Spring Musings (4/19/2024)
Riddleblog and Blessed Hope Podcast Updates:
The missus and I have a busy schedule coming up so there may be a short interruption or two in the Blessed Hope Podcast release schedule. Also, I’ll be taking a break after I complete chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians.
I am making my exposition of Paul’s Thessalonian letters available as a free download to listeners of the Blessed Hope Podcast. You can check it out here: “When the Lord Is Revealed from Heaven”
You can also download “For Freedom!” my exposition of Galatians: "For Freedom!" -- An Expositional Commentary on Galatians
Thinking Out loud:
My YouTube feed keeps popping up reruns from the old Carol Burnett show. One is Tim Conway as the old man shuffling along. I can’t watch it and not think of Joe Biden!
MLB must do something about umpire Angel Hernandez—he’s harming the integrity of the game and has become a laughing stock.
When will pro-Palestinian protesters get it? Making death threats, interrupting speeches and public meetings, blocking roads, bridges, and airports is anything but helpful to their cause. It infuriates people. Just stop already!
I am taken aback by how those who were screaming for Bill Clinton to be impeached because of his tortured definition of “is,” now seem to have no problem at all with Trump paying off Playboy bunnies and porn stars.
Currently Reading:
I recently finished volume two of Ian Toll’s Pacific War trilogy. I highly recommend the series to anyone interested in World War Two. Toll has given us a wonderful survey of the Pacific War.
The Pacific War has been a life-long interest to me, probably because when I was growing up I was fascinated by stories of those who fought in the Pacific—Sailors and Marines who later became Orange County Sheriffs and worked as security guards at Knott’s Berry Farm. They would often come into our family business (a Christian Bookstore) for coffee, to chat with my dad, and scarf down cake, pie, and other goodies which my folks provided for them. And they told war stories . . .
One security guard (“Bud”) who had been a medic, won the Navy Cross for rescuing several wounded Marines while under machine gun fire on Bougainville in 1943. You would never think of him as a war hero. Another (“little Eddie”) was on the cruiser Helena when it was torpedoed and sunk during the battle of Kula Gulf in July of 1943. He told of being stunned by the torpedo hits, going into shark-filled water at night, trying to avoid or diving under burning fuel oil, helping wounded buddies stay afloat, while treading water until rescued by a destroyer. The stories absolutely fascinated me then, and have ever since.
While a teen, I read the entire 15 volumes of Samuel Elliot Morrison’s History of Naval Operations in World War Two from cover to cover. I’ve read countless books on the War in the Pacific since, and so was glad to learn of Toll’s series. I read the first volume shortly after its publication and couldn’t put it down. Since my day job kept me very busy (and retirement still does), I only recently finished volume two of Toll’s series and will soon tackle volume 3 (the final volume).
Toll’s volumes are fast paced, well-researched, and draw upon first-hand accounts from both sides as well as utilizing a wealth of Japanese archival sources not available to previous historians such as Morrison. Major participants in the War (such as Nimitz, Halsey, MacArthur, Spruance, Yamamoto) are introduced and the controversies surrounding them are given fair treatment with a minimum of editorializing. Toll gives us sufficient detail to follow the various naval engagements, yet manages to keep the big picture strategic implications before the reader, which is not often the case when there is so much ground to cover.
The highest compliment I can pay Toll is that I learned much, and enjoyed his narrative immensely. This is really good stuff—the way military history and campaigns ought to be covered.
Recommended Links:
The best hour and a half I’ve spent in some time: Allen Guelzo on American democracy. Outstanding!
No “lesser of evils” choice with these two presidential candidates: Carl Trueman on Trumpite Evangelicalism or Biden Catholicism
The transformation of the “Moral Majority” into MAGA populism continues. God Gave us Trump. Joseph de Meistre was right—a nation gets the government they deserve
I am so glad I am out of the Christian bookstore industry. I can imagine explaining to angry customers why we don’t carry the Trump Bible
Meanwhile, Biden makes another self-defeating appeal to the woke left. Trans Day of Visibility falls on Easter. And as a bonus, we learned that his uncle was eaten by cannibals
Links to Other Stuff:
It is certain the Riddlebargers will not be traveling to Thailand anytime soon: Rampaging monkey gangs (the missus is not a fan of angry primates—or any primate for that matter)
Duck Dynasty? Man brings his “service duck” into Buc-ees and gets banned
Rats will eat anything—including marijuana from the evidence room. Then they demand Jack-in the Box tacos and Doritos after eating all of the evidence
Yes, teenagers stink. Here’s why
Previous Musings: March 3/13/2024
Video: Jazz drummers were amazing—especially these two. I don’t know if any rock drummer (other than possibly Neal Peart) can touch them. I wonder what Lars Ulrich of Metallica (thud, thud, thud) and the late Charlie Watts of the Stones would think of this duel.