IMPORTANT INFO – We are going to be flying directly into the heart of the explosive issues within various political candidates and their supportive constructs.  It is fully anticipated that much of the content will be disconcerting to many, and exceptionally challenging for those holding historic sensibilities of accepted political norms.

With that in mind I am specifically informing readership that site administrators have been requested to delete and moderate comments -with exponentially increased severity- for anything off topic to the substance of the posts.

There will not be secondary warnings or requests.

I am also requesting site admin to begin removing comment ability from those noted to be consistently ignoring links and following the available supportive data within posts prior to commenting.   It is with full understanding this approach may effectively result in two-thirds of current comments being dropped that I am making this request.

The ongoing goal is QUALITY not quantity.  Informed comments/contributions from people who are genuinely interested in discussing the substantive issues results in thoughtful discussion.  There are large and significant stakes being discussed and serious adversaries who would like nothing more than to create distractions and confusion.

Intellectual dishonesty is simply not acceptable – it has traveled beyond annoying, it’s distracting, often intentionally so.  Readers/contributors who do not use the resources, links and research tools presented -yet consistently deliver factually flawed information- will be identified and where appropriate commenting capability removed.

Additional guidelines are available HERE.

Thanks in advance,

Sundance

The problem with the current outbreak may be the structural flaw within food handling processes of the restaurant chain’s business model. 

Good News – Fortunately Shiga-toxin producing E. coli is possible to track through DNA source tracing.  Meaning modern food safety officials actually have the capability to trace the specific DNA strain of E.Coli to the source; *qualifier: so long as the origin is field-based (farm) and not fork-based (poor food handling).

Bad News – Unfortunately the structural flaws inherent in behind-line buffet style food presentation are rife with cross-contamination risk.  It would not be surprising to find this outbreak origin is not necessarily from product origination, but rather systemic poor personal hygiene and food safety handling in the retail stores – or a combination therein. (more…)

I felt the need for poetry this morning. This was first posted in October, 2014.

Enjoy! 

What is the purpose of poetry?  Why do we write in verse, when we could say directly what we have to say much more easily?

What has been said about the subject?  I found the following quotes:

When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses, for art establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstones of our judgment. The artist, however faithful to his personal vision of reality, becomes the last champion of the individual mind and sensibility against an intrusive society and an officious state. The great artist is thus a solitary figure. He has, as Frost said, “a lover’s quarrel with the world.” In pursuing his perceptions of reality he must often sail against the currents of his time …  John F Kennedy

(more…)

All of the stuff that swirls around us can be exhausting and deflating; sometimes we need to take a break, and recognize a larger humanity travels along with us…. we’re really not alone in this; not even close.

Take a break, sit down, relax and enjoy this food for the soul. I promise you won’t regret it:

Here is the latest news:

Conner is at home now. Conner, his mother and father, and his sister and brother are all together again for the first time in a couple of weeks.  Menagerie says it was wonderful to see them all together and so happy.

Menagerie reports that Conner is breathing normally, no panting, and he looks really good. She feels much better after seeing him, holding him, and giving him a bottle. As her husband said on the way home “For the first time since that kid’s birth, I feel like everything might be okay now.” I guess we won’t rest easy until the next echocardiogram but it all seems good.

Conner is still taking medication, and he isn’t yet out of the woods, but there is reason to be optimistic.

Menagerie says:  I am touched by how many people feel a connection with our littlest Treeper.

 

(more…)

Here is the latest news, received last night from Menagerie:

Just now got word about Conner that is not good. Need more prayers. The latest echocardiogram shows his heart is not beating as strong as it should be, and the doctor said they allow for all he’s been through and the surgery. There are three classifications and he is medium. They hope this will clear up on it’s own, just him taking a little longer than they expected to get back to full strength. If not, they look for causes. Right now they are putting him on a medicine to lower his BP, which will make it easier on the heart.
Thank you, thank you, and thank you again.

(more…)

At the end of July God chose to bestow upon our family one of the finest and most wonderful of His gifts. The Author of life sent a little boy named Conner to enrich our lives and reflect the great and abiding love of our Creator. He has big blue eyes that stay wide and intense as he looks at you for long moments, skinny long arms and legs, dark hair, and two holes in his heart. (more…)

Last week we passed a milestone, one million comments made by you, the Tree House community.
That’s a thousand X a thousand comments within our ongoing conversation.  Pretty neat huh?
Factually, it’s the best milestone we’ve passed, because it’s not the viewership that we have ever paid attention to; it’s the companionship that matters.  Our trail through the woods has brought some remarkable insight within our journey, and the campfire conversation has expanded many views beyond our horizons.
A million comments; a million bits of information, insight, experience-based opinion, humor and some of the most awesome crowd-sourcing imaginable. (more…)

Those were the words from Dr. Benjamin Franklin as he exited the Constitutional Convention in in 1787 while replying to Philadelphian Mrs. Powell’s question: “what form of government have you given us”?

Today I had a goal.  We have a Treeper family in need of prayer; a baby born – and a family in need of comfort.  So I settled affairs and drove to a quiet Catholic church where it is always comforting to light a candle and sit in prayer; good, strong deliberate prayer – chicken-soup-for-the-soul type prayer.

Upon exit of the chapel, a few feet past the entrance to the parking lot, I stumbled upon Sam Adams with a flat tire and a spare of little usefulness.

His name wasn’t really Sam Adams, but he held a seemingly gruff and independent disposition when I offered my assistance.

After curtly nodding no, something told me park and try again.

Alas, Sam was essentially correct; after quick review, there was nothing short of a trip to a tire shop that was going to solve the immediate crisis faced.  Obviously the viable solution rendered almost all aid offerings moot.  In the busyness of what we call life, most are not able to deliver 2 hours of solution at the drop of a hat.

Key word “most”.

Sam’s lucky day.

So off we go, useless wheel now in my trunk and Sam on his cell identifying the closest shop. (more…)

I have long felt that life is like a series of links in a chain. You might be driving down the road and you hear a song on the radio, or see a picture, and you feel a memory,…. something that reminds you of a different time and place than where you are right now.

You reflect.

The memories you consider remind you of a totally different time in your life. Perhaps you lived in a different place. Perhaps you were surrounded by different people. Perhaps a different job or completely different friends. You recognize those memories were constructed like frozen moments in time. They become individual links in the chain in your life. (more…)