The Amish Way 0f Life

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Ken

**In pictures: The Amish way of life – Search Images (bing.com)**
By Jack Zavada

Amish life is fascinating to outsiders, but much of the information we have about the Amish faith and culture is inaccurate. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about Amish life, taken from reliable sources.

Why do the Amish keep to themselves and not associate with the rest of us?
If you keep in mind that the practice of humility is the main motivation for almost everything the Amish do, Amish life becomes more understandable. They believe outside culture has a morally polluting effect. They think it promotes pride, greed, immorality and materialism.

Amish beliefs include the concept that God will judge them on how well they obeyed the church rules during their lifetime, and contact with the outside world makes it harder to obey their rules. The Amish point to this Bible verse as a reason for their isolation: *“Come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord.”* (2 Corinthians 6:17, KJV)

Why do the Amish dress in old-fashioned clothes and dark colors?
Again, humility is the reason behind this. Amish value conformity, not individualism. They believe bright colors or patterns attract attention to a person. Some of their clothes are fastened with straight pins or hooks, to avoid buttons, which might be a source of pride.

**What is the Ordnung in Amish Life?**
The Ordnung is a set of oral rules for everyday living. Passed down from generation to generation, the Ordnung helps Amish believers be better Christians. These rules and regulations form the foundation of Amish life and culture. While many of the dictates
are not specifically found in the Bible, they are based on biblical principles.

The Ordnung specifies everything from what type of shoes may be worn to the width of hat brims to hairstyles. Women wear a white prayer covering on their head if they are married, black if they are single. Married men wear beards, single men do not. Mustaches are prohibited because they are associated with the 19th century European military.

Many ungodly behaviors which are clearly known to be sin in the Bible, such as adultery, lying, and cheating, are not included in the Ordnung.

**Why don’t the Amish use electricity or cars and tractors?**
In Amish life, isolation from the rest of society is viewed as a way to keep themselves from unnecessary temptation. They cite Romans 12:2 as their guide: *“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”* (KJV)

The Amish do not hook up to the electrical grid, which prevents the use of televisions, radios, computers, and modern appliances. No TVs means no advertising and no immoral messages. The Amish also believe in hard work and usefulness. They would consider watching TV or surfing the internet a waste of time. Cars and mechanized farm machinery could lead to competition or pride of ownership. Old Order Amish do not allow a telephone in their homes, because it could lead to pride and gossip. The community may put a phone in a barn or outside phone booth, to deliberately make it inconvenient to use.

**Is it true Amish schools end at eighth grade?**
Yes. The Amish believe that education leads to worldliness. They educate their children to eighth grade in their own schools. A dialect of German is spoken in the home, so children learn English in school, as well as other basic skills they need to live in the Amish community.

**Why don’t the Amish want to be photographed?**
The Amish believe photos can lead to pride and invade their privacy.
They think photographs violate Exodus 20:4: *“Thou shalt not make unto thee any*
*graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the*
*earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”* (KJV)

**What is shunning?**
Shunning is the practice of avoiding someone who has broken the rules.
The Amish do this not as a matter of punishment, but to bring the person to repentance and back into the community. They point to 1 Corinthians 5:11 to validate shunning: *“But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer,*
*or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.”* (KJV)

**Why don’t the Amish serve in the military?**
The Amish are nonviolent conscientious objectors.
They refuse to fight in wars, serve on police forces, or sue in a court of law.
This belief in non-resistance is rooted in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount:
*“But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you*
*on the right cheek, turn to the other.*” (Matthew 5:39, ESV)

Is it true that the Amish let their teenagers go into the outside world as a kind of test?
*Rumspringa*, which is Pennsylvania German for “running around,” varies from community to community, but this aspect of Amish life has been greatly exaggerated by movies and TV shows. In general, youth at 16 are allowed freedom to go to Amish community sings and other events. Boys may be given a buggy for dating. Some of these teenagers are baptized members of the church while others are not.

The purpose of Rumspringa is to find a spouse, not taste the outside world. In nearly all cases, it strengthens the Amish youths’ desire to obey the rules and become a cooperative member of their community.

**Can Amish people marry outside their community?**
No. Amish cannot marry “the English,” as they refer to non-Amish people. If they do, they are excommunicated from Amish life and shunned. The strictness of shunning varies by congregation. In some cases it involves not eating, doing business with, riding in a car with, or accepting gifts from shunned members. In more liberal communities the practice is less severe.

**Health among the Amish** is characterized by higher incidences of particular genetic disorders, especially among the Old Order Amish. These disorders include dwarfism,^[1] Angelman syndrome,^[2] and various metabolic disorders, such as Tay-Sachs disease,^[3]
as well as an unusual distribution of blood types.^[4]

**Overview**
Amish represent a collection of different demes or genetically closed communities.^[5]
Since almost all Amish descend from about 500 18th-century founders,^{[citation needed]} genetic disorders that come out due to inbreeding exist in more isolated districts (an example of the founder effect). These disorders include dwarfism (Ellis–van Creveld syndrome),^[1] Angelman syndrome,^[2] and various metabolic disorders,^[6][3] as well as an unusual distribution of blood types.^[4] Some of these disorders are quite rare, or unique, and are serious enough to increase the mortality rate among Amish children. The majority of Amish accept these as “Gottes Wille” (God’s will); they reject use of preventive genetic tests prior to marriage and genetic testing of unborn children to discover genetic disorders. However, the Amish are willing to participate in studies of genetic diseases. Their extensive family histories are useful to researchers investigating diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and macular degeneration.

While the Amish are at an increased risk for some genetic disorders, researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) have found their tendency for clean living can lead to better health. Overall cancer rates in the Amish are 60 percent of the age-adjusted rate for Ohio and 56 percent of the national rate. Tobacco-related cancers in Amish adults are 37 percent and non-tobacco-related cancers are 72 percent of the rate for Ohio adults. The Amish are protected against many types of cancer both through their lifestyle—there is very little tobacco or alcohol use and limited sexual partners—and through genes that may reduce their susceptibility to cancer. Dr. Judith Westman, director of human genetics at OSUCCC – James, conducted the study. The findings were reported in a recent issue of the journal *Cancer Causes & Control*. Even skin cancer rates are lower for Amish, despite the fact many Amish make their living working outdoors where they are exposed to sunlight and UV rays. They are typically covered and dressed to work in the sun by wearing wide-brimmed hats and long sleeves which protect their skin.^[7]

The Amish are conscious of the advantages of exogamy. A common bloodline in one community will often be absent in another, and genetic disorders can be avoided by choosing spouses from unrelated communities. For example, the founding families of the Lancaster County Amish are unrelated to the founders of the Perth County, Ontario Amish community. Because of a smaller gene pool, some groups have increased incidences of certain inheritable conditions.^[8]
The Old Order Amish do not typically carry private commercial health insurance.^[9][10]
About two-thirds of the Amish in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County participate in Church Aid, an informal self-insurance plan for helping members with catastrophic medical expenses.^[9] A handful of American hospitals, starting in the mid-1990s, created special outreach programs to assist the Amish. The first of these programs was instituted at the Susquehanna Health System in central Pennsylvania by James Huebert. This program has earned national media attention in the United States, and has spread to several surrounding hospitals.^[11][12] Treating genetic problems is the mission of Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, which has developed effective treatments for such problems as maple syrup urine disease, a previously fatal disease. The clinic is embraced by most Amish, ending the need for parents to leave the community to receive proper care for their children, an action that might result in shunning.

