Comments From E-mail

I received this in an e-mail yesterday. I don't know who the author is, but I don't have a lot of time to post a comment of my own today. I'm not sure I completely agree with the sentiment but it does give us something to think about:


WE ARE DONE
To whom it may concern...or not...
We, the hard working people of the United States are done.
We have, for the most part, remained silent except for the occasional grumble at the gas pumps, at the dinner tables, at our places of employment, and places where we socialize. Well now...We are really done.
There will be no school this year because teachers cannot afford the gas to drive to work, and the parents are unable to drive their children to school anyway, and school buses cannot afford the fuel to pick up and deliver the children.
There will be no more food...Truckers nation wide will come to a stand still...They can no longer continue to haul freight when every penny of their pay check goes for fuel to keep them on the road.....
There will be no doctors or nurses at hospitals because they no longer can afford the commute.
We see billions of dollars being spent in foreign aid but where is our help...Visit a United States Emergency Room and count the dehydrated and emaciated babies that enter those portals for perhaps the last time...because they have no fluids or food to sustain them.
Go knock on a card board box to check on a homeless person living in filth beneath an overpass...
People who are working are working hard to try to pay their bills and feed their families and every penny will go for fuel.
King Fahd died and once again the prices at the pumps soared...Hello......Anyone out there listening?
We are now fighting a war of insanity in the United States. If the terrorists don't get us then surely poverty will take us down. The fat cats in their ivory towers just smirk and blame our president...and OPEC just shrugs and continues doing what they do best.
An outraged mom parks herself near Crawford, Texas to protest a war. My son would be so ashamed of me. How dare she protest the very reason for which he so willing gave his life...I guess so people like her and others could protest. What a tribute to her heroic son.
Our media spouts gloom and doom worldwide on an hourly basis but I don't hear or see any solutions out there.
But I do see them scrambling to be the first network to break any tragic story.
The democrats and republicans squabble and nit pick until I want to send them to time out. My two year old grandson exhibits more compassion and understanding as well as diplomacy.
How much more are we willing to take? I have often said that where Iraq is concerned we need a media black out and now I am saying we need a United States GAS OUT...
What would happen if next week every teacher, doctor, nurse, truck driver, store clerk, etc. would just call in and say "I can't come to work until the price of fuel goes down..I don't have any money."
There are already senior citizens that are going without food so they can buy their much needed medication...You think that is not so...well believe me this is true....
What is it going to take? If you have any suggestions please share them with the powers that be because I am done.
I am proud to be an American and I love my country, but I am sickened at the rapid rate of our decline.
We all watched in awe as millions of dollars blew out into space...for what....Won't do much good for all of those wonderful discoveries if our country is dead in the water...
My friends.....We are circling the drain...

I have now exercised my freedom of speech...

Perhaps we need divine guidance. Here is a prayer that was recited in the Kansas House of representatives, by a pastor, Joe Wright, from Wichita, who borrowed it from a pastor in Louisiana. It made the rounds of the e-mail circuit, too, but I remember when this happened. It made the news because some of the press and a lot of congressmen were so outraged. Judge for yourself if it is something to be outraged about.


"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek direction and guidance. We know your word says "Woe to those who call evil good", but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We confess that:
We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word, and called it Pluralism;
We have worshipped other gods, and called it multiculturalism;
We have endorsed perversion, and called it alternative lifestyle;
We have exploited the poor, and called it the lottery;
We have rewarded laziness, and called it Welfare;
We have killed our unborn' and called it choice;
We have shot abortionists, and called it justifiable;
We have neglected to discipline our children, and called it building self esteem;
We have abused power, and called it politics;
We have coveted our neighbors possessions, and called it ambition;
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography, and called it freedom of expression;
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers, and called it enlightenment;
Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of Your will to open ask it in the name of Your Son, the Living Savior Jesus Christ. Amen."

Have a blessed day.

A Mothers Story

Let me tell you all a story. It is a true story. It is about my ex-wife and one very big reason why she's my ex-wife. It has a point so don't go away.

When I met my ex-wife she was already married to another man. She had one child, a cherubic red haired boy, 3 years old. Her husband was abusive. He would beat her physically and verbally assault her. After 7 years of this abuse, she left him and brought her son with her.

At this time the most important person in her life was her son. She loved him more than life. She would do, and did everything for him. Because she loved him so much, she allowed him to behave anyway he wanted to. In other words, she spoiled him.

There are some who would say this isn't really love, and I would tend to agree, but I don't know what else you could call it.

Her and I dated and after a time we were married. She insisted that I adopt her son. I didn't really want to, I felt that adoption wasn't really needed, but I acquiesced.
So then, he was my son, too. Later we had a son of our own. So now, she had 2 children to spoil and she did.

This was the reason we began to have problems. I believe in discipline. She didn't. The focus of our differences was her natural son, my adopted son. I guess she felt that since I wasn't his birth father, I had no right to discipline him, because when he disobeyed, I would attempt to mete out discipline, and she would defend him. In front of him. I was between a rock and a hard place. If I disciplined him she would fight me and cause discord. If I didn't, he would continue to act up and that would cause discord.

As is often the case with undisciplined kids, he became increasingly hard to control, and got involved with some very bad people. He got arrested the first time when he was 12, and spent a year in a juvenile detention center.

But my wife loved him, and we drove 100 miles every weekend to spend the day with him. When he got out he went right back to his friends and right back into trouble. This time, I told him that if he got put into jail again, I would not waste my time visiting him.

And I didn't.

After a couple of arrests more, he was placed into a group home for juvenile offenders. My wife visited him reguarly. One day he escaped custody. And she helped him. She helped him hide from the police for a year afterwards. I was not "allowed" to interfere at all, anymore. She believed that somehow, I was the reason for all the trouble he was in.

To make a long story a trifle shorter, we ended up divorcing, mainly for this reason.
What little discipline he still had left when I did. After I left, in a PCP induced rage, he attempted to rape and murder his mother.

He was 17 at this time.

That changed her attitude about him immediately. She had him arrested and, while he was still in jail, she moved away, leaving no forwarding address.

To this day he doesn't know where she is. And she doesn't want him to know. And she doesn't know where he is. And she no longer cares about him.

For some reason, she apparently no longer cares about her younger son either, although he is not, nor has he ever been a behavior problem. She sent him to live with me.

Now. The point I am making is this:

Sometimes a mothers love can become something else.

I am sick of hearing about Cindy Sheehan and her crusade in the name of her son. I believe she is either exploiting the death of her own son or allowing herself and his memory to be used to further an anti-Bush agenda.

I am sick of those who say that she is a grieving mother. I don't believe she is honoring the memory of her son. I wonder about her sincerity. I wonder if she really loved her son. Maybe, as in my ex-wife's case, she did once.

But remember, It has been proven that she has always been a vocal anti-war advocate. Perhaps the son that she once loved, alienated her from himself when he decided to join the armed service. Maybe, just maybe, she is so angry at the Bush administration that her anger carried over into hatred for her son and for what he believed and died for. Perhaps she is angry at her son for "joining" what she considered her enemies.

Perhaps she is an unwitting pawn in the extreme leftist groups agenda. But in my opinion, she is dishonoring her son and his memory. And I don't see that as an act of a loving mother. And, as i said, sometimes love gets replaced by other things.

In any case, I am sick of hearing about her and her crusade. And I believe most of America is too. We were all sympathetic to her at first. But now, I think most of the people want her and her group to just go away. The left wing arm of the media (not ALL media) who uses these stories to further their own agenda has done the usual stellar job of buiding a mountain from a molehill and, instead of creating more sympathy, it has created apathy.

I could be all wrong, of course, and if I am, I would be the first to apologize.

But I could be dead on.

UPDATE: I made this post before I listened to any talk shows on radio, as I have stated previously that I make it a point to do. After posting this, I had the chance to hear Dan Patrick's take on this subject, wherein he pointed out that Ms. Sheehan might not have always had her current opinion on the war and Bush. He says she was traumatized by her son's death and the sorrow has crept in and tramsformed her opinion. Which more or less agrees with my observation. Trauma undoubtably had a devastating impact on both her and my ex-wife, and very well could have changed them. However, Cindy Sheehan has said herself that she and her family was opposed to war before her son enlisted, so Dan may be mistaken. I don't know.

That said, although it is a valid reason for why they both may have changed their minds, the main point of my post remains the same. It matters not why they changed, only that they have chosen these methods to cope.

Is The Apocalypse Near?

