As mentioned in a recent post here at RJsCorner, we in the US have been duped into believing that stock market indexes are the only indicators we need to measure the prosperity of our country. Since the stock market in the last two years went from 19,700 to 24,000 which is about a 21% increase it sounds like we are living in the age of … Continue reading A Cloaked Prosperity
I am a 70+-year-old white guy who leads a joyous life of a nuanced skeptic. I am not anything like the pollsters describe me: We are supposed to be senile and therefore avid MAGA folks who are crouched in the corner of our basement clutching our guns in utter fear of all the hordes invading our country. We are supposed to believe on faith everything … Continue reading I’m Not Supposed To Be Like This.
Before I get into the New York Times quote below I want to tell you about my visit to the Museum of Appalachia from a few years ago. I didn’t know what to expect before I went but was blown away by what I found. There seems to be a lot of pride in their folksy past and art. Some would never consider leaving their … Continue reading Rural America – Appalachia
Up until the last decade or so, if you asked someone which came first country or party, they would almost always say country. The utterly sad reality is that is no longer the case. Far too many of us now say their party affiliation is much more important, in fact they believe that those in the other party or the enemy! How did we get … Continue reading The Shift From Country To Party
When I put my RedLetterLiving blog in hiatus five years ago there was what seemed to be just a ragtag group of theologians and clergy that thought as I did. Following the Red Letters was what Christianity was all about to them and to me. Everything else is a distraction. Now here we are five years later and I have joyfully discovered that many of … Continue reading Progressive Christianity
I saw an article in the New York Times recently about how a new orthopedic clinic contacted Amazon to find out who bought knee-braces in their area. After paying a fee Amazon sent that info along with names and addresses of the customers. The new clinic then sent mail to just that select group instead of flooding the area with their advertisements. I guess some … Continue reading This N’ That Sunday- About Amazon (and other such things)
In order to be called ‘Swiss cheese,” you must have so many holes per cubic inch. In order for a wine to be called “Bordeaux”, it must be made in France. There is no such requirement for anyone or anything to take on the label “Christian”. “Anything can label itself as being “Christian,” so we must always look to the person of Christ to guide … Continue reading The Christian Label
Techie Saturday is meant to be primarily about computers and such but the current disruption of the Polar Vortex makes this topic of the day, and it does have some pretty neat graphics that I want to show you. 🙂 The source article is one of the best explanations of why we have been having some pretty severe cold snaps the last few years. Let’s … Continue reading Techie Saturday – The Polar Vortex
Throughout the 20th century, it was a well-known fact that good paying low skilled jobs are in large metropolitan areas. That was where the factories were, and they hired by the thousands to keep the mind-numbing assembly lines running. Today, of course, those low skilled factory jobs have been rightfully replaced by automation. Why hire a human being who gets easily distracted and makes mistakes, … Continue reading Urban vs Rural Low Skilled Jobs?
I don’t think the word “remoralization” is a real word yet but I admire David Brooks for inventing it for the purposes of his weekly article on capitalism. This post is going to be about our capitalist system and the stock market. Let’s start off with Mr. Brooks words: There’s been a striking shift in how corporations see themselves. In normal times, corporations serve a … Continue reading Remoralization
I recently saw an episode on the PBS Newshour that talked about the increasing number of families who now support their elderly parents. Many of us Baby Boomers are now, or will soon be approaching the times when we can no longer adequately care for ourselves. For those fortunate enough, the kids/grandkids will invite them into their homes. Almost twenty years ago I did the … Continue reading Elder Orphans
From looking at my post counts here at RJsCorner I see that I am pretty much ignoring my number five pillar, breaking down myths. I need to pay more attention to that topic so this post will be about a deaf myth. It’s true that people who are deaf sometimes can read lips but lipreading is in no way an adequate substitute for hearing. In … Continue reading Breaking Down Myths – Most Deaf People Can Read Lips
You would not believe the number of things that come up if you google the word “insult”! They cover a myriad of topics about that word. And of course, you shouldn’t be surprised that they often mention the current Oval Office occupant #CO3. He does have the art of insult down to a T. Many sources found from the search cover the psychology of insult. … Continue reading The Psychology of Insults
This is the premiere installment of This-N-That Sunday and I have no idea where it is going as I write these words. I’m just going to fly by the seat of my pants so to speak. Forgive me in advance if it seems like a mishmash, but that is as it was intended to be wasn’t it? Let’s get down to business. Global Warming It … Continue reading This-N-That Sunday
Here we are at a new Saturday and a new category here at RJsCorner. So, I thought I would use this first post to tell you why I chose this topic. The general view of us senior citizens is that we resist change, particularly things technology related. It is perceived that most of us don’t have cell phones and we have no idea how to … Continue reading Setting The Foundation For Techie Saturday
I’ve learned a valuable lesson in the last month or so. It is a lesson that I embarrassingly should have learned ages ago but was just too stubborn to accept. Much of my, and I’m sure many other’s depression, is from letting stuff weigh me down that is really not mine to carry. There are dozens of stories every day about the idiocy taking place … Continue reading Not Mine To Carry…
For this “Seeking Wisdom” Thursday I am going to give you some of my personal wisdom. Unlike some person we all know, I don’t think I am perfect but I have gleaned a fair amount of wisdom during my years on this earth. Much of it comes from the mistakes I have made, but isn’t that where the really valuable wisdom comes from? I am … Continue reading Letting You In On A Little Secret…
It seems almost impossible to be an optimist in today’s world, especially now that a totally incompetent person leads our version of it. But these times are not the only time we have been severely challenged as a nation. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about America’s future? I’m optimistic. I say that because there have been many moments in our history when old ideas and … Continue reading Optimist Or Pessimist??