DDC Clinic for Special Needs Children, located in Middlefield, Ohio, has been treating special-needs children with inherited or metabolic disorders since May 2002.^[13]
The DDC Clinic provides treatment, research, and educational services to Amish
and non-Amish children and their families.
The prevalence of asthma in the Amish of Indiana was low at 5.2% as compared
to 21.3% in Hutterite schoolchildren of South Dakota; likewise the prevalence of allergic sensitization was 7.2% versus 33.3%. The lifestyles of the two groups are similar except for farming practices, where Hutterites use industrialized farming whereas Amish do not. In a study from 2016, important differences in the children’s innate immune cells and in the allergy inducing nature of the dust in their homes were found, leading to the conclusion that the Amish environment had protected against asthma by shaping the innate immune response.^[14]

Most Amish clearly seem to use some form of birth control, a fact that generally is not discussed among the Amish, but indicated by the fact that the number of children systematically increases in correlation with the conservatism of a congregation, the more conservative, the more children. The large number of children is due to the fact that many children are appreciated by the community and not because there is no birth control.^[15] Some communities openly allow access to birth control to women whose health would be compromised by childbirth.^[16] The Amish are against abortion and also find “artificial insemination, genetics, eugenics, and stem cell research” to be “inconsistent with Amish values and beliefs”.^[17]
*People’s Helpers* is an Amish-organized network of mental health caregivers who help families dealing with mental illness and recommend professional counselors.^[18] Suicide rates for the Amish of Lancaster County were 5.5 per 100,000 in 1980, about half that of the general population.^[a]

Notes
^ The overall suicide rate in 1980 in the US was 12.5 per 100,000.^[19]

**NO, AMISH KIDS AREN’T IMMUNE TO CANCER, DIABETES AND AUTISM — AND THEY AREN’T VACCINE-FREE, EITHER**

BY PHILIP MARCELO
Published 2:34 PM EST, July 14, 2023

CLAIM: A new, comprehensive study has found zero cases of Amish children with cancer, diabetes, autism or other serious medical conditions and few deaths from COVID-19 because Amish people don’t get vaccinated.
AP’S ASSESSMENT: False. There’s no new research supporting the claims.
Experts who study Amish communities say most members have some level of vaccination and that research has shown significant deaths from COVID in the communities.
They also say studies have documented cases of autism, diabetes and cancer among the Amish, albeit at lower rates in some cases than the broader population and for reasons that are unrelated to their vaccination status.
THE FACTS: Social media users are pointing to Amish communities as proof that vaccinations not only don’t work, but are harmful to our health.
Many are sharing a screenshot of a website article with the headline, “New Study Finds Zero Amish Children Diagnosed with Cancer, Diabetes or Autism.”

“A new comprehensive study has found that no Amish children have been diagnosed with chronic conditions, which widely impact the rest of America,” the first sentence of the story reads, underneath a picture of Amish children riding a traditional horse drawn carriage.
The Amish are a conservative Christian group that shuns many modern technologies, including electric and gas-powered machinery. They’re largely concentrated in the Midwest and East Coast, including in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County.

“No vaccines or processed food means no mental illness or diseases?,”
wrote one Instagram user in a widely shared post that included the screenshot.
“Who would have thought!?”
Other posts claimed Amish people died of COVID at a rate “90 times lower than the rest of America” because they weren’t vaccinated.
But there’s no new study supporting that figure or the notion that the Amish are immune to serious medical conditions because of vaccine reluctance.
Instead, the purported study is merely anecdotal evidence put forward by Steven Kirsch, a former Silicon Valley executive-turned anti-vaccine activist, during a Pennsylvania state senate hearing last month that took a critical view of the COVID-19 vaccine and inoculations generally.
In his testimony, Kirsch claimed that he’d spoken with Amish people in Lancaster County and learned that only five community members died of the coronavirus. That, he said, led him to conclude that the Amish “died at a rate 90 times lower than the infection fatality rate of the United States of America.”
Kirsch goes on to claim, without citing evidence, that Amish children also don’t suffer from cancer, diabetes, autism, autoimmune disease and a range of other ailments.

“You just don’t find any of these chronic diseases in the Amish,” he said.
Katrine Wallace, an epidemiologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Public Health, was among those that took to Instagram this week to push back at the baseless claims.
“There is no ‘study’,” she wrote in a follow up email to The Associated Press. “It’s just Steve Kirsch saying he couldn’t find any unvaccinated kids with autism in that community.”
Kirsch, responding after this story was published, confirmed he’d produced no such study.
“It was an informal effort on my behalf using multiple methods to try and uncover what the health effects are for the Amish who are unvaccinated,” he said in a phone interview, noting that his efforts included offering a $2,500 reward for information about Amish COVID deaths on Twitter.

Wallace and other Amish experts, meanwhile, cited years of published, peer-reviewed research on the communities, which are found in more than 30 states and combined represent more than 360,000 people.
A 2011 study in Pediatrics, for example, found only 14% of Amish people surveyed didn’t vaccinate their kids at all, Wallace noted.
“They do vaccinate at a lower rate than the general population, but they are far from an ‘unvaccinated’ population,” she said.
Alan Shuldiner, founder of the Amish Research Clinic at the University of Maryland, said it’s also not true that Amish children don’t have diabetes.

Amish children tend to have lower incidence of the chronic ailment than non-Amish children, but it’s not because of vaccination — it’s due to a more physically demanding lifestyle that lends itself to leaner body types, he said, citing a 2013 study published in Diabetes Care that he co-authored.
Braxton Mitchell, an epidemiologist at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who has also studied Amish communities, said autism does occur among members, despite claims suggesting otherwise.
But he said it is a challenge to gather reliable data on the subject because autism and other related conditions require clinical assessments and expert diagnosis, which Amish families may not seek out.
Indeed a 2010 paper from the International Society for Autism Research found autism was less prevalent in Amish communities than the U.S. overall, but that further study was needed to determine how “cultural norms and customs” played a role in the numbers.
Recent research also suggests Amish communities weren’t completely insulated from the ravages of COVID, said Steven Nolt, an Amish expert at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania.
A study published in June in the Journal of Religion and Health found excess death rates among Amish groups rose at a similar pace as the nation during the early phase of the pandemic, and then outpaced it as death rates otherwise dropped nationwide.

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Going back further, research published in 1988 in Social Science and Medicine found Amish communities have unusually high rates of breast cancer and juvenile leukemia
but relatively low rates of cervical cancer, noted Mark Louden, an Amish expert at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
The study also examined incidences of stomach, colon, rectum, urinary bladder and prostate cancer among Amish communities and other similar religious enclaves.
“In a nutshell, this claim is not supported by the evidence,” Louden wrote in an email. “While Amish, including children, are overall healthier by many measures than their non-Amish counterparts, that is due to a combination of lifestyle and genetics, not their low vaccination rates.”
Kirsch, in response, dismissed the recent study on COVID deaths among the Amish as “fraudulent,” citing as evidence a critique by another Substack blogger who identifies as a musician and teacher.
But Kirsch also acknowledged that just because his efforts had not turned up any examples of cancer, diabetes or autism among Amish children, that didn’t mean they didn’t exist.
___
This is part of AP’s effort to address widely shared misinformation, including work with outside companies and organizations to add factual context to misleading content that is circulating online. Learn more about fact-checking at AP.

22 Things Most Americans Don’t Know About America (msn.com)
What is the average age of the Amish – Search Videos (bing.com)

The sad saga of an Amish girl with a curable cancer whose parents are refusing chemotherapy in favor of “natural healing” | Science-Based Medicine (science based medicine.org)

**Court battle over Amish girl’s cancer treatment ends | Reuters**

Amish Community Thwarts Medical Kidnapping; Finds Safer Cure for Child with Cancer – by Paul Fassa
(The Best Years in Life) At the age of ten in 2013, Sarah Hershberger was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The Amish are not automatically averse to modern medicine, so when the Hershbergers were warned their daughter would die in months with chemotherapy, they simply went for it and signed up for a series of treatments that would cover a period of two years.
What the Hershbergers were not aware of when they signed the dotted line for treatments at Akron Ohio’s Children’s Hospital was that they were offering their daughter to the hospital for a new chemotherapy drug human phase trial.

**Columbus, OH –** The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law today accepted the Resignation as Limited Guardian of a state official attempting to, on behalf of the State and Akron Children’s Hospital, force chemotherapy on ten-year-old Sarah Hershberger.
While the resignation still requires the signature of Probate Judge Kevin Dunn, Judge Dunn is expected to approve the resignation sometime next week, effectively ending the two-month stand-off with Sarah’s parents, Andy and Anna Hershberger, who, concerned that the chemotherapy was killing their daughter, sought the right to first try a less invasive alternative treatment that the hospital did not provide.

