Blog Archives - ROBERT E DUNN

metonymy/synecdote

12/31/2021

Is the pen mightier than the sword?

Metonymy
It is a rhetorical device like a metaphor, but the word creating the analogy must be closely related to its original meaning. For example, a thing that is not scary is made to represent a thing that is scary, as in “the pen is mightier than the sword.” The drama series, Game of Thrones, doubles down on metonymy with “game” referring to years of battles and intrigue, and “thrones” referring to the many seats of power across the fantasy world of Westeros. In Julius Caesar, Mark Antony says, “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.” Antony uses ears as a metonymy to ask the audience to listen to him.

Synecdoche
It is a rhetorical device in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa, as in “all hands on deck,” which means all men on deck. When a knight puts his hands inside the hands of his lord, and the lord clasps the knight’s hands, this act of fealty shows that the knight is pledging loyalty to his lord. The hands of the lord are not all of him, but the hands represent him. Video games have numerous characters seeking or pledging loyalty. The most played video game in 2021 is Fortnite. League of Legends is second, Minecraft fifth. One of my students plays Minecraft, but an objective in this game is survival.

In the 1962 Missal there is an oblation that goes like this: O sovereign and true leader, O Christ, my king, I kneel before Thee here like a vassal in the old feudal times to take my oath of fealty. I place my joined hands within Thy wounded hands and promise Thee inviolable loyalty. I dedicate to Thee all the powers of my soul, all the senses of my body, all the affections of my heart.

Dramas, games, and pledges require writers. These days I would say the pen is mightier than the sword. Or is it?

9-1-1

12/31/2021

From my EMT friend: You are not going to believe me when I tell you that earlier this week a 37-year-old female called 9-1-1 for her sore throat and not feeling well for a few days and, yes, I did drive her to the hospital by ambulance. Then, of course, the ER asks me, “She went by ambulance for this?” Why do I get asked this? Why do they not ask the patient? Furthermore, we are here in America and, of course, we cannot refuse a person who wants to go to the hospital by ambulance. In a way, I am sure that my company gladly bills for the services.

In 1967, the Federal Communications Commission and AT&T collaborated to establish a universal emergency number that could be quickly implemented. The digits “911” were chosen because they were easy to remember and served both parties.

quondam

12/30/2021

Ooo-ooo! Another spankingly good Latin word! My quondam life was bad. It means “former”. Use that word when you’re out on a date.

crucifixion date

12/30/2021

I am not interested in debating Catholic doctrine or history. Boring. Read the Catechism here https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

I had the singular blessing of receiving the faith at age eight. Why me and not others? I don’t know. God has not given me the answer. He has never uttered a single, audible word to me personally. My guess is that He had me in His mind from the start and captured a susceptible, willing boy. Look at HOW IT HAPPENED

Nor am I interested when someone throws Bible verses at me or gives me platitudes. It means they have memorized a quote and been told what it means, or they have copied something. They do not reflect serious thought. I am interested in writers who think carefully about what they are going to say or people who have undergone a serious trial. Check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_R._Capodanno

In other posts I have referred to the date of the Crucifixion. Akin is a serious Catholic writer who has done the research and fixed the date. Wikipedia seems to agree. Listen at 10:30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deS9iF0snsQ&t=3s

dancers

12/30/2021

These well-dressed and properly-shod dancers are so cute. My brother and older sister had dance parties in the basement of our home. They spilled sawdust all over to make the cement floor more slippery. Mom and Dad danced in the living room. I could never get enough of that. Mom was very naturally a notorious flirt. My dad liked that. So did I.

caiaphas

12/29/2021

Caiaphas was high priest from 18 to 37 and is best known for the trial of Jesus. Romans governed Judea through a procurator, Pontius Pilate from 26/27 to 36/37, and appointed the high priest directly, causing the officeholder to be seen as a Roman puppet. Pilate was pressed to sentence Jesus to death by crowds of people who had been stirred up by religious authority. The crucifixion occurred April 3, 33.

“Since 2018, the government has imprisoned uncompliant priests and removed crosses from churches. Recently, the Chinese authorities egregiously edited the Bible to “reflect socialist values,” leaving a new generation of believers exposed to a version of the sacred text that has been filtered through an authoritarian lens. An educational curriculum written and distributed by government agencies even recast the Gospel of John to say that Christ claimed to be a sinner and was guilty of murder.

“The Chinese authorities see technology as the next frontier of totalitarianism. They are investing billions to develop and deploy new machinery such as facial recognition, data collection, and tracking software to establish a full-blown surveillance state. In fact, just before re-negotiations with the Holy See began this year, hackers working for the Chinese government infiltrated the Vatican’s computer networks in what The New York Times called “an apparent espionage effort.”
…
“It’s important to note that Christians are not the only religious minority being targeted there. An estimated 1 million Uighur Muslims are held in re-education camps in Xinjiang province, for example, and the government has edited the Quran similarly to the Bible. But the Vatican is unique in that it has been offered a seat at the negotiation table. So, the way the Church interacts with this sinister regime is paramount, given that it will impact all persecuted minorities in the region.”

