My Absence

It has been three weeks since my last post. I have been busy writing the first part of my Thesis, along with two long papers for other classes. I have come up this week for a breath and I will be out of pocket again (more papers due).

Thanks for being patient with me. In the mean time enjoy the three new posts.

Jim

E-Coli Claims Its First Celebrity

Can Democrats Be Trusted to Govern in Wartime?

The Investor's Business Daily doesn't think so. They give 97 reasons why, here.

The Ant and the Grasshopper - 2006

My liberal mom sent this to me, she thought I would like it...and she was right!

The ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER - OLD VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible

MODERN VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving. CBS, NBC, ABC & CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so? Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper, and everybody cries when they sing, "It's Not Easy Being Green." Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, "We shall overcome." Jesse then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake. Ted Kennedy & John Kerry exclaim in an interview with Dan Rather that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his "fair share. Finally, the EEOC drafts the "Economic Equity and Anti-Grasshopper Act," retroactive to the beginning of the summer. The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the government. Hillary gets her old law firm to represent the grasshopper in a defamation suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a panel of federal judges that Bill appointed from a list of single-parent welfare recipients. The ant loses the case. The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ant's food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around him because he doesn't maintain it. The ant has disappeared in the snow. The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Vote Republican

He's Wagging His Finger Again - Watchout

Does this seem familiar to you? When he starts wagging that finger you better start checking his facts. Check out Michelle Malkin on the topic. Allahpundit at hotair has a great round up. Here is my favorite exerpt,

5.Despite the fact that it’s central to a debate that’s been raging for weeks, Wallace’s question about whether he did enough to eliminate Bin Laden is a “conservative hit job” designed to appease Fox’s right-wing viewers, who’ll all be very, very sore when they find out Rupert Murdoch is working with Clinton on climate change. Presumably Wallace should have stuck to the script followed by Meredith “Giggles” Vieira, CNN schlockmeister Larry King, who bombarded Clinton with tough questions like “How’s your health?” and “Have you seen Gore’s movie?”, and of course Keith Olbermann, who played his part perfectly except for the lack of a blue dress.

It always amuses me when liberals get mad because of the questions they are asked when they go on Fox News. They are so use to getting fawned over and asked softball questions by the MSM that they become undone and lose their composure. Instead of answering the questions they attack Fox as being "right wing." Well guess what, at least half of the country want those questions asked, and answered. Since no one from CNN or MSNBC is going to ask those questions, somebody has to. Conservatives are much better at this than liberals because they are used to tough interviews.

Mr Pot, Meet Mr. Kettle

HT realclearpolitics

How Nerdy Are You

A Smack Down GW Bush Style

This is the George W Bush I want to see more of, I love the finger in the chest. Matt Lauer is a joke. The day after we were reminded about what kind of enemy we are facing he is worried about waterboarding Al Queda members. It makes me ill.

Been Busy

Posting has been light over the last week because we have been very busy. This was Rose Festival week in Wasco and we had a lot going on. First, my daughter was a contestant in the Rose Queen pageant. It has been a great experience for Alysse, but it has taken up a lot of our time and energy (especially my wife and daughter's). Then we had the Rose Parade along with the Arts and Crafts Fair in the park, which took up Friday evening and the entire day yesterday. In addition, my son Aaron came home from college for the weekend with four of his new friends!

In one of my first posts on this blog, I wrote about why I love the Rose Festival weekend, and you can read the original post here. This year of course was special because of Alysse's participation in the pageant. The parade was great, it really is Americana. I took pictures of the parade so that I could share them with you. I hope you enjoy them.

The Crowd gets ready for the parade.

The parade always begins with this large American Flag.

The Color Guard

You won't see this kind of float in the other Rose Parade!

More Parade Pics

The Grand Marshall

Some lovely parade watchers (that is my wife in the middle and my youngest daughter next to her).

During the parade we congregate in front of our church which just happens to be right on the parade route.

Aaron's friends aren't sure what to think about small town U.S.A.!

Mr. Reding has been riding a scooter in the parade for over twenty years. It is his job to keep the parade entries moving along at the right pace.

Parade Pics Continued

Last year's Rose Queen

This year's Queen

Rose Queen and some of her Court

My Rose Queen

She definitely favors her mother!

Even More Pics

The Shriners are always a hit.

The Wasco High School Band

The Thomas Jefferson Junior High band

The Wasco City Council

Yes, There is More

It must be an election year!

The Last of the Pics

Every parade needs a pooper scooper!

Bachman Turner Overdrive

In previous posts (see here, here, here and here) I discussed why Rush is my favorite band. Now I want to talk about my second favorite band, Bachman Turner Overdrive or as they are affectionately known as BTO. Whereas Rush is known more as a "progressive rock" band, BTO is a more straight up "hard rock" band, although several of their songs have a jazz flavor to them.

As I began my High School years I became fascinated with BTO largely through my neighbor and classmate Bill Fisher . Bill had an LP (remember those?) by BTO called "Four Wheel Drive" and because I had just been given an old record player and needed something to play on it, he graciously let me borrow the album.

Given that it was going to take some time for me to earn the money to buy new albums I literally played "Four Wheel Drive" day and night. Every song on the album became my favorite as I listened to each one until the words and music were etched in my memory. Even today, I can still hear the music in my mind.

In any event, this led to the purchase of my second BTO album, "Not Fragile." Arguably their best album, there is no debate that it was their most successful, reaching number 1 on the pop album charts in 1974. It also included two number one hits, "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" and the instrumental "Free Wheelin." This album also included several of their best known songs, like "Roll on Down the Highway," "Not Fragile," and "Sledgehammer." Over the next few weeks I will be posting more on my favorite BTO albums and songs, but for now I want to post a couple of BTO videos from youtube.

One thing I want to add is that you shouldn't judge the band by their looks or by the quality of these videos. Randy Bachman and especially C.F. Turner do not look like your usual rock band members, but that doesn't mean they can't produce some very good tunes. So enjoy.

Bachman Turner Overdrive - Roll On Down The Highway

Bachman Turner Overdrive - You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

Bachman Turner Overdrive - Let It Ride

Bachman Turner Overdrive - Hey You

Game Week - San Jose State

Well, game week has finally arrived. This week the Washington Huskies prepare for their first game of the season, against San Jose State. It has been a tough couple of years for this Washington transplant living in Southern California. Most of the people here are either UCLA or USC fans. Since it is just up the freeway, there are some Fresno State fans here as well.

Quite a few people here root for UC Berkley, mainly because one of Wasco's own has played and started there over the last few years (by the way, his name is Aaron Merz and he was drafted by the Buffalo Bills, go Aaron). Aaron started playing for Cal, the year they broke the losing streak to UW. Mostly people here have been gracious about the condition of my Huskies, but it has been humbling to see how far this once mighty program has fallen.

I was excited when they hired Rick Neuheisel, but he was a big disappointment. He and Barbara Hedges helped take Washington from the best and most consistent program in the PAC-10 to where it is today. Our record for the last two years? 3-19, it even pains me to write that. Keith Gilbertson (the most recent coach) probably should also get some credit or rather blame for our sad state of affairs, but he was put in a no win situation.

