# Cathy's Turning Leaves > A Rustling of Thoughts ## Posts - [Who is Responsible for Current Oil Prices?](https://cathysturningleaves.com/2026-oil-prices/): Nothing much to see here, just a misleading meme designed to trick the gullible into believing that Biden is responsible for the high fuel prices. I’ll cover it point by point for those who are open to the truth. Who Shut Down the Keystone Pipeline? Nobody. It was never shut down. It has been in continuous operation since 2010. The meme is probably referring to the Keystone XL. TC Energy Corporation, which owns the existing Keystone pipeline, proposed the Keystone XL. That one would have started in in Alberta, Canada, joined the existing Keystone pipelines at Steele City, Nebraska, and from... - [A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to College](https://cathysturningleaves.com/a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-college/): If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may have already read my two posts Me, in Search of Self and The School From Hell, both of which are precursors to this post. I mentioned in the latter that my home situation had deteriorated and I was becoming increasingly suicidal. Someday, I will explain what was going on, but I put it off because I’ll have to relive a lot of trauma, and I’m not ready for that. So anyhow, I dropped out of school, which dashed all my college dreams, and left home. It was either that, or... - [Just Buy Local - or Not](https://cathysturningleaves.com/just-buy-local-or-not/): So many recalled foods and other consumables lately! And every time the subject comes up on social media, some people start yelling, “Just buy local!”. This post is about the problems surrounding recalls, and goes into the reasons that buying local is not an option for most people. The USDA, FDA, CDC and various other government organizations have a variety of departments and methods to keep our food safe and slow the spread of diseases that could potentially cause pandemics. Keep in mind there is a certain amount of overlap between food safety and disease spread. These agencies came about in... - [The Odd Case of Oxford U vs. Henry Symeonis](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-odd-case-of-oxford-u-vs-henry-symeonis/): Beginning in 1264, anyone receiving a Master of Arts degree from Oxford University had to swear they would never forgive Henry Symeonis. This requirement was lifted in 1827, but by then, it had been a few hundred years since anyone knew who Henry Symeonis and why students were taking an oath against him. How it Started The year was 1242. Nobody knows what precipitated the act of violence, but a man named Henry Symeonis, along with a group of other people, murdered an Oxford University student. Rather than jail them, King Henry III fined Henry and his accomplices £80 and ordered... - [How the U.S. States Got Their Names](https://cathysturningleaves.com/how-the-u-s-states-got-their-names/): Following are the 50 States’ names with brief explanations of their origins. Please note, this list may have some inaccuracies, because as I researched the state names, I often found multiple explanations at various sources, many of which contradicted each other. So I had to try to choose the options which seemed to be confirmed by the most legitimate authorities. I used the word “Indian” rather than “Native American” in the cases where I was quoting or paraphrasing historical sources. ALABAMA: Named after a Muskogean-speaking Creek Confederacy tribe called the Alabamas, Alibamons or Alibamus. The word is roughly translated as ‘clearers... - [Hantavirus Facts](https://cathysturningleaves.com/hantavirus-facts/): Hantaviruses are a deadly family of viruses spread primarily by infected wild rodents, such as deer mice, rats, and voles. Infected rodents are carriers only; they do not get sick or show symptoms. Hantavirus infections in humans are rare in the United States. Since surveillance began in 1993, there have been a total of 890 reported cases nationwide. On average, the country records fewer than 30 to 40 cases annually, primarily isolated cases in western and southwestern states. How Humans Contract Hantavirus Infected rodents shed the virus in their urine, droppings and saliva, which settles onto the ground or other surfaces... - [James Talarico](https://cathysturningleaves.com/james-talarico/): James Dell Talarico is a Presbyterian seminarian, and former educator who has served since 2018 as a member of the Texas House of Representatives. He’s the Democratic nominee for the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Texas. He’s been causing a bit of a political stir lately. The response from the left and moderates has been positive. The reaction on the right, however, is downright hateful. “He can’t be a Christian because he’s a Democrat!“, they proclaim. This, from people who claim to be Christian but cherry-pick the Bible. My political and religious views do not 100% line up with those of... - [More Doctors Smoke Camels!](https://cathysturningleaves.com/more-doctors-smoke-camels/): A Brief History of Tobacco Tobacco is native to the Americas. It was cultivated and used in pipes, as cigars, and as snuff by indigenous peoples for medicinal and ceremonial purposes as early as 6000 BC. In the 1500s, Spanish and Portuguese sailors carried it to Europe, where it became wildly popular. A French diplomat named Jean Nicot presented tobacco to the French court as a medicinal herb. It’s use became fashionable amongst the French nobility, and it was soon all the rage throughout Europe. (The word nicotine was derived from Jean Nicot’s name). As the European appetite for tobacco grew,... - [2026 Shooting at White House Correspondents Dinner](https://cathysturningleaves.com/2026-shooting-at-white-house-correspondents-dinner/): I do not readily accept conspiracy theories, but the social media wires are sizzling with questions about this latest assassination attempt, many asserting it was faked. After years of refusing to attend the White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner, Trump suddenly makes a big deal that he’s going to go. This does seem like some odd timing. Soon after the incident, Trump used the opportunity to reiterate the need for a White House ballroom. Some say the “fake” assassination attempt was purposely planned in order to gain support for that ballroom. I don’t know about that. Trump uses every opportunity to... - [All the Wrong Places](https://cathysturningleaves.com/all-the-wrong-places/): What we learned at school, what we see in movies and television shows, things we read, experiences we have… we all have an idea of where something is supposed to be. For example, mention of a span of ice stretching for hundreds of miles with no human in sight might make us think of the Arctic or Antarctic. But our world is full of wonders, both purely natural and those reflecting Man’s handiwork. Sometimes we are surprised, because some things are in unexpected locations. Where in the World? These small kangaroo relatives, known as wallabies, are extremely elusive, making them a... - [MAGAs Outed Themselves on Easter (Updated April 15)](https://cathysturningleaves.com/magas-outed-themselves-on-easter/): After I published this post, Trump posted his “Trump as Jesus” meme on Truth Social. I’ve added a section about that below the original post.     By now, you’ve seen the above screenshot multiple times on social media. I see a lot of memes with fake Trump posts. I always go to Truth Social to see if he really said it. If he didn’t, I make sure to inform people that it’s a fake meme. I saw this meme, and thought for sure it was fake, but I went and looked and he really did post that! Go to Truth... - [Irreducible Complexity & Automobiles](https://cathysturningleaves.com/irreducible-complexity-automobiles/): Irreducible complexity: A concept used by proponents of Intelligent Design and Young Earth Creationism (YEC) to argue that complex organisms could not have evolved gradually from more primitive forms, because they need all their interacting parts to function. If you remove one part, the other parts will cease to function. Therefore, the organism could not have started with fewer parts. It needs all parts all at once in order to function. The only way an organism can exist, they argue, is if God created it as a complete organism. According to Answers in Genesis and other Intelligent Design proponents, the following... - [H.Res.1072 Voting Results](https://cathysturningleaves.com/h-res-1072-voting-results/): H.Res.1072 – Directing the Committee on Ethics to preserve and publicly release records of the Committee’s review of violations or alleged violations of clause 9 (as it pertains to acts of sexual harassment) and clause 18 of rule XXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives. Click for the —> Congressional Summary   On March 4, 2026, the U.S. House voted 357-65 to refer Rep. Nancy Mace’s (R-SC) resolution to release sexual misconduct reports to the House Ethics Committee. The House Ethics Committee opposed the resolution, arguing that forcing the release of these records could hinder current and future investigations,... - [Lost and Found Dog](https://cathysturningleaves.com/lost-and-found-dog/): It happened about 25 or 30 years ago. One day, I heard a scratching at the door. Curious, I went to the door and opened it. An English Setter I had never seen before smiled at me, then happily trotted through the door, went straight to the den, and hopped up on the recliner. Well Hello! Come in and make yourself at home! *blink* I went and took a good look at him. He was freshly groomed. I had him move around some. His stance, his build, the way he walked… everything about him screamed “Show Dog”! The dogs around this... - [Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (the SAVE Act)](https://cathysturningleaves.com/safeguard-american-voter-eligibility-act-the-save-act/): Much controversy has surrounded this act, since it was introduced. Here’s a brief breakdown. Summary This bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill specifies what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship. Further, the bill (1) prohibits states from registering an individual to vote... - [The Forgotten Elderly](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-forgotten-elderly/): When my mother and I signed up to deliver Meals on Wheels, we told the director we specifically wanted a route where people especially needed extra help. There was a slum neighborhood with run down houses that they had a very hard time finding drivers who would deliver there, because