The Pope's Red Shoes meets The Wizard of Oz

Another decade, another Pope. While I'm not particularly interested in Catholic affairs, I respected former Pope Benedict's intellect. That said and full disclosure, I can have a very convoluted sense a humor at times and see patterns were perhaps none exist.

Years ago when Pope Benedict resigned I was half-way listening to the bloviating about the pope’s departure. I heard a comment about his red shoes. I was not aware that the Pope wore red shoes as one of the symbols of his office. I thought about the comparison between the Jesus and the regalia of the Pope. Rather than special red shoes and royal vestment, Jesus walked about in a pair of sandals and homespun and served as our propitiation before a righteous God.

Now where else were red shoes of such importance as at the Vatican? The Wizard of Oz comes to mind. Like me, most of you have probably watched the Wizard of Oz any number of times. After Dorothy's house was flung by a tornado into Oz crushing an evil witch, Dorothy was presented with the witch's red shoes.
I started to make a mental inventory of the primary cast of characters in the story. There was sweet innocent Dorothy who was just trying to get back to Kansas. There was a scarecrow looking for a brain. There was the immobilized tin man looking for a heart. It was amazing how much a few drops of oil enabled him to move his joints. Completing the trio of Dorothy's new friends was the lion looking for courage.

What does all of this have in common with the Catholic Church? Perhaps Dorothy could be compared to the millions of Catholics hoping to go home/ heaven and placing their reliance on church clergy. Accepting the gift of salvation through Jesus to me would be as simple as Dorothy clicking her red shoes together. Given the history of the Catholic Church, popes such as Innocence the third certainly could have used a heart as could the tin man. The requirement for oil by the tin man brings to mind the five foolish virgins who had no oil and were "frozen" in place and not allowed into the Marriage Feast. Like the lion in the Wizard of Oz, there is certainly no comparison between the Catholic Church and the coming Lion of Judah. As for the scarecrow wanting a brain, I would again compare this to those who don't seem to be able to think for themselves and/ or are lacking in Discernment of spirits.

Then there is Malachi and the Prophecy of the last pope... recall the Wizard was exposed as being little more than a puppet master operating the gears and pulleys of the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy.  When Francis became the 112th Pope the question of his name came up, Francis not Petrus. Interestingly and convoluting enough the name Peter is somehow in Francis' line.

So what of Malachi and the Prophecy of the Popes. The prophecy concerning the 112th and final pope states: “In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Petrus Romanus, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations; after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The end.” 

Taffic Ticket with No Standing Quartzsite Court System

 The court system in Quartzsite sure presented me with a terrible birthday present. Seems I own more than 800 dollars for missing a court date.

This spring I had allowed my vehicle registration to expire and was stopped by an officer. He told me my address was wrong on my driver's license and I told him no, motor vehicles had the correct address. Sadly I apparently signed a notice for a court appearance. I call motor vehicles and brought my registration up to date. I asked about the address and yes they had the correct address. So I thought all was OK. Wrong, it seems one organization doesn't talk to another organization so even though motor vehicles was satisfied apparently the Quartzsite court was not. 

No notification by the court until I picked up my mail last week, a notification from ADOT that I was delinguent in paying a fine. I call the number provided by ADOT and got the case number, the amount of the fine and the Quartzsite court number.

In talking to a Quartzsite court employee it seems I have no choice but to pay this fine. Although I can hire a lawyer I'm not allowed to handle it myself, Pro se:

"Litigants or parties representing themselves in court without the assistance of an attorney are known as pro se litigants. “Pro se” is Latin for “in one's own behalf.” The right to appear pro se in a civil case in federal court is defined by statute 28 U.S.C. § 1654." 

So much for the year of law school I had decades ago. 

I haven't given up so I'll likely go to the Quartzsite courthouse once a week and pay them 10 dollars towards their "pound of fresh." I'll be sure they know that I'm paying under protest and not as an acknowledgement of my being in the wrong.

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Update, I paid the ticket as my license was up for renewal. 

Michigan State University - When Did It Go So Wrong?

Originally written Oct 4, 2019 but not published to blog until June 17, 2024.

IMO, another sign of a declining country.

I've long recommended a college education in a field sought after by businesses, usually technical in nature. Once the graduate has worked a few years, go for an advanced degree, usually paid for by your employer. I realize that not all high school graduates want to go to college/ are cut out for college so learn a trade which will usually provide a good living.

Earlier this month a student from Michigan State University (MSU) called for a donation. I graduated from MSU way back in 1966. I asked about the current cost of tuition. When I attended MSU we were on term hours and 180 term hours were required to graduate. MSU went to semester hours long ago so now 120 semester credits are required to graduate. When I went to MSU tuition was $112.00 a term for 12 or more credits or about $1,344.00 for four years. Now tuition is $371.00 per semester hour for the first two years and $406.25 per semester hour for the final two years. This would be nearly $47,000.oo in tuition compared to $1,344.00 in my day.

