July 2024

Total posts during July 1 - 31 in 2024 = 78

Total visits to this BLOG -- Google Blogger

Seeking Faith and Understanding

faithfor2008.blogspot.com

July 1 - # visits 405

July 2 = 401

July 3 = 1147

Independence 4.July = 1668

July 5 = 249

July 6 = 186

July 7 = 256

July 8 = 374

July 9 = 373

July 10 = 519

July 11 = 829

July 12 = 728

July 13 = 755

July 14 = 920

July 15 = 780

July 16 = 906

July 17 = 889

July 18 = 922

July 19 = 792

July 20 = 1049

July 21 = 1218

July 22 = 1419

July 23 = 1341

July 24 = 631

July 25 = 611

July 26 = 610

Sat. 27th July = 618

Sunday 28 July = 552

7/29 = 539

7/30 = 245

7/31 = 464

TOTAL for the month of July 1 - 31, 2024 = 22,690

West Nile Virus detected near Grand Rapids, MI (Kent County)

On June 26, 2024, the Kent County Health Department

confirmed West Nile Virus in a mosquito captured in the

49525 Zip Code area.

www.woodtv.com/  online report from TV reporting

What is Hurricane Beryl?

National Hurricane Center reported that tropical storm BERYL

has intensified into a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean,

and it may undergo rapid strengthening as it approaches Barbados.

Polls have just opened (30 June) - French "snap elections" - Parliament

French voters head to polls today (Sunday 6/30/24)

for the first round in Parliamentary elections

which could oust President Macron's centrist alliance;

www.cnn.com/2024/06/29/france-parliament-election

polls-open-intl/index.html

 

Annual FRENCH MARKET (Harbert, MI Church of the Mediator)

Saturday after the Fourth/Independence Day

6 July 2024

15th annual "French Market"

from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

14280 Red Arrow Highway

Harbert MI

All are invited to stop and shop at this festival / farmers market!

office@mediatorharbert.com/ 

Proceeds from the rummage sale go to benefit the

ministries of the EPISCOPAL Church of the Mediator

How many households were watching? Nielsen data

UPDATE:

51.3 million households watched across other networks/venues. . .

THE 2024 First Presidential debate 

old Potus versus Predecessor

47.9 million while CNN

was simulcast on other networks

[20 million fewer than who watched

the Oct. 2020 debates ahead of the

previous match-up - incumbent DJT

vs. former Veep Biden

thehill.com/homenews/media

06/28/2024

NFL violated antitrust laws and must pay $4.7 billion in damages

National Football League

www.pbs.org/news hour/nation/nfl-violated-antitrust-laws-

and-must-pay-nearly-4-7-billion-in-damages-jury-rules 

27 June 2024

Reactor #2

Cook Nuclear Plant - Bridgman, MI (W. Michigan, Berrien Cty.)

Reactor #2 has been taken off-line due to a leak on a charging

pump discharge control valve.

The problem was noticed 11 p.m. Wed. and by 8 a.m. Thursday

6/27/2024

the unit was powered down.

LOCAL News online summary (St. Joseph, MI Radio)

www.wsjm.com/2024/06/27/cook-plant-taken-offline-due-to-leak

National Pineapple Day

June 27, 2024

recognize the sweet and tangy

taste of PINEAPPLE

SCOTUS posts early opinion in IDAHO emergency life-saving of mother case

BLOOMBERG dot-com

Decision (6-3) posted at court's

website would have upheld

lower court order that ensured

that hospitals in that state

could perform emergency

abortions to save the life

of the mother

Beating Heart Transplant -- recipient is Michigan man

June 25, 2024

A 58-year-old man from Ferndale, MI, Ken Miller

was the first Michigander to receive a still-beating

heart rather than stopping and re-starting it

Surgeon was Kyle Myetic of Henry Ford Health,

transplant and cardiac specialist

DETROIT MI

wvpe.org/michigan-public-radio-network-news

Primary Voting -- attention COlorado, UTah, N.Y., S_Carolina

VOTE in your state's Federal primary!

