Frankly Speaking

I did my best to just ignore politics for as long as I could. The fall is my favorite time of the year, and this year was no exception. I have thoroughly enjoyed my respite from blogging and following the news every day. Enjoying the world that surrounds you is a lot more fun than following politics, but after the last couple of days I find that I can't ignore what's about to happen to our country.

In previous posts I have been chastised for labeling Senator Obama as a socialist. If there is anyone out there with any doubts as to his socialist/Marxist mindset, then you haven't been paying attention.

"To avoid being mistaken for a sellout,I chose my friends carefully.The more politically active black students.The foreign students.The Chicanos.The Marxist Professors and the structural feminists and punk-rock performance poets." Senator Obama

Consider the 2001 interview with a public radio station in Chicago, which you can access by clicking on the title of this piece. When he speaks of how the courts are not structured to implement the redistribution of wealth, it doesn't take a political science major to figure out that a liberal Congress, a liberal President, and judges with similar liberal political philosophies, appointed for life by the President, will do their best to alter the framework of our government.

There is no longer any doubt that an Obama administration will do everything within it's power to institutionalize socialism and turn us into the United Socialist States of America.

Socialism in and of itself will not destroy the country, but the proponents of this philosophy will.

Ask a question of the candidate like Joe the Plumber and suddenly government computers are used to check your taxes and find anything they can to destroy your reputation.

Ask a question of the candidate and your television station is banned from further interviews.

Turn on any channel, other than Fox News, and view with incredulity the liberal bias of the mainstream media. Given the power, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will implement a "fairness doctrine" that is anything but fair. Under the guise of fairness, the voices of the opposition are stifled. I wonder where they'll setup their re-education camps.

All that redistributed wealth needs to be handed out, and the socialists will make sure that the money goes to ACORN or other phony non-partisan groups that have no interest in anything other than their parochial concerns.

Do you have any doubt that a 25% cut in the military budget, as proposed by Barney Frank, will be enacted by an Obama administration? You shouldn't. We'll basically be waiving a white flag and inviting a level of terrorism that only Israel has experienced.

And while we're at the task of withdrawing from the world, let's stop free trade as well. Ignore the benefits to all the countries involved, and let's return to the days of tariff wars.

The economic crisis we've been treated to over the last few weeks will pale in comparison to the depths that an Obama administration will lead us to. Why would anyone with money invest it and try to grow a business only to have the profits of their hard work handed out to people that don't even contribute to the tax base?

If your options are work your butt off and give more and more of your money to the government to redistribute, or sit on your butt and let the government subsidize your life of leisure, which one would you chose?

There has never been a clearer distinction between two candidates in my memory, but with the assistance of the mainstream media, that distinction has been blurred and misconstrued to make Senator Obama appear more middle-of-the-road.

He is not a centrist, he is a socialist steeped in Marxism who wants to take this country down a path that will assure our descent as the leader of the free world.

However, we do not need to despair. Regardless of the what the polls pronounce, this race is not over by a long shot. I'm sticking with my prognostication of a McCain victory, but even if I prove to be about as accurate as Carnac, I will never lose faith in the ability of this country to overcome the foibles of our elected officials. I will fight socialism with every bit of my being because the dignity of man demands it.

There are millions of Americans that will never sit idly by while a socialist/communist administration leads this country towards Soviet style democracy. We will fight you in the halls of Congress; we will fight you in the courts; we will fight you on the airwaves, we will fight you with every legal means available.

Senator Obama will never unify this country because the millions of us who enjoy freedom and individual responsibility are willing to fight, and if necessary, die for it.

Water In India - Dinner In China

Leading my remote life in Lewis County is wonderful. There is truly no where else I'd rather live in the world, but there sure are lots of places that would be something to see. Photos from one of my groups are below. I have done nothing other than add some captions.

First up: Water In India - I have paraphrased info from the website below:

http://amaze.learnhub.com/lesson/page/5048-the-amazing-well-of-chand-baori-india

The Amazing Well of Chand Baori (India) was built back in the 10th century, and it is situated in the village Abhaneri near Jaipur in Indian state of Rajasthan. This was a practical solution to the water problem in the area. The arid climate forced the locals to dig deep for a dependable water source, one that would last throughout an entire year. Chand Baori well is 30 meters deep, it has 13 floors and 3,500 steps. It is a fine example of the architectural excellence prevalent in the past. This impressive step well is as deep as a seven storeyed building. The famous Harshat Mata temple situated opposite to this well shows that there must have been a religious connection with the step-well. The well is 35 m on each side with steps leading down from each side and water can be drawn from any level. Abhaneri is 4 km northwest of Sikandra on the Jaipur-Agra highway. Abhaneri is on the Ahmadabad-Delhi railway line, near Bandikui in Jaipur District. The other nearest railway station Bandikui Junction is 6 km from Abhaneri.
























































Now we head off for dinner in China. If you don't have an appetite already, you'll be able to work one up on the way there:



















































































Personally, I'd fill my bowl with rabbit "smart pills", pour milk on them and pretend they're Cocoa Puffs before I'd EVER attempt that climb.

