Sunday, September 24, 2006

clinton's anger management therapy doesn't seem to be working

Wow! Did anyone else catch Bill Clinton's act on FOX News with Chris Wallace? The man threw a full-blown temper tantrum when Wallace asked him about Clinton's reluctance to go aggressively after Bin Laden. I'm glad it happened, because it was certainly what I like to call a teachable moment. Pres. Bush gets savaged by the drive-by media on a daily basis and never loses his composure. Pres. Bush endures rudeness, contempt, and open hostility from the White House Press Corps every time he holds a press conference. David Gregory stands out as one of the media members who is particularly rude and disrespectful towards the president. Notice, though, that Pres. Bush never loses his composure. NEVER. He always conducts himself with dignity, no matter how undignified the press becomes.
Compare that with the meltdown of Clinton this morning. He actually got aggressively physical with Wallace! Don't believe me? Watch for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYNI5RPOlp4

If Pres. Bush EVER acted like that it would make front page news the next day. My guess is that the true-blue liberal press won't give Clinton's completely inappropriate tirade a second thought.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

the real hondo

When I first started this blog I had three goals. First, to discuss relevant and sometimes controversial issues in a provocative, aggressive, and entertaining way. Second, to clearly illustrate the stark differences between Christian conservatism and modern liberalism, and to illustrate the absolute absurdity of the liberal mindset. Third, to accomplish all of this without putting me or my family in any danger. If you have read some of the comments posted by certain "fans" on this site, you can understand my concern! I made the decision right from the outset to use an obviously fake name so that nobody could track me down. (Note: Isn't it interesting that liberals talk all the time about tolerance, but they would kill you in a heartbeat for having a different opinion if they had the chance.) The name I chose was "Hondo". Let me tell you why.
John "Hondo" Havlicek starred for the Boston Celtics from 1962-1978. The 6-5, 205 lbs. guard/forward was the first player in NBA history to score 1000 points in 16 consecutive seasons. In 1270 regular season games, Hondo scored 26,395 points and averaged 20.8 points to rank as the Celtics all-time leading scorer and as the sixth-highest scorer in NBA history. He also grabbed 8007 rebounds, recorded 6114 assists, and played on eight Boston world-championship teams. He appeared in 13 consecutive NBA All-Star Games, earned 11 selections to the All-NBA First or Second Team, was named to the NBA All-Defensive First or Second teams eight times, and was named the NBA Finals MVP in 1974. In 1996, Havlicek was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. As a kid growing up, Hondo was one of my sports heroes. The numbers I just listed show that Havlicek was a great player, but the numbers weren't the reason why I idolized #17. It was his determination, his work ethic, his leadership, his integrity, and his inhuman endurance that drew my admiration.
Havlicek, the child of Czechoslovakian immigrants, was born in Martins Ferry, Ohio. It wasn't the "suburbs" by any means; most of the people in that town worked either in the coal mines or the steel mill. They didn't have much money, but they loved each other and they knew the value of hard work. Hondo learned about hard work very early. He once said that he developed his almost freakish endurance and running ability because his parents couldn't afford to buy him a bicycle. He had to keep up with his bike-riding buddies on foot.
Hondo was a high school All-State athlete in football, basketball, and baseball, and he was a collegiate All-American in basketball at Ohio State. Despite his athletic success, the Celtics didn't have real high expectations for him as a pro. Celtics Coach Red Auerbach viewed Havlicek as a guy who could expect to be a moderately successful sub. Celtics guard Bob Cousy saw Hondo as a "non-shooter who would probably burn himself out." Those predictions would have been accurate if Havlicek hadn't had such a burning desire to succeed. After his rookie season, Havlicek spent the entire off-season working from dawn to dusk on his shooting and dribbling. He came back to lead the Celtics in scoring during his second season as the first sub off the bench.
Hondo's trademark was his non-stop running, his perpetual motion, during games. It was once estimated that he ran 3-5 miles during an average game. New York Knicks Coach Red Holtzman once said, "On stamina alone he'd be among the top players who ever played the game. It would've been fair to those who had to play him or those who had to coach against him if he had been blessed only with his inhuman endurance. God had to compound it by making him a good scorer, smart ballhandler, and intelligent defensive player with quickness of mind, hands and feet." I would add to that "tremendous work ethic."
Hondo Havlicek was proof to me as a child that hard work is rewarded. Yes, he had talent. You don't play in the NBA unless you have talent. The thing with Havlicek, though, was that he was never the biggest, or the fastest, or the strongest, or the most athletic player in the NBA. Every year, there were guys in the league with more talent. There was never anyone in the NBA with a bigger heart, more determination, or more passion for the game. John Havlicek was a poor kid in an immigrant family who succeeded, not because of government handouts, but because he out-worked everybody else, and because he was a man of integrity. Red Auerbach paid him the ultimate compliment at the end of Hondo's career--"He epitomizes everything good. If I had a son like John I'd be the happiest man in the world."