For some citizens, Tuesday June 25th,, 2024 will be an

Important Congressional party primary voting in

Colorado / Utah / New York/ S. Carolina.

Let Your Civic Voice be heard!

Gun Violence is a Public Health Crisis

U.S. Surgeon General has declared

Gun Violence to be a 

Public Health Crisis

Vivek Murtha declared

(tens of thousands of

those who die each &

for society-wide trauma)

thehill.com/surgeon-general

gun-violence-public-health-

crisis.html

New Stanley Cup winners: FLORIDA PANTHERS

In a decisive match #7

Florida Panthers

defeated the

Edmonton Oilers 2-1.

6/24/2024 

First Stanley Cup win ever in team's 30-year history

Severe thunderstorm warning for SW Michigan, N. Indiana counties (a.m. hours) 25 June

6 a.m. - Noon

Berrien / Cass (8 a.m.) / St. Joseph (Michigan counties)

Wind Gusts

Downpours

Lightning

Small Hail

Tuesday June 25, 2024

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

Ponies, horses, camels

according to PAGES CIRCUS pre-publicity

http://pages circus.com/about-us

although our elephants and tigers

have retired,

we still present our LIBERTY 

ponies, horses, and camels.

Great Pages Circus - June 25, 2024

Two shows (afternoon & evening)

Berrien Springs, MI

4:30 - 6 p.m. // then 7:30 - 9 p.m.

Berrien County

Youth Fairgrounds

Circus Acts & Artists

aerial, juggling, & clown acts

ALSO adrenaline-rushing

motorcycle mayhem

Early Independence Day events -- June 29, Central Park, Mishawaka, IN

Early on the Saturday before --

Mishawaka, IN Park District will sponsor

Independence Day Celebration

from 3 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Inflatable attractions, Carnival Games, 

Food Trucks, Craft and Retail vendors,

BMX bike shows, Axe throwing, live music,

Beer garden (must be over 21) - only 4:30 - 9

Fireworks after Dusk

Lake Michigan College, Benton Harbor, MI

Versiti Blood Drive

July 25, 2024

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

LMC Gym

2755 Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor

donate.michigan.versiti.org/donor/schedules/donor_schedule/161306

Monday 7/25 -- during Summer Term at

the Community College campus

facebook.com/VersitiBloodCenterofMichiganStJoseph

Pet Refuge

June 29, 2024

SOUTH BEND (IN)

Medical foundation Blood Drive

July 29 - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

4626 Burnett Drive, S.B.

zip 46614

Details: phone 574-

234-1157

Game 7 - Stanley Cup Championships

Tomorrow June 24, 2024

8 p.m. Eastern

at Florida Panthers home ice

versus Edmonton Oilers

ABC - TV Prime Time

First Time since October 2020

ANNOUNCED Week of June 24

for the First Time

DJT and Virginia Gov.

Youngkin will appear together

at post-DEBATE event

The initial Presidential Debate of 2024 (CNN Studios, Atlanta)

will be the FIRST TIME

since the 2nd debate (Oct. 2020)

of Predecessor 45 and POTUS 46

for Americans to see the two elderly

men in a direct exchange; since then

the country has lived thru a Pandemic,

an uncertain economy, a siege/insurrection

on the nation's Capitol, the fall of federal

abortion rights, and 2 bloody global con-

flicts (Ukraine vs. Russia and Israel vs.

HAMAS).  Both men are widely disliked

by broad swaths of the nation and locked

in a tight polling race.  NYTIMES article

2024/06/23/us/politics/biden-trump-stakes.html

Barmen Declaration - 90 years since publication in Germany

May 10, 2024

at Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton NJ

Primary speaker at Event was

Victoria Barnett

general editor of the

Bonhoeffer Works in English.