How Do You Handle Adversity?

The current economic crisis has provided us with daily reaffirmation of Congressional inadequacies. Their dithering in the face of this economic crisis leaves one to wonder how they ever get anything accomplished. It also illustrates how different people react differently to adversity. Some of us fight the good fight; some of us assume the fetal position, and some of us look to others to help us find our way.

I recently was introduced to the typewriter art of Paul Smith in one of my Yahoo Groups, and his story is one of the most inspirational I've ever come across. Born in Philadelphia on September 21, 1921, Paul suffered from severe cerebral palsy. His disease kept him from ever going to school, but it didn't keep him from developing artistic and visualization skills that made him a true artist and a heck of a chess player.

Paul would use his left hand to steady his right, and usually had the shift key locked down because he could never push more than one key on the typewriter at a time. Consequently, his pictures are constructed mostly of the symbols ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ). If you click on the title of this piece you'll be taken to Paul Smith Foundation.Org where you can learn a lot more about this incredible man and see more of his art work.

Paul passed away in 2007, but the story of his life should serve as a reminder of the true potential that lies within all of us. Perhaps if we made each of our representatives familiar with Mr. Smith and his incredible life they might be able to set aside politics and concentrate on the well being of their fellow citizens.

Wishful thinking? Probably, but a little inspiration can go a long way.

All Hail Queen Nancy

Yesterday Speaker Pelosi demonstrated to the country her total lack of ability as Speaker of the House. At a critical moment prior to the vote, she decided it was time to blame the Bush administration for all of the economic woes. Instead of focusing on the importance of passing the legislation, she opted to play the blame game.

Her comments didn't kill the bill, regardless of how some Republicans feel. There were 90-some Dems who voted against it, some at the instruction of Queen Nancy because they were freshman congressmen up for re-election. That really puts the country before the party eh? Then we get to listen to Barney Funky-Frank tell us he'd speak uncharacteristically nice to the 12 Republicans who voted against it because of the Queen's utterances, when a number of his cohorts on the Ways & Means committee also voted against it.

Queen Nancy conveniently overlooked legislation proposed in 2002 to overhaul Fannie & Freddie and tighten loan requirements. It passed the House, even though Funky-Frank voted against it, but it died in the Senate at the hands of Senator Chris Dodd, a man that I have always found to be honorable.

This entire mess is the result of people acting with the best of intentions who failed to abide by the basic tenets of making loans. In their attempt to get as many Americans into their own homes as possible, the Dems decided that a down payment and proof of income and ability to pay were not essential criteria when making loans. At that point, human nature took over. Greedy bankers and other "financial geniuses" created the mortgage-backed securities that have led us to where we currently are.

Fannie & Freddie are symbolic of how a country begins it's downhill slide into socialism, and the greedy bankers are symbolic of the dark side of capitalism. At some point we are going to have to decide, as a nation, which path leads to sustaining the greatness of our nation. Do we veer left towards European-style socialism, veer right towards unrestricted capitalism, or try and find a middle path that finds a balance between the two?

The lack of leadership on both sides of the aisle has left the American citizenry not knowing what the future holds for them; not knowing what the real reasons for the crisis are; not knowing if it's a bailout or a buy-in, and not knowing what action, if any, can get us out of this mess.

As I noted early on, I am opposed to the bailout on principle, but I see no other option that will prevent a worldwide depression.

Watching Congress over the last week calls to mind Nero and his fiddling as Rome burned, except now there are hundreds of fiddlers, out of tune, out of time, and out of touch with the people they represent. If the trillion dollars of losses in the stock market we saw just yesterday doesn't get these people moving, we'd all better get back to farming and growing our own food because the Great Depression of the 21st Century will make the Great Depression of the 20th Century look like a banker's holiday.

The 545

The political playhouse in Washington, also referred to as the Congress, has provided us with soap opera-like drama this past week. They have a plan - how nice of them to put aside election concerns and try to save the economy.

In honor of their bipartisan cooperation I am going to share an editorial by Charlie Reese, previously a reporter for the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper. If you're as sick of the "blame game" as I am, this is one of Reese's Pieces (sorry, couldn't help myself) that you'll find quite tasty.

