America is more than a show—it is a platform that empowers law-abiding citizens to build authority. The fulfillment of that promise is not easy. Some ask, “Sir, since this is the way from the City of Destruction to yonder gate, why has this place not been mended, that poor travelers might go to the gate of hope with more security?” Fulfillment of that promise is not easy. It requires constant work, and America has been making steady progress towards the practical equality of all men. However, we must be careful never to become a miry slough, a place so low that it cannot be mended. America is no longer a population-building nation. It is not a place where the scrum and filth of a guilty conscience, caused by a conviction of sin, will be continually allowed to gather, and for this reason, we are in the process of making America better than it ever has been. People complain about housing prices being so high, and the problem is inflation and the demand for new housing. If we stopped allowing so many people to immigrate to America and reduced the size of the traditional family to two kids, we would decrease the strain on our natural resources, reduce inflation, and reduce the cost of housing. Unlike Africa, China, or the Middle East, America does not yet have that much land, so as we use up more and more of it, the more expensive it becomes. As sinners are awakened by the Holy Spirit and see their vile condition, there arise in their souls many doubts and fears and many discouraging apprehensions, all of which merge and settle in this place; and that is the reason for this marshy slough. #RandolphHarris 1 of 30
It is not the pleasure of the King that this place should remain so foul. From the very beginning, prophets have been heard to encourage mankind to seek a higher kingdom, the kingdom of God. We find, in the early pages of the Book of Mormon, Nephi warning the people: “And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in His name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God,” reports 2 Nephi 9.23. John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, preparing the way for the mission of our Saviour on earth, cried to the people, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” reports Matthew. America is a sacred land. It is a very privileged kingdom decreed by God. It is the land of liberty, and it is above all other lands. America has choice in its physical features: the beauty of its mountains, valleys, lakes, trees, and geological formations. Choice, too, because of the spirit which broods over it—the spirit of freedom—and because it has been the haven for many of the world’s chosen beings. Choice because it is the nation that was chosen for the restoration of the Gospel. Choice because we believe men were raised up to prepare its Constitution. Choice because the kingdom of God is to be established on this continent. Numbers of the people who have traveled to this country from “sea to shining sea” have reveled in its delightful features; but now, in the time of peril confronting many of the nations of the earth it becomes, with its peacefulness and liberty, indeed a choice land. America and its people have been promised rich blessings, but like all other blessings given to mankind, these, too, rest upon obedience to principles upon which these blessings are predicated. It is true that some good and substantial steps have been placed through this slough by order of the Lord of salvation, but at times this marsh spews out a lot of filth, and in times of changing weather, the steps are hardly seen. #RandolphHarris 2 of 30
Even if the steps are visible to a normal person, here a man’s head often becomes so dizzy that he cannot see the steps; then he staggers to one side and mires down in the slime. Nevertheless, the steps are there. However, the ground is firm beyond the little gate. The kingdom which we are establishing is not of this world, but is the kingdom of God. It is the fruit of righteousness, of peace, of salvation to every soul that will receive it, from Adam down to his latest posterity. Our good will is towards all men, and we desire their salvation in time and eternity; and we will do them good so far as God will give us the power, and men will permit us the privilege. Surely, there will be an obvious difference between one who is attempting to conduct his life as though he were a citizen of the kingdom of God, and one who is conducting his life by the standards made by man. When a person determines to live a higher law, there should be a visible difference, a marked change in his appearance, his actions, the way he treats others, and the way he serves his fellowmen and his God. For instance, the genius, an aristocrat of the spirit, has had gifts lavished upon him by nature that distinguish him from his fellows. The apostle may be a commoner, a fisherman, a one-talent man by nature, or he may have ten talents—yet all that he has is dedicated to the service of the Eternal and as such is lifted up. The genius speaks with brilliance and charm. The apostle speaks with authority. The way of the genius is a way close to all but a few. The way of the apostle is a way open to all as individuals—even to the genius himself if he can forsake the absorbing satisfactions of a brilliant self-sufficiency and be ready to will one thing. #RandolphHarris 3 of 30
To further highlight this illustration, one who knows himself only as a genius, only an aristocrat of spirit, would never style himself an apostle or claim to speak with authority. God alone could judge that, God before whom all men, irrespective of their talents, are really equal. The root of equality is therefore grounded in this unchanging personal relation between the individual and God, not in the secular whim or political fashion of the crowd. In the personal, concrete, particular category of the individual as opposed to the mechanical abstract impersonal category of the crowd or the mass, many will find the root of enduring neighbor-love. There is nothing in Holy Scriptures about loving man in the mass—only about loving your neighbor as yourself. For then you separate him out of the abstract mass or public, and he becomes an individual. And when you love him as yourself, you testify to that deep equality of all men as individuals before God. And you do it personally. “That one shall honor each individual man, without exception, each man: that is truth and is reverence and is neighbor-love.” The most important thing of all is that a man stands right toward God, does not try to wrench away from something, but rather penetrates it until it yields its explanation. Whether or not it turns out as he wishes; it is still the best of all. Under the scrutiny of God, man will find his healing. If one is as weak as an infant, and has so much to do, he will soon learn what it is to pray and live with God as one lives with a Father. Rise in the morning and give thanks to God. Then work shall begin. #RandolphHarris 4 of 30
At a set time in the evening, break off and again give thanks to God. Then sleep. So you will live. The twelve-hour say shall only be broken by a midday walk among the common people in the ostergade. This keeping of sorrow and remorse silently between oneself and God keeps a man humble and acutely aware of the service he owes to God. Buried in this center, these sufferings release light that has no fear of darkness. This shall serve to unclothe the spectators from their diverse preoccupations and get them ready for a real bath. However, the shirking of responsibility for self makes it harder for any patient to face and to overcome his problems. If we could tackle this subject at the very beginning of an analysis, it would reduce considerably the time and hardship of the work. However, as long as the patient is his idealized image, he cannot even start to doubt his straightness. And if the pressure of self-condemnation is in the foreground, he may respond to the idea of responsibility for self with stark terror and without gaining anything from it. Also, we must keep in mind that the inability to assume any responsibility for with stark terror and without gaining to assume any responsibility for self is but one expression of the whole alienation from self. It is therefore futile to tackle this problem before the patient has gained some feeling of and for himself. Finally, when the real self is “locked out” or exiled, one’s integrating power too will be at a low ebb. A healthy integration is a result of being oneself, and can be attained only on this. If we are sufficiently ourselves to have spontaneous feelings, to make our own decisions, and to assume responsibility for them, then we have a feeling of unity on a solid basis. #RandolphHarris 5 of 30
