Dr. Sanity's tribute to the crew of the Challenger

Twenty-five years and three days ago we lost the crew of The Challenger. The Blogosphere's own brilliant psychiatrist Dr. Sanity was the Crew Surgeon. She wrote this riveting account of that experience here. If you do not know Dr. Sanity's blog, I urge you to read it. She nails it time and time again, and when we have a President who is so good at rhetoric, we need a Dr. Sanity to help us see through the non-stop b.s. not only from Obama, but also from the bureaucrats who run NASA.

I like his odds better here.

via Innominatus

More on the slick rhetoric of the left and their spokesperson Obama at Dr. Sanity

$150,000.00?

Is it really true that Dennis Kucinich is suing the cafeteria at the House of Representatives for $150,000.00, because he bit into an olive pit?

Dodging antibiotics and vaccines

Scientists have studied a strain of pneumonia bacteria, and learned how it has evolved to thwart vaccines and antibiotics.

McCain for President...of Egypt?

John McCain sounds as though he has decided to run again for President; but this time for President of Egypt! "This is a real democratic awakening," he said on CNN. How is he so sure? Does he consider the Muslim Brotherhood a real democratic awakening? Go ahead and run, John, I hope you get elected this time.

The truth about the Colorado school mentioned by Obama in the State of the Union address

Chicks on the Right nails this one. The school is succeeding precisely because the principal was allowed to operate completely autonomous from federal, state and local bureaucrats and teachers unions.

Experts on Egypt

From Sisu: "Ambassador John Bolton is putting cold water to this growing sense among the media that this is a “pro-democracy movement.” This is a nation that has not seen democracy in centuries …

This is a protest percolated by the Muslim Brotherhood. As Big Peace revealed on its blog, What Do the Egyptian Crowds Want? Caliphate Dreams and Strict Sharia." Any time John Bolton speaks, I listen.

But wait, here is someone who belittles Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann, and who tells us in this clip that the Panama Canal is in Egypt! I give you Chris Matthews! What would he say if either Palin or Bachmann made such a mistake?

The Road to Hell

I believe Andrew Klaven's monologue here is spot on. However, I got distracted by the highway lines.

Obama tells reporters: "Combat operations in Afghanistan have ended."

Well, this will surely be news to our soldiers who are fighting, dying, getting injured, risking their lives in combat operations in Afghanistan. This may be Obama's biggest gaffe yet.
UPDATE:An Instapundit reader says this is proof that Obama is just a puppet for Joe Biden!

"You can't judge a revolution by its theatrics"

Look at what is happening in the Arab world! Strategy Page has an analysis here. Michael Ledeen wonders here whether the tumult will really change systems of rule and replace them with new ones. Will the new systems separate mosque and state, as he believes would happen in Iran if the Green Revolution prevails, or will secular systems be replaced by Islamic systems, as Hezbollah is trying to do in Lebanon? Ledeen believes that Obama is "totally bamboozled" by all the tumult, and so is Hillary. He also wonders about Panetta's C.I.A. Will the C.I.A. know whom to support? And what about the true martyrs, those who are being killed in Iran's prisons at the rate of three per day!

Going after Sarah Palin

Although there is no dearth of potential candidates for the GOP to consider to run against Barack Obama, it is clear that the one whom the left is trying hardest to discredit or embarrass is Sarah Palin. The latest effort has even attracted the National Enquirer, which is always ready to capitalize on the stupidity of celebrities without regard to the political leanings of said celebrities. Lefty bloggers, including the Huffington, Puffington Post, are trying to tie Todd Palin to a massage therapist who was arrested in March in Anchorage, and police there charged her with operating a house of prostitution. The Associated Press is, of course, trying to get her rolodex, which is now in police custody, hoping to find Todd's name on it. According to the Enquirer, the woman's massage parlor allegedly provided free massages to members of the 2006 Palin gubernatorial campaign.

The National Enquirer, without any proof of misconduct by Todd Palin, has this headline this week: SARAH PALIN'S HUSBAND CAUGHT UP IN SEX SCANDAL. "SEX SCANDAL" is in bright yellow, which, if you'll notice, is used by every gossip magazine at your grocery store, to attract attention of shoppers having to wait in line. Below that main headline at the top of the Enquirer, is this one: THE WOMAN WHO THREATENS THEIR MARRIAGE. Under that headline, in bright yellow, is this one: PHOTOS INSIDE. Yep, inside there is a photo of the woman whom the police arrested last March, and the strip mall (pardon the expression) where she did her bidness.