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them. Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes? You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices: 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country. I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason.They have no legal authority.

They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash.T he politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it. The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people.

When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ .

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems. Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

On 9-11-03 Barney Frank said Freddie & Fannie were not in distress, a claim he continued to make right up to the bitter end.

Duke Cunningham, a Republican and a war hero, sits in jail because he accepted money for favors.

The party makes no difference. The cesspool we've allowed to grow in D.C. continues to flourish, and yet most of us believe that everyone else's representative is doing a lousy job except for my representative.

I don't have the solution and I don't know anyone who does, but transparency and accountability should be part of everything an elected official does.

Apply As Needed

If we've learned anything this week its the fact that government does have an important role in the economic life of not only our country, but the world. As I write this Secretary Paulson has not made his address as yet, but the major elements of the government's plan to steady the financial markets are already known. The stock market is soaring and it appears that the Bush administration's efforts to stabilize things have helped. We're not out of the woods by a long shot, but at least a degree of confidence has been restored and markets around the world are reflecting that.

As a conservative I am not fond of the government stepping into our lives any more than necessary. This is certainly one of those times. By announcing that Money Market Funds will be insured like your bank deposits (FDIC) and limiting short selling for about 800 financial companies for a period of time, markets around the world have regained everything they lost earlier in the week. It appears that there will also be some form of restructuring of mortgages, which is a great idea.

Even Senator Chuckie chimed in this week - a 90 day freeze on all foreclosures until the debt can be restructured. I don't often find myself in agreement with Senator Shumer, but if you're going to bail out the large financial institutions, you need to extend a hand to the little guy as well.

The big problem, as I understand it, is that much of the paper that's being held on mortgages may well be based on over-valued property. Since determining the value of the "paper" is not something that can be accomplished overnight, banks are not willing to make any funds available for loans because no one knows for sure just exactly what they've got. The creation of a new federal agency to sort things out is a scary concept, but at this point I don't see any alternative if we're to maintain stability.

All the political finger-pointing in the world solves nothing; it only pleases the partisans. The truth of the matter is that greed and the lust for more money is at the heart of the issue. Making loans based upon the assumption that the housing market will continue to climb is just plain stupid. Did you have to come up with 20% down when you bought your first home? Most of us who've owned homes for sometime had to meet that criteria, but the "I want it now" American mentality overcame the tenets of good business. The banks gladly handed out the money with an adjustable rate, and that adjustable rate has come home to roost.

I applaud the quick action on the part of the President and his advisers. It has been reported that Congress will likely take action this weekend to pass the necessary legislation that will be part of the overall plan, as opposed to their earlier plans to adjourn because no one knew what to do. I can only hope that the leaders of both houses take the necessary action and not try to pass off some half-assed, watered-down legislation like the useless proposal to drill from 50 miles off the coast and out. When 88% of the oil is 50 miles or closer to the coast, you're not solving a problem or fooling anyone, and you're certainly not doing what the American people want you to do.

If Congress fails to act in the best interests of the country, there should be a lot of incumbents looking for new jobs come November 5th.

I'm On The Wagon

N0, I am not giving up Jack Daniels. I am giving up giving a crap about politics until after the election. Hurricane Ike is headed for Texas and all these two can do is rush out political ad after ad, ad nauseum. If you take a look at the current titles of my fellow bloggers that are listed on the right, you'll see some examples of partisanship that will never change the mind of the undecideds. Therefore, I am swearing off any political commentary until after the elections.

Why? Quite simply, my mind is made up, I'm voting for John McClain. No, that's not a misspelling, I'm voting for the Bruce Willis character from the "Die Hard" series of movies. If Bruce Willis decides to run, I'll vote for him. At least by voting for a fictional character I'll be more aptly expressing my opinion of how we select our Presidential candidates. And with fiction, you get to write your own ending - you can't beat that.

OK, I will pull my tongue from my cheek and correct the above statement - I am voting for John McCain. Since Senator Obama has the most liberal voting record in the Senate, and I have no desire for socialism, the choice for me is quite simple.

Candidates slandering each other is nothing new, but that doesn't make it any more palatable. If you make your decision based on anything other than your political philosophy, then we can only hope you use some criteria more relevant than lipstick on a pig, or the hundreds of flags the Dem's threw in the garbage in Denver after the convention. Obama wasn't calling Palin a pig, and it was some minor functionary who probably didn't know how flags are supposed to be disposed of who screwed up in Denver. Our non-partisan media (more fiction) tries to make mountains out of molehills to increase their ratings. At least Keith and Chris won't be in the anchor chairs anymore. Oh, by the way, the flags were rescued by some veteran's and used by Republicans for a rally.