it was so dangerous. Most residents were the working poor, the disabled and elderly. Druggies and homeless were wandering around everywhere, and that neighborhood was one of those that experienced random shootings. The director asked if we would be willing to deliver there. We said YES! That’s exactly what we were... - [The Story of Joseph, Mary and Jesus](https://cathysturningleaves.com/joseph-mary-jesus/): So many misconceptions about the Biblical accounts; mis-translations, legends springing up outside of anything found in the Gospels. So little knowledge the average person has of the Jewish culture of that time period during the Roman occupation. We have to start with Mary’s pregnancy. An unwed Jewish girl getting pregnant! The Sanhedrin would have been well within the law to sentence her to death, but since Joseph quickly married her, and since Joseph’s and Mary’s families were probably well thought of in the community, she was spared that fate. Poor Mary! Like girls of today, she had probably dreamed of the... - [The Star of Bethlehem - What Was It?](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-star-of-bethlehem-what-was-it/): People have different ideas about Jesus. Some think He never existed at all. Some acknowledge He existed, but believe He was just an ordinary man. Some, like me, know He’s divine, and He still walks among us. What most agree with, is that the letters and scrolls which eventually became the New Testament were written a few decades after the crucifixion. As stories are retold, and retold again, details tend to change, although the core of a story remains the same. We can’t know how accurate the story of the Wise Men remained before it was first written down, but for... - [President Roosevelt's Executive Order 8802, June, 1941](https://cathysturningleaves.com/president-roosevelts-executive-order-8802-june-1941/): “Reaffirming Policy Of Full Participation In The Defense Program By All Persons, Regardless Of Race, Creed, Color, Or National Origin, And Directing Certain Action In Furtherance Of Said Policy” This resulted in people of color, and women of any race, being brought out of the “back rooms”, so to speak, where they had been treated as substandard humans. Now their accomplishments could receive the same recognition as those of white men. It also meant they could receive fair pay, as well as advance upward in their job. (For those who love to throw party in each other’s faces, Roosevelt was a... - [Countering the MAGA East Wing Argument](https://cathysturningleaves.com/countering-the-maga-east-wing-argument/): Every time Trump breaks the law and tramples the Constitution, his followers make excuses for him. The White House East Wing situation is no different. From MAGAs: For more than a century, U.S. Presidents have been renovating, expanding, and modernizing the White House to meet the needs of the present day. The Information They’re Leaving Out Theodore Roosevelt’s West Wing (1902) Was approved and funded by Congress. Congress passed an appropriations bill authorizing $65,000 for Roosevelt’s major White House renovation in 1902. Taft’s Oval Office (1909) Was approved and funded by Congress. In 1909, Congress passed an appropriations bill on Taft’s... - [What Do You Meme? (Update Oct 11)](https://cathysturningleaves.com/what-do-you-meme/): Memes, memes, they’re everywhere! Some are funny, some are inspirational, and some are just designed to spread false or misleading information. As I find memes I want to feature, I will post them here. I will limit the number to about 20 per page. When this first page has less than 20, I’ll keep adding new ones to the top until it’s full, then I’ll move them to the next page and start filling the front page again. Please note that only this first page will show on the blog, and will be the only meme page with a comment box.... - [MAGAs Were Wrong About Food Stamp Cuts](https://cathysturningleaves.com/magas-were-wrong-about-food-stamp-cuts/): MAGA politicians lied, as usual. Trump followers believed every bit of it, as usual. The left said: millions of Americans are going to lose food stamps. The right said: People will not lose their benefits. The left is scare-mongering. The left was telling the truth, and I hope MAGAs find crow delicious. Food stamp cuts will be rolled out in several phases over the next several years. The first phases go into affect as soon as October 1, 2025, although some states began implementing the changes already this month (September 2025). Millions of working poor American citizens, elderly and disabled are... - [Social Issues the Far Right Doesn't Understand](https://cathysturningleaves.com/social-issues-the-far-right-doesnt-understand/): Stop Calling Me Liberal When I disagree with MAGAs, they call me libtard. This happens even when I can PROVE that the narrative they are engaging in is false. I am actually pretty much in the middle. But don’t slap a political label on me. I am a Christ-following realist. MAGAs accuse me of getting my information from liberal fake news. This, when they watch FOX and NewsMax, both of which spread lies which are very easily debunked. I try to stick with news sources that are as close to the middle as possible. But even then, I don’t take their... - [Christian Nationalism in NAZI Germany](https://cathysturningleaves.com/christian-nationalism-in-nazi-germany/): On March 5 1922 at the Reichstag, Hitler made a speech. In part, he said: “The national regime seeks in both Christian confessions the factors most important for the maintenance of our folkdom…. The national regime will concede and safeguard to the Christian confessions the influence due them, in school and education. It is concerned with the sincere cooperation of church and state. The struggle against a materialistic philosophy for the creation of a true folk community serves the interests of the German nation as well as our Christian belief.” The following month he delivered a speech at Munich, which contained... - [Grief is the Only Response](https://cathysturningleaves.com/grief-is-the-only-response/): Since I heard the news that Charlie Kirk died from the gunshot wound, I have been fighting back tears. I did not agree with his politics or social views, but he was a child of God, a loving family man, and he stood for what he believed in, as the Constitution gave him the right to do so. This type of tragedy should never happen. The very first posts I saw on Facebook after he was shot, and even before he was pronounced dead, was from my Democrat friends. They were shocked and stunned. “No, no, no,” they lamented. “We want... - [US National Debt](https://cathysturningleaves.com/us-national-debt/): Just a few highlights of the national debt since the beginning. Maybe someday I’ll come back and make a more complete list, but I’m feeling lazy. NATIONAL DEBT BY YEAR AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO 2025 DOLLARS 1791 (after Revolution) $75 Million $2.6 Billion 1835 Zero (Jackson paid it off) – 1860 $65 Million $2.4 Billion 1865 (after Civil War) $2.7 Billion $86 Billion 1918 (WW1) $22 Billion $207 Billion 1945 (WW2) $258.7 Billion $2.7 Trillion 2010 (Post 9/11 ME wars) $13.6 Trillion $18.9 Trillion 2017 (end of Obama’s term) $19.95 Trillion $26 Trillion 2020 (end of Trump’s 1st term) $27.75 Trillion $34.7... - [Big Brother is Being Watched](https://cathysturningleaves.com/big-brother-is-being-watched/): George Orwell’s novel 1984 appeared to be prophetic – until it got stood on its head. Cameras, Cameras, Everywhere The first closed-circuit television system (CCTV), came into being in 1942 in NAZI Germany. It was invented by an engineer named Walter Bruch for the purpose of monitoring rocket launches at a safe, indoor location. It had no recording capability, which would have made it useless for security applications, but it set the groundwork for future technology. In 1966, Marie Van Brittan Brown patented the first home security video system, but due to the high production cost, nothing much came of it... - [Christian Nationalism - a Dangerous Movement](https://cathysturningleaves.com/christian-nationalism-a-dangerous-movement/): This article was written by Art Jipson, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Dayton, who originally published it on The Conversation under a Creative Commons license so it can be freely reprinted. Here it is below, unedited. I didn’t change a single letter. My own thoughts follow the article. What is the ‘Seven Mountains Mandate’ and how is it linked to political extremism in the US? Vance Boelter, who allegedly shot Melissa Hortman, a Democratic Minnesota state representative, and her husband, Mark Hortman, on June 14, 2025, studied at Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas. The group is a Bible... - [The Dope on Epstein & Trump](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-dope-on-epstein-trump/): dope: (dohp) noun informal: a stupid person informal: information, especially from a reliable source We’re in the middle of the biggest presidential scandal since Watergate. Except I think this may keep getting bigger until it makes Watergate look like a Sunday picnic. I decided to take a brief break from the post I’ve been working on about an historical figure, and dash this one off. In my heart of hearts, I think Trump is probably guilty of, or somehow involved with, the sex trafficking and rape allegations. But my court judge mindset says they are only allegations. Nothing has been proven,... - [The Case for Evolution](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-case-for-evolution/): Who doesn’t love dinosaurs? My introduction to them came when my mother bought me a set of children’s encyclopedias. Maybe I was around four years old? I fell in love! Then, when I started to school, the library had books on dinosaurs. I was in heaven! Many decades later the internet came along. When Facebook got started, I found science-oriented groups to join, and I learned more about dinosaurs. And I’ve found so many wonderful videos and documentaries online at YouTube and other streaming sources. I’ve learned more about paleontology, anthropology and geology in a few years than I did my... - [Social Media Experiment](https://cathysturningleaves.com/social-media-experiment/): I seldom post anything political on my Facebook timeline because fights erupt amongst the commenters. Once in a while I’ll post something, though, but I include one or more links to provide the relevant facts. The other day, I saw the above meme. As is, it’s deceptive. I was going to post it with a link that clarified the details. But at the last second, I impulsively decided to omit the link, and