In the words of a poet who speaks in jubilant tones of finding herself: “All fuses now, falls into place from wish to action, word to silence. My work, my loves, my time, my face gathered into one intense gesture of growing like a plant.” The lack of spontaneous integration we usually regard as a direct consequence of neurotic conflicts. This remains true, but we do not quite understand the power of disintegrating forces unless we consider the vicious circles which are operating. If as the result of many factors we lose ourselves, we have then no firm ground to stand on from which we can try to disentangle our inner conflicts. We are at their mercy, a helpless prey to their disintegrating force, and must seize upon any means available to solve them. This is what we call neurotic attempts at solution—and neurosis, from this vantage point, is a series of such attempts. However, in these attempts, we lose ourselves together. The shoulds, an instrument of pride and an instrument of self-hate, acquire a new function: that of protecting us from chaos. They rule a person with an iron fist but, like a political tyranny, they do create and maintain a certain superficial order. Rigid control through will power and reasoning is another strenuous means of attempting to bind together all the disconnected parts of the personality. The general significance of these disturbances for the patient’s life is fairly obvious. His not being an active determining factor in his own life creates a deep feeling of uncertainty, no matter how much overlaid by compulsive rigidities. His not feeling his own feelings makes him unalive, no matter how great his surface vivacity. His not assuming responsibility for himself robs him of true inner independence. #RandolphHarris 6 of 30
In addition, the inactivity of his real self has a significant influence upon the course of the neurosis. It is in this fact that the “vicious-circle” aspect of alienation from self becomes clearest. Itself the result of neurotic processes, it is a cause of their further development. For the greater the alienation from self, the more helpless a victim to the machinations of pride system the neurotic is. He has less and less alive strength with which to resist it. Serious doubts may arise in some cases whether this most alive source of energy is not altogether dried up or permanently immobilized. In my experience, it is the better part of wisdom to suspend judgment. More often than not, with sufficient patience and skill on the part of the analyst, the real self does return from exile or “come to life.” If energies, though unavailable for his personal life are put into constructive efforts for others, it is a hopeful sign. Needless to say, such efforts can be and are made by well-integrated people. However, those who interest us here show a striking discrepancy between seemingly limitless energies spent in the service of others and a lack of constructive interest or concern for their own personal lives. Even when they are in analysis, their relatives, friends, or pupils often benefit more from their analytic work than they do themselves. Nevertheless, even though it is rigidly externalized, as therapists, we hold on to the fact that their interests in growth is alive. When we compare it with Dr. Freud’s concept of the “ego,” the role of the real self comes into clearer relied. For Dr. Freud, the “ego” is like an employee who has functions but no initiative and no executive powers. For me, the real self is the spring of emotional forces, of constructive energies, of directive and judiciary powers. When looking at the beginning phases of most analyses, at that time, very little of the real self is visibly operating. We see the possibility of certain feelings or beliefs being authentic. The patient’s drive to develop himself contains genuine elements besides the more obvious grandiose ones; that, over and beyond his need for intellectual mastery, he is also interested in the truth about himself; and so on and so forth—but this is still surmise. #RandolphHarris 7 of 30
During the analytic process, however, this picture changes radically. As the pride system is undermined the patient, instead of automatically being on the defensive, does become interested in the truth about himself. He does start to assume responsibility for himself in the sense described: to make decisions, to feel his feelings, and to develop his own beliefs. All the functions which, as we have seen, have been taken over by the pride system gradually regain spontaneity with the return to power of the real self. A redistribution of factors takes place. And in this process, the real self, with its constructive forces, proves to be the stronger party. The alienate self should not leave us with too negative an impression. Under favorable conditions, such as constructive analytic work, it can again become an alive force. Only because this is a realistic possibility can our therapeutic work go beyond symptomatic relief and hope to help the individual in his human growth. And only with the vision of this realistic possibility can we understand that the relation between the pseudoself and real self is that of a conflict between two rival forces. This conflict can turn into an open battle only at a point when the real self has again become active enough for one to risk it. Until such a time, the individual can do one thing only: protect himself from the disruptive power of conflicts by finding pseudosolutions. Repression is really an instance of refusing to see or hear aspects of inner reality, the real self. However, if such perception would result in threat to the self-structure, one can defend one’s self-structure by refusing to see or hear aspects of outer reality. #RandolphHarris 8 of 30
The psychoanalysts coined the term denial to describe this tendency to ignore aspects of outer reality that induced anxiety and losses in self-esteem. Experimental psychologists use the term perceptual defense to describe the same phenomena. Dr. Sullivan spoke of “selective inattention” in this connection. Humans tend to ignore or reconstruct reality when it is painful. It is such a stubborn tendency that Dr. Freud spoke of it as one of the “principles” of mental functioning—the pleasure principle in contrast with the reality principle. When there are two possible meanings that might be assigned to some perception, one pleasant but untrue and the other true but painful, we must actually fight the pleasure principle in order to arrive at accurate cognitions. Thus, we do not hear derogatory remarks uttered by someone about us, even though our hearing is quite adequate to notice praise. If our self-esteem rests on the premise that we have made a wise choice of a perfect mate, we do not see the blemishes in our loved one. In extreme forms, among persons with weak egos, we may actually see something quite clearly but then deny we saw it and believe the denial. For some persons the death of a loved one is so catastrophic, calling as it does for much reorganization of behavior and the self-structure, that they will not believe the person is dead. (This happens to me all the time, even when my pet bird Aleksandr died recently, in imagination, I just think that he was so old, that some nice person took him in so he could spend quality time with him and that he is alive and well in a log cabin somewhere with an old man watching TV and eating popcorn.) #RandolphHarris 9 of 30
