Notes from El Guapo

A Short Quiz

2011-11-18T14:10:00.000-08:00

Let me ask a few short quiz questions. The answer is either OWS (Occupy Wall Street) protesters or Tea Party protestors. Here are the questions (followed by the answer).
1. Which group has had more working hours in their lives? A: Tea Partiers
2. Which group paid more taxes last year? A: Tea Partiers
3. Which group received less government assistance last year? A: Tea Partiers
4. Which group has the most privately-employed members? A: Tea Partiers
5. Which group had no rapes or murders at their rallies? A: Tea Partiers
6. Which group had politicians that declared membership in their group? A: Tea Partiers
7. Which group did not disrupt the lives of hard-working Amercians? A: Tea Partiers
8. Which group showered between rallies? A: Tea Partiers
9. Which group cleaned up after themselves whenever they held a rally? A: Tea Partiers
10. Which group did not have the support of Van Jones, Maxine Waters or Nancy Pelosi?
A: Tea Partiers (after all, who would want the support of these three, really?)
So there you have it. That's the entire quiz. Do you sense a trend here?

OWS

2011-11-17T17:35:00.000-08:00

I recently attended a summit for those involved in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. It was great to be around so many people who are donating their time and efforts to raising money for such a worthy cause. These are quality people.
Then I have to hear about these knuckleheads involved in Occupy Whatever. Clogging up streets, interrupting the lives of hard-working Americans, trashing local parks, not to mention the rapes, shootings and violence they bring with them. What a contrast. Imagine if these OWS folks put these efforts into something worthwhile. They could really achieve something great. Instead they take the lazy way out. But then, they don't have jobs, they live off of us taxpayers and they're not well informed. Too bad.

Soccer?, really?

2010-12-02T14:13:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe it's been almost four months since I last posted here, but I'm back, ready to criticize, condemn and complain. Hey, this is my blog and I can do whatever I want. At least until Obama and his left-leaining cronies shut me down.

So today I read that FIFA selected Qatar to host the 2022 world cup soccer games. Two things come to mind: 1) Bad choice and 2) who cares?

1) Bad choice: Who in the heck wants to play or watch soccer in 100+ degree heat? No one with any common sense. And this country has only two big cities, Doha and Al Rayyan with populations of 1 million and one-half million respectively. This is where all those fans will converge? What a mess. Then to top if off, it's in the middle of the Persian Gulf - a hotbed of politcal unrest. Is their plan to suspend Sharia law during the games? Oh my, what will the human rights people say? When the other primary choices were the U.S. and Australia, the choice of Qatar is just plain dumb. But then again, this is FIFA we're talking about.

2) With all that said, I have to ask, "Who cares?" Despite the efforts of so many, soccer is just not an American game. Too low scoring, games that end in ties, rules that don't make sense (offsides?) and no hands!! This is just not the American way. Leave soccer to the 5-12 year olds. Let everyone else who cares go to Qatar for vacation in 2022. Enjoy yourself.

'Social Media' My Right Eye!

2010-08-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

As an IT professional, I've lately been bombarded with information about social media and how my company should be using it. Granted, I do like a lot of the different channels and I personally use several of them on a regular basis. But one thing I've determined - they are anything but 'social'. In fact, they should be renamed 'Unsocial Media'. They all encourage us to hide behind a keyboard and monitor or sit in front of a TV and most times communicate without ever really seeing a person. How social is that?

And I'm not just talking about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the like. What about XBox Live, Netflix, plain ol' e-mail or for that matter, cable television. What have all these electronic channels done to us as a people? I believe they all contribute to us being more unsocial with one another.

Now don't get me wrong because as I said, I use many of these on a regular basis. But why do these seem to be so addictive, drawing you in and keeping you there for hours. How many times have you sat down to check your e-mail and ended up spending hours clicking on meaningless links just because they happened to pop-up in front of you? I usually check my Facebook once a day but I see friends on there with multiple entries throughout the day. I mean every time their stupid cat makes a cute face or they're going out for ice cream with their BFF, it gets mentioned. I call it channel-suck because all these different channels are sucking our lives away, keeping us from actually being social. As Garth says, "It's sucking my will to live!"

Let's not let the very media that helps us communicate turn us anti-social. No channel-suck for me.

2010-07-29T12:21:00.000-07:00

From the Associated Press:
***********************************************
WASHINGTON - Some Democratic senators say they don't feel a need to accept all of their churches' teachings.
Dick Durbin of Illinois, who's Catholic, told reporters that he believes it's more important to follow his conscience than church doctrines on issues like abortion and birth control.
Durbin and New Mexico Senator Tom Udall, who's Mormon, both say they're comfortable remaining members of their churches despite doctrines they don't believe and would like to change.
***********************************************
So what I hear these guys saying is that their churches are not true, that they teach some principles of truth but overall, their church is just another church amongst a bunch of others who teach some good things but not everything they teach is true. Is that what they mean to say? If that's the case, they should rescind their membership in their church and find something they do believe in. When it comes to God, you're either all in or all out. And if this report is true, these two are not in.

Atheist Nonsense

2010-07-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a story that appeared 7/17/10 on the Newscore website:

U.S. Atheists Reportedly Using Hair Dryers to 'De-Baptize'
American atheists lined up to be "de-baptized" in a ritual using a hair dryer, according to a report Friday on U.S. late-night news program "Nightline." Leading atheist Edwin Kagin blasted his fellow non-believers with the hair dryer to symbolically dry up the holy water sprinkled on their heads in days past. The styling tool was emblazoned with a label reading "Reason and Truth." Kagin believes parents are wrong to baptize their children before they are able to make their own choices, even slamming some religious education as "child abuse." He said the blast of hot air was a way for adults to undo what their parents had done.
"I was baptized Catholic. I don't remember any of it at all," said 24-year-old Cambridge Boxterman. "According to my mother, I screamed like a banshee ... so you can see that even as a young child I didn't want to be baptized. It's not fair. I was born atheist, and they were forcing me to become Catholic."

Besides the sheer stupidity of this, there are a couple of obvious questions that come to mind. First, if baptism means nothing, why do you need to 'symbolically' dry it up? If it means you just got wet, why do you feel the need to reverse that? Calling this move 'Reason' simply cracks me up. It certainly tells me a lot about this Kagin knucklehead.

And what about Mr. Cambridge Boxterman? You were born atheist?? Really. I didn't know you could be born atheist, I thought it was a decision one made after careful consideration. Tell me, can you also be born a Democrat, a Liberal, a left-wing looney? And the fact that, as a baby, you cried when you were baptized is certainly a sure sign that you didn't want to be baptized, just like you cried when you were fed, had your diaper changed, were given a bath or put to bed. You obviously didn't want those things either, right? That evil mother of yours forced these things on you.

Living on earth and not believing in God is like driving an F150 pickup but denying the existence of Ford.

The NEA ..... Again

2010-07-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

Last year about this time, I blogged about the stupidity of the NEA and how they spend their time. This year they were in New Orleans and over the past year they have gotten even stupider (is that a real word?). This year they have recognized a new caucus - The NEA Drag Queen Caucus. Yes, that is a real caucus. Check it out at:
http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/nea-handbook-recognized-caucuses.pdf
Of course, this caucus joins other valuable caucuses within the NEA like:

Bourbon Caucus
Caribbean Caucus
Campers Caucus
Gay & Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus
No Cocktail Left Behind Caucus
Princess Caucus

Yes, all valuable groups within the NEA who are addressing pressing problems within the education world. Ya, right. NEA, how 'bout you start this caucus:
God-fearing, America-loving, child-caring, traditional-family-believing Caucus.
Oh, I forgot. You'd actually have to have someone in your group that believed in these things to start the caucus. Oh well, it was a nice thought.