I was not very thrilled when they hired Ty Willingham as head coach because I considered him to be a retread, and what we needed was fresh ideas and new blood. However, Ty is a quality individual and a great man of character. He has put together a good staff and there is some talent on this squad...we are going to find out very soon if this staff can get the job done, let's hope so. Here is this year's schedule and it looks pretty tough.

Sept. 2 San Jose State
Sept. 9 at Oklahoma
Sept. 16 Fresno State
Sept. 23 UCLA
Sept. 30 at Arizona
Oct. 7 at USC
Oct. 14 OREGON STATE
Oct. 21 at California
Oct. 28 ARIZONA STATE
Nov. 4 at Oregon
Nov. 11 STANFORD
Nov. 18 at Washington State

GO DAWGS!!!!!!

The 527 Media

Jed Babbin has an excellent letter to Ken Mehlman of the RNC. Nothing drives conservatives like me crazier than the Bush bashing, Republican hating MSM. It is time for the Republicans to fight back and to tell the truth to the country. In his article, he quotes Washington Post editor Marie Arana who confirms what we all know to be true.

"The elephant in the newsroom is our narrowness ... If you work here, you must be one of us. You must be liberal, progressive, a Democrat. I've been in communal gatherings at the Post, watching election returns, and have been flabbergasted to see my colleagues cheer unabashedly for the Democratic candidates."

Babbin's advice, "Tell America that it's a media culture, not a conspiracy."

In one of my favorite movies "You've Got Mail," Meg Ryan's boyfriend (played by Greg Kinnear) tells her as they are breaking up that he has fallen for a Conservative T.V. Talkshow Host. Since his character is a left wing columnist, Ryan's character is shocked. Kinnear's answer is, "I just can't help myself." That is the problem with the 527 media, they just can't help themselves. The only people they are around, the only people they listen to and read are fellow liberals. They really don't know anyone who lives in "fly over country" (i.e. middle America). They live and work in an echo chamber and they are narrow in their worldview.

But what can conservatives and republicans do to counteract the 527 liberal media culture? Or, as Babbin asks, how can republicans find "the pony in this pile of macaca?" Babbin offers some interesting ideas.

· Renounce any idea of using the power of the government against the press. The New York Times should be publicly ridiculed, not prosecuted. Remember the best lesson we can learn from Rush Limbaugh: You can do much more political damage with humor than with insults.

· Produce a series of television ads going after the "527 Media." Expose who they are and show how the typical newsroom is more like a dysfunctional, liberal family than a business run by adults.

· It's time for the Vice President to give a speech taking the press to task. He should name names. If Pinch Sulzberger wants to be a political activist instead of a publisher, why not call him on it?

· Organize a group called the Swift Veteran Reporters for the Truth. Every time one of those contrived stories comes out, make sure your team, experienced reporters all, can access the facts and get them out -- fast -- on blogs, talk radio and everywhere else.

· Get Republican congressmen and senators to write letters to their local papers and local network TV affiliates. Ask how they can pretend to be fair if they have nothing but liberals in the newsroom? Why did Clinton crony George Stephanopoulos get a big show on ABC? Culture, not conspiracy.

· Establish a media hotline for disgruntled reporters to call in about the contrived stories, connivance with the Dems and the bias they face in their newsrooms. Hire a couple of old-time conservative journalists to run it, guarantee anonymity, and then publish what the whistleblowers say.

· Get your best joke writers to study everything they can about the worst of the 527 Media and let 'em rip. I can just hear Mr. Cheney tut-tutting about the New York Times' stock collapse and comparing it to the dividends of, say, Halliburton.

The article is a whole lot of fun. HT NRO Media Blog

Now That I am Praising Bill Clinton

Nothing makes me more angry than the whole "Bush Lied" meme. It is dishonest and flies in the face of all the facts. Austin Bay has posted a column by Tom Nichols that makes this quite clear.

The article quotes none other than my new favorite person to praise,
Bill Clinton. Here is what Clinton had to say...

“It is obvious that there is an attempt here, based on the whole history of this operation since 1991, to protect whatever remains of [Saddam’s] capacity to produce weapons of mass destruction, the missiles to deliver them, and the feed stocks necessary to produce them. The UNSCOM inspectors believe that Iraq still
has stockpiles of chemical and biological munitions, a small force of Scud-type missiles, and the capacity to restart quickly its production program and build many, many more weapons.”

Clinton then added:

“Now, let’s imagine the future. What if [Saddam] fails to comply, and we fail to act, or we take some ambiguous third route which gives him yet more opportunities to develop this program of weapons of mass destruction and continue to press for the release of the sanctions and continue to ignore the
solemn commitments that he made? Well, he will conclude that the international community has lost its will. He will then conclude that he can go right on and do more to rebuild an arsenal of devastating destruction. And some day, some
way, I guarantee you, he’ll use the arsenal. And I think every one
of you who’s really worked on this for any length of time believes that, too. [emphasis added] If we fail to respond today, Saddam and all those who would follow in his footsteps will be emboldened tomorrow by the knowledge that they can act with
impunity, even in the face of a clear message from the United
Nations Security Council and clear evidence of a weapons of mass destruction program.”

That was Bill Clinton in 1998. Here he is on Larry King in 2003...

“People can quarrel with whether we should have more troops in Afghanistan or internationalize Iraq or whatever, but it is incontestable that on the day I left office, there were unaccounted for stocks of biological and chemical weapons.And then we bombed with the British for four days in 1998. We might have gotten it all; we might have gotten half of it; we might have gotten none of it. But we didn’t know. So I thought it was prudent for [President Bush] to go to the U.N. and for the U.N. to say you got to let these inspectors in, and this time if you don’t cooperate the penalty could be regime change, not just continued sanctions.”

Read the whole article, I think it is very convincing and a sharp rebuke to those who want to continue to scream, Bush lied.

Who Should We Believe - The New York Times or the Facts?

Check out this post at Gateway Pundit. Once again the blogs are doing the work that the MSM won't do (I will leave it to you decide why).
HT Instapundit

My favorite for 2006 Rose Queen

If you want to see who I am rooting for in this year's Wasco Rose Queen Pageant click on this link and then click on the bottom far right contestant. It is a good thing she takes after her mother.

A National Shame

Stories like this just make me shake my head in shame. What has our country come to? In the name of "choice" and "reproductive rights" a worker at an abortion clinic can deliver a baby, "alive, moving and trying to breathe," cut the umbilicial cord and then stuff "the wriggling, gasping baby into a biohazard bag" and seal the bag shut. According to the article this is not the first time something like this has happened.

The Hialeah City Council on Aug. 10 stripped A Gyn of its local license. Clinic owner Siomara Senises voluntarily surrendered her operating license to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. In 2004, Senises turned in her license to operate another clinic in Miramar, Fla., after authorities discovered she had allowed unlicensed workers, including a medical student and a janitor, to perform abortions. The Hialeah incident marks the third time in two years that Florida abortionists have had to surrender their licenses for endangering women's safety, and the second time in just over one year that a born-alive baby has died in a Florida clinic.

God help us!

HT Stand to Reason

Democrats and the Fertility Gap

Arthur C. Brooks has authored the feature article at Opinion Journal. In it, he explains why the liberals may have a larger political problem in the future because they are not multiplying, there is a "fertility gap" that they may not be able to overcome.

