My 36 days Italy journey, Lucca (1)
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Posted:Nov 21, 2018 2:10 am
Last Updated:Nov 27, 2018 6:22 am 17461 Views
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I went to Italy from Oct 15 to Nov 19 with 3 different groups. I took near 400 pictures but it won't fit in Chinese FriendFinder blogs. I only can select some pictures to show you.
Italy has 20 regions (that is similar to USA 50 states). Each region has many cities. I went to Tuscany/ Umbria, Rome and Sicily in 4 regions with 3 different groups. First, you need to buy a socket adapter and put on a comfortable walking shoes. Because Italy has very narrow cobblestone streets and the bus can't drive or park right in front of scene or churches. If you don't like to see idyllic rural scene, you won't like Tuscany or Umbria regions because both in agricultural farmers style.
When you enter any hotel room, you will see bidet (坐浴盆) next to a toilet. Bidet is to wash your butts and they provide special towel to wipe and dry your butts. Bidet is not a urinal.
Churches including chapel, church, cathedral, duomo (【義】教區中之主要教堂), basilica (（古羅馬）長方形會堂), .... Churches bells ring every hour by the hour (12 o'clock ring 12 times). Some churches even ring bells on every 15 minutes. All Italians got used to the bells, so they almost don't hear the bell sound, but tourists hear the bells.
Language: Italian (Sicily has its own local dialect, but they also speak Italian). Some useful Italian. Italians have many hand gestures. Italians talk with their hands.
Yes / No (Si / No)
Good day (Buon giorno)
Good evening (Buona sera)
How are you? (Come va?)
Fine (bene)
Thank you (Grazie)
You're welcome (Prego)
Rome (Roma)
Italy (Italia)
delicious (delizioso)
Oh, my God (Dio mio) (Momma mia)
My Italy journey started from Florence city in Tuscany region. A bus picked us up at airport and immediately took us to Lucca for 1+ hours. Lucca is an 2,000 years old small city but has 97 churches. The trip leader provided a local tour guide to introduce Lucca city for about 9 churches. Each church has its story but after the long trip and so many churches, I couldn't remember them all, but few of impressive churches I will mention to you later.
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En Route from LAX to Italy for 36 days
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Posted:Oct 14, 2018 1:53 pm
Last Updated:Nov 21, 2018 12:18 am 23535 Views
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I will to Italy from Oct 15 to Nov 19, 2018. It has been on top of my "bucket list" for a long time. The group has 14 people plus a team leader who is an Italian living in Italy. She has emailed with me couple times. I am excited about this "dream trip" since I was very young and watched the "Roman Holiday" movie.
My Italy trip starts from the central of Florence to Rome and then fly to Sicily in the south, but no north part of Italy, so no Milan or Venice. Italy is a long country. Please refer to the Italy map below.
I will post some blogs and update the photos upon my return.
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Death toll tops 800 in Indonesia quake, tsunami
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Posted:Sep 30, 2018 7:29 am
Last Updated:Oct 27, 2018 9:24 am 24934 Views
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Rescue officials feared the full scale of Indonesia's earthquake and tsunami could climb far past the more than 800 already confirmed dead, as several large coastal towns remained cut off Sunday by damaged roads and downed communication lines.
The country's disaster agency said the death toll more than doubled to 832, and nearly all of those were from the hard-hit city of Palu on the island of Sulawesi. The regencies of Donggala, Sigi and Parigi Moutong — with a combined population of 1.2 million — had yet to be fully assessed.
"The death toll is believed to be still increasing since many bodies were still under the wreckage, while many have not been reached," said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. He said a mass burial would be held Sunday for health reasons.
Bodies covered in blue and yellow tarps lined the streets of Palu, while rescuers dug through rubble in the hopes of finding survivors from the twin disasters that struck Friday evening. There was particular focus on the eight-story Roa-Roa Hotel, where voices from underneath the rubble could be heard calling out for help on Saturday.
