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Biden Biden Cartel Commentary Life Links from other news sources. Opinion Terrorism Uncategorized

We did the bombing, now what?

Visits: 25

We did the bombing, now what? Let’s hope this was successful and will continue. Hopefully our warning them ahead of time didn’t minimize this. And if Iran retaliates, we have a more measurable response.

FAST FACTS:
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    The United States launched retaliatory attacks in Iraq and Syria on Friday. This came in response to the drone attacks in Jordan that killed three American soldiers.

    U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that airstrikes were conducted against more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups.

    Shortly after the attacks were confirmed, President Joe Biden warned “If you harm an American, we will respond.”

    The White House stressed Friday evening that the United States is not looking for war with Iran.

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Back Door Power Grab Biden Biden Cartel Censorship Commentary Corruption Economy Education Elections Free Speech Government Overreach Green Energy Gun Control How funny is this? How sick is this? Immigration January 6 Journalism. Just my own thoughts Leftist Virtue(!) Life Media Woke Medicine MSM Opinion Politics Progressive Racism Racism Science Stupid things people say or do. Terrorism The Border The Courts The Law theft in office. Transgender Trump Un documented. Uncategorized Warfare Weaponization of Government. White Progressive Supremacy WOKE Work Place

Weaponization of Government. New series.

Visits: 15

Weaponization of Government. New series.

By MC.

I’ll be starting a new series on how Government is using its powers (Sometimes unconstitutionally and possibly illegally). Some of the articles will be in my own words (with sources) and some will be the reposting of articles from others.

I’ll be looking at local, state, and federal. Also, I’ll be looking at the educational system. Hopefully you will be shocked that this is going on. So, let’s see where this takes us.

If you have some ideas or have stories of weaponization, please feel free to comment or send me a link.

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Back Door Power Grab Biden Biden Cartel Black Supremacy Censorship Commentary Corruption Economy Education Elections Faked news Free Speech Government Overreach Green Energy Gun Control How sick is this? Immigration January 6 Just my own thoughts Leftist Virtue(!) Life Media Woke Military Woke MSM Opinion Politics Progressive Racism Racism Social Venues-Twitter Social Venues-Twitter Sports Terrorism The Border The Courts The Law Transgender Trump Un documented. White Progressive Supremacy WOKE Work Place

Call a spade a spade. Hamas, Pro Hamas Rioters, and White and Black Progressive Supremacists have the same goals.

Visits: 43

Call a spade a spade. Hamas, Pro Hamas Rioters, and White and Black Progressive Supremacists have the same goals. For my Liberal readers, let me explain before you try to do a doxing on me the way Progressives do. This is my pointing out of white progressive and black progressive supremacists.

The two groups have the same goals. They don’t allow debate. Only one view is allowed, and they dox whenever they get the chance. They will also go after moderates and liberals who disagree with them.

They claim that they’re not antisemitic, but they don’t condemn the rioters or openly support Israel in the October attack. They also will say something like I don’t support the government, but I support the people. Never do you see them in rallies in support of the people. They only show up in these rallies for a river to the sea cleansing of Jews.

So, when you see me connect progressives with Hamas, KKK, Confederates, Jim Crow laws, and other signs of hate, you will know of whom I speak.

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Commentary Daily Hits. Economy Education Elections Life Links from other news sources. Reprints from others.

News Headlines you may have missed.

Visits: 15

News Headlines you may have missed. Below are articles you may have missed. Feel free to comment on them or any other article that made the news.

Inflation Ticks Up
Annual inflation in the US rose 3.4% in December, a 0.3% rise from November and slightly higher than analysts’ expectations, according to new government data released yesterday. Inflation peaked in June 2022 at 9.1% and has remained under 4% since May.

 

The consumer price index, which measures price changes for a basket of goods and services, rose 3.9% year-over-year when excluding volatile food and energy prices. Over half of the increase stemmed from rising shelter costs, which rose 0.5% from November and 6.2% year-over-year. Analysts claim elevated mortgage rates have reduced supply and pushed up housing prices. See a detailed breakout of prices for various commodities here.

 

The Federal Reserve, responsible for maintaining inflation at 2%, has held the federal funds rate between 5.25% and 5.5% three times after 11 raises since March 2022. The Fed is expected to reduce rates this year, possibly as soon as March.

