New Light. Big Difference.

We've had for a long time in the basement hallway a really ugly-looking light fixture attached to the wall.

Why the wall? Well, there are furnace ducts in the ceiling, so putting a light there would have meant the taller inhabitants of the house would have bumped their heads on a dangling fixture.

But we've wanted to get rid of it since we bought the house. This past weekend, with son-in-law Keaton's help, we got it done.

The new light is clearly functional, not a thing of beauty, but it does get the light where we want it and gets the old fixture off the wall.

Michelle isn't a fan of the plate covering the old fixture box, but that's what we had to do since there's an electric connection in the box, feeding power to the new light and linking to the light switches.

I still have a lot of holes to fill in from the cat6 cable project, but having the light there really took a worry out of the worry box for me. And filled in one of the ceiling holes.

Poelau Roebiah FOUND

Got to thinking about Dad this weekend, in particular the story he told of he and his brother Sjaak getting really excited when the merchant vessel their Dad was a sailor on was due back to port.

The story goes like this:

Their mother knew the ship, the Poelau Roebiah was due in port soon, but didn't know when. They didn't have a phone on their farm, so they had to walk to the post office to use the phone there. The phone was in a little booth.

She took her two boys with her to use the phone. Every time she mentioned the name of the ship, the boys would shout "Poelau Roebiah! Poelau Roebiah!" as loud as they could, often interrupting the phone call and making their mom a little cranky.

She finally got the information they needed and went home, not mindiing whether the boys followed since they were full of energy and she was a little weary of it.

A while later, the postmistress came to her house.

"Oh Frau Davidson, you have to come back to the post office and get your boys!" she said. They'd locked themselves in the phone booth and were shouting Poelau Roebiah! to anyone who'd listen.

"They have to get out of the booth because if the phone rings I'm responsible to answer it, and they've locked the booth so I can't get in!" the postmistress said.

So their tired mother went back to the post office, extracted her boys, and brought them home.

We assume they had a happy reunion when their father and the Poelau Roebia returned.

Today after church I got curious to see if I could find any information on the ship. I'd tried in the past, but as the story was told to us verbally, we had no idea how to spell the name of the ship. So I tried a few different searches today and came up with the name.

And some pictures!

There's a lot more out there I'm just digging into.

I did find that the ship was torpedoed by a German Uboat on July 6, 1942, in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Kingston, Jamaica.

The information here is from the site linked just below the picture:

In 1942, the “Poelau Roebiah” was part of Convoy HX-187 departing Halifax on April 26th 1942 and arriving Liverpool on May 8th 1942, though the ship may not have travelled with the convoy all the way.

The “Poelau Roebiah” sailed from the United Kingdom on June 1st 1942 as part of convoy WS-19P. Freetown was reached June 15th 1942 and departed on June 19th 1942. Cape Town was reached on July 1st 1942 and Durban on July 4th 1942. The convoy was split with the “Poelau Roebiah” being part of Convoy WS-19P (and later WS-19PA) which contained the slower vessels. Suez was reached on July 23rd 1942.

On June 7th 1943, “U 759” set sail from Lorient for patrol in the Atlantic. Almost a month later on July 5th, the U-boat found Convoy GTMO-134 and sank one ship. Two days later “U 759” found Convoy TAG-70 which included the “Poelau Roebiah” with a cargo of 8,100 tons of manganese ore and 100 tons of copper concentrate from Bombay to Cristobal, Guantanamo Bay and Baltimore. Also on board were 31 passengers, 24 armed guards and 68 crew members. The ship was torpedoed and sunk south of Jamaica at position 17°56′ N and 75°57′ W. Two crew were killed, everyone else successfully took to the lifeboats, who were later picked up by a US Coast Guard cutter and several escort vessels.

A week after the “Poelau Roebiah” was sunk, “U 759” was lost on July 15th 1943.

Interesting stuff, and a little more of the ol' family history.

Rhetorical Analysis is *Hard*

I'm sure there are some of you looking at this rhetorical analysis essay and thinking "What am I supposed to do with this? I've never done anything like this before!"

I hear you. I consider the rhetorical analysis essay to be the toughest assignment we tackle in this class, no question.

Why? It's not something we're used to doing.

So I've put together a list of pointers I think will help. And the text we will analyze is one you're probably familiar with, and is my favorite part of The Book of Mormon: The Book of Enos.

In 27 verses, Enos tells us a story that's remarkably like the change essay you've just finished writing.