Andy and Anna, after the Court’s order, left the country to pursue an alternative treatment and prevent Sarah from being taken from them. The family reports that Sarah has responded well to the alternative treatment, the cancer is receding, and she is in excellent physical condition.
“We made it clear to our opponents that they were in for a protracted battle over fundamental principles and constitutional rights; and that on each, they were on the wrong side,” said Maurice Thompson, Executive Director of the 1851 Center.
“The Judge’s approval of this Resignation will pave the way for the family’s return home, which will allow Sarah to receive the family’s preferred treatment under the best possible conditions,” continued Thompson. “We hope that this Resignation also seals one of the darkest moments for parental rights and health care freedom in the State’s history: a court ordering a little girl to be ripped away from her loving and competent parents, and forced to submit to procedures that could kill or sterilize her, simply because her parents sought to first pursue a less invasive treatment option – – one the hospital disagreed with because it did not itself provide it.”

On November 19, the 1851 Center announced its representation of the Hershbergers, maintaining:
•Section 21, Article I of the Ohio Constitution, the Ohio Healthcare Freedom Amendment passed by 67 percent of Ohio voters in 2011 prohibits the compulsion of any person “to participate in a health care system.”
•Even before Section 21, the Ohio Supreme Court held that the Ohio Constitution ensures “personal security, bodily integrity, and autonomy,” and therefore “[t]he right to refuse medical treatment” is amongst the “rights inherent in every individual.”
•The U.S Supreme Court has repeatedly confirmed the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution clearly provides protection to parents in the “care, custody, and control” of their children, including the right “to direct the upbringing . . . of children under their control.”
•The U.S. Supreme Court has also ruled that the “primary role of the parents in the upbringing of their children is now established beyond debate as an enduring American tradition,” and “[t]he statist notion that governmental power should supersede parental authority in all cases because some parents abuse and neglect children is repugnant to American tradition.”

The litigation began when the Hershbergers removed their daughter from Akron Children’s Hospital in July, in favor of a less invasive alternative treatment, after it appeared as though chemotherapy itself was a greater threat to her than her mild form of cancer. The Hospital then moved in court to take Sarah from the Hershbergers and force treatment in July.
The hospital’s move came only after county social services officials found the Hershbergers to be quality parents, and, and despite hospital demands, refused to take Sarah from the family. The Medina County probate court found that the Hershbergers were model parents, explaining “there is no evidence the parents are unfit or unstable,” and “there is not a scintilla of evidence showing the parents are unfit.”
However, the Appellate Court used an obscure Ohio statute intended to address child abuse and neglect to order Sara to be taken from the home and forced to undergo chemotherapy.
The Court made this ruling even though Sarah’s mild form of cancer is a type that can and is being treated without chemotherapy, and despite conceding that chemotherapy may well cause loss of hair, infections, infertility, cardiovascular disease, damage to internal organs, an increased risk of contracting other cancers, and even death.

Amish Girl Flees US to Escape Chemo Treatments? | Sarah Hershberger Chemotherapy Debate (youtube.com)
Chris Wark interviews Isaac Keim, grandfather of Sarah Hershberger, the 10-year-old Amish girl who has fled the US to escape being taken from her parents and forced to do chemo against her wishes by Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio. Sarah and her family are being sued by the hospital and the government for refusing chemotherapy. Most chemotherapy drugs are also carcinogenic – meaning they can cause cancer.

Read More: **Amish Girl–Whose Family Resisted Chemotherapy–Is Now Cancer Free — Fulcrum7**
10yr old Amish girl Sarah Hershberger flees the U.S. to escape chemo. Exclusive interview (chrisbeatcancer.com)
Sarah Hershberger: “Cancer-free” and proof that natural healing works? Not so much… – RESPECTFUL INSOLENCE
iCureCancer on ZenLive.Tv – w/ Chris Wark on Amish Girl Flees! – 11 6 13 (youtube.com)
Amish girl Sarah Hershberger is cancer free after her family was forced into hiding | Daily Mail Online
Amish girl who fled United States to escape forced chemotherapy is now cancer-free – NaturalNews.com

Gap in Chemo Makes Amish Girl’s Leukemia More Difficult to Treat, Say Doctors – ABC News (go.com)
Is the life expectancy of an Amish person the same as the average in the US? – Skeptics Stack Exchange
Cancer Treatment (Chemotherapy) Being FORCED on Families? – Thunder God Root
Amish Child with Cancer: Medicine vs. Religion | Healthcare Paper Example (nursingbird.com)
False claim no Amish kids have autism, cancer, diabetes | Fact check (usatoday.com)
Cleveland Clinic, parents clash over girl’s brain tumor treatment; court to decide – cleveland.com
What Happened to Kate from ‘Return to Amish?’ She Now Works in Fashion (distractify.com)
Amish Model Kate Stoltzfus – Search (bing.com)
Hirschberger Cancer Rates – Search (bing.com)

**Resources**
*The Definitive Guide to Amish Culture,*
https://www.amishtables.com/pages/amish-culture
AmishAmerica.com
Migrants in New York City will receive prepaid debit cards,
not credit cards, for designated goods.

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We Are in Control of our Demise…

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Ken

What Is the Importance of the Euphrates River Drying Up? – Search (bing.com)

Scientists are warning that a record-setting drought in the Amazon rainforest
shouldn’t be written off as an anomaly. Scientists warn that a disturbing trend in
the Amazon Rainforest is not an isolated anomaly: ‘We should be really worried.’

**What’s happening?**
According to Reuters, a study released on Jan. 24 found that rising global temperatures were the driving factor behind the historic drought, which led to the deaths of endangered pink and gray river dolphins and disrupted the lives of millions of people. Analysis by the World Weather Attribution discovered that the changing trends in weather “made the drought 30 times more likely, drove extreme high temperatures, and contributed to lower rainfall.”
Researchers reportedly fear the combined effects of warming temperatures and deforestation will lead the Amazon “toward a point of no return,” transforming it from
a lush forest into a dry savannah.
“We should be really worried about the health of the Amazon Forest,” Regina Rodrigues,
a study co-author and researcher at Brazil’s Federal University of Santa Catarina, told the news outlet.
The drought reportedly affected all nine Amazon rainforest countries, including Brazil, which houses 60% of the jungle, according to The Nature Conservancy.
“Waterways dried up in a matter of months. People were forced to make huge journeys, dragging boats over dried-up sections of river to access food, medicine, and other essential goods,” said Simphiwe Stewart, a study co-author and researcher with the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre in the Netherlands.

**Why is this concerning?**
Temperatures on Earth have been rising at an accelerated rate since the 1980s,
but the Amazon rainforest has been a steadfast ally in helping to regulate the climate.
It acts as a carbon sink, soaking up more planet-warming pollution than it releases.
As noted by National Geographic, however, the amount of carbon gas the Amazon is able to absorb is decreasing because of deforestation, which in turn contributes to warming global temperatures linked to extreme weather events like wildfires.
Biodiversity is another factor to consider, as a breakdown in our ecosystem’s natural balance can have far-reaching effects.
Plants from the Amazon are commonly used in modern medicine, for example, with the U.S. National Cancer Institute noting that “70% of plants useful in the treatment of cancer are found only in rainforests,” per National Geographic.

**What can be done about the rainforest drought?**
Human activities, including the use of dirty energy and overconsumption of resources, have been driving the change in global temperatures. Because it took a long time for the rainforest to reach this point, it won’t be an overnight fix.
The great news is that it’s not too late to protect the future of the Amazon, as well as support the millions of people who depend on it for their livelihoods.
Supporting decision-makers who care about environmental issues, donating or recycling unwanted items, and using less polluting modes of transportation are all ways
to help create a more hopeful and healthy future.
Scientists warn that a disturbing trend in the Amazon Rainforest is not an isolated anomaly: ‘We should be really worried’ first appeared on The Cool Down.

What Is the Importance of the Euphrates River Drying Up in Revelation?

**Why the Euphrates River Is Drying Up: Climate Change (greenmatters.com)**

What does it mean that the Euphrates dries up? (Rev 16:12) (revelationbyjesuschrist.com)

The Euphrates River has been one of the most important rivers throughout human history. Along with the Tigris River, it makes up the cradle of civilization, known as the Fertile Crescent. The river was critical to the development of some of the world’s first agricultural societies like the Sumerians and the Mesopotamians. In the Bible, the Euphrates was even mentioned as one of the four rivers that served the Garden of Eden.
But now, in the face of global climate change and human impact, the river is under threat, presenting conflict in an already white-hot part of the world.

