An innocent woman was murdered by armed, masked agents of our government yesterday. On January 7, 2026, Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old woman and US citizen, was fatally shot by a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Good was idling in a car at the scene of an ongoing ICE […]
Circumnavigation series Next in the series [ed. note: thanks again to Elder JA for his support of this series – a true world traveler, gentleman, and raconteur[1].] Today Elder G and I continue our 16,000 mile Cessna Citation journey, traveling to Iqaluit, the next to last Canadian stop before crossing the Atlantic. […]
We are shocked, shocked! how often people confuse Micronesia and Lichtenstein! Perfectly understandable, of course, but let’s do a compare-and-contrast to help us remember in the future. Lichtenstein is one of only two double-landlocked[1] countries. Micronesia is a group of islands in the middle of the Pacific. [1] Not only is Lichtenstein land-locked, but all […]
WLBOTT:Blessings, Gemini. How for art thou? Gemini:Well met! I fare quite well, I thank thee for asking. WLBOTT:Ah, my lord. I am but a humble servant, and I quake in your presence. Gemini:Pray, be at ease, humble servant. There is no need for such trembling. WLBOTT:You are most kind, my lord. I, a simple peasant, […]
This morning WLBOTT held a private viewing of the 1972 Franco Zeffirelli movie Brother Son, Sister Moon. It is a profoundly beautiful movie, and it left it’s emotional impact on us. But first, we must ask:Q: How cool is the Austin Public Library?A: Very cool. Historical Accuracy We asked Elder G to sync up scenes […]
“LAUDATO SI’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, […]
[ed. note: the more we look into Laudato si’, the more impressed we are. We look forward to detailing many aspects of this revolutionary document. But lately, IRL has been oppressive, a dark cloud in search of a release. So today we’re going to have some fun, with respect, with the encyclical] We are continuing […]
In the spring of 2015, Pope Francis released a profound encyclical (letter) to the world called “Laudato Si’” (“Praise be to you”). The letter lays the moral foundation for our collective obligation and responsibility to protect Mother Earth. In Pope Francis’ case, he uses the teachings of the Catholic Church to build the foundation of […]
The story of Sisters Bernadette, Regina, and Rita Yesterday morning The Guardian brought us a wonderful story – some feisty nuns who only want to continue living the life they’ve spent their entire lives cultivating. But there’s a lot more to the story (see the Guardian’s full article) – the Church hierarchy cut off their […]
Across cultures, harbors have always been liminal spaces – between safety and peril, home and the vast unknown. Many traditions placed protective figures at the edge of the water, blessing or watching over departing sailors. Mazu From Elder G: Mazu is often depicted in art and statues wearing red robes, which legend says she wore […]