Own Worst Enemy

WARNING!!! LONG POST ALERT!!!

It started with this, posted at a “politically open” website that I used to support.

Let’s say it is true, that abortion is not the greatest idea in the world, and that a majority of Americans want to reduce abortion to the greatest extent possible. After all, looking at the stats provided by the CDC, several things are painfully obvious:
- An overwhelming majority of abortions – almost 80% occur out of wedlock.
- Among those 19 years and under, abortion is decreasing significantly; however, almost 50% of all women having abortions are over 25. In other words, they are likely not women who didn’t know better. They weren’t drunk at a college dorm, getting high behind the high school, or anything like that; they were already integrated into the responsible, adult world.
- An underwhelming percentage occurred after 21 weeks of gestation.
- The change in percentage of abortions by race says that, yes, abortion among black women is increasing, but white women are by no means absolved from the problem.

These numbers can’t be false, they come from the government. Can they? These numbers are generally accepted, and they point out a huge number of societal, economic, and political issues.

THIS IS HUGE! It’s obvious that, whether we have a consensus opinion or not, it’s worth spending time and money to make sure the problem doesn’t get any worse. We know the facts – they really aren’t even up for discussion. We know the impact – look at the broken homes, stigma to society, and loss of life. We know the resolution, but we’re not doing enough about it. Sexual expression is the start and end of the biggest cause of abortion: conception.

Conception is the new Global Warning. Consensus says conception is wrong. Consensus says we MUST act, even if the stats and forecasts are askew. Consensus says our world will fall apart if we don’t fix it. The media say it disproportionately affects the poor. Critics aren’t really arguing about it that much. Even Hillary Clinton
wants to minimize the rate of abortion, which can only be done by minimizing conception.

Conception is the new Global Warming…but only if you’re willing to pass out condoms. There is no need for behavior modification, even though it would reduce medical costs and alleviate societal issues, let alone stop freaking out every adult female who is three days late.

So, why do we want to put all the taxpayers’ money behind every potential cure for global warming, when we won’t know for years whether the potential cures will work, but won’t pursue every avenue with conception, when we know what the results will be?

I was ostracized for using satire to make a point, and for trying to manipulate people into believing that abortion was on the same plane of problems as global warming.

It went to this, as comments posted to the same website, but to a different post, searching for some pointed clarification:

There are several elements of your response that raise more issues for me
than they answer.

1. Textbook definitions of ‘consensus’, are: “agreement in the judgment or opinion reached by a group as a whole”. (WorldNet) Or, “an opinion or position reached by a group as a whole”. (American Heritage Dictionary) Or, “majority of opinion”. (Dictionary.com) The first two definitions were the ones I learned throughout my schooling years. I would surmise that the community of believers of the church of Global Warming use the word ‘consensus’ instead of ‘majority opinion’ because they, too, are well aware of what definition we all learned for the word ‘consensus’. This is not honest.

2. You didn’t respond to my charge of blacklisting non-believers and heretics. No one ever does. To me, lack of response on this charge is up there with the non-response the panel gave to the caller. It’s swept under the rug. Prove to me that the heretics aren’t persecuted, and we may have reason to come to the table together.

3. Organizationally, the community of believers looks to be more like a single, non-reproducing amoeba, than it does an emanating group of concentric circles. The former looks like it’s growing because it changes shape, but really doesn’t grow. The latter grows, and its growth is obvious because you have an origin from which you can measure the growth. a) IPCC members have left the GW table over everything from differences of outcome to differences of approach to disagreements about the use of political strong-arming. b) A significant number of scientists that signed the UN report on global warming are not meteorologists or climatologists. That’s like me, as a project manager, signing onto a report on electrical engineering. Here, the community of believers is continually redefined to make it look like we have majority of opinion.

4. Many businesses and industry leaders fail – and bring down their entire enterprise - because they say “we believe it’s true, so we HAVE to do it”. Good people are martyred for having different opinions and approaches, even if they agree with the premise. I’ve been on the wrong side of this by-product of groupthink a number of times. I’m used to it. People become blinded when they are in the “in” group, and regularly lead their projects or movements to dismal failure.

All I’m asking for is intellectual honesty. What I see is folks saying, “so what, we need to do something anyway.” That’s not honest.

The response I received was pointed alright, and ended with me asking to have my name pulled off the contributor’s list. The “science/academic guy” in the group didn't address my issues – that is, educate me – but rather scolded me. (He didn’t like my using religious metaphors to describe the movement, either. Go figure.) Again, he didn’t refute any of my issues, as I was mostly looking for an honest answer to #2, and some discussion of terms and the true population of the community of believers, er, proponents of global warming. Never got it. Hmm.

I don’t believe global warming is a legitimate issue. I’ve seen enough to believe it’s possible, but not enough to believe man has anything to do with it, and definitely not enough to believe that indulgences…er, carbon credits…will make any difference other than making green politicians and green companies rich. (Geez, and they hate Halliburton’s ties to the Bush administration. If that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black, what is?)

All that premise to get to this: the libs who are pro-global warming are really missing the boat. There is a common area of concern for all political types, and it is reliance on foreign oil. Libs don’t want to rely on any oil because of the global warming issue. They myopically forget that many conservatives don’t want foreign reliance for anything we do, including our accumulation of energy sources. So, if we could only reduce oil consumption, we’d all be better off, right?

Well, not so fast here. As easy as I believe it would be for the green left to say, “Hey, America, if we work to change our habits, and change the way we create and consume resources, in ‘x’ years we can eliminate our reliance on foreign countries that want us dead!” Sounds good, right? Lefties would get their way without freaking people out. Other energy sources would not only be considered, but pursued with vigor. Righties concerned with protecting their country would tell their politicians that we should no longer rely on Saudis and other Middle Eastern countries – or Venezuela, for that matter – to provide our oil. Russia would lose a trump card, because we could export our new technologies and take away one of their prime exports. How’s that for socking it to ‘em?

Oops, I forgot about the problem with that method. That would put America on top again. Can’t do that now, can we? That would kill everything the lefties are working for.

Instead, the libs continue to shoot themselves in the foot with global warming. They use scare tactics, and won’t answer legitimate concerns from righties because they see only political questions instead of the opportunity to educate. And they fly a quarter of a million miles in jets to play music – music! I say! – to show that global warming is bad.

I…uh…I see dumb people. D'oh!

Instead of conceding to righties a bit and protecting the country that lets them be bozos, they have to have their cake and eat it, too, all to the detriment of their own causes.

Some people never learn.

------------------------------------------------------------

Oh, and didja know that Gulliver took four journeys in Gulliver's Travels? When I read it in high school, the teacher had us read about the Lilliputians, the Brobdingnagians and the Houyhnhnms, but said it wasn't worth reading about the fourth journey (actually, in sequence it was the third). What was it about? Here's the summary from SparkNotes (emphasis mine):

Next, Gulliver sets sail again and, after an attack by pirates, ends up in Laputa, where a floating island inhabited by theoreticians and academics oppresses the land below, called Balnibarbi. The scientific research undertaken in Laputa and in Balnibarbi seems totally inane and impractical, and its residents too appear wholly out of touch with reality. Taking a short side trip to Glubbdubdrib, Gulliver is able to witness the conjuring up of figures from history, such as Julius Caesar and other military leaders, whom he finds much less impressive than in books. After visiting the Luggnaggians and the Struldbrugs, the latter of which are senile immortals who prove that age does not bring wisdom, he is able to sail to Japan and from there back to England.

Why do I feel like America is turning into Laputa and Balnibarbi?

CLC Radio

The next installment of CLC Radio will be ready in the next day or two. I'm currently having technical difficulties uploading to podOmatic.

If you've noticed the right-hand column in my blog, I now have the CLC Radio listener embedded there. When you click onto my site, the most recent podcast will be displayed at the top of the listener's list. Currently, it's on Trinity 3. So, if you're reading this and it no longer says Trinity 3, then we've uploaded a new podcast.

You can listen by clicking once on the listener, then again on the "play" button (the right-facing arrow) at the top of the listener.

Enjoy!

The Smoking Fun

The Quipper News Service (QNS) has again snagged an exclusive, just for you. Yes, that's right; an exclusive. That means no one else has it. You can only see it here, exclusively, courtesy of QNS.

