Scholar

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

2009-11-25T11:33:00.002-06:00

I hope all of you will have a very happy Thanksgiving with all your family and friends!

Sand Art Video

2009-09-22T12:12:00.001-05:00

At the link below, you will find a video showing sand art, created as you watch, with a short explanatory article. The video runs about 8 1/2 minutes--well worth your time.

"Art for art's sake--Memory for the sake of memory"

What a Difference an Idealogy Makes

2009-08-08T10:35:00.002-05:00

Lately the left has been accusing the right of all kinds of misbehavior at townhall meetings held by Congress members in their districts. Truth is, the right, while a bit noisy, is far more well-behaved than the left.

Pamela Geller at Atlas Shrugs and Michelle Malkin at Michelle Malkin have posted some comparisons and I place the links below for your edification.

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2009/08/pelosis-leftist-lies-and-the-pimps-that-spread-them.html

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/04/this-is-what-mob-rule-looks-like/

And what about the beating in St. Louis that sent the victim to the hospital? That was leftists beating up a black conservative man.

If it was up to me, the townhalls would be much quieter because it is hard to hear what anyone says if a lot of people are yelling. I would rather see the conservatives asking pointed questions and making their comments one at a time into a microphone. Save the chants and yelling for the end if the Congressperson won't listen. However, a little well-behaved noise and signs making valid points are hardly mob mentality, nor are these people bussed in by insurance companies or the Republican National Committee. These are individuals who take themselves to these meetings, sometimes having to take off work to do it. These are individuals who are fed up with Obama and the Dems taking away our freedom and spending us into oblivion. They are also fed up with Obama's so-called foreign policy which consists of apologizing for America, making nice with our enemies, and betraying our friends.

It is the leftists who bus in groups and engage in mobbish thuggery. Then they project their own tactics onto peace-loving conservatives who are doing nothing worse than insisting that Congress represent their constituents accurately and remember that they work for us and not the other way around. That goes for President Obama and his czars and cabinet and everyone else he has surrounded himself with.

And what's up with the White House wanting American citizens to inform on one another?

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/07/whos-behind-the-internet-snitch-brigade/

America is a great country and many people recognize that it is past time to stop the politicians from wrecking it.

Uses of Language

2009-07-30T13:51:00.002-05:00

At the Hoover Institution website is an article about George Orwell, his use of language, and why the preservation and use of the English language is important. The article is titled "Orwell's Instructive Errors" and was written by Liam Julian.

The article discusses what Orwell had to say in his essays about the use of language and also how Orwell himself used language in some of his writings. One of the essays referred to is "Politics and the English Language".

These two pieces are of interest for political reasons, but also for the use of both readers and writers.

I don't agree with everything Liam Julian said. For example, in the following paragraph he seems to think right-wing extremists are the same as conservatives, which is assuredly not true.

It is, certainly, not only denizens of the left who theorize and euphemize their way out of inconvenient situations. The staunchest apologists for the worst elements of British Empire were conservatives, and now, as in Orwell’s time, it is conservatives who lean most heavily on theory to explain away indigence and squalor as inevitable in a free society and thereby rid themselves of responsibility to alleviate the burdens of the impoverished. Certainly America’s foremost racists are found on the right, and they have all sorts of theories. And yet such justifications — whether of racism, imperialism, neglect of the poor, or even creationism — currently have but parochial appeal. The left is in power now, and so it is that today’s most influential and worrisome euphemizing comes from the left.

Regarding racism in particular, it is people like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and, yes, Barack and Michelle Obama who keep racism most alive in America. They are not found on the right in America. Nonetheless, the article has some interesting things to say about the uses of language.

Classical Music

2009-07-30T12:41:00.003-05:00

Some thoughts about classical music and why it has lasted are linked at Arts & Letters Daily. The article is called "Is Classical Music Trying to be Fashionable?" by Andrew Clark.

Healthcare Legislation

2009-07-28T10:06:00.004-05:00

Fortunately, it appears that the healthcare bills in the House and Senate will not be voted on before Congress' August recess. I hope that voters all over the country will try to learn as much as they can about said bills. I am posting a few links that can help you and if you want to suggest a link in the comments, please feel free to do so.

A link to the House bill (HR 3200) and a list of some of the provisions There is also a link to help you contact national reps about this bill.

"Trying to Talk Around the Facts"

"What to Ask Your Congressperson About Obamacare (First in a Series)" Some questions to think about

"CBO calls a TKO on the House health bill" includes charts and graphs

"Your Easy Guide to Democrat Health Reform" includes a chart of the bureacracy involved (the following article refers to this chart: "GOP Charges Dems With Censorship Over Sign" )

That is just a small bit of what's available out there. I would also suggest that you pressure your congresspeople to read each bill completely before passing it. They have no business passing anything that they aren't familiar with.

From the Archives: The Fourth of July

2009-07-03T13:04:00.000-05:00

A happy 4th of July to you. This is America's Independence Day. Think of your freedoms and what it cost to obtain them.

The History Channel has a nice summary of the events surrounding our gaining our freedom. The article is here: "U.S. Declares Independence".

Another interesting article by George Will can be found at Townhall. It is called "The Valuable Self-Validating Tradition".

Enjoy the reading and enjoy the Fourth. Think about what it all means for us.

The Trouble in Iran (Updated)

2009-06-20T10:17:00.003-05:00

The clashes in Iran have already started today, after the Ayatollah's speech yesterday warning against any more street protests. The Iranian people have apparently had enough and will not give up. Good for them! Obama has at least released a statement supporting the Iranian protesters, although it could have been stronger. Every little bit helps. Paul Kengor writes about how President Reagan handled this sort of thing here.

In my last blog post I wrote that I would be refraining from links, but that isn't always a practical thing to do. You can find information on the Iranian protests in many news outlets, but I would like to point out some that I think have good up-to-date coverage. One is Gateway Pundit, a blog that includes reports, photos, and videos. Two more are The Guardian and Telegraph in Britain.

I wouldn't say that Mir Hossein Mousavi is the ideal opposition leader. In the past, he has proven not much different from Ahmadinejad. He only got on the ballot because he was approved by the Guardian Council. Still, there is hope that he may go with the persistant rebellion by the people and can and will make needed changes. See here. See "Cracks Begin to Show in the Iranian Regime" by Ryan Mauro.

There is a lot at stake and I wish the Iranian people success in their rebellion against tyranny.

Updated to Add: Michelle Malkin has a blog post up with links to a twitter page and updates elsewhere.

Poly Ticks

2009-05-30T10:09:00.005-05:00

(Hat tip to JR for the punny title to my post!)

The last time I wrote a post, I had this blog briefly shut down because some sort of robot thing pegged it as a spam blog since I had so many links including several to the same site. I asked the powers that be to review. They did and promptly released my blog from blog jail. No harm, no foul.

Actually, that probably was a good thing to happen because I knew I was overusing links. What I was trying to do, of course, was document my ideas and facts and also link you to articles explaining the viewpoint better than I could. Now I think what I will attempt is to explain myself without resort to links. The links in my sidebar are frequent sources for me, but you can always ask me about anything you read here.

My big thing this week is the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. She has made racist and sexist statements (that a Latina woman would probably make better decisions in court than a white male who hasn't had the rich experiences she would have had). If a white male had said the opposite, he would have been hung out to dry, so I do not see any reason to let her off the hook for such ideas. She has also said that judges make policy. Judges are to do nothing but uphold the law by applying it to the cases before them in a fair and impartial manner.

There are also problems with her gun control opinions and her recent ruling in Ricci v. DeStefano against the firefighters whose promotion test results were thrown out solely because of the race of those who passed (all white except for 1 Hispanic). She also has a very high percentage (60%) of her rulings overturned. That can't be good.

I could list several other difficulties with her nomination, but those are the most important ones I've come across so far.

The oath a Supreme Court Justice must take is as follows: 'I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as (title) under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God.'

Somehow, I believe that Sonia Sotomayor is incapable of being true to that oath.

Some of the Issues America Faces

2009-05-15T11:27:00.002-05:00

"Liberal Fantasyland" by Randall Hoven

"Cracks in the Facade" by Victor Davis Hanson

"The Next Europe Trip: Will Obama Apologize for WWII?" by John Rosenthal

"Obama's 'Public' Health Plan Will Bankrupt the Nation" by Lawrence Kudlow

"'Empathy' Versus Law" by Thomas Sowell (Part 2, Part 3, Part 4)

There are, of course, many additional issues. We all need to get serious about informing ourselves and thinking things through. If we don't, we will lose America as we know it.

Explanations

2009-05-14T09:56:00.003-05:00

Conservatives have a hard time being understood, or so it seems. Last September, Lisa Fabrizio at American Spectator made an effort at "Explaining Ourselves". Give it a read and see what you think.

Other articles at American Spectator that might interest you are:

"Shine the Light" by Lisa Fabrizio

"Understanding American Politics" by Peter Ferrara

An Assortment of Things to Consider

2009-04-28T07:32:00.004-05:00

With so much going on in our world today, it is hard to focus on any one thing. We do our best to keep track, but we can feel that things are spinning out of control. I have gathered a few articles that may let you think a little more deeply about some of today's concerns.

"Offshore Oil Drilling: An Environmental Bonanza" by Humberto Fontova

"Why the Law is Foreign to Ginsburg" by Selwyn Duke

"Koh Fails the Democracy Test" by John Fonte

"Nine Questions the Left Needs to Answer About Torture" by Dennis Prager

"Survival Optional" by Thomas Sowell

"Soros Show Trials" by Matthew Vadum

"Presidential Poison" from the Wall Street Journal opinion page

Those articles cover a range of issues, yet don't touch on them all. You can read one viewpoint in the mainstream media (see "Media Sharks No More" by Jed Babbin), but you may not be aware that there are other ways of looking at these issues, and what I try to do is let you be aware of those other ways.

More Political Stuff

2009-04-27T15:11:00.002-05:00

Yesterday's post about the torture memos and "truth commissions" and all have me thinking about the issue. I ran across two other columns today that give more to consider. See what you think.

"Conservatives Torn on Interrogation 'Truth Commission'" by Jennifer Rubin at Pajamas Media

"The Torture Controversy" by Rob Miller at American Thinker

Both bring out some of the consequences that having such 'truth commissions' and trials would set for our country.

On a much more cheerful note, indulge in some daydreaming about what it might be like if Texas seceded from the Union with this Capitol Hill Coffee House column by Richard Geno titled "Texas Does Not Have Enough Land".

The Torture Issue (Updated)

2009-04-25T13:57:00.003-05:00

Torture is a touchy subject. Few people can tolerate even the discussion of such a topic. I know that I don't like to think about it or read about it, not even in fiction. It has come to the forefront lately, particularly since President Obama felt the need to release Bush administration memos about torture. I don't know what his motives were, although I suspect it has a lot to do with appeasing his leftist followers from his continuation of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, or perhaps it is an effort to distract the public from the economic issues here at home. Be that as it may, there is talk of creating a "truth commission" to look into the torture issue.

I ran across an interesting piece at Weekly Standard titled "Telling the Truth" by Noemie Emery. It is a very thought-provoking article and will give you a new perspective on this issue.

Updated to add: This link is to a video of Norah O'Donnell interviewing Liz Cheney (daughter of the former Vice President), former assistant deputy Secretary of State, regarding torture and the memos. It is worth watching. It runs 8:36. http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/04/25/liz-cheney-breaks-nora-odonnell-on-torture-discussion/

Global Warming and Mainstream Media

2009-04-24T13:42:00.002-05:00

Here are two very important links regarding global warming and Al Gore.

"House Democrats shield Gore from debate on warming (Updated)" by Thomas Lifson

"10 Questions for Al Gore" by Steven Milloy

Why don't we hear about these things from the Mainstream Media? Perhaps the following video gives us a clue.

"Updated Exclusive! Entire GE CEO Confrontation"

Margaret Sanger a Feminist Heroine?!

2009-04-24T10:15:00.003-05:00

Some feminists say that Margaret Sanger is a feminist heroine, an early feminist icon. I have to wonder if they are familiar with all of Sanger's ideas. If they are, I have to wonder about their own values.

"Mrs. Clinton Can’t Defend Patron Saint of Planned Parenthood" by Mona Charen (at National Review Online)

Ms. Charen writes:

Mrs. Sanger was certainly a birth-control pioneer. But when you examine the totality of Mrs. Sanger’s views, you’d think modern feminists would blanch — at least a little. Margaret Sanger was a most thoroughgoing racist. “Eugenics,” she wrote, “is the most adequate and thorough avenue to the solution of racial, political, and social problems.”

She also writes:

Representative Smith asked Secretary Clinton to respond to Mrs. Sanger’s views about the “deterioration in the human stock” and “the perpetuation of defectives, delinquents, and dependents.” As Goldberg has observed, conservatives are always asked to “own” their intellectual forebears and to disavow that which requires disavowal. Yet liberals skate by without having to distance themselves from the dreadful opinions and writings of their heroes and heroines.

We would all do well to consider the whole person before we hold anyone up as a role model--a hero or heroine.

Obama's World Tour

2009-04-23T16:35:00.004-05:00

My apologies for being such a slacker on blogging. I've had a lot going on, but I will try to post more often.

President Barack Obama has recently been on several overseas trips, meeting with foreign leaders at various summits. I suspect that too many in America don't realize the import of what Obama has been saying and doing. Two articles at American Thinker will give you some food for thought about the seriousness of it all.

"American Imperialism, Obama Style" by James Lewis

"Hillary at the Latin American Summit" by Humberto Fontova

The last thing we need is to have our President and our Secretary of State giving legitimacy to such foreign leaders as Castro, Chavez, Ortega, and others. We should not be supporting such governments that are cruel to their own people. In addition, we do not need to be showing such weakness to the world. We encourage cruel oppression by doing so. We also should not be throwing our allies, such as Israel, Britain, Poland, and Columbia, under the bus. Today's foreign policy is in serious trouble because of the actions of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and others like them in Congress and elsewhere. Actions have consequences.

Think about it.

Climate Change News

2009-03-15T11:03:00.004-05:00

This past week, The Heartland Institute sponsored the 2009 International Conference on Climate Change in New York City. American Thinker has a good article on this event. It is titled "The Clear and Cohesive Message of the International Conference on Climate Change" by Marc Sheppard. It is clear from information from genuine scientists that panic over global warming is needless and that allowing governments to wreak economic havoc on their countries in the name of global warming is a huge mistake.

There is another article on global warming/climate change at Pajamas Media called "Skeptics Score at Climate Change Conference" by James Lewis. Mr. Lewis talks about the conference, but also discusses some other goings-on in the world of global warming.

As always, I do advocate responsible stewardship over the earth, but that is not what the global warming panic is about. It is about power and money, not about reality.

Updated to add: Another piece at American Thinker is of interest. It's called "More Global Warming Pills to Swallow..." by Gregory Young. This is a blog post discussing some of the fraudulant statements to come out of the United Nations, and why they are fraudulant.

Another source of global warming/climate change news is found at National Review Online in a blog called "Planet Gore".

More Shenanigans and Some Alternatives

2009-02-28T09:38:00.005-06:00

I was appalled to read this article this morning at the DC Republican Examiner. It's called "Impeachment Time: Obama Grants Eminent Domain Rights to China to Secure Debt". This was, as the article states, confirmed by sources at the US Embassy in Beijing, although we don't know the position of said sources. More confirmation is needed, but if this is true, it is very bad for America. Updated to add: This eminent domain rights story may not be true. You can read an updated blogpost at Atlas Shrugs here.

Additional information onObama's plans for America can be found at Larry Kudlow's CNBC Blog in a post titled "Obama Declares War on Investors, Entrepreneurs, Businesses, and More". President Obama is going against common sense and economic reality in his handling of the economic crisis, which would be better resolved by him doing nothing than what he is doing. Even better, though, would be tax cuts. That would truly get the economy moving again. I've noticed that Obama and the Democrats repeatedly say that the Republicans are just being obstructionist and need to offer alternatives. This is a lie because the Republicans have repeatedly offered alternatives, like tax cuts and targeted infrastructure projects, but have been ignored. Who are the real obstructionists?

Three other articles you should read and consider:

"Obama the Rhetorical Magician" by Rich Lowry

"The Politics of Fear" by Jonah Goldberg

"If Obama Turns America into Europe..." by Claudia Rosett

There are places to learn about an alternative way to Obama's vision of America. I provide the following websites for your perusal.

The Basics Project, particularly the Constitutional Literacy page

The American Conservative Union Foundation

The Patriot Post

The Heritage Foundation

Republican National Committee (the Platform is here)

There are various pages within these websites that discuss issues, provide historical documents, or give the platforms. See what you think.

More of the Same

2009-02-21T09:48:00.003-06:00

In all of the hoopla over the so-called stimulus bill, has anyone noticed that Congress is getting ready to vote on another half-trillion dollar spending bill? I didn't think so. Here is an article about it from Human Events titled "Another Huge Spending Bill Planned for Next Week" by Connie Hair. Republican House leaders are requesting, apparently in vain, that the bill be posted online immediately so that the American people can see what is in it. And presumably so that members of the House can also see what's in it. Didn't President Obama promise openess and transparency? Where is it?

Other evidence of the lack of transparency in this government is listed in Alan Caruba's "It Smells Like Facism" on his Warning Signs blog. He mentions HR-45 which is a Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, an expectation that the EPA will regulate carbon dioxide, and a proposal to reintroduce the so-called Fairness Doctrine. This is all being done relatively quietly. Why?

Here's an article about another example from the D.C.Examiner titled "The RAT Hiding Deep Inside the Stimulus Bill" by Byron York. It discusses serious changes in the way "allegations of fraud and corruption are investigated — or not investigated — throughout the federal government." Hmmm. Then there is the healthcare item hidden in the "stimulus" bill. You can read about it at The American Spectator in "The Hidden Healthcare Horror" by Lawrence A. Hunter and at Bloomberg in "Ruin Your Health with the Obama Stimulus Plan" by Betsy McCaughey.

The above is just the tip of the iceberg. You can read the stimulus bill itself here. It's searchable text.

There are more issues that we aren't hearing enough about. Why aren't some investigative reporters in the mainstream media (MSM) digging into this: "RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT HUSSEIN: 'A $550 Billion Electronic Run on the Banks' "? I'd like to see some evidence one way or the other about this. Go to the "News" section of Thought You Should Know for more news articles on various topics that you won't hear much, if anything, about in the MSM.

Thankfully, some of the American citizens are beginning to wake up to the attempt to expand federal government's interference in our lives and to shrink our freedom. One example is CNBC's Rick Santelli and his famous rant in the Chicago pit. See also Lawrence Kudlow's article "Subsidize Bad Behavior?" at GOPUSA. You should be able to watch Mr. Santelli's video in the right sidebar. If not, see it here. Other evidence that Americans are starting to be fed up with the Fed's attempted takeover can be found at Michelle Malkin's blog. See "Rebel Yell: Taxpayers Revolt Against Gimme-Mania" and "Tea Party U.S.A.: The Movement Grows". These are not heartless, selfish people, although I am sure some will attempt to portray them that way. These are people who understand the Constitution and freedom and reject the Obama government's attempts to violate both. Private charity is the way to go to help those who need help. It is wrong, wrong, wrong to legislate away our choices in any matter.

There are those, including Obama, who would use Republican errors in the past of continuing government's unnecessary spending as an excuse for their own spending. What's that old saying? "Two wrongs don't make a right." American needs to pull itself together and get back to the Constitution. You will greatly miss your freedom when it is gone. Read "Want 'Hope and Change'? Buy a Goat" by Oleg Atbashian at Pajamas Media. I hope you will follow the above links and give some thought to what they are saying.

Edited to Add: See this JB Williams piece at Capitol Hill Coffee House titled "Obama's Failing Economic Recovery Plan". (hat tip JR)

We Can Learn a Lot from the Classics

2009-02-16T09:15:00.004-06:00

I just read a marvelous essay over at American Thinker. It's called "How Democracies Become Tyrannies" by Ed Kaitz. This should be read by every American.

Mr. Kaitz's essay refers to scenes from Plato's Republic to show how, indeed, democracies become tyrannies, all with the permission, even encouragement, of its citizens. Here are two paragraphs from Mr. Kaitz's essay:

The answers to these questions were famously addressed in a few pages tucked within the greatest masterpiece of the classical world: Plato's Republic. On the surface, and to most reviewers of Plato's writings, the Republic is a dialogue on justice and on what constitutes the just society. But to careful readers the deeper theme of the Republic is the nature of education and the relationship between education and the survival of the state. In fact, the Republic is essentially the story of how a man (Socrates) condemned to death for "corrupting" the youth of Athens gives to posterity the most precious gift of all: the love of wisdom.

In the Republic, two young men, Glaucon and Adeimantus, accompany the much older Socrates on a journey of discovery into the nature of the individual soul and its connection to the harmony of the state. During the course of their adventure, as the two disciples demonstrate greater maturity and self-control, they are gradually exposed to deeper and more complex teachings regarding the relationship between virtue, self-sufficiency, and happiness. In short, the boys begin to realize that justice and happiness in a community rests upon the moral condition of its citizens. This is what Socrates meant when he said: "The state is man writ large."

The essay bears reading, as does Plato's Republic.

Updated to Add: There are two other articles referencing classics that would be a good read for you also. One that also references Plato's Republic is "How Republics Die: Plato's Cautionary Tale" by Mark J. Boone. Another, referencing Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, is "'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years" by Stephen Moore.

Environmentalism and the Economy

2009-02-01T13:50:00.003-06:00

Conservatives support good stewardship of our earth. We depend on the earth's resources for everything we do and to trash the earth or to waste the resources is wrong and foolish and short-sighted. However, there are radical environmentalists who insist that humans are nothing more than just another species of animal and that preserving the earth should take precedence over everything else, including human life and well-being. This is a very wrongheaded view of things.

We have watched as Al Gore and his supporters have preached global warming and have blamed man for it. They have claimed that the earth is in dire straits because of global warming. They have also proclaimed that the debate is over and some have even threatened to charge those who disagree with them with serious crimes. Additionally, those who disagree with these global warming theories face loss of funding and loss of jobs.

In spite of all this noise, the earth has actually been cooling since 1998. More and more scientists are fed up with the false information being put out by Al Gore and his comrades and are speaking out, providing much data that proves the errors in the global warming theories. I have to wonder how some scientists have become so politicized. They, of all people, should support the truth and search for the truth.