The term psychic contactlessness, coined by Wilhelm Reich, refers to an inability, or a refusal, to communicate with or get emotionally involved with another person. If one has been deeply hurt in relationships with people, one may protect oneself against further hurt and losses in self-esteem by walling the self off from people. One is among people without being really with them. Avoidance of close contact and emotional involvement with others serves many defensive functions, not the least of which is the fact that others will never come to know you. Because others are never given the opportunity to observe someone’s real self, the contactless person can entertain all manner of grandiose fantasies about the self; these are never known or criticized by others. If individuals do not allow themselves to think of others as human beings with feelings and hopes, they protect themselves in many ways. They may be afraid to become personally involved, and so they stubbornly refuse to pay attention to the other person as a feeling, sensitive human being. Instead, other people are seen only as the embodiment of their social role; they are workers, or wives, or doctors, not persons. If they knew they were hurting others, the act of depersonalizing others may thus protect persons against guilt feelings they might experience. Of if they suffer from an inability to love, they might protect themselves against such a disquieting insight through depersonalizing others. Physicians, nurses, and dentists often depersonalize their patients or clients, adopting a “bedside manner” or a “chair-side manner,” when dealing with them. #RandolphHarris 10 of 30
The adoption of such contrived patters of interaction permits them to treat their patient without being disturbed by the latter’s suffering. Further, it permits them to hide their true feelings of life or dislike behind a professional mask. Depersonalizing makes it possible for acts of extreme violence to be performed. The Nazis were able to slaughter millions of Jews because they had convinced themselves Jews were not human beings. By virtue of this accumulation a social stock of knowledge is constituted, which is transmitted from generation to generation and which is available to the individual in everyday life. I love in the commonsense world of everyday life equipped with specific bodies of knowledge. What is more, I know that others share at least part of this knowledge, and they know that I know this. My interaction with others in everyday life is, therefore, constantly affected by our common participation in the available social stock of knowledge. A rare defense mechanism in that it calls out positive results is called sublimation. In its narrowest sense, it refers to the substitution of a socially acceptable activity for erotic, sexual strivings that cannot be directly satisfied because of social standards. In a broader sense, it may also be interpreted to mean substitution of a socially acceptable behavior for any drive or motivation that is not socially acceptable, including hostility and aggression. For a person who, for religious or other reasons, can either not marry or chooses not to marry and to live a celibate, sexless life, throwing one’s energy into volunteer leadership in the community or into an absorbing job is a good, socially desirable alternative. #RandolphHarris 11 of 30
Sometimes this sublimation may be temporary, as in the case of a teenager who may keep physically active to the point of exhaustion in order to avoid encounters with the opposite gender, or it can be also a permanent lifestyle as in the case of some corporate executives who are “married to their jobs.” In any event, sublimation is often seen as an entirely desirable defense pattern. The social stock of knowledge differentiates reality by degrees of familiarity. It provides complex and detailed information concerning those sectors of everyday life with which I must frequently deal. It provides much more general and imprecise information on remoter sectors. Thus my knowledge of my own occupation and its world is very rich and specific, while I have only very sketchy knowledge of the occupational worlds of others. The social stock of knowledge further supplies me with the typificatory schemes required for the major routines of everyday life, not only the typifications of others that have been discussed before, but typiffications of all sorts of events and experiences, both social and natural. Thus, I live in a world of relatives, fellow-workers and recognizable public functionaries. In this world, consequently, I experience family gatherings, professional meetings and encounters with the traffic police. The natural “backdrop” of these events is also typified within the stock of knowledge. My world is structured in terms of routines applying in good or bad weather, in the hayfever season and in situations when a speck of dirt gets caught under my eyelid. “I know what to do” with regard to all these others and all these events within my everyday life. By presenting itself to me as an integrated whole, the social stock of knowledge also provides me with the means to integrate discrete elements of my own knowledge. In other words, “what everybody knows” has its own logic, and the same logic can be applied to order various things that I know. For example, I know that my friend Ryan is an Englishman, and I know that he ais always very punctual in keeping appointments. Since “everybody knows” that punctuality is an English trait, I can now integrate these two elements of my knowledge of Ryan into a typification that is meaningful in terms of the social stock of knowledge. #RandolphHarris 12 of 30
The validity of my knowledge of everyday life is taken for granted by myself and by others until further notice, that is, until a problem arises that cannot be solved in terms of it. As long as my knowledge works satisfactorily, I am generally ready to suspend doubts about it. In certain attitudes detached from everyday reality—telling a joke, at the theater or in church, or engaging in philosophical speculation—I may perhaps doubt elements of it. However, if these doubts are “not to be taken seriously.” For instance, as a businessman I know that it pays to be inconsiderate of others. I may laugh at a joke in which this maxim leads to failure, I may be moved by an actor or a preacher extolling the virtues of consideration, and I may concede in a philosophical mood that all social relations should be governed by the Golden Rule. Having laughed, having been moved and having philosophized, I return to the “serious” word of business, once more recognize the logic of its maxims, and act accordingly. Only when my maxims fail “to deliver the goods” in the world to which they are intended to apply are they likely to become problematic to me “in earnest.” Although the social stock of knowledge appresents the everyday world in an integrated manner, differentiated according to zones of familiarity and remoteness, it leaves the totality of that world opaque. Put differently, the reality of everyday life always appears as a zone of lucidity behind which there is a background of darkness. As some zone of reality are illuminated, others are adumbrated. I cannot know everything there is to know about this reality. Even if, for instance, I am a seemingly all-powerful despot in my family, and know this, I cannot know all the factors that go into the continuing success of my despotism. #RandolphHarris 13 of 30
