Here is an interesting news story about a leading climate change scientist that wants to take the oil executives to court and put them on trial for causing climate change.
Now don't get me wrong. I would love to see the oil execs in a court of law. But for enabling the high price of oil. Not for causing climate change. Actually...let's be honest...what I would like is to have several million of us catch the oil execs in an alley and bit the living tar out of them.
But to take the oil companies to court for climate change is nothing but pure bull.
Then again...how about all these environmentalists and tree huggers take the oil execs to court if we the people have the right to take all of them to court and get the chance to prove that these people are nothing but a bunch of lunatics. They are every bit as bad as the oil execs they hate. Just on the other end of the scale.
Much of the climate change that has been brought forth over the past several decades has been debunked by pure science. The earth does got though natural periods of heating and cooling. Most can be tied to effects from the sun.
There are people trying to predict the weather decades from now and we cannot even get it right on the 10 day forecast.
I am not in favor of just jumping off the cliff all together and saying that man has no part in climate change. I sure that we do. But not to the extent that some of the scientists and others are saying.
You see I also believe that there is a God. I believe He created the heaven's and the earth. Do I know how He did it? Oh hell no. Do I really care how he did it? Oh hell no. But I do believe that His divine hand guided the process used.
If God is perfect (and I believe He is) then His creation is perfect and the only one that can destroy it is God. No human being can ever hope to have that kind of power. Even if we nuked this planet I believe that it would some how survive and life would go on. May be not human life...but life in some form.
You see there is one thing that human beings have had the power to do since Adam and Eve left the garden. We have had the power to destroy ourselves. That my friends is called free will.
But then may be I am just a Christian nut job. But that is my opinion. What is yours?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
The Idiots Guide to Being in Congress
You know, sometimes I cannot believe what congress does. And given the current approval rating that congress is getting in the polls maybe we as Americans have finally woke up to the fact that these people are idiots.
There are shelves of self help books to be found in book stores every where. The Internet for Dummies, Computers for Dummies, Carpentry for Dummies. May I suggest a new book...The Idiots Guide to Being in Congress. Although from the look of things they don't need it. They have the process down to a science.
To prove my point I am going to list two examples that have occurred during the current administration. We all know that there are so many others and that it happens to presidents from both parties. Which just means that this is the one place where we seem to have bi-partisan politics.
First, lets us go back in history to just after September 11th attacks in 2001. It was setup in our constitution that only the legislative branch has the authority to take this country to war. Then came the war powers act where congress gave up that constitutional power. Following the attacks on 9/11 congress again gave up its power to the president.
Now on the surface this seems a bit stupid. But remember the Idiots Guide to Being in Congress, why do it and get blamed when you can give the authority to someone else, in this case the president, let him do and then whine about everything they do. You must admit that it works pretty good doesn't it! Everyone is always ready to blame Bush for the actions in Iraq and Afghanistan yet want to forget that it was Congress who voted (and still are voting) to allow and fund these actions.
Now we have the border fence that the Department of Homeland Security wants to build on the border with Mexico. In 2005 congress passed a law that gave the executive branch of our government the ability to ignore environmental and other laws to complete this fence. Well...the executive branch used that option and did exactly that. The case ended up going to the Supreme Court. This involved a two-mile section of the fence near Naco, Arizona. The high court rejected to even hear the case and now the lawmakers are outraged.
Oh please...you passed the law and the president and the Secretary of Homeland Security took the action. Fourteen house democrats filed briefs in support of environmentalists in this case.
All fourteen have been in congress since the law was passed in 2005. Most have also been in congress since the original law was passed in 1996 that allowed bypassing laws and regulations.
I wonder how the idiots voted for those two pieces of legislation? Well...forget your own responsibility and pass the buck.
I'll bet that is in Chapter One of The Idiots Guide to Being in Congress.
That is my opinion...what is yours?
There are shelves of self help books to be found in book stores every where. The Internet for Dummies, Computers for Dummies, Carpentry for Dummies. May I suggest a new book...The Idiots Guide to Being in Congress. Although from the look of things they don't need it. They have the process down to a science.
To prove my point I am going to list two examples that have occurred during the current administration. We all know that there are so many others and that it happens to presidents from both parties. Which just means that this is the one place where we seem to have bi-partisan politics.
First, lets us go back in history to just after September 11th attacks in 2001. It was setup in our constitution that only the legislative branch has the authority to take this country to war. Then came the war powers act where congress gave up that constitutional power. Following the attacks on 9/11 congress again gave up its power to the president.