The cries from beneath the hotel, which appeared to have toppled over with its walls splintered like pickup sticks, had gone silent by Sunday afternoon. Officials had estimated some 50 people could be inside.
"We are trying our best. Time is so important here to save people," said Muhammad Syaugi, head of the national search and rescue team. "Heavy equipment is on the way."
Metro TV showed about a dozen rescuers in orange jumpsuits climbing over debris with a stretcher carrying the body of a victim from the modest business hotel.
Other rescuers were working to free a 15-year-old girl trapped under concrete in her house in Palu after it collapsed on her family during the magnitude 7.5 earthquake that spawned a tsunami.
Unable to move her legs under the heavy concrete rubble, Nurul Istikharah was trapped beside her dead mother and niece. Rescuers struggled to control water from a leaking pipe, fearing the girl may drown.
Istikharah was unconscious during part of the effort to free her, but rescuers continued to talk to her to try to keep her awake. Others offered her food and water.
Aid and supplies were being sent to the area via military and commercial aircraft, including helicopters, to reach badly affected areas. Officials said the area was lacking medical supplies, fuel, fresh water and experts.
Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo toured Palu on Sunday.
"There are many challenges," Jokowi said. "We have to do many things soon, but conditions do not allow us to do so."
He said rescuers were having difficulty recovering victims because of a shortage of heavy equipment. He said authorities were deploying more heavy machinery that he hoped would arrive Sunday night so emergency workers can help recover more victims on Monday.
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Weekend joke - Stress Management
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Posted:Sep 21, 2018 5:37 pm
Last Updated:Oct 1, 2018 5:42 am 23986 Views
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A young lady confidently walked around the room with a raised glass of water while leading a seminar and explaining stress management to her audience. Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'Half empty or half full?'
She fooled them all. "How heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile. Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
She continued, "And that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."
"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced.
So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night. Pick them up again tomorrow if you must.
p.s. As a reminder, I am NOT the original writer of all the "Weekend jokes", so I am NOT responsible for them. Those "weekend jokes" are from my Las Vegas real estate agent weekly.
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Everything You Should Do Before—And After—You Lose Your Phone
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Posted:Sep 10, 2018 8:29 pm
Last Updated:Sep 21, 2018 6:16 am 25107 Views
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It's an unfortunate fact that the pricey pocket computers we carry around with us at all times are prime targets for thieves—as well as very easy to leave behind in subway cars or on coffee shop tables. Now that we all rely on our smartphones for so much, having one stolen or misplaced can feel like the end of the world. But it doesn't have to be, not quite. Here are the preparations you can take before the worst happens, and what to do if it does.
Turn on Remote Tracking
Whether Android or iPhone, your phone will come with a built-in tool that lets you track it from the web or another device. On (stock) Android, it's called Find My Device, and you can enable it under the Security & location menu in Settings. On iOS, it's called Find My iPhone, and from Settings you need to tap your name, then your iPhone, to turn it on.
You can then track your Android phone from any device where you're signed in with the same Google account, or track your iPhone from any device where you're signed into the same Apple account. You can also view your phone's last reported location on the web, by going to your Google Account or the iCloud portal.
If you've lost your phone, you can see exactly where it's gone, although if it's been stolen we wouldn't recommend hunting the thief down yourself. You can use both Find My Device and Find My iPhone to remotely wipe your smartphone too, however, which can help protect your data whether your handset has gone missing or been deliberately snatched.
Protect the Lock Screen
Think about all the apps you're automatically signed into on your phone: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter, perhaps, plus your email accounts and maybe even a shopping account or two as well. The only barrier between those accounts and someone else who picks up your phone is the lock screen.
With that in mind, it's essential that you put some kind of protection in place on the lock screen of your phone, whether it's a PIN, a pattern, a fingerprint, or a face. You can find these options under Security & location in Android Settings, or Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode) in iOS Settings.