I know that my orders are always obeyed, but I cannot be sure of all the steps and all the motives that lie between the issuance and the execution of my orders. There are always things that go on “behind my back.” This is true a fortiori when social relationships more complex than those of the family are involved—and explains, incidentally, why despots are endemically nervous. My knowledge of everyday life has the quality of an instrument that cuts a path through a forest and, as it does so, projects a narrow cone of light on what lies just ahead and immediately around; on all sides of the path there continues to be darkness. This image pertains even more, of course, to the multiple realities in which everyday life is overcast by the penumbras of our dreams. My knowledge of everyday life is structure in terms of relevances. Some of these are determined by immediate pragmatic interests of mine, others by my general situation in society. It is irrelevant to me how my wife goes about cooking my favorite goulash as long as it turns out the way I like it. It is irrelevant to me that the stock of a company is falling, if I do not own such stock; or that Catholics are modernizing their doctrine, if I am an atheist; or that it is now possible to fly non-stop to African, if I do not want to go there. However, my relevance structures intersect with the relevance structures of others at many points, as a result of which we have “interesting” thing to say to each other. An important element of my knowledge of everyday life is the knowledge of the relevance structures of others. Thus, I “know better” than to tell my doctor about my investment problems, my lawyer about my ulcer pains, or my accountant about my quest for religious truth. #RandolphHarris 14 of 30
The basic relevance structures referring to everyday life are presented to me ready-made by the social stock of knowledge itself. I know that “woman talk” is irrelevant to me as a man, that “idle speculation” is irrelevant to me as a man of action, and so forth. Finally, the social stock of knowledge as a whole has its own relevance structure. Thus, in terms of the stock of knowledge objectivated in American society, it is irrelevant to study the movements of the stars to predict the stock market, but it is relevant to study an individual’s slips of the tongue to find out about his sex life, and so on. Conversely, in other societies, astrology may be highly relevant for economics, speech analysis quite irrelevant for erotic curiosity, and so on. Reflecting back on the social distribution of knowledge, I encounter knowledge in everyday life as socially distributed, that is, as possessed differently by different individuals and types of individuals. I do not share my knowledge equally with all my fellowmen, and there may be some knowledge that I share with no one. I share my professional expertise with colleagues, but not with my family, and I may share with nobody my knowledge of certain elements of everyday reality can become highly complex and even confusing to the outside. I not only do not possess the knowledge supposedly required to cure me of a physical ailment, I may even lack the knowledge of which one of a bewildering variety of medical specialists claims jurisdiction over what ails me. #RandolphHarris 15 of 30
In such cases, I require not only the advice of experts, but the prior advice of experts on experts. The social distribution of knowledge thus begins with the simple fact that I do not know everything known to my fellowmen, and vice versa, and culminates in exceedingly complex and esoteric systems of expertise. Knowledge of how the socially available stock of knowledge is distributed, at least in outlines, is an important element of that same stock of knowledge. In everyday life I know, at least roughly, what I can hide from whom, whom I can turn to for information on what I do not know, and generally which types of individuals may be expected to have which types of knowledge. Instead of seeing God man sees himself. “Their eyes were opened,” reports Genesis 3.7. Man perceives himself in his disunion with God and men. He perceives that he is naked. Lacking the protection, the covering, which God and his fellowman afforded him, he finds himself laid bare. Hence, there arises no shame. Shame is a man’s ineffaceable recollection of his estrangement from the origin; it is grief for this estrangement, and the powerless longing to return to unity with the origin. Man is ashamed because he has lost something which is essential to his original character, to himself as a whole; he is ashamed of his nakedness. Just as in the fairy-story the tree is ashamed of its lack of adornment, so, too, man is ashamed of the loss of his unity with God and with other men. Shame and remorse are generally mistaken for one another. Man feels remorse when he has been at fault; and he feels shame because he lacks something. #RandolphHarris 16 of 30
Shame is more original than remorse. The peculiar fact that we lower our eyes when a stranger’s eye meets our gaze is not a sign of remorse for a fault, but a sign of that shame which, when it knows that it is seen, is reminded of something that it lacks, namely, the lost wholeness of life, its own nakedness. To meet a stranger’s gaze directly, as is required, for example, in making a declaration of personal loyalty, is a kind of act of violence, and in love, when the gaze of the other is sought, it is a kind of yearning. In both cases, it is the painful endeavour to recover the lost unity by either a conscious and resolute or else a passionate and devoted inward overcoming of shame as the sign of disunion. “They may themselves aprons.” Shame seeks a covering as a means of overcoming the disunion. However, the covering implies the confirmation of the disunion that has occurred, and it cannot therefore make good the damage. Man covers himself, conceals himself from men and from God. Covering is necessary because it keeps awake shame, and with it the memory of the disunion with the origin, and also because man, disunited as he is, must now withdraw himself and must live in concealment. Otherwise, he would betray himself. “Every profound mind requires a mask,” said Nietzsche. Yet this mask is not a disguise; it is not intended to deceive the other man, but it is a necessary sign of the actual situation of disunion. For the reason, it is to be respected. Beneath the mask, there is a longing for the restoration of the lost unity. #RandolphHarris 17 of 30
Confidential is the first word to describe near-miss reporting for the railway system in Scotland. Operators of the Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis System (CIRAS) feel strongly that, because of their strict confidentiality, they receive information they would not receive any other way. In most reporting systems, any information that identifies personnels or the organization is removed before the report is stored. Although many reports request a contact person, in the event that more information is needed, they assure secrecy in the sources of their reports. The relative anonymity of the Internet has proven especially beneficial for the reporting of near misses, and many systems use entry forms online to make submissions simple. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages as a result of the privacy used in the systems. Accuracy is not guaranteed because no verification of the reports is conducted, allowing “creative writing” on the part of the person submitting a report. We all know there are usually two sides to every story, but the reports submitted come from only one view. Additionally, personal accountability may be eliminated from the incident. People who may have been at fault for a fairly significant mistake could feel as though the reporting in and of itself eliminates their responsibility in the incident. However, the advantages of confidentiality far exceed the disadvantages and allow the system to provide a safe area to report what fire fighters see as potential problems that affect safety. If someone embellishes a story or outright makes one up, in a worst-case scenario, it still has the potential to save lives in the future, which is the goal of any near-miss reporting program. #RandolphHarris 18 of 30