Now on the surface this seems a bit stupid. But remember the Idiots Guide to Being in Congress, why do it and get blamed when you can give the authority to someone else, in this case the president, let him do and then whine about everything they do. You must admit that it works pretty good doesn't it! Everyone is always ready to blame Bush for the actions in Iraq and Afghanistan yet want to forget that it was Congress who voted (and still are voting) to allow and fund these actions.
Now we have the border fence that the Department of Homeland Security wants to build on the border with Mexico. In 2005 congress passed a law that gave the executive branch of our government the ability to ignore environmental and other laws to complete this fence. Well...the executive branch used that option and did exactly that. The case ended up going to the Supreme Court. This involved a two-mile section of the fence near Naco, Arizona. The high court rejected to even hear the case and now the lawmakers are outraged.
Oh please...you passed the law and the president and the Secretary of Homeland Security took the action. Fourteen house democrats filed briefs in support of environmentalists in this case.
All fourteen have been in congress since the law was passed in 2005. Most have also been in congress since the original law was passed in 1996 that allowed bypassing laws and regulations.
I wonder how the idiots voted for those two pieces of legislation? Well...forget your own responsibility and pass the buck.
I'll bet that is in Chapter One of The Idiots Guide to Being in Congress.
That is my opinion...what is yours?
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Glad my kids are grown
My wife and I have 3 wonderful children. Okay...so they weren't always so wonderful. Hell...they were kids. My youngest is now 28 and my oldest is 33. So I don't have the problems any more.
I did have one of my kids threaten to call the child protection people in New Jersey cause they felt they were being mis-treated. I grabbed the phone and asked the child what the number was. She never did give me the phone number.
My wife thought I was nuts. I sat all my kids down and told them that I loved them. Part of the that was to see they got the best they up bringing they could. If that would occur with them being raised by someone else then that is the way it had to be. I would miss them and all I wanted was the best for them.
So did you see the story about the 12 year old kid in Canada that took her dad to court because she thought her punishment was too sever? Did you hear that the judge ruled in the 12 year old's favor????
Here is the whole story from Foxnews.com:
A Canadian court has overturned a father's punishment for his daughter after she refused to stay off the Internet, his attorney said Wednesday.
The girl, 12, took her father to Quebec Superior Court after he refused to allow her to go on a school trip for chatting on Web sites and then posting "inappropriate" pictures of herself online using a friend's computer, AFP reported.
The punishment was for the girl's "own protection," according to the father's attorney, Kim Beaudoin, who is appealing the ruling.
"She's a child," Beaudoin told AFP. "At her age, children test their limits and it's up to their parent to set boundaries. I started an appeal of the decision today to reestablish parentalauthority, and to ensure that this case doesn't set a precedent." Otherwise, she continued, "Parents are going to be walking on egg shells from now on."
According to court documents, the girl's Internet usage was the latest in a rash of disciplinary problems.
But Justice Suzanne Tessier, who was presiding over the case, found the punishment too severe.
Can you believe this mess. Now kids can take their parents to court and get their punishments over turned or reduced. This is pure bullshit.
If the state wants to take charge of my kids punishment then they can take care of my kids period. Only problem with that is we can see how they mess everything else up. I mean look at foster care in this country and how messed up it can be.
Parents are just that...the parents. Let the parents decide what is best for their own kids. If there is proof of abuse...then get the kids out. Otherwise stay the hell out of my business.
Those are my thoughts...what are yours?
I did have one of my kids threaten to call the child protection people in New Jersey cause they felt they were being mis-treated. I grabbed the phone and asked the child what the number was. She never did give me the phone number.
My wife thought I was nuts. I sat all my kids down and told them that I loved them. Part of the that was to see they got the best they up bringing they could. If that would occur with them being raised by someone else then that is the way it had to be. I would miss them and all I wanted was the best for them.
So did you see the story about the 12 year old kid in Canada that took her dad to court because she thought her punishment was too sever? Did you hear that the judge ruled in the 12 year old's favor????
Here is the whole story from Foxnews.com:
A Canadian court has overturned a father's punishment for his daughter after she refused to stay off the Internet, his attorney said Wednesday.
The girl, 12, took her father to Quebec Superior Court after he refused to allow her to go on a school trip for chatting on Web sites and then posting "inappropriate" pictures of herself online using a friend's computer, AFP reported.