We have intercepted THE CORRESPONDENCE from a member of the Ohio voting public that caused Senator Voinovich to change his vote on the so-called Immigration Bill. Many people believe that it was his performance on Sean Hannity's radio program that caused him to change his tune. However, QNS has exclusive access to a Senate staffer in Voinovich's office that has confirmed, exclusively, that this correspondence is what finally did him in.

Page 1 of 3

Page 2 of 3

(That should have been, "cause our federal deficit TO rise". EXCLUSIVE!)

Page 3 of 3

There you have it. Exclusively, from QNS. The actual letter that convinced Senator George Voinovich to vote against the illegal immigrant amnesty, don't enforce the current laws bill. (Oops, we mean the Immigration Bill. Don't want to sound partisan, now.)

EXCLUSIVE!

My Senator is an Idiot

A bigger idiot cannot be found in the Senate than George Voinovich.

Unless you talk about Harry Reid.
Or Lindsay Graham.
Or Ted Kennedy.
Or....

Okay, okay, I get it. Practically all of them are idiots. I'm disgusted with this guy.

Guitar Slingin' Pastors Scare Me

Not only do guitar slingin' pastors scare me, but so do hip-hoppin' pastors...and salsa dancin' pastors...and comedian pastors.

Yeah, they do, and it has nothing to do with their theology...okay, it does have something to do with their theology, but that's not the point of this post. It has to do with them.

What's my problem, you ask?

After giving it up for eighteen years, I've been gigging again for over a year now. It's a blast, a great release on the weekends without interfering too much with family life. The little side income helps, too. I have learned a lot so far, like:

• "Kids" of all ages can give you undue adulation. I had one tamborine-playing chick tell me she wanted to be a rock star like me. Hah! It was all I could do not to laugh out loud.
  
• People can tend to go crazy when you do well on stage. They like you, they try to flirt with you, they want to get your attention.
  
• And, if you're not careful, the attention and fanfare can really swell your ego.

I firmly believe that a lot of the contemporary movements of church growth have more to do with these three points than they do with any theology. We live in a needy society where everyone is compelled to make a difference and needs to see the fruits of their efforts. When Pastor Six String puts on that gee-tar and starts playing with the band, he is no longer a pastor (yes, small "p"), he is a superstar. He is a pop idol. He is loved, adored, admired because he is cool. People can relate to him, would like one day to be as fun and influential as he is, and tell him so. He gets exactly what he's looking for. Everyone gives him the thumbs up or the high-five, but he gives them nothing substantive.

I am thankful that my church's Pastors recognize their roles as called and ordained servants of the Word, and do not try to make themselves the main attraction. They preach the word and administer the sacraments, and don't get everyone all caught up in the emotional willy-nilly. They fulfill their vocations, as they should.

If these other pastors want to become rock stars or comedians, they are free to move on to another career, but they should leave it out of the pulpit.

Heard You Missed Me, I'm Back

Yeah, I know, I haven't posting all that consistently lately. Lots of good stuff going on at home, work and for the band. These things haven't necessarily consumed me, but haven't left much mental time for posts. Here is a status update, book review, blah, blah, blah.

General Stuff

• Happy Fathers Day to all you fathers out there. You know who you are. :-)
• I have never really cared for birthdays, which I why I missed my first year blogaversary late last week. I knew it was mid-June but didn't care to make a big deal out of it.
• Oh, yeah, the Cavs...so the guys didn't make their best showing in the Finals, and their key weakness was exposed. Yes, that's singular, not plural. Until they get some consistent shooters - yes, that includes you, LeBron - you can't tell if the coaching is bad or not. As a caller to a local radio station said, "Whoever said 'defense wins championships' obviously assumed that your offense was at least adequate'". How true.

Band Stuff

Our House of Blues gig last weekend (June 8) was tremendous. It was everything we expected and more! The HOB sound crew was awesome, and made us sound like a million bucks! The stage was roomy, allowing me to wireless my way around the stage to interact with all the band members. Our foot is already in the door to play other special events there; now I just gotta finish the promo pack and get it to them.

We'd like to thank Columbia Chemical for asking us to be their event entertainment. For our band, this gig was hopefully only the first in a long line of gigs at HOB.

Books of Note

I recently read three books - okay, I listened to one on tape, and read the other two - that were very interesting.

1. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (courtesy of Scribbit). This book talks about how social epidemics are not caused by one event; they are caused by a number of factors, but one seemingly minor factor pushes them over the edge. Very interesting, especially considering the success/failure of the church growth movement and gaining back the importance of doctrine. Which leads me to...
2. The Market Driven Church by Udo W. Middlemann (courtesy of Dana at Principled Discovery). The author believes that objective truth exists, and that it can be known (hmm, seems I've heard my Pastors say that before). He is not Lutheran, but shows how current society and "faith" - or "fayeth" as he calls it - are helping to deterioriate the state of doctrine and the Christian Church in America.
3. ABC of Allergies Asthma & Lupus by Dr. Fereydoon Batamanghelidj, M.D. (courtesy of Lotzastitches via Marie). I didn't realize that not drinking enough water could cause so many problems, or that a little salt works as an antihistamine. My breathing measurements have increased since I started working with "Dr. Batman's" recommendations, and I haven't taken my inhalers nearly as much. We are hoping the Engineer continues to benefit from the practices as well, because he has the same symptoms as me.
   

See, even though my Blogger profile says I don't read any more, I guess I still do. :-)

Selective Defense

I have recently read articles and heard news stories about cities deciding whether they are pro-military or anti-military. Some city councils have voted their dissent of the Iraqi war - as if that's within their jurisdiction or something. Colleges have indicated that the armed forces could not recruit on campus (hello, Berkeley).

I'm fine with this, on one condition: If these cities have decided that they won't support the military, then the military should be under no mandate to defend them.

I'd love to see a city like San Francisco get rid of all military presence, cut police staff, etc., then have a problem and get no help. You make the bed you lie in; these cities should be held accountable for their irresponsible, self-centered choices.

Just a Bassist In a Rock And Roll Band

Today's the day! We're geeked, we're pumped, we're psyched!

Our August 14th gig at House of Blues was moved up to tonight. We're ready and rarin' to go.

Big night, hope we do well. It could lead to other H.O.B. gigs and corporate events. And we won't look like we are in a boxing ring...


Or in a tavern aisle.

Crazy Circles

I was going to write a post on child discipline, responsibility, and setting and observing boundaries. Things came up, but the idea stayed in my head. They lingered for so long, that additional stuff based on recent work experiences came to mind. So, the post now focuses on...

CIRCLES

Why circles? Because they explain boundaries, discipline, and responsibility (for children and adults) so well. And, no, I'm not getting all loopy on you. Heh, heh.


Assigning responsibility
When it comes to assigning responsibility or setting boundaries, there are typically two philosophies that people consider. They are:

1. Inherently trust - in this philosophy, trust is granted before any proof is given for it. Boundaries are set out at a distance, and people are given freedom to do what they need to do. But, watch out! If the person who is to work within those boundaries fails regularly, then the boundaries start to restrict. "X" marks the spot, and the concentric circles mark increasing - or, in this case, decreasing - levels of trust and responsibility.2. Inherently distrust - in this philosophy, trust is earned. Boundaries are set tight, but those boundaries are loosened, and other responsibilities accumulated, when the person proves themself worthy. Again, "X" marks the spot.So, what is the best way to raise children? What is the best way to set expectations with employees? Those are difficult questions, and may vary by family and by personality.

In the Quipper household, we tend to use both methods; inherently distrust, but also pull back if we see backtracking for any reason. We give them assignments and other ways to prove that they are trustworthy given their age (i.e. physical and intellectual capabilities). If they pass the tests, then the boundaries expand. This expansion may be in the form of new freedoms or increased responsibility. If the children repeatedly prove that they can't handle existing responsibilities, even though they had succeeded before, we may pull back.

I have watched parents who inherently trust, and never pull back. This frustrates me because it looks more often as being done out of laziness than out of any plan on the part of the parents. With some parents, I never see an attempt to explain failure or disappointment to their kids, or to pull back (i.e. discipline) when repeated failure occurs.

