Author: Christ Ranger

God is great!

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biz, legal, and professionalism

Outlook Negative – S&P Downgrade Full Text

“If the US Government was a family, they would be making $58,000 a year, they spend $75,000 a year, & are $327,000 in credit card debt. They are currently proposing BIG spending cuts to reduce their spending to $72,000 a year. These are the actual proportions of the federal budget & debt, reduced to a level that we can understand.” – Dave Ramsey

I wouldn’t invest my hard earned dollars in that family.  Apparently, S&P wouldn’t give that family the highest possible credit rating.  Shocking …

United States of America Long-Term Rating Lowered To ‘AA+’ On Political Risks And Rising Debt Burden; Outlook Negative

We have lowered our long-term sovereign credit rating on the United States of America to ‘AA+’ from ‘AAA’ and affirmed the ‘A-1+’ short-term rating.

We have also removed both the short- and long-term ratings from CreditWatch negative.

The downgrade reflects our opinion that the fiscal consolidation plan that Congress and the Administration recently agreed to falls short of what, in our view, would be necessary to stabilize the government’s medium-term debt dynamics.

More broadly, the downgrade reflects our view that the effectiveness, stability, and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and economic challenges to a degree more than we envisioned when we assigned a negative outlook to the rating on April 18, 2011.

Since then, we have changed our view of the difficulties in bridging the gulf between the political parties over fiscal policy, which makes us pessimistic about the capacity of Congress and the Administration to be able to leverage their agreement this week into a broader fiscal consolidation plan that stabilizes the government’s debt dynamics any time soon.

The outlook on the long-term rating is negative. We could lower the long-term rating to ‘AA’ within the next two years if we see

Continue reading “Outlook Negative – S&P Downgrade Full Text”
Categories
politics, economy, etc. video

President Bush and Wounded Warriors

 

Categories
politics, economy, etc. video

Gonna Pay

Categories
humor politics, economy, etc. video

Raise the Debt Ceiling Rap

More from ReasonTV: “We may not be able to address our current debt ceiling woes, but we can at least put them to a good beat.”

Categories
politics, economy, etc.

Senator Obama on Opposing Raising Debt Ceiling 2006

INCREASING THE STATUTORY LIMIT ON THE PUBLIC DEBT — (Senate – March 16, 2006)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. OBAMA:

Mr. President, I rise today to talk about America’s debt problem.

The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies.

Over the past 5 years, our federal debt has increased by $3.5 trillion to $8.6 trillion. That is “trillion” with a “T.” That is money that we have borrowed from the Social Security trust fund, borrowed from China and Japan, borrowed from American taxpayers. And over the next 5 years, between now and 2011, the President’s budget will increase the debt by almost another $3.5 trillion.

Numbers that large are sometimes hard to understand. Some people may wonder why they matter. Here is why: This year, the Federal Government will spend $220 billion on interest. That is more money to pay interest on our national debt than we’ll spend on Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. That is more money to pay interest on our debt this year than we will spend on education, homeland security, transportation, and veterans benefits combined. It is more money in one year than we are likely to spend to rebuild the devastated gulf coast in a way that honors the best of America.

And the cost of our debt is one of the fastest growing expenses in the Federal budget. This rising debt is a hidden domestic enemy, robbing our cities and States of critical investments in infrastructure like bridges, ports, and levees; robbing our families and our children of critical investments in education and health care reform; robbing our seniors of the retirement and health security they have counted on.

Every dollar we pay in interest is a dollar that is not going to investment in America’s priorities. Instead, interest payments are a significant tax on all Americans–a debt tax that Washington doesn’t want to talk about. If Washington were serious about honest tax relief in this country, we would see an effort to reduce our national debt by returning to responsible fiscal policies.

But we are not doing that. Despite repeated efforts by Senators CONRAD and FEINGOLD, the Senate continues to reject a return to the commonsense Pay-go rules that used to apply. Previously, Pay-go rules applied both to increases in mandatory spending and to tax cuts. The Senate had to abide by the commonsense budgeting principle of balancing expenses and revenues. Unfortunately, the principle was abandoned, and now the demands of budget discipline apply only to spending.

