My Slow Takes about the Prodigal Son, Fingerprints, Elvish names and Buffy Sainte-Marie.

1. Anthony De Cristofaro from “Your Daily Tripod” said that the story of the Prodigal Son is a “Unique story. (Saturdays Gospel Luke:15:1-3; 11-32) He looks at the story as one of waste and excessive spending of money and resources. Something I never thought about but then every time I hear or read the story I learn something new. Anthony asks us to reflect on the gifts that have been given to us. Do we waste them or do we share our gifts with others? 

2. Just in case you're wondering how to tie a “four-in-hand” tie knot. Or, maybe you want to know what a "four-in-hand: knot is.

1. Put the necktie around your neck, so that the wider end is on your right hands side. It has to hang lower than the narrow part of the tie, since some fabric of the tie will be needed to tie the knot. Now grab the broad end with your right hand and move it over to the left going across the narrow end of the tie.

2. Pass the wider part of the necktie around and behind the narrow part of the tie.

3. Now, wrap the wider part of the necktie around the front again and pull it through the left side on your collar.

4. Make sure that you don’t tighten the knot yet. With your left hand create a loop on the front side of the knot, and hold it open. Then, with your right hand, pull the wider part of the tie through the loop

5. Gently tighten the tie knot and center the tie knot between your collars. You are done.

3. Fingerprints are common today but were not always used for crime solving.

“The first fingerprint evidence involving a scene of crime latent print in England was heard at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey), London, on the 13th September 1902, when a Harry Jackson was tried after pleading not guilty to a charge of burglary at Denmark Hill, South London, and stealing billiard balls. An imprint of his left thumb was found in dirt on a newly painted window sill during an examination of the crime scene by Detective Sergeant Collins. He photographed the latent and with the assistance of colleagues searched the latent through the relatively small offender print collection and it was identified. By consultation between Henry, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Stedman and Collins, a famous barrister of the time, Richard Muir, conducted the prosecution case, Collins explaining the system and producing photographic enlargements and tracings of both latent and known print. Jackson was convicted and was sentenced to 7 years penal servitude.”

4. There is a website where you can locate you name and translate to Middle Earth Elvish. My name, Paul would be: Nibenon. Pronounced: Nee-bennn-on. Jen, at Conversion Diary, would be: Nimthîriel. Pronounced: Nim-theer-ee-ell.

5. Please pray for Bob, a gentle and kind man who loves fishing and is a wonderful friend. We have missed him at our Friday luncheons. He is in the hospital fighting lung cancer.

6. Prayers are needed for the families of Boston firefighters Lieutenant Edward J. Walsh Jr. and Firefighter Michael R. Kennedy. Both were killed in the line of duty on Wednesday.

7. This is a beautiful song by Buffy Sainte-Marie. A Canadian Native Cree songwriter from the 1960s that continues to introduce new music. 

Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.