Moments

2010-07-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

Life is simply a stream of moments.

Some moments are more important than others.

Take this moment for instance. How important or consequential is what I'm doing right now?

What about what I'm listening to, what I'm watching, all the things going on around me?

I think I'm just a collection of moments, all added up to make me who I am.

So is any moment really wasted? Maybe it was just less important.

What happens when we get "caught up in the moment"? Or when we do something on a "moment's notice"? Are these moments more important than others?

By the way, how long is a moment? Can a moment be several hours or does it, by definition, only last seconds? How many moments are there in a day? Simply writing this seems to have taken a few moments. Was it worth my time? Time? Do a bunch of moments equal a certain amount of time? Seems I've heard there are moments in time.

Oh, yes, the moments of life are so, so important. I wish I could say I used every moment wisely, that I took advantage of every moment in my life. But I don't. In fact, I waste an awful lot of good moments. And something else to remember: a lot of good or a lot of bad can be done in a single moment. Usually if I have to decide quickly, in a moment or so, I make a bad decision. I'm not good at quick decisions. If I take my time and deliberate a while, I'm far more likely to experience a good moment. But that's just me.

Some of life's most important events take only a moment (or maybe a few moments). And what about those decisions that we make, that take only a moment, but we realize later made a huge difference in our lives. Can you think of some of those? I can.

So if life is simply a stream of moments, maybe life is just about controlling our moments. Good luck with that.

Don't Go There

2010-07-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

This one set me off:
http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/article-11647-gay-students-vs-byu-honor-code.html

The url pretty much says it all, kinda' like calling a movie, 'Snakes on a Plane,' you don't need to wonder what it is about. There are lots of comments to the article but the bottom line is this - you know what the rules are before you get there, you sign a document that says you will follow the rules, you break the rules, you leave - end of story. You can be gay and still go to BYU just as long as you don't act on those tendencies, just as if you were an alcoholic - as long as you don't act on your tendencies, you're fine. Act out and you're history. Why is this so difficult for people to understand? I'm just tired of the gays and the whole LGBT agenda being crammed down our throat. In this case, there are hundreds of other universities in this country that welcome gays with their same-sex arms open, so go there. Just because some people can't live up to BYU's standards doesn't mean BYU should lower its standards.

I hate to say I told you so but.....

2010-07-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

... Lebron James has really blundered. I'm not usually a fan of Yahoo! news but this sports wrtier nailed it. Check it out at:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lebrondecision070910
Happy reading.

I love Sports

2010-07-08T15:52:00.001-07:00

I really do. If given the opportunity, I'll watch just about any sports competition. But lately, the whole sports world seems to have lost its collective mind. Here's a few of the problems I see.

> Baseball All-Star Game. Stop already. Stop trying to cram this game down my throat. Quit telling me I need to vote. When the whole voting process is conducted like a Chicago election, I don't think my vote will really mean a hill of beans anyway. I really just don't care. I'm just so sick and tired of the hype. Now they'll stop the season for a few days and we'll be subjected to the home run derby and all kinds of ridiculous interviews. I'm all for skipping this altogether.
> Soccer. Who gives a rip?!?! The game is totally un-American and should be limited to ages 12 and under or those who just can't help themselves. For one thing, I don't like a game where you can only score one point at a time. Make a two-point or three-point line. Have more free shots. And not being able to use your hands? Come on now, there's got to be times when the hands get involved. I like whole-body sports: Baseball (the best), football, basketball. And doesn't the whole idea of being 'offsides' seem weird?
> LeBron James. Just go play, make your billions, and go away. You're overpaid, spoiled and making a joke out of the whole free agent process. I heard they were going to hold a special on ESPN for him to make his announcement. Seriously? There's one I won't be watching.

For the Love of Baseball

2010-06-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge baseball fan. I have followed and been a fan of the San Diego Padres since 1969, when I attended my first professional baseball game the first year the Padres entered the league. I suffered through many bad seasons, thoroughly enjoyed the 1984 season and whupping up on the Cubs and continue to root every day for my Padres. The strike of '94-'95 kinda' soured me but I came back because I think baseball is the truest sport in America. If you understand baseball, you'll understand life.
So it is with great distress that I find myself making the following commitment. I recently read that there is a movement to have the 2011 All-Star game moved from Arizona unless they repeal the recently passed immigration legislation.

In the wake of Arizona's new anti-immigration law, calls for repeal are coming from an unusual source: Major League Baseball players. Players are demanding the 2011 All-Star Game be moved from Phoenix, AZ unless the new law is repealed. (From moveon.org).

First of all, I don't believe for a minute that a majority of baseball players are calling for a repeal. There may be a few, but I'd bet money the majority of them either don't really care or they support the new law. Either way, I'm making the following commitment: If MLB and Commissioner Selig decide to move the game because of the law, I will:

a) No longer attend a major league game as long as Selig is commissioner,
b) Not purchase any official MLB merchandise as long as Selig is commissioner, or
c) Not access MLB.com or any website officially associated with MLB.com as long as Selig is commissioner.

I know my little personal boycott will have exactly zero effect on the game of baseball. But at least I'll be able to say I made a personal sacrifice to support something I really believe in. So Mr. Selig, it's up to you. You can let the game be played as scheduled or you can bow to the left-wing, whacked out liberals and move it. I suggest you man up and let them play in Arizona.

Another Obama telling quote

2010-06-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

This line is from the official Fathers' Day proclamation sent out by Obama:

Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by a father and mother, a single father, two fathers, a step father, a grandfather, or caring guardian.

OK, fine. But I'm offended that he left out so many others. What about two fathers AND a mother, what about a father AND two mothers, what about three fathers, what about a father and a goat? So offensive that he would exclude so many.

Pop Music and Paul

2010-06-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

I've tapped my foot to many a Beatles and Paul McCartney song. Being a fan of pop music, they were the kings for many years. But I'll also be the first to admit, I've always liked the playfulness, sillyness and sometime ridiculousness of top-40 pop music. Remember 'Season in the Sun', 'Billy, Don't be a Hero' and 'Spiders and Snakes'? I love them all. And Paul McCartney's music fit right into that mode, as shallow as a California puddle in June. But his success got him a gig at the White House where he crooned to Michelle Obama. All was well until his comment, "After the last eight years, it's good to have a president that knows what a library is." He should really stick to just singing.
But then he did receive the 'Library of Congress Gershwin Award.' Boy, if we're going to give him that, we might as well give Obama a Nobel Peace Prize and Al Gore & Sean Penn an Academy Award. Oh wait .......