The punishment was for the girl's "own protection," according to the father's attorney, Kim Beaudoin, who is appealing the ruling.
"She's a child," Beaudoin told AFP. "At her age, children test their limits and it's up to their parent to set boundaries. I started an appeal of the decision today to reestablish parentalauthority, and to ensure that this case doesn't set a precedent." Otherwise, she continued, "Parents are going to be walking on egg shells from now on."
According to court documents, the girl's Internet usage was the latest in a rash of disciplinary problems.
But Justice Suzanne Tessier, who was presiding over the case, found the punishment too severe.
Can you believe this mess. Now kids can take their parents to court and get their punishments over turned or reduced. This is pure bullshit.
If the state wants to take charge of my kids punishment then they can take care of my kids period. Only problem with that is we can see how they mess everything else up. I mean look at foster care in this country and how messed up it can be.
Parents are just that...the parents. Let the parents decide what is best for their own kids. If there is proof of abuse...then get the kids out. Otherwise stay the hell out of my business.
Those are my thoughts...what are yours?
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
The Battle Hymn of the Republic
I lived in New Jersey for 22 years. For at least 15 of those years on each Memorial Day I stood with my Choir in Trinity United Methodist Church of Pennsville and sang one of the greatest hymns ever written. The Battle Hymn of the Republic by Julia W. Howe.
While there are many arrangements of this hymn out there, the one most generally sung and recognized is the arrangement by Peter Wilhousty. This is the arrangement we did at Trinity.
I also had the pleasure to hear my kids sing that arrangement in high school at several concerts.
Over the years of performing this music in our choir it has become a very meaningful hymn to me. In this age of political correctness and taking God out of our schools, I wonder if we will ever hear this piece of music performed by a school choir.
Well, this morning as I read my email, I got a surprise. I have listened to it (and sung along with it) probably 6 times. I have not been able to get the tears out of my eyes for over 30 minutes.
The presentation does not say what school system this is from. I wish it did. So I could write to them and tell them how much hearing this has meant to me.
So here is an elementary school choir joined by 4 high school choirs as they sing The Battle Hymn of the Republic as arranged by Peter Wilhousky.
Note: If the link does not come through please copy the address and place it in your browser.
God is not out of our public schools completely!!!
http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Battle%20Hymn/index.htm
While there are many arrangements of this hymn out there, the one most generally sung and recognized is the arrangement by Peter Wilhousty. This is the arrangement we did at Trinity.
I also had the pleasure to hear my kids sing that arrangement in high school at several concerts.
Over the years of performing this music in our choir it has become a very meaningful hymn to me. In this age of political correctness and taking God out of our schools, I wonder if we will ever hear this piece of music performed by a school choir.
Well, this morning as I read my email, I got a surprise. I have listened to it (and sung along with it) probably 6 times. I have not been able to get the tears out of my eyes for over 30 minutes.
The presentation does not say what school system this is from. I wish it did. So I could write to them and tell them how much hearing this has meant to me.
So here is an elementary school choir joined by 4 high school choirs as they sing The Battle Hymn of the Republic as arranged by Peter Wilhousky.
Note: If the link does not come through please copy the address and place it in your browser.
God is not out of our public schools completely!!!
http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Battle%20Hymn/index.htm
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
It happens every June
I love baseball movies. There are several that I watch each spring before the season starts. Major League, Field of Dreams and Bull Durham just to name a few.
There is one old classic called It Happens Every Spring where a college chemistry professor ends up with a concoction that is repelled by wood. Great movie.
Now we have something that happens every June. People cheering for a friend or family member as their name is announced at high school graduation. The only problem is that in some places that will get you hauled off in handcuffs.
Case in point, Columbia, South Carolina where seven people were arrested for disorderly conduct because they were whooping it up for someone at a high school graduation.
This is one where it is easy to see both sides of the story.
Some parent is taking a video of the graduation of their only child and as the kids name is announced there is a group of people yelling so loud for Brittany (pick the name of your choice) that you cannot even hear the kids name being called. That opportunity will never present itself again. It is lost forever simply because some folks cannot control themselves and act like considerate human beings.
Then there are the parents of a young lady who got pregnant in her junior year. With the help of the school system and her family she graduated with her class. Well you can bet your ass that I yelled as my daughter walked across that stage and got her diploma. Yes...that was my daughter. Now I didn't go nuts with it...but I (okay...we) did give a victory yell.