At the office, though, an even different type of responsibility change can occur. Some core responsbilities may no longer fall into the expectations of an employee's current role. It looks something like this, where beginning responsibilities are replaced by newer responsibilities:I have seen this happen when senior programmers actually no longer do programming; instead, "programmer" is just part of the title, but the employee has different responsibilities. These responsibilities may include mentoring less accomplished programmers, reviewing their work, or designing new computer systems.

In the "job" of life, however, there are some responsibilities, or core values, that should never leave a child's or adult's area of responsibility. At least, I would hope not.


Taking care of business

The same two philosophies apply at the office, too. Recently, a new computer programmer was assigned to one of my projects. I am not his supervisor, but have to give him some direction relative to the tasks assigned to him. I quickly came to realize that his boss inherently trusted him on many fronts, and I found that the programmer was not as accomplished as was first thought.

I normally set expectations and grant trust first, but this scenario is making me rethink my position. Things aren't always as they appear, and it's better to play it safe than sorry. It's not that the "kid" is incapable; we expected too much of him, yet he hadn't been put in a position to prove himself. I have seen this in the past, and have even caused the situation a number of times. I've concluded that I'd rather put someone in a position to prove themself than set them up to fail.

Growing up and job promotions

How does this all apply to children that have been granted some freedoms and responsibilities, and to employees who believe they are ready to "move on" to a better job position? There are similarities here again, but there are also differences.

Promotions are a little more difficult to work with. Again, there are two philsophies: you promote someone into a position they've already proven they can do, or you promote into a position because there is nothing else for the person to prove in their current position. Trust me, they are not the same. Just because someone hits the ceiling in their current position does not mean they can handle things at the next level.

Promotions usually look like this:
You typically retain some of your current duties, but gain a whole new set of responsibilities. You also dispose of some of your prior responsibilities, as shown by the greyed and blacked out circles.

With our children, I don't see a "promotion" per se. As I mentioned earlier, there are some core responsibilities that never leave the child once they start growing up and earning more freedoms and responsibilities. So, with our children, I see more concentric circles emanating from the core, and not a situation where the center circle shifts.

I have learned valuable lessons in fatherhood, and recently during this employee situation. For me, at least, it is better for me to set solid expectations with my employees, start them on easily manageable responsibilities, and let them work up to more difficult responsibilities and greater freedoms. I expend more effort on a daily basis, but resolve problems quicker and give my staff a chance to succeed. At home, I start with tight boundaries, but expand them as my children pass those little tests that prove they are ready for more freedom and responsibility.

Baby Bro's New CD

Hey all,

The following is an e-mail I received from my brother. I urge you all to check out the first link, especially if you like 2-guitar rock. You can hear a two-minute snippet of each song; once you link to the cd/wasted2 link, the left-hand side links you two the song previews.

Hello everyone!

Just leaving an awesome update.

My Band ELEGANTLY WASTED has now officially released our new CD "Desolation Row".

It is available at:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/wasted2

Or you can just go to www.cdbaby.com and type Elegantly Wasted or Desolation Row in the search bar.

CD baby will also be distributing to iTunes, but it will take about 30 days before it is up on iTunes.

I do appreciate all the support. CDbaby is registered with sound scan, so any purchase through CDbaby shows up on all music generated reports as well as through ASCAP. It is the equilavlent (to the artist) of going to buy the CD at Best Buy, with the exception - it's not Best Buy.

However, we are in the process of working on that too though.

Also, we are heading back out of the country this Thursday for 10 in Germany and Switzerland. The shows we played there in March/April went so well that we were asked to do 3 summer festivals.

We plan on doing a US tour in September right now. I do not know the exact cities, but we will be stopping/playing in Cleveland!

Again thank you for your interest and support!

I'm excited for him. Please support him if you can.

Immigration Bill E-Z Reference

Have insomnia? Like lotsa legalese (or illegalese)? Bored to tears?

Or do you have a vested interest in what's going on with our elected, um, "leaders"?

TTLB has parsed the immigration bill in to separate links here. The overview of the parsing can be read here.

And You Thought the "New Math" Was Bad

When this is what publik skoul considers education, it's time to move on. I am so glad that we homeschool our children.

The teachers are lemmings, too. Sad.

Marriage Taken Lightly

A couple thoughts hit me today. Unrelated thoughts, really, except for the one concept that loosely ties them together:

Marriage.

I recently learned that someone I've known for a while has filed for divorce. I don't know the particulars, I just know that it is happening. I feel terrible for the children involved, and for the spouses that can no longer make a go of it, for whatever reason the breakup is occurring.

Like I said, I don't know the details. I am not passing judgment on the action. Who knows if there was cheating, illicit activity, abuse, whatnot? I don't, so I am not commenting.

I do know that, in casual, public conversations, the couple has commented - almost proudly - about how matter-of-fact the idea to get married was for them (I was a participant in one of those conversations). They had one child already, with another on the way, when they decided to make it all official.

I pray for the family, and that hopefully some unturned stone can be turned that will enable them to understand the gravity of their decision. I pray that, if there were no indiscretions of the legal or moral variety, that they would stay together.

I had this event in mind when I started reading some political articles on lunch today. I know, what does a divorce have to do with politics? Marriage is a commitment that is intended to be a lifelong commitment. You don't look around - "aw come on, hon, I'm just looking" doesn't cut it - you don't think "what if?" You made your commitment.

Upon reading these political articles, it amazed me how many more people will make a commitment to a political party than they will to marriage. In politics, there is no "love, honor and cherish" vow - made in front of God and at least two witness. There are no moral, legal or familial strings attached in politics. We can leave the arrangement when appropriate - heck, it's not even appropriate to say there is an "arrangement". Yet, in an institution where the commitment is expected and to be revered - marriage - people drop the commitment as though they are shopping for their next house or looking for their next church.

When we hold more commitment to a political party than we do to marriage, our priorities are misplaced. We need to be reminded of what true commitment is, and to whom we are committed.

Unconventional Research

If you're interested in learning about what the media won't tell you (or doesn't want you to know), let me recommend several sites that provide excellent info:

• The Tenth Amendment Center is about, well, the Tenth Amendment. The latest post is from Ron Paul, libertarian/Republican candidate for President. Not only will you learn about proper application and also abuse of the Tenth Amendment, but you will also learn a bit about Ron Paul.

• Maverick News Media covers many facets of the War on Terror, from home and abroad. It's always a good read, and links to many excellent blogs as well (including this post at Town Commons, which is Fred Thompson's response to Michael Moore's challenge via debate).

• Redstate.com, which not only calls out Dems, but Republicans when necessary, too.

• And last, but absolutely not least, Principled Discovery conducts a Carnival for Principled Government. Dana has conducted five of these carnivals already; I only wish I could make the time to thorougly read through all of them.

Statute of Limitations?

I was talking to a co-worker this morning, and he wryly injected a few lyrics into our conversation. I answered his original intent, then exclaimed:

Oh, that was from Radar Love, wasn't it?!?

He grinned, and said that it was. How smart of me to recognize his wit. :-)

We started talking about Golden Earring, the band that recorded Radar Love. We could only remember two of their songs, Radar Love and Twilight Zone. We couldn't remember when they were released (see here for details), but got thinking...

Two hit singles...

At least a decade apart (or so we thought at the time)...

If you didn't listen to music regularly, you might not even know that the band performed both songs...

Hmmm.

What's the statute of limitations on being called a "one hit wonder"? Is it possible to be a "one hit wonder" twice-over?

Inquiring minds want to know. Do you know of any other bands like that?

Saturday Morning Wake Up Call

Ah, Saturday mornings. Saturday is the one day I can usually count on sleeping in. (Recognize that "sleeping in" usually means I wake up before 8am.) But, alas, my son is taking after my brother in redefining the "alarm clock".

In high school, I worked in a tavern as a busboy. I would work on Friday nights until midnight. My brother didn't really care - and if you're reading this, bro, you may not remember this - and would end up using his alarm clock to wake me up some time shortly after 8:30am on Saturday. Here's what the "alarm clock" looked like:


A musician needs to practice, after all. :-)

My son, the Engineer, is following in his footsteps, sort of. Because he has asthma, like me, and because his bedroom is on the first floor, we have a monitor set up in his room so we can listen for problems. The monitor also picks up anything else going on...like the piano he was playing at 7:30 this morning.

