Encore: 50 More Conservative Songs

John J. Miller has put together a list of 50 more conservative songs. Four more Rush songs are on the list.

Common Sense from Mr. Newt

This is an excerpt from Newt Gingrich's book To Renew America. Although it was written eleven years ago, I can say without a doubt that it expresses the common sense thoughts of most people I know.

There is no magic to solving the problem of illegal immigrants. It is not intellectually challenging. Throughout history, countries that have survived have learned to maintain their borders. There are plenty of practical examples of how to get the job done. If we work at it we can dry up 95 percent of illegal immigration within two or three years. Our challenge is getting to a clear decision, developing a workable plan, and implementing it relentlessly.

Read the whole thing.

When is a Protest, not a Protest?

Ann Coulter isn't always my cup of tea, but she sure knows how to put a liberal in their place. This article just drips with sarcasm, I hope you can appreciate it. HT my liberal mom

Andrew's Graduation Photos

Enjoying the "Pomp and Circumstances."

With the "folks."

With the proud family.

Andrew and Shannon - they are officially engaged!

Andrew made some great friends while at APU.

Andrew and Lindsey - They have been friends since Kindergarten

With the gang from Wasco.

Aaron's Graduation Photos

Aaron, giving the invocation. I will remember to focus next time.

With the proud parents! It is a good thing he gets his looks from his mother!

Excited that his High School career is over with!

With the entire Wheeler clan. We are all proud of you Aaron!!

Memorial Day

Let me say THANK YOU to all who have served in defense of our country, and let me give my sincerest condolences to those who have lost loved ones serving our country and preserving our freedoms.

There is a lot out there today in the blogosphere about Memorial Day. Here are some of the posts that spoke to me.

La Shawn Barber reminds us that Freedom is Not Free

Michelle Malkin has a video tribute at Hot Air

Betsy Newmark has cites a quote from a Marine explaining why he is fighting

Blackfive one of the great milbloggers has several moving posts on Memorial Day

The Federal Marriage amendment

Pepperdine Law Professor Douglas W. Kmiec makes very good argument (registration required) for the necessity of a Federal Marriage amendment. I have seen Kmiec on Fox News and don't believe he is one of those "right-wing" pundit types. If he is concerned about a back-door judicial coup on the issue of gay marriage then maybe we should be as well. This paragraph really stood out to me,

With the states being so vigilant in defense of traditional marriage, is there really a need for the people to act? Yes. Activists are deployed across the country challenging traditional marriage, and it is more than likely that some additional judges will compound the Massachusetts mistake. This increased
judicial approval of same-sex marriage will metastasize into the larger culture. Indeed, an insidious, but less recognized, consequence will be a push to demonize--and then punish--faith communities that refuse to bless homosexual unions.

Using the experience of the Boys Scouts as an example Kmiec writes,

While it may be inconceivable for many to imagine America treating churches that oppose gay marriage the same as racists who opposed interracial marriage in the 1960s, just consider the fate of the Boy Scouts. The Scouts have paid dearly for asserting their 1st Amendment right not to be forced to accept gay
scoutmasters. In retaliation, the Scouts have been denied access to public parks and boat slips, charitable donation campaigns and other government benefits. The endgame of gay activists is to strip the Boy Scouts (and by extension, any other organization that morally opposes gay marriage) of its tax-exempt status under both federal and state law.

For technical legal reasons, it is difficult to challenge a religious
group's non-profit status in federal court, but state court is more open. There, judicial decisions approving same-sex marriage or
even state laws barring discrimination can be used to pronounce any opposing moral or religious doctrine to be "contrary to public policy." So declared, it would be short work for a state attorney general's opinion to deny the tax-exempt status of charities and most orthodox Jewish, Christian and Islamic
religious bodies. If enough state lawyers do this, expect the IRS to chime in.

Read the rest of the article and be very concerned! For more read this Stanley Kurtz essay and this Weekly Standard article by Maggie Gallagher. HT Ed Whelan - Bench Memos

King James Onlyism

I grew up in a King James only church, that is a church were we were taught that the only true, accurate and inspired translation of the Word of God was the 1611 King James Version. Everything else was trash! Literally, we were taught that the newer versions were based on a manuscript found in a trash can in Alexandria, Egypt.