in lieu of the link and explanation, I posted the statement, “You get what you vote for”. That was my amateur version of a sociological field experiment. I... - [Boys vs. Girls in Vintage TV Shows](https://cathysturningleaves.com/boys-vs-girls-in-vintage-tv-shows/): The photo above is a CBS promo shot from 1966. The child stars shown are Bill Mumy, Barry Livingston, Ron Howard, Anissa Jones, Stanley Livingston, Johnny Whitaker & Clint Howard. I was noticing only one girl and started thinking… why were most of the television child stars in the 1950s through the mid 1960s boys? Why so few girls? When there was a girl, she was usually one of two or more children. Examples of popular shows follow. Notice a pattern? If there was one or two children, they were almost always boys. Andy Griffith Show – Opie Flipper – Sandy... - [Keystone Cops DC Style: The 1st Hundred Days](https://cathysturningleaves.com/keystone-cops-dc-style-the-1st-hundred-days/): Have you ever seen any Keystone Cops episodes? This was a slapstick film series popular in theatres over a hundred years ago, good for a lot of laughs. The Keystone Cops were bumbling, incompetent fools, their attempts to keep law and order ending in a series of disasters. Hmmm, that sounds familiar. The second Trump administration is a group of bumbling, incompetent fools, but without the benefit of jocularity. This post covers only some of the goofs, oops, screw ups, mistakes, blunders and “administrative errors” made by the Trump administration in the first hundred days. I’d have to write a book... - [The Last Supper](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-last-supper/): Bumping this for Easter. First published March 30, 2024 This post is for anyone who is interested in having a clearer picture of the most famous Passover meal in all of history, or any Passover meal from that time period. It’s interesting how society is so strongly influenced by everything from fiction novels to modern media, movies, and even the paintings from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. People get such wrong ideas about all kinds of things. This phenomenon is illustrated well by “The Last Supper” mural by the Italian artist Leonardo Da Vinci. Aside from his suspiciously Medieval European... - [Explain These Things, MAGAs](https://cathysturningleaves.com/explain-these-things-magas/): This post has been more than 3 weeks in the making. I thought it would take me 3 or 4 days, but I had to do so much research, and I’ve had so many interruptions. So much is happening so fast on Capital Hill, that I’ve had to go back through the post and insert some of the newest information to keep it up to date. I know I’ve missed plenty of updates, but the whiplash events in Washington are hard to keep track of. Some of the below subjects, I’ve touched on elsewhere in this blog; some I haven’t. I... - [Fake Auto News](https://cathysturningleaves.com/fake-auto-news/): I’ll never understand why people get their news from memes. Memes almost always have wrong information. I’ve seen several different memes declaring that automobile companies are moving back to the US in response to Trump’s tariffs. Every one of those memes is wrong. The meme above was first posted on the Facebook page of America’s Last Line Of Defense The disclaimer for that page says: The flagship of the ALLOD network of trollery and propaganda for cash. Nothing on this page is real.. You can see their logo on the meme. The meme included a link to their website with the... - [Trump the Dissembler](https://cathysturningleaves.com/trump-the-dissembler/): Trump misspeaks frequently and takes undeserved credit. I’m only covering a few of the more recent ones here. It’s impossible for one person to keep up with ALL the craziness. It would have to be a full time job! He’s been mentioning the “unfair trade” between this country, and Canada and Mexico. Trump is the one who signed the USMCA. He made a show of it when he did. Canada has ZERO tariffs on imported American dairy and poultry as long as the quota limits aren’t exceeded. Since the quotas haven’t been exceeded since USMCA went into effect, those tariffs haven’t... - [Tariffs 101](https://cathysturningleaves.com/tariffs-101/): Many people still aren’t getting it! Some of this post is excerpts I copied from previous posts, and I added some details. I’m trying to make this subject as simple as possible. The reason we’ve been an economic powerhouse is because of our global trade. People laugh when I say that because we have inflation and economic woes, but those people think the USA is the center of the world and don’t understand the global economy and what’s going on in other countries. In the last century or so, as transportation technology has gotten increasingly more sophisticated and efficient, most of... - [Are MAGAs Christian?](https://cathysturningleaves.com/are-magas-christian/): I spent my entire life having no lasting friendships. I found few people I could connect with; people who shared my passions, and with whom I could have the intellectual conversations I craved. Then I got on the Internet and everything changed. I found several forums that aligned with my interests, met people who were like me in many ways, people who were smarter than me about many things, which I liked, because I could learn from them. Many of the people I became online friends with were pretty wonderful Christians. Then Facebook came along, and I began hanging out there,... - [Just the Bird Flu Facts, Ma'am](https://cathysturningleaves.com/bird-flu-facts/): I’m seeing a ridiculous amount of misinformation going around about the bird flu outbreak, including every kind of conspiracy theory. Maybe I can clear up a few misconceptions and provide some accurate information. Bird Flu has been around for years. Why are they killing chickens now when they didn’t before? There are several different viruses that cause bird flu. For years, a class of bird flu called Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) has periodically circulated through domestic poultry flocks and among wild bird populations. LPAI usually doesn’t cause serious illness. Many birds can carry the virus without showing symptoms. Affected flocks... - [I'm Tired of Debunking MAGA](https://cathysturningleaves.com/im-tired-of-debunking-maga/): I started this blog because I want to post about history and science. I have dozens of text documents with partially written posts and lots of notes about those subjects, and for debunking conspiracy theories and pseudoscience, and other interesting topics. But I can’t concentrate on any of that when my country is crashing and burning around me. So I find myself spending my already limited time trying to discredit Trump’s solipsistic foibles, which are exacerbated by MAGAs repeating everything he says like it’s the gospel truth. From his outright lies to his fundamental misunderstandings of how things work, MAGAs praise... - [The Truth About the Federal Aviation Administration and DEI](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-truth-about-the-federal-aviation-administration-and-dei/): Almost immediately after his inauguration, Trump began essentially dismantling several government agencies which have varying degrees of aviation safety, some more and some less. He fired the heads of the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard before their terms are up and eliminated all the members of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee. He fired 100 top Federal Aviation Administration security officers and froze the hiring of all Air Traffic Controllers, even though there is already a shortage of tower controllers. The Aviation Security Advisory Committee will technically continue to exist but it won’t have any members to carry out the work... - [The Trump-Canadian War](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-trump-canadian-war/): It started as bartering. Archaeologists have uncovered undeniable evidence that hunter-gatherer groups met up to trade goods. Hunter-gatherers and nomadic groups that still exist today continue to engage in this practice. Then cities sprang up, ships and writing was invented, and long distance trading commenced. Partnerships and allies formed. Civilizations became prosperous. International trade strengthens the economy for everyone involved. A good example is our steel and cars trade with Canada. We import steel from Canada. We use it to make cars. Canada then buys the cars from us. Trump said we don’t need Canada’s steel because we have our own.... - [The Trump-Colombia Crisis](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-trump-colombia-crisis/): I have to back-track a little to lay the ground work. Here’s how deportations worked under Biden: Per Biden’s agreements with Mexico, Mexico was stopping as many illegals as possible before they crossed the border into the US, and sending them back where they came from. For illegals already in the country, ICE agents would pick them up and transfer them to the nearest detention facility. A judge would determine if an immigrant should be deported, and if so, they were flown either via a chartered commercial plane or by one of ICE’s 10 planes to a staging locations along the... - [LA Fire Conspiracies and Hoaxes](https://cathysturningleaves.com/la-fire-conspiracies-and-hoaxes/): Nothing new, just the usual ridiculous out-of-control conspiracies that spread every time anything happens. IT’S ALL THE FAULT OF THE DEMOCRATS This is an odd thing to say, since 44 Republicans voted against HR 10545, the American Relief Act of 2025. Part of this bill is to provide funds for wildfire prevention measures, including $75,000,000 for the “construction or maintenance of shaded fuel breaks in the Pacific Regions.” These fuel breaks will help slow down the spread of fires, and increase the efficiency of firefighting efforts. Fortunately, the bill passed and was signed into law in December 2024, but unfortunately there... - [History of Presidential Pardons and Clemencies](https://cathysturningleaves.com/history-of-presidential-pardons-and-clemencies/): How Pardons Work The plenary power to grant a pardon or a reprieve is granted to the president by Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the Constitution; the only limits mentioned in the Constitution are that pardons are limited to federal offenses, and that they cannot affect an impeachment process. The president can issue a full pardon, reversing a criminal conviction as if it never happened. Executive clemency may take several forms, including pardon, conditional pardon, commutation of sentence, conditional commutation of