Working on the Broadcast - Post Surgery

I am working on this alternative to Vimeo - https://resi.io/

I attended a demo yesterday and spoke with one of their technical people about our set up. It seems that we can benefit from a hardware encoder, and we have the gifts for that already. The regular fee is a bit higher, but we are on the Vimeo cheaper slot. 

I discussed our problems with Vimeo, which Vimeo did not address - the blackouts and the music. Resi says they provide for those lapses with their software and hardware, since delays happen in all computer networks. I remember from Cisco CCNA training "and then it goes into the bit bucket" (loss of data).

The key here is that their people will talk about the issues and not just say, "Really? Humm." 

Tomorrow we will have the best camera (so far) linked up, the separate mike which is matched to it, and two computers, one to handle the organ music separately. 

A Big Dose of Nostalgia

 Guy Johnson, MHS 68, and I - MHS66 - posed outside of Lagomarcino's in downtown Moline, not far from the historic location of Melo Cream.

 I see Jeff Hall in the top row, first guy on the left.
I told Christina I wanted to go back in a time machine and say to Jane, next to Jeff, "You are going to marry the Boston Chief of Police!" - and similar improbable predictions that would happen.

Today I learned from Facebook that Guy was in the hospital on a respirator. And I heard from Patty Puck Hall, about how much she missed Jeff - both of them from Garfield Grade School, where my mother taught.

The walk to Garfield went by Guy's home, and we often went to school together, and read stacks of comics on Saturdays. My mother was a celebrity teacher, still talked about today, and my father was a famous donut shop owner. When he added peanut brittle and fudge, they were the best, too. 

Friends ask me to come back to Moline and re-start Melo Cream. I can understand. Today's donuts make me sick, they are so poorly made. My father made donuts from the best ingredients, which made him the quality expert before W. Edward Deming.

One Moline reunion met at Lago's, and I was ambushed for never taking Christina there on a date. I said, "Lago's came to US, to Melo Cream! I did not need to walk a few blocks for candy and treats."

I started this blog for family in 2010, because I did not know very much about how and where my parents grew up. I figured the scattered Jacksons might want to know. 

I doubt whether any relatives care about what has been recorded here in the last 11 years or so. Almost 400,000 views mean that quite a few others have stopped by. I enjoy or am saddened by the posts that appear on the left column for having more reads for the week. Obituaries appear again on the left column, but so do fun and famous moments and people I have known.  

I especially enjoy lining up the Golden Wedding Anniversaries separately as they developed - united on one page. I still do that when I know it is happening. Maybe a Jackson will notice one day.

The star of that page is Bonnie Bartlett, married to William Daniels in 1951. They are both alive and married 60 years! I used go by the Bartlett Insurance Agency when I was a young lad, never knowing it fostered a future star and record-setting celebrity marriage.

Mary Gail is our acrobatic and dance princess, who made it to Broadway. We saw her trying out her early performances at Garfield. 

On our last trip to Moline, we had two priorities - seeing Guy Johnson and Tobie McGriff. We also had the pleasure of dining with good friends at the reunion dinner, until the aging rock band began jamming and ruined all conversation. Everyone left the moment we were reminded - what the word cacophony means.

The newly lit bridge looks spectacular, but the John Baker Bridge honors the soldier who earned the Medal of Honor. We were in high school gym together. Yes, I would love to go back in time and say, "You will earn the Medal of Honor, the highest and rarest distinction."

More from the Lutheran Librarian

In all their discourses and writings, therefore, the prophets and apostles allude and refer to the Decalogue or Ten Commandments. From these Ten Commandments flow all the doctrines, and all the godly living of the saints: for there is no holiness or godliness of life or true religion, apart from the Ten Commandments: because they are the never-failing inexhaustible fountain of all wisdom, righteousness, and of all perfection in the saints. Nor is there any of the complaints uttered by the Prophets or Apostles, nor will you find any other in all their discourses, but that against false prophets, hypocrites and false teachers, who, disregarding, nay, totally despising and spitting upon, the true and highest worship of God, (which is that of the first Commandment, that requires faith and the fear of God,) teach their own human dreams, which have nothing whatever to do with the Decalogue, and do not at all belong to it.

From: Luther, Martin. A Manual on the Book of Psalms. Translated by Henry Cole. Lutheran Library 1837/2022. LutheranLibrary.org

 WELS had a better idea, endorsed by Missouri and ELCA.