Does the Enquirer offer one shred of evidence of inappropriate behavior by Todd Palin? NO! Still, they can legally get by with those screaching headlines?

UPDATE The new issue of The National Enquirer is out with headlines in yellow, white and red, but still no evidence whatsoever. It quotes the "massage therapist" as saying "I SLEPT WITH SARAH'S HUSBAND," although the Enquirer has not talked with the "massage therapist," only to a "pal" of the "massage therapist."

There is Hope!

I'm not sure Michelle Obama is right about us Americans being so out-of-shape. Let me explain. The other day I was in our local big box store and the woman in front of me was getting ready to pay for her groceries, when she realized she left her wallet in her car. The clerk asked her how far away her car was parked, and the woman replied, "Oh, it is right in front, in the Handicapped area." With that, the woman sprinted out the door ala Jesse Owens, and within just a few more seconds, sprinted back in with her wallet in hand! If our handicapped Americans can run like that, we must not be in such bad shape after all!

I AM JON

I am a boy who likes candy.

I wonder about life.

I see my family a lot.

I want a PS3.

I am a boy who likes his mom.


I pretend to be in the army.

I feel objects.

I touch my donut.

I worry when I'm in danger.

I cry when I get badly hurt.

I am a boy who likes his dad.


I understand Harry Potter.

I say I want a PS3.

I dream happy dreams.

I try my best.

I hope I'll pass fifth grade.

I am a boy who likes food.

"Where all the men are good-looking, all the women are strong, and all the children are above average"

I know Garrison Keillor is not fond of George W. Bush, but is there a better story- teller anywhere than Keillor? I picked up several of his Lake Wobegon books-on-tape at the library, and am thoroughly enjoying them. Having lived the first 17 years of my life in Iowa, I appreciate his dry midwestern sense of humor. He has books-on-tape under the Lake Wobegon titles, which feature his story-telling, and he also has books-on-tape under the Prairie Home Companion titles, which feature more music and less story-telling.

Who won?

Via Theo Spark

Are you a wimp? Bully? Polite and Powerful?

How are you on positively confronting other people? I've been wondering about myself in that area. I have been proud of myself for not allowing self-pity to get a foothold in my life over this past year. However, I wonder if in accomplishing that, I may have inadvertantly become a wimp. I take abuse, avoid resentment and retaliation, keep a positive attitude and practice kindness toward others, but in taking the abuse, I wonder if I am becoming a wimp.

Barbara Pachter has written a book on the subject, entitled The Power of Positive Confrontation.. She advocates that we learn how to be polite and powerful. I've got the polite part down, but I don't think I am very powerful. Do you sometimes want to just whack the other person? Well, Ms. Pachter advocates we WAC them, instead.

The "W" stands for what. What are you upset about? What do you want from the other person? What do you want to say? She advocates that we take the time to write down those "whats." Preparing allows us to be specific. Writing it down is just for our use, not to give the written thing to the other. It allows us to describe the behaviors that are upsetting us. In doing so, we are advised by Ms. Pachter to avoid harsh words, avoid exaggerating, avoid "you" statements, unless they are descriptive, rather than accusatory, use softening statements that show the other person you are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

The "A" stands for asking. Clearly define what you want, then ask the person. The "C" stands for checking in with the other person. Ask, "Can you do that? or "Okay?" Come across in a way that communicates, "I'm confident we can find a solution." It is important to avoid self-discounting language, and, of course, the other extreme of screaming and yelling. I'll have more to write about this important subject later.

Natonal Western Stock Show

Jon's fifth grade class got to go to the National Western Stock Show today. The highlights of his day were attending a professional rodeo and getting to meet a real rodeo clown, who told the children about his profession. Jon was really jazzed. He gave me a play-by-play of his whole day, something he does not do when cooped up in a classroom all day. Boys need to move around and physically experience hands-on the subject matter.

No, Greg, It's not the same as brushing your teeth

Before the children get their bedtime stories, they have to brush their teeth. Tonight Greg decided to plead a motion against teeth-brushing.

"I'm chewing sugar-free peppermint gum. Does that count as brushing my teeth? It's the same flavor as my toothpaste."

"Nice try, Greg. Get your teeth brushed so we can read more than one chapter tonight."

The Ford Model T

Via Theo Spark

"No Having Bad Bodies"

I asked seven-year-old Sara what she learned in school today. "We learned about how to be healthy. First, you have to stay away from alcohol, smoking, and drugs. Then, you have to eat good food, brush your teeth" (I stopped her right there, because she had just brushed her teeth and was now chewing gum). I asked, "Is it good to chew gum, Sara, after brushing your teeth?"

