Roger Meyer

Both the Internet and social media are very useful tools—but even useful things can be misused to do harmful things by misguided human beings.

Conspiracy theories and all sorts of useless babblings abound in today’s marketplace of ideas. The Internet and social media, aided by the algorithms designed to multiply exposure to as many users as possible, fuel the spread of endless prattle, drivel, and distraction from truth.

Flash freezing, icy roads, snow blowing sideways, and blizzard conditions. Arctic temperatures, gusting winds knocking out electrical power, and canceled flights interrupting travel. Winter storm Elliott affected the majority of the United States.

To put one’s house in order can simply mean cleaning and organizing our home. It can also mean changing our behavior to get our life in order, sometimes with reference to making final arrangements before dying.

People often make promises that they fail to keep—and if you are like most people, you are tired of empty promises. There are few among us who haven’t experienced these from one person or another.

During political campaigns, we are bombarded with attack ads from candidates, often highlighting promises on which their opponents failed to deliver. Other leaders and individuals also make empty promises. You may be promised a promotion, a raise in pay and benefits, better hours, your own parking spot, and more. How often do those promises go unkept?

The word “hallowed” means made holy or consecrated. There is nothing hallowed in the celebration of Halloween.

Like some other holidays that originated in paganism but are celebrated by “Christian” churches today—albeit with new names—Halloween also marched right out of pagan religious practices and into mainstream religion. New labels were applied to centuries-old trappings, traditions, and celebrations from the pagan world, and these practices continued to be observed on or around the same time of the year.