I’ve been seeing all this about the Spitzer / hooker incident, and it got me to wondering what the scorecard is for Democrats vs Republicans on scandal. There’s a good article on Wikipedia here. I added up the Democrats and the Republicans that got caught being involved in sexual scandals. I get Democrats 29, Republicans 27.
That’s so close that either party should be careful about flinging stones at the other side.
And now we know without any doubt whatever that Washington really is full of scoundrels!
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Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Easter Eggs
I was in Wal-Mart the other day, and I came across something I’d never seen before: Easter egg color kits - in camo.
That’s right, friends, you can now make it nearly impossible for your young child to find their eggs!
What a concept!
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That’s right, friends, you can now make it nearly impossible for your young child to find their eggs!
What a concept!
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Friday, March 7, 2008
Everybody Look the Other Way!
“When good men stand by and do nothing, evil prevails.”
I’m sure this is a (mis)quote but I cannot find the source to give reference or to check it.
I have witnessed a very peculiar thing, and been a part of it. There are many documented cases of muggings, murder, rape, etc happening in the presence of bystanders, who did nothing to help. I don’t understand the psychology of this, but it is clear that it does happen, and frequently.
Over the past year, I have documented and observed a number of things at my church that disturb me. I won’t go into the details of that here; but most of it concerned the pastor, who has been there around two years now. These issues are to the extent that I began to wonder if the pastor was actually a Christian; and at that point, I quit supporting the church with money or attendance.
On several occasions I had wanted to confront the pastor about these things, but family and friends advised me not to do so.
About a week ago, this came to a head. Correspondence between myself and the pastor resulted in setting up a meeting to discuss the issues I had discovered (the details of which he remains ignorant). He and a deacon were to come to my home so we could go over these things and try to make peace.
In the days before the scheduled visit, I prepared detailed notes of the issues to be discussed. I sent early copies to certain individuals that I trust, including my wife.
All agree that the documentation is good, the issues are real, and every one of these people think I am in the right.
But almost all of them advised me to drop it and not have the meeting. < EDIT 3/27/08: two of my friends pointed out that they did not advise me to drop it.>
I don’t understand this culture of silence, that says ‘thou shall not confront the pastor’. I simply do not understand why, knowing someone in authority is misusing that authority, he should not be confronted. I mean, the man is an employee, and I pay his salary, and I have a problem with his job performance. I don’t get it. However, when that many people tell me not to do something, I do listen, not being an idiot. They’re bound to know something I don’t.
So I called off the meeting, told the preacher that I would have no further communication with him, and it’s over for good. I will now leave that church and not go back until that pastor has gone.
And the man is still in his position, and he will continue to do the things he’s been doing, and nobody will call him on it. And, in my opinion, he is going to eventually destroy that church.
Beats me. It feels like watching somebody getting mugged. I have felt for months that I should take action to try to stop this misbehavior, or at least make sure the pastor is actually aware of what he is doing. But universally, every person I’ve talked to about this tells me to let it go. And so I’m done with it.
On the advice of good people, I will stand by and do nothing.
But I just don’t get it. And I don’t like it.
-Pop
I’m sure this is a (mis)quote but I cannot find the source to give reference or to check it.
I have witnessed a very peculiar thing, and been a part of it. There are many documented cases of muggings, murder, rape, etc happening in the presence of bystanders, who did nothing to help. I don’t understand the psychology of this, but it is clear that it does happen, and frequently.
Over the past year, I have documented and observed a number of things at my church that disturb me. I won’t go into the details of that here; but most of it concerned the pastor, who has been there around two years now. These issues are to the extent that I began to wonder if the pastor was actually a Christian; and at that point, I quit supporting the church with money or attendance.
On several occasions I had wanted to confront the pastor about these things, but family and friends advised me not to do so.
About a week ago, this came to a head. Correspondence between myself and the pastor resulted in setting up a meeting to discuss the issues I had discovered (the details of which he remains ignorant). He and a deacon were to come to my home so we could go over these things and try to make peace.
In the days before the scheduled visit, I prepared detailed notes of the issues to be discussed. I sent early copies to certain individuals that I trust, including my wife.
All agree that the documentation is good, the issues are real, and every one of these people think I am in the right.