A Weekend Blizzard
winter storm is sweeping across the country today and is poised to become a bomb cyclone, bringing blizzard conditions and flooding across much of the country’s eastern half. The storm will be followed by a blast of arctic cold air, with as much as 88% of the contiguous US expected to experience temperatures dropping below freezing by Monday.

 

Dubbed Winter Storm Gerri, it comes days after a separate winter storm hit the central US and parts of the Plains (Why so many?). Gerri is forecast to make its way from the Four Corners region toward the central and eastern US, with 1-2 feet of snow projected in portions of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Meteorologists say temperatures in Wyoming and Montana could reach between 20 and 30 degrees below zero and potentially below 50 degrees in the Northern Plains. The Southern Plains and Midwest could see temperatures dip into the minus 20s, while the South could see temperatures in the 20s.

 

The cold air pattern is projected to stay until at least the week of Jan. 22; see detailed forecasts for regions across the US here (w/clickable map).

Lost Cities Revealed
Archaeologists have discovered a constellation of ancient Amazonian structures in what is now modern-day Ecuador, according to new research published yesterday. Flourishing for roughly 1,000 years about two millennia ago, the settlements are believed to have been populated by 30,000 residents at their peak—roughly equal to London under the Roman Empire at the same time.

 

The complex was discovered using LiDAR (light detection and ranging), a technique in which variations in surface height are measured using airborne laser mapping. The approach allows researchers to penetrate dense forest canopies or layers of Earth, revealing what lies underneath without labor-intensive fieldwork and digs. Learn more about how LiDAR—also used in many self-driving vehicles to “see” the road—has revolutionized archaeology.

 

The find follows a number of similar discoveries in recent years, including a sprawling urban network in the Bolivian Amazon two years ago.

In partnership with Autonomix
Countdown to A New Age of Medical Treatment
Autonomix is on a mission to treat medical disorders at their root in the nervous system, and the deadline for their private investment opportunity is just a few days away. Electrophysiology represents the cutting-edge of medicine, with companies being acquired for $900M+ even before receiving FDA approval. With Autonomix’s planned Nasdaq listing ahead, they’re providing a unique opportunity to invest before a potential exit.

 

The startup also joins an all-star list of names like Elon Musk and Google in studying how a variety of health issues can be traced to the nervous system. Their patented microchip-based technology is being developed to detect neuronal signals to find nerve bundles that cause pain and other ailments. With $100B+ in potential treatment markets worldwide and 100+ patents issued and pending, the company is attempting to take the world by storm.

 

This could be the final opportunity to invest while they’re still private. See how you can become an Autonomix shareholder today.*

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In The Know
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> New England Patriots’ Bill Belichick to depart after 24 seasons and six Super Bowl titles with the Patriots; Belichick has racked up 333 wins across his 29 seasons as an NFL head coach (More)
> ESPN reportedly forced to return 37 Emmy Awards for using fake names to win awards for “College Gameday” program (More) | Michael Jackson biopic film set for April 2025 release (More)
> NFL postseason begins tomorrow with the Wild Card round; see preview and predictions (More) | NFL’s 2024 four International Games to include Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, and Jacksonville Jaguars in London, and the Carolina Panthers in Munich; opponents to be named (More)
Science & Technology
In partnership with Noom
> Researchers release open source program to model the increasing density of space debris orbiting the Earth (More) | The emerging problem of space trash (More)
> Study suggests the largest ape to ever live died off around 250,000 years ago because it failed to adapt its diet as the landscape shifted from dense forest to grasslands (More) | Meet Gigantopithecus blacki (More)
> Paleontologists discover oldest-known fossilized reptile skin; 289-million-year-old specimen predates dinosaurs, was from a now-extinct iguana-like lizard (More)
From our partners: Weight loss can feel like an uphill battle, but Noom takes a psychology-based approach. It helps you understand your relationship with food, so you can modify your habits and make healthier choices. And the best part? You don’t have to give up your favorite foods (yes, even cake). This is weight loss designed for any pace or lifestyle. Take the quiz right now and join 500,000 people creating healthier routines.
Business & Markets
> Markets close roughly flat Thursday (S&P 500 -0.1%, Dow 0%, Nasdaq 0%) following higher-than-expected inflation data (More) | Spot bitcoin ETFs begin trading, see $4.6B in trading volume on first day (More)
> Chesapeake Energy to buy Southwestern Energy for $7.4B in all-stock deal; acquisition would make Chesapeake the largest US natural gas producer (More)
> Google lays off hundreds of employees in Google Assistant division as company explores integrating AI chatbots into products; company also planning to restructure its 30,000-person ad sales department (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Israel defends against charges of genocide in Gaza at the International Court of Justice; claims introduced by South Africa (More) | US, UK lead airstrikes against Houthi rebel sites in Yemen (More) | Jewish students sue Harvard, claiming antisemitism on campus violates civil rights (More)
> Closing arguments held in civil fraud trial against former President Donald Trump; proceedings held despite early morning bomb threat made at the home of Judge Arthur Engoron (More)
> Federal Aviation Officials launch probe into whether Boeing followed safety protocols when securing door plugs on 737 MAX-9 models (More) | Everything you need to know about Boeing’s blown-out door plugs, visualized (More)
In-Depth
> A Knife Forged in Fire