USA Today, David Curry, Opinion contributors, Oct 10, 2020 [edited to shorten]
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/10/10/china-and-christianity-vatican-deal-china-allows-persecution-column/5899207002/

Details of the secret agreement between the Vatican and China have not been revealed.

I try to keep religion and politics separate, but how futile that is with every passing day. I will die one day. Some would say that at death the world will not matter to me anymore, but how can I be so callous toward my brothers and sisters now or in the future. Therefore, one must ask, who is Caiaphas now?

teachers

12/29/2021

You might be omnipotent for now, but you are not omniscient. You probably received many degrees, from the wrong universities, and you are free to make choices in your personal life, even wrong ones. However, your rights do not come before parental rights. Parents are the chief educators. Only when their behavior has been truly criminal, may society intervene. Each one of us has a soul and a body, and you, dear teacher, may not interfere with God’s plan for that soul and that body. Someday, when you meet God face-to-face, you will pay a debt of justice. If you cannot accept this order of life and death, quit teaching, stay home, and clean your toilet.

spreckels ca

12/29/2021

From the California Family Council: “This is only the latest in a string of disturbing incidents involving the LGBTQ agenda in California, and again highlights the danger it poses to young, impressionable children. Video footage has shown the mother of this student speaking out at a Spreckels Union School District meeting last week.” The elementary school is located just south of Salinas, which is in central California. You will hear a mother, Jessica, speak out against gender, name, and email changes made by the school to her daughter’s records without parental consent. I and the parents of the students I tutor will protect children from criminals.

cop comedian

12/29/2021

norcal snow

12/29/2021

https://www.modbee.com/news/california/article256919877.html

Following a snowfall, people will flock outdoors as soon as the sun’s out. Whether it’s going for a walk or having a snowball fight, the “apricity”, or warmth from the sun, is not to be missed.

When you visit Grass Valley on a normal day, it is as if you are stepping back into gold mining history. I vote it the prettiest little town in California. Only 2,000 feet above sea level and about one hour from Sacramento.

There is a conservative roadside sign on Hwy 49 to Grass Valley, State of Jefferson. Ha-ha!

big brother

12/29/2021

I’d rather pay attention to them shuffle than you, Stupid Cupid Cupich of Chicago. You have no youth. I’d like to see you dumped in Death Valley and find your way out. You’d look great in a wedgie since you are an axle. Same for your pal … in America we can vote to dethrone. What a shame we cannot disconnect you and the axle in Rome.

chicago

12/29/2021

Cardinal Cupich of Chicago will not allow the 1962 Missal on Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, and First Sundays. The new rule takes effect on Jan 25, 2022.

“The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, one of the largest traditional societies of apostolic life, has said that the explanatory document [from Stupid Cupid Cupich] ‘does not directly address the former Ecclesia Dei communities such as the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter who possess their own proper law.’”

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249989/cardinal-cupich-issues-new-restrictions-on-traditional-latin-masses

Stupid Cupich is driving me into the arms of my Lover Boy on Sundays and Holy Days, and I listen to Him, but not at half-past 8. When Mom and Dad said listen, it meant obey, did it not?

diary of a country priest

12/28/2021

Diary of a Country Priest, 1951 French film, English subtitles, almost two hours long, not the Sound of Music. Best film I have ever seen for the screenwriting alone. There is an unexpected ending for the refined intellect. The man who played the priest of Torcy was a psychiatrist in real life. I noticed that no one locked doors in 1951.

There is no such animal as an ex-priest. This little bit of knowledge will assist you in understanding the surprise ending. I am not giving away the surprise by saying that I know of an incident that happened in New York City. A street sweeper witnessed an accident. A woman was hit by a car and lay dying in the street. He rushed to her side and gave her absolution.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Diary+of+a+Parish+Priest+Movie&&view=detail&mid=06239159F37C0FFFBFA906239159F37C0FFFBFA9&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DDiary%2Bof%2Ba%2BParish%2BPriest%2BMovie%26Form%3DVDRSCL%26%3D0

more advice

12/28/2021

georgetown CA

12/27/2021

the lion in winter

12/27/2021

Post on Nextdoor: Mountain Lion in [nearby]. My neighbor told me he spotted a Mountain Lion, twice between Dec 2 and 10th, off of . . . . I just spotted the Mountain Lion this morning around 9 am. Please, if you live close by, keep your dogs and cats in the house. My small dog went missing on Dec 10th, and now I'm fairly sure the Mountain Lion was the culprit.

phone wreck

12/27/2021

Husband’s call:
“Honey it’s me. I don’t want to alarm you, but I was hit by a car as I was leaving the office. Paula brought me to the hospital. They have checked me over and done some tests and x-rays. The blow to my head was severe. Fortunately, it did not cause any serious internal injury. However, I have three broken ribs, a compound fracture in the left leg, and they think they might have to amputate my right foot.”

