WARNING: Political Thought. Skip to the jokes if you aren’t into this.

The big news nowadays is Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter. The gregarious billionaire claimed he needed to do it to advance freedom of speech which he believes has been suppressed by big media for years. He encourages a free discourse among people from all sectors of the political landscape including people who disagree with him. Sounds fair, doesn’t it? That should be a good thing, right? So why are there so many upset beyond words? What’s really going on here?

NICODEMUS
Nicodemus was a Pharisee who had been witnessing the many miracles of Jesus. Under the cover of night he visits Jesus to question him about teachings that did not jive with his world view. That was very mature of Nicodemus — to be open to the possibility that his beliefs were faulty. Technically, this passage describes Jesus as the light in a world of darkness but there seems to be a parallel application with TRUTH in a world of lies. 

“… Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” — John 3:19-20

WHO ARE YOU?
Where you stand with this issue about Twitter reveals a lot about you. If you think it isn’t fair for everyone to share their opinion, then you don’t really believe in fairness and equality. If you disrupt speeches or prevent further discussions just because you don’t agree with the direction of the conversation, then you’re not very mature are you? Are you afraid of the truth?

Scripture doesn’t say that Nicodemus changed his mind that fateful evening. Eventually however, I believe he was mature enough to move over to “the other side.” in Chapter 7:50 we see the egotistical Pharisees cursing Jesus because His teachings did not carry their seal of approval. Then in comes old Nick to the rescue who defends Jesus. Ata boy Nick!  Then in John 19:39 we see Nick again. This time he is helping the women prepare Jesus’ broken body for burial. In both instances this Pharisee was showing his allegiance to Jesus in broad daylight. What a beautiful progression from dark to light.

HOPE
I hope Elon Musk indeed opens the floodgate of free ideas … good or bad. I hope we all have meaningful discussions. I hope the great divide between political parties start to narrow and begin to heal our country. I hope we learn to give grace to each other’s opinion. I hope for TRUTH and common sense to be obvious in the light of day for only then will truth set us free.

But this is just me.

TGIF people!

Raoul

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Peter Paul of S Pasadena, CA

Videos of the week

FUNNY: A cute video of 2 naughty brothers caught red handed by their Dad.

FUNNY: Tom of Pasadena, shared this classic video about 2 very strange cops.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA

Thanks to Rodney of Manitoba, B.C.

Thanks to Diego of Mexico City

The post Strange Dinner appeared first on Traveling Archive.

1. Question: What are some of the “things” or activities that people in Ireland do for fun?

Answer:

It’s endless: Golf – with over 300 golf courses, Ireland has one of the most golf courses per capita in the world – and hiking in Ireland’s brilliantly coloured green terrain quickly come to mind. Team sports such as Gaelic football, rugby and camogie (camógaíocht) – an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women, which is almost identical to the game of hurling – is played by over 100,000 women in Ireland alone. Equestrian sports are also very popular, like racing, show-jumping, and cross-country riding. During the summer there is bowling on the roads in the evenings. From the stationary to the active, the Irish enjoy traditional Irish music pub crawls and an awesome walls climbing centre in Dublin. For a famous walk of remembrance, there’s an annual famine walk between Louisburgh and Doolough in southwest County Mayo, which commemorates the Doolough Tragedy that took place during the Great Irish Famine. The walk retraces the route where hundreds of destitute and starving people had undertaken to a location where they were promised to receive food, only to be turned away. Later, the bodies of people, including women and children, were subsequently discovered on the roadside between Delphi and Louisburgh. A monument in Doolough Valley has an inscription from Mahatma Gandhi: “How can men feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings.”

2. What are a few things the public probably does NOT know about Ireland?

Answer:

Being drunk in public is against the law: Despite what many tourists believe about the Irish and our drinking habits, drinking in public is actually illegal across Ireland. The only day of the year when this law is slightly bent is on St. Patrick’s Day when there simply aren’t enough police officers to monitor the one million plus tourists on the streets of Dublin. The law is a fairly new one. It is also illegal to be drunk in a pub… but that’s a law that’s rarely enforced!