"Oh, yes, my teacher said it was, if you don't chew gum more than once a day."

"Dad, do you know what is the dirtiest part of the body? Your hair!"

At that point, ten-year-old Jon chimed in, "I know a part of the body that is dirtier!"

At that point, Jon's Dad, I, stopped any further speech coming from Jon's mouth, in absolute violation of Jon's first amendment rights.

Sara continued, "Wash your hands with sanitizer or soap and water. Then eat some more good food. Candy tastes good, but it is not good for you. What if I ate all the candy in Candyland? I would be fat. I would not be strong. Today the boys were chasing me, but they could not catch me. Then Nathan did catch me. He said I look like chocolate, and he tried to eat me. I do look like chocolate, but I don't want boys eating me."

George Will's challenge to the 112th Congress

George Will writes a challenge to the 112th Congress. Slow down the trend to give more and more power to the regulatory agencies, and reassert the role of Congress as the law-making body. Rely on the Constitution to remind government what it cannot do to American citizens. Stop the Obama-led march to socialism. Read the whole thing here.

The Sweet Potato Queens' Field Guide to Men

Does your library have a table or some kind of display in which "staff picks" are highlighted? Ours does, and I love it, because I can go right over to that display and almost always find either a children's book, or a book for adults that looks interesting, and I don't have to spend a lot of time. Every time I go to the library, which is about three times a week, I head for that display, and I am never disappointed.

Last week I found a real treasure there: Jill Conner Brown's Sweet Potato Queens' Field Guide to Men. I enjoyed every minute of this book. Ms. Brown's down-to-earth Mississippi sense of humor is pure delight. I had never heard of the Sweet Potato Queens, but apparently there are active chapters all around the world. These women love men, and they know us pretty well, too. But they also know how to get rid of us when we deserve to be gotten rid of. The book has tales from Queens from all over. There is a laugh in every paragraph.

Befor I shut down the computer tonight, I am going to put on hold at my wonderful library every other book written by Jill Conner Brown.

"Non-violent transition of power"

via Primordial Slack, who probably thinks I am an "idiot" for the title of this post.

Meanwhile, in other universes...

If you are interested in what is going on in space, the Space Station Shuttle Mission blog is an excellent resource. A visit there today produced photo and story of the Earth weather patterns taken on December 30, 2010, a picture of two galaxies who had a close encounter a few hundred million years ago, a photo and story of unexpected energy changes in Crab Nebulla, story and picture of this year's La Nina, which has been the strongest La Nina in over fifty years, photo and story of where on Mars Rover will be spending its 7th birthday, a photo of snow-covered Ireland, and much, much more.

Test your knowledge of civics

Want to take a civics test? Go here.

Some truth about Ethanol

The Burning Platform produces here another of its comprehensively documented blog posts. It asks, "How many Senators does it take to screw a taxpayer?" It is referring to the costs of government-mandated ethanol. Here is how the cartoonist arrived at the above-six dollars per gallon of gasoline cost of Ethanol.

Real Cost For A Gallon Of Corn Ethanol
Corn Ethanol Futures Market quote for January 2011 Delivery $2.46
Add cost of transporting, storing and blending corn ethanol $0.28
Added cost of making gasoline that can be blended with corn ethanol $0.09
Add cost of subsidies paid to blender $0.45
Total Direct Costs per Gallon $3.28

Added cost from waste $0.40
Added cost from damage to infrastructure and user’s engine $0.06
Total Indirect Costs per Gallon $0.46

Added cost of lost energy $1.27
Added cost of food (American family of four) $1.79
Total Social Costs $3.06

Total Cost of Corn Ethanol @ 85% Blend $6.80

None of these figures take into account the effect on the world's poor of the high cost of corn.

A hero who knows what country he is living in

Ed Schultz interviews one of the heroes who subdued the Tucson killer. The interview starts more than halfway in, if you want to skip Schultz. The young man has some good things to say; in fact he is awesome!
Via Moonbattery

Is a duck really worth all that?

I used to crack up every time Buddy Hackett appeared on the Johnny Carson show. This clip, via Woodsterman, reminds me of those days, sitting in the living room with my Dad, eating his bowl of cut-up bread with milk, and Mom, snoring away in her chair. Also, wasn't Johnny a class act? Always willing to give the guest the spotlight and the laughs. I wonder if I watched this one with my Dad, who was an avid duck hunter.