Perhaps much of the problem comes from science jobs and funding being politicized and so scientists play along with the currently politically popular theories in order to get jobs and funding. This happens with evolution, as well as with global warming. On top of all that, there are people who, because of their indoctrination at school, have so bought into evolution and, lately, global warming, that they attempt to intimidate those who disagree with them into silence, shouting them down and accusing them of being ignorant. Actually, we aren't ignorant at all. We just have the good sense to search beyond mainstream media and the popular science magazines to find the facts and to not swallow whole some idea just because it's taught in school. It's certainly true that there are crazies out there supporting any and all viewpoints, but their writings are also not where we turn for facts. I realize that no one supporting either evolution or global warming will admit that those who disagree with them have any legitimate sources of information, but we do. There are scientists and journalists out there with the integrity to dig for facts and to publish them.

What brings all this to my attention right now is that our current administration is ready to push harsh environmental regulations on the auto industry, regulations that will cost so much to implement as quickly as demanded that they will likely kill the auto industry. This after the government handed over billions to save the auto industry. Kind of schizophrenic, isn't it?

Environmentalism, in going beyond good stewardship and common sense, will ruin our economy and damage our national security. Why do I say this? Because the environmental regulations being demanded will cost more to implement than our nation can afford and because wind, solar, biofuels, and other alternate sources of energy are nowhere near well-developed enough to provide this nation with all of its energy (and they may never be), yet environmentalists want to prevent us from drilling for our own oil and natural gas, using our coal, and building nuclear plants. This leaves us dependent on foreign nations, some of whom are enemies and none of whom will put our interests over their own, which is where national security issues come into play.

Forget utopia, we're headed for dystopia if these laws and regulations are allowed to be put into effect.

As usual, I will provide you with a list of articles to read and contemplate. There are many more out there, of course. This is just a sampling.

"Tear Down the Amazon Rainforest Idol" at World Net Daily (which also links to an article in The New York Times (!) titled "New Jungles Prompt a Debate on Rain Forests" by Elizabeth Rosenthal )

"Lefty, It's Cold Outside" by Deroy Murdock (It's good to know that not everyone on the Left is fooled!)

"The Rise of Self-Defeating Industrial Policy" by Rich Lowry

"California's Carbon-Tax Lesson for America" by Edward John Craig (on the Planet Gore blog at National Review Online )

"Who is the 'They' Now in California?" by Victor Davis Hanson (This piece talks about more than just the environment, although that is in there, too.)

"Anthropogenic Global Warming: The Greatest Fraud in History?" by James Lewis

"Mileage Standards: Not the Way to Energy Independence" by Brian Douglas

"All Seriousness Aside" by Paul Chesser

"His Winter of Discontent" by William Tucker

That will give you sufficient reading for now. In addition, several of the above articles have interesting links in them.

Whether we are talking about "stimulus" bills or environmental regulation bills, it is so important that we stop the panicked rushing about and think these things through carefully, gathering actual facts to use in making the decisions.

More Stuff to Contemplate about a Government Running Amok

2009-01-31T16:07:00.002-06:00

I would have liked to write a post on something other than politics and the economy. However, America is in such serious trouble now that President Obama and the liberal Democrats are in charge, that the people of this country need to stand up and tell them to stop. In his inaugral address, President Obama said it was time to set aside childish things, but he and his cohorts are behaving like children turned loose in a candy store. They are stuffing the so-called stimulus package with their wish lists of social spending instead of anything that will stimulate the economy. What they need to do is scrap this bill and cut taxes. Permanently. That will, as shown by past experience, increase revenues and stimulate the economy to a great extent.

Here are some articles to read that will help you understand what is going on in our government today:

"Shelve the Stimulus" by Lawrence Kudlow

"Help! The Government is Trying to 'Do Something'" by Bobby Eberle

"Unclogging the Liberal Pipeline" by Michael Reagan

"What are They Buying?" by Thomas Sowell

"There is No Santa" by Walter Williams

You could do not better than to read everything you can find by Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams. These men know whereof they speak, whether it is about economics or politics or anything else they turn their hands to. They have common sense, good character, and integrity, to mention just a few of the reasons I admire them both so much.

As you read the above articles, notice what the money is going for and how long it will take to get any of it done. We are supposed to be panicked and stampeded into rushing this bill through--a bill that will do nothing to stimulate the economy, which is supposed to be what it is for.

Email your Congresspersons and Senators today and encourage them to put a stop to this foolishness. All they need to do is cut taxes.

Some Things to Consider

2009-01-17T08:09:00.002-06:00

There are so many situations these days that need our attention. We are just 3 days away from the Obama presidency, which will last at least 4 years. What is that going to be like? Here is one take from Pajamas Media. In an article called "Questioning Obama's Patriotism", Bernard Chapin discusses some of what we can look forward to. He writes:

In the president-elect’s vision, we only will become a great nation if we alter ourselves into becoming another nation, one that precisely matches Obama’s desires and expectations.

and

In the hopes of clarification, let me state with absolute certainty that the reason we should question the political left’s patriotism is that they are not patriotic.

On a plethora of policies, from immigration to missile defense, the Democratic stance suggests that they do not have a dog in the fight when it comes to America’s national security. Were they not so embarrassed by our history, along with the unfashionable folks who inhabit our non-urban enclaves, they might well think differently.

and concludes with

Promoting coat-and-tie radicals like Hillary Clinton and Leon Panetta to the heights of power no doubt will intensify Obama’s prestige among foreign leaders. There’s nothing that foreign intelligence services appreciate more than the placement of total patsies as the overseers of America’s autonomy.

They probably did not think their prospects for aggressive action could improve any more than they had on November 4, but now will be pleased that Christmas — or what may soon become known as “Western Incineration Day” — is coming a second time this year. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for the definition of “traitor” to be exchanged with “patriot” in the politically correct dictionaries found on American university campuses.

In between these quotes, Mr. Chapin discusses some of Obama's choices for cabinet positions and what these might mean for the future of our country and its citizens.

Another situation that should be of grave concern to all is media bias. Most people, if they pay any attention to the news at all, turn to the Mainstream Media (MSM) for their information. This is not a wise choice, as we saw during the campaign for the presidency--the MSM were so strongly "in the tank" for Obama that the public did not get nearly enough information about Obama. The public also did not get good information about John McCain and Sarah Palin. At American Thinker there is an article about the media. It is "The Artifical Reality of the Matrix Media" by Selwyn Duke. Mr. Duke begins by writing:

A common defense of error today is to say, with due indignation, "I have a right to my opinion!" Legally this is true, given that our First Amendment is extant. But as G.K. Chesterton once said, "Having the right to do something is not at all the same as being right in doing it." There is no moral right to an immoral opinion -- nor to one bred of emotionalism unconstrained by reason -- nor to a deceitful one.

Mr. Duke then discusses some examples of misinformation put out by the MSM and concludes with this:

Yet, where does the real blame lie? Some may say that since the media deny us the information necessary to render good decisions, it's not fair to claim that people get the government they deserve. But it must be remembered that people get the media they deserve, too. After all, there is a reason why a celebrity gossip piece might get ten times the readership of incisive social commentary. If people want sweet lies and stories about Paris Hilton, bread and circuses, there will always be "journalists" willing to provide them. It's just as with politicians, only here people vote for demagogues by clicking a mouse, pressing the remote or buying a paper.

So journalism isn't dead -- not any more than the readership, anyway. It's just that those practicing the authentic variety are seldom elected to high office.

Throughout the article, he makes some good points. Do you think we get the media we deserve? Certainly it seems to me that many people are uninformed and don't care that they are uninformed. Worrisome.

One very obvious recent example is the MSM coverage of the Israeli-Gaza conflict. To watch/read MSM reports, one would get the idea that Israel suddenly attacked an innocent, peaceful group of people for no reason. Nothing could be further from the truth. At National Review Online you can read "Camera-Ready Victims" by Mona Charen for a different viewpoint from that portrayed in the MSM. At American Thinker is an article titled "The Cancer Known as Anti-Semitism" by Lauri B. Regan and, for interesting thoughts as to why anti-semitism exists, take a look at "Hating the Jews" by Kyle-Anne Shiver. These articles will give you something to consider.

It seems to me that what this country needs are more people willing to write and publish the truth and even more people willing to seek out the truth and learn what reality is.

The economy is on everyone's mind, of course. At Human Events you can read an article outlining what would probably do the most good in restoring the economy--reducing taxes. It's titled "What Works" by J. D. Foster and William W. Beach.

There are numerous subjects that require our attention and many articles in the above linked news organizations and others that can help us sort out what is true and what would be the best solutions. I hope we will continue to take an interest in what is going on in our country and in the world and to seriously consider what sources of information we seek out and what biases we ourselves might be harboring that would slow our acknowledgment of the truth.

What to Do, What to Do?

2009-01-02T08:47:00.003-06:00

As a conservative, I'm very concerned about the upcoming term of a liberal president supported by a liberal congress. With so many issues on the table--the economy, energy, health care, etc.--it is easy to worry that we're about to be led down a primrose path to the left. So what can those of us concerned about the loss of liberty, property rights, religious freedom, and other precious freedoms we have enjoyed here in the USA do? I ran across an article at American Spectator with some ideas. It's titled "What Conservatives Must Now Do" and is written by Peter Ferrara.

Mr. Ferrara discusses grassroots organizations that can then grow and strengthen our nation, getting us back to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" and following the Constitution instead of wandering off into the wilderness. Mr. Ferrara writes:

First and most important is to build up mighty, grassroots networks across the country. This is something that conservatives must do, not Republicans, who need to work on their own grassroots party network. Conservatives have become too good lately in lecturing Republicans on what they must do. We need to lead by building a powerful political movement, and the Republicans will then naturally follow.

The radical, liberal-left agenda is tailor made for generating grassroots firestorms in opposition. Included in that agenda is national legislation to remove all state restrictions on abortion, all parental notification, waiting periods, informed consent, and partial birth abortion restrictions. Instead we are slated for taxpayer funding for abortion on demand. Another beaut is national legislation to remove all state protections of gun rights, such as conceal and carry permits. Then there is the federal takeover of health care, the federal shutdown of proven, reliable energy production, global warming regulation to shut down what is left of the economy, the "fairness" doctrine to shut down talk radio, and national legislation to take away workers' rights to a secret ballot election to determine whether they will be forced into a union in their workplace. That last item also includes forcing union contracts on businesses, small, medium and large, in place of the current system of free negotiation.

After this partial list of what we have to work on, he goes on to describe what a grassroots organization might look like and what it could accomplish. I like that a lot of the focus is on informing Americans on the issues. It seems to me that there are far too many people who have the idea that they are entitled to have everything provided for them and done for them, and it blinds them to the serious losses they would face if the government attempted that--loss of freedoms of all types, loss of property rights, loss of choices (where to live, where to work, how to worship), and loss of quality in what is provided.

Many people don't understand insurance, for example, whether we are talking about health insurance, property insurance, or any other type of insurance. Let's take health insurance for an example. From what I hear people saying, they think that in exchange for a small monthly premium, all their health expenses should be paid by the insurance company, right down to the aspirin they had to take when they woke up with a headache. That is assuredly not what insurance is for. Insurance is to protect people against large losses (expenses) such as surgery, long term therapy, major illnesses such as cancer, and so forth. People are expected to cover the small expenses themselves--the bottle of aspirin, the deductible on the insurance, etc.--because those are affordable and can be worked into the family budget. Compare it to auto insurance--you don't expect auto insurance to pay for gas and oil changes. The auto insurance is to pay for the large expense of repairing your vehicle after an accident. If you don't understand what insurance is for, it is your responsibility to learn. It is not the government's responsibility to step in and pay/force the insurer to pay for every tiny expense. If we turn our responsibility over to the government, we are no longer free to make choices and, with government's poor record of managing anything, we can expect to have poor quality health care, if we can get it at all.

With all the concern over the economy, health, energy, and the many other issues facing us, I am hopeful that people will be more inclined to learn all they can about these issues and decide what they can support and what they cannot, thinking things through to their logical conclusions.

I am also hopeful that people will re-evaluate their own lifestyles and do everything they can to promote prosperity in their own families. Go back to budgeting and saving. Go back to home-cooked meals with healthier ingredients. Go back to reading books and watching movies at home instead of going out for expensive entertainment. Have family game night or take the family to the park to play. Stop living beyond our means. If you have a lot of changes to make, make them gradually, if you must. Talk to your family and enlist their support. Look on such changes as an opportunity and an adventure, not a deprivation. It's a great time to regroup and begin living a more sensible life.

Even when there is a lot of upheaval going on in the world, we can avoid making ourselves ill and depressed with worry. Look for the good. Appreciate what you have. Seek out the good in life and look for ways you can improve your life. It's the beginning of a new year. Make it a good one!

Keep Your Spirits Up

2008-12-28T06:29:00.003-06:00

I've run across three articles at Pajamas Media that have a spirit of encouragement about them, and so I wanted to share them with you.

"How Do You Fight Obama's New New Deal?" by Jennifer Rubin (offers some ideas of useful economic changes that would have a far more positive effect than the bailouts and other government interference)

"Life at New Animal Farm Won't Be All That Bad" by Victor Davis Hanson (a look at the more positive press coverage we can expect on all topics once Barack Obama becomes President of the United States)

"How George Washington Saved Christmas--And America" by Rick Moran (a reminder that we have been through much tougher times in America's past and that we overcame those)

There are a variety of ways to develop a more positive outlook on life, whether it concerns the economy, politics, war and peace, or whatever problems are staring us in the face. Being negative helps nothing, but being positive frees us to start thinking about what we can do to help make things better.

A Christmas Day Post

2008-12-25T10:43:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas to all!

I haven't been able to decide what to write about for awhile, but as I've been perusing the internet today, I've run across some articles that I recommend.

"Be Not Afraid: Christian Resistance and the Meaning of Christmas" by Joseph Morrison Skelly (some thoughts on Christmas at a time when there are those who would wipe out religion)

"A Tale of Two Pundits: Sowell vs. Huffington" by Roger Kimball (This one is about economics rather than Christmas, but still, it's an important piece.)

"Utopia" by Peter Ferrara (an interesting idea for letting everyone have their way politically and economically)

"The True Spirit of Giving" by Ken Connor (some thoughts on what Christmas giving really should mean)

I know that times are tough economically (and in other ways, too), but I hope that we will budget for charitable giving. There are many good places for your charity dollars (and don't forget that you can give of your time, as well) such as your church and nationally known charities that you can trust. There is one organization that particularly appeals to me because the giving is a hand up and not a handout. That is Heifer International, which gives animals to families and teaches them to care for them and use them as a basis for growing prosperity. They also make microloans that help people begin and sustain small businesses, again using those loans as a basis for growing prosperity. I've provided a link so you can read about this organization and decide if it is something you want to support. Research any charity you are considering so you can decide where you want your money and effort to go. There may be perfectly good local charities that aren't so well known that would be worthy of your donations--you just need to spend a little time looking into them to be sure your efforts to help aren't wasted.

Merry Christmas to all!!!!

Economics

2008-12-06T08:30:00.002-06:00

The economic crises that Americans face are on everyone's mind these days, and with good reason. These crises affect everyone in their day-to-day lives.

One good article is "The Pilgrims' Financial Crisis" by Peter Ferrara at The American Spectator. Mr. Ferrara begins by recounting the problems encountered by our early settlers in Plymouth and Virginia. He then shows how a socialist organization of these early colonies failed and how only a turn to capitalism and freedom to produce one's own goods allowed the colonies to prosper. At the end of his article, Mr. Ferrara summarizes the solutions that we need for today.

I cannot emphasize enough how much a study of history, both American and world, would help us today in solving our problems and in avoiding prolonging or worsening said problems.

Peter Ferrara has another good article on economics, what has failed in the past, and what will help the most now. It is titled "Stimulus Malpractice and the Trillion Dollar Deficit" and is also found at The American Spectator. This article is a review of more recent economic policies in America and what worked and what failed. Again, he includes an outline of what we need to do now to turn things around economically.

Thomas Sowell has an article at Jewish World Review which summarizes the situation and alludes to historic "solutions" that solved nothing and, in fact, prolonged the Great Depression. The article is titled "'Jolting' the Economy". Also at Jewish World Review, Walter Williams has an article titled "Trade vs. Protectionism" which offers a look at that particular portion of America's economy. Dr. Williams also has an article at the same website titled "Evil Concealed by Money" which looks at socialism in a practical, easy-to-understand way. He also takes a look at capitalism in "Capitalism and the Financial Crisis".

I hope that by reading these articles, with information laid out clearly by intelligent men of common sense, you will gain a better understanding of what works and what doesn't, and in which direction America (and the world, for that matter) needs to move.

We do not need to sink.

Life Goes On

2008-12-03T11:10:00.002-06:00

It's impossible to comment on all the political and economic actions that have been taken recently, and those that are being contemplated. It boggles the mind.

I think it would be a good thing if every American would read the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, as well as the Federalist Papers. We need to remind ourselves of what America is all about. I have linked to Yale Law School's Avalon Project, but there are a number of good sources for these types of historical documents on the internet.

Now, more than ever, we need a smaller government with much less interference in our lives and businesses. It was government interference that got us into the mess we're in today. It was not capitalism or conservatism or any of the other popular scapegoats. Stop the bailouts, stop high taxes, stop forced charity, stop over-regulation, stop judicial activism, and stop a Congress and an Executive Branch that thinks they can ignore the Constitution.

I need to stop myself--I'm getting into a rant! That brings me to another problem. It is so easy to criticize and rant and otherwise be negative. What we (I) should do instead is discuss positive things that we need to do to preserve and expand the "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" that is America. We can start by becoming familiar with our founding documents, as I noted in the second paragraph above. We also need to learn American history and government. You need to select your reading material carefully in order to get accurate information. Look at older books on American history and government, and look at a variety of books and websites. Variety will at least show you discrepancies which you can research further.

Recently a study was released that showed that Americans in general do not know much about civics and how government is supposed to work. We cannot depend on schools at any level to correct this lack of knowledge, so we need to teach ourselves. That link reports on the study and also contains a link to the 33 questions that were asked so that you can test yourself.

I think that a lot of the problems we have in America are due to lack of knowledge by the American people and by those we elect to represent us. Self-education in civics, government, and history can only help. I know I also have a lot more to learn. A lot of well-meaning folk nevertheless have wrongheaded ideas about solutions, so an openess to learning truth and to thinking things through is also important.

We all need more patience, with ourselves and with others. It's easy to get fired up about something, but we aren't always making ourselves understood when we get carried away. I know I get wound up because America is so very important, not just to those who live here, but to the world. I can't promise I won't get wound up about something again, but I'll try to be calm and clear!

It's difficult to express what I want to say here. There are those who think all things are equal and it is just a matter of voting to do Plan A or Plan B. The thing is that all things are NOT equal. Truth is truth. Right is right. Wrong is wrong. I don't know how people get to the place of thinking that all is equal. I personally blame indoctrination in public schools, but there are other factors as well, such as biased media (and yes, my blog is biased, too, but at least it is biased toward truth, although I am sure there are those who will say that is just my opinion--more of that "all things are equal" stuff). I don't know if we can ever get down to a real discussion of real issues, but I hope we will continue to try.

"Jerusalem" the Hymn

2008-11-30T08:22:00.004-06:00

I love the music of the hymn, "Jerusalem". Here is a version by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. At one point on the video, the words on the screen say this hymn was considered offensive to many in the UK. Now it is apparently considered a sort of unofficial national anthem there.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

2008-11-27T05:21:00.002-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that all of you, wherever you are in the world, will take a little time today to think of all the blessings that you have and express gratitude for those blessings. They range from the basics of food, clothing, and shelter, to books and education, to family and friends, to the blessings of the gospel. There is so much to be thankful for, whatever your circumstances. There are always difficulties in life, some great and some small. There are also always things to be thankful for if we will look for them. It will lift your spirits to realize how much you have.

Fun with Economics

2008-11-22T08:55:00.003-06:00

I went to YouTube and did a search on "economics". I found this video by Yoram Bauman, Ph. D. He's got a website at Stand Up Economist.

My Opinions

2008-11-15T07:20:00.003-06:00

I am still pondering all the implications of an Obama presidency, coupled with a Democrat majority in Congress. I try to be optimistic and think that things won't be so bad and we'll get through this and be a stronger country for it. It is, however, very difficult to hold on to that viewpoint for very long.

Although Obama, assisted by the mainstream media, tried to keep the American people in the dark as to his real plans for America, enough information slipped out to cause serious concerns for those who care about our country and its Constitution. One issue is Obama's association with radical leftists. Whether we are talking about William Ayers or Rev. Jeremiah Wright or the others whose names you've seen here and there, we are talking about people who hate America and all she stands for. And we're going to let these people run the country?! Where are Obama's more moderate friends? Did he not have any? Let's face it--friends and associates and allies shape one's outlook a great deal.

Another issue is economics. Obama is definitely a taxer and a spender. He has plans for spending a trillion dollars of our (the taxpayers) money on various programs that have as their ultimate objective redistributing wealth. What Obama doesn't understand is that when there are wealthy people, those people invest, start businesses, and otherwise use their money to strengthen the economy and create jobs for others. The left doesn't seem to understand the difference between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome. The former is good and right and lets everyone have a chance. The latter is bad and wrong and punishes success while rewarding failure (often brought about by laziness). This applies in all issues, not just economic ones.

There are also issues of life. Obama is one of the most radical supporters of abortion in existence. He not only supports early-term abortion, but also late-term abortion, partial-birth abortion, and allowing babies who survive abortion to die alone without any care at all.

President Ronald Reagan said that government isn't the solution, but rather the problem. Yet Obama supports big government to an extent not before seen. He thinks government should rule every aspect of our lives--what we eat, the media available to us, how our children will be educated and at what age, our religious lives (or lack thereof), what transportation we can use, what products we can purchase (are they "green" enough?), etc.

Another issue is energy. Obama has sent signals that he wants to reinstitute bans on drilling, building coal plants and nuclear plants, and other necessary items that will allow America to become energy independent (at least as much as possible) and keep energy available while the various other energy sources (wind, solar, etc.) are developed and experimented with to see if they can become viable (they are not viable now) replacements for fossil fuels.

There are national security issues. Obama thinks he can talk our enemies into being our friends. He seems very concerned with dismantling our military as much as possible. Common sense says that a strong military is the best advocate for peace, but Obama would take that away from us. He wants to prevent our military personnel from being able to do their jobs fully and freely--something that is necessary for success. There has also been talk of his wanting to create some sort of civilian force, ostensibly to do community service, but how long before they would become enforcers of politically correct behavior in ordinary citizens? Obama wants them to be as well-funded as the military is now. What will that mean?

Obama seems to have some dreamy idea of utopia. This is not grounded in reality. If he studied history and economics, he would soon see the massive failures that ideas like his have inflicted on people in the past. Obama also seems to have the idea that once he is inaugurated, he will be the absolute ruler, that everyone will do whatever he wants them to do. If they don't, he thinks he will be justified in suppressing them and silencing their voices. He has already tried this during the campaign.

