How I wish your bearing and conversation were such that, on seeing or hearing you, people would say: This man reads the life of Jesus Christ.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Lenten Reflections
I plan to post some short reflections this lent from Josemaria Escriva. His directions are:
With your apostolic life, wipe out the trail of filth and slime left by the corrupt sowers of hatred. And set aflame all the ways of the earth with the fire of Christ that you bear in your heart.
Read these counsels slowly.
Pause to meditate on these thoughts.
They are things I whisper in your ear-
confiding them-
as a friend, as a brother, as a father.
----
Don't let your life be barren. Be useful. Make yourself felt. Shine forth with the torch of your faith and your love.
With your apostolic life, wipe out the trail of filth and slime left by the corrupt sowers of hatred. And set aflame all the ways of the earth with the fire of Christ that you bear in your heart.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Genealogy Update
My grandfather, Daniel Mahoney, has always posed a bit of a problem in shaking out the family tree. There are records of:
I found a picture of his tombstone here.
- his death (1936-09-01) in Erie, PA
- his marriage to Valentine Barber.
- rumors his military service in WW1.
I found a picture of his tombstone here.
Note the military unit: 12th Engineers, Company C. So, a bit of poking around and I find a site with a complete roster of the 12th Engineers in WW1. Oddly, not one Mahoney in the battalion... but here I found a reference to Daniel R. Mahaney, Company C, of 722 Rosedale Ave, Erie, PA.
So, now I have an alternate spelling and address to work.
Let me know if you find any further leads.
Monday, November 25, 2013
PC Security Stuff
So, one of the younger bears has taken up the CyberPatriot thing. It's really a pretty good talent identification and development project in the IS world. It is also good experience developing security skills and awareness. If you don't have a clue on computer security peruse the powerpoints on the above site.
In that theme, here are a few resources Windows and Linux:
Security configuration guides from No Such Agency. Look at the archived guides too.
Security configuration guides from CIS. Login required.
Command line for lots of platforms
Security configuration guides from CIS. Login required.
Command line for lots of platforms
Windows: The problem with windows is that they practice security through obscurity: each flavor of windows has different methods to achieve the same goals.
Securing W7 from Microsoft.
Securing W7 from NIST. (Wow! A little difference in the level of detail!)
Securing W8 from NIST
Master Control Panel or "godmode" make a folder on your desktop named God Mode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} Other special modes or here
Is anyone else curious that the only Windows security guides are by (or derived directly from) Microsoft or DHS? Just makes me wonder....
Linux: Most of the approaches for one flavor of linux will translate to the others. The main differences are in the package management tools: yum, apt-get, pkgtool...
Securing Slackware: Keep it patched and minimize services. Reminds me: "If you want to learn RedHat, use RedHat. If you want to learn linux, use Slackware."
Linux security references: this is an encyclopedic collection of links
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Any other recommendations?
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Any other recommendations?
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Biscotti
Twice-baked Cookies (Biscotti)
[from Lowfat International Cuisine by Jane Rubey.
Anything in brackets is my addition. S.M.]
2 cups whole, unsalted, unblanched almonds, toasted*
½ cup butter
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
3 cups whole wheat flour, very finely ground
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. anise seeds, finely crushed [and orange peel ½ tsp.]
8 ozs. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (optional)
Preheat oven to 325°. In a large mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and beat until smooth. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. [The salt may be instead crushed with the anise and orange peel.] Chop almonds somewhat coarsely. Add sifted dry ingredients along with seeds and almonds to batter. Mix briefly until the dough pulls together. Divide dough into three equal parts. On a greased sheet, pat each third into a strip 3" x 8", about 1" high. Bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove each strip to a cutting board and cut, somewhat diagonally, into ½" slices. Turn each slice onto its side and return to baking sheet. Continue baking another 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a rack.
To coat with chocolate: melt chocolate over hot, not boiling, water; take care not to splash any water into chocolate. Dip one end, about ¼ to 1/3 of the cookie, into chocolate. Spread evenly and remove excess with small spatula. Place on waxed paper or parchment-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate to harden. Remove from paper and store in a tight container in a cool place.
*To Toast Nuts: spread nuts in a single layer on a large baking sheet (or glass dish for microwave). Place in 375° oven for 5 to 10 minutes (or in microwave at full power for several minutes). Watch closely, turning several times to prevent scorching. When properly toasted, nuts will give off a rich aroma and be lightly browned. If toasting unblanched almonds, break open a nut and look for a lightly browned interior.
[Switch walnuts in place of almonds and some of the flour with cocoa powder for a tasty variation. Another variation is to simply add craisins. This will decrease shelf life by only a little.]
[from Lowfat International Cuisine by Jane Rubey.
Anything in brackets is my addition. S.M.]
2 cups whole, unsalted, unblanched almonds, toasted*
½ cup butter
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
3 cups whole wheat flour, very finely ground
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. anise seeds, finely crushed [and orange peel ½ tsp.]
8 ozs. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (optional)
Preheat oven to 325°. In a large mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and beat until smooth. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. [The salt may be instead crushed with the anise and orange peel.] Chop almonds somewhat coarsely. Add sifted dry ingredients along with seeds and almonds to batter. Mix briefly until the dough pulls together. Divide dough into three equal parts. On a greased sheet, pat each third into a strip 3" x 8", about 1" high. Bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove each strip to a cutting board and cut, somewhat diagonally, into ½" slices. Turn each slice onto its side and return to baking sheet. Continue baking another 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a rack.