Schools are now sending home letters that explain a code of conduct that people are expected to follow during the commencement ceremonies. The people who were hauled off in handcuffs complained that nothing said they could get arrested. Okay...what did they promise you? A pat on the ass?
Now when my kids graduated from high school the biggest offender of the proper decorum edict were the kids themselves. Often under class man cheering for their friends. But the adults are starting to get in on the act. I guess we all just want to act like kids.
But shouldn't there be a happy medium? Shouldn't we be allowed to cheer for friends and family? But shouldn't we also, as adults, be able to control ourselves a little?
Dragging someone of in handcuffs for cheering seems to be a bit much. Maybe just have the police walk around and hand out $200 shut the hell up tickets!!
That is my opinion. What is yours?
There is one old classic called It Happens Every Spring where a college chemistry professor ends up with a concoction that is repelled by wood. Great movie.
Now we have something that happens every June. People cheering for a friend or family member as their name is announced at high school graduation. The only problem is that in some places that will get you hauled off in handcuffs.
Case in point, Columbia, South Carolina where seven people were arrested for disorderly conduct because they were whooping it up for someone at a high school graduation.
This is one where it is easy to see both sides of the story.
Some parent is taking a video of the graduation of their only child and as the kids name is announced there is a group of people yelling so loud for Brittany (pick the name of your choice) that you cannot even hear the kids name being called. That opportunity will never present itself again. It is lost forever simply because some folks cannot control themselves and act like considerate human beings.
Then there are the parents of a young lady who got pregnant in her junior year. With the help of the school system and her family she graduated with her class. Well you can bet your ass that I yelled as my daughter walked across that stage and got her diploma. Yes...that was my daughter. Now I didn't go nuts with it...but I (okay...we) did give a victory yell.
Schools are now sending home letters that explain a code of conduct that people are expected to follow during the commencement ceremonies. The people who were hauled off in handcuffs complained that nothing said they could get arrested. Okay...what did they promise you? A pat on the ass?
Now when my kids graduated from high school the biggest offender of the proper decorum edict were the kids themselves. Often under class man cheering for their friends. But the adults are starting to get in on the act. I guess we all just want to act like kids.
But shouldn't there be a happy medium? Shouldn't we be allowed to cheer for friends and family? But shouldn't we also, as adults, be able to control ourselves a little?
Dragging someone of in handcuffs for cheering seems to be a bit much. Maybe just have the police walk around and hand out $200 shut the hell up tickets!!
That is my opinion. What is yours?
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
It's About Time
President signed an executive order on Friday that requires all companies that do business with the federal government to ensure that all of their employees are eligible to work in the US.
Well it is about damned time. We can't get congress to get of their collective asses and do a thing to stop or curb the problem. But at least we can force the companies that provide goods and services to our nations government to play by a logical set of rules. Do not hire illegal workers!!
Some are worried about the order that those who were not intended will be caught by this order. People who over stayed visas or came to this country legally but do not have permission to work (such as some students and people waiting for work permits) will be snagged by this new system.
Excuse me...but am I missing something here? Over stayed their visa...then they are here ILLEGALLY. Do not have permission to work...then they are working ILLEGALLY. Waiting for a work permit...then they are working ILLEGALLY. What they are doing is ILLEGAL. As in against the law...unlawful...hello!!!
Now I must admit that there is a down side to all of this. If these people cannot work some liberal person in government will want to give them free medical care...free food...free or low cost housing...free money...a free ride. All at US taxpayer expense.
People keep lamenting that fact that we have thousands of homeless people in America. Well maybe if we stopped providing all these services to people who are in this country ILLEGALLY we could start helping some of our own citizens.
I have been very disappointed in President Bush. Although I am happy that he has taken this step I also have to wonder why he didn't do it over 7 years ago when he took office. If he had we would be that much further ahead.
That is my opinion. What is yours?
Well it is about damned time. We can't get congress to get of their collective asses and do a thing to stop or curb the problem. But at least we can force the companies that provide goods and services to our nations government to play by a logical set of rules. Do not hire illegal workers!!
Some are worried about the order that those who were not intended will be caught by this order. People who over stayed visas or came to this country legally but do not have permission to work (such as some students and people waiting for work permits) will be snagged by this new system.
Excuse me...but am I missing something here? Over stayed their visa...then they are here ILLEGALLY. Do not have permission to work...then they are working ILLEGALLY. Waiting for a work permit...then they are working ILLEGALLY. What they are doing is ILLEGAL. As in against the law...unlawful...hello!!!