As I write this post this morning, I am watching the forcible eviction of one family from their home in the Gaza strip.
The family has been living there for 32 years. It is a tragic sight. They are crying and rending their garments in the traditional demonstration of anguish, and the children are reading aloud from the Torah.

The mother of this family has just stated that this is exactly the way the Jews were forcibly removed from their homes by the Nazis. They have all repeatedly asserted that there is a religious reason for being here. They point to a photo on the wall, a photo of their oldest son, who they say was murdered by the Palestinians in terror attacks upon their village.

And now, the image of an Israeli Soldier sitting on the ground between two walls, crying. Clearly the Israeli Army is sympathetic to their people, but they have a job to do, however unpleasant. That should send a message to anti-war protestors here in the States. Soldiers do what they are commanded to do. It is their job.

The Israeli government seemingly is comfortable with depriving the Jews of their birthright, that is, the God given right to their land. This is the Jews "Promised Land", a land that they have fought for thousands of years to claim. And now, it is being ripped from them.

Again.

All this was foretold thousands of years ago in the Old Testament. Israel will be driven out of their land, and will return, and it has been thus for centuries, just as the Prophets said.

"I believed that God would not let this happen, but this is not true," a woman said in the isolated settlement of Morag while clutching her baby.

This eviction, in my opinion, is a travesty, an outrage. I realize that I may be blowing this incident out of proportion, but in any case, I believe this does not bode well for the future of Israel and the world. This may signify the beginning of the end. What the Israeli government and the Palestinian Government have done, in concert, in the name of peace, is a direct violation of God's commandment to His chosen people, according to these people I am watching right now.

I have not been able to find words To express the emotion I am feeling right now. I feel that I am watching the beginning of the apocalypse. But one of the callers on the Laura Ingraham show this morning summarized my feelings very nicely. He said, "I've read my Bible, and I know how it ends."

This will not bring peace.

UPDATE: One of the commentators, Mike, in my comments section has a very good blog of his own. Go visit it here. I already blogrolled it.

Where is Dean Martin When We Need Him?

The other night I watched the celebrity roast of Pamela Anderson on the cable channel, Comedy Central. Or I should say, I watched part of it.

I thought it would be funny.

It wasn't.

I thought I would see something like the famous celebrity roasts of Dean Martin. His shows were delightful and funny. To this day I can remember some of Red Button's hilarious "never got a dinner" lines. I thought I would see some comedians and other celebrities stand up and playfully tease Ms. Anderson, and then Pamela would get her turn to tease them back.

Just like Dean's famous guests.

What I saw instead, was the most obscene, filthy exhibition of depravity I have ever seen on television. I have seen pornography that was less offensive.

Don't get me wrong. It's not like I'm not used to seeing such perversion. I used to be married to a stripper. I am a recovering porn addict. Not very much shocks me.

But this show did. Don't take my word for it. Comedy Central, as is their way, will no doubt air it again and again and again, ad nauseum, so you will get a chance to see for yourself. But I will offer you this caveat:

If obscenity and perversion offends you, don't watch it. Consider yourself warned.

Let me see if I can recall enough to give you an idea what I am talking about.

There were continual references to the infamous sex video of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee that was supposedly "accidentally" released to the public via internet. There were what seemed to be hundreds of references to the size of both Tommy Lee's and Pamela's genitalia. There were references to Pamela's Breast implants. There were nude pictures of Pamela Anderson broadcast, although they were mercifully blurred in strategic places by the otherwise non-existent censor. Oh God, I don't remember what all else went on there, mercifully. I turned the channel before I had seen all of it.

The other guests weren't spared the depraved barbs from the various comedians, either. Courtney Love, the widow of Kurt Colbain, was attacked mercilessly by the comedians about her addictions to drugs, alcohol, and sex. One comedian actually made reference to the current state of her dead husband. Absolutely appalling, in my opinion. I don't have any respect or love for Courtney love, mind you, but that disrespect went way too far over the line. Even for her.

Later, she responded to another insult about her "sluttiness" by leaning back in her chair and spreading her legs wide in front of the national audience. It was also blurred, so apparently she wasn't wearing anything under her skirt. Thank God the network censor managed to catch that one, too.

By the way, Courtney groggily announced she had been "clean and sober" for an entire year. Apparently, she fell off the wagon just for that night. Or so it appeared.

I don't know. Maybe your humble friend and uneducated blogger is becoming an old fuddy-duddy in his old age, but I kind of think just about anyone would have been offended by this disgraceful event.

Where, O where is Dean Martin when you need him?

Alas, Dino is dead, but surely turning over in his grave.

Gas Prices

I drive for a living. And I pay my own expenses. I drive about 325 miles a day. So I am more concerned than most about the price of gasoline.

Yesterday for instance, I filled my tank and the price per gallon was at $2.49. This was about 10:00 AM. Later the same day, at approximately 3:00 PM, I topped off my tank at the same gas station and the price had gone up to $2.59 a gallon. The price went up 10 cents a gallon in less than 5 hours!

There is a reason that gasoline prices are going up so rapidly. The reason given by the so-called "experts" is that the price of crude oil has gone up drastically.

Crude oil is attained by drilling deep into the Earth. From there, the oil is pumped to the surface where a pipeline pipes the crude oil to the refinery. There it is refined and transformed into gasoline.

Gasoline is not the only product made from crude oil. Here is another product that is made from crude oil:This is motor oil. At present motor oil is priced at approximately $1.08 for a quart. It has been about that price for several years.

Here is another product made from crude oil:This is transmission fluid. It currently sells for about $5.94 a gallon. Here is an interesting fact about transmission fluid. A few years ago, the price of transmission fluid was around the $8-9.00 mark. And the "experts" were blaming the high prices on the cost of crude oil.

Isn't that interesting?

There are many other products that are made from oil products and/or by-products. Did you know plastic is made from by-products of crude oil? All plastic. Everything you own that is made wholly or partially out of plastic was created from crude oil.

Now. I told you all that to make a point. The point is this:

The only product made from crude oil at this time, that the price has gone up on so drastically, is gasoline. The other products are basically the same price as they have been for the last several years. Give or take a few pennies.

That, to me, is a mystery. If the cost of crude oil is the reason for skyrocketing gasoline prices, then why aren't the other oil products and by-products prices going up accordingly? Could there be some other reason?

I think there could be.

I confess that I have no answer to that question. I don't even have a theory. I have no idea why there appears to be a paradox here.

There are those who would say that President Bush led our country into war in Iraq to steal oil from them. And somehow that drives the prices up.

I don't buy that.

The President is literally surrounded at all times by secret servicemen, advisors, cabinet members, Senators, Congressmen, and others. Given that he is in contact with so many people at all times, it is completely inconceivable, if not impossible, that he would be involved in an insidious plot of that magnitude. If any one of those people had aspirations for greatness, he couldn't ask for a better opportunity to blow the proverbial whistle. Does anyone think any of Bush's people are unambitious? I don't. In fact, they are probably among the most ambitious people in America.

No, I don't think Bush is in the war for oil. That would surely make him the most evil man in history and I just don't see that in him. I think those that do just aren't reasoning things out properly.

So, there has to be another reason why the gas prices are out of control. I just don't know what it is.

Israelis Evicted from Gaza

NEVE DEKALIM, Gaza Strip (Aug. 15) - Tearful Jewish settlers locked gates at their communities, formed human chains and burned tires to block troops from delivering eviction notices Monday as Israel began to pull out from the Gaza Strip after 38 years of occupation. Read more here.

A pastor I knew once traveled to Israel a few years ago. He came back with the startling revelation (at least, it was to me) that Israel was not predominantly Jewish anymore. Instead, he said, they are mostly atheists. Apparently, it would appear from the previous news report, that the inhabitants of Gaza must be predominantly Jewish, because they cling to the idea that the land in which they are now living is still the "Promised Land".

In the Bible we are told that the Israelites were led, by God, via Moses, into Canaan, the location which is present day Israel. Over the centuries, the Jews have been scattered over the Earth by those who would seek to destroy and decimate them.

If you simply read through, without even studying, the Old Testament, it becomes clear that the Jews must indeed be the chosen People. Of all the ancient peoples and civilizations that have been destroyed and displaced over the centuries, the ones remaining to this day are the Jews. Why?

Because the Jews are God's chosen people. Time and time again, the Jews have abandoned God and time after time, God has welcomed them back and forgiven them their transgressions.

They are the only people to whom God has promised protection and they are the only people that have continued to snub their collective noses at God, but God has continued to keep His promise to them regardless.

Now, the Jews are once again suffering the consequences of turning their backs on the One that protects them. They are losing the land that God has promised them.