At his inauguration, Obama will take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. He has already taken this oath when he has been sworn in to the public offices he has held to this point. He has done nothing to show me that he has any intention of taking this oath seriously. He has, in fact, stated that he wants to break free of the restraints put on us by the Founders in the Constitution. This is not the type of person who should be President (or a Senator, for that matter).

This all sounds extreme, but it is not my opinions that are extreme. It is Obama who is extreme.

So how did this man get elected? I suppose his charisma had something to do with it, although as the campaign progressed and he had to do interviews and not just give teleprompted speeches, it became clear that he was not a particularly good speaker without a prepared text and no interruptions for questions or comments. Frankly, I think a good part of the problem has come from education--from the public schools to colleges and universities. These sources of education have steadily drifted to the left, embracing baseless self-esteem and teaching tolerance of all things leftist--socialism, Marxism, communism, secularism, multiculturalism, and any other -ism you can think of (as long as it is a leftist -ism). Now we have a population who doesn't know much accurate history or civics and has had it drummed into their minds that there is nothing wrong with those leftist -isms. So when anyone tried to warn of Obama's socialist tendencies, they were greeted with a collective yawn and a "So what?"

The left has also been waging a battle for a long time now to eliminate religion from the public square. When religion goes, so do morals and common sense and the realization that there is right and wrong, good and evil. Everything is relative, according to these secular leftists. They have also been fighting free speech, defined by them as anything said that doesn't agree with their views. They are all for free speech and tolerance as long as it supports leftist views. If it disagrees, it has to go. For one example, take Prop 8 in California. It passed and its opponents are acting in very ugly ways. They are also being quite dramatic in discussing their pain at the defeat of Prop 8, but let one person try to inject a little reason into the conversation and the left shouts them down and accuses them of bigotry and hate. If Prop 8 had been defeated, you'd better believe the left would be gloating and would be quite hateful toward anyone who expressed even a little sorrow at its defeat. Yet said leftists don't even seem to be aware of their hypocrisy--they are too busy denouncing those who disagree with them to stop and consider their own viewpoints and those of others and think about whether they might be wrong. Nor can they seem to understand that some things are just plain wrong, no matter how sugar-coated they might be. Those on the left do not seem capable of debating the actual issues. They seem only capable of shouting down the opposition with name-calling.

For too long now, America has been dumbed down. Even those whose values and beliefs are conservative are gullible to the leftist propaganda. Many do not have the discipline or even the interest in educating themselves to correct what they learned in school or see in the mainstream media. Many have just bought into whatever they have been told. To be fair, I believe a lot of ordinary citizens who buy into leftist propaganda are well-meaning people who want to be fair and compassionate toward others. I just think that they aren't thinking the issues through and seeing the problems that will arise down the road.

The whole situation we are in makes me sad and a little frightened. Yes, we have survived many hard times before, but it hasn't been easy, and we were a stronger people then. Are we strong enough now to understand what is right and what is wrong and to fight for the right? Certainly, there are individuals who are strong enough, but are we, collectively, strong enough? I hope so, but I'm not sure. It just seems that there are many people who either don't think at all or at least don't think for themselves--they just buy into whatever the intellectual elite says they must think. This is so ironic because one thing leftists accuse conservatives of is marching in lockstep with their leaders. Yet it is leftists who are the real conformists. It is leftists who would squelch freedom and liberty.

Conservatives are not perfect. Still, conservatives recognize that there is such a thing as good and evil, right and wrong. They recognize that equality of opportunity is not the same thing as equality of outcome. The former can and should be supported, the latter should not be. Conservatives tend to be interested in thinking through the issues. Conservatives tend to be more mature in their outlook on life, recognizing that good needs to be fought for, defended, even sacrificed for. They recognize that life is not easy and it is not about getting whatever we want to satisfy our selfish desires. It is about caring for and about others and being of service and allowing others to be free, as well as themselves. Conservatives are not afraid of change. They just believe in considering the changes carefully and don't get caught up in thinking that change for its own sake is a good thing.

I have not linked to articles supporting my opinions in this post. I have been doing that repeatedly in previous posts. This post is just to express my concerns and the concerns of many other Americans as we face some potentially disasterous changes in our way of life, and to give my readers some things to consider.

A Week Later

2008-11-11T18:01:00.002-06:00

I managed to go a whole week without writing about politics! Amazing!!

I didn't avoid thinking about politics, of course. I made an effort to do other things and read other things, but my thoughts kept drifting back to politics and the mess we are in. Still, my optimism bubbles to the surface now and then. I ran across some good articles that I would like to share with you.

First of all, we American citizens need to remember that the president, Congress, and all the other politicians work for us, not the other way around. Keeping that in mind, we need to contact the government at all levels and let them know what we expect of them. See Chuck Norris's article "Obama, Now That You Work for Me (A Letter to the President-Elect)".

It's important, too, that we remember that all is not lost. See "A Marxist Tsunami Cannot Quench the Flames of Freedom" by Henry Lamb. We must not give up.

I found Thomas Sowell's article called "Intellectuals" an interesting read. Who we think are the intellectuals and who really are intellectuals aren't always the same people. Since we face a time of being told that we need to let the intellectuals lead, we need to be aware of what that might mean.

I enjoyed reading Mary Grabar's "Silence to be Deafening as Left Stops Yelling". She asks a lot of good questions.

Last, but not least, we can expect to face attempts at censorship. See "Liberal Censorship and Its Roots" by David Limbaugh. Even before the election, Obama was trying to silence those who disagreed with him and we can expect that to continue, although we must not let him succeed.

An Assortment of Interesting Items

2008-11-08T08:21:00.005-06:00

One of the more charming stories to hit the news this week was that the stick (That's not a fancy toy that happens to be named "The Stick". It is a stick--from a tree!) was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame this past Thursday. The cardboard box was inducted in 2005. These two items, along with others such as the bicycle and the baby doll, were chosen by the following criteria: "Each toy must not only be widely recognized and foster learning, creativity or discovery through play, but also endure in popularity over generations."

When I was growing up, we always lived out in the country rather than in town, so my brother and I had many opportunities to invent our own toys and games, as well as play with the store-bought variety. When I was ten, we moved to a new home and lo and behold! There in the creek bed was an old car body! It was filled with sand so we set to work digging out seats and had a grand time "driving" our car. Ah, the good ole days!

Do you enjoy classical music? Do you have a hard time finding radio stations that play such music? I have two such stations to recommend, both of which you can listen to online. Their websites also have links to the various programs they present so you can read background information or listen to a show you missed. The first station is KCSC/KBCW in Oklahoma. The second provides the overnight (11pm to 6am) content for the first--it is WCPE in North Carolina. For news, reviews, and other information about classical music, try Music & Vision or Andante. For the arts in general, try ArtsJournal.

Next Tuesday, 11 November, is Veterans Day. Read a brief history of the day here. May we always remember and honor our veterans.

Today's Geographical Location: The Isle of Man, located in the Irish Sea, chosen by me for no reason except that it looks interesting. See the website Isle of Man for all sorts of information about this island. This page has the general information that is the most interesting. Use the links on the left to learn about different aspects of the island. There is also a page at the CIA World Factbook. Background from the CIA's page:

Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown dependency but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government remains constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

I was surprised to learn that it is not part of the UK.

Late on Election Day

2008-11-04T22:58:00.004-06:00

To say I am disappointed by the outcome of today's Presidential election would be an understatement. However, we now know the situation we have to deal with, and the situation we have to work with. So onward we go.

I think I will be taking a little break from politics, but I plan to write posts about other topics for this blog.

May God bless America.

Last Minute Thoughts

2008-11-01T09:11:00.004-05:00

Three days to go before election day on 4 November. I hope and pray that everyone who intends to vote is studying the issues and the candidates, local and state as well as national.

While I disagree with John McCain on some issues (for example, global warming), I am certain that he will be a better president for America than Barack Obama. Senator McCain is a known man of character and courage. He is far more knowledgeable about foreign affairs and other important issues than Barack Obama. We can count on him to not make foolish diplomatic errors that could prove disasterous not only for ourselves, but for other countries around the world.

Senator Obama is secretive and evasive and a known ally of socialist/Marxist/communist people and organizations. He has lately been lowering the taxable ceiling from $250,000 to $120,000 annual income in various speeches by himself and his supporters. His planned expenditures total several trillion dollars. The only way he can pay for all that is to tax more and more people. Too often, the words "redistribute wealth" make people think of taking money from millionaires and billionaires and distributing it to the poor. There aren't enough millionaires and billionaires to pay for all of that, so much of the middle class will find their incomes taxed to the max. What people aren't thinking about, either, is the fact that it is the people with the most money who invest and start businesses and give to charity (usually--the Bidens and the Obamas haven't been all that generous with their own money). It is the wealthier citizens who do things that create jobs and other opportunities, which is far more helpful to people than just giving them some dollars.

There are also countless questions about Senator Obama's honesty. Why won't he prove that he is a naturalized citizen and therefore eligible for the office of President? Why won't he release his donor lists? Why won't he get specific about his plans for America? And what about the known instances of him and his campaign trying to intimidate to silence those who disagree with him? He's tried that in Missouri and in Pennsylvania, at least. What about ACORN's voter registration fraud being investigated in a dozen states?

Another thing about Obama that would be funny if it weren't so serious for our country is his lack of accomplishments. And yet his campaign dares to claim that Governor Sarah Palin isn't qualified! That is laughable. She has far more serious, executive experience than he has. She is far more ready for higher office than he is. Then, too, there is the race issue. It is Obama's campaign and not McCain's that has been playing the race card by labeling everything as racist.

America was founded on freedom and must remain that way. Why are we strong? Because we have had the freedom to work our way up from wherever we start to wherever we want to be. We have had the incentive to create and invent and improve life for all. We have had the freedom to create a strong military. That will all disappear if Obama's wealth redistribution, reduction in military, and other socialist policies are put into practice.

When it comes to healthcare, the more the government interferes, the more it costs. Let the free market capitalism reign. We will see competition driving prices downward. It's the same with education. Let there be competition among public and private schools. Let people have vouchers so that they can choose the best schools for their children. Competition will improve the quality of education faster than any government program.

And let's talk military. Senator Barney Frank wants to cut the military by 25%. If we do not have a strong military run by men of character who know what is at stake, we will never have world peace. Other countries will see no reason to hold back on their attacks, including here in the United States, if our military is weakened. Preparation for war is the best incentive for peace.

The last thing our wonderful country needs is to be run by liberal Democrats such as Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi. They want to cripple our economy by preventing our use of our own energy deposits, by going along with extreme environmentalists, and by taxing and spending. We all know it was liberal policies by Democrats and a refusal to heed warnings made by conservative Republicans that caused our current financial problems. That is just a sample of what we can look forward to if we elect those who ignore the Constitution or reinterpret it to suit their own agendas. Make no mistake about it--it will not be the elite liberals whose wealth is redistributed. They will exempt themselves from the policies they wish to inflict on the people of the United States.

The problems we have in America today were caused largely by the socialists policies of FDR and LBJ and others who have had the foolish notion that the government can manage our money and our lives better than we can. Government has its essential uses, but interfering in the free market and in people's lives are not among those uses. The more we get government out of our lives, the better and stronger America will be. A free people is far more generous than a forced people, who cannot afford to be charitable because all their money is going to a bloated government who uses much of that money just to pay for administering programs, never mind actually helping people.

As much as possible, government should be small and should be local, where the people can keep a closer eye on what is being done and can put a quick stop to waste and fraud. There have certainly been Republicans who have bought into the tax and spend and big government foolishness. They can be voted out of office, too, if they show no signs of mending their ways.

There is a lot at stake for America these days. Think about freedom and liberty. Reread the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America. Think seriously about the lessons of history. And whatever happens on Tuesday, think seriously about keeping a close eye on government and contacting your representatives at both state and national levels and letting them know how you expect them to govern on your behalf.

And may God continue to bless America.

More on Politics and Economics

2008-10-25T09:38:00.002-05:00

Weary as we may be of politics and economics, we need to keep informed over the next 10 days so that we can make wise choices in the voting booth on November 4.

Regarding economics, read these articles and give them some serious thought:

"The Audacity of Brand-New Taxes" by Deroy Murdock

"Obamanomics Abhors the Free Market" by David Limbaugh

"Obamanomics" by Amil Imani

Our nation's strength and innovation depend on the wealth producers being free of oppressive tax rates. Obama seems to have the idea that he can guarantee equality of outcome. This is false. Each person has different talents and abilities, levels of ambition, amount of work ethic, and ideas of what success is. America is about equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. The outcome depends on what each individual brings to the table. Individuals have to be responsible and accountable for what they do and don't do. Give them opportunities and let them make of them what they will. That will bring far more success to more people than the foolish notion of attempting to guarantee equality of outcome.

About politics and the presidential election:

"Dear Undecided...Are You Kidding Me?" by JB Williams

"Do Americans Understand What Socialism Is?" by Frank Salvato

"America at the Tipping Point in 2008" by Christopher G. Adamo

Any post by Alan Caruba at his blog, Warning Signs.

There are many more such posts. We have a lot of important things we need to consider about the direction America will be taken in by the next President of the United States. It is far from irrelevant to consider the character and past affiliations of the candidates. It is important to think about which candidate evades answering even simple questions about what his plans for America really are. Yes, I am an unapologetic conservative Republican who will vote for McCain-Palin. Yes, I link to conservative articles by conservative writers. You can get plenty of pro-Obama articles in the mainstream media. What I am trying to do is balance that bias with some truth and some issues for you to consider carefully.

It is a mistake to think that a big, intrusive government can solve our problems for us. It is a mistake that a weak American military will somehow lead to world peace. The stronger and more free America is, the more good she can do in the world and the more she can do to fight oppression and tyranny wherever it is found. I cannot stress enough the importance of following the Constitution of the United States. Our Founding Fathers carefully created that document in order to preserve freedom and liberty for American citizens. At The Patriot Post you can read important historic documents, including the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. You can also read their newsletter (the latest editions on their front page and the older editions in the archives) which contains many important insights. If you read nothing else, reading the website of The Patriot Post will help you understand America.

It is not my intention to hurt or offend with my posts. It is my intention to educate Americans so that they truly understand what is at stake, now and in the future.

Socialism Doesn't Help People

2008-10-21T11:19:00.002-05:00

It's pretty clear, especially from his remarks to Joe the Plumber, but also from his general viewpoint and alliances, that Obama is a supporter of socialism and would like to take America in that direction. First, I would like to link to some articles that will shed some light on both socialism itself and also on Obama's connection to socialist ideas. These can be found at Thought You Should Know, on the "News" page, along with many other articles of interest. The articles are linked to the original websites they appeared on.

"Is Obama a Socialist?" by Henry Lamb

"Why Obama's Socialism Matters" by Bookworm

"Obama's 95% Illusion" by the Wall Street Journal editors

"It's the Socialists Taking Over Our Country" by Marie Jon

"President Barack Hoover" by Hugh Hewitt

"Governor Palin, 'Joe the Plumber', and the Real Middle Class" by Austin Hill

These articles explain socialism and why Obama can be considered a socialist. They give us a glimpse of what Obama's plans for America are.

One reason that I think people support Obama is that they think he is going to help people and lift them out of poverty, help them get healthcare, and give them money (taken from the wealthy). The problem is that when you take money from the wealthy, you cripple their ability to invest, to start businesses, and generally to create jobs, which is far more helpful to those who struggle than to just hand them a one-time check. You destroy people's incentive to invent new products and systems and start businesses that grow our country's economy.

There are other problems, too, such as universal healthcare. We learn from Canada, Great Britain, and other countries who have this socialist system for their healthcare that many people can't get the care they need when they need it. It may not be a big issue for those with only minor health problems, but for those with serious illnesses, such as cancer, it can mean death.

I suppose there are those out there who think that conservatives such as myself are ready to throw the poor and ill under the bus. No, we are not. We believe that the only real way to help people is NOT through government, but by individual efforts to help family and neighbors, by church help, and by private charities. Some charity organizations are nationwide, but they have local offices all over the country. The positive thing about local, non-government help is that it is where the people who need help are. It is able to get to know people and understand what their needs are and help them overcome obstacles to a better life. We have seen over and over how poorly government performs at most tasks. Why do we want to turn more and more over to it?

The particular danger of an Obama presidency is that he and those working with him won't stop at a little government interference and a little raising of taxes. They obviously plan to keep going until the government is in charge of everything. They plan to shrink the military, get rid of free trade, and oust capitalism. People need to think ahead and see the end results of Obama's plans to "help" people. There are many countries whose histories you can look at to see what happens--Cuba, Russia, China. Look at Great Britain and Europe today and compare that with what they once were. Look at what the UN tries to do to interfere with the governments of individual countries. It is hard to overcome the indoctrination of public schools, but there are sources of true information out there.

Obama has also shown that he is quite willing to try to intimidate those who don't agree with him. He's tried to sue the NRA for its ads and has also tried to prevent disagreement with him in Missouri. Then there's the whole ACORN organization and its attempts to use fraud in voter registration. There are Democrats as well as Republicans investigating that mess.

We have other problems to keep in mind. The great global warming hoax is being used as a tool to try to wreck the economy of countries all over the world, including the USA. Radical environmentalists are also a problem in other ways. We need to use all of our own energy resources (not only oil and natural gas and coal, but also nuclear plants, and we need to work on solar and wind and other sources of energy which are by no means ready to be our sole sources now) instead of sending money to buy from countries who are definitely not looking out for our best interests, yet Obama and many Democrats don't want us to produce our own energy. In addition, Obama has talked of sending $800 billion to other countries under the pretext of ending poverty. We have all seen how various tyrants and dictators do not use such aid to help their poor--they use it to enrich themselves and to tighten their grip on others.

I could go on and on, discussing abortion, the attempts to weaken families, the attempts to weaken religion, the lack of truthful information from the mainstream media, etc. There are very real dangers to America and its freedoms. There are many types of radicals who wish to destroy America as we know it, forgetting that it is America's freedom that has allowed said radicals to flourish. There are serious consequences to the actions of government and the people need to put a stop to the foolishness. One way to stop at least some of it is to NOT put Obama in as president. Another is to elect good people to Congress and toss out those who threaten our freedom.

You may not agree with me, but at least stop and think about what I've written. Read the articles I link to and think about what these writers say. I link to serious, intelligent people. I write from my heart. I just want American citizens to wake up and take a serious interest in their country's future and in all our individual futures. And please remember that we do not have to trash our country in order to help people who need help. The more prosperous and free our country is, the more we have available to help others. Also, when America sets a good, strong example for the world, other countries take heart and work to improve their own situations. There is so much good about America. She should be strengthened and not weakened.

17 Days Until November 4

2008-10-18T07:31:00.003-05:00

We have 17 days to live through before the 4 November election. I suspect we will all be immensely relieved to have it over with! It does get tiresome to hear about the election and the candidates 24/7, but this is incredibly important for our country, so try to hang in there with it.

I have a number of articles that I really believe you should read and give serious thought to. There is a lot at stake in this election. First up are three articles about what kind of America we would be facing if Senator Obama is elected. These are from Townhall.

"Socialism! There, I Said It!" by David Limbaugh

"Do You Know the Real Barack Obama?" by Carol Platt Liebau

"Time to Use the 'C' Word" by Laura Hollis

These columns discuss information we've heard bits and pieces about, but have we put the pieces together to understand what Obama is all about and what electing him as President would mean for our freedom?

Since the mainstream media isn't what you could call objective or unbiased, you should counter what you hear from it with some information about McCain from his website. You can click on issues and then choose an issue of interest to read his positions. There are 21 issues listed. You may not agree with everything on each issue, but think also about who is more likely to maintain the liberty and freedom that is America--McCain or Obama.

From Jewish World Review comes Thomas Sowell's column titled "Record versus Rhetoric". He talks about Sarah Palin quite a bit, but also mentions McCain, Obama, and Biden. As usual, Dr. Sowell makes some great points.

Since race is often mentioned in this campaign (mostly by Obama and the Democrats, by the way), please read Charles Krauthammer's column titled "Who's Playing the Race Card?". Think about what he is writing. This column is also found at Jewish World Review. Many of these columns/articles I link to can be found at more than one website.

Pajamas Media has a piece on race and one on violent tendencies among Obama's and McCain's supporters. "PC Effect, not Bradley Effect, May Haunt Obama" by Bernard Chapin. "Obama Supporter Assaults Female McCain Volunteer in New York" by Oleg Atbashian. There are also a couple of other good articles from the same website that I'd want to highlight: "Gore's Dangerous Call for Environmental Civil Disobedience" by Gal Luft and "Obama Sells Out Education to the Revolution" by Mary Grabar. In fact, there are a lot of articles at Pajamas Media that I believe you would enjoy reading. Same with the other websites I link to. You get a different perspective from the MSM with facts to back these perspectives.

From National Review Online, you can read Michelle Malkin's column called "The Left Declares War on Joe the Plumber". At the same website, please read Kathryn Jean Lopez's article titled "The Justice Lets Us Walk Away With a Warning". This is an especially important article about the Constitution and its importance.

I know that I link to a lot of articles without a lot of commentary, but it's because these writers make their points so much more effectively than I could, and they've already done the research! What my point is, however, is that to elect Barack Obama as President of the United States would open the door to socialism, even communism. Not overnight, but steadily moving in that direction. I do not wear a tinfoil hat or see black helicopters everywhere I look. What I do see is that Obama allies with and supports terrorists and America haters. He is closely tied with ACORN who is being investigated for voter registration fraud in several states. He has ties with William Ayers and Bernadette Dohrn. He sat in Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years listening to anti-American, black liberation theology sermons. There are a number of other radicals he and his wife have been allied with. If a white Republican had allied with neo-Nazis or the Ku Klux Klan or any of a number of extremist groups of that nature, do you think he would have been nominated for the Presidency? No. He'd have been run out of the race early on. So why is Obama still in the running? And while we're at it, why doesn't Obama answer questions? He either beats around the bush, changes the subject, or denies these documented alliances. Is someone this dishonest, evasive, and radical someone that we want as the President of the United States of America? No. A thousand times no. And there are other issues on which Obama's positions are dangerous--abortion, healthcare, redistributing wealth through raising taxes, etc., etc., etc. And while you're thinking about these things, think about what the chances are that you will somehow get something for nothing or be a part of the ruling elite. In all honesty, your chances are nil.

John McCain disappoints me with his acceptance of government interferance in the finance sector, but he is pro-life, strong on military, strong on the 2nd amendment, and any number of other reasonable pro-American positions. He also had the good sense to choose Sarah Palin as his running mate, a strong conservative woman with sympathy and empathy and a mind of her own, who has more executive experience than any of the other candidates.