Addicted to American Culture

2010-06-01T15:51:00.000-07:00

Ya, I'll admit it. I'm hooked on American culture. Actually, I think I'm hooked on following American culture rather than the culture itself. I guess that's my attempt to be in the world but not of the world. So I was very interested in Entertainment Weekly's recent article on pop-culture characters of the last 20 years. From the introduction to their article:

To help celebrate Entertainment Weekly‘s 20th anniversary, the writers and editors have carefully curated a list of the 100 greatest characters in pop-culture over the last 20 years. Whether the fictional women, men, ogres, muppets, babies, and cartoon rockers who made our list were initially created before 1990 didn’t matter so long as they made a lasting impact in the culture after 1990.

Their complete list has 100 names, but the top three are:

#3: Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
#2: Harry Potter from the Harry Potter series
#1: Homer Simpson from The Simpsons

What do you think? Is Homer Simpson the greatest character in pop-culture over the last 20 years? And if he is, what does that say about the state of entertainment in America? Of course, these lists are made to try to get arguments started as everyone will have a different opinion. But there's not much to argue about here. The list is a sad statement of the decline of standards, principles and morals in our country. There are a couple of nice entries on the list, Woody from the Toy Story series (#25) and Napoleon Dynamite from Napoleon Dynamite (#88), but beyond that, there's not much to feel good about. Most either represent the sex (Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City), violence (Master Chief from the Halo series), or depravity (Eric Cartman from South Park) of our world. We wonder why there are so many problems in our world. Leave it to Entertainment Weekly to show us.

First the dentist, now the doctor

2010-05-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

OK, it wasn't as painful, at least not physically. I went to the doctor today just to have blood drawn prior to my appointment next week. When I arrived, there wasn't anyone in the waiting room. There were three, count'em, three ladies sitting behind the glass. One checked me in while the other two discussed the final 'Lost' episode. I sat in the waiting room for about 20 minutes. No other patients came or went the whole time. Finally a nurse came out, looked around the room, then in a loud voice said, without looking at me, "Anthony?" What the heck, I'm the only one there! Who's she talking to? Anyway, we go back, she takes my blood, and I leave. I never saw another patient and mine was the only car in the parking lot. So my question is, why did I have to wait? Is it some kind of requirement that patients have to wait at least a few minutes just so they know who's in charge? Is there some medical reason for this? Why, oh why, do we always have to wait? I need to know.

Five Obama Quotes ....

2010-05-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

.... is all I really need to know where he stands on issues, and he's wrong on every one.

1) "I think when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody."
Now I'm all for everyone being wealthy, but not when you do it the Robin Hood way, by stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. I've lived in subsidized housing and I've used government provided health care. I used it to help pull me up so that I could take care of me and my family myself. And I don't mind helping out those less fortunate, but 99 weeks of unemployement?!?! Come on, let's teach these people how to fish instead of giving them a constant supply of seafood.

2) "I've got two daughters, 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."
Wow, I had never thought of children before as punishment for something. I guess in this case we should punish the baby by killing it? So let me get this right, if your daughter gets drunk and drives, then gets pulled over by the police, I guess you really don't want her to be punished with a ticket or higher insurance or traffic school. Is that right? We can make choices but we can't always control the consequences of those choices. It's called living and learning.

3) "It's not surpising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns and religion...."
Yes, Mr. President, I do cling to religion, a religion that believes in God and that I am a child of God. I believe in self-worth, in self-reliance, in working hard, in prayer, in attending church meetings on Sunday, in keeping the sabbath day holy, in the holy scriptures, in Jesus Christ. I think the real question is, 'What do you cling to?'

4) "We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded."
What in the flip is a civilian national security force? Be honest, what is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear that phrase? I think of Maria, in the Sound of Music. Remember her boyfriend, Rolf? A young man who had been brainwashed into following the Nazis. Call me crazy but it was the first thing I thought of.

5) "I know my country has not perfected itself. At times, we've struggled to keep the promise of liberty and equality for all of our people. We've made our share of mistakes, and there are times when our actions around the world have not lived up to our best intentions."
If Mr. Obama had said this in a cabinet meeting or within a private group in order to try to better our country, I would have been fine with it. But he is actually apologizing to the world, apologizing for us being the best nation on this planet in every respect. No country has accomplished more for the world, done more good for the world or sacrificed more for the world. We are a blessed nation and most Americans recognize that.

These are simply five quotes I've collected. There are many more. And I am fairly certain that there are many more to come. Are you listening?

Quit Clowning Around!

2010-05-21T15:48:00.000-07:00

From http://www.chicagobreakingbusiness.com/:

A corporate watchdog group renewed its call for McDonald's to retire Ronald McDonald, hoping to build on momentum from a recent White House report recommending that food companies stop marketing junk food to children.Boston-based Corporate Accountability International, whose previous campaigns include the retirement of Joe Camel, held a protest in downtown Chicago on Wednesday that kicked off at Millennium Park and ended at the retro McDonald's restaurant at 600 N. Clark.
The group, consisting of about 20 protesters, also made a stop outside the Tribune Tower. Some members were dressed as clowns and held signs saying "Chicagoans for Retiring Ronald" and "Clowns for Retiring Ronald." Other activists were dressed as Joe Camel and the Marlboro Man.Corporate Accountability launched its campaign to retire Ronald McDonald in late March. The group is also planning to send representatives to McDonald's annual shareholder meeting on Thursday morning in Oak Brook, although it did not submit a shareholder's resolution on the matter for consideration. Instead, the group will try to get to the microphone during the open question-and-answer session and hand-deliver written comments from concerned consumers to executives."A resolution is a tactic we might employ in the future," said senior organizer Deborah Lapidus.

Oooooo, a resolution!?!? Scary?!?!
Point#1: Blaming Ronald for kids eating unhealthy food is like blaming Schwinn for kids having bike accidents. Ronald represents a lot of good things in this country and he should not be retired.
Point#2: In the realm of 'corporate accountability', if Ronald McDonald is the worst thing these people can find to object to, they need to get out more. I'll bet they've never protested a video game company for creating games like Grand Theft Auto or Halo, which also appeal to children but do far more damage than a happy meal.
Point #3: Too much of any food is not good and it is the parents that feed their children so if anyone is to blame, it is the parents. Parents who let their kids overeat at McDonalds are probably also doing other far more damaging things to their kids.
Point#4: The thing these liberal, left-leaning groups really don't like is that McDonalds is a very successful corporation that, through ingenuity and great marketing, makes millions of dollars each year. Get over it and leave Ronald alone. Go have a Big Mac on me.

The Mothers in My Life

2010-05-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

I have been blessed to have the best Mothers in the world as a part of my life. My Mom is wonderful. She has been through a lot in her life but now is well taken care of and happy. Of course my wife is wonderful beyond description. She has been such a good Mother to our children and now is simply a wonderful grandmother. I have also been blessed with a daughter and three daughter-in-laws that are starting motherhood and they are all just so awesome. It is fun to see them all diligently raising their families and see how much they love their children (and their husbands).
I salute and honor all of the wonderful Mothers in my life and all those throughout the world. It's a Mothers world and the rest of us just live in it.

I've Got Dentists Figured Out

2010-05-05T23:13:00.000-07:00

I went to see the dentist a few days ago and since then I've figured something out. This epiphany came after the hygienist officially water-boarded me and then scraped every last bit of enamel from my teeth. I've figured out that the pain is always slightly more than the anesthetic can absorb. I mean, really, she goes until I finally can't help but wince in pain. I'd swear that if I didn't show some sign of discomfort she would have removed my jaw.
Then to top it off, as I'm sitting in the chair, I look over and I read on the computer screen her notes from my last visit. It states that 'the patient was not receptive/responsive'. What! Of course I'm not receptive, I'm at the stinkin' dentist's office for Pete's sake. I do not want to be there. In fact, I never want to be there.
What are they teaching in dental school anyway?