This stops anyone else accessing your phone or ripping any data off it, or at least makes it very difficult. These lock screen protections don't prevent you from remotely erasing your handset from afar though, so you can still wipe your phone using Find My Device or Find My iPhone without actually having access to it.
Back Up Your Data
Regardless of whether you wipe your handset, you should prepare for the possibility that you'll never see your smartphone again. That means you need to back up your data somewhere else. Thankfully, your apps and your phone's OS can take care of most of this for you: Install Instagram on a new phone, for example, sign in, and your account is right there where you left it.
To backup other data, like system settings and app data, turn to your phone's default backup system. On Android, go to Settings then tap System, Advanced, and Backup. On iOS, go to Settings then tap your name, then your device, then iCloud Backup (if you've enabled iCloud on your device, which you should).
You can augment these backup solutions if you need to; most apps will store files automatically in the cloud for you, but think particularly about photos and videos you take on your phone. Apps such as Dropbox and OneDrive can automatically upload these for you, or you can use the Google Photos or iCloud Photos options that come with your phone. Keeping photos and videos in the cloud.
Other Preemptive Measures
You can always take out phone insurance of course, if you think it's worth it. Most insurance companies will cover you for loss, theft, and accidental damage for a relatively low monthly fee, which will vary depending on the cost of your phone.
To help increase the chances of getting your phone back, you can leave a message on the lock screen, maybe including your email address or alternative phone number. From the Android Settings menu, choose Security & location, then tap the cog icon next to Screen lock, then Lock screen message; from the iOS Health app, tap Medical ID to leave an emergency contact or two that's accessible from the lock screen.
If you use two-factor authentication to get into your key accounts, you might well use an app on your phone, or a code sent via SMS, to provide your identify. Without your phone, that will be more tricky, so make sure you've set up alternative access options ahead of time. In the case of Google accounts, for instance, you can get a list of backup codes to use if your main two-factor method is compromised, or set up a secondary number.
If Your Phone Gets Lost or Stolen
Those steps should go a long way to making things easier on you if and when you do somehow lose your smartphone. But there are some things you can still do even after it's gone.
Contact Your Carrier (And Maybe the Police)
If your phone goes missing or gets stolen, your carrier should be your first call (though you'll have to borrow someone else's phone, obviously). The network operator can make sure no one is running up a bill using your texts or call credits, or tried to impersonate you using your mobile number. They can lock your SIM card, and you'll get another.
If the phone was pinched, log the incident with the local police. The chances of getting your handset might be slim, but they'll be even slimmer if the cops don't know that you're missing a phone. And if it does turn up, the police will be able to return it to you.
Those of you who've taken out phone insurance will probably need a crime number to make a claim too, which is another reason to register the theft. And if you have taken out insurance on your phone, you will of course want to get in touch with the insurance firm as soon as possible too.
Remotely Locate Your Device
As mentioned above, you can use Find My Device or Find My iPhone to see where your phone is and remotely disable it if needed.
Whether you're using the Android or iOS tool, the options are broadly the same. If you have another Android or iOS device, you can use that to track down your missing device; if not, head to the web and track from there. Again: Don't confront the criminal if your phone's been stolen.
You'll see you have options to make the phone ring, if it's lost somewhere in the house. You can also remotely lock the screen, if you think it might have been unlocked when you left it, or remotely erase the device. That's the safest option; just make sure you've got backups in place.
Check Your Online Accounts
Even if you think your phone is well protected against unauthorized access, it's worth checking your various apps and accounts on a laptop or another phone to make sure no one is accessing them who shouldn't be.
Fortunately, most apps, especially the ones that contain sensitive information will warn you about unauthorized attempts to access your account. On Facebook, for example, you can see current logins on this page—if there's one you don't recognize, or you see your stolen or lost phone in the list, you can click the three dots to the right then Log out. Alternatively, click Log out of all sessions to force out any other devices connected to your accounts. Plenty of other online accounts let you do the same trick, including Google and Twitter.
