Via Bloviating Zeppelin

Billions, Taxes, and Us

Geckofeeder found this on the comments section at the LGF blog.

------ Forwarded Message
From: Gecko <>
Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2007 20:29:35 -0800 (PST)
To:
Subject: [Geckofeeder] 12/28/2007 06:27:00 PM

>This was posted by GT in the comment section of LGF.
>
> The next time you hear a politician use the
>
> word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about
>
> whether you want the 'politicians' spending
>
> YOUR tax money.
>
> A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,
>
> but one advertising agency did a good job of
>
> putting that figure into some perspective in
>
> one of its releases.
>
> * * * * *
>
>
>
> A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
>
> B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
>
> C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were
>
> living in the Stone Age.
>
> D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
>
> E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and
>
> 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.
>
>
> While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New
> Orleans It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division . .
>
> Louisiana Democratic Senator, Mary Landrieu , is presently asking the Congress
> for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number, what does it
> mean?
>
> A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of
>
> New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you
>
> each get $516,528.
>
> B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in
>
> New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.
>
> C. Or, if you are a family of four, your family
>
> gets $2,066,012.
>
> Washington, D.C .. HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken??
>
>
> Tax his land,
> Tax his wage,
> Tax his bed in which he lays.
> Tax his tractor,
> Tax his mule,
> Teach him taxes is the rule.
> Tax his cow,
> Tax his goat,
> Tax his pants,
> Tax his coat.
>
> Tax his ties,
> Tax his shirts,
> Tax his work,
> Tax his dirt.
>
> Tax his tobacco,
> Tax his drink,
> Tax him if he tries to think.
>
> Tax his booze,
> Tax his beers,
> If he cries,
> Tax his tears.
>
> Tax his bills,
> Tax his gas,
> Tax his notes,
> Tax his cash.
>
> Tax him good and let him know
> That after taxes, he has no dough.
>
> If he hollers,
> Tax him more,
> Tax hi m until he's good and sore.
>
> Tax his coffin,
> Tax his grave,
> Tax the sod in which he lays.
> Put these words upon his tomb,
> 'Taxes drove me to my doom!'
>
> And when he's gone,
> We won't relax,
> We'll still be after the inheritance TAX!!
>
> Accounts Receivable Tax
> Building Permit Tax
> CDL License Tax
> Cigarette Tax
> Corporate Income Tax
> Dog License Tax
> Federal Income Tax
> Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
> Fishing License Tax
> Food License Tax
> Fuel Perm it Tax
> Gasoline Tax
> Hunting License Tax
> Inheritance Tax
> Inventory Tax
> IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),
> IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),
> Liquor Tax,
> Luxury Tax,
> Marriage License Tax,
> Medicare Tax,
> Property Tax,
> Real Estate Tax,
> Service charge taxes,
> Social Security Tax,
> Road Usage Tax (Truckers),
> Sales Taxes,
> Recreational Vehicle Tax,
> School Tax,
> State Income Tax,
> State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),
> Telephone Federal Excise Tax,
> Telephone Federal Universal Service Fe e Tax,
> Telephone Federal, State and Local Su rcharge Tax,
> Telephone Minimum Usage Su rcharge Tax,
> Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,
> Telephone State and Local Tax,
> Telephone Usage Charge Tax,
> Utility Tax,
> Vehicle License Registration Tax,
> Vehicle Sales Tax,
> Watercraft Registration Tax,
> Well Permit Tax,
> Workers Compens ation Tax.
>
>
>
> STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
> Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago,
> and our nation was the most prosperous in t he world.
> We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world,
> and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
>
> What happened? Can you spell 'politicians!'
>
> And I still have to 'press
>
> 1' for English.
>
>
>
--
Posted By Gecko to Geckofeeder at 12/28/2007 06:27:00 PM

------ End of Forwarded Message

Fred Thompson for President

Here is the man I believe would make a great leader for America.

They Are At It Again

Cliff Kincaid of Accuracy in Media has written an excellent offering here about how CNN and Hillary Clinton are coordinating efforts to exploit the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in order to destabilize a U.S. ally, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

Now, with Hillary Clinton appearing on Blitzer’s show one day later, to complain about a “blank check” for Musharraf and the “failed policies” of the Bush Administration, the Democratic Party agenda is out in the open―overthrow the government of Pakistan, no matter what comes after it. This is the recipe that brought the Mullahs to power in Iran under Democrat Jimmy Carter’s Administration. It could bring al Qaeda to power in Pakistan, with control over dozens of nuclear weapons, if President Bush doesn’t get control of his State Department and the CIA.

Changing Perceptions

During my second year in graduate school at The University of Kansas, I worked as a social worker in an elementary school in southeast Topeka, Kansas. The principal referred to me all of the boys in the fifth and sixth grades who were seen by their teachers as incorrigible behavioral problems, and headed toward becoming school dropouts. I was given complete freedom, under supervision from a faculty member at K.U., to do what I wanted with the boys.

Each week we did things together as a group, going places like the state capitol building. We put on a play for the school in honor of Abe Lincoln's birthday. The boy with the reputation as the worst behavior problem in the school played the part of President Lincoln. At the end of the year, our toughest and biggest group member, a black kid, beat out a little blonde girl to win the school spelling bee! Needless to say, I enjoyed this experience immensely, and we changed the way these boys were perceived by their teachers, parents, and classmates.

Bucking The Odds

There is a math teacher in Aurora, Colorado, who is making a big difference by telling a group of black high schoolers the truth, and challenging them to buck the odds. The truth? Black kids, if current numbers continue, will score 13 percent lower than white students on their ACTs, earn $20,000 a year less after graduation, and, one in three will serve time in prison!

The teacher has challenged the kids to come to school early and stay late, to "kill the gap" and "blow up the statistics" against them. A group of students have accepted the challenge. They call themselves The Brotherhood. The group now numbers sixty members. One student, Mike Seals, has seen his GPA rise from 2.3 to 3.5. About the teacher, Bill Richardson, Seals says, "He's our biggest brother. We don't even notice any more that he is white!"

What is the response of the school distict administration? They are leary. They prefer to train the teachers to be attuned to the different cultures represented in the district. "A new approach might distract from what we're doing," says district spokeswoman Tustin Amole. "The Brotherhood kind of sets us back." "Telling young kids that most of you will fail, the worry is we're sending a message, however unconsciously, that we expect them to fail," Amole said.

So far, the group members have raised their GPAs an average of a half a letter grade in the year since the group was formed. The teacher does not plan to stop, even if they have to go "underground."

Is this a cool story, or what? All of the quotes and facts in this post come from a new Denver Post columnist named Susan Greene. You can read her whole column here.

This Afternoon's View From the Back Porch

"The Fred Astaire of Politics?"

Barack Obama has successfully charted a path that is befuddling many of the nation's pundits. George Will, in this piece, describes him as the "Fred Astair of politics." Here is how Will describes Obama.

So far, Obama is the Fred Astaire of politics -- graceful and elegant, with a surface so pleasing to the eye that it seems mistaken, even greedy, to demand depth. No one, however, would have given Astaire control of nuclear weapons, so attention must be paid to Obama's political as well as aesthetic qualities.