Movie theaters, and any large capacity building for that matter, provide a unique problem to emergency workers: evacuation and crowd control. The award-winning Sacramento Fire Department was once again faced with the potential for disaster. On this particular day, there were over 1,600 patrons enjoying a movie in the theater. At 7 o’clock in the evening, patrons standing in line at the movie house noticed smoke coming through a gate in the sidewalk near the bank building, which was next door to the theater. The fire department was immediately called. Firefighters began the search for the fire, while 1,600 people remained in their seats in the adjacent building. The first intimation of the fire came to the theatre person when the resident manager ordered the lights turned on, and walked onto the stage. He then proceeded to calmly announce that the furnace of the nearby bank had begun smoking, and it was deemed best to vacate the building. Smoke had begun filtering into the auditorium by this time. Amazingly, all 1,600 patrons heeded the instructions of the manager and evacuated in a clam manner and without commotion or excitement. Once the movie goers got outside, they were able to see the real situation. Swarms of people congregated on the streets outside of the theater. Upon investigation, the Sacramento Fire Department had found that the fire had started from a discarded cigarette in a grating near the basement entrance to the bank. Waste paper near the door had started the door ablaze and the fire entered through the opening. By the time firefighters found the fire, it had eaten through the floor in the rear of the bank, very close to the theater. Firefighters located the fire and extinguished it in a quick manner. With more time, the theater could have been in danger. Losses to the bank were minimal, as only the floor, a row of booths and some partitions were damaged. Other businesses housed in the bank building incurred some damage. #RandolphHarris 19 of 30
If you see a fire truck stopped in the street without the lights on, be very careful. Sometimes there is an emergency, and you should not pass the fire truck. It might be a good idea to safely turn around and go another way because if you hit someone and they happen to die, you could be charged with manslaughter. Sometimes fire firefighters are getting back into their vehicle, and if you pass the apparatus, you may collide with a firefighter who is on foot. Also, be sure to look at their signals; sometimes emergency vehicles are in motion, albeit slowly, and drivers try to pass them, and this could lead to a dangerous situation. Also, if you are in an intersection when you see an emergency vehicle, continue through the intersection. Drive to the right as soon as it is safe and stop. Obey any direction, order, or signal given by a law enforcement officer or a firefighter. Even if they conflict with existing signs, signals, or laws, follow their orders. When their siren or flashing lights are on, it is against the law to follow within 300 feet of any fire engine, law enforcement vehicle, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle. If you drive to the scene of a fire, collision, or other disaster, you can be arrested. When you do this, you are getting in the way of firefighters, ambulance crews, or other rescue and emergency personnel. The concept of professional courage does not always mean being as tough as nails, either. It also suggests a willingness to listen to other people’s problems, to go to bat for them in a tough situation, and it means knowing just how far they can go. It also means being willing to tell the boss when he or she is wrong. #RandolphHarris 20 of 30
California is the third most expensive state in the nation. In 37 percent of counties, a family of four living on a six-figure income is now considered low-income. The average home price in California is nearly $1,000,000.00 USD, while the average salary is $96,036.00, meaning that most Californians cannot even afford to buy a home. California is having an affordability crisis. A single person making an income above $100,000 is now considered low-income in five counties in California. This distinction now applies to individuals living in Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin counties. The maximum percentage of your gross income that you should earmark for a monthly mortgage payment is calculated at 28 percent, and no more than 36 percent of your gross income to all debts, including mortgage. If you take 28 percent of the median household income per home in Sacramento County, homeowners can only afford a mortgage of $2,070.23 per month. And if you take 36 percent of their gross income to all debts, including mortgage, they should be devoting no more than $2,661.72 a month to these debts. The mortgage lenders must be using some kind of sorcery to get buyers into these expensive homes. To afford one of these homes using traditional guidelines, a household would need to gross $11,280.24 per month or $135,362.88 per year, but the median household in Sacramento County is grossing $7,393.67 a month or $88,724.00 annually, and that typically means two to four people in the home are working and contributing to the mortgage. Home prices in Sacramento County are rivaling the Bay Area, and in some cases, homes in the Bay Area are more affordable. Historically, homes in the Bay Area have been more expensive because they have higher-paying jobs, a larger population, and the Bay Area is a tourist destination. Contributing to the housing affordability crisis is Gavin Newsom, who has been lavishing illegal immigrants with taxpayer-funded resources and cash aid, when state workers should be receiving a 25 percent wage increase instead. #RandolphHarris 21 of 30
In 2025, many people in California saw their bills increase by an estimated $500 a month. This includes items such as food, automobile insurance, homeowners’ insurance, and electricity. In fact, more than 3 million people in California are facing household hardship, and more than 300,000 of them are facing eviction soon. This comes at a time when California is having a shortage of affordable housing. The crisis is caused by nearly half a century-old laws that discourage home sales and encourage higher rents. The incompetence in California is very easy to see. From 2018 to 2023, California received $24 billion, which they used to fund 30 homeless and housing programs. These programs created 100,000 units. That is an average cost of $240,000 per unit. In comparison, Roger Lucas, owner of Grand Castle, LLC, spent $50 million to build The Grand Castle, which is a 522-unit residential apartment community in Grandville, Michigan. The community includes studios, 1 bedroom, 2 bedrooms, 3 bedrooms, and even a multi-level penthouse. Rents generally range from $1,000 to $2,500. The community is a 23.6-acre site. It features 750 covered parking spaces, a clubhouse, a resort-style swimming pool, and was built over a period of 12 to 18 months. The average cost was about $95,785.45 per unit, which is $144,214.55 less per unit than California spent. California also has the highest unemployment rate in the country at 5.4 percent, while the national average is 4.5 percent. As people are seeing their bills skyrocket, and minimum wage has increased to $20 an hour, people on Social Security retirement are really bearing the burden with the checks the typically equate to $5-$7 an hour. Furthermore, while Americans are struggling to find and afford housing, Gavin Newsom, Democrat governor of California, signed two bills into law on February 7, 2025, to protect illegal immigrants. Bills SBX 1 1: Budget Act of 2024, and SBX 1 2: Budget Act of 2024, allocates $50 million to protect illegal immigrants from deportation. Governor Gavin Newsom also granted 700,000 illegal immigrants free health care, which costs taxpayers $3 billion annually. At the same time, Newsom cut vital programs for veterans, school children, the disabled, and the homeless. The California crisis created by Democrats is driving up home prices and mortgages, and rents all over the nation and the world, making living unaffordable for all, and advocates say the crisis is far from over. #RandolphHarris 22 of 30