If your phone is protected by a lock screen, you shouldn't have too much to worry about in terms of access to your accounts, but it's better to be safe than sorry. For even more peace of mind, you might want to change the passwords on your key accounts, so if someone should gain access to your lost or stolen phone, they'll still be locked out.
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Tesla's Elon Musk appears to smoke weed in Joe Rogan live interview
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Posted:Sep 9, 2018 2:22 am
Last Updated:Oct 1, 2018 9:53 am 25190 Views
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The handsome, charming, rich, intelligent and successful entrepreneur Elon Mush who is the CEO and founder of three companies, Tesla Motor, Space X, and Solar City. I have been mesmerized by his vision, his energy and charisma on careers. He is a multi-billionaire. He has 5 sons (twin and triplets) all from his first wife, Justine Wilson. wed in 2000. He earned his first billion with the sale of PayPal to eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billions; his company SpaceX is valued at more than $20 billion.
He was born and raised in South Africa (a country). At age 17, in 1989, Elon Musk moved to Canada to attend Queen’s University. He left in 1992 to study business and physics at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated with an undergraduate degree in economics and stayed for a second bachelor’s degree in physics. He attended Stanford University in California to pursue a PhD in energy physics. However, his move was timed perfectly with the Internet boom, and he dropped out of Stanford after just two days to become a part of it, launching his first company, Zip2 Corporation. Zip2 was soon providing content for the new websites.
Musk founded his 3rd company, SpaceX, in 2002 with the intention of building spacecraft for commercial space travel. By 2008, SpaceX was well established, and NASA awarded the company the contract to handle cargo transport for the International Space Station—with plans for astronaut transport in the future—in a move to replace NASA’s own space shuttle missions.
On May 22, 2012, Musk and SpaceX made history when the company launched its Falcon 9 rocket into space with an unmanned capsule. The vehicle was sent to the International Space Station with 1,000 pounds of supplies for the astronauts stationed there, marking the first time a private company had sent a spacecraft to the International Space Station.
In Dec 2013, a Falcon 9 successfully carried a satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit, a distance at which the satellite would lock into an orbital path that matched the Earth's rotation. In Feb 2015, SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 fitted with the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite, aiming to observe the extreme emissions from the sun that affect power grids and communications systems on Earth.
In March 2017, SpaceX saw the successful test flight and landing of a Falcon 9 rocket made from reusable parts, a development that opened the door for more affordable space travel. A setback came in Nov 2017, when an explosion occurred during a test of the company's new Block 5 Merlin engine. SpaceX reported that no one was hurt, and that the issue would not hamper its planned rollout of a future generation of Falcon 9 rockets. (I saw that Falcon 9 rocket on the sky in City of Industry, Calif. Please refer to my other blog and photo. It looked like a giant whale or a fish)
In Feb 2018 with the successful test launch of the powerful Falcon Heavy rocket. Armed with additional Falcon 9 boosters, the Falcon Heavy was designed to carry immense payloads into orbit and potentially serve as a vessel for deep space missions.
Elon Musk is the co-founder, CEO and product architect at Tesla Motors, a company dedicated to producing affordable, mass-market electric cars as well as battery products and solar roofs. Musk oversees all product development, engineering and design of the company's products.
Tesla Motors launched its initial public offering in June 2010, raising $226 million.. The Model S, the company's first electric sedan. Capable of covering 265 miles between charges, the Model S was honored as the 2013 Car of the Year by Motor Trend magazine.
In Apr 2017, Tesla became the most valuable U.S. car maker. The news was an obvious boon to Tesla, which was looking to ramp up production and release its Model 3 sedan later that year.
In Aug 2016, in Musk’s continuing effort to promote and advance sustainable energy and products for a wider consumer base, a $2.6 billion dollar deal was solidified to combine his electric car and solar energy companies. His Tesla Motors Inc. announced an all-stock deal purchase of SolarCity Corp., a company Musk had helped his cousins start in 2006. He is a majority shareholder in each entity.