Chicago Magazine | Laurence Gonzales. The technical process of forging steel knives by hand opens a spectator to mystical reflections on danger, beauty, and transformation. (Read)

 

> The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait

WSJ | Staff. A look at one of the world’s most dangerous shipping lanes where Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched drone attacks against commercial vessels. (Watch)

> Baby Brokers

Guardian | Rachel Nolan. Amid ballooning adoptions in Guatemala during its civil war in the 1980s, a shadowy role arose: the jaladora, a supplier of babies hired by adoption lawyers. (Read)

 

> How Cranes Work

Stuff You Should Know | Josh Clark, Chuck Bryant. (Podcast) Everything you didn’t know about construction cranes, the massive tools towering over cityscapes piecing together commercial buildings. (Listen)

In partnership with Autonomix
A scientist explains how snowflakes form. (via YouTube)

 

Employees rank the top places to work for 2024.

 

See the shortlist for the year’s best wildlife photography.

 

America’s most (and least) popular CEOs.

 

One of the world’s rarest supercars goes to auction.

 

A timeline of the distant, distant future.

 

Nine-month cruise becomes an online sensation.

 

The mysterious disappearance of Hydrox cookies.

 

Clickbait: Mark Zuckerberg raises cows on beer and nuts.

 

Historybook: Author Jack London born (1876); Hattie Caraway becomes first woman elected to US Senate (1932); Howard Stern born (1954); Mystery novelist Agatha Christie dies (1976); Earthquake in Haiti kills more than 100,000 (2010).

“We never know the whole man, though sometimes, in quick flashes, we know the true man.”
– Agatha Christie

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COVID Life Links from other news sources. Reprints from others.

15 COVID “Conspiracy Theories” That Turned Out to Be True.

Visits: 28

 

I found all of the below articles very interesting. Not some administrators who haven’t practiced medicine in almost 40 years like Tony the Fauch.

15 COVID “Conspiracy Theories” That Turned Out to Be True.

Term “conspiracy theory” was initially used by the CIA to shut down those who doubted the official line about the murder of John F. Kennedy. But it turns out that what authorities deem to be “conspiracy theories” actually end up being true more often than they would like to admit.

Articles below all have links. Here are 15 such examples in the COVID era alone.

#15 – Repeated COVID shots weaken the immune system, according to study.

#14 – Ivermectin worked! Peer-reviewed study finds 74% reduction in excess deaths.

#13 – The unvaccinated were scapegoated for failure of COVID vaccines, study finds.

#12 – Mask wearers paradoxically had an increased risk of contracting COVID.

#11 – Natural immunity proves to be seven times more protective than vaccinated immunity.

#10 – Ivermectin, the drug once labeled “horse de-wormer,” is now showing 15 anti-cancer mechanisms of action.

#9 – Hospitals murdered COVID patients. The more they killed, the more money they made.

#8 – New-found emails prove Biden White House hid COVID-19 vaccine harms from the public.

#7 – The COVID shots were not the only toxic measure forced on humanity. Regular mask-wearing was also harmful.

#6 – Nearly 1 in 3 COVID vaccine recipients suffered neurological side effects.

#5 – Research finds heart anomalies within 48 hours after the COVID-19 shot.

#4 – Pfizer hid nearly 80% of COVID-19 vaccine trial deaths from regulators in order to qualify for Emergency Use Authorization.

#3 – Perverse brainwashing techniques were thoroughly studied to get you jabbed.

#2 – The Pfizer COVID-19 “vaccine” injected into billions of arms was not the same one used in Pfizer’s clinical trials. There was a “bait-and-switch.”

