Godly Thoughts On Environmentalism

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

If God gave mankind the responsibility to rule, that is manage, the Earth, why aren't we leading the charge for environmentalism? Why are we not demanding corporations set aside their desire for profits and make them accountable for managing the resources they use? Instead, we look at the ungodly who are doing so and protest their ungodliness, all the while letting them take over our God given responsibility.

The New Age movement is worshiping the Earth. And, we point and say “evil”, but refuse to fulfill the original call placed upon man in the Garden of Eden. Why? The only reason I have ever heard is that we must not worship the creation, only the Creator. This is right and proper. However, we are called to love more than serve. When you truly love someone, you do the things that make them happy. And, you do it, not because you have to do them, Instead, you do those things to see the one you love smile.

If we really love God, why are we not doing more things that make Him smile? He asked to manage and care for His creation. Why are we not demanding this, along with caring for the unborn, the poor, abandoned, neglected?

Perhaps Paul wrote more prophetically than anyone previously thought when he said:

Romans 8:19-21. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

When will we bring a smile to our Lord and Saviors face by doing what makes Him, and all creation, happy?

11/05 Morning Report

I do not often trump the Wednesday Hero post. Today, I thought it was appropriate, since we have a new Commander-in-Chief.

I have been super busy lately finishing college. I have been following the election process. I am proud to say that my children have been doing the same, asking some great questions, and learning a lot. I hope, if you have them, you have been doing the same with your children. They will be the ones who assume control and leadership of our nation when after us.

I will say that I am very glad a black man has been elected to the highest office in our nation. That is a huge milestone of change for America. I do, however, think there is too much being made of this issue by the media. They seem to be creating a new group of smoke and mirrors so people are kept from recognizing real issues.

I will also say that I disagree with his ideas. I do not believe that government is the savior of men. I do not believe that government should have the responsibility to say who should have what. I will also say that I intend, however often I can write it down, to continue to point fingers at the media for not doing their job. Bias allows many evils. The media has many liberal biases they need to deal with.

Barak Obama ran a good campaign. He didn’t really do anything more sneaky or behind the back than anyone else in politics. But the result is he becomes the new Commander-in-Chief. As such, I will pray for him, and support him with honor. I will not name-call. I will not slander. I will disagree, because that is my right and my responsibility. And, they are not just mine. We all have the same ones. I hope you all exercise your rights and responsibilities well.

02/07 Morning Report

Once again, painting the Republicans as the bad guys, yesterday’s NY TIMES headline read ”G.O.P. Senators Block Democrats’ Stimulus Plan”. The slanted article spent most of it’s time focusing on how the Democrats are trying to help more people. But it did mention a few important, little known truths…

To pressure Republicans from cold-weather states into voting for the plan, he (Harry Reid, Nevada) added $1 billion in home heating subsidies for low-income families and enlisted the aid of various lobbying groups.

Enlisting lobbying groups is a key phrase. It leads to more later, such as…

Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. said earlier Wednesday that he was bothered that special-interest groups were lining up for handouts in an economic stimulus bill and urged senators to keep it focused on simple tax rebates.

“I am increasingly concerned that in the Senate, the bazaar is open, the special interests are coming to the trough, and that when I’m reading about and hearing about things like tax rebates for coal companies, the benefits for oil-well drilling and things like this, I’m concerned that it’s going to get bogged down,” Mr. Paulson said.

It’s so nice to see the true Democrat colors. I bet the environmentalists are enjoying this. Now, I am all for increasing the benefit for those that need it—disabled veterans and social security recipients that were excluded from the House stimulus package. So does Republican leader Mitch McConnell. Last week, Reid and some other Democrats are calling that their “fallback option.”

But on Monday he said he would allow votes only on the full Senate package and the original House plan with no changes.

“They are going to vote on this package,” he said. “The American people are watching.”

Indeed we are, Sen. Reid. We are watching to see how much the Democrats will pander to special interest groups…considering how much you have accused the Republicans of doing it.

(…I doubt the MSM will change their tunes…after all, it’s the Republican stymieing the Democrats…not the Democrats being stupid…right?...)

1/4 Morning Evening Report

I saw one little political tidbit that really caught my attention. It seems that Islamic organizations are
politically pressuring the Pentagon about how they counter the war on terror. Aside from the special interest argument, do we really want special interest groups deciding how the military does it’s job? Hasn’t that been the argument against several contractors over the years?

(…not mention the separation of church and state argument…oh…I forgot…Muslim organizations are exempt from that restriction…)


Finally! It seems that Domestic issues pushing past Iraq war.

Even though polls show that Iowa Democrats still consider the war in Iraq the top issue facing the country, the war is becoming a less defining issue among Democrats nationally, and it has moved to the back of the stage in the rush of campaign rallies, town hall meetings and speeches that are bringing the caucus competition to an end. Instead, candidates are being asked about, and are increasingly talking about, the mortgage crisis, rising gas costs, health care, immigration, the environment and taxes.

