Author: coastcontact

I am a somewhat cranky but mostly optimistic 65 plus who refuses to give up on this maddening world. The purpose of this BLOG is to express my feelings, thoughts.

What has happened to the United States?

What has happened to my country? President Donald Trump has made himself the dictator of the country and has chosen to attack both friends and foes in his pursuit of his desire to control the world. It appears as dictator he intends to enable China to control all of east Asia and Russia to control all of Europe.

Sadly the U.S. congress has become a puppet. The constitution will no longer be the basic law and will be a piece of history. The 250th anniversary of the United States will also mark the end of our democracy.

I am crying.

It is a dark, dark time

This holiday, I am grieving over the loss of my country and the values for which it once stood.

It is a dark, dark time. The evil and sadism of this country’s administration over the last 12 months have been exhausting and soul-crushing. It’s disheartening, too, to know that that destruction is only going to endure, even increase, for the next three years, if not longer.

In times of trouble, one retreats into their faith for understanding and the values of that faith. I’ve been reminded over the past year of my cherishing of the values that this country once stood for: That all of us are created equal and are deserving of life, liberty, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness; that we have a government of the people, by the people, and for the people; and that we practice and promote kindness, decency, and respect for all people.

I hope that one day we may return as a people to those values.

Stuart Bechman, Simi Valley

Posted on Ventura County Star News

Hanukkah

By  PETER SMITH Associated Press Updated 4:08 AM PST, December 12, 2025 

Hanukkah — also spelled Chanukah or other transliterations from Hebrew — is Judaism’s “festival of lights.” On eight consecutive nightfalls, Jews gather with family and friends to light one additional candle in the menorah — a multibranched candelabra.

In Hebrew, Hanukkah means “dedication.” The holiday marks the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem nearly 2,200 years ago after a small group of Jewish fighters liberated it from occupying foreign forces.

With the tiny supply of ritually pure oil that they found in the temple, they lit the menorah. According to the Talmud, it miraculously remained lit for eight days. The ritual of lighting a nightly candle and the emphasis on cooking foods in oil, such as potato pancakes called latkes, memorialize this holiday.

Variations in the starting date

Hanukkah always begins on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.

But the Jewish calendar, which is based on lunar cycles, is not in sync with the commonly used Gregorian calendar. Depending on the year, Hanukkah falls at various times between late November and late December.

This year, Hanukkah starts at sundown on Sunday, Dec. 14, and lasts through Dec. 22.

Traditionally, Hanukkah has not been a major holiday on the Jewish calendar, but it has taken on cultural prominence because it occurs at a time when many other people are preparing for Christmas.

Bringing light into the darkness

Jews across the religious observance spectrum — from Reform to Conservative to Orthodox — focus on the same theme of bringing light into the darkness and emphasizing that even a small, against-the-odds effort can have a transforming effect.

The Talmud, an ancient compendium of commentary and teachings on Jewish law, customs and Scripture, reflects a dispute over the order of lighting. But most people start with one candle and increase the lighting by an additional candle each night while reciting or chanting special blessings.

The candles are added from right to left, but lit from left to right on the menorah, thus always starting with the newest light. The special menorah used for Hanukkah has eight branches, with a ninth place for the candle called shamash from which all others are lit.

The tradition calls for candles with a real flame, although some also use electric ones in public displays, such as in hospitals, for safety reasons.

Celebrating by charitable giving and spreading the light

A menorah is lit in each household and traditionally is placed where it can be seen from the outside, such as a doorway or windowsill, to symbolize the spreading of God’s light to all nations.

The lighting of menorahs in city streets and parks has become more prominent in recent years in countries around the world, including in front of public landmarks.

In addition to menorah lightings, giving to charity and social works are also part of the celebration for many, reflecting the belief that the Jewish people are called by God to help make the world better for all.

Justice Department drafting a list of ‘domestic terrorists’

The federal government war on those who do not conform to Donald Trump’s vision of America.  That vision is to denounce all those opposing him and calling them domestic terrorists. The GOP quietly goes along with Trump’s vision of a country where all who oppose his objectives must be silenced.  That means no free press.

Following the news report highlighted on the front page of the Los Angeles Times and reported elsewhere.

WASHINGTON — Justice Department leadership has directed the FBI to “compile a list of groups or entities engaged in acts that may constitute domestic terrorism” by the start of next year, and to establish a “cash reward system” that incentivizes individuals to report on their fellow Americans, according to a memo reviewed by The Los Angeles Times.

Law enforcement agencies are directed in the memo, dated Dec. 4, to identify “domestic terrorists” who use violence, or the threat of violence, to advance political and social agendas, including “adherence to radical gender ideology, anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, or anti-Christianity.”

Although the memo does not mention protests against President Trump’s immigration crackdown directly, it says that problematic “political and social agendas” could include “opposition to law and immigration enforcement, extreme views in favor of mass migration and open borders.”

The memo also outlines what it says are causes of domestic terrorist activity, including “hostility towards traditional views on family, religion, and morality.”

“Federal law enforcement will prioritize this threat. Where federal crime is encountered, federal agents will act,” the memo states.