#1 – Florida’s Surgeon General has called for a halt to the use of all COVID-19 mRNA injections, citing safety concerns after the discovery of billions of DNA fragments per dose in Pfizer’s and Moderna’s mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines

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Commentary Life

If you could do your life over, what would you do? Would you?

Visits: 53

If you could do your life over, what would you do?  Would you? I’ve thought about that a lot lately. My fear is that if I went back and started over, I may never have met my wife and had the two beautiful children.

So, I ask, what would you do, or would you not want to start over? Feel free to express yourself.

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Biden Cartel Commentary Leftist Virtue(!) Life Links from other news sources.

When did the Progressive hate towards Jews rear it’s hatred at colleges and the business world?

Visits: 35

When did the Progressive hate towards Jews rear it’s ugly head at colleges and the business world? The hate has been there for years. I saw it towards myself and family when I called myself a Christian Jew (Jewish family member on my mothers side).

Claire Finkelstein, director of Penn’s Center for Ethics and Law, said anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses predates the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. She cited the pro-Palestinian BDS movement – or boycott, divestment, sanctions – founded in 2005.

Recently a group of  UPenn professos went to Israel to show their support for Israel. Most likely to show that not all the professors were like the one who resigned because of her hatred towards Jews.

 

 

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Biden Cartel Commentary How sick is this? Just my own thoughts Life Links from other news sources. Opinion Politics

Did you see Bidens Hate Speech Yesterday?

Visits: 34

Did you see Bidens Hate Speech Yesterday? Yesterday Biden showed his hatred for half of all Americans. What a speech. Not one word about what he’s done to grow the economy and unite all Americans.

Now Joe most likely united the hate mongers with his half truths and lies about January 6. Except for the white and black trash outthere, who believed hom?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1743368164212101386

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Commentary Life Links from other news sources. Reprints from others.

Some Interesting articles for 2023.

Visits: 12

Some Interesting articles for 2023. Below are some important, interesting, or otherwise fun stories that moved 1440 staff in 2023. What was your favorite?

Women’s NCAA basketball championship draws record numbers

I loved the excitement surrounding women’s sports this yearparticularly the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, topped by the Iowa-LSU championship (go Hawkeyes!). —Ashley L. 

 

The hidden power of rituals

As a child of immigrant parents who also moved around a lot, I always felt that the little traditions and habits were what gave us control of otherwise changing and often hectic circumstances. —Mitchell K.

 

Chicago woman breaks skydiving record at age 104

It’s inspiring to witness that age has no barrier; it’s about seizing every moment to pursue the passions that ignite your joy in this lifetime. —August M.

 

Riding with Jimmy Buffett

A captivating narrative about friendship and adventure with the legendary musician that prompts you to reflect on how you’re living your own life and how you show up in this world. —Sony K.

 

Brain-reading devices allow paralyzed people to communicate via thoughts

I studied psychology and brain sciences at Indiana University and the courses focused on our brain were always my favorite. —Erika B.

 

Justices, actors, activists, and more

The world mourned the deaths of many iconic cultural, political, and sports figures in 2023. Among the most impactful for me were Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Matthew Perry, Harry Belafonte, and Tina Turner. —Bobby A.

 

A paradigm shift in public perception of UFOs

I was impressed by the shift in public opinion toward UFOs (now called unidentified anomalous phenomena) this year, as leaders in government and science sought to take whatever they are more seriously. —Teddy B.

 

“Please write me”

I found this story to be so heartwarming and loved how a young girl’s message found its way back to her 72 years later! —Michelle D.

 

Flag football among new Olympic additions

As an avid football fan, finding out that flag football was approved to be an official Olympic sport gave me a thrill. It would be great to see familiar NFL stars competing on the world stage to represent the US, but I would also love to see the enthusiasm for the sport brought by other countries. —Scott J.

 

Ten-year-old amputee breaks track records

As a mother of a child with a rare disease, it really hits home to hear inspiring stories of children defying the odds and living their best lives. —Kellie S.

 

Surprise avian wedding guest tops international photo competition

I got married this year and, in the past, worked for a wedding magazine, so these photos had me feeling nostalgic. They were the perfect treat to scroll through, bringing me back to an incredibly joyous day. —Amanda B.

 

Brain implant helps revive cognitive functions post-injury

As someone who is always looking to continue learning about the functions of the body, I am always looking to read about how medical science continues to evolve and help people. —Jessica L.