sentence, remission of fine or restitution, respite, reprieve and amnesty. Since 1789, various offices within the federal government... - [JoAnn Morgan, Aerospace Engineer](https://cathysturningleaves.com/joann-morgan-aerospace-engineer/): JoAnn Hardin Morgan was born in 1940, during a time when women were expected to stay home, keep house and raise kids, while the husband was out in the world making a living. JoAnn loved math and science, and entered high school during the Cold War, when the United States and the Soviet Union were trying to outdo each other in rocket technology. JoAnn watched rocket launches from near her home in Florida. But it was when Explorer 1, the first United States satellite, was launched into space on January 31, 1958 that she became determined to be a part of... - [Trump's Troublesome Tariffs (Update Nov 10)](https://cathysturningleaves.com/trumps-troublesome-tariffs/): Rather than make a new tariff post, I’m adding an update to my original post, which you can find below. I’m seeing an incredible amount of confusion, ignorance and misinformation about Trump’s proposed tariffs. He’s saying he wants a 60% tariff on everything imported from China, and 20% on anything imported from any other country. People are not understanding that this will cause higher prices across the board on everything, and I mean everything bought and sold in this country. That includes anything manufactured or grown here. Almost everything manufactured here requires imported components, materials and parts, because we are unable... - [Fox News is Fake News [UPDATE OCT 31]](https://cathysturningleaves.com/fox-news-is-fake-news/): TWO UPDATES OCT 31. Scroll down. They’re clearly marked. By now you’ve probably seen the meme going around on social media saying someone shouted Jesus is Lord at one of her rallies, and she told them they were at the wrong rally. Maybe you’ve also seen the Fox interview with those two hecklers. I watched the rally in question. I saw the part where the boys started shouting. What I heard was Lies! Lies! and something unintelligible as the crowd erupted. Following is the UNEDITED clip, exactly as I saw it while watching the rally. I don’t know how to get... - [Iceland & Baby Names](https://cathysturningleaves.com/iceland-baby-names/): I’ve always been fascinated with other cultures. Some of them have traditions which seem strange to those who live in other parts of the world. But keep in mind, if somebody else’s custom seems strange to you, they probably find your customs just as strange. One that I find odd is the baby-naming rules in Iceland. Iceland has very strict laws concerning what you can name your baby. They have lists of approved and forbidden names for girls and boys. If you want to use a name which is not on one of those lists, you have to submit your request... - [Nature's Light Show](https://cathysturningleaves.com/natures-light-show/): The year was 1859. Several astronomers around the world who had been studying the sun reported a massive, almost blinding burst of light ejecting from the sun’s surface, lasting for several long minutes before it subsided. The next day, the Carrington Event occurred, in which the sky in much of the world lit up like a gaudy Christmas lights display. It was bright enough at night to read a newspaper without an additional light source. Although several astronomers hypothesized a connection between the sun burst and the aurora, it was Richard Christopher Carrington who got his name attached to that incident.... - [Trump's Hurricane Lies Continue](https://cathysturningleaves.com/trumps-hurricane-lies-continue/): This is the worst response to a storm or a catastrophe or a hurricane that we’ve ever seen ever. Trump said that. Of course it’s not true. I’ve watched countless press conferences given by both Republican and Democrat leaders in the affected Helene areas. I see a common theme. They are praising the Biden administration for the relief response, they are saying FEMA is doing their job, and they are angry at Trump for his lies about the situation. Yes, the Republican leaders are angry at Trump. The Biden administration announced 100% of reimbursement of local Helene response. This is typical... - [Hurricane Helene Hoaxes](https://cathysturningleaves.com/hurricane-helene-hoaxes/): I wanted to write a post debunking all the conspiracies but there are so many, it’s impossible. So I’ll just make a few brief points. Authorities are keeping rescuers out of affected areas It is true that restrictions had to be imposed in some of the more accessible towns due to two reasons: [1] They had to run looters out and they are trying to keep those from coming back, and [2] Conditions are dangerous and they’re trying to make sure experienced (and legit) relief teams only are going in.. Helicopter woes: It’s apparently true that a Fire Chief prevented a... - [Vance-Walz Debate](https://cathysturningleaves.com/vance-walz-debate/): I’ll keep this short by not doing any fact checking. This debate was relatively civil, which was a refreshing change. Compared to the Trump-Harris debate, both men spent more time discussing policies and less time tearing each other down. Walz I think he mostly did ok, but his response to the Hong Kong question bothered me. A lot. Vance My respect for him rose a notch in that he spoke strongly and decisively without lapsing into the incoherent ramblings that Trump is known for. However, I was annoyed no end that he spent so much time regurgitating the false information that... - [Jesus vs. Rome](https://cathysturningleaves.com/jesus-vs-rome/): Now and again, I come across some variation of this question: “If Jesus existed, why wasn’t he mentioned in the Roman records?” After all, just about everything that happened in Rome was written down, right? Well, not really. Romans were obsessed about record-keeping. The Senate kept an extensive law library. Merchants kept records of their inventory, dealings and expenses. Many wealthy individuals wanted to be remembered, so they would have stelae engraved with their accomplishments and placed in some prominent spot. Emperors and military generals and other important people had secretaries and chroniclers to write their life stories and record their... - [Mini Moon Madness](https://cathysturningleaves.com/mini-moon-madness/): You’ve probably heard about the Mini Moon that will be visiting Earth for a few weeks this fall. This is an tiny asteroid named 2024PT5. And boy howdy, the conspiracy theories are oozing out of the woodwork. Everything from, It signals the coming of the Anunnaki to “They” are planting it in the sky to divert our attention from some unnamed nefarious activity they will be engaging in. It’s probably no surprise that many who find 2024PT5 alarming are also believers in a Flat Earth There are more than 34,000 known near-Earth asteroids and another 120 known near-Earth comets. Now and... - [Harris vs. Trump: Debate + More](https://cathysturningleaves.com/harris-vs-trump-debate-more/): I wanted to post this the day after the debate, but I didn’t have time. If you ever wonder why I take so long to publish the next blog post, it’s because life. It gets in the way a lot. What Annoyed Me Both candidates spent more time tearing each other down than saying what they would do to fix things. Harris was asked: Is the economy better than it was 4 years ago? She didn’t answer. She launched into a spiel about how she was raised middle class, and vaguely explained what she would do to fix the economy. Trump... - [Flat Earth Conspiracy](https://cathysturningleaves.com/flat-earth-conspiracy/): Most people who believe in the Flat Earth also believe in the Firmament. Flat Earthers also tend to be moon landing deniers. Since the Firmament and moon landing denials are such complicated subjects in themselves, I’ll be doing separate posts about them. What baffles me is why anyone thinks there’s some big coverup by scientists who don’t want the general populace to know the true shape of the earth. What would be the reason for that? It makes absolutely no sense. Artificial Satellite Theories Conspiracists have a variety of theories regarding satellites – ranging from “they don’t exist” to “they do... - [Noah's Ark (Part 1)](https://cathysturningleaves.com/noahs-ark-part-1/): Young Earth Creationists (YECs), come in many flavors. Some insist the earth is only 6,000 years old. Others allow it could be as much as 10,000. Some believe there was a world wide flood. Some accept that maybe it was a massive regional flood. Some think dinosaurs never existed. Alternatively, some believe Noah had dinosaurs on the Ark. I’ll cover some of the various YEC convictions in future posts. This post is to specifically address the belief that there was a world wide flood, and Noah had dinosaurs and other now-extinct critters on the Ark. Having been raised in a YEC... - [Vance & Walz Battle it Out](https://cathysturningleaves.com/vance-walz-battle-it-out/): The Trump team couldn’t wait to find dirt on Walz to dig up. The only thing they could find was… he left the military before his unit deployed? Republicans seem to be drawing much of their slanderous remarks from this PAID attack ad dated November 2, 2018. Who are Paul Herr and Thomas Behrends? Are they real people? If they are, did they say what they did because they received monetary compensation to do so? In contrast, many who served with Walz are making opposite statements in support of Walz’s actions, although there is conflicting information about how sure or not... - [Kamala and Netflix and Things](https://cathysturningleaves.com/kamala-and-netflix-and-things/): Nothing to see here – just the usual Trump and his supporters spreading false information without ever checking the facts. I want to point out I’m politically in the middle leaning right. That means I don’t automatically support Kamala. She’s done some things I find admirable, but in some things she’s further left than I’m comfortable with. Interestingly, some Democrats feel that she’s not liberal enough. Of course, those on the far right think she’s too liberal. How she would pan out as a President remains to be seen, assuming she’s elected. I’m for truth, and I want to combat the... - [Houston, We Have a Fashion](https://cathysturningleaves.com/houston-we-have-a-fashion/): I’ve seen many documentaries about space missions, from old black & white ones to new ones, covering the very earliest missions, and on through to the present. I have found it very interesting to note the changing clothing styles of the scientists and engineers as the years have passed. In the late 50s to early 60s, all the scientists and engineers wore suits and