HA! Take THIS Poll And Smoke It...

Are you outraged by the latest revelation of atrocities perpetrated by the Bush Administration against the American People?

Are you appalled by the information which was finally uncovered and brought to light at long last by USA Today Yesterday that President Bush is spying on phone conversations of tens of millions of innocent American Citizens?

Do you believe that something MUST be done to stop this over-reaching and oppressive Regime that has seized power in America and is trampling rough-shod over the Civil Rights of every American?

Then you are in the minority.

ABC News, in a desperate attempt to get back onto the right side of this issue, has published this article:

NSA's Phone-Call Program Meets Mixed Reactions


May 12, 2006 — News that the National Security Agency has tracked nearly every phone call made in the United States since Sept. 11, 2001, has sparked more outrage from politicians than from average Americans.

An ABC News/Washington Post poll says that 63 percent think the secret program is justified, while 35 percent call it unjustified.

The article goes on to say that "What the government and phone companies did is probably legal. "

Well... Yeah. It IS legal.

President CLINTON signed into Law the Bill that MADE it legal.

According to the New York Sun " It was President Clinton who signed into law the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994, after it was passed in both the House and Senate by a voice vote.

That law is an act "to make clear a telecommunications carrier's duty to cooperate in the interception of communications for law enforcement purposes, and for other purposes."

The act made clear that a court order isn't the only lawful way of obtaining call information, saying, "A telecommunications carrier shall ensure that any interception of communications or access to call-identifying information effected within its switching premises can be activated only in accordance with a court order or other lawful authorization."

The law that President Clinton signed into law and that was approved by voice votes in 1994 by a Democrat-majority House and a Democrat-majority Senate not only made clear the phone companies' "duty" to cooperate, it authorized $500 million in taxpayer funds to reimburse the phone companies for equipment "enabling the government, pursuant to a court order or other lawful authorization, to access call-identifying information that is reasonably available to the carrier."

Again, the law, by referring to "other lawful authorization," states clearly that a court order isn't the only form of lawful authorization possible."

So, now, let me get this straight...

If the program that we are supposed to be upset about is Unconstitutional, and violates our Civil Rights, then George W. Bush is not really the Villian here, President Clinton is. (Along with the Democrat controlled House and Democrat controlled Senate that passed it by voice vote, and sent it to Clinton's Desk for signature.)

That should be reason enough to NEVER AGAIN vote for another Democrat if you are REALLY upset about this supposed violation of your Civil Rights. If this is as bad as you say it is, the Democrats can NEVER AGAIN be trusted with power.

They just Can't!

If it is legal, and does not violate Civil Rights, then this program, along with the other Terrorist Surveillance Programs that have not yet been leaked to the New York Times and USA Today so that they can be announced to the Enemies of America and rendered ineffective, have contributed to the fact that America has not been attacked by Terrorists on our Soil since September 11, 2001.

I believe in assigning blame where it is actually warranted, and in giving credit where credit is actually due.

And, remember, Politicians live and breathe Opinion Polls, and on this particular issue, I am in the overwhelming Majority.

So, with that in mind, exactly how upset do you want me to get about this?

What Dreams May Come...

My Wife dreamed that she was mad at me last night.

About Two am, she rolled over and began to try to push me off the bed with both her hands and both feet. I rolled away from her until she could not touch me, and she stopped physically attacking me, but then she began to tell me about it.

She fussed at me in Gibberish. For about fifteen minutes she let me have it, and there was not a single recognizable English word in the whole tyrade. It was all sylables and sounds that did not make any sense.

I didn't know whether to wake her up, defend myself, or just let it run it's course.

I decided to just stay out of her way, and let her go.

It was the wierdest, funniest thing that I have ever seen her do.

When she got up this morning, she didn't remember any of it, but she did apologize for being mean to me before we went to bed. (Which I didn't remember happening, but I'll take it.)

This isn't the first time that she has dreamed that she was mad at me. Every now and then, she wakes up mad at me about things that she dreamed I did. (Which wouldn't be that bad, except that sometimes she stays mad for half a day.)

The funny thing is that we don't really ever fight when we are awake. We talk out any difference of opinion before it even becomes a disagreement. On the rare occasions that we actually DO disagree, I explain my position in a calm and reasonable manner, and she sees that I am right.

We have never had an honest to goodness knock down-drag out, even though we are both passionate people with strong personalities. We just don't fight.

Unless one of us is asleep.

I guess it's kinda cool to know that I am still the man of her dreams, even if she dreams that she is mad at me.

She is the woman of my dreams, even when I am not asleep.

Maybe I need to pay more attention to letting her know that...

Hail To The Chief

I saw the President today. I started to flag him down and talk to him, but I realized that if I did, all I would probably get to say would be "Sir, can you please ask this Secret Service Agent to take that Gun out of my ear?"

I didn't exactly see HIM, I saw his Motorcade, headed North on I-75, just north of Exit 246. Five solid black Chevy Tahoes and Suburbans, with Flags on the front fenders, surrounded by a swarm of Motorcycles, and all vehicles with flashing red and blue lights.

It was an impressive sight. But one thing that impressed me about it was the fact that this Motorcade was just running down the Interstate right along with the rest of the traffic.

Right out there with the rest of us.

Running along at the same speed as the other traffic. There was no backup, no roadblocks, no problems.

Just a bunch of vehicles, riding along with the flow, with the most powerful man in the Free World somewhere inside.

It made me think about the time when President Clinton shut down LAX for four hours so that he could get a haircut.

It made me think of an incident that my Wife remembers a few years back, when the Clintons shut down the Interstate System all over Tampa from 3:00pm until 7:00pm so that they could get to a $2500.00 a plate Fundraising Dinner in Clearwater.

It made me think about all of the assertions made by the Left in this Country about how President Bush is "King George", and how arrogant and snobby they say he is.

He isn't. I saw that today, with my own eyes.

Do you know what else it made me think about?

It made me think about every Lefty that I have ever argued with, and how upon learning that I am not Formally Educated, they immediately begin to assert that there are concepts that I obviously cannot begin to understand.

It made me think about the fact that, while the Left in this Country claims to be the Champions of the "Little Man", that is exactly the way that they see him.

"Little." Smaller, less significant than they.

They see the "Little Man" as disadvantaged, unable to stand up for himself.

Inferior.

They refer to him in their speeches, News Reports, and Blog Posts as "The American Worker", "The Working Class", and "Hourly Employees."

That's ME they are referring to.

Well, Mr. Liberal Elite, I am not a Bee, and I am not an Ant. Do not refer to me as a "Worker."

I am a Free Thinking, Gainfully Employed, Fiscally Responsible American Citizen.

American VOTER.

Do not look down your nose at me.

President Bush is not an Elitist. He does not see himself as a Monarch, or a Dictator.

If you want to find an Elitist, look to your Left.

You won't have to look very far to your Left to find one.

Just look for the people who think that the way to preserve your Religious Freedom is by preventing you from mentioning God at all. Ever.

Look for the people who believe that the way to help you cope with high Gasoline Prices is to tax Oil Companies.

Look for the people who think that the way to help you cope with high Health Care Costs is to Socialize the System, so that on top of the real cost of Healthcare, Government gets to add their take.

These people think that you are stupid.

Do you?

A Brief Lesson In Economics. (Try To Keep Up.)

ER, a frequent commentor on my Blog, and someone who should know better, posted this comment on my last thread.

"But since you mention the oil companies ... forget that cockamamie $100 rebate idea. Suspend the federal taxes on gasoline for 30 days, and reconsider the suspension every 30 days through summer. Make it up with increased assessments on the oil companies."

Okay, that sounds good if you believe that Businesses are only in business to rape their customers, and that the Monies collected through Taxes come out of thin air.

The problem with this plan is that in reality, Businesses get their revenues from their Customers, and Government gets Tax Money from EVERYONE.

When you tax a Business, you increase their overall cost of doing business. (Even Big Oil.)

When you increase the overall cost of doing business, you increase the final retail cost of the product produced by that Business. (Even Big Oil.)

The Consumer ultimately bears the burden of that increase.

You CANNOT MAKE a Corporation pay Taxes. AT ALL.

EVER.

NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO.

I don't care how great you think it would be to be able to punish Big Business (Even Big Oil...) for making a profit on their product by imposing punative Taxes, but in the end, the only people you can punish with Taxes, no matter who you impose them on, is WORKING, CONSUMING, TAXPAYING AMERICANS.

Either learn how the world actually works, or STOP VOTING.

You only screw things up worse than they already are when you vote your own Ignorance into Public Policy.

I have about had it with people who have decided to be wrong about everything no matter what the evidence is.

I have lost my patience with intentional Ignorance, and refusal to face facts.

It would be great if we could repeal the laws of Economics, simply because it would make things easier, or more fair.

But we can't.

The World is a hard, cold place. Sometimes we have to pay more for the things we need because of World Events. Sometimes we have to change our lifestyle in ways that we do not like because of circumstances beyond our control.

It sucks, I know.

DEAL WITH IT.

Make the best you can of it.

Figure out a way that you can get around it.

Stop whining for Government to bail you out of it.