If, as I hope, Obama defeats Hillary and Silky in Iowa and New Hampshire, a great deal more attention will soon be paid to what he actually would do if elected President.

Yes, We Are Confused!

This ad makes me want to order a pizza. Kucinich supporters, though, aren't happy with Pizza Hut. The Corner's Kathryn Jean Lopez believes it will be a successful ad.

Experience Under His Belt

Scott Ott reports from the campaign trail in Iowa, following Bill Clinton.

“A lot of people who have met her, worked with her and even seen her on TV believe that she’s cold and mean-spirited,” said Mr. Clinton. “But they don’t know how kind, generous and warm Hillary can be when she’s behind in the polls.”

"Obama just doesn’t have the experience under his belt that I had when I sat down at that Oval Office desk.”

Why I Like Fred Thompson

Via Hot Air

One of the Most Dangerous Places in the World

Do the words "President" and "democracy" mean the same thing to Pakistanis as they do to Americans? Is the Pakistani army similar to the U.S. Army? If you answered "no" to those questions, you may not need to read Andrew Walden's brief history of Pakistan in The American Thinker.

Is It Safe To Be Real?

The best combination of political humor and Christmas good cheer in one piece this year? Hands down it has to be this one by Mark Steyn.

Ten Most Wanted

The non-profit, non-partisan group, Judicial Watch, has released its list of the ten most corrupt politicians of 2007. Four Republicans and six Democrats made the list. Four of them are still in the running for their party's nomination for President of the United States. One of them holds the highest offfice in the United States Senate, and one holds the highest office in the United States Congress! Thanks to Webutante for the link.

Sociopathic Hypocrites

Did you know that the Clintons have money parked in three different funds in the Cayman Islands? Have you heard Bill complain about the fact that he is just not being taxed enough to support the troops like he would want to? Have you heard Hillary talk about how she wants to close the loopholes of the rich? Did you know that when they left office the humble Arkansas family was worth one million dollars, but had over two million dollars in legal bills to help Bill, after he lied in federal court and had no consequences except the loss of his law license? Well, don't fret, they are now worth "up to" $53.7 million!

Times Have Changed

Sunday the University of Colorado will play the University of Alabama in the Liberty Bowl. Columnist Woody Paige has written an excellent piece here about the first time Colorado played Alabama, which was in the 1969 Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee. The seven black players on Colorado's team faced hideous taunting before and during the game. There were several interesting twists to the story, which Paige does a very good job of outlining.

Cold, But Pretty!

To enhance your sensual enjoyment, please remember to click on each image!

Tonight's Sunset

I had an appointment at the hospital this afternoon, and when I came out, this is what I saw. The sunset was actually reflecting off the mountains!

Looking More at Home

I was terribly allergic to the Christmas tree this year, so I moved it out on the porch just in time for yesterday's blizzard. It actually looks better on the back porch than it did in the living room!

A White Christmas

We got more than we bargained for in the way of a White Christmas today. We are in the midst of an all-day-long blizzard! Thankfully, we struck a deal with my strapping fifteen-year-old stepson, who has been clearing the three foot drifts from the driveway. What inspired me to write this post? I was visiting a blog called American Power, which featured this clip from Bing Crosby and a fully dressed friend.

Rocking the Boat

Reading Ambulance Driver's blog today brought back some memories. In the early 1970s I was Director of Social Services in two counties in southwest Colorado, La Plata and San Juan. La Plata is where Durango is located, and also the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. San Juan is where Silverton is located. Together they provide some of the most majestic and beautiful scenery in the United States.

This was just after Watergate. I was impressed with what the media had uncovered, so I made a promise to myself to run the departments as openly as possible. Each week I met with two radio station newspeople, a televison station newsperson, and reporters from two newspapers.

The local CBS-affiliated radio station asked me to do a radio program. I called it "Senior Saturday." Each week I interviewed a senior citizen, about whom my caseworkers had told me something interesting about their life.

One Saturday I was interviewing a remarkable 99-year-old woman who had come over Wolf Creek Pass in a covered wagon to settle in the Durango area. The old man across the hall walked into her room at the nursing home so he could hear the interview. The very tall and husky woman who was the director of nursing, told him to go back to his room. He did not want to, so she pushed him across the hall in a way that I thought was abusive.

The following Monday I filed an abuse report with the state, and met with my caseworkers who had patients in that nursing home, whom the taxpayers were paying for through our department. The caseworkers followed up with ten more specific grievances. The state investigated and decided to pull their Medicaid funding, which was millions of dollars.

Did I stir up a hornets nest? Oh, yes! The local medical society wanted me fired. Many doctors were making lots of money drugging these patients into submission. I learned that the corporation that owned the nursing home mainly operated vending machines in Pennsylvania, and had Mafia ties! Hearings went on for many months. Lawyers in three-piece suits descended on our little town.

The nursing home was cleaned up. Someone finally decided it would be cheaper to just make it a good facility than to pay the suits month after month. I brought my own mother there after she suffered a series of strokes in Iowa. They gave her good care!

Christmas Day Political Humor

You can watch a short video and take a multiple choice test to rate the performance of the Democrat majority in Congress here.

Yummy!

In honor of all of the angels we have encountered this week, the kids made this angelfood cake with vanilla ice cream mixed with crunched up candy canes for the icing. I'll start the heart healthy diet Wednesday.

High Plains Christmas Eve Sunset

Merry Christmas!

Before and After

Colleen thought some of you might be interested in viewing the before and after pictures given to us by Cardiologist Susie Kim. The first picture is the "before," showing the artery "99%" blocked (looks like 100% to me)! The second picture shows the artery after the surgery, flowing like the Mississippi River, compared to the first one, which is like a mountain stream in late September! You think I might be one grateful guy to be home with my family for Christmas? Please thank God for Susie Kim and her band of angels!

Great Political Humor!

If you appreciate great political humor, even at Christmas time, then rush over to Crunch Time for a Universal Christmas Greeting! It is an absolute classic!

"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." "And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them."

"And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy."

"The glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened." And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

The Mexican Government Begins to Own Up

thisainthell alerts us to an amazing story in which the Mexican government actually admits the following facts, based on the results of recent studies.1.) 68 percent of Mexicans who migrate or try to migrate to the United States do so without documents and 55 percent of them hire immigrant smugglers.
2.) The Mexican-born population living in the United States increased from about 800,000 in 1970 to more than 11 million in 2006. 3.) The majority of Mexicans now living in the United States — 6.2 million — are undocumented, according to the report, which was based on surveys of migrants and information from the government's National Population Council. 4.)Almost 30 million people in the United States are direct descendants of Mexico migrants.
(source)

Dancing to Manheim Steamroller

Not A Creature Was Stirring...

Not even a precious puppy and a very sweet little girl.

Merry!