I unplugged the monitor. Didn't help; he definitely knows what it means to play forte instead of piano.

So much for sleeping in this morning. At least we know he likes the instrument.

Oops, What I Really Meant Was...

Here's an awesome article from Eye On The World about Iraq's WMDs. Our mainstream media talking heads definitely have short memories...

...and even shorter attention spans when the news doesn't suit us. Fancy that!

And then there's this spinning of an Iraqi resolution, courtesy of the New York Times, of course.

It Can't Happen Here

At least, not if you believe the Democratic leadership, the mainstream media, and academia. But I repeat myself.

"Islam vs. Islamists" Revisited

Several weeks ago, I mentioned a documentary that PBS is refusing to release about moderate Muslims and their battle against extremists in the United States.

Here is where you can learn more.

Diplomacy Subverts National Security

Psst.

Hey.

Over here.

Yeah...you!

Take this.

Don't tell anyone where you got it, but make sure you use it and pass it on.

Strange Bedfellows

As a confessional Lutheran, I tend to think of things as a confessional Lutheran would. One principle I espouse is the dual kingdom principle: There simultaneously exist a spiritual (right hand) kingdom, and an earthly (left hand) kingdom. I live in both, and therefore have to deal with the tenets of both.

This dual kingdom principle came to mind as I was considering earthly topics, namely modern Christianity (as evidenced by church growth principles) and politics. Church growth, when you look at its intent, is a secular concept. Today’s politics are also secular. In their separate evolutions, they both lost their focus on the individual, and now focus on the ongoing stability and growth of the organization.

Both of these operations exist in two “kingdoms”. One kingdom is the kingdom of principle, the one that caused the genesis of each operation. The other kingdom is the kingdom of consumerism, succinctly defined by the mantra, “The customer is always right”.

Can modern Christianity and politics successfully exist in these two planes? I don’t think so. In Christianity, doctrine is watered down to become acceptable to the consumer. This can only lead to a less educated “consumer” who either never has, or regresses in, the knowledge and doctrine behind their beliefs. In other words, the following generations of Christians will have less knowledge of the basis of their faith, and therefore, less ability to defend it. They will be more fervent in their unsubstantiated personal belief, because consumerism focuses on emotion and not on fact or belief, but when push comes to shove, they will not have the response or the gumption to defend their faith.

In politics, we are seeing the impact of consumerism now. The 2008 presidential campaign cycle is in full swing, with hundreds of millions of dollars exchanging hands without a viable exchange of ideas. Those citizens who cannot monetarily contribute, and those superior candidates that cannot raise the funds, are left out of the game…the most important secular game in the U.S. The “consumers” are redefined as those who contribute, not as those that are eligible voting citizens.

Both operations need to stop balancing the two kingdoms, and return solely to their kingdoms of principle. As long as we put any effort towards focusing on what the customer wants, we will always disdain principle and chase the almighty dollar instead.

W.I.P.

I'm so excited! I am preparing 4-6 posts that are chock full of great commentary, rhetoric and wit.

I'm having trouble finishing all of them. I don't know if spring fever hit me, the nickel-and-dime home improvements consumed me, or the truly new and exciting challenges at work enveloped me. Regardless, my posts are in varying states of completion - from having an outline to tying up loose ends.

Lotsa input...no output.

Is anyone else going through this right now?

What's the Penalty For Hijacking a Debate?

Oops! They did it again, but it wasn't an accident.

If you've been on any moderate to liberal websites lately, or heck, even read any mainstream media articles dealing with congress and the presidential financeer butt-kissing season, you've seen it. Another debate has been hijacked by the changing of terms: "defense" is now "the politics of fear".

I'm not going to link to any of the articles; suffice it to say, you can find them without even trying. I heard news stories on our local talk radio station that mentioned the term yesterday.

What does it mean? That's simple. If you have any gumption to defend yourself, your family or your nation, you are fearful. If you consider protection important - but aren't talking about sex - you are fearful. If you want to "be prepared", as the Boy Scouts say, you are fearful. It is no longer acceptable for you to prepare for the worst but expect the best, or even prepare for the worst but take things as they come. Now, you have to carry yourself as though the best is the only option, and everything else is folly. Otherwise, you are fearful.

I wonder if JFK was engaging in the politics of fear as he addressed the Cuban missile crisis with the Americans. Hmmm.

I wonder if Dennis Kucinich engages in the politics of fear when he takes his bodyguards through the worst parts of Cleveland with him. Hmmm.

I wonder if Jessie Jackson engages in the politics of fear when he talks about blacks defending themselves against the suppressing white racist machine. Hmmm.

So, don't be fooled if you hear "the politics of fear". Rather, be angry, and let everyone know that it is a ruse.

BTW...if you can use the mental exercise, stop by Patriots & Tyrants and help us figure out how to level the playing field for all federal political candidates.

Misericordias Domini - Easter 2

Worship service

American, and Proud of It

On three separate occasions over the last three days, I tried writing a post on the Virginia Tech situation. Each time, I couldn't get the right words out. My frustrations with politicians, the press and political advocates all made my blood boil over; I almost wrote things I wouldn't want my kids to read.

Watching academic know-it-alls make a quick transmogrification to ostriches has left me speechless. If you don't know what I mean here, imagine people living in a bubble, evangelizing about how perfect everything is. Then, someone breaks their protective bubble, and they continue to act as if the bubble is still there. You know, it's like they are saying, "Move along, there's nothing to see here, this isn't really happening. One day you'll wake up and see this was all a bad dream." Update, 4/19: my point here was aptly proved tonight by the academics in question.

I've seen Democrats cannibalize their own because not all of their issues are created equal - racism trumps free speech. I've seen Republicans not do anything while their enemies grab the spotlight. I watched the Supreme Court finally declare that murder IS murder, and that a baby half-delivered IS human and does have rights. I watched "moderate" Democrat presidential candidates decry the ruling, even though all but eight Senators voted for the partial birth abortion ban when it was a Senate bill.

Rumor on the local street is that my favorite communist in Democrat's clothing - Dennis Kucinich - is going to propose a bill that is tantamount to obliterating all handgun commerce in the U.S. I'm sure that Rocco, Guido, Ishmael and Mohammed are all shaking in their shoes, as is 50 Cent.

From all looks, the U.S. is going to hell in a handbasket. I said as much myself a couple of days ago.

You get the sense that this is an exponential growth in problems, that everything is spinning out of control. I won't argue with you. I hate it.

What are you doing about it?

What am I doing about it?

First, I am being an American. Not a scared American. Not one that will turn my back when someone who points a gun at me tells me to. I'm being a Proud American. I'm talking to my 10-yo Artist, who is old enough to start understanding this stuff, about what is happening and about what America stands for. Heaven knows, I need to teach her about right and wrong, truth and lies, morals and boundaries, because no one in any public institution will.

Second, I am exercising my rights as succinctly expressed in the Bill of Rights. Yes, all of them that I personally, at this time in my life, can exercise. All of them.

Third, I am raising my family by setting the example for them. Outsiders need not apply. I will gladly refute each and every point made over the airwaves. I will not turn off the TV or radio and act as though these problems don't exist. They do, and we need to talk about them in our household. Academics raise their children in a bubble; Proud Americans do not.

Fourth, I am setting active, strong, peaceful resistance to the status quo. I am not ranting for the sake of expending my hot air. I am making my voice heard within my sphere of influence, albeit a small one for now. I am checking under each rock, looking into the sky, listening closely. I am, as I explain to the Artist, being aware of my surroundings. This means knowing what scenarios I am walking into, what the goal is, the options for achieving victory or success, and the exit strategies. Sports teams fight for victory. So do politicians and businesses. I do, too.

I am a Proud American. I will stand up for myself, my family and my rights. If you won't, then get out of my way.

Turn this thing around
I will not go quietly
I will not back down
I will not go quietly
I Will Not Go Quietly, Don Henley

Civility Abused

I am labeling last week "The Week of the Dichotomy". What are the dichotomies so far?