**Where Is the Euphrates River?**
Located in the heart of the Middle East, it’s one of the longest rivers in Western Asia. Starting in southern Turkey and flowing through Syria and Iraq before combining with
the Tigris River to become the Shatt Al-Arab, it then flows into the mighty Persian Gulf.

Today, the river is a vital source of fresh water in a very arid part of the world, serving over 23 million people. Similar to other important rivers throughout the world like the Amazon and the Colorado, it is threatened as a result of climate change and overuse.
The Euphrates River also runs through a war-torn part of the world in Syria,
where a 12-year civil war has caused chaos, and Iraq, where protracted conflict has also led to a lack of stability.

**Read More:** **5 Ancient Societies that Collapsed When the Water Ran Dry**

Inlets on the Euphrates river formed by the Ataturk dam.
© Provided by Discover Magazine

**Is the Euphrates River Drying Up?**
Yes, the Euphrates River is drying up due to a complex set of factors. The Ataturk Dam, located in Turkey, is one of 22 dams along the river that were built in the 1980s and 90s
to provide irrigation and hydroelectric power. As a result, less of the river drains downstream.

Additionally, global climate change has led to drought with decreased rainfall into the river basin. Warmer temperatures have also led to increased evaporation especially as water levels continue to drop.

**When Will the Euphrates River Dry Up?**
Levels are dangerously low and the concern is that the river will dry up completely by 2040. While the Euphrates River drying up will have a terrible impact on the civilizations of today, it does tell us the story of many of the civilizations of years past. Beneath a dried up riverbed in Iraq, for example, archeologists have unearthed the remains of nearly 80 sites including jails and cemeteries from the ancient city of Telbas from before the time of Christ.

**Read More:** **The Price of River Water May Be Going Up**

**What Happens When the Euphrates River Dries Up?**
This is already a center of conflict and a lack of water is sure to add volatility both to the drinking water supply and to the farmers struggling to survive. Water from the river is currently used for irrigation, hydropower, and drinking water. In all, 70 percent of its resources are used for agriculture.

**What Animals Live by the Euphrates River?**
Many animals also depend on the river for their very survival including river otters, sea birds, and water buffalo. The river hosts a number of endangered or threatened species of birds including the marble teal, reed warbler, Dalmatian pelican, marbled duck, black-tailed godwit, spotted eagle, and steppe eagle. Not to mention, the Euphrates soft-shell turtle, which is a highly endangered species only present in a few areas on the river.
The Euphrates is one of the world’s most historically important bodies of water. It provides a lifeline to a part of the world that lacks water resources and is already in conflict. Decades of talks have not been fruitful when it comes to its preservation, but hopefully, as countries like Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan see their resources dwindling, they will be more motivated to act.

**Conclusion**
What is the Biblical Significance of the Euphrates River?
The Euphrates River has spiritual significance for Christians because the Bible
mentions it in both historical and prophetic contexts. It serves as a symbol of both positive and negative change, and points to God’s power over the natural world he has created.
The Euphrates can inspire us to reflect on the battle between good and evil, as well as the contrast between spiritual dryness and the spiritual fulfillment that God provides through Jesus – who provides the ultimate satisfaction for our spiritual thirst.
What Is the Importance of the Euphrates River Drying Up in the Bible?

**Read More:** **What Are Flash Droughts?**

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The World is About to Collapse²

Posted on February 10, 2024 by Ken

EU parliament elects youngest ever President Roberta Metsola (bbc.com)
©Source: Flickr/European Parliament

**A Collapse Isn’t Coming, It’s Even Worse: The Decline of the European Union**
In the aftermath of Brexit, the influence and relevance of the European Union appears to be waning. As evidenced by the declining familiarity with EU political figures and limited awareness of current events, the British public no longer closely monitors EU affairs.

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola said that the recently revealed disability benefit fraud scheme is far more than simply benefit fraud, but a scandal which is vast and organized. “It is corruption designed to defraud the most vulnerable,” Metsola said in a Facebook post on Sunday.
The latest revelations on the benefits fraud scheme show how aside from former Labour MP Silvio Grixti, there were various middlemen who would forge doctors’ signatures and rubber stamps, as well as false Transport Malta documents.
The Sunday Times today also revealed that beneficiaries who received illicit disability money, said that a Labour Party canvasser and a former minister’s aid lured them into the benefits fraud scheme, in return for a vote and a kickback amounting to a year’s worth of benefits.
Metsola said that today’s story exposes more of the scandal “that will not stop.” She said that it is “as rotten as we thought.” “It’s corruption that is organized systematically to enrich the few at the expense of the many. It’s corruption at the highest levels of Government. It’s corruption in exchange for votes. It’s corruption that this Government has allowed to seep into every aspect of their operations,” Metsola said.

She said that the scheme steals from the poor to give to those who were ready to sell their vote. “A vote that the corrupt were willing and ready to buy. A vote wholesale they actively encouraged,” she continued.
Metsola said that once again, there has been zero political responsibility, but rather more attempts to “sweep it under the carpet” and cover up to protect those at the top.
“It’s the same playbook Malta and Gozo have endured for the last decade,” she continued.
Metsola said that this is what happens when corruption is allowed to continue unabated, when the crooks are protected, when politics is seen as a get-out-of-jail-free card.
“Enough. We need zero-tolerance for corruption. We need politicians who protect the public interest. Those who don’t, must be held accountable. We need to clean up the system. And we will,” Metsola said.
Last week, it was revealed that some 800 people were receiving benefits for which they were not entitled. Former MP Silvio Grixti has been implicated in the scandal, having allegedly provided documents for people to receive these benefits.

**The UK’s Departure From the EU**
The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union has had significant implications for both entities. Since the Brexit referendum in 2016 and the UK’s formal exit from the EU in 2020, the relationship between the two powers has evolved in complex ways.
Politically, the EU no longer has any direct authority over the UK. British voters and politicians are no longer obligated to consider the demands of EU governing bodies like the European Parliament. However, some in the EU appear reluctant to fully accept the UK’s independence, as evidenced by Brussels’ criticism of Britain’s new minimum service levels for labor strikes. This policy does not affect trade between the UK and the EU.
Economic Struggles in the Eurozone

The Eurozone continues to face significant economic challenges. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Eurozone economies have experienced lackluster growth since the United Kingdom departed
from the European Union.
The OECD reports that the UK economy has outpaced major Eurozone
economies like France, Germany, Italy, and Poland in the post-Brexit period.
Germany, which benefited substantially from the euro for many years, is now in a recession. Business confidence is positive in Britain but negative in the Eurozone, indicating the UK economy is performing better. The euro currency zone remains vulnerable, with some analysts predicting another crisis could emerge.
Germany’s Recession and Business Confidence

Germany’s economy has fallen into recession, shrinking for two consecutive quarters. Economists say Germany’s gross domestic product declined significantly in the third quarter of 2019. This follows a low contraction in the previous three months.
Germany is heavily dependent on exports, particularly from the automotive industry.
Politically, Germany faces challenges from the right-wing Alternative for Germany
(AfD) party. The AfD is critical of the EU and opposes immigration.
The AfD has gained votes in recent state elections, particularly in eastern Germany. Comparative Economic Growth Rates Post-Brexit

The economic performance of the UK has surpassed that of major EU economies since Brexit. According to the OECD, Britain’s GDP has expanded faster than France, Germany, Italy, and Poland since leaving the EU. While the UK economy has steadily grown, the Eurozone has struggled and faces the impending threat of the euro’s collapse.
Germany, which benefited greatly from the euro for many years, has descended into recession. Business confidence is decidedly positive in Britain but notably negative across the Eurozone. The anemic growth of European economies as a whole stands in stark contrast to the relative success of the British economy.

**The Rise of Extremism in EU Politics**
The European Union is facing rising political turmoil as extremist parties on both the
far-right and far-left gain momentum across member states. Voters in France, Germany, Poland and Spain are increasingly drawn to fringe political movements that promise radical changes to the status quo.
The rise of extremist parties poses an existential threat to the EU. As more member
states come under the control of radical groups with little commitment to European unity, cooperation and shared values, the EU will struggle to function effectively. If this trend continues across Western Europe, the EU may face an unraveling from within.