St. Patrick wasn’t Irish: Contrary to popular belief, and despite being the Patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick was not actually from Ireland. Born in Wales around 386 AD, he was captured by the Irish and sold into slavery, working as a shepherd in the West of Ireland. Later in life, he returned to Ireland as a missionary, helping to spread Christianity in Ireland.

There were never any snakes in Ireland: While many tell the tale of St. Patrick banishing snakes from Ireland, the truth is that there have never been wild snakes on the island of Ireland. After the Ice Age, the snakes inhabiting Britain were never able to make it across the water to the island.

The shamrock is not the national symbol of Ireland: The shamrock is recognised around the world as a symbol of Ireland, but the harp is actually the official National Symbol of Ireland.

Halloween originated in Ireland: Halloween as we know it today actually originates from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when the people would light bonfires and wear scary costumes to ward off unwelcome spirits. Samhain is an old Gaelic word which translates to ‘darker half’, thus marking the beginning of winter.

3. Share some aspect of what Ireland has contributed to the world.

Our artists (a remarkable list for a population so small):

WRITERS– Here’s ten

James Joyce:  Ulysses, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Finnegans Wake
William Butler Yeats:  Dancing at Lughnasa, The Second Coming, Memoirs, A Vision, The Countess Cathleen
Bram Stoker:  Dracula, The Lair of the White Worm, The Lady of the Shroud
Jonathan Swift:  Gulliver’s Travels, A Tale of a Tub, Correspondence
George Bernard Shaw:  Pygmalion, Major Barbara
Oscar Wilde:  The Picture of Dorian Gray, Salome, The importance of being Earnest
Samuel Beckett:  Waiting for Godot, The Unnamable, Murphy
Seán O’Casey:  Juno and the Paycock, Rose and crown, The letters of Sean O’Casey
Brendan Behan:  Borstal Boy, The Hostage, The Quare Fellow
Frank McCourt:  Angela’s Ashes, ‘Tis: A Memoir, Teacher Man

ACTORS – Here’s ten

Richard Harris
Barry Fitzgerald
Maureen O’Hara
Michael Gambon
Liam Neeson
Gabriel Byrne
Kenneth Branagh
Brendan Gleeson
Pierce Brosnan
Colin Farrell

MUSIC – Here’s five

The Dubliners
Van Morrison
U2
Altan
Frank Patterson

Erin go Bragh!

The post 3 Things We Didn’t Know About The Island of Ireland appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Last Weekend of May

It’s been a very busy day. I’m worn out. I wish I had a spark of creativity left to send with this email but alas, this is all I have left.

I think I’ve communicated with more people on a deeper level this week than many past months. I feel like I wear a different hat for different occasions/situations and this week has left me with so many hats on the floor. No wonder I’m tired. I’m definitely looking forward to the weekend.

Keep safe and hold on to your faith. TGIF people!

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Peter Paul of S Pasadena for sharing this joke.

Video: Honesty at the Golf Course

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA.

Video: Irish Wedding Photographer

Thanks to John of Connecticut for this video. I might have posted it already but it’s still funny.

Video: Office Musical Chairs

Thanks to Mario of Manila who shared this video. Funny but not that funny — because it may actually happen.

Don’s Puns

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C.who loves puns. This may take a while to sink in.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA. Drinking is on the rise. Be sure to heed this warning.

Finally, here’s one from Naomi of N Hollywood, CA. If only….

The post Bad Memory appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Hope After the Battle

The U.S. mid-term elections are finally over. As with recent past elections, this one lived up to the hype of being “the most important” one. Like a championship sport, every election seems to have it’s own unpredictable finish. There was a bloodbath of the seemingly unbeatable party champions. What’s comedic is the way the media from both sides claim victory.

It was disheartening to listen to the childish party leaders taunt their enemies just hours after the election — the wedding trial had just ended and now the two hurting bratty spouses are facing off again. No honeymoon to cool off… just a new marriage and a soon-to-be divorce.

Many of the winners won by the narrowest of margins. It could have gone either way. What does that tell you? America is indeed a divided country. Neither side can blame a lackluster turnout (like they did the last election) because each side showed up at the polls in full battle regalia. Think about it — when comedians and commentators make fun of the “other side,” they only appeal to half of the population. The fact that they continue their divisive rhetoric tells me they are clueless of their appeal. To be honest, I think this divided result is a gift from above. If either side had won, that winning party could have had so much muscle they would have disregarded the other. But with this balance of power perhaps now they will be forced to respect and to discuss the issues.