ties, and were very neat and clean cut, reflecting most workplaces. Well, the men did. The women behind the scenes wore proper dresses. As time moved through the mid 60s into the late 60s, I’ve noticed more... - [Shrunken Heads and Inflated Egos](https://cathysturningleaves.com/shrunken-heads-for-inflated-egos/): The 1500s was the Age of Exploration, as ships became faster and more efficient, if not necessarily safer. Adventure seekers traversed the world and brought home every kind of curiosity and artifact from distant lands. These oddities were in great demand by collectors, who clamored for the strange, bizarre and unusual, and Cabinets of Curiosity became a focal point in upper class homes. The Cabinet of Curiosity displayed everything from fossils to strange stuffed animals to tribal masks, and anything else to impress guests and spark debates about the nature of the offbeat items. The more absurd and gruesome, the better.... - [My Science, My Religion](https://cathysturningleaves.com/my-science-my-religion/): I never intended to write this post In my cloud drive, I have a folder full of subfolders and links and lots of notes for the science and history posts I plan to write. And I have reminders about personal experiences I’ll tell about. This post was never planned, but I’m getting so frustrated, I need to write it. I badly want to “be myself” in sciency discussions at Facebook and Quora, but I get attacked from two sides. If I agree with any science that science denying Christians (especially Young Earth Creationists), perceive as going against the Bible, they say... - [Project 2025](https://cathysturningleaves.com/project-2025/): I’m seeing a lot of alarmist posts on Facebook about something called Project 2025. If Trump gets elected (again), Project 2025 will go into effect and all this horrible stuff is going to happen. People who are scared don’t understand about Lobbyist Groups and how things work in Washington. Project 2025 is a proposal by the Heritage Foundation. A proposal is something that a lobbyist group presents to Congress saying, this is something we would like to see happen. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of lobbyist groups presenting hundreds of proposals all the time. 99.999% of proposals fail. Congress looks, says... - [2 or 10 Commandments?](https://cathysturningleaves.com/2-or-10-commandments/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ. Most of us learned the 10 commandments in Sunday School, as they are given in the Old Testament (Exodus 20:2–17, Deuteronomy 5:6–21) You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to... - [Political School Daze](https://cathysturningleaves.com/political-school-daze/): Here we go again with the Bible in schools fight; it’s been happening with great regularity ever since the Scopes Monkey Trial in the 1920s. Currently, Louisiana is requiring that the 10 Commandments must be displayed in public schools, and Oklahoma says that schools must teach the Bible in the classroom. No doubt that’s only the beginning, and more states will come up with their own new laws. I have no objection to these things if parents want it in their own school district, but states have no business making laws, and if parents don’t want it, then don’t do it.... - [Movin' on Down... Under, That Is.](https://cathysturningleaves.com/movin-on-down-under-that-is/): Francis Howard Greenway was born in Gloucestershire, England in 1777. You probably never heard of him. He grew up and became a successful and talented architect until 1809, when unfortunate circumstances led to his bankruptcy. Undeterred, he tried to recover his fortune by counterfeiting financial documents. Accomplished architect he may have been, but he was not so proficient at forgery, and got caught. In those days, Britain gave many criminals a choice: be hanged or imprisoned at home, or be transported to a penal colony in Australia. Greenway chose transport. After settling in the new colony of Sydney, he sent for... - [A Sucker Born Every Minute](https://cathysturningleaves.com/a-sucker-born-every-minute/): I wasn’t sure how to start this post, so I think I’ll just start with the backstory. It was the early 90s and I was homeless for the umpteenth time. My mother wanted me to come here, but Charles wouldn’t let me. He had made no secret since I was a child that he “hated my guts” (his words). I wasn’t his biological daughter and he made sure I didn’t forget that. Then someone gave my mother an old travel trailer. It was about 60 or 70 years old and had seen better days. It was parked way in the back,... - [The Joro Spider](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-joro-spider/): Yet another case of people sharing alarmist memes without checking the facts. Even some of the news media are spinning the misinformation. The Joro Spider (Trichonephila clavata), is related to golden orb garden spiders, which many people are familiar with. The Joro is found in many areas in Asia, but since about 2013 or 2014, it’s been spreading throughout parts of southern and eastern United States. Scientists think they arrived as stowaways on cargo ships. Female have blue and yellow banded legs and back, and asymmetrical red, yellow, and black markings on their abdomen. Males are plain brown. Like many other... - [Avoid Scams on Facebook!](https://cathysturningleaves.com/avoid-scams-on-facebook/): (IMAGE HEAVY POST) So many scams on Facebook. So many people miss the warning signs and fall for them! They’re easy to spot if you learn what to look for. The scammers use fake profiles. The groups they join are public so the post can be shared by the uninitiated. What do they get out of it? In the case of a lost pet, kind hearted people will message them, offering to send them money to help care for the pet that they don’t have possession of anyhow. They post random tear-jerking pictures they find on the internet, designed to get... - [The George Washington Quarter](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-george-washington-quarter/): Will people ever learn that just because a meme says it, it’s not automatically true? Variations of this are going all over the internet. Learn the Real Story In 1932, Congress decided to replace Lady Liberty’s image with George Washington on the US quarter. Several sculptors submitted designs, including one by artist Laura Gardin Fraser. The following is Laura and her submission: But John Flanagan’s design was chosen instead. Over the next several decades, sometimes Washington faced the phrase in question, and sometimes not. I don’t remember ever hearing any objection to where “In God We Trust” was positioned. In 2020.... - [Nephilim Giant Ring](https://cathysturningleaves.com/nephilim-giant-ring/): New conspiracy! This just started showing up in the last few days on Facebook, YouTube and TikTok. This text accompanies the image or video: Possible Nephilim Giant ring reported to have been found in a quarry dating back 13,000 years ago. Is this the jewelry of a giant from ancient times? Or was this created more recently? If it’s true, what would be the size of this Nephilim? The image was stolen from Antiques Roadshow. See for yourself in This Video Clip The object in question is an ankle bracelet from the late 1800s. Don’t share that nonsensical hoax. - [Bioengineered Foods - What's the Big Deal?](https://cathysturningleaves.com/bioengineered-foods-whats-the-big-deal/): I don’t understand why this bioengineered subject has exploded all over the Internet like it’s something new. For several decades now, if you are buying food which is not labeled organic or non-GMO, then you are consuming bio-engineered ingredients, and lots of them. The only thing new is, that the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law went into effect. Companies used to have no requirement to disclose this information. Now they do. I want to make it clear that I’m not “for” bioengineered foods. I try to avoid them as much as my budget will allow. What I’m objecting to is the... - [A Tale of Two Families](https://cathysturningleaves.com/a-tale-of-two-families/): I learned to be frugal and resourceful from my mother. I kept it up all my life because it makes perfect sense- spend less and have more. We were very poor most of my childhood, but many people might not have guessed the extent of it, because somehow we usually managed to have what we needed. This was a lesson I learned in a most profound way as a young girl. In north Texas, my mother had met and married Charles. It was the worst mistake of her life; she had missed all the warning signs. After they were married, his... - [Anacostia - An Inspiring True Story](https://cathysturningleaves.com/anacostia/): I came across the most interesting video at YouTube last night. I was intrigued, and today, I did some searching and discovered a wonderful, uplifting story! The Anacostia neighborhood in Washington, D.C. was a run down slum. The primarily black residents were living in abject poverty. Children had little hope of advancement in life. In the late 1960s, the Smithsonian Museum got the idea to take over an old abandoned building in that neighborhood, and turn it into a black museum, which they named Anacostia Neighborhood Museum. The community embraced the project, and it became so much more than *just* a... - [Shades of Homelessness](https://cathysturningleaves.com/shades-of-homelessness/): People who have not been homeless, and have not intimately known the homeless, have some very wrong perceptions about the subject. Those on the far right think that if the homeless would stop being lazy and just get jobs, the problem would be solved. Those on the far left think we should round up the homeless like stray puppies and find good homes for them. Both sides have some learning to do. I’ve been homeless more than once, and fit in more than one of the below categories. I’ve also done a great deal of volunteer work that involved the homeless.... - [Conspiracies, Science Denials & Hoaxes - Intro](https://cathysturningleaves.com/conspiracies-science-denials-hoaxes-intro/): This is an introduction to a series of posts I’ll be writing about conspiracy theories and science deniers. Before I begin, I have a couple of opening remarks: [1] Some people use religion (usually the Bible), to “prove” their points. I will be using religion to answer these arguments. Sorry if that offends anyone, but that’s how it is. The Bible is a valuable spiritual guide, but to use it to disprove science or prove a conspiracy theory is to desecrate it. The Bible is to be used for growing spiritually, and to use as a teaching tool to help your... - [Right vs Left and Short Memories](https://cathysturningleaves.com/right-vs-left/): All my life I’ve seen presidents get blamed for things their predecessors did, or for things they have no control over. I wonder if John Adams got blamed for stuff Washington did? This political blame game probably dates back to kings, emperors and pharaohs.   