**Keine Alternarive (German) = No Alternative**

**The Decline of Centrist Parties**
The European Union faces significant political challenges as centrist parties across member states decline in popularity and influence. The rise of populist and extremist political movements on both the far right and far left threatens the stability of national governments and the EU.
There is a risk of increased political gridlock at the national level and conflict between member states. The EU must work to address the root causes driving voters to extremist parties and make the case for centrist, pro-EU policies if it hopes to turn the tide.

**Ongoing Tensions Between the UK and EU**
The EU appears intent on complicating border crossings between the UK and EU.
New regulations have made transporting goods across borders more demanding, in what some analysts see as an attempt at punishment. The EU has also objected to some of the UK’s domestic policy changes, such as establishing minimum service levels for strikes, even though these do not directly impact trade.
However, because the UK is no longer closely monitoring the EU, unrealistic positive perceptions of the organization have emerged. In reality, the EU faces significant challenges, especially economically. The euro currency continues struggling, and major economies like Germany face recessions. Business confidence is higher in the UK than in the Eurozone.

Ursula von der Leyen – Wikipedia

**What Does the Future Hold for the EU?**
The future of the European Union appears precarious. While imminent collapse seems unlikely, the EU faces significant challenges threatening its stability and global influence. Politically, fringe parties on both the far-right and far-left are gaining popularity across Europe.
These parties tend to be Euroskeptic and oppose further European integration. Their rise indicates a growing dissatisfaction with the political establishment and a desire for radical change. Leaders of mainstream parties will need to address voters’ concerns to curb the advance of extremist groups.

**External Challenges**
The EU also faces external challenges like an increasingly assertive China and Russia.
As the geopolitical influence of the United States wanes, the EU will need to strengthen cooperation on foreign policy and defense to counter threats to its interests. However, divisions among member states may hamper efforts to project power on the global stage.
While the EU is unlikely to disintegrate completely, its status as a major political and economic force in the world depends on overcoming the many issues currently straining the bloc. More decisive leadership and a willingness to reform are desperately needed to ensure the EU’s long-term survival.
Experts warn North America is in the midst of an ‘ALIEN INVASION’ as 70 species of foreign earthworms from Asia and Europe ravage the environment (msn.com)

17 Freedoms Other Nations Have That the U.S. Does Not (msn.com)

**The Slow but Steady Decline of the EU**
The slow decline of the European Union is evident as economic and political turmoil continues to plague the alliance. Germany faces recession, France contends with a disappearing center-right party, and Italy struggles for growth. The EU’s complex border policies and lingering punitive measures against the UK highlight lingering tensions.
Yet the UK’s departure has allowed it to focus inward, with business confidence and economic forecasts more positive than those of its former partners. As issues mount on the continent, detachment allows the UK to avoid getting entangled.

Chinese torchbearers Dinigeer Yilamujian (L) and Zhao Jiawen

Wave with the Olympic flame in the middle of a giant snowflake during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images)

One of the athletes lighting the Olympic cauldron was a Uyghur.
Here’s why that matters from journalist Joshua Berlinger in Paris

**#Beijing2022 Opening Ceremony! | Full Replay (youtube.com)**
To light the Olympic cauldron, China chose two athletes: skiers Dinigeer Yilamujiang and Zhao Jiawen.
Like the rest of the highly choreographed ceremony, the choice of Dinigeer and Zhao appears symbolic and deliberate. Dinigeer is a Uyghur, an ethnic minority in China’s far west region of Xinjiang — where China has been accused of massive human rights violations. The United States and United Kingdom have gone so far as to accuse the Chinese government of genocide against the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.
The US State Department estimates that up to two million people have been detained in internment camps in Xinjiang since 2017. China says the camps are vocational training centers, aimed at combating terrorism and separatism, and has repeatedly denied accusations of human rights abuses in the region.
Many Western countries refused to send official delegations to Beijing for the Games due to the allegations of widespread rights violations in Xinjiang.
The decision to pair Dinigeer and Zhao — who is of Han descent, the dominant ethnicity in China — could be a propaganda display, as the ceremony was big on displays of ethnic unity. In addition to the pairing of Zhao and Dinigeer, members of China’s 56 official ethnic groups joined to display the flag of the People’s Republic.
What Conditions Provoke WWI WWII – Search (bing.com)

Shipping containers in China’s Jiangsu Province. *Bloomberg*

**All You Need to Know About China’s Economic Slowdown**
The economic slowdown in recent months is sounding alarm bells across the world.
*Hi, this is John Liu in Beijing with a special edition of the Next China newsletter. You may be receiving this because you subscribe to one of our other newsletters, including* *Economics Daily*, *Five Things: Asia* *and* *Balance of Power*.

**China’s Socio Eco Collapse – Search Videos (bing.com)**
Today, I’ll tell you all you need to know about the slowdown in the world’s second-biggest economy.
If I had to use one word to describe the current situation, it would be fragile. The economic data we’ve gotten over the past few months have largely painted a gloomy picture. Chinese households are spending less than expected and saving more instead. Businesses are borrowing and investing at a reduced pace. And while the overall jobs situation has been stable, unemployment among the country’s youth has jumped so much that Beijing decided to stop releasing the data.
As downbeat as all that is, it is important to note the economy is not crashing. Economists are still expecting Chinese gross domestic product to grow 5.1% this year, 4.5% next year and 4.6% in 2025. By comparison, the US is forecast to grow 2% this year, 0.9% next year and 1.9% in 2025.
China’s Slowing Growth Trend
Economy faces sub-5% expansion for three straight years if forecasts pan out
Sources: Bloomberg, National Bureau of Statistics, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

**So, what’s the big deal?**
Let’s take the longer view. In the first 19 years of this century — up to right before the pandemic hit — the American economy grew on average about 2% each year. That means expected growth for the US is still where it’s been for the past two decades.
China’s trajectory tells a different story. The economy expanded on average 9% a year from 2000 to 2019. Now China’s growth seems to be slowing to about half that pace. With a medley of challenges on the horizon ranging from enormous levels of debt to a rapidly aging population, that rate could drop off even more.
A major slowdown in China raises a lot of questions for the global economy and would have consequences for everyone who benefits from Chinese consumer and manufacturing demand. Will Boeing need to make so many jets? Should French wineries plant so many acres? Do Australian miners need that much equipment?

**Watch: China’s Great Slowdown**

**The Real Reason China’s Economy Is In Crisis (youtube.com)**
**696,015 views Jan 29, 2024**

China is facing a spiraling debt crisis and a period of deflation which could very well end their 45 years of economic growth and reform. And there isn’t a simple reason why this is happening, but rather a compounding of policy decisions, unexpected spread of disease, market euphoria, lies and mistakes. This video includes a history of China’s economy, their recent economic problems including the real estate collapse, stock market stagnation and pandemic aftermath, and a deep dive into the current and ongoing debt and deflation crisis in 2024. TIMESTAMPS INTRO 0:00 45 YEARS OF GROWTH 1:16 STATE OWNED ENTERPRISE 4:17 CRISIS AFTER CRISIS 5:05 HIDDEN DEBT CRISIS 10:29 DEFLATION SPIRAL 13:47

There are also going to be implications on the geopolitical front. An economy that grows more slowly also produces more modest increases in tax revenue. That means President Xi Jinping’s government may have some tough choices when it comes to subsidizing technological development, spreading largesse around the developing world and buying weapons that shift the balance of power in the Pacific.
Things could change. Beijing could have the perfect policy response for the problems that ail China’s economy and stabilize growth at a relatively robust pace. Or the government could end up making some ill-advised decisions that make things worse.
To get the best sense of where China’s economy is headed, and what it might mean for the rest of the world, here are the five things you should be paying attention to and the stories that will help you understand them.