Just as a refresher, we're going to talk about these rhetorical concepts, and how Enos uses (or doesn't use) them in his writing. We also have to remember that what we're reading was likely edited by Mormon or Moroni, so we'll see if we can spot any signs of that too and look at the rhetorical concepts they introduce.

Here are the concepts:

Ethos -- Appeals to credibility or character, meant to establish the speaker's authority on the subject.

Pathos -- Appeals to emotion, through either storytelling or emotional language.

Logos -- Appeals to logic, facts, and reason. This can include quotes from others knowledgeable on the subject.

My thoughts are in italics, sprinkled among the verses below:

1 Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he was a just man—for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it—

A little logos, a little pathos. He begins by bearing his testimony, in part, of God, and talks about what he learned from his father. That helps me as a reader reflect, "Yeah, I learned a lot from my Dad too." Maybe he's dropped this in here to help us remember the things our fathers (and mothers) have taught us, so as we read the rest of the story we can reflect on what we know, compare it to what he tells us, and maybe remind ourselves that we could work a little harder at being righteous ourselves.

2 And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins.

I have always loved the word "wrestle" here. It's vivid. We know what wrestling is. We've probably had our own wrestles, physical or intellectual. Setting us up for a story, clearly. Lots of pathos.

3 Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.

4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

5 And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

6 And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.

7 And I said: Lord, how is it done?

8 And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.

The pathos floodgates have opened. We see Enos in a vulnerable moment, and we can feel both his anguish and his relief as he prays and receives his answer. I'm sure this is not the only time he prayed about his "wrestle:' we're getting hit with the time the answer comes through clearly.

Another thought hits me: Enos is a regular guy. Yes, he's a prophet of God. But he's also out there in the wilderness, hunting, trying to provide for his family. Sure, his mind probably isn't on the actual hunting, but on his wrestle. This reminds me of President Holland's recent admonition to pray more. than we've ever prayed before. If Enos can pray while he's hunting, trying to provide for his family, I ought to be doing that too as I face frustrations with my stupid, stupid desk job, which I have so I can provide for my family.

But there's a little logos there too. He says he "knew that God could not lie." He states it as a fact, probably from the things his father taught him. But we see the pathos that surrounds this fact, and that makes the fact even more powerful.

9 Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.

10 And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying: I will visit thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my commandments. I have given unto them this land, and it is a holy land; and I curse it not save it be for the cause of iniquity; wherefore, I will visit thy brethren according as I have said; and their transgressions will I bring down with sorrow upon their own heads.

Pathos, yes, but more logos this time. God preaches a sermon we've all heard: Diligence in keeping the commandments is what invites God's presence with us, through the Holy Ghost. He reminds them that they live in a land of promise, and that it is not cursed unless those who possess it are wicked. This is all also stuff that Enos learned from his father, but to hear it from God himself is reaffirming, to Enos and to us as well.

11 And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites.

12 And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.

Enos' empathy expands. He employs more ethos in his appeal for the Lamanites. But there is logos there. This isn't just an idle prayer. He states he's worked as a missionary among the Lamanites. He knows what he's up against and is appealing for help. A great reminder to us when we're facing our own personal Lamanites, whether they're the human kind or the kind we've got in our heads.

13 And now behold, this was the desire which I desired of him—that if it should so be, that my people, the Nephites, should fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed, and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so be by the power of his holy arm, that it might be brought forth at some future day unto the Lamanites, that, perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation—

14 For at the present our strugglings were vain in restoring them to the true faith. And they swore in their wrath that, if it were possible, they would destroy our records and us, and also all the traditions of our fathers.

15 Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.

16 And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would preserve the records; and he covenanted with me that he would bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.

Even more ethos. He's worked hard on preserving the records and recognizes their worth. And he obtains the promise that the records will be preserved. But he also receives another promise in Verse 15 that we've heard echoed again and again in the gospel: If we ask in faith, believing we will receive in the name of Christ, we shall receive. That's ethos and logos in a neat little package.

17 And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant which he had made; wherefore my soul did rest.

18 And the Lord said unto me: Thy fathers have also required of me this thing; and it shall be done unto them according to their faith; for their faith was like unto thine.

19 And now it came to pass that I, Enos, went about among the people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come, and testifying of the things which I had heard and seen.

20 And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God. But our labors were vain; their hatred was fixed, and they were led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness with a short skin girdle about their loins and their heads shaven; and their skill was in the bow, and in the cimeter, and the ax. And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat; and they were continually seeking to destroy us.