 

On this day: Harry Houdini’s death

The life of Erich Weisz—professionally known as Harry Houdini—is fascinating to me. An icon surrounded by so many feats and myths ultimately succumbed to the common condition of appendicitis (and it may have been caused by a punch to the abdomen). —Lizzie M.

 

CRISPR therapy approved to treat sickle cell

This breakthrough brings so much hope to thousands of people living with the pain of sickle cell and the knowledge their life expectancy is significantly lower. It’s inspiring to see the promise of CRISPR being realized and, for the first time, accessible to people who can benefit from it. —Aaron E-L

 

Fourteen-year-old’s Lego recreation lands him a job on “Spiderman”

I thought this trailer was so impressive, but even more so that his skills were recognized, and he was hired by the filmmakers. —Sam B.
Justice for Neanderthals
I loved this protective view of our hominin brethren, who are often stereotyped as knuckle-dragging dumb dumbs. They were people, they were artists, they were way more similar to us. —Alissa S.

 

Ten years on, “Batkid” is cancer-free

While the world watches the day-to-day happenings swirl around us, it’s good to be reminded that there is good out there, lots of it. —Lauren R.

The world’s longest study on happiness reveals key to a fulfilling life

Dr. Robert Waldinger’s study on lifelong happiness—which followed thousands of humans over 85 years—found the people who were happiest, who stayed healthiest as they grew old, and who lived the longest were the people who had the warmest connections with other people. Good relationships were the strongest predictor of who was going to be happy and healthy as they grew old. —Tim H.

 

The rise of Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonists
The downstream effects of the explosion of these antiobesity drugs will be fascinating to watch unfold. Obesity-related ailments account for around $200B in annual healthcare spending in the US, an industry that accounts for 17% of GDP. These drugs have the potential to not only improve the quality of life for millions but drive a paradigm shift in the economy. —Drew S.

 

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Life Links from other news sources. Reprints from others.

Stories we miss. They met on a Greyhound bus on Christmas Day. They’ve been married for 60 years

Visits: 18

Stories we miss. They met on a Greyhound bus on Christmas Day. They’ve been married for 60 years

Just found this today. Enjoy.

Ruth Underwood woke up with a start, and realized – to her horror – that she’d fallen asleep on a stranger’s shoulder.

It was the evening of Christmas Day, 1962. Ruth was traveling via Greyhound bus from her parents’ house in Olympia, Washington to her home in Seattle, Washington.

She’d spent a fun, festive day with her family. But Ruth was working December 26, and needed to get back in time. She was 18, it was her first job, and she didn’t want to risk being late.

“So I took the Greyhound bus and I got on, and I sat down in the first seat that was available, which was next to this good-looking young man,” Ruth tells CNN Travel today.

“I promptly went to sleep and I woke up with my head on his shoulder.”

Still slightly bleary-eyed, Ruth blushed when she realized what had happened. She apologized to the stranger next to her, straightened her blouse and tried to regain some composure.

“Oh my goodness, I’m sorry,” she said.

But the man waved her apologies away, smiled and introduced himself.

This was 21-year-old Andy Weller. He’d been on the bus since Astoria, Oregon, and was heading to the military base at Fort Lewis, Washington, where he was stationed.

Andy had noticed Ruth as soon as she’d boarded the bus.

“I looked at her because I saw her beautiful red hair,” he tells CNN Travel today.

And he’d noticed when she’d fallen asleep on his shoulder. Andy hadn’t known what to do about it. Should he wake her? Was that rude? What if she missed her stop?

When the Greyhound reached Nisqually Hill on Interstate 5, not too far from Fort Lewis, Andy gently nudged Ruth.

“It took me a long time to even get up the gumption because I was shy,” he recalls. “I finally got enough nerve to say, at least, ‘Hi.’”

Over the next 20 minutes, as the bus traveled along Washington’s tree-lined highways, Andy and Ruth made conversation.

“We began to talk to one another,” says Ruth. “It was pretty frivolous. You know, ‘What is your name? And how are you doing? And where are you going?’ And just discovering that we were both headed back to our workplaces.”

There wasn’t enough time to go much beyond these introductions. But both Ruth and Andy enjoyed the conversation and each other’s company.

Then, the bus pulled up at Fort Lewis.

“This is me,” said Andy. He grabbed his bag and was about to get off, but then he paused.

“Shall we exchange addresses?” he suggested. Ruth readily agreed.