Meanwhile, China, where we are sending all our jobs and money, has more than 50 ghost cities, with 65 million vacant homes. Ghost cities are regions where housing has been overdeveloped to the point that these places are uninhabited. If they are all officially counted, California has approximately 4 million homeless people. The highest home prices in the nation, the highest taxes, and the most unfriendly business regulations known to man. Because California is so hostile towards people and businesses, more than 360 companies have fled the state since 2020. Businesses like Chevron, SpaceX, Oracle, and Hewlett-Packard are among the names on that list. Also, more than 500,000 people a year are abandoning California because it is too expensive to live in, Gavin Newsom has criminalized homelessness and actually started arresting people without homes, crime is out of control, and they are losing their jobs due to companies relocating. More than 100 companies have announced layoffs in California for 2025. Intel is cutting 15,000 jobs, PayPal is cutting 2,500, and Meta has terminated 4,000 employees. California also has the highest unemployment rate in the country at 5.4 percent, while the national average is 4.1 percent. The California crisis created by Democrats is driving up home prices and mortgages, and rents all over the nation and the world, making living unaffordable for all, and advocates say the crisis is far from over. Accordingly, California has more than 3.5 million illegal immigrants. Having the Southern American border open and not having American farmland protected, not producing beef, poultry, fish, fruit, produce, and dairy in America, and without American goods and services being our number one manufactured and selling items, America has created a dangerous and significantly elevated risk to national security, national economic security, and national public health. Some people may believe that these claims are overstated, but by not routinely monitoring Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CEVs) or other security-relevant alerts, such as the end-of-life of machinery is how the Oroville Dam Crisis occurred in 2017. #RandolphHarris 23 of 30
Additionally, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom seems to be uneducated about economics. Newsom has spent $1.2 billion taxpayer dollars renovating the State Capitol building and $300 million to try to stop proposition 50. Proposition 50 would replace the maps drawn by the state’s independent commission with districts drawn by legislators solely to gain or protect Democratic seats. Newsom only cares about the environment when his policies allow him to raise taxes and restrict freedoms. To further highlight this illustration of incompetence by Governor Gavin Newsom, Mexico has been causing one of America’s worst environmental disasters. Fifty million gallons a day of industrial chemicals, untreated sewage, and trash flow from Tijuana, Mexico, into southern San Diego County daily. This toxic waste has been turning up on Imperial Beach and is causing the miles of white sands to become polluted and the ocean breeze to smell of feces, which has been sickening residents and wildlife and costing San Diego millions in the form of lost tourism and health problems. The problem has been going on for more than a century, and by 2030, Mexico plans to dump one hundred and twenty million gallons of sewage a day into Imperial Beach. Other crises that have occurred due to neglect of critical infrastructure such as the 2025 Palisades fire. Southern California ran out of water because Newsom is totally neglecting the state and the American people. And while the fire departments in California are critically understaffed and underfunded, Governor Newsom vetoed firefighter pay raise. The Palisades fire cost $275 billion, which is money that could have been used to insure the State of California had the resources it needed. Furthermore, when Southern California is located next to an ocean, Newsom should have invested in desalination plants to help with the water shortage in California. The water in the ocean is so plentiful that it is currently eroding land and causing homes to fall into the sea. Desalination has been identified as one technology that will help solve California’s water scarcity problem. Desalination is a cost-effective technology that can transform an abundance of salt water into a reliable supply of potable, fresh water, which is a great way to fight climate change and have enough water for our region’s water requirements. Ras Al Khair, Saudi Arabia, is producing 1,036,000 meters (273,682,192) per day of desalinated water. #RandolphHarris 24 of 30
America needs an approach to eliminate safety vulnerabilities in American cities. There needs to be a road map by the end of 2025, outlining a prioritized approach to eliminate crisis situations in America. There is enough money to send aid to foreign nations, but the American government does not have enough money to care for its infrastructure, provide adequate resources, or end the affordable housing crisis. Nor is there enough money to fund other national critical functions (NCFs). These bad practices of putting America and Americans last are considered exceptionally risky, particularly to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. In 2024, Americans spent $100 billion on Japanese cars. As a result, the American automobile trade deficit with Japan was $39 billion. Additionally, Japan exported 1.4 million cars to the United States of America, but only imported 16,000 American-built automobiles. However, Japan imported approximately 143 thousand motor vehicles from the European Union. This is why President Trump created tariffs. We need to balance the trade deficit that America faces with other nations so we are not taken advantage of and so America can go bank to being a creditor nation, instead of borrowing money for other countries. Each year, President Trump is bringing $400 Billion in Tariff revenue into America and hundreds of thousands of new jobs. With this money, America is paying down debt, and with a portion of it, President Trump plans to send Americans a stimulus check anywhere in the range of $1,000 to $2,000. However, if President Trump’s Tariffs are deemed illegal by the Supreme Court, taxpayers will have to pay back trillions and trillions of dollars. As we literally and /or figuratively see gangs, federal judges, and Governor Gavin Newsom fighting with federal law enforcement and President Trump– states and cities refusing to honor federal laws. Politicians are also showing an utter disregard for the Constitution of the United States of America, and anarchy is becoming increasingly common. #RandolphHarris 25 of 30
Anarchism is a cluster of doctrines and attitudes centered on the belief that government is both harmful and unnecessary. Derived from the Greek root anarchos, meaning “without authority,” anarchism, anarchist, and anarchy are used to express both approval and disapproval. The anarchist denies man-made laws, regards property as a means of tyranny, and believes that crimes are merely the product of property and authority. However, the anarchist would argue that their denial of constitutions and governments leads not to “no justice” but to the real justice inherent in the free development of human sociality—the natural inclination, when unfettered by laws, to live according to the principles and practice of mutual aid. Anarchism is also a form of treason. Treason, the crime of betraying a nation or a sovereign by acts considered dangerous to security. In English law, treason includes the levying of war against the government and the giving of aid and comfort to the monarch’s enemies. In the United States of America, treason was defined restrictively by the framers of the Constitution. Treason against the United States of America “shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them aid and comfort,” which is something that many politicians are currently guilty of. The American government should know all exploitable vulnerabilities and fix them before the situation becomes a crisis. Failure to take such mitigating actions is dangerous and significantly elevates risk to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. The American government must understand that significant time and resources must be invested in America. They must also encourage corporations to plan for both mitigating safety vulnerabilities in the short term and eliminating them in the long term. For instance, a company might begin by reaching out to the federal, state, or local government and requesting tax incentives to provide security to dangerous communities, to help the government repair bridges and potholes. #RandolphHarris 26 of 30
