QUARANTINE BLOG # 163

September 9, 2020

Yesterday I remarked about the commenting sections which appear at the end of many Internet sites.  I said that after a very few appropriate responses to the issues at hand, the comments typically break down into Republican vs Democrat, regardless of the topic.  Let me go further and say that the comments degenerate into foul language and other bad behavior.  I guess when you aren’t looking someone in the eye, with a potential threat to the shape of your nose, you can say whatever you want (which is why I dislike people who speak “on the condition of anonymity”). 

Well, I return to the subject this morning because of something that caught my attention as I was preparing to write today’s blog.  Yahoo.com has a large news section, and like every other news site I read – whether on the right or on the left – it shows its political bias (the days of “news reporting” is, sadly, long past).  Anyway, at the end of an article which they had posted from National Review https://www.yahoo.com/news/coming-police-crisis-103001940.html called “The Coming Police Crisis – and please take the time to read this powerful and thought provoking piece – there was this statement: “Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions.  In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting.”

That is astonishing!  And worthy of praise!  Yahoo has learned, it seems, that instead of improving the situation being discussed, the anonymous comments actually make things worse.  Is it too much to hope that our society may be approaching the realization that we can’t continue to demonize those who disagree with us and hope to reach positive, life-changing solutions?

👉  One more from yesterday when, remarking on the death of poker legend, Mike Sexton, I confessed to be a fan of Texas Hold’Em, the “Cadillac of poker.”  Many years ago I was playing online (I’ve never played in a live tournament) in a “free roll.”  That meant playing with play money, kind of like Monopoly, but for this tournament, there was a cash prize.  I, along with 3,000 other entrants, was hoping for a real payout. 

It was one of those games, where in the lingo of the felt, I was “running well.”  Four hours into the tournament, I was still in and getting closer to the top prize.  A previous appointment dictated that I leave the tournament, so I turned the game over to my son, Michael, and after four hours more, he cashed us in for 5th place and $150.  We split it, and I played low stakes games, never more than 25 cents/50 cents, for almost 2 years on house money. 

Well, that’s a long way to go to introduce this clip from The Sting, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford.  Poker fans, enjoy this hand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPtEClW8M1I.

👉  It was 56 years ago today that Elvis Aaron Presley made his first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.  Elvis had already appeared on “The Steve Allen Show,” the Dorsey Brothers “Stage Show” and “The Milton Berle Show,” before Sullivan finally gave up on his Presley ban, and signed the singing star to an unprecedented $50,000 contract for three appearances.  The night of the show, Sullivan was home recuperating from an automobile accident, and the evening was hosted by British actor Charles Laughton.

With 60 million viewers – or 82.6 percent of TV viewers at the time – tuning in, the show became the most-watched TV broadcast of the 1950s.  Presley performed “Don’t Be Cruel,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N81IktPflsA Little Richard’s “Ready Teddy,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsPIjjitRXM “Hound Dog” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrn8nTMcv_k and “Love Me Tender.”  The clip of “Love Me Tender” is from Elvis’ second appearance on the Sullivan Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwlrUUyxg9c.  Enjoy.

👉  Today is National Sudoku Day.  Variations of sudoku – one of my favorite puzzles – appeared in French newspapers in the 19th century, and was popularized in the mid 1980s by the Japanese puzzle company, Nikoli, under the name Sudoku, meaning “single number.”  The basic puzzle is a grid of 9 across and 9 down.  This 9 X 9 is divided into nine 3 X 3s.  Each number from 1-9 can appear only once in each 9 X, and only once in each 3 X.  It’s not as complicated as that sounds – unless you do Sudoku Five which has overlapping corners of five puzzles.  Interesting family note: Bonnie, the mathematician, will not do sudoku; and I, the writer, will not do crossword puzzles.  So, there you go.

👉  Not too long ago I was trying out Bing, a rival of Google, and as I always do when trying a different search engine, typed in my name (don’t roll your eyes, I bet you do the same thing).  The picture below shows one of Bing’s offerings when I went to the images section.  Let me explain before you look. 

Most of the pictures are of baseball pitcher Dave Sisler.  His brother Dick was also a ball player.  And their father George is in the baseball hall of fame (voted best first baseman of the first 100 years of major league baseball).  There are 10 other pictures of David Sislers.  The man in the upper right corner may be Medal of Honor winner George K. Sisler. 

The man who immediately caught my attention is just to the right of the middle of the picture, wearing khaki pants, a white t-shirt, sitting on a stool, and leaning on the kitchen island.  He is Melvin David Sisler, Sr.  My Dad (I took the photograph when I went to visit Mom and Dad on their 50th wedding anniversary).  I just thought it was cool Bing did that.

👉  Today’s closing is from “Today with Allen Jackson.”

“Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV).

Are you looking for a life purpose?  Here’s advice from King Solomon, known for his great wisdom: Respect God.  Live with reverence for God.  Do what’s right in the eyes of God.  In all the assignments of your life – employer, employee, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, church member, team member, committee member, friend, I could go on – do what’s right.  Fulfill your responsibilities in a way that shows respect for Almighty God.  The principle isn’t hard, but it will take everything you have.  You don’t have to wander the world looking for His purpose for you.  He has already given you one.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, my desire today is to show respect and reverence for You in all that I do.  In all the assignments You have given me, show me how to fulfill them in a way that reflects Your love for people.  May others be drawn to You through my actions and attitudes, that Your Kingdom would be extended.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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