From the Lutheran Library and Its Librarian

 

Newsletter from The Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry

In This Issue

Church History For Young People by Peer Olsen Stromme The Lord's Prayer: A Devotional Study Based on Luther's Smaller Catechism by Charles Armand Miller An Order of Family Prayer - Jesus Our Table Guest by Emanuel Greenwald The Sermon on the Mount: A Practical Study by Matthias Loy Out of the Labyrinth: The Conversion of a Roman Catholic Priest by Leo Lehmann

Featured

Church History For Young People by Peer Olsen Stromme “The Christian Church is in reality as old as the world itself. It has existed ever since the creation of man; for there always have been true believers, who have done God’s will on earth, and who have gone to heaven when they died. And all these have been saved through faith in Christ. “The church history of the time before the coming of Christ is the history of the Jews, God’s chosen people, as recorded in the Old Testament. The true believers of that day were saved by faith in the Savior whom God had promised to send when he said: ‘The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent.’ They truly believed in Christ, and were members of his church; for it was true then, as now, that ‘there is no salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.'” – From the Introduction Level of Difficulty: Primer: No subject matter knowledge needed. Contents Foreword Introduction Part I. The Early Church The Apostles The Early Christian Martyrs Constantine The Great And Julian The Apostate The Religious Services And Customs Of The Early Church The Church Fathers Arianism And Athanasius Augustine And The Pelagian Controversy Monachism And Asceticism Part II. The Church During The Middle Ages The False Prophet Mohammed Christianity Victorious Throughout Europe Popery Superstitions And Heresies Of The Roman Church The Crusades The Monastic Orders The General Church Councils The Reformers Before The Reformation Part III. The Reformation and After The Church Reformation By Martin Luther Ulrich Zwingli And John Calvin The Early Struggles And Triumphs Of The Lutheran Church The Growth Of The Reformed Church The Jesuits Doctrinal Controversies In The Lutheran Church About Peer Stromme Peer Olsen Stromme was born September 15, 1856 in Winchester, Wisconsin to Norwegian immigrant parents. Stromme graduated from Luther College (Iowa), attended Concordia Theological Seminary, and was ordained a Lutheran minister in 1878. Stromme taught at St. Olaf College, and was editor of a Norwegian language paper in Chicago. Additionally he was the founding editor of the Norwegian language newspaper Dagbladet. He also translated books for the John Anderson Publishing Company in Chicago and the Lutheran Publishing House of Decorah, Iowa. Stromme fell asleep in he Lord on September 15, 1921. (Wikipedia, retrieved 2017-10-20.) Why this book? “It has seemed to me that a Compend of Church History, in handy form and in the English language, would fill a want among our Lutheran young people. For years I have therefore had it in my mind to prepare such a book, hoping that it might be read with interest and profit in the homes, and that it might be found useful in connection with the work done by our Young People’s Societies and our Sunday Schools. I may add that while the plan and arrangement of the book are my own, I have, of course, consulted other Church Histories, and made use of that which seemed best.” – Peer O. Stromme Download the eBook PDF EPUB - [Apple, Kobo and other devices] MOBI+AZW3 - [Kindle] If you request an EPUB or MOBI version, you can expect to receive it within a few hours. If you don't hear back by the next day, check your spam or junk mail folder. This is especially true for yahoo mail. You can also request a copy of this or any Lutheran Library e-book by sending an email with the title and format you'd like. Enjoy the book! Publication Information Lutheran Library edition first published: 2017-10-30 Updated: 2019-08-12 Copyright: CC BY 4.0

Luther's Book on the Psalms - A Far-Seeing Quotation

 Lutheran Librarian - Luther’s comments here on Psalm 12 are both historical and prescient.

“This is a prayer containing a heavy complaint against them, who, introduce human doctrines instead of the word of God, and who, afterwards, by various new traditions and forms of worship disturb the church, and fill all things with a white-wash show of religion, and with the outward daubing of Pharisaism and hypocrisy, so that wicked men and hypocrites reign on every side, as the last verse complains.

“For when human doctrines have once invaded the church, they go on to rage far and wide, and spread in all directions like a cancer; there is no end to their corruption and destructive influence; they take possession of all things and wonderfully vex and torment consciences: so that the number of the true saints and of those that truly fear God is few and small indeed: of this the infinite variety of papistical hypocrisy affords a manifest example.

From: Luther, Martin. A Manual on the Book of Psalms. Translated by Henry Cole. Lutheran Library 1837/2022. LutheranLibrary.org

Plagiarism in WELS - A Deep Dive into the Past - 2015

Sent by a reader, who added - "This is you."
He added - "Time to give more reason to fear the truth."

Reverend John Thorpe

The first minister of record to preach here was a Calvinist minister, Reverend John Thorpe. Unfortunately soon after arriving in 1659, it became apparent he did not adhere to the gospel he preached. His shortcomings included addiction to strong drink, extreme profanity, and a foul disposition. In 1661, he was forbidden by court order to continue preaching.  GJ - Note - he was banned, not promoted. Read Jane's story here.

2008 Links

St. Mark DePere - removes evidence of plagiarism from their websty

GJ - St. Mark is the home of Church and Change, a political lobby funded by your offering money, WELS members. 