I want you to meet Merry, our new standard poodle, who came to live with us today. She is a gift from a friend. The friend is someone whom we helped a little bit earlier this year when he lost his job. Now, fittingly, he is making more money driving a truck than I ever made as a social services director. We will give him pick of the litter when Merry becomes a momma. Colleen would like to show people how poodles are actually very good livestock protectors, in addition to being very good with children and adults.

Competition and Choice Versus Governmental Bureaucracy Making Our Choices For Us

A few minutes ago one of the guys from the local fire department dropped by. I showed him the before and after photos that our cardiologist gave us after the surgery. He told me the reason why they took me to the hospital that is 45 minutes away, instead of the one that is 25 minutes. The one that is further away has a cardiac catheterization unit that is fully staffed all day long every day (they do six of these per day)! The other hospital has to call in staff and doctors. The American system of competition worked again!

Do we want to continue to have a system like that, or do we want the health care providers to be strangled in bureaucratic governmental red tape? I know which system saved my life, and I will vote accordingly. I can just see it now: "You must take the patient to the hospital nearest to the patient's home, or you will lose your federal funding for the next 90 days."

Angels We Have Heard On High (And Seen In Person Flying Around Ambulances and Hospitals)

I always have had a hard time relating to literal translations of angels flying around in the Bible. I think I have it figured out now, though. God uses flawed people like you and me, if we are willing. I have seen so many in the last few days, I cannot even begin to count them.

First, of course, is my wife, Colleen. She called 911 and got the first batch of angels to arrive on the scene, the local fire department. It soon became obvious, though, that none of them were trained by Ambulance Driver. But, they were doing God's work, were willing and humble, and He used them.

Then there arrived an angel named Brian, who was an EMT affiliated with a fire department in a more populated area. Brian reminded me of Ambulance Driver, as he did all the things he was supposed to do at my house, then in the ambulance, keeping me alive so I could have the Big One in the hospital!

At the hospital I realized that God has been blessing us with many scientific advances for His people to use while they are doing His work. Except for six instances of severe chest pain, I had a blast watching these angels add God's love and purpose to those scientific advances. First were the numerous nurses and technicians. Then came the marvelous cardiologist and her team of angels. They took away the pain, just as God takes away our sin. From far across the Denver metro area three times came my stepson who is in college. He was by my side at all of the crucial moments, and I will not forget it.

Oh, there was one who did not seem very angelic. I calmly suggested to her that since sick people make her angry, perhaps she should leave the room. I was having too much fun to be upset by one nurse who did not seem to understand what God was doing in those halls of mercy. A.D., I thought of you many times, but that was one time especially that I felt your spirit. The next morning I thought I caught a glimpse of her walking toward the room, then thinking better of it and going home at the end of her shift. Please pray for her, that she finds a career where God can use her talents.

Then I come home in a snow storm to a house filled with rambunctious little people, whose joy is so infectious. I turn on the computer and read the many kind wishes in the comments section, from the chorus of angels who form such a magnificent support group on the web.

I am glad God wants me to stay here a while longer to try to figure out more of His mysteries. My spirit is definitely renewed, and my thankful heart overflows to all of you and to Him, who holds the keys to all of the things that science, for all its wonders, will never fathom.

Oh, and if you are wondering about the fuzzy question marks in the above photo, let me explain. The question marks were on the monitor above my bed, supposedly representing my blood pressure, pulse rate, and breaths per minute. It just struck me as funny, so I took my first picture with my new camera cell phone. I don't know what the 36 in parenthesis is. Maybe I should have a caption contest!

Pray for Bob

My husband, Bob, had a heart attack yesterday. He called me in town when I was taking the kids to school and told me to stay by the phone, he wasn't feeling well. Then he called right back and said that he was having chest pains, labored breathing and was sweating. I hung up and called 911. We live 25 minutes from town, so, the paramedics got there before I did. They were working on him when I arrived and quickly moved him by ambulance to a hospital nearby.The doctors found blood clots in both lungs (Bob is not a smoker, never has been). Last night , he was moved to ICU and by noon he was in cardiac arrest. They went in and put shunts in a 99% ecluded artery. He is on blood thinners for the clots, which are small and will hopefully just dissolve. His prognosis is good, as there are no other badly ecluded arteries.
Thanks be to God, who brought him into the hospital with blood clots so we could save him during a heart attack. They say if it had happened at home, we probably wouldn't have been able to save him.
He is in good spirits, but, exhausted.
He just wanted his blog friends to know where he is and why he isn't posting.

I love you, honey.NO more Good Times burgers for you!!!!!
(There may be some spelling errors, like, maybe "ecluded" has 2 Cs, I'm just too spent to fix them)
Colleen

God and the New Atheism

There is an article over at Slate that I found interesting. The writer, Steve Paulson, is the executive producer of Wisconsin Public Radio's nationally syndicated program "To the Best Of Our Knowledge." In the Slate article Paulson interviews John Haught, who is the author of a forthcoming book entitled God and the New Atheism.

Here are some Haught quotes from the interview.

From the beginning of the modern world, science decided quite rightly that it wasn't going to tackle such questions as purpose, value, meaning, importance, God, or even talk about intelligence or subjectivity. It was going to look for purely natural, causal, mechanical explanations of things.

After Darwin, after Einstein -- just as after Galileo and Copernicus -- we can't have the same theological ideas about God as we did before.

Darwin's thought seems to be more important intellectually and culturally than it's ever been. My view is that theology, instead of ignoring or closing its eyes to it, should look it squarely in the face. It has everything to gain and nothing to lose by doing so. In my view, Darwin's thought is a gift to theology.

Why does the universe not stand still? there's a restlessness, a tendency of the cosmos to go beyond itself.

Science is simply not equipped to deal with the dimensions of purposefulness, love, compassion, forgiveness -- all the feelings and experiences that accompanied the early community's belief that Jesus is still alive.

Read the whole thing here.

Is Hillary Doomed?

Has Hillary Clinton's candidacy for the Democrats' nomination gone from "inevitable" to "doomed" in the space of a few weeks? That is the question asked by Thomas Lifson, editor and publisher of American Thinker blog. Kifson is a very good writer. Read the whole thing here.

Anybody Surprised?

Iowa Republican Steve King noticed that the Congress unanimously passed resolutions honoring the sacred holidays of Hinduism and Islam, so he decided to offer the same resolutions, substituting the words Christmas and the Christian faith. Nine Congress people voted no, all Democrats. Who were they? Stop The ACLU provides the names:

The nine Members voting NO were Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) (FL), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). None of the nine voted against resolutions honoring the Islamic holiday of Ramadan and the Hindu holiday of Diwali.

A Craving for Bananas?

Iran is making inroads in South America. Using emabassies in Venezuela, Equador, Nicaragua and Bolivia as cover, they smuggle in weapons and terrorists, who then illegally cross the border into the United States from Mexico. Iran orchestrated two Hezbollah bombings of Israeli and Jewish community targets in Buenos Aires in the early 1990s. The Powerline blog links to this article by esteemed journalist Todd Bensman.

Pro-Environment, Anti-Humans?