Now I must admit that there is a down side to all of this. If these people cannot work some liberal person in government will want to give them free medical care...free food...free or low cost housing...free money...a free ride. All at US taxpayer expense.
People keep lamenting that fact that we have thousands of homeless people in America. Well maybe if we stopped providing all these services to people who are in this country ILLEGALLY we could start helping some of our own citizens.
I have been very disappointed in President Bush. Although I am happy that he has taken this step I also have to wonder why he didn't do it over 7 years ago when he took office. If he had we would be that much further ahead.
That is my opinion. What is yours?
Monday, June 9, 2008
The Ping heard Round the World
If you have ever seen the movie Forest Gump, you will undoubtedly remember that Forest was a member of the team that went to China to play ping pong.
While Forest was not actually part of the US team there was a US team that went to play ping pong in China in 1971.
The trip was setup by President Nixon and was called "ping pong diplomacy" by the media corps. In fact now that trip is said to have started the road to the relationship that China and the US have today.
No US citizen had visited China since 1949. In fact China was on the list of countries where US citizens were not allowed to travel. So in 1971 a group of US citizens became the first in over 20 years to travel to China to play ping pong. Members of that team in 1971 can clearly remember US Embassy officials taking a pen and crossing China off the list of countries where travel wasn't allowed.
Well, a group of aging ping pong players from the US and China are going to meet at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace to have a rematch and commemorate the event that occurred in 1971.
Amazing to think that a game of ping pong could lead to the start of relations between two countries.
Yow know...maybe there is hope for this world after all.
While Forest was not actually part of the US team there was a US team that went to play ping pong in China in 1971.
The trip was setup by President Nixon and was called "ping pong diplomacy" by the media corps. In fact now that trip is said to have started the road to the relationship that China and the US have today.
No US citizen had visited China since 1949. In fact China was on the list of countries where US citizens were not allowed to travel. So in 1971 a group of US citizens became the first in over 20 years to travel to China to play ping pong. Members of that team in 1971 can clearly remember US Embassy officials taking a pen and crossing China off the list of countries where travel wasn't allowed.
Well, a group of aging ping pong players from the US and China are going to meet at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace to have a rematch and commemorate the event that occurred in 1971.
Amazing to think that a game of ping pong could lead to the start of relations between two countries.
Yow know...maybe there is hope for this world after all.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Congratulations Detroit!!
Congratulations to the Detroit Red Wings for winning Lord Stanley's Cup for 2008!!!
So another hockey season comes to an end. Wasn't a seven game final but it was an exciting six game series. Not that I got to watch any of it. Didn't get to see a lot of hockey this season living in Mississippi where they have no idea what ice is unless its in a mint julep.
That and the fact that the NHL decided to go with the little known Versus Network instead of the ESPN. Versus is a Comcast product and goes into fewer homes than does ESPN which I think every cable and satellite provider carry. What a way to grow your fan base...on a provider that is not seen in a lot of homes in the US. Or maybe this was all just a ploy to get more people to go to satellite and buy the NHL Center Ice package.
But it has been an interesting season. Starting off with the Philadelphia Flyers having 5 players suspended for stick work in the first month of the season. Then ending with a game 5 OT game that saw two of the silliest Goalie Interference penalties I have ever seen.
So put up the sticks and pucks for 3 months. But be ready for October when it will all start again.
So another hockey season comes to an end. Wasn't a seven game final but it was an exciting six game series. Not that I got to watch any of it. Didn't get to see a lot of hockey this season living in Mississippi where they have no idea what ice is unless its in a mint julep.
That and the fact that the NHL decided to go with the little known Versus Network instead of the ESPN. Versus is a Comcast product and goes into fewer homes than does ESPN which I think every cable and satellite provider carry. What a way to grow your fan base...on a provider that is not seen in a lot of homes in the US. Or maybe this was all just a ploy to get more people to go to satellite and buy the NHL Center Ice package.
But it has been an interesting season. Starting off with the Philadelphia Flyers having 5 players suspended for stick work in the first month of the season. Then ending with a game 5 OT game that saw two of the silliest Goalie Interference penalties I have ever seen.
So put up the sticks and pucks for 3 months. But be ready for October when it will all start again.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Why?
If you have been keeping up with Barack Obama's latest pastoral controversy, then you know that the Catholic Church in Chicago has asked Father Pfleger to take a leave of absence from his church to reflect on what he said while speaking at Obama's former church.