(snip)

Part of the shift appears to stem from the reduction in violence in Iraq after President Bush’s decision to send more troops there last year.

I liked that last part. The MSM is grudgingly giving credit to the administration, and the military, for something that worked.

(…wonders never cease…)


Speaking of wonders, would you believe Global warming is natural?

There's a natural cause that may account for much of the Arctic warming, which has melted sea ice, ice sheets and glaciers, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Nature. New research points a finger at a natural and cyclical increase in the amount of energy in the atmosphere that moves from south to north around the Arctic Circle.

Of course, the blame still falls on pollution. Study authors also say the combined effect is the “killer punch.”

(…I’ve been waiting for someone to explain why the increase in temps the graphs show also appears before industry and pollution showed up…like prior to the last ice age…according to a PBS special I saw a few months ago…)


The
EPA is being sued over a stricter state law dispute. It seems states don’t like the fact that the Federal government set a standard for the whole country. The states want authority to make manufacturers (automotive in this case) possibly subject to 50 different standards.

In an emailed statement, EPA spokesman Jonathan Shradar said the federal Energy Independence and Security Act "is a more beneficial national approach to a national problem, which establishes an aggressive standard for all 50 states - as opposed to a lower standard in California and a patchwork of other states."
California officials contend their 2004 law is tougher than the new national standard. It would have required the auto industry to cut emissions by one-third in new vehicles by 2016 or reach an average of 36.8 mpg.
Twelve other states - Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington - have adopted the California emissions standards.
The governors of Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Utah have said they also plan to adopt them. The rules also are under consideration in Iowa.

While I see the need for tougher standards (i.e. oil at $100), I fail to see why a tougher standard makes it more acceptable for a state to make the rule for all states. The argument is over who sets the standards for the nation—the Feds or the states.

(…not that that has ever stopped California before…)


Finally, Any Soldier reports the following:

Sgt. Reno S. Lacerna, 44, of Waipahu, Hawaii, died Dec. 31, 2007 in Al Qayyarah, Iraq, of a non-combat related illness. He was assigned to the 87th Corps Support Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

Well, Sgt. Lacerna, at our house we remember your cry—the cry of all warriors:

"Tell them of us and say,
For their tomorrow, we gave our today."
--The Kohima Epitaph--

We remember what you have given. And we say thank you for the tomorrows you have given others. May God give back to your family more than they have sacrificed and lost.

And, now, we dance In Memoriam.

Media Spin Defined....

OK…First of all, I know this is not true. Visit snopes.com if you want the details. So, second, this is not aimed at passing on muck about Sir…I mean, Madaam… Hillary. She does just fine at generating this stuff on her own. I am posting this because…well…if this isn’t the perfect description of how politicians of all stripes twist things around, I don’t know what is! Besides...it's election time again! So, enjoy!


A professional genealogical researcher,
discovered that Hillary Clinton's great-great uncle,
Remus Rodham, was hanged for horse stealing and train
robbery in Montana in 1889.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing
on the gallows. On the back of the picture is this
inscription:

"Remus Rodham; horse thief, sent to Montana
Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the
Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton
detectives, convicted and publicly hanged in 1889."

Judy e-mailed Hillary Clinton for comments. Hillary's
staff of professional image adjusters sent back the
following biographical sketch:

"Remus Rodham was a famous cowboy in the Montana
Territory. His business empire grew to include
acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate
dealings with the Montana railroad.

Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his
life to service at a government facility, finally
taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad.

In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation
run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In
1889, Remus passed away during an important civic
function held in his honor when the platform upon
which he was standing collapsed."

Pro Choice And Verizon

Verizon has reversed it’s stand on Pro-Abortion text messaging. At issue was whether it should allow NARAL to use a text messaging program via Verizon systems. It would have been a sign-up program. Verizon originally said no. And, though the article doesn’t say it, they were probably the victim of a lot of pressure.

But, the issue is not that Verizon caved to Naral. In fact, it’s probably a good thing that they did. It opens a wider debate. There is a much deeper issue at play here. Would they, or any other carrier, do the same for Pro-Life groups? The pro-abortion message has no problem getting media presentation. That presentation leaves out a lot of details regarding legal abortions—lack of medical oversight, lack of medical responsibility for errors, deliberate exclusion of parents and guardians, etc. How much will the Pro-choice groups scream when the political realm of texting begins to involve conservative agendas? Will they be as welcoming and tolerant of the process then?

Given their history, I am not counting on it. But, that is the real issue. And, that is what must be fought for.