"UP and OUT" Campaign starts now!

2010-03-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION ALL ELIGIBLE AMERICAN VOTERS!!

Yes America, it is time to start the "UP and OUT" campaign. What does this mean? It means that every current political office holder who is UP for re-election needs to be voted OUT. Yes, I mean every single one of them: democrat, republican, whatever. The democrats are ruining the country and the republicans can't seem to get their act together long enough to stop them. So let's dump them all. Then we need to change our approach to who we vote into office. Here's some criteria:

1) If you now or ever have held a state-wide or national political office, do not bother running. We don't want you. We need fresh blood with fresh ideas.

2) If you've spent the majority of your career in a government job, don't waste your time running.

3) You must have spent at least the last 10 years in the private industry in a leadership position. Being a community organizer is not a good way to prepare to lead the country.

I have a lot of additional criteria that I will use but I'll save that for another time. The point is, let's vote them out. Here in the state of Washington, I'm starting with Congressman Norm Dicks. He has got to go. Where will you start?

Am I a Worry-Wart?

2010-03-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

I may not have posted anything here lately but that doesn't mean I'm not worried.

From the time Barack Obama first started campaigning for President, I've been worried. There have been so many issues brought up about him that people just seem to accept. I guess it started with Jeremiah Wright but it's just gotten worse and worse. All the things he hides, his cabinet full of progressive-leaning people, his lies, and the list goes on.

I was particularly bothered when I heard him discuss the issue of 'reconciliation'. When he was in the Senate he vocalized against it. When he ran for president, he said he'd get 60 votes to pass his bills. But now, when push-comes-to-shove, he's all for it. What do his supporters say about this? How do they justify supporting a man who outright lies about things like this?

We've heard the continuing stories about Rahm Emanuel and now we have someone who confirms what so many already knew.
http://newsmax.com/Headline/massa-emanuel-healthcare-obama/2010/03/08/id/351976?s=al&promo_code=98E6-1
Again I ask the Obama supporters, how do you defend these types of actions?

America - What is it going to take for us to take our country back from those who want to destroy it? Obama, unions and progressives are dragging our country down to he** and that's exactly where we'll end up if we don't stand up and do something about it.

Kudos to the Catholics

2010-01-21T07:24:00.000-08:00

Last week a Vatican newspaper discussed the movie, “Avatar”. It praised the wonderful special effects in the movie. Having just seen the movie at an iMax theater in 3-D, I concur. The special effects combined with the music and the 3-D effects made for an incredible movie watching experience. The Vatican newspaper got this right.

However, the paper also pointed out that behind all this was a very lame and unimaginative story with a theme that was completely anti-military and pro-environment. Again, they got it right. When I watch a movie, I’m usually pretty naïve concerning any kinds of subtle messages being conveyed. Movies such as GI Joe, Narnia, etc. which others said had some kind of message went right by me. I suppose they were there but I didn’t really see them. ”Avatar” was different. The messages in this movie are so obvious you’d have to sleep through it to miss them. And the primary message as I see, and as the paper pointed out, was not only being pro-environment, but actually worshipping nature. I mean, come on – praying to a tree?!? That’s taking this whole environmental protection/global warming/climate change issue to a new level. But it certainly fits into the whole progressive-liberal-humanistic approach and that is to worship anyone or anything other than God, the Eternal Father, and his Son Jesus Christ. This movie uses the environment but there are other objects of worship. Let me name a few.

How about sports? Every year at playoff time and during the Super Bowl, I am amazed at the time and effort people put into this. I don’t think it was an accident that most professional football games are played on Sunday. Tell me it’s not worshipping when you spend weeks planning and preparing for something, then gather around and look up to a 52” screen while partaking of large amounts of food along with alcoholic beverages as you view a singular, 3-hour event.

And what about animals? Is it just me or do more and more people seem to be raising animals up to the worship level. Many at least are putting their importance beyond that of humans. I heard an animal activist interviewed some time ago and the commentator asked, “If you saw a homeless man and a dog both about to be hit by cars, which would you choose to save?” The person hesitated before answering. As if you have to think about that before you answer!! Don’t get me wrong, I think animals should be treated with kindness and love and I think it is heartwarming when you see someone who has taken in an animal (usually a dog or cat) and they become an important part of the person’s life. But it seems to have gotten out of hand recently with pet insurance, pet wills, pet trusts and all other such nonsense.

Of course, people have worshipped power since the dawn of time. But our recent cadre of leaders (Obama, Reid, Pelosi, et al) seem to be taking this to new levels. When your desire and striving for power overtakes your sense of doing the right thing, you are worshipping it. And that is where this group lives their lives.

I like sports, animals and having a little power. But they certainly don’t influence me such that my life revolves around them. There is a balance and that is what so may have lost.

Next time I think about going to see a movie, maybe I should just stay home, watch a good basketball game and snuggle up with the dog. Or maybe not.

Avatar - The Movie

2010-01-04T20:46:00.000-08:00

First, I'm not a film critic. Wait, I take that back. I'm a movie watcher who knows a good or bad movie when he sees one. So I think that qualifies me to be a film critic. So here I go.

I went to see 'Avatar' at the iMax theater in 3D. What an experience! Great picture, great sound and the special effects were spectacular. The movie was pathetic. If you love Al Gore and Greenpeace, hate George W. Bush and the Iraq war, worship Mother Earth (instead of God) and trees, then you'll think this movie is a masterpiece. This was the biggest propaganda movie I've seen in quite some time. And it was advertised as an action movie but as it turns out, there was very little action in the entire 2 hour 45 minute experience.

I don't mind a subtle political message here or there (either liberal or conservative) while watching a movie but this was ridiculous. What ever happened to the fun, feel good movies of yesterday? Gene Kelly, I miss you.

Don't discriminate against Gays

2009-11-18T12:33:00.000-08:00

Leave it to the Church (led by the Lord) to once again handle a situation perfectly. See the article below:

"Salt Lake OKs gay rights ordinances"
Mormon church — which opposes same-sex marriage — backs laws
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33848349/ns/us_news/

This is not a shift in the Church's position. It is simply that the ordinance is a common sense approach to preventing discrimination against gays. Since being gay is a person's choice, they can choose not to act on their tendencies (just as an alcoholic can choose to not act on tendencies toward drinking). We shouldn't discriminate against gays, alcoholics, smokers, etc. But we should put restrictions in place to try to limit the damage they might do because of their habits.

The Lord told us to love everyone. And in doing this, we are sometimes required to put limits in place. Just ask my children.

Bow Down!!

2009-11-16T09:49:00.001-08:00

So it comes to this - an America president bowing to royalty of another country. Do you still believe that when the White House said that Obama had simply 'leaned forward' to the Saudi king that they were telling the truth? We now have the president of the USA going to other countries and bowing down to their royalty. The campaign continues, only this campaign is for the president of the world and Obama has declared himself a candidate. I, for one, will not be voting for him.

I Pledge Allegiance ...

