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OPINIONOPINION

Mountain View News Saturday, April 26, 2025

STUART TOLCHIN

MOUNTAIN 
VIEWS

NEWS

PUBLISHER/ EDITOR

Susan Henderson

PASADENA CITY 
EDITOR

Dean Lee 

SALES

Patricia Colonello

626-355-2737 

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WEBMASTER

John Aveny 

DISTRIBUTION

Peter Lamendola

CONTRIBUTORS

Lori A. Harris

Michele Kidd

Stuart Tolchin 

Harvey Hyde

Audrey Swanson

Meghan Malooley

Mary Lou Caldwell

Kevin McGuire

Chris Leclerc

Dinah Chong Watkins

Howard Hays

Paul Carpenter

Kim Clymer-Kelley

Christopher Nyerges

Peter Dills 

Rich Johnson

Lori Ann Harris

Rev. James Snyder

Katie Hopkins

Deanne Davis

Despina Arouzman

Jeff Brown

Marc Garlett

Keely Toten

Dan Golden

Rebecca Wright

Hail Hamilton

Joan Schmidt

LaQuetta Shamblee

RICH JOHNSON

CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND LESS

PUT THE LIGHTS ON


THE DAY OF DYING OR IS IT DIEING?

Every time I think 
of the word or hear 
it, I’m unsure of the 
spelling and the 
meaning. I know 
or think there is 
some connection 
between the words, but I am unsure. 
On the first Easter after I separated 
from my then wife, I had both my kids 
on Easter Sunday, and I wanted to celebrate 
the Holiday in some way. Now, 
remember this was well over seventy 
years ago and I am undoubtedly forgetting 
something, but I wanted the 
day to be memorable for the kids and 
me too. I told them “We are going to 
dye Easter eggs”. 

My daughter, who at the time was 
about five, which is the age her daughter 
is now and “why” is a favorite question 
of many five-year-olds.

Well, I didn’t know the answer then 
and still don’t know the answer today, 
but I’ve been thinking about it in connection 
with the death of Pope Francis 
which occurred right around Easter 
Sunday. (The last rites are pending) I 
wanted to use the word”dieing” but I 
checked it on the web and learned that 
using the “ing” after “die” was correct 
only relating to the process of using 
a die to shape metal, also known as 
‘die-casting.’

As you can tell I’m pretty confused, but 
I want to write about the death of the 
Pope in connection with another person 
who “died” arguably on the same 
April 20th date. This, of course, brings 
us back to the initial question of why 
we color eggs on Easter. You probably 
know much about the “history” of Jesus 
Christ; but let me tell you what interests 
me about his story. Just like me 
Jesus as a Jew, but sometimes we forget. 
He was a rabbi, a teacher, but like many 
Jews he was a contrarian. He challenged 
the old ways and was a threat 
to the Pharisees. They were a powerful 
Jewish group who were critical of the 
teachings of Jesus and may have even 
sought his destruction. (There are different 
views about this).

Speaking about destruction, on the 
cross of Jesus it turns out there is a 
connection to Easter Egg coloring. Just 
now I looked stuff up about Easter egg 
dying and read about the tradition of 
coloring of eggs. I read that there existed 
in many pre- Christian cultures 
egg coloring as symbolic of new life 
and fertility and the arrival of Spring. 
These old traditions fit right in with the 
story of resurrection and rebirth and 
the coloring of the eggs, particularly, 
as it is thought to relate to symbolize 
the blood of Christ on the cross.

 So, there is a connection between dieing 
and dying. I want to move now to 
talk about my other favorite person 
who died on April 20, I now want to 
talk about Pope Francis. Of course, I 
know he is not in any way spoken of 
as being Jewish, but I like to imagine 
that this is a great secret that will not 
be revealed for centuries. I have read 
that the Pope’s father originally fled 
to Argentina from fascist Italy not for 
economic reasons. Was it fear of religious 
persecution? It makes me wonder. 
Notice that Pope Francis during 
his life behaved in accordance with 
the way I believe a Jew should behave. 
He complained, he opposed authority, 
even when he was in authority. As 
Pope he demonstrated humility and 
the desire to accept those who had 
been previously considered as outsiders. 
He was sympathetic to the rights 
of women, to the disabled, and to gay 
people. Maybe he spoke more about 
change than he actually changed but 
he did what he could without causing 
too major a disruption to the Catholic 
hierarchy. (No. Female Catholic 
Priests are still not allowable.)

