Dougie Rants!!!

Oh Well I'm Tired And So Weary !!!

2007-10-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

"Oh, well I'm tired and so weary"...this, of course, is the first line in that great old gospel classic, "Peace in the Valley". I am sure this line tells the story of many of our lives today. We live in a very troubled world, a fallen world, if you will. I know it tells me exactly how I feel. I know it also tells me it's time for a change.

When I started "Dougie Rants !!!" a few years ago, it was simply an e-mail letter I sent to friends, family, business aquaintances, and anyone else crazy enough to want to read it, that I thought might be interested whenever I felt strongly enough to 'rant' about a particular subject or event. The list grew into the hundreds (mostly by request). Then came the blog site and finally the column in the Rutherford Reader. It has been sent across the country, and even to friends in New Zealand. I am humbled by the reaction, which has been overwhelmingly positive, with the exception of a small handful of dissenters, which, by the way, made the endeavor even more satisfying because of the exchange of ideas and thoughts.

My thoughts at this time are that the 'rant' has run its course (as all things seem to do). I am burned out, and yearning to do something else. I am just plain tired of 'politics', and I feel I am simply re-hashing the same old issues and nothing really changes.

I have decided to stop doing the 'rant' as it now exists. I want to move into newer things, explore newer ideas, and leave the politics to those that CAN make a difference. It has been a good run, and I thank all those who supported the 'rant'. I will be back in due time with a new format. Until then...

"Oh, well I'm tired and so weary...
But I must go alone...

Just My Opinion !!!

2007-09-21T12:52:00.000-07:00

Moveon.org! What a great idea! They should move on. And on, and on.....

Sure, they have every right to do what they do, and say what they say, but if anyone out there thinks for a minute they are providing an honest, constructive venue for ideas, they are sadly mistaken. They are extremely far-left wing, heavily financed by George Soros (so money is not an issue with them), and they will literally cut out your political heart if given the provocation to do so.

In case you didn't notice, none of the Democratic nominees for the presidency had the courage to denounce their full page ad in the New York Times. As ignorant as some of them sometimes sound, they are smart enough to know they will be vilified by the left-wing bloggers if they should take a stand against them. They are, in short, running scared. Just my opinion.

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My hat goes off to Tim Russert. He is an admitted Democrat, but when he goes to work he checks his politics at the door. He will ask the same tough questions to everyone, regardless of their politics. No holds barred.

He is certainly a breath of fresh air in an industry which has its stinky side. There should be more people in the business with his dignity and character. Just my opinion.
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If one listens closely to those on the far-right and to those on the far-left, it is fairly easy to conclude that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. The middle is not nearly so agenda-driven.

Although I have been correctly accused of leaning to the right, I find myself as uncomfortable with the far-right as I do the far-left. I can be conservative in my political views without being radical. It's just that the far-left seems to me to have a much more vicious agenda. Just my opinion.

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Is it just me, or does it seem to you there is just no logic in our government anymore, on either side. With most of the Democrats and some of the Republicans calling for the imminent withdrawal of our troops from Iraq (and believe me, I would love nothing more than to see them come home), would it not make sense, in the natural order of things, to talk about bringing our troops home from Korea and Germany too? They have been there much, much longer, and we still have an active enemy to deal with in Iraq.

Are we going to bring them (the terrorists) here, too? Seriously, what happens if we indeed do bring our troops home and the terrorists decide to set up shop on our soil? I find this possibility very unsettling and not without merit. Just my opinion.

Funny E-mails !!!

2007-09-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

As I have been traveling recently, I have not had the time to share my own thoughts on these pages (can you say 'blessing'?), so here are some randomly selected e-mails I have recently received that I find rather humorous. I am sure there are those of you out there who will not. Ain't this fun! And, no, I didn't verify any of this with Snopes. Let them come to me for a change.

Historical Events:
Many will recall that on July 8, 1947, witnesses claimed that an unidentified object with five aliens aboard crashed onto a sheep and cattle ranch just outside Roswell, New Mexico.

This is a well-known incident that many say has long been covered up by the U.S. Air Force and the federal government.

However, what you may NOT know is that in the month of March 1948, exactly nine months after that historic day, the following people were born:
Albert Arnold Gore Jr.
Hillary Rodham
John F. Kerry
William Jefferson Clinton
Howard Dean
Nancy Pelosi
Dianne Feinstein
Charles E. Schumer
Barbara Boxer.

See what happens when aliens breed with sheep?

And then.....

Three things to think about!
1. COWS
2. THE CONSTITUTION
3. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

COWS: Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can track a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of Washington and they can track her calves to their stalls? But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give them all a cow.

THE CONSTITUTION: They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq . Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it's worked for over 200 years and we're not using it anymore.

TEN COMMANDMENTS: The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse........ You cannot post "Thou Shalt Not Steal," "Thou Shalt N ot Commit Adultery" and "Thou Shall Not Lie" in a building full of lawyers, judges, and politicians -- it creates a hostile work environment.

And last, but certainly not least.....

A U.S. Marine squad was marching north of Fallujah when they came upon an Iraqi terrorist, badly injured and unconscious. On the opposite side of the road was an American Marine in a similar but less serious state.

The Marine was conscious and alert and as first aid was given to both men, the squad leader asked the injured Marine what had happened.

The Marine reported, "I was heavily armed and moving north along the highway here, and coming south was a heavily armed insurgent. We saw each other and both took cover in the ditches along the road. I yelled to him that Saddam Hussein was a miserable, lowlife scumbag who got what he deserved, and he yelled back that Ted Kennedy is a fat, good-for-nothing, left wing liberal drunk who doesn't know how to drive. So I said that Osama Bin Ladin dresses and acts like a frigid, mean-spirited lesbian! He retaliated by yelling, "Oh yeah? Well, so does Hillary Clinton!"

"And, there we were, in the middle of the road, shaking hands, when a truck hit us."

I'm Tired

2007-08-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

I rarely use material other than my own in my blog site, but this letter caught my eye and I felt compelled to share it. My personal thoughts are that this reflects the truth much more than does anything we get from the media.
Whether you agree or disagree with the content, this is a real letter and the writer deserves not only respect for his views, but much greater respect for his service to our country. Please refer to: http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/repya.asp for a look at this man's military career. He certainly personifies the word 'hero', and we, as a nation, are blessed by his service.

"I'M TIRED"

Two weeks ago, as I was starting my sixth month of duty in Iraq, I was forced to return to the USA for surgery for an injury I sustained prior to my deployment. With luck, I'll return to Iraq to finish my tour.

I left Baghdad, and a war that has every indication that we are winning, to return to a demoralized country much like the one I returned to in 1971 after my tour in Vietnam. Maybe it's because I'll turn 60 years old in just four months, but I'm tired:

I'm tired of spineless politicians, both Democrat and Republican, who lack the courage, fortitude and character to see these difficult tasks through.

I'm tired of the hypocrisy of politicians who want to rewrite history when the going gets tough.

I'm tired of the disingenuous clamor from those that claim they 'Support the Troops' by wanting them to 'Cut and Run' before victory is achieved.

I'm tired of a mainstream media that can only focus on car bombs and casualty reports because they are too afraid to leave the safety of their hotels to report on the courage and success our brave men and women are having on the battlefield.

I'm tired that so many Americans think you can rebuild a dictatorship into a democracy overnight.

I'm tired that so many ignore the bravery of the Iraqi people to go to the voting booth and freely elect a Constitution and soon a permanent Parliament.

I'm tired of the so called 'Elite Left' that prolongs this war by giving aid and comfort to our enemy, just as they did during the Vietnam War.

I'm tired of antiwar protesters showing up at the funerals of our fallen soldiers, a family whose loved ones gave their life in a just and noble cause, only to be cruelly tormented on the funeral day by cowardly protesters is beyond shameful.

I'm tired that my generation, the Baby Boom -- Vietnam generation, who have such a weak backbone that they can't stomach seeing the difficult tasks through to victory.

I'm tired that some are more concerned about the treatment of captives than they are the slaughter and beheading of our citizens and allies.

I'm tired that when we find mass graves it is seldom reported by the press, but mistreat a prisoner and it is front-page news.

Mostly, I'm tired that the people of this great nation didn't learn from history that there is no substitute for victory.

Sincerely,
Joe Repya, Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. Army 101st Airborne Division

Kudzu !!!

2007-08-27T18:09:00.000-07:00

Kudzu! That wild growing, virtually indestructible, mostly uncontrollable, mass of foliage that plagues many areas of the southeast United States.

Urban, or should I say suburban, legend has it that it was developed by one of the southern universities many years ago to control erosion and look nice along the highways and byways. If you are from Alabama, then the University of Georgia did the dastardly deed. If you are from Georgia, then the University of Alabama did it. Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, etc. Whatever. No one ever wants to take the blame for it. BUT, the bottom line is this: Kudzu was actually introduced in this country from Japan in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. I have done my homework. I have studied.

So why, you may be asking, am I so 'hung up' (so to speak) on Kudzu all of a sudden? Valid question, answer forthcoming.

A good friend of mine made a statement regarding Kudzu a few days ago, the implications of which could revolutionize the economic structure of the entire planet. I will share this with you, but first, I wish to expound on certain facts about this 'wascally weed' that most of us are unaware of. I believe it will help to enlighten us all as to the potential it holds.

Kudzu is a climbing perrenial vine capable of reaching heights to 100 feet in trees, but also scrambles extensively over lower vegetation. It grows an average of one foot per day, so long term production would not be a problem. The root system reaches depths of 12 feet.

The non-woody parts of the plant are edible. Young leaves can be used for salads or as a leaf vegetable. It is high in vitamins A and C as well as calcium and protein content. The roots are rich in starch and the blooms are an excellent source of honey (also allegedy delicious when battered and deep fried). We have wonderful un-tapped potential here. Unless I have missed something (entirely possible), I am totally unaware of the existence of a Kudzu industry.

There are medicinal possibilities, as well. It can reduce the effects of both hangovers and alcohol cravings. Harvard Medical School is currently doing a study on Kudzu on alcohol related problems. It also has tremendous value as an herb.

It is very effective for erosion control and improved quality of soil. It makes excellent forage for livestock.

The downside of Kudzu is a monumental cost of five hundred million dollars annually in lost cropland and growth control costs.

BUT! If Kudzu could become organized, controlled, managed, and otherwise put to use in a positive light, rather than allowed to run rampant over power poles and trees, the economic impact could be beyond belief.

Here is the BIGGY! This is what my friend has suggested: FIND A WAY TO REFINE KUDZU AS AN ALTERNATE SOURCE OF FUEL!!! Think of the financial implications here. We would no longer be dependent on the oil barons. Chances are we wouldn't need them at all. We could tell them all to pound salt! I am sure there would be an invironmental impact, also, but I have no data on that at this time.

The re-tooling that would be necessary to re-vamp our domestic fuel industry would be a real boon to our economy. New jobs! This is absolutely mind boggling!

We could then phase out the use of corn in the manufacture of Ethanol, thereby easing production pressures on our corn farmers, which would in turn, help to stabilize the price of corn. This would then stabilize the price of barley and hops which should, in turn, help to keep the price of beer affordable (would this be the true meaning of trickle-down economics?).

Don't you find economics simply fascinating? I certainly do.

Fear !!!

2007-08-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

"The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else" - Oswald Chambers.

There are those of you that will think this is a stretch, and that's okay, but does this not send a message to the secular progressive folks (and, they do indeed exist. Check out the agenda of the ACLU, George Soros, etc)? If they can, over time, erode Christianity from our society, they can change the face of this entire nation, ala western Europe. Quite simply, set out to rid our schools of anything Christian, but leave the other religions to do their thing. I do not make this stuff up, it's in the news on a daily basis.

Watered-down theology is running rampant in our churches. Entertainment value is replacing worship. Certain denominations are questioning the validity of the Virgin Birth and the Ressurection. They give thanks to Mother Jesus. Think I'm kidding? Check it out! I think it was also Oswald Chambers who once said, "Holiness, not happiness, is the chief end of man". Where has that gone in our daily lives?

I am sure I will get letters and e-mails calling me paranoid, but that's okay, too. This is not about paranoia, this is about someone who cares enough about the spiritual plight of our country to stand up and say, "Hey! We got trouble in River City! And it ain't spelled P-O-O-L. This is about someone who cares enough to be vocal about the changes he has seen over the past forty years, and the downward spiral this country seems to be in. Is it all bad? No, of course not. We are still the finest nation on planet Earth, no doubt about it. Has everything gone to "hell in a handbasket"? I don't think so. But, can we continue, as a culture, to do business the way we are doing it now? Once again, I don't think so.

My honest, non-paranoid view of things is this: Unless we return to the Christian values that made us the great nation we are, unless we dance with Who brung us, we will not survive over the long term.We need to begin fearing God in our lives. Think of the impact that would have on our terrorist enemies. How would they act and react if they knew that, in our heart of hearts, we held no fear for them, but only for our Lord and Savior? It could totally change the dynamics of this entire struggle.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "The wise man in the storm prays God, not for safety from danger, but for deliverance from fear".

I Smell A Conspiracy !!!

2007-08-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

I smell a conspiracy, and it's got me hoppin' mad (so to speak)! It seems that more and more of our corn production is being ear-marked to make Ethanol. You know, the alternate fuel. The story on the street is, the more Ethanol we can produce the less crude oil we will need to buy from our friends in the middle east and South America. You know, the old 'supply and demand' theory. We produce more corn, we buy less crude oil. Helps our economy, hurts theirs. Crude oil prices drop dramatically. Sounds good on paper, but.....

Let's look at the BIG picture here: Demand for corn continues to escalate, production begins to lag behind, some farmers actually have to start planting stuff again in order to make a living. Corn prices begin to rise as production continues to lag behind demand. Canned and frozen corn prices in our super markets spiral out of control, negating savings at the gas pump.

You may think I'm out of my mind, but stay with me here. I am on to something BIG! The huge shift in the corn market will cause a natural reaction in other areas of our economy: The food industry will be forced to look for substitute products to replace corn. Alternative marketing schemes will be developed to maintain fair market shares. Food executives will be keeping an 'ear' out (so to speak) for new avenues of revenue. Consequently, barley prices will sky-rocket, as will the price of hops.

Okay, I have given you the BIG picture: Can you imagine what this will do to the price of beer?

We need to organize. We need stop this conspiracy in its tracks. We need to tell these people, whoever they are, that we will not tolerate a continuation of this nonsense, and if necessary, we will call on our people in Washington to 'draft' legislation against it!

(Disclaimer: This was just for fun, okay?)

Wishy Washy?

2007-07-29T17:30:00.000-07:00

I have been accused of being wishy-washy. I don't know if I am, or not. Actually, I don't really think I am, but on the other hand.....

It has been constantly amazing to me to read the responses I receive from time to time from articles in the Rutherford Reader and my blog site (http://dougierants.blogspot.com). Rarely, if ever, do the responses deal with the entire content, intent, or message of the piece itself. They almost always are little snippets taken out of context, which have little or nothing to do with my intentions as the writer of the piece, and therefore makes it very easy to distort the basis of the message.

One response was very interesting. I wrote an article about the Episcopal Church, and why I was leaving. I specifically stated I was leaving because of the church's position on unrepentant sin and remaining true to scripture. The response accused me of hating gay marriage. Oh well! I never mentioned gays or gay marriage anywhere in the piece.

From time to time I write very opinionated articles about politics. Anyone who has followed this column is very aware that I sleep on my right side. I am a card carrying conservative, no doubt. Not necessarily a Republican, mind you, although that is usually the way I vote because there are very few conservative Democrats out there. Not that I am aware of, anyway.

I view liberalism as a true danger to our society. I view political correctness as an erosion of our collective wills. I view secular progressiveness as evil. An honest look around you will confirm that these ideals have dragged our culture down over the years.

Quite frankly, I am allowed to my beliefs and I am allowed to share them with the world, whether people agree with me, or not. I am not such a fool as to believe everyone thinks as I do. And, I am not such a fool as some folks out there would like to make me out to be. The so-called elitists obviously operate at this level of the food chain, too.

Some have called my beliefs absurd. It has been suggested that I am not intellectually capable of developing my own thoughts or theories. It has been suggested (in so many words) that I am nothing but a parrot, expounding other people's ideas. Seriously, that hurts. In a recent response, the writer mentioned Ann Coulter two or three times in a piece that never mentioned her name!

I could go on and on.

Don't get me wrong. I really and truly want feedback. This is all for naught without an exchange of ideas. BUT, most of the time I receive nothing but arrogant criticism based on bits and pieces of information which totally miss the point and intent of the article itself. Tired of it. Don't need it.

So, here's the plan: Rather than enjoying yourself by killing the messenger, why don't y'all read the ENTIRE article, then respond with YOUR ideas. I've already given you mine. If I have a thought and you respond with a thought of your own, then we have TWO thoughts, and we are all much richer for it. But please stop taking things out of context.

There. I said it. And I don't think that was wishy-washy at all. Do you?

I Don't Have A List !!!

2007-06-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

I am writing a song, as I have been known to do from time to time. I confess that I have borrowed the theme for the song from a book I just started to read, because it (the book) reminded me of an experience I recently had at a church whose name, location, and denomination I choose not to reveal.

Sorry, but I just am not into denomination bashing just because someone else chooses to walk a different road than I do. I prefer to leave that to the self-righteous. We are all seeking the same destination, although our paths may differ along the way. Who is right? Who is wrong? Not for me to say. I have enough trouble just trying to stay my own course. Here is my song:

'I am smart enough to know
I am dumb clear to the bone
And just dumb enough to think
I can make it on my own.....'

That's all I've written so far, hopefully more will come later.

It was a huge church, seating several hundred people, with multiple services every Sunday morning. They really had it going on! Which is a good thing. The sanctuary consisted of a very large semi-circle facing a raised altar, with choir behind. Big screen TV's, lighting, studio stuff, if you know what I mean. The service began with an extended music segment of worship. A massive choir, an orchestra, a wonderful sound system all lended to make it a quite enjoyable experience. Quite a change from the very orthodox Anglican liturgy I am accustomed to.

The pastor arrived to deliver his sermon, which was quite eloquently articulated (he spoke good), if not somewhat lengthy.

(St. Stephen preached the longest sermon in the new testament and the Sanhedrin took him out and stoned him to death). (Acts 7:1 - 7:60)

(Abraham Lincoln once said, "If you took all the people in the world who fell asleep in church and laid them end to end, they would be a lot more comfortable.)