One modern example is the so-called Obama Phone. The consensus from the right seems to be: Obama decided to give free cell phone service to people too lazy to work, and your taxes are paying for it.   Wrong on all counts.   The Lifeline program was launched by President Reagan in 1984 to provide reduced... - [A Not-Greedy Oil Company](https://cathysturningleaves.com/a-not-greedy-oil-company/): It’s funny how a random memory will pop into your head out of nowhere.   Everyone has bad things to say about greedy oil companies, but here is a 100% true story.   My mother had had a Texaco credit card for at least 30 years, and had always paid the bill off every month.   She was 59 when my step father died, and wouldn’t be able to get Social Security until she was 60. She had no income, but still had to be able to get to doctor appointments. So she used her Texaco card to get gas as... - [Introduction](https://cathysturningleaves.com/introduction/): Welcome to my personal blog! Some of you already know me, and some of you don’t. But either way, I urge you to read this (very long) introductory post before you read the regular blog posts. It will lay the groundwork for various topics I’ll be covering, and perhaps prevent some confusion. (Affiliate Disclaimer) I’ve had a chaotic life with a wider range of experiences than most people have. I’ll be posting about my own experiences, people I’ve known, my thoughts about things, many interesting observations I’ve had. Some of the things I’ll be posting about: Wherever I Go, There I... - [Christians Only (Update May 7)](https://cathysturningleaves.com/christians-only/): Links to “Christians Only” posts will be in here. That will make it easy for those who aren’t interested to skip them, and those who want to read them will still find them easily. Every time I publish a new post in that category, it will go at the top of the list. Click the titles below to visit the post you want to see. Please Note: These posts are “hidden” to keep them off the front page. Unfortunately, hidden posts can’t have a comment box. If you want to reply to one of them, come back to this primary post... - [How the West Wasn't Won](https://cathysturningleaves.com/how-the-west-wasnt-won/):   I love love LOVE watching old Western shows- from the early silent films, to the 30s and 40s matinee series to the 50’s TV shows. They can be dramatic, funny, suspenseful, romantic, corny, high quality or low budget. But whatever the flavor, they seldom reflect reality. ANIMALS Horses can gallop hard for 25 miles or more without ever slowing down or even breaking a sweat. A pair or group of men are travelling through the desert. They briefly stop to talk or look around. Right there in front of each horse is a neat little pile of hay for them... - [Yankee Doodle](https://cathysturningleaves.com/yankee-doodle/): Yankee Doodle went to town riding on a pony Stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni Did you ever wonder what that second line means? To be “macaroni” was to be sophisticated, upper class, and worldly. In “Yankee Doodle,” the British were mocking what they perceived as the Americans’ lack of class. The first verse is satirical because a doodle—a simpleton—thinks that he can be macaroni, i.e., fashionable, simply by sticking a feather in his cap. This nonsense song was originally sung by the British military to mock the disheveled, disorganized colonial “Yankees” during the French and Indian... - [The Ben Ben Stone](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-ben-ben-stone/): I frequently see posts on social media and elsewhere on the internet about the Ben Ben Stone. The text accompanying the photo varies, but typically goes something like this: The Pyramid of Ben Ben has puzzled scientists for thousands of years and until now they have not been able to solve the puzzle. The pyramid is located in the Egyptian Museum. The pyramid is made of black iron stone, which is only found in space in space meteorites. All its components do not exist on the face of the Earth.. And here the second puzzle appears because it is iron stone,... - [Me, in Search of Self](https://cathysturningleaves.com/me-in-search-of-self/): This is a post I’ve been putting off, but it needs to get done and over with. It’s about me being born a little smarter than the average bear. No matter how many times I say I’m not bragging, some people will think I am. But the truth is, I have spent most of my adulthood hiding it due to the social difficulties it causes. As an adult, I often deliberately acted dumb about a subject I knew a lot about. But I’m tired of pretending to be something I’m not. And it’s impossible to tell my story without revealing my... - [Oh No! A Solar Eclipse!](https://cathysturningleaves.com/oh-no-a-solar-eclipse/): So… we’re going to have a Solar Eclipse on April 8. What a bunch of ridiculous conspiracy theories and misinformation springing up ahead of this event. The above meme and similar ones are popping up on social media, accompanied by every kind of alarmist drivel people can dream up. Does nobody read past the headlines, or try to confirm the truth of a matter? I just asked a dumb question. People don’t. Yes, authorities are advising residents who are in the path of the eclipse to be prepared. But if alarmists would bother to find out why- it has ZERO to... - [Ulysses S. Grant vs. Catholics](https://cathysturningleaves.com/grant-vs-catholics/): People love to share clever quotes by public or historical figures on social media, and while the sentiment may be nice, 9 times out of 10, I’m unable to confirm that the person in question ever actually said that. Sometimes they did say it, but often, it’s taken out of context. I’ve been seeing this Grant meme going around lately, and it’s an example of a quote that may be taken out of context. Yes, he said it, but…. The quote was lifted from a speech Grant gave at the Ninth Annual Meeting of the Army of the Tennessee in Des... - [Medical Conspiracy Theories](https://cathysturningleaves.com/medical-conspiracy-theories/): One of the favorite targets of conspiracy theorists and science deniers is the field of medicine. So reject medicine and go back to the way it was before real science became involved. Enjoy bloodletting, foul concoctions being administered via enema, high death rates during birth (for mothers and babies), no washing of hands or instruments between patients. Compound fractures were too complicated to set, so your arm or leg was removed with a meat saw and no anesthetic. During recovery, there was a very high chance of dying from the ensuing infection. Diseases and medical conditions that are easily treated now... - [Vintage Films - A Study in Race Relations](https://cathysturningleaves.com/vintage-films-a-study-in-race-relations/): Anyone who’s around me for very long knows how much I love old TV shows (40s to early 60s), and old movies (from silent films into the early 60s). But my interest isn’t entirely for the sake of drama and entertainment; I find them a fascinating look into society and culture as it was in former generations. I always notice the parts assigned to people of color. Most are portrayed as not very bright. Most black people are in a subservient role and usually don’t speak unless spoken to. Hispanics are often portrayed as poor farmers or as outlaws. Asians tend... - [The School From Hell](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-school-from-hell/): TRIGGER WARNING! This will be a difficult read for some people. Before I get to the main body of this post, I need to give some backstory. You’ll understand why in a few minutes. I was country, but not a backward hick. When my mother first left home and got out in the world, she realized she was a backward country hick. She was determined her children wouldn’t suffer this fate. So we traveled! We had little money, but we’d take our food, sleep in the car, visit tourist spots, and attend all kinds of events; anything with free or cheap... - [Barefoot Boy](https://cathysturningleaves.com/barefoot-boy/): Things were different in the 1960’s. I remember feeling so sorry for one boy. Maybe nowadays, teachers would look into the situation, but back then, as long as there were no obviously visible signs of abuse, they would look the other way. He came to school every day in the same clothes, with no shoes, even in the winter. Yes, it was in south Texas, but it did get really cold part of the winter, with frost on the ground, sometimes windy with sleet or freezing rain falling. it must have been miserable, walking in that with bare feet. On those... - [That Time I Gave a Bully What For](https://cathysturningleaves.com/that-time-i-gave-a-bully-what-for/): This happened while we lived in Sugar Land. I was about 12 years old. First, I have to explain that I never played with the girls. All they wanted to do was play with dolls, or play jacks or jumprope or hopscotch. None of them were interested in climbing trees, or wading in the creek to catch frogs and crawdads. So I was one of the boys. Not just the boys in the neighborhood. Some of my male cousins, who were a few years older than me, lived close, so I was around them and their male friends a lot. The... - [Sugar Land](https://cathysturningleaves.com/sugarland/): When my mother married Charles, my stepfather, he had grown up on a farm, and when he got old enough to work, he was a cowhand, had seldom been much further than from where he was born and raised, and didn’t know anything other than farm life. He and my mother were married only a couple years when she told him they had to get away from his parents, because they were controlling every aspect of our lives. My mother almost never put her foot down, but in that, she did. She was leaving and he could come with her or... - [Buffalo Bill vs. Native Americans](https://cathysturningleaves.com/buffalo-bill-vs-natives/): A while back, I read An Autobiography Of Buffalo Bill* Near the end was this: “I am and always have been a friend of the Indian. I have always sympathized with him in his struggle to hold the country that was his by right of birth”. I had to stop reading for a minute and calm my mind. After the almost 200 pages I just read? When he repeatedly referred to dead Indians as the only good kind? Then I read the next line. “But I have always held that in such a country