Government CAN'T.

Government intervention only complicates and sours everything it touches.

If you do not understand this simple fact, then maybe you are not yet ready for the responsibilities of the Real World.

Thoughtcrime...

I don't ever want to hear another word about how the Right Wing wants to legislate Morality.

I don't want to hear another single word about how the Right Wing wants to take away everyone's Freedom.

I don't ever want to hear another single word about how the Religious Right is trying to shove their beliefs down people's throats.

NOT ONE MORE WORD.

Get a load of this...

From World Net Daily...

CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN
''Mom,' 'dad' to be axed from school textbooks?

A traditional-values organization in California is warning the state's residents that a bill pending in the Legislature, if approved, could remove all references to gender in public schools – threatening even references to "mom" or "dad" in textbooks.

If the bill, SB 1437, were to become law, warns the Capitol Resource Institute, "it could potentially require gender-neutral bathrooms in our schools and all references to 'husband' and 'wife' or 'mom and dad' removed from school textbooks as the norm."

Do you still question whether or not traditional Family Values are under assault in America?

Follow the link, and read the story, and think honestly about what this means. Think about the fact that this Bill is actually being debated, and slowly being passed into Law in the most populous State in the United States.

THIS is what the Radical Left thinks of Freedom of Speech.

THIS is what the Radical Left thinks of Family Values.

THIS is what the Radical Left thinks of Freedom of Thought.

Think about that, while thinking is still Legal.

The Easy Solution To An Unsolvable Problem.

Are you sick of hearing about Illegal Immigration yet?

I am. Have been for a while now.

I agree that this is a problem that has to be solved. I know that there is no easy solution.

No, I take that back. There IS an easy solution. A REAL easy one.

ENFORCE THE LAW, ALREADY.

It's already against the Law to sneak across our Borders. It's already against the Law to hire an Illegal Alien for any job at any wage. It's already against the Law to overstay a Visa.

So why not enforce the Law? What's so hard about that?

This problem does not require new, sweeping Legislation from our already Power-Mad, Public Opinion Obsessed Congress and Senate. It does not require an Executive Order from the President. It does not require a huge new Bureaucracy, or widespread raids to round up and deport each and every Illegal that is already here.

All that this problem requires is for every Citizen to obey the Laws that are already on the books, and stop hiring Illegal Aliens to work for them. All it requires is for all Local Law Enforcement Agencies to turn over any Illegals that they apprehend for other crimes to the Border Patrol or INS, and then for these Agencies to deport them, like they are supposed to do.

Citizens obey the Law, and Border Patrol and INS Agents do your job.

Problem Solved.

For some reason, these simple steps toward a solution to this problem seem to be way too horrible and way too difficult for us to consider as a viable option.

Want another Solution? One that doesn't actually require enforcing and obeying our own Laws?

Here it is.

In order to make any serious attempt to solve any problem, we must first take an honest look at what is causing the problem in the first place. (Without first taking this step, any solution will be a Band-Aid at best, and will make the problem into a full-fledged disaster, at worst.)

And let's be honest about one other thing, while we are at it. When we talk about Illegal Immigration, we are really talking about Illegal Immigration FROM MEXICO. This does not make us Racists, it just makes us REALISTS. Nobody was waving Canadian Flags during the Protest Rallies on Monday.

The Illegal Immigration Problem in America is not caused by a lack of Border Security. It is not caused by lax enforcement of our Laws. It is not caused by a ponderous and tedious application process for American Citizenship.

It is caused by the utter lack of economic opportunity and rampant Governmental Corruption in MEXICO.

So, with that in mind, let me offer my solution to the Illegal Immigration problem.

1. Offer an Amnesty program. (Not Citizenship, Amnesty.) Full Fledged Amnesty for every Illegal Alien who will come out of the woodwork and be identified. Give them Driver's licenses, Legal ability to work in the United States, full Constitutional protection under the Law, as well as all rights afforded Citizens of the United States of America. (Except for the right to vote in ANY American Election, or the right to hold ANY public office. Those particular rights should be, MUST be reserved for Legal, Law Abiding and productive Citizens of the United States.)

2. Offer each and every able bodied Illegal Mexican in America the opportunity to participate in a Military Training Program. Make it a top notch Military Training Program, with a decent rate of pay, full Military Benefits just like the American Army, and offer Family Benefits as well.

3. Equip this Military Force made entirely of Mexican Volunteers with the finest Weapons that our Military has to offer, as well as Technical Support and Supplies.

4. Educate them in Civics, Ethics, Economics, Nation Building Techniques, Constitutional Law, Construction of Infrastructure, and Law Enforcement Tactics. Build their Leadership Skills, and make sure that they understand the value of Honesty, Morality, Integrity, and Freedom.

5. When they are ready, send them back across the Border into Mexico for the purpose of overthrowing the Current Mexican Government, and setting up an honest, trustworthy Mexico that will be willing and able to take it's place in the modern Global Community. Tell Vicente Fox all along that we are conducting this program, even if he threatens to shut off the flow of Mexican Oil. Tell him that we will call the whole thing off if he will clean up his act, and deal with the corruption himself.

Forget for a moment about the Mexicans who have come here illegally, and about the seemingly insurmountable nature of the problem that they create here.

The Mexicans in Mexico deserve better than they have now. Most people around the World would rather be at home than anywhere else.

If there was possibility of prosperity and success in Mexico, the Mexicans in Mexico would stay there, and the ones who are here illegally would go back home. (Except for the ones who would really rather be here and assimilate, and those we could handle through the proper channels.)

The Solution to the Illegal Immigration Problem in America is the same as the Solution to every other problem that the World faces.

Freedom and Personal Responsibility.

For Everyone.

Everywhere.

Today Was A Good Day.

Boy, am I tired...

My Wife, my brother in law, and my two sisters in law, and I went tubing down the Rainbow River in Western Central Florida today. We are tired, sunburned, soggy, and happy.

I did not know how badly I needed this trip. It was a 4 mile, 3 1/2 hour drift on a round float down a very beautiful, litter free waterway that God made just for my enjoyment. We saw spiders, and bugs, and Cranes eating little fishes, and River Otters, and Cypress Trees, and Moss covered Rocks, and underwater grass. We played, and talked, and connected, and squirted each other with water guns, and forgot about all of the struggles of everyday life for 3 1/2 hours.

It was very relaxing.

When we reached the parking lot at the end of the float, The Lord provided a Hot Dog Stand, and we snacked on Hot Dogs and Chips, and canned sodas, and we were refreshed.

On the trip home, we stopped at a gas station, and I found out that $5.00 worth of boiled peanuts creates a carload of happy women, and this is a very good thing.

Tommorrow, we will all return to the grind. But Today, we stepped outside of our daily lives, and played like children.

I would not have gone on this trip, ever, had it not been for my Wife. Given my choice, I would sit inside the house every spare minute, watching television and surfing the internet. But she remembered doing this as a young child, and she wanted me to experience the wonder and joy that she felt then.

It worked.

I haven't been as happy as I was on that river in a long, long time.

There is really no point or punchline to this post. I am not trying to educate anyone, or offer any commentary on the state of the World, or offer any solutions to the problems that we face.

We will always have problems.

I am simply sharing my account of one day in my life when I was happy. Unreservedly, unashamedly, undeniably happy.

Days like this are the reason that we work. They are the reason that family and friends are important.

They are the reason that we live.

Have them every chance you get.

We only live once.

Snow Brainer...

Okay, that was a really bad pun... Sorry.

"Tony already knows most of you, but he has agreed to accept the job anyway." - President George W. Bush, introducing his new Press Secretary Tony Snow to the White House Press Corpse. (Typo intentional. - TBC)

From MyWAy.com, via the Drudge Report.

Bush Taps Snow As New Press Secretary
Apr 26, 10:12 AM (ET)By TERENCE HUNT

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush on Wednesday named conservative commentator Tony Snow as White House press secretary, putting a new face on a troubled administration.
Snow, a Fox news pundit and former speechwriter in the White House under Bush's father, replaced Scott McClellan who resigned in a personnel shuffle intended to re-energize the White House and lift the president's record-low approval ratings.

"My job is to make decisions and his job is to help explain those decisions to the press corps and the American people," Bush said, with Snow and McClellan at his side in the White House briefing room.

Tony announced on his show last week that the White House had aproached him about the job. The word on the street is that Snow delayed accepting the job in order to negotiate a little real power for himself. He reportedly accepted the job with the stipulation that he gets to sit in on policy discussions in the White House, be allowed to voice his opinion directly to the President, and have a say in how information will be presented to the Press.

I believe that this is appropriate. Scott McClellan was repeatedly left flapping in the wind over the last three years, and I do not blame his successor for attempting to protect himself. I also am aware that Snow took a significant pay cut in taking this position. There should be some payoff for that as well.

Tony Snow is no lock-step Republican Yes Man. He has repeatedly disagreed publicly with the President and his policies, (usually on the same issues that I disagreed with him on...) but he has defended the President on the issues on which he has been unfairly attacked.