Make No Mistake

Make no mistake. The Liberal left is making sure it’s voice is heard, and it’s efforts to control America’s destiny are very organized. A recent Media Research Center details how the MSM gives almost twice as much coverage to Liberal candidates as conservative ones. Of course the MSM still denies there is any bias report. Meanwhile, as American Thinker clearly shows, demonstrations against the war are well organized and scheduled for maximum impact via the media. Even inoxious companies are involved in shaping and defining the opinions of Americans to this agenda.

Let’s take a small example. There is an organization, called Digital Divide Network. It has some very lofty goals, some of them I even agree with. The mission statement says:

The Digital Divide Network was launched in December 1999 as a response to the National Digital Divide Summit hosted by U.S. President Bill Clinton. Originally developed by the Benton Foundation and the National Urban League, DDN was designed as an online clearinghouse of news and resources regarding the digital divide.

Clearly, the support for this organization is left wing. Additionally, if you go to the Founding editor’s blog, specifically the entry on July 24, 2007, you will discover he is a fan/supporter of Michael Moore. Now, if someone managed to get you into the internet age when you could not do it for yourself, would that influence your decisions? Sure.

The Left is very good at making people believe the Right is doing this to keep people down. How many news reports have we seen about the rich getting more breaks than the poor? The truth is the rich get back the same proportion as the poor, it’s just a higher amount because they paid more. Though overplayed, it has born much fruit. Many on the right are hesitant to seek tax cuts these days. The facts, as revealed in this article are much different. Not to mention there are also the recent news reports of decreasing budget deficits, though these are often short and never dwelt on by the media.

Meanwhile, there is Blogdom. The Right has some strong voices. The power of isolated voices is well known. A lone blogger managed to stop a speech by pro-abortion anne Lamott. But, even with the likes of Michelle malkin and Instapundit, the Left still out performs the Right on the internet. Specialty groups such as Milbloggers are a wonderful thing. But, they cater to a specific audience. Many times, we have to hunt to find them, or know someone else that does. There is a decided lack of prominence.

Meanwhile, Daily Kos has much stronger organization than anything on the right. There is even a concerted effort to boost readership on leftwing blogs that are fading. Several news reports from last fall showed the left out fund raising the right using the internet. Meanwhile, Google, Blogger, Technorati and several other major forces in the internet world are all power players among the Liberal Left.

There are other ares where the Left is outperforming the Right, too. As I reported back in October 2006, the left is out fund raising the right. The New York Times even reported a plan to Manipulate Google data.

The short and sad truth is the right being out voiced. I think the reason is fragmentation. There are hundreds of right wing bloggers and blogrolls. But, there is no real united voice. On the internet, the Right needs something along the lines of Kos. The only way conservatives can regain their position in shaping American opinion is to gain that united voice.

How Are YOU Going To Deal With Fanatics?

(...this is from my email box…you may not like what it says…but it still leaves the question to be answered…)

A man whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II owned a number of large industries and estates. When asked how many German people were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude toward fanaticism.

"Very few people were true Nazis "he said," but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories."

We are told again and again by "experts" and "talking heads" that Islam is the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace. Although this unqualified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow diminish the specter of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam. The fact is that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history.

It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars worldwide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. The hard quantifiable fact is that the "peaceful majority" the "silent majority" is cowed and extraneous.

Communist Russia comprised Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China's huge population, it was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people.

The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel and bayonet.

And, who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were "peace loving"?

History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points: Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence.

Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up, because like my friend from Germany, they will awake one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun.

Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late.

As for us who watch it all unfold; we must pay attention to the only group that counts; the fanatics who threaten our way of life.

The New Weapons Programs

In an effort to trim costs, the Democrat controlled Congress is proposing some new, top secret weapons systems. Pictures of these highly classified programs have been leaked to the public, by an anonymous source, and are revealed here.

The New Hummer!

The New Ground Support Gun Pod (Model A)

The New Ground Support Gun Pod (Model B)

(...even at this late date, these competing designs are still under review, and a leading candidate has not yet been identified...my sources indicate the principle point of disagreement seems to be that Model A sports a higher rate of fire, while Model B sports a higher caliber weapon...)

The Latest In Smart Weaponry

(...while the developer is still trying to solve the obvious propulsion problems, my sources indicate that this idea already has the go ahead for production...)

The New Coastal Patrol Boats

(...I'm led to believe that John Kerry is really proud of this idea...my sources indicate this was developed based on his recollections from Vietnam...)

02/16 Morning Report

I’ve been really busy with some school projects and tax season at the brokerage. So, I’m doing a little catch up on the news. Did you have any idea how fragmented the Democrats really are over Iraq? The Ft. Worth Star Telegram reported on Saturday, February 10 that:

In the House, Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio has an 11-point plan to end the war.

Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York, Barack Obama of Illinois and Chris Dodd of Connecticut have outlined their own proposals. Sen. Joseph Biden has said he will have one, too.

More than a dozen such measures are competing for notice as Congress moves deeper into its war debate; virtually all make the safety of the troops a priority.

Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., was the first to introduce a bill on the subject in the current Congress. He proposed, the day after lawmakers convened in January, that money for combat troops be cut off after six months.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., was the first lawmaker to propose legislation denying permission for Bush to increase troop strength.

Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., supports legislation to rescind the authorization that Congress approved in 2002 for the invasion of Iraq, and requiring the withdrawal of troops "in a safe and orderly manner."

Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., and others have a bill to begin withdrawals within 30 days and turn all U.S. military facilities over to the Iraqis.

More than 70 members of the House Progressive Caucus announced last week they favor a withdrawal over six months. A group of moderate Democrats has filed legislation requiring greater accountability over funds spent in Iraq.

Some withdrawal measures make exceptions for targeted anti-terrorist activity or security for U.S. personnel. Sestak's plan would allow the military to provide air support for Iraqi forces.

Several bills would ban permanent U.S.. military bases in Iraq, and some place Iraq's oil off-limits to U.S. government agencies or American companies. Some provide for reconstruction aid, others endorse regional diplomatic efforts.

One bill places a limit of 500 personnel on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad; provides assistance for elimination of land mines; envisions compensation for Iraqi noncombatant casualties; and supports establishment of an Iraqi Institute for Peace.

The truth is, the Democrats probably have enough clout and bipartisan support to actually get most of this stuff passed.

The evidence is mounting against staying, that is if you count leadership by public opinion poll as a valid measure of doing what is or is not right. With Iranian support of the Shiite militias, and with Moktada al-Sadr probably living there, too, and the American media all ramped up to get the soldiers out of Iraq, all I can do is feel sorry for the Iraqi people. At the moment, US forces are all the security worth mentioning that they have.

Meanwhile, Pelosi and company are declaring Bush doesn’t have power to invade Iraq. Under the Constitution and War Powers Act, he actually could do it—short term. Technically, it only comes under Congressional oversight if it goes over 30 days. The President only has to inform Congress of his actions. All that really is meaningless. The Democrats have created a lot of fear in the American people. But, the truth is, given Bush’s work at getting bipartisan support for going into Afghanistan and Iraq, why does anyone believe he would just arbitrarily attack Iran? All it does is succeed in dividing the American people, and solidifying left wing hardliners' belief in Bush’s supposed “dictatorial agenda.” It also gets the attention of the American people off the issues America must face in Iraq—like seeing a stable government formed, even if we don’t like the shape of it.

02/15 Morning Report

Here was a really odd news story. Do you think we have highway congestion problems in the states? Well, the British government thought of a way to deal with it. How about a $2 per mile congestion tax? No lie. This was actually proposed in Britain. The cost to motorists—combined with satellite tracking to ensure compliance—raised a popular revolt against the idea.
(…something light to start the day with…)

Well, I spent the morning poking around at the NY Times. And, in a no big surprise move, the NY Times is once again revealing it’s bias on things Iraqi.

On Monday the NY Times said our military claims Iranian involvement in Iraq.

In a news briefing held under strict security, the officials spread out on two small tables an E.F.P. and an array of mortar shells and rocket-propelled grenades with visible serial numbers that the officials said link the weapons directly to Iranian arms factories.

That’s pretty substantial evidence. Now, I will grant the denial of US claims, without proof, of direct control of Iranian officials is fair. I will also state that it is lame. I should believe that the Iranian government has no involvement with the Shiite insurgents who are openly using Iranian weapons—but not other nation’s devices? (…hhmmm…I can say Iran-Contra..can’t you?...)

So, the next day, the Times reported that skeptics doubt US claims because of the failure of pre-Iraq War US intelligence failures. Again, lame! There is even an additional reason. This time, we have hard intelligence on the ground. Pre-Iraq, there was little to none—allowing lots of hearsay evidence to be used.

And today, the Times reports Bush’s pronouncement that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has been supplying these weapons to Iraqi Shiites militias and insurgents. Interestingly, early in the article, the Times points out that assertions of Iranian involvement have been made, up to now, by “anonymous military and intelligence officials.” The point, of course, being to discredit any information by the administration—and by extension—the military.

(…what happened to tables full of items from Iran…on Monday…that Congressional officials all got to see?...)

Then there are the US claims that Moktada al-Sadr is already living in Iran--and has been for a while. Isn’t that encouraging! The man who has been doing so much to keep the Iraqi government from becoming established may be living in Iran?
(…of course…that’s just speculation…there couldn’t be any truth to it…heaven forbid there should be any truth to the idea that Iran would want to keep things destabilized…)

02/12 Morning Report

I’m going to do something different this morning. I am going to rant about the media. In case anyone is wondering, the media does not like bloggers. There have been numerous stories about how bloggers have caught the media in total falsification of fact, and the media merely responds with claims that, one way or another, put bloggers down and make sure people know they are not “real journalists.” Everybody with me so far?