Now I do not agree with the things that Father Pfleger said any more than I do Rev. Wright's comments. But once again we are in the mode of throwing the white guy under the bus and frankly I am sick of it.
Why is it that when a white minister says things like this they are thrown off the train like a sack of mail. Yet if a black minister says these things then we just don't understand the black church.
But aren't we forgetting that it should not matter the color of the person making these remarks? If the remarks are over the line then is should not matter. Can you imagine a white minister in a white church made comments about Obama similar in context to those made about Clinton. Can you just see the out cry by all of the usual characters. Then let's imagine, that we had a rally for that minister and a group of white people gathered around him and cheered this minister like the black community has done with Rev Wright. I think all hell would break loose.
Anyone who stood up for Don Imus after his comments about the Rutgers ladies basketball team we demeaned nearly as bad as Imus was. The only one who has been demeaned concerning Rev Wrights comments is Barack Obama. Of course that is only because he is running for president. If Barack had not be a member of Rev Wright's church no one would have given a damn about the comments he made from the pulpit.
So is all this stuff with Wright and Pfleger politically motivated...you bet your ass. And you know what we should all do is ignore it. Question Obama on his views certainly. But don't give Rev Wright or Father Pfleger another mention in the news. Let them go back into obscurity where they were when all this mess started.
That is my opinion. What is yours?
Now I do not agree with the things that Father Pfleger said any more than I do Rev. Wright's comments. But once again we are in the mode of throwing the white guy under the bus and frankly I am sick of it.
Why is it that when a white minister says things like this they are thrown off the train like a sack of mail. Yet if a black minister says these things then we just don't understand the black church.
But aren't we forgetting that it should not matter the color of the person making these remarks? If the remarks are over the line then is should not matter. Can you imagine a white minister in a white church made comments about Obama similar in context to those made about Clinton. Can you just see the out cry by all of the usual characters. Then let's imagine, that we had a rally for that minister and a group of white people gathered around him and cheered this minister like the black community has done with Rev Wright. I think all hell would break loose.
Anyone who stood up for Don Imus after his comments about the Rutgers ladies basketball team we demeaned nearly as bad as Imus was. The only one who has been demeaned concerning Rev Wrights comments is Barack Obama. Of course that is only because he is running for president. If Barack had not be a member of Rev Wright's church no one would have given a damn about the comments he made from the pulpit.
So is all this stuff with Wright and Pfleger politically motivated...you bet your ass. And you know what we should all do is ignore it. Question Obama on his views certainly. But don't give Rev Wright or Father Pfleger another mention in the news. Let them go back into obscurity where they were when all this mess started.
That is my opinion. What is yours?
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Can we all just grow-up...Please!!!
I am not in love with my sister and I do not make love to farm animals. Well...at least not any more!
Folks...it is seriously time for all of us to just grow-up.
Jokes about family bloodlines in the south are as old as...well...the hills.
Were Vice President Cheney's remarks about family in West Virginia derogatory? Maybe. But it was also funny as hell. And nothing that Cheney said was that far removed from comments made on stage by the likes of Jeff Foxworthy who made millions of being a redneck.
How is the statement that Cheney made different from..."if you go to the family reunion to pickup women. You might be a redneck." I guess its different on two fronts. One, Jeff Foxworthy isn't in public office and two, he didn't mention a state by name.
Come on people. Its called humor. Hey I currently live and work in Mississippi. Might even be moving there permanently in the near future. Trust me, the folks in the south joke about this as more than people like Cheney do. Oh...and by the way, I have family in West "By God" Virginia and they all joke about it as well. Or at least they did when I was growing up.
It seems like the only ones that don't want us laughing at ourselves are the politicians. If we are not careful it won't be long before you will get pulled over and ticketed. Not for talking on your cell phone. No, this ticket will be for laughing. There will be no laughing!!!
Imagine Reader's Digest without the monthly "Laughter, the Best Medicine" or "Humor in Uniform". Is this where we are headed? Lord I hope not. I truly believe that humor and the ability to laugh is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind.
So lighten up people. Go out and have sex with your cousin. Go to the barn (or nearest petting zoo) and kiss a goat. Have a laugh. You deserve it.
That is my opinion. What do you think?
Folks...it is seriously time for all of us to just grow-up.
Jokes about family bloodlines in the south are as old as...well...the hills.