Thursday, September 21, 2006

wolves in republican clothing

I have some simple requests that would lower my blood pressure:

1. Would someone please tell John McCain that he is not the President of the United States? Make this man go away!!!!!
2. Would someone please tell the mainstream media that John McCain is not a conservative? If McCain is a conservative, I am John Havlicek (though I am "Hondo").
3. Would somebody please tell the American voter that there is absolutely no difference between McCain and Hillary? They are both liberal, they are both dishonest, and they both have INSANE tempers. It will be a rare treat to watch these two wing-nuts implode as the 2008 campaign heats up.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

children and the kingdom of god

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.
Mark 10:13-16

Parents, we have a sacred duty to bring our children to Jesus. This is a responsibility we cannot fail at, because nothing is more important than the eternal salvation of our children.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

religion and the founding of the american republic

Sept. 16, 1787--- The Constitution of the United States of America was signed by 38 of the 41 delegates present at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. This amazing document has remained the governing charter of our government uninterrupted for 219 years and counting, making the Constitution the oldest such document in the world today.
Very little was written in the Constitution concerning the topic of religion. It is my belief that the reason why that is so can be found in Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists. The whole issue of religion was to be left to the states and the federal government (with a few exceptions) would stay out of it. The Library of Congress has a great on-line exhibit called "Religion and the Founding of the American Republic" which certainly sheds a great deal of light on how the Founding Fathers viewed religion in general, and Christianity specifically, and the role of both in this new country they were creating.
The Constitutional Convention was put together by the Congress of the Confederation, our nation's first government. That Congress appointed chaplains for itself and the armed forces, sponsored the publication of a Bible, and imposed Christian morality on the armed forces. The Congress, twice each year during the American Revolution, declared national days of thanksgiving and "humiliation, fasting and prayer." That Congress, which ultimately created the process that created the Constitution, stated that nothing less than a "spirit of universal reformation among all ranks and degrees of our citizens would make us holy so that we may be a happy people." That could explain why the Congress of the Confederation placed a religious and morality clause in the Northwest Ordinance. This law, which outlined the guidelines whereby territories could become states, plainly said, in Article 3, "Religion, morality and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged." Tell me again how this jibes with prayer being banned in the 21st Century public school classroom?
The Library of Congress website tells a great deal about the importance of Christian faith to our first two presidents (Washington and Adams). It talks about the powerful symbolic support that Jefferson and Madison offered religion in this country, even though both were viewed as being less hospitable towards religion than were Adams and Jefferson. The website shows primary source documentation that proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the modern definition of "separation of church and state" is rooted in myth. Link to the site and see for yourself.
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/religion.html

As you (hopefully) celebrate Constitution Day, do yourself a favor. Read this magnificent document so that you can see for yourself what it says. Look at the LOC website so that you can see for yourself how important Christianity was, and still is, to our Constitution and to our great country. God bless you, and God bless America!

