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OXYMORON
One of the most interesting features of the English language, or I suppose of many other languages as well, has to do with the term, oxymoron. The word is taken from the Greek words for sharp and dull. The definition is a figure of speech in which two incongruous or contradictory words exist side by…
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KEEPERS OF BROTHERS
Dear Brothers and Sisters: The scriptural text for this morning’s sermon is taken from Genesis 4 verses 8 and 9. These verses say as follows: And Cain talked with Abel, his brother. It came to pass when they were in the field; Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and slew him. The Lord said…
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THE SOO-PREMES AT WORK
This essay has to do with the Supreme Court of the sweet-smelling United States of America. I have been a court watcher for many years and I have come to the conclusion that no one should ever contend that the Supreme Court is being worked to death. Quite the opposite is true. The Supreme Court…
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WHILE I AM HERE
This is a two part essay. In the beginning it refers to While I am Here. Finally, there is a comment about When I am Gone. Within a month my 90th birthday will occur. I do not look forward to it with a sense of exhilaration nor do I look forward to that event with…
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TOO SOON OLD…
For the past 12 or 15 years, I have been a friend of Gregorio Russo. Gregorio works in the produce department of the Whole Foods Market. In the former location of the Whole Foods Market, he was the first person who came into view as you entered the market. Now that market has moved to…
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Blog: Thoughts on the RNC
[NOTE: This is a blog, not an essay. The difference between the two is that essays are planned at length, dictated, given to Eva Baker for transcription, and then finally re-edited and mailed out to all his friends and regular readers in hard-copy. This, conversely is just some thoughts on yesterday’s Republican National Convention that…
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THE INSTINCTS OF THE HERD
[NOTE: I’m breaking form and publishing order here because I felt this essay serves as a nice introduction to Pop’s thoughts on the Republican National Convention. This essay is almost exactly 1 year old; the message is still relevant. Hopefully this is not confusing. -Kevin] Under ordinary circumstances, I am not involved with Republican…
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KNIVES, EVERYDAY AND SUNDAY
In this essay I am going to be talking only about pocket knives, as distinguish from knives that are meant to kill. I suspect that this again is an exercise in nostalgia. Looking back more than 70 or 75 years ago, there was a custom having to do with knives. My father, for example, would…
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CHARLES H. AND LITTLE AUGUST
Over the years I have introduced you, my readers, to the various members of my family. In total, there were eight children. Martha and Ruth, born in 1920 and 1924, were probably stillbirths. That was a subject that the children were never encouraged to ask about. Also in 1924 there was the death of my…
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SATAN
At the moment, we are concerned – or at least the Republicans are concerned – with the outcome of the presidential nominating process. The early leaders in the Republican primary contest have largely dropped out, leaving only four people. There is the favorite, Mitt Romney. He is being challenged closely by Rick Santorum. Then we…