Translations

Friday, September 27, 2024

Could Smokin' in an Outhouse Cause a Fire? (published 9-27-2024; article #492)

The dilapidated two-seater outhouse is still on House Mountain, near where the fire tower once was. Photograph by M. Fearghail on 12/31/2013, during his 100th hike on House Mountain. The hike and the photograph are included in the 1/1/2014 article.

Introduction

Why do inspirations for new articles often come to me while showering? This article is one example.

Early last Sunday morning, while taking a shower, one of the three radios in my bathroom played Mötley Crüe's cover of the original Brownsville Station song, “Smokin' in the Boys' Room.” Brownsville Station debuted the song in 1973, “Smokin' in the Boys' Room,” Brownsville Station—Topic (YouTube), 3/6/2015. In 1985, Mötley Crüe covered the song, “Mötley Crüe—Smokin' In The Boys' Room,” Mötley Crüe (YouTube), 11/12/2010. I like both versions. Back in high school (1974–1978), a visit to the boys' room frequently brought the aroma of cigarette smoke to my nostrils. Smokers typically tossed cigarette butts out the glazed windows. The grass below the windows could look like a light dusting of snow had fallen.

Singing along in the shower, I started to improvise a parody, “Smokin' in the Outhouse.” The complete parody is still a work in progress. I began to wonder. Has anyone ever set fire to an outhouse by smoking, while “sittin' thar thinkin'” on a wooden toilet seat?

This 116th article in the humor topic section finds the answer to that question. Switching genre, not gender, the article becomes the 72nd entry in the poly-ticks topic section. The conclusion flushes the false notion of gender fluidity down the toilet.

Smokin' in an Outhouse Could Cause a Fire!

Have you, dear reader, heard that someone caught an outhouse on fire by smoking in it? Please comment if you have! I haven't caught wind of it happening in northeast Tennessee.

Searching online, I found a couple of news items, which confirm that it has happened! Smoking in an outhouse could catch it on fire! The first news story is “No smoking in the outhouse, please,” United Press International (UPI), 7/14/2004.

As the article states, just over 20 years ago, a man in Blacksville, Monongalia County, West Virginia, lit up a smoke while “sittin' thar thinkin'” in an outhouse. With no pun intended, that sparked an explosion of methane gas.

Singed with only minor injuries, the “em-barr-assed” (slight pun intended) man was treated at a local clinic, and then treated and released from a local hospital. The article probably states Blacksburg, Tennessee, in error, since there is no town with that name in Tennessee.

The other news is from “Outhouse Catches on Fire,” Capper’s Farmer, by Staff, 3/27/2013. The setting could have been several decades ago. This apparently true story was about someone's father. He knocked smoldering tobacco ashes from his pipe down the outhouse toilet hole. The outhouse caught fire and burned to the ground! Thankfully, the pipe smoker wasn't inside. He had already finished his business and gone to the barn.

The lyrics to the parody “Smokin' in the Outhouse” are still in the works. Please comment if you would like to suggest wording! The parody could catch fire!

Outhouse Inspection: You Must Be Joking?

While searching online for stories about smoking in an outhouse causing a fire, I happened to find the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) in Boulder, Colorado. Their undated column, “Outhouse Inspection,” InterNACHI, by Nick Gromicko, CMI, explains what an inspector does when inspecting an outhouse! Tips for outhouse owners are also provided.

Unfortunately, the column does not explain when and how to use a Sears and Roebuck catalog or a corncob in the outhouse. As a child in the 1960s, I recall that Granny and Papaw Ferrell kept a few corncobs and a Sears and Roebuck catalog in their outhouse. Several pages were always missing. Thankfully, a few rolls of toilet paper were also readily available. I had a few movements in their two-seater outhouse.

The lyrics to the parody “Smokin' in the Outhouse” are moving along. What wording do you suggest?

What about “Smokin' in the Unisex Room” and Other Parody Titles?

In 1973, when the song debuted, and even in 1985, when the song was covered, politically correct feathers were not ruffled. Why has some politically correct group not protested to ban “Smokin' in the Boys' Room” from playing on classic rock radio stations? “Boys' room” is not inclusive. I hope that this article doesn't give such a group the idea! This once great nation does need any more socialist-fronted protest groups.

In jest, this article proposes that anyone brainwashed by politically correct propaganda should start a protest to change “Smokin' in the Boys' Room” to some other title with matching (pun intended) lyrics. For example, what about the following suggestions: “Smokin' in the Cisgender Room,” “Smokin' in the Gender-Fluid Room,” “Smokin' in the Transgendered Room,” or “Smokin' in the Transsexual Room”?