Governing with the consent of the governed? No Way!

Frank J. thinks he knows why liberals hate the Constitution.

My ears are warm...because of my hat.

I have a warm hat that I think is made of rabbit fur. I like it very much. It has been wonderful to have on my head in the below zero weather we experienced this past week. However, on one of those days, I had to enter a building where there was security check. The guy operating the security check point did not like the fact that I did not take off my hat immediately upon entering the building.

My hat covers my ears and has clips that click together under my chin. My custom is to take off my gloves in order to undo the clasps. However, when it is eleven below zero, I might still have my hat and gloves on for a few moments, even after entering a building. That's what I did on the day I met the 5-foot-three-direct-ancestor-of-Napoleon security guard. Mr. Security Guard sternly lectured me on the importance of rapid removal of hats when entering his precious building, and warned me not to try to put it back on while still inside the building.

Guess what? Yesterday I had to go back in that building, and it was still below zero at 8 a.m. when I entered the building. I completely forgot to take off my hat. Mr. Security Guard went ballistic. Colleen was with me. He asked if we were together, and I said we were, so he was immediately rude to her, too. Colleen whispered to me that he probably thinks I have a gun in my hat, and was probably going to toss the gun to her so she could stick up the place, ala Bonnie and Clyde.

After feeling that he had been sufficiently rude to us, he allowed us to retrieve the items from the large plastic bowl, even my belt, which he had demanded be removed. Over the last several months, my weight has gone from 218 pounds to 173 pounds, so I was worried that without my belt, my pants would start to fall down. Can you imagine how Mr. Security Guard would have reacted to that scenario?

I love my rabbit fur warm hat. My ears don't get cold, even when the temperature is below zero. And, like Andy over at Andy's Place, I look good in it.

A visit to the children's classrooms

I had a day off today, so I decided to visit the classrooms of my three children. First on the docket was Greg's fourth grade class. This was a teacher who believes in freedom. Kids were talking all around the room and walking back and forth. When I was introduced as Greg's father, kids shouted out from all corners of the room that "Greg is hilarious." One boy even walked over to Greg and raised Greg's hand in the air like a referee would raise the hand of the winner of a prizefight, and announced, "Greg is hilarious!" Greg did say something funny when the kid raised his hand: "You are overdoing your pride in my achievements!"

Okay, I thought, the kids like him, but is he the class clown? The kids were working on graphs for a math assignment. Greg got up and went over to the teacher, who was sitting on her fanny taking a break, I guess. Greg said, "This doesn't make any sense!" She re-read the instructions to him, but I don't think Greg was convinced that it made any sense. I spoke briefly with the teacher, who, as far as I could see, was not doing any teaching. She said, "If Greg put half as much energy into just doing his work as he does in trying to avoid his work, he would accomplish amazing things." Sigh.

But wait, there is hope. My next stop was Jon's classroom, which will be Greg's next year. Can you say NO NONSENSE? Jon's teacher was intense, passionate, terrific. Those kids are going to learn every subject she teaches; I have not a shadow of a doubt! And guess what? Like me, she is a huge fan of the writer Pat Conroy. She had amazing control of that classroom. Does a child have poor posture? She will remark about it and the child will immediately straighten up. All of the children were completely involved in learning the multiplication and division problems. The teacher would make a presentation at the front of the room, then circle throughout the room checking everyone's work, while still holding the attention of the entire class. She used humor, but was entirely focused on teaching the subject matter, and so were the children. No clowns allowed in this class.

I sat next to Jon, and noticed that he was just as fidgety as he is when I am reading to him and Greg at night. He was tapping lightly with a magnet, wiggling his feet, eating his pencil, but he was staying up with the teacher even if it was math, which is not Jon's best subject (writing and p.e. are).

Lastly, I went to Sara's class. She seemed very, very glad to see me. I sat down next to her. One of the first things she told me was that she can lift off the ground every single kid in the class. If you could see her and the rest of the class, you would immediately believe Sara, who is at least a head taller than any other child (we think her biological father must have been a NBA player). Not to my surprise, Sara was working way ahead of her teacher and the other kids. That is the way she is with me, too. She whispered to me that the next time I come she wants me to teach the class along with her teacher, and she will speak to the teacher about that.

Michael Ramiriez cartoon

via Looking Spoon

Hallowed Be thy Name

Julie Cork blogs about a wonderful gift her family received. Please go here to watch and listen to a beautiful CD.