The anti-human movement in Europe is gathering steam. Mark Steyn notes that the "pro-choice" mantra of "Every child should be wanted" has subtly evolved into "Every child should be unwanted." Nativity Scenes will be banned not for anti-Christian reasons, Steyn says, but because "it sets a bad example" (the bad example is having a baby)!

Al Gore in Bali said, "My own country, the United States, is principally responsible for obstructing progress here."

The American Thinker website proves otherwise.

In the seven years between the signing of Kyoto in 1997 and 2004, here's what happened:

•Emissions worldwide increased 18.0 percent;

•Emissions from countries that signed the treaty increased 21.1 percent;

•Emissions from nonsigners increased 10.0 percent; and

•Emissions from the United States increased 6.6 percent.

The Best Reporter In Iraq

Stereotypes about racist and psychotic Marines, as well as fanatical and psychotic Iraqis, can't survive a lengthy trip to Fallujah, at least not to the Fallujah of late 2007.

So writes Michael J. Totten in his latest dispatch from Iraq.

contempt for Iraqi culture specifically, and Arabs and Islam more generally, is far more prevalent in the American civilian population, even in liberal coastal cities, than it is among American soldiers and Marines who interact with Iraqis every day, forge sometimes intense personal bonds with Iraqis, eat Iraqi food,

In his interview with a Marine, we learn that fighting the insurgents has been good in a way for the U.S. Marines. It is forcing the Marines to be more flexible and adaptable in their fighting. It reminds me of the book 1776, which reveals how much more adaptable Washington's army was, compared with the British, who kept to their traditional methods of warfare.

Apparently Fallujah isn't such a bad place these days. To quote from the Marine:

don't think people really know what to expect from any of this,” he continued. “It's like people say: you only get the bad news on TV. They don't get to hear about how Fallujah is doing good now. I'm sure they'd hear about it if something bad happened. But these people are doing better, the schools are open, businesses are open, people are cleaning up their own city. They're starting their own neighborhood watch. They have their own police force now, their own government. People don't get to hear about that. I think that's important for people to know. You shouldn't focus so much on people who mess up. I mean, people have messed up. Bad stuff has happened. But you should focus on the percentage of people who are doing good as opposed to the percentage who are doing bad. There's a lot of good going on over here. And there's a lot of good people in this city.”

Totten's reporting is superb. If you have not read him, go here. You will not be disappointed.

He Was A Victim!

It took a few days, but it has happened. The killer of Christians attending Colorado churches has officially been declared a victim! Writing in today's Denver Post, Psychiatrist Rhonda Hackett writes about this killer and the Omaha mall killer:

It does not take a professional to figure out that these two young men were experiencing incredible emotion pain and severe mental anguish. Indeed, in both cases, friends, family, or others reported having been aware that each man suffered from brutal psychological pain. Based only on what has been revealed to the media thus far, professionals will tell you that there is a great possibility that Murray suffered emotional or even physical abuse as a child. His online writings are nearly textbook-perfect indicators.

Balderdash! We know no such thing! There is a "great possibility" that "professionals" like Ms. Hackett will do just what she did: assume that the killers must have been abused as children! The only way people can turn out to be killers, rapists, etc., is that they must have been abused as children! We have been hearing this from the mental health professionals for forty to fifty years.

Isn't it just as easy to speculate that maybe the parents coddled him and pampered him? How did he get the money to purchase a couple thousand dollars worth of guns? He was in his mid-twenties, still living at home. Not just any home; a beautiful home with a spectacular view of the front range of the Rocky Mountains. His father is a Neurologist dedicated to researching for a cure to MS. He treated MS patients even long after their insurance had expired. His mother quit her career as a physical therapist to stay home and homeschool him. Does this sound like a profile of abusive parents?

Winter Wonderland

The sun sets behind Pike's Peak.

The poor man's tractor.

I know you said it was cold outside, but, did you mean this cold?

Some News About The Killer of Colorado Christians

Bad news for Romney: The killer at two Colorado churches was baptised into the Mormon church.

"He engages first in behaviors that cause him to be rejected. Then he uses this rejection to reinforce his perceived injustice." That is the opinion about the killer given by psychologist John Nicoletti. (Source)

Anyone recognize what he is talking about? If you see this behavior in your kids, be all over it to bring it to an end. It can only lead to no good. Even if it doesn't go any further than a failed attempt at manipulation, the pattern needs to be broken at the earliest age possible. Don't let the pattern become entrenched.

Insufficient Fuel On Board

"U.S. Senator Unhurt in Air Crash:

The Associated Press reports that New York junior Senator Hillary Clinton, narrowly escaped injury in the aircraft she was piloting when she was forced to make an emergency landing in Southern New Jersey because of bad weather.

National Transportation Safety Board officials have issued a preliminary determination pilot error contributed to the accident, and the senator was flying a single engine aircraft in IFR [instrument flight rating] conditions while only having obtained a VFR (visual flight rating) rating.

The absence of a post-crash fire was likely due to insufficient fuel on board. No one on the ground was injured.

Photographs below were taken at the scene show the extent of damage to Senator Clinton's aircraft.

She was very lucky." Go here to see a photo of the plane.

"Allah Told Him to Cooperate!"

"A leader of the CIA team that captured the first major al Qaeda figure, Abu Zubaydah, says subjecting him to waterboarding was torture but necessary. In the first public comment by any CIA officer involved in handling high-value al Qaeda targets, John Kiriakou, now retired, said the technique broke Zubaydah in less than 35 seconds."

"The next day, he told his interrogator that Allah had visited him in his cell during the night and told him to cooperate," said Kiriakou in an interview to be broadcast tonight on ABC News' "World News With Charles Gibson" and "Nightline."

"From that day on, he answered every question," Kiriakou said. "The threat information he provided disrupted a number of attacks, maybe dozens of attacks."

Read the whole thing here.

Should We Vote For The One Who Is Most Naieve?

It is interesting that the two candidates who seem to be emerging as favorites are Huckabee and Obama. What is it about each of them that appeals to so many people? Maybe Americans are looking forward, and want to leave behind all of the political battles of the last few years. Both of these men seem to be nice guys who talk differently than the other candidates. They both want to make our government more benevolent.

Problem is, we need government to keep us safe from bad guys. We don't need government to love thy neighbor as thyself. Our "neighbors" (people in other countries) are often people who would do our country harm.

Remember when Bush said that he looked Putin in the eyes and found him to be a "good man?" That is the naievety I am talking about.

"Shower"

This morning Linebacker Dude got out of his bath. Mom dried him off and presented him to me all wrapped up in a towel, ready for his diaper (Colleen was taking the older kids to school). I put the diaper on him. He followed me into the master bathrooom, and said "Shower, Dad." This from a young man who has never before taken a shower.He had already taken off the diaper. He went in the shower. I told him to come out until I got the water to the right temperature. Five minutes later I finally convinced him. I got the temperature right and helped him get in. He stayed in for a long shower. I turned it off. He did not want to get out. As far as I know he is still in there (just kidding; wishful thinking).

Continued Injustice

On the most recent release of the list of White House pardons and commutations, there are pardons for eight drug dealers, but not for border agents Ramos and Compean. Here are the White House numbers:

White House Comments Line: 202-456-1111
White House Fax: 202-456-2461
Email the White House: comments@whitehouse.gov.