Well, last week, the Ft. Worth Star Telegram ran a story about bloggers. Specifically, it ran a story about people who get so wrapped up in blogging that they leave out other parts of their lives. The article makes it seem like the worst of drug addictions. Read the headline, and then think about it for aminute…

Confessions of a failed mommyblogger

Now…what does it say to you? Well, it does not let you know what the article says.

First, the article spends a lot of time focusing on what went wrong in this woman’s life. Did she let everything else go just to blog? Yes. Did she recognize that what she did was wrong? Yes. Did she break free of the addiction? Yes. Would you know that from the headline? No.

The article labeled her a failure—in big bold print. But, this woman is a great success. She caught on to what so many of us are oblivious to. Sure…blogging is all about getting audience. Hey…we wouldn’t write if we didn’t crave having someone…anyone…read what we write and accept what we have to say. Some of us do it out of anger, others out of boredom. But, it’s all about the audience.

I probably spent the first three months here trying to find ways people could be brought around to read my various thoughts. I was, and still am, amazed at all the tools and programs and websites that are all about generating traffic and readers for your blog. I even signed up for a couple of them, just to see what they would do. It’s stunning the effect they can have!

I’m kind of like the woman in the article. I figured out the rat race of blogging isn’t really worth it. It takes the fun out of it. There are plenty of ways to enjoy blogging without cutting off your family and friends.

Let me tell you…if getting the audience means that much to you…get help. This woman did, and got her life back. But…back where we started…the media didn’t let anyone know it—up front. They refused to give honor where it was due. I’ve lost the original text to a quote I found on Blackfive’s site some months ago. For our purposes, the important part goes

Fear the media, for they can steal your honor

It’s well worth remembering when you read their stuff. They do not give real honor…merely lip service more often than not.

(...if you've got the original text and quote--I seem to recal it was a crew chief in Vietnam who said it--pass on the text in the comments...please...)

02/09 Morning Report

Well, the Palestinians are happy with each other again. A new peace deal has been worked out. At least the bullets have stopped flying. There are still a lot of issues left to deal with. First and foremost, there is the issue of how Israel will be treated by Hamas, which refuses to recognize Israel—stopping all the aid desperately needed by the people.
(…personally, I hope it lasts…but, it’s all I can do not say “Here we go again”…)

Meanwhile, Hezbollah—and possibly Syria—have some serious egg on their face. It seems that Lebanese government troops a truck of weapons that Hezbollah claims is theirs.

An opposition alliance led by Hezbollah has vowed to bring down the government, and has demanded the formation of a new cabinet in which it has the power of veto.

In a statement, Hezbollah called on the government to respect a policy statement adopted two years ago that describes the group as a resistance movement against Israeli occupation.

But under UN resolution 1701, which ended the war between Hezbollah and Israel last summer, the militant group is banned from re-arming.

Since they aren’t getting their way, they brought in more weapons—with total disregard to their promises. The truck came from the Becca valley—a long time Syrian stronghold. Which leaves me wondering just how uninvolved Syria really was in this. Of course, it didn’t help the cause any when they accused Bush of pushing Isreal into invading. There are those who will think so, one way or the other. And, this is in spite of the evidence that enough bombs and rockets had been fired without any change on the horizon. (…and, Hezbollah wonders why so many in the West don’t trust them?...)

This was a scary announcement. A $1.5 Billion vaccine fund is being set up to help vaccinate people in poor nations. According to Jeffrey Mecaskey, head of health at Save the Children,

"However, despite the great strides from this investment, political and financial support must go beyond developing and buying drugs.

"Clinics need to be built, doctors and nurses trained and fees for medical treatment scrapped so people can afford to seek medical help in the first place.

And we thought a national socialist health care plan was bad? This plan is for a global one! And, for those who believe vaccines are the way to future global health, let me ask a question…why are there so many new flu strains if the vaccine is so effective? For the record, I think vaccines do have a level of positive effect. But, I also believe they are not tested thoroughly.

For example, take Gov. Rick Perry’s recently announcement a mandate that all sixth grade girls should be immunized for hpv. On the surface, that looks wonderful. But, there are problems. For starters, it takes some 10-15 years for the virus to develop. The vaccine has only been tested out 4 years. So, how do they know it really works all the way out? There has been a huge firestorm of protest to his announcement! From all sides, too. The legislature is hacked because they weren’t involved. Even some area media thinks he’s gone too far.
(…makes it pretty obvious there was some serious money at work here somewhere…doesn’t it?...)