The Barmen Declaration, written primarily by Karl Barth,

was the manifesto of the CONFESSING CHURCH

during the NAZI Period in Germany.

http://bonhoeffersociety.org/2024/04/24

event-announcement-no-other-word-of-god-confessing

barmen-90-years-later-hosted-by-the-center-

for-barth-studies=in-person-and-online-May-10th-2024/text

Moltmann's Journey (essay in Gospel of John & Christian Theology)

"God in the World : the World in God" essay (pages 369-381)

My journey was the way from Eschatology

to Ecology.  It was a move from the concept

of Time in the progress of human history to

the concept of Space in the life-giving 

organism of the Earth.  It was a journey

that led to a paradigm shift from the order

of domination and obedience (K. Barth & E.

Kasemann) to the new and Democratic order

of community, freedom, and friendship.

Above all, it was a way leading me with

the God of Hope to the indwelling and 

inhabitable God.

National Take Your Dog

Day to Work

June 21, 2024

annual Friday after Fathers

Day

Former White House physician (Obama + Trump-Pence admins.) - is it "Johnson"?

While bragging about his verbal assessment of memory / recall questions,

the Predecessor related to the press about health evaluations by then- M.D. Ronny

Jackson

who is nowadays a MAGA Congressman from TX.

Trump called him "Ronny Johnson".

Stanley Cup (NHL) must be determined in Game 7

Sat. 6/22 Stanley Cup Game 6 at Edmonton -- Oilers who won

5 - 1

force a GAME 7 after

June 18, 2024 was not the deciding match between leading NHL team

Florida Panthers (3 games won

thus far)

vs. Edmonton Oilers ( won 2 games).

ABC-ESPN 8 p.m. game at 

Sunrise Florida.  Edmonton won 5 - 3

NBA Champs 2024

Who won the NBA Finals this June?

Boston Celtics

secured their 18th League

title in Game 5 versus

the Dallas Mavericks 106-88

Virginia, Oklahoma, Georgia (2nd Cong. District) - "knives out"

There are races on Tuesday June 18, 2024 that may

forecast what will happen in the Nov. Federal elections:

In a quite close race not expected to be called until

Friday counting of all mailed ballots,

as of the Juneteenth holiday (wed. 19th)

the two candidates were separated only by

307 votes (.4 percent

of all cast in the race).

Bob Good faced a primary opponent backed by

the Predecessor (a State Senator VA: John McGuire) as

"revenge" for Good's endorsement in early Pres. primaries

of DeSantis (FL Gov.).  Good also voted to 

take House speakership away from Kevin McCarthy (GOP).

In OK, Tom Cole defeated a hard-right opponent 

(self-funded businessmanPaul Bondar).  

Cole is after 11 terms in the House the

House Appropriations cmte. chair.

In Georgia, GOP Candidate Wayne

Johnson (former Trump-Pence admin. official) 

defeated Chuck Hand, who received 4,000+

votes only as a convicted Jan. 6 rioter.

That politician needed advance with 50%

majority in order to face

16-term incumbent Sanford Bishop (Democratic).

MORE DETAILS: at the hill dot-com

campaign/4726007-bob-good-donald-trump-

virginia-oklahome-georgia-tom-cole/

Many days of Heat Advisories mid- to late-June

June 21, 22 -- also further on for more than 7 days in a row

Heat Advisory

until 8 p.m. Eastern

June 19 / Juneteenth 2024

Yes, Federal offices and the U.S. Postal service offices

are closed all day on 6/19/24.

Most federal, state, and city employees will get

the day off.  Many private employers will give

workers the day off to observe the holiday.

NASDAQ and NYSE (NY Stock exchange

will not be trading on Wednesday.

Most private businesses, including big-box

retailers (Wal*Mart & Target)

and fast food establishments, will be

open to serve the public.