Here is how to send cards and letters to Ramos and Compean.

Ignacio Ramos #58079-180FCI PhoenixFederal Correctional Institution37910 N. 45th AvenuePhoenix, AZ 85086
Jose Compean #58080180FCI ElktonPO Box 10Lisbon, OH 44432

Close Your Windows and Doors...Or Move To The Country!

Oh,oh...Are we all on our way to jail? The toilet was overflowing. She screamed obscenities at the toilet. An off duty cop heard the obscenities, and called an on duty officer, who issued her a citation.

A Chance For Canadians to Differentiate Themselves From the Jihadists

A sixteen-year-old Toronto girl was murdered by her father for not dressing the way he wanted her to dress. Chalk up another victory for the Religion of Peace. In Saudi Arabia this man would be praised. Let's see how Canadian justice handles him.

I am also waiting to hear from Jane Fonda, Gloria Steinham, the National Organization for Women, and all the other feminist spokespersons, who will be speaking out against this murderous barbarian.

Fred Thompson has a related post here.

Which Is It, Governor?

Governor Romney has some explaining to do. He claims to be against abortion, yet his RomneyCare Health plan in Massachusets provided for abortions. RomneyCare was the last major piece of legislation he signed as Governor. From the RomneyCare pdf:

Outpatient care
Office visit to your PCP $5

Office visit to a specialist $10

Radiology, imaging (x-rays), lab work $0

Outpatient surgery at a hospital or ambulatory surgery center $50

Abortion $50

Via Gary Gross at GOP Bloggers

Are We Wimps?

Is the word "Christian" synonymous with "wimps"? I hope not! Are there people in your life who are a threat to the safety of yourself and/or other loved ones? Then don't just pray for that person or persons; do something about it. If they are mentally ill, and refuse to follow though with psychiatric recommendations, get them committed to a mental hospital!

I know that is easier said than done. When I worked as a child protection caseworker, I saw judges commit people to a 72 hour mental health hold, and, as soon as the 72 hours was up, the person was right back in the community, not following medical recommendations! I saw that time and again. Don't give up! Persist until the person gets the help they need.

If the problem is more behavioral than mental illness, then make sure the person gets the tough love program they need. The Christian group Youth With A Mission was receiving hate mail from the killer. Did they call police? No! They probably prayed for the guy. Go ahead and pray, but also contact authorities!

A couple of days ago Colleen was standing in line at the post office (aren't we all?). The clerk was very friendly and helpful to everyone. Some woman comes in and, from the back of the line, starts shouting at the clerk, because her mail was not being delivered to the right place! Colleen turned to the woman and said,"For Pete's sake, this woman doesn't have anything to do with delivering your mail." The woman then angrily demanded to talk to the postmaster. The clerk told her the postmaster was not in.

The woman accused the clerk of lieing. Colleen said, "Lady, she is not lieing to you. She does not lie. My son lies on his science fair project, but this lady is not lieing!" The woman in line in front of Colleen burst into laughter. Turns out she is a science teacher!

The angry woman just kept spewing her hatred, until a man escorted her out of the door. When Colleen got home she called the police, and urged them to go interview the clerk, who knows the name of the angry woman. If the police then pay the woman a visit, maybe she will think twice about creating such a mad scene again. Or, if she has no consequence for her uncivilizwed behavior, maybe she will come in firing a gun next time. You just never know. The point is, Christians cannot be content just to pray, and then wimp out.

Does God Use Flawed People?

So it turns out that the heroine is a flawed person. During the press conference, which I reported live on this blog yesterday, she gave her age as 25. Turns out that she is actually 42. Also turns out that she was fired from the Minneapolis police department in the late 1990s over "truthfulness issues." She was asked if she used "derogatory language" in an encounter with a citizen. She said she didn't, but they had instant replay (a videotape) that proved otherwise.

Here's the point. Jesus said many times that He was not here on Earth to save the righteous. God is looking for flawed people like you, me, and Jeanne Assam. People who are willing to confess our sins, repent, and learn to love God. People who want God's help. People who ask God to use them here on this Earth. Jeanne Assam was fasting for three days, diligently seeking God's will in her life. She found it! Her words: "It was me, the gunman, and God!"

Who was it that ministered to Jesus when he was crucified and hung on the cross? Wasn't it a prostitute named Mary Magdalene?

UPDATE: The killer's death was a suicide. It doesn't change a thing regarding the heroism of Jeanne Assam.

Don't Forgive People Who Have Not Repented!

The killer was kicked out of the mission training program a few years ago. He has been writing hate mail to the mission ("Youth With A Mission"), which has offices at Arvada and Colorado Springs, the two campuses where the killer shot people.

When you get hate mail, involve law enforcement! These Christians may have made the same mistake that Mike Huckabee made as Governor of Arkansas, when he pardoned and gave clemency to hundreds of criminals. Don't forgive people who have not repented!

A Blogger Who Is Doing An Outstanding Job Providing Details On The Killings and The Heroine

There is a blogger who has done an outstanding job of reporting on the killings of Colorado Christians. Please go to Slapstick Politics to get the details.

Same Weapon Used in Both Locations

Police have confirmed that the same weapon was used in Arvada and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Information About the Heroine

The heroine: "I took him down. I give the credit to God. I did not think for a minute to run away. "I prayed, Holy Spirit be with me." "My hands were not even shaking. My prior experience is in law enforcement. I have had to draw my weapon countless times before in my career, but never had to fire it."

The pastor: "Twelve armed security guards...always have at least six armed guards on duty. All are licensed. All are members of the church. All are screened and licensed to carry weapons."

The heroine: "I was just asking God...God this is You. God was with me. He never left my side. I was very focused. It was chaotic and so loud. I just knew I was not going to wait for him to do any further damage."

"I am not married. I have no kids. I will be married some day. God is going to find me the perfect man."

"I was finishing a three day fast. I was asking God for his Will. I was weak. I am honored that God chose me. He gave me His strength. I was on duty, and I was directed to carry my weapon. What was going through my mind was how awesome and powerful God is. I took cover, and was tremendously outweaponed."

Heroine is 25. Her name is Jeanne Assam. "I thanked God. I am in more awe of God than I was even before."

Information Update

The killer had over one thousand rounds of ammunition. He had an assault rifle and two pistols. He was formerly (five years ago) a member of Youth with a Mission.

The heroine who shot him will hold a press conference at 4:30 Colorado time this afternoon.

The killer was the son of a prominent Colorado neurosurgeon.

Facts Are Emerging About the Case of the Killer Of Christians in Colorado

I am going to post information that becomes available about the case of the killer of Christians in Colorado. The woman who killed the killer "walked into a hail of bullets." She was a security guard. Two men who also were security guards "froze." A Viet Nam veteran begged the two men to give him their weapons. The Vietnam vet was shot.

How did the woman do it? She "prayed for the guidance of the Holy Spirit." She calmly walked directly toward the killer, as he was shooting.