I can remember when I went off to Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College how rocked I was when I learned that only the original autographs were inspired, and while our translations today are authoritative and reliable, they are not themselves inspired. I had a real crisis of faith when I learned that simple truth.

Later, as I developed a proper bibliology my faith in God's word was restored. However, it was a long process for me to go from the KJV to the NKJV to what I use today, the NASB.

I can still remember visiting my home church (Yakima Bible Baptist Church) with my wife who happened to bring her NASB with her (discreetly) but somehow the Pastor found out about it and after the service, with several people around, held it up and called it trash! How sad that made us.

Any way, that church today has left the Baptist Bible Fellowship because it wasn't "conservative" enough and not "KJVO" enough, if you can believe that. They helped start a new "fellowship" called the "Global Independent Baptist Fellowship" which could just as well be called the "King James Only Baptist Bible Fellowship."

I still love that church and have many friends there. It is hard to see that they are still being taught this heresy. The sad part, and ironic as well, is that they claim to be big on the Word of God yet, topical sermons were / are the norm. I pray that they will see the light.

Fred Butler is doing a great job dealing with this issue at Hip and Thigh. Through one of his links I came across this article that really puts things in perspective about the whole movement.

Thanks, But No Thanks!

Ever get tired of that special friend sending you mass e-mails or e-mail chain letters? Here is your answer. HT The Christian Mind

The Christian Music Industry

I think this kid says what needs to be said. Let secular music be whatever it is, but let Christian music be Christian. HT Scot Aniol

An Immigration Top Ten List

Senator Jim DeMint's top ten reasons to oppose the Senate's "Amnesty Bill." I still say the Senate's approach to this issue lacks basic common sense. HT paleoevangelical

Fly By Night

I was visiting Fred Butler's blog, Hip and Thigh and I discovered that like me, he is a big fan of Rush (not the radio host but the band). I have all their albums in my CD collection and listen to them all the time. My sons don't get my fascination with the group although I think I am wearing them down.

I do prefer Rush pre-synthesizer, but nevertheless, there really isn't a "bad" Rush album. If I had to rate my favorite albums it would have to go something like this.

(1) A Farewell to Kings - the best Rush album by far

(2) Rush - I still listen to this self-titled album all the time

(3) 2112 - Rush at their epic story song, sci-fi best

(4) Hemispheres - this album ostensibly picks up where A Farewell to Kings left off, but it has two great stand alone songs, The Trees and La Villa Strangiato (my favorite Rush instrumental) along with a great side one. Cygnus X-1, Book Two is 18 minutes of amazing musicianship.

(5) Test for Echo - This is the best of Rush's most recent work. It is Rush going back to its roots (and no synthesizers!).

If you are not a Rush fan, watch this to see what you have been missing.

Born on 2437584.5.......

......according to the Julian Calendar that is. Curious about this and other interesting (and some not) things about your birthdate? Click here. HT Evangelical Outpost

Aaron's Graduation

Last night my second child, Aaron graduated from High School. The ceremony was very nice. Since he is Senior Class President, Aaron led the invocation and read one of his poems. Aaron, we love you and we are very proud of you.

After a summer of building up his bank account (lifeguarding and giving swim lessons), he will be heading off to Vanguard University to major in theatre and minor in music.

If you have small children or are just starting a family, enjoy every minute you can with them because before you know it, you'll be waving goodbye as they drive off to college.

The Bible Wasn't Written to You

Point well taken. What do you think?

The 50 Best Conservative Rock Songs

National Review Online has up a list of the top 50 conservative rock songs. This article by John J Miller explains it all. There are some interesting names on the list.

The Self-Destruction of the Republican Party

I don't for one minute buy the "culture of corruption" meme perpetrated by the democrats and their willing accomplices in the drive-by media. I do, however, believe that the republicans in the Senate and sadly, President Bush have greatly "misunderestimated" the backlash that awaits them if they get their way on immigration. Honestly, I don't understand it.

Michelle Malkin is on top of things.

Robotic Bartender

Someone sent this to me by e-mail, I just had to share it with you.

A man enters a bar and orders a drink. The bar has a robot bartender.