1. Imus vs. Nifong
2. Rutgers vs. Duke
3. "Free" speech vs. bought speech
4. Free markets vs. controlled litigation
   

I now have a fifth to add to the list: civility appropriated vs. civility abused. Since my blogging life began last June - has it really been nine months already? And no evil post-partum - I've attempted to broaden my horizons by commenting or contributing at sites that are vastly out of my comfort zone from the political and religious perspective, all in the name of enlightenment. Which means, in all cases, I've attempted to converse politely with people having left-leaning political ideals and with liberal "theologians". I have left each venue frustrated, upset at myself for expending the intellectual and emotional capital.

My previous attempt (not Patriots & Tyrants), to which I have essentially pulled all my support, taught me the fifth dichotomy. I have never seen civility so skillfully used as a way to stop people from making well-founded points. I have seen right-leaning commentors use facts and true events to poke holes in left-leaning contributors' arguments, only to be told that those examples don't serve the intended purpose of the post. I have seen people use sarcasm and satire to prove a point - myself included - only to be lambasted for being outside the bounds of good taste. I've seen good people so thoroughly convinced that their points were wrong because they were not made "civilly", that they ended up apologizing for speaking the truth.

Don't get me wrong, more civility is needed in everyday life. Civility may have stopped the Imus situation from occurring, it would stop a lot of false political grandstanding, it would remove a lot of bad music from the airwaves and the internet, and it would lead to heightened respect for each other. However, when it is used as a tool for censorship, it is dangerous.

Money Talks; So Does Extortion

I have a couple more thoughts on the latest brouhaha at PBS, regarding the moderate Muslim piece that they refuse to air, even though it cost $700,000 of taxpayer funds to create.

First, PBS is indicating that the documentary does not follow "journalism standards". What? PBS was the one that approved the creation of the piece. They would have known what the intended result of the piece was before they approved its production, and they have been in regular review with the producers about the content of the show.

Second, PBS shoved a piece of the documentary in front of representatives of the Nation of Islam, asking for their opinion. That's like asking the cat if I should leave the birdcage open when I leave the house. How's that for following "journalism standards?" On queue, Nation of Islam threatened litigation if the piece aired. Money talks; so does extortion. I get really frustrated when true news is quashed via threatened lawsuits and settlements out of court. It's all about the money, the loss of money, audience (i.e. money), and reputation (i.e. money).

Third, PBS won't air this piece for fear of offending portions of the Muslim population. Fox probably would. Why? Are their journalistic standards lower? No. Do they have chutzpah? Maybe. Do they understand the mantra of business, "Find a need, and fill it"? If you answered "yes", then you win first prize. The purpose of business is to turn a profit; the best way to do that is to offer a good or service that no one else does. And this is where liberals and the left-leaning media fall short. They refuse to recognize that news is not news, it is big business. It is an industry. It's goal is to turn a profit. Conservative shows do that very well, thank you very much. Why? Because some enterprising media moguls found a need and filled it. Fox followed the rules of the open market; CNN doesn't like it. Gee, I wonder why? Could it be because of lost market share?

So, while the word about situations like the PBS fiasco are only "outed" on conservative leaning websites and talk shows, libs complain about the veracity of Fox, blogs, and right leaning commentators. Unfortunately, the story of well-meaning, moderate Muslims is not told, but needs to be.

…

In other news, did you hear the other morning that Massachusetts police shot and killed a pit bull that was fiercely attacking its owner? Word on the street is that the local dog community is planning a flash mob in front of the police station. After all, the dog didn't brandish a firearm at the policemen, and the dogs see no reason why their canine friend was shot.

America Loses

I don't know how else to say it: this week, a little more than half over, has magnified many of the things wrong with the progression of our country. I am not a pessimist; I am a realist with optimistic tendencies. What I have heard on the news this week, though, has turned my stomach, culminating in a passioned rant to Marie about the state of things. (Thank you, Marie, for tolerating me during my rant.)

I could write for weeks on the problems of the country based on just a few events that coincidentally occurrend during the same week, and practically simultaneously through the same news cycle. How anyone from any party, race, creed or sex could spin them into a national "positive" is beyond me, and I don't believe it will happen.

Unless you've had your head buried in the sand, you've heard of the following:

• Don Imus was first fired from MSNBC, and then from CBS radio, for stupid comments he made about the Rutgers women's basketball team.
• The rape case against three former Duke lacrosse players was dropped, and the Attorney General called them "innocent". He didn't say "not guilty"; he said "innocent".

Unless you traipse through conservative media, you probably haven't heard of this one: PBS ditching a story about U.S. moderate Muslims trying to stand up against extreme factions.

I can't possibly get out all the thoughts I'd like to here; I would use too many words I choose not to say in front of my kids, and generally refrain from saying in public. I will do my best, though.

1. What Imus said was stupid. He deserved to be reprimanded at worst. But whatever happened to "sticks and stones may break my bones..."? Today, Oprah is making the basketball players out to be sniveling losers, all so the general public can feel sorry for them. She has 100% discounted the exceptional efforts it took for Rutgers to make the NCAA women's basketball championship, and subordinated those achivements to approximately a dozen words said by one person once. Shame on you, Oprah. I thought you were all about achievement. So much for that.
2. What Nifong did, with willing accomplices on the left, in the media (oh, I repeat myself), and among the black leadership (oops, I repeated myself again), was reprehensible. He ruined the lives of three young men.
   
3. I'm waiting for the outcry from the media, demanding that the 87 Duke professors, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson apologize publicy to the three Duke students for what they said. The double standard is so evident I don't know how these people can live with themselves. The Duke professors should be fired, and Sharpton and Jackson should be sued for slander.
4. If you'll notice, the more legitimate "wrong" was done to the Duke students, not the Rutgers students. No lives were ruined, or names defamed in the Imus issue. The Duke students have to rebuild their lives. But...
5. The Duke students will pick up themselves by their bootstraps, build up from where they are, and deal with it. They will bear their scarlet letter. The Rutgers basketball team will make more radio and TV appearances and milk it for all its worth, yet they will bear no scars. That's my prediction. Why? Because that's how it is already playing out. Why change formulas that work?
   
6. The black leadership AND the Rutgers leadership should be ashamed of themselves for manipulating the Rutgers basketball team the way it has. The black leadership tried to do the same thing to Tiger Woods several years ago, but he refused to fall for it.
7. The Imus incident and the PBS incident set horrible precedent: they prove that small-group extortion works successfully to quell free speech. Just think, "we" let black leadership get away with this regularly, yet the worst they will do is try it again next time. We are setting precedent for groups like CAIR and others that represent extreme Islam to get away with it while physically imposing their will upon us as well.
   

We are a weak country. Neither party will fix it, because they both succumb to it. Only we, as the grass roots, can correct it.

Patriots & Tyrants - First Issue Is Up For Discussion

Happy 5th birthday to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, also known as the McCain-Feingold bill. Knowing all the hubbub about the bill, and knowing that folks inside the beltway are singing its praises five years later, Scott and I chose to address this issue first.

Please stop by and add your two cents, or fifty, or ninety-nine...come along for the ride.

Wealth Redistribution

{start sarcasm}

Global citizens,

I, the blogger formerly known as Quipper, recently had an epiphany. Politically, I realized that not many of my thoughts were accurate. I was misled in my dealings with people on political fronts, and started to learn the error in my ways.

I have chosen to become more liberal in my thoughts and feelings. Let me explain:

• I learned that I really am smarter than most other people. While this is a trait that is becoming of me, I have not been forthcoming of it with you. I apologize for being so simple-minded and meek. I promise I will not make this mistake again.
• Knowing that I am smarter than most other people, I must use that knowledge to change people. Even if they don't like it, I must do it. It is for the good of America. It is a sacrifice that I must make.
• Knowing that I must do this, I must be willing to forsake my priniciples to make a better America. I must start here by becoming wealthy beyond my greatest expectations, regardless of who I have to manipulate and what I have to do to become so. Only when my wealth matches my wisdom will I become respected as an icon.
• Once I have this wealth, I must determine how to gain for myself every modern convenience regardless of ongoing cost to myself, my foundations, advocacy groups, and the crusades I espouse. Otherwise, how will the media ever recognize me as an icon? Remember, I must do this for the good of all Americans.
• After gaining this wealth and all my required conveniences - 25,000 sq ft houses, 3-4 SUVs, a motor vehicle entourage, etc. - I must be able to convincingly rationalize my need for all of them. I must rationalize in a way that traces back to my "poor" (not really), destitute (not even close), miserable (not) upbringing, so that all those people that are not as smart as me actually end up empathizing with me and justifying these needs for myself.
• Once I've handled this, I need to sacrifice my family, everything I've learned and everything I've taught my children, in order to teach people the error of their ways. Yes, it's true...I must campaign for political office on the national stage as a liberal Democrat. This means I must become diligent in asking for money from people who shouldn't provide it, so that I can help them change the way they live because I can help them more than they can help themselves.
• Finally, to ensure that everyone understands how my view of the issues affects them, I will only speak to the most dire outcomes of every issue; to speak of probable or likely outcomes would not raise enough of an outcry to make a difference.

