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A resource for families in Santa Cruz County | |
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Holodomor
Do you know what it means?
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I learned a new word this week: the holodomor, which means death/genocide by starvation and refers to a time (1930's) in Ukraine when the Soviet Union took over, killed peasants and forced collectivism on the remaining. The system that had worked before collectivism was outlawed. Grain failed and spoiled. People died from starvation. How agonizing!
I think if I had ever been exposed to this in the history classes I took that I would never have forgotten it. I have never forgotten when I was 18, sitting in an assembly watching WWII films of rescued holocaust survivors whose bodies looked like walking skeletons and gazed at the camera with haunted eyes).
I've learned that when I admire certain writers and commentators on national and world events, they have a deep and wide knowledge of history and geography which they draw upon in discussions about current events.
I also have observed that most of us have gaps in our knowledge of world history. Sadly, some of us have erroneous or no knowledge of history. Some of us even twist history to suit an agenda.
If we want to make wise, informed decisions about current events we need to fill in our own gaps. Go to libraries or bookstores and ask for recommendations. This article, Finding Good History Books, will help; it includes various lists of award-winning history books. Ask our schools to share the history curriculum. When necessary, supplement and enrich our children's knowledge. Bring fascinating moments in history to the dinner table. Add a globe or world wall map to your homes.
It takes informed, educated citizens to maintain the freedoms we cherish. It's part of our awesome job as parents to prepare our children to become critical, thinking, brave, righteous citizens.
Have special times with your families this December. Find out what area of history interests them --Roman, Greek, Egyptian, WWII, Israel and the Middle East, European, Russian, Japanes, Korean, Indian, the United States. Help them find books that are thrilling, accurate and well written. You will all have good discussions at the dinner table! Parmalee
N.B. The article, Hatred Will Destroy You, can be shared with older teens who are curious about history. Ask them how they would relate the Holodomor to current events and our western culture. Will they ask the eternal questions: "How can such evil happen? How is it that we are so blessed? Could this ever happen here? How can we right terrible wrongs?"
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When we look at others as less than human, we cease to be human ourselves.
by Barry Brownstein
Nov 18, 2023
This is a photo of the memorial dedicated to victims of the Holodomor, 1932-1933, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Earlier this week, in my essay Barbarians Can’t Pass This Adam Smith Test, I wrote about the Holodomor, so this is an excellent time to revisit my 2022 essay on the Holodomor originally published at the American Institute for Economic Research. It is among the most critical and harrowing essays I have ever written.
As you read, I offer these questions for reflection:
- Today, which group(s) of people are politicians, academics, “experts,” and the media teaching us to hate?
- What groups may be targeted during a future economic depression?
- What justification(s) for hatred are we adopting that normalizes the dehumanization of others?
- What consequences are possible when groups of people are dehumanized?
- Is it possible to hate without dehumanizing yourself?
Before we begin, I offer my conclusion: Every human being is capable of acting out of great hatred. Every human being is capable of acting out of great love.
- Every human being has the responsibility to choose. Our future is determined by the choices we make today.
- The Holodomor, death by hunger, is the name given to the 1930s terror-famine in Ukraine.
- Leading up to the famine were the murder and exile of Ukrainian farmers, (kulaks) and the collectivization of farms under Stalin.
Read the entire article > > >
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Time with Nature ...
It's Rewarding
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Locals tip: How to score last-minute Elephant Seal Tour tickets this winter
Have you seen the elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park? On Friday, December 15 the preserve reopens for guided elephant seal tours. Make your reservation now to view the large colony of northern elephant seals for an unforgettable experience.
December to March is elephant seal breeding season — when the animals come ashore to give birth and mate. Watch bull seals engage in battle for breeding access. The females come ashore to give birth and nurse their pups before returning to the sea. It’s a National Geographic moment that you won’t want to miss.
Here’s an insider tip for last minute trips: Show up before 10 a.m. on weekends and holidays for a walk-up ticket. For visitors without a reservation, tickets are $7 per person. Parking is $10 and supports the park.
Find more info on the tours and how to plan your visit. Please note that the preserve is closed from December 1-14.
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Parenting Workshops for inspiration, finding ways to help with parenting challenges, tweaking our skills and support from leaders & fellow travelers in this incredible and important journey....