Folks with terminal degrees after their names do not intimidate me. I admire and respect those, who were educated properly. Others, however, whose terminal degrees influence them to promote unbiblical concepts, are like gnats that should be swatted out an outhouse door!

For example, a doctor of medicine (MD) wrote the following article, and another MD reviewed it: “What Are the 72 Other Genders?” MedicineNet, by Shaziya Allarakha, MD, reviewed by Pallavi Suyog Uttekar, MD, medically reviewed on 2/9/2024. These two “learned” doctors, of course, are mistaken. There are not 72 other genders! Only two, male and female, exist.

Another well-known medical website describes 68 gender identities. The following article was written by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and another person: “68 Terms That Describe Gender Identity and Expression,” Healthline, by Mere Abrams, LCSW, and Sian Ferguson, reviewed by Francis Kuehnle, MSN, RN-BC, updated 1/26/2024. The reviewer has a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and is a Registered Nurse, Board Certified (RN-BC). There are only two genders, not 72 other genders; therefore, there cannot be 68 gender identities.

I happened to find a website that propagates unbiblical notions. It includes the following article: “How Many Genders Are There? 2024 Gender Identity List,” sexualdiversity.org, published 12/7/2022, updated 4/10/2024. Shockingly, the article claims that, in 2024, there are “107 gender identities,” which are “subject to change at any time.” I had to laugh at the illogic of it all!

News media like to cite so-called and often unnamed experts, as in experts say. . . .” Media often do this without stating the criteria that validate their sources as experts. Parroting falsehoods by citing so-called experts should be ignored. Experts regularly (slight pun intended) disagree.

The work-in-progress lyrics to the parody “Smokin' in the Outhouse” won't face threats from the politically correct crowd. The title replaces “Boys' Room” with “Outhouse.”

Conclusion

I don't know why inspirations for new articles occasionally pop into my head while showering. They just do. Shampooing my hair may stimulate thought.

Smoking in an outhouse could set the outhouse on fire. I found at least two stories about it happening.

I hope that, years or decades from now, fresh or refreshed minds will reflect on this time, when the false notion that there are more than two genders is propagandized, and realize the utter silliness of this time. The clearly false notion of gender fluidity is flushed down the toilet.

Disclaimer: This article should not be interpreted to mean that I accept or promote smoking cigarettes, tobacco, or any substance. This article does not encourage juvenile delinquency. Furthermore, this article should not be construed as so-called “hate speech” against anyone who accepts the false notion that more than two genders exist. In loving kindness, this article promotes the biblical worldview, which affirms only two genders.

Monday, September 23, 2024

On 9-18-2024, was Clingman's Dome renamed Kuwohi or Kuwahi? (published 9-23-2024; article #491)

Sunday afternoon photograph, on 10/28/2007, by M. Fearghail, of the observation tower on Clingman's Dome (as it was named at the time). Mrs. Appalachian Irishman was standing centered, looking toward the setting sun, wearing a light blue sweatshirt.

Introduction

Is the new name for Clingman's Dome, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, spelled with an “o” or an “a”? How is Kuwohi or Kuwahi pronounced? This thirty-forth entry in the Appalachia - Upper East Tennessee topic section wants to know! The conclusion has the answer and shares how the new name is pronounced.

Foremost, it was named Clingman's Dome, not Clingmans Dome. The apostrophe was required to show the possessive case. This website's article from 7/14/2022 explains that the location had been named after Thomas Clingman, and it tells who he was.

Kuwohi: the Official Spelling

The official name change from Clingman's Dome to Kuwohi was on Wednesday, September 18. A local television news station informed us. One online source (with my grammatical corrections added in brackets) is “Clingman[']s Dome name change proposal approved[;] Kuwohi name restored to Smokies mountain[.]” WATE, by Hannah Moore and Melanie Vásquez Russell, 9/18/2024. The article includes the following (with my bracketed corrections added):

On September 18, the U.S. Board of Geographic Names voted in favor of the request submitted by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) to change the name of Clingman[']s Dome to Kuwohi.

Kuwohi means “mulberry place[,]” and the National Park Service shared [that] the Cherokee syllabary for the name is ᎫᏬᎯ. Kuwohi holds a significant meaning to the EBCI, whose leaders today say the place of mulberries is a sacred summit that also served as a refuge for past Cherokee people avoiding forced relocation to Oklahoma, or the Trail of Tears.