The point being that it is the political philosophy of the candidates that matters the most. If you are undecided, turn off the damn TV and start doing some research on the positions of each candidate. To do otherwise is to fail in your duty as an American citizen.

It is more than likely that any "undecideds" have ever been to this blog, but touting windmills has never presented much of a problem to me.

So, that's it. No more politics until after the election. I can't tell you what it is that I'll choose to do, I can only tell you that I'll do my best to keep it interesting.

Happy voting.

Alice to Geri to Sarah

I have intentionally stayed away from writing while the conventions were in progress. I am so sick of listening to babbling sycophants that I'm about ready to propose we go back British-style democracy. At least there when
an election is called you only have to listen to BS for a few weeks at most. Here it never stops. The campaign for 2012 will begin shortly after election day 2008.

The biggest shocker by far was the nomination of
Sarah Palin for Vice-President. I had never heard
of her before, but I sure like what I've seen and
heard thus far. Compared to some parts of the
world we are light years ahead on equality of the
sexes, but we still haven't had a woman in either
of the two highest offices.

In case you're wondering who the young lady is, her name was Alice Paul. If you're like me, you know the name of Susan B. Anthony and the women's suffrage movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and that's about it. I became aware of her through a post in one of my Yahoo groups and decided to do a little more investigation.

She was born January 11, 1885 and passed away on July 9, 1977. She was raised as a Quaker, which explains here early interest in women's suffrage, because many of the earliest proponents of giving women the right to vote to women were Quakers. She graduated from Swathmore College, attended the New York School of Social Work, and in 1906 she made her way to England to work in the settlement house movement. While in England she became involved in the women's suffrage movement there and became quite a militant. She is credited for originating the "hunger strike" on behalf of women's suffrage.

"Each day I was wrapped in blankets and taken to another cell to be fed, the food being injected through my nostrils. During this operation the largest Wardess in Holloway (prison) sat astride my knees, holding my shoulders down to keep me from bending forward. Two other wardesses sat on either side and held my arms. Then a towel was placed around my throat, and one doctor from behind forced my head back, while another doctor put a tube in my nostril. When it reached my throat my head was pushed forward."

Upon her return to the United States she eventually split from the more moderate arm of the women's suffrage movement (National American Woman's Suffrage Association) and founded the National Woman's Party, which was to endorse a more militant approach to suffrage. They called themselves "Silent Sentinels" and stood outside the White House with signs that called President Wilson to task. Initially tolerated, they were soon being arrested for "obstructing traffic" and released. After we entered WWI, many Americans found these women to be unpatriotic and they were attached by mobs on more than one occasion.

After spending three days in jail in 1917, Alice, along with her compatriot Lucy Burns, and other suffragettes were sent to The Occoquan Workhouse. The Occoquan Workhouse was actually a prison in nearby Virgina, and on the night of November 15, 1917, it was the scene of brutality that shocked the nation.

"Under orders from W. H. Whittaker, superintendent of the Occoquan Workhouse, as many as forty guards with clubs went on a rampage, brutalizing thirty-three jailed suffragists. They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head, and left her there for the night. They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed, and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate Alice Cosu, who believed Mrs. Lewis to be dead, suffered a heart attack. According to affidavits, other women were grabbed, dragged, beaten, choked, slammed, pinched, twisted, and kicked." (source: Barbara Leaming, Katherine Hepburn (New York: Crown Publishers, 1995), 182.)

President Wilson soon changed his tune and lent his support to the movement. In 1919 the House and the Senate passed the 19th Amendment and ratification was finally achieved on August 18, 1920 when the Tennessee legislature ratified the amendment.

The dedication and commitment of Alice Paul and other suffragettes made it possible for Geraldine Ferraro to be the first woman nominated for the office of Vice-President, and now we have Sarah Palin as well. Although I don't feel that militancy will get you anywhere most of the time, I am very glad that someone brought her story to my attention. I intend to share it with my daughters, even though one of them is an ardent Obama supporter. It doesn't matter who you support, what matters is that you participate by exercising your right to vote.

One of the lines credited to Alice Paul was this: "If women had been allowed to participate in the end of WWI there wouldn't have been a WWII". I don't know if that's the case, but based on the observation that women are more compassionate and forgiving, she may well have been right.


When she died in 1977, Alice still held out hope that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) would be passed. Although I found the ERA to be superfluous at the time, and I still do, I very much admire Alice Paul's efforts and dedication to bringing women to their rightful place in society - along side the men, not in back of them.

Click on the title and you'll be directed to an oral history from Alice Paul that was completed in 1976 shortly before her death.