But almost all of them advised me to drop it and not have the meeting. < EDIT 3/27/08: two of my friends pointed out that they did not advise me to drop it.>
I don’t understand this culture of silence, that says ‘thou shall not confront the pastor’. I simply do not understand why, knowing someone in authority is misusing that authority, he should not be confronted. I mean, the man is an employee, and I pay his salary, and I have a problem with his job performance. I don’t get it. However, when that many people tell me not to do something, I do listen, not being an idiot. They’re bound to know something I don’t.
So I called off the meeting, told the preacher that I would have no further communication with him, and it’s over for good. I will now leave that church and not go back until that pastor has gone.
And the man is still in his position, and he will continue to do the things he’s been doing, and nobody will call him on it. And, in my opinion, he is going to eventually destroy that church.
Beats me. It feels like watching somebody getting mugged. I have felt for months that I should take action to try to stop this misbehavior, or at least make sure the pastor is actually aware of what he is doing. But universally, every person I’ve talked to about this tells me to let it go. And so I’m done with it.
On the advice of good people, I will stand by and do nothing.
But I just don’t get it. And I don’t like it.
-Pop
Democrats Have a Little Trouble
It’s fascinating to me that the Democratic party seems to be so incompetent that they cannot even run a smooth primary. I seriously fear for our country if this bunch actually gets in control.
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Thursday, March 6, 2008
When Good Men do Nothing
Evil flourishes when good men stand by and do nothing.
I’m seeing it happen at my church. What a tragedy.
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I’m seeing it happen at my church. What a tragedy.
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Sunday, March 2, 2008
The Most Artistic Way to Lie
From Time Enough For Love by Robert A. Heinlein - the two most artistic ways to tell a lie.
“It’s not enough to be able to lie with a straight face; anybody with enough gall to raise on a busted flush can do that. The first way to lie artistically is to tell the truth - but not all of it. The second way involves telling the truth, too, but is harder: Tell the exact truth and maybe all of it .. but tell it so unconvincingly that your listener is sure you are lying.”
Politicians, take note...
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“It’s not enough to be able to lie with a straight face; anybody with enough gall to raise on a busted flush can do that. The first way to lie artistically is to tell the truth - but not all of it. The second way involves telling the truth, too, but is harder: Tell the exact truth and maybe all of it .. but tell it so unconvincingly that your listener is sure you are lying.”
Politicians, take note...
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Israel vs Palestine
In the news stories you see Palestinians being quoted as complaining about ‘Israel’s crimes’ and other similar statements. It amazes me that 1) they can say it with a straight face and 2) apparently, a large part of the world believes it.
From what I have read, Palestinians fired the first rocket of this exchange. Israel has just as much right to defend itself against an attack on its territory as any other country - or individual for that matter.
The Palestinians want to lob rockets at random over into Israel, at non-military areas, and then have the gall to act surprised and indignant at what happens next. If you are stupid enough to lob rocks at a hornet nest, you deserve what happens to you.
The terrible, awful thing about it is that innocents are killed. But the reason they are in the line of fire is that those civilians permit the terrorists to set up rocket-launching sites in their midst. If those cowardly terrorists cared about those civilians they would not use them as human shields and then act indignant when civilians get caught in the cross-fire.
The UN chief has urged Israel to show restraint. I wonder if he urged Palestine to show restraint?
If, for instance, Mexican militant organizations started lobbing missiles over into Texas, how long do you think it would take the US to remove the threat? Shucks, if the US government failed to correct the situation, Texas would on its own.
Every individual and every country has the right to self defense.
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From what I have read, Palestinians fired the first rocket of this exchange. Israel has just as much right to defend itself against an attack on its territory as any other country - or individual for that matter.
The Palestinians want to lob rockets at random over into Israel, at non-military areas, and then have the gall to act surprised and indignant at what happens next. If you are stupid enough to lob rocks at a hornet nest, you deserve what happens to you.
The terrible, awful thing about it is that innocents are killed. But the reason they are in the line of fire is that those civilians permit the terrorists to set up rocket-launching sites in their midst. If those cowardly terrorists cared about those civilians they would not use them as human shields and then act indignant when civilians get caught in the cross-fire.
The UN chief has urged Israel to show restraint. I wonder if he urged Palestine to show restraint?
If, for instance, Mexican militant organizations started lobbing missiles over into Texas, how long do you think it would take the US to remove the threat? Shucks, if the US government failed to correct the situation, Texas would on its own.
Every individual and every country has the right to self defense.
-Pop
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