In another statement on the times we live in, GPS equipped shoes will soon be available. I think it was about ten years or so ago, the new rage was Kevlar backpacks and jackets. That was brought on by rising school violence. (I seem to recall it even predated Columbine.) That particular fad died off due to high prices. They are still for sale, though.
(…it does make you wonder what will happen with these shoes…and where these will lead us next…)

02/01 Morning Report

This was a bizarre conclusion. Vladimir Putin isn’t happy about radr stations and rockets in the Czech Republic. Well, I can understand that. The US would get nervous if the Russians put something like that in, say, Mexico. He also isn’t happy about US sanctions because of arms sales to Iran and Syria. OK…I’ll give the benefit of the doubt on that one. The Russian economy could probably use the business. But, I want to know how he came up with this for a motive:

The real motive, he said, was to stop Russian arms firms from taking business away from U.S. rivals.

(…any ideas…or thoughts…or even wild flights of fancy to explain this are welcome…)

And…the sound you just heard was the Palestinian truce going BOOM! Hamas attacked a supposed convoy of weapons headed to supporters of President Abbas’ military guards.

"Hamas's heroes have commandeered arms shipments that came through Kerem Shalom as part of the fight against the Palestinian people," a presenter on a Hamas radio station said.

That doesn’t explain the 2 dead and 17 wounded—including two children.
(…all to keep the President from being guarded…makes you wonder, doesn’t it…)

The Cartoon Network, a subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting Systems Inc., broke out a new ad campaign in Boston. It didn’t sit well with authorities.

The 1-foot tall signs resembled a circuit board, with protruding wires and batteries. Most depicted a boxy, cartoon character giving passersby the finger - a more obvious sight when darkness fell.

These “signs” were hung from bridges and overpasses all over the city. In our post-9-11 nation, that would be bad. But, it gets worse…

As soon as Turner [Broadcasting Systems, Inc.] realized the Boston problem around 5 p.m., it said, law enforcement officials were told of their locations in 10 cities where it said the devices had been placed for two to three weeks: Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Ore., Austin, Texas, San Francisco and Philadelphia.

(…no further comment from me…I’m sure you can do just fine on your own…)

Meanwhile, the Global Warming conference in France is winding down. The issues now seem to be about wording in various announcements and statements.

According to drafts and participants, the document says it is "very likely" — which means at least 90% certain — that climate change is caused by humans burning fossil fuels, and will result in a temperature increase of between 2.5-10.4 F by the year 2100.
Some participants apparently want to change that wording to "virtually certain," which connotes a 99% likelihood.

It’s interesting how changing one word—or leaving one out can change the entire gist of something. For example, the NY Times published an article on Wednesday, on a hearing in Congress regarding this very subject. It points out that witnesses, and a vaguely identified “source”, basically vilified the administrations policies. What the Times did not say (Courtesy of Times Watch) was that of the four witnesses, three were from major left wing global warming groups. It also did not say that the “source” was one of those groups--the Union of Concerned Scientists. The deception…I mean, misinformation…gets worse.

"The UCS mailed out over 1600 survey forms to climate scientists and based their assertions of political interference on the 297 that got returned. That's a response rate of just 19 percent. OMB guidelines clearly state that a response rate of less than 80 percent requires an investigation of potential biases and an even closer investigation for a response rate lower than 70 percent. A response rate of lower than twenty percent is clearly vulnerable to the charge of a self-selecting sample, perhaps those with an axe to grind against their bosses, the politically motivated, and so on. In short, it provides all sorts of legitimate reasons to dismiss the survey as utterly unrepresentative."

(…really makes you want to trust the media…doesn’tit…)

A Reminder Of Our Own Insanity...

I know this is probably bunk so don't send me the Snoops stuff. Its a good story. Deal with it.

BEST LAWYER STORY OF THE YEAR, DECADE
AND PROBABLY THE CENTURY

Charlotte, North Carolina.

A lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, then insured them against, among other things, fire. Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars and without yet having made even his first premium payment on the policy the lawyer filed a claim against the insurance company. In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost "in a series of small fires."

The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason, that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion. The lawyer sued... and WON!

(...stay with me...)

Delivering the ruling, the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company, which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable fire" and was obligated to pay the claim. Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the cigars lost in the "fires".

(...NOW FOR THE BEST PART...)

After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON! With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.

This is a true story and was the First Place winner in the recent Criminal Lawyers Award Contest.

ONLY IN AMERICA!

(...no wonder third world countries think we're nuts...)

01/24 Morning Report

Well, I had to work last night, and did not get to see the President’s speech. To be honest, I wanted to be physically ill as I contemplated reading today’s news reports. I had a pretty good of what the liberal media would be doing. And, today’s news is actually a mixed bag of stuff…The BBC had a relatively mild take on the speech. While I’m there, here is their link to the entire speech…I’ll be reading it later…I have a lot of homework for my management class to do.