Sara on the importance of Family and School

Seven-year-old Sara said to me this morning, "I'm glad I have a family. I'd be bored without a parent around. Children who are left alone might trash the place, and maybe even light things on fire and burn the house down! My advice to other kids is, "without a family, you are going to be bored, so GET A FAMILY!"

"If you have a family, you have somebody to talk to. I'm very talkative, and I love to get attention. People get annoyed if I talk too much. If you talk too much, you might get out of breath or fall asleep. My advice to other kids is "Find someone to talk to, but don't interrupt them if they are talking to someone else."

"Oh, and one more thing, Dad. It's the law that children have to go to school. School is what you need to learn. You need to pay attention in school, and not just mess around."

Not giving in to self-pity

I wish I would have mastered the art of anger control earlier in my life. If I would have, I am convinced that my life today would be a million times better in all phases. In recent years I have learned that the biggest trap of all is self-pity. Once you give in to self-pity, you feel justified to unleash anger. Realizing this is a self-defeating activity, I pray daily for the Holy Spirit's power to overcome the temptation to give in to self-pity. I especially pray when the temptation is right on me. As Steve Martin said in his book The Pleasure of My Company, "There are many takers for the quiet heart."

One of the best gifts a parent can give his or her children is the gift of learning the importance of avoiding the temptation to give in to self-pity. This morning seven-year-old Sara was rude to ten-year-old Jon for several minutes. Finally, Jon had had enough, and came charging after Sara. Nine-year-old Greg grabbed Jon from behind, and held him back, telling Jon that if he did something to Sara, it would only make matters worse. I was so proud of Greg, and told him so clearly and emphatically.

I certainly don't claim to have mastered the ability to avoid self-pity. Anger is easier to control than self-pity, because self-pity is a thought, and anger is an action. Thoughts precede actions. It is the thoughts that we need to give priority to. If we can train ourselves to avoid the thoughts associated with self-pity, we can avoid the actions that produce results that are less than beneficial to ourselves and others.

How do we get motivated to learn to control thoughts of self-pity? There has to be some motivating factor. Impending loss of someone(s) near and dear can be a strong motivator. Job loss? Loss seems to loom large as a motivator. What has been your experience with this subject?

Live to Die

Live to Die (for virgins in the sky) BANNED by Youtube from Joe Dan on Vimeo.

Via Moonbattery

Don't Quit! by ten-year-old Jon Agard

Don't quit! Go out and stand for what you believe in. If you get knocked down, get back up. There are a bunch of things that can knock you down, and one of them is life itself. Life isn't smooth sailing or driving on a paved road. It's sailing through a raging hurricane or driving on a country backroad that hasn't been groomed. Do what you think you can do. Don't let the limits of other people's imagination stop yours from growing. Take risks. They might help you excel. You might achieve your goal, and you might not, but you definitely won't if you don't take risks and try your hardest.

All I needed to know, I learned in...first grade?

"How was your day, Sara?"

"Great! Dalton was playing Ninja. He needed a girl. He trained me how to be a Ninja. You sneak up on people, flip over on the monkey bars, then run really fast."

"I also made friends with MacKenzie, after she tattled on me and tried to get me in trouble with the teacher, so I would miss out on recess. I told the teacher the real truth: that I put my pencil in Kendall's desk by accident." (I think something is missing from this story, but I'm not sure exactly what, and, anyway, Sara is already on to the next story about her school day).

"We colored our brain, heart and skeleton. I stayed in the lines, because that is exactly how our bodies are."

"Now, Daddy can we read How the Camel Got His Hump?"

Brushing My Teeth, by ten-year-old Jon Agard

I tumbled into the treacherous bathroom. I fell to the hard, cold floor. I stopped sobbing, and the snorts of laughter from the evil torturer who forced me to call her "Mom" pierced my ears. I scampered to my feet and picked up the slime-covered toothbrush. I slopped on the toothpaste, and then I started to brush. As I finished the top row, and the tedious slick-slosh was stopping, the torturing menace gave me a great snarl and with one bony finger pointed to my bedroom. I began to wimper sadly as I slid into the creeking and cracking bed, and SMASH, I fell into a deep sleep.

A creepy news story

Did you know that there is something called the National Bed Bug Forum? I am not making this up! This is not an article from The Onion. I am citing an article in today's Denver Post, which covered the "packed" forum in Broomfield, Colorado at a fancy hotel. Did you know that in any one 180 day period of time, one female bedbug produces 7,848 adults, 69,909 eggs, 121,449 nymphs, and 169,490 bites?