Simply put, liberals have a big baby problem: They're not having enough of them, they haven't for a long time, and their pool of potential new voters is suffering as a result. According to the 2004 General Social Survey, if you picked 100 unrelated politically liberal adults at random, you would find that they had, between them, 147 children. If you picked 100 conservatives, you would find 208 kids. That's a "fertility gap" of 41%. Given that about 80% of people with an identifiable party preference grow up to vote the same way as their parents, this gap translates into lots more little Republicans than little
Democrats to vote in future elections. Over the past 30 years this gap has not been below 20%--explaining, to a large extent, the current ineffectiveness of liberal youth voter campaigns today.

Of course not every child grows up to have the same political views as his parents (see the 60's), but more often than not they do. Brooks doesn't see this fertility gap changing anytime soon, even when "we correct for factors like age, income, education, sex, race--or even religion."

He quotes one liberal columnist who insists that the gap is a real reflection of the cultural differences between the left and the right in the country today. As the aforementioned columnist wrote,

"Maybe the scales are tipping to the neoconservative, homogenous right in our culture simply because they tend not to give much of a damn for the ramifications of wanton breeding and environmental destruction and pious sanctimony, whereas those on the left actually seem to give a whit for the health of the planet and the dire effects of overpopulation."

While I think the columnist's explanation is over the top, I do agree that there is a fundamental difference in how the left and the right look at the value of children. Call it "family values" or whatever you want, but conservatives generally think having a family i.e. lots of kids is not a bad thing.

I do think there is another factor that Brooks did not address that helps to explain the fertility gap. James Taranto at Best of the Web calls it the Roe Effect. In a nut shell the theory goes that...

"since those who favor legal abortion are much more likely to get one than those who oppose it, and since children often follow their parents' political leanings, support for legal abortions will decline over time, simply because pro-choice parents will have fewer children than they might otherwise have had. Since people frequently associate their views with political parties, those parties that oppose abortion, such as conservative parties, including the Republican Party, could gain power over time" (source wikipedia.org).

The fertility gap helps to explain why the democrats are working so hard to court favor with immigrants because that seems to be the one area where they might experience actual growth.

What Bill Clinton Has Wrought

This is a first at accordingtothisjim, but I am going to say something positive about Bill Clinton. For all the issues I have with his presidency he did do some things right. One thing he did right was sign the welfare reform bill in 1996. This may be the greatest legacy of his presidency. Rich Lowry of NRO has an interesting article about the effects of that bill. Among other things Lowry writes,

Welfare caseloads have dropped 60 percent since the passage of welfare reform. Was that just the result of a strong economy? No. Caseloads didn’t decline significantly in any of the eight periods of economic expansion from the 1950s to the mid-1990s. From 1953 to 1994, the number of families on welfare dropped in only five of those years, and dropped two years in a row only once. By 2005, welfare caseloads had been declining for a stunning 11 straight years.

HT Justin Taylor

My Tax Problem is Nobody else's Business

I am generally for privatizing as much of the government as possible except when it involves sensitive information. This is a perfect example. It is a very bad idea. I can see the possibility for all kinds of abuses.

Although I guard my credit religiously and I haven't had much experience with collection agencies (medical bills I thought the insurance had taken care of), I know how they can be and I am sure that people will be intimidated into paying more than they owe.

Like with the bankruptcy bill (I have never declared bankruptcy) that was passed last year, I really believe that some in Congress have no clue what it is like to live in the real world.

Mexicans in America

Richard Rodriguez a CATO Institute (a Libertarian Think Tank) contributer, has written an interesting essay on Mexicans in America. For those of us who think that strong immigration reform is badly needed, it will not be an easy read. However, Rodriguez makes some very valid points.

Americans have tended to abrogate to economists the question of the costs and the benefits of illegal immigration. But, surely, beyond how much Betsy Ross is willing to pay for a head of lettuce, there is the question of morality, there is the question of Mexico. How much of Mexico are we willing to take within our borders? I believe the question might better be asked of a theologian, than an economist.

Rodriguez is a big believer in assimilation so he is not calling for a reconquista, only that we as Americans have a better understanding of Mexican immigrants and their values and how we should see them.

In response to Rodriguez, another CATO contributer, Victor Davis Hanson has written a reaction essay. He writes,

First, I share Rodriquez’s worry that migrant workers are sometimes being demonized. But aside from necessary censure against bigots, it is all the more urgent to ensure that Mexican immigrants arrive in the United States legally, and in reasonable numbers that ensure that they can assimilate and find opportunities in education and employment as quickly as possible.

Yet we too often forget that much of the unfortunate animus toward illegal aliens is most often predicated on class considerations, more than race or religion. Americans of the lower middle classes of all races—who do not have nannies or gardeners, who rarely eat out or stay at a hotel, but who do
compete for wages in construction and service industries with illegal aliens, and have their children in overcrowded inner-city or rural schools that are struggling with immigrants without English—are far more likely to demand reform than is our elite. The latter appreciates good cheap service while traveling and
dining out, or industrious day-laborers for remodeling and landscaping—and, of course, has little worry about rival illegal-alien film producers, professors, writers, lawyers, or doctors undercutting their own salaries or unions.

Pace Rodriguez, we need not ask either a theologian or an economist about how much of Mexico we are willing to take in. We already have a good guess that one out of every ten Mexican citizens currently resides in the United States, most of them under illegal auspices.

This influx is largely due to the cynical policies of American
business that wants robust Mexican youth to work cheaply at wages Americans apparently will not. When the worker’s vigor and health are exhausted, the employer expects to find a younger replacement from Mexico—with the added expectation that the government entitlement industry will provide for his former employee’s health and retirement needs.

But you can't lay all of the blame at the feet of American businesses.

Then there is the Mexican City government that counts on $15 billion in remittances to prop up a near-failed state, without much care how minimum-wage workers abroad survive after sending so much of their wages home. Illegal immigration for Mexico is a safety valve that ensures dissidents migrate rather than agitate. And Mexico also nurses ethnic chauvinism and old grievances, delighted to discover that its expatriate community grows fonder of Mexico the longer and further it is free from it. Rodriquez thinks it is “curious” that “Indians” are coming north from Mexico. Perhaps, but instead of condemning the “cold heart” of America, he should ask why they apparently find“white” or “Anglo” culture more tolerant than the “Spanish” establishment of Mexico that is apparently relieved to see its own mestizos leave.

This is a healthy discussion that I would like to see more of.

Finally, Some People in Hollywood Get It!

Just when I think I can't be surprised by Hollywood, I am! Duane at Radioblogger has posted the following on his website. Notice who they are blaming for the civilian casualties....those who are really responsible for them!

15 Websites that Changed the World

I have used most of these websites, although I have not heard of two of them (friendsreunited.com; easyjet.com). This is an informative read. I love wikipedia and youtube. HT evangelicaloutpost

Also see 25 Greatest PCs of all Time and 50 Coolest Websites

The 25 Most Important Questions in the History of the Universe

Can a pregnant woman drive in the carpool lane? How can a person win at that ultra-important-corporate-decision-making-process, rock-paper-scissor? Was turkey a country or a bird first?