While you are contemplating your votes for 4 November, carefully consider who you vote for to put in Congress--either the House or the Senate. Try to find the most honest, pro-American, pro-Constitution, pro-the people representatives you can find. The best thing for America is small government plus capitalism plus freedom and liberty for all. Think about it.

Edited to add:

I have an article about global warming linked above ("Gore's Dangerous Call for Environmental Civil Disobedience"), but I've run across two more that I think you should read. This is one area that I disagree with John McCain about. At American Thinker there is "An Open Letter from the Viscount Monckton of Brenchly to Senator John McCain about Climate Science and Policy". This is long, but a very good read, with lots to think about. I've linked to the first page--there are 3 more.

The other piece is the Saturday, 18 October post at Warning Signs, Alan Caruba's blog. The post's title is "With 'Friends' Like These" by Alan Caruba.

We have a lot of different issues that we need to keep an eye on all at once. Good luck to us, I say!

Politics and Economics and Elections! Oh, My!

2008-10-11T07:09:00.007-05:00

Any chance we'll survive the 3.5 weeks until the election? I assume we will, but it is certainly going to take some fortitude to get through it.

First, some links about our current economic situation. You might be interested to read this article written in 2000, discussing the events that today have led to our economic problems.

"The Trillion-Dollar Bank Shakedown That Bodes Ill for Cities" by Howard Husock (hat tip: JR)

A current article is "Econ 101: The Financial Crisis and Danger of Government Intervention" by Gary Wolfram. This article briefly reviews the causes of the current crisis and how government intervention hurts rather than helps. Here is Dr. Walter Williams' take on the mess: "Lessons from the Bailout".

Mixing politics and economics, we go to Frank Salvato at The New Media Journal and his editorial "Obama, ACORN, & Their Starring Role in the Mortgage Crisis".

Segueing into politics and the election, here is Warner Todd Huston's article "Indiana: More Registered to Vote Than Eligible". Hmmmm. Here is an informative article by Thomas Sowell called "The Real Obama". Some important points to consider in both of these pieces.

A number of people have taken to saying than anyone who doesn't vote for Obama is a racist. That's nonsense. It is Obama's worldview, policies, and affiliations that we object to. I would vote for a Thomas Sowell-Walter Williams (or Walter Williams-Thomas Sowell) ticket in a heartbeat. That would truly be an American dream ticket. And guess what? Both men are black. But that is not the point--the point is that they love America and they have a lot of common sense and solid characters. They are great men and Obama is not.

We are going through some tough times, to be sure. The last thing we should do is elect a liberal/socialist/Marxist/communist type like Obama who is more facilitator than leader (see "Obama the Facilitator" by Joseph Rosenberger). The McCain-Palin ticket isn't perfect, but it is far better for America than the Obama-Biden ticket. Many of the so-called flaws of McCain-Palin are spins by the in-the-tank-for-Obama mainstream media, but even so, at least we can trust McCain-Palin to do their best for America. Obama-Biden won't have America's best interests at heart--they are too dissatisfied with America, past and present, and want to change our country into a socialist copy of past failed and failing governments in Europe, Cuba, Venezuela, Russia, etc. Do yourself a favor and read widely about the candidates. Don't stop with the mainstream media. Ask yourself why Obama is given a pass on answering serious questions about his past affiliations and his rise in Chicago politics and the failure of his Annenberg Chicago Challenge.

Think before you vote.

Edited to add the following:

I've come across a couple more interesting pieces to post. First up is an article at American Thinker called "This Could Be the Game Changer" by Thomas Lifson. There is a video at the bottom of the article that explains the lawsuit in Pennsylvania over whether or not Obama is a natural born citizen and, therefore, eligible to be President. This is not a video by crazies. It features the lawyer who filed the suit and he explains what it's all about.

The second article is also at American Thinker and is "Why Obama's Communist Connections Are Not Headlines" by Paul Kengor. This is a thought-provoking piece that raises questions about what students are taught in school, or rather not taught in school, and the repercussions of that lack of necessary knowledge.

Oh, and here are a couple more (don't want you to run out of reading material!), also at American Thinker: "All That Darned Conservatism" by Randall Hoven and "What Happened to the Media" by Karyn Gaidos.

Edited again to add:

More good reading material for you. Victor Davis Hanson writes "Jumping Ship" about some conservatives who are thinking of abandoning McCain and why it would be a mistake for them to do so. The piece is at Pajamas Media. From the calm and thoughtful Michael Barone, we read some thoughts about "The Coming Obama Thugocracy". The list of attempts to shut down/shout down free speech by Obama's campaign and other leftist groups ought to make any American shudder. This piece comes from Townhall.

From Weekly Standard comes an interesting article on the economy. It's called "Economic Upheaval: Surveying the Wreckage for Signs of Life" by Irwin M. Stelzer. And one last one is John Kinsellagh's article "The Media and Barack Obama: Don't Confuse Us with the Facts, We're Sticking with Our Narrative".

Some Observations About the Presidential Candidates and Their VP Picks

2008-09-21T07:28:00.004-05:00

Here are links to some observations about the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates. They are worth your time to read and think about.

"A Portrait of American Wisdom: John McCain" by Kyle-Anne Shiver

"Fully Invested in Your Misery" by Bruce Walker

"Sarah Palin and the Archetype of the American Frontierswoman" by J. R. Dunn

"Joe for Veep" by Kathryn Jean Lopez

Edited to Add: You ought to consider the information in the following blog post from a New Zealand blog:

"Obama File 30 Former Terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn Involved in Key Pro-Obama Organisation"

Thoughts on Politics, the Economy, and Other Things

2008-09-20T09:22:00.002-05:00

This past week has seen the stock markets on a wild roller coaster ride, hasn't it? I am concerned about the government interference in the markets. Perhaps some of it was necessary to prevent the collapse of the American economy. I don't know. I am linking four articles about the economic crisis below. You can, of course, find many more columns/articles about this, covering all possible viewpoints.

"A Taxpayer Stickup" by Jim H. Ainsworth

"Wall Street Fat Cats Aren't at Fault This Time" by Jonah Goldberg

"Never Sell America Short" by Lawrence Kudlow

"Are We Headed Toward a New Collectivist State?" by Mark Skousen

It's pretty clear that the mess we are in today started when "the Clinton administration reinterpreted the Jimmy Carter-era Community Reinvestment Act to politicize lending practices" to quote Jonah Goldberg's above column. It snowballed from there. Now we have to deal with fixing the mess that government interference started, and I can't think that government interference to do that is the best solution, although it may be all we have at this point. However, it needs to be a temporary interference. A free market operates best when it is truly free.

Turning to politics and the presidential campaign, I find it worrisome that Barack Obama has started encouraging his supporters to get aggressive with their independent and Republican friends and neighbors. See Michelle Malkin's column "Obama Releases His 'In-Your-Face' Hounds". This sounds more like division than the unity Obama professes to be aiming for.

In other news, Mamoud Ahmadinejad returns to the UN. An article by Oliver North, titled "UN-American" discusses this. As he points out:

But certain institutions can also bring out the worst in people. For the professional peddlers of anti-Americanism, haters of free enterprise, and true believers in global government, there is only one place that it really pays to perform: the United Nations.

Here is one take on the "disinviting" of Sarah Palin to speak at an anti-Iran rally. "Democrats force anti-Ahmadinejad protesters to disinvite Palin". Any excuse will do, apparently. Americans really should be standing united against Iran and Ahmadinejad regardless of their political leanings.

I also have a couple of summary articles I am going to link to--one about Palin's impact on the campaign and one about what an Obama presidency might mean.

"The Palin Effect" by Noemie Emery

"Change to Think Twice About: What Obama Could Destroy" by Mona Charen

Do American voters really not think about the various influences that Obama has had in his life? Certainly the mainstream media has focused more on Sarah Palin's family than on questions about Obama's associates. The latter is far more important in "vetting" someone for the job of President of the United States of America.

"It's Obama's Viability, Not McCain's, That Should Surprise Us" by David Limbaugh

"Enduring Authenticity vs. Fleeting Charisma" by David Limbaugh

There are so many more topics that need attention in our world today. This will have to suffice for now.

More Governor Sarah Palin in the News

2008-09-13T05:56:00.003-05:00

There is much discussion about Sarah Palin still, especially regarding her interview with Charlie Gibson of ABC. One thing being made much of is the "Bush Doctrine" question. Some seem to think it makes Gov. Palin look bad that she didn't know exactly what Charlie Gibson meant by the Bush Doctrine. For a perspective on that, see Charles Krauthammer's column at Townhall titled "Charlie Gibson's Gaffee". There is no one definition of "Bush Doctrine" and Gov. Palin was right to ask Mr. Gibson in what respect he was referring to.

Another problem some people have is with Gov. Palin saying she didn't blink when asked to be the VP candidate. They think it shows thoughtlessness. What they aren't understanding is that to many of us, it meant conviction and resolve.

Some just don't understand that what Sarah Palin stands for is American values--courage, conviction, belief in the American dream, family and religious values. She shows that people can succeed at whatever they put their minds and efforts to. She's a strong, intelligent individual. She was chosen for those things and not for being a woman. The latter was just frosting on the cake for the McCain campaign.

Not everyone is going to see Gov. Palin in a positive light. That is their loss. No one is perfect, including McCain and Palin. At least, however, they don't have the kind of un-American associations that Barack Obama does (Davis, Ayers, Dohrn, Wright, et al), or the strong radical influences (Alinsky, for one, in addition to the previously mentioned leftists). The fact that the mainstream media gives Obama a pass on those major influences in his life and the lack of any real accomplishment in his past while running headlines everytime Gov. Palin sneezes is ample evidence of the leftist bias of the MSM.

One question that I would like to have answered is whether or not Barack Obama is eligible for the necessary security clearances that a President of the United States would need to have to do his job. I certainly wouldn't clear him for those security clearances.

Think About This

2008-09-07T05:08:00.000-05:00

Presidential Politics in the USA

2008-09-01T06:50:00.005-05:00

My goodness, all the media have been busy reporting on Gov. Sarah Palin over the weekend! Well, we did need to learn more about her, but you have to be careful about what you believe. The best thing to do is read a number of articles from a variety of sources and that will give you an idea of what's true and what isn't. Also be aware that the Democrats and their liberal/leftist/socialist/Marxist (LLSM) friends will be trying to portray Gov. Palin in the worst possible light. Disclaimer: Bear in mind that I am a conservative Republican (as if you couldn't tell!) and so my sources are mostly conservative, but I have read articles from the MSM, which is mostly liberal and firmly in Obama's camp. Anyway, you won't have any trouble finding articles dissing Gov. Palin on the internet.

First off, here is a chart comparing Gov. Palin and Barack Obama: "Tale of the Tape: Sarah Palin vs. Barack Obama" at RedState. You may get a server error, but keep trying. It's apparently a very popular blog post. Some of you may say it isn't fair to compare a vice-presidential candidate with a presidential candidate, but when you consider that one of the Democrats' complaints about Gov. Palin is that she isn't qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency, it's rather telling that she is more qualified than the Democratic candidate for the presidency itself.

Another link: "The Coming Trials of Sarah Palin" by J. Robert Smith at American Thinker. A quote from this piece:

Since the Clarence Thomas nomination fight in 1991, conservatives and fair-minded Americans have learned a bitter lesson: for liberals, it isn't about promoting the advancement of all African-Americans, but only those in step with their ideology and aims. The same can be said of women. Liberals believe they own the franchise, and it doesn't allow for baby-making, gun-friendly, God-fearing women, who, not incidentally, fight for lower taxes, smaller government and a strong national defense. They certainly can't be Republicans.

That is a very important point. The Dems and the LLSM (who are often the same people) do not support all minorities, whether they be black, female, hispanic, or anything else. Those that are conservative and/or Republican are most definitely not supported.

Also at American Thinker is "Why Palin is a Bee in Dems' Bonnets" by Kyle-Anne Shiver. A quote:

Palin may come in a perfectly lovely, innocent-looking package, a bit like a bumble bee resting in the shade on a clover blossom, but when she sees professional politicians getting fat and rich at the public trough, she is immediately transformed into one threatening, buzzing, stinging machine.

Pompous, polished, under-performing Democrat pols meet down-to-earth, mom-of-five, rifle-toting, corruption-shredding, tenacious Governor Sarah, the taxpayers' best friend.

It is interesting that Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, emphasize that America has gone wrong, with the implication that only they can fix America. However, the things that are wrong with America are the things caused by the LLSMs: excessive welfare and entitlements and teaching people to expect something for nothing and to be cared for from cradle to grave--they urge a Nanny State government, in other words; liberal indoctrination in schools rather than actual education; making groundless self-esteem rather than self-esteem based on actual accomplishments the be-all and end-all of everything, leading to the dumbing down of America and the lowering of expectations; the criticism and financial punishment of those who actually do accomplish the establishment of successful businesses and successful lives; refusal to allow America to produce her own energy sources, which she has in abundance; insisting that global warming is real and is man-made and thus advocating crippling economic policies. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

Naturally, they and all their supporters fear Gov. Sarah Palin, a smart and active woman with her head on straight.

For those who complain about Gov. Palin's lack of foreign policy experience, here's something to think about:

Commander of the Alaskan National Guard, Cont'd [Jonah Goldberg]

From Jimbo:

Hey Jonah,

Before you dismiss that Commander of the Alaska National Guard stuff. This came from a reader who plays the game and it jibes with my knowledge.

Alaska is the first line of defense in our missile interceptor defense system. The 49th Missile Defense Battalion of the Alaska National Guard is the unit that protects the entire nation from ballistic missile attacks. It’s on permanent active duty, unlike other Guard units.

As governor of Alaska, Palin is briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counterterrorism. Her exposure to classified material may rival even Biden's.

She's also the commander in chief of the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF), a federally recognized militia incorporated into Homeland Security's counterterrorism plans.

Palin is privy to military and intelligence secrets that are vital to the entire country's defense. Given Alaska's proximity to Russia, she may have security clearances we don't even know about.

According to the Washington Post, she first met with McCain in February, but nobody ever found out. This is a woman used to keeping secrets.

She can be entrusted with our national security, because she already is.
Me: Oh I don't dispute that she has more national security bona fides than the press is making it seem. I thought I posted on this the other day, but now I can't find the link (posting from the car was not always successful and so history has lost some real brilliance!). Alaskan governors deal a lot more with international and national security issues than, say the Governor of Arkansas. There are all sorts of treaty issues, missile defense stuff, bases, etc up there. The military is a very big presence. Also, while I think there are political drawbacks to the fact that Alaska's government lives pretty much entirely off oil revenues, understanding of international energy markets requires a grasp of international affairs as well. My only point is that Commander of the Alaska National Guard sounds defensive and lame. It sounded defensive and lame when Bill Clinton bragged about his role as the Commander of the Arkansas national guard too.

For an MSM take on Gov. Palin and other issues, you can read the transcript for yesterday's Meet the Press show from NBC. There are comments both for and against her by the various guests and the host, Tom Brokaw.

I do know that the choice of Gov. Sarah Palin by Senator John McCain has energized the Republican party and the election in general. What had been a somewhat dull and tiresome campaign suddenly came to life. The next two months promise to provide a lot of information for voters who will pay attention and think seriously about the issues.

The McCain-Palin Ticket and Other News

2008-08-30T07:33:00.005-05:00

I was very pleased yesterday with the announcement that John McCain had chosen Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska and a solid conservative, as his running mate. She is a strong woman with an anti-corruption history.

I think it is ironic that the leading women's organizations (NOW, NARAL, and Emily's List, for example) have spoken out against Gov. Palin. Apparently they do not support all women as they claim, but only liberal/leftist/Marxist women who support abortion. It is also ironic that anyone would say a word about Gov. Palin not having experience. Take a look at Obama's resumé and see why it is ironic. If he is elected, he won't be a heartbeat away from the presidency. He will be the President.

Gov. Palin is definitely not a Washington insider and she has been a mayor and now a governor. It is true that the town she was mayor of had a population of 9,000 (as I have heard), but it was large enough to have all the various departments and issues to resolve, so it still gave her real executive experience. As governor of Alaska, she has actually accomplished things in her 2 years--fighting corruption and getting the natural gas pipeline underway are but two examples.

There are some sources for more information about Gov. Palin. Here are some links.

"Defending Against the First Attacks on Sarah Palin" by Patrick J. Casey

"Sarah Palin" at Wikipedia, a biography

"The Sarah Sensation" by Martin Sieff

You won't have any trouble finding additional articles on Gov. Palin in the MSM. Oh, and something else to consider in the presidential campaign from an article titled "Class vs. No Class" by Richard Baehr.

Regarding the Democrats' convention, here is a good article by Jed Babbin called "Now It's the Republicans' Turn". And another called "Where Was the Hope in Obama's Speech?" by Mac Johnson. There are some important considerations in both of those articles.

My friend, JR, sent me a link to an article about Israel that I think is good news. The article is "Israel Has Decided: Iran Will Not Have Nukes" by Gil Ronen and Hillel Fendel. I am glad to see that Israel is willing to stand up for itself and refuse to buckle under to pressure to continue to sacrifice itself needlessly, because Israel's enemies will never stop until Israel is destroyed. Only Israel can stop them, although I would hope that the US and other allies (if there are any) will help.

For some insight into Russia, as well as North Korea and Iran, read Carolyn Glick's article "When History is not Repeated".

Edited to Add:

I'm on a roll today! I have three more interesting articles to link to for your perusal.

"Two Truly Great Americans or Two Forked Tongue Senate Hacks. You Decide!" by JB Williams

"Why Liberals Can Never Lose Control of the Universities" by Dr. Brian Melton

"Chairman Says Americans are Selfish and Against 'The Least of Us'" by Warner Todd Huston

These articles bring out some points to consider as we think about the direction in which America should go.

Issues in Politics and on the World Stage

2008-08-16T10:00:00.002-05:00

Sometimes the problems of today seem overwhelming. It is difficult to keep them all in mind. We need to do our best to be aware of what's going on and what it all means. New Media Journal has a good editorial titled "Ignore 'The Perfect Storm' at Our Own Peril" by Frank Salvato. In this editorial, Mr. Salvato discusses the way that many, though not all, politicians put their own quest for political power above the good of the country. One way the politicians have done this recently is by distracting Americans from some serious threats, from without and within, that we should be paying attention to.

An article from the Wall Street Journal provides some information about Russia and its use of finance to increase its power. It is "Kremlin 'Capitalism' Is a Threat to the West" by Peter Charles Choharis. Mr. Choharis provides a look at the ways Russia is flexing its economic muscles as well as its military muscles in order to gain power and control. It also shows a glimpse of some ways Russia might be circumvented, but it won't be easy, with Russia so willing to use its military. This, too, is a situation Americans would do well to stay informed about.

An article about our Presidential politics at Townhall.com is called "Not All African Americans Starry-Eyed for Obama" by Floyd and Mary Beth Brown. In this article, the Browns point out that many of Obama's ideas are far from what Dr. Martin Luther King's were and from what many African Americans believe. There are quotes from one of Dr. King's nieces, Dr. Alveda King, on the topic, as well. This article brings to the fore some serious thoughts for contemplation by all Americans.

A hat tip (if I had a hat!) to JR for the last 2 articles.

YouTube's Singing Hippo and Dancing Dog

2008-08-03T07:22:00.000-05:00

All is not Lost in Washington, DC

2008-08-02T11:15:00.002-05:00

I read an interesting article about the adjourning of the US House of Representatives for their August vacation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wanted to shut down the House without allowing a vote on an energy policy. She succeeded, but what happened next assures me that not all of Congress is indifferent to the needs of the American people.

The article comes from Human Events and was written by John Gizzi, who is Political Editor at Human Events. The title is "Republicans Rebel Against Adjournment; Pelosi Turns Out Lights". You should read the entire article to get the flavor of what happened. It's great!

By now everyone has noticed (or should have noticed) how arrogant and elitist Barack Obama is. At American Thinker Kyle-Anne Shiver has written an article about it called "Why I'm Thanking God for Obama". It'll give you some insights to ponder.

Curbing Freedom

2008-07-19T12:11:00.003-05:00

Over at The New Media Journal is an article by Brendan O'Neill that was originally published in The Guardian in the UK. It's called "Greens are the enemies of liberty". Of course, it isn't just environmental extremists who want to take away everyone's freedom (except their own, of course), but these days they seem to be in the forefront of trying to suppress dissent and skepticism and to tell everyone to sacrifice this, that, and the other.

It absolutely slays me that liberals/leftists/environmentalists preach tolerance, yet they are among the least tolerant people ever. Certain groups (Christians, conservatives, patriots, military, etc.) are not to be tolerated. Neither is Western civilization and culture. Economic prosperity and capitalism are also taboo. Just about anything else, though, has free rein.

All I ask is that you read Mr. O'Neill's article and give it some honest thought. Do we really want to live in an oppressive society? I think not.

Here are the first three paragraphs of said article:

Imagine a society where simply speaking out of turn or saying the "wrong thing" was openly discussed as a crime against humanity, and where sceptics or deniers of the truth were publicly labelled "criminals", hauled before the press and accused of endangering humanity with their grotesque untruths.

Imagine a society where even some liberals demanded severe restrictions on freedom of movement; where people campaigned for travelling overseas to be made prohibitively expensive in order to force people to stay at home; and where immigration was frowned upon as "toxic" and "destructive".

Imagine a society so illiberal that columnists felt no qualms about demanding government legislation to force us to change our behaviour; where the public was continually implored to feel guilty about everything from driving to shopping – and where those who refused to feel guilty were said to be suffering from a "psychological" disorder or some other species of mental illness".

First Yellow Journalism, Now Yellow Science

2008-07-05T09:26:00.002-05:00

From The New Zealand Climate Science Coalition: Commonsense About Climate Change comes an article by James Kerian called "Yellow Science". The first two paragraphs explain the term:

In the late 19th century, William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer developed what would come to be known as yellow journalism. By disregarding what had been standard journalistic methods, particularly in regards to the verifying of sources, these two publishers were able both to push their country toward war with Spain and dramatically increase the circulation of their respective newspapers.

Man has always had a healthy desire for knowledge, and it is the feeding of this hunger that ennobles journalism. Hearst and Pulitzer were acutely aware that man has a less healthy but no less voracious desire to believe that he has knowledge, particularly knowledge of something sensational. It is the feeding of this hunger that irreparably disgraced journalism, and a century later now threatens to do the same to science.