Creepy Plagiarism - Church and Changers Copy Each Other and Their False Teaching Idols

Church and Change Misbegotten Ideas - Including Ski from St. Marcus and Cross-Dressing Pastor Adam Mueller

Church and Change Board Member Ski Evacuates to Appleton

Another Coven of Changers Offering Their Toxins - Ski Again

You Must Read This - Parlow and Timmer Plagiarize Hybels Words and Emotions

WELS Pastor Adam Mueller -
From Church and Changer to Gender Bender.

2009 Links

The Rebels Guide To Plagiarism - How To Get Promoted from Round Rock to Asian Prof

Church and Change Conference in Appleton



2010 Links

 Change or Die - Seibert Foundation - Parlow and the ELCA LCMS Shrinkers

Parlow Plagiarism

Hilarious Kelm Graphic - From Anonymous - Not That One, Another Anonymous

More Fox Valley Plagiarism - From Intrepid Lutherans

Bethany Appleton Caught Plagiarizing Swindoll

Apology Erased from Bethany Websty


2011 Links

Why Did Pastor Christenson Leave St. Peter in Freedom after a Few Months?

Deep Sixing the Plagiarism Issue - Intrepids


2012 Links

Plagiarism from Paul McCain, MDiv



2013 Links



Intrepids - Steve Spencer - Afraid 

Paying Dearly for Bad Food

A parish member - who knows the numbers - agrees - Nutritious food is dirt cheap, but bad food is very expensive.

Beans and greens are popular with poor people because both food groups are satisfying. As I discovered in Creation gardening, there is an abundant supply of fresh, very nutritious weeds in any yard, starting with the hated dandelion, an herb brought up from Europe. Dandelions spawned a major industry - herbicides - like Scotts Lawn and Garden toxins. I used to eat Purslane and Pig Weed. 

The joke of the ages is that the promoted food groups - meat, milk, cheese, eggs, are very high in fat and relatively low in nutrition. When  it comes to cost per meal, beans and greens are a steal.

I always grew beans and tomatoes; Christina loved both, especially uncooked beans. Anything grown from seed is dirt cheap, to coin a phrase.

A bigger joke is paying for fattening over-salted food at a burger joint. The food is often old and dry, costs a bundle, and offers salt and fat in abundance. The Sass and I have a little at McDonalds because it means so much to her. I fail to order potato produces and soft drinks.

For lunch I had two huge bowls of spinach, a little bit of dressing, milled flaxseed, and blueberries. I find it ironic - eating a bale of spinach does not stuff the stomach the way SAD food does. I added flaxseed because it is good for blood pressure, somewhat like walnuts and blueberries. I will have walnuts later, too satisfied now. 

My desserts are either oranges or apples. The WM cashier was shocked at the price of Envy apples. But she would not have been surprised if I checked out a pound of steak, for $16 or more. WM even charges high prices for roadkill (just kidding, tougher than roadkill).

My blood pressure is way down and my weight is now at its lowest since the last century.

 "You taste good too!"

Truth,

 "What is truth?" said scoffing Pilate.

Truth must be unified and powerful, so it is no wonder that philosophers today are almost 100% atheists. We must allow for a few exceptions, or the previous claim is not true.

Truth survives, even though there is almost universal antagonism toward it. Many attacks have been organized against the truth, but not one has been successful.

The source of the truth must be solitary, because a host of competing claims would blunt the message. That can be seen in the ways so many meal-tickets modern versions of the Bible are printed, but not one agrees with the other. One version - the NIV - has claimed to be the top seller, though it remains in the minority with the rest of the fakes.

No one has the ability to grasp the foundational claim that God became man, dwelling among us, full of grace and truth. That had to be revealed by the Holy Spirit in writing, using such simple words and grammar that a child could learn and believe the nature of God.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Word made flesh. As God's only-begotten Son, Jesus explains the Father-Son relationship, the transmission of this truth revealed by the Spirit through the beloved Apostle John.

Truth is eternal, not seasonal, so the truth remains, even when attacked on every side. God is delighted to let the great and powerful cower and crumble before Him, the proud scatter like autumn leaves. But He watches over the humble, the poor, the weak, and the children. 

One residual item mocks and condemns mankind's modern hatred of the truth. If someone is in desperate straits, complete in the assumed knowledge of all the errors and contradictions of the Scriptures, he will still pray. How can such a weak and fallible God hear this silent - or spoken - prayer? How can God, with so many infirmities - carefully described by brilliant philosophers, Biblical critics, and bishops - do anything about that prayer?

One little word explains this - faith. A person's faith is established by the truth, spoken or read. A great philosopher at Yale, mostly unknown today, explained how he became a Christian. "My mother taught me."

