Scary Thought

With a nod to Gypsy (commenting on Nates Blog)

Well, I think George Carlin said it best -

"Imagine how stupid the average person is, then realize HALF of them are dumber than that."

Pro-"choice" Demonstrators

Yesterday, coming back from a joyride across the mountains and enjoying ourselves thoroughly, we came across a demonstration by a 'pro-choice' group. About 16 or so women, one young man and a boy (important later) This group was at a major intersection holding signs, hooting and hollering and jumping up and down trying to get peeps to honk and just plain being loud. Now, I am fairly easygoing bout stuff like this. I firmly believe it is your right to believe how you want and to demonstrate. But it was their exuberance at killing babies that got me, so I had to stop.

I made a quick lane change so I could pull in to a parking lot. Got out the car and walked to the closest set of ladies (2) and tried to engage them in a civil conversation. I knew it would do little good, but I had to try. Right off the bat Lady #1 accused me of being a "hypocritical Christian" without my so much as identifying myself as one. This is of course because we Christians all support war and the death penalty but not abortion. That one young man came up holding his sign saying "Where's Your Voice?" and made a comment about how I came up to two ladies when there are guys all around. I guess he thought the guys going into the Western Sizzler were supporters of his cuz those were the only other guys around.

Back to the ladies, Lady #2 said that they weren't just demonstrating for abortion, but for the right to do with their bodies as they choose. "that's great" I say, "So you are against the War on Drugs then, right?" Needless to say I got a blank look from lady #1, and then a stammering reply that they can be against drugs and still be for the right to do as they choose with their bodies. I tried to point out the illogical stance, which they, of course, didnt accept when the young man put his sign "Where's Your Voice" in my face (oddly enuff, with the wording towards me) Realizing there was no more point to being out there I started to leave.

The guy couldn't just let me leave however, so he decided to make a couple comments. "Did your daddy buy you that real nice car?" and then the one that about set me off "Did your daddy get you her too?" (referring to Nikki) I seriously considered going over the railing at him at that point. Naah, he isnt worth it, and I am packing, so I cant just go starting fights. Nikki replied that he should talk to her rather than about her, but big man that he was he decided (wisely) not too. We went on our way and fought in the only way that is going to affect them, in prayer.

Social InSecurity

In an AP story, Greenspan is saying that Congress needs to "move quickly to trim the Social Security and Medicare benefits that have been promised to the baby boom generation." Not doing so is going to lead to problems (as if everybody didnt already know that)

So in response, since I am sure they are going to ask for my response, here is my plan to save social security. Leave SS just as it is, except anyone under the age of 40 no longer gets it, and no more taxation for it. Instead, all that money will be freed up for the under 40 crowd to prepare for their own retirement. That works out to be a combined 15% of their pay. If you cant get a decent retirement plan going with 15% of your pay you shouldnt be in control of your own money.

As for the folks already on SS, or the 40+ crowd, we will continue payments as promised. The funds will come from selling off gov property to private individuals/groups. This will happen over a period of some 40-50 years so as to continously fund the program as well as not flood the market causing property devaluation. The 40+ crowd will also have the advantage of the 15% of their pay to invest wisely for their retirement.

Problem solved. Gov officials, you know how to get a hold of me if further clarification is needed.

Blogroll Update

In an effort to both broaden my mind, and to perhaps force Elena to actually post more often, I am adding her poetry blog on my blogroll. CuppaTeaNThee

Current Favorite Song

Altho Nikki described it as sounding like "a cat fight" AH! Vous Dirai-Je, Maman as performed on The Art Of Sumi Jo is my current favorite song. This song is actually where we get the tune for such classics as Ba-Ba Black Sheep and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Ignore that however, cuz this is no children's song. Sumi Jo plays the part of a child arguing with her father because her father wants her "to reason like a grown-up." Her position is that candy has greater value than reason.

Perhaps if I understood French I could tell you the resolution of the arguement, but till then I will enjoy listenin'.