“So, as the bus stopped at Fort Lewis, I was giving him my address,” she recalls today. “The bus driver was a little annoyed. He says ‘I’ve got a schedule to keep up.’”

The two strangers parted ways, both hoping it wouldn’t be the last time they met.

Letters and uncertainties

Andy was a romantic. When he wrote to Ruth for the first time, he was already wondering if she might be “the one.”

But then he learned, via Ruth’s reply, that she was engaged to someone else – a man she’d known since childhood.

“He was in the Air Force. I hadn’t seen him or been around him for almost a year,” explains Ruth.

When Ruth met Andy, she still had every intention of marrying her childhood sweetheart. But she also had no qualms about giving Andy her address. There hadn’t been anything specifically romantic about their bus interactions, after all.

“He had asked for my address, and I thought, ‘Well, there was no harm in writing back and forth to someone,” says Ruth.

But Andy was less sure about the situation.

“I didn’t know where I fit in,” says Andy today. “I wrote her off.”

But then, out of the blue, Ruth’s fiancé ended the engagement.

“He broke up with me – which ended up being a very good thing,” she says.

Her ex-fiancé, it turned out, had met someone else.

Ruth was more shocked than upset. She remembers walking into the living room of her Seattle apartment and sharing the news with her roommate. Her friend’s response was pragmatic.

“She said, ‘You’re not going to just sit here in the apartment and do nothing, and be grumpy and gloomy,’” recalls Ruth.

The roommate suggested Ruth could go out with some of the men they knew in Seattle. Then Ruth’s friend remembered the man from the bus – Ruth should write to Andy and tell him she was single, Ruth’s roommate insisted.

“She said, ‘If you don’t pick up a pen and write to this fellow that you got that letter from, I’m going to have these others guys come and take you out every night.’” recalls Ruth.

“Well, I wasn’t a going-out person. Every night, that didn’t suit me. So, I wrote the letter.”

“So she did,” says Andy. “And so we got together.”

“We corresponded for quite a while,” says Ruth. “We always looked forward to the letters.”

Read these next
She ended her relationship and moved in with a man she knew for just 3 weeks
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He met then lost the love of his life. He had a genius idea to find her
They had a teenage summer romance. What happened when they reunited years later

In letters sent back and forth, Ruth and Andy grew closer.

“We shared the things we enjoyed doing and shared the goals we were trying to achieve,” says Ruth.

A few weeks into their correspondence, Ruth told Andy she was thinking of moving back to Olympia, Washington, where her parents lived.

Andy suggested he could help Ruth move – it would be an opportunity to see her again,  and see if their epistolary connection translated to real life.

“I went over there,” says Andy. “I knocked on the door, she opened it. The rest is history.”

Their chemistry was apparent right away. Almost immediately, Andy asked Ruth what she was going to be doing on August 22.

“How should I know?” said Ruth. “Why?”

“Well, I thought we could get married that day,” said Andy.

“No way,” said Ruth, laughing.

But as they boarded another Greyhound bus together – this time traveling from Seattle to Olympia – Ruth felt more and more sure that she wanted Andy to be part of her life.

This certainty was only confirmed when “almost halfway between Seattle and Olympia, Andy began singing to me,” says Ruth.

“He sang to me most of the way back and serenaded me.”

From then on, Andy would come to visit Ruth in Olympia whenever he could. And whenever they were apart, Andy and Ruth continued their letter-writing correspondence.

“We saw each other every weekend, so much of our letter-writing consisted of what we did during the week, and how we were missing each other,” recalls Ruth.

On weekends, Andy would borrow an army buddy’s car, pick Ruth up and they’d head to Squaxin Park on the city’s waterfront.

“We’d hold hands and walk together and talk together,” says Andy.

“I just got to know him,” says Ruth. “And I liked what I saw.”

An unorthodox proposal

Here's Ruth and Andy, pictured in 1963.

On July 4, 1963, Ruth and Andy were spending the holiday together when Ruth suddenly handed Andy a thick white envelope.

It was a wedding invite. Andy stared at Ruth in shock.

“I was wondering if she was marrying the other guy,” he says, referring to Ruth’s ex-fiancé.

“I started reading it. And of course, I was kind of distraught at the moment – until I got down to the part that said that she was marrying me.”

Ruth had the idea when she was alone one day, during the week, thinking about Andy and the idea of a future with him. He’d mentioned marriage again a few times.

“I got to thinking, ‘I really do love this man.’ And so I went to the printers and I had wedding invitations printed up,” recalls Ruth.