**Property Market**
The biggest drag on China’s economy right now is the country’s depressed real estate market. Home prices are falling, developers are defaulting and people are angry. Beijing has been trying to steady the sector by cutting interest rates and making sure builders can get access to financing, but nothing has been able to turn the tide just yet.
New Home Prices in China
Month-over-month change in new residential real estate prices
Source: National Bureau of Statistics 70-city averages compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence
Excludes state-subsidized housing.
The debt-fueled housing market is having another meltdown
Here’s what’s at stake as China cleans up its property mess: QuickTake
Official data shows a housing slump, but it’s worse than you think
Evergrande’s rise, fall and debt restructuring: QuickTake
The nation is easing home purchasing rules to boost the economy
Big-city homeowners are cashing out as the wealth dream fades

**Policy Support**
Financial markets have been hoping Xi will pull out the policy “bazooka” to combat the slowdown. What they’ve gotten instead is a steady stream of incremental measures that have largely disappointed. That reticence may reflect a confidence among policymakers that the economy is strong enough to persist through the current headwinds. It might also betray a worry that today’s cure will sow the start of tomorrow’s disease.
Run It Cold: Why Xi is letting the economy flail
Everything China is doing to juice its flagging economy
Global funds are abandoning China’s blue chips
China stock investors are pinning their hopes on a revival
The country has a new central bank chief to see things through

**Local Debt**
In the aftermath of the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008, China opened the stimulus floodgates to keep its economy afloat. It worked. Not only did China make it through the financial crisis relatively unscathed, it also became the main engine for global growth. But it came at a cost: Local governments that began borrowing during the crisis to build infrastructure kept doing so until they’d racked up some $9 trillion of off-balance-sheet debt. As slower economic growth and a miserable property market sap tax revenues now, it’s not clear how that money will be paid back.

**Rising Financial Stress For China LGFVs**
More vehicles are missing payments on short-term debt
Source: Huaan Securities Co.
That $9 trillion debt problem is getting worse, insiders say
Xi doesn’t have an easy fix to these multiplying economic problems
The big local debt mess is about to get even messier
All you need to know about the LGFVs dealing with debt: QuickTake
Investors are slashing LGFV bond tenors
Another debt risk warning? China’s $400 billion pension

**Economic Targets**
Every March in Beijing, China’s premier stands in front of the National People’s Congress and gives the government an annual target for economic growth. It’s as public a benchmark of official performance as you get in the country. The only time they missed the target by a substantial margin was last year, when Covid lockdowns dragged on growth. If we see a slip this year below the expansion target of about about 5%, there will be a lot of motivation for policymakers to do more.

**Economists Trim China Forecasts**
Outlook darkens as data for second-largest economy flashes warning signs
Source: Bloomberg survey
Economists are trimming their forecasts and expecting more support
Some good news: The factory slump may be bottoming out
But there are other problems, like deflation: QuickTake
Is China in a “balance sheet recession” or not?
The reluctance on stimulus will cap growth this year
Fitch laid out one factor that may cause it to rethink China’s rating

**Global Response**
There is wide range of opinion on whether China’s economic ascendance has been positive or negative for the world. But just about everyone would agree that the world has been indelibly changed as a result. China is now a cornerstone of the global economy and one so big that its wobbles elicit concern in capitals around the globe.
Need proof? Here’s how the slowdown is rippling worldwide
US President Joe Biden called China a “ticking time bomb”
The Vladimir Putin Interview | Tucker Carlson (rumble.com)

The US, though, can still grow even with a China drag
But Brazil bet big on China and that could be costly.
What Are Some Signs of the End Times According to Revelations?

Opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics – The Globe and Mail

**Go check it out .. Everything was planned and announced**
REMINDER The opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, with the giant figure of death holding a needle, nurses and doctors dancing zombies and all the children in hospital beds. I remember that Russel Brand led the kids.. the pied piper. disturbing … that date changed everything 💯
it seems from then on what was life stop. 🛑 The Complete London 2012 Opening Ceremony | London 2012 Olympic Games (youtube.com)
Signs Of the End Times According to Revelations Are Nations Rising Against Each Other And Wars Between Peoples and Nations. A Series of Natural Disasters Offer Additional Signs of The End Times, Including Earthquakes and Violent Hailstorms. God Also Appoints Messengers to Preach the Gospel During the End Times.

**Discover related topics**

End Times Prophecy

Bible Prophecy

Is the Book of Revelation Poetry

Top 7 Bible Verses about Salvation

Prophecy

According to the book of Revelation, in the end times, an anti-Christ figure heads the government. Other false gods appear and claim Christ’s authority. There is an increase in false prophecy, and these authorities seek to persecute Christians. Additional signs of the end times are nations warring with other nations. In general, hate between individuals increases during the end times, while betrayal increases and true love decreases.

**An additional sign of the end times is a violent earthquake.**
Seismic Monitor – Recent earthquakes on a world map and much more. (iris.edu)
God intends to grab the world’s attention with this disruptive, worldwide earthquake and possibly a series of smaller earthquakes. Travel and communication infrastructures collapse during the earthquakes.
La Niña on the horizon? California’s wild weather year could get even weirder (msn.com)

A violent hailstorm follows the earthquakes. The hailstorm brings fires that destroy crops and leave millions homeless throughout the world. Asteroids follow the hailstorm, and the asteroids trigger giant waves that decimate coastal communities. Contaminated water supplies cause a number of deaths from bacteria.

**Discover related topics**

God’s Revelation to Man

The Seven Parallel Sections of the Book of Revelation

Stages of Revelation

What Does Sup Mean in the Bible

Unlocking the Book of Revelation

End Times Revelation movie – Search Videos (bing.com)

During these end times, God appoints 144,000 messengers to tell the world of God and His plan and conditions for salvation. Most people reject God’s message. An additional sign of the end times is the devil’s appearance on Earth acting as Christ in disguise. God allows the devil and his angels to kill one-third of the world’s population. They set out to kill anyone who chooses not to follow the devil. There’s no bigger hypocrite than a Left-wing ‘anti-racist’ (msn.com)

**This video is about the SIGNS of the end.**
Signs of the End Times: According to the Bible – Are We Living in the End? (youtube.com)
Reading about The End Time Signs in the Bible we can ask ourselves if We are Living In That Time Right Now? Notice that many more end time prophecies will be featured in future videos. Revelation 1:7 is the Bible verse used when it says Joel 2:31.* What Antichrist will do in Israel is shocking (Bible Prophecy) – Dr David Jeremiah – YouTube

**25 Titles of the Antichrist – Search (bing.com)**

The debt ceiling is the maximum amount of money the government can borrow. On January 19, the US hit its borrowing limit of $31.4 trillion. Since then, the Treasury has implemented a number of measuresto avoid failing to pay back its legal obligations, known as a default. A US default would likely push the country into a major recession,

Bank Rank American’s in 3.1 trillion in debt – Search Videos (bing.com)
Americans in debt 1.13 trillion – Search (bing.com)
Rule of 72 Financially – Search (bing.com)
What Is The 25x Rule? – Forbes Advisor

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“There’s power in sisterhood.”

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Ken

HBO – Caroline “line” Found (1994-2011) Live Like Line (youtube.com)

**The Miracle Season** is the story of 17-year-old volleyball player Caroline Found and the inspiration for the motion picture of the same name, starring Academy Award winners Helen Hunt and William Hurt. On August 11, 2011, Caroline *Line* Found was tragically killed in a moped accident on her way to visit her terminally ill mother, Ellyn. Caroline’s death, and that of her mother twelve days later, shocked her Iowa City community and devastated her father, Ernie Found, and siblings, Gregg and Catharine.

The Miracle Season is a 2018 American sports drama film directed by Sean McNamara.
Faced with an overwhelming grief of their own, the Iowa City West volleyball team and coach, Kathy Bresnahan, attempted to move forward, hoping for some type of normalcy to return to their fractured lives. But how do you move forward playing a game that serves as a constant reminder of your fallen leader?

Anyone who has struggled to overcome life’s challenges will appreciate this story of strength, faith, perseverance and love. Starring Erin Moriarty, Helen Hunt, William Hurt & Danika Yarosh. The film is based on the true story of the Iowa City West High School volleyball team after the sudden death of the team’s heart and leader, Caroline Found, in 2011.^[5] It was released in the United States on April 6, 2018.^[6] The film received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed $10 million worldwide.