Some might ask, "What's the big deal? If they have to move, move, and get it over with."

Some might say that.

I might say that, myself, if I did not know something of their history. As for myself, I once moved all the way from Kansas City, KS. to this small village in Western Maryland for something as unimportant as a woman, (thereby raising the aggregate IQ of both states) so, I am not one to judge.

But the Jews know that this is their land, and whatever happens to them in the next millennia or so, they will get it back.

The point is this: Gaza belongs to the Jews. It has belonged to them since Joshua fought the battle of Jericho. God gave it to them. Sure, Palestine and Egypt and others have laid claim to the land before, and still claim it to be theirs, but nevertheless, the land belongs to the Jews. It always will, and no matter what the Palestinians or the Egyptians or anyone else says, Gaza is Israel's.

So, Palestine has it now, but this battle is far from over. The time will come, as it invariably and inevitably does, that Israel will return to God and he will once again forgive them and bless them, and once again, Gaza will be theirs.

But not without a lot more bloodshed on both sides.

UPDATE: I discovered a pretty good blog today, check it out here.

Actual Random Thoughts

The columbarium at left at Arlington National Cemetery contains the ashes of Russell Wayne Wagner. Wagner’s vault is in the top row

Questioning how the remains of a "cold-blooded murderer" were accepted at a national military cemetery, U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., on Thursday asked members of a Senate committee to investigate.
"Our national cemeteries are places of national honor for those who have served their country and fellow citizens," Mikulski wrote in a letter to Sen. Larry E. Craig, R-Idaho, and Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, D-Hawaii, both of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "Convicted murderers should not be allowed in the hallowed grounds of our national cemeteries."
Mikulski was referring to Russell Wayne Wagner, 52, who was convicted of murdering Daniel Davis, 84, and Wilda Davis, 80, of Hagerstown, MD in 1994. Wagner was sentenced to consecutive life terms in 2002.
He died in prison in February. The cause of death was listed as heroin intoxication.
Wagner served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1972 and was honorably discharged. At his sister's request, Wagner's ashes were placed in an urn at Arlington National Cemetery last month with standard military honors.

Mikulski wrote that she was "shocked" to learn that a 1997 law passed to keep convicted murderers such as Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh from being buried at national cemeteries did not apply to Wagner because his sentence allowed him to apply for parole.

He should not have been allowed to be buried at Arlington, in my opinion. I see it this way: He murdered 2 people. Thus he sacrificed his rights as an American citizen. If he was no longer allowed rights as an American citizen, the same loss of rights should be extended to his military service as well. Arlington is a place where The United States honors the American service men and women for their service to their country. We don’t honor the memory of murderers. And we shouldn’t.

This is a photo of Rudolph Hess, taken on the grounds of Spandau Prison, shortly before his death.


In other news, An “official” close to the proceedings said, on Thursday, that Saddam Hussein could be executed after the first trial if he is convicted and sentenced to death for his alleged role in a Shiite massacre, even though he faces other charges as well. An estimated 150 Shiites were massacred in 1982 in Dujail, north of Bhagdad. His trial is scheduled to begin in the fall.

Iraqi authorities are building about a dozen other cases against Saddam that they intend to try separately, but the official said authorities could “theoretically” carry out the death sentence without waiting for the other trials to begin.

Personally, I think it would be a mistake for Saddam to be executed. I also think it would be a mistake to kill Osama Bin Laden. Why? Because killing them would make martyrs of them and would only serve to embolden the terrorists.

I think I have a better solution. Place them both in a prison by themselves as the allies did to 7 Nazi war criminals convicted in the famous trial at Nuremberg after World War II. In 1947, 7 men were locked away in Spandau prison in Berlin, Germany.
Spandau Prison was built as a 19th Century penitentiary. The buildings are of a pseudo-medieval, red-brick fortress. It was built in 1876 to hold 500 prisoners as a military detention center. after World War II it held the seven Nazi leaders sentenced from Nuremberg. But, since 1966, its only prisoner was Rudolph Hess (1894 - 1987) until his death on 17 August 1987.

A Military guard was provided by the four occupying powers, The U.S.A., Britain, France and the Soviet Union. The Military guards were supplemented by eighteen warders. The Military guard was provided by a platoon strength who manned the six watch towers. Strict orders were given to the guards regarding fraternization with Hess, and all sentries were searched prior to taking up their post to prohibit the use of cigarettes. Most of those who carried out this duty remember a very old man walking around the garden on a path he had trodden himself.

This is what should be done with Osama and Saddam, in my opinion. Never let them out, and never allow them any contact with the outside world.
None. They can’t be martyrs if they are still alive but there is no way they can do any more harm if they have no contact with anyone.

WANTED

The guy that invented this evil concoction called the "Double Chocolate" bar. It is creamy milk chocolate on the outside and creamy dark chocolate, almost chocolate syrup, on the inside. It is so delicious that it will no doubt end up killing me. Some one stop this evil, please!

Hey, Children, What's That Sound?

On Keith Olbermann's "Countdown", Mr. Olbermann interviewed the mother of Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, who died at Sadr City, Iraq, in April 2004. She held a news conference of her own, joined by other families. Cindy Sheehan pledged to stay camped outside that ranch for the duration of the president's August vacation, adding that if he does not talk with her there, she may to go Washington in September. She says she wants to ask him why he killed her son.

(rustle, rustle, plop)

Wait. Listen. Did you hear that? What was that sound?

KEITH OLBERMANN: And while the President did not talk with her directly today, he did finally address her presence and her purpose...(to Ms. Sheehan) You heard what the President said today at his news conference. What's your response to that?

CINDY SHEEHAN, GOLD STAR MOTHER: I don't want the President's sympathy. You know, I want to talk to him, and I want answers to my questions. And I want him to tell me the noble cause that my son died for. And I want him to stop using my son's name and the name of the other lost loved ones and Gold Star Families for Peace. We want him to stop using our children's name to justify the continued killing.

(rustle, thump, rustle, plop, rustle)

There it goes again, Do you hear it now? Sounds like it's getting louder. Hear it?

OLBERMANN: As I mentioned earlier, as is well known here, you spoke with Mr. Bush last year, and your comments to your local newspaper in California about that meeting have made the rounds anew on the Internet this week, how you had said that you had felt he was sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis, that he had felt obviously some pain for your loss.
Two questions about those quotes, first being, your critics say they suggest that you have changed your stance on the war, on Mr. Bush, in the interim. Is that true, or is it false?

SHEEHAN: No, it's false. If they had read the whole article, or talked about the whole article, it would have shown that I was already having serious misgivings about the mission that keeps on changing all the time.
And the other day, I wonder if they blogged about this. My hometown newspaper said Cindy Sheehan has not changed her position. It's just become clarified and it's become more focused, and her mission has become more important to her.

(plop, thump, plop, rustle, plop, thump)

What is that sound? It is getting louder.

OLBERMANN: Second question about the meeting in June of last year. What could you say to President Bush now that you could not have said to him then? Or why didn't you say then what you want to say now?

SHEEHAN: Good question. June of 2004 is a lot different than August of 2005. For one thing, in June of 2004, I had buried my son nine weeks before the meeting. I was a woman in a deep state of shock, in a deep state of grief. And you know what? I am still in a deep state of grief. And thanks to George Bush, I will be in a deep state of grief for the rest of my life.But I'm not in shock anymore. The Duelfer weapons of mass destruction report came out, the 9/11 commission report came out, the Downing Street memos came out, the Senate Intelligence Committee report came out. These have all come out since my son was killed. They show categorically that my son, his murder was premeditated, that there was no reason to invade Iraq.

And that's what I want the answers to today, in August of 2005.

(Thump, plop, thump, plop, thump, plop)

Sounds like the plops and thumps are getting closer together now. And louder. What is that sound?

OLBERMANN: Another part of this story that has developed in terms of the criticism and this political flashpoint that has developed around you, that seems so reminiscent of a lot of protests. I kept thinking about your camp there, and it sort of being a parallel world to that, the whole Terri Schiavo protest situation that just became a Mideast phenomenon.
There is an e-mail that purports to be from members of your family that denounces your presence there in Crawford. It was sent to a right-wing Web site. Is there any truth in it? Are there members of your family who are upset with what you're doing there?

SHEEHAN: There's members of my...they're my in-laws. And we have always been politically on the opposite sides of the fence. And we always kind of did it good-naturedly. You know, my father-in-law would call me Meathead and I would call him Archie, and we would just fight about politics all the time

(plop, thump, whirrrrrrr)

Wow, the plops and thumps have melded into one endless whirr now. WHAT IS THAT SOUND?