These pressing questions and 22 others have been answered for us and can be found here. HT The Corner

OK GO Treadmill Dance

These guys have way too much time on their hands!

How to Become a Notre Dame Fan

Click to Enlarge
Football season is just around the corner and the message board is burning at dawgman.com. Someone there named nukemdawg posted this chart. I don't know if he made it up or he copied it from someone else. I would be glad to credit it to the person who developed it if they step forward. As you will see, I am not much of a Notre Dame fan, in fact I can't ever remember rooting for them, ever in any game! I think they get special treatment and don't deserve it.

The Media's Warped Sense of Perspective

This article by Jeff Jacoby is excellent. While I was very angry that Mel Gibson said what he did (not only was it wrong, but it played into the hands of those who cried anti-semitism against "The Passion of the Christ"). However, lets keep some perspective about the degree of offenses, especially given the difference in the contrition between the two men (one was very contrite, one wasn't). HT Hugh Hewitt

Lebanon

In the midst of all the turmoil and strife in the Middle East we forget how beautiful that area can be. Also, it is amazing how small an area it really is. Michael J. Totten who lived in Lebanon, has posted some great photos of Southern Lebanon near the Israeli border (make sure you keep scrolling down). In addition, check out the links he provides to more photos of Beirut and other parts of Lebanon.

A Good Day To Be A Washington Husky

Husky Stadium - Seattle Washington

Warren Moon got the Huskies started on their roll back in the seventies (and sadly ended in 2003). I have always been a big fan of his. Congratulations go to Warren on being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Ann Coulter

My mom over at leezy's slice of life blog has commented on the recent Ann Coulter interview at beliefnet.com.

Rather than go through the interview question by question and respond to Ann Coulter's comments, I am just going to link to the interview and then a discussion that followed over at the thinklings blog. The Redeemer Church referenced in that discussion is Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC.

Why does Ann Coulter elicit the kind of response she gets, like the one from my mom? I have said before that most liberals are not used to having conservatives speak the harsh realities of truth to them, as Ann Coulter does. I have to admit that I usually cringe when I hear her speak, but I secretly admire they way that she can "tell it like it is."

Unfortunately, because of her style and because she has become the issue, her effectiveness has been diminished. Anything she says is really just preaching to the choir. I think that is sad because as an intelligent and articulate woman, she has some very important things to say.

Scary

What is so frightening about this clip is that this man is one of the highest ranking dems in congress. Do we really want to put him in a position of power? This is why the elections in November are so important.

Ned Lamont vs Joe Lieberman

I think what is happening to Joe Lieberman in Connecticut is outrageous. Six years ago the Dems loved him enough to make him the Vice-President. Now, they are ready and willing to throw him under the bus.

I disagree with Lieberman on almost everything, but I do believe he is one of the most consistently principled Democrats in Government.

Ned Lamont's campaign should remember that those who live by the left-wing blogosphere shall die by the left-wing blogosphere.

Michael Gerson

This is an interesting interview of one of the great speechwriters of the last several decades. Looking back on some of President Bush's best speeches you can see Gerson's influence.

1,000th Visit

Sometime today we went over 1,000 on our visit count! Thanks mom for visiting so often (she gets credit for about 500 of those visits). Here's to 100,000 more.

Ole Anthony

I love this kind of ministry. Frankly, more leaders in the evangelical church should be speaking out in support of his work. Some, like Benny Hinn, are false prophets. Others, like Paul Crouch and Robert Tilton are simply hucksters. Men like TD Jakes and Joel Osteen don't fit into either of those categories, but they are severely misguided.

Robert Tilton is the worst of the worst. This is such a serious subject but, if you want a good laugh, check out this and this (warning crude alert).

HT SmartChristian

Internet Gambling

A Slate article on gambling by Jacob Weisberg is thought provoking. He writes,

Here in Midtown Manhattan, I have plenty of opportunities to gamble legally. At the newsstand downstairs, I can buy New York lottery tickets for dozens of different instant, daily, and jackpot games. To play the horses, I have only to pick up the phone or walk a few blocks to one of more than 60 convenient off-track betting facilities in the city. From the Port Authority terminal on Eighth Avenue, I can catch a bus to Atlantic City, where I can play blackjack, roulette, and poker. It's an even
shorter ride to Foxwoods in Connecticut, historic home of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and approximately 7,000 slot machines.

Gambling has become the national pastime, and it is becoming more pervasive. He goes on to say,

Various other forms of gambling are entirely illegal, though prevalent and unlikely to get me in trouble. It is technically against the law to participate in an office pool on the NCAA tournament. Betting on a friendly round of golf, chess, or billiards is also a crime. I break the law when I play poker with my buddies, though if I am ever arrested, I plan to point out that Justice Scalia does it, too. There is some ambiguity about whether it's illegal for individuals to play poker over the Internet, but executives of foreign-based Web sites who allow
Americans to wager may be arrested, as was David Carruthers, the chief executive of the British company BetonSports, who was taken into custody while changing planes in Dallas on his way to Costa Rica. According to his lawyer, Carruthers now faces up to 20 years in prison on federal charges. A bill before Congress, sponsored by Rep. Jim Leach, R-Iowa, (which has over a dozen casinos, a gambling cruise ship, two dog tracks, a horse track, and a lottery), would attempt to curtail Internet gambling by creating criminal penalties for credit card and other companies that process Internet gambling transactions.

What's the difference between the legal forms of gambling and the illegal forms? Some of the legal varieties are less appealing, in part because the "vig" tends to be higher (lotteries return less than 60 percent of their take in prizes). Certain kinds of authorized gambling convey the special grimness of state-sponsored vice, which will be familiar to those who have visited riverboat casinos in desperate Mississippi and Indiana towns. But morally and in terms of their social consequence, it's hard to draw any distinction at all. All kinds of gambling, from bingo to baccarat, are benign entertainment for most people,dangerously addictive to a few, and capable of breeding unwanted side effects for society.

I disagree with his attitude toward internet gambling. I think it is a trend that will breed a great deal of hardship for families in the future. I especially hate the idea that people can charge their internet gambling to credit cards. That is a recipe for disaster.

HT Albert Mohler

Why Evangelicals Support Israel

This short item helps explain why.

Christian Retailing and the Great Commission

This article in the LA Times about a Christian Retailers Convention makes me wonder about what has happened to modern christianity? An excerpt:

Christian Outdoorsman was taking orders for a camouflage baseball cap with a red cross. In Booth 235, Revelation Products of St. Louis was pitching golf balls and flip-flops. Follow the Son flip-flops have patterned soles that leave the message "Follow Jesus" in the sand.Gospel Golf Balls are touted as "a great golf ball with a greater purpose." Manufactured by Top-Flite, the golf balls are printed with well-known verses from the Bible, such as John 3:16 ("For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…. "). Dave Kruse, president of Revelation, said they were meant as "conversation starters," to help men share
their faith while teeing up.An added bonus: Duffers need no longer feel bad about losing a ball in the rough. "If you're playing great, good," Kruse said. "If you're spraying the ball, well … lose a golf ball, share the gospel."

