Republicans vs. Democrats Over Sex Crimes

Want to know the difference between Democrats and Republicans in respect to sex crimes by members? Check out this article from the AgapePress. Using the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post for sources, it notes:

It is interesting to see how the two parties differ in their approach of dealing with sex offenses. The Wall Street Journal recently ran a story concerning sexual misbehavior by six congressmen over the past three decades: three Democrats and three Republicans.

The three Republicans were: Daniel Crane (Il) who had sex with a17-year-old female page; Donald Lukens (OH) who had sex with 16-year-old girl; and Jon Hinson (MS) who was convicted of sodomy with a federal male employee.

All three Republicans were thrown out by the Republican party or by Republican voters.

The three Democrats were: Gerry Studds (MA) who had sex with a 17-year-old male page and made sexual advances against two others; Melvyn Reynolds (Il) who had sex with a 16-year-old female campaign worker; and Barney Frank (MA) who paid a male prostitute for sex. In addition, Frank's apartment was used as headquarters for a male prostitution ring.

How were the Democrats treated? Melvyn Reynolds went to jail, but was pardoned by President Clinton. Gerry Studds and Barney Frank, both homosexuals, were "reprimanded" by Congress, but both were re-nominated by the Democratic Party and re-elected again and again for 14 years by Democratic voters and given positions of high influence by the Democratic leadership.

Gee, I guess its pretty obvious who really cares about this kind of thing. I'm watching to see what the Republican Party and voters do about the Foley thing. But, given the past history...I wonder who is more likely to get my vote? Hhhmmm…

Oh No! A MEME!

I don't normally get into these things. But, a friend of ours e-mailed us this one today. And, I thought I would do this one just to let y'all know a little more about me. Enjoy!