But you know what? When they supported George Bush in November, and when they voted for the man who I consider killed their grandson, that's when--that was it. That, to me, was a betrayal of Casey, and it hurt me so deeply. I haven't spoken to them since.
And our family, Casey's dad and my other three children, are 100 percent behind me and agree with me philosophically about what's going on. I just talked to my husband, and he said, he said, Cindy, you know I've always supported you philosophically. I know George Bush did the wrong thing, and I had nothing to do with what my sister wrote

(WHIRRRRR)

Really loud now. It shakes the ground. WHAT IS THAT SOUND? WHERE IS IT COMING FROM?

OLBERMANN: The nature of the media coverage you're getting now, the response from other families of soldiers killed in Iraq, all of that, from the perspective of your protest there, in a way, isn't it really better if President Bush doesn't meet with you?

SHEEHAN: I would think so, yes. I think it's great. And if he would come out right now, it would really defuse the momentum, and I don't want to give them any hints. And I think that's something they've probably already thought about.
But, you know, but we're here. We're committed. We're staying the whole month of August, and then we're moving to Washington, D.C. And we're going to have a 24-hour vigil on his front lawn to keep the pressure on. The pressure is there. Sixty-two percent of Americans want our troops home. And this is giving them a voice to stand up and be counted and say, You know, we want our country back, and we want our troops home.

(WHIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!)

The sound is very loud now. It reverberates up from the ground, and surrounds us. It echoes up the hills and mountains, and sweeps through the valleys.

I know what it is! I've discovered the source of the sound! It is here, below our feet!

It is the sound of Casey Sheehan, virtually spinning in his grave.

----------------------------------------------------------

Seriously, when I first heard of this poor mother, who lost her beloved son in Iraq, my heart went out to her. I sympathized.

But now I have a different opinion. I think this is a matter of a woman taking advantage of her 15 minutes of fame, and exploiting it for all it's worth. I don't doubt that she has suffered pain from the loss of her son. But I think she's over that now. At least, as over it as she will ever be.

There are people who will exploit every opportunity to get attention. (My ex-wife is one of them.) Ms. Sheehan mourns her son's death, I am sure. But I think her son's death is secondary, now, to her craving for the spotlight.

Read what she said. She tipped her hand: "...if he would come out right now, it would really defuse the momentum, and I don't want to give them any hints. And I think that's something they've probably already thought about."

She doesn't really want to talk to the President! She just wants attention. She reminds me somewhat of Roseanne Barr.

Remember?

Everytime Roseannes popularity waned a little, she would insinuate her name into the headlines again, either announcing she once had lesbian relations or announcing she once tried prostitution. After a while, people got tired of hearing even that sensationalism. Where is Roseanne now?

Cindy Sheehan will eventually lose her audience. And then she will show up in the news again, over some other issue. She might have been a good mother. I don't know. But she is a bad survivor. I feel sorry for her. But not because she lost her son.

Because she has lost her integrity.

Here is a must read for anyone who supports Cindy Sheehan and for Ms Sheehan herself.

Lie Of The Day
"She's not a candidate, and I don't know that she will be," claimed Bill Clinton, on Hillary's prospects for '08.


THE TRUTH:
Willy, please. We know you're itching to be "First Man." You actually expect us to believe that the two of you haven't already mapped out the whole campaign?

The Arts

I have an affection for the arts. Music, Art, Literature. All kinds. I wanted to major in fine arts when I was in college, but I never finished. Most everyone in my family is artistic in some way.

My oldest brother, while he is in the ministry, is an excellent writer.

My next oldest brother is an accomplished musician and singer. He teaches music at Eastern University in Pennsylvania. He is a musical genius. Hand him a musical instrument, any instrument, and in five minutes he will be playing it as if he's been studying it all his life. I've seen him do that. It's incredible.

One of my 2 sisters is a singer, too. She used to be a music teacher in Kansas but not anymore. A few years ago she had a stroke and hasn't taught since. She has sung Opera with the great Sam Ramey, now with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. I was there, I saw her. Not at the Met. Sorry. When they were both in college at Wichita State University.

All three of those siblings graduated with honors from their respective colleges.

My brother just 2 years older than me is an artist. He graduated with a degree in graphic arts. He works for Boeing Military Aircraft division now, in the CGI department.

My point is this: I have a special fondness for the arts. Let me tell you what I like and what I don't like.

I like classic country music and classic rock and roll. I also like folk music and bluegrass. Lately, since I have discovered my Scottish roots, I have also discovered Scottish and Irish folk music. Call it Celtic. I love it. I like classical music, too. I also like pop music, like Sinatra and Dino, etc. I like some modern rock, even punk rock. Like I say, just about all kinds.

I don't like Rap. That isn't music, in my opinion. I also don't like Opera or modern jazz. Or ballet. Too boring for me, or maybe, too sophisticated. But then again, I think the only people who like those kinds of music are pretentious elitists. And if the pretentious elitists were honest, they would probably say they don't like them either.

Those are the kind of people that have a lot of letters behind their name and wear the letters as a badge to display for all the world to see and envy.I don't wnat to imply that everyone that has letters after their name are pretentious elitists. Of course they are not all that way. My brothers and sister are not pretentious elitists. Neither are a lot of others, but the ones that are, well, all I can say is, "If the shoe fits..."


Jazz is too discordant. It assaults the ears like garbagemen banging trash cans in the early hours of the morning when you're trying to get some sleep.

I tool a guitar course in college, and my teacher was a world renown Jazz guitarist named Jerry Hahn, He wrote a monthly column in "Guitar Player" magazine on jazz guitar. He couldn't sing a lick. Us class members used to tell him we couldn't get the tune right on songs we were working on just to get him to try to sing. It was funny. He couldn't sing a lick.

Not a lick

Opera? Who wants to hear music sung in a foreign language? If I can't understand it, I'm not interested. Ballet is just boring.

But I, like the pretentious elitists, do enjoy classical music, like Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Hayden, Brahams, etc. Not because it's "classy" to like it, but because I appreciate the intricacies of the parts coming together in such perfect harmony, and the talent it took the great composers to put 126 different parts together in one hour long composition. Incredible. I think I got that appreciation from my brother and sister.

I got my appreciation for Country music from my dad. He wasn't who my siblings got their talent from. He was just a simple country preacher. We used to tease him about his love for country music. He once explained what kind of music he liked best and why. This is what he said:

"I like songs that tell a story."

Me too. My dad's 2 favorite songs were, "Long Black Veil" and Six Times a Day". I like them too.

"Six Times a Day"

Six times a day, the train came down from Frankfort.
Six years she waited, never missed a train.
Six times a day the people saw her waiting.
He never came, she never missed a train....

Great, huh?

I like art, too. I had some art talent, but according to my preacher dad, I lost the talent because I didn't use it for God's glory. I agree.

I don't care for modern art like Jackson Pollack or Jim Dine or Pablo Picasso. You could hand a chimpanzee a brush and some paint and get as good a painting. You want to see art that takes real talent? Look here: Those are not photos, they are paintings. Incredible, aren't they? The style is called Photo-realism. I fell in love with this kind of art when I went an exhibition of Photo-realism long ago. One painting was 10 feet high and 8 feet across. It was a black and white painting of the face of a freckled boy. Just the face. And you had to get within 1 foot of it to tell it was a painting. As I said, Incredible.

I like literature also. Mostly I like fiction. But when I read non-fiction it is usually a Biography or History, especially old west history, my favorite subject in that are the gunslingers. My favorite author is Kurt Vonnegut Jr. You may see his influence in my writing style. You may not. I don't know, but I like him and I don't care if he is a liberal.

I have read a lot of books that the pretentious elitist say they like. I read Catcher in the Rye, for instance. It was just OK, as far as I'm concerned. I've read Updike, and Sinclair, and Steinbeck, and Hemingway, and Langston Hughes, the author that is so popular with the pretentious elitists lately. I am not impressed, regardless.

Kurt Vonnegut says there are only two themes in all of his books. One is, "Cleaning shit off of practically everything" and the other is, "No Pain." I happen to think that's brilliant. But that's just me.

Anyway, these are some of the things in the arts that I like and some that I don't like. And now, I've wasted enough of your time, and mine, pretending that anyone besides myself is really interested in what I like.

Child or Choice?

This is an ultrasound 3-D image of my grandson, A.J. Isn't technology wonderful? They do the ultrasound and then they use a computer program to enhance and colorize it, making a virtual 3 dimensional image out of it. My daughter was less than 6 months pregnant when this was done. I don't recall exactly how far along she was.