As a result, tax breaks have not been paid for by reductions in Federal spending, and thus the only way to pay for them has been to increase our deficit to historically high levels and borrow more and more money. Now we have to pay for those tax breaks plus the cost of borrowing for them. Instead of reducing the deficit, as some people claimed, the fiscal policies of this administration and its allies in Congress will add more than $600 million in debt for each of the next 5 years. That is why I will once again cosponsor the Pay-go amendment and continue to hope that my colleagues will return to a smart rule that has worked in the past and can work again.

Our debt also matters internationally. My friend, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, likes to remind us that it took 42 Presidents 224 years to run up only $1 trillion of foreign-held debt. This administration did more than that in just 5 years. Now, there is nothing wrong with borrowing from foreign countries. But we must remember that the more we depend on foreign nations to lend us money, the more our economic security is tied to the whims of foreign leaders whose interests might not be aligned with ours.

Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that “the buck stops here.” Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.

I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America’s debt limit.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Even without counting most unfunded liabilities, the national debt is now calculated to be nearing $14.1 trillion. It increases about $4.22 billion per day (each citizen’s share stands at roughly $45K). Thus, Democrats will soon demand that the debt ceiling be raised, lest the sky fall. When they do, they will be asking for a significant boost in a ceiling that is already 60 percent higher than the one Barack Obama said was “a sign of leadership failure” five years ago.

Senator Barack Obama Explaining his 2006 Vote Against Raising the Debt Limit, By Andrew C. McCarthy

Categories
politics, economy, etc. video

Only grouchy tightwads don’t loan their buddies a few extra Trillion

Dear Visa,

I almost hesitate to mention it, but I maxed out my credit line, again.  I owe only slightly more than half of what our entire country generates in revenue in a year.  How about increasing my limit a few trillion more?  Four trillion should hold me over for the rest of the year.  I’ve got this spending habit I’m trying to kick.  Despite being paid BILLIONS a day, I need more right now.  I commit to getting that under control, soon. After the next election for sure.  In the meanwhile, I think I should be paid more.  Would help with my spending habit.  Also, you better act quick on helping me out or somebody’s going to suffer.  It’s going to look bad.  I promise.  Not a threat, just saying.

Yours truly, Uncle Sam.

Current Debt Held by the Public Intragovernmental Holdings Total US Public Debt Outstanding
07/19/2011 9,753,904,328,297.12 4,588,994,138,771.95 14,342,898,467,069.07

Info courtesy of US Treasury Dept. (does not include State gov debts)

U.S. Long-Term Debt Situation Is One of the World’s Worst :

This year, the U.S. public debt is projected to reach 62 percent of the economy—up from 40 percent in 2008 and nearly double the historical average, according to recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates. The financial crisis and recession drove much of this debt swing, yet larger problems loom in the future.  By 2030, the CBO projects that debt will more than double to 146 percent of GDP.

Categories
culture politics, economy, etc.

Debtor Demographics

From Mark Steyn’s Happy Warrior column, National Review July 18, 2011:

A government big enough to give you everything you want isn’t big enough to get you to give any of it back.  That’s the stage Greece is at and so, to one degree or another, is the rest of the Western world.  In the United States, our democracy is trending as Athenian as the rest: We’re the Brokest Nation in History, but, as those Medicare polls suggest, getting enough people to give enough of it back isn’t going to be any easier than it is in Greece.  From Athens to Madison, Wis., too many people have gotten used to a level of comfort and ease they haven’t earned.
…
The social capital of a nation is built up over centuries but squandered in a generation or two.  With blithe self-confidence, the post-war West changed too much too fast.  We changed everything, and yet we’ll still wonder why everything’s changed.

Categories
entertainment marriage and family video

Greenbeans In The Garden Bluegrass

“Our very nature demands home. It is the first essential element of our social being. This cannot be complete without home relations. ” John Potts

One of the best fringe benefits of practicing intellectual property law is meeting creative and innovative people.  Several years ago I was blessed to receive a call from Vicky West, who with her daughters went by the name The West Girls.  They needed help copyrighting their new album, Further Along, which they independently produced and wrote most the songs from their remote holler somewhere in the back hills of Tennessee.  I quickly realized that not only was the album independently produced, the family itself is simply independent — self-sustaining (in the temporal sense) and off the grid — four miles from the nearest power line!  Their album is simply great blue grass and is available in CD directly from them and via download through Amazon.  Greenbeans in the Garden is one of my family’s all-time favorite songs. (It appears that when they’re singing about greenbean gardens, they know what they’re talking about – see here.)  There’s not a bad song on the album; the entire album is a favorite of mine.  I understand that they may be soon releasing their second album …  Can’t wait to hear it.

The West Girls, now more commonly known as The West Ladies, have also been involved with several other productions under their label Homestead Blessings, such as a multi-part DVD series on valuable homemaking skills, including instruction in bread making, candle making, soap making, canning, gardening, herbs, cooking, dairy, and sewing.

 

Categories
books culture marriage and family politics, economy, etc.

Legislating Gay Marriage

In 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that barring same-sex couples from civil marriage was unconstitutional. In an advisory opinion to the state legislature on why enacting “civil unions” as an alternative to marriage was legally insufficient, the Court explained its view that “segregating same-sex unions from opposite-sex unions cannot possibly be held rationally to advance or preserve” the governmental aim of encouraging “stable adult relationships for the good of the individual and of the community, especially its children.” Under this decision, the state of Massachusetts began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in May 2004. Over the next seven years, activist courts across the country continued to rule that the failure or refusal to extend “marriage” to gay couples violated state and the federal constitution.  See here.

Polls show an ever increasing number of Americans support the notion of gay marriages, demonstrating yet again the normative influence of laws over time and the power and consequence of an activist judiciary. See here.

This past June, the New York legislature was the first body of elected officials to pass a gay marriage statute on its own volition.

Two leading conservative evangelicals point the blame for this unbiblical re-defining of marriage not on the activist courts or the politicians, but instead on the Church. Ken Ham observes of the NY gay marriage law, “This is only the latest in a long list of how America has been turning its back on biblical authority.”  See here.  Mr. Ham points out that the church and Christian leaders have so compromised God’s word and failed to teach apologetics and that faith that the current generations are simply walking away from the faith and Biblical truth is increasingly ignored.  Mr. Ham explains and demonstrates these points at the church and Christian college level in his two recent books Already Gone and Already Compromised. 

In a recent interview with Charisma News, Dr. Michael Youssef expressed a similar sentiment:

Younger evangelicals have been sucked in by false teaching and are now walking away and turning their backs on biblical morality. The only morality they look at is taking care of the poor by the government—not by us but by the government. That is very dangerous. …

This problem started in the church. The society did not begin to collapse on its own, morally, when churches started to reject the authority of the word of God. The debate about homosexuality started in the church and not politics. The Episcopal Church started the whole thing by ordaining gays and blessing gay marriages. That came from the church pulpit into society. Then the Presbyterians followed and now many evangelicals don’t want to talk about it. The main issue is rejecting God’s word as authoritative over us as individuals and as a church. As goes the church so goes society. The church is the one that needs to repent first. It is my call to the church … to call the church to repentance. Until that happens society is going to continue going in a downward spiral.

Alan Sears recently wrote in American Thinker that the church’s morale failure has been by design, which would make repentance of the church even more difficult:

The church survived intact until late in the 20th century, when the leftist onslaught changed from “in your face” to “in your place,” and activists of every stripe pursued the pulpit in order to further their various causes.  (Thus, certain churches are often accomplices in things like the homosexual agenda instead of an impediment to it.)  Thus, rather than calling the culture to repentance in light of biblical truth, churches increasingly reflected the culture, actually providing a degree of spiritual comfort for all sorts of behavior.

Mr. Sears sees the church’s being encroached  by the dollar and by government.

At CatholicCulture.org, Dr. Jeff Mirus recently explained why homosexuality may provide the impetus for the next gulag.

No group is more hateful to modern society than the perceived moralistic prigs who, out of what most perceive as religiously-motivated prejudice, seek to diminish the personal sexual liberty of others. Nothing could be more obvious in our current culture than that such people must be silenced and, if necessary, restrained. Moreover, it seems only right and just that their denunciation of the gay lifestyle and their opposition to gay marriage should be criminalized. In fact, it should be criminalized in the name of liberty. That is why gay marriage is the lie that will create the next Gulag.

Dr. Mirus concisely explains how we’re following the logical path of “sterile” marriages, i.e. where reproduction is no longer the central focus of marriage and sex. The path started with divorce and then to birth control, abortion, homosexual marriage and increasingly suppression of opposition.  There is increasing evidence of a future where standing for Biblical truths will result in criminal and professional punishment. Dr. Mirus advises that we are to live the Truth of Christ in our lives and in our families in the days to come, particularly in the face of persecution.