Ruth had no idea about the wedding venue or really any of the details. But she knew when it would take place. There was no question about it – August 22, the date Andy had suggested on their second meeting.

When she handed him the invite, Andy was overwhelmed, then delighted. He hugged Ruth tightly.

And a couple of months later, on August 22, 1963, Andy and Ruth got married in Olympia, Washington, at the church Ruth attended as a child. Ruth took Andy’s name, becoming Ruth Weller.

The couple extended the wedding invite to all the local churchgoers. They expected about 100 guests, but in the end numbers were closer to 200 – all the people who’d watched Ruth grow up wanted to be there to toast her and Andy.

Thanks to the ballooning numbers, on the day, Ruth realized they didn’t have enough wedding cake for all their attendees. They had to scramble to find more.

“We had all kinds of different kinds of cakes,” recalls Ruth.. It worked out, and was a special celebration.

Ruth and Andy were excited to begin married life together. But they were both very young, and their first few years together were a learning curve.

“Neither one of us had really dated a whole lot – like I said, I was engaged to another young man, but I had not dated many other young men,” says Ruth. “And so we basically did grow up together during that time.”

The couple were also both busy with their jobs. Ruth worked for the state of Washington, Andy left the army and also started working for Washington state, in the licensing department.

The couple realized that they have, as Ruth puts it, “very different personalities.” But they had a similar way of looking at the world and felt like a team from the beginning. It was “magic”, says Ruth.

That first Christmas, the anniversary of their meeting, the couple celebrated by going to the 88 cent store together, to do their Christmas shopping.

“We were just married and things were tight,” says Andy.

They giggled as they walked around the store, buying small gifts for their loved ones. It was their first time giving gifts as a couple, and felt special.

Then, they got together with their family.

“We always had a close family and just had lots of fun and fellowship with one another,” says Ruth. “My parents loved Andy.”

In time, Ruth and Andy had three children. They moved from Olympia, Washington to Yakima, Washington.

They loved being parents.

“Andy’s a wonderful person. He’s attentive. He’s always been there for us, his family, in every way,” says Ruth.

“She was always there with the children, guiding them, directing them,” says Andy.

“But has it always been easy? No,” says Ruth.

Ruth and Andy’s daughter Joanne was born with Maffuci syndrome, a rare bone disorder, and needed a lot of extra care when she was young.

“She grew up to be a very brilliant young woman. She was a 911 dispatcher for several years. She gave us a lovely grandson,” says Ruth.

Joanne sadly passed away a few years ago.

“We’ve been through things like that – that a lot of other people don’t have to face and don’t have to figure out how to get through,” says Ruth. “It is true that I believe that it’s made us stronger in one another.”

Over their decades together, Ruth and Andy have supported one another through the hard times and cheered each other on during the good.

The key, says Ruth, is “when you find the one that’s the right one, hang on tight.”

“Yes, you have to go through hard times,” she says. “But remember, you go through good times, too. And those are the ones that you hold on to and that you keep close to you. And you remember. Those are the things that keep you going.”

Feeling thankful

Here's a recent photo of Ruth and Andy, who've been married for over 60 years.

Over the decades, Ruth and Andy began to associate their love story with one particular song, “I Say a Little Prayer,” first recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1967, and later released by Aretha Franklin the following year.

Andy would often sing the lyrics to Ruth. The song still resonates with them both today, as they regularly give thanks for one another’s presence in their lives.

“It is a little unusual to meet someone on a Greyhound bus that you’ve never met before and make a connection,” says Ruth. “Actually it’s a miracle that would happen, even – two total strangers come together and end up being married to one another. And being married for as long as we have.”

This past August, Ruth, who is now 79, and Andy, who is 82, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Their wedding anniversary is an important day to them both – but so is Christmas Day.

“Every Christmas Day we reminisce,” says Ruth. “We look across the table and know what the other’s thinking.”

This Christmas, the couple will celebrate the day with their loved ones by their side. Ruth and Andy remain close to their family, which now numbers four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

“I love being alive and seeing all our grandchildren growing up and their families, and their great-grandchildren,” says Andy.

“It’s absolutely wonderful,” says Ruth. “Their hugs are just so important to us, especially at this age.

“We are looking forward to being together this Christmas, 61 years after we first met,” she continues. “I’m sure we will reminisce, laugh, joke, and be teased about our chance meeting those 61 years ago on Christmas Day, 1962.”

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