Okay, I hope you're with me so far. That's just the beginning. It was really difficult to come to the realization that I need to do all those things. I promise you, with my new-found self-awareness, the discovery of my unbound potential and the overwhelmingly superior power of my intellect, I will do everything I stated above to bring about the following change in America: introduction of the carbon credit as a new unit of currency.

Oh, I know many of you are complaining already. But that's just because you don't understand what can be done with carbon credits. Yes, because I will be filthy rich, I will have many more carbon credits than you do. And, if I really need more because my lifestyle expends vastly more CO2 than the average American does, I don't need to curb my lifestyle but only need to purchase more carbon credits.

Please don't see this as hypocrisy. Remember, I am allowing myself to be penalized for extending my emission of CO2 beyond what is permitted. For the good of the country. It shouldn't matter to you that my egregious, almost vulgar, creation of CO2 in one month is beyond what you would expend for an entire year, and that my emissions and use of carbon credits don't help solve the (theorized) global warming problem at all. I feel good about being penalized for expending more CO2 than you do. And I feel good knowing that I can help make poor people richer by buying their unneeded carbon credits from them because they can't afford to make use of them. You should be happy to do the same, and give up your carbon credits to those of us willing to make the supreme sacrifice for this great country. It will diminish your power and influence, but it will be for the good of the poor.

See, everyone gets what they want in the end. I just hope you understand that I am doing this for the good of our children and grandchildren.

Thank you.

p.s. To fully understand how much I am giving up of myself, you must know that I should principally align myself with the Green party. Alas, that party is marginalized and its candidates are considered unelectable. Hence, I will register as a Democrat. Please forgive me for doing what is best for the country.

{end sarcasm}

Isn't it interesting that carbon credits are a liberal way of letting the liberal rich get richer, while still doing nothing for the poor and middle class? And it doesn't really do diddly for the purported global warming problem, because your most egregious offenders will continue to be your most egregious offenders, and like with tax law, there will be loopholes that they can use to avoid compliance.

Talk about the utmost in hypocrisy.

(Finally, I'm starting to distrust Wiki; it seems like it's trending left on a number of issues, instead of simply reporting arguments.)

Lois Lane Gets the Benefit of the Doubt

My wife referred me to Scribbit's blog post - okay, her kids' blog post - about Superman vs. Spiderman. It's a great post and makes for fun reading; point #1, which compares Lois Lane to Mary Jane, is a hoot...

...which brings me to my contribution here. In real life, I wear glasses. I need them for driving among other things, like staring at a computer screen for 8-10 hours per day. When I'm gigging, though, I don't. Co-workers attending my gigs often comment afterwards that I look completely different than I do at work. They think I muss my hair differently (I don't) and dress differently (I don't - my gig "outfit" is usually my Friday work attire). The big differences are that I don't wear my glasses, I'm standing behind a mic, and "hiding" behind a bass guitar.

Now that you've heard that, I have to tell you about my own Clark Kent moment, which happened at our gig this past Friday night.

Our drummer has most of his gear set up by the time I get to the venue. The other four band members arrive after I do; that's not intentional, it just works out that way. While the drummer and I were setting up on Friday night, a couple ladies at the bar - they were enjoying the tail-end of happy hour, dressed in business attire, and sober by all outward appearances - asked me what type of music we played. I explained it to them, gave them some examples, and satisfied their curiosity. I then went on my way, and continued my setup.

About twenty minutes later, I went to look around the bar and the dining area, but was not wearing my glasses at the time. Before going back to the stage area, I stopped by the bar to ask for a glass of water. (Watch out, you have no idea how wacky 2-3 glasses of that stuff can make me.) After I asked for my drink, one of the previously mentioned ladies asked me if I also played with the band. I said yes, and left it at that. She next said that we looked like brothers. Huh? I apologized for not understanding, and asked what she meant. She explained that I looked just like the other guy....

Trying not to bust out laughing, I explained to her that I was the other guy, but that I took off my glasses.

Yeah, she was a bit embarrassed. And, yes, this is a true story. I guess I'll cut Lois Lane some slack. :-)

BTW...those two ladies liked the music. They stayed and danced through the second set, which ended around 11:30pm. And that, my friends, is what we get paid to do...keep 'em on the dance floor.

Christ Is Risen! Alleluia!

Easter worship service.

Double Standard

Here is an interesting article by an Aussie agnostic regarding the double standard between how people treat Christianity and Islam.

Academia Nuts

As a number of you know, I've been bantering back and forth with people on a number of different politically oriented sites lately. One principle that rears its ugly head frequently is the thought that diplomacy is the only option for resolving conflict. My post isn't about arguing that point or not. It's about my intense need to, when seeing a problem, fix it.

The problem: why do academics, at least the ones that I know, believe that force is never an option, but diplomacy is the only option?

I thought about this over the last couple of weeks, and I have a theory. I only have a theory because of my experience with homeschooling our daughter for five years now, and for starting it with my son last year.

Press on!

In educating my children, I cannot fail them; I have to succeed. The options are simple, teaching methods either succeed or fail for the student. To that extent, I will try a method of education until deeming that it either works or doesn't work. If it fails, I find another method. Failure is not an option, the education process MUST continue.

This is not bad. I believe that each parent, whether they homeschool their children or not, would want the same thing. If one method of educating their children doesn't work, then try other methods until one is found that does work. Press on, because failure is not an option, at least in terms of the required subjects.

Applying education to diplomacy

So, how do I see this principle applied to diplomacy by academics? I believe many academics see diplomacy as the only option, and it MUST work. Much like they have to succeed to their fullest extent in teaching their students, they are on the same course with conflict resolution. After all, I don't believe it's a long jump to say that some conflicts exist because of a lack of education or understanding. So, why not look for different methods of educating people in order to resolve a conflict?

Does that make sense?

Where does it fall short? I believe this concept falls short in three areas:

1. Many conflicts do not - or should not - have an infinite life. In many situations, time is of the essence. This is not a power play or a fabricated urgency. Whereas education and diplomacy will take as long as necessary in some situations, there are other situations where expecting ongoing participation and completion of process are unrealistic or inappropriate.

2. Point #1 indicates that, if diplomacy doesn't work in a given period of time, then another option must be used. I'm not saying physical force is needed, but I am saying that stronger measures than "understanding my opponent" must be used.

3. Call me a cynic, but I believe that many folks who want "understanding" really don't want it; rather, they want to be understood. So, diplomacy really becomes a subtle form of manipulation, a way for the primary party to impose their ideas on the secondary party. I mean, isn't that what education is - imposing what's important to me onto someone else? I think this is an effective strategy for a party having a minority opinion; it may be their only hope for obtaining their desired outcome.

Conclusion

Through my puzzle solving attempts, I have come to believe there is a time and place for education. It is definitely needed in the classroom, wherever that classroom might be. However, I do not believe that the war room is a classroom. There are certain times and places where diplomacy is not the only option, and at other times when it is not even a viable option.

If we are truly open to resolving conflicts, then it is inappropriate to believe that diplomacy is always the only option.

Circular Logic

A liberal poem:

You can't have war!
It doesn't work
especially to protect your oil interests.

You must do something else.
ANWR's not the answer
although nothing really lives there.

Get away from oil
Go green!

Ethanol is good.
But we need to feed the world first
so send your crops to Africa.

Solar works well; well, some of the time.

The nuclear option
isn't one.
It's not clean,
Even though it's green.