I believe that Tony Snow is a very intelligent, very Conservative, straight talking, clear thinking man, who truly wants what is best for this Country. He has a great reputation as a fair and thorough Journalist, and an honest, no nonsense political commentator. He has been in contact with politically aware American Citizens from both sides of the political divide through his Radio Call-in Show for years now.

He knows and understands the attitudes and opinions of the American people.

He also has a low tollerance for B.S., and is not afraid to set the record straight, should he become aware that it is being distorted.

I believe that he will be a valuable addition to the Bush Team.

I also believe that the White House Press Corps is going to have their hands full.

This is a very good day.

I only hope that Tony Snow will use this new position to continue to speak Truth to Power, whether it is to the President, or more importantly, to the unofficial Fourth Branch of Government, the News Media.

It's about time that someone started to hold them to a standard of Truth so that they might begin to regain their credibility.

I've Got It!!

How much are you paying for Gasoline where you live?

Today, I filled up the Work Car at the Kangaroo station about a mile from where I work.

10.803 gallons at $2.97 per gallon (87 Octane), for a total expenditure of $32.18.

I had been 378 miles on the last tankful, so my car got 35.91 miles per gallon.

That's pretty good for a $900.00 car, by anyone's standards.

I believe that I can make it do better, though. I was discussing this with my Wife the other night, and I told her that theoretically, if I added a Turbocharger to it, it should make it burn the fuel that it does burn a whole lot more efficiently, and should increase the fuel mileage by at least 5 to 7 MPG. Furthermore, a larger inlet pipe and throttle body would free up the airflow coming in to the engine, and should increase the fuel mileage by another 3 to 5 MPG. A Header and larger exhaust system, and eliminating the Catalytic Converter would probably be good for another 8 to 10 MPG.

Replacing the stock 13" Rims and Tires with a set of 18" wheels would reduce the engine RPM's at highway speeds, and should increase the fuel mileage by another 4 or 5 MPG.

(I still haven't yet figured out how to sell her on a Nitrous System as a Gas Saving investment. If I come up with anything, I'll let you know...)

But while I was thinking about all of this, it occured to me that the problem that I have with high Gasoline prices has nothing to do with the price of Gasoline.

My problem is that I AM THE ONE WHO HAS TO PAY FOR MY GASOLINE.

I mean, think about it...If we did not have to pay for our own Gas, it wouldn't matter if the price was high or not.

And then it hit me. I know what would fix this whole problem.

SOCIALIZED GASOLINE.

It's so simple! I don't understand why no one has proposed this before!

A single payer, Taxpayer supported, Government administered, free to the end user Gasoline for every American Citizen (and Undocumented Immigrant) system.

The government could take over the Oil Industry, give free Gasoline to everybody, and pay for it with Tax Money.

Any profits could be rolled right back into the system, rather than going to pay salaries to overpaid Oil Executives, and Profiteering Stock Holders, who steal their dividends directly from the pockets of the Working Poor, and the Middle Class.

It is the only solution!

I mean, everybody has to have Gasoline, don't they?

Why shouldn't the Government provide it for us all? (Except the Rich, of course. Screw them. Let them pay for their own Gasoline.)

This could be done without making everyone convert their cars over to some non-existent pipe dream alternative fuel, without disturbing any Pristeen Wildernesses, and without building any new refineries.

And here is the best part...

If the Republican led Congress and Senate were to pass this, and President Bush signs it into Law, then Republicans would remain in power for the rest of my Grandchildren's lives!

Win, Win, Win!!

I mean, Gasoline IS an Inalienable Human Right, isn't it?

The Clinton Legacy

Does the name Mary McCarthy mean anything to any of you?

It should, and if it doesn't yet, it soon will.

She was a National Security Council staff member in the inspector general's office of the CIA, during the Clinton Administration. She was held over in the CIA by the Bush Administration in the interest of avoiding the destruction of the careers of everyone who worked for Clinton.

She is the source of the leaked information regarding the Secret Prisons where captured Al-Qaeda members were supposedly being held, in several European Countries that have been Allies of the U.S. in the War on Terror.

Whether these prisons actually exist or not has not been proven yet. One theory is that the information was bogus, and that it was floated as a "Sting" operation, in order to entrap leakers in the CIA.

It worked.

But whether the prisons exist or not is irrelevant. The fact that they were classified information is not in dispute, and she leaked it. And she does not have Presidential Authority to declassify information, like the President and the Vice President have.

That is Treason. Not "dissent", not "free speech", not a heroic American exercise of Constitutional Rights.

Treason. (There IS such a thing.)

And where are the people who have been calling for Scooter Libby's, Karl Rove's, Dick Cheney's and President Bush's heads for the crime of "leaking" the identity of Valerie Plame (who was NOT covert at the time?)

They are all over TV, claiming that since the information that McCarthy leaked was true (which we don't know yet), and since it was damaging to the Bush Administration (in their opinion), then she is a hero. A "whistle blower", not a Treasonous spy trying to undermine a sitting President during a time of War.

But that is not surprising. According to these people, and according to a lot of Americans, President Bush can do absolutely nothing right, and any means that have to be employed to discredit him and his administration, from Lying, to Spying, to leaking information about our Country's most secret and strategically important programs, is fair game.

To them, President Bush is the only criminal, no matter what anyone else does or says, because they believe that this is what the Republicans believed when Clinton was President. They believe that the Republicans constantly attacked Clinton for being corrupt, and that is how Republicans gained their power.

Never mind that the allegations against Clinton were true...

What does any of this have to do with President Clinton's Legacy?

A lot.

President Clinton believed that he was above the Law, for all intents and purposes, and he succeeded in convincing a lot of Americans that he should be. So now, Americans have been convinced that all Presidents believe that they are, and should be, above the Law.

President Clinton and his Administration took illegal Campaign Contributions from Foriegn Countries in exchange for Missile Technologies, Nuclear Materials, and political influence, so now, Americans believe that all Presidents and their Administrations are self serving and corrupt.

President Clinton put a whole host of his friends from Arkansas in positions of National Power when he became President, so now Americans believe that all Presidents engage in "Cronyism".

President Clinton lied and got caught, so now Americans believe that all Presidents lie with impunity.

Clinton set an example of incompetence, corruption and self-serving behavior which has poisoned the political process in America, and his influence is manifested daily in the hate filled attacks against President Bush by Clinton's Party.

This is Clinton's Legacy.

This is the price that America is paying for deciding that Character did not matter in Presidential Elections.

America will eventually right itself, but for decades to come, every time the White House, the Congress or the Senate changes hands, we will suffer a whole new barrage of attacks from the losing party against the winners, as a direct result of Clinton's effect on the attitude of Americans regarding their Elected Leaders.

This cannot be good for America.

My God Is Able To Deliver Me...

The story is told of a man who had lived his whole life on the banks of a large river.

One rainy season, the river overflowed it's banks and flooded his house.

He retreated to the upper floor, and began to pray.

"God, please deliver me from the flood."

After a couple of hours, he heard a knock on his window, and opened it up to see a man in a boat.

"I'm here to rescue you", the boatman said.

"No, I'm okay." replied the man. "God will take care of me."

As the waters continued to rise, the man was forced to climb outside, and take refuge on his roof. After a while, another man drifted by in another boat, and offered to rescue the man from his roof.

"No, I'm okay. God will take care of me..." he said.

In a few more hours, the man was clinging to the top of his chimney, as the flood waters raged all around him.

A helicopter flew up and hovered overhead. As the crew dropped a rope down to him, he waved them off, saying "No thanks, God will save me!"

They left, and he drowned.

When he stood before God, he asked "Why did You not save me? I had faith, I prayed, and You still let me drown. Why, oh Lord?"

The Lord replied "Well, I sent two boats and a helicopter..."

The World is a scary place lately. There are wars, and rumors of wars. There are Enemies plotting to overthrow our Country both outside our borders, and within. There are individuals, factions, and organizations who want to overthrow our Government, take away our Freedoms, and destroy our way of life. They would not bat an eye at the prospect of murdering every single American to accomplish their goals.

And while these problems are developing, and worsening, we in America are tearing each other apart over whether or not we should respond to these threats, or beg our enemies for mercy.

The thought of turning the thermostat too low for comfort in the cells of the enemy combatants (who would murder whole cities full of Americans, if they could figure out how...) that we have captured is far too torturous to bear, for some of us.

These are very hard problems to solve. As a matter of fact, we as mere human beings are not able to solve them. Not on our own.

But God can.

I am not afraid of the World, because I know that if I trust Him to, God can, and will deliver me.

God has been very good to me. He has placed me in the greatest Nation on Earth, and has blessed me with the freedom to worship Him any way I see fit. He has blessed me with material things at a level that most of the World cannot even imagine. He has given me the freedom, and the drive and ambition to try to better myself and my situation any way that I can think of, and the conscience and awareness to realize that I should try to share these blessings with every human being in the World. He also blessed me with the realization that my well being is my own responsibility, and that I have a role in society that is unique, and if I shirk my responsibility in any way, then what I am here to do does not get done.

And He blessed me with the common sense to realize that these things are indeed blessings from Him, and that these blessings should be protected and preserved.