Teaching an old dog old tricks...

Can ya teach an old dog a new trick? How about reteaching him some basic elementary stuff? Like fire is hot, water is wet, and holding a wet appliance and plugging it in is really really really fantastically stupid?

Lesson relearned (I hope)

Such Eloquence

HOLLYWOOD (Reuters)
"If you are listening to a rock star in order to get your voting information on who to vote for, you are a bigger moron than they are. Why are we rock stars? Because we're morons."

-- Shock rocker ALICE COOPER.

State Garage Sale

The Terminator is doing something a bit off the wall. Holding a state sale. He is trying to keep his promise of no new taxes and is selling off un-needed items this friday/saturday. I think this is a great idea. Get rid of 'junk' and free up storage space which may mean they can stop paying on that space also. A twofold savings. My biggest question is why does California own jewelery?

I think every state should do the same, rebate the money to the citizens and cut taxes accordingly. As Dictator For Life of Never-La (all the intellectual property bordered on one side by Never Never Land and bordered on another by LaLa Land and bordered on the third side by a Land called Honalee) I will institute this idea forthwith.

The Things I Say

I found an old compilation CD put out by Release magazine (I think) SODA, volume 1 by name and decided to put it back in for a spin or two. And while Lounge Freak's cover of JoC's Flood is always interesting, it was the song by Rob Frazier that really got my attention. Some of the lyrics are as follows...

I say I believe in a G-d of love then I find myself thinking of all the ways I could put somebody down because they hurt my pride somehow
I say I believe in a G-d of peace but the wars inside me never cease how I think, the battle for my mind, how I live and how I spend my time
I say I believe in a G-d of grace then I put somebody in their place telling them they have crossed the line when G-d forbid I should pay for my own crimes
...
I say I believe that the world is lost without the message of the Cross, but still I stay inside my room afraid to leave my comfort zone

I say, I say what I believe, do I believe the things I say?

That last line about says it all.
Shalom

Whistle Blower

Just walked in the house with my new subscription to Whistleblower magazine from WorldNetDaily. I got two free books Shooting Back: The Right and Duty of Self Defense and Guns, Freedom, and Terrorism. I also got a letter from a friend that gave me a laugh.

The package was so shoved into my mailbox that I literally had to cut it open inside the mailbox and remove the items one at a time to get them out. I'll let ya know how the literature is when I get around to reading it all.

Election Watch 2004

Headline "Bush criticizes anti-Kerry television ad"

I am becoming convinced that Bush is trying to lose this election. He hasnt taken a single opportunity to get one on Kerry even tho Kerry sets himself up all the time. Now Bush is going so far as to oppose groups opposing Kerry. Does GW think he is taking the high road? or is he attempting to self destruct so he doesnt have to deal with whatever event(s) is upcoming?

Bloglect (blog neglect)

Excuses for not blogging...

1) I've been busy
2) I've got school coming up (last few free days)
3) A certain special young lady and I have been hanging around a LOT
4) We are going dancing tonite, so I cant really blog now.

Shalom

The Monkey's Paw

I was listening to Smalltown Poets the other day and was thinking on their song "Monkey's Paw" I had read the short story some years ago and enjoyed it (found here, tho it has typos in it) Basically the Paw would grant three wishes, but those wishes came at a horrible cost. The first wish in the story is for a small amount of money, and it comes at the cost of their only childs life. The song ends with "So I brought my spoil to the alters edge, heard You say 'obey instead', and all of my labors and best laid plans, had only earned a reprimand, forever-more to understand that dreams come true can kill a man, if never graced by sovereign hands"

So my question is are my dreams graced by His hands? A good question cuz my "labors and best laid plans" are well, to quote the Goo Goo Dolls "F---ing up takes practice, I feel I'm well rehearsed"

My other question is, would ya all wish and if so, what for?

