Thursday, December 30, 2004

WILL THE UN AND OTHER WORLD ORGANIZATIONS LEARN THE RIGHT LESSONS?

In the aftermath of the tsunami disaster, I wonder what lessons the world organizations will learn?

  • That the U.S. is somehow responsble for the entire mess, either directly or indirectly?
  • That they need to set up a money-gathering apparatus to soak up all the expected aid money?
  • That this is an excellent opportunity to generate anti-American verbiage?
  • That they need to take action to set up the infrastructure (even something as simple as a database of who to contact in the countries affected) to prevent a similar occurrence in the future?


I'm betting on all of the above, except the last.

Who can you send donations to? I've heard some disturbing things about the effectiveness of the International Red Cross. Hugh Hewitt suggests giving to WorldVision online or by calling 888-562-4453.

Monday, December 27, 2004

OH, THE HUMANITY!

This link to Jeanne D'Arc, who runs a lefty blog, I had trouble believing. The writer was talking about Christmas lights (the outdoor kind), and suggested that the reason builders didn't add access to outdoor plugs in the front of the house was due to safety issues.

A conservative neighbor made a comment, stating that any kid mis-using the outlets would learn a good lesson. The lefty was horrified, taking the comment as an indication that the neighbor wanted children to die.
He was willing to kill a few neighborhood kids for the honor of good old American self reliance.


Hey, Jeanne, considers this:
  • Any kid who is running around outside, unescorted, is not exactly a toddler in need of constant supervision.
  • That kid is presumably old enough to have some knowledge of danger avoidance.
  • Is that neighbor morally responsible for that kid if, when visiting, he decides to stick a bobby pin in an electric socket?
  • Do not our stupidities, if we survive them, teach us more about the world than our parent's cautions?
  • My idiot son actually used my scissor to cut a (plugged-in) hair dryer cord. The resulting charge knocked him across the room. It finally did teach him what I had tried to, with little success, namely don't screw with the light sockets. He is now in college after a career with the Navy (electronics, naturally).


It's a sad fact that some kids are going to push the envelope. Some of those kids will experience severe damage, even death. I knew a kid like that. As a child, he had to be rescued from near-death on a regular basis. He had no fear, and very little sense. As a teen, he was following a friend who was climbing an electrical tower. The friend was fried. The kid finally learned a painful lesson - don't do stupid things and expect to survive. After a lifetime of being gently guided, life taught him by example.

Some people are slow learners.

Thanks to Red State for the link.

Friday, December 17, 2004

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF TREATING THE IRAQUIS WELL?

I was catching on my Daily Reading on Little Green Footballs, and ran across this story, about a patrol returning to an area they'd been before:
The lead vehicle reported a little girl sitting in the road and said she just would not budge. The command vehicle told the lead to simply go around her and to be kind as they did. The street was wide enough to allow this maneuver and so they waved to her as they drove around.

As the vehicles went around her, I soon saw her sitting there and in her arms she was clutching a little bear that we had handed her a few patrols back. Feeling an immediate connection to the girl, I radioed that we were going to stop. The rest of the convoy paused and I got out the make sure she was OK. The little girl looked scared and concerned, but there was a warmth in her eyes toward me. As I knelt down to talk to her, she moved over and pointed to a mine in the road.

I started to tear up as I realized the bravery of this little girl. The Americans had treated her kindly, and she put her life on the line for them.

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

NEW HOMELAND ADVISORY SYSTEM

There's a new system, just for the Holiday Season:



May we all take comfort in the efforts of the ACLU and other buttinskies idiots misguided fools anti-Christian public-spirited, right-thinking secularists to keep Christianity a secret from future generations.

Thursday, December 09, 2004

INSTEAD OF YELLOW RIBBONS...

UPDATE - December 28, 2004



I've just checked my email, and it appears that the link to Blackfive is broken.



I'm telling everyone I know about this:
"Yellow ribbons tied around trees and red, white and blue
stickers on the backs SUVs saying "Support our Troops"
are things that make civilians feel good but do nothing
for the men and women actually in uniform.

So please consider the following:

The number ONE request at Walter Reed hospital is phone cards. The government doesn't pay long distance phone charges and these wounded soldiers are rationing their calls home.


Locally, some inexpensive places to get phone cards are - Marc's, Walmart, and Target.

So, while you are trekking around town, picking up things for your loved ones, consider adding a phone card (any size) to your purchases, and sending it to:

Medical Family Assistance Center
Walter Reed Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, N
Washington, DC 20307-5001

You won't be sorry.

Here's a link to Blackfive, a miliblogger who has some suggestions on what you can do besides display a yellow or red, white, and blue magnetic ribbon sign on your car.


In the spirit of The Christophers,
It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness

TECHNORATI REPORT

I just checked my Technorati reports last night, and I have to say, it was worth the time it took to install. I now have quick reports of the blogs that carry me on their Blogroll or otherwise reference me. It seems to be useful information.

Another change I made that worked was installing the Blogroll. It does make the process of updating links a piece of cake.

It's likely that the Christmas Break will take more of my time away from this blog, temporarily. If so, I'll return with a bang in January.

Still no word on any jobs. I've gotta believe that something is right around the corner. On the positive side, I will be getting EXCELLENT references from the principal at my long-term sub position that is ending tomorrow.

Tuesday, December 07, 2004

IS ANYONE AS BOTHERED ABOUT THIS AS ME?

I've been reading on other blogs about the substitution of "Merry Christmas" with "Happy Holidays". I'm really getting steamed about that.

It's not that I want to impose my religion on anyone else, but I also don't want to have to hide mine to avoid offending others. After all, I don't insist that Muslims or Jews or Hindus censor their expression of their spiritual self. Why can't I get the same courtesy?

In Denver, the Parade of Lights won't allow Christian participation.

In major department store chains, employees are forbidden to wish customers "Merry Christmas".

In schools, students take "Winter Break".

Yeah, right. Our society is so crazy about celebrating the Winter Solstice, we take off for 2 weeks. I'm waiting for the day that we also celebrate the Fall and Spring Equinox with 2 week vacations. That'll happen.

Come on, folks. Admit it. It's really because of Christmas. Stop lying that we have a cultural tradition of exchanging gifts because of the return to longer days.

Saturday, December 04, 2004

I KNOW IT'S REALLY NOT FUNNY, BUT I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING

I found this reference to the most bizarre situation I've ever encountered, and I can't stop shaking my head in amazement.

Basically, Denver's Annual Parade of Lights has decided that what it calls "direct religious themes" are not allowed. They have "Santa Claus, gingerbread houses and toy soldiers", "the Two Spirit Society of Denver, a support group for American Indians who are homosexual, bisexual, or transgendered, honoring them as "holy people", and performers of the Lion Dance, a Chinese New Year tradition "meant to chase away evil spirits and welcome good luck and good fortune for the year".

But no Christ, no stable, no mention of the dreaded "Reason for the Season". Here's an image of what I think is important to focus on at this time of year.



Wednesday, December 01, 2004

TRYING OUT TECHNORATI

I've added a link to my Technorati profile. I found the site as a result of a referral from another blog, and I thought I should try to learn more about the technical details of blogging. This site should be a help there.

Lies of the Left

This COULD be a lengthy post. But, I'll try to winnow it down to a reasonable length. The CA Parent Bribery 'Scandal' - the 1...