But I digress (twice).

At the conclusion of the sermon he proceeded to ask for an altar call. A good thing. No one came forward so he tried again, still no one came forward. After the third attempt, to no avail, he stopped and stared at the congregation, and asked this question: "What will you say on judgement day, when you are standing in front of the Lord our God, and He asks you for a list of all you have done in this life to warrant entry into His Kingdom? What will you say?" Oops! Our paths just went their separate ways.

Okay, not being a theologian, I think I understand just enough about Holy Scripture to be dangerous. I may be wrong (not the first time, by the way), but I always thought we were saved by the Grace of God, not by our works or accomplishments while on Earth. Did not Christ die on the cross for our sins that we may have eternal life? Were we not all saved by His blood?

Well, I certainly hope and pray he just got caught up in the moment, forgot, and left that part out, because I don't have a list. Haven't kept one. Didn't think I needed one!

I believe in my heart of hearts that the pastor is a Godly man. I honestly believe he helps people who may be struggling with their spirituality. I certainly believe he brings people to the Lord. It just struck me as odd that Grace was never mentioned. Oh well.

If there is a point to all this, I suppose it would be this: There are many Christian denominations in the world. There are many styles of worship to choose from. What I find fulfilling others may not. What feeds me spiritually may leave someone else cold. There does not need to be a right or a wrong. There is no right or wrong. The important thing is that we believe, that we worship, that we all seek the same eternal destination. How we get there is up to us.

After all, we have all been saved by the Grace of God. When? I believe it was three o'clock Good Friday, two thousand and seven years ago.

It's A Wonderful Life !!!

2007-06-18T17:17:00.000-07:00

It's a wonderful life! Sounds like a title for a great movie, doesn't it? Everything is just peachy, there isn't a single serious problem on the entire planet. AND, if we are lucky, Rosie O'Donnell will be the new host of the 'Price is Right'! Wow! I personally think 'Roller Derby' would be a better fit (if you're old enough to remember). AND, she wouldn't even need skates. Her personna is a perfect match.

I was a teenager during the 1950's. The age of innocence. The 'Fonz', 'Happy Days', Bill Haley and the Comets, Elvis, Doug and Larry. Life was good! We were in between wars, the country was busy building a new peace time economy, there were no gangs, no drugs. People sat on their FRONT PORCHES instead of hiding out on their patio behind a seven-foot privacy fence in the back yard. We didn't need a Neighborhood Watch because neighbors actually 'watched the neighborhood' back then.

Then it all changed. Enter the 1960's. Drugs, campus riots, political unrest, Mom folded up her apron, put it in the kitchen drawer, got a job and went to work just to make ends meet, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now our wonderful life is gone. Today we have terrorism, a government that has grown so incredibly huge it is sucking our economy dry, immigration woes so monumental no one knows what to do, divorce, empty churches, schools that no longer teach (there are exceptions), and a society that is being dictated to by a scant, but vocal, minority. Our news media has gone off the deep end.

We have serious, serious problems out there. I don't pretend to have the answers, but I do know that if we want our children and their children to ever experience the 'wonderful life', something drastic must be done. Now!

And it has nothing to do with Rosie doing 'The Price is Right', or Paris getting her spoiled butt out of jail, or Al Gore's book sales. We need to get involved with the way our country is being run. Maybe it's time we started sitting on the front porch again!

There Are Three Kinds Of People.....

2007-06-10T18:18:00.000-07:00

There are three kinds of people in the world: Those who are good at math, and those who aren't. For the sake of a few of you out there who just don't get it, that was humor. No hidden agenda, no subliminal message, just plain humor. I just thought it was funny and thought I'd share it with you, that's all. Get it? Three kinds of people in the world.....

Actually, my intent with this particular 'Rant' is to give you my point of view on what I consider to be the three biggest problems facing our country today. Doesn't make me right, doesn't make me wrong. Just a point of view, which I believe is still allowed under my first amendment rights. Subject to change without notice, of course.

First, the war against terrorism. We are doing a few things right. We are doing a whole lot of things wrong. I personally feel we need a completely new strategy in Iraq. A new direction. We need to bring the differing factions of that nation together, set them down, and explain to them that we are just about through sacrificing our fine young men and women fighting a war that they don't seem to care a whole lot about ending. We need to explain to them that it is time for them to quit fanning the flames of discontent, stop their in-fighting, get on board with us, and work together to bring this fiasco to an end. And soon! Like now!

Second, political correctness. Political correctness is the foremost cause of decay in just about everything wrong with our country today. We are asking our military to throw reality to the wind and fight a war with one hand tied behind their backs while our enemy responds with no restraint at all. We don't want to offend them, you know.

Because the mainline media is controlled by those who don't ever want us to hear anything good about the current administration, we almost never hear about the successes in Iraq. They treat us like mushrooms: keep us in the dark and feed us a steady diet of ----. The truth is, there are more and more schools being built, new roads, new jobs and an expanding economy. The only place you will hear any of this is on talk radio, which, of course, is totally dominated by the voice of conservatism. You will almost never hear anything, good or bad, on liberal radio because it virtually doesn't exist. You need a message to be successful in talk radio and the PC message of the left just does not resonate well with most Americans.

I believe we could have won the war in Vietnam in six months, had it not been for the PC patrol in Washington virtually shutting down our military, and now they are doing it again in Iraq. Political correctness, if left un-checked, will destroy our will as a nation. And that, my friends, is the plan.

We have open borders because no one today has the political courage to fight the Kennedy's, Pelosi's, Kerry's, Clinton's, and so on and so on. The names may have changed (except one), but the problem has existed for many, many years, and it is now at a point where it is totally out of control. And frankly, George W. Bush is certainly not lily-white in this mess, either. Oops, can I use that term? Makes you want to puke, doesn't it? In the meantime we edge closer and closer to anarchy, with no solution in sight. Our sovereignty is on the line, and no one is doing a thing to stop the PC'rs. And that, my friends, is also the plan.

Third, the secular progressive movement. This is perhaps the most dangerous of the three. It is a very subversive entity, well financed, and designed to completely undermine our traditional belief system by taking Christianity out of our culture, and creating a lifestyle devoid of faith and personal responsibility.

A recent fiasco in a Boulder, Colorado high school is a classic example of the secular progressive influence in our schools. A team of 'advisors' were brought in to advocate indiscriminate sex, including homosexuality, non-use of condoms, and exploration of such drugs as 'exctasy'. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I heard the tapes, this is not make believe stuff. Where is the accountability in our schools? Why have we lost control, and worse, why are we content to let this happen to our children?

Common denominator: Evil. We are embroiled in a war against evil in all aspects of our lives. The radical muslim terrorists are evil. Political correctness, although not necessarily evil on the surface (mis-guided judgement, maybe?), is spawned by evil intent to destroy our culture. Certainly, the secular progressive movement is the promotion of evil
designed to destroy an entire society as we know it.

There are three kinds of people in the world: Those who are willing to fight evil at all costs, those who are inherently evil. and those who just don't care enough to get involved. Which one are you?

Churrrr, Churrrr, Chuck, Chuck, Chuck !!!

2007-05-14T18:06:00.000-07:00

OH MY GOD! I have just realized I am a liberal! This simply cannot be! How will I live with this? How CAN I live with this? This is terrible! How can I tell my friends? How can I tell those who perceive me as a card carrying conservative? A charter member of the vast right wing conspiracy? OH, WOE IS ME!

You might be thinking, at this point, okay, cut the crap. And you would be right to do so. I was just funnin' with you. But let me 'splain:

A few years ago my wife and I started feeding the birds, squirrels, and rabbits in our back yard. We live in the city, in an older subdivision, and have many mature trees in our back yard. It is a very peaceful yard, with comfortable (good word) landscaping and foliage. The wildlife seems to enjoy it, just as we do.

We have a squirrel with half a tail we call Stumpy. He has been a part of our family for almost three years now, and he is the mayor of the back yard. We keep track of the different species of birds that visit us on a regular basis in our trusty "Birds of Tennessee" hand book. Thirty one species at this writing, from the diminutive humming bird to the Cooper hawk. He, by the way, has an affinity for our mourning doves and our beautiful Eurasion collared doves. We don't like it, but it's a part of nature and hawks have to eat, too.

The little rascals will certainly let us know when the feeders are empty. They will push the seed containers off the arbor and onto the ground when they become empty. They will become loud in their call for more seed and corn. Almost belligerent. Two mornings ago we were sitting in the den drinking coffee, and a rabbit actually came to the top patio step and looked through the glass door to see why he hadn't had his breakfast yet. This is absolutely true.

Today the feeders were empty. A red-bellied woodpecker, who obviously has become too dependent on the free feed at hand to fend for himself, flew from feeder to feeder, chiding me quite loudly that it was time to eat. 'Bang my beak into a tree? Not on your life, big boy'! Churrrrr, churrrr, chuck, chuck chuck. Time for me to do my job and feed him. Now! So, I dutifully filled the feeders to capacity. I filled the bird baths with water, and then it hit me:

I am a liberal. I am the government. They are the citizens. Our little back yard is the Nation. We are like a little Country! In the beginning they would come here, and they would work for their food and they would survive. But I have supplied sustenance to these little creatures until they no longer care to fend for themselves. Why should they go out and forage for food and water when all they have to do is show up at Dougie's house and collect the hand-outs? And, now they expect it!

Yes, I am the government. Yes, they are the citizens. They have come to expect their entitlements, and they do not expect to work for them. My seed bills continue to spiral out of control. I can no longer balance the seed budget. I am running a deficit, but there is no one to tax. Sound familiar?

I'm Just A 'Charmin' Kinda Guy !!!

2007-05-06T17:39:00.000-07:00

Time Magazine has recently published their annual list of the top 100 most impressive and influentual people on earth. People like Osama bin Laden, Rosie O'Donnell, and the list goes on and on and on. Criminals, flakes, terrorists, etc. Pretty darn impressive, if you ask me! No, please don't ask me.

Did anyone happen to notice the glaring absence of one name? Like George W. Bush. You know, the President of the United States of America. You know, the most powerful political figure on the planet. Oops! You don't think they made a mistake, do you? You don't think they just forgot, do you? I don't!

Obviously, if you lean far enough to the left, your brain becomes imbalanced and it becomes very difficult to make rational decisions. I see it every day, and I'm sure you do too. You do, don't you?

These people (Time Magazine) have blatantly proven, one more time, the total disdain and hatred the media elites hold toward George W. Bush. Their rag-mag, in my opinion, has zero credibility. They are so slanted to the left it's a wonder the ink doesn't slide off the pages.

But, I do have an idea that could make there magazine viable again. Afterall, a product that is useful will sell much better than one that is not useful. Pretty simple when you break it down like that, isn't it.

Here it is: They should stop printing their magazine on expensive high-gloss paper, as is their custom. Instead, they should use a less expensive, more absorbent paper in long strands of perforated squares, and fasten it to a cardboard roll. The public will find this product much more useful, and the end result (so to speak), product-wise, will be very similar.

I think you will have to admit there are not many people out there that would offer such a nice suggestion to a company they despise. I guess I'm just a 'Charmin' kinda guy!

Our Sovereignty Is On The Line !!!

2007-04-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

Sovereignty: 1. the state or quality of being sovereign. 2. the status, dominion, rule, or authority of a sovereign. 3. supreme and independent political authority: as, state sovereignty. 4. a sovereign state or governmental unit.

Okay, so why am I laboring on the definition of sovereignty? Simple answer: So we will all know what it means when we no longer have it. Or, so we will all remember what it meant back when we used to have it.

Golly-gee Doug, is it gone? Has someone actually taken our sovereignty away from us when we weren't looking? Who would do such a thing? Are you one of those alarmist-type people? Is the sky falling? It's all just a big joke, right?

Wrong! It is not just a big joke, and no, I am not one of those alarmist-type people. Our sovereignty is still intact, but unless somebody out there does something real smart and real quick it is going to be hanging by a thread very soon. This country of ours is in serious doo-doo, folks, AND it is OUR government, AND specifically OUR President that are selling us out!

There is a very well kept secret in the works called the North American Union. In a March, 2005 meeting in Waco, Texas, held at Baylor University, President Bush (our guy), then-President Fox (Mexico) and Prime Minister Martin (Canada) entered into an agreement to form the North American Union and develop a super-regional political and economic entity designed to establish a "tri-lateral partnership".

The ramifications are quite stunning:

1) A North American security plan, designed to allegedly protect North America from external threats and streamline the 'secure and efficient' movement of legitimate, low-risk traffic across our borders. Not their borders, our borders. We will have little or no control as to who comes into our country, or where they came from originally.

2) Establishment of a North American Advisory Council, composed of fifteen individuals, five from each country. They will create an agenda that will give them power to implement programs possibly contrary to the best interests of the United States.

3) The creation of a Permanent Tribunal on Trade and Investment that would, in matters involving the North American Union, have supremacy over our Supreme Court.

4) The creation of a North American Parliamentary Group that would take precedent over Congress in matters relating to the North American Union.

5) The creation of a North American Customs and Immigration Service which would have authority over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement within the Department of Homeland Security.

6) Establishment of a new currency called the Amero, which will replace the U.S. Dollar, the Canadian dollar, and the Mexican peso.

Is it any wonder why our politicians in Washington (including President Bush) are in no hurry to close our borders? Is it any wonder that this is not the top news story in the liberal elite media? Is it any wonder our fine country is on the verge of going into the dumper?

We, as people of a free nation, need to get vocal. We need to send a strong message to Washington that we are through with them, Republicans and Democrates alike. We need to rid this country of the power-mongers who are so intent on taking us down. We need to stop this madness NOW!

Our sovereignty is on the line!

Keep Those Cards And Letters Coming In !!!

2007-04-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

April 19, 2007: The war in Iraq is over. "We have lost". This, according to Harry Reid, whom I thought was supposed to be on our side. Wrong again! Ol' Harry isn't necessarily against The United States of America, which anyone with even a small amount of intelligence might think after listening to him for any length of time. It's just that he is so much against George W. Bush that he sounds like he is an enemy of our country. There is no way anyone can remain objective about anything when they harbor the kind of hatred the far left-wingers have for George W. Bush.

There is no doubt that things are going poorly in Iraq. There is no doubt we need to re-think strategy there. Even the Bush-ites will acknowledge this. But surrender? We have lost?
What an absolutely stupid, un-American thing to say. We may have lost our patriotism. We may have lost our will. We may have lost our leadership in Congress. We may have lost the war in Washington, but we haven't lost the war in Iraq. And, I don't think that Harry Reid has the authority to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, anyway. I think Nancy Pelosi feels like that should be her job. What a pair! It is exactly this mind-set that cost us the war in Vietnam, and now, here we go again. When will we ever learn?

I have said this in the past in total jest, but now I'm not so sure it isn't a fine idea afterall: People should be required to pass a test in order to vote. Not an intelligence test, but a test that would reveal a voter's awareness and knowledge of current political events, and the ramifications their un-informed vote could create simply because they are clue-less. Actually, I still say this in total jest...but it just might keep people like Reid and Pelosi from taking down our country. Hmmm...

Keep those cards and letters coming in!

Can You Say Hypocrite ???

2007-04-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

Can you say hypocrite? The Duke University lacrosse team mates were finally exonerated recently after more than a year of wrongful prosecution by a power hungry, politically driven, local attorney general (Mike Nifong) who, for his own personal reasons, chose to ruin the lives of these young men for his own gain. The accusations against them were false from the start, without merit, and evidence developed during the investigation that proved their innocence. DNA is pretty conclusive, as I understand it. Still, he proceeded with his agenda of destruction until he had backed himself into a corner he could not escape from, then simply walked away. This is just SO wrong.

Mike Nifong deserves to be dis-barred, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for what he did.

And, don't forget about good ol' Jesse Jackson, among others, who is always at the center of the problem, but never the solution. When these young men were arrested, he already had them charged, convicted and sentenced. So where is he now? I hope no one is naive enough to think he would actually apologize for his actions. That just not his style. Can you say hypocrite?

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Don Imus made a stupid, ugly, racist remark last week on his radio show about the Rutgers University ladies basketball team. It was completely in-defensible. But that is what Imus is all about. Or is it?

CBS Radio and MSNBC have now decided to cancel his radio show, succumbing to pressure from sponsors, and people like Jesse Jackson (again) and Al Sharpton, two professional racists in their own right. We all remember, I'm sure, Mr. Jackson's reference to New York City as "Hymie Town". So this is really nothing more than business as usual. Left wing hypocrisy at its best. Sorry, I digress.....

Should Mr. Imus be punished for his remarks? No doubt. Should he have been fired? Probably not. Every person on God's green earth has two sides. Like it or not, we are all human beings in a fallen world. We are not perfect.

I would submit that we all have two lists that chronicle our 'human-ness': A good list and a bad list. Hopefully, and by the grace of God, our good list is much longer than our bad list. I would like to think that Mr. Imus has a good list that is much longer than his bad list, but that wouldn't seem to matter to the hypocrites that took him down. And, if I remember Scripture correctly, it is not our place to make judgements.

I would suspect, purely based on certain things that Mr. Imus has done with his life, that his good list, like most of us, is much, much longer than his bad list. I believe this fact would, and should, have a positive bearing on his future. As Joe South said in his song, "Walk a mile in my shoes". Time will tell.

I do have an idea, however, that probably won't work: Air America, the left wing radio outfit, is bankrupt both financially and in message. They need a huge change in direction and editorial content to become profitable and survive, unless George Soros continues to write a check every month to keep them on the air.

Don Imus needs a job. He could actually be the man to pull them out of their dilemma and turn things around. He has the experience. He has a built in following. All the hypocritical politicians that used to beg for time on his show, and then turned on him, would have a great new venue. He needs a second chance, and they need all the help they can get. It's a natural fit!

If anyone out there believes this could actually happen, please contact me at once. I have some ocean front property in Cannon County I want to talk to you about.

Random Rants !!!

2007-04-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

Fifteen British Sailors and Marines taken captive in Iraqi waters by Iranians. Sound familiar? I think I'm suffering from amnesia and de javu at the same time! The sad thing is they asked their people in command if they should, or could, defend themselves when they saw the Iranian boat approaching, and were told not to defend themselves. Don't make waves, so to speak. Another classic example of political correctness at its best! I am sincerely trying not to be ugly about this, but I'm sorry, I just don't get it. Perhaps we should all be thankful that Jimmy Carter is not the Prime Minister of England!