Heroic Females in Poetry

From my selection of poetry so far one might come to the conclusion that either there are no females in this type of poetry or I just ignore it. Not so. So I give you this offering, A Legend of Bregenz by Adelaide Procter. This is a rather large poem, my apologies. If its too long for ya just scroll down to the comments and flame me =oP

Girt round with rugged mountains the fair Lake Constance lies;
In her blue heart reflected, shine back the starry skies;
And, watching each white cloudlet float silently and slow,
You think a piece of heaven lies on our earth below!

Midnight is there; and silence, enthroned in heaven, looks down
Upon her own calm mirror, upon a sleeping town:
For Bregenz, that quaint city upon the Tyrol shore,
Has stood above Lake Constance a thousand years and more.

Her battlements and towers, upon their rocky steep,
Have cast their trembling shadows for ages on the deep;
Mountain and lake and valley, a sacred legend know,
Of how the town was saved one night, three hundred years ago.

Far from her home and kindred a Tyrol maid had fled,
To serve in the Swiss valleys, and toil for daily bread;
And every year that fleeted so silently and fast
Seem'd to bear further from her the memory of the past.

She served kind, gentle masters, nor ask'd for rest or change;
Her friends seem'd no more new ones, their speech seem'd no more strange;
And, when she led her cattle to pasture every day,
She ceased to look and wonder on which side Bregenz lay.

She spoke no more of Bregenz, with longing and with tears;
Her Tyrol home seem'd faded in a deep mist of years;
She heeded not the rumors of Austrian war or strife;
Each day she rose, contented, to the calm toils of life.

Yet, when her master's children would clustering round her stand,
She sang them the old ballads of her own native land;
And, when at morn and evening she knelt before God's throne,
The accents of her childhood rose to her lips alone.

And so she dwelt: the valley more peaceful year by year;
When suddenly strange portents of some great deed seem'd near.
The golden corn was bending upon its fragile stalk,
While farmers, heedless of their fields, paced up and down in talk.

The men seem'd stern and alter'd, with looks cast on the ground;
With anxious faces, one by one, the women gather'd round;
All talk of flax, or spinning, or work, was put away;
The very children seem'd afraid to go alone to play.

One day, out in the meadow with strangers from the town,
Some secret plan discussing, the men walk'd up and down.
Yet now and then seem'd watching a strange, uncertain gleam,
That look'd like lances 'mid the trees that stood below the stream.

At eve they all assembled, all care and doubt were fled;
With jovial laugh they feasted, the board was nobly spread.
The elder of the village rose up, his glass in hand,
And cried, "We drink the downfall of an accursed land!

"The night is growing darker; ere one more day is flown
Bregenz, our foeman's stronghold, Bregenz shall be our own!"
The women shrank in terror, (yet pride, too, had her part,)
But one poor Tyrol maiden felt death within her heart.

Before her stood fair Bregenz, once more her towers arose;
What were the friends beside her? Only her country's foes!
The faces of her kinsfolk, the days of childhood flown,
The echoes of her mountains, reclaim'd her as their own!

Nothing she heard around her, (though shouts rang forth again,)
Gone were the green Swiss valleys, the pasture, and the plain;
Before her eyes one vision, and in her heart one cry,
That said, "Go forth, save Bregenz, and then, if need be, die!"

With trembling haste and breathless, with noiseless step she sped;
Horses and weary cattle were standing in the shed;
She loosed the strong white charger, that fed from out her hand,
She mounted and she turn'd his head towards her native land.

Out -- out into the darkness -- faster, and still more fast;
The smooth grass flies behind her, the chestnut wood is pass'd;
She looks up; clouds are heavy: Why is her steed so slow? --
Scarcely the wind beside them can pass them as they go.

"Faster!" she cries, "O, faster!" Eleven the church-bells chime:
"O God," she cries, "help Bregenz, and bring me there in time!"
But louder than bells' ringing, or lowing of the kine,
Grows nearer in the midnight the rushing of the Rhine.