Drug cartels have been threatening the health and safety of Native American communities. The trafficking of dangerous and illegal drugs into their territories is leading to a second genocide. The overdose rate for Indigenous people is 42 percent higher than the national average. A recent bust on Montana’s Blackfeet Nation’s Tribal Reservation resulted in the seizure of more than 700,000 fentanyl pills, which was the largest bust in Montana history. Recently, the Blackfeet Nation had to declare a state of emergency after facing 17 overdoses in just one week. There are only 6.8 million Native Americans left in the world, which is 2 percent of the American population. We should be doing more to protect these proud and honorable people; they should not want for anything. People rush and give away resources to illegal immigrants, but totally disregard the Indigenous people of this land, as their race silently fades away into extinction. We must secure our borders and increase federal funding to Native American tribes so we can save this precious population. Meanwhile, Gavin Newsom has given billions of taxpayer dollars away to illegal immigrants and protected them from law enforcement, while arresting law-abiding Americans because they cannot afford to pay rent or mortgage, and the homeless shelters are unsafe, overcrowded, and have restrictions on who is allowed inside. He has also totally ignored the cartel problems on American lands. Clean air, water, land, and preserving our heritage are extremely important. We cannot just allow criminals to kill off the people who are native to this land and do nothing about it. Wars have been started over governments that tax citizens without representation. Taxation without representation is what led to the American Revolution. #RandolphHarris 27 of 30
Much like the land crisis in Las Vegas, we could also run out of land to farm and will not be able to grow or cultivate our own food. We can protect American farmland and support American farmers by buying American made beef, poultry, dairy, and produce. Also, country of origin labeling is very important so Americans can know where their food is coming from and can support American farmers and ranchers. As money flows, it influences further investment. Save the land that sustains us by protecting American farmland. Once the land is built on, we lose it forever. And in the future, there may be food wars. Also, to ensure that we have farmland and buildable land for future use, we need to start limiting the number of people allowed to immigrate to America. Perhaps with the immigrants we do allow into America, there needs to be a diversity program to make sure we have a population that equally represents all races of people. If Americans continue to spend money on American products, then more need to be made to keep up the inventory. When investors notice these goods are selling, it gives them the confidence to pour more money into that local business. It shows that people want these goods made in America and pressures investors to keep these goods and services in America. The jobs stay here, the business stays in America, wages naturally increase, and more money is invested to keep up with demand. This reduces the burden on the taxpayer. When you support American businesses, that money stays in our economy and can help to reduce the national debt. The government creates debt by borrowing from businesses in the private sector or from foreign countries. It also increases the national debt by spending more than it gains in tax revenue in a fiscal year. #RandolphHarris 28 of 30
When people shop locally, more tax money stays in the economy and goes to the government. This way, it keeps more money in our national economy and keeps more jobs located in America which also sends more taxes to the government, which can again help to reduce the national debt. When you buy foreign goods, these companies usually have lighter tax loads or exemptions, meaning less money for the national debt, plus you are helping to strengthen these foreign nations by sending more money overseas. Buying American-made products is also better for the environment and helps to reduce the carbon footprint because these products do not have to travel nearly as far. Furthermore, American companies and manufacturers are held to much higher standards on pollution. American companies must be more careful about air, land, and water pollution and have proper ways to dispose of waste. Under President Trump’s administration, he has make America a priority. President Trump has closed the southern border, illegal crossings have fallen to an all time low, and are 90 percent lower than under the previous administration. Since President Trump’s crack down on crime, violent crimes in Washington D.C. have dropped by approximately 80 percent. He has stopped thousands of pounds of drugs from entering America and killing citizens. And since President Trump took office, investments in America have increased by trillions of dollars in U.S.A. manufacturing, production, and innovation. As you can see, President Donald Trump and his pledge to “Make America Great Again” is exactly what America needs to save the country and the American people. And yes, diversity is important, so you can see why it is also important to preserve blonde hair and blue eyes, as the people with these characteristics are becoming a minority in America. #RandolphHarris 29 of 30
We must think before we can understand the soul’s existence; we must understand before we can realize it. The earliest beginnings of thought, as apart from instinct, when it was itself still but a lurking tendency, belong far back in primeval time. The human intellect as we find it today, so rich and developed an instrument for the consciousness of the ego, did not arrive at this fullness without a series of graduated stages. We have had plenty of scientific thinking, business thinking, and political thinking long enough, but we have had very little inspired thinking. That is the world’s need. The intellect is cradled in selfishness but runs the evolutionary track into reason, where it will one day finish at the winning-post of selflessness. As a reminder, parents, please teach your children to love America and be patriotic citizens, and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. It is inborn in the human mind to wish to know. If this begins with the endless surface questions of a child’s curiosity, if it continues into deeper questions of a scientist’s probing investigation, it cannot and does not stop there. For the higher part of the mind will eventually come into unfoldment, that union of abstract reflective thought with mystical intuition, which is true intelligence, which needs and sees a view of the whole of things. And so, the knowing faculty enters the realm of philosophy. Therefore, remember to take your education seriously so that you will be successful in life and make your family proud. Also, to make sure they have all the resources required, please donate to the Sacramento Fire Department to help improve our national security. “Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand between their loved home and the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause is just, and this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’ And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” #RandolphHarris 30 of 30
According to locals, over a century ago, the land that houses The Winchester Mansion had been vacant forever. Then, sometime in the early afternoon of Saturday, March 13, 1886, Sheriff Angel Camilio began getting reports that a massive castle made of wood had suddenly appeared. Gables rose, towers peaked into the sky as the mansion mushroomed into a labyrinth overnight. The house’s sudden manifestation had been both disconcerting and fascinating to the community. Some felt dark curses flowing from the estate, and things moving around in the darkness. Others saw a fairytale castle glimmering in the spring sunlight. Perhaps this is why there are no records of construction, no blueprints, and no permits filed with the county. And then one day, a hearse came tearing through the gates, and in that hearse was a coffin, some believed it contained Mrs. Winchester.