The Pope, contrary to the present 
American President consistently demonstrated 
concern for the poorest and 
most marginalized. He himself had 
worked as a janitor, a night club bouncer, 
and a philosophy teacher. Books 
and literature and conversation were 
always important to him. He wanted 
not to control but to understand and 
possibly unify. He was fascinated by 
the intricacies of the mind and logic. 
He is a model for the kind of person I 
would like to be remembered as after 
I dyed or is it died? As somebody said 
on their deathbed “dying is easy, comedy 
is hard”.

Today, it’s hard to laugh when you 
want to cry. What do ewe think? Can 
words and peaceful protest make a difference 
or is the die already cast? Are 
we sheep who have become poor little 
lambs who have lost their way? My 
birthday is today and I have never felt 
so old! 

Stuarttolchin@gmail.com 

What’s your favorite conspiracy 
theory? Elvis still 
alive? If he is, he turned 90 
years old on January 8th. 
His get up and go certainly 
already got up and went. He actually left this 
level of existence in 1977 at the age of 42.

Paul is Dead

My first moment of real terror over a conspiracy 
theory was the then reported death 
of Paul McCartney of the Beatles back in 
1966. And that a perfect stand-in for McCartney 
was supplied by MI5, also known 
as British Intelligence. Paul chimed in by 
telling the press: “The rumors of my death 
have been greatly exaggerated”. I ignored 
the quote. The Beatles decided to have fun 
with the bogus story. If you look at the album 
cover “Abbey Road”, you will notice the 
Liverpool lads crossing the road in different 
articles of clothing. It was a mock funeral 
procession. First John, with long flowing 
hair and beard, wearing pure white was Jesus 
leading the pack, Next Ringo, dressed in 
a suit was the Minister, next barefoot Paul 
dressed up as the dead body. Followed by 
grave digger George. Another clue on the 
Abbey Road album cover was the parked 
Volkswagen a little down the road. Take 
particular attention at the license plate. The 
plate read “28IF” signifying Paul’s age if he 
had survived.

The Moon Landing Was Faked

Afraid the Russians would make it to the 
moon first, the U.S. government faked the 
moon landing. These theorists claim Stanley 
Kubrick was responsible for the film footage 
and the movement of the flag in a supposed 
vacuum.

The ”Flat Earth” Conspiracy

A fellow named Samuel Shenton created 
the International Flat Earth Society in 1956. 
His primary goal was to reach children before 
they were convinced about a spherical 
Earth. When he died in 1971 the reins to the 
Flat Earth Society were handed over to another 
questionable character from California 
named Johnson. According to him other 
Flat Earthers throughout history included 
Moses, Columbus and Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt. In 2021 polling reported that 
10% of Americans believe the Earth is flat, 
3% of the British and 7% of the Brazilians. 
I’m still on the fence…ouch!

A Tunnel From New York to the Vatican

105 years ago, a fellow named Al Smith ran 
for president. He was the first Catholic to run 
for president. A famous campaign photo of 
him was in front of the opening of the Holland 
Tunnel in New York. A group of Anti-
Catholics believed Mr. Smith was going to 
build a underground tunnel from New York 
all the way to the Vatican in Rome, Italy.

Queen Elizabeth I was a Man

No, not Queen Elizabeth II. The first one 
who reigned from 1558-1603. There is a 
group of historians convinced the young 
woman destined to become Queen Elizabeth 
I died of bubonic plague and was replaced 
by a young boy who grew up to be 
the queen. They pointed to her intellect and 
financial acumen plus the fact she refused 
to marry and never bore children as proof 
of their claim.

Having a blank moment here, I think I’ll 
close with a look at life from a hopefully humorous 
perspective:

Common sense is like deodorant. The people 
who need it most, never use it.

I’m not arguing with you, I’m just explaining 
why I’m right.

I don’t need a hair stylist, my pillow gives me 
a new hairstyle every morning.

I thought growing old would take longer.

Don’t worry if Plan A fails, there are 25 more 
letters in the alphabet.

No, I didn’t fall. The floor just needed a hug.

So why do they call it rush hour when nothing 
moves.

I’m not lazy. I’m just on energy-saving mode.

Don’t give up on your dreams. Keep sleeping.

Some people are like clouds. When they disappear, 
it’s a beautiful day.

Age is merely the number of years the world 
has been enjoying you.

Remember, you don’t have to attend every 
argument you’re invited to.

I’m not great at advice. Can I interest you in 
a sarcastic comment.

I used to be indecisive. Now I’m not sure.

Doing nothing is hard; you never know 
when you’re done.

I followed my heart, and it led me to the 
fridge.

Never let your best friends get lonely. Keep 
disturbing them.

I will close with a profound quote. Not 
necessarily profound because of the words 
contained in the quote, but because of who 
said it. The quote: “Life would be tragic if it 
weren’t funny.” 