There are some who would say this isn't a baby. Not a child. There are those who would argue that this is merely a mass of lifeless tissue.

Remarkable, isn't it?

It is indeed remarkable that after all we now know about the development of the human fetus, that there would still be some who claim to believe life doesn't begin until the baby breathes air. Or until his face meets the light of day. Even now, after scientists have conceded that life begins at conception, there are still those who say this child is not a living, viable human being.

I believe those people are so committed to the "culture of death", that they refuse to believe evidence that stares them in the face. These people are to be both feared and pitied.

Here is another picture of the same "mass of tissue" some time later:


Let me tell you of another child. Another grandson of mine. My son's wife was 6 months pregnant when complications arose. She gave birth to a 1 lb. 7 oz. baby boy. It was a breech birth.

He lived one day.

One day was certainly not enough time for a mother and child to "bond", was it? I wouldn't have thought so.

I attended the funeral. To those who claim that a child 6 months along in gestation is not a viable living human being, that it has no more right to life than say, a lump of clay, I have only this to say: If you could have seen for yourself the pain and the grief experienced by my daughter-in-law, and still say her child was only a zygote, an amoeba, a mass of lifeless tissue, you have no heart. I wish you could trade places with that baby.

I truly do.

And if you stood in front of me, physically, and said something like that to my face, I would cheerfully separate your teeth from your mouth.

An extremist group called NARAL has recently released an advertisement claiming Judge John Roberts supports the bombing of "women's health clinics", better and more accurately known as Abortion Mills.

The ad is completely false.

And this shows the extremes that those who endorse the culture of death will go to further their Godless agenda. They, and those like them, also think it's acceptable to take the lives of the old and infirmed. If left unchecked, they will most assuredly take us to the point where anyone who has outlived their usefulness can be exterminated. They appear to be in the process of creating a society where only the strong survive. It's the survival of the fittest in action.

You see how this fits right in with Darwin's theory of natural selection?

And yet, they accuse President Bush of murder. They pretend to object to the killing of soldiers in the heat of battle. That, they say, is obscene. And wrong. They object to the execution of those who wouldn't think twice about killing their loved ones for the fun of it. Or for money. Which, paradoxically, is the same thing they claim Bush is killing for. Why is it wrong for Bush to allow soldiers to die fighting for our freedom and to save the lives of innocents all over the world, but it's ok to kill innocent babies and brain damaged young ladies by the cruel and inhuman method of starvation and dehydration?

What's wrong with this picture?

Kill babies if you don't want the responsibility of raising a child. Kill grandma when she outlives her usefulness to society.

Who's next?

Maybe YOU.

NOTE:
Don't come onto my blog and make mean spirited hateful statements claiming you have some insight into the mind of God or denying the existence of God. THe process of gestation in a human being could not happen by accident. So, don't even go there. I take this subject very seriously.

UPDATE: After I posted this, my daughter called me and told me that ultrasound was actually done when she was about 8 months pregnant. So, I stand corrected.

Incidently, my daughter once told me she hated kids, that she would never have any, and that if she ever did accidently get pregnant, she would have an abortion. But she did accidently get pregnant, and she didn't have an abortion, and she loves her child.

I asked her this morning how she feels about abortion now. Not surpringly, she is against it.

Children have a way of changing minds.

The Mystery of the Sandwich

For the past several weeks, while driving to work, I have seen a man standing at the intersection of Greencastle, PA's main street, and the Exit ramp from I-81, holding a cardboard sign. The sign reads, "STRANDED, please help, God Bless You". I admit that I feel somewhat disturbed about not donating to this man, but the fact is, he doesn't look like he has missed many meals. (He is not the man in the picture) This man is well fed, wears clean, unwrinkled clothes, and he is clean and shaven. In fact, he looks less like a homeless person than I do. I have never spoken to him, so I confess I don't know his circumstances. I suppose if I did talk with him, there is no guarantee that I would get a factual story from him.

Last week the spot on which he stands was vacant for the entire week.

Except for the part of his sign that reads "help".

And a sandwich.

That's what I said. A sandwich. There on the ground, at the foot of the stop sign, lay a square of cardboard with the single word, "help", and next to that, a plastic baggie containing what appeared to be a bologna sandwich on wheat bread.

It was sealed.

Somehow the circumstances of this scene has fascinated me. I wanted to know what had happened to this man. Had he been run off rather hurriedly, so quickly, in fact, that he left his sandwich behind? Had he been arrested? Had someone came along and offered him work, and hope, and a meal? If so, why was his sign torn in pieces and why did he only leave the one piece behind? Why would he have taken the rest of the sign with him? Had something more sinister happened to him?

These questions dogged me the next few days after his disappearance, but for some reason, I was more fascinated by the sandwich. For the next 3 days that sandwich, in it's sealed baggie, lay there untouched and undisturbed and seemingly unspoiled within the safety of it's protective plastic baggie. In nearly 100 degree heat.

Get the picture?

But the most fascinating part was the scene I came across on the 4th day following the man's mysterious disappearance. The man was not there, and the sign was no longer there, and the sandwich was gone, but the baggie remained. As I sat there in my car, waiting for traffic to clear so I could turn left, I had time to examine the baggie more closely (without getting out of my car) and it appeared unviolated.

Unopened and unravaged.

At first I thought that maybe animals had managed to chew through the protective wrapping and purloin the now three day old sandwich. But my closer examination revealed no signs of violation. It appeared still sealed. And yet, the sandwich, in it's entirety, was gone.

Perplexing.

My obsession with the fate of a bologna sandwich on wheat bread is troubling to me.

The next day, the man was back, and has been there every day since, and other than a new sunburn, seemingly none the worse for wear. But the fate of the sandwich still concerns me. The thought that the man may have eaten it after three days left alone in the hot sun seems to be the only logical conclusion. I don't want to think about that.

But I can't seem to think of anything else.

Note from your humble friend and uneducated blogger:
Please go visit my friend, Wordsmith from Nantucket's place, called Hammering Sparks from the Anvil. His comments are alway well thought out and insightful, not to mention well written.

Lie Of The Day:
"Look, Lads! We can bash Bush too!" the Rolling Stones seem to be saying with the release of their new song "My Sweet Neo-Con." Desperation has clearly set in. Why are the Stones going so obviously political after four decades in the music biz? "We have lots of [new material] -- it's not like we're just eking it out," frontman Mick Jagger contends.


THE TRUTH:
Not "eking" it out, huh? Well, let's take a look at some lyrics from "My Sweet Neo-Con." "You call yourself a Christian, I call you a hypocrite/You call yourself a patriot, well I think you're full of sh**." Real creative!

Note #2:
I found the above picture on Google. I didn't notice at the time but that guy looks familiar. And now I know why. He's General Zod, from the movie, "Superman II"!

London Bombers are Not Al-Qaida

This is something that I have been thinking about for some time now, and I believe I've reached a logical conclusion. The opinions I am going to express today are my own. I haven't seen these theories expressed anywhere else. Nor have I heard any pundits on radio or television advance this theory.

I believe that the terrorists attacks in Londonn, England were not perpetrated by Al -Qaida. I believe these attacks were unauthorized copy-cat attacks by terrorists "wanna-be's".

You might well ask, "Why do you say that, O humble friend and uneducated blogger?"

Here is my response: For one thing, they failed in their second attempt. Al-Qaida wouldn't have failed. Oh I know that one of the captured attempted bombers has stated that the intention was to scare, and not kill people. But that one fact alone leads me to believe that they are not associated with Al-Qaida. Al-Qaida has every intention to kill and maim. Only scaring people without inflicting injury on them is simply not on their agenda.

Second, the leaders of Al Qaida have a flare for both the dramatic and symbolism, something that wasn't considered in the London attacks. This was demonstrated in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Does anyone really think that Al-Qaida attacked those particular targets because that was the way they could kill the most people?

I believe the targets of Al-Qaida on that fateful day were symbolic. Let's consider this for a moment.

1. The World Trade center represents to Al-Qaida the economic power of the United States.

2. The Pentagon represents the military power of the United States.

3. It is generally believed now, that the fourth plane was heading for the White House, or the Capitol building in Washington DC, The symbol of the Political power of the United States.

Think about that. Had the terrorists simply wanted to take out as many innocent people as they could they would have struck at a baseball game, or a football game or any other event with 30,000 to 80,000 people in attendance.