Don’t the two parties get it? This is the best opportunity and the best reason for peace. If they slug it out, we all lose. Let’s pray for maturity and wisdom from both sides instead of 2 years of stalemates and insults.

Let’s pray especially for the leaders because It’ll be a challenge to focus on the issues and silence their own party loyalists in the newsroom and social media who feed (ca-ching!) on intrigues and dissatisfaction. They are the source of our dissatisfaction. We should be better than this. Our goal is not for either side to win it all but to accept some hurt and injustice … give a little … take a little … negotiate!

When our forefathers wrote the Constitution, they knew this 2018 political impasse was going to happen. They asked for level heads to preside over their temperamental underlings whose hatred blinded them of the greater possibilities. Our forefathers also asked for one more ingredient … one very important ingredient — they asked for the help of God.

But this is just me.

“Love your enemies. Be kind to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who insult you. If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other cheek as well. If someone takes your coat, don’t stop him from taking your shirt. Give to everyone who asks you for something. If someone takes what is yours, don’t insist on getting it back. Do for other people everything you want them to do for you. If you love those who love you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Even sinners love those who love them.”

— Luke 6: 27-32

TGIF people!

Another Oldie But Goodie

Shared by Don of Kelowna, B.C.

Videos of the Week

The Oldest Man in the World
Sent by Art of Sierra Madre, CA

A Carol Burnett classic. Need I say more?

WATCH VIDEO

Adorable Music Video to Start the Holiday Season
Sent by Terry of Santa Monica, CA

This is a clever visualization of Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” I love how the perfectly timed musical themes interact. Whoever made this video must read music and appreciate its nuances. This is clever … brilliant.

I guess the holiday season has started. If you get any good jokes or videos, please share!

WATCH VIDEO

Don’s Puns

From Don’s collection of puns

Parting Shot

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C. who shared this photo

The post Señor Rod’s Dead Parrot appeared first on Traveling Archive.

It’s vacation time here in America.. I enjoy looking at travel pictures but you know what? I bet nothing can compare with a video I watched recently about the pictures taken by twin travelers way way past our atmosphere.

I’m talking about Voyager 1 and 2. These glamorized robotic space photographers were only supposed to transmit deep space images for 4 years but it’s already been 4 decades since its launch in 1977 and it’s still sending images. Pretty cool for a machine equipped with a computer with 2,400 times less memory than our cell phones. Traveling 38,000 miles an hour, they estimate it is currently midway between our sun and the next sun (Alpha Centauri) which is 4 light years away. Now that’s what you call traveling!

What do the closeup images from Voyager tell you? For me, it shows how insignificantly small we are and how magnificently awesome God is. I think this is how God is kinda showing off.

John the Baptist (remember him?) said “He (Jesus) must increase , but I must decrease.” I think we should do the same — recognize this disparity between who we are and who HE is.

Of course, some may disagree. Despite all those incredible lessons of creative genius in pictures, some believe these mind boggling celestial bodies are a consequence of an impersonal Big Bang. They laugh and say believers of an intelligent being that orchestrated this dance of gravitational pull between planets requires a lot of faith. But the evidence from my neck of the woods tells me these scoffers may be the ones brainwashed in their brand of faith. In fact, it may not even be FAITH but a simple case of DENIAL. What do you think?

But you know what’s even more amazing than all those pictures? It’s realizing all of that was made for you and me. Makes you feel special doesn’t it?

Of course, this is just me.

“He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.”
— Psalm 147: 4-5

TGIF people!

Murder Mystery at the Golf Course

Shared by Don of Kelowna, B.C.

Here’s a classic:

Candid Camera: Scratched Car
Sent by Art of Sierra Madre, CA

“Sorry, I hit your car.”
Different reaction from men and women.

WATCH VIDEO

Removing the Cast
Sent by Don of Kelowna, B.C.

The patient meets her handsome doctor. Short and funny.

WATCH VIDEO

Gordon Ramsey’s Perfect Burger
Sent by Sam of Los Angeles County

Gordon’s really enthusiastic about teaching you how to make his “perfect” burger. I admit it looks delicious … gi-normous may be a better term. Then he starts bragging about his famous neighbors.