Wife’s Response:
“Who is Paula?”

writeth quickly

12/27/2021

Excerpt from Sunday’s Gradual, Ps. 44, 3, 2. “My heart hath uttered a good word. I speak my works to the King: my tongue is the pen of a scrivener that writeth quickly.” Lofty advice about dedication to purpose. Right? As soon as I finished making this entry, an inconceivable coincidence occurred. I heard a bing telling me that a message had arrived in my email. I checked. The questioner on Quora asked, “How do I write a book in one year?” Answer: “You glue your ass to a chair and write one page a day.” Bible or Quora, Bible or Quora, Bible … or … Quora!

norcal blizzard

12/27/2021

All traffic is stopped on I-80 at Colfax, CA, which is 20 miles from me. No cars or trucks are permitted to move forward to Donner, Tahoe, and Reno. Trucks are parked at my exit and in hotel parking lots. It is like a fire boat hose or train rotary blower is pointed at you. Where do I hibernate? Lower elevation, Placer County.
Hi Van Tieu.

photo of I-80 at Applegate, CA, from Placer County Sheriff in this morning's alert over Nextdoor

christmas

12/26/2021

The three above the main altar are Peter, Stephen, our namesake, and John, from left to right, and the rosary plaques on the wall behind the nativity are 400 years old and came from Europe. The 10 plaques were carved out of a log sliced into six-inch-thick pieces. Gregory, 8, served today without need of the cheat sheet laid next to the bells. It is there for a forgetful boy.

The priest we had today says Mass very fast, his Latin is that good. I saw my 27-year-old engineer friend struggling to keep up. It takes time to learn how to use the Missal - it did for me. He told me about his stiff penance after confession, and I started laughing. I said, “What have you done?” Another friend who is my reader said, “Did he commit murder?”

why am i a catholic?

12/25/2021

desire

summa theologica

12/25/2021

Did Aristotle know that he’d have students far in the future? Thomas Aquinas (1224/5 - 1323) was one of them. He wrote Summa Theologica, which would take a good reader 51 hours to finish. There are three parts, and the second is divided into two parts, with 512 Questions, 2,669 Articles, and about 10,000 objections and replies. Overall, this monumental accomplishment contains about 1.8 million words, nowadays nearly 6,000 pages of Latin.

I tried to come up with a figure for the number of words I’ve written. My best guess is 200,000 words in 1) publishing (tax law headnotes, semi-journalistic stories, and editorial); 2) seven news and feature stories for a daily; 3) novel, short stories, and true stories; and 4) blog/diary. In addition, as a patrol officer, I wrote hundreds of reports, not published! Nevertheless, all of it is a puny amount compared to Thomas.

His branch of philosophy is called Thomistic. Before Aquinas died at age 49, he wrote numerous other treatises. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle lived in Athens for most of their lives. Socrates taught Plato, who taught Aristotle, who left a body of work for Aquinas.

All of history is present to God the Father, and it matters.

For more about Aquinas, see https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Thomas-Aquinas/Years-at-the-papal-Curia-and-return-to-Paris

Aquinas by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo / Amulay, Wikimedia Commons CCO

donner pass

12/25/2021

BNSF and Amtrak chugging over Donner, 7,000 feet, an hour away on a summer day. Videographer posted disclaimer on bad language. As a patrol officer, my language was worse. One of my students has a friend named D. Axle-something. I joked that I will use axle in place of you-know-what @ #home, but if I met this teen, I would say, “Watup axle.”

cork it

12/24/2021

For 2022, let’s stop making judgments about people with good hearts and intentions. Psychological handicaps belong in the psychiatrist’s office, and sins belong in the confessional. Get off social media, which has no value 99% of the time. Stay informed through trusted sources about people who want to destroy the Church and nation. Persevere. Hold fast to tradition. Pray for me, and I’ll pray for you any time. The list of people I pray for at Mass is enormous, and it is not a waste of my time.

oklahoma

12/24/2021

Oklahoma priory founded in 1999 by Americans who wanted to return to the US from France. They are part of the Solesmes Congregation, which includes Fontgombault, the abbey where the monks started. The priest-monks celebrate the Mass in Latin according to the 1962 Missal. If I had a few million dollars, I would try to persuade them to expand to Northern California and be within reasonable reach.