To that end, He has blessed me with a Government that has the weapons and tools to protect me, my family, and our Society from threats against our Freedoms and our lifestyle. He has blessed my Country with (some) leaders who realize that protecting our Freedom and our lifestyle is not only their job, but their Christian Responsibility. (No matter who attacks them because of it.)

Whenever I am confronted by people who want to be pacifists, and hide from the problems of the World behind the robes of Jesus, (because EVERYBODY knows that Jesus did not condone violence, don'tcha know...), I think of this quote. It isn't from the Bible, but God also blessed me with the ability to recognize truth and incorporate common sense into my opinions and lifestyle, even if it did not come directly from the Bible. (God blesses different people in different ways, I guess.)


"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." --George Orwell

When you complain about how evil the President is for taking us to War, and you scream that Jesus was a Pacifist, and would never condone violence, and you tell me that I am wrong for wanting to deal forcefully with our Enemies around the World, remember that someone paid for your right to do that with their life.

Someone engaged in War, for your right to be a pacifist.

God helps those who help themselves.

The Next Frontier...

How many Generations of Americans should be forced to put up with the crap coming from Iran?

When I was a little boy, I remember all of the adults in my life being worried about events occuring in Iran. I vividly remember the 444 day long Iran Hostage Crisis in the latter part of the Carter Administration, and I also vividly remember when it ended.

On the same day that Ronald Reagan was sworn into office.

The message was forever burned into my developing brain. Democrats beg and plead, attempt to negotiate, and accept abuse from thugs and bullies on an International Scale.

Republicans DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

The whole World knew that in 1980. (About half of the American public are a little slow on the uptake, though...)

The Government of Iran, flying in the face of the whole World, is currently, actively, and publicly pursuing a Nuclear Weapons program. They are making no secret of the fact that they intend to use these Weapons to eradicate a neighboring soveriegn Nation. (Israel.)

They have also made no secret of the fact that they hate America as an entity, and Iran has for twenty years been a hotbed of Terrorist support and activity against American interests all over the World.

I say if the Government of Iran wants a Nuclear Weapon that badly, then we should give them one.

Right in the middle of downtown Tehran.

From 30,000 feet.

And make it one that is big enough to get the job done.

In my Great Grandparent's and Grandparent's day, all of the trouble in the World came from Japan and Germany.

That came to a screeching halt when the U.S. dropped a couple of Atomic Bombs on Japan. (Germany knew it was coming, and decided that they didn't want one.)

Since we did that, we have had nothing but love and affection from Japan. They have been one of our most steadfast and dependable Allies. They try to immitate our culture, our traditions, and our language.

Because we demonstrated that we could, and would, kick their butt.

The same thing would work with Iran, if we would only do it.

Not only would it work in Iran, but it would convert a large percentage of the Muslim World in general into fans of America.

Muslims respect displays of awsome power. They have no respect for grovelers or negotiators.

That's a fact.

If we want to insure that Terrorism, Israel style, does not find it's way to our soil, then Iran has to be dealt with, and dealt with forcefully.

I for one am glad that the President keeps saying that all options are on the table when it comes to Iran.

I hope he is serious.

What The World Needs Now Is Another Folk Singer...

Like I need a hole in my head.

BREAKING NEWS!!

Are you sitting down?

Can you handle this shocking developement?

Neil Young has written a PROTEST ALBUM!!

From Netscape News...


Neil Young urges Bush impeachment on protest album
By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Veteran rocker Neil Young has recorded a protest album featuring an anti-Iraq war track with "a holy vow to never kill again" and a song titled "Let's Impeach the President," the singer said on Monday.

The 10-track set, called "Living with War," was recorded this month by a "power trio" -- electric guitar, bass and drums -- plus trumpet and a 100 voices, the 60-year-old Canadian-born musician announced on his Web site.

I thought Neil Young was dead. (He looks dead, anyway...)

I have never liked Neil Young. At all. Ever. I don't understand how he ever got famous.

When he plays Acoustic Guitar, he is pretty good, I guess, although I personally know about thirty guys who are better. When he plays with Distortion, he is terrible. They should take Guitars AWAY from people who play like he does when he tries to "rock".

But I could even forgive him for that. (I personally know about thirty guys who are worse.) (But not much.)

My problem with Neil Young is that he won't shut up.

When he sings, dogs howl. Buzzards fall from the sky. Milk curdles in refrigerators within a fifty mile radius.

Yoko Ono gets Jealous.

I couldn't care less what his politics are. (Although I personally don't agree with them.) He is entitled to his own opinion.

Just do us all a favor and paint it on a sign.

No, I take that back. I DO care what his politics are, and I don't believe that I should have to pay to hear about them. If you want to make albums to promote your political agenda, give them away.

Mr. Young, if you want my $11.50, sing about love. Sing about drugs. Sing about dogs, or being sick, or working hard, or about searching for a Heart Of Gold, and Gettin' Old.

No, even THAT wouldn't get it for me, not now. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear it from RELEVANT artists, I don't want to hear it from GOOD artists, and I CERTAINLY don't want to hear it from an impressionist who only does impressions of cats having sex.

To quote a good band from about the same time period in which people cared what Neil Young thought...

I hope Neil Young will remember, a Southern Man don't need him around anyhow.

Where Are You Going With This, Tug?

While doing research for a recent post dealing with polls, I took an unscientific poll here at my house in order to determine the attitudes, beliefs, and living situations of Americans.

My sample size was three.

I made some very interesting discoveries.

I learned through my poll that 66% of Americans are Conservative Republicans, Christians (Baptists, to be exact,) Free Market Capitolists, and American Idol Fans.

Tonight Bucky Covington went home. (On American Idol, that is...)

(Why can't we get rid of Ace?)

I liked Bucky. He is related (by marriage) to the daughter of the Bass Player from my old band in North Carolina, and lives in Rockingham. (Where the Race Track is.)

I've never been to a NASCAR Race there, but I have been down the Drag Strip there a few times. It's a pretty good Quarter Mile Strip, much better than the one that I went to in Bradenton Fl, this past Saturday.

My wife thinks that she wants me to start building another Race Car, but I am not sure that she realizes what a can of worms she is opening there...

I would love to build a Pro Street Car, but I would not be able to afford the gas to drive it, with Gas prices as high as they are.

You do realize why Gas prices have jumped recently, don't you?

It is because the Environmental Regulations which were suspended after Hurricane Katrina have been reinstated. This, coupled with increased demand, and our Government's unwillingness to pursue Domestic Oil Sources such as ANWAR and those in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida, have lead to the increases.

If only some Senator or Congressman had thought to attatch ANWAR Drilling to President Bush's Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, then maybe we would be well on our way to a solution to this problem.

I mean, I need Gasoline just as much as Seniors need free drugs, don't I?

But then again, maybe I could benefit from free prescription drugs myself.

Which leads me to the point of my post...

Attention Deficit Disorder is a difficult master to serve.

Tugboatcapn's Strategy for Democrat Victory...

Okay, Dems, forget about Tom DeLay. He's a dead end. When all of the facts finally come out, he will be exonerated. His stepping down has only made him more dangerous to you politically, and you know this.

Forget about Karl Rove as well. You are not smarter than he is, and that is why you are scared of him, and why you hate him so much. That is also why you will never pin anything illegal on him. He is, and will remain three steps ahead of you.

Forget about impeaching President Bush too. That ain't going to happen. Even as we speak, more and more evidence is surfacing that proves that he was right about Iraq, Saddam Hussein, and Al-Qaeda all along.

He has been right about all of it, whether you will admit it or not. Go ahead and live in denial if you choose.

Facts are facts. Get over it.

Go ahead and quote all of the approval number polls you want. We all know that your side manipulates those as well. You might as well read a phone book to us. (Those of us who pay attention and think, anyway...)

Like it or not, we are in Iraq. For the long haul.

Setting time limits for withdrawal will only cause the people of Iraq to construct a rushed, faulty Government which will be doomed to failure, and will only serve to undermine the image of America, Worldwide, (Which, I believe, is the goal of a lot of you,) and to nullify the contributions of all those who have fallen in the pursuit of the noble effort in which we find ourselves engaged.

So, unless that is your goal, disregard the recent statements of your fallen champion of the 2004 Presidential Race. He is spouting anti-American nonsense. Short sighted rhetoric, nothing more.

If you want to regain your power through the next two election cycles, I will tell you how to do it. I can tell you how without fear, because I know that you will never do it.

Never.

First, you must let go of your hatred and fear of the Republicans who are currently in power. Hatred and fear do not win elections.

Secondly, you have to abandon the whole "Culture of Corruption" tactic, because, as much as you would like to convince the American public otherwise, Republicans have by no means cornered the market on corruption.

(Do you trust the Wall Street Journal?)

Thirdly, you must admit that America indeed has enemies, and that those enemies have to be dealt with forcefully. These enemies cannot be reasoned with, and must be defeated, whatever the cost.

Fourthly, (is that a word?) you must denounce killers, former Klansmen, and lunatics, and remove them from your midst. (Follow the links.)

(Unless you do this, thinking Americans will never take you seriously. You have become, and will continue to be characatures of yourselves.)