Thursday, September 14, 2006

in their own words

Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers. John Jay, 1st Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indespensible supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens...And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion...Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. George Washington, Farewell Address

today in history, our national anthem

Sept. 14, 1814-----Francis Scott Key composed the lyrics to "The Star Spangled Banner" after witnessing the massive British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Maryland.
http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/anthem.html is a link to a good website celebrating the story behind our national anthem and Fort McHenry.

"Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause is just, and this be our motto: "In God is our trust." And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

God bless America!

Monday, September 11, 2006

how should we commerate 9/11?

The were many ceremonies all across our nation today, and many speeches given, as we sought to commerate the awful evil that was perpetrated against us five years ago. Please allow me to make a suggestion as to how we might appropriately honor this day.
Pray. Pray without ceasing. Pray as God told us to pray. Pray for wisdom. Pray for God's Holy Spirit to fill us and our enemies with His perfect love so that peace may reign on earth. Pray that God would bless our military and political leaders, and that He would give them strength and courage and wisdom and His perfect guidance. Pray that God would forgive us as a nation of our sins and that He would draw us closer to Him. Pray that God would transform us so that we would truly be "one nation under God." Pray that God would guide us and direct us so that, in all things, we might do His will. Finally, pray that God would enable us to more completely carry out His 3 basic commands to us: Love God with our entire beings, love our neighbors as ourselves, and tell others about the Good News of Jesus Christ.

today in history

I was amazed at how many noteworthy historical events, besides the obvious one 5 years ago, have occurred on Sept. 11. Here is a partial list:

1789-- Alexander Hamilton was appointed the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
1971-- Former Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev died. He was 77.
1973-- Chilean President Salvadore Allende died in a violent military coup.
1974-- An Eastern Airlines DC-9 crashed during a landing attempt in Charlotte, NC, killing 71
passengers.
1985-- Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds singled to center field off of Eric Show of the San
Diego Padres. It was career hit number 4192 for Rose, breaking the old record
held by Ty Cobb. (Note: I was in Chicago when Rose "tied Ty" with hit #4191 the
previous weekend. It was an exciting moment to witness.)

democrat u-turn for america

http://www.house.gov/pelosi/NewDirection/Sixfor06.html

The website for Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Democrat representative for the 8th District (San Francisco) of California, details what she calls "A New Direction For America." The above link will take you to that plan. Apparently this is the Democrat attempt at a Newt Gingrich-type "Contract With America." Not a very intelligent or reasoned attempt, mind you, but an attempt nonetheless. The Democrat plan outlines a legislative agenda consisting of 6 points that would "unite rather than divide our nation" (her words). Let's go through these 6 points and see what we can learn.