The killer "hated Christians."

A news conference will occur at 4 p.m. Colorado time.

Redneck Skiing

Redneck Skiing is where you sit on yer butt and try to hold on while being pulled around by yer ma in the pick up. Ya have to keep holding on, even if the sled don't keep up!

Viva Tancredo!

They had a Republican debate tonight. All of the candidates showed up, except Colorado's own Tom Tancredo. Oh, and the debate was in Spanish!

"Deny Oxygen To This Terrible Fire".

Mona Charen, writing in the National Review Online, suggests that it is time for the media to quit giving mall killers what they so desperately want: fame. She suggests that killers' names, pictures, coats, etc. be deleted from stories about their massacres. Fame does seem to be the one thing they all want more tnan anything. Fellow deranged fools seem to notice the publicity. What do you think?

History Repeats Itself

Russia now is enlisting children in youth groups to support Putin and oppose democracy movements. Thirty thousand children rallied near the Kremlin to celebrate Putin's reelection. Does that remind you of another figure in history? Publius Pundit has the story.

Passionate Words About Faith and Country

The next time Mitt Romney gives a speech about faith and patriotism, here is a suggestion. He can quote from this letter written by Nathanael Greene to Samuel Ward on January 4, 1776.

Heaven hath decreed that tottering empire Britain to irretrievable ruin and thanks to God, since Providence hath so determined, America must raise an empire of permanent duration, supported upon the grand pillars of Truth, Freedom, and Religion, encouraged by the smiles of Justice and defended by her own patriotic sons...Permit me then to recommend from the sincerity of my heart, ready at all times to bleed in my country's cause, a Declaration of Independence, and call upon the world and the great God who governs it to witness the necessity, propriety, and rectitude thereof.

This quote was taken from the book, 1776 by David McCullough. Greene and others had just received word of King George's address to parliament, and he was righteously pissed off!

And Now For A Lighter Touch

Irony

I find it ironic that the Hollywood guy is probably the most substantial candidate, yet he seems to be having the hardest time getting publicity and selling his ideas! I am speaking, of course, of Fred Thompson. He knows who he is, knows what he believes. His ideas are very solid. Look up any important issue, and he has a solid, conservative idea of what to do.

He is comfortable in his own skin. He doesn't pander to any group. He is not all puffed up about himself. He is not playing a role. He just says, "This is who I am. I think I am the right man to be the next President, and I hope you will vote for me." Oh, and one more thing; he actually seems to be honest! Moreover, rather than brag, and b.s., he seems to underplay his accomplishments.

Does anyone have an idea why he is having such a hard time getting traction with Republican primary and caucus voters? Maybe we really want someone who is not a conservative. Maybe we are all used to the big spending, big government, rather than relying on our own initiative!

"I Don't Want Your Recipe!"

Via Virginia Girl

What Kind Of Leader Will Our Country Need in 2008?

Mr. laid-back Presidential candidate Fred Thompson was asked if he planned to talk about his faith. He replied that he is not a regular church-goer, and

Me getting up and talking about what a wonderful person I am and that sort of thing, I'm not comfortable with that, and I don't think it does me any good," he said. "People will make up their own mind about that, and that's the way I like it."

Thompson is going to be his own man, no matter what the consequences. The more they harass him, the more laid-back he seems to get. Kind of refreshing, don't you think?

What will our country need in 2008? A street-fighter like Giuliani? A laid back thinker like Thompson? An efficient manager like Romney? A military hero like McCain? Or a fast-talking preacher like Huckabee?

I do realize there are candidates on the Democrat side, also. They are so weak on national defense and border security, that they hardly deserve serious consideration.

Are You Offended By These Ads?

These two videos were banned by NBC. NBC refused to run the ads, because they decided that the ads were "too controversial!" We are living in insane times.




Via Ace of Spades

Not To Be Trusted

Boo hoo, cry the MSM pundits. Romney did not mention atheists, skeptics, or doubters!
He is exclusionary! Waaah! And, he mentioned Mormonism only once! The leftist MSM and the conservative evangelicals seem to have one belief in common: Mormonism is a bad word! Of course, to the MSM, anyone who practices any religion is not to be trusted.

What do you think of Romney's most memorable line about you can't have freedom without religion, and you cannot have religion without freedom? Very thought-provoking.

"I Navigated His Career"

Hillary Clinton last night, answering a question by ABC's Charles Gibson.

Is Huckabee Dukakis?

Governor Huckabee has issued more pardons and clemencies than sll seven neighboring states combined! Dan Riehl did some digging, and found this in the Arkansas Leader.

___Governors seldom reduce sentences in other states – and almost never for murderers serving life without parole or for rapists or for habitual drunk drivers, while in Arkansas it's a regular habit with Huckabee.
___ Other governors use their clemency power only rarely, while Huckabee has made it routine. As we've told you before, he has issued more than 700 pardons and commutations during his eight years in office – more than 137 this year alone – and more than his three predecessors combined.
___ Here are the figures for neighboring states since 1996, when Huckabee took office (and keep in mind the population of these states is nearly 20 times ours):
___ >> Louisiana – 213.
___ >> Mississippi – 24.
___ >> Missouri – 79.
___ >> Oklahoma – 178.
___ >> Tennessee – 32.
___ >> Texas – 98 (in-cludes 36 inmates released because they were convicted on drug charges with planted evidence).
___ Total: 624 vs. Huckabee's 703.
___ Governors in neighboring states almost never grant killers clemency, while Huckabee has commuted the sentences of a dozen murderers.
___ "That is extremely rare here," said one corrections official in a neighboring state.
___ She recalled one case in the early 1990s when the governor commuted a killer's sentence and none since then.
___ In Texas, we could find only one clemency case for a killer.

Priorities, and Bias

Mitt Romney gave his speech on religious faith today, and, while he was doing so, CNN obnoxiously filled the left side of the t.v. screen with controversial facts about the Mormon Church. No bias there!

Romney is a good guy. The Mormons are good Republicans, and many are great family people. We need to keep our eye on the ball, which is to make sure the likes of Billary, Edwards, and Obama do not win the White House.

Once again, Ace of Spades says it far better than anyone else I have seen:

Were you listening to Romney or reading the dirt CNN was putting up on the left side of the screen?

I know which I was doing.

There's nothing wrong with noting the controversies surrounding the Church of LDS. But I don't seem to remember CNN running a similar graphic while Joe Lieberman was speaking during his 2000 VP run noting, for example, "The Jews rejected Christ." This is a true fact about Judaism, of course, a helpful little reminder about the differences between Judaism and Christianity, and yet CNN really didn't feel the need to inform Christians of their doctrinal differences with Lieberman's faith.

Nor do I recall CNN adding helpful graphics when Muslim Keith Ellison was running for Congress, noting, say, "Islam teaches that Christians are infidels and hell-bound."

To run this during Romney's speech shows bias. No one's going to listen to a wholesome call for religious tolerance when there's scandal and skullduggery being flashed at the same time.

Governor Romney's speech can be viewed here.

No Longer Unbroken

Greg gets to be the first one to ride previously unbroken Precious!