**Plot** 2010 State Final vs Ankeny – YouTube
Caroline “Line” Found is the star volleyball player on the Iowa City West High School volleyball team and well-loved by members of the community. With Line as the captain, the Trojans have been undefeated and everyone in the city has high hopes for them to win the championship against their long-time rival, City High. During a party at her house, Line sneaks off to visit her mother Ellyn who is being treated for cancer in hospital.
Line is killed in a moped accident, leaving the entire community in mourning.
At Line’s wake, Ellyn insists on walking to her daughter’s casket to pay her respects;
Ellyn dies from cancer days after the wake, leaving her husband and Line’s father
Ernie grieving over the loss of his wife and his daughter.

The Trojans’ coach, Kathy “Brez” Bresnahan continues to hold volleyball practice.
She asks Line’s best friend, Kelley Fliehler to return to the team, saying Line would have wanted them to continue. Kelley initially refuses, but Brez persuades her. The Trojans forfeited their most recent match and Kelley encourages the entire school to continue for Line.

West High struggles in practice and loses their first game badly, still discouraged by Line’s death. Brez runs the team through grueling drills and names Kelley the new captain. Kelley initially struggles in the role, but improves as the weeks go by. The team begins to win and is motivated to win the state championship for Line. They need to win the fourteen remaining games to be eligible for the state championship, which they do.

Before the tournament begins, Kelley receives a gift from Line’s father that encourages her not just to play for Line, but to “Live Like Line.” At West High, Kelley and boyfriend Alex paint the windows to read “Live Like Line”. T-Shirts with the catchphrase are given out to players, staff, and fans. The Trojans win the quarter-final game with ease, but struggle to win their semi-final game. They move on to the championship against City High, who are heavily favored to win. Before the game, Brez gives a tribute to Line, deciding not to have a moment of silence, but encourages the crowd to meet someone new, as Line always was kind to everyone. City takes the lead early, but West ties the score and forces the fifth and final set, which the Trojans win. As the crowd cheers, “Sweet Caroline” plays in honor of Line and Kelley holds Line’s picture up high and proud.

During the closing credits, images, videos, and footage show the real life Caroline Found and her family, Kelley Fliehler, Kathy Bresnahan, and the Iowa West High volleyball team. On-screen subtitles show how Caroline Found’s death inspired the real Iowa West High volleyball team to repeat their win for the IC West Championship Match 2011 (youtube.com) The Founds climbed Mount Monadnock.

Over 4,000 students from across Iowa attended Line’s funeral. Kathy “Brez” Bresnahan was voted National Coach of the Year for 2011; she retired from coaching in 2014 but remains in contact with the 2011 team. Scott Sanders would replace Bresnahan as the West High coach, while Kelley Fliehler went on to study microbiology at Iowa State University. Ernie was given a white rose at senior night to honor Caroline Found.

.
A bench in downtown Iowa City was painted in honor of Line
and her mother Ellyn.

Bench honoring Caroline Found moved to West High (press-citizen.com)
Following Line’s death, friends and teammates adopted the motto, “Live like Line ”
to honor her abundant life. These three words, which were printed on T-shirts,
and bracelets provided the hope and motivation for those grieving Line’s death.

It also served as a rallying cry to never give up.
“There was no chance of forfeiting the season [after Line passed away].
That would’ve been disrespectful to Caroline even to consider the notion
of not having a season,” Bresnahan says.

Ernie Found (portrayed by William Hurt in the film), Line’s father, tearfully recalled
her birth on Father’s Day as his fondest memory of his daughter. But it’s the way that she inspired everyone around her that makes him proudest. “All she ever wanted to do was put a smile on someone else’s face,” Found says.

The film closes with Line’s best friend Kelly Fliehler (Erin Moriarty) discovering her own self-worth as she steps up as a team leader. Eventually, Fliehler lead the squad to their second straight title, which they dedicated to Line.

Bresnahan is optimistic the “The Miracle Season” will inspire young audiences to
“Live Like Line” in their everyday lives. “Embrace each other because when you have the power of a group, we are so much stronger than we are as individuals,” says Bresnahan.
Hunt agrees, adding, “circling up with other women is how I survived some of my most difficult times. Seeing Caitlin Clark: When those who’ve coached and covered her recognized she was ‘something special’ (msn.com) | Caitlin Clark’s Ascent from Childhood Prodigy to Women’s Basketball Stardom (msn.com) | Caitlin Clark’s relentless climb into the record books (msn.com) | How many did Caitlin Clark score last night? Tracking her pursuit of the all-time record (msn.com)

“There’s power in sisterhood.

which brightens up the game every day.”

For Caroline found (live like line) please subscribe (youtube.com)

KATHY BRESNAHAN AND THE MIRACLE SEASON!! (youtube.com)

Exclusive Insider Interview with Kathy Bresnahan (youtube.com)

Bing Videos

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Mass Destruction of our Country

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Ken

California proposal for universal healthcare bans private care, doubles spending.

Democratic Senator Explains That: Nancy Pelosi Tears Up State of the Union
‘Undocumented Americans’ Are the People His Party ‘Care About Most’ (msn.com)
Senator **Chris Murphy** (D-CT) declared that “undocumented Americans” — presumably a reference to migrants in the country illegally — were “the people we [Democrats] care about most” in an appearance on *All In With Chris Hayes* Wednesday night.

In a discussion about the now-defunct border and foreign aid bill rejected by congressional Republicans, Hayes teed Murphy up by noting that in his 20 years of covering the issue of illegal immigration, the trade that is typically made gives Republicans more border security and Democrats a pathway to citizenship.

Healthcare experts say this measure would increase doctor wait times, shortages and strikes in a state public healthcare system already suffering from too few doctors.

**Wow…mandate state Healthcare and BAN private Healthcare?**

The Center Square) – California lawmakers re-introduced a proposal to mandate universal healthcare and ban private healthcare. Experts say this would cost $391 billion per year — or $100 billion more than the entire 2024-2025 state budget and reduce the overall availability of healthcare as doctors flee to higher-paying states that allow private care.

According to Politico, Assembly member Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, will introduce a version of his 2023 bill to create a single-payer healthcare system and ban private care. After passing the Assembly’s health and appropriations committees, AB 1400 was shelved by the Assembly Speaker due to lack of a financing mechanism.
Kalra’s plan is to pass a bill, see how much the federal government would pay via Medicare and Medicaid contributions, then go to the legislature for remaining funding. It is unclear how to pay for the $300-500 billion bill given the state’s projected $68 billion deficit this year on a $291.5 billion budget.
According to the Tax Foundation, variation in the bill’s cost depends on whether the federal government will allow for use of Medicare and Medicaid funding towards the system. With federal healthcare funding, the additional cost to state taxpayers would be $300 billion, or approximately $12,500 per household — or $500 billion without federal funding.
Healthcare experts say this measure would increase doctor wait times, shortages and strikes in a state public healthcare system already suffering from too few doctors.
In Canada, where private coverage is outlawed, the average wait time from seeing a primary care doctor to getting specialist treatment grew to 27.8 weeks in 2023, the longest on record, said Pacific Research Institute President Sally Pipes to The Center Square.
“There will be a doctor shortage in CA as doctors will face reduced payments for their services as is the case under Medi-Cal. Many of the best doctors will retire early or move to states where they can be paid the market rate for their services,” Pipes said.
“Under Kalra’s bill, there will be no private care allowed. Where will Californians go to get the best and timely medical care?,” continued Pipes.
State. Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, SB 770, passed last year, requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to engage in discussion with the federal government on how it can establish a single-payer healthcare system that uses federal Medicare and Medicaid spending for some of its funding.
Kalra opposed the bill on the grounds that working with the federal government to ensure the state can use its Medicare and Medicaid funding will take too long.

“Advanced discussions can be helpful, but nothing stops legislators or the administration from having those conversations now … It remains clear that we first need to establish the policy and then it will be productive to turn our attention to an in-depth waiver conversation,” said Kalra in a letter.
The proposal would first have to pass the Assembly and Senate before moving to the governor’s desk for approval. Just like a Hologram at the BMV – Search (bing.com) on a driver’s license gives an illegal the right to vote. And all the free stuff in life to feel your needs (food at the grocery, health care and clothes on your back.