This is not to say that the terrorists did not want to kill and maim innocent people. They most certainly did. I am saying that the numbers of people they wanted to kill was of secondary concern for them. Their real targets were symbols of America's power in the World.

No, the London bombers are not affiliated with Al-Qaida. Of course, I'm sure Al-Qaida appreciates their efforts, nevertheless.

Also, let me add that Al-Qaida was most certainly aware, that had they succeeded in destroying the White House or the Capitol, it would not have brought down the most powerful government on Earth. It would have temporarily crippled us, but it would not have destroyed us. Even if they had killed President Bush and Vice- President Cheney with one attack it wouldn't have destroyed America. Don't think they are that naive.

I would like to say that that Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaida are not intelligent people but that would be seriously underestimating them. And that would be fatal.

Whew!

The Shuttle has landed. Thanks to the fortuitous fall of a piece of plastic (see my July 18th post)mere moments before it's scheduled take off, which prompted the NASA engineers to re-check the shuttle and take what may of seemed to some as extraordinary precautions before and during the flight, the shuttle landed with virtually no problems this morning at Edwards Air Force base.

And all I can say is "WHEW!"

I was watching the report on TV this morning and some things about it gives me pause to wonder. The report stated that the mood at the Kennedy space center in Houston was "ecstatic", and one anonymous source, a team member, reportedly said, "It will be hard to beat this mission." (or something like that, my memory isn't as good as it once was)

What is he talking about? If that was the best mission, I surely don't want to witness the worst. Hopefully we have already seen the worst. This mission was beset by problems and mistakes from the beginning. There are a lot of problems to be addressed before they attempt another flight, in my humble uneducated opinion.

The engineers at NASA are going to have to do some serious revamping of the quality control methods now currently employed by whoever it is that builds those things.

The entire civilized world was on proverbial "pins and needles", and in prayer throughout the flight. I don't think that is the mindset that NASA wishes to convey. America's confidence in the ability of NASA engineering has waned significantly.

Next time, let's hope they do a more thorough job before they attempt to launch.

Lie Of The Day

"Nobody in this country wants to vote for an abortion law that's the same as the Catholic law," claimed Mario Cuomo, on NBC's Meet The Press.


THE TRUTH:
Now Cuomo speaks for ALL Catholics?! Absurd!

Peter Jennings Dead at 67

NEW YORK (Aug. 8) - Peter Jennings, the suave, Canadian-born broadcaster who delivered the news to Americans each night in five separate decades, died Sunday. He was 67.

Mr. Jennings was a consummate professional, in my opinion. He had great charisma and a commanding, authorative presence on the screen. Pray for his family in this difficult time.



Also. I was listening to Laura Ingraham's program on Friday, and she played a sound clip from a speech by US Rep. Maxine Waters (D) CA, who was speaking to a meeting of two rival street gangs, the Bloods and the Crips. I searched all weekend for the text of that speech, but was unable to find it.

In the part of the speech that I heard, Ms. Waters exhorts the gathering of murderers and drug dealers to "...instead of fighting each other, fight [President]Bush."

Admittedly, I am not well educated on the Smith act, but I am fairly certain that it made it illegal to advocate the violent overthrow of the United States. I know the question of semantics will inevitably be brought up by those who would tend to agree with the anti-Bush sentiment. She didn't say they should violently overthrow the United States. No, but she might as well have.

President Bush is the President of the United States, and as such, deserves the same respect and status. For Maxine Waters to encourage known murderers to "fight" him is tantamount to encouraging violence against him.

Think about it. These aren't lawyers or congressmen, or senators, or doctors or mine workers, or any other segment of law abiding citizens she is talking to here. They are murderers and thugs. To them, the words "fight" and "kill" are synonymous.

If Maxine Waters isn't brought up on charges of Treason, she should at least be censured and/or recalled by her constituents. She has often been way over the top critical of the President and his administration.

She is an embarrassment to America, California, and even her own party.

At least, that's the opinion of your humble friend and uneducated blogger. I could be wrong.

PC Mascots and Other Silly Stuff

Before they invented drawing boards, what did they go back to?
Can atheists get insurance for acts of God?
If you shoot a mime, do you need a silencer?
How can you tell when you're out of invisible ink?
Does the little mermaid wear an "algebra"?
How does the guy who drives the snowplow get to work in the mornings?
Is it ever possible to have a "civil" war?
If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?
If a chronic liar tells you he is a chronic liar, do you believe him?
If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?
If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why's it still #2?
If you ate pasta and anti-pasta, would you still be hungry?
Is there a Dr. Salt?
Isn't it a little scary that a doctor's work is called "practice"?
Why does the word "monosyllabic" have so many syllables?
What was the best thing before sliced bread?
What's another word for thesaurus?
Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways?
Can fat people go skinny-dipping?
Why are there Braille signs on drive-up ATM's?
How come you never hear about gruntled employees?
Where are Preparations A through G?
If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

And my personal favorite:

If pro is the opposite of con, is progress the opposite of congress?

-------------------

I was listening to the Rush Limbaugh radio program on Friday when he brought up this story:

Fed up with what it considers "hostile" and "abusive" American Indian nicknames, the NCAA announced Friday it would shut those words and images out of postseason tournaments, a move that left some school officials angry and threatening legal action.

Starting in February, any school with a nickname or logo considered racially or ethnically "hostile" or "abusive" by the NCAA would be prohibited from using them in postseason events.

Rush then wondered aloud what names the offending Universities would adopt instead. So do I.

I am looking forward to the day when I can watch a bowl game between the North Dakota Fighting Displaced Native American Victims of American Atrocities vs. the Oklahoma State Rapers and Pillagers of Tradition Rich Native American Tribes.

I would be interested in hearing what names my blogger friends can cook up. Let's hear it!

This is me. I am trying to learn how to work this picture thing.
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Make your own church sign! Go to www.churchsigngenerator.com
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Theological Differences

Ambipositional (I made that word up) blogger buddy, ER, And I had a short discussion about the shift toward conservatism in the Southern Baptist Convention the other day. While I am conservative, ER is, not surprisingly, liberal. Fortunately, inerrancy of scripture is not an issue over which we, as Baptists should be divided. It is pretty much just an issue to be discussed in a amiable manner.

That was way too much background information for the purpose of this post. I really only wanted to post this account of an adventure the great theologian, Emo Phillips wrote about. It has absolutely nothing to do with the aforementioned discussion:

I was in San Francisco once, walking along the Golden Gate Bridge, and I saw this guy on the bridge about to jump. So I thought I'd try to stall and detain him, long enough for me to put the film in. I said, "Don't jump!" and he turns... You've heard of the elephant man. He was kind of like that, he had a, well, you could say he had the head of a horse. And my heart went out to him. I said, "Why the long face?"
He said, "'Cause all my life people have called me mean names like horses-head or Flicka or chess-piece or Trigger..."
I said, "Well, don't worry about it, Ed. It can't be that bad."
He said, "My girlfriend's suing me!"
I said, "For palomino?"
He said, "Why was I put on this Earth?"
I said, "My friend, anywhere else you wouldn't stand a chance."
He said, "Nobody loves me."
I said, "God loves you, you silly ninny."
He said, "How do you know there's a God?"
I said, "Of course there's a God. Do you think that billions of years ago a bunch of molecules floating around at random could someday have had the sense of humor to make you look like that?"
He said, "I do believe in God."
I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?"
He said, "A Christian."
I said, "Me too. Protestant or Catholic?"
He said, "Protestant."
I said, "Me too! What franchise?"
He says, "Baptist."
I said, "Me too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?"
He says, "Northern Baptist."
I said, "Me too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"
He says, "Northern Conservative Baptist."
I say, "Me too! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist or Northern Conservative Reform Baptist?"
He says, "Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist."
I say, "Me too! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Eastern Region?"
He says, "Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region."
I say, "Me too! Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879 or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?"
He says, "Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912."
I said, "Die, heretic!" And I pushed him off the bridge!

Here are some bonus theological "Emoisms":

On Prayer: "When I was a kid, I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized that the Lord, in his wisdom, didn't work that way. So I just stole one and asked him to forgive me."


On Responsibility: "I was walking down fifth avenue today and I found a wallet, and I was gonna keep it, rather than return it, but I thought: well, if I lost a hundred and fifty dollars, how would I feel? And I realized I would want to be taught a lesson"

On Compassion: "I was in the park today, and I saw an old lady going through trash cans, and my heart went out to her. I have a lot of compassion for old ladies going through trash cans, they'd saved my life so many times as a child."