Our nation is facing an "unstoppable infestation" of bedbugs. The last time our nation had such a terrible infestation, it was stopped by vigilant parents, except not my Mom and Dad, in the late 1950s. The article does not say what those other parents did to stem the tide of bed bugs, but I know who caused the nationwide infestations in the 1950s. It was MY MOTHER! I would be sitting in my favorite chair, reading my favorite book, and MY MOTHER would move my chair out of the dark part of the living room over to the big window so I would read by "God's light." The bedbugs fled my house and infested our whole nation!

Guess what has been contributing to the new infestation? IMMIGRATION! Also, you have been shopping at the Goodwill and other thrift stores way too much during this recession! You bring home more and more stuff in which the bedbugs can hide in the "dark nooks and crannies" between your stuff! They hang out there until they want to get warm, and that's where YOU come in! Once "sated" with your blood, they mate with wild abandon! These bedbugs of 2011 have genetically modified themselves, so even DDT, which used to be effective, no longer would be, even if the Democrat bureaucrats would let you spray it all over your mattress.

By the way, those are not apple seeds in your bed. They are BEDBUGS! What is the best way to get rid of them? Throw everything in your house into your dryer for fifteen minutes. It might take more than one dryer load, since you have been buying all that stuff at the thrift stores. One noted expert said it is only a matter of time before infestations will have to be treated in "homes, hotels, schools, hospitals, movie theaters, offices, college dorms, ambulances and elsewhere."

This is one area that President Obama is not touching with federal funds. It is going to have be the pest control industry, which has more than 500 operations in the U.S. A survey of pest control operators indicated that 76% of them considered bedbugs the hardest pest to eradicate. 13% cited ants, 9% cited roaches, while only a few cited termites.

You're welcome.

Ace of Spades answers Democrats on the importance of the Constitution

Liberals (Democrats) are mocking Republicans for their "reverence" for the U.S. Constitution. Ace of Spades emphatically answers those critics. Here are just a few of Ace's ideas on the subject. Read the whole thing here.

"Let me tell you why I "worship" the Constitution. I do not believe it contains "all answers" within it. But I do believe it sets the ground-rules for how we shall conduct our democracy, what's in bounds, what's out of bounds, and (the biggest category) what is fair game for democratic debate; and more importantly, the precise method by which we will change these ground-rules (amendments). He who controls the rules controls the game, and it's critical in any society to have the rule-making not subject to an intellectual's whim and partisan's gamesmanship: Arguments about the rules often means the game stops being played, and as the game we are talking about is functioning, peaceful, remarkable democracy -- and an abandonment of that particular game could be catastrophic -- I'd strongly advise everyone to play by the rules as plainly specified in the rule-book and not attempt to make up new rules to advantage themselves for short-term gain.

Because this particular game is extremely important. We are blessed in America to have a politics with almost no political violence -- but that blessing isn't luck, and whether it comes from God or man, it is surely secured and maintained by the actions of man. And this constant agitation from the leftist side of things to go outside the rulebook (but only when it benefits them!) is a dangerous game.

So yeah, I think a little bit of worship is in order. To be honest, it matters less what the specific rules are than the rules, whatever they are, be scrupulously followed by all. To do otherwise is to treat a peaceful, stable democracy as if it's something we should take for granted, which can never devolve into blood and evil.

Look around the world; it's the peaceful, stable, respectful democracies which are the exception and the rule of blood and hate which is the rule. There's nothing that says it has to stay that way.

We all know what the rulebook says the rules are. The amendment process is not unclear. So yes, let's maybe be a little reverential about observing the rules that have kept this a functioning, peaceful democracy for 230 years."

How the Holy Spirit works

Right after I saw the man I wrote about in the post below, I found somebody's wallet on the floor. It was chocked full of stuff, and although I didn't open it, I saw that there was money in it. I took it to a manager in Customer Service. About an hour later the owner of the wallet came up to me and thanked me. You could tell he had been really worried. He offered to buy me dinner. I joked that he didn't need to do that, since I had already taken $25.00 out of it as a reward. He laughed right away and said he knew that wan't true, since he didn't have $25.00 in it (Whew). Sometimes my outrageous sense of humor almost gets me in trouble!

They do it for us.

Yesterday, where I work, I saw a man walking. He looked to be in excruciating pain. I asked him about it. He said he was trying to get used to a prosthesis. His entire leg had been blown off in Afghanistan. He told me he just came from the V.A. hospital, and he does not want to go back, because he has one bad experience after another with the bureaucrats there. He said he is a Marine stationed at Fort Carson near Colorado Springs.