The article itself has a lot to say about the unscientific methods used to promote global warming and create a climate of fear among people so that those pushing global warming can push through their agendas, which will damage economies and production of all kinds around the world. The final paragraph is blunt, but true:

The long-term results of yellow journalism have probably been more devastating than the war it started. Journalists have lost the respectability of their profession, and the public has lost real journalism. We are in very real danger, as scientists and as a nation, of losing the respectability of a professional community that has done so much to make this country great in the past hundred years. If yellow science overcomes real science it will not only be on account of the greed, ambition, and cowardice of our scientists but also the sloth and cowardice of a public that is unwilling to stand up and demand professionalism. This is why, as the editors of the New York Press said in 1897, I "called them yellow because they are yellow."

I recommend reading the entire article. It will give you something to consider carefully. For an excellent additional source of information, try "Editorial: The Great Global Warming Hoax?" by James A. Peden. It's informative as well as fun to read, although the science may make your head spin a bit!

The Fourth of July

2008-07-04T09:58:00.002-05:00

A Break from Politics--Theology and Languages

2008-06-28T12:56:00.003-05:00

Time for a break from politics. I find politics very interesting and believe that it is important for us to keep up with current events and participate as citizens in the political process. On the other hand, I have other interests and want to write about those sometimes.

Take theology. I am curious about it. What is it that people do when they "do theology"? I have been searching around the internet for some basic information about it. In a sense, it seems almost like math, where you use proofs to present/defend a point/doctrine. Is that what it is?

In my searches for information and instruction, it seems that the websites I find are directed toward "doing theology" for a specific religion. So what if that religion is not mine and I do not believe some of the same things in quite the same way? I can't use some of the "givens" that they use. What do I do then?

I do not have any ambition of doing a lot of theology, so perhaps it is enough to just read about it and learn what the different types are and what their purpose is. Still, it is interesting and I would like to know more about the mechanics of it, if only so that I can read theology more intelligently. If any of you out there have any suggestions or links, please feel free to put them in a comment.

How about languages? What languages do you speak? Do you think it is important, as a foundation, to learn Latin? How about Greek and Hebrew? Do you study more than one language at the same time? Does that make it more difficult or is it helpful? I speak English and am interested in reviving my Spanish, which I studied in several classes in grade school, high school, and college, then let whither away. I have books and CDs to study from. In addition, there are more and more native speakers around with whom I could practice. That makes it the most practical language for me to (re)learn. I am interested in Latin and never had the chance to study it. Many of our words come from Latin, so it seems to me that it would be useful in understanding meanings.

Comments?

Concerns About the Serious Undermining of America

2008-06-21T08:07:00.002-05:00

It appears to me that this election year is bringing up a lot of information that points to an undermining of America by the Democrat leadership, although there are those in all parties who are contributing to the effort, just as there are those in all parties who are appalled by the liberal/leftist/Marxist tactics being used in American politics today.

There are a lot of so-called crises being emphasized with the idea that a government take-over of various businesses (healthcare and oil come immediately to mind) will offer the solution. In reality, any crisis can usually be traced to government interference. Take energy for example. It is Congress blocking the development of American energy resources that has caused the current high price of gasoline. It is Congress that has made us dependent on foreign oil. It is Congress who has mandated ethanol and siphoned corn and other food grains off the food market and into a questionable energy production effort.

What concerns me most is that the American people are allowing the government to take away our freedoms a bit at a time through passage of laws that are supposed to improve our lives, but that actually degrade them by taking away freedom, choice, motivation to work hard and enjoy the fruits of our labors, and taxing us into poverty. That sounds extreme, but it is the direction in which we are headed, if we don't stand up and tell the government to back off. The Federal government actually has very few responsibilities, as listed in the Constitution. The state governments have a few more responsibilities, but those are limited as well. The people are to be free. Period. End of discussion. Instead, we are subjected to more and more government takeover of things that are best left to private enterprise and the free market.

I read three articles at American Thinker this morning that summarize the kind of thing government and politicians are trying to do. I am linking to them below because I believe that Americans are too smart and too independent to allow this to continue to happen. They just need to be more aware of what is happening so that they can stand up against it.

"Why do we Call Them 'Democrats'?" by Lance Fairchok

"High Gas Prices and the Marxist Tactic of Crisis Revolution" by AWR Hawkins

"Will Estonia Liberate the United States?" by Nicholas J. Kaster

Read and ponder.

Also, at Capitol Hill Coffee House you can read "Democracy Hijacked" by JB Williams. (Thanks to JR for that link.)

We owe it to our country and ourselves to carefully consider what makes this country great and what erodes that greatness. Then we need to work to stop the erosion. Nothing worthwhile comes without effort and persistence. History tells us the end results of socialism and communism. We don't have to go there to find out for ourselves how bad it is.

Politics and Government

2008-06-14T10:19:00.006-05:00

There are many articles I could link to today--articles about how we need to develop our own energy resources in the US, articles about the problems with global warming and the economic crisis that would follow if we start passing a bunch of restrictive laws, the problems that government generates, the problems an Obama presidency would create, and so forth. There are so many subjects that we as citizens need to be aware of so that we are acting and voting responsibly. I think that what I will do for today's post is simply list links to articles that can give us all something to think about in various areas.

The Climate Alarmist Manifesto by Marc Sheppard

Thank You, Big Oil by Todd Keister

Revisiting Obama's Speech to AIPAC by Rick Richman

Increase American-Made Energy to Reduce Gas Prices by Rep. John Boehner

Global Warming and the Price of a Gallon of Gas by John Coleman

Bag-Man for Ecoextremists by Dr. Mark W. Hendrickson

Congressional Problem Creation by Walter Williams

The Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008 Will Only Increase Gas Prices and Energy Costs by Ben Lieberman

Liberty's Best Hope: Why American Leadership is Needed for the 21st Century by Kim R. Holmes, Ph.D.; Henry R Nau, Ph.D.; and Dov Zakheim, Ph.D.

Who is Obama? Where is the Press? by Tony Blankley

I realize that is a long list of articles, but they give a good overview of some of the serious problems facing America today.

Energy Concerns

2008-06-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

With gas prices, and other prices, rising, we are all getting concerned. In spite of the Senate's dog-and-pony show grilling oil execs, the oil companies are not the problem. In fact, they would be the major solution, if we would let them. The problem is our government, which is supposed to be working for us, but often is not. The government has so seriously restricted the USA from developing its own energy resources that we find ourselves hog-tied. It is time, as they say, to stop the madness.

I realize that environmental concerns are real. However, no company is going to risk the problems that would come to them if they carelessly polluted the environment while developing natural resources. In addition, with today's technology and know-how, we can develop our resources in a much cleaner way than in the past. We need to be good stewards of the earth and its resources, but that does not mean, "Don't touch anything!"

A number of countries are drilling off shore in various places around the world--Russia and Cuba (with China), some of the European countries, and so forth. I am not saying we should "follow the crowd" just to be following the crowd. I am saying that other countries are busily developing resources, and since we need to as well, why aren't we?

The resources I am talking about are oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy. All of these need to be developed, starting now. In addition, we can continue working on alternative resources, such as wind, solar, liquid coal methods, and biofuels. Regarding that last, I believe the powers that be jumped the gun on ethanol. It needs work to be more efficient and less polluting. There is also much research needed in all areas, and we need to increase our refining capacity. This all takes time and huge amounts of money. Oil companies need the profits they are getting in order to do research and development. They actually get very little of the $4.00 from each gallon of gas--the government takes a far larger share.

I have a number of links to share with you about this issue. Please feel free to mention others in the comments. There are many more informative links around the internet with facts and figures on energy and the environment.

Federal Government sites:

US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (see especially the Minority Page)

US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce

The House Committee on Natural Resources

The House Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming

These provide a starting point for learning about what the government is doing and not doing. You can email the committees as well as individual legislators to tell them what you feel is needed or not needed. Don't forget to find out what your state legislature is doing and give them feedback, as well. In addition to the energy issue, you can look at the committee pages for other issues of concern and email about those, also.

A petition:

American Solutions Petition (this is to be presented to the federal government and is about energy. Details on the site.)

Some informative articles:

"Drill Here, Drill Now" by Jed Babbin (This is the article that told me about the above petition and it discusses the petition.)

"Congress, Gasoline and Hearings--Look! There's a Diversion" by George Landrith

"Top 10 Energy Questions for the US Senate" by Human Events

"Carbon Chastity: The First Commandment of the Church of the Environment" by Charles Krauthammer

"Environmentalists' Wild Predictions" by Walter Williams

"Congressional Problem Creation" by Walter Williams

"Too 'Complex'?", "Too 'Complex'? Part II", and "Too 'Complex'? Part III" by Thomas Sowell (This is about economics and supply and demand, but mentions energy as one issue involved.)

"When 'Market-Based' is a Façade" by George Will

"How Al Gore is Getting Fat off of a Starving World" by Jerry Bowyer (about food prices as affected by ethanol)

"Oil Crisis Solved by Resources, Not Gimmicks" by Kathryn Jean Lopez

"Coal-Cap Disaster" by Lawrence Kudlow

"Windfall-Profit Nonsense" by John Stossel

"Gas Prices and the Blame Game" by Ed Feulner

"The 'Big Oil' Witch Hunt" by Dr. Mark W. Hendrickson

The Heritage Foundation's Energy and Environment page (Here you will find dozens of well-researched articles about various aspects of energy and environment issues.)

This seems like a long list of links, but the energy situation needs to be resolved now because it will take time to get the various energy production projects going, and to build nuclear plants and expand refineries. If Bill Clinton hadn't vetoed a bill that would have allowed all this in 1995, we would now be enjoying the benefits of producing much of our own energy and who knows how much farther along we would be in the research and development of alternative energy resources? I ask you to read these articles and look into what our government is doing. Then contact your government representatives and let them know that the time for foolishness is over and it is time America produced its own energy freely.

Do You Know What Your Government is Doing?

2008-05-17T11:44:00.001-05:00

We are overwhelmed with information these days, so it is not surprising that we don't always know what is going on, especially if we think government and politics is boring and don't pay attention to those areas of our lives.

Actually, the more you learn about government and politics, the more interesting it gets. The thing to remember, though, is that what our government does and doesn't do affects our lives and our futures and it should be a priority to know what is going on and to educate ourselves about the Constitution and how government is supposed to work, as compared to how it does work.

One good place to study our nation's documents is at The Patriot Post. They have a section called "Historic Documents" which has links to documents throughout history that have influenced our nation, and current documents as well. While you're there, look through the archives and read essays and their newsletters (Monday Brief, Wednesday Chronicle, and Friday Digest). You'll learn a lot and be entertained at the same time.

Now, back to our current government. Make use of The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal. You can do all sorts of things there. There is a lot of material on the whole government site, so take some time to explore it occasionally and learn what's there. You can visit sites of the various congressional committees and find out what they are doing and have done. You can email committees or you can find out who your senators and representatives are and email them. Look on the right side of the screen at the home page and you'll see a box labeled "Government Agencies". For our purposes today, click on "Federal Government". You will find a link for A-Z agencies and also the three branches of government. Click on "Legislative Branch". Here you will find links to the Senate and the House of Represenatives, as well as agencies that support Congress (like the GAO). This is where you can find out what committees there are and who's on them and what they are working on.

What this is all leading up to--although I want everyone to educate themselves about the government generally--is a couple of things that either have been voted on or will be voted on that I think shows our congress neglecting the best interests of the American people.

First up, on 13 May 2008, the Senate rejected the McConnell Amendment to the Flood Insurance Bill, which contains the American Energy Production Act (Is that convoluted enough for you?). Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM), ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, had this to say:

“Today, the Senate missed an important opportunity to end the cycle of dependence on foreign oil. The McConnell/Domenici amendment the Senate rejected today would have produced up to 24 billion barrels of American oil, enough to supply our nation with no foreign imports for five years.

“Some around here may wonder why Congress has such low approval ratings. This is why. Americans are being forced to pay higher and higher prices at the pump, with no relief in sight. Adopting this amendment would have given us a path forward, and send a strong signal to the world’s oil markets that America was willing to fully develop its own energy resources. I strongly support all of our efforts to reduce consumption and develop renewable energy, but we cannot rely on those alone to solve our problems.

“I am pleased, however, that the Senate did adopt an amendment to suspend filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Although this amendment won’t have a dramatic effect on gas prices, it does reflect the fact that when oil now costs over $120 dollars a barrel, we need to begin doing things differently. I wish more of my colleagues had recognized that fact with regard to increasing domestic production.”

Over at the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works page, Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK), on his minority page, gave more detail about this Senate vote:

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today voiced disappointment with Senate Democrats for their failure to vote in favor of common-sense legislation that would bring down the price of energy and increase American jobs. Senate Democrats defeated the McConnell amendment 4720 to S. 2284, the Flood Insurance bill, down party lines by a vote of 42-56.

Senator Inhofe specifically said:

“Today’s vote on energy legislation represents a stark contrast between Republicans and Democrats,” Senator Inhofe said. “Rather than raise taxes, block production, increase regulations, and call for investigations, the Republicans offered common-sense legislation that works to bring down the price of gas at the pump and the cost of energy in our homes. The Republican approach brings down prices by increasing access to domestic supplies, expanding the nation’s refinery capacity, and promoting market-based alternatives for our energy future. Importantly, the bill includes key provisions from my Gas Petroleum Refiner Improvement & Community Empowerment Act of 2007 (Gas PRICE Act), legislation that is designed to improve the permitting process for the expansion of existing and construction of new refineries. Unfortunately, no matter how high energy costs soar, too many Democrats and liberal special interest allies continue to block any meaningful measures to help alleviate the pain of high energy costs on American families.

“There should be no surprise that Congress is back again looking for ways to address skyrocketing energy costs. Just four months ago I voted against a Democrat energy bill specifically because I believed it failed Oklahoma and the nation by doing nothing to address rising energy costs. Absent from their ‘energy’ bill were domestic energy resources – such as oil, natural gas, nuclear and clean coal technologies – that are essential to securing an American energy supply that is stable, diverse, and affordable. Today Republicans offered an amendment that would increase domestic energy supplies and once again Democrats voted no.”

There is much more detail on the page.

How many of you even knew such a vote was going on?

Another item on the Senate agenda is described in the 18 April 2008 blog entry on The Inhofe EPW Press Blog. A couple of statements from the blog entry are:

Sen. Inhofe: “Recent hearings in both the Senate and House on the Clean Water Restoration Act made clear the tremendous opposition to the bill by landowners, cattleman, and local governments. Both Committees heard repeatedly in testimony that clean water is critical for our well being; however, this bill does not lead to cleaner water and is nothing more than a federal land grab attempt. If Congress is to amend the Clean Water Act, any changes must provide clarity and reduce lawsuits. This bill does neither. It will not curtail litigation, but rather increase it, as stakeholders seek legal clarity on what exactly are the outer limits of Congressional authority. We should not propose, let alone pass legislative language that increases uncertainty, burdens local governments, and challenges the sanctity of private property rights.”

Rep. Mica: “There is significant nationwide opposition to this unprecedented and historic federal jurisdiction grab, made clear by the lengthy Transportation Committee hearing on Mr. Oberstar’s bill. Multiple witnesses testified to the confusion, costs, delays, and endless litigation that will result should this overreaching bill become law. The responsible regulatory agencies also voiced their concerns with the bill, and testified that they are gaining significant experience with their recent guidance and believe that such a heavy-handed legislative approach is unwarranted. H.R. 2421 and its companion bill in the Senate could lead to the regulation of virtually every wet area in the country, with dramatic impacts on American agri-business, manufacturing, housing, and other businesses, as well as state, local, and individual water and land use rights. With our economy already in troubled waters, this legislation could push American jobs overseas and put another nail in our economic coffin."

Again, how many of you knew of the existence of this bill, which seeks to give control of all US waters and all activities tied to such waters to Congress? Do you realize that all activities, public and private, are tied to US waters in some way? Do you realize what a power grab this is?

I know we can't all be aware of everything all the time, but it should certainly be a priority to keep an eye on what the federal government is doing, and also our state and local governments. You can find links to the state, local, and tribal governments in the same box where we clicked on federal government above. These websites provide names, addresses, and telephone numbers, as well as ways to email your representatives at all levels. If people will just remind our elected officials who they work for (we, the people), it might help prevent some catastrophes.

Do you have ideas on how to keep track of what the government is doing, or on effective ways to let the representatives know of your concerns?

Imagine a World Without Environmental Activists

2008-05-03T09:40:00.002-05:00

Not that taking care of our environment is a bad thing, but it is the going to extremes that causes everybody grief. I ran across an article a The New Media Journal which, patterned after the movie "It's a Wonderful Life", will give you some things about environmental policy to consider.

The article is "It's a Wonderful Life...Environmentally Speaking" by Greg Lewis. He imagines what the world might be like if environmentalists hadn't forced restrictions or outright bans on drilling for oil in America and building nuclear facilities in America. Interesting scenarios. Perhaps things wouldn't turn out precisely as he imagines, but one can see how much better things might be, and why. I think it's a good read.

On a similar note, also at The New Media Journal, take a look at the article "When Gas Reaches $5 a Gallon, Thank Liberals!" by JB Williams. In this piece, Mr. Williams considers the high cost of gas and why it is so high. He points out the high prices in the European Union, which those on the left seem to consider a model for their policies, and he points out who the highest oil producers are who can "hold America hostage over an oil barrel". He also breaks down the cost of a gallon of gasoline and tells us where the money goes (hint: very little goes to oil companies). This article, too, will give you something to consider.

The Environment

2008-04-26T17:16:00.000-05:00

I ponder the environment a fair amount these days because of all the global warming hype and high gas prices, high food prices, etc. We should, of course, be good stewards of the earth and avoid pollution as much as possible. However, I disagree with the notion of putting the earth before humans, or blaming humans for anything problematic about the environment. I ran across a couple of articles that I recommend that you read and give some thought to. They are as follows:

At Townhall, "A New Environmentalism" by Victor Davis Hanson

At American Thinker, "Earth First! (People Later)" by David Bueche

In "Earth First! (People Later)", Mr. Bueche discusses why global warming isn't really a problem and how much of a disservice it is to humans to focus on that instead of other, more urgent problems (food, sanitation, etc.).

In "A New Environmentalism", Mr. Hanson focuses on energy and points out that if the US continues to import oil, we are often filling the coffers of terrorists and others who do not have our best interests at heart. If we continue to divert grain to biofuels, we raise food prices around the world, which hurts the poor most of all. He points out that solar and wind simply do not provide enough energy at this time or in the foreseeable future. The wisest course is to build nuclear plants and to drill for oil in our own country (ANWR, off the coasts).

I think these two articles make a lot of good points and that we need to get away from extreme positions on the environment (Don't touch anything!). It is possible to seek traditional sources of energy without much in the way of pollution or other environmental damage. We need to do what is best for our country, which in turn will do a lot to benefit people around the world. We need to think instead of following along with the various hysterical claims of global warming or whatever the cause of the day is. We can still be good stewards of the earth while making sensible use of its resources.

About the Constitution

2008-04-12T09:49:00.000-05:00

At Townhall.com Dr. Walter E. Williams has an excellent column titled "Political Loathsomeness" that has some thought-provoking comments about how well we Americans follow our Constitution.

It's very clear to me that politicians and judges have stretched the meaning of the Constitution out of all recognition. All the handouts and all the bureaucracy are so far from being authorized by the Constitution that it is ridiculous that we citizens have allowed this to happen. Now, of course, so many people get some sort of a handout (paid for by other people's hard-earned money) that they don't want government largesse to stop. As Dr. Williams says:

Most of what Congress is constitutionally authorized to spend for is listed in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution and includes: coining money, establish Post Offices, to support Armies and a few other activities. Today's federal budget is over $3 trillion dollars. I challenge anyone to find specific constitutional authority for at least $2 trillion of it. That includes Social Security, Medicare, farm and business handouts, education, prescription drugs and a host of other federal expenditures. Americans who have become accustomed to living at the expense of another American would not want Congress to obey the Constitution, especially if it left out their favorite handout.

He also says:

At one time there were presidents who respected the Constitution. Grover Cleveland vetoed hundreds of spending measures during his two-term presidency, often saying, "I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution." Then there was Franklin Pierce who said, after vetoing an appropriation to assist the mentally ill, "I cannot find any authority in the Constitution for public charity," adding, "To approve such spending would be contrary to the letter and the spirit of the Constitution and subversive to the whole theory upon which the Union of these States is founded."

Do you suppose we will ever again have a president or congressmen or judges who have such respect for the Constitution? I would certainly like to think so. A lot of it is up to the citizens of the United States of America. We vote. We contact our elected officials frequently. We educate our children (the schools aren't doing it) about the Constitution and what government is supposed to be.

Comments?

More Conservative Wisdom

2008-03-29T11:30:00.000-05:00

Last week my post referred to a column written by John Hawkins at Townhall. This week Mr. Hawkins has written another column called "10 More of the Greatest Pieces of Conservative Wisdom". Take a look at it. There are some good thoughts there. You might have your own favorite pieces of wisdom, of course, but reading someone else's list can expand your thinking and give you some new ideas.

At American Thinker I found another article that I recommend for its thought-provoking ideas. It is called "'Seeker-Sensitive' Conservatism" and was written by Alan Roebuck. In the article, Mr. Roebuck discusses the problem of basing Christian teachings on a "seeker-sensitive" marketing approach. Mr. Roebuck defines that as:

The seeker-sensitive movement is a close analogy to the contemporary conservative movement. In both cases, people who ought to be offering timeless truths that can save individuals and societies are instead using market research to craft a product that appeals to consumers, telling them what they want to hear rather than a truth that is initially painful but ultimately liberating. Even if you are not a Christian, you should be concerned about a mass movement that thrives by suppressing many important ideas that it once believed in, especially because the same error tempts other idea-based movements, such as conservatism.

He goes on to tell us that a pastor, Bob DeWaay, has studied this seeker-sensitive movement and has concluded thusly:

DeWaay's basic conclusion is this: The purpose-driven movement begins with the premise that the only way to attract non-Christians to church is by offering to meet their felt needs, rather than their real need for salvation through Christ. If a non-Christian "seeker" visits a church where he hears the traditional Gospel message that he is a lost sinner in need of a salvation that can only come from personal repentance and trust in the atoning death of Christ, he will be repelled by the challenging message, and will not return. To prevent this failure, so the theory goes, a church must conduct market research into what people in its area want, and then find a way to give these seekers what they want.

One result is that the deep and challenging teachings of traditional Christianity must never be presented in the Sunday morning worship service that has traditionally been the cornerstone of Christian fellowship. Not only will non-Christian seekers probably not want to hear that God regards them as sinners, but they will have no interest in what Warren (and theological liberals) dismissively call "doctrine," that is, the actual content of the religion preached by Christ and the Apostles. The result is a Christianity that retains the rituals and some of the language of traditional Protestant Christianity, but is effectively stripped of its content.