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In the 1960's, the mantra from the left was, "I am tired of your materialism, and I want something for the soul". In the 2000's, the mantra is, "I am still tired of your materialism, and I want to destroy your soul". I honestly don't think it will matter what their mantra will be in another forty years, because our country, as we know it, will probably no longer exist. Our society can not, and will not, survive if the secular progressives continue to gain inroads into our lives and our mindsets. Does anyone out there have an answer? The only answer I have involves getting back in touch with our God and our Christian heritage, and that seems to be getting increasingly more difficult to do.

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Why have we heard so little about the free trade corridor that is allegedly being built to connect Mexico to Canada? As I understand it, it will run from Texas, north to the Canadian border. I have heard it will be constructed with Mexican labor, making it even more impossible to track illegals. Also, there is serious talk of a new North American monetary system, similar to the Euro, that will replace our American currency, combining the U.S. dollar, the peso and the Canadian dollar. If this should happen, it will further de-value our dollar in the world market place. Why is our government keeping this quiet? Why are they so willing to destroy our sovereignty? Why are we sitting on our hands, doing nothing?

A Softening? Perhaps.

2007-03-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein

Profound? I think it is. A friend of mine sent this quote to me and it really hits home. It's kinda like the old insanity theory...doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. And, who would be guilty of such a thing, you might ask? Would it be the folks on the right, who are so set in their ways they just keep plodding along, spewing the same old rhetoric, doing the same thing over and over? Or would it be the folks on the left, who are also so set in their ways they just keep plodding along, spewing their same old rhetoric, doing the same thing over and over? The answer, of course, is yes...and yes!

There is an old saying that politics are 'local', but I am beginning to believe that politics are 'loco', instead (doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result).

Many hundreds of years ago, it was commonly believed by the science community that the world was flat. That was the prevailing theory of the day. It was their theory, their idea, and they were sticking to it. Christopher Columbus was very lucky he didn't fall off the edge! Could have totally changed history, as we know it.

Today we have global warming. Thirty years ago we had global freezing. So who is right? President Bush is fighting the war on terrorism his way. The folks on the left just want to get out. So who is right?

Obviously, the mind-set that has carried us into four years of fighting in Iraq is flawed. We need a new, fresh set of ideas if we are to solve this very grave dilemma.

Just as obvious, the anti-war mantra to 'just bring our troops home', is equally flawed, but it is potentially much more dangerous.

If we do cut and run, will the terrorists consider that a victory and stop blowing up innocent people in Iraq, or will they become emboldened by our actions and escalate their jihad into this country. As comedian Ron White says, "Now that would be a valuable piece of information".

I honestly believe this: We don't really know who the true enemy is, but we had better be figuring it out, pronto. It is normal thinking to believe, if you are a Republican, that the Democrats are the enemy. And, if you are a Democrat, then the Republicans are the enemy. That seems to be the way it goes, especially if you pay any attention to the recent antics of our politicians inside the beltway. But, political adversaries need not be enemies. Bi-partisanship can be an invaluable asset in solving problems for this country. Differing view points can be productive. But somehow, the politicos seem to have sadly lost the ability get along. And we are the ones who are suffering for it.

The point is this: Since the beginning of mankind, there have been differing opinions. Differing schools of thought, if you will. But lately it has gotten completely out of hand. We are experiencing open hatred in the political ranks, and this is so wrong. The question is, what has caused this?

I think I have identified the real enemy, and it ain't us, and it ain't them. The real enemy is evil. Again, the real enemy is evil. Once more, the real enemy is evil. Evil! River City. P-O-O-L, and that spells pool! Our country, our culture, is embroiled in a spiritual warfare beyond anything we have seen in our lifetimes. The secular progressive movement in our land is a manifestation of this spiritual warfare, this evil, and it will destroy us unless we recognize it for what it is, and stop it in its tracks. The radical Muslim terrorists are also a manifestation of complete evil, hell-bent on our total destruction. Walk away? Quit? Please give this some serious thought before you advocate quiting.

Okay, you may ask, "Is Dougie changing his stripes?" No, I am every bit the conservative I have always been. I still view the liberal agenda as a precursor to socialism, and I find it every bit as lacking in reality as history has proven time and time again.

But, there is something changing in my heart. A softening? Perhaps. I still believe I am right in my political ideology with every fiber in my being, but I have also begun to believe that my old caustic, inflammatory approach to things has become counter-productive. The folks on the right loved it, for the most part, but in the process I alienated those on the left, and they didn't, for the most part.

So, I am going to try a new approach. One that will invite both sides to share their thoughts, their views, their ideas, without animosity.

Remember, we can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. And it has become quite obvious that our elected officials aren't doing very much to help, on either side of the aisle.

Mr. Graham, Could I See Your Face ?

2007-03-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

'In a field hospital about a mile behind the front lines on Christmas Eve, we went from bed to bed, bringing greetings and trying to encourage the wounded. One young man was so mangled that he lay face down on a canvas and steel contraption. A doctor whispered to me, "I doubt he'll ever walk again." "Mr. Graham, could I see your face?" asked the young man. We've all been praying for you and looking forward to your coming. I won't be able to be at the service." So I lay on the floor beneath him and looked up into his hollow eyes, still stunned with his fate. I prayed with him.
"Sir," said the young man to General Jenkins, who was escorting me, "I fought for you, but I've never seen you. Could I see your face?"
The general got down on all fours, slid under that bed as best he could, and talked with the young man. I saw a tear fall from the soldier onto the general's cheek.'

Iraq? Afghanistan? No, this took place in Korea in 1952. It is an excerpt from the autobiography of Billy Graham, entitled "Just As I Am".

Why am I sharing this short, incredibly graphic passage with you? Simply, and in plain English, because it jarred me. I had to put the book away until the tears stopped. I could not continue to read.

It occurred to me that nothing has really changed, and probably nothing ever will. Civilization, it seems, goes from war to war to war...! Soldiers die fighting for the 'cause'. History continues to repeat itself, and no one ever learns.

"Where have all the soldiers gone...long time passing...Where have all the soldiers gone...long time ago...Where have all the soldiers gone...they've gone to graveyards, everyone...when will they ever learn...when will they ever learn". (Pete Seeger)

Fast forward to March 2007. Our young people are still dying, still being maimed. And in my heart and soul, I must now wrestle with the questions that surfaced regarding Iraq as I read the above passage from Mr. Graham's book. Why do we do this? Is this a morally correct course we are on? Is there a better way? Is our freedom really worth the price our soldiers are paying every day?

I was born in 1938. I was a young child during World War II, but I can still vividly remember seeing the large headlines in the Cleveland Plain Dealer proclaiming "THE WAR IS OVER", or words to that effect. I was sitting at the kitchen table and almost tipped my chair over backwards with excitement. I remember the euphoria of family and neighbors. I can remember a few months later seeing my Uncle Harold, walking towards our house dressed in his sailor's uniform, duffle bag over his shoulder. Coming home. He was my hero, and I was so proud he was my uncle! We were a country united by a common cause.

Had we not had the resolve and the will to do what was necessary back then, we would not have the freedom and prosperity we enjoy today. For those of you too young to remember, you can take that to the bank. We were confronted with evil, we paid a horrible price to defeat it, but defeat it we did. Our country lost 11,000 soldiers the first DAY at Normandy. We lost tens upon tens of thousands more in the Pacific defeating Japan.

This, of course, is my frame of reference when I search for answers to those tough questions. I was born into a war that involved our own very sacred freedom and sovereignty. I was a student during Korea, and just past fighting age during Vietnam. Korea and Vietnam were political wars. They were about the proliferation of communism. Our sovereignty was not at stake. We were fighting to maintain freedom for a people who had not the means to do it for themselves. Was this a right thing to do? Should we have been there, or should we simply have let them be crushed by evil forces? There's a couple questions you can try to answer.

Today, we are fighting evil forces for our very existence, and, unlike our country of the 1940's, we are divided, and it is ugly. As horrible as war can be, as terrible as the consequences are for our young soldiers, can you imagine a future without freedom? Can you imagine leaving a legacy of evil, oppression and death for our children, and their children? Will there even be a 'next generation'? Are you willing to take the risk of 'just walking away'? Of surrender? This is truly gut-wrenching stuff!

I am afraid I do not have the answers. I wish I did. I will close with a quote that I have used many times before, but it always seems apropos:
"True peace is not the absence of war; it is the absence of evil". I truly believe that somewhere in this quote lie the answers. We must try to find them, if we can.

Fancy Nancy - Not A Chancy !!!

2007-03-13T17:26:00.000-07:00

This is scary, scary stuff! Fancy Nancy is not only totally off-base, she is probably up for the "Hypocrite of the Year" award. She is so totally disingenuous she somehow fails to mention her deliberate disregard for environmental issues (documented) whenever they happen to negatively impact the Pelosi family business. She and her husband also have a track record for being anti-union (also documented) in their hiring practices. To think she really cares about people is completely ludicrous. She is a total fraud.

So here you go, folks. Y'all keep on voting for these out-of-touch left-wingers until there's nothing left. They will suck you dry of your cash, your morality, and your famil;y's future.

Can you imagine this is what the electorate wants?????????? It is hard to believe there are American citizens who support her theories and can make any sense of what she spins. Take a good hard look at what she wants. Take special note of the last paragraph.

Nancy Pelosi condemned the new record highs of the stock market as "just another example of Bush policies helping the rich get richer". "First Bush cut taxes for the rich and the economy has rebounded with new record low unemployment rates, which only means wealthy employers are getting even wealthier at the expense of the underpaid working class".
She went on to say "Despite the billions of dollars being spent in Iraq our economy is still strong and government tax revenues are at all time highs. What this really means is that business is exploiting the war effort and working Americans, just to put money in their own pockets". When questioned about recent stock market highs she responded "Only the rich benefit from these record highs. Working Americans, welfare recipients, the unemployed and minorities are not sharing in these obscene record highs". "There is no question these windfall profits and income created by the Bush administration need to be taxed at 100% rate and those dollars redistributed to the poor and working class". "Profits from the stock market do not reward the hard work of our working class who, by their hard work, are responsible for generating these corporate profits that create stock market profits for the rich. We in congress will need to address this issue to either tax these profits or to control the stock market to prevent this unearned income to flow to the rich."

When asked about the fact that over 80% of all Americans have investments in mutual funds, retirement funds, 401K's, and the stock market she replied "That may be true, but probably only 5% account for 90% of all these investment dollars. That's just more "trickle down" economics claiming that if a corporation is successful that everyone from the CEO to the floor sweeper benefit from higher wages and job security which i s ridiculous". "How much of this 'trickle down' ever get to the unemployed and minorities in our county? None, and that's the tragedy of these stock market highs." "We democrats are going to address this issue after the election when we take control of the congress. We will return to the 60% to 80% tax rates on the rich and we will be able to take at least 30% of all current lower Federal Income Tax tax payers off the roles and increase government income substantially. We need to work toward the goal of equalizing income in our country and at the same time limiting the amount the rich can invest." When asked how these new tax dollars would be spent, she replied "We need to raise the standard of living of our poor, unemployed and minorities. For example, we have an est imated 12 million illegal immigrants in our country who need our help along with millions of unemployed minorities. Stock market windfall profits taxes could go a long ways to guarantee these people the standard of living they would like to have as "Americans"."

I Am So Sick Of People Over-Reacting I Could Kill Somebody!!!

2007-03-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

I am so sick of people over-reacting I could kill somebody! Not really, but it does make a point of sorts, or hopefully it will before I'm finished.

FYI, I had my gall bladder removed last week. I was a little concerned that my level of unmitigated gall might be adversely affected by the procedure, but after setting around these last few days recuperating, and watching all the craziness on the 'news', I am finding I still have my full quota, and that's a lot of gall!

Where to start? Isaiah Washington got upset with a fellow actor on Grey's Anatomy, called him a "F----t", then apologized, saying he was checking himself into rehab, and the entire left wing press said, "How nice"! Okay, doesn't mean a thing to me. I don't even watch Grey's Anatomy. And, we went through this same idiocy with Mel Gibson and Michael Richards, although the press was not nearly as kind to Mel as they were to 'their guys'. Which brings me to Ann Coulter.

Ann Coulter recently gave a speech and used the same dreaded "F" word as an obvious joke about John Edwards and his ill-fated presidential campaign. Please note that I said 'obvious' joke, not necessarily to be construed as actually funny by all people. Lo and behold, the left wing media has hung her out to dry! They only show the part of her speech that refers to the alleged Edwards slur, deliberately omitting the rest, which was actually a whole series of one or two liners on various political subjects, all meant to be humorous in her own way. As Dennis Miller so aptly pointed out, she should have used the word 'maggot' instead. It rhymes, and is probably a lot more accurate.

Can Ms. Coulter be caustic? You betcha! It is what she does, and she does it very well. It is how she earns her living. Bill Maher can call George W. Bush an idiot and that is just hunky-dory with the press. He receives no flack. Ann, of course, gets vilified. It seems their idea of humor, and their agenda, do not allow for fairness to both sides of the political spectrum. Hmmm (in case you never noticed).

In my most humble opinion, the biggest problem the left wingers have with Ann Coulter is, quite simply, she scares the living be-geebies out of them. She speaks, they panic. She is an incredibly brilliant woman, well based in her beliefs and her facts, and very articulate to boot. As is par for the course, they can only attack her on a personal level because they have no message of legitimate rebuttal, nor do they have anyone in their camp with sufficient intellectual savvy to go head to head with her in serious debate. I say this because, if such a person existed, they would have surely trotted him/her out by now, and they haven't. In short, they hate her for what she is more than for what she says, but none of them would ever admit it either to themselves, or to the outside world.

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Scooter Libby was found guilty of committing perjury to a federal grand jury. In some circles that would qualify him to be President of the United States, but he is obviously in the wrong circle. It will be interesting to see what his sentence will be. In the event he is sentenced to actual prison time, George W's final act before leaving office should be his full and complete pardon. Hopefully, it won't come to that. I have yet to be convinced there was actually a crime committed in the first place.

Sandy Berger, on the other hand, was actually (in real life, even) caught stealing classified documents from the National Archives to cover his old boss' tail (as memory serves me, who was also convicted of perjury, but that seems to be different). An actual crime, by golly, and he virtually drew a pass. In shorts, er, I mean in short, a small fine, a slap on the wrist, some community service. Thank you very much, have a nice day. Y'all come back now, ya heah!

I certainly hope this all comes to light when they sentence ol' Scooter.

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File this under 'almost un-important tid-bits'. Don Imus was interviewing Frank Rich of the New York Times the other morning. In case you don't know him, Rich leans so far to the left he only has to buy a shoe for his right foot every third pair.

The topic was Rudy Guilliani's estrangement with his 21 year old son, and the impact it might have on his bid for the Presidency. When asked if he thought this might destroy Rudy's campaign, Frank Rich said this: "I don't really know, but I do know everybody in my business hopes he'll run" (he believes any of the top left wing candidates can beat Guilliani). This little statement is important only that he also will tell you there is no left wing bias in the media. Take your pick.

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Thank God the weasels have finally let Anna Nicole Smith go to her grave. May she rest in peace. Does anyone out there really care who the father of her child is, or am I totally over-estimating the mentality of the American people?

Just for the record, I am NOT the father of her child. On a serious note, this young child certainly needs our constant prayers.

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I forced myself to watch the news regarding the mess at Walter Reed Hospital. To say I was appalled would be a gross understatement. I know this is not a new problem, but that makes it even worse than it appears to be. We have been through how many administrations since the Korean conflict. The problem existed back then.

This is not about whether we are Republican or Democrat. This is not about who should be fired or who should stay. This is about doing what is right for our wounded soldiers. This is about finally stepping up to the line and saying once and for all, "This is just so wrong"!

This is about fixing what needs to be fixed without bogging down in usual government bureaucracy. In other words, DO IT NOW! We owe it to our young men and women who put it on the line for us every day to do whatever it takes, no matter what it costs, to provide them with whatever they need for total and complete rehabilitation, not only at Walter Reed Medical Center, but at every Veteran Administration facility in the world!

This must not be a partisan issue. They never seem to get resolved. Let's tell our government, "Okay, whatever it takes. let's get it done. NOW"!

Hello, I'm NOT Johnny Cash !!!

2007-02-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

Hello, I'm NOT Johnny Cash! Sorry, but there was only one of him, and, sadly, he is gone. The good news, however, is that his music is still very much alive, and, in fact, is still thriving some fifty-plus years after his first record was released on Sun Records in Memphis (1955, I believe).

I should admit that this particular 'Rant !!!' is somewhat ego-driven. To omit this disclaimer would be quite disingenuous on my part. I will bring you up to speed momentarily.

For those of you who do not know me personally, I am a song writer. I am also the world's oldest living rock & roll drummer (the rest surely must have passed on by now), although I haven't played the drums in many, many years. In fact, I don't even remember which end goes in my mouth (still a bad joke, but I digress).

I first heard Johnny Cash in 1956. He had a hit record entitled "I Walk the Line". It is still being played on radio stations around the world to this very day. It is, without question, a classic. Although I was playing drums in a rock band at the time, I actually (at the tender age of eighteen) stood at the microphone and sang "I Walk the Line". It was my first public vocal attempt, for better or worse, but it stirred something inside of me that has never gone away: my love for the music of one 'John R. Cash'.

My songwriting has been greatly influenced by his music through the years. There is a simplicity and an honesty that transcends into the lives of the common people (us'ns). His lyrics tell the story of everyday life in America. Nothing fancy, nothing phony, nothing slick or polished. Just pure Americana. I could go off on a tangent here and indict the current state of today's music industry and their complete lack of creativity and artistry, but I just did, didn't I?

As I promised, let me now go back to my ego disclaimer: This past Friday night I sang at a very neat place on the square in Murfreesboro, Tennessee called 'Liquid Smoke'. It is a place where friends gather to enjoy a good cigar and a 'cold one' of their choice. It seems I have been accused of sounding like Johnny Cash when I sing (close, but no cigar, unless you're at Liquid Smoke). I assembled some friends, along with two of my grandsons, to back me up musically, and we did a two hour set of nothing but Johnny Cash songs. The show was incredibly well received and more fun for me than an old person should be allowed to have.