My Mexican friends take the end of the year to seriously look for needed change for the new year. It is a time when they change to jobs with brighter futures for themselves and their families. In that light, I took the time to look at my digital world and found several changes that I want to do to make them better in this new … Continue reading Embracing Change at RJsCorner
I’m going to make this Monday talk of politics short and sweet (if that is even possible) 🙂 I see that Elizabeth Warren has already kicked off the 2020 political season with her announcement that she will likely seek the Oval Office. I am ready to start dreaming of a “qualified” person residing in that round room once again. Given the current occupant, the bar … Continue reading Already Started
i’m just too darn busy to post today! I am making several changes here at RJsCorner and my other sites as well. You will hear about all that soon. Continue reading Too Busy…
I hope that there is no American over 8 year old that doesn’t know where the title words come from. For this Artsy Saturday I give you the words in shoe laces! They were found at the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville Arkansas. Continue reading We The People…
One of the things that bothered me much when I was in the corporate world was that I often felt unappreciated. I put in more hours and produced more output than most of my fellow employees but seldom got any praise from my bosses. All of us need a pat on the back once in a while. Most of my bosses just seemed incapable of giving … Continue reading Not Appreciated…
I have let it be know many times here at RJsCorner that Thomas Jefferson is one of my main heroes in life. He, and Will Rogers, are who I chose many years ago to how to cope in the best of times and in the worst of times. Jefferson had a love of words from a very early age. When it came to the written … Continue reading The Wisdom of Jefferson & His Contempt For Stonewall Jackson
I am going to tell you a story about when I was growing up in the 1950s and then put a modern twist to it. I don’t have a lot of memories prior to my eighth year of life. I vaguely remember spots here or there before then. But I do remember when we moved into our brand new $14,000 tract house in the suburbs … Continue reading Free Range Kids…
I must admit that I sometimes don’t practice what I preach here on RJsCorner. As a background item, I spent a good deal of time in 2018 putting together my 10 Pillars as shown to the right. Following my hometown homeboy David Letterman, and also the Ten Commandments I was determined to keep the list at ten items only. That meant over a couple of … Continue reading Never Stop Learning
I continue to be an optimist, I believe I will live long enough to see some level of sanity return to US politics. I think one more national election and it will be totally obvious to all those old white men who currently control our political system that they are losing their grip on power. With that in mind, John Pavlovitz certainly gives me much … Continue reading Terrified Dinosaurs…
I want you to know up front that I think there is a lot wrong with the practice of Christianity, especially in America. Despite the thousands of congregations and leaders who stick to the words of Jesus, it has far too often been polluted by the radical right/religous political extremists in our society. Now that you know where I am coming from I will explain … Continue reading A Corner On The Market For God’s Blessings??
I am one of those people who doesn’t particularly like looking at pictures of myself. But for this artsy Saturday that is just what I am going to do. We were in a restaurant in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia acting silly. That month-long trip to our northern neighbors was one of my most memorable. Continue reading Ohhh…
Fox News Orphans… I knew the thing had a name and I guess I am not surprised that Fox News is attached to it. Fox News Orphans are people who are separated from their tribe/family/church because of the current political circumstances. I can certainly relate to that on several different levels. Here are some words from John Pavlovitz about that: Her story was heartbreaking and … Continue reading Fox News Orphans
Besides soybeans and corn, there is very little growth in rural areas these days. They just don’t get their share of prosperity as the metro areas do. I think that is one of the many factors causing distress in America today. Many of the people in rural areas feel like they are paying their taxes but being ignored. I know I have complained frequently here … Continue reading Besides Soybeans & Corn…
To try to dehumanize someone or some group of people is the epitome of ugliness as far as I am concerned. Unfortunately, it has been used many times throughout human history. Hitler managed to successfully dehumanize the Jews in the 1930s. He then went on to kill millions of them while otherwise respectful Germans turned their back to what was happening! Given the harsh turn … Continue reading Dehumanizing…
RJ's Corner 