2009-11-03T16:27:00.000-08:00

... to Mexi-merica. That's the new name of our country once the amnesty bill going through Congress gets passed. See what CNN has to say about this:
http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/17260182/1610997888/name/ftc-vi26.wmv
My grandfather came to America from Mexico and worked very hard to earn a living for his family. He worked on the ranches of the beautiful San Joaquin valley in California. And he became a US citizen. He learned english and paid taxes. Although he was a US citizen, he still honored his Mexican roots but never pushed it on anyone else. It's too bad many of the illegal aliens in our country can't follow his example.
Now everyone sing the national anthem, "La, la, la, la, la, la Bamba ......."

We've Lost Another Great Crooner

2009-10-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

The great crooner Al Martino died this week. His version of 'Spanish Eyes' was a classic and he wasn't a bad actor either. Those like Mr. Martino, whose music could really move your soul, are becoming a rare breed indeed. Truly today, teardrops are falling from my spanish eyes.

Obama - President of the World

2009-10-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

I knew this would start sometime and here it is. William Bradley is a liberal blogger who recently posted on http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-bradley/why-obama-doesnt-deserve_b_315833.html. In this article, he makes the statement that Obama is “the hands-down favorite to be the president of the world, if there were such a thing.” Make no mistake about it, this is exactly what Obama wants to be and everything he's done so far makes this very obvious.
So what keeps people from seeing the obvious and working to stop him? I believe it is mostly pride. After putting Obama up on a pedestal and seeing him as their redeemer, it is difficult to admit that they made a mistake. For those who do recognize what is happening and disavow their allegience to Obama, the crazy right-wing fanatics jump all over them with 'I told you so' or 'It's about time you came to your senses'. This doesn't help. We just need to join together and do what is best for America and I believe that is keeping America a God-fearing, freedom-loving, traditional-family honoring country. Forget the Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and the rest of them. I'm waiting for a candidate that runs on a true America-loving platform. Will someone please step forward?

I Can't Stand It!!!!

2009-10-09T08:23:00.000-07:00

AAAAHHHHHH. HELP. I am completely stunned. Right when I thought Obama had done everything he could to completely shock me in his efforts to destroy this country, he one-ups me with today's announcement. Are you kidding me? Is this a joke? This must be a prank. Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize.?!?! Is it true that nominations were due two weeks after he was inaugurated and he was nominated then, after serving as president for two weeks? Will someone please, please, please explain to me why there is no one standing up and exposing Obama for the socialist/communist that he is? How can he keep burying this country, literally destroying our democracy, taking God and morality out of our nation and then get awarded for it?

Here is my prediction: Obama is going to try to change, modify or eliminate the US Constitution because there is some great emergency in the country that justifies this action.

Beware afraid America. Be very afraid.

Another Piece of the Obama Puzzle

2009-10-07T17:26:00.001-07:00

I don't know how many pieces of evidence people need to figure out Barack Obama's agenda but I've certainly figured it out. Here's another piece in the puzzle:
Kevin Jennings is the "Safe and Drug Free Schools Czar". This is so totally laughable, ridiculous and obvious that it can't be questioned as to what Obama is trying to accomplish. Don't know who Mr. Jennings is? How about the founder of GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network) , the group that is promoting homosexual behavior in the schools under the guise of 'anti-bullying.' Besides admitting to getting drunk and stoned frequently as a teenager, his intolerance of anything religious, and his comments in the forward of the book 'Queering Elementary Education', he is just a jerk.
So, somebody, tell me that Obama didn't know these things about Jennings, tell me that Jennings' ivy-league education makes him qualified for this job, tell me that I'm just being a hate-filled, paraniod, right-wing homophobe. Since none of these things are true, this must be just another piece in a puzzle where we all know what the final picture will be and it isn't pretty.

Driving with Teenagers

2009-10-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

According to an article in the September 25th, 2009 edition of USA Today titled, "Teen's driving tied to folks", two studies showed that parents have a big effect on how safely their kids drive. I am always amazed that people conduct studies just to prove the obvious. But anyway, a quote for the article says this:

"The real message of this paper is that parents matter," says Ken Ginsburg, associate professor of pediatrics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and author of one of the papers. "If you take this seriously and you are an active parent that gives appropriate rules and boundries combined with warmth and support, you can actually make a tremendous difference."

Well I'll be darned. Really? Parents are important and if you love your kids and give them rules, it actually makes a difference? Who would've thought? Of course this only applies to how your kids drive. Too bad it doesn't work in other areas of their lives because if it did, we'd probably all do it. Yea, right.

Bustin' It

2009-10-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

I have discovered the best way to teach kids about what life is really about. It's called Mutton-Bustin' and every kid in America should be required to participate as part of their school curriculum. Here's how it works: Kids are given a vest and a helmet and put on the sheep. The gate is opened, the sheep runs out and the kid has to hang on for dear life. The longer the kid hangs on, the higher their score. They all eventually fall off and some land harder than others. So, how does this teach kids you ask. Well, here you go. (picture compliments of deadspin.com)

1) Some sheep are calm and some are wild and you never know what kind you're going to get. In life, we never know what kind of sheep we're going to have to ride.

2) You have to hold on as tightly as you can. Don't we all.

3) You'll always fall off, but you have to dust yourself off and get back on again. If you break something, you go to the doctor, get healed and then what? You get right back on! If every kid could learn this lesson, we'd be much better off.

4) Someone wins and someone loses. Yes, somebody's feelings will probably get hurt but that just makes you more determined to do better next time.

5) Everyone is rooting for you, especially your parents. Just go to one of these events and watch. There's no booing or jeering, just rooting and encouragement. And Mom and Dad are always right there, not to keep you from falling but to help support, motivate and love.

I could go on and on. I am now a big fan of mutton bustin' as an official class for kids in school. Think the liberals (ie teachers union) will go for it? No, they'll be too busy riding "It's A Small World".

On the Road Again

2009-09-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

We're traveling across the west, transplanting our lives. What a beautiful country we live in. Mt. Shasta is absolutely beautiful. I love the pacific northwest. No place more beautiful on this earth.

Thomas Sowell Nails It

2009-09-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

This guy is good and says it straight. I completely agree with him.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Perspectives/Default.aspx?id=674080

Obama was Brilliant.

2009-09-08T16:51:00.000-07:00

Yes he was. His speech to school choldren was very inspirational. One report had a listener saying they 'had chills' listening to him. There were many reports of kids being inspired by Obama's words. He didn't say anything that I don't agree with. So all is well, right? No, because Obama accomplished exactly what he intended - to instill in these kids that he more than a man, more than just a great leader, that he is downright God-like. It is more than just having respect for the President of the United States. He has a way of mesmerizing and hypnotizing people into thinking he is the greatest thing to ever walk on this planet. And he has fooled so many. He has fooled them so well that despite all of the evidence to the contrary, they still think he is an honest, compassionate, freedom-loving leader. Beware.

Happy Labor Day

2009-09-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

Here it is, Labor Day 2009. I am grateful for having a great job at a wonderful company in a beautiful part of this country. I'm grateful for all that came before me that made this possible, including labor unions. They helped make conditions for the working man better and helped bring about many of the laws and regulations that protect us today. But that being said, they had their time and it has passed. They now cause more problems and are so corrupt that it is time for them to go.
Remember in the old west, people used wagons pulled by horses. They were useful and needed. But since then, things have changed and new methods have been developed. Unions take note - at one time you were useful and needed. But now, it is time for you to go away, to become a part of history.
Unions - I will always be appeciative of what you accomplished and how I have benefitted. But your time has come and gone and it is time to close up shop.