The article goes on to say:

After years of steady growth, the Christian retail market notched $4.3 billion in sales in 2004, the latest year for which figures are available. Sales of Christian books, in particular, are booming, outpacing most sectors of the publishing industry.But except for a handful of top-selling books and albums, Christian merchandise is marketed almost exclusively by believers for believers, through Christian stores, trade shows and websites.There are Christian health clubs, Christian insurance agencies and Christian tree trimmers (who advertise in Christian business directories). There are Christian alternatives for the
most unlikely mainstream products: gangsta rap, shoot-'em-up video games, sweatbands, playing cards, scrapbook supplies, children's pajamas.Even the popular American Girl doll collection — long a favorite of Christian families because it's so wholesome — has inspired an overtly Christian knockoff. A Life of Faith, like American Girl, publishes historical novels featuring spunky girl characters, then turns the heroines into $100 dolls with lavish wardrobes. In the Christian version, the dolls come clutching Bibles; their stories, sprinkled with Scripture, describe how the girls find sustenance in theirfaith."It looks like a bunch of pretty, frilly stuff, but … it will get those Biblical values deep into the girls' hearts. Our culture is a river of mud, and we don't want girls to be swept up in it," said Sandi Shelton, president of Mission City Press in Franklin, Tenn., which produces the Life of Faith line.

Unfortunately, Alan Wolfe, a non-believer understands what is going on better than most believers.

The effect of such products, according to political scientist Alan Wolfe, is to create almost a parallel universe, one that allows Christians to withdraw from the world instead of engaging it as Christ commanded."It's as if they're saying the task of bringing people to Jesus is too hard, so let's retreat into a fortress," said Wolfe, who directs the Boisi Center for Religion and American
Public Life at Boston College."Evangelism is about reaching out and converting the unsaved," Wolfe said. "This is about putting a fence around people who are already saved. It strikes me as if they're giving up.

Is it time to cleanse the temple again?

ht Justin Taylor

Quote of the Day

paleoevangelical's quote of the day is pretty powerful and certainly makes you think. It is from a sermon preached by Stephen Davey, here is an excerpt:

What if homosexuality was made illegal? What if abortion was outlawed? What if sexual relations outside of marriage were unacceptable? What if prayer was back in the classroom and the Ten Commandments back in the courtroom? What then? Are people going to heaven? Has the mission of the church advanced one inch? Suppose we could turn the clock back to the good old days, wherever they were, with shared boundaries of morality, a basic respect for God, a basic underpinning of absolute truth. . . Would we breathe a sigh of relief then? Would we think that we have somehow completed our job?

Read the whole thing.

NPR - Daniel Schorr Please Don't Leave

Maybe if they hired more conservative producers they might not need Daniel Schorr. And you thought people at NPR were edumacated. For my liberal mom's sake, I hope he lives to be 110, that way she can trust the news she gets. HT instapundit

Give Jihad a Chance

I had to post this just to give my liberal friends a tweak.

Stuck with Feinstein and Boxer

This is the kind of campaign ad we need to see more of. I loved it because of the humor and it made me want to learn more about him. Most importantly, he is not a lawyer! Unfortunately, since I live in California I won't get the chance to vote for him.....I am stuck with Di Fi and Barbara Boxer :( HT The Sixers Blog at NRO

Colleges and the SBC

There is a lot to this story that I find interesting. For sixty-three years this school took money and support from the SBC, but when the SBC wanted to see a return to the baptist theology that the school was founded on, the school says, no more!

Though the school says it is about academic freedom, it is really about theological liberalism. It is an old story that has happened to other denominations as well. Princeton, Yale, Harvard were all started as training schools for preachers. Of course they have moved far awau from those roots, and are mostly embarrased by them. My how the mighty have fallen.

What Dan Brown Has Wrought

All I can say to this is......oh brother!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

You don't have to guess on which side of this issue I fall!

HT Tom Bevan at RCP

Disproportionate Response

This pretty much says it all! Thank God for America, and thank God George Bush is in office right now or there would probably have to be another character added to the cartoon (named Clinton?). Check this out at Cox and Forkum.

Israel and Hezbollah

For the most recent coverage of what's going on in the Middle East check out Pajamas Media.

Is There Hope for Allergy Sufferers?

As a long time allergy sufferer and as someone who has had sinus surgery and allergy shots, I hope this is true. HT Instapundit.com

Moonbat Fasting

Before you watch this hilarious video (I was ROFL), you have to read this and this and this. Michelle never pulls any punches. Ann Coulter gets all the publicity but Michelle is better at communicating the utter ridiculousness of the moonbat left!

Jesus has something to say about fasting, here is what the infinite God /man of peace had to say.

Matt 6:16-18 "And whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 17 "But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face 18 so that you may not be seen fasting by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. NAS

Language or Principles?

My mom sent me this article from NPR. It is an excerpt from a book by Geoff Nunberg called Talk Right and it is subtitled:

"How Conservatives Turned Liberalism into a Tax-Raising, Latte-Drinking, Sushi-Eating, Volvo-Driving, New York Times-Reading, Body-Piercing, Hollywood-Loving, Left-Wing Freak Show."

Nunberg teaches at the University of California-Berkeley, and is a researcher at the Center for the Study of Language and Information at Stanford University.

The whole point of the book seems to be that the democrats are loosing in politics because of how they frame things linguistically. Nunberg writes,

Are the Democrats simply tone deaf? That impression was hard to escape when the party floated a new slogan in the fall of 2005 that was aimed at the 2006 midterm elections: "Together, America can do better." Or more accurately, a newly augmented slogan in 2004, John Kerry had used "America can do better," without the "together" part. According to the congressional newspaper The Hill, Democrats had chosen the slogan to address the party's "messaging problems" after testing it in focus groups along with a number of alternatives. "We know
the majority of people agree with us on the issues," one Democrat was quoted as saying, "but this effort is an acknowledgment that we need to communicate better."

This is not the first time we have seen criticism of democrats when it comes to the language of politics. The problem is, and sadly, I don't think the dems and their wordsmiths get, is that the language of the right is a language of principles. In other words, what we speak is what we believe. Nunberg comes close when he says,

It's only when you look at those patterns of usage that you discover how deep the Democrats' linguistic problems go. Over recent decades, the left has lost the battle for the language itself. When we talk about politics nowadays and by "we" I mean progressives and liberals as well as conservatives and people in the center we can't help using language that embodies the worldview of the right. (emphasis mine)

The reason the right wins the language or framing issue is because we are not afraid to speak from a point of principle, from the perspective of our worldview. We know what we think and we communicate it confidently. The dems on the other hand are still trying to figure out what they stand for and what they believe (I suspect that they know what they believe but they are unwilling to say it clearly because it would be very unpopular).

How can you frame the content of the national conversation when you can't have an honest and principled point of view. If you think I am being too harsh remember this? "I voted for the 87 billion before I voted against it." How many new slogans have the dems come out with over the last few years? When your sole goal is to win elections, rather than govern for the common good, this is what you get.

So, forget linguistic experts and bring on the leaders that can articulate a worldview that is real and honest, and then let the debate begin!