Fifth, you MUST abandon your stance on Illegal Immigration, and come up with a Real World, workable plan to stem the tide of Illegals across our Southern Border, and propose a workable plan to deal with the Illegals who are already here, without making them Citizens.

The first Political Party to do this will be in power for the forseeable future.

So far, neither Party seems interested in dealing with this problem in any real way, so this issue is there for the taking. The American People are desperately seeking real leadership here.

Lead, already. (If you are able.)

Sixth, support strong, honest, idealistic leaders. (If you have any.) Be honest about who and what you are, and what you really support, and want. Stop lying to the American People about what you will do if you are returned to power, and let us choose you for ourselves, if indeed we want you.

Seventh, accept defeat gracefully, if you lose. Stop with the Lawyers, already. Forget about achieving you goals through the courts.

You lost in '00, and again in '04, and you would have appeared a lot more mature and worthy of power if you had simply accepted that fact, rather than dragging America through lengthy Court Battles, and years of denial about how it went.

It cheapened the Electoral Process, and left a bad taste in the mouths of American voters, of all Political stripes.

If you could do these few simple things, you would make a lot more progress toward regaining power than you will by demonizing Rush Limbaugh, President Bush, Tom DeLay, and Karl Rove.

If you can't, then get used to the Minority spot within our Government.

It's the best you will be able to do with your current tactics.

Get Rich Quick!

I recently received a letter in the mail asking me to participate in a "program" which promises to bury me in money within three months.

This is an old scheme, and I have seen it before, myself, but I have never known or heard of anyone who has tried it.

It goes like this.

The letter that I received has six names and addresses on it. I am supposed to send one dollar bill to each of the names on the list, and wrap it with a note reading "Please add me to your mailing list." Then, I remove the top name, move all the other names up one space, and add my name to the bottom.

I then buy a list of 200 names and addresses from a mailing list company, for $37.00. (The company information is conveniently provided right on the letter.)

I then will print up 200 copies of the letter, with my amended list of names to the 200 people from my list, and mail them out.

Within three months, I am supposed to receive over $800,000 in the mail, one dollar at a time.

I am supposed to wait about six months and do it again, this time with the names from the notes I receive with each dollar bill. (It's supposed to work better the second time around...)

I was about to throw the letter away, but I started thinking about it, and I will admit that I am intrigued.

The first major problem that I see with it is that most people, I believe, would simply throw it away rather than participate. (Like I almost did.)

But what if they didn't?

Let's say that I sent out 200 letters, and of the 200, 5 people responded. I would receive $5.00. Then they sent out 200 letters each with my name on them, and 5 of those people responded.

I would receive $25.00.

Then those 25 people sent out 200 letters each, and 5 of those people responded.

$125.00.

These 125 people send out 200 letters, I receive $625.00.

These 625 people send their letters, 5 of each group respond, and I receive $3125.00.

Those 3125 people send their letters, and I would receive $15625.00. By now, I have received $19,530.00.

And that's with five participants from each group of letters.

When you run the numbers with 20 participants, instead of 5, it goes into the millions. WAY into the millions.

I'll need a ream of paper, 206 envelopes, about $85.00 for postage, and $37.00 for my mailing list. Total investment will be about $140.00, and if the money starts coming in, then my job becomes opening mail, compiling a mailing list, and disposing of used envelopes (for $1.00 each.)

But I could use an extra Twenty Grand. (At least...)

It's an interesting concept.

I think I'm going to do it. So if you receive a letter like this in the next few months, go ahead and do it. You might be contributing to the Tugboatcapn Early Retirement Fund. (And you might get rich yourself in the process!)

What do you think?

Too Young To Fall In Love...

From CNN.com...

Teacher charged with raping student 28 times
Police: Rachel Holt engaged in intercourse with 13-year-old

"NEW YORK (CNN) -- A Delaware schoolteacher was charged Tuesday with 28 counts of raping a minor after she allegedly engaged in a weeklong sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student, police said.

"Police say Holt and the 13-year-old had sex 28 times between March 24 and March 31. Under Delaware law, the boy is too young to consent to sex.

28 times in a week?

Well, he IS 13...

I think she was just helping him with his math homework.

She was teaching him how many times 13 goes into 34.

(Badump-Ching!!)

(Okay, that was in poor taste.)

Hey, do you want some more child molester news?

Check this out...

Porn Sting Nabs Federal Official

LAKELAND - When he wasn't sending pornographic movies to and asking for explicit photos from a teenage girl in Polk County, a Maryland man was bragging about his job as a spokesman at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, law enforcement officers said.

The revelation - actually made to a detective posing as a 14-year-old girl - resulted in the arrest of 55-year-old Brian J. Doyle at his Silver Spring, Md., home Tuesday night, officials said.

During his Internet chats, Doyle quickly revealed his name and job, and he sent his office and government-issued cell phone numbers. The information allowed detectives to quickly verify Doyle's identity, the Polk County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday night.

This guy didn't actually do anything wrong.

He just thought he did.

That doesn't matter, though. Well, maybe it will to the ACLU, but not to me. This guy is a sicko, and he needs to be put away.

But the spin that the left leaning Radio Talk Show Hosts that I have heard today are trying to put on this situation is not going to fly.

I have heard two different Radio Personalities today say that this is one more black eye for the Bush Administration.

Uhh...No.

This guy was arrested the moment that the Sheriff's Office knew that they had a case. He was caught red-handed, so to speak, and he confessed.

There was no attempt at a cover-up or spin by the Bush Administration, and he will be punished. There is no political partisan organization rushing to his rescue. (Unless the ACLU shows up, which is a possibility...)

Now when they catch President Bush having sexual escapades inside the Oval Office with a nineteen year old intern, then maybe we will have a real scandal. (Especially if he chooses to lie to a Grand Jury because of it.)

For now, however, this is only the story of a pervert who was pretty good at hiding his perversion.

For the record, I have absolutely no use whatsoever for Child Molesters, no matter how they pursue their victims.

They are not interested in sex. These are people who get sexual satisfaction from destroying innocence, purity, and beauty. In my opinion, they are lower than people who engage in Bestiality. An animal will not fully understand what has happened to it, and will soon forget about the incident. A child remembers forever, and will forever try to understand something that is not understandable. A child remains a victim for the rest of their life, and will be forced to try to interweave the effects of the abuse that they have suffered into the fabric of their life, and to try to deal with the emotional and psycological problems created by the abuse, and with the effect of these problems on each and every relationship in which they participate.

Forever.

I hope that these two perverts are punished to the fullest extent of the law.

No mercy.

Is Hillary Too Sexy For The White House?

Have you seen "Basic Instinct II"?

Me neither.

And I don't plan to go see it.

Not because I don't like naked women. (I do.)

Not because I think Sharon Stone is way too old to be showing her goodies to American Movie Goers. (I do.)

I won't be seeing "Basic Instinct II" because there are women in the world who are so stupid that I don't want to see them naked.

Sharon Stone is one.

I am not a prude. Anyone who knows me personally will attest to that fact. I like naked women as much as the next guy does, and I am not very picky when it comes to veiwing the female form in it's pristeen, naked glory. I don't much care about age, weight (within reason), or over-all condition. (Again, within reason.)

I like 'em all.

And I love Erotic Movies. The dirtier, the better.

But I have no desire to see anything that Shaorn Stone has to offer, because when she opens her mouth, she shatters the fantasy.

Have you seen this?

From the American Chronicle...

"I think Hillary Clinton is fantastic. But I think it is too soon for her to run. This may sound odd, but a woman should be past her sexuality when she runs. Hillary still has sexual power and I don't think people will accept that. It's too threatening."

Sharon Stone speaking of Hillary Clinton.

Quote taken from "Hollywood Life" magazine.

Okay, first of all, Hillary is disgusting, sexually.

Even her husband thinks so.

As far as anyone knows, Hillary has had sex once. (And that time, it was for political purposes, being that a Gubernatorial Candidate in Arkansas who had a child was more attractive to voters than one who was childless.)

I don't believe that Hillary has any sexual power whatsoever.

But if she did, Ms. Stone believes that that would scare me.

It wouldn't. I am not scared of Sexually powerful women. (I rather enjoy them, if you want to know the truth.)

Ms. Stone seems to think that I would rather have a dried up old Bat running the country than a woman who is pleasing to the senses.

If that were the case, then I would not hesitate to vote for Hillary at the next possible opportunity. Believe me, there is nothing whatsoever about Hillary that is pleasing to MY senses.

This leads me to believe that Ms. Stone has no idea what is sexy anymore. (To me, anyway.)

So the body in which the brain resides that came up with that statement about Hillary does not deserve any of my attention for any reason.

As far as I'm concerened, the only way that Sharon Stone will get any of my money is if she becomes a waitress in the resturaunt at the Flying J truck stop. (And even then, I won't tip her if she tries to enlighten me about her twisted politics.)

I don't care what she says or does anymore.

She is an idiot, (and not just because of that one statement) and I (like most of America, apparently, ) have chosen to ignore her.

Have fun flopping at the box office, Ms. Stone, you self important, egomaniacal snob.

I'll keep my $8.50, thank you...