1. FIRST AND MIDDLE NAME? Got Both, actually.
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Nope…but I look like I belong in my family…I even look like I belong to my wife’s family. (More so than she does even…)
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? 27 September. Last time I checked the Any Soldier website and found one of the participants had passed away. Having sent so many packages to so many soldiers, it’s like they are all family.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Not really…I remind me too much of my doctor.
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Smoked Turkey
6. KIDS? OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!! The best five in the world! (and an awesome grandson, too!)
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Sometimes. I can be pretty unyielding and self centered if I'm not careful. I can also be a lot of fun sometimes, too. I randomly do some off the wall things. My boss is often at a loss with me. So, luck of the draw actually.
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? There is this Blog of random thoughts here…I also have a notebook for things I sense from God, and more private thoughts. So…I guess that makes one and a half?
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.
11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Before kids, I would have said, “SURE!” Since then…well… someone recently shared this, “There is just something inside me that makes me think jumping from a very tall structure with nothing to keep me from splattering on the surface below me except for a rubberband tied around my ankles isn’t wise.”
12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Lucky Charms. Oh, and Sugar Pops. Oh and Frosted Flakes….How come you only let me pick one!
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Usually, I’m too tired to care about it. Of course, in the morning I’m frustrated trying to get them undone so I can put my shoes back on….
14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Uh….. Physically-I have given up the idea that I need to lift weights to be buff and impressive. Not to mention a back surgery and two knee surgeries. Mentally, spiritually, and emotionally-I train regularly. And, I’m getting stronger.
15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? (...What is this with the only one thing? You can actually tell me you only have one favorite ice cream?)
16. SHOE SIZE? 11 1/2
17. RED OR PINK? Red…although, my wife and a couple of friends keep trying to talk me into a pink golf shirt for the shock value…we’ll see..
18. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Insecurity.
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Grampy. Actually, I miss all my grandparents. I wish I had spent more time listening to their stories...
20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Well…duh…(I probably shouldn’t say that since I’m strying to keep my kids from using it…oh well.) That’s why I’m putting it here….
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? It’s 10:00 am. Jeans and baarefoot.
22. LAST THING YOU ATE? I had a couple of bites of Blue Bell Double Chocolate Brownie ice cream last night before bed!
23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The Worship Station--internet radio.
24. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? (...Again with the “one” thing…Are you insinuating I can only be a one dimensional person?! Do you know how much work I went to just to get the color on this page the way I wanted it?! One color…sheesh!)
25. FAVORITE SMELL? The smell of my wife’s skin when I hold her close. After that...the smell of a crisp winter day—which I don’t get very often in Texas, let me tell you. And, then, fresh cut grass or hay.
26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Jerri
27. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? I think it’s the eyes. But, actually, some folks just draw me in and some don’t. I haven’t found a definite reason.
28. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Oh, yeah. She’s funny, unpredictable, bold and honest as the day is long. A true friend for my wife and I.
29. FAVORITE DRINK? Only one…Coke. (yeah...I just broke the two cardinal drinking laws of Texas--iced tea and Dr. Pepper...so sue me) Of, course, any soda--Coke in particular--is best served after being buried in ice such that your hand freezes trying to dig out the cold bottle. (I don’t know why, but that always seems to be the coldest crispest way to drink it.)
30. FAVORITE SPORT? There’s something besides Ice Hockey?! Surely, you jest! Seriously?!
31. EYE COLOR? Hazel. (Actually, they go anywhere from green to gold, depending on my mood.)
32. HAT SIZE? I have no idea. )You have no idea how long it’s been since I’ve worn a hat.)
33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no
34. FAVORITE FOOD? I love good Asian, Italian, and Mexican food. We found a pretty good Middle Eastern Restaurant not too long ago, too… So, really, it’s whatever I am craving at the moment.
35. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED AT THE MOVIE THEATER? Uh….Cars?
36. COLOR SHIRT YOU ARE WEARING? Forest green t-shirt—no writing on it.
37. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter. What else would a hockey coach say? Not to mention I love the mountains. Beaches are good for a visit, but...
38. HUGS OR KISSES? Person to person, you can’t beat a good hug—with kisses from my wife (always) and kids (most of the time). After that, those foil wrapped chocolate thingies (with caramel) are awesome!
39. FAVORITE DESSERT? (...Back to the one thing? You even made me try to pick one ice cream!!!) ...hhhmmm...Cheesecake...with cherries or blueberries, of course. Or, a good Tiramisu. But, there are times when simple chocolate cake with chocolate icing (cream cheese, of course) is divine, too. OH…And, my wife makes these unbelievable cream cheese swirl brownies! (Did I remember to mention something about Blue Bell Double Chocolate Brownie ice cream?)
40. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Good question...we'll just have to see.
41. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Jerri, since she sent it to us.
42. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? I just took a batch of “new releases” back to the library…But, I still have: I Robot (I'm reading it to the kids, as a literary exercise), Teach Yourself XHTML, and The 14th Annual Science Fiction Collection. I’m also re-reading Tony Campolo’s “Partly Right.”
43. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Actually, it’s a corporate mouse pad. They gave out gift packs to all us employees a couple months ago. I brought it home so I would quit wearing off the finish on the top of my desk.
44. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? CSI Miami. Mondays are my first night off from work, so we just kind of veg. Now, we watched a couple DVDs last night as a family..but I don’t think that counts.
45. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Rain. The sound of a stream flowing over rocks--or a cascading waterfall. The sound of snow falling. The roar of a good motor. Really tight vocal harmonies. My kids playing (...closely followed by any kids playing)
46. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? OK…I’m going to commit sacrilege here…I don’t really like either one. Both of these groups had some good stuff. They also had some real trash. And, I know they impacted music and the rest of the world in a massive way. But, I’m really one of those people who doesn’t really have a favorite artist.
47. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? I went to Bermuda twice. After that, California.
48. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? Coaching and teaching. Song writing. Fiction Writing. And, loving on people. At least I like to the think I am good at the last one (I keep getting told I’m getting better at it anyway.)
49. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? St. Louis, MO. September 5th.

FOR SALE: PENGUINS!

Here is an amusing ESPN article on the proposed sale of the Pittsburgh Penguin franchise to Canadian Jim Balsillie.

Given the history of the franchise, moving wouldn’t be a huge surprise. It’s been threatened often enough. The team has had horrible motivational problems for years—almost from the beginning--even with outstanding talent on the roster. (yeah…I agree that’s mostly a coaching thing…but it also has to do with the area…let’s face it, if you’re not paid attention to ,it’s hard to give it your all) And, the city is holding firm on the stance for no new arena. I’m sure the revenue stream would help the team lot. But, I doubt it would be enough to keep the Pens there if it was built. Once the novelty of the thing wore off, everything would be back where it started.

The Pens may actually make it out of the basement this year. They really do have the talent. Between rookies Sidney Crosby and Evengi Malkin, along with a group of seasoned veterans, they should do well. But, that's been the case for the last few years, too. And, that brings us back to the question of team motivation? Well…

Without a miracle, I agree with Buccigross at ESPN--they won’t stay in Pittsburgh much longer. I've been watching an NHL with the Penguins since 1967. I'll miss them.

FLUFFWHIMPLES!