Knock, Knock, Who's There?

I heard someone knocking at the door. I looked ou the window and saw that it was Colleen. I thought,why is she knocking? She does know how to open the door! I went to the door, and guess who tried to walk right in? Precious, our unbroken three-year old horse! Colleen was training him, and thought it would be funny to have him come to the door to ask if he could come in and play with all of the other unbroken three-year-olds!

Naievety

benning's Writing Pad has a terrific post here about Pearl Harbor and September 11, 2001. He features photos and the address to Congress and the American people by F.D.R. I hope our nation never returns to the level of naivety that existed prior to December 7, 1941, "The Day That Will Live In Infamy."

Strategy

There are many Americans who would like to see America win the war against the Islamic terrorists. Yet, Clinton, Edwards, and Obama criticize the President for trying to win the war. More than criticize, they actually oppose efforts to provide funding for the troops who are fighting the war! Would someone please explain to me how these Democrat candidates are going to earn the support of Democrat voters who want America to win the war?

Bush finally got the right general to direct the fight. Yet, the principal power and money group that funds and directs Democrat candidates, moveon.org, puts an ad in the New York Times (at a discounted rate) calling General Petraeus "General Betray Us," and the candidates refuse to condemn the America-haters who bought the ad.

How is that a winning strategy for someone who wants to be our Commander in Chief?

Quagmire

Texas Rainmaker says that the Democrats are in a quagmire on how to pander to competing groups of victims! Many Hispanics are not all that in favor of tougher border enforcement. Many "blue collar" whites and blacks, on the other hand, do want stricter enforcement of our borders. Concerns over illegal immigration are widespread among both Democrats and Republicans, and the Democrat candidates are weak on this, as they are on winning the war in Iraq.

Barack Hussein Obama: a Book Review

Bruce Bawer writes in Pajamas Media "Why I Haven't Caught Obama Fever." Bawer recently read Obama's memoirDreams From My Father, and found much of it very disturbing. Obama was raised mostly on the beaches of Hawaii by an "unfailingly selfless and loving mother" and devoted grandparents, all of whom happen to be white. Yet, he mostly ignores them and spends all of the book praising his black father, who abandoned him when Obama was two!

His father, Dr. Obama, went back to Africa, where he was a high ranking official in the Kenyan government. He was a polygamist, and "lousy husband to all his wives." However, to Barack, he was a heroic, near mythic figure. Bawer writes,

One can, of course, well understand why a small boy – or even a young man – might idealize out of all proportion the father he never met. But Obama shows few signs in this book of recognizing that he’s doing this. Meanwhile, perversely, he treats his mother and grandparents, who by his own account raised him with extraordinary devotion, all but dismissively.

Perhaps most discouraging is that Obama reveals himself to be "unbearably self-absorbed – yet, at the same time, astonishingly short on self-knowledge." He seems to feel owed something by the world, and is obsessed with racial injustice of whites against blacks.

"The Last Ax-Swinging Pastor Standing"

To win over the people, a politician must have good press. Republicans have talk radio and Fox News. Democrats have all the major newspapers and national television news. The print media has been very friendly to Huckabee, because he is affable and accessible. However, it would be a great mistake for Huckabee to assume that the press will remain friendly to him when the chips are all on the table. The writers in the print media and television news are overwhelmingly liberal, as are their editors.

I noted yesterday that I heard both Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly warn that the press will turn on Huckabee, if he actually does become the nominee. Here is an example from today's Rocky Mountain News writer Mike Littwin, who is following Huckabee in New Hampshire. "There is no secret what happened in Iowa. In a state with a significant number of Christian conservatives - a significant number of whom couldn't find a candidate to back - they finally settled on the last ax-swinging pastor standing."

The full page article is supposedly favorable to Huckabee. The headline says "Huckabee Finds Stride With "Little Guy." However, it is just as Bill and Rush warned yesterday; the not-so-subtle sarcasm is just below the surface. Here's how Littwin, who obviously thinks he is a very funny writer, sums up Huckabee. "To wrap it up: He's pro little guy, anti-plutocracy, nostalgic for dirt floors."

This One Stinks

I have written about this before, but since I believe it is possibly going to become a national story, I am updating. The Denver Post has assigned a reporter, Karen Crummy, to cover the on-going developments, but talk radio show host Peter Boyles is the one who has kept the story alive.

The man who is now Governor of Colorado is a Democrat named Bill Ritter. His previous job was that he was the Denver D.A. Former Congressman Bob Beauprez was the Republican who ran against Ritter to try to replace Republican Bill Owens, who was term-limited.

During the campaign Beauprez revealed that as D.A., Ritter routinely allowed illegal immigrants with long criminal records, who committed crimes in Denver, to get off scott-free by pleading guilty to a manufactured charge of "agricultural trespass." They entered their plea, then went on their merry way committing crimes wherever they went in the U.S.

The person who supplied Beauprez with the information about the criminal illegal immigrants was Cory Voorhis, a federal immigration agent. Ritter cleverly turned the heat back on Beauprez, saying that the information about the Mexican criminals had been obtained by someone who illegally accessed a government crime database. It was a successful tactic for Ritter, who won the election in a landslide.

Charges were filed against Voorhis. However, he was not the only person who accessed the database. So far the case reaches to Texas and Pennsylvania, where additional persons accessed the database. Beauprez is not standing with the man who tried to expose the truth about Ritter. No one is willing to step forward and tell the truth about their own involvement with accessing the crime database. Everyone is willing to let Voorhis be the fall guy. Voorhis is an agent with an outstanding record of going after Mexican crime individuals and groups.

Voorhis is soon coming into federal court to face three misdemeaner charges of using the National Crime Information Center to track down the aliases of an illegal alien with a long criminal history, who had been given the phony "agricultural trespass" plea deal by Ritter. As they say in talk radio, stay tuned!

Rush and Bill On The Same Page Today

I caught pieces of both Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly on their radio shows today. Both men, regardless of whether you agree with them, are veteran observers of the American political scene. What I found fascinating is that both men said exactly the same thing about the media's current buzz about the Huckabee candidacy.

Here is what both men said. They both believe that the media is holding up Huckabee in hopes that he might become the Republican nominee. If he wins the nomination, they will then turn on him to make sure the Democrat wins. I thought it was very interesting that both men would say the exact same thing about the media on the same day.

O'Reilly believes that Giuliani is the strongest candidate for the Republicans, in terms of competing in the general election, but he also believes Romney, Thompson, and Mc Cain could be formidable candidates. He does not believe Huckabee would be competitve in the general election. Rush believes Thompson is the most conservative candidate among the front runners, which I take to mean that Thompson is the one Rush hopes is the candidate, although he did not say that.

Tonight's Sunset

The entire sky was beautifully lit up tonight in all directions. I took as many pictures as I could, before the camera posted a message, saying "change battery pack." It was the most spectacular sunset I have seen since we moved out here to the high plains in July. It lasted at least a half-hour.

Is Liberty Obsolete?