I hope you find it as enlightening as I did.

Poetry, Pictures & More

First, let's begin with something out of the ordinary: Ogden Nash

I first came across this poem in a book edited by Issac Assimov and Janet Jeppson called "Laughing Space", but it was originally published in The New Yorker on May 22, 1948. I recently misread a statement in the "comments" section of this blog, and it reminded me of this poem - one of the few that I have actually memorized. Once you read the poem, you may begin to question exactly what goes on inside this gourd (yeah, I know, some of you have been questioning that for a long time).

The reason I was reminded of the poem is because I have used it for many years as a toast while performing. Reactions ranged from laughter to "...you are a pig!". The reason - it's one of those poems that you have to read carefully, or listen to closely.

You tell me: who was Ogden Nash reprimanding?

Stag Night Paleolithic

Drink hard to Uncle Ugg-lugg

The first heroic human

The first to eat an oyster

The first to marry a woman

God's curse on he who murmurs

As our party waxes moister

Had only he eaten the woman

Had only he married the oyster

If this is your first introduction to Ogden Nash, here's one more from him - marriage advice:

A Word to Husbands

To keep your marriage brimming

With love in the loving cup,

Whenever you’re wrong, admit it;

Whenever you’re right, shut up.

Short, pithy and to the point - my kinda guy.

PICTURES

Talk about Karma, the gentleman driving the truck below had some "Good Karma" working for him on this:

You'll note that the truck is facing in the direction of the the crushed guardrails. He had been going from right to left across the picture, hit the guardrail, became airborne, and landed opposite of the direction he had been traveling. Pretty lucky huh? Check out the last picture to see just how lucky he was!

Now that's what I call "Good Karma"!

THE MENSA INVITATIONAL

The Washington Post yearly conducts their "Mensa Invitational" where folks submit new words and their definitions. I found this in an old file, so I don't know what year these came from, but I thought most of them were pretty darn good. What's your favorite?

1. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

2. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

3. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people, that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The Bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

4. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

5. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

6. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

7. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

8. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.

9. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

10. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

11. Glibido: All talk and no action.

12. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

14. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

13. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

14. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

And the pick of the lot:

15. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an ***hole. (I have a bit of a problem with this definition, as it demeans the anus, which is at least functional - as opposed to some of the people who're visiting Denver - sorry DD, I just couldn't resist!)

Texas & The Death Penalty

Jeffrey Lee Wood is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection tonight in Texas. I am an opponent of the death penalty not only because it does nothing to prevent serious crime, but also because it goes against my basic principles regarding life in general. Other than self-defense or in a time of war, taking the life of another human being is abhorrent.

The case of Jeffrey Lee Wood is one that simply amazes me. If you click on the title you'll be taken to the Washington Post website where you can read their article on this. Briefly, this is what happened:

He was sitting in the car outside of the store where they had arranged with the clerk to pull off a fake robbery - then all 3 would split the proceeds. Something went wrong and his partner shot the clerk in the head.

"Since the case began, lawyers and family members have argued that Wood was mentally unfit for trial. They say he has a severe learning disability, is easily coaxed into doing what he is told and is delusional. Wood signed a statement confessing to the crime."

Other than saving the citizens of Texas the expense of keeping him locked up for the rest of his life, I fail to understand what his execution will achieve. As a punitive action it goes too far, and as for setting an example for other criminals, it's impact is nil.

I find it mind-boggling that someone can oppose the death penalty, yet state with a straight face that abortion is a matter of choice, not murder. When asked when life began last Sunday, Senator McCain answered "at conception" - a viewpoint held by approximately 70% of all Americans. Senator Obama on the other hand, said that the answer to the question was "above my pay grade." Quite the dodge for someone who is supposedly going to lead us to great change.

In Psalm 139 God says 'I formed you in your mother's womb and before you were born I planned every day of your life'. Many Christians take the bible as the literal word of God, thus most Christians believe that life begins at the moment of conception. I tend to view the Old Testament as allegorical, not as the spoken word of God. Either way, it is clear that most Christians are not in favor of abortion, but there are a fair number of these same Christians that also support the death penalty.

Regardless of whether or not your pro-life and pro-death penalty, or pro-abortion and anti-death penalty, the incongruity of the positions defies logic in my eyes.

In a previous posting on abortion I suggested this: If the mother, after viewing the fetus clearly in the womb with the technology we now have available to do that, decides that she still wants to abort the fetus, then her "choice" can be honored. With all the judging we do of others on this earth, I suggested that Christians leave their judgements at the door step once the decision has been made by the mother, and concentrate on helping the woman who has had to make this difficult decision. Let God make the final decision on the morality of aborting the child, suppress your own judgements, and just help a fellow human being who will experience doubt, guilt and a myriad of other emotions.