Which brings me to the point of all this: There is no way for me to tell anyone how thrilled and how honored I was to emulate the 'Man in Black', and to share his music with others, if only for a short two hours. I did my best to 'do him proud', as they say in this part of the world.

Johnny Cash, as a songwriter, as a musician, and as a man, will live forever. He is a true American hero. A true American legend. His music is as fresh today as it was fifty years ago, and it will live in my heart forever. He was 'one of a kind'. Hey, sounds like a song to me!

No, I'm NOT Johnny Cash. Couldn't be if I wanted!

Global Warming Re-Visited !!!

2007-02-20T20:12:00.000-08:00

Following are two articles of interest, that seem to be fact based, regarding 'global warming'. I am becoming more and more convinced, as per my last 'Rant', that this whole global warming thing, aside from feigned hysteria, is all about making money, nothing more. I am kicking myself for not being smart enough to cash in on opportunities like this, and, I am totally dismayed that Al Gore is obviously much smarter than I am.

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NZCPD Guest Forum Augie Auer 18 February 07 Imagining Climate Change

What a wonderfully powerful human trait is the imagination. No other form of animal life can think creatively as we humans…to dream up scenarios of passion…love, joy, hatred, anticipation. But distort our imaginative powers with a bit of fear & guilt instilled by mischievous science…and presto, you have the makings of the catastrophic global warming [ooops, I’m sorry], I mean, climate change hysteria. This hysteria was reinforced on 2 February when the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its ‘Summary to Policymakers’ (SPM); but the report on which the Summary is based, IPCC’s 4th Assessment 2007, will not be published until May. The problem is that the SPM was produced, not by the scientific writers and reviewers, but by a process of negotiation among unnamed bureaucratic delegates from sponsoring governments. Is it any wonder that this SPM attracted considerable media interest because of its alarmist dogma. The “Man bites dog!” stories always do. So what is going on? Are we are a course of certain environmental Apocalypse? Of course we’re not. Here’s why. Every one of the outcomes predicated on present & continued burning of fossil fuels by mankind are projections generated by computer simulations of future climatic patterns. They are not reality, not certainty, rather a kind of computer imagination. And even with all the mathematical manipulations, the climate models are only as good as the knowledge that is imputed to them. And as much as we would like to think that our knowledge of all atmospheric processes is substantial, the fact is it’s grossly lacking in both scope & thoroughness especially when it comes to looking decades into the future. This means that high levels of accuracy & certainty just can’t be achieved. Sometimes computer models can’t predict our local weather with useful certainty just 48 hours in advance. Then there’s the matter of CO2…that harmful gas that Al Gore would have us believe is choking us all to death, that greenhouse gas which Jeanette Fitzsimmons claims “the planet is groaning under the weight of”. Again, let’s set the record straight. To start with, CO2 is not a harmful, pollutant gas! It could best be described as an airborne fertilizer that humans exhale. Diesel exhaust, now that’s a pollutant. The Earth’s constituent gases consist of 77% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen with the 2% balance comprised of the so-called ‘greenhouse gases’. These trace gases are water vapour (averaging about 1%), followed by carbon dioxide (CO2) at a whopping 0.038% (usually reported as 380 ppm [parts per million]), methane at 0.00015% and even lesser concentrations of minor gases. So how can a gas that occupies a measly 0.038% of our atmosphere warrant so much attention? That’s what needs to be challenged. The greenhouse effect is a near–miraculous process that carefully regulates the temperature of the planet. By absorbing & re-radiating downward some of the heat energy that would escape to space from the Earth, greenhouse gases effectively keep the average temperature of the planet near 15C rather than at (minus) –18C. So the greenhouse effect is required for life! Water vapour is, by far & away, the most dominant and naturally-produced of all greenhouse gases, contributing to a massive 95% of the beneficial warming process. Within the remaining 5%, there isn’t much clout available for carbon dioxide; it only contributes a meagre 3.5% or so. And when this input is subdivided into naturally produced & anthropogenically sourced, just under 97% comes from Nature, just over 3% from mankind. This means that the human contribution of CO2 to the Earth’s greenhouse warming process is an inconsequential 0.12%. Even if CO2 doubled in the atmosphere due to man’s activity, its impact on greenhouse processes would remain miniscule. Furthermore, the efficiency of CO2 as a greenhouse gas does not increase with concentration, as the Al Gores of the world tell us. Its effectiveness obeys the law of diminishing returns. Only the first 150ppm or so is all that is needed for the planet’s greenhouse effect to operate near maximum. Additional carbon dioxide only serves as a spent force. Because of the dominance of a simple, Earth–unique gas, water vapour, we could say that mankind could not alter our climate if we wanted to! Since carbon dioxide is not the problem, there is no need for any mandatory reduction of planetary CO2 or punitive taxations to prevent its use. Note that this not a proposal to abandon our responsibility of stewardship of the planet’s atmosphere. Scientists have an ethical responsibility to be truthful in their research, to avoid being arrogant, intimating & intolerant. This is not intended as a criticism of all those involved in climate research, but it is directed in some regard to politicians & policymakers who, in interpreting the ‘science’, tell us “You have a problem, we can solve it & no other opinion matters”. They communicate through a seemingly biased media emphasizing unsubstantiated fright & sensationalism: e.g., a rise in sea-levels that would inundate Pacific island nations. “We must act now!”, the global warming zealots scream. Yet I recall my Dad warning about high–pressure salesmen with the ‘It must be done now’ pitch. Where’s David Russell when you need him? Recall the admonition of Robertson Davies, a 20th century journalist/novelist: “Every man is wise when attacked by a mad dog; fewer when pursued by a mad woman; only the wisest survive when attacked by a mad notion.” Imagine that!

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20 November 06 An Inconveneient Truth By Ron Goodwin

All people interested in global warming should see Al Gore’s film, if only to appreciate how the whole world is being hoodwinked by pseudoscience. There is no question that the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been increasing for many decades, albeit from a very small percentage to a larger but still very small percentage, currently about 0.035%. However, there is no sound scientific evidence that I am aware of, that this or any other factor is actually causing any global warming. Nature is such, that there always has been and always will be enormous extremes in climatic conditions from time to time. That is why urban development plans consider what will happen in a 1 in 100 year storm and hydro dams work on 1000 or 2000 year events. Glaciers will continue to grow and recede. The Arctic Ocean will continue to freeze up and thaw. Large areas were unfrozen in the 1930s as they are today. Such is the ebb and flow of nature. The Vikings used to grow corn in Greenland . The River Thames froze so solid around 300 years ago that thousands of people and even an elephant walked on the ice. Mountains like Mt Kilimanjaro will continue to lose snow, not due to any evidence of global warming, but due to a reduction in precipitation caused by the post-colonial deforestation of surrounding areas. Massive hurricanes will continue to come and go. The movement of tectonic plates will continue to make coastal areas rise and fall. And what’s more, the ozone hole will continue more or less centred over Mt Erebus so long as this massive active volcano continues to spew over 1,000 tonnes of super-heated chlorine gas straight up into the stratosphere every day, as it has done since 1982. If the ozone hole was caused by man-made emissions, it would be in the northern hemisphere, where 90% of the world’s atmospheric pollution comes from. Yes, there are records and graphs of temperature increases. As any meteorologist knows, most long-standing weather stations were originally established in major towns and cities, most of which have now become large metropolitan centres. These are now subject to what is known as “the urban heat island effect”, a warmer micro-climate caused by all the energy consumption and other factors peculiar to major cities. The increase can at times be as much as 2oC to 6oC for very large urban centres. The graphs of mean annual temperature for small cities and remote places are what should be studied. Invercargill has accurate records from 1946. Whilst each year varies from the trend line by differing amounts up to 1oC, the trend line over 60 years is actually a reduction in temperature of 0.3oC. Christchurch , still a very small city by world standards, has accurate records from 1864. Each year varies from the trend line by up to 1.1oC. But the trend line over that whole 140 year period is dead level. Better still, how about a remote Pacific island where there is absolutely no heat island effect - only the effect of global warming, if there is any. Norfolk Island has kept proper met records from 1915. The trend line has a slight downward gradient, a temperature drop-off of 0.2oC in 90 years with peak years typically up to 0.8oC above and below the trend line. Temperature records from numerous other remote weather stations display a similar trend; absolutely no increase in temperature, and many with a slight decrease as for Norfolk Island . So I am sorry Mr Gore, the fact that there is absolutely no solid scientific evidence of global warming, man-made or otherwise, is your “Inconvenient Truth”.

Monty Python Re-Visited !!!

2007-02-15T18:19:00.000-08:00

So, does anyone out there actually believe in re-incarnation? I certainly don't! And, I didn't believe in it the last time I was here, either! But, there is this one, wierd little question that keeps running through the back of my mind: Is it possible that Monty Python has come back in the person of Al Gore? Naw, not really! But, what if...?

I haven't seen Al Gore's movie (probably won't, to be truthful), but I can guess that it is every bit as serious and well documented as Monty Python's 'Holy Grail', truly one of the all time cinema classics. Al Gore has really outdone himself this time. A hit movie, a Grammy. Wow! Most people would have been content with just inventing the internet, but not our Al. Good job, big guy! And, living in a fantasy world probably pays very well, too.

Why don't you ask the folks in up-state New York how they feel about 'global warming'. Bet you'll get an earfull! In fact, why don't you ask me? I'm freezing!

The big scare thirty years ago was all about 'global freezing'. Some of you can remember that, I'm sure. So, what happened? My guess would be that all the hot air that went on back then about 'global freezing' actually caused what is known today as 'global warming'.

That is just one of my many theories on the subject. Another theory would be that our politicians have discovered an entire new industry: The 'theory' industry. Simply find a theory that sounds plausible, put it out there as fact, and a whole bunch of people will jump on the band wagon and say, "Yah, that must be true", and you're off to the races! Bottom line: If you can sell a good theory to the world, you will make a whole lot of money selling books, giving speeches, and making movies, even without those who don't buy into your 'uh theory. And the hot air goes on and on and on, effecting a certain validation without requiring proof. Perhaps the word 'hypothesis' would be a better fit here than 'theory'.

As I understand it, filtering fact and fiction, the temperature of this planet has risen a whopping one degree since 1900, and there are scientists out there who claim to have proven that temperature variations are cyclical. Are they? I certainly don't know, and I don't really think you do either.

I continue to hear reports from Great Britain regarding how short the growing season has become there. Hundreds of years ago, for example, there were lush vineyards all across Great Britain producing wonderful quality grapes for wine. Today, the growing season is so short the vineyards no longer exist. This must be treated as no more a piece of fiction than all of the so-called global warming facts we are being fed today. And we can't even wash them down with a good glass of wine!

The Left Wingers: Between Iraq And A Hard Place

2007-02-06T15:48:00.000-08:00

In the event anyone out there pays any attention to my rantings at all, yes, I did use a portion of this title several months ago. Back then, it was entitled George W. Bush: Between Iraq And A Hard Place. Same Iraq, different hard place.

George W. Bush's hard place continues on, and he is in a tough spot, both politically and militarally (is that a word?). He actually DID win the Iraqi war he set out to win in about the first thirty days. Complete regime change. Downfall of Saddam Hussein. Well done! But then the insurgency began, and, since then, we have been fighting a war we never planned to fight. But this is not exactly an epiphany at this point in time. And, I digress.

Back to the left wingers and their problem. Do they have (a) the courage to win the war in Iraq should they win the Presidency, and (b) do they have the courage to stop the war in any event? I think not.

History tells us that in the past fifty years, or so, the left wingers have failed miserably in virtually every military event they have been involved in. It's a no-brainer. There is no historical fact to make anyone believe that they could go into Iraq and possess the ability and/or the will to win. You can bet your sweet donkey the terrorists are licking their lips in anticipation of a Democratic takeover of our government.

History also tells us the left wingers will not have the fortitude to stop the war. They yack on and on about bringing the troops home by a certain date, cutting off funding for the war and this and that. Bottom line: If either or any of these options were to actually happen, this would put the onus of responsibility squarely on the backs of the left wingers. George W. Bush would be totally off the hook. It would no longer be his dilemma, it would then become theirs.

So, barring a quick trip to OZ, they will never muster the heart, courage, or brains to pull either option off. They will simply continue to posture, like roosters in the barnyard, trying desparately to destroy the Bush presidency in the process. And they are doing this nation a huge injustice in the meantime.

From Al Sharpton To al Qaeda

2007-01-30T15:05:00.000-08:00

Okay, try this. Just sit back, close your eyes and relax. Now try to picture this scenario: American women, dressed in Berkas, faces covered, walking ten steps behind their husbands. Gays and lesbians being slaughtered in the streets. Countless millions of Christians being murdered by Muslim terrorists in their home towns all across our once great country. Holy Bibles confiscated and burned. The Koran is now the official religious document of the day. No more American flag. No more Ten Commandments. No more Pledge of Allegiance. No more nothing. The Secular Progressives and the ACLU have actually become non-entities, and, more than likely, non-existent (not a bad thought, in itself).

Now, if you are still sitting back, with your eyes closed, relaxed, you are either totally out of touch with reality, completely stupid, or a combination thereof.

So, you say, this could never happen to us in our own country. So, you say, our government would never allow this to happen. So, you say, Dougie is nothing but a right-wing conservative alarmist. So you say. Well, let us all pray to God (while we still can) that I have overstated the consequences of losing the war on terrorism. Of course, I don't know what will happen, no one does. But it makes perfectly good sense to assume that if we leave Iraq before our mission is over, that the bad guys will follow us home.

The bottom line is this: As I am writing this 'Rant' there are people from the left wing in our government searching the Constitution for legal precedent to undermine the President's authority to continue to prosecute this war! They are looking for any means by which to destroy the Presidency of George W. Bush and bring our troops home. The message they are sending to the enemy is simple and clear: We, as a nation, no longer have the stomach to fight, or the will to win. We, as a nation, want out. We, as a nation, are willing to chance the loss of our freedom in exchange for a hollow peace.

Am I thrilled with the way things are going in Iraq? No. Am I saying that terrible mistakes have not been made? No. Am I saying that I believe our very existence as a nation is in grave danger if we give up the fight, tuck tail and run like cowards? YES! History bears out our military failures when left wingers have been in control of our government. The Clintons, Pelozis, Kennedys, Kerrys, and Deans will not fight the fight against evil. We will go from Al Sharpton to al Qaeda.

Close your eyes again and picture those airplanes crashing into the World Trade Center towers, and the ensuing destruction and horrible loss of life. Do you honestly believe in your heart of hearts that this would never happen again? Do you honestly believe the terrorists would never unleash weapons of mass destruction on our cities? Do you honestly believe the terrorists would not be unrelentless in their quest to destroy us? Okay, I think it's time now to open your eyes.

Wistful Thinking !!!

2007-01-28T17:59:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't it be a nicer world today if everyone understood that sometimes you just have to deal strongly and firmly with people who hate your guts and want you to die? Wouldn't it be a nicer world today if everyone understood the real difference between victory and defeat?
Wouldn't it be a nicer world today if everyone understood the horrible price we, as a nation, would have to pay if we should lose the war on terrorism?
Wouldn't it be a nicer world today if Jimmy Carter had never won the presidential election?

Okay, so why the unexpected shot over Jimmy's bow, you may ask? Well, I gonna tell ya'!
Remember when Jimmy was in the White House and the Shah of Iran was being overthrown by the Ayatollah Khomeini? Carter's official stand was to sit by and do nothing (something he was very good at, by the way). The Shah pleaded for assistance, the Carter administration turned their collective backs on him, allowing his demise to play itself out without resistance, in spite of the fact that Iran, at the time, was our strongest, and most loyal ally in the middle east.

It is no secret that the Shah had serious humanitarian issues that Jimmy just could not morally deal with, so he basically threw the baby out with the bathwater. The Ayatollah walked in, took over the Iranian government, and the rest is history.

Jimmy Carter is allegedly a very moral man. And there is nothing wrong, at all, with having high moral standards. We could all, no doubt, do better in that department, and the world would be a much better place for it. But there's a problem here, and that problem is this: If you are at odds with an enemy who is lacking in morality, and harbors evil intentions against you (he hates your guts), you need to understand the importance of defeating him by whatever means necessary before he defeats you. No 'rules of engagement'. No Geneva Convention. Thanks to Jimmy, we are involved in a street fight of monumental proportion, and there ain't no rules in a street fight.

I honestly can't understand why people on the left cannot grasp this concept. It ain't that tough! You either win or you lose. There is no middle way. It is just that basic and simple.

Victory: The winning of a battle, war, or any struggle. Lose: To fail to win. That pretty well sums it up unless you want to factor in 'surrender', and I certainly don't care to go there. You can't almost win, and you can't almost lose, just like you can't be almost pregnant.

So, here we are in the year 2007, not having learned a thing from history, protesting a war that was essentially started many years ago by a man whose blind morality, and lack of courage and clarity, deterred him from protecting a free and innocent people. And now, George W. Bush is being vilified by the left for having the courage to do what must be done today, at all costs. We have no choice. We must win.

The leftists want to bring our troops home. They want to raise our taxes, raise the minimum wage, and give us national health care. Noble thoughts? Perhaps. I personally don't think so.

The question in my mind is this: How much health care are we really going to need if we are being systematically slaughtered by terrorists because our government, weakened by a naive and unrealistic left wing agenda, no longer has the will and the courage to protect us? And don't think for a minute that this cannot happen. History ultimately bears out fact, and the fact is this: The left wing agenda, under left wing leadership, has failed miserably in military endeavors in the past fifty years. It just ain't what they do. But then again, what DO they do?

Mark My Words !

2007-01-18T17:12:00.000-08:00

Quote: "My fellow citizens, let no one doubt that this is a difficult and dangerous effort on which we have set out. No one can have foreseen precisely what course it will take, but the greatest danger of all would be to do nothing! The 1930's taught us a clear lesson. Aggressive conduct, if allowed to go unchecked and unchallenged, ultimately leads to war".

Quote: "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty".

Which American President spoke these words? You may be surprised (unless you're old like me) to know it was John F. Kennedy. A liberal through and through. But liberalism was a completely different breed of cat back then. There were two very definite political philosophies, but there was not the viciousness that exists today.