WATCH VIDEO

Don’s Puns

From Don’s collection of puns

Parting Shot

Thanks to Naomi of North Hollywood, CA who shared this photo

The post Deadly Golf Gun appeared first on Traveling Archive.

October 27, 2017
Headed for the Fire

Halloween is almost here and I just got a very scary announcement. It’s official! My friend John pulled it off. He got all the grant money needed for us to go back to Nigeria.

FYI, there is a Travel Alert for people who are dumb enough to go to Africa. I guess they were speaking to dumb ol’ me because am still going. I may be dumb; but John is crazy. This will be his 10th trip to Nigeria. International news say that ISIS has lost its stronghold in Iraq and have dissipated into neighboring countries like Africa. I’m still going. There will be several important business holiday events I will miss but there’s no turning back. I will miss my cozy family Thanksgiving dinner in exchange for thousands of strange faces in a faraway land called Abujah. Crazy, huh?

To be honest, I’m a little apprehensive. I actually prayed that something would happen to prevent my trip but it seems like “someone” really wants me there. My back isn’t in the greatest shape. In fact, my joints aren’t as healthy as they used to be. I wonder if my going there will really make a difference and inspire the concept of entrepreneurship to a country with 80% unemployment. If you were given a chance, would you go? Wanna take my place?

The last time I was there they hung to every business advice I gave them. That was quite a responsibility. Between each session, I would draw caricatures and the lines were so long. I actually ran out of sketch paper and ink. In doing that, I think they realized that one could actually start a business with just a pen and paper.

I remember Moses (in his retirement age) was reluctant to go back to Egypt. He came up with lots of excuses to prove that he was the least qualified to rescue the Hebrews from the oppressive Egyptians. But God said his weakness was precisely why he chose Moses — so people will realize it was God and not Moses who was working the miracles. God practically pushed the coward into action. We all remember how God used him in such an amazing way in the book of Exodus.

Far be it that I compare myself to a great man but I certainly understand the self-doubt Moses must have gone through. If Moses was a worthless flea, I am a worthless bacteria of that flea. And if God wants to really “show his magnificence” I’m the best “worthless” creature to work with.

So I cherish your prayers and good wishes. Please pray that I be sensitive to the needs of those precious Nigerians. May God bless our trip.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'”

— Isaiah 6: 8

TGIF people!

Denture Referral

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena who shared this joke

A couple of old guys were golfing when one mentioned that he was going to go to Dr. Steinberg for a new set of dentures in the morning.

His elderly buddy remarked that he, too, had gone to the very same dentist two years before.

“Is that so?” asked the first old guy. “Did he do a good job ?”

The second oldster replied, “Well, I was on the golf course yesterday when some asshole on the next fairway hooked a shot. The ball must have been going at least 180 mph when it slammed me right in the groin.”

The first old guy was confused and asked, “What the heck does that have to do with your dentures?”

“It was the first time in two years my teeth didn’t hurt.”

Parting Shot

Thanks to Peter Paul of South Pasadena who provided this photo

The post Denture Referral appeared first on Traveling Archive.

October 6, 2017
Lousy Accounting

This isn’t funny.

Like many of us, I am saddened by the events in Las Vegas. One selfish, wealthy, gambling accountant killing so many young people … and then ending his own life … what a cowardly fool! He got away from justice in this temporary life. What a shock he must have felt when he opened his eyes to his prison for eternity. To look at the lopsided balance sheet between his short wasted life compared to his suffering forever — man! he must have been a lousy accountant.

I’m sorry for this anger towards him. I can’t help it. I’m human, and whenever I see his face in the news, I cry for justice for all those people.

Let’s continue to pray for the families of the victims. Let’s pray for calm despite the strees of the world. And (hate to say it but) let’s pray for the gunman’s soul”

“Death is the eternal key that frees you to a joyful palace or the shackles of a miserable dungeon.”

TGIF people!

Naming Puns

Contributed by Don of Kelowna, B.C.

TGIF Videos

Parting Shot

Thanks to Mike of New York who provided this photo

The post Naming Puns appeared first on Traveling Archive.