Kuwohi is the highest point in Tennessee[,] and the observation tower offers visitors to the summit 360° views of the Smokies. It was renamed after Confederate General Thomas Clingman, who was said to be the first person to accurately measure the peak’s elevation.

The following federal website article confirms Kuwohi as the officially correct spelling: “Kuwohi name restored to the highest peak in the Smokies: U.S. Board of Geographic Names approves Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians name change request,” National Park Service: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, by Katie Liming, 9/18/2024. The first paragraph includes the following (with my bracketed correction for Clingman's added):

The U.S. Board of Geographic Names voted today in favor of the formal request submitted by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) to change the name of Clingman[']s Dome (FID #1326387) to Kuwohi (pronounced koo-WHOA-hee). Kuwohi is the Cherokee name for the mountain and translates to “mulberry place.” In Cherokee syllabary, the name is ᎫᏬᎯ.

Other recent online news sources that I saw also spelled the new name for Clingman's Dome as Kuwohi. As an aside, most of those sources misspelled Clingman's without the apostrophe.

Kuwahi: an Alternate Spelling

Two years ago, online articles indicated that Clingman's Dome was to be renamed Kuwahi, with an “a,” not an “o.” For example, my 7/14/2022 article (The Solid Rock: Clingman's Dome, Kuwahi, or Christ?) cites a 7/8/2022 local news article, which mentioned that Kuwahi would be the new name.

Several other articles from 2022 indicate the proposed name change to Kuwahi. For example, with my bracketed corrections added, see “Clingman[']s Dome name change to be discussed by Cherokee Tribal Council,” WATE, by Melanie Vásquez Russell, 7/8/2022. The first paragraph states (including my bracketed correction):

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council is slated to discuss a resolution that, if passed, will begin the tribe’s process of petitioning the federal government to restore the name, “Kuwahi” to the mountain currently known as Clingman[']s Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Conclusion

In 2022, the spelling Kuwahi was preferred. Earlier this month, Kuwohi became the officially correct spelling.

Research indicates that the new name may be spelled either way. I found Siyo Cherokee Language Engine: Cingingman’s Dome, Mulberry Place. (“Cingingman's” is probably a typographical error for “Clingman's.”) The website states that the eastern Cherokee dialect syllabary is “ᎫᏩᎯ” for “Kuwahi,” which means “mulberry place” in English. Further, Siyo Cherokee Language Engine: Mulberry shows “guwa” or “kuwa,” both ending in an “a,” to be the Cherokee word for mulberry. Museum of the Cherokee People: Photo Record: Object ID: NMAI - P15137, however, describes the postcard image as a view of “Clingman's Dome (Kuwahi or Kuwohi; 'mulberry place').”

How is Kuwohi pronounced? It seems to have two options. In the first option, the accent is on the final vowel (the “i”). The second vowel (the “o”) is a soft “a” sound, as in “wash.” I found two online examples. First, please listen to “How To Pronounce Kuwahi,” How To Say (YouTube), 7/13/2022. As an aside, it must be correct, since they pronounce “Appalachian” correctly: “How To Pronounce Appalachian,” How To Say (YouTube), 6/23/2020! A direct Cherokee source is Cherokee Nation: Language Department: Word List. Searching for “mulberry place” finds nothing. A search by “mulberry,” however, finds the phonetic “gu-wa,” the Cherokee “ᎫᏩ,” and the sound recording. The phonetic first syllable “gu” is pronounced like the letter “k.”

The second option places the accent on the “o,” making a strong “o” sound as in “whoa,” such as when you tell a horse, “Whoa!” The following video from late 2022 records Lavita Hill, a Cherokee, pronouncing the word: “The importance of Kuwohi to the Cherokee,” Knoxville News Sentinel (YouTube), 11/9/2022.

Either way, this Appalachian Irishman is pleased to call the former Clingman's Dome Kuwohi. As my 7/14/2022 article suggested, Knox County, Tennessee, needs to be renamed. The article confirms that Knoxville and Knox County were named after Henry Knox. In his role as Secretary of War under President Washington, Knox oversaw a government policy to remove native people, including the Creek and Cherokee, from their ancestral lands.

Sunday, September 15, 2024

Russia-Ukraine War: Sharing a Sister in Christ's Personal and Tragic Story (published 9-15-2024; article #490)

1/11/2024 photograph by Dmytro Tolokonov on Unsplash. Free to use under the Unsplash License. The caption reads, “January 2, 2024. Ukraine, Kyiv. A powerful attack on a Ukrainian city with Russian missiles. A residential building was destroyed. Rescuers and firefighters are providing assistance to civilians and extinguishing the fire.”