I Pledge .....

2009-09-04T17:04:00.000-07:00

OK, OK, OK, I'm trying to stay composed after watching this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51kAw4OTlA0

Are you serious! What is going on?!? Can you honestly watch this and say to yourself, 'Barack Obama is just trying to motivate us and wants us to be better people.' I can't believe these two lines:
"I Pledge to be of service to Barack Obama", and
"I pledge to be a servant to our president."
WHAT!! Then check out the picture that comes out at the end. Unbelievable. Do the words dictator and czar come to mind? They do to me. It is so stupidly obvious that Obama wants to be worshipped and rule this planet.
I have a pledge (or two):
1) I pledge to go through this video and list out every celebrity that appears in it and boycott anything they do.
2) I pledge to vote for whoever runs against Obama in 2012 no matter who it is.

Who's Running this Country?

2009-09-04T12:19:00.001-07:00

I've been trying to figure out who really runs this country. I believe Obama is the face of a much bigger group whose motives are not good. No, I'm not a black-helicopter, stealth-plane, area 51- believing nut who thinks everything is a government conspiracy. But anyone with any common sense can see that there is definitely something sinister going on in the country today. So who really runs things? I believe it is really three main groups:

1) Socialists. This generally includes Obama and his comrades/Czars and most of the people he grew up with, politically-speaking, in Chicago: Ayers, Wright, Rezko, Van Jones and the rest of that gang.

2) Unions. These thugs have so much power and influence that no one is willing to stand up to them. The NEA, SEIU, Autoworkers and the rest. They are only damaging our country and taking us further down the road to socialism.

3) LGBT. This group is pushing their agenda down America's throat. They don't want to be equal, they want to be the same - and they never will be. Their lifestyle is immoral and always will be no matter how many 'rights' they manage to deceitfully gain.

I am worried and scared for our country with groups like these running things. We've got to take a stand against these groups before it is too late.

Obama in Neverland

2009-09-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama definitely lives in Neverland:
He never has had a real world job.
He never had a real growing-up-in-America experience.
He never has shown a love for democracy, the US Constitution or our Christian heritage.
He never was a member of a love-based, peace-espousing, faith-in-God church.
He never produced a real, true, undisputable birth certificate.
He never released the writings from his time in college.
He never released his medical records.
And most important,
he has never come out and explained his associations, friendships, or czar appointments and why everyone he attaches himself to is a communist.

We need to oppose every single thing this administration tries to pass. We need to vote Obama and every member of congress out. We need to find people who truly love America, who value family, hard work and self-reliance and who aren't beholden to the unions and vote them into office. We need to get this country back on track.

WHAT IS GOING ON !!!!!

2009-08-28T17:11:00.000-07:00

Please, please wake up out there. Check out this link:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10320096-38.html?tag=newsLeadStoriesArea.1

So Obama now wants to be able to take over the internet in the case of an emergency. Is there any question that this guy wants total control, that he is a complete socialist/communist, and that his intentions are completely evil? Not in my mind or the minds of those who will actually stop and take an objective view of what is happening. The czars (aka special advisors) are in place, he's taken over the automobile and banking industries, he's got us neck deep in debt and he's trying to take control of the health system in the nation ..... the list just goes on and on. It is so blatantly obvious what this guy is doing. Do you see it?

The ACLU is at it again.

2009-08-20T19:19:00.000-07:00

The ACLU (America's Communism Lovers Union) is at it again, this time in Florida. Three school administrators are facing criminal prosecution for saying a prayer at a private event. Once again, they are trying to push Christianity out of America. Rest assured that had these administrators read from the Koran, or prayed to the Sierra Club god of tree-dom or worshipped the GLBT god of free-for-all-sex, not a word would have been said. But since they are Christians, the ACLU is going after them. Why do we allow this organization to continue to receive taxpayer dollars then persecute the very people who make it possible for them to exist? Fortuantely Liberty Counsel is fighting back. Why can't Liberty Counsel get the same government financial support that the ACLU receives?

Man or Woman?

2009-08-19T21:24:00.000-07:00

There is a South African track star, running as a woman, that may not actually be a woman. Unfortunately you can't really tell simply by looking at the person. So the international running police said they will have to do a gender test. Here's where I get confused. The AP story stated, "The verification requires a physical medical evaluation, and includes reports from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender. "So we're talking about reports that are very long, very time consuming," Davies said."" What the .....! Isn't there just one test to do that would take about 10 seconds? Take this person into a private place with some delicately selected individuals and have them drop their chonies. You'll know right away. Why in the world would you do any other type of test? Here's the answer. Later in the article is this statement: "If there's a problem and it turns out there's been a fraud ..... that someone has changed sex, then obviously it would be much easier to strip results," Davies added. "However, if it's a natural thing and the athlete has always thought she's a woman or been a woman, it's not exactly cheating." You have got to be kidding me! So if a man believes he's a woman, it's now a "natural thing" and they can compete as a woman?!?! He can use the women's restroom, locker room, etc? This is so ludicrous I can hardly believe it is even being discussed. This is the same type of thing the LGBT people are trying to push on everybody in America, beginning with our children. This has got to be stopped. It is tearing the fabric of the family apart and when the family goes, America goes.

"UP & OUT"

2009-08-16T22:10:00.000-07:00

This needs to be our motto for the foreseeable elections. "UP & OUT" - If you're UP for re-election, you're getting voted OUT. Come on America, we've got to clean out this political cesspool and vote in people who are statesmen rather than politicians. I'm so tired of hearing from them - Democrats, Republicans, Liberatians, Independents, etc. -who don't stand up for anything and fall for everything. Where are the leaders who actually value family, country and God? Where has honesty and integrity gone? It's all so out of control. I'm an optimist and have hope that we'll turn this all around but some days I wonder.

OK, here's a couple of examples of the problems in America - John Edwards & Miley Cyrus. 'Nuff said.

The Great Motivator

2009-07-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

Did anyone hear Obama's speak to the NAACP? What in the world?!? We might as well have voted Zig Ziglar or Tony Robbins as President. And Obama was in total preacher mode. He gets up there and tells eveyone to pump up our kids and that they can do more than just be Lebron or Lil' Wayne, how we should dream and accomplish all we can. And of course his congregation was getting hysterical and applauding like crazy. I'm sure if he would have let out a big belch he would have gotten a standing ovation. He is the great motivator. Now, if he would just stick to what he is good at, we'd be OK. Instead, this guy is the POTUS. Let's elect a real president and just let Obama run around the world giving motivational speeches. Oh wait, he didn't even do that well when he was in Africa. Oh well.

WAKE UP, AMERICA!