But he did not want to talk about his problems. He wanted to tell the store manager how helpful one of our employees had been to him. I wrote down the name and number of our store manager and gave it to him. I thanked him humbly for his service, choking back tears, and wished him help from God in his recovery process. He left with a smile and his head up.

News of the day

Always carry your camera with you. You just never know when you might get to take a pic like this one.
Via iOwnTheWorld

Another under the bus

Apparently Robert Gibbs resigned as White House Press Secretary today. Innominatus has the inside scoop here.

New ads aimed at teens

Warning: I apologize if anyone finds this video offensive. I salute The Onion, though, for satire that is cutting edge and fearless.

What if our Founding Fathers were able to use Word 2010 to draft the Declaration of Independence?

Via ADFREAK

Barack getting advice from Michael Vick?

Not to be outdone by Frank J., Basil at IMAO has a sccop on Barack Obama getting advice from Michael Vick.

Another candidate for Michael Steele's job

Poor Michael Steele. It seems that every week someone is wanting to oust him from his chairmanship of the Republican Party. Even Frank J. of IMAO is getting into the act. He actually has a pretty good platform. Check it out here.

Joe Biden saves the day!

Have you heard about the traumatic brain injury suffered by President Obama? Man, that guy is in a stressful situation, even in his own cabinet meetings!

Applying words of songs to our own lives

Trinka posted these thoughts on her blog A little accountability.

* Silent Night: Has God brought special direction or answers in the silence of a long, sleepless night?
* Joy to the World: Has your heart ever been so full of joy that you felt like shouting it to the world?
* O Come, All Ye Faithful: Have God's "faithful ones" been there for you in a time of great need?
* God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: When has God brought a supernatural peace into your life?
* Go Tell it on the Mountain: Tell about a time when you felt led to share the good news.
* Winter Wonderland: Share a time when you were overwhelmed by the beauty of a winter scene.
* Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: Relate a Christmas that was meager with little resources, but became a blessing.
* Let it Snow: Describe a meaningful "snowed in" experience
* O Come Emmanuel: When did God's presence shine through after desperate cries for help? inka at A little accountability posted these thoughts on her blog:

The true story of Santa Claus

Not to be outdone by their sister, (please see previous post below) Jon and Greg (ages ten and nine) put their heads together and put on a rather elaborate play, featuring 8 scenes, with numerous costume and role changes. Without further adieu, here is The True Story of Santa Claus.

Scene One: A baby is born to Mrs.Claus (Greg). The lyrics are all about what to name the baby. Naturally, they agree on "Santa."

Scene Two: Santa Claus is five years old. It is the year 1440. Santa's mother (Greg in a dress) comes into his room and finds him smoking a pipe. When she demands to know why he is smoking a pipe, Santa (Jon) replies, "It's the style of the forties, Dude."

Scene Three: Santa Claus is now ten years old. He is eating a huge pile of junk food.
Mother (Greg) confronts Santa, "What are you becoming, Santa?
It's a failure to call you my son!" Santa, with his mouth full of candy and drinking a Sprite, mumbles this pitiful excuse, "It's good to be an only child!"

Scene Four: Santa is still ten years old. Greg is now Santa Claus. Jon is a mutant bunny rabbit. "I was sent by God to cast a spell on you, because you have been a bad boy. You are now obese! Fear not, God has decided to be merciful to you. You will be sentenced to go to the North Pole. Every year on December 25 you will deliver toys to all the children of the world. You will have a selection of Elves to help you make all the toys."

Greg (Santa) replies, "So you're going to torture me?"
Jon (messenger from God) answers, "Yes, well that is the bad news. The good news is that because I am casting a spell over you, you won't ever die."

Scene Five: Now Santa (Jon) is "an old geezer" 700 years later. Greg is Head Elf, shouting at the other elves to "get working!" He apologizes to Santa for the poor toy production. Santa is overwhelmed by a huge stack of letters from children. He becomes out-of-sorts and starts screaming at Head Elf for the lack of production from the elves.

Scene Six: Santa is burning all the letters. He failed to notice that one was from a "snotty rich kid" who threatened to kill Santa if he did not receive a powerful Tommygun for Christmas.