You've Got Mail

While doing some work online Tuesday, my computer said, "you've got mail." Since it was my home account and I rarely use it I almost ignored the message, but I decided to check it out anyway. I was glad I did. It was a message from Classmates.com, a site I signed up for a few years ago, and rarely visited since. Because I am such a cheap skate, I wouldn't spring for the regular subscription and registered for the free part instead. Because I am on the "free plan" the only thing I can do at classmates is basically look to see who else has registered. The downside is those awful e-mail messages telling me that a certain amount of people have looked at my bio and that I really should sign up for a subscription so I can find out who!

On Tuesday however, the message was different. It said someone from my class had sent me an e-mail and that I could go to the website and read it (I didn't even know we could send e-mail to classmates through, well Classmates.com). More importantly, the e-mail said that it was from D. Phillips.

D. Phillips! That would be Doug Phillips, my best friend throughout Jr. High and High School. Needles to say, I immediately opened the e-mail and read it. What a blessing it was to hear from Doug. After High School, we both went our separate ways, he went to WSU (go Cougs) and I went to P.C.B.B.C. (don't ask. Well okay - Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College). Over the years we basically lost touch.

A few years back we e-mailed each other a couple of times but lost track again. This time, I hope we can remain in touch. I rejoice and gives thanks to the Lord that he and his family are well. It does my heart good!

Good friends don't come along often and Doug was, and I think I can still say, is a good friend.

PS. One funny story: On graduation night, our class rented out the YMCA for an all night grad party. After a fun night of dancing and games and reminiscing, a group of us decided to go to breakfast since it was now about 4:00 am. After breakfast I talked Doug into going with me to Selah to see my then girlfriend. I was just going to knock on her window and say hello. Arriving at the girlfriend's house I parked out front and walked around to the side of the house to knock on her window. Doug stayed out front and waited by the car. After knocking on the window, the girlfriend and her sister invited me to come in through the window and then to go out through the front door (it now sounds very inappropriate, but there was nothing untoward that happened). Anyway, after saying hi and goodbye I quietly walked out the front door to return to the car and what did I see? Doug was being questioned by the Selah police. Evidently, they were driving by while I was going through the window and thought a crime might be in progress. After much explaining, they determined that it was what it was and we were free to go, although my friend was none too happy with me. Still, he let it go and moved on. That's what friends do.

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

Here is the answer (or I should say, here are the answers).

An Inconvenient Truth

This is a great article sifting through the hype of global warming, seeking to get to the truth (inconvenient or not). The article is written by Richard S. Lindzen, the Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Atmospheric Science at MIT.

According to Al Gore, when it comes to the issue of global warming, "the debate in the scientific community is over." But is that correct? Dr. Lindzen writes,

That statement, which Mr. Gore made in an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC, ought to have been followed by an asterisk. What exactly is this debate that Mr. Gore is referring to? Is there really a scientific community that is debating all these issues and then somehow agreeing in unison? Far from such a thing being over, it has never been clear to me what this
"debate" actually is in the first place.

The media rarely help, of course. When Newsweek featured global warming in a 1988 issue, it was claimed that all scientists agreed. Periodically thereafter it was revealed that although there had been lingering doubts beforehand, now all scientists did indeed agree. Even Mr. Gore qualified his statement on ABC only a few minutes after he made it, clarifying things in an important way. When Mr. Stephanopoulos confronted Mr. Gore with the fact that the best estimates of
rising sea levels are far less dire than he suggests in his movie, Mr. Gore defended his claims by noting that scientists "don't have any models that give them a high level of confidence" one way or the other and went on to claim--in his defense--that scientists "don't know. . . . They just don't
know."

So, presumably, those scientists do not belong to the "consensus." Yet their research is forced, whether the evidence supports it or not, into Mr. Gore's preferred global-warming template--namely, shrill alarmism. To believe it requires that one ignore the truly inconvenient facts. To take the issue of rising sea levels, these include: that the Arctic was as warm or warmer in 1940;
that icebergs have been known since time immemorial; that the evidence so far suggests that the Greenland ice sheet is actually growing on average. A likely result of all this is increased pressure pushing ice off the coastal perimeter of that country, which is depicted so ominously in Mr. Gore's movie. In the absence of factual context, these images are perhaps dire or alarming.

They are less so otherwise. Alpine glaciers have been retreating since the early 19th century, and were advancing for several centuries before that. Since about 1970, many of the glaciers have stopped retreating and some are now advancing again. And, frankly, we don't know why.

He concludes his article by stating,

So what, then, is one to make of this alleged debate? I would suggest at least three points.

First, nonscientists generally do not want to bother with understanding the science. Claims of consensus relieve policy types, environmental advocates and politicians of any need to do so. Such claims also serve to intimidate the public and even scientists--especially those outside the
area of climate dynamics. Secondly, given that the question of human attribution largely cannot be resolved, its use in promoting visions of disaster constitutes nothing so much as a bait-and-switch scam. That is an inauspicious beginning to what Mr. Gore claims is not a political issue but a "moral" crusade.

Lastly, there is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition. An earlier attempt at this was accompanied by tragedy. Perhaps Marx was right. This time around we may have farce--if we're lucky.

I encourage you to the whole thing. HT realclearpolitics

John Stossel has a great article dealing with the same subject but from a slightly different perspective. His conclusion, it is all about the money.

The scary claims about heat waves and droughts are based on computer models. But computer models are lousy at predicting climate because water vapor and cloud effects cause changes that computers fail to predict. They were unable to anticipate the massive amounts of heat energy that escaped the tropics over the past 15 years, forcing modelers back to the drawing board. In the mid-1970s, computer models told us we should prepare for global cooling.

The fundamentalist doom-mongers ignore scientists who say the effects of global warming may be benign. Harvard astrophysicist Sallie Baliunas says added carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may actually benefit the world because more CO2 helps plants grow. Warmer winters would give farmers a longer harvest season. Why don't we hear about this part of the global warming argument?

"It's the money!" says Dr. Baliunas. "Twenty-five billion dollars in government funding has been spent since 1990 to research global warming. If scientists and researchers were coming out releasing reports that global warming has little to do with man, and most to do with just how the planet works, there wouldn't be as much money to study it."

And the politicians would have one less excuse to take control of our lives.

Is There a Doctor in the House?

It must be comforting to the parents who send their children to Davidson College to know that Professor DR. Susan Roberts knows what she's talking about.

Why AOL Gets A Bad Rep

This is a classic, make sure you listen to the audio. If you have ever dealt with AOL or other large companies, you know how infuriating this can be. I do believe that AOL finally apologized. You should read the comment sections on both links, wow. If you have ever dealt with AOL about tecnical problems, be prepared to spend 15 minutes talking to a computer before you spend another 15 minutes talking to someone that you can barely understand, in India!

Here is the Better Business Bureau report on AOL.

Update: Here is a video of Vince's interview with Matt Lauer.

The New Testament and Textual Criticism

Justin Taylor has an excellent post on textual criticism. For those of you have questions about the reliability of Scripture, read the whole thing. I have always found Justin's blog to be informational, I check it everyday.

Is This the Meaning of the Term Blank Slate?