Netanyahu -- address before joint session of Congress (Senate + House)

 July 24, 2024

invited by Speaker of the House

Mike Johnson and 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

Wendell Berry provocative quotation

from John Fea, Blogger with CurrentPub.com

So friends, every day do

something that won't compute.

Love the Lord.

Love the world.

Work for nothing.

Take all that you have

and be poor.

Love someone who doesn't

deserve it.

Practice resurrection!

Heat Advisory (8 a.m. until 11 p.m.) - Monday for Berrien County, MI

June 17, 2024

Heat index values of 95 - 100 degrees today

Hot temperatures and high humidity may

cause heat illnesses to occur

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

Voyager 1 (space explorer - to edges of solar system) - resumes communication

online article in NY TIMES dot-com

NASA announced Thursday 6/13/2024 that it had

restored the spacecraft to working order.

It remains the farthest man-made object in space;

It was launched in 1977 on a mission to explore

the outer planets of the solar system (made possible

due to a conjunction):

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Fauci: in autobiography (2024) "On Call" discloses DJT use of expletives, obscenities

NY Times article about the forthcoming book, "On Call"

by Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, former long-term head of the 

National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

(Trump) shocked me on Day 1

of his presidency, with his 

disregard for facts such as the 

size of the crowd at his inaugura-

tion and his active disrespect for

the press. . .I have pretty thick

skin but getting yelled at by POTUS

no matter how much he tells you

that he loves you is not fun.

Tirades flecked with 4-letter words. . .

his first interaction

when DJT signed an executive

order to improve influenza vaccines

he told Fauci that he had never had

a flu shot. . .POTUS 45 was consumed

by ratings and the economy. . ."Hey

you should see the ratings we have"

Predecessor insults city that will host in 30 days the political party

Mayor Cavalier Johnson said to reply to DJT insult to

city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin == It is horrible (quote at D.C.

to audience of GOP legislators (house reprs. and senators))

Well, if Donald Trump wants to

talk about things that he thinks

are horrible, all of us lived through

his presidency, so right back at you,

buddy.

So to insult the city that's hosting

your convention, I think is kind of

bizarre, actually.

when incumbent Trump lost the state in Nov. 2020, his campaign 

lawyers sought to invalidate ballots in the city of Milwaukee 

. . . the Wisconsin Supreme Court rejected his efforts.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 9 p.m.

National Weather Service issued a WATCH for these 

Michigan counties from 2:50 p.m. Eastern

until 9 p.m.

Berrien

Cass

St. Joseph

Branch

Hillsdale

also in N. Indiana 17 counties

G7 - June 13, 2024 and select guests

the heads of the Group of 7 nations meet today June 13, 2024

in Puglia, Italy, southern coast on Adriatic Sea:

Britain

Canada

France

Germany

Italy

Japan

the United States.

Select guests invited by

host Georgia Meloni (Italy)

are Pope Francis (Vat. City)

and Narenda Modi (India).

9 p.m. Thursday June 27, 2024 - CNN Coverage

The first of two presidential debates will take place in the

studios of CNN, Atlanta, Georgia, USA at 9 p.m.

It will stream without a cable log-in on http://www.cnn.com

Who are the DEBATE ANCHORS?

Jake Tapper &

Dana Bash

When is the Second debate?

September 10, 2024 and it will be hosted by ABC-News

Full reopening of Port of Baltimore - June 12 by Gov. Wes Moore

Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Federal partners will

hold a press conference Wed. June 12, 2024 to mark

the full reopening of the Port of Baltimore 11 weeks after

the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The bridge collapse was considered a calamity for the 

region with unforgettable images of the fallen iconic bridge.

On March 26, 2024

the large cargo ship (the Dali) collided with the bridge,

causing the catastrophic collapse and a tragic loss of life

for 6 construction workers -- who were recent immigrant men.