To coat with chocolate: melt chocolate over hot, not boiling, water; take care not to splash any water into chocolate. Dip one end, about ¼ to 1/3 of the cookie, into chocolate. Spread evenly and remove excess with small spatula. Place on waxed paper or parchment-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate to harden. Remove from paper and store in a tight container in a cool place.
*To Toast Nuts: spread nuts in a single layer on a large baking sheet (or glass dish for microwave). Place in 375° oven for 5 to 10 minutes (or in microwave at full power for several minutes). Watch closely, turning several times to prevent scorching. When properly toasted, nuts will give off a rich aroma and be lightly browned. If toasting unblanched almonds, break open a nut and look for a lightly browned interior.
[Switch walnuts in place of almonds and some of the flour with cocoa powder for a tasty variation. Another variation is to simply add craisins. This will decrease shelf life by only a little.]
Sunday, October 6, 2013
The Necessity for Spiritual Food
I have lots of calorie-driven family and friends. I have learned that once they reach their "I need food to remain a nice person" point, they really need to eat some food. Otherwise, life will be unpleasant for everyone around them until they do get food. This can be applied to spiritual matters, as I realized this evening.
I was spending a bit of time reading the Bible and thinking about what I read. A while after I had finished reading and had taken my crocheting up again, I observed that in the short time between reading and thinking on the Bible and that moment, my outlook had altered for the better. I was a bit more energized and felt a bit more able to function in a decent and motivated manner. I seemed more able to focus on things. I began to think about what made the difference.
Why did I seem spiritually and emotionally energized after reading the Bible? I discerned that it was because I had just taken in spiritual food. Before I had read the Bible, I had been unknowingly starving for spiritual food and consequently very spiritually weak. When I took in some healthy, nourishing spiritual food, my spirit received energy and was able to function better. It was like the moment when a very hungry person has gotten some food. They savour it and then are able to get up from the table with renewed vigour to go about the tasks of the day.
If a Christian does not take in spiritual food on a regular basis, he will not be able to function spiritually. He will be spiritually starving himself. This is the reason it is so important that a Christian must be consistent about reading the Bible and communing with God. If he isn't, he will not be able to stand in a spiritual fight. He will be knocked over, easily overcome, and it will be difficult or nearly impossible to get up again. It would be easier for him to give up and die.
Tonight, the importance of reading the Bible frequently has been impressed on my mind. I knew before that reading the Bible was important and that it was spiritual food, but the implications of that have been made clear to me. Without consistent spiritual food intake, one will grow weak and unable to fight, causing him to lose and eventually die if not properly nursed back to health on nourishing, sustaining spiritual food, just as it is with physical food.
I was spending a bit of time reading the Bible and thinking about what I read. A while after I had finished reading and had taken my crocheting up again, I observed that in the short time between reading and thinking on the Bible and that moment, my outlook had altered for the better. I was a bit more energized and felt a bit more able to function in a decent and motivated manner. I seemed more able to focus on things. I began to think about what made the difference.
Why did I seem spiritually and emotionally energized after reading the Bible? I discerned that it was because I had just taken in spiritual food. Before I had read the Bible, I had been unknowingly starving for spiritual food and consequently very spiritually weak. When I took in some healthy, nourishing spiritual food, my spirit received energy and was able to function better. It was like the moment when a very hungry person has gotten some food. They savour it and then are able to get up from the table with renewed vigour to go about the tasks of the day.
If a Christian does not take in spiritual food on a regular basis, he will not be able to function spiritually. He will be spiritually starving himself. This is the reason it is so important that a Christian must be consistent about reading the Bible and communing with God. If he isn't, he will not be able to stand in a spiritual fight. He will be knocked over, easily overcome, and it will be difficult or nearly impossible to get up again. It would be easier for him to give up and die.
Tonight, the importance of reading the Bible frequently has been impressed on my mind. I knew before that reading the Bible was important and that it was spiritual food, but the implications of that have been made clear to me. Without consistent spiritual food intake, one will grow weak and unable to fight, causing him to lose and eventually die if not properly nursed back to health on nourishing, sustaining spiritual food, just as it is with physical food.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Understanding Daniel's prophecies
I just finished reading Daniel for the first time. I knew when I read the prophecies that Daniel was given of the end that many people have "interpreted" them so that they know what the end will be like and how long it will be and just exactly what those prophecies mean. But, even Daniel didn't understand the prophecies he gave. I know that we are to understand all that we can of God's word with the Spirit's help but...should we really try to understand those prophecies? Acknowledge them them as part of God's holy word, yes, but try to interpret them? Daniel was told to seal up the book of prophecy because those things were not going to happen until the end. Jesus again spoke of the abomination of desolation and told us more about it. Should we simply acknowledge it and live our lives so that our love for God won't grow cold, so that we will "know our God" and "stand firm and take action"(Dan. 11:32)? I know that on my own I can't begin to fathom what exactly those prophecies mean, but I can understand that there will be a great amount of extreme wickedness and strife. We as people who carry God's name need to be ready to withstand the attacks that we inevitably get and to "stand firm and take action." I am not entirely sure what to do with those prophecies in Daniel, or any prophecies of "the end times."
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