The quoter: Stephen Hawking

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HOWARD Hays As I See It


“The world will move on without us . . . Indeed, it’s already happening.” 
– Professor Nicholas Grossman, University of Illinois

 

For a change, I’ll write about something Donald Trump and his administration 
aren’t involved with - developments in global trade, security and 
scientific advancement. Though Trump remains the focus over here, the 
world moves on without us.

 

Prof. Grossman recently wrote of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), negotiated under 
President Obama, encompassing 12 Pacific Rim nations generating 40% of the world’s 
economy, setting terms for mutually beneficial trade. At the start of his first term, Donald 
Trump pulled the U.S. out of the group – arguing instead for negotiations with individual 
countries (which didn’t happen).

 

The remaining countries moved on without us in a re-branded, successful and now expanding 
trade pact. Last year, the U.K. became the first non-original member to be admitted 
while others are waiting – including Taiwan, Costa Rica, Ecuador and China. In the 
original TPP, the U.S. played a leadership role with China on the sideline. But with Trump 
having withdrawn the U.S., China has its opportunity. 

 

Vietnam had become a reliable, pro-American trading partner – largely to fend off its northern 
neighbor China. When slapped with a 46% “Liberation Day” tariff, Vietnam offered 
to bring its own tariff to 0%. White House advisor Peter Navarro responded, “that means 
nothing to us”. Last week, Vietnam signed new cooperation agreements on production and 
supply chains – with China; moving on without us.

 

Weeks before the tariff announcement, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Li was in Europe 
talking trade. Vice President Vance had just been in Munich scolding allies for being too 
hard on their far-right parties and not hard enough on their immigrants. Foreign Minister 
Li noted Europe’s “playing a significant role” in countering Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as 
Secretary of State Rubio was refusing Europe any role in U.S.-mediated, Saudi-sponsored 
talks.

 

Following “Liberation Day”, Trump said countries would be lining up to make a deal. They 
are - but not here. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Politico, "In 
a more and more unpredictable global environment, countries are lining up to work with 
us". She mentioned “strong, reliable partners” and how “In the middle of the chaos, Europe 
stands firm, grounded in values, ready to shape what comes next”.

 

Von der Leyen explained to the German newspaper Der Zeit, “the West as we knew it no longer exists”, calling Europe “the best place for democracy, equality, 
healthcare and for the middle class” – a place where “controversial debates are allowed at our universities”. Now, she says, “Everyone is asking for more 
trade with Europe – and it’s not just about economic ties. It is also about establishing common rules and it is about predictability . . . Europe is known for its 
predictability and reliability.”

 

From Canadian PM Mark Carney, “The 80-year period when the United States embraced the mantle of global economic leadership, when it forged alliances 
rooted in trust and mutual respect and championed the free and open exchange of goods and services, is over. . . Canada is ready to take a leadership role in 
building a coalition of like-minded countries who share our values.”

 

With Trump siding with Putin in Russia’s war on Ukraine, Europe’s von der Leyen warns that “The security architecture that we relied on can no longer be 
taken for granted”. The European Union announced a program offering loans to member nations for purchasing military equipment – as long as the equipment 
is made in Europe. Poland is arranging arms purchases from South Korea. Military ties are being strengthened between the EU and countries like 
Britain, Canada, Norway, Australia, Japan, South Korea and India. For security concerns, the world is moving on without us. 

 

The Aix-Marseilles University in southern France sent out a call for applications: “In a context where some scientists in the United States may feel threatened 
or hindered in their research, our university announces the establishment of the Safe Place For Science program dedicated to welcoming scientists wishing to 
pursue their work in an environment conducive to innovation, excellence and academic freedom.” Over half the eligible applications submitted came from 
Americans at institutions like Johns Hopkins, Columbia, Yale, Stanford and NASA – in fields ranging from humanities to life sciences and the environment.

 

Former French President Francois Hollande introduced legislation to support them. Regarding the work of climate researchers, “If they are interrupted, 
hindered, prevented, it will be a step backwards for humanity”. He says the legislation shows “France is an open country at a time when the United States is 
closing in on itself and authoritarian regimes are pursuing aggressive, repressive policies.”

 

Here, it’s a matter of hoping the courts step in or waiting until the mid-terms next year. In other countries, they share Canadian PM Carney’s view that 
“While this is a tragedy, it is also the new reality” - and they move on without us.

 

On her meeting with NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels, Canada’s FM Melanie Joly said, “That’s my message to Europeans: The relationship with the U.S. 
will never be the same.” She added, “the only people on Earth that will be able to really have President Trump change course are the Americans themselves.”


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