Category: *Having My Say

On Just About Everything

*Having My Say2 Comments

Our Own Version….

RJ Walters

MIDDLESBORO, Ky. (AP) — A snake-handling pastor who appeared on the National Geographic television reality show “Snake Salvation” has died after being bitten by a snake during a weekend church service in Kentucky. SOURCE: Snake-handling Ky. pastor dies from snake bite – Yahoo News. While this is maybe of the extreme part of the spectrum it is still a typical example of how we pick and choose what we want to be the image of God.  It takes one verse out of the tens of thousands found in the Bible and uses it for the main focus of spirituality.  “You shall … Continue reading Our Own Version….

*Having My Say3 Comments

Looking Back…

RJ Walters

I now have over 3,000 posts here at RJsCorner and in a number of them I made some predictions. Every once in a while I need to revisit those posts, especially those where I got my predictions wrong. This is one of them. In this post below, I predicted that there was no way Trump could win the presidency. But I did leave myself an out by saying it depends on how many of us vote, so maybe I was right after all.  I guess my faulty logic was that I gave the general electorate too much credit for being informed voters.  … Continue reading Looking Back…

*Having My Say2 Comments

Cleveland Treasures

RJ Walters

For this Artsy Saturday, I wanted to give you some pictures that I see as the quintessential Cleveland.  I am not a sports nut by any stretch of the imagination so their well-known teams just aren’t “Cleveland” to me.  The Cleveland Clinic is a crown jewel for the city but I will talk about that in a future post. When I visited the city a few years ago I discovered that it has a much more diverse population then I imagine. Part of that is ethnic neighborhoods. The restaurant sign below is in the Italian district. The city center includes the Terminal Tower … Continue reading Cleveland Treasures

*Having My Say2 Comments

Facades

RJ Walters

There is just something about small-town facades that fascinates me. It is probably because of the symmetry and patterns.  I am currently working on a photo collection that will soon be available in the “Photo Collections” pages in the header above.  This one was taken recently in Rockville Indiana. One thing unusual about this photo is that none of the windows above the store are boarded or bricked up. I imagine all of them are occupied as apartments.  Rockville is in the middle of “covered bridge country” and has a huge fall festival around them. Continue reading Facades

*Having My SayLeave a comment

Other People’s Dreams..

RJ Walters

This is going to be one of those philosophical posts so hang on to your hat.  I have always been a dreamer. For the most part I didn’t imagine that my lofty dreams would ever come true and for the most part, they didn’t. :) When I was young my dreams were often a result of the many fictional books I read. My favorite authors during those years were John Steinbeck and Jack London. These two guys took me to places I never knew existed and to people very different from me. When I got a little older I started dreaming … Continue reading Other People’s Dreams..

*Having My SayLeave a comment

Liar Liar, Hair On Fire

RJ Walters

I know I swore this kind of stuff off but here is a snippet that I just couldn’t resist posting. I’m not much on hashtags but this one I couldn’t avoid inventing. #LLHOF perfectly describes this Time Magazine cover of January 23. The FactCheckers say that the current Oval Office occupant #COOO lied almost 2,000 times in his first year in office. I don’t know if that includes just his tweets but I’m sure it doesn’t include when he lies in the West Wing. I wonder if all those who voted for him are holding him up as a shining … Continue reading Liar Liar, Hair On Fire

*Having My Say1 Comment

Paoli Wall

RJ Walters

For this artsy Saturday, I wanted to give you something simple yet beautiful. While I was coming back from a three day RV trip to southern Indiana I stopped at Paoli Indiana for lunch. After eating I decided to take a short tour of this three-street town and came across this picture.  It may not be symmetrical but I love the patterns that came through so well in the afternoon sun. One of my Aspie traits is to see and appreciate pattern where others wouldn’t. I  guess this is one of them. Continue reading Paoli Wall

*Having My Say9 Comments

I’m An Air Force Pilot..

RJ Walters

I want to make it clear up front that I personally am not an Air Force Pilot. :)  I heard this simple phrase on a show I was watching a few minutes ago and realized that that description will come to mean something very different in the next few years. The technology involved in our warplanes has simply outgrown the human interface sitting in them.  When air-to-air combat happens now the pilots of the two planes never actually see each other. Instead, a computer lock on to the target and all the pilot does is push a button.  Computer-guided bombs are … Continue reading I’m An Air Force Pilot..

*Having My Say1 Comment

I Wish I Could Invite Them All In

RJ Walters

Getting another round of snow here in Indiana right now. Way too much for me but my wife loves it.  When these storms happen it seems the cardinals go into a panic mode.  I wish I could invite them all inside to stay warm… but then there would be the bird dropping and my cat would probably have a heart attack. Click on either image to see a larger version Continue reading I Wish I Could Invite Them All In

*Having My SayLeave a comment

West Virginia, Mountain Mama..