Were Vice President Cheney's remarks about family in West Virginia derogatory? Maybe. But it was also funny as hell. And nothing that Cheney said was that far removed from comments made on stage by the likes of Jeff Foxworthy who made millions of being a redneck.
How is the statement that Cheney made different from..."if you go to the family reunion to pickup women. You might be a redneck." I guess its different on two fronts. One, Jeff Foxworthy isn't in public office and two, he didn't mention a state by name.
Come on people. Its called humor. Hey I currently live and work in Mississippi. Might even be moving there permanently in the near future. Trust me, the folks in the south joke about this as more than people like Cheney do. Oh...and by the way, I have family in West "By God" Virginia and they all joke about it as well. Or at least they did when I was growing up.
It seems like the only ones that don't want us laughing at ourselves are the politicians. If we are not careful it won't be long before you will get pulled over and ticketed. Not for talking on your cell phone. No, this ticket will be for laughing. There will be no laughing!!!
Imagine Reader's Digest without the monthly "Laughter, the Best Medicine" or "Humor in Uniform". Is this where we are headed? Lord I hope not. I truly believe that humor and the ability to laugh is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind.
So lighten up people. Go out and have sex with your cousin. Go to the barn (or nearest petting zoo) and kiss a goat. Have a laugh. You deserve it.
That is my opinion. What do you think?
Sunday, June 1, 2008
I have had enough!!
Okay...time for a rare Sunday blog.
Another pastoral mess for Barack Obama. What is up with these pastors.
The pastors I have met in my life have all been humble people on an assignment from God. The assignment...to bring the lost home. To bring people to Jesus Christ.
Well between a lot of the TV evangelists and all this stuff at Obama's church it seems that these ministers have lost site of that assignment. It now seems to be about themselves instead of being about Christ!!
In my life I have officiated in several sports. Baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer we the main ones. When I went through the training for all the sports I officiated the one underlying message that was the same for all of them was that the official don't matter. The game, whatever the game is, is about the players. If you officiated a sporting event and no one remembers your name...then you have done a great job.
It is supposed to be that way for ministers. The only one that gets the glory is Jesus Christ. Not the minister...the Savior!!! Period.
But sometimes the ego gets the best of us. Even ministers can get caught up in ego and self. We are all human and we make mistakes.
But with these ministers is seems to go beyond that. When confronted with the fact that their ego has gotten in the way it just makes it all the more about them. Instead of admitting that they got "caught up in the moment" and sinned, the excuses start flying. Oh...they just to what I said out of context. Oh...they just couldn't understand the deeper meaning I was trying to relate. No pastors. You made this about you and your feelings and politics instead of about the Son of God. When you get like this you are no better than ministers like Rev Fred Phelps.
This ain't about you Rev Pfleger. It isn't about you Rev Wright. It isn't even about Barack Obama. Church is supposed to be about the deity that the church believes in. In this case, Jesus Christ.
That is what I think. How do you feel about it?
Another pastoral mess for Barack Obama. What is up with these pastors.
The pastors I have met in my life have all been humble people on an assignment from God. The assignment...to bring the lost home. To bring people to Jesus Christ.
Well between a lot of the TV evangelists and all this stuff at Obama's church it seems that these ministers have lost site of that assignment. It now seems to be about themselves instead of being about Christ!!
In my life I have officiated in several sports. Baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer we the main ones. When I went through the training for all the sports I officiated the one underlying message that was the same for all of them was that the official don't matter. The game, whatever the game is, is about the players. If you officiated a sporting event and no one remembers your name...then you have done a great job.
It is supposed to be that way for ministers. The only one that gets the glory is Jesus Christ. Not the minister...the Savior!!! Period.
But sometimes the ego gets the best of us. Even ministers can get caught up in ego and self. We are all human and we make mistakes.
But with these ministers is seems to go beyond that. When confronted with the fact that their ego has gotten in the way it just makes it all the more about them. Instead of admitting that they got "caught up in the moment" and sinned, the excuses start flying. Oh...they just to what I said out of context. Oh...they just couldn't understand the deeper meaning I was trying to relate. No pastors. You made this about you and your feelings and politics instead of about the Son of God. When you get like this you are no better than ministers like Rev Fred Phelps.
This ain't about you Rev Pfleger. It isn't about you Rev Wright. It isn't even about Barack Obama. Church is supposed to be about the deity that the church believes in. In this case, Jesus Christ.
That is what I think. How do you feel about it?
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