Mr. Roebuck continues:

But what does this have to do with conservatism? Doesn't the conservative movement stand in unambiguous opposition to the foolish and destructive ideas of the left? Don't conservatives suffer the hostility and sometimes the persecution of the liberals and leftists who have de facto control of the universities, the media, and much of the government? How could conservatism be "seeker-sensitive?"

By failing to stand on principle. As I have argued in Liberalism 101, liberalism (i.e., the worldview of the left) has almost complete control of America. It is our "unofficial state religion." But since liberalism is largely false, John Q. Public senses (even if he cannot articulate it) that something is seriously wrong with the ideas and policies he is relentlessly taught by the schools, the media and even, God help us, by many clergy. This being the case, there is a major market for "conservatism," that is, articulate opposition to liberalism. People have a felt need to have their intuitions vindicated.

But whenever there is a popular product, its producers will be tempted to modify their product to suit the desires of the consumer. There is much profit to be made in giving people what they want, rather than what they need.

Something that struck me was Mr. Roebuck's statement that:

It is something entirely different to admit, as I have argued in Liberalism 101, that the real problem is America's general acquiescence to an entire worldview based on the nonexistence of the God of the Bible, and which therefore means that God is not the supreme being, but rather man.

And if man, who is constantly changing, is the supreme being, then we cannot know anything for sure, except that the highest priority is protecting myself and asserting my ego. And people devoted ultimately to themselves can hardly form a strong nation, defeat the bad initiatives of liberalism, and pass on their way of life to their descendants.

His solution?

I have argued here that we need a sustained and aggressive public campaign against the fundamental ideas of liberalism. Individuals, of course, are free to believe whatever they want, but any nation must have ideas that are authoritative for the guidance of its public policies. Since the publicly acknowledged comprehensive system of thought that has de facto authority over America is liberalism, liberalism must be fought publicly, at the level of its fundamental ideas. That is, we must aim to discredit publicly not just the specific foolish initiatives of liberalism, but more importantly the foundational ideas that make liberalism what it is. If we fail to discredit these ideas in the minds of both John Q. Public and our leadership class, liberalism will continue to be the guiding philosophy of America, and America will continue to decline.

To change the entire way of thinking of a nation is a fearfully difficult undertaking, and success is by no means guaranteed. If liberalism really is our state religion, then most people will resent our contention that we must change the way our nation thinks. But liberalism, being largely false and irrational, is intellectually vulnerable.

And the stakes are high: America is in mortal danger. The America that we have known, under the onslaught of many maladies either caused or exacerbated by liberalism, is in danger of ceasing to exist and being replaced by something radically different and worse. Think of the mass immigration that, coupled with multiculturalism, is Balkanizing us, of the widespread promulgation of secularism, agnosticism and atheism that is making us more self-centered and cowardly, and of the creeping socialism that is making us a nation of dependents.

I've quoted a lot of what I believe is an important article, but go read all of it to get a better idea of what Mr. Roebuck is talking about. We need to really think about our futures and the future of America and in what direction we are headed.

Conservative Wisdom to Ponder

2008-03-22T08:47:00.000-05:00

At Townhall you will find a column by John Hawkins titled "10 of the Greatest Pieces of Conservative Wisdom". In it, Mr. Hawkins lists 10 quotations and offers comments on them. The ideas presented and the quotes used cover a lot of ground, but I think you'll find the column worth a read.

What it comes down to for me is personal responsibility along with morality and integrity. Too many people pursue a course of instant gratification, moral equivalence, dishonesty, and wanting to escape the consequences of choices by being bailed out, usually by the government. Do we ever stop to think about the consequences of this type of widespread behavior for our country? The problem isn't just in America. We can look at the countries in Europe and at countries around the world and see the problems created by turning our lives over to the government of our respective countries.

In many ways, the course of many individuals becomes the course of the nation. If each individual took a responsible, mature course in his life, we would see a great improvement in our nation. If we could rid ourselves of selfishness, dishonesty, immorality, and greed, we would find life can be good indeed. Self-esteem would come from true accomplishments and not from being indoctrinated with a false self-esteem based on nothing.

Careful consideration of consequences is a must for any choice we make. Slow down, think first, look ahead down the road that you are considering taking.

Problem Areas Around the World

2008-03-15T09:49:00.001-05:00

Today it seems we see problems developing all around the world. Besides the obvious issues in the Middle East, there are difficulties developing in South American, Cuba, and Russia. At American Thinker there are three articles highlighting these areas and what the problems are. I recommend that you read these three pieces. Aside from the direct concerns for the general populations in South American, Cuba, and Russia, it concerns me that there are Americans with leftist views who idolize the trouble-making leaders. Do those Americans not realize what these policies do to the lives of ordinary citizens? The articles are:

"Terrorists, Marxists, Leftists and the Democrats" by Lance Fairchok

"What I learned in Havanna talking to ordinary Cubans" by David Paulin

"The Trouble with Russia" by Herbert E. Meyer

These are just three of the problems developing in the world. There are many more and with today's ease of communication and travel, we have to be aware of the whole world and how what is going on can affect us. We also need to be aware of the examples that show just how bad communism and socialism are for people. There is nothing compassionate about these ideologies, even though they are promoted as helping all people. They don't.

Letting Freedom Slip Away

2008-03-08T15:11:00.000-06:00

One of the things that concerns me about America is the way we are letting government take control in more and more areas of our lives. Do we not realize that we are voting our freedom away when we vote for a provision to turn something over to the government or when we elect those who will push through laws raising taxes or regulating businesses more? There are many small ways in which we are letting our freedom slip away. It has to stop.

There is an article over at The New Media Journal that I think everyone should read and think about. It's called "The American Pursuit of Democratic Socialism" by JB Williams. Here is a sample of what Mr. Williams has to say:

Well, here we are, some 230 years after the formation of the greatest, most productive, prosperous, powerful and generous free nation on earth, freely voting ourselves back into tyranny in the name of a greater common good.

We no longer respect or protect the first fundamental unalienable American right, Life. The second, the right to individual Liberty has been replaced with the mob rights of the commune and our right to individually define and pursue (earn) Happiness has been traded for the right of the commune to both define and re-distribute happiness at the federal level.

Our federal government has indeed become destructive of the very values and principles every American is called to uphold and defend and unless we alter our government by altering our voting patterns, we will soon have no choice but to abolish it and start anew.

Democrats now stand fully opposed to all founding American principles and values. But Republicans will get no free pass here either. The party which once stood up to Democratic Socialists in defense of the real American Dream, has in recent years joined the Left in an only slightly slower march into Democratic Socialism and as a result, all elected members of the federal government enjoy the lowest approval ratings in U.S. history.

“If it were necessary to give the briefest possible definition of imperialism, we should have to say that imperialism is the monopoly stage of capitalism – The way to crush the bourgeoisie (the rich and productive) is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.”

This is the belief system and strategy of today’s Democrat Party and it is the centerpiece of both the Clinton and the Obama campaigns. This is the change both candidates have in mind for America.

But these words were not authored by either campaign. These words were authored by Vladimir Lenin. You will hear these notions sold from every DNC campaign stage between here and November. But it was Lenin, Marx, Stalin and Alinsky who first sold these ideas to those who now run the Democrat Party.

Consider that and look at what today's politicians do and say.

Another article at the same website is called "They Will Get Fooled Again" by Robert E. Meyer. He's also got some thoughts you should consider, such as:

The democratic front runner, Barack Obama, has garnered much political capital on a vague platform template of "change." His swooning crowds of admirers reflexively applauding, or even fainting, at his every statement and gesture. Obama's campaign has been so emotionally hypnotic, that Schaeffer's son Frank is gushing giddily about supporting Barack with his heart. What candidate of the opposition party has ever offered anything unique to the theme of change?

What this "change" really connotes, amounts to more government programs, and increased dependence on government, resulting in greater learned helplessness by individual citizens.

People are now asking government to meet the needs that were once obligations of individuals themselves, family and neighbors, the public charity, church organizations, and Almighty God. A clear recipe for tyranny.

The Democratic platform, and to a lesser degree some Republican politicians, have forsaken individual accountability and initiative, while moving in a direction contrary to the roles of limited government delineated by our Founders. The best government is one that governs least.

Far too many people have stopped asking the question about what limited role in society our government should fulfill, but have hopped aboard the gravy train to paradise, never suspecting it to be the graveyard express to the ideological gulag.

We Americans really need to pay attention to what goes on at all levels of government. Think about it.

The Encyclopedia of Life Has a Lot More Content Now

2008-03-01T16:45:00.000-06:00

The Encyclopedia of Life has had a website up for a year or more with minimal content (6 demonstration pages), but now they have 25 complete pages, about 30,000 partial pages, and a million or so minimal pages. If you had given up on them ever getting more up, now is the time to go explore! You can register for free and the encyclopedia is meant to always be free, to provide information about all life on earth to everyone everywhere. Lots of interesting stuff there now and to come in the future. It's scheduled for completion in 2017.

If you register, you can sign up to get their quarterly newsletter in your email. They are having a contest to name the newsletter. Also, later this year, they plan to make it possible for anyone to contribute photos and content to be reviewed for inclusion. This is a great site for anyone interested in science and nature and for anyone taking classes along those lines. Kids will enjoy learning more about common plants and animals they see around their homes or getting information for school.

I know I sound like an advertisement, but I have no connection to the encyclopedia except as an interested reader. I just think that it'll be a fascinating place to learn.

Ideology and Politics

2008-02-23T14:59:00.001-06:00

There are two articles at American Thinker that are worth your time to read. They both discuss, in different ways, today's ideology and how it came to be and how it affects American politics. I believe that we need to be aware of what various groups believe in and are pursuing if we want to protect our freedoms and maintain America as she began.

The first article is "The Misnomer of Conservatism" by Bruce Walker. In his article, he discusses the terms "liberal", "conservative", and others and what they mean or don't mean. He writes about where these terms came from and says:

Why, then, do we have so many problems identifying what conservatism is in American politics? There is an easy, though not simple, answer to that question: What we have come to call "conservative" or the Right is a group of principles whose definitional names have been invented by those who hate those principles.

Intriguing, yes? I found the article thought-provoking. Mr. Walker also says:

What those of us who believe in the importance of liberty in human affairs, the vital goodness of America, the necessity of personal honesty in any healthy society, and the necessity of a Blessed Creator to any noble concept of life is to define ourselves and also to define our enemies. We who have been called "conservative" (because we somehow have not accepted the Marxian idea of progress) are ultimately just people who believe in truth. Many "conservatives" came to conservatism (whatever that is) because the Left is so permeated with lies and self-delusion (Exhibit A: Global Warming.)

How do we define our enemies? Some of us might like to call them "socialists," but that is using a vacuous Marxist term to describe a very real attitude. They do not really believe in anything, except power. Why is Hillary running for president? She wants power -- it is her turn. Why did Democrats lust to regain Congress in 2006? Power is the answer (have they even tried to do anything but harass President Bush?)

It's an article worth reading with an open mind and it's worth serious consideration as we look at America's future, and at a hope for the world's future, if there are those who can be influenced for good.

The second article is called "The Materialist Faith of Communism, Socialism, and Liberalism" by Linda Kimball. Ms. Kimball begins by writing:

For over eighty-five years, America has been incrementally conquered by the same madness-inducing demon of hatred and violence that earlier took over Russia, China, Germany, and Italy. Rabbi Aryeh Spiro concurs,"There is a madness in today's liberal thinking. It insists on policies that tie our hands to defend ourselves while given free reign to the jihadists intent on killing us. It is dangerous because it is becoming the law, and thinking of the land in the western world. (Liberal Madness is Deadly (1/24/08) This demon is embodied in "enlightened" Liberals and the West's transnational "elite," both of which are deeply infected by materialistic Communism (Cultural Marxism) and the delusion that the true enemy of America is always on the Right. Having rejected God and the religious heritage of our civilization, they embrace instead a new order of beliefs of which Communism and Socialism are logical expressions. A new world order is what they seek, but in order that it can emerge, the existing culture must be completely destroyed.

Rather startling, isn't it? As Ms. Kimball goes on to explain what she means and to give a little background, you come to understand what she means and why it is important that we be aware of what is going on in our country.

It is not too late to reclaim America, but Americans need to wake up to what is going on around them. Gradual erosion of all our country stood for from the beginning is still erosion.

Is Science Really the Answer to Everything?

2008-02-16T10:52:00.000-06:00

It seems that for a century or more, some people have had the idea that science is the only source of truth and therefore, is the answer to every human problem--from disease to poverty and beyond. While science can provide helpful facts and ideas, there is much more to life than science alone. I found an article at The Heritage Foundation that should be required reading for all. It provides a common sense view of science's limitations and why we cannot and must not treat science as the be all and end all of the world and the universe.

The article is titled "The Abolition of Man? How Politics and Culture Have Been Dehumanized in the Name of Science". It's by John G. West, Ph. D., who is "a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute, Associate Director of the Institute's Center for Science and Culture, and author of Darwin Day in America: How Our Politics and Culture Have Been Dehumanized in the Name of Science (ISI Books, 2007)."

Dr. West starts by writing:

"An age of science is necessarily an age of materialism," wrote Hugh Elliot early in the last century. "Ours is a scientific age, and it may be said with truth that we are all materialists now."

One does not have to look far to discover the continued accuracy of Elliot's assessment. Scientific materialism--the claim that everything in the universe can be fully explained by science as the products of unintelligent matter and energy--has become the operating assumption for much of American politics and culture. We are repeatedly told today that our behaviors, our emotions, even our moral and religious longings are reducible to some combination of physical processes interacting with our environment.

He later says, referring to what his book is about:

My book Darwin Day in America explores the impact on American politics and culture of the materialistic abuse of science Lewis warned about so many years ago. Contrary to its title, the book is not just about Darwin. It is about how modern science--a very good thing--has been misappropriated by scientific elitists who want to offer a materialistic explanation of every part of human culture.

Here is what he says scientific materialism was supposed to do and introduces how it has failed:

Such comments embodied perfectly the optimistic vision offered by scientific materialism at the dawn of the last century. During an era when science seemed to be uncovering the material basis of all human problems, it was widely believed that science with a capital "S" could lead to the transformation of society, bringing about greater human freedom, dignity, and happiness in the process. In short, scientific materialism was supposed to be a great engine of human progress in politics and culture.

It was not. Human nature was not reformed; crime did not disappear; and scientific materialism did not usher in a new age of liberty, equality, and fraternity. Instead, the excesses of scientific materialism have continued to influence American public policy in at least five important ways.

The five important ways, of which his discussion makes up the body of the article, are technocracy, utopianism, dehumanization, relativism, and stifling free speech. Dr. West offers some valuable perspective as to what science can and cannot do and he concludes with this statement:

Contrary to the assertions of some, robust public scrutiny of claims made in the name of science does not constitute a "war against science." Indeed, it may be the very thing that saves science from its own excesses.

Science, in and of itself, is a good thing, but it is not everything. In addition, science, properly conducted, often leads to new information that negates previous ideas and theories. To be blind to science's gifts and limitations is, in itself, unscientific.

What's a Conservative to Do?

2008-02-09T12:15:00.000-06:00

It has been a great disappointment to me that the apparent Republican nominee for President of the United States is John McCain. While I greatly admire Senator McCain's service to his country in Vietnam, his political positions are not always admirable. I do think he will be a fine Commander in Chief, which is one of the more important roles of the President in these times. I don't have confidence in McCain on economics, the Constitution, and assorted social policies that are also important. So what are we conservatives who are genuinely concerned about the future of our country supposed to do?

I hear that a number of conservatives plan to either not vote for a president, or plan to vote for the Democrat nominee. While I understand their frustration, I cannot accept that as a reasonable solution. It only makes things worse for America if we hand the presidency to Clinton or Obama.

Whatever a conservative might decide to do about voting or not voting for a president, though, there are other avenues that need attention. One is to elect the strongest possible conservative Senators and Representatives to send to Washington, D.C. Another is to look at local/state elections and elect the best conservatives available. Still other avenues are to freely contact your government representatives to remind them that they are representatives of the people and to tell them what is important to you and why. Contribute to or volunteer for conservative candidates and for movements that address important issues in conservative ways.

Some articles that I recommend are:

"The failure to nominate a true Republican unifier does not spell ideological defeat" by Michelle Malkin

"For Conservatives, What's the Next Move?" by JB Williams

"Stepping Back from the Conservative Abyss" by Frank Salvato

These articles offer some good thoughts on what we can do to help the United States of America survive and prosper in the ways that are truly best for people.

Happy Groundhog Day Tomorrow!

2008-02-01T15:44:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is Groundhog Day when we will find out how much more winter we have to put up with. Information Please has an article about Groundhog Day and its history.

A groundhog is the same thing as a woodchuck, subject of my favorite tongue twister (How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck would chuck wood?). Because it is a hiberating animal, people began watching for it, as well as other such animals, to appear as a sign of spring.

The story is that if a groundhog sees its shadow on Groundhog Day, there are six more weeks of winter. The basis for this is that if a winter day is sunny, it is very cold because there are no clouds insulating the earth (this according the Info Please article linked above).

The USA has its official groundhog in Punxsutawney Phil (try spelling that without looking!). We'll be watching for you, Phil!

Some Articles You Might Enjoy

2008-01-25T17:11:00.000-06:00

At Townhall.com you will find an article by John Hawkins titled "The Ten Most Annoying Things About the Race for the Presidency". This piece highlights some of the problems with the campaigning that's capturing our attention so much.

Townhall also has a couple of articles about the economic stimulus package. One is "Oo Ee Oo Ah Ah, Ting Tang, Walla Walla Stimulus Plan" by Jon Sanders. (If you are wondering what the Oo Ee stuff is, it's part of the chorus of an old novelty song called "Witch Doctor", although apparently it was updated for the Alvin and the Chipmunks movie--I had a hard time finding the original lyrics online.) Another is "Stimulus Plan Needs to be Long Term" by Michael Franc. These two pieces make some good points about the problems with the current economic stimulus package that may surprise you.

There are, of course, any number of articles about, but I found the above three particularly interesting.

I am most disappointed that Fred Thompson dropped out of the race. He was a true conservative with excellent, well thought out policies. Still, life goes on.

Energy Resources

2008-01-19T11:15:00.000-06:00

One thing that frustrates me about our government is the reluctance to develop our own energy resources, whether it is ANWR drilling, offshore drilling, nuclear power, or other sources of power for our use. The Heritage Foundation has an article about alternatives to tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which would only help for a short time and would leave us unprepared for the emergencies the SPR is meant to help with. The article is called "Don't Tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, But Tap Elsewhere" by Ben Lieberman. It explains why we should not use the SPR for temporary price relief and what the SPR is really for.

In a related blog post at The US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Minority Page, there is a 16 January 2008 entry called "EPW FACT OF THE DAY: Committee Hearing on High Energy Prices Should Focus on Actual Solutions". This post talks about the need for domestic energy supply development and the blocking of this development by liberal Democrats in Congress, which hurts our country.

It is foolish to allow special interest groups to block needed domestic energy supply development and I hope you will contact your congressional representives to encourage this needed development.

"Which is Broken, the Government or the People?"

2008-01-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

I recently read an excellent article at The New Media Journal. It will give you a lot to consider as the presidential campaigning moves through the coming year. It is my greatest hope that American voters will give serious consideration to what the various candidates are advocating and also seriously consider how this country should operate.

The particular article I refer to is "Which is Broken, the Government or the People?" by J. R. Dieckmann. This piece really resonated with me because I feel that too often, people think the government should be a source of largesse for them. We do not have a government to act as a charity--its purpose is to maintain order and to protect us and our freedoms. We do not have a government to redistribute wealth. People don't seem to understand that if we have wealthy citizens and corporations, they invest and they hire. They fire up the economy and everyone benefits.

The title of the article I refer to came from the opening paragraph:

This is starting out to be a most interesting election year. While Republican candidates are telling us that government is broken and the people need to fix it, Democrat candidates are telling us that the people are broken and need the government to fix it.

I find it rather insulting to be told that I'm broken, don't you? As Mr. Dieckmann says about Hillary Clinton:

Mrs. Clinton thinks it “takes a village to raise a child” because parents alone are incapable of doing the job that parents have done for thousands of years. Those same parents are also incapable of providing healthcare and schooling for those children. Men are sexists and need to be more like women and taxes need to be raised to provide a free ride for the poor and services for the middle class because they just can’t do it on their own. Government should play nanny to the American people because they‘re all just children unable to take care of themselves.

Excuse me. I am not a child. So what if I make mistakes sometimes? I'm a grown-up and I can fix them myself and learn from them. For the occasional person who truly needs help from others, private local charity is the best answer by far. Local charities know the local situation and can actually get to know the person they are helping and see what kind of help that person needs. Family, friends, and neighbors can also help and usually are quite willing to do so. People are willing to donate to local charities to help provide needed items and services. To think that the government has any business confiscating our money and then spending it (or should I say, wasting it) is outrageous. There are a few things the government needs money for (infrastructure, law enforcement, fire protection, military), but the rest is none of government's business. Much should be done by the individual states and not by the federal government. When government is local, people can keep a better eye on what is being done and not done (which is probably a big clue as to why some want everything done by the federal government).

Further down in the article, Mr. Dieckmann points out what the Democrats want:

The point is that these three leading Democrat candidates all intend to use the power of government to change the people rather than to represent the people. In their view, it’s the people who are broken and need to be fixed by government. By some magical transformation when elected, suddenly politicians know more about everything than the industry experts who have devoted their lives to making a better living standard for Americans.

Excuse me again. Government is meant to represent the people, not change them or "fix" them! Then there is this:

That is the big difference between Democrats and Republicans. With self reliance and taking personal responsibility comes freedom and liberty. Conservatives understand this. Liberals want to be taken care of by big government but don’t seem to understand that by doing so, they sacrifice their freedom and liberty and become the wholly owned property of the federal government and the Democrat Party. By their own choice, they become political slaves to their masters in Washington.

For the past 40 years, the Democrat Party has been doing everything it can to dumb down Americans, convince them that they are incapable of taking care of themselves, and make them dependent on big federal government. Unfortunately, they have succeeded enough to the extent that they are still a viable political party.

By controlling the schools, the courts, and the media, they have misled Americans away from the founding principles of democracy and directly into socialism and communism. Most young Americans today don’t even know what liberty means because they have been taught that government is there to take care of them. They don’t realize the freedom that America was founded for because they have been told that Europe is the model that America should strive for.