The robot serves him a perfectly prepared cocktail, and then asks him, "What's your IQ?"

The man replies "162" and the robot proceeds to make conversation about global warming factors, quantum physics and spirituality, biomimicry, environmental interconnectedness, string theory, nanotechnology, and sexual proclivities.

The customer is very impressed and thinks, "This is really cool." He decides to test the robot. He walks out of the bar, turns around, and comes back in for another drink. Again, the robot serves him the perfectly prepared drink and asks him, "What's your IQ?"

The man responds, "about a 100."

Immediately the robot starts talking, but this time, about football, NASCAR, baseball, supermodels, favorite fast foods, guns, and women's body parts.

Really impressed, the man leaves the bar and decides to give the robot one more test. He heads out and returns, the robot serves him and asks, "What's your IQ?"

The man replies, "Er, 50, I think."

And the robot says... real slowly,

"So.. is... your... party... gonna... nominate... Hillary... for.. president ???"

American Idol

I haven't yet blogged on the topic, although my family loves the show and we watch it, dare I say, religiously. I wanted to get my two cents in before they announced a winner. Since the final 24 were selected I have rooted for three contestants, Taylor Hicks, Mandissa and Chris Daughtry.

Taylor - I love his style and his voice, he just seems to be having a lot of fun. Count me as a member of the "Soul Patrol!"

Mandissa - A talented BBW with a real love for the Lord. I can't help but believe that her openness about her faith cost her with some voters. If the contest was based on pure talent she would be the winner.

Chris Daughtry - A have a soft heart for real rockers who have talent. This is why I rooted for Bo and Constantine last year. No one was more shocked than Chris when he was cut a few weeks ago. I thought for sure it would be a Taylor-Chris finale.

Nothing against Katharine (she is very talented) but Taylor is just too unique.

Odds and Ends

Stories you won't find in the drive by media.

What really happened in the immediate aftermath of Katrina? Check out this report.

Revisonist history on Iraq. HT Instapundit

Michelle Malkin has a round up about another fake Iraq War veteran blindly embraced by the Bush-haters, here and here.

Good News, Good News! HT Powerline

A sensible view of the NSA program, from a liberal to boot. HT Betsyspage

When it comes to the Senate version of the immigration bill, be careful to read the fine print. HT The Corner

California - Where Mom and Dad Do Not Exist

California is heading toward a cliff, can anyone stop it? If the state legislature keeps this up, can another voucher initiative be far behind? And, this time, the California Teachers Union (CTA) may not be able to lie enough to defeat it. HT Impacted Wisdom Truth

Jobs Americans Won't Do

Chris Muir has a keen sense of humor. HT Impacted Wisdom Truth

LINKED!

What a great surprise to find that someone read my blog and actually linked back to it. I was checking out Fred Butler's blog last night at Hip and Thigh when I found that he had placed a link back to my blog. Thanks Fred!

My Name is Guy

They had the wrong "Guy." HT Justin Taylor

Church - King of the Hill Style

Someone on the writing staff of this show has visited a few modern day churches. What makes satire so good is how close to the line of reality it gets. HT pulpiteering

Favorite Movies - Groundhog Day

What makes a movie worth watching over and over and over again? For me a good movie has to have the following elements.

(1) The story line has to contain a thread of redemption.

(2) The characters have to behave in a way that is true to their development (they don't necessarily have to behave in a logical way, only in a way that is consistent with how they have been presented to us in the film).

(3) The movie must have a realistic view of human nature.

(4) The film must not insult my intelligence.

"Groundhog Day" is first and foremost a movie about redemption. In this case the redemption belongs to the Bill Murray character, Phil Conners. Phil is not a very nice man. He is self-absorbed, sex-obsessed, condescending, and an all-around jerk.

A weather man at a local Pittsburgh TV station, Phil is sent on assignment to Punxsatawney, PA. with a producer, Rita (Andie MacDowell) and a cameraman, Larry (Chris Elliot).Their assignment is to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities. This is Phil's fourth straight year to cover the event and he is only there to file the report and get back to Pittsburgh as soon as possible. Arriving the night before "Groundhog Day," we are given a glimpse of Phil's morning from the time he wakes up until the time immediately following the report.

