A miracle happened at our home, this afternoon: Holland wasn't feeling up to scratch .. and while making his morning coffee, he startled me by asking, "Why don't you play some of that music you were playing the other Day?" I looked up, and said, "The messianic music - Joel's music? You don't like that." He said, "I do want to hear it, today; that Jewish music."
WOW.
A true miracle.
A real blessing.
While Joel's tunes were ricocheting off Independence's walls, I scrolled through my newsfeeds … and was saddened to read about Bob Mackie's passing - Bob Mackie was a high couture fashion designer, who dressed beautiful women in beautiful gowns: his designs were artful works of beauty & I loved them: I could never afford them, but I loved them. R.I.P. Bob.
I laughed out loud when a newsfeed thread highlighted "Trumps craziness" by reporting his latest jab at the demon rats primed to usurp American lifestyle, American Constitution, & American Law: as long as he is President, he is not going to allow America - or Americans - to be undermined, shamefully taken advantage of by our haters, or usurped. So, far, we've been winning on every level, from every angle … and it's driving our enemies to froth at the mouth. with unhinged Trump Derangement syndrome.
What President Trump is underscoring could very well be a very real possibility; and the losers have only themselves to blame for continuing to poke the bear.
FAFO is not a threat, or a game, with the current man in the Oval Office. It's a reality.
He is not going to allow America - or Americans - to be undermined, shamefully taken advantage of by our haters, or usurped.
He also likes gaudy dΓ©cor, which is also setting the demonrat's hair on fire … but, I think it's appropriate: the President hosts actual Royal persons that are used to flamboyant & gaudy - and say what you will about the man the obamanites hate: he's got the Midas Touch. Gaudy, or not.
The people that bitch the most, as the most jealous - and he is unfazed by their pettiness. MPO
The man says what he intends to do; and gets it done: that's a blessing to America & the majority of American Citizens. And he doesn't particularly care if people like it - or him. I like that. Maybe because I have the same shrugging personality when it comes to people's pettiness: I may be thrown to the wolves, but I will also come back leading the pack to stand my ground. I may not have the Midas Touch, but I do have the FAFO bite when push comes to shove.
Then, I picked up a Cussler Read for this week, and buried my nose in that storyline for a while - while Holland drank coffee and shook the morning cobwebs from his sleepy brain:
{{Bon is the indigenous Tibetan religion, predating Buddhism, with unique rituals, deities, and a rich spiritual heritage.
Origins and History: Bon, also known as Yungdrung Bon or "eternal Bon," is considered the original religion of Tibet, with roots tracing back to the ancient kingdom of Zhangzhung near Mount Kailash in the Himalayas. Its legendary founder is Shenrab Miwo, regarded by followers as the "Bon Buddha," though historical evidence for his existence is uncertain. Bon predates the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet in the 7th century and has influenced many aspects of Tibetan culture, including rituals, art, and architecture.
Beliefs and Practices: Bon is shamanistic and animistic, emphasizing the worship of natural elements such as mountains, rivers, the sun, moon, and various spirits. Its practices include rituals, exorcisms, talismans, prayers, drumming, and offerings, often aimed at protecting individuals and communities from evil forces. Bonpos, the followers of Bon, also venerate ancestors and deities, integrating these beliefs into daily life and household practices. Traditional Bon rituals include fortune-telling, soul retrieval, and ransom ceremonies, some of which predate Buddhist influence.
Relationship with Tibetan Buddhism: While Bon shares similarities with Tibetan Buddhism, it retains distinct pre-Buddhist elements. Over centuries, Bon absorbed some Buddhist teachings, leading to syncretic forms such as New Bon (Bon Sar), which incorporates Buddhist figures like Padmasambhava. Historically, Bon faced persecution, particularly in the 8th century under King Khrisong Detsen, but it survived and continues to be practiced, especially in eastern and northern Tibet.
Modern Presence: Today, Bon is recognized as a legitimate religious tradition alongside Tibetan Buddhism. There are around 264 active Bon monasteries and convents in Tibet, with additional centers in Nepal and India, including the Menri Monastery in Himachal Pradesh. Estimates suggest there are approximately 400,000 Bon followers in the Tibetan plateau. Bon continues to influence Tibetan culture, from prayer flags and sand mandalas to festival dances and spiritual rituals.
Modern Status: Recognized religion with active monasteries and followers in Tibet, Nepal, and India
Bon remains a living spiritual tradition, preserving Tibet’s ancient religious heritage while coexisting with Buddhism and continuing to shape Tibetan identity and culture.
~Various Info Sources
What Was a Vacuum Ship?
A vacuum ship—more formally called a vacuum airship or vacuum balloon—was a hypothetical aircraft that would generate lift by evacuating the space inside its envelope rather than filling it with a lighter‑than‑air gas like hydrogen or helium.
How It Was Conceptualized: The idea was that if a vessel could be made strong enough to withstand the huge pressure difference between the outside atmosphere and the vacuum inside, the displaced air would provide maximum possible lift per unit volume. This was first proposed in 1670 by Italian Jesuit priest Francesco Lana de Terzi, who called it the Flanar (from his name and the Portuguese flanar, “wandering”).
Historical Developments: 1886–1900: Engineer Arthur De Bausset tried to build a “vacuum‑tube” airship, but faced skepticism and failed to secure funding.
1921: Lavanda Armstrong suggested a double‑wall design with a vacuum chamber inside and a pressurized air layer between two shells, using a honeycomb‑like structure.
1980s–2000s: Researchers like David Noel and Emmanuel Bliamptis explored variations with geodesic spheres, inflatable struts, and advanced materials such as beryllium, boron carbide, and diamond‑like carbon.
Modern research: NASA’s Project 868 examined vacuum airships for Mars missions, noting that the thin Martian atmosphere could make the concept viable there, but not on Earth due to material strength limits.
Why It Was Problematic: The main obstacle was structural integrity: no known material could be both light enough to provide lift and strong enough to resist the atmospheric pressure (about 101 kPa on Earth) without collapsing. Even with double‑shell designs, the air between the shells had to be pressurized to prevent collapse, which reduced the net lift.
In Summary: A “vacuum ship” was never a real, operational aircraft—it was a theoretical concept that explored the limits of lift by removing all gas from the interior. While it inspired many engineering ideas, material science limits and physics constraints kept it from practical use, though it remains of interest in niche research, such as Mars exploration
~Various Info Sources}}
Around noon, Holland wanted to go collect the mail; so, off we went. As we were leaving the Resort grounds, I noticed leaves are starting to fall … I don't think we've ever been here this time of year - usually we're long down the highway by now - usually in AZ, or CA
Mail collected, and back home again, Holland called my attention to one of his YouTube channels he follows, and pointed out our RV in the background of the guy's video:
I visited FB Friends' Pages; and light-heartedly engaged in a couple FB Quizzes (I don't take them seriously, but they do make me laugh); I received a loving PM; and I snagged a Heather Stillufsen drawing that fits Today …
And I worked up a quick crafty design while watching an old western:
