When a house is not a home...

There was a lady named Beverly
Who took off on holiday with glee
She took leave of two weeks
Having a lovely time in Greece
While her home was being lived in squatly

...sorry, it's my futile attempt at being cute and poetic.

From the AP story...

Douglasville, GA - A woman came home from vacation to find a stranger living there, wearing her clothes, changing utilities into her name and even ripping out carpet and repainting a room she didn’t like, authorities said.

Douglas County authorities say they can’t explain why Beverly Valentine, 54, broke into an empty home and started acting like it was her own.

During the 2½ weeks the owner, Beverly Mitchell, was on vacation in Greece, Valentine allegedly redecorated the ranch home, ripping up carpet and taking down the owner’s pictures and replacing them with her own.

Bush breaks with GOP on same-sex unions

For those of you who've voted early, this will demonstrate what you've voted for. For those who've yet to vote, there's still time to consider standing on principle, if it means "wasting" a vote to expose the truth.

"I view the definition of marriage different from legal arrangements that enable people to have rights. And I strongly believe that marriage ought to be defined as between a union between a man and a woman.

"Now, having said that, states ought to be able to have the right to pass laws that enable people to be able to have rights like others," Bush told ABC's Charlie Gibson in an interview broadcast Tuesday on "Good Morning America."

"So the Republican platform on that point, as far as you're concerned, is wrong?" Gibson asked the president, to which Bush replied: "Right."

Can you say, "Bush is no conservative"?

A thought

Quoted from Refdesk, one of my favorite sites....

"It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly." - Bertrand Russell

Materialism is a part of life in the western world. It makes me wonder whether things own us instead of us owning things.

A pastor's opinion

From an e-mailing by the Peroutka campaign

by Pastor David Whitney
Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church
Pasadena, Maryland

Many Americans have successfully been deceived into believing Bush is pro-life. The evidence is against that fact. I have the distinct impression that he was without any real interest in the goals of the movement to end abortion.

What is that evidence? Here it is. We've been told that the Partial Birth Abortion Ban signed by Bush proves that he is pro-life. That is a flat out lie. Actually it proves the opposite.

This bill will not save the life of one unborn child. On the contrary, it actually endangers the unborn child in two ways. First it will not save the life of one unborn child because it merely instructs the contract killer whom the mother has hired as to precisely when he must kill that child to avoid prosecution. Do you think that this will stop even one abortion? Who will stand watch in those killing centers to be sure these partial birth murders are prosecuted? Will a District Attorney now be present at each killing to insure that the murder is conducted at just the right moment? This Partial Birth Abortion Ban is virtually unenforceable. It will not save even one child from murder.

Second, this is the most wicked piece of legislation in the history of our land because it codifies and actually legalizes all forms of abortion except Partial Birth Abortion. We need to remember that in our system of government, the Supreme Court never makes law. People say Roe v. Wade legalized abortion. It did not. It was the courts opinion in that one case, and it governed that one case alone. States, who chose to, could have continued to prosecute abortionists for murder. The law had not changed. Abortion was still murder. Two classes of politicians, those who don't understand our form or government, and those who have chosen to subvert our form of government, decided to treat that Supreme Court opinion (and that's what it is) as law. The very first words of the Constitution, following the Preamble are, "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress ...."

Only the legislative branch makes law. Any law they make must be signed into law by the President. The Partial Birth Abortion Ban for the first time in U.S. history codified abortion as the law of the land. It makes abortion legal for the first time ever in America. So Bush signed the first law to legalize abortion in America. Do you call that a pro-life Presidential candidate? Don't take my word for it. Check out the facts for yourself.

Of all the Presidential candidates, only Michael Peroutka calls abortion illegal and immoral, he calls it what it is - murder. He is the only candidate who is pro-life 100% with no exceptions. To restore our Constitutional Republic we need a man committed to the essential purpose of civil government which is to secure our God given rights, the first of which is the right to life. Only Michael Peroutka will do that. If you care about life and liberty, join me in voting for Michael Peroutka on November 2nd in the year of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ two thousand four.

Pastor David Whitney

Words...

Excuse the pause in thoughts. My time is at a premium due to a change of job responsibilities. Actually, there is much that I could comment on. This juncture makes a good point to take some time to step back and take in all that is being whirled about in the cyberworld as well as in politics.

Politics has my interest but I'm primarily apolitical. My primary interest is in the truth and in the timeless principles which God has established to guide mankind into proper relationship with Him. The word of God is the book I look to for enlightenment. Words don't come easy sometime. I'm unable to express the sentiment I know. Lately, so much political argument among people concerned with the approaching election has left me shaking my head. This is not how it should be. Vain arguments and political bickering won't reveal truth.

John 17:17

Just a thought...

I don't know what to say.

Really. There are times when I look at the events in the country and around the world and wonder. I see the sort of madness, immorality, debauchery and decadence that goes on and I have to step back for a moment and try to reflect upon what I'm on this earth for.

I go about my business. I work for a living. I take care of my family as best I can. I'm responsible and try to discharge those responsibilities as best I can. I'm doing my best to stay in touch with God, praying, asking for guidance. I'm only one person. What am I to do in the face of so much evil? Can I do anything? Then I remember that I have to still my soul in the midst of the din of life.

There are days like that. Today is one.

Can we smell it?

I don't believe the misguided sincerity of many Christians should be overlooked. They will enter the polls and cast a vote for the reelection of Pres. Bush thinking all the while that they're voting for a man of conservative values. Many Christians, myself included, know this not to be the case as the primary dividing line between their vote of endorsement and Pres. Bush lies on the issue of abortion.

TZ's Tower brings up some good points on this which Christians should think about.

Compromise on pragmatism, not on principle. Children don't do good when they do the lesser evil - when instead of being honest they steal a dime candy instead of a dollar candy, or instead of abstinence they use a condom instead of going unprotected. This is the example supporting the "lesser evil" sends to our born children.

Sin is sin, plain and simple. God is displeased with any of it. I too was one who believed the "lesser of two evils" argument at one time. Actually, it was some liberal acquaintences of mine who, by their arguments against my support of the man instead of principle, convinced me that my position was untenable.

Osama and Al Quaeda have killed fewer than 10,000 Americans. Abortion SINCE 9/11 has killed about 4 Million. If Spectre was a friend of Osama instead of NARAL, would you be so quick to keep supporting Bush?

I think the general public has lost track of the significance of the body count of abortion. The quiet of daily abortions was lost to the noisome shock of 9/11. The reality is that as many lives were lost by abortions performed the day before as were lost by terrorist actions on that day. Are we at war with abortionists who've stolen our heritage and future? No, there's a quiet complacency which has settled in. It's been openly going on for decades now and I fear it's become a part of our nation. When the stench was first uncovered it smelled repulsive. Over time we've become acclimatized to the smell and now we can hardly tell it's there.

Silent scream...

Sarah over at the Crystal Lake Observatory brought my attention to an article from WorldNetDaily entitled "Kerry accepting 'blood money?'" Kerry, despite his assertions otherwise, supports abortion in all its manifest abominations. I had hoped Pres. Bush would have exhibited leadership by doing something to end the atrocity but all we were offered was the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. From the article...

Haskell was asked by Cincinnati Medicine whether or not it bothered him that a second-trimester fetus so closely resembles a baby. He replied, "I really don't think about it. ... Many of our patients have ethical dilemmas about abortion. I don't feel it's my role as a physician to tell her she should not have an abortion because of her ethical feelings. ... I'm not to tell them what's right or wrong."

I suppose he would not have something to say if one of his patients stuck a gun to the head of his nurse. And just what is his motivation in performing these operations anyway? Judas might be able to answer that question.

A nurse who worked briefly at one of Haskell's clinics, Brenda Pratt Shafer, witnessed close up the partial-birth abortion of a baby boy who she said was at 26 and a half weeks, Johnson writes.
"I stood at the doctor's side and watched him perform a partial-birth abortion on a woman who was six months pregnant," Shafer said. "The baby's heartbeat was clearly visible on the ultrasound screen. The doctor delivered the baby's body and arms, everything but his little head. The baby's body was moving. His little fingers were clasping together. He was kicking his feet.
"The doctor took a pair of scissors and inserted them into the back of the baby's head, and the baby's arms jerked out in a flinch, a startle reaction, like a baby does when he thinks that he might fall. Then the doctor opened the scissors up. Then he stuck the high-powered suction tube into the hole and sucked the baby's brains out. Now the baby was completely limp. I never went back to the clinic. But I am still haunted by the face of that little boy. It was the most perfect, angelic face I have ever seen."

Every time I read an account of an abortion performed it sickens me. I also wonder where is the outrage. Where is the outcry? Why will so many vote for Sen. Kerry in spite of the duplicity of their feelings? Don't let me hear them sobbing over Christopher Reeve or some soldier who died in Iraq while they are indifferent to thousands of abortions every day. Don't let me hear the disingenuous arguments Christians make for voting to reelect Pres. Bush while he's had it in his power to end this but done nothing and given excuses for it.

We're deluding ourselves if we think we hold moral high ground. All these constant assertions about the good we're doing for our country and the Iraqi people are ridiculous in the face of this heinousness. All this self approbation for bringing justice and freedom to parts of the world and continuing to have such little respect for life itself is a farce. It sickens me.

Johnson says Hern "wrote that pregnancy should be regarded not as a normal state but as an illness which 'may be treated by evacuation of the uterus.' Elsewhere he wrote that pregnancy is most appropriately compared to infestation by a parasite.

The doctor appropriately chooses to recognize himself as the consequence of an illness and a parasite, his parasitic tendencies being most apparent in the blood money he makes.

There's a fine line...

It came as quite a shock yesterday that Christopher Reeve died. Known for his portrayal of the comic book hero Superman, the movie "Somewhere in Time" and others, Mr. Reeve became an outspoken activist for stem cell research with his political leanings apparent at the DNC in 2000. He was an indefatigable presence both behind and in front of the movie camera and had a passion for his work. He was 52.

Later in the day, news came of the death of Ken Caminiti, the long time Houston Astros third baseman, who also had a passion. His play and drive at the game of baseball was long admired although there a few times his drug problem would get the better of him. He was 41.

Lastly a Redmond, Washington teenager, Laura Hatch, would be found alive after 8 days stuck in a wrecked car at the bottom of a 100 foot drop from the road. When she had not returned from an outing she had been given up for dead but found through what could only be described as the fortune and favor of God...

Last night, more than 100 friends and acquaintances from Creekside Covenant Church cheered and sang at a celebratory prayer service that had been scheduled as a vigil before Hatch was found..."God works in powerful ways," said Stacey Behee, a church member who organized the vigil-turned-celebration. She said the congregation held several prayer vigils last week for Hatch. As the week wore on, they never lost hope, said Anji Smith, another church member. "People just kept believing," she said. "And it worked."

What do all these have in common? Whether rich, poor, famous, infamous, celebrity or unknown, God has had a hand in each life. I believe that God desires all to come to the personal knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ, and thereby be saved from everlasting separation from God, which is hell. The proud He humbles and the lowly He exalts. I did not know the spiritual conditions of Mr. Reeve and Mr. Caminiti, nor would I suggest to know their ultimate destiny in the life to which they have gone. All the benevolence, all the accolades, all the personal achievements and all the warm feelings matter not on the other side of the grave. Celebrity status is meaningless before the glory of God. I will not venture a guess as to Ms. Hatch's spiritual condition, although I think that the conditions surrounding her rescue, in light of the passing of Mr. Reeve and Mr. Caminiti, suggest something to which I've given some thought.

We live in a post modern culture that considers death a mercy. But isn't it rather living life that is the mercy? I read an article called "Do not push gently into that good night" earlier in the week. A poignant piece which had the following to say...

Death is never a mercy. To characterize death as merciful is to invest it with nearly altruistic qualities, with tenderness, which is a kind of anthropomorphizing, as if death has a personality and we can alter its features, render it more kindly, make of it even a friend.

Our culture has turned from the culture of life into a culture of death. It has crossed over from mercy into judgment all the while thinking it has escaped judgment into mercy. Each new day is an opportunity to assume a merciful standing before a holy, just God. Ms. Hatch has been given just such an opportunity by God's grace and that is cause to wonder. There is a fine line between life and death, between mercy and judgment, between the decisions which lead to God and those which lead to darkness. The choices each of us make are fraught with consequences which can turn us toward or away from God. As the saying goes, "But for the grace of God, go I." The living have been given the mercy to choose, as it is appointed unto man once to die and then judgment. I often think about the lyrics to the Wayne Watson song "Fine Line".

There's a fine line
Between contentment and greed
Between the things that I want
And the things that I need
Between "enough is enough"
And where desires feed
It's a fine line
How do I live with so much
Here with the spoil of the blessed
And not abandon this boat
For the sea of excess
To aspire to great things
Yet be filled with humbleness
It's a fine line--Oh yes, it's a fine line

I mourn the passing of Mr. Reeve, Mr. Caminiti and others who passed from this earth yesterday. I mourn not as though I knew them or shared in their accomplishments personally. I mourn that their days of mercy have ended. I pray that those left behind would seize the merciful opportunity before them.

The Google Detective

A detective utilized the Google search for a week to identify a hit-and-run victim's identity. Didn't know that a search engine could be so powerful? Google can compute math problems, research addresses and do phone number searches. It's quite a handy dandy tool.

Cut out the middle man

Since we're faced with states with budget shortfalls and a diminishing tax base why not just forget the idea of state government altogether? Why maintain the charade that government on the state level serves a purpose or should be kept viable? The U.S. Supreme Court rulings of late make state authority a moot issue. The federal congress, senate and the presidency exercise powers far beyond their proper reach. If the federal government can regulate everything in our lives from taxes to toilets then why not abolish all state governments? Consider the state tax money saved! After all, if the feds can exercise their control through this piece of legislation then why not give ALL customarily state controlled programs and authority to the federal government? If we allowed the federal government to run state services and layoff the political cronies, just think of all the cost savings involved and the improvement in service, commissar.

Jack Goeken's light bulbs

He changed the telecommunications landscape through long distance. Now he plans to change the common light bulb.

But what if you could buy a bulb that would last for 10 years, use about a tenth of the electricity of a regular incandescent and cost no more than three times the price of a standard bulb? And it could bounce?

A lesson in politics...

From Echo Zoe's blog comes a perspective on conservatives and liberals. Actually I'd rather that my money never have to leave at all but my wife insures that it always has a place to go.

Any which way you can

Generally people pay a parking ticket and go on with their lives. Every once in a while people make a statement in doing so. Some may try to pay the fine in small change. Although I wouldn't go to this extreme, I can understand the frustration though.

A psychiatrist who police say smeared excrement on dollar bills used to pay a parking ticket has been charged with harassment of a public official.

Psychiatrists generally strike me as being deficient in the common sense department. I applaud his civil resistance but his method lacks a little creativity.

"All personnel that dealt with the bills were offended by what the defendant did," an affidavit said.

And the question is, "So?" People don't have the right to not be offended. But I know in this age of harassment of all kinds, particularly sexual, people go to great lengths to outlaw offenses, no matter how injurious they aren't. This is the new tolerance.

If convicted, McPike could face up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.

Seems like he should have made the most of his opportunity. You can read into that whatever you'd like.

Political Playgrounds

I remember in my youth playing games with the kids in my neighborhood. There were times we'd cheat playing marbles, football or whatever. It was all kid stuff, nothing serious.

The Media Research Center caught NBC trying to cheat recently by sending a subliminal message.