**The insanity never stops in Commiefornia.**

**Ban private care??**

**How is that even remotely constitutional??**

Not that it matters to the left.
Watch out for Governor Screwsom running this year and not Joe.
You will never get the best care. DEI first, Diversity, equity, and inclusion – Wikipedia
the illegals second and then white people. The state legislature must be dismantled, and Newsome gone. Vote for Republicans if you want to save your state. It won’t come easy,
we have enough.
This is sSame dynamic that causes a six month wait for an MRI in Canada, if you can even get one. The US spends a higher percent of GDP on health care. That is often cited as a criticism. But one thing it buys is immediacy. If I need an MRI here in the US, I can literally get one tomorrow.

This will take all your rights away with conditions of receiving care. No shot. No care.
They could put out many other provisions. What you eat may matter, where you shop, and what you buy depends on the type of care you can get. Giving the state complete power and control of who lives and who dies. They would be more willing to just leave you in the hall to die. They do it now. Just imagine what that will look like if they get their way.

Seeing this coming, this is why the Biden Administration is blowing our Tax dollars to break the system in place, so we have to depend on the Government, and they can have total control over your life. .. Because socialism works so well for schools (edited)

Double the price for citizens so they can give illegal aliens FREE health care, dental care, food, housing, and the money on a card for them. We have spent TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THIS INVASION OF OUR SOUTHERN BORDER. The corruption is rampant. 24 Things Republicans Would Ban Instantly If They Could (msn.com)

I can’t wait for November, then January 20th.

They have an erroneous assumption that the government cares for them.
California has always been a “dry run” for what the government wants to try to implement across every state. Thankfully there’s pushback from certain state regulators in other states. Universal healthcare sounds good on paper, however, it’s awful when executed.
It’s like most Democrat pen and paper policies. They read well but then come the outrageous taxes and horrible planning.

PELOSI FAMILY TREE

Is Gavin Newsom related to Nancy Pelosi?

The two share a familial connection that goes back several decades

Published: 13:45 ET, Sep 14 2021
Updated: 14:12 ET, Nov 28 2023

BEFORE Gavin Newsom was elected governor, he already had political ties within his extended family.

Through his Aunt Barbara, the former California mayor is distantly related to 52nd House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Gavin Newsom and Nancy Pelosi pictured together in February 2010 Credit: Getty

Is Gavin Newsom related to Nancy Pelosi?

Through Belinda Barbara Newsom and Ron Pelosi’s past marriage, Gavin Newsom

is Nancy Pelosi’s former nephew in law. Barbara was Gavin’s paternal aunt and Ron is Nancy’s brother-in-law. Ron is the brother of Nancy’s husband Paul Pelosi, who tied the knot on September 7, 1963.

Barbara and Ron’s marriage lasted from 1956 to 1977; they divorced when Gavin was 10 years old. The former married couple had five children together.They were parents to Carolyn, Cynthia, Brennan, Matthew, and Laurence. Following their divorce, Ron tied the knot with Susan Ferguson in 1979.

On November 22, 2008, 73-year-old Barbara lost her battle with pancreatic cancer and died at her home in San Francisco.

What did Newsom say about Pelosi stepping down as House Democratic leader?

On November 17, 2022, Nancy Pelosi announced she was stepping down from her position as House Democratic Leader. Regarding his former aunt in law’s decision, Governor Newsom stated: “Nancy Pelosi is the model of dedicated public service.

“Speaker Pelosi has never wavered in the fight to better our nation, even in the face of opposition or hate. “Time and again, she has delivered for California and for the nation, often in the face of unspeakable odds.

Pelosi and Feinstein California High Speed Rail Land grant Deal – Search (bing.com)

Pelosi and Feinstein California High Speed Rail Deal – Search (bing.com)

Nancy Pelosi née D'Alesandro and Gavin Newsom pictured at a press conference in February 2007 — Nancy Pelosi née D’Alesandro and Gavin Newsom pictured at a press conference in February 2007 Credit: Getty

“Her career in Congress, and as Speaker, has been a masterclass in powerful, empathetic leadership, guided by her strong moral compass and unmatched political skill.”

He added: “During her three decades of service in the House, Speaker Pelosi has shaped California and the nation for the better – and generations to come will benefit from her work.” Pelosi was in office for 20 years, her term in office began on January 3, 2003, and concluded on January 3, 2023.

“With great confidence in our caucus, I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” she revealed during a press conference.

“For me, the hour’s come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect, and I’m grateful that so many are ready and willing to shoulder this awesome responsibility

“It’s been with great pride in my 35 years in the House I have seen this body grow more reflective of our great nation, our beautiful nation.” How Nancy Pelosi’s Family Life Prepared Her to Make Political History | Vanity Fair

Where is Newsom from?

Born on October 10, 1967, 40th Governor Newsom is from San Francisco, California.

Meanwhile, former House Speaker Pelosi is from Baltimore, Maryland.

THE ORGANIZED CRIMINAL FAMILY SKELETONS IN NANCY PELOSI’S CLOSET.

By Wolf2015 | The Liberty Blog | 12 Oct 2020

While we were investigating Speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi, due to her continued lies, and blatant disregard for the American People, we had discovered some interesting facts.

The first fact comes from looking into the Library of Congress, where it was discovered a House Bill that was Introduced and agreed upon in the House of representatives. That Bill is Entitled:

H. RES. 620. The Bill states the following:

571adc6bc1babca0e3091e169504d6e15ea43525f2d1306860407682e1ef50fc.png

Given the behavior of the Speaker to not only be refusal to follow law, but it is criminal. We have decided to launch an investigation into the past family members of Nancy Pelosi in order to fully understand not only what kind of person she truly is, but where her real loyalties lay.

Nancy Pelosi’s Father

The 1st person we have looked at was the Father of Nancy Pelosi, Thomas D’Alesandro Jr. It was a known fact to the Federal Bureau of Investigations, at that time, that Thomas was a well-known companion of the Notorious Mobster Benjamin Magliano.

What is also notable about Thomas was he was a congressman for five terms in the years 1938-1947. Thomas was then Mayor of Baltimore from 1947-1959.

In 1961 President John F. Kennedy became concerned that D’Alesandro had ties to organized crime. He was right. It was discovered that in 1947 Thomas D’Alesandro oversaw the Heroine trafficking by Gangster lucky Luciano and the Jewish Crime families.

Nancy Pelosi’s Brother

In 1953 Nancy Pelosi’s Brother, Franklin D. Roosevelt D”Alesandro was charged with lying during a Rape case. There was rumored payoffs which we can see clearly why he did get away with it.

Summary

We can all see now why The Speaker of the House, as well as many others around this country are spreading hatred for our President. The mere fact that Donald Trump is a Business man, and only wants results, clearly shows they are going to get exposed, placed on trial, and convicted of their crimes.

We all know Businessmen have no problems firing people, or exposing people because they only care about results, this is why politics has never gotten results because the politicians were not for the American People.

It is now time for the American People to turn off the Lying Fake News on television and begin the process of researching for themselves in order to completely destroy this Global system that was only designed to take away your rights, and have complete control of you.

References:

House resolution 620-In the Matter of Nancy Pelosi

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/620/text

How The Baltimore Mafia Flourished Under Nancy Pelosi’s Father

John F. Kennedy Worried that Nancy Pelosi’s Father was linked to Organized Crimes

JFK assassination theory

Jim Marrs, in his book Crossfire, presented the theory that Kennedy was trying to rein in the power of the Federal Reserve, and that forces opposed to such action might have played at least some part in the assassination.

Marrs alleges that the issuance of Executive Order 11110 was an effort by Kennedy to transfer power from the Federal Reserve to the United States Department of the Treasury by replacing Federal Reserve Notes with silver certificates. Author Richard Belzer named the responsible parties in this theory as American “billionaires, power brokers, and bankers … working in tandem with the CIA and other sympathetic agents of the government.”

Critics of the theory note that Executive Order 11110 was a technicality that only delegated existing presidential powers to the Secretary of the Treasury for administrative convenience during a period of transition.

John Kennedy’s June EOs 1963 – Search Videos (bing.com)

https://thefederalistpapers.org/us/revealed-jfk-worried-pelosis-dad-associated-organized-crime

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