Shall not the roaring waters their headlong gallop check?
The steed draws back in terror, she leans above his neck
To watch the flowing darkness, the bank is high and steep;
One pause, -- he staggers forward, and plunges in the deep.

She strives to pierce the blackness, and looser throws the rein;
Her steed must breast the waters that dash above his mane;
How gallantly, how nobly, he struggles through the foam,
And see, in the far distance shine out the lights of home!

Up the steep bank he bears her, and now they rush again
Toward the heights of Bregenz, that tower above the plain.
They reach the gate of Bregenz just as the midnight rings,
And out come serf and soldier to meet the news she brings.

Bregenz is saved! Ere daylight her battlements are mann'd;
Defiance greets the army that marches on the land:
And, if to deeds heroic should endless fame be paid,
Bregenz does well to honor the noble Tyrol maid.

Three hundred years are vanish'd, and yet upon the hill
An old stone gateway rises, to do her honor still.
And there, when Bregenz women sit spinning in the shade,
They see in quaint old carving the charger and the maid.

And when to guard old Bregenz, by gateway, street, and tower,
The warder paces all night long, and calls each passing hour:
"Nine," "ten," "eleven," he cries aloud, and then (O crown of fame!)
When midnight pauses in the skies he calls the maiden's name.

Manly Poetry, part 4

This poem is about a group of patriots led by Francis Marion. By 1780 it seemed that the Britons had subdued the South. During this time Marion raised and maintained a band of trusted patriots, beginning with less than twenty. So troublesome was Marion's Brigade that the Brits sent a special detachment, led by Colonel Tarleton, to capture Marion dead or alive. It was from this that he gained the name "Swamp Fox."

Song of Marions Men

Our band is few, but true and tried,
Our leader frank and bold;
The British soldier trembles
When Marion's name is told.
Our fortress is the good greenwood
Our tent the cypress-tree;
We know the forest round us,
As seamen know the sea.
We know its walls of thorny vines,
Its glades of reedy grass,
Its safe and silent islands
Within the dark morass.

Woe to the English soldiery,
That little dread us near!
On them shall light at midnight
A strange and sudden fear:
When, waking to their tents on fire,
They grasp their arms in vain,
And they who stand to face us
Are beat to earth again.
And they who fly in terror deem
A mighty host behind,
And hear the tramp of thousands
Upon the hollow wind.

Then sweet the hour that brings release
From danger and from toil;
We talk the battle over,
And share the battle's spoil.
The woodland rings with laugh and shout
As if a hunt were up,
And woodland flowers are gathered
To crown the soldier's cup.
With merry songs we mock the wind
That in the pine-top grieves,
And slumber long and sweetly
On beds of oaken leaves.

Well knows the fair and friendly moon
The band that Marion leads
The glitter of their rifles,
The scampering of their steeds.
'Tis life to guide the fiery barb
Across the moonlight plain;
'Tis life to feel the night-wind
That lifts his tossing mane.
A moment in the British camp
A moment and away
Back to the pathless forest,
Before the peep of day.

Grave men there are by broad Santee,
Grave men with hoary hairs;
Their hearts are all with Marion,
For Marion are their prayers.
And lovely ladies greet our band
With kindliest welcoming,
With smiles like those of summer,
And tears like those of spring.
For them we wear these trusty arms,
And lay them down no more
Till we have driven the Briton,
Forever, from our shore.

~~ William Cullen Bryant

Sixpence-Now The Poorer

Okay this is rather upsetting. My favorite band for the last decade straight is now no more. Sixpence None the Richer is officially gone. I wouldn't have even known it except I looked at an email titled "Astronaut Pushers" which was in my email bulk folder. AP is Matt Slocums new band and as he was the main song and music writer for Sixpence I can assume that I will like Astronaut Pushers but it just wont be the same.