6 cases and many more on the "docket" : announcements June 20, 2024

further details at NY TIMES =

politics/supreme-court-rulings-june.html

NPR summation by correspondent Nina Totenberg (June 11, 2024)

npr.org/2024/06/11/nx-s1-4996590/supreme-court-docket-trump-abortion-guns

Presidential immunity,

the most headline-grabbing case is 

the test of former P. DJT's claim of immunity

from criminal charges for his attempts to

overturn the Biden-Harris electory victory

Nov. 2020. . .DJT is also implicated in a separate 

case involving the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol

June 20, 2024 SCOTUS

Thursday June 20th the 

Supreme Court of the United States

is expected to issue one or more opinions

from the current term (Oct. 2023 - June 30, 2024).

www.scotusblog.com/ 

Profile in Courage Award - #Kentucky #SecyofState - June 2024

The JFK Library founded in memory of #POTUS 34 (1961- Nov. 1963)

annually awards the "Profile in Courage" award:

this year it goes to Michael G. Adams (Kentucky Secretary

of State) who worked hard to protect voting rights

and access to the ballot!

jfklibrary.org 

Juneteenth Celebration - 19 June 2024 at Niles, Michigan

4 - 8 p.m.

Plym Park, Niles, MI

a variety of exciting activities for all ages,

celebrating freedom, culture, and community

Big Boy Restaurant turns 88 (this week mid-June 2024)

Many details about

June 15, 2024

special $5 deal that day with Burger & Fries

with Purchase of a Pepsi

starts that day after 12 Noon

http://www.wcsx.com/2024/05/31/big-boy-birthday

Culinary Diplomacy

Saturday June 8, 2024

President and Mrs. Macron host a state dinner for

POTUS 46 and FLOTUS Dr. Jill Biden

4-course meal = Light Salad, Dish of Chicken, rice, artichoke, carrot, Cheese Course (Brillat-Savarin), followed by Dessert (chocolate, strawberries, raspberries)

Among guests were:

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal,

Claude Lalouch (film director)

Secy. of State Antony Blinken

Nancy Pelosi

John Kerry

John McEnroe

52 days from now - 7+ weeks PRIMARY Election (Michigan federal choices)

Michigan's qualifying / political party participation PRIMARY

for offices like

Congressional officers like

House of Representatives and open U.S. Senate seat

will be

August 6, 2024 (Tuesday)

Nine Days of Early Voting

 

Rest in Peace, Jurgen Moltmann

The Theologian - Tubingen professor

died June 4, 2024

at age 98.

World Oceans Day / / Full Strawberry Moon

 June 8, 2024

The Full moon for June 2024

is 21 June and it rises at

9:08 p.m. Eastern Time.

That is a day after the

Summer Solstice (longest

day of the entire year).

Trump Conviction - public approval of jury verdict, sentencing awaits

May 2024

The NY Trial of People versus Donald J. Trump brought a 

verdict:

34 counts of illegal bookkeeping

error, election law

violations, and fraud to cover up

illegal payments to "hush"

a scandal involving a porn

star and Playboy "bunny"

54% of surveyed voters approve of the Predecessor's

34 convictions, including 52% of independents who told

ABC News polling that "Trump should drop out of

the race in Nov. 2024".

Macron said to U.S. D-Day veterans

"You are at home, if I may say" - in English

see full NY TIMES coverage

www.nytimes.com/2024/06/08/world/Europe/macron-biden-france-us.html

State Dinner at Elysee' Palace - the Macrons host POTUS 46

Details at 

nytimes.com/2024/06/08/world/Europe/macron-biden-france-us.html

This marks the end of a 5-day visit by the American president and is

in reciprocation to the State Dinner at the White House, D.C.

in Dec. 2022 (the first such dinner of the Biden-Harris administration)

Macron has stood shoulder to shoulder with POTUS 46

in seeing Ukraine's fight for freedom against Russia as no less

than a fight for European liberty, an extension of the fight

for freedom that led allied fighter to scale the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc

in 1944.