If you care to revisit those times, you will discover that Kennedy had inherited a post-Korean War economy. Times were tough (I actually tried selling Edsels for a couple of weeks. Now, that's tough!). So, naturally he did the usual liberal thing: He taxed everybody right up to their eyeballs so the government could continue to rock and roll without missing a beat, right? WRONG! NOT! President Kennedy, to his credit, had the inherent wisdom to actually cut taxes, creating new jobs in the process, thereby raising tax revenues and in the process he revived the slumping economy. Sound familiar? Liberals have been decrying and debunking this fiscal theory forever, but JFK did it, and made it work! Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were both vilified by the left for doing exactly the same thing. But the problem we face today, and then, is not tax revenue, it is the total lack of fiscal control in government spending (by both parties, by the way). In fact, the Kennedy and Bush tax cut proposals were virtually identical.

Please understand, I am not defending liberalism of fifty years ago. Can't, so I won't. I am simply pointing out the fact that when the chips were down, the country always rallied behind their president. That doesn't necessarily mean there were not differences of opinion, for there certainly were. What it does mean is this: That when we said the Pledge of Allegiance we meant it. 'Under God' meant exactly that! We were united. Republican or Democrat, it didn't really matter. Sadly, those days are long gone.

Today, we have those who don't want the 'Pledge' spoken in schools, want God completely out of our lives, and they would happily lose the war on terrorism in order to further their agenda. They hate our President beyond passion and would do virtually anything to bring him down. Our sovereignty and our culture are both in grave danger. Please believe this.

The Kennedys, Boxers, Pelosis, Shumers, Reids, Kerrys, Clintons and others of today's left will look into the television camera and smile, and then say, "We support our troops". Sadly, but not surprising, they seem to have left one out. The Commander-in-Chief. These are vicious, self-serving people with a plan. An agenda that does not include your or my well being, in spite of what they may like us to believe.

The left has a very serious dilemma: If they support the war in Iraq, and we win (which we probably can and probably will, if they would only stop their political correctness nonsense, which they won't), then their chances of regaining the White House in 2008 are greatly diminished. What to do? What to do? It is quite obvious they have made a conscious decision to stonewall the President and his policies every step of the way. With all the things they endorse that begin with 'bi', you can rest assured that bi-partisanship ain't one of them!

Today's liberals are merchants of appeasement. They will go to any length to avoid confrontation with an avowed enemy. They have neither the stomach nor the inclination for war. Carter and Clinton both proved that during their respective (not to be confused with respected) terms in office. They do not recognize the essence of evil, therefore they have no capacity to deal with it, and, if left in power these people will ultimately destroy this nation. Mark my words.

Here Is Your Hand Basket !!!

2007-01-13T19:02:00.000-08:00

So, just for the sake of argument, let's say the liberals are right. OH - MY - GOD !!! Did I just write that? I suddenly have this sharp, excruciating pain just above my left eye! That's okay, I can get through this. Afterall, I must have a point to make, right? Right!

It has been said that history repeats itself. It has also been said that if a person does the same thing over and over and over expecting a different result, it is a sign of insanity.

Let's examine the definitions of the words 'communism', 'socialism', and 'fascism'. Communism and socialism are virtually interchangeable. Their definitions read almost the same - to a point. Communism is an economic theory or system of ownership of all property by the community as a whole. Socialism is the theory or system of the ownership and operation of the means of production and distribution by society or the community rather than by private individuals. Fascism is a system of government characterized by rigid one-party dictatorship, forcible suppression, etc.

We all know, historically, that communism and socialism will not work in the long term, and we also know that fascism continues to rear its ugly head in many parts of the world to this very day. Although different in theory, there is one common denominator between communism, socialism and fascism: Government. There is also a huge difference between theory and reality, and the reality is that government, if left unchecked, breeds power, and power breeds greed and greed breeds corruption. Human nature, don'cha know!

Enter 'democracy': a government by the people, either directly or through elected representatives; rule by the ruled. Also a theory or system that is subject to the very same pitfalls mentioned above: Power, greed, and corruption. Think we ain't got our fair share? Think again. Thankfully, our forefathers wrote an incredibly brilliant document called the Constitution, and it has been able to withstand the test of time. I would hate to see where this country would be today without it. Scary thought, huh? You betcha!

I have deliberately left the term 'liberalism' out of the mix until now. The definition I read in my dictionary has nothing to do, whatsoever, with what is commonly considered as liberalism today. Mr. Webster uses terms like 'giving freely', 'generous', 'tolerant of views different from one's own', ad nauseam. Give me a break! We need a new word here! And I can't think of one! Can you?

Actually, communism and socialism come closer to fitting the bill than anything I can think of, except that liberalism is still trying to operate within the parameters of democracy. Now, am I saying that all liberals are either communists or socialists? No way! Am I saying there are similarities in what they perceive as to what is best for the average citizen? You can draw your own conclusions.

See if any of this sounds familiar: They believe our society is better off with more and more government control. They want our hard earned money to do with what they please. They want appeasement instead of war (appeasement is the long, drawn out version of surrender, same end result). They prefer detente over confrontation (Ronald Reagan once described detente as what the farmer has with the turkey until Thanksgiving morning). They want God removed from our culture (and some of them actually had the gall to compare President Bush to Adolph Hitler). They want to indoctrinate our children to believe that alternative lifestyles are normal. And it goes on and on and on.....

Now to history: Neville Chamberlain preferred appeasement over conflict with Adolph Hitler. We all know how far that got us. Thank God for Winston Churchill. Anti-war protests divided our country until Pearl Harbor and then Hitler's declaration of war against us forced Franklin Roosevelt to do what was right and necessary. Harry Truman was crucified by the liberals for sending troops to Korea. I firmly believe we could have won the Vietnam conflict (political correctness says it was not a 'war') in six months, except for the meddling of a democratic congress, who, after we did tuck tail and run, proceeded to cut off funding to the South Vietnamese,
resulting in their imminent surrender to the communist North Vietnamese. The left actually ridiculed Ronald Reagan for his stand against the Soviet Union and their systematic spread of communism. Thankfully, he was strong enough, and right enough, to overcome their very historic short-sightedness, and was able to bring down the 'Evil Empire' forever. No more Berlin Wall.

I will quickly mention Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Neither men had the political courage to confront anybody or anything. Their dismal foreign policy records are historically documented.

And now, here we are, embroiled once again with the ravages of failed liberal policy. It has never worked in the past, and it will never work in the future, assuming we will, as a nation, indeed have a future. History will repeat itself over and over again (insanity, remember) until we destroy ourselves, unless we take a stand as a nation and say 'enough is enough'!

Here is your hand basket...I think we all know what comes next.

A Dougie Rants Noose Alert !!!

2006-12-31T07:20:00.000-08:00

Saddam Hussein's life has ended. Hanged by the neck until dead. A fitting end to life for this monster, who never showed remorse, murdered countless thousands of people, including members of his own family, and remained defiant until the end.

And, I have heard very little from those who oppose capital punishment. No one has come forward advocating mercy and rehabilitation. No one has suggested that none of this was really his fault, that he was a victim of society. No one has asked for years of endless appeals. Or should I say 'yet'? Maybe a little bit of that good Texas criminal law rubbed off on those people. So, maybe this was a good thing. Get it over with quickly. No use in just hanging around when you're at the end of your rope (so to speak). Okay, that was tacky, but I am personally finding it very difficult to think good thoughts for this very evil creature. Chalk it up to human failng, if you will. The world is a better place without him.

But, if you will take a moment to remember, let's revisit the day our troops found Saddam cowering in a 'spider hole', trying desparately to avoid capture. President Bush told America, "Now, the former dictator of Iraq will face the justice he denied to millions. For the vast majority of Iraqi citizens, the torture chambers and the secret police are gone forever".

Enter one Howard Dean: "The capture of Saddam has not made America safer...". Then neither did the defeat of Hitler, Tojo or Mussoulini. Right!

Enter one John Kerry: "Saddam's capture is an important step toward stabilizing Iraq for the Iraqis"...but then went on to disparage the Bush administration.

The list goes on, and on, and on, and...

The bottom line is this: Had the United States of America followed the path of these great thinkers, Saddam Hussein would still be alive today. He would still be in power today. He would still be the brutal, murdering dictator of Iraq, training suicide bombers to kill Americans, offering a safe haven to terrorists, and the turmoil in the middle east would be no closer to resolve.

This is not to say we do not have huge problems facing us, for we surely do. This is not to say we do not need to re-think our strategies for victory, for we surely must. But, what we must NOT do is lose our resolve in the winds of discontent spawned by the 'political correctness' advocates. We can win the war against terrorism only by remaining united in our cause.

We must 'shut off' the discourse of discontent that is dividing us. And that will become a much more difficult challenge when the leadership of the House and Senate changes hands in January. The rhetoric of the left will then become 'official'. So watch, listen, and be vocal. These folks only need to be around for two years, then we can send them packing. And, don't be overly kind to the folks on the right side of the aisle, either. It seems it is becoming more and more difficult to tell the difference between the left and the right. And that ain't good!

Decisions! Decisions! Decisions !

2006-12-22T07:02:00.000-08:00

Decisions, decisions, decisions! Oh, what to do? Sometimes our lives come to a point when we only have so much time to devote to certain things, and we must make hard, fast decisions as to how best use that time. This happened to me this past week, and I had to decide how to best use what little time I had available. My son Larry calls these little time frames "windows'. Here was my dilemma: Do I watch the "View", or do I pull out my thumb nails? As they say in real estate, "Time is of the essence". Oh, what to do?

The doctor said my thumbs, although very sore, are doing fine and, in just a few short months, should be completely healed. The nails WILL grow back in due time. This is a good thing.

Okay, I didn't really pull out my thumb nails. I just wanted to make a point, which is: Why anyone would want to actually sit and watch that show is beyond me. Or even watch it standing up. Rosie O'Donnell is, in my humble opinion, a very disgusting person. I say this, not because of her lifestyle (that is strictly between her and God), but because of what emits from her mouth. She is, quite obviously, not a happy person, and that is sad. She is not physically attractive, which she cannot help anymore than I can help it that I don't look more like Sean Connerly, but, also quite sadly, I find her un-attractive on the inside, too. She can be quite vicious unless you happen to agree with her on every issue. And, she is now the dominant personality on the show.

Back to this week. I didn't actually watch the "View", but there was no way to escape it if a person watched any TV news at all. It was everywhere! Hillary was on one day trying to convince the world she was really a nice person who wanted to be the first 'Mom' to run for president. Give me a break! Then I heard she was re-releasing her book entitled "It Takes a Village to Have an Idiot", or something like that. Then we had Rosie and Donald Trump lock horns, both acting like nine year olds. Wow, the drama was completely underwhelming! Who cares?

There is, however, possible good news in all of this: If a person could actually get caught up in this whirlwind world of non-reality, the problems of the real world could just go away. Think about it. No more terrorism, no more political correctness. No more ACLU (we could then have God back in our culture). No more illness or disease or hunger or lonliness. The world would be at peace. We could all, then, just 'get along' and everything would come up roses!

Or is that Rosie?

"And Man Will Live For Evermore, Because Of Christmas Day"

2006-12-17T19:40:00.000-08:00

I have a friend in New Zealand. In fact, in Christ Church, New Zealand. What a wonderful name for a city! In fact, again, I have several friends in New Zealand. New friends, perhaps, but the bond has been forged. We all met at a wedding in Carmel Valley, California in June. Remarkably warm, fun, and devoutly Christian people, they will be in my life, heart and mind from now on, even though we have no guarantee of ever overcoming the geography that separates us. We are, however, able to stay connected by e-mail until...who knows?

I single out one friend here, in particular, because he sent me an e-mail written by a man from Wellington, New Zealand by the name of Nigel Irwin. He is the author of the incredibly wonderful piece of writing that follows, and he has graciously granted me permission to share it with you here. It is timely. It is true. And it shares the lament of people from two completely different parts of the world who are saddened by the total commercialization of what should be our most sacred holiday:

“And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.”

The Calypso Carol hints at the enormous significance of the day we celebrate
as Christ’s birthday. Yet as I heard it on a popular, mainstream radio
station this morning, I saw no-one stopping to consider what those words
mean, no-one pausing in gratitude and certainly no-one smiling and singing
along.

There are 10 days now until Christmas Day. I’m trying my best to be numb to
the materialism, hype and manic busy-ness of Christmas this year – trying
instead to consider deeply and often, the immense implications of a King
born to us, by His virgin mother and eternal Father.

You can stand back and observe what happens to people at Christmas – and it
is both fascinating and quite sad. Firstly, the wallets, cheque-books and credit-cards come out. Spending in NZ goes through the proverbial roof throughout December in preparation of mass gift-exchanging and indulgent overeating/drinking to take
place on Dec 25. People crowd into shopping malls and supermarkets, elbowing
their way through crowds as they amass their merchandise haul. Most will have faces
set in stone, teeth gritted and jaws set as they determinedly strive to get
this madness over with as quickly as possible.

There is incredible pressure on families at Christmas time. I know, it is nothing new, but the more I think about it, the more I am saddened by it. Finance companies do a roaring trade at Christmas as cash-strapped families take out loans to pay for Christmas gifts and season fare. Their repayments often take them through until the following Christmas and sometimes beyond, until they end up operating on a revolving line of credit… just for Christmas.

Inevitably, some families crack under the pressure – Woman’s Refuge shelters fill up, couples separate and divorce, and the children who unwittingly become embroiled in all of this, learn that along with Christmas stockings and brightly wrapped boxes under the tree, come harsh words, arguments, violence and tension.

All, in the name of Christmas.

On the radio the other day, the DJ implored his listeners to remember what Christmas was really all about – the big guy in the red suit, delivering cheer and goodwill. Since red suits don’t seem to be the logical apparel of a nomadic Prophet, I am forced to believe this DJ was referring to Santa Claus. Oh the pity of it.

I try not to be so precious and jealous with Christian festivals and holidays, but it really brasses me off that the greater population can take Christmas, the celebration of hope born to mankind, and turn it into a frenzied mish-mash of busy-ness, debt, tension, drunkenness, consumerism, and materialism.

Somehow we’ve allowed ourselves to put aside the most precious Christmas gift ever given – the gift of eternal hope and extravagant love. Like a young child sitting under the Christmas tree, we’ve unwrapped the Christ-child and immediately cast Him aside, choosing instead to play with brightly-coloured wrapping paper that will add to tomorrow’s trash.

It feels great to give quality gifts. I can imagine the smile on God’s face as He prepared His Son for us – knowing how good indeed, this gift would be. I also imagine that smile turn into desperate sadness as He then watches us completely miss the point and turn Christmas into the very thing
it was NOT designed to be.

“And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.”

That is the real gift. Hope eternal, life everlasting. I hope and pray you will all take time out to dwell on this, and experience true joy and richest blessings - to all of you, I wish a Christ-filled Christmas!

Nigel Irwin

True Peace Is Not The Absence Of War...

2006-12-07T18:50:00.000-08:00

'True peace is not the absence of war, it is the absence of evil'. This simple little statement is where conservatives and liberals part company. It is so incredibly profound it tells us volumes about the difference between the conservative and liberal philosophies. HELLO, I AM NOT SAYING THAT ALL LIBERALS ARE NECESSARILY EVIL. OKAY? THEY ARE NOT! OKAY? What I am saying is, in my humble opinion, the liberal agenda does not allow for this type of mindset. In the liberal agenda, war is war, peace is peace, and evil simply does not enter into the equation. If, indeed, evil DID enter into the equation, then both conservatives and liberals would be on the same page when it comes to our national security. And, in case you haven't noticed, THEY AIN'T!

George W. Bush, to his credit, identified terrorism as evil. He recognized the simple fact that the only way to deal with terrorism is to destroy the roots of evil behind it. Has he done this without mistakes? No, he has not. Did he promise it would be over quickly? No, he did not. To the contrary, he warned our country that this war could last for many years, although it seems the liberals have conveniently forgotten that part of the speech.

There has never been a war fought without mistakes and there never will be. We lost 11,000 soldiers in ONE DAY when our troops went ashore at Normandy. Were mistakes made? You betcha! Were there unforseen circumstances? You betcha! War is a nasty, vile business. Sadly, people will die. But what are the options? Surrender? Bury our collective heads in the sand, just hoping this will all go away? Negotiate? Get real.

During the 1990's, our then sitting President (I am assuming he did sit up at least once in a while) was faced with many terrorist attacks during his tenure in office. He chose to avoid war, choosing instead to attempt to arrest, prosecute and imprison the bad guys. History bears out that this was mere political folly. We lost hundreds and hundreds of people while the terrorist community laughed in our faces.

Former President Jimmy Carter lashed out at George W. Bush for his wonderfully inspiring "axis of evil" speech. He was afraid Bush had hurt the feelings of the North Koreans, the Iranians, and Saddam Hussein. He said, "It will take years before we can repair the damage of that statement". Can you say ridiculous? This, from the same man who's presidency became a laughing stock when Iran held American citizens hostage for 444 days. It is incomrehensible to me how a person could do nothing but wring his hands for that many days and not break something.

To the Clinton administration's credit, they did kick the Branch Davidian's butts in Waco. Another tragic piece of misguided American history. And don't forget about little Elian Gonzalez. Janet Reno sure showed him a thing or two! Where was this tough resolve when it would have meant something? Pick on little kids and religious fanatics, but don't go after the terrorists who blew a hole in the side of the USS Cole, killing many of our finest young men. This is totally, completely indefensible!

These are the facts. This is all true and documented stuff. And, I could go on for several hundred more pages, but what's the use? If I haven't made my point by now I never will.

This is not about the economy, or the deficit, or building new roads. This is about the very survival of our nation, our life style, our freedom and the freedom of those who will follow us. And, for some sad, scary reason, it seems our country has seen fit to bring these people back to power. And their idea of peace simply cannot, and will not, endure the test of time. May God save us all.

'Tis The Season!

2006-11-28T16:52:00.000-08:00

It is the time of year, again, when we should all try to put our differences aside and come together as Americans. Of course, with the political climate in our country today this is not always an easy thing to do, but our Christian values should make it possible. You know, 'Good Will Towards Men', and all that...come on, give it a try!

Our political differences can just go 'on hold' until after the New Year. Let's just all concentrate on the joys of Christmas, the miracle of the birth of Christ, and all that follows. Enjoy!

This may be easier said than done. What do we do with the 'secular progressives'? They just don't believe as we do, and they don't want to hear about Christmas and baby Jesus, and nativity scenes and such. And, it is their right not to believe, if that is how they truly feel. And, we should never try to impose our collective wills on them as they do to us. Y'all know how that makes us feel! And, we should always try to respect their feelings even though they have no respect for ours. So, what to do?