RJ Walters

I want to do an extended post on some of the States I have visited in order to get to know them better. I will start this project out with the State I really know very little about and that is West Virginia.  I have been through it a few couple of times but have never spent much time there.  My initial source of information about WV is from the old John Denver song, thus the title of the post. Here are some of the lyrics from that song: Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River. Life is … Continue reading West Virginia, Mountain Mama..

*Having My Say2 Comments

Appalacian Folk Art

RJ Walters

When I visited the Museum of Appalachia in Norris Tennessee this last fall I was totally unprepared for the fullness of the experience. I came away with a much-expanded understanding of what it might have been like to live in such an isolated area. The way the museum personalized every display which made me almost think that I knew the people themselves who made the things seen. Sometimes I forget that creativity will flourish wherever it is found. With nothing more than a piece of wood and a whittling knife, true pieces of art were created. Here are a few … Continue reading Appalacian Folk Art

*Having My Say4 Comments

Our Shrinking Voice…

RJ Walters

One of the sad things about the current US leadership is that much of the world seems to be looking elsewhere for its moral and ethical purpose and why shouldn’t it when most of our citizens are doing the same thing. One of the prime things that the Oval Office occupant wants to do, besides undoing EVERYTHING his predecessor accomplished, is to keep “foreigners” from invading America.  Will there come a day when no one will even think about wanting to come to America?  These are the questions for today’s post. Maybe I am being naive but I kind of … Continue reading Our Shrinking Voice…

*Having My SayLeave a comment

Slavery..

RJ Walters

   I ran across a rather startling picture at the Andrew Johnson Historic site in northern Tennessee this year.  Before I talk about that, I was thoroughly amazed at how Johnson’s hometown managed to spin the story of him to make him appear to be a heroic figure which is very contrary to most public opinion. I guess I have not come across too many photos showing how intrinsic slavery was to the southern States.   This picture, according to the legend below it, was taken in Atlanta in 1864 just after the Emancipation Proclamation.  The “Auction & Negro Sales” store … Continue reading Slavery..

*Having My SayLeave a comment

Rekindled By A Spark

RJ Walters

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.   —  Albert Schweitzer I must admit that in some ways I am not a very creative person. I have often times in my life needed a spark from another person to get me headed down a path.  So, I certainly appreciated the quote above from Albert Schweitzer.  I have deep gratitude for those who have lighted the flame within me. I am a passionate … Continue reading Rekindled By A Spark

*Having My Say2 Comments

Conformity..

RJ Walters

 For this Sunday’s post, I want to talk about the strict conformity many churches today demand of those who want to be members. It is not as simple as deciding to join but you must jump through all the hoops they tell you to before they will accept you. I’ve seen the light go out in people’s eyes when they decide it’s safer to embrace a doctrine or a policy that their gut tells them is wrong than it is to challenge those who say it’s right. I’ve watched open minds close and tender hearts harden. I’ve seen people pretend to … Continue reading Conformity..

*Having My SayLeave a comment

The Anxiety of Driverless Cars

RJ Walters

Yeah, I know there is quite a bit of anxiety out there about driverless cars but I am not one of those.  I hope before I die I am able to buy one. Ford Motor has set a goal of producing a self-driving car with no steering wheel and no pedals by 2021, allowing time to make sure such technology can be managed safely. Source: Trying to Bypass Anxiety on the Road to Driverless Cars – The New York Times I love to travel but don’t particularly like to drive, but I hate flying even more. That is a dilemma that … Continue reading The Anxiety of Driverless Cars

*Having My SayLeave a comment

Grandpa Would Be Proud..

RJ Walters

I have decided to spend this last week of the year totally ignoring our dark political times. Here is the first installment. One of the things I remember most about my grandpa, besides him being a pig farmer, was that he would start each meal by cutting everything into small pieces and then mixing it all together!  No matter what was on his plate it would end up in a pile with everything else.When questioned about it he always said: “It’s all going to the same place so why not start it that way”. I’m sure if grandpa were alive … Continue reading Grandpa Would Be Proud..

*Having My SayLeave a comment

On-The-Road – Studebaker Museum

RJ Walters

I had been in South Bend Indiana a couple of times in the past few years before I realized that it was the home of Studebaker car manufacturing.  So, I thought it was worth another trip to that city. It was the last trip I took for the 2017 season. While Studebaker was never considered a mainstream car it was a well made and totally Hoosier. The Avanti model has gotten quite a calling now and is sought out by many collectors.   Continue reading On-The-Road – Studebaker Museum