Sunset in Coronado, CA on January 31, 2018 – iPhone photo
From the University of Wisconsin: “Because the sun is low on the horizon, sunlight passes through more air at sunset and sunrise than during the day, when the sun is higher in the sky. More atmosphere means more molecules to scatter the violet and blue light away from your eyes. If the path is long enough, all of the blue and violet light scatters out of your line of sight. The other colors continue on their way to your eyes. This is why sunsets are often yellow, orange, and red.”
President Trump has put forth a “4 pillar” immigration policy proposal which promises a path to citizenship for 1.8 million ‘dreamers.’ So why were the ‘dreamers’ so negatively affected by the speech?
Did you see any ‘dreamer’ highlighted in the gallery as a bright star in America’s future? Did you get the fact that immigrants were portrayed, once again, as gang members, murderers, etc? Somehow the lower crime rate and lower drug use by immigrants went unmentioned. David Brooks has an Op-Ed piece noting this.
In the San Diego Tribune: “With moans, sighs and quietly tense moments, San Diego “dreamers” listened with growing frustration Tuesday night as President Donald Trump delivered a State of the Union address reiterating his recently proposed framework for immigration legislation.
Nine young unauthorized immigrants who are currently protected from deportation through an Obama-era program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, hoped that Trump’s speech might provide answers to a question that’s been on their minds since Sept. 5 when he ended the program — what would happen to them now.
They said they were disgusted with Trump’s rhetoric which continued to emphasize a narrative of immigrants as criminals.
“They have always painted us as criminals when we contribute so much,” said Luis Tinoco, a 35-year-old DACA recipient from Mexico who owns an auto mechanic shop. “We’re all here. We’re educated. We come from families with moral characters.”
Ali Torabi, a 27-year-old DACA recipient from Iran who hosted the watch party at his home in Torrey Highlands, was angry that Trump didn’t acknowledge the DACA recipients who were there as guests of many members of Congress. Karen Bahena, who works as a research coordinator at UC San Diego, attended with Rep. Scott Peters.”
Kate Bowler is an assistant professor at Duke Divinity School, the author of “Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved.” She has been “terminal” (what does that mean any more?) with stage IV cancer but her life goes on – and on. Now she has published some very valuable thoughts on how (and how not) she would like people to talk to her. We’ve all been there at loss for words with a friend with a terminal diagnosis. Kate says that what she really wants is affirmation and love (touch, gifts and kindness). Not pity, teaching, minimizing or a problem to be solved.
“DURHAM, N.C. — EVERY 90 days I lie in a whirling CT machine, dye coursing through my veins, and the doctors look to see whether the tumors in my liver are growing. If they are not, the doctors smile and schedule another scan. The rhythm has been the same since my doctors told me I had stage IV colon cancer two and a half years ago. I live for three months, take a deep breath and hope to start over again. I will probably do this for the rest of my life. Whatever that means.
“When my scan is over, I need to make clear to my friends and my family that though I pray to be declared cured, I must be grateful. I have three more months of life. Hallelujah.
“So I try to put the news in a little Facebook post, that mix of sun and cloud. I am trying to clear the linguistic hurdles that show up on my chart. Noncurative. Stage IV. I want to communicate that I am hoping for a continued “durable remission” in the face of no perfect cure, but the comments section is a blurry mess of “You kicked cancer’s butt!” and “God bless you in your preparations.”
“It feels impossible to transmit the kernel of truth. I am not dying. I am not terminal. I am keeping vigil in the place of almost death. I stand in the in-between where everyone must pass, but so few can remain.”……….
From Dorothy Wendler: The picture below is from a website that has “one word essays.” It’s subtitled “Gee mail, all the stuff that grandparents forward.” Click here to see more “one word essays.”
Daniel Ellsberg narrowly escaped life imprisonment as a consequence of copying and leaking McNamara’s secret analysis of our long and failed efforts in Vietnam (as dramatized in “The Post” showing in theaters now). At 86, he’s still an activist – this time with a new book about the dangers of our nuclear policy. Hope someone’s listening.
Comment: All advance directives are by nature limited. Our choices may change as circumstances change. The directives may not be found and there is evidence they may not be followed at times. The best insurance to have our wishes followed is to have a strong advocate that knows our heart. We need to have conversations with those we trust. At the bedside when you are critically ill, the doctors will turn to your loved ones and build consensus about what your wishes may be when you can’t speak for yourself. Click here to view a methodology I used in the ICU when trying to focus on what a critically ill patient would want.
Some of you may remember last year when we streamed a presentation by the University of Washington’s Law School faculty regarding Presidential Power to the Mount Baker Room. That event was facilitated by Professor Lisa Manheim. Professor Manheim and Professor Kathryn Watts have published a short book on this subject.
Responding to students’ requests, professors at UW Law School pulled together a course on presidential powers just months after the 2016 election. Now, Professors Lisa Manheim and Kathryn Watts have written a short and lucid book, “The Limits of Presidential Power: A Citizen’s Guide to the Law,” available on Amazon. The book explores the legal basis for presidential powers and steps Congress, citizens, and the courts can take to protect the rule of law. Among the topics the authors focus on are the various checks on presidential power, in both law and politics, and a close look at the powers in the presidential “toolkit.”
Thursday, February 1, 7 pm
Folio — 314 Marion
$10 at the door
$8 for Folio Members and Students with ID
Complimentary wine reception with authors to follow
Books available for purchase and signing
Invited and introduced by Peggy Newsom, Skyline is fortunate to have Professor David Domke return to Skyline to give a very important series of five lectures. With thanks to the Transforming Age Foundation these presentations were videoed using our new video camera funded by their generous grant.
A lecture will be given by Doug Provost on Tuesday, Jan 23, 7:30 PM in MBR. He is the new Director of Production at Seattle Opera. Cornelius notes, “He is excited to come and get to know us. By all I have heard he will give an interesting talk.”
Please check the Sky Opera page above for other exciting upcoming events.
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January 19 (Friday): 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm — Initial 2018 Civic Engagement Group (CEG) Meeting in Mount Baker Room. RESCHEDULED
Due to our elevator problems, the Friday, January 19th Civic Engagement Meeting to discuss plans for the coming year has been rescheduled to next Friday, January 26th. Please join us in the Mount Baker Room at 4:00 p.m.
In the interim, if you have specific ideas for events, speakers, activities, etc., that you would like to see this coming year you can also send a note to jimsanders1947@gmail.com.
My brother is a good golfer but a technophobe. He kept asking his caddy for computer help. One day unable to get his laptop to start, his caddy said “How many times do I have to tell you, just push the green button.” Amazing, it worked! I guess that’s just one of life’s answers – just push the button and see what happens (unless you’re the president)!
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