroughly scrutinize and restrict NBC News and other news agencies if he wins the presidency in 2024.

Trump currently faces four criminal indictments that include 91 felony counts across four jurisdictions. Theses charges include both federal and state charges, all of which are felonies.  Of course, Trump has denied and wrongdoing in each one.  He never admits to any wrongdoing.

For the sake of the United States and the world, this man should face the consequences of his actions.  He should be imprisoned if he is found guilty in a court of law.  He should not be permitted to run for public office by virtue of the 14th Amendment , Section 3 insurrection clause.  It states that anyone who "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" after taking an oath of office to defend the Constitution is forbidden from holding any public office.  That is exactly what Trump did on January 6, 2021.

- Joanne