21 And it came to pass that the people of Nephi did till the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and goats, and wild goats, and also many horses.

22 And there were exceedingly many prophets among us. And the people were a stiffnecked people, hard to understand.

23 And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness, preaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and all these things—stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord. I say there was nothing short of these things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep them from going down speedily to destruction. And after this manner do I write concerning them.

24 And I saw wars between the Nephites and Lamanites in the course of my days.

The storytelling -- the ethos -- continues from a distance. There's some logos in there as well, as he delivers facts to us about how both peoples are living.

25 And it came to pass that I began to be old, and an hundred and seventy and nine years had passed away from the time that our father Lehi left Jerusalem.

26 And I saw that I must soon go down to my grave, having been wrought upon by the power of God that I must preach and prophesy unto this people, and declare the word according to the truth which is in Christ. And I have declared it in all my days, and have rejoiced in it above that of the world.

27 And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen.

He ends with ethos. I'm only 54 but experiencing some of the feelings of mortality he expresses. So maybe ethos here for different folks.

Also of note: Enos, I believe, relies on pathos almost exclusively here. He uses logos and ethos a little bit (and maybe you notice it more than I do, and that's fine) but he really wants to tell us a story and how it affected him. He uses gospel concepts he hopes his audience is familiar with. He demonstrates the importance of prayer, of missionary work, and of enduring to the end -- all likely things his father taught him -- without pausing at all to remind us what these concepts are. He knows what they are, and sincerely hopes his audience knows what they are as well. Had his audience been different -- maybe if he were telling his story of wrestling with God to the Lamanites -- he's pause more to define terms and help them understand the concepts of prayer, of faith, etc. But here he doesn't, because he believes he doesn't have to. He's recording his thoughts in scripture, which he implores God to protect, in the hopes that it will be preserved and function as an emotional story in part of a larger work that explains the concepts he mentions.

This is not, of course, a perfect analysis. I whipped it out in about fifteen minutes. Had I spent more time, there's probably more I would notice. So I recommend, as you work on your own analyses, to take the time to read your selected speech more than once. Take notes, whether digital or in pen and ink. Use whatever method works for you, but take lots of notes. Re-read the speech and your notes.

And pray more than you've ever prayed before. That's something I'm working on as well.

Remember, Tax Breaks for the Rich, Service Cuts for the Vulnerable!

Letter sent to Sen. Cook and reps Bingham and Mickelsen, state legislators:

I'm appalled the state of Idaho is attempting to balance its budget on the backs of some of the state's most vulnerable residents.

I do not understand why killing budgets for mental health care, physical therapy, and other vital health care is so high on the legislature's priorities, other than I suppose it's the easy way out of a budget shortfall.

While I understand passage of the so-called Big Beautiful Bill in Washington has had an impact locally, the governor and state legislature have added fuel to the budget fire by approving tax cuts that went to the state's wealthiest residents.

I've heard our representatives in Washington give weak lip service to fixing the problems the Big Beautiful Bill caused the states. I have little faith they will take any substantive action.

I recently attended a virtual town hall with Rep. Mike Simpson and heard him give very weak assurances of help to a mother in Franklin who is desperately worried how the proposed cuts will impact her ability to care for her disabled son. I'm sure her story is repeated in every corner of the state.

You are in a position to help rather than hurt.

I have higher hopes that our state representatives will be more willing to consider the disastrous impacts these health care cuts will have on Idaho citizens.

I recognize governance is not easy. Nor should it be. I encourage you to look for creative and sustainable action that will ease the state's budget shortfall without bringing direct harm to the state's most vulnerable citizens.

Sincerely,

Brian Davidson

Once Again, Don't Feed the Trolls

So sit a minute and watch this video.

The message, of course, is transparent. But just in case it needs to be spelled out: Don't feed the troll.

If someone's trolling online, don't react. Don't try to debate, because they're not there for debate. They're there to be right.

I forget that sometimes. But it's important to remember.

Even if they're lying or spreading propaganda. Ignore them. The more interaction they get, the more they grow.

I'm mentioning this because I posted a link to this video on a public post that was asking people to chill. But apparently the use of the concept of "troll" offended the original poster, so I was asked to take it down.

Not wanting additional drama in my life, I took it down. But I came here to post it, because the message is strong.

Don't feed the trolls.

Even if they're well-intentioned.

[Scam Likely]

I've been thinking about my Dad a lot lately.