But don't really get rid of gasoline,
because we like the tax.

Now that you understand us,
go fix your problem!

Palmarum - Palm Sunday

Readings and sermon

Revelation 18 - Bible Study

The Playbook

Algeria
Vietnam
Iraq

Liberals
Peace activists
Media

Terrorists
Guerrilla tactics
Country building

The pattern is repeating itself again, which is good and bad. Read about it here - how to win and lose in Iraq. And here is a .pdf that is an actual military report from retired General Barry R. McCaffery regarding the surge. It is compelling reading.

Make sure you pass the word.

Uh...what?!?

Update: Scott and I have started a new site, Patriots & Tyrants, which is focused specifically on American politics. You can read about the premise here. We hope that you will find the site and the topics worthwhile enough to participate. Thanks.



You know that ever-so-tolerant, ever-so-loving evangelical Christian community? The one that would prefer to abolish all differences between the denominations? The one that believes that, as long as you believe in Jesus and hear him speak to your heart, that you're okay? The one that wants everyone to praise God and commit their life to Jesus? The one that wants to eliminate creeds?

Well...they have lines they don't cross, either. At least, James Dobson does, and he's going to use that line politically.

Talking about potential Republican Presidential candidate Fred Thompson, of whom I don't know much, and Newt Gingrich:

• Dobson "has never known Thompson to be a committed Christian—someone who talks openly about his faith." (Emphasis is mine.)
• "We use that word—Christian—to refer to people who are evangelical Christians...Dr. Dobson wasn't expressing a personal opinion," said Dr. Dobson's spokesperson.
• Gingrich was the "brightest guy out there" and "the most articulate politician on the scene today." Huh? Gingrich has skeletons falling out of his closet, but I guess he's been forgiven.
  

So the left/right litmus test is abortion, and the inner-right litmus test is evangelicalism. I was floored, but I shouldn't have been. Oy!

Abolition of Private Property in America

Scott sent this link to our homeschool group a couple years ago. He said that this was a "must-see presentation". I agree with him.

Judica, Fifth Sunday in Lent

Readings and sermon

Revelation 17 Bible Study

Seven Feet, Six Inches

Sunday, March 25
Sixty-something degrees
Sunny skies
No precipitation

That's the perfect recipe for bringing out the basketballs and shooting hoops in the backyard. Good times all around. (No pics; I was too busy having fun, too.)

In order for the kids to have a chance at making baskets, we have the hoop set at the lowest setting, 7.5 feet. Just high enough for the kids to make baskets, and low enough for a few blog-friends to slam dunk the basketball and make fools of ourselves.

The Artist started by practicing her dribbling and shooting layups - a hard-to-comprehend concept for her, still, but she is improving.

The Engineer used the new kickball, and for the first time made a basket all by himself. The smile on his face was beautiful to see.

Good times all around. And it's only March. :-)

Laetare, Fourth Sunday in Lent

Readings and sermon.

Diversity Training

Mrs. Quipper and I are persons of color.

You don't believe me? Then you haven't been to our house...








































For all of you homeowners that love whitewashed walls, this will give you a change of scenery without giving you a heart attack...I hope. Heh, heh.

Hey, It's Late...And Getting Colder

When you're a Project Manager, your staff is converting a system in the middle of the night, and you need to keep tabs on the activity, you find things to keep yourself awake.

I found this:



Take a look, if you can spare 75 minutes. The show was aired on Britain's Channel 4.

By the way...after hitting 65 degrees or so on Wednesday, my neck of the woods is back down to the low 30s and snow. Thank God for global warming; who knows how cold we'd be without it!

No, I'm Yoda

Some people who view this blog might not like this thought, but...

I am Yoda! Don't let anyone else tell you that they are. LOL!

To My Artist

Dearest Artist,

Today is a very special day for you. Your age no longer has only one digit in it; it now has two.


I wish you a very happy, fun and wonderful 10th birthday. Double digit ages mean lots of neat things. Your mind continues to develop, and makes you think some things your little brother says sound really, really silly. They weren't silly five years ago when you said them, but your brain now realizes that they were pretty silly.

Your body continues to develop, too. You may find that walls jump out at you once in a while (maybe Emily at church can explain that phenomenon to you), and the growing pains will still occur. Other things will change that you and Mommy will have plenty of chances to talk about, too.

Mommy and I need to help you pay more attention to, and understand, things that are going on in the world around you. Some of them will sound really ugly to you, while others will sound really exciting. After we talk about some things, you will probably say, "Why did they tell me that?" How do I know this? Because I asked myself the same question after my mom and dad talked with me many times.

The way you have fun will change, too. Sooner or later, you may not want to play the same games with your brother, or even with me. But that's okay, because we will have new games to play instead. And maybe we can work more on playing basketball this spring and summer, and help you become really good at making baskets.

For everything that will change, there are many things that will remain the same. I will expect you to trust, listen to, and obey your parents, grandparents and anyone else who we allow to have charge over you. I will expect you to respect other people and their property. I will also expect you to give your best effort in everything you attempt, whether it is in piano practice, tae kwon do, baking, or anything else you want to try.

Mommy and I will always pray for you to be safe, healthy, and faithful. I will always be there for you, even if it means you have to call me on the phone when I travel to Florida. I doesn't matter whether you want to tell me good news, have a question, or are sad. You can always talk to me.

And, finally, Mommy and I will continue to love you as we always have, and always will.

Happy birthday, sweetheart!

Love,
Daddy

Reminiscere, Lent 2

Readings and sermon

Need Your Help for an Experiment

Note: For various reasons, I have chosen to no longer participate in the experiment explained below. Out of respect for the co-sponsors of the experiment, I am keeping the content of this post as is.


We'd like your participation, if you are willing:

Remember Horton Hears a Who? All the Who's make a noise at the same time, and even though they are small they get heard?

A number of us bloggers want to try an experiment. We want to gather 30,000 bloggers together to shout all at once, and see how loudly we get heard. Why 30,000? Because that is the number of people originally represented by 1 congressional district in the United States. It is a small number when you think of it, but it can have a huge voice.

Here's how it works:

1. Send an email to brian@bravehumans.com with the subject: Yop!
2. In the body of the email list the name of your weblog, and the URL.
3. Your weblog will be added to the list of participating weblogs.
4. Tell your friends who blog about it, and urge them to send in their weblog as well.
5. When the list reaches 30,000, a date and a word will be listed on the page. On that date, every weblog on the list agrees to make a single post with the word as the title. The content of the post should be about what you want for the world, whatever that may be. The purpose is not to make a particular political statement, but simply to make a noise. If 30,000 weblogs all post the same unusual word, it WILL be heard.

Have you ever wanted to shout to the world? Here's your chance.

Some of you might be asking, "What if you don't get 30,000 participants?" That's a great question. My perspective is that it proves how difficult it is to communicate with 30,000 people, let alone 570,000 people, which is approximately how many people a congressman represents today. (Yikes! No wonder we don't get heard!)

So, we either prove that 30,000 WILL be heard, or that it's difficult enough to communicate with 30,000 people, which is 19x less than today's congressman needs to communicate with.

And, finally, here's the fine print:

• Please don't use e-mail to spam people about this; we want this done through the blogosphere by people who want to participate. Feel free to post on it (you can pilfer my text if you'd like), link to this post in your blog, or refer others to this post when you comment on other people's blogs.
• E-mails sent to the address above will be deleted after being added to the list. The e-mails will neither be collected nor responded to.

We just want to see how loudly 30,000 bloggers can get when they all make a noise at once.

Thanks,
Quipper

Crushing the Box

Ya know, I'm tired of hearing the phrase "think outside the box". What does that really mean? Why does the box have to remain in the picture? Why can't we just crush the box and cast it aside?

I mean, really? Why can't we take the box out of the picture.

1. Two party system? Why? Cuz it's always been there? Or because we're conditioned to believe we can't do any better. See here at BraveHumans.

2. You must vote for the candidates on the ballot? Why? Cuz these are our best options? I don't think so. Check out None of the Above.

3. Remain underrepresented? Why? Cuz an act of Congress constrained us to 435 representatives, regardless of the population of the country? Get real. Take a look at Scott's and Brian's comments here, all in response to this post at BraveHumans.