1. This point says that Democrats will "transform failed Bush Administration policies in Iraq, the Middle East and around the world." It's a little early in the game to label the Bush policies a failure, but Pelosi is entitled to her opinion. This first point goes on to say that we should "begin the phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq in 2006." That's code for "cut and run" or "surrender", and it is a roadmap to disaster. If we withdraw from Iraq now, the fledgling democracy will collapse and Iraq will become a strategic base for Islamofacist terrorism. The Islamofacists would be emboldened by our cowardice and violence would increase. Did the Democrats learn nothing from Clinton's cowardice after Mogadishu in 1994? Apparently not. She also talks about rebuilding a state-of-the-art military. That's rather amusing, since it is the Democrat Party which has opposed every single legislative measure since 1981 to increase American military strength. It's also laughable when you have a guy like George Soros, who helps set national Democrat policy, say that the single biggest threat to the world today is American sovereignty. Vote for the Dems and you will see the destruction of the U.S. military.
2. Better Jobs and Pay--- Pelosi wants to prohibit Congressional pay raises until the minimum wage is raised? Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Democrats just vote against a bill last month that would have raised the minimum wage? Fancy Nancy needs to follow up that tough talk with a little action! I know, I know, the Dems say they voted against the minimum wage increase because it was connected to a permanent elimination of the death tax. I've said it before and I'll say it again---during the Bush administration black ownership of business has skyrocketed to unprecedented heights. The death tax ensures that all of those businesses will have to be sold off to pay the taxes when the owners die. Black ownership of business will then plummet back to the levels common when Congress was ruled by the Donkeys. The word "clueless" comes to mind here with regard to Pelosi's agenda.
3. College Access For All-- Pelosi actually says something here I agree with. College tuition should be tax deductable. Good luck ever getting a Democrat to vote for that, though. Ain't gonna happen, Captain! Democrats crave tax dollars like Dracula craves blood! Expand Pell Grants? What Pelosi means is that the government should just give a free college education to anyone who wants it, provided that they come from the appropriate "victim group." Do you know why college is so obscenely expensive? It's because government financial aid has increased so dramatically. Colleges charge more because the American taxpayer is footing the bill. My solution? Eliminate all government-provided financial aid for college. There are scores of privately-funded sources of financial aid available to help the poor. Tuition will stabilize without the ever-flowing milk from the government cash cow.
4. Energy Independence/Gas Prices--- It is mind boggling that a Democrat could discuss this topic with a straight face. It is the Democrat Party which has added so many taxes to the price of oil. Did you know that, out of every dollar spent on gas in this country, only $0.04 is profit for the oil companies? Federal and state taxes account for anywhere from $0.30 to $0.50 of every dollar. Cut taxes and gas prices will be reduced. Also, hasn't it been the Democrats who have voted against every single bill ever introduced that would expand domestic oil exploration? Good grief! Is there no limit to liberal dishonesty?
5. Affordable Health Care/Life-Saving Science----- Fact: Health care is expensive because doctors have to carry massive malpractice policies. Why? Because Democrat-supported trial lawyers sue the snot out of doctors in frivolous malpractice cases. Fact: Embryonic stem cell research has resulted in zero succesful developments. Adult stem cell research, and research using umbilical cord blood, however, have been hugely successful. Fact: Democrats want to plow 100% of all federal funding into embryonic stem cell research because they are married for eternity to the abortion issue. The Democrats have no credibility in this area whatsoever.
6. Retirement Security and Dignity----The Democrats deep-sixed Pres. Bush's plan to privatize Social Security and safeguard retirement benefits for millions of Americans. I truly believe with all my heart that the Democrats have a long-term strategy to make a majority of Americans completely dependent on Mommy and Daddy Government. It's their "success plan" for retaking power.
Take a look at my post from Friday, Sept. 8, "Winning the Future" to see conservative alternatives.

Sunday, September 10, 2006

prayer for the nation

Almighty God, Who has given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable ministry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people, the multitude brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those in whom in Thy name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth. In time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thomas Jefferson, A National Prayer For Peace, Address given on March 4, 1801

http://www.contenderministries.org/articles/separationmyth.php This is a link to a site that really gives some great information on the separation of church and state myth. Jefferson's prayer is referenced there as well.

a whole lot of inspiration

http://www.chaplin-nest.com/unkarock/flag.htm

This link will take you to one of the most inspirational websites I have ever seen. It has audio as well. On the eve of 9/11/05 we need a little inspiration.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

9/11 live on the radio

http://www.kste.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104725

This site provides actual radio broadcasts during those hours on 9/11 as the story of terrorism unfolded. It's an excellent way to remember what that day was like. We must never forget!