Scene Seven: (Major action scene of the play) Greg and Jon are elves making toys. Greg complains, "I hate this job: It is the day after Christmas, and we are already making toys for next Christmas!" Jon agrees, saying "No one gives us any credit. Santa gets all the credit. We don't even get paid!" Jon is interrupted by a large BOOM! It is the "sadistic rich kid, armed with the latest Nerf gun from Walmart. He disguises himself as an elf, and kills one of the elves, before demanding to know where he can find Santa. At first Jon refuses to tell him, but then he remembers that the elves are making all the toys, and Santa is getting all the credit, and he tells the kid he can find Santa on the 47th floor in his office.

Scene Eight: Santa Claus is going over the events of the previous day. It was not pretty. The sleigh had broken down, and Rudolph had died a tragic death when his mercury-filled Obama light bulb exploded just after take-off (Hey, I am the blogger here; I can add whatever touches I want to this script)! Greg (playing the kid with the Nerf gun, mows down Santa (Jon), saying, "So you think you can't die of old age. Well, maybe not, but I can shoot you!"

The narrator (Jon) then comes forward wearing one of my old suits. "And that is the true story of the sad ending of Santa Claus. The sadistic kid took over the North Pole, and all the elves were kept busy making toys only for him. There will be no more Christmases." Just then the sadistic kid (Greg) mows down the narrator, to give the play a happy ending.

A Christmas play (better late than never)

Tonight the three younger children were ready for me when I came home from work. First, Sara put on a show featuring original lyrics, (and how!) singing and dancing. In the middle of the performance Greg came over to me and whispered, "Is this supposed to be the Nativity?" He asked that because the lyrics featured the baby Jesus, cats, chickens, dogs, and a turkey. One of the cats became a pony. One line I remember: "Jesus was born with lovely hair, and He can wear underwear." A "big, fat Monster" took off the horse's head, which became a worm.

No worries. The next scene was "Here come the angels nice and small, sitting in a tree." Next came the beautiful Princess who happily lived with the King of Birth."
In the next scene, darkness covers the Earth, and Mrs. Meaniehead arrives on stage. "I'm a good girl, but people say I'm mean, that I just care about me, me, me!" "Then came the final gift of death: the world is horrible and my mean little kitten hisses."

At this point the boys had had enough, and tried to disrupt the performance. Undaunted, Sara warned, "If you get in this room, and you are a little boy, you will be kissed, and you'll turn into a little fat frog. Then you'll turn into a little tiny woman, and my cat will eat you up! And that's the end of the world!"

Next scene: "Here comes the beautiful Princess of Love. Kiss her nice. There is no such thing as a fairy, so they'll fly away and Santa Claus will bring you presents if you've been good, loving, and sharing." "Welcome everyone. It's Christmas time. The party is just beginning. Can't you see these lovely reed flutes?"

Bus Tour of Global Warming

I don't know where this pic was taken. Found it at Theo Spark

2010 Statistics re Airport Screening Results

2010 statistics on Airport screening from the Department of Homeland Security

Terrorist Plots Discovered 0
Transvestites 133
Hernias 1,485
Hemorrhoid Cases 3,172
Enlarged Prostates 8,249
Breast Implants 59,350
Natural Blondes 3

Via Theo Sparks

A Message from some astronauts and a country singer

Apollo message from The Bible and Society
Alan Jackson message from You Tube

Let us not forget...

As the newly elected Congresspersons prepare to move in to their new digs, let us not forget the Congresspersons and their staffs who are now being displaced. Iowahawk has some very thorough and helpful suggestions, including assessing your skills and competencies, familiarizing yourself with your new industry, getting the skills you need, finding job openings, preparing your resume, the job interview, and going on public assistance.

Getting a "head start on future tax obligations"

Did you know that more and more financial planners are setting up offices in day care centers in order to explain to children "the need to invest a portion of their allowances in flexible foreign funds?" "Kids need to get a head start on their payment obligations these days," said one center worker. "So it only makes sense to add a review of future tax obligations to the mix of activities day care centers have to offer."
Via Op-Toons Review

What every parent needs

Via Bad Friggin' Hair

2011: Let's start with some cartoons!

Click on each cartoon to see them better.

Via The Mega Independent

Protect us from our protectors!

Can't get legislation through Congress? No worries, the Obama administration just issues new regulations to grab more power for the government. Can't get an appointment through Congress? No worries, just wait till Congress is in recess, and appoint whomever you want to fill vacancies (new deputy attorney general and new U.S. Ambassador to Syria).

But wait, there is something called the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to overturn regulatory agency orders with a simple majority in the House and Senate. New internet regulations issued on the eve of Christmas Eve, other regulations being issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and others, should give Republicans lots of opportunities to protect us from our protectors during these next two years of Obama's Presidency.