I love purgatorio, it is one of those unique sites that always has something interesting to look at. This name the caption contest is very funny. I especially like suggestion numbers 2, 9, 17, 20, 25, 40, 42, and 77. If you don't get some of those ask and I will try and explain! :)

A Scientific Dissent From Darwinism

I suspect we will be seeing more and more press releases like this, as technology continues to lead us to the conclusion that there must be a "Grand Designer" i.e. Creator behind our existence. Having recently taken a college biology class I was once again reminded that Darwin's theory of evolution cannot explain the complexity of living things.

The Discovery Institute has some great information on the subject. HT SmartChristian

Here are three Fact Sheets (pdf) for you to consider.

Microevolution v.s. Macroevolution

The Cambrian Explosion

Survival of the Fakest

Science - Facts and Myths

Is the Great Wall in China really the only man-made object that can be viewed from space?

Does Chicken Soup really help the common cold?

Will a falling cat always land on its feet?

Are yawns really contagious?

If you want to know the answers to these questions and more, click here. HT Jonah Goldberg

The UN and Homeschooling

Honestly, why we still belong to the UN is beyond me. This is the sort of thing that would be happening in America if we relented and agreed to abide by their absurd Convention on Children's Rights.

From its Preamble:

Convinced that the family, as the fundamental group of society and the natural environment for the growth and well-being of all its members and particularly children, should be afforded the necessary protection and assistance so that it can fully assume its responsibilities within the
community,

Recognizing that the child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding,

Sounds good right? How about this from Article 6.

1. States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life .
2. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child(emphasis mine).

Imagine that, the UN is actually pro-life! NOT!

The problem with this document is that all power and authority for raising and nurturing children rests with the "States Parties." Certainly lip service is given to the role of parents, but they are minor players when it comes to raising and rearing children, that is the role of the State!

This situation with the homeschoolers in Belgium is proof that in this document, the final authority rests with the state, not the parents. Don't get me wrong, sometimes the state has to step in when there is clear sign of abuse and or neglect, but homeschooling is neither abusive nor neglectful. (For a fuller look at the UN document check out this link).

HT KJL at The Corner

What Part of Illegal Do You Not Understand?

If the Governator signs this bill it will cause problems for him in November. HT Mark Krikorian

Is This the Way to Revival?

This is one of my favorite Ray Steven's songs. To listen to the song go here. To read the words go here. Have fun. HT Jolly Blogger

ACLU - Do As We Say, Not As We Do!

Hypocrisy in the ACLU? Nah, it couldn't be.

Whose Not Making Nice?

I am amazed that the entertainment left doesn't get it. Somehow they think they are owed a following no matter what they say. The Dixie Chicks are a case in point. They trash the President while in another country and then are shocked when their fans are upset about it. Michelle Malkin puts in perspective.

Christianity and the MPAA

A new film coming out has been given a PG rating because of its Christian message. The movie, called "Facing the Giants" is about "a Christian high-school football coach who uses his undying faith to battle the giants of fear and failure." WorldnetDaily explains why the film may have received the PG rating.

A scene which may have drawn extra scrutiny includes a discussion between a football coach and a wealthy brat.

When the coach said the student needed to stop bad-mouthing his father and get right with God, the boy said, "You really believe in all that honoring God and following Jesus stuff? ... Well, I ain't trying to be disrespectful, but not everybody believes in that."

The coach replied: "Matt, nobody's forcing anything on you. Following Jesus Christ is the decision that you're going to have to make for yourself. You may not want to accept it, because it'll change your life. You'll never be the same."

So now you can add sharing the gospel (along with profanity, violence and brief nudity) to the list of reasons a film we will receive a PG rating.

Tony Dungy

As a father I can only imagine how painful this must have been for the Dungy family. Coach Dungy's response is amazing. I am thankful for men like him. HT SmartChristian.com

In the early-morning hours of Dec. 22, 2005, Tony and Lauren Dungy lived a parent's worst nightmare when they learned their eldest son and second of five children, 18-year-old James, had been found dead in his suburban Tampa, Fla., apartment. In February, James' death was ruled a suicide.
"As a parent you'll never have any greater pain in your life," Colts president Bill Polian says.
"Anyone who's a parent dreads that call in the middle of the night. I have four grown children and I still dread it."
When Dungy told Polian the news, "[I thought], 'Oh my God. Oh my God, what a tragedy.' I think that's what I said. … The hardest punch you've ever taken to the gut doesn't compare. It's something you never want to relive."
And yet Dungy is able to live with what other parents who have lost children often describe as an unbearable pain because of his faith. Great coaches have the ability to see the game differently. Great men are able to view life's unfortunate circumstances from a unique perspective.
Dungy's doing that.

Read the whole article.

Heroes

Take some time to read through this page and the included links. HT The Corner

A Libertarian?

I was surprised by my results on this quiz. I have always considered myself more conservative than libertarian. Take it and see where you fall on the political spectrum. My results are below. HT Hugh Hewitt

ACCORDING TO YOUR ANSWERS,
The political description that fits you best is...
.
LIBERTARIAN
LIBERTARIANS support maximum liberty in both personal and
economic matters. They advocate a much smaller government; one
that is limited to protecting individuals from coercion and violence.
Libertarians tend to embrace individual responsibility, oppose
government bureaucracy and taxes, promote private charity, tolerate
diverse lifestyles, support the free market, and defend civil liberties.
The RED DOT on the Chart shows where you fit on the political map.
Your PERSONAL issues Score is 70%. Your ECONOMIC issues Score is 80%. (Please note: Scores falling on the Centrist border are counted as Centrist.)

Ann Coulter

I don't always agree with her style, but I sure get a lot of enjoyment out of watching how the liberals and the MSM respond to Ann Coulter. After watching this video tribute to Coultermania, you have to admit that she is not afraid to say what a lot of people are thinking. I especially thought what she said about Hillary's comments were on the mark (sorry mom). I think what gets the MSM in such a tizzy is that she goes into their territory and is not afraid to take them on. I love it!

Pro Life

A picture is worth a thousand words. We can debate and talk and shout all we want about the abortion issue, but the picture I linked to makes a great argument for the prolife side. HT SmartChristian.com

More Bad News for Bush

What oh what will we do with our President? And you think I am too hard on the MSM? Check out the New York Times headline to this story.

Update: The New York Times headline: "Bush deficit reduction plan falls off-schedule."

This was in response to the news that because of an increase in tax revenues the deficit has been substantially cut, and three years early. However, the New York times ran with the above headline. It was quoted on the instapundit site but the link didn't make that clear.

Update II: Since I can't find the link at the Times website, it either was in the print edition only or Glenn Reynolds was being sarcastic about how the times and other MSM outlets handle good news when it could help Bush.

More Good News from Iraq

News from Iraq you won't get from the Mainstrean Media (MSM). I love this from a section on Iraqi Reconstruction.

According to a survey team from Duke University, Iraq’s marshes are well on their way to recovery:

Populations of many native fish, invertebrate animals, birds and plants are well on their way to recovery. The marshes of southern Iraq, devastated in recent decades by Saddam Hussein’s regime, are showing a “remarkable” recovery, according to an ecological survey team led by scientists at Duke University and the University of Basrah, according to a press release by EurekAlert.
In their latest and most thorough evaluation of the marshes—claimed in some
quarters to be the site of the biblical Garden of Eden—the researchers found that populations of many native fish, invertebrate animals, birds and plants are well on their way to recovery.