However (and ironically so), weather prevents the crew from returning to Pittsburgh so Phil, Rita and Larry must spend one more night in Punxsatawney. This starts Phil on a journey of change through the vehicle of a time loop. Phil must relive Groundhog Day over and over and over and over again ( I read somewhere that the writer envisioned the time loop lasting for 10,000 years). During this perpetual Groundhog Day Phil goes through a transformation that I think is both realistic and true to his character.

One can only imagine what it would be like to wake up every morning (he wakes up each day to the song I've Got You Babe) and already know what lies ahead. At first, Phil is incredulous and a little freaked. As time passes however, he goes through several logical stages. He goes through a hedonistic stage (each day starts anew so he might as well eat what he wants, drink as much as he wants and act however he wants since there are no consequences to his behavior), a futility stage (he tries to end his life in several unique ways and at one point he tells Rita that he is God, he reasons this since he cannot die), and finally the self-improvement stage.

The self-improvement stage starts out with Phil seeking to win over Rita, with each attempt thwarted somewhere in the process. It is only when he stops thinking about himself and starts thinking about others that he begins to become the kind of person that Rita would be attracted to.

As for how it ends, you will have to see the movie, but the pay off is worth it. For more on the film see here, here and here.

Rated PG the film is remarkably mild for a major motion picture release.

A Fig Leaf

A fig leaf on Mothers Day for my liberal friends, because everybody deserves a fantasy. One thing I do appreciate about Al Gore is he does seem to have a sense of humor.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I love you.

Rich, White Liberals

This is really why abortion is so important to rich, white liberals. James Taranto adds more to this disgusting story (just scroll down to the section headed "Swift Note Veterans Against Youth"). You can deny it all you want, but if you know anything about the history of Planned Parenthood, you cannot ignore the racist reasons for the abortion industry's existence.

Oh the Irony

If you don't see the irony in this google news item, you don't get national security.

A Video for Moms

Now this is funny! Mothers everywhere should appreciate the humor (or maybe I am just twisted?).

Gasoline Humor

If you can find the strength to laugh about current gasoline prices check this out. HT: RealClearPolitics

Posting

I am sorry that posting has been so light the last few days but I have been away celebrating my son's college graduation. Last night we watched Andrew receive his B.A. in Communications from Azusa Pacific University. It was great to see him walk across the stage (along with 640 other students) and complete four long years of hard work and study. We are so very proud of you Andrew! Welcome to the real world.

The World's Greatest Skylines

This is great! I have always been fascinated with big cities. Although I haven't been in that many large cities, Seattle is by far my favorite. There is nothing like pulling out of the dock on a ferry and seeing the city sweep up the hill, with Mt. Rainier in the background, wow! I am surprised that San Francisco didn't make the list. HT: Leezy's Slice of Life

Compassionate Conservatism

A good article by the man who helped coin the term. It is unfortunate that the concept of compassionate conservatism has been misunderstood and deliberately distorted. According to Marvin Olasky,

One compassionate conservative goal was to encourage average citizens to help the poor directly, instead of handing off all the responsibility to government officials. Another goal was to end government discrimination against faith-based groups that were often the most effective poverty-fighters. Those goals were both expenditure-neutral: They suggested neither bigger nor smaller budgets, but a different way of spending.

My biggest complaint about government programs is that they tend to create roadblocks to people getting real and lasting help. They promote what I call an attitude of governmentalism. I see three marks of governmentalism.

• (1) An entitlement mentality, not only in the people who receive the benefits of the entitlement but especially in the people who disperse the benefits. A good illustration of this can be seen here in California, where the Teacher's Union and the Public School Establishment are throwing fits because the Governator is not giving them the money they think they are entitled to.
• (2) A proprietary and protectionist perspective, even in the face of clear evidence that their program is not working. One reason for creating bureaucratic red tape is that it gives that particular department or program a sense of power and control. "Only we can do this."
• (3) An antagonistic attitude toward private sector programs that can do a better job, particularly faith based programs.
  

I am a compassionate conservative in the sense that I believe that individual and community help is almost always more effective than state and federal governmentalism. The more of our money we get to those on the ground, the more effective we will be.