You may possibly have guessed by now. I do have an idea (not original, but an idea)! Let's approach the leaders of the secular progressive movement with an outpouring of love. Let's share with them how important and sacred Christmas is to us, so that they may better understand our feelings, and, just maybe, it will help them to show respect for us in return.

You are probably asking, "So, just who are these leaders of the secular progressive movement in our country? And, how do we show them this great outpouring of love?"

The first answer would be: The American Civil Liberties Union.

The second answer would be: Let every Christian in this country send them a Christmas Card.

I personally think that if the ACLU were to receive several million Christmas cards from caring folks like us between now and Christmas, they would have to be greatly moved by it all. Overwhelmed. Probably beyond belief (so to speak)!

So, if you like this idea, please feel free to forward this to as many people as possible, and let's get the ball rolling. Merry Christmas!

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
125 BROAD STREET, 18TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10004

So, Where Is The Outrage?

2006-11-21T19:41:00.000-08:00

Michael Richards lost his 'cool' at a couple of hecklers at a comedy club in LA, showed his butt, and then stupidly used the "N" word. What a guy! The story out of the Hollywood community is simple: "He is really not that way". "Poor Richard just got mad and lost his head, he's not really a racist". "He was truly sorry he said that after he regained his composure, so everything is fine now".

What is missing in this picture? The outrage. There is no outrage. None at all. Why do you suppose there is no outrage? Try this: IT'S BECAUSE HE IS A HOLLYWOOD LIBERAL, THAT'S WHY! HE'S ONE OF THEM, THAT'S WHY! Never mind that what he did and what he said was totally and completely despicable. Totally and completely beyond human decency. Totally and completely indefensible. It just totally and completely doesn't matter. To them.

Now, let's back up a few months: Mel Gibson was stopped for a traffic violation and subsequently arrested for DUI. As he should have been. He, in his drunken stupor (Michaels was sober), lost his cool and stupidly used the "J" word. So, where was the kindness, the compassion, the understanding from the Hollywood community then? Where were all the kind words. the support? Can anybody remember seeing the community rallying around poor ol' Mel in his time of trial? Not on your life! Can anybody remember the outrage? You bet your sweet 'whatchamacallit' you do! For weeks on end! For months on end! And, it still ain't over! And, if the Hollywood lefties have their way, it never will be over! Well, maybe if they could give him 30 days in the electric chair and then hang him! Probably not!

Can you say 'double standard'? Can you say 'disingenuous'? Can you say 'hypocrisy'? Can you say 'liberal Hollywood mentality'? In the immortal words of KC, "That's the way they like it, uh-ha, uh-ha".

Liquids, Creams, And Gells!

2006-11-16T17:08:00.000-08:00

I am not nearly as dumb as I look! Say 'Praise God', y'all! Every once in a while, this old codger comes up with a really good idea. This may be one of them. On the other hand...

If you have been paying any attention at all to the news lately, you will know that the Federal air control folks have banned all liquids, creams, and jells, etc. on all commercial airline flights. If they find the stuff in your luggage they will confiscate it, no questions asked. This means either you don't bother to pack your shampoo, hand lotion, toothpaste, deodorant, etc. at all, and then buy it at your destination, OR, if you somehow missed the new regulations, they will take it from you at your point of departure and you then buy it upon arrival at your destination. See the similarity? You ain't gonna have your toiletries when you get to where ever it is you are going to! Somehow, it just never occurred to me that I could blow up an entire airplane with a little tube of Crest! Not that I would want to, anyway.

So, if there is a single shred of logic left anywhere in this world of ours, it would stand to reason that if you are required to leave your toiletry stuff here when you travel to there, and if those folks traveling from there to somewhere else must leave their stuff behind, and those folks that are traveling from somewhere else to here leave their stuff behind, then there must be a plethora, or even an abundance, of liquids, creams, gels, etc. just stacked up waiting to be thrown into a dumpster at every airline terminal in this country. And, why do they have to call them 'terminals'? Sounds too final to me, but I digress. Here is my plan...

The airline folks could set up a Free Toiletry Store adjacent to baggage claim in every terminal in the country, stocked by all the confiscated liquids, creams, gells, etc., displayed and organized by brand, size, type, color, taste, etc. Then, after a passenger has retreived their luggage, they could simply walk over to the Free Toiletry Store, pick out the items they need for their stay, and then turn them back in again upon departure so another lucky traveler could benefit from the plan. Think of the money saved! This is truly an ingenious idea!

AND THEN, the federal government could figure out a way to TAX it!

I Can Create My Own Guilt!

2006-11-14T14:54:00.000-08:00

People will never turn to the church for what they can already find in the world. Profound? I think so. Original? No, but I like it! Why? Because it spells out in very plain and clear English (oops, should I use the word 'language' instead?) exactly what is going wrong with many of the mainline churches today.

I recently left the Episcopal Church (TEC) after many years of loyal and active membership. I left physically two weeks ago. I left spiritually in June when TEC elected a woman to be the Presiding Bishop. Did I leave because she was a woman? No, not at all. I left because, on her first morning as PB-elect, she prayed to "Mother Jesus"! I left because she represents a religious body that condones unrepentant sin, does not offer credence to the Virgin Birth or to the Resurrection. In short, I left because they (TEC) no longer remain true to scripture.

What ever happened to the grand notion that the culture should be brought to the church? Instead, the church has been brought to the culture. Virtually consumed by it, actually. So why bother? I live in the culture everyday. If church has become nothing more than an extension of all that is wrong in the world, I think I'm just going to sleep in on Sunday morning. Why should I go out of the way just to get a dose of "same ol', same ol", when I can just roll over and catch a few more Z's? I'm human, I can create my own guilt, so why should I pay an equally guilty church to do it for me?

This nation is in serious trouble. We have problems far beyond the war on terror. We have problems far beyond all the immigration issues that face us. We are a nation embroiled in spiritual warfare. The 'secular progressives' are slowly and methodically undermining the pinions of our society. They have an agenda that is 'hell-bent' on turning our country into a "Godless" state. And they are winning! You can see it in our churches, our schools and in our government. Unless we can somehow wake up to this fact, we are doomed as a society, and we must not let this happen.

By the way (number one), I didn't really 'sleep in' this Sunday. Two weeks ago our parish voted by an 86% margin to leave the Episcopal Church. We are now part of the world-wide Anglican Communion. We now worship as St. Patrick's Anglican Church, free from the politics and the heresy of TEC. Praise God! By the way (number two), our attendance has been up both Sundays!

A Thumpin'

2006-11-09T08:29:00.000-08:00

Old saying: It is hard to remember your main objective is to drain the swamp when you're up to your buttocks (printable version) in alligators! This is so very true! Between trying to fight a war in Iraq, a war in Washington, both of which have not gone well recently, George Bush kinda got his posterior chewed on Tuesday. He called it a "thumpin". I personally thought it was all quite predictable.

Now the Dems are all saying "No paybacks". If anyone out there really believes that let me know. I have some ocean-front property in beautiful downtown Woodbury I want to talk to you about. I thought I saw Fancy Nancy actually drooling on her blouse in anticipation. Let the games begin!

On another note, I just read an interesting article about General Jack Pershing, aka General Black Jack Pershing. He had a tank named after him, by the way.

DISCLAIMER: Some folks may find this offensive. Read at your own peril.

In the early 1900's he was the Military Governor of Moro Province in the Phillipines. Just before WWI, there were a number of terrorist attacks on the United States forces in the Philippines by Muslim extremists (imagine that). So, General Pershing captured fifty terrorists and had them tied to posts for execution (imagine that). He then had his men bring in two pigs and slaughter them in front of the now horrified terrorists (this should totally offend both the PC'rs and the PETA folks). Muslims detest pork because they believe pigs are filthy animals. Some of them simply refuse to eat it, while others won't even touch pigs at all, nor any of their by-products. To them, eating or touching a pig, its meat, its blood, etc., is to be instantly barred from paradise (and all those virgins) and doomed to hell. The soldiers then soaked their bullets in the pig blood, and proceeded to execute forty nine of the terrorists by firing squad. The soldiers then dug a big hole, dumped in the terrorist's bodies and covered them in pig blood, entrails, etc. They let the fiftieth man go. And for the next forty two years there was not a single Muslim extremist attack anywhere in the world. Maybe it is time for this segment of history to repeat itself, maybe in Iraq? The question is, where do we find another Black Jack Pershing?

End of article.

The only question in my mind is, why didn't they make the terrorists dig their own hole?

Election Reflections, Deflections, Directions, Confections

2006-11-07T18:04:00.000-08:00

You can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool a Tennessee voter! Been tried before. Clinton couldn't carry the state in either election in spite of his VP (Gore) allegedly being from Tennessee. Gore also couldn't win here and neither could John Kerry (who, by the way, suffers from terminal foot-in-mouth disease).

I watched Chris Clark's (Channel 50) election coverage for local results and Fox News Channel (of course) for the national results. I found it amusing (to a point) to watch Clark try to control his giddiness everytime he reminded us that the Corker/Ford votes hadn't been counted yet in Shelby County, which was just about whenever his mouth was moving. We all have to hang on to our dreams and he obviously dreams about Harold Ford.

I have to wonder why Ted Kennedy and John Kerry gave Ford a cool million dollars for his campaign. Afterall, Harold has sounded almost like a right wing conservative these past few weeks. Doesn't make sense, unless...you don't suppose Harold was being disingenuous just to win an election, do you?

As I write this Corker is leading Ford by a 52% to 47% margin. Let's hope his lead holds up (oh, was I supposed to be non-partisan?).

On a different note, it looks like the marriage amendment passed with flying colors, sending a very strong message to those on the left that Tennessee just ain't much interested in their secular progressive agenda.

On the national scene, anyone who thought the House and Senate would not fall to the Democrats just ain't been paying attention. It is too soon, as I write this (deadline issue), to know just how it will play out, but it's a foregone conclusion that in a 'sixth-year' election it is pretty much a historic fact that there will be a change of power.

If there is good news here, it is that most of the new Democrats are moderate to conservative and should not fall prey to the radical, liberal anti-Bush movement. That in spite of the fact that Nancy Pelosi will no doubt become Speaker of the House.

The bottom line: The Republicans have brought this on themselves. The vote reflects the strong dissatisfaction this nation feels about Iraq, illegal aliens, etc. The Republicans have done nothing to change this mood, and all the Democrats had to do was 'fan the flames' of discontent. They return to power with no message, no plan, and no solutions. Unless a new spirit of bi-partisanship develops, we all stand to lose. Big time.

Fancy Nancy Makes Me Antsy!

2006-11-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

This country's worst political nightmare could happen next Tuesday. If the election should give the majority in the House of Representatives to the democrats, then Nancy Pelosi would become the Speaker of the House. The implications are too scary for words.

We have all been kept apprised of where she stands and what she will try to do and try to undo if this should happen, so lets take this time to examine Pelosi the person. I will draw my information from the book entitled, "Do as I Say, Not As I Do, Profiles In Liberal Hypocrisy", written by Peter Schweitzer (which is very well documented). This is a great book, by the way.

Pelosi hates George Bush. She thinks the Republicans have no concerns about poverty. She has tried to pass legislation to prevent the Boy Scouts from using public facilities such as schools. She has claimed to be an environmentalist, tried to force the U.S. Olympic Committee to hold Gay Olympics, and proved to be strong opposition when Clinton signed the Gingrich-induced welfare reform legislation.

Dennis Hastert is worth less than $1 million, Pelosi is worth more than $50 million. Not bad! She has a $1 million investment in a private partnership called Lions Gate Limited, a golf development entity. They have broken agreements, violated environmental laws and turned their backs on regulatory obligations. So where is Miss Nancy, the environmental goddess? Counting her money, maybe?

The Pelosis have a multimillion-dollar portfolio including several high-tech companies which outsource production to Asia. They discourage union labor within their companies, and she is totally against magnet schools.

I could go on and on, but I would encourage you to buy the book, as it is quite a fascinating read.

Bottom line: Beware, my friends. I know that George W. Bush and the Republicans have made some huge blunders. But I know, also, that this nation is in much safer hands with them in control rather than to turn the reins over to a liberal agenda that has no plan at all, other than to discredit/destroy George Bush in anyway they can. Listen - they have no message, no ideas, no solutions. None.

Random Rants To Rile The Left

2006-10-26T17:22:00.000-07:00

"FREE BEER - PAY TOILETS" There was a time when I thought this was a wonderfully funny line! But, if you take the time to really analyze the concept, you come to realize it pretty well captures the essence of liberalism. And there ain't nothin' funny 'bout that! Eventually, the free beer will be gone. Then what?

"CAN YOU SAY TACKY?" Can anyone out there tell me exactly why the RNC paid for the very ridiculous, and very tacky, commercial about Harold Ford at the Playboy Club? What, if I may ask, does that have to do with his ability or inability to be a member of Congress? I certainly have no plans to vote for the man, but not because he likes football and girls.

"COULD THIS REALLY BE TRUE?" I couldn't find a reference to this in Snopes, but I received this from a very reliable source (the internet, hah). At a recent Democratic fundraiser in New York, Bill Clinton was reported to have asked Ted Kennedy if he would give Hillary a ride home. It's just a joke, okay?

Humor Alert! Humor Alert! Humor Alert!

2006-10-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Humor alert! Humor alert! Humor alert! That should get the 'secular progressives' pretty well worked up without another word! It seems they don't like, or don't get, my sense of humor. Or both! Don't care!

Further disclaimer: This is NOT a true story, it is a JOKE!

There is a rally for liberals, and the crowd is entirely liberal with the exception of one little old lady who is totally, completely conservative. Working the crowd, the man hosting the event yells, "How many liberals do we have here?", and the crowd went ballistic, hollering and screaming. Total excitement. The people were in a frenzy. All except the little, conservative lady who, by happenstance, was sitting 'front row' in front of the podium, quietly composed. Of course, the host, not seeing a positive response, singled her out, and asked, "Madam, are you not a liberal?" She proceeded to stare him in the eye, and with total indignance, replied, "No, I happen to be a life-long conservative, and I'm proud of it!" The man then asked, "And, just WHY are you a conservative?" She replied, "My daddy was a conservative, my grand-daddy was a conservative, and so I am also a conservative." To which he replied, "Madam, may I ask, if your daddy was an idiot, and your grand-daddy was an idiot, THEN what would you be?" Her answer, "Why THEN sir, I would be a liberal!"

End of joke!

Election Preflections!

2006-10-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

Firstly, some additional information that has come to light since my last 'Rant' regarding Harold Ford, Jr: It has been reported that all, as in one hundred percent, of Bob Corker's campaign contributions have come from within the State of Tennessee, as it should be. Mr. Ford's money, on the other hand, has come primarily from New York and California with only around twenty percent coming from within Tennessee and most of that from Memphis.

Does this strike you as odd? It certainly does me. I am not making accusations, only asking much needed questions. I would wonder, if I were a Ford supporter (and I'm not), is Ol' Harold in somebody's pocket? Why would folks from New York and California be trying to buy an election in Tennessee? Maybe Mr. Ford has not fallen as far from the tree as he would like us to believe!

Secondly, the marriage amendment. This is not an amendment to change anything we already have. Vote "YES" if you want our Constitution to protect these already existing laws that say a legal marriage is between a man and a woman.

There have been reports of poll workers in certain areas of the state telling people the amendment is meant to change the present laws, and they should vote "NO" to keep things as they are. Kinda crummy, if you ask me. And illegal. But not surprising. These secular progressive folks will stop at nothing to further their agenda.

Thirdly, as I understand it, the marriage amendment must pass by a majority vote of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for governor. A plurality vote will not win passage. Example: If there are four million total votes cast for all eight gubernatorial (you don't suppose that's where the term 'goober' came from, do you?) candidates, then there must be at least two million and ONE votes to pass the amendment. Anything less and it fails. This is mighty important stuff, and the SP folks are very well organized in their effort to see this fail. Every vote is crucial!

Does This Apple Fall Far Enough From The Tree?

2006-10-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

There has never been, to my knowledge, a member of Harold Ford, Jr's family that has left politics under a positive note. They seem to have written the book on political disgrace. As the old saying goes, an apple never falls far from the tree. But, is this a fair assumption? I personally don't think so. He should be judged on his own merit.

I have seen Mr. Ford numerous times on Fox News Channel (surprise!) and he has always handled himself very well. He is articulate, eloquent, and always seems to say what people want to hear, regardless of their political persuasion. His criticism of his political foes is usually fair and non-confrontational. He comes off cool and under control. Unflappable would be a good word. A rising star.

Then, he announced his candidacy for Senator Frist's job, and Mr. Cool went by the wayside. No more Mister Nice Guy! He got ugly! Now, instead of saying how much he looks forward to working together for the common good of our country with the President, he cannot say one nice thing about him. Now, instead of taking the 'high road' in the campaign, he has resorted to 'gutter politics'. In all fairness, so has his opponent. Sadly, that's the way it's done these days, and we get cheated in the process, and usually end up voting for a lesser of evils.

He claims he is a moderate. He claims he works hard. I see no proof of either. What started as a breath of fresh air is fast becoming just one more 'ill wind that blows' in the Democratic Party, and that is a shame. Will the real Harold Ford, Jr. please stand up?

'Til They Cry "Jimmy Carter"!

2006-10-10T17:31:00.000-07:00

Squeeze 'em with sanctions until they cry "Jimmy Carter"!
That's right, the only way to deal with ol' Ping Pong (or whatever his name is) and the North Korea mess is to hit them where it hurts. In the proverbial pocket book. Sadly, he is already starving his people, so economic sanctions will have little or no effect on the population.

We can't do anything militarily at this point in time or South Korea will bear the real brunt of retaliation. Even if we squashed North Korea like a bug, the immediate impact on South Korea would be devastating. And, don't think for a minute the Ping Pong bunch aren't aware of that fact. Seoul is, I think, just thirty five to forty miles south of the DMZ.

So, once again, money talks. I have felt all along that this is really what the North Koreans want. More money. They just have such a strange way of asking. I'm sure they have already squandered the windfall Jimmy Carter laid in their laps during those wonderful Clinton years. They probably spent millions trying to surgically wipe the big smiles off their collective faces!