In Aug 2013, Elon Musk released a concept for a new form of transportation called the "Hyperloop," an invention that would foster commuting between major cities while severely cutting travel time.
Elon Musk has pursued an interest in Artificial Intelligence, becoming co-chair of the nonprofit OpenAI.
in Jan 2017 Elon Musk suddenly decided he was going find a way to reduce traffic by devoting resources to boring and building tunnels. He launched his venture, named "The Boring Company," with a test dig on the SpaceX property in Los Angeles.
In late Nov 2017, after Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel asked for proposals to build and operate a high-speed rail line that would transport passengers from O'Hare Airport to downtown Chicago in 20 minutes or less, Musk tweeted that he was all-in on the competition with his Boring Company. He said that the concept of the Chicago loop would be different from his Hyperloop, its relatively short route not requiring the need for drawing a vacuum to eliminate air friction.
Elon Musk has no time to go home for sleep. He sleeps in a hard couch in his Tesla Motor office, so that he can adjust any parts of his Tesla electric cars at night.
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On Aug 7, 2018 Elon Musk tweeted that Saldi Arabia might be interested invest some large sum of money to Tesla Motors and take Tesla to private company as $420 per share. When that tweet showed on twitter, Tesla stock price all the sudden jumped to near the all-time high in just few minutes with briefly freeze the trading. It was very dramatic roller coaster ride upward. Elon hates those big investors shorting his Tesla stock price, he used his tweet to kill those shorters to cover their shorting. However, the next day, investors started to doubt what Elon tweeted was true. U.S. government wanted to investigate Elon Musk. Tesla stock prices have been plunged since Aug 8, 2018 to $252.25 from $387.46 per share. It was sharp up and then sharply down. I didn't dare to buy or short his stock.
There was whiskey, a joint, a Samurai sword and long conversations about artificial intelligence and the end of the universe on Sept 7, 2018. That handsome Elon Musk became so ugly, strange, weird, smokes weed with the host, Joe Rogan. The successful entrepreneur has disappeared in the thin air. I am so disappointed on him. He has been defeated by the enormous pressure, too busy for so many companies at same time. What a shame!!! He needs to see a psychiatrist and get some professional help before he degenerates 墮落.
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Plan a 36 days trip to Italy
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Posted:Sep 8, 2018 8:29 am
Last Updated:Oct 2, 2018 7:32 pm 25717 Views
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If you are Chinese FriendFinder paid members, you can read my profile and know I will be on a 36 days trip to Italy from Oct 15 to Nov 19 this year. I love to travel, to see the world. I am retired pharmacist and took care of my mom for near 5 years, she passed away in Sept 2013. So, I am free to travel the world. My next "bucket list" destination is Italy
Choose a travel agency for safety and convenience
I have joined "24 hr Fitness" after my mom passed. There is a 73+ old Caucasian woman in my "Aqua Aerobics" class who enjoys travel so much that she traveled 70 - 80+ countries. She is divorced, widowed, no , retired, she spent all her savings on traveling. She introduced me to "Overseas Adventurous Travel" that I can get $100 USD discount and she too. I told her my last big trip was to Australia and New Zealand with "Women Traveling Together" for 16 days to save the hotel "double occupancy". She told me O.A.T. has "single room" for singles without paying "double occupancy".