On the bright side I will now have two bands that I like a lot. Matt is an incredible writer and musical arranger and Leigh Nash's voice is incredible no matter what she sings or who she is with. Leigh has done some really good work with The Choir and one of the guys from Jars of Clay.

Farewell Sixpence. It's been a rough road for you but for us the listeners and fans it has been a wonderful journey. Thank you and good luck on your new projects.

Quotes for the Status Quo

I heard something today that just made me shake my head. It was from a co-worker railing against the 'evil' of the Democratic party and in support of the angelic Republicans who never do a thing wrong. In defense of 'Conservatives' he stated "Jesus told the disciples to fish from the right side of the boat." WTF?! He would have continued too but I was too incredulous that he tried to make that into a political support for the Repugs.

Some people shouldn't think lest they hurt themselves or others.

Favorite Kitchen Tool

I just wanted to sing some praises for my George Foreman jr grill. (If they have a jingle, insert it here) Heats up in about two minutes and cooks a steak to perfection in 6 minutes. As a bachelor this is extremely important. I can now have steak for breakfast!

But really, why bother when there is pie in the fridge?

Essential Reading

Were I a school teacher there would be two pieces of required reading material in my classroom. Well three including good poetry. Piece number one would be Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience. The second would be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter From A Birmingham Jail." These two pieces are essential to a proper understanding of liberty and doing what is right regardless of cost. Both men spent time in jail for their beliefs, both were misunderstood by the people of their time. Both men, thru their lives, called us to live differently.

Dr. King writes "But as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a bit of satisfaction from being considered an extremist. Was not Jesus an extremist in love... Was not Amos an extremist for justice...Was not Paul an extremist for the gospel of Jesus Christ... Was not Martin Luther an extremist- "Here I stand; I can do none other so help me G-d." Was not John Bunyan an extremist- "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience." Was not Abraham Lincoln an extremist... Was not Thomas Jefferson an extremist... So the question is not wether we will be extremist but what kind of extremist will we be. ... Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice - or will we be extremists for the cause of justice? ... So, after all, maybe the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremist."

King also writes in the same letter upon the state of the Church. " There was a time when the church was very powerful. ... In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Wherever the early Christians entered a town the power structure got disturbed... Things are different now. The contemporary church is often a weak innefectual voice with an uncertain sound. ... Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church's silent and often vocal sanction of things as they are. But the judgement of G-d is upon the church as never before. If the church of today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century."

A Libertarian Primary

The Libertarian Party is experiencing a first here in Colorado.

A Primary.

Up until this point we have never needed to choose one Libertarian over another to put on the November ballot. But we do now. This is a good thing as it means we are growing. Here is the article in the Denver Post.

Poetry

I have another poem for ya'lls enjoyment. This one is just for the fun of it.

The Wonderful One Hoss Shay by Oliver Wendell Holmes. As it is a tad long and I didnt actually have to type this one in I am going to use the work of others.

Change the Electoral College?

I need some help here guys. Colorado has a proposition on the ballot that will change us from a winner takes all (currently 9 votes) to a proportional system where the winner gets 1 vote plus a percentage of the rest. Now Colorado is often split pretty much down the middle with a titch more voting GOP than DNC. So the end result could be a 5-4 split for the electoral college. Now if this system had been in place last election Algore would have won.

Arguements

Con: Colo's 9 votes makes us worthwhile in the election. If it is changed to the proportional system then it would only be 1-2 votes and therefore we would be ignored/have no pull.

Pro: This seems the quickest way to make a third party viable. It would also help to break up the stranglehold that the one party/two faction system currently has.

Dems of course love this system for the midwest states as it would gain them votes, conversely getting this system on the coasts would lose them votes. I am trying to decide whether or not to support this initiative and am not sure if I am seeing all the sides here.

Open Debates

I came across a petition to 'reform' the debate process. The Petition calls for replacing the current (left-leaning) Commission on Presidential Debates with a new group that will include "popular independent and third party candidates."