Four years ago, the NBC Nightly News took seriously the appearance of the letters "RATS," in a single frame of an enlargement of part of the word "BUREAUCRATS," in an anti-Gore ad from the Bush campaign. The September 12, 2000 NBC Nightly News carried two full stories on the controversy. Jump ahead four years, and on Monday night the NBC Nightly News displayed the letters "ILIE" for 16 seconds next to President George W. Bush's face in a "Decision 2004" graphic beside anchor Tom Brokaw as he introduced a story by David Gregory.

The Democrats and Republicans play their political games and they use the media as their playground. I know political candidates lie. I also know that the media plays along in the game.

I used to think journalism was an honorable profession, one marked by objectivity. "Used to" are the operative words. After each speech, each debate, each press conference we're treated to the usual talking heads bobbing about what some politician just said as if the viewers were too ignorant or stupid or both to know what they just saw and heard. The media elite sift and filter what is given as "news" to the people. The Bush Guard Document Rathergate at CBS ought to demonstrate that the major media have had a political agenda. The politicians play the games, true, but the media only lets who they want to play on the playground.

VOTE PEROUTKA

Why Christians Should Not Vote For Bush

I'm posting this article by Dr. Patrick Johnston again as it gives a fine explanation of the reasons why thinking, praying Christians should not vote for Pres. Bush for reelection. Pres. Bush's betrayal of the pro-life cause should be enough reason for any true Christian conservative. Dr. Johnston gives ample evidence for this and gives other reasons. The piece isn't new, originally dated February 15, 2004, and is rather lengthy but as it gets closer to the election Christians of conscience must read this before entering their polling place.

I got your debate right here!

If God and satan held a debate it would certainly be more interesting than the tripe we've seen recently. Actually it might sound something like this.

By the way, if you'd don't believe the stuff about the "Christian Zionists who think they can bring My Son back and end the world by unconditionally supporting Israel no matter what it does to anyone..." reference, then take a look at this.

Christianity and the Art of Computer Maintenance

I've found one of the most effective ways to clearly convey the fundamentals of the Christian faith is through object lessons. From time to time the opportunity crosses my path to teach others, particularly youth, about Christian principles. Several months ago I began to explore the possibility of using personal computer fundamentals to explain some basic Christian tenets.

I'm not a writer or an author. If it hasn't already been apparent to the kind reader it soon will be that I didn't do well in english classes. I did make this really neat movieola once in the side pages of my composition book, though. I just wanted to pursue this for the sake of doing something which would convey Christian precepts in a more "hands on" way, if you will. It is a slow process for someone of my limited time and talent but one that I've enjoyed contributing to as conditions and time permit. Even if this is never used publicly I've enjoyed the creative outlet and at some point I'll post it to the web, gratis, so that perhaps someone else can actually make something of it. A partial outline of my proposed idea, suitable for ridicule and/or approbation is as follows. Here 'tis...

1. Session 1: Introduction
2. Session 2: The Power Supply
3. Session 3: The Mother Board
4. Session 4: The CPU
5. Session 5: Input/Output devices
6. Session 6: The Hard drive
7. Session 7: Software
8. Session 8: The Internet and beyond

Each session would include a brief discussion of the computer component followed by a transition to the Christ centered principle I think can be better understood by that component. For example, the CPU session leads into a discussion of having the mind of Christ. Again, I'll post more on this later.

Hey, it's all just one big mixed up idea but if it helps somebody, somewhere understand Christianity, then it's worth it, nes pa?

Lemmings to the sea...

From the Daily Standard comes Wesley Smith's piece called, "Now they want to euthanize children", further evidence of a sick, insane culture.

In the Netherlands, Groningen University Hospital has decided its doctors will euthanize children under the age of 12, if doctors believe their suffering is intolerable or if they have an incurable illness. But what does that mean? In many cases, as occurs now with adults, it will become an excuse not to provide proper pain control for children who are dying of potentially agonizing maladies such as cancer, and doing away with them instead. As for those deemed "incurable"--this term is merely a euphemism for killing babies and children who are seriously disabled.