When I was in marriage, my family went to Hawaii, many U.S. National Parks, Europe, Canada West Coast (Louise Lake), and U.S. East Coast (New York, Philadelphia, Niagara Falls, ...) all used Chinese travel agencies. I found out Chinese agencies took us to eat Chinese food. Only one lunch to eat Escargot in Paris, France. Chinese agencies don't take us to eat local exotic food. That's why ever since 2004 separation, I joined American travel agencies except the China trip in 2008 with Chinese agency that took us to eat Beijing duck, ... authentic Chinese food. I enjoyed "lamb cutter", "seafood platter" in New Zealand and "kangaroo steak and crocodile meat" and "Barramundi fish in Australia in 2015. I also enjoyed Hawaiian local foods "parka", "chicken and pork Lau Laus", (please refer to my other blog in 2016)
I choose travel agency for safety concern. Of course, I traveled alone without agency when I went beck to Taiwan in 2011 and to Hawaii in 2016. Travel agency can provide air tickets (group rate discount), hotel reservation (group rate), bus transpiration, ticket for the show or museum. I heard that "Sistine Chapel in Vatican" needs to wait for long line for a day to get next day ticket. Agency can provide itinerary and local tour guides to explain the local history or scenery. I gained much knowledge from traveling and enjoyed their culture. Travel agency can arrange those things for me.
I do homework before departure. I know Italy has "cobblestone streets" 鵝卵石路, so don't wear high heels or stiletto 細高跟女鞋, and bag-snatchers, Pickpockets, street urchins (often Albanians or Gypsies not Italians), so I will wear waist money belt, Italian outlet power adapters that are different from USA. I have been to Australia and NZ, so I know different countries using different outlet power adapters to charge your smartphone phone and laptop computer.
I will post more blogs about the Italy trip upon my return in Nov 2018.
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Joke: Age-Activated Attention Deficit Disorder (AAADD)
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Posted:Sep 5, 2018 5:10 am
Last Updated:Mar 27, 2024 12:24 pm 25210 Views
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This is how it manifests:
I decide to water my garden.
As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.
As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier.
I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.
So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first...
But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.
I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Pepsi I'd been drinking.
I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Pepsi aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.
The Pepsi is getting warm, and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
As I head toward the kitchen with the Pepsi, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye-- they need water.
I put the Pepsi on the counter and discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.
I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.
I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.
I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.
So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.
Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.
At the end of the day… the car isn't washed;
The bills aren't paid;
There is a warm can of Pepsi sitting on the counter;
The flowers don't have enough water;
There is still only 1 check in my check book;
I can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I'm really tired.
I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail....
Do your friends a favor. Forward this message to everyone you know because I don't remember who I've sent it to.
Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet.
Read it again - your day is coming!
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Trouble for Trump: Disapproval at a high, 63% back Mueller, half favor impeachment
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Posted:Sep 2, 2018 12:07 am
Last Updated:Sep 5, 2018 12:52 pm 25244 Views
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Disapproval of Donald Trump is at a new high, support for the Mueller investigation is broad and half of Americans in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll favor Congress initiating impeachment proceedings against the president.
60% in the national survey disapprove of Trump’s performance in office, numerically the highest of his presidency, albeit by a single point; that includes 53% who disapprove strongly, more than half for the first time. 36% approve, matching his low.
The results come a week after Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was convicted of fraud, and his former longtime personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to eight felonies, including illegal campaign finance actions that he said Trump directed.
Trump’s average approval rating since taking office is the lowest for any president in modern polling since the 1940s. One factor: Contrary to his “drain the swamp” rhetoric, 45% say corruption in Washington has increased under Trump, while just 13% say it’s declined.
Suspicions of the president relating to the Mueller investigation are substantial. 61% say that if assertions by Cohen are true, Trump broke the law. 53% also think Trump obstructed special counsel Robert Mueller’s work.
The national survey, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates, finds that half the public supports Congress initiating impeachment proceedings against Trump, 49-46 %; support rises to 57% among women. And support for the investigation running its course is broader: Americans overall back Mueller’s probe by 63-29 %. 52% support it strongly, a high level of strong sentiment.
Mueller prosecuted Manafort and referred the Cohen case to federal prosecutors in New York. Support for Mueller’s investigation peaks at 85% among Democrats, but also takes in 67% of independents and even a third of Republicans ( 32 % ). 41% of conservatives back Mueller, rising to more than 7 in 10 moderates and liberals.