This trend will continue unless we elect a real conservative to serve as president for the next 8 years. A president who understands the difference between America and Europe; a president who understands the freedom and liberty that has been lost in America; a president who won’t give into wasteful, liberal government spending and nanny state socialist programs; a president who will hold congress responsible for doing the job outlined in the Constitution instead of pandering with taxpayers’ money for reelection; and a president who will enforce a foreign policy that puts American interests and defense first rather than worry so much about what Europe and Islamic countries think of us.

And finally, for your consideration:

Our future and the future of our country depends now on electing the right man for the job in this most critical period in our history. These primary elections and the vote in November will determine whether America again becomes the shining beacon on the hill, or sinks into European style socialism.

It’s up to those of us who understand what kind of country we want to do the right thing and elect the right candidate for president.

Read the article. Think like a grown-up. Vote like a grown-up. We are, after all, grown-ups.

The Run for the Presidency

2008-01-12T10:05:00.000-06:00

We are in for another 10 long months of campaigning for the office of the president of the United States of America. It makes me tired just thinking about it. However, voters need to persist in learning about the candidates and making the best possible choice for our country.

In my opinion, the Democratic candidates are all bad choices--too liberal, too much in favor of Big Government, too directed toward bleeding us dry with taxes. They favor a poor brand of foreign policy which amounts to shows of weakness instead of the necessary shows of strength.

My personal choice so far is Fred Thompson. He is too grown-up to provide the flash and the sound bites that the MSM prefers, but he is by far the best candidate in the race. An article at Human Events endorses Fred Thompson, but also evaluates the other Republican candidates. The article, titled "HUMAN EVENTS endorses Fred Thompson" is a good read and I recommend it highly. I also recommend visiting the candidates' websites and reading their position papers on various issues. The Fred Thompson site is here and Mitt Romney's is here. You can Google any of the candidates, though, and find their websites.

At Townhall you can read Rich Tucker's article "What's a President For?". I recommend it for some thought-provoking ideas.

In the age of the internet, it isn't hard to find information on the candidates. I don't recommend relying only on the MSM, but do recommend searching around and reading a variety of material for a good perspective. I encourage everyone to vote, but please make it an informed vote!!!

Hungry for Cheese?

2008-01-01T16:04:00.000-06:00

Take a trip to I Love Cheese! for a cheese guide, recipes, and health facts about American-made cow's-milk cheeses. Yummy stuff!

Another website is Cheese Guide--All About Cheese! which has recipes, how-tos, and descriptions of some cheeses from around the world. This is one of the pages of the Reluctant Gourmet which has lots of cooking information.

Here's a website about making cheese. Called New England Cheesemaking Supply, they sell kits and books and such, but they also have a page of recipes for making some cheeses right on their website.

There's also a good site at Wisconsin Cheese and Dairy Product Information. They have a "cheesecyclopedia", tips for pairing cheeses with various foods and drinks, and recipes.

The Food Network also has a "Cheese Guide" that might be helpful to you. Gourmet Sleuth has recipes for making different kinds of cheese on this page. You can also check out Cheese.com for lots of information about specific cheeses. Wikipedia has an interesting article on "Cheese" as well.

Get out there and try some new kinds of cheese. Try some new recipes. And how about trying your hand at making cheese?

New Year's History and Tradition

2007-12-29T16:44:00.000-06:00

Something I enjoy is reading the history of various holidays and the traditions that many people follow. I am providing links so that you can enjoy learning a bit about the New Year's holiday.

At Infoplease, you can read about "A History of the New Year" and "New's Year Traditions". The history article talks about the different dates celebrated through the years and you'll learn a bit about calendars in the process. The traditions article has all the words to "Auld Lang Syne" and a bit of history and explanation about it, as well as some of the other traditions that have come into being over the years.

Another interesting article is at Wikipedia under "New Year" and tells more about calendars and countries and when 1 January became the norm for many in celebrating the new year.

Good reading. Enjoy! And if you know about some additional traditions, please tell us about them in the comments!

Thinking About the New Year

2007-12-29T10:14:00.000-06:00

2007 is almost over. Time to make New Year's Resolutions. Or not. I like to make them, but I'm not so great at keeping them. Still, I persist, trying to refine my methods. I haven't chosen any resolutions yet, but I'm thinking about what I'd like to do this coming year.

It's always good to set at least one resolution for physical health and another for spiritual health. Since I have a tendency to be a hermit, a social resolution would be useful, too. I just need to not get carried away and set too many!

This coming year will bring us a presidential election, so a resolve to read up on the candidates and to vote is important. Then there is learning about what is going on in the world and in our country so that I can decide what would be good to do or not do, whether it is in personal choices or in voting for president.

I also want to pick a subject that I would like to study more in-depth this year. Good thing I like to read and write!

Whatever I choose for my resolutions, I want them to guide me to a better life. I want to develop talents and improve knowledge. I also want to improve my health, character, and finances. Spiritual development is first on my list, although the other things are a part of that. So those thoughts will guide me in resolving to improve this year. What are your thoughts about resolutions?

Ten Sensible Questions

2007-12-22T15:45:00.000-06:00

At the Human Events website, Pat Sajack (yes, of "Wheel of Fortune" fame) writes an excellent piece in which he asks ten questions about global warming. These are questions that we should insist on answers to before we allow the trashing of the world as we know it by politicians and environmentalist extremists. The article is titled "Manmade Global Warming: 10 Questions".

Here are the ten questions:

1. What is the perfect temperature?
2. Just what is the average temperature of the earth?
3. What factors have led to global warming in the past, and how do we know they aren’t the causes of the current warming trend?
4. Why is there such a strong effort to stifle discussion and dissent?
5. Why are there such dramatically different warnings about the effects of man-made global warming?
6. Are there potential benefits to global warming?
7. Should such drastic changes in public policy be based on a “what if?” proposition?
8. What will be the impact on the people of the world if we change the way we live based on man-made global warming concerns?
9. How will we measure our successes?
10. How has this movement gained such momentum?

Good questions, aren't they? Mr. Sajak offers a few comments on each question. When I was at the site, there were 102 comments by readers, so there is lots of good reading on this topic for you to enjoy.

Thanks to my friend JR for bringing this piece to my attention. I hope all of you will give this some thought!

"Islam: Not Just Another Religion"

2007-12-16T15:54:00.000-06:00

There is an article at American Thinker titled "Islam: Not Just Another Religion". It is written by Janet Levy. This is a serious article and definitely not a politically correct article, but it should be required reading for every American if we want to hold on to our freedom and our ability to worship as we see fit.

The first paragraph of the article says this:

This campaign season, presidential candidates seem intent on battling each other with a war of words over universal healthcare, tax reform, immigration, the war in Iraq, the economy and Biblical literalism. Yet, they have spent few words on and have literally ignored the greatest threat to America and Western civilization since the Cold War: the global jihad.

We need to talk about global jihad. It is a threat to everyone everywhere. There may be moderate Muslims out there who do not support global jihad, but they are remaining silent. Many people think that it's not polite, or politically correct, to speak out about wrong being done in the name of religion. Unless, of course, it's to speak out against Christians and Jews. They remain fair game.

Back to the article. Ms. Levy makes many good points about just why Islam and the global jihad they are waging is so dangerous. For example:

While this may appear to be benign, election-year activity, it important to note that CAIR's aims are far from that. In 1998, CAIR's founder, Omar Ahmad, stated that "Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth."

And:

Worldwide, Islamic fundamentalists continue to make inroads into Western culture, political structures and in the economic system, while, at the same time, insisting on severe and outrageous punishments for even minor violations of sharia or Islamic law. It is unprecedented that a minority group that freely immigrated to the United States and Europe of its own accord is now endeavoring to overhaul Western civilization to its Koran-dictated, specifications. The West, particularly America, has a tradition of welcoming people from other cultures and practitioners of different religions. However, immigrants have always assimilated and strengthened American society rather than demand that we adopt their ways at the expense of our own.

Many Westerners, who worship at the altar of multiculturalism and erroneously believe that Islam is just another faith, fail to understand the inherent cultural and political dangers of a religion that is a consummate ideology for the faithful. Unwitting Westerners write off barbaric punishments as mere cultural differences, enthusiastically embrace blatant acts of appeasement and readily respond to demands for special privileges and allowances never before conferred on other groups.

Also:

In places like Saudi Arabia, the epicenter and primary global financier and promoter of Wahhabism, an austere form of Islam that interprets the Koran literally, social rules are severe, extensive and often brutal. Gender apartheid is enforced with separate libraries for men and women. Starbucks coffeehouses are divided into "male" and "family-only" sections, and hotels are completely devoid of a female presence, as all personnel, including maids, are male. A rape victim was recently sentenced to 200 lashes, a punishment that was increased when her lawyer complained of its injustice. At the same time that the Saudi government is sponsoring 32,000 students on visas to the United States, the standard Saudi elementary and high school curriculum teaches hatred for Christians and Jews.

And:

Meanwhile, six years after 9/11, most Americans remain ignorant about the history, nature and intent of Islamic jihad. They know little about the worldwide presence of Islamist groups, the hateful rhetoric directed toward non-Muslims spewing from mosques and madrassas, the use of the Internet by Muslim radicals to spread their propaganda and connect with each other, the extent of weapons arsenals and nuclear proliferation, and the geopolitical interconnections between countries in the Middle East, Europe, Pakistan, Afghanistan, South America, North Korea, Southeast Asia and Africa.

Ms. Levy's final paragraph says this:

An ideology that endeavors to supplant our laws, culture and religious beliefs poses a dangerous threat and is not a candidate for coexistence. We had better face the reality of true, Islamic doctrine and forcefully fight its encroachment into our society. It is a peril to our way of life if we wish to preserve the liberal and enlightened democracy that is America.

I think we have allowed political correctness to run amok if we can't even warn our country about a very serious danger that it faces.

As we consider presidential candidates, it would be a good idea to check and see what kind of courage they have.

The Bali Conference on Global Warming/Climate Change

2007-12-15T09:24:00.000-06:00

The United Nations has been holding a climate conference in Bali, Indonesia. A huge number of people winged their way to the island resort for this meeting. It boggles my mind that so many still think that global warming as a disaster waiting to happen is a done deal. I want to present some information to you from the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works: Minority Page. The minority members of the committee, led by Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK), have a blog here and that is where I'm getting this information. The December 11 and 13 posts are of particular interest.

On December 11, a post by Marc Morano (who posted all 3 articles I'm going to link to) titled "Skeptical Scientists Urge World To ‘Have the Courage to Do Nothing' At UN Conference" that illustrates how far from a scientific consensus the global warming 'beliefs' are. There are links in the article to other material. Some quotes:

Lord Christopher Monckton, a UK climate researcher, had a blunt message for UN climate conference participants on Monday.

"Climate change is a non-problem. The right answer to a non-problem is to have the courage to do nothing," Monckton told participants.

"The UN conference is a complete waste of our time and your money and we should no longer pay the slightest attention to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,)" Monckton added. (LINK)

Monckton also noted that the UN has not been overly welcoming to the group of skeptical scientists.

"UN organizers refused my credentials and appeared desperate that I should not come to this conference. They have also made several attempts to interfere with our public meetings," Monckton explained.

And:

UN IPCC reviewer and climate researcher Dr. Vincent Gray of New Zealand, an expert reviewer on every single draft of the IPCC reports since its inception going back to 1990, had a clear message to UN participants.

"There is no evidence that carbon dioxide increases are having any effect whatsoever on the climate," Gray, who shares in the Nobel Prize awarded to the UN IPCC, explained. (LINK)

"All the science of the IPCC is unsound. I have come to this conclusion after a very long time. If you examine every single proposition of the IPCC thoroughly, you find that the science somewhere fails," Gray, who wrote the book "The Greenhouse Delusion: A Critique of "Climate Change 2001," said.

"It fails not only from the data, but it fails in the statistics, and the mathematics," he added.

Note that Dr. Gray is a member of the UN IPCC and shares in the Nobel Prize awarded to that group.

The two December 13 posts are titled "Over 100 Prominent Scientists Warn UN Against 'Futile' Climate Control Efforts" and "Global Carbon Tax Urged at UN Climate Conference". The first post is about an open letter to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. It contains a copy of the letter and a list of those who signed it. The second post tells of advocacy for a global carbon tax which would, in effect, be an attempt to redistribute wealth and would diminish future prosperity. A couple of quotes from that piece:

However, ideas like a global tax and the overall UN climate agenda met strong opposition Thursday from a team of over 100 prominent international scientists who warned the UN that attempting to control the Earth's climate was "ultimately futile."

The scientists wrote, “The IPCC's conclusions are quite inadequate as justification for implementing policies that will markedly diminish future prosperity. In particular, it is not established that it is possible to significantly alter global climate through cuts in human greenhouse gas emissions." The scientists, many of whom are current or former members of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), sent the December 13 letter to the UN Secretary-General. (See: Over 100 Prominent Scientists Warn UN Against 'Futile' Climate Control Efforts – LINK)

And:

The environmental group Friends of the Earth, in attendance in Bali, also advocated the transfer of money from rich to poor nations on Wednesday.

“A climate change response must have at its heart a redistribution of wealth and resources,” said Emma Brindal, a climate justice campaigner coordinator for Friends of the Earth. (LINK)

Calls for global regulations and taxes are not new at the UN. Former Vice President Al Gore, who arrived Thursday at the Bali conference, reiterated this week his call to place a price on carbon dioxide emissions. (LINK)

In 2000, then French President Jacques Chirac said the UN’s Kyoto Protocol represented "the first component of an authentic global governance." Former EU Environment Minister Margot Wallstrom said, "Kyoto is about the economy, about leveling the playing field for big businesses worldwide." Canadian Prime Minster Stephen Harper once dismissed Kyoto as a “socialist scheme.” (LINK)

I highly recommend reading these blog posts. They will give you information you might not get anywhere else.

You can find out about congressional committees by going to the Federal Legislative Branch page of the US Government official website. You can then click on "Committee Office Websites" for either the House or the Senate and find out what committees there are, clicking on the committee name to find out what said committee is doing. Informative reading.

On a side note, if you have not been able to post comments because you did not have a Google/Blogger account, that is no longer the case. Blogger was making some changes to the comments portion of the program, but you can comment by selecting either "Nickname" or "Anonymous" and post a comment without having to register anywhere.

World View

2007-12-08T17:36:00.000-06:00

I have been thinking about how each person has a world view, or perspective, on life. Where does this come from? How do we know whether our world view is a good one or not?

I think that beginning in childhood, we accumulate various influences that affect how we see life and the world. It begins with being influenced by (or rebelling against) our parents. We see their example in word and deed and form opinions about that. Once we start church attendance and school attendance, we are influenced by the various teachers we have, as well as our peers. This continues through high school and college. We begin to be influenced by media, whether it is newspapers, television, magazines, etc. Particularly persuasive speakers or writers may sway us more than we realize. We end up with a world view created by a hodge-podge of influences, some of which were accepted without any real thought.

Now that we are mature adults, it seems to me a good idea to reconsider our opinions and ideas and try to trace where they came from and if they are any good. This can be difficult, but it is better than drifting along without thought.

In my opinion, God and the scriptures are the best source for learning what life is about and what we should do with the life we've been given. Of course, our world view can influence how we interpret scriptures and what course we follow in choosing a religion or choosing to reject religion.

Other sources for learning are history and literature. If we read widely in these areas, we will get a more accurate picture of what works and what doesn't than we would if we restrict our reading to only those authors we know already agree with our perspective and opinions. Even the most objective of writers will be somewhat biased because of his world view. It's the same with teachers. Anyone who is in a position to select what material is presented and how it is presented allows at least some subconscious decisions to enter into the mix. That is why we should look to more than one source to educate ourselves.

As for choosing what to believe, that becomes an individual choice. The hope would be that we would do our best to choose based on facts rather than persuasive writing/teaching or what sounds good on the surface. We should learn to think things through and consider the consequences of whatever choice we are thinking about. Does it bring good into our lives and the lives of others, or does it bring bad?

Sometimes facts aren't enough. Faith enters into our choices, too. We think of faith as a religious term, but everyone has faith in whatever they choose to believe--evolution, atheism, Marxism, feminism, and other "isms" require faith from their followers. They require faith that the propositions are correct and good, whether they are or not. So it is actually a mix of facts and faith that form our world views.

Different people have different issues that concern them, so they look to different sources for answers. What concerns me is that sometimes people come to see problems where there are none simply because whatever world view they have arrived at conditions them to see things from a narrow perspective--if they are oriented to look for oppression everywhere, they will see oppression everywhere because that is what they have trained their minds to conclude upon viewing just about anything. So then we need to ask ourselves if we are being realistic or if we have bought into one philosophy to such an extent that we no longer see things as they really are. That can be difficult to sort out because we will have a tendancy to think that we are seeing reality, even when we are not.

I don't know the best way to evalute our world view and see whether it is good or not. The only thing I know to do is to consider the sources of our viewpoints and also to think through the consequences of having those viewpoints. It would also help to know what other viewpoints there are out in the world--that's where reading widely comes into play--so that we can consider those as well.

I said I didn't know the best way, but actually I do. It's just that it won't be acceptable to some. My best way is to consider all things in light of the scriptures and to pray about them, and to listen to God's prophets and apostles, found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For those who don't turn to religion, well, you can still read widely and think things through and do the best you can to sort out whether your views are reasonable or not.

One reason I have been thinking about all this today is the presidential election coming up in 2008 and all the candidates with all their ideas about how the United States of America should be run. We voters have a responsibility to make the best choice possible when we cast our votes in the primaries and in the general election. Some candidates have ideas that sound good on the surface, but when thought through, one realizes that those ideas will mean very high taxes, government interference, and/or wrecking the economy. They might mean loss of freedoms. So we need to consider things carefully and not cast our votes for reasons that won't lead this country and its people where they should go.

It's complicated, but giving conscious thought to our beliefs and opinions and ideas can make a big difference in how much good can come from our lives. I haven't covered nearly all that can go into this type of thinking and considering and each person will have his own ideas about it, but I hope that I have given you something to ponder.

Puzzles, Games, etc.

2007-12-08T10:49:00.000-06:00

I'm not thinking of anything I want to post about today, but I skipped last week so I will post on puzzles and games to entertain you until my brain wakes up.

If you like crosswords, sudoku, tests, and word games of all kinds, take a trip over to Puzz.Com and you should find your favorite type of puzzle or game to keep you busy and exercise your brain.

New Superfoods

2007-11-24T14:18:00.000-06:00

I found an article at Science Daily about some new superfoods you can add to your diet for good health. Not that they are new foods per se, but science has discovered more about how healthful they are. The article is called "Try Adding These Superfoods to Your Thanksgiving Dinner This Year". It's a little late for Thanksgiving, but try them with your leftovers.

Kiwi is a delicious fruit with a strawberry-like flavor. Apparently, they are also extra healthy! The other foods mentioned are barley, cranberries, kefir (anyone know what this is?), and broccoli sprouts, which I'm not familiar with, but I like broccoli, so I'll probably like them.

I just made a trip over to Wikipedia. Here's what they have to say about Kefir:

Kefir (alternately keefir, kephir, kewra, talai, mudu kekiya, milkkefir, búlgaros) is a fermented milk drink that originated in the Caucasus region. It is prepared by inoculating cow, goat, or sheep's milk with kefir grains. Traditional kefir was made in skin bags that were hung near a doorway, and the bag was knocked by everyone passing through the doorway to help keep the milk and kefir grains well mixed.[1]

Kefir grains are a combination of bacteria and yeasts in a matrix of proteins, lipids, and sugars. This symbiotic matrix forms grains that resemble cauliflower. Today, kefir is becoming increasingly popular due to new research into its health benefits. Many different bacteria and yeasts are found in the kefir grains, which are a complex and highly variable community of micro-organisms.[2]

Traditional kefir is fermented at ambient temperatures, generally overnight. Fermentation of the lactose yields a sour, carbonated, slightly alcoholic beverage, with a consistency similar to thin yogurt[3].

I think I'll pass.

Federal Spending

2007-11-23T09:08:00.000-06:00

At The Conservative Voice there is an article by Paul M. Weyrich called "A Guide to Federal Spending Out of Control". There is a link in the article that lets you download a pdf booklet called "The Little Book of Big Government".

The article begins by stating:

One of the reasons the Democrats won that resounding victory in the 2006 elections is that Republicans lost their way. In the 109th Congress there was profligate spending which would have made President Lyndon B. Johnson blush. Following the 2006 elections the Party leadership resolved that the GOP was going to get back on track. The leadership determined that spending was again going to be a major issue for the Republicans.

Toward that end, Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) has produced a booklet to help GOP Members of Congress “in making the case for a smaller, less intrusive, more efficient and more effective federal government.”

After giving some example facts and figures, Mr. Weyrich says:

The Blunt booklet contains interesting information about eternal Federal programs, Federal regulations which stifle free enterprise, the looming entitlement crisis and much, much more. It is useful for every head of household, indeed every voter, to have around. In this era of remarkable technology, it will be possible to download in your browser the booklet by typing the web address mentioned above.

But I warn you, once you read and digest all of the data in the “Little Book of Big Government,” you won’t be able to put it down and moreover you will become part of the tax revolt in this country. You will demand that Congressmen and Senators cut back on government spending and your friends won’t want to see you coming as you demand that they understand the looming entitlement crisis. What are friends for if not to bother them on issues!

I recommend reading this article and downloading the booklet (it's 55 pages) so you can read and consider what it says. Government spending, especially by the federal government, is definitely out of control and citizens need to become aware of the details and contact their senators and congressmen to encourage them to turn things around. Or perhaps it would be best to demand that they turn things around.

Somehow those in government have gotten the idea that our money is their money and that they can spend it endlessly. Some of it is our own fault as citizens and voters because we don't realize the extent of the problem. This article and the booklet will help us to become informed and able to do something to stop the nonsense.

Latest Information on WMDs in Iraq

2007-11-17T07:50:00.000-06:00

At FrontPage Magazine there is an article about WMDs in Iraq. The article is called "Shattering Conventional Wisdom about Saddam's WMDs" by John Loftus. This is an interim report as there are literally many shelf-miles of documents to be gone through and translated, but what has been learned so far shows that while the WMDs aren't all buried in the sand, there definitely were WMDs long after 1991--right up to just before we invaded Iraq, in fact.

The article isn't too long, and is well worth the time to read it. Here is the first paragraph:

Finally, there are some definitive answers to the mystery of the missing WMD. Civilian volunteers, mostly retired intelligence officers belonging to the non-partisan IntelligenceSummit.org, have been poring over the secret archives captured from Saddam Hussein. The inescapable conclusion is this: Saddam really did have WMD after all, but not in the way the Bush administration believed. A 9,000 word research paper with citations to each captured document has been posted online at LoftusReport.com. This document research has been supplemented with dozens of interviews.

