Engaging Life with Courage and Intelligence
A post with a historical reference
To prove Christians, particularly Catholics, are creatures of the New Testament, the new Pope has proven to be exempt from some of the important constraints of the Old Testament. Numbers 14:18 says: “The Lord is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of…
Case Study 1 – The Russian Invasion of Ukraine In early 2024, the Russians, led by the Wagner Group mercenaries, thought that the territory around Donetsk, Ukraine, would be easily overwhelmed. Most of the area had been under Russian control since the beginning of the war. The city faced non-stop attacks from the air and…
When we hear the term barn burner (also barnburner), most think of an exciting event, usually a competitive sport. We assign the term to the most thrilling, intense, and captivating activities. The television sports commentator said the recent men’s NCAA championship game “was a barn burner.” However, we can also assign it to other events….
While Trump befriends America’s enemies, his tariff wars convert friends into enemies. The headlines are filled with the growing animosity from Canada, Mexico, and Europe. However, let’s not forget our friends in Asia. Japan is currently selling U.S. Treasury bonds in reaction to Trump’s tariff war. So, why do you think we should be concerned?…
I was surprised to discover a Northern Rebel from my mother’s family. Almost all of my mother’s family either refused to fight in the Civil War or fought on the Union side. However, one Confederate soldier departed from the Showalter fold. Despite arriving in America as Mennonites in 1750, one of the descendants of the…
This man reported for duty as a US Navy recruit in 1944. When the officer asked his name, he thought he was joking. He told the officer that his name was William Patrick Hitler. William was Adolph Hitler’s half-nephew. William attempted to ingratiate himself with his famous uncle, but that failed. He later immigrated to…
All humans fall along a behavioral spectrum of friendliness and hostility. This spectrum is learned and usually transmitted from one generation to another. It would be pure speculation to associate this spectrum with different modes of living. One could say that the hunter-gatherers of 3000 BCE would be more aggressive and unfriendly to outsiders, while…
While the past is immutable, our recollections can fade and be twisted by those who purposefully distort the facts. One example of those currently distorting the facts is the legion of anti-vaxxers. Who needs a vaccine when we can drink a magic drink or hope for the best? While researching a branch of my ancestry,…
This historical snippet begins with the blood lust of duels over 200 years ago. The most famous duel between Alexander Hamilton Sr and Aaron Burr Jr was presaged by a duel between Hamilton’s son, Philip Schuyler Hamilton, and George Eacker in 1801. The 19-year-old Philip died in the duel. It was not a good omen…
Humans (including Neanderthals, Denisovans, etc.) existed for millennia in small hunter-gather groups. Each group made up its own behavioral rules and language or grunts. About 10,000 years ago, some homo sapiens put down roots and invented agriculture. These farmers no longer roamed around exclusively looking for wild food and game. These agricultural pioneers created communities…