Only by cracking into these debates will our candidates ever get enough exposure to change things. Especially with the "campaign-finance reform" laws that dont allow advertising. Yes political ads are annoying, but they are the life-blood of third parties as the media only carries news on the Dems and the GOP.

Comparative Policital Parties

Just a quick comparison of politcal party planks.

Taxation
LP: Repeal 16th Amendment; Amnesty for 'tax evaders'; oppose all personal and corporate income taxation, including capital gains taxes
CP: Repeal the 16th; opposed to the flat-rate tax, national sales tax, and value added tax; it is our intention to replace (current taxation), with a tariff based revenue system supplemented by excise taxes ... To the degree that tariffs ... are insufficient to cover the legitimate Constitutional costs ... an apportioned "state-rate tax" ... in accordance with their proportion of the total population.

Abortion
LP: We condemn state-funded and state-mandated abortions. It is particularly harsh to force someone who believes that abortion is murder to pay for another's abortion; We oppose all laws likely to impose restrictions on free choice.
CP: It is ... the duty of all civil governments to secure and to safeguard the lives of the pre-born; Under no circumstances may the federal government fund or otherwise support any ... government or any organization or entity, foreign or domestic, which advocates, encourages or participates in the practice of abortion.

Arms
LP: We oppose all laws at any level of government restricting, regulating ... ownership, manufacture, transfer or sale of firearms or ammunition. We oppose all [registration]laws

CP: We oppose attempts to prohibit ownership of guns by law-abiding citizens, and stand against all laws which would require the registration of guns or ammunition; repeal of all federal firearms legislation, beginning with Federal Firearms Act of 1968.

Be a hero, vote LP or CP in November. (Matt posting on VoxDay's Blog)
Either party is preferable to what we have now. More on this later.

Selective Abortion

Remember that lady who killed two of her three unborn babies so she wouldnt have to change her lifestyle? Turns out she wasnt just some random woman, she "was a New York Planned Parenthood advocate and consultant to Gloria Steinem." Julia Gorin wrote about it in her latest column.

"Never Again" the book

A book was recently put out called "Never Again: A Self-Defense Guide for the Flying Public." which gives techniques for defeating a terrorist in a plane.

As the writer of the article says "My stance on terrorists hasn't changed since 9/11. If a terrorist attempts to seize control of the jumbo jet in which I am riding, I am totally in favor of doing whatever is necessary to hasten his reunion with the 72 dark-eyed virgins awaiting him in heaven, as long as I don't have to go there with him. (I'm quite shy around large groups of attractive women.)"

Musing upon Music

You're taking a chance, risking it all
For the thrill of the moment
Taking a stand, you ain't gonna fall
You've always known it

They're dying to shake you,
Trying their best to break you
And though the going is rough,
you're going home as a hero
...
Don't lose that feeling
Don't ever stop believing
There's one more moment of truth
and you're gonna face it

Lryics from the song Thunder in your Heart from the soundtrack for the movie Rad. One of the best movies ever. Why dont songs have lyrics that pump ya up anymore? Because we have weenies like Elton John (a pedophile) doing the songs for movies. And the remaining songs are about violence sex (ho's) and drinking/smokin'. Oh yeah, that nebulous 'love' too. Nothing with much substance these days.

Sorry ya'll, just had to rant a bit (o=

BOB Update

Well I finally got off my duff and started putting my BOB (Bug Out Bag) together today. I had been putting it off, but what good are the components if they arent assembled? That custom 1911 is useless if it is field stripped. So I just need a few other things to toss in. Namely a good knife, sunscreen and toiletries. I am also thinking of a good slingshot. A nice rock is much cheaper (and quieter) than a bullet, and a .357 rather seems a waste for a rabbit or esp a bird.

Also since I dont really want to put in clothes that I wear on a regular basis I tossed in my military BDUs. Durable, proper color and cheaper than Walmart clothes. Or at least it is in a military town, I know some places dont even have surplus shops which would make obtaining BDUs difficult.