On a more serious note: Today is the 60th anniversary of the day an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, taking over 140,000 lives. Take a few minutes to reflect on this and try to appreciate the freedoms we sometimes take for granted.

There. try to spin that!

Racial Profiling

With all the talk about racial profiling these days, I thought I'd add my 2 cents. I believe I may have a perspective that has yet to be viewed.

I have seen racial profiling first hand. Well, maybe second hand. When I lived in Kansas City, I witnessed a case of blatant racial profiling. It happened in the City of Overland Park, Kansas, which is a city located in Johnson County. Kansas.

For those of you not acquainted with Johnson County, Let me describe it for you. Not long ago, Johnson County claimed the highest per capita income of any county in the United States. It isn't the richest county in the country anymore, but it's still home to very wealthy people. Got the picture?

I was driving along 95th street, having just exited the interstate. In the car beside me, an older model Chevrolet Monte Carlo, badly dented and rusted, were seated 5 African Americans, both men and women. They had exited the highway just ahead of me and I had overtaken them in less than 2 blocks as I tend to drive as close to the speed limit, and sometimes a little over, as I can. They were driving slightly below the limit. Their tag was current and their brake lights and signals worked, as far as anyone could tell.

An Overland Park police car fell in behind them as we drove side by side down the street. Due to the presence of a police car, I automatically slowed down, just in case.

I watched in my rear view mirror, to see what the policeman was doing. (I neglected to mention that I get rather paranoid when I see a patrol car.) He did not speak into his radio mic, but he switched on his lights, indicating that the car ahead of him should pull over, which they obediently did, immediately. I drove on, but I realized at that point, and for the first time in my life, that I had just witnessed a case of racial profiling. It made me angry.

When someone is detained, or searched solely because of their skin color, in conjunction with the condition and/or age of their vehicle, or not in conjunction with the vehicle, it is racial profiling.

And that is just plain wrong. No matter how you attempt to excuse it.

Now. I told you that so I can tell you this:

Racial profiling and Ethnic profiling are not the same thing. Particuarly when we are all at risk of further terrorist attacks such as our WTC attacks and London's mass transit attacks.

When the police are detaining black or brown people based on the color of their skin, in the context of looking for an arrest, any arrest, it is quite different from looking for potential terrorists.

Look, crimes are committed by people of all colors and all walks of life, and all religious philosophies.

Terror attacks are committed by young middle eastern muslim men, ages 18-30 something, usually with back packs on their backs.

All attacks are committed by these people. Not some. All of them. A far cry from racial profiling.

Terror attacks can be stopped by Ethnic profiling, common crime cannot be stopped by racial profiling. Ethnic profiling is justified, at least temporarily, until we can stop terrorism.

Little old ladies in wheelchair's are never a threat. Our government needs to stop being afraid of violating terrorist's civil rights. And middle eastern muslim men between the ages if 18-30 something need to understand that they are a suspect ethnic group. If they don't, they will just have to learn to live with a little inconvenience until the threat is over.

The terrorists are to blame, not us. From what I've heard, the majority of middle eastern muslim men in America understand and don't take offense to ethnic profiling.

Racial profiling is wrong. Ethnic profiling is justified. At least until we neutralize the threat.

Lie Of The Day
"We are deeply concerned about the safety and security of our subways," claimed a representative for the NY Civil Liberties Union.


THE TRUTH:
If your organization is so concerned, then stop trying to undermine the random subway searches with your lawsuits! The searches may not be fool-proof, but they are at least a step forward towards becoming more secure.


Now, a joke: I was arrested for drunk driving in Massachusetts. At he trial, the judge asked me, "Do you know what the penalty for driving under the influence of alcohol is in this state?"

I replied, "Oh, I don't know.....re-election to the senate?"

A plug: Be sire you check out my long time friend, Ursa's blog. It is a pot pourri of jokes and quotes and stuff. Some adult themes, but not many. There is something for everybody at Ursa's place.

I am Distressed

Yes, I am distressed. And upset. I refer you to a previous post I made a while back when I listed 101 trivial facts about me:

17) I have a need for everyone to like me.

That is not to say this person doesn't like me. But when I get critiqued, this personality trait explains why I get upset.


I recieved an E-mail from a friend who shall remain nameless. (If my friend wanted to be known, my friend would have posted the comment on my blog, so I will respect my friends anomynity) This is what my friend told me:

I saw this on your blog. It saddens me that this is all new to you. You really do need to read some actual history, my friend. For the most part, it can't be found on the Internet, unless you really go looking for it and know how; it won't be on the best-seller lists, usually; and the fact is, it's not that easy to read. But for anyone who likes to espouse an opinion, a good grounding in history -- especially political and economic history -- is essential.

And history still comes only in one main source: Books. Big, thick books. You should read some.

If I am impatient with you at times, it's because, from where I sit, you seem to take people's self-interested rantings at face value if you happen to agree with them, and you seem to dismiss them outright if you happen to disagree with them. And you paint with too broad of a brush, when life, especially politics and history, is much more nuanced than that.


I'm not really upset about what my friend said. I'm upset because my friend is mostly right.

Let me take this a point at a time. First point: "I saw this on your blog. It saddens me that this is all new to you."

My friend was referring to my last post. The one about the history of the Republican party. Let me answer that by paraphrasing a great American, Will Rogers:

All I know is what I see on the daily newscasts. And hear on the radio. And yes, even on occassion, what I read in the papers. This was actually my whole point. We "uneducated" Americans have been taught political history by the Media, for the most part. There is a small percentage of people who have gone to the trouble of actually studying history, but for the majority of Americans, we get it from the media. One only has to watch Jay Leno's "Jaywalk" segments on The Tonight Show" to prove my point. And the media has exploited our ignorance by feeding us lies.

"You really do need to read some actual history, my friend."

I agree. One can never know too much history. Obviously, I don't know enough, but I have said more than once, that I am uneducated. This does not mean I am not intelligent. Intelligence and education are not always synonymous. I do know quite a lot of history, actually. I just don't know a lot of political and economical history. I know events.

"And history still comes only in one main source: Books. Big, thick books. You should read some."

I do read. Not as much as I used to, but I do read. Unfortunately, it's usually fiction. The last "Big, thick book" I read that wasn't fiction was "The Reformation of Conservatism in the Southern Baptist Convention" A pastor I once had lent it to me, along with the words, "This should interest you." It didn't. Well, maybe a little. I read the whole thing, which was excrutiatingly boring and dry, as far as I'm concerned, because I thought I might see a reference in it to my oldest brother, Wayne, who was once a president of the Arkansas Southern Baptist Association, and the business manager for the Southern Baptist Phillipine missions. He wasn't mentioned, but some people I knew were.

"But for anyone who likes to espouse an opinion, a good grounding in history -- especially political and economic history -- is essential."

This is also true. To a point. It is true that if I want to espouse an opinion on political and economic history, I should know some. No argument there. However, there are many subjects for which having an opinion does not require a knowledge of those things.

And I might add that an opinion is just that. Opinion. My father used to say, "Your opinion is no better or worse than anyone else's." And he also used to say, "This might surprise you, but there may be many people who don't care about your opinion."

I have a right to my opinion, even if it comes from an uneducated mind. Sometimes even those opinions have some merit. As I often say, everyone has the right to their opinion. They also have the right to be stupid. Even me.

"you seem to take people's self-interested rantings at face value if you happen to agree with them, and you seem to dismiss them outright if you happen to disagree with them. And you paint with too broad of a brush, when life, especially politics and history, is much more nuanced than that."

You are absolutely right on that point. Except the part about dismissing what I disagree with. I will admit that I do that on first reaction. But, if it is a valid point, I will think about it, and sometimes, I end up agreeing.

Let me let you in on a little secret: I don't really give my posts a lot of thought. Usually, I just dash something off based on something I've just heard or read. I stated that in my very first post when I created this blog. I'll try to do better.

I don't want you to stop critiquing me when you see me being stupid. I will get upset, sometimes angry, but that's my problem, not yours. It is through critique that we learn...er...I learn. Sometimes, due to my stubborness, it's the only way I learn. I apologize for offending you, if indeed I did.

Maybe on my next post I'll regale you with what I know about Southern Baptists.

The History of Republican Evil

The following comment is not mine. It was posted on another blog by a blogger by the name of Lone Ranger, who had posted a comment on one of my previous posts. Read it here.



Have you read it yet? Well, stop reading this and go there now! I'll wait till you get back.






Allow me to make a comment or two:

As I read through Lone Rangers comment, It occurred to me that I had always believed that the Republican party was the racist party. And I am pretty much a student of history, too. Yet I didn't know any of this stuff. I had been under the impression that it was the Democrats that were responsible for the advances we have made in civil rights in America.