The Hispanic political groups aren’t sure what to make of Bush’s immigration plans. I doubt it will end up being anything new. He has put this issue up for reform every year, with varying degrees of importance. Congress will have to act in order for anything to change. And, I doubt they will do anything new—perhaps a reenactment of another amnesty program, but nothing substantial beyond that.

In terms of wages, the Democrats and Republicans are still divided along traditional lines. No minimum wage increase without small business tax relief. Is that a surprise? I doubt it..or at least I don’t think it should be. It goes right along with the raging debate about how to balance the budget.
(…of course, that isn’t taking into account the fact that the deficit is already decreasing…the media wouldn’t want you to remember that little fact…not while trying to bolster liberal standards and trends…)

In another “no-big-surprise” move, the Democrat-controlled Foreign Relations Committee said ”no more troops” for Iraq. I think it’s a bad move overall. More troops, with a well defined mission and goal could easily be a great short term measure towards success. My great fear is this decision may precipitate a sudden move to pull out completely. That, I am certain, would be disasterous.
(…rule by popularity is a very bad thing…I see the Democrats being more interested in making popular decisions than doing the tough, but right thing…of course, the Republicans did the same thing in the 90s…which is why the Democrats made such gains recently…)

To be honest, I’m not sure if Kerry’s exit will be a good thing or a bad thing. From a Republican standpoint, I think it would have created more of a divide in the Left.
(…from a personal standpoint, the amusement he procides with his gaffs would have been well worth the expense of his campaign…)

Lastly, there were two sad announcements today. From the Ft. Worth Star Telegramyesterday:

A 20-year-old Army private from Alabama was among five U.S. troops killed in a reported ambush in Iraq, according to his family.
Jonathan Millican, a 2005 graduate of Locust Fork High School, died in the attack along with three other soldiers and a Marine, the soldier's father, Mitchell Millican, told Birmingham television station WBRC.

Also from the Star Telegram:

A Marine from northern Wisconsin has been killed in Iraq, family members said.
Lance Cpl. Andrew Matus, 19, graduated in 2005 from Weyerhaeuser High School and had already signed up to be a Marine before that, his father Gary Matus of Chetek said when contacted Monday evening.
He said he had been told his son was shot in Anbar Province.

We at our house remember your cry—the cry of all warriors:

"Tell them of us and say,
For their tomorrow, we gave our today."
--The Kohima Epitaph--

We remember what you have given. And we say thank you for the tomorrows you have given others. May God give back to your family more than they have sacrificed and lost.

And, now, we dance In Memoriam.

01/22 Morning Report

So, Hamas and PM Abbas can’t agree on a unity agreement? What a surprise.
(…is anyone surprised?...)

In other foreign government news, Chavez is throwing another anti-US tantrum. This comes amid expectations of increases to his dictatorial power. And, in usual fashion for left wing dictators, he is using the US as his whipping boy to keep attention from problems in his own nation. Of course, he doesn’t help his cause by bringing on the silence of opposing voices. The WashPo even called it reminiscent of right-wing dictatorships of old.
(…and the lefties see nothing wrong with him…makes you wonder about who supports dictatorships…doesn’t it?...)

The recent change in Maliki’s attitude towards al-Sadr comes after the US finally convinced him the Shiite militia was rife with death squads.
(…I, personally, would normally ask why it took so long…but I understand the Islamic outlook towards admitting being wrong…)

And, somehow, the Washington Post has concluded that American policy is now solely focused on containing Iran, rather than solving the problems in Iraq. According to their take on the issue, that’s all the Arab nations and peoples see, too. I think many media writers have lost sight of a couple of things. In oppressive regimes—especially in developing and third world nations (historically speaking)—power changes have always been violent. It’s not that they have to be. But, they are. The oppressed (Shiites) become oppressors (aka al-Sadr)—perhaps trying to make up for what they were denied. The former oppressors (the Sunnis) refuse to give up power. And, the people suffer. The lawless (aka insurgents, or the mobs in the US) take advantage and encourage social disruption. The US is simply a good target. Unfortunately, the US has made enough mistakes it would be hard not to make some of this mud stick.
(…it’s really interesting, though, that no one seems to take note that more and more of Iraq is being taken care of primarily by Iraqis…)

01/17 Morning Report

Of course, the big news in our area is SNOW! Yup. I woke up this morning to a white horizon…yard…car…neighborhood…well, you get the idea.
(…hopefully this does not mean North Texas has had it’s two weeks of Winter for the year…personally, I need a little more than that…)

Speaking of snow jobs, in Washington, Congress—specifically the Senate—is expanding the role of opinion polls in establishing legislation. Making the assumption that the American people’s fickle happiness and short term focus will be a good measure of military and foreign policy, Democrats are drafting a resolution.