Thankfully, or hopefully, or both, Carter doesn't have a trip planned again. We simply couldn't afford that, although we could send Jesse Jackson or Ted Kennedy this time. Think about it! Jesse Jackson and/or Ted Kennedy in exchange for North Korea's nuclear program. What a deal! But I don't think they're that dumb (the North Koreans)!

The Blame Game!

2006-10-05T14:07:00.000-07:00

Washington D.C.: The national feeding trough of over-reaction mixed with an ample amount of disingenuousness. And, we all know what you get when you run a steady diet of this stuff through the alimentary canal of your standard issue politician!

With that said, it is now time to play the 'BLAME GAME', and both sides of the aisle play it, and play it well!

Okay, Mark Foley is more than slightly screwed up. He is gone, as he should be. He deserves no further consideration or special treatment. But, if everybody in our Capitol played by the same rules, which they do not, he should be gone not for what he is, but for what he did.

But that ain't gonna happen! The political vultures have quickly circled in to feed on the carcass of a destroyed career and ruined life (when Nancy Pelosi flies does she have 'carrion' luggage? Sorry, just couldn't resist). His conviction before trial and presentation of evidence is pretty standard stuff these days. These folks have gotta have their outrage!

And, of course, someone else also must suffer. Not just Foley. Ain't enough! The Dems are now calling for Dennis Hastert to resign. For what, I don't really know. Let's go back a few years. There was a Representative in Congress by the name of Studds (sp?). He actually had a sexual encounter with a male page, while then-Speaker-of-the-House Tip O'Neil totally turned his back on the entire situation. Like it never happened. Studds was subsequently re-elected to five more terms in Congress by his liberal constituency and O'Neil never dealt with the problem. And, he was never asked to resign. Can you say 'double standard'? Hmmm.....

When Barney Franks 'came out' he was wrongly vilified by the 'right' and wrongly praised by the 'left'. The outrage came from the right this time. He should have been judged soley on his contribution to his country, nothing more. He, like Mark Foley, will be judged for his lifestyle by a much higher authority. But, it just doesn't work that way inside the Beltway. These folks have gotta have their outrage! The difference is, no one was asked to resign! Can you say double standard? Hmmm.....

Now, I do seem to remember another incident involving an intern and a 'high up' public official. It seems there was little or no outrage from the left that time, either. So, I guess it's much better to have sex in the oval office and then lie to the world about it than it is to send alleged lurid e-mails to teenage boys. Can you say double standard? Hmmm.....

The sadness of it all is simply this: Not one time have I heard an utterance of compassion. Not one time have I heard the word 'forgiveness'. Not one time have I heard a call for prayer on behalf of Mr. Foley, that he can find it in his heart to repent for his actions, to find the strength to turn his life around, to ask God for His divine help.

The priorities of a secular society don't seem to leave much room for human decency. And that may be the saddest part of all.

Excuse Me, It's Time For My Naive Pill

2006-09-26T13:29:00.001-07:00

Here's an idea (I know, I know, treat it kindly, it's in a strange place)! So, why don't we store all of our military weapons, ammunition, equipment and such in the National Cathedral, St. Paul's Cathedral and other such fine cathedrals, churches and shrines across the country? We could even billet the majority of our military there.

This really is a great idea! Read on!

Understand, the Muslim terrorists do this all the time, and according to the rules of engagement, their mosques are sacred and therefore exempt from attack, right? So, we could stockpile all our military ordnance in these places and it would be completely safe from attack by the terrorists, right? After all, the rules of engagement mean the same thing for both sides, just like the terms of the Geneva Convention, right? We should all feel quite confident, as fair minded as they are (for terrorists), that they would never violate the rules, right?

And, we could save millions of dollars every year because we would no longer need as many military bases, right? Just close all those obsolete suckers down, right? And, think about all the money we could save on warehousing and shipping, right? Military convoys would be reduced to a minimum, so think of the gas money we would save, right? Just strategically place our military stuff in church buildings all across the country, so it's there when we need it, right? And it would be so much safer than if we stored it in military installations where the terrorists might actually try to blow it up, right?

And, HERE IS THE BEST PART: When the ACLU and the folks on the far left get finished secularizing our country, and Christianity is nothing more than a faint memory, we would no longer have any use for all those empty churches and cathedrals anyway!

Excuse me, it's time for my naive pill!

'Tis Just A Game, Mate!

2006-09-25T07:54:00.000-07:00

Golf: One of the last bastions of professional sports where decency, honor and integrity still prevail. The pros, of course, play an entirely different game than does this hacker. I only call what I do 'golf' because all the other four letter words have been taken!

Okay, you may be asking, when did ol' Dougie become a sports writer? Answer: Now, and for this time only. I want to share an experience I had two years ago during the 2004 Ryder Cup. I shall then retire as a sports writer forthwith (did I just hear cheers from the gallery?).

September 2004, my brother and sister-in-law, my wife and myself were 'on holiday' as they say over there, and happened to be on a catamaran ferry from Belfast, Ireland back to Scotland on the last night of our trip. It was the final day of the 2004 Ryder Cup. We were sitting in the lounge watching as Belfast harbor slowly faded into the misty night. The area in front of the big-screen TV was filled with locals who, rightfully so, were whooping it up as the Europeans were beating the American team like a drum.

For some unknown reason I decided to watch the debacle close up. I picked up my 'wee dram', walked over and sat down right in the midst of this wildy cheering group of Brits, announcing as I settled in, "Guys, I am not here to start trouble, I only want to watch the golf". The chap (British for 'guy') sitting at my immediate right reached over, slapped me on the leg, grinned, and said, "'Tis just a game, mate".

Well, it seems we got our butts thoroughly thumped again this year, but before we get all worked up about the Europeans beating us at our 'own game', we need to remember that golf is not our 'own game'. Golf was being played in Great Britain three hundred years before our great Nation was even a gleam in our fore fathers' collective eyes. The Old Course at Saint Andrews is five hundred years old, and believe me, you can definitely feel the history and tradition in the air. It is Mecca for the golf world.

Win or lose, one thing is for sure. The sun will come up in the morning. Of course, it will come up six hours earlier for the winners. And I, for one, congratulate them for a great tournament. And I applaud both teams for their great sportsmanship and camaraderie. We could all learn from this. After all...
...'tis just a game, mate!

Daffy Deftynitions And Random Rants

2006-09-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

Daffy Deftynitions:

"Federal 'Wetness' Protection Program" - A misnomer attributed
to Ray Nagin.

"Apolitical" - 1. Not concerned with political matters.
2. A form of denial by a person or persons
unwilling to admit to possessing liberal
tendencies.

Random 'Rants'

John Kerry recently spoke about his faith and commitment to the Roman Catholic Church for the first time. I sincerely applaud him for doing so, not that he would give a whit about me, or what I may think. He spoke quite sincerely about losing his faith during the Vietnam war, then regaining it years later when a close friend passed away.

The question(s)in my mind would be: Where does he stand, and how would he vote, on abortion, and same sex marriage?

Christianity, as I understand it, is not a 'pick and choose' religion.

*****

I was going to do a 'Rant' about how the liberals have no real message. You can actually hear it in every word they say. But Rosie O'donnell stole my thunder and proved my point all at the same time. Thanks for nothing (so to speak).

My rationale comes from the fact that there are very few successful liberal radio talk shows, Air America is on the verge of going 'belly up', and the TV network news shows are losing viewers on a steady basis. Rush continues to 'rule the roost' on radio, while Liddy and Savage and many, many others are extremely popular. Fox News continues to increase its audience over CNN, while MSNBC and CNBC continue to languish. Gotta be a reason! The message? That would be my guess.

*****

I know I have said this many times before, but I sincerely believe that 'political correctness' is the number one threat to this nation and it will bring us to our collective knees, both politically and morally, unless those of us on the right take a long, hard stand against the liberal agenda folks. We must defeat their agenda if we are to win the war against terrorism.

If World War II had been fought in these times, in this political climate, we would be eating wiener schnitzel on rice today.

...And voting the Democrats into office in November will only make things worse than they already are...

Yesterday Was Not The Day

2006-09-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, September 12. I just couldn't bring myself to write about 9/11 yesterday. Instead, I decided I would just 'soak up' the television coverage, re-live the emotions and the images from five years ago, and basically just refresh the memories that none of us ever will, or should, forget.

That lasted for about a full five minutes! Then, the inimitable Senator Charles Schumer spent several minutes on FOX News Channel railing about the failures and inadequacies of the Department of Homeland Security, thereby de-railing the mood of the moment. He may have been exactly right. Most of our government agencies do seem to pride themselves on failure and inadequacy. BUT YESTERDAY WAS NOT THE DAY! Yesterday was to remember, to honor, to pray. Not to be political.

Sadly, President Bush also chose to be political. Although I felt his message was right, I thought his timing was totally wrong.

And finally, the very worst possible way to end an otherwise crummy newsday happened: Senator Ted Kennedy went off on the President for 'politicizing' the events of the day. I guess it was okay for Mr. Schumer to do it, but not the President. Whatever! And, seeing Ol' Ted that late in the evening can cause serious nightmares!

I wish they had all just stayed out of it, stayed at home, and let us fend for ourselves.

Anonymous? Shanonymous!!!

2006-09-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

Definition - Anonymous: 1. With no name known or acknowledged.
2. Given, written, etc. by a person whose name is withheld.

Definition - Synonymous: 1. Of the same or nearly the same meaning, i.e., as, 'big
chicken' being synonymous with 'coward' or 'fraidy cat'.

Definition - Antonymous: 1. Of, or having the nature of, an antonym, i.e., a word
whose meaning is opposite to that of another word, as,
'brave' or 'courageous' being the antonym of 'big
chicken' or 'coward' or 'fraidy cat'.

This concludes your English lesson for today. Thank God! Actually, I just looked all that up in my trusty Webster, so I think I can safely assume that Snopes will not dispute such a brilliant piece of work as this. Of course, we all know what happens when you assume.....

So why, you may be asking, did I go to such great lengths to look up words in the dictionary? Valid question, if you ask me, which I just assumed you did, and we all know what happens when you assume......
.....so I'm going to give you my very best, most heart felt, answer.

I have been receiving a plethora (fancy word for bunch) of comments in response to various 'Rants' I have published on my blog site. They vary in content, but most take issue with what I believe and say. That is fine. This entire blog thing is about dialogue. You hear me out, I hear you out. We can agree to disagree, and that's fine. We have exchanged ideas and thought processes. And it never should get personal or ugly. When that happens, I'm outa' here!

So what's my beef? Most of the comments I receive are from some joker(s) named 'Anonymous'. I don't know if it is Fred or Ernestine or Mabel or Maxwell or whomever. Just 'Anonymous'. I am sorry, but that just ain't gonna get it no more! From this day forward I promise you I will publish your comments, regardless of content (unless they are filthy or dishonest), everytime, if they are legitimately signed. I also promise you I will immediately delete any and all comments from Mr. or Mrs. or Ms. Anonymous, or whoever the hell you are. If you don't have the courage of your convictions, please don't waste my time.

I spend a lot of time formulating my 'Rants' and I certainly don't expect everyone out there to agree with everything I write. How boring would that be? I do expect, however, a certain degree of respect for having the guts to put a name and a face to what I believe, and I find it quite sad that someone would not have that same respect for themselves.

Anonymous? Shanonymous!!!

See You Later Alligator.....

2006-09-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

The animal world lost an ally and friend this weekend. The people world lost one of the 'good guys'. Steve Irwin, the 'Crocodile Hunter', died as a result of a freak accident involving a sting ray. I guess we all know the details by now.

Steve Irwin was a breath of fresh air in a world otherwise wrought with the pressures of international strife. He was the quintessential "time out" guy. Take a break. Put your problems aside for a few minutes. Enjoy the fun. A laughable few moments away from all the political 'crap', terrorism and such that overwhelms us each and everyday. He was there to entertain us, and he did it well. A combination of fun and education mixed with an element of danger, just to keep our hearts in our throats.

Best of all, he had an obvious passion for life. There is no doubt he immensely enjoyed his work, his play, his calling. And he shared that gift with us all. And we were blessed. And we could all learn from him.

He died doing what he loved. He was one of the lucky ones who lived his passion to the fullest. Is there a better way to leave this life for the 'life eternal'? I think not. So, Steve, instead of saying goodby, for now let's just leave it at this....

.....after while, crocodile!

Retraction: Hutton Gibson

2006-09-01T10:28:00.000-07:00

When you are wrong, you are wrong, and I was wrong. Totally! Actually, I was wronger than wrong. I completely blew this one!

Recently, I 'ranted' about Mel Gibson's treatment by the mainstream media and how unrelenting they can be when someone of fame and/or fortune, especially someone they despise, makes a mistake. This is not to say he didn't deserve a fair amount of coverage for his 'screw up', he most certainly did. However, I feel the media soft peddled and/or simply ignored events much more newsworthy so they could continue their 'overkill' journalism of ol' Mel. Far be it for them to let mercy or compassion get in the way of their agenda. My point being, there are certainly a lot more serious issues going on in this world of ours than Mel's drinking problem.

However, I also included, as a way of making my point, a paragraph about the media unfairly attacking Mel's dad, Hutton Gibson, by allegedly putting words in his mouth regarding statements he made about the validity of the Holocaust in an attempt to discredit the "Passion of the Christ". WRONG!

It turns out that Mr. Gibson did say all those things! Ain't no alleged about it! He is, quite obviously, a vile, despicable person. Simply calling him antisemetic may be too kind.

Sadly, I did not even need to include this information in order to make my point about the unfairness of the media. I found the article I quoted from on the internet, went to Snopes, could find nothing about Hutton Gibson to refute it, so I decided to use it. Bad decision!

A friend sent me an actual interview of Mr. Hutton by the Movie City News. To check it out for yourself go to www.speakyourpiece.net, click on #4, and draw your own conclusions.

I WILL defend the premise of my piece, which was soley to point out the unrelenting 'witch hunt' journalistic techniques of the mainstream media, and NOT to defend Mr. Gibson's personal views, which I now find to be totally indefensible. I sincerely apologize for basing my opinion of Mr. Gibson and his views on one single article, which, as it turns out, was totally erroneous. I will do better.

At The End Of My Rope

2006-08-31T11:56:00.000-07:00

It has recently come to my attention that I don't write so very good. I obviously cannot make a point and it has become painfully clear that my writings are nothing but rambling, ambiguous trash. Please don't be in too big a hurry to agree!

I actually get feedback from time to time, just like the real writers, and honestly, I do appreciate it. I usually don't understand it, but I appreciate it.

Most of the responses I receive are from folks who don't agree with anything I have to say, and that's all right. I'm a big boy and I can handle it. If you're going to dish it out, then be a big enough person to accept that not everyone out there hangs on your every word. I sometimes think they would prefer to hang me instead, but that's a whole different story.

I recently wrote an article about the split and impending demise of the Episcopal Church. It was a personal lament for me because an institution I dearly love is going into the dumper. It hurts me deeply.

I received a reply vilifying me for hating 'same sex marriage', which was never mentioned in the entire piece. I received another reply that was so unintelligible I could not decipher where the person was coming from. It had absolutely nothing to do with anything, and was laced with filth. I do know, however, I obviously struck a nerve.

My 'Rant' about Bill Clinton's history of indiscretions was strictly 'tongue in cheek'. I used global warming as the vehicle for the piece to poke a little fun at wild Bill. I got responses all over the place about global warming, but not a single word about Mr. Clinton, good or bad.

I could go on and on, but I think this paints a pretty accurate picture. No, it probably doesn't, but I have yet to receive a rebuttal from anyone who questioned the actual subject at hand. That would be refreshing if it ever happened, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Could it be that I'm just a lousy writer, or is it possible that those who disagree with me just aren't willing or able to grasp the whole picture? They seem to pull one tiny little snippet of information out of an entire article, then take off on a tangent with it until it no longer reflects my original thought process in any way, shape or form.

I make no claim to being an authority. I certainly am not. I have my opinions and I simply share them with others, and they are free to agree or disagree. This is all about dialogue, nothing more.

So, if you decide to 'hang me' for my opinions, that's all well and good. Just try to keep your responses 'on message' for a change. I'm at the end of my rope!

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

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PGA Goes Politically Correct

2006-08-27T19:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, I've seen it all now, folks! Historically, or even almost forever, when two or more players are tied at the end of a professional golf tournament, there is, in all but the rarest of cases, a 'sudden death' playoff. The players play extra holes until one of the players wins a hole outright. Then it's over. Right? Right!

That part of all this is still true, but a PC'r must have somehow gotten involved behind the scenes, and not being up to speed on golf terminology, thought that 'sudden death' meant the losing player or players involved had to be killed 'graveyard dead' at the conclusion of the match. You know, bludgeon them with a mashie niblick (a seven iron if memory serves me right), and then bury the bodies in a bunker on the back nine! I'm sorry, but this is totally unacceptable and unthinkable behavior for any self respecting PC'r. And so.....

.....Check this out: This past weekend, Tiger and Cink are tied after 72 holes at beautiful Firestone Country Club (been there). Time for 'sudden death', right? WRONG! No more 'sudden death' for the PGA! It just ain't politically correct anymore. SO...get a 'grip' sports fans, they played a 'hole to hole' playoff. It looked like 'sudden death' to me, but what do I know? The announcers called it 'hole to hole', the graphic on TV said it was 'hole to hole', so if it sounds like 'hole to hole' and it looks like 'hole to hole' then it must be 'hole to hole'!

Is nothing sacred anymore? It seems that whenever 'political correctness' is involved, we end up getting the 'shaft'!

Bill Clinton On Global Warming

2006-08-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

Former President Bill Clinton recently surmised that 'global warming' holds a much bigger threat to our collective futures than does 'terrorism'. This should really come as no big surprise to anyone who has followed Mr. Clinton's illustrious (gag) career.

Firstly, we all know how prone he is to being 'in heat'. His record speaks for itself. Global warming, although little more than a theory at this point in time, could be blamed for his ongoing 'heat' issues, making it a very convenient way to explain away his past indiscretions.

Secondly, for eight long years he hardly recognized terrorism as a problem. His record here also speaks for itself. Had he not been so busy dealing with all his 'warming' issues we probably would not be in the mess we're in today.

Thirdly, had he not succumbed to Newt Gingrich's 'Contract for America', his legacy would consist of one 'blue dress'. Nothing more.