2009-07-16T19:12:00.001-07:00

America, WAKE UP! Hello, are you there? What is wrong with you? Can't you see that Barack Obama and the liberals are taking over this country and heading us toward a socialist, one-world government? Come on, you can't tell me you don't see it. You can't honestly believe that what he is doing is good for the country. Let's see, here's just a sampling of what I see:
1) A stimulus package that put us so far into debt that my great grandchildren will still be paying for it. No substantial results except that it gives Obama more control.
2) Government is now running GM. More control.
3) Thirty-two government Czars who are given extraordinary authority with no one to answer to except, you guessed it, Obama. Which means - more control.
4) Pushing for cap-and-trade and government-led health care. Uh-Oh, more control.
5) Totally being in bed with all the unions in America. Can anyone say, "More control."
Oh, I could go on and on. This is so totally pathetic that it makes me crazy. Obama is pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage (despite of what he says), pro-ACLU, pro-ACORN. How much more un-American can you be?!? When will we wake up and do something? We've got to save America.

How the NEA spends its time.

2009-07-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

San Diego was a beautiful place for the NEA (National Education Association) to hold its recent conference. While there, they voted on, amongst other things, abortion and gay marriage. And, big surprise, they support both. Will someone please explain to me why the organization that supports the nation's teachers has to spend time taking a position on these two issues? Why aren't they spending that time discussing how they can better teach our children or how they can better manage their class time? Instead, they are so beholden to the LGBT & women's rights groups that they think they have to spend the time to discuss and then take a position on political issues. Why didn't they vote on what we should do in Iraq, how we should approach Iran, what to do about Israel, the ramifications of national health care, cap & trade, ..... etc? I'll tell you why - because they don't effect the core of what these people should be doing, which is teach our kids.
Here's my advice. Let's start private schools that take no government money and teach our kids in an environment that doesn't support immorality. Let's push for school vouchers. Let's do a lot more home schooling. Let's get our kids out of the hands of the useless NEA and into our hands, the hands of those who love the children and care about their future.

I Love My Wife

2009-07-08T19:26:00.000-07:00

Does anyone love their wife more than I love mine? I can answer that very quickly - NO! My wife is the most wonderful person on this planet and I am so blessed to have found her and to have her put up with the likes of me. Being away from her has confirmed in my mind something I already knew - I am pretty worthless without her. We'll get through this adventure and I'm sure we'll learn lots of things but it is really going to be a long year.

Where Have I Been?

2009-07-06T18:19:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe its been more than half-a-year since I last added something here. Not that anyone actually cares but I should blog more just for my own sanity. So many things I keep thinking about that should be written down so they don't clutter up my brain.

1) Michael Jackson. He really was a talented individual. As a big Gene Kelly fan, I always admired Jackson for his singing and dancing. But unlike Kelly, Jackson couldn't act at all. But I always liked Jackson's music. My favorite Jackson 5 song has always been "I Want You Back' and my favorite solo is 'Black or White'. When I was DJ'ing, I sure played a lot of his music, usually encouraging the audience to see who could do the best moonwalk. So it is sad that he has passed. But is it really the end of the world that many people seem to think it is. I heard someone suggest a Michael Jackson stamp and a day to honor him. Come on now! He was good but he was also very wierd and even leaned to the perverted side. He was an entertainer. If you're going to honor someone, how about all the doctors and nurses that save lives every day, or the soldiers that protect our country, or the policemen and firemen, or clergy and volunteers or ....... the list goes on. Although he entertained us, he never did what any of these others have done for us. Let's just say thanks and goodbye, and save the honors for those who truly deserve them.

2) Sarah Palin. Let's make her Mitt Romney's VP running mate and get them both elected. That's what this country really needs - some real business sense and some of that Alaska common sense.

3) Barack Obama. I've finally figured him out. He wants to be king of the world. Yes, I said KING OF THE WORLD! I know everyone thinks I'm nutty but all the signs are there. He criticizes the US, apologizes to the world for our behavior, takes down all of our defenses and snuggles up with the every leader/dictator/terrorist in the world and then scolds the one nation the rest of the world loves to hate - Israel. Think about it, if you wanted to win an election to be the king of the world, what would you do? Exactly what Obama is doing! I'm all for being diplomatic and trying to make nice with others, but come on! He is taking our country down a socialist road (so that the rest of the world will feel good) and doing everything he can to destroy all that is good about this country. If we're stuck with eight years of this man as president, we'll all be in big trouble.

Whew, that felt good. I should do it more often.

We Need Baseball

2008-11-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

What we really need right now is for the baseball season to start. I've always believed that if you understand baseball, you'll understand life. Any situation you encounter in life has an answer in baseball. Being a San Diego Padres fan since 1969, I've learned a lot of lessons, mostly about how to deal with losing. But I'll always stand being them, support them and root for them. They are my team.

Feelin' Better

2008-11-06T17:23:00.000-08:00

OK, I'm feeling a little better now. It took a couple of days but I think I've come to grips with this election fiasco. It's been interesting to watch the reaction of the No on 8 people to their defeat. For a group that preaches tolerance, I see little of that coming from them. On election day, as I drove into work, there were Yes on 8 signs lining one street. However, each had been spray-painted with a big NO over the YES. Why did we hear about so many Yes on 8 signs being stolen or vandalized and very little about violence against the No on 8 group? It's the Yes on 8, pro-marriage, pro-family group that is the the compassionate and tolerant one. Don't let the others convince you differently.

Here's the bigger issue. The No on 8 group used the subtitle "Equality for All" on their campaign. But it is not that they want to be equal, they want to be the SAME. Their subtitle should have been "Sameness for All.' The problem there is that they can never be the same. Homosexual couples will never be able to have children naturally. A similar situation came up a few years ago when feminists tried to pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). When you think of that campaign as well as the No on 8 campaign, both misused the word 'equal'. I don't know anyone who's against equal rights for homosexuals or women. But women can never be the same as men. And homosexual couples can never be the same as heterosexual couples.

I didn't agree that Obama should be president, but I'm also not going to file a lawsuit. The No on 8 group should learn this lesson.

America is Amazing

2008-11-04T22:05:00.000-08:00

I'm writing as I'm watching the election results - probably not the best time to write because of all of the emotions I'm feeling. First and foremost, I love this country. Unlike Michelle Obama, I've been proud of my country all of my life. America is Amazing!

But now I feel frustrated and worried. My hope is that Barack Obama does not do as much damage to our country as I think he will. Everyone talks about him turning more toward the center, and that's the most I could hope for. He's always done whatever he needed to to get the support of the people around him. He's a political cameleon, with no set principals or values. You take that trait and the fact that he has turned himself into a celebrity/rock star and poof!, you become a US President. Unexperienced, untested, but loved by 55 million Americans.

So where do we go from here? Obama, Reid and Pelosi are now in charge. America is Amazing!

I Need Help.

2008-11-04T12:04:00.000-08:00

OK, I need some help understanding. Maybe I'm missing something but how do people justify a vote for Obama as President of the United States? There's always something we don't like about all candidates and usually you can look past some of their flaws in order to vote for them. But Obama has so many issues & questions, I just can't understand how poeple can look past them. Here's just some of the things that come to mind.