lessons from daniel in a post 9/11 world

Imagine what it was like 25 centuries ago for Daniel and his fellow countrymen. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jeruselum and conquered the country of Judah. The church was plundered, the articles of worship were carried back to Babylonia and put in the treasure house of the Babylonian god Bel, and Daniel, along with thousands of of others from Judah, were forcibly deported to Babylon. They had to live in servitude in a foreign country that had a different language and a different religion under the rule of an egocentric despot.
Can you imagine the absolute despair that Daniel and his people must have felt? They must have felt like their whole world was imploding. I'm sure that they must have asked each other a thousand times, "Why is this happening to us?". We, here in the 21st Century, would have no problem understanding that they probably questioned God and His love for them during those horrendous times.
Read chapters 1, 3, and 6 in the Book of Daniel and you will discover what God has to say about overcoming adversity. Daniel was ordered to conform to the pagan eating and drinking rituals of the Babylonians, and was later thrown into a pit with hungry lions because he prayed to God instead of the false gods of Babylon. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace because they openly worshipped God and did not submit to the idolatry of Babylon. How did these men respond? They prayed to God for strength, wisdom and courage. They sought God's love. They remained faithful to God, knowing that, even in the worst of times, God would never abandon or turn His back on them. They endured suffering because of their faith in God, but God lifted them up and carried them through these difficult times.
As we mark the passing of another year since the horrible events of 9/11/2001, never forget that God loves us. We may not understand why things happen the way that they do, but we can be 100% sure that God will strengthen and comfort us even on the worst of days. No matter what happens to us in this world, we can be certain that God has prepared an eternal home in His Kingdom for all who love Him and who accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as their Lord and Savior.
For He is the living God and He endures forever; His kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end. He rescues and He saves; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions. Daniel 6:26-27

liberalism and the 1st amendment

Let me see if I have this straight. When the Bush administration asks the New York Times to not run an article exposing classified national security programs, the press screams freedom of the press. When a state prohibits the press from covering an execution, the ACLU screams freedom of the press. When the NFL said this week that local news outlets would be barred from NFL sidelines and would have to rely on national network video, the ACLU vowed to take the case all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary. But if ABC plans to air a miniseries which is critical of the way the Clinton administration handled terrorism in general and Bin Laden specifically, it's OK for Democrats in the U.S. Senate to threaten ABC's broadcast license if they don't pull the program. Wow! Is there any limit to the hypocracy of a liberal?

Friday, September 08, 2006

winning the future

http://newt.org/backpage.asp?art=3547

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich recently released what he calls "The American Eleven--A Values Led Plan For Victory in November." In Gingrich's own words, he says that these are "eleven values-led policies that are both morally right and that enjoy (not coincidentally) the overwhelming support of the American people. These are the values and the policies that Republicans should embrace this fall." The above link will take you to this plan and you can see it for yourself. As I read through the 11 points, I found that I wasn't in complete agreement with the Gingrich list, so I made my own. Compare my list to his and see what you think.

1. Seal the Borders. I put this point right at the top because I don't think we have a more pressing problem facing our country. We should use the full strength of the United States Armed Forces to shut down illegal immigration, and we must do it immediately. Taking this action will give us three very important benefits right away: It would slow the flow of illegal drugs across the border, it would lower crime, and it would increase our level of national security. This action is critical.

2. Deport all illegal immigrants currently incarcerated in our prison system. There is no good reason in the world why the American taxpayer should foot the bill for prisoners who shouldn't have been here in the first place. Let their countries of origin deal with them. This would free up prison space and help us deal with our own home-grown criminals.

3. Institute an automatic $1 million fine for any business that employs illegal immigrants. Cut off the supply and eliminate the demand, and you have solved illegal immigration.

4. Streamline the legal immigration process. It is absolutely ridiculous for a hard working, law abiding citizen of another country to have to wait 10 years to be accepted into our country. Let's re-adopt the Ellis Island model and open our arms to any person willing to come to America, work hard, and assimilate into our culture.

5. Make English the official language of our country. Gingrich speaks about this, and I am in 100% total agreement with him.

6. Issue an official declaration of war against Islamofacism. Fighting a "war on terror" without an official declaration of war is counterproductive and it isn't in total compliance with the Constitution. We know who the enemy is. Take a vote, let everybody see who is with us and who is against us, and then let us use all of our military might to eliminate this evil from the face of the earth. In the words of John F. Kennedy, from his Inaugural Address in 1961, "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty."