UbetchaIcansneakinastan

2006-08-25T07:09:00.001-07:00

After much soul searching and incredibly deep (for me) thought, I have made a life altering decision! I am moving! Yes, I will soon be relocating to the country of 'UbetchaIcansneakinastan' (a purely fictional country, for those of you who are hoping this might actually be true). Well, I am not REALLY moving, as such. I am sneaking in as an illegal alien. It just works better that way. No passport, no paperwork, no legal requirements, none of that darned citizenship stuff to complicate matters down the road. Just gonna sneak in! It's simply a much easier way to do things. All that legal stuff just gets in the way!

My plan is to cross the border at the crack of noon. At my age, I don't function well early in the day. In fact, that snap, crackle and pop I heard when I got up this morning was NOT my breakfast cereal! But, I digress. I will then proceed to out run (hah) the border patrol, and then, with the utmost stealth and cunning (or dumb luck), I shall blend in with the locals, never to be heard from again (don't get your hopes up, remember this is pure fiction). Pretty darn simple. Don't you just love it when a plan comes together!

Now why, you may be asking, would I be doing such a thing? Why would I leave this wonderful (AND IT IS) country of ours for such a place as 'UbetchaIcansneakinastan'? I could be like the mountain climbers and wistfully say, "Because it's there", but there is a lot more to it than that. Here are my top ten (according to old David Whatshisname) reasons for leaving:

1) I can earn minimum wage from an employer who has absolutely no regard for the law.
2) I can get a driver's license with virtually no effort, even though I cannot prove citizenship.
3) Some of their universities will give me free or cut rate tuition based on the fact I am illegal.
4) I will never have to learn their language.
5) The UCLU will fight to get me amnesty, and not even charge me to do it. They will get reimbursed by the government with tax payer money.
6) I can, at a later date, sneak the rest of my family into the country without fear of reprisal.
7) I never have to pay taxes.
8) I can get free medical attention because I am not a citizen.
9) I don't have to listen to their politicians pander (not a typo) my fate in exchange for future voting privileges.
10) And finally, the tottl dummn arrses maak sttupd lawws und nveer ennfrce thmm.

I wrote number ten in the 'UbetchaIcansneakinastan' language to point out how ludicrous it is to have just one national language. Translated, it means "So why would anyone give up all this just to be a citizen?"

Does any of this sound familiar? Could it be happening here? Hmmmm.

You can only achieve total idiocy in government through a bi-partisan effort, and we've got the folks in Washington to prove it!

Media Feeding Frenzy

2006-08-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

John Mark Karr is probably one of the most hated men in America today, but I will bet you a dollar to a donut that Mel Gibson really appreciates his very existence. The media people have dropped Ol' Mel like a hot potato, so they can now devote their time and energy to resurrecting the Jonbenet debacle.

I find it quite interesting to watch the media feeding frenzy as it moves from victim to victim as though they were nothing but objects to destroy in a very sick PacMan game. Chew them up, spit them out, who cares? Sadly, there is very little dignity left in an industry that once was held in the highest esteem.

It is no wonder so many of the nation's newspapers are losing circulation and the television news programs are losing viewers. We deserve better!

Global Warming Alert!!!

2006-08-24T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hey, maybe there is something to all this global warming stuff the tree huggers are trying to sell us. Maybe Al Gore was really right after all! Do you really think so? Nah!!! Sorry, lost my head for a minute. Okay, folks on the left, this is just for fun. I heard a couple of stories I thought were cute, saw a way to poke a little political fun, and so I went for it. Nothing serious, so get over it:

Bubba says, "Man, it was sure hot in Alabama today!" Junior, being the easy mark that he is, appropriately asked, "How hot was it, Bubba?" Bubba replies, "It was SO hot in Alabama today the corn started popping right out in the fields, the cows thought it was snowing so they laid down and froze to death! Now, that's hot!"

And then, Bubba says, "Man it was sure hot in Arkansas today!" Junior, being the easy mark that he is, then asked the obligatory, "Hey Bubba, how hot was it in Arkansas today?" To which Bubba replied, "It was SO hot in Arkansas today the hogs all melted, the grease ran out into the fields, so the farmers planted french fries! Now that's hot!"

Now THAT'S ridiculous! Or is it?

Just in case you're wondering if maybe I've gone completely over the edge (and I don't really want to know your thoughts on this), I do happen to have one more rural story to share with y'all:

A traveling saleman is driving down a back country lane when he notices a farmer holding a goat high up into an apple tree. Got him right around the chest with all four legs in the air. The goat is having a big time, quite casually munching away on the apples with no apparent regard for the farmer, or the time of day. The salesman stops his car, lowers the window, and says, "Hey there, wouldn't it be a lot quicker and easier if you just let that goat eat the apples that have already fallen to the ground?" The farmer gave the salesman an incredulous look, and replied, "Time don't mean nothing to a goat!" Now, you may ask, how does this story relate to politics? Good question! Better answer: Picture the farmer as the United States Government. Now picture the goat as a healthy young welfare recipient who has figured out how to beat the system. Got it? Liberalism at its grass roots level!

Humpty Dumpty Sat On A Wall

2006-08-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the King's horses and all the King's men.......
Yeah, yeah, yeah.....we know! He's now just a shell of his former self!

Kinda' reminds me of the Episcopal Church in a way. The folks on the left (revisionists) have built a wall, the fall is happening as we speak, and the church is just a shell of its former self. And, ain't nobody gonna put it back together again! A real shame!

I became an Episcopalian several years ago. The Episcopal Church, for the record, is a very small part of the world wide Anglican Communion (70,000,000 strong). It was a 'spin-off' from the Church of England during the Revolutionary War and, after everybody kissed and made up, it has been 'in communion' with the Church of England since. I fell totally in love with the liturgy, the history, the attention to ancient customs (the smells and bells), but mostly the theology because it was totally true to Holy Scripture. No hocus pocus stuff here (sadly, there is now)! And, of course, my British heritage was all over it! So, it is breaking my heart to watch the heretics undo hundreds of years steeped in beautiful Holy tradition. But it's happening.

An acquaintance, knowing very well how I feel, asked me recently how I was dealing with the 'gay' issue in our church. Sadly, this is the perception most people have about what is happening in most main-line religions today. So, for the umpteenth time, I did my best to explain that we do not have a 'gay' issue, that this is simply the label the liberal press has chosen because it suits their agenda quite well, and that we are all sinners, and that those who do not repent of their sins will not enter the Kingdom of God. It is that simple. Sinners are sinners. The label doesn't matter, repentance does.

We are a church that is saddled with two Gospels, the Truth of the inspired Word of God (which seems to have served us well for over 2000 years), and now, the new 'revisionist' translation. With this, the revisionists (a polite word for heretics) have built a wall the Episcopal Church can no longer straddle, and like Humpty Dumpty, it will soon fall. And, all the King's horses and all the King's men.......

Global Warming: Fact Or Just A Bunch Of Hot Air?

2006-08-10T11:56:00.000-07:00

The bottom line is, nobody really knows. I don't. You don't. Al Gore says he does, but he also says he invented the internet, so there you have it. I know the PC'rs won't touch this with a ten foot thermometer, but I do have my own theory about global warming: Does it not stand to reason that if all the politicians in the world were to keep their collective mouths shut for an extended period of time, the source of most of the hot air in the world would then be eliminated? Hence, no more global warming! Pretty simple! Probably have to wear a sweater in some places!

MASSACHUSETTS, A SAD STATE (OF AFFAIRS): The Massachusetts state legislature ran for the hills without passing a bill that would give free college tuition to veterans returning from the war in Iraq. In keeping with the way business is conducted in the 'blue states', however, if you are an illegal alien you can receive free tuition and other benefits. Insane! Can you say 'vote these clowns out of office'?

ISRAEL, THOSE BIG, BAD BULLIES: Excuse me, did I hear something wrong? I was under the impression those lovable Hezbollah folks fired a bunch of missiles into Israel, killing and wounding dozens of Israeli citizens in the process, and then they kidnapped two Israeli soldiers. Totally unprovoked, by the way. That's what I thought I heard, but I must have been mistaken. I must have been out-FOXED (get it?)! Now I'm hearing the WWL crowd (world wide liberals) is demanding that Israel not only stop the air attacks, but immediately withdraw their troops from Lebanon. Oh yeah, then they should apologize for their unwarranted aggression. I keep telling you that political correctness is the world's number one enemy. This proves it!

MEL GIBSON: Thank God all the problems of the world have been solved. No more war, hunger, or sickeness. All better now! NOT! I can understand a couple of days of coverage about Gibson's drinking spree, subsequent arrest, stupid remarks, and all. Famous guy screws up, pays the price with some well deserved ugly publicity. But, hey guys, enough is enough! Let it go! Get over it! There are certainly bigger fish to fry than this! We have some very serious problems in our world and, believe me, this ain't one of them!

To make matters worse, his father is being demonized all over again for anti-semitic remarks he NEVER made. During the pre-release hype of 'The Passion', the lefties were on their total Gibson family smear campaign. Dad was quoted as saying the holocaust never happened. That it was made up to gain enduring sympathy for the Jews. He paid a tremendous personal price for these lies, and the liberal press, in all its gory (no, I spelled it right) was being its characteristically vicious self. All he ever did was to question the validity of the number of Jews that were actually killed, noting that six million seemed to be an exaggerated figure for the time period involved. Some historians have posed the same question. Not exactly anti-semitic.

George W. Bush: Between Iraq And A Hard Place

2006-08-02T18:25:00.000-07:00

Abraham Lincoln had it rough. Civil War and all. Franklin D. Roosevelt also had it rough. Depression, World War II. No doubt about it. This country has been through some very trying times in its young history, but no President since day 'one' has been through anything to compare with the incessant trials of one George W. Bush.

Upon taking office, Bush inherited a decimated military, a virtually non-existent human intelligence network, and an economy that was headed for the dumper. Scream all you want, this is truth.

Let's sort it out. Recession. September 11th. Terrorism. Afghanistan. Iraq. Katrina. Immigration. And a far-left agenda driven by a personal hatred of him and all he stands for. Need I go on? Sounds like a hard place to me!

This nation sadly lost 11,000 troops in ONE DAY on the beaches at Normandy during World War II and General Dwight D. Eisenhower is, to this day, a legend and a hero. This is not a judgment, but merely an observation. Had this happened in today's political climate, where would the good General stand in the eyes of those who hate Bush so vehemently? Would they have even noticed? Or cared?

We still have troops in Germany (60 years later), Korea (50 years later), Bosnia, and, for some reason I have never understood, Haiti. Where are the cries to bring them home? Sorry, I can't hear you!

The Supreme Court recently ruled that the fewer than five hundred 'detainees' at Guantanamo are entitled to protection and treatment according to the Geneva Convention. Wrong on two counts. First, these people have no rights under the Geneva Convention because they wear no uniform nor are they members of an established military of any country. They are alleged terrorists, for God's sake! Second, the Supreme Court has no constitutional powers over matters of war, declared or not. Our government arrested eight German 'residents' during World War II for espionage. Six were hanged as spies. The Supreme Court would not, and did not, get involved on the basis they had no constitutional authority to grant cert. They simply looked the other way. Oh, for the good old days!

Immigration. What a colossal mess! This big fat albotross has been around our collective necks since the Jimmy Carter era, or maybe even before that. In keeping with his inimitable leadership style, Carter didn't know how to deal with the problem, so he didn't. Good ol' Jimmy! Then Reagan made a total mess of it with his ill-fated amnesty plan, and Bush senior and Clinton just sort of turned their backs, hoping it would all go away. Well, it didn't! And, so here we are! Another golden opportunity for the PC crowd to trash the Prez for something he didn't do. And, they are all over it! The answer definitely does not lie in amnesty, fencing in the country, putting troops on the border, etc. These are nothing but 'band-aid' remedies. The real answer, which no one talks about, lies in someone having the political fortitude to wade through the layers of politically correct bureaucracy that exist in the State Department, until, bottom line, this country completely changes the way it does business.

Meanwhile, back at reality..........

Beware, The Crocodile!

2006-07-28T13:21:00.000-07:00

Winston Churchill once said of Neville Chamberlain, "There are those who would feed the crocodile in the hope it will eat them last". For those of you too young to remember and/or too lazy to look it up, Neville Chamberlain was, in the early stages of World WarII, playing 'footsie' with Adolph Hitler instead of preparing his country for war. Hitler's rise to power in the 1930's was the greatest single danger of the time. Churchill saw the handwriting on the wall, and, as history has proven, became a great leader in a world under extreme peril as well as a strong ally of our country. Never mind he dressed like 'The Penguin'!

Well, just in case you haven't been paying attention, our world is still faced with great danger. Even more so than during World War II.

Our country, our society, our culture, if you will, is now face to face with a different single danger. A danger that is invisible. A danger that is so inherently subtle it is very difficult to comprehend. But it is very real. It is called evil.

This country is, contrary to what the liberals would like you to believe, a country based on God and His laws. Biblical law. This is historical, not hysterical, fact. It is not left-wing blather dreamed up by a bunch of revisionists hell-bent (so to speak) on secularizing our country. We stood by and watched it happen in Europe and now we are standing by and watching it happen here. Our government, our society and our churches are today steeped in spiritual warfare and WE ARE LOSING, FOLKS, WE ARE LOSING!

We have a choice to make. We can either fold our collective tents and let whatever happens happen, or we can stand up and shout to those who would destroy us, "NO MORE! ENOUGH! WE ARE TAKING OUR COUNTRY BACK!" That would be a good start, but not a very good finish. We, as individuals, need to get our sorry selves back into our churches. We need to get on our knees and pray. Alone. Together. Doesn't matter, just pray. We need to pray that our leaders can be strong enough to say "NO MORE" to political correctness, give our land back to God, and move this country past the secular cesspool we are fast becoming. If they can't, or won't, then we need to vote them out of office and replace them with someone who can, and will. We need to pray our leaders can find the political will that so ably carried us through the trials of World War II. We cannot win against terrorism without it. Above all, we need to pray our churches will return to the Truth of Holy Scripture and stop the ungodly perversion of our faith that has become so prevalent today. We just flat out need to pray!

I have liberal friends (a few) and family (not many) who are good people, who honestly believe in their heart of hearts that their political agenda is the 'right way'. Fine! Wrong, but fine! They are certainly not the least bit evil, by any means. Most have a strong belief in God and Holy Scripture, but they somehow have managed to put their worldly agendas ahead of their faith. I'm afraid they have it wrong - and they are feeding the crocodile.

Disturbing The PC Crowd

2006-07-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

I recently found some quotes from Ronald Reagan I would like to share with you:

"Abortion is advocated only by persons who have themselves been born", and, "Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first".

In keeping with my never-ending quest to disturb the PC crowd, and in keeping with my new-found desire to at least try to understand their mind-set, let me run the following scenario by you. This is not, I'm sure, an original idea, nor am I trying to advocate anything here. I am simply trying to promote dialogue and possibly see if anyone on the left can catch the lack of logic. I seriously doubt it, but it should be fun to try!

The left has historically been in favor of legalized abortion. They believe abortion should be the right of the woman to choose, it is her body, and she should have the freedom to make decisions about her own body without the government stepping in with laws to the contrary. Never mind there is the death of a human being involved. So, where's the logic? Doesn't seem to matter.

The left has historically been against legalized prostitution. They have held that prostitution is wrong EVEN THOUGH it is the right of the woman to choose, it is her body, and she should have the freedom to make decisions about her own body. But NOW, they say, the government SHOULD step in with laws to the contrary. Never mind there is NO death of a human being involved. So, where's the logic? Doesn't seem to matter.

Of course, this is a very ridiculous analogy. It is sophistry through and through. It is just what it is meant to be, and nothing more. A quick peek through the window of the liberal mind-set and what makes it tick. So, where's the logic? Doesn't seem to matter.

Holy Scripture tells us that taking a human life is wrong. A sin. The PC'rs don't seem to make that connection. Holy Scripture also tells us that prostitution is a sin, and this time they are all over it. So, where's the logic? Doesn't seem to matter.

Random Rants

2006-07-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

Massachusets lawmakers have decided to adjourn until after the November elections rather than deal with a bill regarding same sex marriage. Bunch of weenies!

Georgia's new law regarding photo ID cards for voters was struck down by two judges as unfair. So, all you need to vote is to show up with a utility bill (anyone's would do, I guess, who would know?), or a laundry ticket or whatever. That'll sure stop voter fraud in its tracks! Anyone care to guess if the judges are liberal or conservative? PC is alive and well in Georgia!

North Korea is in serious trouble now! The all-powerfull United Nations has imposed their dreaded sanctions on them for test firing rockets. Y'all remember how that brought Saddam Hussein to his knees, don't you? Right!

And finally, Newt Gingrich was right on the money, once again, when he chided the folks at the G-8 Summit for issuing a statement urging Israel to use restraint in dealing with the low-life Hezbollah for kidnapping two of their soldiers and attacking their country for no apparent reason. Can you imagine the response had we been told to 'cool it' after 9/11? One more ridiculous case of global PC!

Condi Come Home

2006-07-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

Hey, Condoleeza, come home, girl! As they say here in Tennessee, 'We ain't got a dog in that fight'! Israel does not need interference from anyone. They can handle this on their own, as they have proven many times in the past. In fact, it would no doubt be a good thing for the Hezbollah and other terrorist groups to see retaliatory action that is not hampered by political correctness.

The Israelis certainly know how to fight a war to win, and win it they will if we will just stay out of their way. We could, and should, learn a great deal from them on how to deal with terrorism. In fairness, I should point out that they don't have to coddle the Kennedys, Kerrys, Pelozis and the rest of the PC crowd. They just go out and kick butt!

Had we not meddled in middle-eastern affairs over the years, the Palestinians, and assorted other terrorist groups, would have learned the necessity to co-exist with Israel instead of continuing to kill innocent men, women and children with their cowardly attacks. And we, through our mis-guided policies, have emboldened them. They know we have historically stepped in to control Israel when total retaliation was in order, and they have played that fact to their advantage.

Can we ever learn not to stick our 'politically correct nose' in where it is not needed? I seriously doubt it!

Welcome to Dougie Rants!

2006-07-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

Dougie enters cyberspace. I publish "Dougie Rants" weekly in the Rutherford Reader, a popular weekly shopping paper in the county. I also send a weekly email to my friends (and sometimes foes) with my views on the world. My beliefs are conservative, based on my own common sense and the teachings of Jesus Christ. I hope you plan to come here often! I will try to keep you entertained, informed, and otherwise confused.