Newest Camera - Stand Alone Mike Not Used

 

This is the newest camera, preceded by Brio (black Logitech), the original Logitech, and the NewEgg offering (scrambled).

The separate stand-alone mike is not plugged in for this trial.

Vimeo Live.

Sassy Calls

 

Sassy stays in her bed late some days, then bawls me out to start on a walk. So this is my "Yes, I feel great post."

Macular - Immaculate

Eye surgery was yesterday and follow up was today. This computer is rigged for large print, so I do not need reading glasses for writing. Now I feel like Burgess Meredith in the famous Twilight Zone episode where he has vast amount of books to read - oh joy - and broken glasses - oh no!

The key date was December 8th.  The regular doctor identified my pancreas warrantee running out. Later that day, the ophthalmologist found eye pressure going up, even with two kinds of drops. I did not want glaucoma to do any more damage, so I scheduled the operations.

The route of the optic nerve is a spot on the back of the eyeball, and that spot is called a macula, Latin for spot. Macular degeneration is the gradual loss of that bundle of nerves. (Note for the Lutheran Librarian - that is not an Wiki link, so it may be factually accurate.)

Glaucoma is different (Harvard link).

December 8th is the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. I mention that because many get mixed up. The invented and promoted dogma - Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox - is that the Virgin Mary was spotless (immaculate) her entire life and never committed a sin. That dogma grew and flourished with Mary as the Queen of Heaven, the one who comforted the suffering souls in Purgatory. And yet, Purgatory came from pagan sources, not the Scriptures. She is contrasted with the distorted teaching that Jesus is harsh and angry with sinners, Mary demanding mercy for them as the Mother of the Redeemer. 

So December 8th began my change to nutrition and away from desserts, sweets, and atrocious choices in food. In one week, between eye operations, my blood pressure dropped 45 points (top part) which became a 30 point drop before surgery, due to white coat syndrome - being nervous when a doctor shows up.

Christina's job at Yale Medical School, The Child Study Center, was researching the use of books for helping children and parents. It is ironic that her copy of Eat To Live was in my library when I got the shocking pancreas news. Fortunately, Dr. Fuhrman's book became my therapy for reducing blood sugar and lowering blood pressure. 

I have avoided desserts, candy, and snack-food the entire time - replacing them with almonds, walnuts, and fruits. Lunch today was a combo of green peppers, onions, and sweet potatoes. Sassy and I had our last fish later because I was getting low on mercury and plastic. (That's a joke.)

Fuhrman's prescription for a lot more exercise is expressed well, but it fell into the abyss of taking it easy for eye surgery. Soon that will be a daily routine to supplement the low-cost gym I use, which is an exit away.

WELS Luxury Conference in the Caribb - Funded by Thrivent. Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

 Thrivent brings us all together in one big fellowship of love.

Conference of Presidents January 2022 meeting

The Conference of Presidents (COP) held its winter meeting in another deluxe Caribbean trip funded by Thrivent on Jan. 3-6. The following items were discussed, avoided, or decided:

• Representatives from the Conference of Presidents will meet with the Board for Home Missions leadership and with several members of the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary faculty as a part of the planning process for the effort to open 10 new home missions in ten years beginning in 2023, God willing.
• Northwestern Publishing House (NPH) is continuing its search for a new president. Mr. Bill Ziche, current NPH president, has announced his plans to retire. Mr. Mark Buske, director of marketing for NPH, will serve as acting president until a new president is found. What about Eve?
• There are currently 143 pastoral vacancies in the synod, 124 of which are parish pastor positions. Forty of the pastoral vacancies are in associate pastor positions (meaning those congregations are still being served by at least one pastor). This year’s graduating class at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary will be larger than those tiny ones in recent years, which will help to reduce the number of pastoral vacancies.
• With expanding enrollment at our WELS schools, the growing shortage of teachers continues, especially in the area of early childhood. The COP discussed ideas for enhancing recruitment efforts and more child development buildings at Martin Luther College.
• The COP recently issued a pastoral letter on Christian freedom. Ironic?
• Compensation for vicars was set at $42,000, slightly lower than last year’s amount.
• The COP expressed thanks to God for the high level of Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO) in 2021. The exact total will be published in the coming days.
• Congregations are asked to submit their 2021 statistics and CMO subscriptions by the Feb. 4 deadline.
• The COP expressed its support for a proposal by Northwestern Publishing House and the Commission on Lutheran Schools to develop a comprehensive K-12 religion curriculum for schools, DPs, and Sunday schools.
• The COP has been making final edits on yet another restatement of the synod’s teaching on male and female roles. It is hoped that the final document will be ready for review by the district conventions this summer.

 Why not both, male and female?

  Why not both, male and female?

Serving with you in Christ, From the Love Shack:
WELS President Mark Schroeder