While discussing the death penalty with my son, he asked, "If somebody killed me, wouldn't you want them killed too?" I told him yes, I would want that person killed, but that would be a visceral reaction on my part. After time and thought, my principles would prevail and I would not endorse the death penalty for the murderer. He couldn't understand how I could feel that way about his murderer. All I could tell him is that life has taught me may things: it can stop in a heartbeat; to retain anger and a desire for revenge hurts you, not the guilty party; forgiveness is the key to a happy heart, and the less judging you do here on the earth, the better you'll be judged when it's time for the final judgement.

With all of the other problems facing our world, a story like that of Jeffrey Lee Woods is seldom national news that draws the attention of the American public. That is unfortunate, but I believe that someday this country will come to the realization that killing someone as a punitive measure is strictly Old Testament - "an eye for an eye" - and it has no place in the evolution of mankind.

It would be nice if the world viewed war in the same fashion, but I don't know if that day will ever come.

Poland & The Czech Republic

"Poland, by deploying (the system) is exposing itself to a strike — 100 percent," Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of staff, was quoted as saying. He added, in clear reference to the agreement, that Russia's military doctrine sanctions the use of nuclear weapons "against the allies of countries having nuclear weapons if they in some way help them." Nogovitsyn that would include elements of strategic deterrence systems, he said, according to Interfax.

You can click on the title of this blog to be taken to the full AP story on General Anatoly Nogovitsyn. The "system" he's referring to is the missile defense system, including Patriot missiles, that Poland has been after us to place in their country for eighteen months. As part of that agreement, the United States and Poland have also agreed that an attack on one will be considered an attack on the other.

"Russia's ambassador to Latvia Monday warned the Baltic states and Poland that they would pay for their criticism of the Kremlin over the conflict in Georgia, the Baltic news agency BNS reported."

Here's the link to that story:

http://www.topix.com/world/latvia/2008/08/russia-warns-baltics-poland-to-pay-for-georgia-stance-report

There are those in this country who think that we are enthusiastically beating the drums as a prelude to WW III, and that the dreaded "military-industrial-complex" is behind all of this. After reading the statements by the General and the Ambassador from Russia, you'd have to question the reading and comprehension capabilities of those who are already convinced that America is to blame.

The paranoia of the Russian state is a matter of history, and that has driven their political calculations for centuries. Even when we offer to allow their scientists and military personnel to participate in the development of the missile defense system, they reject it out of hand and continue on their xenophobic way.

We are at a very dangerous point in history right now. If we fail to stand up for the Eastern European democracies, it will signal the start of a new "Dark Ages" for those countries that once again fall under the Russian yoke. It will also signal to the world, especially Muslim extremists, that we aren't as willing to die for freedom as they are to die for tyranny. That's not the kind of message we should be sending.

Thus far we've employed diplomacy to try and mollify the Russian, and that is absolutely the right course to pursue. Over the next couple of weeks, unless somebody does something really stupid, we should see the situation simmer down a bit. Eventually Georgia will end up giving up some of it's territory in exchange for promises of no more military incursions by Russia. All of the Baltic States, The Czech Republic and Ukraine will be granted NATO admittance if they so desire, and the stage will be set for the next incident.

Vladimir Putin is a very dangerous individual. To deny that is to invite disaster. President Bush may have thought he looked into the man's soul, but I suspect the eyes of the ex-KGB chief are not the road to his soul. The old saw "actions speak louder than words" is quite appropriate in this instance. I, for one, am not ready to trust Putin.

If we can get an international peacekeeping/observation force on the ground in Georgia, hopefully sponsored by the UN (good luck on that one), we can get the parties separated and allow things to cool down.

President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia made a terrible miscalculation when he sent troops into South Ossetia and began bombing the Russian "peacekeepers", a miscalculation that the U.S. had been trying to prevent for the two weeks prior to troop movements. I can understand the justification that some will use: he started the damn thing, now let him finish it. I can understand it, but I don't share that point of view.

This is not about American politics, liberals or conservatives, this is about freedom and the thousands of years it's taken to get this point. If we fail to unite and stand in face of tyranny, then we fail all of those who have given their lives over the centuries to bring freedom to the world. I hope we can achieve this without bloodshed, but that's pretty much in the hands of the Russians at this point.

Putin Shows Who's In Charge

I have purposely held off writing anything about the Russians until things in Georgia developed a little more. From all the reports I've seen, Russian forces continue their aggression even though a cease fire accord was signed after negotiations with the French.