The next two paragraphs provide something of a summary which is documented by the rest of the article and the research paper mentioned above:

The absolutists on either side of the WMD debate will be more than a bit chagrinned at these disclosures. The documents show a much more complex history than previously suspected. The "Bush lied, people died" chorus has insisted that Saddam had no WMD whatsoever after 1991 - and thus that WMD was no good reason for the war. The Neocon diehards insist that, as in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the treasure-trove is still out there somewhere, buried under the sand dunes of Iraq. Each side is more than a little bit wrong about Saddam's WMD, and each side is only a little bit right about what happened to it.

The gist of the new evidence is this: roughly one quarter of Saddam's WMD was destroyed under UN pressure during the early to mid 1990's. Saddam sold approximately another quarter of his weapons stockpile to his Arab neighbors during the mid to late 1990's. The Russians insisted on removing another quarter in the last few months before the war. The last remaining WMD, the contents of Saddam's nuclear weapons labs, were still inside Iraq on the day when the coalition forces arrived in 2003. His nuclear weapons equipment was hidden in enormous underwater warehouses beneath the Euphrates River. Saddam’s entire nuclear inventory was later stolen from these warehouses right out from under the Americans’ noses. The theft of the unguarded Iraqi nuclear stockpile is perhaps, the worst scandal of the war, suggesting a level of extreme incompetence and gross dereliction of duty that makes the Hurricane Katrina debacle look like a model of efficiency.

Here is what the last paragraph says:

Saddam’s nuclear documents compel any reasonable person to the conclusion that, more probably than not, there were in fact nuclear WMD sites, components, and programs hidden inside Iraq at the time the Coalition forces invaded. In view of these newly discovered documents, it can be concluded, more probably than not, that Saddam did have a nuclear weapons program in 2001-2002, and that it is reasonably certain that he would have continued his efforts towards making a nuclear bomb in 2003 had he not been stopped by the Coalition forces. Four years after the war began, we still do not have all the answers, but we have many of them. Ninety percent of the Saddam files have never been read, let alone translated. It is time to utterly reject the conventional wisdom that there were no WMD in Iraq and look to the best evidence: Saddam’s own files on WMD. The truth is what it is, the documents speak for themselves.

There is still much to learn, of course, but the information gathered so far is beginning to answer a lot of questions.

Veteran's Day 2007

2007-11-11T05:43:00.001-06:00

“Throughout our history, America has been protected by patriots who cherished liberty and made great sacrifices to advance the cause of freedom. The brave members of the United States Armed Forces have answered the call to serve our Nation, ready to give all for their country. On Veterans Day, we honor these extraordinary Americans for their service and sacrifice, and we pay tribute to the legacy of freedom and peace that they have given our great Nation.”—President George W. Bush, 2007 Veterans Day Proclamation

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends. (John 15:13).

Remember Veteran’s Day today.

Indoctrination in Delaware

2007-11-10T14:22:00.000-06:00

I don't know if you have heard about the program at the University of Delaware wherein they had a "treatment" for the "incorrect attitudes and beliefs" of their students, but I am relieved to tell you that said program has been terminated, effective immediately. FrontPage Magazine has an article about the program and its termination, "Victory at University of Delaware" which recounts the story and provides links to more information about it.

This program was a shocking attempt to "train" students to think in a certain way about various issues of the day. At Jewish World Review, Dr. Walter Williams writes a column titled "Academic Cesspools II" which details some of the insane things that the University of Delaware was doing before the program was terminated. We can all be thankful the program has ended.

I would urge alumni and parents of students to find out what is going on at their universities and get involved in supporting true academic freedom. Voting with their pocketbooks and their feet would be a good beginning.

About the Constitution

2007-11-03T07:57:00.000-05:00

A lot of Americans seem to misunderstand what the Constitution says. Some call it a "living" document, meaning that they can interpret it in any way they wish. Not so. Dr. Walter Williams has written a column titled "Congressional Constitutional Contempt" in which he explains some of the main ideas that are actually in the Constitution. The column can be found at Jewish World Review.

To start with, Dr. Williams tells us the oath that members of Congress take when they enter office.

Here's the oath of office administered to members of the House and Senate: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me G-d." A similar oath is sworn to by the president and federal judges.

It is quite specific about supporting and defending the Constitution. He also tells us about the efforts of Rep. Shadegg (R-AZ) to enforce this oath.

In each new Congress since 1995, Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., has introduced the Enumerated Powers Act (HR 1359). The Act, which has yet to be enacted into law, reads: "Each Act of Congress shall contain a concise and definite statement of the constitutional authority relied upon for the enactment of each portion of that Act. The failure to comply with this section shall give rise to a point of order in either House of Congress. The availability of this point of order does not affect any other available relief."

Simply put, if enacted, the Enumerated Powers Act would require Congress to specify the basis of authority in the U.S. Constitution for the enactment of laws and other congressional actions. HR 1359 has 28 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.

When Shadegg introduced the Enumerated Powers Act, he explained that the Constitution gives the federal government great, but limited, powers. Its framers granted Congress, as the central mechanism for protecting liberty, specific rather than general powers. The Constitution gives Congress 18 specific enumerated powers, spelled out mostly in Article 1, Section 8. The framers reinforced that enumeration by the 10th Amendment, which reads: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved for the States respectively, or to the people."

I have to wonder why this Act has never become law. It is perfectly consistent with what Congress should be doing. After giving some quotes from our founding fathers regarding their intentions and how these intentions fit with what Rep. Shadegg is trying to do, Dr. Williams says:

Congressmen, openly refusing to live up to their oath of office, exhibit their deep contempt for our Constitution. The question I've not been able to answer satisfactorily is whether that contempt simply mirrors a similar contempt held by most of the American people. I'm sure that if founders such as James Madison, John Adams or Thomas Jefferson were campaigning for the 2008 presidential elections, expressing their vision of the federal government's role, today's Americans would run them out of town on a rail. Does that hostility reflect constitutional ignorance whereby the average American thinks the Constitution authorizes Congress to do anything upon which they can get a majority vote or anything that's a good idea? Or, are Americans contemptuous of the constitutional limitations placed on the federal government?

If only Americans would actually study the Constitution and know what it says, they could elect public officials who would truly support and defend the Constitution. The improvement in America and the preservation of her liberties would be great.

If you do not have a copy of the Constitution, you can read it here at Patriot Post. And on their Historic Documents page, you can read the amendments to the Constitution and other historic documents. Very important reading.

Musings (or Rantings, Depending on Your Point of View)

2007-10-27T10:56:00.000-05:00

Global warming, or climate change, is still making headlines. It gets blamed for everything and mankind gets blamed for global warming, even though there is evidence out there that man does not have that big an effect on the environment. There are ways, of course, that people can be better stewards of the earth, but those ways are best implemented on a local, personal level. Scientists can help, if they will actually follow the scientific method and not get into politics and personal agendas. Real information will help real people make real decisions about their personal stewardship responsibilities.

Education is a major concern, too, because it shapes the thinking of the rising generation. It seems that only liberal ideas and propaganda are welcome in schools these days. A true education comes with looking at all sides of an issue and thinking clearly and critically about them all. It also comes from an honest survey of the past in history and other writings to learn lessons that only history and the past can teach us about what works and what doesn't. Rewriting history or editing some of it out doesn't help anyone--it only hurts us all. Then there is this whole self-esteem thing. What good does it do a child to be praised or rewarded for doing things wrong? Does it really prevent hurt feelings? No. A child knows when he doesn't deserve praise or a reward. And as far as trying to prevent hurt feelings--well, that doesn't do much to prepare someone for real life, does it?

Feminism strikes me as being selective for liberal causes. It also strikes me as training women to see oppression everywhere, even when it isn't there in reality. And what about the oppression of women in the Middle East? That is a real, honest-to-goodness problem and yet feminists remain strangely silent on the subject. I can only presume that it is because supporting change in the Middle East doesn't fit the liberal agenda. It is a larger and more important example of what feminists did with Bill Clinton--sexual harassment was bad unless it was perpetrated by Mr. Clinton. I am sure there are consistant feminists out there somewhere, but I haven't been hearing from them. Certainly they aren't making the news.

Immigration is a tough problem. Yes, we all want to be charitable, but in my view, when someone commits a crime (coming the the United States illegally) and benefits from that crime, then things are seriously out of whack. It's frustrating, too, when some play the race card and accuse those of us who want the laws enforced of being racist. It isn't true and surely they know it, but it gets attention and stops any honest debate on the subject. It's the same with accusing people falsely of being homophobic because they believe that marriage is only for one man and one woman, and that school children shouldn't be subjected to all sorts of indoctrination about what constitutes a family and about what sexual behavior is acceptable.

There are so many ways that we allow government to intrude into our lives and go well beyond what they are constitutionally permitted to do and yet so many don't seem to realize that our freedom and liberty is at stake. Taxes leap to mind. So do things like hate-crimes legislation, laws to ban transfats and other things that someone has decided are bad for us (they may be bad for us, but it is not government's place to decide).

Certainly conservatives aren't perfect, either. The thing is, though, that most conservatives look at the big picture and see the problems that will arise when "feel-good" legislation is proposed and when education is one-sided and when those opposing them indulge in name-calling instead of addressing the actual issues and debating ideas honestly.

I understand that there are those opposed to my viewpoint and that is their privilege. What I can't understand is why they won't even consider that they might be thinking about some things in the wrong way--or, worse, not thinking at all, just blindly following the liberal agenda. Well, I suppose that is what they think about me. I just want people to be more objective and to think things through in a more complete way. I want to see real, honest debate in the presidential campaigns instead of candidates who tailor what they say to fit a poll they've seen or an audience they are speaking to.

A Love Affair with Trains

2007-10-19T18:45:00.000-05:00

Do you like trains? Do you love trains? I do. In 1969 my family took a train trip from Perry, Oklahoma to Chicago, Illinois. We hung around Chicago for several days, visiting museums and taking a boat ride on Lake Michigan (which I also loved), and then came back home on the train. It was an overnight trip, so a good part of the time it was too dark to see much, but I loved the ride. It was a new experience for me.

There is something cozy about being on a train and looking out at the world. It's also great fun to pass through a town or city and see tiny slices of people's lives. In the evening, they'll be sitting in their living rooms or dining rooms near the tracks and you see them for a moment in time. Or perhaps they are walking along a nearby street or greeting someone at the train station or they are in a car on a street near the tracks. Just a tiny slice of their lives, but enough to wonder about them. Who are they? What are they like?

It's much the same with the various scenery you see from the train. Who farms that cornfield? Who hunts in those woods or fishes in that stream?

I love to read travel books about train trips through South America, Russia, China, or Europe. The writers describe the scenes, their fellow passengers, the train employees, and the train itself. A train is like its own little world passing among other worlds out on solid ground. Fascinating.

My friend, Pop, passed along to me a link to a wonderful website called RailPictures.Net where you can see more train pictures than you'll ever have time to look at.

Have you ever ridden a train? Where did you go and what did you like about it?

Fun and Interesting Websites

2007-10-11T17:33:00.000-05:00

I love to learn about anything and everything. Learning about the things in nature is especially fascinating and so I am sharing some links with you about insects, birds, and various other things that are fun to learn about.

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Insects

geology.com

Tom Campbell's Amateur Astronomy

Archaeology Info (This site is pro-evolution, but has lots of information about archaeology.)

Noble Plant Image Gallery

Birding, Birdwatching, and Wild Birds at About.com

"Fish" at Wikipedia

Northeast Fisheries Science Center (a fun page of FAQs about fish and other aquatic life)

USDA Plants Database

Botany.com The Encyclopedia of Plants, Gardening, and Botanical Dictionary

An Illustrated Herbal (I'm not recommending any medicinal use--this is just an interesting site to read)

Well, that's enough links to keep you busy for a long time! It's just so interesting to learn to identify fish, plants, birds, and insects. There are lots of fascinating, little known facts about them. The Botany.com site seemed to have lots of gardening information, too, which should be helpful for those with a place to grow things.

Global Warming Again

2007-09-29T10:27:00.000-05:00

You may or may not be tired of hearing about global warming, but this is an important issue because many politicians and other leaders are trying to use the hysteria they have created to grab power and money.

At Jewish World Review Dr. Walter Williams writes a column called "Global Warming Hysteria". As usual, Dr. Williams cuts to the chase and also tells you where you can find some good information:

There's an excellent booklet available from the National Center for Policy Analysis (ncpa.org) titled "A Global Warming Primer." Some of its highlights are:

"Over long periods of time, there is no close relationship between CO2 levels and temperature."

"Humans contribute approximately 3.4 percent of annual CO2 levels" compared to 96.6 percent by nature.

"There was an explosion of life forms 550 million years ago (Cambrian Period) when CO2 levels were 18 times higher than today. During the Jurassic Period, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, CO2 levels were as much as nine times higher than today."

What about public school teachers frightening little children with tales of cute polar bears dying because of global warming? The primer says, "Polar bear numbers increased dramatically from around 5,000 in 1950 to as many as 25,000 today, higher than any time in the 20th century." The primer gives detailed sources for all of its findings, and it supplies us with information we can use to stop politicians and their environmental extremists from doing a rope-a-dope on us.

Here's a link to the National Center for Policy Analysis. And here is a link to "A Global Warming Primer". Enjoy.

Environmental Hysteria

2007-09-22T05:36:00.000-05:00

I've found an interesting article at FrontPage Magazine called "Hysteria's History: Environmental Alarmism in Context" by Amy Kaleita, Ph.D., with Gregory R. Forbes. It's a 30-page pdf file, but well worth your time to read. In it, Dr. Kaleita reviews the various alarmist predictions about the environment and how they have proven to be inaccurate. She also writes about some of the bad policies that have been enacted due to alarmism and the damage those policies have done.

Here is a sample quote from page 11:

Alarmists consistently ignore or deny the ability of humans to learn, grow, and advance socially and technologically. Swiss biochemist Ehrenfried Pfeiffer clearly states this alarmist view: “Production, rationalization and technicalization have reached a ‘saturation.’ They can not be increased.”21
Yet time and time again we see agricultural production records being broken. Human ingenuity and scientific advances help us better manage our acres and plant higher-yielding varieties that are drought, pest, and disease resistant. Every continent has seen an increase in yield in the last 40 years—with, of course, localized differences. Crop yield worldwide has increased for every commodity type, including fruit by 31 percent, rice by 63 percent, vegetables by 37 percent, and wheat by 148 percent.22

This is an interesting article with some good information. We definitely need to consider more than just the writings of the mainstream media when figuring out what policies to enact and what to avoid.

Oil is also a topic covered in this article. Here is a sample quote from page 12:

In 1971, proven oil reserves were at 521 billion gallons; in 2006, they were at 1,290 billion gallons.37 The Cambridge Energy Research Association (CERA) has predicted that petroleum supplies will actually grow faster than demand until 2010.38 Oil production and reserve levels have not yet dropped and are not likely to drop; supply constraints, where they exist, are issues of investment, geopolitics, and infrastructure.

Concern about energy supplies is widespread and certainly needs to be considered. It just needs to be considered with facts and not with alarmist predictions.

All in all, this is a good article for those concerned about the various aspects of the environment.

What to do About Indoctrination at Schools and Universities

2007-09-15T07:33:00.000-05:00

Last week's post was about indoctrination in the educational system in the USA. Today I will link to a place where you can find out what you or your students can do to stop it. First up is a website called Students for Academic Freedom. This organization works to stop the one-sided "education" our kids get. On that site, or at FrontPage Magazine, you can read a letter about what the organization does and what you can do. They have made a little progress, but there is a lot more to do.

There are a couple more articles you should read. They are "I'm OK, You're Not OK" by Mark Bauerlein and "The Peace (Studies) Racket" by Bruce Bawer. These articles discuss the leftist approach to education.

We really need to be concerned about the inadequate education our young people are receiving these days.

The State of Academia

2007-09-08T18:53:00.000-05:00

I love education--reading, studying, thinking, writing. It is all so wonderful. Because of my love of learning, it makes me incredibly sad to view the state of our educational systems here in the United States, from kindergarten right on through to the universities. They have been drifting away from teaching and getting into indoctrinating, the very antithesis of what they should be doing to prepare young people for life and for the future.

At FrontPage Magazine there is an article about the University of California at Santa Cruz titled "The Worst School in America" by David Horowitz and Jacob Laksin. While the article could have used some serious proofreading, the content is important information for all of us to know about, whether we are taxpayers or sending children to school or citizens concerned about the direction our country is headed in. The article is long, but well worth the time to read.

UCSC is a public university funded by taxpayers. Yet they are violating academic standards right and left and openly training radical activists of all stripes. Many other schools teach some of these same types of courses. Education is supposed to be about teaching students to read, write, and think with clarity, and to study multiple viewpoints, objective facts, scientific studies, and the like. It is not supposed to be about the egregious violation of these academic principles.

I hope people will wake up and investigate what is being taught at schools they send their children and/or their donations to. This is serious, folks.

Space

2007-09-01T11:30:00.000-05:00

I've been battling the flu or something this past week, and I just don't feel up to a full-fledged post. However, here is a link to Space.com where you can enjoy news, science, technology, and pictures about the skies above our heads. Enjoy.

Holiday History

2007-08-25T08:49:00.000-05:00

I love to read the history of various holidays--it's fascinating stuff! At The History Channel you can click on Holidays under the heading of Topics and get this page. There you will find "The History of the Holidays". There are a number of them to click on, from those that are traditional in the USA, to those from other traditions that you hear of from time to time.

This morning, I clicked on Labor Day, as that's our next holiday here in America. Here are the first two paragraphs of The History Channel's write up:

As the Industrial Revolution took hold of the nation, the average American in the late 1800s worked 12-hour days, seven days a week in order to make a basic living. Children were also working, as they provided cheap labor to employers and laws against child labor were not strongly enforced.

With the long hours and terrible working conditions, American unions became more prominent and voiced their demands for a better way of life. On Tuesday September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers marched from city hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first-ever Labor Day parade. Participants took an upaid day-off to honor the workers of America, as well as vocalize issues they had with employers. As years passed, more states began to hold these parades, but Congress would not legalize the holiday until 12 years later.

And the last paragraph:

Although Labor Day is meant as a celebration of the labor movement and its achievements, it has come to be celebrated as the last, long summer weekend before Autumn.

There are links to various people and terms used so that you can get more information. For example, the eight-hour work day.

Lots to learn in history!!

"Tragic Implications"

2007-08-18T09:40:00.000-05:00

At Jewish World Review there is a column titled "Tragic Implications" by Thomas Sowell. In it, he writes about the two recent tragedies of the bridge in Minnesota and the mine in Utah, and the concerns that those two events bring to mind.

With regard to our nation's infrastructure, there are those who are using the bridge collapse as an argument to raise taxes. Yet history tells us that raising taxes doesn't result in more revenue, but cutting taxes does. There is also the issue of wasting taxpayer dollars on various pork projects. I've noticed, too, that a number of people are saying that we can't fix our infrastructure because of the war in Iraq. Sure, the war costs, but it's the government waste on pork that uses money that should go to infrastructure repair. The war is a necessary battle against tyranny, oppression, and terror.

As for the mine tragedy, Dr. Sowell points out that, among other things, we should be using more of our own oil and setting up to use nuclear power so that fewer coal miners need to put their lives at risk. The difficulty here is that politicians are paying too much attention to certain environmentalist group rather than considering what is best for our country and all its people.

I'd recommend reading his column. There's a lot of food for thought there.

Science is Supposed to be About Investigation

2007-08-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

Like global warming, another object of scientific study is evolution. And again, a small group of people insist that the debate is over and evolution, like global warming being caused by man, is a fact, even though it is assuredly not. I found an interesting article called "Theory of Evolution" at the Conservapedia. Like Wikipedia, this is a publicly written/edited online encyclopedia, so you would want to do some research of your own to confirm the information. However, this article is full of names and quotes and footnotes, so it gives you plenty of information to research.

My reading on the topic of evolution shows little, if any, evidence confirming it. Yet this is what is taught in our schools, and other viewpoints and ideas and facts are shut out. It can take years, even decades, for such indoctrinated students to realize they've been had. Who knows how much scientific research goes undone because everyone thinks "the debate is over". How many ideas and solutions and new discoveries are delayed or never found because research is stifled in certain directions?

Wikipedia has a good article on "Scientific Method" which should serve as a good reminder of what science is supposed to be about.

This past week, Newsweek had a story called "The Truth about Denial" by Sharon Begley. An excellent rebuttal of this article can be found at Townhall.com in an article called "Paralyzing Fog of Uncertainty on Climate" by Debra J. Saunders.

Just keep an open mind and search out all sides of an issue. You might be surprised at what you find. And don't forget to consider motivation for taking one side or another--the spokespeople might have hidden agendas.

Global Warming Complications

2007-08-05T18:29:00.000-05:00

I have a couple of articles I would like to share with you. We are told that the debate is over about global warming--that it is an undisputed fact. We are told that it is man's fault and that in order to save the planet, we must cut back on carbon emissions. We are told lots of things, but the truth is that the debate is not over. The touted solutions may, in fact, be making things worse. And there are things that have been accepted as truth that have been found to be questionable at best, false at worst.

First is an opinion piece from Fox News called "Junk Science: How Now Brown Cow?" by Steven Milloy. It seems that particles in the air called "aerosols" (soot and sulfates from fossil fuel combustion, and dust from volcanic eruptions), long believed to be a cooling agent, may in fact be warming the atmosphere. The article says:

Based on data collected by unmanned aerial vehicles over the Indian Ocean, researchers from the University of California, San Diego and NASA reported not only that aerosols warmed temperatures, but they also increased atmospheric heating by 50 percent. This warming, they say, may be sufficient to account for the retreat of the Himalayan glaciers.

Mr. Milloy cites sources in his article and discusses some other findings. He concludes by saying:

If manmade global climate change is something worth fretting over — and it’s not at all clear that it is — the aerosol study opens up the possibility for an entirely new hypothesis for global warming with aerosols as the culprit. Yet up to now, the “consensus” crowd has portrayed aerosols in the opposite light as cooling agents.

When so-called “consensus” can be that far off, it would seem that there’s plenty of room for serious debate.

The second article you should read is on the American Conservative Union, but was originally printed in Rolling Stone, not exactly a bastion of conservative thought. The article is "Ethanol Scam: Ethanol Hurts the Environment And Is One of America's Biggest Political Boondoggles" by Jeff Goodell. In this article, Mr. Goodell discusses the difficulties with trying to produce ethanol--from the heavy use of fossil fuels to do so to the problem of using corn for ethanol instead of food. It's an intelligent article that everyone ought to read.

The point of my pointing out these two articles is that we need to seriously look at what we do and don't do when it comes to the environment, and that blindly following politicians looking to grab power and/or money is not the best way to go about it.