7. Pass a 21st Century version of the Northwest Ordinance. One of the great achievements of our government under the Articles of Confederation was the passage of legislation that regulated the admission of all future states into the Union. It ensured that all states would have a framework that protected the basic human liberties of its citizens. A 21st Century version of this remarkable legislation should mandate that, in order to receive any type of federal funding, a state must adhere to the following principles:
a. "Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged." That's a direct quote from the Northwest Ordinance. Schools must be required to teach our students about the Christian heritage of our nation. Students who wish to express their Christian faith while in school must be allowed, and in fact encouraged to do so with no interference whatsoever. Students must be taught about both creationism and evolution, and must be taught the arguments for and against both theories. All teaching having to do with multiculturalism, the mainstreaming of alternative lifestyles, "safe sex", values clarification, and any other tenent of the secular humanists must be eliminated from the schools. Finally, education must be treated as a property right (because it is) which means that if a family isn't satisfied with the education they are receiving at one school, they can obtain a voucher to pay for tuition at another school of their choosing.
b. States must pass legislation overruling the Supreme Court's Kelo decision in order to fully protect the property rights of all citizens. In turn, the federal government must agree to pass legislation which would block the Supreme Court from reviewing any of those state laws.
c. States should be encouraged--but not required--to pass right to life laws that would restrict or eliminate abortion rights. In turn, the federal government must agree to pass legislation barring the federal courts from reviewing those laws. By the way, the Constitution expressly states that Congress has the power to act in this manner.
d. The federal government must support religious freedom in the states by passing legislation barring the federal courts from issuing rulings that restrict religious expression in any way.

8. Keep God in the Pledge. Gingrich made this point, and I agree.

9. Require a voter ID card. Again, I concur with Gingrich on this point.

10. Repeal the death tax permanently. Gingrich got this one right as well. One additional point that Gingrich failed to mention--Black ownership of business has skyrocketed over the last 6 years, and it continues to rise. What do liberal think will happen when these Black entrepeneurs begin to die and their heirs have to pay the death tax? I'll tell you what will happen--all of those businesses will have to be sold to pay the taxes and Black ownership of business will disappear. That's a sin!

11. Control spending and balance the budget. Enough said.

12. Achieve sustainable energy independence. I agree with Gingrich.

13. Institute the Fair Tax. See www.fairtax.org. It's the right thing to do, and it's what Americans want.

A significant majority of all Americans agree with all of the above principles. These are traditional, Christian conservative principles. These principles are consistent with the beliefs of the Founding Fathers, they are consistent with the teachings of the Bible, and they have the added advantage of being a proven winner at the ballot box.

those with eyes, ears, and brains can learn from history

Sept. 8, 1900----One of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history hit Galveston, Texas, killing over 6000 people. The destruction was so bad that it was extremely difficult to come up with a reliable number of casualties--some said that the number was closer to 12,000. If that is true, it would make 9/8/1900 the deadliest day in American history.
The storm hit Galveston with sustained winds of 115 miles per hour, making it a Category 4 hurricane. By 3:00 PM on that day, the entire island was covered in water. Link to http://www.history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&displayDate=9/8&categoryId=disaster for the complete story.
According to this account, Galveston began to rebuild almost immediately. On 10/2/1902 construction began on a massive seawall. The wall took two years to finish, was constructed of cement, steel bars, and stone, and measured 16 feet thick by 17 feet high. By 1910 the population of Galveston had grown to 36,000. In 1915 they were hit again with another Category 4 hurricane but, because of their preparedness, only 8 people died.
This story raised several questions in my mind:
1. How in the world could we have had severe hurricanes like this before global warming, and before Pres. Bush took office? I thought that the evil triumverate of Bush/Cheney/Rove created global warming, which in turn spawned killer hurricanes.
2. How in the world could Galveston have accomplished such a monumental task? There wasn't any FEMA back then to coordinate relief efforts. The federal government wasn't handing out wads of $100 bills like Halloween candy back then. We didn't have any "rhyming reverends" back then to goad the federal government into action. In fact, the people of Galveston had absolutely no resources at all to rebuild their lives. Well, no resources other than personal pride, initiative and determination. Hmmm. Imagine that!
3. What lessons could New Orleans learn from this incident? Are the Democrat leaders of New Orleans and Louisiana capable of learning these lessons? Are the people of New Orleans willing to learn these lessons? Hard questions, for sure, but they must be answered.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