Introduction

The unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine began on Thursday, February 24, 2022. The war, ongoing now for over two and a half years, grinds along at a stalemate-like pace. Horrible waste, destruction, displacement, injury, and death continue, as illustrated by the above photograph. Being numb to the frequent and tragic media reports is understandable. Early in the war, on a daily basis, I read online articles on The Moscow Times: Ukraine War. Eventually, not being able to do much more than pray that the war would end peacefully, I began to review that section less often, maybe about twice a month.

Now and then, however, a story shocks away the numbness. This article, the seventh in the 2022 Slavic War topic section, shares a shocking story that awakened my numbness. This is the true story of a young sister in Christ. Her story is personal and tragic.

A Sister in Christ's Personal and Tragic Story

Anya is a young Christian lady and Russian, still living in that country. We have not met in person. Several years ago, however, through mutual online connections with a Christian brother and former missionary to Russia, Anya and I became acquainted on a social media platform. By infrequent online communications, I have been encouraging Anya to continue her walk with Christ, despite the political climate in Russia. She seems to be doing so, despite numerous hardships.

Last month, on Tuesday, August 27, Anya posted on her social media profile a link to the following: “Russian woman's killer released for second time to fight in Ukraine,” BBC News, by Will Vernon, 8/27/2024. As of today, that BBC News article still appears in the “On the ground” section of BBC News: War in Ukraine. It is the fifth article from the left. You are encouraged to read it. The article includes photographs of Anya's grandmother and of Anya with her grandmother.

In the previously cited BBC News article, beneath the photograph of Anya and her grandmother, is the following link: “Russian convicts released to fight with Wagner accused of crimes” (actual source: “Russian convicts released to fight with Wagner accused of crimes - BBC News,” BBC News (YouTube), August 23, 2023). At the forty-second mark, the video (of three minutes and fifty seconds) includes an interview with Anya, who talked about the murder of her 85-year-old grandmother, Yulia Byuskikh. The video continues with a story about another convicted murderer, who was released from prison to fight for Russia against Ukraine. I hope that you watch the entire video.

Tragically, early last year, Anya's 85-year-old grandmother was raped and murdered by a Russian male in his twenties. This was not his first act of murder. He had been serving time in prison for a previous murder conviction.

In 2022, however, after Russia invaded Ukraine, Russian officials released this convicted murderer from prison, where he was serving time for his first murder, so that he could fight for Russia against Ukraine. After six months of military service, Russian officials allowed the man to return home. Early last year, once home, he raped and murdered Anya's grandmother. This was his second murder.

In April this year, the man was found guilty of his second murder, when he raped and killed Anya's grandmother. For his second murder conviction, he was sentenced to serve 23 years in a high-security prison. He started serving prison time early last month.

On August 19, however, one week after the start of his second imprisonment for his second murder conviction, Russian officials released the murderer again. This was the second time that he was released from a prison sentence for murder. Anya and her relatives were shocked! Like his first release, the murderer was released a second time to serve in the Russian military in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The assumption is that this twice-convicted and twice-released murderer is a Russian soldier on a battlefield somewhere in Ukraine. His whereabouts, however, are unknown to Anya and her relatives. They live in fear of his return to find and harm or murder them.

Conclusion

Anya's personal and tragic story is appalling. Sadly, it is only one example. Needing men for the front lines, Russian officials are releasing thousands of convicted rapists, murderers, and other egregious criminals to fight in its aggressive war against Ukraine. Ukraine also releases prisoners to fight in defense of their country, but convicted murderers and sexual offenders are not eligible.

Russia even pays recruits, who volunteer to fight, more than 1.5 million rubles (or over 16,000 US dollars). Did the twice-convicted and twice-released murderer, who most recently raped and murdered Anya's 85-year-old grandmother, receive payment to serve in the Russian military?

The Russian expression “Боже мой!” (“My God!”) is an interjection that expresses intense emotion, not necessarily in vulgarity. For example, in Matthew 27:46 (NIV), before Jesus' vicarious death on the cross, he cried out, “'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' (which means 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?').” Quoting from Psalm 22:1a, Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecy in that Psalm.

My God! Please protect Anya and her relatives from the twice-convicted and twice-released murderer, who raped and killed her aged grandmother! In your providential will, please end the Russian-Ukraine war in peace. In Jesus' name, amen.