The terms in the battle for the soul of humanity are made more euphemism rather than offensive because the stark reality of those words are too painful to accept and too formidable to contest. Redefine the terms, do it incrementally, and the issues become palatable. This is how the battle is fought, subtly and surreptitiously. And like a trap, the consequences become apparent too late.

Haloscan FINALLY added....correctly

Yeah, I know....I know. I've had that stupid Haloscan gif on the site for the longest but just never bothered to fix the script to work right. Well, after a few "corrective measures", it works...for now.

Between Fact and Fiction

A middle school teacher in New Jersey makes a bulletin board with pictures of U.S. presidents, including our present one. In any other year and with any other president this would be completely innocent, certainly apolitical. But, it seems, not this year and not with this president.

In this postmodern age truth and fact matter less than political inclinations and aims. History is revisited but through the skewed perception of current political perspectives. Some pull quotes...

Rita Bianco, Parent: "Children should know their president and their first lady!"

Knowing who the president is doesn't matter. It's knowing who Britney married and what was she wearing.

Veteran English teacher Shiba Pillai-Diaz says she was shocked when three parents confronted her. The three, insisting the teacher either add John Kerry's photo to the montage of presidents or remove the Bush photo.

I surmise the three parents are a representative part of a clueless electorate, themselves educated in government schools, who've failed to consider that Mr. Kerry's name is prefixed by the title senator not president. In their myopic wisdom they were unable to comprehend the possibility that the picture of Pres. Bush might simply be a statement of fact with no more a suggestion of political endorsement than a picture of, say, William Jefferson Clinton, in whom, I'm sure they take great political delight.

No, it's not about truth, reality or fact anymore. None of those stand alone, exalted above the vast wasteland of prevarications, lies and distortions. Truth has no esteem. Fact is debatable. Every idea and concept has a political quality, regardless of its veracity, and its value is determined by that quality. We are a culture bound by our own deceit to maintain the political charade.

The Pajamhadeen

Kevin McCullough's blog has an interesting follow-up on the meltdown of a Rather untrustworthy CBS (Can't Be Substantiated). It seems that support is coming from the Rather most likely directions. An exerpt...

"The criticism...goes well beyond any factual information."

"What I think is highly inappropriate is what is going on across the internet, a kind of political jihad...and that is quite outrageous," said Brokaw.

When you are soon to retire to the lake, Tom, remember to stay in touch with your laptop. We'll be there.

Maybe the networks will understand one day how overpaid the Rather-Jennings-Brokaw stuffed shirts are now that they see what unpaid, pajama-clad people can do.

October Surprise -1

One day down, 29 to go and waiting for the inevitable October Surprise. I wonder what it'll be...

On a side note, what ever happened to gravitas, that special weightiness or substance a political candidate is supposed to have to carry the polls? Is the reason no one seems to be talking about it that neither of the two major presidential candidates have it? Just a thought...

Beware the Reaper

I made an attempt to avoid the debates last night. I didn't realize they started at 9:00PM EDT instead of 8:00PM, so while the wife and kids watched I kept busy with other things. These orchestrated vignettes of "Election 2004" are boring and tedious. Afterward, each side always believes they won the debate. This particular "Debate That Was Not" was about the same kind of thing as any other presidential debate, each presenting their best facade, neither side directly contending the important issues with the other. In all the candidate's scriptedness it's what they avoid saying that interests me.

I know this debate centered around foreign policy leaving domestic policy issues for another "debate" but I don't expect either candidate to touch on the claims made by this piece from SFGate. It warrants attention to something neither presidential candidate wants to face.

Yet whoever wins the 2004 race will become the first U.S. president to confront what sober-minded experts across the political spectrum describe as an impending "fiscal catastrophe" lying right around the corner.

Despite the fiscal promises made by either major candidate this outlook is foreboding and the more this issue is avoided the fewer the options available to escape.

This piece by the NYT generally dovetails the assessment with the SFGate piece, although with slightly different figures. It would seem that out of control federal spending is catching up with both "parties" and the bill is coming due.