I’m rushing this issue. Been away from my office for almost the entire week. Had to work remotely and so I put this whole issue in bits and pieces from different places. I’m watching that clock tick towards midnight as I type this intro. I hope I am coherent because I have no time to correct and just about to drop dead.

Bong Bong

WARNING: Silly, Serious, Sad

Thirty six years ago (February 22 1986) a dictator named President Ferdinand Marcos was overthrown by a peaceful revolution called People Power. He and his family were infamously duped into flying to Hawaii where he later died … rejected and embarrassed. It was reported that he had stashed away 10 Billion dollars (must be in the 100 billions today) in Swiss Accounts but years of lawyering did not return a cent back to the coffers of his beleagered country. I believe the Swiss banks have conveniently kept the loot all these years. (Makes me wonder who was the bigger swindler.) When his reign collapsed unruly mobs crashed into his palace and stole precious pens, paper weights, etc. made of gold. They stole everything except the golden toilets. Imelda’s (his wife) three thousand shoes were discovered. Such sickening oppulence when people were starving less than a mile’s radius away.

A year later, February 25 was declared People’s Power Day – (a national holiday to this day) and there were parades and reenactments. But this celebration died down as the attendance dropped. New paper currencies were printed with the face of Benigno Aquino (Marcos’ political nemesis) insulting the dictator’s family every time they used cash. Sadly, corruption in the Philippines was never uprooted. Even the cronies were never brought to justice. Even the “good politicians” were unable to clean up the mess.

The big news this week is Ferdinand Jr, aka. Bong Bong Marcos, did the unthinkable. He ran for president and won. And for his vice president, he has Sara Duterte, the daughter of the current “devil-may-care” president. It’s Dumb and Dumber for the leaders of the country. These uneducated, deceitful, party-going, scoundrels are going to follow both their Dads’ footsteps.

Bong Bong’s strategy was deceit and brainwashing. His family had the ill-gotten money and there was a new generation of poor voters with no memory of the Marcos tyranny. Thanks to the rebranding machinations of social media spearheaded by Cambridge Analytica — yes, the same company that pushed Donald Trump to power — and paid politicians and bureaucrats who legitimized his candidacy, Bong Bong won by a landslide to the horror of the educated elites.

There are many lessons to be learned. Take your pick. None of them are uplifting and inspiring:

• People have short memories
• It pays to buy your way to an election
• Crime actually pays
• Hire Cambridge Analytica if you want to win an election

TRAINWRECK WORLD

We’ve got the leader of the free world who’s got cognitive difficulties, a modern-day Hitler annihilating thousands of innocent Ukrainians, a heavy-handed yet volatile Chinese communist party experimenting with a zero tolerance for a deadly virus … a virus that has already stretched the rest of the world beyond their reserves. If there ever was a volatile time in the history of the human race, it is now.

Strangely, the lyrics of a popular song comes to mind: “Bye bye Miss American Pie … I saw a Satan laughing with delight, the day the music (sanity and common sense) died.” I know it’s out of context to the original meaning of the song but it seems to fit the visual image in my head.

When they took out the Ten Commandments (a symbol of rules to keep us in check and set necessary boundaries) from our schools what did they expect?

But, as always, there is hope. There is always hope. Scripture is full of prophecy of what it will look like in the end times — so this trainwreck is expected. We always knew about the coming Armageddon … we just didn’t think it would happen in our lifetime. Woe to the world. But for those who believe, there is the rapture and there is heaven where joy will be eternal. This intro is already too long and it’s midnight. So if you are interested in more detail, write me.

But this is just me.

TGIF people!

Raoul

Here are some political cartoons that say it all.

Joke of the Week

Parting Shots

Thanks to Maling of Manila, Philippines

This week, I thought I’d do something different with these memes. Hope you like them.

Thanks to our Sci Fi fan JD of Toronto

Thanks to John of Connecticut

The post What is the Universe Made Of? appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Overcoming Fear

When I was a kid, not knowing a lot about reality and make-believe, I was afraid of the dark. One night, I decided to get over my fear and locked myself inside a pitch black room and waited for whatever lurked there to come and get me. Nothing … no one … nothing … reared its ugly head. I finally got over my fear. From that point on I stopped believing in Vampires, ghosts, and monsters. But then college came.

My friends  and I were in a boring party in Arlington, VA. Someone suggested we spice things up by playing an Ouija board — you know: those demonic board games where 4 or 5 people slide a glass over letters and numbers? Touching the glass with just our finger tips we invited any spirit to communicate with us. The glass moved. We looked suspiciously at each other trying to guess who was actually moving the glass. No one admitted to it. The “presence” said she was a little girl who died of a sickness during the Prairie era and she lived on that land. The glass danced lively and we would switch off players who we suspected were moving the glass but no matter who was playing, the glass had a power of its own. In fact, when there were just 2 or 3 people touching the glass, I remember it moved so fast that the glass was went ahead of the fingers. We were all freaking out. And it was only when one of our friends picked up the glass and tossed it away that the spell was broken. No one had any answers. We all just felt uncomfortable. That ended the party. I remember going upstairs lighting a rare cigarette to an empty room that night because fear of the unknown had come back. From that day on, I realized the reality of a spiritual dimension.

Many years later, I was a young Christian illustrating manuals for a ministry project. Going home after a grueling overtime, I realized I forgot to turn off my car headlights when I parked it 10 hours earlier. So my car batteries conked out and I needed a push to start the car. It was close to midnight on a quiet road in the city. No one else was in sight everyone was sleeping. Seemingly out of nowhere a man came limping behind me and asked if I needed a push. Seeing that he had a defective foot, I said I would do the pushing and he would get in the car. He insisted to push so I let him. Surprisingly, that handicap had so much strength that he pushed the car faster than I could and I got the car started. I was so grateful that I volunteered to drive him home. He pointed his home at a poor village straight ahead half a mile away but he didn’t need a ride. So I left. Just a few yards away I decided I really should take him home and I turned the car around. There was no other way for that man to walk or run towards that village but the he was gone. Was he an angel?

Several spiritual encounters are recorded in the Bible. I don’t believe in ghosts but I believe there are good and there are evil deceptive spirits out there. To be unaware of this is to be unprepared for the spiritual battle that is constantly going on.

Some people love TO scare, BE scared and glorify death especially come Halloween. I don’t. Movies never scare me anymore. Ever since I trusted in Christ and his protection, I have regained my courage over the unknown. A wise man said: “If you can capture the element of surprise, you’re way ahead of the game.”

But this is just me. TGIF people!

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
— Isaiah 41:10

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA for sharing this joke.

Don’s Puns

From Don’s collection of puns

Scary Chainsaw Accidents

Owning a chainsaw does not automatically make you a logger.
Shared by Tom of Pasadena, CA

Parting Shot

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA who shared this:

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