as America, the march of civilization was... - [Herodotus the Chauvinist](https://cathysturningleaves.com/herodotus/): The famous Greek historian Herodotus was the 5th century BC version of a foreign correspondent. He traveled extensively, interviewed hundreds of people in many different fields, and wrote about them. In the world Herodotus lived in, women were hardly given a second thought. In all the countries he visited, women stayed home, kept house and raised children. They never went anywhere alone. When in public, they interacted only with male relatives and other women. They stayed in the background. They had almost no legal rights. So much for Greek democracy; that only applied to men. Then Herodotus visited Egypt. He was... - [Mrs. C's Cat](https://cathysturningleaves.com/mrs-cs-cat/): I once had two neighbors, Mrs. C and Mrs. H. They lived across the street from each other and were best friends. They were always at each others’ house and often went shopping together. Mrs. C had a beloved cat she raised from a kitten. It was her constant companion and had made it well into it’s teens. One day the cat died. Mrs. C understandably was grief stricken. A couple days after the cat died, I was talking with Mrs. H. She was griping that Mrs. C. wouldn’t come out of her house to go shopping. Mrs. H said, “I... - [Mrs. Henderson](https://cathysturningleaves.com/mrs-henderson/): I was a troubled child. Besides my dysfunctional home life, I was intellectually several grades ahead of my peers. I didn’t know how to interact with people and I didn’t fit in socially. From the beginning of my school life, I had regular counseling sessions. Every time I started going to a new school, it wouldn’t be more than a few weeks when I would be told that I would be seeing someone. Large schools would have counselors on the staff, and small schools would have visiting psychologists. Either way, it was so normal to my school life, that I never... ## Pages - [Login](https://cathysturningleaves.com/login/) - [Community Guidelines](https://cathysturningleaves.com/community-guidelines/): Community Guidelines Last Updated: September 11, 2026 Cathy’s Turning Leaves is a personal journal built around thoughts, memories, research, questions, faith, experiences, and opinions. Many of the subjects discussed here—including politics, religion, history, social issues, family, and current events—can inspire strong feelings and genuine disagreement. You do not have to agree with Cathy or with other readers to participate here. Thoughtful disagreement, questions, different perspectives, and respectful conversation are welcome. We simply ask that visitors remember there are people on the other side of the screen. Disagreement Is Welcome Readers are welcome to challenge ideas, question conclusions, offer additional information, share... - [Accessibility Statement](https://cathysturningleaves.com/accessibility-statement-2/): Accessibility Statement Last Updated: September 11, 2026 Cathy’s Turning Leaves believes that thoughts, stories, information, and conversation should be accessible to as many people as reasonably possible. We aim to make this website usable and readable for visitors with a wide range of abilities, devices, and assistive technologies, and we will continue improving accessibility as the website grows and changes. Our Accessibility Efforts Our ongoing accessibility efforts may include attention to: Readable text sizes and typography; Sufficient contrast between text and backgrounds; Clear and consistent navigation; Descriptive headings and logical page structure; Alternative text for meaningful images when appropriate; Keyboard accessibility... - [Cookie Policy](https://cathysturningleaves.com/cookie-policy/): Cookie Policy Last Updated: September 11, 2026 This Cookie Policy explains how Cathy’s Turning Leaves may use cookies and similar technologies when you visit or interact with this website. Cathy’s Turning Leaves is a personal, independently operated, noncommercial website. Cookies are used primarily to support website functionality, security, visitor preferences, comments, and general website administration and statistics. What Are Cookies? Cookies are small pieces of information that a website may store in your browser or on your device. They can help websites remember preferences, maintain sessions, provide security features, understand website activity, and perform other basic functions. Some cookies exist only... - [General Disclaimer](https://cathysturningleaves.com/general-disclaimer/): General Disclaimer Last Updated: September 11, 2026 Cathy’s Turning Leaves is a personal, independently operated, noncommercial journal. The articles and other materials published here reflect Cathy’s thoughts, opinions, memories, experiences, research, questions, beliefs, and interpretations unless otherwise stated. The content of Cathy’s Turning Leaves is provided for personal expression, discussion, reflection, and general informational purposes. It should be read in that context. Personal Opinions Many subjects discussed on Cathy’s Turning Leaves involve matters on which people reasonably disagree. These may include politics, religion, history, economics, social issues, culture, family, community, and current events. Unless expressly identified otherwise, opinions and conclusions expressed... - [Copyright & Intellectual Property Policy](https://cathysturningleaves.com/copyright-intellectual-property-policy/): Copyright & Intellectual Property Policy Last Updated: September 11, 2026 Cathy’s Turning Leaves respects the intellectual-property rights of writers, artists, photographers, researchers, publishers, organizations, and other creators. This policy explains the ownership and permitted use of content published on this website and how copyright concerns may be brought to our attention. Original Content Unless otherwise stated, original articles, essays, commentary, personal stories, photographs, graphics, and other original materials created for Cathy’s Turning Leaves are protected by applicable copyright and intellectual-property laws. The publication of material on this website does not place that material in the public domain or grant unrestricted permission... - [Legal](https://cathysturningleaves.com/legal/): Legal & Transparency Cathy’s Turning Leaves is a personal, independently operated journal where Cathy shares her thoughts, opinions, memories, research, experiences, Christian faith, political and social commentary, and reflections on the world around her. Because the subjects discussed here can range from everyday life and personal memories to history, religion, politics, economics, social issues, and current events, we believe it is important for readers to understand what this site is, how its content should be interpreted, and the policies that govern its use. Our legal and transparency information is organized into the following policies: Privacy Policy — Explains what information may... - [Accessibility Statement](https://cathysturningleaves.com/accessibility-statement/): Last Updated: August 17, 2026 Cathy’s Turning Leaves is committed to providing a website that is welcoming and accessible to as many people as reasonably possible, including visitors who use assistive technologies or have visual, mobility, cognitive, or other accessibility needs. Our Approach to Accessibility We make reasonable efforts to consider accessibility when designing, maintaining, and updating Cathy’s Turning Leaves. These efforts may include: Maintaining readable text and sufficient visual contrast Using clear headings and page organization Providing descriptive alternative text for images when appropriate Supporting keyboard navigation where reasonably possible Using meaningful link text Maintaining layouts that adapt to different... - [Copyright Notice](https://cathysturningleaves.com/copyright-notice/): Last Updated: August 17, 2026 Unless otherwise stated, the original content published on Cathy’s Turning Leaves, including original articles, essays, personal stories, photographs, graphics, and other creative material, is protected by copyright. Cathy’s Original Content Original content created for Cathy’s Turning Leaves may not be copied, republished, reproduced, distributed, or presented as someone else’s work without permission, except where permitted by applicable law. You are always welcome to share a link to an article or page on Cathy’s Turning Leaves. Brief quotations may also be used for purposes such as discussion, commentary, criticism, education, or reference when permitted by applicable law.... - [Terms & Conditions](https://cathysturningleaves.com/terms-conditions/): Terms & Conditions Last Updated: September 11, 2026 Welcome to Cathy’s Turning Leaves. By accessing or using this website, you agree to these Terms & Conditions. If you do not agree with these terms, please discontinue use of the website. About Cathy’s Turning Leaves Cathy’s Turning Leaves is a personal, independently operated, noncommercial journal. The website contains Cathy’s writing, opinions, memories, experiences, research, reflections, Christian faith, political and social commentary, historical discussion, and other subjects that interest or concern her. The website is provided primarily for personal expression, information, discussion, and general interest. Personal Opinions and Commentary Unless specifically stated otherwise,... - [Disclaimer](https://cathysturningleaves.com/disclaimer/): Last Updated: August 17, 2026 Cathy’s Turning Leaves is a personal blog created as a place for Cathy to share her thoughts, opinions, memories, research, experiences, and reflections. Personal Opinions Unless otherwise stated, the views and opinions expressed on Cathy’s Turning Leaves are Cathy’s own. Articles may discuss politics, government, law, economics, social issues, religion, history, current events, family, personal experiences, and other subjects. These writings are provided for personal commentary, discussion, and informational purposes. Readers are welcome to reach their own conclusions and are encouraged to consult additional sources when exploring the subjects discussed here. Information and Research Cathy makes... - [About Cathy’s Turning Leaves](https://cathysturningleaves.com/about-cathys-turning-leaves/): About Cathy’s Turning Leaves Welcome to Cathy’s Turning Leaves, a personal journal where thoughts, memories, questions, and observations are given room to unfold. Like leaves stirred by the wind, the subjects here may travel in many directions. Cathy writes about history and the lessons we carry forward from it, politics and current events, social and economic