You'll have to excuse me for reflecting back on Poland in 1939. The duplicitous Russians had signed a secret agreement, along with the Non-Aggression Pact with Germany, which gave them half of Poland as theirs once Germany attacked. The reason that war was declared within days was due to the fact that England and France had signed an agreement with Poland to treat an attack on Poland as an attack on them as well.

Georgia has applied for membership in NATO, as has Ukraine. If they had already been approved as members, we would be at war now.

Instead, we are doing everything we can to try and resolve the matter diplomatically. Meanwhile, Russian forces have basically cut the small country in half, and their forces are 20 miles outside Tbilisi, the capitol of Georgia. Diplomacy is the correct course, but for how much longer?

The disputed regions have a majority of people who are Russian - just like there were so many Germans in the Sudetenland and Czechoslovakia and Poland. The Georgian President's movement of forces into the area last week, albeit an action of questionable judgement, was a movement of a country's forces within their own borders. Nonetheless, it was the pretext the Russian's used for their entry.

In May of 2007, in a post entitled "What's Your Guess?", I made the observation that it appeared that Russia's experiment with democracy was over. If anyone has any doubts about who's really making the calls in Russia these days, then you haven't been paying attention. Mr. Putin is the man in charge; an ultra-nationalist who is seeking to rebuild the old Soviet Union.

I suspect that all of the threats and sanctions mean very little to Putin, because he has the power of immense reserves of oil and gas at his command. Not only does he have the ability to put Europe through an extremely cold winter, but his actions would have a dramatic economic impact worldwide. I don't think that means a lot to him either.

So what are we going to do?

The first thing we have to do is make sure we act in unison with the Europeans. Sending Secretary Rice to France and Georgia, and sending humanitarian supplies are good first steps. We have to ascertain if the Europeans are willing to commit forces if it comes to that. We are in no position to take on the Russians by ourselves, but we can do a lot of other things to isolate Russia from the international community with the cooperation of our European allies.

Dismissal from the G8 should be immediate.

If Russia refuses to remove it's forces from Georgia, we should immediately grant NATO membership to Poland, Ukraine, and any other former members of the soviet block who want to join. I don't know if NATO membership would have kept the Russian's out of Georgia, but if they don't leave, we have to draw a clear line in the sand that alerts Putin to the fact that the world will not tolerate any further aggression. We prefer discussion and negotiation, but if they chose otherwise, they will learn that the forces of democracy cannot be overcome.

The Georgian forces may have over-reacted; they may have been driven to action by KGB provocateurs - how it began will take some investigation, but there is no doubt that Russia's actions have gone far beyond their stated goals. If we fail to unite and act as the forces of democracy, it does not bode well for the growth of freedom around the world.

If a cowardly bully is never faced down, they continue their domineering behavior. Sometimes a show of force is sufficient, sometimes it isn't. We have to be ready to react to either situation.

Hook, Line & Sinker

I've had the above photo saved for some time. I didn't know when I would ever use it, but it seems I have found the appropriate occasion. I was more than willing to believe that cell phones could pop the popcorn because of my dislike of cell phones.

I am now an official member of the Gullible Society.

My thanks to PCS for alerting me to the fact that my membership had been approved.

I have both Adobe Photoshop and Jasc Paint Shop Pro, so I am aware of some of the things you can do with pictures and video now; but since they are recent additions to the laptop I've only just begun to scratch the surface of the possibilities they provide.

The pictures below provide some idea of the possibilities:

This last image represents me trying to catch up with 21st Century technology. Urban legends aside, I guess I'll just have to pedal a little faster.

Have a great weekend!

What the Cell?

The only reason I have a cell phone is because the company pays for it. After October 31st I won't have one anymore, and I'm not sure that I'm going to run right out and buy another one after viewing the video. Just what I need, more electronic waves frying a brain that just barely made it out of the 70's.

And then there's texting. I've watched everyone else in the house do it, but I'm telling you right now, if you ever see me texting, please walk up and feel free to break a couple of fingers. Since I plan on doing a lot more guitar playing before I depart, I'm not too concerned about the offer.

My guess is that we are at the beginning of a new phase of evolution that will only become apparent hundreds of years from now. After a few generations of people who use cell phones from cradle to grave, humans will become truly telepathic and the spoken word will become obsolete. They'll also be able to fry eggs just by thinking about it.

Talk about obsolete; movie stars and TV anchor persons will no longer command any one's attention, as affinity groups form around the world. The Yahoo of the Mind. Of course the more rebellious of our offspring will find ways to join groups only to jerk some one's mental-chain.