terrorism thirty-four years ago

Moshe Weinberg (wrestling coach)
Yossef Romano (weightlifter)
Ze'ev Friedman (weightlifter)
David Berger (weightlifter)
Yakov Springer (weightlifting judge)
Eliezer Halfin (wrestler)
Yossef Gutfreund (wrestling referee)
Kehat Shorr (shooting coach)
Mark Slavin (wrestler)
Andre Spitzer (fencing coach)
Amitzur Shapira (track coach)
Anton Fliegerbauer (German police officer)

Sept. 5, 1972, the Summer Olympics in Munich--- Members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage by the Palestinian terrorist organization Black September. Eleven Israeli athletes and one German police officer were murdered by the terrorists on Sept. 5 and 6. A great link to read more about this horrible tragedy can be found at:
www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/munich.html

I watched a fascinating video of an interview with Jim McKay, the ABC sportscaster, online at
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5264215327286325004&q=%22Archive+of+American+Television+Interview+with+Jim+McKay%22
where he described the events of those two days from his perspective as the man who brought the story to the world. It starts at minute 11:00 on the video.
We can never forget what kind of people we are dealing with as we combat Islamofacism. They will not negotiate with us, we cannot appease them. We must decide what we are prepared to do. Will we continue to refuse to fully defend ourselves, or will we make the decision to eliminate this evil from the face of the earth? Civilization as we know it hangs in the balance.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

this day in history: 9/2/1945

September 2, 1945---Japan formally surrendered to the Allies aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. World War II was officially over.
If you are familiar with your U.S. History, you know that the U.S. issued the Potsdam Declaration in July of 1945, which called for the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces. The declaration also promised the complete destruction of the Japanese military and the utter devastation of the Japanese homeland if Japan refused to surrender. Well, Japan refused to surrender, we gave them Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Japan decided to surrender. If Pres. Truman had not made the incredibly courageous decision to use the atomic bomb, and to use it twice, America would have been forced to proceed with "Operation Olympic", an all-out attack against the main Japanese home islands. Most military experts say that, in terms of casualties, Operation Olympic would have been 10 times more costly than the invasion of Normandy. Truman's decision to nuke two Japanese cities saved thousands of lives.
There is a lesson there for anyone who has any interest in truth.

more on the media

www.intellectualconservative.com/2006/the-whining-of-the-chattering-class/

This is a great article about the incurable liberalism of the media. The article makes a number of good points about the media, and I won't rehash them here, but the article did give me a thought on a different track.
I don't think the Democrats will win back the House or the Senate in November. Lord knows they should, as awful as the Republicans have been, but they won't, and I'll tell you why.
When voters go into the booth in November, they will ask themselves 3 questions:
1. Am I satisfied with the job the GOP has done?
2. What plan do the Democrats have to do a better job?
3. Will the Democrats safeguard our national security?

The answers to those questions, for most Americans, will be No, None, and Hell No! You see, don't you, that the Dems come out 1 for 3 on that scale, and that's not good enough to win back Congress.

Friday, September 01, 2006

are you ready for some football??