issues, Christian faith, family and community, and the experiences and memories that have shaped her own life. Some entries examine serious questions. Others revisit moments from childhood, explore an interesting piece of history, consider something happening in the world today, or simply follow a thought... - [Recalls from May 6 to Aug 14 2026](https://cathysturningleaves.com/recalls-from-may-6-to-aug-14-2026/): Addendum to the post Just Buy Local – or Not List compiled from the FDA and USDA websites. Incomplete list. Mostly food products. Also a few medical and other products. Date Brand Name(s) Product Description Product Type Recall Reason Description Company Name 08/14/2026 Grand Central Bakery Potato Sourdough Food & Beverages, Contaminants may contain pieces of metal Grand Central Bakery 08/14/2026 The Hampton Grocer Granola Food & Beverages, Foodborne Illness Potential to be Contaminated with Salmonella The Hampton Grocer, Inc. 08/14/2026 Salata Salad dressing Food & Beverages, Foodborne Illness Potential to be contaminated with Salmonella Salata Dressings, LLC. 08/14/2026 NatureBest, HEB... - [The Miracles of Jesus](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-miracles-of-jesus/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ. Some people don’t believe Jesus existed. Many believe He did exist, but He was just a prophet, and the stories of His miracles were made up by His followers to attract more followers. Many Christians who do believe that Jesus performed miracles, also believe that miracles ceased with the passing of the apostles, and that miracles don’t happen in today’s world. I’m fortunate to have grown up surrounded by Spirit-filled Christians, and became one myself. I have no doubts that Jesus performed miracles, and that they still happen today, because I have experienced and witnessed... - [End Times Doctrines](https://cathysturningleaves.com/end-times-doctrines/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ. As I’ve stated before on this blog, I grew up in a churchy environment. My grandaddy was a preacher. As a young child, we were only exposed to simple concepts in Sunday School: mostly Bible stories presented at the level of young children. But as I got older, I got exposed to more advanced ideas, such as the “End Times”. Our own denomination was pretty rigid about what would would happen at that time. But I was always an independent thinker. I didn’t easily accept anything at face value without thorough analyses, especially when I... - [The Word of God vs. Bible Literalism](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-word-of-god-vs-bible-literalism/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ. Many, maybe most, people who were raised in a churchy environment believe that the words printed on paper, and bound into the book we call the Bible, is the Word of God. It’s commonly believed that God dictated some of the Bible, and the rest was inspired by the whisperings of God into the ears of the writers. Is that really how it happened? Before I continue, I need to mention that many of the points I’ll be touching on briefly here will later be expanded into detailed posts. Some of the context I’ll be... - [When God Demands the Ridiculous](https://cathysturningleaves.com/when-god-demands-the-ridiculous/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ. There I was, soundly sleeping one night in 1977 when the Holy Spirit woke me up. Pray for Bing Crosby. “Wait… ummm… What?!” Pray for Bing Crosby “You mean, like, the guy who sang White Christmas?” Not that I knew anyone else named Bing Crosby, but I was feeling a bit bewildered. I mean, I didn’t even know someone who knew someone who knew someone who knew someone who knew his gardener’s barber. Why would I need to pray for a complete stranger who was in no way in my social sphere of influence? He... - [Understanding Proverbs 31](https://cathysturningleaves.com/understanding-proverbs-31/): A few years ago, I joined a Facebook group that was called something like Proverbs 31 Woman, which was supposedly a Christian group. I thought it would be nice to interact with some other Christian women, but geez louise they had this crazy idea that a married woman must NEVER work outside the home. Apparently she can only be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen and enslave herself to hubby. I was only a member a few days, too scared to post when I saw the nasty comments made about working women. I left when a lady got banned because of... - [Forgivness is Hard](https://cathysturningleaves.com/forgivness-is-hard/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ.   Someone who reads this blog said something to me that makes me think I might be giving the impression that I have it all together. No, no, no, never think that! I’m an emotional mess! I’m a forgiving person. Probably too forgiving. I had to learn to be less forgiving, because it made me gullible. But I have a terrible struggle in my Christian life. I know we’re supposed to honor our parents, and we’re suppose to forgive those who trespass against us, but I have a hard time not resenting my mother, and... - [Beyond Salvation](https://cathysturningleaves.com/beyond-salvation/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ.   For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— not because of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 It’s true. Salvation is a free gift, no strings attached. But so many people don’t progress much spiritually beyond that initial moment of accepting Jesus into their heart. A person will get saved, which is great! They’ll start going to church regularly, clean up most or all of their bad habits, read their Bible, pay their tithes, maybe even get the... - [God's Perfect Timing](https://cathysturningleaves.com/gods-perfect-timing/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ. This is an expansion of and continuation of the post A Sucker Born Every Minute. That post is suitable for the general public. But I have to put Part 2 in the private “Christians Only” section because unbelievers won’t understand. In fact, they wouldn’t believe it at all. But you Christ-centered Spirit filled Christians experience and witness miraculous things. You can rejoice with me for God’s amazing timing. If you haven’t read that other post already, go read it, then return here. Ok, now that you’ve read Part One, continue below. I already told in... - [The Living God](https://cathysturningleaves.com/the-living-god/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ. All my life I’ve run into atheists and agnostics who have questions. With the advent of the World Wide Web and social media, the numbers seem to be growing. Some arguments come up repeatedly. What evidence is there for God? “Evidence” is a key word in this argument. It’s a term that’s drawn largely from the sciences. But God transcends science. You can’t put Him in a laboratory. The scientific method looks for empirically verifiable or physical traces in the world. But God is not part of the world as we know it. He resides... - [2 or 10 Commandments?](https://cathysturningleaves.com/2-or-10-commandments/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ. Most of us learned the 10 commandments in Sunday School, as they are given in the Old Testament (Exodus 20:2–17, Deuteronomy 5:6–21) You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to... - [When God Speaks for the Hungry](https://cathysturningleaves.com/when-god-speaks-for-the-hungry/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ. We are God’s hands and feet. It is the role of the Church, i.e., the Body of Christ, to feed the hungry, take care of the needy, and spread the Gospel. It is true that works do not determine our Salvation, but: James 2:26: For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead. When we give, we experience the fullness of God. When we don’t, we miss out on some incredible blessings. I could just about write a book on this subject, but it’s a blog post.... - [When God Sends Angels](https://cathysturningleaves.com/when-god-sends-angels/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ. We’ve all heard about entertaining angels unaware, and we’ve all heard stories about encounters with angels in a time of crisis. But actually, I think human encounters with Heavenly beings must be extraordinarily rare. The “angels” God sends to us at the right time and place are the earthly kind. The people who show up just when we need them. It was about 1982. I was lying on a stretcher in the huge waiting room of a very large hospital in a very large city. There must have been a few hundred people in that... - [Chains of Blessings](https://cathysturningleaves.com/chains-of-blessings/): Greeting, brothers and sisters in Christ. You’ve heard all your life that it’s better to give than receive. But most people don’t stop to think what that REALLY means. When you do something for someone else in their need, you get a blessing for doing that. But when someone tries to help you in your hour of need, you may try to refuse. Maybe you’re too proud, or don’t like being on the receiving end of charity. But here’s what you’re not considering – if you refuse the offer, you’re knocking the other person out of a blessing! So if you... - [Privacy Policy](https://cathysturningleaves.com/privacy-policy/): Privacy Policy Last Updated: September 11, 2026 Cathy’s Turning Leaves respects the privacy of its visitors. This Privacy Policy explains what information may be collected when you visit or interact with this website, how that information may be used, and the choices that may be available to you. Who We Are This Privacy Policy applies to Cathy’s Turning Leaves, a personal, independently operated website located at cathysturningleaves.com. Information You Choose to Provide You may voluntarily provide information when you interact with Cathy’s Turning Leaves, such as when you leave a comment or submit a message through the website’s Contact page. Depending... - [Home](https://cathysturningleaves.com/home/): The blog is currently undergoing redesign, renovation and reorganizing. Parts of it will be in a state of chaos for a while. Some posts will be offline or under the wrong categories until everything is back in order. If you find yourself on this page, which obviously you did, there is nothing of interest here yet, but will be soon. In the meantime, you can Click Here to go to the front page. From there, you can browse the posts which are currently accessible. ## Optional - [Agent (MCP protocol)](websites-agents.hostinger.com/cathysturningleaves.com/mcp) [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)