They'll be somewhat like Commander Data from "The Next Generation" version of Star Trek, only they'll be human - kinda. I think they had an episode where the race they were visiting needed them for breeding purposes because they'd stopped having sex. They were so mental (use any definition you like) that they had lost interest in sex.

Time to do away with cell phones if that crap is gonna happen.

I Just Couldn't Help Myself

While deleting old files from "My Documents", I came across the following that was sent to me a while back, but for the life of me I can't remember who sent it. Sound familiar?

Two posts in one day is not my usual modus operandi, but I thought it was funny and I didn't want to forget about the document, much less who sent it to me. Personally, I think the picture answers the question.

Without further ado, I give you:

Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road? An American Response

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE! The chicken wanted CHANGE!

JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure - right from Day One! -- that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.......

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT' problems before adding 'NEW' problems. (Editor's Note: The guy may be right, but he's still a pretentious pain-in-the-ass)

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...

ANDERSON COOPER - CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain. Alone.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting and went on to accomplish a life long dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together in peace.

BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2008, which will not only cross roads but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of the Chicken. This is a new platform much more stable and will never reboot

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken? (Editor’s Note: I heard that somewhere in the 70's, may have even experienced it once or twice.)

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun? (This one is for DD & PCS)

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white. We need some black chickens.

PEE WEE HERMAN: It wasn't because I was choking it.

And with that, I bid you a pleasant evening.

How They Get Those "Everyday Low Prices!"

If you've ever wondered how WalMart gives you those "Everyday Low Prices", take a look at the photos of the ship "Emma Maersk". Here are some interesting statistics regarding her:

Country of Origin: Denmark
Length: 1,302 ft.
Width: 207 ft.
Crew: 13
Net Cargo: 123,200 Tons
Engine: 14 in-line cylinder diesel
Cruise Speed: 31 Knots
Construction Cost: $145 Million

Silicone paint on the bottom of the ship saves 317,000 gals. of diesel per year





















15,000 containers and a 207' beam! 13 people for a ship longer than a US aircraft carrier which has a crew of 5,000 men and officers. The 207' beam means it cannot fit through the Panama or Suez Canals . It is strictly transpacific.

Check out the cruise speed: 31 knots means the goods arrive 4 days before the typical container ship (18-20 knots) on a China-to-California run. This ship was built in five sections. The sections floated together and then welded. The command bridge is higher than a 10-story building and has 11 cargo crane rigs that can operate simultaneously.













Regardless of whether you think of them as WalMart or SprawlMart, you've got to admit that they provide a source of goods for many folks who could otherwise not afford them, and this is one of the ways they manage to do it.

Give The Man Some Credit

""My interest is in making sure we've got the kind of comprehensive energy policy that can bring down gas prices," Obama said in an interview with The Palm Beach Post.

"If, in order to get that passed, we have to compromise in terms of a careful, well thought-out drilling strategy that was carefully circumscribed to avoid significant environmental damage - I don't want to be so rigid that we can't get something done," Obama said."

You can call it a flip-flop if you want to, but I think the man is just using common political sense. You cannot continue to ignore the will of the American people and expect to be elected; a fact that remains lost on Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.

President Bush - call these dilatory representatives of the people back into session!

Perhaps now that their standard bearer has had a revelation, others may have a change of heart also. Give them about a week to get their asses chewed out back at home, then call them back to work. The American people deserve better than elected representatives with ideologies to rigid to adapt to the will and the needs of the people.

If, per chance, they refuse to compromise, I hear there are job openings in Alaska for surveyors, and I can think of a few Senators and Congressmen I'd love to see in this situation:

This poor guy doesn't realize that the bear was driven to this rage because the damn penguins have such a goofy sense of humor - not unlike yours truly.

Images For A Friday

As we begin the month of August, let's take a break from all of the political BS we'll have to listen to from both sides for the next three months, and have a "Photo Friday". The first offering is the new international symbol for gas stations. Seems rather appropriate doesn't it.

It didn't have any impact on my vacation plans, because I never had any, but there millions of folks out there who wouldn't let a little thing like gas prices keep them off the beach:

No, that's not Chases Lake, but it is the reason why most of us choose to live in the North Country.

Some shots of the beauty of summer!

Kids love the summer, especially summer vacation, but the little ones can often find the heat and humidity as hard to take as some of us older folks. Here's a new way to keep your baby cool all through August:

As the sun slides below the horizon, another day comes to an end. We give thanks and get ready for what lies ahead.


























The beauty of autumn . . .












. . and the need for a big ass

snow

blower!


Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy your families, and turn off the TV. The boobs that run this country are on a month long vacation and the candidates still have three months of yada-yada, so you won't be missing anything.