The Dirty Little Secret About The Illegal Immigration Debate.

Our Government will never pass any meaningful Legislation of any kind to stop the flow of Illegal Immigrants coming into our Country.

That's just a fact.

The truth is that we need a whole lot more Illegals than we now have.

As a matter of fact, unless we change our ways, Economically, we need to set up booths on the Border and issue fake Social Security numbers and Drivers Licenses to Illegals so that they can more easily find work, and so that Taxes can be deducted from their pay, and so we can insure that they NEVER become Legal Citizens.

We need to create an economically depressed and oppressed underclass in America in order to fund this Country's flirtation with Socialism.

Think about this for a moment.

Why is there a Social Security problem looming on the very near horizon? Is it because we don't pay enough into the system? Is it because people are living longer and retiring at the same age? Is it because The President or the Members of Congress don't care?

Nope.

The reason that there is a Social Security problem looming on the horizon is because there is a Social Security System in the first place.

Think about this one.

The Baby Boomers are beginning to retire. The Baby Boomers have aborted 45 Million Babies over the last thirty years. (It might be more apropriate to call them the "Baby Busters"...)

Do you think that the Baby Boomers are going to refuse to cash their Social Security Checks just because they aborted the workers who would have paid for them to have those checks?

Someone has to pay for the laziness and irresponsibility of Americans over the last forty or fifty years.

Someone has to pay for Americans letting Democrats have control of the National Purse Strings for several whole decades at a time.

So we are going to let Mexicans pay for it.

So get used to Illegal Immigrants. Learn to speak and read Spanish.

'Cause they ain't goin' nowhere.

I think that the image of the Mexican flag on the top of the flagpole, and the American flag upside down underneath it may have been appropriate.

We are in trouble, and Mexicans are going to be used to save us.

Help us, O.B. Juan. You're our only hope...

Aging Gracefully...

I'm saving up for a Skeleton Transplant.

The way I figure it, by the time I save enough money to pay for it, they will have perfected the technology.

Mine is completely worn out (perhaps due to travelling around two million miles or so over the past ten years, in a variety of rough riding and uncomfortable vehicles.).

Every time I move anything, my bones make all of these horrible, popping, grinding, scraping, groaning noises. (Then again, maybe that's my head that's making the groaning noises...)

It has occured to me that I am older right now than I have ever been before, and this problem continues to get worse every second.

This is disturbing.

The thing is, I don't really know how this happened. I don't remember getting this way. I didn't plan it, and I didn't want it to happen.

I did all of the things that I was supposed to do to avoid it...

I engaged in irresponsible behavior at almost every opportunity. I hung around with people who were way too young for me to relate to. I listened to all of the hip, cool, new music, and even played most of it on the guitar.

I married a young, beautiful woman.

(In retrospect, I think I might have married a young woman sort of in anticipation of this very situation. Later in life, I can retire while she continues to work for another ten years or so, thereby saving me the trouble of saving for my own retirement.)

(She didn't think very much of this plan, by the way, when I ran it by her...)

But then again, I wouldn't really want to be any younger than I am.

I am 39. (For a few more weeks.) (For the first time.)

I have built race cars, and fast ones at that. I played in a semi-professional band. I have driven Tractor Trailer trucks all over the USA and Canada. Several times.

I have known and interacted with a million different people, of every age, and from every different walk of life, and I have learned something from each and every one of them.

I have seen just about everything once, and most interesting things twice.

I know how to do a lot of different things.

I know a lot of different things.

I did not become who and what I am overnight. In fact it took about 39 and 3/4 years.

And I like myself pretty well. As a matter of fact, I value my opinion more than almost anyone else's opinion in the world, because in my experience, I am almost always right about almost everything. ( At least I agree with myself on most subjects...)

So besides all the creaking and groaning, I believe that I am getting better with age.

So I should be almost perfect, once I get my Skeleton Transplant.

Some day...

Enough Politics!!

This is my work car.

Nothing special, I admit.

It is a 1996 Nissan Sentra, that used to belong to my sister-in-law (who blogs at Hunker Down.)

(A VERY cool chick.)

The only reason that I have it is because, one dark night, about two and a half years ago, she was on her way home from work with it, and a tree ran out in front of her.

She swerved to try to miss it, but the tree was too fast for her, and she hit it.

Dead center on the Nissan emblem in the grille.

The grille, hood, front bumper, radiator, both air-bags and the A/C condensor were all toast.

It sat for about a month in the parking lot of her apartment complex in Tallahassee, (she bought a way cool Toyota pickup,) and it became obvious that something had to be done with it.

Nobody knew what to do with a wrecked, non-mobile Nissan, so she and my father-in law decided to offer it to me.

I took it. (And was glad to get it.)

I bought a radiator and A/C condensor, took them to Tallahassee, installed it all in the parking lot outside of her apartment, and drove it to Brooksville.

Total cash outlay at this point, $208.00.

I began to drive it to work, busted front end and all, from Brooksville, Fl, to Tampa, Fl, every day. (120 miles per day, five days a week.)

That was in July of 2004.

It got between 34 and 37 MPG, depending on how I drove it, and has yet to give me a minute of mechanical trouble. In the time that I have been driving it to work and back, I have replaced the tires once, ($200.00), the brake pads on the front, ($9.00) and a light bulb in the dash. ($1.98 for two. I still have the other one.)

That's a total cash expendature of $418.98 over the course of almost two years, and I've driven it almost 50,000 miles.

Over the last month, I have replaced both airbags, the headliner, and the sun-visors, $88.00 all together. (Thank God for Ebay.)

Friday of week before last, I decided to order the parts to fix the body. I took off work at 3:30, went to my local salvage yard, and ordered a brand new hood, front bumper cover and grille.

Total price of all parts, $230.15.

The parts came in on Tuesday of last week, and I installed them that same day. (The hard part was lining up the hood latch...)

I took this past friday off work, sanded down the new parts, bought a quart of paint, ($90.00,)broke out the paint gun, and painted everything that was new.

Myself. Outside in the Pole Barn.

So, unless my math is wrong, I have spent $827.13 on it, and have driven it about 50,000 miles. In the morning I will climb into it and drive it back to Tampa. It may break down tommorrow, but if it does, I will fix it.

And drive it some more.

I love my little car.

I love the fact that the Lord gave me the talent to look after it, and to fix the things that go wrong with cars, no matter what they may be.

From mechanical defects, to paint and body work.

I have worked hard on this little car, and I am proud of it.

And my wife is proud of me because of it, and that was worth the work and the money, all by itself.

This is one of the small things in my life that makes me happy, and I just wanted you all to see it.

We will argue politics another day.

What makes you happy?

Okay, We Can All Relax Now...

From Newsmax.com...

Afghan Court Drops Case Against Christian
Sunday, March 26, 2006

KABUL, Afghanistan -- An Afghan court on Sunday dismissed a case against a man who converted from Islam to Christianity because of a lack of evidence and he will be released soon, officials said.

The announcement came as U.S.-backed President Hamid Karzai faced mounting foreign pressure to free Abdul Rahman, a move that risked angering Muslim clerics here who have called for him to be killed.

So, the only Christian in Afghanistan is no longer facing the Death Penalty, and will live to oppress Non-Christians and shove his religion down other people's throats another day.

Mark over at "Pearls Before Swine" has been contemplating the juxtaposition of Religious Freedom and National Sovereignty. His point is that the U.S. liberated Afghanistan from the oppressive regime of the Taliban, and they should be able to make their own laws, even if that means the freedom to establish a state Religion.

And I guess that is a valid point.

One of my other bloggy buddies, ER, has, in the past, made the point that what we enjoy here in America is a unique situation, and is not re-creatable or exportable to other regions or cultures of the world.

I don't know if I agree with this assessment or not. I believe that it is the natural yearning of all human beings to be free to realize their own greatest potential, and this in turn benefits all human kind.

The bottom line is this.

Religious Freedom means Freedom of Thought.

And without Freedom of Thought, you have no Freedom at all.

None.

If you don't own the few centimeters inside of your head, you don't own anything at all.

We are not done in Afghanistan.

Not by a long shot...

The War On Torture...

From the New York Times...

Army Dog Handler Convicted of Abuse at Abu Ghraib Prison...

WASHINGTON, March 21 — An Army dog handler was found guilty Tuesday of tormenting detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq with his snarling Belgian shepherd for his own amusement.

The soldier, Sgt. Michael J. Smith, 24, was found guilty on 6 of 13 counts, including conspiring with another Army dog handler to frighten detainees into urinating and defecating on themselves. Sergeant Smith could face more than eight years in prison, forfeiture of pay and a dishonorable discharge. Had he been convicted of all counts, he would have been subject to more than 24 years in prison.

Okay. Good.

Evil is punished.

By all accounts, this dude was a bad apple. It is perfectly all right with me to put him under the jail, and feed him with a carrier rat from now on.

My problem with the whole Abu Ghraib issue is the way that it has been presented to the World through the Press.

The AMERICAN Press.

If you have been following this story, you could firmly believe that the President frequently flew to Abu Ghraib to watch the show in person, and that the things that occurred at abu Ghraib were the worst things that have ever been inflicted upon human beings in the history of the world, and that President Bush ordered it all, in detail, for no reason at all.

