mikbone

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/the-year-without-a-summer-10880
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_winter_of_536
Could you imagine if we had a Volcanic winter today?
Millions would die.  
We have zero national reserve.  
The smallest disruption of services (COVID, supply chain) has brought us to our knees.  It wont take much more to push us over the edge.

19 people died from rain…
3000+ people died from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Pretty sure that was worse.  Who is writing these headlines?!
 

That sounds like our household.  I didn't realize we were such kindred spirits.

Bah Humbug

I’m an amateur astronomer so we celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal (Spring) equinox.
We also celebrate the Passover meal, Sedar, on the Friday evening before Easter.
That way we get to eat great food, have family traditions, and teach the children the importance of passover (the Atonement & the last supper) and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 
So 
Apr 1-2 General Conference 
Seder  April 7
Easter  April 9
 
I roll with the flow with the local ward.  Although if we have fast Sunday on Easter morning my family will most likely, not be fasting…  
 

I’m an amateur astronomer so we celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal (Spring) equinox.
We also celebrate the Passover meal, Sedar, on the Friday evening before Easter.
That way we get to eat great food, have family traditions, and teach the children the importance of passover (the Atonement & the last supper) and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 
So 
Apr 1-2 General Conference 
Seder  April 7
Easter  April 9
 
I roll with the flow with the local ward.  Although if we have fast Sunday on Easter morning my family will most likely, not be fasting…  
 

I’m an amateur astronomer so we celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal (Spring) equinox.
We also celebrate the Passover meal, Sedar, on the Friday evening before Easter.
That way we get to eat great food, have family traditions, and teach the children the importance of passover (the Atonement & the last supper) and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 
So 
Apr 1-2 General Conference 
Seder  April 7
Easter  April 9
 
I roll with the flow with the local ward.  Although if we have fast Sunday on Easter morning my family will most likely, not be fasting…  
 

What is it officially?  Who knows.  What did I mean in my usage?   Focus on social issues, particularly gender, systemic racism, culture, etc.

Our society is hosed.  I don’t spend time in schools but I can easily imagine what the main problems are.
In our hospitals, nurses are overwhelmed with paperwork, compliance and horrible patients that are either ‘entitled’, on illicit drugs, or mentally ill.  
Nurses used to care for patients not documentation.  I have to write orders for patients to be bathed… Sometimes I am amazed that simple first aid and general cleanliness are not standard of care.  
I’m sure teachers are frustrated with documentation, plans, meetings, and activities that don’t give students any benefits.    
Teachers with tenure that no longer care. 
Teachers that spend the majority of their time babysitting or being a prison guard.
Teaching garbage material.  Social indoctrination.  Sex Education.  Sentence diagraming.  New math.  Terrible textbooks.  Outdated material.  
Could go on and on…

Our society is hosed.  I don’t spend time in schools but I can easily imagine what the main problems are.
In our hospitals, nurses are overwhelmed with paperwork, compliance and horrible patients that are either ‘entitled’, on illicit drugs, or mentally ill.  
Nurses used to care for patients not documentation.  I have to write orders for patients to be bathed… Sometimes I am amazed that simple first aid and general cleanliness are not standard of care.  
I’m sure teachers are frustrated with documentation, plans, meetings, and activities that don’t give students any benefits.    
Teachers with tenure that no longer care. 
Teachers that spend the majority of their time babysitting or being a prison guard.
Teaching garbage material.  Social indoctrination.  Sex Education.  Sentence diagraming.  New math.  Terrible textbooks.  Outdated material.  
Could go on and on…

My wife and I have 44 years of formal education between us.  She skipped so much class and I should have skipped much more.  Sports kept me in school.
We homeschool.  Go on vacation whenever we want, and take our kids on outings whenever my schedule permits.  Zero parent teacher nonsense.
I don’t think school attendance is the issue.  I do worry about work ethic, the ability to communicate / reason / solve problems.
Unfortunately, our legal system and schoolboards seem too focused on the least common denominator instead of the benefit of our children.
If you read books on a routine basis you will become knowledgeable.  Learn math to solve problems.  
Our children read, whatever they are interested in.  Around 12-14 they start taking college courses online.  When their friends are graduating from HS, they already have 30 hours of college credit under their belt and are ready to transfer into BYU.  
The amount of people in our society who rarely if ever have had an original thought astounds me.  
We also have a horrible problem with people who feel entitled to be a drain on society.  
Conversation with a patient last week (motorcycle accident open fracture status post intra-medullary nailing)…
Him:  Hey doc I need a note listing my disability.
Me:  Your fracture is healed.  You are no longer have any disability.
Him:  But my foot still swells sometimes if I work too much.
Me:   What kind of work do you do.
Him:  None, I’m permanently disabled.
Me:  Then why do you need a work note?
Him:  Well, its actually to get out of court ordered community service.
Me:  Denied.