Enviro-guru Al Gore couldn’t be reached for comment.

Star Trek v.s. Star Wars

Ever wonder who would win between Jean Luc Picard and Darth Vader?
Here is your answer.

Swimming Season

The subtitle on my blog says "My Thoughts on Religion, Politics, Sports and Small Town Life." I have made several posts on religion, politics and sports but I haven't talked much about small town life, so that is what I am going to do today.

Every year at this time my family gears up for swim club. In the past both Aaron and Abigail have been involved in swim club (which is a very big deal in the Bakersfield area). The last few years it has been just Abigail since Aaron has been working (as a lifeguard) during that time. From the end of May to the end of July, just about every Saturday is taken up with swim meets.

The swim meets are really quite an event as each swim club hosts one meet. This past weekend it was our turn. Wasco always has the second Saturday in June and we had a great meet. As in previous years every family is assigned responsibilities for the meet. When we first started out we were given fun jobs (sarcasm) like selling programs or working in the snack bar. There is nothing like being inside a non airconditioned 100 degree room with ten other people selling concessions all day (the meets usually go from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm). Anyway, as our "seniority" has grown in the club so has our assignments.

This year Debbie was given the job of "Clerk of Course" (for the third time) which is sort of like a traffic cop. Her job is to make sure that the swimmers are all lined up properly for each event and each heat. When dealing with about three hundred swimmers, in 101 events and usually two or three heats per event, it can be quite a job.

How fast and how successful the meet goes is usually dependent on the clerk of course and the starter. Guess who was assigned the starter job this year? If you guessed me, then you guessed right.

Usually there are two or three starters that all of the clubs use (and pay) but we have always had a man in our club who has experience as a starter so we have used him. This year however, he was down with a bad back and so they put me in as starter (why they thought I could do it, I will never know).

I must say though that the thought of being the starter appealed to me a whole lot more than being the head timer or a time sheet runner (jobs I have had in the past). Needless to say, I was a little bit nervous. I had watched the starters closely in the past, just because I thought their job looked interesting, never imagining I would be one someday myself. Boy, am I glad I paid attention! Before the meet started I said a little prayer and asked the Lord to help me to do a good job (and not embarrass myself).

To make a long story short, everything went fine and I really enjoyed the job. In fact, the meet finished ahead of schedule with no major foul ups. After the meet, several people spoke to both Debbie and myself telling us how much they liked the meet and how glad they were that it finished so early.

What's my point? Nothing more than to say thanks Lord for helping us survive.

Evolution of Dance

For your enjoyment!

Slow Week Posting

Sorry it has been a slow week posting, but I am in the middle of taking a couple of classes at Fresno Pacific University and I had some assignments due. In addition, I have a job and a family I have to pay attention to once in a while! :)

Another Left Wing Role Model

I am sure the administration at UNC is very proud of their professor. I did an interneship in Greeley for a summer, other than the University and Monfort Meet Packing there is not much there. Although, I did enjoy my time there.

Diet Coke and Mentos

These guys have too much time on their hands. Still, this is pretty cool.
HT The Corner

Election Fraud and The Democrats (updated and edited)

My mom over at Leezy's Slice of Life Blog has responded to my "Have They No Shame?" post. She has linked to my website and then another site called fred.net.

The problem is that she tries to make a one to one correspondence between the article I spoke about in my post (as she says, from the "right") and the crazy conspiracies on fred.net (as she says from the "left").

The big difference is that in my post an actual Democratic candidate was encouraging people to vote illegally. In the site she linked to at fred.net you have a bunch of links to conspiracy theories (black box voting for example) and accusations that have either been debunked or not proven.

In fact, Robert Kennedy Jr. tried to rehash the whole George Bush (or more accurately, Ken Blackwell) stole the 2004 election meme in a recent Rolling Stone article. As their argument goes, "It had to be the case since the exit polls showed John Kerry winning big."

This whole thing has been effectively dealt with previously. I suggest you read this and this and this.

If the supposed conspiracy theories were true and if the Republicans are perpetrating election fraud to the alledged extent that fred.net accuses, then WHY are the Democrats the ones so strongly opposed to election reform ? Something to think about.

PS: Lest anyone misunderstand, I still love my mom, even though she's a l-i-b-e-r-a-l.

Rush Top Twenty Songs (5-1)

I hope you have enjoyed my list of top twenty Rush songs. I am sure that if you are a Rush fan, you will disagree with the songs I have chosen, but that is okay.

In this post I am going to name my top five, but before I do, I want to name some songs that didn't make the list but that are worthy of honorable mention.

Honorable Mention

Instrumentals - YYZ (Moving Pictures); Where's My Thing (Roll the Bones); Leave that Thing Alone (counterparts)

From Rush - Finding My Way; What You're Doing

From Fly By Night - Beneath, Between, Behind

From Caress of Steel - Lakeside Park

From 2112 - Something for Nothing (it barely missed my top twenty)

From A Farewell to Kings - Cinderella Man; Madrigal; Cygnus X-1 Book One

From Hemispheres - Cygnus X-1 Book Two; Circumstances; The Trees

From Permanent Waves - The Spirit of Radio

From Moving Pictures - Red Barchetta

From Signals - Subdivisions; New World Man

From Presto - Show Don't Tell

From Roll the Bones - Dreamline; Roll the Bones; Neurotica

From Counterparts - Animate; Cut to the Chase; Between Sun and Moon;

From Test for Echo - Half the World; Time and Motion ; Dog Years; Virtuality; Resist

Now for the top five.........drum roll please................


(5) By-Tor and the Snowdog (Fly By Night) - This song gives us the first hint of what was to come with Rush. It is a song that reveals the musicianship of this trio. A contest between the bass (By-Tor) and the guitar (Snowdog) leads the band into a battle of epic proportions. Nobody writes lyrics like Neil does here.

The Tobes of Hades, lit by flickering torchlight The netherworld is gathered in the glare Prince By-Tor takes the cavern to the north light The sign of Eth is rising in the air. By-Tor, knight of darkness, Centurion of evil, devil's prince.

Across the River Styx, out of the lamplight His nemesis is waiting at the gate The Snow Dog, ermine glowing in the damp night Coal-black eyes shimmering with hate. By-Tor and the Snow Dog Square for battle, let the fray begin.

The battles over and the dust is clearing Disciples of the Snow Dog sound the knell Rejoicing echoes as the dawn is nearing By-Tor in defeat retreats to Hell Snow Dog is victorious The land of the Overworld is saved again.

(4) Driven (Test for Echo) I just love the song. Geddy does a great job singing and there is a terrific bass part. Neil has written interesting lyrics and Alex guitar work is wonderful.


(3) Xanadu (A Farewell to Kings) - Again, I love the music of this song, but there are great lyrics as well. This is Rush at is imaginative best.


(2) 2112 (2112) - Forget about the lyrics (even though there is a great story here) the music is almost symphonic in its complexities.

(1) Here Again (Rush) - You won't find this song on most people's list of Rush favorites but I have liked it from the first time I heard it. Let's start with the bass line, it is great. Geddy's voice is haunting. Clocking in at 7:34 it is worth the listen.