We can do better. Crush the box!

Invocavit, Lent 1

Readings and sermon

Twenty Years Later

When they were popular in the mid-80s and up through the early 90s, I thought, "they're done!". I never thought they would survive. Now, on our trip to Florida, the Artist could be heard singing this song when it came on the radio.





By the way...who says you can't go home?

Token

Hey all,

My nickname might as well be Token. Why? I seem to be the only one in my little blog corner of the world willing to contribute to or comment on BraveHumans. (Right now, I am the sole conservative contributor.) The site is begging for more conservative commentary. You all have bright ideas and express them well on your sites. Please stop by BraveHumans and do the same there.

Thanks,
Quipper

Trippin'

Actually, dun trippin'. :-)

The Quipper family just returned with me from my latest Florida business trip. The family had lots of fun, taking in the Flamingo Gardens and Wannado City, among other things. We experienced extremely cold temperatures in northern Florida coming and going from Ft. Lauderdale, but enjoyed the days in between.

To experience more of the vacation, be sure to visit Mrs. Quipper's site as she reminisces about parts of the trip. I have some other observations here.

Thou shalt not covet

After I left the corporate office on Friday, we drove up A1A for a while, on and off of several of the islands. Wow, are the houses on the intracoastal awesome! Great views, big houses, big, BIG yachts. Someone owns them. I want one. (Okay, really, I'd like to go on one. Don't want to own one.)

After seeing some of the California coast and the Florida coast, I realized I liked the Florida coast better. It is more accessible.

Exercise? When?

I was able to spend some time in the hotel pool with the kids. 30 minutes, maybe. Boy, was I pooped aftewards. I felt like I needed to sleep for 10-12 hours. My asthma makes it tough to get into a pool, but I realized I need to do more than I'm currently doing to say in shape.

Sad Story

When putting away our bags to leave a Georgia hotel, I was approached by a 7-8 year old girl, asking for help getting a coin out of the nearby vending machine. I was able to get the coin for her.

She then proceeded to ask me if I had a quarter I could give her, because she couldn't get what she wanted out of the machine. I told her she should ask her mom or dad, to which she replied, "I don't have a dad." I told her she should ask her mom then, and I prepared to enter the elevator with several bags. She started telling me something else, then started asking another question. She stopped herself, and said, "Oh, never mind."

After I went to the car and returned to the room to collect more bags, Mrs. Quipper told me that this girl proceeded to ask the two maids and Mrs. Quipper for change, too, and they all told her to ask her mom. Undaunted, she looked for someone else to ask.

Oh, what did she want from the vending machine? Coke. At 7:30am. When continental breakfast and beverages were served for free on the first floor.

Some entrepreneurial character would say she had gumption, and wouldn't stop til she got what she wanted. Unfortunately, the only way she was going to get it was to usurp her mother, or do it without her mother's knowing and by asking others for handouts. (Or worse yet, she had her mother's full support for this activity.) Trolling the hall of a hotel, looking for strangers walking out of their hotel rooms, asking them for money. It was sad.

The Best For Last

We made it home safely after altering our route on Sunday. We chose not to drive through the wild, wooly mountains of West Virginia. The roads and the truckers are intriguing enough in good weather, and we decided not to risk it. So, we extended our route by 3.5 hours to travel through Tennessee and Kentucky instead. We didn't see snow flurries until we got north of Columbus, OH. No problems on the drive. Hurrah!

I took today off work as part of my vacation time. It was fun to see the kids playing in the snow, finally having a chance to use two of their Christmas presents - a snowball maker and a snow brick maker. Here we are, mid-February, and the kids finally had enough snow to play in. They had a great time.

Off to work again tomorrow.

Cannon Fodder

I've read through this post twice, and am trying not to jump to the knee-jerk conclusions that I have done both times. My defense-minded self says, "Yes!" My liberty-minded self says, "Wait a minute!"

Outside of the pressing need to stop ourselves from being wimped into submission, is this appropriate?

Lurkers, hiatuses and global warming

Ha! You are wondering how the three items in the post title are related, aren't you? Well, that's a piece of cake. And, no, it's not a test with the answers forthcoming in a future post.

I am making my next business trip to Florida starting this weekend. Fortunately, some very special people will be with me. :-) This means that my business hours and non-business hours are all pre-planned, leaving very little time for new posts. That's the hiatus part.

I may get a little internet time upon arriving at the office and during lunch. So, while I won't be posting, I hope to get around to your blogs and enjoy your new posts. That's the lurking part.


Now, for the global warming part. :-)

Brian and I have had an intriguing dialogue on global warming at the Brave Humans site. (Here is the post and subsequent commentary.) If you read through it, I think you'll understand that there is something different happening at Brave Humans, and you won't see anything like it on left wing or right wing blogs. So, while I'm lurking around your blogs for the next week, why don't you lurk around Brave Humans for a while.

Off to 70-degree temperatures. Hurrah!

Septuagesima

Which means "about 70 days `til Easter."

Readings & Sermon

Quip Van Winkle

Friday and Saturday nights were busy for me this weekend. On Friday, I went to see another band that our keyboardist, Jim, gigs with, called Reality Tour (can't find a website to link). Some of their music overlaps with ours in Running in Circles, but they tend to have more of an edge than we do. They were really good! So good, that time flew and I left when I looked at the time on my cell phone, and it read 1:04am. (Yikes!)

Saturday night, Running in Circles played at the Tequila Ranch in downtown Cleveland. A combination of the nearby Justin Timberlake (yuck!) concert, and people looking to have a good time afterward gave us a better attendance than anyone expected. After all, temperatures were in single digits, and in the minus-20s with wind chill. I got to bed around 3:30am this morning...

...and still made it to bible study, church, and lunch & cake celebrating the Classical Pelican's "Beatle's Birthday" ("will you still need me, will you still feed me....") in fine, wide-awake fashion.

Then digestion kicked in...I turned into Quip Van Winkle for over five hours, missing the Cleveland Cavs wet themselves on national television again, and not returning to consciousness until the middle of the 3rd quarter of the Super Bowl. (I have an "Open Letter to LeBron" post coming in the next week or so, I feel. It's been festering for the last couple of weeks.)

Mrs. Quipper (a.k.a Homestead Lutheran Academy), always diligent in her mid-game TV ad analysis, told me I really didn't miss much from the commercials in the first half, and that I probably ended up seeing the best commercials anyway. She also said the halftime show was all washed up...er, all wet...well, you get the point. She's not a Prince fan, but said he did well, all things considered; it was pouring rain during most of the Super Bowl.

So, 'tis now 11:00pm, and I am refreshed. Better find a way to get tired, right quick. :-)

We're Not Gonna Take It!

We're not gonna take it
No, we ain't gonna take it
We're not gonna take it any more
We're Not Gonna Take It, Twisted Sister

I coulda used "We're mad as hell, and we're not gonna take it any more" instead, but the graphic just wouldn't have been as kewl! :-)

Let's get right to the point.

You owe it to yourself to check out the digs at Brave Humans. The purpose of the site is to engage people from all parts of the political spectrum in serious, civil dialogue. I am a contributor, and we are recruiting others to contribute as well.

Take a look at the various posts on the site. Agree with some. Absolutely hate others. I think you will find the dialogue refreshing and friendly, and you may even want to invite your friends.

Come back early and often. Lurk. Comment. Engage. Just don't do what you've always done when it comes to politics.

Be Brave. Be Human.

Church Test Answers

Thank you to all of you who anonymously took my church test. As I indicated in the test, your answers to the questions were not for eliciting right or wrong answers from you.

What was my point? To show the folly of how exact we Christians will be with our religion, but how quickly we throw away particulars in order to keep our favored political party in power. The differences we relish – relish! I say! – in the different Christian denominations are seen as stumbling blocks in politics. How can this be? I have non-denominational friends who are, in practice, anti-denominational. Heck, most denominations have orthodox and heterodox sects within the denominations themselves. You can’t even get these folks together over a pot luck, Martha’s award winning three-bean-salad be damned. :-)

While we Christians may lament that we are not one in the details, we defend the differences and are willing to explain them to each and every person who asks.

So, why do we succumb to the two-party political system in the left-hand kingdom, when we would never compromise like this in the right-hand kingdom?