How long ago was D-Day?

the invasion by Allied Troops into NAZI-occupied France took place

6 June 1944

which is 80 years ago this week.

Unlike his predecessor POTUS 45,

President Biden WILL meet

with other NATO allies to commemorate that date

when Europe's citizens were rescued -- BTW Russian

dictator Putin was not invited to the Normandy event/

commemoration

DETAILS at:

the hill.com/homenews/administration/4703035/

biden-seeks-sharp-contrast-to-trump-d-day-in-France/

Trump did not 10 Nov. 2018 visit an American veterans' 

cemetery 50 miles outside of Paris due to rain

and shockingly referred to wounded vets as

"losers" and "suckers" 

World #3 defeats Ons Jabeur (previous Wimbledon finalist)

Coco Gauff of the U.S. defeated Ms. Jabeur in the 

French Open Quarterfinal

4-6; 6-2; 6-3.

nytimes.com/athletic/

5539315/2024/06/04/

coco-gauff-beats-ons-jabeur

Men's Tennis French Open - Carlos Alcaraz wins 3rd Grand Slam on third surface

Sunday June 9 -- Alcaraz defeated A. Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2

on the clay surface at Rollan Garros, Paris

#1 Novak Djokovic resigned from the tournament after sustaining

a knee injury; he will not play tomorrow the World #7 player

at the Paris tennis tournament (Grand Slam event).

June 4, 2024

6-yr.-old son of TN Congressman mugs for C-SPAN and photobombs (5-minute speech)

Guy Rose, 

seated directly behind his father (a MAGA supporter/defender of Predecessor)

pantomimed and mugged for the Congressional record that is C-SPAN.  

The viral video has gone to a greater part of the Internet 

than would be usual for the TN Congressman's

speech decrying the date of "May 30" as an infamous date 

(I.e. when the NY Jury 

announced the 34 felony convictions 

from the "Hush Money Trial to a Porn Star").

see more at YouTube and here

www.nytimes.com/2024/06/03/us/politics/trump-defense-congressman-son-steals-spotlight.html

When is Flag Day? Where is Berrien County's Leading Parade headquartered?

June 9

signature parade

3 p.m. (72nd year

to honor military /

H.S. marching bands /

floats and cars/ firetrucks /

vehicles of all sorts

THREE OAKS, MI

activities from June 7 - 9

also include 5k run & fireworks

Summer Solstice 2024

When precisely does the First Day of Summer begin?

June 20, 2024

4:51 p.m. Eastern Daylight

Time

80th anniversary (6 June 1944)

 D-Day

mobilization surprise

attack at Normandy's beaches

by Allied troops (U.S., Britain,

Canada, Australia) to liberate

France during last years of

World War II

POTUS 16 (Abraham Lincoln) speech at NY City Cooper Union

from NY TIMES online article "Conversations & Insights" (6/3/2024)

Let us have faith that

RIGHT makes MIGHT

and in that faith

let us, to the end,

dare to do our duty

as we understand it!

Congratulations to Claudia Sheinbaum!

The newly elected president of Mexico

June 2, 2024

Her inauguration at Mexico City will take place

soon

She received a likely 60% of the 58 million

ballots cast. 

Are you a "Swiftie"?

This weekend upcoming

Friday June 7 , Sat. June 8, Sunday 9th 2024

Taylor Swift

ERAS tour

facebook.com/events/

1192662114751243

Expect delays near "Century Center" (s. bend, IN)

a.m. of June 1, 2024

The half-marathon "SUNBURST 2024"

that benefits Beacon Children's Hospital

kicks off early at 7 a.m. Eastern

between the Century Center downtown South Bend, IN

and Battell park in Mishawaka, IN

Expect traffic delays and road closures for the runners

and walkers

www.wsbt.com (CBS local affiliate)

/news/local/expect-delays-road-closures-saturdays-

sunburst-races-half-marathon-5k-10k-fun-walk-fitness