I wonder where I got that idea?

Now I am thinking about something else. How many white supremacists and American Nazi's and skinheads are members of the Republican party because they have believed revisionist history, instead of the real history. If they knew the truth, they might be Democrats, and thus, might have very well swung the election results in the 2000 election. If the racists had been taught that the Democrats were the party with the agenda most closely resembling their own, John Kerry might be president today!

This goes to what another of my blogger friends brought up on his post recently. In their zeal to discredit the Republicans, have they instead shot themselves in the foot? When they blocked Boltons nomination, did they inadvertently insure he would be appointed by recess appointment, thus destroying any possibility of actually preventing his appointment with an up or down vote?

How ironic!

It would seem to me that the source from which we get our education in politics and it's history is the Mainstream Media. (not all the media, ER) We are supposed to believe that they are unbiased and impartial. If that is so, why haven't they corrected what is obviously a misrepresentation of history as we know it? They are educated people. Surely they do research about what they distribute.

Or maybe they have an agenda. Maybe they know the truth, but have decided in their wisdom that, in this case, the truth will not set us free. Who knows? But it makes me wonder what else we are being misled about.

What about you?

Lie Of The Day presented by Laura Ingraham:

"It's not Democratic or liberal or any kind of partisan network at all," claimed Al Gore, discussing his new cable network "Current," on The Tonight Show.


THE TRUTH:
What has Al Gore EVER done that's not been liberal???

Note from your humble friend and uneducated blogger: Personally I prefer to believe that the jury is still out on this one. Laura may be assuming too much. But not likely.

HATS OFF TO TENNESSEE

I received this in an e-mail the other day. For those of you who still think that we still have freedom of religion here in this country, read this.

This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School , Kingston , Tennessee , by school Principal, Jody McLoud, on September 1, 2002.


"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country.

Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it, "an alternate lifestyle," and if someone is offended, that's OK.

I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, "safe sex." If someone is offended, that's OK.

I can even use this public facility, to present the merits of killing an unborn baby, as a "viable means of birth control." If someone is offended, no problem.

I can designate a school day as, "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess, "Mother Earth," and call it "ecology."

I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depict people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as, "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it, "enlightenment."

However, if anyone uses this facility to honor God, and to ask Him to bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated
This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical. Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except God and His Commandments.

Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical. I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.
For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time.

However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank God, and ask Him, in the name of Jesus, to bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet."

One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another, and began to pray.

They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand, and they prayed in the announcer's box.
The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America - the seat of "justice" in the "one nation, under God."

Somehow, Kingston , Tennessee remembered what so many have forgotten..We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion.

A Life Changing Call on Laura's Show

Usually, I don't post more than 1 comment on my blog, but I had a remarkable epiphany today, and I wanted to share it with you. Read my other post for today as well.

I was listening to Laura Ingraham's radio program today. Laura was remarking on the casual dress she has begun to notice in church recently, and she was taking calls on the subject asking for listeners opinions.

Personally, I have always adhered to the viewpoint that there is nothing wrong with jeans and T-shirts in church. I thought that as long as you worship, it didn't matter what you wore, and that is a valid point. As a friend of mine once put it, "When Jesus returns, he isn't going to wait for you to change clothes."

However, one man called with an interesting point. One I had not thought of previously. I cannot record verbatim what he said but I will relate as best I can what he said.

Basically, he mentioned that in Biblical times, men were commanded to bring only the best selections of livestock to the temple for sacrifice. Sickly and weak animals were considered an insult to God. In the same way, God wants us to bring the very best to church to worship Him, therefore, you should always dress in your very best clothes out of respect for God and others.

Most of my readers know, by now, that I am a stubbornly opinionated man. But this was one of those rare times when something that someone said has influenced me to change my opinion.

He is right. From now on, when I go to church, I will dress as nice as I possibly can.

Now, for Laura's featured "lie of the day":

"I don't think a presidential candidate opposed to stem cells could be re-elected...er, elected," claimed Sen. Arlen Specter," claimed Sen. Arlen Specter, on CBS's Face the Nation.


THE TRUTH:
President Bush was just re-elected holding the view that federal support for embryonic stem cell research should be limited!

Let me interject my humble opinion here: Sorry, Laura, this time you are mistaken. Senator Spector was stating an opinion. For you to call this statement a lie, you would have to have access to his thoughts. He may be lying about what he thinks, but you don't know that. If he really thinks that, he is not lying.

But your point is made, nonetheless.

One other note: As I was arriving home for lunch today, I saw several young people walking down the street, west to east. Each one was wearing a T-shirt with the words, "Pro Life" emblazoned across the front. I stopped them and asked them what they were doing, and they informed me they were a pro life group walking across the United States in hopes of bringing awareness to the thousands of pre-born babies killed every year in our country. I linked to their website on my blogroll. Please visit their site to offer your support.

Stem Cell Research Revisited

With the recent revelation that Senator Bill Frist (R) Tenn, has reversed himself on the funding of Stem Cell research some Republican politicians are left scratching their collective heads, and Democrats are rejoicing.

I can't pretend to know why he flipped flopped on this issue, particuarly since we know he is a doctor, in addition to being a Senator. I think he is "pulling a Hillary", that is, moving closer to the center in preparation for a run for president. This makes sense to me considering what we now know about stem cell research, particuarly the rising popularity of Adult stem cell research.

Some time back, I posted this article on my blog, which garnered very few comments from readers. My blog wasn't getting many readers at the time, but some of my regular readers will no doubt remember this. It will be a shame if Mr. Frist doesn't remember it. In fact, I found the article on Poison Pero's blog :

Adult Stem Cell Breakthrough Ignored

Scientists at Australia's Griffith University have engineered a breakthrough in the field of adult stem cell research that's so significant, say experts, that it could render the debate over embryonic stem cell research moot.

The results of the four-year research project showed that olfactory stem cells can be turned into heart cells, brain cells, nerve cells, indeed, almost any kind of cell in the body without the problems of rejection or tumors forming, a common side effect with embryonic stem cells.


The poorly funded Griffith University team which conducted its research with a mere $200,000 in grants appears to have found a direct and non-controversial alternative to the use of stem cells derived from leftover embryos created during fertility treatment, reported the Australian newspaper.
"Our experiments have shown adult stem cells isolated from the olfactory mucosa have the ability to develop into many different cell types if they are given the right chemical or cellular environment," research team leader Alan Mackay-Sim told the paper.

Mackay-Sim's team of scientists managed to grow nerve cells, glial cells, liver cells, heart cells and muscle cells from cells harvested from the human nose.

The breakthrough, first announced two months ago, has been largely ignored by the U.S. media, which has focused on embryonic stem cell research as the only option to cure debilitating ailments like Hodgkin's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

As a result of the lopsided press coverage, California voters passed a $6 billion referendum to fund embryonic stem cell research last November, with similar programs proposed around the U.S. - though embryonic stem cell research has yet to show any significant medical progress.

In Australia, however, the medical community is excited over Mackay-Sim's adult stem cell breakthrough.

Brisbane neurologist Peter Silburn, a member of Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council, said the fact that researchers have been able to take adult stem cells from patients with Parkinson's disease and turn them into neurons shows great promise.

"We can now learn about the condition in ways we never could before," Silburn told the Australian.

Unlike embryonic stem cells, which reportedly can trigger tumors in one in five cases at the point of injection, adult stem cells grow in a controlled fashion and don't revert to their original tissue form.

Another significant benefit: Because adult stem cells can be harvested from the patient, there's no risk of the body rejecting them as alien, eliminating the need for immune system-suppressing drugs.

Still, two months after Australia's adult stem cell breakthrough was first announced, it has played little or no role in the ongoing U.S. debate over government funding for embryonic stem cell research.

"One of the complicating factors is that a lot of people have a lot of money tied up in embryonic stem cells," noted Australia's Catholic Archbishop George Pell, who helped secure funding for the Mackay-Sim project.

In light of this research, it boggles the mind that anyone would continue to fight for the funding of stem cell research from babies. Oh, By the way, let me add here, the fight over stem cell research currently going on in Congress is not over the research itself, but over whether the Government should fund the research, especially the harvesting of stem cells from embryonic tissue.

The chief objection to this is that opponents are afraid that unborn babies will be aborted for the express purpose of harvesting their stem cells. I would like to think, as "civilized" human beings that no one would be that heartless.

But then, I remember Ted Kennedy drowned Mary Jo.