The prospect of criminal and professional persecution of those who espouse or practice Biblical truths is not terribly far fetched or far off.  Indeed, my State Bar of NC recently tried to prohibit its licensed attorneys from taking taking sexual orientation, transgender, or sexual identity issues into consideration during the course of practicing law, such as when hiring new attorneys or deciding whether to represent a client.

Not only are Baby Boomers leaving future American generations with trillions of dollars of debt to repay, but these sexual Bolsheviks appear intent on establishing Pink Fascism as part of their legacy. Pray hard for repentance and revival.

Categories
culture entertainment

“I Was Born This Way”

And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.  Hear instruction and be wise and do not neglect it.  Blessed is the one who listens to me … Whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death. Prov 8:32-36

Lady Gaga’s most recent hit, which reached no. 1 on the sales charts, captures current popular moral sentiment.  Gaga’s assessment of our condition is spot on, however, her moral conclusion (and encouragement) is quite unbiblical and wrong. Gaga’s lyrics:

My mama told me when I was young
We are all born superstars
She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on
In the glass of her boudoir
“There’s nothin wrong with lovin who you are”
She said, “’cause he made you perfect, babe”
“So hold your head up girl and you’ll go far,
Listen to me when I say”

I’m beautiful in my way
‘Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track baby
I was born this way
Don’t hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you’re set
I’m on the right track baby
I was born this way

Ooo there ain’t no other way
Baby I was born this way
Baby I was born this way
…
Don’t be a drag – just be a queen
Don’t be a drag – just be a queen
Don’t be a drag – just be a queen
Don’t be!
…
Whether you’re broke or evergreen
You’re black, white, beige, chola descent
You’re lebanese, you’re orient
Whether life’s disabilities
Left you outcast, bullied, or teased
Rejoice and love yourself today
‘Cause baby you were born this way
No matter gay, straight, or bi,
Lesbian, transgendered life
I’m on the right track baby
I was born to survive
…
I was born this way hey!…

Lady Gaga captures popular American moral sentiment.  While sounding cutting edge rock-n-roll, Gaga’s moral message is mundane popular moral sentiment: look to yourself and be true to what you find.  Walt Disney movies often pound the theme of believing in yourself and never losing sight of your dreams.  There is good in believing in yourself and your aspirations, to a point.  Follows our pop culture cue and runs full speed past that point and never looks back.

Lady Gaga celebrates the way we’re born, whether it’s our race, sexual orientation or gender identity.  According to her, if you follow the way you were born, you’re on the right track.  If you were born a bisexual drag queen, you’re on the right track because you were born that way and God doesn’t make mistakes … according to Ms. Gaga.  I wonder whether she feels the same about pedophiles, sadists, bigamists, and misanthropes.  Regardless, her message is quite familiar: trust yourself and how you feel, particularly in matters of sexuality.

Lady Gaga’s moral conclusion is even more errant than her wardrobe. The wisest man reported to have lived instructed that “He who trusts in himself is a fool …”  (Prov. 28:26).  Gag is correct that we are born a particular way.  The Bible is quite clear that we’re born into a fallen state of rebellion.  From cover to cover, the Bible makes very clear that our internal moral compass does not naturally steer in a “good” direction.  To the contrary, our natural paths is straight to Hell.  Jesus Christ clearly explained to Nicodemus that we are not to rely upon they way we are born:

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

John 3:3-6.  Contrary to Gaga, we were not born “on the right track.”  The track Gaga celebrates, the track of our natural desires in the flesh, is the track to God’s condemnation. Gaga praises the way of death.  We are born in the flesh, but if we are to enjoy eternal life with God, we must be born again in the Spirit.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  

Galatians 5:16-23.

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 

Ephesians 2:3-5.  We should pray that God will fully open Lady Gaga’s eyes and convict her heart that the way she was born is not the way, the truth or the life, and that The Way is Jesus Christ.

Trust in the Lord and walk in His ways.  Eat from His table and drink from His cup. Praise Him and follow Him.

Categories
politics, economy, etc. video World etc.

Freedom

Categories
encouragement marriage and family video

Friends Forever

Excellent article by Michael Hyatt on how to become your spouse’s best friend.  He recommends the following very simple three step process:

1.  Make a list of what you would want in a best-friend.
2.  Now become that person for your spouse.
3.  Keep sowing the seeds, until the relationship blossoms.