Inflation, lets check it out. I had a job offer several months before I graduated from MSU, $7,500.00 per year or roughly 5.58 time as much as my tuition for four years. I haven't checked what 2010 grads are making to start out in my field but I'm sure it's not 5.58 times $47,000 tuition. BTW, back in the day (6/1966) $7,500/ year was a good starting salary.

I'm still a promoter of achieving a solid and salable college degree, however, the Return on Investment has sure gone to he##. What happen? I had great teachers in high school and in college, technical degree not a liberal arts degree. I was able to get good paying jobs throughout my career. Back in the day, and IMO, there was a far greater bang for the buck for college tuition. Fold in books, fees and housing and the many students graduating with a not in demand degrees, OMG!

Music from Bear Valley - My Witness on the Today Show

Are we accelerating down that slippery slope to a Godless country? I was reminded of the time I was interviewed by a Today Show employee; here is my witness:

I had a God given chance to testify on national TV in the early 80s. I was living and working in the Bay area of California and camping in Bear Valley weekends. Bear Valley in the Sierras above Angles Camp taking route 49 as I recall. There is something called "Music from Bear Valley" for three weekends during the summer. I raved to the ticket sellers/ takers at the concerts how wonderful to be able to camp and attend concerts at the same time. The next weekend the Today staff was filming a special segment on the concerts in Bear Valley and wanted to interview a camper who came to camp and for the concerts. As I was one of two campers they knew about and the only tent camper (I was younger then), I was chosen. The Today people came to my campsite in the very open free camping area. I was asked if I thought this was a proper place for concerts and I was taken back. I asked "What better place for concerts than God's cathedral". The interesting thing is that Today recorded three hours of film and cut it down to four minutes. My testimony was included but I wonder if it would be today as we, as a country, stray further from God.

Temporarily without a vehicle

 After many years of faithful service My old Van has been in the shop for an extended period of time. Being without a vehicle took me back decades to 1963 and Michigan State University. After my freshman year I divorced the father of my two toddlers. We had been living in married housing and my children and I were allowed to keep our reasonably priced apartment.

So here I was a full-time student with kids to provide for and no vehicle.  As luck would have it and as a polio survivor I was eligible for Vocation Rehabilitation which paid for my tuition, books and fees. Plus I was also eligible for Aid to Dependent Children (ADC).The child support I received just about covered babysitter expensives but no more. Between ADC and student loans I was able to keep our home together and feed my children. It took me years after graduation to pay off my student loans. MSU had great bus service that included city service in addition to campus. The cost was a real bargain at 12 dollars a term in the and my children could ride for free.

So with my van in for extension repairs I thought do we have public transportation available here in little Quartzsite, AZ. Yes we do and at reasonable prices. Now I know myself too well and I'm spoiled after decades of driving, however, good to know there is bus service should l need it.

Still learning

 I'm a fan of The Great Courses and have purchased a number of the various series on eBay, far cheaper buying used that new.

I'm nearly finished with the series of lectures for Algebra 1. Even after all these decades it's coming back to me. Next is Algebra 2 and then Trig and precalculus before attempting Calculus. 

I had nearly 40 term credit hours of math as an undergraduate and what can I say, I enjoy math, yes and Physics.

When traveling cross country I would mentally play with number series. I'm not as sharp as I was in my 20s but the old brain still functions.

I had good roll models as my mom followed the news and even after working all day would read the newspaper pretty much cover to cover. Dad was a forever student and tutored students in computers quite late in life.

Someone asked me why I wanted to study math and I said because I want to, I can't think of a better reason than that.

Horse trading in building my house

One topic of discussion at tonight's town council meeting was housing or rather lack thereof. While the council was in a closed door session I told the other attendees how I literally did horse trading in building my house in the 1980s. An individual can be the contractor on their own home. I drew up the layout of where the home and septic would go. I can't remember where I bought the plans for the house but I sure got an education on building codes, etc.

I had a prime contractor build the house to the point I could move in complete with a 4 x 8 foot piece of plywood covering one of the door openings. All the extras like the notty pine Ceiling came later as money as allowed.

Now to the horse trading in building my house. After moving to Arizona I bought a horse that was too much for me. I traded the horse for a three axle trailer that I had no use for but it didn't eat. Back to the plywood door covering. My original contractor wanted the three axle trailer so I traded it for a lovely door and a 8 x 36 foot concrete pad.

Horse trading at it's finest.