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Art Factory: Ornament Making Workshops, Saturdays from 10 - 11am and 3 - 4pm,
All ages are welcome! Details
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Toy Trains at the MAH, December 14 - 24, Toy Trains 2023 is here! Our beloved annual pop-up exhibit returns for the holidays. Members of the Golden State Toy Train Operators will be on hand to once again share their amazing collection of toy trains in the MAH’s atrium. Check for times > >
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Ice Skating by the Bay in Monterey 2023, November 24 – December 31, Details
Ice Skating at San Francisco Union Square, Daily, November 1 – January 15, Details
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Wreath Making at MOD, Friday, December 15, 5 – 7, Join us for a festive evening of holiday wreath-making, December 15th from 5 – 7pm. We will have a vast array of fresh greens, ribbon and holiday decorations to create your perfect addition to your holiday decor! Details | |
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Concert for a Winter’s Eve, Friday, December 15, 8pm, Holy Cross Church & Saturday, December 16, 7:30pm, Carmel Mission Basilica, Join us at Holy Cross Church or Carmel Mission Basilica. Details
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Frozen JR by All About Theatre, 6:30pm: Friday & Saturday, December 15 & 16; 1:30pm, Saturday, December 16, The enchanting modern classic from Disney is ready for your Broadway Junior stars! The show features all of the memorable songs from the animated film, with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, plus five new songs written for the Broadway production. Details
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Holiday Market – Local Vendors, Seasonal Sips and Community Gathering, Saturday, December 16, 10am – 4pm, Get ready to jingle all the way to the 11th Hour Coffee’s Holiday Market, Join our Holiday Market for a seasonal celebration of local talent, community spirit, and holiday cheer. 30+ Local Vendors: Explore a treasure trove of paintings, crafts, jewelry, leather products, delicious chocolates and more! Details
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MAH Family Day: Wishy Wonderland, Saturday, December 16, 12 – 6pm, Enjoy free admission to all our current exhibitions, plus the Toy Trains display in the Atrium all day! Stop by between 1-4 pm to participate in Wishy Wonderland, a winter themed art activity, and warm up with complimentary hot cocoa (first come, first served). Details
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A Home for Christmas, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm; Sunday Matinees at 2pm; through December 17, A Home for Christmas is both heartfelt and funny. When a group of people without homes seek shelter from a Thanksgiving blizzard, they not only find a house but create a home to help them weather through their emotional scars. They then discover that a jealous neighbor is willing to destroy the home and family that they have worked so hard to create. Join us as we light up the theater and the community with laughter, love, and the true meaning of family. Details
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Nutcracker by Santa Cruz City Ballet: Experience the Magic, Saturday & Sunday 1pm & 4, December 16 & 17, Full Length Nutcracker Ballet at Cabrillo’s Crocker Theater. Experience the Magic! presented by Santa Cruz City Ballet @ International Academy of Dance with Guest Artists, Children under three on your lap are FREE! Details
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Family Dance Party to Benefit WPENS, Saturday, December 16, 6 – 10pm, Join us for a fun, family, holiday dance party while supporting the Westside Parent Education Nursery School (WPENS). This family friendly event is for all ages. There will be dance lessons, a DJ for a dance party, and holiday treats and drinks for everyone! There will be a cash bar for 21+. Details
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Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas, Sunday, December 17, 3 – 5pm
Now in its 28th season, Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas brings traditional Irish musicians and dancers to enthralled audiences across the country. At its center is native Irish storyteller, Tomáseen Foley. A Celtic Christmas springs from the infinitely rich treasury of Ireland’s cultural heritage: a re-creation of a night before Christmas in the West of Ireland in the 1940s, before the advent of motorcar, the television, and the telephone. Details
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Holiday Tree Walk, December 16-17 – 5pm, 6:30pm, and 8pm for a 60-minute round-trip excursion, Get in the holiday spirit by bringing the family to ride the Redwood Forest Steam Train through the wintry redwoods to Bear Mountain. Sip hot cocoa while greeting Santa Claus. Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Trains depart and return in front of Neptune’s Kingdom on the Boardwalk of Santa Cruz at 5:00pm, 6:30, and 8:00 pm for a 60-minute round-trip excursion. Details
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