He didn't. Stop inferring that he did.

Let's imagine a scenario. Totally hypothetical.

Let's say that Mahmad Mousaad Mohammed Accchh-Tui Splattus is the dictator of a Country called Trashcanistan.

He is a really tough customer.

He arrests his political adversaries, and lets dogs bark at them.

He makes them stand on milk crates, with hoods over their heads, and makes them believe that they might be electrically shocked.

He lets unattractive women smoke cigarettes around them, and point at their wee-wees.

He makes them crawl around in their underwear, and makes pictures and video tapes of them.

He turns the air conditioners in their cells down to 60 degrees.

Oh, the HORROR!!

Would all of you who are screaming about the atrocities committed in Abu Ghraib, and Club Git'mo favor overthrowing this despotic regime?

Would you be willing to sacrifice the lives of American Soldiers in order to stop these awful things from happening?

Would you?

Do you realize how ridiculous you look to thinking people when you call this stuff "torture" and try to use them as a reason to depose the President of the United States?

The Bush Agenda

According to Carrier1, a frequent commentor on my blog, President Bush is not very popular.

"Polls taken from the last two weeks concerning the president's job approval:

Newsweek 36%
FOX 39%
NPR 39%
NBC/WSJ 37%
CNN/USA 36%
CBS 34%
PEW 33%
AP 37%
ABC 41%"

According to Carrier1.

How can this be?

We are at War.

Wartime Presidents are supposed to be popular. Wartime is supposed to be a time of hightened Patriotism and National Pride. This should lead to heightened poll numbers for whoever happens to be the President.

I know the answer...

Would you like for me to explain it to you?

Here it is.

President Bush is the most Liberal President America has ever had.

Yes, I said it. He is a Liberal. (When it comes to Domestic policy, anyway.)

But while he is a Social Liberal, we have the War going on, (which was necessary and unavoidable,) and he has been strong on National Security, which makes Liberals hate him.

So the Conservatives hate him for his Liberalism, and the Liberals hate him because of his Pro-War Stance, and because of his strong stance on National Security.

Everybody hates President Bush. We all think he is a moron.

Which brings me to the point of my post...

President Bush is not a Conservative.

Nor is he a Liberal.

He is an Anti-Democrat.

Think about the things that have happened over the last few weeks.

Democrats have begun to scream about who America's enemies are. Until about four weeks ago, you couldn't get a Democrat to admit that America HAD any enemies (that we didn't create.) (Purposely and unjustly.)

They insisted that the whole War on Terror was a construct of the Bush Administration, put into place in order to justify the Government spying on average, everyday American Citizens.

Now, according to most Democrats, and some Republicans, NO A-rab is to EVER be trusted, under any circumstances, for any reason. (This is the party of understanding and Racial Diversity, to hear them tell it...)

Lately, I have seen and heard several far Left Wingers complaining about run-away Government Spending.

Have you EVER heard of such a thing?

Government Spending under the Bush Administration has reached an all-time high.

And Democrats are the ones complaining about it.

The reason Spending is out of control is because of Bush's new Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, the estimated cost of which has more than tripled since it was passed a couple of years ago.

What President Bush did with this program was to give America a little taste of Socialized Medicine. (A major plank in the Democrat agenda.)

And by all accounts, Democrat and Republican, it is way too expensive. It cannot be sustained.

I believe that he did this on purpose. He did it in order to show America the folly of Socialized anything. To ruin America's appetite for Government Give-away programs.

This explains one of the reasons Liberal Democrats hate him, in spite of his support for their most prized programs.

While they are theories, these programs are supportable. When they become reality, the numbers can be run, and the problems with these type of ideas can be undeniably demonstrated.

I think he did this in order to ruin America's taste for Socialism. In any form.

This means that President Bush is far smarter than anyone has given him credit for.

I think that President Bush's REAL agenda is the systematic dismantling of the Democrat Party.

His plan is to assign them a place of irrelevence for the next hundred years or so.

This explains, (to me, anyway,) his unwillingness to address the attacks against him and his policies from Democrats. He wanted them to go ahead and dig their own holes as deep as they could dig them. (Notice the documents released this week from the Department of Defense linking Iraq and Saddam Hussein to Al Qaeda and the 9/11 attacks.)

This explains (to me, anyway,) his proposal of Socialist Government Give-Away Programs, and his allowing Government Spending to get out of hand.

Americans do not like Socialism. Some think that they do, but most of us realize that when you take away from one man, and give to another, you have made Slaves of BOTH men.

We do not want that.

President Bush's Approval Numbers are low. That's a fact.

I think he wants it that way. For now, at least.

Most Americans live their own lives as Conservatives.

President Bush knows this.

I think that his Agenda is right on track.

Three Out Of Four People Make Up Seventy-Five Percent Of The Population...

The News man on my local radio ststion informed me this morning that eighty percent of the American public believe that the Bird Flu will eventually reach the United States.

He neglected to tell me where eighty percent of the American public studied Epedemiology, where eighty percent of the American public got their Medical degrees, or why what eighty percent of the uninformed American public thinks about anything should matter to me one whit.

This was an ABC News poll.

You remember ABC News, don't you?

They used to be a very influential and reliable news source, back before the advent of the New Media, Talk Radio, and the Internet.

Back before people had access to information from other sources.

Before ABC News got caught forging documents to support their agenda.

A couple of days ago, I was informed by this same local radio News man of a poll stating that 46 percent of the residents of California believe that illegal aliens (I REFUSE to call them "undocumented immigrants", They are invaders and criminals) have a positive influence on local economies.

On this poll, he neglected to tell me that the poll was of just over 500 residents of Los Angeles, and that the poll was given in both English and Spanish, and that nearly HALF of the respondents were not registered voters.

My question on this one was, why didn't they just go to the border, and ask the illegals what they thought of it as they came across the border?

These are the same type of polls that tell us that the President's approval numbers are the lowest ever, for any President.

It occurs to me that News polls are simply the Media's way of judging how effective they have been at pushing their own agenda.

If the President's approval numbers were to come in at seventy-two percent on one of ABC News' polls, do you think you would ever hear about it?

I don't.

I have no idea how many times a week they run these polls.

I have no idea what geographic location they run them in.

They mean absolutely nothing to me.

ATTENTION NEWS REPORTERS AND NEWS ORGANIZATIONS...

Stop reporting to me how effective you have been in manipulating the ignorance of the American public.

Stop telling me what the idiots that I work with think.

Stop trying to manipulate my opinion through peer pressure. (That didn't work on me when I was twelve. It CERTAINLY isn't going to work now.)

Just tell me what happened. Tell me who did it. Tell me what happened to them because of it.

Tell me what whoever (important) said about it.

Don't insult my intelligence.

Thinking Outside The Box...

One of my jobs as a member of the human race is to try to come up with solutions to all of the World's problems. This is a responsibility that I take very seriously.

We have a LOT of problems.

So I try every day to devote a little of my time to solving some of these problems, in the hope that maybe I might stumble onto something that no one else has thought of yet.

Today I might have done it.

I was thinking about the problems of Global Terrorism, Illegal Immigration, and the brewing conflict with Iran over Nuclear Weapons.

What is the stated source of conflict in the Middle East?

Israel, right?

America's support of Israel is the cause of Muslim hatred toward America (or at least a major sore spot, by all accounts) isn't it?

Iranian President Abu Musad Amadinejad recently suggested that Israel be re-located to Germany, and then they (the Muslims) would all behave, didn't he?

I think that this idea may have merit.

Stay with me now...

Let's re-locate the nation of Israel...to the U.S./Mexico Border.

We could set aside an area of land equivalent to the strip of land that Israel currently occupies, or even larger, complete with an exact replication of the city of Jerusalem, and an exact replication of every Israeli home and business,and move all of the citizens of the nation of Israel there.

The current owners of the land could be compensated through the Defense Department, and the Supreme Court has already paved the way for dealing with any holdouts through Imminent Domain.

It would be far cheaper than a twenty year War against Terrorism. The Israelis would have the same things that they have now, only it would all be brand new.

The terrain is about the same, and we could even provide them with a functioning sea port.

The Palestinians could have their "Homeland" back, Israel would prosper, Terrorism would cease, and everybody would be happy.

I think it could work.

I mean, the Nation of Israel is a post-WWII creation of the United States in the first place, according to the rest of the World, isn't it?

Why can't we re-locate it in order to secure World Peace?

Mr. President, and Ms. Rice, (I know that they both read my blog...) if either of you would like to propose this idea, feel free to let the World believe that you thought of it. (I am not in this for fortune or fame...)

This idea has a couple of other added benefits...

One, if any Muslim Nation wanted to push the Nation of Israel into the Sea, they would first have to take over the Nation of Mexico, or the United States to get to them.

The threat of genocide is completely eliminated.

And two...

The Israelis will not put up with a steady stream of illegal immigrants flowing over their borders. They would STOP that in it's tracks.

Several birds, one stone.

Now if we can only talk Israel, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona into it...

The People Have Spoken!

Aren't we all proud of ourselves right now?

