2017: Cycles and Food for Thought

American Thinker ^ | December 4, 2016 | Mike Konrad

[Kaslin]

I am not one given to prognostication; I have seen too many predictions fall flat on their face. But next year, 2017, will be the anniversary of a number of major historical events concerning religion and the Mideast. That these would all converge on year is surely cause for speculation and remembrance, even if nothing comes of it.

Anyone who ever took higher math knows that when waveforms are added together the result can be something altogether unexpected. For example: the addition of certain harmonic sine waves can produce a square wave. From smooth curves one can create catastrophic change.

Of course, the concept of cycles in history is suspect; but some cycles are accepted: the classic boom/bust cycles of economics or the cycle of tyranny to liberty to prosperity to dependence and thence again to tyranny.

While history is progressing -- something the West asserts, but which is not so accepted in Eastern philosophy -- there are those who would assert that even this progression is the result of regular cycles or patterns.

Maybe so! Maybe not!

But next year 2017 will be the anniversary of some major world events, which give pause for thought.

500 years ago, in 1517, Martin Luther started the Reformation with his nailing of the 95 Theses to the Wittenberg Church Door. Luther was not the first Western Christian to break from Rome, but he was the first to get whole nations involved. Within a few decades, almost half of Europe was on board.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“2017 will be the 100th anniversary of America’s entrance into World War I, when America first became a true world power. Prior to that, America was the envy of the world for her prosperity, but considered mostly a side player, not a central actor.”

And we are on our way back UP, Baby!

*TRUMP BUMP*

[AZLiberty]

This article is about not waves but numerology. Worse, it’s base-ten-centric.

[AZLiberty]

Mike Konrad is the pen name of an American who wishes he had availed himself more fully of the opportunity to learn Spanish in high school, lo those many decades ago.

If you have the same wish, check out LanguageTransfer.org. The proprietor, Mihalis Eleftheriou, is a self-taught language genius who decoded -- and improved -- the method of Michel Thomas, who for decades used to teach people a new language in 3 days. Where MT charged $20K for his services and $100 for his 8-hour CD course, ME accepts only donations and puts his recorded courses on the Internet for free.

[Excellence]

I’d love to learn French. So much international news is written in French. Thanks for the link.

[Mrs. Don-o]

It's also the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal ("Our Lady of Fatima"). This is way bigger than non-Catholics know. It's even bigger than most Catholics know.

It's a template for What's Happening Now.

[AZLiberty]

I think French is the next language he’s planning to work on, but he’s currently finishing up work on Greek, German, and Swahili. He’s most proud of his just-finished Introduction to Italian, which I haven’t had a chance to try yet.