Merry Christmas!

2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.

Source:

Luke 2:1-7, NRSVUE 

On Matamoros

 A orillas del río Bravo hay una linda región

- Rigo Tovar

Of course, Mr. Tovar was born there, which explains. And he really wasn't wrong in saying so. Believe it or not, he sold around 30 million records worldwide. Sadly, diabetes complications took him in 2005. This post will be in English and Spanish. Matamoro es linda, pero....

Matamoros, Tamaulipas, es considerada una zona de alto riesgo y peligrosa debido a la fuerte presencia del crimen organizado, carteles de drogas y altos índices de violencia, con el Departamento de Estado de EE. UU. emitiendo alertas de "No viajar" para todo el estado, incluyendo Matamoros, por secuestros y crimen, aunque algunos grupos empresariales locales intentan promover una imagen de seguridad. La inseguridad es grave para todos, incluyendo migrantes, y se reportan actividades de trata y extorsión. 



Reference:

Google AI Overview 

On change: part II

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

- Leo Tolstoy

"Some  people want to fill the world with silly love songs. What's wrong with that?"

- Paul  and Linda McCartney

"If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change."

-  Lyrics in a song by Michael Jackson

Personal reflection on the topic:  we can change the world with war, but peace is a better option most often, when possible. God had to change the world with cataclysm at one point. The story of Noah in the Book of Genesis explains. My suggestion for change is to follow Jesus'  quotes such as the Golden Rule by doing unto others, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. I will stop here. Merry Christmas to all!

On change

"The more things change, the more they stay the same"

~ Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr 

With relevance to governments, however, they often make many apparent changes to give the perception of change with progress. This has been true historically with failed communist systems. 

Happy Hanukkah!

52 Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-eighth year, 53 they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering that they had built. 54 At the very season and on the very day that the nations had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals. 55 All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed heaven, who had prospered them. 56 So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days and joyfully offered burnt offerings; they offered a sacrifice of well-being and a thanksgiving offering. 57 They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests and fitted them with doors. 58 There was very great joy among the people, and the disgrace brought by the nations was removed.

59 Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.


Source:

1 Maccabees 4:52-59, NRSVUE 

About narratives

Narratives can be a useful tool for rewriting true history. Allow me to explain? They can be a method used to promote a point of view by establishing a false foundation which may sound credible. An uninformed and uneducated person, when it comes to true history, is useful in conveying such narratives, especially if that person believes them to be factual.

The question one should be asking with relevance to narratives is why would certain groups or persons have a need to change historical facts? Unfortunately, this practice is useful in the advancement of false ideologies, which are unfounded and won't ever work, or have been proven to not work politically...etc. A perfect example of this would be communism! Ultimately, when one is able to obtain a majority, or more converts, who believe in said idealogy, the truth starts to fade away into oblivion, and in the end true history simply becomes unknown, especially if all evidence can be finally erased.