 Please read the entire article: How to Become Your Spouse’s Best Friend

 

Categories
marriage and family Poem

Only a Dad

Only a dad with a tired face,
Coming home from the daily race,
Bringing little of gold or fame
To show how well he has played the game;
But glad in his heart that his own rejoice
To see him come and to hear his voice.

Only a dad with a brood of four,
One of ten million men or more
Plodding along in the daily strife,
Bearing the whips and the scorns of life,
With never a whimper of pain or hate,
For the sake of those who at home await.

Only a dad, neither rich nor proud,
Merely one of the surging crowd,
Toiling striving from day-to-day,
Facing whatever may come his way,
Silent whenever the harsh condemn,
And bearing it all for the love of them.

Only a dad but he gives his all,
To smooth the way for his children small,
Doing with courage stern and grim
The deeds that his father did for him.
This is the line that for him I pen:
Only a dad, but the best of men.

Edgar Guest

THANKS DAD! HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

Categories
marriage and family Poem

A Father’s Prayer

Lord, strengthen me that I may be
A fit example for my son.
Grant he may never hear or see
A shameful deed that I have done.
How ever sorely I am tried,
Let me not undermine his pride.

Lord, make me tolerant and wise,
Incline my ears to hear him through.
Let him not stand with downcast eyes
Fearing to trust me and be true.
Instruct me so that I may know
They way son and I should go.

When he shall err as once I did,
Or boyhood’s folly bids him stray,
Let me not into anger fly
And drive the good in him away.
Teach me to win his trust – that he
Shall keep no secret hid from me.

Lord, as his father now I pray
For manhood’s strength and counsel wise,
Let me deal justly day by day,
In all that fatherhood implies.
To be his father, keep me fit,
Let me not play the hypocrite.

Edgar Guest

Categories
Atheism, agnostic, evolution, etc. video

“I’m a biblical creationist.”

What’s in a name?

Sometimes controversy.  A boy named Sue, fundamentalist, fascist, liberal (or liberals renaming themselves (again) “progressive”), etc. … Names can evoke powerful responses.  Some say controversial names generate interest.  The label or mislabel of something or someone often introduces presumptions or starting points for how people, ideas, and things are initially perceived.

Answers in Genesis recently published an interesting article on whether the name “young earth creationist” is the most accurate name for those that read the first chapter of Genesis literally regarding origins.

“I’m a young-earth creationist.”

To evolutionists, a person claiming this title is akin to saying, “I’m an anti-science mystic.” To Christians who have compromised with naturalistic presuppositions, young-earth creation implies just one more opinion on the earth’s beginning.

Many Christians have conceded to uniformitarian dogma by imposing theories on Genesis like the day-age view, gap theory, and the framework hypothesis. Christians taking on names—progressive creationist, theistic evolutionist, or even young-earth creationist—implies Genesis 1–11 does not have one clear interpretation.

By making our primary title “young-earth creationists,” we seem to agree that the debate is merely over the scientific evidence of the age of the earth. We get caught up in arguments over whether the fossil record, radiometric dating, and celestial bodies are evidence for a young or old earth. While examining the evidence is valuable, the issue is not the evidence itself. The main issue is our starting point for interpreting the evidence—either fallible human opinions or infallible Scripture (Psalm 119:160; 2 Timothy 3:16). Therefore, the title of those who hold to biblical authority should identify their starting point.

“I’m a biblical creationist.”

This title accurately conveys the biblical Christian’s starting point. Two starting points exist: man’s opinion or God’s Word. Creation compromise positions come about when Christians start with man’s opinion of long ages and then reinterpret Scripture to fit the uniformitarian beliefs of God-rejecting naturalists.

See the rest of this excellent article at: Don’t Call Us Young-Earth Creationists

Categories
politics, economy, etc.

A Third State Poised to Block Taxpayer Money to Nation’s Largest Abortion Provider

North Carolina poised to defund Planned Parenthood after House votes to override veto

From the Washington Times: For 2009, Planned Parenthood affiliates performed 332,278 abortions, saw 7,021 prenatal clients and made 977 adoption referrals. That means for 97.6 percent of its 340,276 pregnant clients, abortion was Planned Parenthood’s provided “service.”

June 16 Update: Planned Parenthood said on Thursday it is considering a legal challenge of North Carolina’s decision to eliminate state funds to the organization because it provides abortions.