Legend also says, when Sarah Lockwood Pardee (Winchester) married William Wirt Winchester in 1862, she enjoyed a life of extravagant luxury. William Winchester, President of the Winchester repeating rifle, became a very wealthy man through the sale of his guns, and the couple were among the elite New England society. She also told Mrs. Winchester they would kill her too, unless she moved out West and built a great house for the spirits. In addition, Mrs. Winchester was told construction on the house must never end in order to appease the spirits and keep her alive, perhaps even give her eternal life. Mrs. Winchester followed the medium’s suggestions, and in 1886, she moved to the Santa Clara valley just outside San Jose, where she bought an 18-room farmhouse and property to build her mansion. At its peak, the Mansion once stood 9-stories tall and had as many as 600-rooms. Today, the stately mansion is 4-storys, and over 100,000 square feet.
Experience an unforgettable journey back to the time of kings and queens with this entry ticket for The Winchester Mansion in Santa Clara, California, which was the residence of Heiress Sarah L. Winchester. Come and see what secrets this so-called, “Winchester Mystery House” may hold. Take advantage of this fascinating experience. After the tour, there will be time to enjoy the mansion’s splendor at your own pace. You might even discover secret passages that lead to hidden chambers within the mansion. These chambers served as safe places for valuables, precious documents, and as private sanctuaries for Mrs. Winchester, and allowed her to move stealthily throughout her home. At one time, there were even secret tunnels that extended beyond the mansion, leading to nearby Victorian houses that were also on the property, and other structures, creating a network of escape routes or hidden pathways.
Please come and enjoy a delicious meal at Sarah’s Café, stroll along the paths of the beautiful Victorian gardens, which once spanned 740 acres, all the way down to Stevens Creek Boulevard; wander through the miles of hallways in the world’s most mysterious mansion.
For further information about tours, including group tours, weddings, school events, birthday party packages, facility rentals, and special events please visit the website: https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/
Please visit the online giftshop, and purchase a gift for friends and relatives as well as a special memento of The Winchester Mystery House. A variety of souvenirs and gifts are available for purchase. https://shopwinchestermysteryhouse.com/
Special Events: Ready to rock the holidays like never before? 🎄
Join the incredible Renegade Orchestra on December 6th in the gardens as they combine rock and roll with all your favorite holiday classics 🎶🎸 https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/holidays/
Your ticket also grants you access to the Yuletide Oddities Market and Holiday Open House! Do not miss this evening of music and merriment, get tickets now! https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/holidays/
Join us for a two hour Christmas Tea Party, at the mansion, on December 13, 2025. Hosted by the captivating Vogel Victorian team, this exclusive event invites guests to enjoy a full tea service in the magnificent Venetian Dining Room, surrounded by the mansion’s rich history and holiday décor. Plus, create your own blessing jar and take part in a mesmerizing Victorian-style séance. It’s a holiday experience that blends festive charm with the intrigue of the unknown. Ages 16+. Limited to 30 guests. https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/holidays/
Santa is coming to the Winchester Mystery House, on December 20th, at 12 P.M. to 4 P.M. and 5 P.M. to 8 P.M.! Guests with tickets to any tour, event, or the Oddities Market on December 20 can enjoy complimentary photos with Santa at the mansion. You may use your own camera to take a photo. Professional printed photos from our partners, Mystery Pix, will be available for purchase as well. https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/holidays/
Unwind after the holidays with a relaxing Paint & Sip experience, on December 27th, at the Winchester Mystery House. An expert instructor from Bottle & Bottega’s will guide you in painting “Sunset Over Snowy Pines,” a serene winter scene to end the season in style. One complimentary glass of wine is included. https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/holidays/
Harris Plumbing, Heating, Air, & Electric has been in business for 30 years. How many businesses can say that? We take pride in everything we do – no matter how big or small the service call might be. We’re here to help your home be as safe and comfortable as possible for you and your family. We take that responsibility very seriously as a company.
Harris will ensure you have the information you need to decide what to do next, whatever your home is facing. We’ll perform a diagnosis and detail what issues are present before starting any work. This gives you a personalized quote and service plan specific to your home’s needs, not some random quote based on the best guess. The only way we can do our best work is to make sure we handle the issues at hand. https://www.callharrisnow.com/about-us/
With its top ranking in Consumer Reports’ Auto Brand Report Card and consistent market share growth, BMW, The Ultimate Driving Experience, has demonstrated its ability to produce high-performing, reliable vehicles that meet consumer demands. BMW stands out due to its focus on driving dynamics and engineering excellence. While other luxury brands prioritize comfort and opulence, BMW is known for creating cars that are fun to drive and offer a unique connection between the driver and the machine. This is why BMW is known as The Ultimate Driving Machine. https://www.brianharrisbmw.com/
Randolph Harris San Francisco Taxation & Mergers
Building strong and lasting client relationships is crucial for a successful legal career. Many lawyers mistakenly believe that mastering legal skills alone ensures success, but law is fundamentally a service industry—our job is to solve problems through the time we sell. To build long-term relationships, attorneys must focus on three core elements: knowing their clients, understanding how their legal issues fit into a larger context, and consistently delivering exceptional service.
Randy advises clients with regard to business transition, taxable and tax-deferred mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring, integrated tax planning, federal and state tax controversy resolution, and real estate transactions. Trust is the cornerstone of any client relationship. Ultimately, my clients feel they are in capable hands with someone who genuinely understands their problems and goals. https://www.jmbm.com/l-randolph-harris.html
At Millhaven Homes our professionals bring extensive experience in creating custom luxury properties. As we create your dream home, your needs are the central focus. You can expect superior quality and dedication from a team that makes you feel heard and appreciated.
Millhaven Homes savors the sanctuary of awe-inspiring spaces, unique architectural details, and fine craftsmanship that have earned us a reputation as a trusted home builder.
The key to a successful relationship is communication. We will incorporate your thoughts and ideas into your new home.
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Discover Millhaven Homes today. Let us design and build a custom home that reflects your style, comfort, and aspirations. We are here to bring your vision to life with creativity, care, and attention to every detail.
Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in. Whether you are considering building a dream home or simply fascinated by architectural marvels, Millhaven Homes is the builder for you. https://millhavenhomes.com/
Randolph Harris II International 