It was East Texas. It was August. My buddy and I were laying a new roof on a house. The homeowner was up there with us. It was one of those day-labor type jobs. A two day job, actually. It was an interesting job. We had to do a complete tear-off and lay down. In the process of the tear off, we found a portion of the decking held up by bricks balanced on a ceiling joist!

This family was really nice. They kept a steady stream of Gatorade and such coming. We were all VERY glad. It was hot on that roof!

We got curious on day two about how hot it really was. So, we took a porch thermometer and laid it on the roof around noon. It was one of those big round things you can get at Walmart, or Target, or wherever. Kind of wish we hadn’t done that. It pegged out almost immediately beyond the 120 degree scale—halfway to zero around the bottom!

Anyway, by about two o’clock the second afternoon, the heat was getting to me. I was getting a little loopy. My temper was getting short. Around 3:00 I was laying the cap on one part of the ridge. I don’t know how long I spent trying to get this one shingle to line up. I just remember getting more and more frustrated. I was so mad I just wanted to scream! I just couldn’t get any words to form in my head—or on my tongue.

Suddenly, this voice shouted, “Oh, fluffwhimples!”

I looked around wondering who had said that. I also wondered where someone got avoice that sounded just like mine. Well, my temper was instantly gone. I was, honestly, confused. And, of course, the other two guys were looking at me—totally bewildered.

It actually took us another two hours to finish the last of the roof and the rest of the ridge cap. All the while we looked at each other saying, “What’s a fluffwhimple?”

We never did figure it out. If you happen to know...pass it on!

Oh, How We Have Been Had!

I read a series of posts on the Yugoslavian Civil War of the 90's, and just wanted to get sick. I have to admit, that I bought the media coverage through all of this time frame. I believed it was the Bosnians (i.e. Muslims) who were being mis-treated through the whole thing and needed help and assistance. So, to the Serbian (i.e. non-Muslims) people, I offer my apologies. I should have done my homework, and held the political leadership of my country accountable to the truth.

Uncle Mac has an in depth history of the troubles in the Balkans during the mid-1990's (i.e. the Clinton Administration). So far, it is an eight-part series. The evidence of the suppression and outright fabrication of evidence against the Serbs is overwhelming. The level of involvement by the US is sickening. Worse, our support of Muslim groups through the end of the 90's just kept expanding. It's all in the series. But, here is a short list of factoids:

FACTS:
1. The Serbs were persecuted during WWII by the Muslims, who supported the Germans.
2. The Croatian (i.e. Muslim) initiated the invasion of Serbia (1995), and got UN/US help to do it based on fabricated evidence. Our ambassadors actually knew about and approved the plans!
3. At least two of the public massacres during the Yugoslavian civil war, attributed to Serbians, have been determined to have been staged against Serbs (i.e. the only victims of the “attacks”) by Muslims.
4. The Clinton administration approved the shipments of arms and monies from Iran to Muslim for the purpose of solidifying Muslim rule in those areas taken in the conflict.
5. The UN and the US refused to intervene in areas (including the “safe havens”) where Muslims were known to be carrying out military operations and expanding their rule and authority.
6. The CIA and other intelligence groups continued to funnel arms to the Muslims (even the known, declared Muslim terrorist group KLA) at least up to the year 2000.

To those on the political left of America who may read Uncle Mac’s series, I have a question and a challenge: How many lives have been lost due to the lies of the Clinton era, concerning the Balkans? If we hold Bush and the Republicans accountable for Iran, and we should, do we hold Clinton and the Democrats accountable for the Balkans?

On The Irreverent Side of Life

Levity is required today! And I have found a video that fits the bill!

(I don't believe I'm actually doing this...Someone stop me...PLEASE!...uh oh...too late.)

Check out this video from the Asylum Street Spankers at YouTube. It is irreverent. It has profanity. It is incredibly well done--and absolutely hilarious!

Enjoy!

A Powerful Essay For Our Times

There was a great article written by Dr. Vernon Chong, Major General, USAF, Retired, back in 2005. It addresses the situation with Islam, and points no fingers at either the Democrats or Republicans. I was excited to hear someone else say this whole thing is not about your personal or party politics. As long as we stay focused on that, I believe the radical elements of Islam will win the ideological was going on in the world today. Anyway, You can find the entire article HERE. It is well worth the read.

So, what really is more important to you--oyur politics, or your future?

For those who still wonder, YES, I really do believe radical Islam is a serious threat to our future as a free nation. Appeasement and other niceties will only encourage the tyranny of these groups.