He was born in the Netherlands. Saw the ugliness of World War II as a young teenager. Saw the futility of colonialism while serving in the Dutch army in Indonesia after the war.

He, his brother, and parents immigrated to the United States in 1950. They worked hard to form a new life here and, legally, to become citizens of the United States.

As much as he loved living here, he didn't have on any blinders. He told me on more than one occasion that the United States is a wonderful place to live unless you're poor, then it becomes one of the worst places on the planet because of how little we care for those in need.

Dad died in 2000. And as I've watched what's gone on in our country over the past year plus, I'm kind of glad he didn't live to see such times.

He learned English but maintained a Dutch accent. He worked as a bricklayer out in the weather, so his skin was tanned and reddened by a lot of exposure to sun and wind.

I'm convinced those facts alone would have made him a target of Immigration and Customs Enforcement had they been in Idaho in any strength and pestered construction sites like I've seen them do in the news.

He, a legal citizen of the United States, would very likely have been harassed and bothered, maybe arrested.

I know many people like this. People who've come into the country "the right way," who'd automatically be suspect. And possibly exposed to jail, violence, and worse if they -- or we who know them -- would try to tell The Man otherwise.

So tonight I got a call. Two, actually. Both from a cell number that were flagged as "Scam Likely:"

The first call I ignored, because scam likely. But when they called back, I figured "What the hell."

The call was an invitation to attend a virtual town hall going on RIGHT NOW during COMMUTE TIME, as you can see by the timestamp on my screenshot from Mike Simpson, our representative in the House.

So I jumped on it. I wanted to see what would happen. And I figured since there'd been no heads up about the town hall -- I am subscribed to his newsletter and saw nothing about it in the letter I got over the weekend.

The *3*3 you can see are two attempts -- the last one successful -- I made to indicate I had a question I wanted to ask. I had little faith that I'd actually be invited to ask a question, but I was. I told them it was to ask Rep. Simpson whether he supported an independent investigation into ICE activities, particularly in Minnesota, as our Senator Mike Crapo and Sen. John Curtis of Utah indicated they were in favor of, just today.

They fielded five or six questions before pulling the plug, with only the last caller asking a question that was contrary to the line Simpson has already shown he's been toeing.

Yeah. They filtered the questions they wanted to answer and pretty much answered only the questions that already fir their preconceived narrative, and now they can report that they "held a town hall" and "heard a lot from constituents" who think everything is A-OK in Washington, DC.

When we lived in Rexburg, a member of our ward ran for and won a seat in the state legislature. As I recall, he served one term and came back with his idealism for participatory government, learned from a father who had also served on the state level, kind of squashed because even back then in the 1900s it was hard to get anything done that wasn't already neato and popular with the cool kids in Boise.

So what I saw was this, writ large, controlled and moderated to make it seem like everything's OK at home for Representative Simpson, who can feel good that he held a town hall and only heard from one malcontent.

Yes, it seems that government continues to seem, and that's about it.

Maybe They're Already Here

Blessed the man

who met his wish of them.

He will not be muddled

when he treat with his enemies

at the gate.

~Nisi Dominus, Antonio Vivaldi

He tried to remember what they said, in that book, long ago. He read it as a child and was frightened by it. But curious. Wanting to know.

The question:

"Dad, will they ever come back?"

The answer: "No, and yes."

Not back as they were. Not in the same shape. Never in the same shape. But back, always. Maybe by sunrise, maybe by noon, surely by evening.

The answer: We have to watch.

And maybe they're already here.

A few spins forward. A few spins back, Ten spins back, and after the spins upon spins, back and forth, back and forth, one is leader of the show, of the freaks, of the carnival.

Maybe they're already here.

And he remembered the hope: "The City Hall clock, the Baptist church clock, the Methodist, the Episcopalian, the Catholic church, all the clocks, struck twelve." Where they had never agreed before to the time.

Who we are now may not be who we become. We may become happier, holier, more sane, more jovial, more rested and restful. More curious and caring, more daring and wise.

We may become sadder, more soiled, more bitter, more dark, more resented and resentful. More desperate and grasping, more craven and weak.

We have to remember to listen to the bells. Do they chime in chorus with the rest, making beautiful sounds, marking the time correctly, announcing to the world our joy, our sorrow, our unity and bravery? Or are we cacaphonous, dissonant, never agreeing with what the other heathen bells have to say, never really listening to our own bells but highly critical -- always critical of the timing and tune the others exhibit. Damning others for forgetting the jig when we think we and only we know the tune.