1) Age and experience. So much for honoring older Americans for having the life experiences necessary to lead and guide, not to mention professional and leadership experiences. Obama has neither the life nor professional experiences to lead this country. There is simply no comparison to John McCain in this area.
2) Friends. My mother always taught me that you're known by the company you keep. How does someone explain away associations with William Ayers, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Tony Rezko, Rashid Khalidi, Emil Jones Jr, Reverend Michael Pfleger ..... and the list goes on and on. Will someone tell me why so many people simply looked past these? Amazing.
3) Honesty. Usually there are 'little white lies' or 'stretching the truth' all over any campaign. But Obama committed to taking public funds for the campaign then just didn't do it which allowed him to take unlimited campaign funds (by the way, where did all that money come from?). This was an outright lie. And what about saying he opposes gay marriage but opposes Proposition 8 in California? I guess integrity is not something people who are voting for Obama are worried about.
4) Socialism. You say this word and associate it with Obama and you're labeled a looney. But seriously, isn't this the way many of his programs lean? Redistribution of wealth, taking money from corporations (oil) and distributing it to others, promoting welfare-like programs - these are taking this country down the road to socialism. Call me looney but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.
5) Constitution. The Constitution of this country was inspired by God and I consider it a sacred document. It has guided this country for 230 years and we have prospered and been blessed beyond belief. Then Obama comes out and calls this document flawed. Ouch! This just doesn't fly with me and I don't understand how people can just ignore this statement.

I could go on but my point is that this Obama guy just has so many issues that worry me but don't seem to bother millions of other Americans. Am I missing something? Please help me understand.

Yes on 8 in California

2008-11-03T20:44:00.000-08:00

After months of anticipation, this campaign season is finaling winding down. Tomorrow is the big day. I've had fun these last few months, particularly working so hard to help pass Proposition 8 here in California. It's been amazing to see how people have reacted on both sides of the issue. Here are some of my personal observations.
1) This is an explosive issue and too many people get personal and hateful about it. I think both sides should present their side as best they can, be respectful and then let the people decide. Instead, people start calling names, stretching the truth, getting destructive. We've had every Yes on 8 sign we put in our yard stolen or destroyed. We have not touched any of their stuff.
2) I know there have been some Yes on 8 supporters who have been rude and abusive in their approach. But I guarantee that nothing they've said or done approaches what the No group has said about the Mormons. Talk about intolerance and hatred! We are simply voting our conscience, just like they are. So let's be civil about this.
3) I love living in the United States of America. Where else in the world can there be discussion like we have here? Nowhere! That's why this is the greatest country on God's green earth.

Proposition 8

2008-09-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

Here in California we're going to have the opportunity to vote on Proposition 8 which contains 14 simple words: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California." Seems simple and common sensical but this is California, land of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, etc., etc. It will really be up to us in the central valley to offset the votes of those in the coastal, liberal areas. Hopefully we can pull it off because if we don't, this will be a much different world.

Anyone (anything) can marry Anyone (anything)

2008-06-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

According to some left-wing nutty judges in California, this is the way it should be. I even heard that in San Francisco some people actually married trees, yes, I said trees. What happened to marriage between a man and a woman, bearing and raising children in the way God intended? We continue to head down the everything-goes, whatever-makes-you-happy, create-your-own- morals road. This can only end very badly.

How Far We've Come

2008-05-28T18:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I heard that the gentleman who wrote the theme song (whistle) for the Andy Griffith Show passed away. It made me think about that show and the great lessons that it taught. Andy, Barney, Aunt Bea, Opie - all ready to teach us how to be better people. Then I get home and see a preview for 'Sex and the City - the movie'. As if we needed this trash made into a full length movie. My, oh my, how far we've come. And everything points to the fact that it is only going to get worse.

Very Cute Grandson!

2008-05-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

This is me with my grandson, Jamin. What a handsome young man. He is such a special little guy and I sure do love him.

Three Little Lies

2008-05-19T13:36:00.000-07:00

What are the three little lies that many have accepted as truth?
1) Evolution - Not me. I am a child of God, not part of an evolutionary chain.
2) Gays are born that way - Not so. It is a choice many make.
3) Global warming - How arrogant to think that man can have this much influence on the environment.

Dancing with Obama

2008-04-04T11:17:00.001-07:00

Is it any wonder there is this buzz around the candidacy of Barack Obama? Considering that the whole nation is obsessed with 'American Idol', 'Dancing with the Stars', and 'Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?', it is no wonder we are drawn to Obama. He's good-looking, a great public speaker and puts on a great show. Just like those shows. But also just like those shows, there is nothing behind him. No substance, no depth and nothing important. The analogy goes even further than that. While many people watching these popular shows think there is no harm being done, I disagree. They are turning people into sleepwalking zombies who live just to see the next episode. They are killing our initiative and enthusiasm. Likewise, Obama is dangerous albeit in different ways. He is a tax-and-spend, partial birth abortion, LGBT, global warming, surrender-in-Iraq Democrat who will do immeasureable damage to America. WAKE UP AMERICA! God-fearing Americans need to take back our country.

Fear

2008-02-26T22:09:00.000-08:00

Is anyone else afraid that this country is in big trouble? We have reached a moral low that is just sickening. The Lord will only put up with so much, then he comes down on the people if they get too degenerate. How close are we to feeling the wrath of the Lord? It seems to me we are very, very close.

Charles Barkley what?!?!

2008-02-15T19:10:00.000-08:00

I heard Charles Barkley is going to be entering the political arena. I'll never understand why celebrities think that just because they are good at something that makes them famous, they can do everything - singers acting, actors singing, basketball players as politicians, etc., etc. Barkley was a great basketball player but not someone we want in our government.

Uno, the dog.

2008-02-13T22:19:00.000-08:00

So I'm listening to the morning radio news on KMJ out of Fresno, CA when the sports report starts. We got all the pro and college basketball scores, something about Roger Clemens appearing before Congress and other sundry sports issues. The last story crossed the line. It was a report about a dog named Uno, apparently a beagle, that won some dog showing. What is going on here?!?! A dog show report making the sports report? You've got to be kidding me. It's now officially out of hand. First we have the 'World Series of Stupid Poker' on ESPN and now this. What's next, we start considering Nascar and horse racing real sports? I don't think so.

I never used steroids.

2008-02-11T22:15:00.000-08:00

That's why I look like I do. It's apparent that Clemens, Pettitte and Bonds did. But does it really matter? Tell you what, let's just call the past few years 'The Steroid Era' and move on. Baseball has been through many era's and this is just one of them. I still love the game and it is still the purest sport in America. It's America's game. So let's quit this waste of time by our political leaders and have them focus on other issues (immigration, poverty, the economy, the war in Iraq to name a few). Baseball has established safeguards going forward, so let's just 'Play Ball'!

Chelsea Insulted?

2008-02-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

Hillary is all out of sorts because one reporter says they 'pimped out' their daughter by having her campaign for her. Hillary even said, "I'm a mom first, then a candidate." Yah right. First of all, I think it's fine that Chelsea helped her mom. All of the candidates have used their children and I would expect any family member to stand behind the others. It is Hillary's outrage that is so phony. She can sure play this 'victim card' well. Did anyone ask Chelsea is she was offended? I suspect she laughed it off and couldn't care less. Hillary wants TV time and this is just another way to get it. Much worse things have and will be said about her daughter. That's what happens when you're in the national spotlight. So Hillary, get over it.

Berkeley Madness

2008-02-09T00:05:00.000-08:00

Really, what do these knuckleheads think they are doing? Telling the Marines they are not welcome in their town?!?! You've got to be kidding me. Last I remember, the military are the ones who defend our country, who make our country safe and who spend their days protecting our freedom. You may oppose the war but to be so ignorant that you completely dismiss the military is disgusting. Please leave the country if you feel that way. There are some nice condos in France you can move in to.