Categories
books homeschooling

Slavery & Empire – Thank you My Father’s World!

… he suddenly realised what liberty really meant: freedom to bow to the dictates of love and to give yourself to its voluntary slavery.  Apart from the discipline of love, freedom was a dreary wilderness without compass or direction, a desert full of mirages, promising everything but yielding nothing.  Patricia St. John, Twice Freed

For years, our family has used the My Father’s World (“MFW”) curriculum to homeschool our children.   I have MFW to thank for some of my most enjoyable moments this year.

For us, MFW provides the best blend of Charlotte Mason, Classical and Unit Study methods consistent with what my wife and I believe.  The authors (the Hazell family) started the curriculum while raising their children while serving as missionaries in Siberia.  We were also initially attracted by how the Hazell’s gave a lot of thought to engaging preschoolers while teaching multiple grade schoolers.  Later, we’ve come to appreciate the Hazell’s moderation, flexibly ramping up quantity and substance consistent with the developmental stage of a child’s mind.  In any event, MFW is a good fit for us.

Consistent with many homeschoolers, I love books.  So do the Hazells.  They’re thoroughly Charlotte Mason when it comes to learning through quality literature.The Hazells promote Book Baskets (weekly lists of books that correspond to lessons, where the books are kept in baskets each week for the children to read at their leisure), assign family read alouds and offer suggested reading lists (age specific chapter books).  MFW is a giant apple for the book-worm.  Thanks to them, we circulate hundreds of library books through our house every year.

The recent pleasure, for which I owe the Hazell’s a special “thank you,” originated from several of MFW’s family read aloud books and a suggested corresponding movie.  Specifically, our children’s MFW curriculum called for us to read aloud Twice Freed by Patricia St. John and The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare.  MFW suggested that we also watch Ben Hur around the same time.

I hadn’t previously read the books.  Truth be told, I hadn’t heard of either.  What a pleasure and blessing it was to read each to our family.  Great books.  Moving.  Well written.  Thoughtful and they brought to life the history our family was learning.  Ben Hur fit with the readings perfectly as well.  Regardless of whether you homeschool or use MFW, these are great books to read and enjoy with your family.  Thank you Marie and David!

Categories
politics, economy, etc.

Obama 2012: A Solid Record for Review

Victor Davis Hanson’s review of President Obama’s accomplishments on the economy, foreign policy, and promised “New Civility” here.  In 2008, candidate Obama had the benefit of a very limited record in public office and was able to avoid details of what he would pursue.  Many filled in the details of what they thought he would do, and a large number of voters filled in details of a moderate who would cross the aisle.  President Obama’s reelection campaign will have no such luxury in 2012. Hanson provides an excellent preview.

Categories
culture politics, economy, etc.

Remembering And Thanking Our Freedom Fighters

Thousands have given their lives in service to our country, for our domestic security and for freedom abroad. 

A total of 4,435 patriots gave their lives in revolt against monarchical English rule.  Those lives paid for our republican experiment that we continue to this day some 236 years after the first shot fired in Lexington.

364,511 Union Soldiers died in our Civil War, fighting to preserve the Union and later against slavery as well.  Authoritative statistics for Confederate forces are not available. Estimates of the number who served range from 600,000 to 1,500,000. The final report of the Provost Marshal General, 1863-1866, American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics indicated 133,821 Confederate deaths (74,524 battle and 59,297 other) based upon incomplete returns.  In addition, an estimated 26,000 to 31,000 Confederate personnel died in Union prisons.

116,516 Americans died in WWI and 405,399 died in support of the Allies effort in WWII.  36,574 died in Korea and 58,220 in Vietnam.  6,013 Americans have given their lives in the current fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.  See here and here. 

Further, thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines lose their lives each year in training accidents and in personnel injuries while training and while serving our country.  The government is not real open with these statistics, since they reveal that military service is a high risk occupation, particularly for those that serve in the combat arms.  See, e.g. here.

Thank a current or former service member and pray for our service members.   If you served our country – Thank you! 

We should work hard to end the ongoing fiscal irresponsibility that threatens our national heritage from within, the heritage that so many paid the ultimate price to preserve.

Finally, let’s also not forget, Airborne Rangers lead the Way!

Categories
politics, economy, etc.

Paul Ryan on Medicare

What NY26?  Love the confidence implicit in the timing.  I also need to get one of those orange ties.