Thus pealed the bells more loud and deep,

God is not dead, nor doth he sleep.

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,

with peace on Earth, good will to men. 

Together, remember. And not be muddled when we treat with our enemy. Together.

Else, as the other said, "If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face— forever."

Yes, there are laws to be obeyed. Obedience makes for an ordered society and leaves much room for joy.

But if they are already here, laws can become corrupt. Obedience can become blind and order for some is anarchy for others. If we see the boot and feel not pity for the oppressed no matter their crimes, real or imaginary, but relief that we do not see our face in its whited piety, then they are already here.

They have been with us all along.

Klondike 2026

 

Froze my butt off.

Didn't want to be there.

Took up a weekend.

But seeing our new troop win ribbons in compass navigation, tripod lashing, and shelter building was worth it. They made memories, which is what it's all about.

One thing Beard School didn't earn me about: condensing breath forming ice beads in my beard. At least the Amish look prevented the specter of snotsicles.

Book Review: The Dirks Escape, by C. Brandon Rimmer

I'm going to be a little more cautious with this review than I've been on others, because I don't want to denigrate the families that experienced this awful situation.

First, the cover:

I'm an absolute sucker for World War II nonfiction, particularly Holocaust literature. And the word "Holocaust" certainly appears on the cover of this book.

However.

The Holocaust -- the actual Holocaust -- is mentioned in passing in this telling. But the characters are certainly not "fleeing from the specter of the Holocaust." They are a family of German Lutherans fleeing the Soviet occupation of East Germany, yes, but the Holocaust plays no role whatsoever in their story.

I imagine -- I hope -- this was more of a marketing trick on the part of the publisher than a misdirection of the part of the author, but you never know.

So take that in mind as you read this book.

Told as a tale of a family fleeing Soviet occupation, this story works. Like many functionaries who were even moderately successful during the War, Gerhard Dirks was a member of the Nazi party, though it's made clear on some kind of Scientology level that his membership was more perfunctory than ideological, at least as it's presented in the book. Nevertheless, live under occupation would not have been pleasant, so Nazi or not I'd have want to have left as well.

There was a lot more telling in this book than showing, which makes it a bit harder to read. This might be more of a service to the books' intended audience (it's also sold as a conversion to Christianity from atheism, and is reviewed by Billy Graham on the back cover). The audience might not want a more vivid telling, as is typical in about 99.9% of the World War II books I've read.

So a good read, but go in with lower expectations than the cover might demand.

Also, Rimmer:

Human Connection Will Always Win

I'm a fan of Charles Cornell, a music educator on YouTube.

He recently posted the video above, discussing the potential impacts of AI on music and music education.

I don't know the answers, obviously, but I hope my comment on his video, reproduced here, at least puts in a glimmer of hope:

I've come into your channel a bit unconventionally. It might have been your video on "Pure Imagination" that came across my feed. But I'm not a music educator. I'm not a musician. I can carry a tune, but I don't sight read, I don't play an instrument, nor do I really comprehend about half of the stuff you say in your videos (musicians use a looney moon-man language). However, I do enjoy music eclectically. I'll start a YouTube mix going at night as I'm drifting off to sleep. I watch your videos and see parallels between writing music and writing words (my niche, where we also use a lot of looney moon-man language).

I guess my point is this: Yeah, real creators on YouTube might lose people to audiences that do not care that what they're consuming is AI-generated. AI might get good enough to do the kinds of things you describe, and for maybe the majority of people, that'll be fine. I think this is already true for people who turn to the internet for quick answers or instant gratification, no matter what they're looking for, and it's likely you're already not reaching these people.

But I firmly believe there are and will continue to be plenty of people out there who want that "human" element that we only find in meat-space, or at least in meat-adjacent space like your videos. Your videos have helped me make connections to things I want to learn, things I already know, and things I want to create not because some algorithm created your content and fed it to me when I asked for it but because of the stuff I have in my head connecting with the stuff you have in your head making a connection through your channel.

I'll admit that when I look for content and I get a whiff of AI, I resent it. I'm in that minority he talks about. That's not to say everything AI is terrible. I am growing to appreciate the AI summaries that come up in my searches, but I definitely take it with a grain of salt, much as we used to do with Wikipedia. This is particularly true on social media. On YouTube, I've yet to run into much content that's AI-generated, and for that I'm grateful. But I guess only the ether knows what'll happen in the future.