The resolution also would put the Senate on record as saying the U.S. commitment in Iraq "can only be sustained" with popular support among the American public and in Congress, according to an official familiar with the draft.

(…I thought the whole point of government, as envisioned by the founders of America, was the government being guided by and for the people, but making decisions for the betterment of all—and not based merely on public opinion? My, how far we have fallen from our beginnings…)

Flopping Aces has the info on the Democrats coming tax hike.
(…did anyone really believe the line that they could accomplish their agenda without tax hikes?...it went right along with the line that Bush was bankrupting government—even though the deficit is going back into decline…sheesh…)

As strange—despite it’s normality--as that behavior may be, this was actually worse.
(…animal protection has reached a whole new level of stupidity with this one…and these folks are in the government!...)

Back to the subject of Iraq, it seems the Saudis are ready to send in troops. Saudi Arabia is threatening to send in troops if the situation continues to destabilize. It isn’t just Iran and Syria anymore.
(…H/T to the Castle Denizens for today’s post. Go check out the rest of today’s info…uumm…latest intel…)

Finally, there was a sad announcement from The Dallas Morning News:

A Texan stationed at Fort Drum, N.Y., has been killed in Iraq.
The Department of Defense said Sgt. Paul T. Sanchez, 32, of Irving, died Sunday when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
Sanchez was assigned to the 543rd Military Police Company, 91st Military Police Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum.

You see, we at our house remember your cry, Sgt. Sanchez—the cry of all fallen warriors:

"Tell them of us and say,
For their tomorrow, we gave our today."
--The Kohima Epitaph--

We remember what you have given. And we say thank you for the tomorrows you have given others. May God give back to your family more than they have sacrificed and lost.

And, now, we dance In Memoriam.

01/15 Morning Report

Two Sadaam aids were hung today in Baghdad. His half-brother even had his head come off.
(…I have to admit I like the idea of speedy justice once a sentence has been handed down…)

IN a related gruesome report, it seems that several children in various countries including the US died while trying to re-enact Sadaam’s hanging.
(…boy, if that’s not an incentive to limit gross and pornographic material on the internet…I don’t know what is…)

In another example of tolerance of Islam, journalists were fined for publishing jokes involving religion, sex and politics. The newspaper was shut down for two months, as well. Jihad Watch had this write up, with the original article, a few days ago.
(…any one think Western media will wake up to this threat before…well, you know…)

In Russia, there are tough new laws limiting job opportunities for immigrants.

Police raid the country's markets on a daily basis, enforcing quotas on the number of foreign workers - mainly from central Asia and the Caucasus.

Can’t you just hear the hew and cry if that was attempted here? Of course, it sort of was back in the days of Herbert Hoover, and agin during the Eisenhower administration. In case you missed it, Here is a post on that historical fact.

Meanwhile, in another Russia update, over 500 Chechnyan rebels have surrendered as part of the amnesty deal that expired at midnight.
(…nice to see some measure of success in that area…)

Would you believe a Chinese ban on motorcycles? It’s true. Too many purses are being stolen by their riders in the most prosperous city in China. So, officials banned motor bikes.
(…hhhmmmm…”we can’t control what owners do with them, so we’ll ban them"…sounds like a second cousin to the anti-gun lobby here in the States…)

Odd Items Worth Reading

For those of you just catching up on the latest attempt by Congress to limit the voice of the people, go read the linked articles. Then take action and make your voice heard. It may be the Christian Right making the effort, but this is for everyone—Left andRight.

Beth shared a really sad tale. It seems that Public Storage sold off a deployed soldier’s stuff. Now, for those who don’t know it, according to most storage facility policies, if you don’t pay our bill—generally within 15 days of the due date, regardless of the reason--they have the right to sell your stuff. The policy sucks, and this is a great example of why.
(…I think a letter/email campaign is in order…we bloggers should be able to bring a lot of pressure to bear on this company and the industry in general…)

There was a well written explanation of how words are used to control PC attitudes. The definitions are most intriguing. It’s more than worth the read.

And, on a more amusing note, Taco Bell shares another great memory from yester year on the evils of drink…This one is a little on the dark side.

And, someone at work found an article in the January 7 Wall Street Journal. Being stockbrokers, we all thought these market term definitions were fun. Here’s a few for your amusement.

Correction—a major market crash made to sound like a minor mistake.

Technical factors--Alternative, all purpose explanation for why the market went down. Also useful for explaining why the market went up…or sideways…

Financial journalists--folks who wanted to be sports writers, but didn’t make the cut.

Commodities--pigs with lipstick.

Short Sellers--Investors who seek to profit from stock prices going south. As children, enjoyed pulling legs off spiders.