Hillary Clinton says,

“We can talk all we want about freedom and opportunity, about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but what does all that mean to a mother or father who can’t take a sick child to the doctor?”

Maggie's Farm has an answer. My favorite quote:

I believe that she is saying that "liberty and opportunity" are obsolete. Show me one sick child in America who is denied medical care, but, before you begin looking, I will warn you that you will not find one. (Me? I just want free legal care when I get my DUI. And free gas, please, for my truck - and would you throw in free car insurance, please?)

The Stem Cell Debate Is Over: Vindication (Again) For President Bush

Surprsingly, I have not seen much on the web about the recent announcement of an amazing discovery by two scientists, James Thomson and Shinya Yamanaka, that has ended the stem cell debate. Now, instead of having to destroy human embryos for research, scientists know that they can produce genetically matched stem cells by injecting only four genes (from "de-differentiating" adult stem cells), creating a stem cell that can become "bone or brain or heart." I am quoting from a column I read today by Charles Krauthammer of the Washington Post. He was a member of the bioethics commission appointed by President Bush. Remember when President Bush was villified by the left for insisting that moral considerations be given as much importance as scientific possibilities? As Krauthammer points out, President Bush has been completely vindicated for the moral stand he took.

Isn't She Just So Presidential?

Now the MSM will be talking about how wonderfully Hillary Clinton handled the hostage crisis in her New Hampshire office, although whe was hundreds of miles away. Clarice Feldman, writing in The American Thinker, has some pertinent analysis here. My favorite quote about the hostage-taker:

He'd been scheduled that afternoon to make an appearance in a domestic violence hearing and I suppose this notion of making himself the center of the drama was a more appealing choice to him than punishment for banal, anti-social behavior alone.

Idle Hands ARE The Devil's Workshop!

Usually we eat altogether as a family. Tonight we ate in two shifts. First, Mom and Dad sat down with the two littlest ones, Mau and Linebacker Dude. Then, the two little ones got down and the other group sat down for supper. It was a great supper, so I stayed on for both shifts. The two little ones went downstairs to the rec room.

Now, let me ask you a question. How do you buy your eggs? We used to just buy them by the dozen, but for some time now we have been buying them in cartons of eighteen, since we eat so many of them. Before dinner I noted that we were down to one carton, and we would need to replenish the supply tomorrow, Why do I interrupt this story to talk about eggs?

Actually, it is not an interruption. After a few minutes, we decided to go down and check on the two little ones. One of them had opened the refrigerator door and taken the last carton of eighteen eggs. When mom arrived downstairs, she found that they had thrown all eighteen eggs on the carpet and against the wall. They both got early bedtimes, and I sure do hope they enjoy the Rice Krispies, Cheerios, toast and orange juice that they will be served for the next several months!

Nivera R.I.P.

Our beautiful paint horse Nivera died last night. She had a history of being colicky. We were always very careful how much grain we gave her. Yesterday was a warm day, then it drizzled and turned very cold overnight; thus the frost on the trees, as seen in my last post. Colleen had given her a small amount of grain, which she had not had for several days. Now we are told that sudden changes in the weather, along with something different in the diet, can quickly kill this powerful, majestic animal.

We all loved her. Actually, I especially admired her beauty, and often remarked to Colleen what a great job she did in picking this beautiful horse to purchase. She was a beautiful, reddish brown, along with the white. Naturally, Colleen is feeling terrible guilt, for having given her the small amount of grain. She does not want me to tell her mother, because she believes that her mother believes that Colleen can never measure up to what she thinks Colleen ought to be.

After she died, the coyotes picked up the scent of death, and came into the paddock area to tear apart the carcass. She died sometime after midnight. Colleen discovered the body this morning. We paid a company to remove the body while we went to church.

The sermon in church was about the Lamb of God, Jesus, who was in the Beginning, long before Bethlehem, but was sent by His Father to this earth, and by His death and resurrection, wiped away the sins of all who believe in Him and seek to do His will on this earth.

Jack Frost Comes A'Nippin

These Australian Pines, or, as we like to call them out west, Ponderosa Pines, were touched up by Jack Frost last night. It is a beautiful morning!

"The Hunted, Not The Hunters"

Webutante brings us a wonderful piece (although nine days old) in the New York Post by Ralph Peters. My favorite line: "Contrary to the myths of the left, peace can only be built over the corpses of evil men." Peters points out that

Fanatical enemies: We lucked out when al Qaeda declared Iraq the central front in its war against civilization. Our monstrous foes alienated their local allies so utterly that al Qaeda in Iraq is now largely a spent force - the hunted, not the hunters. The terrorists have suffered a strategic humiliation.

Read the whole thing here.

Precious

Precious is our new three-year-old horse who has never been ridden. Mom and daughter both sat on her this afternoon. She held steady, perhaps because there was a wonderful patch of green, green grass right there next to the corral. Mom and daughter both described the experience as "freaky, yet exhilarating!"

Bad Words

This morning a friend called and asked if her six-year-old son could come over for the day, because he was too sick to go to school, and too sick to go with her to a doctor appointment. He wasn't really very sick, and played non-stop with our kids.

At one point, I asked the kids to go downstairs and put on a movie, because they were keeping Mau Mau awake when she needed to be napping. The little boy apparently knows our movie selection, and said he did not want to watch our "baby" movies. "I just want to watch adult movies that have bad words." They watched Peter and The Wolf.

Sorry, young man, it is the best we can do!

CNN: A Very Unfunny Joke

Everyone is all abuzz about CNN letting Democrat operatives pose as Republican questioners in last night's debate. You expected CNN to be fair and balanced? You expected them to google questioners, to make sure they were not Clinton, Edwards, or Obama plants? They really should be renamed The Democrat Network. Still, from what I can gather, the Republican candidates answered the questions well.

CNN is dwindling, spiraling downward to become a very unfunny joke, except for Glenn Beck, of course. I love Glenn Beck!

Atheism's Answer To Narnia?

Confessions of a Closet Republican has this to say about Hollywood's latest anti-God effort:

There seems to be an on-going tug of war between those atheists who want a world devoid of God, and those who believe a God-less world will be the downfall of humanity. And atheists seem to be gaining ground in that battle- including in the realm of Hollywood. On December 7th, 2007 a children's film entitled "The Golden Compass", starring Nicole Kidman and other major players, is being released. It's based on the first novel "Northern Lights" in Philip Pullman's trilogy "His Dark Materials". Seemingly innocuous, it's actually atheism's answer to the Narnia Trilogy. And although all religious (or rather anti-religious references) have been removed, Christian groups are still calling for a boycott. Their main concern is that children will be inspired to read the trilogy after viewing the film (in its watered-down version), and that unsuspecting parents will then purchase the books, which have a decidedly anti-Church, anti-religious theme. In fact, God is portrayed as a drooling, senile old man, and is killed off at the end, by the young protagonists. Pullman, an avowed atheist makes no apologies for his writings, and has openly admitted:
"My books are about killing God."
And:
"I don't profess any religion; I don't think it's possible that there is a God; I have the greatest difficulty in understanding what is meant by the words 'spiritual' or 'spirituality."