Aren't we all proud to be a part of a Representative Republic, now that The People have spoken?

I'm not.

I haven't posted in a couple of days because I really wanted to take a little time to calm down, and to try to pull myself out of the severe depression and sense of hopelessness into which I decended on Thursday when the UAE (not The Taliban, not Terrorists) announced that they were withdrawing their offer to lease (not buy) operations (not security) of eight (not all) terminals (not ports) in six (once again, not all) ports located in the United States, from a company in Great Britain (not from President Bush.)

We Americans really stepped up and showed the World our collective butt this week, whether you know it or not. Do you have any idea what a fustercluck this whole situation has degenerated into?

Let me lay it out for you, just so you know what happened.

This deal had been in the works, and in the News, since October of last year. There was never anything secret about it. It followed the process which the United States Government put into place the whole way. Everyone whose job it is to check these things out was comfortable with the transaction all the way up the chain. It looked like a good deal for everyone involved.

Then, about three weeks ago, some Scandal Monger at the New York Times figured out that if they could spin this thing to make it look like the President was allowing Terrorists to take over our ports, that the American public might buy it, and it could possibly depress the President's aproval numbers a little more.

And in an Election Year, you all know how important THAT is...

And We The People bit. Hard. We held on like a turtle.

The President, upon hearing about the uproar over the deal and the plans by Congress to meddle in it, at first was surprised, not that the deal was happening, but that anyone had a problem with it. (He knows the level of cooperation that the UAE has extended to us over the last few years, whether we know about it or not.)

Then he lost his temper, and threatened to Veto any attempt by Congress to alienate this valuable strategic and economic ally.

The Scandal Mongers ran poll after useless poll. They put microphones and cameras on any prominent politician who was willing to flap his (or her) gums about how bad the deal was, whether he (or she, as the case may be) knew anything about it or not, and ignored the facts of the deal every step of the way. "Eighty percent of the American Public are against this deal!!" they screamed, not bothering to mention the fact that Eighty percent of the American public had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.

Meanwhile, those who were actively trying to inform themselves about it were starting to say things like "Well, it doesn't seem too bad, from what I have been able to learn..." and the more they learned, the more they supported it.

But they were ignored, while the Media continued to broadcast the bleating of the sheep.

The UAE, as a show of good faith, offered to put the transaction on hold for an additional 45 days so thet the details could be examined and made public.

But by then, it was too late. Not even Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter put together could save the deal. (Side Note - Ask yourself briefly what Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush have in common...Besides the fact that they all had interns, in one capacity or another...)

The Scandal Mongers, Congressmen, and Senators, realizing that if any real information got out about the deal that any political advantage would be lost, and opposition to it might even hurt a potential candidate who spoke too harshly of the deal.

So they threw aside the additional 45 day educational period, and attatched a bill to kill the deal to the only piece of Veto-Proof legislation they could think of, an appropriations bill for funding for the War effort and still more Hurricane Katrina Relief. (Why can't we get ANWAR attatched to that thing?)

Then while they tripped over themselves to get in front of even more cameras and microphones and take credit for "standing up to the President" and "making sure our ports are safe...", the UAE threw up their hands, said "Screw you people. We don't want to do business with you bunch of stupid, racist, biggoted hillbillies anyway."

They withdrew the deal.

The President signed the Patriot Act back into Law, and then disappeared into the bowels of the White House to get on the phone with representatives of the UAE, and try to repair the damage.

So now, when a Terrorist does carry out his plan to bring mayhem to the United States, think about whether information from sources in the UAE might have been able to stop the attack, but we didn't get it because we offended an ally who was trying to help us.

When Boeing starts laying people off because the UAE bought fifty wide body Jet Liners from Airbus instead, think about the families of those workers who would have had jobs if this deal had gone through.

Think about all of the effects of being uninformed, and reactionary, and about the consequences of running your mouth more than your ears.

Think about the long range effects of believing everything you hear and see in the Media, and about the problems that can be created by a run-away, agenda driven News Media.

The People have spoken.

Can we listen to someone who knows what they are talking about now?

Standing Up For The Right To Choose...

From Chron.com

Men's Rights Group Eyes Child Support Stay...

NEW YORK — Contending that women have more options than they do in the event of an unintended pregnancy, men's rights activists are mounting a long shot legal campaign aimed at giving them the chance to opt out of financial responsibility for raising a child.

The National Center for Men has prepared a lawsuit _ nicknamed Roe v. Wade for Men _ to be filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Michigan on behalf of a 25-year-old computer programmer ordered to pay child support for his ex-girlfriend's daughter. The suit addresses the issue of male reproductive rights, contending that lack of such rights violates the U.S. Constitution's equal protection clause.

The gist of the argument: If a pregnant woman can choose among abortion, adoption or raising a child, a man involved in an unintended pregnancy should have the choice of declining the financial responsibilities of fatherhood. The activists involved hope to spark discussion even if they lose.

Now. How do you like that?

I have said for a long time that whether you believe in Abortion or not, it is unfair that a pregnant woman who does not want to have a child can abort that child while the father screams and pounds on the door of the clinic, and he is powerless to stop it, but a man who does not want to have a child, who finds himself responsible for a pregnancy, has to take the responsibility for that child for the next eighteen years.

When you leave the humanity of the fetus out of the argument, then this lawsuit does not go far enough.

They should be suing for the right for the father to demand that the woman terminate the pregnancy.

If you believe that a woman has a right to choose what she does with her body, then why shouldn't a man have that same right? If he chooses not to drag his body out of bed every morning and work all day to support a child that he does not want, then shouldn't he have that right?

Or does a woman's right to kill her unborn baby trump all rights of everyone else involved?

Are we really serious about people having the right to choose, or not?

Hot, Hot, Hot!!

"Everyone always complains about the weather, but no one ever does anything about it." - Mark Twain

From National Geographic News...

Stronger Solar Storms Predicted; Blackouts May Result

"The next 11-year solar storm cycle should be significantly stronger than the current one, which may mean big problems for power grids and GPS systems and other satellite-enabled technology, scientists announced today.
The stronger solar storms could start as early as this year or as late as 2008 and should peak around 2012.

"We predict the next solar cycle will be 30 to 50 percent stronger than the last cycle," said Mausumi Dikpati, a solar scientist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, yesterday in a telephone briefing with reporters.

So the big news is that for the next eleven years, the sun is going to be hot.

Okay, maybe that is an over-simplification.

The sun is going to be active, and aparently this is going to cause us (human beings) some problems. It could cause electrical blackouts, communications problems, and it could affect space travel, among other things.

The good news is, (if you believe in the adaptability of human beings,) (which I do,) we will work these problems out.

I refuse to buy into apocalyptic gloom and doom theories. Human beings went to the Moon (several times) with vehicles made from aluminum foil, instrumentation made up of vacuum tubes and large, round knobs, and computers with less computing power than my wrist watch.

We will survive this.

Now the only question that remains is this...

Can the Left and the Main Stream Media figure out a way to make this George W. Bush's fault?

And if they do, are they admitting to America that they believe that he is powerful enough to control the sun?

The Clinton (Dis)Connection...

From MSN Money...

Hillary Clinton 'unaware' of Bill's Dubai ties...

"Hillary Clinton, a leading opponent of DP World's takeover of some US port operations, was this week forced to admit that she did not know her husband had advised Dubai leaders on how to handle the growing dispute.
But former President Bill Clinton's ties to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates should not have come as a surprise to his New York senator wife."

"Mrs Clinton's own senatorial financial disclosure forms reveal that her husband earned $450,000 giving speeches in Dubai in 2002.
Officials from the UAE also donated between $500,000 and $1m to fund Mr Clinton's presidential library in Arkansas."

I don't know how your relationship with your spouse works, but if I showed up with $450,000, I would have to explain to my wife where it came from, whether or not she was a U.S. Senator who had to report our income and marital assets. (The Clintons ARE still married, aren't they?)

This Port Deal with the UAE has put everyone in America into a sticky position. (Everyone who pays attention, anyway...)

We have all been forced to either support the President on an issue that is a Political Turkey any way you slice it, or oppose him even though Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton both agree with President Bush. (Has that EVER happened before?)

So did Mrs Bill Clinton know that he was working to broker this deal?

We may never know for sure.

She has a notoriously bad memory when she has been questioned in the past, especially when questioned about subjects that may damage her politically.

If she knew that her husband had worked to put the deal together, and then came out and said that it posed an "unacceptable risk to National Security", then she has admitted that she believes her husband does not know what constitutes a threat to National Security. (And she would probably be right on that point. Had her husband chosen to take Osama Bin Laden into custody when he was offered, on no less than three seperate occasions, then the 9/11 attacks could have possibly been avoided.)

If she didn't know, then she should have known. What else is he into that she is unaware of?

The more important question is, if they don't trust each other, then how can we trust either one of them?

After what this Country has been through because of the Clintons, why would we want to?

The Gospel Of Matthew, Chapter 25, vs 14 - 29

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(from the King James Version of The Holy Bible, Biblegateway.com)

Do I need to explain this to anyone?

Or are the words of Jesus enough?