Let's lighten things up a little bit. Next Thursday is the start of the 2006 NFL season (Miami at Pittsburgh, 8:30 Eastern Time), so now is the time for some predictions and a little fantasy football analysis. I should work for ESPN!
First, here are my picks to win each division:
NFC East--Washington Redskins-- They have Joe Gibbs in his third season back as head coach, and they have added WR Brandon Lloyd, Difference Maker Antwaan Randle El, S Adam Archuleta, and DE Andre Carter. The Giants are still a year away, and Dallas will unravel like a cheap scarf, so that leaves the Skins to win. (I saw Randle El play in college at IU, and I'm telling you right now, he was the best college player I ever saw. If he had played at Florida or Auburn or somwhere good, he would have won the Heisman.)
NFC North--Green Bay Packers-- OK, so I'm biased. I admit it. This pick comes straight from the heart with not an ounce of rational thought to back it up. Liberals do that all the time on real important issues; I'm allowed to do it in football! My Packers will win because that is a real weak division and I believe with all my heart that the addition of AJ Hawk and Charles Woodson, coupled with the magic of Favre (he's still got some magic left, thank you very much!) will be enough to edge out the hated Cubby Bears.
NFC South--Carolina wins this by default. There aren't any other good teams in this division.
NFC West--Seattle, for the same reason that Carolina will win their division.
NFC Championship Game--Redskins over the Packers

AFC East--Miami Dolphins--This is the year that New England gets dethroned for real. Miami added Daunte Culpepper and they subtracted Ricky Williams. Ronnie Brown will gain 1000 yards and the 'Phins will win the East.
AFC South-- Indianapolis--I'm not convinced that Joseph Addai is the answer at RB, and they will miss David Thornton (LB) and Larry Tripplett (DT) a lot, but they still have the guns to win this division.
AFC North--Pittsburgh-- They are the champs until proven otherwise, and the Bengals face a murderous schedule, so the Steelers win this one again.
AFC West--Denver, because everybody else in this division is terrible.
AFC Championship Game--Pittsburgh over Indy again!! That's a shame, too, because Tony Dungy is the finest man in football.

Super Bowl---Washington over Pittsburgh, as Randle El throws another TD pass to beat the Steelers.

FanatsyFootball--My top 5 performers are Larry Johnson. Tiki Barber, Clinton Portis, Ronnie Brown and Shaun Alexander.

the dishonest liberal media---exposed again

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/31/AR2006083101460_pf.html

How many times does the mainstream media (America's version of TASS) have to be caught lying on behalf of the devotees of modern liberalism before we the people completely boycott them? Dan Rather used forged documents from a Democrat operative to try to derail Pres. Bush's reelection bid. All major news outlets "reported" hundreds of deaths in the New Orleans Superdome during Katrina--another lie. All major news outlets reported that Pres. Bush broke the law with his NSA eavesdropping program--more lies. The mainstream media reported that Dick Cheney failed to notify police of the accidental shooting of his friend--still another lie. And here we are today, with the new "revelations" that the Bush White House wasn't the source of the Valerie Plame leak after all--it was disgruntled State Dept. hack Dick Armitage. As it turns out, many members of the mainstream media knew all along that Armitage was the source, but they continued to promote the lie that it was Bush, Cheney and Rove. For three years the mainstream media, the official mouthpiece of the Democrat Party and secular progressivism, has lied and lied and lied about the Plame affair. Today, the truth has made itself known (as it always does) and the media says "Oops! So sorry! Oh well, let's move on!" Read the above link and see how casual the media is about what should be a major scandal.
Although the numbers continue to drop for The Big Three TV news outlets and the nation's major newspapers, it is true that over 40 million Americans still get their news from ABC, NBC, and CBS. Talk radio and the alternative media continue to grow, but there's still way too many people who lap up what the mainstream media spews out for them. It is an absolute responsibility of all American citizens to look past the headlines, past the soundbites, past the comedy "news shows", and past the lies of the liberal media to seek out the truth. I have always contended that about half of everything you read in the paper is made up. Perhaps I was being too kind!

one picture is worth a thousand words

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