In Trump’s dispute with Attorney General Jeff Sessions for allowing the investigation to proceed, the public sides with Sessions, 62-23%. 64% also oppose the idea of Trump firing Sessions; just 19% support it.
Further, while Trump has railed against the Manafort prosecution, Americans call it justified by an overwhelming 67-17%, including nearly half of Republicans. The public opposes Trump pardoning Manafort by essentially the same margin, 66-18%, with 53% strongly opposed. Even among Republicans, 45% oppose a Manafort pardon; 36% support it.
The damage to Trump on these ethics concerns overwhelms his better rating for handling the economy, an essentially even split, 45-47%. That demonstrates that a good economy only makes it possible for a president to be popular – it’s no guarantee.
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'If there's a God, why was my uncle abused by a priest?': Ireland try to keep faith in the Church
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Posted:Aug 28, 2018 12:50 pm
Last Updated:Sep 24, 2018 11:46 pm 24388 Views
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Christopher Lamb watches a new Ireland try to come to terms with a Church beset by a abuse scandal
Rising at the crack of dawn and braving pelting rain and driving winds, Irish Catholics made their way for a Mass with Pope Francis in Dublin on Sunday.
The hundreds of thousands of believers who turned out in Phoenix Park must have felt disconnected from a papal visit that was dominated by the sexual abuse scandal inside the Church.
Francis’ two-day visit to Ireland saw him come face-to-face with the rawness of the abuse crisis in the country that has become the Ground Zero for what is arguably the gravest crisis facing the Church in almost 500 years.
It was striking that when John Paul II visited Ireland 39 years ago, more than a million people turned out in Phoenix Park for the papal mass in what was the biggest gathering of people in Irish history. While organisers predicted 500,000 would attend Francis’ Mass, estimates put it the attendance figure at just 200,000.
A combination of weather, security and organisational challenges in a papal visit will all have been factors in the low numbers but anger about abuse and the dramatic changes in over recent years in Irish society played a significant part.
The Church in Ireland is also struggling to connect with a younger generation, many of whom don’t attend Mass and have had their faith damaged by scandals.
“If there is a God then why was my uncle abused by a priest?” Aoife Monaghan, 22, told me last weekend.
There is a palpable feeling of betrayal over the abuse that took place, particularly given the dominant role the Chruch played in Ireland for such a long time. That is no longer the case, as Ireland’s Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar, told the Pope. He pointed out laws passed since John Paul II’s visit allowing for divorce, same-sex marriage and a referendum vote which will allow legal abortions.
“The Ireland of the 21st century is a very different place today than it was in the past,” the Taoiseach said during a speech in Dublin Castle last Saturday.
But Mr Varadkar was honest enough to admit that the state had relied on the Church for welfare, education, and healthcare in the country, and took responsibility on behalf of the state for past abuses.
It was, he accepted, both the Church and the state that were responsible for the horrors of the mother and baby homes, and the Magdalene laundries, where single mothers had their put up for adoption and were forced into slave labour.
The Pope, who repeatedly apologised for the abuse and its cover-up while in Dublin, told journalists on the plane back home afterwards that it was while in Ireland that he became aware of these homes.
Within moments of arriving in Dublin Ireland’s Minister for Childhood, Katherine Zappone spoke to him in Italian about the harrowing story of a mass grave at the Tuam mother and baby home which is now being investigated by the state. Zappone has sent him a memo on the topic and how the Church could help which he says he will be studying.
Despite the overwhelming emphasis on abuse, the Pope told reporters on his flight back to Rome that he “found so much faith in Ireland.” He added: “The Irish have suffered so much from the scandals, but they know how to distinguish the truth from half-truths.”
There is also resilience to the faith in ordinary Irish believers who have braved what has been an unending storm of scandal. The Catholic faith, which played such a vital role in keeping Irish identity alive under British rule, is still interwoven into the character of the country.
“Modern Ireland is still a country with faith and spirit and values,” Mr Varadkar told the Pope.
The question is whether Ireland will keep faith with the Church.
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