I too am stunned about the drone thing. I'd never thought of that before, but I would have assumed, this being America, that you could do what you want with the thing once it enters your house's airspace.
Also, I think it is just Smokey Bear not Smokey the Bear? Right? Or is this another Mandela Effect thing where apparently everybody but me grew up believing it was the Berenstein Bears?
When I was growing up long ago it was Smokey the Bear.
And thank you Pillar for the very funny last article. Luckily he was only dropping dye, but we really should be able to get rid of drones flying over us. Perhaps the prohibition on shooting at manmade objects in the sky should be limited to those occupied by human beings.
"...Francis’ invocation of the Mongol Empire struck me as even more “unhappy” than his foray into Russian history."
I find it odd that he focused on political, rather than Christian, history in both instances.
Seems like the history of the Church in those countries should be more inspiring. After all our identity is in Christ, not so much whether the country we lived in once had an empire.
Christianity actually has a long history in Mongolia. There is a decent article on Wikipedia for those interested.
It seems to me that Pope Francis (and also some of his close collaborators) has a bit of a warped view of "peace" in that his definition of peace simply means that two countries armed forces are not actively fighting with each other, or a state of war does not exist. Based on some of his statements about the Ukraine war I get the sense that he probably would push for an end to the conflict at any cost, even if it meant Ukraine becoming a vassal state of Russia. Of course, this kind of "peace" has gotten a cold reception from Ukraine, which is probably why President Zelenskyy told the Vatican that it wasn't interested in them mediating an end to the war.
There's a difference between "peace" where technically nations are not at war but in conflict in other ways, and true peace, where there is no great hostility. It's like saying that the U.S. was at peace with the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc after WWII. Yes, technically, there was no war between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., but I think it's a stretch to say there was "peace" between the two nations. This distinction seems to be lost on Pope Francis and most of his diplomatic corps.
Peter Hitchens notes the grim state of British prisons in his review of a book by an ex-prison officer Alex South. The use of a drone to deliver two Big Macs to a cell window was both hilarious and horrifying. It could easily have been delivering drugs, mobile phones, knives or a small gun. But seeing that a terrorist suspect escaped from Wandsworth Prison in London on 6th Sept (he hung from straps under a food delivery van), being buzzed by suspect drones is the least of the prison service's worries.
Happy Anniversary!
I too am stunned about the drone thing. I'd never thought of that before, but I would have assumed, this being America, that you could do what you want with the thing once it enters your house's airspace.
Also, I think it is just Smokey Bear not Smokey the Bear? Right? Or is this another Mandela Effect thing where apparently everybody but me grew up believing it was the Berenstein Bears?
https://smokeybear.com/en/smokeys-history/story-of-smokey evidently the definite article was inserted temporarily for scansion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myz93sXW66Y&t=80s
When I was growing up long ago it was Smokey the Bear.
And thank you Pillar for the very funny last article. Luckily he was only dropping dye, but we really should be able to get rid of drones flying over us. Perhaps the prohibition on shooting at manmade objects in the sky should be limited to those occupied by human beings.
That’s the thing, I doubt it’s “your house’s” airspace it’s the government’s. And they will not cede jurisdiction over it lightly.
"...Francis’ invocation of the Mongol Empire struck me as even more “unhappy” than his foray into Russian history."
I find it odd that he focused on political, rather than Christian, history in both instances.
Seems like the history of the Church in those countries should be more inspiring. After all our identity is in Christ, not so much whether the country we lived in once had an empire.
Christianity actually has a long history in Mongolia. There is a decent article on Wikipedia for those interested.
It seems to me that Pope Francis (and also some of his close collaborators) has a bit of a warped view of "peace" in that his definition of peace simply means that two countries armed forces are not actively fighting with each other, or a state of war does not exist. Based on some of his statements about the Ukraine war I get the sense that he probably would push for an end to the conflict at any cost, even if it meant Ukraine becoming a vassal state of Russia. Of course, this kind of "peace" has gotten a cold reception from Ukraine, which is probably why President Zelenskyy told the Vatican that it wasn't interested in them mediating an end to the war.
There's a difference between "peace" where technically nations are not at war but in conflict in other ways, and true peace, where there is no great hostility. It's like saying that the U.S. was at peace with the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc after WWII. Yes, technically, there was no war between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., but I think it's a stretch to say there was "peace" between the two nations. This distinction seems to be lost on Pope Francis and most of his diplomatic corps.
"State troopers are watching you" - one wonders if this perhaps is spoken from recent experience, not mere speculation. Hmm.
Happy Anniversary to you & your bride!
Peter Hitchens notes the grim state of British prisons in his review of a book by an ex-prison officer Alex South. The use of a drone to deliver two Big Macs to a cell window was both hilarious and horrifying. It could easily have been delivering drugs, mobile phones, knives or a small gun. But seeing that a terrorist suspect escaped from Wandsworth Prison in London on 6th Sept (he hung from straps under a food delivery van), being buzzed by suspect drones is the least of the prison service's worries.
https://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2023/08/my-review-from-the-daily-mail-of-alex-souths-impressive-book-on-her-years-as-a-prison-officer-.html