My wife and I have 44 years of formal education between us.  She skipped so much class and I should have skipped much more.  Sports kept me in school.
We homeschool.  Go on vacation whenever we want, and take our kids on outings whenever my schedule permits.  Zero parent teacher nonsense.
I don’t think school attendance is the issue.  I do worry about work ethic, the ability to communicate / reason / solve problems.
Unfortunately, our legal system and schoolboards seem too focused on the least common denominator instead of the benefit of our children.
If you read books on a routine basis you will become knowledgeable.  Learn math to solve problems.  
Our children read, whatever they are interested in.  Around 12-14 they start taking college courses online.  When their friends are graduating from HS, they already have 30 hours of college credit under their belt and are ready to transfer into BYU.  
The amount of people in our society who rarely if ever have had an original thought astounds me.  
We also have a horrible problem with people who feel entitled to be a drain on society.  
Conversation with a patient last week (motorcycle accident open fracture status post intra-medullary nailing)…
Him:  Hey doc I need a note listing my disability.
Me:  Your fracture is healed.  You are no longer have any disability.
Him:  But my foot still swells sometimes if I work too much.
Me:   What kind of work do you do.
Him:  None, I’m permanently disabled.
Me:  Then why do you need a work note?
Him:  Well, its actually to get out of court ordered community service.
Me:  Denied.

You're assuming it isn't already a reality.  

Heh - this painting I guess didn't 'age well'.  Meaning, folks used to tolerate a good hellfire and brimstone sermon about how they, yes, they, yes, you right there young man, are going to hell unless you change your ways, ya sinner.  These days folks see themselves depicted on Christ's left hand, and go find something else to believe that makes 'em happy.
@mikbone's image was sort of halfway down the slope of that cultural change.  Here's the original (I think - it's really hard to find online)
 

 
If I remember correctly, too many folks didn't like seeing the religious folks on the right side portrayed.  It was seen as the church being insultingly combative.  Back then, you could find Mormons believing (sometimes even taking it upon themselves to teach) that the Great Whore of Babylon was the Catholic church. 

I am a Trekkie, and there is certainly no shortage of leftie socialist fans.  It's not hard to find full-on communist Star Trek fans, out zealously posting about how ST proves that the masses can and will eventually make it work.  Sometimes they go so far as to propose solutions for the foolish holdouts who will resist the utopia when it arrives. 
The quick response to that is always "Yep - invent free energy and a magic box that makes whatever you want for free, and I'm on board.  Until then, please understand we're gonna decline to be shipped off to gulags."  I'll be happy to ditch capitalism once we're a post-scarcity civilization.  Until then, I'll be keeping it.

I’m have no interest to hang out during a 7 year apocalypse.
Hard pass.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2013/04/lord-i-believe?lang=eng
 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2013/04/lord-i-believe?lang=eng
 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2013/04/lord-i-believe?lang=eng
 

Nope, not a bit. Scripture is filled with examples of weak persons who were beneficiaries of miracles, ministered to by angels, and who even saw the Savior Himself...and later fell away for petty reasons.
Too many church members (and Christians in general) only attend church for the social aspect, or because it's a tradition. A firm witness from the Holy Ghost is needed to gain a testimony, and is also needed to further nurture it. There are lots of things I don't understand, and frankly I could care less about them. The Holy Ghost has let me know what is true...so none of the outside noise really matters.

I haven't, but then again, I'm only really familiar with mine and my wife's. 
Have you looked at blessings of your deceased direct-line family members?  You can request them here:  https://pb.churchofjesuschrist.org/pbrequest/home/family
Helpful FAQ here: https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/faq/library/patriarchal-blessings
 
 

"American Pie" isn't my favorite song, but Don McLean was a very good songwriter. He wrote some real gems. Here's one that no one seems to remember, but I think it's a cute and touching love ballad that expresses affection not only for his lady but for their land.